Post by Donnie Harris on Jan 28, 2024 12:57:31 GMT -5
-Donnie Harris had his feet kicked up, another win under his belt, this time against BRADDOCK, but he didn’t feel satisfied. It didn’t feel like he faced the same BRADDOCK that faced him back at And Justice For Brawl. In the locker room, he was sitting down, ice on one of his knees, just relaxing and letting the adrenaline slowly fizzle away, letting the explosion of energy settle as the fallout of the victory set itself into his mind. He felt defeated, though, as he felt that he was recovering much more quickly than he expected.
As he sat down, the Anarchy and Streaming Service titles sitting against the wall on a bench, the plates shimmering in the light, Donnie just had to let himself breathe, prepare for the next match; it didn’t take long for Donnie to receive the billing.
January 31st, Battleground Main Event: Donnie Harris vs. The Casino Kid. If Justin York wins his gamble, he and Donnie would be meeting again, head-to-head, for the Anarchy Championship. If York loses, it will be nothing more than another notch on the title belt for Donnie.
The ice melted quickly, the heat emitted from Donnie’s body due to the exertion of the match, and he set the pack aside, stripping down and jumping into the shower, after having set his clean clothing out for his departure from the arena.-
-Back to California, back to the west coast: about 3 hours from home.
It was nice to get to the warmer weather too, and the heat of the day, watching these Californians in sweaters and pants while he strolled through the airport wearing shorts, a t-shirt and thong sandals, was refreshing. It was an improvement from the arid day and cold night in Arizona. It was a literal breath of fresh air, and, walking out to the ocean air, he took a deep lungful, gearing himself up for the match well ahead of time.
And, with its proximity to LAX, the Inglewood hotel options to stay close to The KIA Forum were various, enough distance to literally walk to from the airport.
So that’s what Donnie did.
Hollywood Inn Express LAX: it was only a mile or so from the Forum. The walk, nice low-impact cardio that it was, was a pleasant one. All he had was his carry-on and one piece of larger luggage too, so it was quite an easy little walk, even with the decently heavy pair of championship titles he had in the luggage.
However, as he checked in and had a pleasant conversation with the person behind the desk, Donnie’s mind went back to BRADDOCK’s lack of performance at Battleground. Donnie, out of respect for his rival, just like how he respected SYNN, was concerned. Did Toxicita’s ambush get to him? Donnie refused to believe that BRADDOCK just underperformed; there had to be more. There just had to be.
But he had to get his mind off the past. He was prone to dwelling, and he would dwell on it. He was disappointed that he picked a place without a gym, but it was fine. He just started doing pushups and situps, alternating between the two, shifting from set to set with high reps.
Basically, he was working his muscles to exhaustion, allowing his body to rest and recover over the days leading up to Battleground on the 31st.
Justin York: he hasn’t shown up too much over the last little while. And now he was being put into the main event picture, facing a guy with the acumen, strength and stroke of the Anarchy champion.
A fighter's gotta fight; Donnie does not back down from a fight, and it would take a lot more than the Casino Kid to scare him off, or scare him at all. Justin York is going to be facing someone who didn’t give the gamble a chance, a finisher, someone who would not give the judges the satisfaction of scathing his performance.-
-There was nothing to work with, nothing to go by; Donnie paced as he prepared for his interview, to be put up on the website to build up for Battleground, which was three days away. He was dressed well enough that Conor McGregor would look underdressed in comparison. Donnie did have the suit jacket unbuttoned, wearing the Anarchy title around his waist like a cumberbund. Lindy LeRoux was there, ready and waiting, letting Donnie gather his thoughts. After another solid minute of pacing and deep breathing, almost resembling box breathing, Donnie nods to Lindy. The cameras come to life; Donnie gets into his head.-
(Lindy LeRoux)
Alright OCW fans, we’re three days away from Battleground, and Donnie Harris is here with me. He is currently our OCW Anarchy champion, having beaten Alexandra Calaway for it in our blow-off before Christmas. Since then, he has been taking care of anyone that has stood in his way, including a big win against our current world champion, BRADDOCK. He is facing, in our main event on January 31st, the Casino Kid, Justin York. If York wins, the stipulation reads that, according to this rivalry sparked with Goth, York will get another match with Donnie, but it will be for this...
-The camera moves to the Anarchy belt, which Donnie opens up his suit jacket to better display.-
(Lindy LeRoux)
...Anarchy championship title.
-The camera then moves back up to have both Lindy and Donnie in the frame.-
(Lindy LeRoux)
Now, Donnie, what happened after your match with BRADDOCK? As you were leaving, you witnessed him getting attacked by KON and a masked stranger; you were smiling. Did you know anything about this?
)Donnie Harris(
Lindy, I can honestly tell you, hand to God, that I don’t know who the masked person is. As for Konstantine, he is his own man, a man I know that is just as hungry from the world title as I am, and as Toxicita is, wherever the hell she has been. The smile? It came from the fact that BRADDOCK got what he deserved for not giving me the same effort he gave me at AJFB. His performance was lackluster, as if he was effectively neutered by Toxicita’s and Asylum’s ambush of him. I really don’t know the motivations that KON had, but I’m sure Toxi has something to do with it.
(Lindy LeRoux)
And who do you expect to believe that?
)Donnie Harris(
Anyone with a brain who will listen, because that’s the truth. I have nothing against BRADDOCK; I respect him. He’s the champion for a reason, but I’m a champion too. I have my own title to defend, and if he expected me to back him up, he is sorely mistaken.
-Lindy nods throughout, just following with the answers.-
(Lindy LeRoux)
But the past has passed and we have the present to deal with: your match with Justin York. Now, we don’t have the Casino Kid’s thoughts leading up to this match, but it looks like you’re going in pretty blind.
)Donnie Harris(
An astute observation, to be sure.
(Lindy LeRoux)
Given your fondness for watching some of the older footage and using it like game films, how confident are you going into this match?
)Donnie Harris(
The best part about being recognized as a champion is the confidence that comes with it. There was a reason that I was given a title shot, and it wasn’t just because I was cheated in that stupid gimmick match against Damian Calaway. No, it’s because I am championship material, and now I’m a champion. Sure, it’s not the world title, but that will come with time. If I have to, I will just have to make a new case for myself, remind everyone that I should be the World Heavyweight Champion here in OCW. But I will wait, because I have this title, the Anarchy Championship, to defend, even if it means handpicking my challengers, just like I’ll be doing at Battleground on January 31st. See, I don’t need to watch everyone’s old matches. It gives me a bit of a confidence boost, sure, but that’s because it allows me to pick apart those weaknesses, those fatal flaws, with relatively more ease than doing it in person, during a match. It gives me the headspace to catch those little moments where the exhaustion sets in, so I have a target cardio that I need to maintain, that I need to hold my standards up to. I watch game films to make the matches that much easier for me, but, when it’s someone like the Casino Kid, I’m ready, willing and able to gamble on not having those game films. Why? Because the house always wins, and this match is just going to be proof positive that I am the house. I am the foundation upon which OCW was built. Match in and match out, win and lose, I have been the workhorse, I have been the one who shows up to play this game and play it really damn well. Lindy, I’m sure you can understand, with your own educational acumen, how important it is to study.
(Lindy LeRoux)
Well, yeah, of course.
)Donnie Harris(
Well, for Justin York, study hour is almost up, and there isn’t any amount of cramming that he can do to get ready for the Anarchy champion. I have been working out, I have been keeping myself fit and well fed; after all, we are in California. I have been blowing myself up and making sure that I recover so that it takes that much longer for my body to blow up the next time. This is all because I start studying early; I am preparing for the SATs whenever I’m getting ready to get in the ring, and it doesn’t matter if it’s our soon-to-be ex-champion of the world BRADDOCK or if it’s some run-of-the-mill create-a-wrestler from any number of any of the wrestling video games that exist out there, just like you, Kid.
(Lindy LeRoux)
So, when we get past this Battleground, what is it that you’re hoping to find?
-Donnie looks at Lindy, laughs a bit, and glares into the camera.-
)Donnie Harris(
I’m looking to shorten the careers of anyone who has the misfortune to be booked opposite me and those who have the audacity to show up.
-Donnie starts buttoning up his jacket, as if to protect the Anarchy title, before nodding to Lindy and leaving the frame.-
As he sat down, the Anarchy and Streaming Service titles sitting against the wall on a bench, the plates shimmering in the light, Donnie just had to let himself breathe, prepare for the next match; it didn’t take long for Donnie to receive the billing.
January 31st, Battleground Main Event: Donnie Harris vs. The Casino Kid. If Justin York wins his gamble, he and Donnie would be meeting again, head-to-head, for the Anarchy Championship. If York loses, it will be nothing more than another notch on the title belt for Donnie.
The ice melted quickly, the heat emitted from Donnie’s body due to the exertion of the match, and he set the pack aside, stripping down and jumping into the shower, after having set his clean clothing out for his departure from the arena.-
-Back to California, back to the west coast: about 3 hours from home.
It was nice to get to the warmer weather too, and the heat of the day, watching these Californians in sweaters and pants while he strolled through the airport wearing shorts, a t-shirt and thong sandals, was refreshing. It was an improvement from the arid day and cold night in Arizona. It was a literal breath of fresh air, and, walking out to the ocean air, he took a deep lungful, gearing himself up for the match well ahead of time.
And, with its proximity to LAX, the Inglewood hotel options to stay close to The KIA Forum were various, enough distance to literally walk to from the airport.
So that’s what Donnie did.
Hollywood Inn Express LAX: it was only a mile or so from the Forum. The walk, nice low-impact cardio that it was, was a pleasant one. All he had was his carry-on and one piece of larger luggage too, so it was quite an easy little walk, even with the decently heavy pair of championship titles he had in the luggage.
However, as he checked in and had a pleasant conversation with the person behind the desk, Donnie’s mind went back to BRADDOCK’s lack of performance at Battleground. Donnie, out of respect for his rival, just like how he respected SYNN, was concerned. Did Toxicita’s ambush get to him? Donnie refused to believe that BRADDOCK just underperformed; there had to be more. There just had to be.
But he had to get his mind off the past. He was prone to dwelling, and he would dwell on it. He was disappointed that he picked a place without a gym, but it was fine. He just started doing pushups and situps, alternating between the two, shifting from set to set with high reps.
Basically, he was working his muscles to exhaustion, allowing his body to rest and recover over the days leading up to Battleground on the 31st.
Justin York: he hasn’t shown up too much over the last little while. And now he was being put into the main event picture, facing a guy with the acumen, strength and stroke of the Anarchy champion.
A fighter's gotta fight; Donnie does not back down from a fight, and it would take a lot more than the Casino Kid to scare him off, or scare him at all. Justin York is going to be facing someone who didn’t give the gamble a chance, a finisher, someone who would not give the judges the satisfaction of scathing his performance.-
-There was nothing to work with, nothing to go by; Donnie paced as he prepared for his interview, to be put up on the website to build up for Battleground, which was three days away. He was dressed well enough that Conor McGregor would look underdressed in comparison. Donnie did have the suit jacket unbuttoned, wearing the Anarchy title around his waist like a cumberbund. Lindy LeRoux was there, ready and waiting, letting Donnie gather his thoughts. After another solid minute of pacing and deep breathing, almost resembling box breathing, Donnie nods to Lindy. The cameras come to life; Donnie gets into his head.-
(Lindy LeRoux)
Alright OCW fans, we’re three days away from Battleground, and Donnie Harris is here with me. He is currently our OCW Anarchy champion, having beaten Alexandra Calaway for it in our blow-off before Christmas. Since then, he has been taking care of anyone that has stood in his way, including a big win against our current world champion, BRADDOCK. He is facing, in our main event on January 31st, the Casino Kid, Justin York. If York wins, the stipulation reads that, according to this rivalry sparked with Goth, York will get another match with Donnie, but it will be for this...
-The camera moves to the Anarchy belt, which Donnie opens up his suit jacket to better display.-
(Lindy LeRoux)
...Anarchy championship title.
-The camera then moves back up to have both Lindy and Donnie in the frame.-
(Lindy LeRoux)
Now, Donnie, what happened after your match with BRADDOCK? As you were leaving, you witnessed him getting attacked by KON and a masked stranger; you were smiling. Did you know anything about this?
)Donnie Harris(
Lindy, I can honestly tell you, hand to God, that I don’t know who the masked person is. As for Konstantine, he is his own man, a man I know that is just as hungry from the world title as I am, and as Toxicita is, wherever the hell she has been. The smile? It came from the fact that BRADDOCK got what he deserved for not giving me the same effort he gave me at AJFB. His performance was lackluster, as if he was effectively neutered by Toxicita’s and Asylum’s ambush of him. I really don’t know the motivations that KON had, but I’m sure Toxi has something to do with it.
(Lindy LeRoux)
And who do you expect to believe that?
)Donnie Harris(
Anyone with a brain who will listen, because that’s the truth. I have nothing against BRADDOCK; I respect him. He’s the champion for a reason, but I’m a champion too. I have my own title to defend, and if he expected me to back him up, he is sorely mistaken.
-Lindy nods throughout, just following with the answers.-
(Lindy LeRoux)
But the past has passed and we have the present to deal with: your match with Justin York. Now, we don’t have the Casino Kid’s thoughts leading up to this match, but it looks like you’re going in pretty blind.
)Donnie Harris(
An astute observation, to be sure.
(Lindy LeRoux)
Given your fondness for watching some of the older footage and using it like game films, how confident are you going into this match?
)Donnie Harris(
The best part about being recognized as a champion is the confidence that comes with it. There was a reason that I was given a title shot, and it wasn’t just because I was cheated in that stupid gimmick match against Damian Calaway. No, it’s because I am championship material, and now I’m a champion. Sure, it’s not the world title, but that will come with time. If I have to, I will just have to make a new case for myself, remind everyone that I should be the World Heavyweight Champion here in OCW. But I will wait, because I have this title, the Anarchy Championship, to defend, even if it means handpicking my challengers, just like I’ll be doing at Battleground on January 31st. See, I don’t need to watch everyone’s old matches. It gives me a bit of a confidence boost, sure, but that’s because it allows me to pick apart those weaknesses, those fatal flaws, with relatively more ease than doing it in person, during a match. It gives me the headspace to catch those little moments where the exhaustion sets in, so I have a target cardio that I need to maintain, that I need to hold my standards up to. I watch game films to make the matches that much easier for me, but, when it’s someone like the Casino Kid, I’m ready, willing and able to gamble on not having those game films. Why? Because the house always wins, and this match is just going to be proof positive that I am the house. I am the foundation upon which OCW was built. Match in and match out, win and lose, I have been the workhorse, I have been the one who shows up to play this game and play it really damn well. Lindy, I’m sure you can understand, with your own educational acumen, how important it is to study.
(Lindy LeRoux)
Well, yeah, of course.
)Donnie Harris(
Well, for Justin York, study hour is almost up, and there isn’t any amount of cramming that he can do to get ready for the Anarchy champion. I have been working out, I have been keeping myself fit and well fed; after all, we are in California. I have been blowing myself up and making sure that I recover so that it takes that much longer for my body to blow up the next time. This is all because I start studying early; I am preparing for the SATs whenever I’m getting ready to get in the ring, and it doesn’t matter if it’s our soon-to-be ex-champion of the world BRADDOCK or if it’s some run-of-the-mill create-a-wrestler from any number of any of the wrestling video games that exist out there, just like you, Kid.
(Lindy LeRoux)
So, when we get past this Battleground, what is it that you’re hoping to find?
-Donnie looks at Lindy, laughs a bit, and glares into the camera.-
)Donnie Harris(
I’m looking to shorten the careers of anyone who has the misfortune to be booked opposite me and those who have the audacity to show up.
-Donnie starts buttoning up his jacket, as if to protect the Anarchy title, before nodding to Lindy and leaving the frame.-