"Strong words from La Primera, Stephanie Vaquer, who has made it crystal clear she’s not here to make friends. Not with Giulia, not with Oedo Tai. Stephanie believes her mindset will carry the night, but Nigel, I think everyone caught those barbs aimed at her own partner."
NIGEL MCGUINNESS
"Oh, absolutely, Mauro. Vaquer’s not pulling any punches, even with Giulia. Calling her a ‘paper tiger,’ questioning her control in the match? Giulia is a top notch professional wrestler, Mauro. Those are fighting words, even if they’re supposed to be on the same side tonight. If there’s one thing I know about Giulia, it’s that she doesn’t take kindly to being doubted and jabbed like that."
The camera lingers on Giulia’s side of the split-screen. Her piercing gaze remains locked on the lens, her silence only amplifying the tension as she processes Vaquer’s words. The translator beside her whispers into her ear, feeding her the delayed translation of the promo. Giulia’s expression changes back to the cold calm demeanor as before as he finishes, though the corner of her mouth curls ever so slightly into an ambiguous smirk. The air is thick with anticipation as Mauro continues.
MAURO RANALLO
"Well folks, now the moment we’ve all been waiting for. Let’s hear from Giulia herself. After hearing Vaquer’s pointed remarks, the question is Giuia, what do you have to say?"
The split-screen holds steady, with Giulia on the left sitting in her dimly lit, snow-covered industrial setting. She leans back slightly in her metal chair, her piercing gaze locks onto the camera. Her expression remains calm, though a sharp smirk slowly spreads across her face. Finally, Giulia speaks, her Japanese flowing smoothly as subtitles appear on the screen for the audience.
GIULIA
(Paper tiger? Weakness? Control? Distractions? Is that what you think, little Vaquer? You’ve said a lot of things, but all I hear is someone trying desperately to convince herself that she’s better than everyone else. You need your rules, this discipline, because without them, you’re the same shadow as these two clowns we’re about to face. You cling to your title as La Primera, but what happens when someone rips it away just as viciously as you proclaim it? What happens when you realize you’re not untouchable?)
Giulia tilts her head slightly, her smirk fading into a cold, unreadable expression. She leans forward, resting her elbows on her knees, her voice lowering as her intensity grows. On the split screen, Vaquer is now showing annoyance at Giulia’s comments as the translator relays information to her in delay.
GIULIA
(You talk about me and my preferences like it’s a weakness. Like it’s something to take advantage of. But ask those women who met me a few weeks ago. This chaos I create is a freedom I can afford. This destruction and outlet gives me my power. You fight for winning because you’re afraid of losing the loose image you hold so tightly. Me? I let the fight guide me. I fight because I enjoy it. And that’s why I will always be one step ahead of you, little Vaquer. While you’re trying to keep the pieces of that poorly framed mask together, I’m the one breaking the edges apart.)
Her eyes flick briefly to Stephanie’s side of the screen, her smirk returning as she directly addresses her partner.
GIULIA
(You think I need your lead, little Vaquer? I’ve never followed anyone, and I won’t start now. You can call yourself any cute title you want, but what I see is someone who hides behind words because she’s terrified of being exposed. You’ve been here for weeks, yet what have you really done? A win over Mina Shirakawa? Congratulations. But beating the army’s weakest link doesn’t make you great. It makes you average in my eyes.)
Giulia stands slowly, the snow crunching under her boots as the single flickering light above her casts eerie shadows across her face. She paces a few steps forward, her gaze never leaving the camera.
GIULIA
(Tonight, you’ll all see what I can do. Mina Shirakawa and Himeka, little Vaquer was right about one thing. They’re just the beginning. They’re stepping stones, but not on her journey! They’re footnotes on my way to taking everything I deserve! Oedo Tai even with Tam Nakano is a joke. Without her though? I’ll make sure the punchline is written in their blood. Mina, your porcelain face will shatter under my hands. Himeka, your impressive strength will crumble when I drop you with the Glorious Driver. You both can thank big sister Tam for it. She called me a paper tiger, but she did so out of fear. She knows just as well as I. Our fight records are in my favor. And once I came here, she ran again. It makes no difference though. Everyone can chant “Thank You, Tam” as I smear the ring with your corpses and create my own banner of destruction with your remains.)
Her voice drops slightly, becoming more measured, more deliberate, as her tone turns razor-sharp.
GIULIA
(And little Vaquer, are you still listening? You’d better pull your weight tonight. Because if you don’t, I’ll strike you down with them. And when that happens, being La Primera will not save you. You’ll fall like the rest.)
Giulia stops pacing, standing tall as the snow falls steadily around her. Her expression hardens, her gaze shifting directly to Stephanie’s side of the screen.
GIULIA
(You think you’re ready to take on Britt Baker? To be the EBWF Women’s Champion? You’re not even the best in this match. You call yourself La Primera, but after tonight, the world will see the truth, you’re nothing more than another footnote in my story.)
She leans slightly closer to the camera, her voice dropping to a whisper, sharp and mocking as she delivers her final words.
GIULIA
(Remember this, Stephanie: Beautiful Madness isn’t just chaos. It’s dominance. And if you’re too blind to see that, maybe I’ll have to come show you myself right now.)
The camera lingers on Giulia’s piercing gaze for a moment, her smirk barely noticeable but full of venom. On the right side of the split-screen, Stephanie Vaquer’s expression shifts subtly. Her composed demeanor gives way to a simmering tension as she crosses her arms tightly, her glare locked on Giulia’s side of the screen. The tension is thick, the silent standoff palpable, before Mauro and Nigel jump back in as Stephanie Vaquer walks off camera.
MAURO RANALLO
"Well, Nigel, I don’t think either of these women have any intention of backing down. Giulia and Stephanie Vaquer may be partners tonight, but you can feel the animosity between them boiling over already! Both of them want to be the number one contender and both of them seem to feel coexisting for that goal isn’t in their cards."
NIGEL MCGUINNESS
"Mauro, you’ve got two alpha competitors who clearly don’t see eye to eye. If this tension carries over into the match, Oedo Tai will have a chance to capitalize. But one thing’s for sure, once Stephanie and Giulia implode, it’ll be explosive."
RP: #1 CURRENT RECORD: 0/0/0 NEXT MATCH: w/ Stephanie Vaquer vs. Oedo Tai EVENT: EBWF Warfare STIPULATION: None
CURRENT RANKING: ? ACCOLADES: ? CHAMPIONSHIPS WON: ?
