(Open up backstage, where we immediately find “The Former ESCAPE ARTIST” Erik Black and “The Ex-RAGING RUSSIAN” Ivan Dalkichev sitting placidly together on a bench in the locker room, looking at someone off camera. We can hear by that person’s voice that it’s none other than their manager, Nathan Fear…)
NF: Listen to me, boys… I know about last Aggression. I know you intentionally tampered with my flight tickets, causing me to miss the event.
ID: …so how was Sao Paulo?
NF: Unbelievably nice, given the weather here, but THAT’S not the point!
(The camera pans over to Nathan Fear whose face is as pink as his political schemes.)
NF: I know the two of you are trying to find any way possible to cut me out of the picture… thinking the two of you are better off on your own. Do you remember what happened the LAST time I left you?
EB: You mean that period of three years where we were free to do anything and wrestle anywhere we wanted?
NF: …oh yeah? What about the periods of financial disparity? What about letting your lives go to ruin to the drugs and alcohol? What about this fat bastard’s failed PORN franchise?? The two of you are complete FAILURES!!
(Ivan seems noticeably hurt by his being singled out, and Erik comes to his feet in their own defense.)
EB: Listen man… maybe you haven’t been paying attention, cause you’re so stuck up your own self-righteous horsecrap, but it seems to the two of US that you’re standards for an “elite and perfect” tag team only get in the way of our getting the job done! Did we do some ticket tampering? Yeah, I won’t deny my part in it! We gave you a VACATION, and we went into Unleashed with Olvir and KICKED ASS!!
NF: You only won by disqualification! You completely EMBARRASSED yourselves out there!
EB: Right, like WE were supposed to know about some guy popping out of nowhere and jumping everyone! If we’d known we were walking into a trap all along, we wouldn’t have even agreed to compete in the match… but then, YOU SIGNED US TO IT without even CONSULTING us!!
(Fear is simply FUMING now!)
NF: You listen HERE you little piece of—
(He cuts himself off as a shadow is now upon him. On his feet is the towering Ivan Dalkichev, who is completely stone-faced as he peers down to his manager.)
ID: I think we’re DONE listening for now…
(Fear appears noticeably flustered but quickly regains his composure.)
NF: The two of you are going to sit HERE tonight as punishment! You won’t be in the ring again without my go-ahead, and until I feel you’re ready to step back into the ring and be the REVOLUTIONARIES of the PEOPLE that you should be, the two of you can grow fond of this place!
(Huffing, he spins around and slams the door as he exits the locker room. Back on Erik and Ivan, both men fall back onto the bench as the smaller man pulls a joint of his jacket and doesn’t hesitate to light it. Ivan still looks angry.)
ID: I could SMASH that tiny door like it was nothing… we could go out there tonight, and show those Anthology twerps who they’re messing with!
EB: No, ‘Van… forget the Anthology. Forget the Boss, too. All the pieces are falling into place, and our time to act is coming…
ID: But when, Black-Daddy?
EB: Pay Per View…
(Erik takes a puff and passes to Ivan as we go to ringside.)
Omega was obsessed in this match, matching power with the mighty Viking. He seemed to be searching the crowd for something the entire match, and found it when Frankie Scott stepped out onto the stage with Barb in hand, smirking. Omega’s attention diverted, Olvir took advantage, pounding away at Omega for a good three minutes while Scott looked on in amusement. Approximately six minutes into the match, however Omega caught Olvir from behind and hit The End, an Argenitine backbreaker into a spinning neckbreaker….for the pin. Omega then stalked up the ramp toward Frankie Scott, who made a hasty retreat.
Winner: Omega
This match started off well enough, with Scott and Stone trading move and counter-move throughout the early portion of the match. Scott scored a near fall with a bridging suplex one moment, then Stone scored one of his own with a small package a moment later. Things got crazy though, as you’d expect they would as soon as Omega made his inevitable appearance. With Scott directly in his sights he rushed the ring, leaving the referee struggling to retain control. With the ref trying to get Omega out, Scott picked up Barb and waffled Stone with “her”, knocking him down and leaving him writhing on the mat. The ref turned ever so slightly to see Stone go down, but having spent the last thirty seconds trying to keep Omega out of the ring he’d had enough – and called for the double disqualification. With the ref out of the way, Omega lunged at Scott but Scott was quicker, slipping out of the ring and dashing up the ramp with Barb in tow and Omega hot on his trail.
Winner: None, Double DQ
One of the most anticipated matches of the night, this one was more of a non-starter – but not with a lack of excitement as Anarky threw the match right out the window, choosing instead to brawl his way to near disqualification. But with the ref in his face, Anarky fell victim to a reverse school boy pin by a bloodied First who picked up the win. Anarky however got the last laugh as he continued to assault The First until security streamed in from the back enough to subdue him.
Winner: The First
Shawn Hart unexpectedly joined the announce crew for this match, explaining that he was doing some scouting work for The Anthology. JA was clearly still feeling the effects of his epic matchup with Sean Stevens at Unleashed as he was a shell of himself throughout the match. He was easy pickings for Larry Tact, who mercifully finished the former World Champion with a Delayed Fisherman’s Suplex into a Snap Neckbreaker, a move he calls the Starbreaker. JA was helped from the ring, holding his neck and still limping slightly as Hart commented on how impressed he was. He said much more, but I’ll spare you.
Winner: Larry Tact