#1 Contender's Match for the:
EPW Intercontinental Championship
Tyrone Walker vs. Karl "the Dragon" Brown vs. "Gentleman" Jonathan Marx


DT: Welcome back to Aggression, everyone! Mike, it’s time to find out just who Adam Benjamin will have to face at Empire Pro’s upcoming pay-per-view spectacular with this triple threat match! 
MN: Marx has it in the bag. Luke Skywalker and Downtown Brown don’t have half of Jonny’s brains and class between them. 

DT: We’ll see, Mike. Take it away with the introductions, Tony Fatora! 

TF: The following is a Triple Threat Match scheduled for one fall...and will determine the number one contender to the EPW Intercontinental Title. Introducing first... 

[The arena is bathed in darkness seconds before "Rainmaker" blares out, causing a cascade of green and white lights to flicker across the arena in time to the music and pyro to explode from the side of the stage. With the first words, Karl steps through the curtains, looking around at the crowd. He igh-fives fans either side of the aisle, stopping for autographs along the way, as he walks to the ring. Circles the ring once, then vaults over the top rope, standing on the second rope, arms aloft, saluting the fans on each side of the ring, before waiting in the centre of the ring for his opponent.] 

TF: Hailing from Nottingham, England and weighing in at 211 pounds...KARL “THE DRAGOOOOOOOONNN” BROOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWNNNNN!!!! 

[As “Rainmaker” fades out, The lights dim as the voice of Jamie Madrox booms over the PA and the beats kick in beginning Twiztid's "Where It's Goin Down." A single spot light shining down at the entrance way shows Tyrone Walker walking from behind the curtains and to the edge of the entrance way where he stops to scan the building, taking in the entire view for a moment. As the moment passes he turns his attention back to the ring and begins to casually stride to the ring making sure to take his time before he reaches the ringside area. Taking a few quick steps he leaps from the floor to the ring and hurls himself over the top rope and landing on his feet. Taking a few steps into the ring he shuffles over to the farside corner and leans casually into the turnbuckles as he waits.] 

TF: His opponent, originating from Detroit, Michigan...HE IS... TYROOOOOOOOOONNNNNEEEE WAAAAAAALLLLLKEEEEERRRR!!!! 

[“Where It’s Goin Down” fades out into the sounds of “Only Happy When it Rains” by Garbage as the fans boo profusely the entrance of FWI’s 2003 Rookie of the Year.] 

TF: There opponent...residing in Princeton, New Jersey...FW Illustrated’s Reigning Rookie of the Year...weighing in at 215 pounds, “THE GENTLEMAN”...JONATHAAAAAANN MAAAAAAAAARRRRRX! 

[SFX: Bell rings] 

DT: There’s the bell and this match in on! 

MN: God, you’re so clichéd. 

DT: With these three men you can expect a fast and furious match and here we go. 

[All three men exchange glances with each other before Walker charges at Brown, but “The Dragon” quickly snaps him to the mat with an arm drag takedown. Brown turns around, and is met with a hip toss from Jonathan Marx, who then gets dropkicked to the mat by the freshly risen Walker.] 

MN: Whoa, that was fast! 

DT: Walker’s got Marx, irish whip into the ropes...and a back elbow smash knocks down the Princeton native! 

MN: The Force is strong in this one. 

DT: That’s nice. Walker now turns his attention to the Dragon. Running lariat, ducked by Brown, and he springboards off the second rope with a flying cross body block! 

MN: From DOWN-town! 

DT: Brown sends Tyrone into the corner, Walker on the rebound is hit with a NASTY spinning leg lariat from “Downtown”, excuse me, “The Dragon” Karl Brown. 

[Brown brings Walker to his feet, and looks for a backdrop suplex, but Jonathan Marx clips Brown in the back of the knee! Karl writhes in pain and grabs his right knee, while “The Gentleman” grabs the staggering Tyrone Walker and drops him to the mat with a fireman’s carry before locking in a headlock.] 

MN: All Hail the Emperor, Davey! 

DT: Marx has that headlock applied in the center of the ring, and Karl Brown isn’t going to break this one up for now. Walker tries to fight, but Marx just clamps that move in! This is a smart move by Marx to take the energy out of the innovator Walker early in the match, Mike. 

MN: To defeat opponent, apply boring headlock you must. 

DT: Thanks, Master Yoda. 

MN: No problem there is. 

DT: Are you gonna talk like that ALL night? 

MN: Naw. 

DT: Thank god. 

[Marx continues wrenching the neck, but now Walker is to his feet and he pushes Marx into the far ropes. Walker leapfrogs Marx on the way back, but Tyrone is met by the still hobbling Karl Brown with a big spear that knocks the wind out of Walker.] 

DT: WHAT A MOVE BY KARL BROWN! 

MN: I thought Downtown wasn’t going to be able to stand up anymore! 

DT: Well, he’s back and establishing control! Walker’s down, and we’ve got a staredown between Jonathan Marx and Karl Brown! Brown throws a punch, blocked by Marx, and he holds onto the hand! Now, Marx and Brown linking hands as they turn on Tyrone Walker! 

MN: Karnac senses a double team. 

DT: They charge...BIG DOUBLE CLOTHESLINE SENDS WALKER OVER THE TOP ROPE AND CRASHING TO THE MAT!!!! 

MN: Ewww...he fell on his neck! Nasty! 

DT: Walker is in definite pain, Mike, I don’t know how much more we’ll see from him in this contest. 

[Marx and Brown break the momentary alliance, and they begin a series of mat holds and reversals. Marx goes for an arm drag, but Brown reverses to a dragon screw. As he spins to take Marx down, Jonathan catches Karl’s head and both men go down in an odd combination between a dragon screw and an amateur-style head-and-arm takedown. Both men get up, and Marx gets control in a collar and elbow tie up, whipping Brown into the ropes.] 

DT: Back body drop by Marx...NO!!!! Karl Brown gained control of his descent and hooked Marx’s legs as he hit the mat!!! ONE! TWO! THR-MARX JUST KICKS OUT! 

MN: Downtown’s friggin’ nuts. I’ve never seen that before! 

DT: Brown with a waistlock on Marx, Jon gets behind...schoolboy, reversed by Brown into a cradle, turned into a small package by Marx! One! Two! Kickout! 

MN: Man! These two are really letting each other have it! 

DT: Marx charges, and Brown gets under the clothesline attempt! Brown with a lariat, but Marx rolls under! Both men off the ropes, they BOTH miss clothesline attempts! Here comes Marx...QUEBRADA!!!! Quebrada into the Dragon’s-NOOOOO!!! Marx slips out and...DIAMOND CUTTER! The pin... 

ONE... 

TWO... 

THR- 

MN: Holy F(FCC)ing S(FCC)T!!!! 

DT: Tyrone Walker just broke up that pin attempt with a top rope flipping corkscrew legdrop! He pins Marx, but Brown breaks it up with a timely elbow drop! Now Walker’s going to town on Karl Brown! 

[Walker takes control by hitting an enziguiri after the Englishman blocked a kick attempt. Tyrone then dragged his opponent to his feet, sending him flying across the ring with a released one-armed German suplex which causes Brown to land on the back of his neck and head. Marx rises, and he and Walker trade looks before working over Karl Brown. After they hit a low-bridge dropkick, Marx puts Brown in vertical suplex position as Walker comes off the top rope on Karl with a flying body press. He attempts the pin, but Marx pulls him off and goes for his own pin.] 

DT: Pin from Marx... 

ONE... 

TWO... 

Walker pulls MARX off of Brown, and now they’re going at it! 

MN: Luke, challenge the Emperor you must not. 

DT: Arrrrggghh. 

MN: I know, I’m the shiznit. 

DT: Whatever. Walker and Marx are absolutely wailing at each other! Right by Walker, left by Marx, and Marx connects with a kick to the gut and whips Walker into the corner! Marx sizes him up, and a HUGE knife edged chop! 

CROWD: WHOOOOOO! 

DT: And another! 

CROWD: WHOOOOOO! 

DT: And a third chop! 

CROWD: WHOOOOOO! 

DT: Here comes a fourth...Walker ducks under and splashes The Gentleman into the corner! 

MN: He’s going for it! Luke SKY-Walker’s gonna hit it! 

DT: He sets Marx up top...SKY-Walker...NOOOOOO!!! NO!!! NO!!! In midair Jon Marx SOMEHOW reversed that move and slapped in the Marxism before hitting the mat! 

MN: Wow, George Lucas really flipped his script. The Emperor wins this round! 

DT: Marxism locked on tight! 

MN: Even the Force can’t save Skywalker now! 

DT: No, but Karl Brown can! Top Rope Diving Elbow Drop! He breaks up the hold! 

[Marx now charges at Brown, but Karl grabs the top rope, pulling it down and sending Marx flying over the top rope and to the apron. Walker, now up and limping slightly, kicks Brown in the gut and tries to DDT him, but Karl springboards off the ropes and flips over into a neckbreaker. He ascends to the top turnbuckle, but instead of hitting Walker, he jumps towards the apron, splashing Marx, who has risen to that point, but now both men crash to the outside.] 

DT: These three men are stepping it up tonight in Miami, as this one is just getting INSANE! 

MN: Now it’s Downtown and Emperor Marx going at it at ringside! 

DT: Brown with Marx...kick to the abdomen...DRAGON’S BITE!!! Dragon’s Bite on the outside of the ring! He pulls Marx up, here comes a second...NO! Marx slides out! Suplex from Marx...blocked by Brown! 

MN: Hey look, Luke’s gonna fly! I guess he’s a Super Jedi! 

DT: Here comes Tyrone Walker...TOPE ATOMICA SUICIDA!!! All three men are laid out on the outside! 

MN: To quote Beavis and Butthead: “huhuh, that was cool.” 

DT: Mike Neely, always good for insightful and tactful cultural references. 

MN: I also do weddings and Bar Mitzvahs. 

DT: Walker and Brown now up, and Karl sends Tyrone face first into the guardrail with a drop toe hold! Irish whip by Brown...reversed by Walker and Brown hits the steel ringpost! 

MN: Heh. That made a funny sound. 

DT: God, I hate you. 

[Walker and Marx now both slide into the ring as Brown staggers up. Walker tries for a suplex, but Marx floats over and shoves Tyrone into the ropes, catching him with a tilt-a-whirl piledriver before hooking in the figure four leg lock. Walker looks in pain, and comes near tapping out, but Brown darts into the ring and pulls the Detroit, Michigan native out of the hold before he can submit!] 

MN: C’mon, that was over! 

DT: Karl Brown made a real smart move right there to save his stake in this match. He now goes to work on Walker, irish whip...and a big kneelift! Standing waistlock applied, and Brown slams Tyrone Walker to the mat with a spinning modified gourdbuster! Brown turns around, and is met with a knee to the gut by Marx. He hooks Brown...SLINGSHOT SUPLEX!!! The pin... 

ONE... 

TWO... 

THREEEEE!!!! NO!!! NO!!! Kickout by Karl Brown! 

MN: That one definitely came from WAY Downtown, Davey. 

DT: That’s getting REALLY old, Mike. 

MN: Don’t care. 

DT: Didn’t think so. 

MN: Good. 

[Walker and Marx now take turns beating on Karl Brown, eventually hitting a tandem spinebuster and a double brainbuster. Walker winks at Marx for a moment, faking him out by pretending to go after the fallen Brown but instead hitting Marx with a superkick and then setting him up the corner and hitting the AIR-Walker for a very close two count.] 

DT: Tyrone Walker is FIRMLY in control of this altercation. He now has Karl Brown, and he hits him with the patented Stunnerplex! 

MN: Okaaaaaayyyy, that just looked weird. 

DT: Agreeed, but I think it made an impact just the same, as Walker is now calling for the Broken Arrow! Brown is up...HE FLOATS OVER!!!! Wait a minute... CROSSBHMYGOD!!!! Brown went for the springboard cross-body but misjudged the flight and Jonathan Marx stung him with a dropkick! 

MN: Well, you know what they say. You go high risk, you pay the price. 

DT: Whoa. Did you just give real insightful commentary? 

MN: Yup. 

DT: Holy freaking hell. Where are the flying pigs? 

[Marx then goes to town on Karl Brown, hitting a dragon suplex and then rolling into a butterfly lock. After a short time, Brown uses an elbow jab to break the hold. Brown tries to rally, but Marx slips under a sidekick attempt and...] 

DT: MARXISM!!! It’s in the center of the ring! 

MN: Emperor Marx is on the road to Adam Benjamin, Burgerboy! 

DT: Karl Brown is DESPERATELY trying to power out...and...he...DOES!!!! Marxism reversed into a modified cradle... 

ONE... 

TWO... 

THREEEEEEE!!!!! WAIT!!! Walker pulled Marx away in the nick of time, and Karl Brown is PISSED at Tyrone Walker! Brown with the irish whip and a spinning heel kick that drops Walker! He’s got him set up...Chicken Wing Suplex is...REVERSED by Walker into a neckbreaker! 

MN: These three are just pulling sh- 

DT: FAMILY SHOW!!!! 

MN: Shenanigans out of the woodwork! 

DT: Walker sets Brown on the top, he’s signaling for a second SKY-Walker!!! 

MN: May the Force be with you! 

DT: Here it comes...and Karl Brown AMAZINGLY flips out of it! Lands on his feet - NO, Walker with a kick to the gut! Brings Brown up! Supleeeexxxxx-NO, BROWN FLOATS THROUGH AND COMES DOWN SMOOTHLY INTO THE DRAGON'S BITE!!! WHAT A MANEUVER!!! Karl Brown WILL get his rematch with Adam Benja-WHAT THE HELL!! 

MN: The Emperor rules the day! 

[CUT TO: Split-screen replay of Jonathan Marx waiting in the corner, then hitting a high flipping dropkick that sent Karl Brown tumbling to the arena floor.] 

DT: Marx covers.... 

ONE... 

TWO... 

THREE!!!!!! Jonathan Marx STEALS this match from Karl Brown, and he’s the number one contender and will receive a shot at Adam Benjamin’s IC Title at our NEXT Pay-Per-View Extravaganza!!! 

MN: The coronation is about to begin, boys and girls. 

FATORA: The winner of the match via pinfall, and the NUMBER ONE CONTENDER to the IC Title...“THE GENTLEMAN” JONATHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANN MAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRXXXXX!!!!!! 

DT: What a match between these three, but in the end it's Jonathan Marx who's headed to Unleashed to face off against Adam Benjamin! 

MN: Hail to the Emperor! Woot woot! 

DT: We've got to take our last commercial break, but when we come back, it's main event time! Sands and Benjamin! Beast and Cruise! It's NEXT! 

MN: YEAH, baby!


[Cut to Lindsay Troy's locker room. The crowd pops as Troy steps through the door, having slipped out a moment ago to grab a water. She seats herself on a chair, but frowns as she notices something on her dresser: A folded slip of paper. Reaching over, she unfolds it and reads it, then snorts disdainfully and tosses it aside, getting up again to depart the room.] 

[As Troy leaves, the camera zooms in on the paper. It reads as follows:] 

Lindsay,
You still haven't picked up your shoes from under my bed. And your ass is still fine. 

Your dreamboat,
~ Christian


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