The video begins and we see an up close shot of a championship belt. It doesn’t take much to realise which title belt it is. The iconic design of the SCW World Heavyweight Championship fills the screen and the camera just focuses on the championship for several seconds before we hear a voice from behind the camera, the voice of the current title holder. “You know there have been times over the past month where I’ve woken up and for a moment I’ve wondered if Rise to Greatness ever actually happened. For a moment I’ve wondered if that match really ended the way that I think it did, or if it was all just a dream. My fear in those moments is that it was just a dream, because they say that when something feels too good to be true, it normally is, and holding that championship again, completing my year long quest, achieving everything that I wanted to in Miami on the biggest stage in this business, feels too good to be true,” she says before laughing a little. The camera slowly pans out and we get a wider shot of the championship before realising that the title belt is resting on a dresser. Syren picks up the championship then and turns the camera around on herself, holding the title in one hand and staring at it with a smile on her face, not looking back in to the camera but continuing to speak nonetheless. “I wish that I knew more words, because I wish I could find a way to express how much that night meant to me, but I don’t. I don’t know the word to use. I don’t know the one to pick to express how I feel. All I do know is that July 27th 2014 will be a date I always remember as one of the greatest I’ve ever experienced.”

She looks in to the camera now. There’s a very clear smile on her face. “The thing about achieving a dream though is that sometimes you can think that that’s the end of the story. I mean, in fairytales and movies that’s where the story ends, right? The dream comes true. The character in the story completes the thing that they wanted more than anything else in the world and the story ends there. We’re led to believe that they went on to live happily ever after, having achieved their ambitions, having fulfilled their dreams, but in real life the story doesn’t end in the moment of victory, and there isn’t ever a ‘happy ending’ to fade out on. At Rise to Greatness I did what I promised you all I would do, I became the SCW World Heavyweight Champion once again, I lifted this title over my head for the third time, and immediately thereafter I knew that there wasn’t going to be any resting, there wasn’t going to be any downtime, there wasn’t going to be a period where I could pat myself on the back and congratulate myself for everything I’d done. The moment that I won that match, the moment that my name was announced the winner, the year-long quest to win back this championship ended, and immediately thereafter a new quest began, because winning the championship is just the beginning, holding on to it is a whole different matter,” she says before looking at the title again and lifting it up, kissing it happily before placing it slowly over her shoulder. “You guys know how I’ve focused I’ve been on achieving this, so hopefully you realise how much I’m going to put in to holding on to it as well.”

“I mean this title right here is what everyone wants, right?” she asks, looking at the title for a moment before looking back at the camera and laughing again. “Did you know the SCW roster right now has more than sixty names on it? That’s one of the biggest rosters we’ve ever had. And we’re not talking about a bunch of rookies here. We’re not talking about wrestling school graduates. We’re not talking about trainees. We’re talking about world class competitors. And sure, there are some who are new to the company or to the business as a whole, but those guys and girls look at this championship over my shoulder right now and they vow that one day it’ll be them who’s holding it. They want the world to know that they’re coming for this title. And then there are the legends of the industry, the legends of the company, guys and girls who’ve been there before, who’ve done it all before, and who want that one opportunity to do it again. They want the world to know that they’re coming for the title as well. And in between those two extremes there’s everyone else, everyone else who busts their ass week in and week out, everyone else who battles nonstop, everyone else who pushes themselves as hard as they can, and they too want the world to know that if they get their chance, they’ll come after this belt too. Sixty different people, sixty different competitors, sixty different faces all with the exact same goal in mind, to one day be able to stand in front of the world and raise this championship over their head. That makes the current World Champion a target for everyone. And that thought is pretty intimidating.”

She laughs again, smiling at the camera happily. “But this is where things are different than they’ve been in the past. I already mentioned that I’ve been here before, right? In 2012, for about three months, I was the interim World Champion. In 2013, for about three months again, I was the undisputed World Champion. Both times though I had the same problem. What problem was that? Well, it was the problem that so many in this business tend to have when they think about the World Championship, or when they actually achieve their goal of holding this championship. They fail to see what it’s really all about. And I did that as well. When I was awarded the interim World title I was in shock. I couldn’t believe that it had happened that way. I couldn’t believe the responsibility given to me. But immediately, before I’d even really had time to get my head around the idea, I had people coming after me and telling me that I wasn’t good enough, and that upset me. I was in a different place then though, I was a different person then than I am today, and I was angry that they’d say the things they said about me. I was arrogant. I was self-righteous. And I wanted to shut them all up, to prove them all wrong. That’s what that title reign became about for me. It was all about me,” she says before shaking her head slowly. “Back then I didn’t see things the same way I do now, and I used to think that I should be shown respect. I mean, I went through a one-night tournament to earn my spot, right? I figured that was enough. I figured I’d done enough. I thought the world should think that too.”

She looks at the title and lets out a sigh. “That was what my first reign at the top was all about. It was about me. I thought I was the best. I thought I was untouchable. I thought the spotlights should shine on nobody but me. And after I lost the championship I couldn’t handle the thought that it wasn’t mine anymore. I couldn’t handle the idea that I’d only ever be known as the interim champion. So I became obsessed with getting it back again. That’s what my second reign was about. It was about my obsession with the championship, it was about my obsession with holding on to it at all costs, and to do that I did things that I’m not particularly proud of. That’s what you do when you’re obsessed though. For the second time, in my second reign, I made the same mistake again. I once again thought it was all about me,” she says before shaking her head slowly. “I needed to lose the title to begin to realise how wrong I was. I needed to lose the title to realise how wrong my entire perception of it all was. And it’s taken me a year to realise it, it’s taken me a year of hard work and determination to finally accept it, but now, this time around, I’m not making the same mistake again. You see this time around I know that this title isn’t all about me. This time around I know that holding it up over my head and screaming at the top of my lungs doesn’t make me the best in the world. Do you want to know what I’ve realised this championship is about? It’s about you. It’s about the fans. It’s about the company. And being the SCW World Heavyweight Champion isn’t a right, it’s a privilege. It’s a privilege that I’m so very proud to have.”

She stands there with the championship over her shoulder and a look of pride on her face, nodding at the camera. “Sometimes you need to fail in this business to be able to get your priorities straight and to realise how much things matter to you, and my failure to Shilo Valiant a year ago was what started me on the road to exactly that. For the longest time I hated him for beating me, and I hated the company for not giving me my shot, but you know what? Now I understand why. I wasn’t ready. I wasn’t in the right place. But going in to that match in Miami I was finally ready. And coming out of that match I’m ready to be the kind of champion that this company deserves. I want this championship reign to stand for something. I don’t want it to be all about me, I don’t want it to be all about my selfishness, my desire to have attention, instead I want this championship reign to stand for something more. This time around I’m not going to stand in the ring and tell you that I’m the best, I’m not going to scratch and claw in every match and break every rule just to try to claim empty wins, I’m not going to duck and hide and do everything I can to prolong my championship reign, this time around I’m going to be the kind of champion that I should have been before. This time around I’m going to show this championship the respect that it deserves. This time around I’m going to prove myself worthy of the honour of being able to call myself champion,” she says with her voice full of determination and pride. “And for those asking, that’s why I did what I did a few weeks ago on Breakdown.”

“I’ve been asked the question a lot since it happened. Why would I agree to a rematch with Shaun Cruze after everything he did? He tried to take me out. He tried to injure me. For him the road to Rise to Greatness wasn’t about competition, it was about trying to trying to take Jake and me out of the match. So when he walked out to that ring to confront me, why would I ever agree to give him a rematch? That’s what so many of you want to know, and you know what guys? I can appreciate that mindset. I can appreciate why in the same position anyone else would have told Shaun that he should go back to the back of the queue. And before that’s exactly what I would have done! A year ago, that’s EXACTLY what I would have done in his position. I would have told him no, I would have thrown a hissy fit if Mr Douche decided to give him the shot anyway, and right now this video would be full of me cursing and telling everyone how undeserving Shaun Cruze is, how I’d already beaten him once and how he didn’t have any right to fight me,” she says before laughing again. “But that’s exactly what I’m talking about when it comes to how much I’ve grown, because I’m not that person anymore. The fact is that Shaun was a great champion. He had a bad attitude, he did everything he could to make his life as easy as possible, but when it came to defending this championship he proved himself time and time again. When he had to he stepped up to the plate and he knocked one out of the park. When he had to he proved he was one of the top competitors in the company. But the keywords there are when he had to.”

“I didn’t have to accept Shaun’s challenge. Now maybe it would have been given to me anyway, maybe the Board of Directors or Mr D would have made the match anyway, but maybe they wouldn’t. I could have taken that risk. But I didn’t want to. I didn’t want to deny Shaun his rematch. I didn’t want to tell him to go to the back of the line. Instead I wanted to give him the kind of opportunity that I’ve NEVER been given, I wanted to give him the opportunity to step back in to the ring with me again and to try to win back this championship, and I wanted to do that for a few reasons. First of all it was because as much as Shaun has to prove when it comes to getting this title back, I have just as much to prove when it comes to holding on to it. How can I say that I’m worthy of this title, how can I say that I’m representing this company and that I’m representing the fans of this company, if I’m no better than people like Shaun? I may have won the title but I still have everything to prove when it comes to holding on to the title, and what better way to prove that I’m worthy of representing this company is there than to do what so many others have failed to do, to ACCEPT the rematch, to ACCEPT the challenge, and then get in that ring and prove I’m better than him?” she asks before nodding her head proudly. “You see Shaun, I told you a month ago that if you really WANTED something then you could MAKE it happen and I could have done what you did, I could have made excuses, but I’m not like you. At least, I’m not like you anymore. But you know what? You’re exactly the way I used to be.”

“At Rise to Greatness you lost the match, and I’m sorry about that, I really am. I know how it feels. I know exactly how it feels to roll out of that ring on the biggest stage while someone else’s music is playing, knowing that you went in to the match with one goal in mind and you failed. I know exactly how that feels; I know how much it eats away at your insides. I know the doubt it puts in your mind. I know the tricks your mind starts playing with you. And I know the obsession you feel. That’s the second reason I wanted to give you this match Shaun, because I’ve been exactly where you are right now. How many times have you watched the match back by now? I think, after last year, I’d already watched it about fifteen times by now. I watched every misstep I made, I watched every move I missed, I watched every counter that I was hit with, I watched every punch I should have blocked, I watched every kick I should have countered, and it tore me apart on the inside. That’s what you’re going through right now, isn’t it? And you think that if only you had that one chance, because you’d do it different that time, right?” she asks, nodding her head before beginning to shake it. “I’m not saying this to be mean, I’m not saying this to be a bitch, I’m saying this because I’ve been exactly where you are and I’ve torn myself up inside over the exact same feelings. You keep thinking ‘if only I could do it again’, but you can’t. You can’t go back. There are no rewind buttons, there are no second chances, we both had our moments and we both failed. But here’s the difference between you and me. You’ve got a chance to redeem yourself.”

“I wanted to give you this chance because I know exactly how you feel Shaun, but there’s a third reason as well. I wanted to give you this chance because I want to prove something to you, Shaun. Oh I know I’ve got plenty to prove to everyone else, I’ve got to prove to the fans that I can be the kind of champion they can be proud of, I’ve got to prove to SCW management that I can be the kind of champion they can put their faith in, but to you I want to prove that you’re not ready,” she says coldly but with complete seriousness. “I’ve listened to you since that match, I’ve heard every word you’ve said, and all I see in you is everything I used to be. You still think that being the champion is all about you, don’t you? You still think ALL of this is about YOU. And you proved that to me already so many times. You proved that to me when you stood in that ring and you told me that if you beat me this Sunday then despite the fact that I offered you a rematch you won’t do the same with me. And that’s who you are, Shaun. No matter what you go through, no matter what happens to you, no matter what experiences you go through that we all hope will shape you and help you grow in to a better person you still remain the same, selfish, self-absorbed asshole you’ve always been. And the worst part is that I could almost feel pity for you. Your brother nearly died, we’ve all heard the story, and to have to go through something like that is horrible, nobody deserves to have to watch someone they love almost losing their life, and yet rather than use something like that to grow you continue to be the same person you’ve always been.”

“You don’t like when people call you the ‘golden boy’, do you? It’s one of the many issues you’ve had with Silas Mason over the past several months. You hate this idea that that’s the way that people see you, you want them to see you as the dominant champion, as the main event star, as the best there is, you think that that’s the way they should see you, but once again you’re just like I used to be. You don’t get it. But that’s ok, because me standing here and telling you isn’t going to make any difference. You think that you’re so much more than the ‘golden boy’ that you’ve been dubbed, and yet rather than PROVE yourself you continue to take every single shortcut you can. Now I don’t blame you for coming out and asking for the rematch. I can totally understand why you’d do it. But make no mistake about it Shaun this match is being given to you, just like everything else in your life has always been given to you. And the reason that I’m not angry about that, the reason that I’m even contributing to it, is because this Sunday night, when I beat you, you’re going to have no choice left if you want another shot but to go back to the beginning and earn it. That’s the fourth reason I gave you this shot, Shaun. Because when I beat you there’s not going to any excuses left for you. Now maybe you’ll continue to stand there and tell the world that you want to do it the ‘right’ way by being given another chance after, maybe that’s who you are, maybe you really will NEVER learn, but the only way I can hope to get through to you is to beat you this Sunday, to send you to the back of the line, and to tell you that if you want another shot you’ll have to earn it.”

She stops, shaking her head slowly. “You have the talent to do that Shaun, you really do. You have the ability to beat anyone in this company, and you proved that by overcoming Regan Street and Kelcey Wallace in the same match. You have the talent to beat anyone on any night, but your attitude is one of the lousiest this company has. You’re all about Shaun Cruze, you’re all about what’s best for you, and you’ll say anything or do anything to get what you want, won’t you? But I’m not like you. I was, once. But now I stand for something more. And this Sunday, when I take you on in the middle of the ring, that’s what you’ll have to deal with. This match isn’t just Syren vs. Shaun Cruze after all, we’ve done that before and it’s always ended controversially between us. This isn’t just another round in that rivalry. This match is champion against challenger. This match is pride against selfishness. This match is modesty against ego. And maybe I haven’t always been the most modest of individuals, but next to you I like to think I am,” she says with a laugh. “This week you get an opportunity I’ve never been given, and I get an opportunity I need more than anything. I know that you’re coming for this title Shaun. I know you’ll do anything to take it off of me. I know you want to snatch it back from me and pretend that your title reign never ended, but you should know that I’m going to give you every single thing I’ve got to walk away with this title, and if you really want to win this Sunday there’s no shortcuts, there’s no pulling the referee out of the ring, there’s no Silas World beating me down so you can lock me in the Shaunshooter before pretending to be congratulate me after the match. This week, if you want to take this title, you’ve got to EARN it. And to do that you’re fighting more than just me...”

“This is an opportunity that you want, but like I said, this is an opportunity that I need,” she says determinedly. “If I beat you this week I settle any doubt that remains. If I beat you this week I prove that Rise to Greatness wasn’t just a fluke. If I beat you this week then I show the world that I can be everything that I want to be, that I can be a champion worthy of the honour, that I can represent this company with pride, that I can STAND TALL in that ring and raise this title over my head with pride. If I beat you this week I’ll have justified that my year-long fight to prove myself EVERY WEEK wasn’t in vain. If I beat you this week then I’ll have proven that everything I’ve been through has had a purpose because it’s made me STRONG enough to be the kind of champion I want to be. I know what I’m risking, believe me. I know what I’m putting on the line. And I know that if I fail, if I can’t be what I want to be, if I’m not good enough, then I’ll lose this title after only five weeks, people will doubt me all over again, and I’ll probably have to spend the next year fighting for another chance to earn my way back in to the title picture. I know what I’m putting up on the line this Sunday Shaun, and yet it’s worth it for me. It’s worth it for me to take you on. It’s worth it for me for the chance to prove myself once again. It’s worth it for me to show the world that I’m not like you, that I have grown from all the hardships I’ve been through, that I AM worthy of being called the best in the world right now, and if I beat you Shaun then it’ll stand forever as my biggest achievement to prove that no matter how tough things got I never gave up, I never stopped believing, I continued to give everything I had, and if I can beat you then all the haters, all the doubters, all those who’ve ever been against me and you will all be left with just one thing to do, Shaun. BE TOTALLY JEALOUS!”

She pats the title on her shoulder proudly before kissing the camera lens. The scene fades out then and the video comes to an end with the replay button flashing up on the screen.