Sometimes life throws you a curveball and you wind up in the shit. Life suddenly gets flipped upside down and there’s jack all you can do about it. I know; I’ve been there. You have to deal with it the best you can; make the best of a bad situation. You’ll come out better for it in the long run. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, right?
Other times you wind up in the shit of your own volition. You fuck up, you know how to fix it but your damn pride stands in the way. I know; I’ve been there too. Forget your pride, sort it out. Whatever it takes. You’ll be damn glad you did.
I’ve experienced both of these situations over the past couple of years. I’ve been kidnapped, brainwashed, used and abused. Forced to attack those I consider friends. And then I messed up my marriage, my career and my friendships. But I took time out, I fixed my mistakes and I’d like to think I’m on my way to a better place.
So now I find myself back on the books of the MWA alongside people I hurt, the people that saved me and the person who put me through hell. And you know what? I’m ok with that. I come to work and I see Earls, I see Kendall, I see Gabe. And I just get on with it.
And how ironic that my first singles match back in the MWA is against one of the men who were responsible for freeing me from my abduction ordeal. I owe a lot to those guys. Steve Pinex helped reunite me with my family. I may not have been alive today if it wasn’t for him, and those like him, who love this company and will stand against anyone who dares threaten it.
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[August Joyce is stood in his apartment looking out of the window, the view of his home city of Vancouver spread out in front of him. He has a cup of coffee in his hands and sips it slowly as the steam rises up into his face.]
“You ready?” A voice comes from off screen, deep and powerful.
Joyce turns to see his friend, Benjamin Doi, gym bag in hand.
August nods. “Yea, just about.” He peers over Ben’s shoulder, looking into the hallway behind him. “Spike not with you?”
“Nah, he’s meetin’ us there.”
“Ok.” August takes another sip of coffee.
He looks back out of the window again and Ben can tell there’s something on his friends mind. Ben tosses the gym bag onto a chair and walks over to admire the view next to his former partner.
“What’s on ya mind, man?” Doi asks.
August sighs, taking a moment before responding. “It’s just… after all this time, after all I’ve been through… to be back in the MWA; it’s a little surreal. I have this great new contract, I’m aligned with a man who’s one of my heroes and I’ve got a one-on-one match with Steve Pinex, the MWA World Heavweight Champion, this Monday at the Stadio Olimpico. The frickin’ Stadio Olimpico, Ben. You seen that place? It’s MASSIVE!”
Doi laughs. “Yea, I seen it.” He pats August on the shoulder. “An’ I don’t think the stadium should be yo major concern!”
“I know, I know.” August says. “But it’s just… when me and Tim went out there in the Egg Dome, it was such a rush. The number of people, the lights, the cameras. I’ve missed that. Don’t get me wrong, Peach State is great; it’s good for the soul. But I’ve kind of gotten used to fighting in front of a few hundred people every month. Going from Dixieland Fun Park to the frickin’ Stadio Olimpico? That’s insane.”
“I get ya.” Doi says with a smile. “It is insane. But aint it also brilliant?”
August laughs. “Yes, yes it is. And let’s be honest, did you ever see me being in the same ring as the MWA World Champion? Because I sure as hell didn’t.”
“Well let’s get movin’, man. Me an’ Spike gonna work you hard, make sure yo ass is ready for this match. It’s one helluva opportunity, I wanna make sure you take the bull… or dragon in this case… by the goddam horns. I honestly believe you got the skills to take down Pinex. An’ if you go out to the frickin’ Stadio Olimpico and kick his sorry ass in front of all them thousands of fans? The world is your fuckin’ oyster, my friend.”
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You know a lot of people; a LOT of people; talk trash about Steve Pinex and his year long title reign. They think he’s being protected; they think he should give it up and step aside for the new generation of talent that’s growing here in this great company. And yet they constantly fail to usurp him from his position at the top of the MWA. They constantly fail to wrestle that MWA World Heavyweight Championship away from him. And I think there are two key reasons for that…
There are two types of people who go up against Pinex; those who respect him and those who despise him.
Those who respect him fail because of that respect, you can’t give that guy an inch or he’ll take a frickin’ parsec and before you know it you’re flat on your back with a lovely view of the MWA lighting rig.
And those who despise him are all egotistical bastards who go into that ring dripping with confidence and come out dripping in their own piss.
I fall into neither of these two categories.
Yes I have some respect for the guy, I mean anyone who holds a title that long deserves his kudos. And yes I have confidence in my own abilities; I call myself the Peoples Choice for a reason. But when I step through those ropes I’m not going to let up my attack for one second. I’m not going to let my ego get the better of me. I’m not going to make the same mistake that every other person to challenge Steve Pinex has made.
And that’s because I don’t care if I win or lose.
That’s not due to the MWA title not being on the line, I’d take the same approach if it were. I’m just making my comeback, getting my career back on track. At this point a defeat at the hands of Steve Pinex aint gonna make a jot of difference, I mean everyone out there will be expecting that outcome. But what if I give Pinex a run for his money, take him to his very limits or push him further than anyone believed possible? Hell, what if I go out there and beat his ass? What would that do for me at this stage in my career?
You see, at the Stadio Olimpico I have nothing to lose and everything to gain.