THE WARNING

Nick Stuart: Welcome back everyone. Well, folks, as you know, tonight will end in a Lights Out match between Paxton Ray and King Blueberry, a match that has had a very tumultuous lead-up. We received the following video from Ray’s manager, Foster Nackedy, with instructions to play it tonight. So without further ado, and with a potential apology in advance, here is that video.

The feed cuts to footage from earlier in the year: ReVival 7, to be exact. We know that because ReVival 7 is on the bottom of the screen. The feed comes in black and white. We see two men standing across from each other. One is going to face a monster in the main event tonight; the other helped create the monster.

Foster Nackedy: We came from the same place, Jared. 

King Blueberry: If you thought being an NWC alum would help…

Foster Nackedy: That’s not why I bring it up.

Foster adjusts his facemask.

Foster Nackedy: That place was a graveyard. Some people say it’s cursed. The wrestlers who ruled the roost in those days? They’re gone. Dead. Fully paralyzed, like Anton Dufresne. Or they’re down on their luck like me, looking anywhere to get back to the life they had. Wyatt Connors killed the NWC, and no one was able to escape it.

Foster shoots a look at the man under the mask and smiles, throwing the persimmon mask at King Blueberry’s feet.

Foster Nackedy: You’re just prolonging the curse. Good luck.

The feed cuts, and we’re in color again. We’re also in the gym of Gray’s Academy. Foster Nackedy sits on a ring apron, his hands clasped together in front of him. His expression is somber.

Foster Nackedy: Hey Jared. Remember the last time we spoke? I do. I was a desperate man. You were obstinate. And I warned you about the NWC curse. How people from that federation don’t survive. Not completely. 

Foster sighs.

Foster Nackedy: You ignored that warning. You thought at the time that Jonathan Rhine was your biggest obstacle. You didn’t see what was in front of you the whole time. The Curse is coming, Jared. And he has a name. 

Foster laughs. It is a low chuckle.

Foster Nackedy: See, not only did you ignore the curse. You essentially cast the curse upon yourself. Let’s think back to ReVival 16. When you saw a man nearly kill your friend and said you wanted to be in the same ring with him. And then at ReVival 18, when you asked Lindsay Troy to let that man back into PRIME. And then at ReVival 19, when you attacked the man so severely, but didn’t finish the job. That’s not just ignoring warnings, Jared. That’s actively heading into danger.

Foster points at the camera.

Foster Nackedy: But that’s what you do, isn’t it? You are the hero. You take on everything so others don’t have to. You slay the monsters. You don’t just defend your town from them, though. You seek them out. You invited the monster in your home, into PRIME’s home. So I want to give you one last warning, so no one can say that I didn’t do so.

A smile crosses Foster’s face as he looks away for a second before refocusing on the camera.

Foster Nackedy: You don’t want this fight tonight. You don’t want Paxton Ray to bring the Mud Pits into Madison Square Garden. You can still run. You can still hide. You can still prolong the curse.

Foster suddenly shrugs.

Foster Nackedy: But you won’t. And it’s sad, really. Because I like you. You’re a great wrestler. You’re a strong, resilient man. I like you. But you must not like yourself. So remember, when tonight ends with you in a broken, collapsed heap…when you can’t do the thing you swore to do in your friend’s name…when Paxton goes on to hurt other people in a company he’s only still in because of your intervention…remember.

Foster then stands up and starts walking towards the camera.

Foster Nackedy: You asked for this. You asked for all of it. 

He finally gets directly in front of the camera and puts his hand on it, and the feed cuts.

Nick Stuart: Well that was…haunting.

Richard Parker: Sykes better destroy that monster.