Saturday, July 25, 2020

Abuse of Faith: Part 4



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July 20th, 2020
Miami, Florida
Off Camera
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The meaning of the term the best laid plans of mice and men is that no matter how carefully something is planned out, it might always fail or go wrong. The term the best laid plans of mice and men finds its origins from the poem 'To a Mouse' which was written by Robert Burns in the late 1700s.  Glory Braddock’s initial plan last Saturday was to bring herself closer to her mother by joining the Catholic Church and, at the same time, eliminate some of the guilt she had been feeling by donating money to the church.  It made perfect sense to The British Bombshell.  She spent so much time and effort, and money, blackmailing and bribing her way to corporate power, this way she can get give back monetarily and surely that would eliminate her guilt.

Unfortunately for Glory Braddock things did not go as planned.  Instead of eliminating the guilt, Braddock only added more guilt to her already overwhelmed conscience.  The priest, Father Sebastian, was clearly disappointed that Glory was trying to “buy her way to salvation” as he put it.  Glory’s mother, Mary, who she was trying to rebuild a damaged relationship with, was also disappointed.  Mary informed her that could not always just throw money at a problem and expect it to go away so easily.  Mary insisted that professional, psychiatric help is what Braddock really and truly needs.

Psychiatric help isn’t what Glory wants, though.  Admitting that she needs psychiatric help is the last thing Glory wants to do, which is why she has been trying to keep it a secret from anyone and everyone that she is currently seeing Dr. Frederick Fitzgerald, a local psychiatrist in Miami, about her post traumatic stress.  In an ideal world The British Bombshell never would have gone back to him but she did.  She went crawling back, seeking his help.  All he wanted in return was a promise that she would not give up so easily on the treatments.

Glory Braddock has thus far kept her promise to continue with these sessions, even if she doesn’t like it one iota.  The British Bombshell is humiliated with the thought that she needs psychiatric help.  Yet it is an indisputable fact.  She has lost control in recent weeks, months even, and if nothing is done then her mental state of mind will only get worse.

“What do you see?”

That is the voice of Dr. Fitzgerald.  He sits in his comfortable black swivel chair but he is not at his desk.  He is sitting right next to Glory Braddock, who is lying down on the red comfortable sofa.  He has several ink blots in his hand.  Braddock is trying her best to take this seriously.  She really and truly is.  But she is finding it very difficult to take this or the hypnotherapy he suggested seriously.  Still, deep down in her heart and soul, Glory wants to believe that she can do this on her own, that she doesn’t need any help from this psychiatrist.

“I see a greedy psychiatrist trying to make money by telling me how I feel…”

“I wish you would take this more seriously, Ms. Braddock.”

“At least I answered you this time.”

“This is true.” He puts the ink blot away and produces another one. “What do you see?”

“An ink blot.”

Dr. Fitzgerald sighs and puts the rest of the ink blots away.  He stares at his patient with a disappointed gaze, much like the disappointment she felt from Mary and Father Sebastian Saturday, only this time she doesn’t care.  She doesn’t care about what this psychiatrist thinks about her.

“I am disappointed in you, Ms. Braddock.”

“Too bad.”

“We had made such good progress our last two sessions.  You were really opening up to me and we were close to figuring this out.  But now you seem so closed off now.  What is wrong?”

“None of your business.”

“Actually it is my business.” He smirks. “That is what you’re paying me for.”

Glory rolls her eyes.  She watches as Dr. Fitzgerald rolls in his chair back to his desk.  He presses the button from a week ago, the one the started the soothing classical music, and sure enough, the music returns.  Last week she was almost immediately induced but this week is different.  Glory is so angry and frustrated that the music takes awhile to do its job.  Dr. Fitzgerald is unrelenting and just keeps up the pressure.

“Just relax, Ms. Braddock.  There is no need to be so angry.  Just be calm.  Listen to the music and relax.”

Braddock rolls her eyes.  She considers just for a moment about the possibility of making a snide remark but decides against it.  She just remains silent.  Dr. Fitzgerald, however, continues pressing the issue…

“Shut your eyes, Ms. Braddock, and just relax…”

Glory does indeed shut her eyes.  Several moments pass before Dr. Fitzgerald feels confident that his patient will cooperate. “Tell me, Ms. Braddock, why are you so tense?  What has upset you?”

“My mom.”

“Your mother upset you?  Well then, let’s discuss your family life.  Tell me about your family.”

“I’m married to Kurt Logan who is a wonderful step-father to my daughter, Melinda Braddock. I have a sister Julia who I do not get along with.  I have cousins...Angelica Jones and Kayla Jones-Snow.”

“Do you get along with your cousins?”

“Yes but we’re distant.  We don’t talk much.”

“Are they from your mother’s side of the family or father’s?”

“Mother’s.”

“Describe your relationship to your mother.”

“Strained.  She divorced my father when I was still young.  I was angry with her for leaving us but I’ve been trying to repair the relationship.  I recently decided to become a Catholic because she is a Catholic.  I thought it would form a bond between us.”

Dr. Fitzgerald nods his head. “It’s a nice thought.  How did that go?”

“She thinks all that I’m doing...from joining the church and making donations to the church...is just my way of paying off my guilt.”

“Is she right?”

“...yes…”

Dr. Fitzgerald pauses to consider what he just heard.  A few moments later he stops the music.  Immediately Glory sits up and turns around in the sofa to stare at the psychiatrist.

“Ms. Braddock, you are angry with your mother but I also sense that you are angry at yourself.  You feel disappointed in yourself.  I sense some inner turmoil, in a sense you are fighting yourself.  All because of the guilt you feel, your mind is telling you that the actions you have taken recently are justified but your heart tells you that you are wrong.  And your entire problem lies with the fact that you do not know which to trust...your heart or your mind.”

As much as she doesn’t want to admit it, the psychiatrist makes a lot of sense.  The British Bombshell sighs deeply and shakes her head.  “What do you think I should do?”

“Maybe you need another sounding board.”

“A what?”

“A second opinion, my dear.  You have been to your mother, a church, and to me, all seeking out an answer to a question you cannot seem to answer yourself.  Just find someone you trust and pour your heart out.  See what they think.  Trust me, getting this off of your chest will make you feel better.”

Glory ponders the words of her psychiatrist for a few moments.  Then she smiles as an idea enters her mind. “You know what they say...confession is good for the soul…”

“Indeed it is, Ms. Braddock.”

==========
July 24th, 2020
Miami, Florida
Off Camera
==========

Time is not a friend or ally to The British Bombshell.  Glory Braddock knows that tomorrow is the beginning of the two day extravaganza known as Rise To Greatness.  Tomorrow is the pre-show and hall of fame ceremony.  Glory Braddock’s scheduled match, an Adrenaline Championship Match against rising star and reigning champion Peyton Rice, is set to be on the main show, Rise To Greatness itself, on Sunday.  But despite not being scheduled, Supreme Championship Wrestling no doubt expects The British Bombshell to put in an appearance for the entire event.  Many have already made their way to Minnesota in preparation for the event but Glory Braddock is still in Miami.

Why the delay?  The British Bombshell has been dealing with a guilty conscience that has been triggering her post traumatic stress.  Glory wants this and any other distraction out of her mind so that she can focus entirely on Peyton Rice at Rise To Greatness.  Besides, as much as Glory wants to become Adrenaline Champion, there are some things that are just more important than her career.  One of them is repairing a broken relationship with her mother.

This early morning in Miami, Florida at Corpus Christi Catholic Church is the time and place for The British Bombshell to take the next important step to repairing that damage.  For a long time she and her mother, Mary Ford, had nothing in common at all whatsoever.  But now Glory is going to become a Catholic, just like her mother.  But then that action in and of itself raises the question; why is Glory doing this?

It is a question that has been asked of her multiple times ever since she made her intentions known.  Braddock herself isn’t entirely sure of the honest answer, even as she sits here in the empty Corpus Christi Church, in the back pew next to her mother, staring up at the front of the Church at the massive crucifix hanging high up in the front.  To one is a statue of The Blessed Virgin Mary and to the other side is a statue of St. Joseph.

Glory Braddock grew up as a member of the Church of England.  This was primarily because of her late father, Glenn Braddock, who raised her and refused to let her be anything else but a member of the Church of England.  This sudden change, Glory claims, is because she wants to bond with her mother, Mary Ford.  She claims this is her way to help repair the damage that was done.  But is this secretly, subconsciously, just a way to wash away any guilt she feels at what she has done lately?

There’s plenty of reason to feel guilty.  Glory blackmailed Meagan Collins into working for her, into doing her dirty work for her.  She blackmailed members of her company’s board of directors and bribed others, all in order to gain control over them.  Then to keep control and to ensure no one could challenge her corporate power, she had her own sister locked up in a mental ward on false charges.  Glory Braddock has always viewed herself as a hero but these aren’t the actions of a hero.  These are the actions of a criminal.  What happened to Glory Braddock?

“Are you really prepared for this, Gloria?”

“Of course, mom.”

“Is this really and truly what you want to do?” Mary presses. “I don’t want you doing this just to make me happy.”

“I know, you and Father Sebastian made it abundantly clear that I can’t do this for the wrong reasons.  But I know what I’m doing.  And I want to do this.”

“Fair enough…” Mary smiles warmly at her daughter “...and yes.”

“Yes what?”

“It does make me happy.”

That one statement right there makes Glory’s day.  If nothing else she did make her mother happy and she finally feels a bond with her mother, one that she had long since lost.  So if nothing else, she has been successful in this regard; she has a relationship with her mother.  Now she is ready to join her mother’s church; the Catholic Church.

As if on cue, a door can be heard opening and shutting.  Glory and Mary turn around in their seats and they spot Father Sebastian entering the church and making his way towards them.  Upon entering the sanctuary he genuflects and then towards the front and then turns to approach Glory and Mary.  Father Sebastian has a warm, pleasant smile on his face.

“Glory, Mary, how are you doing today?”

“We’re doing wonderful, Father.” Glory answers.  Mary nods in agreement with her daughter.

“Great.  I hope I didn’t keep you waiting too long.”

“Not at all.”

“Good.  Well I already spoke with your mother over there.  Apparently you were baptized by a Catholic Priest already.”

“Yes she was.”

“Knowing how dad felt about Catholics I can only imagine how he took that news.”

“He never found out.” Mary says with a sly grin on her face.

“Baptism is considered so important in our faith that parents are obliged to see that their infants are baptised within the first few weeks just in case the unthinkable happens.” Father Sebastian quickly answers.

“Well if that’s out of the way then what’s next?”

“Confirmation.  Your very first communion in the church.  But before that, confession.”

Braddock nods her head.  She’s heard of this before but confession still confuses her. “What exactly is confession?”

“You’re just going into that box over there.” He points over to the back of the church. “I’ll be on the other side listening.  Only I will hear.  You confess any and all sins, leaving nothing out.”

“Everything?” Glory asks, arching a brow.  The priest nods his head.

“Don’t be embarrassed.  I’ve heard it all.  I’ve heard things that would make your skin crawl.  And don’t worry about any secrets getting out.  I am not allowed to tell anyone about what is said inside confession.  Everything in that box is between me, you, and God.”

“But why is confession so important?” Glory asks.

“We need regular occasions for confession or we will otherwise suffocate from all the secrets inside us and from the fear of being judged and condemned. We need the opportunity to let another human being know the complex, peculiar and sometimes desperately unimpressive reality involved in being us.”

In so many words, Father Sebastian just summed up what Glory’s psychiatrist, Dr. Fitzgerald, had said several days ago.  Telling someone else about her guilt and shame, telling someone else about her problems, could help alleviate some of the pressure she is currently feeling and enduring.  Glory sighs deeply and nods her head.

“Ok then, let’s do it.”

Father begins to approach his end of the confessional booth and he steps inside.  Glory Braddock exits the pew and approaches the confessional booth.  She takes in a deep breath and then steps inside as well.  There is a thin wall separating the two and a tiny veil where she can barely make out the priest and where they can communicate to one another.  Glory recalls how her mother and Father Sebastian taught her to do this…

“Father forgive me, for I have sinned.  This is my first confession.”

“Very good.  What are your sins?”

Where to begin?  Glory Braddock thinks back to her life but mainly sticking to the recent actions.  She thinks back to hiring Seth Rogers and how the information he dug up gave Glory the information she needed to blackmail Meagan Collins.

“I hired a crooked private investigator to dig up information on my enemies to use it against them.  I used the information to blackmail a woman into working for me.  I had her dig up information on members of my company’s Board of Directors so I could blackmail them into taking my side at all times.  I bribed a few of my Board members as well.”

“Lying...thievery...these are all sins but you must remember that honesty and truth is what God wants from his children.”

Glory nods her head in agreement.  She thinks back to her sister Julia Braddock…

“I got my sister locked up in a mental ward based upon charges that were completely false.”

“Family is a very important part of our life.  Why would you do this to your sister?”

“I was afraid of losing my power because of her.”

“Family is more important than power.  You need to make things right with your sister.  Your penance will be to say three Hail Mary’s for your sister.  Can you do that?”

“Yes, Father.”

“Good.  Now say your act of contrition.”

“My God, I am sorry for my sins with all my heart. In choosing to do wrong and failing to do good, I have sinned against You Whom I should love above all things, I firmly intend, with Your help, to do penance, to sin no more, and to avoid whatever leads me to sin.”

“I grant you absolution in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.”

“Amen.”

Glory sighs deeply as she stands up and exits the confessional.  Once outside she sees Father Sebastian there, as well as Mary.  “Welcome to the family, Glory!”

“Thanks, Father.”

“Now I understand you have commitments this weekend, correct?”

“Yes.  In fact after this I’m going to pack and then catch a flight to Minnesota for SCW Rise To Greatness.”

“Good luck with your match, Glory.  When you get back we can talk about confirmation and first communion.  Ok?”

“Sounds good, Father.”

Glory Braddock turns and, with her mother, exits the sanctuary.   They are silent as they approach the front door and then push it open to exit the church itself.  They are still silent as they descend the steps.  It isn’t until they get down from the steps and to a  nearby bench when Mary breaks the silence, confronting her daughter.

“Well?”

“What?”

“Do you feel any better?”

Glory sighs and shakes her head. “No, the guilt is still there.”

“Glory, I appreciate that you’re trying to help yourself and to help me, but I still wonder if you are doing it for the right reasons.” Mary motions to the bench.  Glory sighs and sits down.  Mary sits down next to her and takes Glory by her hands. “You and your father loved one another but we loved one another for the wrong reasons.  I may not look it now but back when I first met your father I was gorgeous.  In fact, early on in my life I was a model.  Your father fell into LUST not love.  He loved my outward appearance.  And me, well I wasn’t much better.  I fell in love with the legend that was Glenn Braddock.  Your father was well renowned throughout all of Europe as  Britain’s Best.  He was a great wrestler, very famous during his era, and knowing that I had the chance to date...and eventually marry...a living legend was too much for my senses.”

Glory is stunned to hear this.  Mary reaches up and wipes tears from her eyes. “I realized our mistake too late, after we had been married.  But then I was pregnant with you and I had so hoped having a child would bring us both back to reality.  For your sake and for Julia’s sake I gave the marriage a chance.  But I saw having children didn’t change him...or me...I feel guilty to this day that I ran out on you and your father, I feel guilty for not giving you or your father another chance but I felt I had to get out of that situation.  I knew your father was lost but I still wanted better for you and your sister.  I just wasn’t willing to stick around and see that you made it.”

A proud, motherly smile forms upon Mary’s face. “But then you shocked me.  You became BETTER than your father could ever hope to have been.  And no, I’m not talking about your wrestling accomplishments, although they did supersede your father’s; what made you better than your father wasn’t your fourteen world championships or any Hall of Fame rings you own.  What made you better than your father was the fact that you did all of that and yet you still managed to put family first.  I remember the night when you first challenged Isis Derrida for the FWA World Championship.  Isis attacked your father, who was sitting ringside.  You had Isis on the ropes and you could have beaten him but you checked on your father instead and that caused you to be counted out.  That is my daughter.  That is the night you truly became better than your father and truly became the Best in the World.  And one thing your father never told you but he did secretly admit to me, was that on that night he realized that he never would have done the same thing.  Your actions made him see the light and helped put him on the path to redemption.”

Mary shakes her head.  “But now...ever since joining SCW, you have become something and someone I don’t recognize.  You’ve become your father.  You’ve taken up the same self-destructive path he took.  That path led to the end of his career and the end of his marriage.  And Glory, I’m just afraid that the same may happen to you if you don’t change your ways.”

The British Bombshell is stunned into silence by the words of her mother.  They are tough, harsh words but they ring true with Glory Braddock.  Still, a sense of pride fights back from admitting it.  Braddock is about to speak but that opportunity is taken from her when a car comes screeching to a halt right up by the sidewalk of the church.  Before Glory and Mary can react masked gunmen step out and begin firing.

“Mom!” Glory dives to protect her mother, trying to cover her up and knock her out of the way.   It only lasts a few seconds but it seems like an eternity as the gunmen complete their firing, and then get back in the car and speed away before anyone can call the authorities.  Glory is shaken, frightened by this whole event, but she manages to pull herself up.

“Mom...are you ok?”

“I…” her mother’s voice trails off.  She seems pained.  Glory looks down and gasps in shock.  Blood is pouring.  Her mother has been shot.



==========
July 25th, 2020
Minneapolis, Minnesota
On Camera
==========

We open just outside US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota.  The excitement is growing with each passing second, as tonight will begin the festivities that is the yearly Rise To Greatness event, a two night event celebrating everything that is great about Supreme Championship Wrestling.  But you cannot talk about great unless you are talking the greatest; or at least, in her mind she is the greatest.  Many would dispute it, but Glory Braddock claims to be The Best in the World and one of the attractions of this two night event is The British Bombshell challenging Peyton Rice for the SCW Adrenaline Championship.  It is but one of many reasons that bring the fans here tonight to this extravaganza.

 A few people are walking around in the background but for the most part the scene is empty.  A few moments later The British Bombshell, the woman who some believe to be The Best in the World, Glory Braddock approaches with a confident stride in her step. The blonde haired Braddock beauty is wearing a little purple dress that hugs her every curve and matching purple high heeled patent leather pumps.  A confident grin is etched across her lovely face as she stares into the camera.

“You want to know what I find wrong with this new generation of wrestler?  They just don’t know what’s best for them.  They ride the wave of enthusiasm because they are the fresh new thing in the business, they are the big hit, they are popular, and they think that means they are entitled to something.  I’m here to tell each and every one of them entitled tarts that they are entitled to absolutely nothing.” The British Bombshell says this with utter disdain in her voice.  Then she motions to the arena behind her.

“They break into the business and experience dreams of selling arenas such as this but then reality hits them like a ton of bricks and they quickly realize that it isn’t as simple as that.  Now you have someone like Peyton Rice who at first glance you think may be different.  You think maybe she has a little knowledge in that pretty little head of hers.  The one other time I encountered her was when we were tag team partners and I learned a great deal from my experience as her partner.  I left that match impressed with what she could do inside the ring and I left thinking that perhaps she was on the right track towards a great and successful career.”

The British Bombshell shakes her head. “Unfortunately I was wrong.  Peyton Rice suffers from a problem; too much success, way too quickly.  She rocketed to stardom in Emerge, becoming champion there, and then moved up to Supreme Championship Wrestling where she became Television Champion and eventually Adrenaline Champion.  Many began to call Peyton the future of SCW.  Many look at her as the next Kelcey Wallace and how can you not make that comparison when you have that manky git out there with her every bloody night?  Peyton’s problem is that this success has gone to her head.  She is believing this hype that the fans are feeding her.  She is believing the hype that Sasha and her marketing machine feed her.  She is believing the hype that Kelcey Wallace feed her.  Now Peyton Rice truly believes in her own hype.”

“Listen to me, Pretty Peyton and listen good, you need a better guide, a better mentor, because Kelcey Wallace is leading you down a wrong path.  She looks at you and she sees two things; one thing she sees is dollar signs and the money she can make off of your success.  The second thing she sees is the chance to live vicariously through you.  She knows that even if she made a miraculous comeback to the ring, which is highly unlikely, she would fail miserably.  She knows that her best days are behind her.  But you...when she looks at you she sees a little bit of herself.  She sees the chance to relive her glory days through you.  And I think you are believing it as well.  You believe you can be just as good as Kelcey once was.” A smirk forms upon Glory’s lovely face.

“Like I said, eventually reality will hit you like a ton of bricks and that reality is me.  If you want evidence that your ego is getting the best of you just look at the mistake you made a few weeks ago on Breakdown.  Without a second thought you accepted my challenge for an Adrenaline Championship Match at Rise To Greatness.  Without even bothering to consult with your Perfect Mentor you accepted my challenge.  That was a mistake because even Kelcey would have told you that you weren’t in my league.  Hell, Kelcey Wallace at her best wasn’t in my league.”

Braddock chuckles lightly.  “But I’m willing to forgive your naivete.  I’m willing to forgive your ignorance.  After all, you’re still new, you’re still green, you’re still getting started and you still have a long career ahead of you, kid.  So what I plan to do to you at Rise To Greatness isn’t just simply outwrestle you, humble you, and take your championship away from you.  That is just a small part of what I plan to do at Rise To Greatness.  What I have planned for you, Peyton, is a reality check, the kind that a veteran like me can provide.  You see, Peyton, there are lessons about this business, harsh lessons, that Kelcey won’t teach you because she doesn’t want to destroy your innocence.  But I don’t care about any of that bullshit.  All I care about is doing what is best for professional wrestling.  What I care about is making this sport a better place.  What that means for you is opening your eyes to the harsh realities of professional wrestling.  What that means for you is destroying that innocence and making you realize that your hype is just that...hype...hype and nothing more. I hope you’re prepared to take notes because at Rise To Greatness I will take you to school.”

“Lesson one, respect.  Do you respect me?  I’m not sure because you certainly had the gall to challenge me to prove myself?  Bloody hell, the thought of me proving myself against you is ridiculous.  You’re the future, am I right?  Well I’ve beaten many “futures” of professional wrestling and sent them on a downward spiral to irrelevance.  I’ve made a career out of beating people like you who thought that they were better than they actually were.  Fourteen times I took someone’s life long dream away from them.  Fourteen times I have ENDED someone’s long fought over career goal.  So start showing some damned respect to a woman who paved the way for someone like you to become as good as you are.”

“Lesson two, keep your ego in check.  Never underestimate an opponent, my friend.  You have just rushed into a match against the single greatest submission artist in this company.  Only someone with a severe ego problem would do that. I learned from an expert at the mat game.  I took the ball he gave me and I ran with it.  I expanded his repertoire and became an even better mat wrestler than he was.  If you honestly think you can outwrestle me then you are definitely in for a rude awakening at Rise To Greatness.”

Braddock smirks knowingly. “Just ask Kelsai.  She thought she could shock the world.  She thought she could go toe to toe with The Best in the World.  Like you she was naive.  I humbled her on Breakdown.  I locked her in Shekhinah Glory, the deadliest variation of the triangle choke in this business, and Kelsai had no choice but to tap or to pass out.  To her credit she would not give up, but in the end I turned her bright lights out.  In the end I taught her a lesson and that is exactly what I plan to do to you at Rise To Greatness.”

“Finally lesson three, and this one was the most difficult for me when I learned it, but learning this lesson made me a better person and it will make you a better person too. The third lesson is that those who play by the rules never succeed. To succeed you must be ruthless and cutthroat. You must be willing to do anything to accomplish your goals. My goal is simple: make wrestling better. And I will do anything I have to in order to achieve that goal. What will ultimately make this sport better is putting young upstarts like yourself through the wringer at Rise To Greatness.”

Glory shrugs her shoulders. “I mean let’s face facts, this business ultimately will belong to you someday. Someday you will be the face of SCW.  Whether I like it or not, this company’s future will someday rest upon your shoulders.  And unlike Kelcey, who just wants to use you for marketing and to relive her glory days, I do care about the future of SCW.  So at Rise To Greatness it has become my responsibility to beat the flaws out of you. It has become my responsibility to destroy your imperfections.  Because there is no way in hell I am going to allow you to carry on as the future of this sport, let alone the future of this company, in your current form.  You need to be educated at the feet of The British Bombshell.”

“Unfortunately for you, the only way for you to learn these lessons is through physical pain as well the emotional pain of losing your Adrenaline Championship. I don’t get joy out of hurting people like you but I must do this for the greater good of professional wrestling. I am wrestling’s one true hero. I am The Best in the World. And after Rise To Greatness, I will be Adrenaline Champion.”

A low chuckle escapes Glory’s lips. “Best in the World...that title started a lot of this.  You challenged ME to prove it.  You had the nerve to challenge ME to prove that I am The Best in the World.  But you have no idea of who I am, Peyton.  My father, the man who trained me, he was known as Britain’s Best but it wasn’t a name he gave himself.  The fans called him that, his peers called him that.  Just like my father, I didn’t start calling myself The Best in the World.  The people started calling me that, my peers started calling me that, but unlike my father I embraced it.  Who am I to tell them that they were wrong when they were clearly right?  I have proven myself time and time again and have earned my spot through hard work and dedication to this business.  But you’re just new.  You’re still young.  You’re inexperienced and just a little arrogant.  And that inexperience, that arrogance, that’s all I need to take advantage of you and defeat you and take away your precious championship and you will yet again suffer the feeling of loss...the loss a competitor feels after losing a championship…”

Braddock nods her head “...I know it hurts because I’ve felt it many times over myself.  You should have learned these lessons already by now after you other losses and defeats but maybe this time it’ll stick.  Maybe this time, after the schooling and education I give you at Rise To Greatness, you will walk away a better competitor even if you no longer have the championship around your waist.  And maybe then your eyes will be opened and you will see a better path forward.  Or maybe like all of the other “futures” that I have humbled and destroyed in the past, you too will start down a path of abysmal misery and eventual irrelevance.  Quite frankly, I don’t really care what happens to you after I beat you.  Either way, this business and this company will be better off when I take the Adrenaline Championship away from you.”

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