End Of An Era (Lionheart)

[Avenger]

*After the showdown with Moneymaker earlier in the night and the announcement that the match between Angel Fyre was going to be a submission match the Avenger had one thing to say and to one man and that was to Chris Lionheart.*

Listen Lion-O, I know you are in the back. You are with your high end friends so what the Avenger wanted to do is say this to you and to the fans. So you listen and you listen good! And that is that tonight is the last match for the Avenger win or lose. Yeah that's right this is the end of the line for the Avenger!

*The fans can't believe it. They thought he would be around forever.*

And the Avenger is not going to ask Angel to put his TNB career on the line. That wouldn't be fair to him and honestly it wouldn't be fair to these fans. The Avenger wanted to go out the same way he came in and that is with you standing right here in front of the Avenger. Because tonight this is how it is gonna be. The Avenger wanted to wrestle at the biggest PPV of the year before the Avenger went out. And boy will the Avenger go out! The Avenger got that piece of crap you call management in Christian Moneymaker in this ring in my type of match and wait until that piece of crap hears what it is gonna be. That is why the Avenger wants you out here Lionheart!

You see we never really clicked did we? The company you say you built but it was the boys in the back that really put the hard work in. But in my hand is my contract and the Avenger is giving it to YOU! You can do with it what you want. But as the Avenger looks around and sees the lives that your good ole buddy Moneymaker has destroyed it has given the Avenger light to just wax his ass the only way the Avenger knows how. So tonight this contract is yours and the only thing the Avenger wants in return is that you take care of this contract the same way these guys and gals in the back have taken care of you. And grant me one match and not against you because frankly the Avenger knows the legality of that. But the Avenger wants a match against Moneymaker as the first title the Avenger ever won.

*The Avenger stops as the crowd chants his name and you see some tears from the kiddos in the front row.*

The Avenger wants a match that gave the Avenger his first title. You know the one where the Avenger kicked the crap out of Stasiak and became the Hardcore Champion! That's right the Avenger and Moneymaker in a No Holds Barred Match. Anything goes and pins count anywhere. The Avenger wants to bust this guy up and drag him from one side of this arena to the other.

So Lionheart stop dragging your feet and let the Avenger give you his contract and you give me Moneymaker!

[Chris Lionheart]

Lionheart comes out with a scowl on his face and quickly makes his way down to the ring.

Whassup, Sebastian? You're a clever guy, you know that? I said I wasn't going to break any promises I made a year ago, and I intend to keep that promise. To myself, to the boys in the back, and to these fans. But we don't have anyone on hand who can sign that match into existance. There's no Board of Directors members running around the back. Keith's gone, MoneyMaker has no power, not that I think he would sign the match if he could...

Lionheart whips out a pen from the inside breast pocket of his suit, takes the contract from Avenger and begins quickly scanning over them.

For the record, mate, I know exactly whom it was the built this company. The various names who've come and went, came back 'home' again, or stayed throughout it all. I know who I have to thank, and I would hope that they all know how much I appreciate the work they have all put forth into their own careers and their legacies specifically in this company. When it comes to you and I, we might not have always seen eye-to-eye, but there is a mutual respect. But one thing about me having to acknowledge that the boys and girls in the back built this company, even more-so than I did... that line of thinking goes both ways. Those guys should also acknowledge just as much how much effort I have put into this company to keep it open for all of them to compete in. There were times over the many years and evolution of this company that it's been work here... or work somewhere you don't really want to work in. All I've ever done is offer an option, and given opportunities to those who continually showed up and made something of themselves in this company.

All throughout this lecture, which Lionheart had spoken in a matter-of-fact-tone, Lionheart hadn't even looked at Avenger once, still scanning the document. Now he looks up and stares directly at Avenger.

So there we have it. This company will likely never be shut down again voluntarily. It will still be around, standing the test of time like it always has. What we have here is a symbol, a movement, something that will last-on long after the likes of you and I have gone, and a new generation, the next evolution, have stepped up and far surpassed us. You talk about coming full circle and ending where you started... I will make this match happen for you, old friend.

Lionheart puts pen to paper in a quick flurish, before holding the contract up high for the camera to get a shot of the goods. He hands it back to Avenger for him to look over.

I've had you arrested, stripped you of title belt possession. You've trashed a hotel bar and put me in the hospital, but right now I offer you my hand... will you shake it?

[Avenger]

*The Avenger looks at Lionheart and shakes his hand.*

The contract you have is similar to the one you granted the Avenger those many moons ago. No matter what happens tonight the Avenger will go out the same way he came in. And that is with his head held high. The Avenger isn't walking out of this company because of anything else but it is time. It is time for others to reign supreme in here. You got too many great wrestlers and new guys and gals that will revolutionize it to another level.

It has been documented that you and the Avenger were not the best of buds. It is obvious by what you did to the Avenger and what the Avenger did to you. But the reason the Avenger gave you his contract and didn't do some match was because it has an open door. The Avenger will take a step back and watch from Miami. Maybe come in and watch a show at the skybox or something. It is hard for the Avenger to step away but for the first time in the Avenger's life it just feels right. And that is why by wrestling someone like Angel will be something the Avenger needs and honestly something that boy needs as well. And by granting the Avenger a match to beat the living hell out of Moneymaker will be what the fans want and want the guys and gals in the back need. The Avenger never wanted to go out the way the Avenger went out in the past. The Avenger always wanted to go out knowing he put everything in every match and promo and gave the fans everything they paid for and more.

Bottom line Chris, the Avenger never held anyone hostage or didn't wrestle because of lack of pay or wasn't paid enough. The Avenger didn't care who got title shots or who got paid the most money. The Avenger would do this for free. Not because of TNB was the birth of the Avenger but because the fans is what matters. Not the Avenger or you or anyone else for that matter. So tonight the Avenger steps in the ring and you got the contract of the Avenger. Which basically means the Avenger won't wrestle anywhere else or going to the "Other Guys." You have control of if the Avenger wrestles again. The Avenger wanted you to have it because you gave the Avenger his first shot at doing what he loves to do. And to that the Avenger says "Thank You."