BE SEEING YOU
We come back from commercial with a shot of the center of the ring, the ever stylish Angelica Brooks standing with a microphone in hand. Her smile is effervescent and infectious. The Ball Arena crowd is already buzzing.
Angelica Brooks: Ladies, gentleman, and nonbinary folks, I am pleased to present to you…the new PRIME Universal Champion…Brandon! Youngblood!
BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD
SKULLS FOR THE SKULL THRONE
LET THE GALAXY BURN
From the foot of the stage, the camera takes a wide shot as Bloodsport (World Domination) by HEALTH powers through the arena. Through the blinding blue and white strobing light cutting through the darkness, the figure of Brandon Youngblood surges from the curtain, the Denver fans going absolutely insane with raucous cheers. Tower of Babel powerwalks, his eyes trained forward, an oppressive scowl of intensity a hallmark painting his face. He is not dressed to compete, donning a pair of white and black combat shorts, his wrestling shoes, and a black tank top with his diamond logo across its center. And in his hand?
The PRIME Universal Championship.
His shoulders sway with the bravado of his BMF walk, a spotlight lighting his path. The 2022 Wrestler of the Year is quick down the ramp, his gait swinging him around the arena floor, to the ring steps. There is no slowdown as his feet pound the steel, stepping between the ropes and exploding upright. Once inside, he begins pacing around the outside perimeter of the ring, going to the nearest corner before climbing it and thrusting the Universal Championship into the air. Each corner receives the same treatment, another explosion of cheers rocking the foundation of the Ball Arena. The lights return as Youngblood drops from the last corner, making his way to Angelica Brooks as he throws the title over his shoulder. She is there to greet him, beaming, trying to speak as the crowd begins to chant.
BRANDON YOUNG-BLOOD!
BRANDON YOUNG-BLOOD!
BRANDON YOUNG-BLOOD!
After several moments, the crowd settles enough for Angelica to begin to speak.
Angelica Brooks: Brandon, the first thing I’d like to say, on behalf of many, as well as myself…especially given our friendship…congratulations.
RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH
Angelica Brooks: With that being said, I would be remiss if I didn’t approach the challenges you faced over the last nine months since losing the Universal Championship to Phil Atken. PRIME is known as having one of the most talent rich rosters in the history of professional wrestling…and the road has been far from smooth. In the wake of all that, you find yourself at the top of PRIME…what do you believe changed in you to help you achieve this monumental goal?
For a few moments, Brandon just looks to the crowd, a rising tenor as they wait for him to speak for the first time since regaining the top prize in all of professional wrestling.
Brandon Youngblood: First of all…I want to get some things out of the way. ReVival 27 was a helluva night…not just for me…but for others. A stacked card like that…nobody in the world can hope to compete with that. PRIME is always about the hungry…the generation coming up…the ReVival Generation…they’ve been making big waves. But on that night…I saw a man that I considered one of my greatest rivals…one of the men that I grew up early on in this sport knowing if I wanted to get to where I wanted to go…I’d have to match him…hold for hold…strike for strike. And his road hasn’t been the easiest either. In a lot of ways…promoters didn’t know what they had in him. Thought he wasn’t marketable. Not charismatic enough. They overlooked the talent and put him in a glass box and shoved him to the side. And in Kansas City…Coral Avalon punched through the damn thing and won the 5 Star Champion over one of the best the ReVival Generation has to offer…The Next Diamond…Nate Colton!
CORAL
CORAL
CORAL
Brandon Youngblood: And I want to make sure I say this…Hayes Hanlon!
RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH
Brandon Youngblood: I know what this Universal Championship means to you. And I know what it means to have the weight of the world on your shoulders. Know how amazing it feels. Know how crushing it is when you lose. You look in the mirror and see only failure. You question whether you belong. If you made a mark. If you truly had what it takes. It’s an avalanche…the self doubt…the loathing…but I want you to know…Hayes…in Kansas City…I gave you all I had. And it took all I had to beat you. It’s easy for me to stand here and tell you to not hang your head…but I’m telling you…you’re not just worthy of the honor of being Universal Champion in PRIME…you’re not done. You have the chance to be one of the true greats in the history of PRIME. So keep your head up…grind…and when the time comes…I’ll be waiting for you.
He nods his head, his hand overtop of Angelica’s as he plants his feet firmly.
Brandon Youngblood: Now with that out of the way…DENVER!
RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH
Brandon Youngblood: Welcome back! To the Diamond Age!
YOUNGBLOOD
YOUNGBLOOD
YOUNGBLOOD
He turns to face her.
Brandon Youngblood: For nine months, I’ve replayed it in my head, Ang. Phil Atken. That kick and everything that came after. What he took from me. What he took out of me. It took me a long time to admit…but I wasn’t ready to come back so soon after that. My body didn’t heal up. My face was a mess. I couldn’t sleep at night from the congestion. But I knew if I didn’t keep going…that I might not be able to get back to where I needed to be. I rushed back thinking I could will myself back to the top. Everyone talks about PRIME being a murderers row…but honestly…I didn’t think that applied to me. And then I got a dose of reality. Nova. Great Scott. Anna Daniels. I was busy hunting the Universal Title…and when that dream died…it was about hunting FLAMBERGE…
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Brandon Youngblood: Oh don’t worry…I’m getting to his ass soon enough!
The fans go crazy at the notion.
Brandon Youngblood: Through all that…through PWA 1 and Clay Byrd escaping…I thought the worst. That that night in Las Vegas…that Atken had taken my edge and broken me. And that I’d never get it back.
For a moment, a slight smile. Then, he raises the face of the Universal Championship up for offer.
Brandon Youngblood: Guess I was wrong.
Another heavy smirk as he throws the title back over his shoulder.
Brandon Youngblood: In the new year…I rededicated myself. Got healthier. Not just physically…but mentally. It’s only then that I had the clarity to realize what happened nine months ago. That the expectations…the weight…the burden…of being Universal Champion…the appearances…taking everyone’s best shot…the lineage you stand against…that by that night…I’d let it consume me. Because that time…I wanted to show the wrestling world what it meant to be the absolute best. To be the one to lead PRIME’s ReVival.
He looks back toward the crowd.
Brandon Youngblood: But this one? I’m not burdened by it. I’m not looking at the ones that came before to see where I measure. I’m not counting the days. This one isn’t to build PRIME…we’re here in Denver…we’re on the road…we’re selling out stadiums across the country…PRIME’s here! PRIME’s built! And this one? It’s for me!
RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH
Brandon Youngblood: Since I lost this Championship…it’s been making the rounds. Lots of stops. Great hotels and some shitty motels. But after nine months? It’s home. And it’s staying home!
Another nod of the head.
Brandon Youngblood: So I hate to take all the time, Angie…but I got only one thing I’m going to address…because I guess I’m a liar. I guess I’m a liar. Because I am counting down the days. Counting down the days to San Diego!
Angelica has given the microphone to him, letting him command center stage.
Brandon Youngblood: Tropical Turmoil!
RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH
Brandon Youngblood: Tyler! Adrian! Best!
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Brandon Youngblood: Son…you got one helluva mouth. And you got some great big balls…taking my moment like you did. You and Julien and Farthington!
He snarls after mentioning them.
Brandon Youngblood: But I’m focused on you! See…lots of folk look at you and create this image and narrative of who and what you are…what you represent. They look at the fact that your won the Murder Rumble and they hate it so they don’t talk about it because…if they do…they can diminish it. And yeah…you eliminated me…but hell son…all you did was cut off the scenic route to the destination I made any-damn-way!
His hand slaps the plate of the Universal Championship.
Brandon Youngblood: So I’ll thank you for that. But what I’m not gonna thank you for…days later…rather than having myself a nice tomahawk steak and a cigar and some single batch whiskey…I was sitting in a damn dentist chair, getting caps put on the teeth you broke with your knee! That pisses me off. But know this…you got one. After going to war with Hayes Hanlon…it took three of you…and you got your one. You’re not getting another. My feet hitting the floor from the ring? It ain’t going to stop me in San Diego. It’s one on one. And whether it’s your head…whether it’s your neck…this?
Again, he offers the Universal Championship forward.
Brandon Youngblood: It demands a piece of you. And I’m gonna serve it right up. Call it a rerun; I’m going to call it my shot.
Throwing the belt over his shoulder, he finishes his piece.
Brandon Youngblood: I’ll be seeing you Tyler. Sooner than later.
Dropping the microphone, Bloodsport (World Domination) by HEALTH once again powers through the arena, and as Youngblood exits the ring, we go elsewhere.