Post by Craig Anderson on Apr 27, 2018 23:06:27 GMT
(Next up to the podium is the NJFC FIGHTING Junior Heavyweight Champion, Craig Anderson. Growing accustomed to press conferences now, he yet again turns up attired in a suit, complete with a pair of Poundland's finest sunglasses resting on his forehead.)
CRAIG ANDERSON: So we're doing this again, huh? Do we still follow the same procedure now that I have this, or...?
(With a cheeky wink, Craig unbuttons his blazer and unfastens the title that was around his waist, before carefully throwing it over his shoulder. A man in the front row raises his hand, to which Craig offers a slight nod of his head.)
BT SPORT: Craig, you've spoken so openly in the past about how much you love coming back to NJFC. What's it like now, coming here for the first time as the FIGHTING Junior Heavyweight Champion?
(Craig grins, nodding his head intently.)
CRAIG ANDERSON: It honestly feels like things are coming full circle. I made a name for myself right in this very company. That match against Cosmo Cooper was, for several months, the best of my career. We were both in very different places back then, and look where we are now. We've both lived up to the hype. He's still undefeated and putting on match of the year candidates with everyone he shares the ring with. I? Well, I'm standing here right now with a very strong claim to be the greatest junior heavyweight in the world. Honestly, it feels like a homecoming. This is where my career really kicked off, and right now I'm the best I've ever been.
(A sea of hands shoot up, and Craig looks around the hall.)
NJFC AMERICA: You said about having a strong claim to being the greatest junior heavyweight in the world today. Joseph White will take issue with that, I'm sure.
(Craig chuckles, ever so slightly.)
CRAIG ANDERSON: He can take issue with it all he wants. The fact of the matter is, I somewhat agree. The only man who has an equally-valid claim is a Dog of War. But it's not Joseph White. I'm looking at you, Jack Tillman. You're the CWC Junior Heavyweight Champion, and sooner or later our paths are going to cross once again.
J SPORTS: Do you not think you're taking Joseph White a little too lightly?
(Again, Craig chuckles.)
CRAIG ANDERSON: Look, I'll admit that Joseph White is a more than capable athlete. But when I think of Dogs of War, I think of Jack Tillman. I think of Devin Hearst, Mitsuo Shimada, Mark Storm. It doesn't matter to me how many times Joseph screams the catchphrase or wears the t-shirt. To me, Joseph White will never be one of the Dogs. He's not one of the people who cost me my Global Championship opportunity last year. He's not one of the people that, for one reason for another, I've never been able to defeat. Joseph White was in the FIGHTING Spirits tournament, and just like the rest, he failed. Not a single one of them were able to do what I do better than I could. That's not arrogance, it's me simply stating a fact. If he couldn't do it then, what makes him think he can do it now? When I'm in the best shape of my life? I said that 2018 was going to be my year, and so far it has been. But this is just the beginning.
(Craig sits back as he places the title neatly on the podium. He selects from the sea of hands.)
ESPN: Does it not concern you that previously in NJFC, you were forever going into a match as the underdog and yet now, you've got a target on your back? Do you not worry that Joseph White can find and exploit your weaknesses?
(Anderson sighs, then takes a sip of water.)
CRAIG ANDERSON: Do you really think that just because I'm Champion now, I'm any more of a target? Even before I won this, people were talking about me. My match with Cosmo Cooper here, my match with Michael Kelly in CWC. I've been growing and growing this past year. It's all well and good knowing how to beat me. It's another thing actually doing it, and that's what everybody in the tournament failed to do. Joseph White has a second chance, but it will end the same way as the first. The Gold Standard will be leaving without the gold.
NJFC EUROPE: So, assuming you get past Joseph White tonight, who do you have next in your sights? Who do you want to test yourself against?
(Craig nods his head keenly, excited by the question.)
CRAIG ANDERSON: I can answer this question in two ways, and that's exactly what I'll do.
(Craig takes his sunglasses off and places them into his pocket.)
CRAIG ANDERSON: I'm the FIGHTING Junior Heavyweight Champion. The FIGHTING isn't just there for branding purposes, it's exactly what I represent. I welcome any and all junior heavyweights to try their hand against me. NJFC, find me the best. If that's Joseph White again, I'll beat him again. And again. And again.
(Craig sits forward, getting closer to the microphone.)
CRAIG ANDERSON: As for the second part? Well, I'm not content with just being the greatest junior heavyweight in the world. I want to be the best wrestler on the planet, and whether it's Cosmo Cooper or Chandler Scott, I want to throw my name into the mix as a challenger for the NJFC World Heavyweight Championship!
(Craig brings things to a close by grabbing the Championship and holding it above his head, posing to the cameras.)
CRAIG ANDERSON: So we're doing this again, huh? Do we still follow the same procedure now that I have this, or...?
(With a cheeky wink, Craig unbuttons his blazer and unfastens the title that was around his waist, before carefully throwing it over his shoulder. A man in the front row raises his hand, to which Craig offers a slight nod of his head.)
BT SPORT: Craig, you've spoken so openly in the past about how much you love coming back to NJFC. What's it like now, coming here for the first time as the FIGHTING Junior Heavyweight Champion?
(Craig grins, nodding his head intently.)
CRAIG ANDERSON: It honestly feels like things are coming full circle. I made a name for myself right in this very company. That match against Cosmo Cooper was, for several months, the best of my career. We were both in very different places back then, and look where we are now. We've both lived up to the hype. He's still undefeated and putting on match of the year candidates with everyone he shares the ring with. I? Well, I'm standing here right now with a very strong claim to be the greatest junior heavyweight in the world. Honestly, it feels like a homecoming. This is where my career really kicked off, and right now I'm the best I've ever been.
(A sea of hands shoot up, and Craig looks around the hall.)
NJFC AMERICA: You said about having a strong claim to being the greatest junior heavyweight in the world today. Joseph White will take issue with that, I'm sure.
(Craig chuckles, ever so slightly.)
CRAIG ANDERSON: He can take issue with it all he wants. The fact of the matter is, I somewhat agree. The only man who has an equally-valid claim is a Dog of War. But it's not Joseph White. I'm looking at you, Jack Tillman. You're the CWC Junior Heavyweight Champion, and sooner or later our paths are going to cross once again.
J SPORTS: Do you not think you're taking Joseph White a little too lightly?
(Again, Craig chuckles.)
CRAIG ANDERSON: Look, I'll admit that Joseph White is a more than capable athlete. But when I think of Dogs of War, I think of Jack Tillman. I think of Devin Hearst, Mitsuo Shimada, Mark Storm. It doesn't matter to me how many times Joseph screams the catchphrase or wears the t-shirt. To me, Joseph White will never be one of the Dogs. He's not one of the people who cost me my Global Championship opportunity last year. He's not one of the people that, for one reason for another, I've never been able to defeat. Joseph White was in the FIGHTING Spirits tournament, and just like the rest, he failed. Not a single one of them were able to do what I do better than I could. That's not arrogance, it's me simply stating a fact. If he couldn't do it then, what makes him think he can do it now? When I'm in the best shape of my life? I said that 2018 was going to be my year, and so far it has been. But this is just the beginning.
(Craig sits back as he places the title neatly on the podium. He selects from the sea of hands.)
ESPN: Does it not concern you that previously in NJFC, you were forever going into a match as the underdog and yet now, you've got a target on your back? Do you not worry that Joseph White can find and exploit your weaknesses?
(Anderson sighs, then takes a sip of water.)
CRAIG ANDERSON: Do you really think that just because I'm Champion now, I'm any more of a target? Even before I won this, people were talking about me. My match with Cosmo Cooper here, my match with Michael Kelly in CWC. I've been growing and growing this past year. It's all well and good knowing how to beat me. It's another thing actually doing it, and that's what everybody in the tournament failed to do. Joseph White has a second chance, but it will end the same way as the first. The Gold Standard will be leaving without the gold.
NJFC EUROPE: So, assuming you get past Joseph White tonight, who do you have next in your sights? Who do you want to test yourself against?
(Craig nods his head keenly, excited by the question.)
CRAIG ANDERSON: I can answer this question in two ways, and that's exactly what I'll do.
(Craig takes his sunglasses off and places them into his pocket.)
CRAIG ANDERSON: I'm the FIGHTING Junior Heavyweight Champion. The FIGHTING isn't just there for branding purposes, it's exactly what I represent. I welcome any and all junior heavyweights to try their hand against me. NJFC, find me the best. If that's Joseph White again, I'll beat him again. And again. And again.
(Craig sits forward, getting closer to the microphone.)
CRAIG ANDERSON: As for the second part? Well, I'm not content with just being the greatest junior heavyweight in the world. I want to be the best wrestler on the planet, and whether it's Cosmo Cooper or Chandler Scott, I want to throw my name into the mix as a challenger for the NJFC World Heavyweight Championship!
(Craig brings things to a close by grabbing the Championship and holding it above his head, posing to the cameras.)
