NPWToday w/ guest Jay Stevens [Cruiserweight Cup Special]
Jan 20, 2022 22:41:07 GMT -5
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Post by Jay Stevens on Jan 20, 2022 22:41:07 GMT -5
Backstage at the Scotiabank Arena, the set has been erected for “NPW Today”, a special post-show edition for NPW.com. Justin Spencer sits behind a large desk, the entire wall behind him a video screen. On that screen is an animated graphic for the Cruiserweight Cup with the current points totals following the second night of action.
The camera is tight on Spencer as the streaming broadcast returns.
Justin Spencer: Welcome back everyone, I am joined by another of the eight men vying to have their name engraved in the Cruiserweight Cup. A Finalist in last year's tournament, Jay Stevens.
Spencer turns as the camera pans out to show Stevens sitting across from him. Jay is dressed in his white-trimmed black ring gear with a matching track jacket.
Spencer: Jay, you're currently sitting tied with four points at the top of the 'B' Block of the tournament and that puts both you and your next opponent, Julius Fristik, in a must-win situation. Before we touch on that, let's talk about the action so far.
Jay huffs with a smirk on his face.
Stevens: Kind of burying the lede there, huh?
Spencer: It's necessary to frame the importance of your next match. You and Eddie Havok had a very spirited match to open the festivities and you looked very close to securing the victory before the time-limit expired. Thoughts on your performance?
Stevens: When the bell rang I honestly thought Eddie had given up. I had the armbreaker locked in tight and I could feel his arm start to give in, but props to him for fighting through it to the bell.
Spencer: And when you heard it was a time-limit draw?
Stevens: I was disappointed, sure, but Eddie Havok can definitely hang in that ring. He was faster than I thought he would be, hits pretty hard. He has some heart but we both know that a few more seconds and the choice wouldn't have been his anymore, I'd have taken that arm home with me.
Spencer: Which leads us to Night Two where you had a very brief encounter with James Knight.
Jay laughs, nodding before mouthing "Eight seconds?" with a large smile.
Stevens: Yeah, I didn't know what to expect from him. Fristik was going on and on in the back about how amazing he was for putting Knight away so quickly. We were having a good laugh about it, then he started squawking at me.
Spencer: Already knowing your encounter was on the horizon.
Stevens: Sure. I think he just likes to hear his own voice. But then Nicole is sitting there next to me chirping about "do it faster", "shut this guy up" et cetera. She wanted me to just charge him with a flying knee or elbow but I was just trying to stay focused on my gameplan.
Spencer: When did that change?
Stevens: It didn't, it just happened a lot faster than expected. I was adjusting my knee pads and I heard him running across the ring. I turned just in time to drag him over, heard the bell as I was rolling and just found his arm in the chaos. Then the bell rang again and I still needed to adjust my gear.
Jay laughs. Spencer motions to the video board that changes to show the square-off image of Stevens and Fristik.
Spencer: Which brings us to Night Three. Barring a miracle, Eddie Havok is nearly guaranteed a victory which secures him a spot in the Semi-Finals, leaving you and Julius Fristik in a do-or-die to advance.
Stevens: Our paths are very mirrored in the tournament. A win, a draw, only his next experience will be a loss. And there's no shame in that, someone has to win, someone has to lose and this is my time to win.
Spencer: You mentioned interacting with Julius backstage, what are your thoughts on him?
Stevens: As a wrestler he seems to have some skill, based on the very little I've seen of him, but he has big deficiencies that I can, and will, take advantage of. As a person? Ehh.
Spencer perks up.
Spencer: Elaborate?
Stevens: He likes to hear himself talk. He claims that he wants to step out of his father's shadow but he's made sure that the big lizard is still within arm's reach, ready to swaddle him close. He's insecure and it shows not only in his demeanor outside of the ring, but inside of it as well. He's very unsure of who he wants to be so he's still looking for approval.
Spencer: A path I'm sure you can relate to in some ways.
Jay raises an eyebrow and readjusts in his chair to lean closer to his interviewer, his elbows now resting on the desk.
Stevens: It some small ways, sure. We're both second-generation wrestlers with successful fathers with very large shoes to fill. But make no mistake, he and I are on very different paths. I walked away from the shadows, he hasn’t found his way into the light yet. But this isn't the time for him to do that, he needs to lose and learn. And I'm happy to teach him that lesson.
Spencer: Jay, thank you as always for joining me.
Stevens shakes Spencer’s hand and exits as the camera zooms back in on the host.
Spencer: We’ll return after a brief pause for our sponsors with another victorious competitor, albeit by painful means, Xiaolong. Stick around for more Cruiserweight Cup coverage right here on NPW.com!
Roll commercials.
The camera is tight on Spencer as the streaming broadcast returns.
Justin Spencer: Welcome back everyone, I am joined by another of the eight men vying to have their name engraved in the Cruiserweight Cup. A Finalist in last year's tournament, Jay Stevens.
Spencer turns as the camera pans out to show Stevens sitting across from him. Jay is dressed in his white-trimmed black ring gear with a matching track jacket.
Spencer: Jay, you're currently sitting tied with four points at the top of the 'B' Block of the tournament and that puts both you and your next opponent, Julius Fristik, in a must-win situation. Before we touch on that, let's talk about the action so far.
Jay huffs with a smirk on his face.
Stevens: Kind of burying the lede there, huh?
Spencer: It's necessary to frame the importance of your next match. You and Eddie Havok had a very spirited match to open the festivities and you looked very close to securing the victory before the time-limit expired. Thoughts on your performance?
Stevens: When the bell rang I honestly thought Eddie had given up. I had the armbreaker locked in tight and I could feel his arm start to give in, but props to him for fighting through it to the bell.
Spencer: And when you heard it was a time-limit draw?
Stevens: I was disappointed, sure, but Eddie Havok can definitely hang in that ring. He was faster than I thought he would be, hits pretty hard. He has some heart but we both know that a few more seconds and the choice wouldn't have been his anymore, I'd have taken that arm home with me.
Spencer: Which leads us to Night Two where you had a very brief encounter with James Knight.
Jay laughs, nodding before mouthing "Eight seconds?" with a large smile.
Stevens: Yeah, I didn't know what to expect from him. Fristik was going on and on in the back about how amazing he was for putting Knight away so quickly. We were having a good laugh about it, then he started squawking at me.
Spencer: Already knowing your encounter was on the horizon.
Stevens: Sure. I think he just likes to hear his own voice. But then Nicole is sitting there next to me chirping about "do it faster", "shut this guy up" et cetera. She wanted me to just charge him with a flying knee or elbow but I was just trying to stay focused on my gameplan.
Spencer: When did that change?
Stevens: It didn't, it just happened a lot faster than expected. I was adjusting my knee pads and I heard him running across the ring. I turned just in time to drag him over, heard the bell as I was rolling and just found his arm in the chaos. Then the bell rang again and I still needed to adjust my gear.
Jay laughs. Spencer motions to the video board that changes to show the square-off image of Stevens and Fristik.
Spencer: Which brings us to Night Three. Barring a miracle, Eddie Havok is nearly guaranteed a victory which secures him a spot in the Semi-Finals, leaving you and Julius Fristik in a do-or-die to advance.
Stevens: Our paths are very mirrored in the tournament. A win, a draw, only his next experience will be a loss. And there's no shame in that, someone has to win, someone has to lose and this is my time to win.
Spencer: You mentioned interacting with Julius backstage, what are your thoughts on him?
Stevens: As a wrestler he seems to have some skill, based on the very little I've seen of him, but he has big deficiencies that I can, and will, take advantage of. As a person? Ehh.
Spencer perks up.
Spencer: Elaborate?
Stevens: He likes to hear himself talk. He claims that he wants to step out of his father's shadow but he's made sure that the big lizard is still within arm's reach, ready to swaddle him close. He's insecure and it shows not only in his demeanor outside of the ring, but inside of it as well. He's very unsure of who he wants to be so he's still looking for approval.
Spencer: A path I'm sure you can relate to in some ways.
Jay raises an eyebrow and readjusts in his chair to lean closer to his interviewer, his elbows now resting on the desk.
Stevens: It some small ways, sure. We're both second-generation wrestlers with successful fathers with very large shoes to fill. But make no mistake, he and I are on very different paths. I walked away from the shadows, he hasn’t found his way into the light yet. But this isn't the time for him to do that, he needs to lose and learn. And I'm happy to teach him that lesson.
Spencer: Jay, thank you as always for joining me.
Stevens shakes Spencer’s hand and exits as the camera zooms back in on the host.
Spencer: We’ll return after a brief pause for our sponsors with another victorious competitor, albeit by painful means, Xiaolong. Stick around for more Cruiserweight Cup coverage right here on NPW.com!
Roll commercials.
