Davis (o.s): Yeah, Alf, I'm good. Thanks. (chuckles) I do feel a bit silly, though.
Dominga: You should be used to that.
A.B.: Will you stop? Take us away, Chloe.
Compound
Davis: Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome my guest at this time, the number 1 draft pick and the woman who will meet the "Outlaw" Jessie Moore in the main event to crown the number 1 contender to the Jewells Championship, the Rose of Ferocity, Sarah Esposito.
The bouffant-haired Michoacánian, in full tiger-striped gear with floral-tatted arms bare, steps into frame to a mixed reaction.
Esposito: Thanks, Chloe, and for the record, you can call me Sarah. I don't play stupid games like that.
Davis (nods and chuckles): Thanks.
Esposito: And you know what? Just for that, I'll make sure to give Moore a little extra. Lord knows she has it coming.
Dominga: Kiss-ass.
Davis (smiles): No doubt it'll be a very intense physical battle (gets serious), but last week you and the Outlaw were in a very intense verbal battle that also involved the reigning Jewell's Champion, Empress Ngozi, who was the one who booked this match between you. I want to take you back to some key moments from that exchange, and then I'd like to get your thoughts.
Davis gestures at the TV monitor behind them, which plays series of the segment in Honiara, Solomon Islands.
Read: The Next Chapter
Ngozi (slowly losing RP accent): Maybe, for the benefit of the new generation, I should WHEEP YOU like the dirty, inbred, crack-born donkey wey you be ONE LAST TIME!
The crowd roars in approval.
Moore (steps back, pointing): Ah, there she is! There she is. (turns away) But ya know ... we ain't gotta wait until Dunedin. (takes off hat and turns back with wide eyes) Do we?
Ngozi grabs the zipper of her track jacket and pulls it down. The crowd is going ballistic.
A loud siren is heard, followed by an aggressive rock track.
Esposito: Hold it!
The veterans in the ring turn from each other to the bouffant-haired Mexican-Italian as she steps out onto the field in a denim vest and pants with a mic in hand. The crowd's response is not very friendly.
CUT TO
Esposito: ... Now, I didn't want to do it this way... but if this is how it works, then I need to make a case for myself.
The No. 1 draft pick hops onto the apron, but does not step inside.
Esposito: ...I have been fighting for a long time, and I always understood it as the person stacking up wins gets to challenge for th-
Moore: ¡Las adultas estaban conversando, niña! ¡Lárgate!
The crowd bursts out laughing.
The Rose of Ferocity squints her aqua-green eyes in Moore's direction. Now she steps into the ring, but first she walks over to Ngozi.
Esposito: Empress, is it alright if I step in here for a minute?
The Champion raises a hand and walks away to a far corner to observe the unfolding.
Esposito: Thank you.
The younger, floral-tatted woman then steps into the Outlaw's personal space, standing over her by two inches.
Esposito: ... You honestly think you deserve a title match? You? For what? Because for the last decade and a half or more you've been riding her coattails? (gestures at Ngozi) ... Nah! (finger on chest) I have been wrecking shop since my first night on the job. That is fact! So if anyone has a right to call her shot for the Jewell, it's me...
CUT TO
Moore (slowly raising a finger): Now, ya listen, eend listen good. Thuh next taahm ya come out hair eend a) git in maah face eend b) put a finger in maah face, ah'll tay-uk awff this hair belt awf maahn eend tan yo-wr fanny until it's as ree-ehd as that ridiculous 'aircut!
Crowd: OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!
CUT TO
Moore (shakes her head in disgust): "Wreckin' shop since yo-wr fuhrst naahyt." ... Yer an MMA chick, right? Ya evher 'ere thuh phrase "can crusher"?
Esposito's eyes narrow further.
CUT TO
Moore: Oh, ah git it now. Ah all to pieces forgot. Her royal painness over yonder is yo-wr hero. Yo-wr idol. Which is hooaah ya jus' stood thair like a mutt while she done read ya thuh riot ayct in front awf thuh world.
Esposito briefly looks over at Ngozi, who leans impassively against the corner with her arms folded.
CUT TO
The Rose's face falls, a shadow cast over her eyes.
Moore: ... An look at ya, jus' now. (high-pitched voice) "Oh, Empress, is it alraahyt ifin' ah jump in? Is it okay if ah speak? Oh, really? Thank ya so much. Yer thuh best. Ah'll be syhaw t' do a good job awn Wensdee whe-yn ah come ovher t' WIPE YO-WR ASS!"
The crowd... pops. Esposito grits her teeth and shakes with rage.
CUT TO
Moore: 2 months, sweetheart. It's been nearly 2 months since draft night eend ya ain't done nothin' t' impress nobody!
Moore: 2 months, sweetheart. It's been nearly 2 months since draft night eend ya ain't done nothin' t' impress nobody!
Esposito: ... You say you're not impressed? You want to talk about this show? (lifts her head) In the main event of night 1 of this show, I tossed your FAT ASS from that corner (points in Ngozi's direction) to that corner? (points at the opposing corner) Where you impressed then?
CUT TO
Esposito (nose-to-nose): If not ... I can take my boot and leave an "impression" ON your fat ass!
The video ends, and Davis looks at Esposito expectantly. The 23-year-old fighter scowls and looks off into the distance as she formulates her response.
Esposito: ... Last week... That was... I was trying to show courtesy. Ngozi's the champ. That was her microphone time.
Davis: Jessie Moore had already interrupted it by that point.
Esposito: Well, I'm not Jessie Moore. Look, I respect Ngozi. I'm not a delusional fangirl who thinks we have some kind of special relationship, but we've been through a lot together with Zadie as well, dealing with Cobra and crew, so I'd like to think there's some kind of mutual respect. In that moment, I thought that the right thing to do was to go up to her and make sure she was cool with me jumping in.
Davis: And how do you feel now?
Esposito: I feel like a fu- (closes her eyes briefly) like an idiot. I opened myself up, and Moore pounced on it. (looks into the camera) So, congratulations, "Outlaw", you get promo of the year. Score 1 for you. I hope you enjoyed it, because tonight I'm gonna do all my talking with these! (holds up MMA-gloved fists)
Dominga: So what's she doing right now?
Davis: Sarah, thank you for your time and good luck.
Esposito nods and walks out of frame. The camera re-centres the interviewer.
Davis: And there you have it, Sarah Esposito is focused ahead of tonight's main event. Alf, Dominga, Aaz, back to-
Esposito (o.s.): Can I help you?
Davis turns, and the cameraman turns with her to see Esposito standing face to face... with Lulu Asovale. The crowd roars.
A.B.: Oh no!
Dominga: Oh YES!
Asovale: You're in my way...
Esposito: Excuse me?
Asovale: Yer excused.
Esposito (shakes head): No, you see, because I was going that way and you got in my way.
Asovale (narrowed eyes): Nah, that's not how I reckon it goes, mate.
Esposito: I don't give a shit how you "reckon", and I'm not your "mate". Get the fu** out of my face!
Asovale (gets closer): An' what if I don't?
Esposito (gets even closer): Well, I've already got to beat one crazy fat bitch's ass tonight. I got no problem with two.
Asovale (baring teeth, turning head slightly): What'd ya call me?
Esposito: You heard me.
Suddenly, Kaivao Manu and Hunapo Henare, Asovale's "brothers", come out of the male changing tent and stand at her right-hand and left-hand side, respectively. The crowd gets even louder.
Shamoon: Oh, this is not good!
Esposito looks from the Tongan to the Māori and back to the Samoan in the centre.
Asovale: Nah mate, reckon I didn't... Could ya say that again?
Brendan Steele (o.s.): Oi, that's plenty!
The Security Chief rushes into view with 6 additional guards. The crowd boos.
A.B.: Thank God.
Steele (points at Esposito): You, ye're comin' wi' me! (points at Asovale) An' you three, get yerselves tae the ring afore Ah get ye collared an' chained!
Asovale (not taking her eyes off Esposito): We were just leavin'... Come on, lads.
She walks past, taking her powerful cohorts with her. Steele gestures for his men to follow them. Esposito doesn't stop watching them until the Scotsman taps her on the shoulder and sharply tilts his head in the opposite direction.
She complies, and the camera returns focus to Chloe Davis.
Davis (lets out a sigh of relief): It's getting hot back here. Back to you guys.
Showgrounds
A.B.: Goodness, I felt the hair standing on the back of my neck.
Shamoon: Asovale and Esposito? Inject that into my veins! Just... make sure the other two aren't around.
Dominga: Speaking of... They're on their way out here!
A.B.: That they are. God help us, the Madness are next!
No comments:
Post a Comment