Post by Ace King on Apr 16, 2017 15:44:27 GMT -6
April 16, 2017
Burien, WA
6:47 a.m.
The sun rises from the east, and I can't help but sigh in amazement; Easter Sunday is the first holiday I’ve spent with my girlfriend.
CRACK!
Of course, when said girlfriend is Shelley Silver, it can come at a painful price, a reminder driven home by a karate kick to my rib cage.
I wheeze following the kick; sure, it hurts, but it's among the reasons I came here: I’m competing in Japan for the first time in a decade, and my opponent’s no slouch. Devin Hearst’s biggest weapons are his legs, so who better than a multiple time black belt to train with?
“Jesus,” I cough. “Remind me never to piss you off.”
The intent was to disable, but not injure, if possible. I’m just happy she knows what she’s doing. This time would be without weapons; she’d save that for another day. She’d bragged about how efficient she was, but hadn’t really shown it on camera.
“Yeah, so long as I’m in the right mind,” Shelley comments, before buckling me with back-to-back kicks to the outside of my knees. “Don’t worry, I have a better sense of where to hit than someone we know.” She smirks before connecting with a roundhouse kick to my jaw.
“So bring a cup?” I offer, rubbing my jaw while recalling both Megan Gunn and Kyra Johnson hindering any future baby-making efforts recently.
“At least around people like them,” she says, hitting a few kicks to my midsection. “At least we know Hearst won’t be so desperate.”
“Yeah, I know,” I nod, taking a knee after the barrage of kicks. We’ve run in similar circles, so although our paths have never crossed, word travels.
“He’s damn good, but at least I’m not going in blind,” I say with a pained smile. “Thanks for this, by the way.”
Shelley nods, kissing me quickly on the cheek before getting into position again, connecting on a hard Muay Thai kick to my stomach. I grit my teeth and push forward; this may literally be tough love, but she’s been given me a new hope.
I hope I can one day return the favour.
Burien, WA
6:47 a.m.
The sun rises from the east, and I can't help but sigh in amazement; Easter Sunday is the first holiday I’ve spent with my girlfriend.
CRACK!
Of course, when said girlfriend is Shelley Silver, it can come at a painful price, a reminder driven home by a karate kick to my rib cage.
I wheeze following the kick; sure, it hurts, but it's among the reasons I came here: I’m competing in Japan for the first time in a decade, and my opponent’s no slouch. Devin Hearst’s biggest weapons are his legs, so who better than a multiple time black belt to train with?
“Jesus,” I cough. “Remind me never to piss you off.”
The intent was to disable, but not injure, if possible. I’m just happy she knows what she’s doing. This time would be without weapons; she’d save that for another day. She’d bragged about how efficient she was, but hadn’t really shown it on camera.
“Yeah, so long as I’m in the right mind,” Shelley comments, before buckling me with back-to-back kicks to the outside of my knees. “Don’t worry, I have a better sense of where to hit than someone we know.” She smirks before connecting with a roundhouse kick to my jaw.
“So bring a cup?” I offer, rubbing my jaw while recalling both Megan Gunn and Kyra Johnson hindering any future baby-making efforts recently.
“At least around people like them,” she says, hitting a few kicks to my midsection. “At least we know Hearst won’t be so desperate.”
“Yeah, I know,” I nod, taking a knee after the barrage of kicks. We’ve run in similar circles, so although our paths have never crossed, word travels.
“He’s damn good, but at least I’m not going in blind,” I say with a pained smile. “Thanks for this, by the way.”
Shelley nods, kissing me quickly on the cheek before getting into position again, connecting on a hard Muay Thai kick to my stomach. I grit my teeth and push forward; this may literally be tough love, but she’s been given me a new hope.
I hope I can one day return the favour.
So here we are, Hearst.
We’ve been passing ships in the night for years, and now, I get to see what you’re made of, and we’ll do it on the turf you once ruled. Though you’ve been mostly silent lately, I know enough to know what kind of damage you can do; word travels fast, after all. Any NJFC historian knows you have a vaunted history here, and your place in the promotion’s history is secure.
However, no man is truly unbeatable, and I’m going to prove it in Tokyo.
Revelation 13:8 reads “And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.”
Not a chance. I’ve never bowed down to anyone, and I don’t intend to start now.
Seven-Headed Beast... Beast of Ten Horns... Scary names, for sure. Here’s the thing, though: When push comes to shove, I’m only going to see one man… One entity… One challenge.
Was it bold for me to throw down the challenge on Twitter? You’re damn right, it was. Was it a potentially bull-headed move that could easily backfire? Oh yeah. Do I want to walk back my challenge in any way? Not a chance; I’m a Gambler, after all, and some of my biggest career moments were built on taking risks.
I could use every cliche in the book to explain why I challenged you: To be the man, you’ve got to beat the man… Shoot for the Moon; even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars… You’ll miss 100% of the shots you don’t take… But I’ll spare you the tired bullshit, because neither of us operate that way.
Instead, I’ll get to the point: I’ve wanted this match for a long time, because I know you’re one of the best there is. While we come from different walks of life, I know a transcendent fighter when I see one, and you fit the bill.
While I respect what you're capable of, please don't mistake my platitudes for intimidation; I’m coming at you with the fury of a thousand men because I need to prove I can still hang with the best.
You may strike with the force of an iron giant, but you’ve never faced anyone with my steely resolve. As you know, I come from an ultraviolent background, so withstanding ridiculous amounts of pain and suffering was essential to me surviving and thriving in this business… So do your worst, because you’ll need to if you want to have a shot.
I know you have a laundry list of people you’ve laid waste to over the years, and you've never had a problem overpowering opponents with your arsenal before… But I’m one of the few on this planet who will take it, get back up, move forward, and come back at you tenfold.
What will happen when you realize your best won't be good enough to take me down? Can you dig down and find another level? With a complex personality like your own, it’s a question that could very well dictate the outcome.
I know full well what I’m capable of, and I know what I need to do to achieve my goal.
I’m not coming to Japan just to say I did it, nor am I coming to collect some ridiculous appearance fee the way the spoiled and entitled do.
No, I’m coming to New Japan Fighting Championship for one reason and one reason only: To slay a Beast.
I hope you’re ready for this, Devin, because you’re about to get thrown right back into the fire. In a match littered with prophecies and biblical concepts, I intend to be the biggest revelation of them all.
Bet On It.
