[From a black screen, the logo flashes....] . 8888888b. .d8888b. 888 888 888 Y88b d88P Y88b 888 o 888 888 888 888 888 888 d8b 888 888 d88P 888 888 d888b 888 8888888P" 888 888d88888b888 888 T88b 888 888 88888P Y88888 888 T88b Y88b d88P 8888P Y8888 888 T88b "Y8888P" 888P Y888 RIVER CITY WRESTLING [...then back to black screen for a second or two, before fading into an image. An image that is instantly recognisable to any true RCW fan. An image that is no doubt permanently implanted in the minds of any man who has seen it up close before. Standing in a darkened arena, a spotlight from above illuminating its shiny, metallic frame, is the Rage in the Cage. Twenty feet high and emcompassing not only the ring but also the ringside area, its roof enclosing all beneath it, the structure sits empty for now.] V/O: A foolish man would call it "just a cage". [The camera begins to pan around the structure, the spotlight glistening down and through the metallic bars.] V/O: A wiser man would call it many things wrapped into one. A weapon... [A clip flashes: Devon Case rams Dan Kauffman facefirst into the side of the Rage in the Cage at the second Caged Rage event.] V/O: ...a prison... [From the first Caged Rage: Bryce Jordan grabs hold of the side of the Rage in the Cage, his eyes filled with fear as he looks for a way out, any way out.] V/O: ...a battlefield... [Back to the second Caged Rage: Devon Case dangles from the underside of the structure's roof, then swings his legs up and falls with a big splash onto Dan Kauffman, as Kauffman lies on the ringside floor in the remnants of a table.] V/O: ...and the proving ground for legends. [We see a bunch of short clips now - Alex Extreme being powerbombed through the roof of the Rage in the Cage; Extreme getting the 3-count on Chris Hopper, then raising the then-National title into the air; Devon Case leaps off the top of the structure and lands on Dan Kauffman with the sickest frog splash in history; Case holds up to the World title, bloody and exhausted.] V/O: Only twice before have men dared to step inside, the last time more than two years ago. But with River City Wrestling rising from the ashes... two men have accepted the challenge to go where few men have gone before. [We see a shot of Devon Case with the World title belt, then Yakuza kicking some poor sap's face off, and then again with the belt.] V/O: Devon Case, the World heavyweight champion, and soon to be the first man to ever step inside this mighty structure for a second time. A man who is looking to establish his place amongst the legends of the sport. [Next we see Juan Vasquez, slapping hands with fans, then nailing an opponent with the City of Angels, and finally smiling his big ol' grin as the fans cheer around him.] V/O: Juan Vasquez, unquestionably the hottest property in the wrestling world. A man who has made the step up from "under-rated" to deserved contender, and who tonight looks to show the world that he is truly one of the greats. [Split-screen: Juan on the left, Devon on the right, and the Rage in the Cage superimposed behind them.] V/O: _Tonight_... THE RAGE IN THE CAGE RETURNS! [And then suddenly "Step Up" by Drowning Pool (with a new lead singer!) starts to blare, and we go into a series of clips of current RCW wrestlers in action...] #Broken,# #Yeah, you've been living on the edge of a broken dream.# #Nothing,# #Yeah, that's the only thing you'll ever take away from me.# [Keiji Zasaki knocks an opponent flat with his vicious Serpent's Kick; Jamie Haruhara nails a running shooting star press, then mugs for the camera with his blue bass guitar in his hands.] #I'm never gonna stop,# #I'm never gonna drop,# #Ain't no different than it was before.# [Magnus Colby nails his Widow Maker move on Madison J. Valentine, dropping MJV onto the ring railing; MJV flattens an opponent with his Silver Bullet superkick.] #So take some good advice,# #You better stop and think twice,# #Before you take your first step,# #Out that door.# [Griffin James smashes the defunct World TV title over and over, as Tommy Stephens looks on with a look of horror on his face.] #If you wanna step up (step up),# #You're gonna get knocked down (knocked down).# #If you wanna step up (step up),# #You're gonna get knocked down.# [Chad Grimsson and Rum Barton go toe-to-toe, trading punches; then shots of them both looking bloody.] #You had your chance to walk away.# #Live to see another day.# [The Widow Makers Incorporated - Magnus Colby, Alex Extreme and Alex Martinez - stand in the ring, soaking up the boos and jeers of the fans.] #If you wanna step up (step up),# #You're gonna get knocked down (knocked down).# #You're gonna get knocked down...# [Doc Holliday and Alex Extreme brawl at ringside; Extreme nails Holliday with his own move, the Ace in the Hole.] #So if you wanna step up (step up),# #You're gonna get knocked down (knocked down).# #If you wanna step up (step up),# #You're gonna get knocked down.# [Alex Ripley stands in the ring draped in gold belts - the three belts that make up the Super J-Crown; HERO Ishikawa fires off a one-handed crotchchop; HERO lies on the mat, clutching at his broken hand in agony.] #You had your chance to walk away.# #Live to see another day.# [Shane Destiny stands with Roxie and the River City heavyweight title belt; Hannibal Carver pounds on Destiny; Destiny swings the ring bell at Carver, who ducks out of the way of it.] #If you wanna step up (step up),# #You're gonna get knocked down (knocked down).# #You're gonna get knocked down...# [Chris Courtade blasts Luke Kinsey in the face with a fireball; Kinsey and Courtade brawl in the aisle.] #You're gonna get knocked down...# [Devon Case stands with the World title draped over his shoulder] #And now you've crossed that line...# #You must be out your mind.# [And finally we see Juan Vasquez staring with a look of pure intensity.] [And then the camera suddenly cuts to LIVE inside the Savvis Center!] *KABOOM!* *PFFFSSSHHH! PFSSSHHHH!! PFSSHHHHHH!!* *KABOOM! KABOOM! KABOOM!* [The fans go freakin' nuts as pyro erupts from the ring and entranceway area, illuminating a jam-packed area in a blaze of colours. And onto the screen appears a logo....] . ______ __ | |.---.-..-----..-----..--| | | ---|| _ || _ || -__|| _ | |______||___._||___ ||_____||_____| |_____| . ______ | __ \.---.-..-----..-----. | <| _ || _ || -__| |___|__||___._||___ ||_____| |_____| . ____ |___ \ __) | |__ < ___) | |____/ [The logo fades out as the camera takes in the arena, and boy is it rocking! The place is packed with fans, many of them holding signs, and all of them going nuts for the pyro, and for the return of RCW to the Savvis Center! [The camera pans through the excited crowd to the entranceway, which is comprised of a black metallic stage standing some 10 feet above the arena floor, with a black and silver ramp leading down from it to the aisleway, which is bordered by black iron-pipe ring railings on either side. The center of the entranceway is a black cloth curtain, with the RCW logo on it in red. And of course the RiverTron big screen looms above all of this, currently featuring the words "CAGED RAGE 3" in blood red lettering on a black background. The ring features a greyish coloured mat - with both the RCW logo and the "Caged Rage 3" logo right smack in the middle - red ringropes and ringposts, and black turnbuckle pads. From the ring apron to the floor hangs a black apron-skirt, which bears the words "Caged Rage 3" in white and red script-type writing. The ringside floor is covered in a thin dark grey matting, and the same metal ring railing as was just seen in the aisleway circles the ringside area.] LVK: GOOD GOD, RIVER CITY WRESTLING IS _HOME_! FOR THE FIRST TIME IN NEARLY THREE YEARS, RCW RETURNS TO ITS TRADITIONAL HOME, THE SAVVIS CENTER, RIGHT HERE IN ST LOUIS! AND IT'S ALSO A RETURN TO PAY-PER-VIEW....WELCOME EVERYONE TO... ...CAGED RAGE!!!!!! [Then the camera cuts to the ringside, but looking towards the ceiling of the arena. Dangling there is the Rage in the Cage structure, and several spotlights start to beam over it, drawing an "OOOOHHHH" then a big pop from the crowd.] LVK: There it is! The Rage in the Cage, and tonight for only the third time in history it will descend upon the ring and two men will step inside... with only one emerging at the end with the World heavyweight title! [The camera cuts to ringside, showing Larry and Rick. Larry's wearing his usual dark suit with a red tie, while Rick's looking more spruced up than usual, in a shiny dark green shirt and black suit jacket.] LVK: Hello everyone, I'm Larry Van Keel, and you all know my partner in crime, Rick "Precious" Perle. Rick, I don't know about you, but I'm getting goosebumps right now. For two reasons - the first is seeing that monstrosity hanging from the ceiling, and the second is because we're back here inside the Savvis Center. RP: I'm not usually one for all the emotional namby-pamby crap, but it almost brings a tear to my eye Van Keel. I gotta say I never thought I'd be back here in this great building again. [Larry starts to answer, but before he can....] *ARGH-SEE-DUB! ARGH-SEE-DUB!* *ARGH-SEE-DUB! ARGH-SEE-DUB!* *ARGH-SEE-DUB! ARGH-SEE-DUB!* *ARGH-SEE-DUB! ARGH-SEE-DUB!* *ARGH-SEE-DUB! ARGH-SEE-DUB!* *ARGH-SEE-DUB! ARGH-SEE-DUB!* [Both announcers start to grin big-time.] LVK: The first two Caged Rage events - which are of course available on Fox Home Video - have gained legendary status within wrestling circles, and tonight the legacy continues... RP: Don't say that word. LVK: What, legacy? RP: Yeah. [He pretends to shiver] LVK: Good point. But what I was saying is that tonight is sure to be another night to remember - how can it not be with this kind of line-up? We've got Magnus Colby doing battle with Madison J. Valentine, Alex Extreme and Doc Holliday continuing their historic feud, a three-way hardcore match featuring Chad Grimsson, Rum Barton and Alex Martinez, plus a huge match pitting Luke Kinsey against Chris Courtade, and _three_ big title matches! Alex Ripley defends the Super J-Crown against HERO Ishikawa, Shane Destiny puts his River City title on the line against Hannibal Carver, and of course...the World title goes on the line when Devon Case and Juan Vasquez meet in the Rage in the Cage. [Larry's very excited...and out of breath.] RP: Whoa, take a breath Van Keel. LVK: It's just so exciting! I can honestly say no RCW show has _ever_ had a line-up this stacked with talent, and as crammed full of big matches. Matches that it would take a brave man to be able to pick a winner. [The lights suddenly go out in the Savvis Center.] Voice: "Same s[bleep], different toilet, yo'." [HUGE FACE POP!] "Mirror, mirror, on the wall...who's the top choice of them all?" ["Conceited Bastard" by Ras Kass begins to play as a lone spotlight suddenly hits the curtains, where we see a silhouette of "El Cholo" Juan Vasquez standing in front of the entranceway, back arched, arms outstretched. The lights come back on, as Juan lowers his head, drops his outstretched arms and reveals a widespread grin on his face, before strutting his way down the aisle.] LVK: Here comes the man who later tonight will step inside the Rage in the Cage and challenge for the World Heavyweight Championship! RP: He doesn't look nervous at all. [The crowd unleashes a huge, "Holy crap, Lindsey Lohan engaged in a threesome with Hillary Duff and Amanda Bynes while the Olsen twins engage in erotic touching~!" FACE POP!!! On this, the biggest night of his career, Juan's dressed in a Bruce Lee-type yellow and black Adidas tracksuit, with his hands heavily taped, and he's wearing some pretty, damn nice looking boots. In his right hand, he holds a microphone. He calmly steps up onto the apron, wiping off his boots, before stepping through the ropes. Waiting for the crowd to die down, a smirk appears on Juan's face as the significance of the moment suddenly hits him.] JV: I ain't exactly supposed to be out here, right now. Actually, I ain't supposed to be here 'til the end of the night, when that cage up there comes down. [He points skyward, where we see that steel structure hanging overhead.] JV: But ya' know what they say, right? [Juan grins.] JV: They ain't no time like the present. [BIG POP!] JV: Devon, I know you're watchin' this backstage. And I know you're relishing every last goddamn second you have with that belt before I pry it outta' your cold, dead hands, but I'm afraid that I don't got the patience that I used to. I'm afraid I can't let Devon Case walk around here as our champion one second more. [Juan smiles and cracks his knuckles.] JV: So, if you were ever a man, Devon. If you were anything more than the cowardly, worthless piece of shit that I always knew you were, you'll walk down that aisle and defend that title inside the goddamn cage..._RIGHT NOW._ [SHOCKED POP!] RP: Wha...what!? LVK: Juan Vasquez isn't waiting until the main event, he wants Devon Case now! [Then "Would" by Alice in Chains starts to play, drawing a HUGE HEEL POP from the crowd. Strutting out of the entranceway comes Case, the World title belt slung over his shoulder and a big ol' smirk on his face.] LVK: Here comes the champ! [Case reaches the ring and climbs in, taking the World title belt off his shoulder and flinging it to a ring attendant. He walks slowly towards Vasquez, their eyes locked together, and then....] *SMACK!* [Shock pop!] RP: CASE BITCHSLAPPED VASQUEZ! IT'S ON! [MASSIVE POP!!] LVK: Here comes referee Marc Gioffre, sliding into the ring...and signalling for the bell- *DING DING!* LVK: AND BY GOD THE CAGE IS COMING DOWN!! THIS WORLD TITLE MATCH IS REALLY GOING TO HAPPEN _NOW_!! ___ ___ ________________________________________________________________ / __| | _ \ |__ / Rage in the Cage - World Heavyweight Championship | (__ | / |_ \ \___| |_|_\ |___/ Devon Case (c) \ written by vs \ Fletcha "El Cholo" Juan Vasquez \_________________________________________________________________________ [As the behemoth steel structure slowly descends, Case and Vasquez continue to trade a few more blows, before locking up together and tussling about against the ropes. Juan gets the advantage, pushing Case back into a corner....] *CLAAAANK!* [POP!] LVK: The Rage in the Cage is in place, as Marc Gioffre calls for the clean break... which he gets. Vasquez backing up- *SMAACKK!* RP: Cheap shot by Case! [The blow stuns Vasquez, and Case is quick to follow up, laying in punch after punch and backing the challenger into the ropes.] LVK: Case in control, as he whips Vasquez into the ropes... Vasquez ducks a lariat- *SMACK-THUD!* RP: But doesn't duck a back elbow! LVK: Down goes Vasquez, and Case leaps... *THUUUDDD!!* LVK: ...dropping a legdrop across Juan Vasquez's throat! RP: Case showing early why he's the longest-reigning World champ in RCW history. LVK: That could also be because RCW was closed for two years. RP: That too. [As Vasquez slowly climbs to his feet, Case sizes him up, and then lashes out with a kick...] LVK: Front kick- Vasquez catches the foot! *THUUUUDDDDDD!!* [Face pop!] LVK: AND DUMPS CASE WITH A CAPTURE SUPLEX!! [Vasquez rolls to his feet and there's no sign of the playing to the fans that is usually a trademark of his matches. Instead, his eyes burn with the intensity of a man who is focused on the prize... the biggest prize in the sport.] RP: Damn, I've _never_ seen Vasquez this focused! LVK: Neither have I! [Case rolls to his feet slowly, and Vasquez snapmares him back down, leaving the World champ in a sitting position as he runs and rebounds off the ropes, coming thundering back....] *THWAAACKKK-THUDDD!!* [FACE POP!!] RP: SWEET MERCIFUL CRAP! LVK: What a dropkick, catching Case right in the face with full force! RP: There goes Devon out of the ring. That dropkick hurt - he needs a timeout. LVK: Well he's not going to get one...here comes Juan Vasquez out of the ring after him! [The fans pop as Juan makes a beeline for Case, looking like a man possessed. Case clearly isn't expecting it, as he catches his breather but then looks up just in time to see Juan's hand grab at his head....] LVK: Juan's got hold of the World champ by the head.... *KAH-LAAAAAAANNNKKKK!!* [CAGE VIOLENCE POP!!] LVK: AND RAMS HIM FACEFIRST INTO THE STEEL CAGE!! *KAH-LAAAAAAANNNKKKK!!* *KAH-LAAAAAAANNNKKKK!!* *KAH-LAAAAAAANNNKKKK!!* *KAH-LAAAAAAANNNKKKK!!* [MEGALICIOUS CAGE VIOLENCE POP!!] RP: HOLY EMERGENCY-MAKEOVER-USING-A-CAGE BATMAN!! LVK: _FIVE_ TIMES HE RAMMED CAGE FACEFIRST INTO THE CAGE... AND DEVON CASE HAS BEEN BUSTED OPEN IN THE OPENING MINUTES OF THE MATCH!! [The fans rip into a MEGA BLOODSHED POP as Case staggers away from Vasquez, his eyes glazed over and blood streaming from a large gash above his left eye. But his escape is short-lived, as Juan takes hold of his head again, holding the groggy champ in place and then turning to look through the cage at the fans. He lifts one hand in a thumbs-up signal, then a thumbs down, before back to a thumbs-up, which brings a DEAFENING POP!] LVK: He's asking the fans for their approval...AND BOY DID HE GET IT!! [A slight smile creeping onto his face for the first time since the opening bell, Vasquez takes firmer hold of Case's head, and then thrusts it towards the cage....] *KAH-LAAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNKKKKKKKKKKKK!!!* [THUNDEROUS CAGE-ASSISTED VIOLENCE POP!!!] [As Case pulls his head off of the mesh, leaving a splattering of blood and what might even be a patch of skin, he doesn't even have the strength to stagger away. He simply turns, his face a mangled mess, and flops facefirst onto the ringside mats. POP!] LVK: The champ is a bloody mess and in big _BIG_ trouble! [Clenching his teeth, his muscles tensed as the adrenaline rushes through his body, Juan drags Case up and rolls him into the ring, before leaping up onto the apron.] LVK: Vasquez climbing back into the ring now, and I've got to say I'm shocked by the way he's been able to dominate the World champion so far in this match! RP: You're not the only one. But I've seen Devon come back from this position too many times to write him off just yet. [Case blindly clammers up onto his knees as Vasquez prepares to yank him up to his feet, but in an act of complete desperation the champ rams his right arm up between the challenger's legs...] *OOOPPHH!!* [Heel pop!] LVK: Low blow by the champ stops Vasquez's momentum instantly! RP: Case wiping the blood from his eyes... LVK: And he runs into the ropes- *THWAACKKK-THUUUUDDD!!* RP: AND NAILS HIS TRADEMARK YAKUZA KICK!! LVK: You were right Rick - Case is too experienced and wily to write off that easily! RP: There's a reason he's the World champ! LVK: Here's the first cover of the match, by Case! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! [BIG FACE POP!!] LVK: Kickout at two by Juan Vasquez! RP: The blood's really pouring from Case's head. He can't afford to let this match go on for an hour - he'll pass out long before then! LVK: I don't think he has any intention of letting the match go that long...he's outside the ring and rummaging under the ring for- [HARDCORE POP!] LVK: A STEEL CHAIR! RP: The great equalizer! [Case slides back in with the chair, climbing to his feet as Vasquez slowly rises, holding his jaw. The World champ cocks the folded chair back, lining up Juan as the Californian turns around....] *KAH-DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNKKKKKKKKKK!!!* [....the chair coming down full-force across Juan's skull. He staggers back a few feet, but then regains his balance and shakes his head defiantly, his brow curling downwards into an angry frown and his mouth closing into a furious snarl.] [THUNDEROUS NO-SELL POP!!] RP: Oh....damn.... LVK: I DON'T BELIEVE IT!! JUAN VASQUEZ SHOOK OFF THE EFFECTS OF A CHAIRSHOT THAT SHOULD HAVE DAMN-WELL CRIPPLED HIM, AND NOW HE'S SCREAMING AT CASE TO HIT HIM AGAIN!! [But the World champ doesn't take him up on the offer. That's because he's too busy standing motionless with a look of shock plastered across his usually-smug face. All of his facial features express shock except for his eyes. They betray another emotion, one that Devon Case has never shown before in an RCW ring.... _Fear_.] LVK: I don't think Devon Case can believe the pure _HUNGER_ for victory that's being displayed by Juan Vasquez here! RP: _I_ can't believe it! For the first time I'm actually believing that Devon's World title is in _real_ danger! [Juan charges at Case, nailing him with a flurry of punches that knock the chair from his grasp. He scoops Case up, bodyslamming him to the mat, and then rushes over to the nearest corner, climbing up....] LVK: Vasquez is heading up top, wasting no time as he leaps... RP: MOONSAULT- *THUUUUUUUUDDDDDD!!* [Shock/disappointment pop!] LVK: But Case somehow found the energy to move out of the way! RP: That's about all he could do! [The two combatants rise to their feet, Vasquez feeling at his knees in pain. Case takes the opportunity to drive his right elbow into the challenger's head, then lifts him up over his shoulder, grabbing one leg and looking to cradle Juan's head behind his back, which the fans immediately recognise and let rip with a HUGE PANIC POP!] LVK: CASE IS GOING TO USE VASQUEZ'S OWN MOVE ON HIM- [Relief pop!] LVK: NO! Vasquez wriggles free and falls out of the City of Angels... back to his feet- [Case turns and finds himself lifted up stomachfirst across Juan's shoulder, and before he can do anything, Vasquez turns around towards the middle of the ring, runs forward a step and leaps into the air, swinging Case forward and dropping into a sitout position as Case goes crashing backfirst to the mat....] *THUUUUUUUUUUUUDDDDDDDDDDDD!!* [THUNDEROUS FACE POP!!!] LVK: CHERRY BUSTER!! CHERRY BUSTAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!! RP: THE MOVE VASQUEZ USED TO BEAT CASE ON THE LAST IMPACT!!!! LVK: HE'S GOT HIM PINNED DOWN!!! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE- [?] [?] LVK: NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! CASE GOT HIS SHOULDER UP!! [MASSIVE DISAPPOINTMENT POP!!] RP: GODDAMN THAT WAS CLOSE!! [Vasquez slams his open palms into the mat in frustration, before climbing to his feet.] LVK: Juan thought that was it, and quite frankly so did I! [The frustration melts into angry determination as Vasquez drags Case up by the head, and pulls him into a front chancery. Grabbing a handful of trunks, he lifts....] LVK: Vertical suplex by Vasquez- *THUUUUUUUDDDDD!!* LVK: But he turns it into a piledriver! RP: I've seen that move before. Can't think where though. LVK: What a move it was, but it seems that Juan's not finished! [He drags Case up and slaps on a cobra clutch, before running forward and dropping the champ into the mat....] LVK: And now a....well I guess you'd call that a cobra clutch bulldog. Two moves in a row that we haven't seen from Vasquez before. RP: Wait a minute! I get it now! LVK: Get what? RP: That was the Arch of Kiev... the move made famous by former RCW champ Vlad Stukovski. And the first one was The Trendsetter! LVK: Used by "Trendy" Bryce Jordan, one of RCW's founding members! Juan Vasquez is doing some kind of tribute to former River City superstars! [Taking hold of Case again, Juan pulls his arm up behind his back into a hammerlock, keeping hold of it and pushing his head under the champ's other arm from the front, then hooking his leg fisherman's suplex style. He lifts and throws Case over in a hammerlock fisherman's Northern Lights suplex.....] *THUUUUUUUUUUDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD!!!!* [MASSIVE FACE/RECOGNITION POP!!!!] LVK: STOP THE WORLD!!! THE FAVOURITE MOVE OF FORMER RCW CHAMPION JOHNNY AXIS!! [Juan breaks the bridge and leaps to his feet, yelling out "BOOYAH!"] *Crowd: BOO-YAH!* RP: Yup, that's Axis alright. [And Juan then turns and runs into the ropes, rebounding and slowing into a strut. But not just any strut...THE GETZ STRUT~!] [HUGE POP!!!] [Stepping over Case, Juan runs into the opposite ropes, rebounding and then leaping into the air and coming crashing down onto Case backfirst....] RP: THE GETZ STRUT AND THEN A TOMMY STEPHENS-STYLE SENTON!! LVK: He's covered just about every era of RCW history, AND THE FANS LOVE IT!! *JUAN! JUAN! JUAN!* *JUAN! JUAN! JUAN!* *JUAN! JUAN! JUAN!* *JUAN! JUAN! JUAN!* [Back to his feet, Juan doesn't even take a moment to soak up the chant that's filling the Savvis Center, instead yanking Case up to his feet again. The World champ is in no condition to stand under his own power, swaying back and forth as Juan holds him up by a handful of hair.] RP: Case is out on his feet! I wouldn't write him off earlier, but screw that - put a fork in him, 'cause he's done! LVK: And Juan Vasquez is loving this! He's soaking up the moment... before finally lifting Case up... [The anticipation grips the arena like electricity as Juan cradles Case's head behind his back and holds onto his legs with his other arm.] LVK: HE'S GOT HIM IN POSITION!! IF HE NAILS THIS IT'S OVER! [What, you think Juan's not going to milk this moment for everything it's worth? He doesn't drop down, instead walking across one side of the ring, that section of fans roaring their approval...then another side...the third, and finally the last side, the arena now whipped into a fury of anticipation. Walking back towards the middle of the ring, he stands there for a few more long seconds.... ....before dropping down into a sitting position, driving Case's skull into the mat.] *THUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD!!!* LVK: MY GOD THERE IT IS!! THE CITY OF ANGELS!!!! HE HOOKS THE LEG! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *DING DING DING!!!!* [10-ON-THE-RICHTER-SCALE FACE POP FROM HELL!!!!!] LVK: HE'S DONE IT!! BY GOD HE'S DONE IT!! JUAN VASQUEZ IS THE WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION!! [With every fan in the place on their feet and going absolutely ballistic, Juan flops onto his back, staring up at the roof of the cage and the arena lights beyond that, a mix of sheer elation and disbelief on his face. He rolls up onto his knees, blinking rapidly as he looks around in utter shock, but then his gaze falls on one thing. One thing being carried across the ring by referee Marc Gioffre....the shiny gold belt that only a handful of men have ever worn. Gioffre places the belt into the arms of the disbelieving champion, whose eyes start to well up. He looks at it for a second, and then throws his head back, thrusting the belt into the air to another hellacious response from the fans, who are clearly in party mode now.] DS: Ladies and gentlemen, your winner and *NEW* HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION OF THE WORLD.... JUAN VAAAASQUUUUUUUUUUUEEEEEEEEZZZZZZZZZZZZ!!! [Slowly climbing to his feet, Juan drops his forehead against the plate of the belt, his facial muscles clenched as he tries to take it all in. Then a huge smile spreads across his face, and he grabs Marc Gioffre, hugging him!] LVK: What a scene! What a moment! After years of fighting and clawing his way up the ladder, Juan Vasquez has done what many said he couldn't do. Many said he wasn't ready, that while he had long been "under-rated" he wasn't World champion material. Well they were _wrong_. RP: Damn right they were. I've _never_ seen Devon Case beaten this easily. Nothing he did was able to stop Vasquez, who was like an unstoppable force. [Vasquez holds the belt up again, soaking up the continued explosion of cheers.] LVK: Fans, we've witnessed a important moment in RCW history here tonight. Devon Case was long considered the best champion RCW had ever seen, and he was rightly considered the number one wrestler in the entire sport over the past few years. But the era of Devon Case is _over_. The torch has been passed, and what better person to take that torch than a man who helped build this organisation from the ground up. A man who has been as loyal to RCW over the years as anyone, hell who has given his sweat and his _blood_ night after night for River City Wrestling. RP: Nobody can deny that Van Keel. And look how much this means to the kid. Every match, every bleeding cut, every busted bone and pulled muscle... you do all that to get to this. This is what it's all for, and you better believe he's loving every minute of it. [The Rage in the Cage slowly starts to rise, and Juan begins to compose himself, signalling for a microphone, and a ring attendant climbs in with one. Juan grabs the microphone, looking a bit more composed than he was just a few seconds earlier. He's still all smiles, however, with the world title still clutched close to his chest. He begins to speak, only to be drowned out by the crowd...] JV: I... *JUAN! JUAN! JUAN! JUAN!* *JUAN! JUAN! JUAN! JUAN!* *JUAN! JUAN! JUAN! JUAN!* *JUAN! JUAN! JUAN! JUAN!* *JUAN! JUAN! JUAN! JUAN!* *JUAN! JUAN! JUAN! JUAN!* [Our new world champion can only shake his head and smile. He attempts to speak again, only to be cut-off by another roar from the crowd. Juan decides just to let the crowd get it out of their system and motions for them to cheer their little hearts out. Finally, after a nice, little standing ovation, it seems they're ready to let him speak.] JV: Are you done? [Another cheer comes from the crowd. Juan grins.] JV: Thank ya'. You dream about this for so long, think about what you're gonna' do when it happens, but really...holy crap. Holy freakin' crap! I'm actually holdin' the damn thing in my hands! [A wave of emotion washes over Juan as he holds the World title out in front of him. He places it over his shoulder, all giggles.] JV: But, ya' know...as much as I'm enjoying this, there's just a little something that's still bothering me. [Juan sighs.] JV: Devon, if you're still conscious, if you're still back there, if they haven't already driven your ass off in an ambulance, lemme' just say this... [Pause.] JV: ...that was f[bleep]kin' pathetic. [HUGE POP!] JV: If I hadn't already done it, I'd kick your ass for that sorry performance. Thank the lord I got this outta' the way at the beginning. Now we can get down to business. [He smirks.] JV: It seems to me that we're missin' one main event for tonight. [The crowd cheers with anticipation.] JV: Now, I dunno' 'bout you people, but rain or shine, at the end of tonight, I'm comin' back out here. And if there's someone in this building that wants to take on Juan Vasquez inside that cage...you're more than welcome to join me. [HUGE POP!] # I DON'T GIVE --A-- F[bleep]K! # [MASSIVELY SHOCKED CROWD POP! "Rock the Dead" by Twiztid begins to blast throughout the Saviss Center as the one and only Gremlin comes walking out the back to a huge crowd pop.] LVK: Oh...My...God. RP: SWEET JESUS!! THE GREMLIN IS HERE!! THE FREAKIN' _MASTAH_ IS HERE!! [Gremmy's dressed in his usual attire: black t-shirt, blue jeans, taped fists, and black boots. He takes a few moments to pander to the crowd, obviously happy as all hell to be back in any sort of wrestling venue, and immediately heads down to the ring, grabbing a ring mic from ringside.] RP: I'm speechless Van Keel! LVK: You're not the only one! One of the biggest names in the wrestling world... a man who has won World titles everywhere from Detroit to Los Angeles... who has been in some of the biggest matches in recent times... IS HERE IN RCW!! [Upon entering the squared circle, Gremmy grins at Vasquez before addressing the crowd.] G: ...hey. [Slight pop for the G-Man, as he begins to pace around the ring a bit...] G: This is the part where I usually go, "for those that don't know me, I'm the Gremlin, and rasslin' is my bidness", but I think it's quite obvious that y'all motherf[bleep]kers know who I am. [POP!] G: Now, I ain't here to play spoiler and do something dickish... since, you know, only f[bleep]ksticks do that kinda stuff. I mean, come on, I'm a decent, upstanding human being with a love of alcoholic beverages and a severe desire for smacking people in the face with bricks. I also o-fficially smack bitches, crack skulls with ringbells, threaten retarded wrestlers with barbed wire because I'm legally entitled to beat the Good God f[bleep]kery out of them, and ask random females for hummers. Gina, you're next. I been watchin' you while I was laid off! [Gremlin coughs suddenly and shouts "Tourrette's!" before continuing.] G: So, sure, I do all these evil, trifling, sadistic things that have scarred many folks for life, but what I don't do is ruin moments that people deserve. Juan, your love of hittin' me in the twig and berries aside, congratulations. THE MASTAH~!- [SHO' NUFF!] G: -is proud of you. Mrs. Vasquez's Baby Boy is finally grown up and done kicked that white heifer to the curb! The bitch needed to eat six cheeseburgers anyway! [Gremlin fist pumps!] G: But, and there's a severe but in this, there's the fact that you still wanna wrestle tonight. And since I ain't doin' nothing, and since I need to know if I still got the ability to split someone's neutral space from sack to crack... I figure that at the end of the night we can lower that cage one more time and get down to brass tacks or some other culturally insignificant term that I could have ended that sentence with. I'll make this brief since I ain't from Texas: I can't promise you nothing but the second or third fight of your life... been sittin' on my ass for a few months, after all. Them cheese fries is addictive. [The Gremlin shakes his head slightly.] G: F[bleep]king drugs. Temple never shoulda turned me onto that sh[bleep]t. [An odd laugh from Gremmy, as that was a joke. Laugh with him!] G: So, how 'bout it? El Championship Cholo versus The _Kang_ of All Asswhuppery?! [Juan stares at the Gremlin, turns briefly to the crowd and smiles. Turning back to the MASTAH~!, he can give his answer.] JV: I know I might regret this tomorrow morning, when they're pickin' pieces of glass outta' my eye and I'm havin' trouble remembering my baby's momma's names...but hell, I've always been a sucker for flattery. [Grin.] JV: And as much as I'd have loved to seen the rotting, snake-bitten corpse of Carson Nash stumblin' out behind those curtains to damn me straight to the deepest depths of Hell...I can't pass up an opportunity like this. After all, how often are you gonna' be in St. Louis, anyway? ["Hometown mention!" Pop!] JV: So, Gremlin, get out the bricks, uncoil the barbwire, and bust out that Hanzo sword, amigo...'cause you got yo'self a match! [CROWD POP!] LVK: CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?! IT'S ON!! JUAN VASQUEZ AND THE GREMLIN WILL DO BATTLE IN THE RAGE IN THE CAGE HERE TONIGHT!! RP: I think I've died and gone to heaven. Wow. [We cut backstage to Gina Sarrazin.] GS: Hi, I'm standing here with Rum Barton. Rum, tonight you're in action in a three way St. Louis streetfight when you'll take on the "Pit Monster" Chad Grimsson and the "Last American Badass" Alex Martinez. Obviously all three of you have a lot of experience in this type of match...so what should we expect from you tonight? [Barton strokes his jaw, considering the question.] RB: What should the people expect, lass? Well, I'd suggest that all the parents at home put the little children to bed. All the parents in the audience here tonight should take their kids to the concessions stands or the lavatories for a tick. See, tonight is _not_ going to be for the weak of heart. Good ol' Rummy has insured that. [The camera pans over to a shopping cart Barton has with him. It's packed with light tubes, a singapore canes, boxes of thumbtacks, barbed wire, chains, ropes, tosters, and other hardcore items.] RB: You think what I did to Gabby Thorn on Impact was bad? [Barton shakes his head.] RB: Heh. Lass, I didn't even scratch the bleedin' surface! [And with that, Barton pushes his shopping cart off.] GS: You heard it...back to you guys. [Back to Larry and Rick.] RP: Woohoo! Barton's ready to take care of business, and with two big sumbitches like Martinez and Grimsson in there with him....bring on the blood! LVK: Like there was any doubt that match would be a bloodfest. But right now it's time for our next match. It's not likely to be a bloodfest, but you can bet that it'll involve spectacular high-flying and about the hardest damn kicks in the sport. RP: Zasaki's gonna kick Haruhara so hard hair'll turn white! LVK: Keiji Zasaki and Jamie Haruhara have been waging their own private war for many, many months now, stretching back to when they were both newcomers in the South Pacific. Their encounters have gone back and forth, with both men tasting victory and defeat, but this will be the first time on pay-per-view for the two of them, and a chance to finally put this rivalry to rest. [Cut to David Stokes in the ring.] DS: The following contest is a one-fall junior-heavyweight match, with a 20 minute time limit! [We get a new music pop, as "Revolution (Volga Calling Remix)" by Spin Deco hits the public address, and out walks Jamie Haruhara. He's wearing pair of black aviator goggles on his forehead, and his neon pink hair is spiked up all over the place today. He is wearing a tight pink T-shirt with the words "young and angry" on the front, apparently placed on their by black spray paint, as well as a pair of black pants with weird pink and black striped straps hanging from them. He is also carrying the blue bass guitar with him, but he opts to leave it at ringside as he slides into the ring and immediately bounces to his feet, jumping up and down in one spot, before finally settling down and removing his goggles.] DS: Introducing first, from parts unknown and weighing 168 pounds... JAMIE HARUHAAAAAAARAAAAAAA!!! [The music dies down and Haruhara takes his place in his corner, as the heavy opening riffs of Danzig's "Belly of the Beast" crunch over the P.A. system as Danzig's chilling voice is soon heard...] # Did my time among the creeps # # Did my time among the thieves # # Did my time around the scores # # Did my time among the whores # # Did my time among the blessed # # Walked among the living dead # # Searching up an down this world # # Doing things you've never heard # [The song hits chorus, as a green mist shoots from the back...] # Down in the belly of the beast I lie # # All I save is my pain # [Through the mist, dressed to wearing a bright white suit and a shit-eating grin is none other than the "Ego" John Knight. The man known as the "Sadistic Serpent" stalks behind him dressed in black boots and a pair of black martial arts pants, his long black hair soaking wet in his face, and his sculpted, scarred, tattooed torso bares beads of sweat already. The "Serpent" swings his head back revealing his stone-cold face no emotion no response to the ringside fans reaching out to touch him as he walks slowly to the ring. Knight meanwhile jars with and agitates all the fans at ringside.] DS: And his opponent, accompanied by John Knight and weighing 222 pounds... "SADISTIC SERPENT" KEIJI ZASAAAAAAAKIIIIIIIIIIIIII!!! [The Serpent steps up on the apron and showing his obedience to his manager, holds open the ropes for John Knight, who steps in the ring and showboats for the crowd, while the Serpent stalks to his corner and stares at it, cracking his knuckles and neck.] ___ ___ ________________________________________________________________ / __| | _ \ |__ / Junior-Heavyweight match | (__ | / |_ \ \___| |_|_\ |___/ "Sadistic Serpent" Keiji Zasaki \ written by vs \ Wallie Jamie Haruhara \_________________________________________________________________________ *DING DING!* LVK: Both of these men are just gnawing at a chance to become the Super J-Crown Champion... but right now have their own scores to settle. RP: I'd settle for a kick right up that lil punk's head right about now. [The two circle.... "CRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!" ...and Rick gets his wish!! HUGE STIFF ASS KICK POP!] LVK: A KNOCKOUT BLOW OF A KICK RIGHT TO JAMIE HARUHARA'S HEAD AND HE IS DOWN! HE IS DOWN AND HE... HE'S OUT! RP: W... wow. LVK: Jamie Haruhara isn't even moving... and our referee, Alphonso Reyes is right there. He's going to issue the standard ten count in this situation but I think we might be done! ONE! TWO! THREE! FOUR! FIVE! SIX! [The crowd is counting right along!] SEVEN! EIGHT! [Haruhara moves...] NINE! [...and gets up! BIG POP!] LVK: Haruhara can barely even stand right now after that vicious, _vicious_ kick by Keiji Zasaki here in the early portions of Caged Rage 3! RP: And we still have Kinsey vs Courtade to come. That kick might not be the only near death we see tonight! LVK: And here comes Zasaki, all over the stunned Jamie Haruhara! "THWACK!" "THWACK!" "THWACK!" "THWACK!" [And unleashes with a barrage of kicks to the body! Sensing his opponent on his last rope, ,he whips Haruhara across the ring, charging in with a kick straight to the head but...] LVK: NOBODIES HOME! [POP!] LVK: Haruhara moves and Zasaki kicked right over the top turnbuckle! [His foot momentarily trapped, Zasaki is completely open defensively, Haruhara doing what he does best and springboarding off the middle rope, turning in mid air for a sunset flip roll up... ...Zasaki holding on to the top rope to avoid going over!] RP: Now THAT is athleticism! His foot is over the top rope and he still won't go over. [Not until Haruhara pulls up, putting his feet under his armpits... "THUUUUUUUUUUD!" ...rocketting down, sending Zasaki crashing down back first!] LVK: Sunset Flip Bomb and a cover! ONE! TWO! [KICKOUT AND BOO!] LVK: Jamie Haruhara is fired up, picking Zasaki back up into the corner and lighting him up with quick punches. RP: With a closed fist none the less. [Zasaki tries for a punch of his own, Haruhara ducking and slipping behind, slapping the Serpent right across the back of his head! OHHHHHH!] RP: How dare he! LVK: It shocked Zasaki enough for Haruhara to grab him... whip... REVERSED... HE'S CAUGHT IN A TILT A WHIRL! [But doesn't go down, ,wrapping his legs around Zasaki's head in mid move and spinning... ...and spinning... ...and spinning... ...and spinning... ...until Keiji Zasaki is sent flying! HIGHSPOT POP!] LVK: SATTELITE HEADSCISSORS BY JAMIE HARUHARA AND KEIJI ZASAKI IS OUT OF THERE! RP: He's regrouping. Knight will make sure he has a good plan. LVK: They better make it fast... BECAUSE HERE HE COMES! [He being Jamie Haruhara, lighting in a bottle, charging across the ring with a cartwheel and back handspring... ....right over the top rope and onto both Knight and Zasaki!! HUGE POP!] ARRR-CEE-DUB! ARRR-CEE-DUB! ARRR-CEE-DUB! ARRR-CEE-DUB! ARRR-CEE-DUB! ARRR-CEE-DUB! ARRR-CEE-DUB! ARRR-CEE-DUB! LVK: LISTEN TO THIS CROWD RICK PERLE! THEY ARE LOVING IT! [Knight, scattering as the group gets up, looks to move back in for a sneak attack but Haruhara is quick to grab a chair, warding him off!] RP: DQ! DQ! He has a chair! "CRAAAAAAACK!" LVK: AND KEIJI ZASAKI IS WEARING IT! Haruhara THREW it at him! That wasn't a hit, that was a throw! RP: DQ DAMMIT! LVK: He's rolling Zasaki in, letting him get up and... [BIG POP!]... SPRINGBOARD PUNCH CONNECTS! RP: Worst... move... ever. LVK: THE PIN! ONE! TWO! [KICKOUT! HEEL POP! Haruhara ignores the fact he didn't get the pin, instead sprinting right to the corner and up! He gets ready to leap... ...but is waylaid!] LVK: KNIGHT! RP: That is genius! He's taking one for the team right there. LVK: He crotched Haruhara up top... and Zasaki is up! RP: Like a single punch was keeping him down. [Like a cat, Zasaki leaps and lands on the top rope, actually taking a few steps across (~!) before leaping with a leg lariat, sending them BOTH out and to the floor in a chaotic tumbling heap! SHOCKED POP!] RP: GREAT GOOGILY MOOGILY! LVK: I doubt that'll be the last time we hear that tonight from Rick Perle. Not with Caged Rage... not with our first ever St. Louis Streetfight still on tap. [Haruhara lands hard, richocheting off the apron before landing with a distinct thump on the floor below. Keiji Zasaki is not much better, but does manage to slide back into the ring with the help of Mr. Knight.] LVK: Here comes Jamie Haruhara, formerly Jamie Trenton of SPW, back onto the apron... "THWACK!" ...RIGHT INTO A VICIOUS KICK BY ZASAKI! RP: Holy Tiger Claw, Batman. LVK: Keiji Zasaki reminds me so much of the famed Tiger Claw, it's scary. From his demeanor to kicks like that, that laid Jamie Haruhara right out on the apron outside the ropes.... but he's getting up. This kid has a ton of spunk in him. RP: It can be kicked out. [Getting back up on the apron, Haruhara turns... ...right into a backhandspring elbow that sends him down to the floor! HIGHSPOT POP PART DEUX!] LVK: Zasaki in the ring and... [GASP!]... LAYS OUT HARUHARA WITH A PESCADO! WHAT A MOVE! RP: Zasaki isn't normally a high flyer but in this feud that leads all the way back to SPW, you know he is going to go all out. These two have been at each other's throats for months. LVK: And one of them shall walk away the winner of this match tonight. [Zasaki gets back up, rolling Jamie in before following up.] LVK: Both men back in the ring, Keiji Zasaki pulling Jamie up in the corner and... "THWAP!" "THWAP!" "THWAP!" "THWAP!" "THWAP!" "THWAP!" "THWAP!" "THWAP!" [OHHHHHHHHHHH!] LVK: FOREARM AFTER FOREARM AFTER FOREARM! KEIJI ZASAKI DREW FIRST BLOOD! RP: Man! Haruhara's nose is bleeding big time! LVK: his facee could be a shattered mess... and he just collapses! [Right in line... for a kick right to the face! HEEL POP!] RP: HOLY... CRAP! LVK: A _STIFF_ kick straight to the face of the downed Jamie Haruhara! [Relentless, Zasaki picks Haruhara up and whips him across the ring, following quickly behind with a leaping knee, sending Jamie into the turnbuckle chest first! He reels out backwards, right into an inverted Keiji Zasaki headlock!] LVK: Headlock... [THUD!]... INVERTED DDT AND THE PIN! ONE! TWO! --KICKOUT! [POP!] LVK: CLOSE! RP: He'll get it, you just watch! LVK: Keiji Zasaki is picking him back up... "THUUUUUUUUUUUD!" ...AND A FISHERMANBUSTER CONNECTS! [Zasaki immediately makes the cover!] ONE! TWO! THR--KICKOUT! [BIG POP!] RP: Rip off! That was a damn long three count. LVK: Jamie Haruhara might not be the biggest man around but he has fight like few men in this company! Keiji Zasaki, if he didn't know it already, is starting to learn that! [Getting back up again, Zasaki picks Jamie into a standing headscissors and hoists at his waist... ...only Haruhara manages to spin and roll forward with a victory roll, turning 180 as he does to latch the legs!] LVK: WHAT A PINNING COMBINATION OUT OF NOWHERE! ONE! TWO! THRE--KICKOUT! [SO DAMN CLOSE POP!] LVK: SO CLOSE AND.... "THWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAP!" [HUGE HEEL POP!] LVK: ... Zasaki stops that comeback with a koppo kick right to the jaw! RP: WOOOOOOOOW! What a damn kick! LVK: And he has plenty more of those... "THWAP!" "THWAP!" "THWAP!" [HATE!] LVK: AND HE IS SHOWING IT WITH KICK AFTER KICK TO THE SPINE OF JAMIE HARUHARA! [Holding Haruhara by his hair, Zasaki revels... "THWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAP!" ...coming off with a rocketting dropkick right to the face! HUGE STIFFNESS POP!] RP: Oh, it is ovah! LVK: Zasaki with the lateral press... ONE! TWO! THREE--- LVK: BUT IT IS NOT ENOUGH! [BIG OLE FACE POP!] LVK: The heroics shown here are just amazing. RP: Ugh... we'll have enough of the word 'hero' later on. Let's not mention it here, please. LVK: Zasaki picking Jamie up... headscissors and... "THUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUD!" [OHHHHHHH!] LVK: SITDOWN POWERBOMB CONNECTS! [With the Japanese kicking machine holding the legs for a pin!] ONE! TWO! THR--KICKOUT! [POP!] LVK: What will it take to keep Jamie Haruhara down!? RP: Death. Ask and ye shall recieve, Larry. LVK: No Rick Perle-esque crossfaces but Zasaki is staying on him, pulling Haruhara up... HEADBUTT! RP: This guy is a living weapon! [Ramming Haruhara into the top turnbuckle face firest, Zasaki turns him and starts unleashing with rapid fire kicks to the body, each snapping right into his midsection. Then he stops... ...leaping up and springboarding off the middle rope with a roundhouse snapping kick right to the side of Jamie's skull! HEEL POP!] LVK: He hits those kicks from anywhere... "THUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUD!" [HEAD DROPPAGE POP!] LVK: AND HITS A BRAINBUSTER RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE RING! ONE! TWO! THRE... [The crowd goes to cheer the kickout but gasp as Zasaki, lightning quick, locks on a dragon sleeper!] RP: It's over now! He has it locked on in the middle of the ring! LVK: There is no escape for Haruhara! He is nowhere near the ropes. Keiji Zasaki has that submission locked on right in the middle of the ring here at Caged Rage III! RP: Give it up, punk! [Frantically reaching for the ropes, Haruhara fights like a mad man... and the crowd responds justly, getting behind the struggle fully. John Knight screams at them from ringside but they keep getting louder... ...and louder... ...and louder... ...ERUPTING as Haruhara escapes with a kick upwards right to the forehead of Zasaki!] "THWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAP!" [OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!] LVK: AND ZASAKI STOPS THAT WITH A SCINTILLATING KICK RIGHT TO THE BACK OF HARUHARA'S NECK! RP: Those drunks in the fifth row need to start paying attention. They don't want to spill their beer when a head lands in their lap. LVK: Zasaki going up! He's not normally a high flier but that just goes to show the importance of this match! These two will do anything to win! [And he perches... Haruhara down... ...and leaps with a leg extended!] "THUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUD!" [HUUUUGE POP!] LVK: HE MISSED! JAMIE HARUHARA MISSED AND KEIJI ZASAKI HIT WITH SPINE JARRING FORCE! [Here he comes kids!] RP: Oh no... [POP!] LVK: LEG LARIAT! [Zasaki scrambles up...] "THWAP!" LVK: AND A DROPKICK! JAMIE HARUHARA IS ON FIRE... WHIP... REVERSED... [~!!] ...AND HARUHARA HITS A BREATH DEFYING MOONSAULT BODYPRESS RIGHT ONTO ZASAKI... COVER! ONE! TWO! THRE-- [Reyes: TWO FINGERS!] [OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!] LVK: Jamie Haruhara got that one moment he needed and is taking it to the fullest advantage! [Grabbing a dazed and stumbling Zasaki, Haruhara grabs the head for a neckbreaker but instead runs towards the corner... ANTICIPATORY POP!] RP: Not this! LVK: HERE IT COMES! THE HYBRID... [BOOOOOO!] ...ZASAKI BLOCKS THE HYBRID RAINBOW! [But Haruhara is too quick, leaping right to the top rope and spinning, catching an unsuspecting Zasaki... "THUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUMP!" ...with a somersault neckbreaker! BIG ASS POP!] LVK: BLOCKBUSTER! RP: Zasaki is in trouble now! John Knight _cannot_ be happy about this turn of events! LVK: HE'S CALLING FOR IT! HE IS CALLING FOR THE RIDE ON SHOOTING STAR! [Slipping outside the ropes, Haruhara waves the crowd on, waiting for Zasaki to get back up and face him.] LVK: Zasaki getting up and he doesn't even realize what's happening. [No, but his eyes tell one hell of a story. Big, wide in shock eyes.] "THUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUMUUUUUUUUGH!" [BIG TIME HIGHSPOT POP!] LVK: THERE IT IS! THE SHOOTING STAR MISSILE DROPKICK JAMIE HARUHARA HAS USED TO WIN SO MANY MATCHES... THE COVER! THIS ONE IS... ONE! TWO! THREE-- [MEGALICIOUS HEEL POP!] RP: I told you he was a genius! LVK: JOHN KNIGHT PUT ZASAKI'S FOOT ON THE ROPE AND BROKE WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN A MATCH ENDING PIN! RP: Yes, I know. Genius! [HUUUUUUUUUUUUUGE POP as Haruhara, steaming, reaches over and grabs Knight, pulling him onto the apron!] RP: Hands off! He isn't a wrestler, dammit! LVK: John Knight is about to pay for costing Haruhara the pin off the Ride On Shooting Star! RP: Or not! LVK: ZASAKI! [The Serpent gets up, staggering, but getting to his feet nonetheless. He gathers his senses as Haruhara asks the crowd whether or not he should hit Knight... and then charges... ...stopping only inches from Knight's face, Haruhara ducking a well aimed yakuza kick at the last possible second!! GIANT SHOCKED POP!] LVK: HE MOVED! RP: Zasaki almost killed Knight! LVK: HARUHARA UP... HAS ZASAKI AND... [Runs right up the ropes, grabbing Zasaki's head as he turns to face him... GIANT POP! ...kicking Knight off the apron and flipping backwards!!] "THUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUD! [Connecting with a DDT!] LVK: HYBRID RAINBOW! JAMIE HARUHARA HITS THE HYBRID RAINBOW ON KEIJI ZASAKI! HE HAS THE COVER!! ONE! TWO! THREE! *DING DING DING!* [FACE POP!] LVK: There's the bell, and Jamie Haruhara picks up the victory! RP: Bah! Haruhara put his hands on John Knight! He should have been disqualified! LVK: Come on Rick, you can't deny that Jamie Haruhara deserved this win. He must surely have his sights firmly set on the Super J-Crown now! [Haruhara has his arm raised, as Zasaki rolls from the ring and gets a tongue-lashing from John Knight.] DS: Your winner.... JAMIE HARUHAAAARAAA!! [Pop! The camera switches back to the ringside table.] LVK: What a great match we just witnessed, with two of the best young junior-heavyweights doing battle, and folks, it's just a taste of what's to come! RP: At least I won't have to look at that pink-heared freak anymore. LVK: Well fans, I'm sure most of you are like Rick and I, and still in a state of shock after witnessing The Gremlin show up here tonight out of the blue and accept an open challenge from Juan Vasquez. Well, I've since been told by my producer that during the last match, Miss Cherry telephoned the production crew. She said that she's been delayed in getting here tonight, but _will_ be here. But interestingly, she also instructed that if Vasquez and The Gremlin are to wrestle tonight, the match will be non-title. RP: Which makes sense. The Gremlin's been here five seconds, and while he's about as accomplished as they come, he hasn't earned the right to fight for the World title yet. LVK: Exactly. But World title or not, their match in the Rage in the Cage is sure to be something you don't want to miss fans! Next up we're going to see a match that came about really because of an act that some see as vandalism, some as come-uppance. I'm of course talking about the actions of Griffin James in smashing the defunct World TV title into bits... RP: _Defunct_? That title meant everything to Tommy! How can he be the Forever Champion's Champion without a title belt? James is going to pay for what he did! LVK: Tommy Stephens has indeed sworn revenge, and with his entourage at ringside, few would bet against the long-time RCW wrestler. But Griffin James has proven to be a tough adversary for anyone who's stepped into the ring with him since joining RCW several months ago, and he'd love nothing more than to get a victory over Stephens and continue his climb up the contender's ladder. [Cross to David Stokes in the ring.] DS: The following contest is scheduled for one fall, with a 20 minute time limit! Introducing first... ["Superficial" by Boiler Room plays as Goku Waru comes out of the entrance first, pointing his cane to the curtain as the crowd gives out a moderate boo. A spotlight centers on the entreway curtain as a hand peeks through, then an another hand, and then finally the curtain rips open to show Tommy Stephens.] JS: Accompanied to the ring by Goku Waru and the Mysterious Suited Guy, from Detroit, Michigan and weighing in at 245 pounds, he is... TOMMY STEEEEEEEEEEEEEEPHENNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNS!!!! [Heel pop!] [Waru wears one of his many kimonos, a pair of wooden step shoes, and carries along with him his cane. Next to him is the Mysterious Suited Guy, comeplete with suit and all. Stephens walks gingerly down the ring, with a wide smile and nods to the jeering crowd. He wears his usual wrestling gear of red & purple striped wrestling tights, black boots, and his Member's Only jacket. Waru's the first to the ring, climbing slowly up the steps as Stephens rolls in under the bottom rope. The two confer in the corner.] JS: And his opponent! ["Killing Time" by (hed)p.e. begins to blast throughout the venue as Griffin "Cool Ass" James saunters out from the back to a appreciative yet wary crowd pop. The James clan member loosens up at the entranceway a bit as Alexia Romanov slinks out, dressed in a white microskirt and a white halter top, contrasting Griff's black-on-black ensemble quite nicely. Anyway, they head to the ring.] JS: Accompanied to the ring by Alexia, from Fort Washington, Maryland, and weighing in at 238 pounds...here is... GRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIFFFFFFFFFFFIN JAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMES!!!!!! [POP!] # Baby, I'm a survivor! Baby, I'm on fire! Baby, I'm about to kill that vagina! Getting high all day, drinking whiskey all night... Flipping off the police when them tricks pass by... I'm that fool next door always late with his rent... I'm that loser on the couch, watching Springer, getting head... Dreaming about a better time, better place, better life... Looking for that quick fix, and tweaking all night! Just killing time... Just killing, killing time... Just killing time... Just killing time... Kiss that world goodbye! Kiss that world goodbye Kiss that world goodbye! It's all over now... Nothing is over now! # [Griffin slaps a few, select hands rather painfully as he heads to the ring,while Alexia does some weird ass Russian skip/prance/sexy walk that threatens to haver her micro skirt ride up and show off her thong-clad rear end or something... I don't know, she's hot, and that's why she's there. Oh, "Killing Time" is still playing, by the way.] # God knows I tried! But no one understands me! The black sheep of the family... My enemies - they try to overtake me... Burning and looting 'till babylon break me... Look me in the eyes baby, ride with me! I can take it there, ride with me! I know what you want, where you live, what you need... I can make it real, hold it down for you, feel you bleed... # [And as the chorus repeats, Griff rolls into the ring and scales the nearest turnbuckle, raising a fist in the air as Alexia claps for her man on the outside... and just like that, Griff's back on the mat and testing out the ropes as he waits for his opponent, while "Killing Time" fades out...] RP: It's time for Mr "Cool Ass" to pay for what he did. LVK: Griffin James has been one of the most exciting, dynamic superstars since the return of RCW, Rick...I'm not sure if Stephens and company will be able to handle him tonight. RP: Are you kidding me? Stephens is out for revenge, and he's going to prove why he's better than this wannabe thug James. ___ ___ ________________________________________________________________ / __| | _ \ |__ / Heavyweight match | (__ | / |_ \ \___| |_|_\ |___/ Tommy Stephens \ written by vs \ Pete Griffin "Cool Ass" James \_________________________________________________________________________ [DING! DING!] LVK: And here we go, folks! [James and Stephens circle each other tentatively before James goes after Stephens and the two men tie up. The jockey for position, and back into a corner, where James breaks cleanly before taunting Stephens to a pop from the crowd.] LVK: Nothing settled there, and they'll do it again. [The two men tie up once more, this time Stephens backing James into a corner. Referee James Hunnicut tells Stephens to break, which he does...but then...] "SLAAAAAAAAAAP!" [Heel pop!] RP: HA! Did you see that? LVK: Tommy Stephens just slapped the taste out of James' mouth! I don't know if that was the smartest thing to do, Rick! [James goes after Stephens, hitting him with an elbow to the jaw, and then a few more. James backs Stephens into the ropes before whipping him across.] LVK: To the ropes now...baaaaaaaack body drop by James! [James pulls Stephens up to his feet and scoops him and slams him. He then walks to the ropes and taunts the Mysterious Suited Guy, who jumps up on the apron, yelling at James. As Hunnicut deals with the MSG, James wishbones Stephens' legs before punching him in the groin! FACE POP!] RP: DID YOU SEE THAT? WHAT A CHEATER! LVK: James got the Mysterious Suited Guy on the apron, and then took advantage of the distraction! [James pulls Stephens back up to his feet, poor Tommy still in pain from the blatant low blow. James lifts Stephens up to his feet and whips him into the corner. James charges in, hitting a leaping corner splash, before going back the other way with a bulldog, sending Stephens to the mat!] LVK: And James scores with the bulldog! Here's the first cover of the match! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! KICKOUT!!! RP: Way too early on in this one, Larry. LVK: Stephens with a pretty easy kickout there. Now James brings him back to his feet, and-OH! What an elbow strike to the face! And another! James now with a snapmare to Stephens...off the ropes...and a gorgeous running neck snap! [James continues his focus on the neck of Tommy Stephens, hitting the ropes before dropping a leg across the back of Tommy's neck. He then hooks a variation of a dragon clutch, though Stephens is close to the ropes. Stephens grabs the ropes, and Hunnicut counts to four before James breaks the hold.] LVK: Looks like James wants to target Stephens' neck in this one...maybe to set him up for his Cool Ass Crossface or the S.T.F.U. RP: Did you just say "Cool Ass"? LVK: I'm afraid I did. RP: Ha! [James pulls Stephens up before hitting a drop toe hold to send him to the mat. James comes off the ropes with a knee drop to the back of Stephens' neck. He then drives his elbow into the back of Stephens' neck repeatedly. He pulls Tommy back up to his feet and stuns him with a quick jawbreaker before grabbing Tommy by the hair and flinging him back to the mat, right onto his neck.] RP: Ouch! LVK: Tommy Stephens isn't having much luck so far in this contest. James off the ropes now...elbow to the neck of Stephens! Griffin James is completely dominating so far here at Caged Rage 3. RP: Come on Tommy, turn the tide. [James goes into a reverse chinlock on Stephens, pulling back on his neck. Stephens fights up to his feet, and elbows James in the gut to break free.] LVK: Stephens now, off the ropes, leap frog by James, back the other way...OH! Flying forearm to the face by Griffin James! My GOD what athleticism by James! He sprung off those ropes and delivered a forearm to the jaw of Stephens with incredible velocity! Stephens might be out! [James pulls Stephens up to his feet and into a standing headscissors.] LVK: What's he going to do here? Is this already the end? [James tries to lift...HEEL POP!] LVK: He can't - what? Goku Waru has James by the ankle! Stephens now back drops out of the standing headscissors! RP: There ya go, Tommy! [Tommy Stephens goes to work on James, going right after _his_ neck with some stomps and falling elbows. He then places James across the second rope and chokes him out before Hunnicut makes him stop. Stephens backs off, distracting Hunnicut as the Mysterious Suited Guy chokes James out across the second rope to a HEEL POP from the fans!] LVK: Hey! He can't- RP: This is Tommy Stephens we're talking about, Larry...are you really surprised? LVK: No, I can't say I am...OH! Stephens now, dropping the leg across the back of James' neck as he's tied up in the ropes. [Stephens pulls James out of the corner and gets a quick fireman's carry to take him down to the mat. He hooks James' arm and pulls back while hooking his leg around James' neck and squeezing!] LVK: Oh no! A _painful_ looking triangle submission hold applied here by Tommy Stephens, working both the neck and shoulder of James! RP: He's just softening him up, Larry...wearing him down like he wants to, and then he'll finish him off with the Champion's Clutch or maybe the Vertical Suplex Spike. LVK: Hunnicut is asking James if he wants to quit, but James isn't about to tap out...at least I don't _think_ so! RP: He'd better get to the ropes...Tommy isn't about to let go! [James squirms and tries to fight out of the hold or get to the ropes. Finally he slips his head out of Stephens' grip. He twists over to his stomach, and then delivers a diving elbow shot with his free arm to the jaw of Stephens to break free. Tommy rolls to the floor, so James quickly springs over the top rope with a pescado, taking him out! POP!] LVK: OH MY! A great leap to the outside by James, taking both men down! [James pummels Stephens with some elbow strikes before lifting him up to his feet. Stephens quickly rakes James in the eyes before whipping him into the ring post, face first!] LVK: And now James is down, after being sent right into that steel ringpost! RP: There's no give to that thing...sorry Griff! [Stephens rolls back into the ring and distracts Hunnicut as the Mysterious Suited Guy closes in on James. The fans pop for Alexia, who comes around the bend and faces off with the MSG, getting Hunnicut's attention. The MSG backs off, and James slowly reaches his feet and rolls back into the ring.] RP: Stupid Alexia. LVK: What are you talking about? James was about to take an illegal beatdown! RP: They should have beaten down _her_. LVK: Oh come on now. [Stephens stomps away at James immediately, focusing on his neck. He picks James up and chops him a few times as he's in the ropes. Stephens then whips James across, catching him as he rebounds with a kick to the gut. As James doubles over, Stephens bounces off the ropes and then connects with a leaping scissors kick to the back of James' neck!] LVK: Did you see that? What athleticism by Stephens! He rolls James over now and hooks the leg! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! KICKOUT!!! LVK: James gets out of it. RP: I tell you what, Larry...James had better not underestimate Stephens' athletic ability. LVK: Well why doesn't he do _that_ more often? Why does he have to cheat 24-7? RP: Because it _works_! [Stephens pulls James up and comes off the ropes, hitting a clothesline to the back of his neck. James falls to his knees, and Stephens hits the ropes again, burying a seated dropkick into the back of James' neck.] RP: Oh _man_! Great moves by Tommy! LVK: Stephens now...CHAMPION'S CLUTCH! HE'S GOT IT HOOKED - NO! JAMES GETS TO THE ROPES! RP: That was close, Van Keel...very very close. [And Stephens taunts James, telling him just that. He then backs off, allowing James to get back to his feet. Tommy charges, and James lowers the shoulder, back dropping Stephens to the apron. Tommy comes back with a quick shoulder to the midsection of James, doubling him over. He then springs into the ring with a sunset flip on James, trying to pull him down to the mat.] LVK: Sunset flip...can he get James over? No! James sits down and hooks Stephens' legs! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! KICKOUT!!! LVK: A close call for Tommy Stephens...that was almost it right there! [James pulls Stephens up and throws some 'bows, connecting in the jaw. He then whips Stephens into the corner and charges, but Tommy catches him with a boot to the jaw. Tommy sits on the top rope and grabs a front facelock, and goes for a tornado DDT...] "THUD!" LVK: Counter into a bridging northern lights suplex! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THRRRRRRRRRRRRRRREEEEEE- LVK: And Stephens just kicks out of it! Back up now...thumb to the eye by Stephens! [Old school heel pop!] LVK: Stephens now, with a headlock on James...and he snaps him to the mat, working over the neck once more. RP: Just good, solid wrestling from Tommy Stephens. LVK: James now, trying to fight back to his feet, but Stephens has the headlock on tight...back up...suplex by James - NO! Stephens holds on to the headlock, and snaps James right back to the mat! RP: Yeah! LVK: And look at Tommy Stephens, talking trash to James as he has him down on the mat. I don't know if that's a smart idea. RP: It's just mind games by Stephens...he's been doing this a long time and he's beaten a lot of guys far better than Griffin James. LVK: I have to disagree Rick...I think James is one of the fastest rising superstars in our industry at the moment. RP: Doesn't look like he's rising right now...Stephens has him grounded into the mat with this headlock! [James finally starts to fight back to his feet. This time he delivers elbows to the midsection of Stephens to break free.] LVK: And here comes James now...off the ropes! [Heel pop!] RP: Ha! And just like that, Stephens stops him in his tracks again! LVK: A perfectly placed knee to the gut by Tommy Stephens, and now he goes back after the neck of James with an elbow drop. [Stephens floats around into a front facelock and wrenches at the neck of Griffin James as the crowd gets restless with Stephens' slow-down tactics and starts to cheer James on.] RP: This is just great, smart wresetling by Stephens. LVK: Oh, but James now slips out! [James twists out of the hold, hooking the arm of Stephens and then hooking a chinlock/armbar submission hold. Stephens fights out, so James pulls him up to his feet, holding a waistlock.] LVK: Waistlock by James...Stephens blocks a suplex! Stephens goes behind now... "THUD!" LVK: Bridging German suplex! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SHOULDER UP! LVK: I couldn't tell, either James got the shoulder up or Stephens couldn't hold the bridge. Both men rolling back to their feet now...elbow by James! Another! And another! [Pop!] LVK: James now, fighting back...Irish whip, reversed...HEY! [HEEL HEAT!] RP: What? LVK: GOKU WARU JUST TRIPPED JAMES AS HE HIT THE ROPES! COME ON NOW! RP: I'm sure it was accidental! LVK: Stephens now, taking advantage! He pulls James up to his feet... ___"THUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUD!!!"___ [HEEL POP!] LVK: ...AND DOWN! A PILEDRIVER BY STEPHENS, RIGHT ON JAMES' NECK! HE COULD BE OUT! [Stephens stands up and starts playing to the crowd, drawing boos. Goku Waru quickly admonishes him from the floor, however, so Stephens turns around and dives on top of James, hooking the leg!] ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRREEEE- [POP!] LVK: And that moment of posturing by Stephens may have given James enough time to kick out right there! RP: Goku Waru is trying to keep Stephens focused, trying to keep him determined on the goal at hand...and right now Stephens, for the most part, is doing a great job. [Stephens pulls James up to his feet and right back into a side headlock. James quickly shoots Stephens to the ropes, and the two men collide in the middle of the ring with a double shoulderblock. Neither falls, to they both hit the ropes and collide again...no give. One more time they hit the ropes, and this time James ducks under and comes back...] "SMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!!!" [POP!] LVK: WHAT A RUNNING CLOTHESLINE BY JAMES! HE CREAMED HIM! RP: Ouch! LVK: James now, with the advantage. Can he turn the tables in this match? [James lifts up Stephens and whips him to the ropes...] ___"THUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUD!!!"___ [POP!] LVK: SPINEBUSTER! WHAT IMPACT FROM GRIFFIN JAMES! RP: Come on, Tommy! LVK: James now, to the second rope, waiting for Stephens to get back to his feet! He's back up... "THUD!" LVK: Leaping inverted bulldog! James is on fire here! [POP!] LVK: James points to the top rope! He's headed to the top! [James climbs up to the top rope. As soon as he does, the Mysterious Suited Guy runs over to interfere, but once again Alexia chases him off, this time grabbing a steel chair to convince him! James readies himself up top, and leaps!] #FLASHBULBS!# ___"THUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUD!!!!!"____ [HUGE POP!!!] LVK: FROG SPLASH! FROG SPLASH! FROG SPLASH! WHAT AN EXPLOSION OF OFFENSE BY GRIFFIN JAMES! RP: NO! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THRRRRRRRREEEEEEE- [Heel pop!] LVK: I can't believe it! Stephens kicked out of it! RP: It's going to take more than _that_ to beat Tommy Stephens! LVK: Well, I'm sure James is more than willing to dish out some more pain! [James just shakes his head and stomps at Stephens' neck. He comes off the ropes and drops a corkscrew elbow into the back of the neck. He then lifts Stephens up and then lifts him into position for a tombstone piledriver!] LVK: Oh my! A tombstone, perhaps? NO! Stephens wriggles out of it, and... "THUD!" LVK: ...reverse neckbreaker! Stephens with a great counter after slipping free and landing behind James! [Stephens catches his breath, and then rises to his feet, Goku Waru urging him on. He pulls James up in a front facelock and lifts, quickly dropping him to the mat with a nice vertical suplex.] LVK: A perfect suplex by Stephens, and...oh boy...he's calling for the end! RP: Here comes the Vertical Suplex Spike, baby! Come on, Tommy! [Stephens grabs a front facelock and then lifts James up in the air...he holds him up in the air, struggling to keep him up...James kicks his legs, trying to fight out of it, and then falls back on his feet, landing as he started. He knees Stephens in the gut, and then hooks him...] "THUD!" RP: NO! LVK: Swinging neckbreaker! James countered it, and goes right back to the neck of Stephens! RP: He had the match won if he could have hit that! LVK: James now back on the offensive. Front facelock, and...OH! He drops him chest first on the top rope. [James hits the ropes, ready to kick the _hell_ out of Stephens, but Waru "accidentally" hooks him by the leg again. James gets in a kick at Waru, and then goes back to Stephens on the apron. he hooks him in a front facelock and lifts...] [HUGE HEEL HEAT!] LVK: NO! THE MYSTERIOUS SUITED GUY HOOKED JAMES' LEG AS HE LIFTED STEPHENS UP! STEPHENS FALLS ON TOP! NO! NO! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THRRRRRRRRRRRRRREEEEEEEEEEEEE!?!? [POP!] LVK: HE KICKED OUT! JAMES HAD HIS ANKLE HELD DOWN, AND HE KICKED OUT ANYWAYS! RP: No way! [Stephens pulls James up and drills him with a right hand. He then coralls James and dumps him through the ropes and to the floor. Stephens slides outside, and stomps the back of James' neck. He then picks him up, only to have James fight back with a knee to the gut and a forearm to the jaw. An elbow smash sends Stephens staggering back, so James charges...] "CLANK!" LVK: SWEET BUTTERY JESUS! STEPHENS DUCKED THE YAKUZA KICK, AND JAMES KICKED THE RING POST! RP: HIS ANKLE! HE MIGHT HAVE BROKEN HIS ANKLE! OH MY GOD! [And Tommy Stephens _pounces_, stomping the ankle immediately. He then pulls James up and into a fireman's carry, and swings him around so his ankle connects with the ring post again!] RP: YES! LVK: The ankle into the ring post! It might be broken! [James starts cursing in pain.] RP: Cover your kid's ears! LVK: We apologize for Griffin's language...but you know he's in a _ton_ of pain right now. [HUGE HEEL HEAT!] RP: YES! ANKLE LOCK! LVK: THE CHAMPION'S LOCK! IT'S LOCKED IN ON THE FLOOR! RP: HE LEARNED THIS FROM MARK LANGSETH! BREAK HIS DAMN ANKLE! LVK: James can tap, but Stephens won't win if he's on the floor! [And Goku Waru tells Stephens this, so Stephens starts to pull James up the ring steps and towards the ring! James fights and claws to escape the hold or be kept out of the ring, but gets pulled up onto the apron! Stephens steps back through the ropes and James tries to escape, but Stephens hooks the ankle again and pulls James towards the ring!] LVK: JAMES IS FIGHTING! HE'S FIGHTING TO STAY OUT OF THE CENTER OF THE RING! RP: HE'S HOLDING ONTO THE ROPES FOR DEAR LIF-YES!!! [HEEL HEAT!] LVK: THE MYSTERIOUS SUITED GUY PUNCHED JAMES' HAND OFF THE ROPES! STEPHENS PULLS HIM TO THE MIDDLE OF THE RING! RP: THE CHAMPION'S LOCK IS CLAMPED IN TIGHTLY! JAMES IS _DONE_! LVK: IS GRIFFIN JAMES GOING TO HAVE TO TAP OUT RIGHT HERE? [Hunnicut asks James if he submits, but Griff won't give up. James starts to head back towards the ropes, scraping and clawing to make it there as the crowd cheers him on. Stephens simply yells "TAP!" as he wrenches at the ankle. James crawls towards the ropes, and makes a desperate reach...] [HUGE HEEL HEAT!] RP: YES! BACK TO THE MIDDLE OF THE RING! LVK: JAMES GETS PULLED BACK! RP: IT'S ONLY A MATTER OF TIM-NO!!! LVK: JAMES COUNTERS INTO A ROLLUP! HE HAS STEPHENS PINNED! [A shocked Hunnicut dives in to make the count!] ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRREEEEEEEEEE!?!? [Crowd groan!] LVK: NO! STEPHENS KICKS OUT! RP: Oh man...that was _close_! [Both men roll back up, and Stephens quickly stomps James in the ankle. He backs him into the ropes, chopping away at him and stomping at the ankle.] LVK: Look at Tommy Stephens! He's beating the hell out of Griffin James! I've never seen Stephens like that before! [Hunnicut pulls Stephens off, as James is collapsed in the ropes. Stephens backs off, but then goes back to James, stomping him and punching him and chopping him. Hunnicut makes Tommy back off again, but Tommy shoves Hunnicut out of the way...] ______"SMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!!!!!!!"______ [...only to catch a _HUGE_ Yakuza kick from James! HUGE POP!] LVK: YAAAAAAAAAAAAAKUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUZA~! WHAT A KICK BY JAMES! WHAT A KICK BY JAMES! RP: HIS ANKLE! HIS ANKLE! HE CAN'T MAKE THE COVER! HE'S IN TOO MUCH PAIN! LVK: BOTH MEN ARE DOWN! [James clutches at his ankle, rolling on the mat and howling in pain. Stephens rolls on the mat trying to shake the cobwebs loose after taking that sick kick from James. Hunnicut administers the ten count as the crowd counts along.] "ONE!" "TWO!" "THREE!" "FOUR!" "FIVE!" "SIX!" "SEVEN!" "EIGHT!" [And at this point both men have crawled to the ropes and pull themselves up. Stephens charges at James, but Griff drop toe holds him throat first into the bottom rope. He then comes off the ropes and drives his shin into the back of Tommy's neck.] LVK: Punk'd! James calls that move getting Punk'd! [James pulls Stephens up and lifts him into a fireman's carry. He turns towards the crowd, who cheers him on as he hops on one foot, his other ankle too bad to even stand on.] LVK: Here we go! On one leg! "THUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUD!!!" [POP!] LVK: A ONE LEGGED DEATH VALLEY BOMB! HE HAS THE PIN! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! KICKOUT!!! LVK: And again, Tommy Stephens kicks out! RP: He's tougher than you think, Larry! I can guarantee you that! LVK: He's certainly showing that here tonight. [James pulls Stephens back up, but Stephens quickly rakes the eyes again and then stomps the ankle of his opponent. Stephens tries to take James down into an ankle lock again, but James kicks himself free. Stephens comes back and grabs a front facelock instead, and tries to lift...] "THUD!" [HUGE POP!] LVK: COUNTER! JAMES COUNTERS AND TAKES STEPHENS TO THE MAT! CROSSFACE! HE LOCKS THE CROSSFACE IN! RP: NO! LVK: HE'S ATTACKED THE NECK OF TOMMY STEPHENS ALL MATCH, AND NOW HE'S PULLING BACK WITH EVERYTHING HE'S GOT, GOING FOR THE SUBMISSION HERE! RP: GET TO THE ROPES!!! LVK: STEPHENS CAN'T MAKE IT TO THE ROPES! HE'S TOO FAR AWAY! [Hunnicut checks for a submission, asking Stephens if he gives up...] LVK: JAMES PULLS BACK WITH EVERYTHING HE'S GOT! [...] [HUGE HEEL HEAT!] LVK: DAMMIT! NOT _AGAIN_! THE MYSTERIOUS SUITED GUY PULLED STEPHENS TO THE ROPES! HE DRAPED STEPHENS' FOOT ACROSS THE ROPES, AND JAMES HAS TO BREAK THE HOLD! RP: Good...that was _close_! LVK: Of course it was close! James had the match won! RP: No way...Stephens wasn't going to tap. [Both men are back up, and James is very angry. He pulls Stephens away from the ropes, and tries to take him down again for the crossface. Stephens quickly delivers a thumb to the eye, and gets a quick school boy rollup with a handful of tights!] LVK: Roll up! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LVK: HE'S GOT THE DAMN TIGHTS! THRRRRRRRRRRRRREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!?!?!? [...] [HUGE POP!] LVK: AND JAMES KICKS OUT ANYWAYS! STEPHENS IS TRYING TO CHEAT HIS WAY TO VICTORY, AND JAMES WON'T LET HIM! [Both men are up, and James dishes out a _wicked_ elbow to the face of Stephens, knocking him silly. He then pulls him into a standing headscissors, yelling "SHUT THE f[bleep]k UP!"] LVK: HERE WE GO! HERE WE GO! [But the Mysterious Suited Guy gets on the apron, grabbing James!] LVK: THIS IS RIDICULOUS! DISQUALIFY THEM, HUNNIC- [BIG POP!] LVK: EGO CRUSHER! EGO CRUSHER! JAMES HITS AN ACE CRUSHER TO THE MYSTERIOUS SUITED GUY AS HE'S ON THE APRON! RP: STEPHENS! LVK: STEPHENS GRABS JAMES! FRONT FACELOCK! HE LIFTS! CAN HE HIT THIS? RP: OH YES HE CAN! [Stephens holds James in the air...and then drops him.] ____"THUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUD!!!!!"_____ [HUGE HEEL HEAT!!!] RP: YES! LVK: VERTICAL SUPLEX SPIKE! VERTICAL SUPLEX SPIKE! STEPHENS HIT IT! THE DISTRACTION LET HIM HIT IT! [Hunnicut dives in to make the count!] LVK: NOT LIKE THIS! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRREEEEEEEEEEEEE!?!?!?!? [...] [HUGE POP!] LVK: FOOT ON THE ROPES! JAMES GOT HIS FOOT ON THE ROPES! RP: NO WAY! THAT WAS THREE! THAT WAS THREE! LVK: James is still alive in this one...and Stephens can't believe it! [Stephens pounds the mat in frustration. Up onto the apron jumps Goku Waru, holding his bag of salt.] LVK: Goku Waru on the apron! Look out! [POP!] LVK: ALEXIA! SHE DRAGS GOKU WARU OFF THE APRON...AND DROPKICKS HIM! [But with Hunnicut distracted, the Mysterious Suited Guy runs into the ring...] RP: But look who's back! LVK: No! Turn around, Hunnicut! RP: Stephens is going to hit a second vertical suplex spike, and he's going to have help! [But suddenly, Griff grabs Tommy by the head and swings his legs up, wrapping them around MSG's head. He then takes both men to the mat with a combined headscissors/headlock takeover! BIG POP!] LVK: JAMES FIGHTS OFF BOTH MEN! THIS IS AMAZING! "THWAAAAAAACK!" LVK: AND THE MYSTERIOUS SUITED GUY TAKES A ROLLING ELBOW HE'S OUT! RP: STEPHENS! [Stephens spins James around and kicks him in the gut and grabs a front facelock.] LVK: STEPHENS GOES FOR ANOTHER VERTICAL SUPLEX SPIKE! [Stephens lifts...but James floats over and lands behind him! POP!] LVK: JAMES COUNTERS! [James turns and pulls Stephens into a standing headscissors.] RP: NO! [James lifts, holding Stephens in the air...he runs forward...and then _DRIVES_ him down to the mat with a high impact running sitdown powerbomb!] _____"THUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUD!!!!"_____ [HUGE POP!] LVK: STFU! JAMES HIT IT! [Hunnicut dives in and makes the count!] ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THRRRRRRRRRRRRRRREEEEEEEEEEEEE!?!?!? [...] [DING! DING! DING!] [HUGE POP!] LVK: HE DID IT! HE DID IT! [James rolls away on the mat, clutching at his ankle, which was clearly hurt even more by hitting that move.] RP: I can't believe this... JS: LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE WINNER OF THIS MATCH... GRIFFIN JAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMMMMMMMMMEEEEESSSSSSSS!!!! [HUGE POP!] LVK: Griffin James picks up the victory - the biggest victory of his RCW career, and one that should catapult him up the contender's ladder! RP: Grrrr. LVK: As for Tommy Stephens, he tried just about every trick in the book, but he just couldn't get it done here tonight. One thing we've learned about Tommy over the years though, is that he's resilient. [Griffin celebrates a bit, but is still in pain, as he is helped out of the ring and up the aisle by Alexia. The camera returns to Larry and Rick.] LVK: That win was popular with the fans, who've turned out in their tens of thousands to witness this night of wrestling action. And Rick, we've seen some great action so far. RP: I can't say I'm too happy about the winners so far, but you're right, the matches have been great. And we're only getting started! LVK: Yes we are. Well, who can forget the night that long-time RCW favourite Alex Extreme turned his back on the fans, and introduced two men who he's fought against and with many times - Magnus Colby and Alex Martinez. RP: That was a great moment. LVK: They call themselves Widow Makers Incorporated, and from the first moment this trio stepped foot in RCW, they've been causing havoc ever since. Many a wrestler has ended up beaten and bloody as a result, but to the amazement of many, another long-time RCW wrestler decided he'd had enough of to the Widow Makers and their antics. RP: What an idiot. LVK: Madison J. Valentine stood up to the Widow Makers, taking the battle right back to them. A courageous stand no doubt, but one that landed him in hospital after Magnus Colby performed his dangerous Widowmaker maneuver onto Valentine, _on_ the ring railing. RP: It was brutal for sure, but that's what WMI are all about. They don't care what anyone thinks, and if anyone gets in their way they get punished. LVK: Valentine has vowed revenge, and hopes that by beating Colby he can drive a stake into the heart of the Widow Makers. RP: "Drive a stake into the heart"? [Rolls his eyes] Don't tell me you went and saw that piece of crap movie Van Helsing. LVK: No Rick, it's a turn of phrase. RP: A corny one. LVK: *sigh* Let's just go to the ring. [Cross to Dave Stokes.] DS: The following contest is scheduled for one fall, with a 20 minute time limit. [The lights go out in the arena. The crowd's anticipation brings the noise level to a fevered pitch. "Back in Black" by AC/DC begins to blare in the background, and the buzz turns to a chorus of boos. Suddenly, the lights come back up, only they are tinted green, giving the arena a weird feel and not a whole lot of visibility. Then, something begins falling from the ceiling. It looks like confetti at first. The camera cuts to the back curtain and standing at the entryway is the 6'6 and 300lb frame of Magnus Colby. He is wearing full length black wrestling tights and black boots. On the rear of his tights there is a red spider web. Down the outside of one leg in red is the word Widow and on the other Maker. Magnus is holding one of the pieces of 'confetti' it is in fact, a fake $1,000,000 bill. Obviously fake in that the picture is Magnus' own. Magnus holds it up to the camera and smiles before dropping it to the ground and stomping his way down to ringside. Magnus reaches ringside and climbs the steps, stepping over the top rope and into the ring.] DS: Introducing first, from Chicago, Illinois, weighing in at 300 pounds... MAGNUUSSS COOOOOOOOOLLLLLLLLLLBBBBBBBBBYYYYYY!!! [Heel Pop!] RP: This man should get a medal for what he did to Valentine. It was a public service! LVK: What's Colby doing? Is he trying to bribe the referee? RP: Hell, couldn't hurt! [As Colby enters the ring, he produces a large roll of bills from his tights and places it into referee Marc Gioffre's shirt pocket with a wink. Gioffre looks at Colby questionably, but before he can say a word, he's interrupted by Valentine's introduction...] # Holy Calamity! Scream Insanity! All you ever gonna be's another great fan of me! # [Madison J. Valentine tears the curtain aside and strides out into the aisle, dressed in his ring attire of black trunks, kneesavers and elbowpads with knee-high white boots. The crowd in the Savvis Center rises to its feet and welcomes him with a rousing ovation, but Valentine seems entirely uninterested -- his eyes are fixed on Colby in the ring, as he walks the aisle with real purpose.] DS: And his opponent -- from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, weighing in at two- hundred and fourteen pounds... he is Em Jiggy Vee... MADISOONNN! J! VAAAAALLLLEENNNTIIIIIIIIINNNEEE! [Pop! Reaching the ring, Valentine rolls straight under the bottom rope -- with Colby making sure to duck out on the other side of the ring, with a smug grin on his face. Still with the shadow of a bruise across his throat, Valentine prowls from one side of the ring to the other, with his gaze set on Colby. Even as the official tries to tell him something, he won't look away. The music fades out.] LVK: Madison J. Valentine, looking as focused as I've ever seen him. He's got nothing but revenge on his mind tonight. RP: Ha! Don't make me laugh, Van Keel. Colby's going to smack him around until he gets bored and then he'll crush his windpipe once and for all! LVK: And here's the bell! ___ ___ ________________________________________________________________ / __| | _ \ |__ / Heavyweight match | (__ | / |_ \ \___| |_|_\ |___/ Magnus Colby \ written by vs \ Terry Madison J. Valentine \_________________________________________________________________________ *DING DING DING* [Face pop!] LVK: Valentine just exploded out of the corner! He can't wait to get his hands on Colby! RP: He's trying to go toe-to-toe with Magnus Colby??? What is he? An idio-...oh wait, Madison J. Valentine. LVK: Valentine's completely fired-up for this match and he's taking the fight to the leader of Widow Makers Inc.! [Valentine pounds away at Colby, switching from punches to chops to kicks and back to punches once more, befuddling Colby with his unorthodox assault. All the WMI leader can do is cover-up, before Valentine attempts to whip him into the ropes. Nothing doing, however, as Colby simply grabs onto the top rope and refuses to budge.] LVK: Colby's near-one hundred lbs. weight advantage coming into play, as Valentine can't seem to whip him into the ropes. RP: If the man doesn't want to move, you're not going to move him. Valentine's going to need to come up with something else, 'cause he sure as hell ain't going to overpower Colby! [Valentine hits Colby with a series of three quick kicks to the midsection and then gives it another go. His attempt to whip Colby into the ropes is quickly reversed however, as the much bigger Colby stops on a dime and pulls Valentine right towards him, right arm outstretched, poised to decapitate Valentine with a swinging, short lariat...] LVK: Valentine ducks the lariat and he rolls up Colby from behind!! [It's far too early to even try to pin a man like Magnus Colby, though.] RP: Not even a one count! LVK: Colby rolls through. Both men scrambling back to their feet...another lariat ducked under! Valentine into the ropes... *SMACK!!!* [Face Pop!] LVK: Flying forearm from MJV takes Magnus Colby off his feet!! [Colby rolls onto his knees, holding the side of his mouth. However, he's too distracted by the numbness in his jaw to realize that Valentine continued moving, bouncing off the opposite ropes and running right at him...] *THHWWWAAAACCCKK!* LVK: RUNNING DROPKICK TO FACE!!! RP: Dear God, that had to hurt! LVK: Valentine with the cover! ONE!!!! TWO!!!! [Disappointment Pop!] LVK: NO! Colby kicks out at two! RP: You're like three feet taller than this punkhead, Colby! Step on him with your foot or something! [Trying to stop the momentum, Colby quickly rolls out of the ring, trying to buy himself some time. He stumbles around a bit, still looking a bit woozy from that dropkick he took. He wipes his nose and a look of shock appears on his face.] LVK: Is that blood? Valentine may have very well broken Colby's nose with that dropkick! RP: I can't believe even believe my eyes. He's the same guy that damn near crushed this Canuck's throat last week! The mastermind behind Widow Makers Inc! And he...he let the punkhead draw first blood! Focus, man...focus! LVK: Magnus Colby hasn't wrestled consistently in nearly two years and the ringrust is apparent. [The realization that Valentine's bloodied him seems to light a fire under Colby, as his facial expression turns a few shades of MEAN. However, he turns his attention back to the ring, just in time to see 215 lbs. of Madison J. Valentine flying right at him!] LVK: Pescado by Valentine... [SHOCKED POP!!] RP: NO SOUP FOR YOU!!! LVK: Colby catches him in mid-air, and things aren't looking good for Madison J. Valentine now! [Colby grins and then presses Valentine over his head. Holding the Canadian native over his head for what seems like an eternity, he finally drops Valentine back down to Earth... HEEL POP!!! ...throat-first onto the guardrail!] LVK: Valentine had to be at least eight feet in the air and Colby just dropped him right onto that barrier! RP: And that punkhead has a throat injury, too! Brilliant! LVK: Colby was the one that severely injured Valentine last Impact by hitting the "Widowmaker" onto the guardrail and he may have very well done it again! [Colby grabs a handful of hair, pulling a coughing and sputtering Valentine back to his feet. He throws Valentine back into the ring and follows him in, hooking the Ottawa native around the waist and lifting him into the air...] LVK: Waistlock suplex right on the back of the neck leaves Valentine hurting! RP: Valentine may have caught Colby off-guard earlier, but a man of his genius isn't going to fall for that punkhead's parlor tricks for long! LVK: Colby's clearly softening Valentine up for the "Widowmaker." [Firmly in control of the match for the first time, Colby gets back to his feet with a sadistic looking grin as the crowd roars with its disapproval. He bounces himself slowly off the ropes, before dropping a well-placed elbow across Valentine's throat! MJV comes up coughing again, but has precious few seconds to recover, before Colby cinches him into a front facelock.] LVK: Colby's slowing down the pace of the match now, which is smart, since keeping Valentine grounded takes away a huge part of his offense. RP: That front facelock isn't doing any favors for that Canadian geek's throat, either. LVK: Colby's got a extensive amateur background as well, so any mat-wrestling clearly gives him an advantage. RP: Oh, give me a break, Van Keel. The man's got arms bigger than your waist; Valentine couldn't break this hold if he had a blowtorch! [Valentine fights his way back up to a vertical base, slowly but surely, and throws a few forearms to Colby's midsection in an attempt to loosen the hold. However, Colby buries a knee to his gut, stopping that exchange and drops back down to one knee, keeping the pressure on.] LVK: Valentine's trying to break this hold, but Colby's just overpowering him. RP: His best bet is to either get to the ropes or to kick Colby in the crotch. But knowing him, he's going to try to break this with brute strength he doesn't have. [Valentine once again pushes himself back to a vertical base, as the fans begin to stomp and clap in rhythm, rooting Valentine to break that hold. Colby begins to look a bit anxious, shaking his head, as Valentine nails him with a fist to the midsection. And then another! And another!] LVK: He might not be as strong as Colby, but Madison J. Valentine isn't the type to give up so easily! They're back to their feet again and the fans here in St. Louis are firmly behind Madison J. Valentine! RP: No! It's obviously their love for Magnus Colby shining through! [Rocked by a series of body punches, Colby goes to drive another kneelift to Valentine's gut, only to have his knee caught this time by an expectant Valentine...] LVK: *THAT* breaks the hold!! RP: Holy crap! He bit him!! ["Freedom at last!" pop! Releasing his grip, Colby screams out in outrage and pain, holding his thigh, as Valentine shoves him away. Rubbing his neck, a groggy Valentine bounces himself off the ropes and propels himself at Colby with a spinning leg lariat, only to be caught in mid-air once again!] LVK: He caught him again!! Magnus Colby's strength is unreal! [Throwing Valentine over his shoulder, Colby takes a running start and then DRIVES Valentine into the canvas...] "THHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUDDDDDDDDDDDDD!!!!!" [HEEL POP!!!] LVK: Dear God! What an absolutely brutal running powerslam!! RP: Brutal!? He almost sent him to China with that one! LVK: And the cover! ONE!!!! TWO!!!! TH-KICKOUT!!! [Face Pop!] LVK: Valentine slips the shoulder! RP: And prolongs the agony! [Colby slaps his hand on the canvas in frustration, before dragging Valentine back to his feet and tossing him rudely onto the second rope, draping him throat first against it. He runs into the ropes and then leaps, legs outstretched, right onto the back of the prone Valentine! Heel Pop!] LVK: Oh! RP: Larynx-crushing at it's finest! [HEEL POP!!] LVK: And now he's choking Valentine against the ropes! Break it up, Gioffre! RP: Hey now, we saw Colby hand him that roll of bills...I'm not trying to imply nothing, but maybe Gioffre doesn't want to break that hold... LVK: Marc Gioffre's a man of integrity! He'd never take a bribe! RP: So he'd just steal Magnus Colby's money? I see how it is! [Turning Valentine a nice shade of blue, Colby simultaneously pulls back on the ropes, while shoving a knee into Valentine's upperback. Gioffre gives Colby the five-count, forcing a break, only to have Colby reapply the hold immediately after! Heel pop!] LVK: Whatever signs of ringrust Magnus Colby showed earlier have apparently eroded away, as he's using every dirty trick in the book! RP: Colby's a veteran of the ringwars, Van Keel. He knows damn well what needs to be done to win this match. [Finally backing off, Colby lets Valentine slowly slide off the ropes and fall onto the canvas, coughing. He tosses Valentine to the outside, much to the shagrin of Marc Gioffre. However, Colby counters back by rubbing his thumb and fingers together, giving him the universal sign for money. Heel pop!] RP: That's right, Gioffre! Know your damn place! LVK: Madison J. Valentine sent to the outside, and it looks like Magnus Colby's got some bad intentions! [Colby leaps off the apron and drags Valentine by the hair, taking to announcer's area and slamming him head-first onto their table!] RP: Hey! You almost spilled my soda! LVK: Colby and Valentine are directly in front of our table! RP: Hands off the mini-fan!! [Ignoring the protests of Rick Perle, Colby grabs the electric fan, wrapping its cord around Valentine's neck! As he tries to pull back on the cord, Valentine suddenly grabs hold of his head and then drops down to his knees, impacting Colby's jaw with the top of his skull! Face pop!] LVK: JAWBREAKER!! Valentine's patented jawbreaker breaks the chokehold! *SSSMMMMAAACCCK!* [FACE POP!!] LVK: And Colby takes an electric fan to the side of the head! RP: Hey! What the hell do you think you're doing!? [Unwrapping the rest of the cord from his neck, Valentine reaches over and grabs a bottle of water from the announcers, taking large, generous gulps to quench the thirst caused by Colby's assault on his throat. Still coughing heavily, he leaps onto the announcer's table and just as quickly, leaps off, wrapping his legs around Colby's head and taking him down with a flying headscissors! Face Pop!] RP: HOLY GUACAMOLE!! LVK: Madison J. Valentine with an amazing headscissors variation off our table!! In a blink of an eye, he's retaken control of this match! RP: Gah! He stepped on my bagel! ["Em Jiggy Vee" charges right at a rising Colby, who sidesteps him and shoves him towards the steel steps. However, with the agility of a cat, Valentine leaps up onto the top of the stairs. Colby spins around, only to receive a mouth full of boot for his troubles! With another leap, he hooks Colby's head in mid-flight, rotating through the air, before driving the WMI leader's head onto the padded floor with a tornado DDT!! HUGE FACE POP!!] "THHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUDDDDDDDDDDDDD!!!!!" [HUGE FACE POP!!!] RP: GREAT GOOGILY MOOGILY!! He could've cracked Colby's skull open with that DDT!! LVK: A spectacular high-risk move from Madison J. Valentine! He's pulling out all the stops tonight! RP: Come on, Magnus, shrug it off! It's just a little head trauma! [Colby lays facedown on the ringside floor, cradling his head and kicking his legs in agony as Valentine slowly drags himself back up with the help of the ring apron. He rolls back into the ring, as Colby crawls over to the guardrail, pulling himself up onto shakey legs. Valentine gets a gleam in his eye, noticing the precarious position that Colby's placed himself in. He climbs up onto the top turnbuckle, perched and ready to fly.] RP: Oh crud... LVK: Valentine sees Colby draped on the guardrail and I think he's got revenge in mind! RP: Damnit, Magnus! Look behind you! [With nothing but blind rage and payback in mind, Madison J. Valentine leaps at Magnus Colby with a flying double-axhandle from the top rope.... ...soaring through the air.... *CRRRRRRRAAAASSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHH!!!!* ...and hitting that guardrail chest-first as Magnus Colby moves out of the way! HUGE HEEL POP!!] RP: YES!! He's gotta' have eyes in the back of his head! LVK: Magnus Colby sidestepped at the last possible second and causes Valentine to hit the steel hard!! He might have very well lured Valentine right into that! RP: Knowing how Colby's mind operates, you know damn well he did! [With a sneer on his face, Colby tosses his hurt foe back into the ring. He pulls Valentine into a standing headscissors and grabs him around the waist, lifting him into the air and whipping him back down onto the canvas with a huge powerbomb!] "THHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUDDDDDDDDDDDDD!!!!!" [HEEL POP!!!] RP: SWEET SASSY MOLASSY!! LVK: POWERBOMB!! Magnus Colby just damn-near powerbombed Valentine through the ring!!! RP: He's holding on! [Grabbing Valentine by the wrists, Colby muscles his adversary back up into the air...] "THHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUDDDDDDDDDDDDD!!!!!" [HUGE HEEL POP!!!] LVK: Ohmygod! A second, absolutely hellacious, powerbomb by Magnus Colby!! RP: Thank you sir, may I please have another??? That ruled! [Ask and ye shall receive. Colby pulls MJV off the canvas one more time, this time however, with quite bit less gusto. He walks a few steps forward towards a corner and heaves...] . .. ... .... ..... .... ... .. . Crowd: OHHHHHHH!!!!! RP: Holy freakin' crap!!! LVK: A powerbomb right into the corner turnbuckle!! I hate to say it, but Madison J. Valentine has to be done after that! [Valentine takes a few steps forward, before falling down hard on his side. Colby holds the small of his back, feeling the effects of his powerbomb assault. Breathing heavily, he drops down onto his knees and covers Valentine! Heel Pop!] LVK: Colby hooks the leg! ONE!!!! TWO!!!! THR-NO!!! HE KICKS OUT! [HUGE FACE POP!] RP: Wha-...what!?! No freakin' way! LVK: Madison J. Valentine somehow found the strength to _STILL_ kickout after taking those three powerbombs, and Magnus Colby is livid! [Slamming his fists down angrily on the canvas, Colby slaps his hand down rapidly three times onto his opened palm, yelling curses and obscenities at Marc Gioffre, who holds up two fingers in Colby's face. Colby gets back to his feet, looking very much like an exhausted man. He slaps Valentine in the back of the head a few times, before yanking him back to his feet. He whips Valentine into the corner, charging in with a head full of steam and crushing him with an avalanche!] LVK: Magnus Colby looks to be at the end of his endurance, but he's not letting up on Madison J. Valentine at all! RP: He knows he can't let Valentine catch a second wind...hell, a third wind! LVK: Colby whips Valentine into the opposite corner and charges in again... *SMACK!!!* [Big Face Pop!] LVK: Valentine catches Colby coming in with a boot to the face! RP: Damnit! Don't be so careless, man! LVK: Valentine leaps onto the second rope... "THHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUDDDDDDDDDDDDD!!!!!" [HUGE FACE POP!!!] RP: Goddamnit!!! LVK: Second-rope bulldog from Valentine!! Colby's down! ONE!!!! TWO!!!! KICKOUT! [Disappointment Pop!] LVK: NO!!! Colby with the big kickout! RP: Yeah! [Valentine quickly races to the ropes, but Colby's there to catch him...] "THHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUDDDDDDDDDDDDD!!!!!" [HEEL POP!] LVK: SPINEBUSTER!! He almost broke Valentine in half!! RP: Awwwwww yeah!! Who's yo' daddy??? LVK: Colby slow to his feet, but I think that move may have very well spelled the end for Valentine! [Colby stumbles a bit on wobbly legs, advancing on the unmoving Canadian. He pulls Valentine up by the hair, only to receive an eye gouge for his troubles! Face pop!] LVK: Thumb to the eye! Colby's staggered! RP: Disqualify him, Gioffre! Do your damn job!!! LVK: Boot to the gut... [BIG FACE POP!] LVK: ...Swinging neckbreaker!! And Valentine's looking to go to the top! RP: Impossible! No damn way this punkhead's going to win! LVK: Valentine's slowly making his way to the top... [Too slow, it seems, as Colby gets back to his feet and drops himself into the ropes, knocking Valentine back down onto the top rope! Sympathetic groans from the crowd follow.] RP: YES! LVK: That wasn't enough to put Colby down for long! [Colby wanders over to the hurting "Em Jiggy Vee" and grabs him into a 3/4 nelson as the crowd quickly recognizes the set-up for Colby's dreaded finisher! Heel pop!] LVK: He's setting Valentine up for the Widowmaker off the top rope! He's going to end it right here and now! RP: Do it! Finish him! [However, just as Colby begins to run out of the corner, he meets resistance as Valentine hooks his legs around the top rope. As a matter of fact, he suddenly finds it fairly difficult to even breathe. Why, exactly? Because Madison J. Valentine's caught him in the Madmission.] LVK: THE MADMISSION!!! VALENTINE REVERSED THE WIDOWMAKER INTO THE MADMISSION!!! RP: How the hell did he do that!?! Fight it, Colby! Fight it! LVK: Colby's fading! He's fading! RP: No, damnit! Not like this! [With arms flailing wildly, Colby tries everything in his power to break the rear-naked choke and fling Valentine off his back. Madison scissors his legs, holding on for dear life as Colby's struggles begin to lose some steam. However, with one last desperate grasp for life, Colby drives himself back into the corner, smashing Valentine... HEEL POP! ...and manages to break the hold!] RP: YES! YES! LVK: Colby breaks the hold! [Colby coughs and hacks, looking much like Valentine did earlier in the match. He recovers and turns, charging right back towards the corner where Valentine is slumped over. However, he's too fatigued to notice the sudden movement...] *THHWWWAAAACCCKK!* [...as Valentine damn near takes his head off with the Silver Bullet! HUGE FACE POP!!!] LVK: SILVER BULLET!!! COLBY GETS NAILED WITH THAT SUPERKICK!!! RP: Nooooooooo!!!!!! [Eyes glazed over, Colby stumbles a few feet back, before dropping straight onto his back. Using the last of his strength, Valentine once again climbs the turnbuckles, this time sure that Colby will not rise again. He stands up tall and points out towards the crowd, before leaping...] "THHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUDDDDDDDDDDDDD!!!!!" [MASSIVE FACE POP!] RP: There is no God. LVK: AIR VALENTINE!!! HE HITS IT ALL!!! ONE!!!! TWO!!!! THREE!!!! *DING DING DING* [HUGE POP!] LVK: HE DOES IT!!! MADISON J. VALENTINE WINS!!! RP: He didn't win a damn thing! He survived! [Take it, David Stokes.] DS: YOUR WINNER OF THE MATCH... MADISOOONNNNNN J. VAAAAALLLLEENNNTIIIIIIIIINNNEEE! [Another big pop!] LVK: A huge win and an amazing performance by Madison J. Valentine, as he gains a measure of revenge over the much larger Magnus Colby! RP: Hey, don't take anything away from Colby! LVK: Indeed, Magnus Colby was simply dominating for a large portion of the match. For a man who's been out of the sport for two years, he showed he's still very much a force to be reckon with. RP: It was a lucky shot by Valentine, that's all. [Colby gets up in the ring, looking extremely groggy as Marc Gioffre helps him back up. He suddenly snaps to attention and drops Gioffre with a vicious headbutt! HEEL POP!] RP: Holy crap! LVK: What did he do THAT for!? [Colby sticks his hand into Gioffre's shirt pocket and pulls out the roll of hundreds he had placed in Gioffre's pocket at the beginning of the match, before exiting the ring to the jeers of the crowd.] LVK: What a scumbag! RP: Yeah, screw you, Gioffre! LVK: *Sigh* [Fade out.] [We fade in to Hour Two of Caged Rage 3, and the camera does a scan of the Savvis Center crowd. Of course, the place is pumpin', so we right into the ring, and right to the ever-dapper David Stokes.] DS: The following contest is a falls count anywhere ST LOUIS STREET FIGHT! [HUGE HOMETOWN POP!] DS: Although not officially recognised, this match is for the Universal Jisatsu championship! [POP!] DS: Introducing first, hailing from Hackney, England and weighing in at 295 pounds... here is RUM BARTON!!! [The sounds of "Golden Brown" by the Stranglers hit the PA, and Rum Barton steps his way through the curtain. Barton looks around the arena, scanning over the RCW faithful as he stands at the top of the ramp dressed in dirty jeans, black boots, and a wife beater, along with heavily taped wrists, hands, and fingers. A cross hanging off a gold chain is wrapped around his neck, which he kisses before heading towards the ring. In front of him he pushes a shopping cart full of hardcore goodies...spools of barbed wire, boxes of thumbtacks, singapore canes, toasters, panes of glass, several light tubes tied together with barbed wire, and many other things.] #Golden brown texture like sun# #Lays me down with my mind she runs# #Throughout the night# #No need to fight# #Never a frown with golden brown# [Rum continues pushing his cart towards the ring, as the curtains flutter a bit...] LVK: Barton's ready for war in this one! RP: Well, look at who he's faci- [HEEL CROWD POP!] RP: MARTINEZ! LVK: The match hasn't even started yet! [Barton doesn't even get a chance to turn around as "The Last American Badass" comes barrelling from the back... ...carrying a pane of glass. Guess what happens next?] "CRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASH!" RP: Damn, that was quick! LVK: Martinez is definitely looking to get this one started early, as he just ambushed Rum Barton before he could even get to the ring! [Martinez wastes no time in getting down to business, stomping away at Barton's head, mushing his face in the shattered glass all around him in the process. He pulls Barton back up to his feet and rears back, ready to connect with a right hand, but Barton's got other plans as he headbutts the ever loving shit out of Martinez, busting his nose in the process!] RP: GUSHER! LVK: Alex Martinez might just have a broken nose, and the bell hasn't even rung yet! RP: He's still fighting though! [Indeed. Broken nose or not, Martinez uncorks a taped right hand that snaps Barton's head back something fierce. The two trade punches for a few moments, before another figure comes barreling down the aisle... ...carrying a car door.] LVK: GRIMSSON WITH A BATTERING RAM OF SORTS! RP: Oh, hell no. [Martinez turns and gets a chest full of car door, causing him to hit the ground in a heap, and Grimsson whirls around and smacks Barton in the side of the head with the car door, instantly busting him open and sending him to the ground as well! And with that, the bell rings!] ___ ___ ________________________________________________________________ / __| | _ \ |__ / Three-way St Louis Street Fight | (__ | / |_ \ \___| |_|_\ |___/ "Pit Monster" Chad Grimsson vs \ written by "Hackney Hitman" Rum Barton vs \ Griff "Last American Badass" Alex Martinez \_________________________________________________________________________ "DING DING DING!" LVK: And this one's officially underway! RP: It was underway when Martinez decided to show up early! LVK: And now, Chad Grimsson- armed with a car door, of all things- is looking to take control of this one quickly... [CROWD POP!] LVK: And he's slamming that car door right into Rum Barton's chest! RP: Break his sternum! LVK: MARTINEZ! [HEEL CROWD POP!] RP: Lil' Grimsson's in pain now! LVK: Martinez with a low blow, and Grimsson's doubled over... waistlock applied- "THUUUUUUUUUUD!" LVK: RELEASE GERMAN SUPLEX IN THE AISLEWAY! GRIMSSON AND THE CAR DOOR WENT FLYING! RP: Let's see what happens when someone other than Grimsson knows how to use a car door! LVK: Martinez with that door- "THWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!" RP: That's gotta be from a Volvo. LVK: Grimsson just took a sick shot from that door... and now all _three_ men are bleeding in some fashion! RP: I doubt people expected anything but that! LVK: Martinez pulling Grimsson up now- HAMMER! RP: What?! LVK: RUM BARTON WITH A HAMM- "THUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUNK!" LVK: AND ALEX MARTINEZ IS OUT! BARTON WITH THE COVER! RP: Off of a hammer shot?! LAME! ONE! TWO!! SHOULDER UP!!! RP: It's gonna take more than a stupid hammer to take out Alex Martinez! LVK: Martinez got his shoulder up in the nick of time... and Rum Barton's got himself a Singapore cane! RP: Stupid shopping cart! "THWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!" "THWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!" "THWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!" LVK: AND RUM BARTON IS LITERALLY BEATING ALEX MARTINEZ DOWN THE AISLE TOWARDS THE RING! RP: LAME! [Barton connects with a shot to the back of Martinez's legs, dropping him to the ground, and then cracks the cane over his head for good measure, getting the crowd to pop for him (and the act) in the process. Martinez is pretty much out of it, as Barton rolls him into the ring, not really noticing that Grimsson has tossed his car door into the shopping cart of goodies, and his making his way to the ring as well...] LVK: Barton and Martinez are in the ring now, with Grimsson trailing them, and Barton's digging in his pants- RP: No trouser snakes, please! [Scowling, Barton stops with the pants digging and searches his boot, revealing a metal object to a CROWD POP!] LVK: And Barton produces a spike! RP: What's he gonna- uh oh. [SHOCKED CROWD POP! Barton wastes no time in digging into the side of Martinez's forehead, and soon enough, the Last American Badass has a gout of blood coming out of the side of his head. Barton's actions get the crowd worked up into a bloodlust frenzy, which is kicked up about six more notches as Chad Grimsson slides his trusty car door into the ring. He rolls in as well, and produces a nice silver object culinary experts refer to as... ...a cheese grater. Here come the screams.] LVK: GOOD GOD! CHAD GRIMSSON'S GRATING RUM BARTON'S FOREHEAD! RP: JESUS IS HAVING FLASHBACKS AS WE SPEAK! [Rum Barton decides to be stubborn, as he continues to gouge the side of Alex Martinez's head while having his forehead scraped off. Grimsson gets bored of this in a hurry and clocks Barton in the side of the head with the grater, and heads back out to the shopping cart to find something else to use. He finds a barbed wire axe handle soon enough. CROWD POP!] RP: Well, this ain't gonna be pretty. LVK: Like what just happened was? RP: It was kinda... Grand Guignol-ish. Pretty, in a depraved way. "THWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!" RP: But that sure as hell wasn't! LVK: Chad Grimsson just cracked Rum Barton in the head with that barbed wire axe handle... and he pulls Barton up in a hurry and whips him into the corner! RP: And now he's got that damned car door again... LVK: GRIMSSON WITH THE CAR DOOR! "CRUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUNCH!" [HUGE CROWD POP!] RP: That's definitely not from a Volvo, as the damn thing crumpled far too quickly! LVK: Rum Barton's in a world of hurt now, and Alex Martinez is trying to make sure that his brain's not leaking out of the side of his head, as Grimsson sets that door down on the mat and heads over to Barton. Forearm to the face now, and he yanks Barton into a standing headscissors... RP: Holy shi- "CRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASH!!!" [HUGE CROWD POP!] LVK: RUM BARTON JUST GOT PILEDRIVED THROUGH THAT CAR WINDOW! RP: GREAT GOOGILY MOOGLY! LVK: GRIMSSON WITH THE COVER! ONE! TWO!! THRE- "THWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!" LVK: MARTINEZ WITH A SHOT FROM THAT SINGAPORE CANE, AND IT BREAKS UP THE PIN! RP: He's not done! LVK: The Last American Badass has Grimsson up now... double choke- "THUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUD!" [HEEL CROWD POP!] LVK: FIREBOMB ON CHAD GRIMSSON! RP: I THINK THE RING SHOOK! LVK: Barton's staggering to his feet now- AND MARTINEZ SLAPS A DOUBLE CHOKE ON HIM TOO- "THUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUD!" [HEEL CROWD POP!] RP: Ladies and gentlemen, the Last American Badass has had enough! [Chad Grimsson? Laid out! Rum Barton? Laid out? And Alex Martinez? He's covering Rum Barton!] ONE! TWO!! THRE- SHOULDER UP!!! RP: Son of a bitch! LVK: A bloody Alex Martinez has definitely come alive in this one, and- what the?! ["What the?!" indeed, as a black SUV backs that non-ass up to ringside- Martinez visibly brightens as the trunk opens revealing tons and tons of goodies, namely bricks, barbed wire 2x4, more Singapore canes than you can count, gasoline, a whole bunch of other stuff, and a fish tank. Needless to say, the crowd is popping like a motherfucker.] LVK: And Alex Martinez is looking to wrap this one up! RP: You ain't kidding! LVK: Martinez heading over to that SUV now... and he's got a barbed wire 2x4! [CROWD POP!] RP: And gasoline! LVK: Oh no... [Martinez douses the thorny 2x4 with gasoline, reaches into his pocket, and... "FWHOOOOOOOOOOOSH!" Once again, it's on. HUGE CROWD POP!] LVK: GRIMSSON'S UP- "THWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK! LVK: AND HE GOES DOWN IN A HURRY! RP: Fire makes folks do that, you know! LVK: BARTON! RP: That crazy son of a- [HUGE CROWD POP!] LVK: SPEAR! SPEAR BY BARTON! RP: Martinez dropped the 2x4, and it's still on fire! [Rum Barton throws all caution to the wind and just wails on Martinez as much as possible. Barton's eyes gravitate towards the flaming barbed wire 2x4 on the mat, and with the quickness, he snatches it up and proceeds to introduce it to Martinez's face over and over and over again! This gets one of those HUGE CROWD POPS, naturally.] RP: Martinez is getting BURNED!!! Someone stop Barton! [CROWD POP!] LVK: GRIMSSON WITH THE CAR DOOR! "CRUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUNCH!" RP: And Barton's bailing! LVK: I think that's more due to the force Grimsson hit him with- Barton just got smashed and ended up rolling out of the ring! RP: He bailed! LVK: Alex Martinez is burned, bleeding, and down on the mat- and Chad Grimsson goes for the cover! ONE! TWO!! THRE- SHOULDER UP!!! RP: You can't stop the Last American Badass! LVK: It sure as hell doesn't look like it! We've got ringside workers putting out that flaming barbed wire 2x4 with a fire extinguisher, as Chad Grimsson heads over to that van now... and he's got that damned fish tank! RP: Martinez's help forgot the piranhas! LVK: Whatever the case may be, this isn't going to be pretty... Grimsson's got that tank and he's headed back into the ring... [While Rum Barton tries to come back to life on the outside, Chad Grimsson's pulling the seven foot Martinez into a standing headscissors... ...lifting him up... ...and powerbombing him right through that damned fish tank!] RP: SON OF A BITCH! LVK: ALEX MARTINEZ HAS GOT TO BE DEAD! THE COVER BY GRIMSSON! ONE! TWO!! THREE!!! LVK: NO! THE REF'S SIGNALLING TWO! THIS MATCH IS STILL GOING ON! RP: THERE'S BROKEN GLASS EVERYWHERE! LVK: THESE THREE MEN DON'T CARE! ONE OF THEM IS WALKING AWAY WITH THE UNIVERSAL JISATSU TITLE TONIGHT... [CROWD POP!] LVK: And Rum Barton is back on his feet! RP: Grimsson sees him- [CROWD POP!] LVK: AND CHAD GRIMSSON IS HEADED TO THE OUTSIDE! RP: Again, this won't be pretty! LVK: Grimsson and Barton are trading right hands on the outside, both men bloodied and batter beyong all recognition... and Barton's got the upper hand- RP: SPIKE! [HUGE CROWD POP!] LVK: RUM BARTON'S JABBING THAT SPIKE FROM EARLIER RIGHT INTO GRIMSSON'S FOREHEAD!!! RP: GRIMSSON'S GONNA GET A SPIKE THROUGH THE BRAIN IF THIS KEEPS UP- [HUGE CROWD POP!] LVK: ALEX MARTINEZ IS BACK ON HIS FEET! RP: AND THAT CRAZY SON OF A BITCH IS RUNNING TOWARDS THE ROPES! [SEVEN FOOTER PLANCHA POP!] LVK: MARTINEZ JUST WIPED OUT BOTH MEN WITH A DAMNED PLANCHA OF ALL THINGS! RP: It was ugly as all hell, but it worked! [Martinez slowly gets to his feet, and with a crazed look in his eyes, he sets up a table, stalking off to get something wonderful: That goddamned can of gasoline. The arena lets loose with a torrent of cheers as Martinez douses the table, grabs his lighter, and once again... "FWHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSH!" Yes, ladies and gentlemen, someone might just die.] RP: Oh Lord, this is it! LVK: Martinez is pulling Barton to his feet- double choke- [HUGE CROWD POP!!] LVK: KICK DOWN SOUTH BY BARTON! RP: No hitting Martinez in the dong! LVK: BARTON'S WAILING ON MARTINEZ WITH THAT DAMNED SPIKE! THE LAST AMERICAN BADASS IS GUSHING BLOOD ONCE AGAIN! RP: NOT FAIR! LVK: MARTINEZ IS FAD- THUMB TO THE EYE! HE GOT IN A THUMB TO THE EYE! RP: WHOOO! LVK: BARTON DROPS THE SPIKE! MARTINEZ LUNGES FORWARD, DOUBLE CHOKE- "CRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASH!!!" "HO-LY SHIT! HO-LY SHIT! HO-LY SHIT! HO-LY SHIT!" "HO-LY SHIT! HO-LY SHIT! HO-LY SHIT! HO-LY SHIT!" "HO-LY SHIT! HO-LY SHIT! HO-LY SHIT! HO-LY SHIT!" "HO-LY SHIT! HO-LY SHIT! HO-LY SHIT! HO-LY SHIT!" LVK: FIREBOMB THROUGH A FLAMING TABLE! FIREBOMB THROUGH A FLAMING TABLE! RP: THEY HEARD YOU THE FIRST TIME! LVK: Martinez is staggering, trying to- GRIMSSON WITH THE SPIKE! [The screaming you hear? That'd be Alex Martinez due to the fact that a spike just got jammed into his knee! The Last American Badass quickly drops down to one knee, and through a veil of blood, blood, sweat, and more blood, Grimsson hooks on a full nelson and some how manages to spin the big man... ...and after about six seconds of spinning, he promptly dumps him on his head with the Spiral of Pain! HUGE CROWD POP!] LVK: SPIRAL OF PAIN ON MARTINEZ! BARTON'S OUT OF THE FLAMING WRECKAGE, BUT HE'S NOT MOVING! [Grimsson gets up and staggers over to a prone Barton, collapsing on top of him. Needless to say, the referee counts!] ONE! TWO!! THREE!!! "DING DING DING!" [HUGE CROWD POP!!!] DS: The winner of the match... and *STILL* Universal Jisatsu Champion... "PIT MONSTER" CHAD GRIMSSON!!! RP: ...wow. LVK: That was about as bloody as- RP: ..._wow_. LVK: Yeah. All three men beat the hell out of each other and then some and that ring's damn near covered in blood to prove it! Chad Grimsson was able to pull it out, but neither Rum Barton or Alex Martinez have anything to be ashamed of. RP: ..._wow_. [At ringside, Grimsson uses the guardrail to pull himself to his feet, and he holds the title up to the cheers of the crowd.] RP: Huh. From psychopath with a car door to crowd pandering kiss-ass. Figures. LVK: Well, needless to say, the ring and ringside area is a _complete_ mess right now, so we're going to need to get this cleaned up. Let's take this opportunity to take in some promotional material from your local cable provider... we'll be right back! [Fade out.] [Fade back in.] LVK: Well fans, next up we're going to see two wrestlers who are arguably the top two junior-heavyweights in the game, do battle for the Super J-Crown. RP: Alex Ripley's definitely the best. Ishikawa? Well, the jury's still out on him. LVK: Ripley powered his way through an eight-man tournament to win the Super J-Crown, a championship formed by the amalgamation of three prized belts - the RCW Light-Heavyweight belt, the SPW Independent Super-Lightweight belt, and the G-Pro Super-Middleweight belt. In doing so he shocked the world by shattering the hand of popular HERO Ishikawa, and then proceeding to beat HERO with his painful jujigatame hold, to advance in the tournament. RP: Good times, good times. LVK: HERO was the popular choice to win the tournament, but just couldn't battle through the pain of his broken hand. However, on our last Impact broadcast he managed to pin Ripley in a six-man trios match, booking himself a title challenge here tonight. The question remains, can Ishikawa overcome the physical and mental barriers to win the title? Let's find out! [Cross to David Stokes.] DS: This contest is scheduled for one fall, with a 60-minute time limit, and is for the SUPER J-CROWN CHAMPIONSHIP! [POP!] [A young woman's lovely voice comes over the PA.] V/O: You're my hero... [And right off that, huge crowd pop and all, comes the grand old beats of Bonnie Tyler's "Holding out for a HERO" (the RCW remix!). The electronic grooves of the 80's fire the crowd up... ...and then they go bonkers! Why? Because cast and all, from the entrance in a twirl, comes HERO Ishikawa, flourishing to a stop and a flex!] DS: Introducing first, the challenger, from the Naha Prefecture in Okinawa Japan he weighs in at 180lbs... HERO ISHIKAWA! [HUGE FACE POP!] [Shaking his wrapped up hand in slight pain, he makes his way down the ramp and towards the ring. With his good hand he exchanges some high fives, never too shy to wink at da ladies or shoot a crotch chop their way.] LVK: This is the man that pinned the current Super J-Crown Champion on the last impact and he looks to repeat it here tonight in the Savvis Center! RP: He looks to be permanently crippled by the submission prowess of Alex Ripley. [The former Independent Super Lightweight Champion is well toned athlete though small of stature compared to most. His both isn't ripped lean but rather lithe and athletic. His hair growing longer hair is dark with dyed blond highlights. HERO carries himself in a very smug, confident manner... you can just tell he's an asshole (or was anyhow). His outfit consists of baby blue surfer/beach style shorts (down to knee length) with black knee pads underneath and black amateur style wrestling shoes. His wrists are taped in black, his fistdroppin' hand taped heavily, padding over top of it.] RP: Look at him, he's easy pickings. LVK: All it takes is three seconds. He proved that last Impact. RP: All he proved is that miracles can happen. [Hopping onto the apron HERO looks towards a group of giggling high school girls, sending a boatload of crotch chops their way. He goes to slingshot himself in... but doesn't... instead stepping through the ropes. It's called selling! Spinning once again, HERO comes to a complete stop, hands on hip, chin tilted upwards and a smug, lovely confidence all around him.] ["Outshined" by Soundgarden blares over the speakers. HEEL POP! Alex Ripley steps through the curtains, stopping immediately and looking out to the RCW wrestling faithful. Around his waist is one-third of the Super J-Crown championship, the RCW Light-Heavyweight belt, while over each shoulder is draped the other two-thirds - the SPW Independent Super-Lightweight and G-Pro Super Middleweight belts.] DS: And his opponent....hailing from the Virgin Islands....weighing 224 pounds... ...he is the REIGNING SUPER J-CROWN CHAMPION.... ALEX RIIIIIIIPLEEEYYY!! [Ripley quickly and confidently makes his way to the ring. Carefully climbing into the ring while slightly weighed down by the three belts, Ripley walks forward towards HERO, grinning confidently as he shows off his gold. He then carefully hands the belts one at a time to a ring attendant, pointing and warning the staff member not to get a mark on them.] RP: Coming to the ring wearing _three_ championship belts... it doesn't get much more impressive than that. LVK: No it doesn't. But who'll be leaving with the belts? Let's find out! ___ ___ ________________________________________________________________ / __| | _ \ |__ / Super J-Crown Championship | (__ | / |_ \ \___| |_|_\ |___/ Alex Ripley (c) \ written by vs \ Fletcha HERO Ishikawa \_________________________________________________________________________ *DING DING!* LVK: Stand by fans, because this one's sure to be an epic! [The two wrestlers approach the centre of the ring, HERO looking the more cautious of the two as he circles around Ripley slowly. The champion stands his ground, turning to follow Ishikawa's intense glare, and then slowly raises his left hand, curling and uncurling the fingers.] LVK: Ripley laying down the challenge for a test of strength, but surely HERO won't fall for that. [HERO stops circling and raises his padded right hand slowly....ever so slowly towards Ripley's hand...] RP: Maybe he will! *OOPH!* [Pop!] LVK: But HERO with a pre-emptive kick to the gut! [Ishikawa whips Ripley into the ropes and looks to catch the Super J-Crown champ with a hiptoss. But Ripley hops over and places his boots on HERO's thighs, dropping back...] LVK: Monkey flip by Ripley...but HERO lands on his feet! RP: What agility! LVK: Ripley back to his feet- *THWACK-THUD!* LVK: And runs right into a spinning leg lariat! [Both wrestlers climb to their feet, Ripley gently rubbing at his mouth as he glares at HERO, who winks back at him playfully. They lock up, and Ripley gains the advantage through an armbar. He grabs the injured hand, looking to apply an armwringer, but HERO's expression changes from playfulness to panic in a split second, and he lashes out with a leg, swinging around....] *THUUDDDD!!* LVK: Legsweep by Ishikawa, who wanted none of that! He leaps back to his feet, and into the air... *THUUUDD!!* RP: And misses with the legdrop! LVK: Ripley takes hold of him now, Irish whip into the ropes... [Ripley ducks his head to backdrop, but HERO deftly backflips over it, landing back on his feet and then applying a rear waistlock. But being the technical wrestling dynamo he is, Ripley easily breaks free from HERO's grasp, turning and leaping....] *THWAAACKK-THUUUDD!* LVK: OH! BIG ENZUIGIRI KICK BY RIPLEY!! RP: Cover! ONE!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! [Face pop!] LVK: Only two, but Alex Ripley showed us right there that he's not going to take any chances. If he gets an opportunity to pin Ishikawa, he'll take it. RP: And why wouldn't he? I've gotta give Ishikawa credit though - he was alert enough to get out of danger _real_ quick when Ripley got hold of his injured hand. LVK: Both men up now, HERO a little slow to rise, and Ripley waffles him with a couple of European uppercuts, before pulling him into a standing headscissors. [He hoists Ishikawa skyward in a powerbomb lift, but at the height of it, HERO suddenly begins to pummel away at Ripley's forehead with his left hand....] LVK: HERO fighting against the powerbomb, causing Ripley to stagger over near the ropes- *THU-UGGH-THUUUD-THWAAAPPPPP!!!* [SHOCK POP!!] LVK: WHERE HERO SENDS BOTH OF THEM CRASHING OUT TO THE FLOOR WITH A HEADSCISSORS MOVE!! RP: Ripley went right down to the floor, but Ishikawa bounced off the apron pretty bad! LVK: A high risk move, but then again that's what junior-heavyweight wrestling is all about! [Slowly they both rise at ringside, and HERO grabs Ripley by the arm, whipping him....] *THUUDD!!* LVK: Backfirst into the apron goes Ripley, who goes ricocheting back down! RP: Oh crap...HERO's up on the apron! [He grabs the top rope, lifting himself up and springboarding off the middle rope, launching into a backflip through the air....] LVK: HEEEEEEEEROOOOOOOOOOO- *TH-UGGHH-WAAAPPPPPPP!!!!* [....and coming crashing down on Ripley just as the Super J-Crown champ gets back to his feet!] [BIG FACE POP!!] LVK: ASAI MOONSAULT BY HERO ISHIKAWA!! RP: Has he forgotten he's got a busted hand? LVK: Well, by all accounts the hand is almost healed, and it doesn't seemed to have restricted him so far. Both wrestlers climbing back to their feet now, and HERO rolls Ripley back into the ring, climbing in after him. Back to their feet, and HERO- [RUDO POP!] LVK: ...drags Ripley's face across the top rope! *THAP!* LVK: Before driving him headfirst into the top turnbuckle... RP: ....and dragging his face across the top rope going in the other direction! Son of a bitch! LVK: For some reason it never matters how much Ishikawa breaks the rules, the fans still cheer him like crazy! [Ripley falls backwards into the corner, slumping against the turnbuckles in a sitting position, and HERO lifts his right boot, pushing it across Ripley's face! POP!] LVK: And now with the bootscrape! And another! He winds up for a big one- [But as he steps back, Ripley suddenly drives up to his feet, grabbing the leg....] *THUUUDDD!!* RP: NO! Ripley counters with a dragonscrew legwhip! LVK: The champ's back up, dragging HERO over to the ropes... he's going to suplex him out of the ring! [A panicked anticipation pop goes up as Ripley locks on the front chancery, and lifts...] LVK: Over goes Ishikawa... BUT HE LANDS ON THE APRON! Stuns Ripley with a shot to the head... SPRINGBOARD- [HERO launches himself up onto the ropes, but before he can spring off, Ripley rushes over and shoves Ishikawa hard in the chest with both hands, sending the Japanese superstar plummetting through the air....] *KAH-LAAAANNNKKKKKKK!!!* [SHOCK POP!!!] LVK: GOOD GOD!! HERO WENT CRASHING FROM THE RING AND COLLIDED HEAVILY WITH THE STEEL RING RAILING!! RP: Haha! Who's laughing now? LVK: Well...no one's actually laughing. RP: That's because Ripley's too professional for that. But he's laughing on the inside! [A slight smirk spreads across the champ's face as he climbs through the ropes and down to the floor, showing no real urgency to follow up. But as he approaches the downed HERO, suddenly Ishikawa kips up off the ringside mats, springing to his feet and grabbing Ripley in a rapidly-applied front chancery, then snapping him over....] *THWAAAAAAAPPPPPPP!!!* [FACE POP!!] LVK: OH YEAH! Ishikawa was playing possum, and nailed Ripley with his patented Kip Up Suplex! [And HERO kips up to his feet again...] *one-handed crotchchop!* HERO: FUCKA YOOOOOOUUUUUUUUUUUU!!! [HUGE FACE POP!!] LVK: HERO Ishikawa's English isn't the best, but the message to Alex Ripley was loud and clear for all to hear right there! RP: Unlike most of his promos. He murders the English language worse than if he was to take to the dictionary with a damn chainsaw! LVK: HERO slides back into the ring, and I think he's sizing Ripley up for some kind of suicide dive... clearly not shying away from the high risk daredevil moves. Here goes HERO into the far ropes, charges... RP: Ripley's up on the apron! [HERO manages to stop short of the ropes, and blocks a punch from Ripley, grabbing the champ's head with both hands and dropping to his knees....] *URRKK!* LVK: Hotshot across the top rope, sending Ripley crashing back to the arena floor! [And no sooner has the Super J-Crown champion hit the mats, than HERO runs across the ring and leaps onto the middle rope of the adjacent ropes, launching into a backflip that takes him up and over the ropes beside him, flipping over through the air....] *flashbulb* *TH-UGGH-WAAPPPPPPP-CLAANKKK!!* [MASSIVE HIGHSPOT POP!!] RP: SWEET JESUS!! NICE MOVE!! LVK: Another HERO special, the Inside Out Moonsault, flattening Ripley with the accuracy of a surface-to-air missile! RP: They both went crashing into the railing pretty hard. LVK: Yes they did, but both are back to their feet, shaking it off, which just goes to show what resilient athletes they are. No doubt the top two junior-heavyweights in the sport right now. [They both climb back in, and HERO blocks a punch, swinging in behind Ripley and lifting him....dropping him into an atomic drop not once but twice, before lifting for a third time, letting go in mid-air and turning, raising his leg backwards to nail Ripley with a mule kick as he comes down! RUDO POP!!] LVK: Having watched some of those SPW DVDs, I have a feeling that if Alfonso Reyes was here in the commentary box instead of in the ring, he'd be yelling "RUDO! RUDO! Rrrrrrr-UDO!". RP: He should put that El Super Macho mask back on. I mean, his ugly mug could scare the wolves off a meat truck. LVK: Why do you have to be so insulting? RP: It's a gift given to me by God himself. [With Ripley down on the mat clutching at his groin in pain, HERO runs into the ropes, rebounding off and tucking into a forward roll, springing into the air and coming crashing down with his fist extended, driving it down into Ripley's forehead! MASSIVE POP!!] LVK: OOOOHHH!! HERO WITH DA FISTDROP~! OUT OF NOWHERE!! DA ROLLING THUNDA FISTDROP AT THAT!! RP: He nailed it alright, but it was a dumb move! Look! [HERO climbs back to his feet, shaking his padded hand with a slight grimace. Then he drops down onto Ripley.] LVK: Here's the cover! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! T-NO! Ripley kicks out! [Back to his feet climbs HERO, continuing to shake the pain out of his hand as he walks over to the ropes. Ripley gets up and charges at him, but HERO drops his shoulder, lifting Ripley up and over the top rope, the champ landing on the apron. Ripley fires off a punch, which HERO blocks, quickly grabbing Ripley's head and running towards the corner. But Ripley blocks the head-ram by lifting his leg up against the turnbuckle, then reverses....] *THAAAAPPPP!!* LVK: OH! Ripley rams Ishikawa facefirst into the top turnbuckle! [With HERO hunched over, Ripley grabs the top rope and then slingshots himself in and over his adversary...] RP: SUNSET FLIP! LVK: NO! HERO holds onto the ropes to block it! *THUUDD!* LVK: And quickly puts an end to the sunset flip by stomping down onto Ripley's head! [Quick as a bullet HERO leaps onto the bottom turnbuckle, pushing off of it and launching into a backflip...] *THUUUUUUUDDDDDD!!* [FACE POP!!] LVK: MOONSAULT!! And when he does it from the bottom turnbuckle, we know what's coming next! *THUUUUUUUUDDDDDDDDDD!!* LVK: THERE IT IS! The second moonsault of the trilogy, and now for NUMBER THREE! [But as HERO leaps up to the top, Ripley counters by lifting his knees. On the last Impact HERO went through with the moonsault, landing across the knees, but this time he stops, waiting for Ripley to drop his knees back down, and then jumps down off the turnbuckle....] *THUUU-OOPPPHH-UDDDD!!* [BIG POP!!] LVK: OOOHHHH!! VICIOUS DOUBLE STOMP, DRIVING THE WIND OUT OF ALEX RIPLEY!! RP: And you better believe that hurts! LVK: A smart move by Ishikawa, who obviously learned from his mistakes the last time these two met. Starting way back in the South Pacific and continuing here in RCW, these two have had a hard-fought series of matches, and are really getting to know each other's styles, learning counter-strategies upon counter-strategies. [HERO walks away from the downed Ripley, clenching and unclenching his right fist with the slight grimace still on his face, telling the world that he's in moderate discomfort but still managing full use of the injured hand.] LVK: Alex Ripley is slow to get up, trying to find his breath... and HERO doesn't want to give him time to recover...CHARGING! [Ripley grabs HERO, ducking down and lifting the Japanese high-flyer up and over his head, sending him up onto the top turnbuckle, where HERO deftly balances, eliciting an impressed pop from the fans. HERO takes a split-second to ensure his balance, then turns, just as Ripley does the same below. HERO leaps, landing on Ripley's shoulders in a rana position....] *THUUUUUUUUDDDDDDDDD!!* [SHOCK POP!] RP: BOOYAH! LVK: HERO took to the air, landing on Ripley's shoulders with the intention of huracanranaing him to the mat, but Ripley _DROVE_ him into the mat with a high impact powerbomb! RP: Proving one thing... LVK: What comes up must come down? RP: No. Ishikawa's parents should have practised safe sex. LVK: Rick! [Still catching his breath, wincing as he takes a big lungful of oxygen in, Ripley drags HERO up into a standing headscissor, leaving him there for a moment...] LVK: Ripley has HERO in position, lifts...ANOTHER POWERBOMB! [But in mid-lift, HERO grabs Ripley's right arm and rolls down to the mat, throwing Ripley over onto his back and applying a cross armbreaker. Or as we like to call it...] LVK: JUJIGATAME!! HERO HAS RIPLEY IN HIS OWN FINISHING HOLD! [The fans roar into life with a SHOCKED POP, but it dies down again just as quickly, as Ripley lunges his legs for the ropes, planting a boot on the bottom strand, a look of complete panic on his face.] RP: Phew! That was close! [They both roll to their feet, and HERO charges...] *SMAACK-THUUUUDDD!!* [...right into a killer lariat that folds him over, sending him crashing awkwardly to the mat!] LVK: WOW! RP: Ripley's pissed! I don't think he expected Ishikawa to use his own move on him! LVK: Maybe that's all part of HERO's plan... he probably didn't expect to get a submission, but he knew it would rattle Ripley... make him lose some of his usual composure. [Walking over to the nearby corner, Ripley pulls himself up onto the middle rope, and stands poised, as HERO slowly rises in a daze. He staggers forward and to the side, shaking his head to clear the cobwebs, as Ripley lines him up, and then leaps....] RP: DIAMOND DUST- [But as Ripley leaps out of the corner, HERO suddenly spins and leaps into the air...] *THWAACCKKK!!* *THUUUUDDD-THUDDDDDDDDD!!* [MASSIVE POP!!] LVK: OH MY GOD!! HE DROPKICKED RIPLEY DOWN!! HERO's wrestled against Ripley enough times to know that the Diamond Dust was coming, and he countered it with devastating accuracy! RP: Bah, he got lucky! That was total reflex on Ishikawa's part. LVK: I disagree, and here comes the cover by HERO! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TH-NO! [Disappointment pop!] LVK: Only two, and now HERO back to his feet... [Standing over Ripley, he looks first to his left, then snaps his head to the right, drawing a HUGE ANTICIPATION POP!] RP: Ohhh, not this. LVK: Oh yeah! [He then turns and runs into the ropes, rebounding off and jumping over Ripley to rebound again, this time slowing down as he nears his fallen adversary....] LVK: DA PEOPLE'S FISTDROP- [...but as he comes to a complete stop over Ripley, his bandaged right hand cocked, ready to topple over and nail the fistdrop, the champ's legs suddenly rise off the mat and lock around the right arm, and in a flash HERO is taken over and down onto the mat, where he lands on his back, his right arm extended between Ripley's legs as the Super J-Crown title holder pulls back on the injured hand....] LVK: OOOOHHHH!! [MASSIVE PANIC POP!!] RP: HE'S GOT IT!! ISHIKAWA'S GONNA TAP!! ISHIKAWA'S GONNA TAP AGAIN!! [HERO screams in pain, his eyes darting about as he looks for a way to escape..._any_ way to escape. His legs shoot out one way, then the other...and find the ropes! THUNDEROUS RELIEF POP!!] LVK: TOO CLOSE TO THE ROPES!! HERO ESCAPES!! RP: Bah. He tapped once, he'll do it again. LVK: What an amazing takedown by Alex Ripley. He really is one of the best pure technical wrestlers...maybe _ever_. RP: Ishikawa might not have tapped, but his hand's more screwed than a liquored-up co-ed at Mardi Gras! LVK: So far the hand hasn't played a role in this match, but I have a feeling that's all about to change! [HERO clutches at the hand, a look on his face of not only pain, but of realisation and fear. He doesn't get long to contemplate the injury though, as Ripley hauls him up off the mat and leads him over to the nearest corner, lifting him up into a sitting position on the top turnbuckle and climbing up after him...] LVK: Ripley climbing up top now... looking to set up for a superplex- *THUUUDD!!* LVK: But HERO kicks him back down to the mat! Ripley rolls right back to his feet, charges the corner again... *SMACK!* RP: And tags HERO _good_ with a European uppercut! *SMACK!* RP: And another! [With HERO stunned and sitting up top, Ripley again climbs, but only to the middle rope, where he grabs the injured arm of the challenger, wrapping his legs around the limb and dropping over the top rope....] LVK: OH MY GOD!! [The fans react with a MASSIVE PANIC POP at the sight of Ripley dangling down over the apron with a hanging jujigatame locked onto HERO, who can do little more than let rip with a blood-curdling scream of agony.] LVK: RIPLEY HAS THE JUJIGATAME LOCKED ON WHILE HE'S DANGLING OVER THE ROPES!! I'VE _NEVER_ SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS BEFORE!! [Alfonso Reyes slides from the ring and gets right in Ripley's face, yelling at him to break the hold. When he doesn't, the official quickly counts to five, threatening Ripley with disqualification, and he finally unwraps himself from around the arm and drops to the floor.] RP: Ripley's the freakin' _man_! Did you see that? LVK: I sure did, and while Alfonso Reyes managed to break it up, the few seconds that the hold was applied clearly did serious damage to the arm and hand of HERO Ishikawa. [Now lying facedown on the mat, HERO sucks in deep, pain-riddled breaths through gritted teeth in between gasps of pain.] LVK: This courageous young man from Japan has impressed us all by making it this far, but he's really behind the eight ball now. RP: Come on Van Keel, stop sugar-coating it. He's _screwed_! LVK: Well...yes. And Alex Ripley knows it, as he casually climbs back into the ring, a smug grin on his face. [Grabbing HERO's injured hand, Ripley drags the challenger up to his feet, and then applies an armwringer, spinning it over to put even more pressure on it. HERO can do little more than yell in pain, as Ripley pulls the arm over his shoulder, lifting and wrenching it down, once, then twice, before spinning HERO around by the arm and hooking his head....] *THUUUUUUDDDDDDD!* LVK: Single arm DDT, but no cover by Ripley! RP: Hell no. Why spoil the fun? LVK: He's a sadistic bastard, and so are you Rick Perle. RP: Only if sadistic means enjoying someone else's pain! LVK: That's exactly what it means. RP: Oh, right. [With HERO once again lying facedown on the mat, Ripley grabs his right arm, pushing it down into the mat with both hands. He then swings his legs into the air....] *THUUUDDD!!* *THUUUUDDDD!!* LVK: OH! Twice Ripley drives his knee down onto HERO's broken hand! [Then he pushes his knee into the forearm and pulls back on the hand, wrenching it back the way the wrist doesn't bend, drawing desperate cries of pain from Ishikawa and screams of protest from the crowd.] RP: You ever witness something where it's so painful you can't even bear to watch? LVK: Yes! RP: Well, this isn't one of those moments for me. Hell, I need some popcorn! LVK: Stop it. RP: Mmmmm, and some Milk Duds. They're good torture-watching food are Milk Duds. [Releasing the arm, Ripley grabs hold of the padding on the broken hand and starts to rip at it. Protest pop! He can't rip it completely away, but does manage to tear it apart, exposing the skin below. Then he climbs to his feet slowly, looking very assured of himself. Standing over HERO, he looks down at his fallen foe and shakes his head slowly, before raising his boot....] *THUUUDDDD!!* [MASSIVE PROTEST POP!!] LVK: OH GOD!! He stomped on the hand! Ripley's not even looking for a submission - he's just inflicting pain and enjoying it! RP: Ishikawa knew what he was getting himself into. He's only got himself to blame! [Dragging HERO up by the head, Ripley applies a hammerlock as he scoops him up...] *THUUDDD!!* [...dropping him in a bodyslam that lands HERO's full weight on his arm and hand. The fans suddenly break out into a chant....] *LET'S GO HERO, LET'S GO!* *LET'S GO HERO, LET'S GO!* *LET'S GO HERO, LET'S GO!* *LET'S GO HERO, LET'S GO!* [Hearing this, Ripley turns towards the crowd and stands with hands on hips, looking slightly amused by this development. He chuckles to himself and turns back to HERO.] LVK: I've got to give it to Alex Ripley. Some wrestlers would feel the pressure of wearing the most prestigious junior-heavyweight title in the world, but not this guy. He always seems so calm, so in control. RP: Which is why he's going to be Super J-Crown champion after tonight, and for as long as he wants to be! LVK: No surprises here, as Ripley goes right back after HERO's right hand, applying a knucklelock.... [SURPRISE POP!] LVK: OOOOHHHH!! Hero wants to get out of the knucklelock any way he can...EVEN IF IT MEANS BITING RIPLEY'S HAND!! RP: I hope he's had all his shots! [Ripley releases the hold, his expression showing that the bite hurt, but also saying "can you believe he bit me?". The champ looks down at his hand and then shoves it in the face of Alfonso Reyes, who shrugs. Meanwhile, HERO rolls from the ring, clutching his right arm to his chest.] LVK: I don't think Alex Ripley was expecting that, but surely he can't be too surprised that HERO Ishikawa used unconventional tactics. Either way, this is allowing HERO time to catch his breath outside the ring. RP: Ripley's seen it, and he's climbing out onto the apron. He leaps- *THWWWWAAAAAPPPPP!!!* [POP!] LVK: But HERO sidesteps and sends Ripley crashing facefirst onto the arena floor! Ripley up again quickly- *THWAAACKK-THWWWAAPPPP!!* LVK: AND WALKS RIGHT INTO A SUPERKICK!! RP: Dammit! LVK: EVEN A ROOSTER WITH A BUSTED WING'LL KEEP ON FIGHTING WHEN IT KNOWS IT'S DOOMED!! AND THAT'S WHAT HERO ISHIKAWA IS DOING!! HE'S GONNA BITE AND SCRATCH AND FIGHT UNTIL HIS LAST BREATH! [Clutching one arm to his chest, HERO lashes out with his boots, kicking at Ripley as the champ climbs to his feet. Seemingly taken by the moment and fighting through the pain, HERO hooks Ripley's head in a front chancery, and then lifts. Ripley rises a few inches off the mat, but then is dropped back to his feet right away, as HERO yells in pain, and lets go with his right hand, shaking it frantically.] RP: HA! The idiot can't even do a simple suplex, because of his stupid hand! [Suddenly Ripley grabs hold and lifts, reversing the suplex. But he doesn't drop him backwards, instead swivelling around to face the ring railing and then dropping HERO....] *KAH-LAAAAANNKKKK!!!* [Shock pop!] LVK: Ripley counters the suplex, and DROPS HERO STOMACHFIRST ACROSS THE RING RAILING!! [And with HERO dangling across the railing, Ripley lines him up and then rushes forward....] *THWAACK!* *THWAACK!* *THWAACK!* *THWAACK!* *THWAACK!* LVK: MY GOD!! A brutal series of kicks to the exposed chest and head of HERO Ishikawa, who is hanging across the ring railing with nowhere to go! *THWAAAAAACKKK-KLAAANNNKK!!* RP: How about into the crowd? Ripley just backed up and kicked a freakin' field goal with Ishikawa's head! LVK: Vicious! [Ringside fans swarm around HERO as he lies amongst overturned chairs, hardly moving at all. But he is soon wrenched up off the floor and dragged over the railing, before being rolled back into the ring by Ripley.] RP: Look at your rooster now Van Keel - Ripley's making Southern Fried Chicken out his ass! LVK: Ripley has hold again, applying a rear waistlock- *THUUUDDD!* LVK: GERMAN SUPLEX! And he rolls through, back into position- *THUUUUUUDDD!!* RP: Nailing the second German! Here comes number three! [But as Ripley gets HERO into position, HERO suddenly lashes out with back elbows, using his left arm, and then ducking under to apply a rear waistlock of his own, drawing a pop from the crowd. It's short-lived though, as Ripley breaks the waistlock and then bends down, reaching under and grabbing one of HERO's legs, pulling it up and sending HERO crashing back to the mat. Ripley keeps hold of the leg and quickly transitions into a cross knee-scissors. SUBMISSION HOLD POP!!] LVK: HIZA JUJIGATAME! [HERO's mouth shoots open as he feels the pain start to course through his leg and knee, and he looks around for an escape. Spying the ropes nearby, he reaches out for them, and comes up short!] RP: Tap! Tap you English-language-murdering mofo! [Ripley pulls back on the leg with extra effort, drawing a pained yell from HERO, who still has his sights locked on the ropes. He inches forward slowly, then reaches out again.... ....making the ropes! BIG FACE POP!] LVK: He made the ropes! But Alex Ripley is once again showing us why he's one of the best technical and submission wrestlers around. RP: Damn right. [Taking hold of the injured right hand again, Ripley begins to tear at the padding and taping, and this time gets further, yanking away until it comes completely free from the hand. Then he drops the arm back to the mat, and again swings his legs into the air....] *THUUUDDD!!* LVK: And back to the hand goes Ripley, driving his knee down into it. If HERO Ishikawa's hand had mended before this match, then surely it's got to be close to being broken again after the punishment Alex Ripley has meted out! [Taking hold of the arm again, Ripley suddenly applies a legscissor hold to it and drops back to the mat...MASSIVE PANIC POP!!] RP: SWEET SASSY MOLASSEY!! HERE WE GO!! LVK: HE'S GOT THE JUJIGATAME LOCKED ON!! [HERO's entire body begins to thrash about on the mat, as the crowd senses the end of the match. Referee Alfonso Reyes drops to his knees and asks the question over and over. HERO shakes his head no.... ...and then somehow twists his legs around to make the ropes! THUNDEROUS POP!!] LVK: Wow! I thought for sure HERO was going to tap, but somehow he made it to the ropes! RP: He's a feisty little bastard. He doesn't know when to give up, dammit! I mean, he's going to end up with a permanently deformed hand if he keeps this up, and it'll all be his own damn fault! [Ripley climbs to his feet, and suddenly pushes Alfonso Reyes back into the ropes, shoving a finger right in his face, before turning and kicking at the ropes.] LVK: And now we're seeing the first signs of frustration from the champ! The first chinks in the normally cool and calm demeanour of Alex Ripley! RP: He's gotta stay calm. Ishikawa's not going anywhere - he's a damn sitting duck. Ripley's just gotta keep working on him and he'll tap out. He did it once before and he'll do it again! [Seething with frustration, Ripley wrenches HERO to his feet and into a standing headscissors position, then hoists him up so that HERO is left dangling backfirst across one shoulder...] LVK: Canadian backbreaker! [...but an instant later HERO breaks free and slides down Ripley's back, landing on his feet and reaching back to hook both his arms. Ripley is caught off-guard and off-balance, as he is pulled over backwards, his shoulders hitting the mat....] LVK: OH BOY!! HERO COUNTERS WITH A BACKSLIDE!! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THREE- [Disappointment pop!] RP: NO! He kicked out! LVK: That was the move that HERO used to beat Ripley on our last Impact broadcast, and it very nearly worked again! [Having thrust his body off the mat and rolled over backwards to his feet, Ripley charges angrily...] *THWAAAACKK-THUUUDDD!* [...right into a spinning leg lariat! HUGE FACE POP!!] LVK: I told you Rick, HERO Ishikawa isn't about to just give up! His desire to wear the Super J-Crown won't allow it! [With both men down on the mat, the fans suddenly roar back into life...] *HE-RO! HE-RO!* *HE-RO! HE-RO!* *HE-RO! HE-RO!* *HE-RO! HE-RO!* [...and while this chant fills the arena, the Japanese superstar rolls under the bottom rope out to the floor, his right arm still clutched to his chest. He uses his good hand to throw back the ring apron, and then his head disappears under...] RP: What's he doing now? LVK: I have no idea. [A few seconds later he re-emerges, a large roll of duct tape in his hand. Again using his good hand, he attachs the tape to his right hand and then starts to wrap the tape around it tightly.] LVK: He's duct-taping up his injured hand! Ripley tore loose the protection it had before, so HERO's replacing it! RP: Idiot! If he can find a Swiss army knife and an old calculator, combined with the duct tape, he can make a lazer and zap Ripley! LVK: Uh, what? RP: Didn't you ever watch MacGyver? [His fist now looking like it's wearing a shiny grey mitten, HERO throws the duct tape away and rolls back into the ring, no longer clutching the arm to his chest, but still not moving it freely, wincing with the pain as he moves about.] LVK: If nothing else the tape will provide some cushioning for the hand, and also prevent Ripley from getting to the bare skin and flesh. [Ripley climbs back to his feet and sees HERO, lashing out with a knife-edge chop. But HERO ducks it, and grabs him from behind, lifting....] *THUD!* LVK: Atomic drop by HERO, and he keeps hold...lifts again- *THUUD!* LVK: Hitting another! He goes for three in a row- [But as he lifts, Ripley breaks free and leaps, spinning and landing on his feet facing HERO, who has dropped down to one knee. In a flash Ripley runs forward and steps onto HERO's outstretched knee, going for a Shining Wizard, but just as quickly HERO grabs the leg and rolls backwards, and then spins out, the end result being HERO on his back with his knees drawn up and Ripley draped backfirst across the knees, HERO holding onto Ripley's head with his good hand and his legs with the forearm of his hurt arm. BIG POP!] RP: HOLY GUACAMOLE! LVK: What a move by HERO Ishikawa, and now he has Ripley prone in a bow and arrow submission hold! *THUD!* RP: But he has to release it - he just couldn't keep it locked on without using his injured hand. LVK: Regardless, HERO has slowly fought his way back into this match, after looking gone for all money. [They both climb to their feet, and Ripley stuns HERO with a couple of European uppercuts, before whipping him into the far corner and charging in after him...] *THWACK!* LVK: OH! HERO got his knee up into Ripley's face, and now he pushes up onto the middle rope, grabs Ripley's head- [But before he can go through with the tornado DDT, Ripley pushes him off. HERO lands on the mat but springs right back to his feet, and charges in. Ripley ducks out of the way and quickly hooks on a rear waistlock...] *THUUUUUUDDDDDDDD!!* LVK: GERMAN SUPLEX BY RIPLEY... AND HE HOLDS THE BRIDGE!!! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! RP: HE GOT HIM! HE GOT HIM! [Massive relief pop!] LVK: No he didn't! HERO got his shoulder up off the mat... and Alfonso Reyes says it was in time! RP: Damn border-jumper. LVK: And so the momentum swings back the way of the champ, who's climbing up the turnbuckles, lining Ishikawa up... RP: Here comes the Diamond Dust! *THUUUUUUUDDDDD!!* LVK: Yes, there it is! RP: Come on, cover him! LVK: Ripley's slow to follow up, but finally drops into the pinfall cover- ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THREEEEEEE- [FACE POP!] LVK: Only two! RP: BAH! LVK: Think of the history attached to the three belts that make up the Super J-Crown. Think of the battles between TORA Wanizame and The Banshee in G-Pro, think of men like Callan Greenway, who held both the G-Pro and RCW belts under the guises of Raya Oscura and Stripe....both of the men in the ring right now know that a win here on pay-per-view will secure them a place amongst the greats of junior-heavyweight wrestling history. [Slowly Ripley rises, showing the effects of exhaustion. He drags HERO up by the head, and then pastes him with some more European uppercuts, before pulling him into a front chancery...] LVK: Ripley setting up for a suplex now. He lifts- *THUUUUUUUDDDDDDDDDDDD!!* [HEAD-DROPPING POP!!!] RP: AND DROPS HERO RIGHT ON HIS MELON!! LVK: What a brainbuster! [But Ripley doesn't go for the pin, instead climbing to his feet and grabbing Alfonso Reyes, gesturing for him to start a count. Some of the fans start to boo, and Reyes looks a bit confused, but then starts to count.] *ONE!* LVK: Alex Ripley doesn't want to _beat_ HERO Ishikawa. He wants to _destroy_ him! *TWO!* RP: Damn right! *THREE!* RP: Now _nobody_ will be able to question if Ripley's the best junior-heavyweight in the world! *FOUR!* [The fans start to cheer as HERO rolls onto his stomach and looks up towards the counting referee.] *FIVE!* [The strain showing on his face, HERO pushes up to his knees, drawing more cheers.] *SIX!* [Seeing this, Ripley starts to yell "STAY DOWN! STAY DOWN DAMN YOU!"] *SEVEN!* [But HERO doesn't stay down. He pushes up to his feet, just as the referee yells out "EIGHT", drawing a THUNDEROUS FACE POP!] LVK: SIMPLY INCREDIBLE!! *HE-RO! HE-RO!* *HE-RO! HE-RO!* *HE-RO! HE-RO!* *HE-RO! HE-RO!* *HE-RO! HE-RO!* *HE-RO! HE-RO!* [His face contorted into a mask of pure rage, Ripley charges at HERO, thrusting out his right arm....] LVK: Lariat- DUCKED! [And as HERO ducks it he hooks the arm with his own good arm, swinging Ripley around so that his back smacks against his own, then hooking the other arm and dropping to his knees and falling forward....] LVK: BACKSLIDE!! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE- [?] [Alfonso Reyes holds up: TWO FINGERS!] [MASSIVE DISAPPOINTMENT POP!!] LVK: CLOSE! _SO_ CLOSE!! RP: _Too_ damn close! LVK: Both men up again, and Ripley whips HERO into the ropes, ducks his head- *THWACK!* RP: Big mistake! LVK: The kick to the face sends Ripley staggering back into the ropes but he still lashes out with a European uppercut... which HERO ducks! He scoops Ripley up into a fireman's carry... *THUUUUDDDDD!!* [FACE POP!!] LVK: AND DROPS RIPLEY FACEFIRST ONTO HIS OUTSTRETCHED KNEE!! [This sends Ripley staggering blindly backwards in a daze, and HERO quickly grabs hold of him again, hooking him from the front....] *THUUUUUUUDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD!!* [MASSIVE FACE POP!!!] LVK: URANAGE!! HERO _PLANTED_ RIPLEY WITH THE URANAGE SUPLEX!! AND THAT MIGHT DO IT!!! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! RP: NO! ONLY TWO!! [Massive disappointment pop!] LVK: WOW! What fighting spirit being shown by both of these outstanding athletes! HERO seems to have found his second wind, and he has his sights locked firmly on the Super J-Crown! RP: This match is freakin' awesome! [Slowly they both rise, and HERO uses his left hand to drive a series of punches into Ripley's face, before using his left arm to lift him up into a torture rack position, which brings a HUGE ANTICIPATION POP from the crowd....] LVK: HEROHACKER- [...but before Larry can finish his sentence, Ripley flips over on HERO's shoulders and slides down slightly, grapevining one arm with his legs and hooking the other with his arms, rolling HERO down onto the mat into a pinning predicament...] RP: RIPLEY COUNTERS WITH A CRUCIFIX ROLL-UP!! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THREEEEEEEEEEEE- LVK: NO! Kickout by HERO, and the war continues! RP: Ripley's gotta be wondering what he's got to do to beat this kid. It was all much easier when he made Ishikawa tap out a few weeks back... but tonight Ishikawa just won't stay down. LVK: This is the third or fourth fight he's had since his hand was broken, so maybe he's adapted to wrestling with the pain. Plus Rick, this _is_ pay-per-view, and we're inside the Savvis Center - it's amazing how already-great wrestlers become superstars in this building. RP: Amen to that. LVK: Ripley up now, and he drags HERO up into a standing headscissors...lifts for another brainbuster- but HERO wriggles free and drops to his feet... *THWAAACKK-THUUDDD!!* [Face pop!] LVK: AND DECKS RIPLEY WITH A DROPKICK TO THE BACK OF THE HEAD!! Now HERO's heading out to the ring apron, sizing Ripley up! [Ripley staggers back to his feet, and HERO grabs the top rope with both hands....] RP: Look at that! He can't do it! Ishikawa tried to springboard back into the ring, but he had to pull out of the move because of his hand! LVK: So he's climbing back into the ring instead, clutching at that hand with a look of extreme agony on his face. Ripley's shaking off the effects of the dropkick, and now he.... he's grinning like a Cheshire cat! RP: Because he sees that HERO's back to being a one-winged sitting duck! [Ripley turns away from HERO to face the crowd, smiling and pointing at his own chest confidently. But suddenly HERO rushes him from behind, scooping the Super J-Crown champion up into a torture rack, and then pushing him up and over....] *THUUUUUUUUUUDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD!!* [MEGA SHOCKED FACE POP!!!!!] LVK: HEROHACKER BOMB!!! HERO WAS PLAYING POSSUM!! HE LURED RIPLEY INTO A FALSE SENSE OF SECURITY BY OVERPLAYING THE PAIN IN HIS HAND!! RP: BASTARD!! CHEATING SON OF A BITCH! LVK: Rick, from the moment Ripley callously broke HERO's hand all those weeks ago, this war has been anything goes! [Instead of covering, HERO rushes over to the nearest corner and quickly scales the ropes to the top. Raising both arms, he then leaps....] *flashbulb* *flashbulb* *THUUUUUUUUDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD!!!* [THUNDEROUS FACE POP!!] LVK: SUPERFLY SPLASH!!!! OH! But HERO landed on that injured right hand, and this time he _isn't_ playing possum! RP: Justice is served! [HERO crawls away from Ripley, trying to flex his hand through the wad of duct tape that covers it, grimacing in pain as he does so. He climbs to his feet, shaking the hand in an attempt to get rid of the pain, as Ripley slowly rises as well.] LVK: The Superfly Splash might have done it, but HERO was in too much pain to make the cover. That's allowed Ripley to get back to his feet, and he charges at HERO in the corner... *THAAAPP!!* [POP!] LVK: HERO moved out of the way, and Ripley slammed facefirst into the top turnbuckle! HERO grabs hold of him, lifts him up onto the top turnbuckle in a sitting position, and now HERO's climbing up! [The fans pop in anticipation as HERO climbs to the top rope, standing with one leg either side of Ripley's head. Then he leaps, wrapping his legs around Ripley's head....] *flashbulb* [...as Ripley is wrenched to his feet on the middle rope and then leaps out of the corner.] *flashbulb* [But in mid-flight, Ripley pushes HERO's legs up off his head, flipping the Japanese superstar over. Ripley comes down in a sitout position, and grabs HERO's head as he flips completely over, pushing him down facefirst between his legs....] *THUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD!!!!* [THUNDEROUS SHOCK POP!!!] RP: GREAT GOOGILY MOOGILY!! LVK: You can say that again! RP: Alright. GREAT GOOGILY MOOGILY!! LVK: Somehow Alex Ripley managed to counter HERO's top rope huracanrana and turn it into a SITOUT FACEFIRST POWERBOMB FROM THE TOP ROPE!! HERO IS _OUT_ AND RIPLEY CRAWLS OVER FOR THE COVER!!! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE- [?] [?] [MEGALICIOUS FACE POP!!!] LVK: OH MY GOD!! HERO Ishikawa just _will not_ give up! Both of these amazing athletes are having to dig down deep, deeper than they've ever dug before, because that's what being here at the Savvis Center, here on pay-per-view in front of thousands and thousands of fans means....and that's how much the Super J-Crown means to them. [After angrily slamming his hands into the mat a few times, Ripley storms to his feet and gets right in Alfonso Reyes' face, yelling and complaining about a slow count.] LVK: Ripley's frustrated, but there's no use arguing about the count, because it was fine. [As the arguing continues, across the ring HERO Ishikawa grabs hold of the ropes with his good hand and pulls himself back to his feet. He wobbles a bit upon first getting back to a vertical base, but nonetheless a HUGE FACE POP breaks out!] LVK: What fighting spirit being shown by Ishikawa! I don't know how, but he's standing! [Ripley sees this and rushes over...] *SMACK!* LVK: European uppercut by Ripley, but HERO is still standing! Ripley hooks him for a suplex, lifts- [Face pop!] LVK: HERO ROLLS OUT OF IT, LANDING ON HIS FEET! HE HOOKS AN INVERTED FACELOCK....LIFTS- *THUUUUUUUUUUUUDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD!!* [HUGE MOTHERFUCKING FACE POP!!!] LVK: HERO'S WELCOME!! I DON'T KNOW HOW THE HELL HE DID IT, BUT HERO ISHIKAWA NAILED THE HERO'S WELCOME!! RP: What... how... DAMMIT! LVK: Somehow HERO Ishikawa found the inner strength to lift Ripley and nail him with his patented move, but that might have taken every last ounce of energy that HERO had left! HE might not have enough left to go for the pinfall! [And with both men down....] *HE-RO! HE-RO!* *HE-RO! HE-RO!* *HE-RO! HE-RO!* *HE-RO! HE-RO!* *HE-RO! HE-RO!* *HE-RO! HE-RO!* [And HERO begins to stir, rolling over and slowly crawling towards Ripley.] LVK: Can he make it? Can he cover for the pinfall? [Slowly... slowly... and he flops onto Ripley's chest! ANTICIPATION POP!!] LVK: HE HAS IT!! RP: NO! NO! LVK: HERE'S THE COUNT!! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE- [Everyone in the arena holds their breath, and the camera pans in on Ripley's right foot, draped across the bottom rope!] [THUNDEROUS DISBELIEF POP!!] RP: HOLY CHRISTMAS!! LVK: RIPLEY GOT HIS FOOT ON THE ROPES!! CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?! ALEX RIPLEY SURVIVED THE HERO'S WELCOME!! RP: Has _anyone_ done that before? LVK: I don't think so! [With HERO having rolled off of Ripley and flopped onto his back, staring up at the overhead lights, and Ripley in a similar state of inertia, the fans break out into a chant....] *ARGH-SEE-DUB! ARGH-SEE-DUB!* *ARGH-SEE-DUB! ARGH-SEE-DUB!* *ARGH-SEE-DUB! ARGH-SEE-DUB!* *ARGH-SEE-DUB! ARGH-SEE-DUB!* LVK: We knew we were going to get an amazing match out of these two great athletes - undoubtedly the two best junior-heavyweights in the world - and they've delivered more than we could have even expected! They've wrestled themselves to a standstill! RP: Reyes is going to start a count! This might end in a draw! *ONE!* *TWO!* *THREE!* LVK: HERO is getting up! He's to one knee- *FOUR!* *FIVE!* RP: He's not gonna make it! *SIX!* *SEVEN!* [FACE POP!!] LVK: HE'S UP! *THUUUDD!* RP: He's back down! LVK: And Alfonso Reyes is going to start the count again! *ONE!* *TWO!* *THREE!* *FOUR!* *FIVE!* LVK: HERO's trying to get up again! Come on! *SIX!* *SEVEN!* *EIGHT!* *NI-* [MASSIVE FACE POP!!] LVK: HE BREAKS THE COUNT AGAIN, AND THIS TIME HERO STAYS ON HIS FEET, AND HEADS OVER TO THE CORNER! HE'S CLIMBING UP!! RP: If you call that climbing! He looks like a drunk bum trying to get a bottle of booze out of a tree! He's gonna fall and crack his stupid head open! [HEEL POP!] LVK: OH! AND NOW RIPLEY'S STIRRING! HE'S UP TO HIS HANDS AND KNEES! [HERO makes it to the top, and turns around, struggling to keep his balance, but suddenly Ripley rushes the corner, leaping to the top, grabbing HERO's arm and then leaping into a legscissor on it, rolling himself and HERO back to the mat....] *THUUUUUUUUDDDDDDDD!!* [SCREAMING PANIC POP!!] LVK: ROLLING JUJIGATAME!! RP: IT'S OVAH!! OVAH BITCH! [MASSIVE RELIEF POP!!] LVK: NO! THEY WERE TOO CLOSE TO THE ROPES!! HERO GOT HIS FOOT ON THE ROPES!! RP: GODDAMMIT! [Grabbing HERO's injured arm, Ripley drags him to his feet and leads him into the middle of the ring, the fans roaring in panic as they realise what's about to happen. But before Ripley can take HERO down to the mat, he swings around and underneath Ripley's arm, hooking both arms...] LVK: BACKSLIDE- [...but amazingly Ripley flips over backwards and lands on his feet, getting out of the move. They end up standing face to face, and Ripley swings a chop, which HERO ducks, hooking Ripley in an inverted headlock...] LVK: HE'S GOT HIM FOR ANOTHER HERO'S WELCOME!! [HERO lifts up, but this time Ripley rolls right over, landing on his feet and using the momentum to lift HERO into a tombstone piledriver position... ....linking his arms between HERO's legs.... ...and dropping into a sitout cradle tombstone piledriver...] *THUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD!!!* [MASSIVE SHOCK POP!!] RP: R-I-P DRIVER! R-I-P DRIVAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!! LVK: MY GOD, WHAT A DEVASTATING MOVE, AND NOW HERE'S THE COVER!!! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *DING DING DING!!* [The crowd falls into a state of silent shock and disbelief.] RP: YES! YES! LVK: Wow, what a move that was, and what a way to end this match. An incredible match! [Ripley climbs to his feet slowly, clearly feeling the effects of the match, but a grin breaks through his sweat-drenched demeanour as he is handed his three title belts.] DS: Here is your winner... and *STILL* SUPER J-CROWN CHAMPION... ALEX RIIIPLEEEEEEEEYYY!!! [Some of the fans break into a HEEL POP, but most of them begrudgingly start to applaud, appreciating the workrate classic they've just witnessed.] RP: Even you can't deny it now Van Keel - Alex Ripley is the best junior-heavyweight in the world... maybe ever! LVK: Well, I don't know if I'd go that far, but he certainly is the best in the world right now, I'll admit it. You can't take anything away from HERO Ishikawa though, who combined with Ripley to wrestle an epic match here. Despite his injured hand- RP: Oh, will you shut up about the damn hand? Stop making excuses - Ripley is THE MAN! LVK: Nevertheless I know that HERO Ishikawa won't give up until he has won the Super J-Crown. But right now the moment belongs to Alex Ripley, who deserves plenty of accolades for pulling off a close-fought victory here tonight. [The camera switches back to Larry and Rick at ringside.] LVK: That definitely was one for the workrate fans. Recapping what we've seen here so far tonight - Jamie Haruhara with the win over Keiji Zasaki, Griffin James squeaking out the win over Tommy Stephens, Madison J. Valentine bettering Magnus Colby, Chad Grimsson winning a brutal hardcore rules three-way match over Alex Martinez and Rum Barton... and just now Alex Ripley successfully defended his Super J-Crown against HERO Ishikawa. RP: It's been one helluva night. LVK: Yes it has, and of course who can forget the opening to the show, when Juan Vasquez decided he didn't want to wait until the main event to get his shot at Devon Case. Case accepted the challenge, and the end result was Vasquez fulfilling his dream and taking his place in the history books, becoming the number one wrestler in the sport by winning the World Heavyweight title. RP: I gotta admit, that was something special. Vasquez has been in this company a long time, and he's literally fought his way up from the bottom. The kid deserves it. LVK: But what about The Gremlin showing up to accept Juan's open challenge? Nobody, and I mean _nobody_ saw that coming. RP: I sure as hell didn't. LVK: Of course, later tonight in our main event, The Gremlin will wrestle for the first time in many, many months when he steps into the Rage in the Cage with Juan Vasquez. RP: I can't wait! That's gonna be one for the ages! LVK: We've still got plenty more action to come as well, including Shane Destiny defending the River City title against Hannibal Carver, and Luke Kinsey and Chris Courtade taking their all-out _war_ into the ring. But up next it's a match between an RCW original and a man who has been here for only a few months, but the animosity between these two men stretches back a lot of years. RP: Absolutely. Alex Extreme and Doc Holliday have hated each other for so long that I'm pretty damn sure the last thing they see before they go to sleep at night is the other one's face. LVK: Strangely, it was as allies that these two men made their presence known in RCW, when Extreme invited in Holliday to join the Widow Makers Incorporated, against the advice of his teammates. It turned out they were right, because Doc turned against Extreme, claiming it was a "pre-emptive strike", before they could do the same to him. RP: What a load of crap. Doc Holliday's a damn ego-maniac, and that's all there is to it. Alex went out on a limb to try and help Holliday, to try and resurrect his career here in RCW, and that redneck scum stabbed him in the back. LVK: Holliday has since vowed to put an end to the gang tactics of WMI, forming something of an alliance with Madison J. Valentine. Em Jay Vee has already claimed victory over WMI member Magnus Colby here tonight, and now we're about to see if Doc Holliday can do the same against former Heavyweight champion Alex Extreme! [Cross to the ring.] DS: This next match is scheduled for one fall with a sixty minute time limit! Introducing first...from Chicago, Illinois...weighing 245 pounds...the former RCW National Champion and member of WidowMakers Incorporated... "MISTER EXCITEMENT" ALLLEEEEEEEEEEX EXTREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEME! V/O: W - M - I... ["Mama Said Knock You Out" by LL Cool J blares throughout the Savvis Center as the crowd reacts with a HUGE HEEL POP! Through the entrance way and into the aisle walks "Mr. Excitement" Alex Extreme, wearing swirled blue and black spandex tights with black boots. And over top of it, he wears a Mark Prior jersey and a Cubs hat. When the crowd gets a glimpse at him, they boo even louder. Extreme sneers at the reaction and jogs down to ringside, walking up the steps and slingshotting into the ring. He grabs the microphone from David Stokes and waits for the music to die down.] AE: Ladies and Gentlemen, tonight I'm going to beat Doc Holliday like Dusty and the boys do to your beloved Cardinals. [The crowd boos loudly.] AE: All right ya f*bleep*ng cowboy, get your ass out here so I can light it up like Sammy Sosa does Woody Williams! [Extreme spikes the microphone and tears off the Cubs paraphenalia as the opening chords of an upbeat, jangling, Southwestern spaghetti-western theme begins to play over the PA. It's lively, full of steel guitar and strings, and incorporates "The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly" theme into something more up-tempo. But instead of Holliday emerging from the entranceway, we see the RiverTron kick into life.] [On the screen we see, right behind the entranceway, Gina Sarrazin standing by, mic in hand.] GS: Caged Rage has always been a night to settle scores and leave it all out in the ring. But standing here with me at this time is a man whose score with Alex Extreme goes back a long, long time. I'm standing by with Doc Holliday. [Holliday ambles in, eyes up and gazing out away from Gina and the camera. He seems lost in thought and focus... the typical $#!t-eating grin is totally absent from his face tonight. The long, wavy, light brown hair of Holliday is tied back, and he wears his black-and-gold "DOC HOLLIDAY: WORLDBEATER" T-Shirt along with his similarly-colored wrestling attire.] GS: Doc, Alex Extreme is already in the ring. What are your final thoughts before you go out to the ring tonight? DH: Lil lady, yer right ta say it's been a long time with me an' Alex. Th' sad thang is thet Alex Extreme is a man who chases ghosts whut ain't thar, an' rails against th' wind when it ain't blowin'. He blames me fer many years o' hardship. Ah won't get inta details because he done said it all on Shoot From The Hip. The hard fact is thet Extreme feels entitlement. Lak he's th' only jackass whut evah put on a pair of tights. Fact is, Doc Holliday beat Alex Extreme inna ring. Ain't nobody took nothin' from him an' handed it ta Doc. Doc Holliday took it his damn self. Extreme blames promoters. He needs ta blame Doc Holliday, an' th' only crime fer which Doc Holliday was guilty of is bein' time-an-a-half better'n Alex Extreme. GS: What's with the third person all of a sudden? DH: Truth be tol', missy, ah do not rightly know if Doc Holliday still lives an' breathes. For Doc Holliday would not have lost ta Extreme. Not in tags, not in singles, not in dagnab Crazy Eights! But las' Impact, he pinned me sho 'nuff. So ah got ta wonderin' how. An' it took mah best friend ta show me thet when th' times change, a man hasta change with 'em. Tanight, ah aim ta see how much o' Doc Holliday still lives in these ol' bones, an' how much of whut's left is plain ol' Matthew L. Holliday, Retiree. Ah am not accusin' Alex Extreme of bein' anythin' less than elite... truth be tol', ah do not waste mah time on a man thet does not rate. Alex Extreme IS th' measurin' stick in RCW, an' ah have a need ta do some measurin'. On account of if ah don' measure up... ...ah might jus' as well go home, on permanent Holliday. [With that, Doc turns and walks towards the entrance, focusing on nothing but the ring...] [The big screen changes to a picture of Doc Holliday superimposed over some old bar fight scenes from B-movie westerns. Holliday is throwing big looping punches as the clips in back show people flying out of windows and through bars (as if being struck by Holliday:)). It's cheesy and silly, but much more entertaining than your typical entrance video. Doc himself emerges from the back, wearing his full-length black-and-gold trunks... black with gold outlines of various symbols of the gambler's trade on it... dice, cards, roulette wheels, etc. He wears black-and-gold wrestling boots, and standard white wrist-tape as well. He also wears a "DOC HOLLIDAY: WORLDBEATER" T-Shirt (pretty much the same color scheme with a snazzy logo). Holliday wastes no time marching to the ring, his eyes fixed on the squared circle. His expression reads total determination. Doc moves with a bit of a limp, but quickly covers the distance to the ring as the ring announcer does thing:] DS: INTRODUCING, FROM TOMBSTONE, ARIZONA... WEIGHING IN AT TWO-HUNDRED AND THIRTY-TWO POUNDS... ...D O C H O L L I D A Y ! ! [Holliday slides under the top rope and does not wait for the opening bell... he charges Extreme straightaway!] LVK: HOLLIDAY'S ON THE ATTACK! ___ ___ ________________________________________________________________ / __| | _ \ |__ / Heavyweight match | (__ | / |_ \ \___| |_|_\ |___/ "Mr Excitement" Alex Extreme \ written by vs \ Andy Doc Holliday \_________________________________________________________________________ *DING DING DING!* [The good Doctah slides into the ring and begins to unload on Extreme, raining down the rights and lefts and backing Mr. Excitement into the corner. Left to the jaw, right to the gut, another right to the gut and a wide looping left- but Extreme catches it and spins Doc into the corner.] LVK: Extreme on the attack now- rapid right hands, repeated right hands to head, Doc retaliates with a headbutt! Chop across the pecs by Doc, forearm shiver by Extreme! RP: The hatred between these two is *palpable!* LVK: Stiff elbow by Holliday and another one! Irish whip, reversed by Extreme. Alex off the ropes- YAKUZA! RP: DUCKED BY EXTREME! Off the far side, Holliday dodges the clothesline. LVK: Extreme rebounds off the farside, flying fore- [But Doc is ready, stepping up into Mr. Excitement and catching him in the air around the waist, then dropping into a waistlift powerbomb! POP!] LVK: Rydeen Bomb by Holliday! Great counter by Doc, who springs back to his feet and bounces off the ropes. Extreme turns onto his stomach as Doc jumps over, back across to the other side now as Extreme gets to his feet. "THWAAAACK!" LVK: Spinkick catches Holliday in the gut, doubling him over. Extreme off the near rope... swinging neckbreaker! Nicely done by Alex Extreme, and these guys have come out firing on ALL cylinders so far, Rick Perle. [Extreme rolls to his feet as Holliday gets to his knees- and Alex TACKLES Doc back to the mat, now fully unloading with sharp right hands to the face. RCW's cornerstone than grabs Holliday by the throat and repeatedly bashes his head against the mat!] RP: Extreme's getting medieval on his ass! [Only for a moment though, as Doc replies with a quick palm strike to the face, stunning Extreme. Doc then flips Extreme over, reversing positions and bashing _his_ head into the mat to a HUGE POP!] LVK: Now it's Holliday getting medieval, and he pulls Extreme to his feet. Whip to the buckle- Extreme kicks his feet up and over, landing behind Doc! Rear waistlock now... "THUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUDDDD!" LVK: German suplex! No release, _all impact_! Extreme rolls back to his feet now and goes outside, climbing quickly to the top turnbuckle... [Did somebody say...nostalgia?] RP: Huge double axehandle staggers Holliday. Extreme bounces off the ropes now...crisp clothesline floors Doc once again. LVK: Alex Extreme is on his game tonight, motivated by a terrible purpose! This is a blood feud, Rick Perle, one that has only played out it's most recent chapters in RCW. Doc's back on his feet...another clothesline drops him in his tracks and Extreme drags his thumb across his throat. RP: Let's end this bad boy early. Drinks're on me! LVK: Mr. Excitement pulls Doc to his feet, inverted face- [But before Larry can even finish the thought, Holliday reacts...reaching back and grabbing Alex around the head, and snapmaring him over. As soon as Extreme bounces back into the seated position, Doc flips over him with a rolling necksnap! POP!] LVK: The familiarity of these two is uncanny! Holliday reversed the Extreme Death Drop before he could even secure the inverted facelock! Holliday off the ropes now... "WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!" "OOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" LVK: SHINKICK RIGHT TO THE MOUTH! A vicious, vicious statement by the Doctah! RP: But this is his downfall, always showboating. [Indeed, Doc spots the nearest camera lens and takes time out of his day to offer a wink and a word. When he turns around, he leaps for a dropkick but has it batted away by a rising Alex Extreme.] RP: See, what did I tell you? LVK: Holliday shoots himself in the foot right there, as now Extreme grabs him in position for a catapult...right into the corner, and Doc went headfirst into that turnbuckle pad! RP: Go ahead tough guy, mug for the camera now. LVK: Big forearm across the back by Extreme as Doc moves out of that corner, shaking out the cobwebs by the ropes. [Seeing this, Extreme takes off for the other ropes, bounding off and deadleaping over the ropes Holliday is leaning on, grabbing his head on the way down and snapping him throat first across the ropes!] LVK: What a move by Extreme, definitely showing off his athleticism here! Back in, Extreme sends Holliday for the ride... "THUUUUUUUUUUUUUUDDDD!" LVK: Big powerslam by Extreme, who hooks the leg for a cover! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!! TW- KICKOUT BY DOC HOLLIDAY! [POP!] LVK: Holliday is in a state of shock now, as Extreme has really come to fight tonight! RP: Of course he has! This is revenge for his crappy treatment in New York, for that abortion of a title reign had. And most importantly, let us NOT forget that it was Doc Holliday who cost Alex Extreme his title shot here tonight! LVK: Alex Extreme has certainly dominated the opening few minutes, as once again he sends Doc for the ride... [Extreme lets Doc nearly run past him, grabbing him around the waist as Holliday goes and using his own momentum against him...flipping Doc high in the air and DRILLING HIM with a powerbomb! "OOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"] RP: Welcome to the House Alex Extreme built, Doc! LVK: Good LORD! When was the last time Alex Extreme used a tilt-a-whirl powerbomb! RP: I can't think of it! LVK: Extreme grabs the legs and leans over into a pin- ONE!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! DOC GETS OUT WITH A RAKE TO THE EYES! [Another POP!] RP: Faulto! This is a travesty and a sham and a mockery! LVK: Holliday with a little underhanded tactic to get out and now Mr. Excitement charges... into an armdrag by Doc! Back up, another deep armdrag by Holliday! [Both men bolt to their feet and Extreme charges, Holliday hooking him for a hiptoss. But Alex locks his left arm and does a front flip, landing on his feet in front of a step-too-slow Doc and scooping him up into a fireman's carry! NICE ATHLETICISM POP!] LVK: Fantastic counter by Extreme and he's now preparing- HOLLIDAY PULLS BACK AND FALLS INTO A CRUCIFIX! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! KICKOUT BY EXTREME! [Heel pop!] LVK: Both men to their feet, and now it's Holliday who charges into a deep armdrag! Back up, Extreme with another armdrag and Doc ends up in the corner! [Seeing this Alex Extreme charges his nemesis as Doc gets to his feet. Spotting the oncoming Extreme, Holliday hops onto the second turnbuckle and dives off as Extreme comes in, jumping over and behind him, and grabbing a sunset flip on his way down!] LVK: SUNSET FLIP! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! T- RP: EXTREME ROLLS OUT OF IT AND FLIPS INTO A JACKKNIFE PIN ON HOLLIDAY! LVK: ONE!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! T- DOC KICKS OUT AND SECURES HIS HANDS AROUND EXTREME, BRIDGING OUT OF IT! [The fans cheer like nuts as Doc powers his way up, then locks Extreme's arms and twisting underneath, into a backslide!] LVK: Both men now fighting over that backslide, who's going to win out! [POP!] LVK: IT'S HOLLIDAY! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! T- EXTREME FLIPS OUT OF IT, ONTO HIS FEET! "WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!" [HUGE STIFFNESS POP!] RP: Ha! LVK: And Extreme with a _wicked_ roundhouse kick right to the teeth of a rising Doc Holliday, returning the favor from before. RP: And as Holliday clutches at his mouth, Alex let's him know what's what! [Indeed, the fans applaud the effort of both men as the combatants circle one another, Extreme talking some grade A trash to Holliday, letting him know whose house it is and liberally throwing in the 'f' word for emphasis.] LVK: Alex Extreme taking this match very personally, as I would imagine Doc Holliday is too. What a bitter rivalry between these two guys, dating back some five or six years. RP: And it's RC by God W that finally let's them fight it out one on one without some stupid ass goddamned gimmick from the bowels of UEW hell. LVK: Er...that too! Both men now circling inside the ring, into a collar and elbow- kneelift to the breadbasket by Extreme. He follows up with another and now pounds Doc with a right hand just above Holliday's left ear. That staggers Doc- oof! And a left hook backs Doc into the corner. RP: Alex has got a huge advantage over Doc when it comes to brawling, that's undeniable. LVK: I would have to disagree there. RP: Because it's Extreme getting his ass kicked right now, yes? LVK: Not at the present- RP: Game set match, Perle. LVK: Whatever dude. [Extreme slowly stalks Holliday, then winds up and plasters him with an uppercut, followed by four more straight rights to the face of Doc. And then when he gets tired of the fisticuffs... "WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!" "WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" "WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!" "WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" "WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!" "WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" "WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!" "WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"] LVK: Four hard chops right across the pecs by Extreme, and Doc's in a world of hurt right now. RP: A world of pain, Larry, he's entering a world of pain. Is this your homework? Is this your homework? LVK: ...what? RP: Sorry, 'nam flashback. LVK: Oh. Extreme now with the right hands, and another chop across the chest! Doc Holliday is in absolutely terrible shape and Extreme's slowed the pace down quite a bit, methodically beating on Doc. Whip to the farside now- Holliday grabs the top rope and pushes off into the air- [POP!] LVK: GRABBING EXTREME AROUND THE NECK AND SWINGING HIM TO THE MAT WITH A SATELLITE HEADSCISSORS! Doc Holliday is still in this match! RP: He'd better start stringing together some offense now, and take advantage. When you get a man down, you gotta- you gotta goddamn punch him in the throat, and spit in his dirty face and kick him in the nuts. And then- and then, you do the goddamned Mexican hat dance on him, and go for the jugular! Choke him till his face is blue, and then choke him some more. Grind your knee right up against his face- LVK: Another 'nam flashback? RP: They're getting bad. LVK: I see. Doc with a scoop slam now, planting Extreme on the canvas as he bounces off the ropes- and misses the knee drop! Mr. Excitement rolled out of the way! Back up, Extreme with a kick to the gut- SNAP DDT! COVER! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! T- KICKOUT BY HOLLIDAY! RP: That's how you take advantage of a situation, Larry, you go for the kill right away. Extreme's wrestling a brilliant match so far, not trying to pull off any retarded stunts. Instead, he's keeping his attack on the ground and punishing Holliday. LVK: Extreme drags Holliday up by his wavy hair and shoves him into the corner, lashing out with a high kick that strikes against the side of Doc's head. [Extreme accentuates it with am elbow strike and sprints to the otherside of the corner, turning around to face Doc. Mr. Excitement takes a few deep breathes to get some air in him and then takes off, doing a cartwheel into a backflip and lunging with a back elbow that hits Doc square in the jaw! HEEL POP!] LVK: A picture perfect handspring elbow by Alex Extreme, and Doc Holliday just collapses! Holliday is being held up by the bottom turnbuckle, Rick Perle. RP: It's been all Extreme so far, and we're nearly ten minutes into the match. LVK: In fact we've just passed the seven minute mark, according to Dave Stokes, and once again Extreme's in the corner opposite Holliday. RP: EXTREEEEEME! "THWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACCCKKK!" [MEGA HEEL POP!] LVK: Oh, that is disgusting! Running knee to the face of a sitting Doc Holliday, and the Doc's nose EXPLODED with blood! RP: We knew this wasn't going to be pretty and it certainly isn't. I thought a while back that I saw some blood from Extreme feeling Holliday's kick to the teeth, but I wasn't sure. But Jesus H., you cannot MISS the blood from Doc's nose. [Previously sitting in a daze, the vicious knee from Extreme seems to have snapped Doc back into reality. He pushes off the mat to his feet, spitting a wad of blood over the ring ropes to the floor as Extreme approaches...] LVK: OH! Forearm shiver from Extreme and now he applies a front chancery..._sharp_ snap suplex, nicely done. Mr. Excitement ducks outside now, perhaps to take a high risk? RP: The risks he's taken have paid off so far, so I won't second guess him. But still... if it ain't broke, don't fix it. LVK: Extreme measuring Doc now, he springboards to the top strand... "THUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUDDD!" [POP!] RP: I _told_ you! LVK: A springboard elbow misses the mark, and Doc's back on his feet now. That was the breather he needed, as he's finally got a chance to shake those cobwebs. Extreme's back to his feet and charges... [POP!] LVK: Drop toe hold by Holliday! Right back up, Doc with a side headlock takeover. Extreme stands right back up in it though, and shoots Doc to the ropes- Extreme misses the clothesline! Holliday off the other side, leapfrog by Mr. Excitement! [But instead of continuing to run, Doc whirls behind an unaware Extreme and sizes him up as he turns around... "THWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!" BIG POP!] LVK: OH! THAT SHARP LEFT JAB BY HOLLIDAY FLOORS EXTREME! RP: Dammit, this is all from that stupid elbow he tried! LVK: Now it's Doc on the outside, watching Extreme scramble to his feet- HOLLIDAY SPRINGBOARDS UP AND LEAPS OFF! "THWAAAAAAACK!" LVK: A HUGE FLYING FOREARM AND DOC HAD SO MUCH MOMENTUM HE ROLLED RIGHT OUT TO THE OTHERSIDE! [Not wasting a moment, Doc races to the apron again and springboards himself to the top rope, balancing and then plunging off with a guillotine legdrop! MASSIVE POP!] LVK: ONE!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THR- EXTREME GETS THE SHOULDER UP! [HEEL POP!] LVK: A great string of moves from the Doc- RP: Who once again is playing to the crowd! Concentrate you dickhead, you've got the advantage! [In his, well, hard-to-duplicate-on-textpad Southern accent, Doc shouts out "EDD!" and brings Alex up by the hair, gingerly applying an inverted facelock...but who knows how to counter a move better than it's owner?] LVK: Extreme immediately twists under...bridging Northern Lights Suplex! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THR- HOLLIDAY KICKS OUT! [POP!] RP: Nearfall for Extreme as he takes advantage of Doc's arrogance. LVK: Both men on their feet now, Holliday right next to the ropes- Extreme charges! "CRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASSSSSHHHHH!!!" [GIGANTIC POP!] LVK: SWEET JESUS! EXTREME GOT BACKDROPPED UP AND OVER THE TOP ROPE AND GETS A 9.4 FROM THE RUSSIAN JUDGE, BECAUSE GOD-_DAMN_ HIS LANDING WAS AWFUL! RP: Extreme's down, he's hurt! But Holliday can't take advantage! [Well, he can, but is in no position to, as he's leaning in the corner sucking wind desperately.] LVK: Doc Holliday has taken a first class beating in this match and needs a second to recoup, understandably so. And with Extreme, well...dead on the outside, this is a great time to do it. RP: It's smart, I'll give him that. [Spotting Extreme on one knee outside, Doc races to the far ropes and baseball slide's out, lashing out with a haymaker as soon as he hits the ground. But be it out of prescience, although exhaustion is more likely, Alex Extreme dodges the blow by falling into the apron. He strikes out with an elbow that does hit, and then throws Doc headfirst into the steel guardrailing!] LVK: Oh! Doc eats the steel, and gets a knee to the ribs for good measure! This is aggressive as I can remember Alex Extreme being. RP: Definitely. It took Doc Holliday to bring it out of him, but Extreme's deadly tonight. LVK: Now Extreme with the front chancery and he lifts... [MASSIVE HEEL POP!] RP: AND DROPS HOLLIDAY STOMACH FIRST ACROSS THE STEEL STEPS! JUST LIKE IN 'NAM, DUDE! LVK: I don't know about that, but Doc Holliday is once again- RP: In a world of pain son, you're entering a world of pain! [And now it's Extreme who rolls into the ring and just lies flat, chest heaving as he breathes quite heavily. After a few, he rolls onto his stomach and goes back outside, where Doc is hacking up a lung.] LVK: Doc may have internal bleeding after that- RP: Which would look lovely along with his amazing exploding nose! Maybe he can put that on one of his goddamned t-shirts. LVK: And Alex Extreme is not about to show him any mercy. He's got Doc by the hair now- once again into the guardrail! And now Extreme throws Doc into the ring near the corner, pulling his legs out. Is he gonna- we saw Shane Destiny use this one the last Impact... [BIG HEEL POP!] RP: Figure four around the ringpost! Extreme's busting out every move he's ever learned, just to hurt Doc Holliday! LVK: Extreme lets go and dives inside, dropping- "THUUUUD!" "THUUUUD!" "THUUUUD!" "THUUUUD!" LVK: Four quick elbows to the knee of Holliday! That'll limit his mobility. RP: Gee, you think? LVK: Outside again goes Extreme, and he's taking his time with this one. [Doc's no dummy, and he takes all the time he needs on the mat before turning onto his stomach and pushing himself to his knees. Mr. Excitement just watches him, holding on to the top rope. When Doc decides to stand up, Extreme rears back and springboards himself to the top rope then jumps off and _plasters_ Doc with a vile dropkick to the back of the skull! BIG HEEL POP!] LVK: THat could do it! Cover by Extreme! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THR- HOLLIDAY GETS OUT OF IT! [POP!] LVK: Extreme's right on him thought, dropping a sharp knee to the neck and knee choking Doc out, pressing the point of his knee into the Adam's Apple of Holliday. [Mark Gioffre lays the count on... "ONE!" "TWO!" "THREE!" "FOUR!" ...and Extreme let's up.] RP: A veteran move by Extreme, taking advantage of the referee's count. LVK: And right back to it goes Extreme, pressing his knee cap into Doc's throat. One, two, three, four, and Extreme releases the choke hold. RP: Smart wrestling. Effective wrestling. LVK: That's not a sentence, Rick, there's no subject or verb. Only a direct object and an adjective. Please rephrase your thoughts into a sentence, and not just some random junk. RP: That is smart wrestling! That is effective wrestling! LVK: Thanks. [Extreme brings Holliday to his feet and whips him to the farside, then lunges with a clothesline that nearly takes Doc's head off.] LVK: Harsh clothesline by Extreme, and he now brings Holliday to his feet...and scoops him up for a Tombstone piledriver. [But Doc comes alive, waving his feet and reversing the hold! Holliday rearranges his hands and takes a running start... "THUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUDDDD!"] LVK: ARIZONA SODBUSTER! DOC HOLLIDAY WITH A GREAT COUNTER, AND NOW HE GOES FOR THE PIN! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THR- EXTREME GETS HIS FOOT UNDERNEATH THE ROPES! [HEEL POP!] LVK: Now it's Holliday in control, as he brings Extreme to his feet and _whips_ him to the corner! Extreme hits backfirst hard, and Doc stalks in, taking his time. Boot to the gut, another, another, Doc Holliday is going to town! [Grabbing a hold of the top rope, Doc kicks Mr. Excitement over and over and over again in the solarplexus, burying his boot in Extreme's midsection. After a good baker's dozen or so, Doc lets up and grabs Extreme in a headlock...] LVK: Bulldog by Doc Holliday, and that spikes Extreme! Holliday to the corner now, and he props himself on the second rope as Extreme staggers to his feet...somersault neckbreaker! Cover! ONE!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THR- KICKOUT BY EXTREME! HE JUST BARELY GOT HIS SHOULDER UP ON THAT ONE! [BIG HEEL POP!] LVK: Back up now, Holliday brings Extreme to his feet and lashes out with a kick- RP: Caught by Extreme! "THWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!" [MASSIVE POP!] LVK: Enziguiri by Holliday! Extreme dropped like he was shot, here's the cover! ONE!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THR-EXTREME JUST SNEAKS THE SHOULDER OUT! JUST BARELY! [ANOTHER HEEL POP!] LVK: How either of these guys are still standing, I'm sure I'll never know. Both of these men are showing an incredible will to win, not to mention boatloads of stamina and pride. RP: It runs deep, Larry, deeper than we could ever know! For one of these guys to lose to the other, it'd be something they'd never live down. LVK: Doc Holliday is just now getting to his feet, dragging a groggy Alex Extreme with him. Irish whip by Doc- reversed! Doc off the ropes...running back elbow! Extreme took it right on the butt of the jaw there, and now Doc brings him to his feet. Pumphandle- [But Extreme knows what's coming up next, and he immediately pushes Doc into the corner before he can attempt the Ace in the Hole. Holliday in the corner, Extreme charges with a flying splash...that Doc manages to dodge! POP!] LVK: Extreme goes headfirst to the buckle, now Doc with a rear waistlock. To the ropes, trying for the rolling reverse cradle- Extreme holds on to the top rope! Holliday gets right back to his feet... "WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!" [MASSIVE HEEL POP!] LVK: Roundhouse kick, and Doc utterly collapses to the mat. And now it is a _snarling_ Alex Extreme bringing Holliday to his feet, scooping him into a fireman's carry... "THUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUDDDDD!" [ANOTHER MASSIVE HEEL POP!] RP: Hahaha! LVK: Running, snap Death Valley Driver! RP: That's Acey Ducey, the finishing move of Holliday's former tag team partner and best friend, Brent Maverick! What a slap in the face by Extreme! It's personal, Larry, it's never been so personal with these two! LVK: Extreme neglects to cover! He's going for more punishment, after that move absolutely laid out Holliday. Extreme brings Holliday up by his hair...and snaps him over by his hair. One more time, and now an Irish whip. Holliday rebounds off the farside and ducks the clothesline...off the other side now, Doc- "THWAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!" LVK: Quick yakuza kick by the Doctah, but one that stuns Extreme rather than implode his face. RP: Interesting version, I must say. LVK: Doc off the ropes now- HIGH CROSS BODY! RP: EXTREME ROLLS THROUGH! HE'S GOT THE TIGHTS! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THREE?! NO! MARC GIOFFRE SAYS DOC GOT THE SHOULDER UP! [EXPLOSIVE FACE POP, as Alex Extreme pitches a fit, pounding on the mat and yelling at the ref. Extreme gets to his feet and into Gioffre's face, as the crowd thunders down with boos.] RP: Stop arguing, he ain't gonna change the call! Get back to business! LVK: Alex Extreme up in Gioffre's piece, but now goes back to pick up Holliday, who is _still_ laying there. Extreme bends o- [DEAFENING POP!] LVK: INSIDE CRADLE! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THREE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! [EARTHQUAKE FACE POP!] RP: NO! EXTREME GOT THE SHOULDER UP, GIOFFRE SAYS TWO, GIOFFRE SAYS TWO! ["AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"] LVK: Doc Holliday nearly pulled off the win by playing possum! He nearly surprised Extreme for the win, but Alex Extreme kicked out in the nick of time! Both men race to their feet, "THUUUUUD!" LVK: Headbutt across the bridge of Doc's bloody nose! Doc with a right hand, now Alex with a right of his own! Doc with a left, Alex with a right, God Almighty after fifteen minutes they're fighting like the match just started. [The Savvis Center crowd is on it's feet as the two career long enemies pummel one another, neither giving an inch. It seems Holliday takes the advantage with a left to the gut and a right to the side of the head, until Extreme strikes back with a forearm and a vile right hand, backing the good Doctor to the ropes.] LVK: Extreme with a big haymaker- DUCKED BY HOLLIDAY! "THUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUDDDDD!" [GIGANTIC POP!] LVK: WIDOWMAKER! THE FINISHING MOVE OF EXTREME'S BEST FRIEND MAGNUS COLBY! COVER BY HOLLIDAY! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THRE- EXTREME KICKS OUT! [ROOF SHAKING HEEL POP!] LVK: Rick Perle, this is unbelievable, an astonishing show of guts, fortitude, stamina, integrity and all the other stuff we talk about so much! RP: But it's pride above all, it's the all consuming need to beat the other man! LVK: Both men get to their feet, like two prize fighters...Holliday with a jawbreaker! Extreme staggers off, now Doc with a looping left- ducked by Extreme! Extreme now with a back suplex- DOC FLIPS OVER THE BACK! ROLLING REVERSE CRADLE! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TH- REVERSED BY EXTREME! [HEEL POP!] LVK: HE'S GOT THE ROPES! EXTREME'S GOT THE ROPES! RP: COUNT IT, COUNT IT! LVK: ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THREEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! [DEAFENING HEEL POP!] LVK: NO! NOT LIKE THIS! RP: Winner! Alex Extreme wins! DS: Your winner, in fourteen minutes and four seconds... ALEEEEEEEEX EXXXXTRREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEME! [Extreme bolts to his feet and raises his hands in jubilation, as Ladies Love Cool James - LL Cool J to you people not in the know - starts up, "Mama Said Knock You Out" blasting through the Savvis Center. Holliday sits in the corner, fuming. But as Extreme celebrates, a fan slips over the guardrail and slides into the ring, immediately talking to referee Marc Gioffre and making him look at the replay on the RiverTron.] RP: Is that- who the hell is that? LVK: That's Rick Marley! An accomplished journeyman, himself an ally of Doc Holliday. He was signed to the roster a few days ago but- [For the first time, Gioffre sees Extreme hold the ropes as he counts on the replay, and he immediately makes a b-line for David Stokes.] RP: Don't tell me, don't goddamn tell me! LVK: Rick Marley's pleading the case of Doc Holliday and it may have actually worked! Marc Gioffre sees what went down, and now David Stokes is back on the microphone. [All eyes on David, please...] DS: Ladies and gentleman, after seeing the replay of the three count head referee Marc Gioffre has ruled that this match... ...WILL CONTINUE! [WAKE YOUR NEIGHBORS FACE POP! Alex Extreme goes BALLISTIC, attacking Marley and throwing him harshly out of the ring and diving on to Holliday as the bell rings!] *DING DING DING!* RP: This is a miscarriage of justice, this is absurd! There's no instant replay, this isn't the NFL! This match should be over! LVK: But it isn't! Alex Extreme is all over Holliday, pasting him with rabid right hands as the crowd is equally as rabid. Back up, Extreme with the Irish whip- reversed by Doc! Extreme off the ropes, Doc lowers his head, kick to the throat by Extreme! RP: End it! End it again, Alex! LVK: Standing headscissors by Extreme... "THUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUDDDDD!" LVK: Sitout powerbomb by Alex Extreme! Holliday got pasted, and now Extreme's going outside. RP: Thanks for nothing Marley, you goddamned mongrel! LVK: Mr. Excitement on the top rope and he turns to face the crowd. He's going for the Extreme, this is it! [And leap off he does with a picturesque backflip...that Holliday easily dodges as he rolls away...but a counter that Extreme spots in midair, and one he counters by landing on his feet! LVK: Extreme lands on his feet, he counters the counter! Holliday in the corner now, Extreme charges...dodged by Doc! Holliday now with a front chancery, he lifts for a vertical suplex... RP: Extreme drops behind him! Inverted facelock, EDD here we come! [But Doc is equipped with one more counter. He reaches back, locking his arm around the head of Extreme and then twists himself under and up, reversing to his own inverted facelock. From there he spins 180 degrees so that he lands on on his ass with a twisting inverted neckbreaker! DEAFENING POP!] LVK: THAT'S THE BLACKJACK! HE CALLS THAT THE BLACKJACK, AND DOC'S GOT THE COVER! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THREEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *DING DING DING* RP: NO! THIS IS UTTER BULLS[bleep]T! LVK: HOLLIDAY WINS! HOLLIDAY WINS! DS: Your winner, in sixteen minutes and thirteen seconds... DOOOOOOOOOOOOC HOOOOLLLIDAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!! [Rick Marley rolls into the ring, dragging Holliday to his feet and raising his arm, as the fans continue to cheer like crazy.] [Fade out.] [We fade back in to an exterior shot of the Savvis Center, showing the main neon sign to be featuring the message "Tonight: River City Wrestling's Caged Rage 3". Then we cut to inside, and to Rick and Larry and ringside.] LVK: Well Rick, I don't know about you, but I'm starting to lose my voice, and we've still got our three biggest matches of the night to come. RP: It's been great Van Keel. How the hell'd we live without this for two years? LVK: Heh, beats me. We've already seen two title matches tonight - one of them unofficial - and both Alex Ripley and Chad Grimsson successfully defended their respective championships. Can Shane Destiny do the same? RP: Hell yes! LVK: Rick's confident he can, but he's facing one of the most dynamic and popular wrestlers in the world, in the form of the South Boston Strangler, Hannibal Carver! What a match! Destiny and Carver - LET'S DO IT! [Cut to the ring, and David Stokes esquire.] DS: This next match is scheduled for ONE FALL with a SIXTY MINUTE TIME LIMIT and is for the RCW RIVER CITY TITLE! [BIG POP!] DS: The stipulations as picked by Shane Destiny are as follows. A disqualification will be immediately called for should any of the following circumstances happen: striking with a closed fist, throwing your opponent over the top rope or jumping off the top. Furthermore, the standard wrestling rules will be strictly enforced. No weapons may be used, and the ten count on the outside will be used at every opportunity. As well, refusal to relinquish a choke hold at the count of five, or a submission hold at the count of five once the opponent has reached the ropes will result in an immediate disqualification! [MASSIVE HEEL POP!] LVK: Hannibal Carver has his work cut out for him. RP: Hannibal Carver has no chance, period. DS: Introducing first, the challenger... [The lights dim, as a voice is heard over the P.A.] "Fighting got to killing. And killing got to warring. And that was damn near the death of us all. Ladies and gentlemen, boy and girls. _Dying_ time's here." [HUGE POP!] [Bass with thick layer of chorus begins playing melodically, almost in a tribal rhythm, signaling the beginning of "Finger Paintings of the Insane" by Acid Bath. The guitar hits, as the curtains at the top of the aisle fly open.] #Turning the knife buried in your stomach.# #I woke up alive black with stain glistening and new.# #The sunset's coming, fingerpaintings of the insane.# #Come on and sterilize me kneel down and idolize me.# #Suck me f**k me resurrect me.# #Rut me cut me and infect me slice me dice me.# #I wanna die screamin the thoughts of dead babies wiped away with my semen.# [Carver stands at the top of the entranceway, branding iron held high in the air. He sneers at the crowd with a look that says "I don't know whether to spit on you, or hit you with a truck". He decides on spitting, as he launches a huge wad of phlegm at a fat ass to his left. The fan becomes enraged... but calms down when Carver pulls out his trusty can opener from his pants pocket.] DS: From South Boston, Massachusetts, weighing in at two hundred sixty pounds ...he is the South Boston Strangler... HANNIBAL CARVAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH! #Bleed me feed me and inject me feel me, kill me then dissect me.# #The pigs will squeal their blood will drain.# #Finger paintings of the insane.# LVK: Carver earned this title shot by pinning Shane Destiny on the last Impact, but he was allowed to use any sort of weaponry or tactic he wanted. Not so tonight. [Carver laughs at the fan, telling him his mother's a whore, and takes a few steps. He takes the can opener to his throat, scraping it across in time with the next line of the song.] #Slice the throat of authority.# #Imagining infinity# #Greasy smoke billows into the sky coach roach dreams# #The human dust of pain# #Twitching screaming hide your razor face# #Finger paintings of the insane.# [Carver makes his way down to ringside, stuffing the can opener back in his pocket. He circles the ring, psyching himself up. He stops at the time keeper's table, stepping up onto it. He raises the branding iron, and beats himself in the chest with it, his eyes growing wilder with each strike.] #Bloody mountain momma rockabilly machine# #Kiddy porn lover with a mouth for disease# #Giddy'up honey my rubber f**k doll# #When your candle's snuffed out I'll burn brighter than before# [Carver stands on the table, a sick grin spreading across his face as he enters the ring.] LVK: Carver's been in many a bloody fight...but he may never have been in a match like this. ["Simple Things" by Dirty Vegas begins to play over the public address... and here comes the champ.] DS: Aaaaaaaaaaaand his opponent... weighing in tonight at two hundred, forty-two and three-quarter pounds, and hailing from Southern Pines, North Carolina... he is _your_ RCW River City Heavyweight Champion... SHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANE DESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSTINYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! [MEGA HEEL POP! Shane Destiny walks out of the entrance, wearing a new shimmering black floor-length robe, with long sleeves, and worn closed. He calmly walks down to the ring carefully, to avoid the trash being thrown at him. Once he reaches the ring, he makes the referee open the ropes for him, taking his sweet time to step into the ring. He opens his robe once he gets into the ring, revealing the River City Heavyweight title, as well as a pair of black tights, black kneepads, and black boots with two white stars on the sides. He unstraps the belt and taunts Carver with it, before handing it to the referee and taking off his robe.] RP: Behold, the River City champion in ALL of his glory. LVK: He certainly has revamped his persona, that's for sure. RP: A real champion carries himself like one everywhere, not just in the ring. He dresses the part, he's acting the part. He _is_ the champion. [Destiny hands the aforementioned robe to a ringside attendant and backs into his corner, as Carver stays in his.] LVK: To reiterate, this match will be held under the strictest of rules, fans. Nothing off the top rope, no throwing your opponent over the top rope, no punching with closed fists and no low blows. Any contact with the ropes will result in the referee forcing an immediate break. Any infraction will result in immediate disqualification by the referee. As well, Hunnicutt has been instructed to wield the ten count on the outside and for knockouts as well. RP: In other words, Carver's screwed. LVK: The stipulations to this match certainly favor the incumbent champion, but let's not look past Hannibal Carver. The man has extensive technical background, and comes from a wrestling family. RP: He's a goddamned brawling Southie. He won't last five minutes in this match. [Hunnicutt approaches the champion in the corner, patting him down for any weapons. Destiny passes the test, and referee Hunnicutt goes to the Carver corner to do the same.] LVK: The ref now checking Carver for illegal objects... RP: I dunno man, he set everything down outside. [POP!] RP: Jesus Christ, the man's a maniac! LVK: James Hunnicutt found a corkscrew and a Swiss Army knife on Carver! [Hunnicutt just shakes his head and throws the weapons out, as Carver shrugs and mouths something about, "If ya ain't cheatin', ya ain't tryin'! The weapons confiscated, Hunnicutt waves for the bell to ring.] ___ ___ ________________________________________________________________ / __| | _ \ |__ / River City Championship | (__ | / |_ \ \___| |_|_\ |___/ Shane Destiny (c) \ written by vs \ Andy "South Boston Strangler" Hannibal Carver \_________________________________________________________________________ *DING DING DING!* LVK: This match is officially underway for the River City title. Both men come out of their corner now, no one making the first move. It's very tense right now, Rick Perle. RP: It's about to come unglued, I think. LVK: Champion and challenger now circling one another, and Destiny... ["WHAAAAAT?] LVK: ...sticks his hand out for a handshake? [Shane looks at Carver, as genuine as he can possibly look. The Strangler, in turn...slaps the hand away and spits at Destiny! POP!] RP: What a classless son of a whore! LVK: Carver not going for Destiny's mock-sincerity, and they go back to circling one another...into a collar and elbow tieup- Carver with an immediate knee lift to the gut! He rears back- RP: Ha! Rules, bitch! LVK: And James Hunnicutt stops Carver before he could even think about delivering a right hand! Talk about strictly enforcing the rules! Carver with a snarl at Hunnicutt, and now both combatants circle one another. Collar and elbow, one more time, both guys jockeying for position. RP: Carver's bigger and stronger, but Destiny's got better technique, Larry. Technique will win out everytime. LVK: Destiny with the advantage now, backing Hannibal Carver into the corner...and James Hunnicutt rushes in the middle to force a clean break. [Carver holds his arms up as Hunnicutt glares at him, thinking it'll be the South Boston Strangler who bends the rules first...but as the ref takes his focus away, Destiny pops Carver with an overhand right! HEEL POP!] LVK: Oh come on, what the hell was that? RP: What, what? My monitor went out, I didn't see anything. LVK: Destiny breaking the rules he specifically put in place, and Carver charges at him... "BOOOOOOOO!" LVK: But Destiny scurries to the other side and ducks between the middle and top rope, forcing Hunnicutt to hold Carver back! What a coward! RP: Are you kidding me, the guy's brilliant. He's playing Carver like a fiddle. [Hunnicutt puts himself in between both combatants and puts up his palm to hold Carver back. Hannibal just nods and waves for Destiny to come to the middle of the ring.] LVK: Hmmm, a bit of restraint from Carver now, and Destiny comes to the center of the ring... and both men lock it up. [Champion and challenger jockey for position, their feet not moving an inch as they fight for some sort of advantage. But not a one is presenting itself, as neither man has a bit of give in them.] LVK: A deep, deep collar and elbow we're seeing, both men with such tight grips- [POP!] LVK: Carver with a deep armdrag! Good Lord, he snapped that off like they show you in wrestling school, and Destiny slides all the way to the corner, grabbing onto the ropes to stand up. RP: There _must_ have been some sort of chicanery there. [Destiny agrees, shouting at Hunnicutt about having his hair pulled as Carver holds his hands up, innocent. Hunnicutt sees nothing and waves for both men to lock it up again.] LVK: Ha! No dice for Shane Destiny right there and he crawls to his feet. Back into a collar and elbow tieup, Destiny quickly grabs the side headlock and wrenches it in. Carver shoves him off, into the ropes, Destiny bounces off...shoulderblock by Shane, but it goes nowhere. RP: The immovable object meeting the irresistable force...or something. LVK: Destiny bounces off the otherside now, Carver winds up for a clot- Destiny catches it, and spins into a sitting armbar. Carver got whipped to the mat there, and now Shane with an armbar, cinching it in tightly. [Destiny barks at Hunnicutt to check on Carver and ask if he submits. James does just that, and when he does, Shane grabs a handful of his challenger's hair and pulls for all he's worth! HEEL POP!] LVK: What the- Destiny with a blatant pulling of the hair right there. That's grounds for an immediate DQ! RP: Again, my monitor...I saw nothing. Freakin' Jap products. LVK: Carver with a growl at Hunnicutt and now the referee checks on Shane, who pleads innocence himself. RP: What are you talking about?! LVK: Nothing, don't worry about it. Destiny still with that armbar, and now Carver finally pushes up to his knees...and rolls forward, springing up and reversing the armwringer! "WHAAAACK!" "WHAAAACK!" "WHAAAACK!" "WHAAAACK!" [POP!] LVK: Carver goes right to work, clubbing the shoulder of Destiny with his forearm. Hunnicutt checks to make sure it's not a closed fist but Carver shows him it's not. Another forearm- caught by Destiny. "THUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUDDDD!" RP: Trapped arm belly to belly by Destiny, perfectly executed! LVK: Destiny is a MASTER suplex thrower, but Carver's right up to his feet, shaking it off! [Seeing Carver getting back to his feet, Destiny once again leans in and offers a handshake. This time, Carver returns fire with the "Up yours!" hand signal thingy they used to do back in the day and once again waves for the champion to bring it on.] LVK: Carver refuses the handshake, and we go back to circling. Destiny and Carver- Shane Destiny makes the first move, shooting for the legs and taking Carver over with a fireman's carry- RP: Nice! LVK: Parlayed swiftly into a cross armbreaker on the near arm! Excellent chain wrestling from the champion, but Carver grabs the bottom ropes with his free hand. RP: A fine display of wrestling right there, and Shane Destiny shows you why he's the favorite in this match. Carver couldn't do that sort of thing on a thousand dollar bet. LVK: We'll see about that. Carver gets to his feet, both men meet in the center of the ring, Carver grabs the left arm and twists behind into a hammerlock! [Securing said lock with his left arm, Hannibal reaches down and grabs Destiny around the waist, then lunges back into a sort of halfwing suplex! POP!] LVK: Carver replies with a suplex of his own, dropping the champion headfirst to the mat! Destiny on his knees, Carver off the ropes... "THWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!" [MASSIVE POP!] LVK: DAMN GINA! MAFIA KICK BY THE RAMPAGING CARVER AND SHANE DESTINY GETS THROWN ALL THE WAY OUTSIDE! RP: Run, run! LVK: The South Boston Strangler rushes outside and chases Destiny around the ring, picking up the can- [GIGANTIC HEEL POP!] RP: Not so fast, Van Keel. Remember the rules, and remember the anal retentive little weasal who is enforcing them. LVK: James Hunnicutt takes that can opener away from Carver and gives it to the time keeper. He is determined to keep this as clean as possible, even if the fans don't like it. RP: Who cares what they like? They already paid for their tickets, they're here, aren't they? Besides, the doors are padlocked, they can't get out. [Carver is about ready to skin referee Hunnicutt alive, his face a fuming red. He takes one step to the referee, but catches himself and just shakes it off...taking a nice long walk around the ringside area and sliding into the squared circle.] LVK: Destiny greets his challenger with repeated boots to the head and brings him up to his feet...Irish whip, sharp back elbow by Destiny knocks down the challenger. Back up, knee lift by the champion. RP: Destiny with very basic offense, but as you can see it's very effective. LVK: Scoop and a slam by Shane Destiny, and now he bounces off the ropes...big knee drop to the forehead. Here's the cover! ONE!!!!!!!! KICKOUT! [POP!] LVK: Hannibal Carver emphatically kicks out from the early pin attempt. RP: Again, notice the subtleties of Shane Destiny. He went for that pin and stuck the meaty part of the forearm into the throat of Carver. It's the little things Larry, the nuances and idosyncracies that win big matches. LVK: That's very moving, Rick, but Destiny is still arguing that count and still grinding his forearm into the windpipe of Hannibal Carver! [Seeing this, James Hunnicutt reprimands the champion and forces him to get up, finally giving Carver some breathing room -- literally. Destiny obliges, getting to one knee but still arguing, shaking his left index finger at the ref while gouging Carver's eyes with his right! HEEL POP!] LVK: Destiny's at it again, but Hunnicutt is right on it and orders him back up! RP: Ha! You can't stop him, you can only hope to contain him. LVK: Hannibal Carver finally regains a vertical base and pulls Des-- "WHAAAAAAAAAACK!" ["HA HA!" FACE POP!] LVK: AND DECKS HIM WITH A RIGHT HAND THAT HUNNICUTT MISSED! Shane Destiny rolls to the ropes and Carver follows him- RP: DING! [Male sympathy pop!] LVK: And Destiny with a vicious forearm to the Misters! Shane back up, front chancery... fisherman's suplex, and he keeps the bridge! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! KICKOUT BY CARVER! [CARVAH~! POP!] LVK: Destiny not letting up now, bringing Carver to his feet...and a harsh snap suplex. Destiny rolls to his feet as Carver is a few ticks slower, Shane off the ropes...and a running dropkick by the champ! RP: Holy Christ, haven't seen _that_ one in a million years. LVK: Both men quick to their feet, Destiny with a standing dropkick now, and that one catches Carver square in the face, causing him to stumble back to the corner. [As Hannibal recovers in one corner, Destiny goes to the opposite corner and starts to perform surgery on the top turnbuckle pad, taking it off. Hunnicutt checks on Carver in earnest, asking him if he gives up and getting a deadpanned "What are you fookin' kiddin' me?" look in return.] LVK: Destiny now getting Hunnicutt's attention and pointing to the turnbuckle pad...and Hunnicutt goes over to fix it as Destiny approaches the challenger. [And of course, as soon as the ref turns his back Shane pitches Carver over the top rope! SOUTHERN HEEL POP!] LVK: Destiny once again in clear violation of his own rules! RP: Damn this Toshiba monitor, I can't see a thing! LVK: I'm sure, Rick. Destiny now outside with Carver, but he doesn't want to get into it with the South Boston Strangler out there on his own turf. [But he tries anyway. Shane throws a right hand that's blocked by Carver, and the challenger goes to town, laying in four heavy right hands and then propelling Destiny... "CLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANG!" ...headfirst into the ring post! Back in the ring, referee Hunnicutt finally gets done fixing the buckle pad and whips around when he hears the horrendous sound of cranium on steeeeeel~!... ...to find Hannibal Carver hopping on one foot, cursing up a storm. Hunnicutt accepts what appears to be a mishap from Carver and waves them in the ring.] RP: James Hunnicutt might be mildly retarded. LVK: Carver pulls one over on Hunnicutt and throws the champ in the ring, following him in. Now Hunnicutt intercepts Carver as he enters the ring, questioning him... RP: LOOK OUT! LVK: Destiny with a superkick that Carver barely dodges! Hunnicutt gets the hell out of dodge, but Destiny is hung up on the top rope...and Carver takes advantage with a kick to the leg! Another one, and Destiny hops off of the ropes...back heel trip by Carver! [POP!] LVK: Standing ankle lock by Carver! Hannibal Carver showing off a submission move, and Shane Destiny is feeling the effects! [Carver turns on the pressure, cranking on the hold as Destiny's eyes BULGE out of his head. Destiny does a push up to alleviate the pressure, but Carver just ups the torque on the hold. Destiny begins to frantically scratch and claw, trying desperately to get to the bottom rope...] RP: Come on Shane, get there, get there! LVK: Hannibal Carver might be only seconds away from the River City title! Shane Destiny has nowhere to go, he's MILES away from the bottom rope! [But with a big last ditch effort, the River City champion lunges out and grabs onto the bottom rope with his left hand...] LVK: CARVER PULLS DESTINY BACK OUT TO THE CENTER OF THE RING! [MASSIVE FACE POP!] LVK: CARVER NEVER LET GO! HE'S GOT THE HOLD LOCKED ON TIGHTER, AND NOW IN THE CENTER OF THE RING! SHANE DESTINY HAS NOWHERE TO GO! RP: That's gotta be a violation of the rules, there must have been some illegality going on there! LVK: There was none of it, Rick Perle! Hannibal Carver _really_ twisting on that ankle, really punishing Shane Destiny, who must see the title slipping away from him! [Now at critical mass, Destiny decides to fight. With a grunt he once again does a push up, and then tucks and rolls, sliding through the legs of Carver and flipping him over, releasing the hold! HEEL POP!] RP: Yeah! That's a technician right there! LVK: Shane Destiny manages to get out of the ankle lock, but Hannibal Carver has no mercy in him! A big lunging clothesline backs Destiny up to the ropes...Irish whip- reversed, Destiny shortarms underneath, into a hammerlock. Carver looking for the elbow, no, now he reverses into a hammerlock of his own. RP: Carver showing some technical chops, I gotta admit. LVK: Destiny reverses again, now into a rear waistlock. "WHAAAAAAAAAAACK!" LVK: _Now_ Carver with a big back elbow, standing switch by Carver into the rear waistlock, "THWAAAACK!" "THWAAAACK!" "THWAAAACK!" LVK: Three headbutts to the back of the neck by Carver, now he grabs a chickenwing- Destiny gets to the ropes immediately! He recognized the setup for the Murdahlizah and got to safety in a hurry. RP: You had to know Shane Destiny would walk into this match having done his homework, and he has. [Carver sends Destiny for the ride and floors him with a clothesline, then brings him right back up and clamps on a side headlock.] LVK: Side headlock by Carver, into a takeover, but Destiny with the headscissors out of it! Both men to their feet, Destiny with the drop toe hold, stepping over and trying for the STF- "THWAAAACK!" LVK: But Carver prevents it with a sharp elbow as Destiny tried to procure the facelock! Carver switches to his back and kicks Destiny off, now to his feet, Destiny charges...into a side backbreaker, right across the knee! Excellent work from Hannibal Carver, who is starting to dust off technical skills he probably hasn't used in a while. RP: I'm not sure about that. What we're seeing is Carver capitalizing on Destiny mistakes, he has yet to be in a position where he is dictating the flow of the match. LVK: But he looks to be in control now, as Destiny rolls onto his stomach to ease the pain from the backbreaker. Carver right on him now, tucking the wrist underneath to expose the elbow...and _drives_ the knee onto that elbow! One more time, make it two, Hannibal Carver punishing the arm. [The Strangler quickly repositions himself to one knee, kneeling across the back of Destiny as he grabs an armbar and pulls it back, then bending into a hammerlock. Carver starts to stand up and Destiny does the same, getting to his knees...but Carver leaps and drops the knee across the back again while still holding the hammerlock,bending it further into the air as Destiny drops to the mat.] LVK: More punishment on that arm by Carver, who now brings Destiny to his feet and scoops him up...slamming him down with a hammerlock slam. That's some tried and true aggressive offense by Carver, focusing on one body part of the champion. RP: It's nothing too complicated, but just ask Shane Destiny if it's working. LVK Carver bounces off the ropes now, knee drop- misses! Destiny rolls out of the way! Back to his feet as Carver follows suit, Destiny clips the knee. Back up, again with a clip of the knee! RP: Now it's Destiny capitalizing on a mistake by Carver, and you should sit back and enjoy the physical dissection of Hannibal Carver by Dr. Shane Destiny LVK: Destiny brings Carver to his feet, side waistlock...oohh, hard shinbreaker leaves Carver hopping in pain! Heel trip by Destiny now, figure four- kicked off by Carver, who gets to his feet. "OOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHH!" LVK: A _vile_ soccer kick to the back of Carver's knee drops him, and Destiny goes back to the operating table. Destiny stradles the leg, into a spinning toe hold! Simple but effective, Rick Perle! RP: Seems to be a common theme for this match. You don't have to be jumping off high places or setting things on fire to hurt your opponent, you don't have to hit people with chairs to win matches. It's called wrestling, Van Keel, and it's something these guys are doing. [Carver hollers in pain from the spinning toe hold, which Destiny lets go and reapplies. Carver twists and turns, trying to get out of the hold and Destiny lets him go, allowing Carver to turn onto his stomach. Shane grabs the left leg, the one he's been working on, and applies a knee vice...then jumps in the air and slams Carver's knee to the canvas! BIG HEEL POP as Carver screams in pain.] LVK: Shane Destiny absolutely _punishing_ that knee! He slips Carver onto his back and grabs the leg- INSIDE CRADLE BY CARVER! [POP!] LVK: ONE!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! KICKOUT BY DESTINY! CARVER WITH SOME QUICK THINKING AND HE NEARLY CAUGHT DESTINY OFF GUARD! RP: Destiny just able to free that leg and kick out! LVK: And now a limping Hannibal Carver struggles to his feet as Shane Destiny charges- Carver catches the clothesline and twists into a hammerlock, really wrenching back on it! Destiny with the elbow, dodged by Carver, who retorts with a forearm to the neck! [Again Destiny tries with the elbow and again Carver dodges it, leaning back. But when he leans in to apply more pressure, Destiny reaches back and grabs Hannibal by his shirt and head...snapping him over with a judo throw!] LVK: Wow! Nice counter by Destiny, who now kicks Carver onto his stomach. Destiny reaches down to grab the arms and steps into a surfboard! RP: Great move by Destiny, applying pressure to the arms of Carver while giving himself a moment to breath. LVK: Destiny now maneuvers behind Carver, deathlocking the legs, and slaps Carver's side... grabbing the arms again and rolling onto his back, into a Mexican surfboard! Destiny seriously arching the back now, as Carver is literally being bent backwards! [Destiny barks at Hunnicutt to ask Carver is he submits, but instead of replying in his usual scornful fashion Hannibal has the presence of mind to tell the referee to check Destiny's shoulders...] LVK: Destiny's shoulders are on the mat! Hunnicutt with the count! ONE!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!! T- DESTINY UNTANGLES HIMSELF, AND CARVER FALLS RIGHT DOWN ON TOP OF HIM! RP: A great heads up move by Carver, nearly stealing the win and the title! [There's no wasted movement from Carver, as he grabs a headlock whilst laying on top of Destiny and rolls on to his side. Destiny stands up, making it a standing side headlock and Carver simply retreats back into the hammerlock he's been working on all match, drawing a POP! from the St. Louis fans who are now getting into the tone and pace of the match.] LVK: Carver with the hammerlock now, into an armwringer...and pounds the shoulder of Destiny with forearms! RP: And you can bet that Carver knows how to throw everything he has into those forearms! LVK: Carver really doing some damage to that shoulder, and he shoves Destiny into the corner. Half nelson now, and Carver goes to work. [By going to work, he means Carver begins to slam the champion headfirst into the top turnbuckle, as the crowd counts along to ten! POP!] LVK: Destiny staggers out of the corner, into a scoop...shoulder breaker down onto the knee! More work on the shoulder by Carver, who brings Destiny to his feet and grabs the armwringer, wiiinding it in. Once, twice...and Destiny flips over from the pressure! [POP!] LVK: Legdrop across the shoulder by Carver, who is being careful to not tweak his knee with his offense. Carver's back on his feet, placing a foot on the chest of the champion...and _yanking_ his arm out of the socket, and again! Destiny grimacing with pain as Hunnicutt checks on Destiny. [The referee asks Shane if he submits, and the champion grunts a "NO!" Carver drops another leg on the shoulder and again Hunnicutt asks, and this time Shane doesn't even dignify it with a response.] LVK: Carver pulls Destiny to his feet, once again winding that armwringer...and _driving_ his elbow to the shoulder! RP: That can break an arm right there. A vicious move by the challenger. LVK: The champion manages to get out of that and recoils in the corner, but Carver's right behind him. Rear waistlock... "THUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUDDDD!" [BIG POP!] LVK: Release German suplex by the South Boston Stranger, the strength of which made Destiny land on his stomach! [Carver again reaches into his bag of tricks, kneeling down with both knees across the back of Destiny and then grabbing his throat and legs...rolling back into a bow and arrow submission hold!] LVK: Rolling bow and arrows by Carver, putting great strain on Destiny's entire body! Carver releases, but the damage has been done, now kicking Destiny outside and following him out. RP: Let's see if Carver can stay focused on what he's been working at, or if he'll revert back to his usual self. LVK: Carver shoving Destiny into the ringpost and going to the other side, lacing his arm _behind_ the post... "CLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNGGGG!" LVK: ...and pulling Destiny shoulder first into the post! Great move by Carver, who now takes a moment to limp around, trying to stretch out his knee. He crawls back into the ring now, as Destiny gets to his feet on the apron, oh! Forearm to the cheek by Carver! [Turning him to face the crowd, Carver grabs a half nelson and reaches over the ropes to grab the tights of Destiny, bringing him back into the ring with an impossibly done half nelson suplex! BIG POP!] LVK: Cover! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! T- KICKOUT BY THE CHAMPION! ["BOOOOOOOO!"] LVK: Nearfall for Hannibal Carver, who brings Destiny up...into a harsh kneelift to the gut! Vertical headscissors by Carver, he reaches down and lifts- no, Destiny won't go! Another lift, Destiny blocks again! Shane Destiny won't budge! RP: Destiny's been on defense for too long, he needs to make some kind of move soon. LVK: Another li- NO! DESTINY SWEEPS THE LEGS, AND TWISTS INTO THE FIGURE FOUR LEGLOCK! [MASSIVE HEEL POP!] LVK: There was no messin around from Destiny right there, he slapped that hold on in the blink of an eye, and listen to Hannibal Carver! He's trapped, right in the middle of the ring and is in _terrible_ pain! RP: A classic move from Shane Destiny, and he's got it locked on perfectly! [Carver thrashes in pain, twisting and turning, trying to alleviate the pain somehow but to no avail. Destiny leans back as Hunnicutt checks on the challenger, and reaches for the bottom rope, pulling on it to increase the leverage he's got and the pain Carver's feeling! HUGE PROTEST POP!] LVK: He's pulling the ropes, he's pulling the ropes! Destiny's adding even MORE pressure to that hold and he just might injure Carver for good! RP: That's why he is who he is, it's why Shane Destiny is _the_ greatest technical wrestler in the world today! LVK: ...because he's cheating? RP: Sort of! [The fans are in an uproar as Destiny pulls on the ropes and Carver continues to cry out. Hunnicutt checks to see if Destiny is cheaterizing, and Shane quickly lets go of the ropes, and then grabs them again as soon as the ref turns his back!] LVK: Good Lord, it's been nearly a minute! Nearly a minute trapped in that painful submission hold! I'm not sure how much longer Carver can last! RP: Not long at all, the pain'll be too much! He's gonna black out REAL soon! LVK: Carver's shoulders are down! ONE!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Carver sits up! [DEFLATED HEEL POP!] RP: And falls right back down! Destiny's gonna win, Carver's gonna black out! LVK: ONE!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! CARVER SITS UP AGAIN! [BIG POP!] LVK: Hannibal Carver isn't quite done yet! Destiny leans back into that hold, grabbing the ropes again...dear God, it must be a minute and a half for Carver trapped in the figure four! RP: An _inhuman_ pain threshold by Carver! "CAR-VER!" "CAR-VER!" "CAR-VER!" "CAR-VER!" "CAR-VER!" "CAR-VER!" "CAR-VER!" "CAR-VER!" LVK: The fans are behind the South Boston Strangler, but it may be too late. He's propped up on one elbow but fading fast, and goddamnit Shane Destiny is _still_ holding onto the bottom ropes! [But not for long... DEAFENING FACE POP!] RP: WHAT?! LVK: HUNNICUTT SAW DESTINY GRAB THE ROPES AND KICKED HIS ARMS AWAY! HUNNICUTT'S ALL OVER DESTINY AND THIS CROWD IS ON IT'S FEET! "CAR-VER!" "CAR-VER!" "CAR-VER!" "CAR-VER!" "CAR-VER!" "CAR-VER!" "CAR-VER!" "CAR-VER!" "CAR-VER!" "CAR-VER!" "CAR-VER!" "CAR-VER!" "CAR-VER!" "CAR-VER!" "CAR-VER!" "CAR-VER!" [Whether he's inspired by the fans or what, Hannibal Carver springs to life, supporting himself with one hand and waving the other, trying to gain momentum to reverse the hold as the fans chant his name!] LVK: Hannibal Carver's back in the game, he's fighting to reverse the figure four leglock! He's going on two minutes trapped in that hold, and he's on his last legs. RP: Literally! LVK: Carver's got to make the move _now_! He's got to do something or this match is over! [Now punching the air, Carver tries to force his body to turn, but Destiny will have none of it. The champion sits up and starts to ram sharp forearm after sharp forearm into the bad knee of Carver, whose arms are too short to reach Shane from where he is. Destiny then sits back, working the hold from where he is and shouting for Carver to tap. It is the age old battle of the prince and the pauper, the street savvy challenger against the classically trained champion, and it is the champion who appears to be coming out on top. Now surely, after having lived through more bloody battles than he cares to remember, Hannibal Carver is not a quitter. No, emphatically no in fact, Hannibal Carver is no quitter. But the human body can only take so much, even the most well conditioned, mentally strong, battle hardened warrior can endure only so much pain until it is too much to bear. And Hannibal Carver, the South Boston Strangler, is at that point... ...now.] RP: NO! LVK: YES! [MASSIVE, CHART BUSTING, WAKING UP DEAD RELATIVES FACE POP!] LVK: CARVER REVERSES THE FIGURE FOUR LEGLOCK, AND NOW _ALL_ OF THE PRESSURE IS ON DESTINY! DESTINY UNTANGLES AND GRABS THE ROPES, SCREAMING IN PAIN! RP: Unbelievable! That's an unbelievable show of strength, fortitude, intensity, and more than anything, balls by Hannibal Carver! LVK: Nearly three minutes in the figure four leglock, nearly three minutes of unimaginable torture, and somehow the challenger managed to reverse the hold! The crowd is now _firmly_ behind him, as he he- "OOOOOOHHHHHHHHHH!" LVK: Oh no! Carver can't get up! Hannibal Carver can't get to his feet, and Shane Destiny knows it! Destiny stalks his prey now as Carver tries to get up in the corner- chop block! Oh God, Carver crumbled to the ground. RP: If Carver's knee wasn't hurting before, it will be now. Destiny's going to _maim_ Carver. LVK: Destiny brings Carver to his feet and lifts for a belly to back- [MASSIVE HEEL POP!] LVK: And rams him kneefirst into the top turnbuckle! That's mean, man, that's just mean! RP: Course it is. LVK: Carver can't put any weight on that knee as Destiny scoops him up for a slam...and hangs him in the corner! Carver's stuck in the Tree of Woe! RP: Do it, Shane, do it! [Destiny rears back and absolutely obliterates the knee of Hannibal Carver, stomping it, clubbing it with forearms, elbowing it, the whole enchilada. He then untangles the bad knee and holds it up, then rocks it with some Rick Perle-esque crossfaces before letting Carver fall to the ground. MASSIVE HEEL POP!] LVK: Shane Destiny is destroying the knee of Hannibal Carver! What a display by the champion, who now has to help his opponent to his feet. Whip- Carver won't go. RP: He _can't_ go. LVK: Another try for an Irish whip, and the challenger stays put in the corner. Things are bad, things are looking very bad for Carver right now. Destiny tries one more time, Irish whip- reversed by Carver! [POP!] LVK: Carver took two steps, pivoted on his good foot and ducked behind Destiny! Double chickenwing by Carver- lifted into a double chickenwing submission! RP: He's _real_ deep in his bag of tricks now! LVK: Destiny's shoulder must- CARVER'S KNEE GAVE OUT! DESTINY FALLS ON TOP! ONE!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TH- CARVER GETS HIS SHOULDER UP! [FACE POP!] LVK: Carver nearly lost this match! Destiny brings him to his feet...dropkick to the knee! RP: Right back to the knee by Destiny. Fantastic focus by the champion. LVK: Hannibal now face down on the mat, Destiny deathlocks the bad leg and _bridges_ back into a facelock! Sickle Hold by Shane Destiny! A great show of athleticism by the champion! RP: Hell yeah it is, and way to work on the leg while putting some pressure on the neck and face. [The champion soon lets go though and brings Carver to his feet, putting on the front facelock and lifting Carver for a suplex...then bouncing him off the top rope and snapping him back, then floating over into a cover!] RP: Yeah bay-bee! LVK: Slingshot suplex by Shane Destiny! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TH- SHOULDER UP BY CARVER, ONCE AGAIN! [BIG OL' POP!] LVK: Carver escapes once again as Destiny brings him to his feet. Whip- reversed by Carver! Destiny off the ropes... "THUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUDDDDD!" LVK: Picture perfect spinning spinebuster by Carver! RP: But he didn't get it all, not by a long shot. Carver essentially did that with one leg, and couldn't get nearly as much drive as he would have liked to. LVK: But he got enough of it to stun Destiny! Back up, Carver with some stomps to the arm of the champ- RP: Weak stomps! LVK: Then grabs the arm...and falls back into a cross armbreaker! Jujigatame by Hannibal Carver, and he's got it locked in good and tight! [However, a ring technician like Shane Destiny more than likely knows a crisp scientific counter to a cross armbreaker. He just doesn't use it. BIG HEEL POP!] LVK: Forearm right to the exposed knee of Hannibal Carver, and the move gets released in milli-seconds! Destiny gets to his feet a moment before Carver- and gets scooped up into a fireman's carry! RP: There goes the knee! [Indeed, Carver's knee once again gives out and he falls forward. Destiny reaches out and grabs an inside cradle as Hunnicutt slides into position.] LVK: ONE!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THR- CARVER KICKS OUT, BUT BARELY! [HUUUUUGE POP!] LVK: Hannibal Carver's body keeps giving out on him, but he won't let himself lose! What a gritty effort by a limping, hurting South Boston Strangler! RP: I'm sorry, my screen went out. What happened? LVK: Rick, Destiny didn't cheat at all. You don't have to cover up for him. RP: No, seriously, my monitor's been blacking out! LVK: ...oh. Both men get back to their feet, Destiny far ahead of Carver...but Carver charges- "THUUUUUUUUD!" LVK: Into a drop toehold! Destiny lunges for a facelock, Carver slips out and stands up behind Destiny. Up now, half nelson... "THUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUDDDDDD!" [FINISHER FROM OUT OF NOWHERE POP!] LVK: MURDALIZAH! MURDALIZAH! CARVER HIT IT FROM OUT OF NOWHERE! [Carver _leaps_ for the cover...but Destiny rolls out of the ring, maybe from presence of mind or maybe from being unconscious. Who's to say? At any rate, Hannibal gets to his feet to follow him...but is held back by James Hunnicutt! MAJOR PROTEST POP!] LVK: The referee won't let Carver advance! He won't let Carver out to capitalize on this opportunity. RP: This is not 'nam, Larry, there are rules! LVK: But this is a critical juncture! It could mean the match for Hannibal Carver, and yet Hunnicutt insists on counting Destiny out! "ONE!" "TWO!" LVK: What an _injustice_ this would be, if Hannibal Carver isn't allowed to roll Destiny back in, and the champion is counted out. I think James Hunnicutt would be run out of RCW if that were the case. RP: Rules are rules, Larry, that's the long and short of it. "THREE!" "FOUR!" [Carver can take no more and he slides out of the ring, past Hunnicutt and lands right beside a still out of it Shane Destiny. Muscling up all two hundred and forty some odd pounds of what is currently dead weight, Carver rolls the champion into the ring, follows him in and dives for a cover!] LVK: ONE!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THREE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! [MASSIVE "GODDAMNIT" POP!] RP: DESTINY GOT HIS FOOT ON THE ROPES, HE SAVED HIMSELF! LVK: Shane Destiny saves his title by the length of his foot, and Carver is going ballistic! Carver's lost his cool and now brings Destiny to his feet. Double chickenwing... "THUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUDDDDD!" LVK: Tiger Suplex, and he pulls Destiny right back to his feet! Vertical headscissors... release powerbomb! RP: But notice the way he released him, notice the way Destiny landed! Carver let him go at the release point, and Destiny dropped some seven feet to the mat arm and shoulder first! Gah, what a nasty, nasty move by Carver! [And now it's Destiny squirming on the mat, clutching at his shoulder, face wracked with pain. Carver doesn't care at this point, bouncing off the ropes and dropping his good knee across the back of Destiny's elbow! Shane lets out a pained scream as Carver repeats the action!] RP: Back to that arm! Jesus God, Carver's going to make Destiny's arm useless altogether! LVK: The challenger brings the champion to his feet...and procures the crossface chickenwing! [GIGANTIC POP!] LVK: A classic submission move by Hannibal Carver, wrenching the shoulder and neck of Destiny! RP: Solidly applied by Carver! Destiny's trying to get out, but he can't! [Running out of options, Destiny runs to the corner and walks up the turnbuckles... backflipping himself off, and landing in a pinning predicament on top of Carver! BIG HEEL POP!] LVK: ONE!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THR- NO, CARVER KICKS OUT, BUT HAS TO RELEASE THE HOLD! [DEAFENING POP!] LVK: BUT GETS BACK TO HIS FEET AND REAPPLIES THE CROSSFACE CHICKENWING! RP: When Destiny walked up the turnbuckles, he ripped the pad off the top buckle, the same one he tried to take off and Hunnicutt supposedly fixed! LVK: Carver's got the hold back on, and Destiny- "CLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANK!" [DEAFENING HEEL POP!] LVK: DESTINY LUNGED AT THE CORNER AND RAMMED CARVER HEADFIRST INTO THAT STEEL TURNBUCKLE! CARVER'S STAGGERED- DESTINY CLIPS THE KNEE ONCE MORE, INTO A PIN! DESTINY HAS HIS FEET ON THE ROPES! RP: COUNT! LVK: ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THREEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! [DEAFENING HEEL POP!] LVK: NO! NOT LIKE THIS! SHANE DESTINY STOLE A VICTORY FROM HANNIBAL CARVER! RP: HE OUTSMARTED HIM! *DING DING DING!* DS: Ladies and gentleman, your winner...in eighteen minutes and nine seconds...and STIIIIILLL RIVER CITY CHAMPION... SHAAAAAAAAAAAAAANE DEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSTTIIIIIIIIIIIINNYYYYY! [Destiny decides not to test his luck any further, grabbing his River City title belt and sliding from the ring before one helluva-pissed-off South Boston Strangler can get his hands on him.] LVK: Shane Destiny is one of the greatest technical wrestlers this sports has ever seen, but tonight all he's proven is that he can cheat with the best of them! He set up the rules to favour himself, and then proceeded to break them at every opportunity! RP: Not from what I saw. LVK: Your monitor. RP: Right. LVK: Hannibal Carver can feel cheated for sure. [Destiny backs his way up onto the entranceway stage, draping his title belt over his shoulder as the fans continue to boo.] RP: What a dominant champion! Shane Destiny remains the River City champion, and honestly Van Keel, I don't think he can be beat! LVK: Not if he cheats as much as he did tonight. [Back in the ring, Hannibal Carver pulls himself up to his feet gingerly, wincing in the process, and glaring up the aisle at Destiny.] LVK: If looks could kill! RP: If looks could kill, Hannibal Carver would be a serial killer! In fact, I'm not sure he's _not_ a serial killer. [The camera switches back to the ringside table.] LVK: Well fans, we've got just two matches left, and Rick, they don't get much more hate-fuelled than this next one. RP: Kinsey and Courtade. Wow. You hope Kinsey kicks Courtade's ass. These people hope Kinsey kicks Courtade's ass. Even _I_ hope Kinsey gets the job done. All we can do is hope. LVK: Chris Courtade has definitely shown himself to be one of the most bitter, twisted and despicable human beings walking the earth right now. Not only has he tried to permanently disfigure Luke Kinsey with a fireball to the face, but he also physically attacked both Rick and I... *SMACK!* RP: I got my insurance again tonight. [Yup, it's Ol' Faithful, Rick's ballbat, and he's gripping it tightly.] LVK: Rick, put that thing down before someone gets hurt. RP: Oh, someone's gonna get hurt alright. Count on it. LVK: Alright, Luke Kinsey, with the hopes of an entire organisation on his back, looks to get a measure of revenge on the Legend Killer. Right now! [Cross to the ring, and right away the tapping begins...slowly...then picking up speed....followed by a wicked guitar rift...BIG HEEL POP!] DS: LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE FOLLOWING CONTEST IS SET FOR ONE FALL, AND A ONE HOUR TIME LIMIT! [The guitar rift gets louder and louder as the tapping continues...] #AAAARRRRRREEEE YOOOUUUU REEEEEEEEAAAAADDDDDDDDDDYYYYYYYYYY!# [The boos get louder as Korn's "Blind" blares over the arena. Out of the back, comes the man himself...the one and only...the Legend Killer...Chris Courtade. He wears no wrestling attire... just his bloodied, torn, beat up old jeans, and well-used Wolverine brand beige work boots. He is the very picture of a man looking for a fight. His shaven head glistens in the lights, as the infamous Texan marches quickly to the ring, showing no emotions other than two: determination and contempt.] DS: COMING DOWN THE AISLE, FROM DALLAS, TEXAS... WEIGHING TWO-HUNDRED EIGHTY-ONE POUNDS... HE IS "COLD BLOODED"... ...C H R I S C O U R T A D E ! ! ! [Courtade climbs into the ring and paces around like the proverbial caged animal. His music dies down, and as it does, his pace slows, and Courtade slowly turns his well-muscled neck to bring his gaze focused squarely on the ring entranceway. And then the lights go out...] #I JUST SAID UP YOURS BABY!# [BIG POP! "Electric Head pt. 2" by White Zombie EXPLODES in the Savvis Center as the strobe lights kick up and Luke Kinsey sneaks out underneath the Rivertron, back to the crowd. Suddenly a plethora of ear splitting pyro goes off all around the entrance way, filling it up with smoke. That's a normal part of Kinsey's entrance. The part where it starts to go south is the part where Chris Courtade runs up the aisle and barrels into the smoke cloud with a charging right hand.] (* W H A C K ! *) [Kinsey flies out of the opposite side of the smoke and Courtade stomps right on after him. Courtade picks up Kinsey, scoop-slams him on the concrete floor, and commences to stomping him as Kinsey's music continues to play...] #Strip down core violate and paralyze# #Flood my soul a coffee dreg - supersize# #Slung low like a whore - yeah# #Devil want some more - yeah# #Cupid bought a gun - he gonna blow the f**ker # [Every boot by Courtade kicks Kinsey a bit further down the aisle towards the ring. About halfway down, Courtade picks up Luke and hooks his arm, attempting to hiptoss him. But the crowd roars in approval as Kinsey blocks the move and reverses, sending the big Texan crashing back-first to the unforgiving concrete, skidding closer towards the ring.] #Yeah - I want it# #Yeah - I need it# #Yeah - I love it# #Yeah - Electric Head in your head - in your head - in you!# [Kinsey runs down towards the ring and jumps up onto the apron. He actually bounces off of the ropes with the momentum from this, and sends himself launching out towards the aisle, where he violently collides with Courtade! Both men smack to the concrete, with Kinsey landing on top. Kinsey mounts and throws a barrage of punches into Courtade's skull, each one coming faster and harder than the last. The music stops, and the opening bell rings.] ___ ___ ________________________________________________________________ / __| | _ \ |__ / Singles match | (__ | / |_ \ \___| |_|_\ |___/ "Cold Blooded" Chris Courtade \ written by vs \ Jeremy S "Cool Hand" Luke Kinsey \_________________________________________________________________________ *DING*DING*DING* LVK: COURTADE DIDN'T WANT TO WAIT FOR THE BELL, AND NOW HE'S PAYING FOR IT! RP: What was Kinsey THINKING, jumping out there with his showboating song-and-dance ring entrance?! He's not in the right mindset for this match, Van Keel! LVK: I know you're concerned about Luke Kinsey's ability to... RP: Ability, he's got! He better get some guts and some brains if he's thinking about beating Courtade! LVK: Kinsey throwing Courtade in the ring, and rolling in after him... COURTADE ALREADY UP! (* S M A C K! *) [A big clubbing forearm to Kinsey's back kills the crowd's enthusiasm.] LVK: Chris Courtade got right up and drove his forearm into Kinsey's back as Luke entered the ring! Courtade drives down a double axehandle! He's not letting Kinsey get to his feet! [Indeed, Courtade hammers Kinsey over and over with the double-axehandle. Each time he does, Kinsey is driven down to his hands and knees, and each time Kinsey quickly begins to rise, making it just off of one knee before he's smote down again. After seven of these, Kinsey falls all the way down onto his face, and rolls out underneath the bottom rope to the apron.] RP: Each blow from Courtade is like driving a nail. Each one individually isn't enough to do the job, but put in enough nails and you'll eventually build a house. Luke better get on the offense real, real fast here. [Courtade reaches down over the top rope to grab Kinsey by the hair and drag him up. When he does, Kinsey explodes with a shoulderblock to the gut, and a slingshot sunset flip over the ropes to take Courtade down!] LVK: SUNSET FLIP! Early pin attempt... NO! [Kinsey has taken Courtade down with the sunset flip, but a pin attempt isn't in the plans. Instead, Kinsey very quickly scrabbles to his feet, hooks both of Courtade's legs, and leans down over the top of him in a quasi-cradle, punching away with both fists. The crowd is revved up about this, and cheers wildly.] RP: But he's not going to BEAT Courtade that way! Kinsey can't hit Courtade hard enough for it to matter; not like that! I'd give him my right arm if I could, and if it would help, but dammit, Kinsey can not fight Courtade like that! And we're one minute in... it's going to take a bare minimum of thirty to wear down the Texan, jackass that he is. LVK: Courtade shoves Kinsey off of him with a palm to the face. Courtade trying to get up, but Kinsey's clutching him and mauling! [It's almost like an animal attack... Chris Courtade tries to get his feet under him and straighten up, but Luke Kinsey wraps his arms around his neck and jumps on his shoulders and strikes with fists and elbows and knees whenever he can. Eventually, Courtade rises to his feet, and scoops Kinsey up on his shoulders, fireman's style.] LVK: Bad position for Kinsey! But Luke's still fighting! RP: GET OFF OF HIM, LUKE, HE'S GOING TO... [He's going to walk over to the ropes and fall backwards. The move is a bizarre hybrid of a Samoan Drop and a Hotshot that drives the side of Kinsey's neck into the top rope, and snaps him back into the center of the ring. The move silences the crowd, aside from a sympathetic/impressed "oooooh" from the nasty-looking move.] RP: I don't know what the hell that was, Van Keel, but it was vicious! You could tear a jugular vein that way, or snap a neck. And Courtade would not hesitate, not even a split-second, to do that to his own mother if he had to. That's exactly what Kinsey doesn't have. LVK: I don't know about that, Rick! It's way, way too early to pass judgement on Luke Kinsey, but he's taking a beating now! [Courtade lifts up Kinsey from the mat, and holds his head at waist-level by the hair. This opens up Kinsey for some hard, relentless knee shots by Courtade. Courtade grimaces as he delivers them... his knees aren't the world's healthiest... but at the end of every grimace, there's the echo of a satisfied smile, because he's hurting Kinsey a lot worse than he's hurting himself.] LVK: Brutality by Courtade with those knees. He's trying to draw blood, folks, trying to break Kinsey's nose, trying to... COUNTER BY KINSEY! RELEASE DRAGONSCREW! AND KINSEY'S ON HIM AGAIN! [Again, the crowd comes thundering back to life as Kinsey dives on Courtade with an elbow shot to the face, and another torrential rain of punches as the Legend Killer tries to get his bearings. But this time, Kinsey disengages and hops up to his feet as Courtade is about to throw him off. Luke waves his much larger foe up to his feet and starts bounding on the balls of his feet much like a boxer.] RP: I really, really hope Luke Kinsey isn't about to try and slug it out with Chris Courtade. And if he does, I really, really hope Luke knocks that dumb f[bleep]k out. LVK: RICK! RP: Pay per view, Van Keel. Love it. [Courtade, for his part, just stops at one knee as he rises, looking at Luke goading him on, and seems puzzled. "What'n the hell do ya think yer doin' bawh?" he asks. He's answered with a slap in the face.] (* S L A P! *) [The reaction from the crowd blows the roof off the place, and Courtade's face contorts to an even mixture of disbelief and rage. He storms to his feet, all the while informing Kinsey that he is, without a doubt, the stupidest man on Earth. Then, to the roar of the crowd, the two combatants get it on in earnest.] LVK: AND THE SLUGFEST BEGINS! BOTH MEN TRADING BLOWS! RP: Kinsey... you idiot... LVK: AND COURTADE DROPS KINSEY WITH HIS FIFTH PUNCH! But Kinsey is up to his feet immediately! Kinsey ducking and dodging Courtade's swings now! The Legend Killer can't connect, because Kinsey's sticking and moving! RP: That's better! Kinsey has to keep his emotions from getting the better of him! Courtade has used his emotions to play him like a fiddle for weeks... now's the time to suck it up! [Kinsey darts around the ring, and Chris Courtade's frustration mounts with every missed punch. After Courtade's big swings leave him open, Kinsey sneaks in for a one-two, then quickly bounds out of reach once again. After about four runs of this, Courtade stops reaching for him, stands in center ring, and screams "Fight me lahk a man!" To which Kinsey responds with the always-classy middle finger.] RP: THAT'S THE WAY! TELL THAT REDNECK SON OF A WHORE WHOSE BITCH HE IS! LVK: RICK! RP: That man tried to break my neck, Van Keel... which is fine, but he tried to break YOUR neck too. Excuse the hell out of me if I'm not impartial. [Again, Courtade lunges, and Kinsey dodges and hits. And again. The crowd is chanting "KIN-SEY! KIN-SEY!" A smile forms on the face of the Franchise, as he begins to feel in control.] LVK: Kinsey has Courtade off-balance! Stick and move! Stick and move! Stick and move! Stick and... stick, stick, stick... RP: He should have stuck to moving! (* W H A A A A C K! *) [CROWD: OOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!] RP: NO! GODDAMMIT, NO! LVK: ____LARIAT____! [Kinsey, so caught up in the moment, and emboldened by his success, stopped dodging and went on a full-on offensive in order to stun Courtade... but one fell swoop of the Texan's arm, and the standing lariat has levelled Luke Kinsey. The crowd is silenced; the whack of the lariat silencing them like a gunshot. Kinsey falls in an unmoving heap.] LVK: Courtade didn't run, didn't wind up, he just stood his ground and smeared Luke Kinsey all over Saint Louis! RP: He... I... ... DAMN! DAMN! [Courtade sneers down at Kinsey, who sits up gasping like a drowning man breaking the surface of the water. Courtade then pauses to look over the capacity crowd, who are raining down boos on him now. The Texan peruses the situation, and comes to a decision on how to proceed: he picks Kinsey up.] LVK: Courtade might have had a pin there... RP: No chance in hell. Kinsey'd die before he'd give in. LVK: Then why are you doubting him? Why are you so upset? RP: Because I don't know if the ref's gonna stop it before or after he croaks. LVK: ... (* B A M! *) [As Rick Perle's grim statement startles his broadcast partner into silence, a brutal body slam by Chris Courtade hammers Luke Kinsey to the canvas. Courtade yells something to Kinsey; some derogatory statement lost to the buzz of the crowd. Then, methodically, Courtade begins punching the rising Franchise. Huge fists lay into the ribs and kidneys of Luke Kinsey, blows designed to weaken him rather than KO him. Courtade takes his time, and makes every punch count. Kinsey is rocked, and eventually slumps into a nearby corner. Courtade's facial expression says it all... vindictive disdain. Conversely, Kinsey's visage reads only pain.] RP: DON'T SIT THERE AND TAKE THAT, DAMMIT! LVK: With all due respect, that's real easy to say from here, Rick. RP: ...I know. Gggrrr... LVK: Kinsey firing back! Left, right, left... that's as far as he gets! Courtade is brutalizing him! RP: No heart, Larry. Write him off. Kinsey wanted a fight with Courtade, not a wrestling match, and that's like trying to outgun a tank with a slingshot. LVK: SHORTARM BELLY-TO-BELLY! Courtade beat up Kinsey with the fists, then smashed him down with the suplex! Courtade right from there into a headlock on the canvas. I'm almost surprised to see Courtade employ a hold at this stage... RP: He's talking to him. Psyching him out. Courtade needs wrestling holds as much as he needs ballerina shoes, at this point. The only point of this is to psych Kinsey out all that much more. I'm sure he's telling Kinsey that it's hopeless. God knows the truth hurts. LVK: I still think it's too early to give up. Whatever Courtade's saying to Kinsey seems to be firing him up, though! Kinsey's getting to his feet, with Courtade still in control of the headlock. Kinsey fires at the midsection! Once, twice, the third one breaks the hold! RP: Break nothing, Courtade's suckering him! Kinsey's trying to slug it out again! [This time, Courtade's just blocking and covering up, apparently enjoying this... at least until Kinsey slips a jab in, and then rocks Courtade with a flurry of five hard blows! This knocks the sneer off of Courtade's face and actually staggers him to the ropes.] LVK: But I think Luke's just surprised Courtade! [Angered by the fact that his opponent just actually hurt him, Courtade storms back into the fray with a punishing knee to the midsection that lifts Kinsey off of his feet. Courtade winds it up... and by "it", I mean the lariat.] RP: LOOK OUT, LUKE! LVK: ____LARIAT_____... DUCKED BY KINSEY! [And with adrenaline-backed rage contorting his face to an expression never-before seen on Kinsey, the crowd erupts as the Franchise sprints full speed into the ropes, and rebounds off at frightening speed, leaping and throwing his body into something pretty damn shocking.] (* W H A C K! *) LVK: _____LARIAT_____!! KINSEY JUST _DESTROYED_ COURTADE WITH HIS OWN DAMN MOVE! RP: HOLY MOTHER OF... COVER HIM! COVER HIM!! [Kinsey gets to his knees, and through hate-filled eyes glares at his fallen enemy. Chris Courtade is flat on his back, and looking up at the lights like a man who's just been shot... shock and pain fill his face, as the big Texan weakly checks the integrity of his neck with one arm. The crowd chants "KIN-SEY! KIN-SEY!" as the Syracuse native stands over his foe, and drops down on top of him. But he's not attempting a pin.] LVK: Luke Kinsey reaching down and choking Chris Courtade! He's bashing the back of Courtade's head into the canvas, and screaming at him! Chris Courtade may have made a fatal mistake... he's pushed Kinsey too far! RP: No... dammit, Van Keel, don't you get it?! Courtade's won! LVK: Courtade's getting his butt kicked, Rick... I'd have thought you'd... RP: He'll kick Courtade's ass for a while, totally forget about trying to win the match, run out of steam, and then get demolished when Courtade recovers... dammit! Watch. LVK: Kinsey pulling Courtade up, and the Legend Killer hooks his waist and drives Luke back into the corner! Referee James Hunnicutt asking for a clean break, but that's not gonna happen! [Courtade has Kinsey backed into the corner, with his head down between the top and middle ropes, and Kinsey trying to get a front facelock. Courtade hammers Kinsey with two shoulder thrusts into the ribs. He goes for three, but Kinsey counters it in a most unique way: he quickly jumps up and back so that he's seated on the top turnbuckle, causing Courtade's shoulder thrust to ineffectively hit his shins. From here, he hooks his knees around Courtade's head, and pushes off of the turnbuckle, twisting Courtade around in mid-air and driving his face to the canvas!] (* B A M ! *) LVK: WHAT IN BLAZES WAS THAT?! RP: THAT'S WHAT KINSEY NEEDS! HE'S GOTTA WRESTLE HIM, NOT FIGHT HIM! AND HE DAMN NEAR KNOCKED COURTADE SENSELE... I MEAN EVEN MORE SENSELESS! LVK: A tornado facedriver is the only thing I could think to call it, but Kinsey isn't going for a pin! RP: Dammit, Luke... you've got to beat him! Punishing him won't change him a bit! LVK: Kinsey stomping away, and now he's choking Courtade with his boot, pulling on the second rope for all the leverage he can get! Hunnicutt is counting, but Kinsey isn't listening! RP: Courtade's gonna have to break the hold himself. Or choke and die. LVK: Courtade rolls out of the ring, and that gets Kinsey off of his throat! The Legend Killer is slowing things back down here... if Kinsey lets him! RP: Oh, no! Don't be stupid, Luke! [The crowd boos Courtade's leaving the ring, but the volume begins to rise as Luke Kinsey runs off the far ropes, heading towards the Texan at high speed. Kinsey gets to the ropes and leaps over them... ...the flashbulbs pop, the crowd goes bananas, and Chris Courtade steps right out of the way.] LVK: COURTADE MOVED... RP: ...BUT KINSEY STOPPED HIMSELF ON THE APRON! [Courtade chuckles, and retrieves himself a steel chair to use on the man that he believes has just crashed ten feet down to the hard ringside floor. Little does he know that same man is standing on the ring apron, backed up against the corner post, just waiting for Courtade to turn around. Much as Kinsey did two Impacts ago, Courtade turns around, chair at eye level... "THWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK! ...and just as Kinsey did, Courtade eats it. The crowd goes nuts!] RP: YEAH! YEAH! BREAK THAT DICK'S FACE! LVK: KINSEY LEAPT OFF THE APRON WITH A DROPKICK AND CRUSHED COURTADE'S FACE WITH THE STEEL CHAIR! The Legend Killer made one rare mistake, and it cost him heavily! RP: I hope he broke that fat redneck's nose! [Kinsey moves to pick up Courtade, and the Texan blindly throws up an elbow which catches Kinsey in the sternum. Courtade then groggily gets to his knees, slugs Kinsey away from him, and gets up to slide into the ring. Courtade slides underneath the bottom rope, but comes to a sudden, abrupt stop when something hits the mat right in front of him. It's a drop of blood. HIS blood. And Courtade just stares at it like he can't believe it's there.] RP: KINSEY DREW FIRST BLOOD! I DON'T BELIEVE IT! LVK: Neither does Courtade! RP: That ignorant hick never understands it when somebody actually fights back. He's used to psyching people out until they roll over and play dead for him. [Kinsey slides in the ring, and runs up to Courtade, catching him in the face with a soccer kick. Courtade straightens right up to his knees in a very sudden manner... but the look on his face when he does is an angry, hateful glare, accentuated by the thin rivulet of blood running down over his left eye. Kinsey's taken aback at the sudden recovery of his adversary, who reaches up and grabs him right by the throat.] RP: LUKE! DON'T BACK DOWN! He's... ah, crap. LVK: COURTADE BLASTING KINSEY IN THE FACE WITH BIG RIGHT HANDS! He's got him by the throat, and is just holding him there for this! "Cold Blooded" Chris Courtade doesn't look so cold at the moment... the sight of his own blood has him hot! RP: It's the pride. The pride of bloodying your opponent before he bloodies you. Courtade has that pride, even though he's an ass. Kinsey doesn't! That's why I wish... gah, forget it. LVK: Kinsey's rubber-legged as Courtade finally rises from his knees. Courtade going downstairs with a one-two, doubling Kinsey over... POWER BOMB... KINSEY FLOATS OVER THE BACK! RP: DUCK! LVK: COURTADE TURNS RIGHT AROUND WITH A LARIAT, BUT KINSEY DUCKED IT! RIGHT HAND BY KINSEY! LEFT BY KINSEY! RP: Hasn't he learned his lesson yet? LVK: Courtade throws a big right hook, but Kinsey ducks behind him... AND A HIGH STANDING DROPKICK KNOCKS THE TEXAN TO THE CANVAS! RP: He's got to keep moving, Van Keel! Kinsey can win this match only if he stops brawling and uses his own style! LVK: Courtade up immediately, and Kinsey meets him coming with another drop... GOOD GOD ALMIGHTY! (* S M A C K! *) [CROWD: "OOOOOHHHHHHH!"] [Kinsey indeed went for another high dropkick, but with his left arm, Courtade swatted his feet away. And he swatted HARD, so hard that Kinsey spun around in mid-air on his way back down to the mat, far enough for a Courtade right cross to blast him right in the puss as he was about stomach-level. Kinsey crashes in a heap.] LVK: Luke Kinsey keeps coming back and coming back, but he's landed only a couple telling blows on Chris Courtade, who's hammered him all match thus far! RP: It's all punch, punch, punch with Courtade here, and why not? Kinsey doesn't have the heart to stand up to the man anyway. WHY did it have to be Kinsey? Why not Extreme? Even Vasquez, for goodness sakes... but nooooo. LVK: He may prove you wrong yet, Rick. RP: I hope so. I'd never be happier to be proven wrong in my life. LVK: The Legend Killer drops a stiff, brutal elbow to the back of the head, and has resumed just methodically beating Luke Kinsey up. [Courtade grabs Kinsey, and whips him towards the corner at high velocity. Kinsey practically bounces out, and Courtade shoves him back in. A few punches later, Courtade's setting Kinsey on the top rope.] RP: This might be the mistake we need, Van Keel! Kinsey's a lot better on the ropes than Courtade is! LVK: Courtade looking for a superplex! Kinsey's fighting it... but COURTADE HAS HIM UP... OH, NO!! RP: NO! (* C R R A A A S S H H! *) [SHOCKED CROWD POP! And the "HOLY SHIT!" chant starts rumbling through the arena. For Courtade did not go back with the superplex. Upon getting Kinsey vertical, he turned, and went straight down onto the top rope, snapping Kinsey's throat on the top rope with the rest of Luke's body falling rapidly past his neck, towards the floor. The brutal snap-back of the rope, made worse by Courtade hanging on and falling into the ring with Kinsey's head, sent Luke whipping off of the apron and into the steel ringside barricade. Kinsey lolls down to the floor and seems to be unconscious. Courtade gets to his knee, and takes a moment to survey his handiwork, before nodding once to himself, and rolling outside to collect his opponent.] LVK: LUKE KINSEY HAS JUST BEEN ANNIHILATED! RP: He... goddammit! LVK: This match has got to be over, Rick. I don't know how anyone can survive that! RP: If Kinsey would have just wrestled him... he's got more talent in his armpit than Courtade's entire family line has ever had! He'd beat him every day of the week wrestling, but fighting... never. He had no chance in hell. LVK: Courtade has Kinsey now, and putting him back into... oh, no, what's he thinking?! [Courtade stops in the midst of putting Kinsey in the ring, and rubs his cut thoughtfully. The Texan shakes his head, and instead of rolling Kinsey into the ring, he scoops him and drops him face first on the ring barricade!] (* C R A S H! *) [HUGE HEEL POP!] LVK: CHRIS COURTADE CAN WIN THE MATCH AT WILL! BUT HE'S TRYING TO SERIOUSLY INJURE LUKE KINSEY! RP: You should have known this was going to happen! Courtade didn't come here for a pin, he came here to finish off the Franchise and rip the heart right out of RCW! LVK: Courtade dragging Kinsey up the ramp! What's this creep going to do? RP: Setting him up for a piledriver or a power bomb, Van Keel. Right on that metal ramp! [Courtade looks over the booing crowd for a moment, with Kinsey in position... then screams at them as he reaches down and picks up his prey...] (* C L A N G! *) [The fans boo viciously as Courtade piledrives Kinsey into the rampway!] LVK: PILEDRIVER INTO THE STEEL! WHAT IS COURTADE TRYING TO PROVE?! RP: Everything. Haven't you heard him for the past two months?! And remember what I told you about pride earlier? He just busted Kinsey open. [And Chris Courtade is helpfully pounding the cut with big, meaty fists, so that Luke Kinsey can feel the warm blood flowing down his face. Satisfied with this, Courtade drags Kinsey the rest of the way up to the top of the ramp. Referee James Hunnicutt has joined the two men, and is admonishing Courtade, who probably doesn't even know he's there.] LVK: Hunnicutt being lenient about the count-out... nobody paid money on pay per view to see a count-out. Courtade looking down over the edge of the entrance ramp. It's a five foot drop to bare concrete from there! RP: Not to mention electrical cables, equipment banks, et cetera. Courtade has the mind of a killer, Van Keel. And look at him showing the drop to Kinsey. He's showing him what he's going to do in order to intimidate him and to break him! LVK: Kinsey's been through worse, Rick! RP: You fall five feet onto concrete a dozen or so times and tell me how you feel. LVK: Kinsey fighting back! He's far from broken! [Kinsey pulls himself up, and slugs Courtade right in his cut. Courtade responds with a hammeringly brutal clubbing forearm over the head and shoulders, a knee to the midsection, and a big right hand to set him up. The Legend Killer hooks the Franchise for a suplex, and as he does, we hear him say "You ready t' pay th' price boy?! I'm ready t' pay th' price!"] LVK: COURTADE GOING TO SUPERPLEX KINSEY OFF THE ENTRANCE RAMP ONTO THE CONCRETE! RP: He doesn't care if he wrecks his back so long as he breaks Kinsey's! LVK: HE'S GOT HIM UP... AND DOWN... LOOK AT THAT!! [MASSIVE CROWD POP] [Courtade lifted Kinsey for the superplex, but as he began to fall back, Kinsey twisted and shifted his weight, floating behind the Texan! Kinsey cupped his hands around Courtade's chin as he fell off the edge of the ramp, and drove him down back-first with a sitout inverted facebuster, flat out onto the concrete floor! The fans roar back to life with cheers, and a resounding chant: "R - C - DUBBYA! R - C - DUBBYA! R - C - DUBBYA!"] RP: HE'S STILL IN IT! KINSEY'S ALLLIIIIVVE! LVK: AND THE BACK OF COURTADE'S HEAD HIT THE CONCRETE FLOOR! I DON'T CARE HOW BIG AND BAD YOU ARE, THAT'S GOTTA TAKE IT RIGHT OUT OF YOU! RP: Both men are laid out, but Courtade's taken a lot less abuse than Kinsey. I'm still gonna hold out hope, but it still doesn't look good. LVK: Kinsey has precious time to recover, before... oh, no. [Courtade sits up, clutching the back of his head with one hand. Kinsey sees him and struggles to reach his feet first. He does, but Courtade is only a second behind, and surging up like a shark breaking the surface of the water...] (* B A N G! *) LVK: COURTADE JUST LUNGED FOR THE LARIAT, BUT KINSEY BLASTED HIM WITH THE _BIG BANG_! COURTADE WENT OUT OF CONTROL INTO THE BARRICADE KEEPING THE FANS AWAY! RP: The rowdy ones are back there, too... [Courtade uses the barricade to slowly stand himself up, and at this time one probably-drunken fool decides to help out the Franchise by punching Courtade in the nose. This has all of the impact of a wet noodle, but Courtade refuses to let such an insult pass, and he crushes the fan's face with a haymaker!] RP: And let THAT be a lesson to you all. [This causes a very uncharacteristic distraction for the Legend Killer... and Kinsey does not let opportunity go idly by.] LVK: Courtade's hurt and distracted! Kinsey runs in with a spinning heel kick that FLATTENS Courtade up against the barricade! Courtade staggering, and Luke Kinsey runs back a few steps... RP: I know what he's setting up! This might be his chance! LVK: HE RUNS... STEPS OFF THE KNEE... _SHINING WIZ... NOOO! RP: COURTADE JUST GRABBED HIS KNEE AND FLIPPED KINSEY RIGHT INTO THE CROWD! LVK: Courtade's still got some cobwebs from the impacts to his head in the past couple minutes! He needed the seperation to... WOULD YOU LOOK AT THAT?! [As if floating down from the sky, Luke Kinsey is set down on his feet by the crowd, which had actually CAUGHT him like a stage-diver at a rock concert!] RP: THE FANS CAUGHT HIM! I... I've never seen the fans actually DO something for somebody! LVK: They hate Courtade! And Kinsey's ready! He's poised to strike! [Luke runs up behind Courtade, picks him right up, and drives him down with a HARD backdrop suplex to the concrete floor!] LVK: BACKDROP SUPLEX! AGAIN COURTADE'S HEAD BOUNCES OFF THIS COLD, UNFORGIVING FLOOR! RP: And the dummy has noone to blame but himself! If he'd have pinned Kinsey after that superplex-hot shot thingy, this wouldn't be happening! I still question Kinsey's heart, but this idiot redneck might just have too much more heart than brains! LVK: Kinsey is sucking it up! He's staggering... he's been beat up, but he's come all the way back! He grabs Courtade one more time... half-nelson! RP: HE'S GOING TO TRY THE BIG CITY DRIVER ON THE CONCRETE! LVK: COURTADE SENSED IT! HE ELBOWED KINSEY OFF OF HIM! Courtade staggers, almost trips... he's hurt, Rick! RP: I know... Kinsey's got to end it, and end it now! And I think he's starting to figure it out! He WENT for the kill just like he should have! LVK: Kinsey rushes him... COURTADE CATCHES HIM IN A GORILLA PRESS! HIS POWER IS UNDIMINISHED! AND... DEAR GOD! RP: SWEET SASSY MOLASSY!! (* C R A A C K! *) [The crowd is shocked into silence, as Courtade runs right at the back wall of the arena... a solid brick wall... and LAUNCHES Kinsey head first into it! Kinsey's body connects at eye level and crumples like a wrecked automobile! He plummets to the floor, and moves no more.] LVK: THAT WAS __SICK__! COURTADE COULD HAVE KILLED THE MAN! RP: ...Courtade MIGHT have killed the man. [Hunnicutt immediately dives down to check on Kinsey, but Courtade idly bats him away, and bends down to inspect the damage. Kinsey is bleeding like hell after that, but he's stirring.] LVK: Chris Courtade just violently, and I mean VIOLENTLY, tried to break Luke Kinsey into pieces. And he could let the referee stop it, but he won't! RP: It's not his body he wants to break. LVK: Courtade picking up Kinsey's left leg, and he's dragging him back up towards the ring. That's totally disrespectful and humiliating... he's dragging him like a dead thing! RP: I told you, Van Keel. Luke Kinsey won't quit, but he might not be able to survive. He's at the mercy of a man without mercy. LVK: Courtade to ringside now, and he picks up Kinsey and tosses him in the ring. This one's academic. Courtade rolls in, and all he has to do is cover Kinsey. RP: He's not done. I can tell... he's not done. LVK: Oh, for Pete's sake! COURTADE'S PICKING HIM UP! GERMAN RELEASE SUPLEX THROWS AN INSENSIATE LUKE KINSEY ACROSS THE RING! THERE'S NO POINT! RP: Oh, there's a point. Courtade wants to break Luke Kinsey. Pinning him is just the beginning... he wants Kinsey to surrender, to give up, to just crawl on his back and _die_. And he won't surrender or give up. LVK: Courtade's pulling up Kinsey... my word, how is Kinsey even... he's getting up! [Yes, Luke's struggling to his feet. Emphasis: struggling. Courtade just looks at him grimly, his composure fully restored, and he raises an arm, with his hand stretched out wide. He can only be signalling one thing...] LVK: _IRON CLAW_! COURTADE HAS CLAMPED THE CLAWHOLD ON KINSEY'S BLEEDING HEAD, AND HE'S CRUSHED THE FRANCHISE DOWN TO THE MAT LIKE HE WAS AN EMPTY BEER CAN! RP: ...this would never happen to Alex Extreme. Or Shane Destiny. LVK: Courtade isn't fighting either of them! Like it or not, Rick Perle, Luke Kinsey IS the Franchise of RCW! Like it or not, he's the man carrying the entire company on his shoulders, from Vasquez and Destiny all the way down to the Kangaroo Kid! And that list includes Larry Van Keel and Rick Perle, too, so don't ever give up on Luke Kinsey! RP: ..you're right. DAMMIT, KINSEY, SHOW SOME NUTS! GET UP! [The camera is focused on a tight shot of Kinsey's face. The crimson mask has covered him; he has to blink the blood from his eyes, especially with Courtade's crushing grip forcing more and more blood to seep from that gash. One of Courtade's fingers is even starting a new gash, and sheer agony is written over every visible part of Kinsey's face. Worse, we can hear Courtade. He's repeating, over and over, one single line: "Is yer mind right, Luke?"] LVK: I don't know how long Kinsey can stand this pain! But he refuses to give in! He's got his shoulder off the mat, he won't be pinned, and he won't submit! RP: But he WILL bleed to death if he doesn't do something right, and I mean RIGHT now! LVK: Kinsey's shoulder is sinking to the mat! He's down! ONE!!! TWO!!! RP: He's back up! But he's slipping fast! [Courtade: "Is yer mind right, Luke?" Kinsey reaches up, and manages to get to a seated position despite Courtade using all of his size and strength to bull him back down. Kinsey: "Fucking die." And with those classic words, Kinsey reaches back and punches Chris Courtade one time right in the mouth...] (* S M A C K ! *) [...and knocks a tooth right out! The crowd explodes!] LVK: DEAR GOD, THAT WAS A SHOT! HE KNOCKED COURTADE'S TOOTH OUT! RP: AND IT ACTUALLY BROKE THE HOLD! HE'S STILL IN IT! SUCK IT UP, LUKE! [Courtade's eyes are wide as he looks down at his tooth on the mat. Not with pain, not with anger, not even with fear... but with total, abject surprise.] LVK: Courtade can't believe it! He can't believe that Kinsey just knocked out his tooth! RP: That's his weakness! That's why Kinsey can win! Courtade doesn't believe in him! [Courtade composes himself, stands up, and fires back, knocking a barely-risen Kinsey flat on his back with a hard punch. Then, the Texan picks up Kinsey, and sets him up for the kill.] LVK: Oh, no... Kinsey WON'T survive THIS! ____JUST ANOTHER STATIS... NO! KINSEY GRABBED THE ROPE AND COURTADE THREW HIMSELF ONTO HIS BACK! KINSEY AVOIDED THE "JUST ANOTHER STATISTIC" DDT! RP: But he's still dizzy, still groggy, still bleeding, and still ripe for the picking! Kinsey has to recover, and he needs to buy himself time! LVK: Courtade isn't giving him any! The big Texan is up and laying into Kinsey with big punches to the midsection! Irish-whip by Courtade... runs off the opposite ropes... HE'S GOING FOR IT! _____LARIAT_____... KINSEY DUCKED! RP: Both men off the ropes and running at it again! LVK: ANOTHER LARIAT TRY, BUT THIS TIME KINSEY KICKS COURTADE'S PLANT FOOT RIGHT OUT FROM UNDERNEATH HIM! THE BIG MAN FALLS! RP: Kinsey's still running... this is his chance! LVK: COURTADE TO ONE KNEE AS KINSEY BARRELS IN! (* W H A A A C K! *) [MONSTER POP!] LVK: __SHINING WIZARD__! __SHINING WIZARD__! KINSEY GOT ALL OF IT! RP: YES! YES! COVER HIM! COVER HIM! LVK: He can't! Luke Kinsey is wiped out! Both men laying on the mat! And listen to the crowd! [CROWD: "KIN-SEY! KIN-SEY! KIN-SEY! KIN-SEY! KIN-SEY!"] LVK: Chris Courtade has taken some nasty, nasty shots to the head in this match! Kinsey's entire body has been battered! It's a race... a slow race to be sure, but a race to recover! That blast from Kinsey's knee just opened up Courtade's cut into a significant bloodflow! RP: Kinsey's got more than I gave him credit for to even have lasted this long, let alone have a chance to win! [Both men are down... Kinsey laying in the corner, clutching the bottom turnbuckle pad... Courtade in center ring, just now rolling over onto his hands and knees.] LVK: But Courtade's getting up first! The Legend Killer is up before Kinsey, and he's prepping the Iron Claw again! Kinsey getting up... wobbly... RP: But Kinsey's positioning himself! He's setting up Courtade and Courtade doesn't see it! He's taken too many hits to the head! LVK: _IRON CLAW_... BUT KINSEY COUNTERS WITH A DROP TOE HOLD, AND COURTADE'S FACE HITS THE BOTTOM TURNBUCKLE! (* C L A N G! *) [HUGE POP!] RP: THERE'S NO PAD! KINSEY HAD PULLED IT OFF WHEN HE WAS DOWN THERE! HE SET COURTADE UP FOR THAT! LVK: Kinsey is behind Courtade! He hooks his arms... twists Courtade around... TOMIKAZE! TOMIKAZE DROPPED COURTADE RIGHT ON HIS HEAD! KINSEY MIGHT HAVE HIM! RP: COVER! ONE!!! TWO!!! LVK: AND COURTADE THROWS KINSEY TWO FEET IN THE AIR RIGHT OFF OF HIM! RP: But Kinsey's in control! You don't realize how huge this is, Van Keel! Chris Courtade has been in there for over thirty minutes with a man he expected to destroy, and he's beaten the guy to a bloody pulp, and Courtade is now the one fighting to stay in the match! LVK: Luke Kinsey's covered in his own blood, and every second that goes by, he's losing more blood! Time is not on his side! And he's on the attack! Kicking, stomping, elbowing... RP: Courtade's grabbed his foot! DAMMIT! WHY HAVEN'T YOU LEARNED TO NOT _FIGHT_ HIM?! LVK: Courtade up to his feet with Kinsey's right foot in his clutches! Spins the foot to the side AND THROWS THE LAR... (* W H A C K! *) LVK: ...NO! KINSEY SPUN ALL THE WAY AND BLASTED COURTADE IN THE BACK OF THE HEAD WITH A SPINNING ROUNDHOUSE KICK! His foot never even touched the ground! And Courtade is reeling! RP: Courtade in the corner... be careful, Kinsey! Cornered animals are the most dangerous! LVK: Kinsey rushes in, and Irish-whips Courtade to the opposite corner! Kinsey charging after him... FLYING AVALANCHE CONNECTS! KINSEY FLOATED OVER THE TOP WITH IT! [Luke's high jumping avalanche hits big Courtade, and Luke's legs swing over the top rope to land him on the apron from the move. Luke hooks Chris' head in an inverted facelock and climbs the ropes... and the crowd is on it's feet, knowing what THAT means!] LVK: __EGO TRIP~!__ RP: OH, NO! COURTADE BLOCKED HIM! [Kinsey attempts his patented Tornado Inverted DDT, but the wide-shouldered Courtade pulls Kinsey up onto his shoulder, continues the spinning motion, and goes straight south with it, silencing the crowd!] LVK: __SWINGING TOMBSTONE PILEDRIVER__! COURTADE JUST ENDED IT! THAT HAD TO END IT! RP: Maybe... but if not, THIS will! [Courtade isn't going for any pins. He stands up, grabs Kinsey by the hair, pulls him up a bit, and then backs up. Kinsey staggers, weakly, almost blindly, to his feet. He staggers, and the breeze from a 281 pound Texan sprinting past him almost knocks him down. The ensuing lariat from the aforementioned rebounding Texan knocks him one hundred and eighty degrees onto his head, and the impact causes his left boot to fly off into the crowd.] LVK: ___________L A R I A T_____________! RP: NNNNOOOOOOOOO! GOD DAMN IT! NO! NO! LVK: LUKE KINSEY JUST TOOK THE BADDEST LARIAT IN WRESTLING, AND THAT WILL BE ALL! ONE!!! TWO!!! THRE... ? [The crowd blows the roof off of the Savvis Center... as Luke Kinsey kicks out.] RP: IMPOSSIBLE! IMPOSSIBLE! LVK: IT HAPPENED! COURTADE'S ABOUT TO HAVE A HEART ATTACK! [Chris Courtade looks at Luke Kinsey, his left arm raised to bring his shoulder two inches above the canvas, then looks at James Hunnicutt holding up two fingers. His eyes, again, are wide with shock. He shakes his head, as if shaking out the doubt, then barks at Hunnicutt to count again, as he covers, this time hooking a leg and applying an amateur-style half-nelson pin.] ONE!!! TWO!!! THRE...? [Again, the fans cheers grow deafening as Luke Kinsey refuses to stay down for the pin.] RP: HE KICKED OUT AGAIN! LUKE KINSEY JUST PROVED ME WRONG, AND I LOVE IT! [Courtade gets up, his eyes still wide. There's nothing resembling fear there... just the look of a man who does not believe what he has just seen, and is trying to figure it out. Courtade reaches down, and pulls up Kinsey... but his mind isn't quite all the way focused on this simple task.] LVK: INSIDE CRADLE! INSIDE CRADLE BY KINSEY! RP: OH, PLEASE...! ONE!!! TWO!!! THR...? [The crowd begins to cheer... but then "awwww" as Hunnicutt holds up two fingers only. Courtade sits up quickly, as if realizing how close he just came to losing. His red-caked brow is furrowed with intensity and anger once more. And when he stands, he meets Luke Kinsey eye to eye... and the very same expression is etched on the blood-soaked face of the Franchise!] LVK: COURTADE AND KINSEY ARE GOING TOE TO TOE! RP: BUT IT'S DIFFERENT NOW! COURTADE'S BEEN HURT, HE'S NOT SHRUGGING OFF KINSEY'S PUNCHES LIKE NOTHING ANYMORE! AND KINSEY... AS BRUTALIZED AS HE IS... HE'S FIRED UP!! LVK: KINSEY DUCKS A BIG HAYMAKER, AND... KNOCKS DOWN COURTADE! HE KNOCKED DOWN COURTADE WITH A BIG RIGHT HAND! I DON'T BELIEVE IT! RP: CHRIS COURTADE HAS UTTERLY, TOTALLY LOST ANY PSYCHOLOGICAL EDGE HE HAD ON KINSEY... KINSEY TOOK HIS BEST SHOT AND HE'S STILL GOING! [Kinsey runs at Courtade and pops a knee in his bloody forehead. Courtade responds with seven quick, unanswered punches that totally stun Kinsey.] LVK: But Courtade is still the better fighter, Rick! It's one thing to have survived this far, one thing to overcome Courtade's psychological attack... he still has to find some way to BEAT the man! RP: LOOK OUT, LUKE! [Courtade throws another lariat, and curses loudly as he misses a dodging Kinsey. A new target forms in Courtade's vision... he keeps running... and the crowd erupts into violent boos as Courtade blasts James Hunnicutt to kingdom come with the lariat!] LVK: WHAT THE HELL?! WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?! RP: THAT WAS THE BIGGEST CROCK OF SH[bleep]T I'VE EVER SEEN! COURTADE DID THAT ON PURPOSE! LVK: And Courtade rolling out of the ring... he's grabbing a chair again! RP: HE WON'T GET THE CHANCE! [For the second time this match, Kinsey runs to the ropes and leaps over them... ...again, the flashbulbs pop, the crowd goes bananas... ...but this time, Courtade cannot react quickly enough!] LVK: __CANNONBALL TOPE__! KINSEY SMASHED HIS ENTIRE BODY INTO COURTADE! RP: He's gonna do it, Larry! He's going to beat this jerkwad! LVK: Kinsey picks up Courtade, rolls him in the ring... Kinsey's going up to the top rope! KINSEY PERCHED UP TOP! KINSEY'S GOING TO FLY! HE LEAPS... RP: NO! COURTADE ROLLED AWAY! LVK: BUT KINSEY LANDED ON HIS FEET! AGAIN, KINSEY'S MISDIRECTED COURTADE! [Courtade pulls himself slowly to a standing position, and Kinsey runs in and snatches him with a half-nelson, looking for a swift Big City Driver. But Courtade has learned this lesson... he isn't taken off-guard, but instead counters immediately.] RP: NO! LVK: ACE CRUSHER BY COURTADE! HE COUNTERED THE BIG CITY DRIVER! AND KINSEY'S NECK BOUNCED RIGHT OFF OF COURTADE'S SHOULDER! RP: DAMMIT! But there's no referee! Courtade can't go for the pin! LVK: Courtade picking up Kinsey... and pummelling him with knees to the midsection. Punch to the head drops him! Kinsey crawls to the corner, but Courtade elbowdrops him! RP: Courtade has Kinsey in the corner... he's putting him up on the top rope again! LVK: KINSEY ON THE TOP ROPE FACING OUTSIDE! COURTADE ON THE SECOND ROPE ON THE INSIDE! COURTADE HOOKS HIS WAIST... LOOK OUT BELOW! (* T H O O O O M M M! *) [CROWD: "HOLY SHIT! HOLY SHIT! HOLY SHIT! HOLY SHIT!"] [Chris Courtade lifts Kinsey and spins, attempting to drive him onto his face with his patented Reverse Super Spinebuster. But Kinsey slips from his grasp, and Tornado DDT's him off of the second rope as both men fall!] LVK: LUKE KINSEY JUST COUNTERED THE SUPER REVERSE SPINEBUSTER WITH THE TORNADO DDT! AND IF WE HAD A REFEREE... IF WE ONLY HAD A REFEREE! RP: DAMN YOU, COURTADE! LVK: Kinsey hooks Courtade's arms behind his back... AND HE'S JUST LOCKED ON THE ___GEORGE WASHINGTON BRIDGE___! THIS IS HIS MOVE! KINSEY'S SUBMISSION FINISHER! [The crowd cheers, as Luke hooks both of Courtade's arms behind his back in a double chickenwing, linking his own hands together across the Legend Killer's back. From there, Kinsey leans forward, placing his head between the Chris' shoulderblades, and does a front flip, landing in a bridged position while wrenching the Texan's arms back and putting intense pressure on his shoulder joints!] RP: The tables have turned! It's Kinsey punishing Courtade! IS YOUR MIND RIGHT, CHRIS?! LVK: But there's no... YES THERE IS! ALFONSO REYES! WE HAVE A NEW REFEREE, RICK! RP: TAP! TAP, YOU STUPID TEXAN! AND IF YOU CAN'T TAP BECAUSE YOUR ARMS ARE BEHIND YOUR BACK, THEN BEG! YOU WANT TO BEAT UP A HELPLESS ANNOUNCER, YOU WANT TO CHEAP SHOT A REFEREE? SUCK ON YOUR OWN MEDICINE, JERKWAD! LVK: REYES IS ASKING COURTADE! THE PAIN HAS TO BE EXCRUCIATING AFTER FIFTY MINUTES OF A WAR LIKE THIS! RP: And that move pushes down the rest of Courtade's upper body onto his face! It's going to make him bleed faster just like the Claw did to Kinsey! LVK: BUT COURTADE WILL NOT GIVE IN! HE'LL NEVER SUBMIT! RP: True! But he can't last ten minutes, either... he'll lose too much blood and pass out! [Courtade screams... a scream of agony, but also a scream of defiance. And again. He screams "NEVAH!" upon Reyes' next inquiry... and begins to try and get his knees underneath him.] LVK: HOW LONG CAN COURTADE STAND THIS?! HOW LONG CAN HE... CHRIS COURTADE JUST MANAGED TO PUSH HIS BODY TO THE SIDE, AND SNAKE ONE FOOT UNDER THE BOTTOM ROPE! KINSEY HAS TO BREAK! RP: He's trying to break! BOTH arms! LVK: Alfonso Reyes is laying down the count... but Luke Kinsey refuses to break the George Washington Bridge! He's counted to five, and Kinsey STILL won't let go! RP: He's got Chris Courtade down and screaming! That's victory enough right there! LVK: Reyes with no alternative than to grab Kinsey's foot and DRAG Luke off of Courtade! FINALLY the hold is... HEY! (* W H A C K! *) LVK: KINSEY JUST HIT ALFONSO REYES WITH THE __BIG BANG__! HE SUPERKICKED REYES' FACE OFF, FOR BREAKING UP HIS HOLD! RP: The referee had no right to touch him! Serves the goober right! LVK: KINSEY'S GOING RIGHT BACK TO THE GW BRIDGE... BUT COURTADE ROLLS OUT UNDER THE BOTTOM ROPE! Courtade getting out of there, and Kinsey diving after him! (* B L A P! *) LVK: COURTADE WHEELED AROUND AND PUNCHED KINSEY RIGHT IN THE HEAD AS HE DOVE THROUGH THE ROPES! This has to be one of the loudest matches I've ever heard... these men have hit each other brutally! RP: Kinsey hit the floor hard, and that ringside padding isn't all that much good! LVK: Courtade moving in quickly! He grabs Kinsey... (* C R A A A S S H H! *) LVK: AND HE SMASHED HIS FACE INTO ONE OF OUR MONITORS AT THE ANNOUNCE TABLE! THERE'S BROKEN GLASS EVERYWHERE! [As Courtade spares a moment to glare at the commentary crew, Rick Perle stands right up and grabs his aluminum baseball bat... the one he's been carrying of late for protection. He holds it up and brandishes it threateningly.] RP: Don't even THINK it, jackass! In the state you're in, I'd murder you! [Courtade turns, not allowing himself to be baited or distracted by Perle. Instead, he's focused on the task at hand, and he brings a big boot to Kinsey's face. Courtade then moves over to a convienient spot, and rips the padding up off of the floor to expose bare concrete!] LVK: Oh, no! Courtade exposing the floor! RP: Good. He hasn't had good luck with concrete floors at all tonight. LVK: He's setting up Kinsey! Piledriver or power bomb coming! POWER BOMB... (* W H A M! *) [MASSIVE POP! Kinsey's hand finds the nearby chair that Courtade attempted to use earlier in the match, and when the Legend Killer lifts him up for the power bomb, Kinsey whacks him right in the face with it! Courtade doesn't even fall, but staggers back a good ten feet. Kinsey lands on his feet out of Courtade's grasp, slides in the ring with the chair, and smacks the mat with it, daring Courtade to come get some!] RP: KINSEY COUNTERED, AND THAT TEXAN'S SEEING TUMBLEWEEDS! LVK: Luke's got the chair! And Courtade's unarmed! RP: I'd like to see how that brainless *GACK* [Courtade rushes over, slugs Perle, and takes the bat that Perle had in his hands. He then slides in the ring, and blocks Kinsey's chairshot with the bat!] (* W H A A A C K! *) (* C L A A A N G! *) LVK: CHAIR VERSUS BAT IN MID-RING! THESE TWO MEN HAVE RESORTED TO TRYING TO DESTROY ONE ANOTHER WITH WEAPONS! RP: GODDAMMIT! HOW COULD I LET... GODDAMMIT! (* W H A A A C K! *) (* C L A A A N G! *) [Courtade and Kinsey are dueling, bat versus chair, and at a frenetic pace. Courtade tries to jab to set up a bigger blow, but Kinsey has a better blocking tool. Kinsey's swings are batted away by Courtade, and the two combatants are furiously trying to take each other down.] (* W H A A A C K! *) (* C L A A A N G! *) LVK: HERE COMES HEAD REFEREE MARC GIOFFRE! RP: I hope he's got insurance... these two have killed about every other ref on the payroll! (* W H A A A C K! *) (* C L A A A N G! *) (* B L A M! *) [Finally, it's Courtade who lands a telling blow, stepping in to catch Kinsey's chairswing with the broad side of his back, to open himself up for a big golf-swing to the ribs! The chair bounces out of Kinsey's hands, and Luke plummets to the canvas! Courtade sneers evilly, and raises the bat... and in an act of attempted murder, smashes it down with all of his might towards the side of Kinsey's head! Kinsey slides away JUST in time!] LVK: HE'S TRYING TO KILL HIM! RP: GIOFFRE! STOP THAT SON OF A... [Courtade rakes Luke's eyes with his boot, then raises the bat to try again!] LVK: HEAD REFEREE MARC GIOFFRE JUST SNATCHED THE BAT FROM COURTADE! RP: DISQUALIFY HIM AND RUN FOR YOUR LIFE! [Courtade reaches out and grabs Gioffre by the shirt. Courtade muscles the bat away from the referee, and shoves him away... but this gives Kinsey the time to recover, rake Courtade's cuts, and snatch the bat himself! Kinsey winds up and takes a home run swing at Courtade's head, but the Texan falls backwards, the bat missing his skull by inches!] LVK: NOW KINSEY'S TRYING TO KILL COURTADE! THIS IS INSANE! THIS HAS NO PLACE IN SPORTS! [Gioffre observes this, sees the downed referees, and comes to the very same conclusion. He does the only thing left... ...he calls for the bell.] *DING*DING*DING* [The fans boo vehemently, and Gioffre desperately waves for security. Kinsey and Courtade both have a grip on the bat, and are playing tug of war for it. Courtade swings Kinsey around the ring like he's trying to hammer throw him in an effort to dislodge Kinsey from the bat; Kinsey counters by biting Courtade's fingers! Both men are then beset by a swarm of security personnel!] DS: LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, HEAD REFEREE MARC GIOFFRE HAS DISQUALIFIED BOTH MEN! THIS MATCH HAS BEEN DECLARED A __NO CONTEST__! [The crowd boos and throws garbage at the referee, who is checking on the condition of Hunnicutt.] LVK: AFTER BOTH MEN GOING THROUGH HELL AND BACK, IT GETS THROWN OUT! AND THERE WAS NOTHING ELSE GIOFFRE COULD DO! RP: BULLS[bleep]T! LET THEM FIGHT! LET THEM END IT! LVK: I've got a horrible feeling a riot's about to break out in this building, so let's head backstage, where Gina Sarrazin is standing by! [We cut to the back where Gina Sarrazin is standing with the one and only Gremlin. Both are in front of a "RCW Caged Rage 3" background, and the Gremlin is busy bouncing up and down, hyped up and ready to go.] GS: Allow me to be the first to say that this is a huge shock- [Gremmy suddenly jumps erratically, and a bunch of pills come flying out of his pocket and hit the ground. The look on his face is one of mock shock.] G: My pills! My glorious, career lengthening pills! Oh, whatever will this particular chair swinging mickie fickie do now?! [Gina just blinks, and the Gremlin chuckles.] G: It's a joke, Gina. Sometimes I tell them. Get with the priggity program. [Pause.] G: Anyway, yeah! You were saying something about this being a huge shock... well, I'm sorry Ms. Sassafras, but it shouldn't be. You see, everybody's been chomping at the bit wondering when I was going to come back- some people thought I retired, some people thought I was dead, and some people think cucumbers taste better pickled! GS: Huh? G: What? GS: Huh? G: What? [Gremmy shakes his head.] G: Anyway, I'm back, I'm rested, and as always, I'm ready to give this industry a barbed wire wedgie one mo' 'gain. GS: But- G: But why now, you ask? GS: ...can I do my job? G: Only on Tuesdays after Gilmore Girls! Right now, I get to speak! I ain't said nothing in months! Hear me, warriors and all that jazz! [Gremmy mutters something to the effect of, "Medication's kicking in".] G: So... yeah! Me and Non-White Boy Juan are hooking up in a cage in just a few short minutes! People wanna know- is this a full time thing? Am I gonna do my damndest to kill someone here in RCW? Will I crap out and sh[BLEEP!] my pants? Yes! Yes I will! This is a full time thing for the simple fact that I want to wrestle, damn it! I am going to do my damndest to kill someone here in RCW since that is what I do, and I'm going to crap out and sh[BLEEP!] my pants due to all the new faces that I haven't smacked in the f[BLEEP!]in' face yet! New ventures... "excite" me, you see. [Grem adjusts his pants and gives Gina a wink.] G: I'm back for one reason and one reason only- to do what I do best. That involves copious amounts of asswhuppery and the virtual castration of all those that dabble in lameassery and rich dickery. My kung-fu is strong, my penis is large, and all you motherf[BLEEP!]ers are about to realize one thing and one thing only. I _still_ don't give a f[BLEEP!]. [Gremmy cracks his neck.] G: Now, if you'll excuse me, I gotta go shake the pillars of heaven. This is only the beginning, kids. Only the beginning. [And with that, the Gremlin gives the camera a thumbs up and heads off screen as the camera cuts back to ringside.] LVK: You heard the man. It's time! IT'S MAIN EVENT TIME, SO LET'S HEAD TO THE RING AND DO IT, RAGE IN THE CAGE STYLE! [Cross to the ring, but David Stokes isn't in it. Apparently he's decided that getting inside any kind of steel structure with The Gremlin isn't in his best interests, so RCW's resident ring announcer has parked himself well and truly at ringside. Oh, and the ring? It's slowly being engulfed as the Rage in the Cage lowers, the fans "oooohhhh"ing as they watch, spotlights flashing all over the impressive metal structure.] *KLAAANNKKKKK!* [And it hits ground, covering the ring and entire ringside area!] DS: Ladies and gentlemen.... IT'S MAIN EVENT TIME! [POP!] DS: IT'S TIME FOR RAGE... IN... THE... CAGE! [MASSIVE POP!] # I DON'T GIVE --A-- F[BLEEP!]! # [And the houselights completely drop, replaced with a black light emanating from the entranceway. "Waiting to Die" by (hed)p.e. cuts off as soon as it starts, replaced by Twiztid & ICP's "Rock the Dead", drawing a tremendous face pop from the crowd.] # Wake up, float to the sky Bring the wicked shit and the dead will arise Wake up, float to the sky Bring the wicked shit and the dead will arise # [The blacklight is replaced by a blinding strobe light; "Rock the Dead" is nearly drowned out by the deafening roar of the crowd as the Gremlin emerges from the back, ready for war. Dressed in a black t-shirt, blue jeans, and taped fists, Gremmy wastes no time in heading towards the ring...] # Come on Space and beyond Mind dumpin in the yard I stoled your headstone from your grave plot Conscience and confused Seen tomorrow's dreams on tonight's news Fallin through a hole in the sky Will I die? You know the time multiplied with this life, love, and lies Steppin in the darkness Walkin through my conscience Like an android I remain heartless Underground, and mental know me well Bring it to the white lights of the depths of Hell Walk through the time flux hand and hand with clear mind Chords are harmonious like the rhythm of windchimes Peel back the rhyme and examine the fruit Rotten to the core buried in they best suits Maggots crawling on they face Eyes sunk in they head Throw your f**kin arms up and rock the dead # [Gremmy barrels his way to ringside like the sociopath that he is, and quite promptly climbs up on top of the announcer's table, playing to the crowd as the chorus hits...] # Come on! Got me a mic, and now we ache like the dead And all we wanna do is ROCK THE DEAD! So many thoughts runnin all through my head But the only one that's clear is ROCK THE DEAD! # DS: Introducing first... from Los Angeles, California... HE IS... THE GREEEEEEEMLIIIIIINNNN!! [The Theme That No One Ever Thought They'd Hear Again continues to play as Gremmy hops off the announcer's table and rolls into the ring, proceeding to test the ropes and limber up as "Rock the Dead" begins to fade out...] [The lights go out once again.] Voice: "Same s[bleep], different toilet, yo'." [MONSTER FACE POP!] "Mirror, mirror, on the wall...who's the top choice of them all?" ["Conceited Bastard" by Ras Kass begins to play as a lone spotlight suddenly hits the curtains, where we see a silhouette of "El Cholo" Juan Vasquez standing in front of the entranceway, with arms held triumphantly in the air. The lights come back on, as Juan lowers drops his outstretched arms and spreads them out, revealing the newly won RCW world title belt now worn proudly around his waist.] DS: ...from Los Angeles, California....weighing in at 240 pounds....he is the RCW World Heavyweight champion... "EL CHOLO" JUAN VASQUUUUEEEEZZZZZZZZZZZ!! [The crowd unleashes a huge, massive "Did I just see Kirstin Kruek and Elisha Cuthbert makeout while they both experienced wardrobe malfunctions???" FACE POP!!! Juan's changed his clothes, now sporting a red St. Louis Cardinals baseball jersey, left unbuttoned to reveal a wifebeater undershirt, and a pair of relatively, baggy blue jeans. His hands are still heavily taped and he's carrying a duffel bag over his shoulders. Still bursting with confidence, Juan's not exactly strutting his way down the aisle. Instead, he's walking pretty slow, reveling in the moment. Reaching his way at ringside, Juan unstraps the title from his waist, plants a kiss on it, and hands it over to a ringside attendant. He cranes his neck a few times, does some calf stretches, takes one deep breath, and walks into that cage.] ___ ___ ________________________________________________________________ / __| | _ \ |__ / Rage in the Cage | (__ | / |_ \ \___| |_|_\ |___/ "El Cholo" Juan Vasquez \ written by vs \ Fletcha The Gremlin \_________________________________________________________________________ *DING DING!* [They walk towards the centre of the ring, as the buzz continues to build. For a moment they engage in a staredown, before a slight grin breaks out over Vasquez's face, and he thrusts out his right hand....] LVK: Juan Vasquez offering a handshake, showing what a great sportsman he is... RP: And The Gremlin refusing to accept it, showing that he's here to kick ass and take numbers, not make friends! [Juan shrugs, and they lock up.] LVK: Traditional collar-and-elbow tie-up to begin... and The Gremlin uses his size advantage to push Vasquez back into a corner! Referee Marc Gioffre calling for the clean break- [Both men stand their ground, each with a fist cocked and ready to strike, but slowly they part. Pop!] LVK: Which he gets! [Back into the centre of the ring, and Juan strikes the first blow...] *SMACK!* [Crowd: WHOOOO!] LVK: Knife-edge chop from the World champion! *SMACK!* [Crowd: WHOOO!] LVK: And another, before Vasquez whips Gremlin into the ropes- *SMAACCKK!* RP: Gremlin wins the clash of shoulders! LVK: Down goes Vasquez, and Gremlin turns and runs into the ropes again. Vasquez back up... tries for a hiptoss- BLOCKED! [And Gremlin swings around, aiming to knock Vasquez's head into the next county with his Neck Cutter lariat...] LVK: WOAH! Vasquez narrowly ducked under a vicious lariat... and hooks on a rear waistlock! *SMACK-SMACK-SMACK!* RP: Three quick elbows from The Gremlin break that! [The Gremlin spins around... and clasps a clawhold onto Vasquez's forehead. PANIC POP!] LVK: CLAWHOLD!! THE GREMLIN HAS IT LOCKED- *THUUUDDDD!!* LVK: NO! Vasquez armdragged out of it, sending The Gremlin tumbling to the mat. [Gremmy rolls right to his feet, adopting a fighting stance, as Vasquez does the same. STANDOFF POP!] LVK: What a great chain of technical wrestling. RP: Who'da thought The Gremlin could actually _wrestle_? LVK: Well Rick, he's been in so many high profile hardcore matches that people forget that he's a sound technical wrestler. RP: Boring! I wanna see him spill some blood! LVK: I'm sure you'll get your wish. [Back together they come, Vasquez looking for another lock-up, but instead finding Gremlin's knee driven into his gut...] LVK: Knee to the midsection by The Gremlin, and now he unloads on Vasquez with brutally-stiff punches! He whips Vasquez into the ropes- *THUUUUUUDDDDDDDD!!* [Pop!] LVK: AND POWERSLAMS HIM INTO THE MAT! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO- And two only! [Gremlin is quickly back to his feet, rebounding off the ropes and leaping into the air....] *THUUUUUDDDDDD!!* LVK: FLYING KNEEDROP MISSES ITS MARK! RP: Both are back up- *THWACK-THUD!* LVK: And a spin kick knocks The Gremlin back down! RP: He's right back up! LVK: But backed into a corner by a flurry of punches from the World champ! Vasquez is really taking it to The Gremlin now! *THUD!* LVK: Vasquez sends The Gremlin down with a trademark HIPTOSS~! RP: Gremlin's right back up again though... he won't stay down! LVK: Vasquez charges... dropkick- *THUUDDD!!* RP: Sidestepped by The Gremlin! LVK: Vasquez up- *THWAACKK-THUUUDDDD!!* RP: HOLY GUACAMOLE!! _BIG_ LARIAT BY THE GREMLIN! LVK: What impact, but to Juan Vasquez's credit, he's climbing back up... *THUUUDDDDD!!* RP: AND RIGHT BACK DOWN, COURTESY OF A SWINGING NECKBREAKER! LVK: The Gremlin's going for the pin! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! KICKOUT! [Face pop!] LVK: Only two, but The Gremlin's pulling Vasquez right up off the mat, and into a standing headscissor... RP: Vasquez is blocking the powerbomb! *THUUUDDDDD!!* [Pop!] LVK: BACKDROP SENDS GREMLIN DOWN! VASQUEZ RUNS... JUMPS... *THUUUUUUDDDDDDDDDDDDDD!!* [Highspot pop!] LVK: LA QUEBRAAAADAAAAAAAAAAA!! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! T-NO! KICKOUT! [Vasquez rolls away from Gremlin, making his way over to the corner where he earlier left his duffel bag. The fans POP in anticipation as he picks up the bag. Pulling it open, Juan reaches in and pulls out.....two Singapore canes! HARDCORE POP!!] RP: Alright! Bring on the pain... BRING ON THE CANE! [Dropping the bag back to the mat, and one of the canes with it, Vasquez takes hold of the other one with both hands, a smirk developing on his face as he looks down at the weapon, then back at The Gremlin.] LVK: It looks like the World champ came prepared! RP: He's gonna cane The Gremlin like he was a disobedient schoolboy! LVK: The Gremlin doesn't see the cane, as he climbs back to his feet- *SWOOOOOSH!* LVK: I guess he _did_ see it, just in the nick of time, because The Gremlin ducked under a swinging cane shot! RP: Not only did he duck, but he ended up near that bag... [HARDCORE POP!] RP: AND NOW GREMMY HAS A CANE TOO!! [But before THE MASTAH~! can raise the cane and turn towards Vasquez, Juan lunges forward with his own weapon....] *FWAAACCKKKK!!* [...the blow catching Gremmy across the upper back!] LVK: OHHH!! What a shot! RP: That'll strip the flesh right off a man's back! LVK: Vasquez swings again- *FW-CLAAACKK!!* LVK: But this time The Gremlin blocks with his own cane! And jams the handle end into Vasquez's throat! RP: Vicious! [As Juan doubles over in a fit of coughing, leaving himself completely unguarded, the fans roar - some in protest, others in sadistic anticipation, as The Gremlin swings his cane into the air....] *FWAAAAAAAAAACCKKK!!* RP: OH YEAH! Gremmy returned the favour! LVK: And from the look on Juan Vasquez's face, I bet he's wishing he never brought those canes into the Rage in the Cage in the first place! [Vasquez goes stumbling back into a corner, distracted by the pain he feels in his back, but quickly shocked back into attention, his eyes growing wide as The Gremlin lunges forward, swinging the cane down towards his head.....] *THAAAAAAPPPPPP!!!!* [Crowd: OOOOOOHHHHHH!!] RP: SWEET JESUS! That would've caved Vasquez's head in if it had hit! LVK: It didn't though, as Vasquez ducked out of the way, and now... [Extending two fingers, Juan quickly jabs them into five different places on Gremmy's chest, making the last blow a palm strike to the centre of the chest. Gremlin backs up unhurt, but gives Juan a "You did NOT just do that" sort of glare....] RP: What the hell? [...before smirking and Juan grins in kind. Almost immediately, some of the crowd "oooohhh" in realisation.] LVK: How strange. RP: Wait... that's something from that new Tarentino movie I just saw... the "five-point exploding heart technique"! LVK: You're right! Juan Vasquez may be the World champion, but he's still got a wacky streak a mile wide! RP: You can call it wacky, but do you think The Gremlin is brave enough to move? He looks hesitant about taking five steps, just in case his heart explodes! [Before Gremlin can make those five steps, Juan turns and runs into the ropes, rebounding at speed....] *THWAAAAACKKK-THUUUUUDDDDD!!* [...and running headfirst into the damnedest Yakuza kick! STIFF SHOT POP!!] LVK: Hmmm, I guess that answers your question. *FWAAAAAAACKKK!!* [Hardcore pop!] LVK: Again The Gremlin waffles Vasquez with the Singapore cane, this time across the chest! *FWAAAAAAAACKKK!!* *FWAAAAAAAACKKK!!* *FWAAAAAAAACKKK!!* *FWAAAAAAAACKKK!!* LVK: AND THERE ARE FOUR MORE VICIOUS, FLESH-TEARING SHOTS!! [And Gremmy really winds up for the final blow, bringing the cane scything through the air like an executioner's axe, right down onto Vasquez's head....] *FWAAAAAAAAAAAAAACKKKKKKKKKKKKKK!!!!* [....the cane shattering on impact!] [THUNDEROUS HARDCORE CARNAGE POP!!!] RP: HOLY SHIZNIT! HE BROKE THE DAMN CANE OVER VASQUEZ'S NOGGIN!! I MEAN _SHATTERED_ IT!! LVK: Absolutely beh-rutal! [Needless to say, Vasquez went down like the proverbial ton of bricks upon impact, and now Gremlin climbs onto his chest. He takes the cane, which is little more than shredded lengths of bamboo in the middle, and holds it with one hand at either end, pushing it down into the World champ's throat!] LVK: And now The Gremlin is using what's left of the cane to simply choke the life out of Juan Vasquez! [Marc Gioffre steps in, ready to yell at Gremmy to stop with the choke, but the self-confessed "Kang of Ass Whuppery" turns and glares at the ref as if to say "give me a reason to hurt you", and Gioffre backs off. A few seconds later he does release the choke, throwing the broken cane aside and dragging Juan to his feet...] RP: Vasquez is barely able to stand after the Singapore cane shot to end all cane shots... OH! AND WE HAVE BLOOD! LVK: Which is hardly surprising. The blood oozing down through Juan's hair and onto the side of his face, as The Gremlin sets him up for a suplex... lifts- *OOPPPPPPPPPPHHH!!* LVK: And drops him stomachfirst across the top rope! [Juan stays straddling the top rope for only a couple of seconds, before rocking backwards and flopping to the floor. The fans roar with a HARDCORE ANTICIPATION POP as Gremmy climbs out after him...] RP: Van Keel, I don't mind admitting I'm glad we've got all those inches of steel cage between us and what's going on in there. LVK: Amen to that. The Gremlin looks hell-bent on shedding as much blood as he can, and I don't want to become an innocent bystander when he's in this sort of mood! He's got hold of Vasquez again, grabs him by the arm.... *KAH-DAAAAAAANNNNNKKKKK!!* [CAGE VIOLENCE POP!!] LVK: AND WHIPS VASQUEZ HEADFIRST INTO THE SIDE OF THE CAGE!! RP: Had to be done! It's tradition! LVK: Things aren't looking so good for the World champ right now. He's bloody and dazed, and The Gremlin has hold of him again....looking to whip him into the cage again- [But as Juan is whipped towards the wall of metal for a second time, he leaps up and pushes off of it with both feet. This rattles the entire metal structure, but Vasquez finds enough stability to push off of it and leap back through the air....] *THWAAPPPPP!!* [SWANK HIGHSPOT POP!!] LVK: WOW!! VASQUEZ LAUNCHED HIMSELF OFF THE WALL OF THE CAGE AND DECKED GREMLIN WITH A CROSS BODYBLOCK!! RP: It doesn't keep him down though - Gremlin's back to his feet like a shot! LVK: And taking the fight right back to Vasquez with stinging right hands! He's got Vasquez stunned, grabs him by the arm- *KAH-LAAAAAAAANGGGGGG!!* [Hardcore pop!] LVK: HE THROWS THE WORLD CHAMP RIGHT INTO THE STEEL RINGSTEPS!! [The steps dislodge from the ringpost, skidding across the floor as Vasquez tumbles across the mats. Gremmy doesn't immediately continue the attack, instead turning and reaching under the bottom rope, back into the ring...] RP: The Gremlin already destroyed one Singapore cane on Vasquez's melon, and I'd bet money he'd like to do it all again! LVK: Gremlin has the second cane.... BUT VASQUEZ HAS THE RINGSTEPS! [Gremlin swings the cane over his head, bringing it down....] *KAH-LAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNGGGGG!!* [FACE POP!] LVK: VASQUEZ BLOCKED THE CANE SHOT WITH THE STEPS!! [And as Gremlin's cane shot is deflected, sending him off balance, Juan grasps the steps against his chest and charges forward....] *KLAAANNNGG-THWAPPPPP!!* [BIG HARDCORE POP!!] LVK: OH MY GOD!! THE WORLD CHAMP _BULLDOZED_ OVER GREMLIN WITH THE RINGSTEPS!! RP: Anything that isn't tied down is a potential weapon in this match! Hell, if the ring didn't weigh so damn much I bet one of them would pick it up and smash it over the other's head! LVK: Vasquez drops the ringsteps back to the floor, and he's climbing back into the ring. Maybe he realises that going toe-to-toe with The Gremlin outside the ring isn't adviseable. [Juan grabs his duffel bag again, digging inside and bringing out a smaller black bag.] LVK: Maybe he wants to return to the match to the safer confines of the ring. [He opens the drawstring, and then tips the bag upside down, spilling hundreds of small, pointy objects all over the mat!] LVK: OR MAYBE HE JUST WANTS TO CREATE MORE MAYHEM!! RP: WOOHOO!! THUMBTACKS BAY-BEE!!! [MEGA HARDCORE POP!!] LVK: Vasquez is climbing back out onto the apron- RP: GREMLIN'S UP! LVK: He grabs for Juan, who kicks him away, and...LEAPS OFF THE APRON- [...grabbing Gremlin's head on the way down, swinging around and performing a tornado DDT on THE MASTAH~!, driving his head down onto....] *KAH-LAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNGGGGGGGGG!!* [MEGA HARDCORE POP!!] LVK: GOOD GOD, A TORNADO DDT ONTO THE STEEL RINGSTEPS!! RP: THE GREMLIN'S _OUT_! Motionless, Van Keel! LVK: Yes he is, and Vasquez needs to roll him back into the ring and make the cover! RP: He's not though... he's rummaging around under the ring, looking for something else to inflict some more damage- [BIG HARDCORE POP!] LVK: He's pulling out... A TABLE! [Vasquez quickly folds out the legs and props it up parallel with the apron.] RP: That's not one of the tables we usually use around here. LVK: You're right! It's shorter, and looks to be much thicker. Vasquez is dragging Gremlin up off the floor, Gremmy not showing any signs of resistence... *KAH-DAAANNKK!* [Cage violence pop!] LVK: And he rams Gremlin headfirst into the side of the cage for good measure! Before laying the RCW newcomer onto that table, and heading up onto the apron and back into the ring! [He grabs the top rope, then slingshots himself up and out...] *CRCCCCCKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK!!* LVK: WOW!! THE TABLE DIDN'T BREAK!! [BIG SHOCK POP!!] LVK: Vasquez came flying out of the ring, crashing down on The Gremlin with a slingshot elbowdrop, but the table stayed intact! RP: Vasquez can't believe it, and I'm a bit surprised myself! Usually those tables collapse quicker than the Expos' playoff hopes. [Somewhere an Expos fan throws things at his TV screen, while Juan stands next to the strangely-strong table, looking a bit perplexed. But then he drags the ringsteps over....] LVK: Vasquez is setting up the ringsteps... he backs up, and charges- *THWA-CRCCCKKKKKK-THWAP!* [BIGGER SHOCK POP!!] LVK: I don't believe it! Vasquez lept off the steps and landed across Gremlin's chest with a legdrop, but the table _still_ didn't break! Juan went tumbling back to the mat, and the table remains standing! RP: Did they import that damn table from Japan or something? LVK: Juan Vasquez doesn't give up that easily though - now he's climbing to the top rope! RP: A leap from up there'll smash any table! LVK: He steadies...The Gremlin isn't moving... VASQUEZ LEAPS! *flashbulb* *flashbulb* *KAH-RUUUUUNNNNNNNNCHHHHHHHHHHH-WAAPPPPPPPP!!!!* [THUNDEROUS HARDCORE/IRONIC POP!!!] LVK: OOOOOOHHHHHHHH!!! THE TABLE BROKE ALRIGHT, BUT ONLY VASQUEZ WENT THROUGH IT!! RP: That sneaky bastard Gremlin rolled off of it! LVK: VASQUEZ CAME FLYING FROM THE SKY WITH A HUGE SENTON, SMASHING THE TABLE TO BITS BUT MISSING THE GREMLIN!! [Lying amongst the shattered remains of the table, his back arched and skewered by several splinters of wood, Vasquez can only emit a low, gutteral groan, then roll onto his side, yelling "GODDAMMIT!"] LVK: That clearly wasn't part of the plan for Vasquez! The Gremlin on the other hand is back to his feet now, and he too is bleeding from the head. [He drags Vasquez up out of the table debris and lifts him up into a fireman's carry. Walking forward a couple of steps, Gremmy seems to be deciding what to do next. He turns and looks at the cage, and a grin spreads across his face....] RP: Uh oh. LVK: Gremlin has Vasquez up in a fireman's carry... he charges... *KAH-DAAAAAAAAANNNNKKK!!* [SADISTIC HARDCORE POP!!] RP: SWEET JIMINY CHRISTMAS!! HE SMASHED VASQUEZ'S SKULL RIGHT INTO THE CAGE!! LVK: And because Juan was in a fireman's carry, he had no way of cushioning the blow! THE TOP OF HIS HEAD IMPACTING AGAINST THE STEEL _BRUTALLY_ HARD! RP: This is going to be The Gremlin's night! He shocks everyone by showing up, getting a match... getting the _main event_ in his first RCW match... and now he's going to send the World champion to the hospital. Now _THAT_ is how you make an entrance! LVK: He's rolling Vasquez back into the ring now, and going back to underneath the ring. Who knows what he might find under there! RP: It's just a plain old chair, but then again, in Gremlin's hands there's nothing _plain_ about a steel chair! LVK: Gremlin climbing in now with that chair... but Vasquez is back to his feet- *THWAA-KLAAANNKKKK!!* [FACE POP!!] LVK: AND HE SPIN-KICKS THE CHAIR RIGHT INTO THE GREMLIN'S FACE!!! RP: Holy crap! LVK: Vasquez is going for the pin! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ONLY TWO! [POP!] RP: That was a hopeful pinfall attempt. He's in there with DA FREAKIN' GREMLIN, not some prelim bum! LVK: Juan knows that he'll have to do much more than that if he's to pull of a famous victory here tonight... and he's going back to that duffel bag he brought to the ring! RP: What's he gonna pull out of the MAGICAL BAG O' PLUNDAH now? [BLOODTHIRSTY POP!] LVK: HOW ABOUT A LOOP OF BARBWIRE?! RP: Suh-weet! LVK: What's he doing now? He's....OH MY! HE'S WRAPPING THE BARBWIRE AROUND THAT CHAIR!! RP: Who knew Vasquez was this damn sadistic? [Wrapping the wire around and around the chair until spiky barbs protude from all over it, Juan then grabs it by one end and walks back to where The Gremlin is struggling back to his feet, blood dripping from his left nostril as well as seeping from a cut across his forehead.] *KAH-LAAAAAAAAAAAAANNKKK!!* [BLOODTHIRSTY CROWD POP!!] LVK: THE CHAIR!! WRAPPED IN BARBWIRE!! RIGHT ACROSS THE GREMLIN'S BACK!! *KAH-LAAAAAAAAAAAAANNKKK!!* [MEGA BLOODTHIRSTY POPPAGE!!] RP: GODDAMN! HE WAFFLED GREMMY RIGHT ACROSS THE SKULL WITH IT!! LVK: And The Gremlin went down like he was _SHOT_! SHOT WITH AN ELEPHANT GUN!! [The barbwire-wrapped chair dangling from his grasp, blood soaking one side of his face, Vasquez stands over the fallen MASTAH~!, as the now-familiar chant fills the air....] *JUAN! JUAN! JUAN!* *JUAN! JUAN! JUAN!* *JUAN! JUAN! JUAN!* *JUAN! JUAN! JUAN!* *JUAN! JUAN! JUAN!* *JUAN! JUAN! JUAN!* [And with the chant ringing in his ears, he drops the barbwire-wrapped chair down onto The Gremlin's chest, then heads on over to the nearest corner...] LVK: Vasquez to the top rope now....AND HE LEAPS WITH A CORKSCREW MOONSAULT- *flashbulb* *flashbulb* *THUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUDDDDDDDDDDD!!* [MASSIVE SHOCK POP!!] RP: GREMLIN MOVED!! HE FOUND THE ENERGY TO SUDDENLY ROLL OVER A COUPLE OF TIMES, OUT OF THE WAY OF A JUAN VASQUEZ-SIZED MISSILE!! LVK: A MISSILE THAT CRASHED AND BURNED!! VASQUEZ LANDED HEAVILY ON THE MAT... AND ON THE THUMBTACKS!! RP: Holy crap that has to hurt like a sumbitch! LVK: The World heavyweight champion is down and in a world of pain, as he frantically tries to brush the thumbtacks out of his chest and legs! RP: Gremmy's getting up! [Leaving the barbwire-wrapped chair on the mat, Gremlin drags Vasquez up to his feet, pounding him with punches to the head and face while leading him over to the chair. He hooks his head.....] *TH-KLAAAAAAANKKKK-UDDDDDDD!!* [MASSIVE SIGNATURE MOVE POP!!] LVK: BY GOD HE PLANTED VASQUEZ ONTO THE CHAIR WITH A SCALPEL DDT!! RP: GODDAMN! LVK: Here's the cover! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THREEEE-NO! KICKOUT BY VASQUEZ! [MASSIVE FACE POP!] RP: No freakin' way! LVK: Even though his newly-won World title isn't on the line, Juan Vasquez knows that _he_ is now the marquee player in this company, and he doesn't want to let down the great fans here in St Louis! RP: Give me a goddamn break! If you'd ever stepped into the ring before, Van Keel, you'd know that when you've lost this much blood, and taken this much punishment, you start to fight on instinct. You're not thinking about the fans or any crap like that - the old survival instinct kicks in, and it comes down to how much you _really_ want it. LVK: Well, you're right about one thing, and that's that Juan Vasquez is all about survival right now! [Taking hold of the chair again, Gremlin begins to unravel the barbwire, tugging about a foot-length of it loose. Dragging the still-connected chair with it, he takes the wire over to Vasquez, who is lying facedown on the mat. Gremmy steps over him, and pulls Juan up by the arms....] LVK: The Gremlin now applying a camel clutch on Vasquez, and....OH MY GOD! [MASSIVE HARDCORE/PROTEST POP!!] LVK: GREMLIN'S DRAPED THAT BARBWIRE ACROSS JUAN'S FOREHEAD AND IS USING IT TO APPLY PRESSURE TO THE CAMEL CLUTCH!! WHAT A BLOODHUNGRY, SADISTIC THING TO DO!! RP: He likes to call his camel clutch "Sucks to be you", but with the barbwire added he might as well call it "F[bleep]K IT SUCKS TO BE YOU!" LVK: Rick! RP: I think his cursing's rubbing off on me. The Gremlin's a bad influence! LVK: Oh stop it, will you? Juan Vasquez is in a world of pain, the barbwire digging into the already-cut-up flesh of his forehead! I can't begin to imagine the agony he must be feeling right now! [Some of the fans cheer in relief as Gremlin releases his hold on the barbwire and lets Juan flop back to the mat.] RP: Did Vasquez pass out from the pain? LVK: I'm not sure, but he doesn't seem to be moving! OOOHHH!! GREMLIN'S SIGNALLING FOR THE LOBO BUSTER BOMB!! [He hooks on a front chancery, and lifts... but Juan drops out of the lift to his feet, swiftly kicks Gremmy in the gut, doubling him over, and then drapes his right leg across the back of Gremlin's head, and leaps, pushing down....] *THUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD!!* [FACE POP!!!] LVK: BUT VASQUEZ COUNTERS WITH A GUILLOTINE FACEDRIVER!! RP: SWEET MERCIFUL CRAP!! HE DROVE GREMLIN'S FACE DOWN ONTO THE THUMBTACKS!! [The camera zooms in to show Gremlin writhing in pain on the mat, several small black objects visibly stuck into the flesh of his face and forehead, his teeth clenched as he fights through the pain.] LVK: My God, you're right! I can't bear to look! RP: Vasquez is covering! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LVK: THREE-NO! SHOULDER UP! RP: He got his shoulder up, but The Gremlin's looking like a pin cushion about now! LVK: Amazingly he's climbing back to his feet though, fighting through the pain... as El Cholo rebounds off the ropes and leaps at him with a spin kick- RP: GREMLIN CAUGHT HIM! HE CAUGHT THE LEG- *THUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUDDDDDDDDDD!!* [HUGE CROWD POP!!] LVK: AND THE SHOGUN OF ASSWHUPPERY POWERBOMBS VASQUEZ ONTO THE THUMBTACKS!! RP: This is getting _sick_! [As Juan lies on the mat, his back arched as dozens of tiny pointy objects jab into his flesh, The Gremlin drops to his knees, slumping over in pain and exhaustion. With a break in the action, the fans vocalise their enthusiasm....] *ARGH-SEE-DUB! ARGH-SEE-DUB!* *ARGH-SEE-DUB! ARGH-SEE-DUB!* *ARGH-SEE-DUB! ARGH-SEE-DUB!* *ARGH-SEE-DUB! ARGH-SEE-DUB!* *ARGH-SEE-DUB! ARGH-SEE-DUB!* *ARGH-SEE-DUB! ARGH-SEE-DUB!* LVK: This capacity crowd here in the Savvis Center is loving every second of the _carnage_ we're seeing in this match! RP: Both wrestlers are down, and both are...well... they're STUCK PRETTY GODDAMN GOOD! LVK: The Gremlin climbing back to his feet now, dragging Vasquez up... and he whips him into the far corner! He charges in- *THWAAPP!!* [Face pop!] LVK: JUMPING KNEE MISSED ITS MARK! [Gremmy lands back on his feet and staggers away from the corner, and suddenly Vasquez is on him, unloading with right hands...] *SMACK!* *SMACK!* *SMACK!* *SMACK!* LVK: VASQUEZ UNLEASHING HELLACIOUS RIGHT HANDS ON THE GREMLIN! RP: He's got the Shogun rocked! LVK: Juan turns and runs into the ropes- *SMAAAAAAAACK-THUUUDDD!!* [Pop!] RP: SWEET MOTHER OF PERLE! HE RAN RIGHT INTO A LARIAT WITH _AUTHORITAH_! LVK: What impact! The blow sent Juan tumbling head over heels, and now The Gremlin's dragging him right back up, into a standing headscissors... *THUUUUUUUUUUUUDDDDDDDDDDDDDD!!!!!* [HEAD-SPIKING POP!] LVK: PILEDRIVAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!! RP: Hot damn! LVK: And here's the cover! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THREEEEEEEEEEEEEEE- [MASSIVE FACE POP!] LVK: NO! ONLY TWO! RP: Un-freakin'-believable! LVK: The Gremlin can't believe it either. But he's keeping the heat on, dragging the groggy World champ back to his feet now... [POP!] LVK: AND APPLYING A CLAWHOLD! RP: It's _OVAH_ if he can keep this locked on - it'll squeeze the consciousness right out of Vasquez! LVK: The blood is starting to flow from Juan's forehead with the pressure of the hold, but that's the least of his worries! He has to fight to keep conscious! [A PANIC POP rings around the arena as Juan drops to one knee, buckling under the pressure of the famous clawhold.] RP: He's going down! LVK: This doesn't look- [FACE POP!] LVK: WAIT! VASQUEZ PUSHES BACK UP TO BOTH FEET- [BIGGER FACE POP!] LVK: ...AND NAILS GREMLIN WITH A KICK TO THE GROIN, BREAKING THE HOLD!! RP: Old school Vasquez! [With Gremlin doubled over in pain, Juan bends down and lifts him up, over one shoulder, and in a flash turns back towards the middle of the ring and then in one motion drops into a sitout position while throwing Gremlin over forwards with a pendulum powerbomb move.....] *THUUUUUUUUUUUUUUDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD!!!* [MEGALICIOUS FACE POP!!!!] LVK: CHERRY BUSTAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!! RP: HOT DAMN, HE NAILED IT OUT OF NOWHERE!! LVK: ALL HE HAS TO DO IS CRAWL OVER AND MAKE THE COVER... RP: He can't! The effects of the clawhold are still taking their toll! [Juan slumps onto his back, the whites of his eyes contrasting with the crimson splattered all over his forehead and face, as he stares up at the lights. Nearby The Gremlin also lies flat on his back, but his eyes are shut, his chest rising and falling rapidly. Then a peculiar thing happens.... Some of the fans start a chant. But not the one you'd be expecting.] *GREM-LIN! GREM-LIN!* *GREM-LIN! GREM-LIN!* *GREM-LIN! GREM-LIN!* *GREM-LIN! GREM-LIN!* LVK: Wow, would you listen to that! [Within a few seconds the rest of the crowd drowns it out though, a new chant thundering into the air...] *JUAN! JUAN! JUAN!* *JUAN! JUAN! JUAN!* *JUAN! JUAN! JUAN!* *JUAN! JUAN! JUAN!* RP: Jesus, I can hardly hear myself think! LVK: Our loyal fans here in St Louis have always been appreciative of the very best in wrestling, and they realise that tonight they're witnessing something special! The number one wrestler in the world right now... pitted into battle with a man who once could have claimed that accolade himself, and who has come to RCW to get it back! [Pulling himself groggily up to one knee, Juan then pushes up to his feet, looking unsteady, bloody and tired. The Gremlin rises a few seconds later...] *SMACK!* LVK: Knife-edge chop by Vasquez! *SMACK!* RP: And The Gremlin answers back with a right hand! *SMACK!* LVK: Chop! *SMACK!* RP: Right hand! *SMACK!* LVK: Chop! *SMACK!* RP: Right hand! *SMACK!* LVK: Chop! RP: Right hand- LVK: DUCKED! *THUUUUUUUUUDDDDDDDDDDDDD!!* LVK: AND HE SPIKES THE GREMLIN WITH A DDT!! THIS TIME HE COVERS!! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THREEEEEEEEEEEE-NO! SHOULDER UP!! [Big mixed pop!] RP: I think Vasquez has found his second wind. Or is that _third_ or _fourth_ wind? Anyway, he's back up again... [And he drags a thumb across his throat with a determined growl. THUNDEROUS ANTICIPATION POP!] LVK: OH BOY!! VASQUEZ WANTS TO END IT _RIGHT HERE_! RP: He pinned Devon Case after the City of Angels, and The Gremlin's next! [He lifts Gremmy up over his shoulder, but struggles slightly under the strain of holding him up. He staggers sideways slightly, towards the ropes...] LVK: Can he do it? Has he got the strength? [...bumping into the ropes, where The Gremlin grabs the top strand and pulls himself over the top of it, rolling forward and bringing Vasquez with him, both of them tumbling headfirst towards the floor....] *THWAAA-UGHH-WAPPPPP-WAAAAAPPPP!!* [MASSIVE CROWD POP!!] LVK: OH MY GOD!! THEY BOTH WENT CRASHING FROM THE RING, LANDING HEAVILY ON THE ARENA FLOOR!! RP: Desperation stuff by The Gremlin, who wanted _nothing_ of the City of Angels! LVK: He used the ropes to pull himself out of the ring, but dragged Vasquez with him... they both landed in an almighty heap! RP: Holy crap, they're both getting up! LVK: And right back to fighting toe-to-toe! *KLAAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNGGGGGGG!!* [Mixed pop!] LVK: OOOOHHHHHH!! GREMLIN PUTS A STOP TO THAT... RAMMING VASQUEZ FACEFIRST INTO THE STEEL RINGSTEPS!! *KLAAAAAAAAANNGGGGGGGGG!!* RP: AND AGAIN!! *KLAAAAAAAAANNGGGGGGGGG!!* RP: AND A THIRD TIME!! GREMMY'S GETTING MEDIEVAL ON HIS ASS!! LVK: And now he drapes Vasquez across the steps, the champ's head hanging over the end of them... and he's climbing back into the ring! [Grabbing the top rope, he slingshots himself out of the ring....] LVK: SLINGSHOT LEGDROOOOOOOP- *KLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNGGG-THWAPPP!* [Crowd: OOOOOOHHHHHH!!!!!!!] LVK: OH MY WORD! VASQUEZ MANAGED TO ROLL OFF THE STEPS JUST IN THE NICK OF TIME!! RP: YEAH, AND GREMLIN'S LEGDROP LANDED RIGHT ON THE FREAKIN' STEPS!! HE MIGHT HAVE BROKEN SOMETHING!! [Gremlin rolls across the floor, groaning in pain as he clutches at the backs of his legs. He then rolls to his feet, a shocked look on his face as he limps about....] LVK: Gremlin's up, but in a lot of pain, and Vasquez has backed up... HERE HE GOES! [He sprints and runs up the steps, pushing off the top step and launching into the air, right at Gremlin, landing on his shoulders....] *THWAAAAAAAAPPPPPPPP-KLANK!* [THUNDEROUS HIGHSPOT POP!!!] LVK: FLYING HEADSCISSORS!! HE VAULTED OFF THE STEPS AND THEN SENT GREMLIN TUMBLING INTO THE CAGE WITH A BEAUTIFUL HIGH-FLYING MANEUVER! RP: How the hell'd he pull that off after all the beating he's taken... hell, he's gotta be feeling dizzy just from the blood loss alone! LVK: Vasquez isn't giving Gremlin time to recover though, pulling him back to his feet.... *THWAAAAAAAAAPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP!!* LVK: AND DUMPING HIM RIGHT ON HIS HEAD WITH A RELEASE GERMAN SUPLEX!! RP: THE GREMLIN'S TOAST!! THE GREMLIN IS- [ALMIGHTY FIGHTING SPIRIT POP!!] LVK: ...GETTING UP!! MY GOD HE'S GETTING RIGHT BACK TO HIS FEET!! RP: Wha...what? LVK: Not only that, but HE'S GOT A PIECE OF THE TABLE THAT JUAN WENT THROUGH EARLIER!! *THWAAAAAAAATTTTTTTTT!!* [TABLE-SHARD CARNAGE POP!!] RP: GOOD GODDAMN! HE NEARLY TOOK VASQUEZ'S HEAD OFF WITH IT!! LVK: GREMLIN WITH A SIMPLY _BEH-RUTAL_ BLOW TO VASQUEZ'S HEAD WITH THE SHARD OF WOOD, DROPPING THE WORLD CHAMP IN HIS TRACKS!! RP: By God, now I see why the call The Gremlin _THE MASTAH_! LVK: Vasquez is down, and now Gremlin's placing that piece of wood across the Juan's face....he backs up....OH NO! *THWAAATTTTTT!!* [HARDCORE POP!] RP: OH _YES_! RUNNING KNEEDROP, DRIVING THE WOOD INTO VASQUEZ'S NOGGIN!! LVK: The impact with Juan's head was incredible, but it seems to have also taken its toll on Gremlin's knee! [Climbing back to his feet, Gremlin staggers away from Vasquez, grimacing each time he stretched out his right knee. But seeing Vasquez push up to his hands and knees, Gremlin returns to the battle, grabbing the ring steps and lifting them off the arena floor...] LVK: Juan Vasquez is a mess! I mean, his head is a complete mask of blood... I don't know how he's even standing! RP: He's not going to be for long.... LOOKOUT! *KLAAANNGGGGGG!!* [Gremlin tosses the ringsteps, striking Juan in the chest and knocking him backwards into the side of the cage with tremendous force....] *KAH-LAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNNKKKKKK!!!* [...the impact actually knocking that section of the cage loose! The connecting points of one whole row of bars jar loose by an inch....] [...and with Juan backed up against the cage, Gremlin suddenly charges....] LVK: GREMLIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIN- [....ducking his head and driving into Vasquez with a spear....] *KAH-LAAAAAAAANNNKKKK-CRASSSHHHHH-WAPPPPPPPPP!!!!* *HO-LY SHIT! HO-LY SHIT! HO-LY SHIT!* *HO-LY SHIT! HO-LY SHIT! HO-LY SHIT!* *HO-LY SHIT! HO-LY SHIT! HO-LY SHIT!* *HO-LY SHIT! HO-LY SHIT! HO-LY SHIT!* *HO-LY SHIT! HO-LY SHIT! HO-LY SHIT!* *HO-LY SHIT! HO-LY SHIT! HO-LY SHIT!* RP: HOLY SH[bleep]! LVK: I DON'T BELIEVE IT!! THE GREMLIN SPEARED VASQUEZ _THROUGH_ THE SIDE OF THE CAGE!! THE IMPACT SNAPPED A WHOLE SECTION OF THE CAGE OUT, SENDING IT AND THE TWO WRESTLERS CRASHING TO THE FLOOR _OUTSIDE_ OF THE RAGE IN THE CAGE!! RP: Now I've seen everything. LVK: Such blatant disregard for his own wellbeing, and I think that one moment should signal to the world that The Gremlin is _BACK_! He's been gone from the game for a while, but By God he's here to tear apart RCW, and he's brought his A game with him! RP: Amen to that. [Another roar goes up from the crowd as The Gremlin slowly climbs to his feet on top of the collapsed section of cage, but then staggers sideways, threatening to fall flat on his face but struggling to regain his balance.] LVK: The Gremlin is barely able to stand up himself after that _incredible_ impact through the side of the cage! [The Shogun props himself against a still-intact section of the cage, and checks out a nasty gash stretching from the right side of his chest across to his right bicep, which is oozing blood. He grimaces as he feels at the wound, but then turns his attention back to his fallen foe....] LVK: That's a nasty-looking cut, but The Gremlin doesn't seem too concerned about it, as he drags Vasquez up off that section of collapsed cage... *SMACK!* LVK: OH! Vasquez slugs him right in the face! [HUGE FACE POP! Vasquez unloads punch after punch, backing The Gremlin up and rocking him with each blow. But suddenly Gremmy ducks a punch, and reaches under Juan's outstretched arm, grabbing him by the throat....] *KAH-LAAAAAAAANNNKKKK-WAPPP!* [THUNDEROUS POP!!] LVK: GOOD GOD!! A CHOKESLAM RIGHT ONTO THE FALLEN SECTION OF THE CAGE!! RP: He's covering him right there! LVK: And here comes Marc Gioffre from out of the Rage in the Cage! I guess this match just became falls count anywhere! Here's the count! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE-NOOOOOOO!!! [MASSIVE FACE POP!!] LVK: Very close, but NO DICE! RP: Van Keel, it's not a surprise that this match is falls count anywhere, even though noones said it would be. Remember, Devon Case pinned Dan Kauffman at ringside to win the World title at the second Caged Rage. LVK: You're right! The Gremlin was very close to putting this match away right there, and now he's... what's he doing? [WEAPON POP!] RP: He's got the timekeeper's bell! *swoosh!* LVK: BY GOD, HE TRIED TO CAVE JUAN'S HEAD IN, BUT LUCKILY VASQUEZ WAS ABLE TO DUCK OUT OF THE WAY! RP: He kicked Gremlin in the gut... Gremmy dropped the ringbell! OH CRAP VAN KEEL, THEY'RE WAY TOO CLOSE TO US FOR MY LIKING! LVK: Vasquez pummelling Gremlin with punches now, and whips him- REVERSED! RP: OH CRAP! LOOKOUT!! *THWAANKKKKKKK!!* [HARDCORE POP!] LVK: MY GOD!! VASQUEZ CRASHED BACKFIRST INTO OUR ANNOUNCE TABLE! AND NOW THE GREMLIN'S GOT ONE OF THE POWERCORDS THAT FEEDS OUR MONITORS... [BIG MIXED POP!] RP: HE'S CHOKING THE LIFE OUT OF HIM! [Mounted on Vasquez's back, Gremlin pulls back on the cord, restricting it around the World champ's throat. Juan's eyes grow wide as his face starts to change colour, and he desperately reaches out with hands, clawing at the arena floor! HUGE PANIC POP!] LVK: He's trying to damn-well kill him! [Juan's hands claw and thrust out in panic... ...and his right hand falls upon an object. An object sitting at the feet of Rick Perle. An object he's had by his side ever since he was attacked by Chris Courtade. An object that Vasquez grasps by the handle and swings back over his head in an act of desperation....] *CLUUUNNKKKK!!* [MASSIVE SURPRISE POP!!] RP: OL' FAITHFUL!! LVK: HE USED RICK'S BALLBAT TO BREAK THE STRANGLEHOLD!! AND BOY DID HE CRACK THE GREMLIN IN THE HEAD WITH IT!! RP: Ol' Faithful's still got it! LVK: The shot sent Gremlin crashing to the floor, and now Vasquez is scrambling up to his feet... groggy, bloody- [...and giving Rick and Larry and woozy-but-grinning thumbs up! FACE POP!] LVK: Back atcha champ! [...then turning back to face Gremmy, unaware that the Shogun of Ass-Whuppery is back to his feet, and has that timekeeper's bell in his grasp again...] *DIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNGGGGGGGGGGG!!* LVK: ARGH!! LOOKOUT! *CRAAAAAAASSHHH-*muffle*-THWAAAKKKK-*ffsshh*!!* [The blow with the timekeeper's bell sending Vasquez flying onto the announcers' table, sending Larry and Rick diving for cover and knocking monitors, notes and other assorted announcer gear flying in all directions. THUNDEROUS POP!!!] RP: Van Keel, you dead? LVK: No I'm not Rick, but BY GOD THAT WAS CRAZY! RP: Come on you guys, get the fight away from our table! [The Gremlin grabs Vasquez and throws him over the ring railing into the crowd, bringing another BIG POP from the fans as he climbs over after him.] LVK: This match is now officially....OUT OF CONTROL! RP: At least we can sit back down now.... UGH! There's a big pool of Vasquez's blood on my side of the damn table! LVK: The Gremlin and Juan Vasquez are now battling their way into the crowd, sending fans scattering for their lives! RP: Hey Van Keel... LVK: Yes Rick? RP: Change seats? LVK: No. Forget about the blood and let's get back to calling the action! [A few metres into the crowd, The Gremlin keeps up the attack, nailing Vasquez with a big right hand that sends him flying into a crowd of fans. They stop their beloved World champ from hitting the deck, and like a fighting scene out of some cowboy movie, they collectively push him back up straight and thrust him back towards Gremmy....] LVK: This is insane! [...where The Gremlin scoops him up and hoists him into a Gorilla press. He holds the bloody and groggy World champ up there for a few seconds, and then turns towards the crowd of fans, who scatter like startled rabbits....] RP: VASQUEZ IS GONNA FLY! [....and then Gremlin tosses him....] [...right into a row of emptied chairs....] *KLANK-CRASSH-KLANK-THUUDDDDD-CLANKKKKK!!* [DEAFENING HARDCORE HIGHSPOT POP!!] LVK: OHHHHHHHH MY GOD!! THE GREMLIN HOISTED VASQUEZ ABOVE HIS HEAD, THEN THREW HIM AS FAR AS HE COULD... WITH ONLY STEEL CHAIRS AND THE HARD ARENA FLOOR TO CUSHION HIS FALL!!! RP: You think Vasquez is starting to regret making that open challenge? LVK: Knowing Juan Vasquez I'd say there's no chance of that! I doubt he regrets a second of it! [The scene out in the crowd is one of near pandemonium, as some fans try to get as far away from the action as they can, and others scramble to get close to the wrestlers. The Gremlin moves in as Vasquez struggles up to his knees amongst a pile of overturned chairs, grabbing one of the chairs.....] *KLAAAAAAAANKK!!* [....and firing it as hard as he can at The Gremlin, striking him square in the face! FACE POP!!!] LVK: OOOHHH!! VASQUEZ IS SMACK ON TARGET WITH A CHAIR MISSILE, SENDING GREMLIN STAGGERING OFF INTO THE CROWD!! RP: Back towards the cage! [Gremlin stops, shaking his head to try and clear the proverbial cobwebs, and then turning back around, just as Vasquez comes thundering towards him....] *THWAACKKK!!* *KLAAANNKKK-THWAAPPPPP!!* [POP!] LVK: A RUNNING DROPKICK FROM VASQUEZ SENDS GREMLIN TUMBLING BACK OVER THE RAILING, AND BACK INTO THE CAGE-SIDE AREA! RP: I've _never_ seen Juan Vasquez show this much damn _moxie_ before! He's lost a lot of blood, had his head damn-near caved in, yes he's still fighting! [Juan staggers towards the ring railing, but suddenly stops, his eyes growing wide from behind the encrusting blood at the sight of a large fan sitting in a chair right in front of him. A large fan wearing a loud Hawaaian shirt, who suddenly stands, a big grin on his face.] RP: That guy looks familiar. LVK: It's Edwin Lopez! Juan's life-long friend, former RCW lackey and former SPW contender! [Juan grins back, and the two share a high-five, to a big pop from the crowd.] LVK: How about that? Lopez is here tonight watching his old buddy wrestle! RP: Yeah, but Vasquez better get his mind back on the match- [Too late - Juan turns back around, right next to the railing, and suddenly finds The Gremlin's arms reaching over and wrapping themselves around him. Before he can even react, Gremmy lifts him up and over the railing, turning and driving Juan backfirst into the arena floor with a massive belly-to-belly suplex...] *THWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP!!!* [BIG POP!!] RP: SWEET BUTTERY JESUS!! LVK: GREMLIN NAILED THE _SUPLEX OF DEATH_ ONTO THE ARENA FLOOR!! AND I MEAN _PLANTED_ HIM!! RP: That's it! Here comes the three! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE- [?] LVK: NOOOOOOO!!! MARC GIOFFRE'S HOLDING UP TWO FINGERS!! OH MY GOD THAT WAS CLOSE! [MASSIVE FACE POP!!] RP: How...? Wow. LVK: The Gremlin looks like he's run out of ideas! He's thrown everything but the kitchen sink at Vasquez, but he can't keep the World champion down! RP: What is there left that he can do? [Gremlin drags up Juan, leading him back towards the announce position.] LVK: Oh...no...NO! [With a sweep of the arm he pushes off the announce table anything that's left after the earlier incident. MASSIVE ANTICIPATION/PANIC POP!] RP: NO! GODDAMN IT, NO!! [He then grabs hold of Juan across the front...] LVK: Don't do it....DON'T DO- [...lifting and spinning....] *KAH-RUUUUUUUUNNNNCHHHHHHH-WAACKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK!!!!!!* *HO-LY SHIT! HO-LY SHIT! HO-LY SHIT!* *HO-LY SHIT! HO-LY SHIT! HO-LY SHIT!* *HO-LY SHIT! HO-LY SHIT! HO-LY SHIT!* *HO-LY SHIT! HO-LY SHIT! HO-LY SHIT!* *HO-LY SHIT! HO-LY SHIT! HO-LY SHIT!* *HO-LY SHIT! HO-LY SHIT! HO-LY SHIT!* *HO-LY SHIT! HO-LY SHIT! HO-LY SHIT!* *HO-LY SHIT! HO-LY SHIT! HO-LY SHIT!* *HO-LY SHIT! HO-LY SHIT! HO-LY SHIT!* [...driving Vasquez down through the announce table with a spinning Uranage suplex - what Gremlin calls the Stairway to Hell.] LVK: Are we still on? RP: I can hear you, can you hear me? LVK: Sure can....WHAT AN ABSOLUTELY INSANE MOMENT!! OUR BROADCAST TABLE IS SMASHED TO PIECES, AND JUAN VASQUEZ IS LUCKY TO NOT BE IN A SIMILAR CONDITION! [Lying flat out on his back, shards of the table under and on top of him, surprisingly Juan isn't unconscious. He's staring up at the arena lights, coughing painfully and then mouthing the word "woah". He attempts to get up, but only manages to raise his head off the floor before flopping it back down, and....smiling!] RP: WHAT THE F[bleep]? HE'S SMILING VAN KEEL! [Not an arrogant smile either. One that says "I'm in more pain than I've ever felt in my life before, but goddamn this is fun!"] LVK: I'll never be able to figure out what makes men like Juan Vasquez tick. Never. [The Gremlin reaches down and grabs a handful of Vasquez's hair, pulling him up to his feet. It doesn't look like Vasquez can hold up his own bodyweight, as Gremmy drags a thumb across his throat with a roar of frustration and anger. POP!] LVK: THE GREMLIN WANTS TO FINISH IT FOR ONCE AND FOR ALL!! HERE COMES THE LOBO BUSTER BOMB- [But as he hooks on the front chancery, Juan suddenly pushes forward with all of his might, catching Gremlin by surprise and sending him staggering back....] *KLAAAAAAANNNKKK!!* [MASSIVE POP!!] LVK: GOOD GOD ALMIGHTY!! VASQUEZ SOMEHOW SUMMONED THE STRENGTH TO DRIVE THE GREMLIN BACK INTO THE CORNER OF THE CAGE!! HIS BACK AND SPINE TOOK THE FULL BRUNT OF IT!! [Which of course makes The Gremlin release his hold on Vasquez. Juan takes a couple of steps.... and then flops facefirst onto the floor. Gremmy, a look of sheer and utter shock and pain on his face, also collapses to the floor.] RP: So many times in this match we've thought that Vasquez was _gone_, but every time he's managed to reach down inside himself and pull out that last little bit of energy, just enough to fight back and _survive_! LVK: What an incredible display of guts and determination by both men! And now they're both slowly rising... *SMACK!* LVK: Right hand by Gremlin! He swings again- BLOCKED by Vasquez! *SMACK!* LVK: And now Juan answers back with a punch of his own! *SMACK!* LVK: And another! And now he grabs Gremlin by the head- *THUUUUUUUUUDDDDDDDDDDDDD!!* [MASSIVE FACE POP!!] RP: GREAT GOOGILY MOOGILY!! A DDT RIGHT ONTO THE ARENA FLOOR!! LVK: And that will surely do it! Vasquez hooks the leg! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE-NOOOOOOO!!!!!! [THUNDEROUS POP!] RP: I... wow. LVK: There's no World title at stake in this match. All these two incredible athletes are fighting for is bragging rights... and for a piece of history. They want to join an exclusive club with Alex Extreme and Devon Case, as men who've won main events at Caged Rage events. [For a few moments both men stay down, but then Juan pulls himself to his feet, using the ring railing as support. His clean-cut Latino good looks now unrecognisable beneath a mass of fresh and crusty blood, he staggers over to where Gremlin is lying facedown on the floor, and stops, pondering his next move for a moment. Then slowly he cranes his head skyward, his gaze scaling the impressive heights of the Rage in the Cage. A grin comes over his face, and he turns towards the fans, then points towards the roof of the cage....] LVK: Oh no. Surely not. [The fans cotton on quickly, and let rip with a DEAFENING APPROVAL POP! Juan nods slowly, still grinning... ...and then grabs hold of the cage, and starts to climb.] RP: You've got to be kidding me! [Slowly he continues to pull himself up, as the fans go FREAKIN' NUTSO!] RP: Vasquez has lost too much blood! He's not thinking straight! LVK: I agree wholeheartedly! Juan, don't do it! [Making it to about halfway up, Juan pulls himself up some more, but suddenly a foot slips! For a moment it looks like Juan's about to plummet back to earth, as the fans "OOOHHHHHHH!!", but he manages to keep his grip and replant the foot. A wave of relief washes around the arena.] LVK: Oh God... I can't bear to watch! RP: That was a near thing. What I wanna know is what he's going to do once he's up there! Is he going to try to emulate that insane moment from Caged Rage 2 when Devon Case frogsplashed off the top of the cage onto Dan Kauffman? LVK: Who knows, but he's almost at the top... OH! And The Gremlin's back to his feet now, and he sees what's going on! [HUGE POP!] RP: OH SWEET JESUS... NOW THE GREMLIN'S CLIMBING UP AFTER HIM!! LVK: This is crazy! Surely both of them know that it was the fall off the Rage in the Cage that essentially ended Dan Kauffman's career? Do they both want to end up like him? RP: Van Keel, noone wants to be like Dan Kauffman. _Noone_. [As Vasquez pulls himself up onto the roof of the cage, more than 20 feet above the arena floor, The Gremlin quickly scales the side. A few seconds later he also pulls himself onto the top, the fans roaring in anticipation.] LVK: THEY'RE BOTH ON TOP OF THE RAGE IN THE CAGE... FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, THIS IS PURE INSANITY!! [Vasquez backs up slowly as The Gremlin climbs to his feet, and for a moment neither of the moves. But then suddenly they converge in a flurry of blows! MASSIVE POP!] LVK: IT'S A PIER SIX BRAWL 20 FEET ABOVE THE SEA OF SCREAMING FANS!! [Back and forth go the punches, until Gremlin ducks a big right hand from Vasquez, causing the World champ to spin around, where Gremmy hooks him from behind...] RP: ARRGHH!! HE'S GONNA BELLY TO BACK SUPLEX HIM OFF THE CAGE- *SMACK!* *SMACK!* LVK: NO! Vasquez breaks free with vicious back-elbows, which caught Gremlin in the face! [HUGE RELIEF POP!] LVK: Vasquez spins around...big right hand! And another... BACKING THE GREMLIN RIGHT UP TO THE EDGE OF THE CAGE!! RP: HE'S GOING OVER!! THE GREMLIN'S GONNA CRASH AND BURN!! [Juan swings a big haymaker... ...but it misses, Gremlin ducking under the blow! Juan staggers forward with the momentum, stopping _right_ on the edge of the cage, his toes hanging over the edge and his arms swinging wildly to try and regain his balance...] [...a few female fans scream in fear, the rest of the crowd joining in with a MASSIVE PANIC POP!!] LVK: VASQUEZ!! BY GOD THE WORLD CHAMPION IS TEETERING ON THE EDGE... [But just when it looks like he's about to plummet facefirst down onto the arena floor, Juan suddenly turns and throws himself down onto the surface of the cage roof, grabbing hold of it in desperation, his eyes wide with terror.] RP: PHEW! HE'S SAFE! LVK: For now! That was a close call for Juan Vasquez, who I'm betting just saw his life flash before his eyes! [The Gremlin goes on the attack again, driving his steel-capped boots into Vasquez as he lies flat against the cage roof. With Juan more concerned with keeping his grip than defending himself, the kicks land with brutal impact on his ribs, back and then finish with a big kick to the head.] LVK: The Gremlin driving his boots into Vasquez, and now dragging him up to his feet! [He slaps a clawhold onto Juan's head, and then defiantly points down through the cage roof, drawing a THUNDEROUS ANTICIPATION POP!!] RP: SWEET BUTTERY JESUS, HE'S GONNA TRY TO SEND VASQUEZ _THROUGH_ THE ROOF OF THE CAGE WITH THE SOMETHING AWFUL!! LVK: Surely not! [But as he steadies and prepares to lift and drive Juan down with his patented clawhold faceslam, Vasquez suddenly surges back to life, thrusting back with his right elbow, catching Gremmy in the face once, twice, and the third one breaking the hold. HUGE FACE POP!] LVK: BUT AGAIN VASQUEZ ELBOWS OUT! RP: Sending Gremlin staggering back towards the edge of the cage! [Vasquez turns, takes a step forward, and then leaps into the air, driving his legs out to catch Gremlin with a dropkick square in the chest....] [....knocking THE MASTAH~! backwards a couple of steps....] [DEAFENING PANIC/ANTICIPATION POP!!] RP: ARGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!!!! [...and now it's The Gremlin who's teetering on the edge, waving his arms frantically as he tries to balance, a 20 foot fall onto concrete arena floor awaiting him....] [....but somehow he manages to regain his balance, and as Vasquez picks himself up off the cage roof, The Gremlin suddenly charges....] [...reaching Vasquez just as he climbs to his feet, still doubled over....] [...the World champ driving his shoulder into The Gremlin's midsection and then hoisting his upperbody skyward in one motion...] [...backdropping The Gremlin up, over....] [....onto the roof of the cage....] *KAH-LAANNNNKKKKKK-CRAAAAAACCKKKKK!!!* [....AND _THROUGH_ IT!!!] *flashbulb* *flashbulb* [MEGA-THUNDEROUS PANIC/AWE POP!!!] *THUUUUUUUUUUUDDDDDDDDDDDDD-KLAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNKKKKKKKK!!!* *HO-LY SHIT! HO-LY SHIT!* *HO-LY SHIT! HO-LY SHIT!* *HO-LY SHIT! HO-LY SHIT!* *HO-LY SHIT! HO-LY SHIT!* *HO-LY SHIT! HO-LY SHIT!* *HO-LY SHIT! HO-LY SHIT!* *HO-LY SHIT! HO-LY SHIT!* *HO-LY SHIT! HO-LY SHIT!* *HO-LY SHIT! HO-LY SHIT!* *HO-LY SHIT! HO-LY SHIT!* RP: HOLY F[bleep]KING SHIZNIT!! SWEET JESUS CHRISTMAS!! LVK: THE GREMLIN CRASHED _THROUGH_ THE ROOF OF THE CAGE AND WENT HURTLING LIKE A GODDAMNED METEORITE FROM THE SKY... WITH THE RING THE ONLY THING TO CUSHION HIS 20-FOOT DEATH RIDE!! RP: MARK DOWN THE GREMLIN'S RCW CAREER AS _ONE_ FREAKIN' MATCH, CAUSE HE'S DONE!! I'LL BE DAMNED IF HE ISN'T _DEAD_! [Meanwhile, as the crowd continues to break all sorts of noise control bylaws, Juan steps close to the massive hole in the roof of the Rage in the Cage, staring down at the carnage that lies below him in the ring, with a look of part-awe and part-shock.] [Juan is bleeding, hurt, and just about done, and he looks around at the screaming fans, back down at Gremlin, and a smile crosses his face.] LVK: Oh...there's no way.... RP: I DON'T LIKE THE LOOK ON VASQUEZ'S FACE!! I DON'T LIKE THAT SMILE ONE BIT! [This truly is what he's always wanted. This is his night and he'll probably never have one quite like it again.] [So, seizing the moment, putting his exclamation point on the greatest night of his life, Juan does the only thing he can do....] [He turns his back to the hole, spreads his arms out wide, closes his eyes in serene calm... and then leaps, flipping over backwards as he disappears through the hole...] *flashbulb* *flashbulb* *flashbulb* *flashbulb* *THUUUUUUUUUUDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD-KLAAAANKKKKKKKK!!* [TEAR-THE-FUCKING-ROOF-OFF FACE/HIGHSPOT POP TO END ALL POPS!!!] LVK + RP: OOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! [The impact sends Vasquez bouncing back into the air a couple of feet, then tumbling away from The Gremlin, the World champ arching his back and gasping in pain, the wind knocked out of his lungs.] LVK: I WOULDN'T BELIEVE IT IF I HADN'T SEEN IT WITH MY OWN TWO EYES!!! JUAN VASQUEZ _MOONSAULTED_ FROM THE TOP OF THE RAGE IN THE CAGE, THROUGH A HOLE IN THE ROOF, AND ONTO THE GREMLIN IN THE RING!! RP: God... damn... just... damn. LVK: The Gremlin's not moving... Vasquez must be winded... possibly with broken ribs after that insane fall... BUT HE'S CRAWLING OVER!!! VASQUEZ IS MAKING THE COVER!! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE- [Somehow, almost inhumanly, The Gremlin kicks out...] [...but a split second after Marc Gioffre's hand hits the mat for the third time.] *DING DING DING!!* [NUCLEAR-EXPLOSION-STRENGTH FACE POPPAGE!!!] LVK: HE DID IT!!! BY GOD, JUAN VASQUEZ HAS BEATEN THE GREMLIN!! RP: Wow. Just freakin' wow. LVK: WHAT A NIGHT FOR JUAN VASQUEZ! HE HAS FULFILLED HIS DREAM OF BECOMING WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION... HE'S BEATEN THE GREMLIN... _AND_ BECOME THE FIRST WRESTLER TO EVER WIN TWO RAGE IN THE CAGE MATCHES! IN ONE NIGHT NO LESS!! [Vasquez is handed the World title belt, which he presses to his forehead, his eyes closed and a huge grin spreading across his blood-and-sweat-splattered face as he continues to gasp for breath. A few feet away, The Gremlin rises to one knee, his head bowed with pain and exhaustion. But he pushes up to his feet anyway, grimacing with pain from the effort. Slowly the two bloodied, battle-weary warriors turn to face each other.... ...and The Gremlin sticks out his hand. Vasquez hesitates only for a split second, before accepting the handshake. The Gremlin hoists Vasquez's arm into the air, the fans roaring out a MASSIVE APPRECIATION POP!!] LVK: At the beginning of this match, The Gremlin refused to shake hands with Juan Vasquez, but in a true sign of respect _he_ was the one who offered the handshake just now! These two men have been to hell and back together, and in the process have earned the respect of each other... and of every person here in this building! RP: What a way to end a fantastic night... LVK: Nothing could ruin this moment- *SHE'S MY CHERRY PIE!* [Massive heel pop! "Cherry Pie" by Warrant quickly melts into "Bitch" by Sevendust, and out of the entranceway comes storming Miss Cherry, stomping her way down the aisle.] LVK: Well, _almost_ nothing. RP: The boss is here, and boy does she look pissed! LVK: We understand she's only just arrived at the arena, after suffering some kind of travel problems, and she's climbing into the cage! [Cherry grabs David Stokes' microphone, and calls for her music to cut.] Cherry: NO! NO! NO! [The fans boo as the boss lady throws a tantrum.] Cherry: As if it's not bad enough that _you_ [she points at Juan, who winks back at her playfully] did what I said you couldn't... and won the World title... [FACE POP!] Cherry: But now I find out that _you_ [she points at The Gremlin] show up on _my_ pay-per-view and wrestle in the main event without my knowledge? [Confusion pop.] LVK: I understand that there's some kind of history and animosity between Miss Cherry and The Gremlin, from some time they spent together in Detroit... time we're not supposed to talk about. Cherry: I sure as hell didn't give you permission to show up here, and I sure as hell didn't sign you to an RCW contract... so who the hell did? [The camera switches to The Gremlin, but he doesn't respond. Instead...] *EVERYTHING SUCKS!* ["Everything Sucks (Andy Wallace Remix)" by Dope begins to blare through the PA system, bringing a LOUD RECOGNITION POP from some of the crowd. The rest join in as three men step out onto the entranceway stage. On the left is former SPW owner Robert Durango. On the right, former RCW boss Jim Catanzaro, making his first RCW appearance in a _long_ time. And in the middle, smiling a big ol' grin, is Clint Fletcher.] LVK: OH MY GOD! Clint Fletcher is here - the man who built River City Wrestling up from the ground is back! RP: And Jim Catanzaro! The guy who Miss Cherry screwed over to get power here in RCW what seems like an eon ago! LVK: And Robert Durango, a former RCW competitor who was the owner of SPW before it was bought out by RCW. RP: What're they doing together? [The trio makes their way down the aisle and climbs into the cage, as Miss Cherry asks off-mic, "what the hell are you guys doing here"? Fletcher is handed a microphone.] Fletch: For months now, the three of us have been content to do our business backstage, and let _you_ [he points towards Cherry] do your thing on-camera. As much as some people might not believe it, I don't need to have my ego stroked, and neither do Jim and Robert. [The two men beside him nod.] Fletch: But you forced our hand Cherry. Your little power trip got to the point where we had to come out here tonight. And yes... we _did_ sign The Gremlin. [POP!] Cherry: You can't do that! I run this- Fletch: Stop right there you jumped up little bitch. [BIG POP! Cherry's mouth drops open in shock.] Fletch: In case you've forgotten, the four of us are *equal* owners of this company. Or should I say _were_. Cherry: Wha-what? Fletch: Jim, Robert and me... we've bought out your quarter-share of the company. Sorry toots, but you're no longer an owner of RCW. In fact... you're not even part of RCW any more. YOU'RE GONE BITCH! [MASSIVE FACE POP!] LVK: WOW! It seems that Miss Cherry has been fired! [Cherry looks ready to burst into tears, as the crowd breaks out into a chant...] *na-na-na-na hey-hey-hey GOOD-BYE!* *na-na-na-na hey-hey-hey GOOD-BYE!* *na-na-na-na hey-hey-hey GOOD-BYE!* *na-na-na-na hey-hey-hey GOOD-BYE!* [Cherry, her face red with embarrassment, turns to Juan, who shrugs, and then waves in her direction. She finally does burst into tears, turning and storming out of the cage, and stomping her way up the aisle, as the chant continues. It dies down as she disappears through the entranceway. The Rage in the Cage - or what's left of it - starts to rise.] Fletch: Now that business has been taken care of... this night belongs to one man, and one man only... [He walks over and shakes hands with Juan, as "Conceited Bastard" by Ras Kass starts to play and the fans roar out a HUGE FACE POP! A huge smile on his face, Juan raises the World title belt into the air, as fireworks explode from the four ringposts.] *FWOOOOOOM! FWOOOOOM! FWOOOOOM! FWOOOOMMM!* [And the now-familiar chant breaks out again...] *JUAN! JUAN! JUAN!* *JUAN! JUAN! JUAN!* *JUAN! JUAN! JUAN!* *JUAN! JUAN! JUAN!* *JUAN! JUAN! JUAN!* *JUAN! JUAN! JUAN!* [...as Juan Vasquez, soaking in the adulation of the fans, and reflecting on the greatest night of his career, stands victorious, we fade to black.] (c) RCW Productions, 2004.