The scene starts backstage where Mugen has settled in his own private locker room. Seated on his couch, he has a towel on his head as he mentally prepares for his match against Rust tonight for the International Title.
There's a knock on the door but before Mugen can respond accordingly, the door opens and Nate Ortiz walks in calmly but clearly with a mission on his mind.
Mugen jumps up from his seat and puts his hands up ready to defend himself.
Mugen: What are your intentions old sport?
Nate: You need to explain yourself for that contract. Choose your words wisely because I’ll drop you right here and now.
Mugen: I'm just saying that I did what any sane person would do. You see an open contract for a title shot, who wouldn't sign it.
Nate grunts at that response in a negative manner.
Mugen: Listen, it's much better that it's me fighting for that title compared to anybody else in this company. You want Ryu to have snuck up and signed that contract? That fatass Wrex? You of all people should know I'm the lesser of all evils here.
Nate reluctantly nods and a smile almost shows up on his face.
Nate: Regardless, I don't appreciate you jumping take my spot. Just like that idiot Kassidy, you put a permanent target on your back. You’re gonna pay…
Mugen: Hey hey hey, I got you. Just remember, the enemy of my enemy is my friend. I hate Pugh, you hate Pugh, that should be enough common ground old sport.
Nate: I'm going to make sure that you don't get into any funny business tonight. I know what you put my father in-law through. No weapons, no ref attacks….
Mugen: No interference from Pugh? Right? You are going to be fair after all
Nate: That too
Mugen: See? Not so hard for us to be on the same page. Now if you don't mind, I need to be mentally focused. This next stop on the greatest reclamation tour deserves my utmost attention.
Nate smirks at the slight disrespect and walks away. The scene fades to black as Mugen gets seated again.
We cut backstage to a furious looking Paul Pugh who is mid-rant. Standing across from him is a slightly annoyed looking Rust Cohle - still reeling from the earlier Mugen interaction
Pugh: What did I say? Told you. They’re all out to get us!
Rust: Mugen really is a phreakin weasel..
Pugh scowls at Rust
Pugh: It ain’t just him, it’s Nate Ortiz’s fault this happened. This is what he does - he takes advantage. It’s all a set up and we walked right into it.
Rust: Stop with your conspiracies ! I had enough of that. I GET IT, you hate Nate but I believe he is caught in the crossfires, as we do ! You need to put an end to this nonsense beef !
Pugh: We need to nip this shit in the bud. I’m coming out there to make sure Nate doesn’t show up. You’re not losing that to these people
He points at Rust’s title.
Pugh: It’s too important. I will be there.
Rust shakes his head and puts his hand up.
Rust: No. You are staying here.
Pugh shakes his head
Rust: Like you said, we need to put an end to all this, and that is what I will do, once and for all, tonight. You being out there will cause chaos more than anything after what happened the last couple of weeks.
Rust: Listen, I know you want to get your hands on Mugen so bad, but I won’t risk it. I will take care of Mugen tonight, as I always did. And once it is done, do whatever you want with him.
Pugh: …ok. I’ll stay back here, but if I’m right, I’ll be out there like a shot. I don’t trust them and you shouldn’t either. They’re snakes. Horrible leathery old snakes.
Rust looks annoyed.
Rust: And Mugen is about to pay the ultimate price for it.
We transition to a backstage interview area where the one and only Stacy Clark sits with her left leg resting overtop of her right. She calmly welcomes the crowd to this edition of The Clark Effect.
Stacy: Well folks, we are just 2 weeks from the biggest show of the Summer in pro wrestling as OCW presents Summercide live for the very first time from Barcelona, Spain, as OCW continues to increase it's global reach to fans around the world. Last year at Summercide, we were in Puerto Rico... A place my guest here tonight is very familiar with.
The camera zooms out as Stacy smiles to her left, revealing the OCW World Women's Champion, Deborah Soto. The usual pageantry and confidence from the champion has seemingly been left at the door, as she nods back to Stacy and slowly removes her designer sunglasses.
Stacy: Deborah Soto, 355 days ago, you won the World Women's Championship tournament at Summercide, ushering in a new era for the women's division. When OCW travels to Barcelona on August 31st, you will defend your championship for the 9th time against Shianne Lovelace as you go - as some online have said - "Cide to Cide".
Stacy: After everything you've been through over this last year... This match feels different, you have made it clear that you want Shianne Lovelace - the only woman who has beaten you in singles competition - to have a completely fair fight. We know the two of you will sign the contract next week, but tell me how you're feeling ahead of this match?
Deborah leans forward and looks down to the World Woman's Title resting on her lap.
Deborah: Stacy... I have done everything in my power to hold onto this championship. It's all I ever wanted from the first day I began training at the Combat Center 7 years ago. I know that I've not always been fair and if I'm being honest, there was a time that didn't matter to me. I didn't care what people thought about me, as long as I got to hold this and represent OCW at the very highest level.
Deborah: And you're right. Part of that behavior includes getting myself disqualified against Shianne all those months ago. It took me a long time to admit it to myself, but I did that...
Deborah: ...Because I was scared. I beat her in the title tournament. She was three seconds from being in the position that I'm in. I was afraid that if I gave her an inch, she would take this all away from me before it even began...
Deborah looks back up to Stacy as she continues.
Deborah: 7 years ago when everything was changing, I had other girls talking about me behind my back... Saying I was too big and clumsy... That I wasn't "interesting" enough to ever make my name on OCW TV. Saying that my Instagram following gave me the "easy road"... And I was scared they were right.
Deborah: So I put up a wall, I leaned into those I knew supported me on social media and eventually I made my way to Summercide 2020 to face Ashley Moore for the World Championship... I heard the chatter then, too. "It's too early. She's not ready. Ashley's going to humiliate her".
Deborah looks back down at her title as she pauses for a moment
Deborah: ...Ashley proved my fears to be right. I put everything I had into that moment and she sent me crashing back down, crashing so badly that it took me over 3 years to get back there.
Deborah: The point is, Stacy... I've always been afraid that I'm not good enough. As a Puerto Rican kid growing up in New York who didn't look like other girls. As a trainee who had to learn everything from scratch. As a ditzy, naïve rookie who loved to take pictures with the fans...
Deborah: That fear turned to bitterness and selfishness. I put the wall back up and decided to fight for myself, no matter what it took.
Stacy: ...and then you were released.
Deborah nods as she relives the pain she felt in the Winter of 2022.
Deborah: I was... It once again proved my fears were right. I was sent home while the woman I despised and blamed for everything went on to win the World Championship and I had to start from scratch. I was not going to let it happen again. I had no more walls to put up... So I had to do it myself.
Deborah once again looks down at her World Title as she continues.
Deborah: I made sure NOBODY could ignore me. I stopped waiting for things to change and forced them to change.
Deborah: I make no apologies for anything that I did to get back here. I was done being afraid.
The Champion looks back up into Stacy's eyes with a stern look on her face.
Deborah: I always made sure to prove that I was the best in the ring once the bell rang. There's only been one woman who's stood up to me time and time and time again, no matter what I've done.
Deborah closes her eyes and takes a deep breath, focusing all of her attention to the camera
Deborah: Shianne? I need this match more than you do. I need to beat you. No interference's, no excuses, no TOG, nothing.
Deborah: It's not because I'm afraid of what everyone else will say, those days are over. I have nothing to prove to anyone anymore. I am the single greatest Women's World Champion of all time... I need to do this to prove to myself that I am better than you.
Deborah: I know we've stood side by side to clear a path over the last month or so, but make no mistake... I am not your friend. You have my respect, not my admiration. You have my attention, not my envy. You have my focus, not my fear.
Deborah: In 15 days... In Barcelona, I'm going to do what I've done every week for the last year. I'm going to walk in as the best dressed. As the biggest star. As the woman who changed the game. As the face of this company. As the Women's World Champion... And I'm going to walk out the same way.
Deborah stands up as the camera zooms in to her face.
Deborah: I'm going finally beat you one on one and retain my championship. You're going to lose in front of 20,000 of my newest fans... Not because you're not good enough, but because I'm not done yet. You're going to be added to the growing list of women who thought it was their time... Hopefully when it's all said and done, you'll stand up and shake the champions hand.
Deborah: See you next week, tell your psychopath mommy and mute punching bag of a sister to keep their noses out of it, this time.
An emotionally fired up Soto turns and nods to Stacy as she walks off the set. Stacy's eyes are wide as she nods to the producer.
Stacy: Strong words from our World Women's Champion, guys. Back to you.
