Up and Out

A/N: So here's the first chapter, I hope you guys enjoy, feedback is appreciated.

July 17th, 2017

Orlando, Florida

Jodie Ritzmaier, better known as River Roundtree stood outside the ring as Matt Bloom jotted something down on his clipboard. He along with the other would be NXT hopefuls, waited while Matt finished writing down whatever he was writing down. Having been signed to the WWE for two years now, after a complete fluke which caused him to get selected for the 2015 edition of 'Tough Enough'. Jodie was eliminated somewhat early in the competition but before he could board the plane back home to Virginia, the WWE offered him a developmental contract. In all honesty he was surprised he was still here. Having spent the first year getting in the proper shape and working on how to throw punches WWE style and promo work along with acting, and so many other factors that go into it.

Now at 20 years old, he's starting to get a bit unnerved and somewhat doubting if he truly deserves to be here. The money was okay, it was enough to keep food on the table and have a little bit to spend on the side but that was about it, he couldn't nor would he splurge money like that. Matt Bloom looked back down at his clipboard. "Okay." Matt announced "Give me River Roundtree and Tyler Bate."

Jodie's character was that of a Indie musician, he was told to grow his hair out and learn to play the guitar and possibly sing. His dark blonde, almost light brown hair had finally just reached his shoulders, which he kept parted in the middle and tucked behind his ears.

"Good luck." a female voice came from behind him along with a quick pat on his shoulder. Looking over his shoulder he saw her, Jodie didn't know her actual name but he watched a part of the Mae Young Classic for this year and remembered her name was Rhea something. She had long blonde hair that fell past her shoulders and blue eyes, her smile was infectious though and he gave a small smile back.

"Thanks." Jodie said as he focus his attention back on the ring. Walking up the steps, he climbed through the ropes and got in one corner while Tyler Bate got in the opposite corner. Looking at Matt Bloom, Jodie focused on his opponent. Only standing at 5'8 and weighing in at 155lbs, Jodie was lean but didn't have as much muscle definition yet as the producers would like. In his opinion that's why he wasn't on NXT yet as well as his in-ring ability.

"BEGIN!" Matt announced.

The two of them walked to the center of the ring and circled around a bit. Jodie always felt he was better at promos and that his in-ring work was poor. Not that he didn't know how to do the moves, kicks, or punches but just being fluid about it in the ring is where he felt he struggled. Maybe it's because his opponents have either been taller or bigger than him or maybe he just didn't have what it takes to remain here. He would've thought by now he'd at least make his NXT TV debut.

The two men locked up in the collar and elbow tie up. Jodie looked to Tyler for direction in the match and Tyler seemed to pick up on it. "Hit the ropes, drop down, pop-up, back drop." Tyler whispered the next part of the match to him.

"Got it." Jodie whispered back.

The two men pulled apart a little bit as Tyler grabbed his arm and Irish whipped him into the ropes, Jodie ran and hit the ropes with his back before running towards Tyler who dropped down as Jodie hopped over him. Hitting the ropes once more, Jodie once again began running towards Tyler, slightly ducking for Tyler who jumped over him. Jodie hit the ropes one more time as Tyler began leaning forward as if he were about to tackle him. Jodie felt Tyler's hands on his thighs and Tyler stood up and flipped Jodie into the air.

Exhaling before his back his the mat, Jodie felt the mat before he knew it and was thankful that he had landed safely courtesy of Tyler making sure to propel him into the air properly. If Tyler had done that wrong, Jodie could have had a broken neck and or be dead/paralyzed. Tyler walked over and grabbed Jodie's hair and arm, pulling him up to his feet before he hit him with a few punches and a gut kick.

Tyler whipped him into the turnbuckle before he climbed on to the middle rope and began the 10 count punches. While Jodie's actual delivery of punches and kicks needed work, his ability to sell an opponents moves and his submission moves were quite well. If anything he could take it very well but couldn't return it to where it looks believable.

His fellow competitors outside of the ring kept up with the number of punches Tyler was landing on him. Having not heard anything else from Tyler in regards of where the match was going he figured it was his turn to direct it. Once Tyler landed the seventh punch and was going in for the eighth, Jodie pushed him off the middle rope causing him to stumble and fall on his butt.

Jodie climbed onto the top rope and waited for his moment to pick the right spot. Motioning for Tyler to climb to his feet with his hand, Jodie held onto the tope rope. Once Tyler was back on his feet, Jodie leaped off the top turnbuckle and hit a crossbody splash as Tyler caught him, both men fell to the mat with Jodie laying on top of him. Matt began counting to three outside the ring on the side of it.

Tyler kicked out at two and with his angle, managed to do a double leg takedown on Jodie, getting into full-guard. Realizing what position he was in, Jodie grabbed Tyler's left arm and pulled it towards his left shoulder before managing to swing his right leg up and over Tyler's left arm and tuck his shin under Tyler's chin. Grabbing the back of Tyler's head, Jodie used the bottom of his left foot and put pressure on the back of his heel on his right foot and tried to push it forwards while pulling Tyler's head down.

Now with the gogoplata submission cinched in firmly, Tyler let out a gasp as he struggled for air. "I'm tapping mate." Tyler whispered before he tapped the side of his leg multiple times.

"He tapped out!" Matt exclaimed as he climbed in the ring. Jodie let go of Tyler and slid back on the mat. Climbing to his feet first, Jodie extended his hand out to Tyler who accepted it as Jodie pulled him up to his feet.

Jodie wiped some sweat from his brow and rubbed his greenish-blue eyes. He knew he he fucked up, mentally he was kicking himself for it. Their 'match' if you could can call it that had no build up or tempo, no flow, no nothing at least he felt that way about it.

"Jodie excellent submission move with the gogoplata, that'd be a great finish if that was in the octagon in the UFC. Now I know you told us back in 2015 when you first got here that you did Muay Thai Kickboxing and Combat Submission Wrestling back home for about half a year and that I think Josh was his name, the mma fighter showed you more stuff during your time on Tough Enough with that whole group. I know that your a fan of wrestling but you have to remember." Matt looked over at Tyler "You as well Tyler, and all of you." Matt turned to address the class before turning back to Jodie "You have to remember that a match needs build up, needs pacing. Think of it like a steak, you already know what you want but it's going to take time to get there and so until the time arrives, why not add seasoning and add to the flavor. If I was to rate that match it wouldn't even get a half star."

"I'm sorry coach, I should've released him immediately when he told me he was going to tap, we could've kept the match going." Jodie put his hands on his hips.

Matt shook his head "Jodie you've been here for two years now, you have potential we just need to find a way to break through to you in the ring. Hunter has been asking about the next wave of potential main roster callups and about those who we think are ready to make their debut on NXT. I wanna put you down on that list for their in-ring debut, but the fact of the matter is you aren't ready."

"I understand coach."

Matt turned and focused his attention to Tyler "Tyler I noticed you were dictating the match at the beginning and calling spots, why'd you stop?"

This questions caught Tyler off guard "I..uh well I mean I wanted him to get some of his stuff in and get some spots in as well. As you can see he is a great seller, I think if we had more time to talk the match over and bounce ideas of each other, I think we could have a brilliant match."

At hearing this a small smile formed on his face as Tyler went to bat for him. The two of them were from opposite sides of the pond but had birthdays in the same month and year, March of 1997. Tyler while being on NXT was also working down in the performance center to keep honing his abilities despite being the youngest UK champion in the WWE.

"I expected more from you Tyler, you're on TV and know how this process goes. Either way we all have more work to do. You two go hit the showers." Matt looked down at his clipboard "Okay next up I have Rhea Ripley and Aliyah."

Jodie climbed back through the ropes and walked down the steps as Rhea walked towards him. "Chin up, Matt's right you got potential, keep at it and you'll be on NXT yea?"

"Yea, thanks Rhea."

"Name is Demi."

"Jodie." He shook her hand before letting go "Good luck against Aliyah."

"Thanks."

Jodie watched as she climbed up the steps and into the ring. She had a nice figure, well toned and muscular, probably even more so than him at the moment. He didn't quite understand why she wished him good luck, usually in these practice matches it's whoever Matt decides to pair up with and the two get in the ring while the others outside the ring stay quiet. She was probably just being friendly.

Tyler patted him on the shoulder "Cheer up mate, after we shower I'll get you a beer and we'll discuss how we could've done things differently."

Jodie followed Tyler through the performance center. "It's all my fault Tyler, I swear sometimes I don't think I should still be in the WWE."

"I have doubts like that as well, but then I remind myself that hey I'm here, if I wasn't supposed to be here I wouldn't be do you know what I mean?"

Jodie shook his head "I do but I think I'm here by a fluke to be completely honest."

"Okay then make the best of it then, none of us know when our time with the company will end. So why not just enjoy every second of it, even the fuck ups, the highs with the lows. Christ we're only 20 mate, we have our whole lives ahead of us. Who knows I might move back home to England and take up football or rugby or something, you're lean so I'd probably put in a word for you if that is the case in what happens with me."

"Appreciate it."

Tyler chuckled "Of course I'd have to see how good you are at it first before I stick my neck out for you."

"I'm game." Jodie chuckled back. They turned right and went down a short hallway before turning left and heading into the men's locker room.

A knock came from his door. Jodie paused the episode of Stranger Things he was watching on Netflix. Getting up off the couch, he walked towards the door. The wall clock in his apartment display 6:30pm. Opening the door he saw Tyler with a six pack of Samuel Adams.

"Told you I'd follow through mate, I got you a beer and then some."

Jodie was honestly surprised that he got beer, given that both of them were under the legal drinking age. "How did you get that?"

"It wasn't easy, had to sell my arse on a street corner to some guy named Tyrone." Tyler joked as he walked in. Jodie shut the door behind him. Following Tyler into the kitchen, he set the beer on the counter and opened the box. Tyler handed Jodie one before grabbing one for himself. Jodie opened his bottle and went and sat down on the couch. A moment later Tyler sat down beside him.

"Cheers?" Tyler held up his beer.

"Cheers!" Jodie replied, tapping his bottle against Tyler's.

Taking a sip of his beer, Jodie grabbed his remote and un-paused Stranger Things. Setting his beer on the coffee table, Jodie put his feet up beside it "So you gonna tell me where you got it forreal?"

"I just asked Tyler Breeze to get it for me, us Tyler's stick together."

"Makes sense to me."

Jodie got comfortable on the couch "So we definitely could've had a five star match in the performance center."

"It was already a five star mate, just ended too early." Tyler looked at him "In all seriousness, I should've directed the whole match, I could've done that better but I was hoping you wanted to call some shots as well, I mean I'm already on TV and I wanted to make you look good in hopes you get called up to debut on NXT."

Taking another sip of his beer, Jodie cleared his throat "I think we should've planned it out before hand."

"We couldn't remember, Matt only told us who we were facing on the spur of a moment."

"Your right, just wish we had a heads up so we could've planned it better."

Tyler grabbed his beer and took a swig "I'll work with you some more, see if I can't help you out and us put on a five star match at the performance center."

"I appreciate it man."

Tyler pulled his phone out and checked it for notifications "So I saw you talking to Rhea, what'd she want?"

"Honestly she didn't say much but wished me luck and so I returned the favor to her as she was heading towards the ring to face Aliyah."

"You fancy her?"

He felt his face getting red "I don't know man, I mean yeah she's beautiful but someone like her probably has a boyfriend and isn't interested in me even if she's single."

"Oh I don't know mate, she's from Australia and so she's a long way from home. So if she has a boyfriend, he's either some guy back home, a wrestler for a different company, or maybe she's talking to someone now that she signed with the WWE. Most people in this business date within."

While Tyler was a older by mere days, he had more experience in the wrestling business than he did and there is probably some truth to his words. Jodie took another sip of his beer "Her names Demi."

"Demi?!" Tyler teased "Oh so you two are on a first name bases now?"

"Mhm, wedding's on Saturday, wanna be my best man?"

"You Yanks don't waste anytime do you I'd be honored to be your best man." Tyler teased him "She's cute though, if I were Jodie I'd possibly explore where it goes."

Jodie shrugged "I don't know man, we'll see what happens in the future."

"To the future!" Tyler held up his beer for another cheers.

"To the future!" Jodie replied as they tapped bottles once more.

A/N: That was the first chapter, I hope you guys enjoyed. Feedback is appreciated.