The video begins on a shot of Zoe Sperling – better known to the wrestling world as Syren – sat on a deck chair that’s fully extended out. She’s got her eyes closed and she’s clearly enjoying the sun from whatever location she’s in. Wherever it is it seems bright and very, very nice. At her side is the SCW World Championship. It rests on a towel on the sand just next to the chair, far enough away not to inconvenience her relaxation but close enough that it’s still within her reach at all times. And then, lying there relaxing, she lets out a contented little sigh. “Ah, it’s good to be me,” she says playfully. A smile spreads across her face. She slowly opens her eyes, reaching for her sunglasses and popping them on before looking around herself and smiling. “Private beach on my own little getaway, a little much-needed R and R between the shows because… because why the hell not, right? I don’t need a reason. I work hard. Damn hard. I mean, it’s not easy being me. It’s not easy being the World Champion. And yet I wouldn’t trade this feeling for anything in the world… and I won’t. Because this feeling is one that isn’t leaving any time soon. This feeling is one that’s going to remain for a long time yet, and why shouldn’t it? Just think how long it took me to get here. Just think how many hoops I had to jump through to get back where I belong. Just think how many times I had to be let down by those with power. Oh, I know you’re all bitching and whining and complaining about me right now, but then you were all bitching and whining and complaining about me eighteen months ago as well, weren’t you? So, what’s new?”

She starts laughing, sitting up and adjusting the chair before lifting up the SCW World Championship and staring at it happily. Then she looks back at the camera again. “See, here’s the funny thing: right now there’s a whole roster full of people bitching that I don’t deserve to be here. They’ve all got their own reasons for why they think that is, how I ‘didn’t earn it’ or how I ‘cheated’ or ‘schemed’ or blah, blah, blah – yah, like I’m the first bitch in history to do any of those things? Have you guys seriously not watched SCW before? Honestly, I was the first bitch in history who DIDN’T do those things before now. You shouldn’t be condemning me now, you should be PRAISING me for getting as far as I have WITHOUT breaking the rules, but whatever. Haters gonna hate – and yet eighteen months ago I sat atop the mountain for the fifth time and do you know what I heard? That I wasn’t good enough. That I wasn’t strong enough. That I wasn’t respected enough. That I didn’t deserve it. That some other bitch deserved it more than me. And why? They all had their reasons. They’ve ALWAYS got their reasons. And I had to sit there then pretending that I didn’t hear them, but I did. Now you’ve got different reasons for claiming it should be you… but it’s not,” she says, putting the World title on her relatively tiny shoulder before patting it proudly. “As much as you all WISH it was you right now, it’s not, and it’s about time you bitches started getting used to that idea, because right now all I hear is how it’s not GOING to be me soon… and yet it still is.”

She laughs happily. “Jake Starr told me my time was going to be short, that he was going to reclaim the title and really treasure it this time. How’d that work out again? Oh, right, I beat him. Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold up… wait a second… ok…  NOW tell me all the reasons that that statement is wrong. Go on, I’m listening…” she says, pretending to listen for a moment before laughing again and flipping off the camera. “And this is how much I care. Yah, I know, Xander Valentine this, and Jake Starr that, and blah, blah, blah, but whatever. He had his rematch and he failed. End of story. I mean, is it NOT the end of the story? Because here’s a funny story… a few years ago I had a rematch after Kennedy Street screwed me. Remember that? Do you remember what happened? I beat her, but by disqualification, and… I’m pretty sure there wasn’t a soul in the company back then who was whining and bitching that I should get a second chance at her. So Jakey couldn’t get the job done, and I’m meant to feel bad? No. He’s done. He had his chance. Who’s next? Oh, right, Bree and Kennedy. And how’d THAT work out for them? Well, I’m still CHAMPION despite Psychic Dawn Lohan’s magical predicting powers, so I guess that answers that question, huh? But did I though? DID I THOUGH? The way I remember it was me dropping Bree on her face while Kennedy stood outside the ring glaring at Alex, who by the way never actually touched her. What? I’ve seen the replays. Tell me I’m wrong. Tell me he touched her. He didn’t. And even if he had, I go back to what’s becoming something I have to say way too often, and that’s that we’re talking about a Triple Threat Match…”

She pauses, looks at the belt and looks up at the camera. “And now I still have this, and Kennedy and Bree don’t. Boo hoo. But I ‘didn’t earn it’, right? Won it in the middle of the ring. ‘Didn’t earn it’. Two title defences. Still ‘didn’t earn it’? Yah, get a new line guys, because that one is getting old. But you know what else is getting old? Beating a bitch, only to have to beat them a second time…” she says before laughing again. “Honestly, are you even serious, Oleksa? You’re giving Kennedy another shot? There’s all this bitching about how I ‘didn’t earn’ my shot, right? Well she ‘didn’t earn’ a shot either. You handed it to her. And now that I already won ONE match against her you’re giving her ANOTHER shot? Do you remember before the pay per view I asked if she had incriminating photos of you? Well I’m pretty sure fucking someone does right now, because otherwise I don’t know how to explain this bullshit. But whatever, I could sit here and whine about how she ‘didn’t earn it’ but then I’d be no better than anyone else, would I? And in case you didn’t notice, I am better than everyone else. So instead of wasting my breath raging against the machine I’ll do what I do better than anyone. I’ll take Oleksa’s hand-picked challenger, I’ll invite her in for her second chance… and I’ll drop her in the middle of the ring and walk out with this title still over my shoulder. And of course you all doubt that. Of course you do. But you thought I was wrong before Retribution as well, didn’t you? And yet here I am.”

She smiles before flicking her hair out of her vision and smiling. “But before we get to Kennedy I have a whole different challenge to take on, and one I’m actually psyched about. Because right now I’m relaxing in a little bit of European luxury before the tour begins strong on Wednesday, but come Wednesday there won’t be time to relax. On Wednesday I’ll be all business when I step into the ring with Amy Chastaine. And like I said, this is a match I’m psyched about, because why would I not want to face someone like Amy? Ever since she came into SCW she’s been breaking new ground. Every fan in the world who ever doubted her had those doubts erased when she proved again and again how good she can be. She made believers out of every single one of us when she captured the SCW World Championship, and ever since she’s not lost a beat, winning tournaments, winning almost every belt available, and proving her name belongs in the upper echelon of this business. In fact, if you ask me, I think right now Mr Douche should be less concerned with giving precious Kennedy another chance and giving one to Amy instead. What do you guys think?” she asks before cracking another smile. “Yah, I know you’d love to see that. Amy Chastaine versus Syren for the SCW World Championship. It’d be a match talked about the world over. It’d be a match that’s only happened a handful of times before, most of which weren’t even on television. It’d be a classic for the ages as arguably the two best women in SCW go one on one for the biggest prize available. Hell, I don’t even need to hype the match any more than that. This should happen, don’t you think?”

She nods her head, seemingly completely believing her own words. Then she stops and holds up a finger. “Ah but wait… it’s not Amy. It’s Kennedy… again. Must suck to be Amy right now, huh? I mean she’s got a chance to face me this week. She’s got a chance to beat me this week. And if she does, if she wins and she EARNS a title match… it’ll still be Kennedy. And after I beat Kennedy a second time, drop her in the middle of the ring… then what? Kennedy again?” she asks before laughing. “Oh Amy, sweetie, you know I still respect you, right? At least I hope you do. Because all that stuff you said before about you standing with me while I was standing up to violence and bullying, it was all true. You did, and I’ll forever be grateful to you for that. And now you think that somehow me holding this in the way I did invalidated that whole campaign… I’ve got to ask why. You’re doing nothing but spewing the virtues of a woman who got to the top of this company not by wrestling her way there but by stripping for the cameras. You’re singing the praises of a woman who’s admitted sleeping with the husbands of her own family members. I’d seriously be careful about calling her ‘family’ if I were you, it probably makes your beau all the more attractive to her every time you do. But while you’re singing her praises in one breath, you’re telling me I’ve invalidated all the good I did, all the money I raised for good causes, and all the people I helped – while Kennedy was backstabbing, lying and fucking her way through the roster – just by… pinning Jake Starr after Ravyn hit him in the head?”

She starts laughing. “Ok, seriously, explain the logic to me here. Like seriously, what kind of fucked up logic is that? Did that make me a bully?” she asks, pouting and widening her eyes and pretending to look all innocent before scoffing and shaking her head. “Oh get over yourself, you dumb bitch. I’ll say it before, I’ll say it again now, I’ve done NOTHING that your bestie hasn’t done a thousand times before. Compared to her I’m still a goddamn saint. You can call me Mother Zo-eresa next to the people YOU associate with. And yet I’m the one in the wrong? Bitch please. Like I said Ams, you know I respect you but you are definitely one dumb fucking bitch. Not only are you whining about how I ‘did nothing’ to earn my shot while campaigning for her to get a SECOND shot after doing nothing but LOSE TO ME to earn it, but you’re doing that while you’ve got ten times the reasons to be the one who should be getting this chance. But do you know why you’re not? Because you’re not a Street. Because you don’t have an army of ass-kissers campaigning for you and singing your praises. That’s how Bree got her chances, right? I mean she earned the first one but the second one? And while you’re busy bitching about what I’ve earned, you’re conveniently ignoring HER because she’s your ‘friend’ and you’re blinded by loyalty… like the dumb bitch you are. But do you think she cares, Amy? Do you think she’d give you a chance? Hell, do you think she even knows what you’ve done to be further ahead in the line than she should be? No. None of them do. You’ve busted your ass. You’ve broken records. You’ve stamped your name in EVERY record book. But Donovan Kayl isn’t campaigning for YOU to get unlimited title shots, is he?”

She pauses for a moment before sighing more sombrely. “Tell me, Amy… how’s the rematch for the World Tag Team Championships coming? You gotten that sorted yet? You got that arranged? Is Mr Douche rushing to hand you that on a silver platter the same way he’s handing out shots to Bree and Kennedy? Nope. And that’s got to be frustrating. What about that match you want with Blake Mason. How’s that coming along? Are the stars aligning to give you what you want? After all the bullshit he’s done is truth and justice paying off for you there? Nope. And that’s GOT to be frustrating. And what about your shot at this?” she asks, patting the title proudly. “When’s that lined up for? You’ve got a rematch clause in your contract, right? Did you ever get that? Nope. Frustrated yet? You know why I’m asking you this, right? Because you and me aren’t so different, Amz. You’re just now beginning to experience that frustration. You’re just now beginning to see people who’ve done half as much as you jumping ahead of you in line not because of what they’ve done but because of who they are and how loudly they can whine. And despite what you’ll tell me, despite how coolly you’ll play it that it doesn’t bother you, I know better. Do you know how I know? Because I shrugged it off as well. Because I told them that I’d get my chance as well. Because I thought if I worked hard, I did the right things, I lived by the right code, I won the big matches and I always, always did my best that I’D get those chances. But did I? No. Regan Street got my chance. Kelcey Wallace got my chance. Sienna Swann got my chance. And now Kennedy Street has gotten yours.”

She nods before letting out a sigh. “Think about it. Somewhere deep inside, in a place you don’t want to admit exists, you know it’s true. And it doesn’t matter how many times you win. It doesn’t matter who you beat. It doesn’t matter how hard you work. That’s not how it works around here. I used to believe differently. I used to believe just what you do now. And then I opened my eyes and I saw the truth, and I saw just how naïve I’d actually been. Now I see that in you as well… and I pity you,” she says before nodding her head sincerely. “Maybe that’s not the kind of thing you should tell your opponent before a match. That you pity how naïve they are. But I do, Amy. Because you don’t see it. You’ve got the same blinkers on that I had for so very, very long. And it wasn’t Alex that changed my mind. It wasn’t Ravyn. They got me where I deserved to be, where I SHOULD have been long before that night, but that frustration inside of me, that boiling anger inside me that came out on that night, was there a long, long time before January 21st. It was THAT night that I got tired of lying to myself. It was THAT night that I got tired of pretending that everything was ok. And you’ll get there one day as well, sweetie. You don’t want to believe it right now, because you still want to believe that the world is fair and just, but you WILL get there one day… and when you do, I’ll be here with open arms to welcome you. Because Amy, make no mistake about it, I respect you more than anyone else on this roster. Hell, I respect you more than I respect half the roster combined. But that doesn’t stop you from being a dumb, blind bitch… and trust me, it takes one to know one.”

 She smiles. “You don’t believe me now. That’s fine. I never expected that you would. I never truly thought that you’d see that every single thing I’ve told you today is true. But even if you don’t believe me, I need you to listen to me. I need that for you because you’re better than this, Amy. You’re better than they’ll make you. Now I’m gone, you’ll be the one they call whenever they need something. It’s happening already, isn’t it? How many times has your phone rung recently asking you to fill in last minute to a press tour when one of the entitled few has dropped out? How many times have they asked you to come up to Canada for a ‘one off’ taping of some commercial they absolutely need you for and nobody else? How many times have they asked you to cancel your time off to wrestle that extra match at a live event promising you that you’ll be rewarded for your extra time? But the rewards never come, Amy. And eventually you’ll start to realise that. I wish someone had been here to tell me all of this when I was in your position. I wish someone had had the good grace to tell me, when the big names started dropping out, retiring and relaxing their schedules, that they’d come to me over and over and over and I’d feel compelled to do everything for them and get nothing in return. I wish someone had told me I’d convince myself I was doing the right thing, that I’d convince myself that I was doing it for the fans, for the respect of my peers, for the respect of my elders, and yet I’d get NONE of that. If I’d had someone there to tell me any of that then when I started to realise it maybe I wouldn’t have felt as guilty as I did…” she says softly, “and maybe I would have acted on how I felt a LOT sooner.”

She slides the sunglasses off, looking into the camera without them now and with an honest and sincere look on her face, like the Syren we remember from January and before, and not the more confident, sure of herself version that’s come about since then. “I know you don’t want to feel bad about your peers, about your ‘friends’, about those who you respect, but they don’t feel the same way about you, Amy. And this is just a friendly warning from a woman who’s been there to a woman who has no idea what she’s walking into. Look into my eyes. Tell me I’m lying. Look right here and tell me that I’m a different person than I was when I stood on that stage alongside you and we changed so many people’s lives and did so much good. I’m not. I’m the same woman I’ve always been… I just took off those rose-tinted blinders that you don’t even realise you’re wearing,” she says sincerely. “But you don’t believe me. That’s ok. I tried my best to help you. I tried my best to tell you how it really is. You can’t see you’re being used. You can’t see how little they really care about your career. And you can’t see that while I’d give you the match in a few weeks if it was down to me, the powers that be – and especially that ‘bestie’ of yours – never would. Because to them it’s not about respect. To them it’s not about admiration for everything you’ve done. To them it’s about money, it’s about ratings and it’s about themselves. This company is not about how good you are, Amy. It’s about what you’ll do to get ahead. It’s about having the KILLER INSTINCT. And that’s the difference between you and me.”

She nods her head again. “Again, you don’t believe me now, but at least on that last part you’ll realise it on Wednesday night. Now London’s a city I’ve got a lot of connection to. It’s a city that I feel at home in. My husband is from there. He still has a place there. And that’s where I’ll be tomorrow night, relaxing and getting ready, while you’re being rushed off your feet trying to be all things to all people… just like I used to be. And on Wednesday night you’ll walk out to that ring and you’ll be telling yourself it’s about ‘revenge’ for what Ravyn and Alex did to Kennedy. You’ll be telling yourself that it’s about ‘proving something’ to me or the rest of the world. You’ll make that ring-walk convinced that you’re the one in the right and that I’m ‘different’ somehow, that I’ve ‘changed’, that I’ve ‘betrayed’ someone or something, and that you’ll win because you’ve got this moral superiority over me that I can’t possibly hope to compete with. Well, that and you’ll be convinced that you’re just better than me. But you’re not. I mean you’re good. You’re really, really good. But you’re not better than me. I am the Best Female Wrestler in the World. I’m excited about this match to prove that to you. But more than that I have the killer instinct that you lack. I finally have the willingness to do what I need to do, when I need to do it, and not hold back and convince myself it’s the wrong thing to do, because the truth is that at this level you only get ONE SHOT at true greatness, Amy. I’m finally taking mine,” she says proudly and confidently. “And, when that final bell rings in London, that is why I’ll have my arm raised. That is why I’ll walk out of that ring with a spring in my step. And, most importantly of all, that is why you’ll BE TOTALLY JEALOUS!”

She puts the sunglasses back on, lays back down on the chair and pats the title again proudly. Without looking back to the camera she speaks again, with a smirk on her face. “And while you may hate me right now I really do still respect you, Amy. Think about what I told you today, ok? Because while I want to see you fail on Wednesday, I don’t want to see you make all the same mistakes I made for as long as I made them thereafter. There’s still time for you to smarten up. Don’t be a fool, like I was...”

She places the title back down on the towel and goes back to sunbathing. The camera lingers on her a moment later as she happily goes back to relaxing before slowly fading to black as the video ends, and the replay button flashes up on the screen.