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 Posted: Tue Mar 04, 2025 8:25 pm
[The following takes place on the Pat McAfee Show.] Pat: Now our next guest is somebody who I know pretty well -
Boys: WHAT?
Pat: He's a guy Indy knows pretty well -
Boys: WHAT?
Pat: I'm sure our fans know pretty well -
Boys: WHAT?
Pat: Especially after he just got done knuckle-dusting a certain Englishman on WWFG television last week -
Boys: WHAT?
Pat: Ladies and gentlemen, former two-time WWFG Tag Team Champion, former Money In The Bank winner, former owner of the WWFG who's gonna beat up the CURRENT owner of the WWFG at Wrestlemania...Salem Croft.The panel of co-hosts clap and holler as Salem steps out onto the set, taking a spot in the guest chair dressed in casual jeans and a black shirt, wearing an expensive looking dreamcatcher necklace as he smiled and took time to wave at those around. Pat: Salem, how ya doin'?
Salem: Haha, I'm good, Pat. Love the show, happy being here.
Pat: Happy to have ya, bud. How'd it feel getting back in the saddle last week?
Salem: Heh, it felt good, it was good. Any time I can show up in Indy, it's a good time.
Pat: The crowd loved it, man. I know you felt that energy when you popped up in the ring.
Salem: Yeah, I missed that. I haven't been making many appearances, but I've been keeping in shape, just waiting for the right time to show back up.
Pat: See, I didn't even know you were in town until a couple hours before, I don't think anyone did. But the Rumble is a great place for comebacks, isn't it? Did you think about getting into that, too, or how did that plan come together?
Salem: Heh, there wasn't really any plan, exactly. You texted me about Carty's plan when you were backstage and I just had the idea.
Pat: Dude, it was so cool to be apart of. Moments like that are what really make wrestling fun, it's why I'm a fan.
Salem: Yeah, me too. Things just hadn't been fun for me in a while, but I was really happy about how it came together.
Pat: Bet Cartwright wasn't.
Salem: Haha, yeah, I doubt it. Not much makes that guy happy outside of a mirror, though.
Pat: But y'all used to be friends, right? What changed between you guys?
Salem: Well, he took a bat to my throat and almost ended my career.
Pat: Well, that'll do it.
Salem: Yeah, I was on the shelf almost three years after that.
Pat: Jesus. How do you keep motivated after an injury like that?
Salem: I mean, for a while I wasn't. I was rehabbing, training, but that was a rough time in my life back then. After a while, I just kinda had to ask myself, 'what are you doing this for', and felt like I needed to come back, just to prove I could. I didn't really get a chance to cross paths with Cartwright after that, until he reopened WWFG. It's been a wild ride, but I think I'm in a better place now.
Pat: Gotchu a kid, now, too, how's that going?
Salem: Heh. If you think dealing with Carty is frustrating, try telling my girl she's grounded from her phone.
Pat: Yeah, I don't envy that. I'd much rather beat up Butler with binders again.
Salem: Haha, yeah, that was a bonus for me, you still got that leg on you, Pat.
Pat: Can we pull up that clip from the Rumble, actually? I wanna see that again.
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Posted: Tue Mar 11, 2025 4:46 pm
Pat nearly jumps out of his seat, as the door to his studio swings open wildly, banging in to the wall.
Cartwright storms in, looking like he means business as he finds a microphone to bark in to.
Cartwright: "This biased interview has to stop!
Everyone is always saying aww poor Salem.
Salem did nothing wrong.
But that is simply not true!"
Cartwright looks towards Salem with hate in his eyes.
Cartwright: "I'm doing everything within my power to not beat the crap out of both of you right now.
My truth needs to be aired for the unwashed masses!
Salem, everything that has happened to you has been all YOUR fault.
YOU have set yourself up for DISASTER since DAY ONE.
YOU started your wrestling career by interrupting a small time wrestling promotions tournament and winning their title in controversial fashion.
YOU have been a problem in this industry ever since!
YOU have had a MASSIVE EGO ever since!
You can't ever just work a match like everyone else, you have to have an elaborate moment because you think you're so SPECIAL.
Do you think that the business forgets things like that?
It was a wonderful first impression!"
The Boss says sarcastically, while Pat looks shocked about what is going down on his show.
Cartwright: "Fast forward to what matters to me, The WWFG.
You get a hold of a bunch of MISFITS and start causing CHAOS on MY show.
Did you really think that you could get away with that?
How has that worked out for you?
What was that group called again....Annex?!
a**l?!"
Cartwright really tries to remember.
Cartwright: "Salem, I am not the bad guy in this story.
YOU are the bad guy.
YOU are the problem.
I am the HERO for attacking your throat with a bat and injuring you for YEARS.
I am the one who did what NOBODY else could do.
You're just mad at me because somebody finally took your UNDESERVED spotlight!"
The Englishman finally pauses his tirade.
How will Salem respond?
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Posted: Tue Mar 18, 2025 12:49 am
As the door to the Pat McAfee Studio was busted open unceremoniously, those present on the show reacted with surprise and alarm. Darius Butler, one of Pat's co-hosts and a former NFL player, himself, got up out of his seat and tensed, as though preparing to engage with the intruder, Others in the room responded with confusion and shock, unsure if this was a planned event they'd been kept out of the loop on.
A pair of big security guards - looking like they could've been former athletes, themselves - approached the breached door but were halted by Salem and Pat, who had both stood up and prepared to fight until Cartwright started speaking, running down his grievances with "Showtime". As the owner of the WWFG shamed the name of Salem Croft, those present waited tensely to see how the interaction would develop.
FInally, Pat McAfee stepped towards Cartwright from about a dozen feet away to urge Salem and his security team back so he could speak to the Englishman.
"Okay, bud - first off, ******** you for breaking down my door, you're paying for that s**t. Second off, ******** you for thinking I'm gonna just stand here and let you talk to my friend that way. We oughta bounce your blimey a** back across that pond you came from."
Before Pat could continue, however, Salem reached for his buddy and urged him to step back, taking his place to get face to face with his former friend.
"You know, Cart, when I first got into this business, when I first started in WWFG, people came out of the woodwork trying to politic with me, tell me who my friends were and weren't, a lot of them had their own motives but the first person I met who I thought was above all the bullshit was you. You were my first, best friend in the industry.
Through my ups, downs, successes, failures, whether we were fighting each other or being fought with by the powers that be, I trusted you to have my back because I always had yours, even when people told me not to. Even when they told me what a conniving c**t you were, even when they told me how you 'really felt' about me, because friends don't let people disrespect friends.
But that day you crushed my throat with that bat, I knew something changed forever between us. You took years off my life, off my career, you almost made me want to quit wrestling entirely. And for a long time, I was bitter at you about that. But then, you re-opened the WWFG, and all that took a backseat for a bit because I actually felt like I could find a fresh start in the place I called home, doing the sport I love. So I fought in your tournament, I got all the way to the finals, I damn near beat GBL to win that World Heavyweight Championship, the one I failed to take from you when I cashed in Money In The Bank.
I think that made you nervous. I think that made you upset, that here I was about to not only return but thrive in a playground you wanted to be the bully of. So you made a point to make sure I suffered as much as possible, as often as possible. You try to have me jumped, over and over. You introduced the Tag Team Championships, until Savage Sons won them - twice - then suddenly don't want the belts around anymore. You see champions rising in Apex, so you wedge us apart and force me to fight my friends for your amusement. You made my little girl fight your goons because you don't have the decency to keep kids out of your vendettas.
I don't know who you are or ever were anymore, Cartwright. Maybe that's another mistake I've made in judgment over the years, but don't get it twisted - I never took anything from anyone that wasn't earned or offered. I always stood by you, I cheered for you when people resented you. I always had your back. But for the last decade, almost, you've done nothing but want to put a knife in mine. So now, you're gonna get your chance.
At Wrestlemania, I'm going to end this once and for all between us. For my sake, my family's sake, my friends' sake, for the WWFG's sake. I'm tired of playing games by your rules. I'm tired of you stepping on anything and everyone you don't like around here, particularly me and those I care about. If it's the last thing I do, I'm going to make sure that come Mania, I'm gonna beat you or die trying, you son of a b***h."
With that, Salem stared Cartwright down as Darius and Pat stood behind him, the burly security squad on standby nearby, cautiously surveying the scene.
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Posted: Thu Mar 20, 2025 6:59 pm
The lights in the studio started to flicker. Images of serpents flashed and flicked across screens as they went to static. After several moments, from beyond the battered door stepped the towering figure of Rex Kobra. Kobra was dressed in a slick, three-piece suit. Black tie and jacket with a crimson button-up and pocket square. His face was clean shaven and his oily black hair was slicked back. As he stepped into the space, he pulled his aviators off and tucked them into the inner pocket of his jacket.
He looked about at the variety of people in the studio. Starting with Salem. As he took in all the family and strangers, he looked over to Cartwright as if silently asking for permission. Then he stepped toward Pat.
One of the meatheads guarding him stepped forward to intercede but was met by one of Rex's meaty fists. Rex grabbed him by the skull with one hand and rained fists into his face with the other until the big man started to go limp. With the victim fading, Rex stepped to the side and threw him off to the side and to the ground before delivering a couple of kicks for good measure.
The other guard hurried. Started to pull and turn Rex away from assaulting his partner. As Rex spun, he reacted fast, slamming his head into the face of the other bodyguard. As the bodyguard reeled, Rex threw a punch. Then another. And a third into his face. With him properly reeling, Rex kicked the big man in the gut, hooked his arms, gave Salem and Pat a vicious grin, and planted the guard into the ground with a vicious Double Underhook DDT.
Standing back up, Rex brushed off his jacket and moved to stand alongside Cartwright, putting his sunglasses back on and crossing his arms in front of his chest with a smug satisfied smirk.
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Posted: Sat Mar 22, 2025 4:03 pm
Cartwright looks pleased by what he has seen, who pats Rex on the back for a job well done.
Cartwright: "Do you understand the gravity of the situation, Salem?!
I am not the only one who has hated you for a long time.
This man beside me has also hated you for a long time.
You may know him as Rex Kobra, the leader of the serpent cult.
But today, I rechristen him as Korporate Rex Kobra, a man who now realises what truly matters in this world...."
Cartwright presents a collection of pound notes from his suit jacket and hands it to Rex.
Cartwright: "....MONEY!
Rex came to me in search of guidance and if there's one thing I can admire, it is a cult leader who recognises a real leader....a businessman!
It soon became clear that we have more in common that we thought."
The Boss points towards Salem Croft and Pat McAfee.
Cartwright: "We came here looking for a fight.
Myself and Rex are challenging you two to a tag team match at the Elimination Chamber show.
If either of you have a problem with what I have had to say or what Rex has done here, we will see you there."
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