Post by Jayson Matthews on Aug 14, 2017 5:00:33 GMT
His hands shook. Both from the pain and the shock. You could see the tender moist pink flesh where the backs of his hands were burned by the acid. The doctor quickly starts to bandage them up. Jayson Matthews watches the doctor apply the wrap and even the slightest pressure stung the sensitive areas where he was burned. He looks up and was almost afraid to ask the next question on his mind. But he swallowed his fear and asked anyway.
Jayson Matthews: Uh…am I gonna lose my hands, Doc?
The doctor finishes dressing the wounds and confidently shakes his head no.
Doctor: No. It's just going to hurt like a son of a bitch for a few weeks. Just keep applying the ointment like I showed you and keep it wrapped. Hopefully it doesn't scar up too bad.
Jayson looked down at his hands. He held them out in front of him and they hung loose. Even while bandaged they still shook and throbbed. He felt like the mummy. Not the terrible Tom Cruise one but the sorta okay Brendan Fraiser ones. He knew they looked bad before when he watched his own skin burn and peel away as the acid dripped down the backs of his hand. He couldn't help but imagine the scars they'd leave behind.
Doctor: Yeah, you are just lucky you got here when you did. Could have been much worse. Acid is no joke. It shows no mercy, no remorse. It is unforgiving. And it hurts like hell! And if you survive…..it will leave a lasting impression. Whoever did this to you, to be able to sink that low, can't be too much unlike that…..
The doctor tries to think about the type of person that would do this to another man. That person must be a monster.
The doctor: Who did you say did this to you?
He had seen the tape’s by now. Twitter was already blowing up. Jayson knew exactly who was behind it. A man he didn’t know too much about but someone who made his stomach crawl. A fitting weapon for a fitting man. Jayson’s face contorted with anger and if it didn't currently hurt like a son of a bitch, he'd be balling up his fists.
Jayson Matthews: Sandman.
———
Detroit City.
From Aretha, to Aaliyah, to Bob Seger, to Joe Louis and his arena and now me-
Jayson Matthews. The pride of Detroit.
Ha ha nah.
You know when I was growing up in this city nobody really knew who I was. To most people I was just some punk kid who would never amount to anything. This city has a tendency to chew you up and spit you out. It takes a special kind of stupid tough to survive this city. And sure I’ve come along way in the wrestling business. I've worked hard to get where I am and hold this Invictus Championship and maybe it's safe to say that I proved a few of the haters wrong but I don't think that makes me the pride of Detroit.
I'd be honored and flattered if anyone called me that but I don't think I deserve that praise. I mean there are so many other things that could be labeled the pride of Detroit that just one man who got lucky enough to live out his dream is sort of far down on the list. I think the real pride of Detroit is the auto industry or its illustrious casinos. I think the pride of Detroit is the loyalty we have for this city. The people who live in it will respect the city no matter how bad it's done them wrong and when a fellow Detroit native is down you’d be surprised what your neighbors could do.
Nah, I don't think I'm the pride of Detroit.
But I do have Pride IN Detroit.
And that's a different story entirely.
This city, wether you love it or hate it, it had a hand in making me who I am today and you know what I have pride in that. I went to school here. I remember watching my first live wrestling match down at the Joe Louis Arena. I got to see The Red Wings win back to back Stanley Cups! I grew up watching the Tigers and the Lions….they never did much but I still watched every season….I grew up…I lived….I survived in Detroit.
Detroit had a hand in making me who I am.
I owe a lot to Detroit and I'm proud of that.
But I don't feel like I'm the pride of Detroit. But what I will do is walk into that arena and defend that honor from falling into Ryan Shane’s grubby hands. I'll be damned if he gets to run around calling himself The Pride of Detroit because I'll tell you what, I'm from Detroit and I sure as hell ain't proud of him that's for sure. Not some cheap shot artist with someone as horrible as Laura Howlett standing behind him. No, I'll make sure he doesn't get that and I'll do it with my bare hands.
Sasha Grey: How’s your hands?
She had been watching him space out as he watched the scenery in the city of Detroit. He wasn’t using his hands as they were still bandaged up from the burns and he was having trouble finding the straw in his drink with his mouth. He finally found it and that's when he noticed she was filming him with her phone. Total Snapchat moment.
Sasha Grey: I'm totally saving that.
She said with a giggle. Jayson couldn't help but laugh himself. It was kind of silly and she was cute when she laughed.
Jayson Matthews: Sorry I keep day dreaming. Just a lot of memories in this city. I guess that's why I feel like I have to defend it against Ryan Shane.
Sasha took a second to take in the scenery herself. All she could see were the broken down abandoned buildings. The shattered windows and the peeling paint. The broken remnants that once was a city.
Sasha Grey: Kind of looks like a dump, if you ask me.
She immediately responds to his glare.
Sasha Grey: I mean no offense.
Jayson Matthews: You can't just say no offense after you've caused offense. It doesn't cancel it out or anything.
He tries to keep a straight face but a smile kept trying to break through his stern demeanor. Sasha catches right onto the sarcastic playfulness and laughs again. A summer breeze blew through the outdoor picnic table area where they sat at a local park.
Jayson Matthews: But your not wrong. It definitely isn't as pretty as it once was. It used to be a great city but somewhere it lost its way. Riots. Economy. It all hit the city hard….but hey it’s still here. It's fighting to survive even when some people have counted it out.
He couldn't help but feel a tad bit inspired by that. It even felt a bit familiar to him as well.
Jayson Matthews: I gotta defend it from Ryan Shane. He doesn't deserve it, it will just be something he and Laura can exploit. I owe this city that much.
She felt his passion but she couldn't help but glance down at his wrapped up hands and her confidence wavered a bit.
Sasha Grey: Yeah but how will you do that with your hands injured? How can you climb a ladder, or even grab your title with your hands in those bandages?
Jayson glances down at his injured hands. He hadn't exactly thought it through that far. His hands still hurt but he knew he couldn't back out of this match now. He didn't want to give Sandman the satisfaction. He just shrugged his shoulders and smiled at her to try to ease the moment.
Jayson Matthews: How bad could it be?
She didn't smile back. She obviously thought the same thing he did.
It was gonna suck.
We open up on Jayson Matthews standing in front of the camera wearing an Iggy Pop and the Stooges t-shirt. His title hung over his shoulder. He had a smile on his face despite the burns on his hands.
“What's up y'all! It's your boy, Jayson Matthews! Now I wanted to come in here and talk about my very FIRST title defense and how I went on a FOUR match win streak. It's always pretty big when I do things like that and you know I like to accentuate the moment by counting out the numbers but as you can see….”
He raises his hands up to the screen. You can see them wrapped up right in gauze and bandage.
“I'm a little tied up at the moment…”
He had to stop and laugh at his pun.
“Why am I laughing? I'm gonna be scarred for life and it's all thanks to a crazy dude who just hits people with acid! I mean who does that? I'll tell you who, Jason Sandman. He actually peed all over Tyler Jacobs. I don't know much else but I do know that he and I have some current unfinished business and he WILL answer for the scars on my hand. But that happens after this week….”
He smiled into the camera.
“Ryan Shane.”
“If there is one thing I hate doing it's giving you some credit. I'm not going to come into this promo and try to belittle you man, I can admit that you are pretty talented inside the ring. You currently hold the Man of Steel Championship and despite the way I feel about how you went about getting your shot and the company you keep, it's gotta say something that you can even get to that level. A level that, in the grand scheme of things, is considered higher than mine. I definitely can recognize the talent you possess even if I don't really like you or your methods.
You see Ryan on any given night I would probably do my best to avoid you like the plague. I think you are kind of a drag to be around. But you had to go and make the challenge. You had to bring in the pride. Make it about the titles, make it about our city and who is the better man and well to be perfectly honest Ryan I want to find out. And I hate the idea of you calling yourself the pride of anything let alone the city that I grew up in.
So let me tell you Ryan Shane why no matter what you do, you will never be able to call yourself the Pride of Detroit.
He clears his throat.
Your good, you are the Man of Steel champion but the only thing your really good at is selling yourself out. You see while I was in the ring fighting wars and earning my championship you were out there cheap shotting Devlin and taking the easy way with the least resistance to the title. Just like those Council boys.
He sneers at the thought of them.
And of course just when I thought you couldn't get any lower you go and side with the 2016 IWF Bitch of the year, Laura Howlett and further prove just how low your willing to go. She stole a poor little girls Christmas for crying out loud. You hide behind cheap shots and cut throats managers to get everything you want because your afraid of defeat. And you have the audacity to challenge me or anyone to a match with “pride” on the line?”
Jayson scoffs at the thought.
“Yeah right.
Jayson shakes his head.
“I dont think I'm the pride of Detroit either. But the people will never be proud of someone like you. Not with the way your doing things right now. That's why I made that bet and that's why I accepted your challenge for Open Fight Night because I wanted to shut you up and make sure it isn't somebody like you representing my city.”
“That's why I'm walking into that arena with my burnt hands. I'm walking into that reverse ladder match and I'm going to climb that ladder and I'm going to hang my title up on display to show everyone who the better champion is. Because my title was earned with hard work and dedication. I'm out in that ring every week showing why my Championship is the one to Wrestle for while you sit around and wait for Laura Howlett to tell you how high to jump.
And where are you?
Sure you defended your title but I'll tell you what Ryan, Laura can't climb up the ladder and put your title on that hook. She can't win this match for you Ryan. Because I'm coming to show you what having pride in your city is all about. I'm going to show why I'm slowly making the Invictus Title the best title in the company. You can't hide behind Laura here.
This isn't the path of least resistance.
Jayson wink.
“It's the path of most bananas….all over your face!”
He pounds his fist into his palm.
“Ow”
Fade.
Jayson Matthews: Uh…am I gonna lose my hands, Doc?
The doctor finishes dressing the wounds and confidently shakes his head no.
Doctor: No. It's just going to hurt like a son of a bitch for a few weeks. Just keep applying the ointment like I showed you and keep it wrapped. Hopefully it doesn't scar up too bad.
Jayson looked down at his hands. He held them out in front of him and they hung loose. Even while bandaged they still shook and throbbed. He felt like the mummy. Not the terrible Tom Cruise one but the sorta okay Brendan Fraiser ones. He knew they looked bad before when he watched his own skin burn and peel away as the acid dripped down the backs of his hand. He couldn't help but imagine the scars they'd leave behind.
Doctor: Yeah, you are just lucky you got here when you did. Could have been much worse. Acid is no joke. It shows no mercy, no remorse. It is unforgiving. And it hurts like hell! And if you survive…..it will leave a lasting impression. Whoever did this to you, to be able to sink that low, can't be too much unlike that…..
The doctor tries to think about the type of person that would do this to another man. That person must be a monster.
The doctor: Who did you say did this to you?
He had seen the tape’s by now. Twitter was already blowing up. Jayson knew exactly who was behind it. A man he didn’t know too much about but someone who made his stomach crawl. A fitting weapon for a fitting man. Jayson’s face contorted with anger and if it didn't currently hurt like a son of a bitch, he'd be balling up his fists.
Jayson Matthews: Sandman.
———
Detroit City.
From Aretha, to Aaliyah, to Bob Seger, to Joe Louis and his arena and now me-
Jayson Matthews. The pride of Detroit.
Ha ha nah.
You know when I was growing up in this city nobody really knew who I was. To most people I was just some punk kid who would never amount to anything. This city has a tendency to chew you up and spit you out. It takes a special kind of stupid tough to survive this city. And sure I’ve come along way in the wrestling business. I've worked hard to get where I am and hold this Invictus Championship and maybe it's safe to say that I proved a few of the haters wrong but I don't think that makes me the pride of Detroit.
I'd be honored and flattered if anyone called me that but I don't think I deserve that praise. I mean there are so many other things that could be labeled the pride of Detroit that just one man who got lucky enough to live out his dream is sort of far down on the list. I think the real pride of Detroit is the auto industry or its illustrious casinos. I think the pride of Detroit is the loyalty we have for this city. The people who live in it will respect the city no matter how bad it's done them wrong and when a fellow Detroit native is down you’d be surprised what your neighbors could do.
Nah, I don't think I'm the pride of Detroit.
But I do have Pride IN Detroit.
And that's a different story entirely.
This city, wether you love it or hate it, it had a hand in making me who I am today and you know what I have pride in that. I went to school here. I remember watching my first live wrestling match down at the Joe Louis Arena. I got to see The Red Wings win back to back Stanley Cups! I grew up watching the Tigers and the Lions….they never did much but I still watched every season….I grew up…I lived….I survived in Detroit.
Detroit had a hand in making me who I am.
I owe a lot to Detroit and I'm proud of that.
But I don't feel like I'm the pride of Detroit. But what I will do is walk into that arena and defend that honor from falling into Ryan Shane’s grubby hands. I'll be damned if he gets to run around calling himself The Pride of Detroit because I'll tell you what, I'm from Detroit and I sure as hell ain't proud of him that's for sure. Not some cheap shot artist with someone as horrible as Laura Howlett standing behind him. No, I'll make sure he doesn't get that and I'll do it with my bare hands.
Sasha Grey: How’s your hands?
She had been watching him space out as he watched the scenery in the city of Detroit. He wasn’t using his hands as they were still bandaged up from the burns and he was having trouble finding the straw in his drink with his mouth. He finally found it and that's when he noticed she was filming him with her phone. Total Snapchat moment.
Sasha Grey: I'm totally saving that.
She said with a giggle. Jayson couldn't help but laugh himself. It was kind of silly and she was cute when she laughed.
Jayson Matthews: Sorry I keep day dreaming. Just a lot of memories in this city. I guess that's why I feel like I have to defend it against Ryan Shane.
Sasha took a second to take in the scenery herself. All she could see were the broken down abandoned buildings. The shattered windows and the peeling paint. The broken remnants that once was a city.
Sasha Grey: Kind of looks like a dump, if you ask me.
She immediately responds to his glare.
Sasha Grey: I mean no offense.
Jayson Matthews: You can't just say no offense after you've caused offense. It doesn't cancel it out or anything.
He tries to keep a straight face but a smile kept trying to break through his stern demeanor. Sasha catches right onto the sarcastic playfulness and laughs again. A summer breeze blew through the outdoor picnic table area where they sat at a local park.
Jayson Matthews: But your not wrong. It definitely isn't as pretty as it once was. It used to be a great city but somewhere it lost its way. Riots. Economy. It all hit the city hard….but hey it’s still here. It's fighting to survive even when some people have counted it out.
He couldn't help but feel a tad bit inspired by that. It even felt a bit familiar to him as well.
Jayson Matthews: I gotta defend it from Ryan Shane. He doesn't deserve it, it will just be something he and Laura can exploit. I owe this city that much.
She felt his passion but she couldn't help but glance down at his wrapped up hands and her confidence wavered a bit.
Sasha Grey: Yeah but how will you do that with your hands injured? How can you climb a ladder, or even grab your title with your hands in those bandages?
Jayson glances down at his injured hands. He hadn't exactly thought it through that far. His hands still hurt but he knew he couldn't back out of this match now. He didn't want to give Sandman the satisfaction. He just shrugged his shoulders and smiled at her to try to ease the moment.
Jayson Matthews: How bad could it be?
She didn't smile back. She obviously thought the same thing he did.
It was gonna suck.
We open up on Jayson Matthews standing in front of the camera wearing an Iggy Pop and the Stooges t-shirt. His title hung over his shoulder. He had a smile on his face despite the burns on his hands.
“What's up y'all! It's your boy, Jayson Matthews! Now I wanted to come in here and talk about my very FIRST title defense and how I went on a FOUR match win streak. It's always pretty big when I do things like that and you know I like to accentuate the moment by counting out the numbers but as you can see….”
He raises his hands up to the screen. You can see them wrapped up right in gauze and bandage.
“I'm a little tied up at the moment…”
He had to stop and laugh at his pun.
“Why am I laughing? I'm gonna be scarred for life and it's all thanks to a crazy dude who just hits people with acid! I mean who does that? I'll tell you who, Jason Sandman. He actually peed all over Tyler Jacobs. I don't know much else but I do know that he and I have some current unfinished business and he WILL answer for the scars on my hand. But that happens after this week….”
He smiled into the camera.
“Ryan Shane.”
“If there is one thing I hate doing it's giving you some credit. I'm not going to come into this promo and try to belittle you man, I can admit that you are pretty talented inside the ring. You currently hold the Man of Steel Championship and despite the way I feel about how you went about getting your shot and the company you keep, it's gotta say something that you can even get to that level. A level that, in the grand scheme of things, is considered higher than mine. I definitely can recognize the talent you possess even if I don't really like you or your methods.
You see Ryan on any given night I would probably do my best to avoid you like the plague. I think you are kind of a drag to be around. But you had to go and make the challenge. You had to bring in the pride. Make it about the titles, make it about our city and who is the better man and well to be perfectly honest Ryan I want to find out. And I hate the idea of you calling yourself the pride of anything let alone the city that I grew up in.
So let me tell you Ryan Shane why no matter what you do, you will never be able to call yourself the Pride of Detroit.
He clears his throat.
Your good, you are the Man of Steel champion but the only thing your really good at is selling yourself out. You see while I was in the ring fighting wars and earning my championship you were out there cheap shotting Devlin and taking the easy way with the least resistance to the title. Just like those Council boys.
He sneers at the thought of them.
And of course just when I thought you couldn't get any lower you go and side with the 2016 IWF Bitch of the year, Laura Howlett and further prove just how low your willing to go. She stole a poor little girls Christmas for crying out loud. You hide behind cheap shots and cut throats managers to get everything you want because your afraid of defeat. And you have the audacity to challenge me or anyone to a match with “pride” on the line?”
Jayson scoffs at the thought.
“Yeah right.
Jayson shakes his head.
“I dont think I'm the pride of Detroit either. But the people will never be proud of someone like you. Not with the way your doing things right now. That's why I made that bet and that's why I accepted your challenge for Open Fight Night because I wanted to shut you up and make sure it isn't somebody like you representing my city.”
“That's why I'm walking into that arena with my burnt hands. I'm walking into that reverse ladder match and I'm going to climb that ladder and I'm going to hang my title up on display to show everyone who the better champion is. Because my title was earned with hard work and dedication. I'm out in that ring every week showing why my Championship is the one to Wrestle for while you sit around and wait for Laura Howlett to tell you how high to jump.
And where are you?
Sure you defended your title but I'll tell you what Ryan, Laura can't climb up the ladder and put your title on that hook. She can't win this match for you Ryan. Because I'm coming to show you what having pride in your city is all about. I'm going to show why I'm slowly making the Invictus Title the best title in the company. You can't hide behind Laura here.
This isn't the path of least resistance.
Jayson wink.
“It's the path of most bananas….all over your face!”
He pounds his fist into his palm.
“Ow”
Fade.
Well howdy there pardner.