Head of the Class (o2a)

[Jeremy Pendelton III]

Takedown continues on, and the sounds of "Angry Chair" by Alice In Chains plays over the PA. This would be the debut appearance of one Jeremy Pendelton III to the XWA, and he makes that appearance stepping out from backstage in a black suit jacket with a black shirt, slacks and shoes.

Roach: Here comes another new face to the XWA in 2009. Do you know anything about this Jeremy Pendelton, Buzz?

Buzz: Well, the scouts say this guy has some tremendous collegiate wrestling background. Near "olympic" status you could even say.

Roach: Well, obviously from his 2009 Profile that you can see on the XWA Website, the man comes off as being one with some pretty bold ambitions.

Jeremy steps into the XWA ring for the first time and takes a look around to get himself acquainted with his new "workplace". The reaction from the crowd was mixed at best, since this was the first time the XWA audience was seeing him. They didn't quite know what Pendelton was all about, but pretty soon they would know for certain.

Ladies and gentlemen, it gives me great honor and privilege to introduce to you the man who you will soon know as the leader of the next generation of the XWA.

He smiles a big, winning grin as the fans don't take too kindly to his overconfidence.

I kind of expected for each of you to take that as me being just another cocky rookie. But if you will, take a look at some of the other freshmen who've signed to this company. Some of them have potential I'll admit...

Nodding for a few seconds...

...but none of them, NONE of them have more upside than Jeremy Pendelton III, and let me tell you why that is. First of all, I don't need to try and make a statement to show any of you anything! Once you see me compete in this ring tonight, you will know without a shadow of a doubt that I am not only the true future of the XWA, but the true future of professional wrestling...period.

Roach: Will you get a load of this guy? High on himself is an understatement...

All it's going to take is one match. One man backstage to step out here and say whatever it is that they have to say to get a charge out of you idiots here in...LONG ISLAND...

(A blatant rip on the infamous "cheap pop" that gets an opposite response)

...only to later on tonight become the first student of Wrestling 101 as taught by your professor, Jeremy Pendelton III. Gentlemen, class is now in session!

After that formal introduction, Pendelton lowers his mic and waits for a response from anyone.

[punishment]

"Tire Me" by Rage Against The Machine begins to play after Pendelton ends his challenge. The jumbotron shows a single "Punisher" skull on it as the lights dim down. The next thing that the fans in the Nassau Coliseum see is a man walking out who looked like he belonged in a punk band, from his torn black shirt with said skull on it to his leather pants and spiked boots. This was the new look for a man who had a lot of buzz surrounding him as he made his first XWA appearance.

Roach: Ladies and gentlemen, if this man looks familiar to some of you, he goes by the name of Chris Punisher. What a metamorphosis he's gone through.

Buzz: Well, Punisher was being scouted by the XWA ever since that viedo of his work in the independent circuit circulated on YouTube last year. It looks like we got him, but not before he did a little um...repackaging?

As the announce team spoke, Punisher made his way to the ring with cold eyes that didn't flinch once staring at the man inside of it. He already had a mic in his hands as he stepped through the ropes, and finally just a few feet away from Jeremy, he cracked a smile.

Heh. So you're the future of professional wrestling?

Chris spoke while circling Pendelton.

So you've got more potential than anyone else who's stepping into the XWA this year and all it's going to take for you to prove that is one match, is that what I'm hearing?

He stops.

If that's not the biggest load of bullsh*t I've heard all day, I don't know what is. You think that one match is going to tell everyone here that you're as good as you say that you are? I guess you must have no idea how many people actually say that in this business, right? Hell, sitting back and watching the XWA last year alone I think I heard it about 112,975,849 times.

So if you really are the future of professional wrestling Jeremy Pendelton III, I hope that I break my neck and can never wrestle again and then go blind and deaf during a failed reconstructive surgery so that I never have to hear, see or experience it for as long as I'm alive.

Buzz: Ouch.

At that point, Chris was staring eye to eye with Pendelton, looking like he was pretty much ready to fight right then and there.

I'm only out here because I need someone to hurt, and since everyone else who I actually want to hurt is holding out for Overload so that I can't hurt them tonight, I'm just going to have to settle for your ass.

I'll agree with one thing you said tonight so far, JP. You don't have to make statement to me or to anyone else. The only thing that I'm interesting in seeing tonight is whether or not you're The Great White Hope like you say, or just The Great White Hype.

[Jeremy Pendelton III]

It was Jeremy now who cracked a smile as Chris Punisher came out with some fanfare and a lot of intensity.

That was awful colorful, Chris. You ought to know something about being "The Great White Hype" huh? I saw the videos of you in the independent circuit last year. You had a whole lot of people talking, a whole lot of upside as the scouts would say.

And now Jeremy circled Punisher.

But what happened to you Punisher...if that's your real name? You've become another tough-talking, tatted up cliche, that's what! I'd be scared of you if I saw you in a dark alley with a lead pipe in your hands, but this my friend is a wrestling ring.

He stops.

In here, talking only gets you but so far. You see, it's not about hurting people for me, it's about winning...and if someone happens to get hurt in the process, that's just the nature of the business. If you're going to be a blood hunter, maybe you should follow Jon Payne into MMA instead of being a wrestler. You'd be a hit on The Ultimate Fighter.

About hearing the same old story from everyone else? They're not me. They need the gratification making of themselves sound great. Like I said, all I need is a ring and a bell to show you how great I am. Take that as far as you want to go with it, Chris. Me? I'll take it straight to the bank!

Roach: These two are like two bulls butting heads right now.

Buzz: Who needs to wait until later? Let 'em go!!! Let 'em go!!!

[punishment]

You wanna know what happened to me, Jeremy?

Another smirk creeps to his face as he stood his ground.

I stopped myself from becoming you. Another blonde haired, overconfident son of a bitch who thinks that he's the greatest wrestler alive. I made a choice to be who I want to be. These tattoos are symbols of expressionism.

(Pointing to his hair)

So is this hair. So is everything about Chris Punisher as of here and now. I'm not the status quo, and I don't have any intention of being it either. My mission is to teach one hard, painful lesson to all of the people like you in this company at a time.

Inching closer to Pendelton, the two men are now face to face, eye to eye.

You Jeremy Pendelton III, have the honor of being the first. It's not anything personal though, and it isn't blood hunting either.

Another smirk.

Just simply...punishment.

[Jeremy Pendelton III]

Okay, so you're some kind of "crusader" then? You think you're going to fight off all of the great evils of this business or something? Now there's a load of bullsh*t, Christopher.

Jeremy was not backing down from Punisher's advance.

But you know what? I'll humor you a bit tonight. You and me, in this ring...and we'll see exactly who starts down their paths on the winning end.

That was all that Jeremy had left to say. He drops his mic as his theme plays once again, and slowly backs away from Punisher with another big, confident smile on his face.

Roach: I don't know about you, but I don't think I've looked forward to two XWA rookies get it on like this since Syrus and Magnus faced off last year...and you see what those two managed to accomplish after those encounters.

Buzz: Oh, I feel it Mike. I feel it. This debut is going to be good man. Gooooooooooooood!!!

(END)