Going "National" (Hayden)

[scott]

The smoke had cleared from the pyro, and XWA was now LIVE in Las Vegas. The MGM Grand Garden Arena was sold out and packed to the rafters with fans expecting yet another explosive show. And they weren't going to be disappointed.

Ladies and gents, welcome to TAKEDOWN. Mike Roach here with Buzz Berman in Sin City!

Last time I was in Vegas, bad things happened, Mike.

Knowing your sex life, I don't doubt that for a second...

Hey...she said she was 21...

As Buzz and Mike banter, the entrance theme of Scott O'Dell, Drowning Pool's "Tear Away" hits the PA. The Vegas crowd boos as the infamous superstar makes his way out onto the set. Gone was the long locks of hair and 5 O'Clock shadow. He'd returned to the look that made him famous, clean cut and professional. With his signature grin, Scott makes his way down to the ring with little hesitation. He ascends the ring steps, collecting the mic provided for him, and enters the ring. He stands in the center, nodding and soaking in all the "love" of the fans. He raises his mic and begins.

For anyone who doesn't live under a rock, you know that this business of wrestling exists in trends. Cycles if you will. What's hot now, might be played out in a few years. Justa' few years ago, it was about who was the biggest, strongest dude. Nowadays it's about who can do the best moonsault, or who has "kung fu grip". But amidst all of this, one thing stands the truest of all things, that being me...being the best sum'bitch in this company.

The fans boo even more, right on cue...

Oh c'mon now, people. You act like it's something new. There's still not a single man on roster good enough, smart enough, tough enough or bad enough to match up against me. How many times do I have to prove it? How many times do I have to shut down the mouth of the month thinking he's good enough to stand in the ring with "The Franchise"? Let's face it people, it can't be done. Hasn't been to this day, probably never will be. That's just the way it goes, folks. But I've been lallygagging around long enough. It's time I put my focus back on things that matter. Scott O'Dell is the biggest mover and shaker in XWA. And it's high time I made good on that. After I handed Brandon Payne his ass...again...at ID08, I pretty much called out one man. That man is the reigning XWA National Champion, Van Hayden.

Cheers boom from the crowd. Scott smirks and shakes his head.

Seriously people, how the hell can you cheer on a guy with as much personality as a doorknob? Have any of you ever stopped and listened to this guy? All that pent of anger he's got is gonna make him have a brain aneurysm one of these days. But that's not taking away from his skill in the ring. I mean, he did in fact beat Bryan Jasta. But...what else has he done? Ok, he put the boots to my boy Kwik Williams a few times last year. He had some pretty good matches against Lionel Xander last year as well. But seriously, what has Van Hayden done in XWA since he came onto the scene? Been Ryan Fierhart's back up? Been the guy to catch Jasta on an off night? Yea...that sounds just about right. Now I take nothing away from Jasta, he's one of...if not THE best pound for pound fighter in wrestling. But he's not "The Franchise". No one is. A wise man in this business said once "To be the man, you have to beat the man". And Platinum Title or not, the man in XWA has and always will be...me. So we get to see if Van Hayden has what it takes.

With a smirk, he continues.

But wait! Wait wait wait wait wait...not how you think. No no no, I'm not challenging Hayden to a title match. Not tonight. I wanna prove a point tonight. I wanna show everyone in this building, everyone watching at home, and everyone else on the band wagon that Hayden's about as over hyped as they come. I recall someone last year saying that Van was "The Future Of XWA". Well that might be well and good, but in order for the future to come, the present needs to become the past. And I'm the NOW of XWA. And I don't see anyone knocking me off my perch anytime soon. So tonight, I'm challenging Van to a Non-Title match. And hell, I'll even go one better. If you can beat me tonight, Van...I'll give you the choice on if you wanna defend that title against me. That's right. If you beat me, you get a free pass on ever facing me again. But if I win??? Hooo-hooo-hooo...if I win, I not only get you in a National Title match next week, but I also get to choose what kind of match it'll be.

The fans shower Scott with Boos...

Can he do that? What's this guy's deal?

If I were Van, I'd tell O'Dell to shove it. What kind of game is he trying to play?

So I guess this is the part where I tell you to come down to the ring with your answer, right? WRONG! This is the part where I tell you to put up...or shut up.

With his signature smirk, Scott lowers his mic. After a few seconds, the entrance theme of Hayden begins to play.

[van]

Van steps into the arena with the title over his shoulder. The fans greet him with a thunderous cheer. He pauses at the set, leering down at the man in the ring, the infamous Scott O'Dell. A man who's rep was self explanatory. Van makes the walk down to the ring, never taking his eyes off o O'Dell, and slides in. Once inside, he stands man up with O'Dell and raises the title high. The reaction from the fans was feverish. He walks over to the ropes and calls for a mic to respond to O'Dell's challenge.

Let me be the 1st to clear up a few thinks, Scott. Number 1, no...I'm not the most upbeat, charismatic guy in XWA. I'll admit that without a doubt. Why? Because I don't wanna be lumped in the category of guys who come out here every week and make asses of themselves, like you. Or like the guy you've been beating on the last two months Brandon Payne. Or that Emil Edwards freak, or Alex Wyle, or anyone else made of that mold. Talk is cheap. And I let what I do in the ring talk for me. Secondly, what I've done in XWA is fly under the radar. Am I as big a star as you in this business? No. Am I trying to be? No. All I come out here to be is the best of what I am. Guys like you, and Keith Wyle, and Kayn, and Jon Payne, Brandon Payne, Ethan Bain, Jimmy Ames, The Troys...all you guys are the money makers. The big names. The guys who fill the arena with paying costumers. But it's guys like me, and Lionel Xander, and Brian Yang, and Adam Devlin who put on the damn show.

Since day 1 of me joining XWA, I busted my ass every week. I wrestled whatever match they threw at me, and 9 times outta 10, I did pretty damn good. I might not be main eventin' shows like you, but XWA brass damn well knows that I can. And probably better then most of the company's top dogs. You see Scott, there's guys like you, who talk the talk and walk the walk. And then there's guys like me, who walk the walk and save the talking for big mouths like you and all the others I mentioned before. That's what I do. Am I proud that I'm the man who beat Jasta for this belt? Damn straight I am. Because I did what only to this day three men have done. Beat him at his best. If you're so hot, why haven't you stepped up to Jasta? Or stepped up to say, Dru Nedermeyer. Or Ethan Bain...oh wait...you did fight Bain. Didn't work out so well, did it?

A nod to the crowd.

But I'm not out here to go back and forth about who's done what. You've done a lil' bit more, which gives you the right to talk your smack. And you do it better then anyone. I'm here because well...I just got called out to a fight. And I don't back down from fights. But I'm gonna do you a solid, Scott. That lil' stipulation you just came up with? STUFF IT. Next week, I'll put the National Title on the line against you, in whatever match you want, regardless of who wins tonight. Tonight, I simply want it to be a matter of proving a point. Right now, we have two separate ends of XWA standing in this ring. A superstar, and a worker. And I wanna show the world that this worker, can kick the ass of any superstar, no matter HOW big they are.

The crowd roars in approval. Van lowers his mic, awaiting Scott's reaction.

[scott]

The fans soaked up everything just said by Hayden. Scott was a little less receptive of his words.

That was unexpected. No, dare I say...that was COMPLETELY unexpected. I've gotta give you a standing ovation for actually saying something that was halfway decent and original. There is a god afterall.

Scott's sarcasm is met by the usual response from the fans.

But now that you're done, let me hit you with that thing they call a reality check. Two sides of XWA? Are you serious? I'll agree with you on one thing, there are two sides, but it damn well isn't what you just said. There's the rest of the roster, and then there's Scott O'Dell. I'm in a class all my own. I'm ahead of the curve, on top of my game and any other metaphor you can use to describe someone who's better then the rest. You have the nerve to compare me to Kayn? Or Keith Wyle? Or Jon Payne? Not a freaking chance. One of them is on the biggest lucky streak of his life, the other is an under achieving fraud who has to beat up on his own kid brother to get over, and the last is a guy who thinks his witty lil' catch phrases and cute lil' blog put him in a position of well...mattering. I'm anything but. I'm the man that's reshaping this industry, and proving that it's good to be bad.

As the fans continue to boo, Scott grins and adds.

Now,let's talk about you wanting to prove you can hang with THE big dog of XWA. Maybe one those other guys yoou might have a better chance against, but you're stepping into the ring with the closest thing to wrestling perfection walking the Earth. You might be champ, but you're the one who's the under dog, my man. Like anyone else who gets in the ring with me, It's not my match to win. You...need to beat...me. How does that happen? I'll tell you how. It happens when one man redefines an industry. Like Bill Gates bringing the world Windows. Or Michael Jordan holding court against every team he played against. Or Lawrence Taylor striking fear into the hearts of every Quaterback in the NFL in his day. There comes along a man who re-writes the rules. And you get to stand in this ring with the man who's doing so in Pro-Wrestling. There's no shame in losing to me. No shame at all. In fact, it might do you some good.

Brash and over confident as ever, Scott waits for Van's response.

[van]

Van steps in closer to O'Dell. Now face to face with the man, he brings up his mic for a single response.

The only thing that's going to do me any good, is the glazed over look on your face when your ass is staring up at the lights after I drop you on that sorry Venice Beach sack of dimes you call a neck. You may be good. You may be great. But you ain't the best. And I'm gonna prove that tonight by kicking your ass, and then I'm gonna hammer home next week, when I do it again in your own match. Until then, keep havin' you delusions of grandeur, O'Dell. There is gonna be a reality check tonight. But it's gonna be one that brings your high and mighty ass back down to Earth. Anything else you wanna, big man?

No at all intimidated by O'Dell's words, Van waits.

[scott]

Scott smirks. He raises his mic to respond, but as he opens his mouth to speak, he stops. With a grin, he simply tosses his mic to the side. The fans boo, as O'Dell takes a step back from Hayden. Without uttering another word, O'Dell backs to the ropes and exits the ring. He walks around the ring with a smile on his face. He makes his way up the walkway without so much as looking back at Hayden. Was it a show of disrespect, or mind games? The show of 1upsmanship had begun between these two men now destined to clash for the coveted National Title.