- Candle in the Wind -
Full Cirlce
For the first time in 5+ years as a tag team in the business, Cody and Tomorrow Man have lost interest. They were excited to be having another opportunity to wrestle in front of a large crowd yet again but now they could careless. The fire inside that once burned brightly has turned into nothing but a small flame. That�s the problem with success so early. They set the standard and lived by that standard for many years. You would get bored with it too after awhile. Taking on all comers and beating them all in the end. New competition isn�t really the answer either. Why? Because they can either win or lose like usual. Win, and it�s just the same. Lose, they just had one put up on them, diminishing their legacy a little bit.
That�s what makes Advantage Wrestling�s upcoming pay-per-view name very significant. Desire. Do Cody and Tomorrow Man have it anymore? That�s a good question. A year ago they�d laugh at the question. Of course they had the desire. But now, it�s a hard thing to laugh at. Tomorrow Man is injured but will press on for as long as his body can take it. That�s just what he�s about more than anything. Cody, he�s just a battered soul. He was once the cream of the crop young gun that everybody wanted to be like. Now the younger generation is a lot like him plus some. The loss of attention has him bitter and lashing out at those backstage. Face it, A Tendency 2 Start Fires is falling apart.
Their Desire match-up against Skarrphace has a very intriguing subplot to it. Cody and Tomorrow Man were coming straight out of a San Francisco independent based promotion when they were hired by Jerome Gibson, owner of the upstart Global Fantasy Wrestling Alliance. It only took T2SF three weeks to take the GFWA Tag Team Titles off of the War Guard and then they quickly joined one of the rising stables called Team PERFECT. Skarrphace, the GFWA Extreme Champion, was their stablemate and a close friend.
It wasn�t long until the GFWA was about to fold. Jerome Gibson had lost interest. So Skarrphace came to the rescue with his family fortune to back him up, and he bought the GFWA for cheap. Soon enough, �Phace had grown tired of Team PERFECT and dumped them like Tuesday�s trash in exchange for some much fiercer friends.
It was a hard pill to swallow for Cody and Tomorrow Man. They knew the odds were stacked against them now that Skarrphace owned the company they worked for. But they continued to fight hard and beat every team that �Phace had thrown at them.
The heat between T2SF and Skarrphace grew over time though. Cody and Tomorrow Man had become the leaders of a strong Tag Team Division and brought in good sums of cash at the gates. Meanwhile, Skarrphace decided to open and close the GFWA whenever he saw fit. Cody and Tomorrow Man noticed he�d always do that when he was losing control to the wrestlers. They grew sick and tired of coming and going like their home federation. So when �Phace made a call to re-sign them once again, Cody and Tomorrow Man told him to screw.
So now T2SF and Skarrphace have come full circle. After a few years of never talking to each other, the three meet once again, only this time in Advantage Wrestling. How ironic how things never change. Cody and Tomorrow Man see this as a perfect opportunity to put their former employer in his place. But if Skarrphace beats them in a handicap match, he�ll discredit everything they have accomplished together over the years.
This match might not be getting as much exposure as most of the matches at Desire. Hell, some may even call this a filler match. But deep down this is a solid feud that has been building up for the past 5 years. Those in Advantage should feel lucky to have this match on their card. The three involved will put on a Hell of a show.
-[ Cody sits atop one of the corner turnbuckles of The Butcher�s Clinic wrestling ring. He�s in his usual ring attire, ready to go, but the face he depicts does not. He�s depressed. For the first time in his life he has so much on his mind that he can�t think clearly and he knows that will be his downfall at Desire. If he isn�t ready mentally, then he�s nothing but an average dead meat lightweight wrestler going into a match against a heavyweight. ]-
-[ He is bored of preparation as well. He and Tomorrow Man are famous for their work ethic before a big match. While others are out talking trash, beating up Jay Leno, or committing crimes because of their alter ego, Cody and Tomorrow Man were in the ring working on new combinations and perfecting maneuvers of a lightweight�s dreams. ]-
-[ There are a few reasons why Cody doesn�t care today. One being they are facing a rusty Skarrphace in the ring in a handicap match. That really isn�t the match of his dreams. Two, he has a newly found daughter in Texas. He�s pissed that he can�t be part of her life and that the mother is just there to take money away from him. Those two reasons alone would make any professional wrestler a bit ticked off and Cody is no exception. ]-
-[ Tomorrow Man enters the gymnasium from the locker room with a small bag of ice on his left shoulder. He�s obviously in a bit of pain but to him its all worth it if he can defend the Tag Team Championship with Cody. After lifting very minor weights this morning, Tomorrow Man has the opportunity to take the afternoon off of in ring training. ]-
-[ Out of the office comes the owner of The Butcher�s Clinic, Jimmy �The Butcher� Cortez. With him he has one of his students, Foxx Regor. Regor moves his head back and forth over his shoulders to get a good stretch as he walks towards the ring where Cody sits, unfocused. Regor rolls into the ring, looks at Cody, and grins a bit because Cody looks like a bump on a log. Cody and Regor have practiced together many times over the past few months and of course Cody has won each and every time. But Regor has been learning with each bout that even though he out weights Cody and is stronger than him, Cody just simply outclasses him. Today, Regor feels he has the upper hand. ]-
Foxx: Ready to go, chump?
-[ Cody doesn�t really react at all to Foxx. Regor looks at The Butcher with a perplexed look and The Butcher just rings the bell. Regor waits for Cody to get down from the turnbuckle, but he doesn�t. ]-
Foxx: Come on!
-[ Cody continues to sit there. Regor grows tired of the game and just decides to run at Cody and throw him off the corner post. He picks Cody up over his head and throws him down to the mat hard. Cody comes back to reality really quick, pretty much no selling Regor�s move. ]-
Cody: What gives, man?
Foxx: The bell rang�man.
-[ Cody looks at The Butcher and all he does is nod. Tomorrow Man stands there with the ice pack, a little amazed that Cody is completely clueless as to what is going on. Cody starts to make his way towards the end to the ring to get out and leave but Foxx stops him dead in his tracks. ]-
Foxx: What are you doing?
Cody: I don�t have time for this.
-[ Cody gets halfway through the middle rope to exit but Regor throws him back in the ring. ]-
Foxx: Like hell you don�t! Ring the bell again, Butch, or I�ll have to personally wake this punk up.
-[ The Butcher rings the bell again and then stands back, really interested at how this is going to play out. Cody gets back to his feet and stares Regor down. ]-
Foxx: What�s the matter, are ya too good for me?
Cody: I can beat your sorry ass any day of the week.
Foxx: Yeah but not today!
-[ Regor kicks Cody in the gut, doubling him over. Then he follows up with a double arm slam to the back. As Cody stays to his knees, Regor makes a rookie mistake and goes for a power bomb. As he lifts Cody up, Cody reverses it into a hurricane rana and tosses Regor out of the ring and flat on his face. Tomorrow Man reacts with a grimace. ]-
Tomorrow Man: Ouch.
-[ As Foxx gets back to his feet and shakes out the cobwebs, Cody yells to him from inside the ring. ]-
Cody: We through yet?
-[ Regor shakes his head and gets back into the ring. Cody sighs and prepares for the quick finish, a Cody Kick! Come on now, Regor isn�t that much of a rookie! He grabs Cody�s foot, spins him around, and brings him down with a solid lariat. Regor kicks away at the fallen Cody and then comes off the ropes with an elbow drop to the head. Pin�1...2...kick out. Regor wastes little time though and stays on his opponent, following up with some stiff shots to the head. ]-
The Butcher: Watch the fists, Foxx.
-[ Regor brings Cody back to his knees, whips him over his right shoulder, and Cody lands on his rear end. Foxx with a solid kick to the kidneys! ]-
Cody: Ah!
-[ Regor brings Cody back to his feet and attempts a brain buster but Cody rolls out of it. As Regor turns around he gets met with a few stiff chops to the chest, backing him into the corner. Cody follows up with 3 shoulder thrusts into his stomach, flips, and comes back with a forearm to the face. As Regor stays down on all fours, Cody rushes to the top turnbuckle and comes off with a leg drop to the back of the head! ]-
Tomorrow Man: Now he�s focused.
-[ Cody with the cover, 1...2...kick out! Cody wastes little time and applies a front face lock choke hold. Regor overpowers him though and reaches for the ropes with one of this legs. ]-
The Butcher: Break!
-[ Cody breaks and waits for Foxx to get to his feet. ]-
Cody: Had enough?
Foxx: Not even close.
-[ They meet at the center of the ring and Cody takes advantage yet again with a fast go behind. Regor blocks Cody�s suplex attempt but that doesn�t stop Cody. He uses his speed yet again, spinning to Regor�s left, then right, left, right, left, right, elbow to the gut, then an even quicker roll over Regor�s back, hitting him with a face first neck breaker! ]-
Tomorrow Man: Now that was crisp.
-[ Regor gets back to his feet and Irish whips Cody to the ropes. As Cody comes back, Foxx yells out something. ]-
Foxx: Regulator!
-[ Sure enough he plants Cody with a rough close line, very similar to Skarrphace�s finishing move. Regor, confident he has Cody this time, goes for the pin as The Butcher counts out loud. ]-
The Butcher: 1...2.�!
-[ Cody barely kicks out! Foxx slams the mat in anger. Now he puts him in a Dragon Sleeper that Regor calls the Regor Sleeper. Cody isn�t anywhere near the ropes and the move is locked in nice and tight. Only one of two things to do: tap or innovate. Cody takes the latter. He lowers his legs down as far as he can, getting ready to kick as hard as he can. Regor figures Cody is fading so he squeezes even harder for more pressure. ]-
Foxx: Gotcha like �Phace will at Desire�something you lack little man.
-[ As Foxx squeezes harder, making Cody�s face red, Cody whips out the only move he can think of. He springs himself as hard off the mat as he can, flipping over Regor�s right shoulder which makes his head slip out of Regor�s grasp! Foxx can�t believe it. Nobody has done that before! He looks down at Cody, who is gasping for air, and decides to put things more in his favor. Frustrated he can�t take out the veteran, Regor rolls to the outside and grabs a steel chair. Tomorrow Man yells out for Regor to stop before he injures Cody. ]-
Tomorrow Man: Stop!
-[ Regor doesn�t listen though and enters the ring. Tomorrow Man looks at The Butcher, who just shrugs his shoulders as if he has no control over this. Tomorrow Man drops the bag of ice to the floor and jumps on the apron as Regor raises the chair to clobber Cody. Tomorrow Man grabs the back of the chair and Foxx turns around, shocked. ]-
Foxx: Huh?
Tomorrow Man: Handicap match!
-[ Tomorrow Man jumps off the apron to the floor, bringing the chair with him and ramming Foxx Regor�s throat across the top rope! Regor turns around, holding his throat, and Cody kicks up to take advantage. Cody Kick! Regor gets floored and Cody covers for the pin! ]-
The Butcher: 1...2...3!
-[ The Butcher rings the bell and its all over. Tomorrow Man unfolds the chair, places his ice pack back on his shoulder and takes a seat with a smile. Cody gets to his feet slowly and looks at Regor who is still on the mat, trying to get some air. Cody, with a show of sportsmanship, extends his hand but Regor declines. Foxx looks at Tomorrow Man through the ropes. ]-
Foxx: You�cheated.
The Butcher: Not really, Foxx. You cheated yourself by falling victim to your surroundings. Tomorrow Man was here the whole time and you chose to ignore him. Even though he wasn�t your direct opponent, he played an important role in the match. Next time stay focused with everything inside and outside the ring.
-[ Regor gets to his feet and nods with understanding towards his teacher. ]-
Cody: You still have a lot to learn, rookie.
The Butcher: And Cody, consider yourself lucky to have pulled off the win.
Cody: Hey, like I said I can beat him any day of the week.
The Butcher: Yes, you posses the skill and probably always will. But your lack of focus was your down fall this time around.
Cody: Butch�
The Butcher: �no, seriously. You may be a proven veteran in the ring but even veterans lose matches because they aren�t focused.
Cody: I didn�t have to be as focused. He�s still new to this.
-[ The Butcher laughs a bit but Cody doesn�t find any of this very funny. ]-
The Butcher: True, you had the advantage going into the match but you almost blew it by not paying attention. Foxx may have some things to learn but your next opponent, Skarrphace, has just as much talent, brains, and is just as lethal as you are in the ring. You may have the handicap advantage going into the match, but don�t discredit your old boss as a has been. He will put you in your place.
Cody: You through?
The Butcher: Yeah.
Cody: Good, cause I�m out.
-[ Cody leaves the ring and starts to walk towards the locker room to grab his things. Tomorrow Man looks at The Butcher. ]-
Tomorrow Man: He�ll be ready, Butch. He just has to work a few things out.
The Butcher: I just hope he doesn�t work them out too late.
-[ Cody leaves the locker room and heads towards the exit of the facility without looking back. For now, Cody appears to not be focused going into the Desire match-up against Skarrphace. And with Tomorrow Man wrestling with a shoulder injury, things don�t look very good for the current AW Tag Team Champions. ]-
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