Hard Way or No Way

Posts : 24 Join date : 2023-10-02 Age : 34

The scene opens revealing Maximus Steele standing alone in a dimly lit steel mill. The glow from molten metal casts an orange hue over his rugged figure as the sounds of hammers and machinery echo in the background. Maximus leans against an anvil, the Tag Team Championship draped over his shoulder.

“Hayden…you and I, we come from two different worlds. I cut my chops in places like this…a place where the air is thick with sweat, where the heat from the furnace feels like it’s burning your very soul. Where every single day, you have to fight just to survive. My life? It’s been a long uphill battle, scraping by with nothing but the calluses on my hands and the determination in my heart. I’ve bled for everything that I have, earned every bit of it with my blood, my sweat, and my tears. This place, these mills…they made me who I am.

But while I was down here in the dirt, forging my path with nothing but my own two hands, you, Hayden, were living in the lap of luxury, spoon fed by a world that handed you everything you could ever want on a silver platter. Your father’s money, his power, his influence…that’s what you’ve relied on your entire life. You’ve never had to fight for anything because it was always just given to you. You don’t know what it means to work…to suffer…to truly earn. And that’s where you and I differ, Hayden. In this world…in that ring…it’s the fighters who survive. And you’ve never had to fight a day in your life.

See, Hayden, that silver spoon you were born with? It’s turned into a crutch. You think your last name and your father’s money entitles you to success inside that ring, but you couldn’t be more wrong. Wrestling isn’t about your bank account or what connections you have. It’s about grit. It’s about who’s willing to push past that breaking point, who’s willing to go that extra mile to get that win. And that’s something that you will never understand, no matter how hard you try, because struggle and effort are both foreign concepts to you.

Entitlement is a hell of a drug, isn’t it? It’s blinded you to the reality of what it takes to be great in this industry. You walk around with your head held high, thinking that because of your father, because of the money, you deserve everything handed to you, but that ring is not your daddy’s boardroom. Out there, respect isn’t given, it’s earned. You can’t buy it. You can’t inherit it. And you sure as hell can’t fake it. You have to work for it. You have to build it with your own sweat and blood…things that you’ve never had to give…something that you’ll never truly be able to understand.

You think that just because your last name is Monroe that you can waltz into this business and take whatever you want. But that’s not how it works here, kid. I’ve seen men like you come and go, thinking the world owes them something, but the truth is, when you’re inside those ropes, the only thing that you’re entitled to is the pain that you can endure and the fights that you can win. And once you’re in there with me…you’re going to come face to face with the crushing realization that your name, your money, your privilege….none of it is going to mean a fucking thing.

This was never going to end well for you, Hayden. You were always going to get hurt at Standing Room Only. But then you went and did something that I cannot forgive you for. You stuck your nose where it doesn’t belong. You interfere in my match against Sabertooth and for what? Because deep down, you know that you can’t beat me so you decided you wanted to see someone else do it instead? I had a win over the world champion. That victory was in my grasp and all the opportunity that was sure to come with it. You robbed me of what was rightfully mine.

You stole that from me, Hayden. You took away what was sure to be the biggest win of my career. But more than that, you showed the world just how scared you really are. You’re afraid, Hayden. You’re terrified of facing me one on one because you know that when the shit hits the fan, you don’t have what it takes. You don’t have the balls, the heart, or the will to stand toe to toe with the Iron Titan. So you keep hiding behind your father’s money, your last name, and now, behind your cheap shots and dirty tricks. You may have gotten one over on me this time, but understand this….for the first time in your life, there will be consequences to your actions. You are going to know what it’s like to face the wrath of a man who’s been pushed too far already. Chris may have been fortunate enough to have you come to his aid, but when we step in that ring, nobody is coming to help you. It’s just going to be you and me…and you’re going to realize in that moment that agreeing to this was the biggest mistake of your life.

You’ve gone your entire life thinking that money and power are the answers to everything. You believe that the world bends to your will because of the wealth and influence your father has accumulated. But at Standing Room Only…all of that…every single advantage you think you have will mean nothing. The money, the name…none of it is going to save you from what’s coming. I’m going to teach you a lesson in humility, Hayden. I’m going to show you what it truly means to have to do things the hard way. You will not be able to hide behind your father’s name. You will not be able to lean on the connections that have shielded your whole life. It’s just going to be you, me, and the harsh reality that you are far from ready for what’s about to happen.

I’m going to beat you, Hayden. I’m going to break you down piece by piece until there is nothing left of that arrogant smile…nothing left of the spoiled bitch who thought he could buy his way to the top. I’m going to make you feel every ounce of pain that you’ve never had to endure. I’m going to make you suffer in ways that someone like you could never imagine possible. And by the time I’m done, you’re going to know exactly what it means to fight…to struggle…to lose. At Standing Room Only, I’m not just going to win. I’m going to give you the type of beating that will alter your entire outlook on life. I’m going to leave you with scars, both physical and emotional, that will remind you, for the rest of your life, that you crossed the Iron Titan. And by the end of the night, I promise you that you will be praying that this wrestling daydream you have was just that…a dream. But by then, it will be far too late and there will be nowhere left for you to run.

You think your legacy is wrapped up in that last name of yours…in the wealth and power that name carries. But legacy…real legacy…it isn’t something you inherit. It’s something you build with your own two hands. It’s about what you leave behind when the lights go out and the crowd has gone home. It’s about the blood and sweat you’ve spilt to carve your own path in this world. My legacy is not about how much money I have or the fame I’ve amassed…it’s about the miles I’ve walked. The battles I’ve fought. The respect that I’ve EARNED. It’s about knowing that when people hear the name Maximus Steele, they don’t think of a man who was handed anything. They think of a man who TOOK everything he wanted through sheer hard work and perseverance. They think of a man who came from nothing, built himself up, and stood tall against all the odds. THAT is the legacy I’m leaving behind.

But you, Hayden…your legacy after Standing Room Only is not going to be the glitz, the glamor, or the wealth either. It’s going to be the memory of how you were dismantled by the Iron Titan. The world will remember that when it came down to it, there was nothing your father’s fortune could do to save you . They will remember the time you stepped into the ring with the man who was forged in fire…and you were melted down like the scrap parts that you are. The only thing that is going to remain of your family’s legacy is the lesson that I leave imprinted on your body. That in this business and this life…you earn the hard way…or you don’t earn at all.”