by Jayne Blue
The best cure for that was a workout, a tough, no holds barred, sweat until you puke workout.
The contestants took passenger vans to the Tough to the Top training facility. Luckily, Brice Price was not his seatmate. Instead, a dude with a mullet, and tats pretty much everywhere, sat down next to him. They nodded to each other as a camera recorded their interaction.
“You Burrows?” Craddock knew the fighter was Teagan Burrows out of Tampa, Florida. He was new to the sport, but in the last year had begun to make a name for himself. Burrows was one of the eight that would probably make it out of the first day. Burrows was a long shot because of his inexperience, but Craddock had looked him up online. He had a devastating punch and Craddock bet it would a surprise to whomever they matched him up.
“Yeah, Flynn right?” The two shook hands.
“They’re saying you have a real shot at the title.” Burrows said.
“Oh, are they?”
“Know anything about Gustavo?” Teagan asked.
“Who?”
“Tall, dark and menacing?” Craddock knew right who he meant; the fighter he had exchanged an icy stare with at the opening meeting.
“Oh, Gustavo - is that his only name?”
“What he goes by anyway. It’s Gustavo De Rocha I think.”
“Oh, so he’s like Rhianna that way. I’m not too worried.”
“Well, he’s been asking about you, just so you know, wanting to know if you wrestle, are a good striker? That shit. Not too subtle because of the Portuguese accent.”
“Well you can tell him I’m good at all of it. We all are.”
“True.”
“Except that little Brice Price, he’s good at talking until you tap out just to get away. Or that’s what it seems like anyway.”
Both men chuckled and then they finished the ride in silence. Craddock decided it was good that this Gustavo character was asking about him. It meant he was worried. Today in the workout, he would give him reason to be.
The 21C Training Facility was state of the art. Where GWG in Grand City was a nice warehouse converted into a gym this place was a mecca for contenders to utilize the latest in equipment, science, and coaching. Stepping inside quickened Craddock’s blood.
Enough dreaming about his damned fucked up love life. It was time to hit some shit, lift some shit, and go.
None of the 21C fighter had personal training teams on the show. There was a staff of coaches available for all and they each had high-level expertise in their specific discipline. The fighters would decide what to focus on and take advantage of those coaches as they saw fit.
The coaches were sectioned off in the massive facility and ran 30-minute sessions. It would be up to Craddock to decide where to spend most of his time. Meyer Thompson explained that no one fighter would have access to more than another would. The difference would be in skill, planning, and heart.
What he needed was information on who was who in round one. For that, he decided to form an alliance with Teagan Burrows. Today they would decide which eight were going home after the first fight.
“We’ll trade information tonight, on how to be ready for whatever they throw at us,” Craddock explained
“What am I looking for?”
“Quitters, half-assers, whiners, let’s see who we can scratch off the list. And make sure you’re not on it.” With that Craddock headed to the boxing area, he was going to train top-to-bottom. That meant punching with speed and power. Craddock was going to keep his training as balanced as Whitey would want, adding on top of it cardio and weights. He would make sure to listen to the coaches, refine what he needed to and focus.
The punching bag was the perfect place to start, he sweat out his fevered dreams of Cassidy and pretended the bag was Zeke. That was a good warm up.
As he punched, he kept Gustavo in the periphery. The Brazilian was far beyond in the best shape of any of the sixteen men, save for Craddock himself. His dark skin outlined every cut and ripple. There was power behind it.
Craddock watched as Gustavo worked takedowns against a sparring partner. The fighters were not allowed to spar in the gym with each other. This was another safety feature and a way to preserve the suspense. If a fighter had a chance to take a competitor out during a workout, he might do it. Meyer did not want Vegas odds influenced by any pre-fight match up.
Gustavo was quick and clearly strong. When it was Craddock’s turn to spar Gustavo walked straight toward him as he exited the mat. Craddock did not flinch; in fact he stood straighter as the fighter approached him. Gustavo encroached on Craddock’s personal space, offering a challenge. Craddock leaned in.
The two fighters locked eyes and Craddock narrowed his while Gustavo let a little sneer out.
“It gonna be us two. And I’m gonna murder you.” Gustavo growled the little threat at him.
“Bite me Brazil.” The cameras caught it as Craddock shouldered his way into the ring making Gustavo step aside. Craddock heard Terry, his producer, tell Julie to write down “ hashtag bitemebrazil” and get it to Sunny? He had no idea what that was about.
Craddock did know that no matter what Teagan and he discovered today that it would be Gustavo and him in the final. They both had a death grip on the 1.5 million bucks; Craddock would aim all his training towards dismantling Gustavo’s game. That was the man he would break in the end of Tough to the Top.
Chapter Four
Cassidy
The next week flew by and that was a good thing. Cassidy found by packing her day with work, school, and Dr. Showers she could forget about the whole in her life. Her phone vibrated Thursday morning as she was leaving Dr. Showers and driving Zeke to GWG.
She wanted to reach for it but Zeke intercepted.
“Ahem, you know you’re not supposed to text and drive!”
“I never get texts it has to be important. Can you read it to me?” She dutifully kept her eye on the road.
“Password please?” Cassidy rattled off her four-digit code.
“It’s from Jessie. Don’t tell me he is sexting you? I’d kick his butt but I’m still concussed.”
“Zeke could you please?”
“Okay, it says Dylan called him but he can’t get over to the bus stop. Can you help? Some mean guy is calling Dylan names.” Zeke was confused but Cassidy knew just what this was about.
“Text him back that I’m on it.” Cassidy checked her rearview and did a vicious u-turn. She looked at the clock. They had about ten minutes until Dylan’s bus arrived. She sped through a yellow or two and she made it just as Dylan was walking out the Flynn’s front door.
“Perfect.”
“What are you planning? Do you need me?” She did not answer and walked up to Dylan. Zeke followed but enough far behind that he did not get in her space.
“Cassidy!” Dylan was happy to see her and she him. That was an unexpectedly sad part about her break up with Craddock, losing Dylan. She had not talked to him since the night in Detroit and wondered what he knew about her and Craddock.
“Hi Dylan. Can I wait at your stop with you?”
“Sure.” Dylan seemed to be chewing on his lower lip. A behavior she noticed whenever he was anxious, like at the fight when he had lost his ticket stub. He could easily go from cheerful to panic. Cassidy had no doubt the bully on the bus was the cause.
“Somebody on the bus being mean Dylan?” She needed to get right to it so she knew what she was dealing with before the bus got there.
“I’m supposed to not take shit. Craddock says don’t take shit.”
“Well sometimes we need our friends to help us get through some shit. We’re friends right?”
“You’re not Craddock’s girlfriend anymore. He said he wasn’t boyfriend material.”
“Well that doesn’t mean you and I can’t be friends does it? I think you’re friend material.” She put a reassuring hand on his shoulder and he accepted it. She was struck again with how big he was, bigger than Craddock, almost G-Man’s size ye
t childlike.
“Thank you. And yes you can help me through some shit.” As the bus rolled into view, Dylan squared his shoulders and Cassidy reached out her hand. She took the lead and stepped on to the bus.
“I need to take care of something for Dylan; it won’t take but a minute.” She told the bus driver.
“Okay, I need to stay on schedule but for Dylan, sure.”
“Which one?” Cassidy asked. Dylan whispered in her ear and pointed. He then sat in an empty seat right behind the driver. Cassidy marched up to two guys, who appeared to be in their early twenties. Both had douche bag written all over them.
“You two, I hear you’re tripping my friend Dylan, stealing his cash and generally being assholes on this bus ride.”
“What’s it to you bitch?” Oh, real nice guys. She knew just the type.
“Watch it!” She turned to see Zeke was now on the bus. Shit - a trained MMA fighter, an anxious special-needs adult and two douche bags on a bus. This had the potential to be a mess or the start of a bad joke.
She put her hand up to indicate to Zeke to back off and then turned to the two bullies.
“If I hear that you are anything but polite to my friend Dylan I will personally see to it the police are involved.”
“Really doesn’t scare us.” The two snickered.
“Oh yeah,” and then she lowered her voice, “do you see that dude at the front? He’s one of a dozen MMA fighters who take it very personally when someone is mean to Dylan.”
“Is that a threat?”
“Damn right.” With that, she pulled up her phone and took a nice clear shot of Dylan’s two tormentors.
“What the hell?”
“Just making sure I have a positive i.d.”
She turned and made her way to the front. She kissed Dylan on the head.
“Have a good day and text me if these two cause any trouble.” She gave Dylan a nod.
“Okay, thank you Cassidy.” Zeke turned and she exited behind him as the bus rolled off.
“Wow bruiser, you know you’re a buck-ten if you’re lucky. Just what would you have done if they’d charged?”
“See being my best friend is going to be work, I expected you to save my ass.” Zeke put a protective arm around her.
“You just don’t respect the concussion woman!” She laughed as he shook his head very slowly.
It was somewhat nice having a best friend, she had decided, and they got back on the road to the GWG.
Things at the GWG were changing a bit each day in preparation for Tough to the Top.
The show had all the GWG members and employees sign image waivers. They were going to have viewing parties filmed for the show. It was all so weird Cassidy thought.
Sawyer, the GWG corporate boss, had even flown in. He was overseeing the installation of a giant television on the wall saw they could see every moment of action.
“G-Man and now Flynn, we’re having a little GWG moment.” Sawyer had said to her as he looked over the set-up for the viewing party.
“Yeah? What do you mean?”
“I’m going to be arranging a big sanctioned fight here in Grand City. The 21C is sending a ranked pro to fight against Randy Rawson; he’s our best welter weight from GWG California.”
“This is big because?” Cassidy asked.
“First of all, the 21C’s Lawson is nationally ranked. If GWG is promoting fights, not just training fighters, we are entering into bigger money territory. Most old ladies like bigger money territory. So, I’m currently in the market for an old lady.”
Cassidy liked Sawyer. He was scary in his way, just as the fighters were in theirs. He was all leather pants and MC jacket with patches. Patches that signified God knows what. She knew that Sawyer, with his hard biker exterior, was a great manager and had a head for business.
He made sure she understood the systems GWG had for running a profitable gym. Something Whitey, who was the manager of the place, hated to deal with. Whitey wanted to train fighters not file expense reports. That is where she came in.
The fighters, gym members, various girlfriends, coaches, and Sawyer were all set up to watch the first episode of this season’s Tough to the Top. Lights were set up to illuminate them all. Cassidy tried to sink in to the background and sat in a back row. Zeke said he was not going to watch one single episode, so he was not there. He explained that he had been neglecting the youth group he was supposed to mentor at his dad’s church so had plans with them anyway. Cassidy did not blame him one bit.
She would rather be anywhere but watching Tough to the Top also, but Sawyer said she was not excused.
“If guys think you’re what’s at the front desk of every GWG our membership will skyrocket sister.” He had joked with her.
The opening credits started, a hard driving soundtrack started the show and sixteen fighters, the cast, flashed on the screen.
There he was - the last fighter they showed - Craddock Flynn on a fifty-inch television. He was always larger than life but somehow more so now. Cassidy sat up straight in her chair. This was going to suck, and she would have to suck it up.
The slick opening sequence gave way to a rougher style for the show itself. The whole GWG watched as the fighters arrived to Tough House. Cassidy heard murmuring that they had fought that guy, or beat a guy that another Tough House guy had beaten. Fighters were chosen from across the globe, but the MMA community she was learning was a small world.
Then the part she had been dreading popped up on screen, Craddock walking through the airport. He still took her breath away, and she could remember what he smelled like, how he felt. She, and everyone else, noticed when he helped the little, pretty production assistant carry a heavy bag. Damn you, Craddock Flynn.
They watched as Meyer Thompson welcomed them to Tough House and laid out the rules. Every man in the house looked scary to Cassidy but the GWG guys were laughing at the posing and the preening. “He’s more concerned about not losing than winning,” said Jessie of one of the fighters he happened to know on the show. They all agreed that a fighter named Gustavo, from Brazil, was going to be tough to beat.
Each fighter then had a “confessional” and Gustavo barely said two words. The guy was scary.
When it was Craddock’s turn, he melted the lens. He came right through, grabbed your throat, and made you watch him. He looked in the camera and the magnetism he had in life translated to the show. Surprisingly it helped Cassidy truly let something go.
She realized, to her core, that he was too big for Grand City and her life as a social worker. What they had was, in its moment, a perfect fantasy. He was going to win this show, or at the very least become a star because of it. She felt it in her bones. The camera loved him. America was going to want to eat him with a spoon.
Craddock finished his interview by saying something sexy. Cassidy began to put away her thoughts that they could have had something that would have lasted. Any hope she had for them being together was gone and replaced with reality. A reality that did not include Craddock.
Meyer Thompson also did a “confessional.” He explained that the show would have a twist this year. They all leaned in to hear a new wrinkle in a show that they just thought was fight or go home.
“Part of being a world-class athlete is dealing with the distractions and temptation that money and fame can bring. This season, we’re introducing a secret wine, women and song challenge to Tough House. We’re going to throw those obstacles in the way of the fighters to see who can handle the temptations. Succumbing to temptation will impact their final deal with 21C. Only the fighter who avoids the toughest temptations will get the 1.5 mill.
They lose their minds - I lose money. I want to sign a fighter who can handle temptation and still come out a winner. Oh, and they don’t know it, but if they give in to temptation I’m going to knock money off their contract, too. That’s how it's done in the pros. Eff up and you lose money.” That was the end of Meyer Thompson’s speech.
“Oh
, watch out if they throw a blonde in the way of Flynn!” said Tommy Flannigan to Darius Brown, greeted with a high five. They both then remembered that Cassidy was in the room and turned around.
“Sorry Cassidy.” Brown punched Flannigan in the shoulder.
“Ow,” said Flannigan as he rubbed the spot. Too late Cassidy realized the crew filming them as they watched the fight, all of a sudden turned their lights and cameras on her. She did not want to be a part of any show. She saw the producer that had been directing the camera crew whisper to one of the fighters. She knew damn well what they wanted to know.
Sure enough, the producer, a small guy with a beak nose, made a b-line for her. She thought his name was Petey Edwards.
“So, are you Craddock Flynn’s girlfriend? He hasn’t mentioned it on the show.”
“No, I’m not.”
“Bullshit.” Flannigan again could not stop opening his mouth. "Those two were insanely into each other. He practically ripped our faces off for looking at her.”
“So you are his girlfriend.” The producer was scribbling something on a tablet.
“We had a few dates. It wasn’t serious.” This was no one’s business, especially not a reality show producer. Cassidy wanted out of the spotlight, fast.
The producer shrugged his shoulders and walked away. Cassidy watched as he asked other people questions and pointed to her. The man was after something but she was not about to give it to him.
The episode finished out. “Next week on Tough to the Top we eliminate half the fighters. Everyone will fight and only eight will remain in Tough House. One will succumb to temptation. Find out when Tough to the Top Continues.”
Craddock
Sixteen fighters entered the cages. This would be a brutal day. Half of them will be gone, just like that. Craddock relished it. He had Johnson Mitchell and he knew he could take the fighter out of Chicago. Mitchell had good wrestling, great submission, but he could not strike for shit. Craddock planned to punch his way to his first victory.
