(As the shot fades in, Hornet is sitting on a queen-size bed in what appears to be his cabin. The shot is tight and a bit fuzzy as if not from a normal camera, but it still catches Hornet giving an apparent “golf clap.”)

Bravo, Trip. So, to recap, you’re the greatest wrestler in the world, you don’t care if anyone likes you, and you don’t need to beat me because I’m old and slow, but you’re going to do it anyway to ‘right a wrong.’

Well hell Trip, if the…

(The camera cuts to black for a couple of seconds. Apparently someone doesn’t want this part shown…)

…then I might not be able to make it and give you opportunity. But it’s not for lack of trying. If you don’t believe me, ask your girl over here. (Hornet motions off-camera).

But to go back to the beginning, Sean. There’s no question you’re a great wrestler. But the greatest in the world? Not even I make that claim anymore, and I just had gold around my waist. What about you, Trip? Where’s your run with the big gold belt? Where’s your claim to fame, other than picking up my sloppy seconds inside the ring and out?

(There’s an audible gasp off-camera…it’s obviously not from Hornet. A prominent finger, apparently the middle one, appears in front of the camera, apparently from the person doing the filming.)

And we get it, you don’t care about the fans anymore. They can love you or hate you, as long as they pay attention to you. And yes, once again, we all know that I’m apparently old, slow and over the hill. But here’s the catch, my friend.

It’s all a bunch of bull****.

You need to beat me because you can’t stand that I’m still in the spotlight, no matter how old and slow you think I am. You need to beat me because you haven’t added anything of substance to your resume lately. And despite what you may think I am now… you and everyone else around here know that I was the best wrestler in the world, and you want to be able to say that you took me down.

Do you really think I don’t know that there’s a target on my back? It’s been that way since 1992 when I went to Japan, Mexico, Germany, the UK and every other country, state and city that had a ‘world’ wrestling championship. I proved how good I was a long time ago, Trip, and if you really want to question whether I can still dance at 38, then I’m happy to show you how to two-step.

But let’s get down to real business. Because despite my tagline from earlier this decade, business and personal are all wrapped in, aren’t they? You can’t stand the fact that everything you’ve done, I’ve done before, and better. You can’t stand that when folks talk about the best in the world, my name still comes up. And you can’t stand that Ivy and I had a relationship, and that no matter how she feels now, that she’ll always have those memories. That you always have to wonder when she gets that wistful look in her eye…. That you always have to worry about whether she’s thinking about a time we spent together.

And even worse, you have to worry whether you can keep her…whether you’ll make the mistake that ruins it all… or whether you’ll be set up again like I was. Because deep down, Trip, for whatever confidence you exude now, you’re still the kid whose dream was to step into the CSWA, to step into the ring with me… and if I couldn’t make it work, then what chance have you got, right?

I don’t care what happens with you and Ivy, Sean. You so eloquently brought my ‘personal problems’ into the mix… you don’t have to worry about that anymore, because I certainly don’t.

I’ve got one focus. One singular, consuming focus. And that’s to take hold of that UNIFIED World Title… my belt… one more time. If it means that I have to go through you to do it, then that just makes it a little more fun. If it means that I have to be drugged by Mike Randalls, stalked by Timmy Windham, attacked as the “Antichrist” by Jim Williams, or go through GUNS, all over again… then so be it. If it means that I have to bring the Windham saga to a crashing halt by bringing down Mark, Troy or any other relative they’ve got hiding, then I’ll do that too. If it means the WHEEL of DEATH, or facing down Thomas in the ring or the boardroom, then let’s get it over with.

Because you’ve missed one very important point, Sean. I’ve got nothing to lose. The only thing you can take away from me is my career, and you already believe that’s over. I don’t have to worry about sticking up for Mark or Timmy, or protecting Ivy or Susan, or trying to help build a company or a brand.

Nothing to lose, Trip. If my opponents, like you, believe I’m old and slow, then I’ll continue to take advantage of their underestimation. If the world believes I’m past my prime, then I don’t have to worry about living up to their expectations. And you’d be amazed at what you can do when you don’t have worry or fear clouding your judgment.

(He looks off camera, towards where the cabin door might be.)

You’d be surprised what you can do when you have a single focus. When you’re not encumbered by the past. When you realize that what you once thought was gold actually turned out to be brass, so you set that dream aside and move on.

(He faces back into the camera.)

So if you’d like to step in front of the path of a moving train, Trip, feel free. But the only people that play on train tracks are the young, the suicidal, and the stupid.

(fade out)