TAP OUT WRESTLING 11: MERRIC VS SAWYER - LIVE
Mar 1, 2023 19:47:08 GMT -5
Mongo the Destroyer, Dave D-Flipz, and 2 more like this
Post by Cross Recoba on Mar 1, 2023 19:47:08 GMT -5
PREVIOUSLY RECORDED
BALL ARENA, DENVER, COLORADO
[ XHF SUPREMACY; JANUARY 29TH, 2023. ]
JACK DIAMOND COCKS HIS LEG BACK AND ATTEMPTS TO STUFF HIS BOOT INTO JASON LONG’S SKULL!
Steve Morrison: ICONKICK!
LONG WOBBLES AND STUMBLES BACK A FEW STEPS AND JACK STRIDES FORWARD, COCKS HIS LEG BACK, FIRING IT OFF AT A DOWNWARDS ANGLE INTO THE SHIN OF JASON LONG’S RECENTLY INJURED LEG!
Steve Morrison: ICONKICK TO THE SHIN!
NOW LONG DROPS TO A KNEE, SHOCKED BY THE IMPACT OF THAT LAST KICK. JACK FUUUUUUUUUUCKING DIAMOND REARS THAT LEG BACK ONE MORE TIME…. ICONKICK TO THE FACE OF THE KNEELING JASON LONG!
Steve Morrison: AND ONE MORE ICONKICK!
Bobby Barratt is in position to count the cover attempt…
ONE!
TWO!
THREE!
Steve Morrison: JACK DIAMOND HAS DONE IT! HE’S RESET THE BRACKET!
Cross Recoba: Now the hard work sets in. Now he has to beat Jason Long AGAIN to win that belt.
Laura Messier: The winner of the first fall, JAAAAAAAAAAACK DIIIIIIIIIIIAMOOOOOOND. There will now be a 2 minute break and when the match restarts, it will be ONE FALL to decide the Tap Out Openweight Championship!LATER THAT NIGHT
There were celebrations going around the backstage area of Supremacy as a TAPOUT Openweight Champion was crowned, there were cheers and there were friends getting together for one special moment – however, for one man? He doesn’t stand with the rest of those popping bottles and such. Jason Long is seated inside of the Ball Arena’s halls and silently soaking in the defeat handed to him by Jack Diamond. He was seated along the floor, holding an ice pack onto the knee that seemingly gave out in the ending moments of the match, and his other arm holding his head as it leaned down onto the hand. A sigh came over Long. There were no words for the defeat. There were no words to exchange with Jack. Nor to Bobby and his sudden surprise appearance to officiate the match. He just sat there and pondered to himself for a moment before finally speaking.
Jason Long: Tonight has been a moment to remember.
A pause, a sigh coming out from his mouth.
Jason Long: For Jack, it’s been one to never forget. A moment he’s been preparing for ever since November. He finally picked up the win over me and it seemed like deja vu had finally settled in once again as I lost to Jack and he held a championship over me as I simply laid there, pondering, debating, asking myself was I really put into this position to lose another war? I thought to myself that this was the month where I’d shine the most. I could’ve done it. I could have done it all, secured the prizes needed to succeed throughout this year and make it a more memorable one unlike how it all began last year for me. Alas, I am one defeat into this year. One loss throughout the year and we’ve not even touched down into February. And it was an important loss as well.
He fell quickly into silence as he began to think about the words that came out of his mouth. Though, that silence is broken by the chaos happening inside of the ring right as we’re recording with the Kitchen Kaos match main event. Jason kept his head up as he stared up to the lights.
Jason Long: Though, I shouldn’t be defining everything about one loss. As much as it pains me to have lost tonight, there’s nobody else I’d rather have been TAPOUT Openweight Champion than Jack Diamond – even if he doesn’t seem to have been right in the head lately.
A smile cracked along the face of Long.
Jason Long: But, tonight has taught me one thing about TAPOUT as a whole. There’s a lot that I might’ve defeated along my way to get here but I can never be careful with whatever this promotion has under it’s sleeve. And I mean that in a good way. Tonight, I learned the hard way of trying to get into the head of someone who was dead set on doing anything it takes to win and Jack proved that– he pinned me twice whilst I didn’t have a chance to pin him at all. He could not have proved it any further that he deserved that championship than how he won out there tonight. Now, this is where things become tricky because I have the task of coming off of this loss trying to regain my footing back and I won’t be able to do it for over two months at this rate.
He paused for a moment, bringing his hand along his chin.
Jason Long: That’s a long time but I feel as if it’s necessary time. I spent the months that I should’ve been preparing for tonight fighting against others that weren’t in the tournament. Marty Donovan, Spike Kane, and even Wildcat Capone. I secured wins over them, sure, but it’s taken a lot out of me to fight them whilst trying to keep eyes on those that were advancing to come face me. But, I can walk away from here tonight with some time to myself. Time to really think about the future and I don’t mean that in no bad way whatsoever. Time to recollect my thoughts and time to sit back and think about what can come out of this. At the moment? I don’t know what might come from this. I could be still in line for a contender’s shot, I could be working my way back up from the bottom of the pile, I won’t know until maybe February or even March and we’re only walking out of January as I’m speaking these words into existence.
His hand gestured that ‘on and on’ movement as he spoke, giving himself a second to breathe and just keep himself calmed.
Jason Long: So, who knows what might come for me? It’s something that I cannot wait to find out and continue along the journey of reaching the top here in TAPOUT Wrestling, a place where it’s really rekindled my love for this sport, for professional wrestling, and so much more. Sadly, I won’t be in the ballroom – or even at the hotel – when TAPOUT is returning on February 26th and I don’t really know when I’ll be showing up in person at all at the moment but when I come back? I’m coming back with a fire lit underneath me. There will be no time wasted on just doing whatever, it’s back to the grind much like how it was when I suffered my first loss to Close Collins last year and look where that got me after all of that. I don’t want to become someone who replicates his own past, not like this. I will work as hard as I can with whatever Cross gives me to prove that I can become a contender or even a champion, if the future provides that spot.
Again, that smile slowly grew along his lips. A chuckle coming out of The Catalyst. His head lowered from looking up to the lights, now finally bringing his eye contact onto the camera recording him.
Jason Long: So, to Jack, congratulations on a fantastic match out there and a championship that you truly deserve. No hard feelings whatsoever. It was just Icon business as per usual. I’m sure you know that better than any of us could attest to. And for the rest of the roster? I shall be seeing you all in March and I want all of you to bring the best of the best that you can give me. I wouldn’t have it any other way.
It takes a moment before Long stands up from where he was seated, walking for a moment with a small limp as he stuffs the ice pack down his kneepad, but now continues along his way down the hall and holding his head – reasonably high – up. The focus makes the feed become a blur before we slowly fade to black from Supremacy.
PRESENTS
TAP OUT WRESTLING 11: MERRIC VS SAWYER
Date: 26th February 2023
Venue: Lansky Ballroom, The Sands Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada
Attendance: 1000 (Capacity: 1000)
The cameras fade in from the XHF Supremacy 2023 recap to a capacity crowd at the Lansky Ballroom at The Sands Casino and Hotel in Vegas, Nevada. The camera pans around the crowd and we see various signs highlighted:
POENA BROKE MY HEART (AND FINGERS)
JACK DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER!
THE ROAD TO THE RUMBLE STARTS HERE!
I'D HATE TO BE SITTING BEHIND THIS SIGN
TAPOUT WRESTLING IS ICONIC!
The camera continues to pan around and lands on a whole row who spell out a message:
H-A-P-P-Y B-I-R-T-H-D-A-Y T-A-P-O-U-T-!
The shot switches to ringside where Steve Morrison and Cross Recoba stand by.
Steve Morrison: Hello, fans, and welcome to TAP…OUT..WRESTLING..11! I’m joined by Tap Out Co-Owner, Cross Recoba, and we have an exciting night of wrestling ahead of us!
Cross Recoba: That’s right, Steve, we’ve got four matches that will give everyone involved a chance to prove that they should be next in line for a shot at Jack Diamond’s Openweight Title!
Steve Morrison: With both Diamond and Long off, it’s an opportunity for them to really stake a claim. Quickly, going to Maverick - how will that loss affect him when he returns?
Cross Recoba: You heard the man, he aims to use it to drive himself forward. We’ve looked ahead at what he might face and he isn’t short of opponents. Would Close be able to repeat what he did last year in defeating the Best Bout Machine? Then you have the likes of Random, Capone, Strych, and Jackalope who’d all want to prove their worth against the man who, in his mind, should’ve been our first champion!
Steve Morrison: All names that will also want to be filling up the dance card of Jack Diamond. We mentioned that he wasn’t wrestling tonight but I’ve seen him backstage, no doubt seeing who might stick their head above the parapet to face off against him next.
Cross Recoba: Including the XHF X*Crown, this is Jack’s fourth time at the top of the totem pole. He’ll be the first person to tell you that scouting and knowing your competition was key in every rise.
Steve Morrison: He’ll also relax easily with the knowledge that Poena is suspended from tonight’s event.
Cross Recoba: If we didn’t take some action, the ring crew were going to refuse to work.
Steve Morrison: So, if they didn’t do that, Poena would be on the show?
Cross Recoba: If you read between the lines. The XHF Network reps all see what he does as relatively tame when you have Dino Bones ingesting his opponent’s and Zoran preparing for retirement with light needlework practice using a shiv…
Steve Morrison: Stands to reason…
Cross Recoba: And Dino Bones did ask if I had anyone to send out on excursion too.
Steve Morrison: Getting into the show proper, we open up with a four-way where we see three debutants and Jackalope vying to come out on top.
Cross Recoba: You’ve got four wrestlers that all will want to come out on top. For the three making their debut, it’s a great time to grab a statement win. In the case of Jackalope, he knows that he can chip away at Long, Diamond, and Poena with a win tonight and put himself in an extremely strong position to challenge Jack.
Steve Morrison: We’ve got an interesting debut in “Big Nate” Nathan Hartley. At one point on the Olympic wrestling squad and, in any other match he’d be the biggest man in the ring. How can he use his skills to get the win tonight?
Cross Recoba: Despite his size, Big Nate has some agility for a man of his stature and that’s something that’ll not only make him stand out but will be a force for his opponents to deal with. He’s also coming from a background where he knows how to control his strength and stamina, so if you’re looking for him to gas out quickly, you may be out of luck.
Steve Morrison: Also making her debut in the match is Zoi Rousakis and she’s already caused an effect, I now have a hundred more Twitter followers giving me sartorial advice.
Cross Recoba: And not before time. But in terms of the match, she could prove to be a surprise package. Despite being the smallest wrestler in the ring, her mix of Dirty Brawling might be something that can put her opponents on the back foot. Hartley and Sticky are huge compared to her but that weight is only going to add momentum to a shin kick, Superkick, Tornado DDT triple-combo.
Steve Morrison: Talking of Sticky, how do you think he’ll fare in his debut outing?
Cross Recoba: He’s an inch off eight feet tall and four-hundred-and-fifty pounds in weight. At his size, a punch could be deadly…
Steve Morrison: Like Big-
Cross Recoba: Exactly like Big Old Goldbear. Or imagine if he sits on you like-
Steve Morrison: The Eighth Wonder of the-
Cross Recoba: Universe, Subject #42! You know where I’m going with this, his size makes him a threat regardless of the opponent. The question becomes how he’ll fare if, as I suspect, the other members of the match decide to go three-on-one.
Steve Morrison: Especially when one of those is Jackalope. It was mentioned in the build-up, Jackalope himself even referenced it: can a win here put him within touching distance of a shot against Diamond?
Cross Recoba: He sits fourth in the rankings, with everyone above him off tonight - anything’s possible. The Chaos Bunny might feel hard done by being in the opener but it’s a great opportunity to showcase the growth he’s undertaken since our first show!
Steve Morrison: Following that is a match between original Tap Out Wrestling members, Wildcat Capone and Tommy Strychnine that can be traced all the way back to the first-ever match at XHF Supremacy 2022 where they started the match, making them the first ever competitors in the company…
Cross Recoba: But the last time these two met, it was at Tap Out Wrestling 5 where Wildcat Capone managed to put an end to Strychnine’s bid to enter the Openweight tournament…
Steve Morrison: Neither man is coming into the match in a rich vein of form, what might decide this one?
Cross Recoba: It’s going to be fine margins. Capone has shown both here and in GUNS Fight Club that he can put away opponents but the one constant has been the erratic form and that’s just down to inexperience. He needs to lure Tommy into the stand-up game because it’s what he knows and means that the Rocker isn’t going to want to show off those technical or high-flying skills that he’s built his career on.
Steve Morrison: We’ve seen Tommy trade punches willingly…
Cross Recoba: But what we haven’t seen from Wildcat is an ability to improvise when needed. Strych has the experience and if he can dictate the tempo and style of the match, he’ll be in a great place to walk out with the win.
Steve Morrison: It all comes down to whether he can hit that Springboard V-Trigger…
Cross Recoba: Merric had it well-scouted last time out and he’s been around the squared circle a similar time to Tommy. I’m not sure that Capone has the nous yet to deal with it.
Steve Morrison: After our intermission we kick things off with a hell of a mat-
The lights in the arena appear to explode at the same time, the sparks and sudden darkness eliciting screams from the audience.
Poena: Jaaack…
Poena's voice slices through the darkness, but something is different now. There is something under the normal soul-wilting tone—a growl of rage and spite. The sound of it cowers the normally verbose crowd into deathly silence.
Poena: Did you honestly think it was over? Did you think you could cheat your fate? Always the Fool, Jack.
As Poena talks, the BigScreen glows with a dark red light—embers behind the twisting symbol of Poena's faith.
Poena: You always let your demon speak to me, Jack. He has such threats and anger… he might even have the will to defeat me.
A diamond in blue closes around the swirling symbol, calling back to the scars Jack put on the Child.
Poena: But when I finally get my hands on you, when we are finally before the altar, I never see that Demon. I see the Fool, struggling on with a sisyphean task. You seek to contain what you see as a dangerous threat. But Jack…
Tendrils reach out from the symbol, wrapping around and corrupting the diamond before breaking free of it in a bloody burst.
Poena: You can't contain me. I've been trying to save you this whole time, bring you into the fold, and open your eyes.
The scene shifts to show Poena seated in the center of the screen, unmoving and unblinking. Behind him a lightbulb swings from left to right, slowly back and forth. During all of this, a distorted hymn plays, with demonic children whispering words too distorted to understand.
While on the left, the light is red like blood from an artery, and corpses can be seen ripped asunder in the background. When the light swings right, it is a dizzying mix of turquoise and pink with swirls and shapes designed to make you trace them for eternity.
Poena: But you insist on fighting the inevitable. You insist on cheating your destiny. You think this is over, Jack?
The light swings once more from left to right, but this time the clear divide in the middle of the screen wavers, with red leaking along the path of the blub.
Poena: This has just begun. By your own hand, you've brought this upon yourself.
The right side of the screen is now red just like the left, bodies piled high as Poena looks into the camera with both eyes glowing that same, evil red. His voice is a growl of unholy anger, contorted into a blade by zealotry.
Poena: See you soon, Jack. Glory be.
And as suddenly as it started, the BigScreen goes black as the darkness fills with demonic screams and malformed words before the lights flick back on, banishing the dark.
Steve Morrison: What was that?!?
Cross Recoba: I don’t know but I do know that it wasn’t on the production sheet for tonight.
Steve Morrison: Would that mean that Poena’s in the building?
Cross Recoba: Give me a minute…I can’t risk Poena running riot in the Sands tonight….
Steve Morrison: Whilst Cross has stepped out, let’s get back to the action. When we return from an intermission, we see two fighters who were on opposite sides of a tag-team match at our last show compete in singles competition as Spike Kane takes on Random McConalogue. This has the potential to be a huge match for both wrestlers. For Spike it’d be a welcome win in what has been a frustrating period of his career within Tap Out and whilst he has a 4-1 record in GUNS Fight Club this season, none have been conclusive wins. A victory against Random would be the bookie’s favorite in any other year of his career but Spike finds himself a slight underdog going into the match. Anyone who has watched the Network in the last two years or so though knows what Kane can do when the pressure is o-
Cross Recoba: Sorry about that, I think with Spike it’s a case of going back to basics and what got him to so many titles in the first place. When you’re on a bad beat you can fall victim to overanalyzing results and your performance. If he can land that Jackhammer of his, it could all be over.
Steve Morrison: The question is ‘if’. Random’s coming into this match hot with her style so far throwing her opponent’s gameplans off-track. Spike couldn’t break up the pin in time in their last match but he did find out pretty quickly just how proficient the submission game of McConalogue is.
Cross Recoba: I think, if you look back at the tape, Spike perhaps underestimated the Scotswoman and her abilities. Right at the outset of the match, Random was grabbing submission hold after submission hold and it looked like the God of Xtreme hadn’t done his homework. Long just saw his six-match winning streak come to an end and Random will be halfway to matching it if she wins tonight. If she can get her arm raised again against Spike it’s going to have everyone in those top five or six places looking over their shoulder and chances are that at March’s show - one of them is going to have to face her.
Steve Morrison: Which leads us to our Main Event! I’m looking at Aiden Merric and Sam Sawyer and all I see is an absolute slugfest!
Cross Recoba: Sawyer has made their name in Tap Out with their blend of speed and striking they’ve fast become a favorite of the crowd here in the Lansky Ballroom.
Steve Morrison: It’ll be interesting to see how they make the weight difference work in their favor.
Cross Recoba: Our roster isn’t going to win any competitions for pack weight, I know this and I apologize equally, but it’s Six Nations time so rugby references. But Sawyer took down Rat Bastard back in November who is bigger and heavier than Merric. I can see those strikes they possess coming to the fore but the high-impact slams and suplexes might take a backseat in this one.
Steve Morrison: Merric though knows that any attempt at his opponent trying to match him strike-for-strike is going to give him a distinct advantage.
Cross Recoba: Just because he spends his time in the Outback and couldn’t call half the moves on the roster doesn’t mean he isn’t smart. Aiden’s style is largely adapted from what he employs when he goes big-game hunting. He can wait it out, he can tire or frustrate his prey and then, when the time is right, he can make them pay.
Steve Morrison: We saw that last time out against Strych.
Cross Recoba: Exactly. That lariat of his didn’t connect the first-time so he bade his time until the opportunity occurred again. If he hits that, you don’t see Sawyer coming back from that.
Steve Morrison: They’re resilient, you couldn’t see any hangover last month from her loss against Diamond…their only loss so far in Tap Out.
Cross Recoba: That’s true and with one loss a piece for our Main Event competitors, it leaves everything up in the air for who will come out on top!
Steve Morrison: Now, without delaying any longer. Here’s Laura Messier to introduce our opening match where Nathan Hartley is already in the ring awaiting his debut!
Laura Messier: Hello, and WELCOME TO TAP OUT WRESTLING ELEVEN!!!
The crowd break out into a cheer, a chant forms from the back.
Crowd: HAPPY BIRTHDAY! YOU DESERVE IT! HAPPY BIRTHDAY! YOU DESERVE IT! HAPPY BIRTHDAY! YOU DESERVE IT! HAPPY BIRTHDAY! YOU DESERVE IT! HAPPY BIRTHDAY! YOU DESERVE IT!
Laura lets out a smile before continuing.
Laura Messier: Our opening match is a Fatal Fourway match and is set for...
She holds the microphone up.
Crowd: ONE FALL!!!!!
Laura Messier: And now for the our competitors.
"Cross my heart and hope to die"
The lights go Out as smoke fills the Lansky Ballroom and lights strobe.
Steve Morrison: She's noting if not a showman.
Cross Recoba: It's the way of the Influencer...
A spotlight searches and finds Zoi Rousakis on the entrance ramp as she makes a heart shape with her fingers then breaks it as she rolls her eyes and puts up a 'don’t talk to me' from closed Hand to open hand flash as Zoi makes her way down to ringside.
Steve Morrison: With Rousakis giving up size and weight on everyone inside the ring, can she compete?
Cross Recoba: Stick and move when the bigger guys engage, otherwise I'd be looking to fade into the background and only come forward when an opportunity presents itself.
She hop up on the ring apron and pulls herself up by the middle rope. She enters under the middle rope as her hands rest on ring apron leaning against the turnbuckle doing a pretty woman pose.
Steve Morrison: I've looked at the tapes and one of her finishers can be hit out of nowhere and on anyone, can that alone get her the win?
Cross Recoba: Like I said, it's all about picking your battles when you give up this much weight in a multi-man match. Her Tornado DDT could be the difference-maker.
“Regret Game” by Madame Macabre begins playing as Sticky the Clown walks out from the back to the frightful screaming of many fans.
Steve Morrison: Armand has done it again and introduced the XHF Network to what can only be described as a horroshow.
Cross Recoba: It's a mix of the clowns they employ and Tarrasque...
He looks around at the crowd with his peeling face paint that should have been fixed up ages ago and his needle sharp teeth inside his impossibly wide grin that pierce black gums.
Steve Morrison: You were on the roster with Tarrasque, do you see any similarities?
Cross Recoba: He'd been brought up under some level of control with Marcus, this though? It's unchained chaos.
The Clown steps onto the apron and over the top-rope as Laura Messier makes sure to keep her distance, climbing between the ropes on the far side of the ring.
Steve Morrison: Being the largest man not only in the match but on the roster, is Sticky a threat to Jack Diamond?
Cross Recoba: That's what we're all waiting to find out...
The opening chords of Big Shot slam into the speakers, bringing the fans to their feet as Jackalope charges through the curtain.
Steve Morrison: From madness to adulation! Jackalope comes in with the most ring-time in Tap Out under his belt. Can he make 2023 his year?
Cross Recoba: That's all down to Jackalope. He has the crowd behind him and he has enough of a wow factor to stand out, it's converting those positives into form which was inconsistent in his debut year.
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 He stated he didn't want to make the same mistake twice and having come out on top against one set of clowns, he's confident he has Sticky figured out. Can he do the same with Big Nate and Zoi?
Cross Recoba: He wasn't wrong when he said he was the veteran in the match. Big Nate has had amateur experience but he never made it to the Olympics so how he'll handle a crowd this size, an occasion like this is up in the air. Zoi's greener than the proverbial Goose Waste - he has a perfect opportunity in front of him.
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: The Lansky Ballroom believes in him. Now he just has to repay that faith with a win tonight!
With the competitors inside the ring, Laura begins the introductions.
Laura Messier: Introducing first! Fighting out of Huntington Beach, California. Standing at five-feet and eleven inches, he made weight at two-hundred-and-sixty-five pounds...BIG...NATE....HARTLEY!!!
The one-time Olympic Squad member looks around the ring at his opponents. His face betrays no sign of emotion.
Laura Messier: Also making his debut and standing to my left! Hailing from Parts Unknown. Standing at seven-feet and eleven inches and weighing four-hundred-and-fifty pounds...STICKY...THE...CLOWN!!
The clown holds onto the ropes behind him, clearly itching for the bell to sound and carnage to begin.
Laura Messier: To my right. from Athens, Greece. She stands at five feet and one inch and made weight at one-hundred-and-seven pounds...She is HELL...ON...WHEELS....ZOIIII...ROUUUUSAKIS!!
Finding the camera, Zoi makes an Aheago face.
Laura Messier: And the final competitor! Fighting out of Las Vegas, Nevada...Standing at five-feet and nine-inches, he is The Chaos Bunny.... JACKALOPE!!
Kid Cryptid eyes up his opponents and seems to be making a mental note of where to attack first.
OPENING MATCH
FATAL FOURWAY MATCH
Nathan Hartley vs Zoi Rousakis vs Sticky the Clown vs Jackalope
There is little surprise that the first entrants into the match are the nimble Rousakis and the crazy fast Jackalope. Zoi strides to the ring centre, daring the Chaos Bunny to come within her brawling range. ‘Lope steps up to Hell on Heels and nods to her like he’s ready to test himself and throw down and Zoi just flat out pie faces him, walking him backwards a couple of steps before looking smugly in his shocked face and wrapping him up in a side headlock. The Queen of Greek Chic reaches into a pocket on her wrestling tights, pulls out a pink cellphone and snaps a selfie of her headlock for all her many followers.
Steve Morrison: Yeah, that’s a classy move by Zoi Rousakis.
Cross Recoba: Sarcasm does not become you, Steve.
Kid Cryptid isn’t standing for any of this disrespect and as Zoi’s focus falls for a second, stashing her cellphone. Jackalope uses his lithe body to squirm free from the headlock and wraps up an arm of Zoi’s, whipping her over and down to the mat. The Chaos Bunny wheels around madly as Hell on Heels gets back to her feet, only to get snagged and arm dragged for a second time. Jackalope backs off for a second and lets Rousakis get up again only to rush in with a rapid dropkick that sends Zoi into Big Nate’s corner. The Cryptid Kid gets his sights in for a full ring rush but Sticky the Clown reaches out a massive arm and tags in.
Steve Morrison: It’s the Big O against the huge Clown.
Cross Recoba: Nate Hartley is all muscle. Sticky the Clown is just humongous.
The barrel chested Nathaniel Hartley shows no fear as he walks up to his towering opponent. Hartley fires off a stiff knife edged chop that sends Sticky’s flesh rippling. Sticky chuckles. The Big O flashes off a second chop. Sticky chuckles again. Nate reachs down and grabs Sticky for a bodyslam. The Corpulent Clown openly laughs for a second but that laughter fades away as BY GOD, NATHANIEL HARTLEY LIFTS THE NEAR EIGHT FOOT, FOUR HUNDRED AND FIFTY POUNDER OFF THE MAT AND SLAMS HIM DOWN TO THE MAT!
Crowd: HO-LY SHIT! HO-LY SHIT!
Steve Morrison: I agree with the crowd. That was an inhuman feat of strength.
Cross Recoba: Nate Hartley is one tough slab of meat. I heard he bench presses 280.
Steve Morrison:I mean that’s impressive, but not world beating.
Cross Recoba: ...reps of the standard NFL 225lb weight.
Hartley covers…
ONE!
TWO!
Sticky kicks out with enough force to send Nate Hartley flying through the air. The Clown stands back up and scoops New Age Nate straight up off the mat and body slams him right back. Nate… pops straight back up as if being dropped from eight foot up is no big thing. Sticky is having none of that and knees Nate in the gut, locking in a front facelock before hoisting the barrel chested Californian up into a vertical suplex and just dropping him in a heap mid move. Sticky covers…
ONE!
TWO!
TH… and Nate POWERS out.
Steve Morrison: OK, I did not think you could powerlift a man that size.
Cross Recoba: There’s ridiculous amounts of power in Hartley’s body, that’s for sure.
Hartley gets to his feet and backs away wisely from the Killer Klown from Out This Place.
Steve Morrison: Giving himself plenty of runway here.
Cross Recoba: He’s going to run out of room soo-
Cross stops his commentary as Hartley hits the ropes and Jackalope seizes his opportunity. He springboards onto the top rope and levels Sticky with a dropkick that barely fazes the Clown but he persists still.
Steve Morrison: Like chipping away at a redwood.
Cross Recoba: With a toothpick…
He hits the ropes…Basement dropkick!
Steve Morrison: Can he take the legs out from him?
He hits the ropes again…Basement Dropkick to the other leg but the Clown shakes it off. Jackalope grabs an arm and twists it with speed…SPRINGBOARD HEADSCISSORS TAKES DOWN THE GIANT!
Cross Recoba: No but you can always take the head!
Sticky gets back to his feet but Lope is too quick and has already hit the ropes….REVERSE SLINGBLADE!!!
Steve Morrison: HOLD OUT PISTOL!!
He covers as Steve Tyrell makes the count…
ONE…
TW-
ROUSAKIS BREAKS THE PIN!!
Steve Morrison: Zoi taking no chances!
Cross Recoba: It’s dog-eat-dog out there!
Zoi drags Jackalope to the corner and tags herself in.
Steve Morrison: Will she dare get a picture with the clown?
Cross Recoba: You first…
Sticky, now back to his feet turns his attention to Nate on the apron. He reaches out to grab him but Nate tags him out and charges in but Zoi has the drop on him with a drop-toe hold. She keeps a hook on the leg and rolls forward.
Steve Morrison: Nate maybe regretting his decision.
Cross Recoba: He seems to have sacrificed agility for size.
Zoi grabs the arm AND STEPS THROUGH WITH A VICIOUS SISTER ABIGAIL!!!
Steve Morrison: GREEK TRAGEDY!!
Cross Recoba: She PLANTED HIM!
Rousakis looks for the cover … STICKY KNEES HER AS SHE DROPS DOWN! HE GRABS HER HEAD AND WRAPS HIS ARMS AROUND HER STOMACH….LIFTING HER OVER HIS HEAD….
Steve Morrison: Oh no….
Cross Recoba: This could end her career…
GONZO BOMB!!!!!!!!
Steve Morrison: TRAPEZE ACCIDENT!!!
Crowd: HE JUST KILLED HER! *CLAP* *CLAP* *CLAPCLAPCLAP* HE JUST KILLED HER! *CLAP* *CLAP* *CLAPCLAPCLAP* HE JUST KILLED HER! *CLAP* *CLAP* *CLAPCLAPCLAP*
Zoi lands near the ropes and this time it’s Jackalope who benefits as he tags himself in.
Steve Morrison: Why would you risk it right now?
Hartley begins to stir and Sticky the Clown stares blankly at the carnage before him.
Cross Recoba: Is he in a trance?
Seizing the moment, Jackalope grabs the top-rope…
Steve Morrison: What can he do here?
SPRINGBOARD OFF THE TOP-ROPE…
Steve Morrison: No…
OFF THE NIGH-ON EIGHT FOOT SHOULDERS OF STICKY THE CLOWN…
Cross Recoba: OH…MY….GOD….
TRIPLE-JUMP SHOOTING STAR DDT CATCHES THE RISING HARTLEY!!!
Steve Morrison: TRIPLE-JUMP EL-AHRAIRAH DDT!!!!!
Crowd: THAT WAS AWESOME! KID CRYPT-ID! THAT WAS AWESOME! KID CRYPT-ID! THAT WAS AWESOME! KID CRYPT-ID! THAT WAS AWESOME! KID CRYPT-ID!
Jackalope covers…
ONE…
TWO…
THREE!!
Steve Tyrell calls for the bell and tries to raise Jackalope’s arm but the Chaos Bunny has immediately vacated the ring.
Laura Messier: The winner of your opening match via pinfall. KID CRYPTID….JACKALOPE!!!!
Jackalope, now halfway down the ramp, stops exchanging fist bumps and high-fives with the crowd to raise a triumphant arm, happy to be clear of the carnage.
Steve Morrison: What a great win for Jackalope! Being able to pull out a victory in that kind of chaos is definitely a milestone in his short career so far.
Cross Recoba: The critics might wonder how he’d fare against Sticky the Clown in a Singles match but that’s two points in the bag and fifth spot in the rankings protected for tonight.
Steve Morrison: Talking of chaos, Wrestle: UK are hosting an open Tag-Team Gauntlet that’s seen teams like The Black Knife Kabal from JROK and The Sanctuary from SCCW throw their names into hat to compete with Wrestle: UK’s own Donzig-Gun, The Dark Stars, The Glucks and their tag-team champions, The Bastards to name a few.
Cross Recoba: Kalmin Watts continues to try to learn how to wrestle by putting his British Televison triple-threat on the line in a triple-threat match…
Steve Morrison: You might get lucky, he’ll pick up an injury or wear himself out ahead of his match with you in Portland. Topping off the night will be a five-man match to determine who gets the last spot in their Elimination Chamber bout and with Billy Fowler, Wesley Crane, Armand von Krauss and Psychotic Goth involved, it promises to be an action-packed night! Tune in on the XHF Network!
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Steve Morrison: I’ve been told that Close Collins is backstage and we’ll go to him in a minute but Cross, I believe you met with Close and Tuff Collins last week.
The VT switches to a shot of a press room where Tuff Collins puts pen to paper on a contract. His son sits next to him with Cross Recoba behind them as they pose for press shots.
Cross Recoba: It’s a great pick-up and a win-win. Tuff never really made the big leagues when he was more active and this gives him a great opportunity to perform on a bigger stage.
The shot changes to Cross and Tuff shaking hands in front of a Tap Out Wrestling backdrop.
Cross Recoba: It also means that we’ve got another experienced head around here. Jack Diamond is a pro when it comes to dealing with the less-experienced wrestlers but with him being Champion, there’s only so much Jack to go around and that leaves it all on Va’aiga. I won’t knock The Maori but it’s hard to win the press over when you’re dropping MF bombs everywhere! He’s here on a short-term contract for now but we’ll see how it goes.
Steve Morrison: Let’s find out what the Close has in store for us!
The scene cuts to somewhere backstage as Close Collins stands in front of the camera. He has his hoodie on landing just above his eyes.
Close Collins: On the Valentines Day episode of the Gun Show I teamed up with Nate Hartley in a tag team match against the Crinkley Bottom Boys and we got a huge win.
He pauses.
Close Collins: After the match as we celebrated the victory we started talking about tag-team championships. I never really considered myself a tag-team guy. Not that it’s a bad thing at all but when I shut my eyes and imagine the future of my career it’s just me, holding up world championships.
He rubs his hands together and nods as he thinks about it.
Close Collins: But I can’t lie, Nate painted a pretty good picture. Tag team titles sounded great. Not just any tag team titles, but the XHF Tag Team Titles. To go to global heights would be amazing. He sold it well, and to be honest with you, it kind of unlocked this vague memory I have of dreaming of being a tag team champion.
He gives a shrug.
Close Collins: But as things progressed. Nate got a little busy with private matters. And that’s okay. These things happen. But it’s given me time to think about what I’m going to do next. I’ve decided….
Close pulls off his hood.
Close Collins: I'm going for the tag team championships. I know TAP OUT doesn’t have a tag team division so I’ve decided that I'm bringing the XHF Tag Team Championships home to TAP OUT WRESTLING when the shot comes here in August!
The Ballroom crowd pop for the declaration.
Close Collins: But who will my partner be? Well that’s easy. It took me a minute, but that vague childhood memory became clearer and clearer the more I thought about it. See as a kid, I’d day dream and play pretend that I was a tag team champion. And the person holding the other title…is my dad.
With that Tuff Collins walks into the scene. Close turns to look at his dad.
Close Collins: How bout it, pops? You got one last run in you?
Tuff smiles and puts his hand on his sons shoulder.
Tuff Collins: For you Closey, I got enough runs for a marathon!
Tuff turns and faces the camera.
Tuff Collins: THATS RIGHT DUDES! Tuff Collins is finally getting his shot at the big time. AND LET ME TELL YOU BROTHERS! When I come CLANGING AND BANGING down that aisle, you may think I’m old and run down, brother, BUT I'M NOT! I GOT THE POWAH BROTHER! And when the~
He points at himself and Close.
Tuff Collins: THE THROW SHOW!
He nods his head.
Tuff Collins: OOOH YEAH! Comes down to that ring we are going to show you all of that POWAH and then some. RIGHT CLOSE!?
He flexes and looks at Close who is absolutely mortified by his dads eighties outburst.
Close Collins: Right….but we are not going to do promos like that…
Close chuckles and walks off. Tuff watches him go and shrugs.
Tuff Collins: What? That stuff used to kill back in the day!
Tuff chases after Close as the scene fades but block letters fill the scene.
THROW SHOW
DEBUTS
NEXT MONTH!
The screen fades back to ringside.
Steve Morrison: We’ve got Laura in the ring, ready to introduce our next match!
Laura Messier: The following contest is a singles match, scheduled for one fall!
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: Wildcat's been pretty upfront about his thoughts on the match tonight.
Cross Recoba: He's angling for a rematch with Long and he's going to use tonight as the audition!
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: Long put him away in that tag-team match but I don't see Wildcat as a team-player.
Cross Recoba: I'd be inclined to say the same thing but it's part and parcel of being in the sport.
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: With no-one else to rely on in the match, can Wildcat once more stand tall over Tommy?
Cross Recoba: If he can keep his focus, it's a definite possibility. Often I see Capone start something and abandon the plan for no reason. If he can pick a strategy and see it through, he might well be in the Winners' circle tonight.
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: He came agonisingly close to beating Merric last month and I'm sure he'll be wondering if it could have been him main-eventing against Sawyer tonight!
Cross Recoba: He chose a new direction to go in and now is where I think it's starting to pay off.
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 flip off the fans along the way.
Steve Morrison: Less theatrics once the bell rings and a style that is grounded but with higher-impact than before.
Cross Recoba: Exactly and it'll be interesting to see how he matches up against some of the competitors high up in the rankings.
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: Do you think he's looking for that Springboard Knee or the Lariat?
Cross Recoba: I've got to go with the Springboard Knee. It took Thespian out in one hit. The Springboard Somersault Lariat is a great move but Wildcat has too many ways to turn it to his advantage.
Capone leans into his corner of the ring as the pyros fade.
Laura Messier: Introducing first, fighting out of Lexington, Kentucky...he weighs two-hundred-and-eight pounds...he is MR 859...The STONE...COLD...KILLA...WILDCAT...CAPONE!!!
Capone throws his neck from side-to-side, clearly trying to get into the zone.
Laura Messier: And his opponent, 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!!!
A cacophany of boos fill the Lansky Ballroom. Tommy ignores them all as he uses the top-rope to stretch out his arms.
SINGLES MATCH
Wildcat Capone vs Tommy Strychnine
With Laura out of the ring, Rhod Williams brings the two men to the center of the ring.
Steve Morrison: Perhaps a wise choice of official, will let the match flow but is new enough that he doesn’t have a reputation but does have an air of authority to keep the match away from chaos.
Cross Recoba: He came highly-recommended from one of our scouts in the Midlands of England.
Whilst he explains his expectations for the match, the camera pans around to show each fighter’s reaction to the instructions. Wildcat appears to have half an ear open for the instructions, the other is hearing the unusual commotion from the crowd.
Crowd: FUCK HIM UP, WILDCAT! FUCK HIM UP! FUCK HIM UP, WILDCAT! FUCK HIM UP!
Steve Morrison: Unusually, Wildcat has the crowd behind him.
Cross Recoba: This is more a middle finger at Tommy for turning his back on them than it is a support for Capone.
Steve Morrison: He’s built up a fanbase in GUNS Fight Club where his record may not have the best win record but there’s always excitement when he’s in that cage.
Tommy nods as if listening but it all seems to have the effect of telling the match official that he’s going to do whatever he feels like. His eyes bore through Wildcat, the memory of their last match clearly playing into his thoughts.
Steve Morrison: With these two having met before, do the previous matches factor into your preparation and mindset?
Cross Recoba: Of course they do but it’s a balancing act. You’ll always learn more in the ring with someone than you can watching the tapes of their matches but you have to keep your mind open to the possibility that they held something back or learnt something new since the last time you faced off.
With the two men briefed, Rhod sends them back to their corners.
Steve Morrison: A win would do as much for either competitor. Capone has set his sights on Long and Strychnine, he always has the possibility to surprise you. Sometimes I wonder if one of his shortcomings is matching his ability to his opponent’s, If he operated at full-throttle in every match, would we be seeing a new reality for Tommy?
He signals to ringside to start the match
DING! DING! DING!
Capone bursts out of the blocks and immediately levels into Tommy with a series of forearms that drives his opponent back into the ropes. He grabs an arm and looks to send Strych to the ropes…Tommy reverse into a short-arm drop-toe hold.
Steve Morrison: Strych immediately taking the match to the mat.
Cross Recoba: He loves to stand and bang but if I were in his shoes, I’d lean into the technical aspect more.
Steve Morrison: Capone has seen his fair share of grappling inside the cage so that might not be as clear a path as it once was.
Tommy’s moved to a North-South position now and brings Capone up to his knees as a precursor to driving an uppercut into the body of the Lexington rep. He retains a front-facelock as the two men get back to their feet. The Rocker transitions to a hammerlock but doesnt’ rest on it, moving to a side-headlock and then a standing wristlock.
Steve Morrison: Tommy’s Hollywooding.
Showing he’s no slouch, Capone ducks out of the wristlock but keeps an grip on the arm of his opponent and uses it to bring him into a shoulder-block.
Cross Recoba: Great use of wrist-control from Wildcat…
Yanking the arm once more, Capone repeats the move and takes Tommy to his knees.
Steve Morrison: Built like the proverbial outhouse, those shoulder-blocks are going to take their toll on Tommy.
With a stiff pull, Strychnine is back on his feet but Capone changes his grip and now has the arms hooked with his own….HEADBUTT!
Cross Recoba: HUGE connection!
Another sickening thud as another headbutt connects.
Steve Morrison: Tommy might be cut open soon if this continues and that’ll force him to change up his gameplan!
Because they come in threes, another headbutt lands on the forehead of the Rock ‘Em, Sock ‘Em Wrestler.
Cross Recoba: That hairstyle of his might be the only thing stopping him from being busted open.
The Kentucky Brawler picks up Tommy and slams him down onto his back. Capone hits the ropes and Strych picks himself up to plant down in front of the rushing Wildcat. IRN FST comes back off the ropes and Strych leapfrogs him. A third-pass and Tommy grabs the hair of Wildcat and tries to throw him over the ropes but Capone reverses it and Tommy lands on the apron.
Steve Morrison: This could be dangerous territory for both men…
Cross Recoba: It’s a true fifty-fifty right now….
A quick head kick buys Tommy space and he leaps to the ropes…CAPONE CUTS HIM OFF AND CROTCHES HIM ON THE TOP ROPE!
Steve Morrison: Was Strych going for the finish already?
Cross Recoba: We’ve seen how effective it is. He already said he’s looking past this match and down the line, no point dragging out a match…
Grabbing a front-facelock, Wildcat pulls him off the ropes to his feet and lifts a heavy knee into the midsection of Tommy. He follows it up with a European Uppercut…Roaring Elbow….BRAINBUSTER!!
Steve Morrison: Square on his head!
Wildcat goes for the cover…
ONE…
TW-
KICKOUT FROM THE ROCKER!
Cross Recoba: It sounds crazy but Capone needed to help gravity there. Use that hand on the waist to spike your opponent down. Wildcat does that and I reckon the match is done.
Mr. 859 drags Tommy to his feet by his hair, he looks for the Irish Whip but it’s reversed….Tommy locks in a Sleeperhold!
Steve Morrison: Strychnine looks like he’s trying to get his footing back.
Cross Recoba: You know, of all the holds that can put you out in a match a Sleeper gets the worst reputation as a defensive move. He’s got it locked in.
Wildcat tries to walk his way out of the move but Tommy counters, taking a step back. Capone realizes that another step forward would only put him to the mat in the hold.
Steve Morrison: Great footwork from the Rocker.
Cross Recoba: Like I said, he’s not doing this to buy time, this is cutting off the air to Wildcat’s brain. That step back forces Wildcat deeper into the hold.
Reaching out to the ropes that are too far, Wildcat continues to be trapped in the Sleeper. Williams asks him if he wants to submit but the former gangbanger waves him off.
Steve Morrison: One thing that has always been present in Capone’s game is his tenacity. I don’t think we’re going to see him tap.
Cross Recoba: He’s in a bad spot though.
Tommy continues to try and impose his height on his opponent, bearing down his weight and frame on Wildcat.
Steve Morrison: Tommy’s going for the win!
Changing tact, the Kentucky Slugger backs into Tommy and hunkers down….WITH A ROAR HE PUSHES TOMMY BACKWARDS INTO THE TURNBUCKLE TO BREAK THE HOLD….POWERSLAM!!!
Steve Morrison: HUGE reversal!
He holds on for the pin…
ONE…
TWO…
STRYCH GETS AN ARM UP!
Cross Recoba: Again, without the effects of the Sleeper, that’s Game Over.
Grabbing the raised limb, Capone pulls Strych to his feet but the Louisianan pokes a finger into the eye of Wildcat without Williams being able to see.
Steve Morrison: Cheap shot from Tommy.
Cross Recoba: Let Rhod call what he can see.
SIDE RUSSIAN LEGSWEEP!
Steve Morrison: Wildcat’s head bounced off the mat!
Using the hooked leg, Tommy rolls them backwards to their feet and angles an elbow strike upwards into the jaw of Wildcat….Pele Kick!!
Steve Morrison: Great athleticism!
IRN FST still staggers back…STEP-UP ENZIGURI!!
Cross Recoba: Excellent chain of moves to get back on top!
Tommy goes for a quick pin, grabbing the tights of Capone as the crowd boo the shortcut…
ONE..
TW-
KICKOUT!!
Steve Morrison: But even with his ‘assist’ Capone showing no signs of being out of this!
Cross Recoba: IRN FST has an IRN JW!
Wrapping an arm around the head of his opponent, Tommy brings IRN FST back to his feet and repays him with his own knee to the skull of Capone that whiplashes his head into a prime spot for a European Uppercut that forces Wildcat into the corner.
Steve Morrison: Tommy continuing to pepper Wildcat with offense but where’s it leading?
Cross Recoba: It’s more when is it leading to that Springboard V-trigger than anything.
Showcasing his own brawling ability, Tommy alternates between side-elbows and uppercuts that each land squarely on the face of the Kentuckian.
Steve Morrison: We’ve seen Capone ride attacks like this before and win.
Cross Recoba: Tap Out Five against Tommy comes to mind…
Rolling backwards into the center of the ring…HANDSPRING DROPKICK CONNECTS!!
Steve Morrison: But Tommy seems to be picking up the pace and it’s whether the lesser-experienced Capone can keep up!
A CANNONBALL SENTON LANDS!!
Cross Recoba: What makes that combination so formidable is that they’re both fairly unblockable.
Steve Morrison: It’s what follows that’ll concern Capone more.
Cross Recoba: He might have been hit by that but he’s done his scouting…
Tommy rolls Wildcat from the corner and steps through the ropes…
Steve Morrison: You don’t need a playbook to know what’s coming next…
THE ROCKER LEAPS BUT WILDCAT HAS CHARGED TOWARDS HIM AND CATCHES HIM ON HIS SHOULDERS….TOMMY DROPS DOWN THE BACK AND LIFTS WILDCAT FOR THE INVERTED USHIGOROSHI…
Steve Morrison: HOLY DRIVER!!
Cross Recoba: Both men know what to expect!
THIS TIME IT’S CAPONE WHO SLIPS OUT THE BACK….HE DUCKS BETWEEN HIS LEGS AND LIFTS HIM UP, THROWING A LEG OFF HIS SHOULDERS…
Steve Morrison: Could he be going for an Electric Chair Driver?
STRYCH ESCAPES ONCE MORE AND GRABS A WAISTLOCK!!
Cross Recoba: Great defensive work from Wildcat…
GERMAN SUPLEX ATTEMPT BUT CAPONE IS PLANTED, STRYCH RUSHES HIM TO THE ROPES BUT THE KENTUCKIAN HOLDS ON!!
Steve Morrison: Neither man can take advantage…
Cross Recoba: It’s a stalemate but both men are showing that they want to get their name on an event!
WILDCAT CHARGES AT THE STILL RISING TOMMY - YAKUZA KICK!!!
Steve Morrison: GET GOT BREAKS THE DEADLOCK!
Rocked, Tommy gets to his feet on instinct but walks into an Irish Whip that sends him crashing into the turnbuckle.
Cross Recoba: Capone’s shown that he can work an opponent over when trapping them against the cage, can he do it inside the squared circle?
CAPONE FOLLOWS IN WITH A HUGE ELBOW!!.....GUTWRENCH POWERBOMB!!!
Steve Morrison: Planted him with power!
Crowd: GO CAPONE! GO CAPONE! GO CAPONE! GO CAPONE! GO CAPONE!
Taking the crowd at their word, Wildcat hits the ropes…SLIDING CLOTHESLINE CONNECTS!!
Steve Morrison: SLIDING D!
He covers…
ONE…
TWO…
T-
STRYCH KICKS OUT!!!!
Cross Recoba: Tommy’s hanging in there but only just!
Undeterred, Wildcat presses on. He sends Strychnine back into the turnbuckle…HUGE SPLASH IN THE CORNER!!!
Steve Morrison: He’s going for how he beat Tommy way back at Tap Out 5!
Capone lifts Tommy to the top turnbuckle…
Cross Recoba: This IS the end if he nails this….
Climbing to the second turbuckle, IRN FST wraps his arms around Tommy and steps up….TOMMY HEADBUTTS HIM! AND AGAIN! A THIRD SENDS CAPONE DOWN A RUNG….SUNSET FLIP FROM THE TOP!!!
ONE…
TWO…
KICKOUT FROM CAPONE!!
Steve Morrison: WHAT AN ESCAPE!
Cross Recoba: WHAT A KICK-OUT!
The cameras show the look of disgust on Tommy’s face. He picks up Wildcat and delivers a rabbit punch to the throat of his opponent…Inverted Fireman’s Carry….INVERTED USHIGOROSHI!!!
Steve Morrison: Now he gets the Holy Driver!
Once more Tommy goes to the outside but this time he flips himself over the ropes and charges….
CAPONE CONNECTS WITH A ROARING ELBOW!!!!
Cross Recoba: MATCH-SAVING COUNTER!
SAITO SUPLEX!!!
Steve Morrison: JUICY!!
He hooks a leg…
ONE…
TWO…
THRE-
SOMEHOW STRYCH SURVIVES!!!!
Steve Morrison: Rhod Williams saw the slimmest of daylight but it’s enough to keep this one going.
Crowd: ONE LESS BITCH! ONE LESS BITCH! ONE LESS BITCH!!
Cross Recoba: And the Lansky Ballroom have voted for what they want to see like we’re at the Colisseum.
Steve Morrison: With the amount of damage Strych’s head and neck have taken, that Rolling Koppu Kick they’re calling for would do it.
Capone feeds off the chants and lifts up Tommy to his feet before lifting him up in a back suplex….
Cross Recoba: He’s looking for Protect Ya Neck!
RANA FROM STRYCHNINE!!!
Steve Morrison: OUT THE BACK DOOR AGAIN!
With Capone draped over the ropes from the rana, Tommy rushes towards him….TIGER FEINT KICK!!!
Steve Morrison: STRYCH-ONE-NINE!
TOMMY SPRINGS OFF THE TOP ROPE!!!!
Cross Recoba: HERE IT CO-
CAPONE CATCHES HIM ON HIS SHOULDERS….DEATH VALLEY DRIVER!!!!!!!!
Steve Morrison: WHEELZ OF STEEL!!!
The pin…
ONE…
TWO…
THRE-
SOMEHOW STRYCH TWISTS HIS BODY OUT OF THE PIN!!
Cross Recoba: Tommy’s on his last legs. That was barely a kickout. He can’t take another move like that!
Capone wraps his arms around Tommy as he lifts him up…
Steve Morrison: Can he get To Pimp a Butterfly?
STRYCH HIDES A KNEE TO THE GROIN! A HEADBUTT FREES HIS ARMS AND SHORT-ARM V-TRIGGER STAGGERS WILDCAT….KOTARO CRUSHER!!!!
Cross Recoba: That leapfrog Bulldog gets him out of trouble!
Strychnine climbs between the ropes…SLINGSHOT SPRINGBOARD V-TRIGGER CONNECTS!
Steve Morrison: KISS ME DEADLY!!!
Hooking the leg he makes the pin.
ONE…
TWO…
THREE!!!
Rhod Williams calls for the bell!
Laura Messier: Your winner of this match via pinfall, TOMMY!!! STRYCHNINE!!
Steve Morrison: What a performance from both men!
Cross Recoba: But Tommy gets his arm raised tonight!
Steve Morrison: Wildcat put in a performance that on another night would get him the win but it does show signs that he’s developing into one to watch in 2023!
Cross Recoba: For sure. But, if anything, I see it more that he’s getting more consistent. We knew when we signed him the talent was there but now it’s about producing performances like this and exceeding them over time. If he does that, the wins will follow.
Steve Morrison: Strych though will hope to build from this and with that V-Trigger proving to be the difference-maker once more it could be a very interesting year for the Rock ‘Em, Sock ‘Em Rocker!
The house lights go down as all attention is drawn toward the video screen.
The opening riff of “Psycho In My Head” by Skillet plays out as the video package continues showing highlights from Jack’s debut match in Tapout Wrestling.
This is the face, I hate the other side of me,
Out of this cage He breaks to take the life from me
Tell me, tell me, tell me, I’m not crazy
There’s a psycho in my head
I’m closer to the edge
Makin’ me feel like I’m livin’ in
Misery, misery
Insane
These voices in my brain
Startin’ to feel like it’s gonna be the death of me
Death of me
There’s a psycho in my, there’s a psycho in my-
Yeah
I’m not crazy, I’m not crazy,
Though I might be
‘Cause there’s a psycho in my head
I’m closer to the edge
Makin’ me feel like I’m livin’ in misery, misery
Insane
These voices in my brain
Starin’ to feel like it’s gonna be the death of me, death of me
There’s a psycho in my-
There’s a psycho in my head
(Livin’ in misery, misery, insane)
There’s a psycho in my head
(Gonna be the death of me, death of me)
There’s a psycho in my, there’s a psycho in my head!
Back in the Lanksy Ballroom, the lights go out again as the screen fades out on Jack’s victory that laid claim to the Tapout Wrestling Openweight Championship. The music begins to die down as a “Diamond Club” chant breaks out before:
LEGENDARY!
A deafening thunder of pyro explodes sending the crowd into an absolute frenzy.
Jack Diamond emerges on the stage with a huge grin on his face, nodding his head to the beat of the music. His jacket is fastened and he toys with the zipper. Halfway down, he looks up to the crowd, mouthing the words “I told you, this was all mine!” He unzips the jacket the rest of the way and throws it open revealing the Tap Out Wrestling Openweight Championship around his waist. The fans pop even louder as the champion begins to make his way to the ring acknowledging the fans as only Jack Diamond can do, stopping to show off the belt several times.
Steve Morrison: Well, there he is Cross, our first crowned champion here at The Sands.
Cross Recoba: If you had any doubt that Jack Diamond would find himself in this situation, you would only need to consult him and he would have told you it was a sure bet. I’ll admit, it was that confidence, that ability, that made signing him a no brainer, Steve.
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. He reaches down and unclasps the belt, taking it from around his waist and holding it high above his head as the flashes of pyro dance off the beautiful metal.
-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh, legendary
Steve Morrison: He’s all smiles tonight, but what a road it was to get here?
Cross Recoba: He knew what he was signing up for and I would bet that while he would have rather had things fall a lot differently in some areas, this was at least how he pictured spending the Tap Out after Supremacy, title in hand.
Jack jumps down into the ring and heads to the center before raising the belt again with two hands to loud cheers. He slings the title over his shoulder and walks towards the ropes retrieving a microphone. The music fades and as he looks around, making his way back to the center of the ring, he raises the mic, but pauses as loud chants ring out. Jack smiles.
Jack Diamond: You know… I get called a lot of things. An Icon. The Ace of Spades. Psycho, Great, Overrated, One of the GOATs, A fake…
The crowd cheers in agreement with the good names, booing for the bad names as Jack looks around and nods his head.
Jack Diamond: It’s true. No matter where you turn, or who you talk to, everyone has an opinion of Jack Diamond. That’s ok, they are entitled to their own opinion and they can call me whatever they want. Tonight though, the only thing they can call me…
Jack smiles and once again holds the title up in the air.
Jack Diamond: Champion.
Another loud pop.
Crowd: YOU DESERVE IT! *CLAP* *CLAP* *CLAPCLAPCLAP* YOU DESERVE IT! *CLAP* *CLAP* *CLAPCLAPCLAP* YOU DESERVE IT! *CLAP* *CLAP* *CLAPCLAPCLAP* YOU DESERVE IT! *CLAP* *CLAP* *CLAPCLAPCLAP* YOU DESERVE IT! *CLAP* *CLAP* *CLAPCLAPCLAP*
Jack bows his head to the crowd in appreciation and paces the ring a moment before continuing.
Jack Diamond: It was almost ten months ago that I popped up on that screen and told you all what I planned to do. I planned on making this run, this “comeback” if you will, a thing of legend. I planned on making it the best stretch of my career. Now, I stand here holding my first ever Fed championship while in XHF. Let that sink in… all the global accolades and your boy just one his first fed specific title!
Jack is all smiles as the fans cheer him on. He takes a deep breath and the smile fades. He looks down at the title and a solemn look washes over his face.
Jack Diamond: It was supposed to feel different though. No, don’t get me wrong... I’m damn proud of this, what I’ve accomplished, and certainly proud to be the face of this company. I was supposed to share this moment with my family though. WIth friends. Instead, they’ve been ripped from me by some prick that if it wasn’t due to his suspension, I’d put an end to him tonight. I’m not going to give him the satisfaction though to even bring up his name. I choose, instead, to look to the future. To fight my way not only back into my family's life, but to fight every chance I get for this company. Where do we go from here though?
Jack ponders the question as the crowd buzzes. He pretends to be trying to hear everything they are shouting.
Jack Diamond: Jackalope? Yeah there is Jackalope. He looked pretty impressive tonight. A catch Jack versus Jackalope billing has to be in the cards, right Cross? Practically sells itself. We are similar sizes and can straight up go in the ring. Yeah… could be a fun time. He also happens to be the highest ranking competitor outside of Mav, who no doubt would be ready to run it back once more and of course he who must not be named.
Jack pauses again and ultimately plays up a fake shiver to the crowd but for a brief moment before you could tell the look of concern flash in his eyes as they darted to the shadows of the Ballroom.
Jack Diamond: instead of a third match up with the likes of Jason Long, Close Collins and… others… I think it's important to keep things fresh. Random even…McConalogue that is. Random is off to quite the impressive start in Tap out and her Dice Roll… there's something impressive about it. Oh or maybe my GFC teammate, the Aussie Assassin? He's a fighter that no matter how cool we've been with each other so far, would absolutely throw down with me in this ring. You fans would damn sure get your money worth in that match.
The crowd cheers at the match up between the two Team Black members as a GFC chant breaks out. It's hushed as Jack continues.
Jack Diamond: How about another match against Aiden's opponent tonight, Sam Sawyer? They gave me a good run last time. Or… I know! The boss himself, Mr. Recoba… how about that dream match up? Eh, boss?
Jack winks at Cross who just grins a bit and shakes his head as the roof almost comes unglued. Jack is all smiles now and mirrors Cross, shaking his head as well.
Jack Diamond: At the end of the day, it doesn't really matter. This company has fifteen worthy competitors and that's what I love about Tap Out. You can stick any one of them in this ring with me and we will make magic. That's for another day, tonight we party. I want all you fans to enjoy this show then come down to my place and lets have a real party. Drinks on me!
The crowd begins their "Diamond Club" chants again. Jack walks back to the ropes and looks at Cross with a smirk on his face.
Jack Diamond: You too boss, you're invited too. Then tomorrow we can handle business because you can stick any of them in this ring with me…. ANY of them, boss, and the results will be the same. Jack Fucking Diamond…. Tap Out Openweight Champion!
"Legendary" by Skillet explodes from the speakers once more as Jack tosses the mic down and exits the ring, throwing the championship back over his shoulder. He walks past Cross and Steve Morrison, smirking on his way to the back.
Steve Morrison: What a way to put the roster on notice! Cross, it seems that no matter who he face - Jack Diamond is confident that he's coming out the other side with that title still around his waist!
Cross Recoba: That's true and I know we've already got a shortlist of challengers lined up to test his theory including some he left out of his speech.
Steve Morrison: So, you're not tempted to throw your hat in the ring?
Cross Recoba: I said when this place was set up that it'd take something spectacular or spectacularly dire for me to get into my own ring. The only Champion outside of Dylan Black that should be looking over his shoulder for me has a beard and Guest Passes for Anaheim, Orlando, Paris and Shanghai!
Steve Morrison: Whoever Jack faces, they'll have their work cut out for them and now that main-event we see later could have far more severe implications than at the start of the night!
Cross Recoba: Who knows! We're almost spoiled for who to pit against the Champion!
Steve Morrison: We'll be back after this inter-
Cross Recoba: Shit....
Steve Morrison: Is everything okay?
Cross Recoba: It seems one of our Security Guards was jumped during Diamond's speech. I need to go see what's happening.
The sound of a headset being removed is heard.
Steve Morrison: Fans, we'll be back after a short interval. If Poena's responsible for this, the punishment may be far worse than a one show ban and I wouldn't trust the Director of Digital Manipulation to go quietly into the night either!
Catch the replay on the LWA Alliance site
HALF-TIME SHOW
We return from the half-time break to ringside.
Steve Morrison: We're back and ready for the second half of what is turning out to be a great event.
Cross Recoba: I'm just glad that the Security Guard wasn't attacked by Poena. A drunken tourist didn't like that he'd had a bad night at the tables. Not ideal but better than having to deal with the absolute hailstorm of Poena-related shi-
Cross is cut off by the heavy strums to the guitar from the intro of HALESTORM’S Psycho Crazy. The curtains atop the ramp are separated, and Dylan Black walks from the back!
Steve Morrison: What a surprise! The reigning XHF X*Crown Champion is in the house!
Cross Recoba: Dylan Black is taking the time out of his busy schedule as champion to come out here to TAP OUT Wrestling! The purpose of this visit, I’ve got no idea. But when he reached out for some TV Time I knew I had to jump at the opportunity to let the champ come to my house!
Dressed in the finest black suit he owns, the white strap and golden plates of the X*Crown are standing out around his waist. He washes in the mixed reaction from the Las Vegas crowd and saunters down to the ring, walking up the steps and brushing his feet off on the apron before stepping through the ropes. Dylan looks around at the crowd all smiles before he’s handed a microphone.
Dylan Black: Las Vegas… TAP OUT… how’re we doing tonight?
The crowd roars in response.
Dylan Black: That’s great to hear. Keep it up, guys. Now, we’re about sixty-something days away from one of the biggest XHF Network events of the year. The RUMBLE! Everybody loves the Rumble! I love it so much I’ve never missed one. But this year might be the first year that I’m contracted and obligated to join the Rumble. This title here… it’s the key to the universe baby. You hold this title, you are Public Enemy #1 to every other wrestler in the industry.
Cross Recoba: I believe Dylan is Public Enemy #1 for other reasons, not just for being X*Crown Champion.
Steve Morrison: Shh, let him talk, boss!
Dylan Black: But yeah. The Rumble is coming up. And every Tom, Dick and Hardcore Harry is invited to the biggest party of the Spring. In fact, I encourage it. Everyone in the back there should be signing up because TAP OUT has been lacking in the global representation department.
The TAP OUT faithful boo a bit.
Dylan Black: You boo but it’s true. But not regarding the last Rumble, I didn’t watch it to see what the representation was like, let’s recap. Jack Diamond tied at Overheated to get into the Night of Champions main event, which he lost. Jack Diamond lost to me at the End of Days tournament. Poena lost to my team at Battle for Hegemony. I manipulated Jason Long to a DQ finish weeks ago on the GUNS Show… and let’s be real, Jack and Jason are at every global event. Poena is one of the few TAP OUT homegrown guys to try his hand at a global show!
He turns his attention to the ramp, speaking directly to the TAP OUT roster.
Dylan Black: Call this a call to arms, a plea, whatever. I am urging all of this roster to come and try their hand at taking the X*Crown. This is the one event where you just have to toss someone over the ropes. No pins are necessary. Just toss or be tossed. And frankly, it’s the only way most of this roster will come close to winning the X*Crown anyway.
Cross Recoba: Oh come on! That was uncalled for!
Steve Morrison: The disrespect to our roster makes me sick.
Cross Recoba: Dylan could do with spending some time watching our shows so he can see what a real wrestling show looks like. Lord knows he’s never worked one.
Dylan Black: So come one! Come all! To the XHF Rumble, I cordially invite the TAP OUT Roster… to their downfall.
The crowd continued to boo a little, but the sound of a door swung open in the back of the ballroom, and that’s when the camera tries to focus on where the sound comes from– and that’s when we see Jason Long rushing through the crowd!
Steve Morrison: Well, he’s not going to wait until March to show back up in the ballroom again, Jason Long is back and he’s gunning for the X*Crown Champion!
Cross Recoba: You heard what Dylan said moments ago, he manipulated Jason into disqualifying himself and losing out on a chance to become X*Crown Champion for the second time.
Long leaps over the metal barricade and rushes into the ring, Dylan drops the championship and the brawl begins between the two! Black and Long do not hold back on beating the hell out of one another and Dylan gets the upper hand almost immediately, continuously kicking Long in the stomach before throwing him into the ropes, forcing him to rebound, but Long counters with a rebounding Stardust Breaker! The highly impactful Swinging Back Elbow knocks Dylan out cleanly as he rolls out of the ring to try and recover. Long is seething as he looks to go back out to get Dylan and finish what he should’ve started at the GUNS Show. However, Jason scrambled around the ring to pick up the microphone that Dylan had moments prior.
Jason Long: Have you any idea how many days that have passed since that night me and you faced? Have you any fucking clue how many days I have sat back and waited for a moment where I could get my hands on you? When word got around that you might’ve been in Las Vegas? I had to show the fuck up when I had zero intention on doing so because you know why? BECAUSE I WANT TO FUCKING KILL YOU, CUNT!
Jason stepped onto the ropes and shouted down the microphone, staring into the eyes of the champion.
Jason Long: So, I will make sure that I do not let the same mistake fool me once again, Dylan. You became lucky because of your manipulation but when I become the manipulator? There will be violence you’ve never ever seen before in your life, Dylan. Unforeseen violence that will only KILL YOU IN TRYING, Dylan. March 17th. The Saint Patrick’s Day special for GUNS. X*Crown Championship on the line. There will be a winner, there will not be any way of cheating, you will not find a way out unless you beat me to near death, and you will fight this alone and without the need to get someone else involved, Dylan.
A pause. A deep breath taken from Jason before screaming down the microphone.
Jason Long: Unsanctioned fuckin’ rules. One way in, one way out, and someone’s going to walk into the Rumble match as X*Crown Champion.
Dylan lays on the mat, gasping and grinning at Jason. He nods and spits blood at the challenger, which prompts Jason to kick him once more and grab the X*Crown Championship, raising it high above Dylan’s head.
Cross Recoba: The gauntlet has been laid out, and the challenge accepted! Jason Long will once again try his hand at taking the XHF X*Crown Championship from Dylan Black! Only on the March edition of the GUNS Show!
Steve Morrison: Bring it home Jay!
Voiceover: TONIGHT…TWO HEAVY-HITTERS MEET!
Voiceover: One smash-mouth…
Voiceover: One whose heart belies their size….
Voiceover: Face off in our main-event….
Voiceover: Will it be the Bounty Hunter?
Voiceover: Or will Youth prevail?
When I'm going at you... I trust you'll know it just means I respect you. But... honestly... this isn't about respect. It isn't about giving the fans their money's worth. It isn't about thanking Tap Out. It isn't about just being happy to be here.
I just... really want to beat you.
MERRIC VS SAWYER
TONIGHT!
Laura Messier: Welcome back! And now...for our Co-Main Event"
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: Random has been on a tear since she arrived. Putting down Kingsley Solomon in her debut, she then teamed with Jason Long and had her arm raised against Wildcat Capone and the man she has to face tonight, Spike Kane.
Cross Recoba: When we did our scouting ahead of negotiations, the thing that stuck out like a sore thumb was that Catch-as-catch-can style. It's different and, if you're not well-versed in the ring...it's going to catch you out.
The lights reach their full gloom as the bass gliiiides, the drums hit and Random McConalogue appears, a large towel tied to her wrist, swaying as she walks.
Steve Morrison: Spike's been around the ring more than a few times, he's likely seen something like this before but last time out he didn't seem to take her seriously.
Cross Recoba: Big mistake. Even if Spike can bench-press her whilst eating a hoagie in the other hand, you never let a shooter get an opportunity!
Serene and calm, she casually strolls, shoulders lightly oscillating in a slow sync.
Steve Morrison: The occasion doesn't seem to faze her in the slightest!
Cross Recoba: It's why she's two and zip. She'll have done her homework, put in the time in camp to prepare for all that Spike can bring...
Her body is calm and relaxed, like a moonlight walk in the park, but her gaze is fixed, staring at the empty ring/her opposition1 with snake eyes. She's never in a hurry, she doesn't need to be.
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: The crowd can feel the tension tonight. This has the potential to be a HUGE fight for both sides!
Cross Recoba: Random can get a very visible and high profile win. For Spike it's all about getting back to showing people just why Chaos Theory are one of the most feared teams on the Network and why he has been a Champion in almost every company he's competed in!
"GET ON YOUR KNEES AND BOW! DOWN!"
Steve Morrison: It's very much a match where the pressure resides entirely on his shoulders.
Cross Recoba: But that's something we expect he can deal with. Let me clue you in on how this match came to pass. Sure, Random was on the winning team and Spike the losing one but neither were in the deciding fall. If Random didn't put Spike in that hold, the match goes on and who knows, his experience saves the day. When we're putting this match together we're expecting to see sparks fly, we want to know what happens when you distill it to just Random and Kane.
Spike Kane walks through the curtain, rolling his wrists, hand in hand as he heads towards the ring with a single focus.
Steve Morrison: Spike looks like he knows what he has to do. What would you tell him if you were in his corner?
Cross Recoba: I'd only go for that Jackhammer IF Random is out. As long as she's conscious, that move gives her a window to go for those rolling armbars she breathes for!
Laura Messier: Introducing first, to my left...hailing from Glasgow, Scotland. They made weight at one-hundred-and-thirty-six pounds and stand five-feet nine tall. RANDOM.....MCCONALOGUE!!!
Random leans against the ropes, the announcement washing over her as her mind is likely visualizing how she'll break down Spike in the match.
Laura Messier: And her opponent...to my right! Standing at six-feet and two inches and weighing in at two-hundred-and-twenty-nine pounds. He is The God Of Extreme!.....SPIKE.....KANE!!!!
The cameras zoom in and capture a look that manages to fit anger, focus, and determination into one glare.
CO-MAIN EVENT
SINGLES MATCH
Random McConalogue vs Spike Kane
Spike and Random close in on each other as the bell rings. Kane fires off a stiff looking chop but catches nothing but air as the fleet of foot McConalogue hops backwards, not wanting The Blood God to poleaxe her with the knife edge of his mighty palms. The Pillar Of Violence goes for a kick at ankle height but McConalogue is way faster than even the most practised of Spike Kane’s strikes as she jumps a little into the air and lets Spike’s boot whisk a path where he legs were rather than where they are. Spike gets a little turned and Random uses the glimmer of a chance and, upon landing, takes a quick step forward and snags Spike Kane’s meaty left arm. The Graceful Glaswegian cocks her head to a side and smiles a little smile to herself as she wrings Spike’s arm out at the wrist and then does a catlike forward roll, increasing the pressure on the hold.
Steve Morrison: Random McConalogue is so light on her feet. Spike Kane isn’t the most ponderous of wrestlers but Random isn’t in the business of letting Spike connect.
Cross Recoba: If you’re quick and comparatively slight, don’t let Spike tag you. It’s not just sound strategy. It’s the only practical strategy.
Stepping through to release a little of the pressure, Spike Kane grunts, more in disapproval than pain. With a mighty grunt The Blood God tries to pull Random back across himself into a short arm Lariat but Random wheels WITH the direction Spike is going in and wrenches Spike’s arm back into a hammerlock. Twisting Spike’ wrist, Random leans forward, placing her knee into the Irishman’s calf and Spike is forced down to one knee by the carefully applied pressure. Reverting to her usual Mostly Armbars style, Random unwinds Spike’s arm to extend it out a little and as Spike immediately powers up to his feet, McConalogue, anticipating this, leaps into the air and throws her legs around Spike’s other shoulder, falling back into a crucifix pin!
ONE!
TWO!
TH… Spike kicks out and growls.
Steve Morrison: An attempt to steal a victory by McConalogue there.
Cross Recoba: There is no such thing as stealing a win against Spike Kane. You take every win over Spike Kane and you treasure it however it comes.
Spike Kane immediately backs the hell off to allow himself some space as he stands, rolling his left shoulder around in the socket to loosen it off. Spike senses his mercurial opponent approaching and instinctively tightens his guard so as not to leave any loose limbs to be snagged. Random darts in, looking to loosen Spike’s left side with a European Uppercut (possibly a Europese Opstoot?) to the meaty shoulder of the Blood God. Spike emits a low growl and sucks up the blow, keeping his left arm firmly by his side as he spins round and lashes Random’s side with a roundhouse kick. Random judders backwards and Spike goes HAM on the Master of Purposeful Irregularity with sharply delivered kicks, ending his lightning combination with a forceful double palm strike that sends Random directly backwards into the turnbuckles.
Steve Morrison: Oh no. I think the Pillar of Violence is mad.
Cross Recoba: It’s hard to tell. Spike Kane is always a bit salty. That’s just the way he treats life.
The God of Xtreme has his usual look of being permanently peeved very much showing on his face. He marches into the corner, hitting Random with a massive palm heel uppercut which rocks the plucky Scot. There is no Goidelic camaraderie shown as Spike toe kicks Random in the bread basket, causing the irreverent grappler to duck her head and that’s all the invitation Spike needs to stuff her into a standing head scissors, hoist her up and powerbombs her back first into the turnbuckle in two swift, jerky motions. Random slumps down to a seated position and The Blood God backs off to the opposite corner to get the maximum distance on his run up and charges in, SOMERSAULTING FORWARD IN THE AIR WITH A GRACE YOU WOULD NOT EVEN DARE TO IMAGINE HE WAS CAPABLE OFF, SLAMMING HIS BACK INTO McCONALOGUE’S BODY! Spike slings the stunned Scot out of the corner and covers…
ONE!
TWO!
THRE… Random rolls a shoulder up.
Steve Morrison: That was damn close. Spike Kane is responding to the classy mat skills with raw brutality.
Cross Recoba: Spike Kane picks up his mail in the morning with raw brutality. Spike Kane makes a bowl of cornflakes with raw brutality.
Steve Morrison: That, boss, is true.
Cross Recoba: And never, NEVER invite him to pet a kitten.
Wobbly legged, Random works her way back to her feet. Spike is on her in a second, firing off forearm shivers which rock the 5’9 fireball’s head backwards, her head wobbling back and forth under the pressure of Spike’s mighty strikes. Never letting the pressure up, Spike lets the distance slowly increase as he uses some knife edged chops to light up the chest of Random.
Crowd: WOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
Finally Spike lets Random take one last unsteady step backwards and he wheels on the spot once, cracking Random with an almighty Uraken, bouncing his knuckles off the side of her skull. Random staggers back towards the ropes and uncontrollably bounces off them while The Blood God with picture perfect precision uses the spin he’s already started with that backfist to spin again, extending his leg out and up and connecting flush with Random’s jaw with a THUNDEROUS spinning inside crescent kick. Random drops to the mat and Spike covers…
ONE!
TWO!
THRE… Random kicks out.
Steve Morrison: BLOODY SUNDAY! Not enough but that’s usually the prelude to the end…
Cross Recoba: Spike Kane smells blood in the water. Being the God of it, you’d guess he’d know.
Hauling Random off the mat with a surprising ease, Spike Kane applies a front facelock and drapes McConalogue’s arm over his own shoulders. With a disturbing look of finality, Spike stares out into the crowd and slowly draws his thumb across his own throat.
Steve Morrison: He’s calling for the Spike Impaler.
Breathing heavily, possibly through exertion, possibly because he’s just breathing in the atmosphere, Spike grabs Random around the waist and hoists her up, looking to drive the Infrequent Flyer down into the mat in an uncomfortably savage fashion. SPIKE KANE SITS OUT, DRIVING RANDOM DOWN VERTICALLY WHILE TURNING HIS OWN BODY ROUND IN MID AIR TO PANCAKE THE POOR RANDOM WITH THE SPIKE IMPALER…
...AND RANDOM SLIPS LOOSE AS SPIKE FALLS AND SNAPS HER LEGS ROUND HIS LOOSE ARM!
Steve Morrison: ARMBAR!
Cross Recoba: Armbar!
Steve Morrison: ArmBAR!
Cross Recoba: ARMbar!
RANDOM, AS QUICK AS A FLASH STEPS UP, OVER AND THROUGH, CRADLING SPIKE WITH LA MAGISTRAL!
ONE…
TWO…
THREE…
Steve Morrison: RANDOM WINS! OUT OF ABSOLUTELY NOWHERE! LA MAGISTRAL TAKES IT.
Cross Recoba: Also known as the Stepover Armbar Cradle.
Steve Morrison: Random McConalogue knows a number of different ways to beat you with armbars.
Cross Recoba: At LEAST forty-two.
Steve Morrison: She does have a Heart of Gold though.
Spike Kane has a COMPLETE look of, “WHAT IN THE BUGGERING FUCK?” on his face. It’s not. Until the announcement comes in until the penny drops. Meanwhile Random makes herself scarce PRONTO.
Laura Messier: The winner of the match, by way of pinfall. RANDOM McCOOOOOOONAALOOOOGUE.
Steve Morrison: SPIKE. IS. LIVID!
Cross Recoba: Can you blame him? That move came out of nowhere!
Spike finds no resistance to his ring-exit, Steve Tyrell and Laura Messier have moved to the corner of the ring. The ringside help has equally decided to keep their distance.
Steve Morrison: You have to worry about anyone who approaches him tonight, he is looking for a fight!
Kane climbs over the barricade and the cameras cut to up high to show a parting of the Red Sea as the God of Xtreme quickly marches through them.
Cross Recoba: With the mood he seems to be in, this could carry on until his next match and it’s going to take someone extremely cocky, stupid or brave to take that fight!
Add Round 2 of the SCCW Saints & Sinners Cup to your Planner
Laura Messier: IT'S TIME FOR YOUR MAIN EVENT!!
"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: He knows that he's in a vein of form that could take him right to a match with Jack Diamond!
Cross Recoba: It's not out of the realms of possibility. I've known Merric since Ascension Wrestling and he consistently surprised people with his ability to step up.
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: He was the longest XHF Phoenix Title holder, he came within touching distance of taking down Erin Gordon at the last-ever AWF show for the United States title. Is this a natural step for him?
Cross Recoba: He's not there yet. Standing between him and being in the conversation to challenge Diamond is Sam Sawyer and they're not going to put it on a plate for him.
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: The Big Game hunter has a huge prize on the other side of this match if he wins but will his, for lack of a better term, unrefined in-ring skills let him down?
Cross Recoba: There isn't a 'right' wrestling style. It's why we've seen high-flyers, submission specialists, powerhouses, and mat techincians tonight, if any were the definitive style...we'd all do it. What Merric has in his favor is the height, reach, and size advantage. It's down to him to make it count!
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: They know the opportunity they have tonight. If you've seen even a minute of her promotional work for tonight you should know. Behind the unsure cadence and the pauses is a look in their eye that tells you that they believe they can come out on top!
Cross Recoba: Like I said at the top of the show, Rat Bastard was bigger than Merric and they took him down. They know that size isn't going to be the deciding factor in our main-event.
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: That may be true but it has to affect how they approach the match.
Cross Recoba: It's about adaptation. Can they hit that Lariat straight-up? Not a chance, it just won't have the same effect. Can they hit the lariat at all? Of course, it's just working out the steps to get Merric in position.
They climb the steps and enter the ring, now focused entirely on the match ahead.
Steve Morrison: Sawyer's just moments away from what you could call the biggest match of their Tap Out career.
Cross Recoba: Their match against Diamond might have been bigger but the stakes...the occasion is much higher tonight and, to her credit, they're pushing those nerves, those doubts down and instead all we see now is a game-face that should tell Merric that he needs to bring it tonight!
Laura Messier: Introducing first....to my right! 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 smiles as he sees what stands across the ring from him.
Laura Messier: And his opponent...to my left! They hail from Houston, Texas. Tipping the scales at one-hundred-and-sixty pounds...standing at five feet and six inches....SAM...SAWYER!!
Crouching down slightly, Sawyer assesses the Bounty Hunter from Down Under and waits for the ring bell to sound for their first Tap Out Main Event Match.
MAIN-EVENT
SINGLES MATCH
Aiden Merric vs Sam Sawyer
“Big” John Quinn waits for Laura Messier to leave the ring before starting his pre-match instructions. He calls both fighters to the ring and the camera frames the size difference perfectly.
Steve Morrison: You have to say that given the size advantage he holds, Merric will be expected to steamroll his way to victory tonight.
Cross Recoba: Not necessarily. In boxing and MMA, that might be true but wrestling differs from them both. If Sawyer can use their agility, make that speed count then they could upset a lot of bookies.
There’s no jostling or needling as Quinn speaks. His instructions land clearly as both competitors nod their heads as he explains what is expected of them. A double fist-bump is exchanged as they head back to their corners.
Steve Morrison: We’ve seen what both fighters have put into their preparation for the match and Merric will be hoping that after bringing up fellow former XHF Phoenix Champion, Frankie Webb, he can replicate the same result he had then tonight.
Cross Recoba: Not that he took any pleasure in the win.
Steve Morrison: Merric is in some ways very much like the Hitman Monkey.
With a nod, Quinn signals for the fight to begin.
Steve Morrison: And our main event is live!
DING! DING! DING!
The two competitors react to the bell with differing approaches. Sawyer bursts forward from their corner and closes the gap between the two immediately. Merric casually steps forward to meet the Houston native.
Steve Morrison: Merric taking a more conservative approach to engaging.
Cross Recoba: These two are similar if you don’t look beyond the detail. A brawler and a striker sound the same but Merric picks his spots more. It’s why he’s seen success so much in this season of GUNS Fight Club.
Steve Morrison: Don’t forget that we’ll see our own Wildcat Capone take on Noel Edmonds this week and then Merric faces off against Spike Kane in what could decide the winning team next week!
Using their agility, Sawyer feigns to lock-up with collar and arm tie-up but fakes out to hook a waistlock in. With great effort they push Merric to the ropes but the Australian hooks his arms around the top-rope to prevent the O’Connor Roll and sends Sam back into the center of the ring.
Steve Morrison: Sawyer’s going to need to adapt their plan. That sixty pounds they’re giving up isn’t going to lend itself to going toe-to-toe with Merric.
Cross Recoba: Stick and move. You’d say that Sawyer looks to have picked up a more technical approach to wrestling than Merric despite his experience.
Wasting no time, Sawyer rushes back at Merric with a flurry of lifting kicks that land with force but the Huntsman doesn’t go down. Adjusting their approach, Sam takes a few steps back and doubles her opponent over with a running lifting knee that is driven into the ribs of the Bounty Hunter.
Steve Morrison: Sam won’t give up and they planted that knee right into the engine of their opponent.
They hook an arm and attempt a Snap Suplex but Merric doesn’t budge. Aiden uses his free hand to throw an uppercut that staggers the Teenage Sensation backwards. He grips their head with both hands and connects with a headbutt, still holding the Texan upright…Gourdbuster!
Steve Morrison: That uppercut didn’t look full-force but you can’t stop gravity.
Cross Recoba: From what Aiden said in the lead-up to the match, he’s trying to balance his desire to win with that of not hurting what he sees as a child. Is it a winning strategy? Too early to tell but if he underestimates Sawyer, he’ll soon find out.
Merric steps towards his opponent and raises a boot to pin Sawyer in place but Sam uses the opportunity to sweep the leg and flip forward into a pin…
ONE…
KICKOUT!
Steve Morrison: Acrobatic pin but it only gets a one.
Cross Recoba: Sawyer’s showing that they’re only too happy for Merric to be laissez-faire.
Rising to their feet, Sawyer’s progress is impeded when Aiden grabs hold of their wrist before shooting them to the turnbuckle. He follows up with a rushing back elbow and pins his opponent into the corner in order to drive a shoulder into the ribs of Sam.
Steve Morrison: There was nothing laissez-faire there as that sixty pounds weigh difference was just shoved into the ribs of Sawyer!
Grabbing their arm, he shoots them into the opposite corner and rushes in…SAWYER vaults backwards over him, O’Connor Roll…
ONE…
KICKOUT!
Steve Morrison: Another quick pin attempt for Sawyer. Cross, is this chipping away at their opponent or is it placing a grain of sand on a chess board?
Cross Recoba: We’ve seen in the training tapes that Sawyer’s camp was focused predominately on that Lariat of theirs. Wearing down Merric presents the best chance to hit it.
With perfect timing, Sawyer fires a kick off that connects perfectly with the shoulder of the Australian, it slows him but doesn’t keep him down. They keep on the arm and twist it into a standing wristlock and follow-up with a trio of kicks that go into the socket of the Bounty Hunter’s arm.
Steve Morrison: Those kicks seem honed in on the shoulder. Is this defensive?
Cross Recoba: Merric’s a slugger but he does have some slams and suplexes that are going to do some damage and that’s not discounting the very real threat of his own lariat!
Merric uses his strength to move towards the ropes but it counts against him. Sawyer transitions to a hammerlock and dives forward with a drop-toe hold and rolls forward as they break into a sprint to the ropes….Basement dropkick to the shoulder of their opponent.
Steve Morrison: Sawyer might be pound-for-pound the biggest hitter in the company but there’s no doubting the accuracy of their strikes.
Cross Recoba: Aiden’s looking a little slow out the blocks today. He needs to exert his power on the match and soon.
The dropkick stuns but doesn’t stop the rise of Merric. Sam grabs a headlock but before they can cinch it in, Merric has taken his chance to grab hold of their waist. He lifts them up…SAWYER FLIPS DOWN THE BACK OF HIM….THEY DIVE FORWARD WITH A CHOP BLOCK THAT TAKES MERRIC TO THE MAT!!
Steve Morrison: Quick escape from Sawyer for what could have been the same Backdrop Driver that set-up his victory last time out against Tommy.
Cross Recoba: Sawyer’s bringing Merric to a level they can easily connect with their strikes.
The Houston Native rolls back to their feet and hits the ropes…PENALTY KICK…NO! MERRIC DUCKS…SAWYER SWINGS THEIR LEG BACK WITH A MODIFIED MULE KICK TO THE HEAD!!
Steve Morrison: Quick-thinking from the Texan to connect and keep the momentum in the kick!
Picking up the Antipodean by his head, Sawyer measures him…a dropkick to his shoulder sends him into the ropes and he rebounds…SAITO SUPLEX!!
Cross Recoba: Used his own momentum against him to get him over for that one!
Keeping up the pressure, they pick Aiden up and whip him to the corner…AND FOLLOWS IN BEHIND WITH A HUGE BOOT TO THE CHEST OF THE BOUNTY HUNTER!
Steve Morrison: That shyness that was evident before the bell now replaced with sheer intensity.
Cross Recoba: That boot needs to be a wake-up call to Merric that he can’t treat the match as something he doesn’t want to participate in.
Stepping away from the corner, Sawer allows Merric to take an unsteady foot forward as they hit the ropes….SHOTGUN DROPKICK SENDS MERRIC THROUGH THE ROPES!!
Steve Morrison: What can they do here?
Crowd: LET’S GO SAWYER! *CLAP* *CLAP* *CLAPCLAPCLAP* LET’S GO SAWYER! *CLAP* *CLAP* *CLAPCLAPCLAP* LET’S GO SAWYER! *CLAP* *CLAP* *CLAPCLAPCLAP*
Feeding off the crowd, the Teenager hits the ropes, they leap over the crouched Merric….SUNSET FLIP POWERBOMB TO THE OUTSIDE!!!!!!!
Cross Recoba: HOW DO YOU SCOUT THAT?
Crowd: HOLY SHIT! HOLY SHIT! HOLY SHIT! HOLY SHIT! HOLY SHIT!
Both fighters are down but Merric took the brunt of that move and looks to be paying for it.
Steve Morrison: Merric might now realize that the fight is on but that bomb to the outside has to have taken a toll.
“Big” John starts the count.
ONE!
Grabbing the barrier, Sawyer gets to their feet.
Cross Recoba: You watch Sam and they fit the mould of someone willing to take nine shots to land ten and that move’s no different.
TWO!
Spotting Merric getting up, Sam rushes towards him…SHINING WIZARD!!!
Steve Morrison: This continues to be an excellent outing for Sawyer.
THREE!!!
Kipping up to their feet, Sawyer grabs the head of Merric and brings him to his knees…
Cross Recoba: But a victory inside the ring would count for two outside…
FOUR!!!
MERRIC BLOCKS THE SNAP DDT!!! NORTHERN LIGHTS THROW INTO THE APRON!!!
Steve Morrison: They bounced off the edge of the ring!
Cross Recoba: That’s the risk with taking it outside and it seems that the Australian wants to trun this into a fight!
FIVE!!!
The cameras pick up the pained expression carved into the face of Sawyer. Merric lifts them up and puts them on the apron Before climbing up himself to break the count.
Steve Morrison: What is he plotting?
Aiden climbs through the ropes before ascending to the top turnbuckle.
Cross Recoba: I’ve never seen him leap from the top so either Sawyer’s going up or he’s going down…
Sawyer stirs and gets to their feet slowly but no sooner has a foot been planted than Aiden has reached down and hooked their head….
Steve Morrison: NO…
Cross Recoba: He’s going for it…
APRON-LIFT SUPLEX TO THE CANVAS!!!!!
Crowd: THAT WAS AWESOME *CLAP* *CLAP* *CLAPCLAPCLAP* THAT WAS AWESOME *CLAP* *CLAP* *CLAPCLAPCLAP* THAT WAS AWESOME *CLAP* *CLAP* *CLAPCLAPCLAP*
Steve Morrison: What a way for Merric to announce his way back into the match!
Cross Recoba: That’s some smart wrestling from the hunter!
Crawling slowly towards Sawyer, Merric makes the cover.
ONE…
TWO…
T-KICKOUT!!!
A cheer erupts from the Tap Out Faithful in attendance.
Steve Morrison: It was almost enough to put Sawyer away!
Cross Recoba: He needs to take away Sawyer’s speed and aerial ability. Taking out the legs of his opponent will do that AND it makes it harder for them to rely on their kick-based attacks.
Undeterred, Merric drags Sawyer to their feet and lands a solid right hook to the chin of his opponent. Sawyers fires right back with a chop that echoes around the Lansky Balroom.
Crowd: WOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!
Another right hook is answered with the same chop.
Crowd: WOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!
A RIGHT HOOK!
A CHOP!
Crowd: WOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!
Steve Morrison: Both fighters refusing to give an inch to the other!
Merric lands a headbutt!! Sawyer’s legs buckle but they remain upright and throw a full-force kick to the midsection of the Australian. He headbutts them once more and adds a Mongolian Chop for good measure.
Crowd: WHU!
Cross Recoba: Merric comes out on top of this exchange and the fans are LOVING those Mongolian chops!
Another Mongolian Chop.
Crowd: WHU!
Once more for luck.
Crowd: WHU!
DOUBLE EAR CLAP!
HEADBUTT!!
Steve Morrison: BAG AND TAG!!
Staggering back, Sawyer can’t stop Merric from sending them to the ropes…POP-UP EUROPEAN UPPERCUT!!
Steve Morrison: TRANQUILIZER!
The Bounty Hunter looks for the pin…
ONE….
TWO…
SAWYER GETS AN ARM UP!
Steve Morrison: Sawyer taking enormous amounts of impact to the head with those shots and getting an arm up!
Cross Recoba: Merric needs to get some body-shots in, take away that oxygen tank and then see how they fare after a move like that!
Merric adjusts his positioning and wraps a half-nelson that traps the their arm against their throat and lifts them to their feet ….SWISS SUPLEX!!!!
Steve Morrison; What a move!
Cross Recoba: I know backstage an MF bomb has been dropped but is it good or is it bad?
Steve Morrison: Right on their head!
He makes another cover…
ONE…
TWO…
T-
KICKOUT!!!
Steve Morrison: Sawyer survives but was that on instinct?
Cross Recoba: It had to be, I’m not sure they could tell you what city they’re in right now!
Sawyer is yanked to their feet. Merric boots them in the ribs and uses their hair to bring them to their feet…SAWYER RISES WITH A BODY SHOT TO THE KIDNEYS….PELE KICK!!!
Steve Morrison: Tremendous resilience and athleticism from Sawyer!
SAWYER GRABS THE DOUBLED-OVER MERRIC…DRAGON SCREW NECK WHIP!!
Cross Recoba: Desperation move but they’re not stopping…
Merric sits up as he lands, holding his neck. HE DUCKS THE PENALTY KICK!!
Steve Morrison: That could have been it if that connected!
Cross Recoba: He had it scouted, Merric does his homework.
The Australian grabs a waistlock but Sam tries to drop down to the mat only to find themselves trapped in the hold….DEADLIFT GERMAN SUPLEX!!!
Steve Morrison: What a suplex!
Cross Recoba: A high-angle too, he’s working that neck and softening it up.
HE HOLDS ON AND ROLLS THEM TO THEIR FEET….
Steve Morrison: He’s not done yet.
Cross Recoba: This could be big…
BACKDROP DRIVER!!!
Steve Morrison: Once more he pulls out that suplex!
Cross Recoba: It’s not the most tecnical suplex but with a trajectory like that it’s effective!
Merric turns around to make the pin but Sawyer has rolled to the apron.
Steve Morrison: The teenager wisely putting some space betwen them.
Showing the patience that serves him so well in the Outback, Aiden watches his prey get to their feet slowly.
With a quick burst of pace, Merric lands a stiff forearm to the head of the rising Sawyer. He hooks them for a suplex….they drop down the back of Merric and hit the ropes….MERRIC TAKES THEM DOWN WITH AN STO BACKBREAKER AND HANGS THEM ON HIS KNEE!!!
Steve Morrison: Here it comes…
HAYMAKER!!!
Steve Morrison: TRAP TRICK!!
The atmosphere in the crowd has become somber, this isn’t helped by Merric signalling that this is the end for Sawyer. He hoists them up by the wrist…
Cross Recoba: He might have this…
He brings Sawyer towards him…THEY ROLL OUT THE WAY OF THE CLOTHESLINE FROM HELL!!
Steve Morrison: Tell that to Sawyer!
Merric turns around into a driven lariat of a kick to the knee…HUGE SLAP!!
Steve Morrison: GET FUCKED!
SNAP DRAGON SUPLEX!!!!
Cross Recoba: Using that slap to tee it up!
Aiden rolls into the ropes AND NARROWLY DODGES A RUSHING KNEE FROM SAWYER!!
Merric grabs a schoolboy…
ONE…
TW-
KICKOUT!!
Steve Morrison: Merric showing some of that guile that makes him the Big Game Hunter!
With a backwards roll, Sawyer gets back to their feet AND DUCKS UNDER A HUGE LARIAT….CRUCIFIX PIN!!
ONE…
TW-
MERRIC KICKS OUT!
Cross Recoba: Sawyer nearly turned Merric’s attempt at putting this match to bed into victory!
SAWYER GRABS THE HEAD OF THE AUSTRALIAN AND DELIVERS A SHORT, SNAPPED DDT TO THE CANVAS!!
Steve Morrison: Spikes his head into the mat!
Unsteady but with purpose, Sawyer makes their way to the corner.
Steve Morrison: We know they spent alot of time working that Lariat but Sawyer mentioned the toll of being away from their family for so long, the Sawyersault might be the answer to getting back to them.
Cross Recoba: They look dazed though.
Leaping to the top turnbuckle, the crowd can sense what’s coming.
Crowd: SAWYERSAULT! SAWYERSAULT! SAWYERSAULT!
Steve Morrison: The crowd are on their feet…
THEY LEAP BUT MERRIC IS SCRAMBLING TO HIS FEET…..POWERSLAM!!!
Steve Morrison: WHAT. A. REVERSAL!
The sound of the slam sucks the life out of the Sawyer chants in an instance!
Cross Recoba: It’s so quiet you could hear a Thespian promo!
The Australian makes the cover…
ONE…
TWO…
TH-
SAWYER JUST GETS A SHOULDER OFF THE MAT IN TIME!
Steve Morrison: Someway…somehow, Sam managed to show daylight to Quinn to stop the count.
Cross Recoba: That might be their last time at being able to do that. Merric isn’t holding anything back now…
Grabbing them by the head, Merric whips them into the corner with a thud.
Steve Morrison: Cutting off the ring, Sawyer’s trapped…
The Bounty Hunter closes the gap in an instant and starts to pepper the body of the Houston Native with a series of body shots, each one causing Sawyer to slump further into the corner.
Cross Recoba: Each of those shots measured to land where he wants and with enough power to suck the life out of you.
Giving himself distance, Merric charges BUT THE BACK ELBOW MISSES!
Steve Morrison: Sawyer manages to get out from the turnbuckle…
HE STAGGERS OUT FROM THE CORNER…LARIAT!!!
NO!!
MERRIC USES THE OUTSTRETCHED ARM TO REVERSE IT INTO A SEOI NAGE (OVER THE SHOULDER) JUDO THROW!!
Steve Morrison: THAT’S NOT A KNIFE!!
Cross Recoba: Measured the move perfectly.
He maintains wrist control!
Steve Morrison: He’s not done yet.
Cross Recoba: This is going to take it out of Sam…
The former XHF Phoenix Champion unleashes a torrent of chops to the chest of Sawyer!
Steve Morrison: THAT’S A KNIFE!
A snap-mare from Sawyer leaves them vulnerable in the center of the ring. Aiden rushes the ropes…SAWYER DUCKS THE CHARGING KNEE!!!
Cross Recoba: Merric taking a page out of his opponent’s book but they didn’t get caught.
Steve Morrison: But have they spotted the pitfall before them?
Getting to their feet Sawyer is unsighted…SUPERMAN PUNCH FROM MERRIC THAT SENDS SAWYER FLYING!!!
Steve Morrison: STUN GUN!!!
He covers…
ONE…
He hooks a leg…
TWO…
THREE!!!
NO!!! QUINN SPOTS THEIR FOOT ON THE BOTTOM ROPE!!!
Cross Recoba: He hooks the other leg, this was over…
Incensed, Merric grabs the waistband of Sawyer to bring them to their feet and hooks their wrist.
Steve Morrison: He’s going for Target Neutralized…
Cross Recoba: Yet to be kicked out of, it’s truly game over if this connects…
THE RIPCORD IS PULLED!! BLOCKED BY SAWYER!!....MODIFIED STO!!!!
Steve Morrison: THIS CORROSION! SAWYER MIGHT HAVE KEPT THEMSELVES IN THIS!
Sawyer points to the corner before making their way there.
Crowd: SAWYERSAULT! SAWYERSAULT! SAWYERSAULT!
Cross Recoba: It’s a risky strategy at this point…
They leap up…PICTURE PERFECT MOONS-MERRIC MOVES!!! SAWYER MANAGES TO LAND ON THEIR FEET…SHINING WIZARD!!!!
Steve Morrison: Sawyer adapts on the fly!
Sawyer doesn’t drop down for the pin. Instead they lie in wait for Merric.
Cross Recoba: This could be a mistake. You don’t let someone like Merric have a chance to breathe when they’re down. Pin or attack…
Merric starts to rise. SAWYER CHARGES AND SWINGS A LARIAT!! IT FINDS NO-ONE!!! MERRIC HOOKS THE WRIST AGAIN!!
Steve Morrison: He’s got that Ripcord set up…
Cross Recoba: Like I said, this could be what costs Sawyer the match…
AGAIN HE GOES FOR THE RIPCORD LARIAT BUT THIS TIME SAWYER DUCKS UNDER…OCTOPUS HOLD!!!
Steve Morrison: Manji-Gatame!
Cross Recoba: Smart move. You’d expect this from Random but it plays into their targeting the shoulder perfectly.
Sawyer sinks the hold in but struggles to get the leg wrapped properly.
Steve Morrison: Can they adjust their body?
Cross Recoba: This might be where the size difference is unforgiving. It does give hope to Merric though as it’ll stop the hold working over his body like it should. Hurt like hell still but in fewer places than it should.
Sawyer cranks on the outstretched arm of Merric.
Steve Morrison: Sam puts every ounce of strength they have left into pulling that arm away from the socket.
The look of pain is evident on Merric’s face as he fights the hold. “Big” John Quinn is there asking if he wants to submit but the Australian vehemently shakes his head.
Cross Recoba: You’ve more chance of a sane von Krauss than Merric submitting.
Steve Morrison: Quinn has to ask but I’d agree that Merric isn’t one for taking the easy way out.
Working from the yet locked in leg, Aiden continues to try to work his way out of the hold.
Steve Morrison: He’s trying to free that leg entirely, if he can do that he can roll or he can make a break for the ropes.
Leaning back as far as their body will support, Sawyer continues to leverage their opponent’s arm back.
Cross Recoba: It’s easy to say that but you still have your arm feeling like it’s about to snap with every millimeter that Sawyer moves it.
Letting go of the arm, SAWYER DRIVES DOWNWARD POINTED ELBOWS INTO THE COLLAR BONE OF THE AUSTRALIAN!
Steve Morrison: VICIOUS STRIKES FROM THE TEXAN!
His legs buckling from the blows, Merric drops to a knee as Sawyer resumes their assault on the arm of the Bounty Hunter.
Cross Recoba: They’re trying to get him to the mat. A submission or just setting him up for their next play, Sawyer’ll take it.
SAWYER RELEASES THE HOLD! MERRIC GETS TO A KNEE!
Steve Morrison: Sam creates some space…
SAWYER RUSHES IN WITH A HUGE LARIAT TO THE RISING MERRIC!!
Steve Morrison: FIRE WITH FIRE LARIAT!!!
They hook the leg as they cover.
ONE…..
TWO…
THREE!!!
“Big” John Quinn calls for the bell!
Laura Messier: Your winner of the Main Event via pinfall…SAM…..SAWYERRRR!!!!!
The Lansky Ballroom erupts as the 808s of “Physical” by Dua Lipa start to play.
Steve Morrison: Sawyer pulls off a giant-killing!
Cross Recoba: And they break the Top 5 in the process!
Steve Morrison: Merric came so close to pulling off the win but escaping that Octopus hold sent him back into range for the Fire with Fire Lariat!
Cross Recoba: If it’s any consolation, he remains within touching distance of the pack as I’ve gotten word that our Match of the Night is our main event!
Steve Morrison: That’s not the only announcement though?
Cross Recoba: We’d like to congratulate the winner of our Tap Out Openweight Tournament Predictions contest. The name pulled out the hat belonged to Little Davey from Weymouth, Massachusetts.
Steve Morrison: The winner of course gets to choose a match to be featured in our next show.
Cross Recoba: That’s right, and as a huge Aiden Merric fan he’s chosen the following match for March. Aiden Merric will square off not just against Jackalope but also Sticky the Clown and the Thespian!
Steve Morrison: That’s not the only match set, we’ll see the return of Poena who is going to face the winner of our Main Event tonight, Sam Sawyer and that’s not all, Jack Diamond will make his first defence of the Tap Out Openweight title against Tommy Strychine.
Cross Recoba: Tommy’s form has picked up and his new in-ring style seems to be working. Don’t forget, he was written off by experts when he faced Vincent Draven at AWF’s Clash of the Icons and pulled out the win so Diamond can’t be complacent!
Steve Morrison: Don’t miss it, fans. March 26th, same venue and same XHF Network. Good night!
BALL ARENA, DENVER, COLORADO
[ XHF SUPREMACY; JANUARY 29TH, 2023. ]
Steve Morrison: Let’s throw it down to Laura for the ring introductions.
Cross Recoba: Unless there’s any further delay...
“Be Legendary” by Pop Evil starts playing over the sound system. The fans start to cheer in anticipation as purple lights swirl around the arena. When the lyrics come in, all of the house lights come up, illuminating the entire arena in a swathe of Purple and the spotlights converge on the entrance way as Bobby Barratt appears on the stage.
Bobby Barratt: SUPREMACY? This is a message FOR The Icons. Jack? Mav? Well done on making it to the Openweight final. And this… this is a message FROM The Icons. Whoever is in charge of this show should have got the AC turned down because it’s waaaay too hot in here...
Steve Morrison: It’s Bobby Barratt! It’s a full on Icon reunion!
Barratt grabs the bottom of his “Icon Forever” T-shirt revealing a Tap Out Wrestling referee shirt! The pop from the crowd is deafening as Bobby begins to take that old slow, plodding walk down to the ring before stepping in and exchanging handshakes with both of his former stablemates.
Cross Recoba: Sometimes you need to call the right man for a job. And I think I did.
Laura Messier: The following match is for the Tapout Openweight Championship. Standing to my left, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nevada by way of Cherokee, North Carolina. He made weight at one-hundred-and-ninety-five pounds...THE ACE...OF SPADES!!! JACK.....DIAMOND!!!
Diamond throws up the spade sign as the crowd bursts out in a huge cheer.
Laura Messier:And their opponent, standing to my right, wrestling out of Wexford Town, County Wexford, Ireland and weighing in tonight at one hundred and ninety-five pounds… HE IS THE LAST BREATHING MERCENARY… THE KING OF WRESTLING… THIS IS JAAAAAASSSOONNNNNNNNNNN LOOOOOONNNNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGGGG!!!!
Jason Long decides to outshine his former ally for moment zero, showing off his athleticism with a perfect standing backflip.
Laura Messier: As Jack Diamond won the Losers’ Bracket, he requires two straight falls to win this match. Jason Long only requires one fall…
Crowd: ONE FALL!
Laura Messier: …to win the belt. Your referee for this match, “THE PRODIGY” BOBBYYYY BAAAARAAAAATT!
Cross Recoba: Unless there’s any further delay...
“Be Legendary” by Pop Evil starts playing over the sound system. The fans start to cheer in anticipation as purple lights swirl around the arena. When the lyrics come in, all of the house lights come up, illuminating the entire arena in a swathe of Purple and the spotlights converge on the entrance way as Bobby Barratt appears on the stage.
Bobby Barratt: SUPREMACY? This is a message FOR The Icons. Jack? Mav? Well done on making it to the Openweight final. And this… this is a message FROM The Icons. Whoever is in charge of this show should have got the AC turned down because it’s waaaay too hot in here...
Steve Morrison: It’s Bobby Barratt! It’s a full on Icon reunion!
Barratt grabs the bottom of his “Icon Forever” T-shirt revealing a Tap Out Wrestling referee shirt! The pop from the crowd is deafening as Bobby begins to take that old slow, plodding walk down to the ring before stepping in and exchanging handshakes with both of his former stablemates.
Cross Recoba: Sometimes you need to call the right man for a job. And I think I did.
Laura Messier: The following match is for the Tapout Openweight Championship. Standing to my left, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nevada by way of Cherokee, North Carolina. He made weight at one-hundred-and-ninety-five pounds...THE ACE...OF SPADES!!! JACK.....DIAMOND!!!
Diamond throws up the spade sign as the crowd bursts out in a huge cheer.
Laura Messier:And their opponent, standing to my right, wrestling out of Wexford Town, County Wexford, Ireland and weighing in tonight at one hundred and ninety-five pounds… HE IS THE LAST BREATHING MERCENARY… THE KING OF WRESTLING… THIS IS JAAAAAASSSOONNNNNNNNNNN LOOOOOONNNNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGGGG!!!!
Jason Long decides to outshine his former ally for moment zero, showing off his athleticism with a perfect standing backflip.
Laura Messier: As Jack Diamond won the Losers’ Bracket, he requires two straight falls to win this match. Jason Long only requires one fall…
Crowd: ONE FALL!
Laura Messier: …to win the belt. Your referee for this match, “THE PRODIGY” BOBBYYYY BAAAARAAAAATT!
Their foreheads meet and then Jack Diamond pulls away first…
AND WITH ONE SWING OF HIS ARM, SLAPS THE SPIT OUT OF JASON LONG’S MOUTH! THE CRACK OF FLESH ON FLESH RINGS OUT AROUND THE ARENA, LOUD ENOUGH TO BE PICKED UP ON THE COMMENTATOR’S MICS.
Crowd: OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
Steve Morrison: THE SLAP! THE SLAP HEARD ROUND THE WORLD!
AND WITH ONE SWING OF HIS ARM, SLAPS THE SPIT OUT OF JASON LONG’S MOUTH! THE CRACK OF FLESH ON FLESH RINGS OUT AROUND THE ARENA, LOUD ENOUGH TO BE PICKED UP ON THE COMMENTATOR’S MICS.
Crowd: OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
Steve Morrison: THE SLAP! THE SLAP HEARD ROUND THE WORLD!
Jason rolls back to his his feet with the momentum as Jack stands and the pair step to a side, cock back a leg and WHISTLE ICONKICKS INTO THE SPOT THEIR OPPONENTS JUST VACATED!
Crowd: TAAAAAAAAAP-OOOOOOOOOOOOUT! TAAAAAAAAAAAAAAP-OOOOOOOUT!
Steve Morrison: STEREO ICONKICKS MISS!
Crowd: TAAAAAAAAAP-OOOOOOOOOOOOUT! TAAAAAAAAAAAAAAP-OOOOOOOUT!
Steve Morrison: STEREO ICONKICKS MISS!
Jack Diamond rushes the far ropes, looking to capitalise and he extends an arm, Jason Long’s head being the primary target for a devastating clothesline. The Mercenary looks primed and ready to be flattened with the most basic of wrestling attacks… BUT JASON LONG SNAGS THE ARM! LONG TRANSITIONS QUICKLY TO A HAMMERLOCK, FIRES DIAMOND OFF, REELS HIM BACK IN AND HITS A BRUTAL JUMPING LARIAT!
Steve Morrison: BLADE RUNNER II!
Long covers…
ONE!
TWO!
THR… Diamond Kicks out!
Steve Morrison: BLADE RUNNER II!
Long covers…
ONE!
TWO!
THR… Diamond Kicks out!
JACK DIAMOND COCKS HIS LEG BACK AND ATTEMPTS TO STUFF HIS BOOT INTO JASON LONG’S SKULL!
Steve Morrison: ICONKICK!
LONG WOBBLES AND STUMBLES BACK A FEW STEPS AND JACK STRIDES FORWARD, COCKS HIS LEG BACK, FIRING IT OFF AT A DOWNWARDS ANGLE INTO THE SHIN OF JASON LONG’S RECENTLY INJURED LEG!
Steve Morrison: ICONKICK TO THE SHIN!
NOW LONG DROPS TO A KNEE, SHOCKED BY THE IMPACT OF THAT LAST KICK. JACK FUUUUUUUUUUCKING DIAMOND REARS THAT LEG BACK ONE MORE TIME…. ICONKICK TO THE FACE OF THE KNEELING JASON LONG!
Steve Morrison: AND ONE MORE ICONKICK!
Bobby Barratt is in position to count the cover attempt…
ONE!
TWO!
THREE!
Steve Morrison: JACK DIAMOND HAS DONE IT! HE’S RESET THE BRACKET!
Cross Recoba: Now the hard work sets in. Now he has to beat Jason Long AGAIN to win that belt.
Laura Messier: The winner of the first fall, JAAAAAAAAAAACK DIIIIIIIIIIIAMOOOOOOND. There will now be a 2 minute break and when the match restarts, it will be ONE FALL to decide the Tap Out Openweight Championship!
Jack is quite sprightly in getting up to his feet, energized by his first fall victory and being in control of the match. He fires a couple of toe kicks at the upper leg of Jason Long before dragging the unfortunate Irishman off the mat again, firing a couple of short elbows into Long’s face to keep him stunned. Diamond lifts up that leg again and wraps his arm tightly around at the ankle before falling backwards to the mat, driving the foot straight into the canvas. Jack slides across to cover again…
ONE!
TWO!
Jack pumps his legs and balances them on the bottom rope….
THREE… NO! BOBBY BARRATT SPOTS JACK’S ATTEMPT TO CHEAT AND REFUSES TO COUNT THE FALL!
ONE!
TWO!
Jack pumps his legs and balances them on the bottom rope….
THREE… NO! BOBBY BARRATT SPOTS JACK’S ATTEMPT TO CHEAT AND REFUSES TO COUNT THE FALL!
Aiming to grasp every ounce of pain and suffering he can manage to wring out of Long’s leg, Jack Diamond bridges back with the Figure-Four a little further, arching his back to shoot great waves of pain through the leg but losing a mite of control in the process, allowing Jason Long to start turning the pile. Jack is practically screaming out his “ASK HIM!” as he so desperately wants the title, so desperately wants a slice of redemption at the cost of man who he considers to have left him all alone in his darkest0 hour. Bobby Barratt asks Jason Long again and there is a booming “NO!” in response. Long shuffles his shoulders to the left, forcing Jack to shuffle a little himself to try and block a position change…
BUT JASON LONG TWISTS HIS BODY THE OTHER WAY AND FLIPS THE PILE, TURNING THE HOLD INTO AN INDIAN DEATHLOCK! Jack’s face screws up in pain but he decides to ride the momentum and JACK FLIPS THE PILE AGAIN REAPPLYING ACES WILD! BUT THOSE ROLLS HAVE LEFT THE PAIR TOO CLOSE TO THE ROPES! THE MERCENARY REACHES OUT AND GRABS THE BOTTOM ROPE! Bobby Barratt puts a count on…
ONE!
TWO!
THREE!
FOUR!
FIIIIIII… Jack relinquishes the hold.
BUT JASON LONG TWISTS HIS BODY THE OTHER WAY AND FLIPS THE PILE, TURNING THE HOLD INTO AN INDIAN DEATHLOCK! Jack’s face screws up in pain but he decides to ride the momentum and JACK FLIPS THE PILE AGAIN REAPPLYING ACES WILD! BUT THOSE ROLLS HAVE LEFT THE PAIR TOO CLOSE TO THE ROPES! THE MERCENARY REACHES OUT AND GRABS THE BOTTOM ROPE! Bobby Barratt puts a count on…
ONE!
TWO!
THREE!
FOUR!
FIIIIIII… Jack relinquishes the hold.
Both men are slow to rise. Long still favouring that leg of his, Jack trying to get the blood pumping to his arm. Diamond walks towards the middle of the ring where The Irishman is composing himself but with a Herculean effort, Jason Long swings his injured leg up as a counterweight to firing off a sharp rising knee strike!
Steve Morrison: KING SLAYER!
Long follows up with a palm strike to the bread basket which doubles up Jack Diamond. With a fierce expression on his face, The Mercenary stuffs Diamond into a standing head scissors and with a look around the arena, butterflies first the non injured arm, then the injured one, which causes a grunt of pain from Jack, before lifting The Ace of Spades up, inverting him. Long staggers a little, struggling to keep control through the pain but he guts through it and steps through, planting his stronger leg bent on the mat and DROPS JACK DIAMOND SHOULDER FIRST ONTO HIS KNEE!
Steve Morrison: CROWN TUNDRA ‘22!
Long covers and Bobby is right there…
ONE!
TWO!
THR.. Jack kicks out!
Steve Morrison: Now it’s Jason Long that’s rolling.
Cross Recoba: The ebb and flow of this match has been fascinating.
With the bit firmly between his teeth, Long backs off a couple of steps and composes his next plan of attack. He wafts a loose kick towards Diamond’s head, causing Jackie Boy to reflexively turn away to lessen the impact of the blow. But in doing so, Jack puts the weak arm forward and Long reverses direction and SPINS, SLAMMING HIS ELBOW RIGHT INTO THE UPPER ARM!
Steve Morrison: STARDUST BREAKER!
And without a hesitation for thought, Jason Long snags his former fellow Icon as he’s turned around and lifts Diamond up for a back suplex, before releasing him and spinning on the spot at the apex of the move, lifting his knee RIGHT INTO THE SHOULDER BLADE of Jack Diamond.
Steve Morrison: MODIFIED DEATH CULT!
And once more Long covers…
ONE!
TWO!
THRE… JACK DIAMOND KICKS OUT!
Steve Morrison: Jason Long is a genius for modifying his offense to fit what he’s trying to achieve,
Cross Recoba: He’s always been wise beyond his years.
Steve Morrison: KING SLAYER!
Long follows up with a palm strike to the bread basket which doubles up Jack Diamond. With a fierce expression on his face, The Mercenary stuffs Diamond into a standing head scissors and with a look around the arena, butterflies first the non injured arm, then the injured one, which causes a grunt of pain from Jack, before lifting The Ace of Spades up, inverting him. Long staggers a little, struggling to keep control through the pain but he guts through it and steps through, planting his stronger leg bent on the mat and DROPS JACK DIAMOND SHOULDER FIRST ONTO HIS KNEE!
Steve Morrison: CROWN TUNDRA ‘22!
Long covers and Bobby is right there…
ONE!
TWO!
THR.. Jack kicks out!
Steve Morrison: Now it’s Jason Long that’s rolling.
Cross Recoba: The ebb and flow of this match has been fascinating.
With the bit firmly between his teeth, Long backs off a couple of steps and composes his next plan of attack. He wafts a loose kick towards Diamond’s head, causing Jackie Boy to reflexively turn away to lessen the impact of the blow. But in doing so, Jack puts the weak arm forward and Long reverses direction and SPINS, SLAMMING HIS ELBOW RIGHT INTO THE UPPER ARM!
Steve Morrison: STARDUST BREAKER!
And without a hesitation for thought, Jason Long snags his former fellow Icon as he’s turned around and lifts Diamond up for a back suplex, before releasing him and spinning on the spot at the apex of the move, lifting his knee RIGHT INTO THE SHOULDER BLADE of Jack Diamond.
Steve Morrison: MODIFIED DEATH CULT!
And once more Long covers…
ONE!
TWO!
THRE… JACK DIAMOND KICKS OUT!
Steve Morrison: Jason Long is a genius for modifying his offense to fit what he’s trying to achieve,
Cross Recoba: He’s always been wise beyond his years.
Long gets to his feet and backs away. He waits until Jack Diamond has got up to one knee and charges in LEAPING INTO THE AIR, LOOKING TO STOMP DIAMOND’S HEAD FLAT… BUT DIAMOND LOG ROLLS ALONG THE MAT AND WHIPS OUT THE WEAK LEG. Diamond gets back to his feet and charges in at Long’s prone body as the Irishmanstarts to raise his head AND DIAMOND STOMPS LONG’S FACE STRAIGHT DOWN!
Steve Morrison: VANITY KILLER FROM DIAMOND!
ONE!
TWO!
TH… NO! Diamond picks Long up and looks to sling him into the corner but The Catalyst reverses the Irish Whip and it’s Jack who crashes back first into the post. Long follows him in with as much speed as his body will allow, plus about ten percent and leaps, colliding chest to chest with his opponent. Without any hesitation, The Mercenary grabs Jack and places him on the top turnbuckle, hooks the head and JUMPS OUT, CRUSHING JACK DIAMOND’S HEAD AGAINST LONG’S SHOULDER BLADE AS HE FALLS!
ONE!
TWO!
TH...NO! JACK DIAMOND KICKS OUT!
Crowd: FIGHT FOR-EVER!
Steve Morrison: DIAMOND SPLASH INTO THE STACKED DECK FROM JASON LONG! STIIIIIIIILL NOT ENOUGH!
Cross Recoba: These boys have thrown everything at each other.
Both men are down, spent. It takes a while, a long while for the two men to get back to their feet. The crowd noise is loud enough to raise the dead. It’s also loud enough to raise the two combatants. Through the sweat, the pain, the sacrifice the pair exchange one final glare of sheer determination. And together, as if of one mind they cock their legs, load up that massive shotgun of a superkick they both possess and fire…
...AND LONG’S LEG BUCKLES TRYING TO THROW THE KICK! JACK DIAMOND CONNECTS, MAYBE NOT FLUSH BUT ENOUGH TO SEND JACK DIAMOND REELING.
Steve Morrison: THEY BOTH WENT FOR THE ICONKICK!
Cross Recoba: But unlike their last meeting, only one man hit the target.
Jack doesn’t even bother to cover, he just hauls Jason Long off the mat and grabs him, walking The Catalyst to a corner. Diamond deposits Long on the top rope and STARTS ASCENDING THE TURNBUCKLE HIMSELF. With both men positioned on the top rope, Jack turns, facing inwards towards the ring and hooks in that three quarter facelock. He pauses for a second before LEAPING OFF INTO THE RING, IMPACTING LONG’S HEAD ON HIS SHOULDER…
Steve Morrison: SKYSCRAPER STACKED DECK!
Crowd: HO-LY SHIT! HO-LY SHIT!
Diamond covers…
ONE!
TWO!
THREE!
Steve Morrison: WHAT A FINISH! WHAT A CONTEST!
Cross Recoba: Let’s throw this to Laura before you blow your vocal cords out.
Laura Messier: The winner of this match and the inaugural Tap Out Wrestling Openweight Champion…JAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK DIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIAMOND!
Bobby Barratt raises Jack’s hand as the cheers of the fans rain down from every corner. Cross Recoba steps out from behind the announce table and presents the belt to Jack who collapses to his knees in sheer exhaustion.
Steve Morrison: VANITY KILLER FROM DIAMOND!
ONE!
TWO!
TH… NO! Diamond picks Long up and looks to sling him into the corner but The Catalyst reverses the Irish Whip and it’s Jack who crashes back first into the post. Long follows him in with as much speed as his body will allow, plus about ten percent and leaps, colliding chest to chest with his opponent. Without any hesitation, The Mercenary grabs Jack and places him on the top turnbuckle, hooks the head and JUMPS OUT, CRUSHING JACK DIAMOND’S HEAD AGAINST LONG’S SHOULDER BLADE AS HE FALLS!
ONE!
TWO!
TH...NO! JACK DIAMOND KICKS OUT!
Crowd: FIGHT FOR-EVER!
Steve Morrison: DIAMOND SPLASH INTO THE STACKED DECK FROM JASON LONG! STIIIIIIIILL NOT ENOUGH!
Cross Recoba: These boys have thrown everything at each other.
Both men are down, spent. It takes a while, a long while for the two men to get back to their feet. The crowd noise is loud enough to raise the dead. It’s also loud enough to raise the two combatants. Through the sweat, the pain, the sacrifice the pair exchange one final glare of sheer determination. And together, as if of one mind they cock their legs, load up that massive shotgun of a superkick they both possess and fire…
...AND LONG’S LEG BUCKLES TRYING TO THROW THE KICK! JACK DIAMOND CONNECTS, MAYBE NOT FLUSH BUT ENOUGH TO SEND JACK DIAMOND REELING.
Steve Morrison: THEY BOTH WENT FOR THE ICONKICK!
Cross Recoba: But unlike their last meeting, only one man hit the target.
Jack doesn’t even bother to cover, he just hauls Jason Long off the mat and grabs him, walking The Catalyst to a corner. Diamond deposits Long on the top rope and STARTS ASCENDING THE TURNBUCKLE HIMSELF. With both men positioned on the top rope, Jack turns, facing inwards towards the ring and hooks in that three quarter facelock. He pauses for a second before LEAPING OFF INTO THE RING, IMPACTING LONG’S HEAD ON HIS SHOULDER…
Steve Morrison: SKYSCRAPER STACKED DECK!
Crowd: HO-LY SHIT! HO-LY SHIT!
Diamond covers…
ONE!
TWO!
THREE!
Steve Morrison: WHAT A FINISH! WHAT A CONTEST!
Cross Recoba: Let’s throw this to Laura before you blow your vocal cords out.
Laura Messier: The winner of this match and the inaugural Tap Out Wrestling Openweight Champion…JAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK DIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIAMOND!
Bobby Barratt raises Jack’s hand as the cheers of the fans rain down from every corner. Cross Recoba steps out from behind the announce table and presents the belt to Jack who collapses to his knees in sheer exhaustion.
There were celebrations going around the backstage area of Supremacy as a TAPOUT Openweight Champion was crowned, there were cheers and there were friends getting together for one special moment – however, for one man? He doesn’t stand with the rest of those popping bottles and such. Jason Long is seated inside of the Ball Arena’s halls and silently soaking in the defeat handed to him by Jack Diamond. He was seated along the floor, holding an ice pack onto the knee that seemingly gave out in the ending moments of the match, and his other arm holding his head as it leaned down onto the hand. A sigh came over Long. There were no words for the defeat. There were no words to exchange with Jack. Nor to Bobby and his sudden surprise appearance to officiate the match. He just sat there and pondered to himself for a moment before finally speaking.
Jason Long: Tonight has been a moment to remember.
A pause, a sigh coming out from his mouth.
Jason Long: For Jack, it’s been one to never forget. A moment he’s been preparing for ever since November. He finally picked up the win over me and it seemed like deja vu had finally settled in once again as I lost to Jack and he held a championship over me as I simply laid there, pondering, debating, asking myself was I really put into this position to lose another war? I thought to myself that this was the month where I’d shine the most. I could’ve done it. I could have done it all, secured the prizes needed to succeed throughout this year and make it a more memorable one unlike how it all began last year for me. Alas, I am one defeat into this year. One loss throughout the year and we’ve not even touched down into February. And it was an important loss as well.
He fell quickly into silence as he began to think about the words that came out of his mouth. Though, that silence is broken by the chaos happening inside of the ring right as we’re recording with the Kitchen Kaos match main event. Jason kept his head up as he stared up to the lights.
Jason Long: Though, I shouldn’t be defining everything about one loss. As much as it pains me to have lost tonight, there’s nobody else I’d rather have been TAPOUT Openweight Champion than Jack Diamond – even if he doesn’t seem to have been right in the head lately.
A smile cracked along the face of Long.
Jason Long: But, tonight has taught me one thing about TAPOUT as a whole. There’s a lot that I might’ve defeated along my way to get here but I can never be careful with whatever this promotion has under it’s sleeve. And I mean that in a good way. Tonight, I learned the hard way of trying to get into the head of someone who was dead set on doing anything it takes to win and Jack proved that– he pinned me twice whilst I didn’t have a chance to pin him at all. He could not have proved it any further that he deserved that championship than how he won out there tonight. Now, this is where things become tricky because I have the task of coming off of this loss trying to regain my footing back and I won’t be able to do it for over two months at this rate.
He paused for a moment, bringing his hand along his chin.
Jason Long: That’s a long time but I feel as if it’s necessary time. I spent the months that I should’ve been preparing for tonight fighting against others that weren’t in the tournament. Marty Donovan, Spike Kane, and even Wildcat Capone. I secured wins over them, sure, but it’s taken a lot out of me to fight them whilst trying to keep eyes on those that were advancing to come face me. But, I can walk away from here tonight with some time to myself. Time to really think about the future and I don’t mean that in no bad way whatsoever. Time to recollect my thoughts and time to sit back and think about what can come out of this. At the moment? I don’t know what might come from this. I could be still in line for a contender’s shot, I could be working my way back up from the bottom of the pile, I won’t know until maybe February or even March and we’re only walking out of January as I’m speaking these words into existence.
His hand gestured that ‘on and on’ movement as he spoke, giving himself a second to breathe and just keep himself calmed.
Jason Long: So, who knows what might come for me? It’s something that I cannot wait to find out and continue along the journey of reaching the top here in TAPOUT Wrestling, a place where it’s really rekindled my love for this sport, for professional wrestling, and so much more. Sadly, I won’t be in the ballroom – or even at the hotel – when TAPOUT is returning on February 26th and I don’t really know when I’ll be showing up in person at all at the moment but when I come back? I’m coming back with a fire lit underneath me. There will be no time wasted on just doing whatever, it’s back to the grind much like how it was when I suffered my first loss to Close Collins last year and look where that got me after all of that. I don’t want to become someone who replicates his own past, not like this. I will work as hard as I can with whatever Cross gives me to prove that I can become a contender or even a champion, if the future provides that spot.
Again, that smile slowly grew along his lips. A chuckle coming out of The Catalyst. His head lowered from looking up to the lights, now finally bringing his eye contact onto the camera recording him.
Jason Long: So, to Jack, congratulations on a fantastic match out there and a championship that you truly deserve. No hard feelings whatsoever. It was just Icon business as per usual. I’m sure you know that better than any of us could attest to. And for the rest of the roster? I shall be seeing you all in March and I want all of you to bring the best of the best that you can give me. I wouldn’t have it any other way.
It takes a moment before Long stands up from where he was seated, walking for a moment with a small limp as he stuffs the ice pack down his kneepad, but now continues along his way down the hall and holding his head – reasonably high – up. The focus makes the feed become a blur before we slowly fade to black from Supremacy.
PRESENTS
TAP OUT WRESTLING 11: MERRIC VS SAWYER
Date: 26th February 2023
Venue: Lansky Ballroom, The Sands Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada
Attendance: 1000 (Capacity: 1000)
The cameras fade in from the XHF Supremacy 2023 recap to a capacity crowd at the Lansky Ballroom at The Sands Casino and Hotel in Vegas, Nevada. The camera pans around the crowd and we see various signs highlighted:
POENA BROKE MY HEART (AND FINGERS)
JACK DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER!
THE ROAD TO THE RUMBLE STARTS HERE!
I'D HATE TO BE SITTING BEHIND THIS SIGN
TAPOUT WRESTLING IS ICONIC!
The camera continues to pan around and lands on a whole row who spell out a message:
H-A-P-P-Y B-I-R-T-H-D-A-Y T-A-P-O-U-T-!
The shot switches to ringside where Steve Morrison and Cross Recoba stand by.
Steve Morrison: Hello, fans, and welcome to TAP…OUT..WRESTLING..11! I’m joined by Tap Out Co-Owner, Cross Recoba, and we have an exciting night of wrestling ahead of us!
Cross Recoba: That’s right, Steve, we’ve got four matches that will give everyone involved a chance to prove that they should be next in line for a shot at Jack Diamond’s Openweight Title!
Steve Morrison: With both Diamond and Long off, it’s an opportunity for them to really stake a claim. Quickly, going to Maverick - how will that loss affect him when he returns?
Cross Recoba: You heard the man, he aims to use it to drive himself forward. We’ve looked ahead at what he might face and he isn’t short of opponents. Would Close be able to repeat what he did last year in defeating the Best Bout Machine? Then you have the likes of Random, Capone, Strych, and Jackalope who’d all want to prove their worth against the man who, in his mind, should’ve been our first champion!
Steve Morrison: All names that will also want to be filling up the dance card of Jack Diamond. We mentioned that he wasn’t wrestling tonight but I’ve seen him backstage, no doubt seeing who might stick their head above the parapet to face off against him next.
Cross Recoba: Including the XHF X*Crown, this is Jack’s fourth time at the top of the totem pole. He’ll be the first person to tell you that scouting and knowing your competition was key in every rise.
Steve Morrison: He’ll also relax easily with the knowledge that Poena is suspended from tonight’s event.
Cross Recoba: If we didn’t take some action, the ring crew were going to refuse to work.
Steve Morrison: So, if they didn’t do that, Poena would be on the show?
Cross Recoba: If you read between the lines. The XHF Network reps all see what he does as relatively tame when you have Dino Bones ingesting his opponent’s and Zoran preparing for retirement with light needlework practice using a shiv…
Steve Morrison: Stands to reason…
Cross Recoba: And Dino Bones did ask if I had anyone to send out on excursion too.
Steve Morrison: Getting into the show proper, we open up with a four-way where we see three debutants and Jackalope vying to come out on top.
Cross Recoba: You’ve got four wrestlers that all will want to come out on top. For the three making their debut, it’s a great time to grab a statement win. In the case of Jackalope, he knows that he can chip away at Long, Diamond, and Poena with a win tonight and put himself in an extremely strong position to challenge Jack.
Steve Morrison: We’ve got an interesting debut in “Big Nate” Nathan Hartley. At one point on the Olympic wrestling squad and, in any other match he’d be the biggest man in the ring. How can he use his skills to get the win tonight?
Cross Recoba: Despite his size, Big Nate has some agility for a man of his stature and that’s something that’ll not only make him stand out but will be a force for his opponents to deal with. He’s also coming from a background where he knows how to control his strength and stamina, so if you’re looking for him to gas out quickly, you may be out of luck.
Steve Morrison: Also making her debut in the match is Zoi Rousakis and she’s already caused an effect, I now have a hundred more Twitter followers giving me sartorial advice.
Cross Recoba: And not before time. But in terms of the match, she could prove to be a surprise package. Despite being the smallest wrestler in the ring, her mix of Dirty Brawling might be something that can put her opponents on the back foot. Hartley and Sticky are huge compared to her but that weight is only going to add momentum to a shin kick, Superkick, Tornado DDT triple-combo.
Steve Morrison: Talking of Sticky, how do you think he’ll fare in his debut outing?
Cross Recoba: He’s an inch off eight feet tall and four-hundred-and-fifty pounds in weight. At his size, a punch could be deadly…
Steve Morrison: Like Big-
Cross Recoba: Exactly like Big Old Goldbear. Or imagine if he sits on you like-
Steve Morrison: The Eighth Wonder of the-
Cross Recoba: Universe, Subject #42! You know where I’m going with this, his size makes him a threat regardless of the opponent. The question becomes how he’ll fare if, as I suspect, the other members of the match decide to go three-on-one.
Steve Morrison: Especially when one of those is Jackalope. It was mentioned in the build-up, Jackalope himself even referenced it: can a win here put him within touching distance of a shot against Diamond?
Cross Recoba: He sits fourth in the rankings, with everyone above him off tonight - anything’s possible. The Chaos Bunny might feel hard done by being in the opener but it’s a great opportunity to showcase the growth he’s undertaken since our first show!
Steve Morrison: Following that is a match between original Tap Out Wrestling members, Wildcat Capone and Tommy Strychnine that can be traced all the way back to the first-ever match at XHF Supremacy 2022 where they started the match, making them the first ever competitors in the company…
Steve Morrison: Capone might need to take a breather, he can’t keep eating these punches without them adding up!
THE TWO START GRAB EACH OTHER BY THE HEAD AND START TO RAIN DOWN BLOWS TO THE HEAD WITH LITTLE QUARTER ASKED FOR OR GIVEN!!!
Steve Morrison: Both competitors are going at it full-bore!
Sneaking in a swift knee to the gut, CAPONE LANDS A ROARING ELBOW AND FOLLOWS UP WITH A GERMAN SUPLEX!
THE TWO START GRAB EACH OTHER BY THE HEAD AND START TO RAIN DOWN BLOWS TO THE HEAD WITH LITTLE QUARTER ASKED FOR OR GIVEN!!!
Steve Morrison: Both competitors are going at it full-bore!
Sneaking in a swift knee to the gut, CAPONE LANDS A ROARING ELBOW AND FOLLOWS UP WITH A GERMAN SUPLEX!
Capone connects with alternating rights and lefts to the jaw of Strych and finishes with a headbutt.
Steve Morrison: That sickening thud goes right through you.
Cross Recoba: It is, however, highly effective.
Rearing back, CAPONE LANDS A HUGE SPLASH IN THE CORNER!
Steve Morrison: Wildcat has a rhythm going…
Lifting his opponent to the top-rope, Wildcat follows….
Cross Recoba: Is he going to put an exclamation mark on the match?
TOP ROPE BELLY-TO-BELLY SUPLEX!!!!!
Steve Morrison: TOP-ROPE TO PIMP A BUTTERFLY!!
He hooks the leg…
ONE…
TWO…
THREE!!!
“Big” John Quinn calls for the bell.
Laura Messier: : The winner of this match, as a result of a pinfall…WILDCAT….CAPONE!!!!
Steve Morrison: That sickening thud goes right through you.
Cross Recoba: It is, however, highly effective.
Rearing back, CAPONE LANDS A HUGE SPLASH IN THE CORNER!
Steve Morrison: Wildcat has a rhythm going…
Lifting his opponent to the top-rope, Wildcat follows….
Cross Recoba: Is he going to put an exclamation mark on the match?
TOP ROPE BELLY-TO-BELLY SUPLEX!!!!!
Steve Morrison: TOP-ROPE TO PIMP A BUTTERFLY!!
He hooks the leg…
ONE…
TWO…
THREE!!!
“Big” John Quinn calls for the bell.
Laura Messier: : The winner of this match, as a result of a pinfall…WILDCAT….CAPONE!!!!
Steve Morrison: Neither man is coming into the match in a rich vein of form, what might decide this one?
Cross Recoba: It’s going to be fine margins. Capone has shown both here and in GUNS Fight Club that he can put away opponents but the one constant has been the erratic form and that’s just down to inexperience. He needs to lure Tommy into the stand-up game because it’s what he knows and means that the Rocker isn’t going to want to show off those technical or high-flying skills that he’s built his career on.
Steve Morrison: We’ve seen Tommy trade punches willingly…
Cross Recoba: But what we haven’t seen from Wildcat is an ability to improvise when needed. Strych has the experience and if he can dictate the tempo and style of the match, he’ll be in a great place to walk out with the win.
Steve Morrison: It all comes down to whether he can hit that Springboard V-Trigger…
Cross Recoba: Merric had it well-scouted last time out and he’s been around the squared circle a similar time to Tommy. I’m not sure that Capone has the nous yet to deal with it.
Steve Morrison: After our intermission we kick things off with a hell of a mat-
The lights in the arena appear to explode at the same time, the sparks and sudden darkness eliciting screams from the audience.
Poena: Jaaack…
Poena's voice slices through the darkness, but something is different now. There is something under the normal soul-wilting tone—a growl of rage and spite. The sound of it cowers the normally verbose crowd into deathly silence.
Poena: Did you honestly think it was over? Did you think you could cheat your fate? Always the Fool, Jack.
As Poena talks, the BigScreen glows with a dark red light—embers behind the twisting symbol of Poena's faith.
Poena: You always let your demon speak to me, Jack. He has such threats and anger… he might even have the will to defeat me.
A diamond in blue closes around the swirling symbol, calling back to the scars Jack put on the Child.
Poena: But when I finally get my hands on you, when we are finally before the altar, I never see that Demon. I see the Fool, struggling on with a sisyphean task. You seek to contain what you see as a dangerous threat. But Jack…
Tendrils reach out from the symbol, wrapping around and corrupting the diamond before breaking free of it in a bloody burst.
Poena: You can't contain me. I've been trying to save you this whole time, bring you into the fold, and open your eyes.
The scene shifts to show Poena seated in the center of the screen, unmoving and unblinking. Behind him a lightbulb swings from left to right, slowly back and forth. During all of this, a distorted hymn plays, with demonic children whispering words too distorted to understand.
While on the left, the light is red like blood from an artery, and corpses can be seen ripped asunder in the background. When the light swings right, it is a dizzying mix of turquoise and pink with swirls and shapes designed to make you trace them for eternity.
Poena: But you insist on fighting the inevitable. You insist on cheating your destiny. You think this is over, Jack?
The light swings once more from left to right, but this time the clear divide in the middle of the screen wavers, with red leaking along the path of the blub.
Poena: This has just begun. By your own hand, you've brought this upon yourself.
The right side of the screen is now red just like the left, bodies piled high as Poena looks into the camera with both eyes glowing that same, evil red. His voice is a growl of unholy anger, contorted into a blade by zealotry.
Poena: See you soon, Jack. Glory be.
And as suddenly as it started, the BigScreen goes black as the darkness fills with demonic screams and malformed words before the lights flick back on, banishing the dark.
Steve Morrison: What was that?!?
Cross Recoba: I don’t know but I do know that it wasn’t on the production sheet for tonight.
Steve Morrison: Would that mean that Poena’s in the building?
Cross Recoba: Give me a minute…I can’t risk Poena running riot in the Sands tonight….
Steve Morrison: Whilst Cross has stepped out, let’s get back to the action. When we return from an intermission, we see two fighters who were on opposite sides of a tag-team match at our last show compete in singles competition as Spike Kane takes on Random McConalogue. This has the potential to be a huge match for both wrestlers. For Spike it’d be a welcome win in what has been a frustrating period of his career within Tap Out and whilst he has a 4-1 record in GUNS Fight Club this season, none have been conclusive wins. A victory against Random would be the bookie’s favorite in any other year of his career but Spike finds himself a slight underdog going into the match. Anyone who has watched the Network in the last two years or so though knows what Kane can do when the pressure is o-
Cross Recoba: Sorry about that, I think with Spike it’s a case of going back to basics and what got him to so many titles in the first place. When you’re on a bad beat you can fall victim to overanalyzing results and your performance. If he can land that Jackhammer of his, it could all be over.
Steve Morrison: The question is ‘if’. Random’s coming into this match hot with her style so far throwing her opponent’s gameplans off-track. Spike couldn’t break up the pin in time in their last match but he did find out pretty quickly just how proficient the submission game of McConalogue is.
Cross Recoba: I think, if you look back at the tape, Spike perhaps underestimated the Scotswoman and her abilities. Right at the outset of the match, Random was grabbing submission hold after submission hold and it looked like the God of Xtreme hadn’t done his homework. Long just saw his six-match winning streak come to an end and Random will be halfway to matching it if she wins tonight. If she can get her arm raised again against Spike it’s going to have everyone in those top five or six places looking over their shoulder and chances are that at March’s show - one of them is going to have to face her.
Steve Morrison: Which leads us to our Main Event! I’m looking at Aiden Merric and Sam Sawyer and all I see is an absolute slugfest!
Cross Recoba: Sawyer has made their name in Tap Out with their blend of speed and striking they’ve fast become a favorite of the crowd here in the Lansky Ballroom.
Steve Morrison: It’ll be interesting to see how they make the weight difference work in their favor.
Cross Recoba: Our roster isn’t going to win any competitions for pack weight, I know this and I apologize equally, but it’s Six Nations time so rugby references. But Sawyer took down Rat Bastard back in November who is bigger and heavier than Merric. I can see those strikes they possess coming to the fore but the high-impact slams and suplexes might take a backseat in this one.
Steve Morrison: Merric though knows that any attempt at his opponent trying to match him strike-for-strike is going to give him a distinct advantage.
Cross Recoba: Just because he spends his time in the Outback and couldn’t call half the moves on the roster doesn’t mean he isn’t smart. Aiden’s style is largely adapted from what he employs when he goes big-game hunting. He can wait it out, he can tire or frustrate his prey and then, when the time is right, he can make them pay.
Steve Morrison: We saw that last time out against Strych.
Cross Recoba: Exactly. That lariat of his didn’t connect the first-time so he bade his time until the opportunity occurred again. If he hits that, you don’t see Sawyer coming back from that.
Steve Morrison: They’re resilient, you couldn’t see any hangover last month from her loss against Diamond…their only loss so far in Tap Out.
Cross Recoba: That’s true and with one loss a piece for our Main Event competitors, it leaves everything up in the air for who will come out on top!
Steve Morrison: Now, without delaying any longer. Here’s Laura Messier to introduce our opening match where Nathan Hartley is already in the ring awaiting his debut!
Laura Messier: Hello, and WELCOME TO TAP OUT WRESTLING ELEVEN!!!
The crowd break out into a cheer, a chant forms from the back.
Crowd: HAPPY BIRTHDAY! YOU DESERVE IT! HAPPY BIRTHDAY! YOU DESERVE IT! HAPPY BIRTHDAY! YOU DESERVE IT! HAPPY BIRTHDAY! YOU DESERVE IT! HAPPY BIRTHDAY! YOU DESERVE IT!
Laura lets out a smile before continuing.
Laura Messier: Our opening match is a Fatal Fourway match and is set for...
She holds the microphone up.
Crowd: ONE FALL!!!!!
Laura Messier: And now for the our competitors.
"Cross my heart and hope to die"
The lights go Out as smoke fills the Lansky Ballroom and lights strobe.
Steve Morrison: She's noting if not a showman.
Cross Recoba: It's the way of the Influencer...
A spotlight searches and finds Zoi Rousakis on the entrance ramp as she makes a heart shape with her fingers then breaks it as she rolls her eyes and puts up a 'don’t talk to me' from closed Hand to open hand flash as Zoi makes her way down to ringside.
Steve Morrison: With Rousakis giving up size and weight on everyone inside the ring, can she compete?
Cross Recoba: Stick and move when the bigger guys engage, otherwise I'd be looking to fade into the background and only come forward when an opportunity presents itself.
She hop up on the ring apron and pulls herself up by the middle rope. She enters under the middle rope as her hands rest on ring apron leaning against the turnbuckle doing a pretty woman pose.
Steve Morrison: I've looked at the tapes and one of her finishers can be hit out of nowhere and on anyone, can that alone get her the win?
Cross Recoba: Like I said, it's all about picking your battles when you give up this much weight in a multi-man match. Her Tornado DDT could be the difference-maker.
“Regret Game” by Madame Macabre begins playing as Sticky the Clown walks out from the back to the frightful screaming of many fans.
Steve Morrison: Armand has done it again and introduced the XHF Network to what can only be described as a horroshow.
Cross Recoba: It's a mix of the clowns they employ and Tarrasque...
He looks around at the crowd with his peeling face paint that should have been fixed up ages ago and his needle sharp teeth inside his impossibly wide grin that pierce black gums.
Steve Morrison: You were on the roster with Tarrasque, do you see any similarities?
Cross Recoba: He'd been brought up under some level of control with Marcus, this though? It's unchained chaos.
The Clown steps onto the apron and over the top-rope as Laura Messier makes sure to keep her distance, climbing between the ropes on the far side of the ring.
Steve Morrison: Being the largest man not only in the match but on the roster, is Sticky a threat to Jack Diamond?
Cross Recoba: That's what we're all waiting to find out...
The opening chords of Big Shot slam into the speakers, bringing the fans to their feet as Jackalope charges through the curtain.
Steve Morrison: From madness to adulation! Jackalope comes in with the most ring-time in Tap Out under his belt. Can he make 2023 his year?
Cross Recoba: That's all down to Jackalope. He has the crowd behind him and he has enough of a wow factor to stand out, it's converting those positives into form which was inconsistent in his debut year.
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 He stated he didn't want to make the same mistake twice and having come out on top against one set of clowns, he's confident he has Sticky figured out. Can he do the same with Big Nate and Zoi?
Cross Recoba: He wasn't wrong when he said he was the veteran in the match. Big Nate has had amateur experience but he never made it to the Olympics so how he'll handle a crowd this size, an occasion like this is up in the air. Zoi's greener than the proverbial Goose Waste - he has a perfect opportunity in front of him.
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: The Lansky Ballroom believes in him. Now he just has to repay that faith with a win tonight!
With the competitors inside the ring, Laura begins the introductions.
Laura Messier: Introducing first! Fighting out of Huntington Beach, California. Standing at five-feet and eleven inches, he made weight at two-hundred-and-sixty-five pounds...BIG...NATE....HARTLEY!!!
The one-time Olympic Squad member looks around the ring at his opponents. His face betrays no sign of emotion.
Laura Messier: Also making his debut and standing to my left! Hailing from Parts Unknown. Standing at seven-feet and eleven inches and weighing four-hundred-and-fifty pounds...STICKY...THE...CLOWN!!
The clown holds onto the ropes behind him, clearly itching for the bell to sound and carnage to begin.
Laura Messier: To my right. from Athens, Greece. She stands at five feet and one inch and made weight at one-hundred-and-seven pounds...She is HELL...ON...WHEELS....ZOIIII...ROUUUUSAKIS!!
Finding the camera, Zoi makes an Aheago face.
Laura Messier: And the final competitor! Fighting out of Las Vegas, Nevada...Standing at five-feet and nine-inches, he is The Chaos Bunny.... JACKALOPE!!
Kid Cryptid eyes up his opponents and seems to be making a mental note of where to attack first.
OPENING MATCH
FATAL FOURWAY MATCH
Nathan Hartley vs Zoi Rousakis vs Sticky the Clown vs Jackalope
There is little surprise that the first entrants into the match are the nimble Rousakis and the crazy fast Jackalope. Zoi strides to the ring centre, daring the Chaos Bunny to come within her brawling range. ‘Lope steps up to Hell on Heels and nods to her like he’s ready to test himself and throw down and Zoi just flat out pie faces him, walking him backwards a couple of steps before looking smugly in his shocked face and wrapping him up in a side headlock. The Queen of Greek Chic reaches into a pocket on her wrestling tights, pulls out a pink cellphone and snaps a selfie of her headlock for all her many followers.
Steve Morrison: Yeah, that’s a classy move by Zoi Rousakis.
Cross Recoba: Sarcasm does not become you, Steve.
Kid Cryptid isn’t standing for any of this disrespect and as Zoi’s focus falls for a second, stashing her cellphone. Jackalope uses his lithe body to squirm free from the headlock and wraps up an arm of Zoi’s, whipping her over and down to the mat. The Chaos Bunny wheels around madly as Hell on Heels gets back to her feet, only to get snagged and arm dragged for a second time. Jackalope backs off for a second and lets Rousakis get up again only to rush in with a rapid dropkick that sends Zoi into Big Nate’s corner. The Cryptid Kid gets his sights in for a full ring rush but Sticky the Clown reaches out a massive arm and tags in.
Steve Morrison: It’s the Big O against the huge Clown.
Cross Recoba: Nate Hartley is all muscle. Sticky the Clown is just humongous.
The barrel chested Nathaniel Hartley shows no fear as he walks up to his towering opponent. Hartley fires off a stiff knife edged chop that sends Sticky’s flesh rippling. Sticky chuckles. The Big O flashes off a second chop. Sticky chuckles again. Nate reachs down and grabs Sticky for a bodyslam. The Corpulent Clown openly laughs for a second but that laughter fades away as BY GOD, NATHANIEL HARTLEY LIFTS THE NEAR EIGHT FOOT, FOUR HUNDRED AND FIFTY POUNDER OFF THE MAT AND SLAMS HIM DOWN TO THE MAT!
Crowd: HO-LY SHIT! HO-LY SHIT!
Steve Morrison: I agree with the crowd. That was an inhuman feat of strength.
Cross Recoba: Nate Hartley is one tough slab of meat. I heard he bench presses 280.
Steve Morrison:I mean that’s impressive, but not world beating.
Cross Recoba: ...reps of the standard NFL 225lb weight.
Hartley covers…
ONE!
TWO!
Sticky kicks out with enough force to send Nate Hartley flying through the air. The Clown stands back up and scoops New Age Nate straight up off the mat and body slams him right back. Nate… pops straight back up as if being dropped from eight foot up is no big thing. Sticky is having none of that and knees Nate in the gut, locking in a front facelock before hoisting the barrel chested Californian up into a vertical suplex and just dropping him in a heap mid move. Sticky covers…
ONE!
TWO!
TH… and Nate POWERS out.
Steve Morrison: OK, I did not think you could powerlift a man that size.
Cross Recoba: There’s ridiculous amounts of power in Hartley’s body, that’s for sure.
Hartley gets to his feet and backs away wisely from the Killer Klown from Out This Place.
Steve Morrison: Giving himself plenty of runway here.
Cross Recoba: He’s going to run out of room soo-
Cross stops his commentary as Hartley hits the ropes and Jackalope seizes his opportunity. He springboards onto the top rope and levels Sticky with a dropkick that barely fazes the Clown but he persists still.
Steve Morrison: Like chipping away at a redwood.
Cross Recoba: With a toothpick…
He hits the ropes…Basement dropkick!
Steve Morrison: Can he take the legs out from him?
He hits the ropes again…Basement Dropkick to the other leg but the Clown shakes it off. Jackalope grabs an arm and twists it with speed…SPRINGBOARD HEADSCISSORS TAKES DOWN THE GIANT!
Cross Recoba: No but you can always take the head!
Sticky gets back to his feet but Lope is too quick and has already hit the ropes….REVERSE SLINGBLADE!!!
Steve Morrison: HOLD OUT PISTOL!!
He covers as Steve Tyrell makes the count…
ONE…
TW-
ROUSAKIS BREAKS THE PIN!!
Steve Morrison: Zoi taking no chances!
Cross Recoba: It’s dog-eat-dog out there!
Zoi drags Jackalope to the corner and tags herself in.
Steve Morrison: Will she dare get a picture with the clown?
Cross Recoba: You first…
Sticky, now back to his feet turns his attention to Nate on the apron. He reaches out to grab him but Nate tags him out and charges in but Zoi has the drop on him with a drop-toe hold. She keeps a hook on the leg and rolls forward.
Steve Morrison: Nate maybe regretting his decision.
Cross Recoba: He seems to have sacrificed agility for size.
Zoi grabs the arm AND STEPS THROUGH WITH A VICIOUS SISTER ABIGAIL!!!
Steve Morrison: GREEK TRAGEDY!!
Cross Recoba: She PLANTED HIM!
Rousakis looks for the cover … STICKY KNEES HER AS SHE DROPS DOWN! HE GRABS HER HEAD AND WRAPS HIS ARMS AROUND HER STOMACH….LIFTING HER OVER HIS HEAD….
Steve Morrison: Oh no….
Cross Recoba: This could end her career…
GONZO BOMB!!!!!!!!
Steve Morrison: TRAPEZE ACCIDENT!!!
Crowd: HE JUST KILLED HER! *CLAP* *CLAP* *CLAPCLAPCLAP* HE JUST KILLED HER! *CLAP* *CLAP* *CLAPCLAPCLAP* HE JUST KILLED HER! *CLAP* *CLAP* *CLAPCLAPCLAP*
Zoi lands near the ropes and this time it’s Jackalope who benefits as he tags himself in.
Steve Morrison: Why would you risk it right now?
Hartley begins to stir and Sticky the Clown stares blankly at the carnage before him.
Cross Recoba: Is he in a trance?
Seizing the moment, Jackalope grabs the top-rope…
Steve Morrison: What can he do here?
SPRINGBOARD OFF THE TOP-ROPE…
Steve Morrison: No…
OFF THE NIGH-ON EIGHT FOOT SHOULDERS OF STICKY THE CLOWN…
Cross Recoba: OH…MY….GOD….
TRIPLE-JUMP SHOOTING STAR DDT CATCHES THE RISING HARTLEY!!!
Steve Morrison: TRIPLE-JUMP EL-AHRAIRAH DDT!!!!!
Crowd: THAT WAS AWESOME! KID CRYPT-ID! THAT WAS AWESOME! KID CRYPT-ID! THAT WAS AWESOME! KID CRYPT-ID! THAT WAS AWESOME! KID CRYPT-ID!
Jackalope covers…
ONE…
TWO…
THREE!!
Steve Tyrell calls for the bell and tries to raise Jackalope’s arm but the Chaos Bunny has immediately vacated the ring.
Laura Messier: The winner of your opening match via pinfall. KID CRYPTID….JACKALOPE!!!!
Jackalope, now halfway down the ramp, stops exchanging fist bumps and high-fives with the crowd to raise a triumphant arm, happy to be clear of the carnage.
Steve Morrison: What a great win for Jackalope! Being able to pull out a victory in that kind of chaos is definitely a milestone in his short career so far.
Cross Recoba: The critics might wonder how he’d fare against Sticky the Clown in a Singles match but that’s two points in the bag and fifth spot in the rankings protected for tonight.
Steve Morrison: Talking of chaos, Wrestle: UK are hosting an open Tag-Team Gauntlet that’s seen teams like The Black Knife Kabal from JROK and The Sanctuary from SCCW throw their names into hat to compete with Wrestle: UK’s own Donzig-Gun, The Dark Stars, The Glucks and their tag-team champions, The Bastards to name a few.
Cross Recoba: Kalmin Watts continues to try to learn how to wrestle by putting his British Televison triple-threat on the line in a triple-threat match…
Steve Morrison: You might get lucky, he’ll pick up an injury or wear himself out ahead of his match with you in Portland. Topping off the night will be a five-man match to determine who gets the last spot in their Elimination Chamber bout and with Billy Fowler, Wesley Crane, Armand von Krauss and Psychotic Goth involved, it promises to be an action-packed night! Tune in on the XHF Network!
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Steve Morrison: I’ve been told that Close Collins is backstage and we’ll go to him in a minute but Cross, I believe you met with Close and Tuff Collins last week.
The VT switches to a shot of a press room where Tuff Collins puts pen to paper on a contract. His son sits next to him with Cross Recoba behind them as they pose for press shots.
Cross Recoba: It’s a great pick-up and a win-win. Tuff never really made the big leagues when he was more active and this gives him a great opportunity to perform on a bigger stage.
The shot changes to Cross and Tuff shaking hands in front of a Tap Out Wrestling backdrop.
Cross Recoba: It also means that we’ve got another experienced head around here. Jack Diamond is a pro when it comes to dealing with the less-experienced wrestlers but with him being Champion, there’s only so much Jack to go around and that leaves it all on Va’aiga. I won’t knock The Maori but it’s hard to win the press over when you’re dropping MF bombs everywhere! He’s here on a short-term contract for now but we’ll see how it goes.
Steve Morrison: Let’s find out what the Close has in store for us!
The scene cuts to somewhere backstage as Close Collins stands in front of the camera. He has his hoodie on landing just above his eyes.
Close Collins: On the Valentines Day episode of the Gun Show I teamed up with Nate Hartley in a tag team match against the Crinkley Bottom Boys and we got a huge win.
He pauses.
Close Collins: After the match as we celebrated the victory we started talking about tag-team championships. I never really considered myself a tag-team guy. Not that it’s a bad thing at all but when I shut my eyes and imagine the future of my career it’s just me, holding up world championships.
He rubs his hands together and nods as he thinks about it.
Close Collins: But I can’t lie, Nate painted a pretty good picture. Tag team titles sounded great. Not just any tag team titles, but the XHF Tag Team Titles. To go to global heights would be amazing. He sold it well, and to be honest with you, it kind of unlocked this vague memory I have of dreaming of being a tag team champion.
He gives a shrug.
Close Collins: But as things progressed. Nate got a little busy with private matters. And that’s okay. These things happen. But it’s given me time to think about what I’m going to do next. I’ve decided….
Close pulls off his hood.
Close Collins: I'm going for the tag team championships. I know TAP OUT doesn’t have a tag team division so I’ve decided that I'm bringing the XHF Tag Team Championships home to TAP OUT WRESTLING when the shot comes here in August!
The Ballroom crowd pop for the declaration.
Close Collins: But who will my partner be? Well that’s easy. It took me a minute, but that vague childhood memory became clearer and clearer the more I thought about it. See as a kid, I’d day dream and play pretend that I was a tag team champion. And the person holding the other title…is my dad.
With that Tuff Collins walks into the scene. Close turns to look at his dad.
Close Collins: How bout it, pops? You got one last run in you?
Tuff smiles and puts his hand on his sons shoulder.
Tuff Collins: For you Closey, I got enough runs for a marathon!
Tuff turns and faces the camera.
Tuff Collins: THATS RIGHT DUDES! Tuff Collins is finally getting his shot at the big time. AND LET ME TELL YOU BROTHERS! When I come CLANGING AND BANGING down that aisle, you may think I’m old and run down, brother, BUT I'M NOT! I GOT THE POWAH BROTHER! And when the~
He points at himself and Close.
Tuff Collins: THE THROW SHOW!
He nods his head.
Tuff Collins: OOOH YEAH! Comes down to that ring we are going to show you all of that POWAH and then some. RIGHT CLOSE!?
He flexes and looks at Close who is absolutely mortified by his dads eighties outburst.
Close Collins: Right….but we are not going to do promos like that…
Close chuckles and walks off. Tuff watches him go and shrugs.
Tuff Collins: What? That stuff used to kill back in the day!
Tuff chases after Close as the scene fades but block letters fill the scene.
THROW SHOW
DEBUTS
NEXT MONTH!
The screen fades back to ringside.
Steve Morrison: We’ve got Laura in the ring, ready to introduce our next match!
Laura Messier: The following contest is a singles match, scheduled for one fall!
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: Wildcat's been pretty upfront about his thoughts on the match tonight.
Cross Recoba: He's angling for a rematch with Long and he's going to use tonight as the audition!
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: Long put him away in that tag-team match but I don't see Wildcat as a team-player.
Cross Recoba: I'd be inclined to say the same thing but it's part and parcel of being in the sport.
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: With no-one else to rely on in the match, can Wildcat once more stand tall over Tommy?
Cross Recoba: If he can keep his focus, it's a definite possibility. Often I see Capone start something and abandon the plan for no reason. If he can pick a strategy and see it through, he might well be in the Winners' circle tonight.
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: He came agonisingly close to beating Merric last month and I'm sure he'll be wondering if it could have been him main-eventing against Sawyer tonight!
Cross Recoba: He chose a new direction to go in and now is where I think it's starting to pay off.
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 flip off the fans along the way.
Steve Morrison: Less theatrics once the bell rings and a style that is grounded but with higher-impact than before.
Cross Recoba: Exactly and it'll be interesting to see how he matches up against some of the competitors high up in the rankings.
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: Do you think he's looking for that Springboard Knee or the Lariat?
Cross Recoba: I've got to go with the Springboard Knee. It took Thespian out in one hit. The Springboard Somersault Lariat is a great move but Wildcat has too many ways to turn it to his advantage.
Capone leans into his corner of the ring as the pyros fade.
Laura Messier: Introducing first, fighting out of Lexington, Kentucky...he weighs two-hundred-and-eight pounds...he is MR 859...The STONE...COLD...KILLA...WILDCAT...CAPONE!!!
Capone throws his neck from side-to-side, clearly trying to get into the zone.
Laura Messier: And his opponent, 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!!!
A cacophany of boos fill the Lansky Ballroom. Tommy ignores them all as he uses the top-rope to stretch out his arms.
SINGLES MATCH
Wildcat Capone vs Tommy Strychnine
With Laura out of the ring, Rhod Williams brings the two men to the center of the ring.
Steve Morrison: Perhaps a wise choice of official, will let the match flow but is new enough that he doesn’t have a reputation but does have an air of authority to keep the match away from chaos.
Cross Recoba: He came highly-recommended from one of our scouts in the Midlands of England.
Whilst he explains his expectations for the match, the camera pans around to show each fighter’s reaction to the instructions. Wildcat appears to have half an ear open for the instructions, the other is hearing the unusual commotion from the crowd.
Crowd: FUCK HIM UP, WILDCAT! FUCK HIM UP! FUCK HIM UP, WILDCAT! FUCK HIM UP!
Steve Morrison: Unusually, Wildcat has the crowd behind him.
Cross Recoba: This is more a middle finger at Tommy for turning his back on them than it is a support for Capone.
Steve Morrison: He’s built up a fanbase in GUNS Fight Club where his record may not have the best win record but there’s always excitement when he’s in that cage.
Tommy nods as if listening but it all seems to have the effect of telling the match official that he’s going to do whatever he feels like. His eyes bore through Wildcat, the memory of their last match clearly playing into his thoughts.
Steve Morrison: With these two having met before, do the previous matches factor into your preparation and mindset?
Cross Recoba: Of course they do but it’s a balancing act. You’ll always learn more in the ring with someone than you can watching the tapes of their matches but you have to keep your mind open to the possibility that they held something back or learnt something new since the last time you faced off.
With the two men briefed, Rhod sends them back to their corners.
Steve Morrison: A win would do as much for either competitor. Capone has set his sights on Long and Strychnine, he always has the possibility to surprise you. Sometimes I wonder if one of his shortcomings is matching his ability to his opponent’s, If he operated at full-throttle in every match, would we be seeing a new reality for Tommy?
He signals to ringside to start the match
DING! DING! DING!
Capone bursts out of the blocks and immediately levels into Tommy with a series of forearms that drives his opponent back into the ropes. He grabs an arm and looks to send Strych to the ropes…Tommy reverse into a short-arm drop-toe hold.
Steve Morrison: Strych immediately taking the match to the mat.
Cross Recoba: He loves to stand and bang but if I were in his shoes, I’d lean into the technical aspect more.
Steve Morrison: Capone has seen his fair share of grappling inside the cage so that might not be as clear a path as it once was.
Tommy’s moved to a North-South position now and brings Capone up to his knees as a precursor to driving an uppercut into the body of the Lexington rep. He retains a front-facelock as the two men get back to their feet. The Rocker transitions to a hammerlock but doesnt’ rest on it, moving to a side-headlock and then a standing wristlock.
Steve Morrison: Tommy’s Hollywooding.
Showing he’s no slouch, Capone ducks out of the wristlock but keeps an grip on the arm of his opponent and uses it to bring him into a shoulder-block.
Cross Recoba: Great use of wrist-control from Wildcat…
Yanking the arm once more, Capone repeats the move and takes Tommy to his knees.
Steve Morrison: Built like the proverbial outhouse, those shoulder-blocks are going to take their toll on Tommy.
With a stiff pull, Strychnine is back on his feet but Capone changes his grip and now has the arms hooked with his own….HEADBUTT!
Cross Recoba: HUGE connection!
Another sickening thud as another headbutt connects.
Steve Morrison: Tommy might be cut open soon if this continues and that’ll force him to change up his gameplan!
Because they come in threes, another headbutt lands on the forehead of the Rock ‘Em, Sock ‘Em Wrestler.
Cross Recoba: That hairstyle of his might be the only thing stopping him from being busted open.
The Kentucky Brawler picks up Tommy and slams him down onto his back. Capone hits the ropes and Strych picks himself up to plant down in front of the rushing Wildcat. IRN FST comes back off the ropes and Strych leapfrogs him. A third-pass and Tommy grabs the hair of Wildcat and tries to throw him over the ropes but Capone reverses it and Tommy lands on the apron.
Steve Morrison: This could be dangerous territory for both men…
Cross Recoba: It’s a true fifty-fifty right now….
A quick head kick buys Tommy space and he leaps to the ropes…CAPONE CUTS HIM OFF AND CROTCHES HIM ON THE TOP ROPE!
Steve Morrison: Was Strych going for the finish already?
Cross Recoba: We’ve seen how effective it is. He already said he’s looking past this match and down the line, no point dragging out a match…
Grabbing a front-facelock, Wildcat pulls him off the ropes to his feet and lifts a heavy knee into the midsection of Tommy. He follows it up with a European Uppercut…Roaring Elbow….BRAINBUSTER!!
Steve Morrison: Square on his head!
Wildcat goes for the cover…
ONE…
TW-
KICKOUT FROM THE ROCKER!
Cross Recoba: It sounds crazy but Capone needed to help gravity there. Use that hand on the waist to spike your opponent down. Wildcat does that and I reckon the match is done.
Mr. 859 drags Tommy to his feet by his hair, he looks for the Irish Whip but it’s reversed….Tommy locks in a Sleeperhold!
Steve Morrison: Strychnine looks like he’s trying to get his footing back.
Cross Recoba: You know, of all the holds that can put you out in a match a Sleeper gets the worst reputation as a defensive move. He’s got it locked in.
Wildcat tries to walk his way out of the move but Tommy counters, taking a step back. Capone realizes that another step forward would only put him to the mat in the hold.
Steve Morrison: Great footwork from the Rocker.
Cross Recoba: Like I said, he’s not doing this to buy time, this is cutting off the air to Wildcat’s brain. That step back forces Wildcat deeper into the hold.
Reaching out to the ropes that are too far, Wildcat continues to be trapped in the Sleeper. Williams asks him if he wants to submit but the former gangbanger waves him off.
Steve Morrison: One thing that has always been present in Capone’s game is his tenacity. I don’t think we’re going to see him tap.
Cross Recoba: He’s in a bad spot though.
Tommy continues to try and impose his height on his opponent, bearing down his weight and frame on Wildcat.
Steve Morrison: Tommy’s going for the win!
Changing tact, the Kentucky Slugger backs into Tommy and hunkers down….WITH A ROAR HE PUSHES TOMMY BACKWARDS INTO THE TURNBUCKLE TO BREAK THE HOLD….POWERSLAM!!!
Steve Morrison: HUGE reversal!
He holds on for the pin…
ONE…
TWO…
STRYCH GETS AN ARM UP!
Cross Recoba: Again, without the effects of the Sleeper, that’s Game Over.
Grabbing the raised limb, Capone pulls Strych to his feet but the Louisianan pokes a finger into the eye of Wildcat without Williams being able to see.
Steve Morrison: Cheap shot from Tommy.
Cross Recoba: Let Rhod call what he can see.
SIDE RUSSIAN LEGSWEEP!
Steve Morrison: Wildcat’s head bounced off the mat!
Using the hooked leg, Tommy rolls them backwards to their feet and angles an elbow strike upwards into the jaw of Wildcat….Pele Kick!!
Steve Morrison: Great athleticism!
IRN FST still staggers back…STEP-UP ENZIGURI!!
Cross Recoba: Excellent chain of moves to get back on top!
Tommy goes for a quick pin, grabbing the tights of Capone as the crowd boo the shortcut…
ONE..
TW-
KICKOUT!!
Steve Morrison: But even with his ‘assist’ Capone showing no signs of being out of this!
Cross Recoba: IRN FST has an IRN JW!
Wrapping an arm around the head of his opponent, Tommy brings IRN FST back to his feet and repays him with his own knee to the skull of Capone that whiplashes his head into a prime spot for a European Uppercut that forces Wildcat into the corner.
Steve Morrison: Tommy continuing to pepper Wildcat with offense but where’s it leading?
Cross Recoba: It’s more when is it leading to that Springboard V-trigger than anything.
Showcasing his own brawling ability, Tommy alternates between side-elbows and uppercuts that each land squarely on the face of the Kentuckian.
Steve Morrison: We’ve seen Capone ride attacks like this before and win.
Cross Recoba: Tap Out Five against Tommy comes to mind…
Rolling backwards into the center of the ring…HANDSPRING DROPKICK CONNECTS!!
Steve Morrison: But Tommy seems to be picking up the pace and it’s whether the lesser-experienced Capone can keep up!
A CANNONBALL SENTON LANDS!!
Cross Recoba: What makes that combination so formidable is that they’re both fairly unblockable.
Steve Morrison: It’s what follows that’ll concern Capone more.
Cross Recoba: He might have been hit by that but he’s done his scouting…
Tommy rolls Wildcat from the corner and steps through the ropes…
Steve Morrison: You don’t need a playbook to know what’s coming next…
THE ROCKER LEAPS BUT WILDCAT HAS CHARGED TOWARDS HIM AND CATCHES HIM ON HIS SHOULDERS….TOMMY DROPS DOWN THE BACK AND LIFTS WILDCAT FOR THE INVERTED USHIGOROSHI…
Steve Morrison: HOLY DRIVER!!
Cross Recoba: Both men know what to expect!
THIS TIME IT’S CAPONE WHO SLIPS OUT THE BACK….HE DUCKS BETWEEN HIS LEGS AND LIFTS HIM UP, THROWING A LEG OFF HIS SHOULDERS…
Steve Morrison: Could he be going for an Electric Chair Driver?
STRYCH ESCAPES ONCE MORE AND GRABS A WAISTLOCK!!
Cross Recoba: Great defensive work from Wildcat…
GERMAN SUPLEX ATTEMPT BUT CAPONE IS PLANTED, STRYCH RUSHES HIM TO THE ROPES BUT THE KENTUCKIAN HOLDS ON!!
Steve Morrison: Neither man can take advantage…
Cross Recoba: It’s a stalemate but both men are showing that they want to get their name on an event!
WILDCAT CHARGES AT THE STILL RISING TOMMY - YAKUZA KICK!!!
Steve Morrison: GET GOT BREAKS THE DEADLOCK!
Rocked, Tommy gets to his feet on instinct but walks into an Irish Whip that sends him crashing into the turnbuckle.
Cross Recoba: Capone’s shown that he can work an opponent over when trapping them against the cage, can he do it inside the squared circle?
CAPONE FOLLOWS IN WITH A HUGE ELBOW!!.....GUTWRENCH POWERBOMB!!!
Steve Morrison: Planted him with power!
Crowd: GO CAPONE! GO CAPONE! GO CAPONE! GO CAPONE! GO CAPONE!
Taking the crowd at their word, Wildcat hits the ropes…SLIDING CLOTHESLINE CONNECTS!!
Steve Morrison: SLIDING D!
He covers…
ONE…
TWO…
T-
STRYCH KICKS OUT!!!!
Cross Recoba: Tommy’s hanging in there but only just!
Undeterred, Wildcat presses on. He sends Strychnine back into the turnbuckle…HUGE SPLASH IN THE CORNER!!!
Steve Morrison: He’s going for how he beat Tommy way back at Tap Out 5!
Capone lifts Tommy to the top turnbuckle…
Cross Recoba: This IS the end if he nails this….
Climbing to the second turbuckle, IRN FST wraps his arms around Tommy and steps up….TOMMY HEADBUTTS HIM! AND AGAIN! A THIRD SENDS CAPONE DOWN A RUNG….SUNSET FLIP FROM THE TOP!!!
ONE…
TWO…
KICKOUT FROM CAPONE!!
Steve Morrison: WHAT AN ESCAPE!
Cross Recoba: WHAT A KICK-OUT!
The cameras show the look of disgust on Tommy’s face. He picks up Wildcat and delivers a rabbit punch to the throat of his opponent…Inverted Fireman’s Carry….INVERTED USHIGOROSHI!!!
Steve Morrison: Now he gets the Holy Driver!
Once more Tommy goes to the outside but this time he flips himself over the ropes and charges….
CAPONE CONNECTS WITH A ROARING ELBOW!!!!
Cross Recoba: MATCH-SAVING COUNTER!
SAITO SUPLEX!!!
Steve Morrison: JUICY!!
He hooks a leg…
ONE…
TWO…
THRE-
SOMEHOW STRYCH SURVIVES!!!!
Steve Morrison: Rhod Williams saw the slimmest of daylight but it’s enough to keep this one going.
Crowd: ONE LESS BITCH! ONE LESS BITCH! ONE LESS BITCH!!
Cross Recoba: And the Lansky Ballroom have voted for what they want to see like we’re at the Colisseum.
Steve Morrison: With the amount of damage Strych’s head and neck have taken, that Rolling Koppu Kick they’re calling for would do it.
Capone feeds off the chants and lifts up Tommy to his feet before lifting him up in a back suplex….
Cross Recoba: He’s looking for Protect Ya Neck!
RANA FROM STRYCHNINE!!!
Steve Morrison: OUT THE BACK DOOR AGAIN!
With Capone draped over the ropes from the rana, Tommy rushes towards him….TIGER FEINT KICK!!!
Steve Morrison: STRYCH-ONE-NINE!
TOMMY SPRINGS OFF THE TOP ROPE!!!!
Cross Recoba: HERE IT CO-
CAPONE CATCHES HIM ON HIS SHOULDERS….DEATH VALLEY DRIVER!!!!!!!!
Steve Morrison: WHEELZ OF STEEL!!!
The pin…
ONE…
TWO…
THRE-
SOMEHOW STRYCH TWISTS HIS BODY OUT OF THE PIN!!
Cross Recoba: Tommy’s on his last legs. That was barely a kickout. He can’t take another move like that!
Capone wraps his arms around Tommy as he lifts him up…
Steve Morrison: Can he get To Pimp a Butterfly?
STRYCH HIDES A KNEE TO THE GROIN! A HEADBUTT FREES HIS ARMS AND SHORT-ARM V-TRIGGER STAGGERS WILDCAT….KOTARO CRUSHER!!!!
Cross Recoba: That leapfrog Bulldog gets him out of trouble!
Strychnine climbs between the ropes…SLINGSHOT SPRINGBOARD V-TRIGGER CONNECTS!
Steve Morrison: KISS ME DEADLY!!!
Hooking the leg he makes the pin.
ONE…
TWO…
THREE!!!
Rhod Williams calls for the bell!
Laura Messier: Your winner of this match via pinfall, TOMMY!!! STRYCHNINE!!
Steve Morrison: What a performance from both men!
Cross Recoba: But Tommy gets his arm raised tonight!
Steve Morrison: Wildcat put in a performance that on another night would get him the win but it does show signs that he’s developing into one to watch in 2023!
Cross Recoba: For sure. But, if anything, I see it more that he’s getting more consistent. We knew when we signed him the talent was there but now it’s about producing performances like this and exceeding them over time. If he does that, the wins will follow.
Steve Morrison: Strych though will hope to build from this and with that V-Trigger proving to be the difference-maker once more it could be a very interesting year for the Rock ‘Em, Sock ‘Em Rocker!
The house lights go down as all attention is drawn toward the video screen.
Tap Out Wrestling 3 - May 1st, 2022
Jack Diamond: And I have arrived here in Tap Out. Here in beautiful Las Vegas, my new home. I made it clear that my appearance in the XHF Rumble was not just some nostalgia act. I am back. 100 percent. Since there was no AWF to turn too... no AXW... I was realistically left with two choices. A gym in Atlanta... God, I hate the Braves... or a Casino in Las Vegas... hmmm
Jack taps his chin sarcastically.
Jack Diamond: Was there even a doubt? Sure, The Sands... it's no Diamond Club... but it will be every time I am in that ring. And boy, will I be in that ring a lot. I want to go ahead and put all the boys and girls in the back on notice... An Icon is here, and shit just got real. I'm not here to be a special attraction... I have my eyes set on one thing, and one thing only... The TOW Openweight Championship.
Jack smiles again as the scene fades and the camera opens back up to a stunned but clearly intrigued Steven Morrison and a smirking Cross Recoba.
Steve Morrison: YOU'RE KIDDING ME!
Cross Recoba: Not even in the slightest, Steve! I went to the Rumble and put Zoran on notice but that was the perfect smokescreen for what took place outside of the ring at the Rumble. We've got Jack Diamond, another of the Icons, and a two-time X*Crown Champion in Tap Out!
Steve Morrison: With just two shows to make the tournament, can he make a late entrance and crash it?
Jack Diamond: And I have arrived here in Tap Out. Here in beautiful Las Vegas, my new home. I made it clear that my appearance in the XHF Rumble was not just some nostalgia act. I am back. 100 percent. Since there was no AWF to turn too... no AXW... I was realistically left with two choices. A gym in Atlanta... God, I hate the Braves... or a Casino in Las Vegas... hmmm
Jack taps his chin sarcastically.
Jack Diamond: Was there even a doubt? Sure, The Sands... it's no Diamond Club... but it will be every time I am in that ring. And boy, will I be in that ring a lot. I want to go ahead and put all the boys and girls in the back on notice... An Icon is here, and shit just got real. I'm not here to be a special attraction... I have my eyes set on one thing, and one thing only... The TOW Openweight Championship.
Jack smiles again as the scene fades and the camera opens back up to a stunned but clearly intrigued Steven Morrison and a smirking Cross Recoba.
Steve Morrison: YOU'RE KIDDING ME!
Cross Recoba: Not even in the slightest, Steve! I went to the Rumble and put Zoran on notice but that was the perfect smokescreen for what took place outside of the ring at the Rumble. We've got Jack Diamond, another of the Icons, and a two-time X*Crown Champion in Tap Out!
Steve Morrison: With just two shows to make the tournament, can he make a late entrance and crash it?
The opening riff of “Psycho In My Head” by Skillet plays out as the video package continues showing highlights from Jack’s debut match in Tapout Wrestling.
Tap Out Wrestling 4 - May 22nd, 2022
Steve Morrison: Could it be…
FOUR-FUCKING-FIFTY SPLASH!!!
Steve Morrison: SHUFFLE DECK!
Cross Recoba: The fans are loving this, they’ve broken out the White Stripes!
Crowd: WOAHH, JACK FUCK-ING DIA-MOND! WOAHH, JACK FUCK-ING DIAMOND!!
Steve Morrison: Could it be…
FOUR-FUCKING-FIFTY SPLASH!!!
Steve Morrison: SHUFFLE DECK!
Cross Recoba: The fans are loving this, they’ve broken out the White Stripes!
Crowd: WOAHH, JACK FUCK-ING DIA-MOND! WOAHH, JACK FUCK-ING DIAMOND!!
This is the face, I hate the other side of me,
Out of this cage He breaks to take the life from me
Tell me, tell me, tell me, I’m not crazy
Tap Out Wrestling 5 - July 23rd, 2022
Close plants his good foot on the bottom rope. Then he places his bad leg on that rope, struggling with the pressure and the pain. Taking his sweet time he moves onto the second rope, letting out a howl of pain as he is forced to place all his weight on the injury for just the briefest of seconds. Close grunts, shaking his head furiously and begins rhythmically slapping the top turnbuckle to psyche himself up for the rest of the climb. Finally, with no small effort he reaches the top and turns, looking down at where Jack Diamond is…
AND WHERE JACK DIAMOND IS, IS RUSHING AT HIM WITH A DROPKICK TO THE LEG! CLOSE DROPS DOWN TO A SEATED POSITION BUT THAT’S JUST WHERE JACK DIAMOND WANTS HIM! DIAMOND STRETCHES CLOSE’S BODY OUT FROM THE ROPES, LOCKS IN THE THREE QUARTER FACELOCK AND JUMPS OUT OF THE CORNER, IMPACTING CLOSE’S CHIN ONTO THE ICON’S SHOULDER!
Cross Recoba: And THERE’S the Stacked Deck.
Steve Morrison: STACKED DECK! STACKED DECK!
Jack thinks for the briefest of seconds about going for the pin but instead rolls Close Collins’ legs well away from the ropes and locks in that Figure Four, pretty damn snappily.
Steve Morrison: ACES WILD!
And given the effort of the match and the laser focus Diamond has had on his leg, Collins has no other choice and he furiously pounds the mat.
Close plants his good foot on the bottom rope. Then he places his bad leg on that rope, struggling with the pressure and the pain. Taking his sweet time he moves onto the second rope, letting out a howl of pain as he is forced to place all his weight on the injury for just the briefest of seconds. Close grunts, shaking his head furiously and begins rhythmically slapping the top turnbuckle to psyche himself up for the rest of the climb. Finally, with no small effort he reaches the top and turns, looking down at where Jack Diamond is…
AND WHERE JACK DIAMOND IS, IS RUSHING AT HIM WITH A DROPKICK TO THE LEG! CLOSE DROPS DOWN TO A SEATED POSITION BUT THAT’S JUST WHERE JACK DIAMOND WANTS HIM! DIAMOND STRETCHES CLOSE’S BODY OUT FROM THE ROPES, LOCKS IN THE THREE QUARTER FACELOCK AND JUMPS OUT OF THE CORNER, IMPACTING CLOSE’S CHIN ONTO THE ICON’S SHOULDER!
Cross Recoba: And THERE’S the Stacked Deck.
Steve Morrison: STACKED DECK! STACKED DECK!
Jack thinks for the briefest of seconds about going for the pin but instead rolls Close Collins’ legs well away from the ropes and locks in that Figure Four, pretty damn snappily.
Steve Morrison: ACES WILD!
And given the effort of the match and the laser focus Diamond has had on his leg, Collins has no other choice and he furiously pounds the mat.
I’m closer to the edge
Makin’ me feel like I’m livin’ in
Misery, misery
Tap Out Wrestling 6 - August 28th, 2022
...BUT JACK DIAMOND OVER ROTATES AND FLIPS OUT OF THE MOVE! 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!
...BUT JACK DIAMOND OVER ROTATES AND FLIPS OUT OF THE MOVE! 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!
These voices in my brain
Startin’ to feel like it’s gonna be the death of me
Death of me
There’s a psycho in my, there’s a psycho in my-
Tap Out Wrestling 7 - October 2nd, 2022
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!!!!
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!!!!
I’m not crazy, I’m not crazy,
Though I might be
Tap Out Wrestling 8 - November 13th, 2022
Rat Bastard has Diamond set up a Crucifix Powerbomb. The crowd noise increasing doesn’t tip the hat of the Awesome Bastard. MERRIC CLUBS HIM IN THE HEAD FROM BEHIND…RIPCORD LARIAT!!
Steve Morrison: TARGET NEUTRALIZED!!
Ratty gets to his feet on adrenaline alone but it’s clear he’s only with us physically…LEAPING STACKED DECK FROM DIAMOND!!
Steve Morrison: The roof is threatening to come off here in the Lansky Ballroom!
Rat Bastard has Diamond set up a Crucifix Powerbomb. The crowd noise increasing doesn’t tip the hat of the Awesome Bastard. MERRIC CLUBS HIM IN THE HEAD FROM BEHIND…RIPCORD LARIAT!!
Steve Morrison: TARGET NEUTRALIZED!!
Ratty gets to his feet on adrenaline alone but it’s clear he’s only with us physically…LEAPING STACKED DECK FROM DIAMOND!!
Steve Morrison: The roof is threatening to come off here in the Lansky Ballroom!
I’m closer to the edge
Makin’ me feel like I’m livin’ in misery, misery
Tap Out Wrestling 9 - December 11th, 2022
SAWYER STAGGERS BACK BUT IS INTENT ON STAYING ON THEIR FEET!
Steve Morrison: Look at the heart on Sawyer!
STANDING STACKED DECK!!
Steve Morrison: STACKED DECK!
Cross Recoba: He didn’t come out of that unscathed…
Diamond holds his arm, clearly in pain and rolls to his feet.
Steve Morrison: Does he know it’s not enough?
He heads up top….
Cross Recoba: He’s making sure and going for broke in the process…
COUP DE GRACE!!
Steve Morrison: JACKPOT!!!
Now he makes the cover…
ONE…
TWO…
THREE!!
SAWYER STAGGERS BACK BUT IS INTENT ON STAYING ON THEIR FEET!
Steve Morrison: Look at the heart on Sawyer!
STANDING STACKED DECK!!
Steve Morrison: STACKED DECK!
Cross Recoba: He didn’t come out of that unscathed…
Diamond holds his arm, clearly in pain and rolls to his feet.
Steve Morrison: Does he know it’s not enough?
He heads up top….
Cross Recoba: He’s making sure and going for broke in the process…
COUP DE GRACE!!
Steve Morrison: JACKPOT!!!
Now he makes the cover…
ONE…
TWO…
THREE!!
These voices in my brain
Starin’ to feel like it’s gonna be the death of me, death of me
Tap Out Wrestling 10 - January 8th, 2023
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.
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.
There’s a psycho in my head
(Livin’ in misery, misery, insane)
There’s a psycho in my head
(Gonna be the death of me, death of me)
XHF Presents: Supremacy - January 29th 2023
Jack Diamond stands and he turns to face the pile where The Catalyst is laying. As Long slowly stands, a pained expression on his face, Jack slaps his thigh two, three times. And that can only signal one thing…
JACK DIAMOND COCKS HIS LEG BACK AND ATTEMPTS TO STUFF HIS BOOT INTO JASON LONG’S SKULL!
Steve Morrison: ICONKICK!
LONG WOBBLES AND STUMBLES BACK A FEW STEPS AND JACK STRIDES FORWARD, COCKS HIS LEG BACK, FIRING IT OFF AT A DOWNWARDS ANGLE INTO THE SHIN OF JASON LONG’S RECENTLY INJURED LEG!
Steve Morrison: ICONKICK TO THE SHIN!
NOW LONG DROPS TO A KNEE, SHOCKED BY THE IMPACT OF THAT LAST KICK. JACK FUUUUUUUUUUCKING DIAMOND REARS THAT LEG BACK ONE MORE TIME…. ICONKICK TO THE FACE OF THE KNEELING JASON LONG!
Steve Morrison: AND ONE MORE ICONKICK!
Bobby Barratt is in position to count the cover attempt…
ONE!
TWO!
THREE!
Steve Morrison: JACK DIAMOND HAS DONE IT! HE’S RESET THE BRACKET!
Cross Recoba: Now the hard work sets in. Now he has to beat Jason Long AGAIN to win that belt.
.
.
.
...AND LONG’S LEG BUCKLES TRYING TO THROW THE KICK! JACK DIAMOND CONNECTS, MAYBE NOT FLUSH BUT ENOUGH TO SEND JASON LONG REELING.
Steve Morrison: THEY BOTH WENT FOR THE ICONKICK!
Cross Recoba: But unlike their last meeting, only one man hit the target.
Jack doesn’t even bother to cover, he just hauls Jason Long off the mat and grabs him, walking The Catalyst to a corner. Diamond deposits Long on the top rope and STARTS ASCENDING THE TURNBUCKLE HIMSELF. With both men positioned on the top rope, Jack turns, facing inwards towards the ring and hooks in that three quarter-facelock. He pauses for a second before LEAPING OFF INTO THE RING, IMPACTING LONG’S HEAD ON HIS SHOULDER…
Steve Morrison: SKYSCRAPER STACKED DECK!
Crowd: HO-LY SHIT! HO-LY SHIT!
Diamond covers…
ONE!
TWO!
THREE!
Steve Morrison: WHAT A FINISH! WHAT A CONTEST!
Cross Recoba: Let’s throw this to Laura before you blow your vocal cords out.
Laura Messier: The winner of this match and the inaugural Tap Out Wrestling Openweight Champion…JAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK DIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIAMOND!
Bobby Barratt raises Jack’s hand as the cheers of the fans rain down from every corner. Cross Recoba steps out from behind the announce table and presents the belt to Jack who collapses to his knees in sheer exhaustion.
Jack Diamond stands and he turns to face the pile where The Catalyst is laying. As Long slowly stands, a pained expression on his face, Jack slaps his thigh two, three times. And that can only signal one thing…
JACK DIAMOND COCKS HIS LEG BACK AND ATTEMPTS TO STUFF HIS BOOT INTO JASON LONG’S SKULL!
Steve Morrison: ICONKICK!
LONG WOBBLES AND STUMBLES BACK A FEW STEPS AND JACK STRIDES FORWARD, COCKS HIS LEG BACK, FIRING IT OFF AT A DOWNWARDS ANGLE INTO THE SHIN OF JASON LONG’S RECENTLY INJURED LEG!
Steve Morrison: ICONKICK TO THE SHIN!
NOW LONG DROPS TO A KNEE, SHOCKED BY THE IMPACT OF THAT LAST KICK. JACK FUUUUUUUUUUCKING DIAMOND REARS THAT LEG BACK ONE MORE TIME…. ICONKICK TO THE FACE OF THE KNEELING JASON LONG!
Steve Morrison: AND ONE MORE ICONKICK!
Bobby Barratt is in position to count the cover attempt…
ONE!
TWO!
THREE!
Steve Morrison: JACK DIAMOND HAS DONE IT! HE’S RESET THE BRACKET!
Cross Recoba: Now the hard work sets in. Now he has to beat Jason Long AGAIN to win that belt.
.
.
.
...AND LONG’S LEG BUCKLES TRYING TO THROW THE KICK! JACK DIAMOND CONNECTS, MAYBE NOT FLUSH BUT ENOUGH TO SEND JASON LONG REELING.
Steve Morrison: THEY BOTH WENT FOR THE ICONKICK!
Cross Recoba: But unlike their last meeting, only one man hit the target.
Jack doesn’t even bother to cover, he just hauls Jason Long off the mat and grabs him, walking The Catalyst to a corner. Diamond deposits Long on the top rope and STARTS ASCENDING THE TURNBUCKLE HIMSELF. With both men positioned on the top rope, Jack turns, facing inwards towards the ring and hooks in that three quarter-facelock. He pauses for a second before LEAPING OFF INTO THE RING, IMPACTING LONG’S HEAD ON HIS SHOULDER…
Steve Morrison: SKYSCRAPER STACKED DECK!
Crowd: HO-LY SHIT! HO-LY SHIT!
Diamond covers…
ONE!
TWO!
THREE!
Steve Morrison: WHAT A FINISH! WHAT A CONTEST!
Cross Recoba: Let’s throw this to Laura before you blow your vocal cords out.
Laura Messier: The winner of this match and the inaugural Tap Out Wrestling Openweight Champion…JAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK DIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIAMOND!
Bobby Barratt raises Jack’s hand as the cheers of the fans rain down from every corner. Cross Recoba steps out from behind the announce table and presents the belt to Jack who collapses to his knees in sheer exhaustion.
Back in the Lanksy Ballroom, the lights go out again as the screen fades out on Jack’s victory that laid claim to the Tapout Wrestling Openweight Championship. The music begins to die down as a “Diamond Club” chant breaks out before:
LEGENDARY!
A deafening thunder of pyro explodes sending the crowd into an absolute frenzy.
Jack Diamond emerges on the stage with a huge grin on his face, nodding his head to the beat of the music. His jacket is fastened and he toys with the zipper. Halfway down, he looks up to the crowd, mouthing the words “I told you, this was all mine!” He unzips the jacket the rest of the way and throws it open revealing the Tap Out Wrestling Openweight Championship around his waist. The fans pop even louder as the champion begins to make his way to the ring acknowledging the fans as only Jack Diamond can do, stopping to show off the belt several times.
Steve Morrison: Well, there he is Cross, our first crowned champion here at The Sands.
Cross Recoba: If you had any doubt that Jack Diamond would find himself in this situation, you would only need to consult him and he would have told you it was a sure bet. I’ll admit, it was that confidence, that ability, that made signing him a no brainer, Steve.
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. He reaches down and unclasps the belt, taking it from around his waist and holding it high above his head as the flashes of pyro dance off the beautiful metal.
-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh, legendary
Steve Morrison: He’s all smiles tonight, but what a road it was to get here?
Cross Recoba: He knew what he was signing up for and I would bet that while he would have rather had things fall a lot differently in some areas, this was at least how he pictured spending the Tap Out after Supremacy, title in hand.
Jack jumps down into the ring and heads to the center before raising the belt again with two hands to loud cheers. He slings the title over his shoulder and walks towards the ropes retrieving a microphone. The music fades and as he looks around, making his way back to the center of the ring, he raises the mic, but pauses as loud chants ring out. Jack smiles.
Jack Diamond: You know… I get called a lot of things. An Icon. The Ace of Spades. Psycho, Great, Overrated, One of the GOATs, A fake…
The crowd cheers in agreement with the good names, booing for the bad names as Jack looks around and nods his head.
Jack Diamond: It’s true. No matter where you turn, or who you talk to, everyone has an opinion of Jack Diamond. That’s ok, they are entitled to their own opinion and they can call me whatever they want. Tonight though, the only thing they can call me…
Jack smiles and once again holds the title up in the air.
Jack Diamond: Champion.
Another loud pop.
Crowd: YOU DESERVE IT! *CLAP* *CLAP* *CLAPCLAPCLAP* YOU DESERVE IT! *CLAP* *CLAP* *CLAPCLAPCLAP* YOU DESERVE IT! *CLAP* *CLAP* *CLAPCLAPCLAP* YOU DESERVE IT! *CLAP* *CLAP* *CLAPCLAPCLAP* YOU DESERVE IT! *CLAP* *CLAP* *CLAPCLAPCLAP*
Jack bows his head to the crowd in appreciation and paces the ring a moment before continuing.
Jack Diamond: It was almost ten months ago that I popped up on that screen and told you all what I planned to do. I planned on making this run, this “comeback” if you will, a thing of legend. I planned on making it the best stretch of my career. Now, I stand here holding my first ever Fed championship while in XHF. Let that sink in… all the global accolades and your boy just one his first fed specific title!
Jack is all smiles as the fans cheer him on. He takes a deep breath and the smile fades. He looks down at the title and a solemn look washes over his face.
Jack Diamond: It was supposed to feel different though. No, don’t get me wrong... I’m damn proud of this, what I’ve accomplished, and certainly proud to be the face of this company. I was supposed to share this moment with my family though. WIth friends. Instead, they’ve been ripped from me by some prick that if it wasn’t due to his suspension, I’d put an end to him tonight. I’m not going to give him the satisfaction though to even bring up his name. I choose, instead, to look to the future. To fight my way not only back into my family's life, but to fight every chance I get for this company. Where do we go from here though?
Jack ponders the question as the crowd buzzes. He pretends to be trying to hear everything they are shouting.
Jack Diamond: Jackalope? Yeah there is Jackalope. He looked pretty impressive tonight. A catch Jack versus Jackalope billing has to be in the cards, right Cross? Practically sells itself. We are similar sizes and can straight up go in the ring. Yeah… could be a fun time. He also happens to be the highest ranking competitor outside of Mav, who no doubt would be ready to run it back once more and of course he who must not be named.
Jack pauses again and ultimately plays up a fake shiver to the crowd but for a brief moment before you could tell the look of concern flash in his eyes as they darted to the shadows of the Ballroom.
Jack Diamond: instead of a third match up with the likes of Jason Long, Close Collins and… others… I think it's important to keep things fresh. Random even…McConalogue that is. Random is off to quite the impressive start in Tap out and her Dice Roll… there's something impressive about it. Oh or maybe my GFC teammate, the Aussie Assassin? He's a fighter that no matter how cool we've been with each other so far, would absolutely throw down with me in this ring. You fans would damn sure get your money worth in that match.
The crowd cheers at the match up between the two Team Black members as a GFC chant breaks out. It's hushed as Jack continues.
Jack Diamond: How about another match against Aiden's opponent tonight, Sam Sawyer? They gave me a good run last time. Or… I know! The boss himself, Mr. Recoba… how about that dream match up? Eh, boss?
Jack winks at Cross who just grins a bit and shakes his head as the roof almost comes unglued. Jack is all smiles now and mirrors Cross, shaking his head as well.
Jack Diamond: At the end of the day, it doesn't really matter. This company has fifteen worthy competitors and that's what I love about Tap Out. You can stick any one of them in this ring with me and we will make magic. That's for another day, tonight we party. I want all you fans to enjoy this show then come down to my place and lets have a real party. Drinks on me!
The crowd begins their "Diamond Club" chants again. Jack walks back to the ropes and looks at Cross with a smirk on his face.
Jack Diamond: You too boss, you're invited too. Then tomorrow we can handle business because you can stick any of them in this ring with me…. ANY of them, boss, and the results will be the same. Jack Fucking Diamond…. Tap Out Openweight Champion!
"Legendary" by Skillet explodes from the speakers once more as Jack tosses the mic down and exits the ring, throwing the championship back over his shoulder. He walks past Cross and Steve Morrison, smirking on his way to the back.
Steve Morrison: What a way to put the roster on notice! Cross, it seems that no matter who he face - Jack Diamond is confident that he's coming out the other side with that title still around his waist!
Cross Recoba: That's true and I know we've already got a shortlist of challengers lined up to test his theory including some he left out of his speech.
Steve Morrison: So, you're not tempted to throw your hat in the ring?
Cross Recoba: I said when this place was set up that it'd take something spectacular or spectacularly dire for me to get into my own ring. The only Champion outside of Dylan Black that should be looking over his shoulder for me has a beard and Guest Passes for Anaheim, Orlando, Paris and Shanghai!
Steve Morrison: Whoever Jack faces, they'll have their work cut out for them and now that main-event we see later could have far more severe implications than at the start of the night!
Cross Recoba: Who knows! We're almost spoiled for who to pit against the Champion!
Steve Morrison: We'll be back after this inter-
Cross Recoba: Shit....
Steve Morrison: Is everything okay?
Cross Recoba: It seems one of our Security Guards was jumped during Diamond's speech. I need to go see what's happening.
The sound of a headset being removed is heard.
Steve Morrison: Fans, we'll be back after a short interval. If Poena's responsible for this, the punishment may be far worse than a one show ban and I wouldn't trust the Director of Digital Manipulation to go quietly into the night either!
Catch the replay on the LWA Alliance site
HALF-TIME SHOW
We return from the half-time break to ringside.
Steve Morrison: We're back and ready for the second half of what is turning out to be a great event.
Cross Recoba: I'm just glad that the Security Guard wasn't attacked by Poena. A drunken tourist didn't like that he'd had a bad night at the tables. Not ideal but better than having to deal with the absolute hailstorm of Poena-related shi-
Cross is cut off by the heavy strums to the guitar from the intro of HALESTORM’S Psycho Crazy. The curtains atop the ramp are separated, and Dylan Black walks from the back!
Steve Morrison: What a surprise! The reigning XHF X*Crown Champion is in the house!
Cross Recoba: Dylan Black is taking the time out of his busy schedule as champion to come out here to TAP OUT Wrestling! The purpose of this visit, I’ve got no idea. But when he reached out for some TV Time I knew I had to jump at the opportunity to let the champ come to my house!
Dressed in the finest black suit he owns, the white strap and golden plates of the X*Crown are standing out around his waist. He washes in the mixed reaction from the Las Vegas crowd and saunters down to the ring, walking up the steps and brushing his feet off on the apron before stepping through the ropes. Dylan looks around at the crowd all smiles before he’s handed a microphone.
Dylan Black: Las Vegas… TAP OUT… how’re we doing tonight?
The crowd roars in response.
Dylan Black: That’s great to hear. Keep it up, guys. Now, we’re about sixty-something days away from one of the biggest XHF Network events of the year. The RUMBLE! Everybody loves the Rumble! I love it so much I’ve never missed one. But this year might be the first year that I’m contracted and obligated to join the Rumble. This title here… it’s the key to the universe baby. You hold this title, you are Public Enemy #1 to every other wrestler in the industry.
Cross Recoba: I believe Dylan is Public Enemy #1 for other reasons, not just for being X*Crown Champion.
Steve Morrison: Shh, let him talk, boss!
Dylan Black: But yeah. The Rumble is coming up. And every Tom, Dick and Hardcore Harry is invited to the biggest party of the Spring. In fact, I encourage it. Everyone in the back there should be signing up because TAP OUT has been lacking in the global representation department.
The TAP OUT faithful boo a bit.
Dylan Black: You boo but it’s true. But not regarding the last Rumble, I didn’t watch it to see what the representation was like, let’s recap. Jack Diamond tied at Overheated to get into the Night of Champions main event, which he lost. Jack Diamond lost to me at the End of Days tournament. Poena lost to my team at Battle for Hegemony. I manipulated Jason Long to a DQ finish weeks ago on the GUNS Show… and let’s be real, Jack and Jason are at every global event. Poena is one of the few TAP OUT homegrown guys to try his hand at a global show!
He turns his attention to the ramp, speaking directly to the TAP OUT roster.
Dylan Black: Call this a call to arms, a plea, whatever. I am urging all of this roster to come and try their hand at taking the X*Crown. This is the one event where you just have to toss someone over the ropes. No pins are necessary. Just toss or be tossed. And frankly, it’s the only way most of this roster will come close to winning the X*Crown anyway.
Cross Recoba: Oh come on! That was uncalled for!
Steve Morrison: The disrespect to our roster makes me sick.
Cross Recoba: Dylan could do with spending some time watching our shows so he can see what a real wrestling show looks like. Lord knows he’s never worked one.
Dylan Black: So come one! Come all! To the XHF Rumble, I cordially invite the TAP OUT Roster… to their downfall.
The crowd continued to boo a little, but the sound of a door swung open in the back of the ballroom, and that’s when the camera tries to focus on where the sound comes from– and that’s when we see Jason Long rushing through the crowd!
Steve Morrison: Well, he’s not going to wait until March to show back up in the ballroom again, Jason Long is back and he’s gunning for the X*Crown Champion!
Cross Recoba: You heard what Dylan said moments ago, he manipulated Jason into disqualifying himself and losing out on a chance to become X*Crown Champion for the second time.
Long leaps over the metal barricade and rushes into the ring, Dylan drops the championship and the brawl begins between the two! Black and Long do not hold back on beating the hell out of one another and Dylan gets the upper hand almost immediately, continuously kicking Long in the stomach before throwing him into the ropes, forcing him to rebound, but Long counters with a rebounding Stardust Breaker! The highly impactful Swinging Back Elbow knocks Dylan out cleanly as he rolls out of the ring to try and recover. Long is seething as he looks to go back out to get Dylan and finish what he should’ve started at the GUNS Show. However, Jason scrambled around the ring to pick up the microphone that Dylan had moments prior.
Jason Long: Have you any idea how many days that have passed since that night me and you faced? Have you any fucking clue how many days I have sat back and waited for a moment where I could get my hands on you? When word got around that you might’ve been in Las Vegas? I had to show the fuck up when I had zero intention on doing so because you know why? BECAUSE I WANT TO FUCKING KILL YOU, CUNT!
Jason stepped onto the ropes and shouted down the microphone, staring into the eyes of the champion.
Jason Long: So, I will make sure that I do not let the same mistake fool me once again, Dylan. You became lucky because of your manipulation but when I become the manipulator? There will be violence you’ve never ever seen before in your life, Dylan. Unforeseen violence that will only KILL YOU IN TRYING, Dylan. March 17th. The Saint Patrick’s Day special for GUNS. X*Crown Championship on the line. There will be a winner, there will not be any way of cheating, you will not find a way out unless you beat me to near death, and you will fight this alone and without the need to get someone else involved, Dylan.
A pause. A deep breath taken from Jason before screaming down the microphone.
Jason Long: Unsanctioned fuckin’ rules. One way in, one way out, and someone’s going to walk into the Rumble match as X*Crown Champion.
Dylan lays on the mat, gasping and grinning at Jason. He nods and spits blood at the challenger, which prompts Jason to kick him once more and grab the X*Crown Championship, raising it high above Dylan’s head.
Cross Recoba: The gauntlet has been laid out, and the challenge accepted! Jason Long will once again try his hand at taking the XHF X*Crown Championship from Dylan Black! Only on the March edition of the GUNS Show!
Steve Morrison: Bring it home Jay!
Voiceover: TONIGHT…TWO HEAVY-HITTERS MEET!
Aiden Merric:The trophy I desire, the respect I crave, the success I want … is not within cooee. I refuse to believe my skills have fallen so far over one calendar year. Nah, I’ve come millions of clicks from AWF to REIGN to TAPOUT, I’ve given too much, I’ve bottled my blood’s worth. I am not going to stop until I get the recognition due a top talent like myself. Lord knows, I ain’t about to start doubting myself, not my style.
Taking this chance Aiden pulls brass knucks from a hidden pocket in his bandolier. He climbs to the top rope and turns around. Spike spins … Aiden leaps!
Cross Recoba: No this can’t be!
Steve Morrison: What an ending!
Aiden leaps off the top rope and clobbers Spike with a top rope brass knuckle diving punch. Spike goes down hard, blood pouring from his forehead. Aiden quickly slides the knucks out of the ring. He is slow to cover.
ONE!
TWO!
THRE-Spike somehow kicks out.
Aiden breathes heavily and looks at the ref in disbelief. Aiden grabs the arm of Spike and hauls the limp body to its feet. Spike reacts with a headbutt on instinct. Aiden stumbles. Spike goes for a clothesline! Aiden catches the wrist and ducks under the arm, he holds the arm and yanks back … ripcord lariat!!!
Steve Morrison: TARGET NEUTRALIZED! He connected finally!
Aiden drops into a pin.
ONE!
TWO!
THREE!
Cross Recoba: No this can’t be!
Steve Morrison: What an ending!
Aiden leaps off the top rope and clobbers Spike with a top rope brass knuckle diving punch. Spike goes down hard, blood pouring from his forehead. Aiden quickly slides the knucks out of the ring. He is slow to cover.
ONE!
TWO!
THRE-Spike somehow kicks out.
Aiden breathes heavily and looks at the ref in disbelief. Aiden grabs the arm of Spike and hauls the limp body to its feet. Spike reacts with a headbutt on instinct. Aiden stumbles. Spike goes for a clothesline! Aiden catches the wrist and ducks under the arm, he holds the arm and yanks back … ripcord lariat!!!
Steve Morrison: TARGET NEUTRALIZED! He connected finally!
Aiden drops into a pin.
ONE!
TWO!
THREE!
Sam Sawyer: When we're in the ring... I won't be a fan anymore. I won't be thinking about... your well-being. If I have to hurt you, and jeopardize your future in the tournament, to help me win... I will…
Steve Morrison: JAMES DRAGON IN A PRECARIOUS POSITION! IT COULD BE TIME FOR THE SAWYERSAULT!
SAWYER JUMPS OFF THE TOP ROPE, BACKFLIPPING IN THE AIR AND ROTATING THEIR BODY SO THEIR CHEST CRASHES DOWN FULL FORCE ONTO THE SMALL OFF JAMES DRAGON’S BACK! THE PAIR COLLAPSE TO THE MAT AND SAWYER HOLDS THEIR RIBS FOR A SHORT SECOND BEFORE FLIPPING DRAGON OVER AND FURTHER FROM THE ROPES BEFORE COVERING…
ONE!
TWO!
THREE
SAWYER JUMPS OFF THE TOP ROPE, BACKFLIPPING IN THE AIR AND ROTATING THEIR BODY SO THEIR CHEST CRASHES DOWN FULL FORCE ONTO THE SMALL OFF JAMES DRAGON’S BACK! THE PAIR COLLAPSE TO THE MAT AND SAWYER HOLDS THEIR RIBS FOR A SHORT SECOND BEFORE FLIPPING DRAGON OVER AND FURTHER FROM THE ROPES BEFORE COVERING…
ONE!
TWO!
THREE
Aiden Merric: I cannot, WILL NOT, be denied a victory to cement myself as the top draw deserving of the title.
MERRIC LIFTS HIM UP!!!
Cross Recoba: What a lift!!
HIGH ANGLE BACKDRIVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
HEADBUTT FROM THE AUSTRALIAN!!
Steve Morrison: BAG AND TAG!!!
THE ROCKER STAGGERS BACK…..CLOTHESLINE FROM HELL!!!
Steve Morrison: CONTRACT FULFILLED!!
Crowd: LARIATOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!
Cross Recoba: What a lift!!
HIGH ANGLE BACKDRIVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
HEADBUTT FROM THE AUSTRALIAN!!
Steve Morrison: BAG AND TAG!!!
THE ROCKER STAGGERS BACK…..CLOTHESLINE FROM HELL!!!
Steve Morrison: CONTRACT FULFILLED!!
Crowd: LARIATOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!
When I'm going at you... I trust you'll know it just means I respect you. But... honestly... this isn't about respect. It isn't about giving the fans their money's worth. It isn't about thanking Tap Out. It isn't about just being happy to be here.
I just... really want to beat you.
Rat Bastard uses the ropes to get to his feet but Sawyer pounces and pushes him into the ropes. Irish whip…Sawyer brings him back and connects with a back elbow!
Steve Morrison: Short-arm back elbow!
Cross Recoba: They’ve stunned him!
STO!
Steve Morrison: THIS CORROSION!!
Cross Recoba: We’ve seen them use this to set-up that moonsault finish of theirs.
The crowd noise grows as Sawyer points to the corner.
Steve Morrison: The fans know that too!
Crowd: SAWYER LOCK! SAWYER LOCK! SAWYER LOCK! SAWYER LOCK! SAWYER LOCK!
Steve Morrison: Short-arm back elbow!
Cross Recoba: They’ve stunned him!
STO!
Steve Morrison: THIS CORROSION!!
Cross Recoba: We’ve seen them use this to set-up that moonsault finish of theirs.
The crowd noise grows as Sawyer points to the corner.
Steve Morrison: The fans know that too!
Crowd: SAWYER LOCK! SAWYER LOCK! SAWYER LOCK! SAWYER LOCK! SAWYER LOCK!
MERRIC VS SAWYER
TONIGHT!
Laura Messier: Welcome back! And now...for our Co-Main Event"
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: Random has been on a tear since she arrived. Putting down Kingsley Solomon in her debut, she then teamed with Jason Long and had her arm raised against Wildcat Capone and the man she has to face tonight, Spike Kane.
Cross Recoba: When we did our scouting ahead of negotiations, the thing that stuck out like a sore thumb was that Catch-as-catch-can style. It's different and, if you're not well-versed in the ring...it's going to catch you out.
The lights reach their full gloom as the bass gliiiides, the drums hit and Random McConalogue appears, a large towel tied to her wrist, swaying as she walks.
Steve Morrison: Spike's been around the ring more than a few times, he's likely seen something like this before but last time out he didn't seem to take her seriously.
Cross Recoba: Big mistake. Even if Spike can bench-press her whilst eating a hoagie in the other hand, you never let a shooter get an opportunity!
Serene and calm, she casually strolls, shoulders lightly oscillating in a slow sync.
Steve Morrison: The occasion doesn't seem to faze her in the slightest!
Cross Recoba: It's why she's two and zip. She'll have done her homework, put in the time in camp to prepare for all that Spike can bring...
Her body is calm and relaxed, like a moonlight walk in the park, but her gaze is fixed, staring at the empty ring/her opposition1 with snake eyes. She's never in a hurry, she doesn't need to be.
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: The crowd can feel the tension tonight. This has the potential to be a HUGE fight for both sides!
Cross Recoba: Random can get a very visible and high profile win. For Spike it's all about getting back to showing people just why Chaos Theory are one of the most feared teams on the Network and why he has been a Champion in almost every company he's competed in!
"GET ON YOUR KNEES AND BOW! DOWN!"
Steve Morrison: It's very much a match where the pressure resides entirely on his shoulders.
Cross Recoba: But that's something we expect he can deal with. Let me clue you in on how this match came to pass. Sure, Random was on the winning team and Spike the losing one but neither were in the deciding fall. If Random didn't put Spike in that hold, the match goes on and who knows, his experience saves the day. When we're putting this match together we're expecting to see sparks fly, we want to know what happens when you distill it to just Random and Kane.
Spike Kane walks through the curtain, rolling his wrists, hand in hand as he heads towards the ring with a single focus.
Steve Morrison: Spike looks like he knows what he has to do. What would you tell him if you were in his corner?
Cross Recoba: I'd only go for that Jackhammer IF Random is out. As long as she's conscious, that move gives her a window to go for those rolling armbars she breathes for!
Laura Messier: Introducing first, to my left...hailing from Glasgow, Scotland. They made weight at one-hundred-and-thirty-six pounds and stand five-feet nine tall. RANDOM.....MCCONALOGUE!!!
Random leans against the ropes, the announcement washing over her as her mind is likely visualizing how she'll break down Spike in the match.
Laura Messier: And her opponent...to my right! Standing at six-feet and two inches and weighing in at two-hundred-and-twenty-nine pounds. He is The God Of Extreme!.....SPIKE.....KANE!!!!
The cameras zoom in and capture a look that manages to fit anger, focus, and determination into one glare.
CO-MAIN EVENT
SINGLES MATCH
Random McConalogue vs Spike Kane
Spike and Random close in on each other as the bell rings. Kane fires off a stiff looking chop but catches nothing but air as the fleet of foot McConalogue hops backwards, not wanting The Blood God to poleaxe her with the knife edge of his mighty palms. The Pillar Of Violence goes for a kick at ankle height but McConalogue is way faster than even the most practised of Spike Kane’s strikes as she jumps a little into the air and lets Spike’s boot whisk a path where he legs were rather than where they are. Spike gets a little turned and Random uses the glimmer of a chance and, upon landing, takes a quick step forward and snags Spike Kane’s meaty left arm. The Graceful Glaswegian cocks her head to a side and smiles a little smile to herself as she wrings Spike’s arm out at the wrist and then does a catlike forward roll, increasing the pressure on the hold.
Steve Morrison: Random McConalogue is so light on her feet. Spike Kane isn’t the most ponderous of wrestlers but Random isn’t in the business of letting Spike connect.
Cross Recoba: If you’re quick and comparatively slight, don’t let Spike tag you. It’s not just sound strategy. It’s the only practical strategy.
Stepping through to release a little of the pressure, Spike Kane grunts, more in disapproval than pain. With a mighty grunt The Blood God tries to pull Random back across himself into a short arm Lariat but Random wheels WITH the direction Spike is going in and wrenches Spike’s arm back into a hammerlock. Twisting Spike’ wrist, Random leans forward, placing her knee into the Irishman’s calf and Spike is forced down to one knee by the carefully applied pressure. Reverting to her usual Mostly Armbars style, Random unwinds Spike’s arm to extend it out a little and as Spike immediately powers up to his feet, McConalogue, anticipating this, leaps into the air and throws her legs around Spike’s other shoulder, falling back into a crucifix pin!
ONE!
TWO!
TH… Spike kicks out and growls.
Steve Morrison: An attempt to steal a victory by McConalogue there.
Cross Recoba: There is no such thing as stealing a win against Spike Kane. You take every win over Spike Kane and you treasure it however it comes.
Spike Kane immediately backs the hell off to allow himself some space as he stands, rolling his left shoulder around in the socket to loosen it off. Spike senses his mercurial opponent approaching and instinctively tightens his guard so as not to leave any loose limbs to be snagged. Random darts in, looking to loosen Spike’s left side with a European Uppercut (possibly a Europese Opstoot?) to the meaty shoulder of the Blood God. Spike emits a low growl and sucks up the blow, keeping his left arm firmly by his side as he spins round and lashes Random’s side with a roundhouse kick. Random judders backwards and Spike goes HAM on the Master of Purposeful Irregularity with sharply delivered kicks, ending his lightning combination with a forceful double palm strike that sends Random directly backwards into the turnbuckles.
Steve Morrison: Oh no. I think the Pillar of Violence is mad.
Cross Recoba: It’s hard to tell. Spike Kane is always a bit salty. That’s just the way he treats life.
The God of Xtreme has his usual look of being permanently peeved very much showing on his face. He marches into the corner, hitting Random with a massive palm heel uppercut which rocks the plucky Scot. There is no Goidelic camaraderie shown as Spike toe kicks Random in the bread basket, causing the irreverent grappler to duck her head and that’s all the invitation Spike needs to stuff her into a standing head scissors, hoist her up and powerbombs her back first into the turnbuckle in two swift, jerky motions. Random slumps down to a seated position and The Blood God backs off to the opposite corner to get the maximum distance on his run up and charges in, SOMERSAULTING FORWARD IN THE AIR WITH A GRACE YOU WOULD NOT EVEN DARE TO IMAGINE HE WAS CAPABLE OFF, SLAMMING HIS BACK INTO McCONALOGUE’S BODY! Spike slings the stunned Scot out of the corner and covers…
ONE!
TWO!
THRE… Random rolls a shoulder up.
Steve Morrison: That was damn close. Spike Kane is responding to the classy mat skills with raw brutality.
Cross Recoba: Spike Kane picks up his mail in the morning with raw brutality. Spike Kane makes a bowl of cornflakes with raw brutality.
Steve Morrison: That, boss, is true.
Cross Recoba: And never, NEVER invite him to pet a kitten.
Wobbly legged, Random works her way back to her feet. Spike is on her in a second, firing off forearm shivers which rock the 5’9 fireball’s head backwards, her head wobbling back and forth under the pressure of Spike’s mighty strikes. Never letting the pressure up, Spike lets the distance slowly increase as he uses some knife edged chops to light up the chest of Random.
Crowd: WOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
Finally Spike lets Random take one last unsteady step backwards and he wheels on the spot once, cracking Random with an almighty Uraken, bouncing his knuckles off the side of her skull. Random staggers back towards the ropes and uncontrollably bounces off them while The Blood God with picture perfect precision uses the spin he’s already started with that backfist to spin again, extending his leg out and up and connecting flush with Random’s jaw with a THUNDEROUS spinning inside crescent kick. Random drops to the mat and Spike covers…
ONE!
TWO!
THRE… Random kicks out.
Steve Morrison: BLOODY SUNDAY! Not enough but that’s usually the prelude to the end…
Cross Recoba: Spike Kane smells blood in the water. Being the God of it, you’d guess he’d know.
Hauling Random off the mat with a surprising ease, Spike Kane applies a front facelock and drapes McConalogue’s arm over his own shoulders. With a disturbing look of finality, Spike stares out into the crowd and slowly draws his thumb across his own throat.
Steve Morrison: He’s calling for the Spike Impaler.
Breathing heavily, possibly through exertion, possibly because he’s just breathing in the atmosphere, Spike grabs Random around the waist and hoists her up, looking to drive the Infrequent Flyer down into the mat in an uncomfortably savage fashion. SPIKE KANE SITS OUT, DRIVING RANDOM DOWN VERTICALLY WHILE TURNING HIS OWN BODY ROUND IN MID AIR TO PANCAKE THE POOR RANDOM WITH THE SPIKE IMPALER…
...AND RANDOM SLIPS LOOSE AS SPIKE FALLS AND SNAPS HER LEGS ROUND HIS LOOSE ARM!
Steve Morrison: ARMBAR!
Cross Recoba: Armbar!
Steve Morrison: ArmBAR!
Cross Recoba: ARMbar!
RANDOM, AS QUICK AS A FLASH STEPS UP, OVER AND THROUGH, CRADLING SPIKE WITH LA MAGISTRAL!
ONE…
TWO…
THREE…
Steve Morrison: RANDOM WINS! OUT OF ABSOLUTELY NOWHERE! LA MAGISTRAL TAKES IT.
Cross Recoba: Also known as the Stepover Armbar Cradle.
Steve Morrison: Random McConalogue knows a number of different ways to beat you with armbars.
Cross Recoba: At LEAST forty-two.
Steve Morrison: She does have a Heart of Gold though.
Spike Kane has a COMPLETE look of, “WHAT IN THE BUGGERING FUCK?” on his face. It’s not. Until the announcement comes in until the penny drops. Meanwhile Random makes herself scarce PRONTO.
Laura Messier: The winner of the match, by way of pinfall. RANDOM McCOOOOOOONAALOOOOGUE.
Steve Morrison: SPIKE. IS. LIVID!
Cross Recoba: Can you blame him? That move came out of nowhere!
Spike finds no resistance to his ring-exit, Steve Tyrell and Laura Messier have moved to the corner of the ring. The ringside help has equally decided to keep their distance.
Steve Morrison: You have to worry about anyone who approaches him tonight, he is looking for a fight!
Kane climbs over the barricade and the cameras cut to up high to show a parting of the Red Sea as the God of Xtreme quickly marches through them.
Cross Recoba: With the mood he seems to be in, this could carry on until his next match and it’s going to take someone extremely cocky, stupid or brave to take that fight!
Add Round 2 of the SCCW Saints & Sinners Cup to your Planner
Laura Messier: IT'S TIME FOR YOUR MAIN EVENT!!
"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: He knows that he's in a vein of form that could take him right to a match with Jack Diamond!
Cross Recoba: It's not out of the realms of possibility. I've known Merric since Ascension Wrestling and he consistently surprised people with his ability to step up.
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: He was the longest XHF Phoenix Title holder, he came within touching distance of taking down Erin Gordon at the last-ever AWF show for the United States title. Is this a natural step for him?
Cross Recoba: He's not there yet. Standing between him and being in the conversation to challenge Diamond is Sam Sawyer and they're not going to put it on a plate for him.
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: The Big Game hunter has a huge prize on the other side of this match if he wins but will his, for lack of a better term, unrefined in-ring skills let him down?
Cross Recoba: There isn't a 'right' wrestling style. It's why we've seen high-flyers, submission specialists, powerhouses, and mat techincians tonight, if any were the definitive style...we'd all do it. What Merric has in his favor is the height, reach, and size advantage. It's down to him to make it count!
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: They know the opportunity they have tonight. If you've seen even a minute of her promotional work for tonight you should know. Behind the unsure cadence and the pauses is a look in their eye that tells you that they believe they can come out on top!
Cross Recoba: Like I said at the top of the show, Rat Bastard was bigger than Merric and they took him down. They know that size isn't going to be the deciding factor in our main-event.
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: That may be true but it has to affect how they approach the match.
Cross Recoba: It's about adaptation. Can they hit that Lariat straight-up? Not a chance, it just won't have the same effect. Can they hit the lariat at all? Of course, it's just working out the steps to get Merric in position.
They climb the steps and enter the ring, now focused entirely on the match ahead.
Steve Morrison: Sawyer's just moments away from what you could call the biggest match of their Tap Out career.
Cross Recoba: Their match against Diamond might have been bigger but the stakes...the occasion is much higher tonight and, to her credit, they're pushing those nerves, those doubts down and instead all we see now is a game-face that should tell Merric that he needs to bring it tonight!
Laura Messier: Introducing first....to my right! 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 smiles as he sees what stands across the ring from him.
Laura Messier: And his opponent...to my left! They hail from Houston, Texas. Tipping the scales at one-hundred-and-sixty pounds...standing at five feet and six inches....SAM...SAWYER!!
Crouching down slightly, Sawyer assesses the Bounty Hunter from Down Under and waits for the ring bell to sound for their first Tap Out Main Event Match.
MAIN-EVENT
SINGLES MATCH
Aiden Merric vs Sam Sawyer
“Big” John Quinn waits for Laura Messier to leave the ring before starting his pre-match instructions. He calls both fighters to the ring and the camera frames the size difference perfectly.
Steve Morrison: You have to say that given the size advantage he holds, Merric will be expected to steamroll his way to victory tonight.
Cross Recoba: Not necessarily. In boxing and MMA, that might be true but wrestling differs from them both. If Sawyer can use their agility, make that speed count then they could upset a lot of bookies.
There’s no jostling or needling as Quinn speaks. His instructions land clearly as both competitors nod their heads as he explains what is expected of them. A double fist-bump is exchanged as they head back to their corners.
Steve Morrison: We’ve seen what both fighters have put into their preparation for the match and Merric will be hoping that after bringing up fellow former XHF Phoenix Champion, Frankie Webb, he can replicate the same result he had then tonight.
Cross Recoba: Not that he took any pleasure in the win.
Steve Morrison: Merric is in some ways very much like the Hitman Monkey.
With a nod, Quinn signals for the fight to begin.
Steve Morrison: And our main event is live!
DING! DING! DING!
The two competitors react to the bell with differing approaches. Sawyer bursts forward from their corner and closes the gap between the two immediately. Merric casually steps forward to meet the Houston native.
Steve Morrison: Merric taking a more conservative approach to engaging.
Cross Recoba: These two are similar if you don’t look beyond the detail. A brawler and a striker sound the same but Merric picks his spots more. It’s why he’s seen success so much in this season of GUNS Fight Club.
Steve Morrison: Don’t forget that we’ll see our own Wildcat Capone take on Noel Edmonds this week and then Merric faces off against Spike Kane in what could decide the winning team next week!
Using their agility, Sawyer feigns to lock-up with collar and arm tie-up but fakes out to hook a waistlock in. With great effort they push Merric to the ropes but the Australian hooks his arms around the top-rope to prevent the O’Connor Roll and sends Sam back into the center of the ring.
Steve Morrison: Sawyer’s going to need to adapt their plan. That sixty pounds they’re giving up isn’t going to lend itself to going toe-to-toe with Merric.
Cross Recoba: Stick and move. You’d say that Sawyer looks to have picked up a more technical approach to wrestling than Merric despite his experience.
Wasting no time, Sawyer rushes back at Merric with a flurry of lifting kicks that land with force but the Huntsman doesn’t go down. Adjusting their approach, Sam takes a few steps back and doubles her opponent over with a running lifting knee that is driven into the ribs of the Bounty Hunter.
Steve Morrison: Sam won’t give up and they planted that knee right into the engine of their opponent.
They hook an arm and attempt a Snap Suplex but Merric doesn’t budge. Aiden uses his free hand to throw an uppercut that staggers the Teenage Sensation backwards. He grips their head with both hands and connects with a headbutt, still holding the Texan upright…Gourdbuster!
Steve Morrison: That uppercut didn’t look full-force but you can’t stop gravity.
Cross Recoba: From what Aiden said in the lead-up to the match, he’s trying to balance his desire to win with that of not hurting what he sees as a child. Is it a winning strategy? Too early to tell but if he underestimates Sawyer, he’ll soon find out.
Merric steps towards his opponent and raises a boot to pin Sawyer in place but Sam uses the opportunity to sweep the leg and flip forward into a pin…
ONE…
KICKOUT!
Steve Morrison: Acrobatic pin but it only gets a one.
Cross Recoba: Sawyer’s showing that they’re only too happy for Merric to be laissez-faire.
Rising to their feet, Sawyer’s progress is impeded when Aiden grabs hold of their wrist before shooting them to the turnbuckle. He follows up with a rushing back elbow and pins his opponent into the corner in order to drive a shoulder into the ribs of Sam.
Steve Morrison: There was nothing laissez-faire there as that sixty pounds weigh difference was just shoved into the ribs of Sawyer!
Grabbing their arm, he shoots them into the opposite corner and rushes in…SAWYER vaults backwards over him, O’Connor Roll…
ONE…
KICKOUT!
Steve Morrison: Another quick pin attempt for Sawyer. Cross, is this chipping away at their opponent or is it placing a grain of sand on a chess board?
Cross Recoba: We’ve seen in the training tapes that Sawyer’s camp was focused predominately on that Lariat of theirs. Wearing down Merric presents the best chance to hit it.
With perfect timing, Sawyer fires a kick off that connects perfectly with the shoulder of the Australian, it slows him but doesn’t keep him down. They keep on the arm and twist it into a standing wristlock and follow-up with a trio of kicks that go into the socket of the Bounty Hunter’s arm.
Steve Morrison: Those kicks seem honed in on the shoulder. Is this defensive?
Cross Recoba: Merric’s a slugger but he does have some slams and suplexes that are going to do some damage and that’s not discounting the very real threat of his own lariat!
Merric uses his strength to move towards the ropes but it counts against him. Sawyer transitions to a hammerlock and dives forward with a drop-toe hold and rolls forward as they break into a sprint to the ropes….Basement dropkick to the shoulder of their opponent.
Steve Morrison: Sawyer might be pound-for-pound the biggest hitter in the company but there’s no doubting the accuracy of their strikes.
Cross Recoba: Aiden’s looking a little slow out the blocks today. He needs to exert his power on the match and soon.
The dropkick stuns but doesn’t stop the rise of Merric. Sam grabs a headlock but before they can cinch it in, Merric has taken his chance to grab hold of their waist. He lifts them up…SAWYER FLIPS DOWN THE BACK OF HIM….THEY DIVE FORWARD WITH A CHOP BLOCK THAT TAKES MERRIC TO THE MAT!!
Steve Morrison: Quick escape from Sawyer for what could have been the same Backdrop Driver that set-up his victory last time out against Tommy.
Cross Recoba: Sawyer’s bringing Merric to a level they can easily connect with their strikes.
The Houston Native rolls back to their feet and hits the ropes…PENALTY KICK…NO! MERRIC DUCKS…SAWYER SWINGS THEIR LEG BACK WITH A MODIFIED MULE KICK TO THE HEAD!!
Steve Morrison: Quick-thinking from the Texan to connect and keep the momentum in the kick!
Picking up the Antipodean by his head, Sawyer measures him…a dropkick to his shoulder sends him into the ropes and he rebounds…SAITO SUPLEX!!
Cross Recoba: Used his own momentum against him to get him over for that one!
Keeping up the pressure, they pick Aiden up and whip him to the corner…AND FOLLOWS IN BEHIND WITH A HUGE BOOT TO THE CHEST OF THE BOUNTY HUNTER!
Steve Morrison: That shyness that was evident before the bell now replaced with sheer intensity.
Cross Recoba: That boot needs to be a wake-up call to Merric that he can’t treat the match as something he doesn’t want to participate in.
Stepping away from the corner, Sawer allows Merric to take an unsteady foot forward as they hit the ropes….SHOTGUN DROPKICK SENDS MERRIC THROUGH THE ROPES!!
Steve Morrison: What can they do here?
Crowd: LET’S GO SAWYER! *CLAP* *CLAP* *CLAPCLAPCLAP* LET’S GO SAWYER! *CLAP* *CLAP* *CLAPCLAPCLAP* LET’S GO SAWYER! *CLAP* *CLAP* *CLAPCLAPCLAP*
Feeding off the crowd, the Teenager hits the ropes, they leap over the crouched Merric….SUNSET FLIP POWERBOMB TO THE OUTSIDE!!!!!!!
Cross Recoba: HOW DO YOU SCOUT THAT?
Crowd: HOLY SHIT! HOLY SHIT! HOLY SHIT! HOLY SHIT! HOLY SHIT!
Both fighters are down but Merric took the brunt of that move and looks to be paying for it.
Steve Morrison: Merric might now realize that the fight is on but that bomb to the outside has to have taken a toll.
“Big” John starts the count.
ONE!
Grabbing the barrier, Sawyer gets to their feet.
Cross Recoba: You watch Sam and they fit the mould of someone willing to take nine shots to land ten and that move’s no different.
TWO!
Spotting Merric getting up, Sam rushes towards him…SHINING WIZARD!!!
Steve Morrison: This continues to be an excellent outing for Sawyer.
THREE!!!
Kipping up to their feet, Sawyer grabs the head of Merric and brings him to his knees…
Cross Recoba: But a victory inside the ring would count for two outside…
FOUR!!!
MERRIC BLOCKS THE SNAP DDT!!! NORTHERN LIGHTS THROW INTO THE APRON!!!
Steve Morrison: They bounced off the edge of the ring!
Cross Recoba: That’s the risk with taking it outside and it seems that the Australian wants to trun this into a fight!
FIVE!!!
The cameras pick up the pained expression carved into the face of Sawyer. Merric lifts them up and puts them on the apron Before climbing up himself to break the count.
Steve Morrison: What is he plotting?
Aiden climbs through the ropes before ascending to the top turnbuckle.
Cross Recoba: I’ve never seen him leap from the top so either Sawyer’s going up or he’s going down…
Sawyer stirs and gets to their feet slowly but no sooner has a foot been planted than Aiden has reached down and hooked their head….
Steve Morrison: NO…
Cross Recoba: He’s going for it…
APRON-LIFT SUPLEX TO THE CANVAS!!!!!
Crowd: THAT WAS AWESOME *CLAP* *CLAP* *CLAPCLAPCLAP* THAT WAS AWESOME *CLAP* *CLAP* *CLAPCLAPCLAP* THAT WAS AWESOME *CLAP* *CLAP* *CLAPCLAPCLAP*
Steve Morrison: What a way for Merric to announce his way back into the match!
Cross Recoba: That’s some smart wrestling from the hunter!
Crawling slowly towards Sawyer, Merric makes the cover.
ONE…
TWO…
T-KICKOUT!!!
A cheer erupts from the Tap Out Faithful in attendance.
Steve Morrison: It was almost enough to put Sawyer away!
Cross Recoba: He needs to take away Sawyer’s speed and aerial ability. Taking out the legs of his opponent will do that AND it makes it harder for them to rely on their kick-based attacks.
Undeterred, Merric drags Sawyer to their feet and lands a solid right hook to the chin of his opponent. Sawyers fires right back with a chop that echoes around the Lansky Balroom.
Crowd: WOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!
Another right hook is answered with the same chop.
Crowd: WOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!
A RIGHT HOOK!
A CHOP!
Crowd: WOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!
Steve Morrison: Both fighters refusing to give an inch to the other!
Merric lands a headbutt!! Sawyer’s legs buckle but they remain upright and throw a full-force kick to the midsection of the Australian. He headbutts them once more and adds a Mongolian Chop for good measure.
Crowd: WHU!
Cross Recoba: Merric comes out on top of this exchange and the fans are LOVING those Mongolian chops!
Another Mongolian Chop.
Crowd: WHU!
Once more for luck.
Crowd: WHU!
DOUBLE EAR CLAP!
HEADBUTT!!
Steve Morrison: BAG AND TAG!!
Staggering back, Sawyer can’t stop Merric from sending them to the ropes…POP-UP EUROPEAN UPPERCUT!!
Steve Morrison: TRANQUILIZER!
The Bounty Hunter looks for the pin…
ONE….
TWO…
SAWYER GETS AN ARM UP!
Steve Morrison: Sawyer taking enormous amounts of impact to the head with those shots and getting an arm up!
Cross Recoba: Merric needs to get some body-shots in, take away that oxygen tank and then see how they fare after a move like that!
Merric adjusts his positioning and wraps a half-nelson that traps the their arm against their throat and lifts them to their feet ….SWISS SUPLEX!!!!
Steve Morrison; What a move!
Cross Recoba: I know backstage an MF bomb has been dropped but is it good or is it bad?
Steve Morrison: Right on their head!
He makes another cover…
ONE…
TWO…
T-
KICKOUT!!!
Steve Morrison: Sawyer survives but was that on instinct?
Cross Recoba: It had to be, I’m not sure they could tell you what city they’re in right now!
Sawyer is yanked to their feet. Merric boots them in the ribs and uses their hair to bring them to their feet…SAWYER RISES WITH A BODY SHOT TO THE KIDNEYS….PELE KICK!!!
Steve Morrison: Tremendous resilience and athleticism from Sawyer!
SAWYER GRABS THE DOUBLED-OVER MERRIC…DRAGON SCREW NECK WHIP!!
Cross Recoba: Desperation move but they’re not stopping…
Merric sits up as he lands, holding his neck. HE DUCKS THE PENALTY KICK!!
Steve Morrison: That could have been it if that connected!
Cross Recoba: He had it scouted, Merric does his homework.
The Australian grabs a waistlock but Sam tries to drop down to the mat only to find themselves trapped in the hold….DEADLIFT GERMAN SUPLEX!!!
Steve Morrison: What a suplex!
Cross Recoba: A high-angle too, he’s working that neck and softening it up.
HE HOLDS ON AND ROLLS THEM TO THEIR FEET….
Steve Morrison: He’s not done yet.
Cross Recoba: This could be big…
BACKDROP DRIVER!!!
Steve Morrison: Once more he pulls out that suplex!
Cross Recoba: It’s not the most tecnical suplex but with a trajectory like that it’s effective!
Merric turns around to make the pin but Sawyer has rolled to the apron.
Steve Morrison: The teenager wisely putting some space betwen them.
Showing the patience that serves him so well in the Outback, Aiden watches his prey get to their feet slowly.
With a quick burst of pace, Merric lands a stiff forearm to the head of the rising Sawyer. He hooks them for a suplex….they drop down the back of Merric and hit the ropes….MERRIC TAKES THEM DOWN WITH AN STO BACKBREAKER AND HANGS THEM ON HIS KNEE!!!
Steve Morrison: Here it comes…
HAYMAKER!!!
Steve Morrison: TRAP TRICK!!
The atmosphere in the crowd has become somber, this isn’t helped by Merric signalling that this is the end for Sawyer. He hoists them up by the wrist…
Cross Recoba: He might have this…
He brings Sawyer towards him…THEY ROLL OUT THE WAY OF THE CLOTHESLINE FROM HELL!!
Steve Morrison: Tell that to Sawyer!
Merric turns around into a driven lariat of a kick to the knee…HUGE SLAP!!
Steve Morrison: GET FUCKED!
SNAP DRAGON SUPLEX!!!!
Cross Recoba: Using that slap to tee it up!
Aiden rolls into the ropes AND NARROWLY DODGES A RUSHING KNEE FROM SAWYER!!
Merric grabs a schoolboy…
ONE…
TW-
KICKOUT!!
Steve Morrison: Merric showing some of that guile that makes him the Big Game Hunter!
With a backwards roll, Sawyer gets back to their feet AND DUCKS UNDER A HUGE LARIAT….CRUCIFIX PIN!!
ONE…
TW-
MERRIC KICKS OUT!
Cross Recoba: Sawyer nearly turned Merric’s attempt at putting this match to bed into victory!
SAWYER GRABS THE HEAD OF THE AUSTRALIAN AND DELIVERS A SHORT, SNAPPED DDT TO THE CANVAS!!
Steve Morrison: Spikes his head into the mat!
Unsteady but with purpose, Sawyer makes their way to the corner.
Steve Morrison: We know they spent alot of time working that Lariat but Sawyer mentioned the toll of being away from their family for so long, the Sawyersault might be the answer to getting back to them.
Cross Recoba: They look dazed though.
Leaping to the top turnbuckle, the crowd can sense what’s coming.
Crowd: SAWYERSAULT! SAWYERSAULT! SAWYERSAULT!
Steve Morrison: The crowd are on their feet…
THEY LEAP BUT MERRIC IS SCRAMBLING TO HIS FEET…..POWERSLAM!!!
Steve Morrison: WHAT. A. REVERSAL!
The sound of the slam sucks the life out of the Sawyer chants in an instance!
Cross Recoba: It’s so quiet you could hear a Thespian promo!
The Australian makes the cover…
ONE…
TWO…
TH-
SAWYER JUST GETS A SHOULDER OFF THE MAT IN TIME!
Steve Morrison: Someway…somehow, Sam managed to show daylight to Quinn to stop the count.
Cross Recoba: That might be their last time at being able to do that. Merric isn’t holding anything back now…
Grabbing them by the head, Merric whips them into the corner with a thud.
Steve Morrison: Cutting off the ring, Sawyer’s trapped…
The Bounty Hunter closes the gap in an instant and starts to pepper the body of the Houston Native with a series of body shots, each one causing Sawyer to slump further into the corner.
Cross Recoba: Each of those shots measured to land where he wants and with enough power to suck the life out of you.
Giving himself distance, Merric charges BUT THE BACK ELBOW MISSES!
Steve Morrison: Sawyer manages to get out from the turnbuckle…
HE STAGGERS OUT FROM THE CORNER…LARIAT!!!
NO!!
MERRIC USES THE OUTSTRETCHED ARM TO REVERSE IT INTO A SEOI NAGE (OVER THE SHOULDER) JUDO THROW!!
Steve Morrison: THAT’S NOT A KNIFE!!
Cross Recoba: Measured the move perfectly.
He maintains wrist control!
Steve Morrison: He’s not done yet.
Cross Recoba: This is going to take it out of Sam…
The former XHF Phoenix Champion unleashes a torrent of chops to the chest of Sawyer!
Steve Morrison: THAT’S A KNIFE!
A snap-mare from Sawyer leaves them vulnerable in the center of the ring. Aiden rushes the ropes…SAWYER DUCKS THE CHARGING KNEE!!!
Cross Recoba: Merric taking a page out of his opponent’s book but they didn’t get caught.
Steve Morrison: But have they spotted the pitfall before them?
Getting to their feet Sawyer is unsighted…SUPERMAN PUNCH FROM MERRIC THAT SENDS SAWYER FLYING!!!
Steve Morrison: STUN GUN!!!
He covers…
ONE…
He hooks a leg…
TWO…
THREE!!!
NO!!! QUINN SPOTS THEIR FOOT ON THE BOTTOM ROPE!!!
Cross Recoba: He hooks the other leg, this was over…
Incensed, Merric grabs the waistband of Sawyer to bring them to their feet and hooks their wrist.
Steve Morrison: He’s going for Target Neutralized…
Cross Recoba: Yet to be kicked out of, it’s truly game over if this connects…
THE RIPCORD IS PULLED!! BLOCKED BY SAWYER!!....MODIFIED STO!!!!
Steve Morrison: THIS CORROSION! SAWYER MIGHT HAVE KEPT THEMSELVES IN THIS!
Sawyer points to the corner before making their way there.
Crowd: SAWYERSAULT! SAWYERSAULT! SAWYERSAULT!
Cross Recoba: It’s a risky strategy at this point…
They leap up…PICTURE PERFECT MOONS-MERRIC MOVES!!! SAWYER MANAGES TO LAND ON THEIR FEET…SHINING WIZARD!!!!
Steve Morrison: Sawyer adapts on the fly!
Sawyer doesn’t drop down for the pin. Instead they lie in wait for Merric.
Cross Recoba: This could be a mistake. You don’t let someone like Merric have a chance to breathe when they’re down. Pin or attack…
Merric starts to rise. SAWYER CHARGES AND SWINGS A LARIAT!! IT FINDS NO-ONE!!! MERRIC HOOKS THE WRIST AGAIN!!
Steve Morrison: He’s got that Ripcord set up…
Cross Recoba: Like I said, this could be what costs Sawyer the match…
AGAIN HE GOES FOR THE RIPCORD LARIAT BUT THIS TIME SAWYER DUCKS UNDER…OCTOPUS HOLD!!!
Steve Morrison: Manji-Gatame!
Cross Recoba: Smart move. You’d expect this from Random but it plays into their targeting the shoulder perfectly.
Sawyer sinks the hold in but struggles to get the leg wrapped properly.
Steve Morrison: Can they adjust their body?
Cross Recoba: This might be where the size difference is unforgiving. It does give hope to Merric though as it’ll stop the hold working over his body like it should. Hurt like hell still but in fewer places than it should.
Sawyer cranks on the outstretched arm of Merric.
Steve Morrison: Sam puts every ounce of strength they have left into pulling that arm away from the socket.
The look of pain is evident on Merric’s face as he fights the hold. “Big” John Quinn is there asking if he wants to submit but the Australian vehemently shakes his head.
Cross Recoba: You’ve more chance of a sane von Krauss than Merric submitting.
Steve Morrison: Quinn has to ask but I’d agree that Merric isn’t one for taking the easy way out.
Working from the yet locked in leg, Aiden continues to try to work his way out of the hold.
Steve Morrison: He’s trying to free that leg entirely, if he can do that he can roll or he can make a break for the ropes.
Leaning back as far as their body will support, Sawyer continues to leverage their opponent’s arm back.
Cross Recoba: It’s easy to say that but you still have your arm feeling like it’s about to snap with every millimeter that Sawyer moves it.
Letting go of the arm, SAWYER DRIVES DOWNWARD POINTED ELBOWS INTO THE COLLAR BONE OF THE AUSTRALIAN!
Steve Morrison: VICIOUS STRIKES FROM THE TEXAN!
His legs buckling from the blows, Merric drops to a knee as Sawyer resumes their assault on the arm of the Bounty Hunter.
Cross Recoba: They’re trying to get him to the mat. A submission or just setting him up for their next play, Sawyer’ll take it.
SAWYER RELEASES THE HOLD! MERRIC GETS TO A KNEE!
Steve Morrison: Sam creates some space…
SAWYER RUSHES IN WITH A HUGE LARIAT TO THE RISING MERRIC!!
Steve Morrison: FIRE WITH FIRE LARIAT!!!
They hook the leg as they cover.
ONE…..
TWO…
THREE!!!
“Big” John Quinn calls for the bell!
Laura Messier: Your winner of the Main Event via pinfall…SAM…..SAWYERRRR!!!!!
The Lansky Ballroom erupts as the 808s of “Physical” by Dua Lipa start to play.
Steve Morrison: Sawyer pulls off a giant-killing!
Cross Recoba: And they break the Top 5 in the process!
Steve Morrison: Merric came so close to pulling off the win but escaping that Octopus hold sent him back into range for the Fire with Fire Lariat!
Cross Recoba: If it’s any consolation, he remains within touching distance of the pack as I’ve gotten word that our Match of the Night is our main event!
Steve Morrison: That’s not the only announcement though?
Cross Recoba: We’d like to congratulate the winner of our Tap Out Openweight Tournament Predictions contest. The name pulled out the hat belonged to Little Davey from Weymouth, Massachusetts.
Steve Morrison: The winner of course gets to choose a match to be featured in our next show.
Cross Recoba: That’s right, and as a huge Aiden Merric fan he’s chosen the following match for March. Aiden Merric will square off not just against Jackalope but also Sticky the Clown and the Thespian!
Steve Morrison: That’s not the only match set, we’ll see the return of Poena who is going to face the winner of our Main Event tonight, Sam Sawyer and that’s not all, Jack Diamond will make his first defence of the Tap Out Openweight title against Tommy Strychine.
Cross Recoba: Tommy’s form has picked up and his new in-ring style seems to be working. Don’t forget, he was written off by experts when he faced Vincent Draven at AWF’s Clash of the Icons and pulled out the win so Diamond can’t be complacent!
Steve Morrison: Don’t miss it, fans. March 26th, same venue and same XHF Network. Good night!
