True Survivor blares across the arena. The fans come to their feet. The CCW Champion, B17, has arrived.
Bingo appears from behind the curtain to a roar of approval. He takes a moment to soak it in before stomping towards the ring. The usual pomp and showcase are not evident tonight.
Bingo walks around the ring and catches a mic before rolling into the ring.
B17: Cut the music.
A curious murmur runs through the crowd.
B17: The rumors of my demise were greatly exaggerated. I stand before you, once again, the CCW Champion.
The crowd pops for the four-time world champion.
B17: But I also stand before you, having sent The Kang, a man I respect, out of OCW.
Crowd: Kang! Kang! Kang! Kang!
B17: Make sure he hears you!
Crowd: KANG! KANG! KANG! KANG!
B17: That’s better. But I still have a problem.
Bingo looks down at the title draped over his shoulder.
B17: I told Doc that I was hungry, that I wanted this, and that I was ready to be the guy again. But something is gnawing at me, something that I can’t shake.
B17: I only have this title because I dared to step to The Kang. As he might say, no one else wanted The Smoke.
B17: He stood out here and challenged anyone to come out to the ring and try and take the title from him…and none of you did. Not one of you could find your damn balls and come out here to challenge him! Not one of you was man enough to challenge one of the greatest superstars this company has ever seen! Not one of you was willing to risk getting your ass whopped for a chance at history! Only me.
Bingo shakes his head.
B17: Sometimes, it really is all about me.
B17: But that isn’t going to happen again. One of you back there is going to step up. Come hell or high water, Daddy will drag greatness out of you.
B17: Bolek, you got your ass whopped by Telos. I don’t want to hear a complaint from you. Stand back up, brush yourself off, and keep fighting. Coco, Mad Dog, you keep barking. Aisu, you don’t look like a teacher; you look like a stone-cold killer, so don’t you disappear.
B17: Claude, stop your bitching and get back to work. Shelly, knock the taste out of Owen’s mouth!
Bingo, breathing heavily, pauses.
B17: Some people might claim they see losers. Nope! I see men ready to take the next step forward and become the future of this company!
B17: But there are two men I want to talk to…CNote, Reese. I was damn impressed. I heard your little spat. I will be waiting when you two finish up, but that isn’t an answer now! Who wants the smoke?
B17 hoists the title above his head.
Suddenly, the epic and heroic theme of OCW's Combat Center trainer, Aisu, pops into the arena speakers. A questioning look on Bingo's face.
He makes his way to the ring. He puts his hand in the air while stepping through the ropes.
Aisu: Mr. B-17. I am sorry to interrupt you, but I found it the perfect opportunity to come out after you spoke highly of me. As a matter of fact, after all these years in the same company, we never have been formally introduced! Nor did we cross paths even once..
Aisu: As the head teacher of all these younglings and future superstars, and you being an example for many of them, let me tell you it would be a great pleasure and an honor to speak with you one-on-one, sir.
He extends his hand.
B17: Well, I’ll be a blue-nosed gopher. This is the first time we’ve spoken, and you have the balls to challenge for the CCW title? Move over new stars.
B17 receives Aisu’s outstretched hand and shakes it.
JynX vs. CHANCE WILLIAMS
In downtown New York City, we see Dragana with FloJo tagging along visiting a local bodega. They enter the small grocery store, FloJo looks around to pick up some personal items. She even makes small talk with the store owner.
FloJo picks up an item without a pricetag.
FloJo: Excuse me, how much is this?
Shopkeep: $19.99 ma’am.
FloJo: Dammmnnn.
The shopkeep clears his throat and points at a sign that says: “Please don’t say damn whenever you see the price tag”
FloJo: Oh, hi, sorry.
Dragana places several fruits and vegetables into her basket. FloJo peers over her shoulder, unsure of what to say.
FloJo: Um, Hey, when do I get to like practice moves and whatnot?
Dragana smiles, then pulls out her phone. She types her response.
Speaker: What do you seek with this training, Miss FloJo?
FloJo: I want the title! The OCW World Women’s Wrestling Championship! I gotta be there one more time, Head master.
The Silent Queen frowns before she types away on her phone.
Speaker: If you only seek glory, you will not grow to your full potential. I will send you some reading material, hopefully you will find inspiration in them.
FloJo twirls her hair
FloJo: Inspiration huh, I wonder what that may be…I want to be a better wrestler too despite not being a champion. Y’know?
The Silent Queen nods with a smile on her face.
Dragana: Mmm!
Stacky Clark: I’m joined tonight by a…rather unique individual. Please welcome the Dirty White Boy, BAE.
The camera pans to BAE, who is sitting on a chair opposite Clark.
Clark: So, what makes you dirty?
BAE holds up a finger and waggles it. He reaches below his chair and pulls up a large whiteboard and dry-erase marker.
BAE WILL NOT BE SPEAKING TONIGHT.
Clark: That seems a bit silly, doesn’t it? Perhaps you can convince the fans that you are here to help if you talk about your motivations.
BAE THINKS THE FANS ARE IDIOTS.
Clark: Why is that?
THEY FAT, UGLY, NOT SMART.
Clark: Are you sure you’re not responding unfairly because they did not receive your actions warmly? After all, you did prevent thousands of people from getting the food they wanted. Wasn’t that a bit unreasonable?
YOUR TINDER PROFILE IS SAD.
Clark: Wait, what? What are you doing on my…I mean, I don’t have a Tinder profile!
TOO MANY CATS. NOT ENOUGH BOOBS.
Clark looks appalled at what she is hearing but quickly regains her composure.
Clark: We are here to talk about you, not my personal life. Which is none of your business.
BAE IS JUST TRYING TO HELP.
Clark tries to interject, but BAE is already writing a new message.
HAVE YOU TRIED ONLY FANS?
Clark: OK! This interview is over.
TAG TEAM TURMOIL THE COCKBYRNES vs. THE LOBBY
Empress sits in her office with Kameyo, freshly arrived from Japan, with her Eye of the Universe Championship on her shoulder. Both women looking at a print-out of the announced competitors and blocks for the Super S Cup.
Emp: Good. We won’t be facing off until the finals.
Kameyo stands there silently, but nods in agreement. Emp smiles contentedly, though the smile fades ever so slightly as she and Kameyo both hear the sounds of things being thrown around in the hallway just outside the door.
The two women look at each other blankly for a moment, before the sounds cease and the door to the office flies open, smashing against the wall with a loud thud as Shianne enters the room in a fit of rage.
Shianne’s glare fixates on her two allies as she stomps over to the desk and slams her fists down angrily.
Shianne: Boss! What the f**k is going on here!? Why am I not in the tournament!? How are some of these losers in and not me?! TALK.
With one fist still pressed knuckles down into the desk, and a glare with the edge of a thousand daggers, Shianne raises her other fist in the air ready to strike at a moment’s notice.
Emp slides her chair back across the floor a few inches, and smiles at Shianne’s hot-headedness. She points at the print-out on the desk.
Emp: I tried. Trust me I tried. I would love to have all my girls in the S-Cup but that Whale Dupree was against it.
EmP: Kept yelling “Three’s a crowd”. And considering the size of him he knows a lot about crowding people.
Emp: Anyway Kameyo and I have the tournament - if you were in we’d just be fighting each other for no real gain, right?
Shianne’s gaze narrows, unwavering, though she seems to consider this for a moment.
Emp: I know you like to fight. Why don’t you use this time for yourself and direct all that anger at some bigger fish?
Shianne: Yeah, and who would that be? Everybody is in the damn tournament!
Emp: Why not Deborah? The World title? Rumble Barbie lost her match and Deborah is sure to think she’ll have a break with the tournament going on.
Shianne pauses for a moment, thinking.
Shianne: So… it’s my job to crash her party?
Emp: Exactly.
Shianne: …That makes sense… I think.
Shianne’s anger turns to a smirk.
Emp: Of course. I want what's best for my girls. I wouldn’t give you faulty logic.
Shianne: You’re right, boss. Y’know what… yeah… yeah I’ll show her what happens when you cross me! I never got a rematch after she hit me with that damn thing!
Shianne excitedly heads for the door but stops halfway.
Shianne: F**k. Cesar’s gonna fine me for all the damage I did to the stuff in the hallway, isn’t he?
Emp sighs.
Emp: Probably.
Shianne shrugs, and leaves the office, shutting the door far more gently than she opened it as she exits. Emp sighs and rolls back up to the desk, looking over at Kameyo.
Chance Williams weaved through the backstage chaos, the low hum of anticipation filling the air. Wrestlers hurriedly laced their boots, makeup artists dashed with brushes in hand, and the distant cheers of the crowd hinted at the spectacle.
Williams, with an air of confidence, headed towards the makeshift interview area, ready for an off-the-cuff moment in the spotlight.
He walks in front of the camera, unraveling his wrist tape as he’s breathing heavily.
Chance: Anniversary 19 was the hardest night of my short career in OCW. I let myself down, I let Bobbi down, and most importantly I let my best friend down. Derek, I’m sorry bro, from the bottom of my heart I’m so sorry.
Chance: I’ll give it to them though, as much as it hurts. Jordan, John, you both are real champions. You two were the better team that night and I have no excuses about that match. We ALL fought our hardest, we put a WAR on for the fans, for management, for EVERYONE.
Chance begins getting more pumped as he tosses his now completely taken off wrist tape onto the ground.
Chance: I’d be lying to all of you and myself if I said that was it for Grit & Glory. We’re gonna regroup, reassess, and we WILL be back. The endgame hasn’t changed nor will it change.
Chance: I came into this company with the goal of becoming a champion. I never would’ve thought I’d be chasing tag gold, but now I see what I want, now me and Derek? We want those tag straps, we want to etch our name into the history books.
Chance: So with that? I thank you all. Management, the wrestlers in the back, the trainers at the Combat Center, and all of you, the fans. You welcomed me into this industry with open arms and I promise, I’m only gonna keep getting better.
Bobbi enters the frame and gives Chance a big embracing hug as Chance relaxes into her hug. Derek comes from around the corner as well and hugs both Bobbi and Chance in a giant group hug.
The cameras back away as the trio begin laughing and making jokes. We see Chance and Derek fist bump and embrace in their own bro hug. The cameras continue to back away and pan down leaving us with a scene of Grit & Glory happy, ready to continue their mission. As we fade to black and cut to commercial.
