PROMO: "The River Dragon Has Come".

[Guest Fire and Knives]

PROMO: “The River Dragon Has Come”.

 

 

Chaos is born from order.

Cowardice is born from bravery.

Weakness is born from strength.

 

Order and chaos are a matter of counting.

Bravery and cowardice are a matter of shih.

Strength and weakness are a matter of form.

 

-Chapter Five of the Sun-Tzu.

 

 

 

Ben Hardy stands nervously in front of the locker room door, moments after Lockdown, with a bloodied Nathaniel Kibagami standing beside him. The sweat on Hardy’s forehead shines in the harsh light of the camera. He swallows audibly before asking his question –

 

“Nathaniel Kibagami has just been challenged to a match at Battleground, if you can call it a challenge when it’s coming from the commissioner himself. Nathaniel, Alex Zenon brutally assaulted you with a steel chair moments after you lost a match against the Hell Machine, Janus. What are your thoughts on the challenge laid out for you tonight by the commissioner –“

 

Kibagami chuckles.

 

It’s an angry laughter, coming from deep within the man’s chest. He shakes his bloody head from side to side – there’s a white towel around his shoulders that’s smeared with his own blood, his ribs have been compacted by a gigantic Australian, and he’s just lost his third match in a row since his return – and he laughs.

 

“The commissioner? Alex Zenon, in charge of this federation?” he wheezes. “The kid doesn’t have a clue what he’s gotten himself into with the SWF. Everybody’s at each other’s throats with him around – Tom and Annie, Grappler and Duran, Clark and Maddix, Toxxic and everybody else...and now, he and I.”

 

Kibagami spits something – a bit of blood, a loose tooth – onto the floor. “It’s hysterical, Ben. It’s fucking hysterical.” He coughs. “He thinks he can take me.” Spits again. “That punk-ass kid...Zenon thinks he can beat me, Ben. Me.” The River Dragon thrusts a finger at his own chest for emphasis. “ME. Ben, I crushed Z. I did it twice. And now he wants another shot at it? Well, Ben, that’s perfectly fine with me, because it’s not going to go any better for him. The third time is not the charm for Alex Zenon, and if I have to go to Battleground and prove it, then I will.”

 

Hardy gulps – he clearly doesn’t like the questions he has to ask. “Aren’t you somewhat uncertain of your chances, given your seeming...inability to win, in recent weeks?”

 

Kibagami’s eyes narrow. His fists clench. His nostrils flare. Hardy holds his breath.

 

“Of course not, Ben.”

 

Hardy exhales. “Why not?”

 

”Because these losses mean nothing.” Kibagami’s knuckles are white and his teeth are clenched tight, but he says it. “These losses are the price I have to pay for my...indulgences.” He closes his eyes, bows his head a little. This may be the closest to humble Nathaniel Kibagami has ever been. “I’ve been out of the ring for seven months and it shows. I know that. I expected that. It’s not easy, but I expected it and I’ve accepted it, as well.”

 

He tilts his head upwards.

 

He opens his eyes.

 

“But that does not mean that I am a cripple.”

 

He wipes the blood from his lips, runs a hand across his slashed and scarred forehead. “It does not mean that I am washed up. It does not mean that I have lost my spark. It simply means I haven’t recaptured my rhythm, gotten back in the groove. There is a familiarity with the feel of fighting that comes and goes with time, and it will take me time to get it back. But that doesn’t mean I’m helpless, and that doesn’t mean that Alex Zenon can waltz into the ring and pin my shoulders to the mat.”

 

”Actually, I’ve just been told that your match at Battleground has just been finalized by Zenon.” Hardy presses one hand to his earpiece. “It’s a Last Man Standing match.”

 

Kibagami sighs. “He still hasn’t learned, has he?”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

”Zenon still hasn’t learned that he can’t beat me just because he wants to.” The Slaughterer – he was called that once, in Japan – smiles. “I once tossed his broken body through a table from atop a steel cage. I once lashed Chris Raynor to the turnbuckles and beat him within an inch of his life. I’ve stood alongside Chris Wilson and Tom Flesher, and I’ve fought my half-brother to a standstill more times than I can count. I am the only wrestler currently on the roster to hold a victory over Edwin MacPhisto, Hardy. I might be a little rusty, but I am the same man that accomplished all these things, and Alex fucking Zenon is not in a position to stand in my way.”

 

Kibagami turns to face the camera – he’s addressing Alex Zenon; he’s addressing the entire world. His body is beaten, his face is bloody, but his eyes are just as engaging as ever. His eyes still burn with defiance, just like they always have.

 

“I have been wrestling for fourteen years, and I’ve gone by half a dozen names in that time. The Slaughterer, The Silent One, The River Dragon – I’ve answered to all of them, and I’ve earned every one of them. Alex Zenon knows me best as Silent. Silent, the man that destroyed the Midnight Carnival, brought down its leader, and ruined his life. For somebody that’s been affected so deeply by what I can do, he doesn’t seem to have a fucking grasp on it.”

 

The River Dragon wipes the blood from his jaw once again. “Zenon, know this. You didn’t give anything to this business – you had things taken from you. You don’t know how to give of yourself to win a match. You’ve never had to. I broke you in half once before, and at Battleground, I will do it again. At Battleground, you will learn the hard way about the difference between wanting it and making it. You are going to learn no matter what, Zenon, because I swear to you – on Jessica’s grave, I swear to you – I will not hold anything back.”

 

And with that, Nathaniel Kibagami turns on his heel and walks away.

 

 

Hardy breathes – almost a sigh of relief. “Strong words from The Silent One regarding his feelings on Alex Zenon. That match was made tonight – don’t forget to tune in Sunday at 8 p.m. Eastern time to see Nathaniel Kibagami and Alex Zenon meet in a Last Man Standing match at SWF Battleground!”

 

END

[the.weej 0]

Good schtuff. As I said in IM, I'm surprised at the fact you're doing a standard interview promo. It's so mundane it seems completely out of your style.

 

However, something introspective and interior monologue-y wouldn't really address what Alex did on the show as well, so yeah. Almost exactly what you'd expect from Kibagami: Still confident, still full of conviction, and completely without fear. And really, what does he have to be afraid of? After all, Alex is Alex's own worst enemy, no?

 

-Z

[janusd 0]

History coming to a head for the second time, it seems. Each time Silentgami has taken on Zenon, he's squished him like a bug - whether he won the match or not - if I recall correctly. He's beaten him before, and says he'll do it again if he has to.

 

I'm sure the match won't be as clear-cut as everyone thinks it'll be. And you voodoo-promising son of a bitch, you reminded me I need to do my own promo. You ass.

 

[Chuck Woolery 0]

This seems like the type of promo that went over a lot of people's heads, mostly the newer guys, because they haven't been around for the whole Kibagami saga.

 

I, on the other hand, have. And I love it. Keep up the good work, man.

[Crowe 0]

This makes me crave for violence and blood splatter. I guess watching Kill Bill recently had a hand in that though. The word here kids is build. Build. Build. Build. Currently, we are all getting a lesson in how to reach through a monitor and grab a reader's attention. Though, I think Janus and I did that pretty good ... anyway! An interview promo is something I did not expect from Kibagami, and in most cases, I think they're pretty lame, but in this situation, it's probably the only way to effectively portray the River Dragon's anger and hatred. You have to consider this takes place just after Lockdown. I know which match i'll be reading first. (Y)