Prologue.
sul·tan/ˈsəltn/
Noun:
- A Muslim sovereign.
- The sultan of Turkey.
sleaze/slēz/
Noun:
- Immoral, sordid, and corrupt behavior or material, esp. in business or politics.
Verb:
- Behave in an immoral, corrupt, or sordid way.
So basically, his next opponent was the biggest, baddest man... at doing morally wrong things. Alberto Rodriguez didn't quite get the treatment he was getting as of late in the EBWF, having faded a little under the EBWF Universe radar for the past couple of weeks after a minor injury. He had requested a couple of times -Informally he had to beckon- his desire to be booked like a monster, after all he would need the EBWF fans to buy his new MMA act, which wasn't actually new... He had a short and decent stint as a MMA fighter, that worked for him. Against him, EBWF's decision to book him against another up and coming, impressive superstar in Eddie Edwards. Again another proof that the EBWF had quite a few worthy seeds in the pot, quite a few stars in the making, hopefully one of them was Alberto del Rio.
So, basically creative thought they would pit two hungry superstars in the middle of a quest to make a name for themselves... Fans were in for a treat.
So, basically creative thought they would pit two hungry superstars in the middle of a quest to make a name for themselves... Fans were in for a treat.
SUNDAY APRIL 29TH, 2012, EXTREME RULES. PEPSI CENTER, DENVER COLORADO.
People went back and forth, EBWF crew members, cameramen, guys from lights and whatnot -not to mention under contract talent scheduler to appear- in the Pepsi arena as we were mere hours away from the show to kickstart "Aftermasth" live on Pay Per view.
Alberto sat next to his Friend Jesus (Known by you as Ricardo, who hasn't been on EBWF in quite a while either... Watching the Competition's PPV which aired the same night as EBWF's. They sat in a backstage area away from all the cameras and the action, Alberto figured as they have taped a segment for the show they had the night off... Right?
Alberto Rodriguez: Otra vez. Por qué estamos viendo esto? (Why are we watching this again?)
Jesus Rodriguez: Porque no hay nada más que ver y Aftermath empieza como en una hora (Because there's nothing else and Aftermath starts in like an hour or so.)
Alberto Rodriguez: Hmmm... Pasame una agria... (Hmmm... Pass me a cold one...)
Ricardo Rodriguez went to the fridge and took out a couple of -Yeah, you guessed.- Coronas. Away from EBWF Cameras they were really close, despite Alberto's character always using Ricardo's as a doormat. They were the new guys in the locker room back in FCW, WWE and EBWF, arriving at the same time and even working together, out there people thought they were brothers or cousins for having the same Rodriguez last name, but Rodriguez turns out to be a very common last name in latin america.
Jesus Rodriguez: Aqui tienes mi hermano... (Here you go brother.)
The two men sat on a couch, everything was so different with cameras away, Ricardo's tux was replaced by a white polo shirt and brown pants with white shoes, while the Mexican Aristocrat now fully embracing hate and MMA wasn't wearing the white scarf, the golden trunks or his recently featured MMA full contact gloves and red VENUM shorts... Alberto had denim pants and a black button up shirt.
They started at the screen as Extreme Rules was being televised.
Alberto Rodriguez: Ya es hora del evento estelar? (Is it time for the main event yet?)
Jesus Rodriguez: Eso creo! (I believe so.)
Alberto smiled and shrugged as the main event began... Here Comes the Pain's rock guitar riff echoed on the arena PA system which signaled for the arrival of Brock Lesnar, as he walked towards the ring on his MMA gear Alberto stood up.
Alberto Rodriguez: Que carajo es esta mierda!?!?!?! (What the fuck is this shit?!?!?!?!)
Jesus Rodriguez: Esa mierda se llama Brock Lesnar. (That shit's named Brock Lesnar).
Alberto Rodriguez: Mira los guantes, las pantalonetas, mi hermano la WWE nos está robando las ideas!!! Llevo un mes con esto del MMA en la EBWF y mira... MIRA! (Look at the gloves, the shorts, bro! The WWE is stealing our ideas... I've been with the MMA thing on EBWF for a month and... Look! LOOK!)
He pointed at the screen, before reaching out for the remote and turning the TV to EBWF's Aftermath.
Alberto Rodriguez: Brock Lesnar... Como puedo competir yo contra Brock Lesnar? El cabron es campeon de la WWE, campeon de la UFC... (How can I compete against Brock Lesnar? The fucker has been WWE champ and UFC champ...)
Jesus Rodriguez: Bueno, al menos tu no fracasaste en la NFL! Jajaja (Well, at least you didn't suck ass on NFL! Hahaha.
Alberto Rodriguez: En eso tienes razón! La verdad no sería la primera vez que la WWE nos roba... (You're right! Truth be told it wouldn't be the first time WWE rips us off...)
Jesus Rodriguez: Que mala onda Alberto, viendo la lucha el tipo hace llaves de MMA, Tacleadas y todo! (That sucks Alberto, check him out... The man uses a whole MMA moveset, Takedowns and all!)
Alberto Rodriguez: No me esperaba eso... (I didn't expect that).
Alberto scoffed.
Jesus Rodriguez: Relajate y disfrutemos el Aftermath... Ya viene la lucha no televisada! (Relax and let's enjoy the PPV. Here comes the dark match.)
Alberto Rodriguez: Quienes lucharán? (Who are wrestling?)
Jesus Rodriguez: Eddie Edwards contra Gillberg... (Eddie Edwards and Gillberg.)
Alberto Rodriguez: Y porque no me dejan a Gillberg a mi? Sería perfecto para venderme como un monstruo! (And why am I not getting a match against Gillberg? It would be perfect to sell my image as a monster to the people!)
Jesus Rodriguez: Preguntale a Stephanie! (You should go ask Stephanie...)
Alberto Rodriguez: No es mala idea... La verdad no he tenido la oportunidad de tocar el tema con nadie. (It's not a bad idea... To be honest I haven't been able to talk about it with anyone in administration).
Jesus Rodriguez: Llama mañana a Stephanie McMahon... De verdad, ese podrías se tu luchando con Gillberg. (Call Stephanie McMahon tomorrow... Really, that could be you wrestling against Gillberg!)
Both men stared at the screen as the Sultan of Sleaze gained big time heat against the lightweight superstar Gillberg was.
Alberto Rodriguez: La gente va a odiar a Eddie Edwards después de esto... (The people will hate Eddie Edwards after this...)
Jesus Rodriguez: No creo, solo los que estan en el coliseo van a verlo... Recuerda que es una lucha no televisada, si no estuvieramos aqui, no lo estaríamos viendo. (Don't think so, only people in the arena will see him... Remember it is a dark untelevised match, if we weren't here we couldn't be watching it.)
Alberto Rodriguez: Eso es lo que apesta de las luchas no televizadas. (That's what sucks about dark matches).
Alberto took a sip of his Corona and pointed at the screen, where Eddie Edwards was brutally knocking Gillberg down... Continuing his assault afterwards.
Alberto Rodriguez: Que mierda! (That's bullshit...)
Jesus Rodriguez: Relajate hombre... Veamos el PPV. (Relax man, let's watch the PPV).
Alberto scoffed and finished his beer on one last, long sip. The bitter taste on his mouth, not from the beer itself but from not having a match nor feeling that creative had his back on this whole MMA gimmick thing. Alberto couldn't watch the whole show, let alone enjoy it... On the back of his head he was still machinating ways of putting Alberto del Rio the MMA fighter over in EBWF. He needed to sort things out with Stephanie McMahon, Executive vicepresident of talent relations... Yuck, those words reminded him of Big Johnny Laurinitis.
MONDAY, MAY 30TH, 2012 -RADISSON HOTEL, DENVER COLORADO.
Alberto was laying on the bedroom of his hotel room in Denver, Colorado the night after the Pay Per View. Shoes kicked out and at the feet of the bed as he was resting in some track pants, no shirt on... He had just comw downstairs from the gym and wanted to do the business call he discussed with Jesus last night. He swiped his finger across the screen of his mobile, McMahon Stephanie... Punching the name of the billion dollar princess and putting the phone close to his ear... The stand by beeping wouldn't last long, as soon Alberto would hear her voice.
Stephanie McMahon: Stephanie McMahon.
Alberto Rodriguez: Stephanie, Alberto Rodriguez here. How are you?
Stephanie McMahon: Hey Alberto... I'm good. How about you?
Alberto Rodriguez: I'm not half bad... Listen Stephanie, can I have a word with you?
Stephanie McMahon: Sure, why don't you swing by the office next...
Alberto Rodriguez: I kinda meant now, If you're not busy!
Stephanie McMahon: Oh, is there something wrong?
Alberto Rodriguez: No, not at all... I just wanted to discuss some stuff with you and ask a couple of favors, you know?
Stephanie McMahon: Oh, go right ahead then!
Alberto nodded a little. For a girl who played a stubborn misfit know it all child with an attitude problem and a notorious boob job ten years ago on Television she seemed rather nice and mature.
Alberto Rodriguez: Well, I was watching the show last night... And couldn't help it but to notice Gillberg was on the show, even if it was on a Dark match.
Stephanie McMahon: Oh yeah... Gillberg contacted us wanting to work with the EBWF to put over upcoming guys...
Alberto Rodriguez: Really? Because I would love to work a match with him...
Stephanie McMahon: Well, he's kinda sorting things out contract-wise, we allowed him to show up last night at a dark match but we haven't reached an agreement...
Alberto Rodriguez: I see... As you might be aware, Alberto has not only embraced hate, became soulless, but also began wearing his MMA gear to the ring, I was definitely hoping for the push to help me out develop him into a feared MMA fighter...
Stephanie McMahon: I wanted to talk about that, too. Alberto, where do you exactly want to go with this?
Alberto Rodriguez: Let's say Alberto del Rio will be playing by MMA rules for a while... Only TKOs and Submissions, take downs, kicks, punches... You know the drill.
Stephanie McMahon: Well you know I am always down for our employees to have creative control over their characters and it is indeed a fun take with MMA being really hot right now. Let me talk to the board of directors and I'll get back to you as soon as I can... How does that sound?
Alberto Rodriguez: Sounds like a plan, Stephanie.
Stephanie McMahon: I'll get back to you as soon as I can.
Alberto Rodriguez: I'll be looking forward to that...
Alberto hung up and placed the phone back on his pocket... Gazing at the sky through the window as he laid on the bed.
EBWF.NET EXCLUSIVE PROMO.
The scene faded to the EBWF.net logo to a shot of the world famous Las Vegas strip... Footage of the Bellagio, MGM grand, Caesar's palace, even footage of neon lights which read LIVE NUDES, XXX, SEXY GIRLS. Footage of Sapphire Gentlemen's club, women just rocking their bodies in dim lighted scenarios, their bodies contouring in ways most men would dream of, curvaceous figures dancing under the neon lighting in the rooms... It all faded back to the Bellagio, more specifically to the famous giant fountains, where standing behind them wearing a black shirt with a black suit and a black handkerchief sticking out of his jacket pocket, Alberto turned around to smile mischievously.
Alberto del Rio: Vegas, Vegas, Vegas... No wonder why Vegas is the most populous city in the United States, it just reflects how vain and desire driven people really are... Even if you don't live here you have probably thought about coming here and having a real good time... Men come without their girlfriends, fiancees and wives to just go wild and allow the seductiveness of these glittering lights to make them do things would be regrettable under any other circumstances... How convenient. Allow me to break this down for you... Guys all over the world wait to be old enough just to come down here and let their emotions run wild... How sad... Needing to escape from social convenience and stupid moral prejudices to do what they want to do deep down... giving in to the flesh and substance abuse...
Alberto folded his arms.
Alberto del Rio: You can get prostitutes around here. Drugs? They got them... Gambling, drinking, smoking, promiscuity...Whatever you want. Want a 500 bucks ostrich hamburger? You can get it all here in Sin City... This place stinks, it reeks of that awful scent of humanity and weakness... People who come to this hole searching for liberation and deviousness end up showing up they're weak, driven by desire...
Alberto's disgusted facial expression was caught by the camera.
Alberto del Rio: People here allow the deadly sins to drive them here... Lust. You can see it the moment you catch the first flashy lit up sign saying "Welcome to las Vegas". Greed and Vainglory... All over the place, have you checked all the unnecessary luxuries in the extremely expensive hotels? Sloth... People wants to hit jackpot or just get rich with Poker and BlackJack... Wrath and Envy when they don't end up winning their games of chance...
Alberto scoffed.
Alberto del Rio: This place has a lot in common with my opponent at Warfare... Eddie Edwards, who likes to be billed as the Sultan of Sleaze whenever he struts down to the ring... Which makes me wonder, would he pass up on the chance of having the time of his life here at his alma mater? Would he arrive intoxicated to our match? I guess we'll have to wait and see... I hope he doesn't disappoint.
Alberto smiled and spread his arms widely.
Alberto del Rio: Yes, I have heard about him. I've heard he is a prolific grappler, I've heard he is really skilled, I've heard he will have the EBWF universe talking about him in a few months. I know he has quite a fan base in the independent circuit... And despite being a bit of a jackass and a loudmouth, he is tipped to be great on the long run... Well, he can be a grappler or a gifted technician, but I at the end of the day... He's just another pitiful soul driven around by vain desires such as getting loaded, getting laid and getting drunk... I, on the other hand have no problems with human antics such as desire, lust, vainglory... even ethics or moral... Eddie Edwards wants always to bend the rules by using and abusing substances, by recurring to prostitution to satisfy his needs... My take is that he would be no different in the ring, he would try to bend the rules in his favor...
Alberto went silent before he looked straight into the camera. He couldn't hold it anymore and bursted out in laughter.
Alberto del Rio: Bending the rules! Go figure... If you do your homework you'd probably realize I don't believe in ethics, moral or any set of rules conveniently deployed to put certain someone above everyone else... I believe in the survival of the fittest, I believe in doing what's fair to settle things down... You know he can talk all he wants about me, but in the end it will be him and I in that squared circle, hashing things out like two men... Bending the rules? I rather make my own rules before breaking or even following someone else's... So, come Monday I will go all out from the very first moment I hear that bell ringing, and I will stop at NOTHING until that bell tells me to stop... only a Knockout or a submission will put my opponent out of his misery...
Alberto ran a hand along his chin as his serious facial expression turned into a mocking grin.
Alberto del Rio: Either way, Eddie Edwards and the EBWF universe are in for some really misery and pain... You seem to be forgetting about the man who made me stronger than I ever was... You know he's coming... Don't you? And with him around I will be unbeatable... It is a pity you don't recognize greatness when you see it, regular human beings need to be imposed things, need to be told what to fear and what to respect, because they're too full of themselves to recognize someone else's talents as a threat... Well, the time arrives when you will find out what he is really after...
Alberto raised his arms as the camera panned out, shooting the vast intensity of the MGM fountains which had turned from a crystal clear blue color to a sudden fiery red... As Alberto smirked and winked confidently at the camera.
MAY 6TH, ORLEANS ARENA. LAS VEGAS, NEVADA. MONDAY NIGHT WARFARE.
The scene opened up on a backstage hall of the Orelans arena, where EBWF's weekly Warfare was taking place. The camera shot a couple of feet covered in bandages, probably to protect them from the hazards of the floor, the camera moved up to show red Venum MMA shorts, and two red MMA full contact gloves wrapped around a pair of wrists... As the camera moved up to display Alberto del Rio, making his way around the backstage area... EBWF crew members around him seem to take a good couple of steps backwards due to his known assaults to Cameramen and crew guys since losing his Soul Vs. Soul Match a couple of months ago. Michael Cole was the misfortunate EBWF interviewer who was scheduled to interview him prior to his upcoming match up against Eddie Edwards. He approached Alberto and cleared his throat to get his attention. However, Alberto went on walking.
Michael Cole: Excuse me, Alberto....
Alberto stopped on his tracks and turned to Cole.
Michael Cole: Alberto, tonight you return to action after a long absence against Eddie Edwards, the Sultan of Sleaze...
Alberto turned his head away from Michael Cole, before he began walking again.
Michael Cole: Alberto how about the comparison the EBWF universe have drawn between you and Eddie Edwards? You're both on the cocky side and...
Poor choice of words... Albero del Rio had tackled Michael Cole down in the blink of an Eye, the camera above them, located behind Alberto as he drove his fists left and right across the announcer's face... The sound of his fist against his skin over and over and over... Soon the EBWF security were all over Alberto del Rio, three men to be more precise... They helped him up and away of Michael Cole, whose face had just been massacred by Alberto, his once white shirt all bloodied up as well as his forehead and cheeks... Alberto smirked, seeming proud of what he had done... Even licking some of the blood from his right glove as he was carried away while Michael Cole was given medical attendance... He spat some blood and shouted out.
Michael Cole: You are a madman del Rio! A Bully and I can't wait until someone gives you what you dese...
Alberto was going quietly, but not anymore... He shoved the men holding him from the arms with ease against nearby walls and pounced on Michael Cole's right arm, snapping the Cross Armbar swiftly... The announcer would pay the price for badmouthing him... All bloodied up, Michael Cole writhed and twister like an earthworm which had been just cut open... Alberto wasn't letting go off that arm anytime soon... Despite the Security and medical personel trying to break it off... Alberto finally released him after he felt the resistance on Cole's limb was null... Right after he had passed out due to pain. He went on his knees and stood up over the unconscious body of Michael Cole, panting and shoving everyone away before he stormed off the scene.
