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Thomas Nixon · (01-31-2017)

"The sky was all purple, there were people runnin' everywhere
Tryin' to run from the destruction, you know I didn't even care"

The scene opens up to a large, open room. A desk sits just right of center, but it still remains the focal feature of the room. Left of center was a window that illuminates the area. To the left of the window stands a beautiful symbol for freedom, courage, and integrity, the American flag.

Thomas Nixon sits at the focal desk in the shot. Instead of his typical casual attire, he wears a professional outfit. A dark blue suit contrasts his light features. This attire is out of character for the former Television Championship, and it gives the scene an air of importance.

Thomas Nixon clears his throat, and he begins his speech with a booming yet calm tone.

“As I sit here, in front of a beautiful American flag, I see a world with hope. I see a future that is bright. Not just for people like myself and you, the viewer. Hope for everyone that lives in our country.

As the new administration settles into Washington, I sense that the time for the Lizard People is not just inching near. Over the past several weeks, the case for lizard civil rights has gone from “on hold” to “imminent”. This fortunate turn of events gives me an opportunity to change the country. Soon, I will address these issues regarding liberty and rights.

Right now, I want to remember the times when our country was not a frontier of hope. A time when our dreams and future seemed jeopardized.

It takes good to understand the bad, so let us reflect on the bad.

There was a stint in this country’s history where the end seemed near. When our country was faced with the threat of Mutually Assured Destruction. This time period coincided with the rise of communist Russia and their development of Weapons of Mass Destruction. These weapons could travel long distances and destroy entire cities with one charge.

A fear was pervasive in American society. The fear that a bomb would be dropped and mankind would be erased from the universe.

This fear led to a technical masterpiece in popular culture. I’m referring to the classic song “1999” by Prince. This song encapsulates the feelings that people faced during the Cold War era.”

Nixon looks to the side, signaling for the production staff to play the sound byte. For a brief moment, Prince’s voice fills the scene.

“Yeah hey, they say two thousand zero zero party over, oops, out of time
So tonight I'm gonna party like it's nineteen ninety-nine
Yeah, yeah, hey”

The song quickly fades out, and Nixon begins his analysis. As he speaks, he lectures with a politician’s cadence, pausing for an extra moment at the end of his sentences.

“This chorus isn’t just a jumble of words set to a catchy beat. It doubles as a dystopian cry for help. The year 2000 serves as a symbol for the end of the world, as Prince makes a downright depressing statement. We’re running out of time, and soon the world will end. So why not party? Why not celebrate all of life’s vices? Sooner than later, we’re all going to die.

I’m not just referring to a classic song because I respect the artistic quality.

Deep down, Jim Caedus has an unnerving feeling. At first, it was a fleeting thought that would only flicker in the back of his mind. The thought that sooner or later, he’s going to lose that belt. Defending it week after week is a challenge, and he’s already faced a couple of close calls. It’s only inevitable for the belt to leave his hands in the long run, and he’s already admitted to the struggles that a fighting champion faces.

So I know that he heard the news, that he would defend the gold against Thomas Nixon, and that inescapable thought popped into his head.

“Eventually, I will lose this belt.” Jim thought.

After his hard fought battle against Nico, Caedus found it harder to ignore the voice in the back of his head. The voice that sabotages his every thought and every move. A hysteria that is comparable to the feeling of Americans during the Cold War.

As that feeling grows stronger and stronger, Caedus will come to his senses and he will come to a realization. His fear of losing the belt isn’t completely irrational. It isn’t a mindless fear. It is an attribute of the XWF Television Championship that is constant regardless of who holds the belt.

I know that as a fact because I was once a victim of that fear.

I started off my reign against Reeve, Reno, and Moore, and I was confident. I battled my heart out, and I knew that I had the talent and skill to come out victorious. I put everything on the line and took those guys to the limit, win or draw. After I decisively beat Brandon Moore, something changed. The brief flicker of worry morphed into a legitimate concern. That all started once I began nursing my wounds.

Moore has a brutal Koji clutch, as a result, my neck was stiff for weeks after our final encounter. That was the seed that grew into concern. I was fatigued. I was beaten up. I had to walk into the ring the next week and defend my gold against a relatively fresh challenger, and that raised a lot of concerns, rightfully so.

Now, the tables have been turned.

Jim has been champion for a couple of weeks, and he has already had his reality checked. Cadryn nearly put Jim away after he connected with an Italian driver. Jim was simply saved by the bell. And that shook Jim’s confidence.

I’m not a psychiatrist, but I saw the same footage that everyone else saw the following week. We all watched Jim try to capitalize before the bell against Nico LaVey, and I bet Jim would argue that he did the smart thing. He made an opportunity for himself. But he didn’t attack Nico for no reason. The fear in Jim’s mind manifested into action, and he felt insecure. He felt that he needed an edge to guarantee an advantage. Two defenses in, and Jim already worries about losing the strap on his shoulder.

Jim evaded the sick taste of defeat, but he didn’t win decisively. Every fan in San Diego thought that Nico was going to walk out champion, but Jim kicked out with a tenth of a second to spare. Fortunately for Jim, he still has the belt. Unfortunately for him, cutting things close only adds weight to the pessimistic voice in his head.

Jim has another heavy burden he’s going to have to address. He’s coming into the match against a man that could only be described as “pissed off”.”

Nixon keeps his calm demeanor, but a sick sort of smile crosses his face. His professional appearance misleading the viewers from the emotions that he truly felt.

“After I defeated Venom Vega to earn this title shot, I was attacked by a coward. Michael McBride used a cheap shot to get ahead, and then he never let up. He put me though the announce table and mocked me in the middle of Dealey Plaza.

The one thing I want most in this world isn’t Jim’s belt. I want to watch McBride beg for forgiveness before I drop him on his skull. I want the sick satisfaction that I’ll get when I see the regret in McBride’s eyes. I want to feel the referee pry me from McBride’s lifeless corpse.

But Jefferson Jackson wouldn’t let me have that. So I thought long and hard, and I’m going to do what McBride did. I’m going to make a statement. But I don’t need to be a coward to make an impact, and I proved that in my initial title run.

I’m coming back from my brief injury with a fire under my ass. I’m here to reclaim that belt and remind everyone, especially one specific dumb fuck, that I’m not another brick in the wall. I’m a man on a mission, and that starts with bringing the belt home, where it belongs.”

Nixon pauses, taking a deep breath.

“McBride isn’t a distraction, he’s my motivation. I’m going to channel the anger and the frustration I have into accomplishing a simple goal. Getting my win back and getting my title back.

Jim might look at this match and believe he has the momentum. He’s coming off a title win and two defenses, but that is a fatal oversimplification of the facts. I have all the momentum, and the timing is in my favor.

When we meet in the ring, there’s going to be two different competitors with two different mind sets. Caedus will have a fixation that plagues all fighting champions. He’s going to be thinking about the worst case scenario, and he won’t be able to block out those persistent thoughts. On the opposite side of the ring, I’m a ball of fire. I’m upset and I want catharsis. I’m not worried about champion fatigue or being broken down. I got my eye on the prize. This information feeds into the unending narrative that Jim has good reason to fear Saturday night.

Diplomacy and the fall of communism won’t save Jim in our match, and I don’t think landing on the moon will win Jim the battle, even though it won America the Cold War. That’s where my comparison fails. Although mutually assured destruction has been delayed, Jim doesn’t have the same systemic structures at the tip of his fingers. He can’t escape our match. He can’t escape the truly inevitable result.

So I’ll give Jim a personal recommendation to cope with this daunting match. Head to the bar, grab a drink, and find a tipsy girl that buys into your rugged looks. Take her up to your room, turn on some music, and party like its 1999. Savage will be your turn of the millennia, the moment that the world ends, so worship your last moments as reigning and defending XWF Television champion.

The inevitability of Jim’s loss may reflect the Cold War, but his loss will rush in a new era. The era that reptilians have needed. The era that will end the largest, yet unknown, humanitarian crisis of the last thousand years.

With the belt slung over my shoulder, I can make assertions with authority. With the world an oasis of acceptance, I need a platform to reach far and wide, and I need a title next to my name. One that will warrant credibility.

Then, I will celebrate. Not in despair, like Prince and Caedus, but to rejoice at our accomplishments. I call on the viewers at home to join the cause and rally behind my message. And we will make waves in the world.

There will be change! There will be freedom! And as a country, we will liberate the lizard people, so help me god!”

Nixon slams his fist into the desk with a flurry of emotion. “1999” by Prince fills the set, as the scene fades to black.

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