Post by Yujiro Fujiwara on Jun 16, 2017 7:52:14 GMT -5
“I’m curious about something, holmes.” Flex Johnson took a seat in a lush leather chair adjacent from his old trainee. “How the hell does it feel?”
Yujiro Fujiwara had heard and fielded that question thousands of times since WrestleForce. Family, friends, radio interviewers, podcast owners—they all wanted to know the same thing. “How does it feel?” It was difficult for him to answer that question the first few times it was asked. Perhaps his emotions were still running high, or maybe it was because he was dead tired. However, the more the question was asked, the better he got in answering it.
“It feels quite amazing, Flex.” Yujiro leaned back a bit in his seat as he got comfortable. “Many wrestlers walk into promotions and assume that they are owed something right off the back. Myself? I knew no one would truly give two cares about me. I knew no one would respect that I was already a two-time world champion long before many of them had been wrestling.
“It was quite humbling; I told my wife that very thing. It was quite a trying experience as well. However, that journey of humbleness is what has brought me this far, hasn’t it?” He clasped his hands together and placed them in his lap. “Since the day I stepped foot in Redemption Wrestling, the deck was stacked against me. I was cheated out of other championships. I was robbed of opportunities. I was generally overlooked.
“And yet, I continued to stand, somehow.” Yujiro shook his head as he thought back over those first few months.
Flex let out a small laugh. He wasn’t amused by his students words; he knew they were sincere. However, it was Yujiro’s demeanor that made the older man laugh.
“You know, even back when you were a young dumbass, I always appreciated that fight that you exhibited.”
“Well, my sensei at the time was most annoying. I wanted to kick his ass every other day. That motivate and elevated my level of fighting,” Yujiro said in a joking manner. He then shook his head. “Well, that, and the fact that I was high egotistical and wanted to outshine my father and grandfather.” His demeanor and tone changed; it shifted to something much more somber.
“Hey, put that shit out of your mind, holmes. It was in the past, yeah? Your gramps already forgave ya’, and your father forgave ya’. As far as everyone is concerned, you’ve atoned.” Flex nodded. “Trust and believe, you aint the same man I trained. Yeah, you retained the skills and such. But Yujiro Fujiwara, the man and person? You’ve grown so much that you aint even recognizable burh. So, stow that depressing shit away, aite?”
Yujiro nodded. “Fair enough, fair enough.”
“Aite, so let me ask you one more thing. After that, we can go get this food. I don’t know about you, but I’m hungry as shit.”
“Alright. Go on.”
“Does this reign feel different than your previous two?”
That was a good question, one Yujiro hadn’t been asked much. He stroked his chin a bit before he gave an answer.
“I believe it feels quite different, mostly, because I am fighting for something different in this case.” He nodded. “Winning the UWA World Championship was simply about dominating the company and proving that I was the best person in the promotion. It was a personal conquest, and in many ways, it was quite selfish as well.
“That is not the case with Redemption Heavyweight Championship. Obtaining this belt was not simply about proving that I was the best. No―more importantly, it was about giving the promotion a champion that wasn’t a complete embarrassment. It was about giving Redemption a champion that it could be proud of, and that the people could be proud of…
“So yes, it feels a lot different.”
“Yeah, I feel ya’.” Flex nodded in agreeance. A smirk came to his face. “Aye, just make sure to keep your wits about you. Ya mans Matt Shields is BIG mad about losing. Don’t get careless out there.”
“I am careless no longer, Flex. You know that.” A small smile comes to his face. “As far as him being big mad, well, sounds like a very personal problem to me, yes indeed.” Yujiro stood to his feet. “Now, let us go acquire some food.”
Yujiro Fujiwara had heard and fielded that question thousands of times since WrestleForce. Family, friends, radio interviewers, podcast owners—they all wanted to know the same thing. “How does it feel?” It was difficult for him to answer that question the first few times it was asked. Perhaps his emotions were still running high, or maybe it was because he was dead tired. However, the more the question was asked, the better he got in answering it.
“It feels quite amazing, Flex.” Yujiro leaned back a bit in his seat as he got comfortable. “Many wrestlers walk into promotions and assume that they are owed something right off the back. Myself? I knew no one would truly give two cares about me. I knew no one would respect that I was already a two-time world champion long before many of them had been wrestling.
“It was quite humbling; I told my wife that very thing. It was quite a trying experience as well. However, that journey of humbleness is what has brought me this far, hasn’t it?” He clasped his hands together and placed them in his lap. “Since the day I stepped foot in Redemption Wrestling, the deck was stacked against me. I was cheated out of other championships. I was robbed of opportunities. I was generally overlooked.
“And yet, I continued to stand, somehow.” Yujiro shook his head as he thought back over those first few months.
Flex let out a small laugh. He wasn’t amused by his students words; he knew they were sincere. However, it was Yujiro’s demeanor that made the older man laugh.
“You know, even back when you were a young dumbass, I always appreciated that fight that you exhibited.”
“Well, my sensei at the time was most annoying. I wanted to kick his ass every other day. That motivate and elevated my level of fighting,” Yujiro said in a joking manner. He then shook his head. “Well, that, and the fact that I was high egotistical and wanted to outshine my father and grandfather.” His demeanor and tone changed; it shifted to something much more somber.
“Hey, put that shit out of your mind, holmes. It was in the past, yeah? Your gramps already forgave ya’, and your father forgave ya’. As far as everyone is concerned, you’ve atoned.” Flex nodded. “Trust and believe, you aint the same man I trained. Yeah, you retained the skills and such. But Yujiro Fujiwara, the man and person? You’ve grown so much that you aint even recognizable burh. So, stow that depressing shit away, aite?”
Yujiro nodded. “Fair enough, fair enough.”
“Aite, so let me ask you one more thing. After that, we can go get this food. I don’t know about you, but I’m hungry as shit.”
“Alright. Go on.”
“Does this reign feel different than your previous two?”
That was a good question, one Yujiro hadn’t been asked much. He stroked his chin a bit before he gave an answer.
“I believe it feels quite different, mostly, because I am fighting for something different in this case.” He nodded. “Winning the UWA World Championship was simply about dominating the company and proving that I was the best person in the promotion. It was a personal conquest, and in many ways, it was quite selfish as well.
“That is not the case with Redemption Heavyweight Championship. Obtaining this belt was not simply about proving that I was the best. No―more importantly, it was about giving the promotion a champion that wasn’t a complete embarrassment. It was about giving Redemption a champion that it could be proud of, and that the people could be proud of…
“So yes, it feels a lot different.”
“Yeah, I feel ya’.” Flex nodded in agreeance. A smirk came to his face. “Aye, just make sure to keep your wits about you. Ya mans Matt Shields is BIG mad about losing. Don’t get careless out there.”
“I am careless no longer, Flex. You know that.” A small smile comes to his face. “As far as him being big mad, well, sounds like a very personal problem to me, yes indeed.” Yujiro stood to his feet. “Now, let us go acquire some food.”
