Post by Nathan Saniti on Jun 11, 2017 10:48:47 GMT -5
The pyros set off, lining the ramp and the top of the stage. The crowd is shaking the rafters with the noise of excitement as Living a Legacy IX becomes a reality! The camera pans the raucous crowd, getting shots of the variety of fans that PCW attracts.
Jerry Andrews: Good evening, Ladies and gentlemen! Welcome to Living a Legacy Nine! I’m your host Jerry Andrews...
Ace Anderson: ...And I’m the better looking co-host Ace Anderson. What a show we have lined up for you tonight! Oh man!
Jerry Andrews: It will be an event to be remember for sure. The Underground Champion has his plate full tonight. First, he has to defend his title against a very motivated Hiroshi Yukio…
Ace Anderson: Motivated is one way to put it. Shane and Yukio have traded barbs and blows for the last month leading up to this moment. Shane may regret raising the ire of the 500 pound sumo.
Jerry Andrews: If that weren’t enough, THEN Shane has to compete in a Triple Threat for the Icemann Invitational Tournament Finals against Alexandra Tamora and the winner of the Last Chance Battle Royal, Non Compos Mentis.
Ace Anderson: Mentis is dangerous enough in the ring by himself. Throw in the obscenely powerful Tamora, and Shane has an uphill battle, even if he DIDN’T already have a match.
Jerry Andrews: We also have a number one contenders match for the newly Unified title that sets PCW’s perennial pirate, High Tide, against a member of Salvation, Gabriel.
Ace Anderson: Could you imagine the possibilities if Seromine and Gabriel both won?
Jerry Andrews: Speaking of which, there’s a lot of bad blood coming to a head tonight, too. First, we have a title unification match pitting the North American Champion Nathan Saniti against his long-time rival, the International Champion Seromine in a Crucifix Match!
Ace Anderson: That one has no choice but to get bloody. Those two guys have been at each other’s throats for a year now. The only way for one of them to win is to nail his opponent to a cross!
Jerry Andrews: Topping off the card, more bad blood when the number one contender for the World Title faces off against the legendary Lord of Misrule, Phinehas Grimm!
Ace Anderson: This will be a night to remember, folks! But first, we have a match set up by management at the request of the “Fabulous One” Dan Fierce…
Jerry Andrews: Hold on, Ace. I’m getting notified by management that that match has been pulled due to Fierce not being medically cleared to wrestle and Razor failing a “wellness” test.
Ace Anderson: What? Why aren’t they saying anything to me? What am I? Chopped liver? I guess that means our first number one contender’s match for the Underground Championship will be up then.
Jerry keeps his finger to his ear as if still listening to someone on the other side of his headset.
Match One
Number One Contender for the Underground Title
Underground Rules
Lunatic w/The Good Doctor vs. Alyce Starchylde
Referee: Tyrone Little, Jr.
Jerry Andrews: Well fans, our next match was scheduled to be a triple threat underground match. We have received la--
Ace Anderson: YOU have received late news, Jerry. I guess I’m not important enough anymore to be privy to those things.
Jerry side eyes before regaining his sense of professionalism.
Jerry Andrews: Well, be that as it may – or may NOT – be, word has been received that Tyrone “Crazy Boy” Smith will NOT be able to compete due to a failed medical evaluation. So this will now be a one on one affair.
Ace Anderson: It sounds like he wasn’t crazy enough for a hardcore threesome!
Jerry doesn’t even attempt to retort as his shaking head drops into his hands. He motions for the camera to go to the ring while Ace looks pleased at his innuendo.
Sasha Greene: The following is an Underground Rules match!
A familiar smiley comes onto the PCW-Tron as "Make Us Insane," by Powerman 5000 blasts:
Blood begins to ooze from the symbol, seeming to drain down the screen, down the video wall, and onto the ramp. Yellow and blue lights scamper in an erratic pattern all around the arena. Flashes of lightning flicker brightly on the screens. Lunatic comes out, the Good Doctor leading the way.
Sasha Greene: Being led to the ring by The Good Doctor...he hails from Kansas City, Missouri and weighs One-hundred, Ninety-five pounds...He. Is. LUNATIC!
The look in Looney's eyes isn't too far removed from that of his symbolic smiley; menacing and laser focused. He stalks down the ring, picking fights with fans around the ring, eventually rolling inside the squared circle to a corner, where he rocks impatiently for the next victim to hear their last bell.
Sasha Greene: And his opponent...
The strains of K Flay’s "Blood in the Cut" drifts through the air as Alyce steps out on the entrance ramp. Her head bounces softly in time to the music and then she lurches forward down the aisle towards the ring.
Sasha Greene: Hailing from Hollywood, California. She weighs One-hundred, Thirty-five pounds...Alyce Starchylde!
She doesn’t seem to notice the crowd as her haunted eyes stare towards the ring. She approaches, slides under the ring ropes and slouches in a corner...and is CRUSHED from an oncoming runaway train with a running hip attack! The Good Doctor wasted no time in barking out his first order prior to exiting the ring.
DING DING!
Lunatic aggressively rips his smaller opponent up and unloads a series of knees into her ribs, which double her over equally as fast. Keeping the pace, he switches to using his forehead as a hammer to attack the back of her neck, dropping Starchylde to her knees. Lunatic crouches himself down and face locks Alyce. Slinging her right arm over her shoulder, he muscles her off the ground into a stalling vertical suplex. Starchylde lands rather rough as she quickly arches her back up. Lunatic looks towards his menacing manager, who has took it upon himself to throw a chair into the ring. Another order is issued. Lunatic nods and wastes no time to collect the legal object. He turns to approach Alyce. The chair raises in the lights and comes careening down...into the mat! Starchylde has rolled herself out of harm’s way at the last second, as the stinging ripple effect halts Lunatic. Alyce shifts him into a drop toehold, of which his throat and edge of the protruding chair have a meeting!
Jerry Andrews: Alyce was caught off right out of the gates and has just returned the favor to your favorite wrestler.
Ace Anderson: If favorite you mean he deserves a lobotomy, then yes. You would be right.
“Welcome to Wonderland...it gets Dark from Here!” shouts Alyce Starchylde to both Lunatic AND The Good Doctor. While Lunatic wills air back into his lungs, Starchylde white knuckles the steel chair and begins to tenderize the legs of Lunatic. Each shot gets harder than the last as her eyes glaze with frenzy. Lunatic desperately attempts to crawl away to the commanding voice of his doctor, but she puts a well placed stomp behind his right knee and keeps her foot there. She hasn’t finished with him yet. The chair now serves as a welcoming to his shoulders until bent. She throws the item right at The Good Doctor who is quick to move out of the way. Alyce lets him know that he isn’t off limits before a diving knee drop is used on Lunatic’s neck. From there it’s ground and pound with the conclusion being a boxing of the ears. Growing bored, she returns to her feet and pulls Lunatic up with her. She leans him against the ropes and digs at his eyes.
“You might as well count to ONE HUNDRED!” she yells at the assigned referee, knowing he can’t stop her from doing this because of the rules. Laughing at said taunt, Lunatic frantically overpowers her claws out of his sockets. Starchylde senses trouble could be next. So. She decides to bury a knee where it hurts. The males in attendance can sympathize with this. Alyce mocks him and shoves Lunatic out of the ring. He cartwheels onto the floor, where The Good Doctor cautiously approaches. He barks at Lunatic to get up and fight, going as far to call him weak. He fumbles in his pockets for something. But Alyce hits HIM with a plancha to avert that. No one can say she didn’t keep her word.
Jerry Andrews: Alyce Starchylde in her first match is letting it be known she fears no man or doctor!
Ace Anderson: That’s GOOD Doctor, Jerry. You forget to mention that again and I may just have to set you an appointment with him to explain why.
Alyce spins around and is absolutely blasted with a lariat that sends her spinning inside out. In the act of falling, The Good Doctor clamped the shock device in his pocket. The wave of which energized Lunatic before she could inflict any more punishment. Lunatic, on order, comes over to help The Good Doctor to his feet. His whispers something in his ear while shaking the cobwebs loose. Nodding, he walks drags her around the ring and towards the bottom of the ramp. Following this, he rips the protective mat off of the floor to expose the concrete. He angrily spins on a heel and begins repeatedly ramming the back of her head into the ramp as if trying to break her skull open.
He pulls her up like a caveman would, takes a quick look to the concrete behind and introduces her to it with a northern lights suplex! Starchylde, in obvious pain, gets no time to gather her senses before she’s dropped with another. This time on the ramp. A third is back to the concrete. A fourth is back to the ramp. Lunatic then pulls her into a snap powerslam into the concrete before deciding he’s had enough of that sequence.
He lowers his knee into her throat while looking under the ring for something. He pulls out a kendo stick, then throws it into the ring. Standing up, Starchylde is rolled in. Lunatic slides after, grabs the stick and goes to town on the targeted back. The Good Doctor orders him to keep going until he says stop. The kendo stick breaks. Another is thrown in. That breaks. Another is thrown in. Think someone got up on the wrong side of the burlap sack this morning? Splintered wood is strewn in the ring. The back of Alyce Starchylde...is a mess. Lacerations. Blood. Both things that aren’t pleasant to see. Lunatic pauses and studies his violent handiwork. The Good Doctor gives him another shock treatment just for stopping. Lunatic seethes from this. He steps out onto the apron. After being handed a chair, he manages to somehow cradle that while hitting a springboard somersault leg drop with the chair underneath him.
He lands square in the middle of Starchylde’s weakened back. She digs her fingers in and lets out a scream. Lunatic rolls her over for a pin.
1.
2.
...1/2 before she gets a shoulder off the mat. The Good Doctor is none too happy. Lunatic sets Alyce in the corner with a tree of woe. The chair is placed against her face. Lunatic comically crawls to the far corner and pulls himself up using the ropes. He spins around, punches his temples thinking he’s going to get shocked and comes charging in. He jumps in the air and hits a dropkick...but not Alyce. Showing her “Never Say Die” attitude, she’s sat herself upright. Lunatic’s momentum propels him into the ring post, where the uprights (for a second time get split). Alyce gingerly gets herself turned around and comes down on Lunatic’s face with a double stomp! She rolls through, her blood now making art on the canvas and comes marching over. Yanking him away by his troll hair, she stands him upright and starts flying around the ring.
First is a punch to the jaw, spinning Lunatic around. This is followed by a returning kick to his chest, which doubles him over. Criss crossing to the other side, she hits a well placed knee to his temple. Lunatic crumples, just as Alyce springs off the ropes to hit a springboard moonsault! Alyce is none too fond of being the only one to bleed. She reaches into her boot and pulls out a pair of brass knuckles. A sinister look of glee makes itself known. A quick look to The Good Doctor before she raises her weaponized right fist into the air. He pounds on the mat angrily and threatens to give him another dose of electricity. That’s all she needed to hear. Alyce with the quickness of a large cat, dives right at The Good Doctor. She wrestles the device from his hand and proceeds to smash it over his masked head, breaking into into pieces.
Jerry Andrews: She wasn’t about to let him influence the match again! The Good Doctor’s control has been broken!
Ace Anderson: She’s battered and bloodied, but not out and showing her meddle here tonight. I like her. I like her more than the certified idiot she’s facing tonight.
Just as Lunatic is up, Alyce cartwheels to him and brings him to the Earth with a cutter. She rolls onto him and fires shot after shot after shot to his cranium with the brass knuckles. Lunatic is helpless to prevent this as blood seeps out of his open wound. Starchylde sinks her teeth in like a vampire to further the damage. Lunatic is pulled up and sent face first into all four top turnbuckles. After the last, he’s Irish whipped into a corner. She taunts both him and The Good Doctor. Alyce sizes Lunatic up and begins to handspring over. The elbow doesn’t hit him however, as Lunatic has been pushed out of harm’s way by The Good Doctor, eliciting mass boos from the crowd. She crashes into the buckles and staggers into a mandible claw! Her taunting may have cost her this. She tries punching her way out of this with the brass knuckles...but it’s been countered with a SECOND shock device. Don’t leave home without it. Lunatic, now enraged and charged like a car battery, adds pressure by pushing down on her jaw. The grip of the knucks falls out of her hand as she begins to slump into the mat.
Lunatic is ordered to stop. He doesn’t. The Good Doctor yells it a second time. No change. Upset by this, he goes under the ring. When he stands back up, he is holding an “innocent” looking stuffed monkey. Lunatic sees this and tilts his head to the side. Suddenly he loosens up and approaches. The Good Doctor offers it, and an order. Lunatic begins to pet the stuffed toy...and then pushes on the body. It has no give from the cotton because of the lead pipe inside. He lays Alyce on her stomach, grapevines her legs, and cross her own arms in front of his face, creating a
chokehold. This is done while he is holding the stuffed monkey for a barrier. Lunatic cinches down, screaming, “TOUCH MY MONKEY!” at the top of his lungs, practically choking the life out of the frantic Starchylde. She finally has no choice but to finally tap.
DING DING DING!
Sasha Greene: Here is your winner by submission, Lunatic!
Lunatic releases her and raises his arms victoriously. He gets up and stands on her back as the referee raises his arm in the air. The Good Doctor orders Lunatic out of the ring. He rolls in and throws a couple of cheap shots for everything she did. Once he stops, he adjusts his tie like nothing happened and leads his victorious patient to the locker room.
Jerry Andrews: Say what you want about the Good Doctor, but he has brought Lunatic into a laser focus.
Ace Anderson: I'm telling you, that Lunatic guy needs to be in a padded room, not between the ropes. He's a danger to everyone.
Jerry Andrews: I can't say I disagree with you, but at least he's in the right division for a ruthless streak like that. And now, he's the number one contender for the Underground Belt.
Ace Anderson: Speaking of fish, we're about to find out just who Lunatic might face, but more importantly, we're about to settle some serious bad blood when the reigning Underground King, Kyle Shane, begins a long night with an uphill battle in the first of not one, but TWO, grueling matches.
Jerry Andrews: While Shane has seemed nearly unstoppable since he's been here, I can't imagine a more capable opponent than the 500 pound man-mountain himself, Hiroshi Yukio.
Match Two
Underground Title Match
Underground Rules
Underground Title is on the Line
Hiroshi Yukio vs. Kyle Shane
Referee: Manny Cruz
The crowd looks to the entrance way as "Rising Sun" by CFO$ roars out and they know who is coming out from backstage and they start cheering loudly almost drowning out the music.
Hiroshi Yukio steps through the curtain his face lit up with a smile.
He walks slowly down the ramp as the cheering intensifies as the PCW faithful don't hold back for the mountain man from Japan.
He waves to the crowd as he walks and when he sees a kid at ringside and holds up his sign and takes a selfie with him.
As he continues to walk down to the ring as the crowd grows louder and louder so even the announcers can't get a word in over the cheering.
He goes up the ring steps and steps over the top rope and into the ring after he does he does a purification ritual by throwing salt in the ring to cleanse it before the match. Once inside, his smile fades into focus and intensity.
Ace Anderson: Yukio is all business tonight.
Jerry Anderson: There's definitely bad blood brewing between this man and the Underground King. Here's how it all got started on Trauma 209:
Wasp walks up the ramp, leaving Olivia Xavier looking on from the ring. As Olivia continues to gather herself in the ring, dejected following the loss to Wasp, suddenly, "In The Morning and Amazing" by Circa Survive hits on the PA, and Kyle Shane comes swaggering down the ramp. He has the Underground championship belt over his shoulder, and a mic in one hand, and his shit eating grin is broad on his face.
Kyle Shane: Well, little miss I told you so! It looks like you're having a bad night already... just like the bad night you had when you failed again, to beat me for My Underground Championship at Mass Destruction.
Olivia has a look of abject annoyance on her face as Kyle hops onto the apron, wipes his feet and climbs inside the ring. Kyle is relishing her displeasure.
Kyle Shane: And I thought a lot about what you said earlier tonight, about how you proved that you can overcome the biggest obstacles, but it looks to me, since you couldn't even get out of the blocks in the Icemann Invitational Tournament, that you couldn't get the job done. But I have my chance to advance in the tournament, next week, and I've got my chance to prove to you that I can do anything you can, but better. As I told you before, there's no level I can't reach, and there is no test I can't bring down. So unlike you, little miss, I'm going to breeze through this on easy mode, and show you what I can really do.
Olivia scoffs a little bit, and then she looks down, pursing her lips, and then she brings the mic closer to her mouth.
Olivia Xavier: That's fine, Kyle... but despite all of that, it doesn't change the fact... that you're a CREEP.
Olivia follows this up by slapping the taste out of Kyle's mouth. Kyle staggers back a few steps, dropping the mic and his composure, and he looks shocked and hurt by Olivia. Olivia winds up to do it again. But this time, Kyle catches her hand. Kyle mouths some incredibly angry choice words as he holds Olivia there, and it looks like he's still severely conflicted about hurting her. Suddenly, the PA lights up, and "The Rising Sun" by CFO$ hits on the speakers. And again, the titanic bulk of Hiroshi Yukio comes drifting out of the back. Kyle Shane's jaw drops.
Jerry Andrews: Oh my! The heated spat between Olivia and Kyle has drawn out the monstrous powerhouse.
Ace Anderson: What in the hell is he doing out here?! This has nothing to concern him with.
Jerry Andrews: Maybe he's doing the right thing and protecting Olivia from Kyle before things get too heated. Or, maybe, just maybe, Kyle is getting what he wished for when he said he could overcome any obstacle and any level in his way. They don't come more intimidating, or more high HP, than this boss fight.
Hiroshi Yukio stalks out to the ring, and gets on the apron. Kyle is staring at him, his mouth gaping open. Hiroshi has an intense look on his face. He stares from Olivia, to Kyle, and back again. Kyle drops Olivia's hand, and he makes some motions to Hiroshi like he wasn't going to do anything to her. The massive bulk of Hiroshi dwarfs Kyle as he enters the ring. The two stare eye to eye, with Kyle again trying to plead his case. Suddenly, Olivia shoves Kyle from behind, and Kyle bowls into Hiroshi, hitting him inadvertantly with a headbutt. But, Hiroshi is unphased, and he simply looks up from the headbutt, and stares daggers at Kyle. Horror begins to dawn on Kyle's face.
Jerry Andrews: Oh, dear. Kyle didn't even make Hiroshi flinch.
Ace Anderson: Olivia Xavier knew what she was doing, she just tried to stir things up between Kyle and the big man.
Hiroshi Yukio begins rolling his wrists together in preparation. Kyle backs up, saying he doesn't want to fight. He turns, and sees Olivia behind him, smiling wickedly. Kyle looks back and forth, growing increasingly panicked. He then throws a punch at Hiroshi Yukio, but again, Hiroshi does not move or budge. Indeed, Kyle might as well be punching a mountain. Hiroshi grabs Kyle by the throat, and then he gives him an overhead chop to the chest that hits Kyle like a frying pan. Kyle goes down like he'd been shot. Olivia is loving this. She celebrates Hiroshi's attack.
Kyle Shane: Well, little miss I told you so! It looks like you're having a bad night already... just like the bad night you had when you failed again, to beat me for My Underground Championship at Mass Destruction.
Olivia has a look of abject annoyance on her face as Kyle hops onto the apron, wipes his feet and climbs inside the ring. Kyle is relishing her displeasure.
Kyle Shane: And I thought a lot about what you said earlier tonight, about how you proved that you can overcome the biggest obstacles, but it looks to me, since you couldn't even get out of the blocks in the Icemann Invitational Tournament, that you couldn't get the job done. But I have my chance to advance in the tournament, next week, and I've got my chance to prove to you that I can do anything you can, but better. As I told you before, there's no level I can't reach, and there is no test I can't bring down. So unlike you, little miss, I'm going to breeze through this on easy mode, and show you what I can really do.
Olivia scoffs a little bit, and then she looks down, pursing her lips, and then she brings the mic closer to her mouth.
Olivia Xavier: That's fine, Kyle... but despite all of that, it doesn't change the fact... that you're a CREEP.
Olivia follows this up by slapping the taste out of Kyle's mouth. Kyle staggers back a few steps, dropping the mic and his composure, and he looks shocked and hurt by Olivia. Olivia winds up to do it again. But this time, Kyle catches her hand. Kyle mouths some incredibly angry choice words as he holds Olivia there, and it looks like he's still severely conflicted about hurting her. Suddenly, the PA lights up, and "The Rising Sun" by CFO$ hits on the speakers. And again, the titanic bulk of Hiroshi Yukio comes drifting out of the back. Kyle Shane's jaw drops.
Jerry Andrews: Oh my! The heated spat between Olivia and Kyle has drawn out the monstrous powerhouse.
Ace Anderson: What in the hell is he doing out here?! This has nothing to concern him with.
Jerry Andrews: Maybe he's doing the right thing and protecting Olivia from Kyle before things get too heated. Or, maybe, just maybe, Kyle is getting what he wished for when he said he could overcome any obstacle and any level in his way. They don't come more intimidating, or more high HP, than this boss fight.
Hiroshi Yukio stalks out to the ring, and gets on the apron. Kyle is staring at him, his mouth gaping open. Hiroshi has an intense look on his face. He stares from Olivia, to Kyle, and back again. Kyle drops Olivia's hand, and he makes some motions to Hiroshi like he wasn't going to do anything to her. The massive bulk of Hiroshi dwarfs Kyle as he enters the ring. The two stare eye to eye, with Kyle again trying to plead his case. Suddenly, Olivia shoves Kyle from behind, and Kyle bowls into Hiroshi, hitting him inadvertantly with a headbutt. But, Hiroshi is unphased, and he simply looks up from the headbutt, and stares daggers at Kyle. Horror begins to dawn on Kyle's face.
Jerry Andrews: Oh, dear. Kyle didn't even make Hiroshi flinch.
Ace Anderson: Olivia Xavier knew what she was doing, she just tried to stir things up between Kyle and the big man.
Hiroshi Yukio begins rolling his wrists together in preparation. Kyle backs up, saying he doesn't want to fight. He turns, and sees Olivia behind him, smiling wickedly. Kyle looks back and forth, growing increasingly panicked. He then throws a punch at Hiroshi Yukio, but again, Hiroshi does not move or budge. Indeed, Kyle might as well be punching a mountain. Hiroshi grabs Kyle by the throat, and then he gives him an overhead chop to the chest that hits Kyle like a frying pan. Kyle goes down like he'd been shot. Olivia is loving this. She celebrates Hiroshi's attack.
Jerry Andrews: Hiroshi coming to the aide of Olivia Xavier, to defend her honor, even in her absence on Trauma 210. He even went so far as to call Kyle Shane an arrogant man-child and a bully.
Ace Anderson: Well, sticking his nose in Shane's business didn't do anything but rile the Underground King. Then on Trauma 211, the God of Game cost Hiroshi the chance to advance in the Icemann Invitational when he jumped the barricade and clocked the sumo with his modified power glove when the ref wasn't looking.
Yukio finds a resolve as Tamora is hoisted on her feet. She’s picked up in a bear hug and run straight into the far corner. Tamora collides with impact against the buckles. The top ropes the only thing keeping her upright. Yukio backs up, turns on his heel and returns to sandwich her with a corner splash. Alexandra drops to her knees and then falls face first into the mat. He leans her against the bottom turnbuckle, delivering a quick stomp to the chest for good measure. Yukio makes his way to the opposite side and comes charging full force, connecting with a hip attack. Tamora’s head whiplashes as she slumps over. Just as he goes to drag her out, the referee intervenes much to the dismay of the crowd. Yukio throws his arms out and asks what he’s doing. The ref explains things to him (seeing if she’s able to continue). While the competitor in him wants to finish her off, he is a man of great honor. So he backs off to allow him to do his job.
Jerry Andrews: Alexandra may need medical attention here, folks. That would be a shame as she has looked good in her limited time here. You never like to see a match end like this.
Ace Anderson: Yukio cheated, yes cheated! To even get this far, Jerry.
Jerry Andrews: You did some of that during your career, didn’t you?
While that’s going on, a ruckus has broke out in the arena. Kyle Shane is here! Hopping the railing, he’s quickly into the ring and over to Hiroshi before he knows who’s behind him. Yukio is spun around and BLASTED with a massive punch, wearing what looks like...a modified NES power glove! Yukio’s eyes meet the lights as he TIMBERS down. The Underground Champion is out of the ring just as fast, more than pleased at his dirty work. The impact of the fall drew the referee’s attention, but he sees no one inside. He takes the time to look around the outside, but the pleas of the fans don’t help the cause. Kyle Shane is nowhere to be found.
Jerry Andrews: What the hell?! Kyle Shane has no business out here!
...but a cover from Alexandra Tamora is! And the zebra remembers he has a job to do as he gets back inside.
..1!
….2!
…...3!
DING! DING! DING!
Sasha Greene: Your winner, and advancing to the semi-finals: Alexandra Tamora!
And just like that, the match is over. A dazed Alexandra Tamora gets to her feet, unaware of just HOW Yukio fell. Her confusion melts to a controlled excitement as she realizes she just won the match to advance in the tournament!
Kyle emerges from under the ring, quickly escaping through the crowd towards the top of the ramp to escape detection before emerging in view at the entryway. Hiroshi slowly gets to his feet, assisted and encouraged by Alexandra. Kyle Shane's voice comes over the PA. He's dressed to compete, but he's carrying a mic.
Kyle Shane: Hey there big man! You know the last couple of weeks, you've hit me with some pretty hard shots, and I've eaten some of the hardest hits you've got to offer but I wanted to tell you to your face, that you couldn't get the job done, son!
Kyle is standing on the stage, and both competitors in the ring are looking perturbed by his “sudden” appearance.
Kyle Shane: Now you and me, what we have is separate from the Icemann Tournament, it's taking on a life of it's own, and you got people thinking that I can't put you down, that I can't take your hits, and that you have me running away from you scared. But I'm here to tell you fat boy, that we aren't done and that I'm not going to stop coming until I make myself understood! So with that said -
Kyle comes running down the ramp and sliding into the ring. The crowd doesn't know what to make of it, as Kyle gets in the ring and stands across from Hiroshi. Alexandra Tamora also gets up and looks warily at Kyle, not knowing what he's going to do. Kyle, sternly, stands up and holds his arms out to Hiroshi. He tells Hiroshi to come get him some. Hiroshi has a look of bemusement and annoyance on his face as this cocky kid continues to challenge him. Kyle walks closer to Hiroshi, who decides that he's had enough, and Hiroshi swings at him but Kyle breaks free and begins hitting him with right hands, peppering him back to the ropes. The nonstop flurry continues enough to take Hiroshi off-balance, but Kyle is stopped in his tracks by a strong headbutt from the sumo. Kyle is floored, and he holds his jaw. Kyle is pulling himself up on the middle and bottom ropes. Hiroshi, having had enough, backs up into the middle of the ring. Roaring with rage, Hiroshi charges Kyle Shane, looking to trample him. But suddenly, Kyle pulls down the top rope and Hiroshi Yukio's own momentum sends him OVER the top rope, to the outside! Hiroshi goes spilling outside right in front of the announcer's table! Kyle Shane, gaining his feet, looks at Hiroshi, who is discombobulated and disoriented. Kyle backs up, gathering momentum, and runs off the ropes. Hiroshi is pulling himself up by the announcers' table. Kyle flies like a guided missile, smashing into Hiroshi and spilling them in a heap on the announcer table!! The chaotic scene sends both announcers scrambling.
Jerry Andrews: Kyle Shane and Hiroshi Yukio are going over our table and we -
Ace Anderson: LOOK OUT! *sounds of scuffling*
The crowd is chanting "HOLY SHIT" and "THIS IS AWESOME" as both men are now down in the aisle. Kyle is the first to regain his feet. Kyle, dizzy, stumbles over to the time keeper’s area and shoves some people out of the way. Kyle is still not 100% after possibly whacking his head on the way down, and he looks it. He grabs a steel chair in both hands, and he looks at it with an awed expression. Kyle looks feverish, and he looks from Hiroshi Yukio to the chair, as if questioning if he's going to use it. Kyle moves towards Yukio, holding the chair up. He hasn't swung it yet, because this kind of attack is more of a blatant assault than he wanted to go, but he is also committed to finding a way to keep Hiroshi down. All of this is written on his face as he advances on Hiroshi, but he doesn't swing the chair yet, and suddenly Hiroshi goes from getting to his knees to rising and swinging a punch that punches the chair back into Kyle's face. Kyle is dropped like a stone, and the chair goes flying.
Jerry Andrews: We're back in our seats, and we saw Kyle Shane retrieve that chair, and looked set to use it, but stopped himself.
Ace Anderson: Well, it seemed like for a second, Kyle was asking himself how far he would go. As he said, he knows there is a way to chop down the giant that is Hiroshi Yukio, but what he was attempting there was to hit him from behind with a weapon, and he seemed to be reconciling that.
Jerry Andrews: Yet Hiroshi proved yet again that Kyle can not afford to hold that back or linger too long, and he made him pay.
Kyle pushes himself up on his elbows. He shakes the cobwebs out of his head, and he looks back at Hiroshi. Kyle moves his jaw to make sure nothing's out of place. Hiroshi comes towards him again. Kyle snarls. Kyle says screw that chair, and he flings himself at Hiroshi again, throwing wild rights and lefts and forcing Hiroshi to cover up. Hiroshi pushes Kyle back, but Kyle shows pitbull tenacity and he jumps on Hiroshi, pounding on him. Kyle slides around into a headlock and hangs off the big man's back, punching wildly with one arm. Hiroshi flips him off, slamming him onto the concrete. Kyle is once again up like a shot, not letting anything stop him, and he runs at Hiroshi again... but Hiroshi performs a flapjack, lifting Kyle up and keeping his momentum going by tossing him back onto the announcer's table, chest and ribs first. Kyle is splattered on the table and now rolls off. Ace Anderson gets up, checking on Kyle, who is rolling around, coughing.
Jerry Andrews: The heart, the tenacity of Kyle Shane... but he just keeps getting thrown back down!
Hiroshi holds his arms up and yells at Shane, who is scooted up against the announcer's table, holding his ribs. Hiroshi points at Shane, and makes a title sign motion around his waist. He shakes his head and says he can't stop him. Kyle watches, looking on at Hiroshi, as we go to commercial.
Jerry Andrews: Alexandra may need medical attention here, folks. That would be a shame as she has looked good in her limited time here. You never like to see a match end like this.
Ace Anderson: Yukio cheated, yes cheated! To even get this far, Jerry.
Jerry Andrews: You did some of that during your career, didn’t you?
While that’s going on, a ruckus has broke out in the arena. Kyle Shane is here! Hopping the railing, he’s quickly into the ring and over to Hiroshi before he knows who’s behind him. Yukio is spun around and BLASTED with a massive punch, wearing what looks like...a modified NES power glove! Yukio’s eyes meet the lights as he TIMBERS down. The Underground Champion is out of the ring just as fast, more than pleased at his dirty work. The impact of the fall drew the referee’s attention, but he sees no one inside. He takes the time to look around the outside, but the pleas of the fans don’t help the cause. Kyle Shane is nowhere to be found.
Jerry Andrews: What the hell?! Kyle Shane has no business out here!
...but a cover from Alexandra Tamora is! And the zebra remembers he has a job to do as he gets back inside.
..1!
….2!
…...3!
DING! DING! DING!
Sasha Greene: Your winner, and advancing to the semi-finals: Alexandra Tamora!
And just like that, the match is over. A dazed Alexandra Tamora gets to her feet, unaware of just HOW Yukio fell. Her confusion melts to a controlled excitement as she realizes she just won the match to advance in the tournament!
Kyle emerges from under the ring, quickly escaping through the crowd towards the top of the ramp to escape detection before emerging in view at the entryway. Hiroshi slowly gets to his feet, assisted and encouraged by Alexandra. Kyle Shane's voice comes over the PA. He's dressed to compete, but he's carrying a mic.
Kyle Shane: Hey there big man! You know the last couple of weeks, you've hit me with some pretty hard shots, and I've eaten some of the hardest hits you've got to offer but I wanted to tell you to your face, that you couldn't get the job done, son!
Kyle is standing on the stage, and both competitors in the ring are looking perturbed by his “sudden” appearance.
Kyle Shane: Now you and me, what we have is separate from the Icemann Tournament, it's taking on a life of it's own, and you got people thinking that I can't put you down, that I can't take your hits, and that you have me running away from you scared. But I'm here to tell you fat boy, that we aren't done and that I'm not going to stop coming until I make myself understood! So with that said -
Kyle comes running down the ramp and sliding into the ring. The crowd doesn't know what to make of it, as Kyle gets in the ring and stands across from Hiroshi. Alexandra Tamora also gets up and looks warily at Kyle, not knowing what he's going to do. Kyle, sternly, stands up and holds his arms out to Hiroshi. He tells Hiroshi to come get him some. Hiroshi has a look of bemusement and annoyance on his face as this cocky kid continues to challenge him. Kyle walks closer to Hiroshi, who decides that he's had enough, and Hiroshi swings at him but Kyle breaks free and begins hitting him with right hands, peppering him back to the ropes. The nonstop flurry continues enough to take Hiroshi off-balance, but Kyle is stopped in his tracks by a strong headbutt from the sumo. Kyle is floored, and he holds his jaw. Kyle is pulling himself up on the middle and bottom ropes. Hiroshi, having had enough, backs up into the middle of the ring. Roaring with rage, Hiroshi charges Kyle Shane, looking to trample him. But suddenly, Kyle pulls down the top rope and Hiroshi Yukio's own momentum sends him OVER the top rope, to the outside! Hiroshi goes spilling outside right in front of the announcer's table! Kyle Shane, gaining his feet, looks at Hiroshi, who is discombobulated and disoriented. Kyle backs up, gathering momentum, and runs off the ropes. Hiroshi is pulling himself up by the announcers' table. Kyle flies like a guided missile, smashing into Hiroshi and spilling them in a heap on the announcer table!! The chaotic scene sends both announcers scrambling.
Jerry Andrews: Kyle Shane and Hiroshi Yukio are going over our table and we -
Ace Anderson: LOOK OUT! *sounds of scuffling*
The crowd is chanting "HOLY SHIT" and "THIS IS AWESOME" as both men are now down in the aisle. Kyle is the first to regain his feet. Kyle, dizzy, stumbles over to the time keeper’s area and shoves some people out of the way. Kyle is still not 100% after possibly whacking his head on the way down, and he looks it. He grabs a steel chair in both hands, and he looks at it with an awed expression. Kyle looks feverish, and he looks from Hiroshi Yukio to the chair, as if questioning if he's going to use it. Kyle moves towards Yukio, holding the chair up. He hasn't swung it yet, because this kind of attack is more of a blatant assault than he wanted to go, but he is also committed to finding a way to keep Hiroshi down. All of this is written on his face as he advances on Hiroshi, but he doesn't swing the chair yet, and suddenly Hiroshi goes from getting to his knees to rising and swinging a punch that punches the chair back into Kyle's face. Kyle is dropped like a stone, and the chair goes flying.
Jerry Andrews: We're back in our seats, and we saw Kyle Shane retrieve that chair, and looked set to use it, but stopped himself.
Ace Anderson: Well, it seemed like for a second, Kyle was asking himself how far he would go. As he said, he knows there is a way to chop down the giant that is Hiroshi Yukio, but what he was attempting there was to hit him from behind with a weapon, and he seemed to be reconciling that.
Jerry Andrews: Yet Hiroshi proved yet again that Kyle can not afford to hold that back or linger too long, and he made him pay.
Kyle pushes himself up on his elbows. He shakes the cobwebs out of his head, and he looks back at Hiroshi. Kyle moves his jaw to make sure nothing's out of place. Hiroshi comes towards him again. Kyle snarls. Kyle says screw that chair, and he flings himself at Hiroshi again, throwing wild rights and lefts and forcing Hiroshi to cover up. Hiroshi pushes Kyle back, but Kyle shows pitbull tenacity and he jumps on Hiroshi, pounding on him. Kyle slides around into a headlock and hangs off the big man's back, punching wildly with one arm. Hiroshi flips him off, slamming him onto the concrete. Kyle is once again up like a shot, not letting anything stop him, and he runs at Hiroshi again... but Hiroshi performs a flapjack, lifting Kyle up and keeping his momentum going by tossing him back onto the announcer's table, chest and ribs first. Kyle is splattered on the table and now rolls off. Ace Anderson gets up, checking on Kyle, who is rolling around, coughing.
Jerry Andrews: The heart, the tenacity of Kyle Shane... but he just keeps getting thrown back down!
Hiroshi holds his arms up and yells at Shane, who is scooted up against the announcer's table, holding his ribs. Hiroshi points at Shane, and makes a title sign motion around his waist. He shakes his head and says he can't stop him. Kyle watches, looking on at Hiroshi, as we go to commercial.
Jerry Andrews: It all culminated at Trauma 212 with Shane casting verbal jabs at Yukio after the Last Chance Battle Royal while the big man watched from a monitor in the back.
Ace Anderson: I'll say this much. Kyle Shane never seems to tire of hearing his own voice. Can you imagine what he'd be like if he were to not only win this match, but the Icemann Invitational Finals?
Jerry Andrews: There's be no shutting him up, that's for sure. But first, he has to climb a mountain; one that he's angered into a volcanic fury.
The opening notes of "In The Morning And Amazing" by Circa Survive begins to play. The big screen shows shots of Kyle’s matches. Kyle Shane steps slowly out onto the stage. The Assassins hood to his longcoat is pulled low over his face. The distinctive voice of Anthony Green hits the bridge:
"And how could anyone
You are in my dreams
Half human, half machine
You with someone else that I have felt and seen
I cannot rest, or my consciousness contest
Looking right through the lens
From winter brings the spring again"
Kyle tilts his head back and holds his arms out, taking in the reception of the crowd. For the PCW faithful that are just getting to know him, there is a modest show of respect, but the truly dedicated that have followed his career stir mightily. Some on the sides of the aisles even make a fanning bow motion as Kyle walks by. 1/2 the way down the aisle, Kyle pivots, holding his arms up to either side of him. He climbs onto the apron. Kyle balances on the ropes for a moment, points to himself and smirks, holding his arms out, and then he hops down, takes off his longcoat and stretches a few times to get ready.
Shane spouts off at the mouth, a cocky grin across his face as Cruz calls for the bell.
DING DING!
Shane dances around, showing off some fancy footwork as he and Hiroshi circle each other. The big man rushes forward and throws a chop, but the God of Game dodges it. Another knife-edge chop meets the same fate, infuriating the sumo.
Jerry Andrews: Shane is playing cat-and-mouse with Yukio. Very dangerous game.
Ace Anderson: Yeah, if that particular cat gets a hold of that mouse, it will be over.
Hiroshi stands back, taking in his opponent's strategy before going on the offensive again, this time with a game plan of his own. Leaning in towards his opponent as he throws fists that he knows aren't going to land, he guides the smug Shane to a corner. He fakes a right to get Shane to duck under the ropes, knowing that sort of strategy won't get the champ the breathing room he desires.
Yukio finally gets his mitts on the Underground King with a huge smile on his face. Kyle squirms like a worm on a hook, fighting for dear life, delivering kicks and punches that barely shake the determined star from the Far East. Hiroshi pulls Shane back inside, landing a couple of chops to the chest that land like frying pans, causing him to clutch his chest in pain. Yukio hip tosses Shane out of the corner and across the ring. Shane's cocky grin is nowhere to be found now as his astonished eyes and outstretched hands plead with the sumo for mercy while he butt-scoots backwards to a corner.
Yukio smirks, charging in with a barbaric yawp as he spins for a running hip attack. Shane sees it coming and wriggles out of the corner before the impact, but Hiroshi halts the momentum, sliding under the bottom rope while Shane makes his escape. Shane turns around to locate his foe, but Yukio greets him with a stiff armed clothesline. The sumo hoists Shane up and tosses him back into the ring, but the wily champ lands on his feet.
The God of Game wastes no time running to the ropes for momentum, leaping first onto the second rope, then the top turnbuckle, finally landing a moonsault onto the unprepared man-mountain, collapsing him to the floor. Shane is quick to his feet, but the sumo isn't far behind. Kyle puts a bit of distance between them before returning with a single-leg drop kick, but the big man just swats it away. Shane looks a bit perplexed, as if his whole game plane was being whittled away.
Jerry Andrews: I can see a hint of desperation in Shane's eyes.
Ace Anderson: Like him or not, you have to love the God of Game's never-say-die attitude.
Shock turns to determination as Shane regains his vertical base. He charges in for another drop kick. This one sticks the landing, driving the sumo into the corner post and around the bend with the force. Shane re-enters the ring to taunt Hiroshi into following him. The rocked man-mountain takes a moment to assess the situation and regain his composure before heading toward the steps to calmly return. Shane bounces off of the ropes as the big guy steps inside, landing a double-knee facebuster that dazes his foe, crashing him backwards into the corner. Shane continues the onslaught with punches to the face and kicks to the knees.
Ace Anderson: Not a bad strategy; going for the legs.
It didn't last long though. Hiroshi shoves back the much smaller combatant, sending the God of Game careening to the other side of the ring. Kyle quickly gets back to his feet, rushing back at the gargantuan man. Shane lands a few more solid kicks to the right knee before his assault is halted by a thunderous headbutt. Shane reels, but before he can escape, he's pulled into a tight bear hug. Yukio worries back and forth, shaking the Underground Champ like a dachshund with a squeak toy as he tries to escape. Finally, Kyle rakes the eyes, breaking the obliterating maneuver.
Shane clutches his ribs in agony, doing his best to catch his breath as Hiroshi regains his sight. Kyle decides the direct approach isn't working quite the way he had hoped, so he exits the ring, peering under the apron.
Jerry Andrews: Looks like the weapons are coming out! Shane has a steel chair. And another one! And another one!
Shane re-enters with still a fourth chair in hand, charging in like gangbusters, but Hiroshi blocks the chair shot. Shane struggles, almost comically to force the chair to meet its mark, but Yukio is too powerful. He muscles the chair away, tossing it aside. Kyle tries to mount an offense, but he's within arm's reach of the mountain of flesh from the Far East. He tries a couple of punches, each blocked and retaliated with chops. Yukio drives Shane across the ring, chopping the cranium and chest in succession, lighting up his chest like a third degree sunburn.
Hiroshi drives a shoulder into the ribcage of the champ. Once. Twice. Three times, a Shane-y. The reigning Underground King doubles over, the wind thoroughly knocked from his sails. Yukio plants Kyle with a belly-to-belly suplex that shakes the ring. He snatches the champ by an arm and leg, pulling him close to the corner, before draping a chair across him.
Ace Anderson: Oh no! He's not going to do what I think he is, is he?
Jerry Andrews: MOUNT FUJI DROP! I think Shane is dead!
Hiroshi hooks the leg.
..1!
....2!
NO!
Shane gets the shoulder up! Yukio looks displeased he peels his foe up to a full stand. He sets up one of the chairs, heaving Shane at the ropes and nailing a pop-up powerbomb onto the folding chair! Shane flops around like a fish out of water, holding his back and sides from the brutal move.
HO-LY SHIT! HO-LY SHIT! HO-LY SHIT!
Yukio doesn't take the time to revel in the Faithful's appreciation, gathering his nemesis and slinging him on top of his shoulders, rattling the ring once again with a running Samoan Drop. Hiroshi hooks the leg again, but gets a long two count. Yukio yanks Shane up and back down with a devastating Michinoku Driver. Hiroshi hooks the leg once more.
..1!
....2!
......THR-NO!
The battered champ barely breaks the pin attempt. Yukio rights Shane up on spaghetti legs, tossing him to the corner. The Undergound Champ withers to the mat as Yukio charges in for another attempt at a hip splash. Just as before, Shane rolls out of the ring to avoid another deadly impact. This time, the large man can't stop the inertia, crashing into the empty corner.
Jerry Andrews: How the hell did Shane escape that?
Ace Anderson: I dunno. How the hell he's even breathing at this point is beyond me.
Breathing is certainly a labored task for the incumbent champ as he takes advantage of the pause in the game. His respite is short-lived as the challenger rolls out of the ring to continue this battle. Panic overtakes Shane as he darts away, frantically seeking anything he can get his hands on to use as a weapon. Yukio smirks peeking under the apron and yanking out a table, sliding it inside. He pulls out another one and sets it up outside next to the steps. Shane beats a retreat back into the ring, taking up a chair in hand. Yukio stomps up the steps, but Kyle rushes in with a wild swing with the chair. The man-mountain dodges it, swerving over onto the apron. Another wild swing and a dodge drives the large man deeper towards the middle of the edge of the ring. The God of Game bows his head, seemingly in defeat, but slowly raises it back up, a smile on his face and a fire in his eyes.
Jerry Andrews: It looks like the champ has something in...
Ace Anderson: OH MY GAWD! He just drove the edge of that chair into the windpipe of Yukio!
Shane quickly sets a chair up. While holding onto the one in his hand, he executes another triple jump, this one ending in a dropkick paired with a chair to the mush of the Far East fighter. The impact send Hiroshi down and through the table, splintering it into a million pieces!
THIS IS AWESOME! *clap clap clap clap clap*
THIS IS AWESOME! *clap clap clap clap clap*
THIS IS AWESOME! *clap clap clap clap clap*
With the big man down, Shane slides outside, chair in hand. He mercilessly drive the point of the chair into the right knee of the mammoth superstar as he lay helplessly winded from the fall. With a ton of effort, the God of Game pulls the sumo from the table rubble and over to the ring steps, sitting him upright and placing the folded chair across his chest. Shane falls back to the guardrail, hastening forward and drop kicking the chair. Yukio melts to the floor in a puddle.
Ace Anderson: Yukio is out cold!
Jerry Andrews: I think it's just now dawning on Shane that he has to get Yukio back into the ring. There's no count-outs in the Underground division.
Shane struggles, but 500 pounds of dead weight isn't moving until it's damned well good and ready. Frustrated, Shane clocks the downed man's right knee with a chair a few more times before heading up the stairs towards the ring. Yukio gets a sudden burst of energy as Kyle is on the top step. He grabs up the handle and flips the champ over onto his back, the step barely missing him. The sumo musters every ounce of his strength to get up on his left knee, favoring his right from the battery it has taken. He slowly gets up, leaning on the ring post for support.
Enraged, Kyle rushes to the opposite corner and back to the sumo for a ring post 619! The man-mountain rocks backwards, but Shane switches the direction of the momentum, shepherding his foe back into the ring with maximum effort. Shane climbs the turnbuckles as the big man slowly stands on uncertain legs. Kyle flies off, landing a tornado DDT! He hooks the leg!
..1!
....2!
......THRE-NO!
Jerry Andrews: Yukio is still in this game!
Ace Anderson: Wait... What's Shane up to?
Kyle motions to the back. Suddenly, a cable drops from the ceiling. The God of Game hooks it around his waist and signal for himself to be hoisted to the rafters. He unhooks the cable, looking at the prone man twenty feet below him. The crowd is staring in awe, wondering just what's going through this man's mind. Yukio is unmoving, no doubt exhausted from the grueling fight.
Suddenly, Shane takes flight! the Faithful scream in terror and shock as the daredevil performs a 450 splash, landing with a thunderous crash across the ribs of the man-mountain! A hush falls over the crowd until both Shane and Yukio move ever so slightly.
HO-LY SHIT! HO-LY SHIT! HO-LY SHIT!
Ace Anderson: Aerial Assault! Ho-ly shit is right!
Jerry Andrews: I... Just wow.
The audience is going absolutely apeshit! An exhausted Game Changer drapes an exhausted arm over the pile of flesh he just used as a landing pad. Cruz drops for the count.
..1!
....2!
......3!
DING DING DING!
Sasha Green: Your winner and STILL Underground King, Kyle Shane!
Jerry Andrews: I. Have never. Seen anything like that in my life!
Ace Anderson: Neither man is very quick to move.
The ref checks the combatants, calling for medics with urgency. One team comes out to have a look at Shane while another rushes to the ring with a heavy duty stretcher. After a few minutes, Shane comes around, being helped to the back by two medics, stopping to grab his ribs every few steps. Meanwhile, the others have rolled the sumo onto the stretcher, restrained his body and neck and are beginning the ascent to the back stage.
Jerry Andrews: That is going to be a difficult match to top, but if anyone could do it, it would be High Tide and Gabriel, as they fight to see who will face the winner of the title unification match.
Ace Anderson: I’m still in shock over it. We’ll keep you posted on their conditions, folks. Shane may not be able to wrestle in the Icemann Invitational finals.
Match Three
Singles Match
Number One Contender’s Match for the Unified Title
Gabriel vs. High Tide
Referee: Nigel Gale
Sasha Greene: The following is scheduled for ONE FALL, and it is to determine the number one contender of the new, Unified Title!
Jerry Andrews: Later on tonight, two of our darkest, most mind bending superstars will go to war to see who will get strung up, and who will walk away holding up two titles instead of one. But that's later tonight. Right now, two of the more off-kilter superstars will determine the first person that gets a shot at that Unified Title.
Ace Anderson: First you have Gabriel, the former Rick Majors, the most prominent follower of Seromine, who's defection to the side of the flock six weeks ago sent ripples through the PCW fan base. And then you have the always cagey High Tide, always looking for his next plunder. It's going to be nuts.
Sasha Greene: Introducing first, he weighs in at 218 pounds... GABRIEL!!
The lights go out. Suddenly the arena is completely lit up with white light as the opening notes of "There's a World" by Neil Young play. Gabriel emerges, wearing a tan button up shirt, brown overalls and heavy dark boots. He clasps his hands together and smiles widely before walking down to the ring.
"There's a world you're living in
No one else has your part
All God's children in the wind
Take it in and blow hard.
Look around it, have you found it
Walking down the avenue?
See what it brings,
could be good things
In the air for you.."
Gabriel climbs the ring steps and pauses. He then enters the ring, says a quick prayer, and awaits his opponent and the start of the match.
Jerry Andrews: Gabriel knows he can't fail Seromine, or else he'll have to punish himself, so this is a must win for him. But winning puts him in a different sort of jeopardy. How can he displease his lord?
Ace Anderson: Well you have to figure that he still has enough business sense and career sense to know a golden opportunity looking him in the face. But if it brings him in contact with the very messiah who lead him to his new faith? Where would his loyalty lie?
Jerry Andrews: You've got to believe somewhere deep down he's rooting for Seromine to lose so that he dodges that bullet.
Sasha Greene: And his opponent... he weighs in at 195 pounds... HIGH TIDE!!
Ace Anderson: This salty dog has come ashore looking for plunder and gold, matey!
Jerry Andrews: When... when will it stop...
Ace Anderson: WHAT DO YOU DO WITH A DRUNKEN SAILOR, WHAT DO YOU DO WITH A DRUNKEN SAILOR, WHAT DO YOU DO WITH A DRUNKEN SAILOR EARLIE IN THE MORNIN'? WAYYYY-HAYYYY UP SHE RISES, WAYYYYY-HAYYYY UP SHE RISES EARLIE IN THE MORNIN -
Jerry Andrews: Enough, or you'll walk the plank!!
Ace Anderson: I'm getting in the spirit, you scurvy devil.
Jerry Andrews: *Sigh* Some decorum, please?! This is important.
Ace Anderson: No, just one more..... Please. Ahem. High Tide come lookin for the booty. YAAAARRRRRGH!
Jerry Andrews: ......I have to start refreshing my resume.
The raucous crowd is split between the two morally dubious men. The two competitors step up face to face and have an intense staredown, as the referee tells them to keep it clean, and let's go.
DING DING!
Gabriel beckons Tide to hit him, giving him the first shot. Tide looks around in amusement. Gabriel grips Tide's face in his hand and shoves him back in a disrespectful manner. Tide grits his teeth, and runs in to tackle Gabriel to the mat with a big spear, following it up with some hard punches to the head. The ref tells High Tide to back off, and Tide, still smarting from the cheap shot, goes off in his face and they argue about disqualifications and such. Suddenly, Gabriel clubs Tide over the back and begins pounding on him with furious rights.
Jerry Andrews: You've got to believe the high stakes of the potential title shot, plus both men's disdain for each other, has things at a fever pitch even before we began. I mean, this is hardly even a match, this has devolved into a fight!
Ace Anderson: And that's the way uh-huh, uh-huh we like it!
Jerry Andrews: Ace......?
Ace Anderson: Yes?
Jerry Andrews: Don't ever say something like that again.
Gabriel takes the initiative, snap suplexing Tide down to the canvas. Tide arches his back in pain. Gabriel drops an elbow across his chin. He lifts Tide up, but Tide breaks loose and begins peppering Gabriel with rights. Gabriel blocks one and goes for a right of his own. The two begin to exchange blows left and right, and Tide manages to gain the upper hand, backing Gabriel up. Tide grips his hand and whips him into the ropes. Gabriel bounces back and Tide trips him with a drop toe hold. Tide flows over and locks in a headlock. After a moment, Gabriel fights his way up to his feet. Gabriel lifts himself and Tide up from the canvas and shoves Tide into the ropes. Tide bounces back with a shoulder block, sending Gabriel down to the mat. Tide eggs Gabriel to get up as he backs up to the ropes again, but as he comes off the ropes Gabriel jumps up and catches him off guard with a dropkick. Gabriel peels Tide up and belly to belly flip suplexes him to the mat, going for the quick pin....
One.... Kickout.
Ace Anderson: Everyone's getting their money's worth in this match. I know I am!
Jerry Andrews: Who'd Joey Numbers say would win?
Ace Anderson: I think Joey thinks these guys aren't kosher if you know what I mean.
Gabriel scoops up Tide and walks him to the corner, where he proceeds to bounce Tide's head off the turnbuckle. Tide hangs on to the top rope, checking his mouth for blood. Gabriel turns him around and unleashes a flurry of right hands. Finally, Tide ducks under one of them and flings Gabriel into the corner. Tide lays in a few knife edge chops, receiving "Whooooo's" from the crowd. Tide grips Gabriel by the arm and whips him into the opposite corner. Tide follows up by charging in, and then he hops up on the second turnbuckle in front of Gabriel, motions to the crowd to get them fired up, then snaps off a monkey flip that tosses Gabriel across the ring. Tide runs across the ring after him and drops a leg across his throat. Tide goes for a cover.
One... Kickout.
Tide gets to his feet, measuring Gabriel as he motions for him to get up, pacing around the ring. Tide bounces his foot a little bit, then as Gabriel gets to his feet Tide calls for the Lay with the Fishes DDT to blast Gabriel with already. Suddenly Gabriel ducks under the dropkick setup as he slides to the outside. The crowd boo's loudly as Gabriel recuperates on the outside, shaking the cobwebs out of his head. Tide makes a "this close" gesture at Gabriel, who looks on with a pissed off snarl. Tide tells Gabriel to get back in the ring. Gabriel walks around, taking his time. Gabriel climbs up onto the apron slowly, and Tide holds his hands up innocently to signify he won't attack. Gabriel stands on the apron, and Tide walks over, with the ref between them, as both men are talking trash. Tide is talking down to Gabriel, mocking him, and then Gabriel reaches over and pokes Tide in the eye. Tide stumbles away and Gabriel comes into the ring, taking him down with a chop block to the back of the knee. Tide grits his teeth in pain as he holds his knee, and Gabriel takes a moment to boot his kneecap. He sweeps Tide to the mat and continues to boot his knee, then he grips the leg and performs a leg whip. Tide rolls around, holding his leg.
Jerry Andrews: Not the strategy I would have expected from a holy man, but it is brilliant.
Ace Anderson: It was a divine inspiration, I guess you could say.
Tide yells in pain as Gabriel applies a single leg boston crab. Tide reaches for the ropes, but they're just out of reach. High Tide asks Tide if he gives up, but Tide refuses. Tide inches closer to the rope. Gabriel shakes his head in a sadistic manner and pulls him back to the center of the ring. He sits back on the hold. Tide shouts in pain. High Tide asks if he gives up, but Tide screams "No!!"
Tide fights his way to the ropes again, and finally reaches out and grabs the bottom rope. Gabriel is forced to break the hold. Gabriel boots Tide a few times. He lifts Tide up and whips him into the corner, coming in for a corner clothesline, but Tide sticks his boots up and Gabriel runs right into them. Gabriel rolls to his feet, and then is hit with an even harder dropkick. Tide grips his injured knee in pain for a moment, then he jerks Gabriel up and then slams him down with a simple side slam. Tide waits for Gabriel to get up, then charges at him. Gabriel boots him in the kneecap on the way across the ring. Tide shouts in pain, dropping to one knee. Gabriel grips the head and then plants him with the front facelock cutter. He goes for a cover.
One...
Two... Kickout.
Jerry Andrews: Gabriel has really worked that knee over, making it hard for Tide to function, or even walk!
Ace Anderson: Please, salty dogs like Tide High Tide can't walk, they have to use t
Jerry Andrews: You... do know that Tide's younger than you, right? He's probably not even middle aged.
Ace Anderson: Are you mocking me, boy?
Gabriel endeavors to lift Tide but DAMN Tide rocks him with a single knee facebuster. Tide's jaw stretches in pain and he kicks out his knee a little bit. Tide pushes himself up to his feet and lifts Gabriel up, gripping him and hitting a trio of rolling vertical suplexes, popping the hips with each one. Then he bounces to the ropes, and hits a beautiful corkscrew senton backsplash on Gabriel in the middle of the ring. He covers...
Jerry Andrews: Look like Tide's speeding up!
One...
Two- Kickout.
Tide slaps the mat in frustration and he goes for an over the shoulder DDT, but Gabriel is able to counter it into a belly to belly suplex. Gabriel jumps up and goes the same route as Tide except this time looking for a leg drop. Tide rolls out of the way but rather than going for another offensive attack off the ropes, he simply drop kicks Gabriel in the chest from a standing position. He drags up Gabriel and sets him up for fourth vertical suplex. Gabriel hooks the leg around Tide making sure he isn't going anywhere this time. Tide tries again, and Gabriel does the same thing again. Then, Gabriel kicks Tide's knee out.
Jerry Andrews: And Gabriel continues to work that injured knee.
Ace Anderson: With good reason, who ever heard of five amigos'.
Jerry Andrews: Will you stop?!
Gabriel runs off the ropes as he comes in with another chop block to Tide's knee. Tide rolls around the ring gripping his knee. Gabriel comes in laying a series of boots to Tide. He then lays a few stomps to Tide's knee, Tide crawls to the ropes as Gabriel stalks behind him like a viper in waiting.
Jerry Andrews: Look at the look in Gabriel's eyes, he's like a hawk watching his prey.
Ace Anderson: He's giving thanks to the guidance he's getting from his followers now.
As Tide pulls himself up he turns to Gabriel who violently rakes his eyes. Tide claws at his eyes as Gabriel sets Tide's knee across the middle rope, Gabriel then runs off the ropes and comes in with a huge kick to the back of Tides knee. Tide drops to the mat as he rolls towards the corner in pain. Gabriel climbs outside the ropes where he grips Tides legs and pulls him closer to the post. The Follower then grips Tide's knee and slams it against the steel post. He does this again and again, then a fourth time for good measure. He then pulls Tide's knee against the post, backs up then runs in big booting Tides knee into the post. Tide climbs out of the corner in obvious agony.
Jerry Andrews: Gabriel is showing no mercy to Tide's knee.
Ace Anderson: Gabriel, he's hungry, you saw it in his eyes when he beat Kyle Shane down and even in the disappointment when he flagellated himself for losing. He wants to succeed and he cannot let High Tide stop him.
Tide staggers to his feet where Gabriel quickly runs in kicking Tide's knee, Tide flops back to the mat. Gabriel then grips Tide's legs and wraps them into a figure four.
Jerry Andrews: The end may be near for Tide, Gabriel has him locked in the figure four.
Tide screams out as Gabriel has the lock in firm. Tide's face is blood red. The crowd duel chanting loudly "LET'S GO HIGH TIDE/GAB-RI-EL!!, LET'S GO HIGH TIDE/GAB-RI-EL" The referee asks Tide if he gives and Tide refuses.
Ace Anderson: Just submit Tide so I can hit Waffle House up with Joey Numbers. I'm starving.
Jerry Andrews: You're an idiot, no wonder you have no friends.
Ace Anderson: With an attitude like that, that’s why you're not my first...errr I mean my, like, thousandth.
Gabriel screams "tap!", but Tide shakes his head with intent. He then slowly begins to turn his body, Gabriel tries to resist but Tide finally turns his body over reversing the pressure, Gabriel has no choice but to let go.
Jerry Andrews: Tide did it, he's free!
Tide crawls to the corner where he uses the turnbuckles to pull himself up, he turns spotting a charging Gabriel, he moves as Gabriel goes for a splash, Gabriel head hits the turnbuckle, as he staggers out and turns Tide hits a superkick out of nowhere. Both men are out as the ref starts a ten count.
One...
Two...
Three..
Four... both men start to stir...
Five....
Six...Tide drapes an arm over Gabriel.
Jerry Andrews: Pin attempt.
One...
Two...
Thr - Kickout!
Tide shakes his head in disappointment. He staggers to his feet where he pulls Gabriel up, he goes for an irish whip but Gabriel reverses sending Tide into the ropes, Tide ducks a clothesline attempt, runs off the opposite ropes, Tide comes back looking for a crossbody but Gabriel knocks him out of the air with a standing dropkick. He then quickly pulls Tide up and takes him back down with a brainbuster. He peels Tide off the mat and flings him down with a t-bone suplex. Gabriel then climbs up to the top rope and flies off attempting a moonsault but Tide rolls out of the way at the second. Gabriel staggers to his feet where he is met by a clothesline by Tide. He gets back up and is floored with another clothesline. Gabriel quickly gets back to his feet where he is met with a boot to the gut followed by a swinging neckbreaker. Gabriel then pulls himself up on the ropes turns and is clotheslined over the top rope to the outside.
Jerry Andrews: Tide is building some momentum.
Gabriel gets to his feet on the outside, Tide grips the top rope, and flings himself over coming down with a hurricanrana on the outside to Gabriel. Tide pulls himself up using the apron to stand, overlooking Gabriel out on the floor. He raises his arms to a roaring approval from the crowd, and then he gets a running start and BOOM. He hurls himself off the apron, and brings a rising Gabriel down with a shooting star DDT that has to be seen to be believed. Unforgiving floor meet face. Gabriel flops down, nearly lifeless.
Jerry Andrews: And that's the Walk The Plank onto the floor!
Ace Anderson: That... that was some hell of a spasm!
Jerry Andrews: But now Gabriel is nearly lifeless and almost all dead weight.
Tide starts to lift Gabriel up, but suddenly, a female follower comes towards him, and Tide turns towards her. The robe wearing follower points and screams shrilly at Tide, talking about his damnation, and High Tide, who, even though she's distracting him from the task at hand, still has a placating look like he doesn't really want to hurt her. She is screaming like a Goddamn harpy, though, and finally she goes to shove Tide and he grabs both of her wrists and looks out to the crowd. The follower suddenly looks terrified, shaking her head back and forth and pleading with the crowd.
Jerry Andrews: I think this member of the congregation is going to pay for deciding to be at ringside!
Ace Anderson: She may have been following the will of Seromine, but this young woman is going to pay for being led into the slaughter.
Tide turns, and suddenly Gabriel knees him in the gut, making him release his hold on the young lady. Gabriel gives him a Russian legsweep into the side of the security guardrail. Gabriel boots Tide aggressively, then he drags him over to a corner of the security guardrail where two sections meet, and he runs in and delivers a face-wash style kick into the guardrail. Tide is laid out on the aisle. Gabriel picks himself up. The referee is telling them both to get in the ring, and starts counting them out. Gabriel rolls in and rolls back out to break the count, then lifts Tide and walks him over to the announce table, bouncing his head off. Tide slumps limp against the table. Gabriel holds his arms up in triumph to a chorus of boos from the sinners at ringside.
Ace Anderson: You see anything Tide can dish out, Gabriel is just that much better at dishing it back.
Gabriel goes to whip Tide into the steel steps but Tide, short arms it ducking under a Gabriel clothesline, Tide nails him with a Pele kick.
Jerry Andrews: What a reversal by HT!
Tide pulls himself up on the apron as he rolls in the ring, gripping his injured knee. High Tide begins another ten count as Gabriel is laid out on the floor.
One....
Two...
Three...
Four...
Five...
Six....Gabriel begins to stir....
Seven...
Eight...
Ace Anderson: Get back in Gabriel, hurry!
Nine....Gabriel rolls back in just in time. As he stands Tide lifts him up in a fireman’s carry position. Tide's knee gives out however. as Gabriel slips off, Gabriel quickly boots Tide in the gut and hooks him for a reverse DDT. Tide throws punches to the gut and elbows his way free and as Gabriel staggers away Tide slips around with a schoolboy.
Jerry Andrews: And a crazy reversal of counters brings us to the Pirate Code! High Tide may have scored some gold here!
One...
Two...
Three... Kickout.
As a discombobulated Gabriel pulls his way to his feet Tide is already waiting for him, sprinting a short distance and hopping up to the rope to position himself for a Half-Mast dropkick off the turnbuckles. The dropkick blows Gabriel back like a cannonball, but after he lands, Tide lays on the mat gripping his knee.
Ace Anderson: See that’s how smart Gabriel really is, I knew his plan would work. Tide is only halfway able to work his usual aerial antics.
Tide crawls slowly and covers...
Jerry Andrews: You were saying?
Ace Anderson: Shit!
One....
Two....
Three... Gabriel gets a shoulder up!!
High Tide rubs at his face with a frustrated expression. He shoot a look to the referee about the count, but the referee enforces his decision. There is movement from around ringside and it seems like a few more of Seromine's followers have joined the young woman at ringside and are tending to her, helping her up. Meanwhile, High Tide lifts Gabriel up, throwing a few knee lifts as he puts him in a facelock. He sets him up for a vertical suplex, but as he's in midair Gabriel kicks his legs and shifts his weight. He wiggles and then drops in behind High Tide, who is unable to keep him lifted. Gabriel then hooks HT and has him set for a German suplex, but Tide, sensing it coming, dashes forward and grabs on to the top rope, and when Gabriel pulls upwards for the German suplex he can't budge Tide. Gabriel rolls backwards, releasing the waistlock, and High Tide charges at him, attempting a clothesline, but Gabriel ducks, and then Gabriel tries for a leaping roundhouse, but High Tide in turn ducks and Gabriel spins around in a circle, only for High Tide to come from behind and plant him with a bulldog. Whew. The crowd is dizzy from the lightning quick exchange, and they begin a "THIS IS AWESOME *CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP* THIS IS AWESOME" chant. High Tide, weary, falls back first across Gabriel, remembering to hook a leg halfway through.
One....
Two...
Three - Kickout!!
Jerry Andrews: If Tide had remembered to get the leg hooked from the start, he may have had him.
Ace Anderson: Bullshit, Gabriel could have spasmed out of the pin just as well as anyone, even better than Tide!
Tide pulls Gabriel to his feet but Gabriel cuts him off with a european uppercut, Gabriel then runs off the ropes and on the return Tide catches him with a powerslam. Tide pulls himself up waiting for Gabriel to get to his feet, then Gabriel stands and turns as Tide locks in a flying armbar. The unexpected submission from the pirate has Gabriel's eyes bulging out of his head as Tide pulls him down to the mat in a cross arm breaker. Gabriel struggles as he screams out in pain.
Jerry Andrews: High Tide is showing how much he wants this win, with an unexpected submission in his arsenal.
Ace Anderson: This submission is so dangerous because the arm is full of bones. Do you know how many bones are in the hand? 27. That's a shitload of bones. And then in the lower arm? That's too many bones.
Jerry Andrews: Wait until you hear what the rest of the skeleton is made of.
Ace Anderson: Okay, but if it's bones, I am going to be REALLY pissed off.
Gabriel rolls and tries to stay on one of his sides so his arm can't be fully hyper-extended across Tide's stomach, and Tide keeps trying to pull Gabriel into position. It doesn't work so well and Gabriel is able to scoot over to the ropes. The ref counts for High Tide to let go, and he warns him of disqualification. Tide releases the armbreaker and tries to pull Gabriel up but is stopped by a boot to the kneecap, and then a desperate Gabriel runs to the ropes, uses Tide's one knee as a spring and leaps up to hit an amazing looking shining wizard. Tide falls back, his eyes going blank as he takes the hard hit, and winded, Gabriel flops on the mat.
Ace Anderson: Look at him, with his arm hanging all limp. I think at least... 3 of those bones were damaged. He needs to get new bones.
Jerry Andrews: Did your concussion syndromes make you forget how skeletons work?!
Gabriel covers hooking the leg.
One...
Two...
Three... Kickout!
Jerry Andrews: Tide got his foot on the rope!
Gabriel looks furious as he pounds the mat in frustration. Gabriel lifts Tide up but Tide surprises with an uppercut. He starts to run but twinges at his knee again, grimacing. Tide goes to boot Gabriel, but Gabriel catches his foot then flings him to the mat with a leg whip. Gabriel then hooks Tide's legs as if for a sharpshooter, then he turns him over.
Ace Anderson: Sharpshooter! Gabriel has him locked in, its over baby!
Tide begins struggling in obvious pain. He reaches for the ropes but they are far from reach. Gabriel keeps the submission locked in tight for several moments. Tide looks as if he's about to tap as he raises his hand.
Ace Anderson: He's gonna tap Jerry.
Jerry Andrews: This would be a huge momentum victory for Gabriel and would solidify his claim towards the new Unified Title!
The crowd begins loudly chanting "High Tide, High Tide, High Tide, High Tide". He beings to fight his urge to submit as he finds new life and begins slowly crawling towards the ropes. Gabriel is screaming for Tide to tap. Tide reaches for the ropes and they are still barely out of reach, he pushes a little closer and finally grips the bottom rope. High Tide tries to pull Gabriel off but he refuses to let go of the submission. High Tide begins a five count...One...Two... Three... Four...Gabriel breaks. Gabriel peels Tide off the mat and lays him into the corner where he flares some elbows into the face of Tide. Gabriel then backs up halfway into the ring and charges for a corner spear but Tide leapfrogs him, Tide grips his knee after the jump, Gabriel then charges towards Tide's back but Tide sidesteps him and Gabriel connects into the ref knocking him over Gabriel looks down for a moment then turns into a kick in the ribs from Tide, followed by another, then another, Tide then tries to follow the series up with an enziguri but Gabriel ducks and Tide hits the mat. Tide staggers to his feet and Gabriel immediately hooks him and hits an Twist of Fate. He covers hooking the leg.
Jerry Andrews: A second dose of the BELIEVE!
Ace Anderson: Well, I can't "believe" he hit that!
Gabriel looks up after a long stretch of seconds ticks by and then he sees there's no ref. Gabriel stares in disbelief and then he stretches over, shaking the referee to revive him. He turns to the followers at ringside and shouts at them, and they scramble and start looking for weapons. And then, suddenly, Gabriel turns around and a kneeling High Tide waylays him with a very exaggerated low blow uppercut, right to the groin. Gabriel's eyes fly open as wide as saucers as he doubles over, coughing.
Jerry Andrews: Yo Ho, Blow!!
Ace Anderson: Blood in the urine is a very serious affliction, we could need to get him to a urologist stat!!
Tide grits his teeth and sucks in a breath, working his knee, but adrenaline is pumping now and he gets to his feet. He hops up, bounces the knee a little bit, and then begins to call for the end. He grips Gabriel by the legs, and then falls back with a slingshot that sends Gabriel sternum first into the turnbuckle. Gabriel bounces off, and High Tide flips over him, going for a sunset flip pin. HOWEVER, as Tide has Gabriel prone and flipped over, he holds on to this pants, gets to his feet, and has Gabriel hooked, lifts him back up and pulls him into the air, dropping him with a powerbomb! Very unique looking. High Tide walks over to the turnbuckles, and is starting to get set for a frog splash, but he sees the followers, trying to revive Gabriel and pulling him over to the ropes. One of the followers has the hammer from the timekeeper's bell, and they're handing it to the groggy Gabriel.
Jerry Andrews: One of the followers just handed Gabriel a weapon!
Ace Anderson: I think the ref's still down taking a snooze, too. Welp, this is going to be a shame.
High Tide is distracted by the followers, not seeing Gabriel who's hiding the hammer on the inside of his wrist and forearm until High Tide goes over to the ropes to pull Gabriel up.. Now Gabriel gives a harsh, short arc with the hammer and nails Tide right over the crown. Tide holds his head and falls back, and the crowd gives an "OOOOOH" at the hammer shot. Gabriel expertly disposes of the timekeepers hammer, and he goes to lift the referee up. Suddenly, the crowd starts buzzing, so to speak, and a reaction is building as Jules "WASP" Martens comes walking down. The impressively bearded superstar, and High Tide's erstwhile partner, has seemingly come down to the ring to even the odds. He has a steel chair in his hand.
Jerry Andrews: And now the partner of High Tide, WASP, is making his presence felt at ringside!
Ace Anderson: This match has started going off the rails after the referee went down.
Wasp kicks one follower in the gut while barely even breaking momentum, and he lifts the steel chair up over his head and brings it down across their back. Gabriel, having brought a revived ref around to a sitting position, looks over at this, appalled. The referee, gingerly getting to his feet, sees the chaos at ringside, and then he sees Wasp coming down to ringside. Wasp points at Gabriel, shouting that he used a foreign object on High Tide. The referee, being weak and fragile was unable to see this, but definitely sees Wasp's steel chair, and he grabs it out of Wasp's hands. The two of them argue back and forth by the ropes. Meanwhile, Gabriel has turned, and tried to go back to High Tide, but High Tide is trying to take advantage of spotty referee eyesight to perform the low blow uppercut on Gabriel again, he's just about to connect right between Gabriel's legs when Gabriel stops him, grabbing onto the arm with grim menace. Gabriel shakes his head "Not this time" as the holds the arm, and High Tide looks around, not knowing what to do.
Jerry Andrews: High Tide went to the well one too many times!
Ace Anderson: I think he thought, there were so many distractions at ringside with the followers, and Wasp, that he could get away with it.
Jerry Andrews: Well, the referee is now attempting to gain control.
As Gabriel takes the gripped arm and spikes it hard into the mat, enough to make High Tide explode with a yell and thrash around, he then boots the arm again and again. Meanwhile, the referee has snatched the chair from Wasp, who is protesting he was trying to help. The referee does those awesome hand motions, going "You... are... Outta here!!" and throwing Wasp out. Wasp goes nuts, shouting "What?!" and complaining. The referee orders him out. Then, he turns to the followers who are helping up their fallen brethren... and he points, then makes the motions throwing THEM Outta There! The crowd erupts.
Jerry Andrews: Nigel Gale clearing the board!
Gabriel has now stomped the elbow cap and wrist of High Tide into submission, and High Tide is rolling around holding his arm. Gabriel gives him a harsh stomp to the back, and then, he floats over, locking in a nasty looking bridging double armbar. His hands are locked and as he bridges over, there doesn't seem to be any way to get out of it. High Tide is screaming in pain as his already tender arm is bent back in a manner that it wasn't supposed to go.
Jerry Andrews: Oh my! Gabriel has High Tide, for lack of a better word, Crucified!!
Ace Anderson: Gabriel has that hold on nice and tight, those bones are strained to their breaking point. He saw a weakness open up and he jumped right on it. That's smart wrestling.
Jerry Andrews: And High Tide is trying to fight through the pain, but he can't even move out of position or scoot his body closer to the ropes. He's trapped.
High Tide tries to resist, but he can't hold on but for a few more seconds, and he's forced to signal to Nigel he's giving up. Gabriel sinks down off the hold as someone rings the bell with the retrieved hammer.
DING DING DING!
Sasha Greene: Here is your winner as a result of a submission... and NEW number one contender to the Unified Title....... GABRIEL!!
"There's A World" by Neil Young begins playing, and Gabriel holds an arm up, victorious, yet spent after the grueling match with High Tide. He laughs, disbelieving. The followers are watching from the top of the ramp like silent figures, but they seem to praise him. High Tide is rolling around on the mat, gripping his arm.
Jerry Andrews: Well, Gabriel went through a war with High Tide tonight, and at certain points, both men had a little "help" to get where they were.
Ace Anderson: I'm not sure if High Tide should be madder at Wasp for getting involved and throwing things off, or himself, for attempting a sneaky attack one too many times.
Jerry Andrews: Regardless, it has to be said that Gabriel fought through all of this and made High Tide submit, and he claimed his spot as the first contender of the Unified Title.
Ace Anderson: Yeah, but we run into the same problem again... who's he going to face? Who will combine the two belts? Nathan Saniti... or his Messiah, Seromine?
Jerry Andrews: Time will have to tell.
Gabriel walks with the faithful, exalting his victory and screaming, "This one is for You, my Lord!" as he walks up the ramp.
Jerry Andrews: Now that the question of the first Number One Contender for the Unified Title will be has been answered, it’s time to see just who that champion will be. Will it be the North American Champion, Nathan Saniti, or will it be the International Champion, Seromine?
Ace Andrews: I have to say, I think this is going to be a brutal match. There are no rules, just beat the hell out of each other until one of them is down enough to be NAILED TO A CROSS!
Match Four
Title Unification Match
Heaven and Hell Match
The only way to win is to Crucify your opponent
Nathan Saniti vs. Seromine
Referee: Joseph Buckland
Sasha Greene: The following is a title unification match, and the rules of this contest are, one opponent must CRUCIFY the other!!
The camera gets a look at the stage as stage hands are bringing out ominous looking solid wooden crucifixes, made of 2x4s. These are dark wood, very heavy, and very symbolic.
Jerry Andrews: A dark mood has settled on the arena, as we are now bringing two gladiators into one of their most barbaric encounters. And the rules have been set, this can only be finished when someone is strung up on a crucifix.
Ace Anderson: So, what, someone has to get nailed to a cross?! Jerry, this was considered barbaric torture when the Romans did it 2,000 years ago. Nowadays it's beyond the pale.
Jerry Andrews: And I agree with you, but the war between Seromine and his flock versus Nathan Saniti and those close to him has grown too bitter, too hated. These men WANT to torture each other, in the worst way.
Ace Anderson: Well I just have to know if they're being nailed down, or are they being tied to it?
Jerry Andrews: I don't know, but any of you with small children at home, I might beg you, not to watch this, please.
Ace Anderson: Amen.
The stage and the ringside area has a creepy lighting and it looks like a painting of the Roman site of Golgotha, with all of the crosses.
Sasha Greene: Introducing first, he weighs in at 200 pounds... he is the PCW North American Champion... NATHAN SANITI!!
The introductory chimes of "Monster," by Imagine Dragons beckon the entrance of PCW resident Madcap Magician as lime green fog coats the runway from the ring to the entrance. Flanked by Rasputin, Naomi, and Neville, the otherwise normal (for him) looking Nathan Saniti leads the group out from the back, Nathan taking point. He and Neville wave their arms with a flourish, calling to the fog to rise and engulf the lot.
The lights slowly fade as it thickens as it envelops the Harvesters, suddenly dissipating just as rapidly as it appeared, revealing that the group has vanished! A thunderous bolt of lightning strikes the center of the ring with a blinding flash. And another. After a third bolt hits, the lights go out completely for a second. A column of spotlighted smoke begins to build at the center of the ring, snaking its’ way skyward. Lime green and purple spotlights dance around the smoke as the lights fade on and the smog evaporates, revealing the Harvesters in the center of the ring!
Jerry Andrews: Nathan has a much grimmer disposition than usual. He sees the crucifixes and he certainly knows what's at stake.
Ace Anderson: Men in the olden days were nailed to these crosses for the trespasses of stealing. Today, one person is going to have to string the other up so that they can take the other's gold.
Sasha Greene: And his opponent... he weighs in at 240 pounds... He is the PCW International Champion... SEROMINE!!
The lights inside of the arena begin to flicker in and out like that of a potential power outage. Within seconds blinding white light flashes and then plunges the faithful into darkness. A sudden candlelight spotlight shines below the stage. Three children who look no older than between seven to ten years old have appeared. All three are dressed in white. Two girls are shown swinging a jump rope as their male counterpart does the jumping. In unison, the three recite this famous bedtime prayer for all to hear:
Now I lay me down to sleep
I pray Salvation my soul to keep
If I should die before I wake
I pray Seromine my soul to take.
Murmurs begin in the crowd as the children giggle and run off into the darkness. The sound of a piano and finger snapping turn the ramp into a stained-glass portrait like you would see in a church window. Bringing Seromine and his followers out from ground level is “Where Could I Go But to the Lord” by Elvis Presley. While walking close to his wife, Destiny, he leads his masked followers up the stairs and across the stage just as the first verses start:
Living below in this old sinful world
Hardly a comfort can afford
Striving alone to face temptation so
Now won't you tell me
Seromine is dressed as a preacher. His black hat matches the color of his ribbon bow tie, coat and slacks. She is seen wearing a black dress with a white collar and carrying his bible. The female followers are in pastel prairie dresses that are either pink, green or blue. The male followers are in beige button down shirts with matching pants. The group walks down the ramp, each of them holding a candle.
Where could I go but to the Lord?
Where could I go oh where could I go?
Seeking the refuge for my soul
Needing a friend to save me in the end
Won't you tell me
Where could I go but to the Lord?
While his congregation sways trance like to the beat of the snapping, Seromine can be heard yelling, “everything will be ok now, your savior is here!” The booing doesn’t phase him at all, and if you were to ask the cult leader, he’d likely say “that’s sin being driven from their souls!”
Seromine now circles around the ring with the others. One by one, Salvation place their candles inside of stands and remain by them. Seromine removes his hat, mask, and coat. His long stringy hair hangs loose in front of his face. With crazed eyes and a devilish smile, he demands his faithful in attendance to “REPENT!!” as the house lights return to normal.
Jerry Andrews: Spine tingling entrance here.
Ace Anderson: The hate between these two is legendary. But will it end here tonight, or can it ever die?
Jerry Andrews: That's a damn good question, and I don't know... but I know if they had their way, they would kill it, or each other.
Seromine looks into the ring, at Nathan, and has a smirk on his face. The camera gets a big shot of Saniti staring at him through the ropes, Nathan doesn't back down, motioning him to bring it. As Seromine trawls around the ring, one of the followers hands him a metal crowbar. He laughs wickedly, takes his crowbar and smacks it against the steel ringpost, letting a loud "PING" go through the air, obviously trying to psyche Saniti out. He grins viciously, and moves forward but soon as Seromine rolls into the ring Nathan Saniti clubs him over the back and starts pounding on him with clubs to the back, and we are off to the races. Nathan Saniti lifts Seromine up and gives him a few knee lifts and clubs to the back. However, Seromine grips his crowbar and jabs the end of it into Nathan's gut. Nathan Saniti stumbles back, and Seromine hits him in the gut with the crowbar again, doubling Saniti over. Seromine cracks Saniti over the back with his crowbar. Saniti drops to one knee, gritting his teeth in pain and arching his back. Seromine lifts Saniti up, wrapping the crowbar around his throat and pulling back, choking him with it against Saniti's throat. Saniti flails his arms for a second, before he reaches around and elbows Seromine off. He begins to fight back with right hands, and he boots Seromine in the gut, making him drop the crowbar. He grips Seromine by the hair and walks him over, going to slam his face off the top turnbuckle, but Seromine blocks. Saniti attempts to bounce Seromine's head off the turnbuckle again, but Seromine blocks, elbows Saniti off, and then he bounces Saniti's head off the turnbuckle. Saniti stumbles away, and Seromine grips his head, pulls him back over, and bounces his head off the turnbuckle three more times. Then, he pulls Saniti out to the middle of the ring and lifts him up, holding him in the air before bringing him down with a vertical suplex. Seromine doesn't waste time with a cover, he just rips his shirt off and hurls it aggressively in Nathan's face. Seromine boots Saniti a few times, then mounts him with a few right hands. Seromine quickly gets to his feet, backs up to the ropes and runs off, hitting a jumping knee drop across the forehead of Saniti. Saniti snaps and rolls around, holding his forehead. Seromine holds his arms out to his followers.
Jerry Andrews: Seromine would have all new reasons for the faithful to praise him if he put Nathan away tonight.
Seromine lifts Nathan up and chokes him violently in the corner by putting his hands against his throat and pushing him until his back is arched over the turnbuckles. Nathan flails his arms helplessly, but there isn't much he can do, nor can the referee stop it. Seromine turns to the crowd, mocking the Magician, and then when he takes his eye off the ball, an aggressive Saniti switches places with him, throwing him into the corner. Nathan is thrashing away with lefts and rights with absolutely no thought but rage Seromine is trying his best to cover up and block the blows, but Saniti is wailing away and referee Joseph Buckland certainly isn’t going to stop it. Everyone has their eyes glued on Saniti peeling Seromine off the canvas and whipping him violently into the next corner. Seromine reels from the hard throw, right back to the center of the ring where Nathan is waiting. He takes Seromine’s head and bounces it off the turnbuckle now, stunning Seromine some more and further targeting his head. Saniti then steps onto the second rope and traps Seromine in the corner beneath him, setting his knuckles up for the ten punch combo as the crowd counts along…
One!
Two!
Three!
Four!
Five!
Six!
Seven!
Seromine throws Nathan off and away but Saniti lands on his feet. Seromine tries to charge out of the corner and mount some kind of offense, but he’s cut off by a vicious Nathan clothesline It’s the first time all match we get to see a good look at Saniti’s face since his entrance…and his eyes are burning with even more intensity than the usually lugubrious magician musters. He stares at Seromine’s downed body with those infuriated eyes for a moment before taking him up and again trying to whip him into a corner, but Seromine manages to reverse the whip this time, throwing Nathan into one instead. Saniti runs up the corner to the top turnbuckle… but Seromine puts on the breaks… and shoves Nathan off, right into the barricade. A painful landing for Nathan as he smacks into the barrier, and now finally there’s a chance for Seromine to go on the attack. After leaning against the corner for a few seconds to compose himself, the “Lord” of PCW heads outside, and with Saniti leaning against the barricade, Seromine with an arrogant shove to Saniti’s face, Seromine forces the Nathan back to his feet, where he drills a pair of knees to the gut, before he grabs the back of the head and throws him full force into the steel ringpost.
Ace Anderson: Is he bleeding? Skull meeting steel after that violent encounter, I wouldn't be surprised.
The official checks on the downed Saniti as he looks back to Seromine to take the action back into the ring, but Seromine ignores him, instead again turning to the crowd, arms open wide, revelling in their boos. More stomps from Seromine, before dropping knees to the face as he places Saniti’s throat on the second rope, pulling the rope up while pressing down on Nathan’s head for a blatant choke. Seromine finally relents, but with Nathan draped across the rope, Seromine looks to do further damage, grabbing the top rope, slingshots over the top rope to drop a forearm to the back of Nathan's head. The impact causes Saniti’s throat to violently bounce off the middle rope. He is left rolling away, coughing and spluttering as Seromine raises his arm in so called “victory” as these fans let him have it, although Seromine could careless as he looks back and watches and then lands a few more shots to the back of Saniti’s head with his boots. Seromine gets Saniti to a vertical base as he is once again sent into the corner as Seromine again looks to get some offense going and rushes at Saniti, but the Magician raises an elbow that Seromine runs into throat first. This sends Seromine reeling a few steps as Saniti lifts himself up to the second rope, diving uppercut, NO! Seromine sidesteps and Nathan goes down hard. Landing hard on his shoulder and his head, he and Seromine knowing each other so well, that the original "Messiah" saw it coming. The maniacal monster now sees a window of opportunity, mounting Nathan and starts pummeling his face, letting out all his frustrations! But unlike Saniti’s outburst, Seromine’s doesn’t last long at all, only rattling Nathan around long enough for Seromine to pull him up and hit him with a nasty twisting neckbreaker.
Jerry Andrews: Seromine like the calculated monster he really is, waiting and striking at the right moment.
Ace Anderson: Nathan might have created this monster by drugging Seromine a couple weeks ago.
Nathan again falls on a tender spot and Seromine lands in a position where he just stares at his opponent. While Saniti’s eyes were burning with passion and rage, Seromine’s are now filled with mad hatred. Those intense, madman eyes remain and slip in sanity more and more as the contest progresses. With Nathan down, Seromine slides out of the ring just as Saniti curls up fairly early off the neck breaker, but as he rises, he doesn’t see Seromine. That’s because Seromine is still outside and and the followers hand him a steel chair now. The heat just increases as Seromine slides back into the ring where he looks to inflict more damage until he is blindsided with a nasty dropkick right to his face via Nathan. Leaping out of nowhere Saniti sends Seromine to canvas as the chair comes crashing down inadvertently hitting Nathan on the side of the head. But it’s nothing he can’t shake off considering Saniti now holds the steel chair for himself, meanwhile Seromine is still trying to recover, but he’s stopped dead in his tracks when Nathan cracks the chair off his spine. Seromine yelps in pain as he collapses against the ropes and towards a corner from the first chair shot of the match, forcing himself up in said corner while holding his back.
Jerry Andrews: For Nathan Saniti there may be no sweeter sound than hearing the spine smack off a steel chair.
Saniti goes to the corner directly across the ring from Seromine, steel chair still in hand before rolling somersaults across the ring, setting the steel chair down center ring as he does so, before springing himself up on the full roll-through onto Seromine... ending with a monkey flip across the steel chair. The camera catches the look of horror on Seromine’s face as he goes flying through the air, knowing he’s doomed by gravity to land right on top of the steel chair! Seromine oversells the pain a little bit, crawling on his knees as he slips under the bottom rope with the steel chair he just landed on. Just as Seromine turns to get back in the ring, Saniti grips the ropes and kicks it right into Seromine’s face as Nathan slips feet first right to the outside. Seromine is thrown for a loop for a second with the steel hitting his chin, allowing Nathan to grab hold of him again and drive a hard knee into his gut, followed by yet another pair of right hands to the cranium. Nathan walks over and takes one of the crucifixes, the heavy 2x4 crosses and lays it down and he tries picking a loopy Seromine up and laying him on the crucifix like a bed. Nathan is trying to tie his wrists to one half of the t-sections... but Seromine fights him off with right hands from his free one.
Jerry Andrews: And Nathan seems to be content to tie Seromine down to the crucifix in the early goings, but Seromine isn't weak enough yet.
Ace Anderson: It should be noted that you used to have to be speared, stoned and or spiked to a post before you would get strung up there, I mean, it just doesn't seem like a thing a lot of people are into.
Seromine pushes himself off the crucifix, meeting Nathan by grabbing him by the back of the head and throwing him into one of the adjacent standing crucifixes. The crucifix tips over and Saniti goes spilling over in a heap. Saniti, breathing heavily, pushes the beam off his back. Seromine advances on Nathan, but Nathan meets him with a throat thrust uppercut. He follows this up by taking Seromine’s head and bashing it against the steel steps. The Messiah is stupefied from the hard knock. As he drunkenly wanders around, Saniti grabs his head again and dashes it into the steps again.
Jerry Andrews: The crowd may not like either man very much, Seromine obviously much less... but one has to wonder if both of these gladiators aren't going to go over the line in their actions tonight.
Ace Anderson: I am not predicting any white hats or black hats in this one, that's for sure. But I am predicting that Nathan Saniti will be level-headed enough to weather the storm.
Saniti lifts Seromine up, but Seromine breaks loose by digging his fingers into Nathan's eye socket and violently ripping at his face. Nathan's jaw stretches wide in pain. Seromine then hurls Nathan hard as he can back first into the guardrail. Seromine walks over, lifting up another one of the wooden crucifixes set up in intervals around the ring, and as Nathan gets to his feet, Seromine sets it on his shoulder. He runs forward and drives it into Saniti's face like a battering ram, dropping Saniti where he stands. Seromine sets the crucifix down and does an arm's out crucifix pose right in front of it, which is incredibly creepy. Seromine pummels Nathan a few times with right hands, and then, he tilts the crucifix against the apron and tries rolling him onto it. Saniti, not finished yet, rolls off and gets as far away from the crucifix as he can. Seromine stalks after him, and meets him with a kick to the temple. Seromine gives the crucifix a look, then he turns his attention back, lifts Saniti up, rolling him into the ring and following after. As Saniti starts trying to get to his knees, Seromine comes in and gives him a few right hands, backing Saniti to the ropes. He whips Saniti off the ropes and on the return he takes him down with a back body drop. Saniti gets to his feet, and Seromine nearly rips his head off with a clothesline. Saniti gets back to his feet, but Seromine walks him over to the corner and bounces his head off the turnbuckle. Nathan lays across the top rope, trying desperately to get his wind, but Seromine then fires away at Saniti with back elbows, then right hands, taking Saniti down to a sitting position. Seromine lays more stomps to the midsection. Then he turns away, as he holds a fist up to the crowd, drawing a pop of recognition from the crowd, and Seromine backs up halfway across the ring, and then comes in for a running corner knee strike which connects solidly, smashing right into Nathan like shit through a canebreak. Seromine walks over and retrieves the crowbar from earlier, as Saniti slowly starts pulling himself up on the ropes. As Saniti turns, Seromine comes in for a swing, but Saniti drops down and rolls out of the way to the outside, drawing boo' from the crowd, as Seromine's crowbar hits the top rope. Seromine, outraged, yells for Nathan to get his ass back in there. Finally fed up, he climbs to the outside after Saniti, who backs up, and then takes off around the ring. Seromine gives chase, around a corner, over the steps, and Nathan quickly rolls back in the ring on the other side. Seromine follows Saniti in the ring, but as soon as he climbs in Saniti axehandles him over the back of the head. Nathan follows it up with a knee strike to the cheek, and a short DDT. Saniti starts laying the boots to Seromine. He lifts Seromine up, and starts driving some knees into his face as he clubs him over the back, knocking Seromine down to one knee. Nathan goes to lift him by the back of the head, slapping him. Seromine suddenly grabs Nathan around the throat, as if to drop him with a chokeslam him, but Nathan violently rakes his eyes. He lifts Seromine up, and drops him with a delayed vertical suplex. Nathan lifts Seromine to his feet and whips him to the ropes, but hangs on to Seromine's arm and when Seromine comes back off the ropes Nathan follows him in with a knee to the midsection. Seromine flips to the mat, and holds his midsection. Nathan runs off the ropes and hits a leg drop across the throat of Seromine. He rolls to the outside, and he looks under the apron, pulling out a toolbox. He lays it on the apron, and opens it, pulling out a flashlight, which he gives a disdainful look, then he pulls out a large wrench. He looks over at Seromine with a slight smile. He slides back in the ring, and raises the wrench in the air, measuring Seromine, and Seromine turns around as Nathan starts to swing the wrench at him. Seromine ducks under the swing, then he boots Nathan in the gut, cutting him off, and then he grips Nathan's arm and whips him to the ropes. Nathan stops himself by grabbing onto the ropes. Seromine comes charging at him, but Nathan stops him by jamming the wrench into his sternum. Seromine is doubled over resting against the ropes, and Nathan drops the wrench and runs to the opposite ropes and then comes in and takes them both over the top rope with a big clothesline. The crowd pops.
Jerry Andrews: Both of these men are looking to get, well, more effed up than we've seen here in awhile.
Ace Anderson: This match is effed up in just about every way there could possibly be.
Both men start to get to their feet slowly. Nathan is first to his feet, and he clubs Seromine over the back a few times, then he wraps his arms around Seromine's waist and drives his lower back into the ring apron with a lot of force. Seromine screams, and arches his back, as Nathan pulls him out and does it again. Seromine staggers out, and Nathan grips him by his hair, and then drives him back into the ring apron with a Russian legsweep. Nathan lifts up a crucifix and puts it over his shoulders. He waits for Seromine to get up and he begins turning the crucifix like he's performing an airplane spin, and the t-section smashes Seromine right in the face! Seromine stays on his feet for a moment, then falls back. Nathan places the crucifix down, and walks around, stomping Seromine for a moment. He lifts Seromine up to his feet. He grips Seromine's arm and goes for an irish whip into the steel steps. Seromine resists being whipped for a moment by setting his feet. Nathan tries again, but again Seromine is able to resist being whipped, and then he reverses, sending Nathan crashing into the steel steps himself. Nathan hits the steps shoulder first with a loud crash, hard enough to dislodge the steps. Nathan screams in pain. Seromine rests for a second, checking his forehead for blood, then he walks over and lifts Nathan up, punishing him with a few clubs to the back. He grips Nathan by the hair and the back of his pants and throws him over the security guardrail into the crowd.
Jerry Andrews: The action in this match could literally go anywhere, none of this is on the books.
Saniti stumbles to his feet, and staggers through the crowd. Seromine follows after him as they make their way through the crowd. Fans pat Seromine and Saniti on the back, as he catches up to Saniti. Suddenly, though, Saniti turns and poke Seromine in the eye. Seromine turns, scrubbing at his eyes in pain, and stumbles back a little. Seromine turns, and Saniti has made a fan get out of his folding chair. Saniti lifts the chair up and flings it in Seromine's face, connecting with a whack. Seromine stumbles back. Seromine lays against the rail. Saniti retrieves another chair, folding it up and holding it in front of him.
Jerry Andrews: Saniti is using everything in his surroundings to his advantage, even the items in the crowd.
Saniti comes towards Seromine holding the chair in front of him as Seromine is on a few steps above him. Saniti holds the chair up, but then Seromine lashes out with his boot and kicks the chair back into Saniti's face. Saniti is knocked back into the crowd. Seromine gets to his feet. He walks down the steps, over to Saniti, who is on all fours. He grabs him bodily and drags him to a small cement wall separating the two levels. He throws Saniti into the side of the wall. Saniti hits back first. Seromine wraps his arms around Saniti's midsection and his rams Saniti's back into the wall. Saniti yells in pain and arches his back. Seromine keeps his arms wrapped around Saniti, and takes him down with a belly to belly suplex onto the floor. Saniti arches his back in pain. The fans all around them in the aisle are going apeshit at them fighting into the crowd. Seromine lifts Nathan up by the back of his head. He walks him back through the crowd, towards the ring. As they get to the guardrail, Nathan elbows Seromine in the gut, and bounces his face off the guardrail. Nathan climbs over the guardrail and pulls Seromine out so that he is hanging half over the guardrail into the aisle. Nathan runs forward and elbows Seromine across the back of the head while he's in the prone position. Then Nathan grips Seromine in a facelock and hits a spike DDT off the guardrail onto the floor! Seromine is standing straight on his head like an exclamation point for a second... then he crumbles. Nathan laughs and pulls himself up using the guardrail, taking a moment to mock the followers and ask them if this is in their holy book.
Jerry Andrews: Lots of disdain for the followers out here tonight.
Nathan hunts around under the apron, taking his time, but is trying to find a weapon he can use. As he does so, Seromine slides his hand to the followers, who hand him something. Seromine then retrieves a kendo stick and smacks it over Nathan's face. He cracks Saniti over the back with it. Saniti arches his back in pain. Seromine throws the kendo stick down onto the concrete floor, and then as Saniti gets up to his feet Seromine takes him down with a drop toehold. Seromine overturns a cross on a pedestal. He holds it up for a second, and then as Saniti gets up Seromine cracks Saniti across the stomach with the leg of the cross, doubling Saniti over. Seromine wraps Saniti's throat with the cross and drives him back first into the side of the guardrail with a Russian leg sweep of his own! The loud cracking sound echoes throughout the arena, and then Seromine lays the cross down, trying to roll Saniti over top of it.
Ace Anderson: I hope these guys are getting set to do a shit-ton of Hail Mary's, because what we're seeing tonight is some kind of sacrilege.
Jerry Andrews: And remember, Ace, the ref is only out here in an unofficial official capacity. Just to record the winner when someone gets fixed permanently to a crucifix. Otherwise, we can ignore his existence, much like women do to you.
Ace Anderson: ...Hey, that's not a nice thing to say...
Saniti pushes Seromine off and endeavors to sit up off the cross. Seromine pulls Saniti up to a seated position and begins giving mounted punches to the forehead. He lifts Saniti up by the hair and pulls him up, throwing him with force so that his gut impacts with the edge of the guardrail. Seromine goes hunting around under the apron, coming out with a steel chair. Saniti turns around, and Seromine tosses him the chair. Seromine charges Saniti, looking to big boot the chair into Saniti's face, but Saniti ducks out of the way. Seromine turns around, and Saniti tosses the chair back to him. Suddenly, Saniti spears Seromine, and the impact smashes the chair back into Seromine's face. Now it is Nathan Saniti, stumbling, who lays a crucifix down across the ground and tries pushing Seromine's dead weight atop it. But no. Seromine kicks Saniti off. Seromine, barely able to keep his footing, also evades the grasp of Saniti trying to pull him back down. Seromine retreats, far away from any more crucifixes or Saniti, and gets back in the ring. Saniti follows after, bringing with him the steel chair, and he waffles Seromine across the back with it. Seromine arches his back and drops to his knees, grimacing.
Jerry Andrews: These two men may be looking to the crucifix as a metaphor for salvation, because they are beating each other to hell.
Ace Anderson: That was the biggest reach I've ever seen, come on... Booooooooo.
Jerry Andrews: I don't write the material, it's someone who needs more coffee!
Saniti begins stomping Seromine viciously down into the corner, and Seromine slumps in a seated position. Saniti begins pounding on Seromine's forehead with mounted right hands. He picks up the trash can lid and smacks it over Seromine's head with force. He backs up, picks up the steel chair and walks back into the corner. He wedges the chair into the corner between the ropes in front of Seromine's face, and then he paces out to the middle of the ring, then he runs in with a delayed dropkick right into the face, smashing it into Seromine! The crowd pops. Amid the dented steel, Seromine lays, his eyes open wide and glazed... and Nathan backs up to the ropes, then comes forward with a Rolling Thunder, eat that Rob Van Dam. Nathan lifts Seromine up, wrapping his arms around him and giving him an overhead belly to belly suplex. Seromine gets to his feet, holding his lower back, and as he gets up Nathan cracks him in the gut with the kendo stick. Seromine is doubled over, holding his gut, and then Nathan brings the kendo stick down across his back, hard enough to break the kendo stick! Seromine arches his back and yells in pain, sinking down to his knees. Seromine gets up, holding his back, and Nathan gives him a right hand, knocking him against the ropes. Nathan positions Seromine under the middle rope, then pulls him up as he grips back on his chin, and he digs his knee into Seromine's back in the process, exerting a lot of pressure on Seromine's back as he pulls Seromine across the top and middle rope.
Jerry Andrews: The pressure is starting to build between these men, we've already seen them break out some of their strongest weapons to lay waste to each other.
Nathan Saniti, finally, says hell with this, when he sees the choke isn't getting anywhere. Seromine screams in pain. Nathan pulls Seromine down against the steel post as he climbs out, and he grabs one of Seromine's arms and one of Seromine's legs, positioning Seromine back first against the post. Nathan pulls back with all his might, and Seromine begins screaming loudly in pain.
Jerry Andrews: Nathan is wearing Seromine's back down piece by piece.
Ace Anderson: I've got to say, both of these men know each other so well, they've had to get creative in ways to totally fuck each other up.
Seromine is released and he rolls back into the middle of the ring, holding onto his back. Nathan paces over to the steel steps and begins taking them apart piece by piece, and throwing them into the ring. He climbs inside and picks up a section of steel steps. Seromine begins getting to one knee. Nathan runs forward and slams the steel steps into Seromine, with a resounding noise of metal meeting his skull, taking him down. The crowd responds with an "Ooooh!" at the impact. Nathan throws the steps away from him.
Ace Anderson: Welcome to Concussion-Town: Population Seromine!
Nathan then rolls outside and throws a crucifix into the ring. He positions the 2x4 beast on the mat and tries to drag Seromine by an arm and a leg, pulling him over top of it. Saniti goes to lift Seromine up to dump him on the crucifix, but Seromine takes him by surprise by dropping down with a jawbreaker. Saniti stumbles backwards, and turns his back on Seromine, but then Seromine loads him up onto his shoulders and takes him down with an Alabama Slam spinebuster. Seromine arches his back in pain, rolling and contorting on the ground for a second, but then he grits his teeth roughly and recovers. The Messiah rolls out of the ring and grabs a trash can, heaving it into the already full ring. Seromine pulls himself into the ring. Saniti starts picking himself up, and as he gets up Seromine gives him a back suplex onto the metal trash can, denting its sides in and making Nathan yell in agony as he's laid out among the ruins. Seromine paces around, trying to shake the cobwebs out. He kicks a string of weapons out of the way, but picks up one of the discarded weapons, and appropriately for this match, it is a crown made of a wreath of barbed wire!! Seromine stares at it fixedly for a moment.
Ace Anderson: Could we be any more heavy handed with the Pontius Pilate references tonight?!
Jerry Andrews: Whoever put this match together went all out with the elaborate set dressing.
The wicked preacher holds the crown of barbed wire out in supplication, he walks over to Saniti and lifts him up with an arm around his throat to pin him down, then he slices the barbed wire across Saniti's forehead, shouting "REPENT, SINNER". Nathan jitters and squeals as the grater puts some deep cuts on his forehead, and the crowd erupts in a bloodthirsty roar that would make Roman gladiators proud.
Jerry Andrews: Seromine has made Nathan don the proverbial crimson mask!!
Ace Anderson: These sick people are cheering, but this is very graphic... it almost makes me feel sick...
Saniti is rolling around on the mat, holding his bleeding face. Seromine lifts his head up, and he places the wreath of barbed wire around Nathan's head snugly enough to draw more blood, and he begins pounding on Saniti's forehead with right hands, trying to open the cut up. Seromine pounds Saniti down until Saniti is laid out on the mat. He finds a length of steel chain, given to him by a follower, and he winds it around his fist. He lifts Saniti up, walking him over to the ropes, and he lays Saniti against the second and top rope. He begins wrapping Saniti's arms up in the ropes, so that Saniti is tied up. Now Nathan is laid against the ropes, his arms wrapped up and he's crucified for all intents and purposes. Seromine does the angel winged pose. Seromine gives the Dark Magician a few body shots with the chain-wrapped fist, then one final shot to the head with the force of a runaway train. He unwraps the chain from his hand, and he pulls Saniti loose from the ropes. Saniti is unable to stand on his feet, and he slumps down to the mat... but then, Seromine, screaming "Blasphemer! Charlatan! Fake magician!" wraps the chain around his throat like a necktie and pulls it back as far as it'll go!! Blood pours from Nathan's barbed wire wounds with every pump of his heart, made even worse what with the chain choking him out. Nathan's color turns an unhealthy reddish purple as he's lifted. The ref says "come on, stop it, I didn't sign up for this" and taps Seromine's shoulder but Seromine flings his arm off and snarls at him.
Ace Anderson: THIS IS THE SICKEST THING I'VE EVER SEEN!!
Jerry Andrews: This is why this match isn't used often or at all, we've gone to a very dark and disturbing place just now.
Ace Anderson: This is inhumane!
Jerry Andrews: Ace, come on, calm down...
Ace Anderson: I will not. Our company's insurance liability is all well and good, but if you saw men doing this to each other on the street, they would get the law involved. Seromine should be arrested.
Seromine throws the chains down and runs his hands through his hair in extreme irritation. He lifts Nathan up, from the front, hooks his hands and drops him with a fisherman suplex, the Messiah Plex. Seromine slams his fists on the mat. He shakes his head in anger, as if saying that wasn't enough. Nathan is convulsing on the mat. Seromine walks over to the wooden cross and lays it in the corner, propped up so that the arms are draped over the turnbuckles. He then boots Nathan in the gut so hard that Nathan drops to all fours, and he lifts Saniti up, running a short distance before giving him a throwing crucifix powerbomb, ACROSS the ring, into the actual crucifix!! Saniti hits back first with such impact that he and the cross are both dislodged and the heavy beam falls across his back. Saniti cringes in pain. Seromine holds his hands out to his children, who praise his name.
Jerry Andrews: Seromine just drove Saniti into the cross with the Lord's Prayer!!
Ace Anderson: A crucifix onto a crucifix. Brutally literal.
An exhausted Seromine turns the crucifix over. He gets some wire and wraps Saniti's arm up, and quickly ties one arm down to the crucifix. The crowd comes alive, as does Saniti, who starts pulling at the wire binding him and fighting his way clear with left hands to the forehead, and the fans are starting to cheer, "This is awesome!" Seromine gets to his feet, pacing around and running a hand through his hair, as if he doesn't know what else he has to do. Nathan still tries sitting up, not incapacitated enough to be laid on the cross, and pulling at the wire on his right hand.
Jerry Andrews: Nathan Saniti somehow stays alive. These men refuse to be laid to rest.
Seromine rips the wires loose, and goes to lift Nathan up and give him the finishing dragon suplex, but Nathan elbows Seromine and stomps on his foot. Seromine turns around, and Nathan goes for a clothesline, but Seromine ducks, and gives Nathan a big boot. Seromine stumbles away, and then he notices a black bag among the items from his trash can. He lifts it up, and spreading a path through the debris he opens the bag and dumps it out, emptying hundreds of tacks across the ring. Seromine lifts Nathan up and goes to position his head for a piledriver. Seromine motions that it's going to hurt, and mimics sorrow. He gets set to piledrive Nathan face first into the tacks, but Nathan back drops his way clear of it, throwing Seromine to the mat. Seromine gets to his feet, and he charges at Nathan. Nathan ducks a clothesline, and as Seromine turns around Nathan boots him in the gut and takes him down, onto the tacks with a uranagi suplex!! Seromine is shaking and squealing in pain as he flinches his back gingerly, which has been turned into a pincushion for dozens of thumbtacks, and he has his eyes wide open in pain.
Ace Anderson: Seromine has become the Human Pincushion!
Jerry Andrews: Look at the agony on his face with those tacks digging into his back!
Ace Anderson: These two bastards are just trying to make each other bleed now, no crucifying intent.
Jerry Andrews: It'll complete the whole theme.
Seromine holds his back, gingerly picking out tack after tack. Both men lay out for a second, and Nathan and Seromine start getting to their feet. Nathan is pulling himself up using the ropes, and Seromine, bleeding badly from about a hundred gashes in his back, staggers to his feet. Nathan throws a harsh right hand... and Seromine steps back, spitting blood. Seromine comes back with a right hand of his own, making Saniti go backward. Nathan gives Seromine a right, Seromine gives Nathan a right, Nathan gives Seromine a right, Seromine gives Nathan a right... then another, then another, backing Nathan up to the ropes. Seromine goes for an irish whip but Nathan reverses into a knee to the gut... Nathan then lifts Seromine up onto his shoulders, runs him forward a couple paces and CRUSHES Seromine into the corner with a running powerbomb. Seromine bounces off, holding his back, like a pinball, and Nathan meets him of the ropes with a clothesline. Both men are down on the mat, and Nathan, snarling at Seromine, grabs the steel chair from earlier and drives the end of it into his gut as he's lying prone. Seromine snaps and flops around kicking his legs. Nathan jabs him in the gut again. Seromine rolls around holding his gut. Nathan slowly makes his way over to the ropes... and then, he climbs up to the second rope, holding the steel chair. He sets himself, puts the chair under his arm, and he comes off with a second rope elbow drop with the steel chair under his elbow, right across the sternum of Seromine!! The crowd erupts into a huge pop for this spot, and chants "THIS IS AWESOME!" Nathan Saniti, weakly, shoves the chair out of the way, going to push Seromine across the ring to the crucifix... Seromine sees it coming and responds by using his legs to push the crucifix out of the ring.
Jerry Andrews: Smart of Seromine to take the cross out of play.
Nathan, angrily, runs his hand over his face, annoyed he hasn't been able to put Seromine away. He lifts Seromine up with a few slaps across the back of the head. He then throws him down to the mat by the back of his head. Seromine is pushing himself up on his elbows, but a boot-clap kick to the ribs from Nathan makes him roll around holding himself. Nathan lifts Seromine up again and he drags him over to the corner, and he wraps the tag rope around Seromine's throat, choking him with that with one hand as he punches Seromine in the ribs with the other. Seromine struggles and flails his arms at Nathan's eyes, trying to fight his way free. Seromine and Nathan are both on their knees, recovering. Seromine tries to irish whip Nathan, but Nathan reverses, trying to whip Seromine... who bounces off the ropes and takes Nathan down like a guided missile with a springboard forearm punch!
Jerry Andrews: Seromine lays Nathan out with the Cyanide Punch!
Nathan is dropped like a stone, and Seromine is on all fours, in excruciating pain. Seromine goes to lift Saniti up. Nathan's hands are hunting amid the strewn out weapons, and he selects a steel pipe. As Seromine lifts Nathan up by his hair... he is crushed by a low blow with the pipe, and Nathan then grabs hold of him and gives him a back suplex using the pipe between his legs. Scrambling to his feet, Nathan gets up, and he lifts Seromine, planting him with a delayed spinning suplex, his Whirling Dervish. But now, Nathan sees there are no more crucifixes in the ring. Saniti gets to his feet, holding his hands out with an expression of "Are you kidding me" and he rolls outside. He grabs a crucifix made of heavy 2x4s that are longer than a tall basketball player, and he lays this crucifix between the guardrail and the apron, so that it balances across the aisle. He walks over to the ring and picks Seromine up, walking him over to the ropes. He climbs out onto the apron, and he hooks Seromine's arms, looking to suplex him over the top rope down onto the crucifix balanced in the aisle. Seromine blocks the first attempt, then Saniti tries again, but Seromine blocks again. Seromine knees Saniti in the gut, then does it again, making him let go, and then Seromine grips Saniti's head and hangs him up throat first on the top rope. Saniti teeters on the edge, about to tumble off the apron, but he hangs on. Seromine climbs out onto the apron, grips Saniti around the throat, and takes them both off the apron with a Sky High powerbomb through the crucifix!! The crowd pops. Both men are laid out amid the wreckage of the broken cross.
Jerry Andrews: Seromine just put BOTH OF THEM through that table on the outside! Oh my god!!
Ace Anderson: What more do these nuts have to do?!
After a moment, a bloody Seromine pushes a piece of wrecked cross off of him.
Seromine slowly starts pulling himself up on the apron, as he takes a rest. He lifts Saniti up, and lays him against the apron. He gives Saniti a few right hands, making Saniti slump down. Seromine paces around to the opposite side of the apron, and he hunts around under it. He finds a wooden table. He thinks about using it for a second, but then shakes his head as if thinking better of it and discards it, and he goes back under the apron. Finally, he pulls out another folding table... this one with a clear GLASS table surface and metal rim and legs. He begins setting it up in the aisle. The crowd buzzes big time. He walks over to Saniti, and he lifts him up. He gives Saniti a few clubs to the back, as he drags him over to the table. He rolls Saniti on top of it, and he gives Saniti a series of right hands to keep him laying on the table. He reaches into the ring and picks up the trash can lid, and he cracks Saniti with it over and over again until Saniti is laid out limply across the table. Seromine walks over to the apron and he starts pulling some other items out to get them out of the way before he pulls out a ladder. He grins at his find and begins setting the ladder up in the aisle. The crowd is buzzing loudly as Seromine sets the ladder up beside the glass table, and he begins to ascend it. Saniti is laid out motionless on the table. Seromine reaches the top of the ladder and stands on the top step for a moment, and then he signals to the crowd and he flips off with a Sean O'Haire style swanton bomb off the top of the ladder, all the way down to the aisle, sending both him and Saniti crashing and shattering through the glass table. The crowd erupts into a "holy shit" chant. Both men have suffered numerous cuts from the broken glass and metal. Both men are laid out motionless.
Ace Anderson: WHAT IN THE COMPLETE HELL?!
Jerry Andrews: These men have thrown out everything possible, weapons, appliances, blood and gore, I'm pretty sure that if flamethrowers were available we would see them using it.
Ace Anderson: And why?! What do either of these men have to prove? What kind of bullshit “quien es mas macho” contest are we watching? THESE TWO MEN ARE JUST TRYING TO KILL EACH OTHER!!
Jerry Andrews: That's what they signed up for when they volunteered to crucify one another.
Seromine slowly gets up, staggering around. He steadies himself against the apron. Then, he holds an arm in the air to get a reaction from the crowd and show them he's alive. And, wow, he is cut open pretty badly from the impact of the swanton through the glass table-top. Seromine walks over to Nathan, mouthing choice words to him. Nathan is trying to pull himself up. His arms and back similarly have deep gashes, including a large bleeding gash on his shoulder blade that must have come from a metal piece of the table. Seromine plants his boot on Nathan's chest and shoves him back down, taunting him to get up now. Nathan weakly tries to get up, and Seromine pulls him up, holding him by the neck and making him look Seromine in the eye. He screams taunting words at Nathan. Nathan responds by punching Seromine in the stomach, again and again. Nathan slowly starts fighting his way to his feet, backing Seromine up with right hands. Seromine knees Nathan in the gut and grabs him by the hair and the back of the pants, throwing him with force into the side of the guardrail. Nathan bounces off, slumping down into the aisle.
Jerry Andrews: Even the guardrail has become a weapon in these two men's quest to find the better man.
Seromine lifts Nathan up and throws him into the guardrail again. Seromine walks over to the apron, hunts around under it and comes out with a steel chair, looking at it with a determined expression. He sets the chair up in the corner, and he walks over and lifts Nathan up by his hair and walks him over to the chair, sitting him down. He peppers Nathan with right hands until Nathan sits limply in the chair, then Seromine backs up to the middle of the aisle. Seromine comes charging in, demolishing Nathan with a running big boot while he's in a seated position and driving him and his boot into the guardrail, and the force of both men hitting the guardrail breaks open a section. Both men spill out into the front row of the crowd. Seromine has a rip in his pants and a bleeding gash from the table. He holds his leg in pain. Nathan looks to be out. Seromine pulls himself up on one knee, gritting his teeth. He slowly walks over and lifts Nathan up. He walks Nathan over to the ringpost, and slams his forehead off of it. He goes to slam Nathan into the pole again, but Nathan elbows him in the gut and drives Seromine's forehead into the pole. Nathan grips Seromine's hair and begins raking his forehead back and forth across the bottom rope, digging into his scalp. Seromine yells and shouts in pain. Nathan lifts Seromine up and gives him a vertical suplex across the concrete. Seromine arches his back. Nathan walks over to the middle of the aisle and he begins ripping up the pads. After a moment, Nathan has exposed the concrete. Seromine pulls himself up, and Nathan boots Seromine in the gut and gives him a pulling piledriver onto the concrete floor.
Jerry Andrews: Both of these men are a bloody mess, but - Oh, no! Don't do it, Nathan!
Seromine jerks around on the mat, holding and gripping his neck.
Ace Anderson: There. Now do you see what Nathan has given Seromine for his troubles? He tried to prove he was sicker than Nathan, but all he escaped with was a broken neck.
Nathan takes a moment to recover, before he walks over and tries to retrieve another standing crucifix. This one is heavier and thicker, made of painted 4x4's, it's almost a telephone pole for crying out loud. He sets it up against the apron. Nathan pulls a lifeless, spaghetti-legged Seromine up, giving him a few shots as he does, and walks Seromine over to the announce table and slams him over the table hard enough to lay Seromine halfway over it. Nathan starts climbing on top of the announce table as Jerry Andrews and a protesting Ace Anderson make some distance. Nathan stands Seromine up, wraps his arm around him, and flips them both off the announce table with an overhead belly to belly suplex, throwing Seromine into the side of the ring. The crowd gives an "Ooooooh!" at the impact. Seromine slumps down to the concrete, impacting on the back of his neck first.
Ace Anderson: And now these miscreants are stepping all over my important paperwork on my desk! Get them out of here!
Jerry Andrews: ...That paper there is literally just a doodle of a cowboy.
Ace Anderson: Call the damn police!!
Nathan walks over to Seromine, and he grins widely. He has a baseball bat now, retrieved amid the strewn about weapons. Nathan grins sadistically, warming up for a home run shot to the head as Seromine slowly gets to his feet, dizzy, turning in a circle, and then Nathan aims a shot at Seromine's head... but Seromine savagely meets him with a field goal punt right between the legs!! Nathan's eyes widen, and he drops to his knees holding himself. Seromine retrieves the baseball bat. Seromine then smacks it right across the forehead of Nathan with bone-crunching force, taking Nathan's head off. Seromine is on one knee, and he holds the baseball bat up to a joyous chorus from the followers.
Jerry Andrews: I think I saw Nathan's skull cave in.
Ace Anderson: What did you think was going to happen?... God, this is disturbing...
Seromine gets to his feet, holding his arms out as if in crucifix position, and tilts his head back to take in the hot reaction from the crowd. Nathan is laid on his stomach, not moving at all after the unyielding punishment. Seromine stares down at him with that fixed, unhealthy stare, and he wipes the blood out of his eyes and looks down at him. He grits his teeth, and then he grabs the wrist of Nathan, pulling him back up and holding on to the arm with both hands. He drags Nathan over, and he calls for a hammer from one of his followers. Seromine drags Saniti over to the heavy, 4x4 standing cross, and he lays a nearly lifeless Nathan Saniti on it. He puts Saniti's hand on one section of the arms, and he tells the followers to hold it... Two followers pin Nathan's hand down as Seromine takes a heavy carpenter's nail and the hammer in one hand. Seromine has a fanatical, fevered look on his face. He places the nail, and then brings the hammer down with all his might. Nathan lets out a piercing scream as the nail goes through his hand, and the crowd, which had been loving the violence up to this point, lets out a squeamish groan, "Ooooooh..." Nathan's shrieks of agony are heard throughout the arena.
Ace Anderson: I think... M'gonna... Be... sick... Urphhf...
Jerry Andrews: Just... just don't look, Ace... this is hard to watch...
You would think Nathan can offer no more resistance, but as the two followers come around the thick 4x4 crucifix for his other hand, Nathan fights them off viciously, kicking and lashing out with his legs and punching. He is near tears as he pulls on his nailed hand... it's gonna hurt like a mother no matter which way because it's gone all the way through his palm. Seromine points to his minions and shouts at them. Nathan, gritting his teeth, gives a big, hard yank and his hand comes off the nail, taking skin and making a lot of blood pour out. The blood works in his favor, as one of the followers slips, unbalanced by the sudden slick, and Saniti escapes! Seromine is outraged. He follows around after Nathan, brandishing the hammer. Saniti is holding his wounded hand tightly under his armpit. He holds his other hand out, looking for the famous Saniti hat. He spots it, and in a bit of that old Saniti magic it flings to his hand. Seromine comes around the corner just in time for Nathan to use his good hand to slip around him and jab him in the thigh with a drugged hat pin. Seromine stops, his jaw falling open.
Jerry Andrews: Saniti got to the hat! Saniti got to his hat! And now... with one hand, he was able to use a drugged hat pin!
Ace Anderson: He's spurting blood like a fountain, and his first instinct is to go for a damn hat?! Ugh... my stomach...
Seromine, shaking his head slowly as the psychotropic drugs kick in and start making his perceptions melt, loses his balance and falls. Nathan grimaces as he wraps his hand up in a handkerchief from his pocket. Then, he rolls a drugged Seromine in the ring. Nathan seems to hit upon a whimsical, yet devilish idea and he searches under the ring for something in particular... and when he brings it out, he brings out a cardboard cutout crucifix made of the kind of neon cardboard you'd see at a Sunday School. It's adorned with a marker written saying, "Jesus Loves The Little Children!" and a picture of a lamb. He slides the cardboard crucifix into the ring, and Seromine is still trying to pull himself up to his feet, slipping as he's dizzy from the drugs. Saniti hooks the drugged Messiah for a backslide, then drills him with a flipping piledriver variation.
Jerry Andrews: Saniti with the Unreality Check to the Messiah! Seromine is down! Seromine is down!
Ace Anderson: What does Saniti think he's doing with that cutout?!
Saniti rolls Seromine in place over the cardboard cutout of the crucifix, and he begins using hat pins to secure Seromine in a arms splayed out crucifix pose as he's laid out on the cardboard. The followers are going crazy on the outside, exhorting their Messiah to wake up.
Jerry Andrews: Interesting twist by Saniti! He's literally pinning Seromine to the crucifix with those hat pins!
Ace Anderson: I can’t believe what I'm seeing right now. This is either madness or brilliance.
Seromine offers no more resistance, and finally, Saniti steps back, holding his hands out in a magician’s flourish. The referee, noting that Saniti followed the letter of the law if not the spirit, deliberates before calling for the bell.
Nathan Saniti: I offer my enemies the mercy they wouldn’t offer me.
DING DING DING!
Sasha Greene: Here is your winner... and NEW UNIFIED INTERNATIONAL AND NORTH AMERICAN CHAMPION... NATHAN... SANITI!!
"Monster" by Imagine Dragons plays, and the entourage of Saniti comes out as Saniti is handed both belts. He can't lift his wounded, nailed hand from under his armpit, and he's bleeding quite profusely. Seromine's followers are in mourning at ringside, and some are trying to slide the cardboard cross with Seromine pinned on it out of the ring and pry him off.
Jerry Andrews: Nathan Saniti did it! Saniti, that cagey magician, pulled off an amazing trick, and pinned Seromine down.
Ace Anderson: You can bet the forces of the faithful are going to have a terrible reckoning in mind, but for now, Seromine will have to recover from this brutal match.
Jerry Andrews: They both will.
Just as Nathan exits the ring...
The crowd looks to the entrance way as the lights black out completely in the arena...
Ace: Oh God damn it not again. I swear to god someone needs to look into the wiring around here.
“Blood On My Hands,” by The Used roars out. They look on confused. This was not part of the lineup for the show.
Ace: What the hell is this?
Jerry: I don't know. Whoever the hell this is obviously doesn't care that they're interrupting the PPV.
A mysterious stranger steps through the curtain their face covered by a black mask with two Japanese Kanji in white. Death on the left and Pain on the right. blood red spotlight highlights the person as they look over the crowd. Their head is covered by a hooded zip up jacket over a plain black t shirt and black tights with black wrestling boots . Their hands are covered by black leather gloves. The stranger walks slowly down the ramp as the booing intensifies as the PCW faithful don't hold back their annoyance at this unscheduled appearance. The stranger looks around at the PCW faithful who pack the stands and simply glares malevolently back at them as they jeer and boo.
Ace: Looks like this person is headed to the ring but what happens when they get there?
Jerry; I'm not sure we will just have to wait and see like everyone else.
As the mysterious person continues to walk down to the ring, the crowd grows louder and louder, so even the announcers can't get a word in over the booing. The stranger reaches the ring and climbs up on the ring apron and enters the ring. The music fades out as the person stands in the ring. The stranger asks for a mic. Picking up the mic the stranger puts it up to their mouth, teasing a possible speech, but instead drops it down to the mat with a thunk.
Ace: I guess this person has nothing to say?
Jerry: Maybe not..
One hand slowly goes to the left hand side of the mask. The crowd look on eagerly in anticipation of what's to come. Then the right hand travels to the other side of the mask.
Ace: Who is it? Who's under there?
Jerry: Calm down Jerry. You should switch to decaf.
The mask slowly slides up and away from the face it covers to reveal....
ALEXA BLACK!
Ace: Ohhhh shit! She's back! Alexa Black is back in PCW!
Jerry: Holy Crap! We haven't seen her in months. Not since her no holds barred match with Nathan Saniti at Trauma 204!
She throws the mask down and picks up the mic and a hush falls over the crowd. Saniti looks shocked as he is helped to the back by the rest of the Harvesters.
Alexa: I'm back bitches. It's been a long time and I've been through some insane shit.
The war I have been waging on PCW is just beginning. This time there will be a new era of ultra violence. Starting with the man who took me out....or so he thought.
Hey Saniti... looks like, once again, you proved what a miserable failure you are. I was right all along. You couldn't get the job done ‘cos you don't have the balls.
And don't think I've forgotten about your friends and that crack whore girlfriend of your either. There will be vengeance forthcoming I promise you. No one is safe.
This is the beginning of the end...
The lights black out again and when they come back on, Alexa is gone, but the camera gets a close up of the mask that is still sitting in the middle of the ring.
Jerry Andrews: This is it, folks! We've reached the finals of the Icemann Invitational tournament. It's a triple threat match featuring a "Cinderella story" of sorts with the relative newcomer Alexandra Tamora climbing into the spotlight by taking out some of PCW's finest and making it to the finals.
Ace Anderson: She joins a pretty elite group to do that, Jerry, one of which was our very own "Dollface" Kelli Starr.
Jerry Andrews: That's true. Let's not forget that she will be facing the man who won the Last Chance Battle Royal; Non Compos Mentis. He's in this match too.
Ace Anderson: Yep. NCM will be looking for a way to show the world that he still has what it takes to be at the top of Pure Class Wrestling.
Jerry Andrews: Right now, the big story is Kyle Shane. Not only is he also essentially a "Cinderella story," but he and Hiroshi Yukio went through absolute hell during that Underground Championship match.
Ace Anderson: And he STILL has his belt! The question is, will Shane be in any condition to wrestle again? That bump he took at the end of the match was beyond brutal. I still can't believe he and Yukio are still alive after all of that.
Jerry Andrews: I guess time will tell, Ace.
Match Five
Icemann Invitational Finals
Triple Threat Match
(If Kyle Shane retains the Underground Title, it is NOT on the Line)
Non Compos Mentis vs. Alexandra Tamora vs. Kyle Shane
Referee: Ed Lane
Sasha Green: The following triple threat match is scheduled for one fall and is the Icemann Invitational Finals!
The crowd cheers madly. They can hardly wait to see who will win this year's tournament and get a shot at the World Title.
Sasha Greene: Introducing first, hailing from Greenville, South Carolina, weighing in at 190 pounds, Alexandra Tamora!
The arena goes dark as the lights pulse in time with "Lost in Time," by Celldweller. With the lights pulsing a form can be seen kneeling on the ramp with one fist pressed against the stage floor. As the tempo increases and the lyrics begin the stage explodes in light and smoke as Alexandra Tamora leaps to her feet and raises an arm in the air.
As she strides confidently down the ramp she reaches out to the fans, slapping hands as she goes. At the bottom of the ramp she speeds up and leaps from the floor to the ring apron. The turnbuckles launch silver and blue streaks of fire as she lands on the apron. Turning to face the ramp, she stretches her arms out and rolls backwards into the ring.
Once in the ring she gives the far ropes a quick test bounce and comes back to the front of the ring, once more raising her arm with a confident smirk.
Sasha Greene: Next, hailing from St. Jude's Shelter in Schenectady, New York, weighing in at 255 pounds, Non... Compos... Mentis!
“SCUM OF... THE EARTH... COME ON!”
The heavy beat of drums and harsh guitars kick in immediately after hearing the voice of Rob Zombie screaming over the PA system. The arena lights pulsate with red strobe to the music and out of the crowd emerges a ruckus of fans clamoring at the body of the 'Born Psycho', Non Compos Mentis. NCM pushes past the fans in the stands and charges to the security barrier.
“YEAH! RUN AND KILL, DESTROY THE WILL, A HERO THAT DOESN’T EXIST! YEAH! SMOKING GUN, WELL I AM THE ONE, A BULLET HOLE IN YOUR FIST! YEAH!”
Non Compos Mentis vaults over the barrier and throws himself into the ring under the bottom rope. Immediately he pulls himself up onto the middle turnbuckle and stretches out his arms with menacing confidence as the refrain hits.
“I’M BREATHING! I’M BLEEDING! I’M SCREAMING! SCUM OF… THE EARTH… COME ON! I’M BREATHING! I’M BLEEDING! I’M SCREAMING! SCUM OF… THE EARTH… COME ON!”
The powerful, frenzied beat goes on as NCM climbs back into the ring and sends a deviously focused look toward the referee before removing his black, sleeveless coat and handing it over, then retreating to his corner in readiness for the match to come.
Sasha Greene: The last finalist, hailing from Boston, Massachusetts, weighing in at 218 pounds, the God of Game, Kyle Shane!
The opening notes of "In The Morning And Amazing" by Circa Survive begins to play. The big screen shows shots of Kyle’s matches. Kyle Shane steps slowly out onto the stage. The Assassins hood to his longcoat is pulled low over his face. The distinctive voice of Anthony Green hits the bridge:
"And how could anyone
You are in my dreams
Half human, half machine
You with someone else that I have felt and seen
I cannot rest, or my consciousness contest
Looking right through the lens
From winter brings the spring again"
Kyle staggers out, his ribs heavily taped, pursued by medics who are urging him to not compete. He painstakingly brushes them off, telling them, "I got this! I'm fine!" Despite his bravado, the crowd can't help but get behind him as he climbs into the ring. Alexandra Tamora keeps a respectable distance. NCM gives the kid a slow, deliberate golf clap, his eyes showing very little in the way of actually being impressed. Shane give the Hobo King the side-eye, holding the Underground Championship high, wincing from the pain in his ribs.
Ace Anderson: You ever seen the look a predator gives its prey once its spotted the weak spot, Jerry?
Jerry Andrews: Yeah. I see it too. NCM is eyeballing Shane's ribs. I think Tamora sees the opening too. The Underground champ may have made a mistake wrestling a second match in the same night, especially after that dive from the rafters.
Ace Anderson: Yeah. His night is about to take a turn for the worse. NCM isn't exactly known for his mercy and compassion in the ring.
DING DING!
Shane is immediately put on the defensive, his head going back and forth from Tamora to NCM and back. Tamora stays back, for the most part, observing as the Hobo King closes the distance. The God of Game dodges an attempt at a tie-up, shooting past NCM to the other side of the ring, but keeping Tamora in his peripherals. NCM grins manically, taunting Shane, informing him of his folly. The Born Psycho rushes Shane again. This time the Game Changer shuffles outside the ring.
While the ref and NCM are preoccupied with convincing the Underground King to return to the ring, Tamora charges in, surprising NCM with a release German suplex. She waits as NCM gets up from his violent reminder that this is a three-way match. She invites him to come at her. The Born Psycho complies, and the two stars tie up. The obvious weight advantage goes to the hall-of-famer, even though he doesn't have much of a leverage advantage on the Amazonian sized woman. He uses that to drive Alex to the corner. The ref calls for a clean break, but not before NCM delivers a few chops to the ample chest of the time traveler.
NCM hip tosses Tamora out into the center of the ring, following in with a running knee strike to the back of her head. Shane slowly ascends the stairs and steps in, carefully watching the action, picking his battles with extreme caution. For now, he contents himself as a mere observer. NCM pulls her up from the mat and drives her right back down with a spinebuster slam. He yanks her to her feet, slinging her to the ropes, swinging with a lariat that catches nothing but air as Tamora ducks under.
Alexandra rebounds of the ropes, landing a Lou Thesz press, capping off the move with clubbing fists to the head. NCM manages to get his arms up to protect himself from the brunt, prior to bucking her off like a mechanical bull. He barely gets a knee under him before the tenacious gal sticks him in the mush with a drop kick. She goes for a quick cover, but the ref barely gets a one count.
Ace Anderson: It's going to take far more than that to get NCM down this early.
Jerry Andrews: Shane has yet to get involved in this match at all.
As if on cue, Kyle Shane stalks over, drumming Tamora with a leg lariat as she stands up. She lands back first on top of the Hobo King before he can get up. Shane flips her over, pulling her arms back in a surfboard stretch, but keeping NCM trapped under her. The zebra checks for a submission, but Kyle doesn't wait for an answer. He curb stomps her head right into NCM's midsection! Shane repeats the stomp a couple more times, tenderizing next to the Born Psycho's family jewel area.
Shane pulls Tamora up to throw her to the ropes, but she reverses it, catching him on the rebound with a scoop power slam. Kyle is quickly reminded about his ribs after the impact. His eyes go wide in agony as the breath catches in his throat. Tamora pulls the pained pugilist to his feet, sending him to the ropes, but Shane hooks his arms on the ropes just as Tamora tries a dropkick. She wastes no time getting back to her vertical base and rushing the Underground King. He back body drops her over the ropes, but Tamora lands on her feet on the apron behind him.
Tamora grabs a fistful of hair, pulling Shane into an attempted reverse suplex, but the God of Game blocks the maneuver on the first try. Before she can cinch in the second attempt, Shane hits an enziguri that reels the woman and causes her to let go, but doesn't quite get her off of her feet. NCM has gotten back to his feet and charges in for a spear that Kyle dodges and knocks the time traveler off the ring and into the barricade.
Reacting quickly, Shane rolls up NCM for a small package, getting a two count from the ref before the Hobo King kicks out. Both men are quick to their feet as Tamora recovers from her unintended backward flight and subsequent crash. Still raw from his brief encounter with Tamora, Shane's eyes show that he isn't feeling up to going toe-to-toe with the Born Psycho. However, it looks like NCM isn't giving him a choice, stalking him, backing him into a corner.
NCM rushes at Shane, but his victim ducks under the ropes to get the ref involved. The Hobo King grabs a fistful of Shane's hair and an admonition from the ref, snapmaring him to the center of the ring instead. NCM wraps his hands under the chin of the Game Changer, a knee deep in the center of the injured back, pulling back at an angle that would make a healthy man scream from the torture. The ref checks for a submission, but Kyle pleads to continue. Tamora scales the corner, leaping off with a double axehandle to NCM, causing him to break the hold.
NCM stands, but Tamora is right there to greet him with a reverse STO. She gathers the Hobo King from the mat, setting him up for a pumphandle slam. She follows him down with an elbow or two to keep him down while she goes to the corner once again. Shane staggers to his feet, causing Tamora to switch targets before leaping off with a dropkick.
Ace Anderson: That flight was just cancelled! Shane just caught Tamora with an enziguri!
Jerry Andrews: What a move! All three competitors are down!
The ref begins to count, but NCM is quickest to stir. The Born Psycho gets to his feet at the count of three, stumbling over and dropping a flurry of elbows on each of his foes in succession. Satisfied that they are pummeled enough to proceed, NCM picks up Tamora, delivering a Russian leg sweep right into the turnbuckles. He pulls her back up, whipping her to the ropes and connecting with the Dum Dum Drop. He pulls back on a leg for a pin attempt.
..1!
....2!
Shane breaks up the count! The God of Game Drops a knee into the small of NCM's back. And another. He pulls NCM up and throws him to the ropes for a double knee facebuster, but the Hobo King side steps it, assisting gravity's eventual damage. NCM drops another elbow to the spine of the Game Changer, causing him to scream in agony. He collects Shane from the mat, drumming him with stiff jabs to the ribcage, and backing Shane to the corner. He falls back for a running knee strike to the midsection. Before Kyle can wilt to the mat, NCM punishes him some more with a snap suplex.
Jerry Andrews: Pin attempt by Non Compos Mentis!
Ace Anderson: NO! Tamora breaks it up at two!
She yanks NCM off of Shane, hitting a falcon arrow slam. The indecisive Tamora decides to do some damage to Kyle Shane, pulling him up off of the mat, setting him up for the Time Crunch. Shane wriggles free, spinning it into a headlock on the time traveler and spiking her head into the mat. He pulls her up long enough for an over-the-shoulder snapmare, bridging his back and locking in the Lens of Truth. Tamora yelps in pain as Lane checks for a submission. She starts to look as if she's about to tap out, when the Born Psycho breaks the hold with a stiff kick to Shane's abdomen.
Kyle has no time to console his injured ribs, as NCM grabs him up and plants him with a Back to Madness. The Hobo King is quick for another pin attempt, but he only gets a two count as a weary Shane still manages to get a shoulder up. Frustrated, NCM pulls Shane up while screaming at the ref to count faster. He hurtles him towards the ropes, missing with a lariat. Shane rebounds off of the ropes and drills the Born Psycho with a flying forearm that sends NCM careening over the ropes.
Instead of capitalizing immediately, Shane goes over to Tamora, collects her from the mat, and sends her shoulder first into the ring post, before shoving her out of the ring with her feet. He tells the ref to start counting. By the time Lane gets to five, NCM is up on the apron. Shane tries for a drop kick, but the Hobo King swats it away. He reaches over the ropes, pulling Shane up by his locks, readying for a suplex. Shane blocks the attempt desperately by suddenly lowering his center of gravity. That causes NCM to eat the top rope and drop off of the apron before getting a taste of the ring edge as well. Shane doubles back as NCM turns back around, holding his face.
Jerry Andrews: Elevated Shooting Star Plancha!
Ace Anderson: Where the hell is Shane finding the strength to do these moves?
Both men lay in a pile on the floor next to the guardrail. Lane begins to count all three people out, but Tamora is the first to stir, sliding into the ring to gather her senses. A new count is begun as the men begin to come around. Shane manages to get up on all fours, and crawl over to the steps, clutching his ribs. NCM begins to come to, rolling over slowly, holding his head. At the count of eight, Shane slides in and back out to break up the count. Mentis finally gets to his knees, but stumbles backwards, his back to the guardrail. Shane slowly gets to his feet, staggers over and drives a few stomps into the Born Psycho. He picks NCM up and tosses him into the ring, following closely behind.
A refreshed Tamora is quick to strike, laying into Shane with strikes to the chest and gut. She pulls him in for an overhead belly-to-belly suplex. She pulls Kyle to his feet, launching him into the air and hitting a Kiss the Sky. She goes for a cover.
..1!
....2!
......Thre-NO! NCM breaks it up!
NCM and Tamora trade fists until the Hobo King brings a knee into the gut of the time traveler. He throws a wild short-armed clothesline that misses its mark. Tamora turns it into a Final Descent, planting NCM face first to the mat. She tries for a pin, but Shane is quick to break it up with a knee to the back of Tamora's head. He pulls her up, whipping her to the ropes, but she reverses the momentum. Shane reverses it again into a Goddess White Sword.
Shane starts to go for a cover, but notices that NCM is stirring to his feet. The God of Game launches himself up in the air, pulling the Hobo King down with a head scissors. Without relinquishing the move, Shane spins both men over onto their stomach, thumping NCM head-first into the mat several times. He flips them back over, converting the move into a triangle choke. Just as he cinches it in, Tamora reminds Shane that there is a third wheel in this match via kick to the cabeza.
Tamora dispatches Shane to the outside, preferring to match strength with NCM. She lifts the Born Psycho to his feet and onto her shoulders for a running spinebuster. Not wasting any time, she yanks him back up, setting up for her Spatial Distortion finisher, but Shane climbs back into the ring, nailing her from behind with a drop kick.
Jerry Andrews: Shane has Tamora up...
Ace Anderson: Pieces of Eden! This one could be over!
..1!
....2!
..THRE-NO! NCM pulls Shane off of Tamora!
NCM drops to take the count for himself, but Tamora gets a shoulder up by the two count. Shane picks NCM off of the mat and the two trade fists. The Born Psycho gives himself the advantage by burying his knees deep into Shane's gut, doubling him over. NCM lands a leg drop bulldog, and waits for Shane to stand.
Ace Anderson: He's going for the Psychotic Break!
Jerry Andrews: Shane ducks under it! Pieces of Eden to NCM!
All three competitors are down in the ring, unable to capitalize on the situation. Shane stirs to crawl over to NCM and drape an arm over his chest. He gets a two count before NCM gets his shoulder off of the mat. Tamora and Shane both get up on spent legs, throwing fists with nothing much behind them. Finally, Shane locks in another Pieces of Eden on Tamora, shoving her lifeless body out of the ring. He pulls the Hobo King to his feet, plants him with his own second helping of the Pieces of Eden. He hooks the leg!
..1!
....2!
......3!
DING DING DING!
Jerry Andrews: Holy cow! Shane did it! What an accomplishment!
Ace Anderson: If anyone had doubt about Kyle Shane's abilities before, then they can't argue with those results now.
Sasha Green: Your Winner of the Icemann Invitational Tournament for 2017; Kyle Shane!
A ring attendant enters the ring with the trophy. As she hands it to Shane, his eye glow with elation. He drops to his knees, hugging the prize tight, tears in his eyes. The crowd goes wild, cheering for the man who pulled off the impossible!
Jerry Andrews: This night just gets more and more exciting!
Ace Anderson: This has been one for the record books, folks. Some of it *retch* is still sticking with me.
Jerry Andrews: We still have one more to go, and I can’t imagine Whitey Ford and Grimm being any less brutal of a confrontation.
Ace Anderson: I never thought I’d say this about a pay-per-view Main Event, but thank God for traditional rules matches!
Main Event
World Championship Match
World Title is on the Line
Grimm vs. “The Asshole” Whitey Ford
Referee: Eric Russo
Sasha Greene: The following match is scheduled for one fall and is for the PCW World Championship!
Lights dim and the PCW-Tron goes black. With the sound of a sharp nib scratching across a ragged sheet of parchment, a sepia-toned cursive scrawls grimm across the screen. The name flickers, wavering in and out of focus with the occasional tracking glitch as if projected from an old forgotten film canister uncovered on the bottom shelf in the cellar. Sparse percussion resonates throughout the arena and is soon joined by a droning, distorted bass line. At that, A Perfect Circle’s ”Counting Bodies Like Sheep to the Rhythm of the War Drums” stomps out of the speakers and marches through the aisles. The drums, the distortion, the voices – all work to herald the arrival of the Hangtown Horror.
Don’t fret, precious, I’m here. Step away from the window.
He walks out to a single blue-white spotlight, stops to bask in the light and shadows, and scans the crowd. The Lord of Misrule closes his eyes and takes a deep breath before making the long walk down the ramp, deadset on the ring and ignoring the fans along the way. The spotlight follows. The words work their way up through the layers of the song.
Go back to sleep.
Sasha Greene: Introducing the Champion, from Hangtown, Kentucky, Phinehas Grimm!
Phinehas climbs up onto the apron and slides in between the ropes. Hopping up onto a turnbuckle, he casts his gaze out over the crowd with his arms at his side, eyes shifting to take in the sea of faces spread out before him. Grimm then drops down. And waits.
The southern style guitars play over the PA system as strobelights and the PCWtron flash white light to the beat of the bass drum.
Sasha Greene: And the challenger, from Leeds, Maine, Whitey Ford
"Bad Man," by Bobaflex blares over the speakers. When the music picks up a bit, Ford slowly walks out onto the stage, arms stretched out wide to embrace the hate rained down upon him. Taking great amusement at the crowds disposition, Whitey trades words and insults with the more vocal fans before rolling under the bottom rope.
Ford is barely to his feet when he’s met by a flying Grimm. Grimm takes Ford to the mat with a surprise spear and starts to rain fists and forearms upon his surprised opponent. It’s all Whitey can do just to block the majority of the onslaught. Grimm continues to batter Ford’s defenses and eventually an elbow slips through, crashing into Ford’s forehead.
Jerry Andrews: The bell hasn’t been even been rung yet and Grimm already has Ford on his back.
Ace Anderson: Well I know one bell that’s been rung, take a look at Ford.
The errant elbow strike from Grimm has opened Whitey’s forehead. Already blood is running freely down Ford’s face. The referee finally wedges his way between them, separating the two men. Grimm retreats to his corner, a wild gleam in his eyes as he licks Ford’s blood from his arm. The referee follows Ford to his corner to examine the cut. Whitey screams at the ref to get away from him and to “start the fucking match.”
The referee turns and calls for the bell and the match is officially underway.
DING DING!
Grimm wastes little time and again charges at Ford. He leaps at the challenger to his throne and locks his arm around his head, letting the momentum carry him around and down.
Ace Anderson: The Harvest!
Jerry Andrews: Grimm has no intentions of letting Whitey Ford stick around in this match.
Ford’s head spikes into the canvas as Grimm lazily rolls him over and leans against him, covering him in a lax pin.
The referee slides in for the count.
1…
2…
Ford kicks out.
Jerry Andrews: We almost just witnessed a contender for the shortest title match in PCW history.
Ace Anderson: Contender nothing, that would have been the shortest. Even Buck Brochamp lasted longer than that.
Grimm is unamused that Ford had the gall to kick out and turns, driving knees into Whitey’s ribs. After several brutal knee strikes, Grimm pulls Whitey to his feet and plants his shoulder in Ford’s midsection, driving the other man into the turnbuckle. With a vicious snarl, Grimm slams his shoulder into Ford’s solar plexus again and again, driving the air from his lungs. Ford is barely standing at this point, his arms are draped over the top ropes and that seems to be the only thing keeping him from sliding down the turnbuckle. This annoys Grimm. The Horror from Hangtown climbs to the second turnbuckle and starts to pepper Whitey’s already bleeding cranium with closed fists.
The crowd counts along 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. After the tenth and final blow, Grimm drops down and plants his forearm on Ford’s throat and begins to push. The referee starts to count, admonishing Grimm for the blatant choke. But Grimm don’t care, Grimm don’t give a shit. The referee gets to a count of four and three quarters before Grimm breaks the choke, leaving Whitey coughing in the corner. He turns to yell at the referee for having the audacity to do his job.
Seeing Grimm’s back turned, Whitey all but falls out of the corner and grabs Grimm in a reverse DDT, bringing both men to the mat. Grimm is stunned as he and Whitey both look up at the lights but he is first back to his feet, dragging Whitey up with him. Ford swings wildly, landing several solid blows into Grimm’s midsection, rocking him back a step with each one. He continues to throw lefts and rights and Grimm as he staggers back to his feet, the Brother of Destruction responds with a knee to the gut, taking Whitey back down to his knees. Grimm runs back to the ropes and rebounds, nearly taking Ford’s head off with a diving clothesline.
Grimm goes for another pin.
1..
2..
Ford kicks out again.
Grimm gets back to his feet, stalking around the ring in quiet frustration. Whitey is stirring, slowly getting back to his feet. This also annoys Grimm. He whips Ford into the corner, following it up with another running clothesline. Whitey sags into the corner but Grimm doesn’t let him fall, yet. He ties up with Ford and begins to slam his head repeatedly into the number one contenders dome. Each headbutt drives Ford further down the turnbuckle as his legs buckle under the blows. With a backwoods roar, Grimm slams his head into Ford’s one final time, causing Ford to flop down into the corner.
Jerry Andrews: This is getting hard to watch. Grimm is just brutalizing Whitey Ford at this point.
Ace Anderson: Ford should have known better. Don’t poke the bear if you don’t want to get mauled. And he is definitely getting mauled.
Grimm leaves Whitey all but helpless in the corner as he moves across the ring. He sites Ford in and charges, leaving his feet to deliver a flying dropkick. But Whitey rolls out of the way and Grimm crumples awkwardly in the corner!
Whitey gets back to his feet and know it’s his turn to drag Grimm to his feet. He pushes Grimm into the corner and takes a boxers stance, driving his taped fists into Grimm’s guts. The referee starts to count, threatening to disqualify Ford if he doesn’t stop. One, Two, Three, Four and Whitey stops. He holds his hands up and backs away from Grimm with a bloody smile. When the ref backs off he wades back in and strikes a vicious blow to Grimm’s face. Grimm staggers in the corner but shoves Whitey back, causing the challenger to collide with the referee.
Ace Anderson: That’s an instant disqualification right there, Ford just attacked the referee!
Jerry Andrews: Are you blind? Grimm clearly shoved Whitey into Eric Russo.
Russo goes down like a video game character with full ragdoll effects as Grimm, still the fresher of the two despite Ford’s assault, picks Ford up from behind. Whitey struggles but it’s to no avail as Grimm lifts him high before slamming him back to earth with the Foddershock. Grimm doesn’t bother going for the pin and instead picks his opponent up. He whips Ford to the ropes and this close to them; Ford goes up and over, landing hard on the apron and rolls to the floor.
Grimm back offs, waiting for Ford to get to his feet. It takes a while, but Whitey finally drags himself back to standing. It was precisely the moment Grimm was waiting for as he left his feet with a diving tackle through the ropes. What Grimm didn’t see as he was preparing his charge was Whitey fishing underneath the ring. As Grimm comes sailing through the ropes Whitey is ready and swings for the fences, nailing Grimm straight on with a steel chair. His momentum halted via steel seating apparatus, Grimm just slumps down, half hanging out of the ring.
Jerry Andrews: Grimm took a little bit too long to set that up and paid for it.
Ace Anderson: Ford’s lucky the referee is still down.
Grimm’s face now matched his wild hair and famous beard as lines of crimson threaded down across his face. Whitey still looks the worse for wear but things are rapidly swinging in his favor as he drags the fallen champion from the ring and picks him up in a suplex. He shifts slightly to the side and drops Grimm stomach first across the guard railing.
As the Kentucky demon writhes across the railing like a worm on a hook Whitey brings his leg up and his brings his boot crashing down across the back of Grimm’s head with a railing assisted Hangover from Hell!
Grimm drops from the railing as Ford lays a few kicks into his back for good measure. He looks over to the ring as referee Eric Russo finally begins to stir. He pulls Grimm back to his feet and drags him towards the corner of the barrier near the time keeper’s area. With Grimm reeling, Ford backs up a few feet for a running start. He leaves his feet and plants a drop kick square into Grimm’s chest, sending him crashing back first into the barrier but not falling. Whitey is already back to his feet and running again, this time, with a defiant roar, he spears Grimm, driving both men through the barrier.
Jerry Andrews: Good god, the referee needs to get back into this match and stop this before these two men kill each other.
Ace Anderson: Are you insane? We’ve been the number one trend on twitter since these two started trying to murder each other and you want them to stop?
Both men are still down when Eric Russo finally gets back to his feet. He looks a little dazed and confused but finally figures out that neither man is in the ring and begins to count.
1…
2…
3…
Whitey starts to stir. With a painful groan he pulls himself to his knees. Grimm also starts to rise.
4…
5…
6…
Whitey is using the bottom rope to drag himself into the ring. Grimm has finally crawled out of the carnage that used to be the time keepers area.
7…
8…
Grimm falls back to his knees just outside of the ring.
9…
Just before the referee can make the ten count Whitey Ford rolls out of the ring, breaking the count.
Ace Anderson: That was smart on the part of Whitey Ford. He knows he can’t win the title on a count out.
With the officials count interrupted both men make it back to the ring and stagger to their feet. They make a terrifying sight, Whitey’s face a veritable crimson mask and Grimm with streams of blood flowing from his hairline. Both men wade back into the fray and start throwing a steady stream of lefts and rights. Grimm starts to land more blows as the pace becomes more frantic but as the trade off continues, Whitey ducks underneath Grimm’s oncoming fist and slides around behind him.
Quick as lightning Ford lifts Grimm off the mat in a crucifix lift and brings him down with the Backtoss Piledriver. Ford hooks the leg.
1…
2…
Grimm kicks out right before the officials hand can hit the mat for the three!
Jerry Andrews: He kicked out! Grimm kicked out of the Backtoss Piledriver.
Ace Anderson: He’s too mean and stubborn to stay down. If Ford wants that title he’s going to have to kill Grimm.
Ford looks on in frustration and disbelief. He gets back to his feet and pulls Grimm back up, lifting him up again for another Backtoss Piledriver. Grimm starts to struggle and it’s all Ford can do to hold on. Eventually Grimm wriggles free and drops back to the mat. He turns before Whitey can react and grabs him around the neck in sleeper hold. As the sleeper sinks in deeper Grimm throws himself down, wrenching Whitey down with him with the Lament Configuration. Both men lay exhausted on the mat as the referee checks on each man. With neither man moving the referee begins to count again.
1..
2…
3…
4…
Grimm drapes an arm over Ford’s chest.
1..
2..
3NO! Ford kicks out on instinct alone.
Neither man looks to have much fight left but despite that both struggle to their feet. For the first time in the match, both men tie up with one another. Ford grabs Grimm in a headlock before transitioning into a hammer lock. Grimm does his best to struggle free but before he can Whitey shoves him into the ropes. Grimm rebounds but Whitey catches him in a deep arm drag that sends Grimm half way across the ring. Grimm was back to his feet in time to counter a running bulldog attempt from Ford.
Jerry Andrews: Where are they getting this energy? How is either man still standing, let alone executing any offense?
Ace Anderson: Reflex, Jerry. Eventually your mind just kind of clocks out and your body takes over. I wouldn’t expect a non wrestler to understand it.
Ford pulls himself up with the ropes just as Grimm charges in with a clothesline. But Whitey was ready for it and he drops down, pulling the top rope with him. Grimm crashes hard to the outside but isn’t down for long. Whitey is ready for that too as he springboards off the middle rope and hits Grimm with a suicide plancha.
Whitey pops back up to his feet but Grimm is still down. Whitey wastes no time in dragging Grimm to his feet and backing him up against the Spanish announce table. Years of experience in the industry tell the Spanish Announce team exactly what’s happening next and both men scurry out of harm’s way. Whitey lays into Grimm with a series of heavy shots and lays him across the table. Grimm is helpless on the announce table as Whitey mounts the other table. He leaps off with the Diving Senton, looking to drive Grimm through the table.
BUT HE MISSES! Rather Grimm rolled out of the way at the last moment leaving Whitey Ford to crash and burn on the Spanish Announce table. Unfortunately for Ford the table doesn’t break.
Whitey writhes back first on the table as now it is Grimm’s turn to mount the table. He motions and screams for Whitey to get up. And Whitey, through grit, determination, and probably drugs, obliges him. Grimm leaps from one table to the other and hooks Whitey around the head and slams him down with the harvest. This time the table implodes. The referee starts to count both men out but Grimm, through grit, determination, and devil magic is back to his feet and in the ring before the count hits three.
Jerry Andrews: That’s got to be it. Harvest through the damned announce table on top of everything else, that has to be it for Whitey Ford.
4…
5…
6…
Whitey finally starts to rise from the carnage of the announce area and stagger towards the ring.
7…
8…
9…
Whitey dives underneath the ropes at the exact last nanosecond before the count reaches ten. Grimm is apoplectic for less than a second before the Hangtown Horror recomposes himself. Whitey is still prone on the canvas while the referee checks on him. Grimm interrupts the consult and pushes the referee to the side so he can get to Whitey. Whitey looks like he can barely stand and Grimm is polite enough to help him out by roughly depositing him in the corner.
Grimm tucks Whitey’s head and turns him away from the corner as he mounts the turnbuckle. With a grunt he leaps from the second turnbuckle and spikes Whitey into the canvas. Grimm hits The Harvest for the third time in the match, this one from the second turnbuckle. He rolls Ford over and hooks the leg for the pin.
1…
2…
And somehow, someway, Whitey kicks out!
Ace Anderson: WHAT? HOW? How is that even possible?
Jerry Andrews: How is Ford even still conscious let alone possesses the wherewithal to actually kick out out!?
A fiery rage burns in Grimm’s eyes. Ford looks to be out but once again Grimm don’t care. Grimm don’t give a shit. Ford had the audacity to survive. That must be punished. Grimm pulls a nearly unconscious Ford to his feet and again locks his head under his arm. Again he backs up to the corner and mounts the second turnbuckle. With hatred in his eyes and murder in his heart, Grimm leaps from the second turnbuckle.
Only to lose his grasp as Whitey shoves him off!
Grimm lands on his feet and turns to face Whitey. His blood soaked face widens in surprise as Whitey Ford leaps at him, wrapping his arms around the head and neck and locking in his Deep Guillotine. Whitey holds on as both men crash back to the mat and once Ford is on his back he wraps his legs around Grimm’s waist, squeezing the life out of him.
Grimm struggles fiercely as he attempts to get free but Whitey holds on like a pittbull. A crimson pool spreads out from underneath the two as Whitey holds on for dear life. Eric Russo is right there asking Grimm if he wants to submit. Grimm has some choice expletives for him, mostly involving his mother having inappropriate relations with a bullfrog.
As Whitey continues to crank back more and more Grimm begins to struggle less and less. The referee reaches for Grimm’s arm and lifts it up. The limb flops down to the ring lifeless. The referee lifts it a second time to the same result. He lifts it a third time….
Jerry Andrews: With all the blood both men have lost how are they still fighting. How is Grimm still fighting this hold?
Ace Anderson: It’s not going to end like this, Jerry. Grimm won’t quit. He’d rather die.
…and Grimm’s arm hits the mat.
Ace Anderson: What!?
The referee calls for the bell.
DING DING DING!
Sasha Greene: Your winner by submission and NEW PCW World Champion, Whitey Ford!
Jerry Andrews: You were right Ace, Grimm didn’t tap. He passed out from exhaustion, pain, and blood loss.
Whitey celebrates in the ring, one hand raised in victory, the other hoisting the Championship belt high above his head! Confetti drops from the ceiling as the crowd continues to cheer for a fantastic end to an eventful pay-per-view.
Ace Anderson: This has certainly lived up to its name, Jerry. Every one of the matches tonight have cemented a Legacy!
Jerry Andrews: That’s for sure. No one should walk away with their heads in shame. Everyone put forth a fantastic show for the Faithful!
Ace Anderson: Titles have changed hands and been unified. Bodies have been battered and broken. No one is leaving here the same as they were when they came in, Jerry. That’s a sign of a good event.
Jerry Andrews: Like all good things, they must come to an end. So for Ace Anderson, I’m Jerry Andrews. We hope to see you on the next episode of Trauma. Good night, folks!
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