We click play on the video and as we do, a small loading icon appears in the middle of the blank screen, turning slowly as the video buffers for a split second before it disappears and the video begins to play. And now that it's playing, the first thing we see is none other than Supreme Championship Wrestling star and Hall of Famer himself, David Helms, standing in front of the desk of his home-office in the Hollywood Hills. He wears a charcoal grey Next F’n Level t-shirt, paired with blue ripped jeans and trademark red Converse sneakers, as he brings a finger up to his brow to knock off a casual salute to the camera and those watching at home. As he does so, a date stamp appears in the bottom left hand corner of the screen, reading 06.29.2020, before fading out again as he slips his hand back into the pocket of his jeans and begins to speak. “Sup guys,” he says, his usual jovial nature from the start of these videos more than evident like most weeks as he continues to speak. “And welcome to another week in the life of a professional wrestler, huh? You know, they say time passes us by quickly, and generally speaking that much was true to begin with, but it’s funny… with Rise to Greatness on the horizon, I have to admit that it seems to be flying by even quicker than normal if I’m honest. We’re down to what, a little under four weeks now? Twenty seven days in fact, and man, it doesn’t feel like two minutes has passed since I was standing in the middle of the ring in my own hometown more or less, celebrating victory at Taking Hold of the Flame, knowing I’d booked my spot in the main event of Rise to Greatness for the first time in my career… yet here we are, less than a month away, and let me tell you bro, you do not get a moment's rest this time of year, believe me on that! Whether it’s training harder than ever in order to be at your best, or the shows leading up to Greatness, this is a hell of a busy time for everyone on the SCW roster and I know for a fact that it’s only gonna get worse the closer we get to the big one because I’ve been through this before and know how hectic things can be just on the undercard, so I’m expecting it to be fucking bananas knowing I’ve finally grabbed top billing this year!” he says, puffing out his cheeks and exhaling, still clearly in a modicum of disbelief that he’s in the position he is at present. “And I’m pretty sure that by the time Greatness weekend rolls around and I find myself with my family in Minneapolis, the nerves will be kicking in and I’ll be my usual picture of nervous energy and excitement, but right now… well, honestly I’m just kind of enjoying the ride, you know? I know it may be my last shot at this title, that I may not get another opportunity after this, so I’m determined to enjoy every moment of it, regardless of what happens by night’s end… and I’m sure a certain ambitchous douche canoe will have plenty to say about that, no doubt pointing out that Greatness will only be ending one way, but whatever, I’ll leave her to run her mouth like she has done for months. As John Cooper Clarke may put it, her attitudes are platitudes anyway, so more power to her… but nothing she’ll say is going to effect me heading into the biggest show of the year, so she’d be doing herself as well as the rest of us a favour if she just shut the fuck up between now and July twenty sixth, really… not that she will but hey, we can all dream, right?” 

A smirk plays across his face, in fact the phrase impish grin may be particularly fitting as a description, and he chuckles to himself a little before sighing and shaking his head as if shaking away the thought. And as he does so, his face takes on a far more serious expression, a shift in his body language tells a story that the fun and jokes may be over, like a storm cloud rolling in across his facial features for want of a better description and when he speaks, the light hearted tone is gone too. “But this isn’t Rise to Greatness week… because Rise To Greatness is four weeks away, and as much as I may have just made a point about time going way too quickly right now, in this business? A lot can fucking happen in four weeks bro, you know that as much as I do! So as much as I need to have my mind on the prize heading into Greatness, I’d be an idiot to fixate on it, because while I’m looking into this distance there’ll be people in the here and now looking to take me down and ensure I don’t make it to the show of shows! I’m facing one of those assholes this coming Wednesday, which still stings like hell to say out loud if I’m honest, even after everything that’s been fairly well documented between the two of us over the last month or two… it’s funny how that works I guess; you can literally hate someone with a passion for who they’ve become or what they’ve done, yet it still stings to admit it out loud because of the memories. Fuck, it sounds like I’m talking about an ex right now or something, not a former best friend… and there we go again, with that pain that comes with admission of an ending, just from the word former. Man, this situation fucking sucks, it really does. And the sad thing is, the match between me and Tommy this week, this is probably what you guys were gonna get if I’d not won the battle royal in New Jersey to book my ticket to the Greatness main event; with the way things were heading between us, I was already trying to mentally prepare for facing someone who knows me almost as well as anybody on the planet, be it inside of a ring or not, which isn’t exactly easy when you’re on good terms with someone, but throw in the anger and resentment… and believe me I am angry and I do resent him at the minute… but throw that in on top of the knowledge we have of each other’s every move inside of a ring? This could either be the bloodiest Underground Rules match seen in years or it could be boring as fuck because it’s just a string of counters until someone gets lucky…” he says with a sigh, before closing his eyes for a brief moment to compose himself. When he opens them again, he almost seems to be more self-assured than a moment ago, more confident as he speaks. “But I didn’t win Taking Hold of the Flame just to let myself get taken out on the road to my reward for winning! And as much as Bree is probably loving the fact I’m booked in an Underground Rules match this week, knowing that it may just leave me in a weakened position heading into our match, I’m not going to hold back Wednesday, because you know what? As much as it pains me to think this way, as painful as it is to admit it, I want this fucking match to happen! And here’s another admission, bro… the story that broke online about AnteUp? About the parent-company, named after our former tag team? It’s true. I’ve avoided really commenting on any of this crap because I don’t like to feed the tabloids their stories and god knows they don’t really need the help in reporting on shit anyway, but the account given by whichever student’s it were that leaked the story, it was true. And I’m not giving a blow for blow in this video, but as of right now, my fifty percent stake in AnteUp - California and New York - as well as Next Level Records, Next Level Corporate offices and everything else that we owned under the Next Level umbrella, it's all on the open market because it’s not enough to distance myself from that asshole personally, I can’t stand being around him at all!” 

With his jaw clenched, David evidently finds it difficult to talk for a moment and he takes a second to breathe in deeply before exhaling slowly through his nose, calming down enough to speak again. “Imagine that,” he says, scoffing as he shakes his head and looks away from the camera for a moment before finally turning his attention back to it. “Imagine not just washing your hands of someone on a personal level because you can’t stand their shit anymore, but throwing away eleven years worth of growth in various fields, throwing away the fruits of your own dreams that you spent years building and growing and turning into one of the best in it’s field… all because the other guy in the equation is a douche nozzle of such epic proportions that you’d rather give up on those dreams than force yourself to stomach any more of his bullshit for even a second longer! I never thought I’d walk away, I never imagined a situation where I thought I’d want to dissolve a partnership that begin more than a decade ago all things told, starting out so small with a little building that straddled the boundary of our two homes in Raleigh, that we turned into a gym mostly for working out and keeping in proper ring condition. That was the start of everything, it was where we found our first ever student in Harmony Fisher, a name I’m sure you guys remember. It was where the fire was lit beneath us… and the idea began to grow steadily over the years that followed until I approached retirement,” he says, laughing to himself given the situation, “and AnteUp was truly born. But now… even the name leaves a nasty taste in my mouth, all because of Tommy Valentine and his fucking ego! This was a legacy we built, and in roughly six weeks he managed to make me hate my own dream, to feel sickened by the legacy that I helped to create with him! I’m impressed, I really am. Not even Zoe Sperling made me hate myself as much as this asshole is right now, I just don’t think it’s in the way he hoped I would!” he adds, before sighing and looking down. As he does so he spots the shirt he’s wearing and scoffs again as he turns back to the camera. “Probably seems pretty funny to you guys that I’m wearing this, huh?” he asks as he grabs a handful of the material of his shirt in a balled fist to draw attention to the Next Level t-shirt he wears. “This T-shirt used to stand for something, it used to have meaning… we once said we were the greatest tag team to never win the tag titles, do you remember that one Tommy? We talked about always taking things to the next level, that we were gonna up the ante and not back down… then we won the belts not once but twice, we showed exactly why persistence pays off Tommy, the value of teamwork and a common goal! But look at us now. Look at the fucking state of ya bro, and for what?! Because you were hurt by something my wife said and got your knickers in a twist when I wouldn’t sit her down and lecture her life a fucking child?! Nah man, that’s childish, that attitude right there! You’re a grown ass man Tommy, yet you’re throwing a tantrum because big mean Regan said something you didn’t agree with and instead of knocking on our door to discuss it like an adult you lost your shit, made half a dozen threats and then stormed off. And that was just the fucking beginning… because that trend continued, didn’t it bro? Because Tommy Valentine, at least this version of him - who I barely fucking recognise anymore - he isn’t capable of calming down and taking a step back, he has to double down and take things another step or twelve! Still taking it to the Next Level, even without me, bro. Least you’re consistent I guess…”

Sighing, David looks down at his shirt and shakes his head. The disappointment is more than evident in his face, but there’s more too, a sense of resignation, that he’s accepted that something truly has come to an end. In one swift motion he pulls off the shirt, revealing a light gray T-shirt beneath, with his own face on it and the words “The Final Level written above the image. “This was the last time we stood across the ring from each other Tommy, Final Level two thousand fifteen,” he says, nodding down at the shirt he’s wearing for emphasis. “I remember that match like it was yesterday, as I’m sure you do too. Another night in my home state of New Jersey, a night that - at the time - brought an end to my career as a wrestler. I’m sure you’ll comment on that at some point, throw it back in my face like most seem to do since I returned, that I made a big song and dance about my retirement, the tour and everything, only to return less than five years later. Here’s the thing though Tommy; unlike you, I can admit when I’m wrong! I can admit that I made the wrong call or that I came to regret something, but Tommy Valentine doesn’t do that, does he?! Nah, Tommy Valentine lashes out and blames the world for everything that doesn’t go exactly to his own liking and fuck anyone who disagrees because they’re just wrong, it’s that simple! And that’s all this is down to, isn’t it broski? You and your fragile fucking ego, unable to admit that you overteacted and went thermonuclear over something that could have been hashed out over a jäger bomb instead! And now, here we are… almost everyone apart from the chick that was the epicentre for this, has basically deserted you and yet we’re the problem, not you, that’s how the narrative goes, right dude? Well fuck you, Tommy!” David says, his anger cutting through and leaving no one uncertain on whether things have really passed the point of no return for him and his former tag partner and best friend. “I’m glad you failed to beat Peyton recently, you know that? I’m glad she kicked your ass, because I’d like to think that it maybe caused you to take stock and ask if your ego is pushing things too far for you now, whether it’s getting you into trouble that you can’t quite handle… but our former student wiping the floor with you isn’t going to do that, you’re Tommy Valentine, the guy who knows best in practically every circumstance and situation known to fucking man, aren’t you?! But I’m glad you failed, bro. I’m glad you didn’t become Tommy Two belts and end up having more shinies than brain cells, because let’s face it Tommy, your fucking attitude lately doesn’t exactly scream deserving, does it! Besides, we already had one arrogant egomaniacal bitch running around with two belts until recently anyway, we didn’t need a second one! But nah, go ahead and play the victim like normal, man… go ahead and pretend that you’re the hard done by part of this story, because who gives a fuck about facts when a lie can get around the world before the truth even has its boots on!” 

David scoffs and shakes his head. “So it’s time to go old school, I guess,” he says, and for a fraction of a second, a sinister smile does play across his face before he buries it again. “I thought those days were behind me in all honesty, but if that street fight against The Wonderland taught me anything, it’s that I still know how to be dangerous when absolutely needed, bro. And this shit between me and you, I’m not naive enough to believe that if I kick your ass this week you’ll fuck off back into the woodwork and stop being a douche nozzle like you have been for weeks. Seriously, trying to stop me from winning the flame because of all this, and you want to paint it as if you were doing the company a favour? Jesus. But while I know beating you isn’t going to make you see the error of your ways, this match gives me something else… and it’s perhaps something worth far more than a victory on my record, because this Wednesday is a chance to make you shut the fuck up for at least a few minutes! It’s a chance to leave you something lasting as a reminder of not just who you fucked with bro, but big a mistake it was! Every stitch is gonna be en exclamation point of how much of a douche bag you’ve become and in years to come, when you’ve come to your senses like we both know you ultimately will, let’s hope those same stitches are enough to stop you from ever getting so consumed by your own self importance ever again!” he says, absentmindedly running a hand over his arm where some of his own scars from years of violent matches are now covered by tattoos. “A bit of blood isn’t going to deter either of us, I know that… but neither is the idea of a loss, because we’ve come to blows plenty of times in recent weeks, some more publicised than others, some even breaking the internet when the need appeared on PW Outsider… but we both know that the result isn’t going to matter, don’t we? There doesn’t need to even be a set of bell’s ringing either side of this, we can settle it in the fucking car park. Whichever one of us can’t walk away is the loser, save the referee from getting in the way of what’s probably gonna be a shit show of violence and brutality. And while you won’t give a fuck, I don’t want an officials health on my conscience… but yours? Well, you started this bro, you’re the one that turned this from a situation that could be sorted out amicably to being at one another’s throats quite literally lately, and whatever happens Wednesday night, that’s all on you as well! I’m not going to throw around cliches like it’s Christmas and threaten to kill you or maim you or anything as trite as that… but I’ll promise you one that dude. You’re gonna fucking know what hit you when you wake up Thursday morning! Just like I’ll know what hit me. Question now is which of us is gonna go that extra yard to get the job done! I already told you I think I’m the better wrestler weeks ago; Wednesday night? All being well, I fucking prove it!” He finishes, glaring down the lens of the camera before finally bringing his hands up out in front of him, placing fingers and thumbs together in the Self High Five so that his hands frame his face perfectly. “BANG!” he shouts with finality, breaking his hands apart as the video comes to an end, the final frame dimming as the replay button appears in the middle of the screen.