The AWF Presents: Prestige 53 - LIVE from Albuquerque, NM!
Jun 13, 2020 21:30:51 GMT -5
Mongo the Destroyer, Hyperion, and 2 more like this
Post by MYŌJIN on Jun 13, 2020 21:30:51 GMT -5
Ascension Wrestling Federation Presents:
Live at the The Tingsley Coliseum in Albeuquerque, NM.
13th June, 2020
Capacity: 10,000
In Attendance: 0
The cameras fade in to show the Prestige Announcers, Cassius Romano and Tommy Taylor, stand in front of the camera, microphones in hand.
Taylor: Welcome to the AWF Prestige Fifty-Three! We’ve got a great set of matches set for tonight but with Clash of the Icons having just passed - we’re expecting some fallout!
Romano: It was a historic night-
We’re now taken back to Clash of the Icons. The still shows Michael Storm’s yellow tank-top laying in the center of the ring.
Romano: -we saw the retirement of an AWF veteran when Jack Diamond beat Michael Storm in a match for the ages!
Taylor: That is surely was! We saw what could well have been the final strands of Diamond’s sanity break…
We switch to a clip.
STACKED DECK!!!!!! OUT OF NOWHERE!!!!
Taylor: GOOD GOD! STORM’S OUT!
Romano: LOOK INTO JACK’S EYES, THAT’S A LOOK I’VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE!
Romano: We saw Storm take not one…
ANOTHER STACKED DECK!!
Taylor: ANOTHER ONE!
Romano: JACK HAS GONE INSANE! HE HAS GONE COMPLETELY INSANE!
Romano: Not two Stacked Decks…
JACK LEAPS ONTO THE ROPES, SPRINGBOARD STACKED DECK!!!!!
Taylor: SPRINGBOARD, SPRINGBOARD, SPRINGBOARD!
Romano: THIS IS JACK’S OWN PERSONAL FIFTY-TWO SECONDS OF HELL FOR STORM RIGHT HERE!
Romano: NOT LIKE THIS, NOT LIKE THIS!!!
Taylor: OH MY GOD-
AVALANCHE STACKED DECK!!!!!
Romano: But four Stacked Decks!
Taylor: Diamond came in amped up for the match and for the win but at what cost?
Romano: It didn't stop him at Call to Arms. He and Hyperion have earned their place in a match for a shot at the XHF X-Crown Title! Talking of Hype...
We switch to the Legion locker-room at Clash of the Icons.
Taylor: The night was as implosive as it was explosive.
Kuroi: I am the one who molded these soldiers around us. I am the one who built up everything Legion stands for. I am the enforcer of the mantra 'Strength Above All!'. Without the forces here created and trained, Legion is nothing more than two mentally ill fools! Legion is NOTHING without me!
Natasha: Then Legion is no more.
Kuroi turns to face Natasha, who has crossed the gap to be right behind him. Before he can react she has her hand grasped firmly around his neck and hoists him into the air, all 270 pounds of him lifted from the ground. She slams him down with a sit-out chokeslam, delivering her ‘Hand of Fate’ with such coldness in her eyes. Kuroi hits the hard cement floor with a thud, but as he begins to rise up Natasha motions for the followers to attack. Some look to Hyperion for a second acknowledgement, but most react instinctively. Quickly, a dozen or so of her Crows are stomping and kicking on the floored Kuroi.
Hyperion: Enough! End this travesty.
The followers stop their attack on Kuroi, with eyes darting between Hyperion and Natasha. Unsure of what to do next, Hyperion and Natasha close the gap between them, unsure of what comes next. Hyperion just nods, softly.
Hyperion: All yours... Goddess.
Hyperion turns to face the remaining followers, as Natasha begins to pull Kuroi up from the floor.
Romano: Now, we’re led to believe that Hype will be making a statement tonight on his future in Ascension tonight!
Taylor: Whether Natasha will appear is something only she knows…
Romano: But what was the big talking point, when we talk about stables imploding, was what went down in the main-event…
Dillinger simply raises the championship in front of Young before handing it off to Fox, without taking his eyes off of the Messiah of the Knee Strike. Fox reluctantly holds the championship then shows it to Young who nods toward him. Fox then raises it toward the hard camera before handing it off.
The silence is nearly deafening. The hostile tension is thick. The animosity is there.
Taylor: We knew there’d be fireworks but what we didn’t expect was the fight we got!
Young tries to reverse the hold but Dillinger holds on tight, he backs himself and the Prestige Champion both into the corner. Fox moves in to make sure that they have a clean break. Dillinger raises his hands as Young slowly moves off of him and begins turning around, but DILLINGER RIGHT HOOKS YOUNG - SENDING HIM BACK STAGGERING! Fox warns Seth with a scowl!
Fox grabs Young by the shoulder, attempting to get him off of a hurting Dillinger! Young violently SHOVES Fox off and keeps at it! Fox stumbles back, clearly pissed and FORCES Young to look at him by yanking him off! The special guest referee stares Young directly in the eyes as they both glare at each other for a few moments.
Romano: Our match officials don’t often get the praise they deserve but Fox found out in Texas what it is they do!
Taylor: This wasn’t just your run of the mill match, Cassius…
Dillinger looks at his own work and rolls back into the ring. He turns toward Fox and demands for him to start counting! Fox looks over the ropes at Young, who’s holding his head while beginning to stir. Fox reluctantly begins to raise his hand to start counting… but he refuses! Seth is furious! He yells in Fox’s face! Fox yells back as they begin to argue while Young begins to get up.
Taylor: FOX REFUSES TO COUNT RYAN OUT!
Romano: He wants this match to end the right way! By pin or submission, NOT disqualification!
The champion grabs Fox by the collar, but Fox pushes him off! They’re in each other’s faces until Dillinger notices that Young is getting up. He grabs the ropes, SLINGSHOTS- CORKSCREW PLANCHA INTO YOUNG! BOTH GO DOWN WITH A THUD!
Taylor: DILLINGER ISN’T EASING UP!
Romano: He can’t afford to! He’s the champion!
Dillinger begins to get up and grabs Young and throws him back into the squared circle! He climbs up against the ropes, looking to spring in for that trademark somersault stunner! HE SPRINGBOARDS HIMSELF IN- YOUNG TURNS AROUND AT THE LAST SECOND AND CATCHES HIM WITH A SUPERMAN FOREARM SMASH, DILLINGER FALLS BACK ONTO THE APRON!
Romano: Both men brought their A-game, both men wanted the win…
Taylor: Halfway through it looked like a ceasefire was happening…
Young simply limps forward and kneels to be face level with Dillinger. He places an arm on his former best friend’s shoulder. Young’s eyes filling with tears as he holds out his other hand for the champion to take. It’s gone too far. He just wants his friend back. He just wants LGBTKO to be whole again.
Taylor: I think.. I think Young doesn’t want to do this.
Romano: He’s trying to end this without any more pain.
Dillinger takes Young’s hand and they both pull each other into an exhausted embrace for a few moments as the ring goes completely silent-
Young: I’m.. I’m so sorry.
They look each other in the eyes.
Dillinger: I am too…
DILLINGER LOW BLOWS YOUNG WITH A KICK IN BETWEEN THE LEGS!
Taylor: NO!
YOUNG FALLS TO THE MAT IN PAIN AS DILLINGER RUNS TO GRAB THE CHAMPIONSHIP HE THEN RUNS FORWARD AND SMASHES IT ACROSS YOUNG’S HEAD!
Romano: To add the final nail to the coffin that was LGTBKO it only went downhill from there...
Taylor: Just look at how it ended…
Dillinger SCREAMS with frustration as the tears begin to flow as he begins laying in stiff punches to Young’s head. Yelling at him to just stay down! The tired champion crawls to the top rope and looks down at the unmoving Young! HE PERFORMS A 450 SPLASH!
Taylor: ACID RAIN! IT MIGHT BE OVER!
Romano: Wait?! Dillinger’s not going for the pin!
Dillinger climbs off of Young and goes to the opposite corner, he climbs up once more and GOES FOR ACID RAID ONE MORE TIME! THIS TIME WITH A LATERAL PRESS ONTO YOUNG! FOX TIREDLY MAKES THE COUNT!
ONE!
TWO!
THREEEEEEEEEEEEE!
Ding. Ding. Ding.
Romano: Young just coming up short.
Taylor: As we went off the air you knew that Seth Dillinger was no longer the voice of the AWF faithful any longer.
Fox crawls over toward Young who begins moving, instinctively reaching to his banged-up knee as Seth simply picks up his title and rolls out of the ring. He heads down the ramp with another word, furiously wiping the tears from his eyes as Fox watches him leave, utterly speechless.
Taylor: I… I believe we have just witnessed.. The end of LGBTKO.
Romano: All things must come to an end, unfortunately even friendships, Taylor. That’s how this business works.
Taylor: What does this mean for any of them? What does this mean for AWF?
Romano: I don’t know. It looks like a dark future ahead…
The PPV ends with the sight of Fox tending to Young as medics head to the ring.
Romano: Now, we’ve received word that Ryan Young HAS NOT received medical clearance to compete yet!
Taylor: It was a war, not just a fight!
We go from the frozen picture of Fox and Young to earlier in the night.
Romano: Tonight, we kick off our quest to find out who will be the next contender for Aiden Merric and his XHF Phoenix title! The first match will see the debut of Dallas Houston who is fresh off the Call to Arms tournament where he (INSERT ACHIEVEMENT)!
Taylor: he faces a man who currently holds the AWF Around the Clock Title!
Romano: Even Copycat claimed a title reign in the Scramble match.
Taylor: The darkest forty-five seconds in our history!
Copycat grabs the belt and hoists it high into the air, filled with the joy of his victory. Crawford and ORION are having a heated argument over the end of the match.
And Keith Williams sneaks into the ring and rolls up Copycat.
...ONE!
...TWO!
...THREE!
Williams rushes off up the ramp with the belt, being far too fresh for the other men to chase him.
Romano: Williams will be hoping to not just keep hold of that belt but push his claim to be the man to dethrone Aiden!
Taylor: One man who’ll stand in his way is following him, Rob Garcia, who came up just short at Clash of the Icons!
Merric waits slowly for Garcia to get up on one knee - CLOTHESLINE FROM HELL WITH THE STIFFEST SOUND POSSIBLE, GARCIA GOES DOWN SO HARD HIS LEGS SPRING INTO THE AIR AS MERRIC HOOKS ONE!
Taylor: CONTRACT FUFILLED!
Romano: IT'S OVER! GARCIA'S OUT LIKE A LIGHT!
ONE!
TWO!
THREE!
Romano: But it won’t be easy, his opponent and one of four debuts is The Awkward One, Adam Sanders, who showed everyone what he could do when he dropped Cross Recoba on his head…
Cross gets in Sanders’ face and starts to taunt him with some slaps around the face.
Recoba: What’s the matter, kiddo?
Cross pushes at Sanders as if he’s done with him.
Recoba: Well, it looks like Copycat might finally have someone he can be-
Cross gets spun around and taken unaware by a quickfire kick to the stomach that is followed seamlessly by a Question Mark kick!
Romano: Cross could be about to heat his words!
Sanders throws an arm over his shoulder before effortlessly lifting him vertical.
Taylor: Could this be….
SANDERS DROPS HIM DOWN INTO A PILEDRIVER!
Romano and Taylor: THIS IS AWKWARD!!!!
Cross is out cold on the floor, the microphone dropping to the floor with a thud.
Walker: Didn’t anyone warn you to beware of the quiet ones?
Taylor: Recoba has already let people know he’s going to be here, will he play a part in the match?
Romano: Who knows, it’s like asking if Rob Garcia or Keith Williams will be making an appearance when Neo James Carner takes on Athena, given what went down with those three and the Harlowes last night!
Rob says as Keith and Neo each grab a leg of Roy’s, flapjacking him high into the air as he comes crashing down, Rob grabs his head in a front face dock and spikes Roy’s head into the concrete with a sickening spike DDT. Roy’s body ragdolls on the floor, lifeless and unmoving. Jeff Noon walks back into the frame with his hands on his mouth in horror.
Jeff: Oh dear God...I think...I think he’s really hurt...we should...we should call someone.
Rob, Neo and Keith all look at each other and then back at Jeff Noon.
Neo: You can call us The Revenants, don’t you dare forget us.
The three men walk off in unison as they leave a scene of carnage and mayhem behind them. Two Harlowe's are buried in glass, spiders and blood. Stage hands and referees fill the scene as they try to sift and sort out the chaos.
Taylor: With them making up a third of the Phoenix tournament’s entrants, you have to think they’ve got a plan!
Romano: Well, if they get their way they’ll only have to worry about the winner of the last match in this round, a triple-threat between the former Around the Clock Champion, ORION, Alexander Crawford, and Xiaolong that has the potential to stand out as the match of the round!
Taylor: That’s a bold claim, Cassius! Especially given that in our semi-main event, we have The Awesome Bastards fighting for that vital fifth point in the XHF Global Tag Division that would entitle them to a shot at the belts currently being held by Dos Angeles!
Romano: They’ll have to get past Rob Riot and Chris Parsons from (FED) to do so though!
Taylor: Which leads us to our main-event.
Romano: How Jennings is cleared and Young isn’t is something!
Taylor: Dakota’s tough, she proved that at Clash of the Icons when she came close to unseating Natasha as THE female force in Ascension Wrestling!
It's like an ill disciplined sword fight with unbalanced swords and angry duellists. They both pause, gasping for breath for a brief second. Natasha's swing is a little quicker this time and better placed as he uses her long legs to step into the ideal position. The metal wraps around Dakota's skull and now the second woman in the match is busted open. Dakota staggers backwards for a few steps as Natasha considers her next move... but Jennings rocks back onto the ropes and bounces off into a tight pirouette, SMASHING NATASHA WITH A ROLLING CHAIR SHOT! Natasha shakes off the blow but drops her chair on instinct. Jennings tastes her own blood rolling into her mouth, looks at the chair in her hands and SMILES.
Taylor: Dakota Jennings is feeling it tonight.
Romano: A woman in her element. Dakota Jennings with a chair is like chips and dip. steak and fried.
Taylor: Taylor and Romano?
Romano: No.
Jennings closes on Natasha and hoists her for a bodyslam, holding the chair across her back and slams the Goddess down onto the chair hard. She waits for Natasha to get to one knee, grabs the other chair Natasha was holding and props it on The Goddess Of Death's knee, taking a short run up and bouncing up, kneeing the chair into Natasha's face!
Romano: Unfortunately for her, Natasha happened in the worst way possible for her…
Natasha lifts Parker off the ground and SITS DOWN, SMASHING GRAYSIE'S FACE INTO A CHAIR WITH A REVERSE CHOKESLAM! While on the ground, she grabs Dakota by the throat and as she stands, she takes The Chairwoman up with her and lifts her up, SITTING DOWN AND DRIVING JENNINGS INTO THE PILE OF STEEL!
Taylor: REVERSE HAND OF FATE TO PARKER! HAND OF FATE TO JENNINGS!
Natasha stands and carefully drapes Graysie Parker back over Dakota Jennings, back into the position they were in before she interfered. She has an inscrutable but almost knowing look on her face as the referee counts.
...ONE!
...TWO!
...THREE!
Taylor: Well, this challenge isn’t any less demanding. She’s going toe-to-toe with the newly-crowned United States Champion.
Romano: Non-title..
Feeding off the momentum, he grabs Draven by the hair and runs him full-force into the ring-post. The Champion drops to a knee, Strychnine once more rams him face-first into the post, this time the Prince of Darkness leans limply against it.
Tucking his head between his legs, The Rocker grabs his belt-line and leans back...PILEDRIVER ON THE OUTSIDE!
TOP-ROPE ELBOW DROP TO THE RING FLOOR!
Taylor: Yes, non-title, what Tommy went through to get the win was a Draven who was prepared for everything!
TRYING TO SHIFT THE BLOWS, STRYCHNINE ATTEMPTS TO LAUNCH HIM BUT ONLY SUCCEEDS IN DRAVEN TAKING HIM DOWN WITH A POISON RANA!!!
Romano: The Prince of Darkness digs deep into his locker to turn the tide!
Draven looks to his fallen opponent and considers the pin but the animalistic expression returns along with the sadistic grin.
Romano: Now, Tommy may regret the goading..
He stands up, bringing Strychnine up with him. He uses Tommy’s hair to pull back his head and he bares his teeth.
Taylor: NOOOO!
The camera catches the horrified countenance on Tyrell’s face. No sound escapes as he screams a silent ‘No’.
Romano: Tommy might finally have made his opponent snap and in the worst way possible for his chances in this match!
Draven catches himself and rolls his opponent into the ring. He takes a second to regain his composure before standing on the apron.
Taylor: Common sense prevailed at the last-minute.
Romano: But what will be seen as the saner option?
DRAVEN SPRINGBOARDS OFF THE TOP ROPE AND CONNECTS WITH A TORNADO DDT!!
Taylor: TOMMY’S HEAD BOUNCED CLEAN OFF THE MAT!!
HE LIFTS HIM UP AND SPINS HIM AROUND…
Taylor: NO!!!
STEVE TYRELL IS TAKEN OUT BY THE LEGS OF STRYCHNINE!!
Romano: An official with more experience wouldn’t have been there!
DRAVEN DROPS TOMMY TO THE MAT AND TRIES TO REVIVE THE REFEREE!!
Romano: He played with fire in the match!
They both turn their gaze to the chair at the same time. Turning back to one another Strychnine can be seen goading Draven once more.
Taylor: He knows with the referee out that he has a layer of protection!
Strychnine: PICK UP THE CHAIR!!!...GO ON! DO IT! PICK IT UP!!
Romano: Tommy’s still intent on getting into the head of Draven!
Taylor: Will he succeed?
Romano: This is where the only person who can answer is The Prince of Darkness, with no crowd here he can’t look to them to act as his conscience, the only person who knows is Draven and right now? I’m not so sure he even knows himself!
Draven hesitates, he sees the chair and for a moment in time a snarl once more forms on his face. He moves towards it, the camera picking up the smile on Tommy’s face as he The Prince of Darkness wraps a hand around the object.
Taylor: Has Tommy done it? Has he broken the spirit of the United States champion?
Romano: If he has he needs an exit plan because a steel chair isn’t going to help his chances of winning the match if Draven connects!
Stepping towards Strychnine, Draven raises the chair over his head.
Taylor: Draven is about to make a terrible mistake here!
Romano: Every man has his limit, the question is - did Tommy expect THIS!
The animalistic look has once more returned to the Champion’s face. Tommy is almost laughing with happiness.
Romano: Strychnine may just learn where the saying ‘Be Careful What You Wish For’ came from!
DRAVEN THROWS THE CHAIR TO THE OUTSIDE!
Romano: Ultimately, Strychnine dug deep…
HE SPRINGS ONTO THE TOP-ROPE AND LEAPS!!
Taylor: Draven’s rising right into it!
HE CONNECTS WITH THE SLINGSHOT SPRINGBOARD V-TRIGGER!!
Romano: HE NAILED THE KISS ME DEADLY!!
Tyrell drops for the cover…
ONE…
TWO…
The highlight package is interrupted.
The lights and titantron go pitch black for a few moments as the sound of recording about the play goes through the speakers. Suddenly, the lights come back on- albeit in a royal purple, tinting the arena in purple light.
Taylor: It seems the Prince of Darkness is here tonight!
Romano: Let’s see what comes of this!
"Pale" by The Birthday Massacre plays abruptly as Vincent Draven heads down the ramp with a frustrated look on his face. Heading to the ring, he climbs up the steel steps and under the top rope with a microphone in hand. The vampire briefly takes a look around the empty arena before visibly exhaling, then glancing down at the microphone in his hand before speaking.
Draven: So… This month and the last has not exactly been kind to me. Probably has been the worst moments of my career in AWF- No, in the entirety of XHF. I tapped out to Cross Recoba at Prestige 50, he gave me internal damage within my midsection, which caused me to get counted out at Prestige 51. Then Ryan Young and I lost that tag match on Prestige 52. And now, here I stand- in front of all of you at home… not as United States Champion because that title now belongs to Tommy Strychnine. He earned it fair and square, and he was the better man.
The Prince of Darkness briefly laughs, albeit with a bitter tone.
Draven: I've been… failing a lot recently. Losing that US title was a massive blow to both my pride and my confidence…
The gothic wrestler takes a deep breath and runs a gloved hand through his dark hair.
Draven: I've been on a downward spiral. I've let everyone that's been rooting for me down. This is the part where I'm… I'm supposed to say that it doesn't bother me, right? Going to just ignore my losses and keep my head up? Promise that won't happen again? Try to find redemption? You people aren't naive. You've heard that same cookie-cutter story over and over by now.
He sighs and takes a moment.
Draven: I failed my goal. I lost what meant the world to me. I didn't even defend it successfully once… Everything I wanted to do with that championship has been abruptly cut short.
Draven: So what now? What do I do now? Where do I go from here? Truth is… I don't know.
Draven taps the mic lightly against the side of his head. He leans against the ropes, staring toward the hard camera.
Draven: But I'll keep doing what I'm best at. I'll keep fighting with all I have. Clash of the Icons has left me back at the bottom and now I have to climb back up again. And it'll be a grueling task, but I will-
"AW, FUCK YOUR HEADPHONES!"
The sound of "Timebomb" by Beck blasts through the arena and interrupts Draven mid-sentence. Seth looks disheveled, his hair a mess, and he wears sunglasses to hide the bags under his eyes. Across his shoulder is the Prestige Title. He staggers down to the ring and climbs the steps as Draven looks on, scowling.
Taylor: Well, it seems Seth Dillinger isn't waiting for Draven to finish.
Romano: We were told he had an announcement tonight, maybe this is it!
Taylor: It's just rude to interrupt someone, Romano.
Seth waves his hands at the backstage area.
Dillinger: Cut the music already. Jesus.
He holds a hand to his temple as "Timebomb" quickly fades out.
Dillinger: Three years of listening to that damn song on repeat every time I come out... I never thought about how grating that gets, you know?
Seth isn't even looking at Draven, he's just sort of rambling at nobody in particular.
Dillinger: Anyway, tonight, I told everyone I have an announcement. And I do. It's a doozy, and--
He looks up, pretending like he's noticing Draven for the first time.
Dillinger: Oh, uh...
Seth glances around the ring at the staff nearby.
Dillinger: ...someone wanna check the sign out sheet? I'm pretty sure I followed proper procedure, ring should be mine right now. So if you don't mind...
Seth takes his hand and makes a "shoo" motion towards Draven.
Dillinger: ...kindly leave, please!
There's a spark of earnest politeness to Seth's request. Draven narrows his eyes at him.
Draven: Is this a joke to you?
Seth feigns shock like he's insulted.
Dillinger: ...funny? No, I'm not really the funny one in the group. That was Brendan. I'm just kindly asking you to get out of my ring. Go on now. Shoo shoo.
He shakes his head.
Draven: I’m going nowhere because I wasn’t finished speaking.
Seth clicks his tongue and shakes his head.
Dillinger: Well, then, Vincent, let me finish your speech for you.
He clears his throat and quickly ruffles his hair to try and pull it down in front of his eyes in a half-assed emo look. Seth slouches a bit and gazes up at the camera with dead eyes.
Dillinger: Being Vincent Draven is so hard. Life sucks. But I am going to try and keep getting better. And meanwhile, hope you all ignore the fact I literally kidnapped a man, hand-waved it all away, and am now pretending like I'm some plucky down on his luck underdog.
Seth drops the act and pushes the hair out of his eyes.
Dillinger: That about right, Vince? Or, like, did I not pull enough wool over the eyes of the AWF fans out there? Do you think they're stupid? They're not. Well most aren't anyway.
Draven takes a moment to collect himself before responding.
Draven: Dillinger, I am not in the mood. If you’re expecting some sort of apology-
Seth rolls his eyes.
Dillinger: No no no no, you just misunderstand me Draven. This new you? This whole look? ...this ain't it, fam. Plucky, respectable underdog doesn't suit you. It's like... like Lady Gaga trying to do country. Just doesn't work. And it's no surprise to me that, well... your streak of failures you just mentioned all come on the heels of you trying to turn over this new leaf.
Seth paces around a moment, shaking his head.
Dillinger: See, I've come to understand something recently. When you have a goal that you know is for the good of the whole, sometimes, you have to take some extreme measures to get there. After all, do you see either member of LGBTKO out here right now at my side? No. Not so much as a peep from them after Clash of the Icons, because they can't accept that they need to change. I've helped so many change, Draven. I helped Michael Storm see that his worldview was toxic and shattered. I showed Natasha that even goddesses can bleed. And though they don't accept it yet, I showed Ryan and Fox that there is no limit to what must be done in order to achieve success.
Seth points at Draven, then back to himself, then back at Draven.
Dillinger: Wait... I know. I'm in the business of helping people. You're in the business of needing some serious help.
He slaps his cheek and lets out a shocked expression.
Dillinger: The universe works in mysterious ways, Vincent Draven! Just think -- you and me, here at the same time, by complete chance. And you need my help. Isn't that just positively serendipitous?
The vampire stares at the Prestige Champion in a confused, though irritated glare.
Draven: I need your help?
Dillinger: Yeah, you do. Otherwise, you’d still be United States Champion and not moping pathetically in this ring right now, right?
Draven’s jaw tightens, Seth simply smiles smugly.
Dillinger: Just hear me out, Vince. You’re down on your luck and it just so happens that I can fix what’s wrong with you! You should be grateful that the longest-reigning champion in this entire company is feeling generous.
Draven says nothing in response, besides a fist-clenching ever so slightly.
Draven: Get on with your point.
Seth simply raises and dangles the golden belt in front of Draven, almost as if he’s teasing him to jump at it. Though the champion’s face grows serious.
Dillinger: All I’m saying is- If you want my help, all you have to do is simply seize the opportunity. Just consider it, alright? Think it over, it’s not like you have any titles to defend after all. I’m a patient man.
Seth eyes Draven up and down with a small scoff before dropping the mic, staring him in the eyes with a slowly growing smirk before he steps back through the middle rope and walks back up the entrance ramp- leaving an uncertain Draven in the middle of the ring
Taylor: What is Seth Dillinger exactly offering Vincent Draven?
Romano: After Clash of the Icons, I’m really not sure how Seth’s mind operates anymore. The other question is: Will Draven accept it?
Taylor: Only time will tell. Upcoming next, we have the first out of four matches to decide qualifiers to become the number one contender for Aiden Merric’s Phoenix Championship- Dallas Houston versus Keith Williams! Stay tuned!
Jessie Love: The following contest is scheduled for one fall and is the first match in our tournament to crown the NUMBER ONE CONTENDER TO THE XHF PHOENIX CHAMPIONSHIP!
"Texas, Our Texas" begins playing. Dallas Houston emerges from the back saddled up on his horse Trigger.
Jessie Love: Making his AWF debut! He stands at six-feet-and-five inches, and weighs in at two-hundred-and-seventy-five pounds...from Lubbock, Texas...DALLAS!!! HOUSTON!!!
Romano: Don’t forget he’s on a horse, Jessie!
Taylor: Look, Aiden Merric said that Dallas was a picture of America and what’s more American than this!
Dallas and Trigger slowly make their way towards the ring as he keeps his nose turned up. Trigger makes a lap around the ring and stops at the base of the ramp. Dallas steps off of the saddle and a ringside attendant leads Trigger to the back.
Romano: That’s Trigger’s part done for the night…
Taylor: Well, you can bet if Dallas wins tonight they’ll be hitting the bars of New Mexico tonight!
Romano: You trying to go for ‘you can lead a horse to water?’
Taylor: Or to the ring!
Dallas steps up to the top of the ring steps and onto the ring apron. Prior to entering the ring, Dallas wipes his feet on the apron and then steps through the ropes. He walks over to the center of the ring and removes his cowboy hat, placing it over his heart as he waits for the entirety of "Texas, Our Texas" to finish playing.
Romano: Anyways...Dallas will want to put a good showing tonight after his part in the Call to Arms event for Team AWF!
Taylor: They were unlucky that night but tonight is a new slate for the man from Lubbock!
Once finished, Dallas walks over to the corner and hangs his hat on the ring post. He removes the towel from around his neck and drops it onto the floor on the outside as he waits.
Jessie: Introducing his opponent, from Raleigh, North Carolina. He stands at six-feet-and-three inches and tips the scales at two-hundred-and-sixty-three pounds. HE IS THE CURRENT AWF AROUND THE CLOCK CHAMPION...THE PARAGON OF SLEAZE! KEITH! WILLIAMS!
The arena is plunged into darkness as "When the Levee Breaks" by Led Zeppelin echoes out of the speakers, triggering the attention of those in attendance to the stage where dark blue lights have started to flash in rhythm to the music.
Taylor: Noticeably, the ATC title isn’t with him.
Romano: It’s a target on your back, if you ever see someone not on the card at an event - you can have a good chance of being right thinking they’re after whomever has the belt at that show!
If it keeps on rainin', levee's goin' to break
When the levee breaks I'll have no place to stay
As the tempo of the song picks up, it can barely be seen that someone has made their way out in the pitch black, planting themselves in the middle of the stage. The lights return and we're shown the back of Keith Williams as he's pointing at what's on his clothing. He's noticeably wearing a black denim vest with patches of bands on the front, the words "Paragon of Sleaze" printed on the back in a death metal/black metal stylized font, and directly below this is a giant mustache graphic.
Romano: You know that if he managed to go all the way and beat Merric, we’d never hear the end of it!
Taylor: Williams has been mentioned in hushed tones as one to watch, he’ll be keen to add to the growing number of people who see him as a future main-eventer!
Williams spins around, stroking his mustache and gleefully taking a look out at the crowd. He slowly saunters his way down the rampway to ringside, taking his time to taunt fans on either side of him. As he reaches the ring, Keith goes to enter by rolling under the bottom rope, but hesitates for a moment to thrust against it to the beat of the song, eventually getting to his feet and treating everyone with another round of mustache strokes for good measure. He mounts the turnbuckle nearest to him, hopping up to the middle rope and posing with his arms spread wide. As the music dies down, KW abandons his post and tosses his vest to a company stooge on the outside, taking to practicing his elbows in the corner before the match begins.
XHF Phoenix Championship Number One Contender Qualifier
Dallas Houston vs Keith Williams
Romano: We kick-off this tournament with Williams, looking to add to his collection of titles.
Taylor: While Houston and the rest of Team AWF went out in the first round, Dallas stood out as a man with rough skills that, when shined, could become a real talent here!
Romano: The Paragon of Sleaze is hoping he won’t be using him
Nate Biggs, the senior referee, is satisfied after a brief talk with the competitors and rings the bell to kick-off the first match in the tournament.
Taylor: You can be sure that whatever Williams was just told was paid no more than lip-service by the Around the Clock Champion
The two men step towards each other, Dallas can be seen on camera mouthing something to Williams who simply stares at him with a shit-eating grin, seemingly more entertained than intimidated.
Romano: He’s wasting no time trying to get in the mind of Dallas…
Taylor: You think a bar-brawling Texan isn’t just going to store that for retribution later on?
Dallas looks like he’s going to laugh, he cocks his head back and simultaneously rears back a hand - HE LANDS A SOLID OVERHAND!
Romano: Why wait for later?
Taylor: The grin and cockiness might well have just been smacked off the face of Williams!
Williams reels back as Houston steps forward, grabbing his head. He lands another hard punch that finds a mark square on the jaw of his opponent. The Paragon of Sleaze hits the ropes and Houston spots his opportunity. He presses him back against the ring-ropes and Irish-Whips him BUT WILLIAMS SWINGS ROUND AND TAKES THE TEXAN DOWN TO THE MAT WITH AN ARMBAR!
Romano: Keith has done him homework, that smashmouth style of Dallas’ won’t work if he takes him down to his level.
Taylor: Have you heard one of his promos? He brings us all down to his level!
Quickly rolling through before it can be cinched in, Houston gets to his feet and instinctively bull-rushes The Sleazy One with a charging forearm but Williams ducks and catches the Texan with two quick-fire kicks to the shoulder.
Taylor: Is stick and move the key to victory?
Romano: Williams isn’t a small guy, but every move in Houston’s arsenal is built around utilizing that frame of his to enact pain - you won’t find many holes in his game!
Stepping back, Dallas avoids a European Uppercut and instead utilizes his slight height advantage to step into a knee to the gut that doubles-over the man from North Carolina.
Taylor: While Williams is looking to play to his strengths of mat-work and striking-
Romano:-Houston’s going to act like it’s last-call in El Paso!
Trying to keep the tempo slow, Houston unleashes a brace of clubbing forearms to the back of the neck of Williams and finishes with a shot to the chin of The Paragon of Sleaze that sends him into the corner.
Romano: Raw power on display from the man making his AWF debut!
Working over the midsection, Dallas releases steady-paced and measured hooks to the body of his opponent. Williams looks to slump down but Houston is on hand to prop him back up and unleashes a vicious straight-right that connects in the center of William’s face.
Taylor: There’s no finesse, no going for the GIFs in Dallas’ game!
Romano: You’ve just seen him rock his opponent like that and you wanna crack wise?
Grabbing his opponent’s head, Houston drags him out of the corner and hooks an arm over his shoulder. He places his hand around the waistband of Williams AND DROPS TO THE FLOOR HOLDING HIS FACE!
Romano: Eye-rake from Williams!
Taylor: How did you see that?
Romano: Look, when Merric calls someone conniving and you’ve been in the ring a few times, you get the jist of a man!
Biggs is unsure what happened but knows Williams wasn’t within the rules with whatever he did, he gives him his first warning while an impish smile appears on The Sleazy One’s face.
Taylor: The Paragon of Sleaze is just mocking Nate!
Romano: Biggs didn’t see it, but he can tell from Houston’s reaction it was underhanded and not in the rules!
He sees Houston getting to his knees and delivers a Greco-Roman kick to the side of the ribs to put him back down to the mat.
Grabbing the arm of his opponent, Williams starts to deliver vicious stomps to the shoulder and arm of the Texan. As Houston moves in pain, Williams sees his opportunity and turns the arm round into a hammerlock.
Taylor: He’s focusing on the arm of the big man!
Romano: You look at the way Houston finishes off his opponents, it makes perfect sense!
Using all of his weight, Williams bears down on the bar-brawling Texan. Biggs stoops down to ask if he wants to quit but the proud Houston shakes his head. The Paragon of Sleaze changes tactics and pulls up his opponent, keeping the hammerlock in. He uses the arm to whip him towards him and drive his own knee into the ribs of his opponent.
Taylor: Beyond the bravado, beyond the need to shock lies a man with a solid technical grounding!
He reaches around and applies a hammerlock from both sides, he drops with THE DDT!
Romano: AND A WICKED HAMMERLOCK DDT!
An early pin…
ONE…
KICKOUT!
Taylor: Houston might not be on the upside of this match right now but he’s far from out!
Williams picks up Houston and keeps hold of his arm. He turns into an arm-wringer and winks towards Jessie Love as he does so.
Taylor: Is that a blush or outrage from Jessie?
Romano: It’s showmanship!
Directing his attention back to the match, Williams lets fly with a series of kicks to the shoulder and elbow joint of the twisted arm.
Romano: Williams is just trying to break down the Texan, starting with his arm!
Spinning a leg over the top of the arm he drops down to the floor..FUJIWARA ARMBAR!!!
Taylor: THIS COULD BE IT!
Houston is struggling as Williams leans back into the hold. Biggs is quicker this time to ask Houston if he wants to give it up. A look of sheer determination tips the viewer to his answer.
Romano: Not if Houston has any say in the matter!
Timing it perfectly, the Texan sweeps from underneath into a roll-up…
ONE..
Taylor: Deft bit of wrestling from Dallas.
Romano: He might not be out of the woods yet!
Williams goes for the arm-triangle BUT HOUSTON SLAMS HIM DOWN WITH A MODIFIED POWERBOMB!
Romano: BIG SLAM FROM DALLAS!
STILL, WILLIAMS LOOKS TO TRY FOR THE HOLD!
Taylor: I’ve heard Williams be called a cockroach but this isn’t quite what they meant!
Romano: He knows that if he can take out that arm then he can pick him off at will!
DALLAS UNLEASHES A TRIO OF WILD HAYMAKERS THAT BREAK THE ATTEMPT!
Taylor: Houston isn’t letting him get to him that easily!
With some time to breathe after the onslaught to his arm, Dallas works out his options.
He fires off some heavy stomps to the upper-body and face of his opponent and then leans into the ropes...BIG LEG-DROP!
Romano: Huge leg-drop!
Williams got all of that move. He tries to roll away from the Texan but a running kick to the head stops him in his tracks.
Taylor: Smart move from Houston!
Romano: Tommy, a running kick to the side of the head isn’t a coup d’etat!
Content with the slowed-down nature of the pace of the match, Houston lifts up his opponent and drives an elbow into the top of Williams’ head. He wraps his arms around him...ARM-AND-HEAD SUPLEX!!!
Taylor: Coup D’etat that!
Landing clean on his head, The Paragon of Sleaze rolls back and scrambles to his feet. The Big Texan is immediately onto him with a side-elbow to the head that is quickly joined by a clubbing overhand and a kick to the stomach. Williams finds himself with Houston’s arms wrapped around him…
Romano: Dallas is building some momentum up, his next move will be pivotal!
BIG BELLY-TO-BELLY SUPLEX!!
Taylor: No pun intended!
Romano: The back of Williams will feel battered after the two suplexes!
Taylor: Counting the Texan out as a man without a gameplan isn’t exactly accurate!
Once more assessing his options, Houston thinks about the pin but gets back to his feet and grabs the legs of his opponent…
GROUNDED BIG SWING!
Romano:RAIDER RASH!!
Building momentum, Houston takes a moment to step back and drops into a three-point stance, Williams is once again trying to get to his feet...HE PLOUGHS FORWARD…
Taylor: Could we be seeing the Longhorn?
KW MOVES AND HOUSTON GOES SHOULDER-FIRST INTO THE CORNER POST!!!
Romano: ACTING ON INSTINCT, WILLIAMS ESCAPED!
STUMBLING OUT FROM THE CORNER...QUEEN ANNE’S REVENGE!!
Romano: A sickening thud from that Discus Elbow smash!
Houston staggers as he fights to drop to the mat...RUNNING BICYCLE KICK FROM THE PARAGON OF SLEAZE!!!
Taylor: He damn near took his head off!
Williams drops down for the cover, pushing his weight across the injured shoulder…
ONE…
TWO…
KICKOUT FROM DALLAS!!
Romano: Houston is showing the kind of resilience that could take him all the way to a shot against Merric!
Clearly not expecting the kick-out, Keith starts to run his mouth at Biggs. He gets to his feet, indignant and steps towards the referee - raking his trailing boot across the face of his opponent.
Taylor: Did you see that cheap move?
Romano: If the referee didn’t, did it really happen?
Nate isn’t one to back down and Keith wouldn’t know a social cue if it was broken over his back.
Romano: Keith could be taking his eye off the prize here...
Keith takes a step closer to the referee.
Taylor: Biggs isn’t one to back down!
Biggs remains expressionless, he simply raises a hand towards the ramp and utters a quiet threat.
Romano: That’s all he needs to know, once more and he’ll be out of the match and out of the tournament!
The hands of Williams shoot up quickly in defence, he backs off a step and starts to turn around…
Taylor: C’mon! As if anyone’s going to believe he’s sorry!
HOUSTON GOES FOR THE LONGHORN BUT KEITH SIDESTEPS IT AND GRABS AN ARM INTO A FUJIWARA ARMBAR TAKEDOWN!
Romano: HOUSTON MISSED THE SPEAR ONCE MORE!
Taylor: THIS COULD BE FATAL!
TRANSITIONING, HE GOES INTO THE CATTLE MUTILATION!!
Romano: AN ODE TO ALEX TREBEK!!
Taylor: IT’S LOCKED IN!
BIGGS GOES TO CHECK ON HOUSTON BUT HE’S ALREADY TELLING HIM TO RING THE BELL!
Romano: WILLIAMS WITH A HUGE ANNOUNCEMENT TO THE REST OF THE BRACKETS!
“When the Levee Breaks” by Led Zeppelin starts up over the announce system!
Jessie Love: YOUR WINNER! AND PROGRESSING TO THE FINALS...KEITH WILLIAMS!!!
Bethesda, Ohio.
Earlier this week.
The AWF’s Headquarters remains lavish with its posh offices surrounding top of the line training facilities. There are multiple gyms for different styles of training, multiple boardrooms for different styles of administration, like six saunas for when sweating seems fun and a Game Room with a billiards table and a Playstation 5 prototype probably. The whole nine yards have not only been thought of but doted on and in some cases completely overdone.
Alexander Shaw, wrestling journeyman and AWF newcomer, wearing jeans that are not fashionably torn, and a black t-shirt emblazoned with I HOPE YOU SUFFER in white is leaning hands in pockets against the wall next to the head trainer’s office.
Graysie Parker approaches with Eric Dane in tow. Graysie is dressed in tights and a sports bra, clearly fresh from an intense workout, possibly even a stress test. The Only Star is dressed casual today, an AWF logo t-shirt over silver and black joggers, apparently fresh off of his own workout. Eric recognizes Shaw immediately.
Dane: Why don’t you go on in Graysie, I have a feeling this doesn’t involve you.
The Iron Butterfly eyeballs the much larger grappler in front of her before doing as she’s told. It isn’t lost on either man that Graysie was clearly sizing up the Milwalkee Mauler. Shaw idly spits well off from Dane.
Eric impatiently taps his foot.
Dane: I see you haven’t changed much in the last decade, wherever the fuck you’ve been hiding. What is it with you assholes and mustaches anyways?
Shaw stares intently.
Dane: Oh for fuck’s sake.
Eric tries to move past Shaw, who simply puts his hand on Dane’s chest. Dane looks at the hand, and then at Shaw.
Dane: People aren’t in the habit of-
With his free hand, Shaw raises a single finger to his lips. Dane rolls his eyes.
Shaw: I don’t give a good fuck what people are, or are not in the habit of doing in relation to Eric Dane.
The Only Star smirks that trillion dollar smirk.
Dane: Have you forgotten who in the fuck you’re talking to?
Shaw keeps his hand on Dane’s chest.
Shaw: You an’ me. We got unfinished business. Seein’ your bullshit parked out in front of the offices when I come up to sign the papers was enlightenin’.
Dane rolls his eyes. Again.
Dane: As I recall, we have zero, say it with me now, ZERO goddamn history. What, did the paychecks bounce?
Shaw still had his hand on Dane’s chest. He deigned to pat Dane on the cheek, earning him a batting swipe away.
Dane: [deadpan] Keep your fucking hands off of me if you want to keep them.
Shaw: Where is he.
This is less of a question and more of a declaration. Dane sighs. Eyes closing. Shaw pats him on the chest, finally removing the hand.
Dane: Who gives a shit?
Shaw: Me, your payment, Where. Is. He.
Dane is about to speak and the finger comes back up to his lips.
Shaw: I don’ need none of your excuses. You put him up in Japan, and I saw him runnin’ with you an’ the boys again on TV.
Dane sighs as Graysie pops her head out of the office.
Parker: Everything okay out here?
Dane: We’re fine. I was just saying hello to an old friend.
Dane shoulders past Shaw, who shrugs.
Shaw: Ain’t done here.
Dane: I gathered that.
Cut.
The drum fill followed by the opening guitar riff for the title track off the fourth studio album by Canadian punk band Sum 41 begins to blare on the Ascension PA system. The fans begin to cheer as the lights go dark and a single spotlight appears on the ramp.
One, two, three, four
The rest of the band joins the guitar as Adam Sanders emerges behind the curtain. The fans give the Awkward One loud cheers as the spotlight follows his trek towards the ring.
Jessie Love: From Grand Rapids, Michigan, weighing in at two hundred forty pounds, he is the Awkward One… ADAM SANDERS!!
Taylor: And here is The Awkward One!
Romano: He made quite an introduction at Clash of Icons, spiking Cross Recoba on the top of his head.
Taylor: Can’t say it wasn’t deserved, right?
Well, I won’t be caught living in a dead end jo
While praying to my government guns and gods
Now it’s us against them, we’re here to represent
And spit right in the face of the establishment!
Taylor: Did you know our Phoenix Champion, Aiden Merric, thought Sanders stood out in this tournament?
Romano: I did. I’m not so sure why, but tonight he has the chance to show what he’s made of and prove Merric right. He seems very intriguing and I can’t wait to see his skill in the ring.
Sanders walks up the stairs, walks down the apron a bit and puts both arms in the air. The fans continue to give loud cheers for the WCG competitor as he steps between the top and middle rope to enter the ring. He steps on the opposite turnbuckle, the chorus of the song becomes the backdrop for him to hop back into the ring.
Well because we're doing fine, and we don't need to be told
That we're doing fine, 'cause we won't give you control.
And we don't need anything from you,
'Cause we'll be just fine, and we won't be bought and sold, just like you
🎶HARD🎶 by Tay-K and BloccBoy JB erupts over the sound system throughout the arena and a roar of boo's and jeers explodes from the crowd. The beat drops and out from the curtain walks Rob Garcia wearing what looks to be a mink coat. He stops and stands at the entrance ramp, staring at the crowd with a smug look upon his face. As he stands there, his manager, Jeff Noon then makes his way out holding a clipboard and he then stands to the right of Rob. Rob turns his head to look at Jeff, and they both nod, Rob then slowly makes his way down towards the ring, Jeff following behind. Rob stops half way and starts trash talking a fan, Jeff then uses his clipboard to block the fans face when they try to react and he then moves his hand forward to escort Rob to the ring. Rob jumps up on the ring apron, as Jeff runs up the steps, he walks to the turnbuckle, climbs it and raises his hand in the air holding up his index finger. The crowd continues to boo and yell insults and vulgar remarks at Rob as he yells "I'm the man! I'm number one! I'm the king of extreme!" He then jumps down off the turnbuckle and makes his way over to Noon.
Jessie Love: From Beverly Hills, California.. Standing six feet one inch tall and weighing two-hundred and forty-four pounds… ROOOOB GARCIAAAAAAA!
Taylor: And here is the King of Extreme!
Romano: He’s coming off a rather disappointing loss at Clash of the Icons against Merric, but tonight has a second chance by getting through this tournament.
Taylor: That is if he can even get past Adam Sanders.
Romano: Exactly. It’ll be interesting to see if he can redeem that loss and manage to get a rematch against Merric in the future.
Sanders and Garcia move into their respective corners in the ring. Both ready to fight. The referee stands in the middle, letting them know that he wants a clean fight. Both of then move closer toward each other in the ring, anticipating for the match to start.
XHF Phoenix Championship Number One Contender Qualifier
Adam Sanders vs Rob Garcia
The bell rings as the two competitors circle around the ring. Sanders and Garcia circle each other carefully as they both, keeping their eyes warily on each other as both of their managers stand at ringside. Sanders quickly goes to grapple up but Garcia backs up a bit.
Taylor: I don’t think he’s too eager after seeing what Sanders did to Recoba at Clash of the Icons.
Romano: I can’t blame him, but it seems like Garcia is just simply playing smart. Despite the weight advantage, he’s not exactly a power wrestler like Sanders- if he can keep out of his reach, he may be just fine.
Sanders finally manages to grapple up with Garcia. They both go into a test of strength, but Garcia quickly backs up into the corner! The referee moves in to make sure there is a clean break between the two. Sanders reluctantly lets go and backs up into the middle ring.
Taylor: How much does this match mean to both men, Cassius?
Romano: Isn’t it obvious? This is Sanders’ chance to get further into the Phoenix title picture and win his first title in AWF and XHF as a whole. This is Garcia’s chance to find some redemption after Merric damn near took his head off at Clash of the Icons.
Taylor: Who do you have for this match?
Romano: So far? Not so sure. But Sanders looks like a hungry, eager kid. I’m thinking he might be the favored one in this match.
The two grapple up again, both Eddie and Jeff shouting words of encouragement toward their respective wrestlers. But Garcia backs himself up into another corner! The referee interviews again, telling Garcia to stop getting into the corner but Garcia demands Sanders to back up! Sanders, clearly tired of this already, moves in to grab Garcia- BUT GARCIA COUNTERS WITH A STIFF CLOSED FIST TO THE AWKWARD ONE’S GUT!
Taylor: Hey! That was a cheap shot!
Romano: Not cheap, but smart. He baited the kid in for that one.
Sanders doubles over with a wince while Eddie boos at Garcia from ringside! Garcia punches Sanders in the torso again and pulls the Awkward One into a headlock, tight and strong.
Romano: He’s trying to wear him down here. Taking it slow but making sure Sanders doesn’t have a chance to take a breath.
Garcia wrenches deep with the headlock, but Sanders manages to push him closer to the ropes. They both rebound off the ropes- sending Garcia off! Garcia rebounds off the other side, but does a leapfrog over the running Sanders! He turns around, going for a running clothesline- but this time Sanders ducks! Garcia turns around into a PICTURE PERFECT DROPKICK THAT SENDS HIM ROLLING OUT OF THE RING!
Taylor: THE HEIGHT ON THAT DROPKICK!
Romano: Shades of his apparent mentor!
Garcia grits his teeth, holding his chest as Jeff walks over to him. They huddle up to whisper about some sort of a gameplan. Eddie from the other side begins talking trash as Sanders impatiently follows outside the ring. Jeff quickly backs off as Sanders charges in- but Garcia KICKS HIM IN THE GUT, SENDING HIM DOUBLING OVEr! Using the apron as leverage, Garcia pulls him into a facelock and PERFORMS A NAITO-ESUQE TORNADO DDT!- SPIKING SANDERS INTO THE FLOOR!
Taylor: OVERDOSE!
Romano: THAT COULD GIVE AN CONCUSSION!
Eddie watches on nervously but knows he can’t interfere. Garcia quickly rolls back into the ring and demands the referee to start a countout! The referee begins counting..
Taylor: Oh, come on?! Is he really going for a countout victory!
Romano: This isn’t a title match- A countout is still a way to successfully qualify.
ONE…
TWO…
THREE..
Sanders holds his head as he begins stirring, using the apron to help himself up onto his knees.
Taylor: Is he going to get back in before ten?
Romano: I hope so at the very least. Would be a pretty sad first impression if he didn’t.
Sanders manages to roll back under the apron- but GARCIA QUICKLY COMES IN AND STARTS STOMPING A MUDHOLE INTO HIS CHEST! The referee quickly tries to pull him but he refuses, the five count starts!
ONE!
TWO!
THREE!
FO- Garcia raises his hands and backs off. The ref scorns him and wanrs him he could get himself disqualified.
Taylor: That’s illegal!
Romano: It’s only illegal when the count hits five, Taylor. He’s just taking advantage of the rules.
Garcia lifts Sanders up- and PLANTS HIM IN THE MIDDLE OF THE RING WITH A BRIDGING NORTHERN LIGHTS SUPLEX FOR THE PIN!
ONE!
TW- KICKOUT!
Garcia frustratedly stands up and argues with the referee that it was a three count! It obviously wasn’t.
Romano: Wasting precious time that could be used to put Sanders away…
Eddie continues to shout for Sanders to get back into the fight! Garcia, annoyed, turns to Sanders’ manager and begins threatening him! Sanders gets back up, somewhat slowly, but Garcia turns around to get STRUCK BY LIGHTNING! SUPERKICK!
Taylor: LIGHTNING STRIKE! LIGHTNING STRIKE!
The Awkward One quickly goes for a cover and hooks the leg in deep.
ONE!
T- KICKOUT!
Taylor: And the King of Extreme kicks out!
Romano: From how hard the sole of Sanders’ foot connected with his jaw, I’m surprised.
Sanders quickly climbs up to the rope and waits for Garcia to get up! FLYING CLOTHESLINE BY SANDERS TURNING GARCIA INSIDE OUT!
Taylor: FLIGHT OF THE DRAGOINITE!
Romano: He’s wasting no time!
Sanders picks up the King of Extreme, looking for his trademark vertical suplex piledriver- but Garcia knees Sanders in the head upside down! Sanders is forced to drop Garcia, who rolls him up with a schoolboy!
ONE!
TWO!
THRE- KICKOUT!
Taylor: GARCIA ALMOST HAD HIM!
Romano: Smart counter!
Before Sanders can get up, GARCIA PERFORMS A STANDING MOONSAULT ONTO HIM- BUT DOESN’T GO FOR THE PIN! HE REBOUNDS OFF THE ROPES FOR THE MOST DANGEROUS, EXTREME, BRUTAL MOVE OF ALL TIME- THE RUNNING LEGDROP ONTO SANDERS’ THROAT!
Taylor: JUST TOO CRAZY AND OUT OF CONTROL FOR ANYONE ELSE TO EVER TRY!
Romano: ...Did you really feel the need to say the entire name out loud?
Taylor: Of course I did! We’re commentators after all, Cassius!
Sanders holds his throat, gasping for air- but Garcia isn’t done! He climbs up to the mid turnbuckle- SOMERSAULT SENTON ONTO SANDERS! Garcia then backs up into the corner, stalking Sanders!
Taylor: Setting up for the Boston Knee Party!
Romano: Looks like Sanders might not make it!
Sanders gets up a daze, the King of Extremes runs in with his knee! Sanders moves out of the way thanks to Eddie’s shouting from ringside! Sanders goes for an electric chair on Garcia-! Garcia quickly jumps out of it and goes for a full nelson- the Dragon suplex! Sanders manages to elbow his way out!
Taylor: Counter after counter between these two!
Romano: Looks like Sanders really has done his homework! Same with Noon and Garcia!
Sanders goes for a stiff forearm that sends Garcia back stumbling! He sprints towards Garcia but GARCIA JUMPS UP, HURRICANRANA- WAIT NO! SANDERS IS HOLDING HIS LEGS STILL STANDING- HE LIFTS HIS BODY UP INTO POWERBOMB POSITION- ELEVATES IT INTO A LAST RIDE AND DRIVES HIM DOWN WITH A SITOUT ELEVATED POWERBOMB!
Taylor: NERD OUT!
Romano: It might be over!
SANDERS GOES FOR THE SITOUT PIN!
ONE!
TWO!
THR- KICKOUT!
Taylor: He managed to kickout!
Romano: Say what you want about Garcia, but he has heart!
Sanders, panting, looks toward the referee to make sure it wasn’t a three count. He stands up and knows what he has to do. Picking up Garcia, he lifts him into a VERTICAL SUPLEX-
Taylor: Wait, is he going for..
Romano: I think he is!
SANDERS DROPS HIM INTO A PILE DRIVERRRRR!
Taylor: THIS IS AWKWARD!
Romano: THE SAME MOVE HE USED TO TAKE OUT CROSS RECOBA!
SANDERS GOES FOR THE PIN!
ONE!
TWO!
THREEEEEEE!
Sanders stands up and leans against the ropes, breathing heavily as the referee raises his hand. Eddie claps from ringside.
Jessie Love: AND THE WINNER IS…. ADAAAAAM SAAANDEERRRRRRS!
Taylor: A promising start from one of AWF’s newest signees!
Romano: This kid is moving closer to getting his hands on that Phoenix title. Everyone else gunning for it better lookout. Awkward or not, he seems like he can pose a threat to Aiden Merric!
Xiaolong is slowly pacing back and forth like a dangerous predator ready to strike at his prey which happens to be his first round XHF Phoenix Title Tournament match. The intensity in his pace isn't hidden as he continues pacing back and forth.
Xiaolong: "Tonight is the night I've been waiting for and waiting for quite a while. It's going to be the night I have wanted for quite a while since I lost my championship to some piece of trash who passed himself off as a wrestler only to defeat me for the title and then flee the AWF like a fuckin coward he is."
He stops pacing and looks at the camera.
Xiaolong: "You know what SWAT's Psychotic Goth, who's a friend of mine, would think of this piece of trash Anthony Craig. He would have called him a traitor and glory fucking seeking bitch. A whore who couldn't fucking care about the championship as long as he could get attention to himself and not about defending the championship he so cooked up."
Xiaolong slams his fist in his palm.
Xiaolong: "So where are you now Craig. You struggling to stay open during the COVID-19 crisis and realizing your mistake when it's too late. GOOD! You deserve the fate that you created for yourself and your Five Star Chef's Circle or shall I say Chef Boyardee rejects from a bunch of failed reality television cooking shows."
He calms down and composes himself.
Xiaolong: "However, that was the past and this is the present. Tonight I'm out to reclaim my Phoenix Championship which I never truly lost by the way. The current caretaker Aiden Merric shall not have it for long if I have anything to do with it. However, he has an opponent before him and I have three of many opponents ahead of me. So I'm going to be focusing on them and them alone. So who shall I begin with first."
Xiaolong looks quite thoughtful.
Xiaolong: "I'll begin with Andre Crawford in this three way first round match. Andre you were quite impressive and I know you are determined to prove yourself in AWF. Yet I'm quite hungry and I'm going to be feasting on both you and Orion. Sorry Andre you may be good and you are quite skilled in the ring but I'm also quite skilled and I'm not going to take you lightly. Yeah I know the odds are against my attempts to regain my Phoenix Championship but I've been known to beat the odds many times and when nobody least expected it. You won't know when it's going to strike at you nor will you know when I shall strike. It can be at anytime Andre. It can be anytime."
He sighs a low laugh coming from him.
Xiaolong: "Then there's Orion. You aren't the original Orion and will never be the original Orion. I met the original Orion. I met knew the original Orion since I was young and he teamed with my father Dragon Belt and Dragon Warrior in six-man matches and you aren't even him or close to him.
Yet you name yourself after him. Tonight I plan on making sure I uphold his honor and then move on to the next round and next opponent no matter who it is. You aren't even worthy of the name Orion. He was a great warrior and you are just a wannabe impersonator. Well I shall expose you for being a fraud and a fluke champion. Yeah you won the title and had the 24/7 Championship in your hands until you screwed it up. Was it worth it Orion. Well. Was it worth it oh great hunter."
Xiaolong snorts derisively.
Xiaolong: "We'll see tonight since I shall be the real hunter and you and Andre will become the prey to this dragon. I shall be the one who rises from this three way to go to the next round and then the next and the next until I reclaim what I lost the XHF Phoenix Championship. There shall be no doubt that I am not going to stop until I reclaim my championship. No matter who I go through and how I do it."
A flash of light interrupts him as he sighs and looks in the direction of where the light flashed and sees Commandrix and The Dark Stars.
Xiaolong: "You've come."
Commandrix: "You promised an answer and now we're here to get your decision."
Xiaolong: "Okay I have made my decision."
Commandrix: "What is your decision."
Xiaolong: "If I should ally with you it's going to be on a trial basis."
Commandrix: "I can agree to that."
Xiaolong: "Don't forget it's business and only business."
Commandrix: "I only believe in conducting business and nothing else Xiaolong. We shall be watching you and we shall promise that if you need assistance we shall have your backs the people of this planet always promises."
Xiaolong: "That's a fluid expression being they never keep their word most of the time."
Commandrix: "Lucky for you Xiaolong. We do keep our word and we'll make a great team as well and we shall do this for Shaakar."
Xiaolong: "Who is this Shaakar."
Commandrix: "We worship him."
Xiaolong: "Great Legion 2.0."
Commandrix: "Legion?"
Xiaolong: "Don't ask since I know you'll look it up. Right now I have my match coming up and I'm focused on that at the moment."
Commandrix: "We shall but we do wish you the most luck I your quest for glory."
Commandrix presses some buttons on her wristband and The Dark Stars and Commandrix leave Xiaolong. He sighs and leaves as the scene slowly fades to black.
Taylor: Xiaolong is seemingly focused on the task at hand tonight!
Romano: Two wins and you’ve got yourself a title shot, it’s a great opportunity for people to get themselves right back into the mix!
Taylor: Well, Jessie Love is in the ring as we’re ready for our next match in the opening round of the tournament!
Jessie Love: The following match is scheduled for one-fall! Coming to the ring, making her debut for Ascension Wrestling. Hailing from Seattle, Washington! Weighing one-hundred-and-sixty pounds, standing at five-feet and nine inches...THE ICON OF INNOVATION….ATHENA!!!
The lights go down, as the sound of marching comes across the PA system. The whistle blows just as a confetti cannon pops and the lights come back to normal to usher out Athena from behind the curtain.
Taylor: Not a lot is known about Athena.
Romano: Sometimes that can work to your advantage. The less video-tape, the fewer people you can look to for ideas of how you operate, the better.”
‘One Woman Army’ continues as Athena makes her way down toward the ring. She rolls into the ring and waits for her opponent.
Jessie Love: Her opponent, coming to the ring.
A cavalcade of clapping begins as the D.R.U.G.S. tune "King I Am" blares over the sound system.
Jessie Love: Also making his debut in an AWF ring...standing at six-feet-three, and weighing two-hundred-and-forty-nine pounds. Hailing from Buena Park, California...THE SELF-PROCLAIMED KING OF ICONS!!! NEO! ...JAMES!...CARNER!!
"You can feel the fear when I walk by
Tail between your legs make 'em run and hide
And I can see the pain pouring out your eyes
I think I am finally, starting to feel like the KING I AM!
Romano: Now, what we do know is how highly Neo James Carner thinks of himself.
Taylor: First we had the cryptic magazine announcements and they all led up to what went down at Clash of the Icons when Roy Harlowe and his father we ambushed by the team that call themselves The ReVenants!
The song kicks in over the loudspeakers as the sound of guitars ascend to the boiling point and the song engages. Neo begins to make a triumphant strut down to the ring, his chin held high as his hands lay at his side moving with his stride. He looks down all around the ramp, keeping his bearded chin up as he glides effortlessly forward in a striding saunter. The pompous cocky attitude radiating from his being at this point.
Romano: He is all swagger tonight!
Taylor: He’s got to be careful, Athena doesn’t look like she came to join his fan club.
Romano: True enough, it’ll be interesting to see how the differing approaches the two debuting wrestlers have adopted works out in the match!
Neo makes it to the ringside area as he circles around the ring, jumping up effortlessly onto the apron and climbs into the ring. He walks over to the ropes on the side of the stage as he grabs the top rope with his hands and then yanks down on it, flexing all of his muscles before releasing it, a giant white and red pyro exploding out the top of the nearby turnbuckle like a mortar.
XHF Phoenix Championship Number One Contender Qualifier
Athena vs Neo James Carner
NJC and Athena move straight in for a lock up as the bell rings. Carner transitions to a top wrist lock with an amazing smoothness but Athena uses her skills to quickly reverse the pressure and wring out the arm into a side wrist lock. Carner does a sharp forward roll to reverse the pressure again and places the sole of his boot on Athena's calf, forcing The Icon of Innovation down to one knee. Carner walks the wrist lock round to get a little extra pressure on the arm but Athena uses her free arm to hook at NJC's ankle, dropping him to the mat. As Carner drops, Athena smartly regains control of the wrist lock and slips through into a Magistral Cradle!
ONE!
TWO!
Easy kickout, but Carner looks positively annoyed at this early pin attempt.
Taylor: Athena showing that she has some skills.
Romano: I'm sure these wrestlers are capable of putting on a clinic.
Both combatants stand, facing off and circling to gain an advantage. Athena throws a stiff kick into Carner's ribs, which makes The Infinity King reel backwards. NJC steels himself and lashes in a fierce chop into Athena's chest. Athena smiles and almost beckons her opponent to hit her again. Carner is willing to oblige and fires off another knife edge chop, again with little pain shown on Athena's face. Carner fires off a third but The Icon of Innovation steps to a side, grabbing Carner's wrist and launching him towards the ropes. The Menace of Opulence regains a little control and shapes up his elbow to drill it into Athena's face, forcing Athena to duck. NJC heads for the opposite ropes and on his return goes low, looking to wipe out Athena's legs. Athena jumps and Carner slides through harmlessly. Both stand again.
Taylor: Close match so far. Neither person able to gain a solid advantage.
Romano: They say wrestling can be a human chess match. We're looking at two grandmasters here.
Athena punts Carner in the ribs, stunning NJC by forcing him to exhale suddenly. She follows with a high kick to Carner's skull and backs off a few steps, taking a short run up to go for an enzuigiri... but Carner ducks and picks Athena's ankle in mid air!
Romano: I think Neo James Carner prefers his coffee FULLY caffeinated!
Now looking to gain an advantage, Carner wrenches a couple of time on Athena's ankle. He relinquishes the hold to roll away and pose for the fans watching at home. He winds up, like a baseball pitcher on the mound and as Athena stands, Carner throws his entire body into a tight circle, smashing his opponent in the ribs with a Polish Hammer. Athena staggers back towards the ropes and as Athena rebounds, Carner jacks her up HIGH into the air, catching her across his shoulders and slamming her down with a Samoan Drop. Carner covers...
ONE!
TWO!
TH.. Athena kicks out. Knowing that he'll have to wait for Athena to get up anyway, Carner uses the free time to jaw jack with the referee over the count speed.
Taylor: Explosive offense from Neo James Carner.
Romano: He's got a lot of tools in his arsenal and he's more than capable of busting any of them out at any time.
Seeing that Athena has got her way back to her feet, Carner pounces. He grabs a waist lock and seamlessly floats around into a back waist lock. He locks up one of Athena's wrists, sharply doding his head to avoid a loose back elbow that Athena attempts to use to get out of her predicament and instead using the momentum of his dodge to ripcord Athena out and pull her back in to a spinning back elbow to the face. Athena staggers away, stunned and Carner closes sharply, hooking up Athena's head and delivering a vicious spinning neckbreaker. NJC covers...
ONE!
TWO!
THR.. Athena kicks out again.
Taylor: It looks like Carner is targetting the head.
Romano: The problem with someone with such a wide array of tactics. You cannot gameplan for everything.
Carver waits again, stalking Athena like a predator. He snatches his clutches into Athena's back, cradling her outside leg before hoisting her over into a NASTY look cradle suplex. The Infinity King stands, dragging Athena up by the back of her wrestling outfit and jabbing down onto her skull with a couple of fierce short elbows. This time Carner drops deeper into his moveset and cradles her INSIDE leg, lifting Athena and dropping her down HARD to the mat with a Fishermans' Buster!
Taylor: CLOCK TOWER BOMB!
Carver cover...
ONE!
TWO!
THR.. Athena kicks out!
Swinging his legs around, Neo James Carner gets into position so he is facing the recovering Athena at mat level. He wraps his arms tight across Athena's carotid artery, locking in the Guillotine Choke. Athena struggles to break freeand the referee checks to see if she is going to give up. There's enough fight left in Athena to try and force the pile over, releasing the pressure on the hold, but as she gets some movement, NJC rolls his body over with Athena's, Gator Rolling to keep the hold locked in tight. The referee checks again and the "No!" from Athena is less emphatic than last time.
Taylor: Can Athena survive or is she going to tap out right here, right now?
Romano: When you're this stuck maybe you take the L and live to fight another day.
Again, Athena tries to flip the pile and again Carner will no let her go. He commands the referee to ask again and the official complies. Athena is slipping away from consciousness. Carner's death grip is locked in tight and as Athena looks to be blacking out, the referee instructs Carner to release the hold. Carner backs away and celebrates, victory being his main goal and demands the referee raise his hand. The referee dismisses him and points to Athena...
WHOSE RIGHT LEG IS DRAPED OVER THE BOTTOM ROPE!
Taylor: It seems like the referee spotted something we didn't!
Romano: It seems like there's a first time for everything!
Raging, Carner charges at Athena knee first, looking to knock the hell out of his cornered opponent. He fires off a lethal running knee at the point where the seated Athena's head is at... AND ATHENA ROLLS OUT OF THE WAY! NEO JAMES CARNER SMASHES HIS KNEECAP INTO THE TURNBUCKLE PAD! ATHENA HOOKS THE STAGGERING CARNER AND ROLLS HIM UP!
ONE!
TWO!
TH.. Carner kicks out.
Athena seizes the opportunity straight away and grabs a hold of Carner's legs. She twists them up and locks them in place as she leans over, bridging to pull Carner's head into an inverted surfboard before PLOWING CARNER'S FACE INTO THE MAT WITH THE SOLE OF HER BOOT!
Taylor: BULLSEYE! BULLSEYE! BULLSEYE!
Romano: That is one of the most painful moves in professional wrestling today. Kids DO NOT, and I cannot stress this enough, DO NOT try this at home.
Sensing the end is near, Athena sizes up Carner and charges, looking again for her Decaffeinated Enzuigiri, the prelude to the end. Athena jumps... BUT CARNER TURNS TO A SIDE AND CATCHES ATHENA IN MID AIR ACROSS HIS SHOULDERS! AS QUICK AS A FLASH, CARNER DROPS TO A SIDE, FLIPPING ATHENA ONTO HER BACK AND CRASHING HER SKULL INTO THE MAT!
Taylor: SPATIAL REND! SPATIAL REND!
Athena looks SPENT. NJC doesn't go for the cover, however as he lowers his knee pad, rolls it over his boot and throws it out into the empty arena. Carner runs the ropes, hopping over Athena's prone body before halting his momentum and dropping a knee right to the side of Athena's head.
Taylor: I'm not sure that was entirely necessary.
Romano: Maybe not, but it worked.
Carner covers...
ONE!
TWO!
THREE!
Jessie Love: The winner of this match, via pinfall, NEO JAMES CARNER!
Keith Williams sits on a chair his Around the Clock championship on the seat next to him as he rubs it’s faceplate in an almost disturbing sexual matter.
Williams: Yeah Baby! You like when daddy touches you there don’t you.
He continues on as many a passerby look on in disgust. Williams snaps at them to keep walking and mind their own damn business.
Williams: They just don’t understand us do they baby? They don’t get our love for each? They want to tear us apart? But we love each other don’t we baby?
Williams looks at the title as to expect a response from the inanimate object. Suddenly the sound of slow clapping can be heard.
Congratulations, on single handedly making hate you from the moment I met you Mr. Williams
Williams looks up at the direction of the voice.
Williams: Who said that?
Oh, Nobody, and I do mean Nobody.
Joe Nobody set out the shadow.
Nobody: I must admit, I applaud you for being able to win the title of your’s in the manner you did, I mean sure you pinned Copycat, but then again Copycat is pretty much the town whore of this company.
Williams: Everyone gets a ride.
Nobody: Everyone get a… Boy don’t interrupt me it’s rude. But I have to ask you, why would a man of your skill set, not use it in Call to Arms to help out Team AWF?
Williams: Look you nobody…
Nobody: That’s Mr. Nobody to you.
Williams: Mr. Nobody, A Nobody, Nobody knows the trouble I’ve seen what you call yourself. I could ask you the same thing. I didn’t because I didn’t feel like it, OK. What’s your excuse?’
Nobody: My excuse is that I was using Call to Arms as a training exercise for my boys. Hell none are even interested in the X*Crown, well except maybe for Dunne. Something about eliminating all former members of AVA from existence. Honestly I don’t know what goes on in the boy’s head sometimes.
Williams: Is that all you have to say, are you going to be on your way and leave me and my prize alone?
Nobody: On the contrary, Mr. Williams. See I was going to come out here and congratulate you, but then I heard you speak, and I came to realize something.
Williams: What’s that?
Nobody: That a piece of garbage like you is no champion. The words you said, they way you speak to the title. I’ve heard before.
Williams: Really? Where? When?
Nobody: From the mouth of my sister’s Bastard of an ex. They were the first words he said to her after she came home, after spending 2 months in a medically induced coma because he beat her so badly. They were also the last words he said before I dislocated his jaw.
Williams stands up and gets right in Nobody’s face.
Williams: What’s that supposed mean, huh? I say those words, and what, you want to kick my ass? Is that it?
Nobody: Oh, I don’t want to kick your ass. They do.
Williams: They? Who in the fuck is they?
Nobody points behind Williams who turns around to be met with a pair of Superkicks form Sniper & Monroe. As Williams starts to pick himself up, Nobody tosses the other two a steel chair.
Nobody: Don’t let up boys!
Crack!!
The three men repeatedly wail on Williams leaving him incapacitated on the floor. Monroe finds a ref standing around in the back and drag him to the scene as hall three men cover Williams
1, 2, 3!
Ref: Your winner….
The ref pauses for a second unable to figure out how to announce what has transpired before. Nobody rips the title from his hands and tosses it over to Sniper & Monroe.
Nobody: Hey, you two chucklefucks decide who keeps this.
Sniper: It’s nice and all, but I’m gonna let Monroe have it. I’m setting my sights on bigger things.
Nobody: Fine then. Announce it.
The ref looks confused. Nobody gets pissed.
Nobody: Say It!!!
Ref: Your winner and new AWF Around the Clock Champion… The Author Travis Monroe
Sniper and Monroe walk off as Nobody stands over the prone body of Williams.
Nobody: Let’s this be a lesson and a warning to everyone. This place will make you famous. We will make you forgotten. And to me that’s just Perfect!
As "Fearless" by Josh A begins to play throughout the building, all the house lights shine a bright purple hue as they circulate around the stage area. A figure emerges from the smoke with his hands raised up high, signalling the arrival of ORION. With Tasha Pierce by his side, they both make their way slowly to the ringside area as ORION walks around the ring, he climbs the steps and brushes his feet onto the apron, climbing up onto the turnbuckles and raising his arms up high.
Taylor: A new match is here and right now, we have the former Around The Clock Champion, ORION!
Romano: He's fast on his feet and he takes no lip. He's a real one to watch out for, for sure.
As "BLACKJACK" by Anime begins to play throughout the crowd, the arena's lights switch to a golden hue. The tron shows the words "ANDRE CRAWFORD" with "PRINCE LIGHTSKIN" just below the name.
"I just bought a new grill
Shining like a new whip
Adam got a new drip
I'm a nappy-headed black lil cool kid
Yeah, I stack that, make that, break that, take that
Got a hundred ways I can flip that, get back
All up in the money just to get back
Bitch, back up
No, you probably need a Tic Tac, it's that (huh)"
The man of the hour walks out from behind the curtain, his custom black and gold skateboard under his arm as he places it down at the top of the stage. André walks around on the stage with a smile on his face, lowering his sunglasses to see the crowd cheering him on. He hops onto the skateboard and rolls down to the ring
"I'm the best in the group chat
My ni**as won't admit that
Thirty-one hoes in my Facetime
And I'm the one to hoop that
Rockin' and rollin' like Jack Black
Schoolin' you ****s like Jack Black
How could you not like Jack Black?
I put that on my mama, ni**a, no cap"
André leaps off of the skateboard and dances around the ring, the crowd applauding him as he leaps onto the apron and then over the ropes to enter his corner and await his opponent.
Taylor: The newest member of the AWF roster is here and he has a lot to prove tonight!
Romano: He also has a lot to answer for... Lightskin just feels. Well, it feels gross.
"Super Dragon's here and I'm ready for a fight!" is heard before "Kung Fu Fighting" plays and Little Dragon appears and storms ringside. He reaches the ring and leaps over the top rope Luchador style and forward rolls to his feet in a dragon stance.
Taylor: He used to be Little Dragon, but he's Xialong and he's a former XHF Phoenix Champion!
Romano: I'm really curious how well he'll do tonight. He's not the only competitor, and he's not even the only champion!
XHF Phoenix Championship Number One Contender Qualifier
ORION vs Andre Crawford vs Xiaolong
The bell rings and all three competitors are exchanging glances with one another. Andre Crawford, who likes to call himself Prince Lightskin walks away, facing the opposite direction. He's definitely the cocky one. Xialong sees his opportunity to strike. He begins running at him at full speed, but the fast paced ORION catches him off guard in the middle of the charge with a spear of his own! Xialong catches that entire strike and goes down! Crawford smirks and helps ORION up. He gives him a thumbs up, but ORION didn't seem to care for that too much. He simply greets Prince Lightskin with a disrespectful smack across the face. Lightskin's face turns back, his eyes grow big and he just pops out with an uppercut! ORION starts to stagger around, but Andre Crawford lifts him up. Snap suplex! ORION goes down and Prince Lightskin sports a genuine smile to the crowd.
Taylor: Andre Crawford is surely showing himself to be worthy to stand on that AWF stage tonight!
Romano: Absolutely, but that young chap should worry about the former XHF Phoenix Champion, Xialong and ORION, who won the last triple threat match that he was in.
He maintains that post for a moment before turning. There, Xialong appears right before Crawford's very eyes! Cutter! Andre Crawford goes down and Xialong is quick to go for the pin count:
...One!
...Tw- Lightskin kicks out!
Taylor: Not even a two count. Why did Xialong even go for a count that early?
Romano: Because he's a wrestler and he came here to win.
Xialong gets up and looks down at Crawford for a moment. He bends over to unleash some more of his wrestling acumen, but there there's ORION who comes out of nowhere! He has his arms around Xialong's waist from behind. Xialong's head jerks and twists in different directions. German Suplex! Xia lands HARD! He turns over to Crawford and reaches down, but the downed opponent shoots a foot up and STRIKES the former Around The Clock Champion in the head! This causes ORION to recoil backwards and circle around. During that time, Andre Crawford kicks up from the ground and lariats ORION to the ground! Even though ORION is fast, he was surprised by the sheer boldness from the newest member of the AWF roster. There's no doubt that if this arena was not empty, there would be a lot of gasps heard. Then out of nowhere, Xialong pops out. He runs after Crawford and JUST in the nick of time, he grabs Xialong's head and redirects him to the corner. Sliced Bread #2! That's Prince Lightskin's signature move, Hypernova!
Taylor: AND XIALONG GOES DOWN! HE GOES DOWN!
Romano: ORION is down! Xialong is down! This could be the new guy's chance to win this!
And he goes for the pin count:
...One!
...Two!
...Thre-Kickout!
Xialong was JUST able to get his shoulder up before Senior Referee Gabe Valentine's hand hits the canvas for the third time! Lightskin wipes the sweat from his brow, completely frustrated with his failed attempt to secure the pin. He takes a deep breath and briefly considers whether he wants to try to pin Xialong again, but sees him squirming and struggling to move. After a momentary deliberation with himself, he decides against it. Crawford gets up and finds ORION immediately all up in his face. Pow! A punch to the face! Then another! Then a third! Crawford is pressed up against the ropes! ORION goes for an Irish Whip, but Prince Lightskin reverses it! ORION is sent running! Andre Crawford has a smile on his face and that look in his eye. Will he do it? He just might! Spanish Fly! He calls it The Crawford Special and with Xialong on the ground, he can't do much to seal his fate!
But speaking of Xialong, he's pulling on the leg and ankle on Crawford. This takes some attention away from him. He retracts his foot and KICKS Xialong in the face! Crawford look up...
Taylor: Align The Stars!
Romano: Andre Crawford took his eye off the ball and now, ORION was able to hit him with his patented superkick.
A loud *POP* echoes throughout the arena and the slap of Crawford's body is quite evident and obvious. Crawford hits the mat. Xialong, however, is crawling and trying with all his might to stay into the mat. ORION sees this and is smart enough to know that trying to pin Prince Lightskin right now is just not the best idea so he begins to focus his attention to his masked opponent. The vivacious ORION just yelled "MERCURY RISING!", of course referring to his finisher Storm Cradle Driver. He picks up the limp Xialong and lifts him up, but with all his strength, jumps as much as possible to back flip and roll off the shoulder of ORION. The former Around The Clock Champion turns around... right to a rain maker! Xialong grabs the ropes. He's now using his arm strength to find a way to get back onto his feet.
Taylor: Can he do it, Cassius? Can he do it?!
Romano: This is his one and only shot to do it!
The hurt, but egotistical ORION refuses to go down. He won't falter. Not now. He climbs to his feet and BAM! Sweet Chin Music superkick from ORION! He calls that the Desolator! ORION goes down! Xialong makes the cover! Gabe Valentine is properly responsive for the pin!
...One!
...TWO!
...THREE!
The bell rings.
Jessie Love: Here is your winner of this match... Xialong!
Taylor: Xialong did it! Xialong did it!
Romano: He took a hell of a beating tonight but his perseverance shined through today. He's teaching the lesson that if you put all that you have onto the table, you might be able to win big and that's what happened here tonight, folks.
After the last match, Travis Monroe is seen walking down the corridor with the AWF Around The Clock Championship over his shoulder. He is admiring the gold with him.
Monroe: Championship belt, I think it's a great coincidence that you fit me so well. It's a good thing you fit so well because you'll be with me for a long time. And-
Monroe is interrupted as nearly naked Terry Bradshaw jumps in front of him only being covered by a Hawaiian-themed grass skirt.
Bradshaw: Lu'au!
If you're hungry for a hunk of fat and juicy meat.
I'm Terry Bradshaw and here's a tasy treat.
Come on down and dine
on this tasty flesh of mine. All you have to do is get in line. Aaaare you achin'
YUP YUP YUP
Foooor some bacon?
YUP YUP YUP
Copycat's a big pig
You could be a big pig too.
OOOH!
Terry Bradshaw says the "OOOH!" with a hip thrust. Travis Monroe just stands there a bit confused until he hears a scream behind him. It's Copycat running at full speed.
Copycat: AHHHHHHHH!
Copycat hits Monroe with a clothesline with ALL HIS MIGHT!
HE GOES DOWN!
HE GOES FOR THE PIN COUNT:
...One!
...Two!
...THREE!
He rises up from the mat as the AWF Around The Clock Champion.
Bradshaw: Your AWF Around The Clock Champion is... TRAVIS MONROE!
Travis gets up off of Copycat and laughs. Travis Monroe walks off. Terry Bradshaw looks down at Copycat.
Bradshaw: You were so close. Maybe work on your pronouns a bit better, eh?
And with that, Bradshaw walks off. After teabagging Copycat, he walks off. The scene goes to our next match.
Jessie Love: The following contest is a tag team match scheduled for one fall! Featuring first the challengers...Steve Awesome and Rat Bastard. They are the Awesome Bastards!
The intro riff of Flying High Again by Ozzy tips through the speakers.
“Oh No. Here We Go Now”
Rat Bastard and Steve Awesome come strutting out into the stage. Rat has a beer in his hand and is trash talking the crowd on his side. Steve is crotch chopping and showing off his abs to taunt the crowd.
“Momma's gonna worry
I been a bad bad boy
No use sayin' sorry
It's something that I enjoy”
Rat insults a fan and threatens to slap them before gulping some beer and getting into the ring. Steve flirts with some guys thirsty wife then laughs in the dudes face before sliding into the ring.
If you could be inside my head
You'd see that black and white is red
Flying high again
Flying high again
Both men hit their entrance poses in the ring as pyro spray from the turnbuckle. Steve provocatively strips down to his ring gear and Rat chugs the rest of his beer. The Awesome Bastards Wait for their opponents.
Taylor: No matter how this match turns out, the Awesome Bastards win!
Romano: What do you mean?
Taylor: They already have their one win and they only need one point to go for the Global tag team championships. So, even if they lose, they will win.
Romano: That’s right. Chris Parsons and Rob Riot are in the same boat. Win or lose, they’ll get the one point that they need to go for the titles.
Jessie Love: And their opponents...Chris Parsons and Rob Riot. They are the Enmity of Ages!
“Hotel Baby” by Monster Magnet begins playing as Chris Parsons and Rob Riot walk out from the back. They don’t show off for the crowd and no do they try to pick anyone up. They head straight to the ring. They nod to one another at ringside as if they had made plans backstage and Rob Riot steps into the ring. Across the ring, Rat Bastard steps into the ring with a wide grin.
XHF Global Tag-Team Match
The Awesome Bastards vs Chris Parsons & Rob Riot
Taylor: Looks like Rat Bastard is going to start the match with Rob Riot in the ring.
Romano: Couple of old guys standing in the ring. I wonder who’s going to have the heart attack and die first? Neither guy has had an easy life.
Taylor: I doubt that either man is a serious risk for a heart attack. You have to be in a certain shape to be able to wrestle and both men look to be in top shape.
Romano: A heart attack can strike any old person, no matter the shape.
Rat Bastard and Rob Riot meet each other in the middle of the ring, each eyeing the other while looking for an opening by which to attack. Rat Bastard chuckles smugly.
Rat Bastard: I should sue you for copyright infringement.
Rob Riot: That’s my line.
Rat Bastard goes to punch Riot, but gets his arm caught. Riot turns a mere catch into an armbar before switching it up to a chicken wing that he switches his grasp up into a German suplex with a bridge for the cover!
One
Tw-Rat Bastard kicks out.
Taylor: That was a quick way to go for a win right off the bat.
Romano: That would have been a sucky win since we’re here to be entertained.
Rat Bastard and Rob Riot both get to their feet, Rat Bastard hitting a hard right hand to the side of the head this time. Rat grabs a leg, performing a quick dragon leg screw takedown to send Riot across the mat. Rob Riot rolls to his feet and comes at Rat Bastard, clotheslining him to the mat. Rat Bastard practically bounces off the mat and back to his feet, coming at Rob Riot with lefts and rights. This time Rob fires back, the two going back and forth around the ring before Rob Riot whips Rat Bastard into the ropes. On the rebound, Rob levels Rat with a well timed yakuza kick!
Taylor: That kick might have sent teeth flying!
Romano: I don’t know if it did that, but it was a hard kick.
Rat starts to get up, but is grabbed with a side headlock. Rob drags Rat over to the corner where he tags in Chris Parsons.
Parsons jumps into the ring, hitting Rat Bastard with another yakuza kick to send him down to the mat in the corner. Parsons grabs the top rope and uses his foot to choke Rat Bastard. The ref gets in Chris’ face to get him to stop the choke, eventually counting to five to get him to break the choke hold. Parsons releases Rat Bastard, pulls him to his feet, and slams him into the corner.
Romano: So, Chris Parsons is a pirate?
Taylor: What makes you say that?
Romano: The eyepatch makes me say that.
Taylor: He doesn’t have a pirate ship?
Romano: These modern pirates don’t need a pirate ship. He could have a ripped computer at home to do his pirating.
Taylor: Oh, I suppose.
Chris Parsons brings his feet up and pulls Rat Bastard into a back roll throw that sends Rat across the ring. Parsons advances upon Rat as he works to stand back up. Rat goes for a roundhouse punch that Parsons drops down into a squat to duck. Parsons responds with a punch square to the nuts. You would have thought that Rat bastard’s eyes were going to pop right out of his face by how much they bulged out in pain. Rat drops to his knees and then to his side as he curls up into a fetal position. The ref yells at the standing Chris Persons about the low blow. Parsons merely shrugs.
Parsons: I was aiming for his gut, but I do have bad depth perception. One eye, you know?
The ref shakes his head in disbelief, reaching out and flipping up the eyepatch. He gags when he sees the gaping hole where an eyeball should be. He backs away from Chris, who casually flips the eyepatch back down with a laugh. He turns back to Rat Bastard, who hits a low blow to double him over. Rat bastard stands up, grabs Chris in a front facelock, and brings him down with a DDT!
Rat jumps to his feet and tags in Steve Awesome, who comes in as Chris Parsons is standing up, and hits a belly to belly suplex! Steve kicks Chris in the ribcage a few times before he starts to cackle.
Steve Awesome: How much wood could a wood chuck chuck if a wood chuck could chuck wood?
When Parsons doesn’t respond right away, Steve does a quick crotch chop.
Steve Awesome: Suck it!
Taylor: That didn’t make any sense?
Romano: Does it have to? Suck it!
Chris Parsons starts to get up, but is grabbed by Steve Awesome for a side headlock. Steve brings Chris back to the mat where he does a handstand while holding onto the headlock!
Rob Riot runs into the ring and hits a spear to the midsection of the upside down Steve Awesome to break the hold. Rat Bastard runs into the ring as Rob Riot stands up and the two begin brawling. Steve Awesome gets up, but is clotheslined back to the mat by Chris Parsons.
Taylor: The ref needs to get control of this situation!
Romano: He’s trying in there.
The ref begins yelling at Rob Riot and Rat Bastard, getting between them to yell at them to get back to their corners. Chris Parsons pulls Steve Awesome up and brings him back down in a hot shot on the ropes. Rob Riot and Rat Bastard make their way back to their corners while Chris Parsons hits a side slam.
Chris Parsons gets up as Steve Awesome gets up to his knees. Chris brings back an arm to punch Awesome, but Awesome begins to beg for his life. When Parsons grins and looks to Rob Riot, Steve Awesome palm strikes him right in the right kneecap to hyperextend the knee. When Parsons doubles over to grab at his knee, Steve leaps into the air with a double axe handle uppercut that sends Parsons flying backwards.
Taylor: What a hit!
Romano: Steve distracting Chris with the begging before going in for the kill! Classic.
Steve Awesome pulls Chris Parsons up and whips him into the corner. He follows with hitting a stinger splash! Steve pulls Chris out of the corner with a belly to belly suplex! He goes for the cover.
One
Two
T-Parsons kicks out!
Steve Awesome: Whaddya call a chicken with its head cut off?
Steve jumps into the air to go for a knee drop to the throat, but Parsons rolls out of the way! Steve Awesome hits his knee onto the mat and rolls away while grasping at his knee. Chris Parsons lunges and makes the tag to Rob Riot!
Rob Riot rushes into the ring while Steve Awesome gets up to his knees and begins to beg Riot off. Rob doesn’t look away from Steve, instead hitting a yakuza kick to the nose that bursts Steve nose like an overripe melon.
Taylor: That was a vicious kick!
Romano: That it was. It was a bit much.
Rob Riot gets into the corner and begins stamping his foot as Steve Awesome is slow to get to his feet. Once Steve is up, Riot superkicks him in the side of the head, sending blood from his nose splattering away and onto the referee. Steve Awesome goes down to the mat like a ton of bricks. Rob rolls him over and goes for the pinfall, but catches a steel chair to the back from Rat Bastard! The ref is busy getting blood out of his eyes so he doesn’t see.
Chris Parsons rushes across the ring, but catches a steel chair shot to the face! Rat Bastard throws the chair from the ring and gets to his corner before the ref can clear his vision. He then points to the downed Chris Parsons as being the illegal man in the ring. The ref helps the now bleeding Chris Parsons up and argues with him to get him to leave the ring.
Steve Awesome gets up, blood running down his face to his chest from his nose. He pulls up Rob Riot and whips him into the Awesome Bastard corner. He tags in Rat Bastard.
Taylor: The Awesome Bastards should have been disqualified!
Romano: The ref didn’t see anything. He might have heard it, but he couldn’t see who did it.
Rat Bastard sets up the Plague (Razor’s Edge power bomb) while Steve Awesome climbs to the top rope. Steve leaps into the air, hitting the Wrath of the Dragon (moonsault double foot stomp) over Rat’s head and onto Riot as he’s on his way down. Rat Bastard goes for the cover while Steve Awesome exits the ring.
One
Two
Th-Chris Parsons pulls the referee from the ring!
The ref shoves Chris Parsons, who holds his face in pain and points to Steve Awesome. The ref checks the gash in Chris’ head while Rat Bastard stands on the bottom rope and yells.
When Chris sees that Rob Riot has gotten to his feet, he says that he’s fine to the ref and begins to head toward his corner. Rat Bastard gets down from the bottom rope, turns around, and WHAM! Superkicked over the top rope to land on the referee! The referee is FLATTENED to the concrete floor.
Taylor: Oh no.
Romano: All heck’s about to break loose now!
Chris Parsons picks up the dented steel chair as Rat Bastard stands up and cracks him in the face with the steel chair! Steve Awesome comes running around the ring and catches a steel chair shot as well!
Chris Parsons throws down the bloody chair. He picks up Rat Bastard and rolls him into the ring to Rob Riot, who applies an Achilles' tendon lock (the Locking Clamp). Rat Bastard wakes up and tries to break free, but can’t reach the ropes. He begins to tap out, but the referee is still down!
Chris Parsons begins trying to wake up the referee to get him to go into the ring to see that Rat bastard is tapping out when Steve Awesome gets up. He slams the steel chair over Chris Parsons’ head over and over again before throwing the chair to the side. He kneels down, rips the eyepatch away, and applies what would be a mandible claw, but to the eye socket!
Taylor: All heck has broken loose. You called it.
Romano: Is Steve fingering Chris’ eye hole?
Inside the ring, Rat Bastard is still trying to tap out, but there’s no referee to take his submission.
Outside of the ring, Chris Parsons stops trying to get Steve’s fingers out of his eyes and plants his hands on the sides of Steve’s head in what look like twin brain claws. This except for the fact that he drives his thumbs directly into Steve Awesome’s eyes!
Inside the ring, Rob Riot continues to crank on the pressure of his move. Rat Bastard looks like he’s desperately slamming the mat to let the ref (who is still unconscious) know that he’s submitting.
Outside of the ring, Steve Awesome releases Chris Parsons’ eye socket with a splatter of blood from the old wound. This prompts Chris to release the double eye gouge.
Romano: I think the referee is starting to stir!
Taylor: Order can be restored to this match!
Chris Parsons grabs the steel chair and slides it into the ring. He notices the referee starting to rise and kicks him straight in the face! Rob Riot grabs the steel chair and wraps up Rat Bastard’s leg into it. He goes to stomp on the steel chair when Steve Awesome rolls into the ring and springs up into a clothesline that takes Riot down. Chris Parsons grabs Steve Awesome and brings him down to the mat with Steve’s own finisher, the EFSH!
A new referee runs down to the ring as Rob Riot stomps on the steel chair! The new ref tries to get control of the match by sending Chris Parsons and Steve Awesome to their own corners, but gets nowhere fast.
Taylor: The question is, can the new referee restore order?
Romano: Doesn’t look like it.
Parsons breaks the hold and heads to his corner as the new referee gets the steel chair off of Rat Bastard’s leg. Steve Awesome heads to his own corner, looking angry that his own finisher was used against him.
Rob Riot gets Rat Bastard up into a tombstone piledriver position as the old referee angrily confronts Parsons about kicking him in the face. Steve Awesome slips into the ring and hits Rob Riot with the bloody steel chair. Chris Parsons laughs, jumps down from the ring apron, and shoves the old referee. The new referee signals for the bell to be rung while the old referee also angrily signals for the bell to be rung.
Taylor: What the heck? Both referees signaling for the bell at the same time? Who wins?
Romano: I have no idea.
The old referee rolls into the ring and begins talking with the new referee. Both of them talk to Jessie Love, who enters the ring.
Jessie Love: This match has been declared a double disqualification!
The four in the ring begin brawling until security come down to the ring to break them up.
Taylor: We’re going to go to commercial while this mess gets sorted out.
Romano: I have a feeling that this might not be the last time that these two teams face each other in the ring.
Romano: We’re still none the wiser after that Network ident on what exactly the double-disqualification means for either team’s hopes of getting their shot at Dos Angeles and the XHF Tag-Team Titles!
Taylor: We’ll be sure to keep you abreast of any developments that we find out, but now we’re gearing up for our main event of the ev-
‘Turn To Stone’ by Joe Walsh fills the arena as the lights dim and a single spotlight illuminates the stage. Out from the curtain steps Cross Recoba, a titanium cane with a golden lion's head handle in one hand, touching the crucifix with the other. The HCW Diamond title is draped over his shoulder.
Taylor: Well, it was down that he’d make an announcement…
Romano: Why not from the back?
Taylor: It’s Cross, even an empty arena is better in his mind than no audience at all!
Recoba reaches ringside and holds the lion's head handle of the cane up to his lips and kisses it for luck. He sets the cane to rest against the ring steps and walks over to Jessie Love, prising the microphone from her hands. He climbs them up onto the apron, and with a wipe of his feet slips between the ropes. He pops up with both hands out at his side, walking forward as if putting his glory on display. Cross stands to his full height and smirks. He turns to face the hard camera as he talks.
Recoba: At Clash of the Icons you witnessed what, in any other field in the world, would have been called what it was. A mugging!
He starts to pace towards the hard camera ropes.
Recoba: Now, people asked me going into the biggest show of the year - ‘Cross, surely you want a match? Surely, you deserve a match? You’re unbeaten - where’s your title shot?’ and I knew they were right but, sometimes, sometimes you realize that you have to pick your time.
He rests his arms over the top rope.
Recoba: You look at what’s there and work out that while you could be in a match, where’s the added value that you bring? Is it worth you getting involved? I looked at matches I could have inserted myself in, feuds I could have brought some class to but here’s the thing - I’m not here to be an afterthought, I’m not here to be the sprinkling of stardust to rectify weeks and months of mismanagement. So, I decided that I’d go and be a team-player…
He bounces his forearms off the ropes and starts to move back to the center of the ring.
Recoba: You know, I’m all for making people get a little bit of shine, getting people a nice bit of borrowed coolness. Why else would I have volunteered to debut The Box Office? But what went down with Adam Sanders in Texas was beyond the pale.
The camera picks up the change in expression to a scowl.
Recoba: It’s great and everything, Adam, that you’re such a nice guy. Aww shucks, aren’t you just adorable? What with your inability to communicate and your ventriloquist dummy at your side? I even saw you put away Rob Garcia earlier tonight which is an achievement right up there with getting yourself dressed and finishing your dinner! You wanna go after the Phoenix Title? It suits me fine, I don’t tend to go swim in those deep and murky waters.
He shakes his head to himself.
Recoba: The truth of the matter, Sanders, is that you’ve peaked here in Ascension - never will you be more relevant or have a bigger spotlight on you than the time you cheap-shotted me. Now that you’ve gone and opened your mouth properly, we all understand the need for Eddie Walker - the shill for those with no skill. You’re painful to listen to - like you know all the words and marks you want to hit but you just take such a long time getting there. You’re mediocre, you’re cringeworthy, you’re a Ricky Gervais routine that has no end in sight!
He smiles at the dig.
Recoba: The problem you face is, I can’t have people like you make me look the way I did at Clash of the Icons. I just can’t allow it, if I let you get away with it then the next thing I know I’ll have Terry Bradshaw and Copycat trying their luck against me because it’s now acceptable, I’ll have Keith Williams actually think someone gives a flying one every time he tries to make Cuck Recoba a thing!
He once more approaches the ropes.
Recoba: Sanders, we both know that the message boards and columns are going to be full of your victory tonight, like they were after Clash of the Icons, the issue is that the people who write on those boards, who think a byline on some pissant site with double-digit views, is that they think they know a thing about what happens inside the ring and deep down, you know I’m right when I say - they haven’t a clue! Here’s what’s going to happen - every time you think you’re on the cusp of achieving something, I’ll be there. Every time you think you’ve made a name for yourself, I’ll be there. Finally, when you think you’ve gotten away with what was nothing more than an ambush - I’ll be there to put you out of your misery.
Recoba: The thing you need to realize, Adam, is that I could come down here, open up a briefcase laden with cash and put a bounty on your head but that’d give you some level of sympathy you just don’t deserve and, more importantly, it’s wouldn’t be value for money.
An evil smile now forms on his face.
Recoba: By the time I’m done with you, you won’t even get top-billing at a mall opening!
Cross drops the mic to the floor as Turn to Stone starts back up.
Romano: Welcome back folks, and right now we’d like to welcome to the desk the former United States Champion and current Manager of one Graysie Parker, Eric Dane!
Dane: Thanks a lot, Cassius, it’s good to be here.
Romano: And speaking of Graysie, she took several serious shots at Clash of the Icons, how is she?
Taylor: She’s gotta have like nine concussions, let’s be for real.
Dane chuckles.
Dane: She got her bell rung for sure, but Dakota’s as tough as a two-dollar steak! She won’t be down for long! As a matter of fact she wanted to be here tonight but for her own sake I snuck out like a thief in the night and left her at home in New Orleans so she could rest!
Taylor: That’s probably for the best.
Romano: And speaking of New Orleans, I’m told you and our current US Champ have some hometown history?
Dane: Yeah, I know the guy, we’ll talk about him in a minute though…
Jessie Love: Ladies and Gentlemen, up next is your MAAAAAAAAIN EVENT!
As the word “Firecracker” appears on the large screen, red and green laser lights spin around the arena as Lzzy Hale begins to sing the opening to the song. Then the word fades and is replaced by the name “Dakota” as the redhead makes her way out to the stage area, a look of sheer scorn etched across her beautiful features. She looks out around the crowd and turns her nose up at them before making her way down the aisle.
Jessie Love: Making her way to the ring, she hails from Scottsdale, Arizona.....She is the Firecracker, DAKOOOTTTAAA JJEEENNNIINNGGSSSS!!!
Reaching the ring, she confidently strides up the steps before stepping under the second rope before climbing up one of the turnbuckles, flipping the bird down to Dane at the commentary desk.
Romano: It appears that Ms. Jennings isn’t your biggest fan.
Dane: Yeah, she’s a real winner, that one.
Taylor: Well, not at Clash of the Icons, she lost to your girl Graysie!
Dane: You’re damn right she did! And that’s part of the reason I’m out here tonight! I want it on record right now before Dakota Jennings goes and has another “standout performance,” this time against the US Champion, that Graysie Parker just got through handling Dakota at the Clash!
Romano: Well, let’s not forget that Dakota did pin Graysie a couple of-
Dane: Shut up, Cassius.
The lights go down and the sound of people cheering is piped into the building. Spotlights come up in pairs, focused on the stage until Stagefright starts to play as fog covers the stage and strobing purple lights play along with the song. Slowly a platform rises from the center of the stage, revealing a figure in an elaborate velvet robe, with "Tommy Strychnine" signed on the back in flickering LEDs.
Jessie Love: And her opponent… He stands at five-feet-and-ten-inches and weighs in at one-hundred-and-seventy-five pounds! He is the current reigning United States Champion… HE IS ….TOMMY!!! STRYCHNINE!!!!!
Tommy spins around when the lyrics start and shrugs off the robe, lip-synching along to the song and imitating playing his guitar as he makes his way down the ramp. When he gets to the ring, he poses on the turnbuckle with his guitar, pretending to play along with the song, before handing off the guitar to the ring crew and doing a flip off the turnbuckle into a powerslide as pyro goes off from the corners of the ring.
Non-Title Match
Dakota Jennings vs Tommy Strychnine
Romano: It’s MAIN EVENT time!
Dane: Are you boys excited? I’m excited!
Taylor: Here we go!
Dakota charges Tommy, clubbing him in the back of the head with a nasty elbow smash that sends the champion, belt and all, sprawling through the ropes and outside to the floor. With lightning speed Dakota scales the turnbuckle, she waits just a moment for the champion to pull himself up to his feet before she leaps off backward with a picture perfect moonsault that sends them both into the guardrail hard.
Romano: Wow! Dakota’s not wasting any time here tonight!
Taylor: Does she ever?
Dane: She doesn’t, actually. This is textbook Dakota Jennings, find any opening you can find and exploit it immediately. Reminds me of me if I’m being honest.
Jennings is up first and she fires off a middle kick that sends the rising Strychnine back first back into the guardrail.
Taylor: Tommy’s moving a little slow out there already!
Dane: He ought to be, did you see that Stage Dive he missed a couple of weeks ago? I can’t believe he’s even still walking, let alone out here wrestling in his third Prestige main event in a row!
Dakota grabs the rising US Champion by the hair and pulls him the rest of the way up, she jabs a finger in his eye and berates him before whipping him across the ringside into the next guardrail where Tommy writhes in pain again. Dakota’s got a wicked smile on her face as she stalks her prey.
Romano: The Chairwoman of the AWF is out to prove a point here tonight! She’s laser-focused on Tommy’s hurting back and it looks like she’s gonna take full advantage!
Taylor: Question, has the bell even rang?
Dane: Nope.
Taylor: And that means-
Dane: Everything she’s doing is legal.
Jennings takes off running, times it just right, and just as Tommy pulls himself up again she connects hard with a spinning heel kick! The momentum of the contact sends both wrestlers over the guardrail and into the first row.
Taylor: Wow! This is getting out of hand.
Dane: Where is the referee?
Referee Nate Biggs appears as if on cue and begins barking at both wrestlers to bring it back over the rail and get it into the ring. Dakota is up first, followed quickly by Tommy. Dakota charges, looking for another spin heel kick but Tommy ain’t having any more of that and he ducks, just in time, putting himself in position to lift as she flies and send her back over the guardrail with force!
Romano: And now Tommy’s following Dakota back into the ringside area! He’s got some serious intent in his eyes too!
Dane: That, or he just remembered he had a match tonight…
Taylor: I thought you guys were friends from back home?
Dane: We’re… “friendly.” There’s a difference.
Romano: And now the Champ is measuring Dakota… European Uppercut!
Tommy connects hard, he follows it up with a back teeth-chattering back-elbow! Tommy doesn’t hesitate and throws a precision Pele Kick that knocks Dakota for a loop!
Dane: Ha! Get ‘er!
Romano: Biased much?
Dane: Have you been paying attention at all?
Taylor: Yeah, have ya?
Dane: Don’t help me, Thomas.
Strych grabs Dakota by the hair with one hand and raises the other, mugging for the camera since there’s no audience to pander to. He walks Dakota over to the commentary desk and shoots Dane a wink and a finger gun. He loads up a knife-edge chop but Dakota smells it coming a mile away and she ducks out of the way before shoving Tommy as hard as she can, back-first into the ring apron. The champ howls in pain again, leaving Dakota a moment’s reprieve to catch her breath and get the wheels turning again. That is until-
Dane: Hey stupid! Why don’t you get it in the ring!
Jennings whips around on Dane, a look of disgust on her face that could melt steel.
Dakota: SHUT YOUR MOUTH OLD MAN!
The Only Star smiles and points over her shoulder.
Dane: Maybe you wanna pay attention to him?
Dakota turns around just in time to catch another blistering European Uppercut. She eats another and another before Tommy grabs her by the hair and sends her rolling into the ring.
Romano: You can’t help yourself, can you?
Dane: I absolutely cannot.
Taylor: I think you’re sweet on Dakota.
Dane: Goddammit, Taylor, one more word like that out of you and I’m gonna make sure you’re eating through a straw for the next six months.
Taylor: But-
Dane: One. More. Word.
With Dakota inside the ring, finally, and Tommy climbing the apron, referee Nate Biggs calls for the bell. Just as it rings the US Champ slingshots himself up to the top rope, he’s got cat-like dexterity and with a comfort that can’t be put into words he springs off the top rope at Dakota…
Romano: KISS ME DEADL-
Taylor: SHE MOVED! SHE MOVED!
Dakota smiles. Tommy scrambles, trying hard to reposition himself before-
Romano: DKO MARK TWO!!!
ONE...
TWO…
Tommy rolls a shoulder!
Dane: Too early!
Dakota doesn’t waste time complaining, instead she lines Tommy up and blasts him with a stiff Kawada Kick to the head! She follows up with several more that send the Champ’s eyes rolling into the back of his head. With a clear advantage she grabs him by the hair again and lifts him up, hooks in a half-and-half, and pops her hips quickly sending Tommy up and over with a suplex that drops him square on his head.
Romano: Dakota is showing some range tonight, illustrating for the world her educated feet and a high ring IQ!
Taylor: She doesn't look too bad in those tights, either!
Dane: Here’s what I’ve got to say about Dakota. And I know, I’ve called her a one trick pony in the past, but I’ve had some time to study her over the past few weeks, and while I personally wouldn’t piss on her to put out a fire, I’ve got to give credit where it’s due, she’s smarter than she lets on and she learns fast. If she wasn’t so busy trying to be the Queen Bitch of the AWF she might have a bright future…
Romano: I’m guessing there’s a but coming…
Dane: But as long as Graysie Parker is around, Dakota’s always gonna be number two as far as the women go, and she’s never gonna be able to make peace with that.
Taylor: Those are pretty strong words considering-
Dane: Considering what, that she lost to Graysie at the Clash?
Taylor: I mean… There were extenuating circumstances you know…
Rather than holding on for a pin attempt Dakota backed off, creating some space while she gave the champ time to attempt to shake loose the cobwebs and come to his feet. Well, up to a knee at least. As soon as the time was right Dakota took off with a flash, leaping and stepping up off of Tommy’s thigh and smashing him in the back of the head with an enzuigiri! She wasn’t finished there though and in a split second she was airborne, dropping hard across the Champ with a standing moonsault. She hooked the near leg and pulled back hard,
ONE…
TWO…
Dane: Nope! Tommy’s got that rockstar mentality ya know, he’s like Keith Richards or a cockroach. He’ll survive anything and he’ll probably be here long after the zombies have come and gone and we’ve blown a chunk out of the planet!
Again showing a bit of ring smarts Dakota gets up and instead of wasting time arguing the count she slips between the ropes and ascends to the top turnbuckle. She steadies herself, takes a quick breath and leaps off, dropping hard back-first onto the US Champ! A momentary look of pain flashes on her face but she sucks it up and turns over, hooking the leg again as the ref slides in!
ONE…
TWO…
NO!!!
Romano: Tommy Strychnine is really showing the heart of a champion here tonight!
Taylor: Ain’t that the truth!
Dane: I’m telling you guys, it’s all hookers and blow. That’s his training regimen, and it’s unstoppable.
Romano: I can’t tell if you’re being sarcastic or not.
Dane: Good.
Dakota slapped the mat in frustration but was quickly up to her feet. Assessing the situation she decided to grab Tommy’s legs and attempt to twist them into a Texas Cloverleaf. However a burst of energy from the champ allowed him to reach up and grab Dakota by the head, pull her down and over and find himself on the high end of a small package.
Taylor: Tommy’s got her tied up! This could be it!
ONE…
TWO…
THR-
NO!
Dakota squirmed her way out and was quick to regain her vertical base.
Romano: Dakota Jennings is really showing me a lot here tonight!
Dane: You keep saying that.
Romano: And I mean it! Look at her, she’s up before the Champ!
Taylor: Well, she’s also been kicking his ass for ten minutes…
Showing no signs of letting up Dakota hit the middle rope and springboarded back at Tommy with Cross Recoba’s Cross Dimensional Travel! Instead of attempting another cover Dakota scaled the turnbuckle again, this time leaping off again at Tommy, wrapping her legs around his head and swinging around into a spinning head-scissors that ultimately ended up with her wrapping herself like a boa constrictor around Tommy’s body and locking in a submission hold.
Dane: OCTOPUS STRETCH!
Taylor: Wow!
Romano: And she’s not done! KNEE TO THE FACE! AND ANOTHER!
Dane: Look at her, she’s pulling his arm out of socket and kneeing his face off all while not touching the ground AT ALL!
Romano: How do you even do all that at once?
Dane: Ancient Chinese secret, Cassius!
Referee Nate Biggs is in position, Dakota is screaming “ASK HIM!” from her position hanging on Tommy’s back and Biggs certainly is. Tommy tries to wave him off but has very little control over either of his arms. After a moment Tommy drops down to a knee, the ref asks again but Tommy shakes his head the best he can to tell the ref no. Tommy, fighting for his consciousness, lunges with everything he’s got and just barely makes it into the ropes to break the hold!
Romano: Look at that! Dakota’s holding on!
Dane: And more of those knee shots to the face!
Taylor: Ouch!
The referee starts his count!
ONE…
TWO…
Another knee!
THREE…
And another!
FOUR…
And finally Dakota lets go!
Dane: That’s smart wrestling right there! Take every advantage every time!
Taylor: You’re right about one thing, she does kind of remind me of you.
Romano: The champ is out of it! Tommy really needs to find some way to get things back on track here or he’s going to find himself counting the lights!
Unrelenting, Dakota gives Tommy absolutely zero quarter as she presses the attack, grabbing the weary US Champion before he can even pull himself out of the ropes. She yanks his arm for an Irish Whip but he reverses and pulls her into a lift up onto his shoulders where he quickly throws her up and over, dropping the back of her head and neck across his knee with a textbook Ushigiroshi.
Romano: TOMMYKNOCKER!!!
Dane: You mean something like that?
Nate Biggs is once again in perfect position as Tommy drops in for the lateral press. He doesn’t hook the leg, though, and counts along with the referee…
ONE…
TW-
NO!
Taylor: She kicked out at one and a half!
Dane: Ha!
Romano: Tommy’s not done though!
Getting his second wind, the champ pulls Dakota up by the hair and throws her into a standing head-scissors. He does his best Ted “Theodore” Logan air-guitar bit before hooking both of Dakota’s arms and executing a flipping piledriver!
Romano: INSULT2INJURY! IT’S OVER!
He makes the cover!
ONE…
TWO…
THHHHHHR-ICKOUT!
Dane: Ha! The crazy bitch got a shoulder up!
Taylor: I don’t know if he got all of that one or not.
Romano: Either way he’s back up to his feet!
Tommy tries to lift Dakota up as well but she lifts him with an uppercut low-blow out of Nate Biggs’ line of sight. She stands Tommy up with another Kawada kick before backing up to hit the far ropes for momentum. She comes back but Tommy surprises her with a drop-toe trip that sends her sprawling into the ropes.
Romano: Uh-oh!
Taylor: You know what this means, right Dane?
Dane: That Tommy watches too much Lucha?
Romano: STRYCH-ONE-NINE!
Tommy did indeed connect with the Tiger Feint Kick, and as is customary it did indeed stand Dakota back up and send her wobbling backwards on spaghetti-legs. Sensing the end Tommy bellowed “ROCK-AND-FUCKIN’-ROLL!” as he sprung up to the top rope, lined Dakota up in a split-second and launched himself knee-first at Dakotas face. The collision sent Dakota for an absolute back-flip. They landed an awkward pile but this time when Tommy went for the cover he hooked both legs deep and leaned back with everything he had!
ONE…
Taylor: DAKOTA JENNINGS IS DEAD!
TWO…
Dane: I’ll be fucked.
THREE!!!
Biggs calls for the bell.
DING! DING! DING!
Romano: Tommy Strychnine has done it! What a showing by the new United States Champion!
Tommy looks over at Dakota who is still down from the Strych-One-Nine and smiles as he sees Nate Biggs reach over to the ropes and receive the AWF United States title.
Dane: That’s a champ there! Won that match on instinct!
Romano: I believe it'll be a looong while before anyone will be able to beat him.
We cut to a wide-shot and see Jessie Love standing.
“Stagefright” by Def Leppard pumps out across the Tingsley Coliseum as Tommy struggles back to his feet, the damage he’d taken catching up with him as he hears the bell ring.
Jessie Love: The winner of this match, winning through pinfall, AND STILL UNITED STATES CHAMPION!!! TOMMY…..STRYCHNINE!!
He uses a rope to get his footing back and has his hand grabbed by Nate Biggs, raising it to signify the win. He holds the title aloft and lets his hand drop from Biggs’.
Instantly remembering where he is, he signals outside of the ring to hand back the guitar to him. The ring crew locate the instrument and one member walks towards the ropes to pass it to Tommy who is now leaning over the ropes to get it.
The guitar now back with its owner, the United States Champion looks at the belt and his guitar and smiles. HE TURNS AROUND BUT DAKOTA IS WAITING FOR HIM...DKO MK II !!!!
Taylor: WHAT THE HELL?!
Dane: What a goddamn sore loser!
Romano: The match is over, someone get her out of here!
The Firecracker smiles as she sees the fallen body of Tommy lying in front of her. She turns her head towards the title and then looks to the guitar.
Picking up the instrument, she raises it above her head and stands over Strychine menacingly.
Taylor: Oh no…
Romano: Someone has to stop this!
She abruptly changes her mind and brings it down onto the ring canvas, a hailstorm of humbuckers and machine-heads busting out as the guitar’s body explodes on impact!
Taylor: That's uncalled for!
Dane: She's having a tantrum, where's Recoba to get her to calm the hell down?!
Throwing the mangled guitar to one side she looks maniacally back to her opponent.
She starts to lay the boots into Tommy.
WITH HER BACK TO THE RAMP SHE MISSES GRAYSIE PARKER MARCHING TO THE RING!
Taylor: IT'S THE IRON BUTTERFLY, GRAYSIE PARKER!
Romano: LOOKS LIKE SHE ISN'T THROUGH WITH JENNINGS!
Dane: SORRY, FELLAS, I HAVE TO GO- THE CAVALRY'S HERE!
Dakota continues unaware.
Parker rolls into the ring and with stealth on her side she closes in on Jennings.
Seeing Dane get to his feet tips off Jennings, she turns around. OVERHEAD BELLY-TO-BELLY SUPLEX!!!
Taylor: She nearly put her through the ring!
Romano: She nearly threw her over the top rope!
Parker, fully rested from a night off, explodes back to her feet and starts to drop knees to the face of Jennings!!
Jennings tries to roll out the way but only backs herself into a corner. Tommy is now back to his feet and starts to move towards the corner to join in the fracas BUT BLOODIED FOX SHOOTS INTO THE RING FROM OUT OF NOWHERE!!
HE CUTS TOMMY OFF WITH A STAREDOWN! HIS EYES TURN TO THE UNITED STATES CHAMPIONSHIP THEN BACK TOWARD TOMMY- BEFORE TOMMY REALIZES WHAT'S HIT HIM, HE GETS ROCKED WITH A JUMPING ENZUIGIRI!
Taylor: BLOODIED FOX OUT OF NOWHERE WITH AN ENZUIGIRI!
Romano: He did say he would be here tonight, didn't he?! Looks like he has his eyes on Tommy's prize!
Taylor: Someone get security, this is turning into a street fight!
Parker goes for a running knee in the corner but Jennings moves out the way and rolls to her feet.
AWF Road Agents storm down the ramp as pandemonium starts to break loose!
Jennings has taken it up with Bloodied Fox, both wrestlers trading punches back and forth while Tommy ducks a punch from Parker and tries to set up a kick but instead finds himself brought into a four-way brawl he never asked to join!
Taylor: What are we witnessing?!
Romano: I don't know, but it's turned into pure chaos out here!
Taylor: We're going to need more security!
The show goes off the air as AWF officials try to separate them all.
