The video begins and we see what looks like a training room at the home of Zoe Sperling and Ravyn Taylor from Malibu, California. Front and centre of the picture however is the woman herself, Syren, looking incredibly focused. Her hair is tied back and while dressed in a Dark Fantasy t-shirt she’s not wearing a lot of makeup, she doesn’t look like she’s spent hours getting ready, but more there’s a look of focus and determination in her eyes. “March 8th 2015,” she begins before nodding her head. “That’s the last day I got to call myself the SCW World Heavyweight Champion. April 11th 2015 was the last day I was in the ring one on one with a chance at winning that title. And on that night I did win the match, I beat Kennedy Street, I guess I got my revenge after months of her making my life hell and belittling me and talking down to me, but I didn’t leave with the title because while I had her down, while I know I had her beat, the match ended in a disqualification. I beat the champion and ever since that day, April 11th, I have worked harder than anyone to get back to the top. That’s not a slight on anyone, that’s not an insult to anyone, it’s simply a fact. I’ve busted my ass every day since that night, whether I’ve been wrestling or training, to get back to where I wanted to be, and it’s not been an easy path. But March 6th 2016 I earned my opportunity to fight for the title, and on April 6th, in just two days’ time, that’s exactly what I’m going to do. So I’m going to address a few things while I talk to you right now but first and foremost is a question I’m asked a lot: am I ready?”

She smiles and nods her head knowingly. “Yah, I’m ready,” she says with absolute certainty. “You know a few weeks ago I got put through the announce table right before I was meant to step into the ring with five others and fight in the first ever Triple Jeopardy match. I didn’t let that stop me. This past week I got involved in shenanigans again, this time in the form of Alexis Quinne and her ‘Punk Hazard Rules’, and I’m not going to let that stop me. I have no excuses. I have no backup plans. This Wednesday night I’m walking out to fight for the SCW World Championship and if anyone has any doubt in their minds then I’ll clear it up right now. I’m ready for this match in ways I’ve never been ready for any other match, because this Wednesday night is different for me than any match that has come before it. You see this Wednesday night isn’t just about the World Championship. This Wednesday night isn’t just about waiting a year for this opportunity. This Wednesday night isn’t about seven months since the thirteen-person ladder match. Hell, this Wednesday night isn’t even just about Syren. And this Wednesday night I am facing a woman who has proven beyond doubt that she deserves to be in the upper echelon of professional wrestling, a woman who has proven to the world time and time again that she deserves to sit where she is right now, that she’s EARNED the World title, but I’m not facing a woman I have a personal hatred for. This match isn’t just about Syren versus Amy Chastaine either. It’s about the future!”

“I feel kind of bad saying that as well because before I do anything else I need to talk a little about Amy. I want you guys to know that what I said last week on Breakdown was true, but I still felt a little guilty afterwards. You see I did expect the outcome to be different last Wednesday night and that wasn’t because I was overlooking Amy Chastaine, that wasn’t because I thought she wasn’t good enough, that wasn’t because I thought she’d fail because I knew all those things weren’t true. I took to Twitter last week to address this because I felt like it needed to be addressed, and I’m going to address it again now. I thought, before this match, that Amy Chastaine had done things nobody in SCW history had done. She’s proven herself quicker than almost anyone else. It was only one year ago that she made her debut in SCW, having fought her way here after working for years all around the world to get here, and I respected the hell out of her for that when she first arrived. In the time since I’ve grown to respect her even more. But I’ve been in that ring with Regan Street. I’ve shared a locker room with Regan Street. I know how good she is, I know how talented she is, I know how tough she is and I knew without doubt how much she wanted to take that title back,” she says, nodding her head in respect. “I thought, going into last week, that betting against Regan Street on that night would be like betting against snow in Canada. I thought Regan would win not because I had a lack of respect for Amy but because I had that much for Regan.”

She pauses a moment before smiling a little, not out of joy but more with a lot of sheer awe. “But yet I was wrong,” she says, nodding in recognition once more. “I knew how good Amy Chastaine was. I respected Amy Chastaine for her climb to the top. I thought her winning the tournament on Breakdown in January showed how good she was, going toe-to-toe with Regan in an all-time classic at Violence in Vegas showed she was ready and might have crowned her champion if not for something I know all too well in outside interference, and while I’ll freely admit I’d worked hard to be considered for the shot at Retribution if there was one person I could honestly say deserved it even more then it was Amy. She deserved her chance to make it right. She deserved the chance I didn’t get against Kennedy Street. And she grabbed that chance with both hands and she hasn’t stopped since. She proved she belongs in the history books in that elite list of World Champions when she won at Retribution. She proved she belongs in the absolute elite when she beat a motivated and fired up Regan last week against ALL the odds! So guys, I know what I’m up against this week. The last two times I’ve been in the ring with Regan she’s won the match. The last three times Regan’s been in the ring with Amy it’s been Amy who’s won. Believe me, I know the challenge that’s waiting for me this Wednesday night, I know the mountain I’ll have to climb, and I’m hoping all of that shows you just how certain I am when I tell you in spite of all of that I’m ready!”

She smirks before shaking her head. “And if any of you are buying in to Kelcey Wallace’s bullshit – Kelcey Cannon, whatever – then, just like her, you’re projecting something in yourself that just isn’t there with me. I’m an honest person. I don’t ‘butter up’ anyone I don’t like. If I don’t like them I tell them straight to their face, as Kelcey probably remembers. But unlike a whole bunch of other people around here I didn’t take to Twitter last week to threaten. I didn’t take to Twitter last week to claim I’d do what Regan couldn’t. I didn’t take to Twitter last week to insult Amy. I took to Twitter last week to congratulate two of the best in the world on a hell of a performance, and to congratulate Amy on proving herself yet again,” she says, nodding her head again, “and besides, I didn’t need to take to Twitter to insult Amy in 140 characters in front of the world. What do I gain from that, aside from looking like a jackass? My ego isn’t so small I have to respond to every negative comment and retweet every positive one. Fans know when they tweet me positive things I appreciate it. I do. And I don’t need to defend myself against the haters. I’m confident about who I am. People can say whatever they want on social media, I do my talking in the ring, and right here with the camera rolling. So you guys want to know what I really think about Amy? I’ve told you. Now let me tell you why this match matters to me, why this match is so important, and why on Wednesday night I have every intention of leaving that ring as a four-time SCW World Champion.”

“For you guys this Wednesday isn’t about egos, it isn’t about drama, it isn’t about personal rivalries… but for you guys this Wednesday is something so much more special than that. It’s about two of the best in the world facing off for the biggest prize in this business. For you guys this week is about watching two experienced wrestlers – eleven years for Amy, almost seven years for me – showing each other and the world everything they have. And Amy and me are similar in that ring without doubt. We both know how to break an opponent down. We both know how to wrestle with the best of them. And we both know the value that comes from going high, and the risks involved in that as well. For you guys this week you get two of the best in the world one on one in that ring with a guarantee that we’re both going to give everything we have. And I’m not going to talk about her personal life, I’m not going to talk about her mistakes, I’m not going to try and slander her because frankly I don’t need to, and quite honestly it would be hypocritical to do so,” she says, nodding her head honestly. “Some of you guys know the stuff I’ve been through, those of you who don’t I’m not going to go into it but let’s just say stuff has been rough for me in the past and I’ve fought a lot of demons in my career. We all make mistakes. We all go down paths we wish we hadn’t. The most important thing is where that path leads us, and how much we grow as a result. I believe Amy will grow from every mistake she’s made. I think she’ll be a better person for it.”

“But if you’re sitting there right now and thinking that that’s boring, that you don’t want to watch wrestling this Wednesday and you’d rather watch two women try and tear one another apart… well, you might just get some of that too because I know Amy’s had success all over the world, she’s held all kinds of titles in her career, but right now she’s got a taste for that title and I know, as someone who’s been there, that once you get that title in your hands you’ll fight until you physically can’t fight anymore to hold onto it. I’ve done that. I’ve passed out in that ring giving everything I had to defend that title. And I have no doubt Amy will as well. So I’m going into this Wednesday night expecting a technical master class, expecting to wrestle one of the best wrestlers in the world and to fly with one of the best risk takers, but when it’s time to get down and dirty, when it’s time to just throw fists, when it’s time to do whatever you need to do to knock the other one down so they don’t get back up I’m ready for that too,” she says, showing her fists with are both taped up, obviously as a sign of what she’s talking about. She smiles and shrugs her shoulders though. “But like I told you already, this match this Wednesday is beyond just Amy and me, and here’s why. SCW right now is in a pretty bad place. We’ve all seen it, haven’t we? And if you could be backstage you’d see it too. There’s more security guards backstage than there have ever been before. There’s conflict literally everywhere you turn. And there are people in this company who are working to take it down.”

She nods her head slowly, looking saddened to have to say that. “For you guys none of that will come as a surprise because you’ve watched it week after week after week. You’ve watched the Monarchy tear people apart. You’ve watched – and if you’re anything like me then you’ve watched in horror – as everything has unfolded between Mr D and Red Rayne. You’ve watched chaos reign, and guys like Jake Starr take advantage of that chaos every chance he can. You’ve watched some of the worst elements in wrestling coming out, and you’ve seen some of the best and brightest get corrupted by that, you’ve watched in disbelief as others have turned on those who believed in them, as this darkness has settled in over this company that I love so much, this company that I have FOUGHT for so many times, and honestly you guys I’ve started to wonder where it’s going to end. And the last few weeks I’ve even watched as good people – people I believe are good and can be good – have said the wrong things, have supported the wrong people, while others have lashed out in anger and rage. Amy knows about that. She’s the one who’s felt some of that,” she says, nodding her head sadly. “And you know when one of the best in the world labels someone else a ‘fluke’ it’s not good for anyone. When people have that much trouble accepting a loss, no matter how much it burns you at the time, then that’s not good for anyone involved. And that’s why this week matters so much me, because Amy has fought her way here, but so have I!”

“It’s been months since I vowed that I’d fight my way back to the title. It’s been months since I said I’d go to the bottom and I’d fight my way back up. And I have. Since losing the SCW World Championship last year I’ve only been pinned on two occasions. The first was Best of the Best last year, against David Helms, a loss that hurt me at the time but a loss that motivated me to go to Rise to Greatness and do something about in the right way. The second was two weeks ago on Breakdown, pinned by Regan Street in a six-person tag match. Like I said, I know how good she is,” she says, shrugging. She’s clearly not happy to admit it but neither does she look angry about it. “But that’s twenty-seven matches I’ve had since I lost to Kennedy, and I’ve been in the ring with the best of the best. I’ve fought Shilo Valiant, Lucas Knight, David Helms, Vixen Cain, Alexis Quinne, Katie Steward, Kelcey Wallace, Jake Starr, and a whole bunch more. I promised I would fight my way back to the top and it’s taken me more than a year but that’s what I’ve done. I go into Wednesday night knowing without doubt I deserve this opportunity, knowing if I lose it’s because Amy was the better competitor, but knowing I can fight my way back there again. But if I win on Wednesday night I’m going to make a promise to you all right now and that’s that my reign won’t be about gang assaults, it won’t be about gauntlet matches, it won’t be about bragging and ego. If I walk out on Wednesday night I’m going to do everything I can to create a light in the darkness that is overtaking this company.”

“You see with me it’s always been pretty simple: you want to prove yourself? I’m not hard to find. You want an opportunity? Don’t whine about it, don’t tweet about it, step up and prove it! I genuinely believe in a time when kidnapping is ignored by the majority, when gang assault beat downs have people looking the other way, maybe we don’t need a champion who sees that championship as an accessory to show off to her friends – not that I think Amy does, but whatever – but maybe we need a champion who sees that title as a symbol of hope! In a time when blood, violence and gang warfare are all you ever see when you tune into Breakdown maybe we need a champion who’ll stand in the middle of that ring and fight not for herself but for what’s right,” she says passionately, clearly with true belief in her words. “You know I’ve seen a lot of horrible things on the shows lately. I’ve heard about a lot more happening. We’ve got politicians rallying us against anyone who’s different. We’ve got politicians telling us what we can and can’t do with our bodies. We’ve got politicians who want to build a wall to keep us all apart, but on Breakdown I want to win the SCW World Championship to bring us all TOGETHER! I want that title to stand for something true, to stand for something real, to not only represent being the best in the world but to be that light in the darkness that gives every single one of us hope! That’s why this Wednesday is bigger than Amy Chastaine against Syren. This Wednesday is two of the best fighting to be LEADERS, fighting to represent not what SCW has become what what SCW SHOULD BE!”

“I learned recently about the influence that we have as performers. I learned recently about how one word used in the right way can bring people together while one word used in the wrong way can drive them apart. You’ve all seen that happening. Well I want to put that title over my shoulder and be a positive influence. I want to prove to everyone you don’t need to have an ego so huge you’ve got to check it at the airport to gain success. I want to prove to everyone that you don’t need to a bitch to be a success. I want to prove to everyone nice people can finish first in this world. And that’s three things the SCW World Championship SHOULD be about. That title should be about proving yourself, it should be about bringing people together, it should be about setting positive examples and I know that I’m not perfect, I know I’ve made a hell of a lot of mistakes in my past, but guys I believe with all of my heart that being the Heavyweight Champion of the World doesn’t just mean winning the matches but it means being the best you can be, inside and outside of that ring, and that is what I want that title to represent,” she says with genuine passion and enthusiasm, “and that is what I’ll be fighting for come Wednesday night. SCW is bigger than one person’s opinion of how it should be. SCW is our home. SCW is our stage. And I want to bring that to the forefront again by fighting through every challenge, overcoming every obstacle, earning my shot, leaving every drop of blood and sweat out there in front of the world, raising that title over my head in the middle of that ring and knowing every single person there knows THAT is what SCW is all about!”

“And on a selfish note, Breakdown isn’t just any other show, is it? Breakdown is in my favourite place in the world. Breakdown is live from Los Angeles, California. Breakdown is live from the STAPLES Center, the arena I’ve watched the Kings reign before, and the arena in which I’ve reigned before. There is nothing like fighting for the World Championship, but if there is one thing I can tell you is even bigger than that it’s fighting in your HOME TOWN for a World Championship! And this Wednesday night that’s what I get to do. Hometown girl Zoe Sperling stepping into the ring in front of friends, family and so many who know me. My sister is going to be in the crowd this Wednesday. My brother is going to be in the crowd this Wednesday. You guys have no idea how much they both mean to me. And this Wednesday I’m going to step into that ring, motivated by my family, motivated by my friends, motivated by my home town, motived by the SCW World Championship and motivated by the idea of being the catalyst for change! This Wednesday night six and a half years of eating, sleeping, breathing and LIVING SCW takes me back to my home town where I have EARNED the right to call myself the number one contender, where I face one of the very best in this company today who’s earned her place at the top, and where I intend to rise to the biggest of occasions on Breakdown, to put on the match of the year with Amy Chastaine, to steal the show in my home town, to STAND TALL in that ring with the SCW World Championship in my hand, to raise it over my head and to change the world, even if it’s only a little,” she says before smiling yet with that same determination and fire in her eyes. “And guys? I know there are a lot of people in the back who don’t want that, but to them and to all the haters I say this Wednesday night we tell them to look on and BE TOTALLY JEALOUS!”

She smiles and nods at the camera again. “Wednesday night it’s you and me Amy. I’m ready. I’ll see you then.”

She steps toward the camera and reaches for it as the video ends and fades out to black. A few moments later the replay button flashes up on the screen.