Blurred Lines: Episode One

[Dark Lord Simon de Montfort]

Vasco Dias: Welcome everybody to the very first edition of Blurred Lines, a weekly, commitments pending, interview session between myself, Vasco Dias, the only voice of IWF worth listening to, and our esteemed Chief Operating Officer and Head of In-Ring Affairs, the former world champion and hall of famer Roberto Verona.

Roberto Verona: Steady down Vasco, you almost entered my lower intestine. Let’s not get too carried away on a first date.

Vasco Dias: May I thank you for finding a space in your incredibly busy schedule to speak to us about a few of the hot button topics surrounding IWF at present.

Roberto Verona: It is my pleasure, Vasco. After all, whose opinion matters the most around here anyway?

Vasco Dias: I… well… is that a trick question?

{ Verona smiles. }

Roberto Verona: What would you like to know? After all, so much has happened in the past week.

Vasco Dias: Well, considering your own involvement… let’s cut to the chase, everybody across the world is desperate to know, why did you single out Xavier Cross a month ago following his defeat in the Heir to the Throne tournament final to Mike Laszlo?

Roberto Verona: Does everybody have an incredibly short memory, or is selective recollection as is so often the case involving anything to do with myself?

Vasco Dias: I am afraid I don’t follow?

Roberto Verona: You disappoint me Vasco, considering the premium seats I provide for yourself and Miss Morasco you’d remember Xavier’s petulant little assault on my person at the single biggest show in the year. Considering the incredibly grave implications for the future of this company involved in the main event between Malaki Toala and Angel…

{ Roberto laughs. }

Roberto Verona: Forgive me, Jesus Christ Superstar. Anyway, considering the implications involved in the ownership of this company, it was highly erroneous of Xavier to put his nose where it wasn’t welcome. If he, and all the rest of you, were honestly of the belief that I would simply forget about this transgression once I assumed complete control over the in-ring affairs of this company then quite frankly, more fool you.

Vasco Dias: So this is a simple case of revenge?

Roberto Verona: No.

Vasco Dias: Mr Verona, a week ago you said, and I quote “Alex will be motivated” in relation to his recent first blood bout with Xavier Cross, which he ultimately emerged victorious from. Could you perhaps elaborate on this rather vague statement?

Roberto Verona: No.

Vasco Dias: Well, and forgive my insistence, do you not feel that perhaps the world is owed an answer in light of your rather… fractious relationship with Xavier Cross?

Roberto Verona: There is lies the problem, Vasco. Everybody thinks that they are “owed” something. I don’t owe the world a damn thing, I ensured that Alex Jones wouldn’t turn tail and walk away from a fight because his moral compass was thrown off kilter. Let me remind you that it was Xavier that destroyed IWF equipment and rendered myself unable to compete against him on Sunday, if the world was owed anything it was a suitable replacement in exchange for their hard earned investment.

Vasco Dias: So you won’t share the details of this incentive?

Roberto Verona: It would be highly unprofessional of me to divulge the details of a private conversation between myself and an employee simple to satisfy the cravings of a gossip hungry fan base.

Vasco Dias: Then would you be willing to explain whether or not this agreement will have further ramifications in the coming weeks?

Roberto Verona: Absolutely not. I think you should move onto another question Mr. Dias or our conversation will be cut very shortly. Contrary to what Xavier and his self-inflated ego may think, the world doesn’t revolve around him.

{ Vasco nods and flips his pad of paper over. }

Vasco Dias: Very well. This weekend, at Legacy, you’ll be pertinently aware of the fact that Angel Blake retained his Imperial Championship in rather… dubious fashion. In fact he went as far as re-starting the match despite Mike Laszlo legitimately defeating him. What do you plan to do, if anything, about this rather blatant abuse of power?

Roberto Verona: I think it has become quite clear since the dawn of this year that Zeus has been completely incapable of performing in his role as the Head of Booking, especially since the resurgence in his in-ring singles career. I’d go as far as saying that he has completely lost his ability to be impartial, something I would never do. As a result, I will be making an appointment this week to not only moderate Yahweh’s abuse of power, but also conduct a legally ratified performance review which may, or may not, result in the termination of his position within the corporate structure of IWF.

{ Vasco’s eyes widen. }

Vasco Dias: You mean that you will relieve Angel Blake of his position as Head of Booking?

Roberto Verona: Is there an echo in here? Yes, that is precisely what I am saying. All staff members are subject to a quarterly performance review and, funnily enough, Buddah has been absent from his last two reviews. Normally this would be an infraction resulting in the termination of his position, but because I am such a fair man, I am willing to give him one last chance to satisfy the criteria of his position.

Vasco Dias: With all this in mind, may I ask, will you reverse the referee’s decision to revoke Mike Laszlo of his championship victory?

Roberto Verona: Absolutely not.

Vasco Dias: If you’ll forgive me, wouldn’t that be the right thing to do?

Roberto Verona: For who? For Allah? Sure it’d be an apt punishment for his completely unprofessional behaviour. Mike Laszlo? I guess if he wanted a pity title reign, it would cheer him up. The fans? If they don’t want to be disappointed that their hero’s don’t win all the time may I suggest they go back to reading comic books.

Vasco Dias: But doesn’t Laszlo deserve to be Imperial champion?

Roberto Verona: Let me tell you something about Mike Laszlo, because quite frankly I am more qualified to speak on the subject than anybody else. Laslzo is a proud man, he is a man who absolutely wants to prove to the world that he has earned every single achievement he has accomplished, the last thing he wants is for me to throw him a bone to make him feel better. I stated, some time ago now, that despite my total dominance over him in World Championship competition that he would learn a lesson he could take forward and eventually utilise to place himself in the position I was in, and I believe that today as strongly as I believe it then.

We don’t always get what we deserve in life but if I know Mike Laszlo, and whether he cares to admit it or not, I do, he will be back again, stronger, more determined to prove all of his critics wrong. I won’t sit here and eulogise Laszlo’s career, whatever I may think of him on a personal level I know he will be back.

{ Vasco nods. }

Vasco Dias: Very well, moving on, would you like to comment on the recent IWF Diamond’s Championship match? Amber Richards, the Heiress to the Throne, became the first ever two-time champion, what are you feelings on this result?

Roberto Verona: Amber Richard is, and always has been, a very talented athlete and performer inside that ring. We can sit here and discuss my personal feelings until the cows come home, quite frankly I’ve never bought into Amber’s rehabilitation from the shadow of Huitzilopochtli into the… “lovable” clutches of Reneé Pleasant but the simple fact is this; inside that ring, when the bell rings, personal feelings don’t matter. Amber is as talented as any other woman in this company and when she commits to proving that in the ring instead of running her mouth, she can achieve anything she likes. I congratulate on her success.

Vasco Dias: What about her opponent, the former Diamond’s champion, Eternity?

Roberto Verona: What can you really say? I can still remember the night that my championship reign came to an end, there is no greater feeling of loss in this profession than the removal of the most important belt in the business from your grasp. Regardless of what people may say about Eternity, including her own multiple personalities, she was a worthy champion and a part of the prestigious history of the Diamond’s Championship. This weekend Eternity and Amber proved just how important this belt is in this company, only four women have ever been good enough to call themselves a Diamond champion and each of them have left their mark on this company.

Vasco Dias: Have you spoken to Eternity since her defeat?

Roberto Verona: I think we both know that Eternity is a closeted introvert, Vasco. I haven’t heard or seen her; she has always been a woman who has trodden down the path she chooses, wherever that takes her she should look back with pride at her title reign.

Vasco Dias: Speaking of title reigns, this weekend saw the end of Kristoff Liam Bates lengthy run as Invcitus champion and the crowning of a new champion in Judas Alliah. Judas has been incredibly impressive during his relatively young career in IWF, what are your thoughts on our new champion?

Roberto Verona: Judas has continued to impress me and has gone from strength to strength on a weekly basis. He has worked hard and taken defeats in the right way, learning from them to improve himself in the future. He deserves this opportunity to show the world what he can do and I for one am incredibly interested in seeing how far this man can go. Call it the old romantic in me, but I love to see new talent emerge and make a name for themselves, we can’t live on the name power of those who are in the twilight of their careers…

Vasco Dias: Such as yourself?

{ Roberto raises an eyebrow. }

Roberto Verona: I am barely 30 years old, Vasco. My career is merely in stasis until I deem it fit to resume, after all I don’t strangle opportunities for my own grandiose benefit.

Vasco Dias: Apologies….

Roberto Verona: We need new blood to show that they are fit to carry on the legacy that those before them have cemented. I strongly believe that Judas has a very bright future here in IWF.

Vasco Dias: Has anybody else caught your eye?

Roberto Verona: Absolutely, I have been impressed by Kyle Mason, he’s a little rough around the edges but he has real potential to be a major player here in the future. I was also incredibly proud of Kevin Evel, Alioth Starre, Cliff Clinton and John Tolly after that fantastic match this weekend. Each of those four men could, if they keep knuckling down and working hard, go on to have very bright careers here. I congratulate Starre on his victory, I expect him and Judas to tear the house down this coming month and prove that our developmental division is producing some supreme talent. As for the ladies? We’ll see how they do as the Diamond Search continues, but I am already encouraged by the performances of Kandi, Pandora and Isabeau.

Vasco Dias: Any closing comments?

Roberto Verona: Absolutely, Vasco. I encourage everybody to tune in to Diamond’s Search and vote on their favourites for each challenge and I look forward to seeing everybody in action this week on Sacrifice. I will be there in person, so if you want to impress me, now is your chance. Just remember not to break anything, we wouldn’t want you to get into a legal pickle like our good friend Xavier.

Vasco Dias: Many thanks for your time Mr. Verona, please join us next time for another episode of Blurred Lines!