Post by The Ace on Sept 24, 2008 13:35:26 GMT -6
*The scene opens on The Ace sitting in the Corporate Empire locker-room, watching the large plasma screen television. He is dressed in an old Empire yellow and green joke T-Shirt branded 'North, West, South...Firing In Every Direction', blue jeans, black and white bandana and shades...he regards the camera wiith a smirk...*
And so it all comes down to this, the finals of Road To The Gold II...and I face a man that not only I know so well, but also a man who I put on the shelf for a month around this time last year...as he has been kind enough to remind all of you in his last promo...and as such I don't necessarily need to walk down that particular road again, because the point of cracking Philip Burns in the face with my weapon of choice has already been well documented, and now a year on, Burns is still as delusional now as he was back then...
*The Ace sighs*
I often make it a point to tell those people who confuse the man with the moniker, I make a point to give them a brutal education into just who I am, but we've already been down that road haven't we Burns? September 30th, 2007...as a young rookie in this company, I took it upon myself to show the veterans of nCw that this new blood would not run without spilling the blood of the old...that the fresh blood would not boil without burning out the old blood which would ultimately dry on my hands and that an old rusty nail could still be hammered, no matter how new and shiny the hammer was...
*The Ace smirks*
Did I just call myself a tool? Yes, yes I suppose I did...and whilst that may give you a few laughs Phil, consider that I have already proven myself to be the tool of your destruction once, and if you continue to underestimate me, I will do so again at this year's Road To The Gold...do you still feel like laughing? No? Funny because I do...
*The Ace laughs, but then suddenly stops becoming serious again...*
But let's not lose focus here, as amusing as it is to remember the dumbfounded look on your face after you crumbled to the mat, clutching your face, you know that if you laugh at me, I will not hesitate to shove those giggling gums so far down your throat, your new moniker will be the Burning Sensation...BS...I like it, it works on so many levels and fits you so perfectly, wouldn't you agree? And if you doubt my ability to do so, simply because I have a family now, that love has somehow humbled me, I say this, my love is as pure as my hate, one can not exist without the other...my love only consumes me for my wife and daughter...no one else, all others see only the darkness of my hate, whilst Kathy and Solitaire see the light of my love...but I don't need to justify this to you, if you don't believe I am still the man capable of unbridled hate, I say wait until after the 28th of September and then try, just try to tell me the same...
*The Ace sighs*
But of course I digress...despite the fact that I almost kicked your teeth down your throat the first time we met in that ring, and despite the fact that I am fixing to do it yet in a matter of a few short days, I cannot deny that you, Phillip Burns, have me trumped so far as it applies to competing in an actual Road To The Gold Tournament, and as I often say, there can be no real substitute for that kind of experience...so much like you did earlier, I will take our audience back to the beginning...but not to the beginning of our rivalry...no, no, no...I will take people back to the beginning of your first trip down the road we're heading down this Sunday...and to think, some people have the cheek to criticise me for not researching my opponent too thoroughly...
*The Ace smirks as the image fades into some footage, dated August 12th, 2007...*
~Robbins pulls his arm back and slaps Burning across the face and climbs back up to the turnbuckle and begins playing to the crowd some more, once again though he is pulled off by Burns. Robbins looks furious but he doesn't have time to be because before he knows it Burning has him in the Iron Claw! He falls to the mat on his back and Burning comes with him refusing to relinquish the hold ~
*The Ace's voice drowns out the commentary as the footage plays*
So this is where it all began, you faced some nobody I could care less about and a man who is no longer here in this first round match, and I'll admit it's impressive the way you're making that little piddly ass tap, in what was one of the shortest matches ever televised...
~Eventually the pain is too much as Robbins is tapping out. The ref he shoved earlier calls for the bell and the match is over! Winner by submission THE BURNING, who advances in the Road to the Gold tournament
Eric Hardy: Burning wins in what has to be the shortest match in the nCw so far Kelly.
Kelly Fox: Yeah, Burning was determined and had a point to prove…… that he was the most boring wrestler to ever step in a ring. I think he was pretty successful at that too.
Eric Hardy: Just have to bring everybody down don't you Kelly….
Kelly Fox: No, but if I didn't this broadcast would be about as boring as Burning there...~
*The camera cuts back to The Ace*
But he wasn't me...and whilst I admit it was rather an impressive outing, when you're feeling on top, the only logical way left to go is down, and I guarantee that making me tap out won't be nearly as easy as that...
*Some footage dated August 19th, 2007 fades in*
~The Burning climbs back into the ring but asks the referee to keep Tank back. Burning climbs into the ring and Tank takes a run towards him as Burns gives him a single arm lariat, Tank is back up and Burns hits him with another single arm lariat, Tank is back to his feet once more as Burns nails him with a huge clothesline and makes a cover but doesn't get a 1 count out of it! Burns rolls Tank over and clamps on the STF! Tank is fighting as the referee is asking him if he wants to quit! Tank refuses and begins to slowly power his way to the ropes and does! The referee starts to count as Burns lets go of the submission hold. Tank is trying to shake off the effects of the STF as Burns drops an elbow on the back of the neck of Tank! Burns picks up Tank and lifts him up in a stalling suplex and then drops him down! Back to his feet, he holds up his hand and signals for the Iron Claw! Tank is slow to get back to his feet as Burns CLAMPS ON THE IRON CLAW! The Tank slides to the side and grabs the hand and arm of The Burning in the same process, he lifts Burns up and belly to back suplex! Both men are down and out as the crowd is going wild!~
*Once again, The Ace's voice drowns out the commentary*
So this was the next step, another piddly ass who was drowned out in the wave of new talent which flooded nCw in the following months, but to his credit, Tank, like me was wise to your act, you tried to put him down just as easily you had Robbins the previous week, but you couldn't...you knew you had to find another way...and you did...just barely...
~(Kelly throws her headset off of her head and starts around the table as The News is begins walking around the side of the ring and is yelling at her to stop! The Burning is back to his feet as he reaches over and grabs Kelly by her hair and the crowd begins to cheer him!}
Eric Hardy: Kelly NO! Somebody help her please!
{Kelly breaks loose of the clutch of Burns as he turns around and The Tank scoops up The Burning and looks to deliver a power slam, but Burning wiggles his way out of it and grabs Tank and BURN NOTICE! Burning lifts both legs and his holding Tank down as much as he can!}
1….
2….
3….!!!! Tank tries to kick out but he's just a little bit late! THE BURNING ADVANCES IN THE TOURNAMENT!
{Kelly Fox shakes her head in disgust as the crowd gives him a mixed reaction as the referee raises the arm of Burning in victory as The News climbs into the ring with him to celebrate. Kelly heads back to the announce table.)~
*The scene cuts back to The Ace mockingly clapping*
Congratulations, you beat Tank using a move I'm not only familar with, and have in my repetoire, but also a move I fell to, when you delivered it to me at Transgression on the 11th of November last year, making us even...but you know what that means, don't you? It means that I am now throughly prepared for exactly that kind of offence from you...and I shall not fall for it so easily again...you may have out maneuvered me that once, but please don't insult me by thinking it will be that simple again...Son of Sol...please...yet further prove of your delusions of grandeur I'd say, but hey the new moniker was apparently enough motivation for you to have your revenge that night...but hey, even your precious Julia noted that you got lucky when you survived our first encounter, maybe a little of that luck trickled into our second encounter, I cannot say for sure...but what I can say for sure is I curse the bitch now that I know she was the one who convinced you to return, no matter though, I'm willing to finish the job I started way back then...and Philip know this, it was not the only way I could have beaten you that night...it was simply the easiest and yes it was enormously satisfying, despite what you might think...
*The Ace chuckles*
Your wife believed that tyranny and brute force are not enough to breakdown the sacred bond of sportsmanship, maybe they aren't but they were certainly enough to break your face and your faith and your will, even if only for the briefest of moments, they were broken, and once upon a time that really would have been enough for me, but no, you had to return, to once again try and be the hero nobody but your precious wife gave a damn about...and in a promise to her, you wanted to set the trend of not letting men like me get away with it, but more importantly, you wanted to do this on your own, without No Warning Shots...
*The Ace points to his joke T-Shirt before tearing it off of himself with both hands...*
What were you gonna do? That's what we all wondered, and on October 28th, 2007 we got our answer, you took us down one by one and for a while you rode that high into a victory against me at Transgression...but then what happened to the rejuvenated Philip Burns? The burning light was once again extinguished as you fell slowly into obscurity once again...what once burned brighter was doused in the waters of reality and drowned...but it wasn't your first fall from grace was it, Burns?
*Some footage dated August 26th, 2007 fades in*
~Ortega reaches down, reaching into The News' pocket pulling out the handcuff's key. Burning is screaming at him and begins to step through the ropes but is taken from behind by Lance Ryan who turns him around. Burning screams at him but gets a quick kick in the stomach and lifted up and Ryan his the Train Spike! He covers 1…2…3… **WINNER: Lance Ryan** Lance Ryan wins and is the first person to be in the nCw Road to the Gold finals!~
*The scene cuts back to The Ace*
You and your little buddy tried to cheat your way into the finals, and to think you had the gall to criticise us in The Empire of our underhanded tactics, Burns, let me enlighten you a little here sunshine, you see despite you thinking you can take the moral high ground against a guy like me, I have proven that you are no different to the rest of them, when a real challenge presents itself, even the best can fall to less than honest means as you did when the man who would go on to become the most dominant nCw Champion in history stood before you, but of course it never worked quite the way you thought it would did it? You failed...
*The Ace laughs as he holds up a DVD cover for the camera*
Lance Ryan got the DVD cover, not Philip Burns, Lance Ryan got the respect, not Philip Burns, Lance Ryan got the admiration, not Philip Burns, but most importantly Lance Ryan got the nCw World Heavyweight Championship, not Philip Burns...you fell at the final hurdle, and who took your place? A man who would become almost as legendary as Lance Ryan in his own right, but for an entirely different reason...Davey Ortega...Ortega took your concept of choking when it counted most and made it into an artform, and even that garnered him more respect from me than anything you have ever done to date, Phil...
*the Ace raises an eyebrow*
Doesn't that say it all? But of course let's not be too harsh, you may not have been the headline choke artist that year, but you were a part of the Pay Per View...you were given a chance to redeem yourself...you were given a second chance, another shot at that brass ring, only it wasn't nearly as prestigious...after all you had been through, your road to the gold wasn't over...or was it?
*Some footage captioned Road to the Gold 2007 in the lower left corner of the screen fades in*
~Manson is helped to his feet by the Burning who takes him by the back of the head and is looking for his Burn Notice but Manson fights through the move and shoves Burning off. Burning looks to come back immediately with a clothesline but Manson kicks him in the gut before he can… he places Burning's head between his legs and lifts him off the ground into a powerbomb position, he bombs him down onto his knees as he's just hit his Maniac Spine crusher! Burning rolls off Manson's knees and Manson makes the cover 1…2…3! Winner Jack Manson!~
*Once again The Ace's voice drown out the commentary*
Oh dear...apparently it was...
*The Ace laughs*
Jack Manson overcame your best move with relative ease there, didn't he? And so too shall I...
~{Manson helps Burning to his feet and shakes his hand as his music is blaring and he makes his way out of the ring with his National Title belt to the roar of the crowd.}~
*The scene cuts back to The Ace*
But I promise you Burns that is where any similarities between myself and Jack Manson end, you see I'd rather make a statement by breaking - not shaking - your hand, and believe me I'll make it look damn cool on TV, don't worry about that...
*The Ace laughs, recalling Burns' last question to his wife before losing consciousness, a moment The Ace was looking forward to repeating, only this time without a syringe full of sedative...*
You see Phil, its not about whether I remember the previous chapters of our rivalry, but whether you will ever be able to forget the pivotal one, the crux which is yet to be penned at this year's Road To The Gold...I am betting you won't and I promise you that you too will know, as they all will by the end of the night, you will know not only my name, but also you will know me as the Road To The Gold 2008 Winner, but also as your new nCw
World Heavyweight Champion...
*The Ace confidently smirks*
As I've said before, history can be a great teacher if you choose to learn from it, but rather than learn what you hope to make me feel, all you have really shown me with that nifty little package is that you can be broken down and that once in a great while you can get lucky...but like everything in your life, that luck is fleeting and ultimately it is finite...maybe I'm biased but I think my little trip down memory lane gave us all a much clearer picture of what I face this Sunday - a man who is a failure regardless of how many reincarnations he may go through...but I will not deny that the times have indeed changed, as has my weapon of choice, and in the spirit of that change, you have allowed yourself to fall under the delusion that if the weapon has changed, then so too must have the one who wields it...
*The Ace grins*
Not so...just ask Xavier Williams about last week, from one hopeless Crusader against the might of the Corporate Empire to another, you too obviously will have so much in common after Sunday...I make my statements loud and clear and I will make one right now...I will not lose to you...and this yellow coward you see me as will become the chameleon to become one not only the golden road he walks down, but also the golden belt that lies at the end of it...and then all your speculations about me will be just like you, they wont mean a damn thing! You see Phil, what you need to realise is that I ride shotgun to nobody, I am the damn shotgun pressed against your temple, and this Sunday, the trigger will be pulled and our game of Russian Roulette will finally end...and then...finally, this original Smokin' Ace will be the Smokin' Gun to reduce that which once was Burning to ashes...nothing more....nothing less...my only regret is that they wont be as lovely as Amber...
*The Ace grins, thinking of the hot little announcer proclaiming him the winner twice this Sunday...at that moment, Steve arrives, carrying little Solitaire, who is screaming her head off...The Ace leaps up and grabs his daughter from her Godfather...*
Dude! What did you do?
Steve: I don't know...
*Steve looks genuinely confused as The Ace cradles his daughter*
Shhhh....what's a matter, sweet-pea? Daddy's here now...it's ok...good girl...
*Solitaire quietens down*
Damn dude, I leave her with you for five minutes! I'm trying to cut a promo here! Damn, I wish Kathy was here...
*Steve cradles his World Championship instead*
Steve: At least my baby's alot quieter than yours...
Not really...I can hear her screaming for me too...
*The two men share an awkward stare before laughing it off....*
Steve: Bring it!
I intend to, but first I have to shut Burns up...he thinks I'll hesitate to take you down when I get into the final...but of course you know I never hesitate to take anyone down...
*The two men look uneasy at one another*
Nothing personal...just business...
*Steve looks taken aback by the comments from his partner...The Ace bursts out laughing...*
PRICELESS! Absolutely priceless...the look on your face just then, oh dude if only I had a camera!
*Both men laugh but The Ace lets his eyes rest on the belt in Steve's lap for a moment longer than he should have, he snaps back to attention*
Burns, you think I'm not the same man who put you out a year ago, think again sunshine, I will have absolutely no hesitation in doing it again or of facing Steve...sure its not an ideal scenario, but once something has been burned out, all that really remains is the smoke...once you have faced the fire, you must survive the smoke, Steve knows this as well as I do, and no matter what happens on Sunday, our main event will guarantee the thing that is most important to us...that the belt stays with the Corporate Empire and with people who are...
Both men: Simply better than you...
You think marriage has taken the fight out of me, then obviously you do not understand that I married a fighter, a woman who never backs down, just like her husband...but at least your wise enough not to bring my wife into this, unfortunately you will still be punished for your ignorance this Sunday...you see some people think emotional attachments make you week, but that is not always the case as you will soon discover for yourself Phil...you can promise me that if I choose to bring my rake into play that it will be the last time, I choose not to indulge you in your wild promises, instead I will simply say that though you are uncertain that everrything has changed, I promisr you that it has not and it will not...
*The Ace smirks*
See Burns, you've fallen into the classic trap of dismissing me as some clueless grinning idiot who repeats everything like a parrot, sure you're not the first to make this assumption and I doubt you will be the last, but opinion is not fact no matter how popular it may be and this week I will show you that my words, like my actions will count...it's just a shame, you haven't realised it yet...
*The Ace sighs*
You may have finished with me Burns, but I've only just started with you, now I know I'm no longer wearing the yellow shirt I was earlier, but by all means...you better start training, eating your vitamins for all I care, even saying your damn prayers...but all that wont mean a damn thing in the end, infact I'm willing to wager that you'll be thanking me for saving you from choking in the main event like last year's Road To The Gold finalist...the cards you have to deal with this Sunday aren't ones that can be burned...no, this will be a game of two halves and it will only end with two of a kind...nothing more...nothing less...
*The Ace smiles, cuddling his daughter as the camera fades away...*
And so it all comes down to this, the finals of Road To The Gold II...and I face a man that not only I know so well, but also a man who I put on the shelf for a month around this time last year...as he has been kind enough to remind all of you in his last promo...and as such I don't necessarily need to walk down that particular road again, because the point of cracking Philip Burns in the face with my weapon of choice has already been well documented, and now a year on, Burns is still as delusional now as he was back then...
*The Ace sighs*
I often make it a point to tell those people who confuse the man with the moniker, I make a point to give them a brutal education into just who I am, but we've already been down that road haven't we Burns? September 30th, 2007...as a young rookie in this company, I took it upon myself to show the veterans of nCw that this new blood would not run without spilling the blood of the old...that the fresh blood would not boil without burning out the old blood which would ultimately dry on my hands and that an old rusty nail could still be hammered, no matter how new and shiny the hammer was...
*The Ace smirks*
Did I just call myself a tool? Yes, yes I suppose I did...and whilst that may give you a few laughs Phil, consider that I have already proven myself to be the tool of your destruction once, and if you continue to underestimate me, I will do so again at this year's Road To The Gold...do you still feel like laughing? No? Funny because I do...
*The Ace laughs, but then suddenly stops becoming serious again...*
But let's not lose focus here, as amusing as it is to remember the dumbfounded look on your face after you crumbled to the mat, clutching your face, you know that if you laugh at me, I will not hesitate to shove those giggling gums so far down your throat, your new moniker will be the Burning Sensation...BS...I like it, it works on so many levels and fits you so perfectly, wouldn't you agree? And if you doubt my ability to do so, simply because I have a family now, that love has somehow humbled me, I say this, my love is as pure as my hate, one can not exist without the other...my love only consumes me for my wife and daughter...no one else, all others see only the darkness of my hate, whilst Kathy and Solitaire see the light of my love...but I don't need to justify this to you, if you don't believe I am still the man capable of unbridled hate, I say wait until after the 28th of September and then try, just try to tell me the same...
*The Ace sighs*
But of course I digress...despite the fact that I almost kicked your teeth down your throat the first time we met in that ring, and despite the fact that I am fixing to do it yet in a matter of a few short days, I cannot deny that you, Phillip Burns, have me trumped so far as it applies to competing in an actual Road To The Gold Tournament, and as I often say, there can be no real substitute for that kind of experience...so much like you did earlier, I will take our audience back to the beginning...but not to the beginning of our rivalry...no, no, no...I will take people back to the beginning of your first trip down the road we're heading down this Sunday...and to think, some people have the cheek to criticise me for not researching my opponent too thoroughly...
*The Ace smirks as the image fades into some footage, dated August 12th, 2007...*
~Robbins pulls his arm back and slaps Burning across the face and climbs back up to the turnbuckle and begins playing to the crowd some more, once again though he is pulled off by Burns. Robbins looks furious but he doesn't have time to be because before he knows it Burning has him in the Iron Claw! He falls to the mat on his back and Burning comes with him refusing to relinquish the hold ~
*The Ace's voice drowns out the commentary as the footage plays*
So this is where it all began, you faced some nobody I could care less about and a man who is no longer here in this first round match, and I'll admit it's impressive the way you're making that little piddly ass tap, in what was one of the shortest matches ever televised...
~Eventually the pain is too much as Robbins is tapping out. The ref he shoved earlier calls for the bell and the match is over! Winner by submission THE BURNING, who advances in the Road to the Gold tournament
Eric Hardy: Burning wins in what has to be the shortest match in the nCw so far Kelly.
Kelly Fox: Yeah, Burning was determined and had a point to prove…… that he was the most boring wrestler to ever step in a ring. I think he was pretty successful at that too.
Eric Hardy: Just have to bring everybody down don't you Kelly….
Kelly Fox: No, but if I didn't this broadcast would be about as boring as Burning there...~
*The camera cuts back to The Ace*
But he wasn't me...and whilst I admit it was rather an impressive outing, when you're feeling on top, the only logical way left to go is down, and I guarantee that making me tap out won't be nearly as easy as that...
*Some footage dated August 19th, 2007 fades in*
~The Burning climbs back into the ring but asks the referee to keep Tank back. Burning climbs into the ring and Tank takes a run towards him as Burns gives him a single arm lariat, Tank is back up and Burns hits him with another single arm lariat, Tank is back to his feet once more as Burns nails him with a huge clothesline and makes a cover but doesn't get a 1 count out of it! Burns rolls Tank over and clamps on the STF! Tank is fighting as the referee is asking him if he wants to quit! Tank refuses and begins to slowly power his way to the ropes and does! The referee starts to count as Burns lets go of the submission hold. Tank is trying to shake off the effects of the STF as Burns drops an elbow on the back of the neck of Tank! Burns picks up Tank and lifts him up in a stalling suplex and then drops him down! Back to his feet, he holds up his hand and signals for the Iron Claw! Tank is slow to get back to his feet as Burns CLAMPS ON THE IRON CLAW! The Tank slides to the side and grabs the hand and arm of The Burning in the same process, he lifts Burns up and belly to back suplex! Both men are down and out as the crowd is going wild!~
*Once again, The Ace's voice drowns out the commentary*
So this was the next step, another piddly ass who was drowned out in the wave of new talent which flooded nCw in the following months, but to his credit, Tank, like me was wise to your act, you tried to put him down just as easily you had Robbins the previous week, but you couldn't...you knew you had to find another way...and you did...just barely...
~(Kelly throws her headset off of her head and starts around the table as The News is begins walking around the side of the ring and is yelling at her to stop! The Burning is back to his feet as he reaches over and grabs Kelly by her hair and the crowd begins to cheer him!}
Eric Hardy: Kelly NO! Somebody help her please!
{Kelly breaks loose of the clutch of Burns as he turns around and The Tank scoops up The Burning and looks to deliver a power slam, but Burning wiggles his way out of it and grabs Tank and BURN NOTICE! Burning lifts both legs and his holding Tank down as much as he can!}
1….
2….
3….!!!! Tank tries to kick out but he's just a little bit late! THE BURNING ADVANCES IN THE TOURNAMENT!
{Kelly Fox shakes her head in disgust as the crowd gives him a mixed reaction as the referee raises the arm of Burning in victory as The News climbs into the ring with him to celebrate. Kelly heads back to the announce table.)~
*The scene cuts back to The Ace mockingly clapping*
Congratulations, you beat Tank using a move I'm not only familar with, and have in my repetoire, but also a move I fell to, when you delivered it to me at Transgression on the 11th of November last year, making us even...but you know what that means, don't you? It means that I am now throughly prepared for exactly that kind of offence from you...and I shall not fall for it so easily again...you may have out maneuvered me that once, but please don't insult me by thinking it will be that simple again...Son of Sol...please...yet further prove of your delusions of grandeur I'd say, but hey the new moniker was apparently enough motivation for you to have your revenge that night...but hey, even your precious Julia noted that you got lucky when you survived our first encounter, maybe a little of that luck trickled into our second encounter, I cannot say for sure...but what I can say for sure is I curse the bitch now that I know she was the one who convinced you to return, no matter though, I'm willing to finish the job I started way back then...and Philip know this, it was not the only way I could have beaten you that night...it was simply the easiest and yes it was enormously satisfying, despite what you might think...
*The Ace chuckles*
Your wife believed that tyranny and brute force are not enough to breakdown the sacred bond of sportsmanship, maybe they aren't but they were certainly enough to break your face and your faith and your will, even if only for the briefest of moments, they were broken, and once upon a time that really would have been enough for me, but no, you had to return, to once again try and be the hero nobody but your precious wife gave a damn about...and in a promise to her, you wanted to set the trend of not letting men like me get away with it, but more importantly, you wanted to do this on your own, without No Warning Shots...
*The Ace points to his joke T-Shirt before tearing it off of himself with both hands...*
What were you gonna do? That's what we all wondered, and on October 28th, 2007 we got our answer, you took us down one by one and for a while you rode that high into a victory against me at Transgression...but then what happened to the rejuvenated Philip Burns? The burning light was once again extinguished as you fell slowly into obscurity once again...what once burned brighter was doused in the waters of reality and drowned...but it wasn't your first fall from grace was it, Burns?
*Some footage dated August 26th, 2007 fades in*
~Ortega reaches down, reaching into The News' pocket pulling out the handcuff's key. Burning is screaming at him and begins to step through the ropes but is taken from behind by Lance Ryan who turns him around. Burning screams at him but gets a quick kick in the stomach and lifted up and Ryan his the Train Spike! He covers 1…2…3… **WINNER: Lance Ryan** Lance Ryan wins and is the first person to be in the nCw Road to the Gold finals!~
*The scene cuts back to The Ace*
You and your little buddy tried to cheat your way into the finals, and to think you had the gall to criticise us in The Empire of our underhanded tactics, Burns, let me enlighten you a little here sunshine, you see despite you thinking you can take the moral high ground against a guy like me, I have proven that you are no different to the rest of them, when a real challenge presents itself, even the best can fall to less than honest means as you did when the man who would go on to become the most dominant nCw Champion in history stood before you, but of course it never worked quite the way you thought it would did it? You failed...
*The Ace laughs as he holds up a DVD cover for the camera*
Lance Ryan got the DVD cover, not Philip Burns, Lance Ryan got the respect, not Philip Burns, Lance Ryan got the admiration, not Philip Burns, but most importantly Lance Ryan got the nCw World Heavyweight Championship, not Philip Burns...you fell at the final hurdle, and who took your place? A man who would become almost as legendary as Lance Ryan in his own right, but for an entirely different reason...Davey Ortega...Ortega took your concept of choking when it counted most and made it into an artform, and even that garnered him more respect from me than anything you have ever done to date, Phil...
*the Ace raises an eyebrow*
Doesn't that say it all? But of course let's not be too harsh, you may not have been the headline choke artist that year, but you were a part of the Pay Per View...you were given a chance to redeem yourself...you were given a second chance, another shot at that brass ring, only it wasn't nearly as prestigious...after all you had been through, your road to the gold wasn't over...or was it?
*Some footage captioned Road to the Gold 2007 in the lower left corner of the screen fades in*
~Manson is helped to his feet by the Burning who takes him by the back of the head and is looking for his Burn Notice but Manson fights through the move and shoves Burning off. Burning looks to come back immediately with a clothesline but Manson kicks him in the gut before he can… he places Burning's head between his legs and lifts him off the ground into a powerbomb position, he bombs him down onto his knees as he's just hit his Maniac Spine crusher! Burning rolls off Manson's knees and Manson makes the cover 1…2…3! Winner Jack Manson!~
*Once again The Ace's voice drown out the commentary*
Oh dear...apparently it was...
*The Ace laughs*
Jack Manson overcame your best move with relative ease there, didn't he? And so too shall I...
~{Manson helps Burning to his feet and shakes his hand as his music is blaring and he makes his way out of the ring with his National Title belt to the roar of the crowd.}~
*The scene cuts back to The Ace*
But I promise you Burns that is where any similarities between myself and Jack Manson end, you see I'd rather make a statement by breaking - not shaking - your hand, and believe me I'll make it look damn cool on TV, don't worry about that...
*The Ace laughs, recalling Burns' last question to his wife before losing consciousness, a moment The Ace was looking forward to repeating, only this time without a syringe full of sedative...*
You see Phil, its not about whether I remember the previous chapters of our rivalry, but whether you will ever be able to forget the pivotal one, the crux which is yet to be penned at this year's Road To The Gold...I am betting you won't and I promise you that you too will know, as they all will by the end of the night, you will know not only my name, but also you will know me as the Road To The Gold 2008 Winner, but also as your new nCw
World Heavyweight Champion...
*The Ace confidently smirks*
As I've said before, history can be a great teacher if you choose to learn from it, but rather than learn what you hope to make me feel, all you have really shown me with that nifty little package is that you can be broken down and that once in a great while you can get lucky...but like everything in your life, that luck is fleeting and ultimately it is finite...maybe I'm biased but I think my little trip down memory lane gave us all a much clearer picture of what I face this Sunday - a man who is a failure regardless of how many reincarnations he may go through...but I will not deny that the times have indeed changed, as has my weapon of choice, and in the spirit of that change, you have allowed yourself to fall under the delusion that if the weapon has changed, then so too must have the one who wields it...
*The Ace grins*
Not so...just ask Xavier Williams about last week, from one hopeless Crusader against the might of the Corporate Empire to another, you too obviously will have so much in common after Sunday...I make my statements loud and clear and I will make one right now...I will not lose to you...and this yellow coward you see me as will become the chameleon to become one not only the golden road he walks down, but also the golden belt that lies at the end of it...and then all your speculations about me will be just like you, they wont mean a damn thing! You see Phil, what you need to realise is that I ride shotgun to nobody, I am the damn shotgun pressed against your temple, and this Sunday, the trigger will be pulled and our game of Russian Roulette will finally end...and then...finally, this original Smokin' Ace will be the Smokin' Gun to reduce that which once was Burning to ashes...nothing more....nothing less...my only regret is that they wont be as lovely as Amber...
*The Ace grins, thinking of the hot little announcer proclaiming him the winner twice this Sunday...at that moment, Steve arrives, carrying little Solitaire, who is screaming her head off...The Ace leaps up and grabs his daughter from her Godfather...*
Dude! What did you do?
Steve: I don't know...
*Steve looks genuinely confused as The Ace cradles his daughter*
Shhhh....what's a matter, sweet-pea? Daddy's here now...it's ok...good girl...
*Solitaire quietens down*
Damn dude, I leave her with you for five minutes! I'm trying to cut a promo here! Damn, I wish Kathy was here...
*Steve cradles his World Championship instead*
Steve: At least my baby's alot quieter than yours...
Not really...I can hear her screaming for me too...
*The two men share an awkward stare before laughing it off....*
Steve: Bring it!
I intend to, but first I have to shut Burns up...he thinks I'll hesitate to take you down when I get into the final...but of course you know I never hesitate to take anyone down...
*The two men look uneasy at one another*
Nothing personal...just business...
*Steve looks taken aback by the comments from his partner...The Ace bursts out laughing...*
PRICELESS! Absolutely priceless...the look on your face just then, oh dude if only I had a camera!
*Both men laugh but The Ace lets his eyes rest on the belt in Steve's lap for a moment longer than he should have, he snaps back to attention*
Burns, you think I'm not the same man who put you out a year ago, think again sunshine, I will have absolutely no hesitation in doing it again or of facing Steve...sure its not an ideal scenario, but once something has been burned out, all that really remains is the smoke...once you have faced the fire, you must survive the smoke, Steve knows this as well as I do, and no matter what happens on Sunday, our main event will guarantee the thing that is most important to us...that the belt stays with the Corporate Empire and with people who are...
Both men: Simply better than you...
You think marriage has taken the fight out of me, then obviously you do not understand that I married a fighter, a woman who never backs down, just like her husband...but at least your wise enough not to bring my wife into this, unfortunately you will still be punished for your ignorance this Sunday...you see some people think emotional attachments make you week, but that is not always the case as you will soon discover for yourself Phil...you can promise me that if I choose to bring my rake into play that it will be the last time, I choose not to indulge you in your wild promises, instead I will simply say that though you are uncertain that everrything has changed, I promisr you that it has not and it will not...
*The Ace smirks*
See Burns, you've fallen into the classic trap of dismissing me as some clueless grinning idiot who repeats everything like a parrot, sure you're not the first to make this assumption and I doubt you will be the last, but opinion is not fact no matter how popular it may be and this week I will show you that my words, like my actions will count...it's just a shame, you haven't realised it yet...
*The Ace sighs*
You may have finished with me Burns, but I've only just started with you, now I know I'm no longer wearing the yellow shirt I was earlier, but by all means...you better start training, eating your vitamins for all I care, even saying your damn prayers...but all that wont mean a damn thing in the end, infact I'm willing to wager that you'll be thanking me for saving you from choking in the main event like last year's Road To The Gold finalist...the cards you have to deal with this Sunday aren't ones that can be burned...no, this will be a game of two halves and it will only end with two of a kind...nothing more...nothing less...
*The Ace smiles, cuddling his daughter as the camera fades away...*