Chapter 4 Meet Tony
For reason Hunter kept bringing up how big he thought a feud with Riley and Velveteen Dream would be. "I just have this vision in my head. You debut jump him and get the microphone to say "The Dream is Dead!" He said three different times. It would be a cool debut the problem was Riley would than have to work with the guy. And it seemed like all Hunter had to push was a feud with the Dream. And right now Riley had an urge to just run.
Downstairs
Mandy had headed to the cafeteria to get a quick bite to eat. Her phone started to ring and she picked up. "So do we have a new co-worker?" Sonya asks. "Well he's up meeting with Hunter now," Mandy says. "And you aren't with him?" Sonya asks surprised. "I offered but I think Riley wanted to be free to speak his mind and not worry about trashing my co-workers and friends in front of me," Mandy says. "Makes sense," Sonya admits. "I keep watching the elevator hoping he comes down here with a singed contract," Mandy says. "Any chance that actually happens?" Sonya asks her friend. "Unless Hunter is offering him Lesnar money no. He's to loyal to his friends at the very least he will listen to there offer," Mandy says. "Well word has it everyone but Omega and Riley have rejected the WWE," Sonya say fishing for information. Officially anything about AEW wouldn't not be announced until the new year. Kenny Omega's contract wasn't up until the end of January that much Mandy knew.
"I am only worried about Riley," Mandy reminds her. "Isn't it going to be easier to get him to sign if his friends are coming to?" Sonya asks. "It would… but I can't count on that," Mandy says. Besides she knew there was no way AEW wasn't happening in some form at this point. There would be no crazy offer from the WWE that would change that. Maybe if the WWE would get Omega or change Pearce's mind it would help convince Riley. "Well I have my fingers are crossed," Sonya says.
At at that second Mandy sees Riley come off the elevator followed by Hunter. "I gotta go," Mandy says to Sonya. Riley and Hunter shake hands. Riley walks toward Mandy. "How did it go? Did you… I mean are you?… Did you take the offer?" "I didn't sign anything but let's talk about it in the car," Riley says. Mandy nods and grabs her bag. They head for the rental car. Mandy waits until they are off the property before asking. "So how did it go? What did they offer?" "The money is about what I make in New Japan and ROH but a higher upside if the bonuses work out. The problem is I would have to start in NXT," Riley says. "But if they are paying that much they can't keep you in NXT for long," Mandy says. "He said there is a clause in my deal I would have to be called up with in sixteen months," Riley says.
"So it could be much less. You gotta look at it like that," Mandy says. "I didn't say no. Its just not ideal," Riley says. "Would it really be so bad? I mean NXT and ROH are about at the same level. Plus a lot of the guys love there time in NXT," Mandy says. "NXT itself is not the issue. The bigger concern is what they do with the call ups. I feel like being put right on the main roster would give them more of a reason to push me strong early on. I don't want to wind up like Bobby Roode, comes in with hype and a reputation, does great in NXT and they did nothing with him on the main roster," Riley reminds her. "Okay but Nakamura won the Royal Rumble. Auksa has been a champion and put in a big Mania matches. Hell no one is more over the Becky Lynch," Mandy says.
He pulls over and looks at her. "Mandy come on I didn't say no. Its just if I am being honest the offer didn't wow me to the point I had to say yes. I am not saying it's a bad offer or it was some kind of insult. Hell that desperate kid I was before the Bullet Club would have killed someone to have an offer like that. I am just not that desperate kid anymore. I have seen the whole business change. All In alone showed why guys like me need to bet on themselves. I know I am better than being on NXT or being some after thought on Raw," He says actually getting a little mad. "And I know you are good enough to be a main eventer in the WWE. You are always my biggest supporter so I want to be that for you," Mandy tells him.
They are both silent. "And there is something else. I just think it would be amazing to work with you. They are planning this feud between Naomi and I that is going to bring in Jimmy Uso. You don't think that could be a perfect story to bring you into as well?" Mandy asks. "I would love to work with you. Hell for me its the biggest draw to go to the WWE. But it can't be the only reason," Riley says.
Being The Elite
Riley sat in a chair playing on his phone as Marty entered the shot and sat next to him him in a chair. "Hello Riley my good friend," Marty says. "What do you want Marty?" Riley asks. "I am planning a New Year's day party. I know a bit unconventional but should be fun. And I want you to be the first confirmed guest. So what are you doing on January fist?" Riley takes a deep breath and puts down his phone. "Really Marty?" Riley says annoyed. "What?" Marty asks. "I already got all of the other boys, my parents, the fans all asking what I am going to do? Now I got you on my ass," Riley rants. Marty stats to get mad. "Oh I get it. This is about your wife and what she wants," Marty says. Riley stands up and gets in Marty's face. "Of course she is a factor in this. And anyone who doesn't understand that can go to hell," Riley says.
Marty stands up and gets in Riley's face. "Are you having a laugh?" Marty asks. "Fuck you Marty," Riley says. "No fuck you," Marty says. "Fuck you!" Riley says as he walks off. The camera follows him as he runs into Flip Gordon. "Sorry Riley," Flip says. "Oh to go hell Flip," Riley yells. "You go to hell Riley," Flip says before hitting a super kick on Riley.. The camera pans down to show Riley on the ground holding his jaw. "Yeah more off that attitude Flip. I like that. More of that," Riley says.
Hotel Suite
Cody led Riley into the Suite. "Damn this guy must have money," Riley said looking around. "Given I am stacking my whole career on him I would hope so Riley," Cody says. "You see that 30 for 30 on the guy that faked being rich yet he bought the New York Islanders hockey team. He only had money on paper didn't have actual assets," Riley says. "Actually due that very story led to the NFL and the Primer League have strict rules having to prove assets before you can buy a team," Tony Khan says entering the living room area. "Tony how you?" Cody says extending his hand. "I am good… Riley nice to finally meet you," Tony says extending his hand for Riley. Riley shakes it and sizes the guy up. At first glance he didn't look at that rich just wearing jeans and a black turtle neck. It was only when you really checked out the details his wealth became obvious. Mandy knew more about brands than he did and if she was here she could tell him what insanely expensive labels this guy was wearing.
"Well I will leave you two alone so you can talk," Cody says as he turns to leave. "So sit down," Tony says. Riley takes a chair why Tony sits across from him. "So can I get you anything? Water, soda maybe a monster?" Tony asks. "No thanks." Riley says. "So I get this is a busy weekend so I will make this as quick as I can," Tony says. "Thank you," Riley says. "I have been a wrestling fan my whole life. So it amazes me how far you guys have taken things," Tony says. "Well thanks that is on Kenny, Cody, and The Bucks," Riley says. "To a point. I mean that stuff they have done is awesome. Kenny turns out a wrestling classics weekly and All In was amazing. But you, Hangman Page, and Marty Scrull more than hold your own. Fans are into you guys because of how good you are," Tony says. "Well hey I don't like to blow my own horn but you are right I am great," Riley laughs.
"And what is why I want you to join All Elite. This company needs depth to it's roster and someone like you adds a lot of that. You showed with your feud with Jay White and the run you had with the ROH belt showed you can be a draw. You are also a guy that can work with just about anyone," Tony says. "Speaking of which who can I work with if I join up?" Riley asks. "Well the roster is far from being official yet. Some of the guys we are working to bring in are Joey Janella and MJF. Those are two guys that are both looked at as the next big thing. Lucha Bros are both freelancers. I think you vs. Pentagon would be a brutal but fantastic match," Tony says. Those sounded good to Riley. "And I can't tell you the name. But we are working on a major name and it's a bit of unfinished business for you," Tony says.
"Mr. Khan with all due respect if its Randy Orton I have no interest. I know in wrestling they say never say never. But I will never work…" "Its not Orton!" Tony says cutting Riley off. "Its just that is still a raw nerve," Riley says. "Understood. I am pretty damn confidant we are going to get his guy and it's going to be world shaking. Really surprise a lot of people," Tony claims. For Riley that was actually a red flag. He had heard similar things from up start companies before. Also simply having a big name star didn't mean success. Hell if anything it seemed to be more of problem. Riley thought fans didn't want old stars they wanted fresh faces. It would be one thing to take a star at his peak like Dean Ambrose away from WWE but hiring a well past his prime talent like a Goldberg could flop badly and make AEW look like WWE light. For now Riley kept his mouth shut.
Still though it was clear Tony Kahn knew his stuff. He laid out his ideas for touring, the way he wanted the TV produced. "We can't lose what makes you guys unique. If there one major fault the WWE has right now it's everyone winds up in the same box. Every face has that big smile and every heel is just crapping on the fans. Kenny Omega has got to be Kenny Omega, we can't try to turn The Young Bucks into a generic face team," Tony says. "So no scripting the promos?" Riley asks. That was another thing he worried about with WWE. Being handed a script and being told what to say was not how he cut promos or how BTE worked. "No writers. We want to run this old school or like New Japan. A booker and creative team. Input from the talent," Tony says as he phone start to ring he look down at it. "Look I am so sorry but I need to take this call. Its something with the Jaguars. I will have my people send you a full offer. Talk to the guys if you have any other questions and I will try to set up another meeting," Tony says. "No problem," Riley says standing up and heading for the door.
Riley was actually staying in the same hotel as Khan. Except Riley was staying in a basic hotel room he was sharing with Hangman. Knowing Page would ask him about the meeting the second he same him Riley took his time even going down the stairs instead of using the elevator. He thought about calling Mandy. She would want to know how it had gone. And he really wasn't sure what to tell her. He still had one final meeting before he made any type of commitment and that was with New Japan. As if on cue his phone starting to ring and it was here. "What? Does she have spies that told her I was out of it?" Riley thought. He let it go to voice mail for right now he wanted to be alone with his thoughts. Well for about five seconds once the tone telling him he had a new voice mail. Pulling the phone back out he played her message.
"Hey Riley I just wanted to call and hear how it went. I guess you are still in the meeting with the super rich guy. Anyone it's a pretty boring day with the Smackdown crew. Anyway I love you." He tucks the phone back into his pocket. The door from one floor opened. "Hey Riley," Christopher Daniels says. "CD my man," Riley says. Daniels looks around to make sure they are alone. "So how did the meeting with Tony go?" He finally asks. "Wait you know about that?" Riley asks. "Riley its me CD the vet of the locker room. I have been around this since you a little kid. Plus do you think Cody and the Jackson's are just sitting around going one at a time. They are recruiting Me, Frankie, and Scrop. Plus we had a meeting with Tony before you did," Daniels says.
"Okay Daniels the vet. The mentor guy that has seen it all. On the level what do you think of all this? Is this for real or is just some fly by night deal with a rich fanboy that doesn't get this business really?" Riley asks. Daniels rubs a hand over his bald head. "Look brother I could write several books about, The Mat Rats, The WSX, The XWF, World Wrestling All Stars of the world. I can tell stories about guys coming into ROH back in the day, or TNA that were going to turn things around take it to the next level. And all the time that didn't happen and it did more harm than good. I can talk about the mess both ECW and WCW were at the end since I was in both," Daniels says. "Well what about this?" Riley asks. "Okay normally the rich guys are just guys kind of rich. This guy and his family are Ted Turner rich. Real money and lots of it. To many guys want to make wrestling like it used to be this guy sees the world is changing. This is the moment all of have been waiting for. And oh I am now head of talent relations," Daniels says.
NXT TakeOver
Mandy and Sonya walked backstage. Survivor Series was the next day and they would both be in the Women's Survivor Series. Mandy's role was sadly due to Nia Jax hurting Becky Lynch. But for tonight they were attending the NXT show. "Well well well if it isn't Mandy and Sonya did they finally drop you guys back so Smackdown can get new jobbers," The Velveteen Dream says walking up to them. "Hello Patrick," Sonya says knowing his real name always annoyed him. "It's Dream. You know the biggest name out there. The hottest act in this business," He says annoyed. "Look Patrick we really don't have time," Mandy says. "Well you better make time given I will soon be making you husband a real star," Dream taunts. "My husband does just fine on his own. And you keep talking about being a real star aren't you still in developmental?" Mandy taunts. She can't help it the guy had been an ass on Tough Enough and was still an ass.
"You husband is popular with teens and nerds that think think a few suplexs is a great match. I am the mega star in the making. His little moron friends claim they will change the world. I already have," he claims before walking off. "And I wondered why Riley wasn't excited when Hunter pinched that guy as Riley's first feud," Mandy says.
Elsewhere
"You really think this is the right thing to do?" Seth Rollins asks. "Plenty of people have gone through it," Hunter says. "And isn't out of date?" Seth asks. "A lot of that has to do with the lack of veterans on Undertaker's level. But it's an important tool in this business. I trust you to to run it," Hunter assures him. "Wrestler's court just is so tainted name wise," Seth says. "Than don't call it court. Call it a Superstar's only meeting like a player's meeting on a sports team," Hunter suggested. "And why her? Has there been some problems yes. But not as bad as some people. Hell if anything the worst from the women's roster is Nia given happened with Becky and Alexa before that," Seth says. "Bigger things are at play. Look something is going on with these Elite Guys. She's married to one and I need to know what she knows," Hunter says.
"Aren't you trying to sing them all including Mandy's husband?" Seth asks. "I am and like I said something is going on. I need you to do this so I can still play the good guy in meetings," Hunter says. "Alright fine we will have time before the show tomorrow. I guess I will summon Mandy Rose to wrestler's court," Seth says.