NJFC presents FIGHTING Spirit (Night One)

[James Peterson]

RYAN HENDERSON

Ryan Henderson, a newcomer to NJFC is next up for the press conference as he walks into the room, dressed in a dapper maroon suit, with a white dress shirt. Henderson has a slight smirk on his face as he looks around at all the reporters. Even Henderson had to admit he wasn't used to these press conferences especially in a foreign country. Henderson cleared his throat a bit as he leaned forward a bit, placing his hands on the podium.

RYAN HENDERSON: Feel free to go ahead and ask anything you'd like.

Ryan looks around at all the reporters as quite a few of them shoot their hands up in the air to be the first question as Ryan scans the room before pointing over to one reporter who stands up once Ryan points him out.

REPORTER #1: You're new to NJFC as well as to Japan. Are you going to find it hard to adjust to the Japanese style of wrestling as opposed to what you're used to in America?

Henderson pondered the question a bit, nodding his head. Ryan obviously knew that there was going to be a difference between the two wrestling styles, especially with Henderson having never wrestled in Japan until now.

RYAN HENDERSON: Obviously I'm gonna have to adjust. I've never wrestled outside of North America, this is my first time being here in Japan and while I'm gonna be adjusting to something completely new, I'm excited for it. I'm excited for this tournament, as soon as I heard about it I told myself that I absolutely had to be in this tournament. I needed to come out here to Japan because I know that some of the best of the bests have come here to Japan and are currently here in Japan as well and I thrive on competing against the best, because it brings out the best in me and I only wanna compete against the very best.

Ryan smiled towards the reporters as he saw another hand shoot up, before pointing towards them.

RYAN HENDERSON: Yeah, go ahead.

REPORTER #2: Your first round matchup is against Samantha Tolson, someone whom you know of from CWC. What is your strategy going to be for this match as well as throughout the entire tournament?

RYAN HENDERSON: I'm well aware of who Samantha Tolson is and what she's accomplished over in CWC and I'm not gonna underestimate her for starters because she's a woman and secondly because I know not to underestimate any of my opponents because I know it could come back to bite me and that is the last thing I want especially in such a big tournament such as this as well as with the opportunity of becoming the new Junior Heavyweight Champion being on the line. I'll be the first to admit that in recent years I haven't exactly had nearly the amount of success that I had earlier on in my career and I truly believe that right now I'm at my peak, I'm in the best shape of my entire life and I'm in my prime right now. I know that after Fighting Spirit, I'm gonna be hurting but hopefully all of that hurting will be worth it in the end, because when I make my way back home to Cleveland, I'll be bringing the Junior Heavyweight Championship with me and I'll be able to show it to my kids. You know this event... Fighting Spirit is a perfect name, because that's exactly what I'm gonna be channeling... my inner fighting spirit and I'm gonna put everything on the line just like I do every single time I step through the curtain and into that ring. I wrestle every single match as if it were to be my last, because everyone knows that injuries happen and that something really bad could happen at any given moment.

Henderson pointed out to another reporter as he continued leaning against the podium, his hands on either side of it.

REPORTER #2: If you were to become Junior Heavyweight Champion, would you be willing to defend not just here in Japan but all over the world and quite possibly in CWC? Obviously being apart of two separate promotions that are in different countries is going to be a little difficult, how do you think you'll be able to manage it?

RYAN HENDERSON: I think I'll be able to manage it just fine and yes I'd totally be willing to defend the championship outside of NJFC. If I were to become champion, I'd be a fighting champion which is something I've always been. I'll defend that title against anyone and everyone who steps up to the plate and wants a crack at it. I'm a third generation Superstar, this business is in my blood and while I am proud to be third generation, I'm not here to live off both my father and my grandfather's legacies, I'm here to create my own. I'm here to put on a wrestling clinic in this tournament and that's exactly what I'm gonna do, I'm gonna showcase my in-ring abilities and I'm gonna leave here as the new Junior Heavyweight Champion. Not only that but I'm gonna bring honor and respect to that championship as well. I'm gonna show the entire world why they call me Mr. No Limits, because there is absolutely nothing that I won't put my body through in order to win.

REPORTER #2: Last question, Mr. Henderson... what makes you stand out from the other competitors in this tournament?

RYAN HENDERSON: What makes me stand out? I'm a risk taker, you tell me to take a few steps I'm gonna ignore you and jump instead even if the risk is very high. I've got the determination and the desire to be a champion and it would be quite something to come here and on my first night to leave as the new Junior Heavyweight Champion, that'll be all thank you.

JOSEPH WHITE

The CWC [R]evo Televisione Championship is sat folded in front of a gathering of microphones, and a wooden board covered in logos and sponsors. Joseph White makes his way into the conference, wearing a Dogs of War t-shirt, sunglasses, a pair of gold Adidas tracksuit bottoms and white Adidas trainers. He takes a seat behind the microphones. He looks across the room of reporters. He looks off-camera.

WHITE: Do I have to take these off?

White gestures to his sunglasses, waits for a response.

WHITE: Aye, cool.

White yawns - and does not take his sunglasses off.

WHITE: Right, so, who wants to go first?

White points to one of the reporters.

MIDDLE-AGED JAPANESE REPORTER: Are you concerned about the endurance you’ll have to have for this for this two night, four match tournament?

WHITE: Look, I know I haven’t been doing this for that long, but I’ve been doing this for long enough. I am young, full of energy and I am one of the elite performers in the world. I plan on using my brain in this tournament - I will giving my all. You will get 4 5-star matches out of the Gold Standard, but I will also not be playing to the time limits. Get in, get out, win. It’s that simple.

White winks with a knowing smirk, he points to another reporter.

BRITISH INTERNET JOURNALIST: Joe, You’ve had to drop weight in order to compete in this tournament - does that concern you?

Although he is wearing sunglasses, White almost appears to roll his eyes and let out an audible sigh.

WHITE: Mate, you’re better than this. I dropped a little over 20 pounds, it was not the massive ordeal that some of the other competitors have had to put themselves through. I’m the Gold Standard, I hardly broke a sweat doing this. I’m a prime athlete - this is what I do. Others have put their health at risk - I can take advantage of that. There’s going to be a lot of low immune systems - there’s going to be a lot of bruised kidneys when I’m done out there.

White points towards another reporter, having to do so a second time when two journalists seem to fall into his pointing range.

YOUNG JAPANESE REPORTER: Mr White, you are one of the least experienced wrestlers at this level - do you think you are going to be able to compete with some of the more experienced performers in this tournament? How far can you realistically go?

WHITE: Here’s the thing. In wrestling - anything can happen. Anything can happen. I must admit I’m a mixture of nervous and excited at the prospect of some of the potential matches I could have out there. They are mouth-watering. But I’m going to take this one at a time. My first match may be my toughest challenge of the entire tournament. I mean, I used to watch Michael Kelly - he is one of the backbones of modern wrestling - nevermind one of the backbones of the junior heavyweights. But that’s the thing, I was selected as one of the 16 best junior heavyweights in the world and I am determined that I will live up to that. I am after all, The Gold Standard - that isn’t just a name. I am one of the elite international junior heavyweights - and like I said before anything can happen out there.

White takes a moment to compose himself, he removes his sun glasses, he looks into the soul of the reporter - he swallows.

WHITE: If I can get past Kelly, I am certain I can go all the way to the championship. You can not enter into one of these tournaments if you don’t think you can go all the way. You aren’t invited to one of these prestigious tournaments if the people inviting you don’t think you can go all the way. So, realistically, I am the Gold Standard and I have got this.

White stands and puts his CWC [R]evo Televisione Championship over shoulder, he replaces his sunglasses. He moves to leave, before stopping to re-address the gathered journalists.

WHITE: I am not afraid to be successful. I am a champion. I am a winner. I am the Gold Standard. Thank you.

White leaves the gathered press.

[James Peterson]

Ryan Henderson vs Joseph White

The main event.

The one that decides who will face Craig Anderson tomorrow night for the FIGHTING Junior Heavyweight Championship.

Ryan Henderson comes out alone from the back and gets a good reaction from the fans too. He's earned their respect through the night and now they're on his side evidently. White comes out but he's not alone. Joining him are fellow Dogs of War members too. Your Hero and Mine, Mark Storm, who will be in action tomorrow against Chris Crippler, and KAMIKAZE Pro Gatekeeper Champion, Mitsuo Shimada. There's a frosty reception for the Dogs of War as they come out, alongside Chris Constantine too. White embraces his brothers in war before entering the ring and going over to his designated corner.

The bell rings and both men proceed to circle the ring. They approach one another and look as if they're going to lock up but then White hesitates and walks in another direction away from Henderson. They then return to circle the ring and once again getting closer and closer to one another. But again, White heads in another direction, this tactic being used to obviously infuriate Henderson, a tactic used numerous times by fellow Dogs of War member Mitsuo Shimada. Henderson has his hands on his hips and he shakes his head sideways. The two then circle, approach and White this time knee's him in the mid section and slaps him into a side headlock, tightening the hold. Henderson does well to push him back into the ropes and launch him off to the opposite set. White comes back and shoulder barges him to the canvas, the Gold Standard flexing afterward. He then heads to the ropes whilst Henderson moves across the canvas and looks to trip him up, White skips over him and bounces off of the opposite ropes, Henderson leapfrogs over him and White heads to the ropes again. White bounces off of them and is caught by a drop kick to the chest by Henderson, who then poses in a low stance as White scurries to the outside of the ring.

Applause of appreciation and White talks tactics with his team. He then circles the outside of the ring and Henderson watches him carefully, never blinking an eye. White enters the ring and Henderson allows him to. The two then approach one another and lock up in a collar to elbow that White quickly manages to lock Henderson back in a side headlock. Henderson then lifts him up and over with a backdrop suplex but White still has the hold intact and brings Henderson to his feet, unaffected. Henderson drops him with another backdrop but White returns to his feet with the hold intact. A third backdrop breaks the hold completely and the two men get to their feet. White bends over, looking for a back body drop but Henderson drops down to his knees and uppercuts him into a straight position. White stumbles backwards and Henderson runs towards him, a big boot knocks White out of the ring. Henderson then looks around the arena before looking at the ropes and then at White on the outside. He then heads to the ropes, bouncing off of them and runs towards White on the outside and somersaults over the top rope and lands on him!

Getting to his feet, he grabs onto the railing and soaks in the cheers and applause from the crowd. He then turns and notices that Storm and Shimada are approaching him on the outside. Henderson holds his arms up, ready to brawl and the two men laugh at him. Henderson is unaware that behind him White is recovering. Henderson turns and is clobbered by a stiff forearm. White picks him up and delivers several more stiff forearms as he leans him against the railing. He then rolls him back into the ring and rolls himself in too, pin attempt, only the two. White then stomps on him in the corner of the ring before heading to the opposite corner, a hesitation drop kick by White, pin attempt but only the two. White picks him up and goes for his signature brainbuster but Henderson uses his knee to fight out of it. White drops him down to the canvas and Henderson begins to fight back with a combination of strikes. He then heads to the ropes but White follows and clobbers him with a clothesline as he hits the ropes. White then heads to the ropes as Henderson stumbles back to the middle of the ring, White bounces off of them and sprints at Henderson, who turns him inside out with a clothesline out of nowhere. Henderson hooks his legs but the attention of the referee is on the outside as Shimada leaps on the apron and gets his attention. Henderson then gets to his feet and drop kicks Shimada off the apron. Storm enters the ring, Henderson ducks under his arm, Storm turns around and this time it's a float over DDT that connects, with Henderson kipping up afterwards and saying, "What's Up" as Storm rolls to the outside. He then turns around and White tells him what's up with his White Lightning Running Knee Strike! WHITE COVERS HIM FOR THE ONE, THE TWO - BUT HENDERSON KICKS OUT ON THE THREE!

The arena bursts into a frenzy of disbelief and Constantine has his head in his hands, he can't believe it either. White looks for a cross armbreaker but Henderson is already on the ropes. White picks him up and Irish whip to the ropes. Henderson comes back and slides underneath the arm of White, belly to back - lifts him up and transitions into a double knee backbreaker! THE FINAL ECLIPSE! Henderson covers for the one, two and three!

The bell rings and streamers begin to shoot out from the corners of the ring. Henderson is left alone in the ring as White is helped to the back by his brothers in war. Henderson looks up at the heavens, his theme song playing and the fans cheering his name as we suddenly fade to black.

Winner: Ryan Henderson in 17:34