Rico Laughs as he strolls backstage. People who he pass just... stare at em. After all, He'd just nailed Saraya with two moves that spiked her on her head, then applied a Choke hold to 'er. I dont need to go into detail why this' a heinous act. No one dares say anything... not until Rico bumped into the 6'8" frame of a certain Aussie.

"You think you're a real big man, planting poor Raya like that, huh Rico?! With her own move, no less?!" Rowan shook his head, almost sadly. "What the fuck happened to you, mate? This isn't the Rico I know."

But the TNA champ laughed. "And You aren't the Killer I knew you to be, Rowan. You lost to a Fifty something year old *CHRIS JERICHO*! If anything, the fuck happened to YOU?!" Rhodes Exclaimed, then laughed whilst shaking his head. "And don't gimme an excuse. You knew full well his Stupid JAS Would try to screw you over and you STILL Let it happen!"

"Those Gay-A-S *fuckwads* thought it would be a good idea to get in my way," Rowan snarled. He was shaking with anger, his face a frightening shade of crimson. "I'll kill Sammy if I see his smug ass again, don't you fuckin' worry." He let out a laugh, deep in his throat. "But back to you. Yes, I know Cross was there and you were going for him, but that gives you NO EXCUSE-" Rowan stopped. Then, suddenly, he threw his head back, and a damning, Blood curling scream erupted from his lips.

Rico Grinned Maniacally. "YES! THAT! WHERE THE FUCK'S THAT BEEN?!" His grin faded slightly. "You can attempt to suppress it all you want. You'll Always be HIM. Mask it all you want with this good guy shit and all the women in your bed, but it won't EVER change who you Really Are... My old friend."

"Indeed," Rowan hissed. "I... am Bloodshadow. And Bloodshadow always prevails."

Rico sighed and shook his head. "Don't bite thy hand that fed you, Shad. Remember your place, and do us all a favor: Go back to Toying with Splatty Guevara. You don't belong in the title picture anyways." He attempted to push past Rowan.

But Rowan was having none of it. "Remember my place?" he sneered. "Remember my place? Have you no common sense, Nightshade? There is no one or the other. It's a team effort. We terrorised this division for as long as I can remember...and you need to remember where your true calling lies. Do away with Cross. He's nothing compared to us. Find a real challenger."

Rico grinned. "As much as I'd like to say I can easily find one... There's the Dalton kid, Maybe My old Protégé, Aaron... Or maybe there's only one man capable of Facing me..." Rico cocked his head to the side slightly, then held his belt up. "It's Your call, old friend." A fire burned in Rico's eyes. He and Bloodshadow were indeed a pair of destructive forces... but now and then, every tag team must come to blows.

"Indeed it is," Rowan agreed. In a flash he was back to his old self. "As much as I do think we put on classics every time we face off, I've grown tired of it all. However..." he grinned, and his eyes flashed.

Rico glanced to his title belt. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but you also had a history in TNA. beat my brother for the X-Division gold once. Remind me... How many times a world champ were ya?"

"At least seven. But that's not the point." Suddenly, Rowan struck. Quick as lightning, he was on the smaller man, raining down a hail of blows. Rico tried to put up a defense, but he kept eating shot after shot until eventually Security attempted to separate the two men, To very Little success. Rico got a second to breathe, then launched himself at the Larger man with Reckless Abandon! It wasn't until Braun Strowman and Bronson Reed held back Rowan and Rico, Respectively, that the situation finally began to de-escalate. "What? Can't we just be *Civil* for once?" Rico sneered with a Grin as the Colossal Reed Literally Held him from behind, Lifting and holding him about a foot off the ground. Rowan was breathing heavily. "No chance." he snarled. "I could do this all day." Rico wiped his forehead. "As could I... Mate." He said in an Australian Accent, no doubt to get under Gedling's skin some more. "Oh, And Don't forget who ended your run as WWE Champion Either! OR WHO GOT YOUR FOOT IN THE DAMN DOOR TO THIS COMPANY IN THE MOTHERFUCKING FIRST PLACE!!!" Rico's voice grew louder as Reed tried backing away so Rhodes didn't jump out and try to reignite the brawl.

Rowan snarled, his eyes staring daggers into Rico. Then, suddenly, still in Braun's grip, he staggered. Rico noticed this. "Oh, right. You can't 'Control' Bloodshadow as well. Pity that, you're so close to breaking the glass ceiling. Say, if you're itching for a fight against me So badly? I say Fuck this Title, How about this: You. Me. Just a straight up Fuckin' Street Fight at Hell In a Cell!"

"I Acce..." Rowan managed. Then, he collapsed.

Rico tapped Reed, who let go of him. Rico sat down next to Rowan. "It's a date then. Bring your A-Game, because hell, I'll push you to your limits and then some. I've beaten you before. Don't think I'll hesitate to do it again." Rico grunted as he breathed rather heavily.

The two then got the confirmation that the cameras had stopped rolling.
(Yes, because I needed to inject some of their real life backstage sh-t in here too.)

Rowan was still out cold. He hadn't moved.
Liv ran up to Rico. "Hey! Good shit, as usual..." Her focus drifted to Rowan. "He used HIM again. Didn't he?" Rico nodded. "Shame it takes so much outta him." "Ugh..." Rowan stirred slightly. "Wha...what the fuck happened?"

Rico offered his buddy a hand. "Saraya and I pulled off the Heel Heat angle of the century, then you and I set up a Street Fight in about 7 to 8 weeks at Hell In A Cell..."

"Street fight, eh? Brilliant." Rowan chuckled. "Fuck I need to figure out how to get Bloodshadow under control. May be the death of me if I don't."

"Man, I'm telling you,, You just gotta Embrace it, then make it a second side of you that you can call on. It's what I did with Nightshade." Rico shrugs as he tries to give advice to his good friend... when Liv suddenly piped in, "Buuuuut Nightshade's better in be-" Rico quickly snapped at her, "LIV! NOT THE TIME!"

Liv shrugged. "It's true... also, Nothings better than Post-Action Mario Kart!" Rico facepalmed. "No one asked if we played Mario kart after doing the Y'know."

Rico sighs and nudges Liv. "Could ya give us a moment, Liv? I need to clear something up with 'em." Liv giggled, Quickly planting a kiss on Rhodes' lips before skipping off. "See ya later! Lemme know when ya get done!"

Rico's face turned red. "Fucking D-Dammit..."
Rowan chuckled. “Never change.”

Rico got serious for a moment. "In all seriousness, man... Don't you fucking dare hold back anything at Hell In a Cell. I'm planning on Lobbying to give you the win... unless you hold back. I want you to actually beat the living hell outta me when the night comes. Can you do that?"

"You bet your ass I can." Gedling grinned, expecting the same from Rhodes in return.

"Any spots you wanna do, Callbacks to TNA, shit like that...? Shawn gave us the Go ahead to produce the match ourselves. He trusts us, so Let me know, and we can make the magic happen." Rhodes dropped this bombshell of news on his friend. No one had ever had this level of creative freedom before for a match. It was a  groundbreaking call by HBK!

“Gotcha. I ain’t holding back!"

"Better not... anyways, I should go before Gio gets impatient. You know how she gets..." He chuckles nervously.

“Yep, yes I do. Too Easy, See ya 'round, mate!” Rowan grinned.

Rico paused before leaving. "Wanna Stay at my place in. Nashville for Old times' sake next time we go there? Y'know, the one where we stayed while under contract in TNA...?"
“Ya mean that big ol' place in the Suburbs? Hell yeah, You bet!” Rowan nodded. “I’m there!”

"And I mean, There IS an extra guest room... so bring a guest, if ya know what I mean, I'd hate to see it wasted..." Rico winked, and he turned, only to have Liv jump back out. "Dinner tonight?" Rico nods. "Yup. Your choice, too." Liv laughed and skipped up and down as the two strolled off into the distance.

Rowan watched them go, smiling to himself. ‘Watch your back, my friend,’ he thought. ‘Watch your back.’