Camera fades into the backstage area. Kenny Lombardo walks into the shot, holding a torn piece of paper. Kenny looks around and then back down at the paper. Kenny begins talking to himself.
KL: The message says to meet back here for a interview. It’s not signed and I have no clue who wrote this. (Kenny looks down at his watch) I’m not waiting much longer.
Suddenly two shadows fall over the Kenny. Kenny looks up and a look of shock is on his face. The camera finally pans back to reveal Ripper Robertson and “Mad Man” Max Mayhem, better known to wrestling fans as The Motor City Maniacs. Kenny gulps loudly and he opens hi mouth and tries to speak, but can’t.
RR: What’s the matter, Kenny? Don’t worry, Max isn’t going to cause you any harm, well not yet anyway. Aren’t you happy to see us?
Kenny just nods his head yes
RR: Well don’t you want to want to know what’s brought us back to the EPW? I mean not that our first stint was all that impressive?
Kenny nods yes, again.
RR: That’s exactly why we’re back. These young punks around here think they have it so tough, they think they know what it takes to climb to the top Tag Team Division, but then they quickly abandon the very thing they work so hard at to venture into the singles realm, thinking that they’ll be a headliner. We’re here to show the wrestling world that Tag Team wrestling isn’t a thing of the past. We’ve battled greats like the Night Cripplers and The Dark Carnival in Main Event matches and we’re here to put the NPW Tag Team Division back on the top of the wrestling world.
Kenny finally speaks
KL: Mi…Mist….Mister Robertson. I’m sure you don’t expect to come in here and expect to be trust into the heart of the Tag Team Division. Do you?
Max takes a step toward Kenny, but Ripper puts an arm up impeding Max’s movement. Ripper never looks at Max, but glares directly at Kenny.
RR: Do we expect to what? You know what kid; we are the Tag Team Division now. Doesn’t really matter who holds the Tag Team gold, doesn’t really matter who’s in the division. What matters is that the Motor City Maniacs are here and we’re about to show the entire wrestling world why we were one of the most feared tag teams to ever step in a ring. Now get the hell out of here.
Ripper makes a quick move toward Kenny, who turns to run but runs smack dab into a wall, knocking himself out unconscious. Ripper and Max chuckle to themselves as they turn and walk away.
DT: We’re back and it’s straight forward with another big match here at Aggression 28. This one pits two talented Japanese wrestlers against each other. It’ll be “The Black Rose” Kazuo Shizaki taking on Kenshiro Inogami.
MN: Kawasaki ****su versus Konichiwa Origami?
DT: I’m just going to ignore you and take it down to the ring for the introductions.
(No music plays. “The Black Rose” makes his entrance through the curtains, very businesslike, to a decent pop from the audience. He’s all business as he heads to the ring, staying focused on the task at hand.)
Announcer: First, hailing from Kyoto, Japan... he stands five feet ten inches tall and weighs in at two hundred and fifteen pounds... “The Black Rose”... Kazuo SHI-ZAKI!!!!!!!!!!
DT: I’m very impressed already from the very no-nonsense approach of Shizaki. He seems to be one of the most focused competitors we have seen in recent history.
(Any further discussion by the broadcast team is interrupted, as the crowd suddenly hushes. The lights go dark and smoke begins billowing from the entranceway. The lights start flickering on at a very low setting and a silhouette makes it’s way to the ramp. All of a sudden the lights flash on at the brightest setting and there is Kenshiro Inogami standing still and calm at the bottom of the ramp. He makes his way to the ring.)
Announcer: His opponent, hailing from The Kansai Prefecture of Osaka, Japan... stands six feet three inches tall and weighs two hundred and thirty-five pounds... Kenshiro INO-GAMI!!!!!!!!!!
(Inogami stands calmly in his corner now.)
MN: No music, just these two Pearl Harbor conspirators making a big scene. I’m not impressed, yet.
DT: Pear Harbor conspirators? Neely, you do know that for that comment to be even remotely plausible, these two would have to be over seventy years old, right?
MN: Yeah, yeah. Whatever. I know what I know.
(Small pause, as you can imagine the entire broadcast team, minus Mike Neely, shaking their head in disgust.)
(SFX: DING DING DING DING!)
DT: Just like that, this match is underway. Both men circling each other with their hands out. They lock up, with the larger Inogami backing Shizaki into the corner. The ref is calling for a break and he gets it.
DM: Both men are known to play by the rules and be men of much focus and determination. It will be interesting to see how the match plays out over the next few minutes.
DT: Another collar-and-elbow tie up and once again Inogami is pushing Shizaki into the corner. Shizaki throws his feet behind him and pushes off...
MN: He’s air born!
DT: ... and lands on his feet. SPINNING WHEEL KICK! Inogami stumbles back into the corner.
DM: Shizaki really likes to get the momentum going...
DT: He rears back and charges and Inogami as he pushes himself out of the corner. HURRICANRANA! Shizaki is trying to take full control of this match early. What do you think now, Neely?
MN: Eh...
DT: How can you say that? Shizaki back on the attack with a front face lock but Inogami has worked loose with a magnificent move! They both get to their feet but Inogami sends “The Black Rose” down with a forearm shot. Spring board from the second rope and a complete back flip onto Shizaki.
DM: Just like that, Inogami looks to take control.
MN: These types of matches frustrate me so much! The momentum swings back and forth with the frequency of cars passing a hitchhiker on a busy interstate. It makes me want to go into epileptic seizures watching these guys.
DT: Inogami is staying on the attack and has Shizaki in head scissors.
(SFX: Shizaki screaming in pain.)
DM: You can see that while Shizaki is obviously in a lot of pain, he is trying to position himself so as to break free of the hold. I like how he is trying to get up into a hand stand, but Inogami is working hard to keep it from happening.
DT: I’m sure he’d love to rest for a little longer while still dishing out more punishment to Shizaki.
MN: It was so break neck a few moments ago, and now it’s getting dull and boring.
DT: I thought it was giving you epileptic seizures just moments ago.
MN: Well... now it’s creating nausea from sheer boredom.
DM: Give me a break! This is great wrestling action!
DT: Shizaki is on his head and with a kick is free of the head scissors!
(The crowd roars its approval for the strong effort.)
DT: Inogami scrambles to get to his feet, but is sent to the mat with a dropkick. He’s back on his feet and Shizaki fires away with martial arts-style kicks and chops. He’s got Inogami on the defensive as he struggles to find an answer for this overwhelming offense!
MN: Overwhelming? Offense from BLITZ is overwhelming. This is like being attacked by a swarm of mosquitoes... merely an annoyance.
DT: Spinning heel kick and once again Inogami is down on the canvas. He spins on his back and kicks Shizaki’s feet out from under him!
DM: This is smart. He’s trying to keep his attacker off-balance so as to gain the initiative once again.
MN: Shut up, Matthews!
DT: This has been a back and forth match since the beginning! Inogami runs the ropes, but Shizaki is up and tries to hip toss. It’s blocked and Inogami hits a swinging neckbreaker.
MN: But what’s going on in the crowd?
(The crowd is indeed abuzz about something.)
DT: I don’t know, but Inogami is up on his feet and looking like he’s ready to kick things into high gear. He bounces off the ropes and hits a hard slamming legdrop!
MN: There is the disturbance. It’s Foxx!
DT: Foxx just came out of the crowd and is standing at ringside. Inogami is up on his feet and looking at her with mild confusion.
DM: It doesn’t distract Inogami for long, he’s got Shizaki up on his feet. This is what I love about Ninja K... his focus and determination.
DT: Shizaki with a surprise inside cradle!
1...
2...
THR-NO!
It could have been over just like that.
MN: I thought you said this Inogami Ninja K character was focused? Looks like he took his head out of the game there...
DM: ... for a split second...
MN: ... it was a split second too long!
DT: Back to the action, and Foxx is making a ton of noise on the outside. She is trying to get Inogami’s attention pretty badly. Inogami isn’t having any of it, though. DDT!!!!! Shizaki is down and another cover from Inogami!
1...
2...
NO!
Kickout at two by “The Black Rose”.
DM: The pace has slowed considerably.
DT: I’d say that is mostly due to the effects of Foxx being at ringside. Inogami is measuring Shizaki up... he lowers a chop to the mat but misses!
MN: This Black Rose kid is up on his feet quickly.
DT: They’re exchanging chops and kicks. Shizaki looks to be getting the upper hand! He backs Inogami into the ropes and then an Irish whip into the corner. He gets a running head start and monkey flips Inogami back into the center of the ring!
MN: Seriously, do people still do monkey flips?
DM: Shut up, Neely. They do now!
DT: Inogami holds his back for a second, but quickly regains his composure and looks to get to his feet. Shizaki with a baseball slide the takes Inogami’s feet right back out from under him again!
DM: The crowd is really starting to get back into this one now that the pace has picked up considerably.
MN: I can feel my epilepsy coming back.
DT: I think it’s obvious that Foxx has issues with Inogami. She is cheering for Shizaki to finish him off!
MN: Strange bedfellows, indeed!
DT: Shizaki on his feet and closing the distance once again but Inogami sends him crashing to the canvas with a double-leg takedown. He rebounds off the ropes... but comes crashing to the canvas?????
MN: I didn’t see anything!
DT: The crowd is booing and the ref is looking in Foxx’s direction. She is trying her best to look innocent.
DM: The ref was out of position, looking at Shizaki... I don’t even think that Shizaki saw it happen either. He’s reluctant to do anything.
DT: He goes over to Inogami slowly, but is reluctant to turn him over. The ref is looking on, and finally Shizaki covers him.
1...
2...
THREE!
(SFX: DING DING DING!)
Announcer: Your winner of the match as a result of a pinfall. “The Black Rose” Kazuo Shizaki!!!!!
(The crowd boos emphatically.)
DT: Foxx is leaving back through the crowd with security actually clearing her a path through the fans. Let’s look at this through the instant replay and see what exactly happened.
MN: I told you, I didn’t see anything!
(Cue up EPW’s patented split screen technology.)
DT: Right here you can see it. Shizaki’s flat on the canvas. He and the ref are looking at each other as Inogami connects with the ropes. There’s Foxx jumping up and connecting with the back of Inogami’s head... it’s something that looks to be about a foot long.
MN: I don’t see it! It looks to me like she jumped up to pat him on the back. If he can’t take a good ol’ pat on the back for a job well done, then he is in the wrong profession.
DT: Either case, Inogami was laid out by Foxx... this is just a travesty of justice!
DM: I wouldn’t have thought Foxx would do something like this. I don’t know what kind of statement she is trying to make.
DT: Well, regardless folks... “The Black Rose” is the winner of this contest. We’ll look into what just happened as we progress through the night. We’ve got more action on the way, but first, a word from our sponsors!
(FADE IN: Irishred is in the back of a beat up old cargo plane. The whole back is packed with fish on top of dried ice. There is only one seat, the pilot’s chair. Irishred leans uncomfortably on the cargo.)
Jomo: "You big time comfy right Mr. Irishred. Jomo tell you he got plane. First class all the way."
Irishred: “Yeah Jomo, Virgin Airlines has nothing on you my friend...nothing at all...”