[Foreword] I stood in the middle of that ring, feeling the warmth of my own blood leaking its way down my flesh. The crowd was silent as I stood with the hardcore title in my grasp for just a few more seconds. I stared at it long and hard, as if to bid it a final farewell. I handed the belt over and swallowed my pride, shaking the hand of the man who had just cleanly defeated me.
I felt a sense of relief down inside me. The streak and reign as hardcore champion was over, but everything seemed okay. At first I didn�t understand it, but as the seconds passed, I knew. I knew that I had just passed the torch to the future�.
[Scene] The scene opens in the men�s locker room of the Arrowhead Pond arena, the site that just held Chaos Heat Zone�s Hell To Pay PPV. Josh Sutton is struggling to keep himself standing as he looks into the mirror. A face covered with cuts and dried-blood stares back. The look brings back tons of memories that force Sutton to shut his eyes in wincing pain. A paramedic walks into the room and Sutton hobbles over to a folding chair, taking a well-needed seat. The paramedic has the ritualistic bottle of Nu-Skin in his possession as he walks around Sutton, surveying his list of injuries. The medic comes to a certain cut and �tsk-tsks�.
Paramedic: Seems I�ve finally found one that the miraculous Nu-Skin can�t fix. We�re going to need to stitch that up, Mr. Sutton.
Sutton: What the hell are you standing there explaining it to me for? Go get the thread and fix me up, doc.
Paramedic: Alright, I need to get my equipment real quick. Try not to aggravate the cut, Josh. It�s a real angry gash.
[Scene] The paramedic exits the room and Sutton sighs. He reaches up to his forehead and runs his fingers along a line of cuts. He finds the large wound and pushes his finger into it. He pulls it out quickly and lets out a muffled scream.
Sutton: I guess that�s what they mean by �angry�. Well, the fans certainly can�t go home saying they didn�t get their money�s worth. I just wish I was going home tonight with the Hardcore title. Going into this match I had all the momentum going for me. Then Hardcore Hulin picks up some key victories and he too has a load of momentum rolling behind him. It was like a battle of tidal waves in contrast. The two biggest, baddest in the ocean. One of them has to fall first, and tonight the first to fall was me.
Sutton: I�m not going to be like a lot of the other boys in the back. I�m not going to sit here and whine, piss, bitch, and moan about exacting revenge on Hardcore Hulin. I�m not going to sit here and claim I got screwed or lost to a fluke. No, I�m going to sit here with my face covered in a crimson mess, swallow my pride and flat out tell you I was one-upped by a better wrestler on this night. But if you think for a second, even a split fucking second that this is going to slow me down, you�re wrong. Because even more so now than before I�m pumped.
[Scene] The paramedic re-enters the room carrying two warm wash clothes, disinfectant, and items to stitch Sutton�s gaping hole. After the cleansing, he goes about stitching, finishing the job up relatively quick. Sutton sends him off with an inappropriate gesture, smirking in the medic�s spiteful look.
Sutton: Those guys are paid way more than they�re worth. But that�s beside the point.
[Scene] There�s a knock at the door. Before Sutton even has time to answer it bursts open. Dan �Fearinhell� Baker emerges into the room ecstatic with a half-crumpled paper in his hand. He runs up to Sutton, almost knocking him from his seat.
Fearinhell: I have unbelievable news for you, champ!
Sutton: Former champion, Danny, former champion.
Fearinhell: That�s what I�m here for! If you play your cards right, you�re gonna be the champ again.
Sutton: They gave me a rematch with Hulin?
Fearinhell: No, it�s better than that.
Sutton: Well, spill it jackass.
Fearinhell: Well, apparently Vincent Lyger suffered a career-halting injury. It�s going to put him on the shelf for an undetermined amount of time.
Sutton: Yeah, get to the fucking point already.
Fearinhell: Man, Helms signed a match between J Stevenson and yourself. The winner will be crowned the new United States champion.
Sutton: Are you fucking kidding me.
[Scene] Sutton buries his face into his hands, sighing.
Fearinhell: What, wait� You mean you aren�t happy?
Sutton: No, I�m not happy, you dolt. I just endured the most brutal, pain-inducing match of my stay here in Chaos Heat Zone. I�m in a shit load of pain right now, Dan. And you�re bursting in here with a half-erection waving around a piece of paper like a God damn lunatic. You�re giving me a fucking headache on top of the one I already have.
Fearinhell: I understand that. But this is the chance you�ve been waiting for, Josh. You�re moving up the ladder.
Sutton: Look, let�s get the hell out of this dump.
Fearinhell: Good idea, Vic is waiting for us back at the hotel.
Sutton: Victor�s back eh? Maybe I can regain my full focus now. Ah well, on to the next chapter.
[Scene] Sutton and Fearinhell continue their conversation as they walk out of the locker room, down a corridor until finally disappearing out the back exit of the arena. The scene begins to fade to black.