At Your Grave...I Vow...

[StrongStyleNightmare]

:: The scene opens up to a graveyard in North Carolina. Kyle stands in front of a grave holding some flowers. Rain is falling down slightly has Mason seems to be in his own world in front of the grave. He can hear steps slowly coming up from behind him, but he doesn’t move. As the cameras pan around they see an old Gravekeeper making his rounds. :: 

Gravekeeper: Come to pay your respects? 

:: Mason doesn’t seem startled by the interruption. He tilts his head to the side to answer. :: 

No…more like coming to remember. 

:: The Gravekeeper stands next to Kyle and looks down. ::  

Gravekeeper: Happier thoughts, I hope… 

:: Mason lays flowers down on the grave and turns towards the Gravekeeper. :: 

Happier times, old man. Times that I wished would have lasted longer.  

:: The Gravekeeper looks at Mason. :: 

Gravekeeper: That’s the funny thing about time, Kid. Just when we think we have it all, it quickly slips away from us. 

Then is it possible to even hold on? 

Gravekeeper: Of course…but you must reach out and grab it. Fight to never let it go. 

:: The Gravekeeper looks at TMB before him to his thoughts. :: 

How many times…how many times do I have to stand here and say the same thing. 

How many times do I have to stand here trying to make myself believe the hype. To soak in the words that I speak hoping that they set something off inside and I move past hype and step into reality. Well I’m tired of the Hype. The hype is dead and gone and all that is left is what I know.  

And what I know, is how to fight. And this week, I get to show you what that is all about. Stripped down from everything that had weighed me down. Because this drowning that I’m doing…isn’t for me. 

:: Mason shakes his head at the camera. :: 

I shouldn’t be in this position, gasping for air…trying to find the break in the water. 

My brain frozen as I try to find ways to break the surface, Todd. Its killing me, Todd. It’s killing me to watch myself sink deeper and deeper while guys I know I can beat sky rocket to levels they don’t deserve. Yeah, maybe I’m all talk, maybe I haven’t been walking the walk like I should. I’m not going to deny it or avoid it. I’m not gonna talk it up or cover it up. I’m going to get into that ring and do the only thing that I can do in a spot like this. And that is try to break you in half, Todd. No fancy catchphrase or cool one liners.  

I’m going to try to break you, not because I don’t like you. I’m going to do it because when I look behind me I see a gapping black abyss waiting to swallowing me up again. And I refuse to allow that to happen.  

I rather end your career then see that go down. 

I rather leave you laying in the middle of the ring and bloody heap then to come back to this grave and say that I let you by. This path we’ve been placed on Todd, no matter what our records looked like…this is that wild card chance. This is the dice roll. See, I know I’m good…but sometimes being good isn’t enough. Sometimes being good doesn’t get you far when the numbers game is being played.  

When it is the wild, wild west in the locker room and the ring.  

This evens the playing field a bit. And I for one refuse to let that chance float by me without trying to grab it.  

So I am going to hurt you, Todd. I’m going to drag your body around that ring as a sign. A sign for everyone else in this thing, that I still have what it takes to get it done. 

That I will not be an easy match up that you will just walk through on your way to the title.  

No, you get matched up with me…you will be in for a fight. You will be the example that shows people that I will take every chance that I have to. My body…your body, just means to an end. That throne is waiting for someone to take it to another height that it hasn’t seen. And that person will be forged through the fair of this tourney.  

Steel through fire, right Mother? 

:: Mason bends down and leaves flowers at the gravesite before beginning his walk back to his car. :: 

And do you know what will set me apart. What will drive me. It’s the fact that I’m willing to go to those dark places. I’m willing to let loose with reckless abandon in order to get the job done. Not because I’m that good…but because I can’t afford any other result. 

So I ask you, Todd. Are you willing to cross that line in order to move on? Two fights in one night, are you able to push your body past the breaking point? Did you even remember that we would be fighting twice? The winner of our match, getting a short time to rest and recoup, before going back out for another grueling match. 

:: Kyle continues to walk down the path as others walk by him to pay their own respects. :: 

That’s what we trained for in MMA. Taking beatings in rough and tough matches, but knowing that your night isn’t over until you are at the pay window. And I hope you don’t think I’m looking past you, because I’m not. I am simply looking after you, Todd. After you and to him. 

:: Thomas adjust his jacket before continuing. :: 

Andrew Jacobsen, You know I went to look you up? I went to see just exactly what you are capable about.  

You are a tough veteran bastard. People free your technical skill and try to downplay your submission ability. I, personally am chomping at the bit for this match, because me and Todd…that has already been decided. ME and you, that will be the closest thing to where my mind is at, right now. Nothing fancy or flashy…this will be hard hitting and gritty.  

Heh…this is the type of match up that I look forward to. But allow me to get some things out in the open, Andrew. 

You may kick hard. But me…I tend to kick just a little bit harder.  

And strikes maybe something you dizzy the people you face with…but they are my way of life.  

But I will give you this, Andrew. You are most likely the most dangerous person in this thing outside of me. As a veteran, you have learned to take an amazing amounts of abuse just so you can get one kick in and change the direction of a match. You have proven that to underestimate you is a fatal flaw that will end in someone being knocked out or tapped out at your feet.  

But after all that has been said…there is one little thing that will decide this match between you and I. 

Will. It won’t be your experience that tips the skills in this match. It won’t be my MMA skills.  

It will be the WILL, who can push theirs the most. And I plan on imposing my will in order to do what I need to do and get where I need to get. And you can plug any name into that sentence and say that to anybody, but this…me and you is something different. Because I see in you, what no one else sees. I look at you and I see a guy that could win it all if overlooked. So I’m going to pay you the ultimate respect and focus my attention on stopping you before you stop everyone else.  

Because like you, I’m tired of the disrespect being shown. You will be fresh and ready to go, Andrew. I’ll be worn out and tired, bruised and broken. But I will drag my body to that ring and fight you. I will forgo the pain and stress from the match before and give you everything that I can muster in my body. You will get the scrappy and tough fighter that cut his teeth in the world of MMA.  

You will get the guy that is willing to stand in the middle of the ring and trade punches and kicks with you.  

I will be coming to give you all that fight that you can handle, Andrew. I will make sure that when it is all said and done, you will know that there is one guy on the roster that is willing to wage war with you out of respect for what you can do.  

So come ready for war…come ready to fight. 

:: Mason reaches his car at the parking lot and hits the automatic starter. The scene begins to fade as the sounds of VAST’s “Touched” begins to play on his cellphone. Mason smiles as the scene finally goes black. ::