The Better Man (XXL)

["The R*" Robby Sylk]

Before the opening sequence of TakeDown even plays for the TV audience, we see a white stretch limousine pull into the parking lot of the Mandalay Bay. The driver steps out and makes his way back to the rear door. Upon opening it, first steps out a group lovely ladies dressed to kill, then came long-time tag partner Marcus Devine making a "guest appearance". You know who was the last one out by that point, the stylishly profilin' (word to Ric Flair) World Champion, dressed to the nines and slinging the XWA Title over his shoulder.

Almost on cue, Fabiola meets him with mic in hand.

Sylk! Robby, if I may have a word with you. There are some rumors going around that XXL actually went into that match against you last week knowingly aware of injuries he sustained in that parking lot incident in MSG. Your thoughts?

Thoughts? What do you think my thoughts are going to be hearing that crap? Xander Xavier Luther would need an excuse to come up with after I knocked him around last week, but we've all seen that security tape over and over again haven't we?


Sooooo, you're saying...you believe it?

I'm saying...*pause*...what I have to say, I'll say in the ring, Fab.

Minutes later...

Jimi Hendrix's "Fire" opens up the show, and the champ steps out to the usual boos from the crowd-with some cheers from his real fans, the ladies. ;D He raises the prize high to the sky and walks that aisle with a smile-as cocky as ever.

Roach: Well, you've heard it from Fabiola as we began the program. As result of that street fight XXL had in the lot of Madison Square Garden at ID08, it's apparent that he actually suffered injury contrary to the reports from our website. A mild consussion was the prognosis and somehow XXL was able to hide that info from...well...everyone?

Buzz: What that means is that he came to TakeDown last week as damaged goods and wrestled without medical clearance basically, and even though he put up a damn good fight, and even though Robby Sylk won it, XXL was busted open, and shots to the head right now in my opinion are going to more than jeopardize the Solstice Main Event, but the man's career!

Sylk taps the awaiting microphone inside of the ring to interrupt the round table at the announcer's desk.

XXL, XXL, XXL. You're a real piece of work, you know that? There's something to be said about a man who plays through pain. I mean, offensive linemen in football do it all the time. This isn't the gridiron though big man, this is a wrestling ring. Did you think that you were going to be able come out here and go toe-to-toe with me with a head injury?

He starts to chuckle.

That to me means one of two things, either you thought that little of me to think that you could beat me with a CONCUSSION, or you must really have gotten hit with that shovel hella hard in MSG. Now I know it's not the first thing...so obviously it's the second, and obviously that boils down to two things in itself...

...the fact that both physically as I showed last week, and mentally as YOU showed last week that you are not in enough shape to wrestle me at Solstice for this World Title.

The crowd jeers the champion almost instantly.

Roach: Oh, is this guy kidding? Trying to weasel out of the match in the name of XXL's safety?

Buzz: Here...here him out Roachy, he's got a point...

Now I know you're on this mission to reclaim the belt you relinquished at the start of the season due to your previous injuries...but is it really worth the risk? Is it worth having your career come to a screeching halt all to get your hands on this belt, because I personally would have to disagree with you. Xander, I'm not going to let up if you come to Solstice. I'm not going play soft with you. I'm going to give you every bit of what you saw last week and then some.

You're going to hurt, and there's a good chance that you're going to bleed. In that, there's a really good chance that your physical status is going to be even worse than it is right now. Is that what you want for yourself, Luther?

I'm giving you the chance to save your career, and to save yourself, by coming out here and forfeiting your title shot at Solstice. I don't want to be known as the man who ended XXL's career...so let's do each other a favor. You take a pass and sometime down the road, I'll give you the chance to fulfill your lofty "mission".

Roach: Yeah, that's the "point" he makes. Robby Sylk is trying to play this to his advantage! What a jerk!

[Xander Xavier Luther]

After a slight pause, XXL's new theme begins to play, and the Mandalay comes to it's feet as the challenger step out onto the stage. He does the ususal good guy thing on the way to the ring, high-fiving fans before he locks eyes with Sylk standing in the ring. A crew member quickly hands him a mic before he steps inside of the squared circle.

Before I say anything, there's a lot of speculation that needs to be cleared up. Yes, I did suffer a mild concussion as result of the fight in MSG...and yes, I hid the medical report from the XWA Front Office in order to compete last week. Do you know why I did it though Sylk? Because I'm crazy?

He simply nods.

You're goddamn right I'm crazy! Every waking moment for the past 7 months, every minute in the gym, every second in this ring, every breath I take, every thought in my head has all been about one thing. The XWAWorld Championship. And now, I'm days, hours, minutes, seconds away from the chance to have it back in my hands...and there isn't ANYTHING that's going to stop me from getting it!

The ambition in his eyes was shining like a flood light right now. XXL was more focused and more intense than it seemed ever before in his life.

You ask me if it's worth the risk? You better believe it's worth the risk! I'll risk my health, I'll risk my career, I'll risk my damn LIFE to be at the top of this business Sylk, because that's been my dream from the very beginning! That is what I've worked long and hard for my entire life, to be the best at what I do...and I won't let anything or anyone stand in my way, not some overgrown thug, not you, NOBODY!

So you say that you won't let up at Solstice? You won't play soft? Good, because that's exactly what I want from you. I want you to give me everything you've got because that's exactly what I'm going to give to you in return. Oh, I'll be at Solstice Robby Sylk, there's no way in the hell that I'm backing out of this match, and when we get there it's not gonna be my health and well-being that's gonna be on your mind.

["The R*" Robby Sylk]

Now is that right?

Sylk responds by removing his sunglasses. Now champion and challenger were truly eye to eye.

You're willing to put your very life on the line for this belt. Now if that's not ambitious then I don't know what is? I bet you'd be willing to go the hell and back for this title wouldn't you...it's that important?

A clever little smirk...

Then I think that I just figured out how we're going to do this at Solstice, Luther. You and I are going to go through hell for this belt...THREE STAGES OF HELL. The first fall will be a First Blood match, the second will be a TLC, and if me leaking you dry and beating you into a pulp isn't enough to shatter your championship dream, then for a dramatic finish you and I will step into a Steel Cage again...and we'll see how well you can keep up when pins and submissions are legal this time around!

Roach: Three of the most brutal matches in wrestling, back to back? Robby Sylk is a cocky bastard, but he can be a sadistic one if he tries hard enough.

Buzz: My God, this will be career suicide for XXL here. He's got a concussion for Christ's sake!

The smirk turns into a full on grin now.

With a tri-fecta of matches like this, there's no way your coming out of it unscathed. If you want this title that badly...you are going to put more than just your career on the line here Xander Xavier Luther. Now, I ask you one more time...is it really worth it? Just think of that saucy piece of action you've got Hayley, hmm? How do you think she's going to feel dating a brain dead vegetable? That's going to be all that's left of you if you don't do the smart thing and fall back.

[Xander Xavier Luther]

There was no sign of hesitation in Luther's response to the challenge.

Fall back? You must not know me very well then do you? The last thing that I will EVER do is back out of a fight, I don't care what the risk is. If Hayley were here, she'd probably be telling me something like "kick this tool's ass", so at Solstice, I'm gonna give her and all of these people here what they all want!

The fans rally behind XXL now, chanting his name...

Convenient that here is Las Vegas that you stack the deck and raise the stakes, Sylk. I'll be the man to play those odds though, and come hell or high water I will beat the house and win the jackpot.

I might be a wounded animal right now, but you honestly think that makes me less dangerous?

That was his final word in this exchange, leaving something for the champion to think about as he did whatever he and his entourage had came to do. XXL drops his mic as his theme plays once again.

Roach: There is no quit in XXL, make no mistakes about it...but this is not going to be the run-the-mill 3SH match at Solstice now.

Buzz: And I'm honestly thinking that the challenger might be making the biggest mistake of his career going into it...oh man...

And the show goes to commercial.