Redemption Story

[Ben M]

The scene opened in a dark room. Inside the room, a man was sitting on a chair, his head bowed. The man had long, dark, wet hair, and he was sitting there silently, deep in though. As the camera zoomed in on him, the man looked up. It was Adam Cole, and his eyes seemed to glimmer with intensity as he began to speak.

Adam Cole: As 2023 drew to a close, it felt like everything was going my way. I was the Breakout Champion, the Gateway Champion, and I was unstoppable. At Christmas Eve of Destruction, I beat Will Ospreay, the man who is supposedly one of the best wrestlers in the world right now… and I drove him out of EBWF. He couldn’t handle being second best to Adam Cole, and that victory gave me confidence. I decided it was time to cash in my chips, so to speak… so I traded in my Gateway Championship for a shot at the EBWF World Title. I knew it wouldn’t be easy to dethrone Damian Priest, but I’ll be honest with you; I backed myself to be the one to do it. Hell, it even felt written in the stars. But it wasn’t to be, and at Last Survivor, Damian Priest bested me. Of course I was disappointed, but I promised each and every one of you, including Damian Priest, that if I lost that match, I’d come back fighting. So, a few weeks ago, I showed up, ready to fight… and the first man that stepped up to fight me was Aiden English. I put my Breakout Championship on the line, and once again, I lost.

Cole looked down again, shaking his head. It was obvious that his recent losses to Damian Priest and Aiden English were eating away at him.

Adam Cole: I had everything, and now, I have nothing. But this isn’t a story of sadness, EBWF fans; I’m not looking for your pity. No, my story is one of redemption. Because as much as those defeats to Damian Priest and Aiden English stung, they’ve made me more determined than ever to turn things around. Setbacks have a way of revealing one’s true character, and they’ve ignited a fire in me to come back stronger. Tonight, I have the change to get things back on track in the Gateway Championship tournament. A new champion will be crowned at Fallout… three wins, and I’ll be able to reclaim the championship I traded in for a World Title opportunity. The first man standing in my path is arguably the most conceited wrestler on the EBWF roster… Maxwell Jacob Friedman, MJF.

Cole rolled his eyes, showing his disdain for MJF.

Adam Cole: The worst thing about MJF isn’t his arrogance, though… it’s his laziness. When MJF first came to EBWF, he showed a lot of potential. He was cocky then too, but he also seemed to have a chip on his shoulder; a determination to prove to everyone that he really is “better than you, and you know it”. These days, he doesn’t seem to think he has anything to prove, which is strange, because he hasn’t proven a damn thing since he got here. Seriously, Max… you’ve been in EBWF for over two years, and you haven’t won any championships yet. I can’t even remember the last time you won a match! Your claims to be better than me, and everyone else on the EBWF roster, have proved to be nothing more than empty boasts. And the last time you were supposed to fight me, you didn’t even show up. You sent Powerhouse Hobbs instead. Maybe you’ll say you’ve got nothing to prove, maybe you’ll say that you’ve stopped showing up because the EBWF fans don’t deserve you, or maybe you’ll come up with a more creative excuse. But I know the truth, Max. You’ve given up because you’ve finally realised that you’re not as good as you think you are, and you’d rather not try at all than risk trying and failing.

Cole shook his head, as if disgusted.

Adam Cole: Pathetic. I’ve never liked you Max, but now I’ve realised you’re a coward, I’ve lost what little respect I have for you to. Honestly, you’re lucky you’ve been included in this Gateway Championship, because there are plenty of other guys on the roster who deserve the opportunity far more than you do. I just hope you at least show up tonight… but maybe it’s best if you don’t. Because mark my words, if you do step into the ring with me, it doesn’t matter how hard you try, you won’t be able to compete. Because when that bell rings, and we lock up, I’m going to prove once and for all… that I’m better than you, bay bay.

Cole pointed to himself with his thumb and mouthed the word “boom” as the scene drew to a close.