Post by EZRA on Mar 2, 2024 7:21:00 GMT -5
“I’m a badass, go and look it up. Check after ‘aftermath’ and before ‘bad luck’.” – Elias Soriano
“It’s amusing to me, Mr. Steel, that after our encounter at Infinity that you went and attacked the two finalists of the Global Challenge. Instead of attacking the guy who beat you in the challenge, you scurried off to throw a tantrum and beat up two dudes who just put on a fuckin’ clinic. I’m sure you had this planned ahead of time, bro, but what were you hoping to accomplish?”
Ezra sits at the kitchen table in the home of the doctor with a laptop open in front of him. The attack on Matt Knox and Larry Tact is paused on the screen right where Trent throws a 2nd fireball in Matt’s face. Ezra gestures at the screen.
“Is this what you meant by ‘scorched earth’, bro? Throwing fire? Like… have you not watched the product here? Fire isn’t special like you might think it is. I challenge you to go find one of the many Bushfire Matches that have happened here. I’d say you might realize that fire doesn’t scary anyone here, but I don’t think you’re smart enough for that to sink in.”
He touches the screen, and the video begins playing again.
Trent Steel: Next time...I'll actually be mean. Next time it'll be personal instead of just business.
Ezra lets out a stifled laugh and pauses the video again as the EMTs and security rush into the ring.
“You’re so fuckin’ edgy, bro. Trent Steel, the EDGELORD. My dude, it’s kind of sad how badly you want to seem like some sort of supervillain when in all reality, you’re far from it. In my opinion, you went after the finalists because you lacked the confidence that you could actually beat me. So, you concocted some bullshit back up plan to try and weasel your way into the title picture. No matter who won, the winner gets a title shot. And you think that if you piss them off, you’ll get a crack at them if they become the champion.”
A slight smirk washes over Ezra’s face as he gets to his feet and closes the laptop.
“I get it though, bro. Because I did the exact same thing leading up to Chaos in Chelsea last year. I started this blood feud with Zane Scott after losing two matches in a row to your boy Joseph. He took the Cross-Hemisphere Championship from me and then retained it in our rematch. Which meant I wasn’t at the top of the rankings anymore. Then Zaniac took it from him, and I moved even further down the rankings. With this feud I had going with Zane, it didn’t make sense for our match at Chaos in Chelsea to be a title match because there were two individuals ahead of me. BUT because our feud had grasped the attention of everyone, the Consortium made it a title opportunity. Unfortunately, I lost and that’s when I decided to switch divisions.”
The smirk turns to a smile which turns into a laugh.
“The difference between us is that I pissed off the dude holding the belt, not the dude challenging for the belt. Which means that your attempt in riding someone else’s coattails to a title shot is dodgy at best, my dude. We’ll see where it goes, bro.”
“For now, we get to stand across the ring from each other again. How lucky for you that it’s under Chaos Rules, right? You have all these scars from the most hardcore of hardcore matches, right? This should be a walk in the park for you. Right? We’ll find out on Monday, bro. Just know that this division means more to me than most people realize. My time in UGWC began quite a while ago and during that first stint, I managed to actually win the Chaos Championship at WrestleStock Day 1. Go ahead and look at the record books. It’s true. Unfortunately, I held it for TWO days before losing it back to the person I beat for it.”
The camera follows Ezra as he walks down the hall towards his bedroom. We catch a glimpse of Nora in the bathroom putting on some make up, but the camera doesn’t linger there. Ezra walks into the room he’s been using and opens up the closet. He looks through some shirts hanging up.
“Since then, the record has shown that I held the belt for two days. It shows my one individual reign at the very bottom of the bracket. And I plan on changing that. Placing 3rd in the Global Challenge was enough for me. Winning the whole she-bang would’ve been dope, although that wasn’t my goal. I ended up in 3rd and was able to go after the belt I wanted. I could’ve chosen the Co-Op Titles. Or, after seeing that Jess went after the Conquest title, I could’ve tried for another crack at Zane and the Cross-Hemi belt. Again, that wasn’t my goal. My goal is making my name synonymous with the Chaos Division.”
He grabs a t-shirt that some fans will remember and puts it on. It’s the neon green Avenger t-shirt he wore in a previous promo.
“The Avenger has been a worthy champion and I want him to know that me choosing to go after him isn’t personal. And unlike you, Mr. Steel, I’m not saying this to be edgy. I’m saying this because it’s the truth. I have nothing against Vengy. I just want the title. I’m not going to attack him from behind to make some bogus announcement like Joseph did when he attacked me after last years Global Challenge. I will walk down to that ring and square off with him face-to-face and hopefully come out with that belt over my shoulder.”
“By the end of 2024, I will become the Chaos Champion. Which means that if I walk down to that ring and lose to YOU, Mr. Steel, it would simply be an embarrassment to myself. Because as of right now, I am the Uncrowned Prince of the Chaos Division.”
Ezra checks himself out in the mirror on the closet door with a smile before walking back down the hall and joining Nora in the bathroom as the scene fades.
“It's not how much we give but how much love we put into giving.” ― Mother Theresa
We join Ezra and Nora as they’re driving down the road to an unknown destination and Ezra’s phone rings. He reaches to where it’s being held in a dashboard mount and touches the green phone icon, and we hear the call connect to the stereo.
“Hey Doc.” Ezra says, keeping his eyes on the road. “Everything okay?”
“Not exactly,” the voice on the other end replies. “I need a favor. And we can consider this your ‘final exam’.”
“My interest is officially piqued. What’s up?”
“A friend of mine at a local high school had a speaker lined up for an awareness event at his school. Unfortunately, the individual is unable to make it and they need a replacement on short notice.”
“Who was the speaker supposed to be?”
“Shane Spain. The former quarterback for the Chicago Marauders.”
“And you want me to take his spot?”
“Yes. I think you’ll find the subject matter fits you to the proverbial ‘T’.”
“Is it a paying gig?” Ezra asks as Nora slaps him on the arm. “Hey! Doesn’t hurt to ask.”
“No, it’s not. It’d be for charity, Ezra. Plus, if I remember correctly, you don’t need the money.”
“Yeah. You’re right, doc. I’m in. When is it supposed to be?”
“It’d be the morning of March 4th. I can send you the address and the contact information for the principal.”
“What am I going to be talking about?”
Before the doctor can answer, the scene fades out.
“Keep an open mind, it’s the only way things can get in.” – Colleen Hoover
The scene opens to the inside of a gymnasium inside the Whitney Young Magnet School in Chicago. The bleachers as well as chairs placed along the basketball court are filled with students. Their attention is somewhat focused on the stage where a podium sits emblazoned with an orange banner featuring the logo of the school. The students talk amongst each other and only slightly quiet down as a man in glasses and a suit steps onto the stage and behind the podium. The man raises one hand, and the students go nearly silent.
“Thank you. Ladies and gentlemen, we are gathered here today to listen to our guest speaker as he shares a bit about his life pertaining to something we’ve discussed quite a bit this school year: mental health. He’s also going to touch on the awareness topic for this month, Brain Injury Awareness. I know that guest speakers aren’t always a highlight of your day and I appreciate you all having an open mind while giving this man your full attention. On behalf of the Whitney Young Magnet School, we welcome Mr. Ezra Wolf!”
A decent amount of students recognize the name from UGWC broadcasts that take place in the same town and begin clapping for their guest speaker. He makes his way out onto the stage and shakes hands with the suited man. The man whispers something to Ezra who chuckles in response before stepping behind the podium. He’s dressed somewhat nicely in an untucked button up shirt, tie and jeans with his hair slicked back and his short beard neatly combed.
“Thank you for that sweet introduction, Mr. Harris. I hope this doesn’t get me kicked out but what your principal whispered in my ear before I took the stage was something along the lines of not being able to announce me using my moniker since it ‘glorifies substance use’. All I’ll say is that you guys can Google my nickname later.”
He lets out another small chuckle while loosening his tie.
“As Mr. Harris mentioned, I’m here today to speak about something that I think everyone struggles with. Mental health. I’ll also be touching on something that I think attributed to my own mental health struggles later on in life and that’s traumatic brain injuries. In my opinion they can go hand and hand.”
Ezra’s face goes a bit more serious.
“I don’t want anyone to raise their hand because there’s still an aura of taboo regarding mental health. BUT I’d wager to guess that if everyone was sincere with themselves, if I asked you to raise your hand if you’ve ever dealt with mental health difficulties, almost everyone would raise their hand. I see a few of you nodding out there but I also see people shaking their head ‘no’ and that’s okay, my dudes. The main thing I want you guys to take from this is that it’s okay to talk about your struggles. Whether you talk to a trusted friend, counselor, your parents, or a teacher; just talk to someone if you’re struggling.”
He clears his throat before continuing.
“My own struggles go way back about ten years or so. I didn’t realize it went that far back then until way later in life. I was a young kid that was invited to begin training as a professional wrestler. A friend of mine used to do rundowns on the cards for episodes of Synergy, the main show for the wrestling company I currently work for. After a bit, I decided to join in and contribute however I could since my friend was a new fan and I’d been a fan since the womb. Eventually, this lead to me being invited by Moss Edwards to train with future UGWC Hall of Famer, Ezekiel Pax. I won’t go into detail since it might not excite the non-wrestling fans here but he’s very accomplished there.”
“Anyways, my training was ridiculous. In a short span of time, I had gone from a chubby teenager to a lanky adult-in-training. Ezekiel had moved me into his apartment, and we spent nearly every waking hour training. I was having the time of my life. Although I didn’t realize that my low self esteem was allowing me to be manipulated by somebody I was idolizing. Before I began training, I was just some lonely wrestling fan with very few friends. One of my ‘best’ friends, Franco, was actually someone who constantly bullied me. But it was attention that I wasn’t getting anywhere else. And to a lonely person, negative attention is still attention.”
“I grew up in California raised by a single mom who spent most of her time working so we weren’t homeless. She was desperate for me to have something in life which is why she was okay with me moving in with Ezekiel while I trained. It was a ticket to a better future. Or so we thought. About 6 months after I started training, I was placed in a match against a man who had no regard for his opponents, let alone some scrappy teenager who was imposing on his beloved sport. The match itself was brutal as I got my ass kicked from bell to bell and even after the ending bell had rung.”
Ezra pauses a bit and looks up towards the ceiling, tears almost forming at the corner of his eyes. He wipes his nose and exhales before turning his attention back to the students.
“After the attack ended, my mentor came down to the ring. The night before he had won the biggest prize in UGWC which meant that the distraction he had created, AKA me, was no longer needed. And he beat me until I was bloody and unconscious. The next thing I remember was waking up from a coma quite a long time later. According to my mom, I had clinically died on two separate occasions while doctors worked to get me to a sustainable level. That attack leads me into the next part of why I’m here today, but don’t worry. We’re going to touch more on mental health, my dudes.”
A stray tear had made its way down Ezra’s cheek, and he quickly wiped it away.
“The attack perpetrated upon me by someone who was supposedly my friend and mentor left me with unbelievable and irreversible damage. My skull had been fractured and I had to have surgery to try and stop the swelling caused by a tire iron coming down on my forehead.”
Audible gasps can be heard from the students.
“I don’t want to be too graphic because that’s not the point of the story. The resulting trauma caused by this head injury has impacted the rest of my life. I spent several years inside of a rehabilitation center learning to do everyday activities all over again. For a long time, I was a literal shell of a man. I was nearly catatonic while trying to just learn to live a regular life again. It affected me physically as well as mentally. The thought of taking my own life crossed my mind on multiple occasions, my dudes. But I was able to build back my life and continue living my dream as an Entertainment Professional.”
A smattering of applause emits from the crowd then dies down as Ezra lets out an exhale, kind of regaining his composure.
“I know this is pretty heavy and seems like a ‘woe is me’ situation. I’m hoping that you guys hearing my story will help recognize signs in your own life so that you can get assistance if you’re struggling. And to also help you keep an open mind if you hear or see someone else struggling. I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase ‘everyone is fighting a battle you know nothing about’ and it’s true. Nobody is safe from the struggles of mental health.”
“The road back hasn’t been easy. Brain damage can cause a multitude of issues that I still deal with. Most of my childhood had to be retold to me through scrapbooks and home videos because I don’t really remember it. My alarm clock app is essentially my calendar as it’s full of reminders for doctor’s appointments and other important stuff that might slip my mind. I occasionally suffer from blinding headaches that can take me out for a whole day.”
“And at any moment, life can throw you a curveball and you wake up a different person due to a brain injury. While some people think that that kind of injury only happens to athletes, you’d be wrong. It can come from a car crash, lack of oxygen, or any number of circumstances. I just want to be an example that a brain injury isn’t the end of the world. In the immortal words of Thomas Wayne: ‘Why do we fall? So we can learn to pick ourselves back up’.”
“In closing, I just want to say that life can throw you lemons. It’s up to you to make the lemonade. Thank you all so much for having me.”
Ezra gives a quick nod to the crowd as they begin clapping once again. He exits the stage and Mr. Harris takes his place back at the podium as the scene fades to black.