Post by HALE BLACK SATIN on Jun 21, 2015 7:43:24 GMT -6
[June 18, 2015]
[Knoxville, Tennessee]
[Lion’s Den F.C. & Gym - East]
Sweat dropped from the tip of nose like a leaky faucet as I sat on the end of a wooden bench that was screwed down to the hard rubber-padded floor of sectioned off weight section of the gym. My chest heaved with every exhausted breath I took as an old jump rope sat at my feet in a spiraled heap. I wasn’t sure how much time I spent in the gym today, but it was long enough for my joints to start to throb through the several layers of white tape that was wrapped around my knuckles down to my wrists. I reached up slowly, placing my hand on the back of neck, which felt warm to the touch, rubbing the sore muscles the best I could as I lifted my head up, looking into the full length mirror on the wall and stared at my own reflection.
It wasn't hard to believe that over several months ago, I was standing in the ring back in Japan, a place that truly gave birth to the man known as the Big Bad Brooks, with the Exodus Pro International Title in my hands
I was the last man standing...surviving wasn't the goal...it was winning.
Finally capturing that Exodus achievement, the benchmark that’s eluded me so for long.
Some called me lucky.
Some called me talented.
Some called me a fluke.
But there is one thing that was unmistakable and there was one thing that they all called me:
Champion.
I looked over to my left to the empty ring that sat in the middle of the empty warehouse as a several hanging light bulbs shined down hanging suspended by large wire over ten feet above the ring. My black Nike duffel sat on the floor in front of the rather bare wrestling ring. A soft smile spread across my lips as I placed my hands on my knees and pushed myself up with a grunt as I slowly made my way over towards the ring. I rolled into the ring and climbed to my feet as I stepped into the middle of the ring.
With quick feet, I danced around the ring throwing several combinations as I shadowed boxed with myself in the empty ring.
Just the International Champion and his thoughts.
Chuck Matthews was a dangerous man...this I knew, I’ve been lucky enough to in the same ring with him. But those were tag team victories and went it came to singles competition...it was uncharted territory for the both of us.
We were both trains on the same track headed right towards one another and full speed.
This was going to get nasty...this was going to get evil...this was going to get ugly...
...but when it comes to my matches, I like 'em nasty, evil, and ugly.
You get to see the true core of a man...see what he's made of and see how far he's willing to go to get what he wants.
Chuck wants to think that he wants this match...we'll see how far down the rabbit hole he's willing to go.
[www.THEBIGBADBROOKS.com/promos]
[ExPro on FX #35]
[Brains vs. Brawns]
[Chuck Matthews vs. Justin Brooks]
[Non-title]
[Hype Video I]
“I wanted a fight…”
“...and she brought a fight.”
“And for that, I give you all the props in the world. But when I said that I was going to walk out of San Diego with the International title on my shoulder, I didn’t say it as a passing fancy.”
“I was stating a statement of fact.”
You wanted to prove to the world that you weren’t the Savannah Taylor of old and there were several occasions where you were going to do exactly that, but when I told you that it was going to take more than that to put down a Monster…”
“...I wasn’t kidding.”
“I’ve come too far, I’ve been through too much, I’ve sacrificed too much to let it end like that...to fall the ranks of the ‘One and Done’ in EXODUS, you are the first of many, Savannah. So I know it’s lonely now but give me some time, it’s going to get really crowded where you’re at very soon.”
“But this goes out to the Smartest Man in EXODUS…”
“...who I’ll admit, I never thought I’d ever see come back through those doors.”
“But I guess that even the sun shines on a dog’s ass every once and awhile.”
“The last time we shared a ring, you had promptly rearranged Wulfs jaw with a pair of brass knuckles as the complete destruction of TROUBLE continued down it’s dark little road.”
“But things have changed since then...obviously.”
“More importantly, this…”
Justin pulls the ExPro International Championship title from his shoulder and high it face high.
“...this has fallen into the hands of a man who isn’t going to be letting it go any time soon.”
“It was less than two weeks ago that Savannah Taylor and I tore this place apart all for this and while she brought everything that she could muster, she finally realized that when the pressure is on, she’s not quite up to the task to take down the Monster by the Bay.”
“But maybe the Smartest Man in Exodus has another angle, has another play...has a way to finally do something that no one else could for the past several months. And that's figure out the Big Bad Brooks."
"And while many want to think that Chris Strike is the face of Exodus with the World Championship around his waist, I'm in the midst of taking the International Championship to heights it's never seen before, wiping off the tarnish left by its most recent former Champions, while no disrespect to them, my time has come in Exodus and I'm going to make sure that when the clock hits midnight and they tell my story, that it will be told as one of the best that has ever come through its doors."
"And that means taking on the likes of Christian Kane, Savannah Taylor...and yes, Chuck Matthews."
"There was a time where I respected the man who did what he had to do get results, you used what God gave you...your intellect, while I did the same thing using my physical prowess to do what I was put in this Earth to do."
"Two sides of the same spectrum, many would want to believe. And God help them all, if the two of got on the same page..."
"...sweet Jesus, the beautiful music that we would've made. Yet, hindsight is twenty-twenty because while on your hiatus, I finally decided to make my powerplay and in a few short months turn years of frustration and anger into something tangible, something that will stand the test of time."
"A Exodus Pro Championship."
"A shining reminder of the work that I've put in over the months, the frustrations that I've had to deal with and the faults that I have to recognize and overcome just to become the man that stands before you today."
"...and it's what that said that I realize that in the world, in this business...you take on all comers, friend, foe, or indifferent and you don't let up."
"So when it comes to Chuck Matthews, there will be no letting up, there will be no off day, there will only be complete and utter domination in every aspect of my game."
"I will be stronger."
"I will be more aggressive."
"I will be faster."
"And when it's all said and done...I will be much smarter than you too."
[September, 2009]
[Atlanta, Georgia]
[Howard Residence]
Alistair was fast asleep in my arms after an afternoon of playing and generally getting to know the rapidly growing 3-year old boy that had forever changed the landscape of my life outside of the ring. The days of being single, seeing double, and making triple were over as the little bundle of pride that looked so much like me was snoring lightly on my shoulder with a stuffed wrestling buddy of my likeness. These things weren’t on the shelves yet, as I was given a few prototypes as only a selected few of the wrestlers were chosen to be made after back in Knoxville. The gentle smile on my lips never faded away as Jennika looked up at me with a soft smile of her own as I followed her to Alistair’s room which was adored with random toys scattered on the floor, carefully stepping over the toys as I gently place my son in his small single bed as he curled up into a small ball after I pull the sheets over his body. Jennika leans over and places a gentle kiss on his forehead and stroked his cheek gently.
“Good night, Ali…Mommy loves you. I’ll see you in the morning.”
The young boy mumbled incoherently as I chuckled gently; following Jennika out of the room closing it slowly leaving the door open only a crack. We both made our way into the living room, leaving a rather uncomfortable silence between us. Needless to say after seven years without saying a single word to another, I didn’t really expect to be left alone with her.
Maybe it was too many unanswered questions.
Maybe it was too scary to face my personal demons.
Maybe there was something deeper that I wasn’t ready to acknowledge yet.
“You know he looks just like you.” she said breaking the silence. I chuckled once again and nodded my head slowly. “Yeah, there’s definitely no denying that at all. He’s adorable, Jenn…he really is. Come on…let’s sit down, we need to really talk.” I said letting the smile fade from my lips for the first time since I entered the apartment. Taking a seat on the nearby brown leather sofa, Jennika sat next to me, holding her hands in her lap as she looked down at the floor between her bare feet.
“Seven years is a long time, Jenn. I can’t take back anything that was said or done all I can do is, as a man, is apologizing to you for making your go through this alone. It wasn’t fair and it wasn’t right.”
Jennika sighed gently and nodded her head slowly. “Justin, I can’t tell you how it felt to see Alistair meet his father for the first time. It was a moment I’ve waited for but it was scary all at the same time….because I didn’t want Alistair to know you and then you leave again. I can’t do that to him…I can’t go through that again. I was a wreck when you weren’t around…there was nights I cried myself to sleep because I wanted you here but you weren’t there. There has been years where me and Ali had each other and that’s it. And all the while I’ve always kept tabs on you…from the college to the wrestling ring. I’ve never lost track but I was always too damn afraid to say something because I didn’t want to upset you, ruin your life that you had made, or put Ali through that. I just couldn’t do it to me…to him…to us. And even know, all those feelings I had…they are flooding back and I’m scared. I’m scared shitless, Jay...and after seeing all of those doctors and knowing there is goddamn clock ticking, it scares me to leave my little boy in the world without his mother. But more than leaving him alone, I’m scared for him, scare of what you’ll do to him.”
Tears were on the verge of falling as they say on the corner of her eyes with every word she spoke.
How long has she been holding on to such emotions, waiting to get them off of her chest?
“Scared of what?”
“Scared…scared that you’ll come around…and then leave me. Leave Alistair…leave him all alone in a world that’ll eat him alive.”
I didn’t have an answer for that. Her points were valid, her feelings were valid.
So I just let the silence between us build for a moment as I searched for the right words. “I can’t let you do that. I can’t let you continue to live your life scared that I’m going to abandon him…abandon my son because of my work, my personal life, or anything else for that matter. I’m glad I’m here…I’m glad I finally got to meet Ali…I’m glad that I got to see you again. I know my job is hectic and my schedule is crazy. It doesn’t make for Father of the Year Material at all and I know I haven’t been exactly the most consistent person in your life. But if you’ll let me…if you’ll allow me to be in Alistair. Or you for that matter.”
Jennika looked up at me as a shaky smile crossed her lips. “Don’t make promises you can’t keep, Justin. I couldn’t bear to see the look on Ali’s face to see his heart broken.”
Taking a chance I reached up and stroked her cheek gently as she closed her eyes softly leaning into my touch. “I couldn’t live with myself if I did. I’m not the man I used to be, Jenn…just give me the chance to prove it and you won’t be sorry.”
Slowly she nodded her head as she opened her eyes, letting a single tear run down her cheek. “Okay, Justin….okay, please don’t make me regret this.”
“I won’t.”
“Promise me…please.”
“I promise.”
[Fade.]
[Knoxville, Tennessee]
[Lion’s Den F.C. & Gym - East]
Splat.
Splat.
Splat.
Splat.
Sweat dropped from the tip of nose like a leaky faucet as I sat on the end of a wooden bench that was screwed down to the hard rubber-padded floor of sectioned off weight section of the gym. My chest heaved with every exhausted breath I took as an old jump rope sat at my feet in a spiraled heap. I wasn’t sure how much time I spent in the gym today, but it was long enough for my joints to start to throb through the several layers of white tape that was wrapped around my knuckles down to my wrists. I reached up slowly, placing my hand on the back of neck, which felt warm to the touch, rubbing the sore muscles the best I could as I lifted my head up, looking into the full length mirror on the wall and stared at my own reflection.
It wasn't hard to believe that over several months ago, I was standing in the ring back in Japan, a place that truly gave birth to the man known as the Big Bad Brooks, with the Exodus Pro International Title in my hands
I was the last man standing...surviving wasn't the goal...it was winning.
Finally capturing that Exodus achievement, the benchmark that’s eluded me so for long.
Some called me lucky.
Some called me talented.
Some called me a fluke.
But there is one thing that was unmistakable and there was one thing that they all called me:
Champion.
I looked over to my left to the empty ring that sat in the middle of the empty warehouse as a several hanging light bulbs shined down hanging suspended by large wire over ten feet above the ring. My black Nike duffel sat on the floor in front of the rather bare wrestling ring. A soft smile spread across my lips as I placed my hands on my knees and pushed myself up with a grunt as I slowly made my way over towards the ring. I rolled into the ring and climbed to my feet as I stepped into the middle of the ring.
With quick feet, I danced around the ring throwing several combinations as I shadowed boxed with myself in the empty ring.
Just the International Champion and his thoughts.
Chuck Matthews was a dangerous man...this I knew, I’ve been lucky enough to in the same ring with him. But those were tag team victories and went it came to singles competition...it was uncharted territory for the both of us.
We were both trains on the same track headed right towards one another and full speed.
This was going to get nasty...this was going to get evil...this was going to get ugly...
...but when it comes to my matches, I like 'em nasty, evil, and ugly.
You get to see the true core of a man...see what he's made of and see how far he's willing to go to get what he wants.
Chuck wants to think that he wants this match...we'll see how far down the rabbit hole he's willing to go.
---
[www.THEBIGBADBROOKS.com/promos]
[ExPro on FX #35]
[Brains vs. Brawns]
[Chuck Matthews vs. Justin Brooks]
[Non-title]
[Hype Video I]
“I wanted a fight…”
“...and she brought a fight.”
“And for that, I give you all the props in the world. But when I said that I was going to walk out of San Diego with the International title on my shoulder, I didn’t say it as a passing fancy.”
“I was stating a statement of fact.”
You wanted to prove to the world that you weren’t the Savannah Taylor of old and there were several occasions where you were going to do exactly that, but when I told you that it was going to take more than that to put down a Monster…”
“...I wasn’t kidding.”
“I’ve come too far, I’ve been through too much, I’ve sacrificed too much to let it end like that...to fall the ranks of the ‘One and Done’ in EXODUS, you are the first of many, Savannah. So I know it’s lonely now but give me some time, it’s going to get really crowded where you’re at very soon.”
“But this goes out to the Smartest Man in EXODUS…”
“...who I’ll admit, I never thought I’d ever see come back through those doors.”
“But I guess that even the sun shines on a dog’s ass every once and awhile.”
“The last time we shared a ring, you had promptly rearranged Wulfs jaw with a pair of brass knuckles as the complete destruction of TROUBLE continued down it’s dark little road.”
“But things have changed since then...obviously.”
“More importantly, this…”
Justin pulls the ExPro International Championship title from his shoulder and high it face high.
“...this has fallen into the hands of a man who isn’t going to be letting it go any time soon.”
“It was less than two weeks ago that Savannah Taylor and I tore this place apart all for this and while she brought everything that she could muster, she finally realized that when the pressure is on, she’s not quite up to the task to take down the Monster by the Bay.”
“But maybe the Smartest Man in Exodus has another angle, has another play...has a way to finally do something that no one else could for the past several months. And that's figure out the Big Bad Brooks."
"And while many want to think that Chris Strike is the face of Exodus with the World Championship around his waist, I'm in the midst of taking the International Championship to heights it's never seen before, wiping off the tarnish left by its most recent former Champions, while no disrespect to them, my time has come in Exodus and I'm going to make sure that when the clock hits midnight and they tell my story, that it will be told as one of the best that has ever come through its doors."
"And that means taking on the likes of Christian Kane, Savannah Taylor...and yes, Chuck Matthews."
"There was a time where I respected the man who did what he had to do get results, you used what God gave you...your intellect, while I did the same thing using my physical prowess to do what I was put in this Earth to do."
"Two sides of the same spectrum, many would want to believe. And God help them all, if the two of got on the same page..."
"...sweet Jesus, the beautiful music that we would've made. Yet, hindsight is twenty-twenty because while on your hiatus, I finally decided to make my powerplay and in a few short months turn years of frustration and anger into something tangible, something that will stand the test of time."
"A Exodus Pro Championship."
"A shining reminder of the work that I've put in over the months, the frustrations that I've had to deal with and the faults that I have to recognize and overcome just to become the man that stands before you today."
"...and it's what that said that I realize that in the world, in this business...you take on all comers, friend, foe, or indifferent and you don't let up."
"So when it comes to Chuck Matthews, there will be no letting up, there will be no off day, there will only be complete and utter domination in every aspect of my game."
"I will be stronger."
"I will be more aggressive."
"I will be faster."
"And when it's all said and done...I will be much smarter than you too."
---
[September, 2009]
[Atlanta, Georgia]
[Howard Residence]
Alistair was fast asleep in my arms after an afternoon of playing and generally getting to know the rapidly growing 3-year old boy that had forever changed the landscape of my life outside of the ring. The days of being single, seeing double, and making triple were over as the little bundle of pride that looked so much like me was snoring lightly on my shoulder with a stuffed wrestling buddy of my likeness. These things weren’t on the shelves yet, as I was given a few prototypes as only a selected few of the wrestlers were chosen to be made after back in Knoxville. The gentle smile on my lips never faded away as Jennika looked up at me with a soft smile of her own as I followed her to Alistair’s room which was adored with random toys scattered on the floor, carefully stepping over the toys as I gently place my son in his small single bed as he curled up into a small ball after I pull the sheets over his body. Jennika leans over and places a gentle kiss on his forehead and stroked his cheek gently.
“Good night, Ali…Mommy loves you. I’ll see you in the morning.”
The young boy mumbled incoherently as I chuckled gently; following Jennika out of the room closing it slowly leaving the door open only a crack. We both made our way into the living room, leaving a rather uncomfortable silence between us. Needless to say after seven years without saying a single word to another, I didn’t really expect to be left alone with her.
Maybe it was too many unanswered questions.
Maybe it was too scary to face my personal demons.
Maybe there was something deeper that I wasn’t ready to acknowledge yet.
“You know he looks just like you.” she said breaking the silence. I chuckled once again and nodded my head slowly. “Yeah, there’s definitely no denying that at all. He’s adorable, Jenn…he really is. Come on…let’s sit down, we need to really talk.” I said letting the smile fade from my lips for the first time since I entered the apartment. Taking a seat on the nearby brown leather sofa, Jennika sat next to me, holding her hands in her lap as she looked down at the floor between her bare feet.
“Seven years is a long time, Jenn. I can’t take back anything that was said or done all I can do is, as a man, is apologizing to you for making your go through this alone. It wasn’t fair and it wasn’t right.”
Jennika sighed gently and nodded her head slowly. “Justin, I can’t tell you how it felt to see Alistair meet his father for the first time. It was a moment I’ve waited for but it was scary all at the same time….because I didn’t want Alistair to know you and then you leave again. I can’t do that to him…I can’t go through that again. I was a wreck when you weren’t around…there was nights I cried myself to sleep because I wanted you here but you weren’t there. There has been years where me and Ali had each other and that’s it. And all the while I’ve always kept tabs on you…from the college to the wrestling ring. I’ve never lost track but I was always too damn afraid to say something because I didn’t want to upset you, ruin your life that you had made, or put Ali through that. I just couldn’t do it to me…to him…to us. And even know, all those feelings I had…they are flooding back and I’m scared. I’m scared shitless, Jay...and after seeing all of those doctors and knowing there is goddamn clock ticking, it scares me to leave my little boy in the world without his mother. But more than leaving him alone, I’m scared for him, scare of what you’ll do to him.”
Tears were on the verge of falling as they say on the corner of her eyes with every word she spoke.
How long has she been holding on to such emotions, waiting to get them off of her chest?
“Scared of what?”
“Scared…scared that you’ll come around…and then leave me. Leave Alistair…leave him all alone in a world that’ll eat him alive.”
I didn’t have an answer for that. Her points were valid, her feelings were valid.
So I just let the silence between us build for a moment as I searched for the right words. “I can’t let you do that. I can’t let you continue to live your life scared that I’m going to abandon him…abandon my son because of my work, my personal life, or anything else for that matter. I’m glad I’m here…I’m glad I finally got to meet Ali…I’m glad that I got to see you again. I know my job is hectic and my schedule is crazy. It doesn’t make for Father of the Year Material at all and I know I haven’t been exactly the most consistent person in your life. But if you’ll let me…if you’ll allow me to be in Alistair. Or you for that matter.”
Jennika looked up at me as a shaky smile crossed her lips. “Don’t make promises you can’t keep, Justin. I couldn’t bear to see the look on Ali’s face to see his heart broken.”
Taking a chance I reached up and stroked her cheek gently as she closed her eyes softly leaning into my touch. “I couldn’t live with myself if I did. I’m not the man I used to be, Jenn…just give me the chance to prove it and you won’t be sorry.”
Slowly she nodded her head as she opened her eyes, letting a single tear run down her cheek. “Okay, Justin….okay, please don’t make me regret this.”
“I won’t.”
“Promise me…please.”
“I promise.”
[Fade.]
