Post by Yujiro Fujiwara on Feb 10, 2017 10:18:52 GMT -5
October 8th, 2016—
That is a day that will linger in my mind for ages. It ranks up there with being one of the best days of life. In the same vain, that evening was a great disappointment as well.
You all should know the backstory by now. I’d taken some time away from in-ring competition to get my life in order. I re-connected with my family. I married my beautiful wife, Cammy. And, I picked up a nice job training up-in-coming wrestling students.
I was living the life. Everything was great…
At least on a surface level. Deep inside though, things were not so glorious. My body, my heart—they were not merely content with simply training students. My entire being yearned to return to the ring, as a competitor.
Then again, apart of me was frightful. A apart of me was nervous. “Do you truly have what it takes to successfully return?” That question played on an endless loop inside the confines of my mind. It haunted me for a few nights…
Eventually though, my mind became to settle and be at ease. You see, I later realized that stressing myself had no purpose. Furthermore, that dreadful question didn’t really have merit either.
I had not retired and become a slob. I was not out of shape or out of practice. I trained and taught the basics of professional wrestling five days a week, and then trained on my own on the weekends. That is my my logic kicked in. I realized that if anything, my skills in the ring had to have increased.
There was also the fact I knew I’d never be able to forgive myself if I didn’t jump back into the sport. That question kept me awake for a few nights, yes. However, I didn’t want the question of “what if” to swallow and engulf me for the rest of my life.
October 8th, 2016—that evening I made my return to this glorious sport when I debuted for Redemption Wrestling. Was it the most glamourous of debuts? In truth, I’d have to say no. Everyone wants to have the chance to be highlighted and showcased—which is a taxing task to accomplish in a six-man battle royal. Nonetheless, I’d like to think I made the most out of it.
Even in it’s inception, professional wrestling has always been a sport of egos. At that’s the way it’s always been; the way it probably always will be. Therefore, I knew going that no one in Redemption would truly give a fuck about me.
There’s was no artificial buzz attached to my name, so I was irrelevant...
My name was foreign to them, so they automatically assumed I was beneath them...
My two world title reigns? They were ignored...
All of that was in the back of my mind when I arrived at the arena. All of that was in the back of my mind when I was getting geared up. Hell, it was still in the back of my mind as my music hti. Despite all that, I went out there and performed. Despite all that, I went out there and reintroduced myself to the industry that I loved so dearly.
That night, I kicked butt. That night, I impressed a great deal of people. And whether or not they are man or woman enough to admit it, I put people on notice. The name Yujiro Fujiwara wasn’t to foreign to them.
That Night was nearly perfect…
—Wrestling is a combat sport, and in combat sports, there are always winners and losers. Sometimes, you shall be victorious; others times, you’ll have to stare defeat in the face—that is all apart of being wrestler. A true man or woman of valor is one who learns and grows from both experiences.
That being said, that night I learned that Jeremy Starling was not a man of valor or honor.
In fact, that I night I learned that Mr. Starling wasn’t a man at all. You see, despite how much I loathe Anton Chase, at least he had the decency to fight me in the center of the ring. And after his loss to me in the Global Cup, did he attempt to attack me? No, he did not.
Mr. Starling, you are not God’s gift to professional wrestling. You are not "Living Greatness" personified. Regardless of your talent, regardless of your success here in Redemption—deep down, you are nothing more than a spineless little boy.
...At the conclusion of that battle royal, after you’d been fairly eliminated, you attacked me and cost me the Genesis Championship. Did you think I forget? Did you think that my ire had expired? No, not at all.
I told the world that vengeance would be mine at the end of the day, and that time is now, Mr. Starling. When you and I meet in Yokohama, there will be nowhere for you to run. There will be no one for you to turn to. You shall receive no help, shady or otherwise.
I’m well aware that the Global Cup winner receives a title shot in the end. That is a wonderful incentive, one that I’m sure you’re dying to reach, right Mr. Starling? However, in truth, this tournament means so much more, to me at least…
I wa weary of it at first. However, I then say it for what it was―a chance at reclamation. A chance to finally prove once and for all that I am just as great as I’ve always said that I was. And lastly, it is a chance to correct the fuck up you committed on October 8th in Texas.
Mr. Starling, please be advised on the following. These are not my pitiful attempts to bluff you. These are neither attempts to act hard or be a bad ass. Nonetheless, you need to be aware of that fact that when we step into the ring, there will be no mercy.
You will not be afforded that luxury.
