The video begins and we see a Hanukkah Menorah as the focus of the video. There are no candles in it, just the silver Menorah in the centre of the picture with what seems like a green background. As we zoom out on the Menorah slightly however the background comes into focus more and we see that it’s not a green background but in fact a Christmas tree in the background, complete with decorations. It’s at this point that we hear the familiar sound of the voice of Syren. “You know when I was younger I used to hate this time of year,” she begins before laughing a little. “Now don’t get me wrong, I liked spending Hanukkah with my family. I liked the songs. I liked the food. I even liked the prayers. But I hated this time of year because it always made me feel different. I think that’s what a lot of people don’t get about this time of year, while they’re wishing one another a Merry Christmas and completely losing themselves in the festivities, is that for some people Christmas is just a time that makes them feel alienated and alone. Now these days I’ll freely admit that I’m not a very good Jewish girl because these days I do celebrate Christmas. I don’t so much celebrate the Christian side of it, I don’t do anything with the wise men or the star – our tree actually has a fairy on the top, make your jokes all you want about that – but I do enjoy the spectacle that is Christmas.”

She pans the camera slowly and we see more of the Christmas decorations, the tinsel, and even a single, solitary, unwrapped present still remaining. “These days I like to lose myself in the moment, I mean I may not be a Christian but that doesn’t mean that I can’t have fun at Christmas with those I love, right? And that’s what the holidays are really about for me. They’re not about baby saviours being born; they’re about family, about giving and receiving, and about being with the people you love the most. They’re also a chance to get away from the normal routine, a chance to take a break from everything and a chance to unwind a little, and to reflect on everything that’s happened. And now that the holidays are almost over that means one thing: it means the New Year is almost upon us,” she says before turning the camera on herself and smiling. “And you know what comes right along with the New Year, don’t you? Sure you do. Everyone does. Reflection on the year that’s come before and a look forward to the year ahead, and nothing in professional wrestling embodies both of those things like the End Of Year Special. It’s one of those magical events, and an event at which I’ve had quite a few memories made over the years. For some it’s about celebrating the year that’s gone by. For others it’s about looking to the year ahead…”

“The year that’s gone by has been pretty special. It’s been the first year in SCW history where a woman held the SCW World Championship every single day of the year, whether it was me, Kennedy Street, Ravyn Taylor, Dawn Lohan, Kelcey Wallace or Regan Street, every single day of 2015 has seen a female at the top of the pile in SCW, and that’s something that’s pretty special. But while I’m reflecting on the year as a whole it was a year that started for me in the aftermath of the End of Year Special 2014, in the aftermath of me defending the SCW World title against Chris Cannon, and in all the crazy that I couldn’t possibly have known was still to come for the year. 2015 was the year I broke a record I think all of us thought would never be broken when I became the longest reigning World Champion in SCW history. But it was also the year that I was close, but not close enough,” she says before shaking her head in disappointment. “I got screwed by Kennedy Street, twice. I lost the title, I won rematch but I guess I lost the war because I didn’t get my belt back. I was a semi-finalist in the Best of the Best – close, but not close enough – and second place at Taking Hold of the Flame, but there’s no prize for runner up in professional wrestling, right? I ended David Helms’ undefeated run at the biggest show of the year, I beat the Monarchy inside the Elimination Chamber, but I end 2015 without the one thing that I want more than anyone…”

She laughs at that statement and lets out a little sigh. “Ugh, god, how true is that in so many ways? But it’s not that that I’m talking about. You guys know what I’m talking about. And when I look back over 2015 I set the record, and Ravyn set another one – one that she didn’t want to set – but as 2016 rolls up and we all make our New Years Resolutions I could make one right now which is no word of a lie and tell you that I would be thrilled to stand by her side again as Ravyn recaptured that title, but the thing I really want to tell you is that is that in 2016 I’m going to become a four-time SCW World Heavyweight Champion. Now I know that won’t be happening this Thursday night – which is technically still 2015 but whatever – and I know that it won’t be happening in January. Instead in January we’re going to see four of the vote getters going at one another to see who comes out as the number one contender. And whether it’s Regan or Trinity who leaves the End of Year Special, whether it’s Stacy, Amy, Alexis or James who gets to fight the winner, I want that ultimate winner to know one thing. I’m not going to jump the gun. I’m not going to try to force my way into your business. But when your business is over, at Retribution, one year after I lost the World title I’m going to be coming for the World title again. I figure you guys should know that.”

She smiles at the camera and nods her head. “Of course nothing’s official yet, and if Alexis Quinne gets her way I’ll be laying at her feet long before then anyway, right? It’s not the first time I’ve heard that. But hey, I’m always willing to climb the ladder, and like I said before I’ll give Alexis credit enough to acknowledge that she’s got a nice spot on that ladder, a spot that could be getting even nicer in a few days at Breakdown. Someone else who’s on that ladder, perhaps a little beneath her, is Dante McCaffery, someone who I was supposed to fight a few weeks ago and didn’t get the chance. Now anyone who knows me well knows that I hate getting the night off. I don’t know why the match was cancelled. I don’t get to make those kinds of decisions, and unfortunately no one who does make them answers to me. But I did get the night off a few weeks ago, Alexis got to run her mouth and make herself feel special, but on Thursday night I don’t get the night off. On Thursday night I don’t get a cancelled match. On Thursday night I get to step into the ring with one of Punk Hazard – all capitals apparently, don’t forget the capitals – and it won’t be for the first time, will it?” she asks before rubbing her right hand under her right eye. “Oh yah, I’ve not forgotten the last time, make no mistake about that. It’s kind of hard to forget when someone tries to claw your eyes out.”

“That was just one of the times I found myself dealing with Alexis Quinne and Punk Hazard. That was not long after the night I already talked about once, the night I had Kennedy Street beaten in the middle of the ring, the night I had a chance to regain my World title only to be cost the title, but win the match, thanks to Dante. A few weeks later I came looking for payback, I came in angry and he took advantage of that and I won the match again, once again by disqualification, when he tried to rake my eyes out. I’ve not forgotten. I didn’t forget that, I didn’t forget dropping El Rudo in the first round of the Best of the Best a few weeks later, and I didn’t forget going up against Alexis Quinne a few weeks after that while she was talking big about everything she was going to do, and she wasn’t talking quite so much when we were done. But when it comes to dealing with Alexis Quinne and Punk Hazard I’m almost inexperienced next to Autumn Valentine, right?” she asks before rolling her eyes. “You know if there was ever someone I needed to go to in order to get some advice of how to handle them, if there was ever someone with the experience in handling the endless talking and the petty threats then I have a resource who knows all about it. And don’t worry, I’ve had a talk with Autumn, she’s given me the benefit of her wisdom in the area, but when it comes to shutting up those with big mouths I don’t need Autumn’s help.”

She nods her head slowly. “I get it, you know? I’ve got a target on me. It’s not the first time someone’s come after me either. That’s one of the downsides of climbing to the top of the business. When you get there you find there are always those who want to take you down, thinking that it’ll help them to do that, thinking it’ll aid their careers to knock yours back, and sometimes they can be right. Everyone wants to beat the former champions after all. It sends a message, right? Don’t worry, I know all about that as well. I mean it’s not like it’s something that I didn’t do on my way up either. It’s not like I didn’t see opportunities in those who were above me, in people like Katie Steward and Shilo Valiant, people I relished getting in the ring with, people I loved the opportunity to go up against in part to test myself but in part just knowing that beating them would send a message, it would tell the world that I was on my way and it would force people to pay attention to me.  I used to run my mouth about them as well, just the same as Alexis Quinne is doing now about me, so I know where she’s coming from,” she says, nodding her head in acknowledgment. “If you’re expecting this to me the moment where I tell you that Alexis isn’t me, that I made my impact on the stars who came before me and I won’t let Alexis do the same to me, then you’re wrong. I’m not going to do that. I’m not going to tell you she won’t do exactly that. She might!”

“She might, or Dante might. I know how hungry he is. I know how much he’s looking to prove himself. I know that he’s itching for that opportunity to take the next step, to make the next big impact, to put the world on notice and show everyone that Punk Hazard is about more than just Alexis Quinne, as so many seem to think it is. And you know what? I respect that. I’ve been where he is. I’ve been in the background of the Infamous, dying for that opportunity to leap out of the shadows and take the world by storm. Why couldn’t he do that at the End of Year Special? Why couldn’t he end 2015 by making the ultimate announcement of his arrival for 2016? What a story that would make, right? Alexis Quinne in the one-night tournament, Dante McCaffery beats a former World Champion, Punk Hazard seem like they’re on the rise, 2016 looks bright for them… yah, it’d make a hell of a story…” she says, nodding her head in agreement. “You know, it’s the kind of story that I as a wrestling fan would enjoy as well. I love those kinds of breakout moments, you know? It kind of makes it ironic then that I’ve got to be the one who stomps on it, who sends Dante home with the loss, and with the simple knowledge that as good a story as that would make the reality is that I watched what happened to Dalton Hughes on Breakdown, I’ve watched what’s happened to a whole lot of people who’ve come up against the numbers of Punk Hazard, and I’m not going into this blind.”

She laughs for a moment, stopping to smile at that comment. “Oh, damn, that would have been funny if I meant it. It’s weird though, right? I mean Dante definitely has a thing about his opponent’s eyes. He tried to claw mine out, he had no problem taking advantage of the salt to the eyes of Dalton Hughes, he seems to genuinely enjoy making it so that opponents can’t see what he’s got in store… but that’s ok, because he won’t see what I’ve got in store for him coming either. You see as much as I know Dante is a threat, as much as I know Punk Hazard will have the numbers and as much as I love the story of the breakout moment for them collectively or individually there’s another story I care a whole lot about and that’s the story of Syren climbing the ladder, that’s the story of Syren racking up the wins again, that’s the story of Syren going to Retribution as the number one contender to the SCW World Heavyweight Championship and those two stories can’t coexist. We can’t see the breakout moment for Dante McCaffery and the climbing of the ladder for Syren. We get one or the other. I know which one you think is happening Dante, but on Thursday night you’ll see things differently,” she says before smiling innocently and shrugging her shoulders, “because in Montreal on Thursday night 2015 ends in style, and I intend to go out the same way I went in, with my hand raised.”

“It won’t be easy, but then it proves nothing if it’s easy. I’m not looking for easy. I can’t prove myself if it’s easy. I’m looking for a fight against a game competitor, and Dante fits the bill. He’s tough, he’s got the willingness to go above and beyond, and he’ll give me a fight. That’s what I need. That’s what I want every single time I get in that ring. That’s what I’m looking for every single week between now and March. Hell that’s what I’m looking for every single week between now and next December! You see I’m not the kind of girl who jumps on social media and declares herself invincible or unstoppable. That means nothing as well. Tweeting it, shouting about it, hijacking video feeds to preach about it, all means nothing. But getting in that ring, fighting every challenge, overcoming all the odds and having your hand raised in victory time after time is what matters. I’ve done it before. I’ve climbed the ladder before. I’m doing it again starting Thursday night,” she promises with absolute commitment. “I said a few weeks ago that I was born to do this and I meant it. You know my problems. I’ve not tried to hide them. But there’s something else you should know about me. I’m more focused than I’ve ever been. I’m more determined than I’ve ever been. And I absolutely believe one thing: I’ve called myself the Best Female Wrestler in the World so many times, but in 2016 I’m going to be better than I’ve ever been before!”

“I’ve not forgotten what Dante cost me. I’ve not forgotten what Dante tried to do to me. But I think Dante, and Alexis, have forgotten what I’m capable of. At the End of Year Special I remind them and I remind the world,” she promises before pausing for a moment. “You know I get the feeling that Dante and Alexis know how it feels to feel alienated, to feel alone and to feel different. That’s part of what gives them that bond, right? It’s part of what makes the group what it is. It’s part of what fuels them, thinking that the world doesn’t understand them, thinking that the world doesn’t appreciate them, and thinking that they need to battle against all the odds and that victories should be relished, should be cherished, and should be bragged about endlessly. They’re good at the last bit especially. Alexis Quinne, after all, is a ‘big deal’, right? Dante is too I’m sure. And they want the world to know how they feel, they want their message shouted from the highest rooftops, and they want the world to know they’re ready to make a statement, but the only statement being made on Thursday night is that cheaters never prosper. You got the win over Dalton Hughes. Thursday night you don’t face a giant powerhouse, you face a three-time SCW World Heavyweight Champion who’s not coming into this match filled with anger and making mistakes but who’s walking to that ring cool, calm and ready to rock. This Thursday night the SCW audience gets a special show, a special moment and the opportunity to STAND TALL, 2015 ends in a spectacle, and I take the first step on the journey I’m making back to the top. If you think I’m going to falter, if you’re hoping I’m going to fail, this Thursday in Montreal you’ll BE TOTALLY JEALOUS!”

She smiles at the camera. “2015 was a hell of a year for SCW. 2016 is going to be even bigger,” she promises. “See you Thursday guys.” With that she pulls the camera in close and kisses the lens before we fade out and to black with the replay button flashing up on the screen.