*The scene opens with a title card. Gold, cursive font on a solid black background informs us we are about to "Hardcore Hits: The Best of Logan Matthews." As the title card starts the fade out, the first few strings of Muse's "Uprising" starts to play in the background as we see various clips of Logan Matthews in rings all around the world. He basks in multi-colored lights, sometimes as streamers sail into the ring all around him. The video shifts from a low angle shot of Matthews in the turnbuckles arms outstretched to him shaking the hands of various opponents before matches. As the music picks up, action shots start to flash, breaking light tubes over Ryo Ikoti's head in the Tokyo Dome, falling from scaffolding in Arena México with Juan El Duro Paloma and crashing through eight tables, taking a barbed wire lashing, being slammed in thumbtacks, it's all here. After a particularly grizzly shot of a bloody Matthews being beaten with a steel chair but still standing the music cuts out and we hear Logan's voice.*
Matthews: Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold it right there.
*The video stops all together and we are treated to a shot of Logan Matthews in his usual suit standing in the studio next a producer that looks scared.*
Matthews: That is NOT the video I okay-ed. Who told you to show that?
*The short, balding producer starts to stammer, a bit of sweat rolling down his brow.*
Producer: Uh, I, um, well we, uh, talked to...
*Matthews puts up his right hand.*
Matthews: Look, I only asked to be polite, I really don't care who told you to run it. Do you know who I am? I'm Logan Matthews damnit! Listen, I want you to go back to your little booth and put on the video I told you to run. Got it?
*The producer nods quickly and scampers off to his booth leaving Matthews all alone. After making sure the producer actually did go to run the "right" video, Matthews turns to address the camera.*
Matthews: Ladies and Gentlemen, we are experiencing technical difficulties, we now return you to your regularly scheduled programming...
*The scene fades back in to video. The same title card welcomes us but this time with different music, Jadakiss' "The Champ is Here." As the video starts, instead of seeing Matthews being adored by fans, we see him insulting them with hand gestures and obscene words that can't be heard on his way to the ring. As he walks around the outside of the ring in one clip, his hatred of the fans is obvious; he refuses to let them touch him and doesn't even acknowledge their existence until a fan pats him on the back sending Matthews into a rage. He attempts to jump the guardrail to attack the fan, who is wearing a Matthews t-shirt, before having security remove the fan. Next we see a replay of a few of the handshakes we saw prior, but instead of ending after the handshakes, they keep running to show Matthews slapping his opponents. The next few minutes show Matthews ruthlessly beating his opponents and forcing them to submit. The montage ends with Matthews standing victorious over his opponents, arms in the air, foot placed squarely in their chests. As the song ends, the video fades out and back to Matthews who looks genuinely impressed with himself.*
Matthews: Did you see that? Such athleticism! That Boys and Girls is what "hardcore" is all about! I hope you people liked that brief video you saw earlier thanks to the chimps in the production truck because that is the absolute last time you will ever see me do anything like that again. You see, over the years I've put my body through Hell, why? For the fans. When I was in Japan, I wanted the respect of the "hardcore" fans so I participated in deathmatches that took years off my life and did untold damage to my body, but it was never enough for any of you. I crashed through 20 light tubes, what did you people say? "It should've been more." I get a laceration on my back that needs over twenty stitches to be closed? "It didn't look that bad." I break my arm because I refuse to tap out to a particularly vicious submission? "He was stupid for not tapping out." Do you "fans" want to know the difference between me and you?
*At this point, Matthews looks visibly shaken, even angry with rage flashing in his dark eyes.*
Matthews: I...am...a WINNER. I don't give up. I am a champion. There was a certain point when I realized that nothing I could ever do would make any of you happy. That point came after Parker Brown broke my arm and I was out of action for six months. After a year of battles, trading victories back and forth, we were in the final showdown, an I Quit match in his hometown of London. I had the upper hand when he caught a lucky break, no pun intended, and locked me in his signature armbar. When the ref asked me if I was going give up, he announced for all to hear that if I didn't quit, he would break my arm but I refused to quit. When I not so politely told him I wouldn't give, he wrenched back and broke my arm in two. The ref stopped the match but I did not quit. After the trainers tended to me, I expected what any injured athlete expects, a respectful standing ovation but what did I get? I got boos, I got rolls of toilet paper thrown at me, I had little kids screaming "Hey Logan! You SUCK!" as I walked up the ramp. In that moment, I realized that being "hardcore" just wasn't worth it anymore. I sacrificed my own health and well being to entertain all of you and what do I have to show for it? Ugly, disfiguring scars on an other wise perfect body. I've got a jaw that clicks anytime it gets cold. I've got a back pain that can only be relived after matches by laying on concrete. In that instant, I decided when I could step foot in the ring again, I would shed my hardcore name and be the best technical wrestler that any of you had ever seen and by god I did it. Ladies and Gentlemen, that is the NEW hardcore. Anyone can take a chair shot, only the best of the best can wrestle for sixty minutes. Only the greatest can do two out of three falls with no time limits. Only the toughest can withstand submission after submission without giving up. Remember where you are right now. Remember for years, tell future generations where you were when Logan Matthews killed the old hardcore and ushered in the new era of hardcore wrestling. This Sunday night, Madison Square Garden, Aaron Williams, Logan Matthews, IWF Xtreme Championship, this won't be the bloodbath that all of you want. None of you will get to see Logan Matthews swing a chair, break a light tube, staple Aaron Williams in the forehead, or stick thumbtacks in anything. What you will see is technical wrestling. I know a lot of you have forgotten what wrestling is after seeing guys like Young Mannie and BJK but I swear to you this, this Sunday, you will be reintroduced to what real wrestling is.
*Matthews puts on his sunglasses.*
Matthews: Aaron Williams, I hope you learn from my mistake, when I lock you in Cattle Mutilation, or the Dragon Sleeper, or New Perfection, do yourself a favor and tap out because I will not stop, I will not relent until you are unconscious on the mat and I have my arm raised in victory and become your NEW IWF Xtreme Champion. I'm the best wrestler in the world today and there's not a damn thing any of you can do about it.
*Matthews looks into the camera with a smirk as the scene fades to black.*