~With Carlo~

With rehab getting the way of my way to recovery so I can fight Santos, it's been a little difficult for me. For the past two months, I've been through a lot of exercises to up my knee strength and try to keep myself in shape. I've been focusing on my core while trying to heal my knee slightly better.

The plan is to not only heal my knee faster, but to tone my chest, arms, back, and shoulders. Everyone has been saying on Twitter that I haven't been working out a lot and they claim I don't have a plan for that. I do, I'm just focusing on my knee first before everything else. Smart plan, right?

At the PC, in the rehab center, I told Sara my plan about trying to heal my knee faster so I could get back in the ring, and she was all for it, but she had to say something about that before we could get started.

Masami was with me so I could get some motivation and have help.

So you're willing to try and get this knee healed faster, right? I'll admit, it's admirable, but we gotta be careful with what we got planned. Some of your moves have to do with running, so cardio is out. Your knee's muscles are a bit too loose, going to make you have a cramp at any moment, so dropkicks are out. One of the finishing moves is a Ripcord Forearm called the "Insane Forearm". We're going to keep that move because it has less movement in the knee and it can keep the selling of the opponent very realistic. So what we're going to do is focus on exercises that can not only get you movement back in your knee, it can also build strength.

She cracked her head very fast and snapped her fingers before saying...

YEAH! Let's build some muscle and get that knee better than it was before!

Let's do it.

First exercise we did was the peloton. We had to go slow since while knee was slowly healing, we need to make sure that get some muscle in there.

While pedaling, I was starting to feel some tension, but it slowly became easy for me because this would help me get some strength to my knee.

~1 Month Later~

We slowly focused on some moves and some workouts to help my chest become muscled and my arms look like I've taken steroids even though I never have in my life. We did the basic bicep curls with dumbbells and barbells to deepen the muscles.

For my knee, I slowly took a couple laps in the ring to get some flow back into it. My knee is the main priority and I want to focus on that more than anything, but I had to focus on the other muscles, not just my knee.

Every morning, Masami and I drank a protein drink, which contains three raw eggs and even though it was disgusting for Masami, and we had a little jog to see if anything is wrong with my knee.

Sometimes, Masami would take the car and drive slowly while I try to catch it. Cool strategy, right?

This one morning, I drank the eggs and she immediately drove the car, making me run carefully to try and catch the car.

Catch me if you can, Carlo!

I'm coming to get you!

She laughed like a little girl and drove, making me spill my drink and run after her. She was laughing like a psycho as I was smiling a bit at her adorableness.

I definitely need to ask her to marry me once I'm cleared from injury.

~Another Month Later~

Sara put in a couple needles in my knee and I was wondering what they were. Turned out they were steroids and they're not the kind you take to make your muscles bigger. They're used to bring some support into an injured limb like a shoulder or a knee.

WWE approved of this not too long ago and this would make me the first to do it. It's kind of an honor.

They were working as my knee started to get better and when I pulled up a deadlift, my back was starting to show muscle, and that was telling me, I was going to have a new look and personality.

The chest was starting to get toned as well and I had Jon help me with the workouts.

His idea for working out the chest was simple: hitting the bag, moving a barbell with one or two 45lb weights on one side as we bring it to our chest, and taking pills that help with weight loss.

Another method he uses is taking a weight ball and hitting the core to tone the abdomens while trying out sit-ups and crunches to build muscle.

Pat was willing to help me out with my legs because he works on them constantly, and he would have no problem helping me get my body into in-ring shape again.

My left knee was working out great. I was feeling less pain and more muscle, but I had to wear a knee brace to make the leg stay in motion. Wearing a brace while working out wasn't that bad if an experience, except I felt a bit limited, but I was fine with it.

Steffanie gave me tips on how to use less aerial moves and more standing moves to prevent my knee from giving out again: jumping less, no dropkicks, and simple knee strikes without extending the knee too far.

While I was working with Steff, Masami called me to the hospital for Pat's and Kaori's new baby.

I was excused and we went to the hospital with balloons and everything.

We arrived and in their room, their she was, Kaori holding her baby...

It's a girl!

Congrats you two! Way to go, Kaori!

Masami hugged Kaori and Pat as I did the same to them. This was a huge moment in their life and they deserve it.

What's her name?

Maiko Airi Joseph.

That's a beautiful name.

There's also something we want to talk to you two about.

Sure.

What is it?

How would you two like to be the godparents to our little Maiko?

It was a bit shocking to hear that come out Kaori's mouth and I knew what I wanted to say. I looked at Masami, she nodded, and I said the answer the two wanted.

We would be honored.

They hugged us again and we spent the whole time together.

~2 Months Later; Mid-April~

NXT Takeover: Beast In The East was next month, a day before Masami's birthday, and I know what I'm going to do that day, but I got to plan it first.

Masami and I went to the PC to find out if my knee is cleared. I've been waiting a long time to hear those words, "You are cleared", but it all depends if the results are correct and my knee really is healed.

Sara sat me down and checked on my knee. An MRI was made and it showed the results I wanted.

You're good to go, Carlo. You're cleared for in-ring action, but if you take it easy for a couple weeks, you might be ready for any kind of match you want.

Sounds good. Thanks Sara for everything.

Anytime, kid.

I went out with a tear in my eye and a smile.

I'm cleared!

Yes!

We hugged in a very celebratory way as Hunter walked toward us.

I see you're cleared to compete now!

Right, but Sara said I have to wait a couple weeks before I do something physical, but I have an idea to make a return.

And what is that?

Picture this...

~Full Sail~

I was given white tape, a knee brace, and crutches. That's the plan to let people know that I'm cleared to compete and I'm ready to fight Santos.

Recently, before I was cleared, Santos won the NXT Championship, so this would make sense for me to go after him again.

Hunter put up the announcement of me returning to give an "update" about my "injury". You know what I'm "saying"?

Okay, those quotes surrounding some of the words have to stop.

Anyway, before my music played, announcer Alicia Taylor announced my return.

Ladies and gentlemen, to give us an update on his injury, please welcome, "The Eye Of The Storm" Carlo De Luca!

My music played and I entered with crutches, a knee brace, I was selling this the best I can because I've just been cleared and I gotta make sure I sell the fact that I'm still injured.

In the ring, I had a mic, and I spoke into it.

Now, I gotta be honest, I thought this was a going away party, but there's something I want to talk about and that's this right here.

I motioned to my knee and I sold it by secretly poking my eyes before hand to have actual tears, and make it look like I've been crying.

You know, I love this sport and I wouldn't give it up for anyone. That's why I'm here tonight to share an update on my ACL.

The crowd cheered as I was about to tell them.

The update is that I'm—

LDF's music played and out came the bastard who has the title I never lost.

When Santos was about to walk down to the ring, I stopped him.

Stop! I can only allow one in this ring with me right now! It's gotta be one of you, or the deal's off!

Santos sent his goons to the back as he went in the ring by himself.

You said you had an update about your knee. Come on, tell us!

I would but you already ruined it.

The crowd booed at him as he was as cocky as he can be. He doesn't know I'm cleared, same with his bodyguards, so this is the perfect way to beat him up and leave before his guys come down to beat my ass.

I'm sorry! I didn't know. Can I say it for you?

You just want to make it worse, don't ya?

No, I just want to inform people about your injury. I promise, I won't make fun of you.

Spoke like a gentleman. Tell them the news, go ahead.

I just found out that, his knee is worse and that means, I have a couple more months to wait for him to be cleared!

Hey! What you said wasn't very nice. Now you gotta leave.

I see that I offended you, and I'm sorry. Let me get out of this ring for you.

He put the mic down and turned his back on me, which isn't smart.

Wait, hold on, before you go anywhere, I gotta something else to say. Stay where you are.

It was time to pull out the surprise.

You say that you gotta wait a couple more months right? Well, lucky for you...

I smirked and said the most savage line ever...

I don't need to wait.

I took my crutch and hit his back with it before taking his arm and doing the Insane Forearm.

MAMA MIA! Carlo De Luca is cleared!

Oh no!

And here comes Wilde and Mendoza, but De Luca, has retreated with the NXT Championship! He's got the title!

I looked at it, smiled, and held it above my head. I think I did a good job of planning this rube in front of everyone. So this is going to work.

You'll never win against me! You lost that title because of me! You can't have it! It's mine!

I laid the title and raised my arms as Masami, Mayu, and Kaori stood with me as I had another mic in my hand. I pointed at them...

You're mad!

...then I pointed at myself while smiling.

I'm back!

I threw the mic down and laughed so psychotically that everyone loved this return and I think everyone wants to see more of this, but I gotta haul ass to my apartment and start packing bags for Tokyo.