Intergalactic Championship Match: Leyenda de Ocho v. Phil Atken (c)
[SMASH CUT-TO: The screens fill with a V for Victoralicious logo scratching and fading into the screen again. The words “INTERGALACTIC CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH” stamp down LEYENDA DE OCHO’s masked face fills the screen. His image is pushed back and to the left as he makes a triangle with his fingers to the camera and freezes. PHIL ATKEN’s face fills the screen and the image shoots back to a pre-filmed spot of ATKEN patting the Intergalactic Championship belt on his shoulder, pulling it out and kissing it before placing it back and his picture freezes as it is pushed to the right.]
[CUT-TO: the Palumbo Center screaming loudly as the final pieces of the three stages are put together. All the fans are staring up as the techs put the last few boards down on the scaffold. FLASH CUT-TO: “PEPPER” PETE PEPPINS standing inside the cage already around the ring with a microphone in hand.]
“PEPPER” PETE PEPPINS:
“Ladiiiiiiies and gentlemen... the following contest is a THREE – STAGES – OF – ZELDA match for the Intergalactic Championship Commission’s IIIIIIIIIIIIIINTERGALAAAAAAAAAAAACTIC CHAMPYUNSHIP!”
MORTON MURPHY:
“Folks, welcome to the Main Event of V for Victoralicious. The Playboy had his nose broken during our last match. Thanks to the Haughty Troupe for filling in at the end but I’ve come to take the reins and drive this horse and cart to victory alongside my co-host, pain GRILLE. pain, who will walk out of Pittsburgh with the Intergalactic Championship.”
PAIN GRILLE:
“Morty, you would ‘ave to t’ink zat zis match is customised for Ocho’s success but Atken’s wily, ‘e is zee survivor and when you put zee Intergalactic Championship’s fate in ‘is ‘ands... Atken will do whatever it takes to ensure zat ‘e remains zee champ.”
MORTON MURPHY:
“I have to agree with you, pain, but I don’t think Ocho should be underestimated. He’s the fastest up and coming superstar in the industry today. He has what it takes—“
[CUE: “RANDOM” by SPONTANEOUS DEVOTION hits the personal announce system and Pittsburgh roars their approval.]
MORTON MURPHY:
“And here comes the challenger now, pain.”
[OCHO emerges from the back, standing on the stage and looking around before raising both arms up, extending four fingers on each hand. The drum beat kicks in and he starts running toward the ring.]
“PEPPER” PETE PEPPINS:
“Introducing the challenger.... standing FIIIIIIIIIIIVEfeetandeightinches... weighing ONE hundredandeightyEIGHT poowwwwwwwnds... he is the Cartridge Cruiser... the 8-Bit LEGEEEEEEEEEND – LAY-YEN-DAAAAAAAAAAAAAA deeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee OOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH-C-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!”
[The fans roar loudly as OCHO runs around the cage and jumps onto the new announce table that has been set-up. Which is the stand garden variety wrestling table that people are smashed through everyday. FLASH CUT-TO: MURPHY smiling like an idiot and GRILLE moving back from the table, clearly annoyed with OCHO standing up there.]
PAIN GRILLE:
“Why does zis idiot INSIST on stepping on my stuff?”
MORTON MURPHY:
“Quit being such a sour puss!”
[FLASH CUT-TO: OCHO playing to the fans before offering a high five to GRILLE. pain leaves him hanging but MURPHY reaches across and slaps palms with the 8-Bit Legend. He drops down to ring side and looks up at what he concocted inside of his mind.]
PAIN GRILLE:
“I ‘ope Atken drops ‘im on ‘is ‘ead. I ‘ate it when ‘e stands on my notes.”
MORTON MURPHY:
“This is the FIRST time Ocho has seen the creation spat from his video-game warped mind and it looks like it’s pumping him up.”
PAIN GRILLE:
“Zis is why kids should go outside and get fresh air. It rots your brain.”
MORTON MURPHY:
“You’re just upset he stomped your doodles.”
[Inside the ring, OCHO just stares up at the scaffold that’s in place. He then notices the ladder attached to the wall of the cage.]
MORTON MURPHY:
“This is three stages folks. Stage one: Don’t exit the cage. Get your pin or submission to win the first stage. Then there’s a ladder involved for stage two and you need to be the first to use it to get onto the scaffold. The third and FINAL stage is a scaffold match, which, mind you, is suspended TWENTY FEET ABOVE THE GROUND! And if you’re the last man in the scaff you’re the champ. Simple!”
PAIN GRILLE:
“Is it? ‘ow much did it cost you to retrain zee officials for zis match?”
[CUE: “HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION OF THE WORLD” by REVEREND AND THE MAKERS. Pittsburgh’s positivity diminishes and the boos come loud and fast. OCHO, standing in the ring, turns his attention from the set-up of the Three Stages of Zelda match to the entrance. FLASH CUT-TO: the stage as the arena lights drop to a solitary spotlight on the stage. Emerging from the back, wearing a black robe which has bedazzled jewels shaped into planets and stars, emerges the Intergalactic Champion, PHIL ATKEN. He stands on the stage with his hands out from his sides, robe slightly open to show off the Intergalactic Championship belt wrapped around his waist as the spotlight drops in perfect timing with a waterfall of pyro cascading down behind PHIL, illuminating his silhouette before the entrance. As the pyros stop the arena lights return and PHIL begins to walk confidently down towards the ring.]
“PEPPER” PETE PEPPINS:
“And his opponent... from GLASGOWWWWWWWWW, Scotland... he stands SIX feetandoneinch.... weighing in at EIGH-TEE-FIVE kilograms.... the reigning INTERGALACTIC CHAMPYUUUUUUUUUUUUUUN! PHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIL AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA-T-KEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEENNNNNNNNNNNNNNN!
[And the boos grow a little louder. ATKEN makes his way to the cage where he stops at the door and stares up at the scaffolding high above the ring. He holds his arms out and a ring technician emerges to remove the robe from his shoulders. ATKEN turns and barks orders at him to take good care of it. He turns back to the ring, staring up at the scaffolding again before ascending the steps. Stopping at the ropes to spy OCHO, snarling as his gaze meets OCHO’s. FLASH CUT-TO: OCHO, bouncing from foot-to-foot warming up. FLASH CUT-TO: ATKEN stepping through the ropes and walking across to the referee, JARVIS JOLT, removing his Intergalactic Championship belt in the centre of the ring before thrusting it high above his head and dropping down to one knee.]
MORTON MURPHY:
“What an entrance. Phil Atken, the reigning Intergalactic Champion, whose held that title for one hundred and twenty eight days. He defeated Ocho, Sabre and Troy Matthews at ULTRATITLE: Survivalism and defeated Magnus Destructo in his first defence just last month to retain the belt. He’s considered himself the Unfortunate One but there is NOTHING unfortunate about his current title reign.”
PAIN GRILLE:
“And I t’ink zat ‘e will carry it for a little longer, mon ami. I do not t’ink zat Leyenda de Ocho can defeat Phil Atken tonight, Morty.”
MORTON MURPHY:
“You’re still upset about your notes being squished beneath his boot.”
PAIN GRILLE:
“Morty, Phil Atken is a grounded wrestler. ‘e knows where is strengths and weaknesses lie. Most men ‘is size are flying and flippy. Atken knows zat ‘e does not ‘ave zee same athleticism as Ocho. I would put my mask on zee fact zat Atken tries to grind one of Ocho’s knees into dust to slow ‘im down and lock in ‘is figure four.”
MORTON MURPHY:
“You don’t think Ocho’s high flying nature can overcome the technician in Phil Atken, pain?”
PAIN GRILLE:
“I t’ink ‘e will struggle. Stepped on notes aside, Ocho is a talented wrestler but ‘e is young. ‘e is still green, Morty. Atken ‘as been in zat ring longer zan Ocho ‘as played Zelda.”
MORTON MURPHY:
“Well, there’s one stat I would refute. We’re getting close to the action.”
[Inside the ring, JOLT calls them both over. He requests the title belt from ATKEN who begrudgingly hands it over. He shows it to OCHO who puts a hand on the faceplate, as if drawing power. JARVIS JOLT folds the straps behind the title and then holds it high into the air. Both men look up at it before locking eyes. JOLT makes his way to the cage door and hands the belt to a ring tech as ATKEN drives a knee into OCHO’s belly. Doubled over, OCHO is driven into the canvas immediately with a DDT and ATKEN climbs on board with the cover.]
***DING! DING! DING!***
MORTON MURPHY:
“Atken catches Ocho off guard! Cover!
“ONE!
“TWO!
“KICKOUT! Oh, man! Atken taking advantage right away!”
PAIN GRILLE:
“Athleticism cannot defeat ring smarts.”
[ATKEN grabs OCHO by the ankle and hits a stinging kick into the joint followed by a leg drop across the elevated knee. OCHO pulls it close into his chest as ATKEN slaps him across the back of the head.]
MORTON MURPHY:
“Atken giving Ocho the rookie’s treatement and going RIGHT to work on that knee. You must’ve coached Phil, pain.”
PAIN GRILLE:
“No, monsieur. I just know ‘ow I would attack Ocho.”
[OCHO rolls onto his knees as ATKEN hits the ropes behind him, driving a dropkick into the back of OCHO’s head and bouncing back to his feet and grabbing the downed OCHO by the ankle yet again before dropping a knee into the side of OCHO’s knee.]
MORTON MURPHY:
“Atken large and in charge. Drags Ocho into the corner by the ankle, foot on the bottom rope-- STOMP! Oh man! That’s gotta ache in your seventies.”
[OCHO rolls around the canvas in agony as ATKEN just shrugs at the fans to their boos. He begins to climb the wall when JARVIS JOLT draws his attention.]
MORTON MURPHY:
“Atken momentarily losing his way thinking cage escape is applicable.”
PAIN GRILLE:
“You ‘ave to forgive zee man. Zere are SOOO many rules to remember for zis ridiculous showcase of tomfoolery.”
MORTON MURPHY:
“Atken proves his chagrin with a boot the guts of Ocho. The Champ nailing him with a second boot in the guts. The rookie can barely draw breath.”
PAIN GRILLE:
“And zat is part of zee tactical response to Ocho’s crazy T’ree Stages of Zelda, Morty. Make ‘im suffer. Reduce ‘is speed AND ‘is oxygenation. If ‘e cannot move ‘e cannot climb a ladder, cannot fly, cannot stay in zee scaffold... if we get to zee t’ird level.”
MORTON MURPHY:
“Atken, taking a leaf from pain’s book, pulling Ocho to his feet. Irish whip into the ropes-- KNEE LIFT! Ocho flips over and lands flat on his back as Phil drops a knee into his sternum and presses his shoulders down for a cover.
“ONE!
“TWO!
“THREE!
“NO! Shoulder up! That was a close ending to stage one!”
[ATKEN, ignoring his disappointment, pulls OCHO to his feet and chops him across the throat, backing him into the corner. Another chop presses him completely into the corner before ATKEN steps onto the second rope, drops down and stomps on the right knee he’s been working away on. OCHO drops down onto the knee. ATKEN swings a stiff enzuiguri into the back of OCHO’s head and the Cartridge Cruiser is flat on his belly while the Champ shows off.]
MORTON MURPHY:
“Atken just kicking the TASTE out of Ocho’s head, pain. The Champ is here. And he wants to leave with his title.”
[ATKEN climbs onto the second turnbuckle, raises both hands into the air, with four fingers raised, mocking OCHO before leaping off and landing a double foot stomp onto OCHO’s back, right onto his rib cage. He pulls OCHO into the center of the ring by the head before hitting the ropes and dropping onto those ribs again with a running senton.]
PAIN GRILLE:
“‘e is knocking zee wind out of Leyenda de Ocho’s lungs, Mortimer. I only ‘ope Ocho can last zis stage so zese fans do not leave disappointed.”
MORTON MURPHY:
“Just leave the kid alone, huh? He’s deserved this spot.”
PAIN GRILLE:
“Oui, monsieur. He deserved zis spot... it does not mean zat ‘e is better zan Phil Atken or ‘as zee same level of smarts. Zis kind of match requires tactics and ingenuity... not just speed and ahility.”
[ATKEN, beside OCHO, does a hand stand and then lands, driving the knees into those ribs again. He bounces to his feet and pulls OCHO to his, spins behind him, lifts him up whilst bending the right leg and drives OCHO’s knee down onto his own bent knee as OCHO limps off into the corner.]
MORTON MURPHY:
“Impressive ring smarts from Phil Atken. That knee breaker just rubbing salt into the wounds.”
PAIN GRILLE:
“You want some advice for Ocho, Morty? I know ‘ow ‘e can win zis match.”
MORTON MURPHY:
“How can he win, pain? Share that with us.”
[ATKEN comes from behind with a forearm, knocking OCHO against the ropes. He turns him around, whips him across the ring and leaps with a jumping knee into the chest. OCHO drops to his hands and knees sucking wind. ATKEN hits the ropes to OCHO’s left, rebounds, leaps into the air and drops a legdrop across his back flattening him out.]
PAIN GRILLE:
“Just keep moving. Keep moving and make Atken chase you. Atken is more comfortable in control and on zee ground. If Ocho runs rings around him, uses zat athleticism, make Atken move, ‘e will ‘ave zee match won.”
[ATKEN pulls OCHO’s right ankle into the air and then drives the knee into the canvas. Rinse and repeat X 3. He then yanks down on the leg as hard as he can, trying to hyperextend the joint further.]
MORTON MURPHY:
“He’s going to find moving difficult in a minute, pain. Atken really trying to immobilise him. I’m sure he’s going to be having a specialist look over that knee by the time this is over with.”
[OCHO rolls onto his fours and crawls into the corner, pulling himself up using the ropes and flopping over the top rope, lifting the right leg to take pressure off it. ATKEN comes charging in toward him and he leans back and clocks him with his right foot, further aggrevating the knee joint. ATKEN topples over onto the canvas before springing back to his feet and charging again. OCHO rolls out of the corner and allows PHIL to crash against the turnbuckles chest first.]
MORTON MURPHY:
“Tides have turned. Atken’s CHEST collecting those turnbuckles. Ocho pulls himself onto the second rope, leaps-- HURRICANRANA! Atken DRIVEN onto the crown of his head. COVER!
“ONE!
“TWO!
“THR-- SHOULDER UP! Atken is on his feet and he’s stomping away on that knee of Ocho.”
PAIN GRILLE:
“Zat was short lived.”
[OCHO trying to roll out of the way, ATKEN drops onto his chest and throws punches at his face until referee JARVIS JOLT tries to intervene. ATKEN gets to his feet, offers a backhand at JOLT who steps away to his own chagrin. ATKEN turns his attention back to OCHO, reaching down to grab him by the head but OCHO rolls a foot back and snags him with a boot on the top of the head, giving him enough freedom to get up.]
MORTON MURPHY:
“Ocho stuns Atken with that boot on the noggin. On his feet. Swings a kick, Atken catches i-- ENZUIGURI! Down goes the champ. Ocho limping, runs at the ropes, springboards off the middle-- LIONSAULT! These fans are getting behind the Cartridge Cruiser.”
PITTSBURGH, PA:
“LET’S - GO - O - CHO! LET’S - GO - O - CHO!”
MORTON MURPHY:
“Ocho mounting his own offense. Pulls Atken to his feet. Locks up. Exploder suplex! COVER!
“ONE!
“TWO!
“THREE!
“Kick out! Oh man, that was close. There was MOMENTS before that third strike.”
PAIN GRILLE:
“Ocho must be listening to my advice, Morty. ‘e keeps moving ‘e keeps on top of t’ings. Zat is all ‘e can do. Battle zee pain in your knee and zee glory of winning a title is forever!”
MORTON MURPHY:
“Ocho IS keeping the momentum moving. Pulls Atken to his feet. Rope whip. Atken rebounds. Spinning Heel Kick!”
[ATKEN hits the canvas hard. OCHO, moving with adrenaline seemingly not as phased by the injured knee, hits the ropes and launches into the air with a frontflip senton, coming down on the chest of ATKEN. The fans pop as OCHO bounces to his feet again, grabs ATKEN by the ankle and rolls him over into a single leg Boston crab.]
LEYENDA DE OCHO:
“TAP OUT, PHIL! TAP OUT!”
MORTON MURPHY:
“Ocho is SCREAMING at Phil to give in and the Intergalactic Champion is in AGONY, pain. He’s clawing the canvas, trying to pull himself towards those ropes but EACH inch he gains Ocho drags him back to the centre.”
PAIN GRILLE:
“Zis is a tricky situation, Mortimer. I do not know ‘ow much technical ability Leyenda de Ocho ‘as. We ‘ave REALLY only been given opportunity to see ‘im flying around zee ring like zee monkey but zis is somet’ing else altoget’er. But zee pain point for Leyenda, Mortimer, is zat single leg Boston is putting zee strain on ‘is OWN knee. Zere is pain running t’rough Leyenda’s body and focusing on zat knee zat Phil Atken ‘as been trying to immobilise for zee duration of zis match and it SURELY must be doing extra damage to ‘im as well as zee damage it is doing to Phil.”
MORTON MURPHY:
“KEEN insight from the Toasted Terror as Ocho STRETCHES that hamstring, STRETCHES that lower back of the EYE-GEE champ. Atken is hurting.”
[JOLT checks in on ATKEN as OCHO’s head bangs back and forth encouraging ATKEN to tap. The pain is evident on OCHO’s face as he strains to maintain the grip. ATKEN attempts to roll over from side-to-side but OCHO anchors his bearings down and keeps it applied.]
MORTON MURPHY:
“Ocho is just WILLING Phil Atken to tap out. He is willing him with EVERY inch of his body and you can SEE the agony on OCHO’s face as he strains to keep Atken trapped in that tortorous hold.”
PAIN GRILLE:
“‘e just ‘as to ‘ang in t’ere, Mortimer. Zat is ALL ‘e can do. ‘e’s going to be relatively slowed down from applying zis move so ‘e wants to makes sure zat ‘e ‘as slowed down Phil Atken, too.”
[ATKEN continues the tactic of rolling side-to-side and a twinge occurs in OCHO’s leg as ATKEN gives one almighty roll to the left and he has no choice but to release as he limps away. ATKEN pulls himself up to his feet by use of the ropes, clutching his lower spine as he notices OCHO barely putting weight on his right foot.]
MORTON MURPHY:
“Is he hurt, pain? Do you think he’s done some serious damage in his right knee?”
PAIN GRILLE:
“It’s ‘ard to tell, Mortimer. ‘ERE COMES PHIL!”
[ATKEN charges like a man possessed. OCHO drops the shoulder and tosses ATKEN over the top rope into the and into the wall of the cage.]
MORTON MURPHY:
“Atken flipped into the cage by Ocho. Ocho is struggling to keep weight on that right leg. Grabs the top rope, to stabilise, right in front of Atken. Jumps, using the rope for leverage... SINGLE LEG MOMENTOUS KICK TO THE ATKEN FACE!”
[OCHO rolls over onto all fours, clearly pained in his right knee as ATKEN clutches his face, kicking around like he’d been electrocuted. OCHO grabs ATKEN by the wrist and pulls him into the ring. Struggles to his feet and grabs ATKEN by the ankles and then hot shots him into the cage wall to a massive pop from the fans.]
MORTON MURPHY:
“Ocho is FIGHTING adversity. Something happened to his right knee and you can see it’s causing him some discomfort.”
PAIN GRILLE:
“You need to dig deep when you’re injured if you want to win. ESPECIALLY if you are fighting for zee title.”
MORTON MURPHY:
“And it’s not just ANY title, pain. It’s the Intergalactic Championship and the Intergalactic Champion has found himself a HELLUVA competitor and adversary in Leyenda de Ocho.”
[OCHO rising to his feet as ATKEN doesn’t move, arms flopped over the top rope. Something sparks in OCHO, and he charges the ropes behind him, noticeably limping as he charges toward PHIL, leaping with one foot onto the small of ATKEN’s back and then landing a legdrop across the back of ATKEN’s head driving his throat into the top rope, bouncing off and hitting the cage wall.]
MORTON MURPHY:
“OH MY GOD! OCHO just drove Atken’s THROAT on the top rope with that crazy legdrop thingy after using ATKEN as a step ladder before EATING steel cage. Talk about putting your body on the line.”
PAIN GRILLE:
“Just as I said, Mortimer. Dig deep. You want to be zee Champion you need to dig deep into your soul and FIND zat somet’ing to keep your fires burning.”
[Dragging himself to his feet, OCHO stares into the ring as ATKEN flops around like mad clutching his throat. A cut has opened up on his chin and blood runs down onto his chest. He pulls the top rope and leaps onto it, springboarding with a crossbody press onto ATKEN and then grabbing the leg for the cover.]
MORTON MURPHY:
“OCHO DIGGING DEEP! COVER!
“ONE!
“TWO!
“THREE!”
[ATKEN bursts his shoulder up off the canvas at the last moment to the Pittsburgh natives boos.]
MORTON MURPHY:
“Oh man! That was a close call. Shoulder up on TWO point NINE NINE NINE! Ocho slaps the canvas in frustration. These men are giving their all here, pain.”
[OCHO heaves ATKEN to his feet and applies a front facelock, preapring to lift, ATKEN hooks his leg around OCHO’s. He reverses and lifts OCHO up and rushes toward the cage wall, turning and driving his vertical suplex variation into the cage wall. The fans can’t help but cheer as OCHO falls down between the ropes and the cage wall.]
MORTON MURPHY:
“AMAZING reversal from Atken. Vertical suplex into the cage wall. Atken climbs to the rop rope, stalking Leyenda de Ocho as he SLOWLY rises to his feet.”
PAIN GRILLE:
“What is ‘e up to?”
[OCHO pulls himself to his feet as ATKEN leaps, catching him with a diving DDT into the apron. ATKEN hits his head against the cage wall as he drives to top of OCHO’s head into the apron.]
MORTON MURPHY:
“BY GAWD! Diving DDT on the apron and, pain, you can tell the people at home, that’s not a spot you want to be DDT’ed onto.”
PAIN GRILLE:
“Morty, zat is a bad spot because zee padding and zee ring supports meet zere. Zee protection is virtually not’ing. I would prefer taking a DDT on zee exposed concrete zan zee apron.”
[ATKEN rolls under the ropes and pulls OCHO under the bottom rope into the center of the ring and makes the cover.]
MORTON MURPHY:
“COVER!
“ONE!
“TWO!
“THREE!”
[The fans pops loudly as OCHO kicks out at the very last opportunity. ATKEN bursts to his feet, shoving JOLT away from him, thrusting three fingers into his face. JOLT shoves him back and holds up two fingers.]
MORTON MURPHY:
“Former wrestler, Jarvis Jolt, now an IGCC official, will NOT take that crap lying down.”
[OCHO rolls around clutching his crown in pain. ATKEN returns to OCHO, pulls him to his feet and whips him into the corner. He charges in behind and leaps into the corner with a clothesline that’s echoed by the boos of the Pittsburgh fans.]
MORTON MURPHY:
“Atken PUNISHING Ocho for kicking out. In the corner. He’s lifting him up onto the top. FRONT FACE LOCK!”
PAIN GRILLE:
“‘e’s going for zee superplex!”
[ATKEN attempts to launch but OCHO blocks it. He hits a punch in ATKEN’s gut. Followed by another. ATKEN throws one back but OCHO rains one back in. ATKEN’s facelock releases and OCHO cups the back of his head and nails punch after punch as the crowd counts and get to eight before ATKEN falls from the top onto his back in the centre of the ring.]
MORTON MURPHY:
“ATKEN DOWN! ATKEN DOWN!”
PITTSBURGH, PA:
“ACK-CHOO-LIE-ZARR! ACK-CHOO-LIE-ZARR!”
MORTON MURPHY:
“AAAACCCCCCCCCCCTTTTTTTTTTTTTTUUUUUUUUUUUUUU-LIZAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRR”
[OCHO flies from the top and nails ATKEN TOP ROPE corkscrew quebrada and the fans explode. FLASH CUT-TO: kids in the front row wearing OCHO masks high-fiving each other. FLASH CUT-TO: OCHO clutching those damaged ribs of his as he claws across the ring to lay on top of ATKEN.]
MORTON MURPHY:
“Leyenda de Ocho FLIES from the top. And now he’s covering Atken!
“ONE!
“TWO!
“THREE!”
***DING! DING! DING!***
MORTON MURPHY:
“LEYENDA DE OCHO WINS STAGE ONE! OCHO WINS STAGE ONE! BY GAWD!”
PAIN GRILLE:
“Zat Actualizar just destroyed zee Intergalactic Champion and Leyenda de Ocho ‘as zee first stage under ‘is belt. And you ‘ave to say, Morty, zee ladder match suits Ocho. ‘e ‘as already won a ladder match ‘ere in zee IGC.”
MORTON MURPHY:
“And Ocho straight back into it. He’s climbed onto the top rope, balancing as best he can with that dodgy knee and he’s disconnecting the ladder from it’s latches to get stage two out of the way.”
[Undoing the second clip, OCHO holds the ladder across his body, back to ATKEN. He then falls back and throws the ladder backwards, delivering a fallaway slam to the ladder and driving it RIGHT onto the fallen PHIL ATKEN to massive cheer that nearly brings down the Palumbo Center.]
MORTON MURPHY:
“BY GAWD! OCHO GIVES THE LADDER A FALLAWAY SLAM ONTO PHIL ATKEN!”
PAIN GRILLE:
“ZOOT ALORS! Zat was AMAZING!”
[OCHO gets to his feet, sore from toppling backwards onto the canvas, raising four fingers on each hand into the air to another pop. ATKEN lays beneath the ladder as OCHO charges at the ropes for what looks like another Lionsault but when he leaps onto the second rope he just turns in the air and lands a double foot stomp onto the ladder.]
PAIN GRILLE:
“SACRE BLEU! Ocho getting down and dirty!”
MORTON MURPHY:
“Man alive! Phil Atken, lying beneath that ladder, has it STOMPED into his chest and he’s in agony beneath the ladder!”
PAIN GRILLE:
“Ocho knows zat to beat zee devil you need to find your own demons to unleash. Zis is a good start!”
[OCHO lifts the ladder up and leans it against the corner. He pulls ATKEN to his feet and Irish whips him across the ring.]
MORTON MURPHY:
“BY GAWD! Ocho with the Irish whip into the steel ladder. Atken is in a bad way. The challenger has favour on his side and Atken has PAIN!”
PAIN GRILLE:
“Why is zee cage still around zee ring?”
MORTON MURPHY:
“It appears as though my designers FORGOT how the cage walls would be removed but JArvis Jolt is opening the cage door.”
PAIN GRILLE:
“Oh good, ‘e can let some air in.”
[OCHO takes advantage of the door being opened, slips out and lifts the apron to grab a chair. He slides it back inside the ring and sets it up in the centre of the ring before getting a run up.]
MORTON MURPHY:
“Ocho taking crazy to the extreme. Setting up that chair. Running full speed. He leaps off the CHAAAAIIIIIIRRR-- FRESH AIR! STEEL LADDER!”
[ATKEN drops and rolls out of the way as OCHO leaps off the chair, attempting to hit a leaping leg lariat but coming up with nothing but steel ladder. He bounces off and to the floor as ATKEN pulls himself to his feet with rope aide.]
MORTON MURPHY:
“That leg lariat came up SHORT and Leyenda de Ocho is in some agony, pain. He hit that steel ladder with that right knee.”
[OCHO clutches his knee in pain as ATKEN moves closer to the steel ladder. He lifts it up, holding it across his body, and runs through the back of OCHO. The output of this move is a pile of tangled bodies and steel ladder.]
PAIN GRILLE:
“Sacre bleu! Atken just ‘urt ‘imself in zee process of trying to destroy Ocho. Zey are bot’ just lying zere in zee middle of zee ring.”
MORTON MURPHY:
“Well, it might pay for you to know that this match has already been going for twenty minutes, pain, and these two have two stages to get through. Ocho has a busted chin, damage to his ribs and chest and God only knows what kind of damage Phil Atken has done to Ocho’s right knee.”
[ATKEN is the first to stir. Sitting up amidst the carnage. OCHO is rolling beneath the ladder. ATKEN gets to his feet and pushes the ladder away, pulls OCHO up to his feet and then whips him into the corner before lifting the ladder above his head and sliding it down around his waist and holding it up like some strange steel skirt.]
MORTON MURPHY:
“What on EARTH is Phil Atken doing, pain?”
PAIN GRILLE:
“I don’t know, mon ami. ‘e is an intriguing beast.”
MORTON MURPHY:
“Atken, backing up a few steps and-- CHARGING FORWARD!”
[Running at full speed, ATKEN inside the ladder charges forward smashes it into the ribcage of OCHO. The impact sends PHIL bouncing back across the ring. OCHO drops flat on his ass, gasping like a fish out of water. Pittsburgh roars their approval.]
MORTON MURPHY:
“BY GAWD! DIDYA SEE THAT?”
PAIN GRILLE:
“SACRE BLEU! Phil just charged zee steel ladder into zee ribs of Ocho and ‘e is STILL sucking wind greedily. Zose ribs must be close to bursting t’rough zee chest of Ocho. Zey must be ‘anging on by zee t’read.”
MORTON MURPHY:
“Phil Atken near snapped himself in half to snap Leyenda de Ocho in half and I’m not sure he came out of this almost as worse off as Ocho but at least Atken can move.”
[Wriggling free of the confines of the steel ladder, ATKEN pulls himself to his feet by use of the ropes, clutching his ribs with one arm. OCHO sits flat on his ass staring across at PHIL, gasping desperately for air not even able to clutch his damaged ribs.]
MORTON MURPHY:
“Ocho just trying to catch his breath. Atken on his feet. Stomps from Atken. Stomping. Stomping. Stomping. Trying to make sure Ocho doesn’t move a muscle before he ascends to the scaffolding.”
[ATKEN pulls OCHO to his feet, drives a knee into his belly and falls back with a DDT. Gets to his knees and rolls OCHO under the bottom rope and out the open door of the cage, pulling the door shut behind him.]
MORTON MURPHY:
“Ocho rolled out of the ring to the outside and Phil Atken can concentrate on setting up the ladder up and entering the third stage of the match and closer to retaining his Intergalactic Championship title and setting an extremely relevant record as being a true champion.”
PAIN GRILLE:
“‘e’ll add at least a couple more weeks onto his reign before ‘e ‘as to face Magnus Destructo.”
MORTON MURPHY:
“That’s if Ocho can’t defy the odds. Ladder upright. Atken on the first rung. When you’ve gone through this match insanity climbing a simple ladder can take it out of you and Atken has been drained already by the craziness this Three Stages of Zelda match has brought.”
[As ATKEN begins his slow ascent onto the first rung, OCHO sits up ringside, seeing that he’s been trapped outside the cage. ATKEN looks up and makes a weary step to the next rung of the ladder. OCHO pulls himself to his feet using the apron.]
MORTON MURPHY:
“Ocho up. Atken climbing. The Champ ascending one step closer toward retaining his Intergalactic Championship, pain. Ocho is on the outside and he doesn’t look like he’s up to it.”
[OCHO shaking the cobwebs spies ATKEN making the transition between the next few rungs and locks his hands on the side of the cage.]
MORTON MURPHY:
“What’s Ocho doing? He’s climbing the outside wall of the cage. Atken doesn’t even realise.”
PAIN GRILLE:
“I ‘ave no idea what goes t’rough Leyenda de Ocho’s ‘ead, Morty. ‘e is a surprise packet EVERY time ‘e gets in zee ring.”
[OCHO seems to scale the cage wall a little easier than PHIL does the ladder and as ATKEN makes it half-way up, OCHO is already two-thirds of the way up the outer cage wall.]
MORTON MURPHY:
“Ocho is higher up the side of the cage. Atken just needs to keep moving to claim the second stage, pain. Once he climbs that ladder and ascends into the scaffolding he has made it to Stage Three.”
PAIN GRILLE:
“And zen ‘e ‘as to await zee arrival of Ocho before zee t’ird stage can start, correct?”
MORTON MURPHY:
“That’s spot on, pain. Ocho has scaled the outside wall in it’s entirety pain and he’s looking hesitant as thoughts flash through his mind as to what he needs to do next.”
[OCHO tightrope walks the top of the cage wall as ATKEN makes it to the top of the ladder. OCHO crouches down and leaps up with all his might, grabbing onto the scaffolding. The fans cheer loudly as OCHO begins to maneuver towards ATKEN.]
MORTON MURPHY:
“Ocho is like a monkey hanging from that scaffolding and making his way across to Phil Atken. He’s hanging right above Phil. I’m not sure what he’s doing. He cannot win the second stage by getting into the scaffold off of the cage, pain. You need to get onto the scaffold from the ladder.”
PAIN GRILLE:
“Somet’ing tells me Ocho ‘as ot’er plans, Morty.”
[ATKEN, furious, tries to swat at the legs of LEYENDA DE OCHO as he attempts to get onto the scaffold. OCHO, right above ATKEN, drops down and locks his legs around ATKEN, twists his body and the pair fall to the canvas as OCHO drives ATKEN’s head in with a hurricanrana.]
PAIN GRILLE:
“SACRE BLEU!”
MORTON MURPHY:
“BAAAAAHHHHH GAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWD! HURRICANRANA! HURRICANRANA!”
PITTSBURGH, PA:
“THIS - IS - AWE - SOME!”
(clap clap clapclapclap)
“THIS - IS - AWE - SOME!”
(clap clap clapclapclap)
“THIS - IS - AWE - SOME!”
(clap clap clapclapclap)
MORTON MURPHY:
“Phil Atken must be DEAD!”
PAIN GRILLE:
“‘urricanrana is a devastating move ALL on it’s own, Morty. But from ten or twelve feet above zee ring... you can only IMAGINE what’s going t’rough Phil Atken’s ‘ead.”
MORTON MURPHY:
“His spine, probably. Ocho sits up and he looks like he’s out of it, pain. But he’s pulling to his feet. He gets to his feet and begins to ascend. If Leyenda de Ocho enters the scaffolding, pain, we will have a NEW Intergalactic Champion. A NEW Intergalactic Champion, pain, and all of Leyenda de Ocho’s dreams will come true as he holds onto the first gold of his wrestling career.”
[OCHO is slow on his feet. That right knee seems to have began to bother him again as he climbs onto the first rung. ATKEN hasn’t even stirred yet. OCHO climbs higher as Pittsburgh buzzes loudly.]
MORTON MURPHY:
“This is what the Intergalactic Championship is all about, pain. An epic battle to crown our champion and Leyenda de Ocho is etching forward to write his name in the annals of professional wrestling history.”
PAIN GRILLE:
“Atken is sitting up, Morty.”
[Clutching his head in both hands, ATKEN nurses the pain and screams maniacally at it is if it would make it go away. He looks around the canvas and cannot spy OCHO. He looks up and his eyes boggle out of his head.]
MORTON MURPHY:
“Atken has only just realised that Leyenda is scaling the ladder and he’s moving slow, pain. That knee. Those ribs. His WHOLE - BODY must be screaming at him to stop. His whole body. All except his heart. His determination. It DRIVES him higher. It drives him to the scaffold, pain.”
PAIN GRILLE:
“And Phil Atken is on ‘is feet and I am SURE ‘e will ‘ave somet’ing to say about Ocho getting to zee scaffold.”
[ATKEN rushes around to the otherside of the ladder and begins to scale, climbing as fast as he can, eventually matching OCHO’s level on the ladder. The ascend together and get to the top where they both begin to trade punches wildly.]
MORTON MURPHY:
“There’s a boxing match at the top of the ladder. Ocho. Atken. Trading blows wildly. This is insanity.”
[ATKEN begins to get the upperhand on the blows. He rains a devastating right hand on OCHO which sees LEYENDA losing his balance. He sways and tries to hold on but his equilibrium is pushing him backwards. He somehow twists before falling and leaps off the ladder, landing on the cage wall like a little monkey. The momentum of his leap is enough to send the ladder toppling backwards and ATKEN rides it towards the cage wall and leaps off himself, leaving both men clutching to the cage walls.]
MORTON MURPHY:
“Tremendous ring awareness. Both men were going to fall to their doom, pain, but ingeniously have managed to cling to the cage walls by sheer WILL alone. And they’re both ascending to the top of the cage.”
PAIN GRILLE:
“Top of zee cage can only lead to trouble for one of zese two superstars, Mortimer. Zey are both showing COMPLETE disregard for zeir bodies.”
[At the top of the cage, both men make their way toward the other. Balancing gently on their feet as they meet and they begin to exchange punches again. Driving hard fists as the whole arena silences and waits with baited breath for something to happen.]
MORTON MURPHY:
“Both men, teetering on the top of the cage, exchanging nasty blows. This is NOT gonna be a good day for one of these two.”
[OCHO’s fists begin to come out on top, nailing ATKEN again and again until ATKEN drops down to one knee and swings his arm upward between OCHO’s legs right in the groin and the arena erupts into chaotic boos at the Intergalactic Champion.]
MORTON MURPHY:
“LOW BLOW! LOW BLOW!”
PAIN GRILLE:
“Zat is where Atken is zee genius, Morty. ‘e knows what it takes to win zee title. We saw at Sorry You’re Not a Winner when he pulled zee tights. We see it now with zee low blow. Who knows what we’ll see next week but Atken takes opportunity and makes it WORK for ‘im.”
MORTON MURPHY:
“Ocho on his knees, clutching his Sega Megadrive, and these fans are NOT pleased.”
PITTSBURGH, PA:
“YOU’RE - AN - ASS - HOLE!”
(clap clap clapclapclap)
“YOU’RE - AN - ASS - HOLE!”
(clap clap clapclapclap)
“YOU’RE - AN - ASS - HOLE!”
(clap clap clapclapclap)
[ATKEN bows at them before grabbing OCHO and turning him upside down, moving carefully so he’s facing the ring area with OCHO hanging in his grasp.]
MORTON MURPHY:
“WHAT’S HE GONNA DO? WHAT’S HE GONNA D-- PILEDRIVER! PIIIIIIIIIIIIIILEDRRRRRRRRRRIIIIIIIIIIIIVEEEEEEEEEERRRRRRRRRRRR!”
[Stepping off the cage wall, PHIL ATKEN drops down into the ring below and drives OCHO’s head into the canvas with a piledriver that bursts Pittsburgh to their feet in a raucous cheer.]
PITTSBURGH, PA:
“EYE - GEE - SEE! EYE - GEE - SEE! EYE - GEE - SEE!”
MORTON MURPHY:
“BAAAAH GAAAWWWWD!”
PAIN GRILLE:
“Ocho is not moving, Morty. Zat piledriver drove ‘is ‘ead into zee canvas and ‘e is LIFELESS in zee ring. ‘e’s not even twitching!”
[XXXTREME CLOSE-UP: PHIL ATKEN’s face with a sadistic grin across it. Still sitting on the canvas with a folded up OCHO in his lap. WIDE SHOT: ATKEN shoves the broken OCHO off his body and rises to his feet. He claps his hands together to rid them of the filth of OCHO before wiping his feet beside the crumpled OCHO’s head.]
MORTON MURPHY:
“Phil Atken, the Champ, just smashed Ocho to smithereens and all there is left to do is ascend. Climb that ladder. Head into the scaffolding and prepare yourself for stage three of this contest. Leyenda de Ocho SURELY cannot overcome this kind of adversity.”
PAIN GRILLE:
“Taking a shot like zat is not easily overcome, Morty. Zat is a move zat can stay with you for your ‘ole career.”
[ATKEN stands the ladder up and begins to ascend to the scaffolding, taking his sweet time. OCHO has not moved.]
MORTON MURPHY:
“Atken, climbing higher. Moving closer to the goal of retaining his championship. I can’t believe what we just saw.”
[Finally at the top of the ladder, ATKEN reaches up and grabs onto the scaffold, pulling himself up onto the plank.]
***DING! DING! DING!***
MORTON MURPHY:
“He’s done it! He’s won the second stage of this contest, pain. Phil Atken and Leyenda de Ocho have EACH won a stage of this match and if anyone said to me at the start of this we’d be one all with Ocho winning the wrestling stage and Atken winning the ladder stage I’d have told you that you were dreaming.”
PAIN GRILLE:
“In my own ‘ead, I t’ought it would ‘ave been vice versa, too. Atken is the purer wrestler, Morty. I t’ought if any stage of zis match proved to side wit’ ‘is strengths it was zee cage. But ‘e ‘as shown zat Ocho is not zee king of zee ladder.”
MORTON MURPHY:
“And if he WERE the king, pain, he was just unceremoniously dethroned.”
[Inside the cage, officials enter to see if OCHO is okay. A crowd of them gather around him, covering him from the camera as they fuss over him.]
MORTON MURPHY:
“Medical staff seeing if Ocho is able to continue on. Look at Atken... he’s STRUTTING on the scaffold, pain.”
PAIN GRILLE:
“And ‘e SHOULD, Morty. ‘e just killed Ocho. If Ocho comes back from zis ‘e ‘is in NO shape to take down Phil Atken. Zee Champ shall retain. Zee Champ shall win. Ocho ‘as not’ing now whet’er ‘e quits or ‘e stands up. Phil Atken will STILL be zee champ.”
[FLASH CUT-TO: ATKEN strutting Flair style along the scaffold boards. FLASH CUT-TO: the medical group surrounding OCHO. One of the medical staff falls backward. Another goes tumbling forward. Grabbing a shoulder of another medico, OCHO heaves himself to his feet. He shoves another EMT away as Pittsburgh bursts to their feet cheering loudly. Staggering punch drunk around the ring, OCHO stumbles into the ladder and looks up.]
PITTSBURGH, PA:
“OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH-CHO! OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH-CHO! OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH-CHO!”
MORTON MURPHY:
“THE CHALLENGER IS ON HIS FEET AND PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ARE ON THEIR FEET! THEY’RE DEAFENING, PAIN! I FEEL LIKE I’M SHOUTING!
PAIN GRILLE:
“YOU ARE SHOUTING!”
[FLASH CUT-TO: ATKEN eyes boggling as he looks down. He shakes his head as we FLASH CUT-TO: OCHO stepping onto the first rung of the ladder. He climbs another and the fans grow louder and louder.]
MORTON MURPHY:
“Ocho fights on. Ocho climbing the ladder. Atken is not impressed. Atken is irate. He thought Ocho would never stand from that insanity but here they are with Ocho getting closer to the scaffold for the third stage to begin.”
PAIN GRILLE:
“I still don’t t’ink zat Ocho can overcome zat shot, regardless of zis ‘ole arena rallying be’ind ‘im.”
[OCHO, at the top of the ladder, leaps up and clings onto the scaffold with both hands. ATKEN immediately storms over, stomping at OCHO’s hands, trying to stop him from getting up. OCHO begins to swing back and forth on the platform. ATKEN freaks out from the movement and scurries away to cling to supports. OCHO swings a leg up and pulls himself onto the platform, staring across at PHIL.]
MORTON MURPHY:
“Phil Atken looks remarkably uncomfortable up there on the platform, pain. Did you see the reaction he had to Ocho shaking the platform?”
PAIN GRILLE:
“I did not know ‘e ‘ad a fear of ‘eights. Zis is somet’ing I never took into considerations. Ocho looks quite comfortable.”
MORTON MURPHY:
“Ocho and Atken, face to face on the scaffolding.”
[OCHO gets in ATKEN’s face and they’re having words. ATKEN shoves OCHO. OCHO shoves ATKEN. ATKEN goes to shove OCHO but LEYENDA simply stomps his foot down on the platform of the scaffold which shakes the whole structure, sending ATKEN reeling back towards the supports he clutched moments ago.]
MORTON MURPHY:
“The Intergalactic Champion is COMPLETELY out of his comfort zone. Ocho charges, high knee into ribs of Atken. Atken doubled over and DDT from Ocho on the scaffold. Atken’s down.”
PAIN GRILLE:
“If Ocho ‘ad ‘alf a brain ‘e would be trying to roll Atken off zee scaff at any given opportunity.”
[OCHO gets to his feet and tries to wrench ATKEN to his but the Champ clutches at the platform and makes it difficult to be lifted. OCHO tries to toss ATKEN off sideways, regardless of him clutching to the sides but ATKEN throws a boot that catches OCHO on the chin and causes him to stumble back, teetering on the opposite edge of the scaffold waving his arms to maintain his balance. The fans gasp in unison.]
MORTON MURPHY:
“Ocho’s losing his balance! Will he fall? Oh man. The suspense is killing me.”
[OCHO regains his balance. ATKEN on his haunches, rubbing his head, sees OCHO in the vulnerable position and strikes with a kick. But OCHO catches it. ATKEN swings with an enzuiguri but OCHO ducks underneath it, still holding the leg, and rolls across the platform with a dragon screw legdrag that’s foiled by ATKEN madly clutching at the opposite side of the platform to stop the momentum.]
MORTON MURPHY:
“Quick thinking by Atken, clutching the platform to avoid being tossed off. My heart is in my throat, pain.”
PAIN GRILLE:
“Ocho was quick t’inking zere, Morty, but zee Champ was quicker. ‘e knew where zat was going and quickly used ‘is brain to outsmart zee challenger.”
[Both men back on their feet, OCHO charges at ATKEN who dips the shoulder and launches OCHO into the air and toward what looked like over the edge but OCHO manages to catch ATKEN by the head as he goes over him, pulling him back with him and stalling his momentum. It drives ATKEN backwards down onto the platform as OCHO’s grip breaks and his legs go over the side. As he slides away he desperately grabs at the edge of the platform, dangling dangerously.]
MORTON MURPHY:
“OH MY GOD! Ocho QUICKLY and DESPERATELY grabbed onto the edge of the scaffolding and I don’t know what the Hell I just saw but all I can call it is desperation.”
[ATKEN sits up, rubbing the back of his head as LEYENDA clambers a leg over the side. On hands and knees, ATKEN scurries over and tries to shove the leg off as OCHO gets his underarms over the edge. ATKEN pushes harder but OCHO swings a wild punch that catches ATKEN in the face. And another. He throws punches wildly as he tries to pull himself up.]
MORTON MURPHY:
“Intergalactic Championship hanging in the balance, pain. Hanging in the balance. Ocho is dangling off the side of the platform and Atken is trying to throw him to his demise.”
[ATKEN continues, trying to shrug off the punches but one catches him hard enough on the nose to bust it open and crimson sprays down his face. Momentarily blinded by tears in his eyes, ATKEN rolls onto his back and pinches his nose to clog the bleed. OCHO heaves himself onto the platform, mounts ATKEN’s chest, and begins to smash fists into the already bloodied nose almost manaically.]
MORTON MURPHY:
“Ocho baying for blood! Atken trying desperately to cover his face but Ocho rains them down. Ocho up. STANDING MOONSAULT! BY GAWD!”
PAIN GRILLE:
“INSANITY! Why on Earth would ‘e do zat up zere?”
MORTON MURPHY:
“For the Intergalactic Championship, pain. Why else?”
[Rolling on the platform, clutching his damaged ribs, OCHO takes a moment to gather himself as ATKEN clutches his own abdomen in agony. OCHO sits up and crawls over to ATKEN, grabbing his legs and trying to toss them over the side of the scaffolding but ATKEN stings OCHO’s face with a kick. They both rise to their feet, charge at one another yet ATKEN raises the knee into OCHO’s breadbasket, doubles him over and lifts him before driving him into the platform with a brainbuster that shakes the scaffold’s entire foundations.]
MORTON MURPHY:
“Atken with the brainbuster! Ocho is down. Ocho is down and Atken has him by the ankl-- IT’S A FIGURE FOUR! IT’S A FIGURE FOUR!”
PAIN GRILLE:
“Figure four leglock at zee top of zee scaffold and Leyenda de Ocho is a complete world of hurt!”
[OCHO roars in agony as his pained, now probably injured, right knee is twisted and contorted in the figure four applied by ATKEN who is pulling hard on the move with everything he’s got just wearing down the 8-Bit Legend.]
MORTON MURPHY:
“Figure four on top of the scaffolding and Leyenda de Ocho is going to struggle to move that leg IF he ever moves it again.”
PAIN GRILLE:
“Atken knows zat removing Ocho’s mobility is zee key to winning zis contest, Morty. ‘e KNOWS zat Ocho not moving equals winning.”
MORTON MURPHY:
“Ocho is tapping, pain. Ocho is tapping for Atken to release the hold but there is no escape. Tapping in Stage Three means nothing and the final boss for the Cartridge Cruiser is proving to be a difficult task for the rookie to overcome.”
[OCHO’s hand slaps the platform in agony as ATKEN grins maniacally beneath the strain of applying the hold. OCHO tries to sit up to strike ATKEN but the agony is too much. ATKEN locks it down harder and harder as the pain drives through OCHO’s right knee.]
MORTON MURPHY:
“Phil Atken waged a war on Ocho’s right knee, pain, and he’s trying to end the revolution of the young upstart. That pain has got to be too much to overcome. That agony has got to be tearing him apart. The pain. The torment. The Intergalactic Champion is doing exactly what he told Ocho he would do. He would give him the pain that makes him question whether he has what it takes to be the best in the world.”
[OCHO’s head begins to drop to the platform as ATKEN pulls harder. OCHO begins to fade as the fans start to rally behind him.]
PITTSBURGH, PA:
“LET’S - GO - O - CHO!”
(clap clap clapclapclap)
“LET’S - GO - O - CHO!”
(clap clap clapclapclap)
“LET’S - GO - O - CHO!”
(clap clap clapclapclap)
MORTON MURPHY:
“Pittsburgh are rallying behind Leyenda de Ocho as he fades. He’s fading out. He’s dropping off.”
[OCHO’s head hits the platform and he barely moves at all. ATKEN relinquishes his hold just a little bit to look up and check on OCHO but can feel the fight dropping out of his body.]
MORTON MURPHY:
“I think the pain and the torture of the figure four leglock has proven TOO MUCH for Leyenda de Ocho. He’s down. He’s out. The wily veteran has done i--”
LEYENDA DE OCHO:
“RRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!”
[OCHO sits up with his last ounce of strength and smashes and axe-handle over the top ATKEN. ATKEN flails backwards, sits up and OCHO sits up again and smashes another axe-handle down onto ATKEN’s scalp that forces him to relinquish the hold a little bit more for OCHO to kick his legs out of it.]
MORTON MURPHY:
“FROM OUT OF NOWHERE! OCHO IS ALIVE!”
PAIN GRILLE:
“ZOOT ALORS!”
[OCHO gets to his feet, gingerly standing on his right leg as ATKEN bounces to his. ATKEN and OCHO lock up, OCHO pulls him down into a side headlock and drops him with a bulldog on the platform and the fans pop loudly.]
MORTON MURPHY:
“RISKY move from Ocho there. He scaling the steel structures holding up the scaffolding. He’s out of his mind. What on EARTH is Leyenda de Ocho doing?”
PAIN GRILLE:
“SACRE BLEU! SAY IT, MORTY!”
MORTON MURPHY:
“AAAAAAAACK-CHOOOOOO-LIZAAAARRRRRRRRR!”
[OCHO lands across ATKEN’s guts with his modified Actualizar and Pittsburgh pops loudly. OCHO bounces off with one leg hanging over the scaffolding. ATKEN clutches his ribs as OCHO rolls onto his back and clutches his own abdomen.]
MORTON MURPHY:
“Ocho somehow dug deep after that figure four leglock and here he is with the momentum in his favour. Both men rising to their feet.”
[OCHO rises first, helping ATKEN to his feet so he can rattle him with a stinging right. He hits him with another which is returned with a right from ATKEN. They exchange some rights before ATKEN begins to push OCHO back into the scaffold steel supports. OCHO swings a right, ATKEN catches the arm and smashes OCHO’s elbow into the steel supports.]
MORTON MURPHY:
“OH! Drives that elbow into the steel. Ocho’s in pain. Atken not relinquishing the hold-- SMASHES that elbow on the steel again! AND AGAIN! AND AGAIN! Ocho’s in a bad way.”
PAIN GRILLE:
“I cannot t’ink as to why ‘e is focusing on zee elbow of Ocho.”
MORTON MURPHY:
“Now the wrist! Atken smashing Ocho’s wrist again and again into the steel. Ocho hits Atken with a stiff left elbow that forces him to release the punishment. CLOTHESLINE FROM ATKEN! Ocho is down.”
PAIN GRILLE:
“Zee only reason, I can t’ink of, for Atken to work zee arm is to make it more difficult for Ocho if ‘e is ‘anging off zee side.”
MORTON MURPHY:
“Atken, the Intergalactic Champion, pulls Ocho’s right arm out and STOMPS ON HIS HAND! THIS IS BRUTAL!”
PAIN GRILLE:
“Oui. I am right, mon ami.”
[ATKEN drives another stomp down onto the extended hand of LEYENDA DE OCHO before turning away and gloating to the fans, showing them a belt gesture.]
MORTON MURPHY:
“The sick mind of Phil Atken, taking Ocho’s right arm out of the equation. This is crazy.”
PAIN GRILLE:
“Zis is genius from zee champ, Morty. LOOK AT OCHO!”
[OCHO gets to his feet and charges at ATKEN, leap frogging onto ATKEN’s shoulders from behind and nailing a flurry of punches down onto ATKEN’s head with his left hand. ATKEN falls back onto the scaffolding platform with an electric chair drop and both men bounce off the platform and hang off the side. ATKEN on OCHO’s right side, as OCHO hangs by one arm.]
MORTON MURPHY:
“OH MY GOD! ELECTRIC CHAIR DROP AND NOW BOTH MEN DANGLE FROM THE SCAFFOLDING! OCHO BY ONE ARM!”
PAIN GRILLE:
“Zis is where zee tactics of Atken come to play, Morty. Zis is genius from Atken.”
[ATKEN, maneuvers around behind OCHO and drives some headbutts into the back of OCHO’s head as he hangs off the platform. Each headbutt into the back of OCHO’s head is as devastating as the next and you can see him struggling to remain there with one arm. Every time he tries to use his right you can see the pain shoot through his arm before he removes it again.]
MORTON MURPHY:
“Ocho can’t take the weight on his right arm. The pain is excruciating. He’s hanging there by one arm. Atken is trying to move across to the left arm.”
PAIN GRILLE:
“Atken only ‘as one Ocho arm to contend with. Ocho cannot ‘ang on for much longer. Phil still ‘as BOTH of ‘is arms to use.”
[Having moved around behind OCHO and to OCHO’s left side, ATKEN studies the environment as he plans his next move.]
MORTON MURPHY:
“What is going through Phil’s sick mind?”
PAIN GRILLE:
“Well, if ‘e wanted ‘e could climb up on to zee scaffolding but Ocho could still manage to get up onto zee platform. ‘e is a fighter.”
MORTON MURPHY:
“Atken doing some sort of chin up-- HE’S BITING OCHO’S WRIST! HE’S BITING HIM! HE’S BITING HIS WRIST!”
PAIN GRILLE:
“CANNIBAL!”
MORTON MURPHY:
”OCHO IN PAIN! IN AGONY! HOW MUCH CAN HE TA-- DOOOOWWWWWN GOOOOOEEEESSSSS OOOOOOOOOOO-CHOOOOOOOO!”
PITTSBURGH, PA:
“BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!”
MORTON MURPHY:
“ATKEN RETAINS! ATKEN RETAINS!”
[OCHO lands in the ring, on his back, to a massive groan from the fans. FLASH CUT-TO: ATKEN swinging his leg up onto the platform and raising his fists high above his head with his head thrown back in exhaustion, coated in sweat before looking down into the ring. FLASH CUT-TO: EMTs rushing into the cage to attend OCHO, who lays flat on his back staring up at ATKEN. FLASH CUT-TO: ATKEN, hands by his sides, staring down into the ring with a sadistic look on his face.]
MORTON MURPHY:
“Phil Atken, the Intergalactic Champion, manages to use his guile to evade the world yet again and retain that championship and Leyenda de Ocho stares up from the bottom of his mind’s creation to see he came up short AGAIN against the man here in the IGCC; Phil Atken.”
PAIN GRILLE:
“Ocho gave everyt’ing ‘e ‘ad but sometimes you need to accept zee darkness and do what it takes.”
MORTON MURPHY:
“Pittsburgh ain’t happy. Ocho is down but the Champ is on fire. WHO CAN DEFEAT HIM? That’s all we’ve got time for tonight! THANKS FOR WATCHING!”
[FADE-OUT: on PHIL ATKEN laughing to himself as he stares down at the fallen OCHO. Fade into...]
