["Stay in Shadow" by Finger Eleven cues up over the arena as Erik Black comes out to a solid pop.]

TONY FATORA: The following contest is scheduled for one fall......introducing first, from Indianapolis, Indiana and weighing in at two hundred thirty seven pounds!!!....one half of Crimson Calling......ERRRRIIIIKKKKKK BLLLLAAAAAAAAACKKKK!!!!!!

[The music fades out and is replaced by "Hell's Bells" by AC/DC. Bryan Storms steps out onto the stage, his eyes fixed on Black in the ring.]

DT: We're gonna get this one underway as these two respective members of Crimson Calling and Second Coming take things to the singles arena.

DM: Black is an accomplished technician in addition to being one of the finest tag wrestlers in the world. Bryan Storms has a bit of a size advantage, but is similarly talented.

[SFX: Bell rings]

DT: These two men lock up and we're underway. Black takes the advantage and backs Storms into the ropes as the referee looks for a clean break. Black letting go and Storms slaps him right across the face!!!

MN: A fine technical maneuver right there eh, Dean?

DT: Black obviously annoyed by the slap, but stepping back into the ring regardless.

DM: Hey, mind games are just as important sometimes.

DT: Black now ducks under an attempted clothesline and dropkicks Storms down! Storms is back up quickly, and Black attempts a second dropkick, but Storms side-steps to avoid it and Black crashes down to the mat! Storms wastes no time in pulling his opponent back to his feet and executing a swinging neckbreaker! He goes for the pin, but only gets a one-count!

DM: It’s a little early to expect to be able to win this one.

MN: Yeah, but you never know.

DT: Storms transitions over to Black’s leg, driving his knee down onto Black’s and then cranking on it. After a few well-placed kicks, he locks in a single-leg Boston Crab on the former co-tag team champion! Black struggles against the hold, but Storms has it well-applied. Black crawls toward the ropes, but just as he’s about to reach them, Storms drags him back to the middle of the ring. The referee asks Black if he wants to give it up, but Black vehemently says no! Finally, he’s able to get to the ropes and the ref forces Storms to break the hold!

MN: Storms’s going to tear Black’s leg off and beat him with it!

DM: Not if Erik keeps getting to the ropes.

DT: Storms goes right back on the offensive, tearing into Black with a series of knife-edge chops and then taking him down with a Russian Legsweep! Storms runs to the ropes as Black gets to his feet..... Black ducks a big clothesline from Storms and comes back with one of his own......Storms ducks after rebounding from the ropes.....Storms bounds off the ropes a third time and goes for another clothesline, but Black catches him on the fly with an arm drag takedown!! He holds on, locking a strong armbar on Bryan Storms!

DM: What a vicious armbar by Black to Storms!

MN: Come on, Bryan! Get out!

DT: Storms hops to his feet and executes a neat backflip, forcing Black to release the hold; he immediately goes in with another clothesline...... Black reverses into an arm drag. Storms gets up and runs in again, but Black knocks him to the ground with a stiff clothesline.

MN: Powerful clothesline by Black!

DM: He won't last much longer.

DT: Black runs to the ropes and goes for a jumping elbow drop, but Storms rolls aside and Black hits nothing but mat. As Black stumbles to his feet, Storms rushes in and clasps Black about the waist. He heaves once to no avail....Black slips out, twists around behind Storms and cranks him over with a hard German suplex!

DM: Beginning of the end!

DT: Black pulls Storms to the corner! Whip across the ring....Black follows in and a vicious running calf kick against the turnbuckle!! Storms slumping in the corner!! Black pulls him up and sets him up on the top buckle!!

MN: This doesn't look good!

DT: Black climbs up along side....pulls Storms UUUUPPP AND HARD URANAGE FROM THE TOP ROPE TO THE RING BELOW!!!

DM: Say goodnight.

DT: Here's the cover!!

ONE!!

TWO!!

THREE!! This one's over!!

TF: The winner of the match.....ERRRIIIIIIIIKKKK BLACCCCCKKKK!!!!

DT: Well Erik Black has certainly made a statement here with a solid victory of Bryan Storms of Second Coming.

DM: Not quite the same satisfaction as if they had gotten the tag team win, but a hell of an ego boost nonetheless.

DT: Next up we have a matchup of two New Era rivals who have somehow managed to avoid each other in Empire Pro so far.

MN: Until now. And I'm looking for the Dragon to start a winning streak right here tonight.

TONY FATORA: Th’ following contest is set for one fall.

[The arena lights cut out a few seconds before we CUE UP: ‘Rainmaker’ by Iron Maiden. “The Dragon” steps out onto the stage as the crowd cheers politely. As he makes his way to the ring, Karl high-fives some of the fans, before rolling under the bottom rope. He salutes the fans from the second rope in one of the corners, before jumping down to wait for Pulsar]

TONY FATORA: Weighing in at two hundred and eleven pounds, he hails from Nottingham, England.... KKKKAARRRRRRLLL...THE DRAGON...BBBBBBBRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWNNNNNNN!!!

DT: ‘The Dragon’ has had mixed form of late here in EPW, but he looks ready for tonight’s match against someone he worked with in NWL, Pulsar.

DM: Don’t forget he was also recently in an invitational tournament, and I’ve heard he did pretty well, coming in third out of a field of twenty five.

MN: That’s crap!! He should’ve done better for the boss.

[CUE UP: ‘Whiskey in the Jar’ by Metallica. Pulsar walks confidently down the ramp, his eyes on the ring as fans reach out to touch his arms. The fans cheer as he stands on the ring steps, keeping Karl in his sights at all times as he steps between the ropes, before turning and saluting the fans and letting the ref check him over before the bell]

TONY FATORA: And his opponent, from Sydney, Australia, and weighing in at two hundred and forty pounds... PPPPPPPPPPPUUUUUUUUUUUUUULLLLLLLLLLSSSSSSSSSSAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRR!!!

DT: Pulsar’s had a bad run of form as well. Tonight could be his night against one of the men who’s been here from the beginning.

DM: A win here for either man is going to give them a confidence boost. Despite what many may claim a run of form like these two have had recently is going to damage your confidence, and a win tonight is sure to help them get back on the proverbial track.

[SFX: *ding*]

DT: There’s the bell, and Brown and Pulsar lock up collar and elbow. Pulsar managing to push the smaller man back to the corner, but Brown reverses it, pinning Pulsar in as the ref asks for the clean break.

MN: Good show of sportsmanship there by Brown. You know, I’m missing the killer instinct he had against Hiroshi a while back.

DT: You might do but I’m sure some of the guys in the back aren’t. They lock up centre of the ring again, Brown with the quick go behind and take down there, holding Pulsar down now with a side headlock. Pulsar though making it to his feet, with three hard forearm shots to the kidneys there before pushing Brown to the ropes. Pulsar with the shoulder tackle, and he’s running the ropes. Brown with the leapfrog there, but Pulsar catches him on the attempted duck under with a knee drop to the ribs, and he’s now locking in a hammer lock.

DM: Good technique there, pushing the arm up higher than you see a lot of guys. Brown’s showing some signs of the pain involved in that move, which can be considerable if done just right. But he’s managed to roll over slightly, which will block some of the pain and make it easier for... that, a nice swinging kick to the head, dislodging Pulsar there.

DT: ‘The Dragon’ now quickly off the ropes, taking Pulsar down with a flying forearm. He lifts the Man from the Land Down Under up, and a strong snap suplex there takes him right back down. Brown with the float-over cover...kick out at one there from Pulsar. Brown now looking to press the advantage, scoring with a knee to the gut and an arm-drag there into the arm bar, wrenching in on the shoulder.

MN: What’s happened to the Hardcore Downtown Dragon? He’s gone back to being boring.

DM: He may bore you, Mike, but he knows what he’s doing in the ring. He’s wearing down his opponent, and that’s what’s important in the ring. If you’re opponent stays fresh then it’s a lot harder to beat them.

DT: Pulsar makes it over to the ropes, though. The hold’s broken cleanly by Brown, who hits Pulsar in the back of the head with a quick kick. Irish whip off the ropes, and Brown with a drop toe hold, and another float over, into a front face lock, but Pulsar gets his hands in the way to keep the hands from locking.

DM: Smart move, as Pulsar overpowers Brown with an arm wringer on the mat. Pulsar’s got the height and weight advantage, but he’s an accomplished mat wrestler too, and now he’s taking it to the shoulder of Brown with a legdrop on the extended arm. Looks to me like he’s trying to take out that right arm, which is smart since it’s the one Brown uses to execute the Dragon’s Bite.

DT: Pulsar now with a modified armbar, pulling the arm against his own leg with one hand and locking the wrist with the other. Smart wrestling here, as he’s got Brown down with nowhere to go.

MN: Downtown better make a move or he’s gonna drown.

DT: I don’t think they’re in a swimming pool, Mike.

MN: Observant, aren’t you?

DT: I’ll go back to ignoring you I think. Brown trying to get to his feet, tucking his knees in a somewhat foetal position, forcing Pulsar to loosen his grip. Brown makes it to his feet, but Pulsar with an arm wringer, and the whip into the corner now. Pulsar now with the big splash in the corner, holding the head of the Englishman. A hard right hand there, and he wrenches the arm over the top rope.

DM: He’s doing the smart thing and focusing on one point, using the five second rule to great effect as he breaks at four and a half. Another hard right hand, and he lifts Brown to the top rope. Setting up him, and a NICE top rope armdrag down. The cover

TWO

No. Still too early in the match to put the Dragon away. Pulsar picks Brown up, dropping him down with a scoop slam.

DT: If Brown doesn’t launch some offence soon it could be all over, as Pulsar’s had pretty much the lion’s share.

MN: I dunno. Lions, dragons... what’s next, an armadillo?

DT: Pulsar with another knee drop there, and the cover, but only the one count. He picks Brown off the mat again, but Brown scores with a hard right to the gut, followed by a push away and a hard step-in side kick, knocking Pulsar back to the ropes. Pulsar bouncing off the ropes, but Brown takes him over with a back body drop. Brown now starting to gain momentum with an elbow drop there, into the quick cover... nope, only a two count there.

DM: Notice Brown dropped the left elbow there? He’d normally use the right one, but the jarring effect from the impact would’ve caused more damage to his shoulder. Pulsar could use that to his advantage later.

DT: If he gets a chance, as Brown takes him up and down with a back suplex. Both men up now, and it’s Brown with a forearm smash and whip into the corner. Pulsar ducks out of the way as Brown charged in there, looking to set Brown up on the top again... NO!! Brown manages to spring over the top of Pulsar, taking him down with a solid neckbreaker.

...TWO!!

...THRNOO, Pulsar with the kickout there as the referee’s hand was coming down for the three.

MN: Downtown with a nice move there, I must admit. If all technical geek moves were like that I’d be more interested in that style.

DM: Brown continuing to focus on the neck with a swinging neck breaker. Setting himself up on the second rope, and a nice fist drop there to the head of Pulsar. Another cover and another two count.

DT: He’s setting Pulsar up, locking in a waist lock. German suplex?

DM: Nope, as Pulsar lands on his feet, and hits Brown with one of his own. Brown landing hard on the shoulder, as Pulsar shakes the cobwebs. A nice top arm wrist lock there, bending the elbow over. This move stretches the shoulder at the same time as working over the arm, and the position means Pulsar can catch a quick breath and clear his thoughts after the neckbreakers and brief offence from The Dragon. The ref asking Brown if he wants to call it quits, but Brown adamantly refusing to.

DT: Pulsar looking wary there of the legs of Brown, sitting back slightly further than a lot of men do. I suppose that’s something to do with the kick to the head Brown landed earlier from a not all dissimilar position.

DM: Brown though manages a nice counter there, pushing back up and over. Impressive gymnastics there, forcing Pulsar to break the hold before the three count began. Brown now off the ropes, taking Pulsar down with a shoulder tackle there, dropping the knee. He picks him up... Northern Lights Suplex gets a two count. He’s feeling it now, as he sets him up.

MN: Downtown gonna win one, playa.

DT: He’s locked him n the dragonsleeper. Reaching over... no, Pulsar breaks away by landing a well aimed shot to the right shoulder. Pulsar with a quick whip into the corner, following Brown in...Brown with a boot to the face. Pulsar staggers, as Brown pushes him into the corner. Brown stepping up onto the second rope... DIAMOND DUST!!! That flipping facebuster like maneouver out of the corner might seal the win.

One...

TWO...

THRAnd Pulsar gets the shoulder up. Brown now picking him off the canvas, but Pulsar with a kick to the gut. Hooking him up for a suplex... Brown drops out behind... DRAGON’S BITE!!

One...

Two...

THREE!!! Karl Brown wins it!!

[SFX: *dingdingdingding*]

TONY FATORA: Th’ winner of the match by pinfall... KKKKKAAAAAAAARRRRRRRLLLLLL...THE DRAGON... BBBBBBBBRRRRRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWWNNNNNNN!!!

DT: A resounding win for the Dragon here tonight, as he seems to be getting some of his old fire back.

DM: I've got big hopes for this kid, Dave Thomas. If he can set his sights on the prize and really get into a winning frame of mind, he'll be huge.

DT: Folks, when we come back we'll have some tag-team action for you, but right now we've got to take a short break!

[Cut to a commercial]