[CUTTO: A closed door EXPLODES open! The Preeminent Pimp of the 21st Century bursts into The Fallen's lockerroom like an awkward Navy SEAL; a baseball bat swinging wildly in his hands.]

ICE TRE: KNUCK IF YOU BUCK, SUCKA! WHAT!

[After another moment or two of futile flailing, Tre registered that he was alone, the lockerroom abandoned.]

ICE TRE: Where y'all foolz at?

[Another note on another table. Tre undid the straps on his baby-blue bulletproof jacket and dropped it to the floor along with the bat. He snatched the note and read it aloud.]

ICE TRE: "Bring YOURSELF and the CROWN down to the ring. Tonight. NO GAMES."

[Tre processed it, crumpled the page, and tossed it aside.]

ICE TRE: Don't you KNOW?

[He bounded out the door with as much fanfare as he could muster.

ICE TRE: Tre Don't PLAY!

[CUTTO: Ringside.]


MAIN EVENT
For the Vacant EPW World Heavyweight Championship
J.A. vs. "Triple X" Sean Stevens


[As we return from commercials, the camera is on the commentary table. Dave Thomas bears a stone-cold sober expression as he introduces the next match, the main event of Aggression.]

DT: Ladies and gentlemen… in the four years since Aggression has been the flagship for EPW, I have sat at this commentary table, having a front-row seat to some of the most brutal, emotional, and memorable main event matches. But TONIGHT, for the FIRST TIME in Aggression’s history, a member of our roster will be crowned the new World Heavyweight Champion!

DM: And what a main event this is going to be, Dave! The recently dethroned King of the Cage, “TRIPLE X” Sean Stevens, going head-to-head with “The Anglo Luchadore” Jericoholic Anonymous, with the vacant EPW World Heavyweight Title on the line! You’d think a match like that would belong on the top of a card at a Pay Per View event like Wrestleverse or Black Dawn… but no, all of these fans in attendance, and the millions more watching at home, are going to watch this go down tonight!

MN: Oh yeah, it should be a great match, and everything… but I think you guys are missing something important here. Technically, this match SHOULDN’T be taking place! “Triple X” Sean Stevens should be the RIGHTFUL champion, and JA has done NOTHING to earn a shot at the belt!

DT: Bullcrap!

DM: Mike, do you hear what you’re saying? You see these fans waiting for the action to start? Do YOU want to be the one to tell Joe Everyman at home with his family that he can’t bear witness to a showdown of such MONUMENTAL and HISTORIC magnitude, just because of some legal technicality?!

MN: Well, rules are rules! That’s why they were written! Come on, Dean, you’re like a walking, talking professional wrestling rulebook! You should know and understand this better than anybody else here!

DT: To hell with the rules! Empire Pro didn’t get where it is today by following the conditions and doing what’s been done before over and over again until the fans were sick of seeing it. Champion or not, I don’t think there’s anyone who would say beyond a shadow of doubt that Sean Stevens wouldn’t eventually be walking into this very match with this very opponent! You can talk about technicalities all you want, Neely, but as for myself, Lindsay Troy, and all the fans who are about to watch this all-out war take place, we’d rather see the prestigious World Heavyweight Title decided by PINFALL OR SUBMISSION rather than legal mumbo jumbo!

DM: Amen to that!

MN: Whatever…

[The ring bell chimes three times as the camera cuts to TONY FATORA, in his best suit, standing in the middle of the ring with the microphone in his hand.]

TF: Ladies and gentlemen… it is time for our MAIN EVENT of the evening!

[POP from the fans!]

[…and the arena goes BLACK!!]

[SFX: The booming of thunder and lightning… the clomping hooves of steeds and the sound of chariot wheels digging through the earth… the cacophony of steel on steel, occasionally piercing the flesh, followed by the SCREAM of a man as his blood falls upon the sand…]

“…And the prophecy read that one day, like The Phoenix that rose from the ashes, that a boy would be born unto a family in the slums!”

[CUT TO: EMPIRE-tron. …as several images flash starting with an up-close photo of a blue-eyed baby – crawling, playing football, and basketball… signs of a proud and successful life in the dog-eat-dog world of athletic competition.]

“This boy would go on to use the knowledge he gained, while fighting for survival in the streets to become a great leader!” 

[CUT TO: Several more images. The first was an older Sean Stevens, in amateur wrestling gear; in a cap and gown – signifying graduation. The scene then shifted to Sean in the audience, in what looked to be a wrestling arena, before cutting to the final image of Sean, in the middle of a death defying leap from a forty-foot high camera tower, as his foe – below – laid unconscious.]

“And in time that boy would grow to become … a King.” 

[CUT TO: The very last image. One of "Triple X" Sean Stevens in the center of the ring, being handed a crown, tired, sweaty, yet triumphant.]

[Suddenly, the EMPIRE-tron faded to black. And, for a moment, there was nothing but silence…]

“Time to ride, N[FCC]GGA…” 

[BOOOOOOOOM~!! Triple sets of fireworks in the shape of an X shoot to the roof, as "King Back" by TI blasts over the PA system, and “TRIPLE X” SEAN STEVENS steps through the curtain. He is immediately met with a chorus of boos – that he ignores – as he makes his journey to the ring, in a 100% cotton “‘Triple X’ Sean Stevens – The Once and Future King” t-shirt, complete with a XXX-caliber sword motif on the front, with black and silver tights, and a pair of millionaire "Gucci" sunglasses, which had minor drops of water on them, from his soaked light brown locks. He briefly pauses on the ramp to thrust BOTH arms into the air, making a rudimentary X shape with his body, in a pose with such pomposity that it only incites the fans’ ire. Accompanying him to the ring, flanking either side, are JASON “STALKER” REEVES—limping slightly more than normal—and “THE DARK PHENOM” NAKITA DAHAKA! With them is a man looking bruised and scuffed up, held firmly by the collar and led to the ring by Dahaka.]

DM: The King of the Ring… the once EPW World Heavyweight Champion… GRACES the ring with his presence, in a seeming Zen-like state of absolute focus! He looks positively ready to take that title back!

MN: That man right there IS the rightful EPW World Champion! He’s taking nothing back but what’s already his!

DT: Wait a second, that other man on the stage… is that… CASSIDY STEWART?!

DM: Why… you’re right, Dave! It is!! Stewart was apparently kidnapped by the Fallen earlier in the show, and now they’re leading him to the ring!

DT: What is the meaning of this?!

MN: Well, you can’t very well tie him up and stuff him in a locker! Somebody might find him! You gotta keep an eye on a kidnap victim at all times!

DT: “Triple X” Sean Stevens’ behavior is just becoming more and more unusual since his loss at Black Dawn. He starts up this bizarre affair with Nakita Dahaka, he nearly ends the career of the man who beat him, and now this senseless kidnapping of Cassidy Stewart, just like Paul Freeman at the last Aggression! I don’t understand WHAT Stevens’ sees in bullying the defenseless and parading them out to the ring like this! It’s humiliating and wrong!

MN: Just as humiliating and wrong as it was for Lindsay Troy to DENY Stevens his title and set this match up!

DM: You know, I hate to admit it, but Neels has a point. Regardless of how heartless and inhumane “Triple X” Sean Stevens can be, when you cut to brass tacks, he does have a legitimate claim to that title. Everything he needs to back that up is there in black and white.

MN: Makes you wonder why he just didn’t sue the pants off that shrew in charge and put that belt right around his waist where it belongs without even needing to lift a finger.

DM: It’s because Stevens feels he can prove his loss of the title was no fluke. Love him or hate him, that man is 100% professional wrestler.

DT: Regardless, a great athlete is not always a great man. And I don’t think for a second that Stevens has full control of his mental facilities…

MN: What are you talking about, Dave?! Sean Stevens is a multi-promotional World Champion, a ring veteran with a decade’s worth of experience, who has conquered some of the greatest names in the sport… and you’re questioning his MANHOOD?! Simply put, that man is the PRIME EXAMPLE of professional wrestler!

DT: I don’t care HOW great of an athlete he is! This man has attacked the defenseless without mercy or provocation, stabbed allies in the back, and cut every throat in his way to the top of the professional wrestling world!

MN: And you don’t see the BRILLIANCE in that?!

DT: No, Mike… all I see is inhumanity and malice. A man like that doesn’t belong in a professional wrestling ring.

[Ignoring the cat calls and flash bulbs, Stevens doesn’t acknowledge anything or anyone 'til he enters the ring, and hops on each of the four turnbuckles, thrusting his arms in the air victoriously. Joining him in the ring is the rest of the Fallen, bringing Stewart with them, who frequently mouth off to the jeering ringside fans.]

DT: I see he didn’t come without his entourage, the Fallen!

MN: Well come on, Dave, he’s like a leader to them! They’re just out here to see the figurehead of the Fallen reclaim the strap that was so unjustly taken from him!

DM: “Unjustly?!” He was pinned clean in the middle of the ring!

DT: Either way, I don’t think Stalker and Nakita Dahaka are out here just to give their support. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if they got involved in this match on Stevens’ behalf!

MN: Now why in the hell would you make such a gross accusation?!

DM: Come on, Mike! If I had a dollar for every time Stalker’s poked his nose in a match, I wouldn’t be sitting here with the two of you!

MN: You wouldn’t be in the ring either, for that matter.

DM: Don’t start with me, Neely!

[Stevens removes his t-shirt and tosses it into the audience, where it is immediately torn to shreds—either in hate or fawning adoration, we may never know. He paces with anticipation in his corner in the company of Stalker, Dahaka, and the out of place Stewart… when the arena again goes to BLACK…]

DT: Uh oh, HERE HE COMES…

[Intro riff to “EAT THE RICH” by FOZZY hits the PA, and the crowd reaction is INSTANEOUS!! Fans LEAP to their feet in screaming hysteria as the house lights go to black and multi-colored lights flash in unison to the driving bass rhythm that begins the song.]

[As soon as the song moves into its first verse, the EmpireTron pops to life, revealing the various limbs of a faceless figure as he adorns himself in wrestling gear.]

“I've been down, I've been beat
I've been tossed into the street
Making nickels, begging dimes
Just to get my bottle of wine”

[He slaps on a pair of wristbands… pulls up a pair of spandex tights… laces up a pair of boots… and finally, with the camera panning up the man’s toned back, a hair-covered crest rises, and is immediately concealed beneath a mask that covers the entire head. Tightening the straps on the back of the mask to finish the job, the camera suddenly ZOOMS OUT to reveal a dramatic back shot of THE ANGLO LUCHADORE standing with spread legs and arms and shaking with TREMENDOUS energy!!]

“Some say Life, she's a lady
Kind of soft, kind of shady
I can't tell you Life is rich
She's no lady, she's a *****!”

[BOOMS!! peal through the air like a machine gun as a volley of rockets streak from the stage to the illustrious display of COLORED EXPLOSIONS at the top of the arena! The fans POP as the screen goes to BLACK and the entry-way LIGHTS UP, revealing the silhouette of the same LUCHADORE in the exact same position!!]

“They suck my body out
But then there is no doubt
Gonna pay the devil his dues
Cause I'm so sick of being abused

[*PYRO~!!!*]

[Pumping his fist in a FRENZY, JAY AYE spins around into a righteous pose as he presents himself to the sea of CHEERING FANS!!]

“EAT THE RICH!! [THE RICH!!]
EAT THE RICH!! [THE RICH!!]
Don’t you know that life is a *****

EAT THE RICH!! [THE RICH!!]
EAT THE RICH!! [THE RICH!!]
Out of the palace and into the ditch!”

[True to his always electrifying charisma, JA’s mere PRESENCE keeps the crowd roaring with passion as he paces the length of the stage and gets the fans popping like crazy!! Moments later, Lollipop joins him on stage, waving to the audience.]

DT: THE ANGLO LUCHADORE IS HERE!! And just LISTEN to the ovation this man is getting!

DM: Without a doubt, Jericoholic Anonymous has been the HEART AND SOUL of Empire Pro, and these fans are letting him know that HE carries their hopes and dreams on their shoulders!

MN: To bad they’re banking on a man who’s doomed to FAIL…

DT: Wait a second, looks like JA is motioning for somebody in the back…

DM: Who is he—

DT: OH MY GOD, I DON’T BELIEVE IT!!!

[The fans POP WILDLY as two familiar figures emerge on the stage and stand alongside the man who called them out only a moment ago!]

DT: It’s TROY DOUGLAS and FUSENSHOFF!! JA has brought out the Intercontinental and TV Champions respectively to accompany him to the ring!

MN: Oh, what the hell!? These guys have no business being out here!!

[Mirroring Mike’s sentiments, the camera briefly cuts to the ring, where the Fallen, particularly Stalker and Nakita Dahaka, argue with the referee about this unforeseen turn of events. Sean Stevens, not for a moment losing his cool even amid a sea of screaming fans, watches the stage with some interest, but shows no distinct emotion.]

DM: You know, Neels, I’d say the same thing about Stalker and Dahaka. THEY have no reason to be out here either.

MN: No, you see, Stalker, Dahaka, and Steven comprise the Fallen. But Douglas and Fusenshoff have NOTHING to do with JA!! I call shenanigans!! 

DT: Pipe down, Neely! Obviously, the Anglo Luchadore has appealed to these two EPW Champions for their support. Against an unpredictable troop like the Fallen, and with the WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE at stake, JA isn’t taking ANY chances! Not to mention, I’m sure the Television Champion is looking for some payback for that unprecedented attack earlier in the evening!

[Slapping hands with the fans, the Empire Pro Alliance of JA, Douglas, and Fuse stride down the rampway, tailed by Lolli. The three men slide into the ring at once and a STAND-OFF ensues with the members of the Fallen, who stiffen themselves, ready for a fight. Idle trash talk commences, drowned out by “Eat The Rich” as the song continues to blare over the PA. Senior official Pat Jones keeps the peace between both sides, and JA uses the opportunity to scale a turnbuckle and POSE~!! for all the adoring fans in attendance, setting off a strobe of flash photography from that corner of the arena!]

DM: You can talk all you want about all the hardships other competitors have had to overcome… whether it was Lindsay Troy breaking through the gender barrier, or Rocko Daymon breaking through the proverbial glass ceiling… I don’t think ANYBODY in Empire Pro has overcome more than THAT MAN!

DT: I don’t think there would be many who would argue that point, Dean! When you think of everything JA’s had to put up with just to EARN this title shot, such as his shortcoming in the epic finals of the King of the Cage, or his number one contender position being lost thanks to interference and controversy, it’s amazing to see that’s he’s kept his poise and persistence through every ordeal, tirelessly BREAKING HIS BACK to put himself in THIS position!

MN: Yeah, right, a position given to him because Lindsay Troy had a little sand in her taco and didn’t want to see the title go to the RIGHTFUL champion… and JA just happens to be the only guy left on the roster talented enough to have a somewhat interesting match with Stevens.

DM: You’re wrong there, Neels.

MN: Oh, am I? Then explain to me, Dean-O, just WHY JA’s never been able to BEAT Sean Stevens in the EPW ring?!

DM: Come on… nobody’s immune to defeat! Even big, bad SEAN STEVENS was beaten! Otherwise, he wouldn’t be here tonight trying to win that belt back!

MN: Stop beating around the bush and answer my question!

DM: Well… I can’t explain that!

MN: EXACTLY!! So you admit that I’m right!

DM: I never said that! Yes, JA’s never been able to overcome Stevens in an EPW ring, but if you weren’t so BLIND to a man with the TALENT and DRIVE of JA, maybe you’d understand that historical statistics mean absolutely JACK in the present, and the Anglo Luchadore will do everything in his power to prove that to be nothing short of the truth!

DT: So much is riding on the shoulders of Jericoholic Anonymous tonight! His rivalry with Sean Stevens has come to a head here tonight at Aggression, and now he has the chance to compete with the Blue-Eyed Badass with the World Title on the line! Tonight’s main event will determine if the Anglo Luchadore can overcome the very man he hasn’t been able to beat in Empire Pro, and solidify himself among the select few who carry the prestigious distinction of being an EPW World Heavyweight Champion.

TF: Ladies and gentlemen… welcome to the MAIN EVENT of Empire Pro Wrestling’s Aggression 38, here live in “THE BIG EASY” New Orleans, Lousiana!!

[POP from the hometown fans!!]

TF: The following match is scheduled for one fall with NO time limit, and for the vacant EPW WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE! The referee in charge of the action, EPW senior official PAT JONES!

[Cut to Pat as he briefly raises his arm to little to no reaction from the fans, completely fixated on the two competitors standing face to face in the middle of the ring.]

TF: Introducing first, fighting out of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania… he stands at six feet tall, and weighs in at 219 pounds… he is a former EPW INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPION… he is “The Guru of Gimmick Infringement”… “the AYATOLLAH of MICHAEL COLE-AH”…

“THE ANGLOOOOO LUCHADOR-R-R-RE”
JJJJJAAAAAYYYY…… AAAAAYYYYYYEEEEE!!!!!!


[TREMENDOUS pop from the fans as Jericoholic Anonymous pumps his arms into the air.]

TF: And his opponent… hailing from Orlando, Florida… standing at six feet, two inches, and tipping the scales at 243 pounds… he is the FORMER EPW WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION… the 2007 FWrestling Wrestler of the Year… the EPW King of the Cage… “The Blue-Eyed Badass”… “PLANET EARTH’S Champion”…

“TRRRRRIPLE ECKS”
SSEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAANNNN SSSSTEEEEEEVVEEEEEENNNSSSSS!!!!!


[The Yin to JA’s Yang, Stevens’ announcement gains a FLOOD of boos from the fans as he stands with his hands on his hips, smirking slightly at the crowd reaction. Pat Jones immediately gets to work, ordering both men in their corners and shooing the non-combatants from the ring, and makes his final checks on both competitors. The camera takes a few quick pans of the anxious audience, screaming with anticipation. We see a plethora of signs: “Sean Stevens SUXXX!”… “WWJAD?”… “Where’s your crown, King NOTHING?!”… “EPW is JERICOHOLIC!!”]

DT: The last time these two met in the ring was at the joint Pay Per View WrestleSTOCK, in the King of the Cage finals! It was a long, costing battle between both men, but in the end, it was Sean Stevens who escape the cage, and moved on from being the King of the Cage to earning his first EPW World Heavyweight Championship!

MN: Which is ONE MORE than what JA’s ever accomplished!

DM: That may change tonight! JA has the opportunity in front of him to claim his spot at the top of EPW, which he’s been working toward for years, and Sean Stevens is wanting to reclaim is throne and title as EPW’s King!

DT: One of these two men will inherit the Empire tonight!

[With his final checks made, Jones signals to the time keeper…]

[*DING-DING!!*]

DM: Let the BATTLE BEGIN!!

[The fans CHEER with excitement, and right on the onset, JA and Stevens walk to the center of the ring, standing so close their heaving chests nearly touch, inaudibly exchanging impolite words to each other. The fans around the arena begin to chant in booming unison…]

Crowd: “JAY-AYE!! JAY-AYE!! JAY-AYE!! JAY-AYE!!”

DT: You could just cut the tension in the ring with a knife right now! Both rivals standing face to face, waiting for the other man to make the first move!

DM: I don’t know what they’re saying to each other, but I doubt I’d even care to repeat it even if I DID know!

DT: “Triple X” Sean Stevens, tonight without his trademark arrogant smirk… OH MAN, and he just BLASTS JA out of nowhere with a right-handed slap to the face!

MN: HAHAHAHA!! B[FCC]TCH-SLAPPED!

DM: A physically insignificant, but mentally unhinging blow! Stevens is a MASTER of getting under one’s skin, and he may be trying to do that now with—oh wait, what’s this?! JA recuperating, and standing his ground!

Crowd: *POP~!!*

DM: JA’s pointing to his other cheek…

DT: He’s telling Sean Stevens to BRING MORE OF IT!!

MN: Heh heh… no problem for Trip! Look at that smile on his face!

DT: ANOTHER SLAP TO THE FACE from Stevens!!

DM: JA was asking for that one, but… no, he’s STILL standing tall, and telling Stevens to BRING IT once again!!

Crowd: *POP~!!*

MN: Is he just TRYING to get his ass kicked?!

DT: Stevens looks absolutely SMUG at the sight of JA’s courageous resilience… and here comes a THIRD—OH NO, BLOCKED by JA, who opens up with a FLURRY OF JABS into the face of the unsuspecting Sean Stevens!!

Crowd: *PAAAAAWP~!!!*

DM: Looks like JA really turned the tables there! He let Stevens get away with his own arrogance, and led him right into that counter! JA’s going HAYWIRE with rights and lefts… but here comes Stevens with a few shots of his OWN!!

MN: Oh, he’s PISSED now!! JA should’ve just taken those slaps and left with the humiliation, but now he’s asking to have his CAREER ENDED, just like that other chump!!

DT: It’s an all-out BRAWL in the middle of the ring right now as JA and Sean Stevens go toe-to-toe with a flurry of strikes!! Referee Pat Jones isn’t intervening, and I don’t think he’d WANT to get between these two right now!!

DM: There’s so much pent-up animosity coming out right now as both men drive their knuckles into each other’s faces!! Neither one of them is letting up!

MN: Come on, Trip, don’t let this masked creep show you up! Show him who wears the GOLD in this company!!

DT: Wait a minute, there’s Stevens with a HAYMAKER that leaves JA reeling… and now “Triple X” is gaining the upper hand in this fracas! JA trying to get on the defensive, but Stevens isn’t letting up!!

DM: Stevens looking FIERCE with those shots to the masked face of JA… but looking for something more devastating now as he takes the Anglo Luchadore by the arm and sends him into the ropes with a whip! Here’s Stevens with the CLOTHESLINE—BUT IT’S DUCKED by JA—!!

DT: —and countered BEAUTIFULLY with a SPINNING HEEL KICK from the Anglo Luchadore as Stevens spun around! That put him RIGHT to the mat!!

MN: D’OH!!

Crowd: *POP~!!*

DM: Stevens quickly on his feet—but JA’s just as quick, and DROPS HIM AGAIN with a standing dropkick!! JA back on his feet, running into the ropes—but Stevens slips out of the ring before he can be on the receiving end of whatever that might’ve been!

DT: I guess JA is just giving him more than he can handle!!

MN: You’re delusional, Dave! Trip just miscalculated there for a moment and now he needs a moment to regain his bearings…

DT: Right, well… let’s just hope he doesn’t take too long in regaining said bearings! Pat Jones has begun the ten count, as a rather FLUSTERED “Triple X” Sean Stevens consults with the other Fallen members outside the ring. What could they be plotting now?!

MN: There’s no plotting there, Dave! He’s just getting some friendly words of advice from fellow athletes!

DM: …since when does a multiple Heavyweight Champion in federation’s the world over need “advice” from a couple curtain jerkers like Stalker and Nakita Dahaka?

MN: Now stop right there, Dean-O! You’re trashing the names of two very talented individuals who have a perspective on this sport that—

DT: HERE’S JA BOLTING TO THE ROPES WITH A BASEBALL SLIDE—oh no, WAIT… he FAKED it!!

DM: Looks like Stevens and the Fallen ducked for cover anyway! The Anglo Luchadore has this audience LAUGHING at his opponent!

Crowd: “STE-VENS SUCKS!! STE-VENS SUCKS!! STE-VENS SUCKS!!”

MN: Ungrateful redneck slobs… they have NO idea what professional wrestling excellence looks like! 

DT: Seems to be ruffling the feathers of the former EPW World Heavyweight Champion! He probably came out thinking he could easily gain an advantage in playing mind games, but JA’s turning the tables!

DM: JA might be trying to get under Stevens’ skin!! Stevens looks nearly INSANE on the outside of the ring!

MN: It’s a tell-tale sign of his characteristically cold and merciless style of wrestling!

DT: I think he’s LOSING IT, if you ask me! Stevens, back in the ring unmolested… both competitors circling each other, sizing each other up… a much different approach than what we saw moments ago at the beginning of the match.

DM: So much energy was spent in an instant. No doubt, these two just want to tear each other’s faces off, but if they go all out too soon, there won’t be enough when—STEVENS SHOOTS FOR THE LEGS!!

DT: And the takedown is BLOCKED by JA!! Great reflexes on the part of the Anglo Luchadore!

DM: Both men struggling for vantage as Stevens tries hooking the legs and bringing JA to the mat, but JA’s up on the balls of his feet and has him hooked around the waist; he isn’t going without a fight! Now it’s JA with a few elbow strikes into the spine of Sean Stevens… looking to work his arm into a hammerlock—and Stevens instantly SLIPS OUT, reversing it into an arm wrench!!

MN: Sweet moves, Trip!

DT: Stevens, twisting the Anglo Luchadore’s arm, working the smaller opponent’s shoulder… but JA with a FORWARD FLIP—AND A REVERSAL that tosses the former World Champion over onto his back!

DM: JA popping to his feet… quickly BOUNCES OFF THE MIDDLE TURNBUCKLE—

MN LOOK OUT, Trip!!

DT: NO!! Stevens ROLLS just in time to miss that springboard elbow drop! Here are both men scrambling to their feet… and STEVENS lands the boot to the gut—RIGHT INTO A SWINGING NECK BREAKER!!

MN: HAH HAH!! That’s how it’s done, man!

DT: That just stopped JA’s momentum dead… and now the dethroned King of the Gladiators makes the first cover in this championship match!

One!

Two!

And JA kicks out! The Anglo Luchadore won’t go down that easily!

DM: He’s arguably one of EPW’s greatest fighters in terms of spirit and determination… but he’s up against one of the most brutal dream-crushers ever known in the industry. “Triple X” is the kind of opponent that would LAUGH OFF the die-hard approach.

MN: It’s because he’s a man who lives in REALITY… not your fairy-foo-foo fantasy world where good always triumphs over evil.

DT: We’ll see what REALITY is when this match is over, Neely! The former World Champion rallying for absolute control of this match… there’s a WHIP to the corner as JA was just getting to his feet! Stevens immediately on top of him, with a BOOT to the ribs to keep him from escaping!

DM: He’s got him cornered now, which doesn’t look good for the Anglo Luchadore! Stevens sizing him up… BIG CHOP across the chest! You could hear that one ring through the entire arena!

Crowd: “OOOoooooohhh…”

MN: Now that’s a sound I NEVER get tired of hearing!

DM: Stevens setting up JA again—ANOTHER BIG CHOP!! 

Crowd: “OOOoooooohhh…”

DM: That’s a BRUISER, right there!! JA will wake up tomorrow feeling that one for sure!

MN: Well, we can only hope!

DT: JA in a precarious position as Sean Stevens uses his slight advantage in size and strength for everything it’s worth… here he has him by the head out—RUNS OUT OF THE CORNER WITH A BULLDOG!! OH MAN, he is just beginning to DOMINATE JA!!

DM: He’s really making him pay for earlier! JA trying to get up, but can’t shake off the pain in time for “Triple X” to grab ahold of him again! Here’s Stevens by the waist… going for the GUTWRENCH SUPLEX!! Flattens JA to the mat once again!

DT: Here’s the cover!

One!

Two!

And a KICKOUT by JA! He’s still looking strong, despite the efforts of the former World Heavyweight Champion!

MN: Yeah, he’s hanging with it now, but don’t be coy, Dave; Trips is just gettin’ warmed up in there!

DM: It’s surprising to see Stevens going all-out so early in a title match. I figured he’d try to chip away at JA bit by bit with a series of holds, but right now, he just looks completely unhinged! He’s showing no mercy and going right for the throat!

DT: Just more proof that all is not right in his head…

MN: Hey, he’s just going through a lot of stress right now, what with being held back from his title by a certain OWNER…

DT: JA trying to get himself up by the ropes, but Stevens is on him once again… Stevens with a waistlock… looking for a GERMAN SUPLEX—but JA FLIPS OUT!! JA with the ROLL-UP FROM BEHIND!!

ONE!!

TWO!!

NO!! A kickout from Sean Stevens!

MN: Settle down, Dave! If you really thought Stevens was going to be bested by THAT, then you truly don’t know this sport…

DM: Both men scrambling to their feet—OOOH!! Stevens just FLOORS the Anglo Luchadore with a STIFF knee lift! The Anglo Luchadore is having trouble making a comeback here!

DT: Come on, JA! You’ve got all of Empire Pro in your corner!

MN: Heh heh… you AMUSE me, Dave!

DM: Here’s Stevens, keeping the pressure up as he brings JA to his feet… and there’s the HARD whip to the corner!! Stevens FOLLOWS—NO!! JA went for some evasive action, and Stevens just ATE the top turnbuckle!!

DT: Here’s his chance… JA takes the stunned “Triple X” by the arm—RUNS OFF THE TURNBUCKLE—and delivers a ¡MAGNIFICO! TORNADO ARMDRAG that brings Sean Stevens tumbling to the mat!

MN: Oh man, Dave’s breakin’ out his Lucha Lib-onics!!

DM: The crowd is back on their feet as Stevens stammers to his feet… a JAPANESE ARMDRAG from JA puts him back on the mat! Stevens back up with a shake to his right limb… and here’s JA—VAULTING ONTO HIM—RIGHT INTO a TILT-A-WHIRL ARMDRAG!!

DT: The Anglo Luchadore, keeping the former World Champion at bay with a series of fast and furious takedowns… and Stevens, back on his feet, falls victim to a whip to the—NO!! There’s the reversal, and JA goes into the ropes, and Stevens catches him—NO WAIT, JA reverses with a SPINNING HEADSCISSOR—RIGHT INTO AN ARMLOCK?! What the HELL is THAT!?

DM: SIMPLY AMAZING!! JA just pulled off ¡¡LA MISTICA!! He’s putting UNBELIEVABLE strain on that arm right now, but Stevens is in reach of the ropes, and QUICKLY tags the bottom cable to break the hold!

MN: Come on, Jones, do your freakin’ job!!

DT: Pat Jones ordering JA to release that arm lock, but JA a bit reluctant, continuing to apply pressure and boil the former World Champion with pain! Jones warning him with a count… and JA releases on the three before he can be disqualified!

MN: I think he should be disqualified anyway! He was BLATANTLY ignoring the referee there!

DT: Right, as if STEVENS never did that…

MN: Not to my knowledge.

DM: There’s a break in the match as JA backs his offense off of Stevens, allowing the former World Champion to come to his feet and shake up his arm, perhaps trying to get some feeling in there after the Anglo Luchadore went to work on it. JA needs a bit of a breather himself. He took a lot of damage earlier while Stevens was in control of things, and just went all-out with that comeback.

MN: He needs time for those Energizer batteries he keeps stuffed in the back of that stupid mask to recharge.

DT: Both men advancing… and there’s the tie-up once again! JA quickly slaps on a hammerlock, but he’s quickly shaken off by an elbow from “Triple X!” Stevens quickly shoves him off the ropes with the whip!

DM: Stevens going for a back body drop—and JA LEAP FROGS over him! Here’s JA into the ropes again—no, he STUMBLES!!

MN: HA!! The Anglo Luchadore has two left feet!

DT: That wasn’t a stumble! Look who’s standing right there at ringside!

[Cut to the camera at ringside revealing STALKER limping away from the apron, obviously to make himself look inconspicuous. In the ring, JA stands at the ropes, berating the interference.]

Crowd: BOOOOOOO~~!!!

DT: Stalker tripped him up, and JA knows it!

MN: He did nothing of the sort, Dave! Did you SEE him do it?!

DT: Well, I bet I could catch it on a replay!

MN: So you have no proof! You know, you can’t just throw out these baseless accusations willy-nilly and expect people to believe—

DM: Wait, here comes STEVENS TO BLINDSIDE JA—OH NO, JA DUCKS the clothesline attempt, and SEAN STEVENS spills to the outside!!

Crowd: *POPP~!!!*

DT: JA saw THAT one coming and he wasn’t going fall for it! JA standing tall in the ring as Stevens regains his bearings, and… wait a minute, JA looking for a follow-up! JA on the ropes… goes right into a CORKSCREW PESCADOOOO—OOOHH NOOO!!! STEVENS PULLED CASSIDY STEWART IN THE WAY!!

DM: OH MAN!! Just as JA predicted Stevens would try to blindside him, the Blue-Eyed Badass almost TELEPATHICALLY KNEW JA was going for that high-risk maneuver, and just pulled the nearest person he could find to take the brunt of that move! Unfortunately, it happened to be the abducted publicist of the notorious King of the Streets!

MN: HAHAHAHA!! Man, Stevens is BRILLIANT!!

DT: JA trying to recover from this folly—NOOO!! Stevens, with a fierce SOCCER KICK to the HEAD as he was trying to get up, stops the Anglo Luchadore dead in his tracks!

DM: JA is yet again in a precarious position, as now Sean Stevens is garnering control of this match, and both opponents are at present outside the ring, in the typically hazardous landscape of the ringside area. Here’s Stevens, bringing JA back to his feet… and leading him over here to our table!

MN: Come on, Sean! Show us up close what you’re doing to this Lucha LOSER!!

DM: Stevens has him by the tights and mask, and—OH—

[*BAM!!*]

DM: Man, Stevens nearly puts a HOLE through the commentary table using JA as a human BATTERING RAM, driving him into the side wooden paneling! That’s an inch of solid OAK!!

MN: Well, it’s a good thing that hag Lindsay Troy didn’t cut the budget and give us the cheap plastic table!

DM: Being on the outside of the ring isn’t the best place JA can be right now. Stevens can use every part of that environment as a weapon, not to mention it increases the chances of the other Fallen members getting involved. Fortunately for JA, he’s got Troy and Fuse out there to keep the balance. Meanwhile, members of the ring crew are helping poor Cassidy Stewart back to his feet. Looks like they’re trying to get a chair for him, but Nakita Dahaka quickly takes him by the arm and YANKS him back into the possession of the Fallen!

DT: They are some extremely sick individuals… but back to the action, Stevens slips into the ring briefly to break the ten count being made by Pat Jones… and I can’t help but notice he’s still trying to shake some feeling in that arm. I wonder if JA successfully managed to damage it through the course of this match!

DM: It’s a possibility, Dave, and it could be just what JA was going for. But right now, it hardly seems to be holding the former World Champion back.

MN: As long as he’s got a whole other arm and two legs to kick some ass, Sean Stevens is INVINCIBLE!!

DT: I don’t know about that, but he is certainly dominating right now. Stevens bringing a weakened JA to his feet… what’s he got planned now? Stevens with a front waistlock… looking for a SWINGING BELLY-TO-BELLY SUPLEX—

[*CRACK~!!*]

Crowd: OOOOOOoooohhh!!!!

DT: OH MY GOD, HE JUST WHIPPED HIM RIGHT INTO THE RING POST!! He just THREW HIM LIKE A RAG DOLL, and JA’s spine CONNECTED with that STEEL POST!!

DM: What a VICIOUS strike!! I gotta see that one again…

[A split-screen reveals the move being replayed from two different angles. The sound of JA connecting with the post is prevalent every time.]

MN: With any luck, he’s crippled! This could be the SECOND career ended by Sean Stevens!

DT: Stevens rolling JA back into the ring, and quickly goes for the cover on the wounded Anglo Luchadore! Could this be IT?!

ONE!!

TWO!!

NO!! A kickout by JA!!

Crowd: *POP~!!*

DM: Stevens can only SLAP THE MAT IN FRUSTRATION as JA continues to cling on to the hope of becoming the new EPW World Heavyweight Champion!

MN: Clinging like a DINGLEBERRY to the ass of Empire Pro!

DT: The Anglo Luchadore stays alive, but needs to regain the offensive edge in this match, or he won’t last long against the relentless attacks of the increasingly erratic Sean Stevens! I’m not sure “Triple X” is in the right state of mind right now, and that’s making him all the more dangerous!

DM: You’re right about that, Dave… Stevens still in control, bringing JA back to his feet—NO WAIT!! The Anglo Luchadore biting back with a STIFF-ASS KNIFE EDGE CHOP TO THE CHEST!! There’s a SECOND that leaves Stevens reeling, and the fans are CHEERING WILDLY as JA makes a comeback!

DT: COME ON, JAY AYE!! The Anglo Luchadore runs into the ropes… NO!! Stevens with a boot to the gut… and OH MAN!!! A devastating BRAINBSUTER follows!

MN: Heh heh… I LOVE it! All these stupid fanboys start jumping up and down at the first sign of JA doing ANYTHING other than getting his ass kicked… and in the blink of an eye, “Triple X” Sean Stevens, professional wrestling’s KING, puts an entire arena into funeral-like silence!

DM: There’s never been an individual who could kill a heroic moment like Sean Stevens… JA prone on the mat and not moving… and now Stevens, shaking that right arm of his once again!

DT: Perhaps lifting JA off the mat for that maneuver only agitated the pain in his dominant limb?

DM: I’m beginning to see the strategy in JA’s earlier efforts… but right now, Stevens is going to the turnbuckle! He’s climbing right to the top!

MN: Alright, time to END this!!

DT: Stevens, setting himself up—BUT JA JUST POPPED TO HIS FEET!! WHAT AN ACT!!

DM: The Anglo Luchadore, playing possum, DIVES to the ropes—AND STEVENS RACKS HIMSELF ON THE TOP ROPE!!

MN: No, NO! NOT THE KING’S ROYAL FAMILY JEWELS!!

DT: Here comes JA to the turnbuckle, and now HE’S going up!! High risk maneuver coming up, as JA hooks Stevens by the—OH WAIT!! He’s CAUGHT on something…

DM: No, IT’S DAHAKA ON THE OUTSIDE!! SHE’S HOLDING ONTO JA’S ANKLE!!

DT: Somebody GET HER OUT OF THERE!!

MN: JA’s not even supposed to be ON those ropes!! She’s just enforcing the rules here!

DT: Oh shut up, Mike! Wait, here’s DOUGLAS AND FUSENSHOFF to the rescue! Fusenshoff just SHOVED Dahaka right off the apron! But wait, Stevens struggling out of the grip of JA!!

DM: OOOOHHH!! Stevens just BFCCTCH SLAPS the taste out of JA’s mouth, and JA drops to the ring… wait now, Stevens reaching down and going for a waist lock… INTO A POWERBOMB?!?

DT: OOOH NOOO!!!

[*SLAAMMM!!*]

DT: A TOP ROPE POWERBOMB!! He just DESTROYED JA IN THE CENTER OF THE RING!!

DM: A drop of nearly TEN FEET flat on his back!!

MN: AW-RIGHT!! It’s gotta be over now!!

DM: Uh oh, Stevens looking like he’s in PAIN as he clutches that arm right around the shoulder! He’s only further agitated his impairment! His continued use of that arm only makes the problem worse!

DT: It may not be a problem after that last move! Here’s Stevens with the cover, looking to end this match!!




ONE!!




TWO!!




NOOO!!! The ANGLO LUCHADORE KICKS OUT!!

MN: Damnit!!

Crowd: *PAAAAWP!!!*

DT: The Anglo Luchadore keeps the hopes of MILLIONS of Empire Pro fans alive by continuing to survive the onslaught of Sean Stevens!!

DM: He can keep coming back, but Stevens is more than capable of knocking him down again all night if he has to. JA needs to hold out for just a bit longer, until Stevens slips up or another opportunity arises.

MN: Not a chance!! Stevens has him right where he wants him now, and it’s only a matter of time until that masked fool chokes!

DT: Jericoholic Anonymous has always made a point to his opponent that in their last match, he fought a very spirited fight, and tonight is no different! Sean Stevens is exerting his strength as much as he can to put the Anglo Luchadore down for the three count! The more he tries to use that arm, the further it impairs him, and JA simply REFUSES to go down!

DM: Stevens is getting REALLY irate now! He wants to go home with that belt NOW, and I think he’s ready to finish this!

DT: Oh no… Stevens bringing the nearly lifeless JA back to his feet… setting him up in an inverted facelock… is he going for it??

MN: OH YEAH HE IS!!

DT: Stevens, WITH THE X-TERMINATOR—no wait, he couldn’t get JA into the air!

DM: Look at the expression on Stevens’ face right now! He’s doing everything he can to fight the pain in his arm, but he’s just strained it too much, and now he can’t lift JA!!

MN: Come on, Trip!! Get that loser’s scrawny ass up there!

DT: Stevens AGAIN… no, he can’t do it!

DM: Don’t count him out too soon, Dave!! Here he goes, Stevens, teeth clenched so tight he could bite through a LEATHER BELT… and HE’S GOT JA IN THE AIR—

DT: BUT HE DROPPED HIM!!! He couldn’t get him all the way over!!

DM: JA on his feet—THERE’S A WAIST LOCK—

DT: KARELIN DRIVER!!!!

Crowd: *PAAAAWWWPP~!!!*

MN: NOOOOO!!!!

DT: THE KARELIN DRIVER, OUT OF NOWHERE!!

DM: The slam that won THREE Olympic Gold Medals, and in the blink of an eye, JA has turned the tide of this match!! But pulling off that one move has taken SO MUCH out of him, he can hardly move there on the mat!

DT: Both men lying prone on the mat as Pat Jones makes the ten count! All JA has to do now is move that last stretch of ten inches and drape his arm across the chest of Sean Stevens, and EPW will see its new World Heavyweight Champion!!

MN: Oh, come on!! He could be CRIPPLED by now!!!

DT: JA finally beginning to inch toward the lifeless body of Sean Stevens… HE’S ALMOST THERE!!

DM: He’s got this cheering crowd on the edges of their seats!! JA’s GOING TO DO IT!!

DT: JA MAKES THE PIN!!





ONE!!!!





TWO!!!!





THRRRREEEE—OH NO!!! STEVENS GOT THE ARM UP!!!

Crowd: AAAAAAAAWWWWwwwww…

DT: Unbelievable… that’s all I can say right now

MN: WOO-HOO!! I KNEW Trip was the greatest wrestler of all time!

DM: I’ll be honest… I didn’t really believe Stevens would be down and out that easily. After all that time punishing JA, there was no way that he was going to be beaten out of the blue like that. Sean Stevens is proving tonight that his original reign as the World Heavyweight Champion was certainly no fluke! That finishing maneuver may have been the last thing JA had left in the tank, and now he faces the insurmountable task of overcoming all the pain and exhaustion he’s going through right now, and manage to take down the King of the Gladiators!

MN: It’s impossible! He shoulda just stayed down when he had the chance!

DT: The Anglo Luchadore, struggling to his feet… but with the help of the ropes and the audience behind him, JA is standing once again, as a dazed and delirious Sean Stevens tries to remember where he is from his place on the mat! JA, limping to the turnbuckle… and now he’s climbing to the top!

DM: Oh no, high-risk maneuver coming up! JA is needing to go ALL OUT to take down the seemingly unbeatable Sean Stevens! He needs to dig deep to beat the man he could never beat!

MN: LOOK OUT, SEAN!!

DT: Jericoholic Anonymous, PERCHED ON THE TOP ROPE, and the fans are ON THEIR FEET in support of the Anglo Luchadore!!

DM: Here we go… JA WITH THE FROGSPLASH…

…STEVENS GETS THE KNEES UP!!!

Crowd: OOOOOOOHHHHHHhhhhhh…

DT: STEVENS BLOCKED IT!! JA was just a MOMENT too late!!

MN: OH MAN, that is AWESOME!! Look at JA flop around the ring like a fish out of water!!

DM: JA’s in bad shape! Stevens rolling back to his feet as JA struggles to his own… JA, with every ounce of his strength, LUNGING at “Triple X”—AND GETS A BOOT TO THE GUT!!

DT: OOHHH!!! Stevens DROPS HIM with a Flowing DDT!! No doubt he picked up that move from his accomplice, Stalker!

MN: The STEVENFLOW!!

DT: Now it’s Stevens standing tall, JA not moving on the mat… Stevens going to the turnbuckle!! More high risk maneuvers?!

DM: Stevens has got to go with a different strategy! JA maimed his dominant arm, and now that strength is no longer his weapon of choice, he has to go back to his traditional high-flying maneuvers!! Stevens, on the top rope… COMING OFF WITH A FROGSPLASH…

…AND HE NAILS IT!!

MN: OH YESSS!! Where was JA with the knees that time?! HUH?! That’s “TRIPLE X” showing him how it’s DONE!!

DT: JA is clutching his ribs in absolute AGONY right now… and Sean Stevens is going for the COVER!!




ONE!!!!



TWO!!!



AND JA HAS HIS FOOT ON THE ROPE!! Pat Jones is CALLING FOR THE BREAK!!!

MN: OH COME ON!! Troy Douglas put that foot up there!

DM: Douglas is clear on the other side of the ring, Mike!

MN: I don’t care, somebody get him out of here!!

DT: JA SURVIVES!! To imagine how much he’s been through up until this point and seeing him continue to fight is TRULY remarkable!

DM: But once again, Stevens is in full control of this match!! And right now, he is LUCID!! Stevens, getting in the face of Pat Jones, but there’s nothing to dispute! JA got his leg on the ropes, and it was as clear as day!

MN: Naw naw… Jones has CLEARLY been favoring JA through this entire match! He’s gotta be on somebody’s payroll!

DM: Lindsay Troy’s, obviously.

MN: THAT EXPLAINS IT!!

DM: Settle down, Neels…

DT: I think this match is really setting Sean Stevens over the deep end, and ONCE AGAIN, he goes to the turnbuckle… and ONCE AGAIN, Sean Stevens beginning to climb!! Has he just LOST IT?!

DM: Oh, “Triple X” is going all out now! JA struggling to his feet, and Stevens is perched on the top rope behind him!

DT: LOOKOUT, JA!!

DM: STEVENS OFF THE TOP… MISSILE DROPKICK TO THE BACK OF JA, and it just KNOCKS HIM ACROSS THE RING!! It’s like he just got hit by a TRUCK!!

DT: JA looking to be in a lot of pain, slipping in and out of consciousness… and Stevens, pulling him by his leg, setting him up for YET ANOTHER high-risk move! What’s he going to do now?!

MN: Anything he CAN to turn this punk into a stain in the canvas!!

DM: Stevens ascending the near turnbuckle, and JA is going NOWHERE… and now the King of the Gladiators making the “X” symbol over his head!!

Crowd: BBOOOOOOO~!!!!

DT: Stevens, OFF THE TOP WITH THE ESS-ESS-PEE...!!!

OOOH MMYYY GAAAWD, HE NAILED IT!!!

MN: Oh sweet Buddha, that was BEAUTIFUL!! He had PERFECT form on that Shooting Star Press!!

DM: I hardly thought Stevens was still capable in busting that out given his old age, but he’s done it, and the results speak for themselves! JA in the center of the ring in a WORLD of hurt, if he’s even CONSCIOUS at this point!!

DT: He’s just gone through an UNBELIEVABLE amount of punishment… and even now, “Triple X” Sean Stevens neglects the cover, going to the turnbuckle! Sean Stevens, loading the boot!!

Crowd: BOOOOOO~~!!!!!

DM: Sean Stevens has studied the equation! He’s found the answer! He’s looking for… THE X-FACTOR!!!

DT: JA is finally picking his beaten body off the mat, looking in absolute TERRIBLE shape!! He’s in the crosshairs of Sean Stevens’ finisher, and has nowhere to go!!

MN: Let’s go, Trip! Score this touchdown, and let’s go home and bang the cheerleader together!!

DT: It can’t end like this!!

Crowd: JAY-AYE!! JAY-AYE!! JAY-AYE!!

DM: All these fans rooting for their hero, and Sean Stevens is about to DESTROY him!!

MN: I know! It’s beautiful, isn’t it!!

DT: JA on his feet, and Stevens waits for him to turn around!! The Anglo Luchadore, turning to meet his fate… AND HERE’S STEVENS WITH THE SUPERKICK!!!




NOOOOO!!!! JA COUNTERS!!

Crowd: PAWP~!!!

DM: HE CAUGHT STEVENS BY THE FOOT!! JA with a legsweep… GOING FOR THE WALLS OF JERICOHOLIC!!!

MN: NO NO NOOOO!! HE WAS SO CLOSE!!!

DT: JA TRYING DESPERATELY TO GET STEVENS OVER, but the former World Champion is FIGHTING IT!!!

DM: Stevens DID NOT see this coming!! He had JA in the PALM OF HIS HAND, but the Anglo Luchadore came back from out of NOWHERE, and now he’s about to be stretched beyond unimaginable pain!!

MN: Come on, Trip, FIGHT!!

DT: JA TWISTING… AND HE’S GOT HIM!!! HE’S GOT THE LIONTAMER LOCKED IN!!!

DM: Stevens is NOWHERE near the ropes!! I don’t think he has enough left in him to crawl that far!!

DT: HE’S GOING TO TAP!! I KNOW IT!! JERICOHOLIC ANONYMOUS, ON THE VERGE OF BEING THE NEXT WORLD CHAMPION OF EMPIRE PRO WRESTLING!!!

DM: Jones, looking for the tap… but wait, DAHAKA’S ON THE APRON! SOMEBODY GET HER DOWN FROM THERE!!

DT: Jones trying to shoo Dahaka off of the ring… no, NO!! Get BACK there!! Stevens hasn’t TAPPED YET!!

DM: Pat Jones has his back to the action in the ring as Douglas and Fusenshoff assist in trying to pull an unwilling Nakita Dahaka from the apron, and—wait, WHAT’S THAT?! STALKER JUST SLID SOMETHING INTO THE RING while Jones wasn’t looking!

DT: Is that a MEATHOOK!?!

DM: Where the hell did Stalker get his hands on one of THOSE?!

MN: Hey, hobos are resourceful!!

DT: OH MY GOD, STEVENS JUST DUG THE SHARP END OF THAT HOOK INTO THE SHIN OF JAY AYE!!! COME ON, PAT, TURN AROUND!!

DM: JA releasing the Walls of Jericoholic as he clutches his leg in pain, and Stevens is squirming loose… JA there to stop him—BUT STEVENS BLASTS HIM IN THE FACE WITH THAT IRON MEATHOOK!!!

DT: THIS HAS TO STOP!!!

DM: Stevens throws the evidence out of the ring JUST as Douglas grabs Nakita by the pants and FORCEFULLY pulls her off the apron! About time somebody got that b[FCC]tch down from there, but the damage has already been done!!

MN: Good thing referees are inherently STUPID!!

DT: Oh my, I think JA is BLEEDING in there!!

DM: You may be right, Dave!! I think JA caught the sharp end of that hook as he took it to the face!!

[A zoom on JA’s masked face reveals the navy blue fabric turning red as the blood pours from an open rip over his eyebrow. The cut looks deep enough to make the Great Mutah wince in pain.]

DT: That is a NASTY cut! And even Pat Jones can’t help but notice that!!

MN: Oh come on, wrestlers bleed all the time!

DM: Not like that, and Pat Jones is no idiot!! Jones knows something is up, and is demanding Stevens explain himself!! Stevens is denying foul play!!

DT: But Jones isn’t FALLING FOR IT!! JA’s losing a lot of blood, and Jones is going to THROW THIS MATCH OUT!! Jones, to the timekeeper—

[*CRACK!!!*]

Crowd: BBBOOOOOOO~~!!!!!

DT: OH, THAT SON OF A B[FCC]TCH!!! THAT MOTHERLESS F[FCC]CKING SON OF A B[FCC]TCH!!!

MN: IT’S STALKER TO THE RESCUE!!

DT: Jason “Stalker” Reeves just entered the ring and TOOK OUT senior official Pat Jones with a STEEL CHAIR!!

[*CRACK!!!*]

DT: AND NOW HE’S ATTACKING THE BLEEDING JAY AYE WITH THAT CHAIR!!

Crowd: BUUULLL-SHIIIIT!!! BUUULLL-SHIIIIT!!!

DM: Stalker has effectively RUINED JA’s chance at being the World Heavyweight Champion… 

MN: This bullsh[FCC]t needed to end anyway!

DT: BUT HERE COMES THE CAVALRY!!

Crowd: *POPP!!!*

DT: It’s DOUGLAS AND FUSENSHOFF hitting the ring!! And here comes Nakita Dahaka!! The referee is down, and now it’s PANDEMONIUM!!

DM: Douglas charges on Stalker, and Fusenshoff tangles with Dahaka!! They’re forcing them out of the ring!

DT: Good, they shouldn’t even be NEAR the ring!!

MN: I knew Stevens kept those goons for a reason!!

DT: Here comes security, flooding the ringside area as these four brawl out of control!! Finally, they’re moving the fracas back up the rampway… meanwhile, in the ring, CASSIDY STEWART is finally FREE from the Fallen, and now he’s trying to resuscitate Pat Jones!!

DM: JA, covered in his own blood, has finally recovered after taking that steel chair to his back, now with the foreign object in his hands as he comes to his feet… wait a second, Stevens rising behind him!

DT: LOOK OUT JA—

DM: TOO LATE!! X-FACTOR WITH THAT CHAIR HELD IN FRONT OF HIS FACE!!!

MN: OH, SWEET BUDDHA!! Stevens is a GENIUS!!! Crap hit the fan, and he took advantage of the situation like a PRO!!!

DT: JA is being ROBBED HERE!! 

DM: Stevens with the chair in hand, waiting for JA to rise once again… and JA hardly knows where he is!! JA is just covered in a crimson mask, fighting the urge to just black out and fall onto the canvas in a heap!! Stevens has him right in his sights!!

MN: Can’t mess this up!!

DT: SOMEBODY DO SOMETHING!!!

DM: …oh my God, Dave, YOUR PRAYERS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED!!

DT: What, WHERE?!

DM: LOOK UP!!

Crowd: *AWESTRUCK SUPER-POP!!!*

DT: IT’S ICE TRE!!! ICE TRE, DESCENDING FROM THE CEILING ON A ZIP WIRE!!!

MN: NO, NO, GET THAT IDIOT OUT OF HERE!!!

DM: Ice Tre touches down in the center of the ring… what’s that in his hands?! A baseball bat and… THE KING OF THE CAGE CROWN?!

DT: HE’S HERE FOR STEVENS!!!

[Flashing his diamond-studded grill of doom, Ice Tre sets the crown cocked over his head and reels back the bat before a stunned Sean Stevens…]

DT: HOMERUN SWING FROM ICE TRE!! HE JUST TOOK OUT SEAN STEVENS WITH THAT BASEBALL BAT!!!

[Tre poses for the screaming fans briefly before spinning around and finding an absolutely horrified Cassidy Stewart. Without hesitation, he grabs onto his publicist, and the two zip back into the rafters on the wire the King of the Streets came down on, and they disappear fast as he came in.]

DT: Tre and Stewart are OUT OF HERE, and the message left behind is LOUD AND CLEAR!!!

DM: Stevens staggering back to his feet, clutching face… turns right into JAY AYE—

KKKAAARRRREEELLLIIIINNN DDRRRRIIIIIVVVVEEERRRR!!!! OH MAN, HE DROPPED HIM HEAD-FIRST ONTO THAT STEEL CHAIR!!!

MN: NOOOO!!! NOT THIS WAY!!! HE’S THE CHAMPION!!!

DT: JAY AYE NAILED IT!!! The Anglo Luchadore tosses the evidence out of the ring Pat Jones finally rises onto his knees… going back to Stevens—LA MANHISTRO CRADLE!!! JONES WITH THE COUNT…




ONE!!!!





TWO!!!!






TTTTHHHHRRREEEEEEEEEEE!!!

Crowd: CCCCHHHHHEEEEEEEEEEEEERRRRR!!!!

DT: JAY AYE HAS DONE IT!! HE HAS BEATEN SEAN STEVENS!! JAY AYE IS THE NEW CHAMPION!!!

[The bell rings twice as “Eat the Rich” hits the PA. JA lays flat on his back in the center of the ring breathing heavily as the thousands of fans in attendance chant his name.]

TF: Ladies and gentlemen… here is your winner… and NEW WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION of EMPIRE PRO WRESTLING!!!

JJJJEEERRRIICCOOOHOLLLLIIIIIIIICC AAAANOOOONNNYYMOOOUUUUSSSS!!!!!

[Pat Jones helps the victor to his knees as the timekeeper enters the ring and hands him the EPW World Heavyweight Title. Amid an ocean of cheering fans, flash photography, and booming music, JA spends several moments oblivious to the scene around him as he stares through his blood-stained mask at the prestigious title in his hands. With the moment ingrained in his memory for the rest of his career, JA stumbles to his feet, holding the belt HIGH over his head as he presents it to the screaming crowd!!]

MN: This is a CONSPIRACY!!! SEAN STEVENS IS THE RIGHTFUL CHAMPION, DAMMIT!! He got SCREWED!!

DM: Considering the number of people HE screwed in attempt to put that title around his waist again, I’d say he got what was coming for him!!

DT: After all the years JA has spent climbing the ladder, tirelessly sacrificing his body and mind to entertain the fans and carry himself to the top of the promotion, JA has FINALLY accomplished his dream of becoming the EPW World Heavyweight Champion, and has done so by achieving a seemingly impossible feat in besting the man who has bested him in every past encounter! JA went through insurmountable odds, constant interference, and one HELLBENT opponent tonight, but in the end, he will be walking out of this arena as Empire Pro’s NEW champion!

[The ring is flooded with officials, press, boys from the back, and even fans daring enough to hop the railing and join the victorious Anglo Luchadore in the ring. Outside the ring, Sean Stevens rolls to the floor, and is helped up by Stalker and Dahaka as they come down the ramp for their leader. Somberly, they lead the defeated away, with Stevens looking back into the ring with eyes open wide with unspeakable shock.]

MN: Mark my words, if you think this is the LAST JA’s seen of Sean Stevens, then you’re dead wrong! Stevens WILL reclaim that title, no matter what!

DM: If I were Sean Stevens, I’d be more worried about the man that cost me the match… ICE TRE!

DT: Either way, on this night, Stevens suffers the bitter taste of defeat, and the glory goes to the man standing triumphant in the ring!

[*BOOM!! BOOM!! BOOM!!*]

[Pyros go off in the rafters as JA is lifted onto the shoulders of Troy Douglas and Fusenshoff, again holding his belt high into the air. On the stage, the Fallen disappear to the back, with Stevens lingering a moment longer, looking into the rafters and cursing silently before disappearing through the curtain.]

DT: Ladies and gentlemen, we have just witnessed a PHENOMENAL main event we won’t soon forget! A new champion has been crowned, and the federation’s two quarrelling KINGS will soon wage all-out war!! We’re out of time for tonight’s broadcast, but we’re sure there is much to unfold at our next installment of Aggression! For Mike Neely and Dean Matthews, I’m Dave Thomas… good night!

[Fade to the Empire Pro logo.]


FIN