Demetrius Burrell vs Heatwave

[Ryan Cooke]

Good luck to both!

[Heatwave]

Great.

Just great.

It's fucking raining again, what a surprise. But then again, this is Miami so I really shouldn't be all the shocked but at the same time a small warning would be lovely. Instead these damn sudden showers kind of catch you off guard, I guess that is why they are called sudden showers.

It's only quarter after six, but its damn near darker than Wesley Snipes outside.

The street lights are on, but it really doesn't help that much with all the rain making visibility a serious pain in the ass, especially if you're walking in it.

So here am I in the middle of April talking a stroll down the streets, near the boardwalk of Miami Beach.

Why?

Because I want to and to be honest, I'm kind of tired of driving my truck around especially with gas around still high as shit. Besides I work for the PPW, which translates into "I'm not rich". My white t-shirt has pretty stuck to my body because of all the rain as well as I my dark blue denim jeans, making it if feel as if I'm walking around with ten of twenty extra pounds on. Not to forget I have the worst feeling right now...

...I got fucking water in my shoes.

Thanks a lot Mother Nature.

Bitch.

So here I am. What more can I say, I kind of expected more to be honest with you. I feel as if I'm getting brushed off like I'm some sort of low card jobber and I'm not going to lie, that doesn't feel very good at all.

I finally get a shot at Demetrius Burrell...but it seems that it's a double edged sword...because is it the Main Event?

No.

Is if for the PPW Heavyweight Title?

Hell no.

Don't again...I'm dodged. Putting me in a match again Burrell as if it was supposed to pacify me until something bigger came along, which we all knew was bullshit. If it was the title...it wasn't worth shit.

I ran through J.C. Mason like a bad case of the runs...and my reward...Jesse Durant.

And then this bullshit...

Heatwave turns his head at the medley of honking horns and high beams come whizzing right by him. He stuffs his hands into his pockets as the sudden downpour slowly reduces itself to a drizzle.

Either way it's annoying as fuck.

But I'm hurt I really am.

Not really, but it just sounds good saying it, though. But I am pissed...I am disrespected...I am overlooked and I swear that I will make sure the PPW doesn't make that mistake again. No one will.

But I've watched Burrell when he was in the WWA. He was the Double Crown Champion for a hot second and wasn't heard from since....but then again, he was something I'm not because of that when the WWA blackballs you...

...they mean it.

But then again, I was never the one to simply recite past accomplishments to get myself over, I didn't need because my ability said it for me. And with the PPW...it was the same thing. My ability speaks for itself. And even though Burrell has the Heavyweight Title there is something that he can't do.

He.

Can't.

Beat.

Me.

Fuck Rowell. Fuck Kaladaro. Fuck Mason...and to be honest, don't even worry about Halme because I'm the man you need to worry about.

I'm the man that you need to watch your back for and I'm the one who you need to get your mind right against because, because I'm coming for you...and I'm taking your and the Main Attraction will be reduced to nothing more but a side-show.

While me, Heatwave becomes the King of the Mountain...and the true Main Event of the PPW.

Heatwave glances up for a moment at one of the many billboards that litter the city, which displays WWA Crown of War, which brings the thought of his younger brother into his mind.

Just the thought of Justin Brooks sends Heat searching his pockets, pulling out a black Motorola cell phone. He presses a few keys scrolling down finding the number. He places the phone to his ear.

Beep-Beep-Beep-Beep.

Fuck. He rolls his eyes and shakes his head slowly.

"Damn Justin, invest in some damn call waiting would ya'?"

He stuffs the phone back into his pocket as a few more cars whiz past him, splashing him with water that has accumulated near the gutters from the downpour. Where the hell are the cops when you need them?

But this isn't mindless drivel...this isn't me blowing smoke up your ass for shits sake.

In the back of your mind, you know I'm for real and given the chance and the opportunity...I will put you out for the count quicker than you blink.

Lights out.

Reminds me a Teddy Pendergrass.

"Turn off the lights."

Okay, okay...there is a reason why I wrestle, keep the jokes to yourself.

So what do we do now? It's simple. Put the PPW Champion to sleep and put the Enigma of emotions out of his misery.

The PPW World Title has become nothing more but piece of gold and leatherband aid hoping to keep Demetrius career afloat. A career that is sinking like the damn Titanic in a kiddy-pool it doesn't have far to go. So soon enough, I'll be top dog in the PPW. I refuse to be just another name, just another wrestler, just another J.C. Mason.

Heatwave smiles to himself and starts to chuckle as he looks at the wet concrete sidewalk as the camera fades.

[demetrius]

“It's another day and another show. I walked away from Showdown last week with the PPW Heavyweight Championship still intact. To my surprise though a man by the name of Jake Rockwell came down to the ring laying out a little challenge to yours truly. I won't lie I have no idea who the hell the guy is, but from what I heard he was huge back in the day. Which is fine that doesn't matter to me. I will make sure that I keep my title intact and that I earn his respect, but before I can do that. I have to face off against Heatwave, here is a man who believes that he is being ducked, which in my eyes is not the case, he has a lot of talent but he still has something to prove to the higher ups. If it was up to me I would no doubt but the title on the line against him without even thinking twice about it., but we are in a non title match, now is the time for him to prove if he is good enough to earn a shot at the title. So at Showdown, Heatwave bring everything you got cause this is going to be one hell of a match. With my walking out of the match with my hand raised and my head held high.”

(We open to a shot of Demetrius Burrell with the PPW title over his shoulder, he looks at the strap and then grins a little)

“Being the champion is one hell of a fucking feeling. To know that your the best there is nothing better.”

(Demetrius pats the gold as he begins to trace the nameplate with his free hand.)

“With being champion though there guys that are going to come after me, who believe that I don't deserve what I have. Guys that think they should be in my spot.”

(Demetrius looks directly into the camera now.)

“Heatwave you are one of those men, you believe that you are being ducked. That you deserve to be the man holding on to this championship.”

(Demetrius smiles.)

“You could very well be right, but Heatwave I have wanted this for to damn long to let anyone take it away from me. All the hard work that I have put in working my ass off in the ring day and day out has finally amounted to something and I will not, and I repeat I will not let anyone discredit the success that I am having right now.”

(Burrell takes the PPW Heavyweight title off of his shoulder and holds it in front of the camera.)

“Heatwave this right here is my life, this is what I have been waiting for my whole career. A way to prove myself to everyone that the “Main Attraction” has finally arrived. I can honestly tell you that I wish this match was for the title cause I am a fighting champion and I respect your ability and what you can do in the ring. But maybe just maybe....”

(Burrell pauses for a moment as be slings the PPW title over his shoulder once again.)

“Just maybe you haven't proven yourself as much as you think you have, I mean no disrespect, but maybe Shanahan doesn't think you are ready for the strap yet. This match right here could indeed be big for you though, you have the chance to beat the current champion. You have chance to pin my shoulders to the mat for the three count and show everyone that you can indeed hang with me, and that you should be higher up in the title rankings.”
(Demetrius begins to pace once again.)

“Part of me really wants you to win this match, so that next time it may very well be us again for the title, and I could shut you up with everything at stake. Heatwave it's like I said I'm not ducking you, I have all the respect in the world for you and if you want to try and take this title from me your more then welcome to try. Your more then welcome to show to all my fans and everyone out there that will be watching that you are indeed “better” then the main attraction.”

(Demetrius clears his throat.)

“I really don't see it happening cause the role I am on right now, I feel unstoppable and I am not going to let anyone stop the momentum I have going for me right now. Heatwave your just another little road block that is in my way and I plan on bulldozing my way right past you like everyone else that is going to get in my way.”

(Once again Demetrius's clears his throat.)

“I'll leave you with this. Talk is cheap at Showdown we will go out there two men with everything in this world to prove, you wanting to prove you should be a contender for this title, and myself still trying to prove to the world that me being the PPW Heavyweight Champion is not a fluke. So I say this come Showdown we go out there in that ring and we leave all of our cards on the table, and may the best man win. So Heatwave I'll see you at Showdown.”

(Demetrius turns and walks off camera.)

FADE

[rockwell]

[The camera opens on a small gymnasium, just big enough to fit an old wrestling ring. Inside is Jake Rockwell, staring somewhere off-camera. He's leaning back in a steel folding chair so that only two legs touch the ground, his own feet crossed atop the middle rope. He teeters back precariously, only remembering to lean forward when the edge of the seat taps against the tops of the black glass bottles poking out the top of a six-pack labeled "Alaskan Smoked Porter." Or, rather, a five-pack--number six is between his lips.]

Rockwell: [finishing a sip] A fiiighting champion.

[He goes for another sip, comes up short, and idly lets the bottle fall to the mat. It rolls off the edge of the apron, and the unmistakable "clink" of glass hitting glass follows.]

Rockwell: [reaching beneath the chair for another beer] Ladies and gentlemen, we have got ourselves a fiiighting champion here in PPW.

[About half the ring's turnbuckle pads are loose enough to expose the bolts beneath, and there's a district trail where a set of footprints has wiped away the dust. Rockwell, like the ring, looks unkempt--a loose notch on his belt for each empty bottle, a five o'clock shadow that just hit the five-day mark. He's yet to look toward the camera.]

Rockwell: [wrapping bare finger and thumb around bottle cap] Funny--I didn't know the word "non-title" was in a fighting champ's vocabulary.

[Pop! The cap goes flying.]

Rockwell: [sipping throughout] What's the matter, kid? Does baby need a night off after his last match? Do you need to leave the title at home while you take a show off to let your boo-boos heal? Or, wait, let me guess--Heatwave's not worth a title shot? Hasn't proven himself?



Rockwell: "Part of me really wants you to win this match, so that next time it may very well be us again for the title! Maybe that way you could take this belt and face Jake Rockwell in my place! Besides, all this gold is sooo heavy for my delicate muscles!"

[Rockwell wipes his chin with his forearm.]

Rockwell: Oh, of course, none of this is your fault, kid. It's Heatwave's fault for "not proving himself." Or Shanahan's fault for making it non-title.

[Rockwell leans forward in the chair, bringing it to the mat with an abrupt thud. A few drops slosh out of the bottle and down to the canvas, Smoked Porter mixing with ringdust to create a thin layer of mud. Rockwell pulls to his feet, and leans over a sagging ring-rope, looking directly into the camera for the first time.]

Rockwell: [dangling beer bottle from between his fingers] Every time you blame someone, I just see a paper champion trying to hide.

[Rockwell kills the beer, then lets it drop to the floor. This time it shatters.]

Rockwell: Go ahead and hide, kid. Hide behind non-title matches. Hide behind Shanahan. Hide behind the belt if it makes you feel good. But on Sunday, when Shanahan sets a date for our match, the clock starts ticking. And you can't hide from time, kid.

[He pauses, and looks down.]

Rockwell: You can't hide from time.

[Rockwell half walks, half falls back into his chair, and resumes staring off-camera. Another bottle cap goes flying as he rocks back and forth while the camera fades to black.]

[demetrius]

All Y'all Wanna Pile On Me
Make It Hard For Me To Breathe
Throw Sand In My Eyes
And Make It Hard For Me To See
Out Of Breath
Can't See
Still Hard To Defeat
The History That I Make
Impossible To Repeat

-R Kelly



“No one ever said being champion would be easy, and I knew that going into my match with C.J. Rowell at Redemption. I knew what was to come if I was to walk out the champion. With knowing that I still went out there balls to the wall and did my best and the result is what you see today. I am now the PPW Heavyweight champion. That night say Demetrius Burrell the boy grow into Demetrius Burrell the “Main Attraction.” My journey to greatness has finally begun, but just like ever journey there are going to be road blocks and little did I know that one of mine was going to come to the front of the line at the show right after Redemption.”

(Demetrius takes a quick breath.)

“ Jake Rockwell a man I know nothing about came out and pretty much told me that he doesn't buy me as the champion, claiming that I am nothing special. Something sort of like being the flavor of the month, and every man is entitled to their own thoughts, they can think whatever they want. Personally I know that I am nothing of the sort. I am a star in the making hell I am the Main Attraction and if I have to prove that to yet another non believer then so be it.”

(Burrell clears his throat..)

“Rockwell I can tell you are a man that has been in this business for awhile, you probably retired so many years ago and came back cause you heard that there was some kid running around with a title. Hell for all I know you are being paid to take me out. Which is perfectly fine, whatever your deal is, Whatever has driven you to take it on yourself to be the first to challenge me to the PPW title I say bring it on.”

(Demetrius sits there for a moment as all his thoughts and emotions come streaming in at once.)

“To top it all off you have the nerve to call me a paper champion to question me as the champion. Lets get one thing straight I am without a shadow of a doubt a fighting champion. I have everything in the world to prove that winning this title was not a fluke, that I can hold this title against the best that PPW has to offer. I can understand your method of thinking when you see on the bill that the champion is going against Heatwave in a non title contest.”

(Demetrius pauses once again.)

“Let me tell you this though Rockwell, I had nothing to do with that, It was not my choice to make this match a non title contest. So just for you Rockwell just to prove my worth to you, I will personally go to the higher ups and ask that this match is indeed for the PPW Heavyweight championship. I back down from no man, and if Heatwave wants a shot at the gold then so be it.”

(Demetrius clears his throat once again.)

“I have to admit at first, I really didn't care what you had to say about me, I didn't really care what you thought. I don't know who you are or even where in the world you came from, but after giving it some thought. I realized that your just another person who is doubting my ability your just another man who's respect I have to earn.”

[Everyone that knows Demetrius can tell you flat out that respect means everything to him, he came into this business looking for nothing but that respect, and sure to be the best at what he does. To even be considered the best you need to earn the respect of those around you. If it means beating them one on one in a match or even if it means giving up something that means the world to you. Respect is everything.]

“I will say it right here and now, I don't care what I have to do, I will earn your respect, no matter what I have to do. If I have to beat every single wrestler on the PPW Roster so be it. Even if it means losing the PPW title. I will earn your respect Rockwell, I am a fighting champion and I will be damned if I let you come in and tell me other wise, you have opened the flood gates and I hope that your ready for what I have to bring to the table.”

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

(We now open to Demetrius sitting in his office in front of his computer he nods off as he has been up late doing some research on the man known as Jake Rockwell. He has been coming up with nothing but loose ends, as it seems as though this mans history of where he came from and everything has been erased. Burrell snaps awake and reaches over grabbing his Full Throttle energy drink and taking a huge sip, he leans back in his chair and frowns.)

“None of this shit is making any sense, where in the hell did this guy come from.”

(Demetrius reaches over once again taking another drink.)

“He comes out of nowhere and lays down a challenge, the man looks like he has been around the business but I can't find a fucking thing about him. How am I supposed to know what this guy is all about if I can't do my homework, I call bitch-ass-ness.”

(Demetrius lets out a yawn as he continues to search for some clues to who Jake Rockwell really is.)

“I shouldn't really let something like this get to me, but when someone just pops up and calls me out what else am I supposed to do?”

“I don't know maybe get some sleep and focus on your actually opponent for Showdown.”

(Demetrius looks up from his computer and there standing is his wife Tasha, she has her night gown on she smiles at Demetrius and walks over around the desk, he swings the chair slightly so she can sit on his lap, she does so and kisses him on the cheek.”
“Dee it's late why don't you try and get some sleep.”

(Demetrius simply shakes his head no.)

“You have been doing this for hours, this isn't healthy, you have an early day tomorrow, you have to be to the gym at eight and it's already five.”

(Demetrius nods.)

“I know babe, but I need something here or I am going to lose my mind, is it just me or is there some kinda pattern going on here?”

(Tasha looks at Demetrius confused.)

“Baby, I really think you need to get some sleep.”

(Demetrius shakes his head no as he lets out another yawn.)

“No...no think about it, C.J. Rowell came in and won the title, he wasn't even entered into the tournament in the first place for the title, but when it came down to it and I was going to be crowned the champion he came out and hit me with a few moves and won the title.”

“Dee, we already found out that he was a contract that my brother got.”

(Demetrius nods.)

“Yeah, I get that but I looked to see if the same was for Rockwell but I can't find anything out about the guy, the only thing your brother would tell me is that there was some kinda history between the two , and that Rockwell is no slouch.”

(Tasha nods.)

“If it makes you feel any better, I asked Derek myself who he was and he pretty much told me the same thing. Hun you ever think that he is just some guy that has been around the business and wants to have that last go. To see if he still has it.”

“Yeah it crossed my mind.”

(Demetrius says with a hint of paranoia in his voice.)

“It just seems like there is something a lot bigger going on here, and being the champion of PPW I have to protect my territory.”

(Tasha nods as she gently rubs Demetrius's bald head.)

“ That is very noble of you baby, but you just need to focus on yourself right now and keeping that title of your intact, we don't need you doing anything off the wall.”

(Demetrius looks at Tasha and smirks.)
“When have you know me to do anything stupid?”

“Do you really want me to answer that?”

(Tasha smiles.)

“I guess not.”

(Demetrius smiles back to his wife as he reaches over and takes another drink of his Full Throttle.)

“Baby, you just need to focus on one thing at a time, you should just worry about Heatwave and then if and when the time comes you can worry about this Rockwell guy.”

(Demetrius nods.)

“I suppose your right, but I just can't let it go, he already knows how to push my buttons, he already knew the right thing to do to make me want to give him my full attention. He is pushing me to earn his respect, calling me out saying I am a paper champion, saying he is going to put me in my place. You know I don't take kindly to that Tasha, I am a fighting champion and I will take on any one and everyone that steps in my way, friend or foe it doesn't matter.”

(Tasha nods.)

“I understand that, but I don't want you to let him get under your skin to the point that it causes you to make a mistake and you lose the title.”

“Hell if defending the strap and losing the title is what I have to do to earn just an ounce of this guys respect then so be it.”

(Tasha shakes her head.)

“Ok, then what are you going to do about your match with Heatwave being non title.”

(Demetrius smiles.)

“If Derek deems it so I will no doubt put the title on the line and show Rockwell that I am a fighting champion.”

(Tasha shakes her head again as she knows that Rockwell is already starting to get in Demetrius's head.)

“ I just want you to be careful, it already seems like your playing with fire, and I know how crushed you would be if you lost the title so soon, cause someone doubted your worth as a champion.”

(Demetrius nods)

“I know but this is something I have to do. I have to gain this guys respect or I will never live it down, and as for Heatwave I have to beat him and prove to him as well that I am not a joke, I am ready to play. I have a long road ahead of me and all I can do is go down fighting.”
“ Like I said just play it smart and keep your focus on the task at hand and then handle everything else.”

(Tasha looks down at Demetrius who now has his eyes shut as he lets out a soft snore. Tasha smiles as she gets up kisses Demetrius on the forehead and heads to the bed.)

FADE