The Youtube live stream finally begins, though the opening seconds are a seizure-inducing light show of pixelated images and flickering between black and white screens as the signal slowly strengthens until the picture grows crystal clear and we finally get to see that the camera is pointing at a large spots stadium from a position of some height. In the distance, the U.S Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota, stands proudly as in just twenty four hours or so, it will host the biggest professional wrestling show of the year. The sounds of the city fill the speakers, the hustle and bustle of commerce and entertainment, car horns and music, drifting up from down below the location of the camera as the shot continues to linger on the stadium in the background. “When I booked my hotel for this weekend, I made sure I booked the closest to the stadium with a suite that has a front row seat of the building,” the voice of David Helms says over the top of the shot before the camera turns and we finally see David holding the camera - presumably his phone - out at arms length, as he stands on what appears to be the balcony of his hotel suite, if the doors behind him are anything to go by. He turns to lean back against the balcony’s railings however, so that the U.S Bank Stadium is framed in the shot behind him as he smiles at the camera. “I wanted to wake up each morning we were here and see that sight,” he says, pointing over his shoulder to the stadium. “To remind myself of why I’m here and what I know I have to do to actually match my own ambition. We’ve been here since Thursday, so for the last two mornings, I’ve stepped outside onto this balcony to enjoy my morning coffee and have seen that staring back at me. Thirty thousand tonnes of concrete, eleven thousand tonnes of steel, all of it looming over me when I wake up, standing in judgement and asking questions of me, making demands… and for the last two mornings I’ve stared right back! See, tomorrow night guys, I have a monumental task ahead of me, because I had the audacity to do something as outrageous as win at Taking Hold of the Flame, despite claims that I got lucky while simultaneously telling me I earned the position I’m in as soon as the next breath is drawn, but we’ll get to Bree’s double standards, nonsensical logic, lies and hypocrisy in a little while… because tomorrow night, almost ten years after last winning it and five years after my last shot… I main event Rise To Greatness and challenge for the SCW World Heavyweight Championship!” he says with a deep sense of pride that almost radiates off of him. “I don’t need to stand here and lecture anyone on the important of the SCW world title, you all know what that belt means to so many and how coveted it is by all those who haven’t held it… and now here I stand, once again on the cusp of possibly claiming it for myself, a position I haven’t been in for the same amount of time my son has been alive, at this point. That alone was a big of a wake up call, believe me… and if the fact that it’s been more than ten years since that fabled night I won the World Title from Jake Starr doesn’t tell you how quickly time flies, I don’t know what would, because to me it seems like only yesterday I was preparing to face Jake at the twenty ten end of year special, now here I stand, on a balcony in Minneapolis, waiting to headline Rise To Greatness in twenty twenty!”

“And I guess I have to admit that it’s been a hell of a fucking year for me up to now, huh?” David asks, smiling sheepishly as he looks away from the camera for a moment, taking a breath before diverting his attention back to it. “In fact, it’s been king of a whirlwind ride really, given I only made my official return at Day of Infamy in January, and now he were are at the end of July and you can only imagine how much a shock it would have come to me back in January if I knew this was going to fucking happen… don’t get me wrong, I’m not going out of my way to appear humble or anything, I just… well, I had a lot of questions I was asking of myself back in January, you know? Despite the fire that I could feel beneath my ass, the fire that drove me to get back in the ring, you never manage to shake those ringing doubts, do you? Are you sure you want to do this, are you sure you’re capable of doing this. What if you get hurt? What if you suck? And I know I wasn’t the only one thinking all that stuff, I saw the internet buzz, the questions in the comments on my youtube channel, the tweets you guys sent my way after the unmasking of those pesky Lucho’s… and honestly, while I think I went some way towards dispelling a few of those doubts either in my own mind or some of the fans of SCW, but i’ll be honest with all of you watching this right now… as a pro wrestler, the questions may change over the course of days weeks or months, but they never really go away. Unless your head is truly jammed firmly up your own ass, you are always going to be asking yourself those questions, you’re always going to be questioning whether you have what it takes or whether you’re making the right choices. And it’s those questions that are supposed to keep you going on the right path, even if the theory and the practice aren’t exactly one in the same… even with the best intentions, people have a habit of rushing in like fools where angels fear to tread, but for the most part, I can say hand on heard that I’ve pretty much questioned myself like that for the entirety of my career if I’m honest… and that’s definitely the case right now, considering I have what’s without a shadow of a doubt the single biggest match of my entire career to date!” he says, under no illusions just how monumental the following nights show is, at least for him at any rate. There were probably a great number of people who thought it was a horrible main event, David had always had his detractors, but to him at least, this was the biggest night of his professional career. And given it was coming as he readied to turn forty later in the year, there was a sense of irony about that fact. “Make no bones about it bro, tomorrow night is massive for me, because while I may have done plenty here in SCW, while I may be a legend and have a Hall of Fame spot and the career that comes with that… tomorrow night is practically the culmination of that career! No, this isn’t some elongated retirement speech or anything, I’m not claiming I’ll throw my toys from the buggy if I lose and quit, I’d like to think I’m bigger than the type of tantrums we’ve seen from Bree over the years, you all know the ones I’m talking about. What I’m saying is that despite everything… it took me until now to reach what many see as the pinnacle of being in this company, by walking into Rise To Greatness to compete in the main event for the biggest title in the sport! And despite anything I’ve said over the years, despite wanting to concentrate on other titles or claiming I wasn’t worthy of the big one, tomorrow night will be the ultimate test for me since coming out of retirement, because if I win tomorrow, all of it becomes worth it, doesn’t it?” he asks, knowing full well that people will be wondering what happens if he loses, but that as a bridge that he intends to cross if or when he comes to it, rather than polluting his mindset before the event has even arrived. 

“And now, after weeks of build where I’ve been told so many different interesting facts about who I am, what I stand for, what I think and what the words actually mean that come from my mouth… it’s basically put up or shut up time, isn’t it?” he says, turning to look over his shoulder at the stadium for a second before looking back at the camera again, determination written across his face as if looking at the stadium behind him gave him a newfound resolve. “Between me and you guys watching, I’ll be fucking glad to see the back of Bree after tomorrow night… unless I win obviously, in which case I guess I’ll have to endure weeks of tantrums, bitching, moaning and demands until she’s no doubt given a rematch just to shut her the fuck up, but hey, it’s a small price to pay for wiping the smile from her face I guess? Seriously though, for a woman who claimed she didn’t want to make this personal, that she wanted to keep it about the title… I’ve gotta say, I’d hate to see what she does when it is personal, because I have a feeling I’d have to have radiation detectors fitted in my home and check my car for IED’s every time I wanted to drive it! Then again, professional isn’t the same as upstanding, is it? That’s the thing that actually tickles me, about this whole thing. Bree’s been trying to claim a moral high ground ever since I won Taking Hold of the Flame, trying to claim that she’s the one who went out of her way to not make this personal, that it was meant to be about the title not everything but… yet as far as I’m concerned, the closest this whole build has been to being about the SCW World Championship is when she interfered in my match with her new bestest buddy Tommy in order to blast me in the back of the head with it!” he says, laughing humorlessly before shaking his head. “Forgive me if I’m wrong, but attacking someone while their back is turned, in the middle of a match is far fucking removed from being professional as far as I’m goddamn concerned! And as for keeping this professional… who was the first person to bring family into this, huh?! Week one, right after Taking Hold of Flame, when I came out to the ring and Lucas and Jason suggested we had a toast to my success in the flame and Bree decided to gatecrash the party, who was the first person to bring my brother Dom up in all of this, huh? It sure as fuck wasn’t me, I know that much! No Bree, it was you who brought him up, rushing out to that ring to ensure you told me… no, rubbed it in my face that it was you that Dom would be supporting at Rise To Greatness. Tell me Bree, was I supposed to be shocked by that?! Let me give you a tip though ‘babes’... what you used to rub in my face? It’s exactly the same thing as I did with Regan, because that’s what partners do Bree, they support each other no matter what! You’ve given me shit for weeks because I stood by Regan’s side when Tommy started acting like a meggagiggabutthole, yet you want to rub it in my face that Dom is such a supportive boyfriend by being Team Bree tomorrow night? So tell me sweetheart, which is is; is Dom actually a douchebag or am I a supportive husband, because either you’re wrong about him or me, and I really wish I could see your face as you try and figure out which makes you less of a hypocrite, because I bet it’s a fucking picture!” 

“That’s your m.o though isn’t it Bree? Twisting facts, bastardising the truth,” he says as he continued on the same thread, finally able to spill his thoughts out for the world to see as he streams live on the internet. “You’re the one who’s made this personal from day one yet I’m the villain of the piece in your telling of the story, because I’ve been burning bridges left right and centre. I’ve been putting myself ahead of my family, ignoring what they want or need. You’ve thrown the Tommy stuff in my face time after time, like a broken fucking record despite the fact that he was the one who bitched at me instead of confronting Regan like an adult so they could hash out their differences. No, I’m the one to blame in the World According To Bree, because I decided to defend the same person you’ve accused me of ignoring! Does this broad know how to even spell the word hypocrite or am I wasting my time here?” he asks, laughing a little before going back to it. “Here’s the thing Bree… I don’t even think you understand the double standards you live your life by at this point, and I’m being nice with saying that, because the alternative is that you’re just a fucking idiot and I’d like to give you the benefit of the doubt with that one. Tell me again doll, how I’m the douchebag who burns bridges and hurts his loved ones when you literally came on live tv a couple years ago to out your own sister-in-law’s life choices in front of millions of people watching around the world, all because you weren’t so keen on them yourself! You can lecture me all you want dude, but I’ve been nothing but supportive to my family, standing by them through thick and thin over the years, and no matter what narrative you try and spin, I know that I’ve never used a live microphone to try and burn a loved one in front of the whole world like you have! Sokeep telling me about the bridges I’ve burned, while you bury the evidence of your own blue touch paper deep within the layers of hypocrisy, bitchiness and salt that make up your fucking existence!” David suggests, his eyes alight now with the same indignation that has carried him through many matches over the years, and he barely wastes a breath and kicking things up a gear now that he’s started. “Family is the most important thing in the world to me, Bree. Not gold, not championships or fame, attention. Family are my world, and you can believe whatever you want of me toots, you can paint whatever picture you like, but while you’re trying to suggest that I don’t care about Regan, or that I don’t give a fuck about Dom, I want to ask you one simple question: who the fuck do you think Dom was talking to when you two had your last bustup and he flew out to Los Angeles early for his last round of filming? Do you think he just sat in his hotel and cried himself to sleep at night because Ms. Classypants was being a bitch again? Jesus, pull your head out of your ass for two seconds would you?” 

He turns away from the camera for a minute, looking out over the view from his balcony. It was obvious from his demeanour that he was taking no pleasure in bringing up personal things, but he wasn’t the one who set the precedent or the rules, that was Bree. And if she wanted to play that game, then he’d play; he was far more experienced than she was and he knew all about the fact that there was a time and a place to call a shot. If this wasn’t it then he wasn’t sure he’d know when it was. “You’re no stranger to your personal life being on the internet anyway, right Bree?” he asks as he turns back to the camera. “That’s why I was so surprised you tried to throw it in my face that the news had gotten out about mine and Tommy’s fight before Taking Hold of the Flame, given your own history… how many TMZ articles did you feature in back then, huh? I definitely remember them interviewing my brother, and you ranting and raving about how they were nothing but ‘trash media’ I believe you called it. But again, I suppose we can just chalk this off as being another point for hypocrisy, huh? But while we’re touching on just how much of a hypocrite you are sweetheart, why don’t we talk about what I mentioned right at the start of this video? Why don’t we talk about the fact that I somehow managed to simultaneously get lucky to beat Sienna and Chris in the final three of the flame while also earning my chance to stand her and talk about our upcoming match for the title? If I got lucky as you said back at the beginning of June then how in the hell did I actually earn this opportunity by your own admission only two weeks ago?! I wouldn’t say lucking out is how you truly earn something dude, but maybe we just have different definitions of the word ‘earn’ so perhaps I shouldn’t give you too hard a time about it. Thing is, the fact you even tried to suggest I got lucky when I eliminated the likes of Sienna, Chris, Gio and Syren from the flame, the latter someone that we both know you owe quite the debt of gratitude towards, given it was her actions that wrapped the world title up in a nice hot-pink bow for you when you went one on one with James back at Cold Blooded, wasn’t it? Though of course we know that you didn’t actually see that, did you? You weren’t aware that Syren had got involved and didn’t learn about it until much later when you’d already ‘won’ the title through your own hard work, grit and determination during the match… because heaven forbid Bree Lancaster admit that she took advantage of a situation not of her own orchestrating or that she got lucky as she seems convinced I did…. Don’t worry hypocrite, your secret’s safe with me and the several million who saw what happened with Syren that you didn’t, we’ll say no more about it,” he says, winking theatrically twice into the camera. “But that’s just part of the Bree Lancaster Experience, isn’t it?” he asks, just about managing to avoid smirking at the hinted at reference. “The ultimate storyteller, the manipulator of facts, doing a bang up job of talking herself up and ensuring his brand isn’t sullied by something as inconvenient as the truth. But I’d expect nothing less than the best spin from someone who’s been dominating here for the last three years, anyway… which makes me chuckle if I’m honest because that’s one we can actually fact-check, isn’t it?!” 

David nods his head, conceding defeat to Bree’s point and awarding her that one. “You’re right Bree, you were absolutely correct when you pointed out that I wasn’t the one that was dominant in the company for the last three years, can’t argue with the truth can I… I mean, it’s hard to be dominant in a company you’re not employed by, but why should such a triviality take away from such cheap point scoring, after all? But hey, those last three years of not being here where I must have sucked in comparison to your dominance, I’m sure they were more than made up for with the six years I had here that saw me enter the Hall Of Fame, right? Or maybe the seventeen years across five different companies where I won the World Title in three of them, maybe that covers my ass for the past three years where I was busy not dominating while retired? And now we’ve made fun of how dumb that statement was from you, how about we talk about how I’ve been at the top of this business my entire career, consistently performing at the top level in every company I’ve wrestler for, and then figure out which of us should be bragging right now! But more importantly, for all your ‘dominance’, I can’t help but feel like I should remind you that the rest of us weren’t born yesterday and we don’t have memories that short that we don’t remember your failures during that three year period you’re so proud of… which happened to include you and your ex-husband losing the tag titles to Shaun Cruze and my kid, if memory serves me correctly. So don’t try and paint a picture of you being this ultimate badass when the only paint you have is fucking whitewash!” he tells the camera and by proxy, Bree, making sure that she remembers that there were plenty of negatives for her in her ‘period of dominance’ that she’s so proud of. “Or does Hazardous Envy not count, because it doesn’t fit the narrative you’ve been trying to tell for weeks? Do the losses you suffered not count because they don’t fit the picture you’ve fashioned for yourself in your own mind? If we’re playing make believe then maybe I should just claim I already beat you for the title and it’s me going into Greatness as champ, because it’s no less believable than some of the bullshit that comes from her mouth at times… heaven forbid we worry about the truth anyway, I already said that, didn’t I? But if you’re gonna gloss over my successes and highlight my failures Bree, then it’s only fair I do exactly the same thing to you, so don’t you dare complain about it happening!” 

“Thing is, all the verbal pipebombs and pot shots we’ve both taken, none of it matters in the end, because the only thing that counts is what happens tomorrow night,” David says, his temper waning a little as he takes a moment to take one final look over his shoulder at the stadium behind him before diverting his attention back to the camera. “That building behind me, Bree… that’s where this ends, whether it’s in your favour of mine. The U.S Bank Stadium is the setting for the fight that makes the last few weeks meaningless when all is said and done, because it’s what happens in the ring that’s going to matter! And I’m sure there’ll be plenty of armchair experts on both sides, talking about how we both have the advantage tomorrow night, debating why either one of us will walk out as champion. Fact is, for all the shit that spews from your mouth, from all the whitewash you’ve plastered over various events to try and make them appear more to your own liking, you do enter the ring as Champion tomorrow night and I am more than aware of what you can do inside of a ring Bree… and hell, maybe I can admit that you have way more of an advantage tomorrow than I do, I mean you have age on your side for starters, don’t you? You have time on your side too, this may just be the first of many runs as World champion that you’ll have here in SCW before you reach the point where it’s time to step away, who knows… but me?” he asks before scoffing. “I have to train twice as hard as you do for half the results, and every day that passes, I know I’m a day closer to that fire in the basement burning out for good! And sure, you can make the argument that the same applies to all of us in the business, but while it does apply to an eighteen year old punk the same it applies to a sixty year old veteran, there’s clearly still a difference! I turn forty years old at the end of this year, and there are people younger than me who have already had to step away because of concerns for their own health. A woman you just adore comes to mind, but I’ll save saying her name for your own sanity, given the amount of times you lost to her in the past, as well as all the stuff with your ex-husband and how he feels about her… but knowing your on borrowed time for want of a better explanation, it gives a guy something to think about. As good as I feel right now, as ready as I am and as good a shape as I’m in… I know that this won’t last forever. Sooner or later, I’ll have slowed down so much that I’m barely moving. I’ll be so out of shape that all I can throw is a coughing fit, instead of an opponent around the ring. But do you know what keeps all of that from dragging me down, Bree? It’s the thought that while those days are coming for me, they’re not here yet! I won trio’s this year, I beat your best friend and her husband to win Taking Hold of the Flame. And no matter what you say, I didn’t do that through luck, I did it by busting my fucking ass and being good enough to do it! The real proof of how good we are, how strong or fit we are, it comes out in that ring… and if I want to keep proving to myself that I’m still good enough to be here then the only way I can do that is by beating better than you! I’ve been at the top before, but the question is whether I can do it again? Who knows. But after twenty one years in this business Bree, I’m inclined to think I’ve probably forgotten more than you’ve even learned! And maybe Dom has given you some hints on how to get inside of my head, maybe Tommy has given you the inside track on my weaknesses or how to beat me, assuming you don’t just have someone blast me in the head with a title to give you a win like you gave him… but no matter how much you think you know what to expect from me Bree, I promise you this; you’ll be in for a few surprises tomorrow night! And I’ll promise you something else too… you want to beat me tomorrow? It won’t be like last week, there’s no Sienna or Chris, no Josh or Jordan. It’s you and me out there. And if you want to beat me Bree, you’re going to have to work harder than you have ever worked before between those ropes! I’m ready for doing that… and I hope you are. Because that just may end up the difference between winning and losing in what is the first Rise To Greatness main event for both of us! So no pressure, huh? BANG!” he says before, without warning, he turns the camera around and points it directly at the U.S Bank Stadium, and he holds the camera there for a few seconds, even zooming in a little before the livestream finally comes to an end with a black screen.