Sidelined (Interview) (o2a)

[Sushi-X]

Overload returns off the exciting announcement of Ring Rage 2009. The buzz in the arena was still electric. But attention was about to turn to the large jumbotron as Tony and Willy prepared to do a live interview with Sushi-X from his hospital room in Chicago.

Tony: We're back, and this is Overload, and you're looking outside the RBC Center. Sold out crowd here tonight, and it's still abuzz, Willy!

Willy: No kidding, thousands had to be turned away tonight coming off the epic Soul Survivor, and now two four-way Ironman matches at Ring Rage! Dayum!!!

Tony: XWA has done it again, never shying away from a chance to set the standard in wrestling. But ladies and gentlemen, we turn our attention some 860 miles away to Chicago, IL, where Sushi-X has been for the past couple of weeks, and he joins us now. Sushi, how are you feeling tonight?

The crowd cheers as a shot of the masked ninja lays on his hospital bed, obviously watching the action.

Well, Tony, it's bittersweet, because, you know, I like to be out there giving these people the best show I can give them.

Tony: I know you just heard the announcement that four men will be competing for the XWA Championship at Ring Rage. One of the four men was the man that set you ablaze at Soul Survivor, the notorious !!!JONNY PUNCH!!!

First off, my hats off to Punch. The two of us put on an epic Three Stages of Hell match.

The crowd applauds in respect for both men and their efforts at the PPV.

I know there are a lotta people that don't like him or his style and don't have respect for him. When I first came here to XWA, I didn't really think much of him either. But over the last few weeks, he certainly earned my respect. The man could have turned away my challenge, but he didn't. He could have laid down after I beat him in the first fall, but he didn't. The bottom line, guys, is this: Jonny and I put on a series of matches, that their children, and their children's children will be talking about.

Willy: Now that you know that Jonny Punch will be competing for the World Title at Ring Rage, do you feel that if you won that match, you would have had the title shot?

Sushi-X ponders the question for a moment.

That's not for me to say, honestly. I mean, save for that one pin in the first round at the PPV, no one's beaten Punch all season. But he won two against me in that same match. But in all seriousness, Jonny told me two things in the post-PPV presser before I had to go to the hospital. (1) it would be tough to top what we've put together in the last couple months. And (2) it's about time he got in the world title picture. All I could do was nod. So as far as I'm concerned, he deserves the shot at a title.

Just as he finishes speaking, an interruption...

[x]

The familiar entrance theme to yet another of the more controversial stars of Overload fills the arena. Lionel Xander enters the RBC Center with purpose and a none to please stomp in his step. As he makes his way down to the ring, he calls for a mic upon entering it. X then looks to the Jumbotron to respond to Sushi-X's words.

I think while you're laid up in the hospital, you might want to get the doctors to pull Jonny Punch's anus from out of your mouth, because you're kissing his ass something fierce. Once again, XWA top brass dropped the ball. No surprises there, eh folks? Who's Stan O'Malley come out here and announce is going to be headlining this new match at Ring Rage for the World Title? Some punk who up to this point has been handed jobbers all year, and a chain smoking, beer swilling disgrace to the sport. Jonny Punch hasn't been defeated all year aside from the 1 fall in your match? New flash, I HAVEN'T BEEN DEFEATED ALL YEAR, PERIOD!!! And that includes kicking your as a couple of months back, Naruto. Whether it was you, Finesse and Hayden in Tag Team matches, that backyard wrestling reject Jimmy Vain, that loud mouth in the bad wrestling get-up Chris Dynamite, they lined them up, I knocked them down. And I'm not in the World Title match? HAAAAAAAA!!! It seems that the only way I'm going to get what's mines is by taking it by force. I'm just as deserving if not MORE deserving then Blaze and Punch. And tonight, I'm gonna prove it. I know that frikkin' drunk in in the arena. He might have all of you idiots fooled, but he damn sure doesn't have me fooled. I want Jonny Punch in this ring, O'Malley. And if I beat him tonight...no...WHEN I beat him, I WANT IN THE CRUCIBAL!!!

A fairly ticked off Xander waits for either the appearance of the GM, or the impending response of Sushi-X.

[seifer]

Stan comes out to the stage not to soon after Xander's rant. With mic in hand, he 1st addresses Sushi-X.

I want to 1st apologize to you Sush for your airtime being cut into like this. It's safe to say I wasn't expecting this.

He then turns his focus to Xander.

As for you, Xander. I made my decision based on a number of factors in choosing Ryan Blaze and Jonny Punch. The most important of those factors is that neither of them have ever held a World Championship in their careers. You have. Even if it wasn't in the XWA, you've been a World Champion in a number of other promotions. I could have easily came out here and said it was gonna be you and Bain, or you and Pollox. But you all have had your moments at the top. Blaze and Punch haven't. And that's what I'm all about, giving chances to the guys who haven't had it yet.

The crowd responds with a supportive cheer. Stan continues.

Now there's no question that you've been nothing shore of incredible this year. You're at present the only undefeated superstar on Overload, dare I say in all of the XWA. You've put together impressive performances all year. And yea, I'll agree with you...you might just be the most deserving man in the company as far as a shot at the big belt. But I'll tell you what you're not. Above the system. I've gotta deal with O'Dell and Jasta coming out here making demands enough, I'll be damned if I'm gonna go through it with you. Now I was planning on booking Ryan Blaze and Jonny Punch in a lil' tune up match tonight, but Blaze had a family get together he had to be at this week, so he was unable to make this week's show. BUT, here's what I'm gonna do. When I go in the back, I'm gonna call the VP Rodolphe Gallas and make a change to the Men's Crucibal at Ring Rage. Instead of it being 4 men, it's gonna be 6 men. The champ STE and 2 Takedown wrestlers, Ryan Blaze, Jonny Punch...and you, Lionel "X-Rated" Xander.

Tony: That's unprecedented. The match itself sounded insane to begin with, now you add two more men into it? This is going to be hard to top, Willy.

Willy: But why tha' hell is he givin' this whiney Canadian what he wants?

And right now, I'm going to satisfy your wish even more. I'm gonna give you Jonny Punch tonight. 1st time ever, Punch versus Xander, one on one. And you don't have to worry about if you win are you in either, because you already are. What you have to worry about tonight is if Punch leaves enough of your ass left for Ring Rage, because your match tonight is going to be a HARDCORE MATCH!

The crowd goes berserk at the prospect.

I figured you'd all like that. I guess you'll like what I have to say next as well. Sush, you put it all on the line at Soul Survivor. You opened a lot of people's eyes onto not what kind of wrestler you are, but what kind of man you are. And men who do that deserve to be rewarded as well. So what I want you to do is get some rest. Heel up, and be ready to hit the mat full force when the docs clear you to get back in the ring. Because when they do, you'll be the man next in line for the No Limits Title.

Tony: How's that for hazard pay? Sushi-X will face the winner between current #1 Contender Kelon J.A.H. and the reigning No Limits Champ Brian Yang!!!

Stan takes notice of Xander boiling over in the ring.

If ya' keep it all bottled up like that, you'll go bald, dude. Just look at me. I had a full head of hair once.

[x]

After staring blankly into the air ponder what had just been laid out by the GM, X brings up his mic again for a reply.

Is that it? That's the big ruling by the GM? Me against the town Drunk in a Hardcore match? Was I supposed to be intimidated by that? You of all people should know better. I'm not one of these wet behind the ears rookies, O'Malley. Goin' one on one with Punch in a Hardcore match isn't by any stretch of the imagination something I can't do. You must forget where I come from. I've built my career in extreme style wrestling. Hardcore is a walk in the damn park. In fact, telling me I have to fight Punch in a Hardcore match tonight is like...like....throwing a 3-0 hanging curveball down the middle of the plate to Albert Pujols. It's like telling a Bomb Specialist of over 10 years experience that they have to defuse one of those old school Cherry Bombs you see in Loony Toons. In other words, it's nothing I can't handle, and damn sure nothing that impresses me.

X lowers his mic in wait of the next response.

[Sushi-X]

Yo! Yo, Xander boy! I got news for you, son. I'm not one of those "wet behind the ears" rookies either. I've been doing this for a long time. And you should be happy that I'm laid up in this hospital bed right now. Cause I'm fixing to break my foot off your ass! As far as you and me are concerned, we got some unfinished business.

Willy: What's he getting at, Tony?

Tony: Xander beat Sushi-X at the season opener, remember?

Yeah, you beat me once this season. So what? Bet you can't do it again. Cause the man you fought five months ago is gone. The Sushi-X you face now smells like smoke... because I'VE BEEN THROUGH FIRE!

The Raleigh crowd cheers.

But you don't remind me of Albert Pujols. You remind me... of another ball player. A-Rod. See, when nobody's watching, you're one of the best there is. But when the lights are on bright, and the whole world's watching, you seem to come up just a little bit... SHORT.

The crowd oohs and breaks out into a chant of "A-Rod! A-Rod! A-Rod!"

[x]

Lionel's next response was to Sushi-X.

Easy there, Ninja-boy. We wouldn't want one of those IV's to pop out of your arm. Don't you worry about a thing, you'll get the honor and privilege to get your ass handed to you be me again someday. Oh yea, and that A-Rod comment? He plays on the best team in Baseball right now, so I'll take being compared to him as a compliment. As a matter of fact, if you had to compare me to a sports franchise, it'd have to be the Yankees. A dynasty built on being the best, period. Whereas you'd be compared to, well...your hometown team, The Chicago Cubs. Year after year you keep improving, yet in the end you're destined to fail again...and again...and again. Like clockwork. One day, you might even catch me. But I wouldn't hold my breath, I'm not retiring anytime soon.

[punch]

WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOA!!! Hold the phone there, Canada Dry.

From in the crowd emanates the unmistakable voice of the one, the only...

!!!JONNY PUNCH!!!

The camera pans around the arena to locate him, where he was all the way up in the cheap seats surrounded by fans.

Let's not count all of your eggs before they're hatched. I have to tip my cap to you for being able to convince Stan to put you into the main event at Ring Rage, real subtle. But I think there's a real reason why you're so tense. And that is in fact, because you're Canadian. Now, I've had my fair share of run ins with a few of your countrymen, and I have to say from my personal experiences, you all need to LIGHTEN THE F*CK UP!!! Seriously. I haven't met one Canadian wrestler who doesn't think they have to be taken seriously 24/7. I know all of you guys have your rich tradition and all, and that it's all about professionalism. But the problem with that is you all act like either drones, asses or idiots. But...then there's you. The rarest of the rare. The one who acts like ALL THREE.

The fans were in complete and total agreement.

But tonight my friend, you get to play another role. The role of my bitch. Yea, that's right...I said it. My bitch. I've seen you work your magic in extreme style matches. The masterful performance you had against Jeff Heaven, Brian Yang and Jimmy Ames last year. Your performances this year up until this point. But tonight comes the biggest test you'll have all year. You wanna be at the top of the food chain? Fine. Don't talk about, BE about it. And I'm gonna be about 2 feet up your ass when I wedge my leg knee deep in it.