THE LINE BETWEEN INSANITY AND GREATNESS
Just days after the groundbreaking “WWG: Ground Zero” pay-per view the wrestling world has turned upside down. At the event, we saw two new WWG champions crowned, as both The Wretched Nobody and Nick Sadistic captured the World Heavyweight Championship and Absolute Championships, respectively. Obviously, we are all aware that former champions, Alex Anders and Misteria, will be looking for their rematches, but the bigger question is “What about everyone else?” There are several superstars that were able to make huge impacts at Ground Zero. A guy like Westley Bravo was able to systematically take apart Tiger G, while proving he’s a true contender in the process. Slipshod was able to shock the world with this turn on Manuel Vrakas XIV, showing his unpredictability. How can we forget Maxwell Lord IV, who surprised Barney Green by accepting his open challenge and beating him quickly! Everyone wanted to know what was next for the WWG, and they received their answers. When the card was released for the upcoming show, we saw the two competitors that would battle it out to become the new number 1 contender for the World Heavyweight Championship. The number one contender match in itself is not the cause for the stir, it was who the competitors were that shook up the world. New, young upstart, Westley Bravo, will take on one of acquaintances in Maxwell Lord IV! Both of these young competitors are hungry and itching for a title shot, but now they’ll have to go through one another!
It’s a cool breeze on a sunny, spring afternoon. The camera scene opens up to the bright, yellow sun, before panning down to show a public, children’s playground. The playground is empty at the moment, while the children are away at school. The camera begins to move forward into the playground. The camera goes by a small sandbox. As, it continues to move forward we move through a pair of swings on a swing set. Finally, we make it to the main attraction of the playground, the jungle gym set. The jungle gym set is complete with monkey bars, slide and other fixtures to slide, swing and swirl on. The camera begins to pan up a set of bars built into the jungle gym that are used as a ladder to climb up and into the fixture. As the camera continues to go up, we see the feet and legs of a person, then the torso and arms and finally, the face of none other than Maxwell Lord IV. Maxwell Lord is dressed in his best “Men in Black” impression, with his all black suit, black tie and black sunglasses. He stands over the edge of the jungle gym looking down into the camera. This change in appearance by Maxwell Lord may be more appealing to the eye, but no less dangerous as he begins his promo.
MAXWELL LORD IV
In life, we all go through stages. Each stage different from the last, whether it is a slight difference or a massive overhaul, there is always a change over time. Sometimes we are able to choose are paths, but sometimes our paths are chosen for us. In my life, my stages have had drastic changes. They’ve been on two totally different sides of the spectrum. In a sense, I can show the changes from stage to stage by using jungle gyms. When I was a kid I lived the best life. I had everything a kid could ever want, including my very own jungle gym. I loved every minute of playing on that jungle gym. It was very special to me. But like all things, soon it comes to an end. As with most of my family’s money, my jungle gym was taken away. I sat and watch them unscrew every screw, load up each part piece by piece and drive away. It wasn’t the jungle gym itself that made me sad it was the thought that nothing would ever be the same after that. In a way, they drove away with my childhood. Then, there was no childhood, no better life, I lived like everyone else. It was in this stage that I experienced the most heartbreak I ever have. I lost my mother and my father and quickly another stage was about to take hold. I was out on the streets, living like a beggar, but I never begged for anything. I had nothing to eat and nowhere to sleep. So, I was left sleeping on park benches and guess what else, jungle gyms. Then, I went through a stage where I didn’t know who I was or who I wanted to be. I joined the military and that was the biggest mistake of my life. It warped my mind. It changed me. I couldn’t wait to grow from that stage to the next, no matter what it meant. I led me to the stage where I am now. I’m a professional wrestling. I am yet again rich, thanks to the brilliance of my father. Here, I stand again in a jungle gym. Well, I shouldn’t say a jungle gym; I should say MY jungle gym. One of the first things I bought is the one constant in my life, a jungle gym. This jungle gym signals the next stage in my life; a better life.
Maxwell turns toward the slide and begins to walk toward the entrance of it. He begins to bend down and get into position, sticking his legs out in front him as he sits down. Then, he proceeds to slide down the swirling slide until he reaches the end. Once he reaches the end, he just sits at the mouth of the slide and continues his promo from there.
MAXWELL LORD IV
As a man, I finally know who I am and what I want to become. I want to be better. I want to be able to build off the work that my father did, the empire that he built for our family name. I want to be able to pay him back and more for preserving my life by risking his. I am going to be better. I’m going to do the things that I always wanted to do; the things I was born to do. I was born a competitor. I was born to fight. I have the money, and now I’m going to build my legacy in professional wrestling. I’m not trying in run of the mill gyms anymore. Now, I only train with the best of the best trainers, and they come to me. I hire only the best cooks to prepare healthy, nutritious food, after eating trash and throw away food all those years. I’m reading more and more, training my mind to be the best strategist. My entire approach to the sport of professional wrestling has changed. I’m doing the little things to be better that I couldn’t do before. Before I was just a brawler, a striker, kicks and punches were my match. I tried to mix in a move here or there, but that was it. Now, I studying, learning, watching some of the best technical and grappling wrestlers in the history of this business. I don’t want to be predictable in the ring. I want to be a chameleon. I want to be able to adapt to any situation, any opponent or any opportunity. I want to be better.
Maxwell stands up and begins to walk around in the open grass of the playground. He reaches down and pulls up a dandelion from the ground. He looks at it for a moment before blowing the buds away. He throws the stem away and continues to pick up dandelions while continuing the promo.
MAXWELL LORD IV
Some might call it an obsession. Some might call it an addiction. I would say it’s a little bit of both that drive me. I have an obsession on being better; living the better life. I have an addiction to competition; to winning at all cost. That’s what fuels me, competition. The one thing that every competitor strives for is that recognition; that sense of entitlement. In this business, that recognition comes with holding the World Heavyweight Championship; the richest prize in all of professional wrestling. The man who holds that championship belt has all the power and recognition. No matter what anyone does or anyone says, unless you have that belt, the best you can be is number two. That’s something that I just can’t accept. I need to better than everyone else, and everyone else should know that I am better than they are.
Maxwell takes a seat on one of the swings sets. Then, he pushes up on his tippy toes before allowing gravity to take hold. He swings back and forth a couple of times before he rambles on.
MAXWELL LORD IV
I love swings! They bring out the kid in me! You know what else brings the kid out of me, challenges! That’s why when the open challenge was offered, I had to accept. Answering that challenge, it brought back some of my fondest childhood memories. It was a chance to prove to someone that I was better than they were. I didn’t care who it was or when it was. Barney Green I know the fighter in you wants to get even, but believe me, there are no hard feelings on my end. You issued the challenge. Now, I know some local jobber attempted to accept the challenge but that’s not what the people want to see. The people want to see me. They want to see one of the brighter stars of the future go up against one of their heroes of the past. A lot of people look at it as a cheap shot, but I look at it as a battle. I’m not looking to shake hands and bump fist, I’m here to prove that I am better. My money proves that and in that challenge, my strategy proved that. It was war tactics I read in a book about Pearl Harbor. Barney what you experienced was called a sneak attack. Now, you are learning from a better man and maybe you won’t fall for that one again. So, Barney as a said before, there are no hard feeling, it was just a foot in the door for me. I was upset at WWG management for not putting me on the Ground Zero card. I’m thinking to myself, how they could not book one of the biggest draws in the company is beyond me. Doesn’t that sound ridiculous? However, instead of calling and complaining, I decided I would insert myself, because rich people always get a table no matter how pack the place is. I didn’t just want to win; I wanted to make an impact. So, I began the planning process. I look at all the variables, but I didn’t plan on the jobber, so I had to improvise. As you can see, my chameleon aspirations are coming true. For me, Barney, this was a one-time affair, but if you want to try and plot revenge well let the games begin!
Maxwell starts to go higher and higher in the swing. Then, as a child would, Maxwell leaps from the swing at its apex. Maxwell, showing no rust, is able to land on his feet with a little stumble. His sunglasses fall from his face, so Maxwell reaches down and picks them up. Instead of placing them back on his face, he opens his coat and places them in his inside coat pocket. He readjusts his coat, then dust off his pants as he continues walking. He walks until he comes to the sandbox. Instead of walking around, he steps right into the sandbox and goes through it.
MAXWELL LORD IV
I’m looking at bigger fish to fry Barney. You however did serve your purpose, because my impact was felt on the Ground Zero pay-per view. It was felt and shook all the way to the WWG headquarters. It wasn’t ten minutes after the pay-per view they were ringing up my phone. I thought about not answering, but that kind of defeats the purpose. When opportunity calls, you always answer! So, I answer and they’re selling a bit of goods. I pretend to be interested, until they get to the part about competing for the number one contender spot. I’m almost in shock, but this is what I wanted. This is my opportunity. They didn’t tell me my opponent, but soon I heard whispers, about what was going down. Management wants to put me against my good friend, Wes Bravo! Well, isn’t that cute. That’s the only way they can stop us! They have to play these mind games. They have to play these tricks. These are the type of people that tore my family apart, playing games. They don’t understand just how much damage they do to a person. I’m not someone you want to play games with World Wrestling Generation. At least we know that we are making a huge impact, that people at the very top want us to destroy ourselves. It’s interesting, very interesting. It’s going to be tough out there in the ring, but not impossible. We have a job to do and one way or another it’s going to get done.
Maxwell is walking the last piece of land at the park, until he reaches the gate.
MAXWELL LORD IV
The man with the championship belt has the power and that man is Wretched Nobody! He’s number one; that pisses me off! I don’t like you Nobody. I don’t like friends Nobody. I don’t like the female dog that has you on a leash. I say that because she’s leading a blind man and his friends into a war that they cannot win. At first, it was just about getting revenge on Nobody. It was simply about sport at the beginning. Now, it’s about so much more. It’s about the CHAMPIONSHIP! It’s about the POWER! It’s about the RESPECT! In the real world, nobodies don’t prosper, nobodies don’t win and no one cares when they die. When you lose that championship, no one will care about Nobody, they will only care about the somebody that took it away from you, and that somebody will be ME!
Maxwell exits the gate. Then, he turns and sees the sign on the fence that says “PUBLIC PARK” hanging on by a single screw. Maxwell walks over and rips the sign off the fences and throws it in the garbage container.
MAXWELL LORD IV
This equipment doesn’t belong to the public anymore. It belongs to a somebody!
(END OF RP)