Post by The Ace on Aug 27, 2016 16:07:50 GMT
I am not surprised by anything Roberto Verona did three months ago, not after what I saw on that night.
What I saw will stay with me forever.
On the brightest night, at the biggest show and upon the grandest stage, I did what so many men considered impossible. I did what so many more men had tried and failed to do for the better part of two hundred and seventeen days. I ended Roberto Verona's Imperial Championship reign, and in so doing I humbled the absolute paragon of professional wrestling.
I put the boss flat on his back. I took down the most dominant wrestler in this company's history and pinned his shoulders to the canvas. I reached the top of the mountain and plucked the man I've known and respected for half a decade from its summit.
I am the reason that the throne is vacant and awaits his successor at Legacy.
You're welcome Dre Cutler.
You're welcome Cable Arcane.
You're welcome Imperial Wrestling Federation.
It only took a moment, but in that moment I saw something I never thought I would ever see. I saw Roberto Verona's perfectly polished veneer start to crack. I saw his confidence start to wane and I saw his arrogance start to falter. It lasted just a moment, but it was every bit as unmistakable as it was remarkable, and it was in that moment that I realised the true significance of what I had just done.
I had changed things between us forever.
There would be no going back to the way things were, for either of us.
You see nothing reveals the true character of a man more than when he has his back up against the wall. Bring a man face to face with the prospect of his own demise and his true nature will inevitably surface. In the case of Roberto Verona, his true nature is one of absolute cowardice and I doubt that surprises anyone any more than it surprised me.
Night of the Immortals was supposed to be my moment of triumph, the culmination of my journey and the cementing of my professional legacy in this business, but with one act of utter desperation Roberto Verona took it all from me just to give himself one more night in the spotlight and one more moment in the sun - and I know why.
Roberto Verona knew he was beaten.
When I had him pinned, it was not only the most important three count of my thirteen year career, it was also the longest three seconds of Roberto Verona's life. In the eternity that passed between us, I held his gaze for barely a moment, but it was just long enough for me to see exactly what I needed to see. It was just long enough for me to see a messiah become a man and a man become a child.
Suddenly it all made sense.
Suddenly I understood.
I was no longer facing Roberto Verona the man, I was facing Roberto Verona the poor little orphan boy.
Of course a child who had lost everything he ever valued once already would grow up to become a man who vowed never to lose anything he valued ever again. Roberto Verona was about to lose everything that mattered to him all over again all because of me so of course he lashed out as any lonely and frightened little boy in that position would.
It all makes sense, doesn't it?
Why else would a man dedicate his entire life to the pursuit of absolute and total control of every little thing in his life?
Why else would a man surround himself with lawyers turned lovers and mentors turned personal hitmen?
No wonder you've always been so protective of Jess. I see now she represents an innocence that you never got to hold on for yourself, and for that I am truly sorry Roberto.
I am sorry also for not realising how utterly broken you are inside.
Had I known when I first met you five years ago just how completely empty you felt, I would have spent my time helping you rediscover your humanity rather than filling your head with all the lessons I had learned about surviving in this business. I never intended for you to use any of my frustrated ramblings whilst we were on the road together as gospel. I certainly didn't think you'd take my experiences as a wrestler and use them as the basis of a personal philosophy by which to live your whole life.
It is one thing to be taught a lesson Roberto, and quite another to be so rigidly defined by it.
The former gives you back your perspective, whilst the latter just skewers it.
I see now that you've never appreciated the difference, perhaps you didn't even realise there was one, but keeping everything in perspective is important my friend, because it allows you to really enjoy each of your successes in this business without being suffocated by them.
If you let it, success, or the lack of it will hold you hostage, especially if you never learn to temper your expectations.
And you never have, have you Verona?
That's the problem with being as successful as you are Roberto, eventually you want more and more as each day passes until one day you wake up and realise you've reached a point in your life where no amount of success will ever truly fulfil you.
After all a revolutionary is only necessary in times of revolution, and given that it's already been three years since you built this company on the heels of a revolution and upon the bones of New Championship Wrestling, I'd say that time - your time - has long since passed, Bertie.
I have supported and endorsed your vision for this company, and I still do.
I just draw the line at letting you turn it into some personal vanity project just because you have no other purpose in your life.
But I guess that's always been the difference between us, hasn't it Roberto?
You see the Imperial Championship as your ultimate purpose, whereas I see it as my ultimate prize.
It all comes down to that little thing called perspective once more, and if there's one thing that offends me even more than your lack of perspective, it is your lack of respect for me. You just can't bring yourself to admit that I was the better man at Night of the Immortals, can you?
I never expected you to concede to that fact as my rival, but I damn sure expected you to admit it as my friend.
I know you can't because your stubborn pride never let's you admit anything, let alone being bested, so I guess it really is true, nothing is sacred and nothing lasts forever.
Not even our friendship.
Still I guess there is some poetic justice in the fact that the man who has defined his whole existence by the laws of survival I taught him is about to find his ultimate demise in the most important and harshest law of them all.
The Law of Natural Selection.
I know it's dreadfully cliche, but it is also seems rather apropos to remind you Verona that those who live by the sword die by the sword, and so I can think of no better end to this chapter of our tale than this.
Last year I sacrificed a Championship for everything in MY world, Roberto. This year I sacrifice a Champion for everything in YOURS.
Perhaps that is all my professional legacy will ever be here in the Imperial Wrestling Federation.
A legacy of supreme sacrifices.
A legacy worthy of any loving husband and father.
What I saw will stay with me forever.
On the brightest night, at the biggest show and upon the grandest stage, I did what so many men considered impossible. I did what so many more men had tried and failed to do for the better part of two hundred and seventeen days. I ended Roberto Verona's Imperial Championship reign, and in so doing I humbled the absolute paragon of professional wrestling.
I put the boss flat on his back. I took down the most dominant wrestler in this company's history and pinned his shoulders to the canvas. I reached the top of the mountain and plucked the man I've known and respected for half a decade from its summit.
I am the reason that the throne is vacant and awaits his successor at Legacy.
You're welcome Dre Cutler.
You're welcome Cable Arcane.
You're welcome Imperial Wrestling Federation.
It only took a moment, but in that moment I saw something I never thought I would ever see. I saw Roberto Verona's perfectly polished veneer start to crack. I saw his confidence start to wane and I saw his arrogance start to falter. It lasted just a moment, but it was every bit as unmistakable as it was remarkable, and it was in that moment that I realised the true significance of what I had just done.
I had changed things between us forever.
There would be no going back to the way things were, for either of us.
You see nothing reveals the true character of a man more than when he has his back up against the wall. Bring a man face to face with the prospect of his own demise and his true nature will inevitably surface. In the case of Roberto Verona, his true nature is one of absolute cowardice and I doubt that surprises anyone any more than it surprised me.
IWF GO! App Exclusive
08/15/16
Jake Conway steps back through the curtain moments after his face to face confrontation with Roberto Verona, who had just accepted his challenge for a Natural Selection Match in two weeks at Legacy. His wife Kathy follows closely behind, not pleased, as she reaches out and grabs him by the arm. Jake is forced to stop and turns toward her for a confrontation of a different kind.
"What the hell was that?!" exclaimed Kathy.
"That was exactly what I needed to do," replied Jake.
"But it wasn't what we agreed upon," said Kathy, "We agreed that a Last Man Standing would be enough to teach him a lesson."
"We're way beyond lessons at this point, Kat," said Jake, "He's thrown enough of those in my face already."
"Maybe he has, but I'm just trying to understand why you felt it necessary to go to such extremes."
"It's the same principle, last man standing wins."
"No it isn't Jake, not from any side of the match I've ever been on. I've watched you almost kill yourself in two of these Natural Selection Matches already, and now you're asking me to watch you do it all over again for a third time, I just....I just don't think I can," said Kathy lowering her gaze.
"I'm not asking you to do anything, I don't even want you out there with me at Legacy, but this is just something I have to do," said Jake as he reached out and took both her hands in his own.
"But why?" asked Kathy, looking back up at him, "Why are you doing this?"
"Maybe you should ask Roberto why he felt it necessary to deny me my moment at Night of the Immortals. Maybe you should ask Roberto why he felt it necessary to deny you any fair chance of winning the Heiress to the Throne."
"Okay, he's an ass, I get it, but I still didn't play his game," said Kathy.
"Neither am I, honey," said Jake, "I have no intention of being baited into playing by his rules anymore. So long as Roberto has all the leverage, he'll always be in control, and its about time somebody took it away from him and put him in a situation where he has none. I'm the only one who can do that."
"Maybe you are," said Kathy, "But you're not a young man anymore, and he's - ."
"Got a decade on me," said Jake, completing her thought, "I know, but this time last year I was the Man Of Steel Champion, and just five months ago I was the last man standing in the Roulette, so obviously I still have something left in the tank. I know I'm nowhere near the prime of my life, darling, but I've come too far now not to see this through."
"I know, but it still doesn't stop me worrying about you, Jake."
"Good," smiled Jake, "I'd be worried if you weren't worried about me. It means you still care."
"Of course I do, I always will."
"Always and forever?"
"Always and forever," smiled Kathy as the couple embraced in a hug.
"Trust me, after Legacy, nobody will be able to stand in the way of mine any more, least of all Roberto Verona," said Jake as he kissed his wife on the top of her head, and the two just held on to each other.
Steadfast and against the world, just as they had always been.
"What the hell was that?!" exclaimed Kathy.
"That was exactly what I needed to do," replied Jake.
"But it wasn't what we agreed upon," said Kathy, "We agreed that a Last Man Standing would be enough to teach him a lesson."
"We're way beyond lessons at this point, Kat," said Jake, "He's thrown enough of those in my face already."
"Maybe he has, but I'm just trying to understand why you felt it necessary to go to such extremes."
"It's the same principle, last man standing wins."
"No it isn't Jake, not from any side of the match I've ever been on. I've watched you almost kill yourself in two of these Natural Selection Matches already, and now you're asking me to watch you do it all over again for a third time, I just....I just don't think I can," said Kathy lowering her gaze.
"I'm not asking you to do anything, I don't even want you out there with me at Legacy, but this is just something I have to do," said Jake as he reached out and took both her hands in his own.
"But why?" asked Kathy, looking back up at him, "Why are you doing this?"
"Maybe you should ask Roberto why he felt it necessary to deny me my moment at Night of the Immortals. Maybe you should ask Roberto why he felt it necessary to deny you any fair chance of winning the Heiress to the Throne."
"Okay, he's an ass, I get it, but I still didn't play his game," said Kathy.
"Neither am I, honey," said Jake, "I have no intention of being baited into playing by his rules anymore. So long as Roberto has all the leverage, he'll always be in control, and its about time somebody took it away from him and put him in a situation where he has none. I'm the only one who can do that."
"Maybe you are," said Kathy, "But you're not a young man anymore, and he's - ."
"Got a decade on me," said Jake, completing her thought, "I know, but this time last year I was the Man Of Steel Champion, and just five months ago I was the last man standing in the Roulette, so obviously I still have something left in the tank. I know I'm nowhere near the prime of my life, darling, but I've come too far now not to see this through."
"I know, but it still doesn't stop me worrying about you, Jake."
"Good," smiled Jake, "I'd be worried if you weren't worried about me. It means you still care."
"Of course I do, I always will."
"Always and forever?"
"Always and forever," smiled Kathy as the couple embraced in a hug.
"Trust me, after Legacy, nobody will be able to stand in the way of mine any more, least of all Roberto Verona," said Jake as he kissed his wife on the top of her head, and the two just held on to each other.
Steadfast and against the world, just as they had always been.
Night of the Immortals was supposed to be my moment of triumph, the culmination of my journey and the cementing of my professional legacy in this business, but with one act of utter desperation Roberto Verona took it all from me just to give himself one more night in the spotlight and one more moment in the sun - and I know why.
Roberto Verona knew he was beaten.
When I had him pinned, it was not only the most important three count of my thirteen year career, it was also the longest three seconds of Roberto Verona's life. In the eternity that passed between us, I held his gaze for barely a moment, but it was just long enough for me to see exactly what I needed to see. It was just long enough for me to see a messiah become a man and a man become a child.
Suddenly it all made sense.
Suddenly I understood.
I was no longer facing Roberto Verona the man, I was facing Roberto Verona the poor little orphan boy.
Of course a child who had lost everything he ever valued once already would grow up to become a man who vowed never to lose anything he valued ever again. Roberto Verona was about to lose everything that mattered to him all over again all because of me so of course he lashed out as any lonely and frightened little boy in that position would.
It all makes sense, doesn't it?
Why else would a man dedicate his entire life to the pursuit of absolute and total control of every little thing in his life?
Why else would a man surround himself with lawyers turned lovers and mentors turned personal hitmen?
No wonder you've always been so protective of Jess. I see now she represents an innocence that you never got to hold on for yourself, and for that I am truly sorry Roberto.
I am sorry also for not realising how utterly broken you are inside.
Had I known when I first met you five years ago just how completely empty you felt, I would have spent my time helping you rediscover your humanity rather than filling your head with all the lessons I had learned about surviving in this business. I never intended for you to use any of my frustrated ramblings whilst we were on the road together as gospel. I certainly didn't think you'd take my experiences as a wrestler and use them as the basis of a personal philosophy by which to live your whole life.
It is one thing to be taught a lesson Roberto, and quite another to be so rigidly defined by it.
The former gives you back your perspective, whilst the latter just skewers it.
I see now that you've never appreciated the difference, perhaps you didn't even realise there was one, but keeping everything in perspective is important my friend, because it allows you to really enjoy each of your successes in this business without being suffocated by them.
If you let it, success, or the lack of it will hold you hostage, especially if you never learn to temper your expectations.
And you never have, have you Verona?
That's the problem with being as successful as you are Roberto, eventually you want more and more as each day passes until one day you wake up and realise you've reached a point in your life where no amount of success will ever truly fulfil you.
After all a revolutionary is only necessary in times of revolution, and given that it's already been three years since you built this company on the heels of a revolution and upon the bones of New Championship Wrestling, I'd say that time - your time - has long since passed, Bertie.
I have supported and endorsed your vision for this company, and I still do.
I just draw the line at letting you turn it into some personal vanity project just because you have no other purpose in your life.
But I guess that's always been the difference between us, hasn't it Roberto?
You see the Imperial Championship as your ultimate purpose, whereas I see it as my ultimate prize.
It all comes down to that little thing called perspective once more, and if there's one thing that offends me even more than your lack of perspective, it is your lack of respect for me. You just can't bring yourself to admit that I was the better man at Night of the Immortals, can you?
I never expected you to concede to that fact as my rival, but I damn sure expected you to admit it as my friend.
I know you can't because your stubborn pride never let's you admit anything, let alone being bested, so I guess it really is true, nothing is sacred and nothing lasts forever.
Not even our friendship.
Still I guess there is some poetic justice in the fact that the man who has defined his whole existence by the laws of survival I taught him is about to find his ultimate demise in the most important and harshest law of them all.
The Law of Natural Selection.
I know it's dreadfully cliche, but it is also seems rather apropos to remind you Verona that those who live by the sword die by the sword, and so I can think of no better end to this chapter of our tale than this.
Last year I sacrificed a Championship for everything in MY world, Roberto. This year I sacrifice a Champion for everything in YOURS.
Perhaps that is all my professional legacy will ever be here in the Imperial Wrestling Federation.
A legacy of supreme sacrifices.
A legacy worthy of any loving husband and father.
Well howdy there pardner.