The studio is small, it's black walls and backdrops seemingly closing in on me as I make my way to the center and take my seat. A handful of production assistants come running up to prepare me, but I wave them off one by one. I don't need an audio technician to pin a lavolier microphone to my lapel, I can do it myself. I don't need hair to touch me up, I looks fucking fantastic. I certainly don't need anyone to prep me on the questions or talking points, if there's one thing I've always had under control it's what to say when the cameras start rolling.

They buzz away, off to tend to their other duties and leave me alone beneath the massive Chimera lighting rigs. I glance down at my watch. Two more minutes. The XWF is usual pretty punctual about these things, I don't think I'll be waiting long.

Almost on cue I hear the door at the end of the studio open, and see an old friend and the reason I'm here make his way into the room. He's dressed in a blue suit, his hair combed back slickly and his smile wide as he greets the crew members and grabs a carrot stick from the craft services table in the corner. He bites into it and surveys the rest of the room, noticing me in solitude underneath the hot lights. His eyes twinkle and he holds his arms open wide, making his way over to me as he continues to chew.

STEVE SAYORS
James! Always good to see you, buddy! How are things? How's your son?

I stand up, buttoning my suit jacket before opening my own arms to greet him with a hug.

RAVEN
He's good, he's good. Thanks for asking. He's still a little mad at me for taking the Xtreme title off Thaddeus Duke last year, but we're working through it.

STEVE SAYORS
Good to hear!

RAVEN
How are you doing? How's the knee?

He shrugs casually, lifting his left foot off the floor and twisting the lower half of his leg in demonstration.

STEVE SAYORS
It's doing alright, it still gives out on me every once in a while. It's not even the worst of the injuries anymore, though. These new guys kick the crap outta me, honestly! I've had concussions, a cracked rib, my arm pulled out of socket... it's like I can't do an interview without winding up unconscious by the end of it.

RAVEN
Jesus, they realize you're not on the roster right? And that you're old? Have you talked to management about it?

STEVE SAYORS
Yeah. "Ratings" they say. People love violence, and... well... I love my job, so... I keep doing it.

The twinkle is now completely faded from his eyes, the soul of a once proud interviewer and distinguished member of the media stomped out and resigned to his fate as a punching bag and prop to mid-carders. It hurt me, kind of. Steve was a staple of the old XWF; he sat with the greats, and was involved in some of the biggest storylines in the companies history... but there was nothing I could do to help him. I pat him on the shoulder reassuringly.

RAVEN
Well, at least you know this one'll be different right, Steve? I promise I won't touch ya.

He looks up from the floor, and smiles at me.

STEVE SAYORS
Should we get started?

I nod, and together we take our seats, waiting patiently as the camera operators and various technicians file over to their stations. A producer eventually gives us a silent countdown, and I watch as the red lights atop the cameras glow to life. Steve Sayors comes to life too, any remnants of the dejected man I saw a moment ago cast aside as the television personality comes to life.

STEVE SAYORS
Hey there, XWF fans! This is Steve Sayors coming to you once again from Hollywood, California, the site of Saturday Night Savage! Today I'm honored to be joined by wrestling greatness; a 3x XWF Universal Champion and 3x XWF World Champion, a member of the original Hall of Legends and #4 on the current eras "Top 50 Stars of All Time" list! He's a former owner of the XWF, he's rich, charismatic, and as my ex-girlfriend told me each night "he's sexy as all hell"... of course, I can only be speaking about one man... "The Peoples G.O.A.T." James Raven!

RAVEN
Wow, thank you very much, Steve. It's nice to be here.

STEVE SAYORS
Let's get right into things, James. The last time XWF fans saw you was at War Games last month. How did you feel leaving the arena that night, and what has it taken mentally to get over the loss and come back to try again now?

I squint at Steve, trying to wrap my brain around what he just asked me.

RAVEN
Wait, what?

Steve looks awkwardly at the camera, and then back at me.

STEVE SAYORS
Well, you lost in the first round of the tournament. Your team didn't make it to the finals, let alone win... so how do you rebound from that disappointment?

RAVEN
There was no disappointment. I did exactly what I wanted to do, and what I told everyone I would do. I got added to that team, like, four days before the show. I told everyone I wasn't healthy, I told everyone I wasn't interested, but being needed me to do something for him before approving me to referee The Apex vs. The Mother Fuckers. That's why I was there, to ensure they won War Games. Scully and the rest can try and dangle that over my head if they like, but in the end I went home happy with the evenings results and my opinion hasn't changed over time.

Steve nervously nods his head in agreement, clearly worried that opposing me will lead to a kick in the teeth. These young bloods really have him shook. He shifts uncomfortably in his seat and decides to change topics.

STEVE SAYORS
You're on something you call the "Legend vs. Legends" tour right now, traveling through a half dozen companies with a series of matches against top names from yesteryear and top champions of today. Is it safe to say this tour is an effort to prove your moniker "The Peoples GOAT" to be accurate?

RAVEN
Sure. It started out as nostalgia, a way for me to try and entice some guys from my era back into the fray one more time, but I want to beat the best. If companies think they have someone that can't be beat, throw 'em my way. Let's see if you're right.

STEVE SAYORS
It all sounds great in theory, but what's your response to the fans that say they're disappointed that you'd include someone like Scully in that field? Do you agree that trying to bill someone like him as a Legend dilutes the rest of the matches on the tour?

I feel my hands tighten into fists, my fingernails digging crescent shaped trenches into my palms as I try to maintain my composure.

RAVEN
I never said this was part of the tour. I just agreed to do it on the side.

STEVE SAYORS
Well, couldn't it be argued that making an unaffiliated side stop while in the middle of a global tour might lead people to believe this was a part of said tour, and purchase tickets with expectations far greater than could ever be met?

RAVEN
What do you want me to say Steve? Should I tell people NOT to watch it? Should I tell people that Scully is so terrible they shouldn't bother tuning in, because in two weeks I'm fighting someone better somewhere else? I wish I was here to promote a fight with Doc, or Theo, or Madison, or Steve Jason, or someone worthy of the Legends billing... but I'm not. I took the fight that came to me, the guy that was going to mumble away in promos for months about how I was afraid of him... unless I called his bluff and beat his brains in on national television. So here we are.

Steve nods his head slowly, thoughtfully. He crosses his arms and lifts his hand to his face, tapping his index finger to his chin as he ponders.

STEVE SAYORS
Yes, I saw him call you out on Twitter last week, and your responses to him were, frankly, vulgar and demeaning. With recent sensitivities to cyber bullying coming to-

RAVEN
Cyber bullying?! Christ, Sayors! Are you trying to bury me here, or something?

STEVE SAYORS
Of course not, James. We've known each other too long for me to do something like that! I remember you when you were a rookie, man!

RAVEN
So do a lot of people.

STEVE SAYORS
Look, I'm just going through the questions I was given. Maybe I'm giving them in a bad order, or wording them too harshly, but I'm not trying to make you look bad, OK? I promise. It'll get easier from here.

I eye him skeptically, my spider senses tingling as I slowly nod my head and agree to continue. He bows his head to me graciously, turning towards his camera operator and motioning that they'll go back and cut this chunk out later. Steve returns his focus to me, and begins to speak once more.

STEVE SAYORS
Do you admit that you lost your Universal title to Robbie Bourbon? Do you acknowledge that he beat you?

I roll my eyes, standing up from my seat and buttoning up my suit jacket once more. Steve looks surprised, shocked even.

STEVE SAYORS
What the- where are you going, James? We've still got plenty of time!

RAVEN
Maybe you do, but I'm done. Who gave you these questions, Steve?

STEVE SAYORS
Excuse me?

RAVEN
You said you were asking the questions that you were given, but who gave you those questions? It wasn't Shane or Vinny, this type of amateur hour shit isn't their style, so who is it?

Steve shrinks down in his seat sheepishly, his chin touching his chest and ears sinking into his shoulders. His face turns bright red as his eyes dart around the small studio, but there's nobody willing to step in to help him out of this one. I take a step forward, my clenched fist all but trembling.

RAVEN
Who gave you the questions for this interview, Steve?

STEVE SAYORS
... Scully...

I take all of half a second to plan my next action, coiling my weight back onto my left foot and unleashing my right with an FYS superkick straight to the chest of the seated Sayors. He flies backwards, his chair flipping and spilling him to the floor. The crew gasps in shock while Steve Sayors gasps for survival, his face turning from red to blue as he crawls to his knees and then his feet sucking in oxygen. I grab him by the neck, leaping into the air for a Flight of the Raven.

CAMERA MAN
Stop it! Stop it! He's already dead!

I land back on my feet, sparing Sayors his fate in front of his crew. I push him back into his chair where he sobs softly.

STEVE SAYORS
You- you promised you weren't gonna hit me! You said it was gonna be like old times!

I shrug, adjusting my cuffs and my jacket as I stare down at him coldly.

RAVEN
I lied. Send Scully my regards, Steve, and fuck yourself.

He says nothing. Neither does anyone else. I turn and make my way out of the studio, a smirk on my face. I see why these new kids enjoy that so much. It was very liberating.

FADE TO BLACK

Jesus Christ, Scully, where to even begin with you... there are so many half truths and verbal missteps in your last promo, so many trash metaphors and meandering points that never reach a destination... if I took half the time to nitpick the things you say as you take for me, I'd have 6 more promos tonight before I even got to your stupid list of bird facts. What's the matter, Scully? Run out of legitimate points to make about the wrestler that you're facing, and decide to chew up your time copying random nonsense to make it look like you tried harder than you did?

I'm not arrogant, Scully. I've just been down this road time and time again. I've had cocky douchebags tell me I'm over the hill and overrated, I've had them tell me my jokes are corny and 90's references are lame, and I've had them tell me how pitiful my accomplishments are and how meaningless anything from the old era is when you all know you'd kill someone to be able to say you've done what I've done.

They all lose, Scully. All of them.

The guys that run out of trash talk by promo two? The guys that say "you're a bitch, bitch!" and think they landed a two bomb combo? The guys that promise a 10 item list and then only deliver 6, because their brain is a little too overworked?

They.

All.

Lose.

You're no different, and I see no point in treating you like you are. Do you know how difficult it would be to convince the fans you're a real threat to me, and that you're anything other than a guy that was in the right place at the right time when Vinny Lane was finished? I don't have that kind of time, or energy. So I tell the fans exactly what this is; a mismatch of the greatest to ever do the damned thing against the guy that doesn't understand that "Hitler says" jokes aren't literally messages from the Fuhrer himself. A guy with 6 XWF World titles on his resume against a guy that took the belt and shat all over it before handing it to the companies creepy uncle, Peter Gilmour.

We have a saying "you're not a real champion until you defend the belt against Peter". How'd you fuck that one up? You keep bringing up my match against Bourbon, demanding something from me about what happened that night... well, I'll show you mine once you show me yours. How the FUCK did Gilmour beat you Scully, and how the fuck do you think you stand a chance against ME?

I don't care if you have Vinny Lane in your corner, Scully, or if you bring back Guppy Parsh and a bunch of other 'tards to help even the odds, it still won't be enough. I'm not your stepping stone, you're mine, onto Turning Point... and a match with someone that's eluded me for long enough...

Let's wrap this up with a list of 10 reasons Scully won't beat me on Savage:

1. Fuck Scully

Fear the Raven Forevermore

The People’s G.O.A.T.
120-24-3

3x Universal Champion, 3x World Champion, 9x Xtreme Champion, 1x Hart Champion, 2x Phoenix Champion, 1x Women’s Champion (lol), 1x Federweight Champion, 1x Heavymetalweight Champion, 5x Tag Team Champion
(w/ Aidan Collins, Roxy Nova, Mia Sanchez, Big Shank, Drew Archyle/Robert Main)

XWF Hall of Legends
#4 on XWFs “Top 50” List
2009 Rookie of the Year
2009 Face of the Year
2010 Heel of the Year
8x Star of the Month
2x Star of the Year (2009/‘10)
2x Feud of the Year (2010/‘11 w/ Big Shank)
2017 High Stakes Winner
Former Owner
Lots of other random shit