Saturday, January 26th, 2019 – Phoenix, Arizona

It's been a month. A great month. A month since Ced and Kalani had last seen each other but they've been on the phone, facetime, texting and etc. with each other all along. Annalise had tried several times to call Ced but instead he sent her straight to voicemail. Now, he was ready to focus on his career and focus on his relationship with Kala. And tonight, was about two things. His girlfriend coming out to see him and getting what he wanted which was the NXT North American Championship. For weeks on NXT Program, Ricochet had been doing promos focused on how much Ced hadn't been on NXT for the past few weeks instead they've been showing his workout videos and showing his video promos.

Ced got out of his black Ford F-150 with a frown on his face. He was dressed in his Jordan 1 "Pine Green" with blue distressed jeans with a black hoodie with a white Nike check mark. He was also wearing his gold shades with his custom beats over his head. He also wore a Nike hat over his head. He had a simple gold chain around his neck with gold earrings in his ears with the shape of a lion head. On his wrist he wore a black Apple watch with a gold band. He had his backpack on his back and had his duffle bag in his hands.

He looked around as he walked and noticed how focused nearly everyone was for the show. Most of the women on the card were sitting in make-up while most of the guys at least who were already in their ring gear were stretching getting ready. Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw Trevor who was sitting on a crate looking at the Championship in his hands. Ced walked over to him.

"Hey Trev, What's got you down?" Cedric asked once he got close to him. He dropped his bags down in the front of him and then jumped up and sat next to him on the crate.

"Nothing man." Trevor said as he looked up and looked at Cedric.

"You sure, you look kinda down."

"Nah man, If I could actually show it. I'm kinda excited."

"After tonight I'm gonna be on the Main Roster."

"Word?" Cedric asked chuckling.

"Word." Trevor said chuckling.

"Man that's great, you're gonna be able to show the rest of these fools just who the hell Ricochet is." Trevor chuckled a bit after hearing what Cedric had to say.

"Yeah, which means tonight I'm gonna have drop the strap to you." Trevor said as Cedric smile grew a bit larger as he took a look at the title belt. Trevor then handed him the title belt. Cedric took it and examined it more closely.

"Man, I can't lie that's a beautiful belt."

"Well, I hope that you take care of it and make it better than before." Trevor said as he patted Ced on the back.

"I will now you better be ready cause I ain't take it easy on you."

"You never do. Ced vs Ricochet 3, Let's get it man." Trevor said as Ced hopped off. Ced then shook hands with Trevor and continued on his way to the NXT Locker Room.

(!)

After a few hours, Ced stood changed at the gorilla position waiting for his que. He was wearing black wrestling boots, with knee pads and black wrestling trunks with Ced in the front in green with a white outline. On the back was a Lion head in green with a white outline and on both of his wrist he wore black wrist tape. He also wore his black t-shirt that said "Eat. Sleep, End Ricochet" in white.

His match with Ricochet was the first match on TakeOver and they were planning to make sure that the fans got their money's worth.

As Ced stood there getting ready, Paul Levesque had walked up to him with his hands in his pockets with his headset still on. Tonight, he was acting as a producer for tonight's show making sure that he kept close eyes on everything.

"This is it. Are you ready?"

"Yeah, I am."

"Everything that you've been working for in the past few weeks all of the extra work you've been doing in the gym have been leading up to this match. This match is gonna lead you down a path. Now willl it be a Path of Success or a Path of Failure? The choice is up to you. Now I want you to go out there and show me what I already know which is that you're are the one of the best damn competitors in this damn company and the undisputed future of this company." Paul said as he looked Ced in the eyes and saw the firey passion he had going in his soul.

He then heard his theme song playing making his face turn into a frown as he was handed a water bottle. He then walked up the steps and started to make his way through the curtain.

"Rise of the Young Ones" by Cliff Lin Hits

The titantron in the arena showed a black screen with a red lion on the screen on the top of the lion's head was Ced. The lights in the arena were all in darkness as Ced then walked through the curtains and stood on the stage while the lights were low. The lights soon turned into a different array of colors. The titantron now was a black screen with the red lion logo underneath the red letters that spelled CED in big red letters with a shiny white barrier.

Ced looked up and took a sip of water before he spit it out in a mist like form before he started to walk down the ramp like a man on a mission. Once he got to the ringside area, he stopped and looked around once more at the crowd soaking up all of the boos he was being given. He then walked towards the steel steps and walked onto the ring apron before he entered the ring and made his way to the turnbuckle. He did his pose on the turnbuckle while the fans went quiet. He then jumped down from the top rope and walked around the ring looking at the fans looking on with a frown before his attention then snapped onto the stage.

"Rise of the Young Ones" Stops

"One and Only" Hits

Ricochet walked out onto the stage with the NXT North American Championship around his waist. As the lights usually went around in they're array of lights, Ricochet raised his hand up in the air before he then let it fall down to his side before he threw a fist into the air as the light swnet to their normal color. He then walked down the steps before he slid under the bottom rope and then did his usual theatrics in the ring landing in a hero like position with the title still around his wiast. He then stood up and raised it in the center of the ring while Ced had stood on the outside looking on.

"One and Only" Fades

As the music faded off into the background Ced had walked over the steel steps and had walked up onto them before he got up onto the ring apron and entered the ring. Ricochet took the Championship from around his waist and handed it to the referee.

Ding...

Ding...

Ding...

The lights then turned into a spotlight solely focused on the ring.

"The following contest is scheduled for one fall and is for the NXT North American Championship." Kayla Braxton announced as Ced stood in the center of the ring staring at Ricochet with a death stare while the fans cheered.

"Introducing first from Charlotte, North Carolina. Weighing in at 260 Pounds. Ced!" Kayla announced Ced raised his arms up in the air in pre-match victory while the fans booed.

"And his opponent from Paducah, Kentucky. Weighing in at 188 Pounds. He is the NXT North American Champion, Ricochet!" Kayla announced as Ricochet raised his hand up in the air much like he did on the stage while the fans cheered. The referee then walked in between the two and raised up the Championship in the sky. The referee then gave the belt to ring crew while Ced took off his shirt and threw it into the crowd while Ricochet had taken off his t-shirt and threw it off into the crowd as well. Ced then backed up into the corner while Ricochet did the same.

Ding...Ding...Ding...

Ced and Ricochet stood across the ring from each other while the fans cheered in anticipation for the match-up. Ced looked around at the fans while Ricochet did the same seeing them up on their feet and looking on ready for that clash. Ced then turned his attentions to his opponent and walked towards the center of the ring talking trash. Ricochet did the same walking towards the center of the ring once they were face to face the trash talking continued until Ced raised a finger in Ricochets face before Ricochet smacked the finger out of his face and continued to talk his trash. Ced then slapped Ricochet across the face making the fans boo before Ricochet threw a forearm at Ced making Ced stumble back.

He followed up with a series of forearms until he had Ced back-first onto the ropes trying to regain his composure before Ricochet threw Ced across the ring with an Irish Whip only for Ced to reverse it and send Ricochet into the ropes. Once Ricochet bounced off the ropes, he lunged at Ced and dropped him with a clothesline that sent him crashing to the canvas before he rolled out of the ring and onto the arena floor. Ced checked his mouth for bleeding while the fans cheered at Ricochet who stuck his hand for a handshake mocking him from his attempt to trick Ricochet last week. Ced smirked before he walked towards the steel steps and walked up the steps and getting onto the ring apron. He slowly got into the ring and walked around the ring once more looking for a way to attack his opponent. He put his arms up as if he were gonna go for a lock-up which Ricochet believed as both men walked towards the center of the ring looking to lock it up but Ced kicked Ricochet in the gut before he hit him with a series of right hands that sent Ricochet crashing into the corner. Once Ricochet stood in the corner, Ced continued down on his assault with right hands until the referee pulled him off of him.

Ced then ran back towards the corner and started to stomp down on Ricochet until he dropped down and started to choke Ricochet as the referee started to count.

1...

2...

3...

4..., Ced released the choke right at 4 as he then threw up his hands and backed up away from Ricochet.

"King Ricochet huh? I'm the King around here." Ced shouted as he walked towards the corner and picked Ricochet up by the head and neck and lifted him up and whipped into the corner across the ring. Ricochet hit the turnbuckles hard in the corner making him drop down in pain as the camera focused on him while Ced looked at his opponent and smiled before he walked over to Ricochet and stomped down on his hand making him scream out in pain as he then rose up while gripping his hands. Ced picked him up and grabbed him by the head and neck. Ced dragged him to the corner and tried to smash his face into the turnbuckle but Ricochet elbowed him in the gut and then smashed his head into the turnbuckle making Ced back away from the corner stunned by the turnbuckle pad a bit before Ricochet ran to the ropes.

Ced turned around only for Ricochet to jump up and flip him over with an hurricanrana that put Ced on his back before he rolled out of the ring onto the arena floor to regroup. Ricochet looked at this and ran to the ropes across the ring and when he came off the ropes, he taunted Ced with a springboard off the top rope onto a flip into the center of the ring with him landing in the center of the ring on his feet while he looked at Ced who tried to scurry away from near the ropes.

"This close." Ricochet taunted as he used his finger to show Ced a tight space while Ced glared at him in the ring. As the referee counted 5, Ced then ran into the ring and quickly tried to clothesline Ricochet but Ricochet ducked it and ran towards the ropes trying to get a maneuver going but Ced caught him with a High Knee to the chest and shoulder that sent Ricochet crashing down to the mat. Ced quickly went for the cover.

1...

2, No kickout at 2 by Ricochet. Ced smiled as he then stood up and kicked Ricochet in the spine making Ricochet drop down to the mat. Ced then ran to the ropes and when he came off the ropes, he dropped down with a fist drop to the top of the head of Ricochet before he once again went for the cover.

1...

2, No kickout at 2 once again by Ricochet. Ced chuckled as he got up and walked towards the corner. He climbed up the turnbuckle and stood on the middle rope before he raised his arms in pre-match victory while he trash talked to the crowd before Ricochet with the amount of time he was given, was able to get up and fight back. He grabbed Ced by the feet allowing Ced to fall off and hit his face on the turnbuckle rod. He stumbled around, dazed from the impact, into a European uppercut by Ricochet that sent Ced crashing into the corner. Ricochet ran to the corner across from the ring and allowed his back to hit the pad giving him enough momentum to the point that he was allowed to run back into the corner that Ced stumbled into and hit him with a European uppercut that left him dazed before Ricochet ran back to the corner. Once again, he came blazing out of the corner and hit Ced with a jumping forearm in the corner before he jumped over the top rope. Ced came stumbling out of the corner and dropped down to a knee momentarily before he got back up while Ricochet stomped on the ring apron getting the fans alive. He jumped up and hit Ced with a Springboard Missile Dropkick from the Top Rope.

The fans clapped and cheered for Ricochet who quickly went into the cover.

1...

2, Kickout at 2 by Ced who looked a bit dazed while Ricochet sat up panting for his breath. He looked at the referee and held up 2 fingers while the referee nodded confirming his suspicions. Ced then rolled over onto his stomach and started to try to get up to his feet but Ricochet quickly got up to his feet and ran to the ropes but when he came off the ropes, he managed to hit Ced in the side of the head with a basement dropkick to the side of the head making Ced fall over onto his back. Ricochet jumped up and tried to go for a Standing Moonsault but luckily for Ced he was able to back up a bit before he managed to kick Ricochet in the ribs with both legs making him shift in the air a bit before he dropped down to the mat in pain clutching his ribs.

Ced lifted his head and looked at Ricochet clutching ribs in pain and dropped his back down to the canvas and started to sadistically laugh at Ricochet writhing in pain. Ced got up to his still feeling the effects of the dropkick to the side of the head by Ricochet.

"Ricochet. Give. Up. Now." Ced said as he walked over to Ricochet and started to talk in his ear. Ricochet grabbed onto the middle rope and used it to lifted himself up before he grabbed onto the top rope and used it to pull him up as well.

"Never." Ricochet said as he looked at Ced frowning. Ced ran towards the ropes trying to clothesline Ricochet over but Ricochet ducked out of the way and rolled to the center of the ring allowing Ced to hit the ropes before he turned around and looked at Ricochet who taunted him. Ced once again ran towards Ricochet looking for a strike but Ricochet ducked it and ran towards the ropes but once they both came off the ropes, Ricochet got the upper hand and hit Ced with a Discus Lariat that put Ced flat on his back once again while Ricochet started to flex and give off a battle cry while many of the fans cheered and stood up to their feet clapping. Ricochet went for the cover on a dazed Ced.

1...

2...

Thr-No, kickout right before the 3 count by Ced. Ricochet screamed out as the fans cheered at Ced's resiliency here. Ricochet put a lot into that lariat against Ced and even believed that that could've beaten down any normal man. Ced rolled over onto his side looking on with a dazed look in his eyes. Ricochet picked Ced up the head and shoulder and started to hit him a series of forearm shots before he ran towards the ropes and when he came back, he tried to swing at Ced but Ced ducked it and allowed Ricochet to be grabbed from behind. Ced went for a German Suplex that made Ricochet land on his shoulders and neck making him then somehow flip onto his feet dazed. Ced took this chance and kicked Ricochet in the gut before he DDT'ed Ricochet in the center of the ring on his head. Ced covered Ricochet thinking it was over.

1...

2...

Thr-No, kickout right before 3. Ced sat up and looked at the referee in disbelief and shock. He then got up and backed the referee into the corner talking trash in his face while the referee cowered in fear before Ced turned back to Ricochet who was up to his feet. Ricochet dropkicked Ced who fell into the referee while Ricochet dropped back down to the mat and laid there getting a chance to regain his composure while Ced checked his mouth for bleeding and turned around to look at the referee. It was like a light went off in the head of Ced making him look at his surroundings before he turned his attentions back to Ricochet. Ced rolled out of the ring and walked over to the announce table. He then took off the cover off the table and ripped the monitors out of the socket while some of the fans cheered and some booed. During this Ricochet got up to his feet and looked around before he ran to the ropes getting the fans to cheer before Ced turned around was hit with a suicide dive that sent him crashing over the Spanish announce table and into the commentators who weren't able to get out of the way. The English commentators moved out of the way completely walking over to the announcer's area.

Ricochet crawled over the ring apron and managed to pull himself up using the ring apron before he got up to his feet and walked over to where Ced was and grabbed him from the wreckage of commentators and tried to drag him to the announce table but Ced elbowed Ricochet in the side of the face and then dragged him to the announce table. He smashed Ricochet's face into the announce table making his head bounce off the table. Ced threw Ricochet up onto the announce table and hit Ricochet in the head and shots the head before he got up onto the announce table. He grabbed Ricochet by the head and neck lifting him and tried to put Ricochet up onto his shoulders but Ricochet elbowed his way out. Ricochet turned Ced around and set him up for a Uranage slam that put both men through the announce table while the fans cheered for both men. Ced stared up at the ceiling fo the arena feeling the effects of the assault Ricochet had managed to do on his body.

"This is Awesome!" clap-clap-clap-clap-clap "This is Awesome!" clap-clap-clap-clap-clap "This is Awesome!"

The fans cheers made both men smile even though they were putting each other to the limit. Ricochet was the first to crawl away from the remains of the announce table and Ced. Ricochet managed to use the steel steps to pull himself up and get him back up to his feet. Once Ricochet let go of the steps, he dropped down to a knee clutching his ribs once again in paint before he walked over to Ced and grabbed him by the head and neck once again and lifted him up before he threw him into the ring. Ricochet got up onto the ring apron and walked towards the turnbuckles and was able to climbed up the turnbuckles onto the top rope. Ricochet started to try and balance himself up looking for one of his signature top rope moves but Ced was able to jump up onto his feet, he ran towards the corner and jumped up onto the top rope and throw Ricochet over with a Super Belly to Belly Suplex as both men were sent crashing back down to the turnbuckle. The referee started to come around and awake as Ced groggily crawled over to the Ricochet and draped his arm across the chest of Ricochet.

1...

2...

Thr-No, kickout right before the 3 count. Ced rolled onto his back and ran his hands over his face in frustration. He was ready to end the "One and Only" Ricochet and become the new NXT North American Champion. The referee then crawled over to the corner and laid slumped over in the corner. Ced slowly reached over for the ropes with a face showing off the pain in his body. He crawled out towards for the ropes to try to pull himself up. Ricochet rolled over onto his gut and reached out for the ropes to crawl out to. Ced pulled himself up using the ropes before he stumbled over to the corner and laid in the corner looking at Ricochet with a frown as sweat drenched down his face while Ricochet was able to get up to his feet while the crowd cheered for the match that these two men put on. Ricochet turned around as a raging Ced ran towards Ricochet only for Ricochet to jump up over Ced, who then ran into the steel ring post allowing Ced to go into the ring post shoulder first. Ricochet ran towards the corner and used the ropes to pull off a tiger feint kick that smacked Ced in the face sending him onto the mat while Ricochet landed on the ring apron. He then walked over to the turnbuckle and climbed up the turnbuckles and started to balance himself on the top rope.

He then jumped off the top rope and while the fans cheered before Ricochet jumped off with the 630 Senton only for Ced to put his knees up. Ricochet's back hit Ced's knees making him get up to his feet screaming in pain while Ced got up to his feet and waited for Ricochet to turn around. Once he did Ced put him on his shoulders and put him down with the Deathbomb. Ced quickly went for the cover.

1...

2...

3...

Ding...Ding...Ding...

"Rise of the Young Ones" Plays

" Here is your winner and new: NXT North American Champion: Ced!" Ced stood up to his feet and was handed the NXT North American Championship making him smile as he raised it up the air while the referee raised up his arm while the fans booed him loudly. He walked over to the corner and raised his Championship up in the air while the fans continued to boo while he smiled.

(!)

Ced walked through the curtain with a smile on his face as he had the title belt on his shoulder with a water bottle in his hand. He took a sip as Charly Caruso stood next to him with the cameraman standing in front of them counting from 3 to 1.

"I am standing here with the new NXT North American, Ced. Tonight, in your in-ring debut for NXT here at NXT TakeOver: Phoenix, you defeated Ricochet to take the NXT North American Championship. What is running through your mind?"

"I told everyone that would listen that I was going to become the new NXT North American Champion. And tonight, I proved my point when I put a end to the reign of Ricochet. This is the ushering of a new beginning in NXT. My era begins now and I'll be damned thinks that they can take away my Championship. Now if you'll excuse me, I got a special lady waiting for a night with the Champ." Ced said he then walked out of the camera shot.

A/N: So, I hoped you guys enjoyed this chapter. And I hope you guys enjoy WrestleMania and I'm looking forward to the Women's Main Event and the match between Batista and Triple H.

Later Guys and Gals!