Becoming A Wrestler

If you want to read 20 Chapters ahead and more, be sure to check out my Patreon!!!

Go to https://www.patreon.com/Tang12

___________________________

Kofi leaned against the lockers. "Dude, the internet is losing its mind right now. You should see the FCW forums, people are saying this was the best match in FCW history. No one's calling you a rookie anymore."

Stu nodded. "I saw someone say you just pulled a 'Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania' performance, which was far fetched in my opinion. "

Sandro and the others laughed when they heard what Stu said, as Sandro at the same time let that sink in. That was… surreal.

Nicole, seeing the emotion flicker across his face, nudged him. "It's real, Sandro. You did it. You're not just holding that title, you are that title now."

April smiled warmly. "Tonight wasn't just a defense. It was a coronation for the champion, not just in name anymore but status as well."

For a moment, he just sat there, absorbing it all. The exhaustion, the pain, the respect of his peers, the love of his girlfriends, the deafening praise from fans online, it was overwhelming in the best possible way.

He exhaled slowly, looking down at the FCW Florida Heavyweight Championship resting on his lap. His fingers ran over the gold plate, the weight of it somehow feeling different now.

He wasn't just a rookie champion anymore. He was the champion. And nothing could take that away from him.

As Sandro sat there, staring down at the championship, the weight of everything truly settled in. His body felt like it had been put through a meat grinder, but his heart swelled with pride. This wasn't just about surviving the night. It was about proving, once and for all, that he wasn't some fluke champion. That he wasn't just "the guy holding the belt" but the guy.

Nicole and April stayed close, their hands still gently rubbing his arms, his legs, anything to ease the pain that lingered in his every muscle. Kofi, Taylor, Sheamus, Drew, Bray, and Stu all stayed near, the room buzzing with an energy that felt almost sacred. Moments like this were rare in wrestling.

Sandro looked up at Kofi, with a tired face, and let out a tired chuckle. "So, uh… think I did okay out there right?"

Kofi scoffed, shaking his head with a grin. "Okay? Man, you just had one of the best matches FCW has ever seen. Just like the guys said, FCW Official Forum and Twitter's still melting down."

Stu nodded, arms crossed. "You wanna hear some real crazy talk? There's already chatter about how this could be a 'match of the year' contender, not just FCW but in the industry as a whole."

Sandro blinked. Match of the year in the entire industry? That was ridiculous. Right? He glanced around at his friends, searching for some kind of validation, and instead, he saw nothing but agreement in their eyes.

Drew smirked. "They ain't wrong, mate. You and Nemeth just put on a clinic."

Bray leaned forward, his voice slow, almost hypnotic. "And now… the world's watching."

That part hit Sandro harder than expected. FCW wasn't just a developmental brand, it was a proving ground. The people who thrived here went on to become the faces of wrestling. And now? Now his name was the one on everybody's lips.

"Damn," he muttered, running a hand through his sweat drenched hair. "That's… a lot to take in."

April nudged him playfully. "You better take it in, because you earned it."

Nicole nodded, giving his shoulder a squeeze. "And now, we get to make sure you don't collapse before you can even enjoy it."

The moment of celebration was interrupted by the door creaking open. Everyone turned, and standing there, a bemused smile on his face, was none other than Dusty standing there.

The room went silent.

Sandro immediately straightened, despite the aching protests of his body. He had seen the approval in Dusty's eyes earlier, but to have the man standing here, seeking him out after the match unlike before where after talking he left him alone… that was something else entirely.

Dusty stepped inside, his arms crossed over his chest, his iconic lisp carrying through the room as he spoke. "Well, well, well. If it ain't the man of the hour."

Sandro swallowed, forcing himself to his feet despite April and Nicole's protests. "Dusty."

Dusty chuckled, shaking his head. "Boy, you look like you've been run over by a train. That's why I let you be when you passed the gorilla position, since you needed some rest."

Sheamus snorted. "More like being hit by four of 'em."

Dusty glanced at the FCW Florida Heavyweight Championship, still clutched in Sandro's hand, and nodded. "Y'know, I have been in this business a long, long time. I've seen kids come and go, seen 'em hold that belt and let it define 'em. But tonight?" His gaze sharpened. "You defined it entirely, as what you show tonight was very different compared to your past matches, not the brutality but the will and stamina you have."

Sandro's breath caught in his throat.

Dusty continued, stepping closer. "Ain't no more 'rookie champion' talk. Ain't no more 'prospect.' What you did out there, son… that's what real champions do. They get knocked down, they get beat up, but they don't break. And that?" He jabbed a finger at the title. "That belt don't make you. You make that belt."

The words hit Sandro like a freight train. He had fought with everything he had to prove himself, to show he belonged at the top. But to hear it from Dusty himself?

He felt his throat tighten.

Dusty must've noticed because he clapped a hand on Sandro's shoulder and gave it a reassuring squeeze. "You keep this up, kid, and one day? You ain't just gonna be the guy in FCW. You're gonna be the guy everywhere."

Sandro exhaled sharply, nodding. "Thank you, Dusty."

Dusty grinned. "Now, go get some rest before ya pass out on me." With one last approving nod, he turned and walked out of the room, leaving a stunned silence in his wake.

Kofi let out a low whistle. "Damn. That was a moment."

April smirked. "Not every day you get Dusty telling you you're the future."

Nicole nudged Sandro. "You still breathing over there?"

Sandro let out a shaky chuckle. "Barely."

Sandro chuckled, shaking his head, but as the laughter faded, he fell into silence. The reality of the moment sank in deeper. He had finally relinquished that "rookie" label in the industry.

No more whispers about him being too young, too green, or just a placeholder champion. He was now someone the wrestling world had to take seriously, and he likes that as finally he had achieved a full fledged wrestler status.

That was a game changer. Not just for his time in FCW, but for his eventual arrival at WWE. He knew what this meant, he had momentum now, and in wrestling, momentum was everything.

Nicole and April exchanged a look, both sensing the quiet storm of emotions inside him. Nicole squeezed his hand. "I know that look," she murmured.

April smirked. "That's the 'holy shit, this is real' face."

Sandro let out a breathy chuckle. "Yeah… I guess it just hit me. Like, really hit me."

"Good." Nicole leaned in and kissed his cheek. "Let it sink in."

He did. For another minute, he just sat there, staring at the championship in his lap, running his fingers over the gold plate. Then, finally, he exhaled, nodding to himself. "Alright," he said, pushing himself up to his feet, wincing as every muscle in his body protested. "I need to get changed before my body decides to give out."

With some effort, he peeled off his wrestling gear, moving stiffly as he switched into his everyday clothes, a simple t-shirt, hoodie, and sweatpants. Even that small task felt like a marathon after the war he had just gone through.

Sheamus clapped him on the back, perhaps a little too hard, judging by Sandro's wince which was acted by him. "C'mon, champ. Let's get you to your car before you collapse right here."

Drew nodded. "Aye, don't need Dusty comin' back in and finding you out cold on the floor."

With Sheamus and Drew acting as his unofficial crutches, Sandro limped toward the parking lot, April and Nicole following close behind, carrying his bags alongside their own.

The cool night air hit him the second they stepped outside, and he let out a deep sigh. The adrenaline had long since worn off, leaving behind a dull, bone-deep exhaustion.

Nicole popped open the trunk, and April helped load the bags. Sandro turned to Drew and Sheamus. "Appreciate the help, guys. Really."

Drew gave him a nod. "Rest up, mate. We'll see ya at the next taping."

Sheamus smirked. "And enjoy the internet hype while it lasts."

Sandro let out a tired chuckle. "You know I'm not big on that kind of stuff."

Nicole scoffed. "Oh, you will be when I start reading all the best tweets to you on the drive home."

April patted Sandro on the shoulder before guiding him toward the back seat. "Alright, champ, get in. You're done for the night."

Sandro didn't argue. He barely had the energy to. He sank into the back seat with a relieved sigh as April climbed into the driver's seat and Nicole took the passenger side.

As soon as the car started moving, Sandro felt his eyelids grow heavy. The gentle hum of the engine, the occasional soft chatter between Nicole and April—it all blurred into the background as sleep pulled him under.

Meanwhile, Back at FCW headquarters, Dusty sat at the head of the table in the FCW creative meeting room, his fingers drumming against the surface as he surveyed the team. Steve sat beside him, arms crossed, a knowing smirk on his face.

The energy in the room was different tonight. The buzz from Sandro's match was still fresh, and everyone knew they had just witnessed something special. But tonight wasn't just about celebrating. It was about taking the next step forward.

Dusty leaned forward, his voice carrying that familiar Southern drawl. "Alright, boys, we gotta capitalize on what we got goin' on here. We've seen Sandro cement himself at the top, but we need somethin' in the middle, a new workhorse championship, somethin' for the next wave of talent to fight for."

Steve nodded. "Which brings us to the FCW North American Championship."

There were murmurs of agreement around the table. The rumors had been floating around for a while about a new mid card title Dusty and Dteve was creating, but now? Now was the perfect time to introduce it.

Dusty continued, "We're gonna hold a tournament to crown the first champion. We need names. We already got a few in mind, Kofi, Taylor, Bobby, and Drew."

A writer near the end of the table spoke up. "That's a strong lineup already. Kofi and Taylor can put on fast-paced matches, Bobby brings that powerhouse style, and Drew, well, after last week, he's got that credibility boost from being in a war with Sandro."

Steve leaned back in his chair. "Exactly. We want this belt to mean somethin' from day one. And this tournament? This is how we do it."

Dusty nodded. "We'll finalize the brackets soon, but for now, get to work on ideas. I want this title to be just as important as the Florida Championship, 'cause when these boys move up to WWE, we gotta have someone ready to take their place at the top."

The meeting continued, with discussions on potential matchups, storylines, and how to elevate the new title. But beneath it all, there was an unspoken agreement, FCW had just hit a new level. And with the talent they had coming up, the future had never looked brighter.

___________________________

Name: Alessandro Zhang

Age: 19 (2009)

Birthplace: Orlando, Florida USA

Brand: FCW

Wrestling Style: Mixed Of All Style

Faction: Dragon Boom (Tag Team)

Championship History: 1x FCW Tag Team Champions & 1 FCW Florida Heavyweight Champion