BLACK DAWN 2010: Portland, OR - 6/8/10

[DBrunkGXW]

[SFX: BOOM!! As pyro erupts all over The Rose Garden. The cameras pan all over a capacity crowd ON THEIR FEET. Cut to Dave Thomas, Mike Neely and Dean Matthews at ringside.]

DT: Ladies and gentlemen welcome to the Rose Garden!!! This is Empire Pro Wrestling and THIS….is BLACK DAWN!! Alongside me as my esteemed colleagues Dean Matthews and the one and only…. Mike Neely…

DM: While Neely is over here fumbling around like an awkward kid on a date for his microphone, let me just say… tonight is jam packed. We have literally hours of action ahead of us, three major championships on the line and THE greatest challenge to date for our World Champion…

MN: Ok, I’m here! What’d I miss?! Did anyone flash us yet?

DM: Not so much Neely, although that guy looks promising for later.

[The camera pans to a very overweight, hairy gentleman in the front row who blinks his eyes at Neely and waves.]

MN: Dear God… is that the guy from Billy Madison??

DT: All silliness aside, we’re ready to get this show on the road, so let’s take it up to Tony Fatora!!

[FADEIN: The ring, where Tony Fatora stands, mic in hand. The crowd is still buzzing from the opening pyro display.]

TF: The following contest is the OPENING CONTEST OF BLACK DAWN 2010!! [Pop!] and it will be contested under STALKER’S RULES!!

[Crowd buzzing! A moment passes and then MUSIC UP: “All Secrets Known” by Alice in Chains. Michael Bastard, in a white wife beater, dark gray sweatpants, and both hands taped up to halfway to the elbow, black elbow pads, and black ring boots. Behind him is The Amazing Logan, wearing a Dead Kennedy’s T-Shirt under gray blazer, with jeans and his black finished cane to complete his outfit. The crowd booing the two men, but some cheers can be heard.]

TF: Making his way to the ring, accompanied by The Amazing Logan! Hailing from Flint, Michigan, weighing in at 228 pounds…MICHAEL!!! BASTARD!!!

DT: We’re underway here at Black Dawn 2010…Michael Bastard hitting the ring, and well this is a real trial by fire for the newcomer, as he’s fighting one of the most violent men in EPW history in the form of Stalker, and fighting Stalker, means playing by Stalker’s rules.

MN: I’ve kind of liked this kid since he’s come into the league, no nonsense, beats the hell out of people, my kind of fighter, but Stalker’s always had a special place in my heart, this is a tough one.

[MUSIC UP: “Did My Time” by Korn. The crowd booing LOUD as Stalker comes through the curtain and stares at the ring, a smirk on his face. Stalker’s wearing a cut up “Fallen” T-Shirt, and jeans cut off at the knee, black work boots, wrists taped up. ]

TF: And his opponent…Hailing from Seattle, Washington, weighing in at 224 pounds…The Leader of The Fallen…STALKER!!!!

[Stalker hits the ring. He and Bastard lock their gaze on each other, after a moment the bell rings and both men charge.]
DT: Well nothing subtle or technical about this, these two are just throwing right hands until the other man drops! Bastard muscling Stalker into the ropes, he’s trying to secure a Thai Plum, but Stalker shakes that off and backs away.

DM: Stalker may want to have a street fight, but he knows the kickboxing and Muay Thai striking techniques of Michael Bastard are something to be avoided at all costs!

DT: Stalker gets the distance from Bastard and now lunges in with a thumb to the eye, which in this match is completely legal…Stalker now grabs Bastard and DRIVES him shoulder first into the STEEL ringpost…Stalker now going to the floor and he’s looking under the ring!

MN: Now we start to have some fun, Bastard might be well trained in hand to hand combat, but Stalker’s rules aren’t about hand to hand, it’s about chair to skull!

DT: Stalker throws a trash can full of junk into the ring and now he’s got a chair! Stalker back in the ring…CHAIR ACROSS THE BACK OF BASTARD! Bastard still on his feet…TAKES ANOTHER SHOT! [Crowd groaning!] That drops Bastard to one knee and now Stalker winds up…BLASTS BASTARD WITH THE CHAIR! Bastard crumples to the mat as Stalker throws the chair down [Boos!]

DM: Stalker wants a victory to here to set the tone for The Fallen, since later tonight Erik Black will be fighting for the TV Title, but you know he also wants to send a message to Michael Bastard and the locker room that nobody’s more brutal, more hardcore than Stalker.

MN: He cost Rocko Daymon the EPW World Title and his career in EPW, Stalker doesn’t just beat people, he ENDS them.

DT: Stalker now rooting through that garbage can and he’s got a got a stop sign…Stalker waiting for Bastard to get to his feet…Bastard back up…Stalker comes at him...MISSES WITH THE SIGN…Bastard with a series of leg kicks, Stalker dropped to one knee…Bastard CRACKS him with a hard right hand…Stalker drops the stop sign, Bastard grabs it…BLASTS STALKER IN THE HEAD WITH IT! Stalker back up on his feet staggering….Bastard off the ropes…VICIOUS CLOTHESLINE BY BASTARD!

DM: Everything Bastard does is just done so violently, he can knock you out with just about anything.

MN: But swinging for the fences on every shot can burn you out, if Stalker can weather this storm this kid might punch himself out.

DT: Bastard now grabs Stalker and pulls him to his feet…SUCKER BLAST SHORT ARM CLOTHESLINE! BASTARD WITH A COVER!

ONE!!

TWO!!

NO!!

DT: Stalker kicks out….Bastard STOMPS him in the ribs and another shot…Bastard now goes over to that trash can and pulls out a Kendo Stick! Bastard now WEARING STALKER OUT with shots to the back with that Kendo Stick! [Crowd buzzing!] Bastard cracks Stalker in the head…And again! NO! Stalker moved and the stick bounced back off the ropes and caught Bastard in the face…Bastard staggers…Stalker grabs him…ELEVATES BASTARD AND NAILS A SPINEBUSTER!! Both men down!!

DT: You know it’s never going to be easy with Stalker in that ring, you better be prepared to dish out and take an incredible beating if you want to win.

MN: Yeah, it’s one thing to look all dark and menacing and have your manager do all the talking for you because you’re just to violent to be bothered with it, it’s another thing to be in there with Stalker, this is a real test for Michael Bastard and I’m interested in seeing how he does.

DT: Stalker back to his feet, he rolls to the floor and grabs another chair…Back in the ring he sets the chair up…Stalker whips Bastard into the ropes…DROP TOE HOLD ON THE CHAIR!! [Crowd buzzes, groans!] STALKER WITH THE COVER!
ONE!!!

TWO!!!

THR—NO!

DT: Bastard showing his toughness there, I didn’t know if he’d have it in him to come back from a shot like that…Stalker not waiting a moment he’s already cleaning out the trash can and now he’s got a bag…And I think I know what’s in there.

MN: THUMBTACKS!

DT: Right you are Neely, Stalker now littering the mat with thumbtacks…He picks up Bastard…HIPTOSS...NO! Bastard blocks it and fires off a series of right hands…Bastard going for a hiptoss of his own…Stalker fighting it…Stalker with a shot to the throat makes Bastard grab at his neck…STALKER HIPTOSSES BASTARD INTO THE TACKS!!! [“E-P-Dub!” chant] Bastard thrashing around like he’s been electrocuted!


DM: He stepped up to the plate to take a Stalker’s rules match, now maybe he’s learning the price one pays when you accept that challenge.

MN: Stalker is the measuring stick of violence and brutality, and right now Bastard’s coming up short…

DT: Stalker with a DOUBLE STOMP TO THE GUT OF BASTARD DRIVING HIM BACK INTO THOSE TACKS!! Ahhhh…That’s hard to watch, Stalker with a cover!

ONE!!

TWO!!

THR—NO!!

MN: Wow, the kid wants more! Well I’m sure Stalker’s going to give it to him!

DT: Stalker gives the ref a quick look, and now he goes outside the ring…HE JUST SHOVED DOWN THE AMAZING LOGAN INT THE STEPS! He’s got Logan’s cane!

MN: Hey, just getting a weapon is fun, but TAKING it from someone is even better!

DT: Stalker back into the ring…GETS KICKED RIGHT IN THE HEAD BY BASTARD AS HE’S STEPPING THROUHG THE ROPES! Bastard now has the Cane…DRIVES it into Stalker’s gut! AND AGAIN!

DM: That cane has a metal tip on it, so he’s using it for all it’s worth on Stalker.

DT: Bastard backs off…BREAKS THE CANE OVER STALKER’S HEAD!! STALKER’S OUT! BASTARD WITH A COVER!!

ONE!!

TWO!!

THR—NO!!

DT: Oh that was close! How did Stalker get up from that?!

MN: Cause he’s Stalker, getting concussed is just another day at the office for him. You’re going to shoot him and then drive a stake through his heart to put him down!

DT: Bastard pulls Stalker to his feet…LIFTS HIM UP FOR A BASTARD DRIVER! NO! STALKER FLIPS OVER HIS BACK…EVENFLOW DDT!! HE CAUGHT BASTARD WITH IT!! BOTH MEN DOWN!

DM: Stalker out of desperation goes and gets that DDT that’ll lay out just about anyone, but does he have the strength left for a cover?!

DT: Stalker rolling away from Bastard, I don’t know if he’s got his wits about him now he finally sees Bastard and makes the cover!

ONE!!

TWO!!

THR—NO!!

DT: The delay costs Stalker as Bastard manages to kick out! Stalker to the outside…He’s got a table! Stalker sliding that table into the ring and now he’s setting it up…Stalker grabs Bastard and gives him a couple right hands to the gut…Stalker lifts Bastard and puts him on the top rope…Stalker now climbing the ropes…He’s looking to Superplex Bastard through that table…Bastard fighting him, two men now trading punches Stalker hooks him…Can’t get him up…BASTARD GETS STALKER UP!! DROPS HIM STOMACH FIRST OFF THE TOP THROUGH THE TABLE!!

DM: What a counter by Bastard, with a brutal front suplex off the top rope sending Stalker crashing to the mat.

DT: Bastard now over to that trash can, he’s…What is he doing?!

DM: I think he just duct taped a couple of ‘No Parking’ signs to his knees!

MN: He’s become a cyborg! He has bionic knees!

DT: That is what he did! Bastard now goes over and grabs Stalker…He gets a Thai Plum secured…BASTARD RIPPING TO STALKER’S BODY WITH KNEE AFTER KNEE!! These would be brutal shots even WITHOUT the metal augmenting the blows! Stalker practically out on his feet…OH WHAT A KNEE TO THE CHIN! AND ANOTHER! Bastard just hauling off and BLASTING Stalker…Stalker’s out on his feet, Bastard just keeping him up…TO UNLOAD ON HIM WITH ANOTHER BIONIC KNEE! Bastard scoops Stalker up…BASTARD DRIVER! HE PLANTED HIM!!

ONE!!

TWO!!!

THREE!!!

[Bell rings, MUSIC UP: “All Secrets Known” by Alice in Chains as Bastard gets to his feet, the crowd buzzing, some booing, some cheering.]

TF: Here is your winner…MICHAEL!!! BASTARD!!!

DT: What a huge win here to kick off Black Dawn for Michael Bastard, he went into the Lion’s Den and killed the lion! He’s beaten Stalker in a Stalker’s Rules match!

MN: I might just have to keep my eye on this kid. That was a hell of a win!


[Bastard and Logan head to the back, Logan yelling at the camera “Everyone, EVERYONE in the locker room needs to know, Michael Bastard is coming for them!”]

DT: More action on tap as Black Dawn Continues…

[The screen fades into a screen advertising upcoming house shows.]

 

[DBrunkGXW]

Hope Springs Less Than Eternal

DT: I've just gotten word that Shawn Hart has been attacked in the back! Let's get a camera there now!


[CUTTO: The First walking into the picture, Felicia kneeling over Shawn Hart with a couple of EMTs who are also looking over him]


FIRST: What the hell happened?!


FELICIA: You’re HONESTLY gonna ask me that?! You send your little lap dog Layne back here all full of rage and roids and now you’re playing dumb?


FIRST: What? Winters did this?! I haven’t seen him all night…


FELICIA: Enough! You two are so whacked out of your minds over big gold belts that you can’t tell right from wrong, and this right here is WRONG. But you can bet your pretty boy asses that me n’ big bro aren’t gonna let it slide!


FIRST: I…Didn’t do this…


FELICIA: Right. And I’m not the sweetest piece on the roster! Security! SECURITY! Get this guy out of here before he finishes the job!


[Security guards arrive.]


GUARD: We’re going to have to ask you to leave sir…


[First throws up his arms in frustration and starts walking away.]


FELICIA: You’re going down for this! You... and your little B[FCC]TCH too!! Uweee-heeee-heeee-heeee!!

[First shakes his head, then walks through the backstage area, until he gets to a room where Anarky is taping up his hands.]


FIRST: Hey, good luck out there tonight man…


ANARKY: Oh, hey, thanks, I appreciate it. I'm glad you can take some time out of your busy schedule talking about yourself and the EPW World Heavyweight Title to talk to us little folk. How did you even find this locker room? Did someone carry you to it?


Cause here I was thinking we were all in this together, but it turns out you're just another stupid f*ck who wants to use me as his mad dog to destroy Anthology. Well guess what... tonight, you get your wish. This is their last stand. And when it's over, and I've done what I've done... then I've repaid my debt... I will remember what you've done.


I'll remember that while you were busy failing, once again, to beat Stevens, I was out there fighting nobodies, destroying every hapless Anthology member so you could bring Shawn Hart to the main event with you. So Layne Winters can defend his TV title against all comers. And ol' Anarky? Eh, f*ck ol' Anarky, he's just a mad dog, what does he care...


Well f*ck you and f*ck HOPE, too. Without me you'd be nothing. Just three no-talent hacks who can't beat a small child. I'm the one you've been using the whole time... I'm the gun in your hand. And you don't even know it. All that power you feel... that's in your head. Cause it's in MY hands.


FIRST: Ugh, you too? I…didn’t even know that you were feeling mistreated…


ANARKY: Of course you didn't. You're too busy on the Feeling Sorry For Myself Express to give a f*ck what anybody else thinks. You think you're a f*cking hero? F*ck you. You're just a selfish little pr*ck who is concerned with one thing and one thing only: the EPW World Heavyweight Title. HOPE, Anthology, all this sh*t is just a ploy for you to get closer to your sweet, precious gold.


Well congratulations, First... tonight is your last night of freedom. Tonight, you go out there with Shawn and Layne and you all hug and you do your best to beat Sean Stevens.


Cause tomorrow... the veil of protective custody lifts, and on the other side is me. If you think it's hard to control me... if you think that you've had a heck of a time just trying to keep me from getting thrown out... just imagine how it is trying to prevent me from coming after you.


You win tonight? I'll be here. You lose tonight? I'll be here. Cause the sun will rise and your life is mine
now... I hope you enjoy this... cause this is literally the last f*cking worry-free second of your life. Tonight, you may be champion.


Tomorrow, you belong to me.


[Anarky stalks off, First shakes his head and lets out a deep breath as we FADEOUT.]

 

[DBrunkGXW]

Intercontinental Title #1 Contender's Match: Anarky vs. Fusenshoff

TF: The following contest is set for one fall, and is to decide the Number One Contender to the Empire Pro Wrestling INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPIONSHIP!!

Crowd: *pop*

TF: Introducing first…

[CUE UP: "More Human Than Human" by White Zombie. Anarky steps out to a chorus of boos, but he ignores them as he walks with calm determination towards the ring]

TF: Weighing two hundred and thirty one pounds, he hails from Hartford, Connecticut,

ANARKY!!

MN: My pick. Abandon HOPE all ye who challenge Anarky!

DT: I still can’t believe what we heard earlier between Anarky and The First. I thought HOPE was going to save EPW from Anthology’s dominance.

MN: Don’t be daft, Burgerman.

DM: I don’t think Anarky really cares about what he did but you know with Layne Winter’s temper and how unpredictable First’s been recently, anything could happen. Anarky might want to watch his back.

TF: And his opponent…

[CUE UP: “Wherever I May Roam” by Metallica. The crowd pop huge as Fusenshoff makes his way from behind the curtain, his eyes fixed on Anarky in the middle of the ring]

TF: Hailing from Kamloops, British Columbia in Canada, he weighs two hundred and sixty three pounds and is a former Empire Pro Wrestling Television Champion…

FUSENSHOFF!!

DT: It’s been a long time coming but Fusenshoff gets another chance to earn the right to face the Intercontinental Championship.

MN: Why? Didn’t he lose last time out?

DT: He and Michael Bastard may have lost to the Heirs of Wrestling, but Fusenshoff did damn well in the five way match to determine the number one contender, even surviving effectively a handicap match to narrowly miss out, and he beat the longest reigning Intercontinental Champion in Las Vegas, cleanly. I think he’s got what it takes to be a fine champion.

MN: If he can get past Anarky, which won’t happen.

[SFX: opening bell]

DT: Anarky and Fusenshoff in the middle of the ring, circling each other.

DM: There’s a lot at stake so I’d expect a bit of caution early on, but with Anarky you never know.

DT: Both men, collar and elbow in the centre of the ring, Fusenshoff with the weight advantage putting it to good use, but Anarky digs in his heels and throws Fuse back.

DM: Fuse may be bigger and stronger, but Anarky has experience. Plus a lower centre of gravity. He’s smart, for all his brawling.

DT: Fuse and Anarky back in a collar and elbow, Anarky with a knee to the gut. Right hand from Anarky, Irish whip, Fuse ducks under the wild clothesline, ducks another, SPEAR! Fusenshoff with a spear, and he’s raining right hands on Anarky, the former HOPE member didn’t count on this!

DM: Fusenshoff bringing Anarky back to his feet, getting an earful from the referee. He hooks Anarky, nice snap suplex.

DT: One!

Two!

Kickout from Anarky, but Fuse bringing him quick to his feet with a side headlock, but look at Anarky going straight with shots to the kidneys.

DM: He pushes Fuse off using the ropes and takes him down with a clothesline.

DT: Fuse rolls away as Anarky tries an elbow drop. Fuse with a forearm to the head as Anarky tries to get to his feet, Irish whip – and a big powerslam!

One!

Two!

MN: Way too early. Easy kickout by the ‘Narkster.

DT: Fuse definitely trying to bring this match to a swift end, a right to the temple of Anarky. Has him back to his feet, hooks the head - big vertical suplex! He brings Anarky back to his feet, side slam. Into the cover

One!

Two!

Another kickout.

DM: A nice string of offence early on but Anarky can take a lot of punishment.

DT: Fuse with the Irish whip far corner, charges in, Anarky side steps, Fuse puts on the breaks and an explosive powerslam of his own as Fuse turned around!

DM: Never write Anarky off. He’s got some of the most explosive strength you will ever see.

DT: But he’s not going for the cover, instead raining right hands down on Fuse.

MN: He has no HOOOOOOOPE!

DT: Who?

MN: Both men.

DT: Anarky with Fuse by the throat, lifting him to his feet, scoop and a slam.

One.

Kickout by Fuse.

DM: Anarky isn’t letting up. An elbow to the top of the head, hooks Fuse – back suplex, but Fuse kicks out of the cover again.

MN: Is it just me or is this match pretty slow so far?

DT: There’s a lot on the line, Mike, it’s not going to be all flippy and flashy.

MN: Boo!

DT: Anarky bringing Fuse back to his feet, rocks him with a right hand, but Fuse with a knee lift! Forearm uppercut, forces him back to the ropes with a kick to the gut, and a BIG clothesline sends Anarky to the outside!

DM: I don’t know how smart it is to let Anarky outside. He’s proficient with almost everything out there.

DT: Anarky quickly back to his feet, grabs Fuse by the ankle and drags him outside. Right hand by Anarky, Fuse fires back, knee lift by Anarky and he shoves Fuse back into the barrier!

MN: It’s breaking down. Thumb to the eye by ‘Nark, smashes Fuse’s face off the steel, and drives him back against the ring post. Nice.

DM: Anarky throwing Fuse back into the ring, and a targeted knee to the small of the back.

DT: It’s been back and forth action in the early going, Fuse kicking out again at the one count.

DM: Anarky grabbing the leg of Fuse, and a headbutt? To the side of the knee?

DT: It’s a weird move.

DM: I’ll say, but then again, Anarky isn’t a typical technician. And he’s got a hard head.

MN: I know. It took him long enough to dump HOPE like the crap-fest they are.

DT: Anarky slowing the pace down again, targeting the knee of Fusenshoff. Kicks on the side of the knee from Anarky, and he is really going to town there.

DM: Anarky throwing the knee into the canvas.

DT: And another knee to the back.

MN: All over. Anarky wins, let’s just move on with the show.

DT: Anarky with the cover, but Fuse quickly kicks out again. Anarky bringing Fuse back up to his feet, slugs him with a right. He’s got him backed up against the ropes, kick to the gut, and a big swinging neckbreaker on the former TV champ!

DM: It’s only been a couple of minutes but Anarky really is starting to pull away.

DT: He’s not trying the cover though, instead throwing Fuse through the ropes. Anarky following him, clubbing axe handle to the back and a headbutt to the kidneys.

MN: I’m definitely liking the new attitude he’s got. HOPEless.

DT: How long do we have to put up with these jokes?

MN: Oh, quite a while.

DT: Sigh. Anarky with another right hand to Fuse, hooks the head, could be a DDT – but Fuse blocks it! Fuse holding on to the barricade, Anarky spotted it and rattles him with another clubbing blow, but Fuse with a shot to the abdomen. Anarky not fazed, right hand to the face, Fuse fires back with one of his own. Anarky, Fuse, Anarky – blocked! Fuse with a flurry of right hands!

DM: They’ve got to be careful about the count.

DT: Fusenshoff with a knee to the gut, grabs Anarky and hurls him shoulder first into the barricade!

DM: The count! It’s eight!

DT: Fuse must’ve heard you. I thought that count was a little quick but Fusenshoff breaks it. Back outside, Anarky’s back to his feet but Fuse with a kick to the gut and another to the face, and an atomic drop on the outside.

DM: Hooking the head, and a very nice bulldog on that thin padding.

MN: Dean, I’ve been meaning to ask for years – does the outside really hurt more than the ring?

DM: There’s a bit more padding on the outside but it’s going straight onto the floor, usually cement. So, yes, the outside does hurt more, it’s one of the reasons for my knees being so bad.

DT: Fuse again interrupting the count, hooks Anarky’s head – hard side Russian legsweep!

MN: Ouch! Did you see ‘Nark’s head snap off the floor?

DM: Fusenshoff dragging Anarky back to his feet, rolls him back inside. Anarky holding his head, Fuse comes in and an elbow from the second rope.

DT: One.

Two!

Kickout by Anarky. Fusenshoff fighting back and seizing control with authority.

MN: He won’t keep it.

DT: I don’t know, Mike. Fuse grabbing Anarky, backbreaker. Turns Anarky over, and into a camel clutch, but Anarky fights out quickly with elbows to the jaw.

DM: But Fuse does the right thing. Instead of trying to get away, jumps up and drops his weight on Anarky’s back.

DT: But he’s not going back to the camel clutch attempt. Instead, he’s got Anarky up, shoves him back into the corner, and a driven shoulder to the ribs. Bringing Anarky out of the corner with a snap-mare, a knee to the back, off the ropes – misses the big boot!

MN: Anarky rolling to the outside, smart man, smart man.

DT: He’s holding his back and ribs. Fusenshoff following him outside, Anarky spots him and he’s already back in the ring.

DM: And you see why he’s such a smart brawler. If that even makes sense.

DT: Fusenshoff cut off as he tried to get back in the ring, Anarky with a very quick boot to the face and he follows it up by smashing his knee into Fuse’s left knee, and a knee to the head.

DM: It’s been a high impact match so far. You kind of expected it with these two, but I’m surprised it’s not degenerated as much as I thought it would.

MN: What do you mean?

DM: I thought with these two it’d be hard for the ref to not throw it out. They really tore into each other in the build-up and both’re known for brawling.

DT: Anarky is also known for heavy hitting, and that’s what he’s doing with those mounted punches. The ref manages to get him to stop – or not!

DM: He’s always had a temper.

DT: He’s running the risk of being disqualified!

MN: No! Don’t get DQ’d you HOPEless moron!

DT: He’s finally stopped. I sometimes wonder if he uses his fists so much because he wants time to consider whether to use another wrestling move.

DM: Could be. He’s got Fusenshoff up, scoops him – backbreaker. Both men have attacked the other’s back and ribs, Anarky going after the knee too.

DT: Especially with that nice switch from the backbreaker to a knee breaker. Cover

One

Two!

Kickout by Fuse.

MN: As if that’s gonna stop Anarky. Just gives him more excuses to hurt you., Loafy Two.

DT: What?

MN: His new nickname.

DT: Sigh. Anarky with Fuse backed up in the corner, connecting with elbows to the side of the head. Switches track, grabs the leg and stretches it round the second rope – oh come on!

MN: I love this HOPEless guy! Hammering away on the knee as he stretches it out.

DM: I’ll admit it’s a nice move, holding Fusenshoff’s ankle with his own leg so he can lean back and get a full punch in.

MN: Maybe I should call Fuse Loafy Junior? Lil’ Loafy?

DT: Anarky getting another earful from the ref, but he’s right back at the knee. Breaks the hold at the count of four. Look at him, he doesn’t care about the ref’s authority!

MN: Just because he told him it was a one count.

DT: Anarky moving back in, but Fuse with a left forearm! Anarky rocked, moves back in, another forearm! Anarky moves in a third time, Fuse with a fist to the ribs, elbow to the back, hooks the head – TORNADO DDT! TORNADO DDT!

DM: But he can’t go for the cover.

DT: Anarky’s been hitting the knee hard, Fuse gets an arm over, into the cover

TWO!

Shoulder up by Anarky.

DM: Fusenshoff is holding the knee, but takes Anarky down with a shortarm clothesline. Brings him back up again, Irish whip – into the tilt-a-whirl slam!

DT: ONE!

TWO!!

No. No, I thought he had him. Fuse with Anarky by the hair, but Anarky shuts him down with a kick to the knee.

DM: Anarky takes Fusenshoff over with a vertical suplex.

DT: One!

TWO!

No! No. I thought he might have had it, Anarky hooked the stronger leg but Fuse able to kick out with his upper body strength.

MN: Strong body odor.

DM: You’re like Homer Simpson. You get dumber every time we’re on air.

MN: Yeah, well… your Mom!

DT: While the kids play, Anarky is trying to choke the life out of Fuse! He breaks it at four and a half, and kicks the former TV champ out of the ring.

MN: And yet the people boo him! He’s successful, talented, and showed he doesn’t need losers backing him up, and yet they boo.

DT: I don’t think anyone can dispute Anarky’s talent, but his methods and his attitude are atrocious.

DM: And he doesn’t seem to care if the fans boo him either so your point’s moot, Mike.

DT: Fusenshoff slow to get back to his feet as Anarky continues showboating in the middle of the ring – no, he’s seen Fuse.

DM: Anarky with a grin on his lips, what’s he planning?

MN: HE’S SAFE!

DT: And he might have knocked out a few teeth! Anarky with a baseball slide, and Fuse went head first into the barricade.

MN: That could cause brain damage. Except when Fuse is involved. He’s so pickled his brain’s already gone.

DT: Anarky being admonished by the ref, but he’s ignoring it. Heading outside, this is where Anarky is most dangerous. He’s stalking Fuse – and he clips the knee!

DM: Fusenshoff’s a big man, a strong man, so this is a good idea.

DT: Anarky stomping away on the knee, and drives it into the arena floor. Picking up Fuse, his knee’s gotta be hurting. Anarky rolls him back inside, the cover

One!

Two!

Shoulder up by Fusenshoff. Anarky doesn’t look all that upset by that.

MN: He wants to prove that Fuse is all talk, just like most everyone else Anarky’s beaten. And he enjoys hurting people. He’s cool like that.

DT: Anarky hooking Fusenshoff by the head, fisherman’s suplex blocked! Anarky with a shot to the back, tries for a fisherman’s but it’s blocked again! Anarky, Irish whip far side, Fuse ducks the clothesline, flying shoulder tackle! Anarky is down, Fusenshoff’s not able to capitalize.

DM: Anarky’s the first to his feet, but Fuse with a headbutt to the ribs, shot to the jaw – Anarky with a thumb to the eye.

DT: Anarky pushing Fusenshoff to the ropes. Irish whip, reversed, UP and over but Anarky lands on his feet!

MN: Right hand by Anarky, no!

DT: Fusenshoff with a forearm smash, and Anarky off the apron into the barricade. Fuse by the HOLY COW!!

DM: I thought it’d take something big to turn the tide.

DT: Fusenshoff with a rope-assisted dive onto Anarky, and both men spill into the crowd!

MN: That was stupid!

DT: The ref quickly over to check on both men, security are clearing some space to keep the fans safe. Anarky somehow caught Fusenshoff but he couldn’t keep his balance and they… toppled into the crowd.

DM: I don’t even want to guess who came off worse there. Fuse may have hurt his knee on the landing, but Anarky went back first into the barricade and almost bent in two, it’s the same thing which ultimately caused Rick Rude to retire from the ring.

DT: Well, Fuse is certainly moving first, forcing his way past the ref and nailing Anarky with a right hand. He climbs over the barricade, bringing Anarky with him, back suplex on the back of the neck on the floor.

DM: I think whichever of these men goes for the Intercontinental Championship is in for a lot of pain, Anarky has taken apart Fuse’s knee with a lot of high impact blows but his back might be gone.

DT: Anarky trying to crawl to his feet, Fuse follows him – thumb to the eye from Anarky as Fuse tried to pick him up. Irish whip, but Fuse reverses and it’s Anarky back first into the steel steps!

DM: And Fusenshoff following it up with a suplex on the floor. A lot of offence, targeting the back.

DT: Fusenshoff dragging Anarky to his feet, he throws him into the ring. Following him back in, drops the knee!

One!

TWO!

Kickout by Anarky, that had to hurt as he twisted his back to get the shoulder up.

DM: No doubt.

DT: Fusenshoff with Anarky, slams him down by the corner. Climbs the ropes, pumps a fist to the fans – SPLASH from the second rope!

One!

TWO!!

THRE NO! Kickout, barely, by Anarky there! Two quick kickouts just have to hurt.

MN: And now what’s that drunkard doing?

DT: Fusenshoff bringing Anarky to his feet, he’s signaling for The Domination! Standing headscissors, lifts him up

DM: But Anarky with thunderous right hands as he’s on Fuse’s shoulders!

MN: And his knee’s given out! Ha!

DT: Anarky lands on Fuse, and finally lets up with those fists by using the point of his elbow. Slowly brings Fusenshoff to his feet, Irish whip into the corner. Anarky holding his back, stomps the knee of Fuse. He sets Fuse up on the top rope, his back’s straining you can see. Hooks the head, but Fuse blocks the superplex attempt! Anarky with a clubbing blow to the back, Fuse won’t let go of the rope!

DM: Anarky hammering away at the jaw of Fuse, but Fuse blocks! Fusenshoff with a right hand of his own, and shoves Anarky away!

MN: But Anarky lands on his feet.

DT: Fusenshoff trying to get to the top rope, Anarky dives in – crotches him!

MN: No little Drunkard Loafies running around any time soon.

DT: Anarky back to the second rope with Fuse, hooks the head, the fans on their feet – he flips him off?

DM: Anarky yelling something at Fusenshoff

DT: Anarky telling him it’s over, HURRICANRANA BLOCKED!! FUSENSHOFF WITH A POWERBOMB OUT OF THE CORNER AS ANARKY WENT FOR A HIGH RISK MOVE!

MN: YOU IDIOT!!

DT: Anarky landed hard, Hoff though not able to make the cover.

DM: I think he twisted his knee as he landed the powerbomb.

MN: Thank the Gods!

DT: Anarky is out in the middle of the ring, Fusenshoff trying to sort his knee out, he’s hurting, trying to use the ropes to stand.

DM: Anarky isn’t moving, Fusenshoff realizes it. The cover.

DT: One!!

TWO!!!

THREE

NO!! No no no no no! How on Earth did he kickout of that, I thought he was done.

DM: Fusenshoff couldn’t get the cover done quickly enough or properly, his knee’s bothering him too much.

DT: This has been a high impact match, the fans are deflated after Anarky kicked out. Fusenshoff with Anarky by the hair, Irish whip into the corner. The Hoff follows him as slowly, he’s limping pretty badly, but a right hand to the jaw. Snap mare out of the corner, elbow drop.

One!

TWO!

Kickout again by Anarky! Fuse looks dejected in there, he’s in a real fight, look at the bruises showing on his face.

DM: He’s heading back to the corner, this might not be such a good idea. Slowly climbs to the second rope – yup, Anarky’s caught him. I thought he would.

DT: Anarky was just a bit quicker there, and manages to hit a couple of boots to the injured knee of Fusenshoff. Fuse sitting on the top rope, Anarky brings him back down – and he’s biting him!!

MN: All’s fair in love and war.

DT: This is neither, Mike, there are rules against biting here!

MN: Maybe he’s gotten hungry? He’s been out here a while now.

DT: Anarky spits in the face of Fusenshoff, hooks the head – CHAOS BREAKER!! CHAOS BREAKER!

MN: HA!! ANARKY WINS AGAIN!!

DT: The cover, doesn’t hook the leg

One!!

TWO!!

THREE!! THREE!! DAMN!!

DM: Look again.

MN: NO!!

DT: YES! Fusenshoff with his foot on the bottom rope! How on earth did he manage that?!

DM: You weren’t watching, were you?

DT: Anarky is furious!

DM: He should be. If he’d hit that move a few inches further into the ring, it’d be over, but Fusenshoff on instinct knew where the ropes were.

DT: Anarky is berating the ref, but there was nothing wrong with the count. The ref explaining he saw the foot on the rope as he made the three, the count stands at two.

DM: Anarky better be careful here, he’s right in the ref’s face.

DT: He’s forced the ref back into the corner! The ref trying to tell him it was two, two. Anarky raising his fist at the ref

ONE!!

TWO!!

THRENO!! Fusenshoff almost stole it with a schoolboy , I think he’d’ve had it if it weren’t for the ref still backing away from Anarky when he scored with the roll up!

DM: Anarky back to his feet quickly, lunges at Fuse who side steps, hooks the waist…

DT: GERMAN SUPLEX!

ONE!!

TWO!!!

THREEEEENO!!!! No!! Anarky this time using the ropes, got a hand out to them!

MN: Phew!

DT: Fusenshoff looking to press his advantage. He’s calling for Domination!

DM: Can his knee sustain it?

DT: Standing headscissors, goes no, back reversal!

ONE!

TWO!!

Oh! So close! Anarky with a bridging pin attempt! Right hand by Anarky, knee to the gut, small package

TWO!

Kickout by Fuse again!

MN: Don’t lose your cool, champ-to-be, you’ve got him.

DT: Anarky is beside himself, he’s thrown almost everything he has at Fusenshoff and it hasn’t paid off. Not even the Chaos Breaker could keep Fusenshoff down! He’s got him up again, going for the Chaos Breaker, Fuse fights out, kick to the gut, WHISKEY BOMB BLOCKED! Anarky moves out of the way, hooks the head, suplex NO! Fuse with a reverse DDT!

ONE!!!

TWO!!!!

THRNO!! Hell no say Anarky! After all the punishment these two have thrown at each other it is STILL not over!

DM: Fuse rolling to the ropes, he’s trying to get to his feet, his knee is probably screaming at him.

DT: He’s carefully putting his weight on that injured leg. Moves back towards Anarky, Anarky with a thumb to the eye, hooks the head, PILEDRIVER!!

ONE!!

TWO!!

NO! NO!! FUSENSHOFF STILL KICKS OUT!!

MN: JUST DIE DAMMIT!!

DT: Fusenshoff will not die!

DM: But Anarky won’t quit either.

DT: Anarky bringing Fusenshoff back to his feet, kicks out the knee. Forearm to the back of the head, off the ropes – running lariat!!

One!!

Two!!

And another close call, another narrow escape!!

MN: This has got to end soon!

DT: Anarky breathing heavily, holding his back, he picks Fusenshoff up again, Fuse with a right hand, shut down with another shot to the knee

MN: CHAOS BREAKER!! CHAOS BREAKER!!!

DT: Anarky hits the Chaos Breaker a second time!

ONE!!

TWO!!

THREE!! NO!! NO!! FUSE GETS THE SHOULDER UP!!

DM: LISTEN TO THESE FANS!!

MN: ANARKY! COME ON!!

DT: Anarky is furious, he grabs Fusenshoff, has him in position – CHAOS BREAKER!! CHAOS BREAKER!!

MN: THIS HAS TO DO IT!!

DT: ONE!!!



TWO!!!



THREE!! THREE!! ANARKY HAS DONE IT BUT BY GOD DID HE HAVE TO WORK FOR IT!!

[SFX: bell ringing]

TF: The winner of the match, by pinfall, and NEW… number one contender to the Intercontinental Championship…

ANARKY!!

 

[DBrunkGXW]

EPW Television Title Match: Layne Winters (c) vs. Karl Brown vs. Erik Black

[CUT-TO: The broadcast table where we see none other than the storied announce team of Dave Thomas, Dean Matthews and Mike Neely, the former two jumping with jubilation in their seats for this occasion while Mike Neely looks pissed as usual.]

DT: Ladies and gentlemen, thank you all so much for being apart of the 2010 edition of EPW’s Black Dawn and what a hell of a night we’ve seen so far. We’ve seen Michael Bastard and Stalker go to utter war while Anarky and Fusenshoff slugged it out in a classic.

DM: Up next, Layne Winters, as a result of the events of the last Aggression, is now putting up his EPW Television Title on the line against not one, but two of EPW’s finest. On one side, “Dopesmoker” Erik Black has come within an EYELASH of winning the title on several occasions and may be looking to finally break through. And on the other, “The Dragon” Karl Brown is looking to add another piece of gold to his already stellar collection. He, too, came within a mere second of winning the title from Layne Winters, who retained on a disqualification…

MN: HEY, HEY, HEY! He was pretty much fed to the wolves! His own stablemates were preoccupied with their own messes and The Fallen did a number on him. No one man can break the “New School” down, so that’s why we’re even HAVING this match! Dan Ryan’s too busy laying the proverbial pipe to this guy, so the odds are clearly NOT in Layne Winters’ favor.

DT: That colorful tirade notwithstanding, you’re very much right about the odds. Layne doesn’t even need to be pinned to lose the match. That being said, let’s go to ringside!

[We see several shows of the camera panning through the crowd, drawing cheers and people holding up signs. After a moment the bell rings, drawing another pop.]

TF: The following triple threat match is scheduled for one fall and is for the EPW Television Championship! Introducing first…

[The lights cut out seconds before “Rainmaker” blasts over the PA. As soon as the guitars kick in, green and white lights flash around the arena. “The Dragon” steps out from behind the curtain as the lyrics kick in, taking a quick look around the arena before walking to the ring, high-fiving fans and signing the occasional autograph. When he reaches the ring, he vaults over the top rope and stands on the middle rope, pointing out at and saluting the fans. On special occasions his entrance is largely the same, except for the use of fireworks when he steps from behind the curtain, and flames shooting up into the air from the corners as he stands on the second rope.]

TF: First, the challengers… currently in the ring, from Nottingham, England, weighing in at 211 pounds… <b>KARL “THE DRAGON” BROWN!</B>

DT: And here we go! Karl Brown, one of the most respected athletes in EPW history, looking to add the Television Title to his collection of accolades. .

MN: Hey, hey, hey! Layne Winters has been the TV Champion for almost an entire year! You can’t discount him.

[CUE UP: “Holy Mountain” by Sleep. Brown turns his attention from the referee over to the entrance, as “DOPESMOKER” ERIK BLACK emerges and starts striding down the rampway with a big, cocky smile on his face In his hand is none other than his Fallen brethren, Omega’s precious prize… BARB.]
TF: Next, making his way to the ring, from Indianapolis, Indiana, weighing in at 218 pounds… this is <B> “DOPESMOKER” ERIK BLACK!</B>

[Climbing into the ring, he smirks, keeping hold of Barb the entire time.]

DT: This is a man that’s seen quite the metamorphosis in the last several months ever since aligning himself with Stalker and Omega. He’s claimed that lately, his MO is about total destruction of anybody laid out in front of him. And with his current state of mind, he could very well do it.

DM: Can he even bring Barb out here? Can he do that?

MN: NO! GET THAT DAMN THING OUT OF THERE… AND MAKE HIM TAKE BARB WITH HIM! HI-YO!

[The two competitors glare at one another before turning their attention back to the entryway.

[CUE UP: “I Don’t Know Anything” by Mad Season. A decidedly negative reaction resonates through the crowd as “New School” Layne Winters’ HOPE video package plays on the EmpireTron.]

TF: And finally, making his way to the ring from Seattle, Washington... weighing in at two-hundred and fifty pounds... he is the REIGNING EPW TELEIVISION CHAMPION...

“NEW SCHOOL...”

LLLLAAAAAAYYYYYNNNNEEEE WWWWIIIIIINNNNTTTEEERRRSS!!!

SFX: *PYRO!!*

[As the lyrics kick in, “NEW SCHOOL” LAYNE WINTERS storms out onto the stage, posing briefly with the TV Title to the sea of jeering fans before making his way down to the ring.]

DT: And here comes the man of the hour himself. Layne Winters, by hook or by crook, made it out of New Mexico with the TV Title intact, but now he’s got his proverbial back against the wall against a perennial rival in DOPESMOKER while Karl Brown has made it his intent to wrestle the title away.

DM: The referee now calling for the bell to start this match… he’s holding up that EPW Television Title, which has been worn by many great champions in the past, including Fusenhoff and “The Phenom” Shawn Hart. Can either Erik Black or Karl Brown include their names on that list or will Layne Winters walk out of here?

MN: Wait, wait, wait… WHY does that stupid referee not take away Barb from him? This is a WRESTLING match! This isn’t under Stalker’s rules!

[Both Winters and Brown gesture to the referee, yelling for him to make Erik Black do away with Barb [although Winters’ choice of words is a little more colorful than that of the respectful Dragon] He shakes his head and explains the rules to both of them. While this goes on, Erik Black has a confident look on his face.]

DT: Wait, the referee is going to let this go? How could he condone this?

[He starts off the match the only way that Erik Black truly can…

CRACK!

Shot to the stomach to Layne Winters! And CRACK! A stiff shot over to Karl Brown! He raises Barb in the air to a very mixed reaction from the crowd.]

MN: Hey! I may not personally like this guy, but it’s a TRIPLE THREAT, genius! There’s no DQ and no count-outs! He’s playing the system!

DT: It’s still dishonest! Erik Black is better than this, he doesn’t need Barb to get it done in that ring.

[Ignoring Thomas’ pleas for reason, DOPESMOKER stands over both Winters and Layne, taking turns delivering boots to both men, getting the action started quickly. He drives Barb right into the rib cage of Winters repeatedly until he sees the Dragon beginning to stir. Running at him with a punt kick to the chest, The Dragon goes skittering across the ring!]

DM: You’re right, Dave. Erik Black’s change over the last couple weeks really has seen him act in a new light. He’s almost enjoying doling out this punishment to both Winters and Brown!

[Throwing Barb down at his side, he throws The Dragon into the ropes and starts choking the life out of him with his boot. The referee is again, helpless to look on and count a fall or submission since he couldn’t be DQed or counted out. Smirking with the match well in hand, the unpredictable Black continues to rain down the fists in the corner before launching him across the ring with an Irish whip. He follows the Dragon in with a STIFF Running Forearm shot in the corner!

Out of the corner of his eye, he sees Layne Winters coming around, so he runs to the corner and BLASTS him with a pair of knees to the gut that would make Tony Jaa proud!]

DT: He’s going to town on both Winters and Brown, who are both still trying to shake off the effects of the beatdown from Barb! He’s really dancing around the rules tonight!

DM: And there’s nothing the referee or his opponents can do about it. He can do whatever he wants in the confines of the match!

[And he goes right back on the attack, but Karl Brown gets a jawbreaker in, stunning Erik for a moment. He runs to the ropes, but the DOPESMOKER stops him in his tracks with a swift kick to the stomach, followed by a Crescent Kick to the jaw! With the offense firmly in hand for the course of this match, he takes hold of Barb again, begging for him to get up.]

MN: Okay, he’s gonna earn a couple more cool points if he beats him senseless with that chair!

DT: And here comes Erik Black back on the assault swing… AND A MISS!

DM: OOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHH! But Layne Winters sure didn’t!

[Tired of being outplayed by the Escape Artist, Layne Winters CRACKS him right in the back of the skull with the Television Title belt. Seeing that turnaround was fair play, the fans jeered the New School who simply tossed the belt back to the referee, threatening to do something to his ass involving a boot.

With Black incapacitated, he takes full advantage of the downed Dragon in the corner, pummeling him about the head with several fists in the corner.]

Crowd: WHOO!

WHOO!

WHOO!

WHOO!

WHOO!

DT: Those Knife-Edge Chops working over Karl Brown, who has really yet to get out of the box between Erik Black’s assault and Layne Winters’s cutthroat nature!

[He kisses a fist before driving it right between the eyes of the England native, dropping him to the mat like a sack of potatoes. Kneeling over, Layne goes for the first cover of the match.]

ONE!

TWO!

NO!

[Karl fires a shoulder up, which only incenses the New School to go get back at him with a barrage of right hands.]

LW: STAY DOWN, YOU LIMEY ****!

MN: TAKE THE FIGHT TO HIM, WINTERS! RETAIN YOUR GOLD AGAIN!

[Whipping him to the ropes, he waits for the rebound, but Karl shows incredible athleticism, rolling right over his back and landing on his feet. Winters turns around, only to be greeted with a big Dropkick to the face! He gets right back up in a daze, only to be put down by a Clothesline from the Dragon. He tries for an Irish whip of his own and tries to toss Winters outside the ring, but Winters hops over the rope, landing on his feet.

He goes low, trying to hit a shoulder block on the Dragon, but Karl wisely gets a knee to the face! Effectively stunned, he leaps to the second ropes and hits an Ohtani-esque Springboard Dropkick to Winters, sending him out to the floor!]

DT: And what a Springboard Dropkick from Karl Brown! He doesn’t look like he’s missed a step since coming back to EPW.

MN: Whatever, he’s got so much rust in that ring, he makes the Tin Man look like a brand new Ferrari.

DM: Karl Brown’s got the momentum… WAIT, HERE COMES ERIK BLACK FROM BEHIND!

[Sure enough, before The Dragon can get any sort of a reprieve, he gets pulled down to the mat out of nowhere, courtesy of a Flying Neckbreaker from the Escape Artist. With the match back on his side, he goes to the outside where he starts to rain down a series of vicious kicks and punches to the TV Champion.]

DT: I’m noticing something as the match has been going on. On several occasions now, Erik Black has had opportunities to go for a cover.

DM: You’re right. It’s almost like he’s coming out here with full intent to hurt one or both of these guys—almost ahead of winning.

MN: Hey, if you’re gonna make a statement, beat people with everything not nailed down… hell, do it WITH things that are nailed down! That works sometimes!

[Both men think the exact same idea, hitting each other with stereo Clotheslines, both men falling on the floor outside. Back inside the ring, the Dragon is the first to stir as he sees both of his opponents laid out on the outside. Looking out to the sea of roaring fans, the usually grounded technician decides to give them their money’s worth by hopping on the second rope and flying to the outside with a Cross Body that hits BOTH Winters and Black!]

Crowd: RAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!

DM: And this crowd is on their feet from this action! I can’t believe the risks that Karl Brown is willing to go through in order to get that Television Title!

DT: He’s said it himself on multiple occasions. There’s nothing he won’t do to walk out of here as the champion!

MN: How about you guys quit sucking him off and help me on commentary here! How about that?!

[Karl is the first of the three to get to his feet with Winters and Black both not too far behind. The Dragon grabs Winters by the tights, but the New School quickly claws an eye before SMACKING him head-first onto the apron. Rolling him underneath the ropes, he turns his attention over to Black.]

DT: BELLY-TO-BELLY SUPLEX ON THE FLOOR! That had to take the wind out of his sails!

MN: Sure enough! Layne Winters has this match in hand! He’s got both guys back in that ring now and he’s ready to show them why he’s had that title since last July!

[Winters, with a cocksure smile on his face, starts climbing onto the apron, ready to dole out some more punishment to both his challengers…]

Crowd: OOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

DM: What the hell?! It’s Shawn Hart! What’s Shawn Hart doing out here?

DT: Payback!

[Sure enough, the injured, but infinitely more pissed EPW Intercontinental Champion pulls Layne Winters off the apron and spins him around before DRIVING him right into the mat with the Diamond Cutter aka The Hart-On!]

MN: DEAR GOD, WHY! SHAWN HART JUST CAME OUT HERE, ROUGHED UP LAYNE WINTERS AND GAVE HIM A HART-ON!

DT: …

DM: …

MN: …WELL?! SOMEBODY, DERIDE HIS ACTIONS! BOOHISSSHAWNHART!

[Looking down at the fallen Layne Winters, he nods in approval and blows a snot rocket on his own [ex?]stablemate before walking back up the ramp, still clutching his arm from the beating that he’d received from earlier in the night.]

DT: I can’t believe this! If HOPE wasn’t coming apart at the seams before, they sure are now!

DM: Shawn Hart heading back behind the curtain, but look!

[Back in the ring, The Dragon ties up Erik Black in a Small Package.]

ONE!

TWO!

THRR… NO!

DT: VERY close! Karl Brown and Erik Black now coming around after the damage that’d be done to both of them by Layne Winters, who may not be able to get BACK into this match!

[The Dragon goes right to work on the DOPESMOKER, kicking him with several shots to the leg before striking him with a volley of stiff forearm shots. He goes for a whip to the corner, but Erik Black cuts on the brakes and tosses him instead. With Brown firmly perched into the corner, the Escape Artist runs at his target looking for another striking move, but he gets a pair of feet up! Hooking him in the corner, he leaps out, connecting with the Diamond Dust!]

ONE!

TWO!

TH… NO!

DT: SO close, but Erik Black just will not give up! This is the most resilient and violent I think we’ve ever seen him!

[The Dragon remains undeterred in his quest for the EPW Television Championship as he tries to go for another move. Karl Brown goes to the corner and leaps to the second rope, looking for something big, but Black stops him just short, courtesy of a sucker punch to the chest. Grabbing him by the leg, he THROWS him out of the corner, sending him crashing to the mat.

Measuring him up for another assault, he pummels Karl Brown with a series of fists and kicks before starting to work him over about the head with rights. Kneeling over the head of The Dragon, Erik Black continues to rain down the blows to the top of the skull for a moment. After he lets go, the Dragon suddenly comes around and ties him up with an Inside Cradle!]

ONE!

TWO!

THR… NO!

DM: And there’s the cunning of Karl Brown coming into play. Even when he’s on the ground, he’s thinking a step ahead of his opponent!

[Karl Brown rolls to his feet to try and get momentum going, stunning the DOPESMOKER with several Knife-Edge Chops to the chest. He boots him in the chest and rolls off the ropes, but Erik Black catches him with a Fireman’s Carry…]

DT: STEAMROLLER! Erik Black caught him with the Steamroller and now he’s down and out! Erik Black with the lateral press!

ONE!

TWO!

THR… NO!

MN: Damn these two! And Layne Winters is still out on the outside, courtesy of Shawn Hart! These two are trying to win Winters’ TV Title and he may not even be involved! I call BS!

DT: That’s what this match IS!

DM: And now, Erik Black putting the boots to The Dragon. He’s got something big in mind here as he goes to the top rope!

[With back fully turned to the downed Karl Brown, The DOPESMOKER starts to ascend the top rope while the crowd buzzes, waiting to see what happens next. He gets a foot on the top when he feels a loud shot connect with the small of his back!

Karl Brown is also on the second rope right behind Black, looking to try and suplex him off the top. As the crowd looks on with suspense, Black throws an elbow backwards, hitting him right in the jaw. He tries to free himself, but the Dragon fires back with another clubbing shot to the head. Effectively stunning him, he hooks both arms, but when he looks down, he feels a pair of arms wrap around his own waist…]]

CROWD: HOLY SHI*T! HOLY SHI*T! HOLY SHI*T! HOLY SHI*T!

DT: I DON’T BELIEVE THIS!

DM: LAYNE WINTERS GOT BACK INTO THE RING AND JUST GERMAN SUPLEXED KARL BROWN WHILE HE HIT THE DRAGON WINS!

MN: HE’S BACK! LAYNE WINTERS IS BACK TO SLAY THESE TWO PRETENDERS!

[All three men are down and out on the mat as the fans give them a huge ovation. On the far side of the ring, Erik Black has collapsed into a heap, taking such a deadly move. Not too far off was Karl Brown, looking up at the ceiling lights wondering what the hell just happened. And still shaking off the effects of eating a Diamond Cutter from Shawn Hart, Layne Winters takes a reprieve, not letting either of his challengers out of his sight. He gets back to his feet and pummels both Black and Brown with a boots to each men’s sternum, wanting to punish them further. He picks Erik Black up first and drills him with a series of rights, then buries a knee right into the stomach before lifting him up and DRIVING him down across the knee with a picture-perfect Pendulum Backbreaker!]

DT: And this is a part of what makes Layne Winters so dangerous! He’s very methodical in his movement, and I’m thinking here, he’s making a statement the title is his!

DM: OOOH! Karl Brown caught Layne Winters with the dropkick, sending the TV Champion back into the ropes! Brown goes to the ropes…

MN: NO! LAYNE WINTERS CAUGHT HIM WITH THE OVERHEAD BELLY-TO-BELLY INTO THE TURNBUCKLE!

[The Dragon gets folded like an accordion, satisfying the TV Champ greatly. Grabbing him by the arm and dragging him over, he cradles the dead weight into a pin, pressing the body weight on top of Brown!]

ONE!

TWO!

SAVE BY BLACK!

DT: Black with the Dropkick to the face of Layne Winters, saving the match for himself!

MN: No, no, no! That freak screwed him out of the title!

DM: Wow, we know who you’re rooting for, eh, Neely?

[Erik Black tries to capitalize on a move, but Layne Winters goes low and picks a leg, attacking him with a Chop Block. Turning his attention back to The Dragon, he goes for an Irish Whip, but The Dragon somehow has the wherewithal to put on the brakes and send him into the corner. He runs at him and BLASTS him with a big Forearm Smash in the corner! But before too long…

DT: WHAT A RUNNING DROPKICK TO THE BACK OF THE HEAD! AND NOW, LAYNE WINTERS IN TROUBLE!

DM: BARB! HE’S GOT BARB AGAIN AND HE JUST SMASHED WINTERS IN THE HEAD!

MN: NO, NO! WHAT’S BLACK DOING NOW?

[While the tide has firmly been turned, the DOPESMOKER now has Layne Winters trapped in the center of the ring with a submission attempt, pulling back on the head of Layne Winters, wedging Barb between them.]

DM: THAT’S THE COTTONMOUTH!

DT: HE’S GOT THAT SUBMISSION LOCKED IN AND HE’S USING BARB TO AMPLIFY THE DAMAGE! THERE’S NO WAY THAT LAYNE WINTERS WILL NOT TAP!

MN: DON’T TAP! DON’T TAP, DON’T TAP! YOU CAN BEAT HIM, LAYNE! YOU ALWAYS DO!
[He tries to fight, but the pain is way too much. Winters yells into the sky, waving a hand into the air as if he was contemplating tapping out. He closes his fist and tries with all his might to free himself from the excruciating confines of the submission hold that he’s locked into. Black pulls backwards, gritting his teeth.]

Black: YOU’RE NOT GETTING AWAY THIS TIME!

Winters: ****… YOU! **** YOU, YOU… BURNOUT!

[Defiant even with a hand being jammed down his throat, Winters bites down on his lips, not wanting to give Erik Black the satisfaction of letting him know he was in pain, but the DOPESMOKER pulls back further, waiting to hear the signs of tapping on the ground.]

DT: HE’S GOT THE HAND UP! I THINK HE’S GONNA…

DM: NO! KARL DRAGON! SHINING WIZARD TO BLACK!

MN: YES, I LOVE KARL BROWN! HE SAVED THE TV TITLE FOR LAYNE WINTERS!

[At least, that’s what Mike Neely thinks at first. However, when he picks up Layne Winters off the mat and sets him up in a Reverse DDT position, his demeanor quickly sours.]

MN: Wait, what? NO, NO!

DT: YES! HE GOT THE DRAGON’S BITE! THESE FANS HAVE GONE INSANE!

DM: WHAT A SLAM! THAT’S GOTTA BE IT!

ONE!

DT: NO! ERIK BLACK IS BACK IN THE RING!

TWO!

DM: ALMOST THERE!

[Erik Black jumps right into the fray, delivering a big elbow to the back of Karl “The Dragon’s skull, knocking him off the fallen body of Layne Winters…

THREEEEEEEEE!

[…one second too late.]

TF: HERE IS YOUR WINNER…. AND THE NNNNNNNNNNNEEEEEEEEEEWWWWWWWWWWWWW EPW TELEVISION CHAMPION… KARRRRRRRRRLLLLLL “THE DRAAAAAAGGGGGGONNNN” BRRRROOOOOOWWWWWWNNNNNNNNNNN!

[Erik Black tucks his head down, glaring at the mat in a somber manner while Layne Winters is barely slipping into unconsciousness, courtesy of the Dragon’s Bite. He barely makes out the words of the ring announcer amidst the cheering of tens of thousands of screaming fans. Karl Brown just barely makes it back to his feet, the look of the win slowly registering on his face, solidified by the referee putting the title belt in his hands.]

DT: KARL “THE DRAGON” BROWN HAS DONE IT! JUST WHEN IT LOOKED BLEAK FOR HIM, HE RISES ABOVE AND WINS THE TELEVISION CHAMPION! THE TEN-MONTH REIGN OF “NEW SCHOOL” LAYNE WINTERS IS OVER!

MN: No… not fair… not fair… it took EVERYTHING to keep him down! EVERYTHING! Shawn Hart, Barb, Erik Black and Karl Brown… it took FOUR people to finally wrestle the title away from him! This is a farce! This is…

DM: A HUGE FEATHER IN THE CAP OF KARL BROWN, WINNING THE TELEVISION TITLE FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER!

[The Nottingham native, now with the title in his possession, raises his new Television Title for the crowd to see. Celebrating amongst the crowd, he keeps the title raised as tens of thousands of Portland fans reveled in his victory.]

MN: HE’S A G*DDAMN CROOK! DO YOU HEAR ME?! A THIEF!

DT: NO, HE’S THE CHAMPION! PLAIN AND SIMPLE!

DM: Ladies and gentlemen, we’ve still got a LOT left of Black Dawn to go! Stay tuned!

 

[DBrunkGXW]

Nail in the Coffin

[CUTTO Backstage, we see Layne Winters walking aggressively toward The First before shoving him into the wall and getting right up into his face]

WINTERS: YOU THINK I'M BLIND?! SEND YOUR BOY HART TO COST ME MY TITLE, HE HELPS YOU WIN THE WORLD AND LEAPFROGS ME?

FIRST: What? No...

WINTERS: Read my lips you Goth abortion: HOPE...IS...DEAD! Since the day I joined up with you it's been one disappointment after another. You haven't won SH*T, and Shawn Hart's making a bad habit of costing me matches! I haven't trusted him since day f*cking one, I trust you even LESS, and if you think I hurt HIM bad, well...what do you think your chances of winning the title on a handicap are?

FIRST: Look Layne, we had a deal, you and me, and I regret that deal just about every day of my life, but I’m true to my word…So after I win the EPW World Title –

WINTERS: WHEN you win it?

FIRST: Yeah when I win it…Look, I’ve already got Anarky and Hart out for me, you want me dead too? Great, get in line, as far as I’m concerned I might as well make the bullseye as big as I can, so I might as well have the whole damn locker room gunning for me as EPW World Champion…

WINTERS: What are they gunning for? YOU HAVEN'T WON SQUAT! You talk too much and win too little. Sorry freak, I ain't interested in a subprime mortgage or a used car. And if breaking your painted little face is the only satisfaction I get out of tonight, so be it...

FIRST: Look, we had a deal…And that deal goes both ways, you get a title shot after I win…BUT your end of that deal was that you have my back until Black Dawn’s finished…So if you punch me out or crack my face…It’s not going to stop me…And once I’m World Champ…You start at the back of the line, and I know how bad you want that title…So go ahead Layne, throw it away, break my face…

[First leans forward, goading Winters to hit him, but Winters stands back seething with rage.]

WINTERS: [breathing heavy through his nose] The worst I was gonna do was send you to the hospital. They check you out, send you home for some rest, you live to fight another day. Go out there, get your title- if you can. And when you do, we'll have business. But know this: if you lose tonight, there's not going to be a quick hospital visit. I'll do everything in my power to see that you never wrestle again. That's a promise...Brian.

[Winters storms off.]

FIRST: Guess HOPE is dead….Guess it’s just up to me now…Win or lose…All in my hands…Time to find my Destiny…

[FADEOUT]

 

[DBrunkGXW]

Heir Club

[FADE-IN: BACKSTAGE.

The camera focuses on the always familiar EPW Interview backdrop. Normally, the fans would be privy to the hard-hitting journalistic endeavors of one Kenny Lombardo. And here he is now.]

LOMBARDO: Ladies and gentlemen, my guests joining me at this time are about to wrestle against the team of Anthology for the EPW Tag Team Titles. Please welcome… Alexandria Malone and her charges, the Heirs of Wrestling!

[Walking into the shot… and the camera has to back up quite a bit since Mack Brody is so ****ing jacked, it’s insane… is none other than the Heirs of Wrestling. Alexandria Malone walks into the view first in a stunning red silk blouse and leather hip-hugging pants. Frank Pierce, Ryan Gallway and Mack Brody’s entire upper halves are shown, looking as confident as a trio of rich punkasses could.]

LOMBARDO: Alexandria Malone, based off the great start the Heirs of Wrestling have been hitting, they’ve been awarded this EPW Tag Team Title match. Your thoug…

[The mammoth hand of Mack Brody covers the face of Kenny Lombardo, keeping the interviewer from going any further. Seriously, the mammoth mitt covers his face from the camera view.]

ALEXANDRIA MALONE: So… I’m thinking that your services will no longer be needed here Mr. Lombardo.

FRANK PIERCE: What she means is “kick rocks, motherf*cker. Deuces.

[He makes a peace sign as Ryan Gallway and Mack Brody gesture for the interviewer to make himself scarce. With a heavy sigh, he turns on his heel and vanishes out of sight. Leaving Alexandria with the microphone, she smiles and winks to the camera as she begins what is probably not going to go over well with the Portlandites in attendance.]

ALEXANDRIA MALONE: Let me correct Mr. Lombardo… *I* am now standing here with the soon-to-be next, last, and greatest EPW Tag Team Champions of all-time. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the HEIRS OF WRESTLING!

[The fans can be heard booing echoing all the way through the halls of the Rose Garden. Mack Brody adjusts his faux-hawk and makes the pecs dance to make sure they’re in working order. Ryan Gallway is seen rubbing a hand through a little bit of stubble he let grow out in the last couple of days while Frank Pierce confidently smiles to the camera behind a pair of Aviator sunglasses.]

ALEXANDRIA MALONE: Guys, you’re just moments from mopping the floor with Anthology. Can I get your thoughts?

FRANK PIERCE: You sure can, my darling. See, before we hit the tag team scene here in EPW, you fans were trained to think that mediocrity was awesome. Before us, you were trained to think that groups like Anthology, HOPE, and older teams like The Cameron Cruise Project, Lindsay Troy and Christian Sands, Blitz, the Highland Park Social Club… teams like this made you think that they were legends. Forces that would go down in tag team history as greatness.


RYAN GALLWAY: Imagine. Cameron Cruise as greatness? The guy’s mouth is like the Hatch on LOST. You hear all this talk of something new, exciting and life-altering, but when it’s opened, everybody’s just lost interest in it. Mack, cue me up.

[He clears his throat before delivering a “snap, snap” gesture with his hands.]

FRANK PIERCE: Cruise lost control of his own group and it spiraled into… well, whatever the hell we’re facing here in a couple moments. Copycat is somewhere trying to force-feed his next script down Alaina Troy-Ryan’s throat and Jared Wells and Sean Edmunds have been trying to duck us just like they duck women. We’ve already mopped the floor with what was left of HOPE and Fusenshoff and Michael Bastard got the sh*t kicked out of them for thinking they were going to run right through us.

ALEXANDRIA MALONE: And that’s what brings us to tonight. What’s your strategy going into tonight’s bout?

FRANK PIERCE: Well, some people bought their ticket just to see who’d walk out of here as the EPW World Heavyweight Champion. Others came here to see Fusenshoff and Anarky get the next crack at Shawn Hart. Others came to see the bloodbath that ensued earlier tonight between Bastard and Barry Windham.

RYAN GALLWAY: Who?

FRANK PIERCE: Stalker.

RYAN GALLWAY: Oh.

FRANK PIERCE: While they came here for any of those reasons, they’re going to STAY for what happens next. We’re going to do what HOPE… what Cameron Cruise… what even Dan Ryan Lindsay Troy couldn’t do… take the history of Anthology, take it behind the barn, put two between the eyes, and LIBERATE the EPW Tag Team Titles from those has-beens.

RYAN GALLWAY: You know what? Their moms are so f*cking stupid, they jumped out the window and them *****es fell up!

[Frank Pierce raises an eyebrow towards his cohort while Mack Brody snaps his fingers again.]

ALEXANDRIA MALONE: …What?

RYAN GALLWAY: I’m getting in on this, too. Their moms are all offspring of Raggedy Ann and the Pillsbury Doughboy… bunch of red-headed *****es with yeast infections!

FRANK AND MACK: [simultaneously] Ew.

ALEXANDRIA MALONE: …Ew. Back to ringside… where WE’LL be coming out next!

[With that happy note, the Heirs turn on their heel and walk off, leaving Ryan Gallway to his own devices.]

RYAN GALLWAY: Oh! And their Moms suck the gigantic meat whistle! Yeah…

[BACK TO RINGSIDE.]

 

[DBrunkGXW]

EPW World Tag Team Championship: The Heirs of Wrestling vs. Anthology (c)

[FADEIN: The ring where Tony Fatora stands mic in hand ready to announce the next match.]

TF: The following contest is scheduled for ONE FALL…And it is for the EPW…WORLD…TAG TEAM...CHAMPIONSHIP! [Pop!]

[MUSIC UP: “The Sh!t” by Danger Mouse and Jemini . The mass of humanity known as the Heirs of Wrestling begins to make it way down the ramp. Alexandria Malone in front, wearing a purple top with tight black pants. Ryan Gallway behind her looking like he’s about ready to get into a fight with the fans as he gets in different people’s faces screaming at them. Behind him is Frank Pierce in his eyesore of a robe, blood red with LED’s going off all over it. Bringing up the rear is the monster sized Mack Brody, who seems deeply offended that some of his hair might be out of place, as he fusses over it constantly while checking himself out in a compact mirror.]

TF: Making their way to the ring, led by Alexandria Malone, weighing in at a combined weight 760 pounds…Here are the CHALLENGERS…RYAN GALLWAY! FRANK PIERCE! “MIDAS” MACK BRODY…THE HEIRS OF WRESTLING!!! [Crowd booing, some smarks and anti-Anthology folks cheering.]

DT: The Heirs of Wrestling have made some waves, with big wins over HOPE and Fusenshoff/Bastard this team has earned the right to now fight for the EPW World Tag Team Titles.

DM: This team has had a quick rise to the top here in the EPW Tag Division, the question now is, will they go all the way and capture the gold, or will they crash and burn when they face the champs.

MN: Yeah, they ain’t fighting a couple guys thrown together to give them a match tonight, they are fighting the best in the business in Anthology.

[MUSIC UP: “It Was a Good Day” by Ice Cube. Jared Wells and Sean Edmunds come out from behind the curtain, the two men looking confused. Of the two of them, only Wells has an EPW World Tag Team Title Belt. The two men look a bit confused before they make their way to the ring.]


TF: And their opponents….Weighing in at a combined weight of 743 pounds…They are the EPW WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS!! JARED WELLS! SEAN STEVENS! COPYCAT! ANNNNNTHOLOGY!! [Crowd boos loudly as Wells and Edmunds hit the ring.]

DT: Well all three men were announced but we don’t see any sign of Copycat here tonight.

DM: I’ve been hearing from people backstage that Copycat was never in the Anthology locker room all day, from the looks of it the Anthology team doesn’t even have both tag belts, this is eerie in how similar it is to the night Anthology won the tag titles, when Felix Red was missing in action and the Forsaken lost the titles.

MN: I’m offended you would even compare a man of such achievements as Copycat to that drug addled nutjob…But this is bad for Wells and Edmunds, what on earth is Copycat doing?

DT: Well he’s not here and we’re about to start this match with the Heirs of Wrestling being a man up.

[Bell rings]

DT: It’s Pierce to start things off for the Heirs and Edmunds for Anthology, Pierce locks up with Edmunds and now backs him into the Heirs corner, all three Heirs now cheap shotting Edmunds as the ref tries to break it up…Wells charges into the ring and now all five men are fighting!

MN: Good to see law and order lasted all of 15 seconds in this match, get some control ref!

DM: Well this had to be the Heirs plan after they saw that Anthology was a man down, while the ref is trying to pull apart Brody and Wells, now Pierce and Gallway have Edmunds trapped in the corner and are just beating the hell out of him with kicks and punches!

DT: The ref now finally getting Brody and Wells out of the ring, Gallway in the ring illegally for the Heirs, but I guess the ref is going to let that slip. Edmunds whipped into the corner…Gallway with a flying clothesline crushes Edmunds into the turnbuckles!

DM: You can sense the Heirs know they have the tag titles within their grasp, they know they have a man advantage with Copycat missing in action, and now they are dealing out a beating on Sean Edmunds.

MN: And the longer this goes the more it benefits the Heirs, they have the numbers, Anthology’s going to have to do something drastic to get momentum back on their side and quick!

DT: Gallway tags in Brody and the powerhouse of the Heirs now in the ring and clubbing away on Edmunds with big forearms across the back…Brody now locks Edmunds in a BEARHUG and is just squeezing the breath out of him!

DM: Tipping the scales over three hundred pounds, Mack Brody is a mountain of a man and right now Sean Edmunds is suffering big time.

DT: Edmunds fires a series of right hands, Brody’s grip is weakening…Edmunds keeps punching…BRODY LIFTS HIM AND DRIVES HIM INTO THE MAT WITH A BELLY TO BELLY SUPLEX! THE COVER!!

ONE!!

TWO!!

NO!!

DT: Edmunds gets the shoulder up at two…Brody tags in Pierce and both men put the boots to Edmunds as the ref tries to usher Brody out of the ring. Pierce now grabs Edmunds and sends him into the ropes…Backdrop…NO! Edmunds with a kick to the face and a CLOTHESLINE sends down Pierce…Edmunds now stumbles over, tags in Wells! Wells grabs Pierce and muscles him into the corner, Pierce sent HARD into the corner and gets SHOULDER BLOCKED to the mat! Pierce rolls over to his corner and tags in Gallway, Wells waving him on.

MN: Good start here for Wells, but he’s got to prevent those tags, the Heirs got the number and Edmunds just got pounded in there, Wells has to isolate someone or Anthology’s in a world of trouble.

DM: This is some unusually solid insight from you Neely.

MN: Somebody has to carry this broadcast.

DT: Wells locks up with Gallway and just THROWS him to the ground…Gallway gets up and SLAPS Wells in the face! [“Ohh!”] I guess he has a death wish! WELLS GETS HIM UP…PRESS SLAM!!! Wells standing over Gallway…OH GIVE ME A BREAK! Both Brody and Pierce charge into the ring and attack Wells! Edmunds trying to even the odds…GETS A LOW BLOW FROM GALLWAY! The ref didn’t see that from his trying to get the other two Heirs out of the ring…

DM: The Heirs risking disqualification with these illegal tactics, you wonder how far they will push things to try to win the tag titles.

MN: Well clearly this ref is letting them get away with murder, so I see no reason for them to stop doing what they are doing.

DT: Gallway and Wells the legal men now and the match is finally under control again. Gallway throws a kick to Wells gut, Wells catches it…GETS NAILED WITH THE ENZIGURI! Gallway makes the tag to Brody and now Brody stomping away on Wells.

DM: The Heirs have used some underhanded tactics, but you have to hand it to them, they have controlled this match from the start.

MN: Why do I have to give them any credit at all, they’ve been fighting a 3 on 2 the whole time, Copycat better have a good reason for his actions or I’m officially off his bandwagon!

DT: Brody gets Wells to his feet…DECKS JARED WELLS WITH A BIG BOOT! Wells tags in Pierce who drops a knee on Wells. Wells pulled to his feet and sent to the corner…WELLS EXPLODES OUT WITH A CLOTHESLINE! He has to make the tag to Edmunds…Pierce crawling, tags in Gallway…Wells reaching…NO! Dragged back into the middle of the ring by Gallway!

DM: You can just feel the momentum drain out of Anthology with that failed tag…That may have been the beginning of the end for Anthology…

DT: Gallway now drags Wells over to the corner…He goes up top…GATES OF EUROPA 450 SPLASH! Gallway pops to his feet proud as could be after that CRUSHING splash…

DM: Well maybe he should be worried about making a cover and winning this match.

MN: Oh it’s a done deal Dean…The Heirs are going for style points now.

[The lights go out, the crowd buzzes!]

DT: What in this?!

MN: Oh I always hate this! This is NEVER good!

[After a moment MUSIC UP: “The People We Love” by Bush blasts over the PA. The lights come back on to show Copycat, a dead look in his eyes, standing on the top of the rampway, his EPW World title belt handing from his right hand. Cat’s in his ring gear as he slowly walks towards the ring.]

DT: COPYCAT! COPYCAT IS HERE! Brody charges him…GETS CLOTHESLINED! Pierce tries his luck…NEARLY GETS BEHEADED BY A BIG BOOT! GALLWAY WITH A FLYING PLANCHA TO THE FLOOR…CAUGHT BY COPYCAT…WHO PLANTS HIM INTO THE RINGPOST! Copycat has come out here and he’s gone through the Heirs of Wrestling like a hot knife through butter…Copycat grabbing Pierce…He’s pulling him up the rampway…What is he doing?!

MN: Umm, Cat, glad you could be bothered to show up and all, but the ring is the other way…We got tag titles to defend and all…

DT: Copycat has Pierce…They are near the edge of the stage area….PIERCE IS UP…LITTERBOMB OFF THE STAGE!!! COPYCAT MAY HAVE KILLED HIM!! [Crowd buzzing, yelling, screaming. Copycat stares down at Pierce, completely without emotion.] Copycat now…Walks to the back?! He’s just left! What on earth is he thinking?! What on earth is going on with him?!

DM: Well whatever he’s doing he may have just won the match for Anthology, Gallway is still out on the floor and the ref is counting! We’re up to seven!

EIGHT!!

NINE!!

DT: Alexandria Malone just THREW Gallway back into the ring to save the match!

MN: She’s lucky that runt is the legal Heir, no way she was muscling Brody into the ring…Man the Heirs just got mowed down, we’ve gone from a three on two to a two on one in Anthology’s favor, make the tag Wells, bring the belts home!


DT: Wells...TAGS IN EDMUNDS! Edmunds grabs Gallway…FISHERMAN’S SUPLEX! EDMUNDS WITH A BRIDGE!!

ONE!!

TWO!!

THR—NO!!!!

DT: Gallway JUST got the shoulder up in time…Edmunds grabs him and sends him to the ropes…GALLWAY OFF THE ROPES WITH A FLYING FOREARM! EDMUNDS SIDESTEPS! OH GALLWAY CLIPPED THE REF!

MN: Bah, these stupid zebras always getting in the way…You would think they would be trained to avoid stuff like this happening!

DT: Edmund turns and looks at the fallen official…WAIT A SECOND…A FAN JUST JUMPED THE RAILING! HE GRABS WELLS AND PULLS HIM OFF THE APRON!!

DM: That’s not a fan! That’s Cameron Cruise!

DT: You’re right Dean! Wells BASHED into the steps…They are coming this way! Wells face first off the table! Cruise grabs a chair…He hangs an unfolded steel chair around Wells neck…REALITY CHECK ONTO THE UNFOLDED CHAIR!!! OHHH…That made me shudder…Cruise could have broken Wells jaw with that move!

MN: Jaw!? He could have broken his friggin’ neck! Cruise is a basket case, he should be barred from the World Title match, in that frame of mind, he could try to kill Stevens! He’s a menace to this whole company.

DT: I think he heard you Neely!
[Cruise stalks over to the broadcasters and rips Neely’s monitor off the table, he glares at Neely.]

DT: Cameron…Don’t do this…Don’t!

[Suddenly Cruise turns around, as Edmunds has just saw what Cruise has done and is now leaning through the ropes, yelling at him.]

DT: OH MY GOODNESS…CRUISE JUST BASHED EDMUNDS HEAD IN WITH THAT MONITOR! EDMUNDS IS OUT!!! Cruise standing there, surveying the carnage he’s caused…And now he’s leaving through the crowd [Crowd buzzing, a ‘Cruise’ chant breaks out.] We already have EMT’s looking over Frank Pierce, but now we need help for Jared Wells…

DM: We might need help for Edmunds too…This match is like the scene after a car crash!

DT: Gallway drapes an arm over Edmunds…Oh come on…Is the ref really going to count this?!

ONE!!!

TWO!!!

THREE!!!

[Bell rings, crowd boo’ing loudly! MUSIC UP: “The Sh!t” by Danger Mouse and Jemini.]

TF: The winners of this bout…AND NEW [Boos!] EPW WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS!! THE HEIRS OF WRESTLING!!!

[Alexandria Malone grabs one tag belt from the time keeper and then gathers the other belt Copycat dropped on his way to the ring. Mack Brody gets to his feet and starts walking towards where EMT’s are working on Frank Pierce, Gallway rolls out of the ring and follows behind him.]

DT: This match…I can’t even say the Heirs won it so much as survived it…We have EMT’s and trainers looking over Pierce, Edmunds, and Wells…This wasn’t a match, this was a war zone…

MN: Yeah, say what you will, the Heirs of Wrestling are three for three and they got the gold, that’s all that matters in the long run…

DM: We’ve seen the turmoil and chaos in the back with the implosion of HOPE, but with Copycat’s apparent refusal to work with Edmunds and Wells…And the brutal attack on Wells by Cruise…Are we seeing the end of Anthology as well?!

DT: Black Dawn has seen a great deal of history made, and well, I’m sure we’ll have more coming soon.

MN: I hope not, I’m all historied out at this point!

 

[DBrunkGXW]

MAIN EVENT: EPW WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP: Stevens (c) vs. The First vs. Cruise vs. Hart (c)

DT: Well, ladies and gentlemen... it’s been quite an ACTION-PACKED evening... but at long last, we’ve come to our FOUR CORNERS MAIN EVENT!!

MN: Because Pentagram Matches SUCK!

DM: Don’t go there, Neels...

MN: But they have a wrestling PANDA!!

DM: Folks, fans of NFW, Mike Neely’s opinions do not represent those of Empire Pro… or any other sane human being on the planet. Also, he watches goat-midget porn.

MN: Who doesn’t?

DT & DM: ………………

MN: What??

DT: ANYHOW - All four competitors have traveled long, hard roads to make it to this point... and the dominant World Champion of Empire Pro tonight faces his toughest challenge yet, taking on THREE extremely talented opponents! Will the KING of Professional Wrestling reign supreme again, or will a NEW regime take its place upon the throne?

DM: Furthermore, everyone in the company is barred from ringside tonight under penalty of losing their jobs, so even if Copycat hadn’t… as we’re being told now… left the building…. There’s no help for Sean Stevens tonight.

MN: And… he doesn’t need any.

[The lights go out drawing a pop from the crowd! Then after a beat the whole arena is flooded in deep purple light. MUSIC UP: “Happy Birthday” by The Birthday Massacre as the Empiretron flickers to life. As the highlight package plays on the Tron, The First bursts through the curtain, a single white spotlight following him. The crowd pops HUGE as he stands on the edge of the ramp. The First is wearing his new “Outcast Hero” Black wife beater, black gi pants, black ring boots, his right hand and forearm taped up halfway to the elbow with a black ankh drawn on it. His face is painted white with the “Eye of Horus” painted in black around both of his eyes.]

[The First leans back, with his arms out to his sides and lets out a loud yell as pyro explodes along the top of ramp. He jogs towards the ring, high fiving fans as he heads down the ramp.]

DT: The man who’ve been chasing Sean Stevens for over a year now, The First, once again has his chance to win the EPW World Title! And he’s brought this crowd to it’s feet here in Portland!

MN: Only to let them down again, these people are like Cleveland fans, get your hopes up, just to get them crushed again, this kid will never lead them to anywhere but ruin!

DM: You know how close The First has come to winning the EPW World Title, is this his night, or will he be denied again?

MN: It’ll be the latter, rest assured of it.

[The First hops from the apron to inside the ring, landing on the second rope, he screams at the crowd, who pop in response. First hops down off the ropes and waits for the next person to be announced.]

[The spotlight hits the stage. MUSIC UP: “Phenomenah” by the Yeah Yeah Yeah’s. The fans POP WILDLY as a GOLF CART emerges through the curtain. Lounging behind the wheel with the Intercontinental Title proudly displayed over his shoulder, “THE PHENOM” SHAWN HART appears. Though he looks pumped and ready to go, he rubs a sore spot in the back of his head that is apparently bothering him. It seems to impair his driving ability even more as he crashes into the barricade a few times on his way to the ring.]

SFX: *PYRO!!*

DT: The First’s HOPE ally makes his way to the ring... and given the events that transpired earlier tonight with their OTHER “ally”, I’d say he has a NAGGING head-ache coming into this match!

DM: It certainly looks that way, Dave. One has to wonder if that will effect his performance in this match...

MN: Isn’t that ironic? He has a head-ache... yet ever time I see him go into that ring, I know I’m in for a head-ache of my own down the line...

DM: Going to be interesting to see how he reacts in sharing the ring with his HOPE ally. Both men understand that when the World Title is at stake, it’s every man for himself... but there’s always the possibility that they could work together to ensure they make it to the final two.

[Hart parks the golf cart at the base of the ramp before he gets out and enters the ring, posing for the fans, despite the pain in his head. When he enters the ring, he looks to The First. The two men exchange a look of understanding and nod to one another, but no words are exchanged.]

[MUSIC UP: “Killing In The Name Of” by Rage Against the Machine. The crowd POPS as Cameron Cruise boldly steps out onto the stage and POSES before a shower of sparks, leaving him in a silhouette form. Moments later, he struts to the ring with determination, slapping hands with the fans along the way.]

MN: Et tu, Cammy? You’ve become one of those sappy GOOD guys?!

DT: The former Intercontinental Champion has MORE at stake in this match than an opportunity to put the World Heavyweight Title around his waist! He’s got a chance to settle scores with EVERYBODY involved!

DM: The First has been a long-time rival... Hart took the Intercontinental Title from him... and the World Champ took Anthology! And yet, in spite of everything he’s LOST, Cameron Cruise has gained the FAVOR of the fans!

MN: Favor is worth its weight in MOLD, if you ask me...

DT: A big opportunity awaits Cameron Cruise in that ring tonight! This is his first major opportunity to step up into Empire Pro’s main event!

DM: Cruise has come a LONG way to get to this point... from his early days as Joey Melton’s tag partner to one of the federation’s centerpiece stars!

[Cruise enters the ring, keeping his distance from the other two men in the ring. His music eventually fades, and the house lights cut to black...]

[MUSIC UP: “King Back” by T.I. A sole spotlight falls on the curtain.]

MN: OH YEAH, HERE HE COMES!!

[Much to everyone’s surprise, nothing comes through the curtain. Instead, the spotlight RISES...]

DT: ...what is going on here?

DM: I’m not sure... maybe the champion’s just making a fashionably late entrance or – UHH!! HOLY ****!!! LOOK AT THAT UP THERE!!!

DT: What? Wait, what’s that up above the... OH!! OH MY GOD, WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?!

DM: I HAVE NO IDEA, BUT IT’S FREAKING HUGE!!

MN: HA HA!! OH MAN, THAT IS THE GREATEST THING I’VE EVER SEEN IN MY LIFE!!!

[An array of spotlights rise to the rafters immediately above the stage, falling upon the pearl white finish of fiberglass CLOUD coming down to the ring with the help of a hydraulic crane.]

[The “cloud” carries an elaborately decorated golden throne fit for a KING... upon which sits the Empire Pro World Heavyweight Champion... “TRIPLE X” SEAN STEVENS... adorned in fine white silk robes and flanked by two nude golden goddesses. As Planet Earth’s Champion descends upon the ring from the heavens above like professional wrestling’s own GOD and SAVIOR, the WORLD TITLE on his shoulder glitters brilliantly in the light. With a simple move of his hand...]

SFX: *FSHW-FSHW-FHSW... BOOOOOOM!!!*

[The sky EXPLODES in a prism of FIRE as pyrotechnics go off in the rafters! The capacity crowd is too dumbstruck to even be heard over the music blasting through the PA. In the ring, the other competitors stand somewhere between repulsion and disbelief. Over commentary, Mike Neely can be heard busting up laughing over the sheer awesomeness of what he is seeing.]

MN: Oh man, the champ sure knows how to make an ENTRANCE, huh?!

DT: In all the years I’ve sat at this table, I’ve NEVER seen anything like this!

DM: Well... say what you want about “Triple X” Sean Stevens... the World Heavyweight Champion of Empire Pro has always been a master of mind games! You can bet that this is a fairly elaborate attempt to demoralize his three opponents!

DT: Nothing but smoke and mirrors, Dean... a meager attempt to flaunt himself as the self-proclaimed GOD of professional wrestling. I mean... can you just IMAGINE the sheer amount of man-hours that went into building that... that... whatever the hell that thing is?! This man is suffering from SERIOUS Messiah complex...

MN: Oh, don’t be so melodramatic, Dave! Nobody said APOLLO CREED had a Messiah complex!

DM: Well technically, Apollo Creed imitated Uncle Sam, Neels. What “Triple X” Sean Stevens looks to be doing here is imitating GOD!!

MN: So Creed gets called a patriot... but you guys want to call the CHAMP a blasphemer? Man, you guys are hypocritical...

SFX: *CRUNCH!!*

[Shawn Hart’s golf cart is CRUSHED as the elaborate hydraulic platform descends to ringside on the level of the canvas. With dignified grace, Stevens RISES... descending a small flight of steps as his escorts shower his path with white rose petals. As he comes to the apron, the ladies hold open the ropes for him to enter. Stepping into the ring, he walks to the four corners, PROUDLY holding the EPW WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE over his head for the jeering crowd to see. He walks by his opponents as if they were nothing more than shadows.]

[When his posturing has completed, the music cuts out. All four men gather around Pat Jones and the ring announcer Tony Fatora to make the introductions.

TF: Ladies and gentlemen... WELCOME TO the MAIN EVENT of BLACK DAWN, TWENTY-TEN!!

Crowd: *POP!!*

TF: The following contest will be a FOUR CORNERS ELIMINATION MATCH for the EMPIRE PRO WRESTLING WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE!! Any competitor can be eliminated by means of PINFALL, SUBMISSION, or DISQUALIFICATION... and the final competitor who survives elimination will be proclaimed the WORLD CHAMPION of EMPIRE PRO!! Introducing first, the presiding referee... senior official PAT JONES!

[The crowd pops lightly for the ref. Jones makes a very low-key clearing of the throat as his only means of posing to them. Fatora gestures to The First.]

TF: Introducing the first of three challengers... hailing from Salem, Massachusetts, weighing in at 210 pounds…THEEE!!! FIRRRRRSSSSTTT!!!!

Crowd: *POP!!*

[The First pumps his taped-up fists into the air to earn a BIG crowd reaction. Fatora motions to Shawn Hart next.]

TF: Introducing next... hailing from Orlando, Florida, and weighing in at 215 pounds... he is the reigning EPW INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPION... “THE PHENOM”!! SSHAAAWWWNNNN!!! HHAAAARRRTTT!!!

Crowd: *POP!!*

[Hart comically spins around with his arms fanning toward himself, as if ABSORBING their reaction. Fatora points next to Cameron Cruise.]

TF: And the final challenger... hailing from Jacksonville, North Carolina, and weighing in at 263 pounds... CCAAAMMMEERRROOONNN!!! CCCRRRUUUUUIIIIISSSEE!!!

[Cruise pumps a determined fist into the air, earning a huge pop! Fatora finally turns to the World Champion, standing clad in a soft-white robe, golden crown, and specially tailored tights, flanked by two statuesque models.]

TF: And finally... hailing from Orlando, Florida... weighing in at 243 pounds... he is the reigning EMPIRE PRO WRESTLING WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION...

THE BLUE-EYED BADASS...

PLANET EARTH’S CHAMPION...

The KING of PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING...

“TRIPLE ECKS”!! SSSSEEEEEEAAAANNN!!! SSSSSTTTEEEEEVVVEEEENNNNSSS!!!!

Crowd: “BBBOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!”

[With Christ-like defiance, Stevens raises his arms to the HEAVENS as the escorts remove his robe, crown, and shades. His blue eyes stare DAGGERS into those of his opponents as he steps forward and hands over the EPW World Heavyweight Title to Pat Jones. Jones holds the belt up to all four sides of the arena in traditional fashion before handing it off to the timekeeper. Fatora and Stevens’ escorts clear the ring as the ref makes a few last checks on every competitor.]

DT: “Triple X” Sean Stevens is fighting THREE potential challengers here tonight! Under those conditions, I’d say the odds were STACKED against the champion!

DM: He’s lived an arrogant lifestyle... and tonight, it just may catch up to him!

MN: He lives arrogant because he KNOWS HE CAN BACK IT UP, gentlemen!

DT: The crowd seems undecided on which challenger to root for! No doubt, they just want to see somebody other than STEVENS leave that ring with the belt tonight!

DM: There so much BAD BLOOD and TENSION in that ring, I can practically SMELL it!

MN: No, that’s just me. Sorry... ran out of deodorant this morning.

DT: Looks like Pat Jones is finished with his final checks... and he CUES FOR THE BELL!!

SFX: *DING! DING!*

MN: And AWAY WE GO!!

DT: THIS IS IT!! All three challengers stepping out of their corners... and they ALL look like they want a piece of Sean Stevens!

DM: You bet they do! Looks like Stevens is going to have to fight off all THREE of them to start this match off!

MN: Come on now, this is unfair! This is every man for himself... not three on one!

DT: Well, when you’re as hated as Sean Stevens, then every man wants to be the one to punch your face in! Wait a second... Stevens stepping through the ropes and going to the outside!

Crowd: “BOOOOOO!!”

DM: All three challengers were looking to gang up on the champ right off the bat... and Stevens doesn’t want any of that!

DT: The trio of challengers in the ring look a tad irritated, and I don’t blame them! It’s time to put your money where your mouth is, Sean! Now get back in the ring and defend the belt!

MN: Trip would GLADLY do that, but not until the ref makes those other idiots start fighting each other like they SHOULD be doing!

Crowd: “YOU-SUCK!! YOU-SUCK!! YOU-SUCK!! YOU-SUCK!!”

DT: He better get back in there before – OH WAIT!! THE FIRST just got CLOCKED in the back of the head with a running forearm from an increasingly impatient CAMERON CRUISE!! Cruise stomping away at the high-flying superstar now!

MN: Well, it’s about time! Now I can enjoy watching these morons beat each other senseless and make the champ’s job that much easier!

DM: The action is finally kicked off in the ring as Cruise MERCILESSLY stomps at the face and chest of The First... but now SHAWN HART steps up to get in on the action! Hart ROCKS Cruise from behind with a shot to the back of the head, and now he’s SWINGING AWAY at the man he beat for the Intercontinental Title!

DT: Cruise getting worked back into the corner, and Hart continues to pound away! It’s been nothing but an all-out brawl thus far, but given all the bad blood running through the ring right now, that doesn’t come as any surprise!

DM: WAIT!! Cruise GETS AN ARM UP and blocks a right hand headed for his face... grabs Hart, and SWITCHES PLACES! Now it’s CRUISE pummeling HART in the corner!

DT: Meanwhile, looks like The First is getting back to his feet, rubbing the feeling back into his face! No doubt, he’s going to want some payback...

MN: That punk... always wanting, but never GETTING anything out of it!

DT: Cruise briefly lays off the dazed Hart... now he takes him by the arm... IRISH WHIP right into the direction of the The First – OH WOW, First LEAPFROGS over Hart’s head, and “The Phenom” connects HARD with the turnbuckle!

DM: Cruise running after him – BUT TAKEN DOWN BEFORE HE GETS THERE by a WHEEL KICK from The First!

DT: The First quickly drops down for the cover to eliminate Cruise!

One!

Two – STRONG kickout by Cruise! The First transitions to a chinlock to keep him down on the mat...

DM: Hold the phone... Hart getting TRIPPED UP in the corner... and he’s DRAGGED TO THE OUTSIDE by Sean Stevens! Stevens dumps Hart to the floor and KICKS HIM while he’s down!

Crowd: “BOOOOOOOOO!!!”

DT: Now he’s CHOKING HIM!! Stevens bringing that BOOT down across the neck of Shawn Hart to close off that windpipe! Hart is FLAILING to free himself!

MN: Brilliant move by the champ! He picks off the weakest link and separates him from the pack!

DM: Stevens has all the freedom he desires on the outside of the ring, as senior official Pat Jones currently has his eyes on the action happening on the inside! The First has Cruise’s head locked up, but Cruise is trying to make a move now, making it up to his feet!

DT: Cruise has him hooked around the waist now... looking for a REVERSAL into a BACK SUPLEX – NO!! The First LANDS ON HIS FEET!

DM: The First with a rear waistlock to capitalize... NO! Cruise breaks free... slips around and wraps The First’s right arm around in a HAMMERLOCK... and there’s a LEGSWEEP to put The First to the mat! Cruise coming around again, slaps him into a front facelock! Spectacular technique on the part of the former Intercontinental Champion!

MN: Brings back memories of days when he was an actual BADASS!

DT: Cruise has the tables turned on The First, and now he forces him back to his feet... The First, trying BULL him into the corner, but Cruise sprawls his legs and blocks the effort!

DM: Too much of a weight differential to simply power out of that one! Cruise BITES BACK with a KNEE to the STERNUM of The First! That left him stunned... and now Cruise hooks the arm... FOLLOWS THROUGH with a SNAP SUPLEX that puts The First flat on his back!

DT: Cruise going for the COVER now...

One!

Two – THE FIRST slips out the back door!

DM: He could have hooked the leg there, but nevertheless, Cruise doesn’t miss a beat... slaps on a KNEEBAR, and holds The First on the mat!

SFX: *BANG!*

DT: Good God, what was THAT?!

MN: That was the sound of Shawn Hart’s HEAD being driven right into the STEEL STEPS... courtesy of the World Champion! See, while you guys follow all the BORING crap happening in the ring, I’m actually watching the champ SLAUGHTER somebody at ringside!

DM: The situation has not improved for Shawn Hart as Stevens uses the unforgiving environment at ringside! That’s only going to worsen the condition of the Intercontinental Champion, who clearly wasn’t looking to good when he stepped into the ring...

DT: Stevens is like a merciless animal right now... and now he’s setting the hurt Shawn Hart up against the steel steps!

SFX: *BANG!!*

DT: JESUS!! He just RELENTLESSLY kicks him right in the chest while propped up against those steps!

MN: Break his ribs, Trip! I want that loser to feel nothing but PAIN the next time he does that “Nnnn-daddio” crap!

DT: Hart is looking seriously hurt now... and with The First still trying to free himself from the KNEEBAR Cruise has cinched in back in the ring, it doesn’t look like anybody will help him out any time soon!

DM: Provided The First is willing to help him out at all. They may be allies in HOPE, but both of these men understand that there are no alliances when the World Title is at stake!

MN: The punk has his own problems to deal with now! Cruise is looking to snap that leg in two like a TWIG!

DT: Stevens is bringing a defenseless Shawn Hart to his feet now... no, lifting him UP onto his shoulder! Now he’s leading him to the ringside seats... and DROPS HIM RIGHT ACROSS THE BARRICADE!!

MN: Giving those fans their dollar’s worth... you really have to admire Trip for putting their needs first!

DM: I doubt he had the fans’ interests in mind there, Neels... but either way, that’s left Hart unmoving on the ringside floor... and now the World Champion turns his attention back to the ring, where The First is crawling to the ropes, trying to escape that knee!

DT: The First, reaching for the ropes... but Cruise PULLS him back to the center of the ring! Cruise has something in mind now, as he lets go of the hold, but keeps control of that ankle... and DRIVES that leg HARD into the mat with a KNEE SMASH!!

DM: The First has got to be feeling the burn in that leg right now... and Cruise knows he’s found a weak-point! Cruise has him by the ankle again... and wraps it up into a HALF CRAB!

DT: Those legs of The First are like lethal weapons... and Cruise knows he has to take out his opponent’s mobility in order to soften him up!

MN: Otherwise, that shrimp finds a turnbuckle... and it all goes downhill from there!

DT: Wait a second... SEAN STEVENS slips back into the ring! The World Champion watches the struggle from the far corner!

DM: He’s just waiting for the right moment to get involved, but for now, he seems curious as to how this plays out! Cruise, straining hard as he pulls back on the leg... but The First spots the champion back in the ring, and now he’s trying to slip out!

DT: Cruise is having some trouble now keeping that half crab in place! He can’t move his hands, or The First will slip right through his fingers! But The First, undeterred, trying to twist his body around! He’s gotta get the fresh leg in there to get out of this one!

DM: Almost got the angle now... Cruise looking a tad CONCERNED... and The First KICKS HIM OFF using that fresh leg! He finally got out of it... but clearly, the damage as done, as he The First is hampered in his attempts to get back to his feet and go after the champ!

DT: Perhaps he took his eyes off of CRUISE too quickly! Cruise pushes himself off the ropes... catches THE FIRST FROM BEHIND and PUTS HIM TO THE MAT with a RUNNING BULLDOG!!

MN: The FIRST... going FACE FIRST!! How appropriate!

DM: Cruise is trying to get The First back off the mat again, but I don’t think he’s noticed Stevens! Here comes the World Champ... with a FOREARM right into the small of the unsuspecting Cameron Cruise! Cruise’s knees buckle, and Stevens puts him right into a reverse facelock! Wait... he can’t be going for it ALREADY!!

DT: Stevens LOOKING FOR AN X-TERMINATOR... but Cruise is trying to FIGHT HIS WAY OUT OF IT... and the champ instead settles for a REVERSE DDT that drives him right down on the back of his head!

DM: Stevens back up... and delivers a RUNNING BOOT right to the head of The First as he was trying to get back to his feet! That nearly knocked him out COLD, and now Stevens is the ONLY MAN standing in the ring! The World Champ certainly took advantage of the distractions and in-fighting, as he now has control of the ring!

MN: Everybody see how that happened? A few minutes ago, you were calling a coward, and now, he’s in CONTROL! Nobody’s even laid a FINGER on him yet! THAT is how AWESOME the champion is!

DM: Stevens, keeps his attention divided as he turns back to Cameron Cruise, just as the former IC Champion makes it to his feet! Stevens meets him with a BOOT right to the gut... follows through a SWINGING NECKBREAKER!!

DT: He hooks the leg for a cover!

One!

Two!

Cruise KICKS OUT! He’s still strong in this match, but now the champion pumps back to his feet and drops a ELBOW right across the forehead for his troubles! Cruise on the mat, holding his forehead... and Stevens goes back to The First...

MN: As soon as one guy is sufficiently taken care of, he moves on to the next! Trip’s doing a spectacular job in keeping tabs on everybody!

DM: Not everybody, Neels! I don’t think Stevens notices yet that SHAWN HART has recovered on the outside of the ring and his back on his feet! He’s still shaking out the cobwebs, but he’s not out of this match THAT quickly!

MN: Ah well, it’s probably of little difference. Trip’s got this one in the palm of his hand now...

DT: As much as I am loathe to agree with you, Mike... you couldn’t be more right about that. Stevens has The First by the hair, and just blatantly IGNORES Pat Jones’ warnings as he drags him to his feet and dumps him into the corner!

DM: The First is wide open and exposed...

SFX: *SMACK!!*

Crowd: “WHOOOOO!!”

DM: ...and Stevens SMACKS HIM WITH A KNIFE-EDGE CHOP!!

MN: Ah man, it never gets old...

DT: Stevens angrily RIPS THE T-SHIRT off of The First to expose his chest!! Measures him up...

SFX: *SMACK!!*

Crowd: “WHOOOOO!!”

DT: ANOTHER VICIOUS KNIFE-EDGE CHOP!! The First’s chest is looking BEET RED right now, and he’s in some SERIOUS pain!

DM: Those chops knocked the wind right out of him... and the World Champion, maintaining control of the ring, leaves him temporarily to tend to the recovering Cameron Cruise! Cruise holding the back of his head after receiving that neck-breaker... and Stevens quickly targets him with a FOREARM right to the temple to shake the former Intercontinental Champ!

DT: He’s got Cruise back to his feet now... wait a second, SHAWN HART is climbing up to the APRON!

DM: Stevens with an IRISH WHIP, throwing Cruise right into THE FIRST – OH NO!! The First, using his remarkable agility, spryly HOPPED the ropes to the apron! Cruise CAREENS into the turnbuckle with enough force to knock him HARD to the mat! The First is looking for the TOP ROPE here... and Sean Stevens is telling him to BRING IT!!

DT: Wait a second... SHAWN HART MOUNTING THE TOP ROPE ON THE OTHER SIDE!! STEVENS DOESN’T SEE HIM!!

Crowd: *POP!!*

MN: Oh crap... wait, SEAN!! TURN AROUND!!

DM: The First POUNCES OFF THE TOP with a CROSS BODY BLOCK – OH NO!! STEVENS SAW HIM COMING AND CAUGHT HIM!!

Crowd: *D’OH!!*

DT: The World Champ, DEFIANTLY laughing at the fans as he turns around... AND HERE COMES HART OFF THE TOP –

DM: HART NAILS THE MISSILE DROPKICK ON THE FIRST’S BACK – AND STEVENS HITS THE MAT WITH THE FIRST ON TOP!!

Crowd: *POP!!!*

DT: The First HAS HIM PINNED!!

ONE!!

TWO!!

NO!! Stevens KICKS OUT at the last second and avoids a HUGE upset in being eliminated FIRST!

MN: Give me a break, Dave... that wasn’t the last second! That was BARELY a two-point-one...

DM: Stevens looking FURIOUS as he throws The First off of him and scrambles to his feet! Hart’s up FIRST... meets the champ with a kick to the gut – but Stevens CATCHES IT!!

DT: Hart BOUNCING ON THIN ICE... goes for the ENZIGURI – No, STEVENS DUCKED IT!!

DM: Hart’s foot BOUNCES right back off the mat – ****!! STEVENS DUCKS AGAIN on the REBOUND ENZIGURI!! Hart bouncing on that foot again, right back where he started!

MN: HA!! You can’t catch the CHAMP on those old tricks, Hart!

DT: Amazing agility on the part of Shawn Hart, nevertheless... but it could all be for NOTHING, as Stevens TRIPS HIM to the mat! Stevens, trying to get that other leg, looking for a FIGURE FOUR LEGLOCK... but Hart BOOTS HIM OFF!!

DM: Stevens doesn’t release the leg – WHOA, MAN!! Shawn Hart SPRINGS right off the mat and lands on that single leg! AGAIN... bouncing on one foot with the other caught in the clutches of Shawn Hart!

Crowd: *POP!!*

MN: What is this clown DOING?!

DT: Stevens looks absolutely FURIOUS, and Shawn Hart simply SMIRKS in spite of his predicament! I’ve never seen an ENZIGURI held out this long!

DM: Hold up... THE FIRST back on his feet... CRUISE up as well... The First comes at the champion with a SIDE-KICK – and Stevens CATCHES THAT with his free hand!!

MN: Even against TWO GUYS, the Champ CAN’T be touched!!

DT: But he’s CORNERED now! Cruise SLIPS BEHIND and slaps on a waistlock!! NOWHERE TO GO!!

DM: OH WOW!! THE FIRST and SHAWN HART LAND STEREO ENZIGURIS!! STEVENS HEAD WAS CAUGHT RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE!!

Crowd: *POP!!*

DT: Cruise FOLLOWS IT UP WITH A BRIDGED GERMAN SUPLEX!!

ONE!!

TWO!!

STEVENS KICKS OUT!!

DM: Cracks finally forming in the King’s armor!

MN: Yeah, with the help of THREE GUYS all working against him at once! This is freaking SABOTAGE!! They’re in cahoots... AREN’T THEY!?!

DT: A noticeably hurt Sean Stevens slips to the outside... but is quickly followed by Cameron Cruise! Meanwhile, The First feels a tap on his shoulder, and turns around right into a BLATANT JAB from Shawn Hart! Hart BOXING his HOPE ally into the ropes!

DM: Meanwhile, Cruise putting some PUNISHMENT on the King of the Cage... RAILING HIM right across the barricade! Cruise is forcing that forearm down on the back of his head now, trying to CHOKE the World Champion while pumping up the ringside fans!

MN: Bloodthirsty VULTURES!! How can they sit there and CHEER while their WORLD CHAMPION is being ASSAILED!? Where the HELL is the referee!

DT: Pat Jones is too caught up on warning Shawn Hart over the closed fists! Hart making a quick and sincere apology, but the damage has clearly been done as The First looks to be seeing stars and leaning his weight on the ropes!

DM: Hart bouncing him off now, sending him across the ring... wait, THE FIRST HOPS TO THE SECOND ROPE – COUNTERS with an ASAI MOONSAULT!!! He completely LAID OUT the totally unsuspecting Shawn Hart!!

DT: The First HOOKS THE LEGS into a jack-knife, looking for the PIN and ELIMINATION!!

ONE!!

TWO!!

...no, HART ROLLS FORWARD!! THE FIRST PINNED NOW!!

ONE!!

TWO!!

KICKOUT, as The First SCISSORS those legs across Hart’s face!

DM: Cruise scaling the APRON now... targeting the CHAMP who still hangs lifeless on the barricade... wait, The First springing to his feet, running to the ROPES on Cruise’s side!

DT: Cruise MEETS HIM WITH A KNEE TO THE BACK!!

MN: HA!! He clearly didn’t see that one coming...

DM: What’s going on now... Cruise slapping a three-quarter facelock over the ROPES... HONING IN on Stevens... JUMPS OFF THE APRON and GUILLOTINES THE FIRST OVER THE ROPES as he GOES FOR THE DIVING ELBOW DROP ON STEVENS –

SFX: *CRASH!!*

DT: OH NO!! STEVENS LURCHED TO THE SIDE!! Cruise’s ELBOW HIT THAT BARRICADE STRAIGHT ON!! He went for the HIGH RISK move, but Stevens was playing POSSUM... and now he’s left clutching that arm in PAIN!!

MN: That’s what you call a useful idiot! Takes out The First... AND himself!

DM: While Cruise rubs the feeling back into his arm... The First struggles to breath on the mat, Hart’s back on his feet... passes up The First, his attention on Cruise on the outside! Cruise is a SITTING DUCK!

DT: The Champ, meanwhile, is on the move... slipping into the ring undetected around the other side! Stevens coming in... Hart going OUT – VAULTING OVER THE TOP ROPE and LAYING OUT CAMERON CRUISE WITH A CORKSCREW PLANCHA AS HE WAS GETTING TO HIS FEET!

Crowd: *POP!!*

DM: What a STUNNING MOVE by “THE PHENOM” SHAWN HART, taking out the very man he defeated to become the Intercontinental Champion!! Cruise was distracted by that arm, otherwise I would have expected him to have cleared out of the way!

MN: Alas, Cruise is NO Sean Stevens!!

DT: The fans are hot behind Hart as he mounts the chest of Cameron Cruise and POUNDS AWAY without mercy! Cameron Cruise is POUNDING BACK, showing some FIGHTING SPIRIT!!

DM: All gloves are off now! Hart dragging Cruise back to his feet, as both men just RECKLESSLY pummel each other at ringside! Meanwhile, back in the ring, Stevens sets his sights on The First! The First still struggling to breath... and the World Champion jumps on the opportunity to grab his legs! Stevens WRAPS THEM INTO A FIGURE FOUR!!

DT: Oh man, The First is just SCREAMING in pain now! He needs to break free from this hold, or that leg that Cruise worked on earlier is only going to get even more damaged!

DM: Stevens has that hold cinched in! This is a bad position for The First! He’s gotta reach those ropes, but Stevens has a clear weight advantage over him!

MN: All he can do is sit there and beg for mercy until he TAPS!!

DT: The First has come TOO FAR to tap out so soon! Stevens, meanwhile, works that leg... and back on the outside, HART catches Cruise with a European Uppercut to counter a blocked strike! Cruise reeling now, and Hart takes him by that same arm Cruise accidentally drove into the barricade!

DM: Leading him over to the STEEL RINGPOST now! This doesn’t look good for CRUISE!!

*BANG!!*

DT: OH MAN!! CRUISE just violently THREW that arm into the STEEL RING POST! Cruise lying hurt against the apron... and Hart takes him by the arm AGAIN!!

SFX: *BANG!!*

DT: AND THERE’S ANOTHER shot against the ringpost! Cruise’s arm has got to be feeling much like The First’s LEG right about now!

MN: Why hasn’t that twerp TAPPED yet?!

DM: The First is STILL fighting that Figure Four Leglock! Stevens looking a little IMPATIENT... screaming vulgarities in The First’s face as he continues to CLAMP DOWN on that leg!

DT: The First could be slipping... wait, Jones sees his SHOULDERS ON THE MAT!

ONE!!

TWO!!

And The First SITS RIGHT UP before the three-count can be made! That was TOO close!

MN: I have to admit, I was a little hopeful there...

DM: Back on the outside... Cruise is on the mat, trying to protect that arm from some HEAVY stomps coming from the Intercontinental Champion! No doubt, Hart’s going to try and soften that limb up to prepare for the FUJIWARA ARMBAR!

DT: Hart bringing Cruise to his feet again... gives the WRIST a twist, and holds it up over his SHOULDER, looking for the ARMBREAKER – BUT CRUISE SHOVES HIM OFF!!

DM: Cruise finally got that arm back, but here comes HART – NO!! Walks into a DROP TOE HOLD FROM CRUISE –

SFX: *BANG!!*

DM: – OH GOD, HART WENT FACE-FIRST INTO THAT STEEL POLE!!

MN: Poetic justice, maybe! Live by the steel ringpost... DIE by the steel ringpost.

DT: That knocked the Intercontinental Champion out COLD, but for now, Cruise’s attention goes back to the ring, and he slides under the ropes to join the action! Now he sees The First with his LEG caught up in that Figure Four Leglock!

MN: Don’t be an IDIOT, Cam!

DM: Cruise thinking something over... wait, now he’s going over where The First is! He’s... MY GOD, HE’S SLAPPING ON A SLEEPERHOLD!!

DT: It’s like Cruise and Stevens are trying to RIP HIM IN HALF!! What does he think he’s DOING?!

MN: Trying to make it to the final three, DUH...

DM: Neels is right on that one, Dave! Cruise likely sees this as an opportunity to eliminate The First and get him out of the way of his plan to take the World Title!

DT: The First has gone from VERY BAD to EVEN WORSE... and now he’s slipping even FASTER!! Cruise is trying to force his SHOULDERS down to the mat... and I think he HAS HIM!!

ONE!!

TWO!!

THR – NO!! The First BARELY got the shoulder up there! No doubt, he had to dig DEEP for that one!

DM: He’s got a LEG about to be snapped in two, and at the same time, he’s losing BLOOD to the brain! It’s only a matter of time now before this cooperative submission attempt does its work!

DT: Not unless SHAWN HART can do something about it! HART, back on his feet... and now he’s COMING INTO THE RING!!

MN: Don’t do anything STUPID, Hart! NO ALLIANCES, remember?! It’s every man FOR HIMSELF!!

DM: That’s right, Neels! And clearly, Hart’s thinking of his OWN interests as he sets his sights on the CHAMPION!!

MN: WHAT?! NO!! GET AWAY FROM HIM, YOU CLOWN!!

DT: Stevens looking SURPRISED as Hart looms over him! Tries to FIGHT HIM OFF, but Hart catches him with a BOOT right across the face! Hart grabbing the arm – LOCKS IN THE FUJIWARA ARMBAR!! FUJIWARA ARMBAR ON THE CHAMP, while he still has the FIGURE FOUR LOCKED IN ON THE FIRST!!

DM: Man, this is the CRAZIEST THING I’VE EVER SEEN!! FOUR MEN LOCKED INTO ONE HUGE CHAIN OF SUBMISSION HOLDS!! The First SLIPPING FAST... but this could be his BREAK, as the CHAMP is now screaming in AGONY, trying to free himself!

DT: He won’t be able to do it until he frees up his legs! That means releasing The First! Cruise, meanwhile, squeezing HARD around The First’s neck! But The First is STILL fighting it!!

MN: Come on, Trip! Just a second longer! I think he’s about to TAP!!

DM: I think he sees his CHANCE OF ESCAPE!! Cruise pulling ONE WAY... Hart pulling the OTHER WAY... and THE FIRST’S LEGS SLIP FREE OF STEVENS’ GRIP!! THE CHAIN IS BROKEN!!

Crowd: *POP!!!*

DT: Cruise and Hart finally just pulled the two of them apart... and now we’ve got Hart with the FUJIWARA ARMBAR on the World Champion, while Cruise maintains the sleeper hold on The First!

DM: The First is ANYTHING but asleep right now! He’s struggling back to his feet... SHAKES OFF CRUISE WITH AN INVERTED JAWBREAKER!!

DT: Stevens working onto HIS feet as well... using his LEG to STOP AWAY AT SHAWN HART!! Hart’s trying to TWIST THAT ARM and hyper-extend the shoulder... but OH!! He catches a hard STOMP right into the forehead, and Stevens managed to get his arm out of his grasp!

DM: Stevens rubbing his arm... The First rubbing his leg... Cruise and Hart rubbing their jaws... this match is exacting an OBVIOUS toll on every competitor involved!

DT: And it’s a toll I have no doubt that EVERY ONE OF THEM is willing to pay in order to walk out of that ring as the WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION of Empire Pro! No eliminations yet, but this grueling contest is beginning to have its effects on its participants!

MN: Except for Trip, of course! He’s still as fresh as he was when he first came to the ring...

DM: Judging by the expression on our esteemed champion’s face, Neels... I find that hard to believe.

DT: Sean Stevens, looking incensed... he’s losing control of this match, and it’s CLEARLY making him angry! Here he goes to peel Hart back off the mat and – NO WAIT!! HART WITH A SMALL PACKAGE!!

ONE!!

TWO!!

THR – ALMOST STOLE IT!! Wow, he walked right into that one!

MN: Uh... CLEARLY, he saw it coming!

DM: Hart is definitely a big, fat hair in Stevens’ bowl of clam chowder right now! Stevens and Hart scrambling back to their feet... HART PUTS THE CHAMP TO THE MAT with an Armdrag! Keeps hold of the wrist and gives it a TWIST... once again, focusing on that arm the way he did with Cameron Cruise earlier in this match!

DT: I think he wants to make the champion TAP OUT in that Fujiwara Armbar!

MN: Too bad he won’t get the chance to do it again!

DM: The Intercontinental Champ has done a remarkable job up until this point, especially given his condition! Hart wrenching the arm... across the ring, The First back up... Cruise up as well... THE FIRST gets in the first shot with a BOOT to the gut... and follows through with a ROLLING DDT!!

DT: The First hooking the leg for the cover!

ONE!!

TWO!!

CRUISE KICKS OUT!!

DM: HEY!! Stevens just GOUGED THE EYES of Shawn Hart! Pat Jones couldn’t see ANYTHING, cause he was busy making the count!

MN: You snooze, you lose, ref...

DT: Hart reeling... KNOCKED HARD TO THE MAT by a RUNNING KNEE LIFT FROM STEVENS!! That cheap shot certainly paid off!

DM: Stevens turning his attention from “The Phenom” to the other two challengers... he wants to get this match back to where he had it... CLONKS The First in the head from his blind side... and there’s the IRISH WHIP to the CORNER!! Stevens FOLLOWS – !!

DT: NO!! THE FIRST REBOUNDS OFF THE SECOND ROPE!! OH MAN, he caught the CHAMP’S HEAD IN A LEG-SCISSOR!!

MN: He’s STILL GOT THE ROPES!! Ref, DO SOMETHING!

DM: NO NEED!! The First THROWS STEVENS THROUGH THE ROPES with a HEAD-SCISSOR TAKEDOWN OUT OF THE CORNER!! The First just threw the World Champion from his OWN RING!!

Crowd: *POP!!!*

DT: Stevens scrambling to his feet on the outside, and he looks FURIOUS!! The First... BECKONING him back into the ring!

MN: Look BEHIND YOU, idiot!!

DM: TOO LATE!! Cameron Cruise TRAPS THE FIRST into a FULL NELSON...

DT: OH MAN, FOLLOWS THROUGH RIGHT INTO A BRIDGED DRAGON SUPLEX!!!

ONE!!

TWO!!

THR – NO!! BROKEN UP BY SHAWN HART!!

MN: DAMN! Was hoping that punk would finally get eliminated!

DM: Sean Stevens was probably hoping for the same thing! But instead, Hart prevents the early elimination of his HOPE ally!

MN: I’m telling you, those two are WORKING TOGETHER in this match!

DT: Cruise, First, and Hart all back to their feet at once... and Cruise immediately starts peppering BOTH members of HOPE with some stiff jabs! No doubt, he shares your suspicions, Mike!

DM: BIG Knife-Edge Chop leaves The First reeling against the ropes, and now he sets his attention on Hart, TANGLING UP with the Intercontinental Champion in a collar-and-elbow tie-up... oh, hold on, Stevens climbing up to the APRON now! He’s got his attention on the unsuspecting!

DT: Cruise and Hart struggling for leverage... and Stevens AGAIN cracks The First in the head from his blindspot... OH GOD, FOLLOWS THROUGH WITH A REVERSE SUPLEX OVER THE ROPES TO THE OUTSIDE!!

DM: That just looked DEVASTATING! The First took a SICK looking fall on the barely-padded ringside floor!

MN: Payback can be a *****! And The First is the BIGGEST ***** OF THEM ALL!!

DT: Hart and Cruise are still jockeying for position in the middle of the ring... wait, CRUISE slips around to the back of Hart!

DM: Cameron Cruise has been doing some significant damage from behind thus far in this match... this time LOOKING FOR A BACK SUPLEX – but HART ROLLS THROUGH and LANDS ON HIS FEET!! Hart with a WAISTLOCK OF HIS OWN now!

DT: COUNTERED into a SNAPMARE by Cruise! Hart’s looking to put that arm into something... but Cruise KNOCKS HIM BACK with a quick seated BICYCLE KICK that caught him in the forehead!

DM: Hart is reeling on his feet... and Cruise makes it back to his feet! Catches Hart with a BOOT to the gut... and hooks him for the SUPLEX!!

DT: But Hart is BLOCKING IT!! Cruise is having some trouble getting him off the mat...

MN: FAIL.

DM: “Triple X” Sean Stevens reenters the ring, having left The First knocked out cold on the outside... Hart trying to REVERSE the suplex now – but Cruise BITES BACK with a stiff shot to the ribs!

DT: Cruise DIGGING DEEP... LIFTS HART OFF THE MAT FOR THE VERTICLE SUPLEX –

DM: OH WAIT, Stevens CUTS OUT HIS LEG with a RUNNING KICK!! Cruise COLLAPSES with HART ON TOP!!

DT: Was that even NECESSARY?! Stevens ARROGANTLY pressing his FOOT down over Hart’s back...

MN: AWESOME!!

DT: ...and Cruise is pinned beneath the weight of TWO MEN! Here comes Pat Jones to make the count!

ONE!!

TWO!!

THREE – ALMOST!! Cruise JUST managed to get that shoulder up!!

DM: I wonder who they would have given the elimination to if he hadn’t kicked out...

MN: TRIP, obviously... I mean, he WAS on top!

DT: OH MAN!! Shawn Hart just took a VICIOUS STOMP right to the back of the HEAD as punishment! I think that may have knocked him out COLD!!

DM: Cruise trying to get back up, but now he’s got the lifeless body of Shawn Hart pinning him down!! OOHH!! Stevens delivers a HARD KICK right to his FACE while he’s trapped!

DT: Stevens surveys the scene... the First is still lying hurt on the outside, with Cruise nearly getting his FACE kicked in, and Hart likely UNCONCIOUS given the amount of damage his head’s taken over the course of this match!

MN: Looks like everything’s finally in its right place!

DM: Stevens goes for the only man who’s still moving... CRUISE! Stevens drags him back to his feet by the HAIR, and just arrogantly SCOFFS in Pat Jones face as the referee gives him a warning! Stevens has him by the arm... DRAGS HIM RIGHT INTO A BACK ELBOW STRIKE!

DT: Cruise knocked to the mat... and Stevens STAMPS THE HAND while he’s down! Cruise gripping that hand, but Stevens just BOOTS HIM IN THE SHOULDER right back to the mat!

DM: It’s like watching a lion playing with its food before it goes in for the kill...

MN: And Cruise is only SKIN and BONES!

DT: The World Champion, mounting the chest of the usurped Anthology founder... LAYING INTO HIS FACE with some HARD STRIKES!! Jones warning him over the closed fists, and Stevens is just IGNORING HIM!!

DM: Stevens, PUNCHING with enough authority to blow Cruise’s FACE out the back of his HEAD... and I think the former Intercontinental Champion has been BUSTED OPEN!!

DT: Pat Jones KNOWS he has to stop this! Wait... he just GRABBED THE CHAMP BY THE ARM!! Stevens looking FURIOUSLY into the eyes of the referee, but Jones STERNLY WARNING HIM that he’ll disqualify him!

MN: I bet you anything that this is the LAST match where we see that dried up fossil and his nauseating favoritism in an EPW ring...

DT: Stevens staring intently at the referee... but shrugs it off, and rises off of Cruise’s chest – OH!! BUT NOT BEFORE SLAPPING HIM ONE LAST TIME ACROSS THE FACE!!

Crowd: “BOOOOOOOOO!!!”

DM: What a cheap shot...

MN: Come on, Dean... are you seriously telling me you aren’t a little tickled inside to see Cameron Cruise get *****-SLAPPED?!

DM: Nothing pisses me off more than seeing a fine-talented Empire Pro veteran getting disrespected...

DT: Couldn’t agree with you more on that, Dean-O. Stevens leaving Cruise on the mat to bleed, as Pat Jones checks his wound! Doesn’t look like too much of a gusher...

DM: Stevens taking notice of The First on the outside, just now working back to his feet with the help of the barricade and the ringside fans egging him on! Now he looks to HART, who hasn’t budged an INCH since Stevens delivered that sickening STOMP right to the back of the head!

DT: I’m really concerned about the condition of the Intercontinental Champion right now! He could be suffering from a CONCUSSION!

MN: Better yet, he could be DEAD!!

DM: Neels, you sick, morbid bastard... how in the HELL would that make things BETTER?!

MN: Uhh...

DT: Stevens nudges Hart with his toe, as if checking to make sure he’s out! Hart is completely UNRESPONSIVE! No doubt, he could pin him and eliminate the IC Champ right there!

DM: I think “Triple X” is more interested in giving “The Phenom” a flashier kind of send-off! Stevens going to the turnbuckle now... rising up to the TOP ROPE! Man, he’s got about HALF THE RING to clear there!

MN: Trip could jump that in his SLEEP...

DT: Cruise still on the ground... The First nowhere NEAR Stevens’ corner! He’s got a FREE SHOT right at the unconscious and defenseless Shawn Hart!

DM: Sean Stevens... LUNGING OFF THE TOP ROPE WITH A LEAP OF FAITH ELBOW DROP –

DT: AND SHART HART JUST SHOT STRAIGHT UP!! STEVENS’ ELBOW HITS NOTHING BUT CANVAS!!!

Crowd: *POP!!*

DM: I guess he wasn’t out AFTER all! Or maybe he WAS, and just coincidentally WOKE UP the instant Stevens was in the AIR!

DT: You never know with Shawn Hart...

MN: That crazy bastard...

Crowd: “HART!! HART!! HART!! HART!! HART!! HART!!”

DM: Hart’s got the fans rallying behind him, trying to make it to his feet now! Still looks a little DISORIENTED, though... and despite rubbing that ARM, the champ still manages to make it up before him!

DT: Stevens looks like he could KILL SOMEBODY right now... specifically, the Intercontinental Champ, “The Phenom” SHAWN HART, who’s back on his feet, but holds his head as though he’s fighting the urge to PASS OUT again! I think Hart needs some SERIOUS medical attention!

MN: Right... never mind the guy with the busted up face lying on the mat...

DM: Cruise trying to get to his feet with the help of the ropes... on the outside, The First is just now finally coming to! There’s nobody to help Shawn Hart!

DT: Stevens takes him from behind... slaps on the front facelock... LIFTS HIM UP FOR THE X-TERMINATOR – OOOOH, WAIT, HE’S HAVING TROUBLE!!

DM: His ARM is GIVING OUT!! He can only manage to lift Hart over his SHOULDER!! Hart KICKING HIS LEGS now! Stevens drops him into an inverted belly-to-belly position... but Hart CONTINUES TO STRUGGLE!!

MN: Come on, Trip, just DROP HIM right there on his head! This ain’t the time to be flashy!

DT: The champion is losing his balance!! OH WOW!! HART BREAKS FREE – AND FOLLOWS THROUGH WITH THE HART ON!!!

Crowd: *POP!!!*

MN: NO WAY!!!

DM: UN-FREAKING-BELIEVABLE!! HART REVERSED THE X-TERMINATOR INTO A HART ON!!

DT: All he has to do is PIN THE CHAMPION to eliminate him... but it looks like that feat took EVERYTHING out of him! He barely has the strength to CRAWL at this point! Come on, Shawn!

MN: There is NO WAY Stevens is getting eliminated first!

DM: Speaking of “FIRSTS”... the HIGH-FLYING SENSATION sees what’s happening, and quickly slides back into the ring!! The First GOING FOR THE COVER!!

DT: THIS COULD BE IT!!

ONE!!



TWO!!!




THR – NO!!! STEVENS KICKED OUT AT THE LAST SECOND!!

DM: If Hart had the strength to make that cover himself, no doubt the champion would have just been ELIMINATED!

MN: The champ saw to it earlier in this match that NOBODY would have the strength to cover him!

DT: Talk all you want, Neely... Stevens LUCKED OUT right there!

DM: The First is bringing Stevens back to his feet! Meanwhile, CRUISE is finally back to his feet and ready for action! The first thing he notices is a defenseless Shawn Hart struggling to get off the canvas!

DT: The First, looking for an Irish Whip – NO!! It’s REVERSED by Stevens, and the First CONNECTS with the turnbuckle! Stumbling out now...

DM: AND WALKS RIGHT INTO AN X-FACTOR FROM STEVENS!!! That came COMPLETELY OUT OF NOWHERE, and The First could do NOTHING to prepare for it!!

MN: FINALLY!! Trip, do us all a favor and GET THAT PUNK OUT OF THE RING!!

DM: Wait, WAIT, WAIT A SEC NOW... CRUISE PUTTING HART INTO THE CRUISE CONTROL!! MY GOD, HE’S GOT THAT SUBMISSION HOLD CINCHED IN ON A BARELY CONSCIOUS MAN!!!

DT: Stevens going for the COVER on The First, but Pat Jones has his attention on HART AND CRUISE!!

MN: *******it, COME ON, YOU STUPID REF!! ONE!! TWO!! THREE!! He’s OUT!!

DM: Hart is FIGHTING THE URGE TO TAP, and meanwhile, Stevens is FIGHTING THE URGE TO RIP THE REF’S HEAD OFF!

DT: I think Hart is about to PASS OUT!! His EYES ARE ROLLING BACK!! The pain is just TOO MUCH given everything he’s been through tonight!

DM: Hart’s arm, reaching for the ropes... but now it’s starting to FALTER!! I think he’s ON HIS WAY OUT!!

DT: NOO!! Stevens BUSTS CRUISE RIGHT IN THE JAW with a running STOMP!! HE JUST BROKE UP THE HOLD!!

MN: That’s what he GETS for trying to steal the champ’s THUNDER!! The First should be OUT OF THIS MATCH!

DM: More angry stomps on the part of the champ, kicking a MUDHOLE into Cameron Cruise who can only retreat into the corner and TAKE IT!! Stevens is holding NOTHING BACK in those kicks! He is legitimately PISSED OFF right now!

DT: I think Shawn Hart really DID pass out again! He’s not moving on the mat! Stevens leaving Cruise, targeting the weakest link in the ring once again! He’s flipping Hart over and... and he’s going to the TURNBUCKLE!!

DM: This didn’t work out so well for the champ last time he went upstairs! Still, I’d hardly think Hart is going to just SNAP AWAKE like he did last time! No doubt, he’s out of this match for GOOD!

DT: The First, showing some recovery... meanwhile, Stevens stepping through the ropes... slowly scaling up to the top rope... posing for the FANS...

Crowd: “BOOOOOOOOO!!!”

MN: Man, he just a work of ART!!

DT: Blatant showboating on the part of the champion...

DM: WAIT A SEC, HERE’S COMES THE FIRST!! The First just SNAPPED OFF THE MAT and SPRANG ONTO THE TOP ROPE with STEVENS!!

MN: WHAT!? WHERE THE HELL DID HE COME FROM!?

Crowd: *POP!!!*

DT: THE FIRST IS WAILING AWAY AT THE FACE OF THE CHAMPION!! BOTH MEN LOCKED IN A LIFE AND DEATH STRUGGLE ON THE TOP ROPE!!

MN: Come on, Trip! HIT HIM!!

DM: Stevens was caught completely off guard!! The First... bouncing off the top rope and GOING HIGH FOR A SUPER HURRICANRANA –

SFX: *SLAMM!!*

Crowd: “OOOoooohh...”

DT: OH GOD NO, STEVENS REVERSED WITH A SUPER POWERBOMB!! THE FIRST JUST GOT BOMBED RIGHT ON TOP OF SHAWN HART FROM MORE THAN TEN FEET!!

DM: Quick and desperate counter on the part of the World Champion, taking out TWO BIRDS with ONE STONE!! The First was making a spirited comeback there, but just like that, the champ puts him to the mat with ANOTHER devastating move!

MN: Trip didn’t come here tonight to **** around... and any time that scrawny twerp tries taking a swing at the CHAMP, he gets BURNED for it!

DT: Stevens readjusting himself... once again targeting the motionless Shawn Hart...

DM: Here he comes OFF THE TOP ROPE –

DT: CRUISE IN MOTION!!

DM: – WITH THE FROGSPL – HOLY HELL, CRUISE!! CRUISE WITH THE REALITY CHECK!!

Crowd: *POP!!!*

DT: JESUS CHRIST ON A DASHBOARD, CAMERON CRUISE JUST REALITY CHECKED THE WORLD CHAMPION OUT OF THE AIR!!

DM: I’VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THAT IN MY LIFE!!

MN: Wha... WHAT... the...

DM: Neels is at an absolute loss of words after THAT!! We gotta see the replay...

[A second screen appears as the real-time action moves to a box in the corner. In slow motion, the cameras catch Cruise, from his position on his knees across the ring, looking up and seeing the champion on the top rope. He bursts to his feet as soon as Sean Stevens leaps from the top rope, and then, in one fluid motion, sprints across half the length of the ring, jumps into the air, catches the World Champ, and yanks him down the rest of the way to the mat with a devastating Reality Check. A moment later, we return to real-time.]

DM: That was an UNBELIEVABLE counter on the part of the former Intercontinental Champion... but now he has to seal the deal! Cruise, CRAWLING to the champion now! All he has to do is MAKE THE PIN!!

MN: Oh man... it CAN’T END THIS WAY!!

DT: Cruise reaches Stevens... drapes an ARM across his chest for the cover!



ONE!!





TWO!!!






THREE – OH *******IT, STEVENS GOT HIS FOOT ON THE ROPES!!

MN: PHEW!!

DM: If Cameron had hooked that leg, that would have been a certified elimination! Cruise, undeterred... dragging Stevens away from the ropes! Goes for the cover again, and hooks BOTH legs!!

DT: This could BE IT!!



ONE!!




TWO!!





THR – KICKOUT!! That’s yet another lost opportunity for a challenger to eliminate the World Champion...

MN: Oh, Cammy... I can always rely on YOU to bungle the simplest of things!

Crowd: “CRUISE!! CRUISE!! CRUISE!! CRUISE!! CRUISE!!”

DT: Cruise is so close to finishing off the champion he can practically SMELL IT!! Meanwhile, SHAWN HART is finally awake again... and it looks like he’s trying to get back to his feet, but CAN’T!!

MN: Somebody should just put that clown out of his misery already!

DM: For the first time in this match, Stevens looks to be in bad shape! Cruise has him back to his feet again... there’s the WHIP TO THE ROPES!! Stevens rebounds, and Cruise waits for him with ANOTHER REALITY CHE – OH NO!!

Crowd: “AAAAaaaawww...”

DT: Stevens COUNTERED WITH A RUNNING ESS-TEE-OH!!

DM: That was a LIFE-SAVING MOVE!! No doubt, if Cam had hit that second Reality Check, we’d be seeing a new champion crowned here tonight!

MN: You guys are ALWAYS too quick to rule out Trip in his most desperate hour. That’s where he does his best WORK!

DT: Stevens back up... STOMPING CRUISE YET AGAIN while he’s down, and he’s focusing on that CUT in the former IC Champ’s forehead, trying to bust him open even MORE!!

DM: Hold the phone... SHAWN HART is finally back on his feet for the first time in what seems like SEVERAL MINUTES!! Stevens turning his attention away from Cruise to take care of the unfinished business he started on Shawn Hart!

DT: Stevens stepping forward with a BIG HAYMAKER – AND IT’S BLOCKED BY HART!! Hart COUNTERS WITH A JUDO SHOULDER THROW!!

DM: He’s still got the WRIST – AND HE SLAPS ON THE FUJIWARA ARMBAR!! HE’S GOT IT LOCKED IN!!

Crowd: *POP!!!*

MN: Oh ****... ****!! COME ON, TRIP!! Get to those ROPES!!

DM: This is the second time Stevens is feeling the BURN of the Fujiwara Armbar in this match! He was able to brace the pain earlier, but I really don’t know if he’s got enough left in him to fight it off a SECOND time!

DT: He’s only an ARM LENGTH’S AWAY from the bottom rope, and he is SCREAMING IN PAIN as he desperately thrashes his way across the mat inch by painful inch to get there! He MIGHT MAKE IT!!

DM: Stevens only INCHES now!! Hart, still wringing that arm! That’s the same arm that Stevens landed on earlier after missing the top rope elbow drop meant for the very man on the verge of making him TAP!!

MN: Whatever you do, Sean... DON’T GIVE IN!! You’re SO CLOSE NOW!!

DT: Stevens REACHING OUT...


…


...AND HE’S GOT THE BOTTOM ROPE!!

DM: NO HE DOESN’T!! CAMERON CRUISE JUST KICKS HIS ARM RIGHT OFF THE ROPE!!

Crowd: *POP!!!*

MN: CAM, YOU GUTLESS SON OF A *****!!!

DM: Payback from earlier, when Stevens interrupted HIS submission attempt! And now Cruise adds INSULT TO INJURY, STOMPING AWAY at the World Champion as he fights the INTENSE PAIN IN HIS ARM!!

MN: Come on, THIS IS TWO ON ONE!!

DT: And it’s about to be THREE on one!! THE FIRST is back to his feet, and he’s looking for the TURNBUCKLE!! The First is GOING UP TOP!!

MN: That one-dimensional freak! Every time he gets a chance, he’s gotta JUMP off something...

DM: Stevens could be moments away from tapping right now! He’s got that ARM being VIOLENTLY TWISTED by Hart... and CRUISE is laying BOMBS of stomps to his shoulder and face... and The First could very well be looking for the KILL!!

DT: OH WAIT!! Stevens BLOCKS a kick attempt from Cruise with his free arm and SHOVES HIM OFF!! Cruise loses his balance... and STUMBLES TO THE MAT!

MN: HA!! FINALLY!!

DM: He’s got some breathing room to work with, but only for a MOMENT... as The First is PERCHED ON THE TOP ROPE and READY TO FLY!!

DT: Stevens is a SITTING DUCK!!

DM: The First LUNGES OFF THE TOP ROPE – CUT THE THREAD –

Crowd: *POP!!!*

DT: OH ****, STEVENS JUST LURCHED TO THE SIDE!!

Crowd: “NOOOOOOO!!!”

DT: OH GOD NO, THE FIRST HIT SHAWN HART!!! CUT THE THREAD ON HART!! HE NEARLY DECAPITATED HIS OWN HOPE ALLY!!

MN: YES!! YES YES YES!!!

DM: What the hell HAPPENED there?! Somebody give me a replay...

[Replay shot again. The slow-motion footage reveals Stevens noticing the First about to strike off the top rope. In the last instance, with Hart still latched onto his arm, he PULLS with all of his strength to one side, dragging himself and Hart just far enough for the First’s Cut the Thread to hit the unintended target.]

DT: It almost looked to me as though Stevens PULLED HART into the way of that Cut the Thread! COMPLETE desperation on the part of the champion, who now rolls out of the ring to lick his wounds!

DM: A canny counter to be sure, but it looked like he nearly pulled his ARM right out of the socket just to pull it off! Wisely, he goes to the outside before any more damage can be done... but Cruise slips out to pursue him!

DT: Meanwhile, the First is left in the ring with the unconscious Hart, unsure of how to react to what just transpired!

MN: Hey, he should be feeling PROUD! At least he hit SOMEBODY!!

DM: That closed the book completely on Shawn Hart again! For the THIRD TIME in this match, he’s been knocked UNCONCIOUS!! That head injury is only going to get worse!

DT: The First does the only thing he can think of... and drapes himself across the chest of Hart, hooking the LEGS for the PIN!!





ONE!!!







TWO!!!










TTTHHHRREEEEE!!! SHAWN HART HAS BEEN ELIMINATED!!

MN: SO LONG, SUCKER!!

DM: Shawn Hart put up one HELL of a fight, given his condition walking into this match! But the punishment done to his head was just too much for a man to handle! The First is now communicating with Pat Jones, telling him to call a medical team!

DT: The well-being of his friend and ally are clearly The First’s major concern right now... but with the Intercontinental Champion removed from this match, we are down to THREE, and he understands that there’s still more work to be done!

DM: Back to ringside... Cameron Cruise is ALL OVER the World Champion, trying to pummel him into OBLIVION!! This is definitely becoming a personal matter for Cruise!

DT: EMTs are charging down the ramp to tend to Shawn Hart, while Cruise and Stevens oblivious pound away at each other! Wait a sec... The First GOING UP TOP!!

MN: Here we go again...

DM: THE FIRST OFF THE TOP ROPE WITH A SHOOTING STAR PRESS!!! HE JUST LAID OUT BOTH CRUISE AND STEVENS AT RINGSIDE!!!

Crowd: *POP!!!*

DT: MY GOD, I’VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING SO STUNNING IN MY LIFE!!

MN: Punk should have broken his neck...

DM: We need to get the replay on that...

MN: Geez, Dean... you think we could give the replay thing a rest?!

DM: I CAN’T HELP IT!! This whole match is a HIGHLIGHT REEL!!

[Another instant replay pops up. The camera catches the fluid actions as The First springs to the top rope in one motion and comes springing off again with a beautiful Shooting Star Press. The unsuspecting Sean Stevens and Cameron Cruise look up at the last second before they’re both swept to the floor under the diving man’s weight.]

DT: Simply amazing... no other way to put it.

DM: The First has the advantage now, with the fans COMPLETELY at his back! He’s getting Stevens to his feet and rolling him back into the ring!

MN: Damnit, why do they always go for HIM first?!

DT: Cause he’s the one with the BELT, Neely! The First slides in after – NO WAIT!! Cruise REACHED UP and GRABBED HIM by the ankle... and just DRAGS HIM BACK TO THE OUTSIDE!!

DM: OOOH!! The First just go PEARL HARBORED by a shot to the back of the head from Cruise! Cruise has him stunned...

SFX: *CRASH!!*

DM: …AND RUNS HIM HEAD-FIRST RIGHT INTO THE BARRICADE!!

DT: The First just can’t catch a BREAK in this match! In any case, Cruise leaves him there on the floor and rolls back into the ring to get to Stevens! And while he goes IN, the medical team help Shawn Hart OUT. Looks like he’s conscious again...

DM: Hart needs his head checked, but the good news is that he’s able to leave the ring on his own feet! The question is... given how HELLACIOUS this match as been... will he be the ONLY ONE?!

MN: Well, I’ll agree with you on one thing... he DOES need his head checked.

DT: Cruise moving in on Stevens, but Stevens is back to his feet! Both men LOCK UP...

DM: Here we GO... CRUISE quickly whips to the BACK of the champ, hooking that arm into a CHICKWING!! Stevens trying to free himself... but CRUISE SLAPS ON A DRAGON SLEEPER!! What an INCREDIBLE MODIFIED SUBMISSION HOLD!!

Crowd: *POP!!!*

MN: BAH!! Stupid SUBMISSION HOLDS!!

DT: Cruise PULLING BACK... trying to GET TO THE MAT... now he’s LOCKING IN A GUILLOTINE USING HIS LEGS!!! The World Champion, being PULLED APART in several places!!

DM: The only thing Stevens has free is that ARM... and it took a hell of a FUJIWARA only minutes ago!

MN: Come on, Trip, GET TO THOSE ROPES!!

DT: TOO LATE!! Cruise HAS HIM ON THE MAT! And I don’t think he’s FINISHED YET!!

DM: Cruise, rolling over... and now Stevens is FACE DOWN on the mat!! Cruise releases the guillotine... now he LOCKS STEVENS’S LEG!! Transitioning out of the Dragon Sleeper –

DT: RIGHT INTO THE CRUISE CONTROL!!! HE’S GOT IT LOCKED IN!!

Crowd: *POP!!!*

DM: That was a CLASSIC chain of holds, right into Cameron Cruise’s own modified STF finisher! Stevens has GOT to be wanting to tap out!

MN: COME ON, TRIP!! YOU’RE BLOWING THIS!!

DT: The World Champion may not even make it to the FINAL TWO in this match! Cruise, WRENCHING BACK on the head of “Triple X”... and Stevens can only make a futile effort to reach for the ropes!!

DM: I don’t know if he’s going to get there!

DT: Hang on, HANG ON... THE FIRST IS BACK ON THE APRON!!

MN: Oh CRAP, WHAT NOW!?

DM: The First... briefly measures the DISTANCE to the two men... and COMES BACK INTO THE RING WITH A SENTON SPLASH –

DT: CRUISE JUST STOOD STRAIGHT UP!!

DM: THE FIRST CONNECTS!! Oh wait, HE ONLY HIT SEAN STEVENS!! Cruise saw what was coming and QUICKLY broke the hold to get out of the way!

MN: DAMNIT!! YOU HIT THE WRONG GUY, YOU TWERP!!

DT: The First back to his feet... CHARGES CRUISE – BUT RUNS STRAIGHT INTO A DROP TOE HOLD, putting him into position RIGHT NEXT to Stevens!

DM: Cruise quickly locks in The First’s leg... locks in STEVENS LEG AS WELL!! Wait, what is he... OH MY GOD!!

Crowd: *POP!!!*

DT: HE’S GOT THE CRUISE CONTROL LOCKED IN BOTH MEN!!!

DM: MAN, WHAT A SIGHT TO BEHOLD!! TWIN STF’S, BOTH MEN DESPERATELY REACHING FOR THE ROPES!!

MN: Ugh...

DT: WILL WE SEE A TAP OUT!? Will we see TWO!? Can Cameron Cruise simultaneously ELMINATE BOTH OF THESE OPPONENTS?!

DM: It would DEFINITELY be a stunning feat!

MN: Don’t count Trip out YET, fellas! He’ll think of a way out of this one...

DT: Wait now... Stevens trying to drag himself forward... and now THE FIRST is working WITH HIM!! BOTH MEN USING THEIR COMBINED STRENGTH TO INCH TOWARD THE ROPES!!

DM: Cruise doesn’t have the WEIGHT or the LEVERAGE to keep them in place in the center of the ring! I think it’s ONLY A MATTER OF TIME, now!

MN: Good thing that freak is such a SHRIMP... or he’d just be extra DEADWEIGHT for the champ to pull along!

DT: Stevens LURCHES forward... only a foot away now... THE FIRST lurches forward... only INCHES!!

DM: THERE!! STEVENS MAKES A FINAL DESPERATE LUNGE, and he grabs THE BOTTOM ROPE!

DT: Pat Jones ORDERING Cruise to break the hold... or BOTH holds, rather... and Cruise COMPLIES!!

MN: Damn RIGHT he does!!

DM: Cruise back on his feet, looking PUMPED and just BECKONING Stevens and The First to get up! Remarkably, the former Intercontinental Champion has taken control of this match!!

DT: The First and Sean Stevens... DESPERATELY trying to claw their way up the ropes!

MN: Come on, Trip! YOU CAN BEAT HIM!!

DM: It’s not a race, Neels... and in this case, the “winner” would be the first person to deal with Cruise!

DT: Stevens almost up... OH MY, AND HE JUST SNAPS WITH RAGE, violently KICKING The First back to the mat and charging like a RABID ANIMAL AFTER CRUISE!!

DM: Cruise BAITING HIM IN – Stevens RUNS RIGHT INTO A REALITY CHECK!!

Crowd: *POP!!!*

MN: OH, GOD NO!!

DT: THAT’S TWICE CAMERON CRUISE HAS HIT THE CHAMPION WITH A REALITY CHECK!! I DON’T KNOW IF HE HAS ENOUGH TO KICK OUT OF THIS ONE!!

MN: COME ON, TRIP!!




DT: ONE!!!







TWO!!!







THRE – NO!! SPOILED BY THE FIRST!! The First just dashed all hopes Cruise had of eliminating the CHAMPION!

MN: Oh man, I never thought I’d be saying this, but THANK YOU, FIRST!! THANK YOU FOR PREVENTING THAT ATROCITY!!

DM: A questionable move... but knowing The First, he wants this to come down to HIM and the CHAMPION alone!

MN: He’s just BEGGING for a dramatic execution, isn’t he??

DM: Cruise raging to his feet now... looking PISSED OFF!! The First gets a hard KNEE STRIKE right to the abdomen... Cruise hooks him around the waist – FOLLOWS THROUGH WITH A GUTWRENCH SUPLEX!!

DT: There’s the COVER!



ONE!!


TWO!!


KICKOUT!! Cruise quickly back up, and he doesn’t let go of that waistlock, dragging The First back up as well!!

DM: OOOOH, CRUISE WITH A STIFF-AS-HELL BELLY-TO-BELLY SUPLEX!! He just SLAMMED THE FIRST INTO THE MAT like a angry CHILD throwing a TOY to the floor!

DT: Cruise HOOKS THE LEG FOR A COVER!!


ONE!!


TWO!!


NO!! The First kicks out before the three! Cruise... UNDETERRED, brings The First back to his feet again!

DM: He’s just throwing every SUPLEX IN THE BOOK out there! The First has hardly had the chance to BREATH!!

DT: Cruise is definitely PUNISHING him for interrupting his chance to dethrone the self-proclaimed KING of professional wrestling! Meanwhile, “Triple X” Sean Stevens... just now beginning to stir awake!

MN: Oh, when he wakes up, you better BELIEVE there’s hell to pay!

DM: Cameron Cruise is a BLEEDING MESS of pure RAGE and FIRE right now! Hooking The First around the waist again... BRIDGING NORTHERN LIGHTS SUPLEX!!!

DT: He MAKES THE COVER!!


ONE!!


TWO!!

ANOTHER KICKOUT!! The First will NOT STAY DOWN!!

DM: That’s incredible resiliency on the part of the painted-up freak... but at this point, Cruise is just SOFTENING HIM UP for the killing blow!

DT: Sean Stevens, looking shaky... but slowly making his way back to his feet using the ropes! This match has taken a TOLL on the World Champion... THAT much is clear! He didn’t expect THIS much competition...

MN: Give the man a BREAK, Dave! He’s had to fight off practically ALL THREE GUYS AT ONCE for the majority of this match! Not that THAT matters, because once he WINS this thing, he’s only going to look like that much more of a BADASS!!

DT: Cameron Cruise pumps back to his feet, getting the crowd RILED UP...

Crowd: *POP!!!*

DM: This could be THE END of The First! Cruise peels him off the mat... HOOKS HIM FOR THE REALITY – NO WAIT, THE FIRST SHOVES HIM OFF!!

SFX: *SMACK!!!*

Crowd: “OOOOOHHHH!!!

DT: – AND HE GOT SHOVED RIGHT INTO AN X-FACTOR FROM “TRIPLE X” SEAN STEVENS!!! STEVENS MADE IT TO HIS FEET AT THE LAST POSSIBLE SECOND, AND WAS IN THE RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME!!

MN: THAT WAS FREAKING AMAZING!! The champ is like a TELEPATH or something! He can SEE BEYOND NORMAL VISION!!

DM: Stevens looking down at the lifeless body of Cruise... but HERE COMES THE FIRST – RUNNING CROSS-BODY BLOCK – oh, BUT STEVENS CATCHES HIM!!

DT: CHRIST, NO!! Stevens nearly BREAKS HIM IN HALF with a DEVASTATING BACK-BREAKER!!

DM: Oh man... that looked CRIPPLING!! The First is in a LOT OF PAIN on the mat now!

MN: You take a swing at the king, you best not miss...

DT: Stevens is BACK IN CONTROL of the match, standing over TWO fallen contenders! Now he goes to the lifeless body of Cameron Cruise... HE MAKES THE COVER FOR THE ELIMINATION!!!






ONE!!!






TWO!!!






THREE – OH NO!! CRUISE KICKED OUT!! CRUISE KICKED OUT!!

MN: DAMNIT, CAMMY!!! You’re NOT GOING TO WIN BACK MY APPROVAL IN DOING THAT!!

DM: The temporary distraction of The First bought Cruise just ONE EXTRA SECOND to muster the strength to kick out of that! But does he have enough left in the tank to KICK OUT AGAIN?!

DT: We’re ABOUT TO FIND OUT!! Stevens... STRIPPING CRUISE OFF THE MAT once again... setting him into POSITION...

MN: Houston, WE HAVE LIFT OFF!!

DM: Stevens lifts Cruise UP... OVER... DROPS HIM RIGHT INTO A PICTURE PERFECT X-TERMINATOR!!!

MN: BOOM, BABY!!

Crowd: “BOOOOOOOO!!!”

MN: Ah, I’ve never heard ANYTHING MORE BEAUTIFUL IN MY LIFE!!!

DT: Cruise is OUT... and “TRIPLE X” SEAN STEVENS SWOONS TO THE CAMERA as he hooks the legs for the COVER...





ONE!!!





TWO!!!









TTTHHHHREEEEEEE!!! CAMERON CRUISE HAS BEEN ELIMINATED!!!

MN: SO LONG, CAMMY!! You’ve been great...

DM: A strong main event performance by the former Intercontinental Champion... ENDS with his aspirations unfulfilled!

DT: You have to admit though... there were some VERY close calls with Cameron Cruise!

DM: Cruise is being rolled out of the ring by the referee... and now we’re down to TWO COMPETITORS for the WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE!! The reigning champion... “TRIPLE X” SEAN STEVENS... and the man that’s been DOGGING HIM for the past TWO YEARS... THE FIRST!!

MN: It’s time to PUT UP or SHUT UP!!

DT: The First hasn’t moved from the mat since that HORRIBLE back-breaker! I certainly hope his back isn’t REALLY broken!

MN: We can only hope, Dave!

DM: “Triple X” is completely cool and casual as he walks over to The First... rolling him over now onto his back! The First is laid out and completely EXPOSED...

SFX: *SMACK!!!*

DM: ...and THE CHAMP just DISGRACEFULLY SLAPS the CHALLENGER!!

Crowd: “BOOOOOO!!”

DT: Stevens with an ARROGANT SMIRK as he looks POMPOUSLY into the crowd...

SFX: *SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!!!*

MN: YEAH!! *****-SLAP THAT *****!!!

Crowd: “YOU-SUCK!! YOU-SUCK!! YOU-SUCK!! YOU-SUCK!!”

DT: The World Champion is just ABUSING The First in that ring... HUMILIATING him!!

MN: It’s great, isn’t it? This is what this TWERP wanted! And now that he has his chance to shine... he just LAYS there and TAKES IT!!

DM: All the FIGHT has practically left The First! The pain and the punishment are just TOO MUCH for his lightweight frame!

DT: There can only be MORE to come!! Stevens grabbing him by the HAIR... leading him over to the corner now, and sets him up against the SECOND TURNBUCKLE... this does NOT look good!!

DM: OH, ****!! STEVENS JUST CURB-STOMPED THE FIRST RIGHT THERE ON THE TURNBUCKLE!! Now he’s STOMPING THE TAR out of the BACK OF HIS HEAD!!

MN: It’s like I’ve DIED and GONE TO HEAVEN!!

DM: You keep talking like that, and you WILL die tonight, Neels!

DT: Stevens, PRESSING THAT FOOT DOWN across The First’s HEAD, practically SMOTHERING HIM INTO THE TURNBUCKLE!! Come on, Pat, DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS!!

DM: The senior official practically has to YANK the champion off of The First! Come on, Sean... you’re CROSSING THE LINE in there!

MN: The hell you talking about, Dean? SEAN STEVENS DREW THAT LINE LONG AGO!!

DT: The First is completely LIFELESS in the corner... and Stevens decides to DRAG HIM OUT to the center of the ring! I think he’s setting him up for something BIG here!

DM: Stevens has that COCKY smirk on his face as he points over to the TURNBUCKLE! He’s GOING UP TOP!!

Crowd: “BOOOOOOOO!!!”

DT: Stevens is really MILKING THIS for time!

MN: He’s got all the time he NEEDS! The First is practically DEAD in that ring!

DM: Stevens is perched up high... flashes an “X” sign for the fans!

Crowd: “BOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!”

MN: In their hearts... they really LOVE him. We ALL do.

DT: Ugh... Stevens, GETTING INTO POSITION... DIVES OFF WITH A LEAP OF FAITH ELBOW DROP... IT CONNECTS!!! RIGHT INTO THE BACK OF THE FIRST’S HEAD!!!

DM: That could be IT for THE FIRST!!

DT: Stevens FLIPS HIM OVER for the COVER...



ONE!!




TWO!!



NO!! He just LIFTED HIMSELF OFF BEFORE THE THREE COUNT!!

DM: That SMUG BASTARD!!!

Crowd: “BOOOOOOOO!!!”

MN: Come on, COME ON, now... it can’t end THIS way! Trip’s gotta finish things in STYLE!!

DT: I hope this COCKY SON OF A ***** gets BURNED for this! Stevens... dragging The First back to his feet... The First looks like he’s on the verge of DEATH right now! I think he’s GAGGING!!

MN: You think he’s ready to DIE for that TITLE, Dave?!

DM: Stevens sets him staggering on his feet... clears the HAIR out of his face to get a good SHOT... and he CHARGES UP FOR THE X-FACTOR!!

DT: HERE IT COMES, LIKE A BULLET GOING RIGHT FOR THE HEAD –

DM: FIRST DUCKS IT!!

Crowd: *POP!!!*

MN: OH, ****!!!

DT: Stevens turns around... NEARLY DECAPITATED BY A HOOK KICK FROM THE FIRST!! HAH HAH, I CALLED IT!! THE FIRST IS TRYING TO MAKE A COMEBACK!!

DM: IT’S NOT OVER YET!! Both men on the mat... STEVENS KIPS UP TO HIS FEET –

DT: – AND THE FIRST KIPS UP AT THE SAME TIME!!

Crowd: *POP!!*

DM: Stevens looks STUNNED!! The First... GAGGING... no, wait, NOT GAGGING!! GETTING READY TO SPIT GREEN MIST!!!

DT: OH NO!! STEVENS SHOT OUT HIS HAND AND COVERED HIS MOUTH!!

MN: You sneaky BASTARD!!! You think you can BLIND the CHAMPION with those tacky GIMMICKS of yours?!

DM: Stevens is CLAMPING THAT HAND down across The First’s FACE, forcing him to CHOKE ON HIS OWN POISON!!!

MN: HOW DO YOU LIKE IT NOW?!

DT: The First is FLAILING TO FREE HIMSELF... but Stevens TWISTS HIM AROUND into an INVERTED FACELOCK... lifts him UP FOR THE X-TERMINATOR –

DM: NO!! THE FIRST FLIPS OVER – AND COUNTERS WITH THE SOOOOUUUULLL BREAKER!!!

Crowd: *POP!!!*

DT: GOOD GOD, WHAT A COUNTER!!!

DM: REPLAY, REPLAY, REPLAY!!

MN: Of all the things you want to see in a replay... you pick THAT!!

DM: THAT WAS FREAKING AWESOME!!!

[Replay shows Stevens lifting The First in position for the X-Terminator. However, as soon as The First’s feet leave the mat, his body flexes into action... tucking his legs in as he lingers upside down across Stevens shoulder, slipping his hands over the champion’s shoulders, and pulling him down HARD across both knees. The champion’s expression fluctuates from determination, to surprise, to DOUBT, and finally... to agony.]

DT: The First has a CHANCE TO FINISH THIS... he’s still SPITTING UP GREEN MIST as he crawls to the prone body of Sean Stevens!! Stevens can only FLAIL AN ARM, reaching for the ropes!

DM: He’s just working on INSTINCT now! His mind is to WASHED OVER with PAIN to think of anything clearly! He KNOWS he has nothing left!

MN: COME ON, TRIP! DON’T BLOW IT NOW!!

DT: The First is ALMOST THERE... BARELY has the strength to DRAPE AN ARM over the chest of the CHAMPION... FOR THE WIN...




ONE!!!






TWO!!!









TTTHHRRR –

DM: STEVENS GOT HIS FOOT ON THE ROPES!!

MN: YYYEAAAHHH, THAT’S GETTIN’ IT DONE!!

Crowd: “AWWWWW!!!”

DT: I thought FOR CERTAIN it was over right there... and we’d be looking at a new champion right now! But Sean Stevens JUST BARELY keeps this match going!

DM: The First is back up... BECKONING Stevens to rise!

Crowd: “FIRST!! FIRST!! FIRST!! FIRST!! FIRST!!”

MN: Annoying, bleating SHEEP!!

DT: Stevens is having trouble getting up... looking like he’s been knocked clear into the next WRESTLEVERSE!! The First stands ready... waiting for Stevens to make a move!

DM: Stevens steps forward – X-FACTOR – AND HE HITS NOTHING!! The First just SIDE-STEPS IT like a JEDI MASTER!! Not that he really HAD TO with how SLOPPY that looked!

DT: The World Champion is STAGGERING around the ring like he can hardly keep himself STANDING!! He notices the First standing there again, just EGGING HIM ON... goes for THE X-FACTOR AGAIN – NO!! Once again, TOO SLOW, and The First DODGES it with EASE!!

MN: Come on, Trip... FOCUS!!

DM: The First stands ready and waiting... STEVENS GOES FOR ANOTHER TELEGRAPHED X-FACTOR AGAIN – NO!! THIS TIME, THE FIRST CATCHES HIM BY THE LEG... and WRAPS HIM UP in a SMALL PACKAGE!!

DT: HE’S GOT STEVENS’ SHOULDERS DOWN!!!






ONE!!!






TWO!!!







THR – NO!! Stevens BARELY kicks out!

DM: The First pops to his feet, and he’s IMMEDIATELY in motion as Stevens struggles to rise! The First, into the ropes... Sean Stevens is UP... and the First GOES INTO THE AIR FOR THE HURRICAAAANNNNOO!! Stevens about to TOPPLE BACKWARD under his weight... BACKPEDALS and BOUNCES OFF THE ROPES...

DT: The champ COUNTERS WITH A RUNNING LIGER BOMB!!!

MN: The CAT taught him that one!

DT: Stevens WITH THE PIN!!




ONE!!!






TWO!!!








THRE – KICKOUT!!

Crowd: *POP!!*

DM: The First ROLLS FORWARD... REVERSES THE PIN!!

DT: OH WOW, HE COULD HAVE HIM!!




ONE!!!




TWO!!!





TH – NO!! Stevens POWERS OUT before the three!!

MN: Jones is getting a little TOO QUICK on those counts! You think he just wants this to be OVER so he can collect his paycheck and LEAVE?!

DM: The First... AGAIN running into the ropes... but Stevens is WAITING FOR HIM this time! The First RUNS RIGHT INTO A BACK-BODY – OH HELL, WAIT, HE LANDS ON HIS FEET!!

DT: What a BEAUTIFUL COUNTER!! The First QUICKLY HOOKS THE ARMS, looking for the BACKSLIDE... but Stevens is FIGHTING IT!!

MN: PULL, TRIP!! PPUUUUULLLLL!!!

DM: Stevens is DIGGING DEEP... The First DIGGING AS WELL... but Stevens has the WEIGHT!! He REVERSES, and puts The First’s shoulders TO THE MAT!!

DT: IS THIS THE END?!




ONE!!!






TWO!!!








THR – HE KICKED OUT!!!

Crowd: *POP!!!*

DM: Both men scrambling back to their feet! This is just AMAZING action! Minutes ago, both of these men were beaten BEYOND the brink of exhaustion... and now they’re DISHING OUT EVERYTHING THEY HAVE LEFT!!

DT: The First GOING FOR A DROPKICK – but it’s BLOCKED by Stevens, and The First drops to the mat! Stevens still has him by the LEGS... sets his back to the CORNER... and SLINGSHOTS THE FIRST INTO THE TOP TURNBUCKLE!!

MN: Oh YEAH!! I bet that punk is just getting SICK of tasting turnbuckle tonight!

DT: The First... staggering backward... runs right into a VICTORY ROLL BY THE WORLD CHAMPION!!




ONE!!!






TWO!!!








THRE – ANOTHER KICKOUT!!!

Crowd: *POP!!!*

DM: The First simply will NOT STAY DOWN!!

DT: Stevens no longer looks ANGRY! Now he just looks DESPERATE to FINISH THIS!

MN: There’s NO DOUBT IN HIS MIND that he’s walking out of that ring THE WORLD CHAMPION, Thomas!

DM: Stevens in motion... runs to the ropes – SPRINGBOARD ASAI MOONSAULT –

DT: NOBODY HOME!! THE FIRST ROLLS OUT OF THE WAY AT THE LAST SECOND!! A GRACEFULLY PERFORMED maneuver by the champ, but unfortunately, it doesn’t live up to its intended purpose!

DM: The First is TRYING TO RALLY now as Stevens lies hurt on the mat, clutching his KNEE! The First... PUMPING UP TO THE TOP ROPE – COMES DIVING OFF WITH CUT!! THE!! TTTHHRRREAAAA – OH NO, STEVENS ROLLED OUT OF THE WAY!!

Crowd: “AAAAaaawww...”

DT: SO CLOSE!!

MN: Yet SO FAR!!

DM: Stevens back up... The First, fighting off the PAIN in that leg, desperately working back to his feet as well! Stevens gets to him fist... setting him up for a PILEDRIVER – NO WAIT!! THE FIRST SQUIRMING... and STEVENS FALLS BACK UNDER THE WEIGHT OF THE FIRST!!

MN: Come on, Trip! He weighs as much as a FEATHER!!

DT: Stevens SHOULDERS ARE ON THE MAT!!





ONE!!






TWO!!!








WHOA!! Stevens RAISES HIMSELF OFF THE MAT, creating a HUMAN BRIDGE before the THREE!!

MN: YES!!!

DT: IMPRESSIVE move by the World Champion... but The First has something in MIND! The First... KICKS OFF THE MAT with a BACKWARD SOMERSAULT – MY GOD, HE JUST BACK-FLIPPED TO THE TOP ROPE!

DM: Stevens is CAUGHT IN HIS ARMS – AND THE FIRST DRILLS HIM WITH A TORNADO DDT FROM THE TOP ROPE!!! The World Champion is FLAILING IN PAIN on the blood-stained mat now!

MN: I’m sorry, am I at the right event? I thought we were watching BLACK DAWN, not ******* CIRQUE DU FREAK!!

DT: The acrobatic, take-no-prisoners offense of The First has COME ALIVE in the penultimate moments of this match! The question is... can the World Champion “Triple X” Sean Stevens OUTLAST IT!?

DM: Stevens is trying to CRAWL OUT OF THE RING... but The First CATCHES HIM by the ankle!! Stevens CLINGING TO THE BOTTOM ROPE for DEAR LIFE... and The First YANKS HIM AWAY from it!

DT: The First MAKES THE COVER in the CENTER OF THE RING!!





ONE!!!







TWO!!!









THREE – OH NO!! STEVENS JUST BARELY GOT THE SHOULDER UP AGAIN!!!

DM: I DON’T BELIEVE IT!! What’s it going to TAKE to KILL the KING?!

DT: The First back to his feet... PUMPING UP THE CROWD...

Crowd: “FIRST!! FIRST!! FIRST!! FIRST!! FIRST!! FIRST!!”

DM: Sean Stevens is looking DAZED as he gets to his feet on legs that look like they’re made of JELLO...

DT: …and THE FIRST is going BACK TO THE TOP ROPE!! The First, BOUNCES UP THERE in a single motion... COMES DIVING OFF – OH HOLY ****, DIVING HEAD-SCISSOR TAKEDOWN!!! SEAN STEVENS JUST GOT FLUNG ACROSS THE RING LIKE A RAG-DOLL!!!

DM: The First looked like a HUMAN TETHER-BALL using STEVENS as the POLE!!

DT: Stevens CAN’T GO ON MUCH LONGER like this!

MN: You’d be surprised, Dave!

DT: Stevens DAZED on the mat... The First, dragging him to the center of the ring... hooks the legs, and QUICKLY GOES FOR THE JACKNIFE PIN!!




ONE!!






TWO!!!








THR – NO!! STEVENS KICKED OUT AGAIN!!

MN: HAH!! See what I mean?!

DM: Stevens hanging on by a thread... but The First is looking ready to CUT THAT THREAD!! The First back to his feet... getting BEHIND Sean Stevens and STALKING HIM!!

Crowd: “FIRST!!! FIRST!!! FIRST!!! FIRST!!! FIRST!!! FIRST!!!”

DT: This capacity crowd is DEAFENING right now!! The First is LOOKING FOR THE FINISH... Stevens ALMOST UP, completely OBLIVIOUS to his fate right now!

MN: NO FATE BUT WHAT WE MAKE!! COME ON, damnit!! Am I the ONLY one that saw Terminator?!

DM: Stevens is UP... The First GRABS HIM FROM BEHIND... GOING FOR THE SOOOUUULLL BREAKER – BUT STEVENS GOT A GRIP ON THE TOP ROPE!!

DT: OOOOOH MAN, DOES THAT LOOK PAINFUL!! The First has his HANDS on his shoulder and his KNEES being driven sharply into that SPINE... yet Stevens remains on his FEET, hands clutching the TOP ROPE for DEAR LIFE as the weight of his greatest challenge TO DATE PRIES HIM BACKWARD in a VERY awkward and agonizing position!!

MN: Lucky for us ALL, “Triple X” Sean Stevens was the CSWA limbo champion of ‘02!

DM: The First, moving his HANDS under Stevens’ CHIN... pulling back as HARD AS HE CAN!! He’s trying to BREAK THE CHAMPION’S BACK!! Stevens is SCREAMING IN PAIN, but WON’T RELEASE THOSE ROPES!!

MN: Come on, ref, shouldn’t there be a BREAK HERE or SOMETHING?!

DT: Unfortunately, you’re RIGHT, Neely! Pat Jones ORDERING THE FIRST TO RELEASE THE HOLD!!

Crowd: “BOOOO!!”

DM: The First has NO CHOICE!! It’s break it up, or go home with nothing but a DISQUALIFICATION and shattered dreams!

MN: And a complete and utters loss of HOPE as we know it!

DT: The First RELEASES, and Stevens COLLAPSES TO THE MAT!!

DM: It wasn’t QUITE a SOULBREAKER, but... could it have been something EVEN WORSE?!

DT: We’re about to FIND OUT!! The First, drags Stevens AWAY from the ropes... and quickly goes for a PRAWN HOLD PIN!!





ONE!!!






TWO!!!








THR – ANOTHER KICKOUT!!! Stevens will NOT let himself be PUT AWAY here tonight!!

DM: He’s DEFINITELY reaching his LIMITS, though!

MN: You have no idea, Dean...

DT: Stevens is in too much PAIN to move right now... and I think The First SEES THE OPPORTUNITY TO END THINGS!! He’s going TO THE TURNBUCKLE!!

DM: Going UP TOP once again! Stevens is laid out right in the middle of the – OH HOLY ****, STEVENS JUST KIPPED UP AGAIN!!!

MN: HAHAHAHA, I ****ING KNEW IT!!!!

DT: Stevens CHARGING THE ROPES – AND HE RACKS THE FIRST ON TOP ROPE!! The champion is fighting out of PURE DESPERATION right now! He quickly CLIMBS UP TO THE TOP TURNBUCKLE to join the challenger!!

DM: OH MAN, STEVENS JUST LIFTED HIM RIGHT OFF THE TOP ROPE WITH A MILITARY PRESS!! Look at that POWER and STRENGTH!!

DT: Stevens has The First suspended a few METERS above the mat, holding him HIGH for everybody to see... and sends him CRASHING DOWN VIOLENTLY!! MY GOD, I’VE NEVER SEEN ANYBODY HIT THE MAT FROM THAT HEIGHT, EXCEPT FROM WITHIN A CAGE!!

MN: If this had been in a CAGE, then Trip would have finished things LONG ago!

DM: Stevens hasn’t left the top rope... REPOSITIONING himself now... AND DIVES OFF WITH A LOOOONG-DISTAAAANCE – FRROGGSPLLAASSHH!!!

DT: The First was just CRUSHED UNDER THE DEVASTATING DESCENT OF THE WORLD CHAMPION!!

DM: That could be IT FOR THE FIRST RIGHT THERE!!! Stevens HOOKS THE LEGS FOR THE COVER!!

DT: Hang on, HANG ON!! STEVENS HAS HIS LEGS PROPPED ON THE SECOND ROPE!!!

MN: Huh, WHERE?!

DM: RIGHT THERE!!

DT: JONES DOESN’T SEE IT!!



ONE!!!



WAIT – WAIT!!




TWO!!




DM: CHECK THE ROPES!! COME ON, *******IT!!





TTTTHHHHRREEE –

Crowd: *POP!!!*

DM: THE FIRST KICKS OUT!! HE KICKED OUT, EVEN WITH STEVENS’ ADDED LEVERAGE!!

DT: MY GOD, THAT IS INCREDIBLE!!!

MN: That is BULL****!! That count was slower than my obese nephew when he RUNS!

DM: The only mistake made by the senior official there was that he didn’t check Stevens’ LEGS before he went to make the count!

DT: Stevens looks absolutely STUNNED right now! Even when he CHEATS, he can’t put The First away!

DM: Anger has given away to DESPERATION... and now that desperation is giving way to MADNESS!! Stevens looks SIMPLY INSANE as he YANKS The First back off the mat!

MN: All that time spent with that nut-job STALKER is finally about to pay off...

DT: There’s the IRISH WHIP to the corner – NO!! THE FIRST SPRINGS RIGHT TO THE TOP ROPE!! The First ABOUT TO COME OFF – BUT STEVENS CLIPS HIS LEGS FROM BEHIND before he can make a move!!

DM: The First seated on the top rope... STEVENS DECIDES TO JOIN HIM!! HIGH-RISK maneuver coming up! Stevens standing on the TOP ROPE now, tucking The First’s head under his arm... he’s looking for THE X-TERMINATOR FROM THE TOP ROPE!!

DT: My God, at that height, he could BREAK HIS NECK AND KILL HIM!!

MN: That’s kinda the idea, Dave...

DM: Stevens PROMISED he would kill ANY MAN that pissed him off enough! Stevens hooks him TIGHT... getting ready to LIFT HIM... but The First FIGHTS IT!! THE FIRST HAS HIS LEGS HOOKED IN THE ROPES!!

MN: Come on, COME ON!! KILL THAT MONKEY!!

DT: Stevens is HAVING TROUBLE!! The First GETS FREE of the facelock!! Stevens trying to GRAB HIM... trying to do ANYTHING but BLOW THIS CHANCE to finish things!! THE FIRST BITES BACK BY RAMMING HIS HEAD STRAIGHT BACK INTO HIS FACE!!

DM: OH CRAP, THAT BUSTED STEVENS’ FOREHEAD WIDE OPEN!!!

MN: Uh-oh... NOW you’ve done it!

DT: Stevens TEETERING... and HE DROPS OFF THE TOP ROPE!! The First is GETTING BACK INTO POSITION!!

DM: Stevens BACK UP TO HIS FEET and ROARING LIKE A BEHEMOTH!!

Stevens: “GGGRRRRRAAAAAAAAAWWWGGGHHH!!!!”

DT: THE FIRST DIVES OFF THE TOP ROPE WITH A MOONSAULT –

DM: – and Stevens STEPS FORWARD!!

DT: THE FIRST... FALLS RIGHT INTO AN ECKS-TERMINATOR!!!!

Crowd: “NNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!”

DM: JESUS CHRIST, WHAT CRACKER-JACK TIMING!! At the LAST POSSIBLE MOMENT, Stevens STEPPED RIGHT INTO POSITION, and The First’s MOONSAULT put his HEAD right over the champion’s SHOULDER!!

DT: The First just took an X-TERMINATOR FROM THE TOP ROPE by his OWN DESIGN!! Stevens... HOOKING BOTH LEGS FOR A COVER!!!!







ONE!!!









TWO!!!











TTTHHHRRREEEEEEEEE!!!!

SFX: *DING-DING-DING!!*

[The crowd falls almost DEATHLY SILENT as the ring bell tolls three times like a high-pitched death knell. “King Back” begins playing over the PA system and confetti falls from the rafters, mockingly celebrating the efforts of both lifeless and motionless forms lying in the ring.]

TF: Ladies and gentlemen... HERE IS YOUR WINNER...

...and STILL WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION OF EMPIRE PRO!

“TRIPLE ECKS!!!”

SSSSSSEEEEEEAAAAAANNNNNN SSSSSSTTTTTEEEEEVVVVEEEEENNNNNSSSS!!!!

DM: UN... BELIEVABLE... that’s ALL I can say right now!

DT: What an INCREDIBLE MATCH!! Overcoming THREE CHALLENGERS, “Triple X” Sean Stevens RETAINS!! Damnit... The First came SO CLOSE to bringing home the upset and leaving with the WORLD TITLE!!

MN: NOT TONIGHT, baby! The KING is STAYING ON THE THRONE!!

[Pat Jones helps the profusely-bleeding Stevens to a seated position and hands him to the World Heavyweight Title. Stevens looks at the face of the belt, as he’s done so many times before... but looks at the belt with a new meaning, in a way he’s never looked before. The First crawls into a corner and sits there. Both men catch eyes and stare at each other for several long moments. The champion is without a smug smirk or indifference this time around. The only thing on his face besides his own blood is UNDERSTANDING.]

DT: There will MANY moments in this match where it seemed as though Stevens would leave WITHOUT the World Title... but unfortunately for the fans, Stevens managed to SURVIVE every set-back!

DM: Taken to his absolute limit... surviving THREE very talented opponents and overcoming ONE HELL of a final battle with The First! Could this be called his greatest achievement EVER?!

DT: I don’t know... but what’s it going to TAKE to finally beat “TRIPLE X” SEAN STEVENS!?

MN: Well, it’s not going to take some MARKETING HYPE-MACHINE like that painted-up FREAK!

DM: Don’t knock The First, Neels! He just put in a TREMENDOUS main event performance!

DT: This has to be a tough loss for The First! He WAITED for this opportunity for over a YEAR... and in the end, CAME UP SHORT!

DM: If anything though, he’ll walk out of the ring tonight knowing at the very least, he left the champ – the man who barely gave him a MOMENT’S NOTICE – some mental scars along with physical ones! Sean Stevens won’t ever forget what he had to overcome here tonight to retain his status as champion!

SFX: *BOOM-BOOM-BOOM-BOOOOM!!!*

["King Back" by T.I. blares as fireworks explode in the rafters overhead. “Triple X” Sean Stevens celebrates by directing the ringside crew to get The First out of the ring, which they slowly do. As Stevens' chest heaves in almost near exhaustion, he waits for The First to clear the area, then calls for a microphone. He makes a throat cutting gesture and his music stops cold. A huge showing of respectful applause ripples through the arena as the crowd slowly comes to its feet in appreciation. Stevens takes it in, then raises the mic to his lips.]

STEVENS: So... right about now, I'm feelin' that I should give a shout out to Cameron Cruise, Shawn Hart and The First for taking me to my absolute limit tonight.

[The crowd cheers again.]

STEVENS: WELL **** THAT NOISE! **** SHAWN HART, **** CAMERON CRUISE AND **** THE FIRST.... AND GET ON YOUR MOTHA****IN' KNEES AND BOW DOWN TO....THE..... KING!!!

[Stevens turns his nose up at the crowd as the cheers go from universal praise to almost complete disgust.]

STEVENS: Yeah.... Yeah. What'd I say I would do? I said I would come into this ring as the undisputed king of this industry and I said I would walk out, head held high, arms raised and this belt FIRMLY around my waist and what happened?

[Boos.]

STEVENS: WHAT HAPPENED?

[Louder.]

STEVENS: Here I am. And now, I am officially announcing that I am the greatest.... THE.... GREATEST... EPW WORLD CHAMPION... OF...ALL....TIME.

[The boos come hard now. A couple people throw trash in the ring, a bottle landing at the feet of the champ.]

STEVENS: Yeah, throw garbage, show your disrespect. But who's standing here on top? Huh? Who came out here, with no help and took down every so called worthwhile challenger in this company at ONE TIME?? Who runs the show? We took out the owner last week and you people think there's ANYBODY who can step up and do anything about THIS? You think there's ANYONE IN THIS INDUSTRY that would dare say I'm not the greatest EPW World Champion of all time??? I'd like to see someone try...

[Right on cue.

The crowd absolutely goes ape**** as the song plays. Stevens is beside himself in the ring, steadying himself for an attack at any moment as Dan Ryan's music plays. The music plays on with no appearance by the EPW owner, then.....

ALAINA TROY-RYAN STEPS OUT ONTO THE STAGE.

Stevens relaxes a bit, confused. Alaina stops on the stage, clenching a microphone in her right hand. Stevens smirks in the ring, then cuts her off before she can even get started.]

STEVENS: Whoa whoa whoa - this is a joke, right? What is this? You got Dan lying in wait somewhere just waiting for me to turn my back? And what... Dan's gonna suddenly come in here and challenge me for a title in his own company? What happened to all the ‘I would never put myself over in my own company’ talk? Bull**** as usual??

ALAINA: Dan's not here tonight, Sean. But before you go, since you're throwing out challenges, he's not the only member of this family who can fight.

[Alaina Troy-Ryan, six-feet nothing, decked out like she just walked out of a boardroom, starts walking down the ramp.]

DT: What is she doing?? She'll be killed!! She's a businesswoman, not a fighter!!!

MN: This woman has a death wish.

[Stevens is on the verge of laughing in the ring, now openly mocking Alaina Troy-Ryan as she approaches. She gets almost to the base of the ramp and then stops cold, folding her arms in front of her. Stevens picks the microphone back up.]

STEVENS: Come on in here!! Come on! You wanna play with the big boys??

[HUGE ULTRA MEGA POP]

DT: OH MY GOD!!!

STEVENS: You wanna....OOF!!

[Stevens is cut short and the microphone goes flying as "THE QUEEN OF THE RING" LINDSAY TROY literally DIVES into the ring and tackles him. Troy wails away on the champion and he just tries to cover up. Meanwhile, the crowd is LOSING IT.]

DT: Lindsay Troy!! My God Lindsay Troy!!!!

DM: He called down the thunder!! Well here IT IS!!

[Troy is shoved off of Stevens and they both get to their feet. Troy leans in again, blocks a punch and drives a roundhouse kick right upside the temple of the champion. Another kick is blocked and Stevens throws a forearm that backs Troy up. Another pushes her into the ropes and he slings her across into the opposite side. Troy leaps onto the middle rope and hits an Asai moonsault that drops the champion.]

DT: Troy takes Stevens down, my God!! Lindsay Troy has taken up Stevens' challenge and is taking it to the champion!

MN: She has no business here!! She resigned months ago!!

DT: Troy up, looking around... and going up top!! Stevens on his way back to his feet... Troy measuring...OHHHHHH CROWNING GLORY!! CROWNING GLORY!!!! Corkscrew moonsault into a tornado DDT and nobody does it better!!!

DM: Nobody does it at all!!

DT: Stevens' momentum carried him outside the ring and he is beside him self, clutching at his head! My God what a turn of events!!

[The crowd is losing it at this point, giving Troy everything they've got. The Queen stalks along the ropes, snarling, daring Stevens to get back in there with her. Alaina climbs into the ring and stands beside her sister.]

DT: Stevens up now and tearing away at the mats on the outside furious with what's going on here!!

DM: Here comes the cavalry!

DT: Indeed security is headed out here now and holding the champion back as he tries to get at the Queen!!

MN: You can't call her the Queen, Thomas!! We have a King in EPW... A KING!

DM: Well, your King is being dragged away by security.

DT: An amazing end to an amazing night. Sean Stevens retains the title... and the QUEEN IS BACK!!!!

MN: Hell.

DT: That's all from Black Dawn 2010.... GOODNIGHT!!!!

Alaina gives Stevens a sarcastic little wave while Lindsay wraps her arm around her sister's waist, grinning like the wicked cat who ate the canary. "Trampled Underfoot" by Led Zeppelin plays us out as the credits roll and we...

FADE...TO....BLACK.