Breakdown 3-4-2021

February 18, 2021 – Cleveland

I sat in the back, defeated and tossed aside from another opportunity at the World Championship. This one was more of a game of poker than the last, 15 people all squaring off for one big prize. The result was once again the same. I’d be leaving with no new accessories. It was hard to avoid the fact lingering over my head. I’d just lost four of my last five matches. I felt like I might be sliding, losing control. I heard the door open and close and turned to see Cookie.

Cookie: Come on, come watch the end of this. It’s getting good! Bree just lost the world title!

Jordan: What!? To who!?

Cookie: Glory!

Jordan: Woah!

Cookie grabbed my hand and yanked me to my feet and drug me outside to the area where much of the roster were standing around and watching the match backstage. I crossed my arms and settled into position right as Chris Cannon pinned Glory.

Jordan: Well, so much for that…

Cookie: How exciting!

Jordan: Should we go then?

Cookie: And miss the show?

Jordan: So?

Cookie: What crawled up your twat and died?

Jordan: Shut up! I’m just… you know. I’m over it.

Cookie: This is like, history making stuff here.

Jordan: Fine…

I stood with my arms crossed, rolling my eyes when cameras came up to show us. I tried to pretend I was at least interested in the match. The truth was I couldn’t be bothered. I needed to know what was next. I needed something else to focus on. That next thing came in an alert from my phone. I looked around at first thinking someone else was getting a call, before Cookie shot me a look and I realized I was the idiot ignoring the ringing coming from my own pocket. I withdrew my phone and stepped away.

Jordan: Hello?

Karen: Jordan! Baby!

Jordan: Ugh, why would you call me that? We’re cousins…

Karen: I have some news. The studio said they need you to take part in an interview when you get back to LA. A big profile about a young, gay actress playing a part in the wrestling and entertainment worlds at the same time.

Jordan: An interview with who?

Karen: Entertainment Weekly. They’re previewing the show and they want this article to be part of that preview.

Jordan: Alright, so… what do I need to do.

Karen: Nothing! I’ve got it all setup for the reporter to come to your house and–

Jordan: MY HOUSE!?

Karen: Was that not ok?

Jordan: Did you think maybe it would be nice to check with me before you gave away my home address to a reporter!?

Karen: Technically it’s a reporter and a camera crew for a photo shoot.

I brought two fingers to my forehead and just seethed for a moment.

Karen: I figured this was what you would want. You know, show you the magazine stories!

Jordan: What?

Karen: Jerry Maguire? No? I forget how much younger you are than me.

Jordan: Karen, we’re going to have to have a long discussion about this when I return to LA, but for now I feel like we’re stuck.

Karen: Don’t get so hung up on it. Just enjoy the interview tomorrow and have some fun with it if you can.

Jordan: Hold up, boo. Did you say tomorrow?

Karen: Uh, yes?

Once again I brought fingers to my forehead and let out the deepest of sighs.

Jordan: You are really the worst agent aren’t you?

Karen: You’re always so negative. Hey though, one more thing…

Jordan: Oh, great!

Karen: The studio is trying to get in touch with you personally about something.

Jordan: Please tell me it’s not reshoots.

Karen: They have some questions. They want a suggestion from you. So try and get back with them as soon as you can.

Jordan: Ok… when did they call you?

Karen: Oh, I guess it was the other day right after you wrapped reshoots. They said you left before they had a chance to stop you.

I hung up the phone without giving Karen a response. That had been more than week ago and I had no clue why she hadn’t told me. I immediately jumped into Cookie and I’s itinerary and started working on moving stuff as I walked back.

Cookie: He did it!

Jordan: Huh?

Cookie: Cannon did it. He survived the end. He’s World Champion!

Jordan: He, what?

I looked up and saw Cannon standing tall in the middle of the ring with both the tag team title and the world title. I sneered a bit and looked at Cookie.

Jordan: Those belts should have been ours…

Cookie: We’ll get our chance. Just be patient.

Jordan: I’ve BEEN patient. I’m tired of waiting. Why can’t we just… take.

Cookie: Are you ok? You don’t sound like you.

Jordan: It’s just… Karen.

Cookie: Need a Snickers?

Jordan: What?

Cookie: It works on TV!

Jordan: Yeah but this is… I need to get our entire flight schedule moved so we can get home. I have an interview and a photoshoot at our house.

Cookie: Why would wrestling journalists want to speak to you?

Jordan: Well they’re not — wait a minute, what is that supposed to mean?

Cookie: Uh, nothing…

Cookie smiled wide and I rolled my eyes and shook my head.

Jordan: That’s what I thought. This is an entertainment magazine. This has everything to do with Grimm’s Tales. So we need to get home and probably clean up a little bit.

Cookie: You mean, you need to clean up? Most of the house is spotless. Your room… is gross.

Jordan: It’s not gross!

Cookie: It smells like you’ve been eating your feelings inside there.

Jordan: Ok… fair. But we need to make sure the chickens aren’t all running free and stuff. You know.

Cookie: Ok, ok…

I tapped on my phone a few times as I finished up the adjustments needed so we could fly out first thing in the morning and then dropped my hands to my sides and let out a sigh.

Cookie: You gonna be ok?

Jordan: Just… tired of losing.

Cookie: Winning that match, it was a big ask for anyone.

Jordan: I know. I put so much pressure on myself to make things happen. Maybe I’m getting a little bit overwhelmed by all of that. I just… I want something to happen. I want something positive to happen.

Cookie: You’ve had a ton of good things happen for you. Don’t let a losing streak spiral into something else entirely. You would say this same thing to me if I were in your shoes.

Chris and Lucas suddenly appeared backstage with their titles. They were all smiles as some of the roster applauded and cheered Cannon on his performance. Cookie and I both looked over and my eyes focused on the tag title for a moment, and then on the more bright glisten from the world championship.

Jordan: I’m not addicted to gold or anything, I just want to be good enough to be called a champion again.

Cookie smirked and put her arm around me, pulling me in tighter. We must have caught Chris’ and Lucas’ attention as they looked our way and gave us a nod.

Jordan: I don’t care who crawls out of Retribution with those tag titles, Ethel. We’re gonna come for those belts and we’re going to take them for ourselves.

Cookie shot me a look as I shrugged off her arm around me and headed off down the corridor toward the exit. No matter what was next for me and Cookie, I wasn’t ready to take my eyes off those titles. And if I got another shot, I was going to be downright dangerous for the rest of the roster to deal with.

February 19, 2021 – Los Angeles

Cookie and I got back at the crack of dawn on the left coast. I felt like a worn out car and probably looked like one too. Cookie, that bitch. She still looked perfect. Like she’d had a whole gallon of coffee just injected into her veins. I spent an hour cleaning my room – mostly pushing things under the bed or shoving them into drawers or the closet – while Cookie spent time with the chickens. They were like her kids, or maybe even minions. She often talked with them and I’d be shocked if world domination wasn’t a frequent topic. An SUV pulled up about 10 a.m. and I could see three people on the inside. Two men stepped out and immediately retreated toward the trunk of the vehicle. Then the third occupant stepped out. The first thing I saw was a single red high heel touching the ground. And then another. And when the door shut I saw a 5-foot-9, blonde woman with long legs wearing a dress that barely contained her top, sporting tattoos down each sleeve of her arm. I had to blink a few times as I swore I was looking at Kath. Damn, it was practically Sierra and Kath’s perfect mixture. I swept a hand through my blonde hair as she locked on to me and made her way toward where I stood.

Woman: Jordan?

Jordan: That’s me.

Woman: I’m Adriana Oliveira from Entertainment Weekly. How are you today?

Jordan: Is nervous an ok answer?

She laughed at me and then seemingly studied the property for a moment. I could just sense her taking mental notes.

Adriana: It’s going to take some time for them to get everything setup for a photoshoot. They brought some outfits, but we can go in and get started if you’d like.

Jordan: Uh, sure…

I turned and let her walk in front of me and head for the house. Of course my eyes went right to her butt. I was terrible like that. There was no denying this girl was gorgeous. She looked like no reporter I’d ever seen. But most I’d come accustomed to were dirtier than the sheets they made their living off of. She walked into the house and started looking around. Studying. I felt compelled to interject.

Jordan: We just moved in not that long ago.

Adriana: We?

Jordan: My partner and me… err…

Adriana: Ah so you and your girlfriend live here?

Jordan: No, sorry. Eth… Cookie is my best friend and my tag team partner in SCW. She recently split from her husband and so she moved here.

Adriana opened a notebook and started writing where she stood. I gritted my teeth and then bit my lip.

Adriana: Can we sit?

Jordan: Yeah, of course. Sit here.

I motioned to the couch and she held her dress as she sat down. I sat on the opposite side and pulled a leg up to face her. She started writing again and I wrinkled my nose.

Jordan: So you’re here about the show then.

Adriana: The show, you, your personal life…

I scratched the back of my neck:

Jordan: Oh?

Adriana: I did some research about you for this and a lot of what I found was pretty interesting. So I wanted to know as much as I could about you. You’re like… the total package for your community.

Jordan: My community? Wrestling?

Adriana: No, the LGBTQ+ community.

Cookie: What is that plus for anyways?

Cookie’s sudden intrusion scared Adriana. She jumped and dropped her notebook. Cookie was right there to lean down and pick it up. She stood there holding one of the chickens.

Cookie: What is the plus for? Is it a premium gay? Or, is it like Hulu? Oh my god! Do your people have their own streaming service?

Jordan: Haha… uhh… Cookie this is the reporter.

Cookie: Duh, who else would be in this place besides you, me, the chickens, and scary Sierra?

Adriana: Scary who?

Cookie: Satan’s sister!

Adriana looked at Cookie and I began a throating slashing motion to cut her off. Cookie looked at me with a confused expression as she tilted her head to the side.

Cookie: Something wrong with your neck, Kylie?

Adriana turned back and I smiled innocently and shrugged, letting out a soft bit of laughter. Adriana looked back at Cookie.

Adriana: So you’re the roommate then? I’d love to chat with you later.

Cookie: Oh, I’ve got a lot to say.

Adriana: Brilliant!

Cookie walked away and Adriana turned back to me smiling. This was already off to a great start.

Adriana: Should I ask about “scary Sierra” then?

Jordan: I’d rather you not…

Adriana: Off the record? Maybe on background?

Jordan: Ugh… she’s talking about Sierra Swann.

Adriana: As in Sienna Swann? The sister of your arch-nemesis?

Jordan: Why does everyone always say that?

I shook my head and rolled my eyes.

Adriana: You have a pulse, right? Like you know what you went through with Sienna? So you’ve had Sierra here for some reason?

Jordan: We might have been like… sorta seeing each other. But I’m not sure where that’s really going. Our schedules keep us from really seeing or talking to each other much. But Sierra and I were friends long before any of that stuff happened and we kind of reconnected. But she’s never been with a woman before either so it’s just all complicated and my god why am I telling you this?

Adriana: I’m a good listener… I do it for a living. But anyways, let’s get this interview started.

Jordan: Ok.

Adriana: I want to understand you better so I want to go way back.

Jordan: Way back?

Adriana: To your youth.

Yep, that’s what I was worried about.

Adriana: What was it like growing up in a single parent household.

I swallowed and looked up. I talked about my mom ever so often, but not very personally.

Jordan: I didn’t have a happy childhood. Wrestling was my only solace and I threw myself into it. I became like… addicted to it. It’s all I ever wanted to do. I practiced moves on a mannequin I found next to the trash can of a flea market. I hid it under my twin sized bed in our double-wide trailer. I knew my mom would toss it if she were sober and paying any attention to me. But she only paid attention to me when she wanted to blame me for the problems in her life. So, my childhood kind of sucked to be quite honest. I couldn’t wait to escape. I never thought once about going to college or staying home and helping her. So, I stuffed everything I owned into Wal-mart bags and I bummed a ride to Chicago.

Adriana was writing frantically. At some point, when I was focused on the past, she’d started a recorder on the couch between us. She was nodding her head as she scribbled in her notebook.

Adriana: So your mom was… an alcoholic then?

Jordan: If there was a drug available I’m sure she did it.

Adriana: How did you manage to stay away from that stuff?

Jordan: I sorta didn’t. When I was in middle school I started taking weed from her stash and getting high on occasion, but I wasn’t interested in powder or needles or pipes. I saw what they did to her and it scared me. I mean, she’d hit me before. I have scars from the things she did to me. It was awful.

I looked down and shook my head. I hated talking about her. I knew people tried to put two and two together to figure out why I’d become a fighter. The math always led them to believe it was because I didn’t want to be weak. But I never felt weak. I was just a survivor.

Adriana: Is that why you ended up striking your mom a few years ago?

Jordan: What!?

Adriana: I came across a police report…

Jordan: You can’t report on that!

Adriana: Why not?

Jordan: I don’t want everyone out there to know I was arrested for punching my mom.

Adriana: Well the charges were dropped. It’s an accusation, right?

Jordan: Yes. That’s it.

Adriana: So there was no physicality?

I turned and looked out the window. I didn’t want to answer that. I wanted to forget about that.

Adriana: I know you’ve been through some tumultuous things, Jordan. I’m not trying to upset you. Gosh, that’s the last thing I’d want to do. I just want to tell your story. I think you’re a comeback story. I think you’re a self made success.

I laughed, grinned, and then shook my head.

Jordan: I’ve never felt like a success.

Adriana: People would love to have half the success you have. You’re a star of an upcoming Netflix show. How did that happen?

Jordan: I don’t know, really.

Adriana: You don’t know?

Jordan: My agent got a call. She said someone wondered if I’d like to read for a part. My understanding is they were searching for an athlete of some type and they liked my look and personality. I didn’t know the importance of the role when I read for it. They told me I was beautiful, charming, funny, witty… I mean they really sucked up to me after that. I wasn’t sure if I was any good. I’ve never even been in a play or anything. I read that part as, well, as me. I wasn’t trying to play Britney. I was just being Kylie Majors from Omaha, Nebraska. It was easy for me.

She nodded as she took notes. It was almost robotic. But ever so often I caught her looking over the notebook and looking at me. It was like she was sizing me up or checking me out.

Adriana: Did you know the character was gay?

Jordan: No, but it made it easier on me.

I smiled and laughed. Adriana smiled.

Adriana: Why’s that?

Jordan: I’ve never been romantic with a man before so I was glad I wouldn’t have to pretend or anything.

Adriana: Really? Could have fooled me from the footage they showed me.

Jordan: The footage?

Adriana: Yeah, of the big threesome.

I instantly blushed and looked down. Adriana sat her notebook in her lap and smirked.

Adriana: You’re embarrassed?

Jordan: I try not to think about the amount of pictures that will be posted of my ass on Reddit when that episode is dropped on the platform.

Adriana: Don’t worry about it. You looked hot though.

Jordan: Uh, thanks?

Adriana: I’m curious though, what did you think about the other wrestler joining the show for Season 2?

Jordan: I’m sorry… the other wrestler… the… what?

Adriana: The studio told me another SCW wrestler is joining the show.

Jordan: Who!?

Adriana: I saw pictures, but I didn’t recognize them at all.

Jordan: Well, what did they look like?

Adriana: They were wearing makeup. So they looked like a TV show character…?

Jordan: Can you hold on just a moment?

Adriana: Everything ok?

Jordan: I need to make a call. I’m so sorry!

I stood up and ran into my room and shut the door. I grabbed my phone and started searching for Tim’s contact. The phone rang and rang, but Tim didn’t answer. Instead, it was clear he had pushed my call to voicemail. So I tried again. And again he pushed me to voicemail.

Jordan: Tim, listen I know you usually deal with Karen but she’s shit and we both know it. I’ve got this reporter here telling me another wrestler was cast? Is that true or is she confused? Please call me back.

I hung up and took a deep breath. Then, phone in hand, I walked out of my room with a smile. I was a giant chicken sitting on the couch speaking to the reporter. Except on closer examination, it was Cookie wearing a giant chicken suit.

Cookie: So sometimes I wear this suit when I spend time with the chickens so they feel more at home. Like… they understand that I’m the queen chicken and they are laying all those eggs and doing all that work for me. I think it makes them happier.

Adriana: Right…

Cookie: Oh, she’s back. Gotta fly, I’ll cluck you later!

Cookie ran out of the room, flapping her arms as she did so.

Adriana: Can we talk about that for a second?

Jordan: Honestly, I love her to death. I’m just not sure she’s even from this planet to be honest with you.

Adriana smiled and laughed at me. I didn’t laugh of course because, well, I had a few suspicions. Especially since the time we went “ghost hunting” and Cookie was talking about friends from the sky coming back to visit her. But truth be told, no person had been there for me as much as her. So maybe my guardian angel was just from another planet.

Jordan: I don’t know anything about the new casting, but please don’t hold that against me in your article.

Adriana: I’m not even allowed to mention it. It’s a post credits scene.

Jordan: You know more than me! My agent just kinda sucks. Ok, she really sucks at her job.

A pair of men walked into the house as I was speaking and Adriana turned her attention to them. They said nothing but nodded and she smiled.

Adriana: They’re going to go get setup. Let’s run through a few more questions and then we can finish after the photoshoot.

Jordan: Ok.

Adriana: How does it feel to know that you are a gay woman getting the chance to play a gay character in a show? Oftentimes these parts have just gone to straight actors. It’s probably a bit of an honor to be a gay actor getting cast in a role she’d know a lot about.

Jordan: Honestly, I’m just honored to have gotten this kind of opportunity. I didn’t think I had any business being in a TV show. I had no experience beforehand… but I’ve really enjoyed the experience and I hope when people watch the show they don’t think I suck or dragged it down because people put a lot of work into this and I’d hate to be the reason that it doesn’t work out.

Adriana: Shifting for a moment from that to the SCW locker rooms, how has this been received by your peers?

Jordan: Oh, uhh…

I swept my hair back and leaned forward.

Jordan: I don’t know that anyone has said anything really.

Adriana: Nothing?

Jordan: In my time there, I’ve lost a lot of matches. I’ve won some big ones yeah, but me doing this isn’t as big as like… Bree Lancaster or Selena Frost doing a movie.

Adriana: Who is Selena Frost?

Jordan: I don’t think we have time for me to explain that.

Adriana looked down and scribbled something in her notes.

Adriana: So are you saying you’re not a top competitor in SCW?

Jordan: I mean… I’m in SCW.

Adriana: It says here you’ve had two title matches in the last few months. I also wrote down you were in the finals of some sort of tagging tournament?

Jordan: It’s a tag team league. Do you know anything about wrestling?

Adriana: I know that you are a wrestler. I’m just trying to figure out if I need to portray you as a winner or someone who just works there.

Jordan: Well that’s right to the point…

Cookie: And an interesting question it is.

Cookie had appeared from behind the couch, now out of the chicken get up, and leaned against the back of it.

Cookie: If you were to ask me what Jordan’s position in SCW is, I would say it’s strong, but not too strong.

Adriana: What does that mean?

Cookie: It’s like when you order your steak medium rare, and they bring you a plate of boiled chicken.

Jordan: Now I’m lost…

Cookie: Ok, maybe that wasn’t the right analogy.

Jordan: I can guarantee that because it’s not an analogy at all. It’s like… gibberish.

Cookie: Is that a foreign language?

I smiled and looked at Adriana. She gave me a confused look.

Cookie: Here’s what I can say about my friend. She’s really good at the wrestling thing. She’s probably good at the TV thingy she’s doing. But as a friend, she’s the best. I’d take her anywhere. And love her forever.

Jordan: There you have it. My role in SCW is Cookie’s friend.

Cookie: Oh, wait! I was thinking about spanglish!

Jordan: The movie?

Cookie: Wait, is it a movie or a language?

Adriana: You two are officially too damn much to handle.

Jordan: Cookie, who do you think speaks spanglish?

Cookie: Uh, Spain. Obviously.

Jordan: Heh, ok. So what do they speak in Mexico?

Cookie: Chinese? How the hell am I supposed to know?

I looked at Adriana and saw her rubbing her fingers against her temple much like I had a day earlier when Karen was driving me insane. I smirked at the chaos around us.

Adriana: You two are crazy.

Jordan: Allegedly. But I’m really not crazy. Maybe Cookie, but…

Cookie: I took the tests. I got a C.

Adriana: Ok, we got off track here. What’s your aspiration in SCW? Or is it in acting maybe?

I looked away from the reporter and at Cookie and smiled. Then I shrugged as I looked back.

Jordan: No matter what happens, I just want to be happy. If Cookie and I become champions together, it will be a damn dream come true. But I just want to be happy and I want Cookie to be happy.

Adriana: And you’re sure that you two are just friends?

Jordan: Is it weird to want your best friend to have a good life? Damn!

Adriana: No, you two are just very close. I admire it. We should all be so lucky.

I smiled, but my happiness was interrupted by the photographers walking back into my home and signalling to the reporter.

Adriana: Alright, let’s break for some photos.

Cookie: We’re wearing chicken suits for these, right?

Adriana: Uh, I’m afraid not. It’s all red themed for her character.

Cookie: Ah, shame. The chickens don’t like red. So I guess I need to go let them know they won’t want to be in the photos. I’ll be right back.

Cookie ran to her room as Adriana and I walked out of the house.

Adriana: I just want to see what locations they chose before we decide on outfits if that’s fine.

Jordan: Sure.

Adriana: Really, how do you deal with her?

Jordan: Who, Cookie?

Adriana: Yeah!

I smiled and shrugged.

Jordan: Honestly she probably deals with me more than the reverse. She keeps me alive.

Adriana: Hopefully she doesn’t scare any women away from you. I know it wouldn’t bother me, but I could let things go for a woman like you.

I stopped in my tracks as she kept walking and just stared at her.

Jordan: Uh, what?

She looked back over her shoulder as she walked away from me. We spent the rest of the day taking photos around Cookie and I’s place. Then we finished the interview. I became a bit more curious about Adriana as the day went on and the little signals she kept throwing my way. It didn’t seem right for a reporter to be hitting on her subject. I tried to remain professional though. I had my doubts that it was a good idea to mingle with someone who had that kind of power. Besides, I was keeping it low key. I was focused on things with Sierra right now, even if she might have been dating around without me knowing. My bigger concern though? Who the fuck from work got cast in this show and why didn’t anyone tell me about it?

Promo

A camera pans in on Jordan Majors with a chicken sitting on her arm. She strokes her hand down its back a few times before it jumps off, leaving her with a smile. Jordan steps out of the chicken house out into the sun and then leans her back against the wall as she looks out at the horizon.

It’s been a few weeks now since the Tag League finally came to an end, and what a journey. We made it to the finals with no expectations ever placed upon us. Yet we consistently surprised people until the final weeks. I’ve heard over and over that we have nothing to be ashamed of. I don’t think we do, but I admit I had high hopes of leaving Breakdown with a chance to compete for the tag titles. We didn’t get it. But we’re far from finished. And this week, we return to the ring together with a chance to face SCW’s apparently forgotten team.

Jordan laughs to herself and then shrugs.

But I guess I should ask, forgotten by who, exactly? I’m well aware of Vengeance. I know all about Kim and Jess. They’re great competitors. They’ve been fighting professionally far longer than Cookie and I. Perhaps the only reason they might be forgotten by anyone is because they conveniently appeared as a team like a week after the Tag League had started. So for that reason, they didn’t get a chance to fight some of the best teams SCW had to offer. But still, are we acting like they didn’t fight Doom and Groove? The notion that they’ve been forgotten is as ridiculous as someone saying they aren’t taking them seriously.

She pushes herself off of the wall and crosses her arms.

The truth is, we were the wild cards of the Tag League. We were impressive because everyone wrote us off from day one. We never overlook anyone. This supposed mythical time you think we were supposed to be Tag Team champions if we beat Frozen Hell? Well, they’d already lost the tag titles a month and a half earlier. And they were far from dominant to beat us. As a tag team thrown together to fill the Tag League, we’ve lost two matches. We lost to the 2020 tag team of the year. We lost to the winners of the tag league. Funny that everyone seems to write off the fact that we beat Dark Fantasy, Big Ass Connection, and your current tag team champions Suited and Booted. But I guess that doesn’t conveniently fit anyone’s narratives about us, does it?

Jordan smirks as she looks down and stirs at the dirt with her shoe.

As much as you want to win your third tag team title like some weird belt collector, I’m on the quest for my first taste of that glory with my best friend. Your taste for winning gold was satiated long ago. Cookie and I are starving for our moment. Because we deserve it. We don’t rebound with a win over Vengeance. We continue what we started. Your revisionist history version of our team’s time in SCW is just garbage produced from the mind of a desperate person looking for something to latch on to. You say you will be damned to be used as a rebound? Well there’s no way in hell we will be used as your personal stepping stone to the top of the tag division. We haven’t even reached the top yet. Matter of fact, we’re still far from it. But we’re not done yet. The Psychonauts will be the SCW Tag Team Champions before you know it.

She leans back up against the wall of the chicken house with her arms crossed.

I’m not ignoring the fact that Cookie and I lost to Frozen Hell or that we lost in the Tag League finals. But I can tell you that we learned more from those losses than you two could have ever learned by skipping out on the Tag League. This was a several month stretch of tag matches with everything on the line every week. Nothing was ever guaranteed. It tested your strength, your mind, willpower and determination, while one of you paraded around with a fun yet pretend title and the other one showed up for a few tag matches along the way. You want to know why people talk about us as a threat in the division? It’s because we earned it. And few teams can say they’ve earned as much respect in such a short time together. This wasn’t a team of two world beaters lumped together. This was two scrappy fighters who wanted a chance. And we made the most of it. Right up until the end.

Jordan shakes her head and smirks again.

And we’re far from finished taking advantage of opportunities. As far as I can tell, facing Vengeance is another one dropped on to our plate. You’re ready to deem us a failure because we couldn’t win what you were too chicken shit to even take part of?

She turns around and looks into the coup.

Sorry girls… but I’m just saying. You’re putting the cart before the horse here. You’re writing us off and charting your path to the top of the tag team division. But we’re not going to just flounder and get out of your way. I could care less about our reputation or what anything thinks of us. We do our real talking in the ring. That’s why we’re respected as contenders. Not because we talk a bunch of shit. Because we’ve consistently given it everything we have when we step into the squared circle. Breakdown will be no different, ladies. You will try to make a statement using us, and you will fail. You will try your damndest to avoid being our so-called “rebound,” and you will lose.

Jordan shrugs once more and kneels down as the camera moves up close to her face.

I’m not here to wish you luck or say anything positive. I’m here to tell you that all your tough words are for nothing. The messed up history lesson full of incorrect facts. The puffing your chests out and putting your foot down. The only team leaving this match with a win are the Psychonauts. We all have dreams and aspirations, and we all want to reach the top. Maybe someday Vengeance will reach that, but more than likely… no. My team doesn’t avoid opportunities. We will never run from a fight and we will never have the need to create our own titles to stay relevant in this company. We will always matter because of what we do in the ring. And nothing that happens between us is going to prove anything differently.

She looks away for a moment and then looks back with one last smirk.

You talked a lot about respect. Well, you don’t have to worry about us respecting you. You’ll find out exactly how much we respected you when we beat you. Yours was a lot of talk though. You talk respect and use backhanded compliments and bold statements for punctuation. Talk, talk, talk. But this week you will just lose. You can take that to the bank, girls. Because Jordan Majors is money. See you soon. Or for Jess I should say… na razie.

Jordan winks and blows a kiss to the camera before it pans up and away from her and then fades to black.