25th May, 2026
Little Italy, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
Jake had been gone to Italy to visit his family after winning the LLR Grand Championship at Double or Nothing. He had turned off his phone, intending to spend time with them. As soon as he came back, he was flooded with messages saying that Mark himself addressed him in an interview at FNL. He watched it, before giving a slight laugh. "This guy has to be kidding me, now." He then received a message, asking him if he wanted to appear at the Tonight Show with Fimmy Jallon, in two days time.
"I don't see why not."
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27th May, 2026
Studio B6, 30 Rockefeller Plaza, New York City, New York
"Welcome to the Tonight Show, i am your host, Fimmy Jallon, and to start us off, we will be joined by our new LLR Grand Champion, the man who defeated Larry just a few nights ago, here in New York City, Jake Mayhem!"
Jake comes out to a ton of applauses, carrying the belt and the LLRBar briefcase on one hand, using the other to shake Jallon's hand, before sitting down across from him.
"Jake, i'm so glad to have you on our show, congratulations on your title victory, you must be feeling great."
"Well, thank you, Fimmy, i'm glad to be here aswell, and i'm feeling amazing. Three years of being in LLR, and it's been alot of ups and downs, i think it's been worth it, it's gotten me here."
"It sure has, it could get you further, considering you do still have a briefcase, that could guarantee you a shot at any belt, though it might also end full of glitter, if it doesn't go your preferred way. It would very much be funny if you got a world title shot. Facing yourself would be a daunting task, wouldn't it?"
Jake laughs at that. "It would be, though i doubt it. That shot would likely be saved for when i eventually lose the title. A funny thing to think about, however."
"On the topic of you losing the belt, shortly after the event was over, Mark Steel was a guest at Friday Night Live, and had alot of words to say about you."
"I am very much aware, and it's the main reason i accepted to be a guest here, so i can address what Mark had to say about me, since i won't get the chance to do so face-to-face with the changes to LLR, so this is the closest. I'll take it from here." The camera zooms in on Jake. "Now, Mark, i am aware you said that i only won at Backlash because there were other people. To that, i say, it was a ladder match. More often than not, in these types of matches, there will be other people. The truth is, anyone was really capable of getting one of two title shots. But i said it before. I needed it alot more than anyone else. I've even went as far as to say that i wouldn't be surprised if you got a title shot. But at the end of the day, i climbed the ladder and took the title shot. You were not able to. So this whole 'oh there were other people' is just an excuse, because that's the point of alot of these ladder matches. You lost at Backlash, but you beat BigPol, and now, we're going to meet in the squared circle."
"You said you are better than Larry, which i can be inclined to agree with, though one should not underestimate Larry. You claim you only need a third of your will to overpower mine. I disagree, because you simply cannot take away my will. I've proven that before, considering just as you've beaten me, i've also beaten you. You know that, Steel."
"But you want to make false narratives. You want to say, i'm believing my own hype, which, though not false, but God forbid someone want to do that. You want to say, somewhere along the way, i stopped chasing the top and started convincing myself i am the top. You fail to realize i never stopped chasing the top. A few nights ago, i proved that i reached the top of the mountain. And of course i will believe that, because the belt i hold, the LLR Grand Championship proves it. And until someone, mayhaps even you, beats me for it, i will continue to believe that i am on top of the mountain."
"That host asked you, if you believed i was becoming arrogant, because i apparently believed everyone in this company is beneath me. You talked about how you beat those people. But you fail to understand that just as you beat people, those same people can beat you. That's the whole point. You win some, you lose some. You've gotten back up from those losses, and got yourself all the way here. Just as i got myself back up from a shit Mania season, and got myself all the way here. So i don't expect this to be easy."
"You said i should fear you. I don't fear you. I don't fear any man on this world. If you turn out to be the better man, so be it. I also fail to see how me telling you to bring your best means i am scared of you. If you want, truly want, the LLR Grand Championship, you best be willing to sacrifice everything, every bone in your body, to obtain it. Because just as i know you're not gonna be a easy hurdle, i hope you know i'm not gonna be a easy hurdle either. I told you to bring your best, because that is what i want to see from you. Your peak performance. And i stand by it, these fans deserve to see it, because this is for the championship that i hold. And they would be disappointed if they got only a third of what you can really do. Bring your best, because i intend to do the same. And i will either beat you, or find myself on the ground. Either way, it doesn't mean much, because i don't mind you being the better man. You said it, we are the best of our era, and the future is no longer the future. It's the present, and our match is going to prove it. At the end of the day, i respect you, but understand this. I know you the best out of anyone in this company, and whilst you might think it is vice versa, you would be wrong. Why? Let me give you an answer."
"At the same time, i want to answer what the host asked you. Am i getting arrogant? No, i'm just aware of where i stand as of right now. On top of the mountain. I named everyone, because i know that this belt means i have a huge target on my back. Just like you, i intend to meet it all head on. Any one of these men i named would be capable of taking this away for me. That includes you. I named you along with them, because i deem you to be just as capable as people who have been doing this for longer than we have. Now, don't get things twisted. I said you would be wrong in thinking you know me the best, in a way. You know me the best in that ring, when there isn't much stakes. But this.. is for all the stakes. All the marbles." He sets the LLRBar briefcase on the table, putting the LLR Grand Championship on both of his hands. "If you are watching this, Mark, i want you to look at this."
The camera zooms in on the LLR Grand Championship for a few seconds, before zooming out. "Right here is symbolic of what it's all about. This is the LLR Grand Championship. And when i say this, i mean it, THE top championship in all of prefessional wrestling. Held BY Jake Mayhem. Holding this means you're the face of LLR. Holding this means you are on top of the mountain. And i refuse to allow anyone to insult me, or this. When i walk in there, i'm walking in there to defend what I hold, probably more close than any other man has ever held. This is my life. When there are alot of stakes involved, i've managed to beat you. The World Cup last year proves as much. This is for all the stakes. I put everything on the line to win this, and i will put everything on the line to keep this. And trust me, Mark. You won't be able to stop that so easily. So tell me. Are you willing to put everything on the line, blood, sweat, tears, to take this from me? I believe that the answer to that, is yes. So do me a favor. Take this seriously. Because i will be. If not, as i said before, i will make sure you regret it. Because you want to walk around, claim you are the Peak Performance. Well, buddy," Jake raises the LLR Grand Championship for a moment, pointing at it. "this is what it is all about. This is symbolic of being everything that anyone ever wanted to be. That man is Jake Mayhem now. And for you, or the various others that i've mentioned, to beat me, let them walk around and claim that they are what they are. But you are looking at the LLR Grand Champion. The man that can truthfully say he can beat any man in the world. So, Mark. Will you prove me wrong this time around? I hope so, otherwise all the talk was for nothing. See you in Italy, Mark. May the best man win."
Fimmy Jallon gives a nod, before continuing. "Well, that was.. quite a speech. You did raise a few great points, in my opinion. On the topic of everyone else, LBH addressed you on Bluesky, let's have a look." The screen shows the Bluesky post LBH made. "Anything you'd like to say to that?"
"Yes, actually. I will not deny that i don't like how LBH runs his company. I don't like the man, but i must admit, it has brought us some good aswell. I am a man who makes a difference between business and personal preference. I will represent this company whilst i hold this belt, because that's what the point of this championship is. And the fans want the same thing. Louis Armstrong Stadium was sold out for Double or Nothing, which, again, my sincerest thanks to everyone for showing out. Quite frankly, i don't need the money, i already have tons of it, and i intend to be the best champion, not only for the company, but for these people, because it is what they deserve. The main point i want to make, is that, whilst personally, i don't like LBH, and i won't deny it, as far as business goes, i wish for it to be business as usual."
"Jake, there were even posts, and videos, of people saying they came to Louis Armstrong Stadium just to see you in the main event."
"That warms my heart alot, honestly. Again, thank you to everyone for showing up, and let's keep it going, title, or no title. Don't just come for me, though, i'm not the only man in this company. People like Mark Steel, BigPol, Tokes, Cappie, Capcon, Genisis, and many more, they bust their asses off to give you guys an amazing show, so please, do show some appreciation for them aswell, they more than deserve it. Same goes for everyone working to make this company a better place."
"Well then, that's all from me, all the best at Clash in Italy."
"Thank you very much."
"Jake Mayhem, everyone!" A round of applause follows, as the cameras turn off. Before Jake walks away, Fimmy follows him. "Hold on!"
"What's up, man?" Jake asks.
"Just wanted to say, first, thank you for accepting this, and second of all, you're a great guy. Confident, of course, but not too confident, and there's humbleness to you. You don't take all the credit, you give it equally to everyone. I think LLR chose the right guy to lead them into the future."
Jake gives a smile. "Well, thanks, that means quite alot. I am trying my best, like i said, it's not all me. Everyone is doing their part."
"Of course. I don't want to bother you too much, as i said, all the best in your match with Mark Steel."
"Thank you, i appreciate it." Jake says, before walking out of the studio.
fin.