Prestige (Triumph Ep. 2)

The camera opens to Nathan Bogard standing in the studio on his own, eager to deliver a promo about his upcoming Blind Faith Tournament match He’s pacing back and forth.

“One of the most important things to understand is the difference between the things you can control and those that are out of your hands. For instance, I had no say over my first opponent on the debut episode of Triumph. But yet, I put my own destiny in my hands. I shut down Cuban Pete with the ease of one Lion Driver and now I’m on to the next one. And what’s next you ask? A bit of blind faith. The powers that be place me in a tag tournament where I'll have to put my trust in a man I've never teamed with before but I know well enough: Niles Jenkins. This Georgia cat came up to Albany to be trained at the Dream State Wrestling School. He's received training from my fathers and uncles. He's sat at the kitchen table in the house I've grown up in, eating the food Mom fed my sister and I for years. We've traveled the same path, albeit at different times, but Niles understands the vision just as much as I do. Improving one's prowess in the ring until you reach the peak of domination."

Nathan points at the camera and narrows his eyes.

"The 'P' in PCW stands for 'prestige'. Prestige is what Niles and I will bring into this match. In fact, we'll have more than enough prestige to eclipse whatever pedigree Percival VI claims to be bred from! Now he's got a win over the White Knight himself, Nobi! I'll give Percy Jackson credit when credits are due. And his partner Target Smiles defeated a joshi icon like Azumi Goto. Target Smiles is a name I haven't heard about im quite some time. Fighting a veteran like him would be an interesting fight. As for Percy, 'the help' can't save him from the inevitable. It could be five butlers, thirty butlers, or even a hundred! And besides, does a wealthy man like Percy numba six really need $250,000! One could argue if I need it, but the difference between us is that my father wanted me to be my own man. Both Niles and I are self-made men, who more than enough earned our keep in this business."

Nathan nods a couple of times before continuing.

"We trained under one of the most dominant dynasties in this business. A self-made family that worked hard for everything it's got! The Bogards also have a history of tag team excellence! From the rise of the Harlem Renaissance to Naheem’s whooping 10-time reign with the likes of his brother Christian, close friend Rage, and rival Krazy Kid.And of course you have Reznor and Kelvin Bogard’s dominance in the 00s as one of the most dynamic duos to ever tag together. And now, I have the potential to follow in tradition’s footsteps where I can go out there with a member of the Dream State Wrestling family and get the job done. This wasn’t just blind faith – this was a match made in heaven.”

Nathan flexes before the camera, showing off his muscles.

“Just remember: you don’t miss when coming at the king of the jungle. Now, you have to deal with two of them. PCW is exactly the place I wanted to begin and build my brand. Rampaging through the Blind Faith Tournament and winning the prize money and trophy will just add to my accolades - accomplishments that I can be proud of. The pedigree of the Bogard family might be in my veins, but this blind faith approach is about trust. If I can’t trust in a man like Niles Jackson, then we might as well give up now. And I’m not one for giving up. Even when my career in SWA didn’t start out the way I expected to, I told myself to not give up. I had to keep going, keep working hard, and keep myself focused on the task ahead. There are times where this business is going to frustrate you and I’ve seen many people quit a promotion after one or two losses. While I have momentum for my win over Cuban Pete, I have to keep the flow going. I have to assert my dominance – Niles and I have to assert the dominance of the Bogard family and DSW over Prestige Championship Wrestling. This isn’t wishful thinking, it’s a promise. And those who recognize my steelo and support me on the sidelines know that when they introduce the world title, it’s only I matter of time before it’s in my hands. But for now? I’ll settle on that Blind Faith trophy and that quarter of a million dollar bonus. And that? Was just the word of the jungle, and my word is law.”