WORLD WRESTLING ENTERTAINMENT:
THE APEX WHIRLWIND
WRITTEN BY ZARIUS
(Contains Spoilers For The 2019 Men's Royal Rumble Match)
The countdown ticked away, fans rose to their feet in anticipation of the thirtieth and final entry into the men's WWE royal rumble.
Others opted to sit on their hands, believing there was little to be gained from supporting the participant, as he was a lowly mid-carder at best as well as a comedy caricature who had once meant something to the business only for his wild sense of self-deprecation to ultimately prove to be his unravelling. No one believed he would make it into the final four, nobody believed he could pull an upset.
Nobody believed.
It was then that an idea occurred to Nia Jax as she lurked behind gorilla position; the notion to make believers out of the people again.
The people, whom her cousin had championed, her cousin, who had made them believe many years ago.
The number thirty spot had once been the proving ground for those who desired to shock the system and redefine conventions, dead men rose to life and claimed their spot in immortality, men you didn't see coming defied doctor's orders and came back months ahead of schedule to stake their claim on a Wrestlemania moment, a passage into Wrestling Valhalla.
And just as recently as 2016, a king reclaimed his crown from that position.
The number thirty spot needed to be salvaged. Stories deserved to be told, not punch lines. Legends, not misfits, needed to be forged in the coveted fires of suspense.
The idea immediately took the form of swift action, almost as if instinct was firmly in control of Nia's next move. She headed towards the entrance and blindsided the mid-carder R-Truth with a barrage of blows, barraging him with her almighty strength until he could physically take no further punishment and remained a prone husk on the floor.
Nia's instincts took hold of her once more, it beckoned her up the ramp towards the ring, a ring she had last graced only an hour or so ago in the very same type of match, only it had been confined to just the playful whims of dolls.
Nia turned her nose at the memories of how those dolls, those superficial playthings, had denied her glory, a part of her now almost thankful that they had caused interference in her pathways. She had renewed perspective, she saw a lusher landscape.
She had already conquered one world, now was the time to set her sights on another, an unspoiled country.
Few women had come close to conquering this kingdom, with only one trailblazer, China, truly making her footprint apposite. Nia thought of her as she made the long trek forward, climbing into the ring and surveying her surroundings.
She would go on the attack immediately, before the upstarts, misfits, predators and show-offs could properly react.
She would soon make her mark, playing mind games with Mustafa Ali before sending him out of the ring, eliminating him from active participation. The adrenaline rush that came from the deed was intoxicating, there was a sense of the tide turning in the air. The evolution of the women's division would take another bold leap forward.
She stared down an apex predator with no sense of intimidation, no fear, only the great certainty she could devenomise him with but a glance. She was on fine form, she kept an eye on the storm, fixated, unflinching, she ultimately succeeding in making the oncoming whirlwind hesitant to gather her up.
The kingdom's guardsmen were not about to let their playground be spoiled, however, and their path to glory would not be deterred. A swift kick to Nia sent her reeling; a kick to her back sent her into the middle ropes. A world famous code was dialled and her face was soon impacted by two swift and lighting quick pair of legs, and it sent her, shell-shocked, into the apex whirlwind, which finally made good on its promise to grip her in its vice and send her crashing down to Earth.
In a matter of moments, it was all over. She had been ejected from the ring, the dream had died, but the idea had prevailed. Given substance, put through its paces, it was now being discussed across all social media platforms. Attitudes old and new were talking less of the most obvious winner in the king slayer, and more about who had made the number thirty spot a source of shock and awe once more.
Nia was hurting, but she found time to smile.
She had braved the apex whirlwind, and now everyone believed again.