Post by Mark Mania on Feb 20, 2013 15:15:11 GMT -4
Well isn’t this an interesting turn of events? I always thought that one day I would get to meet in the ring with the legendary Legion. I never thought it would be in APW. Always thought it would be some sort of grand tournament that’s held every summer. I’ve been looking forward to this day for years. Ever since our paths first crossed in 2007 I looked forward to the day that we would meet in the ring. Back in 2007 you were thought of as one of the rising stars in this business. You were considered a trailblazer and it was thought that you would go on to do great things.
At that time, I was already a legend, already had accomplished some great things. Jesse Gunn thought of me as one of the greatest of all time. Especially after I beat him. The tides have changed since then, Legion. Now, you have had a lengthy career and are a legend in your own right. You’re one of the most well-known wrestlers in the sport. Everyone acknowledges that you are a good fighter. But what does that count for to you? Are you considered the best? Surely not. Are you considered one of the best? I doubt it. Maybe you’re considered a has-been? Still not yet.
What I see is a very average career. You’ve had some highs, you’ve had some lows. But you never really reached that peak that you were looking for. Never did a lot of damage in the Extreme Tournament, never really had that defining moment in your career. Do you think that APW is going to be that defining moment for you? Do you think that now, after everything you’ve done in your career, that you’re going to rise to the top?
I know a lot of these things could be said about me the last five years. What have I really done? This is my third stint in APW in those five years, I had an unsuccessful run in GWO and a few failed Experts events. So what have I done since 2007? I’ve gotten better.
It may not seem that I’ve gotten better. People may not talk about me like I’m one of the best in the business like they did five years ago. But people talk about me with respect now. Say what you will about the past we have together, you can look anywhere within the walls of APW and you will find guys and gals that respect the hell out of Mark Mania.
I’ve proven to them that I can bring it week in and week out. I returned just under a year ago and I’ve done some amazing things in that year. I’ve been holding this Overdrive title for five months now and despite Delikado, Buckson Gooch, and Azrael Goeren, I’m not letting anything happen to it. I know that in the World Title division this has been the year of Terry Marvin, but when it comes to the Overdrive title, this has been my year. Not Terry Marvin, not Delikado, Mark Mania.
You may be well known in the industry Legion, and you may have bypassed Meltdown and earned your spot on Overdrive, but you have not earned a spot in APW to me. I know what you’re capable of, I know that you have a lot of pressure on yourself, but it’s not going to be enough.
There are a lot of reasons why we’re going up against each other this week. The first of which is obvious, the long history that we have. The second is that I’m here to make people prove their talent. Overdrive is the most selective brand in all of wrestling. It has the top tier talent in all the world. Legends, Hall of Famers, Main Eventers, call them whatever you like, Overdrive has them all. When people come to Overdrive, they need to be tested, they need to be put in line. That’s what I’ve done with the past two people that have come to Overdrive. Azrael Goeren was an outsider who had far more accomplishments than you. He came to Overdrive, challenged me for my title, and was sent packing. Buckson Gooch, a young guy with huge ambitions. Gets promoted from Meltdown onto the Overdrive brand. Then he made the mistake of challenging me for my title. Now, he’s been taught a lesson and he sees where he belongs.
So now, Legion, when you walk into that ring with me tomorrow night, you’re going to find out if you truly belong. Maybe you’ll find out that you should pack it in like Goeren, or maybe you’ll realize that you’re just not good enough to rise up like Buckson Gooch, but either way you’re going to be in for a reality check.
“See, that wasn’t so bad.” Rosa offers politely.
“Are you out of your damn mind!? That fucking raccoon was released twice. The guy is still mentally unstable.”
“Well, I think everyone realizes that.”
“I’m just glad to finally be done with him.”
“People say it was the most entertaining thing on Overdrive though.”
I stare at her blankly, “Oh great, I’m glad me being tortured and attacked by a lunatic can cause everyone so much joy.”
“All press is good press.”
“What do you run a political campaign now? I don’t need any good press, I just need to beat the guys I’m facing each week and move on.”
“I’m just saying, raising your profile can’t hurt.”
“Oh, believe you me, I have a few things going on that are going to raise my profile.”
“What do you mean?” Rosa asks sheepishly.
“Don’t worry about what I mean, I’ll bring you in when things are closer to fruition. Speaking of which, we need to go back to Boston before Overdrive tomorrow.”
“What!? That’s going to be like a four hour flight.”
“I don’t care, just make it happen. I have a meeting and I can’t miss it.”
“I’m your assistant, shouldn’t I know about all your meetings?”
“Well, maybe you should, but looks like you sure as shit missed this one.”
Rosa stares at me very confused. I feel bad, really, but I can’t have any of this information spill out. The less people that know, the better.
I open the door of my office out to the lobby and see Rosa glaring at me. Four men leave behind me, all shaking my hand as they leave.
The meeting I needed to have in Boston just ended and Rosa was still not happy that she wasn’t a part of it.
“I’m sorry Rosa, I’ll bring you in when things are getting closer.”
“It just doesn’t seem right, Mark. I should be involved, I’m your assistant.”
“Rosa, you were hired by me, not by Mania Enterprises. I need you around for wrestling and APW business, not Mania Enterprises business.”
“I haven’t even heard you talk about Mania Enterprises in months.”
“I know, and that’s about to change. Luckily I’ve been able to bring in a lot of money from being the Overdrive champion and my numerous appearances on talk shows around the world. Now, I’m looking to make a bigger deal, that’s all I can really say.”
“I just don’t understand how you can’t trust me enough to tell me.”
“Rosa, when the time is right, I’ll tell you.”
She looks at me very disappointed. She turns away and leaves me in the lobby of my office alone. It’s been a long time since I’ve been in here, traveling so much for APW, I haven’t had a chance to come in. The cleaning service has still been coming, that’s nice to see. The walls are adorned with past championships that I’ve won and the logos from the various wrestling federation’s I’ve been a part of. A whole lot of history summed up in one office. A whole lot of history that is now forgotten as my present overshadows my past. Beating Legion this week will be a great way to show that.
I follow Rosa off to her office in the Mania Enterprises building. While she may not be an employee there, it’s still my building and God knows she needs an office.
“Rosa…”
She doesn’t turn around but still offers, “What?”
“I wanted to talk to you about…” She turns around with anticipation, “my match this week.”
Her shoulders drop down and her smile fades, “Oh.”
“Rosa, this is what you’re here for. I need you to keep my grounded and focused. While there may not be as much pressure around this match this is still an important match to me. This is a must-win match.”
“Oh come on, he’s new to APW, doesn’t have anything going for him, if he beats you it’s a great story for him, but everyone forgets about it in a few days.”
“You don’t understand, I’ve known Legion for a long time, he’s a hell of a competitor and I know he wants to beat me. He’s one of the last links to the old Mark Mania.”
“So just beat him, how hard can it be, it seems like he hasn’t been doing much of anything in while.”
“That’s the thing, I don’t know him anymore, I don’t know what he’s capable of, I don’t know what he’s going to bring to the table, I just know I need to beat him.”
“Mark, quit whining about it. This is like how you get every time you’re going up against Level-One, you get all sentimental, you talk about the old you and about measuring sticks and compasses or whatever the hell it is. You’re the Overdrive Champion, you’ve been on a roll lately. Just keep it up and figure it out.”
I hadn’t thought about it that way. I do have the tendency to live in the past sometimes. There’s no denying that. But this match is a clear turning point. There are so few people still involved in this sport that were with me way back when and Legion is one of them, there’s no possible way to avoid the past.
“I can’t just ignore things that come so easy to me. I need to beat Legion to show him that I am still better than him and that I will always be better than him.”
“That’s all well and great, but why don’t you beat him because you’re the best right now? Beat him because you have the skill, the experience, and the momentum all in your favor.”
“Because it’s more than right now! This match wouldn’t have happened if there was no history here. When I found out that Legion was joining I wanted a piece of him and I’m sure as shit that he wanted a piece of me. Legion knows a lot of people in this industry but I know he wanted to see me in the ring. And that’s just what he’s going to get.”
“You don’t let me in on your Mania Enterprises business and then you completely ignore my advice for your match, what is the point of having me around?”
I look at her, raise a brow like I’m contemplating the answer and she hits my arm.
“Oh fuck you.”
“Rosa, you know you’re important to me, I wouldn’t be here without you and you’ve done great work. This is just one of those situations where this predates you. Anything between me and Legion needs to be taken care of between Legion and I.”
“I hear that far too much.”
“Don’t worry. Call the pilot, let’s get back to New Brunswick.”
“Fine.”
“You’re so nice to me, just a model employee.”
Rosa picks up her phone and glares at me as she dials.
“Well, here we are Legion. Your first match as a member of the APW and you get to go up against Overdrive Champion Mark Mania. Did you see it coming like this? Did you see yourself ever getting in the ring with Mark Mania again? I know that I never really expected to get in the ring with you. I never expected our paths would cross anywhere but the Extreme Tournament. This is a big night for you. I feel like the pressure must be damn near impossible to handle.”
“First of all, it’s your first match, which, that’s a big deal. APW is far and away the greatest wrestling company in all the world. This first match for you is your chance to get on the national stage and show everyone just how much you have left in the tank. Secondly, you get to go up against Mark fucking Mania. I know that we never had a big feud or really any hatred towards each other. I mean obviously I embarrassed Bobby Azula many years ago, but what is he, your brother, your cousin? I mean, do you really care about things long in the past? And that wasn’t even your fight. Bobby got himself in the middle of something he didn’t even understand. I was on a war path. No one was getting in my way. That has nothing to do with you.”
“The only thing that you and I have is acknowledgement of each other’s existence. You’ve seen me stumble and fall and now raise to prominence, and I’ve seen you… never rise up to your potential. But you know what Legion, APW is a place that maybe you can rise up. A lot of people said between 2007 and 2010 that I hadn’t risen to my potential and that I was a waste of talent. Then suddenly, I sign with APW, make a name for myself again and people are talking about me like I’m the best thing since sliced bread. A hit another valley but then I return in early 2012 and here we are again, I’m in the twilight of my career and still taking on all challengers. I’m facing the best of the best every week and reaching my potential and more. This is your shot, your opportunity to do the same. You can rise up, take the APW by storm, and show the world that Legion is not on the way out, Legion is on the way up!”
“That’s just probably not going to happen this week. No offense to you, but I’m Mark fucking Mania. I’m the Overdrive Champion, I’m the Legend of Legends, I’m the one who knocks. Wait, that last one wasn’t right. Legion, we’re going to meet in this match tomorrow and it’s going to be a hell of a lot of fun for the both of us and for the APW faithful. You’re going to bring a lot more name recognition to the APW and you’re going to get a few headlines about you, but’s that’s all it’s going to be. In the end the score sheet will read that I beat you and you lost your opening match.”
“People have asked me if I’m upset that I went from winning the Main Event at Overdrive to helping some new guy break into the brand. I thought about it for a moment before I realized that doesn’t upset me. I’m not the same guy that’s bogged down by where he is in the card or where he belongs to be. Johnny Rebel wanted to send you a message. He wanted to let you know what APW has to offer. Sure he could’ve let you face off against Kurt Noble or Terry Marvin but that’s too easy. Everyone knows they’re on the top of their game. Instead he gave you me. A guy who isn’t widely regarded as the best around but still a guy who can take out anyone from any other company. You give me the world champion of any other wrestling federation and I’ll take them out.”
“APW has the most depth in talent anywhere around. An outsider looking in would say, oh, this Mark Mania, he’s a champion but it’s not like he’s THE champion. I used to be the World Champion in my fed, I bet I could take him… WRONG. No chance in hell. I could walk into anywhere in the world and start taking over immediately. But I wouldn’t do that, because APW is where Legends are made. APW is where you can truly become the best of the best. I’m glad you’re joining us here Legion, I’m glad we get to see just what you’re made of. I know you didn’t join here of you own volition. I know you lost a bet to get here, but I really think it’s the best thing that could’ve happened to you.”
“Because I look at you and I wonder what your end game is. Obviously you’ve been around for awhile, it seems like maybe you’re on the back nine of your career too and I can appreciate it. So what I’m hoping to see from you is one last run, one last amazing, heartfelt run. As much as I want myself to succeed more than anyone else, I still like to see people try their best. I don’t want you to walk into an APW ring, get your ass handed to you by me and then never see you again. That would be truly an embarrassment. So please, bring it all tomorrow Xander. I don’t want to see you at 50%.”
“I want to beat you, don’t get me wrong, but I don’t want to beat you unless you’re at 100%. If you come out to the ring and look like a beat up nobody it’s just going to take all the fun out of it for me. I was real excited when I saw that you joined and then even more so when we were pitted against each other. Don’t let me down man! My assistant Rosa mentioned that I’m acting the same way towards you as I act with Level-One, and I don’t think she’s right. Obviously there are parallels because I’ve known the both of you for so long. But the difference is that when I face Level-One, I measure myself against him. How well I do against him is how well I’m doing. I’m not measuring myself against you, I just want to beat you, for no other reason than you’re the new breed of ‘Experts’ and I’m the last holdover from the old breed. Even though you’ve been around for years, to me, it’s still new guy versus the old guy.”
“Due to my flakiness I was muscled out of the Experts six years ago and I’m still pretty upset about it. Beating you isn’t going to make it go away or make me forget about it. But, it sure as shit can’t hurt. So this is a little personal for me Legion. So bring your best, when I beat you, I really want it to count.”
At that time, I was already a legend, already had accomplished some great things. Jesse Gunn thought of me as one of the greatest of all time. Especially after I beat him. The tides have changed since then, Legion. Now, you have had a lengthy career and are a legend in your own right. You’re one of the most well-known wrestlers in the sport. Everyone acknowledges that you are a good fighter. But what does that count for to you? Are you considered the best? Surely not. Are you considered one of the best? I doubt it. Maybe you’re considered a has-been? Still not yet.
What I see is a very average career. You’ve had some highs, you’ve had some lows. But you never really reached that peak that you were looking for. Never did a lot of damage in the Extreme Tournament, never really had that defining moment in your career. Do you think that APW is going to be that defining moment for you? Do you think that now, after everything you’ve done in your career, that you’re going to rise to the top?
I know a lot of these things could be said about me the last five years. What have I really done? This is my third stint in APW in those five years, I had an unsuccessful run in GWO and a few failed Experts events. So what have I done since 2007? I’ve gotten better.
It may not seem that I’ve gotten better. People may not talk about me like I’m one of the best in the business like they did five years ago. But people talk about me with respect now. Say what you will about the past we have together, you can look anywhere within the walls of APW and you will find guys and gals that respect the hell out of Mark Mania.
I’ve proven to them that I can bring it week in and week out. I returned just under a year ago and I’ve done some amazing things in that year. I’ve been holding this Overdrive title for five months now and despite Delikado, Buckson Gooch, and Azrael Goeren, I’m not letting anything happen to it. I know that in the World Title division this has been the year of Terry Marvin, but when it comes to the Overdrive title, this has been my year. Not Terry Marvin, not Delikado, Mark Mania.
You may be well known in the industry Legion, and you may have bypassed Meltdown and earned your spot on Overdrive, but you have not earned a spot in APW to me. I know what you’re capable of, I know that you have a lot of pressure on yourself, but it’s not going to be enough.
There are a lot of reasons why we’re going up against each other this week. The first of which is obvious, the long history that we have. The second is that I’m here to make people prove their talent. Overdrive is the most selective brand in all of wrestling. It has the top tier talent in all the world. Legends, Hall of Famers, Main Eventers, call them whatever you like, Overdrive has them all. When people come to Overdrive, they need to be tested, they need to be put in line. That’s what I’ve done with the past two people that have come to Overdrive. Azrael Goeren was an outsider who had far more accomplishments than you. He came to Overdrive, challenged me for my title, and was sent packing. Buckson Gooch, a young guy with huge ambitions. Gets promoted from Meltdown onto the Overdrive brand. Then he made the mistake of challenging me for my title. Now, he’s been taught a lesson and he sees where he belongs.
So now, Legion, when you walk into that ring with me tomorrow night, you’re going to find out if you truly belong. Maybe you’ll find out that you should pack it in like Goeren, or maybe you’ll realize that you’re just not good enough to rise up like Buckson Gooch, but either way you’re going to be in for a reality check.
“See, that wasn’t so bad.” Rosa offers politely.
“Are you out of your damn mind!? That fucking raccoon was released twice. The guy is still mentally unstable.”
“Well, I think everyone realizes that.”
“I’m just glad to finally be done with him.”
“People say it was the most entertaining thing on Overdrive though.”
I stare at her blankly, “Oh great, I’m glad me being tortured and attacked by a lunatic can cause everyone so much joy.”
“All press is good press.”
“What do you run a political campaign now? I don’t need any good press, I just need to beat the guys I’m facing each week and move on.”
“I’m just saying, raising your profile can’t hurt.”
“Oh, believe you me, I have a few things going on that are going to raise my profile.”
“What do you mean?” Rosa asks sheepishly.
“Don’t worry about what I mean, I’ll bring you in when things are closer to fruition. Speaking of which, we need to go back to Boston before Overdrive tomorrow.”
“What!? That’s going to be like a four hour flight.”
“I don’t care, just make it happen. I have a meeting and I can’t miss it.”
“I’m your assistant, shouldn’t I know about all your meetings?”
“Well, maybe you should, but looks like you sure as shit missed this one.”
Rosa stares at me very confused. I feel bad, really, but I can’t have any of this information spill out. The less people that know, the better.
I open the door of my office out to the lobby and see Rosa glaring at me. Four men leave behind me, all shaking my hand as they leave.
The meeting I needed to have in Boston just ended and Rosa was still not happy that she wasn’t a part of it.
“I’m sorry Rosa, I’ll bring you in when things are getting closer.”
“It just doesn’t seem right, Mark. I should be involved, I’m your assistant.”
“Rosa, you were hired by me, not by Mania Enterprises. I need you around for wrestling and APW business, not Mania Enterprises business.”
“I haven’t even heard you talk about Mania Enterprises in months.”
“I know, and that’s about to change. Luckily I’ve been able to bring in a lot of money from being the Overdrive champion and my numerous appearances on talk shows around the world. Now, I’m looking to make a bigger deal, that’s all I can really say.”
“I just don’t understand how you can’t trust me enough to tell me.”
“Rosa, when the time is right, I’ll tell you.”
She looks at me very disappointed. She turns away and leaves me in the lobby of my office alone. It’s been a long time since I’ve been in here, traveling so much for APW, I haven’t had a chance to come in. The cleaning service has still been coming, that’s nice to see. The walls are adorned with past championships that I’ve won and the logos from the various wrestling federation’s I’ve been a part of. A whole lot of history summed up in one office. A whole lot of history that is now forgotten as my present overshadows my past. Beating Legion this week will be a great way to show that.
I follow Rosa off to her office in the Mania Enterprises building. While she may not be an employee there, it’s still my building and God knows she needs an office.
“Rosa…”
She doesn’t turn around but still offers, “What?”
“I wanted to talk to you about…” She turns around with anticipation, “my match this week.”
Her shoulders drop down and her smile fades, “Oh.”
“Rosa, this is what you’re here for. I need you to keep my grounded and focused. While there may not be as much pressure around this match this is still an important match to me. This is a must-win match.”
“Oh come on, he’s new to APW, doesn’t have anything going for him, if he beats you it’s a great story for him, but everyone forgets about it in a few days.”
“You don’t understand, I’ve known Legion for a long time, he’s a hell of a competitor and I know he wants to beat me. He’s one of the last links to the old Mark Mania.”
“So just beat him, how hard can it be, it seems like he hasn’t been doing much of anything in while.”
“That’s the thing, I don’t know him anymore, I don’t know what he’s capable of, I don’t know what he’s going to bring to the table, I just know I need to beat him.”
“Mark, quit whining about it. This is like how you get every time you’re going up against Level-One, you get all sentimental, you talk about the old you and about measuring sticks and compasses or whatever the hell it is. You’re the Overdrive Champion, you’ve been on a roll lately. Just keep it up and figure it out.”
I hadn’t thought about it that way. I do have the tendency to live in the past sometimes. There’s no denying that. But this match is a clear turning point. There are so few people still involved in this sport that were with me way back when and Legion is one of them, there’s no possible way to avoid the past.
“I can’t just ignore things that come so easy to me. I need to beat Legion to show him that I am still better than him and that I will always be better than him.”
“That’s all well and great, but why don’t you beat him because you’re the best right now? Beat him because you have the skill, the experience, and the momentum all in your favor.”
“Because it’s more than right now! This match wouldn’t have happened if there was no history here. When I found out that Legion was joining I wanted a piece of him and I’m sure as shit that he wanted a piece of me. Legion knows a lot of people in this industry but I know he wanted to see me in the ring. And that’s just what he’s going to get.”
“You don’t let me in on your Mania Enterprises business and then you completely ignore my advice for your match, what is the point of having me around?”
I look at her, raise a brow like I’m contemplating the answer and she hits my arm.
“Oh fuck you.”
“Rosa, you know you’re important to me, I wouldn’t be here without you and you’ve done great work. This is just one of those situations where this predates you. Anything between me and Legion needs to be taken care of between Legion and I.”
“I hear that far too much.”
“Don’t worry. Call the pilot, let’s get back to New Brunswick.”
“Fine.”
“You’re so nice to me, just a model employee.”
Rosa picks up her phone and glares at me as she dials.
“Well, here we are Legion. Your first match as a member of the APW and you get to go up against Overdrive Champion Mark Mania. Did you see it coming like this? Did you see yourself ever getting in the ring with Mark Mania again? I know that I never really expected to get in the ring with you. I never expected our paths would cross anywhere but the Extreme Tournament. This is a big night for you. I feel like the pressure must be damn near impossible to handle.”
“First of all, it’s your first match, which, that’s a big deal. APW is far and away the greatest wrestling company in all the world. This first match for you is your chance to get on the national stage and show everyone just how much you have left in the tank. Secondly, you get to go up against Mark fucking Mania. I know that we never had a big feud or really any hatred towards each other. I mean obviously I embarrassed Bobby Azula many years ago, but what is he, your brother, your cousin? I mean, do you really care about things long in the past? And that wasn’t even your fight. Bobby got himself in the middle of something he didn’t even understand. I was on a war path. No one was getting in my way. That has nothing to do with you.”
“The only thing that you and I have is acknowledgement of each other’s existence. You’ve seen me stumble and fall and now raise to prominence, and I’ve seen you… never rise up to your potential. But you know what Legion, APW is a place that maybe you can rise up. A lot of people said between 2007 and 2010 that I hadn’t risen to my potential and that I was a waste of talent. Then suddenly, I sign with APW, make a name for myself again and people are talking about me like I’m the best thing since sliced bread. A hit another valley but then I return in early 2012 and here we are again, I’m in the twilight of my career and still taking on all challengers. I’m facing the best of the best every week and reaching my potential and more. This is your shot, your opportunity to do the same. You can rise up, take the APW by storm, and show the world that Legion is not on the way out, Legion is on the way up!”
“That’s just probably not going to happen this week. No offense to you, but I’m Mark fucking Mania. I’m the Overdrive Champion, I’m the Legend of Legends, I’m the one who knocks. Wait, that last one wasn’t right. Legion, we’re going to meet in this match tomorrow and it’s going to be a hell of a lot of fun for the both of us and for the APW faithful. You’re going to bring a lot more name recognition to the APW and you’re going to get a few headlines about you, but’s that’s all it’s going to be. In the end the score sheet will read that I beat you and you lost your opening match.”
“People have asked me if I’m upset that I went from winning the Main Event at Overdrive to helping some new guy break into the brand. I thought about it for a moment before I realized that doesn’t upset me. I’m not the same guy that’s bogged down by where he is in the card or where he belongs to be. Johnny Rebel wanted to send you a message. He wanted to let you know what APW has to offer. Sure he could’ve let you face off against Kurt Noble or Terry Marvin but that’s too easy. Everyone knows they’re on the top of their game. Instead he gave you me. A guy who isn’t widely regarded as the best around but still a guy who can take out anyone from any other company. You give me the world champion of any other wrestling federation and I’ll take them out.”
“APW has the most depth in talent anywhere around. An outsider looking in would say, oh, this Mark Mania, he’s a champion but it’s not like he’s THE champion. I used to be the World Champion in my fed, I bet I could take him… WRONG. No chance in hell. I could walk into anywhere in the world and start taking over immediately. But I wouldn’t do that, because APW is where Legends are made. APW is where you can truly become the best of the best. I’m glad you’re joining us here Legion, I’m glad we get to see just what you’re made of. I know you didn’t join here of you own volition. I know you lost a bet to get here, but I really think it’s the best thing that could’ve happened to you.”
“Because I look at you and I wonder what your end game is. Obviously you’ve been around for awhile, it seems like maybe you’re on the back nine of your career too and I can appreciate it. So what I’m hoping to see from you is one last run, one last amazing, heartfelt run. As much as I want myself to succeed more than anyone else, I still like to see people try their best. I don’t want you to walk into an APW ring, get your ass handed to you by me and then never see you again. That would be truly an embarrassment. So please, bring it all tomorrow Xander. I don’t want to see you at 50%.”
“I want to beat you, don’t get me wrong, but I don’t want to beat you unless you’re at 100%. If you come out to the ring and look like a beat up nobody it’s just going to take all the fun out of it for me. I was real excited when I saw that you joined and then even more so when we were pitted against each other. Don’t let me down man! My assistant Rosa mentioned that I’m acting the same way towards you as I act with Level-One, and I don’t think she’s right. Obviously there are parallels because I’ve known the both of you for so long. But the difference is that when I face Level-One, I measure myself against him. How well I do against him is how well I’m doing. I’m not measuring myself against you, I just want to beat you, for no other reason than you’re the new breed of ‘Experts’ and I’m the last holdover from the old breed. Even though you’ve been around for years, to me, it’s still new guy versus the old guy.”
“Due to my flakiness I was muscled out of the Experts six years ago and I’m still pretty upset about it. Beating you isn’t going to make it go away or make me forget about it. But, it sure as shit can’t hurt. So this is a little personal for me Legion. So bring your best, when I beat you, I really want it to count.”
