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Cyrus Braddock · (01-05-2022)

Slaughterhouse Gym
Manhattan, New York City

I’ve been big all my life. In grade school, I was the big quiet kid that always got picked first for every sport in gym class. When I was in junior high school, I was already six foot tall and on the radar of the high school varsity basketball coaches. Basketball bored me to death. All I wanted was to hit people. Football was my callin’. Playin’ end, Coach always told me, “Cy, you see the pretty boy that throws the ball? Put him on his fuckin’ back!” So that’s what I did. 6 foot 7 enterin’ the tenth grade, I stood out on the field. They’d send their lines to double and triple team me like I was today’s Aaron Donald or T.J. Watt.

It rarely worked.

I was quite popular in school, but only because of my size. All the girls wanted to know if I was proportionate relative to my stature. The boys were more interested in bein’ my friend than my enemy. In high school, those are the only two options. A couple times, one of them would try me. It never ended well for ‘em.

By the time I was enterin’ my senior year in 2001, I was fieldin’ calls and meetin’ with college ball coaches all across the country. All of ‘em wanted me on their team. From USC to Boston College, Oregon to Miami and everywhere in between includin’ my home state of Tennessee, they all wanted the ‘unstoppable’ Cyrus Braddock.

9/11 changed everything. I love my country. From coast to coast and tip to tail, this is my nation. I wanted to protect my fellow citizens from the horrors of what happened that day in September so rather than committin’ to play football, I instead joined the armed forces.

While I am very much a big man, I’m not a typical meathead. I’m smart. I stay quiet. I listen. I watch. I learn.

Slowly but surely I worked my way up the ranks in the Army. Then I was selected to take part in Ranger training. It was there that I met Richard Small, who now works for Thaddeus Duke. After I left the Army, Richard asked me to come work for him at Central Intelligence. Bein’ 6 foot 9 and 300 pounds, I’d have stuck out like a sore thumb if I was on the ground. My best traits were watchin’ and listenin’ so my job was watchin’ other spooks through what’s referred to as ‘the network.’ Every day objects like street signs and bushes and trees and parkin’ meters that were actually cameras and placed in every big city and small town all over the world.

They always watchin’ everybody.

Shits wild, let me tell ya.

Anyway, the ground spooks didn’t even know I was watchin’ ‘em. My objective was to find and eliminate double agents. I was real good at my job. Contrary to what you might think just by lookin’ at me, I wasn’t mean or nasty when I was doin’ it. Real quick and painless like. So when Dickie told me he was leavin’ the CIA and joinin’ Thaddeus Duke’s Illuminatus government, I was at a loss for words. Even as a man of few words as it is. I asked him to take me with him and he was happy to oblige.

That’s how I met Thaddeus Duke.

Obviously, I’m a big strong guy and Thad saw somethin’ useful in me, that he could use in his wrestlin’ career. He’s a man that prides himself on loyalty and that’s what I am. An obedient loyal servant to the XWF’s resident Lionheart. At first I didn’t get it. I’ve seen wrestlin’ on TV for years. Always thought it was fake. But standin’ in his corner these last several months I learned that there ain’t nothin’ ‘bout the XWF that’s fake.

He always carried himself as some wrestlin’ version of a rockstar and it took a minute for that to click. I’m an observant man and watchin’ him, I learned that he can manipulate the emotions of the fans that pay to watch him wrestle. There’s a fine art to that, lost to so many on the roster. He’s a master puppeteer and he knows it. He uses it to garner the response he wants from the Universe as a whole. He’s an artist inside that ring and he knows that too. I know he’s disliked by a great many people, but to deny his talents would be a mistake. I’ve seen many deny his talents only to get schooled by him and it’s been an experience to watch, no doubt. I love Thaddeus Duke like a little brother and it has been an honor to watch his blind side.

You ready? he asks me as we pull up to some warehouse in rain soaked Manhattan. To be honest, I’m nervous. Thad was hesitant to let me in the ring to do what he does and I understand that entirely. I’m not trained to do this. I’ve watched him from the sidelines and I’ve learned a lot by doin’ so. I see how he protects himself when he lands while his opponents are on the offense. I see how he goes about his business when he’s on offense. I see how he waits for the right opportunity to turn the tide in his favor.

Yeah boss, I answer him as we step out of the car and onto the curb. You gonna show me how to do those crazy flying stunts you do?

Not a chance, he scoffs. I’ve arranged for you to train like the big man you are with another big man.

Walking from the curb inside the gym, one of Thad’s friends is waiting for him.

Ian god damn Dream, you little shit! Thad cries out with excitement. How the fuck are ya?

The two young men greet each other warmly. I hear the things that get said about Thad. Hardly any of them have any truth. He has his faults like everyone does, but he is a loyal man. Those close to him, they see it. They know the real Thaddeus Duke and they love him. It’s hard not to.

I’ve never met Ian, though I was supposed to when Thad was in OCW with him. Thad looks at Ian much the same way I look at Thad. Like a little brother. I know there’s nothin’ Thad wouldn’t do for Ian, like there’s nothin’ I wouldn’t do for Thad. With that in mind, I’m determined to break his father in half for him. I’m determined to do my absolute best in order to achieve victory and embarrass his old man.

Victory though, is secondary to pain.

I’m focused more on hurtin’ that big sum’bitch than earnin’ a victory.

Thad, I say quietly while pulling him away from Ian Dream for a moment. I thought you said I was trainin’ with a big man. Please don’t make me train with him. I’ll hurt him too badly.

Thad looks over his shoulder to Ian Dream, then back at me. Oh you’re not training with him, he points toward the sparring ring across the room. You’re training with him.

Lookin’ in the ring, I see my trainer. A big black man that looks even bigger than I am. I smile on the inside. After exchangin’ a nod with Ian Dream, Thad leads me toward the ring. Cyrus Braddock, meet Thias Watts.

What’s good Big Stax? Watts asks of Thad.

Everything, big man. You ready to teach up this big fucker here?

Watts turns to me. C’mon in Big Pimpin’, let’s see what you workin’ wit.

Nervously, I make my way up the steps. Wearin’ just a t-shirt, jeans and sneakers, I don’t really feel like I’m dressed appropriately. Takin’ off my shirt, Mr. Watts eyeballs me.

Yo Big Stax, where the fuck you find this mother fucker? he asks of Thad.

He worked for one of my guys, he answers back. Now he works for me.

He’s built like a human pit bull.

I’ve taken very good care of my body. It’s the only one I have and I won’t say I’m a gym freak, but I stay in shape and I don’t drink, don’t smoke, don’t do any drugs.

Alright, Pimpin’… lock up wit me. Try to use your strength to back me up, Watts says to me. I gotta warn you though, I’m pretty damn strong myself.

Advancin’ toward him in the ring, we lock up like I’ve seen Thad do countless times. Doin’ what he told me to do, I try to use my power to back him up, but I can’t do it. He tries too and he manages to get a little bit of leverage over me, but I kick my back foot out a bit and stand my ground.

Stalemate.

These guys are so huge, I hear Ian say to Thad outside the ring.

Thias is like 7 foot 3 or some shit. Frickin’ giant.

Thias runs me through the paces. As big and as strong as I am, he’s bigger and just as strong. I know I pissed him off with a couple of potatoes, but as is the nature of the business, he returned the favor. That’s one of many things I learned standin’ in Thad’s corner.

The training goes on and on for about an hour. At one point, Thad jumped in to teach me some rest holds. Foolishly, I argued against them. He tried tellin’ me that because of my size, I couldn’t go non-stop the way he can because I’ll get gassed. Unfamiliar with that terminology, once Thias jumped back in, I tried to go full bore like I wanted to. Then I found out what ‘gassed’ means. I couldn’t catch my breath. I was sloppy. I missed a big boot to Watts. My vision was blurring.

I get it now.

Bigger guys have to pace ourselves slower than guys like Thad or Corey Smith.

After showering and thanking Thias Watts for the quick training, I rejoin Thad and Ian Dream at ringside in the gym.

What do you think? he asks me as I take a seat on the ring apron.

I think I’m in over my head, boss, I answer him truthfully. My first match ever is against your old man. You say what you want, but he’s a veteran. He’s got a long resume of accolade after accolade. Victory after victory...

I don’t want you worrying about that, Cy, he informs me. I just want you to do what you’re best at.

What’s that?

Wreck him.

You think a sixty minute trainin’ session is enough to beat your dad?

I think you let me worry about the outcome, and you just get in that ring on Savage and show him and the Universe just exactly who you are.

I’m not sure what that means.

I’m not sure what that means, I echo my own thoughts.

Cy, he has a decade of experience on you. No one expects you to go out there and put on a clinic in your very first match and especially not against a guy like him, he begins to explain. You have the knowledge up here, he says, pointing to my head. You’re at least as big as he is. You’re at least as strong as he is.

I get accused of vanity all the time, but the reality is, I’m not the Duke that’s obsessed with vanity. I’m not the Duke that’s obsessed with being projected as something more than what I am. One of us has proven time and again which of us is best and the other one is my dad.

He’s gonna try and humiliate you.

Like he did to Corvus, years ago.

Like he did to PvP before that.

Don’t buy his bullshit.

Don’t let him get into your head because the only part of his game that is better than just about anyone.

Well, that and his backstage politicking.

Sebastian frickin’ Duke is single handedly responsible for running off no less than a dozen talents over the years all in an effort to protect his spot. That’s why he keeps coming back. My star continue to grow and glow. He’s so obsessed with me overshadowing him that he keeps popping back up every six months just to remind everyone that he was here first.

He might’ve been here first, Cyrus.

He might be in the Hall of Legends.

That anyone that knows the story, knows that he wasn’t as good as people like to project.

He started it.

He gave birth to the Duke Legacy, that much is true. But I’ve far surpassed him in every conceivable way. I’m a better wrestler than he was. I’m a better athlete than he was. I’m far better on the stick than he ever was. Despite our very similar win-loss records, he was a career coward and actively avoided big matches because he very rarely could rise to the occasion.

Does that sound like someone that deserves to be the name associated with a Legacy? he asks of me. To which, I just shake my head.

What he thinks is his Legacy, Cy, belongs to me and your job is simply to help me see that through. No, you’re not gonna set the world on fire on Savage. You’re probably not gonna turn a lot of heads with your in-ring ability yet. But if you can stand toe to toe with that fucker, then you’ll have more opportunities to show what you’re capable of.

That’s what this match is.

A life lesson for Sebastian Duke… and a bridge for you...

To deliver the Lion's Justice, I interrupt and he shoots me a smile.

Exactly.

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