With a loud bang and a flash of blue, green, and white pyro, the EWI Collision is on the air. The Collision theme song, Creed's "Bullets", blares over the loudspaker as the arena is packed with several thousand rabid wrestling fans, waving signs and banners and cheering as loud as they can throughout the impressive opening display. As the noise dies down and the smoke begins to clear, the faces of play-by-play announcer Blake Underwood and color commentator Adam Kogler, who are at ringside to call the night's action, appear on the video screen and televisions across the continent.
Underwood: We are live, we are Elite Wrestling International, and we are about to see a Collision! I'm Blake Underwood at ringside with Adam Kogler where tonight, right here live, we've got two huge championship matches.
Kogler: We've got a big one tonight, folks! You see, it all revolves around the EWI's most prominent upstanding citizen, Virus Richards. After defeating the Cult Master for the World Title at Blaze of Glory, Virus is not only defending the EWI World Championship against the gigantic, massive, and just plain scary Daemon Knight, he's doing it one week after being unceremoniously SCREWED out of the Hardcore Title by Knight and his boss, Nick Sinister! And now, Sinister gets a shot at Mikhail Androsovich, the new Hardcore Champ? Something doesn't add up, Underwood!
Underwood: If you ask me, the only man who got screwed last week was Mikhail Androsovich. He was supposed to have a shot at the world title only to have a loophole in the contract take that away and leave him with a hardcore title match for which he had no chance to prepare. Still, he defeated Virus Richards, the winner of King of Kings, albeit with some unwanted interferene from Daemon Knight, and claimed his first championship. Tonight Richards has no room to weasel his way out, he's locked in a world title defense, and I have a feeling that this may just be The Daemon Knight's night. We kick things all of tonight with a showdown between two former world champions as Ronin, a former OWA titleholder takes on The Cult Master, the former EWI champion, who let the world know last week in a big way that The Cult is out to reclaim their spot on top of Elite Wrestling International. Let's go to the ring here at Collision!
The Cult Master
~VS.~
Ronin
*****
The Cult Master stepped through the ropes as his lengthy entrance procession concluded, though noticeably absent from his side this week were Harbinger and The Destroyer, usually permanent fixtures at their leader's side during his matches. The arena then fell dark and a burst of white flame errupted at the entrance, introducing Ronin amidst a loud ovation from the crowd. As Ronin entered the ring he wasted no time going right for his opponent, catching Cult Master off guard with his unusually aggressive start. Ronin caught Cult Master with his trademark ridgehand shot before sending him across the ring and connecting with an impressive dropkick on the rebound. Cult Master, disoriented, staggered quickly to his feet but walked into a quick kick to the midsection followed by a Ronin DDT. Ronin made the cover and got a two count. Luckily for his opponent Cult Master still had enough presence of mind to know things weren't going his way and he hurried to a neutral corner, where he took his time composing himself before moving in and locking up with Ronin center ring. This slowed pace was more to Cult Master's liking and he took control of the engagement by wrestling Ronin into an armbar and then, by pressing his foot down on the back of Ronin's knee, slowly working his opponent down to the canvas. Cult Master then released the armbar, only to deliver a big stomp to the back of his opponent's head. After a second kick, which was received with a round of boos from the Ronin fans in attendance Cult Master slowed the pace even more, applying a modified camel clutch. He then used his free hand to connect with a series of right hands to the temple of Ronin, the nature of the blows almost mocking the Summerside, PEI native and his predicament. The referee warned Cult Master to keep the fist open but Cult Master responded by letting go of the hold and, somewhat surprisingly, backing away and allowing Ronin to get to his feet. Once Ronin was up, though, Cult Master was right back on him, hooking a rear waistlock and taking Ronin over with a German suplex. A second such suplex was followed by a third before Cult Master released his grip, at which point he applied another submission hold, this time a half Boston crab. Cult Master's size advantage put extra pressure down on Ronin's back and leg but never-say-die attitude of Ronin eventually led him to the bottom rope, forcing the referee to call for the break. As Ronin was pulling himself up Cult Master remained on top of him with a series of forearm shot to the back before sending him into the ropes. Running off the near side ropes for momentum Cult Master charged Ronin with a clothesline, but Ronin ducked, stopping dead in his tracks as he did so to connect with a dropkick to the back that sent Cult Master stumbling through the ropes and out to the floor. The move seemed to give Ronin his second wind, and while Cult Master tried to gather himself on the outside Ronin climbed to the top rope. When Cult Master turned Ronin dove off with a flying bodypress, sending both men falling back into the steel safety rail. The crowd responded favorably to the impressive move and Ronin, starting to build momentum, rolled Cult Master back into the ring. He whipped Cult Master hard into a turnbuckle, catching him as he staggered out with a belly to belly suplex. Then, without wasting any time, Ronin ran and, using the second rope as a springboard, connected with an Asai moonsault. He stayed on top of his opponent and hooked the leg, but again scored only a two count before Cult Master got a shoulder up. Ronin slapped the canvas out of frustration but didn't let his disappointment deter him as he pulled Cult Master up and backed him into a corner where he delivered a series of hard chops across the chest. He then whipped Cult Master across the ring into the far corner and charged in after him, this time connecting with a dragonfly splash! Cult Master again stumbled out and Ronin ran off the ropes, but when he attempted to connect with another move Cult Master's awareness kicked in for a split second, allowing him to catch Ronin off the ropes with a sidewalk slam. Both men were down, and the referee began his count. With the sidewalk slam causing further damage to the back that Cult Master had attacked earlier, Ronin was the slower of the two in getting to his feet. This allowed Cult Master to grab him and attempt an Irish whip but Ronin reversed, sending Cult Master to the buckle yet again. This time Ronin charged in and went for a rolling roundkick, but at the last second Cult Master stepped out of the way and Ronin hit the buckle before landing awkwardly on the back of his head. Cult Master stood back and doubled-over catching his breath while Ronin, clutching the back of his head, used the ropes to pull himself up with his left arm. As he got up, though, Cult Master ran in and connected with a thunderous clothesline, crushing Ronin sternum-first against the turnbuckle. The former EWI champion capitalized quickly from there, hoisting Ronin up to the top rope and delivering the Final Prayer. Cult Master then floated over into a cover and hooked the leg for the three count to pick up the victory.
Underwood: What a battle that was. That was one of those matches where all it takes is one big mistake to decide the outcome, it's that close. Both men wrestled close to perfect matches until Ronin went for the big kick in the corner, and it cost him. You can't give a man like The Cult Master an opening like that, because he'll take advantage of it every time.
Kogler: Another fine effort from Ronin, but the former World Champ is on a quest for vengeance after he and his boys lost all of their titles, and Ronin wasn't about to stand in his way! This could be the spark under the ass that The Cult Master needed. As for Ronin, I offered my managerial skills to him on several occasions, right here at this table, and did I ever receive a call? No! Instant karma, I tell you!
Underwood: As usual I think I'll ignore your nonsense, because we've got much more important matters to discuss than who's the latest to ignore your offers of managerial services. The hardcore championship is about to be decided with the new champion, a man that I personally think got the screwjob of a lifetime in his match against Virus Richards last week, Mikhail Androsovich, the man who should be here tonight as the EWI world champion, putting his belt on the line against Nick Sinister. Sinister seems to have taken a very peculiar interest in both this championship and the titleholder over the past week, but so far no one has been able to explain his motives. Then again, if there's one man in this company who won't be phased by Sinister's mind games, I'm sure it will be Dr. Androsovich. It's time for hardcore championship action here at Collision!