Rebel's "One" Opportunity

[Johnny Rebel]

APW MEGASTAR FOUND UNCONSCIOUS; FALLING OFF WAGON?
EXCLUSIVE REPORT!

Johnny Rebel, a professional wrestler with Action Packed Wrestling, certainly has his work cut out for him this weekend when he squares off with the legendary Lester “Level-One” Only, the APW World Heavyweight Championship.

The problem might be… will he make it to the star-studded pay-per-view “One Night in Hell?”

It seems the over the hill wrestler has been living his own personal hell. Reports began circulating last week that Rebel, 42, had been found unconscious outside the popular Las Vegas, covered in his own vomit, and almost naked.

“It was an unbelievable sight,” a law-enforcement officer told TMZ.com, who asked to remain anonymous because they weren’t at liberty to speak about the case. “The owner of ‘High Rollers’ called us down to the facility at around 7:00am when one of his employees found the suspect in the dumpster. We tried to get him to respond… it took an alarming amount of time before we could even find a pulse. He’s living on the edge… he’s lucky to be alive.”

This isn’t the first time the megastar has been found in a compromising position. About a year ago, Rebel was found to be homeless, and living in a tent community in Chicago. Rumors began to spread that a wealthy business owner, Felipe DeLorean, had befriended the wrestler, and pulled him from the streets.

Calls to Rebel’s opponent Level-One at APW’s next PPV weren’t immediately returned.

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October 23rd, 2013
9:45am
Las Vegas General Hospital – Las Vegas, Nevada

“You’re an idiot.”

That’s something that Rebel couldn’t escape. He wasn’t exactly the contemplative type. The truth was, he often acted, and then he’d deal with the fallout after the fact. However, he could always count on one thing: Michael Andrews, his closest friend and only remaining ally outside of the Sindicate, would be waiting to harass him.

“You could have wound up dead. You’re literally five days away from the biggest night of your life and they find you belly-up in a dumpster… the doctor said they pumped so much out of your stomach that they could have fed a small village in Africa!”

“I guess I’m lucky they found me when they did, eh?” Rebel flashed his trademark grin. “I wonder when they are going to serve breakfast around here?”

“Don’t you get it?”

“Get what?” Rebel asked. “I thought it was a pretty simply question… I’m hungry, therefore, I’m looking forward to breakfast?”

“We aren’t talking about breakfast, Rebel,” Andrews scoffed. “You’re a real piece of work…”

“What’s got your panties in a wad?” A genuinely confused Rebel cocked his head sideways. “You act like you’re the one in the hospital… good grief!”

“It baffles me how you can be so stupid! You’ve been given a chance to do something that very few of us have ever had the opportunity to do… and you’re going to blow it on, well, blow! You waltzed back in to the APW, after a horrific year, were handed the general manager position, got yourself fired, which eventually led to a match with the APW World Heavyweight Champion and perhaps the biggest megastar this organization has ever seen!”

“Just a day in the life of Johnny Rebel.”

“Just another day? You’ve got to be kidding me,” Andrews rolled his eyes. “Don’t you ever wonder why there isn’t anybody else standing by your side… ever? It’s always me, and *only* me. Felipe couldn’t even be bothered to make the trek out to make sure you weren’t dead.”

“Hey, that’s why you get paid the big bucks,” Rebel chimed in with his legendary sarcastic quip. “I don’t need anybody else!”

“I’m the only one, Johnny, the only one that gives a monkey’s uncle if you survive or not,” Andrews frustration was visible. “You toe the line between insane and bat-behind crazy… and I’m the one left behind picking up the pieces. Haven’t you noticed the way people look at you in the locker rooms lately? They are foaming at the mouth for the chance to get a shot in on you whenever you can. You don’t have to apologize for success or even give excuses for why you’re facing Level-One at One Night in Hell after nearly a year of in-ring inactivity… but that doesn’t mean you have to be a pompous ass.”

“First of all,” Rebel retorted, “The only person foaming at the mouth in the locker room is Stefan Raab… and there is something seriously wrong with that guy. Secondly, you sound like…”

Suddenly, Rebel’s demeanor changed – he couldn’t bring himself to say her name.

“I sound like what?”

“Nothing, nevermind,” a stoic Rebel stared relentlessly at the same spot on the wall directly in front of him. “Don’t you have somewhere you need to be?”

The dull hospital colors brought upon vivid memories inside Rebel’s head. The last extended stay in a facility was the last picture he had of his beloved Sarah, who was once an employee, who eventually turned to the only person that mattered for Rebel. He closed his eyes and counted along to the slow beeping in the background – a tactic he’d use to pass the time while she was fighting for her life. Each ring another precious moment of life he’d get to share with her… what Rebel didn’t know is that she wouldn’t wake.

“No,” Andrews’ doesn’t pick up on Rebel’s non-verbal clues, and continues his onslaught. “I sound like what, Johnny? I’m sleeping on a couch that’s too small, drinking overpriced coffee, and worried sick that you’re going to even wake up from last night’s binge… and you have the nerve to insult me? Believe me, there isn’t *anything* else I’d rather be doing then not fielding phone calls from worried family member about your wellbeing!”

“You sound like… Sarah.”

There was only one response that could have taken the wind out of Andrews like he’d been hit in the gut… and that was it.

“She should be standing right there.”

Rebel pointed bedside where Andrews had taken residence during his stay. Andrews slumped back down in the chair where he’d been folded over trying to get some rest.

“It’s not fair, Michael,” Rebel choked back tears, which would eventually turn in to anger. “If I would have just hung it up when she asked me to… we wouldn’t have ever been in this mess. She begged me not to take the General Manager position but I wouldn’t listen.”

“I’m sorry, Johnn…”

Rebel interrupted Andrews’ apology.

“I was sitting in that very spot. I held her hand in mine and pleaded with a God that doesn’t exist to wake her from that deep sleep. How could I allow something like this to happen to her? I always promised her that I’d protect her… and look where it got me!

I’m lying in the same bed.

My world crashing down.

And the only thing you can think about is a championship match?”

“The Chameleon” tried to back track but couldn’t get his foot out of his mouth fast enough. Rebel’s eyes seemed akin to a fiery furnace and were deadlocked on his “friend” who had driven him to a point of delirium.

“I’m sorry, Johnny, I had… I had no idea!”

Before Rebel could respond – a knock at the door by two men in dark suits interrupted the conversation. There are times when your intuition begins to kick-in and you realize something isn’t exactly right, which is exactly the vibe Andrews felt when these men entered the room.

“I don’t think now is a great time to be taking visitors, Rebel,” Andrews tried to fend them off, but Johnny wasn’t having any of it. “You need to get some rest…”

“Unfortunately, I don’t think that’s going to be necessary, Andrews,” Rebel said with a twinkle in his eyes. “Unlike you, these two are invited guests. I trust you’ll find something to occupy your time for the next few minutes while I have a discussion with my new friends here?”

“But,” Andrews couldn’t get a word in without Rebel extending his right hand. “But…”

“Don’t worry,” Rebel tried to put his mind at ease. “These are associates of mine. Look, I appreciate everything that you and Felipe have done for me over the past few weeks… but I hold one person responsible for my tailspin. There is one person that is going to be held liable for everything that I have being ripped out from underneath me.

I was perfectly content with my position in the APW until Level-One and the Sindicate came knocking. I extended my hand to Lester, who was fledgling in the undercard, and raised him to new levels that he hadn’t ever seen, even in his glory days of the beginning of the APW. You’d think he’d be grateful for everything I provided him.”

“It was a business decision, Johnny,” Andrews said of Level-One’s turn. “He had to do what’s best for him.”

“And now I’m going to do what’s best for Johnny Rebel.”

“What’s best for you is to get healthy and get ready for One Night in Hell in a couple of days,” Andrews again tried to clear Rebel’s head but to no-avail. “You can’t win holed up in an emergency room.”

“What’s best for Johnny Rebel isn’t to win, Michael,” he said with a twinge of hatred seeping from the corner of his mouth. “Have you ever heard of the ‘Golden Rule,’ Andrews?”

“Do unto others…”

“As others would do unto you. Lester didn’t have any regard to what he did to me… and now, I’m not going to have any for him. The championship isn’t our only aim, Andrews. We’re going to end Level-One. Now if you’ll excuse us… we need to discuss a few private matters.”

Andrews gathered up his belongings and made his way towards the door, taking a second to glance back at a sadistic Rebel, who was consumed with the idea of eliminating the APW World Heavyweight Champion. The level-headed, sane, Johnny Rebel was long gone. Level-One had opened up Pandora’s Box and there wasn’t anybody who’d be able to take Rebel down from the ledge. Andrews’ had to do something… he just wasn’t sure what.

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“Looks like you’re all ready to go,” the doctor didn’t break stride from the paperwork in front of him, scribbling his autograph on a couple of places, and handing them to a nurse next to him. “Make sure you drink plenty of fluids over the next twenty-four hours and please,”

“Yeah, yeah, I know, drink a little more responsibly.”

The doctor handed over the discharge papers to Rebel, who popped up almost immediately, but nearly toppled over.

“Be careful,” the doctor reached out his hand to steady the woozy megastar. “You’ve had your stomach emptied and not very much sustenance over the past few days. I’d suggest taking it easy. Let us get someone to take you out of the building.”

“I’d appreciate that,” Rebel said, showing his first real signs of weakness since entering the facility.

Within a few moments, a male nurse appeared in the room, assisting Rebel in to the wheel chair, and began ushering him outside to the parking lot.

“Thanks,” Rebel grunted.

“It’s my pleasure, Mr. Rebel…”

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It isn’t long before they reach the underground parking garage where Rebel points out his vehicle off in the distance. There isn’t a lot of commotion in the parking lot being so late in the evening and the sole light is flickering off in the distance.

“I appreciate the ride,” Rebel says.

The nurse simply nods and begins walking backwards before another voice reverbs throughout the parking lot.

“I’m afraid your ride is just beginning…”

Felipe DeLorean steps out from behind the shadows and two associates familiar to Rebel back him. The nurse slides a black mesh bag over Rebel’s face, who doesn’t put up much of a fight, with the megastar drained of his strength from last night’s emergency room stay.

“I’m sorry that it has to be this way, Rebel, but we can’t risk you ruining our plans. You aren’t the only one looking to settle a score at One Night in Hell. I know Lester better than anybody else and I know he’ll be in top shape… and I can’t risk you not being the same.

Take him away.”

The henchmen heave him in to the floor of a black conversation van, with Rebel squirming relentlessly, and slam the door shut. Felipe tosses a wad of bound bills in the direction of the nurse, who simply nods, and quickly disappears, back to the elevator. As quickly as Rebel had entered the hospital, he’d been whisked away to who knows where.

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There was a thick, smoky haze that made it difficult to see, let alone breath, which filled the room. Rebel slowly pulled himself to a seated position, with his head ringing, and his legs fast asleep from laying, where apparently he had been for an extended period of time. He reached down to brace himself with his right hand but it buckled underneath his own weight.

The last thing Rebel remembered was being whisked away by Felipe DeLorean, a trusted associate, who had restored Rebel’s image, and made him a credible threat again to the APW. He turned his neck as quickly as it would allow, hoping to see the familiar faces of his allies.

Nothing.

Rebel’s mind began wondering in a million different directions. He wasn’t exactly stable to begin with but all of the scenarios began unfolding his mind at a rapid pace, nearly rendering him unconscious again under the strain of his own thoughts.

“Good morning, Johnny,” the voice of Felipe resounded through the empty room.

Rebel was disoriented from being under a mask for so long that he couldn’t discern which way Felipe’s voice was coming from or if the Sindicate leader was even in the room with him.

“Felipe,” Rebel cried out. “What in the world is going on here?”

“Don’t you remember our conversation, Johnny?” Felipe answered from an unknown location. “Let me give you a little reminder… I was starting to get a little concerned with the route you were going leading up to One Night in Hell. Apparently, your little spat with Lester had turned personal, and you were prepared to give him a little more than he bargained for, without my approval, of course.”

A film projector kicked on with images of Rebel discussing personal matters with the two individuals from the hospital room.

“You didn’t think I’d find about that, did you?” Felipe snickered. “You know that I have eyes and ears everywhere! I don’t appreciate you going rogue... especially after everything I’ve done for you over the past several months. You could almost say that I resurrected you from the dead! You were nothing before I came along and you’ll be nothing if I ever decided to pull back my hand from you. There will always be a nice pallet waiting for you down by the river for you.”

“We both want the same thing, Felipe,” Rebel huffed, still squinting at the bright light of the projector. “We just went about it in different ways!”

“Perhaps,” Felipe said. “Perhaps that’s true. The most intriguing part of you has always been your confidence. However, you might have taken it a little *too* far this time. We at the Sindicate were starting to believe that maybe you needed a little reminder of where you came from and what the ultimate end game is supposed to be.”

“So, kidnapping me and throwing me in an abandoned warehouse is your way of doing things?”

“Oh, your feeble mind amuses me! You know that I’m a much more complex individual than that!” Felipe was entertained with Rebel’s ignorance. “I had something a little different in mind.”

“Seriously, I don’t have time for this mess, Felipe. Open the door and let’s get the hell out of here.”

“If only it were that easy, Johnny,” Felipe argued. “Consider this our last training regiment before One Night in Hell. And seeing that my favorite holiday, Halloween, is only a few days away, what better than a haunted house! There are four rooms surrounding you, each with a memory of your past that haunts you today. Get past one and you’ll move on to the next room. If you can get all the way through, we’ll be waiting for you at the very end… if not, you’ll only prove to the Sindicate that we made a grave mistake backing you as our choice to dethrone Lester…”

Rebel wasn’t in any condition to play Felipe’s game but what choice did he have? Johnny wasn’t interested in exercising any of his past demon’s but it sounded like the choice was made for him.

“Here goes nothing…”

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Rebel composed himself enough to push through the first door, which led him to an old, dilapidated table, which barely withstood the weight of the contents on top of it.

“Not exactly my idea of a haunted house…”

He pilfered through the items in front of him – an old pill bottle and busted up walking cane. Suddenly, a bright light flashed from the middle of the room, and a video began scrolling across the wall…

Rebel is in absolute shock, and looks around the ring for a way to finish Noble off. Rebel then slowly climbs the to the top turnbuckle, just as Noble tries to pull himself up. Noble then rushes forward, and throws his body against the ropes, so Rebel lands hard on the turnbuckle, no doubt driving the thumbtacks in even harder! Rebel silently screams in pain, and Noble pulls himself up on the top with Rebel. The two men trade shots, but Noble headbutts Rebel, and grabs him before hopping off with the Noble Neckbreaker from the top rope!!! Noble makes the pin

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Winner and NEW APW OVERDRIVE CHAMPION: Kurt Noble

“Worst match in my career,” Rebel huffed, proverbial steam coming from his ears. “And my first One Night in Hell.”

If you had to name an archnemesis for Johnny Rebel, the only logical choice would have been Kurt Noble. The former Undisputed Champion entered the organization like a gangbuster and Rebel was the only one who answered his challenge.

The words of Noble scrolled across the wall, narrated by Kurt himself, and seemingly aimed directed at Rebel today, not two years ago.

In your strength, you’ve gained PRIDE. It’s well deserved. You’re at the top of APW, CWC, and the Experts. You’ve proven yourself to be one of the best around. Maybe I’m just another stepping stone to you, but I’m the man that’s going to challenge everything that you are, just as you’ve done for me. Your ego, your accomplishments, your *bullshit* isn’t going to protect you tonight. I have every intention of shattering this image you’ve built of yourself. Even if I *can’t* beat you in the end, there are far worse things I can do than pin your shoulders to the mat: You can believe that you, like me, might not be all you’re cracked up to be.

“He was an angry little man…”

Rebel flicked the pull bottle between his fingers and hooked Kurt’s cane across the bow of the desk. Like every puzzle, there was an answer, an order that would make clear the next steps, but Rebel seemed frazzled. Kurt Noble was long gone from the APW and the connection didn’t make sense to Johnny.

Suddenly, Felipe’s voice appeared again.

“I see you picked a dousy to begin with, Johnny,” Felipe taunted. “The Kurt Noble room. That guy was something, wasn’t he?”

“It doesn’t add up, Felipe,” Rebel answered. “The Sadistic match was nearly two years ago… and we avenged that loss at Christmas Chaos, winning back the Overdrive championship, and setting the course for one of the greatest runs in APW history.”

“I’m not interested in your knowledge of history, Reb,” Felipe said. “We all know how that story ends…”

“Yes, with me riding high… and Kurt trying to figure out how to drag his pegleg to the ring every evening!”

“Hilarious,” Felipe chimed. “You battled and battled but never truly got over the hump. You wanted so desperately to be the champion but Kurt was just a little bit better at every stop. It’s funny how you remember history… it’s a little bit revisionist, don’t you think?”

“That drug infused hop-a-long has nothing on me!”

“Oh, but he does,” Felipe snapped back. “You’ve learned nothing from him along the way, I see…”

“What is there to learn? He couldn’t manage his own household, let alone keep peace with me. Amy was the reason his entire world came crashing down and his best friend nearly killed him. Listen, if you think Noble has something to teach me nearly two years, you’re wasting your time here.”

“They say pride goes before destruction,” Felipe says. “And you’re pride is going to be the reason why you come up empty handed for the three time in your pursuit of a major championship in the APW. Noble pegged it back then and it continues today… make no mistake, Level-One is going to be the most dangerous man that you’ve ever stepped in the ring with! You aren’t dealing with the Chris Madison’s and the Kaylyn James Evans’ of the world any longer. We’re talking major league.”

“You think I haven’t been keenly aware of that, Felipe?” Rebel seemed annoyed. “I didn’t need a reminder of my shortcomings against Noble… I relive them every day. One Night in Hell, RassleMania, Overdrive. He got the best of me time and time again.”

“Because you overlooked him… every time. Drugs and canes notwithstanding – Kurt was the real deal. If you overlook Level-One, you’ll suffer the same fate.”

“I guess it’s time to swallow my pride and acknowledge that I probably devalued Kurt’s ability in the ring and paid for it. Noble knew how to take advantage of my notion to over-pursuit and struck where it hurt the most… the Overdrive Championship.”

“You’re starting to put two and two together, I’m impressed,” Felipe’s condescending tone wasn’t lost on Rebel. “You’re like a gunner on a punt team. The punter outkicked his coverage and instead of targeting the ball carrier, you’re simply looking for somebody to hit, and you’re going to get flagged on that play every time.”

“Hit ‘em where it hurts, the APW World Heavyweight Championship… got it. Can we move on now?”

“You’ve earned your way to door number two.”

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Rebel again pushed through another door leading to another empty room. Directly in front of him, propped up against the wall, in the middle of the room, is a space suit. Rebel immediately begins to rack his brain before coming up to the easy solution – former APW Undisputed Champion, Biggs.

Within seconds, the glass on his helmet lights up, and the recorded voice of Biggs blares throughout speakers in the room.

“I mean, J-Reb, realistically, what chance do you think you have against me tonight? The simple fact of the matter is that in my last match, I beat Lester Only! Let me repeat that for you, I beat Lester Only!”

“Famous last words, Biggs!” Rebel’s confidence begins to shine through. “Biggs was coming off perhaps the biggest upset in the history of the APW by defeating Lester and had to turn around and defend his Overdrive championship against yours truly a few days later.”

Rebel’s comments draw a response from Felipe.

“And what happened?” Felipe asked. “You conquered the giant.”

Biggs again grabs the ropes, but this time the crowd cheers as CJ GATES comes running out from the backstage area. He runs to the ring and slaps Biggs’ hand away from the ropes and then gets on the apron and screams at Biggs. Biggs breaks the hold and starts yelling at CJ Gates. The ref tries to break this up, but the two are arguing heatedly. Biggs swings at Gates just as he hops down. Biggs points at him on the outside telling him to keep his nose out of it. But before he can say much else he’s grabbed from behind by Rebel and rolled up.

Rebel waits for the ref to get into position and reaches out and grabs the rope himself. Here’s the pin….

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Biggs flails around desperate to kickout. He tries to reach for the ropes

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Just as Biggs is about to reach the ropes, CJ pulls them further away.

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DING DING DING!

Winner and new APW Overdrive Champion: Johnny Rebel

“Nobody gave you a chance,” Felipe argued. “All they saw was Biggs dethroning the almighty Level-One and they said there wasn’t a chance that the unknown Johnny Rebel, whose defining moment in the APW up until that point was losing to C.J. Gates in the Test for the Best Tournament, could feasibly win the APW Overdrive Championship. You stuck it to Biggs and despite Gates’ best chance to stick his nose where it didn’t belong… you pulled out the victory.”

“I suppose you’re going to dole out some words of wisdom now about how I should have been more humble in winning that championship or perhaps I should have given the championship back because Gates interference made the match tainted somehow.”

“Absolutely not.”

Felipe was taking Rebel through a ticker tape parade of his wrestling past and each step along the way was to teach him something about himself. However, this was Rebel’s highlight of his first year in the APW. He couldn’t have done anything different besides win the Undisputed Championship and President Jeff wasn’t going to allow that to happen.

“I want you to remember this moment. You’re in a similar situation now. You’re the underdog. If you went to Vegas today, there aren’t very many folks that are going to be placing bets on you to walk out of Tokyo with the APW World Heavyweight Championship in tow.”

“Didn’t we just finish discussing how I shouldn’t head in to One Night in Hell over confident? How I shouldn’t be as cocky and arrogant because of the dangers Level-One presents?”

“That doesn’t have anything to do with it, Johnny,” Felipe reassured. “I want you walking in to One Night in Hell with the same attitude you did on July 14th, 2011 on Overdrive against Biggs. The whole world was counting you out and you came out firing with a chip on your shoulder! You shocked the world. You did the unthinkable, the unfathomable. The mighty Biggs, who just defeated your opponent this weekend, fell at your hands. There is a difference between arrogance and having a chip on your shoulder…

And I think you’re smart enough to figure that out.”

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The third room isn’t much different from the others as Rebel, who has relaxed since the initial scene, still carefully calculates his steps, knowing the next move could be the wrong move. It doesn’t take long for him to notice the cowboy hat draped over the edge of the chair in the corner.

“Now wait a minute,” Rebel says aloud. “There isn’t a motherflippin’ thing that C.J. Gates has to offer anyone… except for maybe how to fondle a Cow’s utter!”

“Put on the hat,” Felipe’s voice screams out. “No particular reason. I just want to see you look like an idiot.”

Rebel rolled his eyes and plopped down the ridiculous looking cowboy hat on top of his head. Gates has been an archenemy of Johnny Rebel since the beginning of his run in the APW, defeating him during the 2011 version of Test for the Best. They’ve had a tale of two careers since – Gates capturing the Undisputed Championship while Rebel was still searching for his first world title victory.

The wall again lights up not soon after the hat touched Rebel’s head.

Rebel can’t believe it. Rebel argues with the ref and then goes back over to CJ. He grabs CJ’s leg off the bottom rope and drags him to the middle of the ring. Rebel goes for the Figure 4 Leg Lock. He spins around CJ’s leg and bends over to grab his other leg, but CJ grabs Rebel and rolls him up in a inside cradle
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Winner: CJ Gates!

“Champion vs. champion. All you had to do was defeat C.J. Gates and you would have joined Biggs as the only simultaneous Undisputed and Overdrive Champion! Gates has always been the one that has got away. He’s always been the golden calf that you just couldn’t catch. He’s the elephant in the room. He’s the monkey on your back.”

“That elephant has been squashed… and the monkey is gone,” Rebel said with a hint of arrogance on his face. “Last time C.J. was booked in the ring with me… it didn’t end well for him!”

“It only took you six tries!”

"But if you ask me, you might not even BE good enough for that belt.

“C.J. Gates sure thinks highly of you, doesn’t he?”

“It doesn’t matter what C.J. thinks of me, Felipe,” Rebel responded. “Gates is yesterday’s news. He had his chance at toppling the Level-One mountain… and he failed miserably. I’m going to do what he couldn’t. I’m going to finish the job that he started.

“I just don’t want you to forget that thought,” Felipe said. “There have been a lot of people that have come through the APW over the year… and many of them have aimed high but swung and miss. Not you, though. You have been perceived to be a perennial title contender but you’ve never really broken through that glass ceiling.”

“Level-One isn’t exactly used to people breaking through on his watch. I guess Gates is playing prophecy. He predicted it years ago… and now it’s time to prove him wrong.”

“I think you’re ready, Rebel,” DeLorean commented.

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“Here we are. One Night in Hell.”

“I’ve been living in hell since entering the APW. I’ve had my eyes set on the APW World Heavyweight Championship and I’ve been denied at every turn. I’ve been jailed in my own personal cell with no chance of parole.”

“Today is the day that my number will be called.”

“You’ve been ducking me for over a year. You know that there isn’t another person on this roster that has a better chance than I do in taking your precious championship. There was a time when I wanted nothing more than to put an end to your career and put you on a shelf where you belong. But now I know that the key to ripping out your heart is taking away that belt.”

“Much like Gates, you’re slowly becoming old news. You’re like the veteran musician that hung around just a little too long and instead of drawing the big crowds, you’re performing in Bingo Halls and dive bars! You are the band that people come to visit because they remember what you did years ago… but you haven’t had a new single in years! You tried to reinvent yourself against Terry Marvin… and you wound up woefully short!”

“You’re like the Chicago Bulls. You point to all the banners hanging up in the arena but they all read ‘1998!’ What have you done for me lately, Lester? Absolutely nothing. You’re a useless paper champion that’s only holding the throne warm until I take my rightful place as king of the APW.”

“Your championship reign has been as memorable as the hole between Kaylyn James Evans’ legs! And when it’s been pounded as many times as hers has been, you simply move on, because there isn’t anything to even see any more! You’ve actually managed something that only the San Antonio Spurs have done… devalue the NBA championship! You’re moderately average, taking advantage of precarious situations, and pulling out another methodical victory. Every time the Spurs win another championship, it sets the NBA back twenty years.”

“It’s like Mega Man.”

“The world had enough. Mega Man I, II, III… eventually, they were begging for something bigger and better to come along. They were begging for a new game to take the world by storm.”

“Well, after One Night in Hell, I’m going to be the only game in town. You’ve run out of lives. There aren’t any continues left. There aren’t any more sequels or spinoffs you can squeeze out of that played out storyline that has been boring the APW to death over the past several months.”

“At the end of the day – Johnny Rebel will stand supreme. It’s been my plight since entering the APW and One Night in Hell is the place where it finally comes to fruition. I’ve paid my dues. I’ve climbed every last step the APW has put in front of me.”

#SIMPLY
#F’N
#PUT?

“Game. Over.”