The AWF Presents: Prestige 57 - LIVE from Denver, CO!
Aug 22, 2020 22:30:12 GMT -5
Mongo the Destroyer, Dave D-Flipz, and 6 more like this
Post by Seth Dillinger on Aug 22, 2020 22:30:12 GMT -5
Ascension Wrestling Federation Presents:
Live at the Denver Colosseum
Denver, CO
8/22/2020
Attendance: 0
Flanked by a nerdy guy with a clipboard, the current reigning and defending AWF Around the Clock Champion, Keith Williams, strides into the Denver Colosseum with the coveted 24/7 championship strewn over his shoulder.
Williams: You're certain they can get the job done?
The clipboard carrier nods as he follows Keith to the locker room assigned for The ReVenants. The Sleazy One finds the spot they're looking for, tapping a hand on the nameplate outside. Keith pushes open the door and steps in followed by his second shadow.
Williams: These are the guys?
Nervously looking at his clipboard then back up several times, the nerdy guy nods to confirm.
The camera pans around to show off the hired help and.. They're a series of dressed up midgets. Dwarves? Little people? They're fucking short!
Romano: Midgets?!
Taylor: I don't think you can say that, Cassius!
Williams: Don't jerk my chain, pal. I've already done that enough by myself today.
One is dressed like Dog the Bounty Hunter, another like Boba Fett. Hold up, a midget Steve Blackman? I believe there's a pattern developing here.
Taylor: I wonder if we'll see a little Predator!
Romano: This is ridiculous!
Clipboard guy doesn't speak, but he points to several things on his clipboard and beckons Keith to look. The Paragon of Sleaze stops staring long enough to look at the papers.
Williams: Fuck, you're right. These are the guys I ordered. Or at least, the ones Jeff Noon hired. Dammit, Jeff.
Bringing his attention back to the group of short-stack bounty hunters, Keith makes the mission known.
Williams: Alright, it's simple. Keep the title around my waist, guys.
Romano: How can he expect this to work?
Taylor: Stranger things have happened, I suppose.
One of the little people coughs and the camera pans to them revealing a female mini dressed as Beth Smith, the dead ex-wife of Dog the Bounty Hunter.
Williams: And... Mini Beth. We can't let anyone get their grubby hands on this lovely championship except me!
Holding it up, KW delicately fondles the AWF Around the Clock Championship as everyone gathered becomes uncomfortable. Finished, Keith takes a seat in the corner of the room where a steel chair has already been unfolded and slings the title back over his shoulder.
Romano: I hope Keith Williams is looking for a short title reign, because that's what he's going to get.
Taylor: That's not nice, Cassius.
It’s a rare moment for Eddie Walker to be coming down to the ring without one of his clients being the one in the spotlight. That being said, the song that signaled the Manager Extraordinaire was on his way to the ring on his own began to play. The dueling guitars from Shane Gallagher and Craig Fairbaugh and percussion from Travis Barker echo through the Denver Coliseum.
Jessie Love: The following contest is scheduled for one fall and is our Unsanctioned Manager Grudge Match! Introducing first, from Houston, Texas, weighing in at one hundred eighty-five pounds. He is the Manager Extraordinaire… EDDIE WALKER!!
Taylor: Eddie weighs a buck eighty-five?
Romano: Eddie’s from Houston?
Taylor: I guess there is a lot we don’t know about this contest considering this isn’t exactly data we are normally exposed to.
Romano: They’re managers. I don’t think we normally care about them. I sure as hell don’t.
Walker appears on the ramp as “Lycanthrope” by +44 keeps playing. He’s dressed in something the general public has never seen him in before: a green and gold wrestling singlet. Clearly, most of the exposed skin on the forty-five-year-old is flabby and there isn’t a single thing about him that’s toned.
Taylor: Well… this is a sight to be seen.
Romano: He should never wear this singlet ever again once this match is over. We got a jacket and pants for him to wear when he’s done, right?
Taylor: Well, here comes his opponent.
Romano: Thank God. Let’s get this over with.
The lights dim and “Dior” by Pop Smoke blasts over the PA system. As the bass drops, Jeff Noon walks out onto the entrance ramp wearing sweatpants, a faded black t-shirt and some white Reebok’s, and he has his fists wrapped up ready to fight. He is accompanied by Rob Garcia, NJC and Keith Williams. They all walk out onto the entrance ramp and stop, staring down at Eddie Walker.
Jessie Love: And his opponent, from Burbank, California, weighing in at one hundred forty-five pounds. He is the manager of the ReVenants… JEFF NOON!!
Jeff then turns to the Revenants and high fives all of them. As the Rev’s slowly back away as Jeff struts down the ramp making his way to the ring in a very confident manner. He slowly walks up the stairs with his eyes on Eddie the entire time. He gets on the ring apron, enters the ring through the bottom and middle rope and leans back into his corner.
Taylor: Well, Jeff is going to be the smaller sized one.
Romano: Pretty sure Jeff is younger though. And by the way, if this is match is “unsanctioned”, why are we calling it? And why is Nate Biggs in the ring?
Taylor: I mean, how else will we know who wins?
Romano: And why do we care? They’re managers.
Manager vs Manager
Jeff Noon vs Eddie Walker
DING DING DING!
Taylor: Look, the match has a bell too.
Romano: Ugh…
All the training that these two went through the past twelve days seems to have gone out the window because the first thing Jeff Noon does is begin the same slap fight he started last Prestige, which the reaction from Walker is to slap back.
Taylor: This is...
Romano: Sad? Yeah.
Taylor: Reminder that Adam Sanders and the ReVenants are all banned from ringside.
Romano: Shame. That could have quickened the match.
Eventually, Jeff Noon stops with the slapping and knees Walker in the gut. Apparently Garcia was able to teach Noon something because he does drive Walker into the mat with a DDT.
Taylor: A DDT from Jeff Noon?! He can do that?!
Romano: Apparently. I might get my wish for a fast match.
Noon quickly rolls over the older manager for a pinfall to try to get the quick win.
ONE!!
TWO!!
THR...NO!!
Taylor: Well, Eddie did learn how to kick out of pinfalls, apparently.
Romano: That’s a shame.
Noon stays on top and begins to slap while mounting Eddie. Biggs knows that the match was set as a no disqualification match so he can’t stop the barrage. Noon keeps this up until Walker does get a punch in on Noon’s chest. Jeff Noon drops sideways. Walker breathes for a moment before getting a cover.
Taylor: Walker was taught how to punch too, apparently.
Romano: I mean, punches aren’t hard to learn how to do.
ONE!!
TWO!!
THR...NO!!
Taylor: Now Jeff Noon with the kickout!
Romano: So we’ve seen a DDT, a punch, and slaps. This is ridiculous. Are they seriously wasting all this production on this? Just state that clearly Noon learned a wrestling move and give him the match. Come on…
Walker gets back up and waits for Jeff Noon to get back to his feet. Once Noon does, Walker runs… well, if you can call that running… and drops Jeff Noon with a clothesline.
Taylor: Actually, that clothesline didn’t look bad.
Romano: I mean, that’s not nearly as good as anyone in the back.
Taylor: I’m grading it on a curve, Cassius.
Romano: Whatever, Taylor.
When Eddie tried to get Jeff back to his feet, Noon was not afraid to strike Eddie where it hurts the most.
Taylor: Ouch! Low blow by Jeff Noon!
Romano: Well, it is a no DQ so…
With Walker on his knees, Noon attempts to try to roundhouse kick Walker in the head, but couldn’t quite reach that high so had to settle for hitting his shoulders. While the technique looked very sloppy, Noon goes for a thrust kick to Eddie’s chest. Another cover.
ONE!!
TWO!!
THR...NO!!
Taylor: Another kickout by Walker!
Romano: He’s an old man. He can’t keep doing this.
Both men roll over and get up around the same time. Jeff starts slapping again, but Walker hooks an arm and actually surprises Taylor and Romano with a crisper-than-expected suplex.
Taylor: WHAT?!
Romano: Well then… That’s a suplex alright.
Walker gets back to his feet before Jeff this time. He picks him up and puts him in the corner. He starts getting a few lefts and rights in before Jeff uses a secret weapon for this moment. Noon reaches into his pocket and throws it’s contents into the eyes of Eddie Walker.
Taylor: Did he just Dale Gribble him?
Romano: I mean, pocket sand is pretty useful when it’s allowed.
Taylor: That could blind Walker!
Romano: Well, both of these men wear glasses. I assume eyesight wasn’t one of their strong points before the match.
Walker drops to his knees again. Jeff Noon takes this moment to slide outside the ring. He reaches underneath the ring and pulls out a steel chair. He places it in the ring. He climbs back into the ring with Walker still trying to wipe his eyes clean.
Taylor: This could be bad for Walker.
Romano: Hey, it’s no DQ. It’s all legal.
Taylor: These guys aren’t trained wrestlers. Walker isn’t conditioned to take a chair shot.
Romano: Oh yeah, he’s going to crumble after one hit.
Noon holds the chair up and waits for Walker to get back up. Walker does, and while his vision is impaired, he might have sense that chair because he quickly sidestepped the chair swing from Noon. When Noon got ready to try to swing again, Walker tried the only thing he thought could work…
Taylor: He did a dropkick?! I mean, guess he picked that one up from his best friend.
Romano: Ouch! He kicked the chair into Jeff’s skull! Regardless of where he learned it, that likely got Noon seeing stars.
Walker still can’t see very well, but even he could hear the metal crashing into Noon’s head. Once he can find Noon to hook the leg, Nate Biggs begins the count.
ONE!!
TWO!!
THREE!!
DING DING DING
Taylor: Eddie Walker has done it! The old man has done it!!
Romano: I can’t believe he pulled this off.
Jessie Love: Here is your winner… EDDIE WALKER!!
“Lycanthrope” begins to start playing once more as Biggs begins to check on Jeff Noon. Walker rolls out of the ring, knowing that the ReVenants could be coming to the ring out of anger at any moment. He begins to try to follow the lights towards the ramp without being able to see, not caring if he can celebrate his win or not.
Taylor: Well, he’s running in the right direction at least.
Romano: He’ll be fine. They can flush his eyes back there. And Noon appears to be okay as well. Well, pissed, but not hurt.
Noon is sitting up, apparently only showing anger than he lost the match rather than any concussion symptoms. He pushes Nate Biggs away before rolling out of the ring.
Fox: I'm just saying, I think it'd make for a really cool entrance...
The familiar voice of Bloodied Fox can be heard around the corner by one of the AWF cameras roaming for random stuff to broadcast. As the camera operator nears the corner, the sound of typing on a phone becomes noticeable, then a pause. As the view rounds the corner, we see that Fox is talking to none other than Triple B
Triple B: Mr Fox, you must appreciate that suggesting we team at Fired Up if one of us wins tonight's battle royale, simply so you can ride to the ring on my back, is somewhat of an affront to my ursine pride.
Fox: Hey, I'd give you a ride if I could.
Triple B looks shocked, or at least as shocked as a bear can, furiously typing a reply into his 'Text To Speech In The Voice Of Sir Patrick Stewart' app.
Triple B: Sir! I am not that kind of bear!
Fox facepalms
Fox: Not that kind of ride!
Triple B pads off with a huff, as Fox sighs.
Fox: I knew I should have asked that skeleton dinosaur instead...
Williams: You're certain they can get the job done?
The clipboard carrier nods as he follows Keith to the locker room assigned for The ReVenants. The Sleazy One finds the spot they're looking for, tapping a hand on the nameplate outside. Keith pushes open the door and steps in followed by his second shadow.
Williams: These are the guys?
Nervously looking at his clipboard then back up several times, the nerdy guy nods to confirm.
The camera pans around to show off the hired help and.. They're a series of dressed up midgets. Dwarves? Little people? They're fucking short!
Romano: Midgets?!
Taylor: I don't think you can say that, Cassius!
Williams: Don't jerk my chain, pal. I've already done that enough by myself today.
One is dressed like Dog the Bounty Hunter, another like Boba Fett. Hold up, a midget Steve Blackman? I believe there's a pattern developing here.
Taylor: I wonder if we'll see a little Predator!
Romano: This is ridiculous!
Clipboard guy doesn't speak, but he points to several things on his clipboard and beckons Keith to look. The Paragon of Sleaze stops staring long enough to look at the papers.
Williams: Fuck, you're right. These are the guys I ordered. Or at least, the ones Jeff Noon hired. Dammit, Jeff.
Bringing his attention back to the group of short-stack bounty hunters, Keith makes the mission known.
Williams: Alright, it's simple. Keep the title around my waist, guys.
Romano: How can he expect this to work?
Taylor: Stranger things have happened, I suppose.
One of the little people coughs and the camera pans to them revealing a female mini dressed as Beth Smith, the dead ex-wife of Dog the Bounty Hunter.
Williams: And... Mini Beth. We can't let anyone get their grubby hands on this lovely championship except me!
Holding it up, KW delicately fondles the AWF Around the Clock Championship as everyone gathered becomes uncomfortable. Finished, Keith takes a seat in the corner of the room where a steel chair has already been unfolded and slings the title back over his shoulder.
Romano: I hope Keith Williams is looking for a short title reign, because that's what he's going to get.
Taylor: That's not nice, Cassius.
It’s a rare moment for Eddie Walker to be coming down to the ring without one of his clients being the one in the spotlight. That being said, the song that signaled the Manager Extraordinaire was on his way to the ring on his own began to play. The dueling guitars from Shane Gallagher and Craig Fairbaugh and percussion from Travis Barker echo through the Denver Coliseum.
Jessie Love: The following contest is scheduled for one fall and is our Unsanctioned Manager Grudge Match! Introducing first, from Houston, Texas, weighing in at one hundred eighty-five pounds. He is the Manager Extraordinaire… EDDIE WALKER!!
Taylor: Eddie weighs a buck eighty-five?
Romano: Eddie’s from Houston?
Taylor: I guess there is a lot we don’t know about this contest considering this isn’t exactly data we are normally exposed to.
Romano: They’re managers. I don’t think we normally care about them. I sure as hell don’t.
Walker appears on the ramp as “Lycanthrope” by +44 keeps playing. He’s dressed in something the general public has never seen him in before: a green and gold wrestling singlet. Clearly, most of the exposed skin on the forty-five-year-old is flabby and there isn’t a single thing about him that’s toned.
Taylor: Well… this is a sight to be seen.
Romano: He should never wear this singlet ever again once this match is over. We got a jacket and pants for him to wear when he’s done, right?
Taylor: Well, here comes his opponent.
Romano: Thank God. Let’s get this over with.
The lights dim and “Dior” by Pop Smoke blasts over the PA system. As the bass drops, Jeff Noon walks out onto the entrance ramp wearing sweatpants, a faded black t-shirt and some white Reebok’s, and he has his fists wrapped up ready to fight. He is accompanied by Rob Garcia, NJC and Keith Williams. They all walk out onto the entrance ramp and stop, staring down at Eddie Walker.
Jessie Love: And his opponent, from Burbank, California, weighing in at one hundred forty-five pounds. He is the manager of the ReVenants… JEFF NOON!!
Jeff then turns to the Revenants and high fives all of them. As the Rev’s slowly back away as Jeff struts down the ramp making his way to the ring in a very confident manner. He slowly walks up the stairs with his eyes on Eddie the entire time. He gets on the ring apron, enters the ring through the bottom and middle rope and leans back into his corner.
Taylor: Well, Jeff is going to be the smaller sized one.
Romano: Pretty sure Jeff is younger though. And by the way, if this is match is “unsanctioned”, why are we calling it? And why is Nate Biggs in the ring?
Taylor: I mean, how else will we know who wins?
Romano: And why do we care? They’re managers.
Manager vs Manager
Jeff Noon vs Eddie Walker
DING DING DING!
Taylor: Look, the match has a bell too.
Romano: Ugh…
All the training that these two went through the past twelve days seems to have gone out the window because the first thing Jeff Noon does is begin the same slap fight he started last Prestige, which the reaction from Walker is to slap back.
Taylor: This is...
Romano: Sad? Yeah.
Taylor: Reminder that Adam Sanders and the ReVenants are all banned from ringside.
Romano: Shame. That could have quickened the match.
Eventually, Jeff Noon stops with the slapping and knees Walker in the gut. Apparently Garcia was able to teach Noon something because he does drive Walker into the mat with a DDT.
Taylor: A DDT from Jeff Noon?! He can do that?!
Romano: Apparently. I might get my wish for a fast match.
Noon quickly rolls over the older manager for a pinfall to try to get the quick win.
ONE!!
TWO!!
THR...NO!!
Taylor: Well, Eddie did learn how to kick out of pinfalls, apparently.
Romano: That’s a shame.
Noon stays on top and begins to slap while mounting Eddie. Biggs knows that the match was set as a no disqualification match so he can’t stop the barrage. Noon keeps this up until Walker does get a punch in on Noon’s chest. Jeff Noon drops sideways. Walker breathes for a moment before getting a cover.
Taylor: Walker was taught how to punch too, apparently.
Romano: I mean, punches aren’t hard to learn how to do.
ONE!!
TWO!!
THR...NO!!
Taylor: Now Jeff Noon with the kickout!
Romano: So we’ve seen a DDT, a punch, and slaps. This is ridiculous. Are they seriously wasting all this production on this? Just state that clearly Noon learned a wrestling move and give him the match. Come on…
Walker gets back up and waits for Jeff Noon to get back to his feet. Once Noon does, Walker runs… well, if you can call that running… and drops Jeff Noon with a clothesline.
Taylor: Actually, that clothesline didn’t look bad.
Romano: I mean, that’s not nearly as good as anyone in the back.
Taylor: I’m grading it on a curve, Cassius.
Romano: Whatever, Taylor.
When Eddie tried to get Jeff back to his feet, Noon was not afraid to strike Eddie where it hurts the most.
Taylor: Ouch! Low blow by Jeff Noon!
Romano: Well, it is a no DQ so…
With Walker on his knees, Noon attempts to try to roundhouse kick Walker in the head, but couldn’t quite reach that high so had to settle for hitting his shoulders. While the technique looked very sloppy, Noon goes for a thrust kick to Eddie’s chest. Another cover.
ONE!!
TWO!!
THR...NO!!
Taylor: Another kickout by Walker!
Romano: He’s an old man. He can’t keep doing this.
Both men roll over and get up around the same time. Jeff starts slapping again, but Walker hooks an arm and actually surprises Taylor and Romano with a crisper-than-expected suplex.
Taylor: WHAT?!
Romano: Well then… That’s a suplex alright.
Walker gets back to his feet before Jeff this time. He picks him up and puts him in the corner. He starts getting a few lefts and rights in before Jeff uses a secret weapon for this moment. Noon reaches into his pocket and throws it’s contents into the eyes of Eddie Walker.
Taylor: Did he just Dale Gribble him?
Romano: I mean, pocket sand is pretty useful when it’s allowed.
Taylor: That could blind Walker!
Romano: Well, both of these men wear glasses. I assume eyesight wasn’t one of their strong points before the match.
Walker drops to his knees again. Jeff Noon takes this moment to slide outside the ring. He reaches underneath the ring and pulls out a steel chair. He places it in the ring. He climbs back into the ring with Walker still trying to wipe his eyes clean.
Taylor: This could be bad for Walker.
Romano: Hey, it’s no DQ. It’s all legal.
Taylor: These guys aren’t trained wrestlers. Walker isn’t conditioned to take a chair shot.
Romano: Oh yeah, he’s going to crumble after one hit.
Noon holds the chair up and waits for Walker to get back up. Walker does, and while his vision is impaired, he might have sense that chair because he quickly sidestepped the chair swing from Noon. When Noon got ready to try to swing again, Walker tried the only thing he thought could work…
Taylor: He did a dropkick?! I mean, guess he picked that one up from his best friend.
Romano: Ouch! He kicked the chair into Jeff’s skull! Regardless of where he learned it, that likely got Noon seeing stars.
Walker still can’t see very well, but even he could hear the metal crashing into Noon’s head. Once he can find Noon to hook the leg, Nate Biggs begins the count.
ONE!!
TWO!!
THREE!!
DING DING DING
Taylor: Eddie Walker has done it! The old man has done it!!
Romano: I can’t believe he pulled this off.
Jessie Love: Here is your winner… EDDIE WALKER!!
“Lycanthrope” begins to start playing once more as Biggs begins to check on Jeff Noon. Walker rolls out of the ring, knowing that the ReVenants could be coming to the ring out of anger at any moment. He begins to try to follow the lights towards the ramp without being able to see, not caring if he can celebrate his win or not.
Taylor: Well, he’s running in the right direction at least.
Romano: He’ll be fine. They can flush his eyes back there. And Noon appears to be okay as well. Well, pissed, but not hurt.
Noon is sitting up, apparently only showing anger than he lost the match rather than any concussion symptoms. He pushes Nate Biggs away before rolling out of the ring.
Fox: I'm just saying, I think it'd make for a really cool entrance...
The familiar voice of Bloodied Fox can be heard around the corner by one of the AWF cameras roaming for random stuff to broadcast. As the camera operator nears the corner, the sound of typing on a phone becomes noticeable, then a pause. As the view rounds the corner, we see that Fox is talking to none other than Triple B
Triple B: Mr Fox, you must appreciate that suggesting we team at Fired Up if one of us wins tonight's battle royale, simply so you can ride to the ring on my back, is somewhat of an affront to my ursine pride.
Fox: Hey, I'd give you a ride if I could.
Triple B looks shocked, or at least as shocked as a bear can, furiously typing a reply into his 'Text To Speech In The Voice Of Sir Patrick Stewart' app.
Triple B: Sir! I am not that kind of bear!
Fox facepalms
Fox: Not that kind of ride!
Triple B pads off with a huff, as Fox sighs.
Fox: I knew I should have asked that skeleton dinosaur instead...
"All Animal" Through Fire begins playing as Tarrasque walks out from the back with the XHF Phoenix championship belt over his shoulder. He stands alone at the entrance stage for a moment, soaking in the cheering of the fans before heading down to the ring. Alone.
Taylor: What is Tarrasque doing coming out?
Romano: And alone at that!
Tarrasque stands in the middle of the ring and raises the Phoenix championship high into the air.
Tarrasque: Aiden! Me have title. Come and win from me!
Taylor: Does Tarrasque even realize that he's not carrying the ATC championship?
Romano: I don't think Tarrasque understands a lot of things.
Tarrasque: Me know you here, Aiden. Come face me! No one else want fight!
Romano: Because he didn't win the ATC title?
Taylor: Right? Even with Tarrasque having the actual Phoenix belt, Aiden is still the true champion.
"No Rest for the Wicked" by Cage the Elephant hits the arena as an imitation sandstorm is created in the entranceway. Aiden Merric emerges from it, chewing nicotine gum. He spits the gum and puts a patch on his arm before stretching and walking to the ring with a purpose. He stands across the ring from Tarrasque with a microphone in hand.
Romano: Oh, Aiden is going to try communicating with the beast.
Taylor: Worth a shot.
Merric: You know you didn't win anything from me, mate. You stole what's mine. Give it back and I'll go easy on ya.
Tarrasque: Beat me and you have belt back.
Merric: Beastie that belt is already mine. We can fight any time you wish but I be needing that there belt as I am supposed to defend it next show.
Tarrasque grins and hammers the face of the belt with his fist.
Tarrasque: Make me.
Merric: Now something like that’ll be making Mongo very angry with you. Not very smart. Now if you excuse me, I'll be bringing ya down now, beastie!
Aiden draws a large hunting knife, gliding into a combat stance. Tarrasque smiles, mirroring the stance, only more defensive.
Taylor: I'm not sure that's what Tarrasque meant.
Romano: Can we get security out here to put a stop to this?
Tarrasque and Aiden begin circling around one another, looking for the best opening by which to strike. Aiden slashes at Tarrasque, who uses the face plate of the Phoenix title as a shield. Sparks fly and the plate is gouged.
Taylor: This isn't good. It's getting dangerous!
Romano: Where's that security!
Aiden strikes a few more times, marring the Phoenix championship belt with each defended strike. Tarrasque lunges at Aiden, striking him in the side of the face with the damaged face plate that tears into Aiden's flesh while knocking him backwards a few steps.
Aiden backs into the ropes, using them to springboard into a thrust with the blade. Tarrasque brings up the championship belt as a shield, the blade piercing the plate and stopping just short of stabbing Tarrasque in the face.
Romano: That was close!
Taylor: Where is that security!
Tarrasque twists the championship belt and twists the knife out of Aiden's hand. He throws the Phoenix belt and the knife out of the ring, leaving himself open to a double ear pop and headbutt. Aiden throws a few punches, laughing as he batters Tarrasque's head to the left and right with his brutal punches.
Tarrasque responds by shoving Aiden with both hands, sending Aiden back into the ropes. Tarrasque catches Aiden on the rebound for a powerslam to the mat!
While neither man is paying attention to the outside of the ring, Tucker Bernard sneaks down to ringside. He grabs the knife impaled championship belt and heads to the back as security roll to ringside to break up the brawling Aiden and Tarrasque.
Two men hold back Aiden while it takes four men to restrain Tarrasque.
Merric: You'll be decorating my wall, ya beastie!
Tarrasque frowns, relaxing against his restrainers in his confusion.
Tarrasque: Me no paint walls? Me no know how.
Aiden looks at Tarrasque like WTF.
Merric: No, your head will be mounted on my wall, you bullish monster!
Now Tarrasque seems to understand this as the four men have to fight hard to restrain him from attacking Merric.
Tarrasque: Me person! No game! You want fight real? We fight real.
Taylor: What do you think that Tarrasque means by real fighting?
Romano: I don't think that we really want to know.
Tarrasque throws off the four men holding him back and spears Aiden Merric through the ropes to the outside!
Tarrasque picks up Aiden and hurls him at the ring steps, demolishing them. Tarrasque dives at the downed Aiden, who rolls out of the way to allow Tarrasque to crash into the ring steps.
Aiden kneels on Tarrasque's chest and begins machine gunning knife edge chops to his throat. Security break the fight up a second time, pulling Aiden Merric and Tarrasque away from one another. Both men have face masks of blood, Aiden looking like he might need stitches in the cheek where the damaged title belt was raked across his face.
Tarrsaque grins through the pain, even drooling a little in excitement as he watches Aiden struggling against the security guards. This is when Tarrasque notices that the championship belt is missing. Aiden sees the anger on Tarrasque's face and smiles.
Merric: A good hunter always comes prepared with a plan monster. I was five steps ahead of ya, beastie! Oh the hunt is still on but I’ll be taking my prize and you can earn the right to fight for it.
Tarrasque: Me give you real fight! Me will!
Instead of adding more and more security guards to try to subdue Tarrasque, they give up and taze him. Like three separate times. Tarrasque goes down to his knees and onto his face while Aiden Merric is being escorted to the back laughing the whole time.
Marcus Anderson runs down to ringside while Tarrasque is being loaded onto a stretcher by EMTs.
Anderson: What the heck? I was getting him something to eat! I turned my back for a second and he was gone! Is he alright? Someone tell me!
No one tells Marcus anything as Tarrasque is taken to the back with Marcus following close behind.
Romano: I guess that he needs to be watched every minute like some child.
Taylor: Well, he is sort of childlike.
Voice: ADAM!! ADAM!!
The cameras cut back to the backstage area where Eddie Walker, after his victory against Jeff Noon. His eyes are still impaired following the sand attack from Jeff Noon. He’s using his his hands to try to follow the wall down the hallway until someone heard the shouting from their locker room. Thankfully, it was the person he was calling for.
Sanders: Eddie, Eddie, hang on, hang on…
The Awkward One emerges on camera and starts to assist his manager.
Sanders: I got you, Eddie. Come on, let’s get you to the eye flush station.
Walker: Thank you, thank you!
Sanders starts to guide Walker down the hallway and finally an emergency eyewash station that was there for OSHA-related purposes. He helps put Eddie’s head in the right spot to help clean his eyes from the sand.
Walker: I did it, Adam. I mean, I heard my music and a bell ring anyway. I did win, right?
Sanders: You did, man. You won. We’re proud of you. All of us are. Tasmin and Adrien texted me. I saw Johnny say something on Twitter. Jessica and Dean are going to be happy when they find out. We’re all proud of you. How are you feeling?
Eddie Walker still was getting his eyes cleaned but his mouth was free.
Walker: I feel like I was in a car crash. I don’t ever want to do that a year.
At this point, Walker has been under the eye wash station long enough. Sanders has a towel ready to allow Walker to wipe his face.
Walker: Thank you, Adam. I appreciate you, kid.
Sanders: I didn’t do anything for you.
Walker: Well, you got my eyes working again. But also for being the one on deck for moral support.
Sanders: Well, I’m always here for that.
Walker: You’re a good kid, Adam. And I can’t wait to see you step into that ring and win that battle royal.
Sanders: You really have a lot of faith in me.
Walker smiles before patting his client on the back.
Walker: I will always have that faith in you, Adam. Yeah, there’s twenty wrestlers in this match. Yeah, a lot of them have done some stuff you haven’t done yet. But I know your heart. I know your toughness. I’ve watched you for years, Adam. You have the ability to win this battle royal. You can beat Draven. You can beat Subject. You can beat Maverick and Rat Bastard, and anyone else in this match. Don’t ever doubt yourself. Now go. Go get ready for the battle royal.
Sanders: But you still…
Walker: I’m fine. I can see now. I need to get changed. We’re all good now. Go get stretching and everything.
We fade up on backstage, where we see Subject 42 sitting on a crate, gently stroking his kitten with a finger.
Subject: Ragh...
The sound of something hefty approaching gains his attention and he looks up...
Subject: Ragh!
The camera pans across to show it is Triple B! The bear pulls out his phone, presumably to perform more text to speech, only to discover that his phone's battery has died. He gives the ursine equivalent to a sigh and looks at Subject 42.
Triple B: ~ROAR!~
Subject: Ragh?
Triple B: ~ROAR?~
Subject: RAGH!
Triple B: ~ROAR?!~
Subject: RAGH?!
The two seem to be squaring up, until suddenly...
Kitten: Mew!
The kitten, now perched on Subject 42's shoulder, interjects. The two behemoths stop, look at the kitten, look at each other, then nod. Triple B reaches out a massive paw, and with incredible care pats the kitten on the head. Then, with slightly less care, pats Subject 42 on the head, before padding off.
Subject: Ragh...
Kitten: Mew...
Subject: Ragh...
The sound of something hefty approaching gains his attention and he looks up...
Subject: Ragh!
The camera pans across to show it is Triple B! The bear pulls out his phone, presumably to perform more text to speech, only to discover that his phone's battery has died. He gives the ursine equivalent to a sigh and looks at Subject 42.
Triple B: ~ROAR!~
Subject: Ragh?
Triple B: ~ROAR?~
Subject: RAGH!
Triple B: ~ROAR?!~
Subject: RAGH?!
The two seem to be squaring up, until suddenly...
Kitten: Mew!
The kitten, now perched on Subject 42's shoulder, interjects. The two behemoths stop, look at the kitten, look at each other, then nod. Triple B reaches out a massive paw, and with incredible care pats the kitten on the head. Then, with slightly less care, pats Subject 42 on the head, before padding off.
Subject: Ragh...
Kitten: Mew...
Taylor: Well, we have all twenty of our competitors in this match. This is a reminder to all of those of you at home how this works. One by one, these stars will be eliminated after being thrown over the top rope and both feet hit the ground. That is the only method someone can be eliminated.
Romano: Through the ropes? Still in it. Submission? Doesn’t matter. Pinfall? No one is counting. Disqualification? There IS NONE!!
Taylor: It’s going to be complete anarchy and here’s the opening bell.
DING DING DING
Nineteen sets of eyes immediately went in one direction. There was one of the twenty that stuck out like a sore thumb, and it was the eight-foot tall mammal that was at least five hundred pounds. But Big Bad Bear simply yawns before taking a seat in one of the corners of the ring. He starts to stick one of his claws to get something, possibly salmon, from his teeth.
Romano: He does know the match started, right?
Taylor: Perhaps he is realizing he doesn’t want nineteen people going after him at the beginning.
Romano: Taylor, he’s a WILD ANIMAL!
Taylor: With human intelligence! Either way, Triple B won’t be an issue here at the beginning, and now the chaos begins!
Everyone swiftly finds their respective targets. Xiaolong locks up with Dallas Houston. All three members of the ReVenants begin to gang up on Subject, who seems unfazed by the triple-team. Chris Card quickly knocks down Justin Case with a lariat. Bubby Love tries his hand at fighting Sniper and throws a few elbows. Tommy Strychnine and Roy Harlowe start to exchange lefts and rights in one corner, with the other corner featuring the same thing from Bloodied Fox and Deco. This leaves Vincent Draven to challenge Adam Sanders to stand toe-to-toe with him, which Adam obliges before running into a basement one leg dropkick. Maverick throws Jason Kross towards the ropes, hoping for an elimination, but Kross hangs on to the top rope to keep himself in the match.
Taylor: Which pairing are you keeping your eye on since we have about eight of them going on in the ring, Cassius?
Romano: I’m watching the three guys thinking they are going to do anything about that big freak of nature in Subject #42. Also curious what Rat Bastard is up to.
Taylor: He seems to be watching all the combinations of people attacking one another.
Romano: I think he’s trying to pick and choose the right target.
Rat Bastard makes his choice by hitting a low blow on Vincent Draven, who had his back turned to him. Knowing that he just freed up Adam Sanders, he tosses him in the direction of the ropes, and prepares for a power slam on the rebound, but Sanders holds onto the ropes. Bastard charges in response for a clothesline. Most people would not expect Adam Sanders to have the strength to simply send Rat Bastard to the outside, but he uses Rat’s momentum to toss him to the outside as the first elimination.
Romano: I’m sorry, what?!
Taylor: The two-time X*Crown Champion is the first one gone, eliminated by Adam Sanders!
Jessie Love: RAT BASTARD HAS BEEN ELIMINATED!!
Subject #42 is able to clear the ReVenants off of it with elbow strikes to everything that moves near it, sending Rob Garcia, Keith Williams, and Neo James Carner on their backs and wondering what the hell they’re gonna do to take down the former X*Crown Champion.
Romano: Christ, what the hell is it going to take to do literally anything to that thing?!
Taylor: Clearly not the ReVenants. They might need to direct more people to try to do something about Subject #42.
Romano: Well, the help they are about to get might not be enough.
Xiaolong gives a roaring bicycle kick, but Subject shrugs it off and delivers a kick that sends Xiaolong halfway across the ring. Dallas Houston delivers a running clothesline but ends up on his back after the move. It’s when Jason Kross climbs the top rope, ready to try to do something about Subject taking out all these competitors.
Taylor: Help is on the way!! Here we go!!
Romano: I am not exactly sure this is going to work.
Subject #42 turns around and sees Kross leaping off the top rope for a leaping crossbody, but it catches him with one hand, holding him above its head with one hand and tosses him onto the entrance ramp, eliminating him very easily.
Jessie Love: JASON KROSS HAS BEEN ELIMINATED!!
Taylor: Oh wow. That was… That was something.
Romano: Going into this, I kinda figured the favorites would be Rat or Draven or Card or maybe even Maverick. I don’t know what to think now that we are seeing Subject #42 and Triple B in the ring right now.
Taylor: Well, here comes the calvary.
The combination of Draven, Maverick, the ReVenants, Strychnine, Case, and Sniper finally quell the beast. But Subject doesn’t give them a chance to eliminate it by rolling under the rope and resting on the apron.
Taylor: It took eight men just now to at least take it to the mat. That’s not a good sign for the future of the match as they aren’t going to be able to eliminate it yet.
Romano: And Triple B is now getting up and is ready to fight.
The same eight men look at the rising caniform and shake their head, as if they didn’t want to go back-to-back dealing with Subject #42 then Triple B. The first daring individual to try to challenge the massive carnivore was Bubby Love. A spinning bear fist knocked him off his feet. Roy Harlowe attempts the same thing but finds himself getting the life squeezed out of him with a bear hug until Deco, Houston, and Harlowe. A backhand knocks those three backward. Bubby Love is using the ropes to get back up and someone in the ring saw this as a good way to lower the numbers while everyone was focusing on Triple B.
Taylor: Assassin’s Blade!! And it sent Love out of the ring!!
Romano: You gotta always be paying attention in the ring. You never know when someone is going to take your head off.
Jessie Love: BUBBY LOVE HAS BEEN ELIMINATED!!
Romano: Wait, we might have another one!
As Roy Harlowe, bane of the existence of the ReVenants was doing the same thing Love was doing, Keith Williams takes it upon himself to make sure he wasn’t going far in the match either, clotheslining the Prophet of Misfortune over the top.
Jessie Love: ROY HARLOWE HAS BEEN ELIMINATED!!
Taylor: And with that out of the way, we return you to your regularly scheduled THERE’S A F-ING BEAR IN THE RING!!
After Triple B has knocked Card, Sanders, and Draven off their feet, the equalizer slides back into the ring and looks over at Triple B like a great challenge for him.
Taylor: Well now we have the eight-foot bear versus the seven-foot… whatever Subject #42 is.
Romano: Well this just got interesting. And the other fourteen competitors are just going to let these two duke it out.
Taylor: Might be the best decision for everyone involved, Cassius.
Romano: Let them two wreck each other. I agree, Taylor.
Triple B throws a spinning bear fist at the former X*Crown Champion, only for Subject to block it and deliver a lariat of its own that knocks the grizzly off his feet. Triple B sweeps Subject off his feet with his… hind paws? He starts to do “the Bear” but finds himself being thrown into the corner before he turns around. Subject #42 delivers a furious and quick barrage of strikes to the belly of the giant bear. But that wasn’t the most impressive thing Subject is able to do to the largest competitor in the bout.
Romano: You have got to be kidding me…
Taylor: How though?! That bear weighs God only knows how much?!
Romano: I can’t even wrap my head around what we are seeing.
Taylor: Seeing is believing. But Subject #42 is lifting Triple B in the air.
RAAAAAGH!!!
The fourteen jaws in the ring drop. Triple B himself is in complete shock as Subject #42 tosses him over the ropes, officially eliminating Big Bad Bear from the match.
Jessie Love: TRIPLE B HAS BEEN ELIMINATED!!
Taylor: Well, with that, we are now down a quarter of our competitors.
Romano: 25% are gone. 75% still standing. Though the only one standing strong right now is current favorite to win the whole thing, Subject #42.
All three ReVenants along with Card and Deco charge Subject again and send it into the corner. The combination of the five were able to slam the giant into the center of the match and at least temporarily incapacitate the former X*Crown Champion. Realizing that they have a three-to-two advantage of everyone in the area, Garcia, Williams, and Carner immediately begin attacking Card and Deco: specifically Carner and Williams landing a double suplex on Card while Garcia power slams Deco into the center of the ring.
Romano: The ReVenants reign supreme! Look at them, working like a well oiled machine together!
Taylor: Having three competitors loyal to one another does give them quite an advantage, especially with Subject rolling to the outside for the time being.
Garcia picks his next target and it’s the least surprising of the bunch: Adam Sanders. As Adam tries to fight off Garcia with a few lefts, Carner and Williams makes sure that doesn’t happen with a few strikes of their own on the Awkward One.
Taylor: I guess Garcia and the others aren’t happy about Eddie Walker beating Jeff Noon earlier tonight.
Romano: This is a just act of revenge. Very just.
Taylor: Looks like they’re gonna go for the elimination here!
The three throw Adam to the nearest ropes and go to their next target: Dallas Houston. What they don’t see is Adam survives the elimination attempt by clinging onto the top rope and re-entering the ring. While this is going on, Xiaolong decides that he wants to pick the low hanging fruit by going after the recently powerslamed Deco. Deco gives a swift kick to Xiaolong’s head while still laying on the mat. Deco sweeps the legs of the two-time Phoenix Champion. She comes up with a European uppercut. She delivers a backhand chop to Xiaolong’s chest. She ducks a right from Xiaolong and headbutts him in the chest. This sends Xiaolong back into the ropes.
Taylor: Deco has Xiaolong right where she wants him!
Romano: Don’t let an outsider do this to you, Little Dragon!!
Deco plants her right foot into Xiaolong’s chest, forcing him to topple over the top rope and landing on the outside.
Jessie Love: XIAOLONG HAS BEEN ELIMINATED!!
Deco couldn’t celebrate getting an elimination long before being german suplexed by Neo James Carner. Rob Garcia hits a low blow on Bloodied Fox. Keith Williams does the same for Justin Case. It takes the combination of Tommy Strychnine and Johnny Sniper to hit a double bulldog on Garcia and then working together to hip toss Keith Williams. Vincent Draven takes down NJC with a springboard DDT.
Romano: Ugh, come on, guys!! This was your time to shine!!
Taylor: ReVenants just realized that if you get too much attention at once, your three people might be better than the singularly interested people, but a lot of those can link up to take you down.
Strychnine begins to celebrate dismantling the ReVenants but getting on the turnbuckle and air guitaring.
Taylor: What is he… why is he…?
Romano: What an idiot! And here comes someone to make him pay for his idiocy.
Vincent Draven, clearly annoyed with Tommy air guitaring in the middle of a match with all these competitors, gives him a slight push over the ropes and eliminates him easily.
Jessie Love: TOMMY STRYCHNINE HAS BEEN ELIMINATED!!
Romano: And now, the world has balance. Wait, what’s Adam doing? Wasn’t he eliminated?
Taylor: Nope. He held on to that top rope like his life depended on it.
Sanders, not to be mistaken for his mentor at all, lands a standing dropkick on Rob Garcia as he was getting up, clearly retribution for the elimination attempt from earlier. Vincent Draven lands a running meteora on Carner. Dallas Houston lifts Keith Williams for the Baylor and tries to squeeze the life out of him. Justin Case strikes Chris Card with a praying mantis kick. Johnny Sniper gets a floatover DDT on Maverick. All these pairings going after one another leaves two people in the ring, looking each over and challenging each other in the center of the ring.
Taylor: Ohhh, we got ourselves a striker bout in the middle of the ring.
Romano: Bloodied Fox vs. Deco. This is gonna be some hard hitting right here!
Fox starts off with a roundhouse head kick on Deco. Deco takes the hit as well as anyone could, getting back up with a running elbow strike to Fox’s midsection. She uses the elbow again with a discus back elbow strike, knocking Fox off his feet. Fox gets up, not to be outdone, and leaps at Deco, knocking her down then going crazy with some mounted palm strikes until he is yanked off by someone who wants Fox worse than Deco does.
Taylor: And here comes Maverick. There was a lot of words exchanged between these two leading up to this battle royal.
Romano: I feel like they forgot about the other eighteen combatants in this match a few times. But here they are. They got their hands on one another at last!
Maverick lays out Fox with a spinebuster and locks in an armbar on him after he’s been downed. This wasn’t to get a submission victory but to send a message to the former LGBTKO member. Fox is able to wiggle his way out of it and Maverick delivers a few stomps. He looks ready to toss Fox out of the ring, but Fox lands an elbow, followed by a knee to the midsection of Maverick. He aims his next move to end his run in the match.
Romano: This could be it for Maverick.
Taylor: Belly to belly to the outside. Let’s see if Maverick can do something about it.
There was only one flaw with the United States Champion’s plan to eliminate Maverick from the match: he was tossing Maverick to the outside where Subject #42 was starting to get back to its feet. After Maverick flies over the top rope, Subject instinctively catches him. Thinking Fox was attacking it with Maverick’s body, Subject slams Maverick into the corner and then tosses him back into the ring and hitting Fox with his body.
Taylor: Whoa!! Subject #42 just threw Maverick back at Bloodied Fox.
Romano: Using Maverick as a weapon. Geez!
Taylor: But remember, Maverick’s feet never touched the ground. He wasn’t eliminated.
A few people were distracted from what they were doing after seeing Maverick fly back into the ring. One of those people who got distracted was Dallas Houston, who gave Keith Williams an opening to turn the tables on him. Williams starts off with a snap suplex and follows it up with a jumping piledriver. After dropping the Texan on his head a few times, the Paragon of Sleaze was able to easily toss him over the top.
Romano: Gotta keep paying attention to the whole match, Dallas.
Jessie Love: DALLAS HOUSTON HAS BEEN ELIMINATED!!
Subject #42 re-enters the ring, looking over at Bloodied Fox, who slides out of the ring, wanting no piece of the former X*Crown Champion. Subject almost goes over the top to take chase, but remembers the rules at the last second before it does. He slides under the ropes and runs around the ring to chase Bloodied Fox.
Romano: Bet the other competitors are happy that Fox has Subject’s attention and has it out of the ring.
Taylor: It does seem advantageous for the rest of the match participants. Let’s see who we have remaining.
Romano: Well, obviously Subject and Fox. You also have the Prestige Champion Vincent Draven, all three ReVenants, Deco, Johnny Sniper, Justin Case, Chris Card, Maverick, and Adam Sanders.
Justin Case tries to make a statement as he lands a palm strike on the Awkward One. He roundhouse kicks Vincent Draven and then hits a kitchen sink knee lift on Chris Card.
Romano: Justin Case is knocking down everybody standing!
Taylor: Here come the ReVenants to do something about it. Wait, down goes Neo James Carner with a spinning wheel kick!
Romano: Well, here comes a test for him. Maverick is behind him!
Case turns around and is dropped to the mat by a standing shiranui from other former X*Crown Champion. He leapfrogs and transitions into a bulldog on Case the moment he gets on his knees.
Romano: Well, Maverick is letting him know that he isn’t the Ass Kicker of this millennium.
Taylor: Maverick has Justin Case right where he wants him. Here comes Blood Sacrifice.
The leaping knee strike from Maverick sends Case out of the ring and out of the match.
Jessie Love: JUSTIN CASE HAS BEEN ELIMINATED!!
After Maverick gets that elimination, Rob Garcia gets back to his feet and quickly hits a neckbreaker on Maverick. After a suplex on Draven, he looks up at Adam Sanders and has bad intentions by the look on his face.
Romano: I think we’re about to get our next elimination.
Taylor: I think he’s about to have Neo James Carner give him a hand.
Carner gets up. Rob Garcia holds Sanders still for Carner to charge and strike. The moment NJC goes for the kill, Adam escapes and dives out of the way, causing Neo to collide with Garcia and the end result was not what the ReVenants were hoping for.
Romano: Oh no...
Taylor: Not quite the well oiled machine they were earlier.
Romano: Shut up, Taylor!
Taylor: Well, Neo James Carner just eliminated one of his own. And here comes Fox and Subject #42!
Jessie Love: ROB GARCIA HAS BEEN ELIMINATED!!
Neo James Carner was staring at Rob Garcia on the outside, completely dumbfounded that he just accidentally eliminated his own stablemate. Bloodied Fox, who has a bit of distance between him and Subject, goes for the easy elimination on the former Phoenix Champion and shoves him out the ring.
Jessie Love: NEO JAMES CARNER HAS BEEN ELIMINATED!!
Taylor: Wow, we went from three ReVenants to one REALLY fast.
Romano: I said shut up, Taylor!
Chris Card and Vincent Draven are off on one side of the ring, locked up and having a test of strength. Fox is getting a bit worried as he sees Subject #42 returning to the ring. Keith Williams appears to be upset with Adam in his role with Rob’s elimination, even if it was indirect. Williams hits yet another low blow on Sanders to drop him to his knees.
Taylor: Keith Williams has Adam Sanders down with that low blow.
Romano: Right where Williams wants him!
Taylor: Here comes Subject!!
Romano: Uh oh…
Subject enters the ring with determination. Chris Card, Keith Williams, Bloodied Fox, and Vincent Draven all turn to try to do something about Subject #42. Meanwhile, Deco delivers a crossbody block on Johnny Sniper, dropping him to the mat easily. Sniper gets back to his feet and eats a Tag & Bag from Deco.
Taylor: Deco got her signature move on Johnny. This could be trouble.
Romano: Oh he’s done.
Deco yanks Sniper up by the hair and throws him over the ropes, dropping him onto the mat and out of the match.
Jessie Love: JOHNNY SNIPER HAS BEEN ELIMINATED!!
The attention goes from Deco eliminating Sniper to the mess of people fighting Subject #42. Subject shoves Card off followed by a backfist on Draven. It tosses Williams across the ring before it goes after the man who it chased on the outside earlier.
Taylor: I do not want to be Fox right now.
Romano: I don’t think Fox wants to be Fox right now.
He snatches Fox and performs a brutal looking backbreaker. He prepares to start to perform the face squeeze until the three people he fought off seconds ago are back at it to try to eliminate him once more, this time, delivering strikes in unison. By the time Fox tries to pull himself up from the ropes, Maverick delivers the Assassin’s Blade to Fox to eliminate him from the match.
Taylor:Yikes. Jumping thrust kick. To the head.
Romano: And that’s what Fox gets for getting all the talk he was speaking at Maverick.
Jessie Love: BLOODIED FOX HAS BEEN ELIMINATED!!
Taylor: That’s three eliminations for Maverick! And remember, he was almost eliminated by Fox earlier
Romano: He’s leading the pack right now! Oddly has Subject #42 to thank for that.
Taylor: Well, he might want to help the others get rid of Subject #42.
Romano: Yeahhhhhh, that should be a priority. They only have six others to get rid of that thing.
Eventually, all six competitors begin to try to pull Subject #42 over the ropes, but it is just too strong for the six of them to handle.
Taylor: Chris Card, Keith Williams, Deco, Adam Sanders, Vincent Draven, and Maverick isn’t enough to force it over the ropes to get rid of Subject #42
Romano: They should have banded together when there were more than six of them. So that’s on them. If Subject #42 wins this, that’s their own fault.
Subject yanks Card towards the outside, nearly eliminating Card from the match. After pushing the other five off of him, Subject seems a bit focused on Card. While everyone else recovered, two of the fighters remaining notice each other next to one another, two that clearly are not friends.
Taylor: Adam Sanders and Keith Williams just locked eyes.
Romano: I think Adam just realized he was working with a ReVenant. And Keith just remembered how much he hates Adam Sanders.
The duo began exchanging lefts and rights. Williams is able to get a snap suplex in before Adam could react, but when he attempts to get an Ode to Alex Trebek, Adam doesn’t let him lock in his arms and turns it into a full nelson the other direction. Sanders slams Williams into the turnbuckle with the full nelson still locked in, scoops him up and places him on his shoulders. He doesn’t want to use this move to drill Keith Williams into the mat in the center of the ring, but looks like he’s going to use this move to send him to the outside.
Romano: Oh no… Keith, don’t let him get this move in!!
Taylor: The Dream Breaker!! To the outside of the ring!
Jessie Love: KEITH WILLIAMS HAS BEEN ELIMINATED!!
While things aren’t looking good for Chris Card dealing with Subject #42, Maverick uses a shining wizard to drop Adam Sanders to the mat. Draven turns over to Deco, remembering all the words that she said in his direction leading up to the match. Draven drills a switchblade kick on Deco. Deco, who is clearly not happy with Draven attacking her when she was looking in the direction of Subject #42, drives her forearm into Draven’s skull. But the problem was that her next move was going to be dotHack and Draven didn’t quite stay down when she climbed the top rope.
Romano: Deco, you might wanna abort that plan. Draven sees you as an easy target on that top rope.
Taylor: I think it’s too late!
Vincent Draven pops up and gives Deco a push while she is on the top rope, sending her crashing to the outside.
Jessie Love: DECO HAS BEEN ELIMINATED!!
While Deco is crashing onto the mat, another form of crashing was going on over on the opposite direction as Subject #42 hits Chris Card with a Choke Bomb, which causes Card to roll out the ring. Subject turns back towards the ring and sees three sets of eyes looking at it.
Romano: Subject sees that it has three opponents, all standing in three different directions, eyeing it.
Taylor: Vincent Draven. Maverick. Adam Sanders. They know that they HAVE to get rid of Subject #42 right now.
All three move at once. Draven drops a basement single leg dropkick as Maverick dropkicks the upper body of Subject. Adam continues with a baseball slide kick on Subject’s head on the way down. Subject pushes Maverick away, but Draven and Adam both drive a shoulder into the back of Subject’s knees. Maverick uses this moment to hit a springboard roundhouse kick to the head of Subject #42.
Romano: Is this actually going to work?
Taylor: All they gotta do is get him over the top. Here comes Vincent Draven!
Draven leaps for a jumping knee strike to connect to the upper chest of Subject #42. He uses the momentum to take it down with a spinning neckbreaker. This gives Maverick a chance to land the Irish Destroyer. Not to be left out, Adam keeps the DDTs coming with the Motor City Circuit. Subject has clearly had enough of this and grabs the nearest person to toss across the ring, this time being Maverick. Draven and Adam quickly respond with a double suplex on Subject #42. As Subject gets to its feet, Draven and Adam go for the elimination and start trying to get it over the top rope.
Taylor: Under normal circumstances, I think both of these guys can lift three hundred twenty-five pounds.
Romano: It’s different when you’re talking about something as mysterious as Subject #42 fighting them off.
Subject #42 begins clinging to the rope, knowing what’s going on. Adam and Draven nearly have it eliminated but the final straw is when Maverick sees they almost got it and decides to make his move.
Taylor: Maverick might be the missing piece for this elimination.
Romano: Are they finally going to get Subject #42 eliminated?!
Maverick aims and fires off the Iconkick on Subject #42’s head, which had enough to make Subject let go and drop to the mat outside.
Romano: Holy shit, they did it!
Taylor: The combination of Maverick, Vincent Draven, and Adam Sanders was able to eliminate Subject #42!! That’s now three solo and one assisted eliminations for Maverick, but Adam and Draven are only one behind him.
Jessie Love: SUBJECT #42 HAS BEEN ELIMINATED!!
The trio both look down at Subject on the outside of the ring but then immediately at each other. Draven looks over at Maverick then Sanders. Sanders looks at Draven then Maverick. Maverick looks at Sanders then Draven. Maverick fires off another Iconkick towards Draven, but the Prestige Champion avoids the kick. To show he has a superkick in his arsenal as well, Sanders lands a Lightning Strike on Maverick. Shortly after the kick connects, Adam turns around and finds himself succumbing to a lungblower from the Champion.
Romano: All three are gunning for one another.
Taylor: Draven is able to survive this first round of moves. It looks like he’s going for who he deems a bigger threat: Maverick.
Draven lands a soccer kick on the downed Maverick. With both opponents down safely, he climbs the top rope and leaps off the top rope for the Diabolus ex Machina. He pulls himself up and waits for Maverick to get back to his feet.
Romano: Draven wants to go for the kill here!
Taylor: Looks like it. He’s measuring up Maverick!
Draven grabs Maverick from behind once he is up enough and drops him with a Saito suplex. He grips Maverick with a sleeper before doing the second suplex in his sequence. Most people know what the third one is, and Draven makes sure his back is on the ropes as he grips the half-nelson on Maverick.
Romano: He gonna send Maverick flying with this move!
Taylor: Here comes the Vamplex!!
As Romano said, the intent of this move was to send Maverick flying. And once he releases the suplex, he does fly right over the top rope and lands on the mat on the outside of the ring.
Jessie Love: MAVERICK HAS BEEN ELIMINATED!!
Taylor: After all the chaos and anarchy earlier, only two are in the ring.
Vincent Draven looks over at Adam Sanders, who is now back on his feet. A good lip reader can see the Prince of Darkness telling the Awkward One that it’s just the two of them now. Sanders simply nods his head before charging with a clothesline that catches Draven by surprise. Draven pops back up and counters the front kick with a dragon screw, sending Sanders to the mat. He lifts him up into a reverse DDT to assert control of the match.
Taylor: The Prestige Champion is trying to show the young underdog just what Prestige level competition can be.
Romano: Vincent Draven is on another level.
Draven begins to lock Adam’s arm over his neck to try to go for the twisting brainbuster, but Adam is able to counter with a snap suplex. Draven pops back up and runs at Sanders, but Sanders drives him into the mat with a spinebuster. Sanders runs at Draven’s downed body and lands a running leg drop on the Undying.
Romano: Well damn. Adam Sanders is making this a fight.
Taylor: I think Adam wants to go for an elimination with this move right here. He wants the Nerd Out. He can do a powerbomb over the ropes.
Romano: I think that’s where his head is at too.
Sanders lifts Vincent Draven into the powerbomb position, but Draven has other plans…
Romano: Draven doesn’t want him to get this powerbomb.
Taylor: Lots of lefts and rights from the champion.
Romano: Oh, he’s shifted his position. I think this Poison Rana time!!
As Romano predicted, after Draven moved over to behind Adam’s head, he drilled the Awkward One’s head into the mat with the Poison Rana. Both men stay down for a moment. Exhaustion after surviving all the prior eliminations and competitors has taken a toll on the two wrestlers.
Romano: Man, they are giving this match everything they’ve got
Taylor: Both men survived the likes of Subject #42 and worked together to get rid of him. Draven eliminated Deco, Tommy Strychnine, and Maverick. Adam eliminated Keith Williams and Rat Bastard.
Romano: Not to mention, I don’t think either man enjoyed fighting Triple B.
Draven was the first one to his feet as the executor of the last attack. Adam starts to pull himself up shortly after Draven. Vincent starts to show off his fangs towards Sanders. Sanders replies with a blank stare with intermittent blinking.
Romano: Ha! He’s doing the face from his GIF!!
Draven ducks a clothesline attempt but Adam is able to deliver an elbow when Draven goes for the german suplex. Adam swiftly goes for the suplex to land the “This is Awkward” to take the fight out of Draven, but Draven wiggles free, getting a pele kick on the way down. Draven tries to get Adam into a fireman’s carry to get the Carpe Noctem, but Adam hits an axe handle smash on Draven’s back to avoid being a victim of that finisher.
Taylor: Both are going for finishers but just barely avoiding it.
Romano: They want that knockout punch so they won’t fight being toppled over the top. Both men are deceptively strong for their size.
Draven goes for the Vampire Bite, but gets a palm strike to his jaw for his trouble. Draven pops back up and goes back down from an armdrag. Draven starts to get a bit desperate and springboards for a meteora on Sanders, but that’s a move that Adam has seen enough times to get a counter for the move.
Taylor: Adam caught the meteora?!
Romano: Oh no… Draven is in trouble!!
Adam’s catch of Draven ends up with the Prestige Champion on his shoulders, in prime position for a powerbomb. An elevated one, even…
Taylor: Here comes the Nerd Out!!
Romano: He’s aiming to make this land out of the ring!!
Taylor: This could be it for Draven! Adam Sanders, can he get the upset?!
Romano: I can’t believe my eyes!
Sanders elevates Draven and drops him outside the ring before collapsing near the ropes. Draven crashes, just missing the barricade. Sanders looks on, completely stunned that he pulled this off.
Taylor: Holy shit, Adam Sanders did it!!
Romano: He can’t even believe it!!
Jessie Love: VINCENT DRAVEN HAS BEEN ELIMINATED!!
Adam Sanders remains on his knees for a moment, eventually using the ropes to pull himself back up. The expression of glee and pride start to beam over his face. The underdog was able to shock the world. Until…
Taylor: Wait… Adam, turn around!!
Romano: Chis Card was never eliminated!! Adam doesn’t know he’s behind him!!
Card slides into the ring and gives Adam a quick push over the ropes, sending the man who thought he just won the whole event over the ropes and out of the ring. The bell rings to signal the end of the match.
DING DING DING
Jessie Love: ADAM SANDERS HAS BEEN ELIMINATED!! Here is your winner of the 2020 Fired Up Free-For-All… CHRIS CARD!!
The two different versions of a stunned expressions have been portrayed over the face of Adam Sanders over the course of a minute. Chris Card smiles while pointing at his head and enjoys the center stage after winning the match. Celldweller gives him the perfect soundtrack to his celebration in the ring.
Card, victorious and looking incredibly relaxed, largely due to the manner of his victory, carefully slides out of the ring and walk confidently towards the commentary table. He picks up a bottle of antibacterial handwash, produces one of his limited edition facemasks and, after making sure he's thoroughly disinfected it, puts on one of the spare commentary headsets.
Taylor: It looks like Chris Card has something to say to us after that victory.
Romano: Evening Chris.
Chris Card: Evening Cassius, Tommy. Stunning victory don't you think?
Taylor: You slipped out of the match and came back in at the end.
Taylor's voice is kind of strained.
Chris Card: I know, right? If I'd have stayed in the ring through the whole match someone would have eliminated me. So I didn't.
Romano: That's a big brain play right there.
Chris Card: Well, I'm going to answer something that Vincent Draven raised. Why do I have to always be the smartest guy in the room? Well I might not always be the smartest guy in the room. But I am very...
Taylor: It looks like Chris Card has something to say to us after that victory.
Romano: Evening Chris.
Chris Card: Evening Cassius, Tommy. Stunning victory don't you think?
Taylor: You slipped out of the match and came back in at the end.
Taylor's voice is kind of strained.
Chris Card: I know, right? If I'd have stayed in the ring through the whole match someone would have eliminated me. So I didn't.
Romano: That's a big brain play right there.
Chris Card: Well, I'm going to answer something that Vincent Draven raised. Why do I have to always be the smartest guy in the room? Well I might not always be the smartest guy in the room. But I am very...
Romano: VERY...
Chris Card: Intelligent. And, well I think I just proved it.
Romano: Not for the first time.
Chris Card: And not for the last.
Taylor: So, now you have won the Fired Up Preview Battle Royale, do you know who you're going to choose as your partner?
Chris Card: Look, it was a tough decision but one I made before even entering the match. I'm a planner, you understand, so I had to make plans for the contingency of me winning. So I made a couple of calls, both metaphorical and literal. Obviously I'd have preferred to have Cross Recoba as my partner or Dakota Jennings, who he vouches for most strongly. But they're off doing business things, discussions of which have no place on a wrestling program. I thought about Seth whose skill is pretty unbelievable and his recently moral qualms-ectomy has, as I have told him repeatedly, boosted his game to the next level. I thought about Vincent Draven, the champion but, no, that would be have been too obvious. I'm sure we'll cross paths in the future. But I had a revelation. I knew what I needed. What could give me that edge against anyone we get paired against.
Taylor: Which is?
Chris Card: I am a better technical wrestler than anyone in that locker room. I will do whatever it takes to win, you know that.
Romano: You have a habit of proving that.
Chris Card: What I lack, and I freely admit this, is strength. I need someone with the unyielding tenacity to shake off any level of pain. I need someone who can snap necks with a mere thought. I can out wrestle anyone. But I need a stone cold death machine to compliment my sublime skills. But I also need someone who I understand. And I looked up and down that locker room and there's no man that fits my precise specifications.
The ring slowly begin to fill with smoke, billowing from some unseen source. It fills the ringside area, obscuring the view of the ring...
The smoke clears slowly. The camera shows the knee length leather boots with the killer heels on them. The jet black leather pants. The figure hugging purple corset, cleavage spilling out from the top. The crow feather cape. The thick bands of facepaint marking across the eyeline...
Chris Card: Gentlemen, why choose the lesser of two evils?
Natasha laughs.
Fade out to the AWF logo.
Romano: Not for the first time.
Chris Card: And not for the last.
Taylor: So, now you have won the Fired Up Preview Battle Royale, do you know who you're going to choose as your partner?
Chris Card: Look, it was a tough decision but one I made before even entering the match. I'm a planner, you understand, so I had to make plans for the contingency of me winning. So I made a couple of calls, both metaphorical and literal. Obviously I'd have preferred to have Cross Recoba as my partner or Dakota Jennings, who he vouches for most strongly. But they're off doing business things, discussions of which have no place on a wrestling program. I thought about Seth whose skill is pretty unbelievable and his recently moral qualms-ectomy has, as I have told him repeatedly, boosted his game to the next level. I thought about Vincent Draven, the champion but, no, that would be have been too obvious. I'm sure we'll cross paths in the future. But I had a revelation. I knew what I needed. What could give me that edge against anyone we get paired against.
Taylor: Which is?
Chris Card: I am a better technical wrestler than anyone in that locker room. I will do whatever it takes to win, you know that.
Romano: You have a habit of proving that.
Chris Card: What I lack, and I freely admit this, is strength. I need someone with the unyielding tenacity to shake off any level of pain. I need someone who can snap necks with a mere thought. I can out wrestle anyone. But I need a stone cold death machine to compliment my sublime skills. But I also need someone who I understand. And I looked up and down that locker room and there's no man that fits my precise specifications.
The ring slowly begin to fill with smoke, billowing from some unseen source. It fills the ringside area, obscuring the view of the ring...
The smoke clears slowly. The camera shows the knee length leather boots with the killer heels on them. The jet black leather pants. The figure hugging purple corset, cleavage spilling out from the top. The crow feather cape. The thick bands of facepaint marking across the eyeline...
Chris Card: Gentlemen, why choose the lesser of two evils?
Natasha laughs.
Fade out to the AWF logo.