Age is such a horrible word. Even a mere hint of the same dreaded three letter word makes people from 35-70 shudder with a certain amount of fear. They don’t want to grow old. Age demands that we all grow old though. There’s no way of preserving yourself in the state you consider to be your prime – if this was this case then you’d not have a ‘prime’ as everything would remain constant. That’s why age is such a wicked word. It’s uncontrollable and ultimately leads to our demise.

Humankind has always felt the need to be in complete control too.

Despite not actually being able to control the aging process, there are a few ways of slowing it down. For example, you don’t have to kill yourself at work every day. You’re entitled to take it easy every once in a while. Vacations are a good source of escape from it.

Age has always been an important part of wrestling too. We’ve all seen Champions fall from grace because they no longer possess the physical attributes needed to compete at the top level. It’s a great shame but life goes on. New superstars emerge through the ranks and eventually overtake their predecessors and so the cycle continues.

It’s only when a young star defeats a veteran that this cycle is exposed publicly to the world though. Usually, it just happens without anyone really noticing. However, this Sunday, the HWF will have a glorious opportunity to see the cycle in action.

Shawn Collins versus Chris Champion.

[The scene begins with the shadow of Chris Champion cast upon a Lake side rock late at night. The moon light brightens up the area and is aided by a series of lights that fill the banks around the water. The Educator’s facial expression can’t be fully interpreted at first, but he moves closer to the camera and reveals an emotionless look that almost emphasises his immovable state of mind. Champion sits down on one of the rocks nearby and looks across at the Lake, almost ignoring the camera at first]

The Educator – “Life never really pans out just how you’ve got it planned. There’s always something around the next corner that you don’t see coming. More often than not, it’s bad too. How often has something spectacular happened to you spontaneously? Maybe I’m just being pessimistic but I think it’s got more to do with the fact that I’m a realist.

I take great pride from the fact that I’ve not got my head in the clouds too. There are so many people out there in the world that simply refuse to see the truth because of the negative implication it’d have upon them. What’s the point in running away from life? You cannot run away from life. It will, inevitably, always catch up with you and then proceed to beat you with a large stick. That’s exactly why the great individuals that have moulded our society into what we are confronted with today never run. They never stutter. They never fall. They’re the kind of people that thrive and excel themselves when confronted with a problem.

At the same time though, they’re the kind of people that are brave enough to admit that they were wrong.

Not everything goes according to plan. Sometimes people manage to get the design or blueprint completely wrong. However, the measure of a man comes when you’ve got to take that same blueprint, screw it up and start over. It’s a great test of character and one that many have failed to pass.

At Parade of Cannibals, I failed.

I failed to beat Dominic Pericolo and Matthew Logan. I failed to raise the North American Title above my head. I failed on so many different levels and in so many ways. I’m never usually ready to admit to failure either. Who is ready to admit it though? I strongly believe that, 99% of the time, people who mope around and declare themselves to have failed are losers. They are the failures. However, although I’m ready to admit failing at Parade of Cannibals, I’m not going to mope around.

I’m going to get stronger.

You see, until now, Chris Champion has always been the newest kid on the block. People have often talked of how I’ve shot up the ranks and how I’ve climbed the first few steps of the ladder. Here I am, challenging for the North American Title, and I’ve not really had chance to catch my breath in this Company. I get vertigo when I think about just how far I’ve ventured since my early tussles with Travis Miller. I’ve conquered every challenge that the establishment has put before me… except for winning some actual gold. Looking back though, perhaps it’s a blessing in disguise.

I wasn’t ready to win my match at Parade of Cannibals.

I’m not talking about physical preparation here either. You only need to look at me to see that I’m in perfect working condition. What I am talking about is being prepared mentally. I’ve been caught up in a daze. I’ve been sent into a spin and it all boils down to the fact that I’ve enjoyed maybe a little too much success in the early goings of my career here. Parade of Cannibals provided me with the one thing that I needed most and that was a way of bringing me back down to Earth.

I used to look around the backstage area and take great pride of the fact that I’d been assigned bigger dressing rooms than the likes of Chris Newton and Travis Miller. It told me that this Company was finally being to value me as one of its most prized assets. I don’t think that even the biggest anti Chris Champion fan would argue that I am in fact a prized asset either. How many others could walk into the top Company that our industry has to offer and create such an impact? I’ve exploded onto the scene. I’ve created a buzz, a bang and delivered the goods at almost every asking.

It still does not alter the fact that I’ve got no gold around my waist to cement my status as one of the greatest newcomers that this Company has ever since.

However, I’m not going to cry about that fact. I’m going to get off my ass and do something about it. For too long, the professional wrestling circuit has seen athletes whine about how they’re victims and how nothing is ever their fault. It’s a shame. It’s a damn shame. I’ve said from day one that I’m different from the rest of these clowns though and that’s why I’m using today as the starting point for the rebirth of a new and improved Chris Champion.

That rebirth starts against Shawn Collins at Suicide this week.

It’s fitting that I’ve picked this match above all others to revitalise myself. We’ve got a complete antithesis and a complete contrast here. Shawn Collins. The man that represents the HWF of the past. The man that’s seen his own Title hopes squandered at every opportunity.

Shawn Collins. The man that time passed by.

Then you compare that description to me. It’s the veteran versus the upcoming smash hit. It’s everything that I ever wanted because it finally gives me the opportunity to prove to the world how I’m here to rid the HWF of the deadwood. Alright, in the past, I’ve talked about how Travis Miller is worthless but I never actually meant it literally. On the other hand, Shawn Collins is worthless and he’s the type of guy that the HWF can do without. Well, maybe I’m being a little harsh there. Shawn has been a great servant to this Company over the years but, like so many others, he has failed to realise that his time is up. It’s always sad to see legends end up like Collins but it’s my job to serve as a physical reminder that people like him cannot compete anymore.

I enjoy doing it too.

Words like ‘washed up’, ‘finished’ and ‘spent’ always seem to crop up when considering people like Shawn Collins. They’re over used clichés at the end of the day but if they’re continually used then perhaps there is some truth behind it all. Has Collins still got the skill to last in the ring with an athlete of my calibre? I don’t need to answer that question. What I will say, though, is that ever since I’ve been a part of this Company…Shawn Collins has always been the guy getting his ass kicked. He’s always been the one man that seems to fall at the final hurdle. I wasn’t a part of this Company when good old Shawn was enjoying his World Title reign. I wasn’t here when Shawn Collins was the man that everyone had to beat. I don’t care whether this guy is a legend or the next in a long line of bums that I’ve got to whip to further my own career. I don’t respect his achievements because I was never here to see them; so if he thinks that I’m going to walk down the aisle and roll over for him this Sunday night…he’s in for a surprise.

I’m actually surprised that Collins is still accepted by this Company as a legitimate competitor. I’m not of course speculating that there is a major conspiracy in place to keep the young guns down but you’ve got to wonder which direction this ship is sailing in when the likes of Shawn Collins continue to challenge for major honours. You only need to look as far back as Parade of Cannibals to understand that this man is a shadow of his former self. Jett outclassed him in every department and picked up a well deserved win. Do you think it’s going to be any different with me, Shawn? At the pay-per-view, you faced a man motivated by a shot at the World Title. This Sunday, you’re facing a man that’s so hell bent on restoring this Company to its glory days that he’s prepared to kill for it.

Can you compete with that level of motivation?

I don’t think it’s ever been in question that Shawn Collins is a great athlete. He’s got the track record to prove it. However, you’ve got to wonder whether the passion and enthusiasm is still there. You’ve got to wonder whether he’s prepared to risk it all to gain a 3 count over an unknown quantity such as myself. It’s no secret that there have been several whispers circulating in the locker room as to when Shawn Collins will finally hang up the tights forever. I know that the thought is in the back of your mind…and that’s all I need to expose you and do some permanent damage.

I bet that’s an idea that’ll be at the forefront of your thinking as you step through those ropes at Suicide.

You see Shawn; none of the guys you’ve been facing recently have had a lot to prove. People like Jett have already established themselves as big stars in this Company. They’ve not got to deal with the same kind of pressure that I have to cope with on a weekly basis. If I lose even one match it’d mean that my chances of capturing gold are harmed greatly. No one wants to give a loser a title shot. No one wants to see someone get smacked around every time they challenge for gold. I’ve got to justify my place as a rightful contender for the North American Title. That’s where you fit into this equation, Shawn.

What could possibly do more for my career than a win over an established wrestler like yourself?

That’s right. I’ll readily admit that you’re established and that you’ve achieved a lot during your stay here. However, like I said, it doesn’t mean I have to respect you. I don’t owe you anything and you’re not getting anything. A defeat here could possibly see me returning to wrestling people like Travis Miller. Do I actually want to be pitted against guys like him? No. I wouldn’t be doing myself justice if I fought against Miller every week. I need to be up against the true stars of this Company because I believe that I’m just as good as anyone that the HWF has to offer. That’s not to say that I consider you star quality, Collins. Not anymore. You’re simply a man that’s on his way down. You’re falling, Shawn. You’re falling fast.

This match could have a long lasting effect on you too. We both know that your future here is uncertain; you must be asking yourself whether or not you can actually compete with guys like me. Just imagine waking up on Monday morning though, knowing that you’d given it everything that you possibly could and still lost. Surely that would be the final nail in the coffin? After several years of success here, Shawn Collins loses to a new breed of superstar. It would almost be like I’d killed off not just you but the entire generation that you represent. It’d be like the torch had been passed. The implications of this match are huge…but they’re huge for both of us.

Live or die. Sink or swim.

It’s the young versus the old. The refreshed versus the tattered. What’s going to be left of your career after Sunday Night, Collins? You’ve to consider whether this is a wise match for you to accept. Why don’t you take the easy way out and face someone that you know you can beat? Face it, Shawn. You’re here for the money these days. You’re here so that you can feed those little scum bags you put through school. You’re not here to end what has been quite a glittering career and that’s the difference between us, Shawn. I’m walking into this match and I’m not concerned with a pay cheque. Why are you even here, Shawn? Why do you even bother to call yourself a Superstar anymore? I guess the time has finally come for Shawn Collins to cash in on the early part of his career. That’s all you can do. Carry on selling those T-shirts. Carry on selling those action figures. Sell everything, Shawn…because you’re soon to be nothing more than a memory here.

Of course, I won’t remember you. The people that watched you win the HWF Championship when you were in your prime will be the ones that remember you. I won’t remember you because you’re not good enough to make a lasting impression on me. You’ve simply not got IT anymore. What is this ‘IT’ that I speak of? The unpredictable X Factor that carries so many wrestlers through their matches. You lost yours a long time ago and it’s about time I killed you off for the sake of your legacy if nothing else.

I don’t have to tell you all this though, do I Shawn? You can already feel that your time is almost up. You’re starting to get those awkward cramps in places you didn’t know existed when you wake up in the morning. To be completely blunt, you’re getting old, Shawn. I’m not talking about the number that’s latched to you courtesy of your birth certificate either. I’m talking about your mental age. You’re tired of this mundane wrestling lark. You grow weary every time you discover you’re wrestling. That’s why they don’t book you as much as they used to.

I’m quite the opposite.

I’ve wrestled at almost every card since my contract started here. I’m eager. I’m hungry. In fact, I’m everything that you’re not. Sunday night will provide you with all the proof you need to see that your sparkling career is coming to an end. You can’t stop someone like me anymore…and I doubt you ever could.

If you don’t like the way I’m talking to you, Shawn, then I’m begging you to come and shut me up. Let me face the Shawn Collins of yesteryear at Suicide this Sunday. Let me face the former World Champion and allow me to prove just how damn good I really am. I’m just concerned that I’m going to have to beat a wrestler that’s now over the hill. I don’t like taking on cannon fodder but I guess I’m going to have to deal with it.

There’s something you need to deal with too though, Collins. You’re going to have to deal with the chance that this match may just cripple you. It may just destroy whatever passion you have left for this Business. I’d like nothing better than to known as the man that put Shawn Collins out of commission as well. There’s a subliminal message here though that ultimately tells you exactly where you stand in the HWF…

You’ve overstayed your welcome.

And it’s my duty to rid this Company of idiots like you.”

[The scene draws to a close as The Educator stares deeply into the camera for several seconds before looking back out to what has now become a misty Lake side view. The wind swirls mildly as the picture fades to black]