Mikaela Street
( EAW intro plays…. )
( RECAP – A “Last Week: Battle Of Egypt 3: Alexandra Falls” graphic shines across the screen. It showcases various Showdown-related feuds that took place during the event. Kassidy Heart outlasts Sienna Jade, Astraea Jordan, Sheridan Muller, Madison Kaline, and Amber Keys in a ladder match to earn a Universal Women’s Championship match at Pain For Pride 15. Charlie Marr retains the EAW Hardcore Championship against Ronan Malosi. TLA beats Theron Nikolas to retain his EAW Answers World Championship. The final shot of the recap is TLA holding up his EAW Answers World Championship on the announce table. )
( “Brick Wall” by A Day To Remember plays while it pans across the rowdy and raucous audience inside the Safaricom Indoor Arena in Nairobi, Kenya. Blue and white fireworks illuminate the venue while “WE WRESTLE” chants blare in unison. The camera continues to pan throughout various sections of the diehard fans before it eventually focuses in on Eve, Deadprez, and Gavin Kirkland standing by ringside with microphones in their hand ready to report. )
Gavin Kirkland: STEEL! CAGE!! SHOWDOWN!!! WOOOOO!!!
Deadprez: Ladies and gentlemen, we live here in the Safaricom Indoor Arena here in Nairobi, Kenya. We continued to run down the road to Pain For Pride 15 as we just drove right off Battle of Egypt 3: Alexandria Falls! As we go down it, we begin to learn what will go down at the mecca of professional wrestling! Impact will cash in his second ever Grand Rampage prize to challenge for TLA’s EAW Answers World Championship! Kassidy Heart won the number one contendership ladder match last week and will challenge Andrea Valentine for the EAW Universal Women’s Championship. Many more to come here!
Gavin Kirkland: NYEAAA EH!?!
Eve: While we do know that for now, we know to keep posted of what we will know very soon. The Iconic Cup will soon meet its end as we see Lexi vs Usagi Senshi clash in a Block B match and Mary S. Atlas vs. Lila Vandras clash in a Block A match. We will get to see who will be in the Cash In The Vault ladder match. We have already learned that Jon Kelton and SOSA Henderson will represent Dynasty, and Adam Lucas and Amir Yusuf battle for that Showdown representation. Daryl Kinkade will make his long-awaited return to the EAW squared circle against Olivia Tate.
Gavin Kirkland: YOU HAVE FORGOTTEN! WE ARE HERE, WELL I AM HERE FOR THE TRUE ATTRACTION! STEEL CAGE SHOWDOWN!! TWO MATCHES THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN MANY WEEKS AGO WILL FINALLY TAKE PLACE! TWO FEUDS!! IT ALL ENDS TONIGHT! Aurora Monroe vs Lucas Knight! Veena Adams vs Cameron Ella Ava! BOTH INSIDE STEEL CAGE!! ONE MUST WALK OUT AS A VICTOR!! AND IT IS ALL FOR THAT MOMENTUM AND IMPRESSING HURRICANE COCK ON THE ROAD TO PAIN FOR PRIDE!! LET’S GET THIS STARTED, SHALL WE?!
(The ominous steel cage structure is already in place as the fans in Nairobi go insane in cheers, the camera pans to Gina Romano ringside to announce the first match of the night…)
Gina Romano: THE FOLLOWING CONTEST IS THE OPENING MATCH OF SHOWDOWN AND IT IS INSIDE OF A STEEL CAGE! HERE ARE THE RULES! A WRESTLER CAN WIN ONLY BY PINFALL, SUBMISSION OR IF THEY GET OUT OF THE CAGE FIRST! THERE IS NO TIME LIMIT! INTRODUCING FIRST ACCOMPANIED TO THE RING BY THE ROGUES GALLERY! FROM LONDON, ENGLAND! WEIGHING IN AT 230 POUNDS…. THE ALPHA KING…. LUCAS KNIGHT!
(Out go the lights with a flick of a switch as all eyes focus onto the stage, just then the screen lights up as the opening to “Hail to the King” by Avenged Sevenfold begins to play over the P.A system. Then and only then we see a series of words in italic writing phase in and out on the big screen…
.Infamous.
.British.
.Legendary.
Spotlights all start to focus on the stage entrance now changing colors, shades of red, white, and blue and during that time a silhouette of a man can be seen walking out onto the stage with an aura of confidence. Just then the final words explode onto the big screen causing the crowd to react accordingly as the music hit’s into full swing…
.LUCAS KNIGHT.
The crowd’s boos fill the arena as the lights come back on fully to show Lucas Knight standing on the stage looking at the crowd WITH Serotonin flanking him, he wears a full-length military jacket with the union jack emblazoned down one side and a confident smirk on his face as he walks to the cage.
Deadprez: Talk about what a way to kick off Showdown and we have it right here! This has been boiling for months and we finally have it, Lucas Knight takes on Aurora Monroe! He has faked injuries, delayed their encounters due to the various tournaments, this was all about Lucas Knight playing the mental game and it worked.
Eve: It really did work, and to his favor, since then Aurora suffered a big loss at Grand Rampage, Lucas Knight has decided to bide his time and that has really helped him mentally against this match tonight!
Gavin Kirkland: Is it me or does Pandora look extra scrumptious tonight.
(Lucas makes his way to the cage, walking in as Serotonin stand on the outside. He poses in the middle of the ring before his music dies down and it is replaced with “Streets” by Doja Cat as All lights in the arena shut off apart from a single red spotlight atop the stage where in the darkness, nothing but Aurora’s silhouette is visible to the audience. As her music begins, Aurora slowly and seductively wines her waist up until the beat drops. As the beat drops, she freezes and holds her pose at the top of the stage just as the spotlight immediately changes from red to white. Aurora lifts her head proudly, relaxing her seductive pose and flexing her left bicep with a smirk just a moment before she begins her descent down the ramp and to the ring.)
Gina Romano: AND HIS OPPONENT! FROM NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA! WEIGHING IN AT 160 POUNDS…. “THE TEMPEST” AURORA MONROE!!!!
(Aurora continues her saunter down the ramp, the white spotlight continuing to follow her. Upon reaching the steps, she hits another pose, showing off her impeccable physique. She enters the cage and positions herself at the center of the ring, flexing both biceps again for the hard camera, licking her lips as a menacing smirk grows across her face looking right at Lucas Knight.)
Gavin Kirkland: If looks could kill, Lucas would be dead.
Deadprez: After everything that she has been through with Lucas Knight from before Dia Del Diablo until now, he’s lucky looks don’t kill!
Eve: The cage door is closing, and it looks like this match is about to begin!
(The referee checks on both wrestlers and calls for the bell…)
(DING!!! DING!!! DING!!!)
Deadprez: LUCAS STARTS CLIMBING THE CAGE! HE IS NOT WASTING ANYTIME AND HERE COMES AURORA MONROE! SHE GRABS LUCAS KNIGHT BY THE LEG AND HE KICKS HER OFF! SHE STUMBLES AND LUCAS KNIGHT LEAPS WITH A LOU THEZS PRESS…. NO! AURORA MONROE CATCHES LUCAS IN MIDAIR AND SHE HAS HIM IN A BEAR HUG! NO! SHE JUST HAD HER EYES RAKED! DROPPING LUCAS KNIGHT AS HE BOUNCES OFF THE ROPES AND A HUGE LARIAT! JADE GOES DOWN AND LUCAS IS STARTING TO KICK HER WHILE SHE IS DOWN!
Eve: Lucas is a master strategist and all he wants to do is really embarrass Aurora here! He still is bitter about her stealing his win on their EAW debut and Lucas Knight is a veteran that knows the game better than anyone! He runs against the ropes, a corkscrew elbow on Aurora and he gets back up, picking her up by the hair, SNAP SUPLEX AND HE ROLLS HER OVER, SWINGING NECKBREAKER! LUCAS KNIGHT TAKING CONTROL QUICKLY AND GOES FOR THE COVER!
ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!
TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Gavin Kirkland: WHAT A KICKOUT! SHE USED HER STRENGT5H TO POWER RIGHT OUT OF IT! AURORA IS BACK UP TO HER FEET, LUCAS WITH A EUROPEAN FOREARM! ANOTHER! AND ANOTHER! AURORA IS STUNNED, BACKING UP SLOWLY AND TO THE ROPES, LUCAS KNIGHT GRABS HER BY THE HAIR AND HE GOES TO THROW HER INOT THE CAGE…. THE AMAZON TURNS IT AROUND AND SENDS LUCAS INTO THE CAGE!
(Lucas holds his head when everyone starts to realize that he is starting to bleed from his forehead. The referee puts on some latex gloves as Lucas wobbles on his feet and Aurora runs against the ropes,,,)
Deadprez: BIG BOOT BY AURORA MONROE! LUCAS KNIGHT GOES DOWN AND AURORA NOW POINTS TO THE CAGE AGAIN, SHE GRABS LUCAS BY THE HAIR, PICKING HIM UP AND WHIPPING HIM INTO THE CAGE AGAIN AND HE FALLS TO THE MATS! AURRORA MONROE HAS TAKEN COMMAND! SHE PICKS HIM BACKJ UP AND WHIPS LUCAS INTO THE CORNER, CHARGING IN BUT KNIGHT GETS A BOOT UP…. NO!!! AURORA CATCHES IT! SHE LIFTS HIM UP IN THE AIR BY ONE HAND…. HALESTORM!!!! SHE PLANTED LUCAS KNIGHT AND THIS ONE IS OVER QUICKLY!
ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
THR……
Eve: LUCAS KNIGHT KICKS OUT AND AURORA CANNOT BELIEVE IT! SHE STARTS SMASHING THE FACE OF LUCAS OVER AND OVER! BEFORE PICKING HIM UP, SHE TRIES TO GORILLA PRESS BUT LUCAS SCRATCHES HER EYES, SHE DROPS HIM AS HE FALLS BEHIND HER, HAIL BRITANNIA! HE HIT THAT ON THE MONEY AND LUCAS KNIGHT GOES FOR THE PINFALL!
ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
THRE……
Gavin Kirkland: SHE KICKS OUT! LUCAS KNIGHT IS SHOCKED AND LOOK AT HIM, HE IS TRYING TO MAKE IT TO THE DOOR AND HERE COMES SEROTONIN! THEY ARE CHARGING THE DOOR AND JONY AIRHART PUSHES THE REFEREE OUT OF THE WAY AND HE UNLOCKS IT! LUCAS KNIGHT IS GOING TO WIN!
(Aurora slowly gets up and sees Lucas, she rushes him and knees Knight in the back….)
Deadprez: AURORA CAUSED KNIGHT TO CRASH INTO THE TURNBUCKLE! JONY AIRHART IS STARTING TO GET IN AND AURORA SLAMS THE STEEL CAGE DOOR IN THE FACE OF JONNY AIRHART AS HE FALLS BACK! THE REFEREE CLOSES THE DOOR AS PANDORA PAISLEY LOOKS ON! AURORA TURNS BACK AROUND AND GRABS LUCAS KNIGHT! SHE PICKS HIM UP AND WHIPS HIM AGAIN INTO THE CAGE AS LUCAS CRASHES AND BURNS! AURORA NOW HAS HIM UP AND THIS IS IT! SHE GOES FOR ANOTHER HALESTORM….. NO! LUCAS KNIGHT FLIPS HER OVER AND SHE LANDS HARD!
Eve: LUCAS KNIGHT SEES AS SHE GETS UP AND KNIGHTFALL! AURORA MONROE IS DOWN AND OUT! LUCAS IS NOW CLIMBING THE TURNBUCKLE…. HE IS AT THE TOP ROPE BUT NO HE IS CLIMBING TO THE VERY TOP OF THE CAGE …. LUCAS IS STARTING TO GO OVER…. AND AURORA MONROE IS UP AND SHE RUNS UP THE TURNBUCKLE! THE AMAZON IS CLIMBING BEHIND HIM TOO AND LUCAS KNIGHT IS STRADDLED ON THE TOP OF THE CAGE, HE TURNS AND MEETS AURORA AT THE TOP AND LOOK AT THEM!
(The two wrestlers are straddled on the top of the cage as the fans look on in shock! Right hand after right hand on both as they teeter….)
Deadprez: SOMEONE IS GOING TO FALL OFF THE CAGE! LOOK AT LUCAS! HE IS SCREAMING AT PANDORA!
(Pandora looks up and takes off her heels, the barefoot Hellcat quickly starts to climb the cage like a cat….)
Gavin Kirkland: LOOK HOW FAST PANDORA IS CLIMBING THAT CAGE BAREFOOT! SHE IS MORE THAN HALFWAY UP BUT AURORA HAS LUCAS OVER THE EDGE BACK IN THE RING AND HE IS UPSIDE DOWN… PANDORA STOPS!? WHY DID SHE STOP!? KEEP GOING PANDORA!
(Pandora stops as she and Aurora glare at each other and Pandora is slowly climbing back down….)
Gavin Kirkland: WHAT IS PANDORA DOING!? AURORA HAS LUCAS BACK IN THE RING, SHE STARTS CLIMBING DOWN TOO AND KNOCKS LUCAS…..
CRASH!!!!!
Deadprez: LUCAS KNIGHT CRASHES ON THE MATS BELOW!
Crowd: HOLY SHIT!!!! HOLY SHIT!!!! HOLY SHIT!!!!!
Deadprez: AURORA NOW IS LOOKING AT THE CROWD AND PANDORA HAS SLOWLY CLIMBED BACK DOWN! AURORA IS NOW PERCHED ON THE TOP OF THE CAGE….. WHAT THE HELL IS SHE DOING….
Eve: BOREALIS OFF THE TOP OF THE CAGE ON LUCAS KNIGHT! BOREALIS OFF THE TOP OF THE CAGE ON LUCAS KNIGHT AND THIS ONE IS OVER!!!!
Crowd: HOLY SHIT!!!! HOLY SHIT!!!! HOLY SHIT!!!!!
ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
THREE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(DING!!! DING!!! DING!!!)
Gina Romano: HERE IS YOUR WINNER….. AURORA MONROE!!!
(Aurora rolls off Lucas lying next to him as she stares at the lights, the referee raises her hand in victory as the cage door opens. Serotonin slide in and Aurora is barely sitting up….)
Deadprez: BOREALIS OFF THE TOP OF THE CAGE AND AURORA MONROE WINS THIS MATCH WITH AN EXCLAMATION POINT ON LUCAS KNIGHT WHO WE ALL THOUGH HAD IT IN HAND! WITH THE HELP OF SEROTONIN IT WASN’T ENOUGH AND AURORA TAKES THE WIN!
Eve: ABSOLUTELY AMAZING THE ATHLETICISM OF THIS WOMAN! WAS SURREAL! WHAT SHE DID WAS BEYOND UNBELIEVABLE AND TOOK THE WIN!
Gavin Kirkland: Wait a second… Serotonin is in the ring and Aurora is barely getting up! Pandora and Jonny are about to trounce on her and…. Wait…. Huh?
(Suddenly Pandora gets in front of Jonny and pulls him away, he looks dumbfounded as Aurora slowly stands, here arms raised again as she keeps her eyes on Serotonin, but it looks like Pandora is holding Jonny back, tell him to let her pass.)
Deadprez: Call me completely shocked right now! Aurora glares at them for a moment before stepping out of the cage after a war with Lucas Knight to kick off this Showdown!
Eve: Huge win for Aurora Monroe you can see the huge weight off her back!
Gavin Kirkland: Did I mention how good Pandora looks tonight?
(Lucas Knight is already sat up glaring at Aurora who turns and smirks while wincing in pain, Pandora is rubbing his shoulders as Jonny looks on as the scene fades to a commercial.)
(As we come back from commercial break, Hurricane Hawk is sitting in his office with Showdown’s own Mikaela Street. She smiles and waves…)
Mikaela Street: Hello EAW Universe! This is Mikaela Street, and I am here with none other than our General Manager, Hurricane Hawk to talk about Pain for Pride! Exciting times, huh?
Hurricane Hawk: Always Mikaela, this is one of the hottest times of the year for the EAW and especially Pain For Pride. This is where so many of our top Elitists get to show what they are made of and for those younger and newer ones to really prove themselves and position in the company heading into Season 16. #EAW15 has been a tremendous success for Dynasty, Voltage and Showdown. We are definitely excited to see what happens moving forward but right now I want to talk about Showdown’s involvement in it and what we can look forward to in the next few weeks.
(Mikaela smiles and asks the questions…)
Mikaela Street: As the big show is upon us in Las Vegas in less than 26 days, we already know that Impact will be facing TLA, and the contract signing is tonight to make that official. We also know there will be a Cash in the Vault Qualifying match as well with Adam Lucas and Amir Yusuf.
Hurricane Hawk: That’s right, the Cash In The Vault is a huge opportunity for the winner and we are going to set things up perfectly for that with Adam and Amir. Next week we will have the final Cash in the Vault qualifying match as well, and later tonight I will name the two competitors vying for it. We also have so much more happening and so many great competitors that will be involved at Pain for Pride. This is the season to finally step up, and in the next three weeks leading into Pain for Pride before our final year in review go home show, we are going to bring you some exciting matches that will have so much momentum at stake. You can bet Mikaela that every single Elitist on the roster has a lot at stake. Look at what Dynasty had produced last night. Their Main Event would headline any Free Per View for this company. They had the King of Elite versus the Empress of Elite; Voltage too is bringing it all out and showing just how strong their roster is.
Mikaela Street: And you want to keep up.
(Hawk nods….)
Hurricane Hawk: Yes, that is exactly what I want to do and will. We have such a rich roster here and our Main Event alone is a headliner at Pain For Pride. But what about the rest of the matches we have in store? Within the next week, we will have a clear picture of what is happening at Pain For Pride and what the roster members will be competing in and truthfully speaking, a lot of it will unfold tonight here in Nairobi. It is exciting times Mikaela.
Mikaela Street: It really is. Kassidy Heart will now challenge for the Universal Women’s Championship against Andrea Valentine. Harper looks to try and make it to the finals in the Iconic Cup and we also have the 24/7 Battle Royal.
Hurricane Hawk: Yes, we do. A lot of Elitists think the 24/7 Battle Royal is some sort of punishment or there is nothing for them, ask Donovan Duke the same question and he will tell you while holding the National Elite Championship just how important that match is. Every single Elitist on the Blue Brand will be involved somehow and in the next few weeks, I will be showcasing a lot of that talent and give them a shot at really making a name for themselves, but before that even happens, we have a huge show planned tonight with another Steel Cage match this time between Veena Adams and Cameron Ella Ava. Mikaela, I am truly excited about how the last month of Season 15 will go, heading into Season 16 and you know that rosters change, new matchups, etc. This will not change in the slightest as we will continue to do what we do best and that is WRESTLE. I can promise the fans this, tonight they will leave with smiles on their faces.
(Mikaela smiles and turns to the camera….)
Mikaela Street: You heard it first from the boss, Hurricane Hawk. I know that Deadprez, Eve and Gavin Kirkland are ready to call the action for the next match.
Hurricane Hawk: Oh, this one will be good, between some future stars.
Mikaela Street: Thank you for your time, Hurricane Hawk!
Hurricane Hawk: Anytime Mikaela…. Because You Know Best.
Mikaela Street: See? He knows. Let’s go to the ring and Gina Romano with the call of the next match!
(The scene switches to ringside with Gina Romano…)
Gina Romano: Ladies and Gentlemen, the following match is scheduled for one fall…
Crowd: ONE FALL!!!
Gina Romano: and has a twenty minute time limit…
(The EAW Crowd roars and immediately all eyes divert to the stage when “I’m So Sick” by Flyleaf hits over the P.A System. The curtains part ways to allow Hoodlum to confidently walk out with a focused look in his eyes. Hoodlum looks out at the crowd, then stares down towards the ring and nods to himself before walking down the ramp.)
Gina Romano: Introducing first, he hails from the slums of Toronto, Canada…. HE IS HOODLUM!!!
Eve: Hoodlum is out here to make a statement with PFP on the horizon, and there is no better way than to do it tonight.
Deadprez: It isn’t gonna be easy for him though Eve, triple threats seldom are.
(Once Hoodlum reaches the bottom of the ramp he leaps onto the apron and quickly enters the ring before walking over to a corner and scaling it to pose to the crowd. A few moments pass and he jumps down and begins to walk back and forth in the ring while waiting on his opponents as he removes his jacket and hands it off to the ring crew…)
Gavin Kirkland: You’re right, it isn’t going to be easy and speaking of who didn’t have it easy tonight… Lucas Knight who was no match for Aurora Monroe in the steel cage to kick things off here in Kenya.
Eve: He certainly was not, but let’s not take the focus away from our match tonight, Gavin. This is not going to be one to miss, I’m sure.
(While Hoodlum turns his back, he spins around quickly once the opening to Lord Pretty Flacko Jodye by A$AP Rocky hits over the P.A System. Once again all eyes focus on the stage as some lights begin to come on and flicker around the arena.)
Gina Romano: And his opponent… He hails from Detroit, Michigan… HE IS “PRETTY BOY” JAE RICHARDS!!
(Upon the mentioning of his name the music transitions into “Poundz” by Brent Faiyaz as Jae Richards runs out onto the stage with a mile wide smile. He fist pumps the air which gets a roar from the crowd as he stands dead center on the stage and points to the EAW fans. He then looks down at his feet for a brief moment and takes a deep breath before looking down at the ring where Hoodlum stands waiting. Jae runs down the ramp, slapping some fans’ hands before sliding into the ring and stopping on his knees. He jumps to his feet and heads over to an opposite corner and scales it to pose to the crowd and hype them up for the match.)
Gavin Kirkland: Ugh, get a room already!
Eve: If he had one Gavin you certainly wouldn’t be invited to hang out with him, that i’m sure.
Deadprez: Huge night for this kid, spoke with him before the show and he’s looking forward to entertaining the crowd tonight and getting that all important victory.
Gina Romano: And lastly… their opponent…
(There is a pause before everyone’s attention is grabbed when a black bird flies through the arena, the lights turn off upon the sound of a gigantic Gong echoing from the PA System which vibrates throughout the arena to a mixed reaction from the fans.)
Deadprez: And here we go…
(Smoke fills the stage area as another loud Gong is heard, there is a third Gong which triggers afterwards and when it does “Running After My Fate” by Jean-Pierre Taieb plays right after. The entire arena is filled with dark dimmed red lights as “The Angel of Death” Samael slowly makes his way out to the ramp dressed in all black; wearing a leather jacket with red and black striped pants.)
Deadprez: And here we go… Samael is the third and final man in this match…
Gavin Kirkland: Let’s not play around,that is no man, he is a damn monster. Just look at him!
Eve: You sound concerned Gavin.
Gavin: Wouldn’t you be, look at HIM?!
(While quietly walking through the smoke, cameras zoom in on the demonic mask of Samael. During a brief moment where Samael just stands still, the black bird returns to Samael’s arm. Once Samael reaches the top of the stair steps, he lifts his arms as lights turn on and a fire bolt sound goes off while Samael tries to stare through his opponent’s soul and Draven flies off to where he came from…)
Gavin Kirkland: I’m glad that bird is gone, I don’t trust em.
Deadprez: You don’t trust anyone.
Gavin Kirkland: That’s a lie, I trust all the beautiful women in this company.
Eve: That’s just a recipe for disaster if there ever was one.
Gavin Kirkland: Which is exactly why I don’t trust you, Eve.
Eve: …
Deadprez: Alright you two put a lid on it, let’s focus on this triple threat.
(Jae Richards stands in one corner, Hoodlum in another and lastly Samael who stands by the ropes between two corners. Both Jae and Hoodlum look at each other before focusing their attention on Samael. They had one idea it seemed but the masked monster had one of his own and charges across the ring and attacks Jae Richards!)
DING! DING! DING!!!
Deadprez: Jae Richards is covering up in the corner now as Samael clubs away at him. But Hoodlum comes up from behind to interject but gets an elbow for his trouble from Samael. The Grim Reaper of EAW focuses his attention back on Richards, who now begins to get stomped away in the corner. Hoodlum though grabs Samael and spins him around to a roar from the crowd and connects with a right hand. Hoodlum hits another before going for an Irish whip but Samael plants his feets and becomes deadweight. Hoodlum tries another but he’s pulled into Samael who scoops him up and turns around and SLAMs Hoodlum on top of Jae Richards in the corner…
Eve: OUCH! Nothing says hello quite like another man being slammed on top of you!
(The EAW crowd “ooohs” from the impact of Hoodlum hitting Jae Richards who rolls out onto the apron.)
Gavin Kirkland: He felt that as did Hoodlum who is now the focus of Samael which I imagine he will regret later. Hoodlum winces a little as he is dragged to his feet and sent across the ring with an irish whip. Hoodlum hits the cables and comes back at the expectant Samael with the clothesline attempt, which he ducks. Hoodlum stops in his tracks as Samael spins around only to get caught by a rolling elbow from Hoodlum. Samael staggers and gets caught by another rolling elbow from Hoodlum!
Eve: But not to be out done Jae Richards is on the outside apron now and leaps onto the top rope and spring boards off and connects with a clothesline of his own! He celebrates back on his feet only to turn into a rolling elbow from Hoodlum as well! Rolling elbows all round it looks like. He then covers Samael!
ON-
Deadprez: No dice there, not even a one count! Hoodlum dives onto Jae Richards!
ON-
Eve: Again not even one count, way too early and wishful thinking on his part. Both Jae and Samael begin to stir but Hoodlum already has a plan in motion. He grabs Samael and pulls him to his feet only to run him towards the ropes and throw him through them to the outside.
Deadprez: Jae is back on his feet and Hoodlum knows this and takes him down with a running clothesline. He pulls Jae up and sends him across the ring to the opposite corner with another Irish whip. Jae hits hard and has little time to recover when Hoodlum runs at him and flips before connecting with a back elbow. He throws Jae down again and covers.
ONE!
T-
Gavin Kirkland: Richards kicks out after the one there. Hoodlum mounts and grabs a handful of hair before throwing those right hands at him. The official tries to interject with the hair holding but Hoodlum lets go before he could and backs away.
Eve: Hoodlum introduces Jae to his way of fighting as he plants boots to his face. He plants another to the chest and pulls Jae up to his feet. A right hand sends Jae Richards stumbling back to the ropes. Hoodlum runs at Jae but Jae is brought down by his feet and pulled out of the ring by Samael!
Deadprez: Oh boy the reaper is back in this. He pulls Jae Richards up and runs him into the nearby steel steps head first with a horrifying crash!
Crowd: OOOOH!
(Samael looks at the ring where Hoodlum stands and climbs the apron. Hoodlum charges at Samael but he’s caught with an elbow from the masked superstar. He hits another elbow before entering the ring and locking up with Hoodlum.)
Eve: Grapple in the corner now between Hoodlum and Samael, but it’s Samael with the advantage, he lifts Hoodlum up and drops him throat first across the top rope! Hoodlum holds his throat and rolls out of the ring immediately, creating some separation between him and Samael. Jae though is up on the outside and is bleeding and dazed!
Gavin Kirkland: The impact of his head hitting those steps was enough to force the Pretty Boy to bleed. I don’t know if that is a good or bad thing, but in this instance for Samael it’s a good thing…
Deadprez: Samael is like a shark in the water, he’s seen the blood and runs the ropes and has leaped over the top rope for a suicide dive on Jae Richards and he CONNECTS! WOW! What a move taking Richards down.
(Samael springs back up and has Jae Richards with him before rolling him into the ring. He turns his attention to Hoodlum and stomps at him a little more to keep him at bay before focusing on Richards again who begins to get to his feet.)
Gavin Kirkland: Samael doesn’t like the fact he’s getting up and enters the ring, he looks to hammer him down with a double axe handle but Jae counters with a mule kick to the gut. He spins around and unloads a series of boxing strikes on Samael seemingly having woken up from his dazed state!!
Eve: Jae side-steps and kicks the gut of Samael who falls to a knee. He kicks him in the chest repeatedly with the crowd counting along with each strike!
CROWD: ONE!!! TWO!! THREE!! FOUR!!!! FIVE!!!! SIX!!!
Deadprez: This crowd is getting behind Jae now as he unloads those kicks. He backs up and wipes his face and sees his blood on his hands and runs at Samael and… A RUNNING KNEE FROM HOODLUM!!
Eve: THAT ISN’T ALL HE BULLDOG SAMAEL AS WELL!!! WOW!
(There are some boos now from the crowd after that interruption by Hoodlum, but he waves them off before rolling Samael and covering.)
ONE!!!!
TW-
Eve: KICKOUT BY SAMAEL!!! He powers out and rolls back to his feet much to the surprise of Hoodlum. But Hoodlum gets back up and runs at Samael who takes him out with snake eyes across the top turnbuckle. Back on his feet he goes back on the attack, only his focus is now Jae Richards!
Gavin Kirkland: The blood is a surefire marker for him, Samael was focused before but now more than ever and it looks like Hoodlum just pissed him off in the process which spells trouble for Jae..
Deadprez: Samael grabs hold of Jae Richards and pulls him to his feet before pushing him to a corner. What is he going to do… What the… He is squeezing that wound on his head, hes trying to milk more blood out of it!
Eve: What the hell?! Samael drives his elbow across that wound trying to open it up more and it looks like he is succeeding. Samael drives another elbow, but with his focus on Jae he doesn’t see Hoodlum coming up from behind him and he hits a german suplex! Hoodlum releases and gets back to his feet and charges at Jae Richards and leaps onto him and grabs hold of his head before falling back and hitting a monkey flip on Jae Richards which sends him into Samael!!
Deadprez: The timing from Hoodlum there was impeccable! Jae Richards is in bad shape right now and is down on the ground. Samael is back up and covers.
ONE!!!
TW-
Gavin Kirkland: HOODLUM BREAKS IT UP! I don’t know if that wa wise or stupid on his part, but he wants the win so he must know what he is doing! He stomps the back of Samael and pulls him up and hits a European uppercut. He delivers a stiff right hand of his own and sends Samael out of the ring once again!
Eve: Smart there, focus on Jae and he does just that, dropping a quick elbow across that open wound on his head and covers.
ONE!!!
TWO!!!
THR-
Deadprez: NO!!! SAMAEL PULLS HOODLUM OFF!! He pulls him up and Hoodlum throws a haymaker rocking Samael! He looks for another but Samael blocks and hits one of his own. Both men teeing off with the other and moving towards the ropes. Hoodlum drives a knee into the gut of Samael and then a right hand to the face. Hoodlum backs up and runs at Samael looking for something. But The reaper had other ideas and kicked him in the gut!
Eve: Big kick and now something even BIGGER! Chokeslam OVER THE TOP ROPE TO THE APRON!!! HOODLUM HITS HARD AND ROLLS TO THE OUTSIDE IN PAIN.
Gavin Kirkland: Oh my god that is the hardest part of the ring, I don’t care who you think you are that is NOT going to do you any favours, especially if your back hits it…
Deadprez: or any body part for that matter! Samael is just staring at Hoodlum as he withers in pain on the outside. Jae Richards though is up and tries to roll Samael up!!!
ON-
Eve: NO!! NOT EVEN A ONE COUNT ON HIS PART!! Samael is back up as is Jae Richards, Jae charges at him with a high kick but Samael ducks under it. Jae attempts a roundhouse kick but misses and follows through with a back fist which Samael blocks before grabbing hold of him and leaning him over his knee and throwing him face first back into the canva with the R.I.P!
Deadprez: Oof the impact there and just look at the canvas, it’s stained with Jae’s blood like it’s a damn rorschach test. Samael covers and rests his elbow across the face of Jae Richards…
ONE!!!
TWO!!!!
THREE!!!
(DING! DING! DING!!)
(“Running After My Fate” by Jean-Pierre Taieb begins to play as Samael continues to hover over Jae. The loud GONG from a bell his heard as we see Draven, Samaels black bird fly back in and land on the top rope and cawing.)
Gavin kirkland: OH MY GOD THE BIRD IS BACK OUT HERE, COVER YOUR EYES.
Gina Romano: LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE WINNER OF THIS MATCH AS A RESULT OF A PIN FALL…. SAMAEL!!!!
(The bird caws again as we now see Samael mount Jae Richards and remove a small plastic tube and begin to squeeze at the open wound on Jae’s head. He tries to fight it but struggles to do so as Samael collects a sample of Jaes blood.)
Deadprez: That is some messed up shit man. I don’t want to know what he’s going to do with that.
Eve: Me neither, but Samael picked up the win on both fronts though, Hoodlum is up and must be feeling that chokeslam still as he holds his back. But the focus tonight isn’t Hoodlum or JAe it’s Samael and what he will do next here in EAW…
(EAW’s cameras focus on Samael who stands now with his arms outstretched as he has climbed a corner, Draven his bird now flown up to and resting on his arm as both look out at the crowd before turning their attention to the vial of blood he just collected as the scene switches to another part of the arena…)
(We cut to the back where Abel Atami is standing with backstage reporter Kyra Phillips. The arena gives a smattering of boos, a none-plussed reaction for the elitist who has been on a slump of late. Abel looks annoyed by the reaction but perks up knowing the reason that he is here.)
Kyra Phillips: Abel, you requested this time the floor is yours. What do you have to say?
(Abel looks down at the floor for a moment before his eyes come back to the camera slightly narrowed.)
Abel Atami: Change.
Kyra Phillips: Huh?
Abel Atami: I couldn’t carry on the way things were going Kyra, things had to change. My ‘situation’ has gone on for too long, and I had no option but to do something. I stand here right now, Elite Answers Wrestling not knowing who I am. THAT Kyra is going to change. It is going to change because fate intervened. It’s going to change due to my new manager…
(The camera pans outwards, and reveals a man standing next to them both. Abel takes a step back allowing the man to take the floor. He looks directly down the lens and starts to speak, Kyra holding the mic under his mouth.)
Man: My name is Antonne Prudence. You may not have heard of me, but by the time I am through, you will know precisely who I am, and what I am about. My ‘business’ is taking rough diamonds like my client here and turning them into superstars. Superstars that dominate their industries and are forever remembered.
Kyra Phillips: Could you tell us someone who…
Antonne Prudence: I don’t have to justify myself to you, or anyone else. Mr. Atami has put his faith in me, and his faith is all I need. I am a man who speaks by actions, and by the time I am done, Mr. Atami will have done the same. I look at Mr. Atami and I see a colossus who this company should fear, and not a comedic interval. I see an immortal with all the tools needed to dominate your landscape. Just look at him for yourself Miss Phillips, does this look like a man who should be trifled with? Of course not, people should ensure they stay out of his way. They don’t… and why? There has been no one to take care of his brand.
Kyra Phillips: OK, but surely you don’t expect people to take you at face value?
(Prudence almost sneers at Kyra, Atami grinning from ear to ear.)
Antonne Prudence: Do you think I am a fool Miss Phillips? Believe me when I say Mr. Atami’s success means just as much to me as it does him. I don’t expect anyone to believe me, that requires an element of common sense, and there isn’t a lot of that going on around here. What I do expect is for people to listen and starting next week, I promise you, in fact I swear on my life, things are going to change forever around here. No longer will Mr. Atami be given throwaway matches that mean nothing. Mr. Atami will be given the standard of opponent he has always deserved. Next week, Abel… I can call you Abel, yes.
Abel Atami: Sure, go ahead.
Antonne Prudence: Abel will be booked against an opponent that will showcase exactly how great he truly is. Next week, Abel will take one of the biggest names on this brand, and humble him, in a way never seen in this company. Abel losing on a consistent basis is from this moment OVER, and this is where he will finally make good on all his potential, just in time for Pain for Pride season. NO MORE will he be treated like dirt. Soon, you will all see him as your superior, the way it should have always been, and you will all regale him for the competitor that he is. I will now let you hear from the man himself.
(Prudence now takes a step back, and Abel one forward, Kyra having gotten more and more nervous as the interview, if you could call it that, has gone on.)
Abel Atami: I came into this company with a reputation to uphold, and because of certain circumstances out of my control, I have been unable to make good on my many promises. But Kyra, I don’t have ‘quit’ in me, and with Prudence by my side, the stand is now set for me to not only improve my win / loss record, but also climb the ranks here and find my true position at the top of this company. I’m sick of being the butt of the jokes in the locker room. I’m sick of losing to people that don’t even deserve to share the ring with me. And I’m sick of people not giving me the respect my talent demands. This is the line in the sand, and it all stops… right here.
(The boos start to get a little louder at what sounds like a threat to the entire EAW roster.)
Abel Atami: Yeah, boo, jeer… I don’t give a shit. Tell it to someone who cares. All I care about is taking all your heroes and breaking them into a thousand pieces, along the way to becoming a champion. And Kyra, with Antonne Prudence by my side, I cannot be stopped. It is inevitable. I AM INEVITABLE.
(Kyra thinks about pulling him up on the obvious reference but doesn’t bother. And thankfully for her, Prudence puts a hand on his shoulder, and the two of them walk away down the corridor.)
Kyra Phillips: Only time will tell if Abel Atami is true to his word.
(Kyra smiles as it fades to a commercial break.)
(As the show fades back from commercials, the camera cuts to Gina Romano in the ring.)
Gina Romano: THE FOLLOWING CONTEST IS SCHEDULED FOR…ONE FALL!!
Crowd: ONE FALL!!
Gina Romano: AND IS A MATCH IN BLOCK A OF THE ICONIC CUP TOURNAMENT!
(‘Everybody Knows My Name’ by Harley Poe plays to a negative reaction as Lila Vandran steps out from behind the curtain, making her way down to the ring.)
Gina Romano: Introducing first! Hailing out of Manchester, New Hampshire, weighing in at 103 pounds…THE DEVOUT DEVIL…LILA VANDRAN!!
Eve: Lila’s a bit on the newer side to EAW, but tonight, can score a big win up against Mary S. Atlas.
Deadprez: When you’re new, it’s all about showing what you’re made of, and Lila can once again do that here.
Eve: And land an Iconic Cup Tournament win with it!
(‘Nothing Helps’ by ONE OK ROCK is next to play, receiving a much louder reaction from fans as Mary S. Atlas strolls down to the ring.)
Gina Romano: And her opponent! Hailing out of St. Louis, Missouri, weighing in at 125 pounds…MOST WANTED…MARY S. ATLAS!!
Gavin Kirkland: :mjlit:
Eve: Please stop drooling for one second, Gavin.
Gavin Kirkland: WPSIUDJDHD I CANT HELP IT!!
Deadprez: Putting her physical attributes aside, Mary carries tons of talent, which she’s showcased numerous amounts of times, and I can imagine she’s feeling pretty confident going up against Lila.
Eve: Hopefully OVERconfidence isn’t what costs her.
(The referee looks at both competitors before signaling for the bell.)
(DING! DING! DING!)
Eve: The bell has rung, and Mary looks to close the space between her and Lila, who backpedals away, clinging near the ropes before rolling out underneath the bottom one.
Deadprez: The crowd boo, seeing Vandran as a coward in this situation.
Gavin Kirkland: You can’t be a coward by dictating the pace of your match.
Eve: Well, she better dictate quicker as the referee is up to a six count.
Deadprez: After some stalling, Lila finally enters the ring, AND GOES TO RUSH MARY WITH A CLOTHESLINE ATTEMPT! BUT ATLAS DUCKS UNDERNEATH IT, MAKING A GO BEHIND ON VANDRAN! Mary tries to bounce her opponent chest first off the top rope for an O’Connor roll, but Lila hangs on, causing Mary to roll through to her feet in the center of the ring.
Eve: Lila goes to capitalize, BUT RUNS RIGHT INTO A DROPKICK! Mary wants to take advantage, but Lila rolls to the outside, stopping her opponent from doing so. The referee begins his count on Lila, who looks to be in no rush of stepping back into that ring.
Referee: ONE! TWO! THREE! FOUR!
Deadprez: Lila slowly re-enters, and Mary is right there waiting. BUT VANDRAN CATCHES HER OFF GUARD WITH A FOREARM, DROPPING MARY TO THE MAT! Lila takes advantage with repeated stomps, not gonna give Atlas the chance to regain a vertical base just yet.
Eve: In the split second Lila stopped reigning down with stomps, Mary hurried back to her feet, getting tagged with forearms that back her up against the ropes, followed up with a few knife edge chops, lighting up the chest of Atlas now! Vandran whips her off the ropes now for a clothesline, which Mary ducks under! AND REBOUNDS OFF THE ROPES A SECOND TIME FOR A HURRICANRANA!
Deadprez: Lila rushes back to her feet, getting caught with a kick to the gut, and penalty kick to the face afterward! Lila staggers back, rebounding off the ropes in her daze, almost getting caught with a roundhouse kick! But ducks underneath it, sliding out of the ring! Vandran favors her nose while walking in front of the rampway area ringside.
Eve: Mary is growing fed up with Lila’s antics, and runs off the ropes for a baseball slide. BUT VANDRAN TRAPS HER UNDERNEATH THE RING SKIRT FOR A FLURRY OF FOREARMS! Mary crumples to the floor, and gets brought back to her feet by Lila, who slams her face first off the apron! Atlas gets sent back into the ring, and is clearly on wobbly legs, staggering back into the corner. LILA CHARGES IN WITH A RUNNING CLOTHESLINE!
Deadprez: Mary sinks down against the bottom turnbuckle, and Vandran presses her foot into Atlas’ jaw, causing the ref to begin his five count!
Referee: ONE! TWO! TH-
Deadprez: Lila relents early.
Gavin Kirkland: Thank God, keep this up, she could ruin those perfectly good looks of Mary! :mjcry:
Eve: Of course that’s what you’re worried about.
Gavin Kirkland: Should be what we’re all worried about.
Eve: The referee pulls Vandran away from a recovering Mary, who crawls out of the corner, making it to the center of the ring before Lila is free from the ref’s scold. Vandran brings Mary up to a kneel, BUT GETS CAUGHT WITH A FOREARM TO THE ABDOMEN! Lila’s doubled over for a bit, but soon as she tried to regain control, got caught with another, now another!
Deadprez: Mary stands herself up with Vandran temporarily stunned, and swings wildly with a clothesline. Lila manages to duck, and shoves Mary face first into the top turnbuckle. Atlas turns around, AND RIGHT INTO SMILE! THAT REVERSE ROUNDHOUSE KICK TO THE FACE! Not so often you see a big move like that connect this early, but Mary might be out as she gets dragged to the middle for a lateral press!
ONNNNNNEEEEEEEEEEE!!
TWWWWWWOOOOOOOOOO!!
Eve: Kickout at two! Mary is far from being finished, and Lila stomps her on the side of the head! Some viciousness being shown here as Atlas crawls over to the ropes, using them for assistance in getting back to her feet! But Lila halts that from happening with a mat slam, the back of Mary’s head hitting hard! Lila smirks before picking Mary up to lean her against the ropes for an Irish whip!
Deadprez: BACK ELBOW DROPS ATLAS! Lila scores a kick to the chest, then gut, jolting Mary up to a seated position. Vandran grabs Atlas by the ear, bringing her to a kneel before Mary swats that hand away. Lila starts landing knees to the face, holding the back of Atlas’ head while doing so! Gritty offense here as Mary crumbles down to the canvas, and Lila shoots the half for a pinfall!
ONNNNNNEEEEEEEEEE!!
TWWWWWWOOOOOOOOOO!!
Eve: Immediate kickout after the count of two! Lila grabs both sides of Mary’s head, and bangs the back of it off the canvas repeatedly! Hooking the leg for another cover!
ONNNNNNNEEEEEEEEEEE!!
TWWWWWWWOOOOOOOOOOO!!
Eve: Again, a quick kickout after the count of two, and Lila grabs a handful of hair, standing Atlas back up. Right hand sends her back to a kneel, and a forearm drops Mary to a seated position on the mat. Atlas rolls away from Vandran, trying to pull herself up in the corner. Lila tries to interrupt this, BUT WALKS RIGHT INTO A BACK ELBOW! After letting that hit register, the aggression of Lila amps up, pummeling Mary to the canvas with clubs to the back!
Deadprez: And now stomping her, holding the top rope for some assistance! The referee reprimands Lila, who grinds her knee into the jaw of a downed Atlas!
Referee: ONE! TWO! THREE! FOUR!
Deadprez: Lila removes her knee off of Mary, and stands her up for an elbow smash, knocking her back into the corner. Lila whips Mary into the opposite one, AND CHARGES IN, FULL HEAD OF STEAM! BUT MARY SIDESTEPS WHATEVER LILA HAD PLANNED! Vandran stops herself short of crashing into the top turnbuckle, and turns around, RIGHT INTO A ROUNDHOUSE KICK, DAZING HER IN THAT CORNER!
Eve: MARY REBOUNDS OFF THE OPPOSITE CORNER FOR A RUNNING BICYCLE KNEE STRIKE! And Mary runs off the ropes this time as Lila comes wandering out of that corner. But before we can find out what exactly she had planned there, Lila drives her knee into the gut of Mary, doubling her over! Vandran runs off the ropes in front of her opponent, AND GETS HERSELF WITH A BICYCLE KNEE STRIKE!
Deadprez: Mary doesn’t go for the cover, opting to climb to the top turnbuckle for a DIVING CROSSBODY, HOOKING BOTH LEGS ON VANDRAN!
ONNNNNNEEEEEEEEEEE!!
TWWWWWWOOOOOOOOOO!!
Deadprez: Lila powers out of the pinfall! Mary goes back out to the apron, but before she can begin her climb to the top once more, Lila is there to prevent her this time, wrapping her arms around the waist of Atlas! Mary grabs Lila by the hair, playing a little dirty herself in standing Vandran upright for an elbow smash, causing her to stumble backward a bit.
Eve: Mary tries entering through the middle rope, BUT GETS CAUGHT WITH A PENALTY KICK TO THE FACE MIDWAY THROUGH, AND BROUGHT TO THE CENTER OF THE RING IN A FRONT FACELOCK, BEING PLANTED WITH A SNAP SWINGING NECKBREAKER! COVER IS MADE!
ONNNNNNEEEEEEEEE!!
TWWWWWWOOOOOOOOO!!
THHH-
Gavin Kirkland: YES! Mary kicks out!
Deadprez: Lila helps her back to a vertical base, and knocks her opponent back into the corner with a headbutt! Vandran hoists Mary up to the top turnbuckle, having bad intentions in the mind as she climbs to the middle rope. But Mary begins to fight back with elbows, finally knocking Lila off, slamming her face first on the top turnbuckle!
Eve: Mary perched herself on the top now! BUT LILA THROWS HERSELF AT THE ROPES, RUINING MARY’S BALANCE, CAUSING HER TO TAKE A TUMBLE OFF!
Deadprez: Almost out of instinct, Mary is back to her feet, and takes a wild swing at Lila, but winds up getting planted with a SPINEBUSTER! Cover is made!
ONNNNNNNEEEEEEEEEE!!
TWWWWWWWOOOOOOOOOOO!!
THHHH-
Deadprez: KICKOUT! Mary’s showing some resilience here, having taken a beating at the hands of Vandran. Mary gets brought back to her feet, and lifted to a fireman’s carry. However, slips out the back, and grabs her in a rear waistlock. BACK ELBOW HELPS LILA ESCAPE MARY’S GRASPS! AND SHE RUNS OFF THE ROPES IN FRONT OF HER WOBBLY LEGGED OPPONENT!
Eve: MARY SIDESTEPS LILA FOR A REBOUND GERMAN SUPLEX, DUMPING HER HIGH ON THE BACK OF HER HEAD AND NECK! Lila rolls through a knee, AND ALMOST GETS HER HEAD TAKEN OFF WITH A ROUNDHOUSE KICK! Vandran rolls out of the ring, but even out there she isn’t safe as Atlas soars over the top rope with a TOPE CON HILO!
Deadprez: Mary pulls Lila up in a front facelock, and rolls her into the ring. Lila’s up to a knee, dazed and confused. And Atlas connects with shoot kicks to the chest!
Gavin Kirkland: Putting those educated feet to good use!
Eve: Mary tries another shoot kick, but Lila catches the boot, and stands up! MARY LANDS AN ENZIGURI, SENDING LILA STAGGERING INTO THE CORNER! MARY CHARGES IN, BUT VANDRAN SENDS UP AND OVER HER SHOULDER! ATLAS LANDS ON THE APRON, AND TURNS LILA AROUND FOR A HOTSHOT!
Deadprez: Vandran stumbles backward, and Mary sticks her upper body through the middle rope for a springboard CUTTER! CUTTER CULTURE! THE COVER IS MADE!
ONNNNNNEEEEEEEEEE!!
TWWWWWWOOOOOOOOOO!!
THHH-
Deadprez: KICKOUT! And look at the wise Lila, rolling out of the ring to regain her composure! Vandran’s leant forward on the apron, and Lila steps out herself, hitting Lila in the side of the face with a bicycle kick! Vandran’s rolled back into the ring for a cover!
ONNNNNEEEEEEEE!!
TWWWWWOOOOOOOO!!
Eve: Quick kickout at two! Lila’s struggling back to her feet, and Mary wants an exploder suplex! BUT VANDRAN TRIES TO ESCAPE WITH DOWNWARD ELBOWS TO THE BACK OF THE NECK! Mary’s faltering, BUT POWERS THROUGH THE STRIKES TO LAND THE EXPLODER SUPLEX ANYWAYS! ANOTHER COVER IS MADE!
ONNNNNNEEEEEEEEE!!
TWWWWWWOOOOOOOOO!’
THH-
Gavin Kirkland: I like my women strong like Mary!
Eve: Riiight. Also, you glossed over a kickout idiot. Lila finds herself in the corner, AND MARY CONNECTS WITH A RUNNING CORNER CLOTHESLINE! ATLAS RUNS OFF THE ROPES, BUT GETS CAUGHT WITH A RUNNING SINGLE LEG DROPKICK!
Deadprez: Lila stalks Mary from the corner now, and waits for her to stand back up. VANDRAN COMES IN WITH A RUNNING BLOCKBU- NO! MARY COUNTERS WITH A BACK BODY DROP! Lila stands back up, holding her back, AND SHES LEFT OPEN FOR A FRANKENSTEINER BY ATLAS! COVER IS MADE!
ONNNNNNNEEEEEEEEEEE!!
TWWWWWWWOOOOOOOOO!!
THHH-
Eve: THERES A KICKOUT! Mary is at a loss for words now, thinking that flurry of offense would’ve done her opponent in. But the gameplan switches, and Mary urges Lila to stand up.
Deadprez: …WELCOME TO MARYLAND- DOESNT CONNECT! LILA HOLDS HER THERE, AND TRANSITIONS INTO A CRADLE DDT! REALITY BREAK CAUSES MARY TO GO LIMP AS LILA SHOOTS THE HALF FOR A COVER!
ONNNNNNEEEEEEEEEEEE!!
TWWWWWWOOOOOOOOOOO!!
THHHHHHRRRRRREEEEEEEEEEEE!!
(DING! DING! DING!)
Gina Romano: HERE’S YOUR WINNER…LILA VANDRAN!!
(‘Everybody Knows My Name’ by Harley Poe echoes throughout the arena, receiving a negative reaction from fans, not that Lila cares as she has her hand raised in victory by the ref.)
Eve: Can’t say I expected that outcome, especially with how it looked near the end there.
Deadprez: Lila had firm control at some parts, successfully halting any momentum of Mary.
Deadprez: Sucks to see Mary lose, but Lila’s growing on me, she kinda got some junk in the trunk… :mjlit:
(The camera cuts elsewhere as Lila leaves the ring.)
(Showdown fades backstage in General Manager Hurricane Hawk’s office. The crowd is cheering in the background as Hawk finds himself on the phone, nodding and responding here and there. It’s unclear what this conversation is about, but it looks important. He is pacing back-and-forth as the scene fades in.)
Hurricane Hawk (on the phone): It seems like things are falling into place from our side. I’m more than happy with our main event this year. TLA versus Impact is a match with quite a bit of history. That’s intriguing to see going into Pain for Pride. Kassidy Heart has a history with Andrea Valentine, so there’s no denying that those two will blow the roof off the Allegiant Stadium. I’m also keen on our potential Cash in the Vault participants. I think that either Adam Lucas or Amir Yusuf would be terrific in the match. Both are hard workers and Amir put on a fantastic performance at Grand Rampage. Adam has been putting on bangers all season, so I think that either man would be fantastic.
(Hurricane Hawk pauses as obviously, the person on the other line is responding to him. Hawk is nodding and thinking at the same time.
Hurricane Hawk: (OTP) You see, I’m still a little unsure about the second Cash in the Vault qualifying match because the roster is hungry and anxious to get on the card —
(The door slams open, which startles Hurricane Hawk. Ronan Malosi walks in with the Rogues Gallery right behind him. Ronan is hurt, beat up, and upset that he lost to Charlie Marr at Battle of Egypt. Lucas Knight looks beaten up from his match with Aurora Monroe earlier tonight. He wears a towel around his neck which was used to clean up the sweat and blood from his face. The two members of Serotonin, Pandora Paisley and Jonny Airhart look pissed because they want something for Pain for Pride. Hawk seems a bit unamused by the four of them margining in his office.)
Hurricane Hawk: (OTP) Look, I gotta call you back. It’s General Manager stuff. Bye.
(Hurricane Hawk ends the call and places his phone in his back pocket. He shifts his attention to Ronan Malosi and the Rogues Gallery.)
Hurricane Hawk: What’s so important that it requires you to barge into my office?
Ronan Malosi: Well, Hawk, I’m glad you asked. As you can see by our faces, we’re not happy whatsoever. I am not happy about being robbed of the Hardcore Championship at Battle of Egypt. I should be walking into Pain for Pride as the Hardcore Champion, but that’s not happening because Charlie has the Saudis in his back pocket and they were determined to see their golden boy remain as champion. Not only that, but you have the hottest tag team on Showdown and they don’t have a spot at Pain for Pride? Serotonin saved my life, Hawk. These two are heroes and they should have their feet groveled and worshiped like it was Mr. DEDEDE and his foot fetish. Then, you have Lucas Knight, a man who was ROBBED of a victory against Aurora Monroe. A man who has been so keen on bringing class and sacred mat wrestling to the Showdown brand and what does he get? NOTHING. We all deserve a lot more, Hawk and we won’t stand for the mistreatment that you have given us. I want to be at Pain for Pride and I want something special. I want something that is going to be worth my time.
Hurricane Hawk: First of all, who the hell do you think you are for bargaining into my office?
Lucas Knight: Hawk, I know it’s not the most idealistic way to come up to you, but Ronan, Pandora, Jonny, and I felt like we needed to do that to get your attention. You see Ronan and the Rogues Gallery feel like we need to be on that Pain for Pride card. Ronan doesn’t speak for the Rogues Gallery, but his sentiments are consistent with mine. We want to find ourselves on that Pain for Pride card, I do believe Pain for Pride needs someone like myself, Pandora, and Jonny to demonstrate a cohesive unit. I have promised change on the Showdown brand, but you can be part of that change, Hawk. You can do something great and that’s allowing the Rogues Gallery and Ronan Malosi on that Pain for Pride card and letting our change expand outside the Showdown brand.
Jonny Airhart: We’re not being complicated, Hawk, and I think you know that. All we want is an opportunity to prove ourselves. We want to show everyone else why we should be the focal point of not only Showdown but EAW. We should be the wrestlers that are symbols of the future. To let people know that you don’t need to waste your time doing those extreme and hardcore garbage stipulations in order to get a pop, technical, pure wrestling is the only way to go with this.
Pandora Paisley: Give us what we want, love. We want an opportunity.
Hurricane Hawk: If an opportunity is what you want, then you got it. At Pain for Pride, the Rogues Gallery will be in the 24/7 Battle Royal. For those that are unfamiliar with the match, a battle royal that determines who wins a contract can be cashed in for *any* championship at any time of their choosing. Now, how’s that for an opportunity?
(The Rogues Gallery looks amongst themselves before nodding in approval.)
Jonny Airhart: Fine by us.
(Hurricane Hawk nods, feeling like he resolved one issue. Then, he looks over the man who has been giving him an issue for the last season and a half, Ronan Malosi. Ronan is a little standoffish.)
Hurricane Hawk: Now, I gotta admit you have stepped up your game, aside from all the bitching and complaining.
Ronan Malosi: I call it voicing my concerns, Hawk —
Hurricane Hawk: Just shut up for a second, damn. I wasn’t done talking.
Ronan Malosi: 🤐
Hurricane Hawk: After I was rudely interrupted, I was going to say next week, you will be in a Cash in the Vault qualifying match to get into the prestigious contest at Pain for Pride. There, you will get your opportunity to climb up the ladder, retrieve the briefcase, and challenge for any World Championship of your choosing.
Ronan Malosi: :oh: Now, we’re talking, Hawk! I can’t wait to defeat whatever bum you have in mind and stamp my ticket to Pain for Pride. You see, Pain for Pride hasn’t looked too hot for me these past couple of years, so it would be a nice change to show everyone that I’m a new man, and winning a briefcase would be a wonderful way to solidify that! You see, this is the opportunity that I have been waiting for ALL season for. This is what I wanted and I’m glad that you realized that you need a star like myself to represent the brand. I promise that whoever my opponent is, they won’t hold a candle to me.
(Ronan Malosi pats the chest of Hurricane Hawk with the back of his hands, but it seems like Hawk isn’t all smiles due to the gesture. In fact, there’s a part of him that is still upset that Ronan and the Rogues Gallery barged into his office. Eventually, Ronan wipes the smile off his face, realizing that Hawk isn’t on the most friendly terms. With the sense of discomfort on Ronan, he does his best not to show it, but it shows.)
Ronan Malosi: I’ll be on my way. It was a nice chat.
(Ronan Malosi turns himself around to where that smile on his face appears. It almost has the feeling like he struck rich or won the lottery. You can just see that huge smile on his face as he leaves the scene as the Rogues Gallery is not too far behind him. The last shot is of Hurricane Hawk who is more than relieved to get those four out of his office. He turns and begins to walk towards his desk, going to dive into his paperwork. The scene fades elsewhere.)
(The camera cuts to Gina Romano in the ring.)
Gina Romano: THE FOLLOWING CONTEST IS SCHEDULED FOR…ONE FALL!!
Crowd: ONE FALL!!
Gina Romano: AND IS A MATCH IN BLOCK B OF THE ICONIC CUP TOURNAMENT!
(“Mr. Brightside” by The Killers plays out Lexi, who strolls down to the ring, having a smile on her face, prepared to step in the ring once more.)
Gina Romano: Introducing first! Hailing out of Detroit, Michigan, weighing in at 117 pounds…SHE IS THE MOTOR CITY MACHINE GUN…LEXI!
Eve: Lexi’s here, and let’s see if that in ring aggression can get her a victory tonight against Usagi Senshi.
Deadprez: Well, you talk about aggression, if there’s someone who can match it, it’s Usagi, who’s always coming at you with strikes!
Eve: That is true, but maybe Lexi comes in this with a gameplan, she did have one against Kristen.
(“A Cruel Angel’s Thesis” by Yoko Takahashi draws a thunderous ovation from fans, who support Usagi Senshi all the way in her route to the ring.)
Gina Romano: And her opponent!! Residing out of Okinawa, Japan, weighing in at 130 pounds…SHE IS THE CRYPTIC ACE…USAGI SENSHI!!
Eve: Usagi! Talk about talented, it’s her.
Deadprez: You can tell the woman has formed a bond with the EAW fanbase around here, and it’s well deserved, she puts on a great performance everytime she’s out there.
Eve: But tonight, Usagi has to look for me than just a great performance, more so a win.
(The referee looks at both competitors before signaling for the bell.)
(DING! DING! DING!)
Eve: The bell has rung, and this match is officially underway with both competitors circling each other before locking up in the center of the ring, each jockeying for position. Lexi gets the early advantage with a standing side headlock, bringing Usagi down to a knee. But Senshi powers back to a vertical base, pushing Lexi off, sending her into the ropes.
Deadprez: USAGI GOES FOR A ROUNDHOUSE KI- NO! Lexi hangs on to the top rope, seemingly saving herself from being beheaded there. Usagi invites Lexi back to the center, and although apprehensive, Lexi approaches, clearly on guard. Looks like we’re gonna see another lock up, but Lexi makes a go behind on Usagi, who does one of her own. Senshi spins Lexi around with a half nelson, snapmaring her down to the canvas.
Eve: LEXI RUSHES BACK TO HER FEET, BUT QUICKLY FALLS FLAT BACK ON THE MAT, EFFECTIVELY AVOIDING ANOTHER ROUNDHOUSE KICK! Lexi scrambles into the corner, poking her upper body out through the middle rope. Usagi tries to go after her, but the referee holds her back from doing so. AND EVER THE OPPORTUNIST, LEXI CONNECTS WITH A KICK TO THE GUT, DROPPING USAGI TO BOTH KNEES!
Deadprez: Smart move there, and Lexi leans Usagi up against the ropes for an Irish whip! However, Senshi reverses, sending Lexi instead. BACK ELBOW ATTEMPT GETS DUCKED UNDERNEATH BY LEXI, WHO CONTINUES TO REBOUND OFF THE ROPES! USAGI CHARGES HER FOR A CLOTHESLINE, BUT AGAIN, LEXI DUCKS BELOW IT! …USAGI FINALLY CATCHES LEXI WITH A DROPKICK, PUTTING HER MOMENTUM TO A COMPLETE STOP!
Eve: Lexi jolts up to a seated position, clutching at her mouth and nose area, AND LEAVES HERSELF OPEN FOR A PENALTY KICK TO THE CHEST! Usagi hooks the leg for a cover!
ONNNNNNNEEEEEEEEEEEE!!
TWWWWWWWOOOOO-
Deadprez: There’s a kickout at one by Lexi, who manages to stand herself up, stumbling into the corner. Usagi is in hot pursuit to score a knife edge chop, echoing throughout the arena. Lexi pushes past Senshi, wandering out of the corner, and regrouping in the opposite one. Just anything to create seperation it seems, but Usagi isn’t gonna let her off that easy, landing a FLURRY of knife edge chops now! The crowd loving every second of it!
Eve: Lexi falls to a knee, and Usagi tries standing her back up. HOWEVER, LEXI SHOWCASES SOME EXCELLENT RING AWARENESS, GRABBING THE FRONT OF USAGI’S TRUNKS FOR LEVERAGE, AND PULLING HER FACE FIRST INTO THE MIDDLE TURNBUCKLE! But Lexi isn’t done, grabbing the stunned Senshi, and sending her out through the middle rope.
Gavin Kirkland: I love both women, but this isn’t looking good for Usagi right now.
Deadprez: Yeah, the tide has turned, and Lexi needs to capitalize with her dazed opponent on the outside.
Gavin Kirkland: Don’t you see her down to a knee? Let the lady catch her breath!
Referee: ONE! TWO! THREE! F-
Deadprez: Lexi forces the referee to restart his count as she slides out of the ring, showing she has done exactly what Gavin said, and simply stalks Senshi on the outside while she gets to all fours. …OOH! Soccer ball kick to the gut by Lexi, now knocking the winds out of her opponent’s sails. Lexi grabs a handful of hair, standing Usagi back up, and rolls her into the ring. Lexi isn’t long behind.
Eve: Usagi is back on both feet, and Lexi goes to grab her, BUT EATS SOME SHOTS TO THE BODY FOR HER TROUBLE, TARGETING THE RIB CAGE! AND WITH HER OPPONENT STUNNED, USAGI RUNS OFF THE ROPES IN FRONT! BUT REBOUNDS RIGHT INTO A JUMPING HIGH KNEE! LEXI IS QUICK INTO THE COVER, HOOKING THE LEG!
ONNNNNNNEEEEEEEEEEEE!!
TWWWWWWWOOOOOOOOOOO!!
Deadprez: Kickout, and Lexi looks to be a bit annoyed as she slowly stands Senshi back up, bouncing her face first off the top turnbuckle. Connecting with stomps afterward, sinking down Usagi in that corner. The referee reprimands Lexi for such actions, but I don’t think she cares much, taking Senshi to the center of the ring, and snapmaring her down to the canvas.
Eve: Jumping leg drop lands across the throat, and Lexi goes for another cover!
ONNNNNNNEEEEEEEEEE!!
TWWWWWWW-
Eve: Again, a kickout, but Lexi smoothly transitions into a grounded rear chinlock, really wrenching on that hold.
Deadprez: The crowd aren’t really happy with this slowing of the pace done by Lexi, therefore, begin to rally behind Usagi even further.
Eve: Their reaction doesn’t seem to affect Lexi, but it certainly does the opposite with Usagi, who powers back to her feet, and loosens the grip of Lexi with back elbows to the abdominal area! Lexi keeps control with a knee left to the gut, and plants Usagi with a snap suplex! The cover is made!
ONNNNNNNEEEEEEEEEE!!
TWWWWWWWOOOOOOOOOOO!!
Deadprez: Kickout! Building that frustration within Lexi, who tacks on yet another grounded rear chinlock. The crowd wills Usagi on to stand herself up once again. Connecting with more back elbows, coming close to loosening that grip of Lexi, who keeps her strategy intact, delivering another knee to the gut. Usagi gets Irish whipped into the ropes! BUT COMES BACK WITH A FLYING FOREARM!
Eve: Lexi is almost instantly back to her feet, possibly running off instinct, but gets hit with a second flying forearm! LEXI IS BACK UP, AND TRIES FOR A KICK TO THE MIDSECTION! BUT USAGI CATCHES THE BOOT, THROWS IT DOWN, AND TAGS HER OPPONENT WITH A BICYCLE KNEE STRIKE, JACKING THE JAW OF LEXI!
Deadprez: Lexi staggers into the corner, and Usagi charges in with a forearm smash, SPIKING LEXI WITH A TORNADO DDT AFTERWARD! But Usagi doesn’t go for the cover, opting to climb up on the top turnbuckle, having Lexi in her crosshairs while she begins to stir, no idea what’s behind her. …DIVING CROSSBODY! USAGI WRAPS HER ARM AROUND BOTH LEGS FOR THE COVER!
ONNNNNNNEEEEEEEEEE!!
TWWWWWWOOOOOOOOOOO!!
Gavin Kirkland: After some squirming, Lexi kicks out! Who knows? If she wins this match, maybe we can get some ice cream!
Eve: …I highly doubt you being a person she’d do that with. Anywho, Lexi uses the ropes to assist her in getting back to vertical positioning. Usagi Irish whips her off, similar to earlier, going for a roundhouse kick! But Lexi hangs on to the top rope, and catches Senshi with a big boot as she came closer! In the center of the ring, Lexi attempts lifting Usagi up for a powerbomb of sorts, perhaps a piledriver. But Usagi continues to put up a fight, falling back in the setup for a powerbomb, and twirling out of it!
Deadprez: LEXI GOES FOR A CLOTHESLINE, BUT USAGI COUNTERS WITH A SNAP DRAGON SUPLEX, BRIDGING FOR THE COVER!
ONNNNNNEEEEEEEEEE!!
TWWWWWWOOOOOOOOOO!!
THHHH-
Deadprez: Lexi kicks out, but Usagi seems to be keeping a level head, watching as Lexi picks herself up in the corner. However, Senshi goes to the opposite corner, looking to gather as much momentum as possible, charging in! BUT LEXI SENDS USAGI UP AND OVER HER SHOULDER! Thankfully, Senshi catches herself on the apron, AND CRACKS LEXI WITH A ROPE-ASSISTED ENZIGURI AS SHE TURNT AROUND!
Eve: Lexi is on spaghetti legs as Usagi enters the ring, and whips her towards the ropes! Senshi ducks down, maybe signaling for a back body drop. BUT LEXI CONNECTS WITH A STERN KICK TO THE FACE, AND WHIPS USAGI INTO THE ROPES! LEXI TRIES TO LIFT SENSHI UP IN A FIREMANS CARRY, BUT USAGI FLOATS OVER, SLIPPING OUT BEHIND HER OPPONENT!
Deadprez: Lexi gets grabbed in a rear waistlock, and is bounced chest first off the top rope for an O’Connor roll! BUT LEXI HANGS ON TO THE TOP ROPE, AND USAGI ROLLS THROUGH TO THE CENTER OF THE RING- LIGHTS OUT! LIGHT OUT SUPERKICK DROPS SENSHI, AND LEXI FALLS INTO THE COVER!
ONNNNNNNEEEEEEEEEEEE!!
TWWWWWWWOOOOOOOOOOO!!
THHHHHRRRRRREEEEEEE-
Eve: NO! USAGI GETS THE SHOULDER UP, SHOWING SOME RESILENCE!
Gavin Kirkland: Lexi connected straight to the chin with that!
Eve: But Usagi has managed to stay alive, and begins to pick herself up in the corner, clearly seeing stars. Lexi’s like a shark that smells blood in the water, unrelenting with her barrage of stomps, and punches to the head! The referee is gonna have to intervene with a count here!
Referee: ONE! TWO! THREE! FOUR!
Deadprez: Lexi finally relents, but is immediately back in with stomps on Senshi, who has sunken down to the third turnbuckle. The referee starts again with the five count!
Referee: ONE! TWO! THREE! FOUR!
Eve: This is some next level aggression here by Lexi, the frustration truly starting to set in, and she gets backed away by the referee. But Lexi quickly pushes past him, not wanting to give Senshi much breathing room here as she gets lifted to the top turnbuckle. What could Lexi have in mind?
Deadprez: If I were to guess, a superplex. But soon as Lexi tries climbing to the middle rope, Usagi fends her off with right hands to the skull, staggering Lexi back long enough for her to get off the top turnbuckle. Usagi goes for a shoot kick to the ribs, but Lexi catches it under her arm, throwing the boot down of Senshi, and scores a kick to the gut, doubling her opponent over!
Eve: The gears look to turn in Lexi’s head now, AND SHE TAKES USAGI DOWN WITH A SUNSET FLIP POWERBOMB, HOLDING IT FOR A COVER!
ONNNNNNNEEEEEEEEEEEE!!
TWWWWWWWOOOOOOOOOOO!!
THHHHHHRRRRRREEEEEEE-
Eve: NO! ANOTHER KICKOUT BY SENSHI! And Lexi is beside herself, clearly lying on the mat, thinking what more she has to do, and how much punishment Usagi can take here.
Deadprez: Lexi brings her opponent to a knee, talking some smack before hitting her with a right hand! Now a kick to the abdominal area! Another right! Lexi’s very methodical in the approach here, but her strikes seem to be firing Usagi up, who rises to her feet, almost blocking out more right hands from Lexi!
Eve: OOH! THERES A FOREARM SMASH, FOLLOWED UP BY A EUROPEAN UPPERCUT! USAGI ISNT DONE THERE AS SHE FOLLOWS THAT OFFENSE UP WITH A SPINNING BACKFIST, AND FINALLY LANDS THAT ROUNDHOUSE KICK! COMPLETING THE ELITE COMBO, WHICH JUST LIT LEXI UP! SHE CAN BARELY STAND RIGHT ABOUT NOW AS USAGI HOISTS HER UP FOR CRITICAL DARLING!
Deadprez: THE SAMOAN DRIVER HAS LEXI GLOSSED OVER AS SHE TURNS ON HER SIDE! Usagi clearly has no plans to cover though, urging her opponent to get up. Lexi’s instinct seems to takeover, and she tries, only making it up to a kneel BEFORE USAGI RUNS OFF THE ROPES TO PUT THE FINISHING TOUCHES ON THIS THING WITH FATALITY!
Gavin Kirkland: :snoop: The Limmy hive down bad…
Eve: Lexi’s sprawled on the canvas, and gets her leg hooked by Senshi!
ONNNNNNNEEEEEEEEEEEE!!
TWWWWWWWOOOOOOOOOOO!!
THHHHHHHHRRRRRREEEEEEEEEEEE!!
(DING! DING! DING!)
Gina Romano: HERES YOUR WINNER…USAGI SENSHI!!
(“A Cruel Angel’s Thesis” by Yoko Takahashi plays to a loud ovation from the audience, who’s happy to see Usagi stand tall with her hand raised.)
Eve: Impressive win here for Usagi!
Deadprez: She really looked to be in trouble by the end there, but a brief surge of fighting spirit helped her put away the threat that is Lexi.
Eve: No doubt, you could tell that both competitors wanted this win in the Iconic Cup Tournament, but in the end, there can only be one.
(The camera fades elsewhere on a shot of Usagi backpedaling up the ramp, making sure to high five fans beforehand.)
(Limmy Monaghan sits in the backstage area on a stack of crates looking into the distance thoughtfully. He thoughts are solely based around Pain for Pride, and what comes next for him as the end of the season comes around. To him there was no doubt about it, he had to be at Pain for Pride, and he had to make an impact. But right now, he still wasn’t sure how, with Pain for Pride coming over the horizon quicker than what was needed. He nods his head; he knew what he had to do. He had to go out to the ring and move forwards and find a challenger worthy of such and event. He didn’t know who would take up the challenge, but it was clear to him that he needed to take the bull by the horns, or else face the fact his season would end in failure. Limmy pushes himself from the crates and is about to head towards the gorilla position when he see’s Lexi all sweaty and upset after her match coming the other way.)
Limmy Monaghan: No, not today, I can’t be done with this.
(He turns away, just as Lexi clocks him, and although a sweaty mess after her match, she runs her fingers through her hair, and wipes away any excess beads of sweat before shouting after him.)
Lexi: Limmy!!!
(Limmy makes to move in the other direction, but cannot ignore Lexi’s almost screaming.)
Lexi: LIIIIIIMMMMMMMMMYYYYYYYY!!!
(Limmy rolls his eyes, realizing that there was no way he was getting away unless he ran. He turns, Lexi still making herself look presentable as she approaches him.)
Lexi: Hey, for a moment I thought you were ignoring me. Sorry if I look a mess, but you don’t mind do you?
(Limmy sighs deeply, that was exactly what he was doing. Ignoring her. Whether she looked a mess or not wasn’t his concern.)
Limmy Monaghan: Sorry, I err… didn’t hear you
Lexi: That’s OK, I’m here now.
Limmy Monaghan: So, you are. What can I do for you Lexi?
Lexi: I was wondering if you wanted to go get some Ice Cream now. I mean, I need to take a shower and stuff, because I must look my best for you. But if you give me five minutes…
Limmy Monaghan: I’m busy Lexi… it’s a difficult time
Lexi: That’s ok… I’m like the best listener in the entire wide world. We can go get Ice Cream, you’re shout of course because you are the Gentleman, and you can tell me all about your problems.
Limmy Monaghan: I’m not really one for talking Lexi
Lexi: Yes, you’re the strong silent type, aren’t you? I love that. It’s my favorite type.
(Limmy puffs out his cheeks and slowly exhales, even now Lexi not picking up on his mood.)
Lexi: I mean, I can’t believe that we haven’t been on that double date yet with Bethany and Adam, aren’t they just the cutest. Not as cute as us obvs.
Limmy Monaghan: There’s an us?
Lexi: Of course, there is silly billy… perhaps we could go on Safari, that would be SOOOO much fun. I saw Adam and Beth had been on one, we could do it too.
(Limmy isn’t listening and is still thinking about Pain for Pride.)
Lexi: I mean, I don’t want to copy them, but they wouldn’t mind. Perhaps that could be our double date, lions are so cute don’t you think? And zebras. I love zebras.
(Limmy looks past Lexi and down the corridor, not taking in a single word.)
Lexi: I can’t wait for all the adventures we are going to have together, growing old together like the opening scene of Up… that scene always makes me cry. Bet you cry too because you’re so sensitive aren’t you? This is going to be amazing and…
(Finally, she realizes that he isn’t listening, and for a moment it looks like she is hurt, and she folds her arms, not that Limmy notices. Then, quite suddenly she jumps up and kisses him full on the lips which breaks Limmy from his trance. Stunned, he looks at her, wondering what the hell just happened.)
Limmy Monaghan: What the hell was that for?
(Lexi smiles, pleased with herself.)
Lexi: You weren’t paying attention to me. You should ALWAYS pay attention to me, that’s what boyfriends do. But I forgive you, I have the biggest heart.
Limmy Monaghan: I’m not your…
Lexi: And anyways, what were you thinking about that could possibly be more important than me.
Limmy Monaghan: I’m not involved in any title matches. I don’t have a match for the biggest show in the world. I need a top-notch opponent for Pain for Pride that will set me up for a successful season 16…
(Lexi interrupts.)
Lexi: Well, that’s easy… I have the perfect opponent for you.
Limmy Monaghan: Who?
Lexi: ME of course
Limmy Monaghan: You?
Lexi: Yeah… we can roll around in the ring and have the bestest time, and maybe even do a little wrestling. And everyone will see just what we mean to each other. It’s going to be AMAZING!!
(Limmy pauses, even more stunned by this revelation than he was the kiss.)
Lexi: Let’s make it happen… see you later handsome.
(Lexi blows him a kiss before walking off down the corridor, Limmy shaking his head.)
Limmy Monaghan: WTF!!!
(But then his face changes, and a smile forms on his face, and he looks happy. With a chuckle he walks off down the corridor, as the scene fades to ringside.)
(The camera pans to the ring with Gina Romano holding a mic ready to introduce the next match…)
Gina Romano: THE FOLLOWING CONTEST IS SCHEDULED FOR ONE FALL AND IT HAS A TWENTY MINUTE TIME LIMIT! INTRODUCING FIRST, FROM THE UPPER EASTSIDE IN NEW YORK CITY! WEIGHING IN AT 143 POUNDS! ‘THE MEAN GIRL’ OLIVIA TATE!!!!
(“Brutal” by Olivia Rodrigo plays throughout the arena as Olivia Tate walks out disgusted that she is in Africa to begin with. She rolls her eyes and continues to the ring without giving a care to the world. She gets in the ring and poses, but clearly puts her nose up in defiance.)
Deadprez: With all intents and purposes, Olivia Tate is a bitch and her last couple of outings have not been the best since she returned from Hollywood. Now she gets a chance to put herself back on the map against a returning Elitists that is looking to reestablish himself and is a proven commodity.
Eve: She has a bad attitude but when focused, Olivia Tate is extremely dangerous, but we know how motivated Daryl Kinkade is since returning!
Gavin Kirkland: I can look at Oliva Tate all damn day.
(Olivia sneers at the crowd, covering her nose as it supposedly smells to her when the theme fades and it is replaced by “Primrose” by Dream State as the crowd cheers. Daryl Kinkade walks out and looks out at the fans as they cheer. He nods and smirks before heading his way to the ring. He slides in and climbs the second rope, posing as the crowd continues to cheer.)
Deadprez: Daryl Kinkade in his in-ring return to singles action and he made it known what he wants and how to get there last week! Daryl Kinkade is now looking to get that first win over a very game Olivia Tate.
Eve: He is excited to be back, but he better not sleep on Tate, or she could surprise him!
Gavin Kirkland: She would be a World Champion if this was based on beauty alone!
(Daryl and Olivia are checked by the referee as he calls for the bell as the match begins….)
(DING!!! DING!!! DING!!!)
(Olivia rolls her eyes and circles the ring as does Daryl, he then extends his hand out for a shake, she raises her nose in the air and disregards it before they are about to lock up….)
Deadprez: Knee to the midsection of Kinkade! And another! Olivia scratches the back of Daryl Kinkade! She starts hitting him with forearm after forearm, getting him into the ropes, whipping him to the other ropes, he bounces back and she goes for a clothesline, but NO! Kinkade ducks, he bounces off the ropes and she turns Kinkade with a running reverse heel kick and Olivia goes down!
Eve: Kinkade has not skipped a beat or lost a step! He is quick as a hiccup and is back up on his feet! Picking up Olivia but she thrusts a forearm into his midsection! And another! Kinkade buckles over and Olivia Tate bounces off the ropes, she runs at Kinkade with a SWINGING NECKBREAKER! Olivia has taken control again! She positions Kinkade and goes to the top rope! She is ready to finish this early!
Gavin Kirkland: CORKSCREW MOONSAULT! NO! KINKADE GETS HIS KNEES UP AND THEY HIT OLIVIA RIGHT IN THE BACK OF THE NECK SHE MIGHT BE HURT! I NEED TO GO IN THERE AND HELP HER!
(Kinkade kips up and sees Olivia barely conscious after the rough landing on the back of her neck.)
Deadprez: She looks hurt and Daryl Kinkade kips up as Olivia is barely able to get to her feet, SUPERKICK AND THAT JUST TOOK HER HEAD OFF! OLIVIA TATE IS OUT BUT DARYL KINKADE PICKS HER UP….
Eve: … HE HOOKS HER INTO THE BEAUTIFUL LIE AND THIS ONE COULD BE OVER THAT QUICKLY!
Gavin Kirkland: NOOOOOOO!
ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
THREE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(DING!!! DING!!! DING!!!)
Gina Romano: THE WINNER OF THE MATCH….. DARYL KINKADE!!!!!!!!!!
(“Primrose” by Dream State starts to play throughout the arena as he gets to his feet looking down at the unconscious Olivia Tate and smirks before the referee raises his hands in victory. Daryl Kinkade nods and points at the fans who continue to cheer him on…)
Deadprez: Statement made over a very talented Olivia Tate in record time and that was it! One mistake cost her, and Daryl Kinkade took full advantage of it! He looks more than ready for anything that Showdown throws at him!
Eve: That was really impressive, and I am sure that every single roster member of Showdown was put on notice! Kinkade sent a message to Charlie Marr too!
Gavin Kirkland: I need to check on Olivia….
(Olivia is being helped by the referee and the attendants at ringside as Daryl continues to celebrate picking up the victory in his return match, his music comes to an abrupt halt. A look of confusion crosses Daryl’s face, but as soon as ‘Praise the Lord’ by Bandokay begins to play, that look changes to one of amusement. As Charlie Marr steps onto the stage, he is greeted by a chorus of boos. As usual, Charlie doesn’t really care and he lifts the EAW Hardcore Championship up in the air. This antagonizes the crowd even further and they really voice their disdain for the champion. Charlie can’t help but smirk as he drapes the title across his shoulder and begins to make his way down to the ring.)
Deadprez: Looks like business is about to pick up, y’all! It was just three weeks ago at Grand Rampage when we all thought we were about to witness the unthinkable; a MarrKade reunion in the midst of what turned out to be a historic Grand Rampage!
Eve: But as usual, Charlie Marr showed his true colors and very quickly eliminated his former tag team partner from the match. I can’t be surprised to see Charlie out here tonight. It was only a matter of time because if there is one thing that is well documented when it comes to these two, it’s the roller coaster of a history that they share with one another.
Gavin Kirkland: I wonder if Daryl still keeps in touch with Karina-Ann? Back in the Empire days, she was my fourth favorite blonde :wow:.
Eve: Do I even want to know who the top three were?
Gavin Kirkland: (in a dreamy voice) Cleopatra, Andrea, and that shrew Kassidy.
(Charlie is in the ring now, and he has been given a microphone. He circles Daryl before standing in front of him and giving him a rather sarcastic little wave as a greeting.)
Charlie Marr: Hiya, Daryl!
(In spite of himself, Daryl cracks a smile before he motions for Gina to hand him a microphone as well. Once he retrieves it, he takes a good, hard look at the man he used to consider his best friend and he just shakes his head.)
Daryl Kinkade: Don’t bother me with bullshit because both of us know you didn’t come out here to exchange pleasantries. You made it perfectly clear at Grand Rampage that a MarrKade reunion was the furthest thing from your mind, so what’s really going on?
Charlie Marr: Ouch. Can’t a man just come down to the ring to say hello to an old friend? It’s been what? Two? Three years? I lost track, to be fair, because I’ve had a lot going on myself. But wow. You’re back.
(Daryl doesn’t reply. He knows Charlie better than anyone in EAW and he doesn’t want to feed into whatever Charlie is about to say or do. Needless to say, Charlie expected as much, so he continues on with a bright smile splashed across his face.)
Charlie Marr: Former Unified Tag Team Champion and National Elite Champion Daryl Kinkade is back! I’ll be honest, I never thought the day would come that you and I would share a ring together ever again. We did have one hell of a ride, didn’t we my friend? We have traveled the globe together, had our fair share of ups and downs as friends and partners. Hell, we even shared a bitch or two. Remember the time we passed an Azumi Goto look-a-like back and forth for a few minutes before you decided that you had enough? Yikes. When your dick is too small to fit even a tight Asian pussy. Good times, man. Good times. At least it was for me because she was fucking hot as well and not as sloppy as the OG Azumi.
Daryl Kinkade: None of that ever happened.
Charlie Marr: No? Oh right! I forgot you used to blow your load to pictures of our step-mom Raven while riding in the back of Rex’s rental car as we all traveled to the next city. Sucks, bro. I hope you’ve managed to grow up since you’ve been gone, but I really didn’t come out here to drag you or anything like that. I wanted to congratulate you for making your way back here. You truly had to fight hard. I mean damn. I was captivated by your story and your struggle for survival. You went through literal Hell once you left this place and I would think that you went through a pretty dark period during that time. Believe me, while I could never put myself in your soiled wrestling boots, I do know what it’s like to be so far down on your luck that you don’t think you’ll ever see the light at the end of the tunnel. My own struggles are pretty well documented. Hell, they’ve been held against me by practically every opponent I’ve faced since Season 13. You really took a risk by returning, knowing damn well that every single transgression you’ve had in the past will be used against you, and I applaud you for that. You didn’t have the best exit and considering the rest of the trash that EAW has let back through these doors, I’m not surprised they reached out to you. Now, that’s not me calling you trash or anything, so don’t get upset. I’m not about to try and deal with you being emo again, because that was really one of the lowest points of my entire career, but this isn’t about me :wow:.
(Daryl chuckles a bit because the whole nauseating speech Charlie is giving is literally just about Charlie.)
Daryl Kinkade: No? You seem like the same ole Charlie Marr. The same absolute douchecanoe that LOVES the sound of his own voice more than anything else in the world.
Charlie Marr: You wound me, brother. Game of Thrones quote. Veena and I have decided to rewatch the series before House of the Dragon premieres in August. You know Veena, right? Doesn’t matter. You’re questioning my intentions when I truly came out here to welcome you back even if my arms aren’t exactly open.
Daryl Kinkade: A lot of time might have passed, but I haven’t forgotten exactly who you are at the very root of your core. So again, don’t waste my time and bullshit me.
(Charlie just shakes his head.)
Charlie Marr: Alright, man. Welcome back, I guess. I hope all the hard work you have put into your rehab pays off and you’re able to get back what you lost. I’m sure a lot of people resonate with your story. It’s the classic heart-warming tale of tragedy and triumph. I’m sure whatever ends up happening with this run leaves you feeling fulfilled and all that good stuff.
(For a split second, Charlie looks sincere. It doesn’t take long for that look to wash away, though.)
Charlie Marr: You’re right, D. I am completely bullshitting you. Not only do I speak for myself, but I speak for the entire Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, as well as the EAW Universe, when I say that no one gives a fuck that you’re back.
Daryl Kinkade: And there it is! You know, you could have just cut right to the chase. It’s not like I haven’t heard any of this shit from you before.
Charlie Marr: Is it shit, though, or is there actual substance behind my words? Look around you, bro. It’s 2022 and the name Daryl Kinkade barely rings any bells. EAW has moved on and in a big way, and guess what? The EAW Universe has moved on as well. When you came out during Grand Rampage, Yankee Stadium went radio fucking silent. I would wager that half the fucking crowd thought it was that other washed-up old fuck Xavier Williams walking out since you do look like the final incarnation of him. I’m telling you, D. You should have just stayed gone. Things haven’t gotten easier in your absence. It’s still a dog eat dog world and it’s already been proven that Daryl Kinkade without Charlie Marr carrying him just doesn’t fucking work! It doesn’t work, Daryl! You were barely hanging on before you took your ball and went the fuck home, and what in the fucking world makes you think that you are going to be able to cut it now? Everywhere you fucking look, these rosters are littered with Hall of Famers and people who are just now entering the prime of their careers. Everyone is hungry and everyone wants to be at the top of the company. Believe me, it’s a tough mountain to climb. The journey isn’t for the faint of heart, and once you reach the peak, believe me, it’s hard to hang on. I don’t know if you realize this, but once you stopped plaguing these halls like the cancerous leech I know you to be, I was finally able to thrive. I won the EAW World Championship and have had some of the most incredible battles this place has ever seen. I have headlined multiple marquee events and I’ve been able to beat pretty much anyone that’s been placed in front of me. I am a Grand Slam Champion. I’m about to walk into Pain for Pride as the Hardcore Champion. I have battled my own personal demons too and I fucking won that war too. You have NEVER had that type of drive or passion. You have always fucking lacked when it comes to heart and the sheer will to do whatever the fuck it takes to win.
(Daryl holds his hand up to stop Charlie’s rant.)
Daryl Kinkade: That’s where you’re wrong. You know very well just how hard I worked to make MarrKade a success. You’re the one who was content to coast along and fuck about, and rely on luck to come our way. I made sure that our team stayed at or around the top of the tag team division and when we finally got our chance to shine as individuals, YOU latched onto ME, and YOU forced ME to share MY victory over The Prince of Phenomenal with YOU. Your ego and your selfishness were the two reasons that MarrKade imploded and to this day it still annoys the fuck out of me that I had to share the National Elite Championship with you. When all was said and done, I got the win over you. I was the better man at the time, and I know that I can be the better man going forward. I seriously don’t need you to run down what you’ve managed to do since I’ve been away. A world title that Veena gifted you on a silver platter. A losing feud to a group of women that banded together to make sure you and your snake of a girlfriend didn’t destroy the Voltage brand. Another losing feud on Dynasty to The Visual Prophet and Lethal Consequences that forced your meal ticket out of power and left you both to fend for yourselves. Should we go ahead and mention the way you started this season? Losing to TLA? Your piss poor performance inside the Extreme Elimination Chamber? Don’t fucking stand there and act like it’s been all sunshine and roses for you because the whole world knows better. I have kept up with the product. I watched all the shows while rehabbing. I took note of all the rising stars while working my 9 to 5. I watched you fight, scratch, claw, and constantly fumble the fucking ball while I was trapped in my apartment during this horrific pandemic. It was soul-sucking, and you’re goddamn right that my mind went to a dark place. But I never, ever lost sight of my goal and that was to get back to this place.
Charlie Marr: It’s a shame you made that your goal, because you’re just going to leave here bitter and broken once again. There is a reason I threw you out of Grand Rampage. Do you want to know what that reason is?
Daryl Kinkade: You’re going to tell me regardless so spit it out like Veena does when you’re not looking.
(A glare settles over Charlie’s face.)
Charlie Marr: I tossed you over the top rope because EAW doesn’t need another piece of trash littering its hallways. You should have taken your #EAW15 payday and gone home. There is no other reason for you to be back unless you want to embarrass yourself. MarrKade is done. I’m never going down that road again. So why are you back? Why?
Daryl Kinkade: It’s a pretty simple answer, Charlie. I’m back to prove my worth.
(Charlie practically rolls his beautiful blue eyes to the back of his head.)
Charlie Marr: And how do you plan on doing that?
(A cheeky smile crosses Daryl’s face in return. He had wanted Charlie to ask that question.)
Daryl Kinkade: By facing you at Pain for Pride for the EAW Hardcore Championship.
(At this, the crowd goes absolutely ballistic. This is exactly the match they could have hoped for and Daryl can’t help but look around in awe. This is exactly what he came back for. The excitement of the crowd had him excited, and he looked his former partner and best friend right in the eyes as he extended his hand.)
Daryl Kinkade: What do you say?
(The crowd has broken out into a ‘yes’ chant, and Charlie is extremely annoyed by this. He slaps Daryl’s hand away and grips his microphone so hard his knuckles turn white.)
Charlie Marr: Fine.
(That’s all that needed to be said. With the match made for Pain for Pride, the two former Unified Tag Team Champions would find themselves as opponents once again. Daryl smirks as ‘Primrose’ begins to play once again. Having gotten exactly what he wanted, Daryl exits the ring and begins to make his way up the ramp. Meanwhile, Charlie remains completely still with a scowl on his face. As Daryl stops and turns back around, Charlie removes the Hardcore Championship from his shoulder and holds it up. As the two men stare one another down, Showdown goes to break.)
(Commercial break for old episodes of Iron Chef: America on Discovery Plus. Watch it now because Iron Chef Michael Symon is kind of a babe. It’s a bald head thing.)
(The camera pans back to the ringside and Gina Romano in the ring…)
Gina Romano: The following contest is a Cash In The Vault qualifying match set one fall! with a 20 minute time limit!
( “A Stranger I Remain” by Metal Gear Rising blasts through the speakers to ear-deafening boos. Amir Yusuf steps out to the stage and embraces their negative reaction with his arms spread wide open. )
Gina Romano: Introducing first! From Chicago, Illinois, United States, weighing in at 182 pounds… HE IS “THE IRREPLACEABLE,” AMIRRRRR YUSUUUFF!!!
Deadprez: Amir Yusuf has stated that he plans to approach Elite Answers Wrestling with a more serious outlook on life. He has been in quite a slump since losing his EAW New Breed Championship to Jon Kelton earlier this season, and what better way for this man to get one step towards getting out of it is to qualify for the Cash In The Vault ladder match. Winning this match and that one would do great for Yusuf, but he first faces a man who has undergone a serious transformation in the past month.
( While Amir Yusuf waits in the ring, “You Know My Name” by Chris Cornell begins to reverberate throughout the Safaricom Indoor Arena. Adam Lucas gradually walks onto the entranceway with his head high. He looks around the atmosphere and basks in the more negative reaction he is given by the Kenya crowd. )
Gina Romano: AND HIS OPPONENT! From New York City, weighing in at 231 pounds.. HE IS “THE NEXT LEVEL,” ADAAAAAAMMM LUUUUUUCAASSS!!
Eve: This is a match between two men who have started to change their perspective on this dog-eat-dog industry recently. Adam Lucas snapped at Grand Rampage when the referee did not see his foot on the ropes, and he took out his anger onto both TLA and the referee. Lucas has reached his tipping point and he has stated that there is no longer any room to play the nice guy anymore here in this company.
Deadprez: He is going to take any approach he wants. He doesn’t care anymore whose feathers will ruffle because he believes that being in the interest of the people will not work for him anymore. It goes the same for Amir Yusuf. For a man that called himself the beating heart of Saturday nights, he seems to be going all in for himself, rather than fighting for the people. He believes that passivity is dead and dusted, and he is on a mission to prove that he is an irreplaceable asset in this company. Both of these men have a huge opportunity to use their new-found attitude to rocketship themselves into stardom, and that starts with qualifying in the annual Cash In The Vault match. Who wants it more? We shall see.
( DING! DING! DING! )
Deadprez: This match is underway as both competitors take their time before engaging in a collar-and-elbow tie-up. Adam Lucas quickly presses Amir Yusuf up against the turnbuckles, but Yusuf quickly reverses it and Lucas’ back is up against the ropes. The referee implements the five count, but Yusuf quickly Irish whips Lucas into the ropes. Lucas rebounds off the ropes and takes down Amir Yusuf with a shoulder block. Yusuf immediately kips-up to his feet, almost taunting the former Hardcore champion as Lucas goes off the ropes! He goes for another shoulder thrust, but Yusuf goes around the waist and uses it to drop him down. He goes around and puts Lucas in a front face lock. Lucas reverses the front face lock with a fireman’s carry takedown as he applies a wrist lock on his opponent.
Eve: Adam Lucas torques his left wrist, but it doesn’t take long for Amir Yusuf’s athleticism to clock in. Yusuf rolls over, kips-up, twists around, cartwheels over before freeing himself from the wrist lock and going around the waist. Lucas with a standing switch as he lifts Yusuf up for a back suplex! Yusuf counters it by vaulting him over into a headlock. Adam Lucas applies a leg scissors to get out of the headlock as Yusuf rotates his body and tries to escape out of the leg scissors. Yusuf extends into a headstand! He flips out of the leg scissors AND HE STRAIGHT UP BRUSHES THE SIDE OF HIS HEAD WITH HIS FOOT!! A LIGHT FOOT SCRUB AS ADAM LUCAS LOOKS TO THE SIDE AND TRIES TO CALM HIM DOWN! Amir Yusuf knows that he could be successful in weaponizing emotions, but he knows just as much that Adam Lucas takes his game even more than the next level when he isn’t level-headed. No pun intended.
Gavin Kirkland: Adam Lucas is able to keep himself cool as a cucumber as both individuals get up to their feet. Lucas storms into Yusuf, but Yusuf goes around the waist and pulls him down into a headlock. Adam Lucas tries to get the leg scissors again, but Yusuf keeps his head away. Lucas eventually uses his power to get up and rebound Lucas off the ropes! Yusuf lets go of the headlock and off the ropes he goes! YUSUF SLIDES THROUGH HIS LEGS! LUCAS TURNS AROUND!! AND YUSUF WITH A KIP-UP HURRICANRANA!! YUSUF QUICKLY RUSHES UP TO HIS FEET!! AND HE GOES FOR A DROPKICK TO GET LUCAS OUT OF THE SQUARED CIRCLE!
Deadprez: BUT ADAM LUCAS STEPS TO THE SIDE! AMIR YUSUF LANDS CHEST FIRST ON THE CANVAS MISSING THE DROPKICK AND ADAM LUCAS JUST NONCHALANTLY MARCHES AROUND THE RING PATTING HIMSELF ON THE BACK FOR HIS COUNTER! ALL LUCAS HAD TO DO WAS MOVE OUT OF THE WAY AND THAT WAS IN HINDSIGHT, ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT! Amir Yusuf holds his ribs in pain as Lucas comes from behind! AND HE ABSOLUTELY SHOOT KICKS THE BACK OF HIS HEAD!! THERE WAS NO LOVE LOST IN THAT KICK TO THE HEAD! HE GAVE AN ANSWER TO THAT LIGHT KICK TO THE HEAD EARLIER WITH A KICK THAT NEARLY DECAPITATED HIM! Adam Lucas walks around the ring and continues to embrace the boos before he bring Amir Yusuf up to his fee- WHAT! AMIR YUSUF WITH A SMALL PACKAGE!! THIS COULD BE IT!
ONEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!
TWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!
Eve: NO!!! Amir Yusuf might have exaggerated the downtime after that kick to the head as he reeled him right in for that trap! Amir Yusuf and Adam Lucas meet each other in the middle of the ring! Adam Lucas with a right forearm smash, followed by a left punch, as he swings around for a discus clothesline! Amir Yusuf simply kicks his clothesline away to counter it and he goes for a step-up enziguri! AMIR YUSUF CONNECTS TO THE BACK OF THE HEAD, NO! LUCAS PIVOTED TO THE SIDE!! AND HE JUMPS ONTO YUSUF, ROLLS HIM OVER INTO A SMALL PACKAGE AND TRANSITIONS IT INTO A SUPLEX HOLD!! AND HE DEADLIFTS HIM OFF THE CANVAS!! NO WAY!! LOOK AT THE STRENGTH OF LUCAS!! BUT AMIR HOVERS OVER HIS SHOULDERS, WRAPS HIS ARMS AROUND HIS WAIST AND GOES FOR A GERMAN SUPLEX!! LUCAS FREES HIMSELF OF THE WAIST LUCK, SLIDES UNDER HIS LEGS! AND HE GOES FOR A GERMAN SUPLEX OF HIS OWN!
Deadprez: Amir Yusuf manages to counter the german suplex with a snapmare takedown! Adam Lucas lands on his posterior as Yusuf follows it up with a STANDING MOONSAULT!! BUT ADAM LUCAS THRUSTS THE BACK OF HIS NECK WITH BOTH LEGS!! AND YUSUF ENDS UP EXPLODING INTO THE AIR AND LANDING THREE-THIRDS ACROSS THE RING!! ADAM LUCAS HAD THE STANDING MOONSAULT SCOUTED AS BOTH MEN WERE IN AN ONEUPMANSHIP BATTLE WITH THOSE GERMAN SUPLEXES! Adam Lucas brings him up to his feet and IRISH WHIPS HIM INTO THE ROPES! ADAM LUCAS RECEIVES HIM OFF THE DROPKICK!! AND HE DROPS HIM DOWN WITH AUTHORITY WITH A BRUTAL SPINEBUSTER!! ADAM LUCAS FOLDS HIM OVER AS BOTH SHOULDERS ARE DOWN!! JACKNIFE COVER!
ONEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!
TWOOOOOOO-
Gavin Kirkland: KICK-OUT! Adam Lucas just aggressively shoves away at Amir Yusuf. This is the battle of the two biggest assholes on Showdown as Lucas gets up to his feet and rebounds off the ropes! And he goes for a basement dropkick! It connects as Lucas quickly rolls up to his feet and goes for a standing shooting star splash! Amir Yusuf gets his knees up, but Lucas was one step ahead and was able to safely position himself and grab his knees before the impact! He pulls his left leg up, rotates and squats into the one-legged boston crab! Adam Lucas uses his other foot to kick down on the back of his head! Adam Lucas may just earn himself a spot inside the ladder match right here right now! But Amir Yusuf is able to turn his entire body and kicks his head in! Lucas grabs his kicking foot and hooks it! AND HE NOW CINCHES IN A DOUBLE-LEGGED BOSTON CRAB! THE WALLS OF LUCAS APPLIED HERE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE RING!! THE CASH IN THE VAULT SPOT IS ON THE LINE HERE!
Deadprez: ADAM LUCAS APPLIES EXCRUCIATING PRESSURE TO THE LOWER BACK OF AMIR YUSUF! NOT FOR LONG AS YUSUF BEGINS TO DIG HIS ARMS AND STROKE HIS WAY TOWARDS THE ROPES!! HE GETS BOTH OF HIS ARMS ON THE BOTTOM ROPE, BUT ADAM LUCAS REFUSES TO LET GO!! THE REFEREE NEARLY DISQUALIFIES HIM AS HE LUCAS LETS GO AT 4! BUT HE IMMEDIATELY GRABS AHOLD OF HIS LEG LEG!! AMIR YUSUF HOLDS ONTO THE ROPES WHILE LUCAS TRIES TO YANK HIM OFF THEM!
Eve: AMIR YUSUF GETS YANKED OFF THE SECOND ROPE!! AND HE LANDS BACK FIRST RIGHT ONTO THE LEFT KNEE OF LUCAS!! ADAM LUCAS TURNED THE PULL INTO A BACKBREAKER, BUT HE IS NOT DONE YET! HE KEEPS YUSUF ON A VERTICAL BASE AND HE LIFTS HIM UP!! AND HE SLINGSHOTS HIM OFF THE TOP ROPE!! AND CONNECTS WITH A SLINGSHOT INTO A FALCON ARROW!! ADAM LUCAS WITH AN IMPRESSIVE VARIATION OF THE FALCON ARROW AS LUCAS HOOKS BOTH SHOULDERS DOWN!! WILL LUCAS ADVANCE TO PAIN FOR PRIDE 15!?!?
ONEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!
TWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!
T-
Deadprez: AMIR YUSUF POWERS OUT AT TWO! Adam Lucas rolls behind onto his feet and waits for Amir Yusuf to get up to his feet. Lucas is impatiently shaking his feet as he quickly charges towards Yusuf who is on all fours! ADAM LUCAS WITH A STANDING SHOOTING STAR PRESS!! BUT YUSUF TURNS UP AND LUCAS FALLS RIGHT INTO THE ENTRAPMENT OF AN ARM TRIANGLE!! ARM TRIANGLE LOCKED PLUS THE ADDITION OF ELBOW STRIKES TO THE CROWN OF HIS HEAD BY YUSUF!! YUSUF COULD PUT LUCAS TO SLEEP RIGHT HERE FOR THE LADDER MATCH SPOT! BUT ADAM LUCAS QUICKLY PLUCKS HIM OFF THE CANVAS!! AND HE QUICKLY RUNS INTO THE CORNER!! AND TRIES TO SLAM HIM AGAINST THE TURNBUCKLES!! YUSUF WITH A SMILE ON HIS FACE AS HE SWINGS HIS BODY DOWN AND ADAM LUCAS GOES SHOULDER FIRST INTO THE RINGPOST!! THE MOMENTUM OF LUCAS’ ATTEMPT TO COUNTER WAS THE PERFECT OPPORTUNITY FOR YUSUF AS HE USED IT TO SLING HIM INTO THE RINGPOST WITH A HURRICANRANA COUNTER TO THE COUNTER!
Eve: Adam Lucas holds his left arm in pain as he now slides down the turnbuckles. Amir Yusuf pops up to his feet as he begins to get a fighting advantage here in this match! AND HE NOW CHARGES INTO ADAM LUCAS INTO THE CORNER!! AND HE GRABS HIS HEAD, STEPS UP THE ROPES AND DRILLS HIM WITH A PICTURE-PERFECT TORNADO DDT!! YUSUF IS NOT DONE YET AS HE HOLDS ONTO HIS HEAD WHILE HE ROLLS UP TO HIS FEET!! HE HOOKS THE TIGHTS HOISTS HIM UP!! AND HE DRIVES HIS HEAD DOWN INTO THE KNEECAP BRAINBUSTER!! KNEECAP BRAINBUSTER CONNECTS AS HE HOOKS BOTH LEGS!! WILL YUSUF ADVANCE?!?!
ONEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!
TWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
TH-
Gavin Kirkland: DEFINITELY NOT! It always looks devastating when Yusuf hits the kneecap brainbuster, but it was not enough to keep Adam Lucas down for the three count. Amir Yusuf grabs onto Lucas’ hand and he gets up to a vertical base. He begins to taunt him now as he starts to shoot and kick his face! Lucas’ face begins to take in those devastating kicks to the face, but I think they are just empowering the former Hardcore Champion! Man is powering up! What is this man on? Drugs?? Arrest this man!
Deadprez: ADAM LUCAS WITH A FOREARM SMASH!! BUT I THINK YUSUF SET THE TRAP AND GOT HIM!! HE GOES UNDER THE ARM AND SLAMS HIM DOWN WITH A NECKBREAKER! AMIR YUSUF IMMEDIATELY GETS UP TO HIS FEET AND STUNS HIM WITH A STEP-UP ENZIGURI!! LUCAS IS STAGGERED AS YUSUF NOW COMES UP FROM BEHIND! REVERSE HURRICANRANA!! NO!! LUCAS KEEPS HIM IN THE ELECTRIC CHAIR!! HE CARRIES HIM ACROSS THE RING!! AND HE DROPS HIM AND CATCHES HIM WITH A WAIST LOCK!! AND HE FLIPS HIM OVER FOR A GERMAN SUPLEX!! AMIR YUSUF LANDS ON HIS FEET!! AND HE CONNECTS WITH A STANDING MOONSAULT THAT CONNECTS THIS TIME AROUND!! LUCAS HOLDS HIS CHEST IN PAIN AS AMIR YUSUF NOW CHASES HIM INTO THE CORNER!
Gavin Kirkland: AMIR YUSUF WITH A SHOULDER THRUST WHILE HE ALSO GOES THROUGH THE ROPES!! AND HE CONNECTS WITH A ROPE-ASSISTED ROUNDHOUSE KICK THAT FLOORS LUCAS RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE ROPES! Lucas rolls into the middle of the ring and it prompts Amir Yusuf to roll into the ring! AND HE GOES FOR A ROLLING THUNDER FACEBUSTER!! BUT LUCAS TAKES HIM DOWN BY THE LEGS!! AND HE STEPS INTO THE LUCAS LOCK!! ADAM LUCAS LOOKING TO MAKE A STATEMENT HERE BY SUBMITTING AMIR YUSUF!! BUT YUSUF TRIES TO SWIM HIS WAY INTO THE ROPES!! BUT IT IS TO NO AVAIL!
Eve: AMIR YUSUF NOW TRIES TO FIGHT AGAIN!! BUT I DON’T KNOW IF IT IS ANY USE! LUCAS HAS THE SHARPSHOOTER LOCKED IN PRETTY TIGHT IN THE CENTER OF THE RING!! YUSUF NOW BEGINS TO TWIST HIS BODY INWARDS!! AND HE SUCCESSFULLY SLINGS LUCAS OFF HIS LEGS AND LUCAS GOES HEAD FIRST INTO THE TURNBUCKLES! LUCAS REELS OUT OF THE RING AS YUSUF NOW GINGERLY GETS UP TO HIS FEET! LUCAS HOLDS HIS HEAD IN PAIN AS HE SLOWLY, BUT SURELY EMERGES TO HIS FEET!! WHAT IS AMIR YUSUF THINKING HERE!?!? WHAT IS HE GOING TO PULL OFF!?!
Gavin Kirkland: AMIR YUSUF STEPS UP ONTO THE TOP TURNBUCKLES WITH HASTE!! AND HE SOARS INTO THE SKIES AND FLATTENS LUCAS UNDERNEATH WITH A CANNONBALL PLANCHA! AMIR YUSUF DOES NOT INTEND ON BRINGING HIM BACK TO HIS FEET! AS HE NOW HOOKS HIM UP FOR A SUPLEX!! HE HOISTS HIM UP!! AND HE TOSSES HIM FORWARD AND ADAM LUCAS LANDS CHEST FIRST ONTO THE TOP OF THE STEEL STEPS!! ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTING AS YUSUF DROPKICKS THE STEEL STEPS!! AND IT SLAMS RIGHT BACK INTO THE FACE OF ADAM LUCAS AS HE WAS ON HIS KNEES CRUTCHING HIS RIBS! Amir Yusuf violates Adam Lucas as he rolls in and out of the ring to reset the referee count. He now grabs his head and positions it in between the turnbuckles and the ringpost! AND HE GOES FOR THE HELLUVA KICK!
Eve: AMIR YUSUF SMASHES HIS FOOT INTO THE RINGPOST AND GETS IT CAUGHT UP AS HE MISSED!! ADAM LUCAS MIRACULOUSLY GOT OUT OF THE WAY! AND ADAM LUCAS BRINGS HIM INTO THE RING, BUT HE SLIDES HIM BACK INTO THE RINGPOST! AMIR YUSUF GOES GROIN FIRST INTO THE RINGPOST AS ADAM LUCAS NOW HOOKS BOTH LEGS ON THE RINGPOST!! AND HE APPLIES THE FIGURE FOUR LOCK IN THE RINGPOST!! THIS IS ABSOLUTELY DEVASTATING AS AMIR YUSUF IS SCREAMING AND GROANING IN PAIN!! THE REFEREE IS NOW APPLYING A FIVE COUNT AS ADAM LUCAS LETS GO AT THE THREE COUNT! ADAM LUCAS GETS UP AND REPEATEDLY SMASHES YUSUF’S LEGS INTO THE RINGPOST!! I BELIEVE THIS IS HOW AMIR YUSUF GOT PUT ON THE SHELF MOMENTARILY, AS ADAM LUCAS NOW PULLS HIM BACK INTO THE CENTER OF THE RING!
Deadprez: Adam Lucas brings him up to his feet! AND HE JUST SLAPS HIS FACE!! LUCAS SHOWING NO COMPASSION HERE AS HE NOW PUSHES HIM INTO THE ROPES!! AND HE RECEIVES HIM FOR THE POP-UP POWERBOMB!! BUT AMIR YUSUF MANAGES TO TWIST HIS BODY IN MID-AIR!! AND HE REVERSES THE NEXT LEVEL POWERBOMB WITH A REVERSE HURRICANRANA!! BUT ADAM LUCAS IMMEDIATELY GETS UP TO HIS FEET AND CONNECTS WITH A DISCUS PUNCH INTO YUSUF!! YUSUF REBOUNDS OFF THE SECOND ROPE!! AND HE BLASTS HIS FACE WITH A SUPERKICK!! AND HE FOLLOWS IT WITH A SUPERKICK TO THE BACK OF THE HEAD! ADAM LUCAS IS STILL PROPPED ON HIS FEET AS HE LEANS RIGHT INTO THE TURNBUCKLES FACE FIRST!! AMIR YUSUF NOW COMES FROM BEHIND!! AND HE CONNECTS WITH A HELLUVA KICK INTO THE BACK OF HIS HEAD!! THIS HAS TO BE IT!
ONEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!
TWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!
THR-
Gavin Kirkland: ADAM LUCAS KICKS OUT! AMIR YUSUF CAN’T BELIEVE IT! Amir Yusuf quickly brings him up to his feet! And he cinches him in the reverse front face lock! AND HE GOES FOR THE ROLLING CUTTER! BUT LUCAS THROWS HIM DOWN WITH A SNAPMARE TAKEDOWN!! AND LUCAS CONNECTS WITH A KICK TO THE BACK OF THE HEAD! NO!! AMIR YUSUF WENT OUT OF THE WAY, MOVES UP AND ROTATES HIS HIPS!! AND HE FLOORS LUCAS WITH SOME SORT OF KIP-UP TWISTING LEGSCISSORS! AMIR YUSUF WITH A SUCCESSFUL COUNTER HERE AS HE GOES FOR THE ROLLING CUTTER YET AGAIN!
Deadprez: ADAM LUCAS DROPS DOWN AND ROLLS HIM DOWN WITH A WHEELBARROW!! OH NO!
ONEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!
TWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!
THREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!
Eve: AMIR YUSUF TURNS IT AROUND!! AND HE PULLS DOWN THE TIGHTS! THE REFEREE DOES NOT SEE IT!
ONEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!
TWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
THREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!
Gavin Kirkland: ADAM LUCAS PUSHES HIM OFF HIS BODY!! AND AMIR YUSUF GOES FOR ANOTHER SUPERKICK!! BUT LUCAS GRABS HIS FOOT AND GOES AROUND THE WAIST!! AND HE HOISTS HIM DOWN WITH A SCHOOL-BOY COVER!! AND LUCAS PULLS DOWN THE TIGHTS AS WELL!
ONEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!
TWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
Referee: HEY!! GET YOUR HANDS OFF HIS TIGHTS!!
Adam Lucas (off-mic): ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?! HE WAS DOING IT JUST NOW!! DO YOU HAVE EYE-
Deadprez: AMIR YUSUF SLINGSHOTS WITH THE ROPES AND ROLLS ADAM LUCAS INTO A JACKNIFE COVER!! YUSUF MIGHT WIN THIS ONE!
ONEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!
TWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!
THR-
Deadprez: ADAM LUCAS KICKS OUT MUST FASTER!! AND HE CONNECTS WITH A BIG BOOT TO THE FACE!! AMIR YUSUF IS SWAYING BACK AND FORTH AS LUCAS NOW PULLS HIM IN!! AND HE GOES FOR THE LEVEL UP!! POP UP POWERBOMB!! NO!! LUCAS TURNS IT INTO THE NEXT LEVEL!! THE CUTTER!! WAIT!! AMIR YUSUF DROPS DOWN AND REVERSES THE POP-UP CUTTER INTO THE INVERTED FRONT FACE LOCK!! AND HE SPINS AROUND FOR THE ROLLING CUTTER!!
Eve: NO!! ADAM LUCAS KEEPS ANSWERING THE ROLLING CUTTER AS HE COUNTERS IT WITH A WAIST LOCK!! AMIR YUSUF WITH A STANDING SWITCH AS HE LUCAS RUNS INTO THE ROPES!! YUSUF MAINTAINS THE WAIST LOCK AS LUCAS HOLDS ONTO THE TOP ROPE FOR DEAR LIFE!! YUSUF IS TRYING TO PULL HIM OFF THE ROPES WITH THE WAIST LOCK!!
( The referee begins to count up to five, but Adam Lucas cradles the official’s head with his left arm to obstruct his view… )
Deadprez: ADAM LUCAS KICKS BACK INTO THE GROIN OF THE FORMER NEW BREED CHAMPION!! AMIR YUSUF FALLS BACKWARDS AS YOU COULD SEE THE DEVILISH SMIRK PLANTED ALL OVER HIS FACE!! EVERYONE HERE IN KENYA IS RAINING DOWN BOOS AS THE REFEREE DID NOT SEE IT!! ADAM LUCAS WIPES THE SMIRK OFF HIS FACE AS HE GEARS INTO A SERIOUS STANCE!! HE HAS BOTH OF HIS HANDS PLANTED ON THE TOP ROPE WHILE AMIR YUSUF GETS UP TO HIS FEET TRYING TO MANAGE THE LOW BLOW!!
Gavin Kirkland: I DO NOT THINK GETTING UP WAS THE GREATEST IDEA AS ADAM LUCAS FLIPS INTO THE RING!! AND HE TEARS RIGHT THROUGH AMIR YUSUF WITH A BUCKSHOT LARIAT!!! A CLOTHESLINE FROM HELL AS ADAM LUCAS HOOKS BOTH LEGS WITH CONFIDENCE!! COUNT TO ONE THOUSAND!!
ONEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!
TWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!
THREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!
(DING! DING! DING!)
( “You Know My Name” by Chris Cornell blasts through the speakers and is immediately reciprocated with a negative reaction. A bold smirk grows on the face of Lucas as he gets up to his feet and has his hands raised. Yusuf remains unconscious after the buckshot lariat. Lucas does not take his time celebrating as he immediately starts to walk up the ramp with his back turned. )
Gina Romano: HERE IS YOUR WINNER… ADAAAAMMM LUCASSS!
Deadprez: Adam Lucas will now join the ranks of Jay Jerry Johnson, SOSA Henderson, and Jon Kelton as he unironically levels the playing field inside the 2022 Cash In The Vault match! Lucas has another opportunity to make his world championship dreams come true as he makes his way one step ahead!
Gavin Kirkland: Adam Lucas and Amir Yusuf were out-assholing each other, but it was Adam Lucas who was the man who knew how to bend the rules a little bit. Both men were pulling down each other’s tights, and Lucas gave him a deserving low blow while the referee’s view was obstructed. Lucas turned out to be the more petty one as he is now a man with a set goal at Pain For Pride 15. Congratulations to Adam Lucas!
(Adam celebrates his win as Amir Yusuf has slowly come to, resting against the ropes holding his neck upset and disappointed. Adam nods as he continues up the rampway as the camera fades to a commercial.)
( “The Rumbling” by SiM plays over the sound system and the crowd gives a mixed reaction. )
Gina Romano: Ladies and Gentlemen please welcome, THEERROOOOOOOOOON NNIIKOOOLLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAS!!!
( Theron’s music and lighting continues uninterrupted for another moment, however there is no Theron to be found. An attractive woman with brown eyes and flowy brown hair walks through the curtain in his place. She is wearing dark business pants and a black wooly knit turtleneck sweater and is wearing a familiar symbol on an an amulet hanging around her neck. )
Gavin Kirkland: Who is THAT?
Eve: I was going to ask the same thing.
Gavin Kirkland: No seriously, who is THAT :drool:
Deadprez: I don’t know but that thing she’s wearing-
Gavin Kirkland: You mean everything she’s wearing? I agree, I wish she’d get rid of it too!
Deadprez: No dummy I mean around her neck. Isn’t that something from that Fortuneteller that used to work with Mr. DEDEDE? Back when he was ‘Methuselah’?
Gavin Kirkland: Huh?! Dude she could be a fucking supermodel and you’re talking about her jewelry?!
( The woman approaches the ringside area with complete disregard for the heckling fans around her. She uses her fingertips to brush the ‘Nazar’ amulet around her neck for comfort and protection. )
Eve: Ohhh wait, Prez you’re right! But wait, could that mean?
Gavin Kirkland: Could what mean?! You guys are so frigging gay it’s unbelievable!
Eve: Could that really be Soothsayer Hamasa?
( The woman enters the ring through the ropes and she is handed a microphone from a stagehand. Theron’s music dies down, and the lighting of the arena is transformed from the usual bright lights down to a slight dim and a blue spotlight shining over Methuselah. A holographic “Hamsa” symbol is projected at the canvas, signifying exactly who she is. )
Crowd: WE WANT THERON! THERON SUCKS! WE WANT THERON! THERON SUCKS! WE WANT THERON! THERON SUCKS! WE WANT THERON! THERON SUCKS! WE WANT THERON! THERON SUCKS!
Mysterious woman: Good evening.
( The woman allows the crowd to continue for a little bit until they lose a bit of momentum in their chants. She picks an opportune moment to continue. )
Mysterious woman: It is so good seeing all of you again. Believe it or not, I’ve missed you all.
Crowd: WHO ARE YOU? WHO ARE YOU? WHO ARE YOU? WHO ARE YOU? WHO ARE YOU? WHO ARE YOU? WHO ARE YOU?
( The woman flashes a deceptively warm smile. )
Gavin Kirkland: UGH her smile :heart_eyes: I’m in love.
Eve: You’re in love with every new woman that you see.
Gavin Kirkland: And I’ve never been more in love than I am right now :heart_eyes: She could melt my frozen heart into a sticky puddle of goo.
Eve: You’re unbelievable.
Mysterious woman: You don’t recognize me? Fair enough. I go by many names, it is hard to keep track of them all. But in the EAW Universe I am most commonly remembered as Soothsayer Hamasa.
( Most of the crowd responds to that name recognition. )
Soothsayer Hamasa: I am well aware that I bear a much different appearance than before. The last time you all laid eyes on me I was enshrouded in a garb purposefully meant to cloak my personal identity. I was made to believe that it would protect me from the evils of this world (looking down at the Nazar amulet around her neck) when the protection that I needed was with me the entire time. Being enshrouded did not protect me, it restrained me. It limited me in the potential good that I can do for this world. My capabilities were reined in by my former captor, whose name I have not the strength to utter at this moment, who is known as your Chairman of Elite Answers Wrestling. The good that I was born to provide for this world was redirected purely for the purpose of the good that I may serve him. And on numerous occasions, when I could serve no further use, I was dismissed through unscrupulous acts of violence. I was forced to face a wrath that most living men and women will never live to face. Which is perhaps one of the ties that bind my fate with that of a man you all came to see today… Theron Nikolas.
( Theron’s name evokes a response from the crowd. Hamasa continues. )
Soothsayer Hamasa: Before I speak on Theron, allow me to unfasten the final proverbial shackle set by my former captor. If you wish to refer to me as the ‘Soothsayer’, the ‘Fortuneteller’, ‘Hamasa’, you are free to do so. But for those who are willing to indulge me, I’d like to reintroduce myself for one final time. My name.. my true name, is Natasha Agnello. Formerly known as Soothsayer Hamasa. And while my capabilities as a Soothsayer are still well in tact, my purpose has advanced so much further. When I served He who shall not be named, otherwise known as your “Gawd”, I served the purpose as the water to his fire. I was the leading luminary to protect you all from the hellfire that He had to bring upon all men. I served my role well, well enough to challenge him and push his capabilities of incinerating all that exists in his sight. The yin to His yang, the check and balance required to maximize his destruction. And I am here again to be the ‘yin’ to the ‘yang’ of another… that being, Theron Nikolas.
Natasha Agnello (FKA Soothsayer Hamasa): For Theron it was all meant to be different upon his return one year ago. Much has changed since then, hasn’t it? And yet so much has remained the same. Stagnation is a recipe for decay and despite the supposed progress so many have touted that he made, I could smell the odor of decadence from the other side of the world. You have all sung Theron’s praises and you’d even gotten him to believe that he had changed for the better, but a full lap around the sun above, and there was very little to show for it. That is because there is no possible progress in an outright facade. That is what you have all encouraged Theron to live out for an entire season, a facade. Theron Nikolas has been lying to himself for nearly the entirety of his career, and you are all part of the reason why.
( The audience doesn’t appreciate Hamasa’s accusations, and begin to boo her out of response. )
Natasha Agnello: Thankfully, the facade you formerly knew to be Theron Nikolas has died. Theron Nikolas is dead in every conceivable manner other than physically, and when you lay eyes on he who is named ‘Theron Nikolas’ remember that what you are laying eyes on is a ghost. A frightful apparition of an unfortunate, manipulated, tortured soul who has nobody to blame for all his ail’s other than himself… and all of you.
( Crowd boos. Natasha makes a surprised expression, but contains her shock at their disagreeance in order to maintain her bearings. )
Natasha Agnello: I’m sorry? I believed this to be self-evident, but apparently it comes as a surprise. Either way, what is done is indeed done and what is dead must indeed die. Theron Nikolas is dead, and the Ghost has risen for the sole purpose of mortifying all who he may encounter. In the way my former captor represented the ‘fire’ to my ‘water’, I have returned in new regalia to represent the beauty in contrast to his horrifying sight. The Theron that you all believed you had took pride in his ‘calculated’ strategy. He was a God-Emperor to some, Keyser Soze to others, but a pretender under the watchful eye of truth. He dazzled you with the brilliance of his lies and it was tantamount to appeasement. He gave you all what you wanted you to see – and to appease you he gave you what he believed you wanted to see. It was beautiful, it was all beautiful! Beautiful lies. You all wanted Theron to progress so badly and yet you denied him the right to his own truth, because the truth is hideous. So hideous, it is horrifying. But the truth is self-evident, and it will set him free.
Natasha Agnello: Just look at me. With the robes and the headwear abandoned you can see that at my core truth, I am gorgeous.
Gavin Kirkland: YOU’RE DAMN RIGHT BABY!! :drool:
Eve: Shut the fuck up!
Natasha Agnello: This is who I am. And what Theron Nikolas truly is, at his core, is insidious, and horrifying. What Theron is at his heart is stuff of nightmares. It is the worst manifestation of samsara, it lurks the deepest, lowest bowels of hell. Do you understand the ties now? I was the water to the fire of my former captor, and I am the beauty to the horrific truth of Theron Nikolas. I am here to portray my own authentic beauty completely unabated. And just when you believe beauty such as mine could ever be attainable … that is when the Ghost will appear. To remind you that there is a steep cost for all that is beautiful in this world.
( Natasha lowers her microphone and the lights of the arena completely cut to black, leaving behind the dim blue spotlight shining over her. She smiles bright, picks up the Nazar pendant around her neck, and gives it a kiss before the spotlight cuts to black. )
( Showdown returns from a quick commercial break to the steel cage that spent the entire night hanging above the ring now around the ring. Gina Romano is standing by. )
( DING! DING! DING! )
Gina Romano: The following is a STEEL CAGE MATCH set for ONE FALL!!!! The ways to win this match are by pinfall, submission, or by escape with both feet touching the floor! Introducing first…
( “7 Rings” by Ariana Grande hits and Veena Adams makes her entrance, provoking boos from the audience. )
Gina Romano: Introducing first, from Greenwich, Connecticut, VEEEENNAAAAAAAAAAA ADAAAAAAAAMS!!!
Deadprez: Heluva big deal coming up for Ms. Veena Adams and to be honest, it’s a match I’m surprised we haven’t had yet after all we’ve seen between her and her opponent.
Gavin Kirkland: The closest we got was Towering Inferno where no lie Veena was lucky to leave alive! Still, she and Cameron have been through wars against each other all season long, it’s crazy how much they’re able to activate each others’ bloodlust!
Eve: These fans have eaten it up every step of the way. Every time they face each other the battles get more competitive with each match. Do you think tonight continues that trend, Deadprez?
Deadprez: You could argue this match not only is a continuation of their individual feud but it’s also another chapter in that Ava-O’Hara vs. Adams rivalry that has gone on for years now. Damn right it’s going to get more competitive tonight, if history suggests correctly.
( “ULTRAnumb” by Blue Stahli plays and Cameron Ella Ava walks out to a huge pop, however she does not embrace the reaction much like usual due to her heated rival staring her down from behind the cage mesh. )
Gina Romano: And her opponent, residing in Los Angeles, California, “THE GODDESS”, CAMEERROOOOOOON ELLAAAA AAVVAAAAAAA!!!
Gavin Kirkland: Another night, another high-pitched reaction from every woman and child in the arena going batshit for Cameron Ella Ava! We love a woman of the people!
Eve: And Cam loves them back, but she’s not in a very ‘loving’ mood.
Deadprez: Cameron hasn’t had the easiest last number of weeks, between not being able to come away with the Women’s Championship against Andrea, to an unexpected/ loss against Ronan Malosi and the other half of ‘Ad Infinitum’, Charlie Marr.
Gavin Kirkland: Eve you can bet your sweet, perfectly sculpted ass that Cameron is NOT trying to suffer a defeat to the other half of Ad Infinitum! Not after everything they’ve put each other through!
Eve: I can bet my what now? :comeagain:
Deadprez: To Gavin’s terribly worded point, there is still that fresh loss on her mind from Showdown just a couple of weeks ago that no doubt adds to the incentives to win this match. Probably in a quick fashion, uh oh!
( The excited audience cheers on as Cameron charges into the ring and immediately starts trading punches with Veena. This interrupts Cam’s music, and the referee calls for the bell. )
( DING! DING! DING! )
Eve: There is no love lost whatsoever between Cameron Ella Ava and Veena Adams!!!
Gavin Kirkland: Listen to this place, they are eating this up!!!
Deadprez: Explosive back and forth strikes, Cam ends up rocking Veena with an uppercut that sends her stumbling! Veena walks right back into another uppercut to take her off her feet! Once she’s up Cam has her by the head –
Gavin Kirkland: WHAM!!! SENDS HER THROUGH THE ROPES TO HIT THE CAGE FACE FIRST! CAMERON TAKES VEENA TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE RING, AND FLINGS HER OVER THE ROPES WITH ANOTHER FACE PLANT AGAINST THAT MERCILESS MESH!
Deadprez: Flesh to mesh, and they don’t mesh! Something’s usually got to give but it never ends up being the metal cage, that’s for certain. Cameron’s putting the boots down on Veena who is trying to cover up after being perhaps taken off guard a little bit by the ferociousness. Cameron came into this like a woman on a mission, and to her advantage there are no disqualifications or count outs, so once you manage to get some leverage over your opponent you are under no obligation to let it go!
Eve: It’s one of the many things that make these cage matches so interesting any time they come around. It unlocks something in these Elitists that takes the aggression to the next level, AS CAM HITS A SLINGSHOT WITH VEENA ADAMS LAYING UNDER THE BOTTOM ROPE! VEENA’S THROAT IS SENT UNCEREMONIOUSLY INTO THE RING ROPE!
( Cameron picks Veena up by the face to meet her at eye level. She shares some inaudible words, with Veena still coughing a bit from the collision against the ropes. )
Gavin Kirkland: Cam is reading Veena the riot act. BUT VEENA INTERRUPTS WITH A SLAP! That’s backed Cameron up and perhaps stunned her, giving Veena enough time to come right after her with a press into the ropes and a flurry of right and left knee strikes! Cameron didn’t do much to defend herself from that, but she is holding up her arms to protect from the rapidfire forearms coming from Veena now! Veena tries to send Cam across the ring..
Eve: Cameron counters the Irish whip with a TWISTING ARM SNAP, sending Veena’s shoulder down to the canvas! Veena straightens up to one knee while holding that collarbone area, Cam takes her down with an AXE KICK! She bends Veena’s arm back now, and goes for a STOMP INTO THE RIGHT COLLARBONE! GOT IT!
Gavin Kirkland: That’s got poor Veena crawling away in retreat, and Cameron looks around at the audience to rile them back up. Always a symbiosis between the EAW Universe and their Goddess! Veena Adams is seated against the ropes at another sector of the ring, CAMERON COMES CHARGING ALONG WITH A PENALTY KICK!!!
Eve: VEENA CATCHES THE FOOT! Veena fights from the seated base to a standing one with Cameron’s foot caught in her hands… and CAM ATTEMPTS A TWISTING JUMPING ROUNDHOUSE TO COUNTER! She misses, Veena escaped in time! Just as Cam goes for her next offense, Veena cuts her off with a shoot style roundhouse to the rib cages! Now a scissors stomp to a kneeling Cam to bring her to all fours… and an ELBOW SMASH to boot!
Deadprez: Veena pulls Cam into her warm embrace except there ain’t much ‘warm’ about what she wants next, she’s going for “FLOAT LIKE A BUTTERFLY”… HOLD UP LOOK AT THIS! LOOK AT THIS! CAMERON OVERPOWERS VEENA TO BRING HER ON HER SHOULDERS, AND FLIPS VEENA UPSIDE DOWN ON HER SHOULDERS INTO AN ARGENTINE POSITION!!! CAM NOT WASTING ANY TIME TRYING TO END THIS, LOOKING FOR “BREAKING BARRIERS”!!!
Eve: Veena lands behind Cameron right at the last second and counters with a chop block!!!
Gavin Kirkland: Yikes! Down goes Cam, holding that left knee area!
Eve: A potentially tendon tearing chop block, well timed and well placed by Adams. You could hear Cam instantly let out a yelp, GIVING HER NO ROOM TO DEFEND FROM A CARTWHEEL KICK! Lateral press by Veena!
Ref: OOOOOOOOOOOOOOONNNEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!! TTTTTTWWWWWWWWWWWWWOO-
Deadprez: KICK OUT! A good chop block is one of the most simple yet most effective moves in the game. How many matches have we seen turn around from just one of those?
Gavin Kirkland: Even people’s seasons! That tendon filled area behind the knee was targeted well enough to incapacitate Cameron at least temporarily. She’s not fighting back at all as Veena slings her over her shoulder, and mounts her up to the top turnbuckle in a seated position. Oop, there’s a back elbow from Cam that caught Veena across the eye!
Crowd: LET’S GO CAM! LET’S GO CAM! LET’S GO CAM! LET’S GO CAM! LET’S GO CAM!
Gavin Kirkland: VEENA IS SEEING BLOOD RED! SHE CHARGES AT CAMERON AND IS WAILING ON HER OVER THE SPINE! SHE IS CURSING UP A STORM AND BEATING WELTS ONTO CAMERON’S BACK, AND LIKE YOU SAID DEADPREZ, SHE IS UNDER NO OBLIGATION TO LET UP! Gosh, those strikes find their way over the back of Cam’s head and neck, before she just yanks Cameron upside down in a tree of woe position.
Eve: Veena hammers away with punches into Cameron’s left knee that just took a chop block earlier! She backs away now, waiting for Cameron to fight her way out of that compromising position. Cam’s just trying to sit up and free herself without hurting herself any worse on the left knee, but a RUNNING DROPKICK BRINGS HER DOWN FROM THE TREE OF WOE, LANDING RIGHT ON HER HEAD!
( Veena drags Cameron away from the ropes and hooks the left leg )
Ref: OOOOOOOOOOOOOOONNNEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!! TTTTTTWWWWWWWWWWWWWOOOOOOOO-
Deadprez: Cam kicks out. Veena’s got that Adams family scowl down pat, she’s not here to mess around. As a matter of fact both of them came in with a mood to kill, as you can see a Veena wipe off a bit of blood trickling from the eye off that elbow shot from earlier. There she goes at one of the corner turnbuckles, untying the padding and removing it to reveal the steel! She darts a look right back at Cameron Ella Ava who is working on getting herself off the ground, Veena goes over to ‘offer some help’ but…
Gavin Kirkland: Numerous right hands from Cameron! She gingerly backpedals into the corner trying to loosen up that knee, and Veena comes after Cameron only for Cam to respond with a FLAPJACK!!!! INTO THE CORNER?!
Eve: VEENA STICKS THE LANDING, ACTUALLY ENDING UP ON THE TOP ROPE! VEENA STRAIGHTENS HERSELF UP AND IMMEDIATELY BEGINS CLIMBING!!!
Gavin Kirkland: Cameron follows suit but you saw her curse under her breath doing that. Her knee is not at 100 percent and let’s be honest there is a very real ‘goose chase’ kind of element in these cage matches when the escape factor is at play!
Deadprez: No lies told. Any issues with mobility at all is going to make a match like this way harder, but Cam’s managed to join Veena up at the high rent district. Cam takes Veena by her gear to try to pull her off the wall of the cage and potentially down to the ring, but Veena balances herself on the ropes insteads with support from the cage. Veena with a KICK TO THE RIBS, BUT CAM CAUGHT THE BOOT! VEENA OVERCOMES HER MOMENTARY SHOCK WITH A DAMN GOOD HIGH KNEE STRIKE, USING HER FREE LEG!
Gavin Kirkland: THEY BOTH FALL, BUT WHILE VEENA TAKES A SPILL TO THE FLOOR, CAMERON LANDED AWKWARDLY BETWEEN THE ROPES AND THE CAGE WALL, WITH HER LEFT KNEE CAUGHT UP OVER THE TOP ROPE!! OH GOD!
Eve: That couldn’t have gone any worse for Cam. The referee rushes to Cam’s side to check on her condition, she is holding the left knee following that gruesome fall and landing. We might need a replay on that one if we can pull it up…
( REPLAY: Cameron Ella Ava has one of Veena’s boots in her clutches, but Veena throws caution to the wind and frees herself with a step-off jumping knee strike. We see Veena land on the floor of the ring, while Cameron turns around and trips off of the top rope to bang her head against the cage. She is caught over the top rope on her way down, momentarily dangling by her left knee before eventually landing between the ropes and the cage wall. )
Gavin Kirkland: Well you guys are the ex-wrestling experts so you tell me, what do you think is running through Cameron’s mind if anything to begin with?
Deadprez: That trip to the top rope to chase after Veena ended with maybe the worst possible outcome. Cam isn’t giving the referee much to work with, she’s shaking her head and gritting her teeth. To answer your question Gavin, knowing her she’s already got a perfect sense of how badly hurt she is and what compromises in her game plan that she’s got to make in order to win.
Gavin Kirkland: IT DOESN’T LOOK LIKE VEENA WANTS TO COMPROMISE ANYTHING AT ALL! SHE’S BACK ON THE OFFENSIVE, DRAGGING CAMERON AWAY FROM THE ROPES AND RUNNING HER HEAD FIRST ACROSS THE RING INTO THE EXPOSED STEEL!!!!
Eve: CAM STOPS IT WITH HER FOOT AT THE LAST MOMENT! VEENA FORCES CAM INTO A HEADLOCK, WANTING A VARIATION OF “A DARK TURN” INTO THE EXPOSED STEEL… BUT CAMERON SHOVES VEENA AWAY, SENDING HER TUMBLING TO THE FLOOR AND SCRAMBLING UP — WONDER WOMAN PUNCH!!! HIGH ELEVATED FOREARM SMASH TURNS VEENA ADAMS INSIDE OUT!!! CAM DROPS RIGHT OVER ADAMS WITH A COVER!
Ref: OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONNEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!! TTTWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWOOOOOOOOO-
Gavin Kirkland: KICK OUT!
Deadprez: I mean what more can you expect from Cameron Ella Ava at the end of the day?! She shows up in big matches at the biggest moments, she is where she is because she knows how to close em’. But she hasn’t closed this one just yet, she might be well on her way though!
Gavin Kirkland: Cam is fighting through pain to rise so quickly because she knows exactly where she is and how crucial of a moment she is in!!! CAM TAKES VEENA BY THE LEGS FOR THE “LASSO OF TRUTH”, POSITIONING HERSELF TO SEND VEENA OVER THE ROPES AND INTO THE CAGE!!! … NO, COUNTER WITH THE LEGS BY VEENA, PULLING CAM IN FOR AN INSIDE CRADLE USING HER LEG STRENGTH ALONE BY ITSELF!
Ref: OOOOOOOOOOOOOONNEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!! TTWWWWWWWWWWWOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!
Deadprez: Cam kicks out! The two are racing off of the ground, relatively speaking they’re moving way faster than you’d expect after some of the heavy hits that they’ve been dishing out. Cam hobbles forward still very much affected by her kne- SPEAR BY VEENA!!!!!!
Eve: INTERCEPTED! CAM TAKES VEENA’S MOMENTUM THROUGH THE ROPES, INTO ONE OF THE CAMERAS POKING THROUGH THE STEEL CAGE!!!
( The video blacks out for a few seconds while the audio remains. The feed switches to another camera, and we see one of the cameras smashed on the ringside floor. )
Gavin Kirkland: FUCK VEENA’S SKULL MUST BE MADE OF TITANIUM OR SOMETHING BECAUSE THAT CAMERA IS TOTALLY WRECKED!
Eve: I don’t even know if Veena’s skull is in one piece at this point! Cameron is taking some time to release the tension on her knee, using the ropes for support and stretching her left leg in a few different ways.
Gavin Kirkland: Maybe she should try some squats, preferably faced away from me!
Eve: Maybe you should grow up.
Deadprez: Veena’s been busted open by that collision into the camera. Still, she fights her way back off the ground. Spoiled brat temperament aside, we’ve seen Veena show a lot of heart this season. Conditioning and grooming can do a lot for an athlete but to be able to compete at a high level around here a lot of character work is crucial and we’ve seen Veena show some character this season, as she’s now up by the support of the ropes.
Gavin Kirkland: SPEAR BY CAMERON!!! VEENA WAS WIDE OPEN AND GOT A TASTE OF HER OWN MEDICINE, BUT I THINK CAM’S GOT ANOTHER BITTER PILL READY TO STUFF DOWN HER THROAT! VEENA IS FAMILIAR WITH HAVING THINGS STUFFED DOWN HER THROAT, ISN’T SHE?!
Eve: Uhm that’s your boss’ niece you’re talking about.
Deadprez: CAM TAKES VEENA UP, AND IS WALKING VEENA ACROSS THE RING TO THE EXPOSED TURNBUCKLE, BAD KNEE AND ALL…. ALABAMA SLAM!!!!!
Gavin Kirkland: VEENA FLAILS HER LIMBS TO CAUSE ENOUGH TROUBLE AT THE LAST POSSIBLE MOMENT, SHE SLIDES DOWN CAMERON’S BACK, AND COUNTERS WITH A SINGLE LEG CRAB!!!
Eve: Oh god, to the left knee no less!
Gavin Kirkland: IN AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE THERE ARE NO ROPE BREAKS, NO DISQUALIFICATIONS, NOT EVEN A RINGSIDE TO PULL YOURSELF OUT OF! VEENA PULLED THAT OUT OF HER HAT AT SUCH AN IMPORTANT TIME, BUT YOU CAN TELL BY THE LOOK ON HER FACE THAT THIS IS TAKING A LOT OUT OF VEENA AS WELL!
Deadprez: Veena can turn people into pretzels with that single legged crab but I’ve got a feeling she won’t be able to do that right now. There’s some blood trickling into her eyes, she needs a second to wipe it away from her view with one hand – BUT THAT SECOND WAS ONE TOO MANY, CAMERON IS FIGHTING TO GET LEVERAGE WITH HER GOOD LEG, GETTING IT UNDERNEATH HER BY JUST A LITTLE BIT.
Eve: You’re right, that was too much of an opportunity, even a single lapse can give an Elitist like Cameron the opening she needs to escape proverbial death’s door! Cam has her right foot planted underneath her while Veena is giving her best go at applying more pressure… Cam reaches back, straightening her body up and bending over backwards, grabbing Veena by the head from behind! AND COUNTERS OUT OF THAT WITH A NECKBREAKER!!!
Gavin Kirkland: WOW!
Eve: The resourceful Hall of Famer found a way out, and she finds an arm over the body of a bloody Veena Adams with the cover!
Ref: OOOOOOOOOOOONNNNEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!! TTTWWWWWWWWWWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO,
Gavin Kirkland: Veena kicks out! Cameron crawls over to the ropes to get herself back up with the support of the ropes. All the while Veena is making the same recovery effort at the same rate, just goes to show the damage that was done on Cam’s knee. Veena is taken back down with a running clothesline! She returns up, another running clothesline! Veena rises at a slight lag from before, makes a wild swipe, but Cameron ducks that and counters with an arm drag! Veena is sent scrambling into Veena scrambles to the one of the corners but she has not escaped the sight of Ava, Cam is still gingerly moving into these attacks but they’ve been effective this far… HERE SHE COMES WITH A “WONDER WOMAN PUNCH” INTO VEENA WHILE SHE’S CORNERED!!!!!
Eve: VEENA COUNTERS WITH A POP UP! Cam lands on the top rope at the turnbuckle, rather than hitting her face against the cage. Cam balances herself away from the corner balancing on the ropes, she looks like she’s about to start another climb.
Gavin Kirkland: HANG ON LOOK AT VEENA!
( Veena Adams turns Cameron around by her legs so that her back is facing the cage. She springs up to the middle rope. )
Eve: SPRINGBOARD DRAGON SCREW LEG WHIP FROM THE TOP ROPE!!! HOLY HELL!!!
( The arena gives a huge response from that move by Veena. Cameron rolls around holding her knee and screaming in pain. )
Deadprez: WHAT A GODDAMN MOVE, RIDICULOUS!
Eve: VEENA ADAMS TAPS INTO THAT POTENTIAL THAT WE ALL KNEW WAS THERE, AND IT LOOKS LIKE IT’S GOING TO LAND HER THE BIGGEST VICTORY OF HER CAREER! VEENA MAKES IT OVER CAM FOR THE HOOK OF BOTH LEGS!
Ref: OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONNNNEEEEEEEE!!! TTWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWOOO!!! THRRRRRRRRRRRRRR-
Gavin Kirkland: KICK OUT! CAM THROWING A PUNCH IN THE MIDDLE OF A KICK OUT AT THE SAME TIME!
Deadprez: I think that punch did more to help break Veena’s hook than the actual kick out, Cam rolls away holding her left knee which looks like it’s bruised up and is starting to swell. Veena sitting up, look at that evil damn look she’s got; the ref is concerned and keep in mind he does have the authority to stop this match if there’s any excessive risk of injury.
Gavin Kirkland: Oh c’mon it’s a damned cage match! The CONCEPT of this match is excessive risk!
Deadprez: Yeah but it ain’t like we’re talking about an unsanctioned match or anything, the referee still has a job to do at the end of the day.
Gavin Kirkland: These two survived Towering Inferno for crying out loud! Cameron has faced the best of the best in the most dangerous situations you can think of, something tells me she’s going to find a way out of this one.
Eve: Maybe physically, but it may not be with the victory! VEENA PICKS CAM RIGHT BACK UP AND PLANTS HER WITH “FLOAT LIKE A BUTTERFLY”!!! BUTTERFLY SUPLEX, BUT INSTEAD OF A CROSS ARMBREAKER, SHE ROLLS THROUGH AND HITS ANOTHER FLOAT LIKE A BUTTERFLY! VEENA ROLLS THROUGH AGAIN AFTER A 2ND, MORE EMPHATIC, SUPLEX — AND REELS HER IN WITH “A DARK TURN”!!! SPINNING HEADLOCK ELBOW DROP, ANOTHER COVER!
Ref: OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONNNEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!! TTWWWWWWWWWWWWWWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! THRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR-
Eve: KICK OUT AGAIN!
( The crowd erupts with cheers. Veena bangs her fists onto the mat and covers her bloody face with her forearms. )
Deadprez: THE CROWD LOVES IT, BUT HOW CAN YOU NOT? CAM IS SHOWING THAT AVA FIGHTING SPIRIT WHICH HAS TAKEN HER AND HER SISTERS TO CHAMPIONSHIPS AND HEADLINERS!
Gavin Kirkland: The atmosphere is electric, it is getting Sub Saharan HOT here in Nairobi!
Eve: Yeah but not as hot as Veena! Do you see her right now?!
Gavin Kirkland: Uhm trust me I know EXACTLY how hot Veena is.
Eve: I meant she’s pissed off..
Deadprez: Veena Adams picks Cameron Ella Ava back up with a look that would decapitate, watch out watch out watch out watch out!
Gavin Kirkland: VEENA SLAMS CAMERON FACE FIRST OVER THE EXPOSED TURNBUCKLE WITH EVERYTHING SHE HAS!!!!
( Cameron stumbles backwards and collapses flat on her back. Veena drops over her. )
Gavin Kirkland: THAT SENT THE AIR OUT OF THIS PLACE, VEENA WITH ANOTHER COVER!
Ref: OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONNEE!!! TWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWOOOOOOOOOOO!!! THRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR-
Eve: CAM KICKS OUT!!!!
( The audience gives the loudest pop of the evening. )
Eve: MY GOD WILL YOU LISTEN TO THIS CROWD?! THESE PEOPLE ARE HEAD OVER HEELS!
Gavin Kirkland: VEENA IS HEELS OVER HEAD, SHE’S FREAKING OUT!
( Veena Adams is on her back throwing a tantrum. )
Deadprez: Veena gave that every damn thing that she had, but it didn’t seal the deal! We’re gonna have to run that tape back because I have no idea how Cam managed to stick around after this:
( REPLAY: Veena Adams picks Cameron up and runs her face first into the exposed turnbuckle. We see multiple angles of the collision, including the last emphasizing Cam’s head tilting back in recoil after colliding with the corner. )
Deadprez: That was right between the eyes, you don’t get a cleaner shot than that, that would knock a normal person out all day long.
( Cameron is busted open and bleeding quickly and profusely. )
Gavin Kirkland: Well we aren’t talking about a normal person, but she is human and quite literally bleeds the same color as the rest of us as is evident in front of us. Every person’s got their breaking point, including a Goddess, but Veena’s looked like she’s just about reached hers as well! Veena Adams is on the other side of the ring and has decided she is done trying to fight her way out of this with fire! Veena is fixing to climb right over the top and get the hell out of this mess.
( Veena Adams reaches the halfway point up the 15 foot high steel cage, however she looks back and finds Cameron Ella Ava sluggishly returning to her feet. )
Eve: Would you look at that! Cam’s back in this, under her own power! Just incredible, and these people couldn’t be any happier for it!
Gavin Kirkland: Veena looks psyched out, she’s cursing under her breath and continually looking down, Cam’s getting into her head!
Deadprez: You took the words right out of my mouth Gavin, you can read it in her blood stained face and her body language, she is wracked with emotions right now and it might be getting the best of her.
Eve: VEENA’S ADJUSTING HER POSITIONING ON THE CAGE WALL, WHAT’S SHE — “TWISTED VEENA”!!!!!! OFF THE SIDE OF THE CAGE!!!
Gavin Kirkland: NOBODY HOME!!! VEENA’S BODY BOUNCES OFF OF THE CANVAS FOLLOWING THE EVASION! VEENA IS BACK UP HOLDING HER RIBS PURELY FROM MOMENTUM! SHE’S PICKED UP! BREAKING BARRIERS!!!!! ARGENTINE BACKBREAKER CUTS HER RIGHT IN HALF!
( Cameron to the floor holding her knee. )
Gavin Kirkland: BRILLIANTLY EXECUTED BUT IT CAME AT A PRICE, THE IMPACT TO THE KNEE FROM THAT BACKBREAKER HAS PUT ANOTHER HURDLE IN CAM’S PATH! I DON’T KNOW IF THAT WAS RIGHT RIGHT IDEA!
Deadprez: That was instinct doing the talking, but sometimes instinct interrupts instinct.
Eve: That’s very true, factoring in injuries is so difficult when you have split seconds to think in the middle of a bloody war! Cameron is so used to playing through pain but it’s a painstaking crawl over to a nearly motionless Veena. This crowd is willing Cameron on with each lunge forward that she takes, and Cameron FINALLY makes it over for a cover!
Ref: OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONNNNNEEEEE!!! TTWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWOOOOO!!!! THRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR-
Deadprez: Kick out! There ain’t a scintilla of doubt in my mind that this thing would have been over it not for the distance, Cameron had that one and she knows it! But instead of sulking she’s digging back into her bag, straightening herself up while Veena tries to crawl away. CAM TAKES AN ANKLE FROM BEHIND AND IS GETTING GEARED UP FOR THE ‘AVA LOCK’! SNAPS IT IN!!! CAM YANKS BACK ON THAT STF WITH A FIRM VICE GRIP LIKE HER LIFE WAS ON THE LINE!
Eve: VEENA ADAMS TO HER CREDIT IS FIGHTING LIKE HELL, MAKING IT DIFFICULT, SQUIRMING HER BODY AS MUCH AS SHE CAN… VEENA SENDS BACK A FEW STRIKES ACROSS THE HEAD OF A BUSTED OPEN AVA, SOFTENING UP THE SUBMISSION WELL ENOUGH TO TAKE CAMERON’S GRIP APART BY THE WRISTS…
Gavin Kirkland: VEENA IS TAKING THE COPYCAT STRATEGY, TRYING TO USE HER FREE LEG TO CREATE SOME LEVERAGE THE WAY CAM DID EARLIER! SHE’S SCRAMBLING AWAY OVER TO THE DOOR OF THE STEEL CAGE, BUT CAMERON SCRAMBLES RIGHT AFTER HER WITH A HOLD MAINTAINED AROUND THE ANKLE — VEENA STRAIGHTENS UP, HOBBLES IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, AND COMBAT ROLLS THROUGH TO FLING CAMERON OVER THE ROPES AGAINST THE WALL OF THE CAGE!!!
Eve: THE SIDE OF CAMERON’S BODY SLAMS INTO THE CAGE, BUT SHE STICKS THE LANDING ON HER FEET HOLDING HER ARM. CAM’S LEANED BACK AGAINST THE ROPES–
Gavin Kirkland: SPEEEEAARRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!
Eve: INTERCEPTED AGAIN!!! VEENA DARTS THROUGH THE ROPES AND SLAMS FACE FIRST AGAINST THE CAGE!!!
Gavin Kirkland: DEAR GOD LOOK AT THE ANGLE THAT VEENA’S HEAD SNAPPED BACK, THAT MIGHT HAVE SNAPPED HER NECK! A SPAGHETTI LEGGED, DOUBLED OVER VEENA ADAMS HAS BLOOD DRIPPING FROM HER FACE TO THE CANVAS BELOW! STUNNER!!! MODIFIED “GLASS CEILING” BRINGS VEENA DOWN! CAM’S RIGHT THERE FOR A COVER!
Ref: OOOOOOOOOOOOONNNEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!! TWWWWWWWWWWOOOOOOOOOOO!!! THREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
Eve: SHOULDER UP!!!
( The crowd reacts in shock. )
Gavin Kirkland: What the devil is keeping her going, man?!
Deadprez: Straight up animosity! The amount of spite built up between these two is enough to flood an ocean, these two legitimately hate each other and will do anything to see each other suffer. For Cam it is taking maximal effort to get herself back on the offense, just getting up off the floor is serving to be a challenge. Once she does, she drags Veena up by her dead weight, sharing some harsh words now!
Eve: Cam’s telling Veena how she really feels — VEENA SPITS BLOOD IN CAMERON’S FACE!!!
Gavin Kirkland: THAT’S WHAT I DO WHEN I GO DOWN ON A WOMAN AT THE WRONG TIME OF THE MONTH!
Eve: IN EXCELSIS!!! BICYCLE KNEE BRINGS VEENA RIGHT BACK DOWN! CAMERON HOOKS BOTH OF HER LEGS, SETS HERSELF UP RIGHT WHERE SHE WANTS… ‘LASSO OF TRUTH’!!!!
Gavin Kirkland: RIGHT INTO THE EXPOSED TURNBUCKLE!!! VEENA’S BLOOD GOES SPLATTERING UP INTO THE AIR, SHE DROPS DOWN TO THE MAT, HER EYES ROLL BACK IN HER SKULL!
Deadprez: IT’S OVER.
Gavin Kirkland: Cam takes a breather but to be honest she can take all the time she wants, stick a fork in Veena because she’s finished! It’ll be one thing if she can get up on her own accord, but she’s not going to be in the shape to incapacitate much of anybody!
( Cameron Ella Ava motions to the door of the steel cage that is being guarded by a referee. She is still on the ground, taking time to stretch out her left knee. She is also sporting a large bruise and a gash on one of her arms after being sent into the cage earlier in the match. )
Eve: The ringside official is unchaining the lock keeping the door of the steel cage shut. Veena is laying across the bottom rope still totally out of it, and Cameron is just waiting for the ref to open up the door before she tries to get up.
Gavin Kirkland: For the first time in this match the door is wide open! The fans are encouraging Cam to get up and walk out to claim her victory, at this point she’ll have well earned it!
( Cameron Ella Ava rises once again and limps across the ring to exit the cage. Once she reaches the cage door the lights of the arena black out. )
Deadprez: What the?!
Gavin Kirkland: I CAN’T SEE! DID SHE WIN?
( A blue spotlight is shone on Theron Nikolas who stands on the ring steps and has shut the door of the steel cage. )
Gavin Kirkland: THERON? BUT
Eve: I don’t understand.
( Cameron limps closer to the door, she tries to push the cage door back open, but Theron is re-applying the locks while the referee at ringside can only protest at the side. Cameron reaches through the mesh of the cage trying to grab the chains from Theron’s hand. )
Cameron Ella Ava (off-mic): What the hell are you doing? Stop this you piece of shit!
( Cameron bangs on the door )
Theron Nikolas (off-mic): We all get what we deserve, Cameron.
( An irate Cameron bangs on the door of the cage even harder. )
Theron Nikolas (off-mic): Sometimes we just don’t know that we deserve it.
( An unflinching Theron finishes re-applying the locks and tightening up the chain. )
Cameron Ella Ava (off-mic): WHAT THE FUCK IS YOUR PROBLEM?
Theron Nikolas (off-mic): Other times we do know, and it’s too hard to stomach. You deserve this, Cameron.
( Theron shifts his eye contact from Cameron to behind her. Cam turns around – )
Deadprez: VEENA’S ALREADY CLOSE TO THE TOP OF THE CAGE! CAMERON LIMPS ACROSS THE RING DOING HER DAMNDEST TO GO AFTER VEENA, BUT VEENA HAS ALREADY MADE IT TO THE TOP!
Gavin Kirkland: VEENA’S GONNA STEAL IT!
( Cameron stumbles on her way over to Veena due to the damage she’s incurred during this match. She climbs up the ropes, using primarily one leg to get herself off the ground and begin scaling the wall behind Veena. She grabs one of Veena’s feet, but Veena kicks Cameron off and drops her lower body over the other side of the wall. Veena carefully climbs down the other side, and jumps off to allow both feet to touch the floor. )
( DING! DING! DING! )
Gina Romano: Here is your winner… VEENA ADAMS!!!!
( “7 Rings” by Ariana Grande comes back on and a bloodied Veena raises both fists in the air at ringside before dropping herself against the barricade in exhaustion. )
Eve: That was Cam’s match for the winning and in a matter of moments she had it taken away from her by – wait, where did he go?
Gavin Kirkland: It appears Theron has disappeared like a ghost out of thin air, much like his lovely accomplice formerly known as Soothsayer Hamasa called him earlier!
( Cameron is back in the ring showing palpable frustration following the events that transpired. )
Deadprez: It’s a bold move to cost Cameron a match like this against one of her fiercest rivals. The two have had an up-and-down relationship over the years but I don’t know if there was much that would lead me to think he’d go this far. Even if they have had their disagreements as of late.
Gavin Kirkland: Gotta give Veena the props she’s due as well, she was a scrapper and found the opportunity to get the job done in the right place at the right time! Undeniably however there are more questions to be answered stemming off of Theron’s interference, if that look on Cam’s face tells you anything is that there may be hell to pay for what he’s done!
( Veena celebrates on the ramp; Cameron sits in the ring simmering with rage, wiping blood off of her face and plotting her revenge. )
(As the camera fades back from a quick commercial break, it goes to ringside with Hurricane Hawk in the middle of the ring.)
Deadprez: What a night it has been… and it’s not over yet, we have something important to finalize!
Eve: That’s right, in just a few moments Answers World Champion TLA and his challenger, Impact, will make it official
Gavin Kirkland: And we all know how contract signings go here in Elite Answers Wrestling right?
Deadprez: General Manager Hurricane Hawk is in the ring; we’ll turn it over to him.
(Hawk stands next to a table, with two seats either side, the contract placed on the table ready.)
Hurricane Hawk: Ladies and Gentlemen, allow me to introduce at this time the two combatants who will face off in the Showdown Main Event at Pain for Pride. Firstly, heading to the ring, the challenger to the Answers World Championship… he is IMPACT!!!
(Emerald green strobe lights center on Impact with his back turned in a Jesus pose. As the lyrics start in “M3tamorphosis” he turns to face the crowd and the predictable reaction that he receives. With a grin, he makes his way down to the ring super confidently, jawing with any fans that dare give him any shit. Once at the ring he slides in under the bottom rope, Hawk passing him a microphone. Impact takes it, and without hesitation picks up the contract, and signs it without even reading it, before slamming it back down on the table.)
Deadprez: Impact eager to get it done
Gavin Kirkland: Can you blame him? How long has he been waiting now?
Impact: There, it’s signed… now get the bitch boy out here.
(Hawk lifts the mic, but before he can speak, ‘Ambitionz az a Ridah’ by Tupac hits over the speakers, the arena erupting at the Answers World Champion appears at the top of the ramp. He has two members of the Poon Palace with him, one on each arm and he stands with the championship belt around his waist. Enjoying the reaction, a smirk appears on his face, before he starts to walk to the ring.)
Hurricane Hawk: Ladies and Gentlemen please welcome to the ring, your Answers World Champion. T…L…AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!
(Impact stands in the middle of the ring, scoffing at TLA walks to the ring, the two ladies unhooking themselves from him and then making their way back up the ramp waving to the crowd. TLA stands there for a few moments just looking at Impact, before walking to the steps and making his way up them. Looking out at the crowd, he then bends through the strands and unhooks the championship belt, draping it across his shoulder. He then picks up the contract, nodding as he sees Impact has already signed it. He then places it back down on the table, and puts the belt beside it, Impact staring only at TLA should he try and make a move. TLA then takes a spare mic and holds up his hands.)
TLA: Easy ese… no beef tonight ya dig?
Eve: The Answers World Champion not looking for a fight it seems
Gavin Kirkland: He might not have a choice.
(Impact’s face remains stoic, TLA continuing.)
TLA: I see ya signed the terms, that’s good. I like a man with courage in his convictions. And ya must have courage, ya gotta have the grapefruits size of a house to be stood there opposite me after what I have achieved.
Impact: Is that right?
TLA: Damn straight. I mean, I beat ‘King Kass’ and you couldn’t. Limmy Monaghan and Adam Lucas tried their best, but their best wasn’t good enough. Nikolas… Well, I ain’t no ironman, but I proved that I am superman without the cape and sent him packing. Oh yeah how can I forget homes… didn’t I take the World title from you the last time you were champion? Yeah, that’s right. You ain’t getting some kind of revenge at Pain for Pride. This ain’t no ‘ten times’ fairytale.
Deadprez: TLA telling it how it is. He’s been a fine champion and will be going forwards should he succeed.
(Impact just stands there, listening carefully to what TLA has to say.)
TLA: I mean, I gotta give you’s props, you been keeping it real these past few months, and you’ve been impressive no doubt. You carved up Adam Lucas, and then barbecued his ass fer fun. You went through 29 other elitists, including Limmy Monaghan from right here on the blue brand and won Grand Rampage for an unprecedented second time. There is no doubt that you and I are going to blow the roof off Pain for Pride. No doubt. But I ain’t giving you that ‘PFP’ moment Impact. That moment belongs to me, and that there title isn’t going anywhere but home with me and the Poons. I’m having too much fun with that belt to let it go now.
Eve: He has brought a certain something that’s for sure.
Gavin Kirkland: His reign certainly hasn’t been as intense as Kassidy’s was.
(Keeping his eyes firmly on Impact, he also doesn’t look at the contract, and signs it, Hurricane Hawk lifting his mic.)
Hurricane Hawk: So there you have it… at Pain for…
Impact: Whoa, Whoa, Whoaaaaa there Neddy, we ain’t through here.
Deadprez: Like Impact wasn’t going to get his point across.
(TLA picks up the belt and once again drapes it on his shoulder, smiling, interested in what Impact could possibly have to say.)
Impact: You think we are going off air without me saying my piece. Not a chance. And if any of you guys in the back are thinking of cutting the feed, DON’T.
(Impact looks menacingly down the camera to emphasize his point.)
Impact: See, I get it TLA, I can see the confidence oozing off you, I smell that sweet stench of success.
TLA: That ain’t success, me and the Poons had some quality time in my dressin’ room, you know what I’m saying.
Gavin Kirkland: He’s talking about sex guys.
Eve: We got it Gavin…
Impact: I’m happy for you, truly I am. I’m glad that you got your moment to shine. And yes, I accept. You beat Kassidy where I couldn’t. You did the unthinkable and stopped her reign in its tracks. But whilst I’ve been ripping up the competition in my quest to be right here, what have you been doing huh? Who has legitimately given you a challenge? Dia Del Diablo, you faced three individuals who were receiving ‘pity’ shots. Limmy Monaghan? I had him on toast. Adam Lucas… he might be showing a little more potential of late, but he’s still a little bitch. And Theron Nikolas… I think we both think he should just go home and go wrestle village halls or something.
(TLA only slightly nods his head, seemingly agreeing.)
Gavin Kirkland: Does anyone actually like Theron Nikolas these days
Deadprez: That’s disrespecting a legend Gavin, reign it in
Gavin Kirkland: Jeez, only tell the truth here. Freedom of speech anyone?
Impact: But I’m not just a step up TLA, I am the Alpha Male around here, regardless of whether I hold a title or not. These bonehead fans know it, and you know it, I am the exception around here. My legend speaks for itself; it doesn’t matter if I’m a champion. But you know something, it matters to me. Look into my eyes…
TLA: Easy tiger, I don’t swing that way you know
Impact: Look, and you will see just what this match means to me. This isn’t just another championship match; I know that this could be the last time that guy…
(He looks at Hawk)
Impact: …gives me my dues. I had to go through twenty-nine others to stand here, when the shot should have been mine by right. Hawk has protected you from the moment you won that title. I’ve been patient TLA, I’ve had the patience of a saint. But when that time comes, and that bell rings I PROMISE you, I am going to take that belt from around your shoulders, even if I have to rip it from your rigor mortis affected fingers. Ten times is coming, and then you, and these idiots in this arena will have no choice but to call me the greatest Elitist of ALL time. You talk moments TLA, I’m making history at Pain for Pride, and you cannot and will not stop me.
Deadprez: You can just hear the passion and determination in his voice. This is a different Impact to the one that started the season.
(Hawk doesn’t make the same mistake this time, as TLA lifts the mic again to another roar.)
TLA: You talk a lot bro. You remind me a lot of Adam Lucas…
Gavin Kirkland: Ooooo burn
TLA: And we all know what happened to him when he stepped up. I’m on a roll, I gots all the momentum, and I know you’ll give it some energy for reals. Question is, will your ‘all’ be enough? I don’t think so.
Impact: Well, here’s the thing TLA, I don’t give a shit what you think. I’m ready to take that belt. THE REAL QUESTION IS, are you ready for me?
TLA: I’m ready for ANYONE.
Deadprez: Uh ho, things getting tasty
Gavin Kirkland: Who’s going through that table? I’ll do odds.
(There is an unnerving moment when it looks like it is going to kick off, the two just staring at each other. Hawk takes the opportunity to interject.)
Hurricane Hawk: If I may…
(Impact glares at him, but TLA nods respectfully.)
Hurricane Hawk: I think there is no doubt you are both ready for Pain for Pride, and one of potentially one of the most eagerly anticipated matches of all time.
(The crowd roars their agreement.)
Hurricane Hawk: But just to make sure, here is what we are going to do.
Gavin Kirkland: Oh no… Hawk’s had his thinking head on again.
Eve: Maybe it’s the stipulation for Pain for Pride?
Hurricane Hawk: Preparation for Pain for Pride starts next week, where both of you will be in action on Showdown. Here’s the kicker though, because TLA, you will choose Impact’s opponent, and TLA, you will choose Impacts.
(He picks up the contract and makes sure everything is in order.)
Hurricane Hawk: Choose wisely… it could make all the difference.
(With that Hawk exits the ring, as TLA and Impact step a little closer. Hawk see’s this and as he backs up the ramp lifts the mic once more.)
Hurricane Hawk: Leave it till Pain for Pride guys… I’d hate for one of you to miss out.
pact stand nose to nose, both jawing with each other.)
Deadprez: That’s it then guys, its official, TLA will face Impact at Pain for Pride for the Answers World Championship. Join us next week when we find out who both have selected to be the other’s opponents!
Eve: Those choices are going to be huge!
Gavin Kirkland: Imagine if one of them got Kassidy Heart!
Deadprez: Don’t put ideas in their heads Gavin! So, from me, Eve and Gavin, THANK YOU for joining us and we’ll see you next week. Goodnight!
(The camera pans back to the ring, where TLA and Impact are still involved in an intense stare down.)
(EAW Logo Buzzes)
