**The arena speakers fire up and the crowd cheers as NWC World Champion Akira Wyld makes his way to the ring. He is wearing a GWSW monogrammed leather jacket and a t-shirt reading ‘Surgical Specialist’. Akira Wyld stops midway down the ramp and takes in the largely-positive crowd reception with a look of gratitude. He looks down at the gold and silver NWC Championship Belt around his waist, nods, and purposefully walks to the ring.**

**The champ rolls under the bottom rope, unbuckles the championship from around his waist and ascends the far turnbuckle. He thrusts his arm upward, hoisting the title belt high into the air as the crowd cheers. Akira leaps down and makes his way to the center of the ring. He produces a microphone from his jacket pocket and addresses the PWA Armada.**

AKIRA: “I can’t tell you all how good this feels. Two seasons ago, I didn’t know if I’d ever set foot in a PWA ring again. I was laying in a hospital bed… bruised and broken from the beating Damion Black gave me. I had burned every professional relationship I had. I was lost. I had nothing… and if I’m being honest, I deserved nothing. For years I treated this sport and it’s fans like garbage. I walked through every day with a huge chip on my shoulder, and I made everybody who stood in my way the focus of every frustration in my life. I found a lot of success during that time… but it was lonely, hollow success. I was empty, mind, body and soul. When Damion Black tried to end my career… a lot of people would say that I had it coming. If the Akira Wyld story ended right there on that gymnasium floor, it would have been fitting.”

**Akira lowers the microphone and paces back and forth in the ring.**

AKIRA: “But fate had other plans. My one saving grace during my darkest days was my family. You all know that my relationship with the Wyld clan has been rocky. For years I treated them like dirt. I was so afraid of being seen as the weak link in the chain… so afraid of being unable to live up to the achievements of my father and my uncle and my older brother… that I rejected them. But when I was ready to give up… when I was ready to throw in the towel and wallow in self-pity… they didn’t give up on me. They dragged me to my feet and made me realize the kind of man I could be. It’s because of them that I got back in the gym and became determined to make my way back to PWA. It’s because of them that I clawed my way back to the top and won back my NWC Championship.”

**Akira holds the belt high.**

AKIRA: “I may not deserve this second chance… but dammit I’m going to take it. And I’m going to use this opportunity to fight for the things I should have been fighting for all along. So Damion Black… what goes around comes around. Life is a wheel… and it looks like you and I are destined to go round and round forever. Because as long as there’s breath in my body, I’m going to make sure you get what you have coming to you. I’m holding your most highly coveted championship… and I’m taking the fight to you and every back that you’ve used to prop yourself up.”

**The crowd cheers and Akira nods.**

AKIRA: “Now… last week at Assault, I went to war with Victor Sokolov. After weeks of frustration, I finally got my hands on The Siberian Psychopath. For over 20 minutes we tore into each other… and, while I might have taken the fall that night, I think I took a piece of Sokolov with me. I showed him that nobody makes an easy meal of The Surgical Specialist. And for the record… one single fall doesn’t win a championship in PWA. So Sokolov… if you ever want to step up and properly challenge me for this title… you know where to find me. Because I was a split second from putting you down… and I’ll be damned if you have what it takes to put my shoulders to the mat for 2 out of 3.”

**The crowd cheers and Akira holds his belt high. Then he lowers it and scans the crowd with a serious expression.**

AKIRA: “And speaking of guys who don’t have what it takes to pull this title from my shoulder… Johnny Ecks, last week, when I was beaten down in the ring, you…”

**Suddenly, “You Really Are My Ecstacy” explodes in the arena. Akira looks over at the entrance ramp and slowly lowers his microphone. Johnny Ecks appears at the entrance and stalks out to the stage. He has a scowl on his face and a microphone in his hand.**

ECKS: “Oh hell no. No, no no. You do NOT get to come out here and talk yourself up for half an hour and then make The Hearthrob Kid a damn FOOTNOTE to your story! Ya see… the truth is, last week I could have ENDED you man. I could of put paid on the bill you been running up for the last 20 years. But no… instead, I gave you the professional courtesy of ALLOWING you to walk out of that arena with your health in tact. I did that for you. That was a GIFT. And now, this is the thanks I get? You disrespect me? You talk about all those other jabronies before you even mention my name? Screw you Akira Wyld!”

**Ecks paces back and forth and stares daggers at Wyld.**

ECKS: “Yo… my name is Johnny Ecks, and I’m the best damn wrestler in the world. Been so for the last two decades. That’s 20 years man. 20 years you been dodging me. Back in PWS when you took your ball and went home… I stepped up and took that damn company to places you only dreamed about. How is it man… how is it that after all this time, with all the places we been together… you haven’t ever ONCE faced me one-on-one in the ring? Hell, the ONE time we were even in the same match, you had to go AROUND me to get the win. You pinned Patrick. You pinned Cody. But me? You ain’t NEVER put my shoulders to the mat. You DAMN sure ain’t never made me tap.”

**Ecks laughs under his breath. He points a finger at Wyld.**

ECKS: “You know what? I’m actually GLAD you won the NWC title. Because now that means I get to take the most important thing in your world from you. So consider this a challenge Akira Wyld. I want to fight you, one-on-one, for the gold.”

**Akira paces back and forth in the ring. He looks down at the belt in his hand.**

AKIRA: “Is that what you want Ecks? You want to face me one-on-one for this? You know… a wise man once said that it was better to keep your mouth shut and appear stupid than to speak and remove all doubt. For two decades you have been riding on the coattails of Akira Wyld. You and I have been spoken of in the same breath in every company we’ve wrestled for. Two sides of a coin. Whether you are ready to admit it or not… you’ve built a hell of a reputation for yourself off of that comparison. You’ve been able to ride that wave to amazing success… all without ever having to back up your mouth with action.”

**Akira pauses and looks directly into Johnny’s eyes. Ecks stares back with hate and contempt.**

AKIRA: “You sure you know what you want John? If you face me one on one… you remove all doubt. The world will finally see who is the icon, and who is the dime-store imitation. Is that something you’re willing to put on the line?”

**Ecks flashes a wicked smile.**

ECKS: “Oh you’re DAMN right that’s what I want. You can talk on and on all you want about tradition and family and legacy and all that crap. The fact is that I know I’m the best there’s ever been. I don’t need an expensive family name or cheering fans to know that either. I’m the Heartthrob Kid. I’m the baddest man in the business. Every time I step in the ring I etch my name in the only permanent record that matters! Nobody can do what I can do… and FINALLY, I get to prove that to your egomaniacal ass. You’re a joke Wyld. You’re a name and a logo and a bullshit reputation. Prove me wrong.”

**Akira nods and looks to the crowd. He lays the title down on the mat and beckons for Johnny to come to the ring.**

AKIRA: “Let’s do this then. Get a ref, and get your ass to the ring.”

**Johnny nods and begins marching to the ring… then he stops and laughs. He shakes his finger at Akira.**

ECKS: “Now hold you man. Exactly how stupid do you think I am? Didn’t you hear me? I’ve been waiting for this moment my entire career. You think I’m going to blow this opportunity in front of THIS crowd, with no promotion or build up at all? This is the main event to end all main events! You think these chumps here deserve to get that for FREE? Hell no. You and me… we’re doing this up RIGHT. I came out here to make sure you agreed to the match. Now that you’ve done that… I’m taking my sweet ass time to savor this moment. You’d better grow eyes in the back of your head old man. Because you got no idea of what kind of hell you’ve got coming.”

**Johnny Ecks drops the mic and walks away to a chorus of boos. Akira stares down after him. After Ecks leaves, the NWC champ picks up his belt and holds it high as the crowd cheers.**