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A wolf howl sounds as the arena darkens and Werewolf begins to play. Smoke covers covers the stage, almost obscuring it from view

I can feel you, I can hear you, howling in my bones
There's an evil lurking in the dark (there's an evil lurkin' in the dark)
Ever shifting, skin is ripping, as you take control
I can't tell where you end and where I start (there's an evil lurkin' in the dark)

the smoke lightens just enough for a large figure to step through it, Lykos, entering the arena to cheers from the crowd, with the WWFG Intercontinental championship around his waist. He stands and looks out over the sea of fans

I could be up all night, but I'm paralyzed when the creature comes alive
'Cause it's fight or fright, in the full moonlight
You can run but you can't hide
I could be honest, I could be human
I could become the silver bullet in your head
But no one can break my heart like I can
(Werewolf)

During the chorus of the song, Lykos steps completely out of the smoke and begins to make his way down the ramp, letting out a wolf howl to the crowd that gets returned

"Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the NEEEEWWW WWFG Intercontinental champion, Lykos!"

Lykos reaches the ring and walks up the stairs, then steps in through the ropes. Reaching around, he unfastens the title belt and takes it in hand raising his first ever championship belt to the cheering fans. Lowering the belt, the new champion takes up a mic and lets the music die out.

"As you can see, my first Wrestlemania was successful. I stand before you as the new WWFG Intercontinental champion."

Cheers briefly interrupt the new champion.

"Now, with this new title, this new blessing, there comes the curse of supposedly being the prey."

Lykos walks to the ropes and leans on the top rope, looking into the camera with the title belt in hand.

"Someone went backstage with the unmitigated audacity and gall to throw some false accusations my way, which prompts a history lesson. Someone walked his a** backstage after WrestleMania and talked about things he doesn't understand. Did the Lady bless me, favor me with a hunt for gold? Perhaps she did. But long before that, do you know what she blessed me with? Size, strength, speed, and most importantly, talent. I've been around for four whole months, almost five. In this short time, I've already won my first title and to do it, I took down one of the literal biggest men in the company in Bison. But someone made a claim. Someone called me a flea bitten upstart and said I stole his opportunity."

Some boos ring out at the claim.

"Let me make this clear. I came in on the Netflix show and debuted against Ares Alexander. I beat him. I went into the Royal Rumble, I came in second, getting eliminated last by our new World heavyweight champion. I went into the Elimination Chamber match, which you were in, and we all knew was to decide the number one contender for the Intercontinental championship. I outlasted five other men to come out the winner. And I'm going to remind you that you were one of those five men I beat. But before we cap this off, let's look at what you've done?''

Lykos straightens up and walks away from the ropes.

"You all clock me if I'm wrong. You got your first shot at Survivor Series and you fought Bison to a draw. Which I'm sure could be a source of pride but you walked out without the title because you couldn't get the job done in the ring. Move on to the Netflix show, where I debuted. You lost to Mason Black while I was winning my debut. Let's go to the Royal Rumble, where you got another shot at the title against the champion you couldn't beat before and the guy that beat you the show before in a triple threat. Tower of Doom, what happened there? Oh yeah, you lost. And you weren't the guy who just couldn't get there in time, Bison, the champ, pinned you 1,2,3 in the middle of the ring. Then the Elimination chamber, you lost again. I won. Please inform me, oh fans of WWFG, where I stole anything."

Lykos stands as the crowd cheers him again.

"See, i took that victory and I capitalized. I fought, I got tossed around in a way a man my size doesn't get often. I went in there against a champion that was the odds on favorite. I've been here four months, so naturally I'm the underdog. I came in determined to win, determined to make my name. And at Wrestlemania, I did what you couldn't do. I beat Bison and took the WWFG Intercontinental championship. Only for you to stand in the back and b***h that I took something you thought was yours? I took what I earned!"

Lykos has gotten a bit fired up and looks back into the camera again.

"I have what you and countless others in the back want right now because I took advantage of the opportunities in front of me. You said I'm not the only Apex predator in this fight and that you have an appetite that's never satisfied? I say you're not a predator at all. You're the runt running along behind the pack looking for the scraps that the big dog leaves behind. Or in this case, the Dark Wolf. You're the one that yaps and nips at the heels of those that are your betters and hopes and prays to get one little sliver of meat. You're so desperate you have to lie and claim that I stole what was never yours. You got beat in two title matches. You got beat by Mason. You got beat in the chamber. What you're hoping for now is a scrap from the Dark Wolf, but let me be clear, I don't hunt to give my scraps to someone that failed to do it on his own. The last I checked, around here you have to earn your spot and I'm at the head of the pack with no sympathy for the weak. This is survival of the fittest and my Lady has blessed me with all that I need to not only survive, but to thrive."

Lykos raises the belt one more time.

"Tonight, I'm going to do what I'm called to do, and that's defend my gold. I'm on the roll of a lifetime and if anyone thinks they're ready to take on the biggest predator around, they're welcome to try me, but you better have your gun loaded and your aim better be pinpoint accurate. Because I'm the WWFG Intercontinental champion, I earned this prize, and it'll take a lot better than someone claiming I stole his chance to get it off me."

Lykos listens at the interruption of the former Intercontinental champion. He'd expected more to come out in response to the former champion, but he's got no problem addressing Bison either.

"Comfort is an illusion. I hold no illusions about what I'm in for. I only addressed one person prior to you coming out because frankly, your leftovers are trying to come for me. It seems like you have more unfinished business than just me."

Lykos leans on the ropes on the side of the ring facing Bison on the stage.

"Now, I'm told I've got a title match here tonight. And as we saw backstage at WrestleMania, your unfinished business has shifted blame over to me. Since it seems like maybe you should handle that, I'll leave it at this. If you want a rematch, all you have to do is name the time and place, big man. Because unlike one Erynys Reich, I already beat the Final Boss once. I'd be more than happy to take this fight right into the wilds again and sink my fangs into the Bison's neck to keep what I earned."

Lykos raises the title belt in his free hand.

"All due, respect, the first time, I was the unlikely and underestimated challenger. Next time, I'm out for blood. It'll make a nice sacrifice on my altar."

Lykos rolls his eyes, already annoyed by Reich's mere presence. His words help nothing and Lykos raises the mic to reply

"Let's run this down for you since apparently the only stupid one is you. I came out here and just recapped your entire last six months of failure. Six months of trying, six months of Bison basically handing you your a**. But you don't get the point do you? Let me spell it out for you."

Lykos keeps his gaze locked on the would be challenger.

"You have had two shots at the Intercontinental championship. You fought to a draw the first time. In the triple threat, Bison pinned you in the middle of the ring after putting you through a ladder. Then, you walked your a** into the Elimination Chamber and guess what? You lost again. And hey, you know what else I did that you couldn't do? I beat Bison. Then after I beat Bison and make it abundantly clear that he can come for me anytime he wants, you waltz out here thinking that just finally getting a win at WrestelMania alone gives you a say in the number one contendership for my title? Are you high? Is it crack? It must be crack if you think you're anywhere near the front of the line."

laughter breaks out from the crowd.

"Now, let me narrow it down for your simple little mind a little further. If interfering in your business means winning a match, I got news for you, buddy, I'm far from the only one who's interfered in your business. Where's your smoke for Mason Black, since he's the guy that beat you before you got into that Triple Threat match at the Rumble? What about the ffour guys other than us that were in the chamber? And most amusingly, you actually think you're the good guy in the right here? Are you getting it yet?"

Lykos looks him over

"You don't have the standing to come out here and lecture me. The only time you've been champion here was when you were in Apex as one half of the now defunct tag champions, because yeah, I know my history. Last I checked, title shots were earned, and you haven't earned one. I could have sworn you've been here long enough to know how earning title shots work. So in terms you can understand, show us that you can do what I did in four months, and maybe Cartwright will give you a title shot. Until then, you're nowhere near the front fo the line. Matter of fact, I'll go so far as to say that line starts behind Bison and there's probably three or four others you're going to have to leapfrog to get to the front. Because that's how contendership works. I earned my spot, now you earn yours. It's almost like this is pro wrestling."

Lykos lowers the mic, seeming to be done, but then raises it again.

"Oh, and next time, come up with your own metaphor instead of directly ripping me off. One of us barked and proved our bite was worse when we went head to head with Bison. The other one is you."

Lykos drops the mic, his point more than proven.