Hardcore Championship

The scene opens as Katrina “Hairicin” Knox is finishing up a workout, wiping down her equipment as she drinks some sort of green concoction in a bottle, then toweling off her face and wrapping it around her shoulders.

“Aye, you shouldn’t creep up on someone like that, especially someone still running on adrenaline. You could have a cracked lens or a cracked lip. Anyways, I know why you’re here, and it’s all about my match with Kate Steele at this coming Throwdown.”

Hairicin has the cameraperson follow her, not being comfortable filming inside a gym while other Shieldmaidens are training in the background. Hairicin grabs her gear bag as she leads the cameraperson outside, where they sit under a tree in the shade. Not a lot of traffic outside the city proper, so it’s fairly quiet. As the camera pans around, there is a long line of parked motorcycles.

“I don’t wanna be showing what the other girls are working on, and giving anything away. So Kate, first of all, welcome to ThrowDown. I know you came in through the Ammo door, where my sister Bruiser runs the place. You’ll notice a lot of that here in Mile High. If a Shieldmaiden isn’t holding a title, they’re right there in contention. I’ve looked up some of your other work in other companies, and I have some concerns. I know everybody has their ebb and flow, but your inconsistencies go beyond normal. You’re a brochure when you can be a book, I’m not sure if you understand what I mean. There could be so much more to you, but there isn’t.

When we were in WWA together, I looked you over and I saw a lot of potential. You have that rockstar energy to you, your in-ring work is pretty decent when you keep your focus, but you’re hit and miss. I watched your Ammo matches, hoping to see any improvement, but again, you leave everybody scratching their heads.”

Hairicin tries to tuck a rogue strand of hair into her ponytail to no avail, before untying it completely and redoing the ponytail. She shakes her head in frustration.

“I respect what you do, I do. I respect everyone who wants to make a career out of this. It takes a special kind of crazy to want to put our bodies through what we do night in and night out, so I am not going to dismiss you. I’m not like that. It’s a running commentary between Wendy and I. She’s the bitch, and I’m the nice one.

Your loss to Anastasia Baudelaire was telling, to be honest. Ana works really hard, and I think she’ll go places sooner rather than later. I’ve fought her, she’s still green but she has great promise. Her pulling a surprise win over you? A definite feather in her cap, but not the best look for somebody of your status and longevity in the business. You did come back with a win over Azurine Vebbins, which is no small feat. Azzy is very gifted, and on any given night, can steal a show and a championship and nobody would be surprised by it. Though, I think she hasn’t quite been herself as of late. I know she’s been spending a lot of time with Bandit’s sister, but she’s been off for a few weeks. Lack of balance, lack of focus. I get the notion of ‘a win is a win’ and I would suspect, and expect, you’ll be coming into our match with a bit more confidence in you. You have the speed and the agility for someone of a smaller size, but I have this…”

Hairicin flexes to the camera, her twenty-inch arms outstretched before curling in again, before turning to her gear bag and pulling out her championship belt and placing it on her shoulder.

“...and this. The Mile High Wrestling Hardcore Title. I carry this around with me to remind myself that I have to keep up a heavier regimen so that I can keep this. I fought off three others to win this championship, including my own sister who’s about my size. Don’t believe for a minute all of these muscles slow me down. I train for endurance just as hard as I train for size, Kate. I can go all night, take the worst you can throw at me, and throw it all right back and more. That’s what I built my regimen around. The training with the Shieldmaidens? Shows I’m willing to get my hands dirty, and how to take out any challenger.

The last person to hold this title now holds the Ultimate Title. Unlike my sister Krigare, I actually like Leah. She’s the Champ for a reason, she’s as good as she says she is, and has proven so. Do I think Wendy is going to go into her match prepared? I know she and Krigare have been discussing strategy and what have you, and I didn’t want to get involved. Again, I have a respect for everyone on the roster, and I consider it a privilege to be here and representing the company as its Hardcore Champion and working my way up.

Kate, anything is possible if you devote yourself to a cause. However, you won’t see the kind of positive results you’ll be looking for this Sunday. Perhaps you’ll look back on this match as a wake-up call. Maybe you’ll have executed a move or two better than you did before. Maybe you’ll have stayed consistent throughout and gave yourself a fighting chance. If you do those things, by all means, celebrate those small victories. When the final bell sounds, though, I will still be Hardcore Champion.”