Post by jamesedwards on Feb 22, 2016 3:44:18 GMT -5
There is not a lot we can tell about the scene due to the camera angle. The trees in the background stand naked with not a leaf to save their modesty. A heavy blanket of shadow falls upon the trees. The dreary grey sky peaks in between the branches. The soft sound of rain is heard.
Is this a peaceful scene or one of sadness? The answer really doesn’t matter.
What does, however, is that the young man who enters the picture has something he wants to share with the world. He is clad from the waist up in in an old rain slicker. He is James Edwards and for once the face of the NAW’s hottest newcomer is not brimming with confidence. James looks conflicted, maybe even a bit regretful.
“A few months ago, an old veteran named Johnny August-Moon limped his way into my life. He wanted a match; I said no because the guy suffered a serious injury in his past. I wasn’t gonna’ hurt the guy and I sure as hell didn’t want to see him end up a cripple. I was honest with Johnny about my intentions, but he didn’t like my answer or my logic. August-Moon was obsessed with the idea of fighting me even if it was a danger to his own health. He pushed and he pushed until I finally broke and signed the damn contract.
Then the bastard revealed he was fine. No serious injury at all.
I can’t describe how that made me feel. I’d been manipulated and humiliated. My mind was in a dark place as a result, and the only option for salvation I saw was too put him down.
Even when I did there was nothing but an empty feeling in my heart.
Kofi, I want you to hear my story because it has everything to do with our fight later on tonight. I had some fiery words for you, man. I swear to fuckin’ to whatever you worship that they weren’t meant to be personal. I’m not here to get ahead by getting under people’s skin. I wanna’ prove I’m one of the best wrestlers in the world by earning it. The downside to that is ya’ need wins in high profile fights. It’s impossible do that if you keep facing guys who treat matches like a fuckin’ Sunday picnic and you make short work of em’. Then, here came our fight around the corner and it is on pay-per-view. I saw it as my chance to stand out and move up the card. The problem is that every interaction we’ve had was too damn placid for me. It frustrated the hell out of me I wanted our fight to standout and I went about doing it the wrong way, just like August-Moon did, and I sent you over the edge of the cliff.
Listen to me, Kofi, I don’t want this to be some kind of bloodbath like you promised me. Dude, this ain’t about us settling some kind of petty grudge. It’s just you and me fightin’ to see who the better man. Nothing more and nothing less. We don’t have to stoop to the lowest common denominator like farm animals and help push our sport even further into the hole it is already in. Hell, we can do thing the right way and be the exception to all this horse shit. Let’s show the NAW fans that it is still possible to have a damn good fight that isn’t rooted in asshole of the human heart and is instead grounded in the spirit of competition.
Let me tell you something else. My goal is to be one of the best in the world but I also don't wanna end up a broken man like I've seen so many of our kind end up being. I wanna' prove that a fighter can follow the Violent Gospel and still find peace at end of the road with his soul intact. Please, help me prove that's possible Kofi, and if you do, I promise that whether I win or lose that you will have my respect.”
James stops speaking and looks into the camera for a long time. It’s hard to tell why. Maybe he has something more he wants to say or is lost in his own thoughts. What he just spoke about seems to be something he’s passionate about yet odd for the world of combat sports.
Regardless of his reasoning, James eventually decides to move off camera and shut the feed off.
The scene fades to black.
Is this a peaceful scene or one of sadness? The answer really doesn’t matter.
What does, however, is that the young man who enters the picture has something he wants to share with the world. He is clad from the waist up in in an old rain slicker. He is James Edwards and for once the face of the NAW’s hottest newcomer is not brimming with confidence. James looks conflicted, maybe even a bit regretful.
“A few months ago, an old veteran named Johnny August-Moon limped his way into my life. He wanted a match; I said no because the guy suffered a serious injury in his past. I wasn’t gonna’ hurt the guy and I sure as hell didn’t want to see him end up a cripple. I was honest with Johnny about my intentions, but he didn’t like my answer or my logic. August-Moon was obsessed with the idea of fighting me even if it was a danger to his own health. He pushed and he pushed until I finally broke and signed the damn contract.
Then the bastard revealed he was fine. No serious injury at all.
I can’t describe how that made me feel. I’d been manipulated and humiliated. My mind was in a dark place as a result, and the only option for salvation I saw was too put him down.
Even when I did there was nothing but an empty feeling in my heart.
Kofi, I want you to hear my story because it has everything to do with our fight later on tonight. I had some fiery words for you, man. I swear to fuckin’ to whatever you worship that they weren’t meant to be personal. I’m not here to get ahead by getting under people’s skin. I wanna’ prove I’m one of the best wrestlers in the world by earning it. The downside to that is ya’ need wins in high profile fights. It’s impossible do that if you keep facing guys who treat matches like a fuckin’ Sunday picnic and you make short work of em’. Then, here came our fight around the corner and it is on pay-per-view. I saw it as my chance to stand out and move up the card. The problem is that every interaction we’ve had was too damn placid for me. It frustrated the hell out of me I wanted our fight to standout and I went about doing it the wrong way, just like August-Moon did, and I sent you over the edge of the cliff.
Listen to me, Kofi, I don’t want this to be some kind of bloodbath like you promised me. Dude, this ain’t about us settling some kind of petty grudge. It’s just you and me fightin’ to see who the better man. Nothing more and nothing less. We don’t have to stoop to the lowest common denominator like farm animals and help push our sport even further into the hole it is already in. Hell, we can do thing the right way and be the exception to all this horse shit. Let’s show the NAW fans that it is still possible to have a damn good fight that isn’t rooted in asshole of the human heart and is instead grounded in the spirit of competition.
Let me tell you something else. My goal is to be one of the best in the world but I also don't wanna end up a broken man like I've seen so many of our kind end up being. I wanna' prove that a fighter can follow the Violent Gospel and still find peace at end of the road with his soul intact. Please, help me prove that's possible Kofi, and if you do, I promise that whether I win or lose that you will have my respect.”
James stops speaking and looks into the camera for a long time. It’s hard to tell why. Maybe he has something more he wants to say or is lost in his own thoughts. What he just spoke about seems to be something he’s passionate about yet odd for the world of combat sports.
Regardless of his reasoning, James eventually decides to move off camera and shut the feed off.
The scene fades to black.