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Another fan posted a comparison image, one side Shawn Michaels staring down The Undertaker in the past, the other side Shawn looking broken on the mat after Sandro's attack, with the caption, "HBK used to live rent free in Taker's head ahead of their match at Wrestlemania… now Sandro is living rent free in his."
It became a wider conversation across the fanbase. Since the Royal Rumble, fans realized, Shawn had been walking to the tune of Sandro's game.
Every step he took, every promo he cut, every expression on his face, it all seemed dictated by Sandro's presence. The man had taken complete control of Shawn's focus, and people were realizing it more and more.
Another major talking point was the promo itself. Fans couldn't believe Sandro had the audacity to bring up Triple H's status as Vince McMahon's son in law, and not only that, but he had thrown Vince's name into the mix.
That, to the fans, was groundbreaking in a way. "I can't remember the last time someone openly mentioned Vince McMahon's name in a promo like that," one fan wrote. Another added, "after the Ruthless Aggression Era, it's been like an unwritten rule, Vince's name is sacred. Sandro just went there without hesitation. That's HUGE."
The consensus online became clear, in this new era, where promos were usually kept within certain boundaries, very few wrestlers had the privilege of mentioning Vince's name anymore. It was a relic of the older eras where guys like Stone Cold, The Rock, and countless others directly clashed with the boss.
Seeing someone new in 2010 throw Vince's name into the fire again, and especially as a way to taunt Triple H, was a massive shock. It added another layer to Sandro's persona, not only was he cunning and brutal, but he was also fearless when it came to poking the hornet's nest.
Lastly, fans couldn't contain their excitement about what was coming next. The announcement of the singles match between Sandro and Shawn Michaels for next week's Raw set Twitter ablaze.
"THIS is what I'm waiting for!" one fan wrote in all caps. "No more sneak attacks. Just Sandro vs HBK, one on one. Let's see if this kid can really hang with Mr. WrestleMania." Others speculated whether this rivalry might climax at the upcoming Elimination Chamber pay per view.
"Feels like HBK vs Sandro has to end inside the Chamber," one fan wrote. "Perfect way to close the book before Mania." And there were those who already thought ahead. "What's next for Shawn? If there's no rematch with Taker, so maybe Sandro is the WrestleMania opponent? Imagine the story!"
The debates raged for hours, clips were replayed endlessly, memes were made mocking Triple H's reaction to the Vince comment, and Sandro's smirk as Raw went off the air was plastered all over the internet. Whether they loved him or hated him, everyone was talking about him and that was exactly what Sandro wanted.
Days passed. By the time Friday rolled around, the firestorm of buzz had only grown stronger. And while the internet continued to burn with speculation, Sandro himself was back in Tampa, resting at his luxurious apartment.
Inside the spacious, modern flat, he was sprawled comfortably across the large sectional couch, surrounded by April, Alexa, and Nikki, his three girlfriends who had finally gotten some downtime to spend with him.
The four of them had ordered a mountain of delivery food, pizza boxes open on the coffee table, cartons of Chinese takeout scattered across plates, and a couple of bags of chips torn open carelessly. A movie was playing on the flat screen TV, and the lights dimmed to create the perfect Friday night atmosphere.
But as April laughed at a line from the film, Alexa leaned into the couch nibbling her fries, and Nikki scrolled half heartedly on her phone while watching the movie, they all slowly realized something, Sandro hadn't touched his food in a while.
He wasn't paying attention to the film, either. Instead, he leaned back against the cushions, iPhone in hand, his face lit by the glow of the screen.
His expression was sharp, his brow furrowed in concentration, his thumb scrolling through article after article. He wasn't on Twitter, nor was he looking at wrestling clips. No, he was immersed in the world of business and investment news.
On the screen, headlines jumped out at him. "Nexum Core Announces Expansion: Five New Malls Coming to Major U.S. Cities." Another read: "Walmart Opens Funding Rounds for New Expansion." And yet another: "Seven Eleven Looking for Investors Amid Plans to Grow Retail Presence."
Sandro's lips curled into a satisfied smile as he read. His father had officially decided to expand their modern mall concept, adding five new units on top of the five already built.
And not just anywhere, they would be positioned in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Las Vegas, and Washington D.C., the five most powerful economic hubs in the country.
It was a bold, strategic move, one that Sandro immediately recognized as a masterstroke. The demand in those cities was enormous, and by placing Nexum Core's malls right in the center of those booming economies, his father had ensured dominance.
Sandro felt a surge of pride. The modern mall concept he had introduced from his experiences in his past life living in the future was no longer just an experiment, it was becoming a legacy that Nexum Core introduced to this world.
Then his eyes drifted toward the Walmart and Seven Eleven announcements. Both retail giants were opening funding rounds for expansion. To the average person, it was just another business update.
But to Sandro, it was an opportunity. He could already envision it, starting with small stakes in each company, then gradually increasing his equity, positioning himself to hold more influence within two of the largest retail powerhouses in the world.
He nodded to himself, already planning moves in his head like a chess master several steps ahead of the game.
Meanwhile, April, Alexa, and Nikki noticed. April was the first to glance over at him, then she nudged Alexa with her elbow. Alexa followed her gaze and sighed, shaking her head with a half smile. Nikki leaned over next, peeking at what he was doing.
They exchanged knowing looks.
Here they were, having a rare night off together, food, movies, laughter, and their boyfriend was buried in business news, eyes glued to numbers, strategies, and expansions.
Even when he wasn't in the ring, even when he wasn't training, he was still locked into a different kind of fight, the battle for influence, control, and empire building.
April leaned back, crossing her arms with a small pout. "He hasn't even touched his food," she muttered.
Alexa chuckled softly, shaking her head. "Of course not. If he's not wrestling, he's thinking about business. It's like he doesn't know how to relax."
Nikki smirked, resting her chin on her hand. "That's just who he is. He doesn't waste time. Even when he's with us, his mind's always… working."
The three of them sighed almost in unison, rolling their eyes affectionately. It wasn't that they were annoyed, not really. They were used to it by now. This was Sandro.
When he wasn't tearing apart legends in the ring, he was studying markets, investments, and expansions. His life was a constant push forward, always chasing the next move. And deep down, they all knew, that was part of what made him so magnetic.
The glow from Sandro's phone was still sharp against his face when Nikki finally sighed, leaned over, and without warning snatched the device from his hands.
"Hey," Sandro blinked, caught off guard, his intense focus broken. His gaze snapped upward to find three pairs of eyes on him, April's lips curved in a knowing smirk, Alexa shaking her head with playful disapproval, and Nikki holding the phone just out of reach, her grin smug and teasing.
"You're unbelievable," Nikki said, wagging the phone. "Pizza's getting cold, and you're busy reading about malls and corporations."
April leaned closer, her eyes narrowing in exaggerated mock seriousness. "You've got three girlfriends here, movie night, mountains of food, and you'd rather scroll through business news? Really, Sandro?"
Alexa picked up a slice of pizza and waved it in front of his face like bait. "C'mon. At least eat something. You've been working nonstop this week. You earned one night off. Just one."
For a moment, Sandro stared at them, his lips twitching. He didn't need them to say more, he already knew exactly what they were telling him without words.
He finally chuckled, low and almost reluctant, before grabbing the slice Alexa dangled in front of him. "Alright, alright. You win."
The three of them exchanged triumphant looks, April clapping her hands together. Nikki, satisfied, leaned over and placed his phone face down on the far side of the table, just out of his reach.
"Good," she said. "That thing's banned for the rest of the night."
"Banned?" Sandro arched an eyebrow, smirking.
"Banned," Nikki confirmed.
So, for the first time in what felt like days, he leaned back against the couch, let the business world fade from his thoughts, and simply ate.
The girls relaxed instantly, April finally resting her head against his shoulder, Alexa curling her legs under her, and Nikki sinking deeper into the cushions with her arms crossed but a satisfied smile on her lips.
Together they worked through the food while the movie played, though most of the time the commentary they provided to each other was louder than whatever dialogue came from the TV.
April laughed at cheesy lines, Alexa pointed out plot holes, and Nikki found every opportunity to tease Sandro whenever a character did something foolish. Sandro, to their relief, even joined in, tossing his own sarcastic remarks that had them laughing until their stomachs hurt.
By the time the credits rolled, the food was gone, the lights dimmed even further, and the four of them were tangled together in a comfortable heap of limbs and warmth. The girls pressed close to him, April tucked against his left side, Alexa draped half across his lap, Nikki leaning on his right arm.
They weren't really paying attention to the post movie chatter anymore. Instead, they just existed together in that soft silence, holding one another, teasing in whispers, occasionally laughing quietly as the night grew later.
One by one, April, Alexa, and Nikki drifted off to sleep. April's breathing slowed first, her head heavy on his shoulder. Alexa followed, her hand slackening where it rested on his chest. Nikki fought it the longest, but eventually her eyes fluttered shut, her body finally giving in.
Sandro, however, lay awake, his mind restless. His gaze shifted to the table, to where his phone still sat. He carefully slipped his arm free without waking the others, leaned forward, and picked it up again. The glow lit his face once more.
This time he wasn't scrolling aimlessly, he opened his messages, typed out a quick note to Hugo.
"Keep eyes on Walmart and 7/11. When funding rounds start, go as my rep. Acquire as much equity as possible at good price. Think long term investment, not quick turnover."
He hit send, leaned back, and finally let the exhaustion sink into his muscles. For a moment, he just looked at the three women sleeping peacefully against him, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his lips. Then, slipping lower into the cushions, he closed his eyes at last.
Days ticked by, and soon Monday arrived again. The buzz hadn't faded, in fact, it had only intensified.
Baltimore, Maryland, was buzzing with anticipation, the arena sold out long before the doors opened. Tonight wasn't just any Raw. It was the final show before Elimination Chamber, and more importantly, it was the night Shawn Michaels and Sandro would finally meet one on one.
The crowd roared as the show opened. The cameras panned the sea of fans holding signs, their cheers and chants echoing through the arena. The titantron lit up with pyro and explosions before the first theme of the night hit.
Mark Henry emerged, WWE Championship slung proudly over his massive shoulder. He walked to the ring with an aura of power, his eyes cold, his jaw set. Once inside, he lifted the microphone to his lips and addressed his Elimination Chamber opponents.
"John Cena. Triple H. Randy Orton. Big Show. Jack Swagger." His voice rumbled like thunder. "All of you think you've got what it takes to step inside that Chamber and come out with this." He slapped the gold plate of the championship. "But you're wrong. Every one of you is gonna feel the pain I bring, the pain I've been bringing my whole career. I'm walking in champion, and I'm walking out champion. Believe that."
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Name: Alessandro Zhang
Age: 20 (2010)
Birthplace: Orlando, Florida, USA
Brand: WWE - RAW
Wrestling Style: Mixed Of All Styles
Faction: The Undisputed System
Championship History: 1x FCW Tag Team Champions, 1x FCW Florida Heavyweight Champion, 1x TNA World Heavyweight Champion, & 1x TNA X Division Champion