WFXX DAY 3 - Ace King Press Conference Transcription
Dec 26, 2022 17:19:38 GMT -6
Grizzly Duggan and MERCENARY like this
Post by Ace King on Dec 26, 2022 17:19:38 GMT -6
(Writer's Note: I said I would do this in the interest of fairness since I did this in video form in real time, and so here it is!)
As Day 3 of Wrestlefest XX continues, there are a few murmurs in the FNB Stadium media availability room. Before long, a few footsteps come into earshot, and the assembled media slowly quiets down as a well-dressed Brit approaches the lectern emblazoned with the EWC logo.
Well-Dressed Brit: Good evening, and thank you to all our friends in the media, as well as those who have joined via conference call, for being here on such short notice as Day 3 of EWC Wrestlefest XX continues. For those of you who may be unaware, my name is Simon Webber, and I am the President of Communications for the Extreme Wrestling Corporation.
Simon pauses briefly to flip over a page at the lectern.
Simon Webber: I don’t think our guest at the podium needs any introduction, but for the sake of formality, I’m pleased to be joined by the newly crowned two-time EWC United States Champion… The Gambler, Ace King. Without further ado, Ace, the floor is yours.
The assembled media applauds as the camera pans to a much more relaxed looking Ace King, who has the EWC United States Championship sitting to his left, with a glass of water to his right. ‘The Gambler’ patiently waits for the applause to die out before leaning into the microphone.
Ace King: Thank you… I know this is going to sound weird coming from me, but I swear I’m going to try and keep this short.
‘The Gambler’ can’t help but laugh at the notion; it gets a muted laugh from the media, too.
Ace King: First of all, I’d like to take the opportunity to thank Simon for putting this together on such short notice, as well as to the assembled media here for their time. I know there’s a lot of stuff going on over the course of these four days, and it’s part of what makes Wrestlefest special, quite honestly, so again, thank you so much for taking the time to listen to me blab on here for a little bit.
Next up, obviously, there’s been a lot going on lately, so I want to thank my support team back in Las Vegas. The King’s Court guys, they’ve been, you know, there for me since Day 1. They’ve been there through the great times and not-so-great times, which there’s been plenty of over the course of this season, and their support has been unyielding, unflinching, whatever you want to call it, and it’s just been amazing, so thanks to those guys… And especially, thanks to my wife. A lot of you guys obviously remember her, Shelley, obviously she’s been out of the spotlight lately but, you know, she’s been very much there for me in the background, so that support has always been appreciated, and I wouldn’t still be able to pursue this without, you know, that support from the sidelines.
The United States Champion pauses for a quick drink of water, collecting his thoughts in the process.
Ace King: And next, kinda looking back to how the weekend has gone, I also want to acknowledge the efforts of Lavender and Moxie … Um… Obviously, you know, there was a lot said over the last month or two going into Wrestlefest, a lot of conjecture over, you know, who deserved to be doing that, and honestly, I kinda questioned my place in that, and we’ll get to all of that in a little bit, but obviously, you know, I’m blessed to be sitting here with the United States Championship once again, but in that match… It’s funny, whenever you’re in the business as long as I’ve been, you feel like there aren’t too many places where you can get new bumps and bruises anymore… It seems like Lavender and Moxie found every single one of them, so the last couple days… Yeah, I’ve been sore, but you know, I’m still here, I’m hanging around, and as you can see, I’ve got another piece of gold for the collection, and it’s no secret how much I treasure it, so it’s amazing to be here, and you know, not too long ago, it was very much an unlikely thing, which, you know, sorta takes me to the original intent of this particular press conference was, because...
The United States Champion stops himself briefly, ensuring his thoughts are in order.
Ace King: Obviously, it’s no secret that my 2022 hasn’t been the best, and if you guys know anything about me over the course of my time here in EWC, you know I’m nothing if not honest with my own performance, so for me to say that, it’s not exactly an elephant in the room. It’s something I’ve known and understood… Obviously, 2021 was a crazy year, and it was going to be impossible to replicate, but you know, it’s been, by times, even tougher than I imagined, and to be quite honest… The end of July, after the events of Parabellum where Queen Melody Malone soundly took me out in that Undisputed Championship match, I started to see things a little bit differently, I started to think a little bit differently, and you know, I started, for the first time in a little while…
I started to think about what life after wrestling was gonna look like, and you know, it was something that I was starting to kinda come to grips with, because, you know, I’m not getting any younger either, and you know, there’s always the need for a succession or a backup plan, so to speak, and that sorta put things into motion for me at that point, and then obviously the Rumble happened as well, and you know, it was a decent run… Certainly not where I wanted to end up, but at that point, I went in believing that if I wasn’t able to pull off the victory there, at that point I didn’t really know whether or not I belonged here or not.
So, at that point, and this again comes back to the original intent of this press conference… Initially at that point, it was my intention to complete the season and have this particular moment be my official retirement from the EWC, and I’d come to peace with that over the last two and a half months, because you know, you start to see things a little bit differently like I said before, and you know, it’s the kind of thing that, you know, perspective can hit rather quickly, and I want to kind of, you know, leave a more positive legacy overall, and obviously I’ve been here for a little while and done a lot of things… but at the same time, I didn’t want to be that guy who was, you know, just kind of going through the motions, potentially holding people back, I know I’ve heard those voices over the years as well… I didn’t want to be a caricature of myself, effectively, and as I say, toward the end of September, not long after the Rumble ended, I had made the decision that Wrestlefest 20 was going to be the end, and as I say, I was comfortable with it, and yeah, it was just a matter of kind of finishing up.
Ace puts a hand on his United States Championship, a thin smile forming on his face.
Ace King: …That all changed about 48 hours ago. Quite obviously, you know, Friday night happened, and, you know, again, I am incredibly fortunate and blessed to be sitting here with the United States Championship right now, and for anyone who’s kinda followed my career over the years, you know I am… I try, at least, to be the consummate fighting championship, so for me to be in that situation, to have just claimed the United States Championship and then kinda contrast that with the idea of riding off into the sunset… No, that’s not how this is going down, because that’s not the way I was taught to do it. I was taught to try and raise whatever kind of platform you have, whatever championship you have, or whatever honour you’re currently pushing forward, and for me to get into that situation, again, where I would retire with a championship over my shoulder… It’s a dream for a lot of people, but it just doesn’t feel right for me yet, because A) As I mentioned earlier, it’s kind of how I was brought up in this business over the last almost 20 years, and B) This might even be the more important point here… The last few months have come with a lot of doubts and questions about my self-confidence and whether or not I can continue to perform at the standard that I expect of myself.
So, I went into this Friday wanting to throw absolutely everything I had into it, and if it didn’t work out, I could kind of sleep easily knowing the next chapter was coming. But then, I realized I still had something in the tank, and again, to be the United States Champion again right now, it means the world to me, and it’s no secret that the first time I held this championship, I treated it as if it were the world to me. Obviously, it’s no secret that there’s a certain number that’s affiliated with that particular run. It’s weird to kind of put that in the past here now, because at this point, it’s 779…
Ace allows his voice to trail off for a split second, enough for a small smirk to wash over his face.
Ace King: …and counting, because yeah, there’s no way I’m giving this up right away. This is, again, me announcing that I’m officially coming back for 2023, because again, the United States Championship deserves that. It deserves to have a champion that’s, you know, committed to continuing that path of elevation, because it’s produced… Within the last three years alone, it’s proven to be a pathway for three different Undisputed Champions at minimum, and so to be in that situation to, again, have such a prestigious championship, one I would argue is still the most prestigious outside of the Undisputed Championship within the EWC… There’s a lot of pride that comes with that, and again, it’s not… You know, it wouldn’t sit right with me to just cast that all aside and, you know, just have it be vacant for X amount of time. It just doesn’t seem right to me, it doesn’t feel right for the lineage of the championship to have that happen, and most importantly, it would be doing a disservice to the efforts of Lavender, because even though we said a lot of stuff about each other over the last month, month and a half given these couple matches, what she accomplished with the United States Championship was nothing short of amazing, because obviously, she won that championship during the BORT, and that put a lot of pressure on her.
It put, you know, arguably the biggest target on her back on her side of the bracket, and she found a way to push through that, and ultimately, obviously, earned the opportunity back in Qatar for Uncensored, and you guys saw what she did there, taking down an absolute titan in Melody Malone, who, you know, she’s gonna be coming back here as well, it could even be as soon as tomorrow night, who knows? But again, you talk about those two, and obviously Titaness being on the sidelines as well with the birth of her twins, you know, she’s done wonders with the United States Championship as well, Darna Dare was in there as well after her, you know, brief run with it, but obviously capturing it at StrangleMania… Obviously, it’s a big deal to be holding this championship, and I want to once again treat it as such, because again, it means a lot to me to be able to call myself the United States Champion again. It’s a day that I’ll admit, I wasn’t entirely sure was gonna happen, but it wound up happening anyway. It was just kind of the way the opportunity presented itself and, again, I want to make the most of it while I’ve got.
So yeah, I am, again, officially declaring that I’m back for 2023. What that means for a potential defense of the Legends of the Cage crown at the beginning of the year, I’m not entirely sure yet. There’s still a lot of time between now and the end of January, so to speak, to figure that out, but right now, I’m more than happy to enjoy the afterglow, so to speak, of having the United States Championship in my possession once again.
The record-setting United States Champion’s smirk slowly fades as he leans into the microphone.
Ace King: Now that I’ve officially declared that I’m returning for 2023, it’s obvious, again, that 2022 had a lot of things that happened and, you know, there’s a lot of things I didn’t get to, shall we say… Tie the loose ends up on. So, there’s definitely a bit of a mandate, or… You know, I don’t even know what the word is, to be honest, but there are a few targets, so to speak, going into 2023, and perhaps even sooner, who knows?
Obviously, my 2022 can’t really be defined without mentioning the name of Jack… Severn. The Heartless One. Obviously, Jack Severn , you know that you did a number on me in the summer, gave me those concussions, and very nearly put me out medically in terms of not being able to choose whether or not I was gonna retire or not, but even though you did some damage to my head… My ears have always worked, and so have my eyes, because I’ve read and heard just about everything you’ve said about me over the last few months, and obviously, outside of the Rumble briefly… There hasn’t really been an opportunity to rectify that. So, in 2023, I think it’s time to make amends on that while reminding you, and this is particularly pertinent coming from me…
Ace subtly shakes his head, narrowing his eyes as he looks out at the media gathering.
Ace King: …The House doesn’t always win. Just remember that, and just remember you may not always see me coming. You never know where it’s gonna happen, or when… Could be as soon as tomorrow night, who knows… But just know, Jack, that I will be coming, and I will have my vengeance, and on that particular point, I’ll shift to one other name here, and obviously there’s been some recent developments on this front, and you know, I’ve gotta get a little payback on one Primetime Phoenix Winterborn , as well, because… You know, I thought Rampage #500 was gonna be at least somewhat honourable. He’d gone in touting himself as being the hard worker in the business with the HBO Broadcast Championship over his shoulder, and you know, it was great to see a guy who’d been knocked down over and over… He finally got his shot, and you know, it’s unfortunate in his case that he wound up drawing me in the opening round of the BORT, and honestly, that match could have gone either way now that I look back on it, it really could have. But, I just happened to be the guy who was better on that night, if only by, you know, maybe a millisecond, but that’s how it went… But, it only took a couple weeks for me to realize that the old Phoenix Winterborn was still not too far beneath the surface of this supposedly new guy, because as soon as he came up against someone who ultimately outworked him on that night? To hear him immediately revert to blaming the system and everything else… Yeah, that never sat right with me, especially the notion that I’m this kind of Chosen One or Golden Child, God knows I’ve heard that enough over the last few years rather than actually, you know, having people see that I’ve earned everything I’ve gotten… To have that label put on me again, yeah, that just didn’t sit right with me, and even though he may have beaten some respect out of our General Manager Grizzly Duggan last night… Yeah, I’m not there yet.
The United States Champion’s nostrils flare as he briefly leans back, taking the microphone into his hands.
Ace King: So, obviously, you know, he got that measure of respect in the name of being able to challenge Moxie for the HBO Broadcast Championship on the Rampage season premiere, but I’m going to make an appeal to one Andrea Hernandez here. First of all, congratulations on your victory in the Fatal Four-Way; obviously, given the level of competition you faced, that was a heck of an effort, and you’re absolutely one of Rampage’s rising stars, and I’m glad you decided to stick it out. But now, obviously we haven’t really had a lot of dealings, to this point, but I do have a bit of a business proposition here for you… Again, I mentioned that Winterborn has his date with Moxie at, you know, the Rampage season premiere, but I also know you’re now in charge of putting together the second episode of Rampage for 2023…
Ace briefly flicks up an eyebrow as a devilish glint appears in his eye.
Ace King: I rather like the sound of Ace King vs. Phoenix Winterborn there. Title or Non-Title, it could be Champion vs. Champion at that point. I don’t even know my own trajectory yet, maybe there’s a Lavender rematch coming on the premiere, who knows? But regardless of all that, I think Ace King vs. Phoenix Winterborn would be a rather strong consideration for that second episode, if it was, in fact, to come to pass. So, I’m not one to try and force anything, and obviously if it doesn’t work out that way in your mind, I’m understanding and willing of that, just throwing the idea out there and seeing if it’ll stick is basically where I’m at, and now…
‘The Gambler’ has a brief look at his phone where he sees the time and can’t help but smile.
Ace King: Heh, it’s funny, I said I’d keep it short, and I’m about 20 minutes in here, but I did just want to throw one last item out there. Obviously, you know, Andrea just winning that match a couple hours ago, it was significant for her, but it was also, you know, a big deal for another of her opponents, and one I’ve known for basically my entire wrestling journey. Hold on.
The United States Champion pauses for another drink of water, almost looking like he’s trying to keep his emotions in check.
Ace King: Ahhh, excuse me. Yeah, so obviously, it goes without saying, you know… Ruthless Aggression , she’s been one of the people who’s been there for me effectively since Day 1 when I decided to kinda make a go of it professionally along with, of course, EPFTW! , who I’m firmly in his corner for tomorrow night’s main event, but it’s Ruthie’s time now, and you know, she’s carved out a wonderful career for herself, especially here within EWC. I mean, it’s not just anybody who gets the Hall of Fame recognition here, and I know there’s been times where, you know, maybe she’s doubted her credentials herself, but you know what? She’s always been someone who’s left absolutely everything out there, left nothing to chance, and you know what? Damnit, she’s one to always be respected here, and I know that isn’t a thought that goes unnoticed within EWC, and I know, you know, again that we’ve had more than 15 years of history at this point to kind of build up that connection, but again it’s, you know, it’s been amazing career if this is in fact, you know, maybe one of the final steps she takes.
Obviously, everybody saw the ovation at the end, and I thank MERCENARY for kind of enabling that as well, and yeah, I just wanted to make sure that Ruthann knew that her contributions have never gone unnoticed. She’s genuinely one of the good people here in EWC in and out of the ring, and, you know, I’m definitely looking forward to seeing what’s next, whether it’s something with Jason or whether she pursues an additional chapter, but this chapter isn’t one that should be forgotten, and so my kinda final parting note here is a simple thank you to Ruthann Hunter if this is, in fact, the end. I’m hoping it’s not, but if it is, again, thank you for that.
After a few seconds of silence, the assembled media comes together to applaud the stonefaced United States Champion once more as Simon returns to his lectern.
Simon Webber: Thank you very much for that, Mister King. Once again, congratulations on becoming the EWC United States Champion for the second time, and I think I speak for a lot of people when I say we’re excited to see what you have in store as your return for the 2023 campaign, the 24th official season in EWC history.
However, Wrestlefest XX is far from over. In fact, we’re less than an hour away from our next match featuring Asriel Buzzard and Marcu$ $t. John from PARAMOUNT Wrestling, where Mister Buzzard would become the #1 Contender to the EWC North American Championship with a victory. Of course, there is also tonight’s main event just under three hours from now, where Narumi Tsutsumi will defend the EWC Indy Championship against Scorpio, who will put his PRIME Minister necklace on the line.
In the meantime, we at the Extreme Wrestling Corporation hope you continue to enjoy the spectacle that is Wrestlefest XX. Once again, thank you all for attending this afternoon’s press conference.
With that, Mr. Webber steps away from the lectern and the media members start talking amongst themselves as the Wrestlefest XX poster appears on the official feed to take us to the next segment.
Well-Dressed Brit: Good evening, and thank you to all our friends in the media, as well as those who have joined via conference call, for being here on such short notice as Day 3 of EWC Wrestlefest XX continues. For those of you who may be unaware, my name is Simon Webber, and I am the President of Communications for the Extreme Wrestling Corporation.
Simon pauses briefly to flip over a page at the lectern.
Simon Webber: I don’t think our guest at the podium needs any introduction, but for the sake of formality, I’m pleased to be joined by the newly crowned two-time EWC United States Champion… The Gambler, Ace King. Without further ado, Ace, the floor is yours.
The assembled media applauds as the camera pans to a much more relaxed looking Ace King, who has the EWC United States Championship sitting to his left, with a glass of water to his right. ‘The Gambler’ patiently waits for the applause to die out before leaning into the microphone.
Ace King: Thank you… I know this is going to sound weird coming from me, but I swear I’m going to try and keep this short.
‘The Gambler’ can’t help but laugh at the notion; it gets a muted laugh from the media, too.
Ace King: First of all, I’d like to take the opportunity to thank Simon for putting this together on such short notice, as well as to the assembled media here for their time. I know there’s a lot of stuff going on over the course of these four days, and it’s part of what makes Wrestlefest special, quite honestly, so again, thank you so much for taking the time to listen to me blab on here for a little bit.
Next up, obviously, there’s been a lot going on lately, so I want to thank my support team back in Las Vegas. The King’s Court guys, they’ve been, you know, there for me since Day 1. They’ve been there through the great times and not-so-great times, which there’s been plenty of over the course of this season, and their support has been unyielding, unflinching, whatever you want to call it, and it’s just been amazing, so thanks to those guys… And especially, thanks to my wife. A lot of you guys obviously remember her, Shelley, obviously she’s been out of the spotlight lately but, you know, she’s been very much there for me in the background, so that support has always been appreciated, and I wouldn’t still be able to pursue this without, you know, that support from the sidelines.
The United States Champion pauses for a quick drink of water, collecting his thoughts in the process.
Ace King: And next, kinda looking back to how the weekend has gone, I also want to acknowledge the efforts of Lavender and Moxie … Um… Obviously, you know, there was a lot said over the last month or two going into Wrestlefest, a lot of conjecture over, you know, who deserved to be doing that, and honestly, I kinda questioned my place in that, and we’ll get to all of that in a little bit, but obviously, you know, I’m blessed to be sitting here with the United States Championship once again, but in that match… It’s funny, whenever you’re in the business as long as I’ve been, you feel like there aren’t too many places where you can get new bumps and bruises anymore… It seems like Lavender and Moxie found every single one of them, so the last couple days… Yeah, I’ve been sore, but you know, I’m still here, I’m hanging around, and as you can see, I’ve got another piece of gold for the collection, and it’s no secret how much I treasure it, so it’s amazing to be here, and you know, not too long ago, it was very much an unlikely thing, which, you know, sorta takes me to the original intent of this particular press conference was, because...
The United States Champion stops himself briefly, ensuring his thoughts are in order.
Ace King: Obviously, it’s no secret that my 2022 hasn’t been the best, and if you guys know anything about me over the course of my time here in EWC, you know I’m nothing if not honest with my own performance, so for me to say that, it’s not exactly an elephant in the room. It’s something I’ve known and understood… Obviously, 2021 was a crazy year, and it was going to be impossible to replicate, but you know, it’s been, by times, even tougher than I imagined, and to be quite honest… The end of July, after the events of Parabellum where Queen Melody Malone soundly took me out in that Undisputed Championship match, I started to see things a little bit differently, I started to think a little bit differently, and you know, I started, for the first time in a little while…
I started to think about what life after wrestling was gonna look like, and you know, it was something that I was starting to kinda come to grips with, because, you know, I’m not getting any younger either, and you know, there’s always the need for a succession or a backup plan, so to speak, and that sorta put things into motion for me at that point, and then obviously the Rumble happened as well, and you know, it was a decent run… Certainly not where I wanted to end up, but at that point, I went in believing that if I wasn’t able to pull off the victory there, at that point I didn’t really know whether or not I belonged here or not.
So, at that point, and this again comes back to the original intent of this press conference… Initially at that point, it was my intention to complete the season and have this particular moment be my official retirement from the EWC, and I’d come to peace with that over the last two and a half months, because you know, you start to see things a little bit differently like I said before, and you know, it’s the kind of thing that, you know, perspective can hit rather quickly, and I want to kind of, you know, leave a more positive legacy overall, and obviously I’ve been here for a little while and done a lot of things… but at the same time, I didn’t want to be that guy who was, you know, just kind of going through the motions, potentially holding people back, I know I’ve heard those voices over the years as well… I didn’t want to be a caricature of myself, effectively, and as I say, toward the end of September, not long after the Rumble ended, I had made the decision that Wrestlefest 20 was going to be the end, and as I say, I was comfortable with it, and yeah, it was just a matter of kind of finishing up.
Ace puts a hand on his United States Championship, a thin smile forming on his face.
Ace King: …That all changed about 48 hours ago. Quite obviously, you know, Friday night happened, and, you know, again, I am incredibly fortunate and blessed to be sitting here with the United States Championship right now, and for anyone who’s kinda followed my career over the years, you know I am… I try, at least, to be the consummate fighting championship, so for me to be in that situation, to have just claimed the United States Championship and then kinda contrast that with the idea of riding off into the sunset… No, that’s not how this is going down, because that’s not the way I was taught to do it. I was taught to try and raise whatever kind of platform you have, whatever championship you have, or whatever honour you’re currently pushing forward, and for me to get into that situation, again, where I would retire with a championship over my shoulder… It’s a dream for a lot of people, but it just doesn’t feel right for me yet, because A) As I mentioned earlier, it’s kind of how I was brought up in this business over the last almost 20 years, and B) This might even be the more important point here… The last few months have come with a lot of doubts and questions about my self-confidence and whether or not I can continue to perform at the standard that I expect of myself.
So, I went into this Friday wanting to throw absolutely everything I had into it, and if it didn’t work out, I could kind of sleep easily knowing the next chapter was coming. But then, I realized I still had something in the tank, and again, to be the United States Champion again right now, it means the world to me, and it’s no secret that the first time I held this championship, I treated it as if it were the world to me. Obviously, it’s no secret that there’s a certain number that’s affiliated with that particular run. It’s weird to kind of put that in the past here now, because at this point, it’s 779…
Ace allows his voice to trail off for a split second, enough for a small smirk to wash over his face.
Ace King: …and counting, because yeah, there’s no way I’m giving this up right away. This is, again, me announcing that I’m officially coming back for 2023, because again, the United States Championship deserves that. It deserves to have a champion that’s, you know, committed to continuing that path of elevation, because it’s produced… Within the last three years alone, it’s proven to be a pathway for three different Undisputed Champions at minimum, and so to be in that situation to, again, have such a prestigious championship, one I would argue is still the most prestigious outside of the Undisputed Championship within the EWC… There’s a lot of pride that comes with that, and again, it’s not… You know, it wouldn’t sit right with me to just cast that all aside and, you know, just have it be vacant for X amount of time. It just doesn’t seem right to me, it doesn’t feel right for the lineage of the championship to have that happen, and most importantly, it would be doing a disservice to the efforts of Lavender, because even though we said a lot of stuff about each other over the last month, month and a half given these couple matches, what she accomplished with the United States Championship was nothing short of amazing, because obviously, she won that championship during the BORT, and that put a lot of pressure on her.
It put, you know, arguably the biggest target on her back on her side of the bracket, and she found a way to push through that, and ultimately, obviously, earned the opportunity back in Qatar for Uncensored, and you guys saw what she did there, taking down an absolute titan in Melody Malone, who, you know, she’s gonna be coming back here as well, it could even be as soon as tomorrow night, who knows? But again, you talk about those two, and obviously Titaness being on the sidelines as well with the birth of her twins, you know, she’s done wonders with the United States Championship as well, Darna Dare was in there as well after her, you know, brief run with it, but obviously capturing it at StrangleMania… Obviously, it’s a big deal to be holding this championship, and I want to once again treat it as such, because again, it means a lot to me to be able to call myself the United States Champion again. It’s a day that I’ll admit, I wasn’t entirely sure was gonna happen, but it wound up happening anyway. It was just kind of the way the opportunity presented itself and, again, I want to make the most of it while I’ve got.
So yeah, I am, again, officially declaring that I’m back for 2023. What that means for a potential defense of the Legends of the Cage crown at the beginning of the year, I’m not entirely sure yet. There’s still a lot of time between now and the end of January, so to speak, to figure that out, but right now, I’m more than happy to enjoy the afterglow, so to speak, of having the United States Championship in my possession once again.
The record-setting United States Champion’s smirk slowly fades as he leans into the microphone.
Ace King: Now that I’ve officially declared that I’m returning for 2023, it’s obvious, again, that 2022 had a lot of things that happened and, you know, there’s a lot of things I didn’t get to, shall we say… Tie the loose ends up on. So, there’s definitely a bit of a mandate, or… You know, I don’t even know what the word is, to be honest, but there are a few targets, so to speak, going into 2023, and perhaps even sooner, who knows?
Obviously, my 2022 can’t really be defined without mentioning the name of Jack… Severn. The Heartless One. Obviously, Jack Severn , you know that you did a number on me in the summer, gave me those concussions, and very nearly put me out medically in terms of not being able to choose whether or not I was gonna retire or not, but even though you did some damage to my head… My ears have always worked, and so have my eyes, because I’ve read and heard just about everything you’ve said about me over the last few months, and obviously, outside of the Rumble briefly… There hasn’t really been an opportunity to rectify that. So, in 2023, I think it’s time to make amends on that while reminding you, and this is particularly pertinent coming from me…
Ace subtly shakes his head, narrowing his eyes as he looks out at the media gathering.
Ace King: …The House doesn’t always win. Just remember that, and just remember you may not always see me coming. You never know where it’s gonna happen, or when… Could be as soon as tomorrow night, who knows… But just know, Jack, that I will be coming, and I will have my vengeance, and on that particular point, I’ll shift to one other name here, and obviously there’s been some recent developments on this front, and you know, I’ve gotta get a little payback on one Primetime Phoenix Winterborn , as well, because… You know, I thought Rampage #500 was gonna be at least somewhat honourable. He’d gone in touting himself as being the hard worker in the business with the HBO Broadcast Championship over his shoulder, and you know, it was great to see a guy who’d been knocked down over and over… He finally got his shot, and you know, it’s unfortunate in his case that he wound up drawing me in the opening round of the BORT, and honestly, that match could have gone either way now that I look back on it, it really could have. But, I just happened to be the guy who was better on that night, if only by, you know, maybe a millisecond, but that’s how it went… But, it only took a couple weeks for me to realize that the old Phoenix Winterborn was still not too far beneath the surface of this supposedly new guy, because as soon as he came up against someone who ultimately outworked him on that night? To hear him immediately revert to blaming the system and everything else… Yeah, that never sat right with me, especially the notion that I’m this kind of Chosen One or Golden Child, God knows I’ve heard that enough over the last few years rather than actually, you know, having people see that I’ve earned everything I’ve gotten… To have that label put on me again, yeah, that just didn’t sit right with me, and even though he may have beaten some respect out of our General Manager Grizzly Duggan last night… Yeah, I’m not there yet.
The United States Champion’s nostrils flare as he briefly leans back, taking the microphone into his hands.
Ace King: So, obviously, you know, he got that measure of respect in the name of being able to challenge Moxie for the HBO Broadcast Championship on the Rampage season premiere, but I’m going to make an appeal to one Andrea Hernandez here. First of all, congratulations on your victory in the Fatal Four-Way; obviously, given the level of competition you faced, that was a heck of an effort, and you’re absolutely one of Rampage’s rising stars, and I’m glad you decided to stick it out. But now, obviously we haven’t really had a lot of dealings, to this point, but I do have a bit of a business proposition here for you… Again, I mentioned that Winterborn has his date with Moxie at, you know, the Rampage season premiere, but I also know you’re now in charge of putting together the second episode of Rampage for 2023…
Ace briefly flicks up an eyebrow as a devilish glint appears in his eye.
Ace King: I rather like the sound of Ace King vs. Phoenix Winterborn there. Title or Non-Title, it could be Champion vs. Champion at that point. I don’t even know my own trajectory yet, maybe there’s a Lavender rematch coming on the premiere, who knows? But regardless of all that, I think Ace King vs. Phoenix Winterborn would be a rather strong consideration for that second episode, if it was, in fact, to come to pass. So, I’m not one to try and force anything, and obviously if it doesn’t work out that way in your mind, I’m understanding and willing of that, just throwing the idea out there and seeing if it’ll stick is basically where I’m at, and now…
‘The Gambler’ has a brief look at his phone where he sees the time and can’t help but smile.
Ace King: Heh, it’s funny, I said I’d keep it short, and I’m about 20 minutes in here, but I did just want to throw one last item out there. Obviously, you know, Andrea just winning that match a couple hours ago, it was significant for her, but it was also, you know, a big deal for another of her opponents, and one I’ve known for basically my entire wrestling journey. Hold on.
The United States Champion pauses for another drink of water, almost looking like he’s trying to keep his emotions in check.
Ace King: Ahhh, excuse me. Yeah, so obviously, it goes without saying, you know… Ruthless Aggression , she’s been one of the people who’s been there for me effectively since Day 1 when I decided to kinda make a go of it professionally along with, of course, EPFTW! , who I’m firmly in his corner for tomorrow night’s main event, but it’s Ruthie’s time now, and you know, she’s carved out a wonderful career for herself, especially here within EWC. I mean, it’s not just anybody who gets the Hall of Fame recognition here, and I know there’s been times where, you know, maybe she’s doubted her credentials herself, but you know what? She’s always been someone who’s left absolutely everything out there, left nothing to chance, and you know what? Damnit, she’s one to always be respected here, and I know that isn’t a thought that goes unnoticed within EWC, and I know, you know, again that we’ve had more than 15 years of history at this point to kind of build up that connection, but again it’s, you know, it’s been amazing career if this is in fact, you know, maybe one of the final steps she takes.
Obviously, everybody saw the ovation at the end, and I thank MERCENARY for kind of enabling that as well, and yeah, I just wanted to make sure that Ruthann knew that her contributions have never gone unnoticed. She’s genuinely one of the good people here in EWC in and out of the ring, and, you know, I’m definitely looking forward to seeing what’s next, whether it’s something with Jason or whether she pursues an additional chapter, but this chapter isn’t one that should be forgotten, and so my kinda final parting note here is a simple thank you to Ruthann Hunter if this is, in fact, the end. I’m hoping it’s not, but if it is, again, thank you for that.
After a few seconds of silence, the assembled media comes together to applaud the stonefaced United States Champion once more as Simon returns to his lectern.
Simon Webber: Thank you very much for that, Mister King. Once again, congratulations on becoming the EWC United States Champion for the second time, and I think I speak for a lot of people when I say we’re excited to see what you have in store as your return for the 2023 campaign, the 24th official season in EWC history.
However, Wrestlefest XX is far from over. In fact, we’re less than an hour away from our next match featuring Asriel Buzzard and Marcu$ $t. John from PARAMOUNT Wrestling, where Mister Buzzard would become the #1 Contender to the EWC North American Championship with a victory. Of course, there is also tonight’s main event just under three hours from now, where Narumi Tsutsumi will defend the EWC Indy Championship against Scorpio, who will put his PRIME Minister necklace on the line.
In the meantime, we at the Extreme Wrestling Corporation hope you continue to enjoy the spectacle that is Wrestlefest XX. Once again, thank you all for attending this afternoon’s press conference.
With that, Mr. Webber steps away from the lectern and the media members start talking amongst themselves as the Wrestlefest XX poster appears on the official feed to take us to the next segment.
