Ryder Cane: This is me

Chapter 8

I don’t know what was more uncomfortable. The suit they had me wearing or the audience or even the hostess with all their questions with cameras focused on us. “You are quite uptight for a guy who is known to be lay-back.” I ignored my manager’s sarcasm. “You bullied me into this, remember?” I replied, fixing my shirt and rolling up the sleeves up to my elbows. “Just smile and remember what we talked about.” He whispered when the show started. “Yeah, smile and wave.” He rolled his eyes. I haven’t felt this nervous since my first fight.

             The thought of being questioned agitated me extremely, especially in front of a handful of live streaming cameras. “This is your line.” My manager said softly, resting his hands on either side of my shoulders. “Please put your hands together for our special guest.” The hostess began. “Today we have the UFC heavyweight of three years running with us: Ryder Cane!” The mention of my name and the audience broke out in cheers.

                  I cleared my throat, inhaled a fresh breath of air, and plastered a smile on my face before I walked out from behind the stage curtains. I waved at the audience, noticing all the seats were taken by women of all ages. I shook Ellen’s hand and took my seat. “Wow, they don’t lie. You are gorgeous from up close.” Ellen whispered. “Isn’t he handsome?” Ellen asked, looking at the audience which agreed with her as they replied with applause and some cat-whistles.

                “So, it has been three years and you are still the undefeated champion, how must that feel like?” Ellen asked. “Like I have a bounty on my back.” Ellen chuckled and smiled at me. “You’ve been competing in wrestling since junior high?” I nodded. “And then, you decided to become an MMA-fighter. What was your greatest challenge?” It was no secret. “Ignoring the opinions of my bullies.” Ellen nodded.

            “That was quite a harsh story about your past. Two years ago, a journalist dug out some information about your past. People were quite shocked to learn that the man who is always smiling had been bullied because of being excessively skinny.” I nodded, yeah, the media pulled that one apart. “It cost you to retake a steroid test.” I nodded. “They calculated the amount of weight I had to put on to become a 120kg from after being a 60kg my whole life. Rumors were that I used steroids due to “experts” who believed that it was impossible but it took me nearly eight years to gain 60kg.” Ellen looked speechless.

         “Is it true that you don’t really like to share your past about your mom, childhood, and how much it took you to become UFC’s new champion?”

“I just feel that it is my past life. One I would like to forget. The crude words and the smell of a gym locker from being shoved into one. I want to focus on what and who I can be without those memories being thrown in my face all day long.” Ellen nodded. “Not your favorite topic?” I shook my head.

          “Why should anyone be bullied based on the size of their body? Not everyone knows about the struggles. People think it is fun and a blessing to be skinny. It isn’t. It feels the same as being overweight and you struggle to lose that 10kg’s to be classified as healthy and normal.”

       “What is one of your favorite memories?”

“Actually, it’s ironic but it turns to be one of my worst memories. I was shoved into a locker and would have been left in there until the next morning but the person who opened the door gave me a new perspective of life. Just because I was skinny didn’t mean that I wasn’t strong. That person is the reason why I joined wrestling. That’s the day I will never forget. Anything good can happen from a bad situation. You must just be willing to see it.”

      “What about your first championship fight where you knocked your opponent out in the first 30 seconds of the first round.” Ellen played a small video clip of the fight three years ago. “That had to be a record.” Ellen pointed out. “All I can remember of day is that I cried. My dad cried and basically everyone I knew cried.” Ellen chuckled.

       “There is also a rumor that surfaced when you were spotted once at a child’s orphanage and then at a hospital entertaining cancer patients. You donate amazingly large numbers every year to both organizations.” I nodded. “Six years ago, we thought my dad had cancer and while he was admitted to re-take some tests, I’ve learned that I had a few fans in the hospital. They were mostly children and teenagers. More than half of them were getting treatment that made them sick and sometimes unbearable. That small act of kindness of visiting them gave them some small spark of hope. Something they didn’t have. It’s hard seeing a five-year-old with no hair, a face as white as snow, and the pain they have to go through every day. Teenagers who don’t get a chance to graduate or go to a school dance. I took it pretty bad.” I admitted.

          “One smile can change their whole day.” I was startled when the audience broke out in cheers and clapping their hands.

“You also paid a large sum of money to take a child orphanage out to an amusement park and paid for their food, tickets, and toys. You especially had one little lady clinging to your side the whole day.” Ellen showed a picture of me and the little girl with long brown hair. “Sheila’s parents died in a car accident when she was two. She barely remembers them and she had no family to take care of her. She was the shy one of the bunch.” I explained with a smile on my face.

          “Do you still visit the orphanage?” I nodded. “As often as I can. Sheila has been adopted since my last visit and lives now in New York.” The audience applauded even Ellen.

           “I know you don’t take any donations but I want to give you your own belt of kindness.” I frowned until a guy came out with a fake champion belt with the letters “KING OF KINDNESS” engraved on it. I just shook my head as I stood up. “This is a small token of appreciation from us. You give people a voice and hope when they had none. We want to thank you.” I chuckled as Ellen wrapped the belt around my waist. The audience stood up while they were clapping hands. I thanked Ellen and acknowledged the audience with a wave.

              “I give you the UFC-heavyweight champion, Ryder Cane!” I shook’s Ellen’s hand and made my way off the stage where my manager was waiting for me. “Not as bad as you thought it would be.” He joked helping me to remove the belt. “Let me guess, you were the relying source who gave them the information on what I do during my free time.” He looked taken back. “It’s good publicity.” He argued. “I’m not doing it for the publicity. There are actual children dying from cancer. Children who don’t have families, who don't even get a chance to wear brand new sets of clothes.” I almost bellowed.

           “If you feel like I hired you to make money out of an act of kindness then you are terribly wrong. I got you to organize fights for me and ways to promote the fights, not do this.” I was mad.

             “You just got a chance to show people the other side of you and now you are complaining.” I bit my tongue and forced myself to calm down that I don’t end up punching him in front of all these people. “We are done if this is your strategy. I had enough of bullies my whole life to stick with a man who only lives to make a buck from exploiting good deeds on purpose.”