Pulling the trigger (Alston)

[adam]

We join Ring Rage back at ringside, were Adam Devlin already stands in the ring with a mic in hand.

I won't kid you all. I've had a rough go of things in 2009. I've been on the business ends of some righteous beatings this year. Be they in the ring, or after a match, or backstage. Upper Echelon's been using me, and guys like Osh Vaughn, Finesse...and more recently my good friend Ryan Fierhart as punching bags. As far as I go, since I beat Osiris Alston for the 1st time in our careers, he's reeled off two more on me in recent weeks. And...it's not because he's the better wrestler. It's because I've admittedly gone soft. In listening to what Cyn Nister said earlier tonight, it holds true for some of us male competitors as well. The Adam Devlin you've seen this years isn't the same one you've seen in years past. I've...been trying to be something that I'm not. A marketable commodity.

Adam begins to pace.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not knocking any of the guys who do gimmicks, or have their trademark logos, or their witty slogans. The guys that XWA makes T-Shirts for every other month. That's their thing. Wrestling's a business, and XWA needs to make money. This season, I've been trying to become one of them. And it's lead me to losing my focus. Losing my edge. And it's showing in how I perform in the ring. Well ladies and gents...SCREW trying to be marketable.

The cheer of the fans slowly begin to increase.

Screw trying to be "the guy". Screw trying to be one of the "big players". Screw trying to grab the brass ring. I don't need it. I don't need any of it. All I need is to be "The Man Without Fear." The toughest son of a bitch in XWA. The man who will not hesitate to come out to this ring, lay his body on the line, and kick the ass of the guy standing across from me without batting an eye. My career is predicated on defying the odds, spitting in the face of conformity and making the impossible look easy. It's time I got back to my roots. It's time I stopped trying to be an "XWA Superstar"...

And start being THE RED DEVIL again.

The roar of the arena was now at a fever pitch.

Alston, you made a biiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiig mistake my friend. Upper Echelon made a big mistake. You reached down into the depths of hell itself and you woke up the devil. And the devil's pissed. Ooooooooooooooh boy is the devil...pissed. Tonight, you catch the business end of the old Pitch Fork. Or sledge hammer, or steel chair...or whatever the hell else I can get my hands on. Because when I say I'm going back to my roots, I mean I'm going back to the beginning. And in the beginning for me, it was about one thing. Hard...core. Consider tonight my official 2009 coming out party. And I'm coming out...to kick your god damn ass.

Tony: We haven't seen Adam this fired up or focused in a long, long time. And it's well documented that Adam begin his career in the Hardcore wrestling promotion Syndrome Wrestling Asylum. Alston's facing and unenviable task tonight.

Willy: You ain't kiddin'. Alston's got it, no question. But Hardcore ain't about havin' it, it's about takin' it...and havin' malicious intent in the process.

Just as Willy finishes speaking, Alston's theme hits the PA.

[si]

Alston steps out from backstage, mic already in hand.

Hold up...ho...hold up. Was I supposed to be intimidated by that lil' speech? IS this supposed to be the part where I shake in my boots? C'mon now Devlin. I've been beatin' yo' ass for the better part of two and a half years now. You expect me to believe because you come out here and make some address to the fact that you're going back to your roots that it's supposed to change anything? How many people have tried to pull that act in wrestling? Kim Hunter ring a bell? And we all saw how well that worked out for her. If you wanted me to juts come out here and kick your ass for the thousandth time, all ya' had to do was ask, baby. It doesn't matter what kind of match it is. If it involves a wrestling ring, You and me...99% of the time it ends with me winning. And tonight will be no exception.

Confident and unimpressed by Adam's speech, Alston waits for his response.

[adam]

Adam couldn't help but chuckle to himself from Alston's response. He then speaks one of his own.

You know Alston? That's exactly the kind of reaction I was expecting. Of course, I was expecting a few more insults and wisecracks on how you have my number sprinkled in, but all and all...you responded just how I thought you would. And that in my mind is perfect. In fact, I couldn't have asked for a better result. Because what that tells me is not only aren't you taking this seriously, you're underestimating me. Or maybe not...maybe you're OVERestimating yourself. Whichever the case is, I suggest they better have some smelling salts at ringside, because you're going to need a quick wake up from not only me pounding a dent into your head, but from the idea that you're better then me. I don't expect you to be intimidated, Alston. Not in the least. I expect you to go into this the same way you go into well...every other match you've ever gone into. But, I also expect you to be carted out of the arena on a stretcher as result. I'm beyond the point of just beating you. I'm going to hurt you. I'm gonna do things to you tonight that will make people question my ethics. In the Tokyodome, you and your buddies left me laying in a pool of my own blood. Tonight Alston, I start repaying the favor.

[si]

You could visibly seen Alston's confidence slowly turn into a small bit of concern as he answers back.

Look who all of a sudden got some bass in his voice. You threatenin' me, chump? Mess around and get laid down. I ain't afraid of you, or none of what you're talkin' about, Devlin. I've beat you all over the damn place, and I'll do it again tonight, sucka.

[adam]

Adam then speaks his final response.

No, Alston. I don't make threats. I make commitments.

With that, Devlin's music cues over the PA once more. A sinister grin that hadn't been seen on Devlin's face in a long tome crosses his lips.

Willy: I think Alston and the rest of Upper Echelon need to start takin' that man DEADLY serious. I don't know what went off in his head since last week, but that ain't the Adam Devlin we've all come to know and love. That's somethin' completely different standin' in the ring.