Post by C.J. Gates on Jul 13, 2013 14:47:08 GMT -4
"C.J. Gates versus Jason Kash.
"This is the type of match that has been talked about for quite some time. It might not make the headlines, but there have always been rumblings. There have always been thoughts about what would happen if one of the top draws on Overdrive went up against one of the top draws on Asylum.
"Sure, Kash and I might not be top champions, but we've both paid our dues. We've both put in the time and stuck around through thick and thin. And because of that, the fans realize that this is the sort of match these Showcase matches are all about.
"Though I'm sure people are wondering why I've chosen now to have a match on Meltdown. Why I've decided now to show my face there. Well, the answer is simple, this is the last Meltdown. This is the last chance I might have for this match to actually happen.
"Because I've agreed with those rumblings.
"I've been looking forward to this match.
"Jason Kash has been a man that I've always wanted to test myself against. The sort of man that I have wanted to try and push to the limits. After all, Kash and I are cut from different cloths, so this should make for an interesting match.
"As long as I don't get caught up in the allure of being on the final Meltdown. As long as I don't get caught up playing the same sort of game as Jason Kash. There's no telling when his true Asylum nature will come out and shine.
"But I welcome the challenge.
"I welcome it, because not only will it push me, but it will also give the fans something to certainly cheer for. And this is the kind of match that the fans deserve, and a match they deserve the cheer for. After all their faith in Meltdown and in me, it's only right.
"It won't be easy though, but a match with Kash never seems to be.
"But all that means is I am going to have to make the most of every opportunity thrown my way in this match. Every opening. Every potential misstep by Kash.
"One thing is certain though.
"This match is a few years in the making.
"This match is going to be off the charts."
"This surprises me," Vincent James says to C.J. Gates as the two men ride in the back of a taxi cab. "It really does."
"What does?" Gates asks.
"Well, when you told me you were fighting on Meltdown-"
"The last Meltdown."
"-I assumed you were going up against someone that you have beef with. Someone like Evan Envi or Terry Marvin. Hell, when I heard that Sally Talfourd was coming back for the night, I thought that maybe she would come back and face you. You know, unfinished business or something. But instead you're facing Jason Kash."
"This match does have some beef though," Gates says. "It might not be the same beef that I have with Marvin, but it still goes back a long way. Hell, this match is years in the making. Ever since Jason Kash and company rolled into Overdrive as a part of Level One's Free Agency back in 2011, well, I guess you could say that ever since then, a match between Jason and I has been brewing."
"But didn't you guys have a match?"
"We did," Gates admits. "It was a six man tag though, so it didn't have the same effect. At the time, Kash and Knuckles, and I guess A.J. King to a lesser extent, were new to APW and trying to make a name for themselves. That was the motivation for them in that match. Beating me so that they could have one conquest under their belts."
"They lost though, right?" James asks.
"They did," Gates says with a nod. "Though that was more because King let them down. Which is another factor that makes this Meltdown match so important. The last time we fought, it didn't really have the credibility that this one will."
"I'd just take the one win and be done with it," James chuckles. "Forget trying to make things even. After all, it was two years ago. Nobody cares about things that happened two years ago."
"Don't misunderstand, Vinnie," Gates says. "This match isn't going to be about how angry I am about anything that happened. I said it goes back to the Free Agency, but not because they beat my head in with a chair or anything."
"I don't think I follow," James says.
"Ever since then, and ever since Kash joined Asylum, he's been the face of the brand."
"He's the face?"
"Who do you think of when you think about Asylum?"
James pauses and after a few moments, he nods his head. "I see what you mean."
"There has been a lot of good talent on Asylum, but the one constant has been Jason Kash."
"Just like you've been one of the constants on Overdrive."
"Exactly," Gates says. "And at the final Meltdown, one of the constants of Overdrive will take on the constant of Asylum. Add on that it will be the first chance Kash and I have to fight one on one, and it's an opportunity that I couldn't pass up."
"Still a bit of a shocker that they wanted to book it," James says.
"I requested it."
James looks over at Gates. "Pardon?"
"I requested it," Gates repeats. "Like I said, I was looking forward to it so when the opportunity presented itself I made sure to put in the request."
"So you really are looking forward to it then," James says.
"I am," Gates says. "Kash has come a long way from where he was when he first stepped into APW and so have I. We've both held top titles, we've both held tag team titles, we're both made the most of all our opportunities."
"Though, you've had more then he has," James says.
"Maybe," Gates says. "But that might speak more to the level of competition over on Asylum. It's not the B-rate show that everyone seems to think it is. And Kash has had a big hand in that."
"With his matches?"
"For the most part," Gates says. "He also stands up for Asylum when critics call it lesser then Overdrive or when they call it the B show."
"And that's why you wanted the match?" James asks. "I guess I can see where you're coming from."
"It's one of the reasons. I also know that I won't get opportunities like this every month, so I wanted to make the most of it. It's like doing an event for Visionary Wrestling or the Experts. I get to go head to head with people I might not normally face. Kind of like this match with Kash."
"Well, at least by the end of it you can show the world which brand is better."
"I don't think that's going to come into play," Gates says. "This isn't about which brand is better. This is just a chance for Kash and I to put on a good match."
"So you're saying that you don't want to know who is better?"
"Maybe a bit," Gates says, "but only between me and Kash. There's going to be no brand warfare. This week, it's just two competitors going toe to toe in what should be a hard fought match. That's all I'm preparing for."
"I'm sure the other Overdrive competitors aren't going to be happy about that."
"Everyone else who works on Overdrive doesn't care about that. They're either too new, too self centered or they are like me and know that there is no reason to have a brand war because the Asylum Megastars are just as good as the ones that fight on Overdrive."
"You're starting to sound like a politician, you know that?"
"I'm just telling it like it is," Gates smirks.
"You think you stand a good chance to win?" James asks. "You have been at the top or fighting for the top prize more often then Kash has."
"Yeah, but that doesn't automatically make me the winner. Like I said, there's some stiff competition on Asylum." Gates sighs and looks out the window. "As for the Meltdown Finale, I've got as good a chance to win as Kash does. We're both talented, we're both experts at our craft. We've both competed against some tough competition and now that we're facing off, we're going to throw all of that together and see who comes out on top.
"We're going to make the most of this opportunity."
"This is a match we've both been waiting for.
"For however long, we've both been looking forward to this chance to go one on one. We've both been waiting for the opportunity, Kash, and now that it's here. You said it best yourself. This match, this was one of the reasons you decided to sign on that dotted line. You saw the opportunity not for glory, but for competition. To feed your addiction. We can't let this match go to waste and I don't mean that in any sense other then the quality of the match. We both need to go all out, we both need to give the fans a match they deserve. You might not care for them all that much, but it's the truth.
"Like I always say, go big or go home.
"And that's not just when it comes to the match. It's the entire Meltdown Finale card. You mentioned that this is the first time I've had a match on Meltdown, and you're right. While you've been lending a hand here and there, helping to keep Meltdown afloat whenever yo were called upon, I wasn't. I never had a match, I never made an appearance, but that doesn't mean I never wanted to.
"Fact is, I just kept getting passed over. Much like you in your quest for gold, I kept getting overlooked when it came to Meltdown. Whenever there was a showcase match, I wasn't the one that was called upon. Am I bitter or upset? No, because the ones they did call upon, probably deserved it more. Who knows, they could have called me and I might have said no, depending on the time that they did.
"The point is, I couldn't let Meltdown come and go without making an appearance. So when the opportunity presented itself, I had to take that chance, and when I thought about all of the people I could have wanted a match against, Jason, you were the one that kept coming to the forefront.
"Because I respect you.
"Some people might find that funny to say after everything that you have done, but even though you've kidnapped women and super glued people, part of me can still sit here and say that I respect you. Maybe not for those things that you've done that most would classify as unneeded, but for everything else that you've done.
"You're the heart and soul of Asylum, Jason. People can point to others, but you're the one that truly sticks out. Since the beginning, you've been true to the brand and you've made sure that if someone talked bad about it, you showed them how wrong they were. You've stood up for Asylum and, when you break it down, you are what Asylum stands for.
"Then there are your matches. You don't give up. Sure, at times you might find it a bit helpful to use a weapon, but you don't give up. You don't throw in the towel when things look bleak and you definitely don't run away from a fight. That I can respect. I mean, you beat my former bodyguard Rico Casteel, and that is no easy feat. You've beaten Sally Talfourd, someone I can attest to being one fierce fighter whenever she steps into the ring. You've beaten Anthony Bailey. You've beaten men and women that I could only dream of beating, whether that's because they're out of my league or out of my brand.
"You're a warrior, Jason, plain and simple, and because of that, I respect you. So why not have a match at the Meltdown Finale, my first match on Meltdown, against someone I respect, someone I don't usually have the opportunity to face, and someone who will give me a match to be proud of. A match the fans can be proud of.
"That's not to say you are the golden boy, though. You mentioned it yourself, you've let yourself get carried away a few times, you've let yourself slip and at times you've taken it upon yourself to resort to the underhanded. Basically, you've fought on the side of evil.
"And I guess because of that, somewhere this still becomes a match about good and evil, and this still gives me that opportunity to play the role of the White Knight. Unlike other times, though, I'm not defending the federation against someone who is inherently evil, against someone that cheats at every opportunity, I'm just standing up against a man who does it occasionally.
"Though I'm sure you'll try your best not to slip during our match.
"Because I know you can play it on the straight and narrow. You've done it before. You've been cheered by the fans before.
"You did ask me where I would be without these fans, and to be honest, I don't know if I could answer that. I mean, I could take the easy way out and go with my past, but even then, there were fans. Even when the fans boo someone, they are doing it. It's not some piped in music. Some sound effect for our egos. It's the fans. Which is why I stand up for them every chance I get. It's why they are the most important part of wrestling, before titles and title shots. Without those fans, all of us are nothing.
"But you already know that, especially having been on both sides of the coin. You know just how important these fans are to each and every one of us that steps through those ropes. And maybe that's another reason why I respect you. You don't instantly flip off the fans, you don't pretend they don't exist. You acknowledge them and their importance. Even if that was just a moment in time, just one slight realization, it's more then some people give the fans.
"At least when you knew they had your back, you made sure to make the most of it. Sure, you might not have had as many recent chances as I have, but you've made sure to make the most out of every chance you've been given. Every title shot, you've made sure to make it count. After all, you've held more titles then I have, you're a Grand Slam champion, and that isn't something to take lightly. That isn't something that someone can simply scoff at.
"And because of all of that, I know that you are going to make the most of this chance at Meltdown. You aren't going to let me walk in and take a win. We're competitors and people like us don't simply give up when the going gets tough.
"We get even.
"We get tough.
"Which is what this week's encounter will come down to. It will come down to which one of us ends up earning the win. Which one of us manages to walk away with the victory. It's going to be a hard fought match and it won't be easy on either one of us. We're going to have to give everything we've got, and who knows, maybe we'll have to go that extra mile.
"On the plus side, this match isn't going to be about which one of us is better. This isn't going to be a match about you trying to be better then me and vice versa. At least, I hope not. Because to me, this is more a match where you and I can give it our all. A match where we can put on a good fight for the fans.
"A fight where we can showcase what we're both all about. And what better place to do that then on my first trip to Meltdown. The last Meltdown.
"So Jason, I wish you good luck this week. Seriously.
"May the better man win."
"Are you ready?" Vincent James asks as he and C.J. Gates stand outside the hotel. The cab driver is unloading the bags from the trunk.
"Of course I'm ready," Gates answers.
"Even if he gets frustrated and becomes relentless in his assault?"
"Even if he gets frustrated," Gates says. "I've fought tons of people in that same boat, Vinnie, so it wouldn't be the first time."
"Even if he uses a weapon?"
"Yes," Gates says. "He might bleed Asylum, but that doesn't mean he's any different then anyone else I've gone up against. It doesn't even make him that different than me."
"I guess so," James says. "But I just can't help but get this feeling that if Kash wins..."
"Kash wins," Gates finishes. "If he wins, he will have earned it, that much I know for sure. Listen, if Kash beats me on meltdown, then he would have proven me right when I said he had what it took to win. It's similar to what happened when I lost to Michael Lively at the beginning of this year.
"It doesn't necessarily mean he's better than me, it just means he was better than me on that night. Same rule applies to Kash if he beats me at Meltdown.
"He would have shown me that he could go big and not go home."
"This is the type of match that has been talked about for quite some time. It might not make the headlines, but there have always been rumblings. There have always been thoughts about what would happen if one of the top draws on Overdrive went up against one of the top draws on Asylum.
"Sure, Kash and I might not be top champions, but we've both paid our dues. We've both put in the time and stuck around through thick and thin. And because of that, the fans realize that this is the sort of match these Showcase matches are all about.
"Though I'm sure people are wondering why I've chosen now to have a match on Meltdown. Why I've decided now to show my face there. Well, the answer is simple, this is the last Meltdown. This is the last chance I might have for this match to actually happen.
"Because I've agreed with those rumblings.
"I've been looking forward to this match.
"Jason Kash has been a man that I've always wanted to test myself against. The sort of man that I have wanted to try and push to the limits. After all, Kash and I are cut from different cloths, so this should make for an interesting match.
"As long as I don't get caught up in the allure of being on the final Meltdown. As long as I don't get caught up playing the same sort of game as Jason Kash. There's no telling when his true Asylum nature will come out and shine.
"But I welcome the challenge.
"I welcome it, because not only will it push me, but it will also give the fans something to certainly cheer for. And this is the kind of match that the fans deserve, and a match they deserve the cheer for. After all their faith in Meltdown and in me, it's only right.
"It won't be easy though, but a match with Kash never seems to be.
"But all that means is I am going to have to make the most of every opportunity thrown my way in this match. Every opening. Every potential misstep by Kash.
"One thing is certain though.
"This match is a few years in the making.
"This match is going to be off the charts."
---------------------------------------------
"This surprises me," Vincent James says to C.J. Gates as the two men ride in the back of a taxi cab. "It really does."
"What does?" Gates asks.
"Well, when you told me you were fighting on Meltdown-"
"The last Meltdown."
"-I assumed you were going up against someone that you have beef with. Someone like Evan Envi or Terry Marvin. Hell, when I heard that Sally Talfourd was coming back for the night, I thought that maybe she would come back and face you. You know, unfinished business or something. But instead you're facing Jason Kash."
"This match does have some beef though," Gates says. "It might not be the same beef that I have with Marvin, but it still goes back a long way. Hell, this match is years in the making. Ever since Jason Kash and company rolled into Overdrive as a part of Level One's Free Agency back in 2011, well, I guess you could say that ever since then, a match between Jason and I has been brewing."
"But didn't you guys have a match?"
"We did," Gates admits. "It was a six man tag though, so it didn't have the same effect. At the time, Kash and Knuckles, and I guess A.J. King to a lesser extent, were new to APW and trying to make a name for themselves. That was the motivation for them in that match. Beating me so that they could have one conquest under their belts."
"They lost though, right?" James asks.
"They did," Gates says with a nod. "Though that was more because King let them down. Which is another factor that makes this Meltdown match so important. The last time we fought, it didn't really have the credibility that this one will."
"I'd just take the one win and be done with it," James chuckles. "Forget trying to make things even. After all, it was two years ago. Nobody cares about things that happened two years ago."
"Don't misunderstand, Vinnie," Gates says. "This match isn't going to be about how angry I am about anything that happened. I said it goes back to the Free Agency, but not because they beat my head in with a chair or anything."
"I don't think I follow," James says.
"Ever since then, and ever since Kash joined Asylum, he's been the face of the brand."
"He's the face?"
"Who do you think of when you think about Asylum?"
James pauses and after a few moments, he nods his head. "I see what you mean."
"There has been a lot of good talent on Asylum, but the one constant has been Jason Kash."
"Just like you've been one of the constants on Overdrive."
"Exactly," Gates says. "And at the final Meltdown, one of the constants of Overdrive will take on the constant of Asylum. Add on that it will be the first chance Kash and I have to fight one on one, and it's an opportunity that I couldn't pass up."
"Still a bit of a shocker that they wanted to book it," James says.
"I requested it."
James looks over at Gates. "Pardon?"
"I requested it," Gates repeats. "Like I said, I was looking forward to it so when the opportunity presented itself I made sure to put in the request."
"So you really are looking forward to it then," James says.
"I am," Gates says. "Kash has come a long way from where he was when he first stepped into APW and so have I. We've both held top titles, we've both held tag team titles, we're both made the most of all our opportunities."
"Though, you've had more then he has," James says.
"Maybe," Gates says. "But that might speak more to the level of competition over on Asylum. It's not the B-rate show that everyone seems to think it is. And Kash has had a big hand in that."
"With his matches?"
"For the most part," Gates says. "He also stands up for Asylum when critics call it lesser then Overdrive or when they call it the B show."
"And that's why you wanted the match?" James asks. "I guess I can see where you're coming from."
"It's one of the reasons. I also know that I won't get opportunities like this every month, so I wanted to make the most of it. It's like doing an event for Visionary Wrestling or the Experts. I get to go head to head with people I might not normally face. Kind of like this match with Kash."
"Well, at least by the end of it you can show the world which brand is better."
"I don't think that's going to come into play," Gates says. "This isn't about which brand is better. This is just a chance for Kash and I to put on a good match."
"So you're saying that you don't want to know who is better?"
"Maybe a bit," Gates says, "but only between me and Kash. There's going to be no brand warfare. This week, it's just two competitors going toe to toe in what should be a hard fought match. That's all I'm preparing for."
"I'm sure the other Overdrive competitors aren't going to be happy about that."
"Everyone else who works on Overdrive doesn't care about that. They're either too new, too self centered or they are like me and know that there is no reason to have a brand war because the Asylum Megastars are just as good as the ones that fight on Overdrive."
"You're starting to sound like a politician, you know that?"
"I'm just telling it like it is," Gates smirks.
"You think you stand a good chance to win?" James asks. "You have been at the top or fighting for the top prize more often then Kash has."
"Yeah, but that doesn't automatically make me the winner. Like I said, there's some stiff competition on Asylum." Gates sighs and looks out the window. "As for the Meltdown Finale, I've got as good a chance to win as Kash does. We're both talented, we're both experts at our craft. We've both competed against some tough competition and now that we're facing off, we're going to throw all of that together and see who comes out on top.
"We're going to make the most of this opportunity."
---------------------------------------------
"This is a match we've both been waiting for.
"For however long, we've both been looking forward to this chance to go one on one. We've both been waiting for the opportunity, Kash, and now that it's here. You said it best yourself. This match, this was one of the reasons you decided to sign on that dotted line. You saw the opportunity not for glory, but for competition. To feed your addiction. We can't let this match go to waste and I don't mean that in any sense other then the quality of the match. We both need to go all out, we both need to give the fans a match they deserve. You might not care for them all that much, but it's the truth.
"Like I always say, go big or go home.
"And that's not just when it comes to the match. It's the entire Meltdown Finale card. You mentioned that this is the first time I've had a match on Meltdown, and you're right. While you've been lending a hand here and there, helping to keep Meltdown afloat whenever yo were called upon, I wasn't. I never had a match, I never made an appearance, but that doesn't mean I never wanted to.
"Fact is, I just kept getting passed over. Much like you in your quest for gold, I kept getting overlooked when it came to Meltdown. Whenever there was a showcase match, I wasn't the one that was called upon. Am I bitter or upset? No, because the ones they did call upon, probably deserved it more. Who knows, they could have called me and I might have said no, depending on the time that they did.
"The point is, I couldn't let Meltdown come and go without making an appearance. So when the opportunity presented itself, I had to take that chance, and when I thought about all of the people I could have wanted a match against, Jason, you were the one that kept coming to the forefront.
"Because I respect you.
"Some people might find that funny to say after everything that you have done, but even though you've kidnapped women and super glued people, part of me can still sit here and say that I respect you. Maybe not for those things that you've done that most would classify as unneeded, but for everything else that you've done.
"You're the heart and soul of Asylum, Jason. People can point to others, but you're the one that truly sticks out. Since the beginning, you've been true to the brand and you've made sure that if someone talked bad about it, you showed them how wrong they were. You've stood up for Asylum and, when you break it down, you are what Asylum stands for.
"Then there are your matches. You don't give up. Sure, at times you might find it a bit helpful to use a weapon, but you don't give up. You don't throw in the towel when things look bleak and you definitely don't run away from a fight. That I can respect. I mean, you beat my former bodyguard Rico Casteel, and that is no easy feat. You've beaten Sally Talfourd, someone I can attest to being one fierce fighter whenever she steps into the ring. You've beaten Anthony Bailey. You've beaten men and women that I could only dream of beating, whether that's because they're out of my league or out of my brand.
"You're a warrior, Jason, plain and simple, and because of that, I respect you. So why not have a match at the Meltdown Finale, my first match on Meltdown, against someone I respect, someone I don't usually have the opportunity to face, and someone who will give me a match to be proud of. A match the fans can be proud of.
"That's not to say you are the golden boy, though. You mentioned it yourself, you've let yourself get carried away a few times, you've let yourself slip and at times you've taken it upon yourself to resort to the underhanded. Basically, you've fought on the side of evil.
"And I guess because of that, somewhere this still becomes a match about good and evil, and this still gives me that opportunity to play the role of the White Knight. Unlike other times, though, I'm not defending the federation against someone who is inherently evil, against someone that cheats at every opportunity, I'm just standing up against a man who does it occasionally.
"Though I'm sure you'll try your best not to slip during our match.
"Because I know you can play it on the straight and narrow. You've done it before. You've been cheered by the fans before.
"You did ask me where I would be without these fans, and to be honest, I don't know if I could answer that. I mean, I could take the easy way out and go with my past, but even then, there were fans. Even when the fans boo someone, they are doing it. It's not some piped in music. Some sound effect for our egos. It's the fans. Which is why I stand up for them every chance I get. It's why they are the most important part of wrestling, before titles and title shots. Without those fans, all of us are nothing.
"But you already know that, especially having been on both sides of the coin. You know just how important these fans are to each and every one of us that steps through those ropes. And maybe that's another reason why I respect you. You don't instantly flip off the fans, you don't pretend they don't exist. You acknowledge them and their importance. Even if that was just a moment in time, just one slight realization, it's more then some people give the fans.
"At least when you knew they had your back, you made sure to make the most of it. Sure, you might not have had as many recent chances as I have, but you've made sure to make the most out of every chance you've been given. Every title shot, you've made sure to make it count. After all, you've held more titles then I have, you're a Grand Slam champion, and that isn't something to take lightly. That isn't something that someone can simply scoff at.
"And because of all of that, I know that you are going to make the most of this chance at Meltdown. You aren't going to let me walk in and take a win. We're competitors and people like us don't simply give up when the going gets tough.
"We get even.
"We get tough.
"Which is what this week's encounter will come down to. It will come down to which one of us ends up earning the win. Which one of us manages to walk away with the victory. It's going to be a hard fought match and it won't be easy on either one of us. We're going to have to give everything we've got, and who knows, maybe we'll have to go that extra mile.
"On the plus side, this match isn't going to be about which one of us is better. This isn't going to be a match about you trying to be better then me and vice versa. At least, I hope not. Because to me, this is more a match where you and I can give it our all. A match where we can put on a good fight for the fans.
"A fight where we can showcase what we're both all about. And what better place to do that then on my first trip to Meltdown. The last Meltdown.
"So Jason, I wish you good luck this week. Seriously.
"May the better man win."
---------------------------------------------
"Are you ready?" Vincent James asks as he and C.J. Gates stand outside the hotel. The cab driver is unloading the bags from the trunk.
"Of course I'm ready," Gates answers.
"Even if he gets frustrated and becomes relentless in his assault?"
"Even if he gets frustrated," Gates says. "I've fought tons of people in that same boat, Vinnie, so it wouldn't be the first time."
"Even if he uses a weapon?"
"Yes," Gates says. "He might bleed Asylum, but that doesn't mean he's any different then anyone else I've gone up against. It doesn't even make him that different than me."
"I guess so," James says. "But I just can't help but get this feeling that if Kash wins..."
"Kash wins," Gates finishes. "If he wins, he will have earned it, that much I know for sure. Listen, if Kash beats me on meltdown, then he would have proven me right when I said he had what it took to win. It's similar to what happened when I lost to Michael Lively at the beginning of this year.
"It doesn't necessarily mean he's better than me, it just means he was better than me on that night. Same rule applies to Kash if he beats me at Meltdown.
"He would have shown me that he could go big and not go home."
