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Centurion · (07-06-2019)

------June 20, 2019------

(There’s a lot of advantages of getting older – an increase in knowledge, an increase in respect from your peers, the ability to run for president. There are also a lot of disadvantages, as well…including healing time.

A strained ACL on a 25 year old pro wrestler? You’re ready for a match the next day. A strained ACL on a 42 year old pro wrestler with a history of knee problems? You’re looking at a few weeks of ice baths and Epsom salts.

That’s where we find Centurion, in his home/gym in Atlantic City, legs sitting in a metal tub of ice water, with his phone in his hands and the PGA Tour’s “Travelers Championship” on the TV. He doesn’t seem focused on the golf tournament at all, as he scrolls through his Twitter feed to read the vapid thoughts of follow pro wrestlers.)

Centurion: These people need to get a fucking life.

(Centurion’s out loud comment doesn’t seem to be directed to anyone in particular, but rather the vast number of pro wrestlers who fashion themselves to be “influencers”.

Centurion adjusts himself, and winces in pain as he does. He puts his phone down next to him and lifts his leg out of the water and rubs his sore knee. The knee is discolored, but the swelling has gone down, a sign that he is, indeed, on the mend. He slowly lowers his leg back into the water and sighs as he lays his head back and closes his eyes.

Pride is a dangerous thing. Centurion knows it. Everyone who has been in his shoes knows it. And yet, it almost cost him his comeback career. His decision to step in the ring against Tony Santos after the beating his took only three days prior was a mistake reserved for rookies. After the years of stepping in the ring and seeing what happens when you rush back from an injury, Centurion should know better than to allow the dangling carrot of a title shot to stop him from doing what’s wise.

And yet, the results were live for everyone to see – an injured Centurion, a one legged man in an ass kicking contest, going one on one with Tony Santos, one of the smartest, most calculating wrestlers in the XWF. Centurion was never going to win that match. The fact that he blinded himself and distorted his reality into thinking he could just shows that even the most experienced professional wrestlers can allow their ego to trick them into doing something stupid.

Centurion’s mind flashes back to summer of 2007. Despite a lot of his wrestling memories fading over time, this one is very vivid. HE had just won the XWF World Title, the biggest title in the federation at the time. He had scratched and clawed to work his way to the top of the ladder. It was the greatest career achievement he had experienced at that point.

Which is why, when he lost to a now disgraced Brad Pierce the following week and lost the title he worked so hard for, everything came crashing down.

After that loss, he was told he should wait. He needed to take time off in order to heal, both physically and mentally. He wasn’t in the right frame of mine in order to be competing. Yet, his pride told him he had to get back in the ring and avenge his loss. He needed to prove he was the person on top, and not the person screaming out in defeat. And what happened?

Two embarrassing losses later, and Centurion was nowhere to be seen for months. It was his first real lesson in humility, and yet, 12 years later, he didn’t apply any of it to his current situation. Once again, he needed to prove something, and it nearly cost him everything.

*KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!*

Centurion’s eyes shoot open with the sound of a knock on the front door of the building. Who could that possibly be? Walter has a key to the building so he doesn’t have to knock. Ric Fliehr is in Vegas gambling away whatever money he has left. And Jocelyn Camden has already left the country. No one else knows where Centurion is staying, so it has to be someone soliciting something. Either that, or it’s one of Centurion’s former colleagues looking to take one of the last things he owns.

Centurion winces as he swings his legs out of the metal tub. He reaches next to him for a cane that he has been using to help his balance. He slowly stands up, moving his knees up and down a few times to make sure he has his balance.

*KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!*

Centurion: Yeah, yeah! I hear you!

(An annoyed Centurion slowly walks to the door. As he gets to the door, he opens it slightly, revealing a mysterious figure….well, mysterious in the sense that she hasn’t been introduced before.

[Image: D9CsPvyW4AIxWql.jpg]

The girl with green hair stands wearing a Billie Eilish t-shirt and a pair of black, loose fitting jeans. She has one hand on her side and the other leaning against the building. Centurion doesn’t recognize the woman, and immediately goes to dismiss her.)

Centurion: I don’t want any cookies, I’m not voting for your political candidate, and you’re clearly not a cop, so leave.

Woman: Does it look like I’m here to sell fucking cookies?

(Centurion’s eyebrow arches. She has an attitude about her, So, she’s not looking to sell anything, clearly.)

Centurion: Well, I’m not hiring any trainees at the moment…

Woman: Do you always talk over women and speak for them, or is this a special occasion saved just for me?

(Centurion takes a deep breath. This woman is going to toe to toe with Centurion, and they hadn’t even been introduced yet. He is partially annoyed, and partially intrigued.)

Centurion: Alright, fine. Who are you?

Woman: I’m Erin Morgan.

(She says this in a tone that makes it seem like it should spark something in Centurion’s mind. Centurion, instead, just stares straight ahead, with things no clearer than they were.)

Centurion: Ok…and what is that supposed to mean to me?

Erin: Oh, right. I forgot. You’ve isolated yourself from everyone for so long that you don’t know what’s going on with the people closest to you. So, let me try this again. My name is Erin Morgan…and I’m your daughter’s fiancé.

------The Night City Grows------

Sorry about that, folks.

Not sorry for losing, of course. That happens. Everyone loses, especially to Tony Santos, who appears to be on a tear through the entire XWF as of late. Seriously, that dude is good. Why he hasn’t gotten a Universal Title shot yet is beyond me. Between him, Lux, and Robert Main, the top three champions are among the best trios of champions in XWF history. Probably not since The Brand held every title at the same time have their been three champions with this level of dominance.

No, I’m sorry for getting hurt and taking off for a month. Not only did ratings suffer because of it (I assume, based on some of the matches that were booked while I was gone), but I was nowhere to be found while Chris Page and his Island of Misfit Toys got to do whatever the hell they wanted for weeks on end. Seriously, this place is quickly turning into the WGWF, which is NOT a compliment.

But hey, I’m back, and I’m ready to take the fight back to these folks. First things first, though – I have to wrestle my first ever match on Saturday Savage, and I get to do it against a wrestler I’ve never faced before…and one who apparently has an issue with me.

That wrestler is Big D. Now, like a lot of younger superstars, I expected Big D to have an issue with me coming back and “taking the spotlight” from the younger generations. It’s something I’ve heard for years, and to be fair, it’s not an unfair criticism; however, that is not the reason Big D requested a match against me.

No, apparently, he doesn’t like some of the things I said about his team for War Games and his abilities as a team captain. I’ll be honest, that was so long ago that I completely forgot about it, so I had to go back and find out what I said and why I said it. After doing my research…I honestly have no idea why Big D would object to my comments.

To refresh everyone’s memory, the team Big D chose was Bearded War Pig, Sarah Lacklan, Peter Gilmore, and Rain. Keep in mind, there was never a time in the selection process where Big D was picking LAST. He wasn’t STUCK with these picks. He chose them on his own accord. So, what did I say when all the picks were in?

“For the first time in my life, I actually feel sorry for Sarah Lacklan. The rest of that team....yikes.”

Sarah Lacklan was the only good choice Big D made that entire draft. The other choices were horrendous. Bearded War Pig hasn’t won a match since the Bush Administration, Peter Gilmore is a festering pile of trash, and Rain was an incestuous Hot Topic manager. And guess what…

I was right!

“But Centurion”, you, a tiny brained human, may say “didn’t Big D’s team win at War Games?”

Yes, that’s correct. Big D’s team was able to secure the victory…thanks in part to Sarah Lacklan’s superhero performance and a rule loophole that allowed Vinny Fucking Lane of all people to substitute in for Rain at the last minute. Seriously, no one could have seen that coming! There’s no way Big D, when selecting his team, expected to be walking into War Games with Vinny Lane on his team. If he had Rain instead of Vinny Lane, there’s no way that team wins.

By the way, I emphasize that it was Big D’s TEAM that won that night. Big D didn’t do shit. He was eliminated from the match early. He got to sit back and watch as Sarah Lacklan and Vinny Lane secured a title shot for a man who clearly does not deserve it. If Big D was out there busting his ass and eliminating half the other team in a heroic effort? Ok, I would give him props and apologize for criticizing him and his team. But for accurately predicting that the only good pick he would make would be Sarah Lacklan? Nope, you don’t get brownie points for that.

By the way, Big D…this was your response to me when I talked shit about Gilmore.

“Peter Gilmour is gonna be a key to Team Big D's victory.”

See, Big D, THIS is why I considered you to be a shitty team leader. It’s because you have no concept of talent. The fact that you would stick up for that festering shit bucket tells me that you don’t really know this business – you’re just suckered in by smooth talkers in nostalgia. Gilmore was not key to your team’s victory. Gilmore isn’t even key to his own victory. Every win Gilmore has racked up, and trust me, there aren’t many, have been a combination of luck and terrible competition. I’m pretty sure he won a match because someone literally tripped on their own shoe laces.

Bur this is all criticism of Big D as a judge of talent. What is Big D like as a wrestler? After all, we’re going to be in the ring together, and whether or not he knows what makes a good wrestler. So, how is Big D?

…he’s alright. He’s decent. He’s got a decent career in front of him. I could see him one day becoming Television Champion. I can tell you what he isn’t – he isn’t one of the top wrestlers in the company, despite how much “the boys” want to try and convince people otherwise. Does he work his ass off? Yes. Does he get the most out of his talent? Yes.

But that’s the point. He’s doing the best he can with the talent he has, which is limited. He’s not skilled enough to be a top guy. That normally wouldn’t be a problem, but when people are saying he’s the “Star of the Month” and the “future of the company”, that’s when we need to pump the breaks. He’s not any of that. Not everyone can be a superstar.

Maybe that’s the problem with pro wrestling today. We’ve told everyone that they have the chance to “make it big”. “Work real hard and you’ll become a champion!” It’s a lie. I know it’s an attempt to instill confidence and hard work in young wrestlers, but it’s actually doing more harm than good. It’s giving them too high of a bar to set, and it’s causing so many young talents to burn out a few matches in because they expect to be the biggest start in the world before they reach drinking age.

Big D is older, but he’s also new to the XWF. Being the top star in federations that run about a hundred people is a lot different than being the top star in a federation that sells out places like the Tokyo Dome and the Bird’s Nest. Just willing yourself to be that guy isn’t enough. Look at Ned Kaye. He’s also a former indie guy. He’s also very talented. But he tried to be the top guy, and he wasn’t successful. Difference being, Kaye getting in the ring against Robert Main and losing allowed him to know where his spot was in the company.

Will the same happen to Big D? Will a loss to me remind him that he isn’t ready for prime time? Or will he find some kind of excused, fueled by the fan base he has built for himself that blindly tell him how awesome he is? Either way, we will find out, once Big D meets his…

FINAL FANTASY!

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