6/10/08
Fayetteville, AR
**************
1 p.m.
[The scene opens inside the now-familiar apartment of the RCW Natural Champion Doug Gavelon and his lover, Tiffany. Tiffany is sitting on the couch in front of the TV, wearing her white wife beater t-shirt and blue shorts. Doug is gathering his workout gear and putting it in his bag behind her. He’s wearing a red t-shirt and some black workout pants. He stuffs his last few things into the bag and zips it up. Tiffany keeps flipping through the channels until she comes to “The Incredible Hulk” TV series airing on Sci-Fi.]Tiffany: Hey hon, you’re on TV.[Tiffany looks back with a sly smile as Doug looks up at the screen and sees David Banner transforming into the green Hulk. Doug gives her a smug look.]DG: Yeah, but when I flex, my clothes don’t tear to shreds.
Tiffany: They do when I tear them off of you.[Doug just smiles and looks down at the floor.]Tiffany: Speaking of which, what was Sinclair’s deal talking crap about us in the shower?DG: He’s probably thinking that you’ll be a distraction or something.
Tiffany: He’s probably gay.[Doug gives her an inquisitive look.]DG: He has a wife and a kid.
Tiffany: So what? He could be like those two guys in “Brokeback Mountain.”[Doug just starts to laugh again.]DG: Yeah, I’m sure it’s a lot like that. I’m more worried about his excuse for why his record is so terrible.
Tiffany: You mean how he blamed that Snake guy?DG: Right. You would figure if he were as great as he says he is, he’d take responsibility for his failures as well as his successes.
Tiffany: His demeanor also seems to change from minute to minute. First he goes from saying how we both belong at the bottom of the ladder of success and how this title reign will be your career’s highlight to saying how much he respects you and how you guys are going to have a great match. I hate two-faced people.DG: Me too. We’ll see what his attitude is after I drop him with a Burning Hammer at the show.
Tiffany: You do that. In the meantime, I’ll be watching the “Incredible Hulk” marathon.DG: You might as well. After I finish my interview with Bettie Lee Rose, I’m going to work out some more. Lou Ferrigno there will keep you tide you over until I get back.
Tiffany: Okay, Doug. Have fun and don’t let me hear about you flirting with that Rose girl.DG: You know me.
Tiffany: That’s what I’m saying.[Doug turns around and gives her a look that seems to say “You smarta**.” He picks up his bag, leans over the couch and passionately kisses her. He then walks to the door and closes it behind him.]1:30 p.m.
[As Doug makes his way through the Fayetteville Boys and Girls Club, he runs into RCW’s female backstage interviewer, Bettie Lee Rose. She’s wearing a white dress shirt and a short brown skirt as she smiles at Doug.]BLR: Hey, Doug, you’re right on time.DG: I do my best. Everything set up in the interview area?
BLR: Yeah, I was just coming out to see if you’d arrived yet. Follow me then.[They walk through the halls and through a door which reads “RCW Interview Area” on the front. They walk in front of where the camera is set up as the producer goes through a final check. Doug sets his bag down, unzips it and pulls out the RCW Natural Title belt. He slings it over his left shoulder as Bettie grabs her microphone and the producer starts his countdown. On the TV monitor, Bettie’s logo appears on the screen.][The monitor then cuts to a picture of Bettie and Doug as she begins her interview.]BLR: Hello out there to all of our RCW fans. I’m Bettie Lee Rose and am here to conduct an interview with our current Natural Champion, Doug Gavelon. He’s here to give me his final thoughts before he defends his belt against Chris Sinclair at Southern Dynamite #19. Doug, how’re you feeling right now?DG: I’m feeling phenomenal right now. I’ve got the RCW Natural Title belt…
[Doug turns his head and looks at the belt before turning back to Bettie.]DG: I get to main event at this week’s Southern Dynamite, I’ve got Tiffany at my side…
[Doug then turns to the camera, smiles and winks before turning back.]DG: My life’s going great right now. Am I going to just rest on this success though? Hell no. My title reign has just started, as well as my tenure in RCW, and I plan on not only being the best Natural Champion of all-time but being the best performer in that ring every night. The only way to do that is to continue stepping in the ring every night and putting my belt on the line.
BLR: Onto your opponent for this event, Chris Sinclair. What’re your general feelings towards Chris?DG: He has a lot of talent and while he may be older than me by a few years, I think his maturity has a little to be desired.
BLR: How is that?DG: Well, first let’s talk about his explanation for his poor win-loss record. He talks about how that Snake guy he used to run with was the reason why he would lose all of his matches. He then talks about how if he hadn’t been arrested that he would have found success in RCW.
[Doug then turns to the camera.]DG: Sounds more like you’re making excuses, Chris. You can blame Snake all you want for your sub par performance before you left this company but you need to wake up and face the truth: you lost all of those matches, Chris. You were the one who climbed into that ring, you were the one who competed in the Southern Heritage Title Tournament and Aerial Assault and you were the one who was beaten in each case. Those weren’t Snake’s shoulders on the mat or his hand tapping the mat. That was you, Chris. Oh sure, if you would’ve been able to stay around, you could’ve found some success but that’s a copout. When I was running rampant on that other company a few years ago and causing so much damage, I was man enough my first night here to take responsibility for it and point the blame squarely at me. If you can’t even take responsibility for losing a match then I sincerely question your desire to compete in this company and your level of maturity. So, I guess I might as well be asking, you got any excuses tonight, Chris?
[Bettie laughs a bit at the Antonio Tarver reference before continuing her questions.]BLR: Another thing he seems to question is the reasons why you obsess over your girlfriend.DG: Yeah, exactly. What business is it of yours, Chris, how me and Tiffany celebrate our love? So we like to express it physically. Big deal. We’re two young people in love. Before you put yourself on the cross, think back to the time when you and your wife were dating. Can you honestly tell me that you spent more time dressed than undressed?
[Bettie starts to blush a bit.]DG: Besides, shouldn’t everyone involved in a relationship want to be with their lover physically? You know what I’m talking about, Bettie. When you get close to a guy or girl or whatever, you like being with them physically, don’t you?
BLR: Oh my word. Uh….[Doug laughs a bit as Bettie stumbles over her words as Doug turns his attention back to the camera again with a serious demeanor.]DG: Then again, maybe you’re just saying that since I spend so much time with Tiffany that I’ve become distracted from our match. Well, last I checked, you seemed to enjoy just hanging out with your family at a swimming pool, Chris, so who seems more distracted here? I spend my days working out in the gym, doing my public appearances and being with Tiffany. Meanwhile, you spend your time either helping to train other wrestlers or lay around somewhere with your wife and kid. You can deny it all you want, Chris, but my previous comments about you using RCW’s relaxed schedule to spend more and more time with your family or training other wrestlers who might have a brighter future shows how you want to spend as much time out of the ring as possible. You can talk about knocking me to the bottom of the ladder but I just don’t think you have the drive or the guts to get the job done against real opposition. I’m not Willy Franklin or Beau Thibodeaux. I’m the RCW Natural Champion…
[Doug takes the belt from off of his shoulder and holds it up for the camera.]DG: …and my victory over Brock Davids to win this belt is far from the main highlight of my career. In the end, it’ll be you who will be nothing more than a footnote in the history of title defenses.
[Doug puts the belt back over his left shoulder as he continues.]DG: The way I see it, this match is like the mandatory challenger in boxing. Every boxing council has the fighters that they see as top prospects who deserve a shot at the title even though they know that they have no real shot of winning the title. And Chris, just like the Pavlik-Lockett fight from this past weekend, my destruction of your challenge won’t take long. Oh, I’m sure you’ll put up a valiant effort and that might impress someone but in the end, all that’ll happen is another loss on that “up-to-date” record you have on the RCW website.
[Doug, still with a serious look, turns back to Bettie.]BLR: I take it then that you don’t agree with Chris’s strategy of keeping you grounded in your match?DG: You’ve got that right. He says he likes to play to people’s strengths to demoralize them but before that, he was saying that he’d keep me grounded to stay away from my high-flying strength. The truth is that he has no real idea how to beat me. Like I’ve said, I spent my adolescence either competing in the amateur ranks or watching the pros on TV. My strength lies not only in my agility or technical prowess but in my tenacity and determination. Chris, your abilities to take punishment won’t demoralize me. In fact, all it’ll do is give Mikey a challenger for his title of Human Punching Bag. Your willpower will be broken once I’ve dumped you on your head and put you away with a Burning Hammer at Southern Dynamite.
BLR: And what do you think of the return of his fellow members of the House of Pain, Brett Johnson and Rocky Malibu?[Doug looks at her with a look of indifference.]DG: Obviously, little has been seen of either of these guys in RCW but there hasn’t been much to talk about anyway. If Brett’s latest promo is any indication, it’s easy to see why. As far as Rocky goes, until he faces real competition, then he’s just like Chris and is hard to take seriously. If he gets whatever visa problems he has figured out, then maybe we’ll see what he’s got. Until then, it’s just an empty debate.
BLR: Do you think that you guys can live up to the hype that Chris has set forth for this match?DG: If Chris relies on his abilities and keeps his ego in check, then it’s possible but if he comes in, thinking about what excuse he might use or what his wife and kid might be doing at that moment then he has no chance in hell. Talent can go a long way but if your mind isn’t clear then talent means nothing. And Chris, my mind is clear so I hope that yours is as well or else the beating you take won’t be long but will be painful on many fronts.
BLR: What do you think about Chris’s comments about his broken neck?DG: I think it speaks well of what his determination used to be when it came to pro wrestling. If such a thing happened to him now, I highly doubt the result would be the same. He has too much to lose now by continuing in such a situation as I’m sure he wants to be able to walk with his wife along the beach during a hot summer or play ball with his son in the backyard. Quite frankly, I think he’d go for longevity over personal gain if that happened to him now.
[Doug takes the belt from his shoulder and holds it in front of his waste.]DG: As for myself, I’ve already stated, I’m willing to die in that ring. I can put my body on the line every night without a second thought. Hell, back in that other company, I sacrificed everything including my friends, my family and even Tiffany to rise to the top. Everything including my soul. Do you think something like a broken bone would be enough to stop me? I don’t think so. My resolve to be the best has never wavered. Neither pain nor suffering nor even death itself can rob me of my desires. And Chris, you will find that out first hand once we step into the ring.
[Doug slings the belt back over his shoulder as he shakes Bettie’s hand.]BLR: Thank you, Doug. I’m sure everyone can’t wait for your title defense at this upcoming Southern Dynamite and I can’t wait to be there in person. This is Bettie Lee Rose saying see you next time![The producer signals cut as Doug says his good-byes and walks out the door.]7 p.m.
[Doug opens the door to his apartment and wipes the sweat off of his face with a towel. He sets his bag down and notices a plate of spaghetti waiting for him on the kitchen table. He grabs it and proceeds into the living room and sits down next to Tiffany on the couch. They kiss before Doug starts on his meal.]DG: The Hulk over for the day?
Tiffany: Yep but now I’ve got the real thing. Let’s see that bod![Doug rolls his eyes, sets down his plate and takes off his shirt. He then does his best Hulk impression by flexing his arms and growling as Tiffany laughs almost hysterically. Doug picks up his plate and continues eating.]DG: And they say I’m the strange one.
Tiffany: You are.DG: Well, I’m with you, aren’t I?
[Tiffany gives him a shocked smile and playfully punches him in the arm. Doug then gets a serious look on his face.]DG: Then again, I must be weird because I can relate to the Hulk.
Tiffany: What do you mean?DG: I mean, there’s a guy who has his own personal demons with the difference being that his demons could manifest themselves into a giant, green monster when his rage bubbled to the top.
[Tiffany looks at him frustrated.]Tiffany: Not this again.DG: No, not THIS again. I’ve learned to deal with my demons and unlike David Banner, I’ve learned how to control them. My story doesn’t end with “Lonely Man” playing in the background.
Tiffany: Good because I don’t want me or you to ever end up lonely again.[They passionately kiss before continuing with their meal. As they do, Tiffany begins whistling “Lonely Man” and trying not to laugh. Doug looks at her and then just shakes his head.]DG: Smarta**