Post by Church on Jul 22, 2011 23:52:47 GMT -5
Arriving at the arena, Tyreke Bell had a knot in his gut. Church had been in countless fights during his lifetime. For nearly 8 years he'd been competitively punching people in the face and "butterflies" had been gone for well over half of that time. But for the first time in a while, Church was genuinely nervous. The nerves weren't coming from his opponents, though. In his short wrestling tenure, Church had squared off against men like Jack Bull and Brett Cross. They weren't from facing more than one man, as he'd been involved in several multi-man matches.
The nerves were because Tyreke Bell's success tonight was on the shoulders of Immanuel Taylor.
In his short stint in EUW, no man had drawn Church's ire more than Taylor. Only Christian Kane had even come close, but that was over before it started. Tyreke Bell was several weeks removed from upsetting Taylor and claiming the HardKore championship. Church's beef with Taylor died at the count of three. He expected Taylor to ask for a rematch, but Church harbored no ill will towards the man he'd defeated.
However, instead of asking for a shot, Taylor made his presence felt two weeks later when he attacked Bell without warning. Taylor left the building that night with the title that Church had rightfully earned. Now, a month removed from that incident, Church and Taylor were expected to come together as a tag team and face Redemption. Truthfully, Church didn't know much about the tandem. He knew they wore masks, but more importantly he knew that they were a well oiled team.
And that's where the nerves came from. Aside from a few petty fights in high school, Church had never relied on a partner. It was one of the reasons he was drawn to boxing. His success and failure rode solely on his shoulders. If he left himself open for a right hook, he didn't have anyone to point the finger at. However, when he landed a knockout blow, the praise was all his as well. Tonight, Church was being asked not only to trust in someone else to help him win...but he was being asked to trust the one man that he had the most contempt for. Nerves aside, the entire situation left a bad taste in his mouth. To say that he was angry with the company for putting him in such a tough spot was an understatement. There was nothing he could do about it now, not at this point in time.
But Tyreke Bell had a plan. For one night, he would be the perfect partner to Immanuel Taylor. He was going to place his trust 100% behind the man that he'd beaten for the HardKore championship. If Taylor did the same, Church was sure that they would leave as the victors. He'd been in the ring with Taylor and he knew the intensity and skill that his fellow Baltimore native could bring. But while Taylor would be competing, Church would get to study his Scars and Stripes opponent up close, without being on the receiving end of the heavy blows unleased by Taylor's fists. Bell could sit back and analyze Taylor's style objectively, finding a weakness while attempting to be a partner to the man. Any little twinge of pain or minor injury that Immanuel was trying to hide would help Church prepare for their upcoming bout. After all, there was a cliche that said to keep your enemies close...perhaps the man that coined it knew what he was talking about.
As Church walked down the hallways of the Asylum arena, he began to shadowbox. His targetless punches flowed easily, helping his muscles loosen up for the battle that awaited. The battle with redemeption.
Church smirked and let out an amused scoff. It hadn't even occured to him before just now...
Tyreke Bell was nothing but a washed up boxer back in April. Nobody outside of East Baltimore knew his name...and even then, most people in East Baltimore didn't know him. He'd taken a chance and joined EUW, finding early success and getting himself into the position to hold a championship...and seized the opportunity. Tonight's match was a microcosim of his year. Church Bell was out of his comfort zone. He was participating in a fight unlike anything he ever had before, relying solely on blind faith that it would go off without a hitch. Church Bell was fighting Redemption.
"Hey, you're that Preacher guy..."
Church was so deep in thought that he barely noticed the voice. In fact, in barely registered that someone had spoken, much less spoken to him. It wasn't until a small, frail hand grabbed his shoulder that Tyreke turned around. A small kid in a Chuck Johnson shirt was loitering around before the show, hoping to find autographs. He extended an Asylum program and a sharpie marker in Church's direction.
"Sign my program?"
Church cleared his throat and took a knee beside the kid. "What's your name, kid?" He took the marker and clicked it, hovering above the program.
"Kyle," the kid chirped at him. As Church wrote a brief message, the kid added, "Good luck against Immanuel Taylor...I hope you beat him."
Church chuckled...the innocence of the kid was kinda refreshing. "Me too, kid." He handed the stuff back. "But I've got a feeling that luck will have nothing to do with it."
But hard work and scouting would...and tonight, if they managed to co-exist...Church Bell would get a first row seat to watch Immanuel Taylor at his very best. He couldn't wait until Scars and Stripes...and he couldn't wait to go through Redemption to get there.
The nerves were because Tyreke Bell's success tonight was on the shoulders of Immanuel Taylor.
In his short stint in EUW, no man had drawn Church's ire more than Taylor. Only Christian Kane had even come close, but that was over before it started. Tyreke Bell was several weeks removed from upsetting Taylor and claiming the HardKore championship. Church's beef with Taylor died at the count of three. He expected Taylor to ask for a rematch, but Church harbored no ill will towards the man he'd defeated.
However, instead of asking for a shot, Taylor made his presence felt two weeks later when he attacked Bell without warning. Taylor left the building that night with the title that Church had rightfully earned. Now, a month removed from that incident, Church and Taylor were expected to come together as a tag team and face Redemption. Truthfully, Church didn't know much about the tandem. He knew they wore masks, but more importantly he knew that they were a well oiled team.
And that's where the nerves came from. Aside from a few petty fights in high school, Church had never relied on a partner. It was one of the reasons he was drawn to boxing. His success and failure rode solely on his shoulders. If he left himself open for a right hook, he didn't have anyone to point the finger at. However, when he landed a knockout blow, the praise was all his as well. Tonight, Church was being asked not only to trust in someone else to help him win...but he was being asked to trust the one man that he had the most contempt for. Nerves aside, the entire situation left a bad taste in his mouth. To say that he was angry with the company for putting him in such a tough spot was an understatement. There was nothing he could do about it now, not at this point in time.
But Tyreke Bell had a plan. For one night, he would be the perfect partner to Immanuel Taylor. He was going to place his trust 100% behind the man that he'd beaten for the HardKore championship. If Taylor did the same, Church was sure that they would leave as the victors. He'd been in the ring with Taylor and he knew the intensity and skill that his fellow Baltimore native could bring. But while Taylor would be competing, Church would get to study his Scars and Stripes opponent up close, without being on the receiving end of the heavy blows unleased by Taylor's fists. Bell could sit back and analyze Taylor's style objectively, finding a weakness while attempting to be a partner to the man. Any little twinge of pain or minor injury that Immanuel was trying to hide would help Church prepare for their upcoming bout. After all, there was a cliche that said to keep your enemies close...perhaps the man that coined it knew what he was talking about.
As Church walked down the hallways of the Asylum arena, he began to shadowbox. His targetless punches flowed easily, helping his muscles loosen up for the battle that awaited. The battle with redemeption.
Church smirked and let out an amused scoff. It hadn't even occured to him before just now...
Tyreke Bell was nothing but a washed up boxer back in April. Nobody outside of East Baltimore knew his name...and even then, most people in East Baltimore didn't know him. He'd taken a chance and joined EUW, finding early success and getting himself into the position to hold a championship...and seized the opportunity. Tonight's match was a microcosim of his year. Church Bell was out of his comfort zone. He was participating in a fight unlike anything he ever had before, relying solely on blind faith that it would go off without a hitch. Church Bell was fighting Redemption.
"Hey, you're that Preacher guy..."
Church was so deep in thought that he barely noticed the voice. In fact, in barely registered that someone had spoken, much less spoken to him. It wasn't until a small, frail hand grabbed his shoulder that Tyreke turned around. A small kid in a Chuck Johnson shirt was loitering around before the show, hoping to find autographs. He extended an Asylum program and a sharpie marker in Church's direction.
"Sign my program?"
Church cleared his throat and took a knee beside the kid. "What's your name, kid?" He took the marker and clicked it, hovering above the program.
"Kyle," the kid chirped at him. As Church wrote a brief message, the kid added, "Good luck against Immanuel Taylor...I hope you beat him."
Church chuckled...the innocence of the kid was kinda refreshing. "Me too, kid." He handed the stuff back. "But I've got a feeling that luck will have nothing to do with it."
But hard work and scouting would...and tonight, if they managed to co-exist...Church Bell would get a first row seat to watch Immanuel Taylor at his very best. He couldn't wait until Scars and Stripes...and he couldn't wait to go through Redemption to get there.
