As Vendetta returns from a commercial break, we find a familiar face before the screen. A rugged and ravenous Barbarian Lord takes seat in a simple steel chair and strokes his furry chin, fingertips rummaging through the coarse follicles for the words to say.

"My appearance here tonight might be cause for confusion for some of you.."

Strife defaults to vice as he reaches into his pocket and procures a pack of Winston full-flavored 100's, slipping one between his lips before striking a match and bringing it to the tip. He takes a long deep drag and then lets the haze pour out of him.

"Just before Revolutionary Wars, I showed my face around this company for the first time in nearly a year.. since Danny Diamond's reckless ways spared him a true defeat.. And I'm sure many of you expected to see me at Revolutionary Wars... the very show that I left Maddox Paine bloodied and decimated at last year. I, myself, expected to be there.. And I was all set to do so.."

With another long puff, Vlad relishes in the poison he's drawing into the lung and a half the addiction has left him.

"I was going to roll into Revolutionary Wars and demolish some poor son of a bitch and then come out there, tonight, and sweep the King of Xtreme tournament yet again to prove to all of you that there is NOONE in this business as extreme or violent as I am.. but that won't be happening this year.."


He haphazardly flicks the cigarette aside as he rises from his seat, his displeasure etched upon his features.

"You see.. when I came to XWA with the offer of a lifetime.. to re-sign the greatest wrestler to have ever stepped into it's ring.. something odd happened. They told me I would need to be cleared by an XWA approved doctor... one particular doctor they use for just such an occasion... And then I was told that I had failed to pass their little inspection..."

Vladimir seems almost momentarily amused by this, though the fire rages behind his eyes without any effort to conceal it.

"So, some goddamn hack doctor stands there and says that I'm not fit to wrestle in this ring... ME - the most violent and dominating man in the history of this business... and I ask you what does this idiot know of wrestling? Has he ever taken a chair across the cheekbone or plummeted through a table or watched as the flesh was raked from his skull with barbed wire? NO! And yet.. I'm on the outs.."

"I sat down and I thought long and hard and I asked myself a simple question.. What is a man whose come to wage war do when he is denied the chance to fight?"

The fit and sleek figure of a woman steps into screen. XWA's newest star, Khideep Horn, stands before the camera with a look of intensity and determination in her eyes. Behind her, the villainous Strife grins knowingly.

"He gets himself a soldier.."