So he wants things to be awkward. Clearly, Ryan Cox isn't the only man with something to prove. Even though he was offered friendship on a silver platter, James Jowers decided to be hasty. There's this thing called the past and James just couldn't let it go as they say. He said it himself, if it wasn't for Ryan he wouldn't be a name in the wrestling business. And even though Ryan went out of his way to put James in that position, he didn't like him them and things have yet to change. James isn't going out to the ring to face the man who ran SCW and held the WEF World World Heavyweight Championship, he's facing a whole new kind of monster. And it would have been to James' benefit to be friendly to him.
Ryan Cox: You want to know why I gave you a chance James? Remember, you came to me because you needed a job and nobody wanted you because you had no background in this business. I signed you for a simple reason actually. I asked you one simple question and your answer was plenty convincing. Do you remember what I asked? It was something along the lines of, give me three good reasons, I got that from a Dwight Yoakam song by the way, why I should give you a contract with SCW. And your answers, were because you're honest, hardworking, and loyal. Well first off, you are honest, because you lived up to everything you said that day. I'm not going to call you the hardest working individual in the locker room these days, but I had no doubt after your first few weeks in SCW that you were working the hardest you knew how to. And then, the third thing you said you lived up to, to this very day. You were loyal to me, you were loyal to SCW, and right now I know you're going against the grain to remain loyal to the UWE. Now I congratulate you, because those three things are what makes you a good man. But just like me James, you're not perfect. And you pushed the wrong buttons.
The prologue ends and we enter a scene outside of the cabin Ryan has been staying in throughout the week. First thing anybody will notice, is that he is very sick this week. Nothing too drastic, but he has a fairly bad cold and that is fairly obvious. It all fits in with this week's theme though. The whole idea is to work hard and when you hit a bump in the road, to not complain. Even though Ryan doesn't feel well, he's not going to make excuses leading up to a match he hasn't even lost yet. Instead, he puts in a hard day's work. Ryan walks over to the barn, where there's an old rack of dumb bells and a bench press machine. His family raised him under the belief that what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. When he gets in the room he remembers that he doesn't have any workout outfits with him. He decides to take off the polo and train in jeans and a white undershirt. As insignificant as that may seem, it has a message; Ryan will be prepared, no matter what.
Truth be told, Ryan was well prepped for his last match against Pyronus Souria. As many excuses as someone might come up with for him, a lack of preparation can't be considered one of them. But what he can do, is raise the bar. One week ago, a game and one hundred percent Ryan wasn't ready for what Pyronus had to dish out. But no one can reach a breaking point. In other words, he may have been a lesser man last week, but if he comes back a month later twice the athlete, that may not be the case. It's hard for Ryan to be inconsiderate towards James, because he's in the situation right now that James was once in. The circumstances may be different, but the principle is the same. Ryan screwed up long ago, but he was given the opportunity to regain the UWE's trust. That's what it's all about. Showing up each week, putting on your best performance that you can. Hard work goes hand and hand with trust. Right now, Ryan doesn't have to win every match he's in. But he has to put on the best performance his body is capable of producing. Week one, Ryan set the standard against Christopher Dumont. And he made it a very high standard. Last week, he lowered his caliber with a loss. This week, he has to raise the bar. You don't have to win to raise the bar, but you have to increase your level of performance. That's what Ryan plans on doing. He's going to feel poor and physically drained this week, there's no way of getting around that. There's a little quote however, that's worth living life on. "There is no feat hard work can't overcome."
Ryan Cox: Once again James, I have no ill words to speak of you. Your comments are baseless and random, it almost makes me wonder if they're really coming from the bottom of your heart, or just the top of your head. I wish I could say the feeling's mutual, but it's not. And then again, I also wonder if you're maybe a bit misunderstood. Because if I remember correctly, you claim that unlike me, you're goal is victory. That's false my friend. I plan on putting on a show, a wrestling clinic maybe, high flying, hard hitting, in your face action that the fans love. And I see myself showing nothing but respect for you and any other future opponents, but that doesn't mean I won't stop at anything to win. And I know it's been a long time since we've been really good friends James, but if you still know me at all, you know how much of a sore loser I am. Behind the scenes, I present myself real well. I showed nothing but respect after my match towards Pyronus Souria, but inside, losing is a plague, it kills me. And I'll take it like a man, but I'll also avoid it at all costs James.
Ryan grabs two dumb bells and lies on the bench. He does a set of fifteen chess presses with more weight than he would regularly use, although he can't even breath with each rep. He then sets the dumb bells down, grabs a nearby glass of water he brought out with him, and takes a sip. Miserable, Ryan continues with the promo, hoping he'll be better Friday.
Ryan Cox: Then there's another mistake you made James. See, you're full of errors this week and I'm just here to point them out for you, that's what friends do. You told me that if I defeat you, you'll be the better man and extend your hand in friendship. Those are the wrong words to throw at me bud, because that's just the motivation I needed to beat you. It's complicated man, but you've proved to me throughout the week that you need to lose this match. You need another loss so you can have the epiphany I had just a few days ago. I'm going to tell you just like my nemesis, Dumont told me. You just broke a big losing streak and I know you're riding high on that win over Dumont himself ironically enough, but I'm your warning not to let it all get to you. Why would I give you advice as your opponent? It sounds conspicuous, I'm aware, but that's what I thought when my last two opponents told me the same thing. We might be wrestling against each other, but at the end of the day we're all a big family and most of us are here to look out for each other. I'm glad you're coming out swinging and I understand that you don't want another loss to torch that record of yours, but I must warn you to not overlook me. If you do, you'll wind up with the same fate I had last week and it's a bad feeling. You don't want that.
He sits down and does one more set. But after he gets up, he's exhausted. His muscles aren't any more sour than usual, but there's some kind of layer that's covered him and he can't get out. He was like this all the while trying to lift weights, but he fought it. And if he feels like crap during his match against James this Friday on Blackout, he's going to fight it.
Ryan Cox: When we step in the ring this week, I'm going to do you a favor James. I'm stopping any chance of a win streak, I'm ending this whole charade. And I'm all for your style man, you said if I want your respect, come and take it. Well that's exactly what I plan on doing. I'm all for respect right now and if I have to earn it, so be it. And if I don't earn it this week, well then I can sleep well that night knowing I died trying. Better bring your A game, see you on Friday, James.
With that, the camera slowly fades to black, until Ryan walks up to it and pushes it down, into the usual static ending he's becoming to be known for. He doesn't leave angry or upset, but confident, yet tired at the same time. It's condescending and it's something Ryan's not used to, but he'll just have to put up with the garbage and deal with it he will. Here in a day James will learn something very important about this business, coming from the man that thought him so much already. It's not about the man in the fight James, it's the fight in the man. And a half dead Ryan still has a hell of a lot of fight.
