CFG Bank Arena

Baltimore, Maryland

The scene opens in the near empty parking lot where we see a black van where Steve Murdock is sitting inside, the back doors open, watching a movie on a small portable dvd player.

He’s dressed in black jeans and a blue and silver Vanguard t-shirt, black Converse sneakers and his waist is wrapped in gauze and bandages. 

Stepping out into the night air, he stretches out, wincing a little and sits back down on the edge of the van’s inside.

“You call me a Hardcore Icon and then (makes air quotes) “quote the Rayven never more me”, how ironic…”

He looks down at his wrappings, adjusting them a little.

“As you can see, I’m not quite one hundred percent, at this point I’m held together with stitches, duct tape and sheer spite.”

“But don’t think our match is going to be a cakewalk, I was born and bred in this business as a mat wrestler, I trained in Canada, in freezing temperatures just doing the basic bumps, locks and holds, hoping that I’d be a name in this business, much less hold a title.”

“And I can’t deny that I've come close so many times and fallen short, there’s obviously video and receipts out there, but despite all that, I’m here, I’m your challenger and I wouldn’t recommend overlooking me…”

“The fact is, the Valor title was one of the first belts I contended for here in Conquest, against a man named Frank Windsor, a bastard in all sense of the word, I fell short due to interference, but nonetheless this isn’t my first time vying for the title you hold Rayven.”

“So while you have your plans and strategies, just remember the best laid plans often change when you get punched in the mouth, and I plan on changing your plans frequently and with impunity.”

He reaches into the fan and pulls out the dvd player, still playing one of the Harry Potter films.

“And I’ve been studying up on magic, Rayven, and I’ve found the best way to deal with a witch holding a belt that I want...”

He takes the dvd out and slings it like a frisbee into the air, where it smashes near a metal lamp post.

“Title Expelliarmus…”