[“My Way” by Butch Walker comes in over the PA, along with The Anthology’s video package. The audience begins to BOO LOUDLY. After a series of back and forth pyros, COPYCAT steps out onto the stage, posing for the jeering fans, before walking determinedly to the ring.]
DC: Ladies and gentlemen… now for our MAIN EVENT of the evening! Coming to the ring first, representing THE ANTHOLOGY… hailing from Kalamazoo, Michigan and weighing in at 280 pounds… making his EPW DEBUT here tonight… the SMARTEST PLAYER IN THE GAME… CCCOOOOPPPPYYYCCAAATTT!!!
DT: Welcome back to Aggression, fans of Empire Pro, and if your just joining us, you’re just in time for our MAIN EVENT! Coming to the ring now, the man introduced into the Anthology at Wrestleverse III, making a controversial interference in the Intercontinental Title Match!
DM: Copycat is known the world over as a champion in many other leagues. He had some VERY disparaging things to say about some of the biggest names in this federation back at Wrestleverse. It’s time to see if there’s any CREDIBILITY to those words as he makes his EPW debut in the main event against some of those very names.
DT: The Anthology just seems to CONSTANTLY be growing with foreign talent… but are all these new acquisitions going to pay off in the long run?
MN: I think you’re going to get the answer to that question SOON, Dave, when you see just how talented Copycat is!
[As Copycat reaches the ring, “Killing In The Name Of” by Rage Against the Machine. Replaces his music. The fans BOO VEHEMENTLY as CAMERON CRUISE steps out onto the stage, proudly displaying the EPW Intercontinental Title. He heckles the crowd for a few moments before striding down the ramp and joining his tag partner.]
DC: And his partner… from Jacksonville, North Carolina, he weighs in at 263 pounds… he is THE EPW INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPION… HE IS… “THE CRIPPLER”… CCAAAAAMMMEEERRROOONNNN CCCCRRRUUUIIISSSEEE!!!
DT: The IC Champion and unofficial figurehead of the Anthology, Cameron Cruise, walked out of Wrestleverse with a very controversial win in order to retain his title. There’s still a bit of an argument as to whether or not he KNEW about Copycat’s interference before the match!
MN: Clearly, he knew NOTHING of it… but even if he DID, who gives a damn? There is NO better Intercontinental Champion in this federation right now than THAT MAN, and I’m damn thankful Copycat helped him keep that belt!
DM: I don’t think everybody would agree with you on that one, Neels. Cameron Cruise has definitely come a long way and proven himself as one of this federation’s top competitors. But everybody knows that the WORLD Champion issued him a challenge for the big strap on this show, and Cruise turned it DOWN in order to tag up with his new teammate, Copycat.
MN: Right, well, Cameron Cruise isn’t about to blow the main event of what would be the BIGGEST and BEST Pay Per View event of the DECADE. That’s just bad business…
DT: Or maybe he’s just lacking the SPINE…
[The Anthology members meet up and hit the ring, going to opposite turnbuckles and POSING for the booing crowd as pyros shoot up from within the ring. Moments later… MUSIC UP: "Happy Birthday" by The Birthday Massacre, EPW Edit, the lights dim as The First walks into a purple spotlight in the middle of the ramp way. First's face is painted white with black lines around his eyes like Kefka. He's wearing a black "Pax Vobicscum" T-Shirt cut into a wife beater, with black karate pants, black ring boots, and his right hand taped up to the elbow, with the words "No Hope" written on the tape. First runs back and forth on the top of the ramp way screaming at the crowd who respond by popping big!]
DC: And the opponent… hailing from Salem, Massachusetts… he weighs in at 210 pounds… HERE IS… THE FORSAKEN ONE… TTTHHHEEEEE FFFFIIIIIIRRRRSSSSSTTTT!!!!
DT: And here comes the very man that was SCREWED OVER by Cameron Cruise and the Anthology at Wrestleverse! THE FIRST… the HIGH-FLYING WONDER… the AERIAL DAREDEVIL… he gave it his ALL when the Intercontinental Championship was on the line! But because of the two men standing in the ring, that dream could not be achieved!
MN: And it will NEVER be achieved, cause this mopey GOTH KID doesn’t know the FIRST THING about being a successful professional wrestler!
DM: Maybe if he had fewer people interfering in his matches…
DT: You KNOW The First has vengeance on the mind tonight! On the same token, it’s comforting to know at least SOMEBODY out there has the courage to stand up to the ever-growing Anthology!
MN: Is it courage, or is he simply lacking BRAINPOWER?
[The First waits on stage, not at all interested in going to the ring alone. A moment later… the lights dim. SFX: Thunder, Lightning, Horses, Chariots, grunts, growls and other sounds of Gladiator-style war.]
“…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 … things that babies generally do.]
"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[BEEP]."
*BOOOOOOOOM!*
[Fireworks in the shape of an X shot to the roof, as "King Back," by TI blasted over the PA system, and Trip stepped through the curtain. He was immediately met with a chorus of boos – that he ignored – as he stood on the stage in a 100% cotton "King of the Gladiators" t-shirt, 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, and, of course, THE EPW WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE, proudly worn around the waist. For a moment, he lingers on stage, looking at his tag partner with mild indifference… and confidently strides down the ramp toward the ring, with The First following.]
DC: And his partner… from Orlando, Florida… weighing in at 243 pounds… he is the EMPIRE PRO WRESTLING WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION… The KING OF THE GLADIATORS… PLANET EARTH’S CHAMPION… The BLUE-EYED BADASS…
“TRIPLE X”…
SSSSSEEEEEEAAAAAAAANNNN SSSSTTEEEEEEEVVVEEEENNNSSSS!!!!!
DT: Love him or hate him… there are few who can argue the IMPACT that the World Champion, “Triple X” Sean Stevens, has made on Empire Pro.
MN: Glad somebody finally REALIZES it!
DM: There hasn’t been a person to hold the EPW World Heavyweight Title quite like Sean Stevens. EPW’s ONLY two-time champ… not to mention, probably the ONLY champion with the gall and confidence to come out and make challenges to other contenders, even throwing his title on the line!
DT: Such is how he came to be in this match! Sean Stevens made the challenge to Cameron Cruise, title for title, but… the IC Champ mysteriously REFUSED the offer!
MN: Probably because “Triple X” Sean Stevens vs. “The Crippler” Cameron Cruise, with both EPW titles on the line, would be a match of ASTRONOMICAL PROPORTIONS that couldn’t exist on live TV! Television sets across the globe would EXPLODE from the sheer awesomeness!
DT: Nevertheless… Sean Stevens has found an unlikely partner in The First, as the two of them address the issue of the growing Anthology. It will be interesting to see how these two try and coexist.
DM: That’s a good observation, Dave. They both have it in for the Anthology, but they are HARDLY friends. This union will either work out and provide an amazing one-time high-flying duo… or it will self-destruct and the two will turn on each other.
[Stevens and The First reach the ring and step inside together, with the two members representing the Anthology keeping their distance on the other side of the ring. The First pops up a turnbuckle to a BIG face pop while Stevens, somewhat irked to have the young high-flying superstar stealing his thunder, removes his belt and scales another turnbuckle, to almost the opposite reaction. As the music ends, all four men meet in the center of the ring around Pat Jones…]
[After the respective champions hand of their titles, Jones holds them briefly in the air for the fans to see, and relinquishes them to the timekeeper. After some brief talk, Cameron Cruise obliges to stay in the ring while Copycat goes to the apron. In the other corner, there is no discussion, as Sean Stevens “volunteers” The First to start things off to no resistance.]
DM: No surprises here… The First and Cameron Cruise are eager to start this off on their own!
DT: Looks like this animosity is ready to come to a HEAD!! Pat Jones cues the bell… AND HERE COMES THE FIRST, charging right out of the gate for CRUISE, and landing the RUNNING DROPKICK before the IC Champ could even react!
DM: That slapped the smirk right off Cruise’s face! The First is off to a quick start, and he’s already back on Cruise before the IC Champ can even make it to his feet… there’s the whip to the ropes… and The First meets Cruise with a SPINNING HEEL KICK that puts him to the mat again!
MN: Hey, HEY!! This is all wrong, restart the match!
DT: A match can’t be restarted when it’s already begun, Mike…
MN: Yeah, but Cammy CLEARLY wasn’t ready when that stupid ref jumped the gun and rang the bell!
DM: That’s just too bad for Cameron Cruise! Cruise looks stunned, but nevertheless back on his feet… walking straight into a BOOT—oh wait, he CAUGHT it!
DT: Big mistake there! Cruise, looking down at the leg of The First, suddenly realizes what he’s in for!
MN: Oh crap, DROP THE LEG, CAMMY!!
DT: TOO LATE!! The First NAILS the ENZIGURI, and Cameron Cruise rolls to the floor the second he hits the mat! The high-flying superstar has the IC Champ on the RUN, and these fans are PUMPED and ON THEIR FEET!!
Crowd: *POP!!*
DM: Seems to me that Cameron Cruise didn’t quite expect The First to come out swinging at the sound of the bell, and now he has to take a moment to regain his bearings and rethink his strategy.
DT: All the while, The First occupies the ring, working up the crowd and getting them on his side! Look at the sheer disgust on the face of the World Champion, “Triple X” Sean Stevens…
MN: Right with you on that one, Trip!
DM: Here’s Cruise, back on the apron, telling Pat Jones to keep The First at bay! He takes one step in… and here comes The First! Cruise drops to the floor once again!
Crowd: BOOO!!
DT: Oh, COME ON!! Grow a spine and get in the match, why don’t you!
MN: I’ll have you know, Dave, that Cameron Cruise has more spine than ANYBODY in this entire arena!
DT: And that’s why he turned down the champ’s offer for a title shot, huh?
MN: Cammy has his OWN belt to worry about, Dave!
DM: Well, Cruise definitely wants back into the ring, but he’d be stupid to walk straight into another beating from The First! Jones is on the count of four while Cruise takes a moment to deliberate with his tag partner…
DT: Wait, here comes The First, charging to the ROPES—OH, but Cruise and Copycat clear out before he can throw himself to the outside!
Crowd: AAAWWwww…
DT: The crowd was clearly disappointed with that.
MN: Heh heh… BLUE-BALLED ‘em!!
DM: Wait a second… I don’t think Cruise realizes he ran around to the corner where SEAN STEVENS is waiting! Here’s STEVENS dropping from the apron, walking with a PURPOSE toward Cruise, who quickly books it in the other direction!
MN: Oh no… get AWAY from him, Cammy! Now is not the time!
DM: Cruise rolls BACK into the ring to get away from Sean Stevens… but backs up right into THE FIRST!! There’s a RUSSIAN LEGSWEEP from one former tag champ to another, and The First pops back to his feet before running to the ropes…
DT: SENTON SPLASH on the prone body of Cameron Cruise! He goes for the cover!
One!
Two!
And Cruise kicks out!
DM: Cruise has a lot more in him, but that all may change if he can’t diffuse the momentum The First has right now!
MN: Ah, that scrawny twerp is bound to run out of gas eventually!
DT: You only wish, Mike… Cruise back to his feet, but The First with a LEGSWEEP puts him to the mat once again! Here’s The First back into the ropes… and comes back with a JUMPING LEGDROP across the face of the IC Champ!
DM: The First looking to capitalize… he bounds up to the second rope in the near turnbuckle… comes LUNGING OFF with the KNEE DROP—OH NO!! Cruise rolled out of the way, and The First drove that knee into nothing but HARD CANVAS!!
MN: YEAH!! I KNEW Cruise was just waiting for him to slip up!
DT: The First back up, holding that knee… but now he’s given Cruise his window of opportunity! Cruise with the CHOP BLOCK to the back of the hurt leg, and he puts The First back to the mat! What a cheap shot!
DM: Cruise sees a weak point, and you better believe he’s going to jump all over it… Cruise has a hold of that leg now, and STOMPS IT on the mat, putting even more strain on that knee! OH MAN, he stomps it again… AND AGAIN!! Talk about letting off some steam!
MN: Well yeah, you’d be pissed off too if that SHRIMP was in there humiliating you!
DT: The First, while he had an energetic start to this match, is suddenly in a world of trouble, as Cameron Cruise quickly debilitated one of his essential legs! Even so, The First, trying to force himself to his feet, limping on one leg… but here comes CRUISE—and the IC Champ just LEVELS HIM with a running lariat!!
DM: That clothesline sent The First flipping head over heels, and that could have knocked him out cold!
DT: Here’s Cruise, hooking the leg for the cover!
One!
Two!
And The First makes the kick out!
MN: Bah… you didn’t knock him HARD ENOUGH, Cammy! Tear that annoying little fly APART, and start with his wings!
DT: Cruise going to his corner… makes the tag to COPYCAT! It’s time to see what this newcomer can bring to Empire Pro!
DM: The First is trying to make it to his corner, but he can’t get there in time on his bummed leg, and now Copycat spins him around… there’s a BOOT to the midsection… and Copycat lifts The First up into the SUPLEX POSITION!!
DT: WOW, would you LOOK at that POWER?! Copycat holding him in place for several seconds… and brings him DOWN to the mat with PAINFUL IMPACT!!
MN: WHAM!! Looks like the Anthology struck gold YET AGAIN picking up THIS guy!
DT: The First in a world of hurt… but Copycat is already bringing him off the mat again… now he lifts him UP… AND BACK DOWN ACROSS THE KNEE with a HARD Rib-Breaker!!
DM: Copycat is definitely playing the power game against The First, given the disparity in size and weight! Cat knows he has the advantage, and he’s going to roll with it as best he can!
MN: They don’t call him the Smartest Player in the Game for nothing!
DT: We’ve seen The First fall victim to overpowering opponents before, but can his agility and determination save him against this new, unpredictable opponent? Copycat, bringing him to his feet once again… there’s the whip to the ROPES—and The First DUCKS the clothesline attempt!
DM: Here’s his chance! The First, rebounding off the other set of ropes… going for a CROSS BODY BLOCK—BUT COPYCAT REVERSES IT INTO A POWERSLAM!!
DT: MY GOD, what IMPACT!! Copycat quickly goes for the cover…
One!
Two!
And The First kicks out!
MN: Damn… I thought he had him there!
DT: You’d do well to remember that it takes much more than THAT to put down The First for good! But now Copycat, bringing The First back to his feet… what does he have planned for the high-flying wonder now?
DM: Copycat boosts The First onto his shoulders… could be going for the SAMOAN DROP—oh wait, THE FIRST REVERSES WITH A CRUCIFIX PIN!!
DT: THE FIRST COULD STEAL IT RIGHT HERE!!
ONE!
TWO!
Copycat KICKS OUT!
DM: The First couldn’t steal the victory, but he nevertheless opens a window of opportunity… he’s heading for his CORNER—but Copycat grabs him by the leg!
DM: Time to SLAM that window down on his fingers!
DT: The First, bouncing on one foot and trying to REACH that extra few inches to the hand of Sean Stevens… but now Copycat is drawing him back to the center of the ring!
DM: Look for the enziguri here again… The First GOING FOR IT—OH NO, Copycat released the leg just in time! He was quick not to make the same mistake as Cameron Cruise earlier in the match!
MN: Come on… The First to be some kind of IDIOT to think he could have pulled that off again!
DT: The First took a hard fall on the back of his head there… now Copycat, bouncing off the ropes, comes at him with an ELBOW DROP—OH NO, The First ROLLS OUT OF THE WAY!! I guess he didn’t fall so hard on his head after all, but Copycat sure thought he was out of it!
DM: Wasn’t so smart with that one, Neels. Explain THAT to me.
MN: Uh… just a miscalculation on his part!
DT: That “miscalculation” is soon going to come back and haunt him, as The First makes it to his corner, and there’s the tag to “TRIPLE X” SEAN STEVENS!!
MN: UH OH…
DM: The World Champion is FINALLY in the ring, and he’s ready to show these guys how it’s done!
DT: Copycat back on his feet… but he meets a determined Sean Stevens, who simply BLASTS him with a forearm to the face!! Stevens had enough strength behind that to knock Copycat clear into the ropes… and now Stevens whips him to the other side of the ring!
DM: Here’s Cat on the rebound… WHOA!! Stevens telegraphs the Back Body Drop… and Copycat puts on the BRAKES!! Here’s Cat with a kick to the—NO!! Stevens CAUGHT IT!!
DT: The World Champion with a DRAGON SCREW puts Copycat to the mat! He follows through with an ELBOW DROP right into the inner thigh! If I didn’t know any better, I’d say Stevens set him UP for that one!
DM: No doubt trying to outsmart the acclaimed “Smartest Player In The Game.”
MN: Well, I mean, he IS the World Heavyweight Champ… and… VERY brilliant at that.
DM: More brilliant than even Cameron Cruise and his cronies?
MN: Aw, man, don’t force me to make impossible decisions like that!
DT: Stevens still has a hold of that leg… and now he’s… going for a FIGURE FOUR LEGLOCK?! Submission attempt on the part of “Triple X” Sean Stevens, targeting that same leg of Copycat!
DM: Stevens has it LOCKED IN, and Copycat is now feeling the BURN courtesy of this federation’s champion! I’m sure he’s beginning to REGRET all those disparaging remarks he made about some of Empire Pro’s elite!
MN: Yeah, maybe Cammy should have passed the memo to Cat about dropping the champ’s name and subsequently paying the price for it…
DT: Copycat feeling INCREDIBLE pain right now, but so far, he’s kept his composure and REFUSED to tap out! I can see why… he’s only a few feet away from the ropes! The champ didn’t bother dragging him closer to the center of the ring, and with that short of a distance, Copycat KNOWS he can break out of this hold!
DM: Cat, now, trying to drag himself to the ropes… Stevens only putting up MINIMAL resistance! It’s as if he WANTS Copycat to break this hold, but he’s still intent on making him EARN IT in the most PAINFUL ways!
MN: You see? Never EVER say the champ isn’t MERCIFUL.
DT: Copycat only a foot away… now a few INCHES… and YES, he has the bottom rope! Pat Jones ordering Stevens break the figure-four… but Stevens SHAKES HIS HEAD!!
DM: Stevens is going to milk that hold for everything it’s worth! Jones making the count now… ONE… TWO… THREE… and Stevens releases before he can be disqualified! Copycat escapes, but I think he lost one of his nine lives back there!
DT: Stevens is already bringing Copycat back to his feet, and you can see the EPW newcomer favoring that leg now… granted, The First had that knee of his take a lot of punishment, so both teams seem hampered with the same handicap!
DM: Stevens, taking Copycat around the waist… AND JUST SLAMS HIM TO THE MAT WITH A DEVASTATING Belly-To-Belly Suplex!! It’s always gonna hurt when a man that size gets LIFTED UP and THROWN DOWN!!
DT: The World Champion, going for the pin…
ONE!
TWO!
NO! A kickout by Copycat!
DM: So far, the champ has been nothing short of FLAWLESS in that ring! Now he’s back on his feet, and has a handful of Copycat’s hair as he leads him back to his corner… Stevens makes the TAG to The First, right before setting Cat to the mat with a SNAPMARE!
DT: What’s he have planned here? Stevens, giving The First some manner of a signal, and now he hooks both of Copycat’s arms… Copycat is a SITTING DUCK!! Here comes THE FIRST—
Crowd: *POP!!!*
DT: OVER THE ROPES WITH A DROPKICK TO THE CHEST OF COPYCAT!! What GREAT double teamwork on the part of The First and Sean Stevens!
DM: I didn’t think the two of them were capable of that sort of communication!
MN: Yeah, me neither. I mean, from STEVENS, yeah, obviously, but I can’t see The First capable of such brilliance. I’ll just chalk that up to the champ showing him how its done.
DT: Here’s The First, going for another cover on Copycat…
ONE!
TWO!!
NO!! Copycat manages to hang in there!
DM: Cat still has that hurt leg… and although The First’s knee took some punishment earlier in the match, he’s had a chance to sit on the apron and rest up. If the Anthology wants to retake control, he HAS to make the tag to Cameron Cruise!
MN: Yes, do it NOW that Stevens is out of the ring!
DT: The First with the whip on Copycat—and he’s definitely got a LIMP in that run… wait, Copycat makes the tag to CRUISE as he hits the ropes! Copycat on the return… The First LEAPFROGS and keeps his attention on Cruise!
DM: The First saw the tag being made, and now Cruise coming into the ring… but Copycat’s still MOVING!!
DT: Look BEHIND YOU!!
DM: TOO LATE!! Copycat GOT HIM WITH THE RUNNING BULLDOG!! And now the legal man, Cameron Cruise, adds insult to injury by just laying the BOOTS into the back of the head of The First!
MN: STOMP HIM, CAMMY!! Kick the HAIR DYE off his head!
DT: Cruise knows this is his chance to turn things around, and now he brings The First back to his feet and OOH… kick to the gut doubles him over… and Cruise follows through with a PILEDRIVER!!
DM: OOohh… good thing this match isn’t taking place south of the border, otherwise Cruise would have SURELY picked up the DQ for THAT crippling maneuver!
DT: Here’s Cruise with the cover, and I don’t know if The First has enough to kick out of this…
ONE!
TWO!
THR—OH NO, HE MADE IT!! Sean Stevens had one foot in the ring, but his assistance wasn’t needed!
MN: Yeah it was…
DT: Cruise getting The First up to a sitting position… and he slaps on a CHINLOCK!!
DM: Oh my God, the dreaded CHINLOCK OF DOOM!!
DT: The First now in a precarious position, as Cruise forces the knee in his back and just PULLS back on that jawline without remorse! The First looks like he’s slipping away…
MN: It’s because of all that blood loss from CUTTING HIMSELF to deal with the pain of being a complete FAILBAG!
DT: Cruise WRENCHING the face of The First… but now these FANS are getting into it! The fans, rallying behind The First, as the aerial wonder tries his HARDEST to muster the strength and energy to force himself out!
Crowd: FIRST!! FIRST!! FIRST!! FIRST!! FIRST!! FIRST!!
DM: Note that Stevens isn’t really participating in the rally efforts…
MN: Why SHOULD he?
DT: The First, with his fists CLENCHED and SHAKING… and YES, he is FORCING HIMSELF TO HIS FEET!! Cruise can HARDLY BELIEVE IT!!
DM: The First, DESPERATELY trying to pry his way out of this GOD-AWFUL BORING CHINLOCK… he’s up to a KNEE… now BOTH KNEES… now he’s getting UP!!
MN: Come on, Cammy, don’t blow it NOW!!
DT: Yes… The First is UP AT LAST!! The First drives an ELBOW into the ribs of Cruise… and ANOTHER… and a THIRD! But Cruise will NOT release his grip! The First is going to have to take other measures!
DM: The First, grabbing Cruise around the waist… looking for a BACK SUPLEX—oh no, Cruise somehow LANDED ON HIS FEET!!
DT: Cruise with an ELBOW to the back of The First’s head… FOLLOWS THROUGH WITH A TIGER SUPLEX!! MY GOD, WHERE DID THAT COME FROM?! Cruise BRIDGES for the PIN!!
ONE!!
TWO!!
THR—YES, THE FIRST KICKED OUT!!
MN: Still, all that hard work trying to get to his feet and all these stupid fans cheering his name… where did it get him? On his DAMB SHOULDERS!! HA HA!!
DT: The First, getting to his feet… OH NO!! A VERY LOW KNEE to the midsection puts him back to the mat! Pat Jones warning Cruise about blows below the waist, but the IC Champ SWEARS he was aiming for the abdomen!
MN: Well, I mean, clearly he WAS…
DM: Cruise to his corner now, making the tag back to Copycat… and it looks like they have something in mind for The First!
DT: There’s Copycat into the ropes… and Cruise hoists up The First! Copycat with a LUNGING CLOTHESLINE brings The First back to the mat! The First is REALLY in a bad spot now!
MN: He was in a bad spot the minute he stepped into the ring!
DM: Cat, bringing The First to his feet… what’s he have in store here? Copycat… PRESSES THE FIRST OVER HIS HEAD!! OH MAN, what STRENGTH!!
MN: Doesn’t take much when your opponent weighs as much as a sack of potatoes!
DT: The First, DANGLING IN AIR… and Copycat brings him DOWN HARD to the mat!! Now Copycat bounces back to his feet… bounces off the ropes… STRUTTING HIS STUFF to the center of the ring?!
Crowd: BOOOOO!!
DM: It’s the STRAY CAT STRUT!! Copycat NAILS the elbow across the chest of The First!
DT: The First is getting PUMMELED in there! Here’s Copycat with the cover!
ONE!!
TWO!!
NO!! The First kicked out! He stays alive in this match, but already, you can tell the punishment he’s going through won’t end soon, as Copycat pulls him to his feet and leads him back to his corner, tagging in Cameron Cruise!
DM: Cat, scooping The First onto his shoulder… his HEAD is just hanging out there in the open! Now Cruise GRABS IT, and DROPS HIM WITH A NECKBREAKER!! The Anthology are really dishing out the double team tactics now, and it’s paying off!
MN: Strength in numbers. I mean, COME ON, it’s just basic logic here!
DT: Here’s CRUISE, going for the cover on The First!
ONE!!
TWO!!
NO!! AGAIN, The First kicks out! Say what you will about the daredevil wonder, he can withstand nearly ANYTHING!
MN: Ah, I’d say he doesn’t have much longer in him…
DM: Not unless he can somehow turn things around. Sean Stevens waits patiently in his corner for the tag, although only absently interested in The First’s progress. Cruise, now, getting The First back to his feet… there’s the whip to the ropes!
DT: Cruise waiting for The First… looking for a CLOTHESLINE—but it MISSED!! Here’s The First on the rebound… BLASTS CRUISE OUT OF NOWHERE WITH A SPEAR!!
Crowd: POP!!
DM: THERE IT IS!! Just like THAT, The First gets this crowd back on their feet and gives himself the chance he needs!
DT: Both men are lying prone on the mat as Pat Jones begins the ten count…
ONE…
TWO…
DM: Cruise is now showing signs of life, holding his ribs in pain! That spear knocked the wind clear OUT of him!
THREE…
DT: The First coming to now… trying to crawl to his corner where the World Champion waits with his arm extended over the ropes! Cruise trying to get to his feet…
FOUR…
FIVE…
DT: Cruise is UP… and The First only a FEW FEET AWAY from his corner now! Who’s going to make it there FIRST!!
MN: Not The First, hopefully!
DM: Well, that kind of IS his name…
DT: The First, only INCHES AWAY…
…
NO!! SHUT DOWN BY CAMERON CRUISE!! Cruise, drags The First back to the center of the ring, and that just SILENCED this capacity crowd!
MN: Damn right it did!
DT: Cruise is getting The First back to his feet… now he has him by the waist! Cruise going for a GERMAN SUPLEX—
DM: THE FIRST FLIPPED OUT OF IT—
DT: SOULBREAKER!!! OH MY GOD, HE NAILED CRUISE WITH THE BACKSTABBER OUT OF NOWHERE!!
Crowd: *POP!!!*
DT: MY GOD, HOW HE DOES IT IS BEYOND ME!! The First just took that beating for several minutes, only to come back and nail the IC Champ with his FINISHER when nobody expected it!
DM: But now he’s gotta make the COVER!!
DT: The First, CRAWLING over the prone body of Cameron Cruise… he hooks the leg for the COVER…
ONE…
TWO….
TTTHRRR—OH NO!! COPYCAT BREAKS IT UP!!
MN: YES!! THANK YOU, Cat!
DM: Pat Jones telling Copycat to exit the ring… I think Cameron Cruise really lucked out on that one!
MN: Luck had NOTHING to do with that!
DT: Regardless of what the cause was, I don’t think Cameron Cruise is quite out of the storm just yet, as The First makes it to his feet… and MAKES THE TAG TO SEAN STEVENS!!
Crowd: *POP!!*
DM: Wow… a crowd reaction for the CHAMPION!?
MN: Uh-oh… STEVENS and CRUISE in the ring together?!
DM: Your worst nightmare come true, Mike. Who do you think will come over in this one?
MN: OH MAN… don’t make me have to CHOOSE!
DM: Cruise slowly getting to his feet, and he still has yet to realize a tag was made! I’m sure he’s not even aware he was saved from that PIN!!
DT: Stevens going to the near corner… and he STARTS LOADING THE BOOT!!
Crowd: *POP!!!*
MN: QUICK!! Somebody TAG IN THE FIRST AGAIN!!
DM: I don’t think that’s gonna happen, Neels! Cruise almost to his feet now… Stevens has him RIGHT WHERE HE WANTS HIM…
DT: Cruise TURNING AROUND… and here’s “TRIPLE X” with the X-FACTOR—
AND CRUISE DUCKED IT!!
DM: WHAT?!?
DT: Cruise spins Stevens around… KICK TO THE GUT… AND FOLLOWS THROUGH WITH AN IMPACT DDT!! Oh my God, HOW DID CAMERON CRUISE DO THAT?!
DM: I was CERTAIN he was down and out, but somehow, SOME WAY, Cameron Cruise reacted to seeing Sean Stevens coming at him, and NARROWLY missed having his head kicked off his shoulders and into the moon!
DT: Here’s the IC Champion, going for the cover on the WORLD Champion…
ONE!!
TWO!!
NO!! STEVENS KICKED OUT!! Cruise can HARDLY BELIEVE IT!!
DM: But I can, Dave! Though Stevens took a HUGE drop on his head, he’s barely been TOUCHED this entire match! It’s going to take more than that to finish off EPW’s WORLD CHAMPION!!
DT: How are you doing over there, Mike?
MN: FINE.
DT: …Mike, you think you could lower your hands?
MN: NO THANKS, I’M GOOD.
DT: But you’re missing the match!
MN: I can’t watch, Dave! Not while the TWO GREATEST PROFESSIONAL WRESTLERS EVER occupy the same ring! It’s like a PARADOX!! I’m afraid if I look, my HEAD will explode!
DM: …Cameron Cruise is one of the greatest professional wrestlers ever??
DT: Go ahead and miss it then, Mike, cause I don’t think you’re going to like what you’ll see next… Cruise getting Sean Stevens back onto his feet… lifting him UP OVER HIS SHOULDERS—HE’S LOOKING FOR THE SHIPWRECK!!
DM: WAIT!! Stevens, from being held upside down, grabs ahold of the NEARBY ROPES!! Cruise can’t WALK HIM to the center of the ring!
DT: Stevens is SLIPPING OUT… and now he’s got a HEADSCISSOR ON THE IC CHAMP!! OH MY GOD, STEVENS JUST ROLLS OUT OF THE RING AND TAKES CAMERON CRUISE WITH HIM!! CRUISE, LANDING IN A HEAP ON THE OUTSIDE!!
DM: And Stevens HANGS ONTO THE ROPES!! Stevens, using ONLY HIS ARMSTRENGTH, lifts himself UP and FLIPPING BACK OVER THE ROPES!! MY GOD, what ATHLETICISM!! Even if he IS just showing off to the fans, who right now, have NO IDEA what to think of their World Champion!!
MN: Oh yeah, here I’ve been ALL THIS TIME behind the champ, suddenly everybody realizes what a BAD ASS he is, and now everybody’s hopping on the bandwagon! Hate to say I TOLD YOU SO!!
DT: COPYCAT IN THE RING, RUNNING AT STEVENS… NO!! THROWN OVER THE ROPES WITH A BACK BODY DROP by the CHAMP!! Copycat spills over next to Cameron Cruise, and now BOTH members of the Anthology laid out on the outside!
DM: I don’t think Stevens is DONE here… here goes “Triple X” into the far set of ropes… COULD BE GOING OVER THE TOP—
No wait, HE PUTS ON THE BREAKS just as Cruise and Cat get to their feet! He locks eyes… and points to the NEAR TURNBUCKLE—
DT: THE FIRST IS PERCHED ON THE TOP!!
THE FIRST COMES FLYING OFF WITH A TWISTING SENTON SPLASH ONTO CRUISE AND COPYCAT!!
Crowd: *POPPP!!!!*
DT: MY GOD, THEY HAD NO IDEA THAT WAS COMING!! THAT WAS SLEIGHT OF HAND AT ITS BEST!!
MN: What happened?! DID HE MAKE IT?!
DT: Damnit, Mike, uncover your eyes and watch the match!
MN: Not until Stevens tags out!
DM: Speaking of… Stevens BACK INTO THE ROPES… FLIPS THE ROPES AND LANDS ON ALL THREE OUTSIDE THE RING WITH A SENTON SPLASH!! THE CHAMPION HAS THE LAST WORD!!
Crowd: “EE-PEE-DUB!! EE-PEE-DUB!! EE-PEE-DUB!! EE-PEE-DUB!! EE-PEE-DUB!!”
DT: What I’m seeing right now is simply BEYOND WORDS!! These fans are ON THEIR FEET as the team of The First and the World Heavyweight Champion, “Triple X” Sean Stevens, close in on VICTORY over the Anthology!
DM: But they’ve gotta make the PIN now, Dave! Stevens is seeing his chance to put this away… and now he’s stripping Cruise off the mat, and rolling him back into the ring! Stevens is going to PUT THIS AWAY!!
DT: I think you’re RIGHT, Dean-O!! Stevens getting Cruise set up for THE X-TERMINATOR… he lifts Cruise UP… OVER…
AND CRUISE SHOVES HIMSELF OFF AS HE LANDS TO HIS FEET!! OH MAN, TALK ABOUT DODGING A BULLET!!
DM: Stevens turning around… WALKS STRAIGHT INTO A REALITY CHECK FROM CAMERON CRUISE!! How does Cruise keep SURVIVING by the skin of his TEETH?!
MN: Still doubt his being one of the BEST EVER, do you?
DM: Oh shut up… you’re not even watching anymore.
MN: No, but in my mind, they’re both beating up the shrimp in their, and THAT’S entertaining!
DT: Cruise doesn’t HAVE ENOUGH in him to make the tag! Both men LAID OUT in the middle of the ring, as Cruise now tries to drag his way to his corner, to make the tag!!
DM: The Cat finally returns to the apron and sees what’s going down! He’s REACHING OVER THE ROPES for the tag to Cruise! I think the IC Champ is going to MAKE IT!!
DT: Stevens is hardly UP at this point… AND CRUISE MAKES THE TAG!! COPYCAT in the ring now, and he’s got the champ right where he WANTS him!
DM: Copycat getting Stevens back to his feet, and slips behind him… and he locks in THE CAT’S CLAW!! MY GOD, LOOK AT THAT CLAWHOLD!! Stevens is REACHING OUT with his free arm to touch the ropes… but he MISSES!!
DT: BUT HE CAUGHT THE HAND OF THE FIRST!! THE TAG IS MADE!!
DM: Cat releases the hold on the champ and goes to the corner… TAG MADE TO CAMERON CRUISE… but Stevens still wants a PIECE of him! I don’t think the champion realizes the TAG was made! Pat Jones is telling him to get on the apron—but “Triple X” SHOVES him aside and starts LAYING INTO THE CAT with his fists!!
DT: But now the REF is getting in face! Pat Jones DID NOT LIKE that shove!
DM: Wait a minute, look at this… CAMERON CRUISE, UP ON THE TOP ROPE!! AND STEVENS SEES HIM!! HERE COMES CRUISE, WITH THE MISSILE DROPKICK—
DT: NOOOO!! HE HIT REFEREE PAT JONES!! SEAN STEVENS PULLED THE REF IN THE WAY!!
Crowd: BOOOOO!!!
DT: That SON OF A *****!! And here I thought I was starting to LIKE HIM!!
DM: Cruise is BACK ON HIS FEET… and here comes STEVENS with THE X-FACTOR—NO!! COPYCAT WITH A SAVATE KICK OF HIS OWN!! OH MAN, BOTH MEN KNOCK EACH OTHER OUT!!
MN: …hey, what’s going on? Why is everybody out?
DM: Welcome back to the match, Neels…
DT: It’s COMPLETE and UTTER PANDEMONIUM in the ring right now! The ref is knocked out… three of the four participants are lying PRONE on the mat… and EVEN NOW, HERE COMES THE FIRST INTO THE RING!!
Crowd: “FIRST!! FIRST!! FIRST!! FIRST!!”
DM: He’s got the CROWD on his side!! The First, RUNNING AT CRUISE…
AND NAILS HIM WITH THE SHINING WIZARD!!
Crowd: *POP!!!*
DT: The First PUMPS BACK TO HIS FEET and just GETS THIS CROWD ELECTRIFIED!! The chance to FINISH the match is at hand, but… now the ref is out!
DM: The First is checking on Pat Jones, but man, he took ALL of that missile dropkick from before! I don’t think he’ll be coming out of that for—
Crowd: BOOOOOO!!!
DT: Wait a second, someone’s running to the RING…
IT’S SHAWN HART!!
MN: OH YEAH, THE GOOD DOCTOR is HERE with the CURE for this match!!
DM: With the ref out, Hart has the CLEAR opportunity to interfere!! He could ruin EVERYTHING for The First right now!
DT: Somebody STOP HIM!! TURN AROUND, FIRST!!
DM: Hart running along the ringside… HE JUST TOOK THE WORLD TITLE FROM THE TIMEKEEPER!! He’s going to USE IT AS A WEAPON!!
MN: Damn RIGHT he is! He’s going to give The First the closest look he’ll ever have at THAT title!
DT: Shawn Hart, rolling into the ring to help his Anthology teammates… HE LUNGES AFTER THE FIRST WITH THE TITLE IN HAND…
POISON MIST!!! THE FIRST TURNED AROUND JUST IN TIME AND PUT A WAD OF THE MIST IN SHAWN HART’S FACE!! THE PHENOM falls to the mat, BLINDED!!
MN: GOOD GOD, NO!! SOMEBODY DISQUALIFY HIM!!
DM: The ref CAN’T while he’s OUT, Neels! Besides, Hart was trying to INTERFERE with a WEAPON!!
DT: The First, ROLLING out of the ring… and now Hart is BACK ON HIS FEET with that title in his hands… but I don’t think he can SEE anything!!
DM: Wait a minute, Cruise to his feet… approaching HART—
AND HART JUST DECKED HIM WITH THE WORLD TITLE!! HE COULDN’T SEE WHO WAS COMING AT HIM!!
MN: OH, THAT SNEAKY BASTARD, THE FIRST!!
DT: Shawn Hart, DROPS the belt and RUNS FROM THE RING!! No doubt, going to the back to wash his EYES out, although I don’t think he’s going to be too pleased to find out that he just CLOCKED HIS OWN TEAM MEMBER IN THE FACE with the WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE!!
DM: Here comes The First, back onto the apron… GOING UP TOP NOW!! HE’S GOT ALL THE TIME IN THE WORLD!!
DT: THE FIRST OFF THE TOP, WITH CUT THE THREAD!! HE LANDED IT RIGHT ON CAMERON CRUISE just as Referee Pat Jones COMES TO!!
DM: THIS COULD BE IT!!
MN: OH GOD NO, WAKE UP, CAMMY!!
DT: The First GOING FOR THE COVER!!
ONE!!!
TWO!!!
THREEEE!!!!
[The bell rings as The First rolls off of Cameron Cruise and scrambles to his feet as “Happy Birthday” comes over the PA. Pat Jones, still looking a tad weary, raises his arm in victory.]
DT: What a VICTORY for the THE FIRST!! He FINALLY claimed his vengeance against the Anthology!
MN: Yeah, but only because he caused Shawn Hart to screw up!
DM: The First never said he was above going outside the rules, Neels. The way I see it… tonight was an eye for an eye! The Anthology thought they could use their numbers to prevail, and tonight, they were proved WRONG by the very man who has been the victim to their schemes time and time again!
[Copycat drags Cruise from the ring and attempts to bring him to. Meanwhile, The First spots the World Heavyweight Title idly laying on the mat… and picks it up. The fans POP WILDLY. The First stares at the prestigious belt for several moments…]
DT: Oh, what’s THIS!
DM: Somebody looking into his possible future, if you ask me!
MN: Oh come on, NOW you guys are just getting delusional!
[…and suddenly, IT’S GONE. RIPPED from his hand by the very man who owns it: SEAN STEVENS. “Triple X” promptly throws it over his shoulder, giving a foreboding look to his partner. The First nods, and the uneasy pairing part ways. Up the ramp, Cameron Cruise and Copycat, amid a crowd of booing fans, look angrily back into the ring before disappearing.]
MN: THERE!! THANK YOU, Sean, for taking back what’s rightfully YOURS!!
DM: These two worked together to pick up the win tonight, but I don’t think things are quite finished between the two of THEM! We might see another meeting down the line, but I’m sure that will have to come after Sean Stevens’ upcoming match with the number one contender, Marcus Westcott!
DT: A matter for the future… for right now, though, we are OUT OF TIME!! Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for joining us for yet another evening of NONSTOP ACTION! For Mike Neely and Dean Matthews, I’ve Dave Thomas… GOOD NIGHT!!
[Stevens drops out of the ring and makes his way back up the ramp while The First pops up a turnbuckle, working up the cheering fans around him. Fade to the EPW logo.]