Broadcast Ch'ship: Edwards (c) v Reigner

[UKWF]

Post your RPs for the match below. 2 RP cap, max. 500 words per RP.

[James Edwards]

He finds out that truth has a sour taste. Who knew it even had one? It fits it, though, but not like the confectionary sour of the green apple Blow Pops from his youth. This taste is bitter. One that made him shiver in repulsion. It made him understand, though, and now, as the camera light blinks red, he knows it is time to share what he’s learned.

“I’ve honestly never thought that battle royals are a good way to crown a champion. Their damn good spectacle and I reckon that being the last man standin’, the lone survivor looks good on the front page of the company website. And that shit works for some people, ya know, especially if all that matters to them is being well known.

That ain’t me.

I’m a fighter. A legitimate fighter. I like to win, and I like to do without questions hangin’ over me like a damn ghost or something like that. Dumpin’ Noah on his head just didn’t leave me feelin’ whole. I kept wonderin’, even though I got the belt if he would’ve stayed down after the Gospel put him to sleep. Would he have put me to sleep real quick if the object of the fight was to pin me and not throw me?

That’s too much uncertainty for me, man. It’s why me and him are fightin’ again. I gotta know which one of us is better; I gotta put him down for good; I gotta reach up and grab my legitimacy as champion.

Without the pin, submission, or knockout then I’m just a guy who stayed alive long enough to be in the right place at the right time. That ain’t how a true fighter wants to be remembered. Is that petty? Hell yeah, it is, but I’m fuckin’ human, and ere is the thing about humans, when they got somethin’ to fight for, somethin’ real and not make believe shit, then they go everywhere with their whole heart. And that’s what Noah needs to figure out, can he beat a man fightin’ with everything he has? A man with a singular focus who don’t get put down that easy.

Let’s hope that’s what he focuses on because his desire to rewrite history ain’t gonna trump my will and my want to retain. I may not like how I won the belt, but that don’t mean I can’t stand to look at the thing. It still belongs to me and sings to that prideful part of my heart that no man is takin’ from me.

When I hear it, I know it is the damn gospel truth.”

The red eye on the camera dies. He thanks the production assistant and reaches for his pocket. He peels off the wrapper and soon feels a bulge in his left cheek. Sour, sweetly sour. Sometimes you need, to tell the truth, but damn if a good sucker doesn't wash the nasty taste out.

[Deleted]

The wheels touched down in London on a flight from San Diego. After going through customs and all of that, Noah Reigner and Eve walked out of London International to be greeted immediately by a camera crew sent from the UKWF. Noah pushed the right sleeve of his leather jacket up to his elbow and flashed a smirk.

"Coming out of So-Cal's last Asylum event with a big win, I'm rollin' right now. I get a phone call before said match to be notified that I've been booked at Winds of Change in.. Hertfordshire, whatever the hell that is, against the man who dumped me on my head at New Year's Evolution."

"As far as I'm concerned, though, winning a battle royal doesn't make you a champion. If you look at it, everyone had only a five percent chance of winning the damn thing. It was a game of luck. Yes, that percentage grew with elimination - and I got plenty of those. It came down to me and James Edwards. That percent grew to fifty. But, as it were, Edwards got me up and over the top rope and won the match. Congratu-frickin'-lations. But... as far as I'm concerned..., you're not a real champion. Not until you and I hit that ring at Winds of Change and you put my shoulders down for three seconds."

"Can you do that?"

Noah shook his head, a soft but audible "nah" escaping his lips.

"I don't think you can, my dude. I'm a technical titan and a submission specialist; I'm one of the very best to step in the ring and I plan on proving that. I've done some research on you on the flight here, dude. Seems that you're sitting at three-and-three for title defenses this month. And I'm real sure that you want to go four for four, and if it were anyone else stepping in the ring, I would actually cheer for you to do so. But. You get me. And I hate to say that you're not making it to four and four. I'm sure you want to prove to yourself and everyone that follows you on twitter and for the fans you have, that you are a legitimate wrestler. That you are one of the best. And while you can say it's been talent and skill that's gotten you this far, I'll go back to callin' on your luck."

"Unfortunately, though, brother - luck does run out. And I'm afraid that your's does at Winds of Change. You can have all of the heart in the world, James, and you can have the drive of ten men - but that doesn't matter if you don't have the talent to beat the man standing in front of you."

"Do you have that talent?"

Noah looked over his shoulder at Eve, both of them sharing a smirk.

"We'll just have to wait and see won't we? See you in a few days."

And with that, Noah and Eve walked past the camera.

[James Edwards]

The first rule of survival in the ring that Sean taught him in the fall of his 16th-year is simple: ears and eyes open. The logic, if you see and hear what is coming, then you won’t get hurt. He lives and dies by this and wishes his opponents would as well. Three people, three arrogant people, didn’t listen to. Each one took the Gospel. Each was injured. Each case made him feel guilt. He does not want to feel it again. That is why, as the red light blinks, he hopes the next in line will prove him wrong.

“What did I tell you, Noah? Don’t focus on how I beat you. Don’t fuckin’ focus on how I beat you the last time because that’s not what matters in this fight. I don’t need you to be a parrot and squawk what I already know back at me. For you, it shouldn’t matter if I’m not legit or not. Treat me like you would another other champion because that’s the way I’m gonna fight next week.

So there I told you again. Keep your eyes and ears clear. Your confidence ain’t gonna help you against me. Forget how damn good you think your technical skill is. The shit is a distraction.

You don’t wanna be distracted against me, Noah. Two weeks ago should have proven it to you All it took was an opening. A spark in the brain and swing of the leg, and then it was lights out. The Gospel put you to sleep.

It’s done more than put people to sleep, Noah, it’s put people out of promotions. I’ve been blamed for it, of course. Ain’t my fault that they thought they were to good to listen, to talented to embrace the basics. They weren’t prepared. So what happened is on them, not me.

Don’t make their mistake. Prove me wrong and give me everything you have. Help me define my Broadcast Championship so that win or lose the rest of the roster sees it as a prize worth havin’. Do that, and you might beat me. Don’t and let history repeat itself.

I promise you, I ain’t a bad guy. I don’t like puttin’ people down for good. It takes the fun out of fightin’. But that’s what I worry about outside the ring. Once the bell rings my world goes black, and I don’t give a shit what happens to you Noah. Remember that too.

Hell, how many warnings is that? Three? Four? Probably not enough. So here is a final one. Keep your eyes and ears clear, man. If you don’t, what happens is all on you.”

The red light dies and with it his bravado. He hopes Reigner doesn't think this a mind game because it isn’t. His words are as genuine and pure as the moments after birth. He wants this time to be different, though he doubts it will.

[Deleted]

UKWF.com Exclusive

Noah Reigner and Eve stood behind the black curtain. It's almost show time, we get that by the fact Noah wears his gear and entrance jacket. His eyes dart to the camera after Eve points it out to him.

"You've sat in front of cameras all week, telling the world about you and how you want to be a legit champion. Well let me tell you a little about me. I'm the man that's gunning for you - for that title. I'm the man that poses a legit threat to your title reign whether you want to believe that or not."

Smirk.

"You're a champion, James. We've both even over this and you've even said that your a legitimate fighter. So I know - I know - that you aren't downplaying the severity of the situation you've found yourself in at Winds of Change. I know that you aren't discrediting me as a competitor. But then I listen to you speak and I have to pause it to ask myself - "what the hell is he talking about?". My technical skills and my submission wizardry don't matter? If this were the battle royal that statement would be accurate, but in a one on one match - that is the situation where skill and talent mean the most."

Eve nodded along with Noah's words.

"You earned the win that night two weeks ago, I'll give you that. But do I feel confident in my abilities to take you down and remove that title from your clutches? You're damn right I do. I've done my research and I know you can fight. Your strikes are heavy, and you rely on them heavily. That's good and all, but this isn't boxing or MMA. That technical ability of mine that "doesn't matter", to quote you, will be what separates us, my dude. And with the suplexes, with the holds and submissions - you're not going to be able to throw those punches and kicks that you rely on so heavily. And I do know this much about you, jack, that you don't have a Plan-B. "

"You're going to come in with the same strategy you always have. Strike, strike, strike, finisher. What would happen if and when I block some of those strikes? What would happen if and when that finisher isn't hit successfully? I'll tell you what would happen. James Edwards loses."

Smirking, again.

"And while I have no doubts that you're a solid fighter, and a talented dude in your own right - I just don't believe that you are capable of out thinking me in the ring. You have one game plan, one strategy and believe in only one outcome. Too bad that the outcome you believe in, won't happen. Instead of a hundred percent through January, you'll be at seventy-five. Can't win 'em all, right?"

And that was that.

"SAY A PRAYER FOR THE YOUTH OF AMERICA!"

His theme music starts. Noah turns and pushes through the curtain to end the video.