Northern Pro Wrestling -- June 11th, 2020
Jun 11, 2020 12:01:52 GMT -5
Mongo the Destroyer, ViciousLothario, and 2 more like this
Post by Oh-Oh on Jun 11, 2020 12:01:52 GMT -5
Our show begins with Northern Pro owner Gus Arnold standing in the middle of the ring. As part of tradition, Gus is there to welcome to new Canadian Commonwealth Champion to the ring. Eric Dane is a living legend in our sport who has been at the top of the game for over two decades - and having him committed to wrestling in Northern Pro wrestling will help establish further credibility to the product. After Gus serenaded Dane with a plethora of compliments, the new Champion emerged from behind the curtain and walked to the ring with confidence. The former multiple time World Champion was very cavalier with his body language before extending his right hand to Gus. The two exchanged a firm handshake, before Gus left ringside.
If this were a typical outing in professional wrestling, we might expect a scathing promo from the man who has made a living out of turning back challenges from upstarts over the years. Oxford Osland was the latest and almost certainly not the last.
This time, there were no fans in the building to incite. This time, was different. Dane simply removed the Canadian Commonwealth Championship for his shoulder, and laid it flat on the mat in the middle of the ring - as if he were drawing a line in the sand. Dane's posture turned to someone who was ready for a fight - essentially inviting anyone with the 'stones' to accept to walk to the ring.
This version of Eric Dane seemed prepared to 'prove' that he's on top, not just use his resume to do it for him. Perhaps it was the culture in Northern Pro Wrestling that was pulling this from within him, or perhaps there were other motivating factors.
No surprises here, the former champion and his cronies are the first to emerge from the back.
[Oxford Osland.]
[I-69.]
Oxford Osland lead the way, but stopped short of the ring to allow Wayne Sherlock and Allan Joseph the opportunity to slide into the ring from opposite sides, hoping one of them would be able to blindside Dane, and allow him to enter the ring gracefully to pick up the pieces.
Dane wasn't going to let his adversaries dictate the situation, so he sprung into action by knocking Joseph off of the apron and sent him flying into the guardrail. Sherlock rushed into the ring, hoping he would be able to shift the tide in their favour - but after getting caught with a few sharp right hands, he stumbled backwards, and Dane ran forward and turned him inside out with a running clothesline.
Osland crept up onto the apron, but quickly jumped off when Dane made a beeline for him. Osland was growing increasingly more frustrated during this situation. Not only had Eric Dane defeated him for the 'CCC', but after Kenneth Marshall and Liam Beesley inserted themselves into the match, I-69 were rendered useless, and their attempts to gain an uneven advantage were completely thwarted. We could overhear Osland berating Sherlock and Joseph for their lack of toughness, so Osland triumphantly proclaimed that he would have to do this himself.
Dane was ready to pounce, and welcomed Osland to back up his words with actions. Osland slowly entered the ring, while keeping an eye on Dane. Dane even stepped back to give Osland plenty of room to feel comfortable about his next steps. Dane seemed desperate to lay waste to the man who had been calling him out off and on for a year - and eventhough he had taken the championship - there was still that little matter of how poorly Osland and I-69 bullied and tormented Dane's estranged son Eric Jr.
This. Was. Personal.
As Osland lunged towards Dane, the champion reared back and was about to connect clean - but Wayne Sherlock had already thrown his knee into the lower back of Dane which dropped him down tone knee. At which point Osland delivered a super kick right to the kisser of the Canadian Commonwealth Champion. Osland grabbed the championship belt that had been laid on the mat, and in a gesture to suggest that he would be coming back for 'his possession' he carefully placed the title back on the ground - while Joseph and Sherlock each had Dane in a camel clutch position. As Dane was being restrained, Osland took the opportunity to mock Dane, before spitting in his hand and slapping Dane across the face...not once...not twice... but three times.
Dane's eyes lit up with anger, but there was nothing that he could do to prevent it, he was completely subdued.
[HO!-LEE-###]
[Tyrone Walker.]
[Stephen Greer.]
Before Osland could rear back to deliver another blow, Joseph and Sherlock had allowed Dane to slump to the mat, as they tried to warn Osland that their part was being broken up. The North American Cruiserweight Champion and his long time tag team Partner 'The King of Pain' were on the scene to even the odds for their old running mate. Clearly both men decided to make the trip to the Maritimes a couple of weeks early in preparation for Tyrone Walker's North American Cruiserweight Championship Defence later this month.
Before long Steve Greer had basically steamrolled right through Osland with a Hellfire Lariat!~ Walker used the ropes to slingshot himself onto Joseph and wipe him out with a spinning heel kick. As Sherlock tried to decide what to do, Greer put him up on his shoulders, Allowing Walker to once again slingshot himself from the apron and deliver their version of a doomsday device. Greer made sure to carelessly launch Sherlock as far as he could to double the impact of the move.
As Eric Dane started to come to, he was both elated and surprised to see his two long-time friends hadn't forgotten the bond that they had all shared for nearly two decades. Walker and Greer made sure to help Dane to his feet, and Greer placed the Canadian Commonwealth Championship in Dane's hands. The three men embraced, as they took a moment to be present while realizing that they may not have as many years ahead of them as they once did - but they were still as dangerous as they were twenty years ago.
The scene concluded with Osland and I-69 tucking their tails, and living to fight another day.
[Backstage.]
We watch as Matthew Saunders and Gus Arnold are discussing all things 'NPW'. We overhear Saunders imply that there is a network called 'XHF' that is interested in broadcasting Northern Pro Wrestling's content exclusively. Saunders told Gus that he would be willing to give 'The XHF Network' exclusive access to Northern Pro Wrestling content going forward. Saunders shared that the network offered him a substantial amount and that he was willing to broker the deal for Gus.
Gus paused, trying to digest the ramifications of this proposal. Gus thought he would be phasing himself out of the wrestling business now that he's in his mid 60's, not getting deeper into it. Saunders could see Gus' body language become more neutral, and not as eager as he had hoped. Saunders then reiterated that this was an opportunity to have Northern Pro Wrestling advertised and streamed on a much larger scale. Sanders broke the silence once again by stating that there were a slue of wrestlers from all over the world that might also be interested in working in Northern Pro Wrestling under his guidance.
Saunders seemed to know that the 'old teacher' within would surface and that outlook might be enough to clinch Gus' buy-in.
After a few more moments designed to contemplate the offer even further - Gus eventually broke his silence and asked Saunders to come into his office to go over some of the finer details on how this would impact his business.
--
[In The Arena.]
[Willard Manchester.]
The Former North American Cruiserweight Champion and the Winner of the first Cruiserweight Cup walked to the ring with his ally Leon Van Zandt in tow. Manchester was quick to grab a mic, and state that he was the only man fit to give Ty Walker all he could handle inside of the ring. Manchester said the proof was in the fact that they wrestled to a time limit draw during the prelim stage of the 2nd Annual Cruiserweight Cup earlier this year. Manchester said that he believed his mat work was superior to Ty's more reckless style, and that next week he would become the Cruiserweight Champion for a second time.
Tonight was all about freshening up his skills he proclaimed, which meant that he was prepared to wrestle anyone in the back that felt they were worthy of a crack at him. A few moments passed before Callum Ross hit the ring.
[Callum Ross.]
Ross has been working diligently to improve his skills over the past six months, and was one of the recipients of an exclusive invite to train at Gus' warehouse during the COVID Lockdown in April. Ross seems eager to better position himself in the rankings within NPW, and this would a golden opportunity to make a big splash against an established and credible contender.
Manchester and Ross' coach; Liam Beesley are very familiar with one and another from their days as members of the FIGHT:UK team that experienced a great deal of success in Britain. Perhaps Ross was able to enlist strategy from Beesley to prepare for this contest - but then, how could he know of this open challenge in advance. Knowing Beesley, he would've encouraged Ross to slow down, and work his way to the top, instead of hunting down opponents with far greater experience. The referee hit the ring to make this one official.
--
Singles Match
15 Minute Time Limit
Callum Ross vs. Willard Manchester
--
Callum's eagerness was apparent from the opening bell, as he sought to jump start his offence as soon as it was legal to do so. Manchester was overwhelmed initially, but quick put a stop to it. Manchester seemed to enjoy that he had a 'real live one' who was taking this challenge very seriously. Ross tried to muscle Manchester into the corner, but Manchester executed a go-behind and shoved the young grappler into the corner sternum first. Manchester could've continued his offence, but he decided to back off and give Ross some advice.
Manchester was being condescending in his tone, asking Ross if he really wanted to go through with this. Manchester told Ross that he would let him go back to the dressing room unscathed if he made the decision to do so, right then. Ross was insulted, and told Manchester to lock up. Manchester shrugged, before reminded Ross that he had given him ample opportunity to reconsider.
As Ross lunged in for a collar and elbow tie-up, Manchester shot for a double leg and executed it with little resistance. Once Manchester had control, he quickly transitioned into side control, where he executed a few short rabbit punches into Ross's ribs, hoping he would move his arm to defend. Ross took the blows initially, but Manchester's persistence proved to be too much, as Ross made the cardinal sin of moving his arm away from his upperbody. As soon as he did, Manchester pushed his body upward, and scooted up high enough to lock in a deep head & arm submission. Manchester elevated himself slightly for extra torque, at which point Ross immediately tapped out of fear of passing out.
Manchester relinquished the submission, but before he smacked Ross in the back of the head. The referee walked over to Willard and raised his hand. Manchester's mind games had been administered to perfection. With Ty Walker still in the building, he had to be taking notes, as Manchester presented a true challenge.
Winner: Willard Manchester (2:12) via Head and Arm Choke
A disappointed Callum Ross exited the ring, knowing full well he had only himself to blame for his loss. Ross knew he could've had a much stronger showing, but this would also serve as a lesson for the young lion.
--
[Backstage.]
Zézé Taborda: GOOD EVENING NPW FANS! BE GRACIOUS AND CONTEMPLATE THE GREATNESS OF "YOUR MACHO LATINO" "YOUR LIVING LEGEND" ZÉ... ZÉ... TABORDA!
Taborda spreads his arms out with his pretentious smile.
Zézé Taborda: I know the Northern Pro Audience won't be able to control their excitement when they see the living legend live! Unfortunately for you, I'm not wrestling tonight. But fear not! June 26th you will be able to see all the action you deeply desire. That's right, your living legend will enter a 10-man battle royal to receive a title shot of his choosing!
Taborda's demeanour is confident, as he continues his tirade.
Zézé Taborda: Nobody will have an excuse to miss it! The pure definition of entertainment is here entertain all of you.
Taborda pauses for effect, before continuing.
Zézé Taborda: In fact, I might not have a match here tonight... But, I'm here tonight.
For effect, Taborda uses his index finger to gently scratch his temple, as if to demonstrate that he has an idea.
[Cut.]
--
[In the Arena.]
Much to our surprise, Willard Manchester was still in the ring. Willard had already made his point, so why was he insistent on standing in the middle of the ring. His message soon started to take shape. Manchester went through the history of Leon Van Zandt in Northern Pro Wrestling. Manchester reminded the audience that Leon had easily taken 'Les Rois Francais' out to the woodshed, and disposed of them in under two minutes.
Manchester then said that big bad Jackson Evans who was supposed to be a contender for any championship at anytime was next. Evans thought he was going to intimidate and bully Leon backstage, and he ended up getting his arm twisted up like a pretzel, before sobbing like a child. If that wasn't enough, Leon had blown right through this 'contender' a couple of months back, making him submit in the middle of the ring. Manchester then asked rhetorically - "Has anyone seen or heard from that guy since?" - The answer was 'no' and he knew that.
Then we have Crossfire - Manchester was relentless. The Hawaiian Hitman himself - the man with a resume as long as the aisle in regards to matches he's won, and wrestler's he's sent packing. Another Rhetorical Question followed - "Didn't Crossire proclaim himself to be the 'Alpha dog' of any locker room he set foot in?" Manchester sneered, before reminding everyone that Leon Van Zandt had busted his nose, and disclosed his elbow last month. Manchester said that NOBODY has been able to do that to Crossfire - NOBODY - Not even Aaron Vasquez. Manchester reminded everyone that it took Vasquez driving Crossfire headfirst off of the top of the ramp into a table to render him helpless - yet Leon did so inside of the ring within the rules of competition.
Manchester said that Leon has proven to be the most dangerous man in Northern Pro Wrestling, and it was high time that he was given some more lucrative opportunities. Manchester wondered if the wrestling business had changed so drastically from it's inception to the present. Manchester said that back in the day, you would want your top championship around the waist of the man that had proven he could handle himself against anyone. Manchester declared that Leon Van Zandt was THAT guy. Manchester said, in fact, nobody in Northern Pro Wrestling was able to last 10 Minutes with Leon, and that wasn't going to change.
[Boom.]
[Aaron 'Chico' Vasquez.]
[WHOA!]
There was no denying that Willard Manchester is 'felling himself' at the moment after disposing of Callum Ross in short order. There is no doubt that Manchester believers every word he just said in regards to Leon Van Zandt. But, there has to be some doubt now. Aaron Vasquez has been a bit of an enigma in Northern Pro Wrestling since coming over from International Influence. His reputation as a legit madman is well documented. Vasquez simply walked to the ring, and snatched the mic from Manchester's hand.
Vasquez told both men that without going through him, Manchester's claim that 'LVZ' was the baddest and most dangerous wasn't worth 'spit.'
Vasquez asked if 10 minutes was going to be all it took to prove it? If so, then ring the bell.
--
Singles Match
10 Minute Time Limit
"The Professional" Leon Van Zandt vs. Aaron Vasquez
--
Vasquez and Leon took their time before engaging. While they weren't familiar with each other in the wrestling ring, their names most certainly bring an element of fear.
Knowing the time was ticking, Leon made the first move, and was surprised to learn that while Vasquez might not tote is wrestling ability and would prefer to brawl all over the arena - Vasquez was able to avoid the clutches of Leon, and reversed the action whenever the situation proved necessary. Vasquez turned a hammerlock into a body slam, and used as much force as he could muster to drive Leon into the canvas.
As Leon regrouped, Vasquez wasn't his typical 'wild' self as he continued to exert caution while thinking his way through the sequences. Leon's disposal of Crossfire was enough to get anyone's attention, and Vasquez is a sworn rival of the Hawaiian Hitman himself - knowing full well what he is capable of.
Manchester feigned absolute belief that Leon would turn this around, and he let Vasquez know about it. As the match wore on, Leon was able to earn an advantage on the mat, as he seemed to be more fluid in his transitions, while Vasquez tried to use strength to counter it. Vasquez found himself locked up in a cobra clutch submission on his back, but was able to sit up and roll backwards to turn the hold into a pinning combination. The effort earned him a two count.
Back and forth they went, as the referee told both men that there were only two minutes remaining in the bout. This was officially the longest that anyone has lasted inside an NPW ring with the 'Professional' - but there was still work to be done. Vasquez sprung forward and clocked Leon with a roaring elbow that folded him up. Vasquez went for the cover, but he was only able to hold Leon down for two.
As the time continued to dwindle, it looked like Vasquez was going to complete the time limit challenge, but with 40 seconds to go, Leon started working for another take down, which he was able to secure. It as clear that Leon was looking to position Vasquez for his patented Sugar hold submission. Vasquez was wise to it, and did his best to avoid. With fifteen seconds left, Leon had it in loosely, with ten seconds left he started to synch it in. Vasquez was in a world of trouble, as he continued to fight it off. But his efforts started to subside....3.....2.......1.....DING! Vasquez had barely survived. As Manchester shouted for the referee to check on him, he was unconscious. Vasquez ws out, but a second after the bell rang.
Result: TIME LIMIT DRAW! (10:00)
Manchester got into the ring to argue the referee's decision not to ring the bell. The referee said Vasquez didn't submit and was still fighting when the bell rang, so his decision was final. After a few moments, Vasquez started to come to. He walked up to Leon and told him that next time it would be 'his' kind of fight. Leon didn't take his eyes off of Vasquez, and merely nodded that he agreed to settle this at a future date.
--
[Backstage.]
[Team Danger.]
A backstage media member asked Walker and Greer if this was a sign of things to come, or if it was merely a matter of coincidence that they were here tonight.
Steve Greer shot a death state to the attendant, and told him that the bond that three of them shared couldn't be broken. They might've had their differences in the past, but it wasn't enough to break them. Time apart wasn't enough to break them. Greer said that he would be damned if any other group had the ability to break their brother hood. Greer sent a warning to Sherlock and Joseph, and said that he and Ty were looking to settle to score with them in a tag team match down the line.
Tyrone Walker piped up to echo Steve's sentiments, and then went onto say that next week he was going to put Willard Manchester in his place, while continuing his reign as the North American Cruiserweight Champion in the process. Walker then warned Oxford Osland, and said that he will have to come up with another strategy - because the numbers game isn't in their favour any longer. Now it was 3 v 3.
Eric Dane then held the Canadian Commonwealth Championship high, and said that this was only the beginning of his reign. Dane said that if Osland wanted to 'run it back' and use his rematch clause, that he would be ready to make that happen. Dane then floated out the XHF's Night of Champion's event as a potential date and place for the match to happen.
[Cut.]
--
Main Event
Canadian Heritage Championship
30 Minute Time Limit
Gordon Carlson (c) vs. Ralph Erickson
--
It was finally time to see who was best suited to lead the Eagle's Nest into the future. Their history is well documented - and it all comes down to this championship match. Ralph Erickson was apprehensive about going down this path with Gordon because they took an oath that they wouldn't impede the progress of other Eagle's Nest members as they embarked on their professional wrestling journey. Their culture was all about loyalty and solidarity, and so not to disappoint his father's teachings - Ralph hasn't always abided by it. Over the last few months, Gordon Carlson made it abundantly clear that he no longer supported that vision, and stated that it was holding him back. Gordon has started to adopt a more ruthless style, and isn't concerned about crossing over to the wrong side of the rulebook should it benefit him to do so.
You can only push a man of principle 'so far' until he's liable to push back. Erickson started to stand tall, and refused to lay down and allow Carlson's new outlook to destroy the decades of hard work that his father had instilled in the academy. To our knowledge, this was the first ever 1 on 1 match between the two wrestlers - although they did lock horns in May in a tag team match.
As one might've expected, the technical wrestling in this contest was second to none. In fact, neither wrestler's feet left the ground for the first ten minutes of the contest. Hold was replaced by counters, and those counters were replaced by other counters, and the chain wrestling continued.
Eventually, Erickson seemed to be getting the better of the exchanges, and perhaps that as due to the built up frustration that he'd been subjected to over the past few months, and this was finally his opportunity to cash some receipts.
During an exchange, the referee got tangled up with the two wrestlers and caught an inadvertent back elbow strike from Erickson. As the referee slumped to the mat, Erickson went to check on him and this allowed Carlson to gather himself. Carlson saw an opportunity to blindside Erickson, but he didn't. In an act of sportsmanship that had seemingly been lost on Gordon over the past six months, Gordon was now doing the proper thing to wait until the referee was back on his feet.
During the commotion in the ring, NPW newcomer Andrew Brookes was in the empty crowd, and was mocking what was happening inside of the ring. Brookes said that this wasn't a 'wrestling match' this was more like a dramatic soap opera between two men who had forgotten how. Carlson was quick to invite Brookes into the ring so he could put his money where his mouth was - at which point Erickson walked over and stood beside Carlson - seemingly out of hold habit.
During the confusion, Zeze Taborda ran down their aisle and blindsided Ralph Erickson. Taborda was able to execute a nasty clothesline from behind that sent Erickson down to the mat face first. At which point Gordon Carlson turned around and took a swing in Taborda's direction - but Taborda exited the ring and started talking trash to the Canadian Heritage Champion. Taborda even motioned that he might be coming after Carlson's championship.
On the other side of the ring, Andrew Brookes had taken a few steps forward, and hurled a few more insults.
Carlson kept looking back and forth, but it was clear that his 'heat' with Erickson wasn't his top priority at the moment. Carlson had always been a stand up kind of guy, but his obsession to getting even and tracking down Gentry McCray for much of 2019 seemed to have him flirting with a new mindset for success. Carlson checked on Erickson, and when it didn't seem likely that Brookes or Taborda were going to do anything further, Carlson put his guard down to check on his brethren.
[Cut.]
--
[Willard Manchester.]
[Tyrone Walker.]
[The North American Cruiserweight Championship.]
[Flash.]
[June 19th, 2020]
[The rematch the world wants to see.]
[Flash.]
[Northern Pro Wrestling.]
[Cut.]
If this were a typical outing in professional wrestling, we might expect a scathing promo from the man who has made a living out of turning back challenges from upstarts over the years. Oxford Osland was the latest and almost certainly not the last.
This time, there were no fans in the building to incite. This time, was different. Dane simply removed the Canadian Commonwealth Championship for his shoulder, and laid it flat on the mat in the middle of the ring - as if he were drawing a line in the sand. Dane's posture turned to someone who was ready for a fight - essentially inviting anyone with the 'stones' to accept to walk to the ring.
This version of Eric Dane seemed prepared to 'prove' that he's on top, not just use his resume to do it for him. Perhaps it was the culture in Northern Pro Wrestling that was pulling this from within him, or perhaps there were other motivating factors.
No surprises here, the former champion and his cronies are the first to emerge from the back.
[Oxford Osland.]
[I-69.]
Oxford Osland lead the way, but stopped short of the ring to allow Wayne Sherlock and Allan Joseph the opportunity to slide into the ring from opposite sides, hoping one of them would be able to blindside Dane, and allow him to enter the ring gracefully to pick up the pieces.
Dane wasn't going to let his adversaries dictate the situation, so he sprung into action by knocking Joseph off of the apron and sent him flying into the guardrail. Sherlock rushed into the ring, hoping he would be able to shift the tide in their favour - but after getting caught with a few sharp right hands, he stumbled backwards, and Dane ran forward and turned him inside out with a running clothesline.
Osland crept up onto the apron, but quickly jumped off when Dane made a beeline for him. Osland was growing increasingly more frustrated during this situation. Not only had Eric Dane defeated him for the 'CCC', but after Kenneth Marshall and Liam Beesley inserted themselves into the match, I-69 were rendered useless, and their attempts to gain an uneven advantage were completely thwarted. We could overhear Osland berating Sherlock and Joseph for their lack of toughness, so Osland triumphantly proclaimed that he would have to do this himself.
Dane was ready to pounce, and welcomed Osland to back up his words with actions. Osland slowly entered the ring, while keeping an eye on Dane. Dane even stepped back to give Osland plenty of room to feel comfortable about his next steps. Dane seemed desperate to lay waste to the man who had been calling him out off and on for a year - and eventhough he had taken the championship - there was still that little matter of how poorly Osland and I-69 bullied and tormented Dane's estranged son Eric Jr.
This. Was. Personal.
As Osland lunged towards Dane, the champion reared back and was about to connect clean - but Wayne Sherlock had already thrown his knee into the lower back of Dane which dropped him down tone knee. At which point Osland delivered a super kick right to the kisser of the Canadian Commonwealth Champion. Osland grabbed the championship belt that had been laid on the mat, and in a gesture to suggest that he would be coming back for 'his possession' he carefully placed the title back on the ground - while Joseph and Sherlock each had Dane in a camel clutch position. As Dane was being restrained, Osland took the opportunity to mock Dane, before spitting in his hand and slapping Dane across the face...not once...not twice... but three times.
Dane's eyes lit up with anger, but there was nothing that he could do to prevent it, he was completely subdued.
[HO!-LEE-###]
[Tyrone Walker.]
[Stephen Greer.]
Before Osland could rear back to deliver another blow, Joseph and Sherlock had allowed Dane to slump to the mat, as they tried to warn Osland that their part was being broken up. The North American Cruiserweight Champion and his long time tag team Partner 'The King of Pain' were on the scene to even the odds for their old running mate. Clearly both men decided to make the trip to the Maritimes a couple of weeks early in preparation for Tyrone Walker's North American Cruiserweight Championship Defence later this month.
Before long Steve Greer had basically steamrolled right through Osland with a Hellfire Lariat!~ Walker used the ropes to slingshot himself onto Joseph and wipe him out with a spinning heel kick. As Sherlock tried to decide what to do, Greer put him up on his shoulders, Allowing Walker to once again slingshot himself from the apron and deliver their version of a doomsday device. Greer made sure to carelessly launch Sherlock as far as he could to double the impact of the move.
As Eric Dane started to come to, he was both elated and surprised to see his two long-time friends hadn't forgotten the bond that they had all shared for nearly two decades. Walker and Greer made sure to help Dane to his feet, and Greer placed the Canadian Commonwealth Championship in Dane's hands. The three men embraced, as they took a moment to be present while realizing that they may not have as many years ahead of them as they once did - but they were still as dangerous as they were twenty years ago.
The scene concluded with Osland and I-69 tucking their tails, and living to fight another day.
[Backstage.]
We watch as Matthew Saunders and Gus Arnold are discussing all things 'NPW'. We overhear Saunders imply that there is a network called 'XHF' that is interested in broadcasting Northern Pro Wrestling's content exclusively. Saunders told Gus that he would be willing to give 'The XHF Network' exclusive access to Northern Pro Wrestling content going forward. Saunders shared that the network offered him a substantial amount and that he was willing to broker the deal for Gus.
Gus paused, trying to digest the ramifications of this proposal. Gus thought he would be phasing himself out of the wrestling business now that he's in his mid 60's, not getting deeper into it. Saunders could see Gus' body language become more neutral, and not as eager as he had hoped. Saunders then reiterated that this was an opportunity to have Northern Pro Wrestling advertised and streamed on a much larger scale. Sanders broke the silence once again by stating that there were a slue of wrestlers from all over the world that might also be interested in working in Northern Pro Wrestling under his guidance.
Saunders seemed to know that the 'old teacher' within would surface and that outlook might be enough to clinch Gus' buy-in.
After a few more moments designed to contemplate the offer even further - Gus eventually broke his silence and asked Saunders to come into his office to go over some of the finer details on how this would impact his business.
--
[In The Arena.]
[Willard Manchester.]
The Former North American Cruiserweight Champion and the Winner of the first Cruiserweight Cup walked to the ring with his ally Leon Van Zandt in tow. Manchester was quick to grab a mic, and state that he was the only man fit to give Ty Walker all he could handle inside of the ring. Manchester said the proof was in the fact that they wrestled to a time limit draw during the prelim stage of the 2nd Annual Cruiserweight Cup earlier this year. Manchester said that he believed his mat work was superior to Ty's more reckless style, and that next week he would become the Cruiserweight Champion for a second time.
Tonight was all about freshening up his skills he proclaimed, which meant that he was prepared to wrestle anyone in the back that felt they were worthy of a crack at him. A few moments passed before Callum Ross hit the ring.
[Callum Ross.]
Ross has been working diligently to improve his skills over the past six months, and was one of the recipients of an exclusive invite to train at Gus' warehouse during the COVID Lockdown in April. Ross seems eager to better position himself in the rankings within NPW, and this would a golden opportunity to make a big splash against an established and credible contender.
Manchester and Ross' coach; Liam Beesley are very familiar with one and another from their days as members of the FIGHT:UK team that experienced a great deal of success in Britain. Perhaps Ross was able to enlist strategy from Beesley to prepare for this contest - but then, how could he know of this open challenge in advance. Knowing Beesley, he would've encouraged Ross to slow down, and work his way to the top, instead of hunting down opponents with far greater experience. The referee hit the ring to make this one official.
--
Singles Match
15 Minute Time Limit
Callum Ross vs. Willard Manchester
--
Callum's eagerness was apparent from the opening bell, as he sought to jump start his offence as soon as it was legal to do so. Manchester was overwhelmed initially, but quick put a stop to it. Manchester seemed to enjoy that he had a 'real live one' who was taking this challenge very seriously. Ross tried to muscle Manchester into the corner, but Manchester executed a go-behind and shoved the young grappler into the corner sternum first. Manchester could've continued his offence, but he decided to back off and give Ross some advice.
Manchester was being condescending in his tone, asking Ross if he really wanted to go through with this. Manchester told Ross that he would let him go back to the dressing room unscathed if he made the decision to do so, right then. Ross was insulted, and told Manchester to lock up. Manchester shrugged, before reminded Ross that he had given him ample opportunity to reconsider.
As Ross lunged in for a collar and elbow tie-up, Manchester shot for a double leg and executed it with little resistance. Once Manchester had control, he quickly transitioned into side control, where he executed a few short rabbit punches into Ross's ribs, hoping he would move his arm to defend. Ross took the blows initially, but Manchester's persistence proved to be too much, as Ross made the cardinal sin of moving his arm away from his upperbody. As soon as he did, Manchester pushed his body upward, and scooted up high enough to lock in a deep head & arm submission. Manchester elevated himself slightly for extra torque, at which point Ross immediately tapped out of fear of passing out.
Manchester relinquished the submission, but before he smacked Ross in the back of the head. The referee walked over to Willard and raised his hand. Manchester's mind games had been administered to perfection. With Ty Walker still in the building, he had to be taking notes, as Manchester presented a true challenge.
Winner: Willard Manchester (2:12) via Head and Arm Choke
A disappointed Callum Ross exited the ring, knowing full well he had only himself to blame for his loss. Ross knew he could've had a much stronger showing, but this would also serve as a lesson for the young lion.
--
[Backstage.]
Zézé Taborda: GOOD EVENING NPW FANS! BE GRACIOUS AND CONTEMPLATE THE GREATNESS OF "YOUR MACHO LATINO" "YOUR LIVING LEGEND" ZÉ... ZÉ... TABORDA!
Taborda spreads his arms out with his pretentious smile.
Zézé Taborda: I know the Northern Pro Audience won't be able to control their excitement when they see the living legend live! Unfortunately for you, I'm not wrestling tonight. But fear not! June 26th you will be able to see all the action you deeply desire. That's right, your living legend will enter a 10-man battle royal to receive a title shot of his choosing!
Taborda's demeanour is confident, as he continues his tirade.
Zézé Taborda: Nobody will have an excuse to miss it! The pure definition of entertainment is here entertain all of you.
Taborda pauses for effect, before continuing.
Zézé Taborda: In fact, I might not have a match here tonight... But, I'm here tonight.
For effect, Taborda uses his index finger to gently scratch his temple, as if to demonstrate that he has an idea.
[Cut.]
--
[In the Arena.]
Much to our surprise, Willard Manchester was still in the ring. Willard had already made his point, so why was he insistent on standing in the middle of the ring. His message soon started to take shape. Manchester went through the history of Leon Van Zandt in Northern Pro Wrestling. Manchester reminded the audience that Leon had easily taken 'Les Rois Francais' out to the woodshed, and disposed of them in under two minutes.
Manchester then said that big bad Jackson Evans who was supposed to be a contender for any championship at anytime was next. Evans thought he was going to intimidate and bully Leon backstage, and he ended up getting his arm twisted up like a pretzel, before sobbing like a child. If that wasn't enough, Leon had blown right through this 'contender' a couple of months back, making him submit in the middle of the ring. Manchester then asked rhetorically - "Has anyone seen or heard from that guy since?" - The answer was 'no' and he knew that.
Then we have Crossfire - Manchester was relentless. The Hawaiian Hitman himself - the man with a resume as long as the aisle in regards to matches he's won, and wrestler's he's sent packing. Another Rhetorical Question followed - "Didn't Crossire proclaim himself to be the 'Alpha dog' of any locker room he set foot in?" Manchester sneered, before reminding everyone that Leon Van Zandt had busted his nose, and disclosed his elbow last month. Manchester said that NOBODY has been able to do that to Crossfire - NOBODY - Not even Aaron Vasquez. Manchester reminded everyone that it took Vasquez driving Crossfire headfirst off of the top of the ramp into a table to render him helpless - yet Leon did so inside of the ring within the rules of competition.
Manchester said that Leon has proven to be the most dangerous man in Northern Pro Wrestling, and it was high time that he was given some more lucrative opportunities. Manchester wondered if the wrestling business had changed so drastically from it's inception to the present. Manchester said that back in the day, you would want your top championship around the waist of the man that had proven he could handle himself against anyone. Manchester declared that Leon Van Zandt was THAT guy. Manchester said, in fact, nobody in Northern Pro Wrestling was able to last 10 Minutes with Leon, and that wasn't going to change.
[Boom.]
[Aaron 'Chico' Vasquez.]
[WHOA!]
There was no denying that Willard Manchester is 'felling himself' at the moment after disposing of Callum Ross in short order. There is no doubt that Manchester believers every word he just said in regards to Leon Van Zandt. But, there has to be some doubt now. Aaron Vasquez has been a bit of an enigma in Northern Pro Wrestling since coming over from International Influence. His reputation as a legit madman is well documented. Vasquez simply walked to the ring, and snatched the mic from Manchester's hand.
Vasquez told both men that without going through him, Manchester's claim that 'LVZ' was the baddest and most dangerous wasn't worth 'spit.'
Vasquez asked if 10 minutes was going to be all it took to prove it? If so, then ring the bell.
--
Singles Match
10 Minute Time Limit
"The Professional" Leon Van Zandt vs. Aaron Vasquez
--
Vasquez and Leon took their time before engaging. While they weren't familiar with each other in the wrestling ring, their names most certainly bring an element of fear.
Knowing the time was ticking, Leon made the first move, and was surprised to learn that while Vasquez might not tote is wrestling ability and would prefer to brawl all over the arena - Vasquez was able to avoid the clutches of Leon, and reversed the action whenever the situation proved necessary. Vasquez turned a hammerlock into a body slam, and used as much force as he could muster to drive Leon into the canvas.
As Leon regrouped, Vasquez wasn't his typical 'wild' self as he continued to exert caution while thinking his way through the sequences. Leon's disposal of Crossfire was enough to get anyone's attention, and Vasquez is a sworn rival of the Hawaiian Hitman himself - knowing full well what he is capable of.
Manchester feigned absolute belief that Leon would turn this around, and he let Vasquez know about it. As the match wore on, Leon was able to earn an advantage on the mat, as he seemed to be more fluid in his transitions, while Vasquez tried to use strength to counter it. Vasquez found himself locked up in a cobra clutch submission on his back, but was able to sit up and roll backwards to turn the hold into a pinning combination. The effort earned him a two count.
Back and forth they went, as the referee told both men that there were only two minutes remaining in the bout. This was officially the longest that anyone has lasted inside an NPW ring with the 'Professional' - but there was still work to be done. Vasquez sprung forward and clocked Leon with a roaring elbow that folded him up. Vasquez went for the cover, but he was only able to hold Leon down for two.
As the time continued to dwindle, it looked like Vasquez was going to complete the time limit challenge, but with 40 seconds to go, Leon started working for another take down, which he was able to secure. It as clear that Leon was looking to position Vasquez for his patented Sugar hold submission. Vasquez was wise to it, and did his best to avoid. With fifteen seconds left, Leon had it in loosely, with ten seconds left he started to synch it in. Vasquez was in a world of trouble, as he continued to fight it off. But his efforts started to subside....3.....2.......1.....DING! Vasquez had barely survived. As Manchester shouted for the referee to check on him, he was unconscious. Vasquez ws out, but a second after the bell rang.
Result: TIME LIMIT DRAW! (10:00)
Manchester got into the ring to argue the referee's decision not to ring the bell. The referee said Vasquez didn't submit and was still fighting when the bell rang, so his decision was final. After a few moments, Vasquez started to come to. He walked up to Leon and told him that next time it would be 'his' kind of fight. Leon didn't take his eyes off of Vasquez, and merely nodded that he agreed to settle this at a future date.
--
[Backstage.]
[Team Danger.]
A backstage media member asked Walker and Greer if this was a sign of things to come, or if it was merely a matter of coincidence that they were here tonight.
Steve Greer shot a death state to the attendant, and told him that the bond that three of them shared couldn't be broken. They might've had their differences in the past, but it wasn't enough to break them. Time apart wasn't enough to break them. Greer said that he would be damned if any other group had the ability to break their brother hood. Greer sent a warning to Sherlock and Joseph, and said that he and Ty were looking to settle to score with them in a tag team match down the line.
Tyrone Walker piped up to echo Steve's sentiments, and then went onto say that next week he was going to put Willard Manchester in his place, while continuing his reign as the North American Cruiserweight Champion in the process. Walker then warned Oxford Osland, and said that he will have to come up with another strategy - because the numbers game isn't in their favour any longer. Now it was 3 v 3.
Eric Dane then held the Canadian Commonwealth Championship high, and said that this was only the beginning of his reign. Dane said that if Osland wanted to 'run it back' and use his rematch clause, that he would be ready to make that happen. Dane then floated out the XHF's Night of Champion's event as a potential date and place for the match to happen.
[Cut.]
--
Main Event
Canadian Heritage Championship
30 Minute Time Limit
Gordon Carlson (c) vs. Ralph Erickson
--
It was finally time to see who was best suited to lead the Eagle's Nest into the future. Their history is well documented - and it all comes down to this championship match. Ralph Erickson was apprehensive about going down this path with Gordon because they took an oath that they wouldn't impede the progress of other Eagle's Nest members as they embarked on their professional wrestling journey. Their culture was all about loyalty and solidarity, and so not to disappoint his father's teachings - Ralph hasn't always abided by it. Over the last few months, Gordon Carlson made it abundantly clear that he no longer supported that vision, and stated that it was holding him back. Gordon has started to adopt a more ruthless style, and isn't concerned about crossing over to the wrong side of the rulebook should it benefit him to do so.
You can only push a man of principle 'so far' until he's liable to push back. Erickson started to stand tall, and refused to lay down and allow Carlson's new outlook to destroy the decades of hard work that his father had instilled in the academy. To our knowledge, this was the first ever 1 on 1 match between the two wrestlers - although they did lock horns in May in a tag team match.
As one might've expected, the technical wrestling in this contest was second to none. In fact, neither wrestler's feet left the ground for the first ten minutes of the contest. Hold was replaced by counters, and those counters were replaced by other counters, and the chain wrestling continued.
Eventually, Erickson seemed to be getting the better of the exchanges, and perhaps that as due to the built up frustration that he'd been subjected to over the past few months, and this was finally his opportunity to cash some receipts.
During an exchange, the referee got tangled up with the two wrestlers and caught an inadvertent back elbow strike from Erickson. As the referee slumped to the mat, Erickson went to check on him and this allowed Carlson to gather himself. Carlson saw an opportunity to blindside Erickson, but he didn't. In an act of sportsmanship that had seemingly been lost on Gordon over the past six months, Gordon was now doing the proper thing to wait until the referee was back on his feet.
During the commotion in the ring, NPW newcomer Andrew Brookes was in the empty crowd, and was mocking what was happening inside of the ring. Brookes said that this wasn't a 'wrestling match' this was more like a dramatic soap opera between two men who had forgotten how. Carlson was quick to invite Brookes into the ring so he could put his money where his mouth was - at which point Erickson walked over and stood beside Carlson - seemingly out of hold habit.
During the confusion, Zeze Taborda ran down their aisle and blindsided Ralph Erickson. Taborda was able to execute a nasty clothesline from behind that sent Erickson down to the mat face first. At which point Gordon Carlson turned around and took a swing in Taborda's direction - but Taborda exited the ring and started talking trash to the Canadian Heritage Champion. Taborda even motioned that he might be coming after Carlson's championship.
On the other side of the ring, Andrew Brookes had taken a few steps forward, and hurled a few more insults.
Carlson kept looking back and forth, but it was clear that his 'heat' with Erickson wasn't his top priority at the moment. Carlson had always been a stand up kind of guy, but his obsession to getting even and tracking down Gentry McCray for much of 2019 seemed to have him flirting with a new mindset for success. Carlson checked on Erickson, and when it didn't seem likely that Brookes or Taborda were going to do anything further, Carlson put his guard down to check on his brethren.
[Cut.]
--
[Willard Manchester.]
[Tyrone Walker.]
[The North American Cruiserweight Championship.]
[Flash.]
[June 19th, 2020]
[The rematch the world wants to see.]
[Flash.]
[Northern Pro Wrestling.]
[Cut.]