Post by Adrien Cochrane on Nov 22, 2019 23:37:41 GMT -5
Tearing me apart with words you wouldn't say,
And suddenly tomorrow's moment washed away
'Cause I don't have a reason, and you don't have the time,
But we both keep on waiting for something we won't find
Date: Wednesday, July 3rd, 2019
Cameras: ON
It’s been over six years. Almost six and a half, at this point. That was the last time the Premium Championship Wrestling universe saw Adrien Cochrane in their ring, on the network, or being involved in the company in any sense. A lot can happen in a span of seventy-eight months. A lot has happened since the last time the Dropkick King was in PCW.
The room is fairly empty. The floor is nothing more than a few boards of aged timber with a thin layer of dust gently covering it. There’s a small end table next to an occupied chair that has its back facing the camera that is currently rolling. While it may have been seventy-eight months since Adrien Cochrane has looked into the hearts and souls of PCW, it was obvious that it wasn’t going to end quite yet. The dark hair of the man sitting in the chair makes one thing absolutely clear: it was not the blonde hair of Adrien Cochrane.
“I know what a lot of you are wondering.”
The man who has never been seen before on any sort of PCW related platform turns around as he rises from the wooden chair that appears to be borrowed from someone’s dining table. His hair was spiked, adding a couple of inches to his height. He was definitely older than most people in the industry, as evidenced by the bags underneath his eyes and the hint of lines along the face of the gentleman. His attire is simple: a pair of cargo shorts and a black t-shirt with an octopus on it.
“The first of which, I expect, is: who the hell is this guy?”
The gentleman gives a toothy grin before spinning the chair to face the camera and returning to a seated position.
“Me? I’m not all that important. My name is Eddie Walker, for those of you who care. My role? I’m just a pencil pusher, hotel booker, money managing, contract negotiator...who occasionally talks into cameras. Not a glamorous role, but it pays the bills. I got a family to support. But do you know who is important?”
Walker wags his finger enthusiastically.
“The man that I am representing here and now. I actually have two clients competing on this grand finale for Premium Championship Wrestling. I do some light work for Manny Fernandez. The man is like family, but he doesn’t ask a whole lot from me: mostly just making sure he gets paid well when he steps into a ring and making sure his flights have a seat reserved for him.
“But the man I am here to speak on behalf of...he’s a man I’ve known since he was just this young musician, trying to make a name for himself. He’s the man who dragged me into this industry five years ago when I was just managing his music career. He’s my best friend, and I stood at the altar as his best man when he tied the knot earlier this year.
“He’s the Original Guardian, the Thunder of the Seikigun, and the Live Wire...but I think you all know him simply as the Dropkick King.”
Walker chuckles before standing once more.
“See, there’s a discernible difference between me and Mr. Cochrane. Mr. Cochrane tends to be a humble man with a passion for always trying to be better than he was the day before. He’s a driven person who doesn’t let any sort of past feats give him any sort of excuse to relax or be content. He won’t say a lot of the things that he deserves to say and should say. And while he is completely competent to speak about matches...if not outright excellent, without having to do so, I feel like there are times where things need to be said that Adrien Cochrane will not say himself.
“See, I have no problem admitting that I am a man of bias. My opinions will always slant in favor of Adrien Cochrane. To me, he is the best wrestler in the damn business. But opinions are subjective. Facts are not. And I am a man who loves facts, if you pay attention to my tweets. For an example, Adrien’s win-loss record in PCW...I counted eighteen wins, the record books have him down for seventeen, but we will go by theirs for this exercise. Did you know Adrien, out of everyone in the history of the company who has competed in at least twenty matches, he has the fourth highest winning percentage? Seventy-six point two percent. And what the three names ahead of him in that category have in common: Danielle Lopez, J.T. Banks, and Kevin Styles? None of them faced Adrien Cochrane. Two of them were a storied tag team that wasn’t around during the same time as Adrien, even. Adrien’s opponent at #OneLastDance, Draven Logan Kennedy? Thirty-one point seven. No opinions associated to this, just stating some facts for you to form whatever opinions you want.
“You know another fact I really love? There are twenty-four names in the PCW Hall of Fame before #OneLastDance where a twenty-fifth will be added. I’ll circle back to that addition in a moment. Adrien has been in the ring with seven of them. Over the course of his run in PCW, he faced, chronologically, Heather Monroe, Curtis Wilkes, Draven Logan Kennedy, Syn, Jerry Matthews, and Yoshiro Long. Adrien has defeated every...single...one of them...
“Once again, just stating facts that are true.”
Eddie Walker shrugs his shoulders.
“But all of this information? It’s old news, right? Hell, Adrien hasn’t been in a PCW ring since March of 2013, right? Why would any of this information be relevant six years later? Well, you’re not wrong. Because every single person who is competing in this very event aren’t the same people they were back in the day. Ryan Robinson is something...completely different, based on Bella’s Twitter conversations with Adrien. James Baker cut a video in full drag, something that definitely surprised me because I hadn’t followed his post-PCW career. Stables have fallen such as Team Lethality and the Disciples of Syn. Mariano goes by Manny now and talks mostly in Skyrim references. Last reunion, he was tagging with Leon Lonewolf. This time, they are opponents. Times change. Adrien is no exception; he isn’t the same person he was six years ago either. Clearly, he’s stopped letting pretty, young ladies be his manager and hired my ancient, ugly ass. He cut his hair. He grew a little scruff on his face. He was still learning to become the man he is today...hell, he’s in his thirties now. He’s matured, he’s honed his craft, and he’s become one of the greatest competitors in a wrestling ring.
“What’s changed about you, Draven Logan Kennedy? Still got the whole cult thing going on? Still got the whole ego the size of your career loss total? Still creeping out every girl that passes whatever street corner you pass? I legitimately don’t know since you fell off the face of the Earth. Last tweet I could dig up on you was four years old and about the sitcom Two and a Half Men. I did have the right handle, right? @pcwdraven? Plus, when you search the phrase ‘Draven Logan Kennedy’ on Twitter, the only response in the past few years is from me mentioning the anniversary of Adrien winning the Platinum Championship in that triple threat match between the two of you and Heather Monroe. When I say you went off-the-grid, I mean you went all Ed Begley Jr. all over the grid.
“You could have changed. Your lack of a public presence has led to a lack of information on what exactly a present-day version of Draven Logan Kennedy is out there. I hope, for your sake, you have. I really hope you’re not still the man you were last we saw you. I hope you’ve matured. I hope you’ve improved as a wrestler and as a man. It would be nothing short of pathetic if you haven’t. And if you haven’t, it will be the reason why you will fall short when you step into the ring against the four-time World Heavyweight Champion, the leader of the Guardians, the Original Guardian even, the Thunder of the Seikigun, the Live Wire… don’t know what those mean? That means you haven’t been paying attention, Draven. That means you have no idea what kind of fighter Adrien Cochrane is in the year of our lord, twenty-nineteen. And if you aren’t coming into this not paying attention… that’s your own fault, Draven.
“But maybe you have. Maybe you have been watching. Maybe you’ve watched every single Adrien Cochrane match since you two crossed paths on that fateful summer evening seven years ago. Every single one of them. His battles against LEGION? Maybe you caught every single one of them on Youtube after they aired. All the World Title matches he was in? Perhaps you got them recorded for you to observe at your own convenience. Hell, you might have watched some of his losses to people like Zack Lifer, to competitors like Alex Jones, and even the narrow loss to Johnny Maverick. What? I’m not going to act like Adrien has won every single damn match he’s been in… I’m not delusional.
“I await eagerly to see if you speak before the match. Mr. Cochrane is as well. You’ve been silent for so long. You’ve been away from the ring for just as long. Have you been training? Have you been watching? Have you been honing your craft? Or have you been sitting back, cracking open a cold one with the likes of Remi LeBau and Logan and just reading X-Men comic books? Clearly, the whole Dawn of the New Age group was basically just the names of those characters, but I digress. Perhaps those names are outdated. I think you had a handful of chicks hanging out with you near the end of your PCW run, no? I think there was like an Alice, an Izzy, a Victoria...I’m probably missing one or two. And that’s like six year old information, you could be not speaking to all of them for all I know… this is my point, Draven!! You’re hiding. You’ve become reclusive. Maybe you’re doing this to keep Adrien in the dark. Maybe you’re doing this so Adrien is going into this match blind. Maybe you aren’t even aware you’re booked in this damn match and need me to bring it to your attention. I don’t know. I’ve done everything I can with the data presented to me.
“What I need from you, however… show up to this ring. All I need from you, Draven. Show up, step into that ring with the legendary Dropkick King. And the reason I need this from you is because I want to showcase to the entire world who isn’t paying attention that Adrien Cochrane is one of the best out there. To anyone who doesn’t watch him on his current or recent companies, I want them to see just who the Dropkick King is. It’s not going to be pretty. There’s a little measure of revenge Adrien is going to want from this match with you. But when the arm of my client is raised after that final bell, perhaps the small amount of doubters out there in the world will realize that this is the era of the Dropkick King. Are you a doubter after all these years, Draven? You won’t be after your match.”
The light on the horizon was brighter yesterday,
With shadows floating over, the scars began to fade
We said it was forever but then it slipped away,
Standing at the end of the final masquerade
The final masquerade
Date: Saturday, July 13th, 2019
Cameras: OFF
Just a short drive away from West Valley City, Utah was West Jordan. There is a medical diagnostic imaging center called Stork Vision Salt Lake City. They provide 2D, 3D, and even 4D ultrasounds for soon-to-be or expecting parents.
In this case, it’s both. At five months pregnant, Everalda Cochrane is expecting her second child. Meanwhile, her husband Adrien is looking forward to his first child. Her second pregnancy has been quite the adventure so far. She knows what to expect this time, better prepared and with more experience. Perhaps then the Dropkick King is the one who’s been overly nervous or excited.
When they enter the modernized building, they’re greeted by friendly receptionists while they’re also tending to other clients. The walk-in lines are busier, but the appointment-only line is very small. With a smile, Everalda and Adrien move to stand in line behind another couple. She looks over to her husband and squeezes his hand in hers.
Everalda: “Are you excited, mein Herz?”
‘My Heart.’ German. She loves to call him that.
Adrien: “More than I was for my last World Title match.”
Perhaps that was an exaggeration, but it was definitely in that realm. She giggles softly, and soon they’re next in line. Everalda approaches the female receptionist, her nametag reading Amy. Amy looks up to the married couple and offers them a friendly smile.
Amy: “Good afternoon, ma’am. Are you here for an appointment?”
Everalda: “Yes, dear. Everalda Cochrane at two o’clock.”
Amy: “May I please have your date of birth?”
Everalda: “November 6th, 1990.”
In addition, Mrs. Cochrane retrieves her New York driver’s license as well as her medical insurance card. She gives them to Amy, who thanks her and receives the cards. A few ‘clacks’ on the keyboard and she smiles.
Amy: “Here you are, Mrs. Cochrane. Your ultrasound appointment at two o’clock will be in home theater number two. Doctor Maximillian Kennedy will call you in a few minutes.”
Happily, she returns the cards to Everalda, who smiles softly.
Everalda: “Thank you very much.”
She bows her head, places her cards back inside of her purse, and looks to Adrien. He, in turn, places his right hand in the center of his wife’s back before giving her a gentle lead towards the nearest place for them to take a seat. He gives her his left hand for balance as she drops to her seat before he takes the chair to her right.
Adrien: “Obviously, this isn’t your first rodeo. So I’m guessing you’re less nervous than I.”
Everalda firmly nods, looking over at him with a smile.
Everalda: “A little less. A parent should always be concerned with every pregnancy. It’s smart to take the best steps for a healthy journey of motherhood.”
Reaching over, she takes his left hand in her right and squeezes it gently.
Everalda: “When I was pregnant with Klaus, there were a couple of moments that caused concern for myself and Alexander. One time, I had to actually stay in the hospital for a week because I was sick. It was more than just the common cold, so they wanted to monitor everything. I’m a little more prone in the winter, as my body’s used to warmer climates. At least this time around, I live in Chalmette, not Manhatten.”
She sticks her tongue out a little. Cochrane chuckles a bit as well. Louisiana definitely gets an easier winter than New York.
Adrien: “We will make our best efforts to keep you warm. Even if the coldest we will get is still a good twenty to thirty degrees warmer than Manhattan, we will make sure we keep the heater at a good temperature, fires in the fireplace, and whatever else needs to be done.”
Everalda: “Thank you, mein Herz.”
Leaning over, she kisses him ever-so-sweetly. Right on cue, the main door opens and a man in his late-forties with blonde hair and green eyes looks up.
Doctor: “Mister and Missus Cochrane?”
The lovely couple look over, and the doctor smiles at them.
Doctor: “My name is Doctor Maximillian Kennedy. Please follow me.”
With help from her husband, Everalda is on her feet, and they make their way into the main hallway of the facilities together. The doctor guides them to their designated location, home theater two. Inside, it is designed to be exactly as such, a mini-theater with widescreen visual, comfortable seats, and plenty of accommodations.
Dr. Kennedy: “Is it just the two of you today?”
Everalda: “Yes, doctor. We wanted this occasion to be a private one.”
Adrien: “The friends and family will be looped in another time.”
The Dropkick King was dressed casually with his typical plaid shirt, this time checkered in the colors of red and white. After all, he didn’t have to compete in a few hours when HYBRID: Unleashed was going to start. But the reason this was taking place in Utah and not Louisiana is because Adrien still wanted to be there to support his fellow Guardians who were competing. He knows Joshua Goldstein, Jessica Matthews, and Kenzie Rydell were awaiting the news that will be revealed to the Cochranes momentarily. Adrien’s sure a few others in the locker room, including Everalda’s brother Zachary, would want to be updated as well.
Dr. Kennedy: “Understood. You’ll have to host an ultrasound party in the near future.”
Mrs. Cochrane giggles and places her right hand over her growing belly.
Everalda: “That does sound nice.”
They’re asked by the doctor to select their seats. The front row is far back enough to not cause problems to those with sensitive vision. A couple of nurses bring over some equipment to assist in the ultrasound procedure. Once the expecting mother takes her seat, one of the nurses begins to set things up while the other greets her with a smile.
Nurse: “Would you and your husband like anything to drink, Mrs. Cochrane? We have water, milk, tea, coffee, juice.”
Everalda: “Oh, I’d love a cup of tea. What are your flavors?”
Nurse: “We have traditional green tea, herbal tea, lemon tea, and mint tea.”
Everalda: “Mint tea please.”
The nurse smiles and looks up to Adrien.
Nurse: “And for you, sir?”
Adrien: “I’ll take a juice. Orange is fine.”
A little vitamin C is good for the immune system, right? Adrien’s gotta stay healthy so he keeps himself clean of bugs he can transmit to Everalda and the baby. Once their drink requests are taken, the nurse dismisses herself while the other finishes the setup for Everalda. Doctor Kennedy looks it over with a nod and smiles at the couple.
Dr. Kennedy: “Mr. Cochrane, according to the paperwork, this is your first journey of parenthood. How are you feeling? Are you hoping for a boy or a girl?”
Adrien: “I’m hoping for a healthy baby that I can dress in black and gold on Sundays.”
The New Orleans native has been avoiding any sort of attachment towards any specific gender. He doesn’t want to get overly excited over one only for it to go the other way. He’s kept himself neutral on the aspect of whether it is going to be a blue or pink blanket he’s buying in the near future. Still, his answer does receive a humored response from the doctor and the nurse assistant. The other nurse returns with their drinks, handing them off very carefully, especially the hot water for Everalda’s mint tea.
Dr. Kennedy: “A New Orleans Saints fan. They’re actually somewhat popular here in Utah, though most are for the western-most teams.”
Everalda: “I can understand that.”
She looks to her husband and smiles.
Everalda: “Even before I met Adrien, I didn’t really have a football team. I wasn’t overly interested in either the Giants or the Jets when I lived in Manhattan.”
Adrien: “I’m from the Big Easy. My entire family were Saints fans before I was born. Gameday is such a huge city-wide event. You got people loading up Champion’s Square mornings before the game and turn it into a big party with live music and all sorts of booths. It’s a part of our culture.”
Now that everything is set, the widescreen flickers to life and reveals their state-of-the-art ultrasound program. Everalda takes a moment to steep the bag of mint tea into her cup, allowing it to release the color and flavor of the mint leaves. With Adrien seated to her left, she gazes upon the screen with curiosity and excitement.
Dr. Kennedy: “Are you ready?”
Everalda: “Yes, doctor.”
Adrien: “Rip the bandaid, doc.”
And thus the visual begins. The ultrasound is a presentation that offers 2D, 3D, and 4D imagery. One of the nurses is offering different angles of each dimension, displaying the baby’s health and physical stature. At a certain point in the 3D visual does the nurse adjust the perspective. It is the reveal of the baby’s gender.
A boy.
A healthy twenty-week-old baby boy.
Everalda smiles ever-so-sweetly. She’s going to be the mother of a second son. Her first son Klaus is going to have a little brother. Her husband Adrien… well, she simply gauges his reaction.
Which was a bit of a confident smile, almost as if this was the preferred outcome all along. The smile widens a bit more the more it sinks in. He was going to have a son.
Maximillian Kennedy smiles and regards the expecting couple, a few strands of his blonde hair framing around his face.
Dr. Kennedy: “Mister and Missus Cochrane, you’re going to have a baby boy. Now I know some couples already have a list of names based on the gender of their baby…”
There’s a round of soft chuckles. It’s true that some of their friends have pressed them about names for their child, names for a boy or names for a girl. Kenzie Rydell, in particular, was very adamant. Even Adam Sanders and Eddie Walker teased the possibilities. Taking a sip of her tea, Everalda glances over at Adrien and tilts her head.
Everalda: “We have plenty of time to decide, but… did you have any names on your mind?”
Adrien: “Is it just me or is there a name that throughout my history and throughout your history...comes up quite often. This name and variations of it.”
Curiously, his wife contemplates what he means. A name that comes up quite often in their histories. In little-to-no time, Everalda picks up on it, her baby blue eyes softening.
Everalda: “...Alex. Alexis, your sister. Alexander, my late fiancé.”
The doctor and the nurses are curious, but they keep to themselves for the time being.
Adrien: “You’re a fast study. Even when I had that… less than pleasant encounter with your estranged birth mother, I mentioned an ancestor that I have in my bloodline. I believe I’ve told you this story before. Do you remember his name?”
A gentle smile crosses her face. She has quite the long-term memory.
Everalda: “Alexander Cochrane.”
Adrien: “I feel like I’m meant to name my son Alex. Of course, I grant you every right to veto whatever name I come up with. Obviously, you still have some fresh wounds when it comes to that name, and I do not want the name of our first son together to put you into an awkward position. I only want to do this if you’re completely on board with it.”
The shaking of her head seems to lean in one direction… but when she speaks, her voice and her message are clear.
Everalda: “I love it. Alexander Cochrane…”
Mrs. Cochrane places her left hand over her belly, feeling the kick at the same time it is visually presented on the screen. Her eyes focus on him, on their ever-growing son.
Everalda: “I hope he’ll be just like you, darling.”
Adrien: “And I hope he is equally just like you.”
All I ever wanted, the secrets that you keep,
All you've ever wanted, the truth I couldn't speak
'Cause I can't see forgiveness, and you can't see the crime,
And we both keep on waiting for what we left behind
Date: Tuesday, November 12th, 2019
Cameras: ON
The birds are chirping. The clouds are moving slowly in the New Orleans sky. The trees are swaying gently in the wind with brown leaves floating off incrementally. It was a lovely November afternoon in the Crescent City with temperatures in the mid-fifties. Standing in the middle of all this, between two oak trees, was a man that hadn’t been in a Premium Championship Wrestling ring since 2013. He looks towards the sky as he begins to speak.
“‘Time takes it all, whether you want it to or not.’ Stephen King wrote that in his novel, The Green Mile. And time has taken a lot in the past six years, but every moment in that timeframe has a story to tell. Every single moment in my career in this violent, combative industry, has a story to tell. One of those moments was when I stepped into the ring with Heather Monroe and left with my first-ever World Heavyweight Championship. Everyone seeing this will likely remember that moment. It was one I was afraid would never come. I got to savor that moment in this ring, surrounded by all the people I loved, surrounded by countless fans who cheered me on after I hit her with my finishing move in the center of that ring that fateful December evening nearly seven years ago.
“I don’t have any of those friends around anymore. Richelle is someone I came across for the first time in years just a few months ago. Adrianna Rivers married then divorced me. I put Chris Marks through hell in a Hell in a Cell match this past May. I made a lot of friends in the PCW locker room but #OneLastDance will be the first time I’ve seen them since the last time I actually was in a PCW locker room. It’s just crazy how different your circle can be in just a seven-year span. It makes me look at my current circle and wonder how drastically different it could be years from now. Maybe I lose touch with some people when they go in a direction that is best for them. Maybe there is a person hanging around me who is masquerading themselves as someone who is going to be my friend and partner a lot like Chris Marks did. Hey, it’s a cutthroat business…
“What has time done for you, Draven Logan Kennedy?”
The Dropkick King himself stands between the two trees with a smile on his face as he looks into the camera for the first time. His sunglasses are currently hanging on his left pocket in his blue jeans. He has his black leather jacket zipped up. Though he’s worn a lot of hats in recent years, he isn’t covering his head at this moment.
“I look at what time has taken from me, but also at what it has given me. It’s given me a lot, really. It’s given me an opportunity to be a part of some great wrestling organizations, even if the way my time here in PCW didn’t end the way I wanted it to… which I went into great detail when I spoke to Desiree Miles. I don’t regret the matches I’ve taken part in, regardless of the result. I don’t regret the friends I made, whether those friendships lasted or I haven’t spoken to that person in a great amount of time. I don’t regret putting on the best show I possibly can for every company, every opponent, and every fan. THW, EXODUS Pro, Inferno, #FSociety, NGW, HYBRID...all of it was a part of this journey that I’m on, and while I wrestled before PCW, this journey honestly began in PCW.
“But it appears as though your journey ended in PCW, Draven Logan Kennedy. You stepped away from the spotlight. You stepped away from the ring. You stepped away from even social media. I can’t even confirm if you know this match is happening, and we’re getting closer and closer to the date of this show. But I was assured you’re coming so I’m going forward. So this is my question to you…
“What have you been doing the past seven years?”
Cochrane’s voice remains calm. His tone wasn’t so much as an attack on Kennedy so much as it was curiosity.
“What caused PCW to be the end of the line? This wasn’t the only place you fought in. You were around before PCW. You had friends, allies, and ambitions. A lot like I did, I’m sure you’ve had people enter and exit your circle. The people you had around you in PCW may have gone their separate ways, or they still will be sitting at the table with you at your Thanksgiving dinner in a couple of weeks. I’m not going to pretend to know. That’s why I ask.
“The biggest reason why is I keep looking at this match and I remember the 2012 version of Draven Logan Kennedy. But I can’t do that. That’s not fair to you. That’s not fair to this match. Because I’m not the 2012 version of Adrien Cochrane anymore. That person doesn’t exist. And I shouldn’t assume based on your lack of public appearances that everything is the same. That’s a flawed way of thinking. Now, if you still are that version of yourself, then I will be disappointed. I’d be disappointed because that shows a lack of growth. That shows a lack of self-awareness, and it shows the lack of ambition that you seemed to have so much of back in the day. I really hope you’ve grown as a man, Draven. I hope you have taken the same spiritual journey I have in realizing that the man in the mirror is not perfect and can be a better man. I hope you look back at the 2012 version of yourself and say ‘Wow, I’ve really matured and improved myself as a human being’ the way I have.
“And believe me when I say I have. I’m not going around, parading your win/loss record in PCW. I’m not talking about the way I had defeated you in this match or that match. I’ve gotten a lot better at interpersonal relationships, as I failed fantastically at that in my youth. I point out again the track record of people I had in my life now and their lack of existence in it now. I meant well, and tried my best to do what I thought was the right thing, but let’s face it: I was a worse human being back in 2012 than I am in 2019. I’ve learned a lot more. I’ve gotten smarter about how to go about things. I’ve outright gotten better at life. And most people will undergo this kind of transformation in seven years. That’s just human nature. I was a young kid in my mid-twenties, for Christ’s sake.
“I let a lot of people down. Not intentionally. But I did. Can you say the same for yourself? Have you worked on being a better man in your time away from the ring?”
Adrien takes a step closer towards the camera. The blue in his eyes is easier to see.
“This industry changes people. Whether it is for the better or for the worse, that depends on the person and the environment you put them in. This industry made me learn lessons the hard way. And I’ve become the wrestler I am today from all of those experiences. And one of the things that I’ve learned from my time here in this ring is that sometimes, you learn more from a loss than you do from a win.
“Losing the PCW Championship and my place on this roster when I didn’t even know it was on the line when I came into the ring? That was a wake-up call. That taught me to never take any show for granted, fight as if your next match could be your last match.
“Losing the EXODUS Pro World Heavyweight Championship just after winning it a month and a half before to the same people I was in a previous triple threat match with? That taught me that the friendships you have can be broken by selfish ambition and the pursuit for glory and that you can’t let your past cloud your judgment on who a person is in the present.
“Losing the #FSociety Championship taught me that you may be able to win on any given Sunday, but when the talents between you and your opponent comes down to a coinflip, you have to be rolling on all cylinders to keep winning, even if you and your opponent split previous matches.
“Some of them weren’t even title matches. Some of them, I wasn’t even pinned. Some of them, I might even technically have been the victor. The point is: all of these matches that I’ve been in since the last time we’ve been in the ring as opponents… all of those experiences have made me into a stronger competitor and a better wrestler. I’ve fought in over a hundred matches since our last bout, Draven… about one hundred twenty-two by Eddie’s count. All those matches have led me to seven more championships and a tournament victory, with me currently holding a tag team championship under a freebird rule and contending for another singles title. And all those matches have led me to you.
“You’re going to be rusty, but I can’t take you for granted. I’ve made that mistake way too many times. Part of me feels like I made that particular mistake and led to me dropping the Platinum Championship in our last contest. And this isn’t just some match to impress the higher-ups that I deserve championship opportunities down the line either. We are tied in the all-time head-to-head record. This is about making sure I put to bed the demons of my past. This is about getting a monkey off my back.
“Fact is, this is a rare opportunity to put to settle an old score that seemed completely unlikely I would get a second chance at. And for that reason, I have to give you my everything, Draven. This isn’t some shot for glory or for prestige. This isn’t about a championship or for a key victory to put on my résumé. I’m not trying to build something off this match. This is a one-stop finale. This is the end of me and you. Right now, this is the most important fight I have going on, and I do have other things going on in my wrestling life. But until that final bell sounds, you are the target. You are my focus. Everything else can wait. I have to defeat you, Draven Logan Kennedy, to put all of those doubts from my best to rest. You are the blip in my record books and one that I’ve finally been given a chance to remedy.
“My question is this: what do you get out of this? Bragging rights before you go right back to retirement? The chance to rub it in my face one last time before we never cross paths again? It’s hard for me to gauge you because the 2019 version of Draven Logan Kennedy is so much of an unknown quantity. But my point is this: this match means a lot more to me than it does to you. This match is more important to me than it is to you. I need this win more than you do. I’m trying to build momentum before I begin the next year of my career after our match. I can step into the ring in my match after ours knowing that I’ve handled my past and feel more comfortable looking forward with whatever goals come to me instead of looking back with regret. What is this to you? A chance to unretire? I feel like you would have given us an appearance by now with that intent if it was your intent. I just don’t see your angle in wanting this match with me in the first place. It could be a favor to PCW management for all I know.”
Adrien takes another step forward and looks down for a brief second. He looks back up and takes his sunglasses off his thigh as if he was going to be putting them on his face after he wraps up the video.
“Draven Logan Kennedy, we’ve done this dance many times. This will be our last one. The show’s name is kinda fitting, isn’t it? #OneLastDance for Adrien Cochrane and Draven Logan Kennedy… it’s like fate put us on this journey to finish our interlocked story with this final bout. I earnestly wish you the best in your future after this match. I hope the Draven Logan Kennedy of today is greater than the man I knew years ago. I hope that you have one of the most fulfilling lives once the bell rings, and our match concludes. But when we step into that ring, Draven, I have one goal and one goal only: to pin you to the mat for a three count. Once that match starts, I will do everything in my power to showcase how I’ve been able to have the career I’ve had since you last wrestled me. I will give you everything… EVERYTHING that I’ve got. All the blood, all the sweat, and all the tears. Whatever is necessary for me to make sure that I prove that I am the better combatant. If you want to take that from me, Draven, you’re going to have to do it the hard way. You’re going to have to fight like you haven’t fought in years. You’re going to have to pry this victory from my cold, dead hands. I refuse to let this rivalry of ours end with you getting one over on me before going back to the retirement home.
“I will win at #OneLastDance. If you disagree with me, you’re going to have to beat me in that ring. After all these years, do you think you have it in you? Don’t tell me. Show me. In the ring. One. Last. Dance.”
The light on the horizon was brighter yesterday,
With shadows floating over, the scars began to fade
We said it was forever but then it slipped away,
Standing at the end of the final masquerade
The final masquerade, the final masquerade
Standing at the end of the final masquerade
The light on the horizon was brighter yesterday,
With shadows floating over, the scars began to fade
We said it was forever but then it slipped away,
Standing at the end of the final masquerade
Standing at the end of the final masquerade
Standing at the end of the final masquerade
The final masquerade
