Show Opener: Life Goes On (Promo)

[Zarel Damone]

It's not hard living inside of a drum
It's not bad bad bad bad
Let's live our lives on the inside of a drum eh
Eh eh eh eh

Drumlife by Brandy hits the PA as Andre Damone dashes out onto the stage, his energy high despite the previous night's results

It was your eyes that gave you up through that stupid disguise
You tryna hide behind that drink and you almost slipped by
I see you there sophisticated ignoring the beat
Your mouth might be closed
But baby listen to your heart and its screaming

"Making his way to the ring, from St. Louis Missouri, weighing in at 225 pounds, Andre Damone!"

Halfway down the ramp, Andre drops down to his knees and looks up with his arms extended, a cue for pyros to shoot up on the stage.

You're one of us
One of those beautiful fools you are
You're one of us
You were born in it so you should live in it

Andre hops up and begins to head down the ramp, high fiving fans along the way.

Live in a drum whoa
You'll never be in it alone
If you lived in a drum whoa
Right now you'll already be home
Live on live on
The drum life never gets old
Live on live on
The drum life keeps going on

Halfway down the ramp, he dashes down to the ring and slides inside, hopping up and running to the turnbuckle. Smiling out at the fans, he backflips back into the ring and takes up a mic as the music cuts out.

Andre stands in the center of the ring and looks out as he receives a mixed reaction after the end of Starrcade.

Schiavone: This is a bit different, fans are divided here after this man retired his own father at Starrcade.

Larry: What did you want him to do? End his career only a few years in to let his father try for one more run at the top? It was Zarel's time to go down and Andre's time to rise. He did what he had to do..

Andre finally raises the mic to speak.

"Starrcade was a night unlike any other. Some might say it was bittersweet. I was put in a position where I had to do what no one else has been able to do even if they wanted to. I put an end to the career of my father, Zarel Damone."

The mixed reaction of boos and cheers breaks out again.

"You know, I don't expect everyone to understand. My father and I had a disagreement and the Damone family is not always reasonable. Tempers flared and words were put into writing. There was no turning back, and I did what I had to do. My father had his time in the limelight. He's a multiple time world champion and tag team champion. There's very little he hasn't done over the past eighteen years. Now his story ends, and life goes on. Now I have to focus on myself, and my goals. It's my turn to take the reigns, to be a champion, and after Starrcade, that is exactly what's next in line for me."  

[Drako Damone]

Aviator by Audio Push ft Brandy begins to play as the lights in the arena dim down. On the titantron, a video begins to play, starting with a highlight of Drako performing a moonsault.

I'm flya then a motha sucka
Like an Aviator
I'm flya then a motha sucka
Like an Aviator
You know you can't touch me
'Cause I'm somehwere in the clouds
I'll be lookin' up or
I'll be lookin down
Flya then a motha sucka
Like an Aviator
Flya then a motha sucka
Like an Aviator

Drako steps out onto the stage and heads for the ring, a mic in hand. He steps in through the ropes and the music cuts out.

"Well, nephew, congratulations are in order. Starrcade was arguably the biggest night of your career. You defeated your father, my older brother, one of the founding fathers of the Damone legacy, and you did it all on your own. As such, Zarel Damone is now retired from professional wrestling. You defeated something of a legend, and that should be commended."

Tony: High praise from the general manager.

Larry: Yeah, now watch him award the guy a title shot.

"Here's the problem, Andre, you've already held a championship here in WCW, the United States Championship, and as a I recall, you lost that to the now former champion, Brother Midnight. Now, as I was listening back there, you basically said you wanted to concentrate on winning championships, and you didn't come out and say it, but you think you deserve a shot at the World Heavyweight championship, don't you?"  

[Zarel Damone]

Andre watches as the general manager enters the arena and listens. Once he's done, he shrugs and raises his mic.

"Let's be real. There's no one here who doesn't want to be the World Heavyweight champion. And if I just took over to represent the family here, then it's about time I do so the right way. I've held some titles, but I've never even challenged for a world title. Let's face it, I just beat one of your top contenders and sent him into retirement. The previous champion, per your own ruling, cannot challenge as long as the new champion holds the gold. Who else do you have?"

Andre gestures at his ring gear.

"But I'm dressed to compete and I know how this works. I have to prove myself and win some contender's match or something. So what's it going to be? What hoop do I have to jump through?"  

[Drako Damone]

Drako scratches his head in confusion.

"Who the hell told you I'd give you a contender's match just because you beat one of the previous top contenders and the former champ can't challenge either? I guess it never occurred to you that I already chose a new number one contender to the world heavyweight championship, did it?"

Drako smirks at his nephew.

"Of course it didn't. You didn't learn a damn thing from the first generation, or from me. So it's time for what they call tough love. I'm not handing you a damn thing here in WCW. You're going to work, scratch and claw your way to get anything. Furthermore, you may have won at Starrcade, but I see a big issue here. A blemish on your record. There's a man here you've never managed to beat. If you couldn't even regain the United States championship, why would I consider you worthy of the WCW World Heavyweight championship? Sure, in your title defense, Bischoff threw a swerve and made a triple threat match, but the fact of the matter is, Brother Midnight pinned you. Then, in your rematch, he pinned you again, clean with no help, no cheating. Didn't even injure you. And what did you do? You went out and screwed your father out of the World Heavyweight Championship and a chance to settle a decade long score with his old partner at our biggest stage. Kudos for making your own Starrcade moment, but at the end of the day, you've suffered two losses to the former United States Champion. Therefore, I'll grant you this boon, a main event match tonight on Nitro. You will go one on one with Brother Midnight, and it is not, to be clear, a contender's match. But if you win, I'll consider, and I do mean consider, putting you in contention rankings. But if you lose..."

Drako pauses to look his nephew in the eyes.

"...you won't get close to a championship here until you correct it your issue and truly impress me. That's not your uncle speaking, that's your boss. Now, I suggest you clear the ring so that our first match can get started, then go backstage and get prepared for your main event opportunity."

Drako's music hits the PA as the GM exits the ring and heads backstage