[Onto a pitch black screen, the familiar 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 [The screen goes black again, before...] [Scene: We fade into a wideview shot of the sculpture garden on the Ucla campus. Standing among the abstract shapes, the granite naked women, and the random students who didn't bother going home for winter break is that Latino ubermensch, *your* RCW world champion, "El Cholo" Juan Vasquez. He's dressed in a black hooded jacket, a white Kobe Bryant basketball jersey, and a pair of baggy jeans. Oh and did we mention he's got the world title with him, too? Well...he does. Placing the world title atop some green oval-looking statue, Juan turns to the camera with a double point-and-wink. C'est classy, no?] JV: Sometimes, I wonder why things always gotta' be so complicated. [Juan makes a quick glance at the world title before continuing on.] JV: In my life, there ain't too many things I don't have an opinion about. Seems like I can talk my ass off just about any damn thing you ask me. But then there's that one question that always leaves me speechless. That makes me go stupid. One that I ain't really got an answer for. The one question that annoys the livin' s[bleep] outta' me 'cause everyone and their mother keeps asking it. [He stares away from the camera and mutters the words, almost as if he's embarassed to say them.] JV: "Can you beat Shane Destiny?" [Juan laughs and shakes his head.] JV: And can I blame anyone for askin' me? Ain't that really the ultimate question burning deep within the hearts of all men, women, and children of the world? [He places a finger on his lips and furrows his brow, making one of those "deep thought" sort of looks.] JV: Well, I suppose "Bitch, where's my money?" and "What the hell do you mean I'm the father?" are more important, but I'm pretty damn sure it's in the top five. [He nods to himself, satisfied with his own reasoning.] JV: The thing is, though, I really don't know the answer to that question. [Juan reaches down and picks up the world title. He stares long and hard at the title belt, uncertainty evident on his face.] JV: It seems like I've been tryin' to be the best damn wrestler on planet motherf[bleep]in' Earth since forever. I've been clawin' my way up that ladder inch-by-inch, step-by-step until I reached the top. I've been chasin' my dream for so long, I never did stop long enough to realize that there might be someone out there gunnin' for me once my ass got there. [He drops the title back on the table, turning his attention back to the camera.] JV: And by the time I reached my goal, by the time earned the right to be called number one, there he was. [He tilts his head slightly and his eyes drift upwards towards the sky.] JV: Shane Destiny. [Juan lowers his head, chin-to-chest, placing his hands in his pockets and kicks at the leaves on the ground.] JV: Quite honestly, to tell ya' the truth, just 'tween you and me? He scares the livin' s[bleep] outta' me. [A sigh.] JV: Not because of what he can do to me, not because he just might be able to break me in half...but what he represents. [Juan's eyes once again move towards the title, dart briefly to the random group of sorority girls that walk by, and back to the camera.] JV: I know if I lose the title to him...it'll hurt. It'll probably hurt for a long time, but I've lost titles before. I'll get over it. But the thing that I *can't* allow, the thing I can't even *bear* the thought of...is losing. [He gives the camera a hard stare, just to let us know how serious he is.] JV: Of gettin' pinned. Or gettin' beat to the point where I just keep on slappin' my hand on that mat and pray to God he ain't gonna' tear my arm outta' my socket. The thought that after all I've been through, after all the hell I've put myself through to reach this point in my life, that it was all for nothing. [He grows quiet for a split-second, giving some thought to the words he's saying.] JV: That in the end, after all the blood, all the sacrifice, all the hurt and all the suffering, after all this time...he was still the better man. [His eyes look away briefly once again, almost as if he's ashamed of what he's saying.] JV: I got no reason to hate Shane. I got no reason to be jealous of Shane. I got no reason to direct nothing but hate and rage and bloody f[bleep]in' murder at this man. But for that one night, for that one match...I'm gonna' have to. [Deep breath. He knows he's sounding just a little bit crazy now, but every thing he's saying is nothing but the truth.] JV: I'm gonna' have to do every single damn thing in my power to keep my title. I'm gonna' have to push aside the fact he's a man with a family. A man who ain't ever done a damn thing to me. A man... [Juan stops, a sense of shame almost coming over him as he says his words.] JV: ...who I can call a friend. [Yup...shame.] JV: I'm gonna' have to do everything in my power to win. I gotta' prove to the world that I *am* the best. That I can beat the best. That I *am* that better man. [Juan lowers his head, his voice sad, quiet, and filled with determination.] JV: I can't lose. I won't lose. Hell...I _refuse_ to lose. [He looks up and glares at the camera.] JV: So go ahead and ask me again, people. Ask me that question...ask me one more time if I can beat Shane Destiny. Ask me and I'll tell you what you've been dyin' to hear. I'll give you an answer. S[bleep], the only answer I *can* give. [Juan looks around and stares up into the heavens, asking himself the question.] JV: Can I beat Shane Destiny? [Juan pauses momentarily, before giving his answer.] [...] JV: Hell f[bleep]in' _YES_ I can. [With his soul unburdened, with his mind at ease, for the first-time all promo, Juan gives us a genuine, true-to-life grin.] JV: And that's all they is...to it. [Fade to black, but then "Swinging the Dead" by Devildriver starts to play, accompanied by clips of current RCW wrestlers.] #Swinging the dead #Swinging the deeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaad [Alex Martinez nails a helpless opponent with the Firebomb.] #Get it up, pick it up, #chilling thrilling sounds of the rock 'n roll haunted #It's the graveyard sound #with the monster thrash for the demon haunted [Luke Kinsey stands over Chris Courtade, having ended his career at Do or Die.] #Get it up, dig 'em up, #chilling thrilling sounds of the rock 'n roll haunted #It's the graveyard sound, #it's the graveyard sound for the evil hearted #Ride if you like, ride if you like [Madison J. Valentine nails the Air Valentine onto Shane Destiny; then a shot of MJV holding up the River City title belt.] #Swinging the dead, #swinging the dead #Deathride #Swinging the dead, #swinging the dead #Deathride [Luke Kinsey and Mark Langseth stare into the camera stoically, then both break into laughter.] #Swinging the dead, #swinging the dead #Deathride #Swinging the dead, #swinging the dead #Swinging the dead, #swinging the dead #Swinging the dead, #swinging the dead #Deathride [Griffin James walks to the ring with the lovely Alexia by his side.] #Go #Pick it up, f**k it up, #this swinging sound it's got them moving #It's the graveyard sound, #it's the evil sound, this demon's got heart [Tommy Stephens nails an opponent with the Vertical Spike Suplex.] #Pick it up, f**k it up, #this swinging sound it's got them moving #You scream for blood, you scream for flesh, #just keep the bodies #Moving [Rick Marley goes sailing over the top rope, taking out several people with a big plancha; then Alex Ripley makes HERO Ishikawa tap out to the jujigatame.] #Swinging the dead, swinging the dead #Deathride #Swinging the dead, swinging the dead #Deathride #Swinging the dead, swinging the dead #Deathride #Swinging the dead, swinging the dead #Deathride [Juan Vasquez stands with the World title belt draped over his shoulder, a huge grin on his face.] #Go and swing it!! [Shane Destiny nails an opponent with the Kismet Driver.] #Swinging the dead, swinging the dead #Deathride [And finally we see the moment that capped off the biggest night of Juan Vasquez's career, in slow motion, as he moonsaults through the hole in the top of the Rage in the Cage structure, down onto The Gremlin, at Caged Rage 3.] [A logo appears on screen...] . d888888b .d88b. d888888b .d8b. db `~~88~~' .8P Y8. `~~88~~' d8' `8b 88 88 88 88 88 88ooo88 88 88 88 88 88 88~~~88 88 88 `8b d8' 88 88 88 88booo. YP `Y88P' YP YP YP Y88888P d888888b .88b d88. d8888b. .d8b. .o88b. d888888b `88' 88'YbdP`88 88 `8D d8' `8b d8P Y8 `~~88~~' 88 88 88 88 88oodD' 88ooo88 8P 88 88 88 88 88 88~~~ 88~~~88 8b 88 .88. 88 88 88 88 88 88 Y8b d8 88 Y888888P YP YP YP 88 YP YP `Y88P' YP ____ _ _ _ _ _ / ___| ___ | | | | (_) ___ (_) ___ _ __ (_) _ __ | | / _ \ | | | | | | / __| | | / _ \ | '_ \ | | | '_ \ | |___ | (_) | | | | | | | \__ \ | | | (_) | | | | | | | | | | | \____| \___/ |_| |_| |_| |___/ |_| \___/ |_| |_| |_| |_| |_| _________ .__ .__ \_ ___ \ _____ | | |__| / \ \/ \__ \ | | | | \ \____ / __ \_| |__| | \______ /(____ /|____/|__| \/ \/ +=======================================+ | | | Pauley Pavilion, Los Angeles, CA | | | | January, 2005 | | | +=======================================+ [And then.....we're LIVE and on location inside the Pauley Pavilion!] *FWOOOOMMM!! FWOOOOOMMMM!! FWOOOOMMM!! FWOOOOMMM!!* [Four big columns of pyro erupt, sending the fans into a frenzy. The arena's jam-packed with fans, and 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 "COLLISION IN CALI" in blood red lettering on a black background. The ring features a greyish coloured mat - with both the RCW logo and the FOX network 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 "Total Impact" 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: WE ARE LIVE AND ON LOCATION AT THE PAULEY PAVILION IN LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA! WELCOME EVERYONE TO A VERY SPECIAL EDITION OF IMPACT!! WELCOME TO _TOTAL_ IMPACT... ...COLLISION IN CALIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!!!! [Then the camera cuts to the ringside broadcast table, where the hosts of the show are currently sitting. Larry Van Keel's on the left, wearing a charcoal suit jacket, black shirt and red tie, while Rick Perle's on the right, wearing a dark blue RCW polo shirt.] LVK: Hello wrestling fans. Good to have you with us. Larry Van Keel here alongside my long-time partner in crime, Rick Perle, and Rick, it's good to be back after... uh... well, I guess a bit of a holiday really. RP: Things got weird there for a while Van Keel, but let's forget about all that crap and look ahead to what we've got coming up tonight. LVK: Absolutely. We've got a number of great matches lined up, but none bigger than the main event. The World Heavyweight title will be on the line, as champion Juan Vasquez defends against his sometime-rival, sometime-friend, always-competitive-rival, Shane Destiny. RP: They may not _hate_ each other, but let's not lose sight of the fact that the most prestigious title in all of wrestling is on the line. When you've got that elusive chance to win the gold, or you're desperate to hold onto it, things like friendship are thrown right out the window. LVK: In terms of pure wrestling skill, there's no doubt that this match promises to be an instant classic. Two young men at the peak of their game, injury-free, and ready to show us once and for all just who is the best. RP: Destiny knows that... heh, well, he could live up to his name tonight. He could finally fulfill _his_ destiny. Vasquez, on the other hand, knows that until he beats Destiny there'll always be that nagging question in the back of his mind. He can't truly claim to be the best in the world until he's beaten Destiny. LVK: The World title's not the only championship on the line here tonight in Los Angeles. Madison J. Valentine has really shown the world just how much of a class act he is since winning the River City Heavyweight title. But in recent months his title reign has been overshadowed by the actions of the "Last American Badass" Alex Martinez. RP: Valentine's been a fighting champ, I'll give him that. But he's also been on the receiving end of the Firebomb on more than one occasion, in non-title and team matches. Tonight Martinez has his sights set firmly on the title, and that's bad news for MJV. LVK: Originally the Super J-Crown was also going to be defended here tonight, but we understand there's been some late-developing circumstances that mean that probably won't happen. In fact, Gina Sarrazin is standing by with more about this situation... [The camera opens up backstage, where Gina Sarrazin is standing in the interview area, looking all sexy and stuff. Beside her is none other than RCW Board of Directors member Jim Catanzaro, wearing a slightly-faded retro NeCW Kain t-shirt [~!] and leather jacket.] GS: I'm here with RCW Boardmember Jim Catanzaro, and Jim, I understand you've got some type of announcement to make? JC: That's right Gina. As you know, we here at RCW recently sent out an open invitation, inviting the best of the best junior-heavyweights from around the world to prove themselves right here in RCW. No sooner did that challenge get sent out, than the phones started ringing off the hook. We got phonecalls from Asia, from Mexico, from Europe... and I'm happy to say that tonight we've assembled an outstanding line-up for the Junior-Heavyweight Triangle Gauntlet. GS: Great! Who's going to be in it? [Jim cracks a wry smile.] JC: You'll find that out a little later. [Gina, not enjoying being kept in suspense, half-pouts.] JC: But what I _can_ tell you is that the gauntlet's going to have a lot more riding on it than we originally intended. GS: Oh? JC: For the past few weeks I've been trying to locate a certain fist-dropping Super J-Crown champion... [The crowd pops!] JC: ...but to be honest, I don't know where HERO Ishikawa is right now. No-one's heard from him in months. [Disappointed boos!] JC: That's not an ideal situation, I can tell you. It kind of leaves me backed into a corner that I'd rather not be in. GS: What are you saying? [Into shot walks a guy in a dark green Event Staff t-shirt. He's weighed down by gold belts... the three belts that make up the Super J-Crown.] JC: What I'm saying is that as of tonight.... HERO Ishikawa is stripped of the Super J-Crown championship. [Shock pop!] JC: HERO being AWOL opens up a grand opportunity for someone else to cement their place in junior-heavyweight history. In the coming weeks we're going to be finding a _new_ Super J-Crown champion... someone to add their name to the legends who've held that title - names like Raya Oscura, the Banshee, Luke Kinsey and TORA Wanizame. [BIG POP! Buy your Evolution of the Super J-Crown DVD now!] JC: Which brings me to the Gauntlet here tonight. Nine men will enter, and the order of elimination will determine seedings for a single-elimination title tournament starting on our next Impact broadcast. [Pop!] JC: The winner of tonight's match will earn a bye in the first round of the tournament. GS: That's quite an incentive to win. JC: Yes it is. These belts [gestures at the belts being held by the event staff guy] are up for grabs... starting tonight. Best of luck boys. [The camera zooms in on the belts, as we fade out.] [The scene opens backstage. Navigating his way through the busy area is an unfamiliar, young man, clad in a black T-shirt, blue jeans, and tennis shoes. He carries a sports bag in one hand and a slip of paper in the other. He looks down at the paper and frowns before scanning the area, a confused look on his face. He spots a technician and immediately perks up, a smile moving across his lips.] Young Man: Excuse me. [The tech stops what he's doing and flashes the young, blonde man a quizzical look. As the young man approaches, he extends his hand.] Young Man: Hi. I'm Corey Hart. What's your name? [The tech eyes him strangely before accepting Corey's hand.] Tech: I'm Lenny. CH: Hi, Lenny. Nice to meet you. [Corey eagerly shakes the man's hand before he suddenly grins sheepishly.] CH: I'm new here and this is kinda embarrassing. But I'm a little lost. I was looking for the locker rooms. And I thought I was on the right track but I seem to have taken a wrong turn somewhere. If it's not too much of a bother, I was hoping that you could point me in the right direction. Lenny: Oh, sure. Just make the next right and then a left. CH: Ah, much appreciated. Nice meeting you, Lenny, and thanks for the help. Lenny: No problem. [Corey smiles again and walks off, the camera following his every move.] CH: Man, it's really exciting, being in RCW. I know all about this place and the reputation it has. It's the home of some of the best wrestlers around and some of the greatest matches. I'll admit. I'm a little intimidated but it's really an honor for me to wrestle here. I just hope that I'm able to prove myself worthy of this opportunity to all of the fans, the critics, and my fellow wrestlers. Tonight, I'm taking part in a triangle gauntlet match. I don't know everyone that I'll be competing against but I do know that they'll all be fellow juniors. I'm not going to really stress and worry about being in the dark though. I'm just going to keep my focus on doing the best that I can. I've been training and getting ready for this match for days. Now, I'm prepared, no matter who I might find myself wrestling against. I may not be the biggest, the strongest, or whatever. But, tonight, I plan on showing RCW just what I'm made of. And, when all is said and done, I guarantee that everyone's gonna be left Captivated. [He smiles again.] CH: See you soon. [Fade back to Rick and Larry.] LVK: That was Corey Hart, one of the top junior-heavyweights in the world, who is here tonight, and will be taking part in the Triangle Gauntlet match. RP: Catanzaro wasn't kidding when he said they had a top quality line-up for that match. LVK: No he wasn't! Well fans, it's almost time for our first match of this Total Impact show. It will feature Alex Ripley, the former Super J-Crown champion who has made it clear that he now wants to compete solely as a heavyweight. Well, he'll get his chance, and in a _big_ way. We caught up with his opponent moments ago... [The camera cuts to the locker room area where we find a ridiculously big and muscular man sitting on a bench, lacing up his boots. Danny Chayne, for that's who it is, is Caucasian with an enormously ripped and muscular physique, weighing in at nearly 340 lbs and, were he standing right now, measuring almost 7 feet tall. He looks at the camera with a cold, hostile scowl on his face.] DC: So... Alex Ripley, huh? My first match in RCW, and I get Alex Ripley in on Total Impact. The big, ol' supercard they're so proud of in these parts. From what I hear tell Ripley's some kinda bigshot. Or at least that's how _he_ looks at himself. [Danny stands up, baring his teeth in a snarl.] DC: Big mouth, I hear, on Alex Ripley. Big ego, so I've heard. [Pause.] DC: It's been explained to me that Alex is some kinda technical wrestling natural. Some kinda upside-down inverted freakin' indian death pinkyfingerlock usin' goddamn genius. Some kinda little matwarrior who'll try to tie me in knots. [He sneers at the camera.] DC: Well, la-dee freakin' da. That's just goddamn precious, that is. The little pencilneck is gonna try to make me submit to one of his cutsey, little holds. Gonna make big, bad Danny Chayne cry uncle, are ya Alex? [He pauses, his lips contorted into a snarl and his voice a low growl as he speaks again.] DC: Good! Try it, ya highschool chessclub reject. I ain't gonna turn my nose up at an opportunity to maim some egotistical, little flyshit of a human being like yerself. I'm not gonna complain about getting to beat the everliving hell outta some slimy, little afterbirth like yerself. Hell, the prospect of tearin' yer limbs off one by one is almost enough to make me smile. [Pause. Snarl.] DC: See, I don't discriminate. Tall or small. Skinny or fatass. Saint or sinner. One at a time or in groups. Male, female or some freaky I don't know what. They're all equal in _my_ eyes. All of 'em equally deserving of getting the shit kicked outta 'em. [There's a slight pause as he glowers at the camera.] DC: What does this mean, exactly? It means that first of all I ain't for sale. Anyone tries to get me to do their dirty work for 'em gets their head twisted off like the cap on a soda bottle. I don't do any of that happy-happy let's join hands and be friends crap either. Any of you dimwits try that and yer goin' one arm short of the amount ya arrived with. It ain't nothing personal. I just don't like a single damn one of ya. [He snorts.] DC: See, I've got what's called an unhealthy amount of pent-up hostility in me, and the idiot who gets paid an infuriatingly large *BLEEP* sum of cash to tell me things I already know says I shouldn't keep my feelings bottled up like that, so from the bottom of my heart I thank ya. Yer all gonna be contributing to my mental health real soon. Alex just gets to be first. [Pause.] DC: Sucks to be him, don't it? [And we cut away.] [Reopen on the ring, where David Stokes stands in his customary tuxedo.] DS: Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the first match of the night! [Pop!] DS: It is scheduled for one fall, with a 15-minute time limit! ["Outshined" by Soundgarden blares over the speakers, and Alex Ripley steps through the curtains, stopping immediately and looking out to the wrestling faithful, many of whom are booing. His eyes stop on the diehard section of the crowd, and he points out at them in a challenging way, yelling out some choice words.] DS: Introducing first, weighing 224 pounds, hailing from Orlando, Florida... ALEX RIIIIIIIIPLEY!! [Ripley turns away from the wiley fans, and he quickly and confidently makes his way to the ring. He rolls in underneath the bottom rope, pushing up to his feet and immediately walking to the far ropes. Ripley yells out "Cut the music!" at the production table, which causes the song to be stopped abruptly. He turns around to look back at the entrance way, yelling "Get out here now!" at his yet to be introduced opponent.] LVK: The former Super J-Crown champion has decided not to go back after that title, and instead wants to try his hand as a full-time heavyweight. [The thundering bass sound of a heartbeat rolls out across the arena. Once.... Twice... Three times... Ant then nothing before...] AAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRGH!!! [The shrieking ROAR of rage splits the silence, quickly followed by the snarling guitars of Megadeth's "Angry Again"!] #The more of you that I inspect #The more of me I see reflect #The more I try to read your lips #The more the mask you're wearing rips #But when I seek out your voice #My ears are overcome with noise #You show and tell with greatest ease #Raving impossibilities DS: And now, introducing from Seattle, Washington at 6'10" and weighing in at 339 lbs of muscle and rage. This is The Backbreaker... DANNY CHAAAAAAAYNE!!! [Out onto the aisle steps a _massive_ caucasian man with short black hair spiked and cut in a flattop style. His physique is of the sort where one would be forgiven for thinking that if you prick him with a pin he's liable to pop like a balloon. Muscles upon muscles! Thick, bulging veins under the skin stretched taut over the huge frame. Treetrunk arms and legs. Massive, wide chest and a neck which would not be out of place on a bull. Basically the classic "'roid-monster" look. His attire consists of a pair of full-length black tights with a printed silvery spiked chain pattern running from around the waist and then spiraling and crisscrossing down the right leg to a silvercolored wrestling boot. The left boot is plain black just like the that leg of the tights. He stops. He glares from side to side at the audience and then...] DC: AAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRGH!!! [...He roars again as he throws his head and arms back, his hands clenched into fists and his face contorted in unrestrained fury.] #Engaged in crime I grasp my throat #Enraged my mind starts to smoke #Enforced mental overload #Angry again, angry again, angry ow! [Chayne stomps down to the ring, his steps matching the quick drumbeat of the music and the look on his face one of pure, undiluted rage.] RP: Sweet Jesus! This guy's HUUUUUUGE! __ ___ __ ______________________________________________________________ | _ \ / _\\ \ / / | U < | |_ \ \/\/ / Singles match |_|\_\\___/ \_/\_/ \ Danny Chayne Written by \ vs Terry J \ Alex Ripley \_______________________________________________________________ *DING DING!* [Ripley and Chayne circle each other uneasily, trying to feel each other out. Suddenly, Ripley shoots in, spinning around the massive Chayne with a waistlock. He pounds the bigger man in the back with several forearm smashes, only to be caught with an elbowsmash to the jaw that damn near takes his head off! Chayne quickly spins around and ducks his head, lifting Ripley over...] _____THHHHHHHHHHHHHUUUUUUUUUUDDDDDDDDDD!!!!_____ [And throwing him straight back down into the canvas!] RP: HOLY CRAP! LVK: A MASSIVE SPINEBUSTER BY CHAYNE!! ONE!!! TWO!!! KICKOUT!!! LVK: No! It's still way too early in the match to score the pin, but Danny Chayne caught Ripley completely off-guard there. RP: Goddamn, he almost put him through the canvas! [Roughly yanking the former J-Crown champion off the canvas, Chayne sends him for a ride. Ducking under a lariat attempt, Ripley rebounds off the far side and catches the Washington native with a leg lariat! Stunned, but still on his feet, Chayne charges right at the smaller Ripley, only to be taken down by a drop-toehold. He barely has time to realize what's happened, before Ripley drives a knee into the back of his skull!] LVK: Smart wrestling by Alex Ripley. He realizes that he needs to keep the big man off his feet.. RP: ...and hit him in the head a buncha' times! LVK: Yes...that would be pretty effective, too. [Having grounded Chayne, Ripley holds down the man's massive arm, lifting his knee high into the air, before driving it down onto the point of the elbow! Allowing Chayne to get back to a vertical base while still holding onto the arm, Ripley spins around and whips it across his shoulder with an armbreaker! Screaming more out of pissed off rage than actual pain, Chayne back off a bit, rubbing his arm a bit.] LVK: Alex Ripley's looking to soften up Danny Chayne for his Jujigatame cross-armbreaker RP: It looks more like he's pissed this guy off! LVK: Ripley back to work now, he grabs the arm... _____SMMMMMAAAAAAAAAAAACCCCCCCCKKKKKKK!!!!_____ [Pop!] LVK: And he almost gets decapitated by a short-arm clothesline!!! RP: Do you think Ripley's regretting that decision to move up to the heavyweights now, Van Keel? LVK: Danny Chayne hasn't won the match yet, but it's obvious that it's going to be pretty tough to overcome his power and size. RP: Tough? Ripley's gonna' need a friggin' shotgun to put this guy down! [Ripley gets to his knees, holding his throat and coughing. Chayne roughly lifts him to his feet and grabs him into a bearhug, before throwing him over his head with an overhead belly-to-belly suplex!] LVK: A HUGE belly-to-belly suplex by Danny Chayne! RP: He damn near tossed him out of the ring! LVK: Ripley's going to need to use his speed and superior technical skills if he hopes to win this match. danny Chayne's strength is almost unnatural. RP: Win? Win??? He needs to figure out how to survive! [Chayne pulls Ripley back to his feet and drives a big knee into the former junior heavyweight's gut. He grabs Ripley into a front facelock and sets him up for a suplex. Lifting Alex into the air, he holds...] [And holds...] [And holds...] [And HOLDS...] RP: Holy crap... LVK: What an incredible display of strength by Danny Chayne!! [Finally, Chayne drops...] _____THHHHHHHHHHHHHUUUUUUUUUUDDDDDDDDDD!!!!_____ Crowd: OHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!! RP: HOLY SHIZNITS!!! LVK: WHATTA' BRAINBUSTER!!! ONE!!! TWO!!! THR-KICKOUT!! RIPLEY'S STILL ALIVE!!! [Chayne slaps the mat in frustration. He picks Ripley up across his shoulder and runs into a corner, driving him back-first into the turnbuckles. He works Ripley over with punches that leave him slumped almost lifelessly against the corner. Backing up, Chayne charges into the corner...] ________CLLLLLLAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNNKKKKKKKKKK!!!!_______ [Sympathy pop!] RP: That's gonna' leave a mark! LVK: Nobody home! Ripley moves out of the way and Chanye's shoulder hits nothing but ringpost! [As Chayne staggers out of the corner clutching his shoulder, Ripley quickly races over, grabbing him by the arm and falling back...] *THUUUUUUDDDDDDD!* LVK: SINGLE-ARM DDT!!! Ripley could've very well seperated Chayne's shoulder right there! ONE!!! TWO!!! NO! HUGE KICKOUT BY CHAYNE!!! [Despite being nearly tossed over Marc Gioffre's head, Ripley is quickly back on his feet, nailing Chayne with several stomps to the arm and back. He grabs Chayne's arm and pounds down with several clubbing forearms. However, Chanye quickly grabs Ripley by the throat, driving the smaller back into the corner with a shove. He runs in...] _____SMMMMMMMMMAAAAAAAAAACCCCCCCCCKKKKKKKKKKKK!!!!_____ [POP!] LVK: Chanye runs right into Ripley's boot! RP: Damnit, why's it all the same with these big guys? All muscles and no brains! Never run in blindly! [Having stunned the big man, Ripley hops up on the second turnbuckle. He grabs Chayne's head, locking him into an inverted facelock before leaping off, somersaulting through the air...] _____THHHHHHHHHHHHHUUUUUUUUUUDDDDDDDDDD!!!!_____ [HUGE POP!!!] RP: SWEET SASSY MOLASSY!!! LVK: DIAMOND DUST!!! Ripley's got the pin!!! ONE!!! TWO!!! THRE-NO!!! [Disappointment Pop!] LVK: Chayne managed to slip his shoulder out at the last possible second! RP: Un-freakin'-believable. I thought that was it! LVK: Alex Ripley almost had him, but it looks like it's going to take a lot more than that to put away Danny Chayne! [Ripley slowly gets back up to his feet and climbs up the turnbuckles slowly. Waiting for Chayne to get back to his feet, Ripley leaps off with a missile dropkick...] RP: He got swatted away like a fly! LVK: Danny Chayne's got the advantage once more! [Heel pop!] LVK: A boot choke! Why does a man with Danny Chayne's size and strength need to resort to tactics like these? RP: Because he can. Is there any other reason? [Chayne whips Ripley into the ropes, attempting to take his head off with a big boot. However, Ripley rolls under, quickly grabbing Chayne in a waistlock. With strength that even he probably didn't think he had, Ripley lifts Chayne awkwardly into the air, dropping him on the back of his head and neck with a German suplex!] _____THHHHHHHHHHHHHUUUUUUUUUUUDDDDDDDDD!!!!______ [Shocked pop!] LVK: A German suplex! It wasn't pretty, but I can't believe Ripley was able to do that! Danny Chayne is well over 300 lbs.! RP: Call him Tripp Shade, because he just pulled that one outta' his ass! LVK: RICK!! [Seemingly having exhausted himself through the sheer effort of the move, Ripley remains lying on the canvas as Chanye is the first one up. Clutching the back of his head, Chayne stomps away at Ripley. He picks Ripley up and DRIVES him into the canvas with a sidewalk slam!] LVK: A brutal sidewalk slam by Danny Chayne! Alex Ripley might have injured his back doing that German suplex and Chayne's just adding to the punishment now! RP: I doubt he even knows. He's just a violent bastard. PERIOD. [Chayne screams, signalling for something...] LVK: I think Chayne's ready to finish this now! [Chayne picks Ripley up, attempting to set him up into a torture rack position. However, at the apex of his lift, Ripley begins to fight back, nailing him across the forehead with a series of stiff punches, loosening the monster's grip. Rolling through and downward back towards the canvas, Ripley grabs Chayne's arm and scissors, dragging him down with him...] _____THHHHHHHHHHHHHUUUUUUUUUUUDDDDDDDDD!!!!______ [...the Jujigatame! HUGE POP!!!] LVK: THE JUJIGATAME!!! RIPLEY'S GOT IT LOCKED ON!!!! RP: HOW THE HELL DID HE DO THAT!?! [Pulling back on that arm, Ripley attempts to force a submission out of his gigantic foe. However, Chayne rolls over slightly, linking his hands together. With a great deal of effort and a huge roar, he manages to lift Alex Ripley into the air! HUGE SHOCKED POP!!!] LVK: OHMYGOD!!! He's lifted Alex Ripley off the canvas! RP: This guy's not human! [And what goes up? It's gotta' come down...] _____THHHHHHHHHHHHHUUUUUUUUUUUDDDDDDDDD!!!!______ [HEEL POP!] LVK: POWERBOMB!!! DANNY CHAYNE BROKE THE JUJIGATAME WITH A POWERBOMB!!! RP: There's no way he's getting up from that! It's over! [But Danny ain't done...] _____THHHHHHHHHHHHHUUUUUUUUUUUDDDDDDDDD!!!!______ [HEEL POP!!!] LVK: THE BACKBREAKER BOMB!!! CHAYNE'S VERSION OF THE FIRE THUNDER BOMB!!!! RP: Forget about it! ONE!!! TWO!!! THREE!!! [HEEL POP!!!] *DING DING DING!* DS: Your winner.... DANNY CHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYNE!! [The fans greet the announcement with more boos, as Chayne climbs to his feet, glaring down at Ripley for a couple of seconds, before climbing from the ring and leaving. Ripley slowly rolls over, groaning in agony.] RP: Oh man, he _pulverised_ Ripley! LVK: Alex Ripley says he wants to wrestle as a heavyweight from now on, but he's just discovered that that's easier said than done! RP: Damn right. [Fade out.] [Fade in on the sound of wheezing, and an old man on a respirator in a large, sprawling bed. Pan back, and revealed is an extravagant bedroom, with lush wallpapers and paintings covering the walls. Expensive looking vases and glassware cover every inch of the floor/tables. A scratchy voice-over begins.] V/O: Staring at your own mortality, on the brink of death, things are suddenly brought into stark perspective. Edward Morrow, aged seventy-five, a renowned philanthropist in his younger days, became a stingy old man who held onto every penny as if it were his last. Rich beyond imagining, not even all of his money could save him from the cruel hand of fate. Cancer tore through his lungs from his years of cigar smoking, and he ended up bed-ridden just months after learning of his affliction. [Cut to a close-up of Edward, his eyes closes tightly, tears forming at the edges of his lids.] V/O: Not able to accept death, he demanded the "best care". Hooked to a respirator, he spends his last days looking back on his life in utter pain, not able to tell the nurses and doctors to unplug him, yet able to feel every moment of the agony that is his death, and the life he led up to this point. [Cut again, this time to a picture of a young Edward, hugging a young woman tightly to his chest. They look very happy together.] V/O: The divorce with his wife of twelve years over his sudden frugality; the money that sits in his bank account ready to fall into the hands of the very government he tried keeping his money from because of a lack of will; the years where he could have continued helping so many, but chose only to help himself. All of it has guaranteed him a prime spot in Hell, and nothing but regrets to show for it. [Back to the face of Edward, the tears falling steadily from his eyes.] V/O: This is the face of fear. Fear of what will become of him after death. Fear of death itself. Fear in it's purest form. Can't you just see the beauty in it? How can you not love every moment of this? [The face of Edward begins to change, morphing from an old man to a middle-aged man. The thinning grey hair changes to bright red dreadlocks. The eyes, formerly closed, glow bright fuscia. The color changes from pale and sickly to pure white and vibrant. The stern mouth now crooks upwards into a devilish smile. The face of Vandal Gomez replaces that of Edward Morrow.] VG: I guess I'll have to make you understand, personally. I guess RCW will just have to be informed of the beauty firsthand. And I guess I'll have to be the man to do it. [A fist suddenly strikes the camera, shattering the lense and leaving the shattered visage of Vandal laughing.] VG: Time to shatter your illusions of grandeur, one man at a time. [Fade to black.] [Reopen on Larry and Rick.] RP: Vandal Gomez! The junior-heavyweight gauntlet is looking better by the minute! LVK: Yes it is... Voice: "Same s[bleep], different toilet, yo'." [MASSIVE 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 shower of sparks from the floor and from above flow out, clearing way just as a lone spotlight hits the entranceway, where we see the silhouette of a figure standing there with an arm raised high into the air. The lights come back on-as the crowd reacts with a HUGE, MONSTROUS "Holy crap, Lindsey Lohan engaged in a threesome with Hillary Duff and Amanda Bynes while the Olsen twins engage in erotic touching~!" FACE POP!!!-to reveal that Latino ubermensch, Los Angeles' favorite son, *your* RCW world heavyweight champion..."El Cholo" Juan Vasquez(!).] LVK: The world champ's here! [Juan is dressed in street clothes: a styling black-hooded jacket zipped up for no apparent reason, baggy jeans, and as always, some god-awful expensive basketball shoes. He revels in the love of his fellow Los Angelenos, leaning back on the guardrail as several fans slap him on the back and shoulder and others reach out to grab him. Finally making his way to the ring, Juan leaps up onto the edge of the ring, wiping off his shoes on the apron, before stepping in through the ring ropes, producing a microphone from his back pocket. He lets the cheering stop, before a big grin appears on his face, his excitement to be back in Los Angeles evident.] JV: Guess who's back in town? [Juan flashes a big grin as the crowd pops.] JV: Ya' know, as much as I loved St. Louis and the midwest... [To the surprise of absolutely no one, the crowd reacts with a massive smattering of boos. Juan simply smirks.] JV: Hey now, no need to get jealous. [A slight chuckle.] JV: As much as I loved it back there east o' the Mississippi, as much as I appreciated the way they accepted me and embraced me as one of their own, ya' never do realize what you've had until it's gone. [Juan stares up into the lights, at all those championship banners hanging from the rafters and sighs happily.] JV: And my God, do I miss this city. [HUGE POP!] JV: The last time I left L.A., I made myself a promise that the next time I came back, I wasn't comin' back with the same damn excuses, the same damn failures, and the same damn disappointments I brought back with me every other time. I was gonna' do my people proud! I was gonna' make something outta' myself! Hell, I was gonna' accomplish _something_ this time around or die tryin'! And well, I dunno' if you've people heard about it, but this time I didn't come back empty-handed. This time... [Juan pulls open his jacket, revealing the RCW world heavyweight championship belt wrapped firmly around his waist.] JV: ...I came back as a champion. [The crowd lets loose with a HUGE POP as Juan circles around, letting everyone catch a glimpse of the gold.] JV: And far be it for Mama Vasquez's oldest boy to be humble or anything, but this might be the last night any of you see this belt 'round my waist. [The crowd roars with protest. After all, you gotta' back your hometown boy.] JV: I'm steppin' into this ring against a man that some people call the greatest damn wrestler livin' today. Some people might say that title belongs to me and I'd tell you that yo' asses got that right... [A HUGE POP from the partisan crowd. Juan giggles like a giddy schoolgirl.] JV: ...but make no mistake, after tonight, we'll know for damn sure who's the man. [Juan doesn't say anything, but he winks and gives a slight point of the thumb towards himself, drawing another cheer.] JV: Some people might like to tell you that they've got the match of the year, that they got the two greatest wrestlers on the planet showcasin' their skills in their ring. Well, unless the letters on the marquee are RCW, unless one of the men in that ring is named Juan Vasquez and the other's Shane Destiny, they're goddamn liars. [Somewhere in the crowd a Canadian curses every last one of you.] JV: Now, I ain't gonna' promise you the greatest match in the history of wrestlin'. I'm not gonna' guarantee a masterpiece. I'm not gonna' tell you that you're gonna' witness the most insane, off-the-hook, "Oh. My. God. Ho-leee. S[bleep]!" wrestling match you're ever gonna' see. Because quite frankly...why should I tell you people something you already know? [Pop!] JV: All I can promise you is this... [Juan pauses, getting serious for a moment.] JV: Win, lose or draw? You can throw out your stars and leave out your thumbs up/thumbs down bulls[bleep]. Anyway you slice it? Me and Shane are gonna' tear down the f[bleep]in' house. [The crowd pops as a grin as wide as the sky appears on Juan's face.] JV: And that's all they is...to it. [Fade out to commercials.] [Fade back in, to Larry and Rick.] LVK: Welcome back to Total Impact: Collision in Cali! We're live at the home of the UCLA Bruins, the Pauley Pavilion, and it's time for our next match. Take it away David Stokes! [We cut once again to Stokes, in the middle of the ring.] DS: The following contest is scheduled for one fall, with a 15-minute time limit. [The Chinese national anthem starts to play. What's it called? Hell if I know. Just imagine something with violins and drums and shit. Mmkay? Out from the entranceway steps Kun Gao, dressed in red full-body wrestling trunks with yellow stars over his right breast.] DS: Introducing first.... weighing in at 265 pounds... from the People's Republic of China... KUN GAAAAAAAAAOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! [A few people cheer, some boo, but mostly the crowd waits silently as Gao makes his way down the aisle and climbs into the ring.] ["Superficial" by Boiler Room starts as Tommy Stephens enters the arena to unpleasent reception from the Los Angeles crowd. The RCW long-timer wears his traditional wrestling gear of purple & black striped wrestling tights and black boots. Along with it is an old Ego MAX T-shirt, except that all the other members of the former supergroup have been X'ed out.] DS: His opponent, accompanied by Fudo Waru... from Detroit, Michigan, weighing in at 248 pounds... TOMMY STEEEEEEPHENS!!! [Behind Tommy, walking out to the arena for the first time is Fudo Waru. Decked out in a black pinstrip suit and a cane, the older brother of Tommy's old manager confidently follows and encourages his charge as Stephens enters the ring.] __ ___ __ ______________________________________________________________ | _ \ / _\\ \ / / | U < | |_ \ \/\/ / Singles match |_|\_\\___/ \_/\_/ \ Tommy Stephens Written by \ vs Fletcha \ Kun Gao \_______________________________________________________________ *DING DING!* LVK: This is our first look at Tommy Stephens' new manager, Fudo Waru. The brother of his old manager, Goku. RP: It's weird seeing Tommy out here without Goku or the Mysterious Suited Guy. LVK: Yes it is. Stephens is understandably wary of locking up with the big Kun Gao... but now he attacks with a chop to the chest of the Chinese wrestler! *SMACK!* *SMACK!* *SMACK!* LVK: Series of chops by Stephens backs Gao into the ropes, and now Tommy whips him into the ropes- *SMAAACK-THUUUDDD!!* LVK: NO! Gao held onto the arm, whipped Stephens around, and decked him with a vicious chop to the throat! [Stephens slowly climbs up, coughing and feeling at this throat, as Gao takes hold of him again...] LVK: Gao whips Stephens into the ropes... *THWAAACK-THUUDDD!!* [Stiff shot pop!] LVK: OOHH!! And now Gao unleashes a hellacious thrust kick that knocks Stephens down like he was hit by a bullet! Kun Gao showing off the martial arts skills that earned him many Chinese Tae Kwon Do titles. RP: You know what martial art I like? LVK: What's that? RP: Jello wrestling. It's great. [Gao scoops Tommy up across his shoulder, takes a step forward...] *THUUUDD!* LVK: Kun Gao drops Stephens with a shoulderbreaker! *THUUUUUDD!!* LVK: And then drops onto him with a big splash! He covers! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! NO! Only two! LVK: Kun Gao is really taking it to Tommy Stephens early in this match, and there goes Tommy rolling from the ring! RP: Heading over to his manager. Probably wants some advice or something. [Stephens begins to yap away at Fudo, thrusting out his right hand as if expecting something to be handed over.] LVK: It looks like Tommy Stephens wants something from his new manager. Maybe the Japanese salt that has featured in so many of Stephens' matches in the past. [Fudo simply stares at Tommy, not saying anything and not handing anything over. Tommy starts to yap away, whining and carrying on...] LVK: There's nothing forthcoming from Fudo Waru, and Tommy's not too happy about it! *SMACK!* [BIG SHOCK POP!!] RP: HOLY CRAP!! WARU SLAPPED TOMMY RIGHT UPSIDE THE FACE!! [Clutching at his quickly-reddening cheek, Tommy's jaw drops open as he stares right at his manager, who simply stares right back. The staredown continues for a few seconds, but then Fudo breaks it up by yelling at Tommy and gesturing into the ring.] LVK: Fudo Waru is telling Tommy Stephens to quit his whining and get back into the ring! RP: He better be one helluva good manager, because not just anyone can slap Tommy Stephens! LVK: This new manager obviously has a totally different style than his brother! [A look of anger and determination in his face, Tommy climbs back into the ring, and goes right after Kun Gao, catching him with a knee to the gut, then grabbing his head...] *THUUUUUDDD!* LVK: Swinging neckbreaker by Stephens! Both men back to their feet, and Stephens sets up for a vertical suplex- KUN GAO BLOCKS IT! [Pop!] LVK: OH! Uses his power to simply push Stephens off, into the ropes... *SMAAACK!* RP: Another chop to the throat! Surely that's illegal! [With Tommy clutching at this throat once more, coughing for air, Kun Gao stalks in to follow up, but is stopped by a thumb to the eye from Stephens! Boo!] LVK: And that wasn't? RP: The Greco Roman eye poke? A classic technical move! LVK: Uh-huh. *THUUUUDDD!!* LVK: Stephens follows up with a side Russian legsweep! Floats over for the pin! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TH-Kickout! [Mild pop!] LVK: Both men back to their feet... Kun Gao lashes out with a kick, which Tommy Stephens just manages to duck- boot the gut of Gao... *THWACK-THUUUDD!* LVK: AND HE NAILS GAO WITH A KICK OF HIS OWN!! A SCISSORS KICK!! [With Gao down on his back, Tommy simply stomps down onto the bigger man's head, then presses down on his neck. Heel pop!] RP: That big Chinaman's not the only one who can attack the neck. Thataway Tommy! [Referee Marc Gioffre steps in and begins a count to five, Tommy releasing the choke at the last possible moment. He backs away, looking to let Gao back up, but then rushes back over...] *THUUUDDD!* LVK: Kneedrop by Stephens! [This time he turns to the crowd, holding up his arms, and receiving a chorus of boos in return. He looks to his manager, grinning and giving a thumbs up, but Fudo Waru stays as stoic as ever, simply barking more instructions at his charge.] RP: Bossy little bastard, ain't he? [Tommy's grin disappears as he gets back to work, rolling Kun Gao onto his stomach and then lifting him up by the armpits, hunching down as he hooks Gao's arms over his knees, before applying a double chinlock...] RP: CHAMPION'S CLUTCH! LVK: Rick, that's a simple camel clutch, and a pretty bad one at that. [So bad that one of Gao's arms slips free, and he suddenly pushes up to his hands and knees. Tommy's eyes grow wide with surprise, as the Chinese martial artist then powers up to his feet, with Tommy on his back, holding on for dear life. Tommy tries to counter by hooking on a sleeper...] RP: He's got a sleeper hooked on! *THUUUUDDDD!!!* [POP!] LVK: BUT KUN GAO REACHES UP, GRABS STEPHENS AND TOSSES HIM ONTO THE MAT WITH WHAT LOOKED LIKE A JUDO-TYPE THROW!! RP: Damn! LVK: And now Gao grabs him for what looks to be a belly to back suplex- *OOOPH!* [Heel pop!] LVK: Mule kick right to the groin by Stephens! RP: Got him right in the fortune cookies! [As Kun Gao stands doubled over, Tommy runs into the ropes, rebounding and grabbing the big Chinese wrestler's head on the way past....] *THUUUUUDDD!!* LVK: RUNNING BULLDOG!! STEPHENS COVERS!! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THREE-NO! Kickout by Kun Gao! [Muted face pop!] LVK: Not quite enough for three, and both men are back to their feet now- *SMAAAACK-THUUUDDD!!* RP: GAO WALKED RIGHT INTO A SUPERKICK!! LVK: He sure did, and now Stephens... *THUUUDDD!!* [POP!] LVK: MISSES WITH A SENTON!! RP: Kun Gao evaded the Tommy Stephens-style senton! Nobody evades the Tommy Stephens-style senton! LVK: Gao kicking away at Stephens now, and pulls him into a standing headscissors... powerbomb lift- RP: Tommy rolled through into a sunset flip! LVK: Kun Gao fighting to stay on his feet... *THUUDD!* LVK: OOHHH!! HE AIMED A MARTIAL ARTS FIST-THRUST TOWARDS STEPHENS'S HEAD, BUT STEPHENS GOT HIS HEAD OUT OF THE WAY!! RP: Kun Gao sure showed the mat with that blow! [Gao, holding onto his pained hand, turns around as Tommy rolls to his feet...] LVK: Punch by Stephens, and another, and another... *THUUUDDDD!* LVK: AND HE DRIVES GAO INTO THE MAT WITH A DDT!! COVER! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THREEE-NOOOO!!! [Mild pop!] LVK: Kun Gao kicks out again, but it looks like Fudo Waru's strategy is working, because I don't think I've _ever_ seen Tommy Stephens wrestle with such focus. RP: Did you just compliment Tommy Stephens? Alert the press! LVK: I still think he's a whiner who takes too many shortcuts, but he's wrestling with focus. It might have something to do with not having Goku and MSG outside the ring to rely on to save his hide. [With Gao in a groggy state, Tommy waits for him to rise, then hooks the bigger man in a front chancery. He lifts... and holds Gao vertically...] LVK: He's got Kun Gao up... up... up... *THUUUUUDDDDDDDDDD!!* LVK: And finally drops him with his trademark brainbuster! RP: THE VERTICAL SUPLEX SPIKE!! LVK: Here's the cover! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THREEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *DING DING DING!!* [Heel pop!] LVK: Tommy Stephens gets the win. RP: Which means he's a perfect 1-0 with his new manager! LVK: Yes he is, and doesn't Fudo Waru look happy? [Fudo's grinning like crazy, clapping his hands as Tommy has his arm raised.] DS: Your winner... TOMMY STEPHEEEEEEEEEEENS! [More boos greet the announcement, and Tommy, not showing his normal exhuberance, climbs from the ring, where Fudo slaps him on the back and they begin to make their way up the aisle.] [The camera cuts to the dressing area. A man is curled up in the fetal position on a bench in front of several lockers. He is wearing a black t-shirt with the sleeves ripped off and blue jeans. He has short, brown hair that appears to be undone. His face is covered by his arms.] [The camera pans over to the left, where Gina Sarrazin enters the room through the corridor. She looks at the man on the bench with a confused expression on her face.] GS: Excuse me... do you know where I can find Tommy Roswell? [The man on the bench sits up slowly, with a sort of deer-in-the-headlights look on his face. He has cold blue eyes that appear red. He is under six feet tall, and while he looks cut, he has a sort of scrawny look to him. His t-shirt has a picture of an alien on the front of it.] Man: I'm... Tommy Roswell. [Gina looks at the camera, with a look that says "This guy is a wrestler?" She then looks back at Roswell with a big, fake smile on her face.] GS: So... what brings you to RCW? TR: The aliens told me to come here. [Once again, Gina looks at the camera. This time, her look screams "What the hell is this guy talking about?" She then looks back at Roswell, once again with a big, fake smile on her face.] GS: Um... the aliens? TR: Yeah... the aliens. They implanted something in my brain a couple of years ago. They tell me everything to do. Hey, is he gone? GS: Is who gone? TR: That guy who was in here earlier... the guy with the big bucket. GS: The janitor? TR: Yeah... GS: Yes, he's gone. Now... about these aliens... TR: Well a couple of weeks ago they started sending me coded messages telling me to go to St. Louis and join River City Wrestling. Or they could have been telling me to run for President in 2008, I don't know. Anyways, I wasn't really doing anything except hanging around Roswell, so I thought I'd give it a shot. I just hope nothing happens to Kevin. GS: Who's Kevin? [Roswell holds up a folding metal chair that's been lying on the floor the whole time.] TR: THIS is Kevin. Kevin's my best friend. He's the only person who really understands me. GS: O................... kayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy... TR: Actually he's like the ninth Kevin I've had, because stuff keeps happening to the other ones. Like Kevin #1, back when I was in the LEW, some guy dove headfirst into Kevin and put a giant dent in his chest. He was never the same. Then, Kevin #2, I was sitting outside the Wal-Mart in Roswell and this fat guy came and sat on him. Killed him. I think Kevin is what the aliens use to communicate with me. He's always telling me strange things. A while back, Kevin told me there was this boy in Tucumcari named Timmy, and he needed a kidney. So I offered to give Timmy my kidney, but the doctors said that on account of all my wrestling injuries I couldn't give a kidney, and Timmy died. GS: It's a cruel world... [Gina makes a signal to the cameraman to leave.] TR: The aliens always send me signals about what to do during my matches. Sometimes the signals get messed up, though, and that's why I lose... hey, where are you going? GS: I've got other wrestlers to interview. Honestly, I think you need to be committed to a mental hospital. TR: I've been committed twice. GS: Well go back! [Gina walks out of the room. The camera follows her.] [Reopen backstage: We find a man leaning up against the wall near a slightly ajar door, dressed in a cowboy hat, white button down shirt, blue jeans and cowboy shoots. He's got dirty blonde hair and a mustache. In his hand is a Coke can, into which he spits some tobacco juice. After that, he looks up to the camera.] Man: Uh... ya wantin' ta talk ta me? [The camerman must have nodded as this man nods back.] Man: S'pose I should let the Ar-See-Dubya folks know who I am, huh? [Must have been another cameraman nod, as the man again nods back.] Man: Name's John Shock, and I'm a Texan, as ya prob'ly guessed. Heard Ar-See-Dubya was up n' runnin' a'gin, so I figgered I'd check 'er out. [Another spit into the Coke can.] JS: Fer those who haven't heard, I used ta be a bullfightah, till I got the idea to git involved in wrestlin'. And well... that's been the story so far. [He tips his hat up. JS: Nah, I ain't jist here ta hang 'round the place. I'm aimin' ta do a little more than that. I s'pose this means I should spill the beans then, huh? [And we see John nod, so we can probably assume the cameraman nodded first.] JS: All rightie... I'm gonna be enterin' this invitational t'night... seein' as how it's a good chance fer me to find out what the comp'tition is all 'bout here. [Another spit into the Coke can.] JS: Yeah, I know what some of ya are thinkin'... he's a Texan, yet he's a junior heavyweight. How can it be... aren't all Texans s'posed ta be big, tough brawlers? Well, take one look at me and ya can tell I ain't big... but as fer bein' tough... [A slight smile.] JS: I think ya gonna find out that I'm tougher than ya may figger. [And another spit into the Coke can.] JS: But that bein' said... I got a match ta git ready for. So... [He looks at his wrist, as if glancing at an imaginary wristwatch.] JS: I best be gittin' ready. I ain't even dressed ta wrestle yet. [And with that, he turns to that ajar door... one would presume that's his dressing room... and enters said room, closing the door behind him. Fade out.] [Camera cuts to Tommy Stephens and his manager Fudo Waru talking nearby the arena entrance.] TS: You know, I think... I think that was one damn good performance there, Fu-do. FW: Yes, Tommy, it was good. But don't get ahead of yourself. I saw mistakes that veterans shouldn't make out there. TS: Geez, Fudo, give me a break for a moment. Let me at least take the win! Let me have my fun for a moment. I - [Stephens spots a dejected Alex Ripley walking past him and gets a sly smile on his face.] TS: Hehe, hold on there Fudo. I think I've got some good'un fun to take care of here! [Fudo frowns as Stephens walks towards Ripley.] TS: Hey, cruiser, that was some match you had out there. Was it me, or did you not even come close to a win out there, huh? [Stephens chuckles as Ripley tries to ignore him and walk away.] TS: Geez, I guess losing that "precious" title of yours to that stick a couple months ago really showed you what you are... Nothing but a piece of trash. Wasting space. [Ripley stops... and shakes his head as he continues on past. But Stephens doesn't stop himself as he takes a handful of trash from the nearby bin and follows Ripley.] TS: Hey... [Stephens grabs Ripley's arm and turns him around.] TS: Don't forget it, dip. Don't forget that you're just nothing but a piece of trash around here anymore. [Tommy shoves the handful of trash in Alex Ripley's face and cackles as he nonchalantly steps back to take in his handy-work.] TS: Haha! What a mess! Hahaha! [And suddenly Ripley's had enough, diving into Stephens and tackling him down to the floor. The former junior heavyweight immediately begins to lay in with a series of jarring right hands to the face of Stephens.] AR: You son of a bitch! [After a few hard shots, Stephens manages to shove Ripley off and gets up to his feet. Ripley gets up right after, grabbing for Stephens... but instead catches a right hand inbetween the eyes which sends him a step back. The voices of RCW chime in.] LVK: We've got a fight right here! Stephens just caught Ripley with a right hand and now he's trying to get away! But Ripley seems to be shrugging the blow off and is following behind him... Fudo Waru pointing out it out! [Stephens turns around and "WHAP!" is sent flying back with a hard fist courtesy of Alex Ripley, dropping down to a knee.] RP: Ripley's snapped! Look at his face... look at his eyes! We've seen him like this before! LVK: But he was well provoked this time by Tommy Stephens... and Ripley now pulling Stephens up by his hair... and he's taking him for a ride! [Running forward, Ripley takes Stephens and _slams_ him head first into the wall. Stephens slumps into a squat against the wall, wincing as he clutches his head.] AR: What was that, Tommy!? [Ripley pulls Stephens up by his head, staring with rage into the other man's eyes. He slowly lets go of the head and then grabs the arm, leaping into the air... and flipping Stephens down to the floor.] LVK: JUJIGATAME! He rolled into it and he's tearing back on Stephens arm! RP: Somebody stop this! We don't need him breaking anymore arms around here for christ sakes! [Fudo Waru enters the scene, dropping down beside Ripley as RCW officials pour in behind him.] AR: AAHHHHHHHH!!! LVK: The officials and Fudo Waru are trying to get Ripley off of Stephens, but the former Super J-Crown Champion is just yelling out, trying to tear Stephens' arm from his body! RP: He's lost it! There's a freaking vein popping out from his head that's the size of Richard Gere! LVK: They need to pry Ripley off of Stephens here before any serious damage can be done. RP: It could be too late. [Finally the officials seem to be able to yank Ripley off of Stephens, the latter of the two clutching his arm, grimacing as he lets out pained pants for air. Ripley attempts to shove an official and push up to his feet, but is immediately held back by the three other officials.] LVK: Ripley wants to get back at Stephens and it's hard to blame him in this instance. RP: What? How is it right to blatantly assault another man like this!? LVK: Stephens was goading him. Ripley is a man that hates to lose and Stephens just rubbed tonights loss right into his face. He applied the salt to the wound so to say. [Ripley gets to his feet but his pushed back against the wall by all four officials as they try to keep him a good distance from Stephens.] AR: Get off me! Get the f**ck off me! Let me get that little shit! [As Ripley is held back, more officials enter the scene, two of them ducking down to check on the hurt Stephens. Ripley manages to push his way along the hallway with the officials staying with him.] AR: You're saved this time, Tommy! [Ripley jerks his shoulder to the right, shaking a ref off of him.] AR: Now let go of me. I'm out of here. [Ripley backs away, looking down the hallway and yelling out.] AR: I'll be seeing _you_ later! [And he turns around the corner of the hallway and out of view. The shot cuts to a closeup of Stephens clutching his arm, Fudo Waru and a doctor kneeling beside him... before fading out to commercials...] [Open to the interior of RCW World champion Juan Vasquez's dressing room, as "El Cholo" prepares for his title defense against Shane Destiny. A knock at the door interrupts Juan's concentration, then a pause, then a second, more intricate knock. Recognizing it immediately, Juan yells for the person to come in, and indeed Luke Kinsey strolls in the lockerroom, taking a seat on the couch. Behind him walks Mark Langseth, who takes a moment to check the place out.] LK: Sorry dude, forgot the secret knock for a second. JV: It's cool. [Juan suddenly notices Langseth standing there behind Luke.] JV: Ain't you gonna' introduce me to your new friend? LK: Oh, right. [Kinsey clears his throat.] LK: Juan Vasquez, RCW World champion, this is Mark Langseth, two time former world champion and one of the most famous wrestlers on the planet. Mark Langseth, two time former world champ and famous wrestler, this is Juan Vasquez, RCW World champion. That should do it. ML: Hmm... Juan Vasquez... I don't think I've ever seen you... [Langseth scratches at his imaginary beard.] ML: ... hmm, successful? [Mark cracks a smile and nudges the stone-faced Vasquez.] ML: Just joking, there, Juan! It's great to see you, Mr. "RCW Champ". And good job holding onto that there title these past months! [Langseth extends a hand to Vasquez, hoping to let bygones be bygones.] JV: Nice to meet ya'. [Juan shakes Langseth's hand.] JV: I think I may or may not have almost broken your neck once. [The world champion looks away, almost a bit embarassed.] JV: Sorry 'bout that. [Luke cringes at the awkward introduction.] LK: Well, that was nice. Anyways, just came to see how you're feeling before the big match, you know? There's a lot riding on it. JV: Seriously. Destiny's like...well, it ain't like I can just throw him off a cag-... [Juan's words trail off as he notices Langseth eyeing the belt. He nudges Kinsey with his elbow.] JV: Hey Luke...what's with him? LK: I think- ML: Wait, hold on here Luke - now Juan, you're a great champ, bar none... sort of. But did he come in here before you did? Build up the same sort of household name you have BEFORE you, Luke? LK: Nah, we came in around the same time. ML: Oh... [Mark nods.] ML: So... When was the last time you had the ti- err, I mean, had even a shot for the title? LK: Johnny Axis, three years ago. ML: Hm... interesting... And you're buddies? LK: Yeah, since... well, forever. ML: Some friend YOU are, Juan. [Langseth chuckles and gives another friendly nudge. How utterly awkward. Juan scratches his head, confused. How the hell do you respond to that?] JV: Yeah. I'll probably get the front office to set-up a title match between us someday. Well, if I'm still the champion anyway. ML: "If"? "Probably"? Come on, be assertive here! And anyways, I don't really think it's your call. Luke's given the final word on who gets the next shot the champ, whoever that may be. LK: Yeah, that's true actually. I _did_ say that I have the winner of this match. So technically, I'd be the one saying when the match is. Technically. [Juan gives Langseth such a look. He shrugs his shoulders.] JV: I...guess. [He reaches over to grab some tape.] JV: I really got no problem with it. Just gotta' get tonight outta' the way. ML: Yeah, Shane Destiny, right? Shouldn't be a problem for you considering you're not facing the best RCW has to offer there. [Mark smiles and nods to the champ.] JV: Yeah. But it's kinda' hard to wrestle myself. [Everyone in the room is silent for a second, as that just served to make things even more awkward. Juan suddenly laughs and punches Langseth in the arm.] JV: HA! Just messin' with you. He meant you, right? [Juan gives Kinsey a hard nudge of the elbow.] LK: Either that or he's talking about someone just like me. I mean, I haven't even gotten a _shot_ at the title in three years? But Madison J. Valentine did. Alex Extreme got more shots than he has brain cells, and that's like six. If I remember correctly, even those scarred up freaks from SPW got shots at the title. Ha ha! [Luke slaps his knee, and then elbows Juan but good, right in the ribs.] LK: Maybe it's time we change that. [Rubbing his ribs slightly, Juan chuckles.] JV: Maybe it is. Lord knows, it only took me four years to get a shot. [Juan shoots Langseth the evil eye.] ML: Four years? Wow! I'm sorry to hear that... [Langseth gives Vasquez an understanding, Dr. Phil-ish look.] ML: I know in Luke's case, it's been just a matter of being passed over while no-talents get his shots... In your's? Maybe, uh... Lack of initiative? Hmm? Huh? [Langseth smiles.] ML: But if you felt it was injustice... Well, you could've stopped another injustice from continuing. Am I right? [Juan smiles one of those teeth-clenching sort of smiles.] JV: Right. But I made the most of my opportunity, right? [Wink, wink.] JV: And Luke here was occupied with other things. No use in havin' my best friend get his shot while he was busy trying not to get killed every week, right? It would've just complicated things. I'd rather he get his shot without any distractions, when he was at his best and because we all knew earned it; not because he thought it was outta' pity or something. [Juan raises an eyebrow at Langseth.] JV: If it was just a case of throwin' him a bone, it wouldn't be fair, really. And that's what we're striving for, right? _Fairness._ [He coughs. LOUD.] JV: Luke's earned his shot, I ain't gonna' deny it. When he gets it though...like you said, the man called his shot. [Juan starts taping his wrists.] JV: So I guess that's outta' my hands. [He turns to the two, staring at Langseth in particular.] JV: Now if you excuse me, I got a match to get ready for. LK: Understood. And hey man, good luck. JV: Thanks. [Luke stands up and both LotP'ers shake hands, albeit a little warily. Langseth offers his hand and Juan looks at it before for a long time, before finally shaking it.] JV: And it was nice to see you again, Mark. [And probably squeezing it a little harder than he should.] JV: Seriously. A real _pleasure._ [He finally lets go, with Langseth quickly pulling his hand away. Juan simply turns back to taping his wrists.] JV: I'll see ya' around. [Fade to black.] [We reopen to somewhere in the back of the Pauley Pavilion, in one of the many locker rooms. We are centered on a close up of a title belt. Engraved on the gold plate are the words UWF Eurasian Heavyweight Champion. The camera slowly pulls out, showing that the belt is hanging off the shoulder of a very large, chiseled chest. Back some more, until we see a full profile of the champion himself. The young man looks dressed to compete, clad in green ring trunks, black elbow pads and wrist tape. He has medium length light brown hair which is pushed back and dripping wet. A small goatee, several tattoos on his biceps, deep blue eyes, and an intense stare that only a Mother could love, and we have the man that is known in some circles as "The Bayou Badboy", Colby Greene.] CG: The folks within RCW gave me dis time to let me introduce mahself to you. Mah name is Colby Greene. The UWF Eurasian Heavyweight champion. Some people call me The Bayou Badboy. I have an Uncle who made a name fo’ himself in dis business. A bonafide UWF legend, Brett Greene himself. Mah Uncle had what it takes to be the very best in dis sport, and he was. Being in the Greene family means I got big boots to fill, and an even bigger shadow to stand in. [Greene breaks his look and pauses for a thought.] Here’s mah deal. I’m still a rookie. This is mah first year wrestling, and I’m already a champ. [Greene slaps the Eurasian title.] This here is the UWF Eurasia Heavyweight championship. Mah Uncle’s name got me into that league. Mah Uncle’s name got me dis here title. [And with that, Greene yanks the title strap off of his shoulder and holds it out in front of the camera. And he simply lets it go. The heavy gold belt quickly drops to the floor with a loud clang. Greene snickers.] Whoosh. Clean slate. I love mah Uncle and I respect what he’s done... But that don’t mean jack s[BLEEP] to anyone here. What matters, is what Colby Greene has in store for the RCW. I’m here to create mah own legend. [Greene smirks.] And I got big plans for dis place. I’m two hundred sixty pounds. I stand six foot five. Four percent body fat. Offensive tackle for the Louisiana Wildcats, three years in a row. Ya’ll could say I got an appetite for pain and I’m fixing on taking it out on the boys of River City Wrestling. [Greene loses the confident, boastful smile. Now he just glares towards the camera.] You don’t like it? T-S. Wanna do something ‘bout it? I invite ya to try. One thing fo’ shore, Colby Green will give you a fight. And if I don’t get one... Well I guess I’ll have to go out lookin’ for one, won’t I? [Colby glances down as he clenches right fist in his left palm. He quickly looks back up.] And nobody gonna want that, I guarantee. [Greene snickers to himself, as we cut to the ring, and David Stokes.] DS: Ladies and gentlemen, the following contest is an Open Invitational Junior Heavyweight Triangle Gauntlet! [Pop!] DS: Three men will start, and with each elimination a new man will enter. The order of eliminations will determine the seeds for the upcoming Super J-Crown title tournament! [Pop!] DS: Introducing first, already in the ring... from China... WANG HANG LOOOOOOOOOOOO!! [There's literally no response from the crowd, but a few people start to laugh as China's number one porn star begins to dance comically around the ring.] [The lights go completely black as Rammstein's "Du Hast" blasts over the sound system. After fifteen seconds, the top of the entrance ramp explodes in green flames, and mist begins to spray from above. Amidst the flames, the silhouette of Tommy Roswell appears from behind the curtain. As the lights slowly come back on, Tommy walks toward the ring, carrying a metal folding chair.] DS: Introducing next... making his RCW debut... from Roswell, New Mexico, weighing in at 195 pounds... TOMMY ROSWEEEEEEEEEEELLL!! [Once he reaches the ringside area, Tommy paces around the ring for a bit, not jawing with fans but rather looking at them with a glazed-over look on his face. He slides his chair into the ring under the bottom rope and then rolls under the bottom rope himself. Then, he sits down in his home corner, as the music dies and the lights return to normal.] #Here's a little song for the broken hearted# [The arena lights dim as laser lights begin to play around the roof of the arena for a five count. Suddenly, a pair of white pyro bursts set in time with the bass drum light up the entry way as the remainder of "It's My Life" by Bon Jovi floods the PA system. As the audience's eyes adjust to the light level again, they see "Showtime" Rick Marley making his way to the ring. The fair skinned light heavyweight has his long dark hair pulled back in a pony tail and wears a midnight blue set of long legged trunks with the word "Showtime" stitched across the butt. White spotlights trail up from his black boots and cascade up the pant legs.] DS: And finally, from Allentown, Pennsylvania... weighing 215 pounds... "SHOWTIME" RICK MAAAAAAAAAAAAARLEY!! [Marley slaps hands with the fans at ringside until he is about 15 feet from the ring, at which point he sprints the distance, sliding under the bottom rope, striding across the squared circle to climb to the second rope in front of the announcer's table, where he raises both hands to the crowd...] __ ___ __ ______________________________________________________________ | _ \ / _\\ \ / / | U < | |_ \ \/\/ / Open Invitational Junior Heavyweight Triangle Gauntlet |_|\_\\___/ \_/\_/ \ Written by \ To determine seeds for Super J-Crown title tournament Fletcha \ \_______________________________________________________________ *DING DING!* LVK: Welcome back to Total Impact everyone, and here we go in this invitational junior- heavyweight gauntlet! [Roswell is the first to attack, nailing Marley from behind with an axehandle shot. He starts to unload with punches, as Wang Hang Lo... well, he dances.] LVK: Roswell taking it right to the veteran Marley... sends him into the ropes... Marley ducks the lariat... *THWACK-THUD!* LVK: Dropkick sends Roswell to the mat! [Marley rolls back to his feet...] *THWACK-THUD!* LVK: OH! Wang Hang Lo finally enters the action, catching Marley off-guard with a running leg lariat! RP: I'm just glad he stopped dancing. LVK: Wang whips Marley into the corner, but Marley pushes off the corner, drops down behind him... *THUUUDDD!!* LVK: Belly to back suplex! Cover! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! T-NO! LVK: Marley up again quickly, and heading to the top rope... *THWAAAAAPPP!!* [Surprise pop!] LVK: OH! Tommy Roswell grabbed the ropes, which caused Rick Marley to lose balance and fall to the arena floor! [Roswell helps drag Wang Hang Lo up to his feet, and sends him into the ropes. Wang doesn't rebound though, instead springing off the middle rope...] LVK: LA QUEBRADA... misses! Wang landed on his feet though! [Roswell turns...] *THUUUDD!* LVK: And Wang Hang Lo drops Roswell with a swinging neckbreaker! [He kips up to his feet, and... moonwalks! Laughter pop!] RP: Hey, he's Michael Jackson! Well, except he's Chinese instead of... uh, what the hell _is_ Michael Jackson anyway? [Roswell slowly climbs to his feet, and Wang stops dancing, turning and running into the ropes, coming sprinting back at the New Mexico native...] *THUUUUUUDDDDDDDD!!* LVK: Tilt-a-whirl backbreaker by Tommy Roswell! He leaves Wang Hang Lo prone on the mat and... heads to the top rope... HE LEAPS! *THUUUUUUUUUDDDDDDDDDDDDDD!!* RP: TOP ROPE SENTON!! LVK: He calls that the Alien Invasion! Roswell hooks the leg! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THREEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! [Moderate pop!] DS: Wang Hang Lo....IS ELIMINATED!! [Roswell jumps to his feet and begins to celebrate... until Rick Marley comes flying back into the ring, right at him...] *THUUUUDDDDDDDDDD!!* [HIGHSPOT POP!!] LVK: MARLEY BACK IN WITH A SPRINGBOARD HURACANRANA!!! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THR-NO! Roswell kicks out! [Seconds later...] [Black.] ["The Irresistable Object!"] __FWOOM!__ ["The Five Star Phenom!"] __FWOOM!__ ["The Franchise Player!"] __FWOOM!__ ["JOHNNY!" "F'N!" "MALIBU!"] __KA-BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!__ # Greetings, earthlings We have now taken over your radioooo.....# [Skyrockets, baby!] # Goin straight through the hole You ain't got no game I'm breakin' ya out the frame Coming through like a train Looking to take over the world is my goal With my unstoppable crew takin' all control You can't get none of this, we re runnin' this Well taker, earth shaker, 3 point gunnin' this Get out the lane, I'm comin' through And if you don't wanna move then I'm comin' right through you # [Fireworks flood the arena sky as the fans erupt into an encore of boos and cheers. Some love em'. Most hate em'. A few diehard A|X fans remember the sexy sonuvabitch and wave their signs proudly. "Johnny is my baby's daddy!", "JF'nM = RCW", "Everyone else sucks donkey balls compared to Johnny" (Ok we made that one up.) And so forth and so on. All eyes fire towards the entrance portal that is lit by the arena floodlights.] # It's like inch by inch and step by step I'm closing in on your position and destruction is my mission Though eight is not enough, your whole squad better duck It's like switch when I bust Now you're whole crew is dust Comin' through my area, I'ma have to bury ya The real scream team on your scream scene It's like showdown on the range # [Out he comes, the most daunting force the wrestling world will ever know... The wheelin' and dealin', struttin' and sluttin', award winnin' smilin' cocky bastard himself. The lights shine down on Johnny F'n Malibu who stands in the entrance way, arms spread out like the sexy god that he is, soaking in the chorus of boos and cheers that ignite upon his arrival. He's dressed in white wrestling tights that are airbrushed colors of gold, silver, and black in wild patterns. He wears long black shin pads/boots that stretch from just below his kneecap down to his toes. Malibu's chest is covered by a white mesh jacket, unbuttoned, probably an Italian piece by some guy's last name you don't know how to pronounce.] # Got a lot of new friends, got a lot of new ends bought a house up in the hills frontin shouts to the pen givin false accounts of your account's amounts amounts the fans treason stands to reason since your inception laced with deception and bred with false affection it must perish From the terrace I'see the fire burnin the streets but I won't shield my eyes to the heat # # Go tell me who wanna tangle with the Ghetto witch-doctor neighborhood superhero? # DS: Introducing the next entrant, making his RCW debut... from Santa Monica, California... weighing 198 pounds... JOHNNY MALIBUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!!! [The honey brown haired glam rock looking wrestler struts to the ring, sporting the infamous Johnny-Shades that some lucky fan will undoubtebly be given momentarily. After narrowing towards the ring he surely enough flicks the shades from his face to a...gorgeous looking woman with beautiful breasts popping out of her not-so-much fitting top. Johnny gives her a little "boob tap" and a wink and shoots towards the ring.] # We want it all (want it all!) Unstoppable, we run the floor (run the floor!) You can t take none of this hardcore (hardcore!) In the game we take you to war (war!) You ain t seen nothin like this before # # If I hit em high, hit em high, hit em high And you hit em low, hit em low, hit em low If I hit em high, hit em high, hit em high And you hit em low, hit em low, hit em low # [The music fades, the lights come back on, and Malibu slides into the ring, immediately being met with a right hand from Rick Marley.] LVK: Johnny Malibu, who has made quite a name for himself all over the country in recent years, is our next entrant! RP: And Marley's giving him a warm welcome! [Marley tries for a kick, but Malibu catches the foot, then thrusts it skyward. Marley flips over backwards, landing on his feet. But he is immediately caught with a boot to the gut by Malibu, who hooks the head...] *THUUUUUDDDDDD!!* LVK: DDT BY MALIBU!! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TH-NO! [Face pop!] LVK: Only two, and Malibu throws Marley from the ring! RP: He probably likes his chances of eliminating a new guy like Roswell better than an experienced guy like Marley. [Roswell charges forward, but gets his left knee dropkicked out from under him by Malibu, who quickly climbs to his feet and runs into the ropes, gaining speed to come charging back as Roswell climbs to his hands and knees...] *THWAAACKK!!!* LVK: OH! Hard dropkick right to the face of Tommy Roswell! RP: Welcome to RCW kid! [Malibu drags Roswell up...] LVK: He's looking to finish Roswell with the Glamour Bomb! [But suddenly some of the fans start to roar, and the rest join in...] LVK: Marley! He's climbed to the top rope... *THWAAAAAACK-THUUUDDD!!* [FACE POP!!] LVK: AND HE NAILS MALIBU RIGHT IN THE BACK OF THE HEAD WITH A MISSILE DROPKICK!! RP: Damn near took his head off! LVK: Marley drags Malibu up now... hooks the head... *THUUUUUDDDDDDDDDDDDD!!* [Face pop!] LVK: NAILS HIM WITH THE LIMELIGHT!! RP: If Malibu's head wasn't ringing like the Liberty Bell after that missile dropkick, it is after that! LVK: Marley hooks the leg! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THREEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! [POP!] LVK: He got him! DS: Johnny Malibu... IS ELIMINATED!! [Pop!] LVK: Malibu with a short stay in this match, and now we're getting ready for our next entrant... [The entire arena is suddenly cast in a dark red light. Keyboards, than an organ begin to set the atmosphere, as the crowd jumps to their feet. A woman screams, then is joined by a woman orgasming. Many in the crowd know this song, they know who it belongs to. Those that don't are in for something that will change their view of wrestling forever.] DS: Introducing next, hailing from Toledo, Ohio... [Cut to the entrance ramp. A red curtain placed over the entranceway suddenly bursts into flames, burning upwards. Stepping through the burning fabric, eyes cold as ice, a sneer on his face, the crazed albino enters.] DS: ... he weighs in tonight at two-hundred and nineteen pounds... [The crowd that is familiar with the man goes haywire, as he makes his way slowly towards the ring.] DS: ... this is VANDAL GOOOOOOOMEZ~! [The rest of the crowd, familiar with the myth, can't believe it. They eye the diminutive monster as he springs onto the ring apron. Some boo him. Some cheer him. But everyone respects the living hell out of him. He enters the ring, takes a step forward, and motions for his opponents to bring it as the music ends.] LVK: It's the madman! Vandal Gomez! RP: This guy creeps me out. Seriously. [Tommy Roswell stays frozen on the spot, his eyes wide as he takes in the devilish visage that is Vandal Gomez. Rick Marley, on the other hand, has no such reservations, taking up the challenge...] LVK: Marley with a series of chops to the chest of Gomez... OH BOY! [NO SELL POP! Gomez shrugs off the chops with an angry snarl, then answers back with a sharp, short chop to the throat of Marley. As Marley grabs at his throat, coughing and gasping, Gomez takes hold of his forehead... and begins to bite it! SHOCK POP!!] RP: SWEET JIMINY CHRISTMAS! LVK: Vandal Gomez is _biting_ Rick Marley's forehead! Disgusting! [Referee Alfonso Reyes immediately starts telling Gomez to stop, and a couple of seconds later he does, tearing away from Marley's forehead, which is now trickling with blood.] RP: He bit his head open! LVK: Oh, that's sickening! [Spitting a wad of blood right at referee Reyes, Gomez drags Marley to his feet, and sends him across the ring into the ropes. He runs and rebounds off the opposite ones himself...] LVK: Gomez off the ropes... YAKUZA KICK! MISSES! *THWAAAACKK!!* LVK: BUT MARLEY'S CASTING CALL SUPERKICK DOESN'T! RP: No sirree! It nailed Gomez right on the jaw, and sent him tumbling from the ring! [Alfonso Reyes slides out to check on Gomez, so he doesn't see Tommy Roswell sliding back into the ring, his trusty chair in his hands. Neither does Rick Marley, until it's too late...] *KAH-LAAAAAAAANNNNKKK!!!* [PROTEST/HARDCORE POP!!] LVK: OOOHHHH!! ROSWELL ABSOLUTELY _WAFFLED_ MARLEY WITH... WITH... RP: A chair? LVK: KEVIN! He calls that chair _Kevin_! RP: Oh brother. LVK: The referee didn't see it, as he was out of the ring, but here he comes back in, as Roswell heads to the top rope! He's going for the Alien Invasion again! [But as he makes it to the top and steadies himself, Vandal Gomez climbs back up onto the apron, grabbing the top rope...] *OOOPH!* LVK: OH! Crotchfirst onto the top turnbuckle goes Tommy Roswell! RP: The only "invasion" right now is Roswell's yambags invading his body! LVK: Gomez is back in the ring... [With Roswell sitting on the top turnbuckle in pain, Gomez grabs him by the head, pulling his body away from the corner, his legs dragging on the top rope...] *THUUUUUUUUDDDDDDD!!* [HEAD-DROPPING POP!!] LVK: PAINKILLER DDT!! RP: Sweet Jesus that was _hard_! There's no way Roswell's kicking out of that! LVK: Here's the pinfall attempt... ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THREEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! [Awed pop!] DS: Tommy Roswell... is ELIMINATED! RP: I am _very_ impressed by what I've seen of Vandal Gomez so far. LVK: That's three men gone so far, and now we're waiting for... ["Good Boys" by Blondie begins to play, pyro pots exploding. The fans pop, all eyes on the entrance ramp. "Captivating" Corey Hart steps from behind the curtains and stands atop the ramp, a huge grin on his face as he surveys the cheering crowd. The young blonde wears a pair of white, pvc, wrestling tights, with a gold stripe along his right leg, and matching arm bands. He completes the look with white, kicking pads and white, Asics tennis shoes. Corey walks to ringside, excited and smiling. As he makes his way down the aisle, the young man makes sure to slap every hand that he can before entering the ring.] DS: The next entrant, weighing 165 pounds, from Malibu, California... [HOMESTATE POP!] DS: ...please welcome... "CAPTIVATING" COREY HAAAAAAAAAART!! [He hops up on the second turnbuckle and smiles, raising his arms as the fans pop. He surveys the crowd again and gives them an appreciative nod before stepping down.] LVK: Corey Hart comes into RCW with an impressive reputation, and a big opportunity here tonight. [The three combatants stand in a triangle, studying each other and circling slightly, adopting defensive stances. They slowly get closer together...] *SMACK!* LVK: Gomez with a chop to Hart! *SMACK!* LVK: And a punch to Marley! *SMACK!* *SMACK!* LVK: Onslaught by the madman, who now applies a side headlock to Hart! [Hart backs Gomez into the ropes, then pushes him across the ring, bending into a backdrop, but Gomez backflips over him, landing back on his feet, but finding himself caught in a rear waistlock by Marley. Marley lifts, as Hart turns around...] *THWACK-THUD!* LVK: Dropkick by Gomez sends Hart down, and an armdrag takes Marley down! RP: Wow, Gomez can really wrestle too! [But as Marley hits the mat, he climbs to a knee and swings a kick at Gomez...] LVK: OH! Marley kick nails Gomez in the head! [As Gomez stays down, Marley and Hart rush together, Hart ducking a clothesline and ramming Marley into the top turnbuckle backfirst. Hart leaps up and grabs Marley by the head, pushing his feet into the top of "Showtime"'s thighs...] LVK: Monkey flip... HART CARTWHEELS OUT OF IT! [But he cartwheels right into the corner where Gomez has been recovering. Gomez aims a lariat at Hart's head, but Hart ducks, and scoops him up into a fireman's carry. Gomez quickly jumps off though, sending Hart off-balance, crashing onto his back on the mat...] LVK: Hart down... [He climbs up to his knees, as Gomez charges forward, raising his right leg...] LVK: Yakuza kick by Gomez... ducked by Hart... [Gomez goes charging past Hart, then stops, and turns to find Marley aiming his foot right for his head...] LVK: Casting Call superkick- RP: MISSES! LVK: And Gomez sweeps Marley's legs out... [Marley climbs to one knee, and Hart comes charging at him, pushing off the outstretched knee and thrusting his own knee towards Marley's head...] LVK: SHINING WIZARD- [...but luckily for Marley he manages to move his head and send Hart hurtling through the air!] LVK: And _it_ misses! OH BOY!! RP: Man these guys are super quick! [The flurry of rapid action suddenly ends, with the three competitors back to their defensive stances, warily watching each other. APPRECIATION POP!!] LVK: Are they ever! If you don't love this junior-heavyweight action, you're not a real wrestling fan! [Gomez re-initiates the battle, nailing Hart with a big right hand, and then backing him into a corner with a flurry of follow-up blows. But Marley stops his offense with a forearm to the back. He grabs Gomez by the arm...] LVK: Marley Irish whips Gomez- NO! Reversed! [The reversed whip sends Marley hurtling in towards Hart in the corner. For a moment it looks like they're going to collide, but at the last moment Hart bends forward, grabbing Marley under the legs and thrusting him skyward. Marley lands on the top turnbuckle, to a HUGE AGILITY POP!] LVK: Wow! [And in a flash Marley comes launching off the top turnbuckle...] LVK: MARLEY! *THUUUDDDD!!* RP: HOLY CRAP! Gomez dropped him out of the sky, right across his knee! LVK: Turning the Marley aerial attack into a gutbuster! Great reflexes by the albino madman! [Hart charges at Gomez, who stops him in his tracks with a knee to the gut, and then hoists him up in a vertical suplex. But Hart fights it as Gomez staggers near the ropes, and then drops to his feet on the apron. Gomez turns around...] *SMACK!* LVK: Stinging chop by Hart, sends Gomez staggering back... [But Marley is back to his feet, and takes a couple of steps towards the ropes, and Hart...] *THWAAACK!!* *THWAAAPPPP-CLAANNKK!!* [BIG POP!!] LVK: OOHHH!! MARLEY NAILED HART WITH THE CASTING CALL!! THE SUPERKICK CAUGHT HART RIGHT ON THE JAW AND SENT HIM CRASHING TO THE FLOOR!! [But there's no time to rest on your laurels in a match like this, and Marley turns around to find Gomez right back in his face. The fire-haired albino catches Marley with a forearm to the face. He leaves Marley staggered and runs into the ropes...] LVK: Gomez off the ropes... Marley ducks the lariat... *THUUUDDD!!* LVK: HURACANRANA BY MARLEY!! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THR-NO! [Disappointment pop!] LVK: Rick Marley almost got him there! Remember, he's been in the match since the very start, and he had his forehead busted open by Gomez. He's lost some blood, but Marley's still giving as good as he gets! [Both men climb to their feet, and Marley pounds away at Gomez with right hands, then whips Gomez into the ropes. Gomez springboards off the middle rope...] LVK: LA QUEBRADA- *THUUUUUUUUUDDDDDDDDDDDD!!* [POP!] LVK: INTO AN INVERTED DDT!!! RP: What a move! LVK: Vandal Gomez is showing us that he while he might be unstable and a little deranged, he's also a very talented wrestler! [Gomez rolls back to his feet, and spots Hart climbing up onto the apron. He runs over and thrusts a boot through the ropes, catching Hart in the face and sending him crashing back to the floor.] LVK: Gomez dragging Marley up now, and hoisting him up onto the top rope! RP: And climbing up with him! [The fans buzz as Gomez climbs to his feet on the top turnbuckle, pulling Marley up into a similar position. With his back to the ring, Gomez starts setting Marley up in a position similar to a Uranage suplex...] LVK: What's he going to do here? [But before Gomez can get it set up to his liking, Hart suddenly re-appears on the apron close by. The fans roar in anticipation as he launches himself upwards, and springboards off the top rope, turning and planting both feet into the Gomez's back...] *THWACK!* *THWAAAAAAAAAPPPPP-CLANK-THWAAAAAPPPPP!!!* [THUNDEROUS SHOCK POP!!!] LVK: OH MY GOD!!! RP: SWEET BUTTERY JESUS!! HE DROPKICKED THEM RIGHT OFF THE TOP!! LVK: RICK MARLEY AND VANDAL GOMEZ WERE STANDING ON THE TOP ROPE, AND WENT CRASHING DOWN TO THE ARENA FLOOR!! RP: They didn't even know it was coming! LVK: And Rick, either one or both of them could be seriously injured as a result! RP: Oh crap! Hart's sizing them up like a lion stalking a freakin' zebra! [He waits as Gomez and Marley both climb to their feet at ringside, then runs adjacent to the ropes facing them, jumping up and springing off the top rope, launching himself up and out of the ring, corkscrewing through the air....] *THWAPPPP-THWAPPPP-CLAAAAAANKKKKKKKKKK!!* [MEGA HIGHSPOT POP!!!!] LVK: OOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!! COREY HART WITH A BEAUTIFUL CORKSCREW PLANCHA, TAKING OUT BOTH OF HIS OPPONENTS!! *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!* *ARGH-SEE-DUB! ARGH-SEE-DUB!* *ARGH-SEE-DUB! ARGH-SEE-DUB!* *ARGH-SEE-DUB! ARGH-SEE-DUB!* LVK: The fans here in Los Angeles certainly enjoyed that! RCW fans have always loved seeing the junior-heavyweights throwing themselves around, and with moves like that, Corey Hart will make a lot of fans very quickly. [The three wrestlers slowly rise at ringside, but it's Gomez who is the first to act, reaching over the railing and grabbing a chair. POP!] RP: The madman's got a chair, and that's bad news for the other two! LVK: Yes it is! He swings... [PANIC POP... quickly melting into widespread relief...] LVK: OH! HE TEED OFF, LOOKING TO KNOCK RICK MARLEY'S HEAD INTO THE NEXT COUNTY! But luckily Marley was able to duck out of the way... *THWACK-KLAAAAAANNNKKK!!!* [HUGE POP!!] LVK: OOOOHHHH!!! AND COREY HART MAKES GOMEZ EAT THE CHAIR WITH A SPIN KICK RIGHT INTO THE METAL WEAPON!! RP: Luckily he's one ugly bastard to start with, 'cause that'll rearrange your face! LVK: Hart and Marley now trading blows, and back into the ring they go. [Hart aims a chop at Marley, but "Showtime" evades it, and hooks Hart's arm, lifting him up and over with a hiptoss...] *THUUUUUDDDDDD!!* [...right onto his outstretched knee! POP!] LVK: OH! He turned an ordinary hiptoss into a modified backbreaker! [As Hart arches his back in pain on the mat, Marley drags him up to his feet, and sends him into the ropes, lashing out with his right foot...] LVK: CASTING CALL... MISSED! [With Marley off balance due to the missed superkick, Hart grabs him by the head...] *THUUUUUUUUDDDDDDDDDDDDDD!!* [...driving his head into the mat with a spinning stunner! HUGE POP!!] LVK: HE CALLS THAT THE HART ATTACK!! COVERS!! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THREEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! [POP!] LVK: A great move, and it was enough to put Rick Marley down for the three! DS: Rick Marley... is ELIMINATED! [Mixed pop!] LVK: Rick Marley won't be winning this match, but he showed a lot of resilience and heart by lasting so long. The former tagteam champion... WHAT THE HELL? [Vandal Gomez is suddenly back in the ring, rushing at Hart, who turns around just in time to see...] *FWOOOOOOSSSSSSSSSHHHHHHH!!!* [THUNDEROUS SHOCK/HEEL POP!!!!!!!!] RP: GREAT GOOGILY MOOGILY!! LVK: FIREBALL!! VANDAL GOMEZ THREW A FIREBALL RIGHT INTO THE FACE OF COREY HART!! RP: I guess he didn't like having that chair kicked into his face! [Hart writhes around on the mat, screaming in pain, as Gomez watches, his eyes wide with amazement, a devious grin on his face.] LVK: THE SADISTIC SON OF A BITCH! [Alfonso Reyes rolls from the ring and begins to converse with David Stokes.] RP: What's Reyes doing? [The camera zooms in on David Stokes, who raises his microphone.] DS: Ladies and gentlemen, the referee has informed me that Vandal Gomez... IS DISQUALIFIED!! [HUGE FACE POP!!] RP: Oh come on! LVK: Rick, he hurled a _fireball_ into Corey Hart's face! The young man could be seriously injured! [Gomez, as if hurting someone is more important to him than winning the match, doesn't seem to care about the disqualification. He backs his way up the aisle, grinning maniacally, as the fans boo like crazy around him.] LVK: Vandal Gomez is eliminated, but I'd be surprised if Corey Hart was able to continue. RP: There's no way. The medical staff are dealing with him, and it looks like they're gonna take him to the back. LVK: This is complete mayhem. Marley was pinned... Gomez disqualified... and now Hart's gone from the match because of his injuries. RP: Which means there's noone left in the ring. Get three new guys out here! LVK: There are only three men left to come, so I guess that means they'll automatically become the final three! "Gunter glieben glauten globen" [The words signal the start of Def Leppard's "Rock Of Ages" kicking over the PA system. The first part of the song continues to pick up...] #Alright# #I got something to say# #It's better to burn out than fade away# _______FWOOOOOM!________ [An explosion of pyro goes off at the entranceway.] #All right# #Gonna start a fire# [And the former bullfighter, John Shock, is there, standing in the entranceway, hands on his hips, a big, white cowboy hat on his head, and also wearing a black vest with "John Shock" printed on the back in white lettering, a pair of black wrestling trunks with "Shock" on the back in white lettering and white wrestling boots. He has short, dirty-blonde hair, blue eyes and a thick mustache.] DS: Next into the match... making his RCW debut... from Dalhart, Texas... weighing 200 pounds... JOHN SHOOOOOOOOOOCK!!! [Shock tips his hat up slightly, a slight smile on his face, and then he makes his way down the aisle and to the ring, reaching out to give a high-five to a fan here and there. As he reaches the ring, he takes a big leap, getting up on the ring apron, where he grabs the top rope, vaults over it into the ring, then removes his hat and tips it to the crowd. He turns over his hat to a ringside attendant, then removes his vest and does the same.] LVK: The first of them is John Shock! We heard from him earlier, but well, Rick, I have no idea who the next two are going to be! ["Entre Dos Tierras" by Heroes Del Silencio plays over the public address system, as a new figure to RCW makes his debut... ] LVK: No way... did we really sign this guy?! [... a man dressed in frayed denim shorts, black kneepads, black wrestling boots, and a sleeveless T-shirt with a picture of Godzilla destroying Tokyo on the front... ] RP: I saw him hanging around backstage a couple of times, but I thought that was because of his brother! [... wearing smudged black eye makeup with a big smear of blue paint across the right side of his face... ] LVK: ... that's Shane Destiny's younger brother! [... that's right... Jeff Kujawa.] RP: Jeff Kujawa is here in RCW! [Kujawa smirks at the crowd and enters the ring.] DS: The next entrant... from South Pines, North Carolina... weighing 209 pounds... JEFF KUJAAAAAAAAWAAAAAAAAAAAAA!! [Pop!] LVK: Wow, our junior-heavyweight division is starting to look stronger than it has probably _ever_ been! RP: Shock, Kujawa... who's number three? [The lights in the arena dim right down making the place barely visual to the naked eye. A few moments later, a voice over...] V/O: Prepare to be amazed Cali... Your Savior has arrived. [And with that, a huge pyrotechnic explodes at the top of the stage as the chorus of "Nightrain" by Guns 'n Roses blasts over the PA system. The lights flicker for a moment as the next competitor in this Invitational match makes his presence known. It's none other than the self-proclaimed "Savior" Jamie Underwood.] LVK: It's Jamie Underwood! RP: Who? LVK: One of the top junior-heavyweights in the business. Surely you've seen the footage of him co-winning the last Wrestlebowl competition? RP: ... LVK: In WLW? RP: ... LVK: DWO World champion? RP: ... LVK: He also wrestles for our competition up in Canada. The one that's still operating. RP: Oh. [Underwood doesn't advance towards the ring, instead staying on the stage and producing a microphone from his pocket.] LVK: What's he doing? This is no time to be talking on the microphone! There's a match in progress. [As "Nightrain" fades out and the lights return to their normal brightness, Jamie takes a quick glance around the Pauley Pavilion and smirks. He then clears his throat before beginning.] JU: So here we have it... the RCW Open Invitational Junior-Heavyweight Triangle Gauntlet match. [Jamie raises his right eyebrow as he shakes his head, before continuining.] JU: Ladies I know what you're thinking, "Damn Jamie, that's quite the mouthful"... but seeing as this is a family show this ain't the time nor the place to go into that... [A mischievous wink to the camera follows.] LVK: What they're thinking is get in the damn ring and wrestle already! JU: As tonight I am here on strictly business... [Jamie looks over at a few girls in the crowd and mouths the words "Sorry" before speaking into the mike.] JU: Now, the less intelligent and George Bush followers of y'all may be wondering what the hell I'm doing here tonight? I mean what right does a young, vibrant and thoroughly entertaining specimen of a man like Jamie Underwood have of being amongst the tired old-timers and washed-up has-beens on the RCW roster? [Heel pop!] LVK: No respect. I don't like this guy already. RP: Let him speak, dammit. JU: Well, answer me this - who better to gift a match of this magnitude with some much needed sparkle and name value than yours truly - wrestling's bonafide Savior? [Jamie holds out the microphone to the fans to offer him an answer, but instead he's met with even louder jeers and boos.] JU: Like your opinion counts anyway. [Jamie snarls at the crowd.] JU: Tonight marks the new era for River City Wrestling. As corny as it sounds, the fact is it's out with the old and in with the new. No longer will you yawn through RCW shows drinking bucket-loads of coffee to keep you awake. From this day forth, I¡¦m gonna take you on the ride of your lives. Unlike Alex Extreme who uses irony when he claims to be "Mr. Excitement", my nickname actually rings true. I am The Savior, and I am the future of this business... [Jamie turns his attention to the two individuals in the ring who are waiting, still, for him to enter the ring.] JU: And fellas, that doesn't bode well for you. [Jamie takes off his robe and begins pacing down the ring.] JU: RCW... ...You ain't seen nothing yet! [And with that, Jamie drops the mike and rolls himself into the squared circle...] RP: Heh, I like this guy. Anyone who can rile up the fans that quickly is okay in my book. LVK: Well, he completes our final three, and essentially this match now becomes an ordinary elimination triangle match! [The three final combatants circle, and Kujawa and Shock lock-up in a collar-and-elbow, which Kujawa quickly turns into a rear waistlock. Shock fights to keep from being lifted off the mat, but Kujawa suddenly has problems of his own, as Underwood rushes over and applies a rear waistlock to him. POP!] LVK: Underwood with a rear waistlock on Jeff Kujawa, who has a rear waistlock on John Shock! RP: Three sweaty men back-to-back-to-back... remind you of your high school days Van Keel? LVK: Ha ha, very funny. [Suddenly Shock breaks free from Kujawa's grasp, and performs a standing switch, but to Jamie Underwood! POP!] LVK: Standing switch... on two men! Shock now has the rear position... OH! ROLLS UP JAMIE UNDERWOOD FROM BEHIND! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THR-NO! [Disappointment pop!] LVK: Only two! The fans would have loved to have seen Jamie Underwood eliminated very quickly, and made to eat his words! RP: Yeah, but what the hell do these fans know? These are the same people who voted Arnie in as Governor of CAR-LI-FOR-KNEE-AAHH. [Having kicked out of the roll-up, Underwood has applied a sideheadlock on Shock, but the Texan quickly turns the table by wrenching Underwood's arm around into a hammerlock. He keeps it applied, as Kujawa casually walks over...] *THWACK!* LVK: OH! Kujawa boots Shock to the head... and bootscrapes Underwood's face! RP: Showing in a few seconds that he's a helluva lot classier than his older brother! [Underwood is dragged up and sent into the ropes, where he rebounds and ducks a back elbow shot, stopping and grabbing Kujawa by the head...] LVK: Underwood applying a rear chinlock on Kujawa now... [POP!] LVK: And John Shock comes in and applies the same hold on Underwood... *THUUUUUUUDDDDDDD!!* [SWANK MOVE POP!!] LVK: OOOHHHHH!! KUJAWA WITH A JAWBREAKER, WHICH IMPACTED ON BOTH UNDERWOOD _AND_ JOHN SHOCK!! RP: Nice! [Kujawa grabs Shock's left arm and wrenches it around into an armbar-type hold, pushing the arm down to the mat, and then...] *THUDDD!!* [...simply stomping right down onto the top of the hand! RUDO POP!] LVK: OH! A vicious stomp by Jeff Kujawa. John Shock gets back to his feet, shaking that hand in pain... and gets whipped into the ropes... he holds on! *THUUUDDD!* RP: UNDERWOOD ROLLS UP KUJAWA!! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THR- [Mixed pop!] LVK: NO! Only two! [Kujawa rolls to his feet away, looking to exact some punishment on Underwood for almost eliminating him. But all he finds is both of John Shock's feet aimed right at his head...] *THWAAAACK!!* *THWAAAPPPPP!!* LVK: There goes Jeff Kujawa out of the ring, thanks to a big dropkick from John Shock! RP: That's the problem with these types of matches. If you focus too much on one opponent, the other one'll come out of nowhere and catch you by surprise! LVK: Indeed. You need to stay alert at all times. [Shock is back to his feet, but gets caught with a right hand by Underwood, who sends the Texan into the ropes, lifting him into a tilt-a-whirl as he comes rebounding back...] *THUUUUUUUDDD!!* [POP!] LVK: TILT-A-WHIRL FLYING HEADSCISSORS BY JOHN SHOCK!! [Underwood rolls immediately back to his feet, looking to take the attack right back to Shock...] *THUUDD!* LVK: And sends him back down with an armdrag! [Clearly not learning from his mistakes, Underwood again gets right back up and charges at Shock...] *THWAACK!!* *THWAAAPPPPP!!* LVK: OH! And Jamie Underwood gets the same treatment as Kujawa moments earlier, being dropkicked from the ring! RP: Damn, this Texas kid's got zip! LVK: Yes he does! And Shock's sizing up Underwood... [His eyes locked on Underwood, who's climbing to his feet at ringside, Shock turns to run into the ropes behind him, looking to gain some momentum for his sprint across the ring and subsequent launch from the ring...] *SMAAAAAAACK-THUUUUDDD!* [Surprise pop!] LVK: OOOHHH!! Kujawa launches into the ring with a springboard shoulderblock, flattening John Shock with a move that Ray Lewis would have been proud of! RP: Kujawa's up quickly... LVK: Launches himself out of the ring at Underwood- *THWAAAAAAAPPPP!!* LVK: TOPE CON HILO MISSES!! RP: Underwood moved out of the way! [Which is something he's proud of, going by the fact that Underwood is grinning as he faces the crowd, tapping his forehead as if to say "I'm too smart for that". HEEL POP!] RP: Underwood's getting under the fans' skin. I like him! [But as he's doing that, John Shock climbs to his feet in the ring, shakes off the proverbial cobwebs, and then spies Underwood. He charges across the ring and then tumbles into a handspring, launching himself right over the top rope...] LVK: SHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOCK!!!!! *UGGHHH-THWAAAAAAAAAAP-KLAAAAANKKKKKKKKKKKK!!* [THUNDEROUS HIGHSPOT POP!!!] *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!* *ARGH-SEE-DUB! ARGH-SEE-DUB!* *ARGH-SEE-DUB! ARGH-SEE-DUB!* LVK: WOW!! JOHN SHOCK WITH AN AMAZING SPACE FLYING TIGER ATTACK!!! RP: You made that name up, right? LVK: No I didn't! Incredible stuff by John Shock, as Jamie Underwood took the full impact of his high-risk dive from the ring! RP: Shock's rolling Underwood back into the ring... LVK: He whips Underwood into the ropes... tilt-a-whirl- *THUUUUUUDDDDDDD!!* [Heel pop!] LVK: DDT!! UNDERWOOD SPIKED SHOCK WITH A TILT-A-WHIRL DDT!!! RP: _Spiked_ is right! LVK: John Shock back to his feet, but he's _very_ groggy! He can hardly stay up, as Underwood heads to the top rope... [Underwood launches from the top turnbuckle, soaring through the air with a shooting star press, but turns in mid-air, coming down in a cross bodyblock...] *THUUUUUUUUUDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD!!!* [AWESOME MOVE POP!!] RP: HOLY SCHNIKIES!!! WHAT A MOVE!!! LVK: AN INCREDIBLE SHOOTING STAR CROSS BODY BY JAMIE UNDERWOOD!!! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THREEE- [FACE POP!!] LVK: NO! Shock kicked out! RP: Underwood's not giving him any time to recover though! LVK: Sets Shock up... vertical suplex- NO! Shock floats over and lands on his feet... [Now standing behind Underwood, Shock reaches around and grabs his chin with both hands...] *THUUUUUUUUUDDDDDDDDDDD!!* [...before sitting out, driving Underwood facefirst into the mat! BIG POP!!] LVK: HE CALLS THAT MOVE "SHOCK TREATMENT", AND IT CERTAINLY WAS A SHOCK TO THE SYSTEM OF JAMIE UNDERWOOD!! [Shock rolls Underwood over and covers...] LVK: HERE'S THE COUNT!! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THREEEEEE-NOOOOOOO!!!! [Disappointed pop!] LVK: A close call for Jamie Underwood, but he survives, and still we have three men left in the match... three men who are going all out for the number one seed in the upcoming Super J-Crown title tournament! RP: Damn right. The number one seed gets to kick back and watch while the others fight it out in the first round. LVK: John Shock is back to his feet now... *THUD!* LVK: Bodyslams Jamie Underwood back to the mat, and heads to the top rope! [But as he climbs, suddenly Jeff Kujawa appears on the apron, and climbs up with him, nailing the Texas native with a forearm to the face. PANIC/ANTICIPATION POP!!] LVK: KUJAWA AND SHOCK ARE BATTLING UP TOP!!! [Kujawa subdues Shock with a couple more blows to the face, then grabs him from the side, steadying and then launching himself backwards...] *THUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD!!!* [THUNDEROUS HIGHSPOT POP!!!] RP: HOLY CRAP!! LVK: TOP ROPE URANAGE BY KUJAWA!! MY GOD!! WHAT IMPACT!! RP: I guess the urge to drop someone on their skull runs in the family! LVK: Kujawa crawls over now... COVERS!! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE- [BIG FACE POP!!] LVK: NO! Alfonso Reyes is holding up two fingers! RP: Yeah, but that could mean he's calling for a couple of burritos. Gotta hate those mid-match munchies. Hey, Kujawa wants a burrito too! LVK: Rick, he's clearly arguing about the call. He thinks it should have been three, but the referee won't change his mind, as you'd expect. [While this arguing takes place, Shock rolls from the ring, clutching at the back of his head. Underwood breaks up the argument, rushing over and swinging at Kujawa, who ducks and locks on a rear waistlock. Underwood quickly does a standing switch, but in the blink of an eye Kujawa switches back. Frustrated, Underwood rushes forward into the ropes, with Kujawa still holding on around his waist, and grabs the top strand, holding on for dear life as Kujawa attempts to rip him free and German suplex him. As they fight, Shock jumps up onto the apron, then slingshots himself in...] RP: LOOKOUT! [...over both Underwood and Kujawa...] [...performing a sunset flip on Kujawa, which is more than enough to rip Underwood's grasp free of the ropes...] [...the end result of which is John Shock rolling forward onto the mat, Jeff Kujawa being sunset flipped over, and Jamie Underwood being German suplexed...] *THUD-THUUUUUUUUDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD!!* [MEGA POP!!!] LVK: GOOD GOD!! LOOK AT THIS!!! [This of course leaves Kujawa's shoulders on the mat, as Underwood lies on top of him, and Shock holds down his legs...] ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! [And before the hand hits a third time, Kujawa bridges out, still holding onto Underwood, so therefore pushing _his_ shoulders into the mat!] LVK: OH MY!!! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THREEEE-NOOOOOOOO!!!!! [WE'RE-LOVING-EVERY-SECOND-OF-THIS POP!!!] RP: Man, that was insane! LVK: What an incredible scene that was! Both Jamie Underwood and Jeff Kujawa escaped being pinned, but it was close! [Shock and Underwood are the first back to their feet, and Underwood charges, right into...] *THWAAAAACKKK-THUUUUUUUDDDDD!!* [BIG POP!!] LVK: SHOCK KICK!! NAILED UNDERWOOD AND KNOCKED HIM FLAT!! And now John Shock is climbing out onto the apron... [Before he can springboard in, Kujawa rushes over...] *SMAACK!* RP: Kujawa caught him with a forearm! LVK: He hooks Shock's head... suplex- NO! Shock floats over and drops to his feet back in the ring... *THUUUUUUUUDDDDD!!!* [POP!] LVK: DRIVES KUJAWA INTO THE MAT WITH AN INVERTED DDT!!! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THR-NO! Kujawa kicks out! [Shock climbs back to his feet, and is met with a kick to the gut by Underwood...] LVK: Underwood now whipping Shock- reversed! Underwood sent for the ride... [But he doesn't rebound, instead jumping up and springing off the middle rope, soaring through the air with an Asai moonsault, but catching John Shock's head on the way down, as Underwood lands on his feet, then drops....] *THUUUUUUUDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD!!* [HIGHSPOT POP!] LVK: INVERTED DDT OUT OF LA QUEBRADA!!! WHAT A MOVE!! RP: All three of these guys are freakin' incredible! LVK: This entire junior-heavyweight _division_ is going to seriously kick ass with all the talent Catanzaro's brought in! COVER BY UNDERWOOD!! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THREEEEEEEE- [FACE POP!] LVK: NO! Shock kicked out! [Underwood gets up as Kujawa rushes over...] *THUD!* LVK: Drop toehold sends Kujawa down, and now Underwood scoops up Shock... *SMAACK-THUUUDD!!* [Mixed pop!] LVK: AND BODYSLAMS HIM RIGHT ON TOP OF KUJAWA!! *THUD!* *THUD!* *THUD!* LVK: Quick series of stomps by Underwood, who now leaves Shock and Kujawa lying in a heap, and heading for the corner! [He grabs the top rope and lifts himself up, dropping into a splits on the top rope...] [...flipping back into a moonsault...] [...but unfortunately for him, he finds nothing but canvas! BIG POP!] LVK: OOOOHHHH!!! RP: DAMN! Kujawa and Shock _both_ got out of the way! LVK: Incredible! The split legged moonsault missed them both! [The three men are all clearly tired now, as they climb to their feet. Underwood hunches over clutching at his midsection, which gives Kujawa the opening to push him back into the ropes, then back up slightly...] LVK: Running bootscrape by Kujawa! RP: VIVA LOS RUDOS~! LVK: What? RP: What? *SMACK!* LVK: Shock caught Kujawa with a right hand... *SMACK!* RP: And Kujawa answers right back! *SMACK!* *SMACK!* *SMACK!* *SMACK!* LVK: Shock and Kujawa are standing toe-to-toe and trading blows! [A particularly big right hand from Kujawa sends Shock staggering back into the ropes, which he uses to his advantage, coming charging back, and lifting his right leg...] LVK: SHOCK KICK- RP: Missed! LVK: Kujawa scoops him up- *THUUUUUUUUUUUDDDDDDDDDDD!!* LVK: MICHINOKU DRIVAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!! RP: Mark Two! LVK: Yes it was, and now the count! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THREEEEEEEEE-NOOOOOOOOO!!!! [FACE POP!!] LVK: He kicked out!! What an effort by this young man from Dalhart, Texas! RP: Yeah, but Kujawa's on fire now. He's got this match in the bag! LVK: He sends Underwood crashing from the ring with a big knee to the face! [He turns back to find Shock staggering up to his feet, so aims a short and sharp boot into Shock's gut, before applying a front chancery, while pulling one of Shock's own arms between his legs, and then grabbing one leg, lifting...] *THUUUUUUUUUUUUDDDDDDDDDDD!!!* [...driving him into the mat with a wrist-clutch fisherman's buster! HEAD-DROPPING POP!!] RP: HOT DAMN! Nailed him! LVK: With the move that he calls the Algorithm! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE- [?] [Alfonso Reyes: TWO FINGERS!] LVK: WOW!! SO VERY, VERY CLOSE, BUT JOHN SHOCK SOMEHOW KICKED OUT!!! RP: The kid's got ticker, I'll give him that! [Kujawa climbs back to his feet, but doesn't see Underwood climbing to the top rope from the outside of the ring. The fans start to roar, and Kujawa turns around to see what's happening, as Underwood leaps...] *THUUUUUUUDDDDDDD!!* LVK: UNDERWOOD FROM THE TOP ROPE, TAKING KUJAWA DOWN WITH A HURACANRANA!!!!! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THREEEEEEE- [MIXED POP!] LVK: NO! Again only two! The resilience being shown by these newcomers is incredible! [Both climb slowly back to their feet, and Underwood knees Kujawa in the gut, before underhooking both arms...] *THUUUUDDDDD!!* LVK: Butterfly suplex by Underwood!! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THR-NO! [Mixed pop!] LVK: Only two, but Underwood's not giving up that easily. He's quickly to the top rope, LEAPS- *THU-OOPPHH-UDDDD!!!* [POP!] LVK: FROG SPLASH FINDS KUJAWA'S KNEES!!! RP: That'll bust ribs _real_ easily! [As Underwood writhes on the mat in agony, Kujawa rolls him onto his stomach, then hooks both of Underwood's legs STF-style, before reaching forward and hooking both of his arms. He falls back into a seated position, then rolls onto his back. SUBMISSION HOLD POP!!] LVK: OH! LOOK AT THIS!! JEFF KUJAWA HAS JAMIE UNDERWOOD HUNG UP WITH NOWHERE TO GO, IN AN ELEVATED SURFBOARD!! RP: After the blow Underwood's ribs just took, this might be too much. We might see a tapout any second! [Kujawa strains with the effort of holding Underwood up, as Underwood yells in pain, but so far doesn't give up. Then, out of nowhere, John Shock rushes over and slides in the space between Kujawa and Underwood...] RP: WHAT THE HELL? LVK: SHOCK WITH THE COVER!! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THREEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! [HUGE SHOCKED POP!!] LVK: How about that? John Shock took advantage of the fact that Jeff Kujawa's shoulders were down on the mat, and made the cover! Kujawa couldn't kick out because he had Underwood's weight pushing down on him! RP: That's... well... is that allowed? LVK: Of course it is! It was just a piece of incredibly smart thinking by John Shock! RP: I guess not all Texans are stupid! DS: Jeff Kujawa is... ELIMINATED! [Mixed pop! Kujawa has made it back to his feet, and he looks bewildered. Alfonso Reyes explains what happened and gestures for Kujawa to leave. He's not about to do that though, as he starts to argue with Reyes, gesturing angrily.] LVK: Kujawa can't believe it! He was caught offguard, and now he's gone from the match! RP: Yeah, but is he going to leave? [As Kujawa and Reyes argue, Shock pummels away at Underwood with punches, then lifts him onto the top rope. He climbs up, then leaps, wrapping his legs around Underwood's head...] LVK: TOP ROPE HURACA- *THUUUUUUUUUUDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD!!* LVK: NOOOO!!! UNDERWOOD TURNED IT INTO A HUGE SITOUT POWERBOMB FROM THE TOP ROPE!! RP: THIS COULD BE IT!! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THREEEEEE-NOOOOOOOOOO!!!! [Relieved pop!] LVK: John Shock kicked out, and finally Jeff Kujawa has left the ring, although now he's arguing with some ringside fans! RP: He's one pissed off hombre. [Underwood backs Shock into the ropes...] *SMACK!* *SMACK!* *SMACK!* [...and unloads on him with a series of knife-edge chops.] LVK: Chops by Underwood... *THUD!* LVK: And he bodyslams Shock to the mat. Climbs up to the middle rope in the corner...But Shock's up! [Shock charges into the corner, but right into a raised boot. Underwood grabs his head and leaps away from the corner, swinging around...] LVK: TORNADO DDT- NO! Shock blocked it! Underwood landed on his feet... *THUUUUUUUUDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD!!* [FACE POP!!!] LVK: AND GETS TAKEN OVER WITH A NORTHERN LIGHTS SUPLEX!!! SHOCK BRIDGES!!!! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THREEEEEEEEEE- [?] [DISAPPOINTMENT POP!!] LVK: No, only two! But very close! RP: Both of these guys want that number one seed _bad_! LVK: Indeed they do. Shock back to his feet now, but looking very groggy. Underwood's up too, and CHARGING- *THWAAAAAAAAPPPPP!!!* [HUGE POP!!!] LVK: MY GOD!! SHOCK JUST LOWERED HIS SHOULDER AND BACKDROPPED UNDERWOOD OVER THE TOP ROPE, ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR!! [Alfonso Reyes slides out to check on Underwood.] LVK: Underwood hit hard, and doesn't appear to be moving. It looks... HEY! [Surprise pop!] LVK: Jeff Kujawa is back in the ring! He never left! [Shock turns around and sees him, swinging a kick at him. But Kujawa catches the leg...] *THUUUUUUUDDDDDDDD!!* RP: Capture suplex! [He holds the clinch, dragging Shock back up...] *THUUUUUUUUDDDDDDDDDDD!!!* RP: And another! [And still Kujawa keeps hold, dragging the now limp Shock up off the mat...] *THUUUUUUUUUDDDDDDDDDDDDDD!!!* [THUNDEROUS HEEL POP!!!!] RP: A THIRD, BUT THAT TIME HE DROPPED SHOCK RIGHT ON HIS HEAD!!! LVK: He calls that the Triple Six, but GODDAMMIT, HE HAS NO RIGHT ATTACKING JOHN SHOCK LIKE THIS!! HE WAS ELIMINATED FAIR AND SQUARE!! [Kujawa rolls from the ring as the boos continue to rain down. On the other side of the ring, Underwood and the referee climb back into the ring. Underwood shakes his head to clear the cobwebs, then his eyes fall on Shock, who's down in the middle of the ring and not moving.] LVK: Underwood's back in the ring, and he can't believe his eyes! RP: It's your lucky day, make the most of it! [Never one to pass up an opportunity, Underwood drags Shock closer to a corner, then leaps up...] *THUUUUUUUUDDDDDDDD!!!* [HEEL POP!!!] LVK: THERE IT IS!! THE SPLIT LEGGED MOONSAULT HE CALLS _SIGNED, SEALED AND DELIVERED_!! RP: Which is fitting, because that number one seeding is now signed, sealed and delivered! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THREEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *DING DING DING!!* [THUNDEROUS HEEL POP!!] LVK: The fans aren't happy, and I can't blame them! John Shock was clearly in control of this match, but he was robbed by Jeff Kujawa! RP: Them's the breaks Van Keel. Shock learned a valuable lesson... don't piss off Jeff Kujawa. [Underwood has his arm raised...] DS: Your winner of this match, earning the number one seed spot in the forthcoming Super J-Crown title tournament... "THE SAVIOR" JAMIE UNDERWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!!! [More boos rain down, but Underwood doesn't seem to care, celebrating openly.] LVK: Jamie Underwood will get the bye in the first round of the tournament, but again, really through no doing of his own. He can thank Jeff Kujawa. RP: Bah. Underwood showed plenty in this match. He showed that he's going to be a force to be reckoned with here in RCW. LVK: Well, he _did_ show that he's one hell of a wrestler, as did Kujawa, Shock, and all of the other debutants. The junior-heavyweight division is looking stronger than ever. [Open backstage, where Shane Destiny is standing in front of a Total Impact banner, with Gina Sarrazin standing next to him. Destiny has already changed into his ring gear, and sways back and forth, keeping himself loosened up.] SARRAZIN: Shane Destiny, tonight, your journey for a shot at the RCW World Heavyweight title comes to an end, as you go one-on-one with Juan Vasquez. DESTINY: Yeah. You know, there's been a lot of things said about the level of respect that I have for Juan Vasquez... there's been a lot of things I've been milling around in my brain. For all the talk, for all the thoughts... there just isn't a lot left to say. SARRAZIN: Many people know about your past, of course... DESTINY: Of course. Gina... look, what else can I say without ramming history down people's throats tonight? What can I honestly say? "Hey, Juan, let's have a great match! It'll be a barnburner, no doubt!" That's just not my style. I've come a long way to this match tonight... and respect or no respect, I'm going to do everything I can to become the RCW World Heavyweight Champion. If I get win, hey, that's great. If I lose... well, it happens... but I've come too far to think about losing right now. SARRAZIN: Well, is there anything you'd like to say? DESTINY: Of course. I've got a wife and a son sitting at home that would love to see me shut up and get ready to fight one of the biggest matches of my life. This one's for you guys. [Destiny winks and nods at the camera, then walks away.] SARRAZIN: Looks like he'll let the match do the talking for him. Let's go back to ringside! [And so we do.] LVK: Thanks Gina. How about that Rick? Shane Destiny dedicating his match later tonight to his wife and son. RP: Awww, isn't that sweet? [He pokes a finger into his mouth, mimicking the act of vomiting.] RP: His wife and that kid of his aren't going to help him in that ring when he takes on the World champion. Destiny better forget all about his family and start thinking about doing _whatever_ it takes to beat Vasquez. [The lights in the arena slowly dim down to darkness, with a display of colored lights beginning to dance and swirl up and down the aisle and all around the entrance.] LVK: What's this? [The Rivertron above the entrance then lights up, showing two words in big letters, the words wrapped around with barbed wire against a dark red background... "MODERN MESSIAH." Those words shatter like glass, dissolving into a shot of the Los Angeles riots from the 1990s. Policemen in their riot gear are shown fighting simple citizens, who are throwing rocks and bottles at their shields. That shot also dissolves, showing Van Strife blasting Lawrence Williams over the head with a Singapore Cane, breaking it in two.] # Fear in me so deep # It gets the best of me # In the fear I fall # Here it comes, face to face with me [That image also shatters, dissolving into a shot inside a random strip club. Multiple scantily-clad women are seen dancing half-naked under the colored lights, with old and decrepit men shoving dollar bills down their thongs. That shot then dissolves as well, showing Van Strife nailing his Starstruck Driver onto Eric Cooper from on a ladder.] # Here I stand # Hold back so no one can see # I feel these wounds [That image also shatters, dissolving into a shot of three men hanging, their shadows swaying back and forth as a beautiful sunset goes down behind their lifeless bodies -- the trademark shot of the Lynch Mob. That shot then dissolves as well, showing Van Strife blasting Johnny Malibu in the head with a steel chair, busting him wide open.] # Step down... # Step down... # Step... [A line of sparks start to go off from the beginning of the aisleway, towards the ringside area. They start moving quickly towards the entrance, as if a fuse being lit. The words "SETZER VAN STRIFE" flash quickly past the screen, finishing simultaneously as the sparks reach the entrance... finishing with a HUGE multicolor pyrotechnic display.] # BA - BOOM! # # BA - BOOM! # # BA - BOOM! # # BA - BOOM! # # BA - BOOM! # # BA - BOOM! # # BA - BOOM! # # BA - BOOM! # # BA - BOOM! # # BA - BOOM! # # DOWN! # Am I breaking... DOWN?! [Walking out from the smoke and light display is "Modern Messiah" Setzer Van Strife, who gets a mixed pop as he struts out, a cocky smirk plastered upon his face. Van Strife stands there for a moment, a shower of golden sparks beginning to rain down on him as he raises his Singapore Cane high into the air. Van Strife is dressed completely business-like, with a brand new black Armani suit, white button down shirt, and black and pink patterned "power tie." He also wears a pair of black Oakley sunglasses, one of his trademarks. In addition, he grips his Singapore Cane in both of his hands. From the looks of things, Van Strife is ready to fight.] # Can I break away # Push me away # Make me fall # Just to see # Another side of me [The shower of sparks ceases, and Van Strife begins to walk down to ringside with a look of _complete_ confidence upon his face. A few fans in the front row begin to insult him, throw things, and instigate him... but Van Strife walks past them without a care. Instead, the "Modern Messiah" stays focused on the ring, ready to speak his mind.] # Push me away # You can't see # What I see # The other side of me [Van Strife gets to the ringside area, where he stands at the ring apron before sliding into the ring underneath the bottom ropes... immediately nipping up to his feet. Standing in the center of the ring, Van Strife raises the Singapore Cane into the air a second time, getting another mixed pop from the fans.] # No one can see # Everything on the other side of me # I wal, I crawl # Losing everything and waiting for a downfall [Van Strife stands in the middle of the ring, producing a microphone from his coat pocket. As the music fades, the crowd dies down as well... perhaps eager to see what he's got to say. Pausing for a moment, Van Strife speaks.] SVS: The "Modern Messiah" has arrived. [A mixture of cheers and boos accompanies Van Strife's statement.] SVS: I've been able to lead one _amazing_ career these past seven years. I've wrestled in arenas all over the world, fought some of the toughest competitors that have ever stepped through the ropes, and have gained a reputation that is unmatched by most. But even still, even after all this time, I _still_ haven't received the respect I deserve... the respect that I _demand_. I grow tired of watching a breed of fly-by-night talent fizzle out while I stay strong. I've seen them come and go over the course of my career. They come in with a large amount of hype, manage to squeeze a respectable match or two out of their asses, then disappear off the face of the planet. Let's be serious for one moment here... does anyone remember Ethan de Sade? Does the name Chris Capri ring a bell? [Van Strife shakes his head.] SVS: No. You don't know them. You might have a brief glimpse of the names, but when it comes down to it, _I'm_ the name that still reverberates through your minds. _I'm_ still the image associated with greatness. _I'm_ the person that's stayed constant for _seven years_, despite others trying to be the "next big thing." But even still, RCW... ..._zero_ respect. But none of you give a damn, do you? You're content with cheering on the guys who are gone faster than a fart in the wind... guys who catch your ADD-laden minds for just long enough to give you the "entertainment fix" you desperately need. And that is _exactly_ why I loathe each and every one of you... why I've lived out my career for me, not you. [HEEL POP!] SVS: Do you think I care about your incessant boos and grade-school chants? I already _know_ I'm an a[BLEEP]hole. I already _know_ how much you think I suck d[BLEEP]k. And frankly, I could give a good god damn about it. Because no matter how much you hate me, no matter how much you wish I'd just disappear, I just keep coming back time and again. The fact of the matter is, each and every one of you watching me is _jealous_. You work your full-time jobs with mandatory overtime, you slave in your factories, then come home to an overweight wife and two bratty children. You flick on the television, see my face, and wish you could be me... that you could get away from your pathetic life. You want my high profile. You want my houses in Vegas, Paris, and Miami. You want my expensive cars. You want my beautiful women on each arm. But sadly, you _can't_ have it. You've wasted your life in a blue collar world, with nothing more than a trailer home and a middle-school diploma to show for it. You've squeaked by with your miserable life, trying to provide a middle class lifestyle. And let's face it, folks, you're lazy pieces of crap who just couldn't do what I do here. [The hatred for Van Strife is _very_ audible now, and he soaks it up joyfully.] SVS: I've worked too damn hard for what I have. I've scratched, clawed, and fought my way from the bottom of the barrel to get where I am. I _deserve_ every championship, accolade, and compliment that's ever been given to me... [Van Strife points downward.] SVS: ...and that's why I'm here in the River City. This is 2005. This is a new year, a new beginning. This year, I expect nothing less than the best... and that's _exactly_ what I'm told the RCW is. No more mettling in sub-par promotions with sub-par wrestlers. I'm more than deserving of being synonymous with the big names, the big promotions, and the big titles... the things here in RCW. There's no reason that I shouldn't be up there with the Martinez's and the Vasquez's. There's no reason that I shouldn't be holding the RCW World Heavyweight Championship. There's no reason that I shouldn't be able to take every challenge that comes my way and emerge victorious. I am, after all, the "Modern Messiah," the best around. [Van Strife flashes that trademark cocky smirk.] SVS: So there it is. Consider my hat in the ring, the gauntlet thrown down... whatever tired cliche you lemmings need to understand me. I'm not here to make friends. I'm not here to play nice. I'm here for _me_. Consider this notice -- I'm here, I'm hungry, and ready for a fight. My advice to you? Find me... or I'll _violently_ find you. [Van Strife bows his head.] SVS: And that, my brethren, is the word according to the "Modern Messiah." ["Downfall" cues up once again, as another wave of boos pulsates through Pauley Pavilion. Van Strife drops the microphone, then loops up with an evil smirk upon his face. He stays in the ring a few moments more to soak up the continued boos, then exits the ring. Walking to the back with the heel pop accompanying him, he disappears.] [We fade backstage, where Gina Sarrazin is walking after Jeff Kujawa, who just made his RCW debut.] SARRAZIN: Jeff Kujawa, hold on! [Kujawa stops dead in his tracks, letting Sarrazin catch up to him.] SARRAZIN: Jeff... you're the younger brother of Shane Destiny, you just made your RCW debut... what do you think your future holds here in RCW? [Kujawa slowly turns around, a giant smirk across his face, and his hair hanging in his eyes.] KUJAWA: Broken bodies. Now... f[BLEEP] off. [Kujawa turns back around and storms out of camera range, leaving a shocked Sarrazin behind. Fade.] [Fade back in to the ring.] DS: The following contest is scheduled for one fall, with a 30-minute time limit, and is for the RIVER CITY HEAYVWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP! [POP!] [As the distinctive sound of Tomoyasu Hotei's "Battle Without Honor or Humanity" blast over the loudspeakers, all eyes go to the entranceway, where the curtain is roughly pulled apart. Standing in the entrance is an impossibly huge figure, and his presence is greeted by a chorus of boos.] DS: Introducing first, the challenger! From Los Angeles, California... [A few fans cheer for the hometown reference, but not many.] DS: ...standing an even seven feet tall, and weighing three hundred and fifty pounds, here is... The Last American Badass...... ALEX MARTIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINEZ!!!!! [Martinez stalks slowly down the ring. He stoically ignores the crowd, who pelt him with boos and trash. Their angry, hate filled faces are reflected in the lenses of his mirrored sunglasses, and his only reaction to them is a cold sneer of hatred. Martinez moves to the ring, apron, throwing one long leg and then the other over the top rope. Standing in the corner, Martinez pulls off his sunglasses and his leather jacket, and moves to the center of the ring. His in ring attire consists of a pair of shiny black boots, with the letters "L.A.B." stenciled in gold on them, black leather pants adorned with silver buckles along the legs, a black knee brace on his oft-injured left knee, rubberized black tape on his hands, that goes from just below his knuckles to mid-forearm, and long black elbow pads that start just below his shoulder and nearly extend to the tape, leaving only an inch or two of exposed skin.. Martinez waits in the center of the ring, ready for the violence that is sure to ensue.] # Holy Calamity! Scream Insanity! All you ever gonna be's another great fan of me! # [The fans rise out of their seats in unison as Handsome Boy Modelling School's "Holy Calamity" begins to play, giving the cue for Madison J. Valentine to throw the curtain aside and make his entrance into the arena. The River City title belt is strapped tight around his waist, sparkling with the reflection of spotlights and flashbulbs. Valentine is all business, keeping his eyes fixed on the ring even as he reaches out to touch a couple of fans' outstretched hands on his way to ringside.] DS: And his opponent! From Ottawa, Ontario, Canada and weighing in tonight at two-hundred fourteen pounds, he is the reigning River City Heavyweight champion... MAAAADDDISONN! JAYYYY! VAAAAALLLLEENNNTIIIIIIIIINNNEEE! [Pop! Valentine stomps up the ringsteps and ducks through the ropes, into the ring. Immediately he unstraps the title belt and holds it above his head in both hands, triggering another flurry of flashbulb activity. He holds it up for the fans on the other side before handing it over to the referee and backing into the corner opposite Alex Martinez, but keeping his feet fixed on the mat for the time being.] LVK: Valentine looks ready Rick! RP: He's gonna have to be! __ ___ __ ______________________________________________________________ | _ \ / _\\ \ / / | U < | |_ \ \/\/ / River City Heavyweight Championship |_|\_\\___/ \_/\_/ \ Madison J. Valentine (c) Written by \ vs Andy D \ "Last American Badass" Alex Martinez \_______________________________________________________________ [DING DING!] LVK: Here we go, Alex Martinez charges the champion- ducked by Madison! Right hand by the champion! [POP!] LVK: Right hand, right hand, MJV on the offensive right out of the chute! RP: Valentine going crazy on Martinez! LVK: The champion- Martinez blocks a right. Oooohhh, kneelift by the Badass, and another sends MJV into the corner. This match has become _so_ personal with these two, so intense that we're not going to see a whole lot of wrestling moves tonight. [Martinez scores with a right hand, and then grabs a handful of MJV's massive hair in each of his massive paws... taking two steps and _hurling_ Val to the center of the ring. Valentine scrambles to his feet and is met with a forearm by the Last American Badass, knocking him into the corner.] LVK: Alex Martinez now, firing a right hand down on Madison, and another and another! Martinez- oh, ducked by Valentine, who shoves Martinez into the corner. "WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!" RP: Oh! LVK: Chop across the pecs, but Val's gotta have more in his arsenal than that. Val winds up again- "WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!" RP: That one had some mustard on it, Van Keel. [Val continues with the chops, but begins to mix in right hands... turning to the side to throw a chop, squaring up to throw a right, turning to chop, squaring to punch. over and over again, and miniscule though he may be, the champion is rocking the challenger. Until...] RP: Oh Jesus... LVK: Martinez with a big two handed shove and MJV flies halfway across the ring. What power by the Badass, and Valentine's going to have to go to plan B. [Instead, Madison pops right back up and ducks in, kicking Martinez square in the knee, which is one way to make the big man crumble.] LVK: Smart move by Val, going to that bad knee of Alex Martinez that everyone knows about, and now a kick- caught! "OOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!" LVK: Martinez caught that foot and flipped Valentine ass right on over tea kettle! "THWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!" LVK: And a lariat, what a jarring lariat by Alex Martinez! The Badass adjusts those gloves he's wearing tonight, and now bounces off the ropes... high kick catches Madison right under the jaw, and outside we go! RP: Valentine has got to get his Canadian ass back in that ring, because Martinez is at his best out here. [Stepping over the ropes and dropping to the ground, Martinez calmly cracks his knuckles as MJV gets to his feet... then kicks him into the guardrailing as soon as Mad stands up. Honing in, Martinez scoops MJV up and drops him throatfirst across the guardrail, causing Valentine to bounce up and clutch at his throat. And when he turns around, the champion is met with a vile double axehandle to the head, followed by another and another and another and another and another, ad infinitum until Valentine is backed against the corner of the guardrail, totally beaten down. HUGE HEEL POP!] LVK: What a massive onslaught by the challenger, who is still clubbing the challenger, now laying in those heavy boots of his. RP: Martinez is a smart guy, I know he has a degree in Psychology, and I don't even know how many wrestling moves he knows... but we're not gonna see 'em tonight, Van Keel. This isn't gonna be the technical exhibition the World title match is, this is a street fight. LVK: Valentine now pulled to his feet and the challenger with a right to the head, sending Madison toppling over the guardrail. Martinez stalking after him, throwing those long legs over the guardrail as Valentine is in desperate need of a break here. Big forearm across the back sends MJV into the front row. [When the Badass pulls MJV back, Mad is holding a large drink that quickly gets splashed into the face of the challenger. Thankfully it's not boiling hot acid or bleach, just some cold refreshing soda that nonetheless blinds the 7'0, 340 monster for a moment, giving Madison the quick reprieve he needs.] LVK: A jawbreaker by Valentine and a big jumping clothesline has the big man on his heels! RP: What the hell did he throw at Martinez?! Some sort of coolant or dangerous substance, some kind of Saskatchewan skin remover that's going to peel the skin off of Martinez's face. LVK: ...are you serious? RP: It could happen. LVK: A right hand by Madison J. Valentine, and he's got the big man staggered. Standing dropkick... [POP!] LVK: ...and Martinez falls over the guardrail! [Seeing this, Em Jay Vee hops onto the guardrail and leaps off with a double axehandle... but is caught in mid-flight by Martinez, who wraps him in a bearhug, and charges forth... "CLAAAAAAAAAAAANG!" "CLAAAAAAAAAAAANG!" "CLAAAAAAAAAAAANG!" ...into the ringpost.] LVK: Backfirst to the post for MJV, and Martinez just casually tosses him to the floor. Now he skee-balls MJV in the ring, who forward rolls to his feet, and sprints to the far ropes... off the other side... [POP!] LVK: Baseball slide dropkick by Madison and now it's Martinez going backfirst to the guardrail! Madison right on the challenger now, that zeroing in on that knee. "THWAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK"! "THWAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK"! "THWAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK"! "THWAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK"! "THWAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK"! RP: He's got to come correct with more than that. Kicking Martinez in the knee is all well and good, but he's got to start dishing out the same kind of punishment that Martinez is. LVK: MJV knows that he's not going to hot one killshot on a beast like Alex Martinez. He's got to be smart about it and dissect that lower body of Alex Martinez, taking him apart slowly but surely. RP: Right right, slow but sure wins the race. Not one the tortoise gets run over by a steamroller, though. LVK: Another chop across the pecs by MJV, and he hops onto the apron. Martinez gets away from the guardrail- [BIG POP!] LVK: FLYING CLOTHESLINE OFF THE APRON KNOCKS MARTINEZ DOWN! MJV rolls to his feet and a stomp across the teeth of Martinez. RP: This is what Valentine's gotta do, keep the big man grounded. LVK: Back on the apron, and Madison backs onto the second turnbuckle... [POP!] LVK: Flying double axehandle by the champion, right between the eyes! Right to the jaw and Madison rolls Martinez into the ring, and follows him in. [A small "MJV" chant accompanies the champion as he rolls in the ring, but when he picks Alex up he's greeted with punches to the gut, which Madison counteracts with an elbow to the head, then a second. With Martinez on a knee, Val shoots off the ropes and leaps up... planting both feet in the face of the challenger and diving to cover him! POP!] LVK: ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HUGE KICKOUT BY MARTINEZ! [So huge that Madison goes flying into the corner, as Martinez drags his ass up to an AWED HEEL POP!] RP: Martinez just bench pressed Valentine right off of him! That's two hundred and some pounds sent flying, Van Keel. LVK: Back up, Valentine charges... and ducks a clothesline from Martinez. Off the other side, Martinez... lifts Val into a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker! He just about broke him in HALF with that! Back up, MJV goes for the ride, Martinez scoops him up... "THUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUDDDDDD!" LVK: Spinning side slam, and Mad nearly gets slammed through the mat! Cover! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! KICKOUT BY VALENTINE! [POP!] LVK: Valentine pops to his feet, a right hand puts him back down! Val to his feet, another harsh right drops him! Valentine gets right back up, and another right puts Val right back on the mat! Alex Martinez is throwing bombs with every punch he throws. Martinez throws Valentine in the corner, charging kneelift catches Mad in the breadbasket. Whip to the corner... VALENTINE KICKED HIS LEGS UP, BUT MARTINEZ CAUGHT HIM! [MJV positioned nicely over his shoulders, Martinez turns and dives with a powerslam. Hunnicutt dives to count, but Martinez just snarls at the referee as he yanks Madison by the hair to his feet and puts him in the corner.] LVK: Martinez neglecting the cover, as he whips MJV to the corner- MADISON FLIPS OVER THE TURNBUCKLE AND LANDS ON THE APRON! RP: HERE COMES MARTINEZ! "CRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASSSSSSSHHHH!" LVK: GOOD GOD! MARTINEZ WITH A RUNNING FOREARM AND MADISON J. VALENTINE FLEW OFF THE APRON, AND WENT HEADFIRST TO THE GUARDRAIL! RP: That broke his nose, I think Valentine hit that rail badly and broke it. [Flash to MJV, with blood streaming from his nose but his hand covering it to prevent a good view at it.] LVK: Madison Valentine is getting punished tonight, and here comes Alex Martinez, cooly stepping over that top rope and measuring up his prey. Ooooh! Uppercut to the face of Madison J. Valentine and now a heavy forearm across the back! Martinez turns around- RP: Hey, stay away from me, dude. LVK: Martinez stalking right past the announce table and THROWING DAVID STOKES OUT OF HIS CHAIR! [HEEEEEL POP!] RP: Dirty goddamn Stokes deserves it! LVK: Alex Martinez with that steel chair folded up, Valentine doesn't see him- "CRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!" LVK: MY GOODNESS! RIGHT ACROSS THE BACK, AND VALENTINE IS OUT FLAT! NOW MARTINEZ THROWS VALENTINE BACK IN THE RING AND FOLLOWS IN WITH THE CHAIR! Things are looking bad, very bad indeed for Madison J. Valentine. RP: Martinez has to stay on him, and he knows it. But what makes it different is that Martinez _wants_ to keep on MJV, and _wants_ to pound him into a quivering mass of jello. LVK: Back in the ring, Martinez stalking MJV with the chair again... [POP!] LVK: VAL DUCKS THE CHAIR! MARTINEZ AROUND- "CLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANG!" RP: NO! LVK: DROPKICKED INTO THE FACE OF ALEX MARTINEZ! THE BADASS STAGGERS INTO THE CORNER AND VALENTINE PRESSES HIS ADVANTAGE! TO THE SECOND ROPE, MADISON GOES TO WORK! [Count along at home!] "ONE!" "TWO!" "THREE!" "FOUR!" "FIVE!" "SIX!" "SEVEN!" "EIGHT!" "NINE!" "TEN!" [Punch along now over, MJV jumps down and backs up, then sprints to the corner and leaps for a monkey flip...] LVK: Pushed off by Martinez! Madison tries again for that monkey flip- "OOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" RP: Lariat-o in midair! Jesus, he knocked MJV for a loop with that. LVK: Martinez throws Mad into the corner now, and buries a kneelift to the gut, now another... and one more for good measure. Valentine is bent over, sucking wind... but a hard knee to the head raises him upright, and now Martinez laces that big size 20 under his chin! RP: Give it up, MJV, pack it in! LVK: Valentine is many things, but a quitter he is not! RP: Well he ain't lookin' like much of a winner either right now. [James Hunnicutt makes himself useful for once and makes the Last American Badass break up the blatant choke hold. In response, Martinez grabs the lowly referee by the shirt and shoves him halfway across the ring. He then takes off his left glove, slowly unwraps his wrist tape... and wraps it around the throat of Madison J. Valentine, drawing a HUGE SHOCKED HEEL POP!] LVK: ALEX MARTINEZ IS CROSSING THE LINE! WE'RE DAMN NEAR WITNESSING AN ASSAULT! RP: Oh come now, Lawrence, all's fair in love and war. LVK: I don't believe that for a second, and I wish Alex Martinez wouldn't wrestle like a damned thug! RP: Good luck on that one. When you're from Los Angeles, well... you're born into it. LVK: Martinez laces that wrist tape around the throat of MJV... and biel throws him to the center of the ring! Now Martinez has that chair as Valentine sits up, no don't tell me! "WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!" "OOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" RP: Right across the back of the neck! What a shot by Martinez! LVK: Martinez is absolutely pummelling Madison J. Valentine. Alex scrapes him off the ground, scooped over his shoulders... Snake Eyes! Valentine- whoa! RP: Walks into a kick to the gut, here we go! Standing headscissors by the L.A.B., time to put 'er to bed. [But before Martinez can lift, Valentine collapses to the ground in exhaustion/pain/the what have you. Martinez responds with a forearm across the back and lifts him up again... but gets a forearm to the marbles! POP!] RP: Cheating! Skullduggery! This is un-acceptable in post modern wrestling! LVK: Valentine off the ropes, front facelock... "THUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUD!" [BIG POP!] LVK: TORNADO DDT! Now Valentine retrieves that chair- "UUUUUUGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHH!" [BLOODTHIRSTY POP!] LVK: VALENTINE DRIVES THE EDGE OF THE CHAIR INTO THE THROAT OF ALEX MARTINEZ! AND AGAIN! [This is even more than a man such as Martinez can take, as he lurches to a sitting position, clutching his throat and trying to breath. This is, of course, just the position MJV wants him in, as Val brings the chair back and SMASHES IT on the face of the challenger to his title! MEGA-POP!] LVK: MADISON J. VALENTINE IS ON FIRE! MJV DIVES ON MARTINEZ, RIGHT HAND, RIGHT HAND, RIGHT HAND! THE CHAMPION HAS COME TO FIGHT TONIGHT! [Reaching down and grabbing two handfuls of hair, Valentine repeatedly bashes Martinez's head against the mat, then gets back to his feet and fetches the chair again.] RP: Well, Valentine already broke Martinez's goddamn nose, what else does he have in mind? LVK: Val can wield that chair as good as anyone, and Alex Martinez is as ripe for the pickings as he will ever be. "WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!" LVK: CHAIRSHOT TO THE BAD KNEE OF ALEX MARTINEZ! RP: CHAIRSHOT TO THE KNEE? BRILLIANT! LVK: BRILLIANT! [Discarding the chair, but holding onto the knee, Madison J. Valentine drops not one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight or nine elbows to the knee, but finishes off with an even ten. Jumping to his feet and grabbing the chair again, he jumps up with the chair underneath his legs...] LVK: Arabian Facebuster! RP: BRILLIANT! LVK: ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! T- KICKOUT! Martinez powers out yet again! ["TWO!"] RP: Did you see how far MJV flew on the kickout, even after all that? LVK: MJV was sent flying by the overwhelming Martinez, but he's right back to his feet. "WHAAAAAAAAAP!" LVK: Kick to the mouth of a rising Martinez, but Alex is still on his knees! Now Valentine lays in the rights, but Martinez won't budge. Val off the far ropes... bulldog does the trick! Martinez flat on his face, and now Valentine wrenches the arm back, pinning the wrist of the Badass down... and drives a knee into the bicep of Alex. RP: Once more, and I've got to say that this is smart strategy by MJV, keeping Martinez on the ground and working on a body part. As opposed to getting hit with everything not nailed down. LVK: That's sound strategy for everyone, I'd say. RP: Well, if you're a wrestler. [Valentine brings Martinez up and sends him for the ride, but has it quickly reversed by Martinez. But on the rebound, Martinez ducks his head and Em Jiggy Vee responds with a kick to the throat, straightening the Badass up. Mad goes to the adjacent ropes, leaping for something...] LVK: Valentine- CAUGHT! "THUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUDDDDDD!!!!" LVK: SPINNING SPINEBUSTER! VALENTINE MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE STRAIGHTLINED FROM THAT! RP: But Martinez doesn't cover! This is crazy. LVK: Martinez with that chair now, placing it on the chest of Valentine- JUMPING DOUBLE STOMP DAMN NEAR IMPLANTS THAT CHAIR INTO THE RIBS OF VALENTINE! COVER! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! T- KICKOUT AGAIN! [BIGASS POP!] RP: Valentine is like a goddamned cock-a-roach. In the end, it'll be just the twinkies and him, battling for supremacy of Mother Earth. LVK: Yeah, we're all waiting for that one, Rick. [Snarling, Martinez picks the folding chair up and unfolds it, placing it in the center of the ring. Shooting one hand up to the crowd for a moment, the L.A.B. reaches down and with a "SLAAAAP!" wraps one of those big paws around the throat of MJV, as the crowd immediately begins to buzz with anticipation. Bringing MJV to his feet, Martinez lifts him up....] LVK: What's he- no! DON'T DO IT, DON'T DO IT! [...and chokeslams the River City Champion into and _through_ the steel chair, flattening it out as MJV goes into convulsions! MASSIVE HEEL POP!] "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: I swear to you, I've seen a lot of stuff in my life... but that _was_ _awesome_! LVK: CHOKESLAM THROUGH THE CHAIR! MADISON J. VALENTINE IS DECIMATED! COVER HIM, END IT GODDAMNIT! [But alas, not to be.] LVK: What the hell is going on now? Alex Martinez shoves Hunnicutt in the corner- RP: Well, he deserves it. He's a dirty little bastard. LVK: Aannnddd... appears to be unbuckling his pants. RP: Come on Alex, I know your wife left you, but that's no reason to go to the Darkside. LVK: He's taking his belt, Rick. RP: Jesus, an S&M freak! [No. In fact, Martinez folds the belt in half, pivots on his big left foot and goes all Rodney King on MJV's back. "WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!" "WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!" "WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!" "WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!" "WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!" "WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!" "WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!" "WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!" "WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!" "WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!"] LVK: TEN LICKS WITH THAT BELT AND NOW HE WRAPS IT AROUND HIS FIST! RP: We've got company! LVK: What the hell is Alex Extreme doing there? RP: Probably representing the WidowMakers since Colby bitched out on us. [Extreme leisurely walks down the aisle holding his hands up to the ref, saying he's just going to watch. He stops walking and applauds the efforts of Martinez, turning to the crowd and telling them how great it is, but is greeted by _The Eye_ from Martinez, who just spits on the mat and goes back to work.] LVK: Martinez with that buckle on his knuckles... _biiiig_ right hand, and that draws blood from MJV! And will someone please tell Alex Extreme to get the hell out of here, that no one wants him out here? RP: Hey, screw you, I want him out here. LVK: As Martinez hammers MJV, Extreme is... dragging a table out from under the ring? [TABLE TEASE POP!] LVK: But he just stands it up against the guardrail, and continues to watch the match. [What Extreme sees is Martinez picking up MJV, applying a vertical headscissors and lifting him up... flipping him up and onto his shoulders... "THUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUDDDDD!!!!"] LVK: A POWERBOMB ONTO THE TURNBUCKLE! GOOD- HOW- RP: How is Madison J. Valentine still standing? How is he still breathing? LVK: I don't know, Rick, and frankly I'm not even sure that he is. But Alex Martinez, oh Jesus, Alex Martinez is back out on the ringside floor and has stolen the ring bell. RP: Gee, I wonder what for. LVK: Martinez climbs back in the ring, bringing a groggy Madison J. Valentine to a seated position- [HARDK0R3 POP!] RP: WHAT?! LVK: MJV BIT HIS HAND! HE BIT MARTINEZ'S HAND! AND NOW ANOTHER SHOT TO BELOW THE BELT, AND MARTINEZ DROPS THE BELL! EUROPEAN UPPERCUT BY VALENTINE, AND MARTINEZ IS BENT OVER! "DIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNNNNNGGGGG!" LVK: ROCKER DROPPER ON THE BELL! COVER BY MJV! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TH- KICKOUT BY MARTINEZ! [MASSIVE FACE POP!] LVK: MADISON J. VALENTINE IS ON THE RAMPAGE! RP: Wait, wait, call a timeout! This isn't how this match was supposed to go! LVK: Valentine rolls to his feet, clutching that bell, as Alex Martinez stumbles near the ropes. He turns around- "CLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNGGGG!" [HUGE CARNAGE POP!] RP: Right to the head! LVK: Alex Martinez just had that ring bell embeded in his head, and is out on his feet! Here's Valentine off the far ropes- CACTUS CLOTHESLINE SENDS BOTH GUYS TO THE OUTSIDE! RP: He _still_ doesn't want to be out there with Martinez. [Alex Martinez lands on his feet, as does Valentine, and the champion quickly hooks the challenger around the collar and side russian legsweeps him into the guardrail! POP! Winding way back, Valentine punches the monster _right_ in the throat, and then bashes the back of his head against the guardrail! The crowd responds with a ravenous pop, eager to see someone get the best of the freakishly large Last American Badass. Draping his head over the railing, Valentine hops the guardrail and takes a few steps back, clearing out some fans... then sprinting and leaping as high as he can... swinging his leg up as high as he can and striking the back of Martinez's head with his right calf! BIG POP!] LVK: Axe kick by MJV, and Martinez is getting it taken to him. Valentine slides back into the ring now, looking around... RP: ALEX! WATCH OUT! "CRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASSSSHH!" LVK: TOOOOE-PAAAAAAAAAAAAY! [Consider. On one side of the ring, Alex Martinez, walking around with his head in a daze, bent over with his hands clutching his neck as he tries to get his wits about him. On the otherside is Madison J. Valentine, getting up to his feet and looking down at an uber surprised Alex Extreme, the recipient of a bullet tope he never saw coming. And the fans, well... they're diggin' it. "EM-JAY-VEE!" "EM-JAY-VEE!" "EM-JAY-VEE!" "EM-JAY-VEE!" "EM-JAY-VEE!" "EM-JAY-VEE!" "EM-JAY-VEE!" "EM-JAY-VEE!" "EM-JAY-VEE!" "EM-JAY-VEE!" "EM-JAY-VEE!" "EM-JAY-VEE!" "EM-JAY-VEE!" "EM-JAY-VEE!" "EM-JAY-VEE!" "EM-JAY-VEE!" "EM-JAY-VEE!" "EM-JAY-VEE!" "EM-JAY-VEE!" "EM-JAY-VEE!" RP: Was that _really_ necessary?! Did we really need to see that? LVK: Madison J. Valentine is taking out what's left of WMI by himself! The River City Champion continues to defy the odds, right here at Total Impact! Val's back on the apron- RP: Hey, guess who's back! LVK: -and gets back suplexed in by Alex Martinez! The challenger brings Val right back up, into a front facelock and he lifts... RP: Feel the blood rush to your head! Feel, as your extremities become weak! Feel the powah! "THUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUD!" LVK: Delayed vertical suplex! Cover by Martinez! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TH- KICKOUT AGAIN! [BIG POP!] LVK: Madison J. Valentine is kicking out of everything Alex Martinez has to offer. He's not only still standing after this all out assault, but is still thriving! RP: I don't know how he's doing it, Van Keel. It's an amazing show from Em Jiggly Vee tonight. LVK: Now the challenger brings Mad to his feet... "SLAAAAAAAAP!" "SLAAAAAAAAP!" RP: Here we go, here we go! [Squeezing his hands around Valentine's neck, Martinez lifts him up and holds him there... letting the blood drain from Mad's face, before sitting out and driving Valentine's face to the ground! AWESOME HEEL POP!] LVK: Good lord, a ten foot drop face first to the canvas! Martinez rolls to his feet, but Madison is struggling to even do a pushup. RP: The tank is low, he's running out of energy. He can't possibly take this kind of ass kicking for much longer. [Martinez crouches in a ready position, calmly measuring Valentine as he struggles to get to his feet. As his prey gets to one knee, Martinez pulls his right glove down tight with his left hand and measures a rising MJV... rifling a right hand to the jaw of Valentine!] LVK: A stinging right hand by Martinez, and another to follow! Jesus, how is Valentine still standing? Somehow he's still on his feet as Martinez- HERE HE COMES! "WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!" [DEAFENING "HOLY SHIT" POP!] RP: MAFIA KICK BY MARTINEZ, AND THAT MAY HAVE DONE IT! VALENTINE'S BODY WENT LIMP! LVK: AND HIS HEAD GOT TANGLED IN BETWEEN THE TOP TWO ROPES WHEN IT DID! MADISON J. VALENTINE IS IN DEEP TROUBLE! [To the rescue comes Alex Martinez. Measuring the choking Valentine, Martinez lumbers to the far ropes and darts off... raising his foot one more time to deliver _another_ Mafia kick that gets Val out of the ropes, and drops him to the apron, nearly lifeless.] RP: Well, problem solved. LVK: Valentine, good Lord, Madison J. Valentine is flat on his back on the apron, and is just barely making it. Martinez out to the floor now- oh no, what's he going to do with that? RP: All sorts of fun things, no doubt. LVK: Martinez with that title belt as Valentine rolls back into the ring. [Alex reaches down and pulls Madison to his feet, setting him up nicely for... "THWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!"] LVK:A SHOT TO THE FACE WITH THAT CHAMPIONSHIP BELT, AND VALENTINE HITS THE DECK! RP: A-GAIN! [And now for the coup de grace... the Last American Badass puts one foot on the throat of Valentine and one foot on his wrist, stretching out Mad's left arm. He then drops the title belt upside down on the hand, with the championship belt touching the back of Valentine's hand... races to the near ropes and _stomps_ the title belt! Valentine EXPLODES with a blood curdling scream, and he clutches his injured left hand, burying it under his body weight to put pressure on it.] RP: Holy s[BLEEP!]! LVK: Alex Martinez... I can't believe what I just saw! Alex Martinez has taken this match to another level of brutality that I am quite frankly not comfortable with! He just blatantly tried to break MJV's hand, and goddamnit, it looks like he succeeded. RP: Well, we got in trouble for showing Courtade getting his leg broken, I don't suppose this is gonna help our Q-rating. [Martinez whips around and points at Extreme, who drops the popcorn he was eating and springs into action, setting a table up outside the ring and scurrying around the other side as the Badass brings Maddy V to his feet.] LVK: Vertical headscissors from Martinez and he's pointing toward that table. If he does this, Valentine doesn't just lose the match, but he's gonna be in the hospital for a long, long time. RP: No more MJV! C'mon Alex, git'er done! LVK: Martinez lifts Valentine up and flips him onto his shoulders... into position for a crucifix powerbomb. Don't do it, Martinez, have a heart! Don't do it- RP: Here we go! [The crowd in a huge frenzy, the Badass sprints toward the table as he readies to throw Madison... but Valentine manages to secure his feet together, and when Martinez goes to throw him, Val holds on with his legs and backflips back! "THUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUDDDDD!!!!"] [BIGASS FACE POP!] LVK: REVERSED INTO A HURRICANRANA! MARTINEZ GOT THROWN OVER THE ROPES, ONTO THE TABLE- BUT THE TABLE DIDN'T BREAK! RP: And Martinez landed wrong, he whacked his knee really bad on that table top. LVK: Valentine on the apron now, stiff right hand to the chops, right cross to the ear. "THWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAP!" "OOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHH!" LVK: And a pinpoint kick to the knee of Martinez flattens the big man! Hell of a move by Madison J. Valentine, and he's seem to gotten a fifteenth wind! [Martinez on his knees, Val kicks him right in the head... causing the Badass to fall forward, head across the middle rope. Seeing this, Madison hops into the ring and takes off for the otherside... dodging the table Extreme set up... bouncing off the far side and racing toward Alex Martinez, who is still on his knees on the table but withdrawing his head... grabbing the top rope, swinging his legs through the ropes and BLASTING HIM WITH BOTH FEET TO THE SIDE OF THE HEAD! DEAFENING HIGHSPOT POP!] LVK: INSIDE-OUT SAYAMA FEINT KICK! RP: UNBELIEVABLE! LVK: Martinez is flat on his back on that table, and Val spots him! What an innovative move by the champion, who through hell and high water is looking to put away his foe! [Madison goes to the nearest turnbuckle and climbs to the top rope, as fast as his weary body will allow him. Standing up top, Valentine gasps in a few breathes and wipes the blood out of his eyes. Raising a hand to the audience of Angelinos, the very people he tried to impress on the big screen, Madison dives off the turnbuckle... ...elbow aimed at the chest of the Last American Badass... ...and puts him right through the by God table! DEAFENING POP!] "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!" LVK: ELBOW DROP OFF THE TOP ROPE, THROUGH THE TABLE _AND_ ALEX MARTINEZ! [Valentine rolls out of the carnage and begins to clear a path, kicking shards of wood out of the way and grabbing Martinez by the hair, rolling him back in. Martinez goes with it and rolls to his knees, as Madison ascends the top rope once more. Just as soon as Martinez turns around, MJV leaps off... right into a chokehold! ANTICIPATORY HEEL POP!] RP: CHOKEHOLD, CHOKEHOLD! FIREBOMB, COMING UP! LVK: Liiiiiiiiiiiift- [HUGE RELIEF POP!] LVK: Valentine slips out of it and slides down the back of Martinez, into a sunset flip- MARTINEZ KNEELS DOWN AND GRABS THE LEGS! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THR- MADISON J. VALENTINE KICKS OUT! [Wait for it, wait for iiiitttt...] LVK: A-GAIN! [The roof BLOWS OFF the Pauley Pavilion as Alex Extreme _slams_ his hands on the apron, and James Hunnicutt holds two fingers in the air. Martinez grumbles and spits at Hunnicutt, then drags Maddy V to his feet, as there is yet another "EM-JAY-VEE" chant circling throughout the Pavilion. The Badass fires in a right hand and backs Val into the corner, then _propels_ him to the corner... and Valentine answers in kind, hopping onto the table and stepping onto the top turnbuckle, turning to face the oncoming Martinez and diving off with a somersault neckbreaker!] LVK: Whoa! Blockbuster by MJV, here's the cover! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THR- MARTINEZ GETS THE SHOULDER UP! [Booooooooo!] LVK: Madison J. Valentine is back on his feet, and Alex Martinez isn't! The resiliency of Madison J. Valentine is unbelievable as he is now _firmly_ in the drivers seat. Martinez to one foot... now to his feet... SILVER BULLET! [GASP!] RP: CAUGHT! [Swinging Valentine's leg around, Martinez PASTES MJV with a lariat when he turns back around... and then falls to the mat right next to him, exhausted.] LVK: A wicked, wicked lariat by Alex Martinez takes it out of both men! RP: This match has taken it out of both men. LVK: And what we thought might be a smashmouth affair has turned into a horrific fight between these two. Hunnicutt stands over both men, laying in the count... one, two, three- [DEAFENING POP!] LVK: MJV is up! Madison J. Valentine is back to his feet, followed by Alex Martinez. Right hand by Valentine, blocked by Martinez! Now a right hand from the Badass as he gets to a knee. Headbutt from Martinez, and a forearm shiver backs the champion up. Now a scoop by Martinez, looking for a powerslam- VALENTINE SLIDES DOWN THE BACK! "THWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!" [ROOF SHAKING POP!] RP: NO! NO! LVK: SILVER BULLET SUPERKICK! HE CAUGHT IT ALL, RIGHT UNDER THE JAW, AND ALEX MARTINEZ IS ON DREAM STREET! [But still standing. So Madison backs up, preps the ol' kickin' leg and lets loose with another Silver Bullet that sends the challenger toppling over the ropes to the floor! MASSIVE POP!] LVK: VALENTINE KICKS MARTINEZ OUT OF THE RING, AND STEPS TO THE TOP ROPE! IT'S NOW OR NEVER FOR MADISON J. VALENTINE! "THUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU-CRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASH!" [As per the match assignment... HUGE FUCKING POP!] LVK: AIR VALENTINE! AIR VALENTINE! A SENTON OFF THE TOP ROPE AND BY GOD DID HE HIT IT ALL! RP: And he hurt himself in the process! He landed bad on his left side and is clearly in pain as he gets to his feet. LVK: MJV rolls the Last American Badass into the ring... and slooooowly rolls in himself. You're right Rick, Valentine is in, well... worse shape than before. I'm not sure what level of bodily pain that leaves him at, but he can barely stand up. [Very gingerly breathing and wincing as he moves, Valentine holds his ribs as he gets to his feet. He brings Martinez up and offer a weak kick that even the breathing heavily and in bad condition can catch... "WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!"] LVK: ENZIGUIRI! HE CAUGHT IT ALL! COVER! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THREE- NO! MARTINEZ SNEAKS A SHOULDER UP! Alex Martinez just _barely_ kicks out! [Rolling onto his back, Valentine just closes his eyes and tries to inhale some oxygen without hurting. After a few seconds, he rolls to his stomach and pushes himself up to his knees, then with one hand weakly pulls Martinez up by his now sweat ridden, greasy hair. Breathing deep to get the blood flowing, Valentine bounces off the ropes and leaps onto the back of the large challenger.] RP: What a dumbass move! He puts himself in position to get squished like a bug and Martinez is just the guy to do it! [Nay nay oh Precious One. Valentine spins himself around in a complete circle and then dives forward, wrapping his feet around the head of Martinez and swinging him out of the ring by way of a spinning headscissors! BIG POP!] LVK: One more trick in the bag of Madison J. Valentine, who is climbing on top of that table, and onto the top rope. RP: How stupid can you be, Valentine? The last move he tried hurt him bad, and he's gonna try another one like a goddamn moron! LVK: Valentine can hardly move and he sits on that top rope, holding his ribs as he breathes. [HEEL POP!] LVK: Hey! What's he- get Extreme down from there! Get him off the apron! [Valentine agrees and kicks Mr. Excitement in the head, once, twice and third times a charm. Shaking his head, Madison climbs to the top rope and turns around... "SLAAAAAAAP!"] RP: CHOKEHOLD! CHOKEHOLD! "THUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU-CRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASH!" [DEAFENING HEEL POP!] LVK: FIREBOMB! FIREBOMB! OFF THE SECOND ROPE, THROUGH THAT TABLE! MARTINEZ CLIMBS IN AND COVERS! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THREEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! [DING DING!] RP: NEW CHAMPION! [Both men just lay in the wreckage, as David Stokes makes the announcement.] DS: LADIES AND GENTLEMEN... YOUR WINNER AND _NEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEW_ RIVER CITY CHAMPION! AAAAALLLLLLLLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEXXXX MAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARTINEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEZ! [Tomoyasu Hotei's "Battle Without Honor or Humanity" blasts in the Staples Center as their hometown boy has the River City title handed to him, as he gets to his feet. Alex Extreme slides in the ring and leads the applause, clapping it up like whoa as Martinez tosses the title to him... and reaches down to grab an out of it MJV in another chokehold!] LVK: HEY! THE MATCH IS OVER! RP: Try telling that to the new champ! "THUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUDDDDDD!" [MASSIVE HEEL POP!] RP: FIREBOMB, VERSION TWO! LVK: Another Firebomb by Alex Martinez, and even Alex Extreme is protesting! [Extreme gets in the big man's face, telling him "that's enough, let's get the hell out of here and celebrate!" Martinez pays him no mind and rolls outside, throwing in the ring steps as the crowd grows in its PURE HATRED for the Last American Badass.] LVK: This is totally uncalled for! Someone stop him, someone get their ass out here and shoot him with a goddamn elephant dart! Martinez is out of control! RP: Martinez is back in, and he's got Valentine in a chokehold! LIIIIIIIIIIIIIIFT! [SHOCKED FACE POP!] LVK: EXTREME WON'T LET HIM DO IT! ALEX EXTREME IS BLOCKING HIS COMRADE IN ARMS FROM FIREBOMBING MADISON J. VALENTINE ON THOSE STEEL STEPS! [The place stops as Extreme hollers at Martinez to put Valentine down, to let up on him. The eyes of the Badass are aglow with bad intentions... but he finally lets go and drops Valentine to the mat, where he is swarmed by a number of officials.] LVK: I haven't said this in a long time, but thank God for Alex Extreme. He finally talked some sense into Alex Martinez, the new River City Champion, who has finally let up the assault on Madison J. Valentine. RP: What a fight, what a fight! LVK: You've got to give Ma- [SHOCKED POP!] RP: WHOA! WHAT WAS THAT ALL ABOUT! LVK: MARTINEZ JUST TOOK A SWING AT ALEX EXTREME, WHO MANAGED TO DODGE IT! [The camera cuts to Alex Extreme, sitting in the ring, eyes as wide as they get, watching as Alex Martinez walks off and Tomoyasu Hotei's "Battle Without Honor or Humanity" begins to blast throughout the Staples Center.] RP: Martinez nearly decked Extreme! His best friend, hell, his only friend! [Cut to the inside of the locker room of the challenger for the RCW World Title in tonight's main event, Shane Destiny, as he prepares for the match. Without so much a knock, the door to the room opens quickly revealing a grinning Mark Langseth, with Luke Kinsey following in the room behind him.] ML: Well, look at this, Luke! It's none other than THE Shane Destiny! [Mark gets an excited look on his face.] ML: I couldn't ever imagine I'd be in the same room as THE Shane Destiny! LK: We are not worthy, my friend. ML: To be in the same room with the man that went from nothing cruiserweight to... Um, well, I guess some guy who just happened to walk into a title match? What's the word I'm looking for Luke? LK: Challenger by default. But... I guess that's three words. DESTINY: I thought I smelled jealousy... would you like to tell me why you're here right now or shall I sit back and wait for three hours of smarmy comments before you finally get to the point? ML: Hey, just trying to help here, ok? You know, bringing the funny and all. Lighten up a little, would you? LK: Yeah man, we're just here to bust your balls a bit. Lighten the atmosphere a bit, y'know? Believe me, we come in peace. Anyways, how you feelin' tonight? All loose, ready to go? DESTINY: Luke... I'm not stupid. You don't care about how I'm feeling tonight. You're trying to get in my head. I've known you for three years... don't you think I've picked up on some of your tricks? [Destiny eases back in his chair.] DESTINY: Besides... the word of either one of you isn't any good to me. The last time I trusted your word, Luke, you were throwing my wife to the ground. Why should I bother now? ML: Geez, "big man", what's with the attitude? Both Luke and I know more than you about winning big ma- DESTINY [annoyed]: Put a leash and muzzle on him Luke. I'm not afraid to beat a cripple half to death due to their big mouth... and all because he was given a prime spot in California instead of earning it. [Langseth drops his smile and approaches Destiny with wide eyes.] ML: Look, when you've actually done even half of what I've accomplished in this industry? Then - [Langseth sticks a finger into Destiny's chest.] ML: And only then can you talk to me in that way. LK: Hey. Hey! Hey, hey, hey, hey. [Destiny shoots back out of his seat as Kinsey tries to intervene.] LK: Jesus, you two, take it easy. We didn't come here to fight. Did we, Mark? [Kinsey holds up a hand to keep Langseth away, who still has a look of indignance on his face.] LK: At one time, we actually came here to wish you good luck tonight, Destiny, but your goddamn paranoia just won't let you see it at face value, so we take it back. We know you're gonna blow it, like always, but we were on your side tonight. We were. [Kinsey shakes his head.] ML: Yeah, yeah... [Langseth backs away and dusts himself off as if he's been in a fight.] ML: I mean, you ruined what could've been an uplifting moment for you. It's a shame a you're even going for the RCW title tonight anyway. What the hell have you done to even deserve it? DESTINY: Hmmm, I don't know. It could have something to do with the fact that I damn near mauled Hannibal Carver. Maybe it could be because of my sterling record. Maybe it's because I could actually beat Chris Courtade without having to rely on breaking a body part. [Destiny smirks at Kinsey.] DESTINY: Or how about this, Mr. Brilliant. While your protege was out playing "brave little soldier" against Courtade, I was beating Griffin James in a number one contender's match... and now I've got a washed-up hasbeen and a washed-up neverwas in my locker room trying to get inside my head minutes before I've got to go against Juan Vasquez. [Destiny's smirk fades.] DESTINY: So you can take your bruised egos, your fake friendship, your sad, pathetic attempts at mind games... and you can leave my locker room without me having to throw you out. [Mark looks on, shaking his head and near fuming... but just tries to hide it and puts a fake smile on his face.] ML: Alright, that's fine, that's fine. That's the way you, the all-knowing, never-actually-recognized-World-champion wants it? You got it. Let's leave the man alone, Luke... DESTINY: Ta ta, Mark! When you find your dignity and self-respect, be sure to tell Chris that you found where he hid it! [Langseth stops, clenches his fist and bites his lower lip, but then continues on out the door with Kinsey. As they close the door, Mark turns to Luke.] ML: Uh, sorry about that. Don't know if he's your pal or anything. It's just... He just really gets on my nerves, you know? LK: I'd say I hate him if I actually acknowledged his existence. Unfortunately, I know what a bumbling putz he is, and what a classless bitch his wife is. I know the score. [Fade to commercials.] [Fade back in to the Pauley Pavilion, and our trusty old friends, Larry Van Keel and Rick Perle.] LVK: Welcome back fans, and we're just moments away from the match the whole wrestling world has been waiting several years to witness. Rick, I don't think there's a _true_ wrestling fan in the world who could deny that Juan Vasquez and Shane Destiny are _the_ premier athletes in our sport today. RP: You've got no argument out of me Van Keel. If Luke Kinsey hadn't been so badly banged up in his war with Chris Courtade, and was actually wrestling instead of hanging out backstage with Mark Langseth, I'd put him right up there with these two, but _right now_ they're the hombre numero uno and hombre numero... uh... two. LVK: Right now Juan Vasquez is number one by virtue of possessing that highly-coveted World title belt, but Shane Destiny could leapfrog into that top spot by beating Vasquez and walking out of here with the title tonight. RP: It's all about the gold. Just ask my ex-wife. LVK: Uh, I'd rather not go there. And anyway, it's time! David Stokes, take it away! [Cross to the ring. The lights dim, and the fans roar in anticipation. A lone spotlight falls on David Stokes.] DS: Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to... THE MAIN EVENT OF THE EVENING! [POP!] # R-R-R-READY STEADY G-G-G-GO! # ["Ready Steady Go" by Paul Oakenfold hits the public address as Shane Destiny immediately bursts through the curtain, dressed in full-length black wrestling tights with his last name down the right side in white, along with black wrestling boots, black elbowpads, and black wrist tape. His hair and eyebrows are covered by a black bandana. He seems totally focused on the matter at hand, not even playing to the crowd as he walks into the ring. He slides headfirst in, testing the ropes for looseness as the music fades.] DS: Introducing first, the challenger... hailing from Southern Pines, North Carolina, and weighing in at 247 pounds... SHANE DESTIIIIIIIIIIIINY!!! [A BIG FACE POP goes up from the crowd as Destiny takes his place in the corner, stretching in anticipation.] [Then...] Voice: "Same s[bleep], different toilet, yo'." [MASSIVE 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 shower of sparks from the floor and from above flow out, clearing way just as a lone spotlight hits the entranceway, where we see the silhouette of a figure standing there with an arm raised high into the air. The lights come back on-as the crowd goes absolutely nuts for the return of its favourite son, the World champion...] DS: And now, introducing your reigning and defending World Heavyweight Champion... weighing 240 pounds, and hailing from right here in Los Angeles, California... "EL CHOLO" JUAN VAAAAAAAAAAASQUEEEEEEEEEZZZZZZZZZZZ!! [Juan's dressed in his wrestling gear now - a pair of baggy blue jeans, and some really shiny black wrestling boots. His fists are heavily taped, and of course across one shoulder is draped the World title belt. He makes his way down to the ring, but the trademark grin is absent - the World champ looks all business.] LVK: Juan Vasquez's eyes are full of determination Rick. Determination to hold onto that World title. RP: Yeah, but Destiny's got just as much determination running through his veins right now. This is gonna be one helluva match. LVK: Yes it is. [Climbing into the ring, Juan hoists the title belt into the air, bringing another HUGE FACE POP from his hometown fans. He hands it to referee Marc Gioffre, and turns to face Destiny, the two gladiators locking eyes for the first time...] LVK: These two men are of a similar size, but their wrestling styles are completely different. RP: Yeah. Destiny is definitely the gym-junkie of the two. He's stronger, and he's got the better technical wrestling repertoire. LVK: The World champ, on the other hand, isn't so well known for having a strict training regime, and he won't outmuscle many opponents, but what he lacks in technical prowess and strength, he more than makes up for with incredible ring savvy, speed and above all else... heart. RP: Damn right. How many guys can say that in the last few years they've beaten Chris Courtade, Devon Case _and_ The Gremlin? LVK: Not many. But Shane Destiny has also been on a hot streak since returning to RCW, and holds the distinction of being the man who drove the much-feared Hannibal Carver out of this company and out of wrestling altogether. RP: True. __ ___ __ ______________________________________________________________ | _ \ / _\\ \ / / | U < | |_ \ \/\/ / World Heavyweight Championship |_|\_\\___/ \_/\_/ \ "El Cholo" Juan Vasquez (c) Written by \ vs Fletcha \ Shane Destiny \_______________________________________________________________ *DING DING!* [HUGE OPENING BELL POP!] RP: Jesus, these fans are wired! LVK: Who can blame them? There's the opening bell, and slowly the two combatants walk towards the centre of the ring. [Their eyes locked in a cautious staredown, Vasquez and Destiny are the very picture of intense concentration as they converge on centre ring, stopping a few paces apart, their eyes never breaking their focus.] LVK: There's a deep-seated respect between these two men, and that's obvious right now, as neither wrestler wants to act hastily and make the first mistake. [Destiny raises his right hand, slowly wriggling the fingers as they begin to circle around. Vasquez doesn't react, continuing to stare right at his foe, but then suddenly he lunges...] LVK: They lock up! [For a split second the two wrestlers jostle for position in the collar-and-elbow, but in a flash the World champ gains the advantage...] LVK: Arm-wringer by Juan Vasquez to start things off, and he wrenches down on the hold... RP: Reversed by Destiny! [Juan grimaces as his arm is twisted back painfully. He dances on the balls of his feet, but then forward rolls onto the mat, before performing a headstand and flip back over onto his feet, reversing the hold again.] LVK: The World champion showing his technical wrestling skills off with some agility and patience there. [But Destiny doesn't stay in a submissive position for long, shooting for Juan's left leg and drop-toeholding him to the mat, before effortlessly floating over his back and applying a side headlock. Vasquez quickly counters by legscissoring the challenger's head, but just as quickly, Destiny headstands out of it - leaving both men back on their feet and right into opposing defensive stances. POP!] LVK: Boy are they evenly matched or what? RP: I give the technical wrestling edge to Destiny. For the first time in his life, Juan Vasquez is facing someone who just might be able to straight out-wrestle him. [Again they circle warily, then lunge into a collar-and-elbow tie-up. Vasquez quickly turns it into a sideheadlock, but Destiny is one step ahead, grabbing the outside arm and pulling it up the World champ's back...] LVK: Nice counter there by Destiny, who now has Vasquez locked tight in a hammerlock. RP: Juan's looking for an escape, but Destiny's got it on pretty good. [Realising he's probably not going to be able to reverse the hold, Juan instead looks for an easier way out, reaching up with his free arm and hooking Shane's head. He kicks his legs into the air, looking to snapmare him over, but Destiny grabs hold and lifts him right up, until Vasquez flips right over backwards, landing on his feet behind the challenger...] LVK: Wow, what agility by the champ, who locks on a rear waistlock! RP: GERMAN SUP- LVK: NO! Blocked by Destiny! And the standing switch! [Juan wisely wants absolutely nothing to do with a Shane Destiny German suplex, so he runs forward, dragging Shane with him...] LVK: Vasquez escapes into the ropes! He holds on, as Destiny's momentum sends him tumbling back to the mat. [But Destiny quickly rolls right through, back to his feet, rushing forward as Vasquez slowly turns around...] RP: SMALL PACKAGE ROLL-UP! ONE!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Kickout by Vasquez! [Small pop!] LVK: Vasquez again quickly locks on the sideheadlock, looking to keep Destiny grounded... RP: But again Destiny turns it into a hammerlock! LVK: He's got an answer for everything Juan Vasquez can throw at him! [They climb to their feet, the hammerlock still synched on tight. Vasquez backs up, pushing Destiny into a corner...] LVK: Referee Marc Gioffre calling for the clean break... [Face pop!] LVK: ...and getting it from Shane Destiny! [Destiny backs away from the corner, as Vasquez steps forward, shaking out his arm as he does so.] LVK: Rick, I know you're no fan of sportsmanship, but surely even you can appreciate the intensity of these two _athletes_? RP: Sure. But the freakin' World title is at stake, so the clean breaks and buddy-buddy crap won't last for too long, trust me. [Again they lock up...] LVK: Whip into the ropes by Destiny... leapfrogs Vasquez... and a hiptoss- BLOCKED! [Vasquez tries to turn the momentum into a hiptoss of his own, but he too finds it blocked, and suddenly Destiny spins around, the two combatants' backs coming together...] LVK: BACKSLIDE BY DESTINY!! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! NO! Kickout by the World champ! RP: Yeah, but that's twice now his shoulders have been down on the canvas! [They both spring to their feet, and in the blink of an eye Destiny finds himself down on his back on the mat...] LVK: Legsweep by Vasquez, and he moves in behind... rear waistlock- standing switch by Destiny again! Boy he's quick! [The rear waistlock is quickly transitioned into a full nelson, but again Vasquez is quick to avoid being dropped on his skull. He drops into a seated position, his arms sliding out of the full nelson. A split second later Destiny also drops his ass to the mat, pulling Juan's arms behind his back and linking his legs up and over them, he pulls back...] LVK: MY GOD!! WHAT A SUBMISSION HOLD! [AWESOME HOLD POP!] RP: It's like a full nelson, but using his legs instead of arms! NICE! LVK: And Juan Vasquez quickly makes it to the ropes, forced to escape out of desperation! RP: Destiny's schooling the World champ on the mat! LVK: And Juan's none too happy about it! [Slamming an open palm against the mat, Vasquez climbs to his feet, clearly frustrated at how things are going.] LVK: I don't think Juan's used to being out-wrestled. His big matches in the past, against guys like Devon Case, The Gremlin, Chris Courtade... he's always been the better _wrestler_ in the ring, but that's all changed tonight! [Their eyes remaining firmly fixed on each other, they approach the middle of the ring once more, where Destiny lunges for a lock-up. But Vasquez sidesteps it...] LVK: Ooph! Knee to the gut by Vasquez- *THUUDD!!* LVK: And he sends Destiny into the canvas with a side Russian legsweep! RP: Floats over for the cover! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LVK: Barely two, as Destiny kicks out! [They both rocket back to their feet, and again Vasquez drives his knee up into the midsection of the challenger, before hoisting him up onto his shoulders...] LVK: Up goes Destiny into a fireman's carry- *THUUUDD!!* LVK: But Destiny counters by taking Vasquez down with a crucifix! ONE!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And only two! [Face pop!] LVK: Both men back to their feet quickly, and Vasquez goes behind... rear waistlock... ANOTHER STANDING SWITCH BY DESTINY! RP: Juan's really gotta stop doing that- LVK: Destiny tries to suplex him, but Vasquez is blocking it! And now _he_ gets the standing switch! RP: I'm getting dizzy. [Anticipation pop!] LVK: FULL NELSON APPLIED! DRAGON SUPLEX- [But Destiny does what his opponent did moments earlier, dropping into a seated position to escape the full nelson. The difference is, as quick as a flash he rolls onto his back and thrusts his feet upwards into the World champ's chest...] *THWACK-THUD!* LVK: Amazing counter-wrestling there by Shane Destiny, escaping the Dragon Suplex set-up! RP: I tell ya Van Keel, he's got Vasquez's number right now! LVK: Both men back up... Destiny charges- *THUUUDDD!!* LVK: Right into a drop toehold! [However, Destiny uses his momentum to roll back to his feet, coming to a stop inches from the turnbuckles...] LVK: Destiny in the corner... Vasquez charges! *THWAAAAPP!!* LVK: SIDESTEP BY DESTINY, AND VASQUEZ NAILS THE TOP TURNBUCKLE CHESTFIRST!! RP: That'll knock the wind out of ya! [As Juan staggers back away from the corner, Destiny hooks on the rear waistlock...] *THUUUUUUUUUUUDDDDDDDDDDDDD!!* [SUPLEX-A-LICIOUS POP!!] LVK: SO WILL _THAT_!! GERMAN SUPLEX BY DESTINY!!! RP: He's not letting Vasquez go! LVK: Rolling back to his feet and dragging Vasquez up... here comes another suplex! [In desperation, Vasquez aims a back elbow at Destiny's head. Destiny easily ducks it, and suddenly Juan finds himself face to face with the head droppin' machine, and firmly in his grasp...] *THUUUUUUUUUDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD!!!* [HUGE POP!!!] LVK: MY GOD!! RELEASE OVERHEAD BELLY TO BELLY SUPLEX SENDS THE WORLD CHAMPION FLYING ALL THE WAY ACROSS THE RING!! RP: Wrestling coaches'll usually tell you to stay on your feet if you're up against a good technical wrestler. But if you do that against Shane Destiny you're screwed, 'cause he knows a million different ways to drop a man on his melon! LVK: As Juan Vasquez just found out! [Speaking of ol' El Cholo, he climbs to his feet, and then just falls back into the corner with a "What the hell just happened here!?" look on his face.] LVK: Oh-ho boy, this is great! RP: What's Destiny waiting for? He needs to stay right on Vasquez- *SMACK!* RP: Okay, that'll do. LVK: What a chop by the North Carolina native! And now he whips Vasquez across the ring, the champ colliding heavily with the turnbuckles in the far corner! RP: DESTINY ON THE CHARGE! [Vasquez doesn't put his boot up, or even duck out of the way. Oh no. He literally freakin' _explodes_ out of the corner, swinging his right arm like Barry Bonds sending a fastball back-back-back over the fences...] *SMAAAAAAAAAAACK!!!!!!* [MEGA SHOCK POP!!!] RP: GREAT GOOGILY MOOGILY!! DID YOU SEE THAT?!?! LVK: I SURE DID!! JUAN VASQUEZ THUNDERED OUT OF THE CORNER AND LITERALLY _DECKED_ SHANE DESTINY WITH A BIG, BIG RIGHT HAND!! RP: He's finally realised that he can't _outwrestle_ Destiny! LVK: Oh boy. RP: This isn't a match anymore Van Keel. IT'S A BY GOD _FIGHT_! [Stunned and hurting, Destiny rolls over, coming to rest underneath the ropes on the apron. He's quickly joined out there by the champ, whose jaw is clenched in a determined snarl, fire burning deep inside his eyes...] LVK: Vasquez dragging Destiny to his feet on the apron, and by the look on the World champ's face, I'd say he's capable of just about anything right now... *THWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP!!* [OUT-OF-THE-RING HIGHSPOT POP!!] RP: INCLUDING SUPLEXING DESTINY RIGHT ONTO THE ARENA FLOOR!!! BRUTAL!! LVK: You're right Rick, this is now officially a _fight_. RP: Which suits Vasquez. Destiny's no brawler, and hell, I don't think I've ever seen him use a weapon of any kind. LVK: Vasquez back to his feet outside the ring now, and that suplex had to knock the wind out of him as well. [While Destiny writhes in pain on the ringside mats, Vasquez clutches at his back, staggering sideways for a step or two until he comes to rest against the ring railing.] RP: They both took the fall, just Destiny took it all that much harder. LVK: Vasquez dragging Destiny up to his feet now... OH! And tagging him hard with a pair of right hands! He scoops the challenger up onto his shoulders... RP: Fireman's carry! *KAH-LAAAAAAAAAANNGGG!!* [HARDCORE POP!] LVK: OOOHHHHH!! HE SWUNG DESTINY OUT FROM THE FIREMAN'S CARRY, DROPPING HIM _FACEFIRST_ ON THE STEEL RINGSTEPS!! RP: Didn't you say these two were buddies? LVK: I thought they were! [Destiny struggles up to his feet in a daze, and finds his left arm hooked by Vasquez, who pauses and gives... a BIG THUMBS UP~! FACE POP!!] RP: Here it comes! *THWAAAAAAAAPP!!* LVK: HIPTOSS ON THE FLOOR!! RP: Not that impressive of a move really, but somehow Vasquez has always made it special. LVK: He's not giving Shane Destiny a single moment to recover, dragging him back up, and pulling him into a front chancery... vertical suplex lift... [But instead of once again sending Destiny crashing backfirst onto the ringside mats, Juan takes a step forward, then drops Destiny frontwards...] *KRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACCCCCKKKKK!!!!* [...landing chestfirst across the announce table, sending papers, monitors and other stuff flying in all directions!] [MEGA POP!!!] LVK: OH COME ON!! WAS THAT REALLY NECESSARY?! RP: ARGH! My sprinkle-covered donut! I was saving that for later, and now it's squashed! SQUASHED! OH THE HUMANITY!! [Juan ignores the protestations of our esteemed announcing duo, dragging Destiny off the table and pulling him into another front chancery. MASSIVE ANCITIPATION POP!!] LVK: NO! DON'T DO IT JUAN!! *KRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACCCCCKKKKK!!!!* [HUGE POP!!] RP: Damnit! It's _definitely_ squashed now! I'm gonna sue dammit! LVK: Rick, forget about your damn donut! [This time Destiny doesn't need to be dragged off the table. He slides off of it and slumps to the floor, but is quickly rolled back into the ring by Juan, who climbs up onto the apron, then turns back to the announcers, shrugging and yelling "Sorry" at them.] LVK: This match has definitely evolved past the technical wrestling display we saw in the opening minutes. RP: Ain't it great? LVK: I'm not so sure I like the look in Juan Vasquez's eyes right now. [Grabbing the top rope, Vasquez slingshots himself up and springboards off the top rope...] *THUUUUUUUUUDDD!!* LVK: SPRINGBOARD LEGDROP!! He covers! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TH-NO! Kickout by Destiny! [Pop!] LVK: Vasquez taking a moment to catch his breath now, as Destiny slowly gets back to his feet. Juan with the Irish whip into the far corner... reversed! [Vasquez stops from hitting the top turnbuckle by planting both hands on the top rope, and pushes his legs up into the air. Destiny, who has come charging in, passes underneath, but he manages to stop before hitting the turnbuckles himself, causing Vasquez to drop gutfirst across Shane's left shoulder. In a flash Destiny turns away from the corner, towards the middle of the ring, and throws Vasquez forward....] *THUUUDDDD!!* LVK: OH! Drops Vasquez in a big shoulderbreaker across his knee! He has Vasquez back up... *THUUUUUUUUUUUDDDDDDDDDDD!!!* [SUPLEX POP!!] LVK: EXPLOOOOOOOOOODAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THR-NO! [Face pop!] LVK: In the blink of an eye the momentum has swung back the way of Shane Destiny! RP: He's so damn quick at nailing those suplexes. Wow! LVK: Shane's still clearly feeling the effects of being dropped down onto our broadcast table twice, as he leans against the ropes to try and clear his head. RP: He better not take too long, cause Vasquez is getting up! LVK: Destiny sees this... SUPERKICK! MISSES! [Vasquez manages to catch the leg, hooks it, and then lifts Destiny up and over...] *THUUUUUUUDDDDDDDDDDDD!!!* LVK: CAPTURE SUPLEX!! RP: Vasquez showing some of his own suplex-cellence! LVK: And he's quickly following up, dragging Destiny up... *sssssssss-CLAAAAAAAAAAANKKK!!!* [THAT'S-GOTTA-HURT POP!!] RP: SWEET BUTTERY JESUS!! LVK: He literally _threw_ Destiny across the ring, sending him sliding across the mat and under the bottom rope... COLLIDING HEAVILY WITH THE RINGPOST! RP: Damn right! His momentum was stopped in a big hurry by his ribcage smacking into that post! LVK: Oh man, he's not done! [Destiny can only groan in pain as he's dragged to his feet, and sent hurtling towards the opposite corner, Vasquez throwing him between the turnbuckles...] *CLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANNKK!!* LVK: AND NOW HE SENDS DESTINY CRASHING _SHOULDERFIRST_ INTO ANOTHER RINGPOST!! RP: Holy crap! I haven't seen Juan Vasquez this brutal since... well, since he broke Chris Courtade's fingers all those years ago! LVK: I hate to admit it, but you're right Rick. This isn't the Juan Vasquez we've come to know and love this past year... dammit, it's like he's channelling the _old_ Juan Vasquez, the sadistic son of a bitch who led Ego MAX in its glory days! RP: Yeah, but there's one difference. LVK: What's that? RP: Listen. *JUAN! JUAN! JUAN!* *JUAN! JUAN! JUAN!* *JUAN! JUAN! JUAN!* *JUAN! JUAN! JUAN!* *JUAN! JUAN! JUAN!* *JUAN! JUAN! JUAN!* LVK: I don't think these fans would care what Juan Vasquez does, they'd cheer him until the end of the world! By God they love their native son here in California! [Uncharacteristically ignoring the chant, Vasquez yanks Destiny away from the corner, receiving no resistence from the dazed, pain-racked North Carolinan. Dragging him to the middle of the ring, Juan backs away for a split second, then moves forward...] *THUUUUUDDD!!* LVK: Drops the elbow across Destiny's chest! *THUUUUUDDD!!* LVK: And another! *THUUUUUDDD!!* *THUUUUUDDD!!* *THUUUUUDDD!!* *THUUUUUDDD!!* [ROARING FACE POP!!] LVK: THE ONSLAUGHT IS RELENTLESS!! A QUICK-FIRE SERIES OF ELBOWDROPS, AND NOW VASQUEZ STAYS DOWN ON THE MAT WITH DESTINY AND STARTS TO PUMMEL THE BACK OF HIS NECK AND HEAD WITH CLUBBING FOREARM SHOTS!! *SMAAACK!!* *SMAAACK!!* *SMAAACK!!* *SMAAACK!!* *SMAAACK!!* *SMAAACK!!* *SMAAACK!!* *SMAAACK!!* *SMAAACK!!* [Then Juan quickly rolls to his feet, backing away from the prone Destiny, his eyes staring down at his fallen foe as his chest rises and falls rapidly, the entire arena going wild around him, loving every second of it!] LVK: Shane Destiny is in a world of hurt, and he's virtually helpless right now, as Vasquez... what's he doing now? RP: He's got both of Destiny's arms underhooked... [...pulling his head slightly off the mat, then placing his right boot against the back of it...] [...before releasing the arms, and driving down with his boot...] *THUUUUUUUUUUUUDDDDDDDDD!!!* [MEGA SHOCK POP!!!] RP: HOLY GUACA-FREAKIN'-MOLE!! LVK: I HAVE _NEVER_ SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THAT!! SHANE DESTINY COULD HAVE A BROKEN NOSE OR OTHER BROKEN BONES IN HIS FACE AFTER THAT ABSOLUTELY _BRUTAL_ STOMP!! [As the crowd's adulation for their World champ gives way to shock, Vasquez backs away from Destiny, seeming to sober up from his adrenaline-fuelled frenzy. He shakes his head slowly.] LVK: I think Juan Vasquez shocked even _himself_ with what he just did! [The camera pans over to Destiny, who has rolled onto his back, blood pouring from his nose as he grimaces in pain.] RP: Yup, Destiny's been busted open big time! LVK: He's in no condition to get back to his feet, but Vasquez is dragging him up to a vertical base anyway, and into a front chancery! He lifts... *OOPPHHH-THUUUUDDD!!* [Swank move pop!] LVK: And drops him down onto his stomach and ribs across the outstretched knee! [Vasquez rolls Destiny onto his back and makes his way over to the nearby corner. Holding onto the top rope, he leaps up and pushes his feet off the bottom turnbuckle...] *THUUDDDDDDD!!* LVK: MOONSAULT! From the bottom turnbuckle! And that usually means... *THUUUUUDDDDDDDDDDD!!* [POP!] LVK: Yes, there it is! The moonsault from the middle turnbuckle, and now for the third and final installment in the Moonsault Trilogy! [Vasquez quickly vaults to the top, and then leaps, flipping over backwards...] *THUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD!!* [BIG POP!!] LVK: HE NAILED IT!! THREE MOONSAULTS, AND NOW THE COVER!!! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THR-NO! Kickout by Destiny! RP: It's gonna take more than a bunch of moonsaults to keep Shane Destiny down for three, I don't care how bloody and bruised he is! [Vasquez drags Destiny up again, and backs him into the corner, grabbing hold of the ropes and bending forward...] *OOOPH!* *OOOOPH!!* *OOOPPHH!!* LVK: Vasquez rams his shoulder right into Destiny's midsection! *THUDD!!* RP: Destiny can't even stay on his feet! LVK: The World champ is climbing out onto the apron... *THUUUUUDDDDDDDDDDDD!!* LVK: SLINGSHOT SENTON!! RP: Tommy Stephens-style senton! LVK: I really wish you'd stop calling it that. RP: Juan likes it that way! LVK: He's quickly made his way to the top rope, sizing up Destiny... HE LEAPS... *THUUUUUUUDDDDDDDDDDDDD!!!* [HUGE POP!!!] LVK: HE NAILS A FROG SPLASH!! RP: The move that his buddy Luke Kinsey used to call the Magic Carpet Ride! LVK: Indeed, and could it be enough? ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THR-NO! [BIG MIXED POP!] LVK: No it's not! [Juan climbs to his feet, shaking his head, mumbling "no wonder Luke never won no matches", before turning to the rabid fans, and raising both hands, gesturing that he's going to perform some type of high risk move. This, obviously, is greeted with a HUGE FREAKIN' ANTICIPATION POP!] LVK: The World champion is heading back to the top rope... who knows what he's got in mind now. RP: Whatever it is, Destiny's in no condition to stop him! [Steadying himself up top, Juan takes a deep breath and then leaps into the air...] *flashbulb* [...flipping forward and spinning in a blur...] *flashbulb* [...completing a 360 forward spin, and continuing even further, coming down in a splash...] *THUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUDDDDDDDDDDD!!* [...which hits nothing but empty canvas!] [HUGE MIXED POP!!] RP: DESTINY MOVED!!! LVK: He had enough left in reserve to simply roll out of the way of the 450 splash! It was a risky gamble that Juan Vasquez took, and unfortunately for him it didn't pay off! RP: I don't think I've ever seen Vasquez try that move before, and after seeing the outcome of that one, I don't think we'll be seeing it again! [With both men down on the mat, duel chants break out, the first one much louder than the second....] *LET'S GO JUAN, LET'S GO!* *LET'S GO SHANE, LET'S GO!* *LET'S GO JUAN, LET'S GO!* *LET'S GO SHANE, LET'S GO!* *LET'S GO JUAN, LET'S GO!* *LET'S GO SHANE, LET'S GO!* [Until spontaneous applause breaks out as both men struggle up to their feet, Destiny wiping some of the blood from his face, and Juan clutching at his midsection as he breathes with difficulty.] LVK: Both men are hurt, but back to their feet. Vasquez swings with a chop, but it's ducked by Destiny, who hooks him from behind... lifts the World champ up onto the top turnbuckle! [With Vasquez sitting there, facing out of the ring, Destiny drives an elbow into the middle of his back. Vasquez slumps back, and Destiny hooks his head in an inverted facelock, before dropping down to the mat...] *THUUUUUUDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD!!!* [HEAD-SPIKING POP!!] LVK: GOOD GOD!! HE SPIKED VASQUEZ WITH AN INVERTED DDT FROM THE TOP ROPE!! RP: Because Vasquez's legs were caught up on the top rope, he landed right on the top of his head! YIKES! LVK: Destiny's slow to follow up though, pausing to try to clear some of the blood from his face. His nose might very well be broken, and even if it isn't, all that blood's gotta be making it difficult to breath! [Returning to Vasquez, Destiny sends him into the ropes, and ducks down, but Vasquez leapfrogs over. He turns, waiting for Destiny to turn around as well, and lunges forward with a lariat...] LVK: Lariat from Vasquez misses, and he rebounds off the ropes... *SMAAAAAAACK!* RP: HOLY SCHNIKIES! Right into a teeth-rattling forearm by Destiny! LVK: Vasquez is still on his feet, but he's dazed! Destiny ducks in behind, hooks him for a belly to back suplex... [He lifts, but with his free arm hooks between Juan's legs, turning and driving him down into the mat...] *THUUUUUUUUUDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD!!!* RP: What was that? LVK: It was kind of like a cross between a belly to back suplex and a throw that was almost like a powerbomb! RP: It dropped Vasquez right on the back of his neck! LVK: Here's the cover by Shane Destiny! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THR-NO! [RELIEF POP!] LVK: Juan Vasquez kicks out in time! RP: Yeah, but Destiny's dragging him right back up! LVK: He has hold of Vasquez... belly to back lift... [But this time he simply swings Vasquez forward, dropping into a sitout position...] *THUUUUUUUUUUUUDDDDDDD!!* LVK: WHAT A MOVE!! DROVE VASQUEZ FACEFIRST INTO THE MAT IN A SITOUT POSITION!! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THR-NO! [FACE POP!!] RP: Still not enough to put Vasquez away! LVK: One thing we know about our World champion is that he's about as resilient and gutsy as they come. He's proven that in the past no matter who he's faced, whether it be Chris Courtade, The Gremlin or... RP: Rollie Riggins? LVK: I'm sure Juan would rather that you don't mention that. [Destiny backs Vasquez into the ropes and nails him with a couple of forearm shots, before backing away and then charging back in...] LVK: Backdrop sends Destiny over the top rope! RP: He landed on the apron! [Vasquez turns around, only to find his head grabbed by Destiny...] *URRRKK-TWANG!* LVK: Down across the top rope goes Juan Vasquez's throat! [As Vasquez stumbles back, Destiny tries to re-enter the ring through the ropes, but Juan has enough of his wits about him to rush back over and drive his knee up into Destiny's chin...] LVK: Kneelift catches Destiny, but he just manages to hold onto the ropes, to prevent himself from tumbling to the arena floor! [But as Destiny teeters, Vasquez backs into the middle of the ring, then charges...] *SMAAAAACK-THWAPPP-CLAAAAANNNKKKKK!!!* [MASSIVE HIGHSPOT POP!!!] LVK: SPEAAAAAAAAAARRRR!!! VASQUEZ SPEARED DESTINY THROUGH THE ROPES, DRIVING HIM DOWN ONTO THE ARENA FLOOR!!! *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!* *ARGH-SEE-DUB! ARGH-SEE-DUB!* RP: What a move! Hell, Vasquez'll do _whatever_ it takes to keep his World title, even if it means risking a trip to the damn hospital! LVK: Vasquez is the first back to his feet, and he's climbing back into the ring! [The fans buzz with anticipation as they notice Vasquez eyeing up the outside of the ring again, where Destiny lies prone on his back. Juan grabs the top rope, then slingshots himself out...] *THWAAAAAAAAAPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP!!* [BIG MIXED POP!!] RP: CRASH AND BUUUUUUURNN!! LVK: SLINGSHOT SOMERSAULT SENTON MISSES THE MARK!! Vasquez hit nothing but the arena floor, which is covered by those _very_ thin pads! RP: That's the second time the high risk stuff has backfired on him. Maybe he oughta rethink his strategy. LVK: Both men are down, and referee Marc Gioffre starts the count! *ONE!* *TWO!* *THREE!* *FOUR!* *FIVE!* *SIX!* [Pop!] LVK: Shane Destiny breaks the count, and rolls Vasquez back into the ring! [Juan slowly climbs to his feet, clutching at his back in pain, but quickly finds himself in the grasp of his opponent. Destiny hooks him with a front waistlock, then lifts and swings Vasquez's body out to one side, as if going for a side slam...] *THWACK-THUD!!* [...but driving him down onto an outstretched knee! Nice move pop!] LVK: Wow! That was like a sidewalk slam, but onto the knee! RP: Doing more damage to the back of the champ! LVK: Again he's got hold of Vasquez, doubling him over and underhooking both arms... *THUUUUDDDD!!* LVK: Butterfly suplex, and the floatover into a pinning predicament!! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THREE-NO! [BIG RELIEF POP!] LVK: Close count, but still only two! [Running on adrenaline, Vasquez is the first back to his feet, bouncing off the ropes and charging...] *THWAAACK-THUUUUUDDD!!* LVK: SUUUUUUUUUPERKICK!!! HE NAILED IT!!! COVER!!! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THR-NO! [HUGE POP!!] LVK: Vasquez is literally out on his feet, as Destiny pulls him back up... [He pulls both of Juan's arms across his own throat, then turns away, still holding the hands as they stand back to back. Then he bends forward, and throws Vasquez over his shoulder...] *THUUUUUUUDDDDD!!* LVK: Look at that! Like a judo throw with both arms trapped! RP: Destiny's doing stuff I've never seen before! It's like he's been working on new moves just for this match! LVK: Which is a very smart move! Juan Vasquez has had no answer to them so far! RP: Destiny's not covering him this time. LVK: No, he's got hold of Vasquez again... this time he pulls just one of the champ's arms across his throat... OH! LIFTS HIM UP!! [THUNDEROUS ANTICIPATION/PANIC POP!!] [But before Destiny can get Juan up into a fireman's carry, he ducks under...] *THUUUUUUDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD!!* [MASSIVE FACE POP!!] LVK: BACKDROP DRIVAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!! RP: Vasquez dropped the Head Droppin' Machine on _his_ skull! LVK: It was a desperation move by the World champion, who was about to be on the receiving end of that deadly Kismet Driver! RP: It would have been all over if Destiny had hit it. LVK: Vasquez is slow to recover, but finally he crawls over... AND COVERS DESTINY!! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THREE- [MIXED POP!!] LVK: NO! Destiny got his shoulder up! [Ever so slowly they rise, Destiny's face marred by streaks of congealed blood, and Vasquez gasping for breath, his eyes having a glazed look to them. It's the World champion who strikes first, literally, by driving a forearm into the back of Destiny's neck, once, twice, three times.] RP: Vasquez continues to work over the neck, no doubt setting up for the City of Angels. LVK: He moves behind... belly to back lift... *THUUUUUUDDDDDDDDDD!!* LVK: DROPS HIM INTO A SITOUT POWERBOMB!! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Shoulder up by Destiny! [Mixed pop!] RP: I only know this because I've been watching that great Evolution of the Super J-Crown DVD, but that move was the Zokugun Bomb, made famous by Zokugun Sangai in G-Pro over in Japan! LVK: Vasquez lifting Destiny up onto the top turnbuckle now, Destiny facing out of the ring, and the World champ climbs up with him! Climbs onto Destiny's shoulders... shoulderspin... *THUUUUUUUUUUUUDDDDDDDDDDD!!* [BIG POP!!] LVK: WOW!! HE TAKES DESTINY DOWN WITH A REVERSE HURACANRANA FROM THE TOP!! RP: It looks like I'm not the only one who's been watching that DVD, 'cause that was the Wanizame Special, used by the late, great TORA Wanizame! LVK: No cover, but Vasquez is heading back to the top rope! RP: Doesn't he learn? [Standing up top, Vasquez cups both hands to his mouth, and lets out a high-pitched scream. Old fans of G-Pro will recognise this as the trademark of The Banshee. Some of the crowd obviously recognise it, because they POP like crazy, and the rest join in as Vasquez launches off the turnbuckle...] *flashbulb* [...rotating forward, flipping right over...] *THUUUUUUUDDDDDDDDDDDDD!!!* [MASSIVE HIGHSPOT POP!!!] LVK: THAT TIME HE NAILED THE 450 SPLASH!!! RP: Because he was channelling the dead spirit of The Banshee! That was the Scream Machine! LVK: Uh, I'm pretty sure The Banshee's not dead Rick. Michael Keening's still wrestling in Canada, I believe. RP: Eh, Canada's damn close to hell. LVK: There goes our Canadian viewership. [Having nailed the 450 splash, Vasquez bounced off Destiny on impact, and is lying next to him, gasping for breath. Finally he rolls over and drapes an arm.] LVK: COVER!! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THREEEEEEEEEEEEE- [HUGE MIXED POP!!] LVK: Only two, says Marc Gioffre! RP: He took too long to make the pinfall attempt! If he'd done it right away, I have a feeling this match would be over! [Vasquez climbs to his feet, and drags his thumb roughly across his throat. THUNDEROUS ANTICIPATION POP!!] LVK: IT MIGHT BE OVER IN A FEW SECONDS!! [He drags Destiny up and lifts him up and over his shoulder, holding the challenger's legs as he slides down his back. But before he can hook his head, Destiny wriggles free and slides all the way to the mat, rolling up Vasquez as he does so...] [Vasquez fights it and rolls over onto his stomach, but in the blink of an eye Destiny has hold of his arms and head...] LVK: DESTINY STRANGLE!! HE HAS IT LOCKED ON THE WORLD CHAMPION!!! [DEAFENING MIXED/PANIC POP!!!] RP: WE'RE GONNA HAVE A NEW CHAMP!! WE'RE GONNA HAVE- LVK: NO! VASQUEZ MAKES THE ROPES!! [RELIEF POP!!] LVK: My God that was close! I thought for sure Juan Vasquez was going to be forced to tap out! What a way to win the World title that would have been! RP: Hell yes! [Climbing back to his feet, Destiny looks out into the crowd, and gestures by twirling a finger above his head then pointing quickly towards the mat. ANTICIPATION POP!!] LVK: Destiny's signalling for something! He sends Vasquez into the ropes- [...lifts him into a tilt-a-whirl...] *THUUUUDDDDDDDDDDDDD!!* [HUGE POP!!!] LVK: HE WENT FOR THE NORTH CAROLINA DEATHRIDE, BUT VASQUEZ COUNTERED WITH A TILT-A-WHIRL DDT!! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THREEEEEEEEE-NOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!! [MIXED POP!] LVK: Another close count, but Destiny kicked out just in time! [They struggle up to their feet, and Vasquez quickly nails a spin kick. It only knocks Destiny back into the ropes though, and the challenger comes rebounding back with a forearm shot. Vasquez ducks it, hooking Destiny...] *THUUUUUUUUUUDDDDDDDDDDD!!!* LVK: EXPLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOODER SUPLEX!!! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THR-NO! Shoulder up by Destiny! LVK: Vasquez back up to his feet, offering three fingers to Marc Gioffre, but of course it's not going to do any good. Now he turns and starts to climb the turnbuckles... RP: DESTINY'S UP! [The challenger charges the corner, arriving just as Vasquez stands up top...] *OOOOPPHHH!!* LVK: Destiny hit the ropes, causing Vasquez to land heavily crotchfirst on the top turnbuckle! [Destiny shakes his head to clear the cobwebs, then sizes up Vasquez, charging the few feet between them, and lunging into the air...] *SMAAAAAAACKK!!* *WHACK-THWAAAPPPPPP!!!* [STIFFNESS POP!!!] LVK: OOOOOHHHH!!! BIG RUNNING FOREARM FROM DESTINY SENDS VASQUEZ CRASHING FROM THE TOP TURNBUCKLE TO THE ARENA FLOOR!! [Destiny slowly rolls out to the floor, dragging Vasquez up and whipping him...] LVK: Irish whip reversed! Destiny... OH! He just managed to stop before colliding with the steel railing! RP: VASQUEZ ON THE CHARGE!! [The World champ sprints right at Destiny, who turns around to face him with just a split second left before impact. Somehow he manages to react in time, grabbing Vasquez and lifting him up into a tilt-a-whirl...] *THWAAAAAAAAAAAAPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP!!!* [...driving him into the floor with a sit-out powerbomb!] [MEGA-THUNDEROUS HIGHSPOT POP!!!] RP: SWEET MOTHER OF PERLE!! LVK: NORTH CAROLINA DEATHRIDE... ON THE ARENA FLOOR!!!! *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!* RP: All he's gotta do is roll Vasquez back into the ring and get the pin, and we've got a NEW WORLD CHAMPEEN! LVK: Destiny's slow to follow up though, and who can blame him after the toll this match has taken on both of these incredible athletes! [Destiny pushes away from Vasquez, and uses the railing to pull himself up to his feet. Pausing to regain his breath and some of his composure, he then pulls Vasquez up, grunting with the effort of moving almost dead-weight, rolling him back in.] LVK: Vasquez isn't moving! His title reign could be done! Destiny hooks the leg! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THREEEEEEEEEEEEEEE- [Marc Gioffre: TWO FINGERS!] [DEAFENING FACE POP!!!!] LVK: OH-HO! HE KICKED OUT!! RP: I thought that was it for sure. I was getting ready to see Shane Destiny holding that belt up in the air. LVK: It was _extremely_ close. [Climbing to his feet, Destiny stands over Vasquez, his head bowed, his hair wet with persperation and hanging across his face, the only movement his chest rising and falling. Then he raises his head, throwing the hair out of his face and taking a big, deep breath...] LVK: Destiny knows just how close that was, but now... OH BOY!! [Dragging Vasquez up, Destiny again hooks the champ's arm around his own throat, and then lifts... this time getting him up into a fireman's carry! HUGE ANTICIPATION/PANIC POP!!] [But somehow Vasquez manages to reach out with his free arm and grab hold of the top rope, desperately using it to pull himself and Destiny into the ropes. Off-balance, Destiny allows the champ to fall to the mat. RELIEF POP!] LVK: For the second time in this match, Juan Vasquez has acted out of desperation and managed to avoid the Kismet Driver! [Vasquez climbs to his feet, and jumps...] *THWACK!* LVK: Spin kick by the champ, catches Destiny right on the jaw! [Leaving Destiny staggered in the middle of the ring, Vasquez runs and rebounds off the ropes, coming charging back...] *SMAAAAAAAAAACK-THUUUUDDDDD!!* [...right into a spinning elbow!] RP: ROARING-O ER-BORRUUUUUUUUUUU!!!!!!!!!!! LVK: What the hell? RP: Sorry. Damn puro tapes. [This time it's Vasquez staggering in the middle of the ring, but in a flash he's up on Destiny's shoulders, his own arm wrapped across his throat...] [...before having his body swung out...] [...his arm still trapped as his head comes down across Destiny's shoulder in a neckbreaker...] *THUUUUUUUUUUUDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD!!* [MEGA-DEAFENING PANIC/MIXED POP!!!!] LVK: KISMET DRIVAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!! RP: HE'S DONE IT! HE'S DONE IT! LVK: DESTINY HOOKS THE LEG!! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE- [MASSIVE SHOCK AND DISBELIEF POP!!] RP: WHAT THE HELL? LVK: VASQUEZ GOT HIS FOOT ON THE ROPES!! HE BARELY SURVIVED, BUT BY GOD HE ANSWERED THE COUNT AFTER THE KISMET DRIVER!! RP: Man, I don't believe that. *JUAN! JUAN! JUAN!* *JUAN! JUAN! JUAN!* *JUAN! JUAN! JUAN!* *JUAN! JUAN! JUAN!* *JUAN! JUAN! JUAN!* LVK: Despite the fact that Shane Destiny has become a very popular wrestler here in RCW in recent times, it should come as no surprise that the fans here in LA are firmly, 100% behind their hometown hero! RP: He survived that Kismet Driver, but all Destiny has to do is nail it again in the middle of the ring, and he's got the title! LVK: And he knows it! Destiny is peeling the unmoving figure of Juan Vasquez off the canvas and lifting him... wait, he's taking him over to the corner, lifting him on there! RP: He's got him facing out of the ring... maybe he's gonna finish him off with the Death Lake Driver! [The crowd noise is incredible as Destiny climbs up onto the middle rope, and hooks Vasquez's left arm, then his right, setting up for the top rope Tiger Suplex. But before he can pull it off, Vasquez gets his right arm free, and drives the elbow back into Destiny's face...] LVK: WAIT! Vasquez is fighting back! Incredible! [A second elbow follows, then a third, which knocks Destiny down to the mat. He rolls right back to his feet, however, and charges back into the corner. Vasquez has turned around on the turnbuckle though, and leaps...] *THUUUUUUUUDDDDDDDDD!!* [HUGE POP!!] LVK: TORNADO DDT!! RP: How he had the energy to pull that off after taking the Kismet Driver I'll never freakin' know! LVK: It might very well have been his last ounce of energy, because the World champ's face down on the mat and not moving! RP: Yeah, but Destiny's down too! LVK: Which means Marc Gioffre is going to start another count! *ONE!* *TWO!* *THREE!* *FOUR!* *FIVE!* *SIX!* [BIG POP!!] LVK: Shane Destiny is back to his feet, breaking the count! [He drags Vasquez up, backing him into a corner...] *SMACK!* LVK: Knife-edge chop by Destiny! [But the blow seems to reinject life into Vasquez, as his afore-slackened face forms into an angry snarl, and he fires a punch...] *SMACK!* LVK: Vasquez retaliates with a right jab! *SMACK!* *SMACK!* *SMACK!* *SMACK!* *SMACK!* *SMACK!* LVK: Chop-punch-chop-punch-chop-punch! *SMACK!* RP: Vasquez's punches are doing the trick! Destiny's in a daze! LVK: Vasquez sees this! He lines him up, charges with a lariat... *THUUUUUUDDDDDDDDDDD!!* [SHOCK/PANIC POP!!!] LVK: OH MY GOD!! DESTINY TOOK HIM DOWN INTO THE DESTINY STRANGLE!! RP: IT'S OVER!! IT'S OVER!! [HUGE POP!!] LVK: NO! VASQUEZ MAKES THE ROPES AGAIN!! RP: Oh man, the ring ropes have been Juan Vasquez's best friend in this match! LVK: They sure have! [They both climb back to their feet, but Vasquez is the first to strike, pushing off of Destiny's knee with his left foot and swinging his right foot around...] *THWAAAAAAAACK-THUUUUUDDDDD!!* LVK: STEP UP ENZUIGIRI BY VASQUEZ!! [But yet again both wrestlers are unable to get up, instead staying prone on the mat, Vasquez staring up at the overhead lights as he sucks in death breaths, and Destiny lying face-down, his eyes opened only slightly.] *LET'S GO JUAN, LET'S GO!* *clap-clap* *LET'S GO JUAN, LET'S GO!* *clap-clap* *LET'S GO JUAN, LET'S GO!* *clap-clap* *LET'S GO JUAN, LET'S GO!* *clap-clap* *LET'S GO JUAN, LET'S GO!* *clap-clap* *LET'S GO JUAN, LET'S GO!* *clap-clap* [Using the ropes to pull himself up to his feet, Vasquez hunches over, gasping for breath, and then staggers back over to Destiny. He lifts him into a clinch, and then fires a knee up into Destiny's gut... once, twice, three, four, five times!] LVK: Series of kneelifts by Vasquez, who now bodyslams Destiny to the mat and he's climbing out onto the apron... springboards in... *THUUUUDDDDDDDDD!!* LVK: And drives his knee down into Destiny's midsection! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Kickout by Destiny! [Vasquez drags him up, and hooks one arm, then turns, hooking the other as they stand back to back....] LVK: BACKSLIDE! [POP!] ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TH-NO! RP: Vasquez _must_ be getting desperate. He's using his moves from when he was wrestling under a mask out here in LA, for that _other_ company. LVK: You mean you used to watch their shows? RP: Only when there was nothing else on. [Dragging Destiny up again, Vasquez drills his forearm into the back of the challenger's neck a couple of times, then applies an inverted headlock, before lifting...] *THUUUUUUDDDDDDDDDDDD!!* [...and drilling him with a Michinoku Driver II!] [HEAD-DROPPING POP!!] LVK: WHAT A MOVE!! RP: I was right. He used that move a lot when he was under the mask! LVK: Will it be enough to retain the title? ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THREE-NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! [MIXED POP!] LVK: No, it wasn't enough, and Vasquez is becoming increasingly frustrated! RP: No kidding. He's yelling and swearing... can't quite make out what he's saying though. Something about "jiggly man breasts" and the colour "blue"? I don't get it. LVK: Neither do I. But he sure is frustrated. [His fit of cursing and yelling over, Vasquez angrily stomps at Destiny a couple of times, before dropping an elbow across his chest...] *SMAAAAAACK!* *SMAAAAAACK!* *SMAAAAAACK!* *SMAAAAAACK!* LVK: Another series of rapid-fire elbowdrops, and he hooks the leg! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THR-NO! RP: That's not gonna do it! LVK: Yes, but the City of Angels definitely will! He's signalling for it! [The crowd noise threatens to blow the roof off the place, as Juan drags Destiny up to his feet, and then lifts him up over one shoulder....] *THUUUDDDDD!!* LVK: ROLL-UP BY DESTINY!! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TH-NO! RP: Close! [Both wrestlers thunder up to their feet and charge together...] *THWAACKK-THWAAAAAACCKK!!* [...simultaneously nailing each other with stiff-as-hell elbowshots. They both straighten and then flop back to the mat. POP!] LVK: MY GOD!! RP: Even after wrestling for more than half an hour... after throwing everything but the kitchen sink at each other, these two are still _so_ evenly matched! LVK: Yes they are, and right now they're _evenly_ laid out on the mat! [Gioffre starts the count...] *ONE!* *TWO!* *THREE!* *FOUR!* *FIVE!* *SIX!* *SEVEN!* [Fans are starting to panic!] *EIGHT!* [ESCALATING PANIC POP!!] *NI- [HUGE FACE/RELIEF POP!!] LVK: Wow, that was close! But both men are now slowly up to their feet, the sheer intensity and exertion of this battle showing on their sweat-glistened faces! *THUUUDDD!* LVK: Dropkick by Vasquez, but Destiny sidestepped it! He grabs Vasquez pulling him up into a standing headscissors... AND SIGNALS FOR HIS JUMPING PILEDRIVER!! RP: That'll do it! LVK: But the World champ is blocking it! Fighting with every ounce of energy that's left in his body! [Destiny tries to lift him a second time, but again Vasquez blocks it, and then roars as he powers upwards, backdropping Destiny over. He doesn't allow the challenger to fall to the mat though, holding onto his legs, and then throwing him forward again....] *THUUUUUUUUUUDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD!!* [MEGA-THUNDEROUS FACE POP!!!] LVK: CHERRY BUSTAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! RP: PIN HIM! PIN HIM!! LVK: VASQUEZ IS DOING JUST THAT!! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE- [HUGE SHOCK/FACE POP!!] LVK: NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!! DESTINY KICKED OUT!! RP: Oh man, I was _sure_ that was it! _SURE_! LVK: That move has put plenty of opponents on ice in the past, but somehow Shane Destiny found it in himself to kickout, and survive! *JUAN! JUAN! JUAN!* *JUAN! JUAN! JUAN!* *JUAN! JUAN! JUAN!* *JUAN! JUAN! JUAN!* [The chant ringing in his ears, Vasquez drags Destiny up off the mat, then leaves him standing, turning and running across the ring, into the ropes. He rebounds, comes charging at Destiny....] *THUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUDDDDDDDDD!!* [SURPRISE POP!!!] LVK: OOOHHHH!!! DESTINY NAILED THE NORTH CAROLINA DEATHRIDE!!! RP: FOR A SECOND TIME, AND THIS TIME IN THE _RING_! LVK: HE COVERS RIGHT AWAY!! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! RP: OVER! OVER! OVAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH- [MONSTROUS SHOCK/FACE POP!!] LVK: NO! VASQUEZ KICKED OUT!! JUAN VASQUEZ KICKED OUT OF THE NORTH CAROLINA DEATHRIDE!!! RP: How the hell are they doing this? LVK: Rick, if you ask a football player about playing in the Super Bowl, they'll tell you that it means so much to them that they can push beyond pain, beyond fatigue... they are willing to push their bodies like never before. The RCW World title has that exact same effect on wrestlers! RP: I'm in complete freakin' awe! LVK: As are we all! Both men up slowly... Destiny grabs an arm... *THUUUUDDDD!!* [THUNDEROUS PANIC POP!!] LVK: DESTINY STRANGLE!! MY GOD, DESTINY HAS IT LOCKED ON... IN THE CENTER OF THE RING!! RP: The ropes are a long way away! VASQUEZ HAS TO TAP!! [His neck pulled back at an impossible angle by the Crippler-Crossface-type submission hold, Vasquez can do little but scream in pain as Destiny strains with the effort of pulling back on it.] LVK: WILL HE TAP?! [Somehow Juan finds the energy to pull himself _and_ Destiny across the mat, towards the ropes. He inches closer and closer, but then stops, his body seeming to slump, a good foot short of his goal...] RP: I THINK HE PASSED OUT!! LVK: IF HE DIDN'T, HE MUST SURELY TAP ANY SECOND!! [...But with a roar that comes from deep within his very soul, Juan surges back to life, thrusting his arm towards the ropes, and then crawling forward....] [HUGE MOTHERFUCKING FACE POP!!] LVK: INCREDIBLE!! HE MADE IT TO THE ROPES!! SOMEHOW JUAN VASQUEZ WAS ABLE TO FIGHT HIS WAY THROUGH _EXCRUTIATING_ PAIN AND FORCE THE DESTINY STRANGLE TO BE BROKEN!! RP: Pure _guts_. That's what that was. LVK: Destiny looks surprised, but he's not dwelling on it. He's got Vasquez up, and is lifting him up... onto the top turnbuckle! [The World champion is suddenly left sitting up top, facing out of the ring. Destiny climbs out onto the apron, and then climbs the corner on the outside, the fans BUZZING as they anticipate what might come next...] LVK: Look at this! Both men are up on the top turnbuckle... MY GOD! Destiny's setting Vasquez up... standing headscissors... [A few female fans scream at the top of their lungs...] *flashbulb* [Vasquez is swung up into the air, powerbomb style....] *flashbulb* [...but swings his body back down...] *THUUUUUUUDDDDDDDDDDDDD-THUUDDDD!!* [HUMONGOUS FACE POP!!!] LVK: OOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!! DESTINY WANTED TO POWERBOMB VASQUEZ OFF THE TOP ROPE AND RIGHT TO _HELL_, BUT THE WORLD CHAMP COUNTERED WITH A _HUGE_ HURACANRANA!! [The fanatical cheers continue as Vasquez suddenly rolls right back to his feet, and slowly starts to climb to the top!] LVK: Vasquez up quickly, and going back up top- RP: Destiny's up too! LVK: OH! Catches Vasquez from behind... AND IS CLIMBING RIGHT BACK UP THERE WITH HIM!! RP: THIS IS NUTS! [Destiny stands on the middle rope, and pulls Vasquez's arm across his own throat, looking to pull him up onto his shoulders, which of course sends the fans into a FRENZY OF PANIC!] RP: NO FREAKIN' WAY!! HE'S GONNA KISMET DRIVER HIM OFF THE TOP!! [The panicked screams turn to cheers as Vasquez elbows his way free of Destiny's grasp, the challenger almost toppling down to the floor, but just managing to keep his balance. Vasquez takes his advantage of his unsure-footedness, lifting the challenger up over his shoulder...] LVK: VASQUEZ COUNTERS... AND TRIES FOR THE CITY OF ANGELS FROM THE TOP!! RP: ARGGHHH!! [But now it's Destiny's turn to block it, and nail Vasquez...] LVK: Elbowshot breaks that up, and now Destiny has hold... *THUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD!!!* [MEGA-FREAKIN'-LICIOUS HIGHSPOT POP!!!!] LVK: EXPLODAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!! FROM THE TOP ROPE!!! RP: SWEET JESUS, VASQUEZ ENDED UP RIGHT OVER ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE RING!! LVK: AMAZING!! RP: THAT'S GOTTA DO IT!! LVK: DESTINY WITH THE COVER!! HOOKS THE LEG!! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LVK: NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!! ONLY TWO!!!! [MEGA-THUNDEROUS FACE POP!!!] RP: I... just... wow... *LET'S GO JUAN, LET'S GO!* *clap-clap* *LET'S GO JUAN, LET'S GO!* *clap-clap* *LET'S GO JUAN, LET'S GO!* *clap-clap* *LET'S GO JUAN, LET'S GO!* *clap-clap* *LET'S GO JUAN, LET'S GO!* *clap-clap* *LET'S GO JUAN, LET'S GO!* *clap-clap* LVK: Absolutely amazing! [Destiny shows his frustration by slamming both open hands down onto the mat, then rolling onto his back, his chest rising and falling rapidly as he sucks in breath. Slowly returning to his feet, he drags Vasquez up, pulling him forcefully into a standing headscissors...] [...but before he can lift, Vasquez powers up again, backdropping Destiny over. Much like he did moments earlier, he doesn't let Destiny go, holding onto his legs. But this time he reaches back with his other arm, and cradles Destiny's head...] *THUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD!!!* LVK: CITY OF ANGELS!! CITY OF ANGELS!! BY GOD HE NAILED DESTINY WITH THE CITY OF ANGELS!!! [TEAR-THE-FUCKING-ROOF-OFF FACE POP FROM HELL!!!] RP: Nobody gets up from that. _Nobody_! LVK: VASQUEZ HOOKS THE LEG, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE RING!!! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE- [WTF?] [ATOMIC-BLAST-STRENGTH DISBELIEF POP!!!] RP: HOLY F*bleep*K!!!!!! LVK: DESTINY KICKED OUT!!! IT WAS TOO CLOSE TO TELL IF HE KICKED OUT IN TIME, BUT MARC GIOFFRE SAYS HE DID AND THAT'S GOOD ENOUGH FOR ME!!! RP: Shane Destiny... is a _GOD_! [Vasquez staggers back to his feet, grabbing his head in complete shock and disbelief, screaming "OH MY GOD" at the top of his lungs.] LVK: Vasquez can't believe it, and who can blame him? Noone has ever survived the City of Angels... until now. RP: You guys in the truck better be ready, cause I gotta say it again... holy... f*bleep*k... LVK: Juan Vasquez knows that with 99% of opponents he'd be walking back up the aisle right now, victorious, but Shane Destiny isn't just any opponent. RP: Nope, but he's not looking too good either. He can't stay up on his own... Vasquez is having to hold him up... LVK: Lifts him up into a torture rack on his shoulders... *THUUUUUUUUUUUDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD!!* [HEAD-DROPPING POP!!!] LVK: ...and swings it out into a PILEDRIVAAAHHHH!!!! THE DIRTY SANCHEZ!!! RP: Again dropping the Head Dropper himself... the Sultan of Suplex-cellence... onto his own skull! That's gotta do it! IT'S GOTTA!! LVK: Vasquez hooks the leg! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! [FACE POP...] [...quickly turning into another HUGE DISBELIEF POP!!] LVK: IN THE ROPES!! I DON'T KNOW HOW SHANE DESTINY IS EVEN _CONSCIOUS_ BUT HE MANAGED TO GRAB THE BOTTOM ROPE AT THE LAST SECOND!! RP: My heart can't take any more of this! I'm an old man goddammit! [Vasquez flops onto his back, staring up at the lights, his eyes glazed over and staring into nothingness through a combination of exhaustion and sheer amazement.] LVK: Juan Vasquez openly asked the question at the beginning of our show... can he beat Shane Destiny? Right now that same question has got to be ringing in his mind like a bell. [After laying on the mat like that for a few more seconds, Vasquez rolls from the ring in an exhausted fashion, almost flopping to the floor before finding his feet. He staggers over to the railing, and slumps against it, looking up...] LVK: Hey! There's Edwin Lopez! Juan's former bodyguard and friend. He was in the crowd at Caged Rage 3, and it looks like he's back here to see his old friend do battle once more! [Juan studies the huge Hawaiian-shirt wearing Lopez for a few seconds, then with a look of complete exasperation on his face, pleads "what the hell can I do to beat this guy?" at him. Edwin thinks for a second or two, then simply shrugs.] RP: I guess he's not gonna get any match-winning advice out of that guy. [Gesturing towards Lopez as if to say "fat lot of good you are", Vasquez hauls his wary body around and staggers back over to the ring, slowly climbing back in. Destiny has managed to roll over onto his stomach, and is pushing up onto his hands and knees, although finding it hard to do so...] LVK: Vasquez drags Destiny up by a handful of hair, and leaves him, running into the ropes... *SMAAAAAAAACK!!!* RP: RIGHT INTO A SPINNING ELBOW THAT MIGHT HAVE DONE SOME UNPLANNED DENTAL WORK ON THE WORLD CHAMP!! [Vasquez staggers back in a daze, and is suddenly scooped up, his arm trapped across his own throat...] *THUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD!!!!!* [MEGA-THUNDEROUS MIXED POP!!!!] LVK: KISMET DRIVAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! RP: FORGETABOUTIT!! IT'S OVAAHHH!! LVK: Destiny's slow to follow up! RP: Cover him dammit! LVK: I don't know if he's got the energy! That might have taken all of whatever Destiny had left... WAIT! HE CRAWLS OVER! COVERS!! ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! [TEAR-OFF-THE-ROOF FACE POP!!!!] LVK: GOOD GOD, I DON'T BELIEVE IT!! JUAN VASQUEZ KICKED OUT!! HE KICKED OUT AFTER TAKING THE KISMET DRIVER!! RP: Well f*bleep*k me. LVK: Rick, we'd hoped that this match would live up to the hype, and... wow... it's done _much_ more than that. This is simply one of the most incredible performances I've ever seen out of two wrestlers in one match. RP: It's just a shame one of these guys has to lose. [Slowly they rise...] *THUUUDDD!* *THUUUUDDD!* [...and both fall right back to the mat!] LVK: Fans, that scene just about says it all. These two _incomparable_ wrestlers have fought until they've got literally no fight left in them. RP: I'm in awe of them both. And that doesn't happen often. LVK: I don't know if either of them are capable of getting up... wait! Yes! The World champion is rising to his feet! He's yelling for Destiny to get up too, and he's doing it! It's like they're feeding off each others' pure, intense _fighting spirit_ to keep going! [Destiny swings a lazy chop at Vasquez, who ducks, and locks on a rear waistlock. But, naturally...] LVK: Standing switch! Destiny hooks both arms... TIGER SUPLEX- RP: NO! Vasquez blocked it! He ducks in behind... locks on a full nelson! LVK: DRAGON SUPLEX- NO! Destiny blocks _that_, and does another standing switch... RP: Hooking on a half-nelson... HE'S GONNA SPIKE VASQUEZ- [But the World champ manages to spin out of it, and fire a punch right into Destiny's face. It's a tired blow though, only making slight contact. Destiny takes the blow, then squares around....] *SMACK!* LVK: Tired chop by Destiny! *SMACK!* LVK: Vasquez fires back another punch! *SMACK!* LVK: Chop! *SMACK!* LVK: Punch! *DING DING DING!!* [CONFUSED POP!!] RP: Huh? [Vasquez and Destiny stop trading blows and look towards the referee, as the crowd devolves into a mass of confused babbling.] LVK: The bell has been sounded... and David Stokes has his microphone... let's listen... [The fans quieten down...] DS: Ladies and gentlemen, the 60-minute time limit has EXPIRED! Therefore, this match is declared a... ....DRAW!! [MASSIVE MIXED POP!!] RP: A draw? LVK: A draw! It's amazing how you can lose track of time when you're thoroughly enjoying yourself, as I have during this match... they've fought for a solid hour, with absolutely no let up! [Upon hearing the announcement, Destiny and Vasquez both flop to the mat, the exhaustion again getting the better of them. A few fans boo, and a section of them tries to start a "let them fight" chant, but that's quickly drowned out by... a STANDING OVATION!] LVK: Listen to this! The fans are showing their absolute appreciation for the incredible display of wrestling we've all just witnessed. RP: I said it was gonna be a shame that one of them had to lose. Well, I guess neither of them has to lose after all. And that's kind of fitting, because it was _that_ close. I have a feeling that if this match had had a _three-hour_ time limit, they'd have kept going for that long. LVK: What a match! A pure and simple masterpiece of wrestling! [Slowly both men have managed to pull themselves back up to their feet, at first too exhausted to even raise their heads. But when they do, their gazes meet and for a moment a tense staredown ensues. Then Vasquez steps forward... and thrusts out his hand... ...which Destiny accepts, pulling the World champ into a hug.] [MEGA-THUNDEROUS FACE POP!!] LVK: Now _that_... _that_ is PURE RESPECT!! TWO MEN WHO HAVE DONE EVERYTHING IN THEIR POWER TO TRY TO BEAT EACH OTHER... WHO'VE SPENT THE LAST _HOUR_ BEATING EACH OTHER WITHIN AN INCH OF THEIR LIVES... BUT ULTIMATELY EARNING THE KIND OF MUTUAL RESPECT THAT'S USUALLY RESERVED FOR SOLDIERS AT WAR! RP: Vasquez keeps the World title, but Shane Destiny has shown that he deserves to be included among the elite, the legends of this sport. Man, what a match. LVK: Yes indeed. Fans, we're out of time... this is Larry Van Keel for Rick Perle, saying so long from Los Angeles, and see you next time! [And as the two wary, exhausted warriors turn to the crowd, raising their arms together, the air fills with a chant conveying the appreciation of the fans...] *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!!* *ARGH-SEE-DUB! ARGH-SEE-DUB!!* [...and fade.]