NLW Masquerade | Saturday, February 20th, 2021 | LIVE

[Robbie A]

---

Next Level Wrestling Presents



LIVE from the Avron B Fogelman Arena in New Orleans, Louisiana
Saturday, 20th February, 2021

---

We cold open (because it's snowing and also the open of the show ha! ps. Fuck Mongo) in The Greatest City In The World New York City, Brooklyn borough for you narcs. We can hear "New York State Of Mind" by Nas playing in the background, almost as if the city itself is playing it as a soundtrack. We pan across some Brownstones to see David and Ricardo Goon hanging out on the stoop. Ric sitting on the 4th step up with a Newport in hand, David standing on the sidewalk half leaning on the black metal fence, both dressed in winter jackets and hoodies.

David: "Bro it's cold as fuck you gunna finish that shit up or what?"

Ric: "Mang shut the fuck up you weren't complaining a lil while ago when you was puffin on ya Owl."

David: "I've been done with that for a hot minute now dawg, that's like ya fourth one."

Just then David's phone starts to ring and he looks at it, slightly confused, Ric tilts his head.

David: "Private Number..." he answers. "New number who dis?....Yeah I've heard of you....Of course we are always for hire, if you got our fee..."

Ric makes a motion like who the fuck? David just waves him off getting super serious.

David: "I mean yeah we can keep this private under Goon-Client Privilege but we are going to need a small what's they called... for like lawyers?"

Ric: "RETAINER FEE!"

David: "Yeah yeah that, I ain't never been dumb enough get caught to need one, yeah anyways. Put us on retainer and no one needs to know shit....Wait word?"

David snaps his fingers at Ric makes a hand motions of counting money then points at Ric's phone.

David: "BancoDateprisaahora"

Ric looks at his phone, his eyes go wide and he holds it up for David to see.

David: "Congrats' on your new Goons, how may we be of service?....Yeah....I see...fo'sure we can do that....shit that also... Now,I wont say we'd do that for free, but we'll highly enjoy doing it while you pay us to do it FOR sure....'ight sounds good...yeah I get it 'you'll contact us', this ain't our first rodeo homes."

Ric: "I ain't going to the rodeo naw fuck that, horses are fucking evil yo. Their eyes, they are haunted, all of em..."

David just looks at Ric like what the fuck is wrong with you and then he hangs up the phone with a "Yeah Till'den."

Ric: "So, who dat'be?"

David shakes his head.

David: "Naw can't say, you done heard the conversation, Goon-Client Privilege"

Ric: "IMMAFUCKINGOON!?"

David: "Tranquilo, you're a Goon on a need to know basis and you don't need to know."

Ric taking a long pull off his Newport before tossing it into a soda pop bottle.

Ric: "Shit true, all I want to know was those zeros, so what do I need to know?"

David: "Pack your bags bro because we heading down to NOLA, and as far as what we doin? Well shit, The Goons are finally going Next Level."

Ric: "AWWW SHITLETGETIT[UNINTELLIGIBLESPANGLISH] BrRrR" and he hauls ass up the stairs slipping on some ice before shoulder tackling the door open, while David just casually makes his way up and in while shaking his head.

---

The broadcast in the arena starts and the crowd are electric! This is NLW Masquerade! The camera pans around the Avron B Fogelman Arena before heading to the announce desk.

Dan Simmons: Ladies and gentleman, there may be no Mardi Gras but there will still be a Masquerade this year! Welcome to NLW, I am Deep South Dan Simmons and I’m here with my broadcast partner, Tommy West. How are you feeling tonight Tommy?

Tommy West: Oh Simmo I’m feeling great, and why wouldn’t I be? BB Gunn has put together a show that’s gonna be tastier than a King Cake!

Dan Simmons: That’s a damn high bar, but I’m tempted to agree with you! Ladies and gentleman we have both our titles on the line tonight, Frank Dylan James defends the Southern States Title against Nathan Parker, and in the main event, Leon Chant watches his NLW Heavyweight Title get placed high above the ring and he’ll have to retrieve it before one of Eli Dresden, Al Jabroni or Takuma Okazaki get their first, that’s right, it’s a ladder match folks!

Tommy West: We’ve got ladders, we’ve also got tables! Rebecca Brookes, The Prick and Mystique are in an elimination tables match, winner gets to pick which title they get a shot at on Ascendancy XI in four weeks’ time!

Dan Simmons: No rest for the two title winners! That’s what it means to be a champion here! We’ve also got “The StormCrow” Tommy Kelly in action once again, he’s taking on Big Bone in singles competition, and coming up next we have what I suspect will be an ill-tempered affair between The Aged Killers, who came in to make a statement, they’re facing the self anointed NLW Tag Team Champions, The New South.

Tommy West: And the best part is we don’t have to wait for that one, they’re on now!

---

Lights go out in the arena. A single spotlight shines on the top of the entrance ramp where Jolene stands in a purple, green and yellow Mardi Gras themed dress. She smugly looks around at the audience then speaks in to the mic.

Jolene: Your NLW Tag Team champions, the New South.

The lights slowly fade up. A single harmonica cord floats through the arena then trails off followed by “Graveyard Blues” by John Lee Hooker. The New South appear behind Jolene - Beau dressed in Mardi Gras themed skeleton tights and Waylon wearing priest robes over his ring attire and an ashen cross on his forehead. Both men hold their homemade titles, dragging them behind them. As the song plays, the trio make their way to the ring, sliding in once they arrive. The lights come up more as the New South hold their titles skyward and the crowd boos them. Waylon throws his robes towards the audience as they prepare for their opponents.

Dan Simmons: Well partner, official or not, The New South are our NLW Tag Team Champions!

Tommy West: I love these guys, will to take everything that's put out in front of them, even a title that doesn't exist! You have to respect that desire!

The heavy beats of "No Love" by Death Grips hits the speakers as the house lights shine down to the drumming beat over the speakers. Flashes of Jason Long and James Raymond with their respective singles championship gold appears on the Tron with each beat that passes.

"How the trip
Never stops
On and on
It's beyond insane
Why I set
Myself up
In a raging sea of flames?"

The instrumental pours through the P.A. System as the lights come to life and flash down onto the stage, the New Age Killers logo filling the Tron as fans within the arena bang their heads to the beat of the song. The house light spiraled around the arena as the Tron flashes the team work of both Jason Long and James Raymond as a team.

"You're fit ta learn the proper meaning of a beatdown
Madness chaos in the brain
Let my blood flow, make my blood flow through you mane
You got no business questioning a thang"

Once the lyrics hit the speakers, the curtain flies open and The New Age Killers slowly walkthrough, making their presence known with each step they take before stopping at the top of the ramp and looking out to the sold-out arena in front of them. Jason looks out to the crowd, James crouches down and brushes his hand along the steel floor below. Jason taps James on the shoulder as he rises up to his feet and they both look at one another, smiling before looking out to the crowd once more.

“Never not on it, leanin' so hard you're ashamed
You can't dismiss this sick transmission huffs your brain
Exhale your will and forget I ever knew you
Fuck do you do?
Fuck a man wit hips for hulu”

They soon fist bump and make their way down to the ring, sliding under the bottom rope and leaping up onto the turnbuckles, on opposite sides of one another, as they stand there and soak in the crowd’s positive reactions for both men. They both drop down from the ropes and stand in their respected corner, waiting for their challengers to enter the arena/staring down their opponents with a dead serious look to their eyes.

Dan Simmons: Another big event, and another coup for NLW, the man formally known as Maverick, former X*Crown champion is here with his partner, James Raymond, and they're here to test NLW's fast growing tag division!

Tommy West: I think they'll be pleasantly surprised, The Academy barely got past these guys, barely!

---

MATCH ONE
The New South vs The New Age Killers

---

All four men stand in the ring and both teams discuss a final plan off attack before the referee gets this match underway.

Dan Simmons: Looks like James Raymond and Waylon Kirk are going to start the match out in the ring, but keep in mind that this is now a tornado tag team match so partners may interchange at any time without tagging.

Tommy West: Doesn’t that just mean that all four can be in the ring at the same time?

Dan Simmons: I suppose since it’s also no disqualification that that’s exactly what it means, but let’s hope that they keep it to two men in the ring at a time.

Tommy West: Lazy writing.

Dan Simmons: What?

Tommy West: Nothing.

As the bell sounds to start the match, Waylon Kirk and James Raymond begin circling around one another while looking for the opening by which to strike. Waylon locks James in a collar-elbow tie-up. They go back and forth for a few seconds before James breaks out of the hold by sending Waylon into the ropes.

James meets Waylon on the rebound with a bicycle kick that sends Waylon to the mat. James puts a knee to Waylon’s chest and begins pounding on him with his fists. At least he does so until Beau Traywick rushes into the ring and hits a knee lift to knock James away from Waylon. This prompts Jason Long to run into the ring and knock Beau on the mat with an uppercut.

Waylon gets to his feet and grabs the rising James to hit an Alabama slammer while Jason drills the rising Beau with a palm strike to the side of the head. Waylon grabs Jason from behind and whips him into the ropes, hitting a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker! Beau and James get up and immediately begin exchanging punches.

Waylon grabs Jason with a side headlock, bringing him down to the mat while cranking on the pressure. Beau nails a heart punch that staggers James back to the ropes where Beau follows this up with a tiger feint kick that sends James to the mat.

Tommy West: See? This is what I expected. Total freaking chaos.

Dan Simmons: The ref has no idea where to look right now with so much going on in the ring.

Tommy West: Well given that it’s no DQ, all he has to do is count a damn pinfall!

Waylon breaks the headlock, pulling Jason to his feet. He knees Jason to the gut and goes for a full nelson, but Jason elbows his way out of it. Jason nails a spinning back kick that sends Waylon to the mat. James lunges to his feet, grabbing Beau with a fireman’s carry, and promptly dumps him over the top rope.

Jason drills Waylon with an overhead kick before pulling him up from the mat. Wanting to showcase some of their teamwork, the New Age Killers whip Waylon to the ropes and he runs into a perfectly timed stereo dropkick. James goes to the top rope while Jason goes through the process of getting Waylon into position for the Metzler driver. James leaps off of the top rope with a shooting star press while helping spike Waylon into the mat.

Jason goes for the pinfall while James holds down Waylon’s shoulders as well.

One….
Two…..
Beau drags James out of the ring so that Waylon can kick out.

James and Beau start trading rights, and the former gets a bit of an advantage, backing Traywick up to the announce table where he then grabs him by the back of the head and slams it onto the desk. This gets the attention of The New South’s manager, Jolene, who begins to start screaming at Raymond to show her team some respect. James turns around and approaches the southern belle, telling her to back off, but this is enough of a distraction to allow Beau back to his feet, sneak up on his foe and launch him with a release German Suplex.

Dan Simmons: As if the New Age Killers had enough to deal with, that was a great reminder that Jolene makes this almost a handicap match!

Beau picks James up and sends him headfirst into the ring steps, demolishing them. Jason pulls Waylon up and goes for a roundhouse kick, but Waylon ducks under the kick and pulls Jason’s other leg out from under him.

Beau slides in a steel chair and as Jason sits up, Waylon cracks him full in the face with the chair. Jason drops back to the mat while Beau slides into the ring. Waylon pulls Jason to his feet where he begins punching at Waylon and Beau to keep them at bay. The New South look to halt the comeback with a double clothesline, but Long is smart enough to roll under and grabs the chair they had disregarded. He throws it in the face of Beau Traywick which sends him flying, and quickly boots Waylon Kirk in the gut and drops him with a DDT.

Dan Simmons: Jason Long has been doing this long enough to know how to get himself out of trouble in these situations, especially if there’s no rules!

Jason glances to where James is to see if he has recovered enough to come back to the ring. Thing is, James Raymond is preoccupied, and not by either member of The New South.

Dan Simmons: Hang on a minute? Who’s that, folks, somebody is out here attacking James Raymond!

The camera swings around to reveal that the attackers are David and Ricardo Goon, and they are mauling Raymond.

Tommy West: That’s The Goons, Simmo! They’re here tonight and making themselves known! Things are about to become interesting!

Having thrown him to the floor and thrown punch after punch to Raymond, The Goons begin stomping on him until they’re satisfied they’ve done enough damage. They start to walk away but get only a few steps, David laughs and gives Ricardo an instruction and hops onto the ring steps, Ricardo then drags Raymond to his feet and fakes an Irish whip and brings James back towards him, and performs a pop-up powerbomb while David hits a blockbuster, laying James out on the concrete floor.

Dan Simmons: I almost don’t know what to say partner, The Goons are assaulting James Raymond with no inch of remorse!

Tommy West: That’s what making a statement looks like!

The distraction is enough that Jason turns back to find The New South waiting and they hit a double spinebuster.

Dan Simmons: Jason Long’s in trouble here, his tag partner’s been taken out and the sharks have circled on him! Look out here, I think they’re looking to hit BBQ!

Waylon indeed is calling for the Big, Bad and Quick, and gets Jason into a piledriver position while Beau takes a step back before delivering a superkick while Waylon does a sit-out piledriver.

Tommy West: Goodnight!

Both of The New South pile on for the pinfall.

One…
Two…

…Three!

[Winners: The New South via BBQ at 08:11]

Even as the ref slaps his hand to the mat for the third time, Ricardo and David Goon slide into the ring with steel chairs that they use to attack Beau and Waylon, smashing them in the back. David aims a kick at Jason, hitting him in the mouth to send blood and spittle flying across the mat.

Dan Simmons: Oh my days! It looks like The goons aren’t satisfied with costing The New Age Killers the match!

Tommy West: Apparently not, Simmo, this is a statement for the whole of NLW, The goons don’t care who you are, they’ll beat you down! Love how ruthless they’re looking to be!

David and Ricardo Goon hold their chairs up in the air to the booing fans, everyone else down. Slowly, Waylon Kirk is trying to get back to his feet and offer some resistance. The Goons spot this and laugh, tossing the chairs away and stalking the New South member.

Dan Simmons: This is going too far, come on get security down here before they do some permanent damage!

Kirk stumbles up and is met with a Yakuza kick from David that directs him into a dragon sleeper from Ricardo, who springs back up after executing the move and slaps his brother on the chest. They take in the destruction once more before nodding to each other, deciding now is the time to leave. Ignoring the boos from the crowd, they leave the ring to head to the back.

---

As the opening chords of RATM hits the speakers, the fans cheer for the fan favourite as he makes his way to the stage. Lights circle the stage marking his appearance, complete with a bottle of Jack Daniels in his hand. He pauses on stage, raises the bottle to the fans to much cheers, and the StormCrow takes a swig before making his way down the ramp.

Dan Simmons: This should be an interesting match, Tommy! Two weeks ago Tommy Kelly made his debut in...strange conditions, but I think Big Bone will provide a different sort of test!

He circles the ring clockwise making sure to pay service to those at ringside, before topping on the southside and climbing the apron. Turning back to face the camera, he takes another swig of the booze, gives the camera a wink and sprays the drink into the air, ala Triple H.

Tommy West: He better do, Simmmo, the amount of attemps to urinate on other human beings was...well it was just werid man.

He climbs in through the ropes and finds his corner, removing his denim jacket and other paraphernalia before the match begins.

Bonetrousle hits and the fans go wild as Big Bone makes his way out, showing off his funky dance moves as he heads down the ramp. Mono Despiadado follows, shaking his head disapprovingly at such antics.

Dan Simmons: Big Bone said he needed a few weeks after Joe Blow cost him and Rebecca Brookes a chance at Leon Chant, he get's the chance to get back on track against a man with plenty of accolades from his time in AXW and AWF.

---

MATCH TWO
"The StormCrow" Tommy Kelly vs Big Bone

---

Big Bone & the StormCrow meet each other in the middle of the ring, circling before Big Bone stops and extends his hand for a handshake.

Dan Simmons: This is great, you love to see sportsmanship like this.

Just then Mono Despiadado jumps up and down on the apron catching Big Bone’s attention who has a look on his face (mask?) of realization and takes a cheap kick to Tommy Kelly’s midsection.

Tommy West: Well so much for sportsmanship. You know, I think there’s a joke to be made here about which bag of bones comes out on top tonight.

Dan Simmons: Yeah, and are you going to make it?

Tommy West: I don’t want to insult our audience’s intelligence, I think they can put it together.

Inside the ring, Big Bone is in control of things. He’s got Tommy Kelly in a side headlock.

Tommy West: Kelly backs in to the ropes and sends Big Bone running across the ring. He tries to hit a clothesline and Big Bone ducks under.

Dan Simmons: This is where Big Bone will surprise you, he’s surprisingly nimble.

On queue, Big Bone responds with a running dropkick. Caught off guard, Tommy Kelly rolls out of the ring to get his bearings. He sees Mono on the outside who mocks him by making faces.

Tommy West: Kelly kicks in the direction of Mono.

Dan Simmons: I don’t blame him, the only thing left from Mono was to fling crap at…

Tommy West: Holy moly! Big Bone with the tope suicida out of nowhere!

Big Bone picks himself off the floor and does a cartwheel to the admiration of those in the front row. Mono begins jumping and shrieking, snapping out of it.
Big Bone picks up the StormCrow and rolls him back in to the ring. He climbs to the top rope.

Tommy West: Looks like Big Bone is wanting to fly. He dives off the top and Tommy Kelly rolls out of the way.

Dan Simmons: And Kelly looks to take advantage with a pin attempt.

Big Bone kicks out at two. Tommy Kelly slowly gets to his feet and is met with a schoolboy pin from Big Bone.

Dan Simmons: Veteran move by Kelly, he’s able to roll out of it at one.

Tommy West: Big Bone is right on him. He’s got Kelly by his index and middle finger.

In the ring, Tommy Kelly seems to plead with Big Bone not to do it but looking to his monkey amigo, Big Bone pulls off a Wishbone (finger snap) on Kelly.

Dan Simmons: I think I heard a snap, I’m going to be sick.

Kelly rolls to the corner grabbing his hand and being looked at by the ref. You can see the ref asking if wants to call the match off.

Tommy Kelly: Fuck no!

Mono has jumped on to the apron and Big Bone has picked him up. Tommy has got to his feet and Big Bone throws Mono at him (Monkeybone). In one swift motion, Tommy Kelly catches Mono, spins and throws him in to the crowd. The ref runs to the ropes to see where the monkey has landed. Big Bone is clearly shocked and runs to look at the ropes as well.

Kelly sneaks up behind him and turns his mask around so Big Bone can’t see in front of him. He spins around blindly and while the ref isn’t looking, Kelly punts Big Bone square in the huevos. Big Bone drops to the mat in pain.

Dan Simmons: Dirty but that’s a smart move.

Tommy West: I’d argue that a kick in the dick is no dirtier than throwing a monkey at your opponent.

Dan Simmons: Partner, I can’t argue that.

In the ring, the referee has turned around to find that Kelly has dragged Big Bone back to his feet and nails him with an Omega Driver.

Dan Simmons: Death Becomes You! This one's over!

He makes the cover and the referee counts one...two...three!

[Winner: "The StormCrow" Tommy Kelly Via Death Becomes You at 07:12]

---

Finding ourselves backstage at Masquerade, we’re met with The King himself walking through the halls of the venue as he seemed to have been out of breath after his hard-fought match against The New South. There is no James Raymond to accompany him, nor is there Rebecca Brookes, as she prepared for her match to take place in just a short amount of time. After being checked up by the on-site medical staff, Jason soon made his way to the locker room in order to dress himself to head out of the building and out of his ring gear. Jason is just about there, reaching for the locker room door when all of a sudden-

Cuh-RACK!

The sudden sound of a slap across his behind startled Jason, making him jump before he turned around to find Eli Dresden right behind him. Dressed to compete and with her trident in hand, an impish grin graces Eli’s lips as she holds up what her target was all along. When Jason jumped, after all, those trademark shades of his were jostled off his face… and right into her grasp.

Dresden: Thanks, slut. Appreciate ya.

And with that, the blond puts those sunglasses on herself and struts right on out of the shot. Jason is… just shooked. Standing there like a mannequin before coming back to life and realising what had just happened before his very eyes, and speaking of eyes, as he reached up to make sure his shades had not fallen off- the sudden realisation came to be. His signature neon shades of his was gone, and checking the floor came up with no results… until he lifted his head up and watched Eli just walk away with his shades stuck to her head.

Long: Oh for fuck sake.

Jason was almost sprinting down the hallway, trying to catch up with Eli but also trying not to bump into her and make that trident fall down on top of him. He caught up with her, tapping his index finger on her right shoulder, to which she slowly turned around- shades lighting up in every color of the rainbow there could be. Her grin is just as present as before, whereas Jason was somewhat confused but also a bit annoyed with the fact his signature shades was stolen from him.

Long: So uh…

He quickly pointed right at her face, directly at the shades.

Long: Those are mine.

To her credit, Eli doesn’t flinch when she’s pointed at like that. If anything, her grin grows all the more mischievous, amusement bright in her tone as she shakes her head in disagreement.

Dresden: They were yours, slut. Now they’re mine.

Using the middle finger of her free hand, she lightly tugged those multi-colored glowing shades down just enough to peer over the tops of them.

Dresden: They look better on me, doncha’ think?

Oh yes… the lion, the witch, and the audacity of this bitch.

Long: Quite frankly, yes, they do. Though, I would have preferred if you just asked.

Jason couldn’t be angry at Eli for much longer, he respected the swag to her step as she walked with those shades resting on her face.

Long: So… when am I getting those back?

Dresden: When you beat me for’em.

A pause; her expression goes contemplative as she tilted her head to one side.

Dresden: Or when you buy me a nice dinner. One or the other.

Long: I would totally buy you a nice dinner…

Looking over his shoulders, as if making sure the coast was clear of something.

Long: ...but I’ve got someone in that locker room waiting for me and if I had said yes to that, then she’d probably kill me- and I’m already worn the fuck out after tonight.

Dresden nods, taking that rejection--such as it is--in stride.

Dresden: Then it looks like it’s the former, then… so if I were you? I’d find a new trademark accessory. Maybe you ought to get one of those light-up pacifiers ravers used to rock--ooh, or maybe you ought to get a sparkly pink pleather harness! I mean, you already do the whole Coachella thing anyway. You may as well go full bore into it.

It became clear to Jason… Eli was a little shit.

Long: You know what? Fine, that’s fine by me. You can have the shades. I’m sure there’s others that I could buy myself. And maybe I’ll take up that suggestion about the harness, in the near future of course, but you have fun with my shades… just don’t forget where you got them. Okay?

Eli’s grin softened a little, shifting toward a pleased smile as she used her pointer finger to shove those pilfered shades back up into place.

Dresden: ‘kay, slut.

A good game kind of butt pat and off Eli goes, whistling a jaunty little tune to herself.

Long: ...god almighty, I wish I could have hated being called a slut.

And with that, Jason slowly turned around to head back to the locker room as we fade back to ringside for our next match.

---

"Innervision" by System of a Down plays, and The Prick slowly walks out onto the stage, a menacing look in his eyes.

Tommy West: Here he is Simmo, my pick for this match. Since The Prick has been in charge, I've loved this side of him, I'd even go so far to say if he came along earlier then he'd still be Heavyweight Champion right now!

The Prick ignores the fans in attendance and slinks down to the ring, rolling under the bottom rope.

Dan Simmons: Well that will remain to be seen partner, but I have to agree, this side of him is impressive.

"Killer
Yeah, it's crazy, I'm a (killer)
Made all this money from doin' this
D.A. got that dope"

The beats of “Killer” begins to play throughout the arena as the house lights shine down a blue hue, circling around the arena and the stage. Soon comes the OWA Goddesses Champion standing front and center of the stage, the championship resting tightly around her waist as she looks around the arena with a smile on her face.

"I made it grip, I know it's tough to grasp, get the bag
Call it potato chips, I stuff in duffel bags
On some public transportation shit, 'cause I will bust your ass
Fuck the chain, I'm off the trailer hitch, I got a bunch of swag"

Rebecca looks around the arena before she slowly twirls around on the top of the ramp, showing off the sparkling gems within her ring jacket and the shine to the white gold of the OWA Goddesses Championship upon its scarlet red strap. Rebecca takes one final deep breath before she could make her charge to the ring, high fiving every fan that she passes and hugging the children that reach out to her.

“Now count it, five, ten, yeah, fifteen, twenty
Twenty-five, thirty, yeah, get the money
Throw it in the furnace, yeah, this shit be funny
Earn it just to burn it, swag drippin' from me
Yeah, I'm a (Killer)
Yeah, I'm a (What?), I'm a (What?), I'm a (Killer)
Yeah, look, yeah.”

Dan Simmons: She's impressed with each appearance, but this will no doubt be her biggest test in NLW to date. Rebecca Brookes was on the wrong end of Joe Blow's hijinks, but she's got a second chance tonight to get back to the title scene!

The crowd sings the chorus as Rebecca makes her way around the ring, climbing onto the apron and looking out to the thousands of fans as she unstraps the championship and raises it up high for everyone to see, the crowd cheering wildly for Rebecca as she nods her head before entering the ring as she heads to the corner and climbs to the second rope as Rebecca holds her championship up once again for everyone to look up to.

Tommy West: She'd had success elsewhere but she needs to really step up now if she's going to get it in NLW, Simmo. She has the heritage, so let's see what it means!

"Sarin Gas" by Intrepid Demise begins to play and the arena clouds up with a light blue smoke. Mystique steps out from the back and stands on the stage as the smoke clouds up around her. She slowly begins to walk to the ring, ignoring all of the people around her. At the height of the music, she hops up onto the ring apron on both knees. Mystique slides underneath the bottom rope and sits, leaning against the rope as she stares out into the abyss. She removes her hood from on top of her head and gets up to her knees, sliding the hooded jacket off of her body before standing to her feet.

Dan Simmons: Now here's the dark horse in this matchup. Mystique has been ruthless so far here in NLW, she didn't back down from the Brute Squad two weeks' ago after an impressive debut.

Tommy West: On this I can agree with you, turn your back on Mystique at your own risk!

---

MATCH THREE
Tables Elimination Match - Winner Earns a Title Opportunity of Their Choosing at Ascendancy XI
The Prick vs Rebecca Brookes vs Mystique

---

All three circle the ring, eyes and heads flicking between opponents, trying to decide who to attack first. None seem too willing to dive in and put themselves at risk, knowing that in a match like this even a small mistake could get you thrown through a table, and eliminated from title contention. The stalemate is eventually broken, as The Prick makes a clever double move, showing intent to attack Mystique but then turning on his heels to floor Rebecca Brookes with a discuss clothesline, which drops her and forces her to roll to the ring apron. This in turn allows The Prick to focus on Mystique, but she’s ready for him and stiffly plants a boot in his gut, and then clubs his back as he doubles over. With The Prick down to one knee Mystique grabs him by the back of the head and thrusts his head into the turnbuckle, not just once, but three times, forcing the man formally known as Maze to be slumped in the corner.

Dan Simmons: Early aggression that we’ve been accustomed to from Mystique!

Brookes has got herself back up and sees an opportunity, she looks to take out both her opponents with a running dropkick, Mystique sees her last minute and as if she were on fire, stops, drops and rolls out of harms way, meaning Brookes’ attack only compounds The Prick’s misery. Mystique stalks Brookes who is back to her feet pretty quickly, and she is met with a knee to the gut, and a snap suplex.

Mystique takes a moment to assess the situation and is content that The Prick is not an immediate threat, he’s dropped from his slumped position to just in a heap around the ring apron. Brookes is getting back to her feet so she targets her, and looks for a bit lariat, but this is ducked and Brookes grabs her opponent and sends her crashing with a Saito suplex. Mystique bounces off the mat but quickly scrambles back to her feet, but she turns straight into a Brookes belly to belly suplex, sending her straight back down!

Dan Simmons: Brookes is cooking now! She’s got a number of skills but her energy underpins all of that, it’s what makes her such a threat.

Tommy West: Sure, she’s a threat but she’s not dangerous, not like The Prick, not like Mystique!

Brookes is feeling it early, and she drags Mystique to her feet and lifts her up onto her shoulders, looking for the Miracle Driver [Psycho Driver I]. However she hasn’t noticed that The Prick is back on his feet and hits a big boot to send both his opponents crashing to the mat.

Tommy West: That’s what I’m talking about, no prisoners, Simmo!

The Prick looks in no mood to play around, and rolls out of the ring to collect one of the many tables that have been provided at ringside. Some have been assembled, but the Prick opts for one that is flat and leaning against the barricade. He manoeuvres it to the apron and pushes it in. As he rolls back into the ring he’s aware that Mystique is stirring, so he drags he up and throws her over the top rope, she crashes to the floor and The Prick pulls all his attention back to Rebecca Brookes, and more importantly, the hardware he needs to eliminate her.

Dan Simmons: The Prick is standing tall here and it could spell trouble for Rebecca Brookes!

The Prick watches as The Princess of NLW stirs, and grabs her, whipping her into the ropes and hitting a kitchen sink to subdue her once more. He turns to the table and sets it up near the corner, before turning back to the fallen Brookes. He watches as she gets to her feet and stumbles in his direction, where he plants a kick in her gut and looks to suplex her through the table behind him, but Brookes can sense the danger and blocks the lift attempt, and fights her way free. After the release she keeps scrapping, a palm strike, an overhand right hook, a spinning backfist, these rock The Prick and he leans against the table for support, Brookes hops back to land a bigger strike, but as she advances he thrusts a hand forward and into her mouth, applying a mandible claw!

Tommy West: Look out! Medication Time!

Brookes is in big trouble, and starts to fade fast, The Prick knows it too and has a devilish smile on his face as he keeps pushing his hand into her mouth, he holds her back with his free and hand guides her one hundred and eighty degrees, and onto the table. Brookes’ eyes show that she’s fading, her arms are flailing less and less, to the point where she stops altogether. The Prick eventually lets go, happy that Brookes is incapacitated. He then slithers around the table and climbs to the top rope, clearly with the intent to hit Off The Wall [coffin drop]. Brookes however isn’t done, and stirs, The Prick hesitates, not wanting to go through the table and eliminate himself, and his instinct proves correct, as Brookes rolls and flops to the mat.

Dan Simmons: I don’t know how Rebecca Brookes managed that partner, she looked out cold, but something in her, perhaps gut instinct got her rolling off that table and out of danger.

The Prick doesn’t have any time to adjust, because Mystique has got back up and pushes him from the top turnbuckle, The Prick’s throat bounces off the top rope and he recoils to the centre of the ring, gasping for air. Mystique gets back into the ring and goes straight after The Prick, who has retreated to the opposite corner from where Brookes and the table are, he’s back to his feet but still holding his throat, and Mystique takes immediate advantage, hitting a step up running knee.

Dan Simmons: Captivation!

Tommy West: Everything she does is just so calculated Simmo, the second The Prick backed himself up in that corner she knew exactly what she wanted to do!

Not wanting to give him an inch, Mystique wraps her arm around The Prick’s head and drops him with a running bulldog. She glances over at Brookes, still barely any movement there, so she remains focused on The Prick. She grabs him and slams his head on the table to keep him disorientated, before thrusting a knee into his gut, and looking for The Query [Perfectplex], but The Prick counters with an inside cradle, which he immediately releases given that there’s no pinfalls and this was purely for escape purposes. They spring back to their feet and The Prick looks for a clothesline, Mystique ducks under and as he comes back at her she lifts him towards the table, looking to send him through with a flapjack, but he’s too far away and his head bounces off the table top and to the mat!

Tommy West: Holy hell! The Prick will be feeling that shot, but at least he’s still in the match!

Dan Simmons: Another half a foot and that table breaks, he’s a lucky, lucky man!

Mystique has her head in her hands, she knew just how close that was to having The Prick eliminated. She takes a deep breath and gets back to it, and looks to grab The Prick, but he drags her throat first onto the middle rope, and now it’s her turn to hold her throat, whilst The Prick rolls away to the safety of the ring apron.

Dan Simmons: This match has been carnage so far, but nobody’s gone through a table yet!

All three are down but out of the three, Mystique is the one showing the most signs of life, and has got to one knee, she sets her sights on The Prick once more, but Rebecca Brookes is back up as well, and sneaking up behind her she grabs her waist and hits a German suplex. Brookes looks to the table and rearranges it by taking the legs down and wedging it in the corner. She turns back to the fallen Mystique and throws her by the back of her head into the table, it doesn’t break and her head bounces off the wood. Brookes, seemingly expecting that has kept ahold of her arm, and drags her back to her, clutching her and looking for a belly to belly suplex that would surely crash Mystique through the table. Mystique is having none of it, and responds with repeated headbutts until Brookes lets her go.

Dan Simmons: Mystique again digging deep to ensure she survives, hold up, look out!

Mystique takes a couple stumbled steps away and right into another kitchen sink from The Prick, who has recovered and is back in play. Brookes sees this and charges at him, but he body drops her over the top rope he has moved near, Brookes manages to land on the apron, but a European uppercut drops her to the floor. The Prick turns and goes back after Mystique, who is on her feet but groggy, and he pounces, hitting a double arm DDT!

Tommy West: Just Hold Still!

The Prick looks at the table in the corner and quickly comes with a plan of action. He drags Mystique by her hair towards the table and forces her into a powerbomb set up position. He grabs her and lifts her onto his shoulders, the full intent on bombing her through the table. She desperately starts hitting right hands on the top of his head which forces his to spin around, perhaps concerned that a hurricanrana would send him through the table, Mystique completes the counter and drops to her feet, and drops The Prick with The Beheader [jaw jacker], he stumbles back and is leant on the table, at this point Brookes has got back in the ring and locks eyes with Mystique and they exchange a nod.

Tommy West: What the hell are they up to?

Mystique drops on all fours in front of The Prick and Rebecca Brookes charges towards the corner, using her as a springboard and hitting a shotgun dropkick to The Prick, which causes the table to finally break!

Marty Watts: Ladies and gentlemen, The Prick has been eliminated!

Tommy West: No Way!

Dan Simmons: I don’t know what surprised me more there, the teamwork or the fact that The Prick is out of this match!

Tommy West: I don’t think these two have what it takes to do it themselves, so the obvious way was to team up!

Both women roll away to either side of the ring, and look at the crumped heap that is The Prick in the corner, wearing the table they just broke around him. The referees who have generally been spectators on the outside surround the corner, both inside and outside of the ring and start to clear the mess that’s been made. Brookes and Mystique look back to each other and use the ropes to climb back to their feet, knowing that it was now just the two of them.

Dan Simmons: So we are down to these two…but there can only be one, one of these women still have to go through a table.

Both women start to circle each other and Mystique ducks under Brookes’ attempt to lock up, and goes to work on her with a forearms to stagger her back to the ropes. She sends Brookes to the opposite set of ropes with an Irish whip and steps forward to hit a running lariat, but Brookes is the one to duck and stops still to execute a Pele kick on Mystique as she turns around. She moves quickly to the corner and heads to the top rope, and with the crowd firmly behind her she takes flight, hitting a picture perfect elbow drop. She gets to her feet and amps the crowd up even more, knowing just how big this match is for her.

Dan Simmons: Brookes is fired up and looking to take more of an advantage here, wait a minute!

Brookes can’t take any advantage, because she’s suddenly been spun around and dropped with a spike pedigree from the Prick!

Dan Simmons: Edge of Sanity! What is he doing back in the ring? He’s been eliminated!

The Prick isn’t done, and grabs Mystique to deliver a second Edge of Sanity.

Tommy West: He may be out of this match but he’s leaving both women with a receipt!

Referees get in the ring and surround the deranged Prick, who just laughs at what he’s done, he slowly leaves to a chorus of boos from the crowd, the referees closely guarding the ring to ensure he doesn’t come back, but the former Maze isn’t coming back, he’s content with what he’s done and skulks off to the back.

Dan Simmons: Some order restored here folks, but both our competitors are down and out!

Dan Simmons is dead right, both are barely moving, any action is to hold their head in pain from being spiked into the mat. There’s no count from a referee, just encouragement from the crowd. Slowly, both women start to stir, Brookes crawls towards the corner whilst Mystique has got to her knees. Slowly, carefully they get on their feet and approach, Mystique strikes first with a forearm, which Brookes matches and they start to trade more forearms, the crowd cheering for Brookes with each hit and booing Mystique for each of her replies. Brookes’ background starts to give her the advantage, and she starts to gain momentum with a second forearm in succession, followed up with all sorts of strikes that backs Mystique up to the corner whilst trying to cover up. Brookes steps back and looks to put a boot into Mystique’s midsection, but she grabs the foot, and sends Brookes for a backflip, and as Brookes lands back on her feet she’s almost decapitated with a spinning lariat.

Tommy West: Jesus Christ! Does Rebecca Brookes have a neck left? Somewhere Jason Long is weeping!

Mystique looks outside the ring to scout out where her nearest table is, and with it, her path to victory. Does she bring the table to the ring? No, she’s going for the Brookes to the table route. She grabs Rebecca by the hair and launches her over the top rope. Brookes doesn’t go down however, and lands on her feet on the ring apron. Mystique approaches her but is caught by a stiff forearm, and Brookes grabs her opponent and has nasty intentions.

Dan Simmons: I think he’s looking for a suplex here! Look, there’s a table behind her, she wants to end it right here!

Brookes lifts Mystique up and over the top rope, but Mystique’s got enough awareness force herself down on the apron, and sticks another knee strike into Brookes to break the hold. Both women take a glance at the table to the side of them, knowing that this is what the word precarious was created for. Brookes looks to hit a pump kick but Mystique steps back to avoid, and replies with a question mark kick to wobble Brookes. Brookes shakes the cobwebs off quickly and stiffly kicks her opponent in the gut, hard enough that Mystique drops to one knee. Brookes looks to pounce and scoops her up for the Dawn of the Goddess.

Dan Simmons: I think she’s looking to hit it on the apron!

Tommy West: I don’t think so Simmo, I think she’s gonna aim for that damn table!

Mystique knows she’s in big trouble and does all she can, she grabs the rope and refuses to let go, Brookes tries to pull her off but Mystique wriggles free and lands back in the ring. She kicks Brookes through the middle rope to her gut, and gets back out on the apron with her.

Dan Simmons: Oh no, look out, look out!

Simmons’ sudden concern was because Mystique had hooked Brookes in a fisherman’s hold, and without any hesitation she twisted slightly to get the right angle and launched the pair off the apron and through the table!

Dan Simmons: Query! The damn Query!

Tommy West: Through the damn table! Jesus wept!

[Winner: Mystique via The Query through a table at 22:04]

The bell rings and referees swarm in, both women are down and out, Brookes through exhaustion more than the damage she just caused.

Dan Simmons: Well with that brutal ending, Mystique will be going to Ascendancy XI to face a champion of her choice! We’ll find out in two weeks just who that’s gonna be!

Tommy West: The question might be will she recover in time, this has been carnage, Simmo!

The referees continue to check on the competitors as we go to commercial.

---

"Popular Monster" By Falling in Reverse starts to play, and Nathan Parker marches out. Marches may be a strong word, there's a hint of a half cut stumble in there.

Dan Simmons: Nathan Parker overcame Joshua Darkwood to get this opportunity at Frank Dylan James, he's going to half to dig just as deep tonight if he's going to topple the Southern States Champion!

Tommy West: The man is unhinged, which would normally give him an advantage, but sadly he's facing somebody just as unhinged as him!

Parker gets into the ring and awaits his giant opponent.

“Fucking Hostile” plays and before the song can find it’s frantic rhythm the Frank explodes out of the entryway. He marches straight to the ring, holding the Southern States Title in one hand.

Tommy West: Look at him! He's ready to go!

Ready to go is right, he's climbed into the ring and would be throwing hands if the referee hadn't got in his way to remind him there needs to be a formal start to a title match. Frank glares at him and growls, and almost pushes the referee over as he thrusts the title belt in his chest, and backs off into the corner.

---

MATCH FOUR
NLW Southern States Championship Match
Frank Dylan James (c) vs Nathan Parker

---

DING! DING!

As soon as the bell rings for the match to begin, Frank Dylan James charges into Parker with a huge shoulder tackle that takes him cleanly off of his feet, but Frank just picks up Parker and throws him into the turnbuckles and begins to hammer down into his rib cage with punch after punch after punch that is just crushing the internal organs of his opponent. Those sledgehammer-like fists continue to cripple Nathan as he takes a few steps back and crushes Parker in the corner with a Corner Splash and then the Biel Toss that sends Parker across the ring. The Southern States Champion almost decapitates the challenger with a Northern Lariat that crumples Parker down to the mat.

Dan Simmons: Frank is in a complete fit of rage right now, just looking to do nothing more than to storm right through the opposition right now after what happened at Ascendency Nine.

Tommy West: Seeing his partner getting legitimately injured and then having his match be deemed a no-contest was definitely a kick between the legs for the champion and even Karl Hagen who had to watch on wondering what would happen next.

Parker is almost out of it, could even be finished right here and right now if Frank dared to try but the Smoky Mountain Mastodon just wanted to punish and give Parker the beating of his life. Frank drags Parker by the hair up to his feet before pulling him in with a hard hitting Short Arm Lariat that almost folds Parker in half but Parker is continuing to move- which is just a bad idea in itself as Frank picks up an almost sandbagged Nathan Parker and drops him down onto his neck with a Powerbomb. The crowd shriek in terror as they watch Parker almost legitimately get folded up like an accordion, they watch as Parker just doesn’t move a muscle- fearing for the worst in an injury that might as well have seen him become paralysed.

Dan Simmons: Frank Dylan James is unstoppable! I’ve not seen him act like this since his match with SYLVIUS at Ascendency Four! This is scary to even watch- not even that… legit terrifying!

Tommy West: All we can do is watch on in the hopes that even Karl Hagen can put a stop to this madness, surely he’ll know that even this would be too much to handle.

Frank Dylan James is just punishing Nathan Parker for pleasure, picking him back up once again just to drop Parker down- but Parker comes back to life with the DDT! The crowd were in awe, they thought that this man had died before their very own eyes, and now he’s slowly coming through! Frank is back up to his feet though and is caught right on the nose with a Jumping Headbutt right to the nose. This staggers the giant and Parker repeats the headbutt which pushes him back to the ropes. Parker runs to the ropes and hits a flying clothesline to send the big man over the top rope and to the floor below! Parker is winding up and again goes off the ropes and as Frank gets to his feet, he’s met by the flying body of Nathan Park who has come over the ropes with a suicide dive!

Dan Simmons: WTF from Parker!

Tommy West: WTF indeed! This has come out of nowhere!

Parker stumbles back to his feet and slaps his hands on the ring steps, he’s pumped up. He tuns and goes back to work on Frank Dylan James, who has got back to one knee but is rewarded for this with an axe handle to his back. Parker looks to do some damage by slamming his head on the steps, but Frank blocks it, slamming his hands down on the steel and thrusting an elbow into Parker’s gut. To compound the reversal he takes Parker’s head and slams it into the steel, before rolling him back in the ring.

Tommy West: You can’t give Frank a single inch, he’ll take not just one mile, but twenty!

The Champion clambers back into the ring and stalks his opponent, who gets back to his feet only to be met with a big headbutt, a taste of his own medicine and drops back to the mat. Frank sneers and plants a couple boots into Parker, clearly deciding on how he’s going to put in the maximum amount of punishment. The boots prompt movement in Parker, who rolls away and to his feet, but Frank’s not letting him off and kicks him in the gut and hits a hard, ugly looking powerbomb, making the cover.

One….
Two……
Kickout from Parker!

Tommy West:  that was almost it right there, Nathan Parker is in trouble Simmo!

Dan Simmons: If Frank gets much more momentum I’d have to agree with you Tommy.

Frank glares at the referee and Karl Hagen at ringside let’s the referee know that he expected a faster count. Regardless, Frank drags Parker up with him as he gets back on his feet. He places both tree-like hands around Parker’s throat and pushes him back into the corner, and starts to physically choke him which causes the referee to start a five count and remind Frank that what he’s doing would be a felony out of a wrestling ring. Frank honestly couldn’t care less and breaks the hold on four, taking a few steps away to pretend to listen to the referee berate him.

Tommy West: Not going to lie, I’m scared of that man.

Dan Simmons: You’d be stupid to not be.

Parker takes a few steps forward having caught his breath, but Frank Dylan James was waiting for him, and runs a few steps towards him and obliterates Parker with a running big boot.

Dan Simmons: Oh. My. Days.

Frank makes the cover.

One….
Two……
Th-No! Nathan Parker puts a foot on the bottom rope!

Tommy West: How the hell did Nathan Parker even do that? How is he even conscious?

Frank Dylan James and Karl Hagen aren’t too impressed either. The former is up on his feet and in the referee’s face about the decision. He gives Hagen a nod in between back and forth berating of the man in black and white, and Hagen, like a snake slithers around the ring, and collects a steel chair. He slides it carefully under the bottom rope and then moves back around the ring before climbing onto the apron to take over the protests to the referee, this allows Frank to collect the chair with the referee’s back turned.

Dan Simmons: Looks like Frank’s had enough of doing this the hard way and is going for the steel chair!

Tommy West: Karl Hagen right there executed that little misdirection to perfection, he sure knows what he’s doing!

Frank grins an evil grin and shouts at Parker to get to his feet. Parker looks like he barely knows what day of the week it is but uses the ropes in the corner to get up, and he woozily turns around where James has the chair raised above his head, and Parker punts him in the balls!

Dan Simmons: Ding dong!

Frank doubles over and drops the chair, Parker shakes more of the cobwebs out and sees that Hagen still has the referee distracted, so hits Frank with a DDT onto the chair!

Tommy West: Hang on a minute!

Dan Simmons: Don’t you dare plead a case for James and Hagen right here!

Parker slides the evidence out of the ring, and Frank rolls onto his back, he’s barely moving after that. Hagen has seen what’s happened and goes pale, and drops off the apron, unsure how to proceed. Nathan Parker however does know how to proceed, and he climbs up to the top rope and after a deep breath, he takes flight and plants his elbow into Frank Dylan James.

Dan Simmons: Shotgun! Shotgun!

Tommy West: Oh come on, not this guy!

Parker covers immediately and the referee is on hand to make the count.

One…
Two……

………….Three!

[Winner: Nathan Parker Via Shotgun at 10:43]

DING! DING! DING!

Dan Simmons: New Champion!

Marty Watts: Here is your winner and neeeeeeeeeeeew NLW Southern States Champion: Nathan Parker!

Tommy West: I don’t believe it!

Dan Simmons: Neither does Karl Hagen!

“Popular Monster” plays on the PA, Hagen is beside himself at ringside as Parker is handed the championship and promptly rolls out of the ring as Frank Dylan James is already stirring and looks red with rage with the realisation of what’s just happened.

Tommy West: Oh boy, Simmo, I don’t know if this is the last we’ll hear of Frank, he’s seething!

Dan Simmons: He may be seething but it doesn’t change the fact that we have a new champion! Congratulations to Nathan Parker!

Parker hold the back of his neck and raises the title high as he backs towards the entrance as we cut to another commercial.

---

The chorus of 'Never Look Back' hits the sound system as the overhead lights dim, the crowd hitting their feet for the woman who is about to emerge. Blue and white lights flashing along the rampway as spotlights of similar shades swirl over the crowd... and Eliza Dresden doesn't make them wait for long. Bounding out from behind the curtain, the new bearer of Hyperion's trident is quick to make her way to the top of the ramp--and once she's there? She thrusts the trident into the air, earning a fresh wave of cheers. But also resting on her face are the signature neon shades of one Jason Long that she stole from him earlier in the night. Of course, since she can't be idle for long, Eli is quick to bounce and poing her way down to the ring, darting from side to side to slap offered hands and otherwise play to the crowd. It's a bit trickier to do with a trident that's significantly taller than she is, but she makes it work. It's about three-fourths of the way down the ramp that she abandons that, speeding up to slide into the ring headfirst on her stomach before she twists onto her back and kips up to her feet. She's quick to mount the nearest turnbuckle, once again shoving that trident skyward to more of that positive reaction from the fans before she's popping back down and turning to look toward the middle of the ring. As her music fades, she hands her trident over to a production assistant before bouncing around on the balls of her feet, Eliza slowly slips the neon shades away from her face and places them down into the corner to make sure they're safe, eagerly waiting for the match to get underway.

Dan Simmons: In such a short space of time I've not had to use so many superlatives. Eli Dresden has taken NLW, and indeed the XHF Network by storm! A ladder match, you have to say is her playground, and she's going to be hard to beat tonight!

Tommy West: Perhaps, I like her Simmo, but Leon Chant is a hard customer to keep down, as is Big Tiger!

"Open up my eyes...RELEASE ME!"

The hard riffs of "Born To Die" by Sevendust roar over the speakers, bringing to the stage the muscular form of "Big Tiger" Takuma Okazaki, determination etched into his face as he rolls his shoulders, cracking his neck a couple times before beginning to make his way down to the ring. He merely gives nods of acknowledgment to the fans before making his way up the steel steps and entering the ring. He leans against the ropes for a moment, testing them before jogging across to the other side and throwing an arm up into the air with what almost sounds like a roar, readying for battle. Backing off into his corner, he drapes his arms atop the ropes, waiting for what is to come.

Tommy West: If I had to pick, I'd be tempted to say this guy! He's quietly been about his business since he came to the NLW scene, and he's knocked off some big names. If Big Tiger brings that, he could be the new champion!

Next out is Al Jabroni, flanked by "Disco Boy" Johnny B. Jabroni is light on his feet and almost skipping down to the ring.

Dan Simmons: What can I say about Al Jabroni?

Tommy West: We'd all rather you didn't.

Dan Simmons: I mean, he's-

Tommy West: No, Simmo, just don't, he'll only find a way to turn it around to some form of smut.

Dan Simmons can't be seen, but you can hear a small sigh of agreement as Jabroni slides into the ring, full of confidence and most likely more ideas for X Rated movies.

"Oh hell yes! I'm a nervous wreck!"

Leon Chant marches out onto the stage as "West Coast Smoker" plays on the PA. Rob Arnold slowly walks out behind him and stops him from heading any further, surveying the scene and having a quiet word with the champion before tapping him on the shoulder, signalling he can head to the ring.

Dan Simmons: Leon Chant has been so impressive Tommy, you may think there are better than him but you can't deny that he's got the job done!

Tommy West: The title around his waist tells it's own story, sure, but I'm not sold on him still. Win tonight? Maybe I start buying in!

Chant takes a brief moment to look around before heading to the ring, despite the cheers, his face is all business as he walks up the ring steps and through the second rope into the ring. He heads to the far corner and climbs to the second rope to slowly raise both arms aloft, prompting more cheers from the crowd. Slowly, he hops back down and hands the referee the Heavyweight Title that was around his waist, before heading to his corner, ready for the match to begin.

---

MAIN EVENT - MATCH FIVE
NLW Heavyweight Championship Ladder Match
Leon Chant (c) vs Eli Dresden vs "Big Tiger" Takuma Okazaki vs Al Jabroni

---

The bell rings and we’re met with all four of the competitors staring up at the title hanging above the ring, the NLW Heavyweight Championship is what they’re fighting for and all four of these competitors want the championship more than anything right now. Eli Dresden, Al Jabroni, Takuma Okazaki, and Leon Chant. The champion wants to retain his title and continue his reign, but there’s three people staring right back at him. The Hired Gun just became primary target number one. Okazaki gingerly slips out of the ring and strolls around on the outside, just watching as all three of the competitors have not even moved out of their respective corners just yet. Okazaki has grabbed one of the ladders on the outside and folds it back up before sliding it under the bottom rope before letting himself back into the ring, and now they’re back to how they started off-- all four in their corners. Jabroni quickly rushes towards the ladder but Okazaki comes flying in with the forearm to the side of his head and knocks him down, which leads to Dresden coming in with the Dropkick to Okazaki as he goes stumbling out of the ring, and Chant comes in with a hard Lariat that takes down Dresden.

Dan Simmons: And just like that, the champion is the only man standing, just as he planned it out to be! But he knows he’s not got a whole lot of time on his hands, he’s got to make some moves quick before someone cuts off the chance he has.

Tommy West: You’re right about that, because I see Okazaki moving and I see Dresden moving and I even see Jabroni moving, he’s got to do something fast before they close in on his run!

Chant picks up the ladder and looks to set it up but just as he lifts it up, Jabroni runs in with the Dropkick right to the ladder and that knocks down Chant! Jabroni picks up the ladder and well… he can’t exactly lift it up, it’s that heavy. Okazaki comes back into the ring just as Dresden gets back to her feet. Dresden looks to take down Okazaki with a Headscissors but The Big Tiger holds her in position and chucks her right into Jabroni and the ladder! Both of them fall and Okazaki just throws Dresden off of the ladder and to the side, he wants this match won more than anyone else here. He wants to prove that he belongs in the spotlight and the spotlight shines down right on that championship belt hanging above the ring. Okazaki takes the ladder off of Jabroni and throws it down onto him, just to inflict more damage onto Everyone’s Favourite Ham and Egger. Big Tiger sets the ladder up in the middle of the ring, just below the championship as he looks to make the climb all the way up but just as he steps on the first rung, Chant pops back up and he’s already got a hold of Okazaki. Having a hold of him by his waist and dumping Okazaki over the ropes, Leon Chant wipes out one of his many competitors.

Tommy West: FREAK. OF. STRENGTH. What POWER from Leon Chant! The Hired Gun isn’t holding back on anyone in this match right now and rightfully so, this is his biggest match to date right now.

Dan Simmons: Best believe it but now that window is open, now he has the ladder placed and now he’s looking to make that climb up the ladder, taking his time and not rushing it but also not being too careful heading all the way up.

Chant looks to begin the climb but Dresden comes back to life, giving the champion some kicks right into his calves before landing a Jumping Corkscrew Roundhouse Kick to the head of the champion, Dresden isn’t done as Chant just falls into the ladder and holds himself up and Dresden looks to handspring off of the ropes and towards Chant-- The champion caught her! Chant caught Dresden and SENDS HER OVER HIS HEAD WITH A RELEASE GERMAN SUPLEX RIGHT INTO THE LADDER! Dresden rolls out of the ring in pain from being tossed into the metal of the ladder but Jabroni sees an opening as Chant slowly gets back to his feet but taken down easily with a Chop Block to the back of his knee by Jabroni! Okazaki from the outside drags Chant by the head through the middle and bottom ropes, grabbing him in a headlock and then driving Chant’s skull to the floor below with a Rope Hung DDT by Big Tiger. The grin on Okazaki’s face shows just about enough of how Okazaki felt doing such a thing. Back inside the ring it’s Jabroni with the ladder in place as he just zooms all the way up it, his speed and slim physique gives him the quick pace he needed to climb all the way up the ladder.

Tommy West: Jabroni has the speed on him! This is what Johnny B might have been teaching him from behind the cameras!

Dan Simmons: If that’s the case then he’s taught him well, look at the lad go, he shot up that ladder like a bullet, but Okazaki is making his way into the ring, and he’s noticed Jabroni at the top of the ladder!

Okazaki slides back into the ring and pushes on the ladder as Jabroni falls along with the ladder and HE LANDS SPINE FIRST ON THE LEG OF THE LADDER! Wincing in pain as he rolls out of the ring, it’s Okazaki standing left in the ring but soon he notices another ladder on it’s side sliding into the ring and right between his legs, turning his head where he finds Dresden on the ring apron and a grin all over her face as she leaps off of the apron and LANDS A STOMP ON THE LADDER, CAUSING IT TO SHOOT RIGHT UP AND HIT OKAZAKI RIGHT BETWEEN THE LEGS! Big Tiger, just like Jabroni, is weeping in the pain he’s experiencing. He’s kneeling where he stood and holding onto his crown jewels as Dresden slides back into the ring and takes down Okazaki with a Bicycle Knee Strike to the back of his head - ala of The King that we saw earlier tonight taking the loss to The New South - she looks to bring good luck with the power of his shades.

Dan Simmons: DEVIL TRIGGER!! Jason Long couldn’t seal the deal with it earlier but my god, Dresden will make sure to do him one better AGAIN here tonight!

Tommy West: First it’s the shades, and now it’s the moves? Dresden is copying everything there is about Jason here tonight!

Dresden grabs a hold of the ladder and brings it back to it’s original position, right under the championship belt and with a surveillance of her surroundings, she realises that she’s all alone and in the clear! Dresden is making her way up the ladder in quick succession as she grabs a hold of the championship. It’s in her hands, it’s in her grasp, Dresden is about to pull the title down and take home the glory but Chant from behind stops her, he’s climbing from the opposite side of the ladder and he’s grabbed a handful of her hair but Dresden isn’t taking too kindly to it, she’s kicking away at Chant, using her right leg to push him off of the ladder but from below-- Okazaki is taking that second ladder and is making a bridge between the ropes and the ladder, and Okazaki is also trying to pull Chant down as well, but Chant is holding on for dear life by the rungs of the ladder! The bridge that Okazaki built is shaking, tethering, it’s almost shaking and about to collapse BUT CHANT RELEASES! FALLING ONTO THE BRIDGING LADDER BUT CHANT CATCHES OKAZAKI… POP UP POWERBOMB DOWN TO THE MAT! DRESDEN HAS THE TITLE IN HER GRASP THOUGH, SHE’S ABOUT TO PULL IT DOWN… JABRONI WITH THAT SPEED CLIMBING UP THE LADDER AND OVERSHOOTING THE TITLE-- SOMEHOW MANAGES TO CATCH DRESDEN WITH THE SUNSET FLIP POWERBOMB OFF THE TOP OF THE LADDER!!!

Dan Simmons: JESUS CHRIST ALMIGHTY!!! I DON’T KNOW IF THAT WAS THE BIGGEST FAIL EVER OR THE BIGGEST PERFECT TIMING MOMENT… BUT MY GOD!!

Tommy West: Dresden’s head literally bounced off of the mat upon the impact, but also Okazaki almost crumpled up into a ball from that Pop Up Powerbomb from almost ten feet in the air on that ladder bridge!

Dresden and Okazaki are down and out, it’s just down to Jabroni and Chant now. Chant and Jabroni are slowly making the climb up, slowly making their way up the ladder and they’re both jockeying for position here on the top of the ladder. The punches are hitting right where they’re meant to hit. Jabroni. Chant. Jabroni. Chant. Jabroni. Chant. JABRONI. CHANT. JABRONI. CHANT. JABRONI. CHANT. JABRONI. CHANT. JABRONI! JABRONI! JABRONI! JABRONI! PUNCH AFTER PUNCH, HE’S GOING ALL IN ON THE CHAMPION JUST BELOW HIS TITLE! HE’S GOT THIS RIGHT WHERE HE WANTS IT IF HE JUST HITS CHANT WITH THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF POWER AND… NO! OKAZAKI HAS JABRONI! AND NOW IT’S DRESDEN ON THE LADDER TOO! ALL FOUR ARE ON THE ONE LADDER! THEY’RE PUSHING THEMSELVES CLOSER AND CLOSER TO THE TITLE AND ALL FOUR HAVE THEIR HANDS ON THE STRAP!

Tommy West: THEY’VE GOT THEIR HANDS ON THE TITLE, THE NLW HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP IS LITERALLY IN THE GRASP OF ALL FOUR COMPETITORS HERE! THIS IS DO OR DIE, THIS IS FOR ALL OF THE MARBLES, GIVE ME ANOTHER CLICHE, SIMMO!

Dan Simmons: THIS IS FOR THE GOLD, TOMMY! THIS is what EVERYTHING is about! This is the moment we’ve been waiting a long time for, to see who’ll walk out of this match with the title in their hands!

Dresden is climbing onto the back of Chant, sitting on his shoulders as she looks to take the title from his grasp but Jabroni had the same idea, scaling Okazaki on the ladder but he’s having none of it, he’s turned it around and he’s got Jabroni in the Cradle and hoisting him up to the Vertical Suplex… BIIIIG TIGGERRRR DESTROYYYERRRRR!!!! RIGHT THROUGH THE BRIDGED LADDER GOES BOTH OKAZAKI AND JABRONI!! Chant and Dresden don’t know how to react but Dresden hops onto the other side of the ladder, looking to push Chant down but he’s grabbed her by the leg, she leaps in and locks in a headscissors, CHANT IS TRAPPED IN A SUBMISSION ON THE TOP OF THE LADDER! ELI HAS A TRIANGLE CHOKE APPLIED ONTO CHANT AND SHE’S GOT IT SYNCHED IN TIGHTLY!

Tommy West: SHE’S GOING TO CHOKE HIM OUT AND MAKE HIM FALL, SHE’S GOING TO MAKE SURE SHE’S THE LAST PERSON STANDING! THIS IS ELIZA’S TIME! THIS IS HER MOMENT RIGHT HERE!---

Dan Simmons: WAIT, TOMMY! LOOK!

BUT CHANT HAS THE FREE ARM! HE’S GOT A HOLD OF THE TITLE…

Tommy West: NO WAY COULD THIS BE IT!!!

AND HE PULLS IT DOWN! LEON CHANT REMAINS THE CHAMPION! LEON CHANT HAS WON THE LADDER WAR!

DING! DING! DING!

The sounds of “West Coast Smoker” rings out through the speakers as the NLW Heavyweight Championship is hanging by the tight grasp of Leon Chant as Eli Dresden takes the grip away from the champion, she’s just realised what has happened, she’s just realised that her moment was taken away from her by one free arm.

Marty Watts: Here is your winner and STILL the NLW Heavyweight Champion… LEON CHAAAAANTTTTTT!!!!!

Chant almost slides down the ladder, falling into the ropes and onto the mat, the championship still in his grasp as Rob Arnold and Riley Richards come out from the back.

Tommy West: What a match! What a night! What a show!

Dan Simmons: Masquerade definitely lived up to the hype it produced, and tonight, Leon Chant was able to walk out with the title on his shoulder… he wanted to do it at Homecoming but this match proved that he’ll fight just that damn harder than anyone else to win!

Tommy West: I’ve been Tommy West and that’s been Dan Simmons, goodnight everyone from New Orleans! Take care!

The final shot we see is of Dresden sitting at the top of the ladder with her head deep into her palms, and down below, Leon Chant with the championship wrapped around his waist as he’s helped to his feet by The Academy as the show soon fades to black.

---

[Robbie A]

We. Are. Live!