Post by Matt on Dec 31, 2021 10:40:19 GMT -5
Click here to read the show on Google Docs.
The Golden Gauntlet Awards
(The show begins inside the Sahara Events Center. The ring is set up, but not really conducive for wrestling. Instead, there is a golden podium sitting square in the middle of the squared circle. Wrestlers, managers, and other personalities from UP Wrestling are sitting in the front rows. Further back, fans have also purchased seats to witness the award announcements. Standing behind the podium is minority owner, Elijah Anderson. Joining him to his left and right are Baptist Lobo and Mia Garcia.)
Anderson: Welcome everyone to the 2021 Golden Gauntlet Awards Show! Thank you for joining us tonight as we reflect on the year. We think of who stood out… who was the best of the best. UP Wrestling had a tremendous year. Think back to some of those BIG moments…
We had a World Champion unification match between CJ Walker and Devin Bishop. Who knew that feud would go on throughout the entire year? Those two gave us storytelling, drama, action, suspense, and most of all some extremely memorable wrestling. Those two could not be further apart personality wise; however, they gave us something that truly stood out as they fought for the number one title in our company.
We crowned the first HOMECOMING Queen and King. Pixilious and King Diaz were able to beat some extremely tough competition to secure their crowns. Now look at them. They are now champions. King Diaz finished the year by using his Christmas Chaos prize to win the UP Wrestling World Openweight Championship. Pixilious was voted in by the fans at Vendetta which led her to winning the Sin City Championship.
Those are just two, but we’ll look back at many more moments during the show. For now, let’s pass it over to Baptist Lobo as he announces the first award of the evening.
(Anderson shifts back and Lobo takes center stage behind the podium.)
Lobo: Who takes home the first Goldie tonight? Yeah, you like that? Let’s talk about what makes somebody catch your eye. In this ring, it's kind of easy. With our performers, they are doing all kinds of crazy stuff. Flying, punching, and these sick finishing moves all bring people to their feet.
What about the people who don’t climb in here to wrestle? Think of all the personalities here in UP Wrestling. (nodding his head) Yeah, there’s a lot. But who sets themself apart? There was a long, long list of names. Here are the finalists for Supporting Character of the Year…
Terrence Christopher
Cliff Ragsdale
(Baptist steps aside as Mia walks up with an envelope in hand.)
Garcia: Business acquaintances to bitter foes and now here they are vying for this award. Terrence and Cliff are two of the best managers in the wrestling world. We have seen them have their ups and downs in 2021. They are stars outside of the ring just like the stars they manage inside of it. Tonight, there can only be one who receives this award.
And the winner of the Supporting Character of the Year Award goes to…
(She opens the envelope.)
Garcia: For the second year in a row, the winner is Cliff Ragsdale!
(Cliff receives a modest clap as the camera pans over to his brother Eric and Dillian DeHaven. Cliff has still not been reinstated, so he is not at the show. Elijah steps back up to the podium.)
Anderson: Congrats Cliff. A memory that sparks is when Cliff's group come together as a whole to challenge The Alliance and The Black Hand in our first ever Dead Man’s Hand match. It was the debut of Eric Ragsdale. Now, the Black Hand did go on to win that match setting them up to win the Tag Team and Sin City Championships.
You can’t take away Cliff’s management skills though. Even though they didn’t come up on top in that match, Dillian DeHaven won the Sin City Championship this year. Nathaniel went from an unknown to someone vying for the biggest prizes in UP Wrestling like the World Openweight Championship.
(Baptist ducks his head in.)
Lobo: And now he has two Goldies that he can decorate his table with.
Anderson: Very true.
(Mia takes the podium.)
Garcia: It's funny you mention the Dead Man’s Hand. That first of its kind match was featured at Sin City Strike. Every special event that we have hosted in UP Wrestling is memorable for a multitude of reasons, but only one can take home the Special Event of the Year. The finalists are…
HOMECOMING
Sin City Strike
(Baptist comes up with an envelope in hand.)
Lobo: Fun fact for the King Diaz fans out there. He steps up at special events. He won at both of those shows. The guy was our first champion and look at where he is now. I digress. The winner of the Special Events of the Year Award is HOMECOMING!
(Elijah comes back to the mic at the podium.)
Anderson: What an event! It featured a mixed tag team and another great match between Devin and CJ. We have talked about some of those memories already though, so let me throw out a history changing one for you. In September, we joined the XHF Network! It was a bold move, but the right one for our company.
Look at the new talent we have attracted. Look at the accolades. Think about our first show we participated in with the entire network, End of Days. I will never, ever forget watching Dillian DeHaven and Rain Blackhart battle for the Sin City Championship. I am still extremely proud of that moment. And now… we have another opportunity to show off what UP Wrestling has at Supremacy. An announcement will come soon as to who will represent us and I guarantee whoever it is will make one heck of a memory in 2022.
(Baptist slides into place.)
Lobo: Both those guys are great talents. They are established in this craft. Both are former tag team and Sin City Champions. Enough about them though! Hey, no disrespect. It's time to talk about the up and comers. Who is next up? We had some newcomers in UP Wrestling this year, so let’s give them some praise. It is time to announce the One To Watch. The finalists are…
Nathaniel
Joe Nobody
David Berg
and… Annie Castle
(Up comes Mia with the envelope.)
Garcia: And the winner of the One to Watch Award is… “The Hebrew Hammer” David Berg!
(The camera pans out to show David in the crowd. He gives a polite wave. Elijah is back behind the podium when the camera focuses back on the ring.)
Anderson: As Baptist listed out those names, I couldn’t believe they just started with us in 2021. Joe is already a champion. Nathaniel has main evented a special event. Annie Castle has made news… for things in and outside the ring. Then, you have our winner. David Berg has been amazing, beating some of our top talent already in his brief time here. What will he do next? I’m just glad I have the best seat in the house to watch his career unfold here.
Now tell me, who here loved watching the Patriot Cup matches?
(The room fills with applause.)
Anderson: Yes, that was a great event. It spanned for months and culminated at Stay The Course. I will never forget the odds of watching the teams tie and go into a three-way war. The teams had to fight each other to send a representative into the finals. When the dust settled, it was Kruger Olejnik standing triumphant as the winner.
(Mia steps up to the podium.)
Garcia: I know a lot of wrestlers would never say this in an interview with me, but I know many of them are glad he’s still in Japan.
Lobo: (still behind her) Or wherever the hell he wants to be.
Garcia: There are a long list of wrestlers though that would give one hell of a fight regardless of their opponent. Those are the champions of 2021. Many of our wrestlers donned a title belt this year, but only one can be called 2021 Champion of the Year! The finalists for this award are…
Kid Diaz
CJ Walker
Jester LeBeau
and… Devin Bishop
(Baptist hands her the envelope this time. She takes it and thanks him.)
Garcia: It pays to be called World Champ… or call kids little f-sticks.
(The camera pans to Jester who is doing something that must be blurred out.)
Garcia: The winner of the Champion of the Year Award goes to… “The Apex” Devin Bishop!
(Elijah steps back up to the podium.)
Anderson: He is our longest reigning champion and did so while on the top of the mountain. That is no small deed and I’m glad to see Devin recognized as the Champion of the Year. He went through a metamorphosis at the beginning of 2021 and it propelled him to heights I don’t even think he imagined.
That is four awards down and four awards to go. We’ll take a break now and be back for the exciting conclusion of the 2021 Golden Gauntlet Awards!
(After a short commercial break the UPW logo fills the screen. It fades to reveal the ring. Standing behind the podium is the immaculately dressed Madam Wu, her long blonde hair pulled up and back in an elaborate oriental style, complete with pins. To her left is Sir Oliver clad in a very formal dinner jacket. To her right, her daughter, V. V is in a very tight and very short black dress.)
Wu: Yes, we are back and with important news: important news concerning the life-blood of any wrestling federation. It’s feuds. These ignite passions, prompt greater levels of violence and elevate the participants. We’ve seen our share. So who are the winners of Feud of the Year?
(Madam Wu then looks to Sir Oliver, who coughs a little nervously before removing a list from his inside pocket.)
Sir Oliver: Ahem. Good evening one and all. I would take this opportunity to wish each and every one of you all the very best for the New Year and -
V: Like, get on with it! People just want to hear who’s won!
Sir Oliver: Well, I say! There’s really no need for-
Wu: The LIST, if you will, Sir Robert.
Sir Oliver: Ah, Quite so. Quite so. Ahem. The nominees for Feud of the year are: Devin Bishop vs. CJ Walker, The Robinsons vs. Wicked, and The Black Hand vs. The Alliance vs. Team Ragsdale. And the winner IS….
(He produces a gold envelope and hands it to Madam Wu. She carefully opens it and unfolds the paper within.)
Wu: The winner is The Black Hand vs. The Alliance vs. Team Ragsdale! Congratulations to ALL of you. Between you all you managed to encapsulate almost every member of the roster. THAT’S precisely the standard that I expect. I anticipate seeing more of the same - and greater in the coming year.
So, now we come to a highly valued award; one that shows the skill set, creativity and determination of the BEST of our talented roster; the Mic Skills of the Year award. Whilst there were many notable candidates, these were whittled down to just TWO notable nominees. The Finalists in this category are: Jester LeBeau and CJ Walker. And the winner IS….
(Again she turns to Sir Oliver, who pats his pockets seeking the requisite envelope as V looks on, smirking at his embarrassment. Sir Oliver recovers his composure swiftly; finding the envelope he hands it calmly to Madam Wu and even manages a gracious bow.)
WU: The winner is Jester LeBeau.
V: Like Jester totally deserved that. Just goes to show how many of those little fuck sticks got off their asses and actually like, voted for him.
Wu: Next we come to Tag Team of the Year.
Sir Oliver: Ah yes, Tag Teams delight and entertain in so many different ways. The fusion of different styles can provide a near endless amalgam of disparate entertainment. If I may? I would like to-
V: Can it, Old Dude, I like, totally got this. So, heads up, Party people! The finalists for Tag Team of the Year, ARE - Team Sp!ke, THC, Chaos Perfected, Disorganized Chaos, AND like the super special, Rated M.
Wu: All capable of taking home this prestigious accolade. However, only ONE team can do so and that team IS….. Team Sp!ke.
Sir Oliver: How simply splendid! I tip my hat to that talented pairing.
V: Yeah, that’s not all you’ll be “tipping”. I’ve seen you staring at that Pixi-slut, you old perv.
Sir Oliver: I did no such thi-
Wu: Moving on: to our FINAL award for 2021. This is arguably the grandest prize of all and it is - Wrestler of the Year. We have some amazing talent to select from with regard to this TOP award. The fans had a difficult task in selecting the winner. Just looking over the list of finalists tells you that. Those finalists are: Mr CJ Walker, Devin Bishop, Pixilious, and Jester LeBeau.
(Madam Wu relinquishes the podium to her daughter. V steps up and opens the gold envelope. She pulls forth a card and smirks. Her expression changes as she reads.)
V: Oh no! Like, how the fuck did THAT happen? The winner is CJ Walker?
Wu: Congratulations Mr Walker. Once again the sagacity of my decisions and investments is verified. I placed Mr Walker in a position of power when all others were looking to jettison the man. I saw possibilities. I saw prospects. I saw promise. My vision was correct. Mr Walker IS UPW’s Wrestler of the Year!
V: What? Like no fucking way! I like, totally demand a recount.
Wu: The matter is settled, Daughter. Do NOT embarrass me.
V: Yes, Mother.
Sir Oliver: Well, that concludes the award ceremony. I thank everyone for attending, everyone for voting and everyone for investing in UPW. 2021 was a challenging year, but we came through it stronger and better than ever. We have exciting new prospects who will no doubt bring challenges and innovation. Who knows what 2022 will bring? Except. It will bring thrills, drama and controversy AND sensational fight action as only UPW can bring it.
V: Like wow. The old dude actually said some shit that made sense.
Wu: Stay The Course. That’s what we said. That’s what we did. That’s what we’ll do. So stay with us as we prepare to bring you MORE: more of everything you want, but for now I bid you all - Good Night.
(Madam Wu exits to Prodigy's “Serial Thrilla”)
The Golden Gauntlet Awards
(The show begins inside the Sahara Events Center. The ring is set up, but not really conducive for wrestling. Instead, there is a golden podium sitting square in the middle of the squared circle. Wrestlers, managers, and other personalities from UP Wrestling are sitting in the front rows. Further back, fans have also purchased seats to witness the award announcements. Standing behind the podium is minority owner, Elijah Anderson. Joining him to his left and right are Baptist Lobo and Mia Garcia.)
Anderson: Welcome everyone to the 2021 Golden Gauntlet Awards Show! Thank you for joining us tonight as we reflect on the year. We think of who stood out… who was the best of the best. UP Wrestling had a tremendous year. Think back to some of those BIG moments…
We had a World Champion unification match between CJ Walker and Devin Bishop. Who knew that feud would go on throughout the entire year? Those two gave us storytelling, drama, action, suspense, and most of all some extremely memorable wrestling. Those two could not be further apart personality wise; however, they gave us something that truly stood out as they fought for the number one title in our company.
We crowned the first HOMECOMING Queen and King. Pixilious and King Diaz were able to beat some extremely tough competition to secure their crowns. Now look at them. They are now champions. King Diaz finished the year by using his Christmas Chaos prize to win the UP Wrestling World Openweight Championship. Pixilious was voted in by the fans at Vendetta which led her to winning the Sin City Championship.
Those are just two, but we’ll look back at many more moments during the show. For now, let’s pass it over to Baptist Lobo as he announces the first award of the evening.
(Anderson shifts back and Lobo takes center stage behind the podium.)
Lobo: Who takes home the first Goldie tonight? Yeah, you like that? Let’s talk about what makes somebody catch your eye. In this ring, it's kind of easy. With our performers, they are doing all kinds of crazy stuff. Flying, punching, and these sick finishing moves all bring people to their feet.
What about the people who don’t climb in here to wrestle? Think of all the personalities here in UP Wrestling. (nodding his head) Yeah, there’s a lot. But who sets themself apart? There was a long, long list of names. Here are the finalists for Supporting Character of the Year…
Terrence Christopher
Cliff Ragsdale
(Baptist steps aside as Mia walks up with an envelope in hand.)
Garcia: Business acquaintances to bitter foes and now here they are vying for this award. Terrence and Cliff are two of the best managers in the wrestling world. We have seen them have their ups and downs in 2021. They are stars outside of the ring just like the stars they manage inside of it. Tonight, there can only be one who receives this award.
And the winner of the Supporting Character of the Year Award goes to…
(She opens the envelope.)
Garcia: For the second year in a row, the winner is Cliff Ragsdale!
(Cliff receives a modest clap as the camera pans over to his brother Eric and Dillian DeHaven. Cliff has still not been reinstated, so he is not at the show. Elijah steps back up to the podium.)
Anderson: Congrats Cliff. A memory that sparks is when Cliff's group come together as a whole to challenge The Alliance and The Black Hand in our first ever Dead Man’s Hand match. It was the debut of Eric Ragsdale. Now, the Black Hand did go on to win that match setting them up to win the Tag Team and Sin City Championships.
You can’t take away Cliff’s management skills though. Even though they didn’t come up on top in that match, Dillian DeHaven won the Sin City Championship this year. Nathaniel went from an unknown to someone vying for the biggest prizes in UP Wrestling like the World Openweight Championship.
(Baptist ducks his head in.)
Lobo: And now he has two Goldies that he can decorate his table with.
Anderson: Very true.
(Mia takes the podium.)
Garcia: It's funny you mention the Dead Man’s Hand. That first of its kind match was featured at Sin City Strike. Every special event that we have hosted in UP Wrestling is memorable for a multitude of reasons, but only one can take home the Special Event of the Year. The finalists are…
HOMECOMING
Sin City Strike
(Baptist comes up with an envelope in hand.)
Lobo: Fun fact for the King Diaz fans out there. He steps up at special events. He won at both of those shows. The guy was our first champion and look at where he is now. I digress. The winner of the Special Events of the Year Award is HOMECOMING!
(Elijah comes back to the mic at the podium.)
Anderson: What an event! It featured a mixed tag team and another great match between Devin and CJ. We have talked about some of those memories already though, so let me throw out a history changing one for you. In September, we joined the XHF Network! It was a bold move, but the right one for our company.
Look at the new talent we have attracted. Look at the accolades. Think about our first show we participated in with the entire network, End of Days. I will never, ever forget watching Dillian DeHaven and Rain Blackhart battle for the Sin City Championship. I am still extremely proud of that moment. And now… we have another opportunity to show off what UP Wrestling has at Supremacy. An announcement will come soon as to who will represent us and I guarantee whoever it is will make one heck of a memory in 2022.
(Baptist slides into place.)
Lobo: Both those guys are great talents. They are established in this craft. Both are former tag team and Sin City Champions. Enough about them though! Hey, no disrespect. It's time to talk about the up and comers. Who is next up? We had some newcomers in UP Wrestling this year, so let’s give them some praise. It is time to announce the One To Watch. The finalists are…
Nathaniel
Joe Nobody
David Berg
and… Annie Castle
(Up comes Mia with the envelope.)
Garcia: And the winner of the One to Watch Award is… “The Hebrew Hammer” David Berg!
(The camera pans out to show David in the crowd. He gives a polite wave. Elijah is back behind the podium when the camera focuses back on the ring.)
Anderson: As Baptist listed out those names, I couldn’t believe they just started with us in 2021. Joe is already a champion. Nathaniel has main evented a special event. Annie Castle has made news… for things in and outside the ring. Then, you have our winner. David Berg has been amazing, beating some of our top talent already in his brief time here. What will he do next? I’m just glad I have the best seat in the house to watch his career unfold here.
Now tell me, who here loved watching the Patriot Cup matches?
(The room fills with applause.)
Anderson: Yes, that was a great event. It spanned for months and culminated at Stay The Course. I will never forget the odds of watching the teams tie and go into a three-way war. The teams had to fight each other to send a representative into the finals. When the dust settled, it was Kruger Olejnik standing triumphant as the winner.
(Mia steps up to the podium.)
Garcia: I know a lot of wrestlers would never say this in an interview with me, but I know many of them are glad he’s still in Japan.
Lobo: (still behind her) Or wherever the hell he wants to be.
Garcia: There are a long list of wrestlers though that would give one hell of a fight regardless of their opponent. Those are the champions of 2021. Many of our wrestlers donned a title belt this year, but only one can be called 2021 Champion of the Year! The finalists for this award are…
Kid Diaz
CJ Walker
Jester LeBeau
and… Devin Bishop
(Baptist hands her the envelope this time. She takes it and thanks him.)
Garcia: It pays to be called World Champ… or call kids little f-sticks.
(The camera pans to Jester who is doing something that must be blurred out.)
Garcia: The winner of the Champion of the Year Award goes to… “The Apex” Devin Bishop!
(Elijah steps back up to the podium.)
Anderson: He is our longest reigning champion and did so while on the top of the mountain. That is no small deed and I’m glad to see Devin recognized as the Champion of the Year. He went through a metamorphosis at the beginning of 2021 and it propelled him to heights I don’t even think he imagined.
That is four awards down and four awards to go. We’ll take a break now and be back for the exciting conclusion of the 2021 Golden Gauntlet Awards!
(After a short commercial break the UPW logo fills the screen. It fades to reveal the ring. Standing behind the podium is the immaculately dressed Madam Wu, her long blonde hair pulled up and back in an elaborate oriental style, complete with pins. To her left is Sir Oliver clad in a very formal dinner jacket. To her right, her daughter, V. V is in a very tight and very short black dress.)
Wu: Yes, we are back and with important news: important news concerning the life-blood of any wrestling federation. It’s feuds. These ignite passions, prompt greater levels of violence and elevate the participants. We’ve seen our share. So who are the winners of Feud of the Year?
(Madam Wu then looks to Sir Oliver, who coughs a little nervously before removing a list from his inside pocket.)
Sir Oliver: Ahem. Good evening one and all. I would take this opportunity to wish each and every one of you all the very best for the New Year and -
V: Like, get on with it! People just want to hear who’s won!
Sir Oliver: Well, I say! There’s really no need for-
Wu: The LIST, if you will, Sir Robert.
Sir Oliver: Ah, Quite so. Quite so. Ahem. The nominees for Feud of the year are: Devin Bishop vs. CJ Walker, The Robinsons vs. Wicked, and The Black Hand vs. The Alliance vs. Team Ragsdale. And the winner IS….
(He produces a gold envelope and hands it to Madam Wu. She carefully opens it and unfolds the paper within.)
Wu: The winner is The Black Hand vs. The Alliance vs. Team Ragsdale! Congratulations to ALL of you. Between you all you managed to encapsulate almost every member of the roster. THAT’S precisely the standard that I expect. I anticipate seeing more of the same - and greater in the coming year.
So, now we come to a highly valued award; one that shows the skill set, creativity and determination of the BEST of our talented roster; the Mic Skills of the Year award. Whilst there were many notable candidates, these were whittled down to just TWO notable nominees. The Finalists in this category are: Jester LeBeau and CJ Walker. And the winner IS….
(Again she turns to Sir Oliver, who pats his pockets seeking the requisite envelope as V looks on, smirking at his embarrassment. Sir Oliver recovers his composure swiftly; finding the envelope he hands it calmly to Madam Wu and even manages a gracious bow.)
WU: The winner is Jester LeBeau.
V: Like Jester totally deserved that. Just goes to show how many of those little fuck sticks got off their asses and actually like, voted for him.
Wu: Next we come to Tag Team of the Year.
Sir Oliver: Ah yes, Tag Teams delight and entertain in so many different ways. The fusion of different styles can provide a near endless amalgam of disparate entertainment. If I may? I would like to-
V: Can it, Old Dude, I like, totally got this. So, heads up, Party people! The finalists for Tag Team of the Year, ARE - Team Sp!ke, THC, Chaos Perfected, Disorganized Chaos, AND like the super special, Rated M.
Wu: All capable of taking home this prestigious accolade. However, only ONE team can do so and that team IS….. Team Sp!ke.
Sir Oliver: How simply splendid! I tip my hat to that talented pairing.
V: Yeah, that’s not all you’ll be “tipping”. I’ve seen you staring at that Pixi-slut, you old perv.
Sir Oliver: I did no such thi-
Wu: Moving on: to our FINAL award for 2021. This is arguably the grandest prize of all and it is - Wrestler of the Year. We have some amazing talent to select from with regard to this TOP award. The fans had a difficult task in selecting the winner. Just looking over the list of finalists tells you that. Those finalists are: Mr CJ Walker, Devin Bishop, Pixilious, and Jester LeBeau.
(Madam Wu relinquishes the podium to her daughter. V steps up and opens the gold envelope. She pulls forth a card and smirks. Her expression changes as she reads.)
V: Oh no! Like, how the fuck did THAT happen? The winner is CJ Walker?
Wu: Congratulations Mr Walker. Once again the sagacity of my decisions and investments is verified. I placed Mr Walker in a position of power when all others were looking to jettison the man. I saw possibilities. I saw prospects. I saw promise. My vision was correct. Mr Walker IS UPW’s Wrestler of the Year!
V: What? Like no fucking way! I like, totally demand a recount.
Wu: The matter is settled, Daughter. Do NOT embarrass me.
V: Yes, Mother.
Sir Oliver: Well, that concludes the award ceremony. I thank everyone for attending, everyone for voting and everyone for investing in UPW. 2021 was a challenging year, but we came through it stronger and better than ever. We have exciting new prospects who will no doubt bring challenges and innovation. Who knows what 2022 will bring? Except. It will bring thrills, drama and controversy AND sensational fight action as only UPW can bring it.
V: Like wow. The old dude actually said some shit that made sense.
Wu: Stay The Course. That’s what we said. That’s what we did. That’s what we’ll do. So stay with us as we prepare to bring you MORE: more of everything you want, but for now I bid you all - Good Night.
(Madam Wu exits to Prodigy's “Serial Thrilla”)