”Best. In. The World.”
Elizabeth Karlson’s voice rings out through an empty gym, her APEX World Championship strapped around her waist. She taps two fingers on either side of it with a wicked smile on her face.
“Despite where I sit, despite the straps I’ve got, that’s what you are. Best in the fucking world, aye? You’ve given this business the run-around for years and years, being one of the most prolific journeymen to ever step between the ropes and make your name in the Squared Circle. You are the best wrestler in the world at this moment. I’ve seen you dismantle Graham Baker, saw you dispose of Nate Cage, saw you nearly end Darkane...your pedigree speaks for itself, Finn. You are just as good as they say you are, and in a situation between the ropes, you are a tough fucking nut to crack, you are the guy to beat. Your ground game is unmatched, your submissions are lethal...and you, Finn, I’m sure, will continue to dominate in those respects for years to come.”
Liz stops herself for a moment, and then nods.
“Best in the world. It’s why I picked you, Finn. It’s why I wanted you to come for me after I caved your girlfriend’s head in, retained my title by the skin of my fucking teeth, and made my name off hers. Alyssa’s a warrior, but we both already knew that, right? It was no surprise that she pushed me harder than anyone else in my career has pushed me before. It was no surprise that she gave me the fight of a goddamned lifetime, no surprise that our first singles match since I became established was a banger that ripped the goddamn roof off the place. I saw exactly how fucking REAL that talent truly was, that she HAD EARNED everything she got over the past two years, that she was SECOND TO ONE.
ME.
That victory, Finn, it encouraged me to go harder, to shoot higher. Hell, most of the victories I’ve had here in APEX have shown me that I am, in fact, SOMEONE WHOM YOU SHOULD NOT FUCK WITH. I have CONSTANTLY pushed myself harder and harder, faced the highest pedigree of opponent here of ANYONE other than yourself. This felt like an inevitable collision for me, Finn, because despite the fact that we’ve both been pushing ourselves harder and harder, despite the fact that we’ve gone to WAR time and time again already, we still have something left to prove. We STILL have our grandest battle yet to occur. We STILL haven’t locked up-and until then, you can’t yet call yourself best in APEX, let alone the entire fucking world. You haven’t proven that yet, Finn.
It’s why I called you out initially.
Sure, it was half a jest, to beckon you out to a street fight-but do you remember what you said? Not without purpose, you wouldn’t take that match on for the sake of competition. It was then I started to see through you, a little bit. Throughout all of the excellent ground work, the tactical technicals, and the fact that you’d built up a reputation on being one of the most proficient, most consistent, most regimented performers in this fucking industry, you’d become immune to any criticisms. You’d found your ways to avoid the digging knives of others who’d seek to tear you down-creatures of twitter like Donnie Prower who spent entire days slinging nonsense at you, only for you to rebuff them, because you were better.
But even if you’re better, you’re still a fucking coward.
It’s the difference between you and me-you’re a better technical competitor than I am, Wakefield. You’re more proficient, you work better, you move better, but when it comes to fighting, you don’t fight a damn fucking inch near the way I fight. You can’t take the hits that I can, and you sure as fuck can’t dish them out, either. I’ll admit, Wakefield, if you trap me, I’m fucked-but you won’t get there. You won’t even get close. The moment you try to wrap me up in one of your submissions, my boot will meet your fucking skull, and your skull will meet the GODDAMNED CANVAS. You’re not a warrior, you’re a fucking SPORTSMAN, and when you crash headfirst into someone JUST LIKE ME, you’ll find exactly how little that sporting nature can ever fucking get you.
You’re a veteran, sure. You’veb een in this shit for much longer than I have, but you have NEVER faced someone like me. You have NEVER seen the shit i’ve been through to get to where I am today, the struggles I’ve had to stomach, the mouthfuls of SHIT I’ve had to swallow to get to the top of the fucking mountain where I stand before you. Just a year ago, I’d be looking up to you, Finn. I’d be begging to challenge you, hoping I could prove something in defeat, hoping I could find a way forward when you outgrappled me and forced me to tap the fuck out, hoping I could earn enough of your respect to get that handshake from you that would seal my meal ticket for the next month, hoping I could RECOVER from a loss at the hands of someone just that much more talented than me.
This time, though, it’s YOU who needs to earn respect from ME.”
Liz looks at the camera with fervor.
“Matt Miles chose me to be the standard-bearer for this company for a fucking REASON, and the reason is that I’m not like you, like Senn, like Arata and all the fucking others who’ve become whores for each and every company that they come across. You want to become God of many lands, then go for it, but you’re not gonna get too fucking far here. The gate to this land is guarded by me, Wakefield, and this is your shot. This is your chance to prove that you’re belonging of the top rungs of the ladder that is APEX Wrestling. This is your chance to come head to head with the queen of this fucking company, to stake your claim for a shot at my,” Liz taps the belt, “gilded glory. This championship, which I’ve made so fucking important, which I’ve tied my own FUCKING reputation to, Finn. This is what you’re gunning for. This is what you need to win if you want that ‘best in the world’ title to not have a big fucking asterisk against it.”
Liz lets her words hang for a few moments longer.
“Tonight, if you beat me-you’ve got it. You’re the best in this industry, far as I can see. My opinion matters less, surely…but since I’m the person to knock off the top, I’d best have my say. But if I beat you? If I put the great Finnegan Wakefield in the dirt?”
Liz snorts.
“Then I guess you’ll have been right not to take that fucking match back then, in the first goddamned place.”
She lets her words hang a moment longer, before tapping her belt with two knuckles one more time, turning one of those knuckles into a middle finger and closing with a smile.
![[LK] BEST IN THE WORLD* Apexba10](https://i.servimg.com/u/f27/18/43/44/09/apexba10.png)
![[LK] BEST IN THE WORLD* I_icon_minitime](https://2img.net/s/t/18/87/65/i_icon_minitime.gif){kind=icon}
by MinaAizawa Thu Oct 13, 2022 3:46 am
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Subject: [LK] BEST IN THE WORLD* 
