Post by INFINITE PRO. on Aug 30, 2022 20:32:52 GMT
The camera opens over the shoulder of Cross Recoba. We see his view, we see the greens of trees that had existed since the time of the Tudors. The London that overlooks history and grown to become the urban sprawl that exists today.
Cross slowly turns around, a smug look is painted on his face.
CROSS RECOBA
Sorry, did I stutter?
A quizzical expression replaces the smugness.
CROSS RECOBA
How could I NOT be the main attraction to the show? Sure, I’m not the main event but then that isn’t so much the gain of Ana or Irina, rather their loss. I have stolen more shows and more headlines than ANYONE in IPW since I’ve been on the Network! I have made heads turn and people stand up and take notice since the first time the bell rang against Joe Nobody at Road to Victory 3! I’ve taken more scalps than anyone else on this roster and I’ve more than proven to Jason Long and every person who makes decisions on the Network that a Recoba match will always guarantee you column inches!
He motions towards a wall, the camera pans to see a cacophony of headlines and magazine covers of Recoba.
CROSS RECOBA
Fun fact, this is the first-time in Infinite Pro that I HAVEN’T headlined a show I'm on and yet here we are going into a match that the last match on has no hope of following! If I’m Karlson, Judith, or Jack I’d maybe consider that small detail about me when preparing for the match. Of course, if you look at what they’ve done since they joined it’d tell you everything about their ability to plan.
A small laugh escapes.
CROSS RECOBA
They do have one thing going for them. If you’ve ever seen any of them wrestle, you’d realize that while they can wrestle for YouTube they cannot fight with anything approaching logic. It’s either overcomplicating a move so Tuna Meltzer might give them an extra line in a write-up or it’s grabbing the first thing to hand and using it in place of ability. And this Throne of Blood match, it’s not exactly going to be a clinic when that bell rings and that’s going to force me to come down to their level. At least though, I don’t have to rely on an IPW referee knowing what a rope-break is in this match.
A self-effacing smile appears momentarily for the kicker.
CROSS RECOBA
But, even with the small annoyance of the stipulation, you’d be a fool to place your money anywhere other than the XHF Box Office Smash. Who else would be able to take the National Openweight Championship and instantly give it credibility to rival the IPW Heavyweight title? It helps that, as always, I’ve got the inside line on my opponents.
Cross reaches for a remote, the TV lights into life. A video package is halfway through playing, the eagle-eyed viewer might recognize the small package belonging to Touchdown.
CROSS RECOBA
Oh? We’ll get to Judith, but how about we start with Jack? After all, it’ll be interesting to see if he's managed to change anything in his approach since I put him away in a match that I’d wager is still the critic’s favorite IPW match! I've watched his efforts since I beat him and maybe I’m being dismissive but I’m beginning to understand why he donned a mask. After all, you can't get heckled after yet another poor showing if no-one knows who is under the mask, can you? The brain remains scrambled, the reactions still half a second slow. Can you stop me from crowning myself?
He pauses the screen as Judith gets up and looks shocked.
CROSS RECOBA
Judith, tell me, what actually is your forte? You can take pain but you’ve no stamina? How do you even have the gall to sign the match contract? You’re six feet, you weigh a buck-sixty. You’re a string bean in a bout that isn’t going to be over before your fatigue rules you out. That isn’t even the killing blow for you though, what’s going to be your undoing is that you’re the definition of all fur coat and no knickers. All style, no substance, I’d say you could just have good timing but…
He gestures to the screen.
CROSS RECOBA
If you can’t stop a small package…
He shakes his head in disbelief.
CROSS RECOBA
Lastly, Karlson. How long has it been since the Network saw you? Six weeks? Is that a long training camp or, as I suspect, will ring rust come and be your unwanted neighbor in the match? I know you’ve got heart but that’s about all that’s on your side. You’re the smallest person in the match and while you might think that gives you speed and agility all I see is that you’re going to get thrown from pillar to post. What’s really hurting you though is that for all the flash of your finishers, not ONE is out of nowhere! The only one that you could hit on all of us is a submission and if I see you put someone in it, I’ll make sure Up All Night in Dakota puts the other guy down as I reach for that crown…
Cross' voice starts to build in intensity as if building to a crescendo.
CROSS RECOBA
I’ve been in wars and brawls I shouldn’t have won and came out the otherside. Are you a Subject #42 or a Natasha? Are you even a Vincent Draven? Face facts, your headline reads …CROSS RECOBA...INAUGURAL IPW NATIONAL OPENWEIGHT CHAMPION!
CROSS RECOBA
We're just two precious days away from Infinite Pro Wrestling’s first big event. First Contact, an interesting name for a company’s fifth show but then who am I but the main attraction to buy the show in the first place?
Cross slowly turns around, a smug look is painted on his face.
CROSS RECOBA
Sorry, did I stutter?
A quizzical expression replaces the smugness.
CROSS RECOBA
How could I NOT be the main attraction to the show? Sure, I’m not the main event but then that isn’t so much the gain of Ana or Irina, rather their loss. I have stolen more shows and more headlines than ANYONE in IPW since I’ve been on the Network! I have made heads turn and people stand up and take notice since the first time the bell rang against Joe Nobody at Road to Victory 3! I’ve taken more scalps than anyone else on this roster and I’ve more than proven to Jason Long and every person who makes decisions on the Network that a Recoba match will always guarantee you column inches!
He motions towards a wall, the camera pans to see a cacophony of headlines and magazine covers of Recoba.
CROSS RECOBA
Fun fact, this is the first-time in Infinite Pro that I HAVEN’T headlined a show I'm on and yet here we are going into a match that the last match on has no hope of following! If I’m Karlson, Judith, or Jack I’d maybe consider that small detail about me when preparing for the match. Of course, if you look at what they’ve done since they joined it’d tell you everything about their ability to plan.
A small laugh escapes.
CROSS RECOBA
They do have one thing going for them. If you’ve ever seen any of them wrestle, you’d realize that while they can wrestle for YouTube they cannot fight with anything approaching logic. It’s either overcomplicating a move so Tuna Meltzer might give them an extra line in a write-up or it’s grabbing the first thing to hand and using it in place of ability. And this Throne of Blood match, it’s not exactly going to be a clinic when that bell rings and that’s going to force me to come down to their level. At least though, I don’t have to rely on an IPW referee knowing what a rope-break is in this match.
A self-effacing smile appears momentarily for the kicker.
CROSS RECOBA
But, even with the small annoyance of the stipulation, you’d be a fool to place your money anywhere other than the XHF Box Office Smash. Who else would be able to take the National Openweight Championship and instantly give it credibility to rival the IPW Heavyweight title? It helps that, as always, I’ve got the inside line on my opponents.
Cross reaches for a remote, the TV lights into life. A video package is halfway through playing, the eagle-eyed viewer might recognize the small package belonging to Touchdown.
CROSS RECOBA
Oh? We’ll get to Judith, but how about we start with Jack? After all, it’ll be interesting to see if he's managed to change anything in his approach since I put him away in a match that I’d wager is still the critic’s favorite IPW match! I've watched his efforts since I beat him and maybe I’m being dismissive but I’m beginning to understand why he donned a mask. After all, you can't get heckled after yet another poor showing if no-one knows who is under the mask, can you? The brain remains scrambled, the reactions still half a second slow. Can you stop me from crowning myself?
He pauses the screen as Judith gets up and looks shocked.
CROSS RECOBA
Judith, tell me, what actually is your forte? You can take pain but you’ve no stamina? How do you even have the gall to sign the match contract? You’re six feet, you weigh a buck-sixty. You’re a string bean in a bout that isn’t going to be over before your fatigue rules you out. That isn’t even the killing blow for you though, what’s going to be your undoing is that you’re the definition of all fur coat and no knickers. All style, no substance, I’d say you could just have good timing but…
He gestures to the screen.
CROSS RECOBA
If you can’t stop a small package…
He shakes his head in disbelief.
CROSS RECOBA
Lastly, Karlson. How long has it been since the Network saw you? Six weeks? Is that a long training camp or, as I suspect, will ring rust come and be your unwanted neighbor in the match? I know you’ve got heart but that’s about all that’s on your side. You’re the smallest person in the match and while you might think that gives you speed and agility all I see is that you’re going to get thrown from pillar to post. What’s really hurting you though is that for all the flash of your finishers, not ONE is out of nowhere! The only one that you could hit on all of us is a submission and if I see you put someone in it, I’ll make sure Up All Night in Dakota puts the other guy down as I reach for that crown…
Cross' voice starts to build in intensity as if building to a crescendo.
CROSS RECOBA
I’ve been in wars and brawls I shouldn’t have won and came out the otherside. Are you a Subject #42 or a Natasha? Are you even a Vincent Draven? Face facts, your headline reads …CROSS RECOBA...INAUGURAL IPW NATIONAL OPENWEIGHT CHAMPION!