The scene fades in slowly as we find ourselves at an unusual location. We’re at a junkyard, looking at rows of crushed and mangled cars stacked on top of each other. Old machinery that hasn’t served its purpose for a long time is everywhere. It’s bright and early, so we don’t hear a thing. But if you could smell through that camera lens, you’d smell nothing but oil and rust.
We hear footsteps coming from the left. David Stryker slowly walks in, clad in dark sneakers, ripped jeans and a black Jinjer t-shirt peaking from under his unbuttoned denim jacket.
David hops onto one of the old cars and takes a seat on the front hood of it. The cameraman takes a few steps closer to focus on him.
“At WrestleVersary, the biggest night of AWS‘ year and so far the biggest night of my career… Our family had two very different experiences,“ he opens.
„By the time my father survived the brutal Empty Asylum match and retained his Undisputed Championship… My head was still ringing.“
David takes a second, still processing.
„I know it had to happen sooner or rather. The first loss in my career. I just didn’t count with it happening like that. I thought I had the right approach, the right strategy… But when a man twice your size just runs through you like that, there’s nothing you can do,“ he shrugs.
„I know I’ll be back for a rematch with Boone. I’ll take my win back. I mean, he needs the money, he’ll take any match he can, right?“ he chuckles. „But until then… I’ll focus on what I need to do to progress my career. And it looks like AWS has found their overarching story for me, haven’t they?“
He moves his right hand in the air as if he’s writing something.
„Yung Switchblade versus veteran giants,“ he says, then folds his arms across his chest.
„After Boone, I now have to face Jamal Payne. Another guy who was wrestling ten years before I was born! I guess the bookers of the promotions are really trying to show me the ropes and help me get experience, booking me against these guys, right?“ he asks in a sarcastic tone, then chuckles.
„If that’s the case, they don’t get it. Let me remind you of something. I am a THIRD GENERATION pro wrestler. The first steps I took were next to a wrestling ring. I don’t need to learn from somebody like that. Everything I need to know has been running in my veins since day one!“
His voice echoes through the scrapyard.
„You think I need to learn about wrestling from a hardware store clerk that had to be talked into becoming a wrestler?“ he asks and shakes his head in disgust.
„I’ll give it to you Jamal, no matter how you started, you’ve been in this business for almost 30 years. That longevity is incredible. But at some point, you have to acknowledge that each year brings more and more wear and tear. Each year, the strikes and bumps hurt a little bit more. Especially from someone fresh like me.
David leans forward slightly, resting his elbows on his knees, eyes locked on the camera.
„Jamal… I respect the miles on your body. You don’t survive that long by accident. I respect the fact you’ve lasted nearly three decades in a business that chews people up in five years and spits them out like the scrap lying all around me. But that doesn’t mean I’ll hesitate to send you to the same junkyard with one swift strike. No matter how much you’ll try to show off your power against me, mister Freight Train,“ he says Jamal’s nickname with disrespect in his voice.
„Cause that’s the only thing you rely on, isn’t it? Raw power. When you don’t have the brains to beat your opponent, just use all the muscle. To me, that just means that this rusty Freight Train has been running on the same old track for all those years. I’ve studied you, Jamal. I know where the Freight Train is gonna stop before it gets there.“
He slides off the car slowly. His sneakers crunch against gravel as he takes a few steps towards the camera.
„That’s what I learned at WrestleVersary, Jamal. Respect doesn’t win matches, but adaptation does. And that’s something you can’t do anymore. At Assault, I’ll lead the rusty old Freight Train to its last stop. And send it right here, where it belongs.“
We fade to black.