Zack/Drek In-Ring Promo for this week.

[Zack Malibu 0]

As we return to HeldDOWN~!, our cameras give us a quick exterior shot of the arena before cutting back inside, skimming the crowd to give everyone and their signs 15 seconds of fame, before arguably the most anticipated theme song in the OAOAST comes over the sound system, drawing those fans into a frenzy!

 

COLE

We've gotten word that Zack Malibu has asked for this time, and it doesn't seem like anyone has anything against it!

 

"Getting Away With Murder" plays as Zack, clad in his wrestling gear for later on, walks down to the ring, scanning the crowd and slapping some hands along the way. The longtime OAOAST favorite rolls into the ring and under the bottom rope, and is gladly handed the microphone by Michael Buffer.

 

CABOOSE

This is a man with a lot on his mind, Cole.

 

COACH

Why do you always refer to Michael? Why not me?

 

CABOOSE

I try to block out your existence, but sometimes the smell distracts me.

 

COACH

HEY~!

 

CABOOSE

I didn't say it was a bad smell, but what do you do before the shows? Roll around in puddles of Old Spice?

 

Standing in the ring, Zack remains silent, letting his music drown out, although once it does, he's still unable to talk, as a loud chant comes up from the crowd.

 

"ZACK!"

 

"ZACK!"

 

"ZACK!"

 

COLE

Listen to the crowd, giving respect to the man who has given them so much these past three years.

 

CABOOSE

Some men would have broken under the pressures of stardom, but though there were times he had lynch mobs wanting to tear his head off, you cannot forget the accomplishments and strides that man has made for our company.

 

COACH

True dat.

 

ZACK

I'm out here tonight for a reason, and I'm going to be honest with you people, it might take a while, because I have a lot to get off my chest. Recently I've come under fire by a group of talent back there that you're all familiar with. Former World Tag Team Champions Johnny Jax and Scotty Static, and the former World Heavyweight Champion Drek Stone seem to have a grudge with me. Actually, it's selfish of me to say that, because it seems they have a grudge against this whole company. For weeks now, it's been attack after attack, mostly when no one was looking. For a group of guys that have stated they're doing this to prove themselves, guys, the only thing you're proving is that you're chickenshits!

 

The crowd roars, and Malibu nods his head, as the crowd is in definite agreement with him.

 

ZACK

Now I've heard the talk. I've heard Drek babble, I've heard the hints dropped by Crystal and Gunner a few weeks back. Apparently the winds are changing, and a storm is brewing within the company. Something that, according to people like Drek, or the GPX, that will be unstoppable, and is a result of my actions, as well as people like Some Guy, or Tony Brannigan, or Dan Black. Supposedly Drek and the rest of his cronies aren't happy with their place in life, but instead of searching deep down for the reasons why things are the way they are, they've decided to shift blame on others on the roster. They've made up this reasons in their heads that allow them to focus their aggressions on us, and if you're gonna keep coming, then I don't know about the others, but I'm going to come back at you tenfold, head on! If you want respect in this company, you need to earn your stripes. Not by jumping people from behind, but by finding an opening and taking it. You know why I'm so respected? Do you really want to know why? Not because of my championship wins. Not because of the fact that I've spent most of my career doing what I do for the people that fill these seats. Do you know why I'm respected, heralded as the Golden Boy, as The Franchise, even though there are instances in my past where I've made people want to see me suffer? It's because I never made an excuse for what I did, I just went out and did it. I may have acted on impulse sometimes, but I never, never, failed to take responsibility for my actions. I never put the blame on someone else, and that is exactly what Drek Stone and the GPX are doing. They are trying to poison the well. They are trying to make people believe that Zack Malibu and Some Guy and Dan Black and CWM and the rest of the people who have been here the entire time are running this company into the ground, and to them I say kiss my ass, because if anyone...if ANYONE has made sure this company stood tall and never crumbled, never showed any cracks in its foundation, it is ME, and I am damn sure not going to sit back and watch you try to take this company, a house that was built on the blood spilt by myself, by CWM, by Caboose, by Anglesault himself, and bring it crashing to the ground!

 

Malibu, heated, pulls the mic from his lips for a second, catching his breath, while the crowd goes wild. All of a sudden, "Just Close Your Eyes" comes over the PA and the lights dim, drawing boos from the crowd. After a few seconds, the sight of Drek Stone is seen at the top of the entranceway, and he begins walking to the ring, clutching a microphone of his own.

 

COLE

The tension is as thick as it could be, and I'm interested in seeing how Drek Stone responds to Zack here.

 

Stone steps through the ropes, standing tall and walking close to Malibu, staring him down. Malibu, not intimidated, stares right back, and Stone starts talking.

 

STONE

Now, I think you need to be quiet for a few minutes, because I'm out here to translate what you just said. You talk about me, Scotty, Johnny, and what we do? You talk about earning respect? I'm a former World Heavyweight Champion, I should already HAVE your respect, as well as the respect of each and every one of these god damned people that are sitting on their asses in this arena and at their houses. Johnny Jax and Scotty Static should have their respect because they are former World Tag Team Champions who have KILLED themselves for this business. Crystal is the first ever, EVER female World Champion, and she did that by making your crybaby ass tap out in the Survive Or Surrender match last year. We should have the respect of the crowd, and of you and everyone else back in that locker room, but instead, our accomplishments are overlooked, because all you ever do is shift the spotlight back on yourself!

 

The crowd boos, but Drek cuts them right off.

 

STONE

Shut up, I'm not done! You too, Malibu, I'm not interested in a reply from you just yet. You want to talk about the house you built. That the foundation of the OAOAST was built on the blood of you and your peers, well you know what? I spit on that foundation and I'll spill the blood of every single one of you, YOU ESPECIALLY, because it makes me sick...SICK...to see things that I work hard for get overlooked, overshadowed by a guy who thinks he's the King of Charisma and his band of merry men. You, and CWM, and Some Guy, and Dan Black, and Tony, you have been at this for three years. I'm not saying you're old men, but you're stale. You're Franchise bit...it's old. It's passe. Black T, they call themselves the best tag team in history, and that's because they came up at a time where our tag division was lacking the talent! You want to talk about your legacies? YOUR LEGACIES WILL NOT UNDERMINE MY ACCOMPLISHMENTS! For three years, three years you've been the face of this company. Even when Anglesault was around, you became the star, with your In Crowd and fan appeal and marketability...whatever you want to call it, you broke through the barriers put up by the aWo, by Anglesault, and now, NOW, you are doing the same exact thing to ME and to people like me that you once fought against! What about Sly Sommers, Zack? The minute he says something derogatory about the great Zack Malibu, you get him canned like Chicken of the Sea! Northstar? The minute he catches on, the minute he has a chance to be "there", to be at your level, you wrap a chair around his throat and ship him off, never to be seen again. Two people, two bonafide stars in this company that were sent packing because YOU COULDN'T HANDLE THE FACT THAT SOMEONE, SOMEDAY, MIGHT PROVE THEMSELF TO BE BETTER THAN YOU! It eats you alive, and you cling to your position like a security blanket, because your ego can't take the pressure of it all. So you built this glass ceiling to protect you, and you surround yourself with these legends, these Originals, and you guys engage in an endless circle-jerk of warfare because of safety, of familiarity. It doesn't matter which one of you loses, because when you stick together like that, you're all winners, even though you'll stick a knife in each other's backs on a whim. You and your Originals are a band of cutthroats...hell, Dan Black can vouch for that very well.

 

MALIBU

Dan Black is a guy with no remorse, no regard for anyone but himself and his stable. Dan Black's the guy who is so badass that he had to snap the neck of my GIRLFRIEND to draw me out, and...

 

STONE

STOP TURNING THIS INTO SOMETHING ABOUT YOU! I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT YOUR FRIGGIN' GIRLFRIEND!

 

Malibu looks ready to pounce, but Drek is in a zone, wild-eyed and ready to speak again.

 

STONE

I'm talking about IntenseZone. The OAOAST Brand Extension of 2003, you remember that, Zack? Right after you won the title, right after you got the corporate seal of approval, it was decided that IntenseZone and HeldDOWN~! were going to exist as seperate entities. Mondays and Thursdays. Two different rosters to placate the talent, and what did you do? Why, you, the champion, who was supposed to represent the WHOLE COMPANY...not one show, BOTH SHOWS, you went out and you recruited people left and right for HeldDOWN~! You became the corporate spokesperson, and you went out and you found Crystal, Calvin, The Dream Machines, The Boogie Knights, Shattered Dreams, Northstar, whatever...Foshi, you brought Some Guy back, and you pulled off the coup of a lifetime when you took Caboose, someone that Popick wanted DEAD, literally, and you resurrected his career and his status in this company, and for what?

 

MALIBU

Because it was the right thing to do. Because it was good for business.

 

STONE

WRONG. It was good for Zack Malibu. It was good that Zack Malibu played hero, and brought back a legend. It was good that Zack Malibu managed to gain the respect of all this new talent and give them a shot, but shouldn't a man who represents the company help out HIS WHOLE COMPANY? What did IntenseZone get, Zack? Jay Darring? Where's he? Dangerous A? Long gone. BANKY? Yeah, great pick for them there. You let IntenseZone falter, you made a handful of appearances, and they struggled until a guy by the name of Mystery Eskimo decided to come back to reality and reinvent himself, and that brand, and you know what? He almost had it...he was RIGHT THERE, bringing IntenseZone up to the level of HeldDOWN~!, things were getting heavy and them WHAM! the hammer comes down on them and we're all supposed to be big one happy family again? The thing is, Zack is that there are a lot of family members back there that are sick of the games. People you brought here 2 years ago with promises of glory that they're still waiting to cash in on. People who have come here on their own accord, looking for the crack in the ceiling, waiting for the right moment to strike so that we shatter your barriers and break through. You say that the legacy of this company was built on your blood? Well we're gonna rewrite history, Zack, because the legacy of the OAOAST is going to be rewritten, and you're going to have to bleed again, Zack. You're going to have to bleed, and beg for mercy...you and the rest of those egotistical shits that call themselves Originals don't know what you've gotten yourself into. You can't fight it, Zack, you can't resist our existence anymore. The wheels are in motion, and you and I...I think that the only time you and I should see eye to eye is when we're across the ring from each other.

 

Drek puts his mic down, and walks towards Zack, going nose to nose with the Preppy One. Zack is fuming, angered at the blatant disregard for OAOAST history.

 

COLE

This is a tense situation.

 

CABOOSE

Drek Stone's calling out Zack for his ego, trying to say that what he's done for this company doesn't mean a thing, but what HE'S going to do will? Who's the one who needs a reality check?

 

Malibu backs away, giving himself room so he can pull his mic up and speak.

 

MALIBU

You know, I'm not an old man. I'm not some old fogey that you thing has had the limelight long enough. Week in and week out I do what I do because I love this sport, I love the people in it and that support it, and I love this company. Let me give YOU a history lesson, Drek. Let's scrap that revisionist history that you just pulled out of your ass...let's call it like it is, shall we. This company was never expected to get this big. No one gave it a chance when it first started out. No one thought it would last, but it was the efforts of people like myself, like Evenflow, like Alfdogg, like Superstar, we got people talking. Finally, Anglesault and his aWo business had some competition. We built up our roster, and you talk about how I cling to my spot? I never ASKED for my spot. You know how I got it? Let's rewind. Beach Brawl, 2002. Zack Malibu vs. the guy sitting right there at Sofa Central, Caboose. Up until that point, everyone thought I was some Hollywood wannabe, looking to steal some spotlight, and that night, that's when everyone's outlook on Zack Malibu changed. That was the night I was THAT CLOSE to becoming World Champion for the first time. It was the night that made Caboose, and Anglesault, and CWM, and everyone realize that Zack Malibu was for real. I didn't make idle threats, I didn't ask them to step aside, I didn't worm my way to the top of the card...I EARNED IT. Ashes II Ashes, World Title shot against Alfdogg...I lost, but again, I EARNED the respect of my peers. I pressed on, I fought hard, and it got me to the Anglemania main event, Anglemania II, 2003. The night I won the World Heavyweight Title, but more importantly, yeah, more importantly, it was the night I won UNANIMOUS RESPECT. I won that World Title, and believe me, I wanted it more than anything, but on that night, even Anglesault, the guy who this company was named after, the man with the most rampant ego in wrestling, gave me his seal of approval. He went backstage and he shook my hand and he told me "It's your time now", and I made the best of my opportunities. I have ALWAYS made the best of my opportunities, whether people agreed with me or not, I always did what I felt I had to do to benefit not just myself, but this company. Do you see Anglesault around anymore? No, and do you know why? Do you know why he doesn't need to come back and "check in"? Because he knows this company is in good hands, because as long as there is blood in my veins and breath in my body, I will not let this company crumble, because this company has given me a home, they have given me respect, and they have given me a life that I wouldn't trade in for anything...so you wanna talk about selfishness? Yeah, I am selfish at times, but I'm selfish because I try to take everything and anything that can make this company better and add it to the mix. I look at the talent, I watch the shows, I go to the stores to see how our products sell, because this company gave me the best it had to offer, and I promise that until the day I die I will give back 110% to this company and these fans and I will NOT LET SOME PUNK TRYING TO MAKE A QUICK NAME FOR HIMSELF TELL ME THAT WHAT I'M DOING IS WRONG! If YOU want to make a name, Drek, let's see YOU earn it. You've got my attention these days, but I ask you, face to face, man to man...

 

(Zack inches closer, and Drek backsteps a bit, seemingly worried)

 

MALIBU

...what are YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT?

 

Drek, put on the spot, doesn't know how to react. Malibu is fuming, and seconds later cocks his arm back, coming forward with a slap that stuns Drek and knocks the taste out of his mouth.

 

MALIBU

THAT is what you've earned from me, Drek Stone. Your a former World Champion, your a bonafide superstar, but it means absolutely nothing if you don't respect the OAOAST. You talk about breaking the barriers, you talk about some revolution, what does it all mean if you don't respect the legacy of this company? Have you thought this through, or is it all just words, just a way to draw me out to try and elevate your status a little bit? Let me tell you something, I told you you've got my attention, so now the ball is in your court. If you are what you say you are, if you think that you can do what you've promised for weeks now, then I want to see it. I want you to drop that mic, I'll drop mine, and I want to see you take me out!

 

Drek does a double take, and Malibu tosses his mic over the ropes to the floor, ready to go. Drek is silent, perhaps not knowing what to say after Malibu has just told him his own thoughts. Drek steps forward, with Malibu waving him on, ready for action.

 

DREK

You know what, Malibu? Your time is coming...but it's not now.

 

Drek drops the mic and turns away from Malibu, jumping through the ropes and down to the floor. Malibu stands in the ring, watching him walk away, while fans boo Drek Stone loudly and viciously.

 

COLE

Malibu called Drek Stone's bluff, and now the former World Champion is walking away from a fight!

 

COACH

That just made tonight's matchup a LOT more interesting!

 

CABOOSE

Don't forget though, right now Drek and the GPX have an advantage, because all we know is that Rodez and Malibu are teaming, they're still missing a third man!

 

COLE

Hopefully we'll find out who it is when we come back!