DT: It’s time for the Intercontinental Title match, ladies and gentlemen!
DM: This is bound to be a GREAT match, Dave. We’ve got TWO former prolific tag team champions involved in this contest. They’ve both been rising through the ranks over the past couple of months! The First has had some memorable competitions against even our own World Champion, and Cameron Cruise has solidified himself as a powerful IC champion!
DT: The two of them have been vying to break the glass ceiling and move on to the MAIN EVENT, but THIS is the moment where their paths cross! A winner must move on, and the loser… must wait for his opportunity to come again!
[MUSIC UP: "Orinoco Flow [Sail Away]" by Enya. The music goes on for a few moments before the woman from The First's last promo, still in her flowing white dress, begins dancing on the rampway, in her right hand is a stick that has the tip lit in fire, such as the sticks fire eaters use. A spotlight shines down upon her as she continues her dance.]
MN: What's this broad doing? This isn't a dance contest.
DM: I think she's supposed to represent Destiny.
[The woman now dances to a spot on the ramp and touches down the burning stick on the ramp, suddenly a circle of flame spreads across the spot...The woman then dances her way backstage, smiling warmly as she goes back behind the curtain, the spotlight shines on the ring of fire burning on the ramp. The music fades out.]
[MUSIC UP: "Happy Birthday" by The Birthday Massacre, EPW Edit. After the music hits a beat or two passes before The First rises up through the ring of fire, Gangrel style. The First is rocking The Crow outfit, long black leather jacket, black tight shirt, the 'mime from hell' facepaint, on his right shoulder a crow is perched. The crowd pops HUGE as The First stands in the spotlight and then walks through the fire, making his way to the ring.]
MN: HAPPY HALLOWEEN, guys!
DM: It’s not October, Neels…
MN: Tell that to THIS clown!
DT: There’s never been a superstar in Empire Pro as cryptic or mystical as The First, but nevertheless, he’s won the support of the fans and the respect of many of the athletes in that locker room, because every time he goes in the ring, he puts it ALL on the line!
DM: Couldn’t agree with you more on that, Dave! The First has been one of this year’s biggest BREAKTHROUGH talents. He might have parted was with the tag team titles, thanks in part to the conniving ways of the Anthology, but here tonight does he not only have his chance at seeking justice, but also the opportunity to propel himself even FURTHER by picking up the Intercontinental Title!
[The First slowly makes his way to the ring, avoiding contact with the fans, he gets to the ring and carefully enters the ring, he climbs to the second rope and holds his arms to he sides like Raven as a bunch of cameras flash...He goes to the opposite corner and does the same before handing the crow to a bird trainer at ringside and then takes off his jacket, revealing his cut up Crow black shirt and that the right sleeve on the shirt has been cut off so he could tape his hand and arm half way up to the elbow. The Crow logo drawn in black marker on the tape. The lights come back in in the arena.]
[Moments later, “Killing In The Name Of” by Rage Against the Machine hits the PA, sending an ovation of JEERS raining down upon the stage! The house lights dim down as “The Anthology’s” regular video package plays over the EmpireTron. The song’s intro plays through, and then…]
*BOOM!!*
[…the pyro ROCKS the arena as the song goes into its first verse. Stepping out onto the stage is CAMERON CRUISE in his ring gear, wearing also an Anthology t-shirt and Anarchy shades, with the EPW INTERCONTINENTAL TITLE clearly displayed over his shoulder! The fans BOO upon the sight of him. Cruise sneers as he confidently makes his way to the ring.]
DT: The Intercontinental Champion has arrived to a VERY cold reaction from this capacity crowd! They sure HATE him for how much he and the Anthology have been terrorizing this federation as of late!
MN: Well, whether these idiot fans love him or hate him, they CAN’T deny the man’s talent! Cameron Cruise beat that fool Troy Douglas CLEANLY for the title, and if that doesn’t convince you of his ability, then you’re in DENIAL, Dave!
DM: Cameron Cruise has the talent, that’s for sure… but nevertheless, The First has a DEFINITE bone to pick with him! It was at the last Aggression that Cruise interrupted The First’s declaration that he wanted another title shot! It was Cruise that screwed over the Forsaken in their Tag Title match, ending nearly a year-long reign! Cruise might think he’s been in control up to this point… but I wouldn’t be surprised if The First gave him a run for his money!
DT: I myself am HOPING for it! After everything the Anthology have done to ruin The First’s climb to the top, the only thing I and these fans want to see tonight is sweet justice!
[Cruise hesitantly enters the ring and poses a few times for the jeering fans. He gets a PROMINENT negative reaction as he scales a turnbuckle and holds up his title for all to see, pointing at his chest and taunting the crowd. Finally, he comes to the center of the ring where ring announcer Tony Fatora, referee David Rosenkrantz, and his opponent The First are waiting.]
TF: Ladies and gentlemen… the following match is for the EMPIRE PRO WRESTLING INTERCONTINENTAL TITLE, and is set for ONE FALL!! Introducing first, the CHALLENGER… weighing in at 205 pounds, he hails from Salem, Massachusetts… HE IS… THHHHHEEEEEEE FIIIIIIRRRRRRSSSSSTTTTTT!!!!
Crowd: *POP!!*
[The First pumps a fist into the air, but his intense eyes don’t leave the face of Cameron Cruise.]
DT: Look at the FIERCE INTENSITY in those eyes! The First came here tonight to WIN this match!
MN: He’s going home disappointed, Dave. Hate to break it to ya…
TF: And his opponent… he hails from Jacksonville, North Carolina, and weighs in at 268 pounds… he is the EMPIRE PRO WRESTLING INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPION… HE IS…. CCCAAAAMMMEERROOOONNN CCCRRRUUUIIIISSSEEEE!!!!
Crowd: *BOOOOOO!!!!*
[Cruise pumps the belt into the air again for a HUGE negative reaction! Finally, he hands the belt over to the referee and removes his extra articles of clothing in order to get ready.]
TF: Now presenting the referee for this contest… David Rosenkrantz!
[The referee hoists the belt over his head and presents it to all four sides of the arena as both champion and challenger loosen up in their corners and great ready for the bell. Finally, the ref hands the belt over to the timekeeper and cues the match to start.]
DT: Referee David Rosenkrantz cues the bell, and the battle for the EPW Intercontinental Title begins! Both men advancing to the middle of the ring, and—wait a second, the First just froze in place! He’s got his hands up, telling the champion to wait!
DM: The hell…?
DT: The First is now clutching his throat, while his opponent stands in astonishment… is he choking on something? Gagging, perhaps?
MN: Nah, more than likely, he’s trying to chew back the puke from his pre-match jitters.
DT: The referee is moving in to check on his condition—OH WAIT!!
[The First suddenly pops his head back and sprays colored MIST into the air, to the shock of both the official and his opponent.]
Crowd: *POP!!*
DT: The First puts a cloud of GREEN MIST INTO THE AIR!! Cameron Cruise has no idea on how to react to that!
MN: HOW DID HE DO THAT?! Is he some sort of magician?!
DM: Maybe he wasn’t able to chew back the puke after all, Neels!
[The camera zooms in on the face of The First as he grins back at his opponent with emerald-stained teeth.]
DT: Looks like the challenger is trying to play mind games with the champ!
MN: Lotta good that’ll do him! There isn’t anybody alive who can get under the skin of someone so cool and collected as Cameron Cruise!
DM: Tell that to his face.
DT: Cruise is left standing in stunned silence… AND ALL AT ONCE, The First LUNGES on him! Both men struggling in the lock-up, and The First comes out with Cruise’s left arm, which he quickly slaps into a hammerlock! The First, trying to put the strain on that forearm… but there’s Cruise with the REVERSAL!!
MN: You can’t outwrestle a GENIUS like Cameron Cruise! He was practically Melton’s protégée!
DT: Don’t bring THAT up again… the IC champ has the hammerlock in place, but he gets batted away with an ELBOW from the challenger! Cruise moves in to strike—but he FREEZES IN PLACE at the last possible moment, just as The First’s right heel comes INCHES from his face!
DM: Cruise is lucky he managed to put on the breaks there, or I’m sure The First would have taken his head clean off with that BEAUTIFUL roundhouse kick!
DT: Both men distancing themselves from each other as they calculate their next moves… here’s Cruise pressing forward—OH WOW!! He backs off immediately when The First throws out another lightning-fast kick to ward him away! Did you see the SPEED on that??
MN: What a freakin’ coward, that First! Did he forget what sport this is?
DT: Here’s Cruise stepping up again… and he practically JUMPS BACK this time when The First takes a step forward and feints with his left leg! Now he’s griping to the ref! You’re going to call The First a COWARD when the champ is the one running scared?
MN: Hey, this is PRO WRESTLING; not Mortal Kombat! If he really wanted to prove his worth, why not try and beat my man Cammy in the ground game?
DM: He’s just sticking to his strengths in speed and striking, Mike. He’d only shoot himself in the foot by trying to out-wrestle Cruise, who clearly holds the technical advantage.
MN: Sounds like you just made a solid argument as to who the better man is in that ring!
DT: We’ll know who the “better man” is when this contest has concluded! For now, the challenger occupies the center of the ring while the champion slowly circles around him, plotting his next plan of attack. Cruise is clearly playing it patiently while he weighs in on his opponent, but The First is showing us all a LOT of energy and determination coming into the opening minute of this match!
MN: Too bad all that single-minded brashness will end up costing him down the line…
DT: Cruise has got to make a move, because The First is just waiting for him… and THERE HE GOES, shooting in low while The First kicks HIGH, and just sweeps him off his feet by the legs!
DM: A smart move on the part of the champion! If he can control The First’s legs, he can control this match!
DT: Cruise has a hold of that leg now, trying to cinch in a single crab… but he’s KICKED OFF by The First! WOW!! The First springs to his feet from lying on his back!
MN: Spry little thing, ain’t he? You sure he doesn’t belong in the circus or among a band of gypsies?
DT: I think you’re getting the wrong impressions about the athleticism that man has. Here’s The First with a KICK to the mid-section—but Cruise CATCHES him by the foot and spins him around! Cruise has him from behind, lifts him up with a BACK SUPLEX—but The First FLIPS OVER and lands on his feet! The First GOES FOR THE ROLL-UP!!
ONE!
TWO!!
But Cruise kicks out!
DM: Would’ve been pretty embarrassing if Cameron Cruise lost this Intercontinental Title match as easy as that!
MN: Oh yeah, I’m sure it would have, Dean, but it DIDN’T, and it WOULDN’T HAVE HAPPENED anyway!
DT: Cruise escapes a near upset for the Anthology, and both men scramble to their feet… and Cruise BLASTS The First with a knife-edge chop to the chest before he can react! There’s a SECOND that knocks him against the ropes, and Cruise whips him across the ring!
DM: The Intercontinental Champion is looking to take an advantage in this match… here’s The First on the return, running straight into a HIP-TOSS—no, THE FIRST REVERSES, and he sends CRUISE to the mat with a hip-toss of his own!
DT: Cruise back up… AND THE FIRST FLOORS HIM with a roundhouse! Cruise up again… OH, AND ANOTHER ROUNDHOUSE KICK levels him! The fans are on their feet now as the challenger begins picking up steam!
MN: FOOLS!
DT: Cruise is a bit slow getting up this time, so The First helps him up the rest of the way, and there’s the whip to the ropes… The First looking for a HURRICANRANA—but Cruise caught the top rope and jumped outside before he could run right into that!
Crowd: *BOOO!*
DM: And the fans are really letting Cameron Cruise have it here tonight!
MN: What BLATANT disrespect for the Intercontinental Champion!
DT: There isn’t much respect to be had by the way he and the Anthology have been terrorizing this federation! Now back to the action… referee David Rosenkrantz at the count of three, and Cameron Cruise decides to reenter the ring. He rolls right into a series of STOMPS from The First, and now the challenger to the Intercontinental Title gets the champion back to his feet! There’s the Irish Whip to the corner, and Cruise connects hard!
DM: Here comes The First, charging in to capitalize—OH NO, CRUISE GOT OUT OF THE WAY!! The First took a face-full of the padded turnbuckle, and left himself wide open for the champ!
MN: Alright, now THIS is what I want to see!
DT: The First trying to shake the pain out of his jaw, but here comes Cruise from behind, grabbing him by the waist and NAILING HIM with a GERMAN SUPLEX!! He bridges for the pin!
ONE!
TWO!
And a strong kick-out made by The First! The challenger coming to his feet… but he’s PUT DOWN by the champ, who blasts him with a forearm!
DM: Here is Cruise’s opportunity to set the pace of this match! That reversal might have been all he needed to derail the explosive offense set by The First!
DT: Cruise stays on The First and forces him to his feet… there’s a KNEE to the mid-section to double him over! Cruise lifts him UP… AND DROPS HIM ON HIS FACE with a Reverse Suplex! And before The First can even roll over in pain, Cruise slaps on a front face-lock to keep him nailed down!
MN: Now THIS is the match I was expecting to see! All we have to do now is sit back and simply WATCH as Cammy tears apart this wrist-cutting emo kid piece by piece!
DM: I don’t think “emo” is the appropriate classification, Neels…
MN: He’s wearing make-up and came dressed as the Crow. How ELSE would you classify it?!
DT: Cruise is tightening his grip, putting the pressure across The First’s neck and squeezing the life right out of him! The First is hanging on, though… now he’s trying to force himself to his feet! But NO! Cruise TENSES and forces him back to the mat! The First is in a bad situation!
DM: This is the very Cameron Cruise we saw months ago when he defeated Troy Douglas for the strap. Unless The First can find a way to get out of this one, the champion is just going to continue wearing him down until he’s out of endurance and left defenseless!
DT: Wait a second… the fans are starting to get into it! The First is mounting some support from the AUDIENCE, and now trying to force himself to his feet again!
MN: What a worthless gesture…
Crowd: *FIRST!! FIRST!! FIRST!! FIRST!! FIRST!!*
DT: The First on his knees… now up on his RIGHT leg! This capacity crowd is getting to their feet, as now The First props up onto his left leg, and we can see the panic in the face of the champion, Cameron Cruise! Cruise is trying his damnedest to choke The First out, but the former Tag Team Champion is fighting it with everything he’s got!
DM: He’s back on his feet, but he still needs to free himself! Unless he can take Cruise down or make contact with the ropes, I don’t see how—
DT: OH NO!! Cruise with a ROLLING DDT out of nowhere, puts The First back to the mat, and just leaves this entire arena in SILENCE!!
MN: HA HA!! There’s never been a more beautiful sound to my ears than that of HEARTBREAK!
DT: Cruise goes for the cover…
ONE!
TWO!
And The First kicks out!
Crowd: *POP!*
MN: DAMN! I thought they’d finally shut up!
DM: It’s going to take more than that to put the challenger out of this match!
DT: The First keeps his hopes alive by kicking out of the pin attempt, but now he finds himself faced with the task of trying to retake the control of this match from the pace set by Cameron Cruise! Everything right now is just how the Intercontinental Champion wants it to be: slow and methodical.
MN: You’re right about THAT, Dave! Imagine that… you, using your brain for once! The First might’ve been able to survive that, but eventually, Cruise is just going to chip away at him until there’s nothing left but sweet SUBMISSION!
DT: I’m just going to pretend I didn’t hear that petty insult toward my intelligence… back in the ring, Cruise maintains the pace, now rolling The First onto his belly and wrenching back on his head with a CHINLOCK!!
DM: Oh man, the dreaded CHINLOCK OF DOOM!! The most INFAMOUS of sleeper holds!
MN: Wait, that’s a sleeper hold?
DM: Indeed it is. It makes people go to sleep… only, not the people you put it on.
DT: I hardly doubt ANYBODY will be sleeping through this match, Dean! The fans are all on the edge of their seats as Cruise wrenches back on the face and neck of the challenger, The First! The First is stretching his hand out in search of the ropes, but they are clearly out of reach!
MN: Right on that, Dave! Those ropes are as distant and impossible as his hopes of winning this match!
DT: The First is struggling to free himself, but Cruise keeps him in place, continuing to cut off the blood supply to the challenger’s brain and putting an intense amount of strain on his head and neck!
DM: BO-ORING!
DT: Boring or not, Dean-O, it’s an effective method to win this match! If Cruise can keep the high-flying offense of The First safe on the mat, he WILL dominate this match, no questions asked!
MN: You’re finally seeing MY side of things, Dave! Cruise is nothing short of a wrestling GENIUS, and regardless of what Dean might think, it’s THAT kind of DEVASTATING chinlock we’re seeing there in the ring that’s going to elevate the Anthology above everybody else in Empire Pro!
DM: Mike… you don’t know the first thing about Cameron Cruise’s way of wrestling. All you know is that you like him because he was Joey Melton’s towel boy years ago.
MN: That’s a bold-faced LIE, and you know it!
DM: Then tell me the name of Cruise’s finisher.
MN: Uhhm… what was Joey’s finisher again?
DM: The figure-four.
MN: Yeah, that.
DM: You mean to tell me that out of ALL the times you’ve watched Cameron Cruise over the past few years, you STILL don’t know what his finisher is?
MN: I just told you it was the figure-four! I mean, what ELSE would it be? The figure-four is the end-all BE-ALL of finishers, which is why Melton used it!
DM: You are so unbelievably stupid sometimes…
MN: …is there a point to all this?
DM: Not really. I’m just trying to keep myself entertained while your best buddy in the world Cameron Cruise BORES ME TO DEATH with his “devastating” chinlock…
DT: Can it, guys… let’s focus on the action!
DM: Oh, excuse me for talking while NOTHING was happening, because… oh, wait, what’s THIS now?! The First is trying to force himself to his feet once again!
Crowd: *FIRST!! FIRST!! FIRST!! FIRST!! FIRST!!*
MN: Man, why does this business attract so many IDIOTS?!
DT: The First is once again mounting the support of the crowd, and using it to force himself to his feet! Will this be his moment to turn things around, or will Cruise quickly dash all hopes of making a comeback once again?
MN: I’m voting on the second one.
DM: The First is on all fours with Cruise mounting him from behind… and all Cammy needs to do is hook his arms over his knees to lock in a Camel Clutch, and then the challenger would have a REAL submission hold to deal with!
DT: Cruise is now putting that KNEE into the spine of The First, doing all he can to wear the challenger down, but no matter what he does, The First will NOT give up! The First is now using his hands, trying to break away Cruise’s grip! Can he free himself?!
MN: Come on, Cammy! You’re LOSING it, now!
DT: The First is PRYING AWAY… OH, BUT CRUISE BLASTS HIM WITH A FOREARM TO THE BACK OF THE HEAD!! WHAT a cheap shot!
DM: The fans didn’t like it, but it’s all perfectly legal, and now Cruise grabs The First from behind… lifting him UP FOR THE ATOMIC DROP—oh WAIT!! The First’s legs hook around his waist, and now he’s in the WHEELBARROW position!
MN: Even BETTER!
DT: Dunno what The First was looking for there, but now Cruise, opting for a WHEELBARROW FACEBUSTER—BUT THE FIRST CURLS FORWARD!!
DM: And Cruise goes ROLLING WITH HIM!!
MN: What the HELL?!
DT: The First used those legs to flip Cruise over onto his SHOULDERS and has BOTH LEGS HOOKED FOR THE PIN!!
ONE!!
TWO!!
NO!! Cruise kicks out, but NEARLY lost it to that sudden and innovative roll-up attempt made by The First!
DM: That’s got the champion STEAMED! Cruise is back up… and now he comes at The First with a RUNNING LARIAT—
DT: AND HE MISSES!! The First throws himself into the ropes…
MN: …oh CRAP!!
DT: AND THE FIRST CONNECTS WITH THE SPEAR!! Cruise didn’t see that one coming AT ALL, and now he’s on his back with the challenger pinning him FOR THE TITLE!
ONE!!
TWO!!
NO!! Another kickout made by Cameron Cruise!
MN: I was gonna say… if spent all that time wearing that punk down and rolled over to THAT, I’d be pretty disappointed.
DM: Stranger things have happened in this sport, Mike, but I’d have to agree with you on that. Cameron Cruise earned that title for a reason, and The First couldn’t possibly expect to have pulled a miracle victory that easily.
DT: Regardless, The First shows there’s still fight left in him, and even more important, he’s broken Cameron Cruise’s control of this match, and now vies for the advantage!
MN: Come on, Cammy! You’ve been doin’ so great up until now! Don’t lose me now!
DM: Cruise still looks a little shaken from that spear! He’s got a good sixty pounds over the challenger, but when The First puts ALL of his weight into his moves, they pack quite a punch! It’s like being struck by a HUMAN CANNONBALL!
DT: If he sticks to his strengths, he’ll have that title in no time! The First, getting Cruise to his feet… OH!! And Cruise just rakes the eyes out of view of the ref! What a cheap shot!
MN: Come on, stop ragging on the guy for making a simple mistake! He was clearly just trying to grab a good handful of his hair!
DM: That’s still illegal contact, Mike… Cruise, looking to capitalize, catches The First from behind while he had his back turned… could be going for a ROLL-UP—but The First clings to the ROPES and Cruise rolls back without him!
DT: Cruise back to his feet, and runs in… but The First catches him in a LEG SCISSOR using the ropes for leverage! Cruise’s head is caught in place and he has NOWHERE TO GO while The First remains suspended in air by the ropes and his shoulders!
MN: Hey, HEY!! ILLEGAL CONTACT, he’s touching the ropes!
DT: Fair enough… The First pushes off the ropes, and sends Cruise FLIPPING TO THE MAT with a BEAUTIFUL HEADSCISSOR TAKEDOWN! The fans are going wild as the champion scrambles to his feet in a daze… and gets BLASTED by a JUMPING HEEL KICK FROM THE FIRST!!
DM: The First just knocked the champ SENSELESS with that one-two combo! Wait a second… The First is going UPSTAIRS!! High-risk move coming up!
DT: Or maybe NOT!! Cameron Cruise saw what was coming and quickly rolled out of the ring! The First was threatening to come from up high where Cruise KNOWS he can be dangerous, and now the champion is on the run!
MN: He’s NOT on the run, Dave; he’s simply DISTANCING himself from that crazy turnbuckle-climbing spot monkey! Why doesn’t he come on down and fight like a man?!
DM: Well, Mike, explain to me why The First is in the ring and he’s not.
MN: Cameron Cruise doesn’t have to put up with this flippity-floppity-floop up and down the ring! He’s a PROFESSIONAL!
DM: And The First isn’t just because he dares to go from the top?
MN: Look, if The First wanted to make a living jumping off high things, he should have joined the circus! This is PRO WRESTLING, my man!
DM: Yeah, it is… and I know something about it… unlike YOU.
DT: David Rosenkrantz is at the count of six while Cameron Cruise contemplates his next move! He’s gotta go back into that ring sooner or later, so I don’t know what he’s waiting on.
MN: Actually, Dave, he DOESN’T have to go back into that ring if he doesn’t want to! That’s the perk about being a champ, is that YOU DECIDE when someone’s worthy or not to fight you for the title!
DT: While that might be a technicality, I don’t think it would hold too well to Cameron Cruise’s reputation if he simply chose to… wait a second, Cruise sliding in—and RIGHT BACK OUT as The First moves in to engage him! He breaks the ten count, but now we’re still looking at the same situation!
DM: The crowd is getting anxious, and The First is looking noticeably impatient… but to the keen eye, this is smart work on the part of Cameron Cruise. He needs to keep his distance at this pivotal point in the match, because The First has the momentum on his side. This is a brilliant defense mechanism, because the longer he draws this on, the faster the adrenaline rush wears off, and he can put this fight back into a pace that suits his strengths in the ring!
DT: Seems to ME that The First is giving him a bit more than he expected when he came into the ring, and he just doesn’t know how to react to it!
MN: Pfft, what do you know, Dave?
DT: Well I do know this… the referee is at the count of seven, and Cameron Cruise still seems reluctant to reenter that ring! Now he’s climbing up to the apron… you can see him sternly telling referee David Rosenkrantz to keep The First off of him while he has a hold of the ropes, but the challenger is telling him to hurry up and BRING IT!
MN: Who is this impudent PUNK to come in here and tell the champion how he should be defending HIS title?!
DT: It may not be his title any longer before this night is over, Mike! Cruise finally reentering the ring… and HERE COMES THE FIRST!! NO!! Cruise caught him with a DROP TOE HOLD!! The First pops up to his feet… but Cruise meets him with a SCOOP… and just CRUSHES HIM over his KNEE WITH THE SHOULDERBREAKER!!
MN: WOO-HOO!
DM: Here goes Cruise, looking for and STF—IT’S THE CRUISE CONTROL!!—but The First HAS THE ROPES! The champion should have done that closer to the center of the ring!
DT: Oh no, looks like he’s having the same thoughts as YOU Dean-O! Cruise drags The First to the center of the ring, and again goes for the STF… but The First is STRUGGLING TOO MUCH for him to lock it in! He knows what’s up!
DM: Cruise can’t keep ahold of him! The First is FIGHTING HIM!! He knows it’ll be over if the champion locks in the STF!
MN: Obnoxious little twit… settle down and TAKE IT already!
DT: The First is breaking FREE, and Cruise can’t keep him on the mat any longer! The First IS UP… and he goes for the boot to the gut—CAUGHT by CRUISE—AND THE FIRST NAILS THE ENZIGURI!!
MN: NOOO!! WHAT HAPPENED?!
DT: Cruise just COLLAPSED on the mat! This capacity crowd is going absolutely INSANE as The First regains control of this match! Now he’s going for the COVER!!
ONE!!
TWO!!
NO!! Cruise kicks out again! I was almost CERTAIN he was knocked out!
MN: Cameron Cruise can’t be knocked out so easily, Dave! He’s got a thick skull!
DM: Yeah, I could imagine…
MN: …uh, ONLY because he has a larger than average brain, is why!
DT: Cruise working back to his feet, but The First has ahold of him… The First pushes Cruise off the ropes with the whip—no, REVERSED by Cruise! The First goes into the ropes, and here’s Cruise looking for the clothesline on the return… but The First DUCKED IT!!
DM: That doesn’t bode well for the champ! Here’s The First off the other set of ropes… and just LEVELS Cameron Cruise with a RUNNING DROPKICK!! Cruise is having trouble keeping up with the high-energy and impact of the challenger!
MN: He’s perfectly FINE, Dean! Stop overreacting!
DT: Cruise trying to get to his feet… but The First CATCHES HIM WITH THE OKLAHOMA ROLL!!
MN: OH MY GOD, NO!!!
DT: THE FIRST HAS HIM IN THE INESCAPABLE TORMENT!!!
ONE!!
TWO!!
THREE—OH NO!! Cruise kicked OUT at the last possible second!
MN: PHEW…!
DM: And you say I’M overreacting?
DT: The First was looking to put it away while the opportunity to strike was there, but Cameron Cruise managed to keep his poise and kick out when he absolutely needed to! Both men have made attempts to end this match, but I have a feeling there’s still a lot of fight to be had!
DM: You might be right on that, Dave. The First is now getting Cameron Cruise back to his feet… and there’s the Irish Whip to the corner! The First going to the SECOND ROPE!
[The First pumps his fist into the air to get a reaction from the crowd.]
Crowd: *POP!!*
DT: Time to COUNT ALONG if you’re watching at home!
ONE!
TWO!
THREE!
FOUR!
FIVE!
SIX!
SEVEN!
EIGHT!
NINE!
…and a FINAL HOOK to the face rounds it out at TEN!! Cruise just falls FLAT on the mat!
DM: He could be OUT… and now THE FIRST is going TO THE TOP ROPE once again!
Crowd: *POP!!*
DT: The First is going for the high-risk maneuvers that he’s known for! He’s perched on the top and waiting for Cruise to stand up and turn around… Cruise is ALMOST UP—oh, BUT HE ROLLS TO THE FAR CORNER!!
MN: YES!! Good job, Cammy! STAY AWAY from that classless FREAK!
Crowd: *BOOOO!!!*
DM: Cameron Cruise has found temporary sanctuary sitting in the far corner, clearly OUT of The First’s top-rope lunging distance! The First is now left standing on the top rope, clearly annoyed! He wants to go for the high-flying and high-impact moves that will put him over his opponent, but Cruise, sneaky like he is, knows when to keep AWAY!
DT: The First, meanwhile, will just have to wait until the opportunity presents itself once again. The First, back on the mat, and Cruise coming to his feet… and both men LOCK UP!! There’s CRUISE with the Arm Wrench, using that advantage in size and technical knowledge over The First!
MN: Pop his arm right off, Cammy!
DT: The First, slapping his shoulder to keep the feeling in it… wait a minute, The First FLIPS OVER, and REVERSES THE PRESSURE onto Cruise! Cameron Cruise just got YANKED over onto his back!
DM: Cruise keeps trying to wrestles, but The First is doing a fine job in keeping the offensive momentum on his side! Here’s The First running into the ropes… WHOA!!
DT: A RUNNING SENTON SPLASH across the RIBS of Cameron Cruise!! The First goes for the COVER… but he didn’t hook the legs!
ONE!!
TWO!!
NO!! Cruise kicked out! And I’m sure if The First had hooked one of the legs, that would have been a three count!
MN: Cruise was getting out of that either way, Dave… you obviously don’t give him the credit he deserves!
DM: The champion is in a REALLY precarious spot now! We’ve seen him escape the supposedly INESCAPABLE Torment of The First, and he’s managed to stay alive in this match thus far, but the challenger has all the momentum he needs and near DEAFENING support from these fans! If Cruise wants to keep that Intercontinental Belt among the Anthology, he needs to work his way out of this situation!
DT: And if you ask me, with every second that passes in this match with The First in control, that task only gets harder and harder! The First is doing a TREMENDOUS job of keeping Cruise always on his toes, unable to catch a breath or even solidify himself long enough to form a battle plan! This on-the-fly offense from the challenger is just too much for him to handle right now!
MN: Like I said, Dave, there is NOTHING that Cameron Cruise can’t handle! It might look like The First is controlling things right now, but Cruise can and WILL come bouncing back when the opportunity is right!
DT: It all depends on how much longer Cruise can withstand this kind of offense from The First! The First, now, bringing the Intercontinental Champion back to his feet… and there’s the whip to the ropes… Cruise on the return, could be going right into a HURRICANRANA—OH BUT CRUISE REVERSES WITH A SIT-OUT POWERBOMB!!
MN: YES!! TOLD YOU he’d bounce back!
DT: That gave The First quite a shock, but now he has other problems, as CRUISE HAS HIM IN THE PRAWN HOLD!!
ONE!!
TWO!!
NO!! The First ROLLS THROUGH and reverses the pin onto CRUISE!!
ONE!!
TWO!!
NO!! Cruise KICKED OUT!!
—no, REVERSED BY CRUISE!! The First on the return… here’s Cruise with a BACK BODY—no, THE FIRST WITH A BIG KNEE TO THE FACE!! Cruise, desperately trying to turn the tables, but THE FIRST HAS STOPPED HIM AGAIN!!
MN: DAMNIT!!
DT: The First back on his feet, and Cruise is having trouble getting up… and now The First points TO THE TURNBUCKLE!!
Crowd: *POP!!!*
DM: The FANS want it… HE wants… and he’s GOING FOR IT! The First is CLIMBING UP TO THE TOP ROPE—BUT WAIT, HERE COMES CRUISE!!
DT: OOOOH MAN!! Cruise just hit the ropes and RACKED THE FIRST on the top turnbuckle! The First collapses to the mat in pain as Cruise leans on the ropes, trying to catch his breath!
MN: HA HA!! THATTABOY, Cammy!!
DM: Cameron Cruise just effectively put up a BRICK WALL that brought The First’s fast-paced momentum to a screeching halt! Now let’s see if he can jump on the opportunity and regain control of this match!
DT: Cruise is looking hurt all over, but nevertheless, now he’s getting The First back to his feet… there’s the whip to the ropes… The First on the return—OH MAN!! He just ran right into a KNEE to the abdomen from Cameron Cruise!!
DM: So far, so good for Cameron Cruise as he wears the challenger down! Cruise taking a moment to catch his breath now, but The First is hold those abs in pain as he gets to his feet… but here comes Cruise! Cameron Cruise, with an EXPLODER SUPLEX, just VIOLENTLY SLAMS THE FIRST TO THE MAT!!
DT: OH NO… that move just left The First DEVASTATED and UNMOVING on the mat! Here comes Cruise with the pin attempt!
ONE!!
TWO!!
NO!! The First KICKS OUT!!
MN: Oh, JUST BARELY!!
DM: The First trying to get up, but a STOMP from Cameron Cruise keeps him in place! I think the champion is finally coming back into this match! He’s been dormant over the past several minutes, but now I think he’s only been soaking up all the punishment given to him by The First just to tire him out and regain the advantage!
MN: EXACTLY, Dean! That’s textbook Cameron Cruise for ya! Always one step ahead, no matter HOW HARD you try!
DT: Wait a minute… now CRUISE is pointing to the top rope!
[With a spiteful smirk on his face, Cameron Cruise mocks The First’s earlier gesture to the disapproval of the fans.]
Crowd: *BOOOO!!!*
DM: Talk about adding insult to injury! Now Cruise suddenly feels confident enough to try and beat The First at his own game!
MN: Dean, it’s LONG been a known fact that Cameron Cruise can do all the high-flying crap when he needs to… but the fact of the matter is, he’s NEVER needed to, because he’s good enough at doing things in his own way!
DT: Cruise taking his time climbing to the top while taunting the fans… I’d say he’s—OH WAIT!! THE FIRST JUST SPRUNG OFF THE MAT!!
MN: OH NO!!
DT: AND THE FIRST JUST SHOVED CRUISE OFF THE TOP ROPE!! GOOD GOD, CRUISE JUST TOOK A NASTY FALL TO THE OUTSIDE!!
DM: He got showy, and it ended up COSTING HIM! He had all the momentum he needed, but he tried stealing his opponent’s shtick! The First wasn’t going to have ANY of that!
MN: Oh, SHUT UP, Dean!! That’s a TAG TEAM LEGEND there in that ring, and until you start showing him some RESPECT, you’re nothing but—
DT: OH WAIT, THE FIRST MOUNTING THE TOP ROPE!!
Crowd: *POP!!!*
DT: HE GOT HIM!! OH MY GOD, HE GOT HIM, AND WHAT PICTURE PERFECT TIMING!!! FROM THE TOP ROPE TO THE OUTSIDE, THE FIRST JUST LAID OUT THE INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPION WITH THAT CORKSCREW SENTON BOMB!!
DM: I… I’m just SPEECHLESS RIGHT NOW at WHAT I JUST SAW!! From OUT OF NOWHERE, The First WENT FOR IT and NAILED IT RIGHT WHEN HE NEEDED TO!! After all the frustration he’s dealt with trying to get Cruise from the top rope, it’s FINALLY paid off, and this capacity crowd is ON ITS FEET!!
Crowd: *FIRST!! FIRST!! FIRST!! FIRST!! FIRST!!*
MN: Damnit, can’t these people JUST SHUT UP?!?
DT: Both men are lying motionless outside the ring following that DEVASTATING high-risk maneuver! The First, finally showing signs of life as the referee reaches the count of four! Now The First is slowly getting to his feet with the help of the ring apron! He needs to hurry, because now I see Cameron Cruise rolling over and beginning the hard and painful process of recovering from THAT breathtaking attack!
MN: Come on, Cammy! You can’t lose to a guy in PAJAMAS!!
DT: The First, pulling himself onto the ring apron now! Cameron Cruise finally on his hands and knees, but he looks DAZED! Does The First even have the energy to CAPITALIZE at this point?!
DM: Don’t count him out just yet, Dave! The First now finally back on his feet, and backing up on the apron to put some distance between himself and the champion! He’s got something ELSE up his sleeve, as it seems!
MN: Oh no, TURN AROUND, CAMMY!! No, WAIT, DON’T—!!
DT: TOO LATE!! Cruise turns around, AND THE FIRST COMES RUNNING OFF THE APRON WITH A DRAGONRANA!!! OH MY GOD, CAMERON CRUISE JUST GOT FLIPPED SIX WAYS TO SUNDAY!!
Crowd: *POP!!*
DM: MY OH MY, IS THERE NO STOPPING THE FIRST?! He’s just EXPLODED with UNSTOPPABLE HIGH-FLYING INTENSITY in this pivotal point in this match!!
MN: This is a freaking TRAVESTY?! Why isn’t that STUPID REFERE counting FASTER?!? It’s CLEARLY been more than ten seconds!!
DT: Referee David Rosenkrantz is at the count of SEVEN, but now The First is peeling Cruise off the mat and rolling him back into the ring!
DM: He’s got to go for the PIN now!
DT: He DOES!! The First HOOKS THE LEGS…
ONE!!!
TWO!!!
THR—OH NO!! Cruise KICKED OUT!!
MN: WHOA, Cammy… you had me WORRIED for a minute!
DT: The Intercontinental Champion survives another near fall, but even now, as this match wears on past the thirty-minute mark, one has to wonder how much MORE can he take until there’s nothing left in him?!
MN: Come on, Dave! You can’t count the champion out YET!
DT: His outlook is looking bleak… The First bringing Cruise back to his feet… The First looking for an IRISH WHIP—no, REVERSED by Cameron Cruise—wait, The First VAULTS to the top rope… WHISPER IN THE—
DM: NOBODY HOME!! Cruise saw it coming, and DUCKED just in time!
DT: A narrow evasion on the part of Cameron Cruise, but now here comes The First—but Cruise STOPS HIM IN PLACE with a chop across the chest, extends the arm, and—
REALITY CHECK!!!
OH MY GOD, THAT CAME OUT OF NOWHERE!!! THIS CAPACITY CROWD HAS BEEN LEFT IN STUNNED SILENCE!!
MN: YES, THERE IT IS!! The Reality Check that he JUST… WON’T… LIKE!!
DM: NOBODY LIKED IT, by the sound of things!! Cameron Cruise just pulled that out of THIN AIR, and EFFECTIVELY STOPPED The First’s offense dead in its tracks! All he needs to do is make the COVER, and this one will be OVER!!
DT: Cruise, taking too long to recover… but now he finally crawls over the chest of The First! Come on, KICKOUT, First!
ONE!!!
TWO!!!!
THREE—OH NO, THE FIRST KICKED OUT!! THE FIRST KICKED OUT!!
DM: INCREDIBLE!!! The First, STILL showing signs of life in this match, even after that completely unexpected turnaround! Now both men are struggling to get to their feet first… this match has just exhausted them BOTH beyond unimaginable levels!
MN: Come on, Cammy! Now’s your CHANCE!
DT: Will CRUISE take the late advantage in this match? He may so! He’s up on his feet… and meets The First with a BOOT to the gut… SWINGING NECKBREAKER BY THE CHAMPION, and THE FIRST hits the mat once again!
DM: The First is just COMPLETELY out of steam right now! He’s lost all the energy and impact that put him ahead in this match, and even though he did the damage to the champ, Cameron Cruise is still on his feet, and now The First is completely his whim!
DT: Cruise, peeling The First off the mat once again… and he sends him into the ropes!! Here’s The First on the return… LEAP FROGS over a Back Body Drop attempt from Cruise! The First hits the other set of ropes… looking for a CROSS BODY BLOCK—OH GOD, NO!! REVERSED INTO A POWERSLAM BY CAMERON CRUISE!!
MN: YEAH, BABY!! That twerp thought he could do his tricky crap again, but Cammy is DONE falling for that nonsense!
DM: The attempt to turn things back around has failed for The First, and now he’s paying the price! Cruise, on the other hand, is stomping around the ring, slapping his chest! Despite the beating he’s taken through this match, he is PUMPED!
DT: This isn’t looking good for The First… the challenger now trying to get to his feet, but Cruise is stalking him from his blindspot… here comes CRUISE—AND HE JUST BLASTED THE FIRST WITH A RUNNING BULLDOG!! The First didn’t even see it COMING!!
MN: Kiss the MAT, dweeb!
DT: Cruise rolls The First over for the cover! Is this IT?! Does the champion RETAIN?!
ONE!!
TWO!!
THREE—OH WAIT, NO!! THE FIRST GOT THE SHOULDER UP!!! IT’S NOT OVER YET!!
DM: The First is hanging in there by the skin of his teeth, but you can see the frustration mounting in Cameron Cruise! Cruise is practically TEARING him to his feet now… there’s the KNEE to the gut, and Cruise slaps on the facelock… up into the AIR GOES THE FIRST—AND BROUGHT DOWN WITH A BRAINBUSTER!!! GOOD GOD, HE COULD HAVE BROKEN HIS NECK!!
DT: A simply DEVASTATING move! I don’t know HOW The First is going to come back from THAT!! But… Cruise isn’t FINISHED YET!! Cruise is… going to the TURNBUCKLE once again!
DM: But there isn’t any mockery this time around! This time, Cruise means BUSINESS as he ascends to the top turnbuckle! The First, trying to fight the PAIN and the EXHAUSTION that are overtaking him right now, forcing himself to his feet… but Cruise is perched on the top and waiting for him!
MN: Time for a taste of your own bitter medicine, you damn Peter Pan wannabe!
DT: The First almost up… now he turns AROUND—AND THERE GOES CRUISE OFF THE TOP ROPE!! GOD NO, HE NAILED HIM WITH A MISSILE DROPKICK!!! THE FIRST TOOK A DROPKICK FROM THE TOP TO THE FACE… AND IT HIT HIM SO HARD IT KNOCKED HIM FROM THE RING!!!
DM: I’ve never SEEN impact like that in a top rope maneuver, but then Cruise outweighs The First by nearly sixty pounds! With that advantage in weight, I can only imagine that for The First, it felt like getting knocked around by a demolition crew’s WRECKING BALL!!
DT: The First is desperately trying to get to his feet, clutching to the apron to pull himself up… wait, here’s CRUISE—BASEBALL SLIDE RIGHT TO THE MUSH!! MY GOD, THAT KNOCKED THE FIRST INTO THE STEEL BARRICADE!! He’s just getting BRUTALIZED at this point!!
MN: Damn right he is! You know how long Cruise has been waiting to DOMINATE this match?
DT: Cruise leaving the ring now to continue the punishment on the nearly defenseless First! Here’s Cruise, pulling The First off the mat… and THROWS HIM RIGHT INTO THE RING APRON!! My God, it’s like he’s trying to grind his SPINE into POWDER!! Cruise takes him by the arm… GOOD GOD, WHIPS HIM RIGHT INTO THE STEEL STEPS!! That was simply a SICKENING COLLISION!!
DM: Cruise is knocking The First around from pillar to post, using that size advantage to just OVERPOWER HIM! The champion finally puts the challenger back into the ring… and I think he might be ready to finish this one OFF, Dave! The First has NOTHING LEFT!!
DT: Cameron Cruise is now locking The First into a front-facelock and forcing him to his feet! What does he have planned now?
DM: It can’t be GOOD, Dave! Cruise taunting the crowd now…
Crowd: *BOOOOOO!!!!!*
MN: Show some RESPECT FOR YOUR CHAMPION, you ingrates!!
DT: Cruise doesn’t like what he hears… OH MY GOD, IMPLANT DDT ON THE FIRST!! HE JUST BURIED HIS HEAD DIRECTLY INTO THE MAT!! MY GOD, THE FIRST IS DEAD!!!
DM: You could be RIGHT, Dave!! With that DDT, I’m sure The First’s brains shot right into his FEET!! Cruise drove him into the mat with EVERYTHING HE HAD!!
DT: Here’s Cruise with the pin… this has GOT to be it!
ONE!!!
TWO!!!
THE CHAMPION RETAI—OH WAIT!! THE FIRST HAD HIS FOOT ON THE ROPES!!! YES!!! YES!!! HE’S STILL IN THIS MATCH!!!
Crowd: *POP!!!*
DM: Cameron Cruise is simply DUMBSTRUCK right now! But every time The First kicks out, he gets even MORE angry… and when Cruise gets ANGRY, he shows his DANGEROUS side!!
MN: The First is going to REGRET kicking out of that pin attempt! Cruise is just ready to go backstage and soak his feet and enjoy being the IC Champ like he always does, and this impudent JERK’S fighting spirit is just totally killing the enjoyment levels!
DT: It’s an emotional war for the Intercontinental Title! The champion, pulling out EVERY ace up his sleeve to walk out of this arena with the title, but The First is not wanting to die! But now I think Cruise has HAD ENOUGH!! Cruise, bringing The First to his feet… up on his SHOULDERS!! HE’S LOOKING FOR THE SHIPWRECK!!
Crowd: *BOOOOO!!!!*
DM: Oh man, if he nails this, it’s OVER!!
MN: KILL HIM, CAMMY!! LET’S PUT THIS AWAY AND GO HOME!!
DT: Cruise turning to the center of the ring to—wait, The First is FIGHTING IT!! Cruise can’t keep him controlled on his SHOULDER!! My God, how is The First still FIGHTING at this point?!
DM: Cruise is STRUGGLING!! I’m not sure he can keep him on his shoulder, but he’s still TRYING!! Wait, Cruise losing his balance and starting to teeter around in the ring… and The First is THRASHING AROUND like a fish out of water!
MN: Come on, Cammy! FINISH HIM!!
DT: It doesn’t seem to be THAT EASY!! Cruise, wavering recklessly around the ring, while The First struggles to free himself! OH NO!! The First’s leg just clipped David Rosenkrantz in the FACE!!
DM: Oh damn, is the REF OUT?!
DT: It doesn’t appear so, Dean… but Rosenkrantz DOES seem temporarily blinded! That kicked knocked his GLASSES off!! The ref, searching the ring for his glasses, but the struggle continues! Now Cruise THROWS The First off his shoulder! Here comes The First off the mat… and he meets a SUPERKICK FROM CAMERON CRUISE!! GOOD GOD, that blasted him CLEAR INTO THE CORNER!!
DM: Might have busted his JAW open! But here comes Cruise looking PISSED—
POISON MIST!!!
Crowd: *POP!!!*
OH MAN, CAMERON CRUISE JUST TOOK A FACEFUL OF THAT GREEN MIST!!! THE FIRST DID IT WHILE THE REFEREE COULDN’T SEE IT!!
MN: WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT ABOUT?! HOW DID HE DO THAT!?
DT: Cameron Cruise RUBBING HIS EYES while SCREAMING IN PAIN!! Here comes The First back to his feet… grabs him by the shoulders—BACKSTABBER!! BACKSTABBER OUT OF NOWHERE!!
Crowd: *POP!!!*
DM: MORE LIKE A SOULBREAKER!!! THAT JUST DESTROYED CAMERON CRUISE, AND NOW THE FIRST HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO WIN! ALL HE HAS TO DO IS MAKE THE COVER!!
MN: This is a ******* CRIME!!!
DT: PIN HIM, FIRST!! PIN HIM!!!
DM: The First, calling to Rosenkrantz! He can’t see, but that doesn’t prevent him from slapping his HAND on the mat!!
DT: YES, THE FIRST HAS HIM PINNED!! COME ON, REF, COUNT IT!!!
ONE!!!!
TWO!!!!!
TTTHHRREEEEEE—!!!!!
DM: CRUISE GOT THE SHOULDER UP!!!
Crowd: *AAAAAWWwwwww…*
DT: F*CK NO!!!
MN: WHOA, watch the LANGUAGE there, Dave!!
DT: He was just HALF A SECOND too late, and now the champion keeps this match going!! I don’t know HOW Cameron Cruise could come back from that one, but now with both the champion AND the referee temporarily blinded in the ring, how can The First fail at THIS point?!
MN: That cheap bastard! I can’t believe you guys give him all the PRAISE in the world for cheap moves like that!
DM: Cameron Cruise is hardly a saint, Mike… The First is back on his feet… BARELY ABLE TO STAND… but he’s ready to FINISH THIS!! Here he goes into the ropes… BOUNCES OFF WITH A LIONSAULT!! GOOD GOD, HE NAILED IT!!
Crowd: *POP!!*
DT: The First, ROLLS to his feet again… back to the ropes… OUT TO THE APRON… SPRINGBOARD LEGDROP!! MY GOD, HE JUST KEEPS COMING AND COMING!!
Crowd: *POP!!!*
MN: What is GOING ON HERE?!
DM: The First back up… climbs to the SECOND ROPE… AND AN ELBOW DROP ACROSS THE STERNUM OF CAMERON CRUISE leaves the champion ROLLING IN PAIN!! The First back on his feet, and he just UNLOADS for this capacity crowd!!
Crowd: *POP!!!*
DT: The First, CALLING OVER the referee who STILL can’t see the action! Here’s The First, WITH THE COVER!!! THIS IS IT!!!
ONE!!!
TWO!!!!
WE HAVE A NEW—OH MY GOD, CRUISE MANAGED TO KICK OUT!! I CAN’T BELIEVE IT, BUT HE KICKED OUT AGAIN!!!
Crowd: *AAAAAWWwwwww…*
DM: My God, how much more can Cameron Cruise TAKE at this point!?
DT: You might find the answer to that soon enough, Dean… The First is back on his feet, and he points to THE TOP ROPE!!
Crowd: *FIRST!! FIRST!! FIRST!! FIRST!! FIRST!!*
DM: The First is GOING UP TO THE TOP!! Cruise is laid out and NOT MOVING, and The First KNOWS this is his moment to finish things off!!
MN: OH NO!! NO NO NO!! DO SOMETHING, CAMMY!!!
DT: He’s going for it!! He’s looking to CUT THE THREAD!!
…
…wait a second, somebody just hopped the barricade! It’s a MASKED MAN!! NO, WAIT—
OH GOD, NO!! HE JUST PUSHED THE FIRST OFF THE TOP ROPE!! THAT MASKED MAN JUST RUINED THE FIRST’S OPPORTUNITY TO FINISH THIS MATCH!!
DM: Who the hell IS this guy???
MN: I don’t know but HE JUST SCREWED THE FIRST!!
DT: WHO IS THIS??! And WHY did he attack THE FIRST?! The referee couldn’t see ANYTHING without his glasses… but now CRUISE is back up, pulling up the wounded First…
REALITY CHECK!! GOOD GOD, NO!!!
MN: OH YES!! YES YES YESSSS!!!!
DT: Cruise calls Rosenkrantz over to make the pin, but barely has the strength to DRAPE AN ARM over the chest of THE FIRST…
ONE!!!
TWO!!!!
THREE!!! MY GOD, WHAT INJUSTICE!! WHAT A SCREWJOB!! THE FIRST HAD THIS MATCH WON, AND THE INTERFERENCE OF THIS ........ THIS MASKED MAN........ RUINED HIS CHANCE TO PUT IT AWAY!!!
Crowd: *BOOOOOOO~~!!!!!*
[The bell tolls as garbage RAINS upon the ring! A visibly exhausted Cameron Cruise rolls off of The First as “Killing In The Name Of” hits the PA. The masked man hops in the ring and stares at Cruise as Tony Fatora hands the IC belt to Rosenkrantz and gets on the mic.]
TF: Ladies and gentlemen, here is your winner…
…and STILL EMPIRE PRO INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPION…
CCCAAAAAAMMMMMEEERRROOOOOONNN CCCRRRRUUUIIIISSSSEEE!!!!!
[As his name is announced, the referee hands Cruise his title and tries to raise his arm in victory. Cruise YANKS his hand away and raises it on his own, wobbling slightly. The audience JEERS VEHEMENTLY!! On the mat, The First sits up rubbing his face, realizing what has just occurred.]
Crowd: *BOOOOOOO~~!!!!!*
DT: I’ve seen plenty of controversial finishes in the years I’ve sat behind this table, but THAT’S one that just leaves me STEAMED!! The First was CLEARLY on the verge of victory!
MN: Oh no he WASN’T, Dave! Cruise would have moved out of the way in either case!
DM: Then why did he need this masked man’s interference? Speaking of, where did he come from, and why is he in EMPIRE PRO?! Hell, I’m not even sure Cruise knows what’s going on here!!
.
[Almost immediately, Cruise is joined by the remainder of the Anthology, who begin celebrating with Cruise over his successful title defense. The First, clearly ENRAGED, rushes the group but is overwhelmed by numbers and tossed unceremoniously to the floor.]
DT: So is this guy with the Anthology or what??? He’s just standing there!
DM: You gotta hand Cruise one thing… he knows how to walk into a match with a secret weapon! What a way to make an entrance into Empire Pro for this newcomer, whoever he is!
MN: It won’t be long before they have ALL the belts!
DT: I don’t know about THAT… what I DO know is that the challenger in this match beat Cameron Cruise from PILLAR TO POST… and I’m sure without the interference of this guy, we would be looking at a NEW Intercontinental Champion here tonight!
MN: Clearly, Dave, you’re just a little SORE that your little high-flying wonder didn’t DELIVER tonight!
DM: Cruise screwed him out of his Tag Team Title, and now screwed him out of the IC strap! I don’t care HOW many people are in the Anthology… sooner or later, The First is going to find VENGEANCE for this!
DT: Wait, hold on just a second……
[The masked man lowers his head and slowly reaches up for his mask as the camera shot now focuses only on him. As he does, a clip of the words "Get ready" plays over the system and the video monitor goes black.]
[Familiar letters and numbers appear in computer-generated stone, one after the other: "BSC. TTCCP. D1. SPG."]
MN: Oh no, NOT AGAIN!!! Enough with the blackouts and on-screen puzzles!!!
[The letters "SPG" then shrink and drift apart, and more letters appear between them to form "Smartest Player in the Game." The stone letters then crumble away and are replaced by, in big white letters, "COPYCAT." In the ring, the masked man has removed his ski mask to reveal Copycat, now looking fitter and with longer hair than when last seen in a wrestling ring years ago]
[The crowd blows a gasket.]
DM: My God in heaven…..
JARED WELLS: Fifteen years of been there and done that. History sometimes is a mind f[BLEEP]ked experiment created by careful planning by one superpower. Just so happens the EPW and the rest of the world live in a materialist haven. For years people have come up to me asking me who was my greatest opponent of all time? Who? Even Daddy's fans who are careless girls, usually blonde, double D's and all ask who was my greatest opponent was. I tell the ladies, Octomom because lord knows a single unemployed welfare grabbing b[BLEEP]ch, with a mother of fourteen would love to jump on the back account of daddy and dry hump it into submission.
BUT! But when it comes to your stereotypical wrestling mark......THEY KNOW! In my career my greatest opponent EVER..........it was Copycat. This isn't bought and paid over night people. This was something in the making years ago and it's all your fault. Fifteen years and beyond that, things are about to finally make sense. It's time we run the business the way we left it...........one pin at a time, one voodoo doll at a time, one for each of your sins. Daddy doesn't forgive any of you or forget.......
[Hands the mic over to Copycat with a hug]
Copycat: People of Baltimore, LEND ME YOUR EARS!
[That will probably pop the crowd, if only because they haven’t seen Copycat in years; the booing will come later]
Copycat: You know, just a few months ago, I was seriously considering not returning to the ring. As I’m sure all of you knows very, very well, my acting career has been met with great success. And where some men must continually step back in the ring after their so-called retirements because they don’t know how to do anything else, I’m in a comfortable, comfortable position. The interviewers kept asking about wrestling when I wanted to talk about acting, so I made an innocuous comment in one interview about wrestling being "a young man’s game." I didn’t think anyone would notice. But someone did.
[Copycat points over to Wells]
Copycat: There’ve been times in my life when I wouldn’t have answered a call from Jared Wells, but I was in a good mood that day and made an exception. Wells was calling me about what I told that writer. He asked me if I really thought wrestling was a young man’s game. He asked me how long it had been since I’d watched one of the major promotions on TV, really paid attention to what was going on instead of listening to the TV in the other room while I played Minesweeper on the computer or something. He told me to take a look at Empire Pro Wrestling, to catch up on the last few shows, and to call him back when I was done and tell him if I really still thought it was a young man’s game. So I went onto EPW’s Web site, watched a few matches and promos, set my DVR to record the next few episodes of Aggression.
[Copycat looks down at the mat]
Copycat: It broke my heart.
[Copycat looks up at the crowd again]
Copycat: This is what the business has been reduced to? These are the competitors standing atop the mountain that I helped build, the business that was taken to the next level in the 1990s and early 2000s by guys like me, like Hellion, like Jean Rabesque, like Joe Massacre, like Maelstrom, like King Krusher? Like Jared Wells, Shawn Hart, Larry Tact, Cameron Cruise? These are almost all men I’ve fought at one time, and even if there were times when I didn’t get along with them, I understood then and I understood now the significance of what they did. They sacrificed their bodies and their minds not only for their careers, but for this business. They wanted to be sure that no matter what impact they made, the wrestling business would carry on for many years after they were gone. No matter what you think of a man’s in-ring abilities, you can respect him when he has a love for the business that goes beyond his love for himself.
[He shakes his head sadly]
Copycat: But instead, you have guys like Rocko Daymon, who feel the need to turn everything into a quasi-clever monologue straight out of a modern-day Bill Murray movie. You have guys like JA, who’ve gotten so complacent that they’re not even trying anymore. You have guys like Sean Stevens, who’ve made it absolutely clear that they’re just in it to grab all the fame and fortune they can and are willing to bail out as soon as they’ve done good by themselves. You have nihilistic throwbacks to some of wrestling’s darkest periods, like the First. You have guys who sit back and throw the same tired insults we’ve been hearing for years, like Frankie Scott. You have a legend in Doc Silver returning to the ring to sob about how his wife left him. You have Felix Red pulling his "look at all the drugs I’m on!" act like it’s never gone out of style. You have Anarky still clinging hopelessly to the business he stopped giving a damn about years ago,
desperately looking for that one last perfect run that he knows will never come. You’ve got more emo crybabies and sixth-grade playground bullies than I like to think about.
[Copycat’s voice rises in anger]
Copycat: And THIS is what it’s all become since I made the mistake of ignoring the developments in this business. For that, I am sorry. But before I even called Jared Wells back, I knew there was hope. I knew there was a shining light still left in EPW, the beginnings of what could be a last-ditch effort to save this industry from itself.
[He gestures to the other men in the ring with him]
Copycat: These men you see before you now are men who are no longer in business for themselves. They’re in business for the business. These men are the cure for the sickness that has overtaken this industry. And though you fans boo them today, you’ll thank them later. The heroes you worship now will only destroy what you love. It’s the villains in this who will write the chapters that lead to a happy ending. For my last few years in the ring before I went into acting full-time, I told myself that I wouldn’t turn against the wishes of the fans. I told myself that I wouldn’t join forces with a faction of people as long as I was perfectly capable of doing what needed to be done on my own. But right now, I need all the help I can get to turn this thing around before it gets beyond the point of recovery. These men will help me achieve that goal. There’s only one hope for patching the holes in this business that will soon grow into abysses too
large to fix – and that hope is the Anthology.
[Copycat rips open the black T-shirt he’s wearing to reveal an Anthology T-shirt beneath it. The crowd, if it wasn’t fully behind booing him before, is surely doing it now]
Copycat: And that, my friends, is just all there is to it.
[Copycat throws down the microphone and raises his hands with the rest of the Anthology, celebrating their united front]
[He was right. The boos clearly out-do the cheers now.]
DM: Just what we need, more saviors. Answer your questions, Dave?
DT: I’m afraid so. Folks, we’ll be right back…