Post by Applesauce on Jul 16, 2022 1:41:40 GMT -5
OFF CAM
THE DAY AFTER
2006
He cracked an eye open to read the time on his alarm clock. He didn’t remember setting the clock or recognize the room he was in. By the end of the reception the night before, Buster was black out drunk. He was still too young to legally drink, but a couple enabling cousins put a bottle in his hand. Surely nobody would have a problem with the groom having a drink on his wedding day.
The bed was empty, and the shower was running, so the bride must have already started her morning routine. Buster looked around the room. His tuxedo was thrown over a sitting chair. It looked disheveled and covered in stains. A water bottle and a pack of Excedrin were planted on the desk next to two breakfast plates, one full, one empty. Amanda must have woken up early and brought back food before he woke up.
It felt like the worst hangover of his life… so far. Nobody should drink that many Smirnoff Ices in one evening. His ears tuned to the station of 100.0 WIFE FM as his new bride, sang the lyrics of the greatest song of 2006. Sing along with me.
It's really good to hear your voice, saying my name
It sounds so sweet
Coming from the lips of an angel
Hearing those words, it makes me weak
And I, never wanna say goodbye
But girl you make it hard to be faithful
With the lips of an angel
Her voice was calming and feminine. Buster didn’t even care that the song was about a guy on the phone with his side chick while his main chick was in the other room. He began eating his breakfast sausage while watch Sports Center in his boxers. It was weird. This fake room and fake clothing. The pretty girl in the bathroom that was out of his league. He had no control over his future. No plans. He was just existing. But they were married now, and he would stay with her until death separated them.
That day came seven years later. It was cancer. Quick and brutal. Two young children were left behind for him to care for. He carried on. Hiding the pain. Making ends meet. Knowing how lucky he had been to find his soulmate and to have her support for all those years. He’d never know peace like that again. So, he beat himself for forgetting what her face looked like. He was torn up when his kids cried about not having a mom. So, he drank, to remember the good times.
His wife was the impossibly high standard that all other women were held up to. Any woman who tried to con their way into the lives of his family didn’t compare. So, Buster grew cynical and isolated and alone. Until he found the second love of his life… WRESTLING.
THE LADY IN GREEN
On a Tuesday in October, Buster Gloves was in his rundown sedan when his phone rang. He didn’t recognize the number, but it could be school calling again about his son’s behavior again, so he picked up.
“Hello?” he said in a curious tone.
“Is this Buster? Buster Gloves?”
Convinced that it was a telemarketer, he patronized the mystery voice. “Yeh. Who’s calling.”
“This is the legal department from Level Up Wrestling. We’d like to talk to you about an opportunity…”
Once in the men’s locker room at Level Up, he felt like a child, watching superheroes preparing for battle. He knew them from television. McAlroy, Covington, Shepard, Tirri. Buster was a ball of nervous energy as these men prepared for a major pay-per-view. Of course, Buster had his own match to worry about.
On the way to the ring, he crossed paths with the greatest Level Up champion of all time… Magdalena Lockheart. In a black cat suit trimmed in silver and neon green, it was like being in the presence of a wrestling goddess. She only looked up from her cell phone long enough to steal Buster’s breath. She was an unstoppable force of nature. The lives and careers of dozens of athletes bent at the will of this wrestling juggernaut. Equal parts talent, mystery, looks, presence. A five-star icon with a voice that could freeze time. She had the ability to connect with any audience, anywhere, forging the path for the next generation of wrestling stars.
The encounter inspired Buster to win a tough fatal four-way matchup that night. And eventhough Maggie is no longer on the roster, she stays with Buster in spirit. He only wished that he could have shared a ring with her, just one time.
THE LADY IN BLUE
It took months of hard work before Buster could even sniff a championship belt. He started working up a respectable win/loss record. He became more comfortable with his spot on the roster. And then the invitation came for The Last of Us, a 30-man gauntlet match, with the winner getting a match for the Final Boss Championship.
A general sense of impending doom washed over Buster as he waited for his entrance music to play. He was entrant number 16 in that cluster shit of a match. It was delusional to think you can win a match like that, so he focused on putting in work. If he performed well, it might move him up the card. And that’s exactly what happened.
Late in the match Buster locked up with the current Wisdom Champion. The lady in blue, who wore the big blue belt. She was a pretty little bird known as ‘The Roundest Robin’. You may know her by her ring name, Ahmya. Buster wasn’t looking to take her out, they just happened to crossed paths. Any other night, she would have outclassed him, but she was on her second match of the night, and she was already banged up. Buster eliminated her and immediately felt guilty about it.
It's hard to deny that Ahmya is the most beloved wrestler in the history of Level Up. She is loved by the fans and by the locker room. She does things the right way and understands ring mechanics. She was the perfect champion when the company needed one. So, when Buster Gloves earned a shot at her belt, he wasn’t sure that he could win.
That match at the Doom pay-per-view was the first time he had ever been booed in a wrestling ring. If Jesus and Ahmya were in a match together, even J-Rock would have turbo heat with the crowd. For reasons that Buster still hasn’t figured out, Ahmya took some risks in that match and suffered a knee injury. It cost her the match and put her on the shelf indefinitely. It was an unlikely championship win for the Bull of the North. The first, and only, in his entire career.
Looking back on his time in the ring with Ahmya, Buster is overwhelmed by a sense of gratitude. She passed him a torch, with grace, and dignity. And she represented the core values of the federation, perhaps better than anyone else. She’s the model that future champions should try to replicate. And when he begins to lose his way, Buster needs only to consider one thing, ‘What would Ahmya do?”
THE LADY IN BLACK
Sometimes a woman walks into a room, and everybody knows she’s trouble. Black top, black yoga pants, a tattoo on her arm. She stood out from the rest of the recruits at the Champions Advantage Performance Center. Buster Gloves was the Head Submissions Coach during her first class. That meant that he was able to get his hands on her before any other coach.
The first day of class is stressful for students. It’s a different kind of stress for teachers. They have a short period of time to round up the students, engage with them, and let them know who’s running the show. Leaving a poor impression on the first day of class can sour the whole curriculum.
Riley Heart and her neon orange hair had its desired effect. Bright colors usually mean danger, and she WAS dangerous. She had a history of using people to get what she wants. She had a reputation of making enemies. She was a powerful person fueled by her own self-interests. So naturally, Riley positioned herself as the top girl in the class and the one most likely to be down for a casual hookup after a couple half-price apps at Applebees.
Buster was a mark. Riley cornered him in the gym’s sauna and tricked him into taking her out for a date. Her uninhibited nature piqued his interest, even though he knew going out with her was a terrible idea. When someone needed attention, he felt obligated to help them. So, when Riley said she was lonely, or sad, or afraid, he would always come to her.
Eventually, Buster realized that he was being abused. Riley was unsatiable. She always wanted to go bigger and wasn’t willing to compromise. Every interaction was an emotional TRANSaction. A recipe for death and disaster, designed to validate her life choices. The final straw for the relationship was her, asking Buster, to leave his kids at home, alone, because she was drunk, and alone. Buster promised himself that it would be the final time he was with her.
An explosive relationship like this could have ended in tragedy or public embarrassment. But it didn’t. Buster simply just stopped answering her calls. He left her messages on ‘read’. And took a couple weeks off work to avoid her. She would have convinced him to break his promise if she got a hold of him, but he was wise enough to avoid that situation again.
It turns out that Riley was much less monogamous that originally promised. She had slept with several people since coming to Vero Beach, including a few students. Some of those encounters had happened while she was still dating Buster. He felt sorry for her. Sorry that she felt the need to give up her body just to feel any human connection.
Buster also learned that being emotionally involved with a student is a horrible idea. He was lucky he didn’t get fired over it. He needed to be more careful with his heart. He was responsible for the lives of two children. He needed to protect them. His advice to them was, “If you see a girl with bright orange hair, run the other direction.”
THE LADY IN WHITE
Back in February, Buster Gloves was at home, having chicken tenders and macaroni with his kids. Usually, he’d try to give them something healthier, but this was a special meal that they picked out. They didn’t know the significance of the date, but Buster did. It was the anniversary of the day their mom died of leukemia.
Buster had struggled with relationships for years. And at this dinner, between bites of chicken tenders, he decided that he was done with being alone. His children were teenagers now. One in high school, one almost there. It was time to start experiencing life with other adults.
At EXP, Buster made an open invitation to the locker room. He wanted a partner to take on the current Multiplayer Champions, Don Tirri and Donnie Mason. The call was answered by a bubbly young wrestler from California, the lovely and selfless, Emily Simms. She appeared on stage in a white top with black and white pants. The lady in white.
Buster didn’t think much about her at the time. She was relatively unknown. Unassuming. Not the type of wrestler that would strike fear in the hearts of an opponent. Curiously, she was romantically involved with another wrestler on the roster. But she was the only one who stepped up. Buster appreciated having her there.
They became friends, but Emily and Duncan Shepard were a romantic couple with their own set of issues. It wasn’t Buster’s intention to get in between them, but you know how the rumor mill goes. The culmination of the bizarre love triangle was Emily Simms, kicking Buster in the balls, while he was choking out Duncan Shepard, during The Last of Us II match.
Eventually, Emily and Duncan broke things off for good, but Buster was still involved with Riley Heart. Historically, Emily never cheated on Duncan, and Buster never made a move on her either. They both knew the rules. And they both played in-bounds. But then the day came where they were both single. And a text message opened the door.
It started with innocent texting. They checked up on each other. They would wake up in the morning and say “hello”. They’d ask how their days went. They’d ask about their families and about injuries. There was no flirting. Just encouragement. Positivity on tap. And for Buster, it helped his mind set. Emily was there for him. Helping him decompress. Listening to him and taking an honest interest in what he was feeling. During this period, Buster won his first ever championship. And he secretly credited Emily for helping him find the strength to achieve a massive goal.
Things started to heat up between them when Level Up came to Florida for a couple shows. The entire month of June was spent in Miami and Orlando, not far from where Buster lived. So, Buster offered to pick her up from the airport and show her around. Buster had been friend zoned since February, but that weekend in Miami the dynamic shifted.
They were both hesitant to take things to the next level. There were cultural differences between them. A nine-year age gap. Even if they had the same belief systems, they would be at different stages in their lives. Different tastes in music. Different memories of their childhood. Different life experiences. It would take an open mind and a lot of patience to overcome such massive cultural differences. The more they tried to make the world understand, the more the world would reject them.
So, they kept things quiet. They spent time together in Miami. Then in Orlando. They went to Disney World together. He wanted to show her new things. Take her new places. He was happy to share her with the rest of the world, but she only had eyes for him. She would give him odd compliments about how handsome his hands looked and how warm he was to the touch. How she loved the way his jaw flexed when he chewed his food. They weren’t even flattering remarks, they were just genuine.
Emily Simms brought balance to Buster’s world. She makes him feel whole. Like his past doesn’t matter. Like no future is guaranteed. But when they are together, what they do means something. When they are together, life has structure. They are committed to each other. They are galvanized. Strong and better than ever before.
ON CAM
THE LADY IN RED
We open to a scene of a hooded figure walking down a foggy trail in a wooded area. The rising sun shoots beams of light and shadows down on his shoulders as the camera backpedals and keeps the figure in frame. The letter ‘W.I.F.E.’ appear on the left breast of his hoodie. He continues walking at a labored pace as he removes the black hood to reveal the face of Level Up Wisdom Champion, Buster Gloves. He delivers his shoot promo on ‘The Lady in Red’, Chelsea Skye.
There was a time when male and female wrestlers weren’t allowed to wrestle against each other. The matches were seen as unfair and unchivalrous. The fans rejected the idea. They thought it was a joke. An inferior product. They were wrong.
This Tuesday, in Hoffman Estates, IL, we have an intergender match featuring The Nightmare Angel, Chelsea Skye and me, Buster Gloves. The match will be the fourth time we meet in the ring, but the first time in a singles match. And this time, it will be for championship gold.
This week we connect the dots between the early days of my Level Up career when Chelsea Skye and I were a tag team. We were thrown together to fill a spot on the card. With red ring gear and red streaks in her hair, she introduced herself to the Level Up fans, and I tried to keep up. There were no expectations to win. We were strangers. But we won.
Ten months later, here we are again. In another random match, put on the card to fill a spot. Don’t misconstrue the situation. I have no ill feelings towards Chelsea. She’s proven herself to be a talented athlete and a good person. I welcome the opportunity to have a friendly matchup. That’s precisely the reason that I’m putting the Big Blue Belt on the line during this match.
Some are going to say that it’s arrogant to think that I can just steam roll an elite athlete like Chelsea Skye. I assure you that it’s quite the opposite. Possessing the Wisdom Championship means that you need to prove yourself against all challengers. I need to prove that I deserve to wear gold.
I don’t care that Chelsea isn’t a guy. She’s getting maximum effort from me. There are no handouts. If Chelsea is going to win this match, the biggest match of her Level Up career, then she’s going to have to bring out every trick in her playbook.
But I’m a student of the game. I’ve taken notes on her every time we’ve crossed paths. And you bet your ass that I’ve continued to do my research on her in preparation for this match. At this point, I think I have her all figured out. It’s all on the internet. Most of it, not safe for work.
Chelsea made a strong case about why she deserved a title shot, and I felt obligated to give it to her. She’s never had a championship match in Level Up. The right thing to do was to grant her wish. But I want to take it further. Let me enhance the situation. I’m going to make her a proposal that’s going to be very difficult to resist. So, whoever is watching this message needs to get it to her.
Chelsea; listen carefully, because what I’m about to say may change your life. I have great respect for you and your hunger to experience life. You’re a free spirit. A wanderer. A person of action. But the same impulsiveness that makes you grow on people, will ultimately be the thing that holds you back. You want to be an Olympian, a wrestling champion, a lead singer, and a porn star. Stop it.
I’m aware of the hypocrisy of a wrestler criticizing someone else for using their body to make money, but you should stop doing porn. It’s beneath you. It’s a tough pill to swallow, but you need to hear from someone who cares about you, that you don’t need to share your body with the world for attention. You cannot buy back your dignity and people aren’t paying for porn anymore anyway. Your parents and your children won’t understand your motivations. You have enough talent in the ring to be a world champion, but you aren’t taking it seriously. You will never reach your full potential if you’re selling yourself short. You’re worth more than you give yourself credit for. There are people in this business, me included, that care about you and want you to succeed.
So, here’s my pitch. You can show up at the Grand Sports Arena for our match and we can go to war. It’ll be a death match in a Waffle House if you want. But you will lose. OR… you can take the high road and walk away from the porn industry forever. If you can do that, I’ll vacate the title, and hand it over to you in your home state of Illinois. Recognizing you as the champion you truly are.
Are the little nerves in your fingertips and toes starting to tingle with excitement? With fear? I see something great in you, even if you don’t. Your past doesn’t define you. It’s the decisions you make every day that make you who you are. It takes a big person to admit their mistakes and change.
Deep in my soul, I hope that you can do that, but we all know that you won’t. The problem with making poor life decisions is that you need to double down to convince yourself that your world isn’t a lie.
Chels, I love ya. You deserve better. It’s time to make a decision about what you want to do with your life. Continue rocking your ass off in mediocrity or become a champion in life. I’ll be waiting for your response in Illinois.
THE DAY AFTER
2006
He cracked an eye open to read the time on his alarm clock. He didn’t remember setting the clock or recognize the room he was in. By the end of the reception the night before, Buster was black out drunk. He was still too young to legally drink, but a couple enabling cousins put a bottle in his hand. Surely nobody would have a problem with the groom having a drink on his wedding day.
The bed was empty, and the shower was running, so the bride must have already started her morning routine. Buster looked around the room. His tuxedo was thrown over a sitting chair. It looked disheveled and covered in stains. A water bottle and a pack of Excedrin were planted on the desk next to two breakfast plates, one full, one empty. Amanda must have woken up early and brought back food before he woke up.
It felt like the worst hangover of his life… so far. Nobody should drink that many Smirnoff Ices in one evening. His ears tuned to the station of 100.0 WIFE FM as his new bride, sang the lyrics of the greatest song of 2006. Sing along with me.
It's really good to hear your voice, saying my name
It sounds so sweet
Coming from the lips of an angel
Hearing those words, it makes me weak
And I, never wanna say goodbye
But girl you make it hard to be faithful
With the lips of an angel
Her voice was calming and feminine. Buster didn’t even care that the song was about a guy on the phone with his side chick while his main chick was in the other room. He began eating his breakfast sausage while watch Sports Center in his boxers. It was weird. This fake room and fake clothing. The pretty girl in the bathroom that was out of his league. He had no control over his future. No plans. He was just existing. But they were married now, and he would stay with her until death separated them.
That day came seven years later. It was cancer. Quick and brutal. Two young children were left behind for him to care for. He carried on. Hiding the pain. Making ends meet. Knowing how lucky he had been to find his soulmate and to have her support for all those years. He’d never know peace like that again. So, he beat himself for forgetting what her face looked like. He was torn up when his kids cried about not having a mom. So, he drank, to remember the good times.
His wife was the impossibly high standard that all other women were held up to. Any woman who tried to con their way into the lives of his family didn’t compare. So, Buster grew cynical and isolated and alone. Until he found the second love of his life… WRESTLING.
THE LADY IN GREEN
On a Tuesday in October, Buster Gloves was in his rundown sedan when his phone rang. He didn’t recognize the number, but it could be school calling again about his son’s behavior again, so he picked up.
“Hello?” he said in a curious tone.
“Is this Buster? Buster Gloves?”
Convinced that it was a telemarketer, he patronized the mystery voice. “Yeh. Who’s calling.”
“This is the legal department from Level Up Wrestling. We’d like to talk to you about an opportunity…”
Once in the men’s locker room at Level Up, he felt like a child, watching superheroes preparing for battle. He knew them from television. McAlroy, Covington, Shepard, Tirri. Buster was a ball of nervous energy as these men prepared for a major pay-per-view. Of course, Buster had his own match to worry about.
On the way to the ring, he crossed paths with the greatest Level Up champion of all time… Magdalena Lockheart. In a black cat suit trimmed in silver and neon green, it was like being in the presence of a wrestling goddess. She only looked up from her cell phone long enough to steal Buster’s breath. She was an unstoppable force of nature. The lives and careers of dozens of athletes bent at the will of this wrestling juggernaut. Equal parts talent, mystery, looks, presence. A five-star icon with a voice that could freeze time. She had the ability to connect with any audience, anywhere, forging the path for the next generation of wrestling stars.
The encounter inspired Buster to win a tough fatal four-way matchup that night. And eventhough Maggie is no longer on the roster, she stays with Buster in spirit. He only wished that he could have shared a ring with her, just one time.
THE LADY IN BLUE
It took months of hard work before Buster could even sniff a championship belt. He started working up a respectable win/loss record. He became more comfortable with his spot on the roster. And then the invitation came for The Last of Us, a 30-man gauntlet match, with the winner getting a match for the Final Boss Championship.
A general sense of impending doom washed over Buster as he waited for his entrance music to play. He was entrant number 16 in that cluster shit of a match. It was delusional to think you can win a match like that, so he focused on putting in work. If he performed well, it might move him up the card. And that’s exactly what happened.
Late in the match Buster locked up with the current Wisdom Champion. The lady in blue, who wore the big blue belt. She was a pretty little bird known as ‘The Roundest Robin’. You may know her by her ring name, Ahmya. Buster wasn’t looking to take her out, they just happened to crossed paths. Any other night, she would have outclassed him, but she was on her second match of the night, and she was already banged up. Buster eliminated her and immediately felt guilty about it.
It's hard to deny that Ahmya is the most beloved wrestler in the history of Level Up. She is loved by the fans and by the locker room. She does things the right way and understands ring mechanics. She was the perfect champion when the company needed one. So, when Buster Gloves earned a shot at her belt, he wasn’t sure that he could win.
That match at the Doom pay-per-view was the first time he had ever been booed in a wrestling ring. If Jesus and Ahmya were in a match together, even J-Rock would have turbo heat with the crowd. For reasons that Buster still hasn’t figured out, Ahmya took some risks in that match and suffered a knee injury. It cost her the match and put her on the shelf indefinitely. It was an unlikely championship win for the Bull of the North. The first, and only, in his entire career.
Looking back on his time in the ring with Ahmya, Buster is overwhelmed by a sense of gratitude. She passed him a torch, with grace, and dignity. And she represented the core values of the federation, perhaps better than anyone else. She’s the model that future champions should try to replicate. And when he begins to lose his way, Buster needs only to consider one thing, ‘What would Ahmya do?”
THE LADY IN BLACK
Sometimes a woman walks into a room, and everybody knows she’s trouble. Black top, black yoga pants, a tattoo on her arm. She stood out from the rest of the recruits at the Champions Advantage Performance Center. Buster Gloves was the Head Submissions Coach during her first class. That meant that he was able to get his hands on her before any other coach.
The first day of class is stressful for students. It’s a different kind of stress for teachers. They have a short period of time to round up the students, engage with them, and let them know who’s running the show. Leaving a poor impression on the first day of class can sour the whole curriculum.
Riley Heart and her neon orange hair had its desired effect. Bright colors usually mean danger, and she WAS dangerous. She had a history of using people to get what she wants. She had a reputation of making enemies. She was a powerful person fueled by her own self-interests. So naturally, Riley positioned herself as the top girl in the class and the one most likely to be down for a casual hookup after a couple half-price apps at Applebees.
Buster was a mark. Riley cornered him in the gym’s sauna and tricked him into taking her out for a date. Her uninhibited nature piqued his interest, even though he knew going out with her was a terrible idea. When someone needed attention, he felt obligated to help them. So, when Riley said she was lonely, or sad, or afraid, he would always come to her.
Eventually, Buster realized that he was being abused. Riley was unsatiable. She always wanted to go bigger and wasn’t willing to compromise. Every interaction was an emotional TRANSaction. A recipe for death and disaster, designed to validate her life choices. The final straw for the relationship was her, asking Buster, to leave his kids at home, alone, because she was drunk, and alone. Buster promised himself that it would be the final time he was with her.
An explosive relationship like this could have ended in tragedy or public embarrassment. But it didn’t. Buster simply just stopped answering her calls. He left her messages on ‘read’. And took a couple weeks off work to avoid her. She would have convinced him to break his promise if she got a hold of him, but he was wise enough to avoid that situation again.
It turns out that Riley was much less monogamous that originally promised. She had slept with several people since coming to Vero Beach, including a few students. Some of those encounters had happened while she was still dating Buster. He felt sorry for her. Sorry that she felt the need to give up her body just to feel any human connection.
Buster also learned that being emotionally involved with a student is a horrible idea. He was lucky he didn’t get fired over it. He needed to be more careful with his heart. He was responsible for the lives of two children. He needed to protect them. His advice to them was, “If you see a girl with bright orange hair, run the other direction.”
THE LADY IN WHITE
Back in February, Buster Gloves was at home, having chicken tenders and macaroni with his kids. Usually, he’d try to give them something healthier, but this was a special meal that they picked out. They didn’t know the significance of the date, but Buster did. It was the anniversary of the day their mom died of leukemia.
Buster had struggled with relationships for years. And at this dinner, between bites of chicken tenders, he decided that he was done with being alone. His children were teenagers now. One in high school, one almost there. It was time to start experiencing life with other adults.
At EXP, Buster made an open invitation to the locker room. He wanted a partner to take on the current Multiplayer Champions, Don Tirri and Donnie Mason. The call was answered by a bubbly young wrestler from California, the lovely and selfless, Emily Simms. She appeared on stage in a white top with black and white pants. The lady in white.
Buster didn’t think much about her at the time. She was relatively unknown. Unassuming. Not the type of wrestler that would strike fear in the hearts of an opponent. Curiously, she was romantically involved with another wrestler on the roster. But she was the only one who stepped up. Buster appreciated having her there.
They became friends, but Emily and Duncan Shepard were a romantic couple with their own set of issues. It wasn’t Buster’s intention to get in between them, but you know how the rumor mill goes. The culmination of the bizarre love triangle was Emily Simms, kicking Buster in the balls, while he was choking out Duncan Shepard, during The Last of Us II match.
Eventually, Emily and Duncan broke things off for good, but Buster was still involved with Riley Heart. Historically, Emily never cheated on Duncan, and Buster never made a move on her either. They both knew the rules. And they both played in-bounds. But then the day came where they were both single. And a text message opened the door.
It started with innocent texting. They checked up on each other. They would wake up in the morning and say “hello”. They’d ask how their days went. They’d ask about their families and about injuries. There was no flirting. Just encouragement. Positivity on tap. And for Buster, it helped his mind set. Emily was there for him. Helping him decompress. Listening to him and taking an honest interest in what he was feeling. During this period, Buster won his first ever championship. And he secretly credited Emily for helping him find the strength to achieve a massive goal.
Things started to heat up between them when Level Up came to Florida for a couple shows. The entire month of June was spent in Miami and Orlando, not far from where Buster lived. So, Buster offered to pick her up from the airport and show her around. Buster had been friend zoned since February, but that weekend in Miami the dynamic shifted.
They were both hesitant to take things to the next level. There were cultural differences between them. A nine-year age gap. Even if they had the same belief systems, they would be at different stages in their lives. Different tastes in music. Different memories of their childhood. Different life experiences. It would take an open mind and a lot of patience to overcome such massive cultural differences. The more they tried to make the world understand, the more the world would reject them.
So, they kept things quiet. They spent time together in Miami. Then in Orlando. They went to Disney World together. He wanted to show her new things. Take her new places. He was happy to share her with the rest of the world, but she only had eyes for him. She would give him odd compliments about how handsome his hands looked and how warm he was to the touch. How she loved the way his jaw flexed when he chewed his food. They weren’t even flattering remarks, they were just genuine.
Emily Simms brought balance to Buster’s world. She makes him feel whole. Like his past doesn’t matter. Like no future is guaranteed. But when they are together, what they do means something. When they are together, life has structure. They are committed to each other. They are galvanized. Strong and better than ever before.
ON CAM
THE LADY IN RED
We open to a scene of a hooded figure walking down a foggy trail in a wooded area. The rising sun shoots beams of light and shadows down on his shoulders as the camera backpedals and keeps the figure in frame. The letter ‘W.I.F.E.’ appear on the left breast of his hoodie. He continues walking at a labored pace as he removes the black hood to reveal the face of Level Up Wisdom Champion, Buster Gloves. He delivers his shoot promo on ‘The Lady in Red’, Chelsea Skye.
There was a time when male and female wrestlers weren’t allowed to wrestle against each other. The matches were seen as unfair and unchivalrous. The fans rejected the idea. They thought it was a joke. An inferior product. They were wrong.
This Tuesday, in Hoffman Estates, IL, we have an intergender match featuring The Nightmare Angel, Chelsea Skye and me, Buster Gloves. The match will be the fourth time we meet in the ring, but the first time in a singles match. And this time, it will be for championship gold.
This week we connect the dots between the early days of my Level Up career when Chelsea Skye and I were a tag team. We were thrown together to fill a spot on the card. With red ring gear and red streaks in her hair, she introduced herself to the Level Up fans, and I tried to keep up. There were no expectations to win. We were strangers. But we won.
Ten months later, here we are again. In another random match, put on the card to fill a spot. Don’t misconstrue the situation. I have no ill feelings towards Chelsea. She’s proven herself to be a talented athlete and a good person. I welcome the opportunity to have a friendly matchup. That’s precisely the reason that I’m putting the Big Blue Belt on the line during this match.
Some are going to say that it’s arrogant to think that I can just steam roll an elite athlete like Chelsea Skye. I assure you that it’s quite the opposite. Possessing the Wisdom Championship means that you need to prove yourself against all challengers. I need to prove that I deserve to wear gold.
I don’t care that Chelsea isn’t a guy. She’s getting maximum effort from me. There are no handouts. If Chelsea is going to win this match, the biggest match of her Level Up career, then she’s going to have to bring out every trick in her playbook.
But I’m a student of the game. I’ve taken notes on her every time we’ve crossed paths. And you bet your ass that I’ve continued to do my research on her in preparation for this match. At this point, I think I have her all figured out. It’s all on the internet. Most of it, not safe for work.
Chelsea made a strong case about why she deserved a title shot, and I felt obligated to give it to her. She’s never had a championship match in Level Up. The right thing to do was to grant her wish. But I want to take it further. Let me enhance the situation. I’m going to make her a proposal that’s going to be very difficult to resist. So, whoever is watching this message needs to get it to her.
Chelsea; listen carefully, because what I’m about to say may change your life. I have great respect for you and your hunger to experience life. You’re a free spirit. A wanderer. A person of action. But the same impulsiveness that makes you grow on people, will ultimately be the thing that holds you back. You want to be an Olympian, a wrestling champion, a lead singer, and a porn star. Stop it.
I’m aware of the hypocrisy of a wrestler criticizing someone else for using their body to make money, but you should stop doing porn. It’s beneath you. It’s a tough pill to swallow, but you need to hear from someone who cares about you, that you don’t need to share your body with the world for attention. You cannot buy back your dignity and people aren’t paying for porn anymore anyway. Your parents and your children won’t understand your motivations. You have enough talent in the ring to be a world champion, but you aren’t taking it seriously. You will never reach your full potential if you’re selling yourself short. You’re worth more than you give yourself credit for. There are people in this business, me included, that care about you and want you to succeed.
So, here’s my pitch. You can show up at the Grand Sports Arena for our match and we can go to war. It’ll be a death match in a Waffle House if you want. But you will lose. OR… you can take the high road and walk away from the porn industry forever. If you can do that, I’ll vacate the title, and hand it over to you in your home state of Illinois. Recognizing you as the champion you truly are.
Are the little nerves in your fingertips and toes starting to tingle with excitement? With fear? I see something great in you, even if you don’t. Your past doesn’t define you. It’s the decisions you make every day that make you who you are. It takes a big person to admit their mistakes and change.
Deep in my soul, I hope that you can do that, but we all know that you won’t. The problem with making poor life decisions is that you need to double down to convince yourself that your world isn’t a lie.
Chels, I love ya. You deserve better. It’s time to make a decision about what you want to do with your life. Continue rocking your ass off in mediocrity or become a champion in life. I’ll be waiting for your response in Illinois.
