Episode 1
This is the debut episode of Welcome to the Zo, an intimate vlog-style web series that follows the life of Zoey Mathews-Mitchell. In this episode, we’ll witness the lead up to Zoey’s return to the ring at AXW Supershow VIII.
Scene 1 \ Mitchell Residence \ Riviera Beach, Florida \ 5:00 am \ Saturday, June 23, 2018An alarm is going off. A feminine figure reaches to turn it off. The male figure in the bed next to her is not disturbed by the noise. The feminine figure, which we can make out to be Zoey Mathews, sits right up. She yawns, then gets out of bed to stretch. She turns on a light. The man who was sleeping next to her can be identified as her husband, Malcolm M. Mitchell, who remains fast asleep. Zoey grabs some clothes and a towel and heads into the bathroom.
After a quick shower, she steps out of the bathroom. She’s fully dressed. She sits down in a chair and puts on some shoes. She grabs a gym bag and walks out of the room door.
Scene 2 \ Car \ Riviera Beach, Florida \ 5:24 am \ Saturday, June 23, 2018Zoey is sat in the driver’s seat of a car. She has driven an appropriate distance away from her home.
Zoey: Hello. My name is Zoey and I’m on my way to the gym. My lovely husband Malcolm is dead asleep and will probably not wake up for another five hours at the least. Tonight, I will have my first wrestling match in half a year. I’m excited, I’m nervous, I’m a lot of things. Tonight is the end of a chapter. This is going to be my last match in AXW. This isn’t the end of the book though; a new chapter is hopefully coming. I’m in talks with some people, and pretty much if you’re watching this right now, it was a success since this video is intended for their site. Nothing is set in stone yet, but it’s likely I’ll be making a full time return to the ring. Right now though, it’s about my match tonight, and boy, is it gonna be fun.
Scene 3 \ Gym \ Riviera Beach, Florida \ 5:46 am \ Saturday, June 23, 2018Zoey is hard at work at the gym. Today seems to be weight training day. We see her doing various weight training exercises.
Scene 4 \ Car \ Riviera Beach, Florida \ 7:28 am \ Saturday, June 23, 2018Zoey is back behind the wheel, leaving the parking lot of the gym.
Zoey: Just got done with my workout, took another shower, now I’m heading to spend some time with the siblings! My two most favorite people… sorry Rocco… and Malcolm.... Anyway, we’re gonna get some breakfast and I’m pretty excited because it’s been a while since I got to see Baby Benj. He’s gonna hate that I called him that in an online video. Sucks to be the baby, I guess.
Scene 5 \ Local Diner \ West Palm Beach, Florida\ 7:48 am \ Saturday, June 23, 2018Zoey has pulled into the parking lot of some diner. She exits the vehicle and starts to walk across the parking lot. She notices two men standing by and starts to run towards them.
Zoey: Baby Benj!
She hugs her younger brother Benjamin as tightly as she can.
Zoey: I haven’t seen you in like, almost two years! How are you?
Benji: I’m alright Zoey. How are you? How’s Rocco and Malcolm?
Zoey releases the hug.
Zoey: Both are probably still sleeping. Dad's spending some time here and will babysit Rocco today. Dad’s having the time of his life being a grandpa.
Luke: I bet. Mom would love him. She’s proud of you, Zoey.
Zoey: Yeah… poor boy only has one grandma to spoil him. If we had a girl her name was for sure going to be Anne.
Luke: Well, don’t I get a hug too?
Zoey: Of course!
Zoey hugs her older brother.
Benji: I’m just getting finalized for a new place here, we’ll hang out and I’ll show the little guy who the cool uncle really is.
Luke: Yeah yeah, I’m fuckin’ starving, let’s head inside.
The siblings make their way into the diner where they continue their conversation and order their food.
Luke: So what are your guys’ plans for after the Supershow? I know you’re itching to get back in the ring full time Z, and Ben, you’re sporadic as hell.
Benji: Yeah, I’m on another one of my breaks. Tonight’s a one off. Thinking about laying low in Florida for a while, maybe get back into tattooing.
Zoey: Your own place or for someone else?
Benji: Probably for someone else. If the time comes and I’m away from the ring long enough I could open my own place.
Luke: How about you, Z?
Zoey: I’m in talks with someone.
Luke: With who?
Zoey: Empire Wrestling.
Luke: That’s awesome, congratulations.
Zoey: Nothing is official yet. Still in a negotiation process. I’m going to New York on Monday to talk in person.
Luke: You’ll get in. EW is good people.
The siblings continue to talk and eat their breakfast. Once they’re full and the bill is paid, they exit the diner.
Luke: Alright, I got some last-minute things to do before the show. Remember to be at the arena by four for the rundown.
Benji: See you then.
Zoey: Love you, Luke, see you at the show!
Scene 6 \ Car \ West Palm Beach, Florida \ 8:51 am \ Saturday, June 23, 2018Zoey and Benji are in the vehicle Zoey has been driving. She continues to talk with her brother after breakfast.
Zoey: So, you’ve been doing well? Staying clean?
Benji: Just drinking here and there. Nothing serious. Haven’t done drugs in a few years.
Zoey: You know I worry about you, Ben. Sometimes you’re too… introverted. It’s hard to contact you sometimes. Especially when you’ve been living in Japan even after your contract with RSPW was up. You have a fifteen-month-old nephew that you have yet to meet.
Benji: I’ve made a lot of mistakes in my life. I know you’re well aware of that already. I feel like I had it the worst. I was just barely entering high school, Luke was off pursuing a wrestling career, you went off to college in England, dad was barely home with his job and going to the bars, and on top of all that, mom dies. I had no one to look up to. I didn’t know what else to do. I was an impressionable kid. Then when you finally get your life turned around, addiction hits you hard. I’m not the person I was then, nor am I even proud of that person. I’m stronger now. I have it beat. I’m constantly changing and improving myself. I’m gonna meet Rocco. Like I said, I’m moving back here as soon as I can. I’m gonna be there for him, I’m gonna be there for you and Malcolm. I haven’t had my priorities in order, and I’m sorry for that, Zoey.
Zoey: You’ve come a long way, Ben. If you ever need anything, all you have to do is ask. Cut the distance.
Benji: I’m going to.
Zoey: I love you, Baby Benj!
Benji: Yeah, you’re gonna be editing all mentions of that name out of this.
Scene 7 \ American Airlines Arena \ Miami, Florida \ 3:54 pm \ Saturday, June 23, 2018After spending some time with brother Benji, father Elijah, son Rocco, and husband Malcolm, who woke up about an hour ago, Zoey, Malcolm, and Benji have driven the hour and a half to Miami. Zoey watches as the ring crew is finishing up putting the AXW Supershow VIII set together. The ring has the standard AXW black canvas, and black ring skirts. The standard AXW Supershow logo is donned on the skirts. The ropes are red, white, and blue. Atop the ramp and stage are giant AXW letters, with the competitors entering the arena through the X. The letters appear red by default, but they are actually LED screens and alter per performer. Above the lettering is the Alternatron.
Scene 8 \ American Airlines Arena \ Miami, Florida \ 4:00 pm \ Saturday, June 23, 2018Luke Mathews is addressing all the talent, from the wrestlers to the referees and announcers, about the match card and layout of the show.
Scene 9 \ American Airlines Arena \ Miami, Florida \ 4:40 pm \ Saturday, June 23, 2018Zoey directly addresses the camera.
Zoey: So we just got out of the all-hands meeting to discuss the show. Tonight I face Ambiance in an AXW Cage Match. Ambiance is one of my favorite opponents and although I’ve competed in a variant of the match, this will be my first standard AXW Cage Match, so I’m happy that this is the way I go out in AXW. Now everyone’s going over their matches, picking spots, rehearsing, then it’s show time.
Scene 10 \ American Airlines Arena \ Miami, Florida \ 7:05 pm \ Saturday, June 23, 2018Zoey watches on a monitor as Luke Mathews makes his way to the ring and makes his announcement.
Scene 11 \ American Airlines Arena \ Miami, Florida \ 7:20 pm \ Saturday, June 23, 2018Zoey is backstage warming up, when she comes across Bailey Mayhew, who is a few minutes away from competing.
Zoey: Hey, good luck out there.
Bailey: Thanks, it means a lot. I’m just very nervous right now, it’s been a while since I competed regularly.
Zoey: That’s how you should always feel. If you’re not nervous, something’s wrong. Go out there and give ‘em hell.
Bailey: Thanks, Zoey. I’ll see you soon.
Zoey: You might be seeing quite a bit of me come July, wink wink nudge nudge. Working on getting an EW contract.
Bailey: Awesome! I’d love to see you there! Hey, I gotta go now.
Zoey: I’ll be watching.
Scene 12 \ American Airlines Arena \ Miami, Florida \ 8:01 pm \ Saturday, June 23, 2018Zoey is in the locker room. She’s wearing a sports bra, compressions shorts, and socks. She reaches into her gear back and pulls out a pair of black jeans and puts them on. She pulls out a t-shirt and puts it on. It’s an Alkaline Trio t-shirt that has been converted into a cut-off. She pulls out her black boots, putting the left one on first, lacing it up. She does the same with the right. She slips on her knee pads, then puts on her kick pads. Zoey puts on her elbow pads. She pulls out a roll of black and a roll of white tape from her bag and ponders for a moment which to use. She decides to go all black tonight. She puts the white away and applies the pre-tape wrap and tapes up her hands and wrists. One last thing, she puts her hair in a ponytail.
Scene 13 \ American Airlines Arena \ Miami, Florida \ 8:31 pm \ Saturday, June 23, 2018Zoey is now with her husband Malcolm, who has a match next. The two share a quick kiss. “Hear Me Now” begins to play.
Zoey: Go get ‘em, tiger.
Malcolm: Nice Spiderman 2 reference. Catch you after, love you.
Zoey: Love you, too.
Scene 14 \ American Airlines Arena \ Miami, Florida \ 9:43 pm \ Saturday, June 23, 2018Zoey is now with Benji, who is scheduled to compete next.
Zoey: I’m telling you, once you get back in there, you’re gonna forget all about tattooing. Come with me to EW on Monday.
Benji: I dunno, I really feel like just laying low, off the grid so to speak. I’m gonna settle back down in West Palm Beach and just enjoy life. I’m sure there’ll be a time for me to come back to this, but now is not it. I’m doing this for Luke, you know?
Zoey: Alright. Have fun out there, Baby Benj!
Benji says “Quit that!” as he walks away.
Scene 15 \ American Airlines Arena \ Miami, Florida \ 10:15 pm \ Saturday, June 23, 2018Zoey has isolated herself from everyone else. She’s doing some last-minute stretching. She takes long, deep breaths. She drops to the floor and does about twenty push-ups. She stands up, cracks her neck, and wanders off frame.
Scene 16 \ American Airlines Arena \ Miami, Florida \ 10:30 pm \ Saturday, June 23, 2018Footage Courtesy of AXWCameras focus on the chain link structure that is hanging ten feet above the ring.
A single white backdrop on the tron, suddenly filled with a barrage of bullet holes. A silhouette enters the frame, but we only see the shadow, holding an AK-47 at her side. We then hear an all too familiar voice, filled with smug satisfaction.
“The bitch is back!”
"You Call Me A Bitch Like It's A Bad Thing" by Halestorm starts off as the lights go up to see the slick smirk of one Ambiance under a black hoodie with matching black leather pants and deep purple boots. Ambiance tosses her hood back and then unzips it, tossing it down with force, a pissed off look on her face, as she cups her hands to her mouth and yells out “All hail the Empress Bitch, cunts!” before storming to the ring.
Salvatore Pellegrino: The following contest is an AXW Cage Match scheduled for one fall, introducing first, wrestling out of Liverpool, England, weighing 142 pounds, "Britain's Best Darling" AMBIANCE!
Ambiance enters the ring, cursing up a storm as she climbs the nearest turnbuckle and extends her arms out, head tilt back with sinister glee to a mixed reaction from the crowd before leaping off, still talking shit before the match even starts, looked primed and ready as the music fades out.
Mike Vincent: Ambiance is the most recent holder of the AXW Women's Championship, which was her ninth reign as a Women's Champion.
Cole Haywood: Also a two-time UCW Hardcore Champion, so stepping into an AXW Cage will be nothing to her. May as well be her home.
Lily Luna: Ambiance, along with many, frustrated over the happenings of AXW. She claims, quote, "I would have beat every bitch on the face of the Earth and taken that Women's Title to my grave." End quote.
"Now" hits as Zoey Mathews-Mitchell emerges from behind the curtain. She stands on the stage, back facing the ring, her arms outspread with hands open. She turns around, now facing the ring, and quickly throws her arms into the air, her hands in a fist, except for her pointer fingers which are extended, as pyro blasts on the stage. She lowers her arms and begins walking down the ramp.
Salvatore Pellegrino: Her opponent, wrestling out of Riviera Beach, Florida, weighing 134 pounds, ZOEY MATHEWS-MITCHELL!
She high fives some of the fans at ringside, before climbing onto the apron. She scans the crowd, and raises one arm into the air, before jumping over the top rope. She climbs onto a turnbuckle and throws her arms out to her sides, before raising them into the air, similar to what she did on the stage.
Mike Vincent: Zoey Mathews-Mitchell is the person Ambiance won the AXW Women's Championship from, and Zoey has been pretty quiet since then.
Cole Haywood: Are we really shocked to see Zoey here, though? We saw her husband and younger brother compete earlier, at this point I'm fully expecting Luke Mathews to be in the Main Event!
Lily Luna: Oh stop, we all know the kind of person Zoey is. She's here tonight for one reason: to beat Ambiance. It's like her feud with Janet Hurricane, she's not going to sleep easy until she finally gets that win.
The cage lowers until its resting point on the edge of the apron. The bell sounds. Zoey, competing previously in a larger variant of this match known as the Rage in a Cage, takes a look at the doorless, roofed structure, nodding in approval. She steps in to lock up with Ambiance, Ambiance simply slaps Zoey in the face. Ambiance grabs Zoey by her hair and slams her face first into the cage wall. She grabs her again, pressing her face against the chain. Ambiance is heard shouting, "You like that, Zoey? You like getting hardcore? You got nothing left to lose, right? Worthless bitch!" Ambiance repeatedly slams Zoey's face against the cage. She grabs Zoey and throws her into all four sides of the cage. She tries pinning her, gets two. She lifts Zoey up by her hair, Zoey fighting back with punches. Ambiance stops her by raking her eyes. Ambiance runs off the ropes and Zoey thwarts her plan and lifts her up Flapjack style, slamming her into the cage wall. Zoey now throws Ambiance through the ropes, the dome of her head driving into the chain link. Zoey lifts Ambiance into the air with a Dragon Suplex. Zoey climbs to the second turnbuckle and leaps off, connecting with a Diving Back Elbow. Zoey bounces off the ropes and executes a Tilt-a-whirl DDT. Zoey climbs up the turnbuckles and walks along the top rope, springing off for her Springboard Shooting Star Press, but Ambiance rolls out of the way and Zoey crashes to the mat. Ambiance grabs Zoey for the back suplex into a facecrusher. Ambaince lifts Zoey up for a gutwrench powerbomb, slams her back against the cage before slamming her to the mat. Ambiance now looks to go high risk, jumping from the top rope to deliver an Overcastle neckbreaker. Ambiance covers Zoey, but Zoey pops her shoulder up at two. Ambiance sends Zoey to the ropes and on the rebound lifts her up for a spinebuster, again slamming her back into the cage before slamming her to the mat. Ambiance further focuses on the back of Zoey by trapping her in a Texas Cloverleaf. Zoey hollers out in pain and tries reaching for the ropes, not that that will force a break. With her opponent being so resilient, Ambiance ends up breaking the hold. Ambiance promptly lifts Zoey up and plants her with EuroThunder (Rikishi Driver). She doesn't stop there. She has Zoey doubled over and lifts her up, trying for Mirror’s Edge (Widow’s Peak), but Zoey slips through. Zoey just Ambiance into the cage for some sort of separation. Zoey drops Ambiance to a knee with a Roundhouse Kick. Zoey sees an opportunity and runs the ropes, leaping into the air to deliver a Faceplant (Famouser)! Zoey goes for her first cover, but it's not enough to put Ambiance away. Zoey grabs the arm of Ambiance and delivers a Wind-Up Overhead Kick. Zoey climbs the ropes again, this time successful with her Springboard Shooting Star Press. Hooking both legs is still not enough to give Zoey the victory. Zoey seems to have hatched an idea. Zoey climbs the ropes, then the cage wall. Hiding as best it could at the intersection of the wall and ceiling is Zoey's old friend, the kendo stick. She disassembles it from its spot, then climbs back down to the top rope. Zoey jumps off the top rope and cracks the stick atop Ambiance's head. Zoey unloads on Ambiance with the kendo stick shots. Zoey slams Ambiance to the canvas with a kendo stick assisted Side Russian Leg Sweep. Zoey hoists Ambiance onto her shoulders, looking to end it with the Firebomb (Fireman Carry Powerbomb). Zoey pushes Ambiance out for the powerbomb part, where Ambiance flawlessly counters the maneuver into the Shattered Dollhouse (Code Breaker)! Ambiance hooks the inside leg.
One!
Two!
Three!
Salvatore Pellegrino: Here is your winner, AMBIANCE!
Mike Vincent: What a reversal by Ambiance to pick up the win in this awesome AXW Cage Match!
Cole Haywood: And in unsurprising fashion, that's another L for another Mitchell. See ya, Zoey.
Lily Luna: You have to applaud the efforts from both competitors, but in the end, Ambiance is the one who was able to get it done.
