The Cruiserweight

by L. Anne Carrington

  “I can’t wait until the next time I talk to Karen!” he shouted in a loud, victorious manner.

  CHAPTER 8

  Brett pored through the script details, which outlined his role on Monday’s show. “Another scene with Mac and a couple other main event guys, some cool backstage stuff, and making a women’s match? This is going to be a blast!”

  He was pleased with the attached note granting him permission to insert some ideas of his own. “I better work on some of my ad-libbing abilities and get something together to cut a promo. Hosting this week’s show is going to be far better than losing to a fifty something commentator in a pointless match!”

  He flipped through several pages. “Wait…I don’t see anything about me having a match. Most guest hosts don’t wrestle, so maybe that’s why. I should pack my gear, just in case.”

  A cocky, little heel character hosting one of the biggest cable shows on Mondays for one night would surprise both TV viewers and fans attending the show in person, as his role hadn’t been announced yet. Brett hoped his appearance was the beginning of better opportunities.

  “I may lose a bunch of matches,” he said, studying the remainder of the script, “but I always made an impression with my entertainment skills.”

  *****

  Brett waited backstage waiting to go on the air Monday night. The broadcast opened with him being announced as the night’s host. Big Mac, Jack Hale, and Road Rage were in the ring when Brett strutted toward the trio to the beat of his new entrance theme.

  “Oh, no, no, no, no,” Hale spoke up. “Is this a practical joke? When did they start having midgets hosting?”

  Road Rage glared at him. “Is it any different from the World Championship being held by an over-forty hack?”

  “Ever hear of ‘may the best man win,’ Rage? Guess you’re still bitter I retained my title the fair and honest way,” Big Mac said.

  “If you call tripping a bodybuilder freak fair and honest, have at it, Mac,” Hale said with a smirk.

  “I didn’t trip him, ghetto boy. He’s a big klutz, and the ref ruled me the winner. Get over it.”

  “Isn’t this rich,” Brett cut in. “Big boys fighting like little girls. Of course, I should have known Hale would show up still spouting juvenile comments. And Mac, damn, isn’t it time for you to retire and head to the old folks‘ home? You’ve been champion thirteen times.”

  “Thirteen times more than you, shrimp cocktail,” Mac scoffed. “When was the last time you had a championship bout? Oh yeah, the last pay per view when you lasted twenty-three seconds before Mountain Man tossed you out on your bubble butt.”

  “Keep it up, Mount Everest Nose. Remember who’s in charge tonight. I have a surprise for you and your buddy Hale.”

  “How’d you get to be host?” Hale asked. “You been sucking on a new kind of pipe, Kerrigan, or has that always been your thing?”

  “From what the other boys in the locker room tell me, it’s more your preference.”

  “You’re as much an ass hosting as you are wrestling.”

  “Yeah, I notice you stare at my ass a lot. Sorry, Hale, you aren’t my type.”

  Brett turned to the six foot eight, two hundred and ninety-five pound former bodybuilder, Road Rage. “Now that the junior high mentality is done, let’s talk more about the discussion you and I had earlier on how to deal with these two clowns.”

  “I love a man who talks business,” Road Rage said. “Carry on.”

  “I have great respect for you and it’s time the fans had a champion who’d bring credibility to the title. I see a lot of you in me, even with the obvious differences in our sizes. Rage, it should be clear that of everyone on the roster, you and I are the quickest, best trained, and smartest wrestlers in this company.”

  Road Rage looked down at him with an evil grin, nodding as more boos filled the arena. “Keep talking, my man. Is my request gonna be honored or not?”

  “Yeah. Tonight’s main event will be Big Mac vs. Jack Hale in a No Holds Barred Match inside a steel cage. And since I’m feeling generous, I’m putting Mac’s title on the line. The winner of tonight’s match will be World Champion.”

  More loud boos washed through the crowd as Big Mac and Hale stared at each other. Two fan favorites would face off, along with a hated grappler. Only one of the three combatants would emerge victorious.

  “Glad you approve, ladies and gentlemen. Enjoy tonight’s show.“ The in-character Brett knew he had just both intrigued and infuriated the fans, and the planned main event was sure to draw additional ratings.

  *****

  “Ladies and gentleman, guest host Brett Kerrigan has been wreaking mayhem tonight,” commentator Ed Carson said as a women‘s match was about to begin. We’ve learned that in the main event, he pitted three dangerous men against each other for a championship opportunity. That isn’t going to be an average match, but no holds barred inside a steel cage! Linc, it’s going to be brutal!”

  “Sure is, Ed,” Lincoln “Linc” Battle agreed. “Kerrigan didn’t stop there. We have the beautiful Baby Belle in the ring waiting for her mystery oppenent.”

  “Who can it be, Linc?”

  “No idea. I didn’t think Brett Kerrigan had many friends among the ladies backstage to arrange a match.”

  “Ladies and gentlemen,” ring announcer Tara Chisholm began, “As arranged by our guest host, Brett Kerrigan, Baby Belle’s opponent tonight will be—”

  The music of “Crazy Train” blared loudly, interrupting Tara‘s announcement. A solid-built woman of five feet, ten inches and two hundred pounds made her way to the ring. She never took her eyes off a fearful Baby Belle.

  Crazy Train Leavenworth was the roster’s strongest and most feared woman, a seven-time Lovely Ladies’ champion. She was being considered to wrestle male opponents once her current title reign ended.

  “Oh no, he can’t do this! Crazy Train is a killer!” Carson exclaimed.

  “Kerrigan can and did, Ed.”

  Crazy Train pinned Baby Belle in less than five minutes. No one had time to flinch before the match was over.

  “Here is your winner, Crazy Train Leavenworth!” Tara announced.

  Crazy Train stood on the ropes and posed, doing her famous, psychotic-sounding ‘Choo Choo!’ catch phrase and gesture. She exited with a smug look on her face. Baby Belle lay limp in the ring before she was able to get up and was helped to the back by two staff members.

  Brett appeared on the titantron. “Don’t worry, kids, that’s Crazy being gentle.Your favorite little bikini bimbo will be just fine. Baby wouldn’t be walking if I’d told Crazy to make it rough.”

  Ear-splitting boos were heard as the show broke to a commercial. Brett received major heat, and the producers loved it.

  *****

  Trisha “Crazy Train” Leavenworth came backstage after her match with Bella “Baby Belle” Jacobs. She and Brett spotted each other and the two real-life close friends smiled in greeting. He gave her a quick hug. “Great match, Trisha.”

  “Yeah, too bad more time isn’t given to us women. I’m going to check on Bella. I hope I didn’t rough her up too bad.”

  “She was smiling when she came out of the trainers’ room. I think the women need more matches like the one you two had tonight and less pillow fights or bikini crap.”

  “Brett, you’re right. Besides, no one wants to see Crazy Train in a bikini. I’m a psychotic killer type, remember?”

  “If they only knew what the real Crazy Train was like. Up for coffee later?”

  “I’d love to, honey, but my husband is with me. Maybe next time. You may want to ask Bella or Carolyn. I don’t think they have any plans.”

  He wrinkled his nose. “Nice ladies, but not my type.”

  Crazy Train chuckled. ”Can’t say I didn‘t try. I would’ve suggested Kyra too, but she isn‘t here tonight.”

  “We’re back in two minutes,” an announcement came over the PA system, “Ready, Kerrigan?”

  �
��As always. Let’s get more ratings!”

  *****

  A backstage scene showed Brett talking on the phone. “But I was told I wasn’t going to be in a match tonight!” he shouted. After a slight pause, his expression changed. “What? I can make my own match? Well, I guess I can’t complain after all!”

  He snapped the phone shut with a smug look on his face. At that moment, one of the show’s newest members, Jason Evans, appeared.

  “Did you need something, pretty boy?”

  “Yes. I was supposed to have a match tonight. But when I arrived at the arena, I was informed it had been nixed from the show. Did you by any chance have something to do with that when you were planning on putting Big Mac, Road Rage, and Jack Hale against each other?”

  “That’s one point of being the new guy, Evans. But since I’m a good sport, I can place you somewhere.” Brett moved closer. “You and I will be in a match following the tag team one. Go get dressed and prepare to be mopped up in the ring, pretty boy.”

  The camera zoomed in on the two glaring at each other.

  The scene cut to a tag team match, Ed Carson and Linc Battle commentating through the entire event. The match lasted under fifteen minutes, with the current champions retaining their titles. It was a night for the heels to reign supreme.

  Tara Chisholm announced the next contest. A big pop echoed through the arena for Jason Evans as he made his way to the ring. Brett followed to substantial heat—and a few girls screaming—as he worked the crowd and drew even more jeers and boos.

  Loud “You suck!” chants began as Brett mixed it up with many different people near ringside, including making snide comments at Linc Battle.

  The match was underway. Evans began working Brett’s arm. He escaped to ringside and played the coward heel. He tried to avoid Evans, who caught up to him, threw Brett back into the ring, and was caught in an arm bar.

  Brett screamed, “Now who sucks, you fool?”

  A lot of mat work between the two opponents was followed by Evans coming back strong with some of his aerial moves. Evans finished with a Shooting Star Press before pinning Brett for the victory. It was a crowd pleaser and later slated by critics as one of the night’s best matches.

  Backstage, the two men laughed and gave each other a high five.

  “Great bout, man,” Brett said. “I don’t tell everyone this, but you got a strong future with this company.”

  “Thanks, bro; you’re kind of tough for a small guy.”

  “I get told that a lot, but only one man does a fantastic Shooting Star Press and that’s you. There used to be two that did, but Patrick isn’t here anymore.”

  “How could we forget Sanchez-Garcia? As much as I didn’t care for him, I miss Pat just the same. Who would have thought you would outlast the dude? I guess a good work attitude does get a person everywhere.”

  “Take some lessons from a few of the locker room’s old timers and you’ll see how far one can go.”

  *****

  The time arrived for the main event, the moment which both fans in attendance and television viewers awaited.

  Jack Hale entered first, working the crowd that popped for him. He appeared confident outwardly, but inside, his heart broke. Despite both knowing the outcome as outlined in the script, Hale still worried Mac would get hurt.

  Big Mac followed Road Rage. Even though his entrance was longer than the other two contenders, the crowd cheered as loud.

  The cage was lowered. Inside that unforgiving structure, the match became brutal between the three competitors. Right away, Hale started climbing out the cage, but Mac pulled him down. Punches, hits, and some kicks were traded. Hale hit a snapmare and a kick to the back, and once again went to climb out of the cage. Road Rage grabbed him by the ankle, but Hale escaped and tried to climb once more; Mac grabbed his opposite leg.

  Two men stood on the top rope. Rage tried to smash Mac’s face off, but Mac blocked the move, reversing to hitting Hale‘s face off the cage instead. Hale fell to the mat and Mac covered for the near fall.

  Hale managed to get out of the pin, but Rage grabbed him by the ankles. Hale kicked him and then going up the ropes, hit a cross-body block off the top rope, almost getting a near fall on Mac. Both men went down. Hale made his way to the door before Road Rage dragged him back to the center of the ring. Mac catapulted Rage into the cage, but he held on and attempted to climb to the top.

  Mac made a slow climb and traded punches with Rage before being grabbed from behind by Hale. He came out on top and attempted his Five Finger Finish. Mac shoved him off and attempted the Big Flush, but Rage countered with attempting his finisher, Hit and Run, and a near fall. Mac came back with another complex move and almost had a near fall.

  All three men were battered. Hale kicked and punched Mac before he went up and dangled over the top. Rage caught up and pulled him back, hitting Hale with a suplerplex off the top of the cage. Just as he was about to make his way out the door, which Hale opened while the other two were sprawled on the mat, Brett made a sudden appearance from under the ring. He whacked Hale on the skull with a steel chair.

  Three bruised and beaten large men lay in the ring as the match ended in a no contest. The camera closed in on Brett’s demented facial expression. “What? I changed my mind. The champion should be decided at the next pay per view.”

  The show went dark.

  CHAPTER 9

  Brett was exhausted, an unusual occurrence. “I guess being a host is tougher than I thought. A fun night, but I’m glad it’s over.”

  He flopped on the bed and booted his laptop. “Let’s see what the websites say.”

  He found a few good reviews posted by fans about his hosting duties and glowing reports on the bout with Jason Evans, billed as “match of the night” by even the toughest critics.

  Glancing at the bedside clock, Brett noted it was two AM. “Damn, no wonder I’m tired. I better sleep so I can catch my flight on time tomorrow. Three days of freedom, here I come!”

  *****

  “Are the ratings for last night’s show online?” Karen asked the next day. “I’m curious how well it did with Brett hosting.”

  “It’s interesting you mentioned that. I was just reading the show did a 3.95. Add in running over by ten minutes, the entire rating went to an overall 4.0.”

  She wasn’t sure if Phoebe was making some kind of joke or was looking at numbers for something different. “Are you serious? Let me look!”

  “I had to read it twice to make sure it was the right one.”

  “Brett will be thrilled.”

  “Send my congratulations the next time you talk to him. Maybe he‘ll ask you out.”

  “Phoebe, stop. We’re only good friends.”

  “You have to be the luckiest woman in the world to have a guy like that for a friend.”

  “I’m very grateful to have him in my life.”

  “If I didn’t know any better, Brett thinks well of you too.”

  “We’ve had some interesting conversations over the last several months. He’s told me things that even the biggest fan doesn’t know. Brett has made it easy for me to open up in a way I’ve done before with only my closest girlfriends.”

  “Did you talk to him?”

  “Not since last night. He’s probably busy with upcoming shows.”

  “I can say that he has an understanding friend who knows the rigors of his profession. I have never heard of any other sport without an off season.”

  “If wrestling did have one, it would allow their injured athletes to heal and the other roster members to recover from the brutal schedule involved with their business. I could never go through what those people do every night, three hundred days a year.”

  “You are quite passionate about this sport, aren’t you?”

  “I don’t discuss the topic for my own health, Phoebe.”

  Indeed you don’t, lady. Now Karen had more reason to be passionate about her career.

  *****

&
nbsp; Brett’s flight was scheduled to leave at ten. Once he arrived, went through security and checked his luggage, a two-hour delay announcement came over the intercom, due to some fires in Los Angeles affecting visibility. “Oh, that just made my whole morning,” he said with a touch of sarcasm.

  “We’re sorry for the delay, sir.”

  “Do people live just to piss me off? If I knew beforehand, I could have stopped for breakfast.”

  Brett walked away from the counter and flopped into an empty seat. He opened the tour book he carried with him on the road, flipping through the pages for the desired listing for nearby shops and restaurants. “I guess if I’m stuck here for another couple of hours, better to find somewhere else to go than sitting here like a fool.”

  The WiFi in the terminal wasn’t working, but he lucked out when he found a nearby café with functioning service. Brett pulled out the new netbook and checked email and his webpage, skimming over comments about the previous night’s show. There was also a joke of the day sent by Patrick, which made him laugh out loud. “What a dirty-minded smart ass.”

  “Why are you laughing at your computer, mister?” a small voice asked.

  Brett looked away from the screen, spotting a little girl with blond hair and large green eyes. This kid probably thinks I’m nuts. “A friend sent me a joke.”

  “What kind ?”

  “Uh…I don’t think this is one little girls should hear or see.”

  “Why?”

  “It’s a grown-up joke.”

  “What’s that?”

  Before Brett could respond to the child, a woman called from a short distance. “Audrey! What have I told you about bothering people?”