"Peach Championship Wrestling: Featuring superstars Cal X, Wriggley Tomlinson, Gelly Roll, and the debut of Lauren Lamb" was the sign posted for this week's card.
"Who the hell is Lauren Lamb?" Ryan Lynch asked himself while viewing the marketing poster for this week's matches.
The monthly advertisement was a feature PCW used to lure loyal fans back and attract new ones. Ryan was a 3 year veteran of PCW. A reserve respected by his peers for his grit and his willingness to put the young guys over. A team-player who put his ego aside for the benefit of more talented prospects. During his entire tenure at PCW, Ryan had never been featured in any marketing campaign promoting the card. This unknown woman, despite her natural beauty, looked like a comic book character with her exaggerated muscles and villainous smile, already accomplished that feat. And she hadn't cut one promo or wrestled a soul.
Ryan loved wrestling and was a lifelong fan of the sport. He never dreamed of being an actual performer in the ring. A friend at the local gym informed him PCW needed some smaller guys to balance out their roster. Ryan showed up to tryouts and the rest as they say is history. Despite his small stature (5'9, 150 pounds) and lack of athleticism he had carved out a role in PCW as an enhancement talent. The guy who worked hard to make sure more talented stars got over. He was good at it. His small stature allowed his opponents to showcase their maneuvers without risking much injury. Ryan was thrilled to be a part of something larger than him. PCW was an escape from his 8-5 daily grind. He saw PCW as a family. He never desired to be a star and was satisfied with his small but meaningful role. Wins and losses mattered less than having the respect of his peers and fans. He had earned that much just through his sheer volume of work. All the new guys went through Ryan on their way up the ladder. When management needed to plug a hole in the card, Ryan was always their guy. That established credibility earned over his 3 year stint would be put to the test on this hot summer night.
"Ryan I need to talk to you in my office" Chris, the manager and head booker said before he could even make it to the dressing room. Ryan made his way into the office stacked with pictures and memorabilia Chris had acquired throughout his wrestling career. A former champion of PCW, he was now entrusted as its caretaker. "Listen, Corey called out so y'all's match is off".
"Wtf, what's wrong with him?" Ryan asked. Chris just shrugged his shoulders and shook his head "he's a bum". Ryan was extremely disappointed. This was the one week where he was supposed to get a W albeit in the opening match nobody cared about. That's the only reason Ryan had invited his girlfriend of 8 months to the event.
"Well who's taking his place?" Ryan asked.
"Nobody" Chris responded and quickly pivoted to what he needed. "I need you to do another job for me," Chris said.
"For whom?" Ryan asked.
Chris responded "For the new girl".
Ryan's heart sank. He couldn't hide his dismay. With his eyes furrowed he implied Chris find a girl to do the job. Chris explained that all the other girls were booked and how allowing Lauren to beat a man would help her get over quicker. Ryan asked Chris "why him?"
Chris answered sternly "listen dude, it doesn't have to be you. I don't really give a fuck. If you want to get paid and be a part of tonight's show you can play your role or you can go home and I'll find someone else." Ryan reluctantly agreed to do the match but insisted that she shouldn't beat him fairly.
Chris, now even more annoyed relayed to Ryan "listen you guys will have a 5 minute segment where she wins. You can get with her pre-match to go over what you guys want to do. I don't care."
Ryan stood up from his chair and told Chris "you guys are doing her a disservice by enhancing her image like that" pointing to the advertisement for this week's show Chris had posted on his door. The same ad Ryan saw all over social media and upon entering the facility. Chris looked over at the poster and back to Ryan.
Rolling his eyes dismissively Chris replied "we didn't enhance anything."
Ryan made his way through the hallway and into the locker room. He sent out a text to Myra telling her not to come tonight. "Corey bailed and our match is off."
Myra texted back "so you are not going to be in the show?"
Ryan paused and hesitated for a second. "I don't know yet" he texted back hoping the uncertainty would prevent her from coming. Ryan had met Myra online and their romance had blossomed into something serious. She was his Latina heat! He was her ginger boo. Myra thought the world of Ryan. Hardworking, honest, tough and loyal. Ryan thought even more of Myra. A short but beautiful Hispanic woman with long dark hair and dark skin. Her smile lit up any room. When Ryan informed her he wrestled for PCW she was shocked.
"Honey you are too small to be wrestling." she told him lovingly. Ryan always insisted he held his own in the ring never mentioning his 2-33 record overall. Why would he? Despite his record, Ryan viewed himself as a competent performer. A fighter who could take a punch and despite losing as often as he did, he always came back. His durability was probably his greatest asset. He had taken a lot of bumps over that 3 year span from guys 2-3 times his size. Despite being satisfied and content with his role in PCW, the competitor within Ryan feared losing in her presence, especially in a match where he was dominated in convincing fashion by a superior opponent. Unfortunately for Ryan, this was often the case. It was all scripted of course but would his Mexican beauty be able see it that way? The LAST THING Ryan wanted her to see was him being squashed by anybody much less some chick. Losing to other men was one thing. Losing to a woman in front of his Latina heat. No way! He felt disrespected. Like a joke. After 3 years of blood, sweat and tears this is how PCW rewarded him? He was confused, frustrated and a little angry.
Ryan changed clothes and traded his day clothes for wrestling trunks. The same trunks he used for every show. Plain sky blue colored, classically styled. His toned down attire of high waisted sky blue trunks and boots represented a yeoman style Ryan tried to portray in the ring. Despite his lack of wins, Ryan saw himself as blue collar. Gritty. No matter how many losses he took in the ring he was always getting up.
"Hey! I'm going to come anyway ❤️. Bringing Evette too!" Myra texted back.
Ryan's heart was now racing. Evette was Myra's longtime best friend whom Ryan actually admired for her brutal honestly and loyalty towards Myra. She was beautiful in her own right. Tall and lean, she was a former soccer star in the same high school graduating class as Ryan. Although they were never friends, they were familiar with each other. She would often playfully tease Ryan, never letting him forget his clarinet playing days in their high school marching band. In her mind, Ryan was not the typical toxic masculine presence she had become accustom to Myra dating over the years. He was a kind and gentle soul. When Myra informed her he wrestled for PCW she couldn't believe it! Once she got the invite from Myra, it was an immediate yes from Yvette.
Ryan had to find the new girl quick to go over the match details. Maybe he could get her to cheat and win in an unfair fashion. Save him from a humiliating loss. Ryan nervously meandered through the locker room and halls searching for Lauren. He could not find her anywhere. He sees the champion Cal X and musters the courage to actually ask him if he had any idea where the new girl was.
"New girl?" Cal responds with a raised eye brow.
"Lauren" Ryan replied back quickly, pretending he was unsure as to what her name was.
Cal gives a mischievous smile. "They got her in room 14".
Room 14? The room designated for champions only. He couldn't believe they gave her that room. "This bitch must be special" Ryan told himself sarcastically. Ryan approached room 14 and knocked on the door, slowly opening it, trying not to disturb anybody. Being polite. Typical Ryan. He had no business there but in his mind the same exclusion should be applied to Lauren. He sees a stranger sitting in a chair and he asks "is Lauren here?"