TAP OUT WRESTLING 10: DIAMOND VS POENA II - LIVE

[Cross Recoba]

PRESENTS
TAP OUT WRESTLING 10: DIAMOND VS POENA II

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Date: 8^th January 2023
Venue: Lansky Ballroom, The Sands Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada
Attendance: 1000 (Capacity: 1000)

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The sold out Lansky Ballroom is packed to the rafters with the usual deafening cheers of the Tapout Wrestling audience. The camera starts at the entrance set and pans slowly around the arena. As ever, dotted around the arena are fan signs, the Tapout loving masses trying, as they always do, to outdo each other’s creativity.

"I CAME TO SEE IRISHMEN FIGHT"

"CAR > TWISTED METAL"

"I AM FAR AWAY COLLINS"

"DIAMOND LOUNGE PLATINUM MEMBER"

"HELP! I'M TRAPPED IN A SIGN MAKING FACTORY!"

As the camera swoops round, in the second row, a group of twelve fans has gathered, each holding a two foot high letter, meticulously cut out…

“L – A – R – I – A – T – O – O – O – O – O – O”

..before the camera finishes its pan at the announce desk where the ever cheerful Steve Morrison is seated next to always exquisitely besuited Master of the Sicilian Typewriter, our owner AND colour commentator, Mr Cross Recoba.

Steve Morrison: Welcome wrestling fans the world wide, whether you’re here in person or watching LIVE on the XHF Network, you’re in the only place to be be, right here, tonight. This is Tapout Wrestling.

Cross Recoba: Let me tell you something, Steve. You can feel the energy all across the Network. It’s Supremacy season and everyone is buzzing. From GUNS to Wrestle: UK, there is an excitement around all the federations here on the Network. The Battle for Hegemony promises some great action but everyone is focusing on the long term goal. And that’s sealing that prime Network real estate that is a spot at the big dance.

Steve Morrison: And we here in Tapout get to send our own representatives, the finalists for the Tapout Openweight Championship.

Cross Recoba: It’s been a hard road these past few months. But if you want to win our title, you have to put the work in. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. The name on the posters may be all about the title tournament but we have a hell of a card assembled tonight.

Tommy Strychnine: So here we are again. Once more into the fray. One more dipshit pin lined up for me to kick over on the way to making this place feel a little more like ‘must see TV’ than ‘must PVR and watch in a month or two when there isn’t something better on.’

Aiden Merric: I’m going to exert my influence on this Strychnine bloke. He doesn’t know who he’s dealing with. What he might not realize is this is a punishment for him. Someone wants him to suffer and learn a lesson. And I am the man to do it.

Tommy Strychnine: You wanna prove you’re a big man, Skippy? Bring it on. You wanna prove you’re a tough guy, and that you can beat the shit out of a guy six inches shorter and a good hundred pounds smaller than you are? Bring it. Call out whatever accolades you want, I don’t give a shit. I’m not there to impress you. I’m not there to impress fans. I’m there to put on a motherfucking show.

Aiden Merric: These fists here? They are all I need to Tommyknock his head off. Forget recreation, when I’m done with him he’ll need the maximum strength painkillers to get through the day while they spend countless resources rebuilding his face to preserve that rock star look.

Steve Morrison: Tommy Strychnine versus Aiden Merric. Your thoughts on this, boss man?

Cross Recoba: Tommy is a loose cannon. You never know what you’re going to get but if you underestimate him for a second, he is going to knock your head off. Merric, on the other hand is horrifyingly predictable for his opponents. A bruiser, a fighter. Tough as old boot leather and a stern test for any man. It’s gonna be a good one.

Steve Morrison: After that, we have four competitors who mix technical wrestling with a reckless fast paced style.
Cross Recoba: Well, Jackalope mixes a reckless fast paced style with an even more reckless, even faster paced style.

Sawyer pries him up and wraps the arm…HAMMERLOCK DDT!!!

Cross Recoba: I love how they kept on the arm to hit that.
Steve Morrison: They’re already working on their next move…

They rush to the turnbuckle….MOONSAULT….

Steve Morrison: SAWYERSAULT!!!

Cross Recoba: What can Kingsley do from here?

Solomon takes McConalogue by the raised arm and brings her back to her feet. He uses it to deliver a short-arm elbow before whipping her to the corner.

Steve Morrison: He leans back into the turnbuckle…

HANDSPRING BACK ELBOW HAS RANDOM STAGGERING FROM THE CORNER…BELLY-TO-BACK FACEBUSTER!!

Close points at the corner and attempts to judge precisely when Erin is going to get back to a vertical base. He charges at the turnbuckles and with a level of agility unmatched by many in Tapout Wrestling, he rapidly ascends. Collins jumps off blind, twisting his body round in the air in a tight spiral, Erin’s body being his target. CLOSE BODY BLOCKS ERIN GORDON WITH HIS HURTLING, ROTATING FORM…

Steve Morrison: FUTURE'S CALLING!

Jackalope crawls to the ropes and looks behind him to see Capone is slowly stirring.

Steve Morrison: Jackalope’s got something in mind and the crowd can feel the energy!
Cross Recoba: He has a knack for the spectacular…

Stepping through the ropes, Jackalope rushes to the turnbuckle.

Steve Morrison: The crowd know what this could be…

MOONSAULT DDT!!!

Steve Morrison: You’re not going to want to miss a second of this encounter.
Cross Recoba: Don’t look away. Don’t even blink.

Steve Morrison: And our Co-Main Event is a hell of a tag match. You have Jason Long, sitting on that one fall advantage going into Supremacy tagging with the fireplug newcomer Random McConalogue up against Wildcat Capone, always a bag of surprises in the ring and Spike Kane….

Cross Recoba: ...A man who I signed fully in the knowledge that he’s going to push the medical bills up for all the wrestlers he tangles with.

Spike Kane: It happens time and time again, because I’m committed, I’m determined, and I do not give up. You can knock me down a hundred times, I’ll keep on coming. There’s no malice between us, at least as far as I’m aware. There’s no bad blood, but you need to understand how serious I am. I’m not playing games, and I’m not here to make up the numbers either. As you well know, I’m Spike fucking Kane, and I’m never easy to find, especially if you’re looking for a fight. You will be a test I’m sure Long, maybe more of a test than last time..

But the result will be the same.

Random McConalogue: So aye, bring your brute force and your size and the rest. Bring that anger, and I'll still dance with the butterflies and watch you on a Planck scale and in the perfect time and place... technical elegance and casual kinematics to mitigate the whole lot down into a singularity...

..where it's so easy to just drag you down and show you a fresh and total perspective of where you stand after all this time, now you've come here. Half a theory, and half the challenge in front...

Wildcat Capone: But you’re right about one thing there Jason. This is THE most important match of my career. I get to test myself against a man who I respect and whatever the fuck Random is. I get to prove to the world that I am on that level. That I am that damn good.


A1nd you wanna talk about me being fake? Naw dawg. The only thing fake around here is you and your wannabe tough guy persona. Random, you’re a talented wrestler. But unfortunately for i don’t give a fuck. I’m going to punch your faces in, black your eyes and make you taste blood. I’m going to disfigure you and beat you. Because when push comes to shove that’s what I fucking do.

Jason Long: That Hardcore Championship is going to go well around my waist and only then, I can show you some real fucking violence. I can show you some real fucking hardcore. I can
show you what it means to be a real fucking pillar to wrestling. Though, that is all for the future to behold. TAPOUT Openweight Championship. XHF X*Crown Championship. XHF Hardcore Championship. I have keys to the kingdom if I can gain all of those within the next year, that’s a goal that I am going to set out for myself and that’s what I’m going to do. I don’t say shit just for the sake of it, lads.

What I speak, it becomes reality. A new year’s resolution is finally coming to life.

Spike Kane: All. Bloody. Hail.

Steve Morrison: And now we come to the main event. Two men who walk into a chance to go to Supremacy and face Jason Long. Poena has had the harder road to get here, going 3-1 so far in this tournament, Jack Diamond sits at 2-1.

Cross Recoba: That’s the beauty of this double elimination format. You can drop a match and still win it all. But it’s an uphill battle for whoever wins this match. They need to take two straight falls against Jason Long and that’s no small feat.

Steve Morrison: Let’s have a look at the road to this point.

JACK DIAMOND OVER ROTATES AND FLIPS OUT OF THE CLOSER ATTEMPT! CLOSE COLLINS IS UNAWARE OF WHAT IS HAPPENING BEHIND HIM AS HE STARTS TO DRAW HIS BODY UP.. AND JACK DIAMOND REACHES UP AND SNAGS CLOSE’S HEAD IN A HANGMAN’S NECKBREAKER POSITION! JACK JUMPS FORWARD AND SITS OUT DRIVING THE BACK OF CLOSE’S HEAD AND THE TOP OF HIS NECK INTO JACK’S SHOULDER!

Steve Morrison: INVERTED STACKED DECK! INVERTED STACKED DECK!

AND KNOWING FULL WELL HOW TO PIN SOMEONE OFF A MOVE THAT DRAGS YOUR OPPONENT OUT OF THE CORNER JACK GRABS BOTH OF CLOSE’S LEGS AND APPLY A JACKKNIFE PIN!

ONE!

TWO!

THREE!

Erin looks mortified, fully expecting her Nor’Easter to garner the win. She gives herself space looking to hit her personal take on the Sling Blade, the Windswept. Gathering together all her strength, Erin pumps her fists again and charges is… POENA GETS SLOWLY TO HIS FEET… ERIN LEAPS INTO THE AIR… REACHES AN ARM OUT TO SNAG POENA’S NECK…

…AND POENA SPITS THE TURQUOISE MIST RIGHT INTO ERIN’S FACE AS SHE’S FLYING THROUGH THE AIR! ERIN COLLAPSES TO THE MAT GRABBING HER FACE!

Steve Morrison: AMAZING GRACE! NO!

Grinning and with blue ichor dripping from his mouth, Poena kneels the mat level facing away from Erin. With Gordon’s hands desperately trying to claw the vile spit out of her eyes she is unable to make a solid defense as Poena bridges backwards, sitting his body weight onto Erin’s neck before reaching down and grabbing both of her arms, locking in a fearsome double armbar. Erin, in agony from the stinging mist and double agony with a side of pain from the armbar, especially on her weakened shoulder can do nothing more than offer a verbal submission.

Steve Morrison: The match is over and Penance is the deciding factor.

Laura Messier: The winner of this match and advancing to the next round in the Winners bracket…POENA!!!

Quinn asks if he wants to give in but The Icon shakes his head.

Steve Morrison: He refuses to tap!

Cross Recoba: That might not be the best move. Take the loss, face NOMAD and keep some chance of winning in the End of Days tournament. Poena won’t hesitate to put him on the shelf.

DIAMOND SUCCEEDS IN REACHING FOR THE ROPE WITH HIS FREE ARM!!!

Steve Morrison: He finds a rope break!

Cross Recoba: I stand corrected, great ring awareness from the Icon.

Quinn physically separates the hold!

Steve Morrison: “Big” John HAD to get involved there. Poena would have held on perhaps well past the five count!

Poena gets to his feet first BUT WALKS RIGHT INTO A STACKED DECK FROM DIAMOND’S OTHER HAND!!!

Steve Morrison: HE HITS ANOTHER STACKED DECK!!

Cross Recoba: But did you see he used his non-dominant hand? That’ll mess with the whole way you hit the move. Is it enough to win?

Jack Diamond: THAT WAS FOR ACE!

The cameras catch the pain etched deep on Jack’s face as he climbs the top rope…

Steve Morrison: It seems that Jack has similar thoughts, Cross.

Cross Recoba: Is it another Shuffled Deck?

COUP DE GRACE!!!

Steve Morrison: JACKPOT!!!

Hooking the leg with his undamaged arm, Diamond makes the pin…

ONE…

TWO…

…..

….

THREE!!!!

Collins knows that he needs a definite finish, and he walks over to the turnbuckles. Up one step. Uo another step. His progress is walking through molasses levels of slow but Poena appears to be down. Close steps up to the top and looks over his shoulder. Poena is slowly standing. Close crosses himself and changes plans, leaping off backwards, flipping and pirouetting mid air to crash into The Sanctified One.

Steve Morrison: THE FUTURE’S CALLING!

Cross Recoba: But at what cost?

The howl of pain from Collins as his back hits Poena’s body is loud and anguished. Both men are down and the referee puts on a ten count for a double knockout…

ONE!

TWO!

THREE!

FOUR!

FIVE! Poena is up…

SIX!

SEVEN!

EIGHT!

NINE!

TE…. CLOSE COLLINS IS UP! HE TURNS TO FACE POENA! And Poena, having noted the referee is resetting position after being down to check the double down… KICKS HIM SQUARE IN THE NUTS. Close stumbles forwards…CROSSED LEGGED SUPLEX LIFT. DROPPED STRAIGHT DOWN, THE CENTER OF CLOSE’S SHOULDERS CRASHING RIGHT ONTO POENA’S KNEE. POENA COVERS…

Steve Morrison: ANATHEMA! NOT LIKE THIS!

ONE!

TWO!

THREE!

With Jason Long stuck to his back like a limpet, Jack Diamond simply falls backwards, splatting Jason Long’s body onto the mat in an uncomfortable back press…

ONE!

TWO!

THR… NO! LONG GETS A SHOULDER UP! Long wriggles to reposition higher up Jack Diamond’s body as The Ace of Spades grits his teeth and gets slowly to a knee. Then to another knee. Bearing the full weight of Long, Jack JUST FLOPS BACKWARDS TO THE MAT, CRASHING JASON LONG DOWN AGAIN!

ONE!

TWO!

THRE… NO! JASON LONG GRABS ONTO THE BOTTOM ROPE AS THE PAIR ARE STILL NOT FAR ENOUGH AWAY FROM THE CORNER!

Steve Morrison: OH MY GOD THAT WAS CLOSE!

It’s back to the well once more as Jack Diamond stresses and strains, Long not giving up the vice-like grip despite being repeatedly dropped flat on the mat. Diamond slowly, ever so slowly peels in his other foot before staggering backwards, Long’s weight feeling like a 400lb behemoth to the tired Ace of Spades. Jack tries to jump backwards again…

BUT JASON LONG REACHES UP AND AROUND AND SNAGS JACK DIAMOND’S HEAD! DIAMOND JUST DROPS TO HIS KNEES IN ANGUISH AS JASON LONG STARTS TO APPLY PRESSURE WITH A HEAVILY MODIFIED DRAGON SLEEPER! JACK DIAMOND COLLAPSES SIDEWAYS TO THE MAT, LONG GRASPING HIM, COBRA LIKE…

Steve Morrison: SANCTIFICATION! SANCTIFICATION! SANCTIFICATION!

Diamond is fading, and fading fast. Long’s eyes are almost glazed over, his focus purely on holding on to the submission rather than the noise and everything else going on.

JACK DIAMOND IS OUT OF OPTIONS!

JACK!

TAPS!

OUT!

Close wipes the crimson from off his face as he stands, making sure he keeps his eyes clear to keep sight of Poena. The Sanctified One storms back towards Close, taken aback by the sudden impact of the Future’s Calling… and Close tags him with a right hand! And a second! AND A THIRD! Close steps through grabbing on, one of Poena’s arms and shoulder throws him down to the mat. Close takes top position in the mount and rains down punches, and blood, onto Poena’s face. Close keeps on wailing away before reaching down and grasping a head and arm clutch. Close rolls backwards to his feet taking Poena up with him before POPPING HIS HIPS AND THROWING POENA CLEAN OVER WITH A MASSIVE SUUUUPLEX!

Steve Morrison: TUFFPLEX! TUFFPLEX! TUFFPLEX!

Close covers…

ONE!

TWO!

THR..POENA KICKS OUT!

Close is quickly back to his feet, looking for one more move to finish Poena off before the sheer level of blood loss finally saps the last of his strength. Poena gets to one knee, facing away from Close and places two fingers to the base of his chin. Close steadies himself as The Sanctified One stands and Poena turns slowly. Close rears back one of his trained fist and… POENA BLOWS A MOUTHFUL OF TURQUOISE MIST RIGHT INTO THE BLOODIED MESS OF A FACE OF COLLINS!

Crowd: BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Steve Morrison: AMAZING GRACE! THE MIST! THAT FOUL, FOUL MIST!

Cross Recoba: I’ve been misted before. It hurts like hell when it gets in your eyes. I can’t begin to imagine how it feels in an oozing cut.

With a thud, Close drops back first to the mat and Poena drops straight down after him, DRIVING HIS FINGERTIPS INTO CLOSE’S RIBCAGE APPLYING PRESSURE RIGHT OVER WHERE THE HEART MUSCLE SITS. Close Colins starts to choke and splutter as Poena just will not let the pressure loose. Referee Williams drops to check what’s going on as Poena is… weirdly calm. He asks Close Collins if he wants to quit and Collins makes the vaguest shake of his head. It’s obvious Close is fading and Poena, never moving the lethal hold, reaches out with his other hand and dabs it into Close’s turquoise and blue fresco painting of a face. He lifts the ichor coated hand to the sky as the referee asks Close Collins one more time…

And there is no response.

Steve Morrison: There you go. It’s been a hard route thus far for both of these men. But if they want a shot at revenge on Jason Long and at that title, they have to go through the other man in the match.

Cross Recoba: It’s been a long, no pun intended, road for both of these men. I couldn’t pick a winner between the two and I doubt many others could either.

Steve Morrison: Let’s get this party started with our first match. Laura, take it away.

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Laura Messier: Welcome to TAP OUT WRESTLING TEN!!!!



The lights go down and the sound of people cheering starts to play. Spotlights come up in pairs, focused on the stage until 'Like A Rockstar' starts to play as fog covers the stage and strobing purple lights play along with the song. Slowly a platform rises from the center of the stage, revealing a figure in an elaborate velvet robe, with "Tommy Strychnine" signed on the back in flickering LEDs.

Steve Morrison: It's the XHF Network's resident rock star, Tommy Strychnine
Cross Recoba: There's a school of thought that says you need to focus on the basics to perfect wrestling. Tommy does not subscribe to it.

Tommy spins around when the lyrics start and shrugs off the robe, lip-synching along to the song and imitating playing guitar as he makes his way down the ramp, stopping to take selfies and give high fives to fans along the way.

Steve Morrison: Those fans are going to go home with a unique souvenir of today. A picture with Tommy.
Cross Recoba: Fortunately you can't contract anything from a digital image.

When he gets to the ring, he poses on the turnbuckle with his guitar, pretending to play along with the song, before handing off the guitar to the ring crew and doing a flip off the turnbuckle into a powerslide as pyro goes off from the corners of the ring.

Steve Morrison: The pyro, the showmanship, the total entertainment package.
Cross Recoba: Strychnine sets out to make an impression every time he steps into the ring. And every time he's anywhere else for that matter.



"Ain't No Rest for the Wicked" hits the arena as an imitation sandstorm is created in the entranceway and Aiden Merric emerges from it chewing nicotine gum and wearing a smug ass smile on his face.

Steve Morrison: From all showoff to all business. Coober Pedy's finest, Aiden Merric.
Cross Recoba: If he's Coober Pedy's finest, that doesn't speak much for the character of the rest of the town.

He spits the gum and puts a patch on his arm before stretching and walking to the ring with a purpose. He rolls into the ring and stretches on the ropes.

Steve Morrison: The contrast between these two couldn't be starker. Tommy would be playing guitar or throwing the horns. All Merric is doing is preparing for a match.
Cross Recoba: A match, or often just a plain old fight.

The referee stops him and removes his various blades, ropes and other hunting equipment as he smirks. He then cracks his neck, waiting for the bell.

Steve Morrison: One day Merric is going to get away with stashing these items on his body.
Cross Recoba: That's not a knife, that's a knife. And that one. And that one. And that small one.

With both competitors in the ring, Laura begins the introductions.

Laura Messier: Introducing first!From Louisiana, New Orleans..Standing at five-feet and ten inches, weighing in at one-hundred-and-seventy-five pounds...He is the Rock 'em, Sock 'em Rocker....TOMMY...STRYCHNINE!!!

Strych looks past Laura and Rhod in the center of the ring instead focusing on his opponent.

Laura Messier: And his opponent! From Coober Pedy, South Australia. He stands at six-feet and two inches and weighed in yesterday at two-hundred-and-twenty pounds...THE WONDER FROM DOWN UNDER...AIDEN...MERRIC!

Merric returns the unbroken gaze and cracks his neck, ready for his next battle.

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OPENING MATCH
SINGLES MATCH
Tommy Strychnine vs Aiden Merric

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Laura Messier climbs between the ropes and makes her way to the Timekeeper’s table. With the match about to start, Rhod Williams approaches Tommy. The Welshamna starts to set out his expectations for the match but the Rocker is openly doing anything but listen to the match official’s rules. Williams stands directly in front of the wrestler and emphatically makes his point.

Steve Morrison: Rhod Williams making his proper debut here tonight and he’ll want to keep things in order as we open up the night.
Cross Recoba: Rhod is truly a third man in the ring, he’s not as physically imposing as “Big” John Quinn but he will make sure that no-one takes his words for granted as Tommy is finding out.

Williams steps away…STRYCHNINE RUSHES PAST HIM AND BLINDSIDES MERRIC FROM BEHIND!!!

Steve Morrison: PEARL HARBOUR!!
Cross Recoba: Merric should’ve known better than to turn his back on an opponent like Tommy!

Tommy has the Australian in the corner and begins to lay into him with stinging right and lefts. He grabs his arm and whips him to the opposite turnbuckle as Williams calls for the bell!

Steve Morrison: We’re underway in our opening match and Strychnine is laying into Aiden Merric at the outset!
Cross Recoba: He’s certainly showing a more clinical way of approaching the matches.

The Rocker rushes in MERRIC MEETS HIM WITH A FOREARM!


Steve Morrison: Aiden’s no slouch in the stand and bang game!
Cross Recoba: We’ve seen that countless times in Ascension, in GUNS Fight Club and now Tommy may well find out how proficient his opponent is!
Steve Morrison: Merric pulled off what many consider a huge upset in GUNS when he beat Bloodied Fox in week two.

Staggering back, Strych can’t do a thing to stop the clubbing forearms that follow from Merric as they battle to the center of the ring.

Cross Recoba: What Fight Club will have shown Aiden is how to exploit and ride an opening and now the onus is on Strych to get back into this.

Finding an opening, Tommy starts to answer with his own strikes.

Steve Morrison: A quick jab to the body throws off Merric’s rhythm.

A right from Tommy!

A right from Merric!

Merric blocks another right and answers with a headbutt!

Steve Morrison: These two are slugging it out in our opener as both men will know that the playing field opens right back up come our February show!

Throwing a huge hook, Merric misses and Strych manages to grab a hammerlock takedown to kill the tempo.

Cross Recoba: We know Tommy shed himself of any advice a few months ago but he needs to make the mat his home in this fight. If he gets into a slugfest with Merric then that reach advantage is going to favor the man from Coober Pedy.

Keeping his weight atop of the Bounty Hunter, Tommy reaches over to land a flurry of quick closed fists shots to the head of his opponent and transitions into a front-facelock.

Steve Morrison: What’s called a North-South position, can Tommy make it work for him?

Using his cage experience, Merric finds a gap and drives Tommy to the ropes, the Rocker instinctively puts his head between the top and middle ropes to force a break.

Tommy Strychnine: BREAK!

Rhod Williams backs Merric away from the ropes. No sooner does he step to the side than Tommy rushes at Aiden with a running knee-lift to the ribs that doubles over his man.

Cross Recoba: Merric called Strych a flash-in-the-pan in his time in AWF, what he has over the Aussie is years of in-ring experience and that came into play there. He played Rhod with the rope-break and then made it an opening for himself.

The Lansky Ballroom erupts into a shower of boos that only seem to make the smile on Strychnine’s face grow wider.

Steve Morrison: The Vegas crowd are letting their thoughts be known!

He grabs the arm of the Australian and looks to send him into the corner but Merric puts the brakes on and reverses it. The Bounty Hunter rushes to the corner but Strych lifts him up in motion and puts him atop the turnbuckle. A dropkick sends the Australian to the outside.

Cross Recoba: Great athleticism from The Rocker, fluid lift followed by a dropkick before Merric knew where he was.

Tommy looks at the fallen body of Aiden and rushes off the ropes as the Lansky Ballroom grows in anticipation as to what he’s going to do.

STRYCH TIGER FEINTS THROUGH THE MIDDLE ROPES AND SHAKES HIS HEAD.

ONE….

The crowd boo Tommy who flips them off.

Steve Morrison: He’s playing the crowd now!
Cross Recoba: This is a match he doesn’t need or want to take too many risks in. Merric is dangerous.

TWO…

Steve Morrison: Both men possess ways to finish it in an instant. Merric with those Lariats and, as we saw last month, if Tommy hits that Springboard V-Trigger? The match is over.

Merric gets to his feet. He goes to place a knee of the apron but sees Tommy approaching and changes his mind.

Cross Recoba: Tommy’s trying to get inside the head of Merric, controlling the ring and making Merric know he’s on the backfoot right now.

THREE…

Aiden makes a break round the ring and leaps to the apron but Strych has him covered and connects with a strong forearm to the temple. He hooks the arm and lifts…Merric drops down the back of him and lands on his feet. He spins his opponent around and pays back the forearm with one of his own.

Steve Morrison: Well negotiated by the Australian as our match picks back up!

The Australian quickly grabs the arm of Strychnine..,he takes his man down with an arm-trap neckbreaker!

Cross Recoba: Great technical skill there but, if I’m being honest, Merric grabbed what he could and did what was available.
Steve Morrison: Technical and Merric are never close together but the improvisation worked.

Keeping the pressure on, Merric starts to drive stomps into the chest of the Rocker. He pulls him to his feet and sends him to the corner. MERRIC FOLLOWS UP WITH A RUSHING ELBOW THAT CONNECTS AT THE SAME TIME AS THE TURNBUCKLE!

Steve Morrison: Great charging elbow from Merric!

Aiden unleashes with RAPID-FIRE KNIFE-EDGE CHOPS!!

Steve Morrison: Unleashing with THAT’S NOT A KNIFE!
Cross Recoba: Let me tell you that chops from anyone hurt more than people imagine but as quick and strong as these are? Your lungs will feel like they’re on fire!

Throwing the Rocker from the corner, Merric rushes in AND CONNECTS WITH A HUGE KNEE TO THE BACK OF TOMMY’S HEAD!

Steve Morrison: Aussie Rules kick connects!
Cross Recoba: I know a South Sea Islander who’s nodding backstage right now!

He covers…

ONE!

TW-

TOMMY KICKS OUT!!

Steve Morrison: NOT QUITE ENOUGH!!

Merric hooks a front-facelock on Tommy but the Rocker disguises a low-blow that breaks the hold…an enziguri connects to the side of Merric’s head.

Cross Recoba: Stick and move, Tommy, that’s the ticket for this one!

The head of Merric barely rises from the mat before Strychnine swings a foot but Aiden rolls away from it. Rising to his feet, Tommy goes to a new approach and wraps his arms around Merric with a Sleeper hold.

Steve Morrison: He’s trying to wear the bigger man down with this hold. Can he put him out?

Aiden tries to fight the hold but Strych is clever with his application, stepping back a step so that his opponent isn’t completely upright.

Cross Recoba: Great footwork there. You see Sleeper holds applied at every level of the sport but making Merric carry more of his body weight by backing off a little is going to wear him down further and further.

Strychnine works the hold, Merric looks out on his feet. Rhod Williams lifts an arm..

IT FALLS….

Steve Morrison: Will Tommy get a huge submission win…
Cross Recoba: I can see where this is going if not…

Merric has little choice but to sit down. Seeing that, Tommy rushes to the ropes…HE NAILS A SHINING WIZARD!

Steve Morrison: PAYBACK FOR THE EARLIER HEAD KICK!!

Strychnine looks for the cover….

ONE!

TWO!!

T-

The Lansky Ballroom erupts for the kickout.

Steve Morrison: MERRIC HOLDS ON!!

The Rocker rushes to the ropes and leaps…AXE KICK!! NO! MERRIC SWEEPS HIS LEGS!

Cross Recoba: Tommy’s in trouble…

POP-UP…EUROPEAN UPPERCUT!!

Steve Morrison: TRANQUILIZER!!

Merric looks for the cover…

ONE…

TWO!!!

T-KICKOUT BY STRYCHNINE!!

Williams catches the eye of Merric and shrugs to indicate it was a fair count.

Steve Morrison: He got all of that uppercut and I’m with Merric, I thought we were done!

Keeping his hand planted on the wrist of Strychnine, Aiden brings him to his feet…he whips him around….TOMMY DUCKS THE RIPCORD LARIAT AND GRABS A WAISTLOCK…GERMAN SUPLEX INTO THE TURNBUCKLE!!

Cross Recoba: Using his own momentum against him!!

Taking a few steps back, Strychnine charges….CANNONBALL SENTON INTO THE CORNER!!!

Steve Morrison: We’ve seen that combo time and time again!
Cross Recoba: Merric had nowhere to go, that waistlock before the German Suplex was locked in!

Crowd: LET’S GO MERRIC! *CLAP* *CLAP* *CLAPCLAPCLAP*

Tommy Strychnine: SHUT UP!!

The Rocker rolls to his feet and throws Merric into the center of the ring. He lifts his arm up to motion for the Australian to get up….LEAPFROG FACEBUSTER!!!

Steve Morrison: KOTARO KRUSHER!!!

Strych makes the pin…

ONE…

TWO…

MERRIC THROWS AN ARM UP!!

Steve Morrison: Merric shows amazing resilience tonight!
Cross Recoba: Tommy needs to take a deep breath and work his way to that knee.

Grabbing hold of the exposed limb, Strychnine drags the Bounty Hunter to his feet and drives a boot into his gut. He hooks him for a suplex and lifts…Merric struggles. Strychnine sets him down and tries again but the Australian shows some dirty boxing with an uppercut that connects. Switching his arm around to be in control, Merric lifts… Strych drops down the back of him…STRYCH LIFTS HIM UP BURNING HAMMER-STYLE!!

Steve Morrison: We know what this is…

INVERTED USHIGOROSHI!!

Steve Morrison: HOLY DRIVER!!!
Cross Recoba: Merric’s neck BOUNCED off his knee!!

Tommy makes the cover…

ONE!!

TWO!!

THREE!!!

NO! MERRIC GOT A FOOT ON THE ROPES!!

Steve Morrison: CAN YOU HEAR THE LANSKY BALLROOM ERUPT FOR THAT SAVE!!

Tommy looks apoplectic at the decision. He yanks the Australian to his feet with a standing side-headlock and fires off a series of Rabbit punches…MERRIC LIFTS HIM UP!!!

Cross Recoba: What a lift!!

HIGH ANGLE BACKDRIVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Steve Morrison: Finishing more matches in Japan in the Nineties than almost any other move!!!

Aiden hooks the leg…

ONE!!!

TWO!!

THRE-

SOMEHOW TOMMY KICKS OUT!!!

Steve Morrison: What fighting spirit!!

Merric’s face looks pained but he brings his opponent to the feet and looks to send him to the ropes…Reversed by Tommy…The Rocker throws a dropkick but Merric judo rolls around it….SUPERMAN PUNCH CONNECTS!!!

Steve Morrison: STUN GUN!!!

Strych somehow keeps a knee planted on the floor, his head dipped in pain. Merric comes from behind and grabs the wrist and pulls…

Cross Recoba: He’s setting him up…

RIPCORD LARIAT!!

Steve Morrison: TARGET NEUTRALIZED!!

NO!! TOMMY THROWS A BICYCLE KNEE BUT IT’S BLOCKED!!!

Cross Recoba: Short-arm V-Trigger blocked!!

BELLRINGER!!

HEADBUTT FROM THE AUSTRALIAN!!

Steve Morrison: BAG AND TAG!!!

THE ROCKER STAGGERS BACK…..CLOTHESLINE FROM HELL!!!

Steve Morrison: CONTRACT FULFILLED!!

Crowd: LARIATOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

The men with the “L – A – R – I – A – T – O – O – O – O – O – O” sign are shown standing up in sequence, Mexican Wave style.

ONE!!!

TWO!!!

THREE!!!

Rhod Williams calls for the bell as ‘Ain’t no Rest for the Wicked’ plays on the PA system.

Laura Messier: Your winner of your opening bout…as a result of pinfall….AIDEN…..MERRIC!!!!!!

Steve Morrison: What a hard-fought match! Both men bringing their 'A' game but it's the Lariat of Merric that separates them at the end!
Cross Recoba: You've got to feel for Tommy, without that knee being blocked he'd have been odds-on to pick up the win!
Steve Morrison: Merric hasn't hung around as he heads to the back and our medical team aren't far behind helping Strychnine to the back to get checked out!

---

Laura Messier: Coming to the ring first...



The arena lights dim as a synth bassline begins to play, the foggy neon on the tron becoming the main source of light. The tension in the song starts to pick up, and upon reaching the climax, the first verse begins and the arena lights flash briefly before returning to a dim glow, now with the same neon colors as the tron.

Steve Morrison: It's the most promising young athlete on the roster, Sam Sawyer.
Cross Recoba: There's such a bright future ahead for Sawyer. And a bright present.

The fans cheer when Sam Sawyer walks out onto the stage, their face calm and focused. On their way down they slap the hand of every fan who offers with a faint smile of gratitude.

Steve Morrison: The fans love them.
Cross Recoba: As do the critics. I keep an eye on the dirtsheets and they've been getting rave reviews

They climb the steps and enter the ring, now focused entirely on the match ahead.

Steve Morrison: The calm before the storm. Saywer has their ritual, focusing on the contest ahead.
Cross Recoba: And it's going to be a hell of a spectacle. I can't wait to see how these four lock up.



"No betting on tomorrow, but we all love a tragedy."
"Come drown in our sorrow and see the world as it oughta be..."

As the chorus kicks in, Kingsley Solomon makes his way out onto the stage, sporting a black hooded vest that he wears a small smirk underneath as he gazes out into the crowd, arms gradually raising themselves up and spreading wide as he drinks in the radiant energy the crowd gives off.

Steve Morrison: Sin City has produced a ton of memorable wrestlers.
Cross Recoba: Our main event has one. And not to toot my own horn too much, so does this commentary desk.

With a deep inhale and exhale, he begins making his way down the ramp. Reaching the bottom, he peels the hood back, sliding into the ring and quickly popping back up onto his feet.

Steve Morrison: I was impressed with Solomon in his debut. Can he follow up in this match.
Cross Recoba: I do my research, Steve. Solomon would not be in Tapout if he lacked the talent.

He moves over to the set of ropes facing the camera, leaning against them with a tilt of the head, cheek resting against his fist with a slightly thoughtful look as if contemplating something but the small smirk from before reappears as he backs off into his corner, soon fading as he warms up.

Steve Morrison: This team have a similar outlook. Thoughtful before the chaos starts.
Cross Recoba: How these teams blend is often the deciding factor.

Laura Messier: And their opposition...



The record scratches.

The drums count in and the thumping bass line of June Bug by Melvins starts to rattle the speakers. Blue, black and orange lights flash through the arena.

At about 25 seconds in, the drums pick up and Close Collins comes stepping through the curtain. He’s dressed in his ring gear and a zip up hoodie with the hood up. No nonsense, his fists clenched, his eyes focused on the ring, he just storms down the aisle as the bass rips and the drums solo. His father Tuff Collins not too far behind.

Steve Morrison: Close Collins may be fresh faced in this industry but he's coming on in leaps and bound with every match.
Cross Recoba: With trainers like his dad and Jayson Matthews, how can he fail to improve?

At about 40 seconds the guitar plays a very simple yet melodic riff. Close takes a moment to slow down and look around the arena. He stops before the ring steps and says a few words to his dad/manager Tuff. Close takes a good look at the ring and bows in respect.

Steve Morrison: Respect the ring. There's almost a hint of a Japanese attitude to Close's behaviour.
Cross Recoba: Given that he has been known to bust out the odd judo move, it's unsurprising.

At 56 seconds all the instruments start killing it and Close aggressively storms up the steps and into the ring. Straight past his opponent and/or ring announcer and referee and pops up onto the second turnbuckle and roars with intensity for the crowd. Then pops back down keeps his back facing the middle ring, refusing to look at his opponent. Tuff Collins stands on the apron promoting his son and client. The back of Close’s hoodie reads “IT'S TIME FOR LAST CALL”

Steve Morrison: Could it be time for Last Call in this match?
Cross Recoba: It's got to be in Close Collins' game plan.



The opening chords of Big Shot slam into the speakers, bringing the fans to their feet as Jackalope charges through the curtain.

Steve Morrison: And to add a little chaos into the mix, The Cryptid Kid himself.
Cross Recoba: If this match wasn't hot enough, throwing the human chilli pepper into the mix only adds to it.

He runs full tilt down the ramp and slides into the ring, rolling to his feet and spinning like a dervish as he soaks everything in.

Steve Morrison: Jackalope is psyched up for this one.
Cross Recoba: It can be hard to tell. I think Jackalope is always psyched up.

He finally slows enough to mount a turnbuckle, a grin on his face as he salutes the fans before backflipping to the mat again.

Steve Morrison: It's Closealope versus Sawyermon.
Cross Recoba: And this is why you don't work in the branding department. We don't name our tag teams like collectable monsters.

Laura Messier: Introducing the team to my left! They tip the scales at a combined weight of three-hundred-and-eighty-nine pounds....SAM SAWYER AND KINGSLEY SOLOMON!!

The pair discuss who will start first.

Laura Messier: And to my right! Weighing in at three-hundred-and-ninety-five pounds....CLOSE COLLINS AND JACKALOPE!!

The two rookies quickly make their mind up that Jackaope will start the match as Collins steps through the ropes.

---

TAG-TEAM MATCH
Sam Sawyer & Kingsley Solomon vs Close Collins & Jackalope

---

“Big” John Quinn brings both teams into the middle of the ring and explains what he expects of them. In the background of the shot we see Tuff climbing to the outside to act as defacto manager for his son’s side.

Steve Morrison: Tuff will no doubt have had words for his son in what will be a fast-paced match.
Cross Recoba: Solomon being the biggest fighter in the match is something that hasn’t been the case that often in Close’s Tap Out career to date.

The two teams head to their respective corners and discuss who should start the match.

Steve Morrison: Sawyer’s learning every match and whilst they lost to Diamond, it’s a loss that came with many lessons they can pick up.
Cross Recoba: That’s half the battle in the ring, if you haven’t got a reference point it’s difficult but then ring experience is partly just learning to improvise and deviate from your original fight plan.

As Collins and Sawyer climb out of the ring, Quinn signals to the timekeeper to start the match.

DING! DING DING!

Steve Morrison: Jackalope gets the nod for his side and I’m sure Tuff will have helped with that choice.
Cross Recoba: He’s a hard fighter to have a gameplan for. You can slam him all you want but the bigger difficulty is being able to pin him down in the first place.

Jackalope and Solomon circle one another before locking up. Kingsley immediately pushes his weight advantage and grabs a hammerlock but the Chaos Bunny weedles his way out of it and drops to the floor with a drop-toe hold that takes his man down but misses with a swift kick as Kingsley rolls back.

Steve Morrison: Solomon got out of Dodge there.
Cross Recoba: Those feet of Jackalope’s are lethal but Kingsley or his people will have had his prior matches well-scouted.

Jackalope rushes towards him but his kick to the head is ducked, Kingsley returns to the waistlock and looks for the O’Connor Roll…

ONE…

Jackalope kicks out and sends Solomon to the ropes…Leapfrog…

Steve Morrison: Quick pin from Kingsley but now we’ll see where it leads from here…

He drops down for a monkey-flip but Kingsley lands on his feet and carries on….TILT-A-WHIRL FLYING HEADSCISSORS…JACKALOPE CARTWHEELS OUT OF IT!!

The Lansky Ballroom applaud politely for the athleticism.

Steve Morrison: Tremendous agility to evade that!
Cross Recoba: This match should be fast-paced. Even Kingsley as the largest fighter in the bout has an offense that works best at speed.

Kid Cryptid wastes no time in trying to take down his opponent and fires off several lifting kicks that land to the ribs of his opponent. Grabbing his arm he whips the SCCW Owner towards him but cuts him off with a drop-toe hold and rushes the ropes…Baseball slide dropkick!

Steve Morrison: The Chaotic Cryptid finds luck going low….

Leaning back towards his corner, he tags in Close Collins. The Rookie rushes into the ring and immediately clubs Sawyer with a forearm that sends them to the floor…

Cross Recoba: That’s a Tuff call, right there!!

JACKALOPE LEAPS THROUGH THE ROPES AND SHOULDER TACKLES THEM TO THE FLOOR!!

Steve Morrison: He flew like a rocket!

Concentrating on the legal man now, Collins grabs a side-headlock and takes down Kinglsey to the mat but The Gambler goes with the momentum and gets a quick pin…

ON-

Collins adjusts his weight back to the side-headlock but Solomon is already thinking two moves ahead and starts to power to his feet. He pushes Collins off the ropes and charges in behind him…Collins stops and turns into a Tilt-a-Whirl DDT!

Steve Morrison: He whipped him to the mat!

The Gambler drags Collins to his corner and tags in Sawyer to introduce them properly to the match. Solomon darts towards the opposite corner and goads Jackalope in but “Big” John cuts him off allowing Solomon and Sawyer to land a double-suplex on Close.

Cross Recoba: Kingsley isn’t afraid of muddying the waters. He’s cut the ring off superbly and now they’ve got some extra time to put the boots in.

Sawyer stays on Close, driving a knee into his chest and rolling through before following up with another knee and grabbing a headlock.

Steve Morrison: Sawyer’s offense is unforgiving so the headlock is surprising.
Cross Recoba: Slowing down the bigger man on the team. Collins is a technical wrestler and his explosive suplexes need his neck to be in top condition.

Collins takes his chance and pushes back to a vertical base before sending Sawyer off the ropes. He dips his head for a backbody drop but Sawyer fires a huge lifting kick to the face of their opponent. They follow it up with a thrust kick that lands firmly in the chest of Collins, sending him into the corner.

Steve Morrison: Sawyer being the more experienced wrestler in the ring is somewhat of a change but they made it work there.
Cross Recoba: Like I said earlier, ring smarts are picked up between bells, not in training schools.

The Houston native rushes in with a running shoulder charge that doubles over her opponent before unloading with a flurry of punches that treat Tuff’s progeny like a punchbag at the Y.

Steve Morrison: Pound-for-pound, Sawyer may well rival most of the roster for strengh in their strikes.
Cross Recoba: No wasted movement, it’s all focused into generating that power.

With Close now seated, Kingsley goes into the gray ethical area of rushing across the apron and driving a boot into his head.

Steve Morrison: Unsporting move from the Gambler.
Cross Recoba: But a smart move in a tag match.

Sawyer charges in and leaps…HUGE FRONT DROPKICK TO THE HEAD OF COLLINS!!

Steve Morrison: Running shotgun dropkick finds its mark!

Dragging Close from the corner, Sam makes the cover…

ONE…

TW-

COLLINS PRESSES THE SMALLER WRESTLER OFF HIM!

Steve Morrison: Great strength shown by Close to escape the pin.
Cross Recoba: We’re only getting started, if he can do that later on in the bout then I’ll be impressed.

Scrambling to his feet, Collins ducks a head kick and catches Sawyer on the turn…BLUE THUNDER BOMB!!

Steve Morrison: HUGE COUNTER!

Close tags in Jackalope.

Cross Recoba: That Blue Thunder Bomb is why Close has had the rookie year he’s had.
Steve Morrison: Now for one of the Tap Out Originals to come back into the match.

The Chaos Bunny rushes through the ropes and immediately takes Sawyer back down with a dropkick, they pop back up but another dropkick connects. Sam uses their brain and rolls backwards as they fall and finds themselves fortuitously in tagging distance to their partner.

Cross Recoba: Sawyer’s showing great awareness of their surroundings.

Solomon enters and wastes no time in announcing himself with a stiff forearm that wobbles the Cryptid. He follows it up with a lifting knee into the midsection of his opponent and signals for Sawyer to join him. They lift up Jackalope for a Double Back Suplex…JACKALOPE FLIPS OUT…HE CONNECTS WITH A SINGLE LEG DROPKICK TO THEM BOTH THAT SENDS SAWYER TO THE APRON!

Steve Morrison: Great counter from the double-team!
Cross Recoba: He’s a hard fighter to pin down, anyone who’s faced him this past year will tell you that.

Collins rushes into the ring and grabs Sam on the apron….HUGE DEADLIFT GERMAN SUPLEX FROM THE APRON AND INTO THE RING!!

Steve Morrison: WHAT ATHLETICISM!!

Quinn quickly ushers Collins back to his corner. His partner rushes to the ropes but Solomon throws him up for a Pancake….360 CORKSCREW RANA!!

Crowd: THAT WAS AWESOME!! *CLAP* *CLAP* *CLAPCLAPCLAP* THAT WAS AWESOME!! *CLAP* *CLAP* *CLAPCLAPCLAP* THAT WAS AWESOME!! *CLAP* *CLAP* *CLAPCLAPCLAP*

Cross Recoba: It seems Jackalope isn’t going to let his partner get all the plaudits!

Throwing a quick hand up to acknowledge the crowd, Jackalope is already moving to his next attack. He brings up Solomon and takes him down with a snapmare…Cartwheel dropkick and the cover…

ONE…

TWO…

SAWYER RUSHES JACKALOPE WITH THEIR OWN BASEMENT DROPKICK!!

Steve Morrison: Could he have put him away?
Cross Recoba: Always cover your partner, High Finance 101.

The cameras see Kingsley deliberately moving towards the ropes as he remains seated. Jackalope goes to pick him up but he’s tossed between the top and middle rope to the outside.

Steve Morrison: Kingsley continuing to use the environment to benefit his efforts.

Getting to his feet, Solomon rushes the ropes AND LEAPS OVER TO THE OUTSIDE WITH A HUGE DIVING RANA!!!

Cross Recoba: The leg strength needed to do that!
Steve Morrison: Kingsley takes it to the outside!

Crowd: HOLY SHIT! HOLY SHIT! HOLY SHIT!

ONE!!

Kingsley checks himself for any damage and rolls towards his opponent. He nods in Sawyer’s direction who gets into the ring and charges the ropes as Jackalope is hauled to his feet….SUICIDE DIVE CONNECTS!!!

Steve Morrison: Sawyer now making their play for the highlight reel!
Cross Recoba: Coming into this I thought it’d be Collins and Jackalope being the team most joined-up but Solomon and Sawyer prove me wrong!

TWO!!

Collins has now ventured into the melee, he and Solomon start to exchange blows before a European Uppercut rocks Solomon. He throws the SCCW Owner onto the apron and rolls his partner onto the same area to stop the count.

Steve Morrison: Tuff managing to keep himself out of the match beyond being a cornerman.
Cross Recoba: He knows Close needs to do this for himself.
Steve Morrison: Can his partner capitalize on the extra time that Collins has given him?

Using the ropes, both men get up and Kingsley rushes in but is met with a body kick that doubles him over. Jackalope grabs the top-rope and connects with an assisted enziguri that staggers him back…..SLINGBLADE ON THE APRON!!

Steve Morrison: INVERTED HOLD-OUT PISTOL!

Jackalope steadies himself once more and pushes Solomon into the ring with his feet. He clubs through the ropes and waits for Kingsley to stir. He leaps onto the top rope and flipes backwards…

Cross Recoba: He’s looking for that Moonsault DD-

SOLOMON CATCHES HIM AND REVERSES IT INTO A NORTHERN LIGHTS SUPLEX!! He rolls through…ANOTHER NORTHERN LIGHTS SUPLEX!

He covers…

ONE…

TWO…

Collins comes out of nowhere to break up the pin!!

Steve Morrison: Kingsley proving himself to be as wily as he is tenacious!
Cross Recoba: Neither team can afford to switch off even for a second!

Grabbing the leg of his partner, Close drags him to the corner and tags himself in.

Steve Morrison: Averting the danger and now Kingsley has a bigger problem in more ways than one.

Kingsley gets to his feet and throws a kick but it’s caught. He goes for an enziguri but Close ducks and grabs a Full-Nelson.

Cross Recoba: If he locks this in or gets a slam, it could change the match on a dime!

Tuff’s charge lifts him up for the slam but Solomon hooks his legs around the waist for a victory roll…

ONE…

TW-

Close kicks out and rolls away from the SCCW Owner who charges in but Collins throws a short forearm to stun him….HEAD AND ARM SUPLEX!!!

Steve Morrison: TUFFPLEX!!

The Gambler, now on the apron, looks dazed. Collins tries to grab him for a suplex but Kingsley rams a shoulder into his midsection and connects with a knee through the ropes to stagger him back…SPRINGBOARD BLOCKBUSTER!!!

Cross Recoba: Again, Kingsley gets himself into a position of least danger and he measured Close with that!

He holds onto the neckbreaker and rolls to his feet, adjusting himself…TORNADO DDT OFF THE ROPES!!!

Steve Morrison: That necks of Close is being targeted by both members of the opposition.
Cross Recoba: Ask anyone who’s being in the ring, when your neck gets targeted it affects every kind of move you’d want to hit.

He looks for the pin….

ONE…

TWO…

KICKOUT BY COLLINS!!

Steve Morrison: We’ve seen what it takes to keep Close down and as of yet, Sawyer and Solomon haven’t quite found the answer.

Looking blurry-eyed, Close rolls away from Solomon but only gets as far as using the ropes to get up before a dropkick connects to the midsection. Grabbing his arm, Kingsley sends Close to the corner….WHISPER IN THE WIND CATCHES THE ONCOMING SOLOMON!!!

Steve Morrison: FUTURE’S CALLING!
Cross Recoba: Hit out of desperation, he needs to tag out and get Jackalope back in.

Collins starts to crawl towards his corner, the Vegas crowd’s encouragement growing in volume every second of the journey.

Steve Morrison: The crowd can feel the need for him to get to his corner.

Jackalope holds his hand out, reaching for all he can for the tag.

Cross Recoba: He needs to up the urgency…

Collins gets within inches….KINGSLEY LEAPS AND DRIVES A KNEE INTO THE HEAD OF JACKALOPE THAT KNOCKS HIM OFF THE APRON!!

Steve Morrison: Too late! Solomon once more looking like the Playmaker of his side.

Turning to his opponent, Kingsley hooks the arms and lifts him up…DOUBLE-UNDERHOOK NECKBREAKER!

Cross Recoba: Once more back to the neck.

Solomon tags Sawyer back into the fray.

Steve Morrison: You’ve got to say that Sawyer and Solomon are keeping themselves far fresher.

He lifts up Collins….DOUBLE KNEE FACEBREAKER…HE KICKS HIM FORWARD….

Steve Morrison: CASH OUT!!

LARIAT FROM SAWYER!!!

Steve Morrison: FIRE WITH FIRE!
Cross Recoba: That could be it!

They pin Close…

ONE…

TWO…

JACKALOPE COMES OFF THE TOP WITH A DIVING SWANTON BOMB THAT BREAKS UP THE PIN!!

Steve Morrison: Jackalope saves his team!

The crowd can be seen placing themselves back in their chairs, the match effectively over at that point in their eyes.

Cross Recoba: I thought that was it, the crowd thought that was it but Jackalope steps in!

Jackalope rolls through and immediately leaps for a Rana but is thrown off by Solomon who then leaps for his own but is thrown in the same fashion forward by the Chaos Bunny…REVERSE SLINGBLADE!!

Steve Morrison: HOLD-OUT PISTOL!

Returning the favor, Jackalope drags his partner to the corner at a slow but steady pace.

Cross Recoba: That extra weight won’t help but Close could be out!

The Chaos Bunny tags himself in!

Steve Morrison: What can Kid Chaos do now?

He immediately catches Sawyer with a series of kicks to the ribs. He comes off the ropes and LOOKS FOR THE GUYVER KICK….SAWYER DUCKS AND HOOKS HIM….BRIDGING DRAGON SUPLEX!!!

ONE…

TWO…

SOMEHOW JACKALOPE KICKS OUT!!

Cross Recoba: They nailed that and Jackalope needs to reassess his gameplan.

The two competitors stare each other down as the Lansky Ballroom is split between two of their favorites.

Taking the initiative, Jackalope sends Sawyer to the ropes….SOLOMON TAGS HIS PARTNER OUT AS THEY HIT THE ROPES….SPINNING WHEEL KICK TAKES SAWYER DOWN!!

Steve Morrison: Huge elevation to connect with that!
Cross Recoba: It’s why he’s connected so well with the hometown crowd!

Jackalope drops into an arch….

Steve Morrison: He’s measuring them for the Dead Man’s Switch but Solomon’s the legal man!

HE DASHES TOWARDS SAM FOR THE SPEAR…JUDAS EFFECT ELBOW!!!

Cross Recoba: The Legal Man just connected with the Dealer’s Choice!!

STIFF FACE SLAP FROM SAWYER!!!

Steve Morrison: GET FUCKED!

Trying to plant his feet, Jackalope sways uneasily.

Cross Recoba: He’s struggling to stay on his feet…

Sawyer spots Collins climbing between the ropes….STO!!

Steve Morrison: This Corrosion STO!

Solomon twists the arm and leaps upwards and back…DESTINO!!!

Steve Morrison: ACE OF SPADES!!!

He covers…

ONE!!!

TWO!!!

THREE!!!

“Big” John Quinn nods towards the timekeeper as Doomscrolling by Architects plays loudly.

Laura Messier: Your winners of this match…SAM SAWYER! And…KINGSLEY….SOLOMON!!

As Quinn raises the arms of the victors, we see Close in the background checking in on his partner.

---

HALF-TIME SHOW

---

Steve Morrison: Huh, what's this ad break you have scheduled here, Cross?
Cross Recoba: I think I'll let the video speak for itself. It's a cause I am very fond of. I think you all will find it mesmerizing. Woop Woop!

Dr. Doofenshmirtz: Ladies and gentlemen of TAPOUT! It is I, your favorite executive of a racing squad on the XHF Network! No worries, unless you are in the tri-state area in the northeastern U.S. of A. I am NOT your ruler ... yet ... but I am here to talk to you all about a very important new venture you can all get in on the ground floor of!

*Dr. Heinz Doofenshmirtz, financial backer and owner of the Angry Mad Chemists racing squad from CAR appears on the big screen in the arena for everyone in the casino and everyone watching on the XHF Network to admire. He leans in after this last comment to whisper something into the camera as if being cordial to the crowd*

Dr. Doofenshmirtz: I mean, let me tell you, getting in on the ground floor is a WAY better option than swinging in through a window like Perry the Platypus. Much safer. And if there's any crowd that knows how to be cool before it was cool it's YOU guys.

*He leans back and straightens his science labcoat.*

Dr. Doofenshmirtz: Ahem. As I was saying. Your executive, Mr. Cross Recoba, has been known to help out in CAR with some various tasks during earlier racing seasons and has become our number one supporter here at AMC. And for that I am eternally grateful. It saves so much time and INDOCTRINATOR fuel when someone just GETS it. And he clearly does, as all you fans can tell from this wonderful show with such stars as ...

*He puts on some reading glasses and holds up a piece of paper. He speaks in a monotone voice as if seeing this for the first time.*

Dr. Doofenshmirtz: Poe-na ... *he looks up* like Edgar Allan Poe? or Poem? Or pony? OOH he must be like that guy Bad Horse that Billy is always talking about! And also- *looks back to paper* Jack Diamond. Jason Long. Aiden Mer --- is that even a real name? Sounds like a disease. ANYWAY! The point is you all should trust Mr. Recoba's judgment and join the AMC bandwagon for this upcoming season of CAR! After all, who better to be the faces of CAR than us originals? So I called in a favor. Cross agreed to let me show you this video and give you all the chance to be the first ones to sign up for the new AMC backers club! You all can ALSO be members of AMC! Automotive Motor Coalition! Our official AMC fan club and backers thing! Now don't make your choice now, watch this video first for say at least 2 minutes ... then after the show you can click the link on the TAPOUT home page to see the full video for hidden scenes and to get a list of perks when you sign your UNYIELDING LOYALTY TO YOUR NEW FAVORITE PEOPLE, THE ANGRY MAD CHEMISTS! Then you can sign up on OUR website cultofdoof.com ... BEGIN FIRST PRESENTATION OF ... THE CULTINATOR!

*The face of Doof goes away for a moment before the following video plays for 5 full minutes before someone on the TAPOUT Staff is able to shake it off and turn it off.*

Steve Morrison: Cross ... what did we just WOOP WOOP- *cough* I mean ... watch? Why would you ok that?
Cross Recoba: Why not, it's up their with Lemon WOOP and Volkswagen, Apple and  WOOP 1984! It's like being offered Tes-WOOP-la shares at pennies on the dollar! Besides, after the first two hours WOOP you almost don't realize WOOP you're doing....WOOP!

---

Laura Messier: Welcome back to the second-half of our show. The following match is a tag-team match set for one fall and our C0-MAIN EVENT OF THE EVENING!



The lights go down as I Prevail's "Bow Down" begins to play, and as the song kicks the light flash on once, then off, then pyros explode as the lights flash on.

Steve Morrison: Spike Kane is a man who strikes fear in the hearts of any wrestler who sees their name opposite his on a booking sheet!
Cross Recoba: He's one of the most diverse and well-rounded individuals on the Network. Power, technique, married together with a style that has seen him become THE last word in Hardcore wrestling? You can't beat him if you're not at your peak!

"GET ON YOUR KNEES AND BOW! DOWN!"

Steve Morrison: Merric squeaked out a win against him at our last show but you don't have a career like Kane's without the ability to come back stronger from a loss!
Cross Recoba: You ever seen a big soccer team respond to a loss? They go out the next week and take it out on their opponent. Long and McConalogue are definitely not fresh out of Wrestling School but that risk still remains.

Spike Kane walks through the curtain, rolling his wrists, hand in hand as he heads towards the ring with a single focus.

Steve Morrison: Didn't even acknowledge one member of the crowd, good or bad!
Cross Recoba: He's focused, he's not just fighting here, he's in GUNS Fight Club, he's teaming as part of Chaos Theory. Even if he cared, he doesn't have time for distractions!



The opening lyrics of the song begin to play as the camera pans across the venue. It eventually cuts to show Wildcat up in the concession stands, walking through the door and into the highest row of seats on the ground floor of the crowd.

Steve Morrison: You mentioned GFC just now, how helpful is it for Capone that he got paired with his fellow Team Fox member - Spike Kane?
Cross Recoba: In a word? Immensely. With Long on the other side in GFC, these two have all the motivation to put away their opposition. 

He beats his chest before throwing up some middle fingers as he walks through the fans and makes his way down the stairs.

Steve Morrison: We've seen some signs that Capone could well become a player on the Network, how much has Kane been coaching him ahead of tonight?
Cross Recoba: We'll find out but just being in the ring with someone with the experience and history of Kane will be a huge learning experience for him.

He gets about halfway down before he starts walking through the crowd some more. Ignoring the hecklers and haters as he gets into the zone before his match. He gets a joint from behind his ear and lights it up, taking a few hits before walking towards the ring. He hops the barricade, moving in sync with the music, he looks around himself once more, taking it all in. Walking up the stairs he goes through the ropes and heads into the ring.

Steve Morrison: Explosive power, little fear, huge fists. Can it bring him a victory tonight?
Cross Recoba: If he can listen to Spike, follow his lead and keep the fight on his terms? Certainly.

The sounds of a siren playing in the background of the whispers of a voice, the lights become dark inside of the arena as the titantron lights up with a feed of static, showing multiple shots of Jason Long holding a collection of championships over the past five years.

As the opening synthwave beat to ‘Kingslayer’ begins to play over the speakers and echoing throughout the arena as it erupts the crowd, a singular spotlight separates itself from the rest and shines down onto the entrance curtain. With the vocals from Oli Sykes kicking in, the figure of Jason Long steps out from behind the curtain to a loud ovation, with a large smile resting on his face as he stops at the top of the ramp.

Steve Morrison: The Catalyst oozes confidence tonight!
Cross Recoba: He insisted on the fight, he's said it himself. Here is a man with the longest winning streak in the company, he believes he can do anything he puts his mind to right now.

The King glances down onto the camera looking up towards him, a cocky smile being given towards the camera before opening up his jacket and pushing it behind him– beginning his walk down to the ring, mouthing off to the camera as he does.

Steve Morrison: With his place in the Tap Out Openweight final confirmed, is there a risk he gives away too much information to either of his potential opponents?
Cross Recoba: Diamond will know his offense just as well as his own and Poena is nothing short of an Agent of Chaos. He cannot hold back when someone as dangerous as Spike Kane is against him.

With the lights all focusing down onto the ringside area, Jason moves along the floor and hops up onto the apron - on the side where the hardcam can get a good look at him - as he leans back against the ropes before entering through the middle ropes. Jason heads into the closest corner to him and climbs up onto the second rope, looking out into the crowd.

Steve Morrison: We saw him take a tremendous amount of punishment from Marty Donovan at our last show. For me, it's a question as to whether or not his opponents' look to exploit it.
Cross Recoba: What makes Jason Long so dangerous himself is that he won't have one gameplan, he'll have five. He can adapt, he can improvise, and he'll have visualized at least half a dozen ways of finishing this match tonight!

Jason out-stetches his arms wide and roars out to the crowd, keeping a smile on his face as he does. He removes his leather ring jacket and throws it down to the ringside area before hopping down off of the ropes and leaning back against the turnbuckles.




The stage lights fade to eerie teal green as "Five Ten Fiftyfold" begins

Wheezing and sneezing,
Tenfold it blew apart,
It halved it in half,
And went gushing gust wind

Steve Morrison: We saw that unconventional style put away Kingsley Solomon in her debut but can she repeat the trick?
Cross Recoba: Her camp surely identified that Capone is the one with the least experience of that catch-as-catch-can approach. He might have a little experience from GFC but pure European style isn't one you see in Kentucky!

The lights reach their full bgloom as the bass gliiiides, the drums hit and Random McConalogue appears, a large towel tied to her wrist, swaying as she walks.

Steve Morrison: She's showing no signs of fear as she walks down the aisle.
Cross Recoba: That win against Kingsley will have put her at ease in the switch across the Atlantic. If she can marry that submission offense to Long's impactful attacks then we might well be about to see an extremely proficient and cohesive tag unit!

Serene and calm, she casually strolls, shoulders lightly oscillating in a slow sync.

Steve Morrison: She has her own share of impact-based moves. We saw her Inward Rolling Cutter put away Solomon!
Cross Recoba: The Dice Roll can put either of her opponents away in an instance, it's putting in the legwork to get there. As Random might say herself, we could flip a coin to decide this contest tonight!

Her body is calm and relaxed, like a moonlight walk in the park, but her gaze is fixed, staring at the her opposition with snake eyes. She's never in a hurry, she doesn't need to be.

Laura Messier: Introducing our first team! They made weight at four-hundred-and-twenty-eight pounds....THE BLOOD GOD, SPIKE KANE! And...THE STONE COLD KILLA...WILDCAT CAPONE!!

Kane looks to be instructing the rookie on the best strategy to take on the team of Long and McConalogue.

Laura Messier: And their opponents! Weighing in at three-hundred-and-fifty pounds. THE CATALYST...JASON LONG! and his partner, 'MOSTLY HARMFUL' RANDOM McCONALOGUE!!

Long steps through the ropes and nods towards McConalogue as if they'd already talked strategy before the match.

---

CO-MAIN EVENT
TAG-TEAM MATCH
Spike Kane & Wildcat Capone vs Jason Long & Random McConalogue

---

Steve Tyrell brings both teams into the ring and delivers his pre-match briefing. Satisfied that no-one is going to start to argue, he sends the two teams to their respective corners.

Steve Morrison: It’ll be interesting to see how the two teams work in this match.
Cross Recoba: On paper, both sides have as many things to suggest a cohesive unit as they do a dysfunctional one.

Spike takes the lead as the more experienced member of his team and points for Capone to go to the outside. Long, halfway through the ropes, sees this and goes to start the match himself but Random gives him a sign to say she’s confident starting off the proceedings.

Steve Morrison: Was that the right decision?
Cross Recoba: Spike’s the obvious starter for his team, his explosiveness in terms of sheer power and that willingness to go the extra yard without considering the ethics or legality means they can make great strides very quickly in the match. Random though, she’ll back herself in any fight and also doesn’t make for as easy a study as her opponent when it comes to available matches…

The timekeeper gets his nod.

Steve Morrison: We’re about to find out now!

DING! DING! DING!

Random eyes Spike as she circles the outer-perimeter of the ring. Kane returns the stare and looks for his first opening.

Steve Morrison: Random and Spike are at opposite ends of the weight spectrum in the match, how can you make up the size difference?
Cross Recoba: If you’re Mike Tyson, get inside the guard quick and make them pay but if you’re not? Softly, softly, catchee monkey time.

They engage in the center of the ring and the near hundred pound weight difference becomes evident as Spike easily powers Random to the ropes. Tyrell’s there to start the count as they hit the break.

Steve Morrison: A change of tact needed from the Scottish woman?

ONE!

Cross Recoba: Spike knows he’ll win these battles, Random should know too….

TWO!

Kane steps back and raises his hands. No sooner has Random taken her back off the ropes than Spike boots her in the midsection and grabs a front-facelock on her. With a fluid motion he lifts her over and leaps with the suplex.

Steve Morrison: Spike’s ambush not quite working how he wanted..

The Scotswoman is quick to get back to her feet and reassess her options. She signals that she once more wants to tie-up.

Cross Recoba: Random’s game is built on picking apart her opponent. Beating Spike would be a huge statement for them but is this the right tact?

As Spike goes to engage, Random drops to the floor with a roll…HEEL HOOK!

Steve Morrison: She lured him in!

Grapevining the legs with her own, Random uses both hands to apply the hold and Spike looks to be in discomfort. He reaches out to the ropes but for now they appear too far.

Cross Recoba: The way she used her legs to wrap around his own anchors him and frees her up to use all the power she can generate to try for what might be THE shock win in Tap Out history!
Steve Morrison: It’d certainly be the quickest but even with her expertise, can that make up for the weight difference?
Cross Recoba: Spike’s was born at night but it wasn’t last night. He’ll be wracking his brain now with the best and quickest escape plan.

Tyrell asks if Spike wants to submit and the look on the God of Xtreme’s face tells him not to ask again for a while.

Steve Morrison: We’ve seen how tough Spike can be and everything he has faced in his time on the Network. Does he even have it in him to tap?
Cross Recoba: Everyone does but at this point in the match? He’d rather hear something snap!

Pressing up, Spike uses his strength to get to the ropes.

Steve Morrison: The God of Xtreme manages to make the ropes and now Random will find out just how hard she poked the bear.
Cross Recoba: I’m not taking anything away from Spike there, it’s an escape well-worked but I suspect Random’s still adapting to the larger rings here in the States compared to the smaller European ones.

Releasing the hold, Random returns to the sportsmanship shown and drives a boot into the socket of his foot.

Steve Morrison: Slightly unsporting but tit-for-tat on display.

Getting back to his feet, Spike cocks his head as if recalculating his opponent. Random smiles sweetly at him, far more effective to make her point than blowing a kiss.

Cross Recoba: Is goading the Blood God what I’d do at this point? Yes. Is it what she should do?

Spike charges in but gets caught…ROLLING ARMBAR!!

Steve Morrison: The Unfashionable End Of The Western Spiral Armbar!
Cross Recoba: That rolling armbar is one of her favorite counters! I stand corrected, she’s making the power game up in yards in her head!
Steve Morrison: We’ve seen just how devious and cunning Spike can be so this could be an evenly-pitted contest in that respect!

Random wastes no time getting the hold in but Spike powers up to his feet, the hold still in full-effect. He uses his free arm to fire off several Hammerfist blows that connect with the face of McConalogue. The Infrequent Flyer holds on despite the pain and tries to crank the hold more.

Steve Morrison: Random showing great spirit to keep cranking the hold under fire from Kane!
Cross Recoba: If she doesn’t get the submission immediately though she’ll be in a world of hur-

With a roar, Spike throws her up and charges at the turnbuckle with the hold still locked in…MODIFIED BUCKLE BOMB FINALLY BREAKS THE HOLD!

Steve Morrison: WHAT A COUNTER!!
Cross Recoba: Thespian tested her but Spike’s a different kind of animal…a different kind of violence.

The cameras catch a glimpse of The Blood God’s face and he looks pissed! He takes three steps away from the turnbuckle and launches himself forward DRIVING A KNEE INTO THE SKULL OF THE FOLDED UP McCONALOGUE!!

Steve Morrison: No mercy shown from the multiple XHF Champ!

Dragging his opponent from the corner, he makes the pin.

ONE…

TWO…

Random gets an arm up!

Steve Morrison: McConalogue survives but just look at the thunder burned into the face of her opponent.
Cross Recoba: You don’t become X*Crown Champion by letting people take liberties, I speak from experience!

The Spiked One picks up Random from the mat and Beal tosses them back into the corner. He points at Jason Long.

Spike Kane: THIS IS YOU!

Steve Morrison: Their GUNS encounter is still at the forefront of his mind now…

Rapid-fire forearms connect and beat Random back down to the floor. He pushes her to the apron and reaches over to pull her back over the top-rope…DRAPING DDT!

ONE…

TWO…

THIS TIME LONG INTERCEDES AND GOES BACK TO HIS CORNER!

Steve Morrison: He planted Random square on her head and the Catalyst might well have saved the match for his team, at least for now.

Kane pushes Random to his own corner and tags in Capone.

Steve Morrison: Bringing in his partner, Random could be in trouble here.

IRN FST enters the ring and sees his opponent prone on all-fours. He grabs her head…KAWADA KICKS!

Cross Recoba: We’ve seen what those kicks can do inside a Tap Out ring before and with Capone’s captain in GUNS Fight Club being Fox, he’ll have surely picked up some pointers from one of the masters of the move!

Keeping hold of his opponent’s head, Capone sends Random to the ropes….SHE ROLLS UNDER THE YAKUZA KICK!!

Steve Morrison: Random nearly Get Got!

A Jawbreaker from Random stuns Wildcat and she quickly grabs his leg and drops him to the mat with a Dragon Leg Whip!

Cross Recoba: Great counter wrestling from the Infrequent Flyer!

The Scotswoman rushes to the ropes…SPIKE LIFTS A LEG INTO HER BACK AS SHE HITS THE ROPES!

Steve Morrison: What a cheap shot!
Cross Recoba: It’s smart wrestling, disrupt your opponent’s tempo.

McConalogue turns around but Capone clubs her in the back of the head with a lariat that drapes her over the top-rope. Spike sends her back into the ring with an uppercut…German Suplex from Capone!

Steve Morrison: Straight into a bridge!

He covers…

ONE…

TWO…

McConalogue kicks out!

Cross Recoba: She’s showing she isn’t a slouch but no-one can keep that up forever!

Capone grabs her by the hair and tags in Kane. She connects with a punch to the gut of the Lexington Homeboy but Kane cuts her to her knees with a double-axe handle.

Steve Morrison: The two Team Fox members are certainly looking like they’re on the same page.
Cross Recoba: They have all that time in James Muelller’s house to strategize, Spike isn’t going to let that go to waste.

She starts to make her way to her corner but Kane grabs her leg. She swings the other leg and buys herself some time to get to her corner and she tags out.

Cross Recoba: I’m tempted to say he let her go…

Long climbs in the ring BUT KANE RUSHES AND KICKS THE MIDDLE ROPE INTO HIS GROIN!

Steve Morrison: And now we know why!
Cross Recoba: You can’t knock it, Long’s got to be looking down the line at Supremacy and Kane knows that. He wants to get into the head of the man across the border from him!

Capitalizing on the move, Kane throws a stiff uppercut that rocks Maverick back to an upright base. He whips him into the corner and charges in…Long plants a boot to his face and follows up with a drop-toe hold that sends him face-first into the middle turnbuckle.

Steve Morrison: Quick one-two counter from the Best Bout Machine….

Using the top rope, Long lifts up and swings a dropkick directly into the face of his opponent and rolls into the center of the ring. He leaps forward…HANDSPRING ENZIGURI TO THE HEAD OF THE RISING KANE!

Steve Morrison: Picture perfect execution!

Staggering out from the corner, Spike is powerless to stop the Sheer Drop Brainbuster. Long goes for the pin…

ONE…

T-

SPIKE GETS AN ARM UP!

Cross Recoba: Long’s getting his team into this but Spike’s ability to absorb pain and rally back is almost legendary!

Long wastes no time appealing to Tyrell and rolls from the body of Kane. He waits patiently…ICON KIC- NO! KANE CATCHES THE FOOT AND TWISTS IT INTO AN ANKLE LOCK!!

Steve Morrison: BURNING HELL!
Cross Recoba: Has that ankle recovered from Donovan at our last show?
Steve Morrison: Long was lucky to walk out with his arm raised that night and since then he’s hardly had more than five days rest between fights!
Cross Recoba: He didn’t look to be favoring it as he came to the ring but is that because it’s healed or because he didn’t want a huge target when he was in the ring with the God of Xtreme?

Showing a smile that reeks of pure evil, Kane bears his weight down on the ankle of Long.

Steve Morrison: Look at the angle he has on the hold, all his standing weight now being pushed into the ankle-joint of The Last Breathing Mercenary!

Reaching for the ropes but making slow progress, Jason continues to try to power out. Changing tact, he twists to try to wriggle from the hold but Spike knows the ankle-lock well and adjusts his weight to keep the pressure on.

Crowd: LET’S GO, MAVERICK! *CLAP* *CLAP* *CLAPCLAPCLAP* LET’S GO, MAVERICK! *CLAP* *CLAP* *CLAPCLAPCLAP* LET’S GO, MAVERICK! *CLAP* *CLAP* *CLAPCLAPCLAP*

With a last effort, Long pulls himself to the ropes.

Steve Morrison: Those ropes are almost within his grasp but can he take the risk with a match against Poena or Diamond for the Tap Out Openweight title at Supremacy around the corner?
Cross Recoba: Win or lose, he has that match and he only has to look at his match in November against Diamond or just look at Poena to know that they’ll be watching in the back and licking their lips at the prospect of a pre-damaged Long…

Tyrell once more asks if he wants to tap but the Openweight finalist shakes his head and pushes up, twisting and sending Spike to the apron.
Steve Morrison: LAST DITCH COUNTER FROM THE ICON!

The Lansky Ballroom erupts in cheers.

Cross Recoba: Will he look back though and wish he’d saved himself some damage once the match is over though?

Testing his foot and finding he can ride the damage out for now, Maverick rushes to the middle-turnbuckle. SPIKE CATCHES HIM WITH A FOREARM BEFORE HE CAN SPRING OFF!

Steve Morrison: Spike cuts him off from an aerial assault!
Cross Recoba: Long’s got to be rocked!

The Blood God reaches over and hooks his leg for a Fisherman and lifts….FISHERMAN BUSTER ON THE APRON!!!

Steve Morrison: Brutal buster on that apron!

Watching Long fall at his feet on the outside, Spike immediately scoops him up and SLAMS him on the apron-edge!

Cross Recoba: I can state with authority, that apron edge is the most unforgiving part of the ring!

ONE!

Spike rolls in the Wexford native and follows to break the count. He pulls the Icon to his corner and tags in Capone.

Steve Morrison: What an opportunity for Wildcat as the still vulnerable Long is almost there for the taking!

Capone comes through the ropes as Spike throws Long atop his shoulders…BUCKLE BOMB!

Steve Morrison: What impact!
Cross Recoba: He’s still on his feet, barely, but it’s still there…

Wildcat hits the ropes.

Steve Morrison: Spike isn’t finished yet….

KANE THROWS LONG FROM THE CORNER…SLIDING ELBOW!

Steve Morrison: SLIDING D!

Capone goes for the cover…

ONE…

TWO…

TH-

LONG GETS AN ARM UP!

Cross Recoba: He took the win for granted. I keep on saying it but always hook the leg!


Capone takes the arm and immediately pulls him to his knees, he wraps his arms around the waist of the Irishman…GUTWRENCH POWERBOMB!!

Steve Morrison: Once more Team Fox drive Long down onto his neck!

Wildcat goes for the cover but Long has rolled under the ropes to the apron.

Cross Recoba: Great decision from the Catalyst. Does Wildcat have the experience to be able to adapt to the situation?

Leaning over the apron, Wildcat tries to hook The Best Bout Machine for a suplex but Long drops to the floor protectively. Jason grabs the leg and tries to pull it through but gets nowhere. IRN FST barges his shoulder into the ribs of Long and then hooks him for a suplex and takes him back into the ring.

Steve Morrison: Crisp suplex from the rising Tap Out star.

Mr 859 keeps hold of the head and brings the New Age Killer to his feet and drives a knee into his ribs. He scoops him up and charges before planting him with a Powerslam.

ONE…

TWO…

TH-

AGAIN LONG POWERS OUT!

Cross Recoba: We saw how much pain Long is willing to absorb to get the win against Donovan but that was last month. Now, we’re around three weeks out from the biggest match in Tap Out history and his opponent’s will know he can’t afford to fight through that level of pain a second month in a row!

Wildcat grabs a side-waistlock and brings his opponent to his feet but Maverick has it scouted. A quick elbow and a head kick leave Capone in No Man’s Land. Long hoists him onto his shoulder and charges…ROLLING SAMOAN DROP! Long leaps to the top turnbuckle….FROG SPLASH!!!

ONE…


TWO….


CAPONE KICKS OUT!

Steve Morrison: Confident kick-out by Capone.
Cross Recoba: We know the fighting spirit he possesses but since he entered GUNS Fight Club it’s no longer our secret!

Long picks his opponent up and whips him to his team’s corner. With a quick tag McConalogue flips over the ropes and grabs Capone. She lands a Sunset Flip as Long hits the ropes. She leans him back…DROPKICK!

Steve Morrison: Quickfire double-team from the team of Long and McConalogue!

ONE…

TWO…

TH-

CAPONE RAISES AN ARM! RANDOM SPOTS IT AND ROLLS INTO A CROSSFACE!!

Steve Morrison: We saw how deadly she could be with these submissions against the Thespian and earlier tonight with Spike. Can the rookie match his veteran partner in surviving and escaping the hold?

Wildcat reaches blindly for the ropes but the hold is applied so that his vision is skewed. He uses his weight advantage to make headway towards a rope break.

Cross Recoba: Once more that weight she gives up becomes a factor but look at where her hands are, Capone’s literally fighting the hold blind and with the wrists digging into his eyes!

The ropes are within an inch of his grasp as McConalogue wrenches back further. He makes an effort with his spare arm to inch towards it. Tyrell asks him if he wants to submit and he does what he can to confirm the negative.

Steve Morrison: Random looks like she knows her opponent is running his last lap.
Cross Recoba: If he can just make that extra push, he’s home and dry though…

IRN FST continues his route to the ropes and his fingers glance against them enough for them to move….McCONALOGUE ROLLS BACKWARDS IN THE HOLD!!!

Steve Morrison: Once more, that catch-as-catch-can background plays to her favor!

Spike rushes in and stomps on the head of Random to break the hold! Steve Tyrell pushes Kane back towards his corner.

Cross Recoba: We’ll never know but Capone, in my mind, wasn’t going to have the strength to get back to the ropes!
Steve Morrison: Either way, Kane refuses to take the chance!

Random tries to stay on the offense and lifts her opponent up into a front facelock.

Steve Morrison: Is she setting him up for something?

She cinches in a Standing Guillotine!

Steve Morrison: Is the Guillotine a choke? Either way, Capone is in trouble!
Cross Recoba: Even back to ‘Strangler’ Lewis I​​ guess it was seen as dirty fighting although I guess that's a chicken or the egg situation.
Steve Morrison: Tyrell hasn’t started a count so Wildcat needs to start finding answers!

Once more, Capone tries to guide the direction but Random controls the movement. He drops to a knee in the hold and reaches blindly for ropes that don’t exist.

Steve Morrison: Wildcat’s flagging…

Tyrell lifts an arm for Capone but he shakes it off, clearly more in it than his posture suggests.

Cross Recoba: Tell him that!

Random pushes further with the hold and wraps her legs around the waist of Capone.

Steve Morrison: She’s leaning back, trying to bring him to the ground!!

Wildcat pushes to the ropes and Tyrell enforces the rope-break.

Cross Recoba: What a rally from Capone to make that break. If he can impose that power on the match, Random could find herself in real danger!

Setting down her opponent, Random allows Wildcat to step away…he repays her with a vicious headbutt and lifts her onto his shoulders…RUNNING DEATH VALLEY DRIVER!!!

Steve Morrison: WHEELZ OF STEEL!! CAPONE JUST IMPOSED THAT POWER!

He goes for the pin…

ONE…

TWO…

TH-

LONG BREAKS UP THE PIN BUT BEFORE THE REFEREE CAN USHER HIM OUT SPIKE LEVELS HIM WITH A GERMAN SUPLEX!

Steve Morrison: Long again makes the save but Tyrell could be losing control of this match!

Tyrell looks ready to throw the match out but Spike throws Long through the ropes to the outside and follows him ringside.

Cross Recoba: It’s now carnage on the outside!

The Kentucky Killer brings Random to her feet and connects with a forearm, then he grabs another…ROARING ELBOW!!!!! NO! RANDOM DUCKS UNDER IT…POISON RANA!!

Steve Morrison: HYPERSPACE BYPASS!!

Switching to the outside, Spike lifts up Long for a back suplex…THE BEST BOUT MACHINE FLIPS OUT….ICON KICK!!!

Cross Recoba: This time he connects with it!

The Lansky Ballroom cheers on the Celtic team. Random rolls towards her corner and Long climbs onto the apron.

Steve Morrison: They can feel what’s coming….

Capone gets to his feet and makes a leap to stop the tag…HE FALLS MILLIMETERS SHORT!!

Cross Recoba: Not the time to miss the block….

Long enters the ring and catches the rising Capone with a dropkick to the knees that puts him back to the mat. He hits the ropes…HESITATION DROPKICK! Rolling IRN FST back to his feet, he sends him to the ropes…a Hip-toss is turned into a neckbreaker!

Steve Morrison: Long seems to have hit his stride…

The crowd noise rises to a crescendo. Long takes a step back…KANE CLUBS HIM OUT OF NOWHERE….WHEELBARROW FACEBUSTER!!!

Cross Recoba: What an interception!!

Tyrell marches Kane back to his corner but the Spiked One has done what he needs.

Steve Morrison: Just look how proud he seems with his work!

Capone hoists Long back to his feet…SAITO SUPLEX!!

Steve Morrison: JUICY!!

The Rookie headbutts the Icons as he brings him back to a standing position and grabs his arm as he staggers back. He whips him to the corner…..IRN FST CHARGES IN FOR THE ROLLING KOPPU KICK!!!!!!!

Steve Morrison: ONE. LESS. BIT-

LONG GETS OUT OF DODGE AT THE LAST MINUTE LEAVING WILDCAT HURTLING INTO THE TURNBUCKLES!!!

Cross Recoba: A hair away from a huge scalp on his record!

The Icon reaches over the concertinaed Capone and takes his wrists…RIPCORD BICYCLE KNEE STRIKE!!!

Steve Morrison: KING SLAYER II! !

LONG FOLLOWS UP WITH A SHINING WIZARD THAT CONNECTS WITH THE BACK OF THE HEAD OF THE KNEELING WILDCAT!!

Steve Morrison: FINAL FLASH!!!

Random sees Spike about to enter the ring and makes her own entrance. He whips her around for a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker…RANDOM TURNS IT INTO AN OCTOPUS HOLD!!!

Cross Recoba: Spike needs something big!!!

Long makes the cover!

ONE…

Kane rushes McConalogue into the turnbuckle to break the hold!

Cross Recoba: MODIFIED DEATH VALLEY DRIVER!!!

TWO….

THREE!!!!

Kane connects with a Senton a fraction too late!!

Steve Morrison: AGONISINGLY CLOSE FOR SPIKE!!

Tyrell calls for the bell!!

Cross Recoba: Replay this match another time and it wouldn’t fall on this side for the win!

Laura Messier: Your winners of this match, as a result of pinfall…RANDOM McCONALOGUE…and…JASON….LONG!!!!

The match official raises their hands as Spike Kane can only stew furiously in the backdrop of the shot.

Steve Morrison: Whoever sees those eyes across from them at our February show needs to be afraid. Spike will be out to prove just why he’s had eighteen reigns with Hardcore titles.
Cross Recoba: Wildcat too, he’s literally about one slight adjustment from being in a position to go on a tear…
Steve Morrison: But Random remains unbeaten, it’ll be interesting to see what’s in store for her next month!
Cross Recoba: No promises but whoever she faces, they’ll know it won’t be anything but a battle!
Steve Morrison: Now, with just a few minutes until our Main Event. Long will no doubt ice down that ankle as he waits to find out just who will stand in the ring with him at XHF Supremacy!

---

Laura Messier: Ladies and gentlemen, it's time FOR YOUR MAIN-EVENT OF THE EVENING! We're about to find out who will face Jason Long at XHF Supremacy in a match to crown the FIRST-EVER TAP OUT OPENWEIGHT CHAMPION!!

The fans cheer at this fact.

The house lights go out as the crowd begins to buzz.

Top, to the top, ain't never gonna stop
To the top, to the top, ain't never gonna stop

Pyro explodes as the chorus of "Legendary" by Skillet begins to play and the crowd erupts into cheers and chants begin to break out of "Icons" and "Diamond Club".



Jack Diamond emerges on the stage with a huge grin on his face, nodding his head to the beat of the music. He adjusts his leather jacket and soaks in the moment. He mouths the word "Legendary" and begins to make his way to the ring acknowledging the fans as only Jack Diamond can do.

Steve Morrison: We've covered what's gone into this match, what lead up to it but can Diamond afford more damage?
Cross Recoba: Knowing Jack as I do, it almost feels like he has nothing else he can lose beyond what he's about to put on the line inside that ring!

As he gets to the ring, he climbs the stairs and walks the apron over to the far turnbuckle. He ascends the outside of the corner and plays to the crowd as more pyro goes off.

Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh, legendary

Steve Morrison: Ace, Austin, Dakota, Tug. All of Poena's actions towards them have to weigh heavy on his mind, is he going to be able to put that out of his mind once the bell rings?
Cross Recoba: If he can't then this match goes one of two ways: Poena dismantles him, Jack gets himself disqualified and he really can't afford for either of those to happen!

Jack jumps down into the ring and heads to the center before throwing up the Diamond sign to loud cheers. He removes his leather jacket, handing it to the timekeeper before heading to his corner and stretching and preparing for the match, the smiles for his fans now replaced by a stern and focused expression.

Steve Morrison: Last time out, Jack got the win by the scruff of his neck but that shoulder took tremendous levels of damage!
Cross Recoba: Jack told the press that it was recovered, our medical team cleared him, but do I think that will stop Poena targeting it? No! Do I think that will stop Poena not seeing just how far he can push the Ace of Spades before he hits his breaking point? That's also a huge no!



Nisi per dolorem potest salvari...  The lights go pitch back as the eerie bells and words fill the arena. Each time the choir sings, red spotlights blaze down, revealing Poena standing at the top of the ramp, a black silhouette with his arms raised out to the sides with his palms and face up to the heavens.

Steve Morrison: Revenge. Devotion. Salvation. Three words that could all be used to describe Poena's reasons to want to win tonight!
Cross Recoba: Any sane man would be confident that they'd gotten inside Diamond's head. The worry is that Poena and sanity are galaxies apart.

As the music picks up the red spotlights stay on him as he lowers his arms and walks toward the ring holding his twisted rosary in his hands as if praying as he walks down the ramp, his crazed smile breaking out into an even crazier grin as he does.

Steve Morrison: It's almost as if Jack staring down Poena at the end of our last show was a red rag to a bull. He took that as Diamond challenging him to a psychological battle and we've all now seen just how far Poena will go to win that particular battle!
Cross Recoba: What worries me is that I don't think Poena would have done anything differently without that staredown. I've stared across the ring at his eyes and they're cold and marble black like a shark's. That was WITHOUT Poena taking a special interest in me like he has Jack!

He rolls into the ring as the spotlights turn to brightest white, going to his knees in the same pose he held on the ramp with the rosary clenched in his right hand, whispering a silent prayer to himself and yelling “REPENT!” to the heavens before smirking at the crowd and getting up to his feet.

Steve Morrison: With just moments to go until our main-event, can Poena push the limits further?
Cross Recoba: Ask Erin Gordon, ask Brandon McKay, ask Steve Tyrell. Ask them if they thought he'd snap fingers and bones on them like most wrestlers grab a headlock. Poena reacts to his own insanity as if it's almost casual. With the stakes this high, what's on the line and what's come to pass...no-one would want to be in Jack Diamond's shoes right now...

Laura Messier: Introducing first! Fighting out of Las Vegas, Nevada by way of Cherokee, North Carolina. He made weight at one-hundred-and-ninety-five pounds...he holds a record of five and one...THE ACE...OF SPADES!!! JACK.....DIAMOND!!!

Diamond's expression doesn't move, he stands waiting for the bell to ring.

Laura Messier: From the Ninth Deep...Standing at six-feet even and weighing a hundred-and-ninety pounds, he possesses a record of five and three...THE SANCTIFIED ONE....POENA!!!!!!

Winking across the ring at his opponent, Poena seems to be drinking in the pure contempt that exudes across the ring from his opponent.

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MAIN-EVENT
TAP OUT OPENWEIGHT TITLE TOURNAMENT MATCH
SINGLES MATCH
Jack Diamond vs Poena

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The bell rings and Jack Diamond strides into the middle of the ring. Poena takes a less straightforward route to the middle, loosely swaying as he performs what can only be described as a fully in control stagger until the two men meet within striking range of each other. The Ace of Spades fires off a sharp right hand, hitting The Sanctified One straight in the face. Poena holds his face, looking faux hurt at the opening shot before grinning broadly, almost enjoying having been punched. Jack furrows his brow, trying to judge what Poena’s reaction means before dropping back to a fighting stance.

Steve Morrison: Is there any superstar as unpredictable as Poena?
Cross Recoba: Within wrestling, I doubt it. Within Tapout? definitely not.

With a flick of his leg, Poena snaps off a rapid high kick towards Jack’s shoulder blade. Diamond grunts and slips to the right as the blow lands, lessening its impact, using the little extra space to slice the air with a knife edge chop, lashing the chest of his fanatical opponent. Poena stands straight up and brings his arm up at an angle, striking The Icon under the chin with an upwards throat thrust. As Diamond rolls with the blow, taking a half step back, Jack uses the extra space to flash a sudden chest kick, crashing his metatarsals into Poena’s body. The Fanatical Poena drops a shoulder and slides through before Jack can get his leg fully down, firing off a couple of pointed elbow strikes into the Ace’s shoulder and Jack Diamond is only too happy to back up and create a little space between the pair.

Crowd: LET’S GO JACK! LET’S GO JACK!

Steve Morrison: People talk about the technical side of both these competitors’ games. But they are both fearsome strikers when given the chance.
Cross Recoba: It’s been a long time in professional wrestling since you could get away with having only one string to your bow.

Diamond snaps off another chop, lighting up The Sanctified One’s chest with the force of the strike. Poena looks almost amused at the force of the blow, though that could mean anything. The Dark Messiah smiles and fires back with a stinging chop of his own, making Jack Diamond wince. The Icon responds in kind, his second chop whistling through the air and smashing into the sternum of his twisted opponent. Never one to back down form a good strike exchange, Poena returns fire, cutting through the still air in the arena and lashing against Jack Diamond’s pectoral region. As the crowd launches into a full throated Flarian “WOOO!” the home town favourite fires off a machine gun like series of chops, bringing the chest area of Poena to a beet red with the flurry. The Zealot changes up his response, responding with a mixture of right handed knife edge chops and left handed ridge hand chops, almost playing Jack’s chest like a drum. Poena leaves an arm hanging a little loose and The Ace of Spades grabs it, flings Poena against the ropes and after The Dark Messiah rebounds, Jack winds up his arm and times his strike perfectly, NEAR BISECTING HIS ONE HUNDRED AND NINETY POUND OPPONENT WITH THE FORCE OF A FINAL CHOP!

Crowd: JACK-EE DIE-MOND! JACK-EE DIE-MOND!

Steve Morrison: WHAT A CHOP! I don’t think I’ve seen anyone pole-axed with such a simple strike so effectively.
Cross Recoba: The thing Jack knows is, if he can make the chest a weak point, the Stacked Deck isn’t just a cutter. It’s also a drop from the height of the turnbuckles onto your sternum. Everything is setting something up for The Ace of Spades.

Backing off to the ropes to give himself space for a run up, Jack gets the crowd clapping along with him as he starts his run up. The Ace of the Icons hits a full sprint, hopping over Poena’s prone body before hitting the near ropes at pace, rebounding off and just leaping into the air, getting a suprising amount of height before landing sternum to sternum on his fanatical opponent with a huge running splash. Jack near bounces clean off Poena but scrambles quickly back into position, hooking the near leg…

ONE!

TWO!

TH.. Poena kicks out!

Steve Morrison: Jack Diamond really has everything. He can brawl with the best of them, he has technical skills and he’s not averse to using his agility when he needs to.
Cross Recoba: There’s so much to consider when you’re facing Jack Diamond. Not that Poena ever considers much before any opponent, other than his own perverted idea of spreading suffering.

Jack Diamond stands quickly, adding some pointed stomps into Poena’s chest as The Sanctified One lies on the mat. Jack reaches down and grabs a handful of Poena’s dirty mop of hair and pulls him unceremoniously off the mat so that The Preacher of Pain is facing away from him. Jack ducks a little and slides his head under Poena’s arm, grasping him round the back of the waist and lifts Poena up as if he’s about to hit a back suplex Poena remains elevated at the top of the arc of the move before Jack slides his arm upwards and switches the move’s momentum, powering The Dark Messiah down chest and face first into the canvas. Jack looks down, his face the picture of conviction.

Crowd: LET’S GO JACK! LET’S GO JACK! LET’S GO JACK!

Steve Morrison: Jack Diamond SPIKING Poena down there.
Cross Recoba: Having a plan and being able to switch up your normal moves to fit it shows how deep Jack’s understanding of the art goes.

After a few stiff kicks to the side of the ribcage, Jack Diamond backs off a couple of steps and allows Poena to stand. The Algosomancer is a little groggy and as he turns to face The Icon, Jack instead slips round behind, grabbing a back waistlock. The Ace of Spades grunts, showing the effort he’s putting into the next move and falls backwards at a pace, releasing Poena at the apex of the move and sending The Sanctified One FLYING through the air, flipping out of control and landing chest down on the mat with a thud that echoes throughout the arena. Jack scrambles over and hooks a leg…

ONE!

TWO!

THR… Poena kicks out.

Steve Morrison: MASSIVE RELEASE GERMAN SUPLEX!
Cross Recoba: The advantage of facing a sub two hundred pounder is that when you ppop your hips just right, you can launch them a long way.

This time, as Jack Diamond stands he drags Poena up with him by an arm. With a look of pure fire on his face, Jack hurls Poena across the ring, sending him into a corner. The Sanctified One crashes his back against the steel as Jack walks in, carefully picking his spot. Jack carefully measures his next strike as he swings his leg through the air and smashes the top of his foot into Poena’s reddened chest.

Crowd: JACK!

Jack doesn’t take a second thought as straight after putting his leg down he lifts it again, cocking it slightly backwards so he can get the maximum amount of spring into the next kick, again blasting Poena in the chest with as much force as he can manage.

Crowd: JACK!

Another whip of the leg, another blow comes out like a .50 cal round from a Desert Eagle.

Crowd: JACK!

Now Jack relinquishes the precision of the strikes, swapping that for pure volume as he hits three, four, FIVE machine gun like chest kicks off in quick succession!

Crowd: JACK! JACK! JACK! JACK! JACK!

Letting the support of the crowd be the wind in his sails, Jack backs off to mid ring, making sure his opponent hasn’t move. Seeing that Poena is defenceless in the corner, The Ace of Spades makes sure his running lane is clear and takes three more long paces backwards…

Crowd: OoooooooooooOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA…

...BEFORE CHARGING IN AT FULL STEAM AND LEAPING GRACEFULLY INTO THE AIR, CRASHING CHEST TO CHEST INTO THE SANCTIFIED ONE AND MAKING AN IMPROMPTU SANDWICH, THE ACE OF SPADES AND THE COLD UNFORGIVING STEEL OF THE TURNBUCKLE BEING THE BREAD AND POENA BEING CRUSHED IN THE MIDDLE LIKE A ONE HUNDRED AND NINETY POUND LUMP OF TUNA!

Crowd: JAAAAAAACK!
Steve Morrison: DIAMOND SPLASH! THE PRELUDE TO THE END!
Cross Recoba: This Vegas crowd is loving their home town hero.

Diamond grabs Poena and places him on the top turnbuckle, turning and reaching up, hooking Poena’s head…

Steve Morrison: STACKED DECK!

...but before Jackie D can stretch Poena out for his trademark finish, Poena reaches forwards and slides his arm around Jack’s neck and FLIPS FORWARDS OFF THE ROPES, FLYING OVER JACK AND SITTING OUT, CRASHING DIAMOND’S HEAD INTO HIS SHOULDER BLADE!

Crowd: BOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Steve Morrison: NO! FLIPPING STUNNER! DIAMOND DUST! WHAT A COUNTER!
Cross Recoba: Always be aware of when your opponent is going in for the killing blow and avoid it. Sounds obvious but it’s something a lot of wrestlers fail to do.

Poena is breathing heavily, having a lot of the air driven out of him by Jack Diamond’s repeated assaults. But he still forms a sinister smile as he looks down at The Icon, knowing this is his chance to do what he does best; cause suffering. Draping Jack’s left arm over the bottom rope, Poena steps through the ropes onto the ring apron and grabs Jack’s hand before leaping off, snapping Jack’s arm down onto the rope with the assistance of the drop. Jack recoils away from the ropes, wincing in pain as The Minister of Suffering gets back onto the apron to survey the damage.

Steve Morrison: I have the unsettling feeling that Poena has a target.
Cross Recoba: Poena has this habit of hyper focusing on a body part. It’s sound strategy for sure, but Poena sure likes hurting people in general.

Up on the ring apron, The Sanctified One spots that Jack’s left arm is lying a little loose and he grins his evil grin. Using the top rope to gain a little extra height and momentum, Poena slingshots back into ring, shaping his body in the air to drop a massive elevated knee drop to The Icon’s exposed arm. Poena rolls through to his feet and throws some nasty looking kicks into Jack’s shoulder, a look of manic glee crossing his face as he repeatedly connects the point of his boot with Diamond’s weakened limb.

Steve Morrison: Here we go again. Jack is going to need to get his arm checked after this match.
Cross Recoba: Poena is like a dog chewing on a bone. Once he gets his metaphorical teeth stuck in, he’s hard to stop.

The Dark Messiah stands, hauling Jack up by his left arm. With no small level of delight, Poena steps to a side, barring out the arm before giving it a wicked twist. With a few agonising seconds of pressure applied, Poena switches it up, stepping through and behind Diamond, turning the hold into a tight hammerlock. The Sanctified One looks to the left, then to the right, flashing his wild eyed stare around the arena before dropping to the mat, driving Jackie Boy down to the mat and jolting pain through the arm at the same time. Poena keeps the hammerlock on as he tilts his head to the side.

Steve Morrison: DIVORCE COURT! The pain must be coursing through Jack’s arm.
Cross Recoba: Poena has this unique way of altering his choices of moves to fit his strategy of the day. He’s never locked in one lane and that makes him difficult to plan for.

With his opponent trapped in the hammerlock, Poena carefully manoeuvrers round to Jack’s side and throws his body upwards, applying a little extra torque and slamming his knee directly into The Icon’s shoulder. The Sanctified One giggles, amusing himself with the damage he’s causing to the arm of The Ace of Spades. Poena repeats the move causing Jack to grunt in pain. A third knee to the shoulder follows before drawing the arm back out and wrapping his legs around Jack’s upper arm and shoulder, locking in a cross arm breaker.

Steve Morrison: Jack Diamond is trapped! The Cross Arm Breaker is a dangerous hold.
Cross Recoba: It’s more what Poena can do to you while you’re in the Jujigatame. Watch your fingers.

Poena stresses and strains as Jack grunts in pain, his arm being extended in ways that the human body is not designed to extend. A loud shout of, “CONFESS!” comes from The Sanctified One’s twisted mouth. Referee Big John Quinn looms over the pile, asking Jack if he wants to tap out but there is a qualified shake of the head. Poena frowns, unhappy that Diamond hasn’t quit already but the grin that forms on his face is one of pure malice.

Crowd: PLEASE DON’T TAP! PLEASE DON’T TAP!


Steve Morrison: Poena has this look like he’s planning something.
Cross Recoba: Well I try not to read Poena’s look, given his propensity for giving off totally random vibes. But it’s also usually safe to assume he’s planning something anyway.

Trying to rotate the pile and get to the safety of the ropes, The Ace of Spades becomes the Ace of Wriggling His Body To Save His Arm. Poena yells “CONFESS!” again as if trying to save Jack from his sins, as if not being in enough pain was a sin. Big John asks Jack again is he wants to submit but there is another shake of the head. For his part, The Sanctified One allows Jack to slip a little up the arm. Diamond inches ever closer to the safety of the ropes but it’s a long, slow, painful process. The crowd noise raises to a deafening roar in support of the Vegas native.

Crowd: PLEASE DON’T TAP! PLEASE DON’T TAP!

The Dark Messiah begins to enact his plan. He slithers his way further up the arm, never fully releasing the hold and reaches up to grab for Jack Diamond’s fingers. With a rare delight, Poena begins to slowly bend Jack’s digits the wrong way, hyperextending the flexor tendons and causing Jack to emit a louder grunt, the grunt of a man attempt to suppress extreme pain. A third shout of “CONFESS!” comes from the finger bending.

Crowd: BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Steve Morrison: Jack Diamond is in severe trouble!
Cross Recoba: Small joint manipulation may be illegal in the unified rules of MMA but it’s all allowed here in Tapout.

Looking to complete his plan, Poena repositions further up again. He grasps for Jack Diamond’s index and middle fingers in one hand. Then he grabs Jackie Boy’s ring and little fingers in his other. From his voice box, The Sanctified One emits a low, sinister hissing sound, asking the crowd for silence in the most twisted way possible…

Crowd: BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Steve Morrison: FERVENT PRAYER!

...and the crowd reaction causes nothing but a laugh to leave Poena’s lips. The Minister of Pain draws breath, waits for a few brief seconds and…

SN.. NO! JACK DIAMOND USES THE LOOSENING OF THE GRIP ON HIS ARM TO WEASEL HIS WAY OUT OF THE CROSS ARM BREAKER! POENA DIVES FOR JACK TO ATTEMPT TO REAPPLY THE HOLD BUT JACK SCRAMBLES DESPERATELY FOR THE ROPES! POENA GOES FULL STEAM TOWARDS JACK BUT THE CANNY ICON ROLLS OUT OF THE RING TO SAVE HIMSELF!

Crowd: YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAH!

Steve Morrison: JACK DIAMOND ESCAPES THE HOLD! HE’S SAVED HIS ARM FOR NOW!
Cross Recoba: And his fingers for that matter.

Poena climbs out to the ring apron to chase after his wily veteran opponent. But Jack proves WHY he’s a wily veteran straight away by throwing one of his chest high kicks which from the ring floor hits Poena JUST above the ankle, dropping Poena flat on the ring apron with a clattering thud. Jack turns back around, and spotting that Poena landed with his head slightly hanging over the apron. Jack takes a half step back, corks back his leg and BLASTS POENA IN THE SIDE OF THE HEAD WITH A PRECISELY DELIVERED SAVATE KICK! POENA GETS HIS BLOCK ROCKED!

Steve Morrison: ICONKICK! ICONKICK! ICONKICK!
Cross Recoba: Now THAT’S how to change the momentum!

With a shove, Diamond thrusts Poena back into the ring and carefully, gingerly climbs onto the apron, heavily favouring that left arm. Jack takes his sweet time getting up to the top turnbuckle but it takes a while for the stunned Dark Messiah to get to his feet and Jack is fast enough to be up on the top as Poena gets to a vertical base and Jack leaps from the ropes, splatting into The Sanctified One’s chest with a massive flying crossbody! Jack hooks a leg from that position and Big John Quinn is there to count…

ONE!

TWO!

THR.. Poena kicks out!

Crowd: LET’S GO JACK! LET’S GO JACK!

Steve Morrison: Jack Diamond took a huge risk there.
Cross Recoba: But a calculated one. You don’t get to be as respected in the business as Jack Diamond without knowing when to take those chances.

Jack stands and lifts Poena off the mat with his right arm. Jack applies a front facelock with his left arm and emits a pained noise as he lifts The Suffering Fanatic up in a vertical suplex motion before changing the momentum at the arc, using his stronger arm to push Poena off into a sharp Gourdbuster. Jack uses his right arm to try and shake the life back into his left before dropping to cover…

ONE!

TWO!

THR.. Poena kicks out again.

Steve Morrison: The question is, how much of Jack’s offence is being taken away by his injured arm?
Cross Recoba: Working round where you’re hurt is a skill that’s learned in time. And Jack Diamond has a lot of experience in this business to draw from.

Again, as Jack stands he moves his left arm in slow, deliberate movements, attempting to increase the blood flow through Poena’s match long target to speed up removing any numbness contained within. Poena is, again, a little slow to get up so The Icon uses every free second available to recover before slipping behind The Twisted Genius and grabbing a one armed back waistlock. Jack ducks his body low, allowing his legs to do the extra work as he ARCHES BACKWARDS AND HIT POENA WITH A GOD DAMNED ONE ARM GERMAN SUPLEX! Jack rolls over to cover…

ONE!

TWO!

THRE… NO! Poena kicks out.

Crowd: HO-LY SHIT! HO-LY SHIT!

Steve Morrison: WHAT A FEAT OF STRENGTH! HOW IN THE HELL DID JACK DIAMOND HIT THAT GERMAN?
Cross Recoba: Keep your body low, use your hips for the power, remember there’s a shot at the title at stake.

Both men stand, Jack slowly from the effort of hitting that INSANE one armed suplex, Poena because he’s had the worst of it for a while now. Jack goes back to basics, cutting through the air like a samurai sword as he blasts Poena across the chest with a lethal chop.

Crowd: YAY!

The Sanctified One… smiles. Poena takes the blow as a challenge and fires off a chop of his own but he steps to the side a little, allowing him to impact directly on the shoulder blade.

Crowd: BOO!

Jack readjusts position and chops again, venom and spite adding to the power of the move.

Crowd: YAY!

Again, The Dark Messiah steps to the side and targets that shoulder muscle with another chop.

Crowd: BOO!

Another chop from Jack.

Crowd: YAY!

And from Poena….. NO! Jack grabs the arm and using the last ounces of effort that arm can manage, hurls Poena into a corner! Jack follows in and starts laying in chop after chop after chop. The Sanctified One is forced to cover up. Jack backs off and charges in and LEAPS INTO THE AIR, CRUSHING POENA’S CHEST ONE MORE TIME!

Steve Morrison: EIGHTY-SIXED! DIAMOND SPLASH!

Jack Diamond goes to lift Poena up onto the turnbuckles, the set up for the Stacked Deck but with his bad arm, it’s taking a ton more effort than it would normally. Jack gets Poena off the canvas… and Poena snags the arm and rolls through! The Sanctified One bars out the arm and yells, “CONFESS!” again.

Steve Morrison: CROSS ARMBREAKER! This has to be it for Jack Diamond!
Cross Recoba: He’s fading fast. I think Jack is running low on options.

Referee Quinn gets in position to as Jack Diamond if he wants to quit. But being this close to the ropes gives Jack an out, and he stretches his legs up towards the middle rope… uses them to push the bulk of his body weight on top of Poena and then rests them on the rope for leverage…

ONE!

TWO!

THREE!

Big John Quinn calls for the bell and separates the two men and Poena stands up in celebration, thinking that the bell was rung for a tap out victory.

Laura Messier: THE WINNER OF THE MATCH, AND ADVANCING TO THE TAPOUT OPENWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL… “THE ACE OF SPADES” JAAAAAAAAAA…

And that’s about as far as Laura gets before Poena has realised what’s happened, formed a face of pure, unearthly hatred, placed two fingers in a V below his mandible and SPRAYED A FACEFUL OF TURQUOISE MIST STRAIGHT AT MESSIER! Laura drops to the mat, screaming but fortunately has enough wits about her to roll the hell out of the ring. Security RUSHES out from the backstage area as Poena turns back to Jack Diamond.

Crowd: BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Steve Morrison: Jack Diamond TOTALLY steals the victory!
Cross Recoba: And Poena is PISSED. Amazing Grace to our damn Ring Announcer. He’s gone insane... -er.

The crowd don’t stop booing as Poena stomps away at Jack’s prone body. Hand, injured arm, uninjured arm, head. It doesn’t matter, just a flurry of boots raining down on The Icon. The first security guard hits the ring, only for The Certifiable Lunatic of the Ring to run at him and knee him square in the face! Poena drops to his stomach and drives his thumb RIGHT into the security staffer’s ribcage. The Sanctified One turns to go back to Jack Diamond but senses the second member of Security has hit the ring and he PUNT KICKS HIM RIGHT IN THE NUTSACK! AND ANOTHER FALLING THUMB STRIKE TO THE INTRACOSTAEL AREA!

Steve Morrison: Looks like our security team is getting Sacrificed.
Cross Recoba: I am NOT putting up with this. I’m going to have to deal with this situation later.

Now the third and fourth security guard hit the ring at the same time. Poena grabs the third one around the head the LEAPS INTO THE AIR, HITTING A POWERFUL DROPKICK ON THE FOURTH SECURITY GUARD, ALLOWING HIM TO CHANGE HIS MOMENTUM AND HIT A TORNADO DDT ON THE THIRD ONE.. ONTO THE SECOND ONE!

Crowd: BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Poena turns back to Jack Diamond, stomps again on the injured arm and then lifts up his hand. He slowly, carefully separates the outer and inner pairs of fingers as MORE security comes flooding out to stop this carnage. The Chaplain of Contusions shushes the crowd who respond with even more volume…


Crowd: BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

..which Poena revels in for a second as the security begin to hit the ring… WHEN OUT FROM THE MIDDLE OF THE PACK COMES JACK DIAMOND’S FELLOW FORMER MEMBER OF THE ICONS AND FOLLOWING OPPONENT, JASON LONG! LONG DIVES… AT JACK DIAMOND AND HURRIEDLY PULLS HIM AWAY AS FINALLY THERE ARE ENOUGH SECURITY STAFF AROUND POENA TO SUBDUE HIM! (About six, not attacking black ninja style and a couple still get headbutted)

Steve Morrison: Poena is going CRAZY in the ring.
Cross Recoba: Poena is usually crazy, but this is Crazy for Poena. He's holding his own against ten men.
Steve Morrison: The Sanctified One is going to be gunning for revenge and I can see him being pretty damn high in line to face whichever Icon wins the strap. But it's going to be a battle of the Icons at Supremacy for our title.
Cross Recoba: Jack Diamond vs Jason Long II. And I have a phone call to make after the show.
Steve Morrison: So for him, Cross Recoba this is me, Steve Morrison saying... see you at Supremacy!


The camera pans from the insane scenes in the ring of Poena randomly slugging a bunch of Security who are on way too low a pay grade to deal with a pissed off Dark Messiah to the entrance ramp where Jack Diamond and Jason Long have retreated to. They exchange a knowing glance as the scene fades to black.

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