Yo! I just got a copy of the official PPV opening. The “Mafia” decided to ditch the colorful pyros for a minute and go full “Old School UFC.”
The screen goes black and white. The music starts—that gritty, distorted bass of Stemm’s “Face the Pain.” The lyrics hit (“Time to end this suffering / I need a minute to myself…”) and then we get the quick-cut close-ups of the fighters looking straight into the lens. No scripts. No catchphrases. Just pure, cold intent.
Here is the transcript of the “Gonzaga-Edit” Intro:
[[ THE SUPER-HEAVYWEIGHT TOURNAMENT ]]
(B&W footage of the big men wrapping their hands. The bass is thumping.)
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SAGAT: > “Height… reach… power. People talk about giants. I have slain giants in the jungles of Thailand. The Big Show is just a larger target for my knee.”
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THE BIG SHOW: > “I’m not a ‘wrestler.’ I’m a force of nature. Sagat thinks he’s fast? Let’s see how fast he is when I have both hands around his throat.”
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YOKOZUNA: > “Tradition. Weight. Gravity. You can’t move what you can’t lift. Rikishi is family… but the belt is my only honor tonight.”
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RIKISHI: > “I’ve spent my life in his shadow. Not anymore. Tonight, the heavy world learns that the ‘Stinkface’ is just the beginning of the end.”
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VADER: > “It’s time. It’s Vader time. I don’t care about your records. I only care about the sound of your ribs cracking under 450 pounds.”
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KANE: > “Fire doesn’t have a weight class. It just consumes. Vader is just more fuel for the furnace.”
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BUTTERBEAN: > “I’ve got four ounces of leather and 400 pounds of muscle. If I touch your chin, the tournament is over. Simple as that.”
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BIRDIE: > (Grinning through broken teeth) > “Boxers are so predictable. I’ve fought in the dirtiest alleys in London. Butterbean isn’t ready for a real street fight.”
[[ THE SURPRISE MID-CARD SHOWDOWNS ]]
(The music speeds up. The cuts get faster.)
TRIPLE H vs. X-PAC
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X-PAC: > “We were brothers. DX was our world. But Hunter… you got greedy. You sold out for the suit and the power. Tonight, I’m not ‘X-Pac.’ I’m the guy who’s going to kick your teeth down your throat for forgetting where you came from.”
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TRIPLE H: > (Smirking, adjusting his tie) > “Sean… you’re a great athlete. But you’re a footnote. I am the story. I am The Game. You’re fighting for ‘the brotherhood.’ I’m fighting for the throne. There’s a difference.”
“THE PROTOTYPE” (JOHN CENA) vs. KURT ANGLE
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KURT ANGLE: > “I have an Olympic Gold Medal. I have ‘Intensity, Integrity, and Intelligence.’ Who are you? Some science experiment from California? You’re in over your head, kid.”
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THE PROTOTYPE: > (Staring intensely, looking like a literal machine) > “I’m the next evolution. I was built for this. Kurt, you’re the past. I am the Prototype of the future. You have a medal? I have ‘Ruthless Aggression.’ Let’s see which one breaks first.”
BRET “THE HITMAN” HART vs. [REDACTED]
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BRET HART: > (Lacing his boots slowly) > “I’ve been away. I’ve heard the talk. People say I’m ‘yesterday’s news.’ But I am still the Excellence of Execution. I don’t know who they’re putting in front of me tonight… but whoever it is, they better be ready to tap out. Because I’m not leaving Dallas without a win.”
[[ THE THREAD: FACE THE PAIN REACTION ]]
User: Xx_NWO_For_Life_xX
“RUTHLESS AGGRESSION”! 👊 That “Prototype” kid looked like he wanted to eat the camera! And X-Pac calling out Hunter for the DX betrayal? This is getting personal. The “Face the Pain” vibe makes it feel like someone is actually going to get hurt tonight.
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Reply: Raw_Is_War_2000
Bret Hart’s opponent being redacted is killing me! 😤 Who could it be? If it’s someone like Ken Shamrock or Dan Severn, we might see the most technical match in history. The “Mafia” knows how to keep us guessing!
User: HadoukenKid
Sagat vs. Big Show in B&W looked terrifying. 🐯 Sagat’s eyes are just cold. No blinking. Big Show looks like he’s about to commit a crime. This is way better than the old flashy promos!
User: BeefSlammer69
BUTTERBEAN VS BIRDIE!! 👊😤 “I’ve got four ounces of leather…” Bean is the man! He’s going to KO that punk in the first round. Also, did you see Cena? That dude is huge for a light heavyweight!
[[ ADMIN_NEIL NOTE: The “Prototype” vs Angle match is already being called a “potential 5-star classic” by the scouts. But all eyes are on that Redacted slot for Bret Hart. The rumor is it’s a “Multiverse Legend” making his debut! ]]