[In the lowest levels of Arcadia, a hooded man walked. His cloak concealed any bit of identifying features. All that could be seen was the single hand that gripped a shepherd’s hook.]
“When Old School Wrestling opened it’s doors, it opened to a wide variety of individuals.”
[A cold, solid tone speaks. This voice left less to the imagination. Instead, it brought chills to our spines.]
[The Killer King, Jasper Redgrave.]
[The mysterious man reached out into the darkness with his crook, pulling into light a sheep. Repeating the process, the shepherd gathered a small herd.]
“All walks of life were welcome. From the rich to the poor, the straight and narrow to the most crooked of thieves. Anyone with a name would be considered for a ticket into Olympus for a chance to fight.”
[The scenery around the shepherd shifts before our eyes. No longer does he walk amongst the filth and rot of the lowest level in Arcadia, and now found himself on a much nicer plateau.]
[Again, the crook was extended, pulling back one lamb at a time to add to the herd.]
“No matter what your upbringing was, whether you had everything or nothing at all.. OSW promised even the lowliest of beings something.. more.”
“Throughout the years, many of lambs have come and gone. A lot of them fall short of completing the journey.”
[As their journey continues some of the sheep fall off from the herd.]
“At times, a particularly fit lamb would attempt to pull ahead of the herd.”
“But there’s always the shepherd there to make sure they stay in line.”
“To make sure that no one lamb stands out from the rest of the herd.”
[The shepherd extends his crook, pulling the front runner of the herd back into formation.]
[He reaches up, pulling his hood down to wipe his brow.]
“I am the shepherd.”
“I am the one that has kept order.”
“When it seemed like Tombstone could not be defeated, I was there to show all of OSW that it was possible. I may have lost the battle, but I restored the hope.”
“Time and time again, Felix Foley tried to break free of the shadows that have him bound. First, the Spartan Cup and then Ring King. Both times, I was there to put him back in his place.. back in the shadows of someone else.“
“When CJ Thorpe was ready to break free from the chains that held him down, who was there to put an end to his uprising?”
“Klaus Way tried to dance through the battlefield of war as a wildcard, but I was there to stifle his dream.”
“When this war is over it won’t be Cade, or Attano or any number of those Seekers standing tall.”
“At Pandemonium, the lambs will try to stray from the herd.”
“But I will be there with my crook to put them in their place.”
[The shepherd’s walk finally comes to an end at the front of the NXT Arena doors.]
[Redgrave spins on his heels to face the herd of lambs, his arms outstretched.]
“Welcome.. to the slaughter.”
[Redgrave’s laugh bellows.]
[Fade.]