(CUEUP: “Public Service Announcement” by Jay Z. Fireworks explode as the song kicks in, “Triple X" Sean Stevens stepping through the curtain, with his hair soaking wet, clad in a 100% cotton, "Blue-Eyed Badass™" t-shirt, black tights, with neon blue X’s on the legs and rear. Sean pauses at the top of the ramp, giving the audience the once over, then thrusts his arms in the air before continuing his walk down to the ring.)
FATORA: “Making his way to the ring, he comes to us from Orlando, Florida, and weighs in at two hundred forty five pounds…
The Blue Eyed Badass – Triple X… SEAN… STEVENS!!”
(Sean Stevens steps through the door to the cage, eyeing the crowd, as the music fades.
CUEUP: "Eat the Rich" by Fozzy. JA stands behind a silhouetting curtain so that you can only see a shadowed outline of him, back facing the door and wingspan outstretched. Then, as soon as the lyrics kick in, a giant bang of pyro blows up and JA hops around through the curtain with Lollipop following behind him. After that, it's the usual face fare; slapping hands, answering cat calls and generally hamming it up for the crowd.)
FATORA: “And his opponent, weighing in at two hundred and nineteen pounds, he hails from Philadeplphia, Pennsylvania… he is a former Empire Pro Wrestling Intercontinental Champion, and is the self-professed Guru of Gimmick Infringement…
The Anglo Luchador… JAY…. AY!!!”
THOMAS: “Well folks, it’s been a long time coming, but finally, tonight, we see who’s the King of the Cage!”
MATTHEWS: “We’ve seen a lot in this tournament.”
NEELY: “Yeah. Ass-rape by Beau Michaels, Missus Daymon helping her husband win matches.”
MATTHEWS: “And the first EVER win for Ice Tre.”
THOMAS: “But tonight, we see two gladiators going at it. And here we go! Sean Stevens charging right in at the bell, hammering away at the masked head of JA with right hands! A hard chop across the chest forcing JA back, Stevens with the Irish whip, duck under the clothesline, but Stevens takes him down with a leg lariat!”
NEELY: “YES! EA-SY! EA-SY! EA-SY!”
MATTHEWS: “Wrong country.”
THOMAS: “Sean Stevens, Triple X, picking JA up by the mask… RIGHT BY JA! JA firing back with right hands, forces Stevens into the corner! Irish whip, reversal… MOONSAULT BY JA!”
MATTHEWS: “Fast paced action here in the early going; I’ve got to think that benefits the Luchador.”
THOMAS: “Good thing for Triple X pin-falls don’t count in there today, eh?”
NEELY: “CANNUCK!!”
THOMAS: “JA lifting Stevens up by the hair, and a HARD slam down to the canvas! Measures him… drops the elbow across the sternum!”
NEELY: “He’s obviously cheating. Obviously.”
THOMAS: “No, Mike, he’s not. Stevens rolling over to the ropes, as JA runs to the other side… CLOTHESLINE knocking Sean Stevens to the ring apron!”
NEELY: “Stop cheating, Anonymous!”
THOMAS: “The former Intercontinental Champion looks in real control right now, and Sean Stevens, trying to get his second World Title shot here in Empire Pro, groggily getting to his feet. JA over, hooks the head, blocked by Stevens! JA trying for a suplex, Stevens blocks again… HANGMAN!”
NEELY: “Kew-el!”
MATTHEWS: “Mike in major idiot mode.”
THOMAS: “But JA’s probably wishing he hadn’t tried for the suplex so early, as Sean Stevens coming back in, and a HARD Russian leg sweep takes him down!”
NEELY: “Oh yeah!”
THOMAS: “Who writes Mike’s lines?”
MATTHEWS: “I dunno. Whoever it is needs to be sacked.”
NEELY: “Seriously.”
THOMAS: “Sean Stevens grounding JA now, driving the knee into the ribs, and just picks him up and shoves him again back into the corner! Right hand to the gut, and another one. Boot to the gut, right hand to the temple, and a massive headbutt has JA reeling in the corner! Sean Stevens is just laying into JA in the corner, scoring an elbow to the top of the head – he’s not letting him out!”
MATTHEWS: “It’s a smart thing to do. Those kicks and a lot of those punches are hitting the ribs, that could come into play the longer this match goes one.”
THOMAS: “JA trying to get away along the ropes, but Stevens there with him, right hand to the gut, and DRIVES his face into the steel meshing!”
NEELY: “You know, this is much better than JA’s last cage match. Easier on the eye.”
MATTHEWS: “Not much is less pleasant to watch if you’re straight than a Beau Michaels match.”
THOMAS: “Sean Stevens in complete control here, has JA backed into the corner. Attempts the Irish whip REVERSAL! Sean Stevens chest first into the corner, and JA follows it up with a splash!”
MATTHEWS: “You can expect a lot of back and forth in the early going.”
THOMAS: “Shades of Ricky Steamboat there, JA with a hard chop to the chest and another right between the eyes! Rams Stevens’ head into the turnbuckle, and a snapmare takes him down!”
MATTHEWS: “Rather slower than I thought he’d go at this stage, dropping the fist there for a second time, and goes to work with an elevated armbar!”
NEELY: “In a cage match?! WE WANT BLOOD, DAMMIT!!”
MATTHEWS: “Mike, some of the best cage matches of all time have had no blood.”
NEELY: “Name one!”
MATTHEWS: “Bret Hart against Owen Hart.”
NEELY: “Yeah. Pink and black. Great.”
THOMAS: “JA wrenching back on the arm, you’ve got to think that right now, the aim is to wear down an opponent in such a way you don’t leave yourself open to counterattack.”
MATTHEWS: “That’s the smart thing to do. But a lot of times, you don’t have time to think it through that much, so JA’s giving himself time here with this armbar, applying pressure on the shoulder and pulling back on the elbow.”
NEELY: “Ladies and gentlemen, Dean!”
THOMAS: “Sean Stevens is trying to get to his feet, but JA’s keeping him on the canvas, just twisting the arm back, bending it right against the knee there, and Dean, that’s gotta hurt.”
MATTHEWS: “I’ll demonstrate on Mike later and show you how much.”
NEELY: “Leave me out of Burger-boy’s quest for knowledge.”
MATTHEWS: “Knowledge is dangerous to Mikes?”
NEELY: “Exactly!”
THOMAS: “Stevens being picked back up in that arm bar, and a full… twist there by JA before driving the point of the elbow into the shoulder, and quickly grabbing the arm into a hammerlock on the canvas!”
MATTHEWS: “Much better chain wrestling than I thought we’d see.”
THOMAS: “JA not wasting much time in that hold, again targeting the shoulder of Triple X with the right hand! Waiting on him to get back up… wristlock applied.”
NEELY: “Zzzzzzzz…”
THOMAS: “JA leading Stevens around the ring in the wrist lock..”
NEELY: “OUCH!!”
THOMAS: “BIG show of strength by the Luchador, lifting Sean Stevens CLEAN off the canvas and holding him up for a few seconds!”
MATTHEWS: “Sean’ll have troubles with that arm later.”
THOMAS: “JA still holding the wrist lock, lifting Sean again… and…”
(SFX: Massive Cheers)
NEELY: “eep!”
THOMAS: “Sean Stevens’ll be a few octaves higher! JA just DROPPED him across the top rope… rather… erm…”
MATTHEWS: “Painfully.”
THOMAS: “Sean Stevens, straddling the top rope… and JA’s making him ride it!”
NEELY: “Like JA rode Beau Michaels’ face.”
THOMAS: “Five, six, seven, eight… and Stevens is still bouncing as the crowd go wild! Sean Stevens, in a lot of pain, as JA runs to the ropes… and takes him down with a springboard dropkick!”
MATTHEWS: “The crowd is erupting!”
THOMAS: “And JA is playing to the crowd following that dropkick to the shoulder.”
NEELY: “I can’t believe this!”
THOMAS: “He’s definitely in full control, it looks like Stevens is having trouble with his right arm, he’s struggling with it getting up. JA moving back over, boot to the gut, and just SNAPS the arm down!”
MATTHEWS: “That’ll make it harder for Triple X to climb the cage, so JA’ll just have to keep him away from the door.”
THOMAS: “JA still holding the arm, but Stevens pushing him back to the ropes, slingshot off, JA across the ring, slides under the legs, off the ropes, under again! Off the ropes, swings Stevens around, hard in ARM DRAG!”
NEELY: “Crap!”
MATTHEWS: “Definitely shades of Ricky Steamboat in there, he’s surprisingly me.”
THOMAS: “JA with the arm bar locked in, wearing down Sean Stevens, and we’ve only seen the cage come into play once so far.”
NEELY: “I know. It’s getting dull.”
THOMAS: “Stevens, trying to roll out of the hold, does manage to force himself onto a knee… making it back to a vertical base now, pushing back JA… and a left to the gut manages to break the hold. Stevens favouring that right arm, knee to the gut, and into a side headlock!”
MATTHEWS: “But JA’s very quickly trying to fight out of it, moving back to the ropes, and pushes Stevens off.”
THOMAS: “Leapfrog there by JA, Stevens back, JA leapfrog again, Stevens putting on the brakes, and atomic drop! BIG atomic drop by Steven Shane, and he almost takes his head off with a running lariat!”
MATTHEWS: “But he overexerted the shoulder on that one, his right arm looks like it’s hurting after that one.”
THOMAS: “Change of plan in order?”
MATTHEWS: “Probably, you normally go into a match with a couple of different plans.”
THOMAS: “Sean Stevens, with JA up – headbutt, and a back elbow takes him down!”
NEELY: “Nice and slow, slow and steady, no mistakes.”
MATTHEWS: “It also gives his right arm a chance to wake up.”
THOMAS: “With him back up again, off the ropes, SPINS him over with a left to the gut, and he’s quickly on him again with a knee to the mask!”
MATTHEWS: “We could be in for a long haul here, better get used to it.”
THOMAS: “Sean Stevens, grabbing the head of JA, and another strong headbutt taking him down. Superb use of the head, as he drops the elbow across the chest, and another one!”
MATTHEWS: “He’s probably still planning where to focus on.”
NEELY: “I’m sure he knows.”
THOMAS: “Well, he’s taking a bit of time, shaking his arm out, as JA tries to get to his feet. Stevens with a kick to the gut, spins him around, and a BIG high angle back suplex, right on the neck!”
MATTHEWS: “That’ll make JA groggy, stiff, and sore.”
NEELY: “Like Lollipop makes him every night?”
THOMAS: “Mike…”
NEELY: “That’s my name.”
THOMAS: “Whatever. Triple X on the offensive, roughly picking JA up off the canvas, and he THROWS him through the ropes into the cage! I bet JA’s lucky he wasn’t thrown a couple of feet further over, he’d’ve gone head first into the solid support strut!”
MATTHEWS: “Getting thrown into a cage does not feel lucky.”
NEELY: “Besides, he missed his brain by eight feet.”
THOMAS: “Stevens leaning over the top rope, picking JA up and leaning him against the ropes… RUNNING DROPKICK TO THE BACK OF THE HEAD!”
NEELY: “CAGE-NESS!!”
THOMAS: “Sean Stevens with a bit of innovative offence there, dropkicking JA face first into the cage!”
MATTHEWS: “That’s one way to gain momentum.”
THOMAS: “It certainly is. He’s lifting JA back to his feet, and drives him again into the steel cage, face first! Hooking the head, he’s going to try… BACK into the ring with a suplex! How did he manage to hook him so tightly?”
NEELY: “Because he’s great.”
MATTHEWS: “Unlike Mike, who’s just grating.”
THOMAS: “And he’s staying on him, kicking him in the ribs when he’s down, and just lays into him with a rear chinlock.”
MATTHEWS: “They’ve been at it for getting on ten minutes in there, and Stevens is probably still trying to get his right arm working properly again after how long he was in the armbars earlier.”
THOMAS: “He’s using the left arm, crooking it right under the chin, pushing his weight into it, a near perfect chinlock.”
NEELY: “You expect something less?”
MATTHEWS: “This capacity crowd, trying to get behind JA, and it looks like it might be working a little bit, as he’s starting to turn it into a side headlock. If he manages that he can stand at least.”
NEELY: “Then Sean’ll take out his legs.”
THOMAS: “JA trying a kidney shot, but Stevens just turned and laid him out with a DDT in the centre of the ring!”
NEELY: “Is someone EVER going to try to win the match?”
MATTHEWS: “And you were telling him to take it slow and not make any mistakes.”
THOMAS: “But you’re getting your wish, Mike. Sean Stevens starting to climb the ropes, his right arm’s got more movement than it did have and he’s going to try and get over the top.”
NEELY: “Good.”
THOMAS: “Sean Stevens trying to get a grip on the top of the cage – is it me or is it slightly higher this week?”
MATTHEWS: “Freeman told me they’d added a couple of feet.”
THOMAS: “It’s giving JA a chance to recover though!”
NEELY: “PAUL FREEMAN IS AGAINST SEAN STEVENS!!”
THOMAS: “You might well say that, Mike, as JA comes back and just POWERBOMBS Stevens off the top rope! Clubbed him in the back to slow him down, and DROVE him down to the canvas!”
MATTHEWS: “If this were a normal match, I think he’d be going for the cover right about now.”
THOMAS: “But instead, it’s JA trying to scale the cage!”
NEELY: “Stop him, ref!”
THOMAS: “The referee is not going to stop him, Mike! One of these two men will be squaring off at Russian Roulette against either Lindsay Troy or Joey Melton, and JA is standing on the top rope, trying to pull himself to the top of the cage – but Sean Stevens grabs the leg! JA trying to kick him off, shake him off, but Stevens climbs the ropes with him! Both men, standing on the top rope – this could get ugly!”
NEELY: “JA’s involved, it’s can’t get any uglier.”
MATTHEWS: “You know, I think Mike’s lines are being written as if he’s Charles Winchester.”
THOMAS: “JA rocks him with an elbow to the gut, but Stevens slams his face in the cage! JA rocky, throws another elbow, and Stevens is wobbly! Stevens is going to fall! A fourth elbow… NO! Sean Stevens leaps off and takes JA down with a neckbreaker!!”
MATTHEWS: “I think he hurt himself when he did that, but it stopped JA from scaling the cage.”
THOMAS: “And both men are pretty slowly trying to get to their feet, as JA’s holding his neck, and Sean Stevens, up to his knees and shaking his head.”
MATTHEWS: “Those kinds of moves do knock the wind out of you.”
THOMAS: “But Stevens definitely came off better , picking JA up, and back DOWN with a gut-wrench suplex!”
NEELY: “That’s what I’m talking about!”
THOMAS: “A hard stomp to the ribs, I think Stevens’ aim here is to just keep JA breathing heavily, going for the neck, the ribs, as he twists the head, wrenching on the neck.”
MATTHEWS: “And he’s jawing with the fans.”
NEELY: “Are you surprised? He’s telling the fans what they’re seeing, at least half the people here are idiots.”
THOMAS: “Our fans are not idiots.”
NEELY: “Yeah, I guess you’re right – the New ERA fans probably couldn’t even dial a phone.”
THOMAS: “I take it you didn’t meet Juliet Marceau earlier?”
MATTHEWS: “She turned him down. Too snotty.”
NEELY: “Thank you very much!”
THOMAS: “Sean Stevens still has the neck wrench applied, JA’s not even trying to fight it right now.”
MATTHEWS: “He doesn’t absolutely have to. It’ll hurt, but so long as this hold is applied, the only chance Stevens has of winning this cage match is if JA passes out and is deemed unable to continue.”
NEELY: “That will soon happen.”
THOMAS: “A knee to the back of the head there by Stevens! Stiff knee, and he’s picking him back up HEADBUTT BY JA!”
NEELY: “NO!”
THOMAS: “JA rocking Stevens with that headbutt, shaking the cobwebs himself, Stevens comes back in but a boot to the gut GUTWRENCH into a backbreaker! And just like that, the momentum shifts!”
MATTHEWS: “It doesn’t take much, just the slightest opening.”
THOMAS: “JA, dropping the leg across the throat of Sean Stevens, and he’s signalling for the door to be opened!”
NEELY: “Don’t you dare…”
THOMAS: “JA starting to walk over to the door – but Sean Stevens up quickly! Racing in, waistlock, reversal. Stevens reverses it again and a BIG release German suplex NO! JA lands on his feet! Stevens back up, backflip dropkick to the face! Sean Stevens just FLEW back into the corner nearest the door!”
NEELY: “Why didn’t he just fall out?!”
MATTHEWS: “That would’ve been interesting, kind of how Benjamin lost to Ice Tre.”
THOMAS: “Sean Stevens groggy in the corner, JA charges in… MONKEYFLIP!”
MATTHEWS: “Keeps him away from leaving the cage.”
THOMAS: “And JA’s not going for the door either! He’s back up to his feet, measuring Stevens… backcracker!”
NEELY: “That move was as cool as the Caribbean. Not very.”
THOMAS: “And he’s STILL on the offensive, dropping a knee on the arm and locking in a top wrist-lock on the canvas, driving his fist into the tricep!”
MATTHEWS: “Going back to where he targeted earlier, that stronger arm. A lot of guys go for the weaker arm or leg, but if you can take out someone’s stronger side, they’re in more trouble than if you take out their weaker side.”
NEELY: “Yes, professor Dean.”
THOMAS: “JA jumping… and forcing more weight for a few seconds on that arm and wrist.”
MATTHEWS: “Picking up Stevens, as we’re fast approaching the fifteen minute mark… and he throws him shoulder first into the ringpost!”
NEELY: “CHEAT!”
THOMAS: “You wouldn’t be saying that if Stevens had done it.”
NEELY: “You would.”
THOMAS: “True. But Sean Stevens is the one feeling the pain, as he has his arm just SNAPPED down over the shoulder of JA. JA holding the wrist, Irish whip across the ring, and Stevens – did you see how far he bounced back, chest first into the turnbuckle!”
MATTHEWS: “And JA starting to climb the ropes, he might be trying to escape – no. Interesting.”
NEELY: “Stupid.”
THOMAS: “I do think JA might be able to escape the cage right now, but he’s sitting, perched on the top rope, waiting… missile dropkick NO! He missed it and got hit in the back as he flew past Triple X! An impressive counter, using the dropkick against the dropkick!”
MATTHEWS: “And Stevens isn’t wasting any time, dropping the leg across the back of the neck.”
THOMAS: “And quickly switching, grabbing JA by the legs… slingshot into the cage! Straight into the support! JA could be busted open!”
MATTHEWS: “And we won’t know for a few seconds with that mask on.”
THOMAS: “And Sean Stevens, like a shark, grabbing JA and grating his face against the cage!”
NEELY: “Sharks don’t do that, Dave. Bad analogy.”
MATTHEWS: “I’m not even going to make that Beau Michaels joke. Too easy.”
THOMAS: “Stevens, ramming JA’s face into the cage – I think he is bleeding! A little bit of blood’s soaking through the mask, as the referee forces Stevens back to get a look at it.”
NEELY: “Go on! End the match! Give it to Triple X!”
MATTHEWS: “No comment.”
NEELY: “And you call me juvenile.”
THOMAS: “Stevens moving back in, pushing the ref out of the way – BIG clubbing arm across the chest, pulling JA’s head back over the top rope. Elbow to the top of the head, I think he’s trying to make him gush through the mask.”
NEELY: “Bad, Dean. No jokey.”
MATTHEWS: “You’re the one with the sick mind, Mike.”
NEELY: “… I hate you.”
THOMAS: “Stevens, bringing JA back in through the ropes, stiff chop across the chest! JA back against the ropes… what’s Stevens doing?”
MATTHEWS: “Trying to tie him up in the ropes.”
NEELY: “Good thing Beau isn’t out here.”
MATTHEWS: “Or MWG.”
THOMAS: “This isn’t right though! JA trying to fight it, but Stevens… NO! Sean Stevens has JA’s arms tied up in the ropes, and there’s nothing JA can do to protect himself!”
MATTHEWS: “And Sean knows that, planting a boot to the cut – he’s waving bu-bye!”
NEELY: “It’s all over now.”
THOMAS: “And he’s… trying to climb the cage! Sean Stevens is standing on the arm of JA, holding onto the cage, and jaw-jacking at him! Listen to JA in pain as Stevens weight and the ropes are cutting the supply of blood to his arms!”
MATTHEWS: “Hey, if you’re going to win, you may as well embarrass your opponent at the same time. I used to do that.”
THOMAS: “He’s trying to pull himself up to the top of the cage – not like this, please!”
NEELY: “Tough luck, Dave!”
THOMAS: “Sean Stevens, slowly, pulling himself onto the cage… NO! JA managed to stop him!”
MATTHEWS: “How on earth…”
THOMAS: “GREAT agility there by JA, as he vaulted himself up, released his arms and has Stevens in a leg-scissors around the waist, all in one move!”
NEELY: “Shake him off!”
THOMAS: “Sean Stevens suddenly has another two hundred plus pounds to try and pull up, and JA is not letting go… SUNSET FLIP!! JA takes Stevens down with the end of a sunset flip!!”
MATTHEWS: “He’s got more fight in him than I thought.”
NEELY: “Same…”
THOMAS: “Both men look really tired out there, and I think Sean Stevens landed badly on his right arm.”
(CUTTO: Split Screen! On the left, in the smaller box, we see the live action, with the referee checking on JA and Stevens, whilst in the larger box, we see JA, arms tied in the ropes. Stevens is climbing, trying to pull himself up to the top of the cage – when, suddenly, JA manages to lean back a little, swinging his legs up to catch Stevens in a leg-scissors, as JA’s arms get loose. Just as suddenly, a few seconds later, JA manages to throw Stevens’ weight down, with Stevens landing slightly on his right. In the live feed, we can see JA crawling over, cracking Stevens with some stiff right hands.)
MATTHEWS: “I’m still amazed at how he pulled that off.”
THOMAS: “He’s trying to build on that advantage right now, laying in with those right hands.”
NEELY: “Closed fists! Come on!”
THOMAS: “JA, getting back to his feet – Stevens still down on the canvas! JA, off the ropes… LIONSAULT NO!”
NEELY: “RIBBUSTER!!”
THOMAS: “Stevens gets his knees up, and JA didn’t have the time to move!”
MATTHEWS: “That’s why they call them high risk moves.”
THOMAS: “Stevens, trying to get himself back to his feet, holding the arm, and JA’s rolling around clutching his ribs – elbow to the ribs by Stevens!”
MATTHEWS: “Not too much use of the cage in there, but still, they have been hurting each other.”
THOMAS: “Steven Shane, still holding the right arm, as he stomps on the ribs, the chest, of the former Intercontinental champion.”
MATTHEWS: “And he’s going back for the side of the cage – I don’t think that’s the smart thing to do.”
NEELY: “It’s Sean Stevens – he knows exactly what he’s doing.”
THOMAS: “I think Mike’s right for once. Measuring… BIG double axe handle across the back, driving JA back down to the canvas. A kick to the ribs – and a camel clutch! A camel clutch, right in the centre of the ring!”
NEELY: “But submissions don’t count!”
MATTHEWS: “But the longer he’s able to keep this hold applied, the more damage it will do.”
THOMAS: “Look at him too, wrenching back, pulling back and sitting right on the small of JA’s back. I think in a standard match, he might have enough there to force the submission.”
NEELY: “HE GAVE UP!”
MATTHEWS: “There are no submissions here, Mike.”
NEELY: “OK. I’ll try next time.”
THOMAS: “JA is trying to break the hold, trying to bring his legs forward… shut down by Stevens jumping onto his back!”
MATTHEWS: “It’s something you don’t see often these days, but when you’re working over someone’s ribs or back, often that simple move is more painful than any other.”
THOMAS: “The crowd are really trying to get behind JA, as Stevens still pulling back on the chin, trying to break JA’s spine!”
NEELY: “That’ll do.”
THOMAS: “Mike!”
NEELY: “What? If his spine snaps, all delusions he has of winning this match will go just like that.”
(SFX: snap of fingers)
THOMAS: “But the crowd, really trying to cheer him on, and Sean Stevens having a few… choice words for them. JA, trying to fight, he’s got his knees under him. Stevens up NO GO!”
NEELY: “Not again!”
THOMAS: “JA felt Stevens jumping up, and rolled onto his back to plant his knee firmly in his, erm…”
MATTHEWS: “Let’s just say, if he wasn’t singing high after riding the top rope, he is now.”
THOMAS: “And this is giving JA the chance he needed to regain control, or get some air into those lungs.”
MATTHEWS: “The camel clutch – part sleeperhold, part backbreaker.”
THOMAS: “JA, rolling to the ropes, trying to pull himself up using them, as Stevens is over on the other side of the ring. Both men have given it their all for the past twenty or so minutes, with the title of King of the Cage and a shot at the World Heavyweight Champion at Russian Roulette, the champ to be decided later tonight. JA, leaning back against the ropes now, as Sean charges in… MISSED!”
MATTHEWS: “He didn’t miss the cage though!”
THOMAS: “JA ducking out of the way, pulling the top rope with him, and Sean Stevens goes FLYING into the steel cage!”
MATTHEWS: “Marginally better than taking a spill to the outside.”
NEELY: “What’re you saying? If he’d taken the spill he’d’ve won!”
THOMAS: JA, crawling, crawling to the door, and Stevens, trying to get to his feet…
NEELY: “Come on!”
THOMAS: “JA’s almost at the door!”
NEELY: “SHUT DOWN!!”
THOMAS: “Sean Stevens, that must’ve been a desperation move there! He just springboarded himself over the top rope with a senton splash, right across the back of JA!”
MATTHEWS: “This match is too important to both men.”
THOMAS: “I should think just by getting to this stage, either man could be in line for a title shot in the near future, win or lose.”
NEELY: “Stevens’ll get his first.”
THOMAS: “Sean Stevens, trying to get to the door – but JA has him by the leg!”
NEELY: “Better than an ass attack.”
THOMAS: “JA, trying to pull Stevens back into the ring. Stevens, trying to kick JA off – who’s going to win this tug of war?”
MATTHEWS: “Either JA or the rope.”
THOMAS: “Stevens kicks him off! Stevens kicks him off! BUT JA FLIES IN WITH AN ELBOW DROP!!”
NEELY: “NO!!”
THOMAS: “JA saving the match for himself, dropping the elbow on Sean Stevens’ back, and he’s picking him slowly off the canvas. Irish whip far side, Sean goes in hard BIG SPLASH! Stinger Splash in the corner by JA!”
MATTHEWS: “And a bulldog out of the corner! I think Sean’s been busted open as well by the impact, or he broke his nose, he’s definitely a bleeder now.”
THOMAS: “Both men, heavily beaten, both bleeding, are down in the middle of the ring! JA, trying to get the strength, find the breath, to get to the door, dragging himself with one arm, holding his ribs with the other. Sean Stevens, trying to shake the cobwebs, his right arm still looks in bad shape.”
NEELY: “Come on, Sean!”
THOMAS: “JA’s at the ropes, Sean Stevens, a couple of inches out of reach. JA’s trying to push himself through the… no! Sean Stevens catches JA this time!”
MATTHEWS: “And both men are getting to their feet in the corner, the door open. Right hand by Stevens, followed by a right by JA. Right by Stevens, JA rocks him back with a right – Stevens is wincing from those right hands he’s throwing, he’s not getting the same strength JA can!”
THOMAS: “Right by Stevens, knee to the gut by JA FACEPLANT! Faceplant across the knee by JA! Stevens, reeling back, JA throws him back into the corner. Sets him up, Irish whip, reversed, reversed again ROUND THE WORLD! Sean Stevens chest first JA’S DOWN!”
NEELY: “BOO YAH!”
THOMAS: “JA sent Sean Stevens into the corner with so much force, Stevens bounced back and hit his head against JA’s face! Both men are down, JA on his back, Sean Stevens, leaning against the ropes – and he’s definitely bleeding, look at his face, it’s almost totally masked!”
MATTHEWS: “He’s catching his breath, looking back over his shoulder – he’s starting to climb!”
NEELY: “NO!! YOU IDIOT!! THE DOOR’S TO YOUR LEFT!!”
THOMAS: “I think the spinning, the head collision, and the blood have disorientated him! Sean Stevens, is slowly, very very slowly, trying to pull himself up the cage, as JA is starting to move!”
MATTHEWS: “This could be it.”
NEELY: “Climb faster dammit!”
THOMAS: “Stevens, having trouble with his right arm, is trying to pull himself up – he can’t get his right leg up, his right arm can’t support the weight!”
NEELY: “Then go for the left leg, hurry!! GAH!! THE DOOR’S OPEN!!”
THOMAS: “JA, trying to crawl, inching his way to the open door, his ribs must be aching!”
MATTHEWS: “And Stevens is following Mike’s advice – who’s going to get to the floor first?”
THOMAS: “Stevens, finally, getting one leg over the top of the cage. He’s using his left arm for balance… HE SEES JA NEAR THE DOOR!!”
NEELY: “DROP DOWN!!”
THOMAS: “JA inching, his’ head’s under the bottom rope – Stevens moving his right leg over the cage – and he’s inching round it?!”
NEELY: “NO!!!!!!”
MATTHEWS: “I don’t think Stevens wants to risk twisting an ankle when he drops!”
THOMAS: “The crowd are going wild! JA’s almost out of the cage! JA is almost out of the ..”
(SFX: CRACK!!)
NEELY: “YES!!”
THOMAS: “OH MY GOD!! SEAN STEVENS JUST KICKED THE DOOR INTO JA’S SKULL!!”
MATTHEWS: “So that’s what he was planning!”
THOMAS: “JA must be unconscious after that! Sean Stevens flung his legs back and let them kick back into the cage door!”
MATTHEWS: “A smart move.”
THOMAS: “Sean Stevens now, steadying himself a bit further down the cage… he wins it!”
NEELY: “YES!! YES!! YEEEEESSS!!”
(SFX: *dingdingdingding*)
FATORA: “Th’ winner of the match, the new number one contender, and the TWO THOUSAND AND SEVEN KING OF THE CAGE…
Triple X
SEAN… STEVENS!!!”
THOMAS: “Sean Stevens!! Sean Stevens win the match and will go on to face the World Champion at Russian Roulette!!”
NEELY: “I knew all along!!”
MATTHEWS: “It looked like JA was gonna make it, but heads up maneuvering by Sean Stevens, guys….. great match!”
THOMAS: “No time to waste! Back to the ring! It’s the New ERA World Tag Team Championship FINALS! Next!!”
