...and welcome to the Anthony Caffrey Era [Forgiveness]

The ring is set up for a celebration, complete with balloons and a congratulations banner, as Fall Out Boy's "My Songs Know What You Did in the Dark" hits the speakers. The crowd is surprisingly split, half of them seem to roar, while half of them boo the man behind the music.

Emily: "The BFW World Heavyweight Champion is here to celebrate!"

Lance: "God, what did we ever do to deserve this?"

Lucy: "Please welcome at this time, the NEWWW BFW World Heavyweight Champion, Anthony Caffrey!"

The man emerges. He is Anthony Caffrey, and he is the BFW World Heavyweight Champion, as evidenced by the championship wrapped around his shoulder. He takes a look out among the arena, and then smiles, beginning his walk down. He stops about halfway down the ramp to take a selfie with the phone of a female fan trying to snap a picture of him. He gives the phone back and walks up the steps, before entering the ring.

Lance: "Selfies. Our World Heavyweight Champion just took a selfie."

Emily: "I know! How great!"

Caffrey is handed a microphone, and as the fans' cheers and boos die down, he looks at Lucy.

Anthony Caffrey: "Lucy, I'm so sorry, but my hearing isn't the greatest in the world - would you mind repeating what you just said, especially for all of the haters and doubters?"

Lucy nods, taking the time to announce it again.

Lucy: "Please welcome at this time, the NEWWW BFW World Heavyweight Champion, Anthony Caffrey!"

The fans launch into boos and cheers once again. Caffrey chuckles, and the word "thanks" is picked up by the microphone. Caffrey licks his lips and turns his attention to the camera.

Caffrey: "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Anthony Caffrey Era."

The cheers and boos only get louder. Caffrey waits for it to die down, and it takes a while, especially after he holds up the World Championship for all to see. He reshoulders the belt and keeps talking.

Caffrey: "Before I take my moment in the sun, I'd like to thank you guys, the fans, and also my opponents at Steel City. Amis, Carty...it was a hell of a fight. We beat the crap out of each other and we were left with nothing left to give. It could have gone either way. Hell of a job, gentlemen."

Caffrey pauses as the fans acknowledge the effort of his opponents. He nods. A slick smile sneaks out of his mouth.

Caffrey: "Butttttttt you both couldn't get the job done. And so here I am, standing in front of you all, World Champ. It's kinda nice. Some of you, if you ever prove yourself worthy, should really try it sometime."

Caffrey laughs. He's enjoying himself maybe just a little too much, but it is his celebration, after all.

Caffrey: "No one was wondering this, but I made a list of people who owe me an apology -- or, actually, now that I think about it, the people who I owe an apology. I'm sorry to the multitude of experts, the reviewers, the guys who know everything about wrestling, the guys that spout that their opinion is gospel, the guys who think I'm some bum Adler dragged out of Philadelphia - I'm sorry."

Caffrey: "I'm sorry to each and every one of you out there, who took one look at me, and said I couldn't do it. I'm sorry to those of you who choose to boo me right now, those of you who think that I'm not squeaky clean enough to be the righteous hero that adorns your kid's walls. I'm sorry to those of you who think self-confidence is a cardinal sin. I guess I'll have to answer to that when I'm dead and burning in hell. Fortunately for me, I seem to have walked out of hell with the BFW World Heavyweight Championship, so I'm not really all that worried."

Caffrey's fans outweigh the boos.

Caffrey: "Oh right, my apologies -- to all of those people, I'm sorry. I'm sorry that this cocky prick made you all look like absolute morons. My bad!"

Caffrey's haters outweigh the fans. He smiles and nods violently at the divide.

Lance: "He's worse than Amis!"

Caffrey: "But for those of you who believed, those of you that pack this place so tight Adler had to pony up for more seats, this one is for all of you. This championship represents a hell of a lot of hard work, a fight from the bottom to the top to the very bottom and all the way back to the top. I busted my ass from the moment I came in the door here and after everyone told me no, I said yes, and here we are. I will admit, I've had to pinch myself several times since Sunday. I can't believe sometimes, I can't believe that the championship is finally mine. Ladies and gentlemen, as much as we've all liked saying it, we're going to have to retire the phrase 'overlooked' because I'm pretty damn sure you can't overlook this."

Anthony Caffrey holds the World Championship over his head. His fans roar. He's all smiles.

Emily: "Anthony Caffrey is soaking up his victory here tonight!"

Lance: "More like rubbing it in!"

Caffrey: "Now, my first championship defense, which will be successful, unlike a special certain someone's - is coming up at our next pay-per-view. I've been given the night off to recuperate from a nagging injury or two that comes from surviving hell, and also to scout out for the next challenger to my World Championship. In the coming weeks leading up to the event, in addition to a few matches here and there, I'll be looking at everyone on the roster, trying to find the best to fight, because I don't settle for easy victories. For example, tonight I'll certainly be watching Jack Colter and Mikael against Sybyl and Tokyo, because that match definitely will factor into who's next in line to fight for MY World Heavyweight Championship."

It was at this moment, that 'Anthem of the Lonely' by Nine Lashes began playing over the arena. The fans erupt into a chorus of boos as the former BFW World Champion, Amis Shelton, emerges from the curtain. Whilst he may be wearing his ring gear, his trench coat is notably absent from his attire. He's also heavily bandaged around his waist and hover his shoulder, the results from the gruelling Hell in a Cell match that he and Caffrey took part in a couple of weeks prior at Steel City.

Lance: "Now look right there on the stage Emily, THAT is a real champion right there! Not that clown inside the ring, Amis Shelton never lost and he should still be the World Champion!"

Emily: "I'm afraid that's how the cookie crumbles in triple threat matches Lance, the champion doesn't need to be involved in the decision to lose the match and his title. But it's obvious that Amis is still suffering from the effects of that match."

There is an obvious lack of bravado in Amis Shelton's body language, as he walks to the edge of the stage. He doesn't even spin, smile or flip off a member of the audience. Instead Amis Shelton walks down the ramp, ignoring all the attempts of contact with the fans and the verbal abuse. His eyes are fixed on the BFW World Championship title which rests on the shoulder of Anthony Caffrey. Amis Shelton climbs the ring steps and slowly enters the ring, trying to hide as much discomfort as possible. He receives a microphone from the ring technician and circles Caffrey before settling in front of him. Boos and chants of "YOU SUCK!" eventually drown and Amis Shelton raises the microphone to his lips.

Amis Shelton: "Excuse me for interrupting this cute little 'championship address' you've got going here, but it seems to me that you're 'OVERLOOKING' a certain someone. You don't need to waste your time watching an irrelevant main event tonight, because your first contender is staring right at your stupid face right now."

The fans boo at this announcement, but Amis doesn't care. He continues.

Amis Shelton: "You see, there's a little something in wrestling these days known as the 'rematch clause'. It means when a champion loses their title, they are granted a free rematch for the title, no matter what. It means that I'm first in line, and when I beat you one on one for that title, you'll be first in line until I beat you again. That is, if this place lasts long enough to see the fourth Pay-Per-View, because let's face the fact that Steel City was garbage, no matter how much the suits want to say otherwise."

After sizing up Anthony, Amis resumes talking.

Amis Shelton: "This is one of the reasons why.. This current picture I'm seeing right now is disgusting. Anthony Caffrey, the BFW World Champion! The man who claimed to fight against all the odds, knocking down all the walls in front of him to finally reach the top of the mountain and become World Champion, going from 'overlooked' to 'overlooker'. It would be a fitting underdog story to tell to a five year old and they'll believe it. But for those who actually have a functioning brain, they'll be able to see through all of this charade of yours. You didn't scratch and claw your way from the bottom, what you did was scratch the man who runs this place's back and in return you got handed a contract match involving five other people who barely even belong in a wrestling ring, let alone this federation. You scratched some more and all of a sudden Anthony Caffrey goes from losing on his debut match, to main eventing the second PPV!"

Lance: "It's about time someone called out Anthony! He's nothing more than a phony, and you accept this man as your World Champion Emily!?"

Emily: "Well he certainly knows how to take advantage of opportunities."

Amis Shelton: "Then you win the match by taking the coward's way out. You knew deep down that you couldn't beat me Caffrey, even after I got sent through a cell wall AND the ceiling, so you decided to take out Cartwright instead. The moment Cartwright tapped out like the bitch that he is, was the moment that all the prestige and relevance THAT title, you so proudly hold, went down the drain."

The fans boo again mainly because Amis degraded their hero, Cartwright, to the level of a female dog.

Amis Shelton: "If there's one good thing about this entire situation, then it's that you've FINALLY stopped with the 'overlooked' shit. I'd feel sorry for all those people you rallied to join your quest that you're now abandoning, but at the end of the day it's their fault for believing that they could possibly relate to a sleazy opportunist."

Lance: "Do you feel stupid now Emily? Now that your champion has been exposed?"

Emily: "I never claimed to be a fan of Anthony Caffrey, Lance. As you know, I'm completely impartial."

Lance: "Yeah, next you'll tell me that the earth is flat! Nobody, except Anthony, was happier than you when he cheated to win the title!"

Amis Shelton takes a step forward.

Amis Shelton: "Mark my words, the 'Anthony Caffrey Era' will be over before they can even market the idea and put it on a t-shirt. I'm better than you, you know it, everyone in the back knows it, these people know it and I sure as hell know it. I'm the real fuckin' deal around here and I'll be damned if I don't get my title back. Is that clear? Or do I need to get Lucy to repeat that for you?"

The fans boo during the closing stages of that speech by Amis, he lowers the microphone allowing Caffrey to respond.

Caffrey, noting that Amis is done, takes a step back. He blows into the microphone, ruffling his hand through his hair, before smiling at Amis.

Caffrey: "Wow, Amis, tell me how you really feel. No - I mean really, tell me how you really feel, because I don't think you believe a word of the bullshit that you're spouting right now either."

Caffrey takes two step forward, getting fairly close to Amis. They stare down for a few seconds before Caffrey raises the microphone to his mouth. The smile stops.

Caffrey: "I did take the opportunity to make Cartwright submit. I did that because I know first-hand that it's pretty difficult to make a man tap out after you've knocked him unconscious."

There is a loud "OOOOOOOOH". Caffrey takes a step back.

Emily: "Ouch."

Caffrey pats the World Championship, and notices Amis' eyes follow his hand.

Caffrey: "My eyes are over here, Amis."

The two stare again. Caffrey smiles before continuing.

Caffrey: "Scratching management's backs. That's what you're going with here, Amis? Because I think you damn well know that I fought my way up the ladder, taking on all comers, and then I got myself inserted into a ladder match so that way I could beat more people quicker. When I sat on that ladder two months ago and called my shot, you and the rest of the world mocked me. Two months later I stand in front of you and mock you for having the balls to stand in my ring and tell me that I didn't work for my World Championship."

Caffrey lifts his shirt up just a slight bit, to reveal bandaged ribs. He pulls it back down a after five or ten seconds.

Caffrey: "I broke a rib or two when I jumped off the cell onto you, Amis, but I am not nearly as broken as you are. What did I tell you a month and a half ago, when we last stood in the ring like this? I told you that I was going to ruin your life. And based on how absolutely miserable you are, how defeated you looked just walking down here, and how I'm pretty sure if we ripped off a few of those bandages you'd physically fall apart, I can say that I damn well succeeded in ruining your life."

Caffrey: "If you want to invoke a rematch clause, that's fine by me, Amis. You better show the world that you still deserve it, though. You can talk about me ruining the prestige of this championship all you want - you and I both know that when Cartwright's hand slapped the mat to find sweet, sweet relief from the CAL, it was your prestige I ruined. Gone was the undefeated streak, gone was the World Championship."

Caffrey taps the belt again.

Caffrey: "Because I don't personally hate you, Amis, I'm going to give you an opportunity - not for the World Championship, because if you still want it, we're on at the next pay-per-view. But I'm going to give you the opportunity to turn around and get out of my ring. I'm going to give you the opportunity to apologize to me for interrupting my championship celebration. I'm going to give you the opportunity to own up to your mistakes and admit that you --"

Lance: "That Amis what? What?"

Caffrey waves his hand, implying the word he wants to say, but won't. He seems almost pained.

Emily: "I think that anyone whose been following Caffrey knows what he wants to say here!"

Caffrey: "--that you screwed yourself when you focused all of your attention on Cartwright. Two months ago I made a choice, and two months later it's your turn. Do you wanna tuck tail and run so you can keep claiming that you're the best and no one will question it, or do you want to face the best wrestler in this company for the BFW World Heavyweight Championship and watch me ruin your life even more?"

Caffrey lowers his microphone as the crowd cheers loudly and gestures towards the ropes. He begins waving Amis Shelton goodbye as he turns his attention back to the camera.

Amis steps forward towards Caffrey, the two are almost nose to nose and the crowd's noise levels rise as they anticipate the tension reaching a fever pitch and could spill over at any point. Chants of "Fight! Fight! Fight!" echo around the arena as neither man take their eyes off each other, until Amis Shelton breaks eye contact by looking at the title again. Amis raises his microphone.

Amis Shelton: "I don't personally hate you either, Anthony. What I do hate is this idea-- this sudden reality that you're the World Champion. You can name it your own 'Cinderella' story, I'll call it a story of you being the right person scratching the right official's back at an opportune time.

I focused my attention on Cartwright because he was more of a threat, let's not forget the key detail here.. You beat Cartwright, you made Cartwright tap out, not Amis Shelton. You can call that a mistake all you want, but I've already beaten you once one on one and I'm pretty sure I can do it again especially now that my attention is on you and getting that World Championship back to it's rightful owner."

Amis Shelton taps the World Championship, something Caffrey didn't like.

Emily: "I think this is going to boil over at any second, Lance!"

Lance: "I hope it does Emily, that way Amis will make that phony look like a fool AGAIN!"

Amis Shelton: "Make no mistake, my prestige hasn't been ruined. The 'one' on my loss column is a just a formality, nobody here is capable of pinning my shoulders to the mat or making me submit. At the next Pay-Per-View, we'll see who this ring REALLY belongs to, who the man REALLY is.."

Amis Shelton steps backwards towards the edge of the ring, the fans boo. Amis climbs through the ropes onto the apron but turns to face Caffrey again.

Amis Shelton: "Oh and as for that apology.."

The crowd release another loud "Ooooooooooooh!" as Amis Shelton flips the bird at the BFW World Champion. Amis carefully descends the steps and heads to the back, exiting the scene.

Emily: "Amis Shelton, walking out on the World Champion, showing a great deal of disrespect and also showing that he is certainly not going to apologize!"

Lance: "If anything, Caffrey should be apologizing to him!"

Caffrey watches Amis go. He takes the time to make a gesture to the crowd of wiping the metaphorical egg off his face, containing a thinly-veiled finger of his own to Amis. He looks up the ramp. Amis has just passed through the curtain as Caffrey makes an aside to the audience.

Caffrey: "Does anyone remember Amis getting his skull slammed into the cell? I'm only asking, because I'm pretty sure that concussions are the only way you can explain how delusional that dumb sonofabitch is."

Caffrey does not smile as he looks back at the ramp. The crowd lets out another "OOOOOOOOH!"

Caffrey: "Amis, I'm not sure what world you live in, but facts are facts, and you're no longer the World Champ. In a three-way match, only one man needs to tap our or be pinned for a winner to be declared. I didn't pin you, and I didn't make you tap out, fair enough, but you still lost the championship because you were outwrestled and outmaneuvered by someone smarter and faster than you. If you want to live in denial-"

Caffrey licks his lips.

Caffrey: "If you want to live in denial, that's fine, but that doesn't mean that you get to touch this World Championship. You should be Goddamn thankful that I didn't grab your wrist and break it in a wristlock for even laying a finger on my championship. You do that again, and I swear to whatever entity you happen to worship that you're going to be learning how to sign your name with your non-dominant hand."

Caffrey: "You need to wake the hell up, Amis. This is MY BFW. These people around the ring, these people are MY fans and MY haters. Whether you like it or not, whether you can cope with this reality or not, the truth is that I am the World Champion because I beat you, right here in this very ring. You may have pinned me once, with outside interference, but when it mattered and the belt was on the line, I was the one who got the job done, not you. You couldn't come up with the 'W' and if it helps you sleep at night to come out here and upstage me during my celebration, more power to you, but if you think you're going to take this back, you've got another thing coming to you."

Caffrey makes the sounds of snapping an ankle before continuing. He even makes the gesture of twisting the ankle before continuing where he left off. He points at the camera.

Caffrey: "Put this date in your phone, Amis, because it's the day that I let you out, but you, you dumb bastard, you persisted. I told you once I was going to ruin your life, and you didn't listen. Tonight, I told you a second time that I was going to ruin your life, and yet again you didn't listen. Fool me once, sure, Amis, sure, but you and I both know that you are absolutely nothing without this World Championship. You are not getting it back, but keep telling yourself that this belt is yours, because it'll help me enjoy watching your life fall apart even further when you lose to me on pay-per-view AGAIN."

Caffrey: "If it helps you snap out of your delusion, let me tell you one last thing. You can play it on repeat until it breaks through your psychosis and gets lodged in your brain. Turn up the volume, and in a moment, hit the record button. If you've got a kid in the audience, cover their ears now."

Caffrey waits. He mimes turning the volume up before speaking to the crowd. He holds the championship high above his head with one hand.

Caffrey: "This championship belongs to me. I am the BFW World Heavyweight Champion. Let me repeat that for Amis Shelton, partially so he gets it through his head, and partially because I know it'll break his Grinch-sized heart. I AM the BFW World Heavyweight Champion. Do you got that yet, Amis, or do I have to repeat myself? One more time? One more time sounds more than fair."

Caffrey looks into the camera...and winks at it before raising his voice.

Caffrey: "I am the World...FUCKING...CHAMPION!"

Caffrey drops the microphone as the crowd roars one more time. He holds up the championship high above his head and smiles.

Emily: "Anthony Caffrey made a statement here tonight!"

Lance: "What statement? If we learned anything, it's that Amis will be taking his title back soon enough!"

Emily: "I'm not so sure, Lance. This may just be the very beginning of the Anthony Caffrey Era!"

Lance: "God help us if it is."

Caffrey reshoulders the championship and rolls out of the ring. He takes the time to highfive his fans before leaving the arena.

It was at this moment, that 'Anthem of the Lonely' by Nine Lashes began playing over the arena. The fans erupt into a chorus of boos as the former BFW World Champion, Amis Shelton, emerges from the curtain. Whilst he may be wearing his ring gear, his trench coat is notably absent from his attire. He's also heavily bandaged around his waist and hover his shoulder, the results from the gruelling Hell in a Cell match that he and Caffrey took part in a couple of weeks prior at Steel City.

Lance: "Now look right there on the stage Emily, THAT is a real champion right there! Not that clown inside the ring, Amis Shelton never lost and he should still be the World Champion!"

Emily: "I'm afraid that's how the cookie crumbles in triple threat matches Lance, the champion doesn't need to be involved in the decision to lose the match and his title. But it's obvious that Amis is still suffering from the effects of that match."

There is an obvious lack of bravado in Amis Shelton's body language, as he walks to the edge of the stage. He doesn't even spin, smile or flip off a member of the audience. Instead Amis Shelton walks down the ramp, ignoring all the attempts of contact with the fans and the verbal abuse. His eyes are fixed on the BFW World Championship title which rests on the shoulder of Anthony Caffrey. Amis Shelton climbs the ring steps and slowly enters the ring, trying to hide as much discomfort as possible. He receives a microphone from the ring technician and circles Caffrey before settling in front of him. Boos and chants of "YOU SUCK!" eventually drown and Amis Shelton raises the microphone to his lips.

Amis Shelton: "Excuse me for interrupting this cute little 'championship address' you've got going here, but it seems to me that you're 'OVERLOOKING' a certain someone. You don't need to waste your time watching an irrelevant main event tonight, because your first contender is staring right at your stupid face right now."

The fans boo at this announcement, but Amis doesn't care. He continues.

Amis Shelton: "You see, there's a little something in wrestling these days known as the 'rematch clause'. It means when a champion loses their title, they are granted a free rematch for the title, no matter what. It means that I'm first in line, and when I beat you one on one for that title, you'll be first in line until I beat you again. That is, if this place lasts long enough to see the fourth Pay-Per-View, because let's face the fact that Steel City was garbage, no matter how much the suits want to say otherwise."

After sizing up Anthony, Amis resumes talking.

Amis Shelton: "This is one of the reasons why.. This current picture I'm seeing right now is disgusting. Anthony Caffrey, the BFW World Champion! The man who claimed to fight against all the odds, knocking down all the walls in front of him to finally reach the top of the mountain and become World Champion, going from 'overlooked' to 'overlooker'. It would be a fitting underdog story to tell to a five year old and they'll believe it. But for those who actually have a functioning brain, they'll be able to see through all of this charade of yours. You didn't scratch and claw your way from the bottom, what you did was scratch the man who runs this place's back and in return you got handed a contract match involving five other people who barely even belong in a wrestling ring, let alone this federation. You scratched some more and all of a sudden Anthony Caffrey goes from losing on his debut match, to main eventing the second PPV!"

Lance: "It's about time someone called out Anthony! He's nothing more than a phony, and you accept this man as your World Champion Emily!?"

Emily: "Well he certainly knows how to take advantage of opportunities."

Amis Shelton: "Then you win the match by taking the coward's way out. You knew deep down that you couldn't beat me Caffrey, even after I got sent through a cell wall AND the ceiling, so you decided to take out Cartwright instead. The moment Cartwright tapped out like the bitch that he is, was the moment that all the prestige and relevance THAT title, you so proudly hold, went down the drain."

The fans boo again mainly because Amis degraded their hero, Cartwright, to the level of a female dog.

Amis Shelton: "If there's one good thing about this entire situation, then it's that you've FINALLY stopped with the 'overlooked' shit. I'd feel sorry for all those people you rallied to join your quest that you're now abandoning, but at the end of the day it's their fault for believing that they could possibly relate to a sleazy opportunist."

Lance: "Do you feel stupid now Emily? Now that your champion has been exposed?"

Emily: "I never claimed to be a fan of Anthony Caffrey, Lance. As you know, I'm completely impartial."

Lance: "Yeah, next you'll tell me that the earth is flat! Nobody, except Anthony, was happier than you when he cheated to win the title!"

Amis Shelton takes a step forward.

Amis Shelton: "Mark my words, the 'Anthony Caffrey Era' will be over before they can even market the idea and put it on a t-shirt. I'm better than you, you know it, everyone in the back knows it, these people know it and I sure as hell know it. I'm the real fuckin' deal around here and I'll be damned if I don't get my title back. Is that clear? Or do I need to get Lucy to repeat that for you?"

The fans boo during the closing stages of that speech by Amis, he lowers the microphone allowing Caffrey to respond.

Caffrey, noting that Amis is done, takes a step back. He blows into the microphone, ruffling his hand through his hair, before smiling at Amis.

Caffrey: "Wow, Amis, tell me how you really feel. No - I mean really, tell me how you really feel, because I don't think you believe a word of the bullshit that you're spouting right now either."

Caffrey takes two step forward, getting fairly close to Amis. They stare down for a few seconds before Caffrey raises the microphone to his mouth. The smile stops.

Caffrey: "I did take the opportunity to make Cartwright submit. I did that because I know first-hand that it's pretty difficult to make a man tap out after you've knocked him unconscious."

There is a loud "OOOOOOOOH". Caffrey takes a step back.

Emily: "Ouch."

Caffrey pats the World Championship, and notices Amis' eyes follow his hand.

Caffrey: "My eyes are over here, Amis."

The two stare again. Caffrey smiles before continuing.

Caffrey: "Scratching management's backs. That's what you're going with here, Amis? Because I think you damn well know that I fought my way up the ladder, taking on all comers, and then I got myself inserted into a ladder match so that way I could beat more people quicker. When I sat on that ladder two months ago and called my shot, you and the rest of the world mocked me. Two months later I stand in front of you and mock you for having the balls to stand in my ring and tell me that I didn't work for my World Championship."

Caffrey lifts his shirt up just a slight bit, to reveal bandaged ribs. He pulls it back down a after five or ten seconds.

Caffrey: "I broke a rib or two when I jumped off the cell onto you, Amis, but I am not nearly as broken as you are. What did I tell you a month and a half ago, when we last stood in the ring like this? I told you that I was going to ruin your life. And based on how absolutely miserable you are, how defeated you looked just walking down here, and how I'm pretty sure if we ripped off a few of those bandages you'd physically fall apart, I can say that I damn well succeeded in ruining your life."

Caffrey: "If you want to invoke a rematch clause, that's fine by me, Amis. You better show the world that you still deserve it, though. You can talk about me ruining the prestige of this championship all you want - you and I both know that when Cartwright's hand slapped the mat to find sweet, sweet relief from the CAL, it was your prestige I ruined. Gone was the undefeated streak, gone was the World Championship."

Caffrey taps the belt again.

Caffrey: "Because I don't personally hate you, Amis, I'm going to give you an opportunity - not for the World Championship, because if you still want it, we're on at the next pay-per-view. But I'm going to give you the opportunity to turn around and get out of my ring. I'm going to give you the opportunity to apologize to me for interrupting my championship celebration. I'm going to give you the opportunity to own up to your mistakes and admit that you --"

Lance: "That Amis what? What?"

Caffrey waves his hand, implying the word he wants to say, but won't. He seems almost pained.

Emily: "I think that anyone whose been following Caffrey knows what he wants to say here!"

Caffrey: "--that you screwed yourself when you focused all of your attention on Cartwright. Two months ago I made a choice, and two months later it's your turn. Do you wanna tuck tail and run so you can keep claiming that you're the best and no one will question it, or do you want to face the best wrestler in this company for the BFW World Heavyweight Championship and watch me ruin your life even more?"

Caffrey lowers his microphone as the crowd cheers loudly and gestures towards the ropes. He begins waving Amis Shelton goodbye as he turns his attention back to the camera.

Amis steps forward towards Caffrey, the two are almost nose to nose and the crowd's noise levels rise as they anticipate the tension reaching a fever pitch and could spill over at any point. Chants of "Fight! Fight! Fight!" echo around the arena as neither man take their eyes off each other, until Amis Shelton breaks eye contact by looking at the title again. Amis raises his microphone.

Amis Shelton: "I don't personally hate you either, Anthony. What I do hate is this idea-- this sudden reality that you're the World Champion. You can name it your own 'Cinderella' story, I'll call it a story of you being the right person scratching the right official's back at an opportune time.

I focused my attention on Cartwright because he was more of a threat, let's not forget the key detail here.. You beat Cartwright, you made Cartwright tap out, not Amis Shelton. You can call that a mistake all you want, but I've already beaten you once one on one and I'm pretty sure I can do it again especially now that my attention is on you and getting that World Championship back to it's rightful owner."

Amis Shelton taps the World Championship, something Caffrey didn't like.

Emily: "I think this is going to boil over at any second, Lance!"

Lance: "I hope it does Emily, that way Amis will make that phony look like a fool AGAIN!"

Amis Shelton: "Make no mistake, my prestige hasn't been ruined. The 'one' on my loss column is a just a formality, nobody here is capable of pinning my shoulders to the mat or making me submit. At the next Pay-Per-View, we'll see who this ring REALLY belongs to, who the man REALLY is.."

Amis Shelton steps backwards towards the edge of the ring, the fans boo. Amis climbs through the ropes onto the apron but turns to face Caffrey again.

Amis Shelton: "Oh and as for that apology.."

The crowd release another loud "Ooooooooooooh!" as Amis Shelton flips the bird at the BFW World Champion. Amis carefully descends the steps and heads to the back, exiting the scene.

Feel free to either leave it here or finish it off Caffrey..

Emily: "Amis Shelton, walking out on the World Champion, showing a great deal of disrespect and also showing that he is certainly not going to apologize!"

Lance: "If anything, Caffrey should be apologizing to him!"

Caffrey watches Amis go. He takes the time to make a gesture to the crowd of wiping the metaphorical egg off his face, containing a thinly-veiled finger of his own to Amis. He looks up the ramp. Amis has just passed through the curtain as Caffrey makes an aside to the audience.

Caffrey: "Does anyone remember Amis getting his skull slammed into the cell? I'm only asking, because I'm pretty sure that concussions are the only way you can explain how delusional that dumb sonofabitch is."

Caffrey does not smile as he looks back at the ramp. The crowd lets out another "OOOOOOOOH!"

Caffrey: "Amis, I'm not sure what world you live in, but facts are facts, and you're no longer the World Champ. In a three-way match, only one man needs to tap our or be pinned for a winner to be declared. I didn't pin you, and I didn't make you tap out, fair enough, but you still lost the championship because you were outwrestled and outmaneuvered by someone smarter and faster than you. If you want to live in denial-"

Caffrey licks his lips.

Caffrey: "If you want to live in denial, that's fine, but that doesn't mean that you get to touch this World Championship. You should be Goddamn thankful that I didn't grab your wrist and break it in a wristlock for even laying a finger on my championship. You do that again, and I swear to whatever entity you happen to worship that you're going to be learning how to sign your name with your non-dominant hand."

Caffrey: "You need to wake the hell up, Amis. This is MY BFW. These people around the ring, these people are MY fans and MY haters. Whether you like it or not, whether you can cope with this reality or not, the truth is that I am the World Champion because I beat you, right here in this very ring. You may have pinned me once, with outside interference, but when it mattered and the belt was on the line, I was the one who got the job done, not you. You couldn't come up with the 'W' and if it helps you sleep at night to come out here and upstage me during my celebration, more power to you, but if you think you're going to take this back, you've got another thing coming to you."

Caffrey makes the sounds of snapping an ankle before continuing. He even makes the gesture of twisting the ankle before continuing where he left off. He points at the camera.

Caffrey: "Put this date in your phone, Amis, because it's the day that I let you out, but you, you dumb bastard, you persisted. I told you once I was going to ruin your life, and you didn't listen. Tonight, I told you a second time that I was going to ruin your life, and yet again you didn't listen. Fool me once, sure, Amis, sure, but you and I both know that you are absolutely nothing without this World Championship. You are not getting it back, but keep telling yourself that this belt is yours, because it'll help me enjoy watching your life fall apart even further when you lose to me on pay-per-view AGAIN."

Caffrey: "If it helps you snap out of your delusion, let me tell you one last thing. You can play it on repeat until it breaks through your psychosis and gets lodged in your brain. Turn up the volume, and in a moment, hit the record button. If you've got a kid in the audience, cover their ears now."

Caffrey waits. He mimes turning the volume up before speaking to the crowd. He holds the championship high above his head with one hand.

Caffrey: "This championship belongs to me. I am the BFW World Heavyweight Champion. Let me repeat that for Amis Shelton, partially so he gets it through his head, and partially because I know it'll break his Grinch-sized heart. I AM the BFW World Heavyweight Champion. Do you got that yet, Amis, or do I have to repeat myself? One more time? One more time sounds more than fair."

Caffrey looks into the camera. He even winks.

Caffrey: "I am the World...FUCKING...CHAMPION!"

Caffrey drops the microphone as the crowd roars one more time. He holds up the championship high above his head.

Emily: "Anthony Caffrey made a statement here tonight!"

Lance: "What statement? If we learned anything, it's that Amis will be taking his title back soon enough!"

Emily: "I'm not so sure, Lance. This may just be the very beginning of the Anthony Caffrey Era!"

Lance: "God help us if it is."

Caffrey reshoulders the championship and rolls out of the ring. He takes the time to highfive his fans before leaving the arena.

Segment finished, ready to be posted

» Anthony Caffrey
» Anthony Caffrey on The Road Home, 6/11/16 (Redemption Picks)
» The Caffrey Corner, Episode One [formatting in process] [Open to Tokyo and Tommy]