MN: Ouch. Now THAT'S a headbusta.
DT: Empire Pro Wrestling's had some difficulties with Walker's disgruntled nature in the past, but I mean it when I say that we wish Tyrone Walker a speedy recovery.
MN: Even I'M gonna miss the bastard.
DT: In the meantime, Troy Douglas and Karl Brown are still in the ring, and they don't know what to do?
[CUE UP: "Zero" - Smashing Pumpkins. The stunned crowd suddenly erupts as Dan Ryan walks out onto the ramp, mic in hand.]
RYAN: Seems we've had a little mishap here tonight. As I speak Walker's being carted off to the hospital. But as they say in Hollywood - the show must go on. That is why this match will be restarted right now - as a SINGLES match! Timekeeper, ring that damn bell and let's get this show on the road.
[With that, the crowd roars in approval as Ryan departs.]
[SFX: *DING* - Bell rings.]
DT: Like Ryan said - the show must go on! It's Douglas and Brown, one on one for the title shot!
MN: I still need to finish this burger, Burgerman. Stop bugging me with doing my job.
[Douglas and Brown lock up. Being the larger and stronger of the two, Douglas easily forces Brown to his knees. However, the Dragon takes Douglas down by the legs and tries to set him up for a Boston crab. Douglas grabs Brown by the leg and pulls it out, breaking up the crab attempt and sending Brown to the canvas. From there, Douglas attempts an anklelock, but Brown kicks out of it.]
DT: Nice bit of chain wrestling there, as Douglas is bigger and stronger but Brown's got speed and technical ability on his side. This should balance out quite nicely.
MN: This thing is delicious. I need to get the recipe.
[Brown pushes himself to his feet and shakes himself off. The two competitors circle and lock up again. Brown immediately executes a swift go-behind, hammerlocking Douglas. The big man throws an elbow, which Brown ducks. After a couple more missed elbows, Douglas counters into an arm wringer. Brown quickly reverses that into an arm wringer of his own. He snaps his leg back for a hook kick out of the arm wringer position, but Douglas catches the leg with his free arm, reeling Brown in and dropping him roughly to the mat.]
DT: What a block there by Douglas, catching the attempted hook kick from the Dragon!
MN: Oh, quiet and give me more ketchup. It's all seeping into the bun. I hate that.
DT: The thing's dripping already, Mike.
MN: I know, but it must drip MORE!
[With Brown on the mat, Douglas stomps on his stomach a few times, then flips him over to attempt a Scorpion Deathlock. However, Brown grabs Douglas' right calf and drags it backwards, tripping him up. Slipping out from under the big man, Brown attempts an STF, but Douglas hooks the Dragon's head and takes him down into a side headlock, which Brown rolls through to apply an armbar.]
DT: Tight armbar applied by the Dragon, as he's really giving Douglas a run for his money on the mat.
MN: Whoa, Megatron Douglas has money?
DT: It's a metaphor.
MN: No, you're wrong. Megatron has no need for money. If he wants something, he'll send Waspinator to get it for him.
DT: You're hopeless.
MN: TERRORIIIIIIZE!!!
[Douglas fights the armbar for a moment before rolling through it, coming out to grab Brown in a waistlock from behind. He powers to his feet and attempts to deliver a hard German suplex to the Dragon, but Brown grabs the back of Douglas' head and keels forward, bringing him down with a stiff facecrusher!]
DT: What a facecrusher there by the Dragon!
MN: Heehee. Megatron has no more face.
[As Douglas pushes himself to his feet and rushes Brown, the Englishman takes his opponent over with an armdrag, holding on and barring the arm. Douglas fights to his feet and reverses into a hammerlock, which Brown reverses into a hammerlock of his own. Gritting his teeth, Douglas reaches back and hooks Brown's head with his free arm, then twists him to deliver something resembling a neckbreaker.]
DT: Unique counter to the hammerlock by Troy Douglas! Almost looked like an under-the-arm neckbreaker of some sort!
MN: I guess with Walker crippled, Megatron's playing innovator tonight.
[Dragging Brown off the canvas, Douglas slaps him in a front facelock and peppers his ribs with stiff knees. From there Douglas pulls Brown up into the air, dropping him to the canvas with a textbook vertical suplex.]
DT: Big suplex there by Douglas! The cover - One - TWO - Kickout by Brown!
MN: Hah! The awesome power of the Hardcore Downtown Dragon previls!
DT: Oh no, he's combining nicknames.
MN: They were made for each other, Burgerman!
[Undaunted, Douglas pulls Brown up again, whipping him into the ropes. He throws a clothesline, but Brown ducks. The Dragon rebounds off the ropes and attempts a flying forearm, but Douglas catches him and delivers a harsh powerslam!]
DT: What a HUGE powerslam by Troy Douglas! He wants that title shot, and it shows in his intensity here tonight!
MN: I think I see a dent in the mat.
[Douglas doesn't even wait for Brown to get up; he just kicks him over and drops an elbow across his back, following with a big leg. Brown rolls to the ropes to escape, but Douglas hauls him to his feet and presses him into the air, delivering a massive slam!]
DT: OH! Douglas with a HUGE military press to Karl Brown! Hook to the leg! COULD BE IT HERE - NO, Brown JUST got that shoulder up!
MN: MEGATRON SMASH! MEGATRON SLAM! MEGATRON STRONG LIKE BULL!!!
DT: You, sir, are deranged.
[Stunned, Brown begins to push himself to his feet. This time Douglas waits for him. The big man moves in and knocks Brown into the ropes with a series of jabs, then whips him into the corner hard. Brown bounces off the buckles, and Douglas rushes in to clothesline him, only for Brown to counter with a spinning single-arm DDT!]
DT: Clothesline-NO! BROWN REVERSES! ARMBAR DDT ON THE WRAPAROUND!!!
MN: HOLY FLURKING SNIT! That was COOL!
DT: Brown knows how to pop a big move out of nowhere, and it shows!
[Holding his shoulder, Douglas shoves his way to his feet. Brown, however, doesn't relent. Steeling himself, he pushes Douglas into a corner and chops him a few times, then hauls the big man out of the corner with a strong T-Bone suplex.]
DT: T-Bone suplex there by Brown, dropping Douglas on his head! There's the lateral press! One - TWO - Douglas gets the shoulder up!
MN: That is also a headbusta.
[Not giving Douglas time to recover, Brown hops on his back and applies a full-nelson camel clutch. Douglas yells out in pain as his neck is stretched, but Brown is unmoved, tightening the hold.]
DT: Brown with the full nelson applied from a camel clutch position! This hold is putting a LOT of strain on the neck of Troy Douglas!
MN: Softening him up for the Bite, ain't he?
DT: So it would seem. Regardless, Douglas is in a great deal of pain, and it shows in his face!
MN: I guess even Megatron has a neck.
DT: Douglas trying to fight to the ropes, but he's only able to use his legs to shimmy himself along, as his arms are hooked!
MN: He's gotta do the snakey-snakey!
DT: He's slithering sidewards towards the ropes! Brown trying to prevent it!
MN: He's almost there-
DT: Douglas drapes his foot across the bottom rope!
[The referee immediately calls for the break. Obediently, Brown releases the hold. However, he then kicks Douglas' foot off the rope and reapplies the full nelson, rolling over and hooking Douglas' legs with his own to turn the hold into an elevated full nelson surfboard!]
DT: OH!!! BROWN WITH THE FULL NELSON SURFBOARD HOLD!!! This is a very deadly submission, bending Douglas' back and neck at the same time!
MN: Listen to Douglas HOWLING! This thing's KILLING him!
DT: I don't think Douglas will be able to get out of this! Brown's holding him above the mat, so he can't really get to the ropes!
MN: Megatron's screwed!
DT: You may be right! Douglas can't seem to escape this submission!
MN: He's trying!
DT: Douglas straining his arms now, trying to break Brown's grip... HE DOES IT!!! HE'S FREE OF THE HOLD!!!
[Powering out of the hold, Douglas rolls to the canvas, breathing heavily and rubbing his neck. However, Brown immediately drops him with a guillotine legdrop across the back of the neck, applying a neck vice.]
DT: Brown now with a neck vice! He's been relentless with his neck submissions here tonight, wearing Douglas down for the Dragon's Bite!
MN: And believe me, it won't take much longer.
DT: Wait, Douglas fighting to his feet!
[As the adrenaline begins to flow, Douglas powers to a standing position, throwing elbows into Brown's gut. The Englishman is thrown loose, and Douglas promptly turns and clotheslines him with authority. Brown goes down, and Douglas stumbles into a corner, holding his neck and breathing hard.]
DT: What a clothesline from the Greensboro native Douglas - but his neck is definitely giving him trouble!
MN: Mine would be too if I had the Hardcore Dragon slapping me in full nelsons.
DT: Shocking. A good point from Mike Neely.
MN: I have my moments, Burgerman.
DT: But very few.
MN: It makes them more special.
DT: Indeed.
[Recovering somewhat, Douglas steps out of the corner and pulls Brown up, whipping him into the ropes and launching him with a belly-to-belly suplex. As Brown slowly wobbles to his feet, Douglas hits the ropes himself and rebounds with a knee to the Dragon's face!]
DT: What a running knee from Troy Douglas, as he's back in control of this match!
MN: The Energon is starting to kick in!
[Beckoning for Brown to get up, Douglas moves in and drops him with a running DDT. He quickly pulls Brown off the canvas and brings him up for a suplex. However, Brown floats through and lands with an inverted facelock on Douglas, snapping him down into the Dragon's Bite!]
DT: Suplex - WAIT!!! DRAGON'S BITE!!! DRAGON'S BITE!!!
MN: WHERE'D THAT COME FROM?!?!
DT: BROWN COVERS!!! IT'S ALL OVER!!!
ONE!!!
TWO!!!
THREEEEEE!!!
...NO!!! NO!!! DOUGLAS KICKED OUT!!! I CAN'T BELIEVE IT!!!
MN: NO WAY!!! HE KICKED OUT OF THE BITE!!!
DT: DOUGLAS IS BATTERED, BUT HE WON'T GIVE UP!!! HE'S GOING TO FIGHT UNTIL HE REALIZES HIS DREAM!!!
[Looking slightly dismayed, Brown pulls Douglas up and sets him up for a second Dragon's Bite. However, Douglas waistlocks him and straightens awkwardly, leaving Brown draped over his shoulder. Still unsteady, Douglas sets Brown up and drills him with a tombstone piledriver!]
DT: WOW!!! WHAT A TOMBSTONE BY TROY DOUGLAS!!! THE COVER!!!
ONE!!!
TWO!!!
THREEEEENNNNNNOOOOOOOOO!!! BROWN KICKS OUT!!!
MN: BUT HE GOT DROPPED ON HIS HEAD!!!
[Still looking dazed, Douglas pulls Brown off the mat and whips him into the corner. The big man charges, but Brown gets his elbow up to block it. Grabbing a stunned Douglas by the hair, Brown hops up top and prepares to take Douglas down with an inverted tornado DDT.]
DT: Oh MY! Looks like Brown's preparing for a Dragon's Bite with a literal top-rope twist!
MN: That'll put Dougie away for SURE!
[Alas, 'tis not to be. Douglas reaches up and slugs Brown in the gut, stunning him. Ducking free of Brown's grip, Douglas goes up top and slugs Brown twice, then hooks his arms and comes flying off the top with the End Of The Road!]
DT: END OF THE ROAD!!! END OF THE ROAD!!! IT'S GOTTA BE OVER!!! DOUGLAS WITH THE COVER!!!
ONE!!!
TWO!!!
THREEEEEEEEEEE!!!
-NO!!! IT'S NOT!!! BROWN'S SHOULDER IS UP!!!
MN: HOLY COW!!! THAT'S NUTS!!!
DT: DOUGLAS THOUGHT HE HAD THE MATCH WON, BUT NOT QUITE!!!
[Frustrated, Douglas slaps his forehead with both hands. He then lets out a low breath, calming. Dragging Brown into the center of the ring, he quickly applies a perfect Scorpion Deathlock!]
DT: SCORPION DEATHLOCK!!! SHADES OF DOUGLAS' BOYHOOD HERO, HORNET!!!
MN: The tables have TURNED, Mr. Brown! NOW who's in the submission, huh?!
DT: Brown's fighting it! Trying to get to the ropes!
MN: He's almost there -
DT: DOUGLAS PULLS HIM BACK!!!
MN: AHAHAHAHA!!! YOU'S MESSED UP NOW, DRAGON!!!
DT: Brown fighting it! Trying to get to the ropes again!
MN: He's almost there!
DT: Almost there - NO!!! BROWN TAPS!!! BROWN TAPS!!! DOUGLAS WINS!!! DOUGLAS WINS!!!
MN: AND HE WAS SO CLOSE!!!
[Dropping Brown, Douglas slowly slumps to the mat, breathing heavily.]
[SFX: *DING* - Bell rings.]
TONY FATORA: Here is your winnerrrrr and the NEEEEEEEEEEEW Number One Contender to the Worrrrld Heavyweight Cham-pionship... TRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOYYYYYYY... DOOOOOOOOUGLAAAAAAAAASSSSSSSSSSS!!!
DT: What a hellacious contest we just witnessed! Douglas and Brown seemed evenly matched, but in the end it's Troy Douglas who walks out as the number one contender!
MN: Megatron's movin' on up! That guy's going places!
DT: I concur. Douglas has been on a major roll lately, and this victory will benefit him tremendously.
MN: I guess now he gets a shot at his dream, huh?
DT: Definitely. Folks, we've only got two matches to go - but first, a video package!
[Cut to a video package of Jonathan Marx and Adam Benjamin.]