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SEGMENT
”Spider and The Fly”
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{Purple and white spotlights home in on the entrance area as the opening drum fill to "DC Sound Attack!" plays. As the harmonica and guitars start up, Chris Card, dressed in one of his finest Italian suits, walks the first few steps out from the curtain and pauses, soaking in the atmosphere and cracking an enigmatic smile. After a brief nod of acknowledgement to the crowd, Card walks purposefully down to the ring.}Vasco Dias: It’s Chris Card! Everybody rejoice!
Terri Morasco: He’s not scheduled to be here tonight…
Vasco Dias: He’s a contracted wrestler, Terri. They are kind of expected to be at any IWF events.
{After asking for a microphone to be handed to him, Card climbs the ring steps and walks to the middle of the ring. There is an audible cheer from the crowd which Card acknowledges with a subtle nod of the head before lifting the mic to his lips and waiting for the general clamour to die down.}Chris Card: Brooklyn, New York? How are we all doing tonight?
{The “YEEEEEEEEEEAH!” from the crowd is noticeable.}Terri Morasco: Are you not going to call Chris Card out on that cheap pop?
Vasco Dias: It’s Chris Card. I’ll allow it.
Chris Card: All good. Well, I’m with you. I’m having a good time. Though, it may have come to your attention that I do not have a match tonight.
Crowd: “BOOOOOOOOOOOO!”
Vasco Dias: It’s a travesty. Can I get a refund already?
Terri Morasco: You work here, Vasco. So no.
Chris Card: Now now, no need to cancel your network subscriptions and use your tickets as the kindling when you burn effigies of the senior management. I’m still here for you. And I’ve got a whole night to do what each. And. Ev-er-y. One. Of. You. Is here for. I’m here to enjoy an excellent evening’s entertainment. So I suggest you pick up your popcorn, pick your moment to head to the concession stand, buy the T-Shirt and enjoy what I know will a truly amazing night of professional wrestling.
Terri Morasco: Well, this is a first. I agree with Chris Card.
Vasco Dias: Dip your toes in the water, Terri. The sharks don’t bite.
Chris Card: Let me tell you. There’s nothing tonight that could ruin my enjo…
{Card does get a chance to finish his word before being interrupted by the unsettling sound of two lines of poetry, being read in a nasally New Jersey accent across the stadium’s PA.}“WILL YOU WALK INTO MY PARLOUR, SAID THE SPIDER TO THE FLY?”
{The arenas lights cut out, leaving the ring shrouded in darkness. And then there is the loud crack of a bolt of lightning. Up on the big screens of the Imperitron a purple ankh appears out of nowhere, with the loop of the ankh filled with the closed eye of a woman, heavily made up with black eye shadow and mascara. The eye blinks open, staring out, as the camera cuts back to Chris Card. Card’s usually unflappable expression bears more than a hint of concern. The lights go back up and the image disappears. Card hurries through his words a little, as if thrown somewhat off balance.}Chris Card: Well. I hope you all enjoy the rest of your evening. I have an urgent phone call to make.
{Card rolls out of the ring, creases be damned and power walks to the back, ruffled by the mysterious image.}Terri Morasco: Vasco? Any idea what that was about?
Vasco Dias: Of course! I have all the insider knowledge.
Terri Morasco: Would you care to share with the IWF fans?
Vasco Dias: Oh, it’s a big insider secret. I couldn’t possibly share.
Terri Morasco: You don’t know, do you?
Vasco Dias: Well…
Terri Morasco: Do you?
Vasco Dias: No. But I’m sure all our fans will be able to find out more if they subscribe to the IWF Network. $9.99, Terri!
Terri Morasco: Meanwhile, back to the action.
{A dark blue 1995 Chevy Silverado drives up a dirt road before it comes to a stop before a set of iron gates.}Vasco Dias: I’m not really sure what to say about this next… Is it a match?
Terri Morasco: I think in the basest sense it’s a match but it’s probably going to be more like a war.
{The driver’s door opens and Mason St. Croic hops out in a pair of black military fatigues and a black tank top. Out of the passenger side hops out a smallish referee who looks a little worried about his wooded surroundings.}Terri Morasco: Well Mason brought a referee so this looks like a match!
Vasco Dias: Where is this even taking place?
Terri Morasco: From what I’m being told, Angel’s compound is located in Dudleytown, Connecticut.An abandoned town hidden in the hills of Connecticut.
Vasco Dias: Jesus… Mason needs to get the hell out of there.
Terri Morasco: I don’t think that’s an option.
{Mason walks toward the gate waving the referee onward who slinks behind him. Mason kicks the gates open and they fly backward slamming against the chain link fence that surrounds the whole compound.}Mason St. Croix: WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU ANGEL!?
{Mason screams out loud as he peers through the trees and the darkness looking for a direction to go. One by one torches start to light in the woods lining a path.}Vasco Dias: This isn’t a good sign.
Terri Morasco: I’m not entirely sure Mason knows what he’s walking into.
Vasco Dias: Hell. That’s what Mason is walking into. Hell.
{The torches continue to light as Mason marches forward, the referee in tow until the two finally enter what used to be a town green. There is a well in the center, house all around but to the right is a large stone church. It’s ancient in design, possibly colonial.}Mason St. Croix: That’s where he is.
{Mason soldiers forward toward the church as the torches behind him all go out at the same time.}Vasco Dias: I don’t like this… I’ve seen Angel wrestle some insane matches, the Death Cage for instance but this? This is entirely different.
Terri Morasco: This whole set up is disturbing.
Vasco Dias: I think Mason made a mistake accepting this challenge.
Terri Morasco: I think I agree with you, there is no way this is an even playing field.
{Mason walks up the steps to the church and kicks the double doors clear off their hinges, they slam against the stone floor with a loud thud as Mason looks down the dark hall way. Doors line each side as the interior of the church has clearly been retrofitted to Angel’s needs but Mason doesn’t seem to care as he heads toward the end of the hall way.}Terri Morasco: Where the hell is Mason going!?
Vasco Dias: Into the heart of hell!
{Mason reaches the door at the end of the hall and again, he kicks the door open revealing a large room which is clearly where worship used to take place but instead of pews is a ring and instead of an alter is a throne.}God: Welcome. To. Hell.
Mason St. Croix: I’ve been to hell. You don’t know a damn thing about it.
{Mason charges the ring and slides in under the bottom rope, the referee is close behind him. Angel stands from his throne and throws off the ornate leather cloak complete with metal spikes reveal his toned and scarred torso.}God: You know nothing of the pain that awaits you.
Mason St. Croix: Neither do you.
{Angel approaches the ring, walking up the olden wooden steps that his followers built for him. Angel steps into the ring as the referee looks to both men then throws his arms to call for the match to begin!}Terri Morasco: This is it! Man versus God!
Vasco Dias: And God will always succeed!
{Mason runs head long at Angel and collides with the body of Blake with a shoulder tackle straight into the corner. Mason unleashes a flurry of rights and lefts into the midsection of Blake!}Vasco Dias: This isn’t a match! It’s a war!
Terri Morasco: It’s going to be more than that! It’s going to be a fight for survival!
{Mason unleashes the St. Croix combo and then rips Angel out of the corner of the ring with an overhead belly to belly suplex! Blake literally no sells the move and gets right to his feet and Mason looks infuriated!}Terri Morasco: Are you kidding me!?
Vasco Dias: Angel is right back to his feet!
{Mason charges Blake again and hits another shoulder tackle and drives Blake backward into the corner. Mason puts the boots to Blake in the corner until Angel finds himself in a seated position. Mason pulls Blake up to his feet and sends him flying across the ring with a two handed choke but again Angel pops right back to his feet.}Vasco Dias: God will not be felled by man!
Terri Morasco: It doesn’t look like it so far!
{Mason just looks angrier and he charges Angel again, this time Blake sides steps the attempt at the Warpath and grabs Mason by the head and rips him down to the mat. Mason pops right back up but Blake hits a spinning back fist, a spinning heel kick and then a leaping knee! Blake throws Mason into the corner. Angel runs hits the running knee and rips Mason out of the corner with the Heaven’s Fury running bull dog. Angel goes for the cover. ONE! KICK OUT!}Terri Morasco: Mason isn’t even close to finished!
Vasco Dias: He better reconsider that strategy!
Terri Morasco: Fighting back?
Vasco Dias: Fighting God!
{Angel inches his way off Mason with a smile and gets back to his feet, St. Croix isn’t far behind. The two men move in on each other for a tie up but Mason is quick to move to a rear waist lock and then a sickening looking release German suplex on Angel Blake!}Terri Morasco: Mason going for the reconstructed neck of Angel Blake!
Vasco Dias: God’s don’t feel pain!
{Angel is a little slower to his feet as Mason runs in and catches Blake with a clothes line right over the top rope and to the stone floor below. Mason doesn’t slow down as he follows Angel out of the ring and pulls him up by the hair. Mason runs Angel face first into his stone throne and proceeds to slam his face into the seat of the throne with viciousness!}Mason St. Croix: You’re no God!
{Mason backs off and then he charges Angel and lifts him high up into the air with the Warpath spinebuster right into the throne and literally breaks the back off with the body of Blake! Mason pins Angel right on the throne as the referee scurries into the best position. ONE! TWO! KICK OUT!}Vasco Dias: Nice try but not even close!
Terri Morasco: It looked close from my angle!
Vasco Dias: Then you’re blind!
{Mason peels Angel up off what is left of the throne and drags him toward the front of the room, he bounces Angel off the wall face first and hits a hard right hand that takes Angel right off his feet. St. Croix doesn’t stop, he pulls Blake up and slams Angel’s face right through the dry wall now and then picks Blake up for a Samoan drop right on the stone floor!}Vasco Dias: What the hell is the referee doing!?
Terri Morasco: The best he can!
Vasco Dias: That was clearly illegal! He needs to count Mason out!
Terri Morasco: Does a compound match have count outs!?
Vasco Dias: IT SHOULD!
{Mason is still seething as he pulls Blake back up to his feet but Blake suddenly comes alive with several elbow shots to the side of Mason’s head! St. Croix is staggered and Blake throws him with a hip toss into the hall way! Mason starts to get up but Blake comes at St. Croix with a running drop kick that sends Mason crashing through a door into one of the rooms!}Terri Morasco: Jesus Christ!
Vasco Dias: No! GOD!
{Angel steps into the room where Mason is lying. Blake looks around to an assortment of weapons and reaches for his favorite hanging right by the door as if he planned this. A cat of nine tails with thumb tacks attached to the end.}God: Now I rip your soul apart.
{Blake rears back and then lashes Mason across the chest with the deadly cat of nine tails and rips his flesh open! Mason lets out a scream as the blood begins to pour. Angel rears back again as Mason turns and gives Blake his back, the tacks dig into Mason’s flesh again and rips him open as the referee stands in shock.}Terri Morasco: This is insane!
Vasco Dias: Welcome to the compound!
{Blake hits Mason again and again, the back of St. Croix is a bloody mess but finally Blake seems satisfied and drops his weapon, turning his sights on a section of wall adorned with barbed wire.}Terri Morasco: No.
Vasco Dias: Yes.
{Blake pulls Mason up off the floor and goes to run him face first into the barbed wire wall but Mason puts on the brakes and instead sends Angel face first into the barbed wire!}Terri Morasco: YES!
Vasco Dias: NO!
{Mason turns and looks at Angel’s weapon of choice, the cat of nine tails. Mason picks it up, bloody and beaten but he smiles to himself as Angel seems to be caught in the barbed wire. Mason rears back and slashes Blake with his own weapon and tears the flesh of God with the thumb tacks! Mason hits Blake again and again and again!}Terri Morasco: Mason is giving Angel a taste of his own medicine!
Vasco Dias: No! This is disgusting!
Terri Morasco: This is what Blake gets!
{Mason throws the weapon down and grabs Angel by the hair and then drives his face into the barbed wire and rips his face open wide as blood begins to pour from the wounds. St. Croix rips Blake off the barbed wire and turns him around then grabs him for Caught in the Act and sends Angel flying right through a plate glass window and to the outside of the church!}Vasco Dias: Holy shit!
Terri Morasco: Mason isn’t just looking to win he’s looking to end Angel!
Vasco Dias: He has no right!
Terri Morasco: Mason has every right!
Vasco Dias: NO!
{Mason is clearly staggered from the blood loos but he moves toward the broken window and looks outside to where he threw Angel and there is no one there.}Vasco Dias: Where did he go!?
Terri Morasco: There is no way Blake just got up from that!?
Vasco Dias: Or did he!?
{Mason turns away from the window and looks around, he sees a barbed wire wrapped bat attached to the wall and rips it off. Mason heads out into the hall way and back down the long corridor to the where the door was that leads outside. Back in the center of the town we see a gathering of possibly hundreds of hooded figures all holding torches.}Mason St. Croix: SHOW YOURSELF!!!!
{Mason looks to all the hooded figures but none move.}God: You may strike me down but I will only become more powerful than you can possibly imagine.
Mason St. Croix: When I strike you down it will be permanently!
{Mason charges the crowd of figures and begins to connects with vicious baseball swings with the barbed wire bat and knocks the down one after the other after the other. Mason continues to plow through the crowd until finally one figure moves forward behind him and jabs Mason with the torch!}Vasco Dias: CHRIST!
{Angel reveals his face and spins Mason around into the Last Gasp pulling pile driver right on the ground! Angel pushes Mason over and covers. ONE! TWO! KICK OUT! Angel sneers as he pulls Mason back up and throws him face first into the well! Blake turns Mason around and connects with a kick then underhooks him, turns Mason and hits Tara’s wings right into the stone well!}Vasco Dias: Mason can’t kick out of that!
Terri Morasco: I don’t know how St. Croix could!
{Blake goes for the cover, ONE! TWO! KICK OUT!}Vasco Dias: Are you kidding me!?
Terri Morasco: St. Croix isn’t ready to give up!
{Angel is no longer smiling through his crimson mask. Angel pulls Mason up but St. Croix suddenly scoops Angel up into Bombs over Baghdad and drops Angel right across the top of the well! Angel lays there as Mason now climbs up on top of the well. Mason pulls Angel up to his fee then picks him up for the Ranger’s way and drops Angel right INTO THE WELL!!!!}Vasco Dias: WHAT THE HELL!?
Terri Morasco: Mason dropped Angel into the well!?
Vasco Dias: What the actual heck!?
Terri Morasco: I don’t believe this!
{Angel disappears into the darkness. Mason rolls off the stones and looks around at the crowd of figures.}Mason St. Croix: You think he’s a god! He’s just a man!
{Mason rips a torch from the hands of a follower then runs across the old green and tosses it onto a porch of one of the houses, it quickly ignites in flames.}Mason St. Croix: He’s just a man!
{Mason grabs another torch and takes it another house, then he works his way around the old green and ignites every single building before finally dropping the torch into the well itself. The only building not in flames is the church as it’s mostly stone.}God: Am I a man!? OR AM I GOD!?
{Mason turns in shock and looks up to the bell tower in the church where a bloody Angel stands laughing at him. The hooded figures disappear into the woods as Mason stands resolved to end this.}Vasco Dias: Where the hell did he come from!?
Terri Morasco: I was about to ask you!?
Vasco Dias: I thought Blake was dead!?
Terri Morasco: So did i!?
{Mason marches towards church and once inside makes a beeline for the stairs. He makes his way to the second story of the old stone church and begins scanning his surroundings looking for a ladder to get to the bell tower. He spots it and begins towards it when the stone beneath him begins to crumble. He frantically begins reaching for anything to grab onto but can't and falls through the stone floor.}Terri Morasco: Good grief Mason just fell through the floor! Wouldn't Angel have had to walk across that same floor to to get to the bell tower?
Vasco Dias: You would think, but he is God.
{Mason lies amongst the rubble in a dark room with no door. The walls of the room are covered with spikes and in the corner is a small cage that appears to be empty. As Mason goes to stand the terrified referee comes flying through the hole landing right in his arms. Mason puts the ref down and moments later Angel himself comes through the hole almost appearing to float.}Terri Morasco: This isn't real, it can't be…
Vasco Dias: We're witnessing the true power of God Terri!
{Angel stands before St. Croix a look of pure evil in his eyes as he lashes out with the cat of nine tails once again this time striking Mason in the face, the thumb tacks puncturing the soft tissue of his right cheek barely missing his eyes. Mason tries to cover his face but Blake just continues to strike, drawing blood from the back of St. Croix’s hands and the top of his head.}Terri Morasco: So much blood, I think I'm going to be sick!
{As Angel steps forward trying to whip Mason into the spiked walls somehow St. Croix is able to reverse and scoops Blake up before planting him face first into the stone floor with Battle Cry.}Terri Morasco: How in the hell did Mason St. Croix have enough left in him to pull that off!
Vasco Dias: It was all in vain look..
{Before Mason can even attempt to pin Angel he just slumps to the floor, the loss of blood finally taking its toll. Both men lie inches apart neither moving at all and the referee begins counting. 1...2...3...4…}Terri Morasco: This needs to end but not like this. Get up Mason!
Vasco Dias: Playing favorites against God will not help your case for heaven.
{Suddenly Mason begins to stir and rolls over covering Angel. The referee begins his count.}Terri Morasco: This is it!
Vasco Dias: No it can't be.
{1...2...KICKOUT by Blake sending St. Croix backwards into the cage in the corner. Mason just leans back against the cage in total disbelief when he hears a hissing behind him and yellow eyes can be seen over his shoulder. He barely moves out of the way in time before a massive clawed paw comes out of the cage swiping at him.}Terri Morasco: That's a FUCKING PANTHER! Someone needs to contact Peta. Angel Blake has a panther caged inside this insane compound.
Vasco Dias: God rules over the animal kingdom as well Terri.
{The giant cat continues to hiss and paw at Mason who slowly tries to stand not noticing that Angel has gotten to his knees behind him and picked up his cat of nine talks bringing the handle of it up between Mason's legs dropping him to his knees as well. Blake slips behind Mason using the handle to choke him while applying a body triangle.}God: Sleep now my child. Just let go and follow the light.
{Slowly Mason begins to lose consciousness due to the choke and rapid blood loss.}Terri Morasco: Stop this, it's over! He's out!
Vasco Dias: God prevails!
{The referee tries desperately to pry Angel off of Mason and eventually is successful. Blake stumbles to his feet long enough to have his hand raised in victory before dropping back to his knees next to Mason.}Terri Morasco: Ladies and gentlemen we have just witnessed the most barbaric and bizarre match I've ever witnessed in my life. There's no way either of these men will ever be the same.
Vasco Dias: Correction, one man, one God and I think that was just proven.
{Angel kneels next to Mason, who has yet to regain consciousness, laughing maniacally as we fade.}Terri Morasco: This next match, has been billed as a Brooklyn Death Match. I'm not exactly sure what that entails exactly…..
Vasco Dias: Terri don't you know anything? It means things are about to go down!! These two are going to try to kill each other tonight!
Terri Morasco: Are we about to watch a snuff film?
Vasco Dias: Simply put, get ready for some violence and the end of Jayson Matthews!
{The lights in the arena go dark.}{The screen lights up and you see Jayson Matthews in a room with a mirror looking at himself with his Invictus title on his shoulders. He is staring at the scars on his hands. The scars on his forehead. All the blood he has lost, all the pain that has been caused to him. Everything Sandman has put him through. He grabs the Invictus Championship from his shoulder and stares at it, his eyes widen as he thinks about what the title means and what he will have to go through to keep it. He nods his head and takes a deep breath.}Jayson Matthews: Okay….this is it. It's do or die.
{He holds the title in front of him and bows his head and closes his eyes as the screen cuts to black.}{Suddenly in the darkness of the arena you can hear the familiar riff of Spirit in the Sky by Norman Greenbaum start to cut through. The lights in the arena pop on as soon as the section of the band they were set to illuminate started playing. Once the drums start up the last light comes on and you have a big orchestra band swaying back and forth and jamming on their instruments. And a church choir swaying to the beat as they sing. The sold out crowd is clapping to the beat.}“When I die and they lay me to rest”
“Gonna go to the place that's the best.
When I lay me down to die
going up to the spirit in the sky!”
{Everyone keeps jamming and the the lights are flashing and the rest of the choir step in.}“Goin up to the spirit in the sky”
“spirit in the skkkyyyyyy”
“that's where I'm gonna go when I die”
“when I diiieeee”
When I die and they lay me to rest,
I'm Gonna go to the place that's the best!”
{The band solos for a few measures before it all suddenly stops and the lights cut back out..}{The drum fill kicks in the door and the guitar riff of 311’s Perfect Mistake starts blasting over the PA system.}“Listen Up!”
{The arena lights start changing from orange to black on the beat and Jayson Matthews comes bouncing from behind the curtain and head banging to the riff. He has a garbage can filled with various objects as he jams. His Invictus Championship firmly around his waist. He jams to the verse as he starts to walk down the ramp, slapping fives with as many fans as he can on either side.}This is the next stage, we turn the page
We're gonna wreck a place when we take the stage
Roll up your sleeves, get down with me
It's going off in the pit like you wouldn't believe
Alison Valance: Weighing in at 200 pounds, hailing from Detroit, Michigan. He is the IWF InVICTUS Champion……JAYSON MATTHEWS!
{Jayson stands at the end of the ramp and stares into the ring and he starts to bounce up and down and hypes himself up and as soon as the chorus hits he dives into the ring forward rolls onto his feet and runs over to the side opposite the ramp and leans over the ring holding out his Championship. While the lights strobe orange and black.}“Ohhhhhhhhhh
See in it my eyes
Hold it in my hands
All those days that you wasted away
There was no one to blame
It's a perfect mistake
{He hops up on the turnbuckle and holds out the Invictus title with one arm and points to the crowd with his other hand. Thanking the fans for the cheers and displaying the title to the fans.}Terri Morasco: The Invictus Champion. People call this man the “heart” of IWF.
Vasco Dias: Pfft, yeah right.
Terri Morasco: Well I respect his heart, I'll tell you that much. I think this sold out crowd here in the Barclays Center respect his heart.
Vasco Dias: Well heart means nothing up against this next man. Jayson Matthews is gonna get his heart ripped out of his chest!
Alison Valance: And his opponent weighing in at 285 pounds. Hailing from Norfolk, Virginia. He is The New Age Punisher…..”THE ANGEL OF DEATH” JASON SANDMAN”
{The lights go down in the arena, and spotlights start moving like they are searching for something. The Agony Scene’s We Bury Our Dead At Dawn starts up as the spotlights die out. Out of nowhere fire erupts on the stage and a figure comes crawling through it. The figure rises to reveal Jason Sandman with his face painted like The Punisher skull. Half the face is traditional white and the other half is crimson red. The fire goes down and the building is black again. After about thirty seconds the lights come back on and Jason Sandman is in the ring standing behind Jayson Matthews. Jason Sandman spins Matthews around and goes for a mist, Matthews ducks and the liquid goes right into the face of the referee who goes down screaming.}Terri Morasco: DID YOU SEE THAT!?!? WHAT WAS THAT!?
Vasco Dias: I….I think that was some kind of acid or something. Ummm that ref is gonna need some help!
{Jayson is checking on the ref who is crying out in pain, he looks up at Sandman laughing and looking badass in that face paint! Medics slide into the ring to check on the ref and Jayson stands up seething and then charges in with fists flying!}Terri Morasco: Well EMT’s are checking referee Ben Dover for burns but I guess this match is underway, without a ref.
Vasco Dias: Where we're going, we don't need a ref.
Terri Morasco: Well it's no secret over the course of two months that Matthews at a disadvantage when it comes to Jason Sandman.
Vasco Dias: A disadvantage? Matthews has ever disadvantage when it comes to Sandman.
Terri Morasco: Well he's doing okay right now.
{Jayson ducks under a clothesline attempt and keeps running and springboards back with a Lou Thesz Press and starts raining down punches but Sandman rolls him out of the mount and Jayson scrambles back to his feet and goes for a quick dropkick but Sandman dodges it in the early moments of the match. Jayson manages to sidestep a big boot attempt and Matthews snap kicks him in the grounded leg during the kick. Sandman goes down and Jayson runs in for a kneedrop to the face but Sandman escapes in time. Sandman gets up and Jayson leaps up from the ground looking for the RibKracker but Sandman is strong enough to hold him up! Jayson throws some punches to the face that staggers the big man and when he gets to the ropes he flips Jayson up over his head and to the floor outside of the ring with a sickening thud! The crowd oohs as Jayson holds his back in pain}Vasco Dias: The action is literally spilling out of the ring.
Terri Morasco: More like thrown.
{Sandman climbs to the outside where Jayson is writhing in pain from the back body drop from hell. Jason stomps on his face a few times before flipping up the apron to look for some toys. He reaches underneath and pulls out a bunch of tables and chairs and a few black duffel bags. Sandman immediately unzips one of the bags and pulls out a spool of barbed wire! The crowd gasp as he holds it up in the air with evil in his eyes.}Terri Morasco: What's he doing with that!?
Vasco Dias: He’s wrapping it around his forearm!
{Blood starts to drip from Sandman’s arm as he wraps the barbed wire around his arm. But Jayson kicks Sandman forward and he stumbles knee first into the ring steps! Jayson hops up to his feet to hits a flip over cutter on Sandman and his face bounces off the ring steps! Jayson is up to his feet and he immediately runs to his large trash can full of weapons he brought to the ring. He reaches in and pulls out a two by four and tosses it to the side. Next was small mallet and he throws that behind him followed by a metal chain.}Vasco Dias: What’s he doing? Those are all perfectly good weapons! He could use any of them.
Terri Morasco: He’s looking for something...he's found it….it's a banana!?
Vasco Dias: Are you kidding me? What can he possibly do with that, Terri?
{Jayson pulls off his rare unique ability of looking menacing with a banana as he walks toward Sandman! But then he stops, peels it and eats it! Before throwing the peel at Sandman and yelling MARIO KART at him from the ring.}Terri Morasco: Uh oh, Sandman better not slip up!
Vasco Dias: I hate you! It doesn't work like that in real life!
{Sandman cusses at him and slides into the ring, still with the barbed wire on his arm and Jayson cuts him off quick with some stomps to the head and back of the big man. Sandman fights through it and tries to score with a barbed wire European uppercut but Jayson manages to dodge it.}Terri Morasco: That was close!
Vasco Dias: Could you imagine what that would have done to his throat?
Terri Morasco: Jayson has to worry about that barbed wire!
{Jayson capitalizing with a few shots to the knee followed by a few punches to the face and Sandman staggers back and Jayson runs to the ropes and Sandman swings with a barbed wire lariat but Jayson goes low and takes on the knee of the big man and dodging the strike. Sandman drops to one knee and Jayson is up quick and comes in and starts hammering punches into the skull of Sandman and he instinctively puts the arm in a submission hold that hurts like hell and causes the barbs to dig into Sandmans upper arm courtesy of Nighthawk. He grits his teeth in pain and reaches up and yanks Matthews down by the hair. Jayson slams to the mat in front of Sandman and he kicks Jason in the face with his heel and Sandman rolls backward. Jayson runs to the ropes spring boards back but Sandman explodes from the ground and catches him with a barbed wire lariat while he was in mid air! Jayson hits the mat hard covering his face in agony!}Terri Morasco: Oh Dear Lord!
Vasco Dias: This match isn't for the weak at heart, Terri.
{Sandman pulls some barbed wire down around his fist and starts punching at the forehead of Jayson Matthews! Completely shredding his bandanna and splitting him open in a few places! Jayson’s face is a crimson mask and Sandman keeps punching him!}Terri Morasco: Somebody stop the match! Where the hell is the referee?
Vasco Dias: This match has no referee.
Terri Morasco: How the hell do you win then?
Vasco Dias: I don't know, I'm not a wrestler Terri!
{Sandman gets tired of punching him and he drags Jayson to the ropes and throws him through the ropes to the floor below! Sandman starts digging through his bags of goodies as Jayson starts to stir in the ring.}Terri Morasco: I don't even want to know what's in there!
Vasco Dias: Too bad because I think you are about to find out!
{Sandman pulls out a few kendo sticks, a sledge hammer, a huge sack of thumbtacks, and some kind of collar and a small box! Jayson climbs out of the ring onto the apron, blood from multiple cuts on his face. Sandman looks up just as Matthews came running across the apron with a brutal kick right to the face of Sandman. Sandman staggers back and plops down onto the steel steps and Jayson leaps off the apron with a frankenstiener off the steps to the floor. Jayson grabs Jason but Jason hits Jayson with an eye rake! Matthews holds his eyes and Sandman shoves him right into the barricade. And Sandman follows up with a knee to the gut and a stiff uppercut! Sandman immediately goes to work putting the collar on Jayson’s neck!}Terri Morasco: What is he doing now?
Vasco Dias: I think that's a shock collar!
Terri Morasco: What?
{Sandman slaps Jayson in the face and Jayson runs toward him but Sandman presses a button on the box and Jayson’s body tenses and once Sandman let's go of the button the pain stops}Terri Morasco: How is that fair? What are the rules of this match?
Vasco Dias: There are no rules in a death match, Terri.
{Jayson glares up at Sandman and then he frantically tries to tear off the collar but Sandman hits the button and Jayson sizes up in pain. He's trying to pull the collar off but the pain just hurts so bad he can't focus long enough.}Terri Morasco: This doesn't seem right.
Vasco Dias: I suppose Jayson could give up!
{Sandman laughs as he lets go of the button. Jayson catches his breath and tries to swing but Sandman hits the button again and Jayson tenses up in pain again he frantically and wildly tries swinging at Sandman but Jason just backs up. He lets off for a few seconds and then hits the button again. Each time Matthews makes a little more distance before crippling pain and Sandman just backs up again until…}Terri Morasco: He just slipped on that banana peel!
Vasco Dias: WHAT!! NO! It's not supposed to work like that in real life! This isn't a cartoon!
{Sandman’s foot goes right out from under him and he falls right on his spine with a hard thud. The box flies out of Sandman’s hands and breaks and Jayson collapses from the relief of the pain. But Jayson starts pulling himself to his feet. He is breathing hard, his face was bloody and he starts slapping himself in the face getting himself pumped!}Terri Morasco: Jayson is starting to get fired up!
Vasco Dias: Its not supposed to be like that.
{Jayson reaches down and he picks up the kendo stick and he goes to attack Sandman but he stops and picks up the stack of thumbtacks! Jayson picks them up near the barricade just as Sandman gets up and spears Jayson Matthews over the barricade and both men and the thumbtacks fly everwhere! The crowd ooh as Jayson Matthews comes out of the wreckage with thumbtacks all in his back. The crowd gasp as Sandman rolls over and they notice that Sandman got some sticking in his face one specifically, in his eye!!! Jason Sandman good eye looks over at the tack in his other eye and he looks a bit surprised by it.}Terri Morasco: Oh My God! There is one in his eye Vasco! Are you seeing this!?
Vasco Dias: I wonder is Sandman saw it coming!
Terri Morasco: Will you stop!? The man could be blinded! He needs help! He….he’s getting up!
Vasco Dias: Sandman won't be stopped! He is a violent monster!
{Sandman runs after Jayson and they both brawl up the trough the crowd and into the backstage area!}Vasco Dias: Sandman is proving why he is the true Angel of Death hear tonight!
{with a thumbtack in his face and eye he just bounced Jayson's face off of everything he saw as he dragged the Invictus Champion through the backstage area. He ran his head off a pipe and picked him up and lawn darted him into the wall. Jayson just falls to the floor with a thud hurt.}Terri Morasco: These two are killing each other!
Vasco Dias: Its why they call it a death match!
{Sandman grabs Jayson by the bloody head and through him into a stack of crates and they all fall down around him and metal tubes and fluorescent tubes roll out. Sandman goes to grab Jayson but Jayson cracks him in the skull with the fluorescent light tube and it shatters and splits Sandman wide open! Sandman staggers back and realizes he’s bleeding himself now. He growls and runs after Jayson but this time Jayson cracks him with a steel rod and Sandman stumbles further down the hall and into the parking lot. Jayson comes running down the hall and drop kicks Sandman in the back and he falls face first into the semi truck near a dumpster in front of him. It knocks him loopy and Jayson finds a table to set up! He quickly puts Sandman on the table. Jayson then starts climbing up the semi truck!}Terri Morasco: What in the world is he thinking?
Vasco Dias: Does he ever think?
{Sandman is up quicker then Jayson thought and gives pursuit to Matthews up the ladder of the semi truck! The two get to the top and start fighting it out.}Terri Morasco: Sandman gets the better of the deal and ugh….brainbuster on the top of the semi! Damn it it's over! Pin him! Or….how do you even win this match without a ref?
{Sandman pulls out a zippo and a lighter and lights a cigarette. He then takes the zippo turns up the flame and throws it into the dumpster directly behind the semi. The entire dumpster lights on fire in a big gulf of flame.}Vasco Dias: I think that's our answer. Terri.
Terri Morasco: My god.
{Sandman lifts Jayson up in a gorilla press and walks him over to the ledge but Jayson slips out the back and lands The Jayson Matthews Experience right to the bloody face of Sandman and he staggers back and falls off the edge of the semi but Jayson grabs Sandman’s hand!}Terri Morasco: Oh no, wait Jayson saved him!!
Vasco Dias: Why would he? Let him drop!
Terri Morasco: Because that's who Jayson Matthews is! He's just good people.
{Jayson struggle to hold onto Sandman as he searches something to stabilize him.}Jayson Matthews: I can't hold you much longer. You gotta help me pull you up!
{Sandman dangles over the burning dumpster fire and he just looks up at Matthews, his face a bloody mess, a thumbtack in his eye, and he just shakes his head.}Jason Sandman: Fuck you Matthews.
{And with that Sandman let's himself go and he willingly falls into the dumpster fire as Jayson Matthews looks on in horror! The bell gets rung in the arena and firemen rush to the scene.}Terri Morasco: oh my god, Sandman just let himself fall into that fire! I'm being told Jayson Matthews had won this and is still the Invictus Champion.
Vasco Dias: I can't believe it! What the hell just happened!
{Jayson Matthews just sits in shock at the edge of the semi as he watches the firemen put out the fire. After they finally do, Sandman was gone!}Terri Morasco: Where is he? Where did he go?
Vasco Dias: I don't know. He vanished in the fire! I saw him go in there!
Terri Morasco: Well Jayson Matthews has won the Death Match and retained the championship and I'm not sure when we will see Jason Sandman again. And we still got more to come!
Vasco Dias: Damn what a match!
Vasco Dias: “What a show we’ve had tonight so far folks, Extreme Endurance is living up to the name. But now, we have one of the cherries on the sundae. Steve Awesome looks to dismantle Xavier Cross.”
Terri Morasco: “This all started back before Heir to the Throne. On the heels of a punishment match for Xavier, handed down from Roberto Verona himself. If any of The Council were to interfere, Cross would find himself disqualified from the tournament.”
Vasco Dias: “When Steve Awesome felt the odds were too stacked, he tried to make the save. This led to Cross getting disqualified regardless. Which has spiraled to the events we have here.”
Terri Morasco: “You think stealing someone’s girlfriend, and the mind games, and just...everything.”
Vasco Dias: “That’s why you keep your nose outta people’s business, before they make you their business.”
{“Rebirth” by Bone Thugz-N-Harmony hits the loudspeakers, as Xavier Cross and Mandi Mason slowly step out from the back, not using the Council’s normal fiery entrance. Cross gives Mandi a little twirl, showing her off to the crowd who give a mixed reaction to the beautiful woman. Cross holds his arms out as she runs forward leaping into his arms as they share a quick kiss. Letting Mandi down, she makes her way down to the ring as he stops at the top of the stage looking out into the arena.}Vasco Dias: “Xavier Cross looks to put the final nail in the coffin of Steve Awesome tonight.”
Terri Morasco: “Steve is a staple of this industry, you think Cross can really stop Awesome?”
Vasco Dias: “He might not have a chance, look!”
{Steve Awesome has rushed out from the back, clubbing Xavier in the back of the head knocking him down the ramp slightly. Steve gets on top of Cross, and begins throwing hard rights and lefts beating Xavier’s’ head in as it bounces off the steel ramp with each blow. Steve wraps both hands around Xavier’s throat and begins choking him. Cross’s eyes get wide as his face begins turning a deep shade of red. Cross grabs Steve’s wrist, trying to get Awesome off of him, but Steve is a man possessed trying to kill Xavier Cross. But Cross with a last ditch effort sends a stiff knee right into Steve’s crotch. Just enough momentum to get Steve off of him, Cross pushes him off. Grabbing at his throat, Mandi rushes to his side to make sure he’s okay. Steve is clutching his privates. Mandi helps Cross to her feet, as they both look down at Steve who is already back on his feet charging at Cross. Steve tackles Cross as they stagger backwards into the LED walls of the big screen. Cross let’s out a grunt as the impact causes the screen to skip over the projection of Extreme Endurance. Steve throws a hard right, but Cross ducks. Steve’s hand bounces off the LED as he staggers back clutching it. Cross steps forward grabbing Steve by the hair sending a hard headbutt. Cross steps into it, and throws Steve headfirst into the LED screen. Steve turns around a little dazed, but is immediately assaulted as Cross begins throwing hard rights and lefts into his stomach with a flurry of strikes.}Vasco Dias: “The match hasn’t even started and these two are tearing each other apart!”
Terri Morasco: “Steve is only here to hurt Cross, he doesn’t care about winning or losing a match.”
Vasco Dias: “I think both men want to tear each other apart.”
{Steve responds with a headbutt of his own, grabbing Cross by his hair he sends down a stiff right, and another pushing him back. Steve charges forward once more looking to tackle Cross, who throws a stiff knee hitting Steve in the shoulder. Jerking him around, Cross throws another hard knee into the stomach of Steve Awesome. Steve throws a hard elbow catching Xavier in the chest pushing him back a bit. Steve goes for another hard right but Cross shoves a thumb right into Steve’s eye. Steve clutches his eye as Cross looks around a bit, trying to catch his breath. The camera catches him say ‘fuck it’, as he charges forward spearing Steve Awesome off the stage and into a production table. The explosion of equipment flies everywhere, as various tables shatter under their impact. Both men are laid out as the cameraman quickly rushes over seeing both men sprawled out. Mandi runs across the side of the security barricade rushing to the side of Xavier Cross. Cross leans on her as she helps him to his feet. Steve begins stirring rolling over a bit. Cross points for Mandi to get back, as he moves forward kicking Steve hard in the side of the ribs, forcing him to turn over. Cross quickly puts his foot on the throat of Steve Awesome, slowly putting more pressure on his wind pipe. Steve grabs Cross’s boot trying to lift it off of him, but Cross just applies more pressure, looking down at Steve like he is actually enjoying it.}Vasco Dias: “the bell hasn’t even rang and these two are tearing each other apart!”
Terri Morasco: “The referee needs to restore some kind of order! Xavier Cross is gonna crush Steve Awesome’s windpipe!”
{Steve makes a last ditch effort, swinging his foot around kicking Xavier’s out from underneath. Quickly rolling to the ramp Steve clutches his throat taking steady breaths as he coughs up a bit. Cross gets back to his feet, looking up at Steve who gets up aiming a quick superkick, Cross grabs Mandi putting her infront. Steve manages to stop on the dime as Cross moves her out of the way punching Steve right in the dick. Steve falls back a bit, clutching his nethers. Grabbing Steve by the hair, Cross slams him head first into the security railing. He begins to drag Steve's face across the barricade, down the ramp and around the ring. He stops at the hard camera, forcing the cameraman to get in Steve's face. But Steve throws an elbow into Xavier’s stomach, and tosses him headfirst into the camera knocking Cross out. Steve doesn't hesitate, picking Cross up. Throwing two quick punches, he grabs Cross by the back of the head slinging him shoulder first into the steel steps. Cross slams into the steps with enough force to knock them over to the announce table. Steve quickly moves to Cross, lifting him back to his feet. Steve grabs his hair, tossing him over the into the ring keepers area. Looking to keep the momentum on his side, Steve goes to dive over the barricade onto Cross. But Xavier pops up hitting Steve square in the head with a steel chair. Steve crumbles to the ground as Cross looks at his handiwork, hopping back over the barricade. He stomps on the left knee of Steve, before stepping back and raining down chair shots on the right knee.}Vasco Dias: “Xavier is trying to take Steve's leg off!”
Terri Morasco: “This is digusting!”
Vasco Dias: “Awesome has the most dangerous superkick in the game. It's smart to take that weapon away!”
{Grabbing Steve's leg, Cross wraps the bent steel chair around it. Looking around he climbs onto the apron, and then the turnbuckle. He holds his hands put aiming for Steve's knee and the chair as he tosses himself off the top rope to the outside. Steve rolls at the last second as Cross eats the mat outside. Trying to pick himself up, Xavier looks at where he missed. But Steve throws the chair in his face at close range. The chair smacks off Xavier’s face opening him up. Steve grabs the announce table, picking himself up. He hobbles a bit, shaking his injured leg. Grabbing one of the announcers water bottles, he takes a quick swig and steps forward crumbling a bit as he forces his injured leg down.}Vasco Dias: “Cross is busted open! But you have to believe the damage to Steve's leg is done.”
Terri Morasco: “then Steve Awesome will be a one legged man in an ass kicking contest!”
{Steve hobbles forward, grabbing Cross by his hair forcing him to his feet. Steve throws Cross into the ring apron, but Xavier realizing what is going on, slides right into the ring. Scrambling to his feet he gets behind the referee. Steve looks up, then around as he rolls into the ring. Using the ropes to get back to his feet. The two men stare down each other for a moment, as the referee reluctantly calls for the bell. He steps out from in front of Xavier who charges at Steve who leaps forward the two men collide into each other, as they begin striking each other rapidly not giving an inch. Steve goes low, but Cross lunges forward biting the head of Steve, drawing blood. Steve pushes Cross off of him. Feeling the bite mark seeing the blood, he looks at Xavier who has a small stream of blood running down his face, he spits Steve's blood out of his mouth laughing a bit. Steve looks to catch Cross off guard with a superkick, but his leg crumbles, Steve falls to the ground clutching his knee. Cross mocks him a bit, before sending a kick into the ribs of Steve. Sliding out of the ring, Cross grabs Steve's right leg dragging Steve over to the ring post Cross slams Steve's leg against the post. Steve legs out a groan of pain, Cross slams it against it once more. Steve screams this time, as Cross climbs back on the apron taking a few steps back, aiming at Steve's leg he goes for a baseball drop kick. Steve slips his leg in the ring quickly. Cross ends up slamming his crotch against the ring post. Grabbing it tightly, his eyes go huge as he squeaks out a groan of pain.}Vasco Dias: “Finally the match is underway...but the tone hasn't changed. This isnt a match. Its a dang fight!”
Terri Morasco: “The once Bromantic relationship has hit an iceberg….”
Vasco Dias: “We should have observed a broment of silence.”
{Steve drags himself over to the apron hitting a stiff elbow to the jaw of Cross. Cross grabs Steve jerking him through the bottom rope as both men fall to the outside. Crawling towards each other, battered and bruised the get on their knees eaching lefts and rights until the fighting spirit forces both men to their feet. Steve starts to get an advantage, forcing his injured leg to steady as he begins throw stiff rights to the bloodied face of Xavier. Grabbing Cross by the back of the head, Steve slams Cross face on the announce table leaving an imprint of blood. Steve keeps slamming Cross's face over and over. Xavier tries to catch himself but Steve is a man possessed as he begins dragging Xavier’s face across the table. In desperation, Cross kicks at Steve's bad leg, taking him down to one leg. Turning around Cross kicks Steve in the chest knocking him backwards. Grabbing Awesome by the legs, Cross turns him around hooking his hands around Steves leg. Xavier slingshots Steve face first into the ring post. Steve slams against it turning inside out from the vicious impact. Cross staggers towards the apron pushing his hair back as we see the gash across his eyebrow.}Vasco Dias: “Someone get me a Clorox Wipe, we have Xavier’s blood everywhere!”
Terri Morasco: “i wont lie folks, if you could see the look in Steve Awesome’s eye you'd think he's ready to kill Xavier.”
Vasco Dias: “Cross is smart. Using Steve's injured leg to escape more punishment.”
{Cross looks around for a moment, before motioning for Mandi. Rushing over he points at the lower part of the ring apron. A wicked smile comes across her lips, as she knows what he wants. She pulls out a table, and begins setting it up. Cross moves over, grabbing Steve by the hair forcing him to roll into the ring. Cross follows suit as he gets on of Steve and begins throwing hard right shots into his face. The referee pushes Cross back due to the closed fists. Laughing a bit, Cross grabs the rope returning to his feet seeing that Mandi has finished setting the table up. Turning back to Steve, Cross sends a stiff kick into his rib cage. Grabbing Awesome by the back of the neck, Xavier gets Steve back on his feet before throwing him into the corner. Stepping back a bit, Xavier sizes up Steve before blowing a kiss to Mandi. Charging forward Cross looks for a splash. But Steve fires out of the corner catching Cross with a Lou Theuz Pressing, and begins teeing off on Xavier. Fired up, Steve pops up, glancing at the table, before grabbing Xavier lifting him to his feet. Getting behind Xavier, Steve lifts him into the air, dropping Cross crotch first onto the top rope. Grabbing the ring ropes, Steve begins to rattle it up and down, as Xavier howls out in pain clutching his crotch. Looking back at the table, Steve steps back and lunges forward hitting Cross with a huge clothesline. Xavier falls back, but grabs onto the top rope, his feet barely gazing the table. Steve turns around and is caught with a hard right staggering him backwards. Cross grabs onto the top rope, springboarding forward hitting Awesome with a hard elbow. Both men hit the mat with a bounce.}Vasco Dias: “Steve almost had the match won! If he could have knocked Xavier off onto that table...lights out.”
Terri Morasco: “The fight that both men are displaying, it must be quite a lot of hatred between these two.”
Vasco Dias: “There was a time where these two would have gone out on a limb for one another...Steve was basically the rock for Xavier Cross back in the day when Cari passed away.”
Terri Morasco: “What better way to rewards your so called best friend then ruining his home life. Xavier Cross is nothing but a home wrecker.”
Vasco Dias: “Well, let’s not be too hasty, there are two sides to every story. Mandi has been adamant that Steve Awesome wasn’t the best relationship partner.”
{Both men begin to stir, slowly rolling over to their stomachs, glaring at one another with looks that could kill. Cross spits the blood out of his mouth as he begins laughing at Steve Awesome, who buries his head into the mat, before hopping to his feet trying to block out the pain. Cross rolls again, grabbing the rope hoisting himself up. Both men are beaten and bloodied at this point. Cross takes a step towards Steve, looking to shoot at his bad right leg. But Steve is ready, wrapping his arms around Cross’s head, and drops him with a hard DDT, but Steve doesn’t let go, wrapping his arm around Awesome applies a guillotine choke, while hammering right hands down on the rib cage of Xavier Cross. Cross flails his arms, trying to block the strikes or wrestling out of the hold, but Steve isn’t giving an inch. Letting out a battle cry, Cross plants his feet into the ground, and with an inhumane feat of strength, begins to lift Steve Awesome into the air. The camera zooms in, seeing the bloodied and now red face of Xavier Cross, he goes to slam Awesome down, but Steve gets another shot in, before Cross falls down, and Steve turns it into another vicious DDT! Rolling over, Steve grabs onto the rope lifting himself to his feet as he staggers into the corner. Xavier is flat out on the mat, a small pool of blood forming around his head. Steve looks around, as the fans are fired up chanting his name. He slaps his right knee hard, before stomping his foot down. The fans erupt knowing the superkick is coming.}Vasco Dias: “By god...Xavier Cross just blew his reserves lifting Steve into the air.”
Terri Morasco: “This is it! Steve is stomping that foot in, he’s blocking out the pain, the fat lady is warming up!”
Vasco Dias: “Fat Lady? Are you talking about yourself in the third person again?”
Terri Morasco: “Fuck you Vasco.”
{Steve stomps his foot hard onto the mat, as Xavier stirs a bit, picking himself up he is dazed almost in zone. Once he turns enough, Steve steps out of the corner readying the kick. But before he can get to Cross, Xavier collapses onto his knees. Grabbing onto Steve’s belt, he puts his bloodied head against Steve’s abdomen throwing weak punches, Steve looks down, there is no pity or sympathy on his face. He begins to throws stiff right punches right into the gash on Xavier’s lead. Mandi screams at Steve who stops his punch, and hobbles over to the ring apron. He just stares at Mandi, who is in tears as she looks at Xavier. Steve shakes his head, as he turns around. Awake The Dragon! A precision drop kick catching Steve right under the jaw. Awesome’s head snaps back as he stumbles into the ropes,barely managing to catch himself on the ring apron. Cross slaps the mat, seeing that Steve didn’t fly through and crash through the table. Mandi hops on the ring apron, and begins screaming at Steve. Steve manages to pull himself up, just staring at Mandi. He suddenly shoves her off to the side, as Xavier Cross hurls himself into Steve with a spear, as both men go backwards and crash through the table, slamming into the ring mat below. The fans erupt with chants of ‘holy shit.’}Vasco Dias: “Jesus Christ! Steve Awesome just assaulted Mandi Matthews!”
Terri Morasco: “Are you insane? He got her out of harms way! Cross was bout to take all three of them through that table! Steve saved her!”
Vasco Dias: “I don’t know what you saw, but I saw a woman yelling at Steve, and he just channeled his inner Ray Rice.”
Terri Morasco: “What we do see, is that Steve Awesome and Xavier Cross may just be broken. After this carnage, how can either man get up at this point.”
{Xavier Cross and Steve Awesome are sprawled out on the floor, broken pieces of table, blood, sweat, and probably some tears cover both men and the arena floor. The referee is out of the ring, checking on both men. He goes to throw up an X, to alert the backstage medics to come out, both Cross and Awesome reach up, grabbing his arms not allowing him to signal anyone. Cross shoves the referee back into the apron, as the two men roll over on their sides and begin punching each other in the face. Fighting tooth and nail, neither one is willing to submit to the other. Cross slams his head forward, hitting Steve in the face. But Steve answers right back with a headbutt of his own. Once again both men are exchanging blows as they’re forcing themselves back to their feet. Cross swings wildly as Steve ducks hitting another headbutt, and Cross send a nogging rattler of his own. Both men stagger back clutching their heads, Steve charges forward bad leg and all, sending a knee into the gut of Xavier Cross, before sliding him into the ring. Steve follows suit, but Cross rolls onto his feet, hitting the ring ropes, as Steve staggers to get to his feet. It’s too late. Echoes of Madness! Xavier hits the charging knee, as Steve’s head snaps back. Cross looks almost shocked that it worked, as he turns and falls down on Steve Awesome hooking the leg. The referee slides back into the ring and begins counting the pinfall.}Referee: One...two…
{Steve Awesome gets a shoulder up!}Vasco Dias: “By god in heaven above, Steve Awesome will not die!”
Terri Morasco: “I thought that charging knee, the way Steve’s head snapped back, it was sickening…”
Vasco Dias: “You will have to kill Steve Awesome to keep him down!”
{Cross looks around, shocked, running his hands through his hair. Slamming his fists into the mat, he’s enraged. Forcing himself to his feet, he wipes the blood from his face. Staring down at Steve, Cross holds up his hand in the motion of a gun, and ‘pulls the trigger.’ Rushing over to Steve, he grabs him by the hair, forcing Awesome to his feet. Cross positions himself, lifting Steve into the air slightly, before dropping Steve directly on his head. Winter is Coming!}Vasco Dias: “Oh...no...fuck. That move broke a kids neck in the indies…”
Terri Morasco: “This...no this can’t be right! Xavier is trying to end Steve’s career!”
Vasco Dias: “I...these two...this isn’t a match, this is a fight...but for Xavier to do that…”
{Cross begins laughing maniacally, as he rolls Steve over, as he stands up. Placing one foot on the chest of Steve Awesome, the referee looks appalled, and the fans are silent, worried about Steve. Getting down on his knees, the referee begins to count.}Referee: “One….two….three….
Vasco Dias: “He...He did it, someone get the damn EMTs out here! Steve needs medical attention!”
Terri Morasco: “I...I’m choking back tears. Cross has gone too far…”
Vasco Dias: “What the hell is Mandi...what is Mandi doing?”
{Mandi Matthews slides into the ring, she looks down at Steve, before looking at Xavier. The two share a tense moment, before Cross steps back. Mandi drops down to one knee, driving her knee into the chest of the unconscious Steve Awesome. Xavier mockingly puts his hand over his mouth like he’s shocked. Reaching into her pocket, she pulls out a slick black box. Opening it, Cross motions for a camera man to get in with a microphone.}Mandi Matthews: “Xavier...I love you so much...Please, will you do me the honor and be my husband...Xavier Cross...Will you marry me?”
Xavier Cross: “Mandi...yes, a thousand times, a thousands lives...yes…”
{She slides the ring on his finger, as he lifts her in the air, she wraps her legs around him and they share a kiss. The camera focuses on Xavier’s foot being on Steve’s chest, as the Face of the Franchise is out like a light.}Alison Valance: The following contest is scheduled for one fall and is for the IWF Diamonds Championship!
Terri Morasco: This match is going to be a battle of darkness the likes of which we haven’t seen since Metamorphosis.
Vasco Dias: Helena may be scary, but I think she may have bit off more than she can chew with Rowan MacDonnough tonight. That said, if there was anyone in the Heiress tournament who could fight Rowan on her level...
{The lights dim, and a series of twinkling blue lights begin to shine at the mouth of the entrance ramp as the intro of “Blue” by The Birthday Massacre begins to play. As the crashing guitars kick in, the stage is bathed in flickering blue lights, and Helena Sawyer slowly walks out onto the stage, a lopsided grin on her face. She walks down the ramp, wearing a twisted smirk on her face.}Alison Valance: Introducing first, the Challenger, from Amityville New York, weighing in at 151 pounds… the Daughter of Misery, HELENAAAA SAAAWYEERRR!!!
{As she passes by the camera at the foot of the ramp, she snaps her jaws at the cameraman, giggling as she walks on and hops up onto the apron. Helena looks up at the ceiling, grinning ecstatically, and turns to face the crowd, hooking both arms on the top rope and throwing her body back with a piercing scream that turns into a giggle. She kicks herself backwards, flipping over the top rope, and back-rolls into a kneeling crouch, staring at the ramp for a few moments before standing and slinking to a corner. She looks up at the ceiling as the music fades, mouthing frantic words to herself as the lights come back up to normal.}Terri Morasco: Listen to that crowd! Brooklyn is one hundred percent behind the New York-born Heiress to the Throne tonight!
Vasco Dias: It’s hard to blame them, Terri. Helena Sawyer debuted on this very stage one year ago at Extreme Endurance 2016 in the Diamonds Invitational. She had a shot at the diamonds title on her very first night, and now she returns to the Barclay Center as Heiress to the Throne. But does she have what it takes to defeat the Irish Nightmare?
{Lights go down, shifting until the entire arena is filled with naught but a dark red glow.}Vasco Dias: … Oh god Terri I think she heard me.
Terri Morasco: What is going on?
{The Shadow’s Hymn plays softly, growing in volume as hooded figures in bloodstained, dark grey garb file slowly out, singing along with the hymn. They surround the ring as thick red smoke floods the outside, and as soon as they form a circle an illuminated pentagram appears in the ring, flickering red, yellow and orange as though it is burning within. The music fades and the lights in the arena die, leaving the only light coming from the burning sigil on the mat.
A long, dire howl of a wolf breaks the silence, matched with the sound of the screeching opening chords of Red Stars by The Birthday Massacre. As the opening riff of the guitar hits, the ringposts burst into pillars of fire as the lights snap back up, revealing Rowan standing in the center of the burning pentagram. She looks down at the ground with her arms held loosely to the sides, shoulders heaving with breath as she rolls her wrists unconsciously.}Alison Valance: And her opponent, from Killkenny, Ireland, weighing in at 145 pounds… The Irish Nightmare, the Wolf of the Abyss… she is the IWF Diamonds Champion… ROWAAAAN MACDONOOOOUUUGH!
{As Alison finishes speaking, Rowan sharply looks up into the hard camera, her golden eyes flashing with violent, cruel anticipation for what is about to happen. She lopes in circles around the the ring, stalking like a caged wolf as she glares into the crowd, head moving in a jerky, animalistic pattern. She slowly, reluctantly backs towards a corner, eyes locked on Helena Sawyer as she settles in to wait for the bell.}Terri Morasco: I’ll give the champion this, she certainly knows how to make an entrance!
Vasco Dias: She’s a monster, Terri. An absolute monster. But she knows how to get into people’s heads, and you can tell from the look on Helena’s face that Rowan’s definitely made an impression over the past few days.
Terri Morasco: That’s true, Vasco. People were wondering if, given the ultimatum that Rowan sent Helena earlier this week, the Heiress to the Throne would even compete. Will Helena stand and fight Rowan for her title, or will she leave the ring to rescue her girl?
Vasco Dias: She’d have to be crazy to walk away after having come so far, but soon we’ll see for ourselves.
DING!
{As soon as the bell rings, Helena rolls under the bottom rope and exits the ring, making her way to the back! Her face is a mask of panic and concern as she hurries up the ramp!}Terri Morasco: I guess that answers that question.
Vasco Dias: Wait…
{As the ref’s count reaches three, Helena seems to stagger on the stairs as if her legs aren’t working the way they should. Her face contorts in a savage wince as though in terrible pain as she collapses to her knees. Rowan paces in the ring, watching her, as the crowd voices their disappointment in the idea that Helena might be leaving. Helena looks at the ground for a few moments before, slowly, turning to face the ring… her face a rictus grin of savage madness, displayed up close and clear on the Imperitron!}Helena Sawyer: Not… That… Easy!
{The crowd pops explosively as The ref’s count reaches five. Helena shakes her head, pointing towards Rowan before drawing her arm back and dragging her thumb across her throat! She arches back, lets out her trademark piercing scream, and charges headlong back into the ring where she immediately locks up with Rowan as the two of them start trading blows!}Terri Morasco: And we’re off!
Vasco Dias: It looked like Helena was ready to pick family over fame, but something inside her just wouldn’t let Rowan go.
{Helena unleashes a flurry of offense into Rowan MacDonnough, targeting the Diamonds Champion with chained blows to the head with closed fists, clearly going for blood. Rowan, true to form, neither holds back nor makes any attempt at defense, going right in on Helena’s aggression with her own vicious knee strikes to the abdomen, slamming a few of them into Helena’s face. Neither woman is holding anything back, and the blows are stiff and savage as they echo throughout the packed Brooklyn stadium. Helena doubles Rowan over with a knee strike of her own plowing into Rowan’s gut before backing off, breathing heavily but smiling as she leans against the ropes. Rowan stands still to catch her breath as she glares with unbridled fury at the Heiress to the Throne as she laughs in Rowan’s face.}Terri Morasco: I’ll tell you this much, Vasco, regardless of whatever else is going on backstage, Helena’s definitely enjoying the chance to finally get her hands on Rowan MacDonnough tonight.
{Rowan charges in next with a running chop block, but Helena springboards off the ropes to vault almost effortlessly over her. Rowan pulls herself back to her feet quickly, turning into a wrenching uppercut from Helena into her cut, once again doubling her over. She follows up with an ATHAME into Rowan’s face, sending Rowan flipping over the top rope.} Vasco Dias: Apparently Helena Sawyer operates under Incredible Hulk rules – you won’t like her when she’s angry!
Terri Morasco: Look at MacDonnough!
{Rowan pulls herself to her feet, reaching a hand up to touch her nose, obscured by her face mask. She pulls her hand away with her eyes flashing with anger as blood drips down onto her chest from beneath the mask – lots of it.} Vasco Dias: I think Helena just broke Rowan’s nose!
{Rowan roars with fury as Helena laughs at the sight of Rowan’s blood, surging onto the apron and vaulting over the top rope, charging into Helena with a running jumping knee strike to the face. The blow knocks Helena back several steps, but Rowan doesn’t let up the pressure, continuing her offense with muay thai kick after muay thai kick. Helena manages to end the onslaught by dragging Rowan into a snap-release german suplex that sends Rowan sprawling across the mat. Helena flips onto all fours as she laughs after Rowan, looking down to see the spots of blood from Rowan’s gushing nose. With a psychotic grin to the Wolf of the Abyss, she leans down and laps the blood from the mat with relish.}Terri Morasco: Okay that is just not right.
{Rowan gets back to her feet, but as Helena rises to match her there’s a flicker of uncertainty that crosses her face. She turns around and looks back at the ramp, panic and uncertainty clear in her eyes… and the distraction is all the opportunity Rowan needs to dart forward like a striking viper and drag Helena to the ropes, forcing her torso under the top rope before savagely wrenching her back to standing. She stretches Helena painfully over the top rope while raining down a series of savage elbow strikes into her sternum!} Terri Morasco: Drums of the Abyss!
{After almost a dozen blows, Rowan wrenches Helena again by the midsection and hip tosses her into the center of the mat, going for the cover…!
ONE! Helena snaps a shoulder up with authority!}Vasco Dias: A quick recovery from the daughter of Misery!
{Rowan rolls away and climbs to her feet as Helena does the same. Rowan darts forward looking to continue her offensive streak, but charges headfirst into a second ATHAME! Rowan goes down and Helena follows, but instead of going for the cover she pulls Rowan’s arm and rolls over into the CORSAGE OF THORNS! Rowan’s eyes bulge with frustration and shock as Helena locks the submission in, pulling hard on Rowan’s forearm with enough force that Rowan’s arm looks as though it might pop out of its socket!} Terri Morasco: A savage combination from the Heiress to the Throne! But one has to wonder – why try to win via submission when time is of the essence?
Vasco Dias: Maybe Helena doesn’t care about whatever’s happening backstage?
{With a howl of pain and rage, Rowan manages to get her knees under her, pushing herself up inch by agonizing inch. With the leverage of gravity turning against her, Helena opts to release the hold and steps away, catching her breath as Rowan rises to her feet. With both competitors once again on their feet, Helena rushes forward again with fists clenched for war… but this time Rowan intercepts her charge with a DANCE THE SPIRAL! Both women land hard on the ground, but Rowan wastes no time in reaching over to Helena’s face and pressing her fingers in for the EATER OF SOULS!}Terri Morasco: These women are just unleashing everything in their arsenal upon one another tonight!
Vasco Dias: This submission must be extra painful for Helena, though, because every second she’s locked in it is one more second she can’t go back and… woah!
{Helena is biting down hard on Rowan’s hand, sending blood gushing from Rowan’s fingers across the mat! With her grip thus loosened, Helena lashes out with an arm and breaks the hold, licking Rowan’s blood off of her lips as she withdraws with a grin. Rowan clutches her hand with fury in her eye as she staggers back to the ringpost, glaring death towards the Heiress to the Throne… but Helena arches back to let out her piercing scream before rushing forward and slamming her knee into the side of Rowan’s head before the champion can stand!}Terri Morasco: LITHIUM KISS!
{Helena goes for the cover!
ONE!
TWO!!
THR – Helena grimaces and breaks the cover a fraction of a second before the ref’s hand lands on the mat! The ref confirms with the ring announcer that it was not a three count as Rowan rolls away, her eyes burning with hatred.}Vasco Dias: What just happened!? It looked like Helena was about to take it home, but then she broke the cover?
Terri Morasco: I don’t know for sure, Vasco, but it looks like Rowan’s deeper into her head than even we imagined. I can’t imagine what that poor girl’s going through right now.
{Helena stalks around the ring, shouting angrily as though arguing with herself.}Helena Sawyer: WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?! I HAD HER, YOU IDIOT! No, you didn’t have her, we should be going back to save Grace.
I KNOW YOU WANT TO SAVE HER, SHELLY, BUT IF YOU WAITED HALF A SECOND WE’D BE GOING BACK THERE NOW! Well she wouldn't have suffered this long if you'd just let me -
{With Helena seemingly distracted, Rowan goes outside the ropes, springing up and over them as she slams Helena to the ground with the MARK OF MACHA! Rowan covers!
ONE!
TWO!!
Helena kicks out!!! The Brooklyn crowd goes wild!}Terri Morasco: The resilience on display by the Heiress to the Throne is unbelievable!
{Rowan pulls herself to her feet, breathing heavily, as she goes back to the ropes, once again setting herself up for the Mark of Macha… She climbs up, leaps over prepped for the strike… but Helena Sawyer counters with the DYING OF THE LIGHT! Rowan goes down and it’s Helena’s turn to go for the cover!
ONE!
TWO!!
TH-Rowan gets a shoulder up! Helena rises, fuming and shocked as Rowan moves to the ropes and rises to her feet.}Terri Morasco: I really thought that Helena had the champion with that blow, but Rowan’s an absolute juggernaut in the ring. No matter the pain she must be enduring from her battered nose and slashed fingers, her preternatural tenacity just won’t give out tonight!
Vasco Dias: Whatever else you might say about her, Rowan is a force of nature unlike just about anything we’ve seen in the IWF. However, she’s unleashed just about every weapon she has against Helena Sawyer and the Heiress to the Throne just will not go down. I have no idea who’s going to give in first!
{Rowan and Helena close on one another, both of them worn ragged and splattered generously with Rowan’s blood. The two of them lock up, neither woman giving an inch as they grit down and pound one another with blow after crushing blow… before Rowan grabs Helena by the hair and slams her face into her knee. Helena is dazed and off her footing, giving Rowan the momentum to force her back to the corner, where Rowan pins Helena and unloads with a raining crescendo of savage blows, hurling her back into the center of the ring before the ref can break them up. Rowan whirls on Helena, breathing heavily as she continues to kick the Heiress while she’s down… but Helena remains on her knees, laughing.} Terri Morasco: Helena’s starting to show her damage more. She’s slowing down, not fighting back… I think this might be all over.
{Rowan stands in front of the giggling Helena Sawyer, glaring down on her with heaving shoulders as blood pools around them both. Helena grins as she looks up into Rowan’s face… and as one last act of defiance, spits a glob of blood into the champion’s face!}Terri Morasco: Let it never be said that Helena isn’t defiant to the end.
{Rowan raises her hand up to her face and wipes off the bloody glob, staring at it for a moment before flicking it to the floor. She turns around and steps away… before snapping back around and driving into Helena’s Jaw with the BALOR’S GAZE! Helena hits the mat hard, insensate, as Rowan strides over and savagely kicks her in the ribs to roll her onto her back. She plants her boot firmly on Helena’s sternum…
ONE!
TWO!!
THREE!!!
Red Stars by The Birthday Massacre starts to play as Rowan walks away from the battered Daughter of Misery, dropping to her knees in exhaustion after a few steps. She reaches to the ref at ringside, grabbing the belt and pulling it to her with vicious hatred burning in her eyes.}Alison Valance: Here is your winner, and STILL IWF Diamonds Champion… ROWAN MACDONNOUGH!!
Terri Morasco: Another big win for the Wolf of the Abyss, and the fans are NOT happy to see Helena go down! I think Rowan MacDonnough may be the most loathed woman in Brooklyn right now, Vasco.
Vasco Dias: Love her or hate her, Rowan accomplished exactly what she came here to do, and Helena Sawyer paid the price.
Terri Morasco: She’s not the only one. Lets just hope that Rowan truly is a woman of her word and lets Grace Cohen go.
{Helena rolls out of the ring on her own power, staggering up the ring. With the match over at last there is nothing to try to pull her back into the arena, and she doesn’t look back as she heads backstage. As she gets halfway there, the lights black out momentarily, and when they return Rowan is nowhere to be seen, leaving nothing but a wisp of red smoke where she had knelt just moments before.}{The lights in the arena dim and strobe red as "Long live the Chief” by Jidenna begins to play.}****as fighting over rings
****as wanna be the King, but
Long Live the Chief
For a li' ol' thang lil' boys bang bang
Long Live the Chief
****as fighting over rings
****as wanna be the king, but
Long Live the Chief
Now watch pretty mama while I slang my cane
Long Live the Chief
Uh
{As the song kicks into gear Cable Arcane marches out onto the ramp with his head bowed and fists clenched, he stands at the center of the stage with a spot light shining down on him in the darkness. Finally Cable rolls his head to crack his neck and starts to make his way down the ramp with a determined look on his face, completely ignoring the crowd. As he reaches the steps he climbs up, taking his time before climbing into the ring one leg at a time. He marches to the center of the ring and throws both fists up into the air to a mix reaction from the crowd.}Vasco Dias: Cable Arcane begged and pleaded for this match and Roberto Verona finally gave in to him.
Terri Morasco: I’m sorry but did you miss Cable earning this match?
Vasco Dias: No I didn’t miss Cable crying like a petulant child to the point he got the entire audience to cry with him.
Terri Morasco: Holy hell you have a warped sense of reality.
Vasco Dias: I could say the same about you.
{The lights in the arena all go out at "King of the World" by Porcelain and the Tramps begins to blare out of the PA system. Spotlights begin to scan the crowd before fixating on a figure at the top of the stage which is revealed to be Roberto Verona, his head bowed towards the floor. As cheers being to resonate around the arena Verona raises his head and he begins a slow methodical march down the ramp, the spotlight following him as golden pyro rains down from above on the stage. Verona stares with disgust at the crowd who cheer him as he approaches the ring, but he doesn't react to them. As he reaches the steps he slowly ascends them before walking towards the middle of the ring apron, turning around to look into the crowd one last time before looking up and closing his eyes as he stretches his arms out wide and basks in the adulation. After indulging himself Verona climbs into the ring, psyching himself up as he awaits the beginning of the match.}Vasco Dias: And here he is the first IWF Hall of Fame wrestler, the greatest Imperial Champion we have ever had, the Emperor of Imperial! Roberto Verona!
Terri Morasco: I’m not going to take away from Roberto’s accomplishment but Cable is just as impressive. He won the Heir to the Throne, two Imperial Championships and entered the Hall of Fame in the same year.
Vasco Dias: All things he accomplished while Roberto Verona had better things to do!
Terri Morasco: Verona could have faced Cable at any time!
Vasco Dias: Roberto Verona is above this chump.
Terri Morasco: I can’t believe you’re just going to ignore the full year you spent praising Cable Arcane!
{The referee calls for the bell!Cable and Verona go right in for the tie up but Roberto quickly moves around Cable for he side head lock, Cable pushes Verona off but Verona catches Cable with an arm drag! Cable is right up and Verona moves right in for the tie up again. Verona moves around the back of Cable and goes for a rear waist take down and plants Cable on face first on the mat!}Vasco Dias: Verona is dominating Cable with his technical prowess!
Terri Morasco: It’s only the opening minute of the match!
Vasco Dias: And Verona already has a distinct advantage!
{Verona pops back to his feet and dusts his hands off as he chuckles and begs Cable on. Arcane gets to his feet and looks pretty damn angry. Verona raises his hands looking for another tie up.Verona moves in for Cable but Arcane stuffs the tie up and instead plants Verona on the mat with a front take down and moves into a mounted position and starts laying in the elbow strikes to the side of Verona’s head!}Terri Morasco: There we go! Cable on the attack!
Vasco Dias: Those elbows are clearly illegal!
{The referee breaks the attack up as Cable seems irritated. Verona pulls himself back to his feet but Cable comes in with a running knee strike to the gut of Verona! Cable connects with a backfist, a spin kick, a shin kick and then pump kicks Verona into the corner of the ring. Cable backs off now with a smile and gestures to Verona to bring it.}Terri Morasco: Cable came right back and showed Verona he wasn’t going to be a push over.
Vasco Dias: Roberto Verona is a master technician, he’s just picking his spots!
Terri Morasco: Verona is picking some bad spots!
{Verona smirks and the two men move toward each other.Cable throws a quick jab but Verona gets under it and leg sweeps Cable and moves right into his own mounted position hitting haymakers on Cable Arcane!The referee doesn’t even try to break it up and eventually Roberto gets to his feet.Roberto waits for Cable to start to get up and then catches Arcane with a running knee to the face!}Vasco Dias: There we go! Verona with a big knee!
Terri Morasco: What is this referee’s deal!?
Vasco Dias: He’s just doing his job!
Terri Morasco: No…No he isn’t.
{Cable is down on the mat, Verona gets a bounce off the ropes and comes across the ring for a leaping knee across the face of Cable Arcane! Roberto is right back to his feet and now he’s looking extremely smug as he reaches down and pulls Cable up by the head. Cable throws the arms of Verona off and grabs him for a Russian leg sweep back breaker!}Vasco Dias: What the hell was that!?
Terri Morasco: Arcane is moving into his backbreaker game!
{Roberto starts to get up but Arcane slams an elbow into the back of Verona and then lifts Roberto up for a half nelson back breaker! Cable looks like a man possessed as he pulls Verona up again.Cable hits a quick spin kick to the gut then underhooks Verona and lifts him up for the Double underhook backbreaker! Verona is down and Cable covers him. The referee gets into position, he checks on Verona’s shoulders, he raises his hand….ONE!....... KICK OUT!}Terri Morasco: What the hell was that!?
Vasco Dias: That was a clear one count!
Terri Morasco: That wans’t anywhere near a one count!
Vasco Dias: You’re right! That damn referee counted too fast!
Terri Morasco: What!?
{Cable Arcane is right up in the referees face demanding to know what the hell that was about but the referee seems to be playing dumb. Cable turns his attention back to Verona who is getting up.Arcane moves in but Verona connects with a swinging neck breaker! Roberto gets back to his feet and holds his back a little, Cable starts to get up but Roberto pulls Cable up into an inverted brain buster!}Vasco Dias: Jesus!Roberto Verona is an artist!
Terri Morasco: Roberto Verona took advantage of that referee’s slow count!
Vasco Dias: Hey! Roberto doesn’t make the rules!
Terri Morasco: Yes he does!
{Roberto Verona pulls Cable Arcane up to his feet and jaws off at Cable before hitting the brainwasher ddt!Roberto is right back up and basks in the glory of the boos of the crowd. Roberto looks down at his competition and frowns before pulling Arcane up and throws him hard into the ropes.Roberto Verona takes off for Arcane but Cable comes out of the corner with a leaping knee to the face of Roberto Verona! Cable then transitions right into a Tilt a whirl backbreaker on Roberto Verona and covers him again.The referee moves around both men before dropping down, he checks the shoulders of Verona and then goes to count…. ONE!..... KICK OUT!}Terri Morasco: The slow count again!?
Vasco Dias: What the hell are you talking about!?
Terri Morasco: This referee is clearly in the pocket of Roberto Verona!
Vasco Dias: The referee is clearly doing his job!
{This time Cable doesn’t face the referee and instead pulls Verona up to his feet and lifts him up into the air for the Made to Suffer but Verona manages to block it and move behind Cable and pull him into a roll up pin! The referee drops immediately and ONETWOTHREE!!!!!}Vasco Dias: Roberto Verona has done it! He’s defeated Cable Arcane!
Terri Morasco: What a load of shit!!!
{Roberto rolls right out of the ring as the referee joins him to raise his hand.Cable is right up and is pissed as Verona’s music plays!}Terri Morasco: Roberto Verona just screwed Cable Arcane!
Vasco Dias: Cable Arcane screwed Cable Arcane!
{Roberto backs up the ramp, the referee holding his arm up the whole way as Cable just seethes in the middle of the ring…}Alison Valance: “This next contest is the Last Man Standing match. The only way for either participant to win is to incapacitate their opponent to the point that they cannot answer a 10-count.”
{The crowd grow silent as the lights go out, monks chanting can be heard, as the chanting gets louder the stage area starts to fill with smoke. Suddenly, and abruptly as the drums and guitars kick in a pyro explodes around the stage.}“BROTHERS! MY BROTHERS!
Is this all what we are?
SISTERS! MY SISTERS!
We’ve been crushed by the fists of GOD!!!”
{On the word God another pyro explodes either side of the rampway as Spike Kane appears through the smoke, to a growing roar from the crowd. He stands with his arms outstretched, fists balled up soaking in the reaction from the crowd. After a few seconds, he simply heads right to the ring, rolling under the bottom rope and standing right in the center of the ring, extending his arms once more, before the lights fade to normal and the music fades.} {As his opponent waits in the ring the arena lights slowly fade to black as "Light of the Seven (You'll Never Leave Harlan Alive Intro)" by Srod Almenara ft. Alina Lesnik booms out over the sound system accompanied by royal-blue Roman columns of fireworks and slowly falling cherry blossom leaves. Finally standing at the top of the ring ramp Nighthawk gazes down at his opponent before slowly removing the top knot keeping his long hair free from flowing to the middle of his back while walking to the ring slowly, his eyes never leaving his opponent and a stony gaze of absolute concentration and focus. Climbing in the ring Nighthawk slowly unzips his leather duster and hands it to a ringside attendant before going into a wrestler's crouch in the middle of the ring.}Alison Valance: “Introducing first, in the corner to my left, he is wearing red with black and is from Boston, Massachusetts. Weighing in at 245 pounds, he is a member of the IWF Hall of Fame, the 2013 Superstar of the year and is an IWF Triple Crown winner. He is a former IWF Imperial Champion, a former IWF World Tag Team Champion, and he is the longest-reigning IWF Man of Steel Champion in company history. Ladies and gentlemen…. Spike Kane!”
{As Spike Kane steps out of the corner, amused at the idea of this entire situation, the crowd bombs the ring with red and black streamers as they deliver a somewhat mixed reaction.} Alison Valance: “And his opponent is from Chicago, Illinois and weighed in at 185 pounds. Wearing royal-blue trimmed with orange and white please welcome…. ‘The Master of 1000 Holds’…. ‘The Wrestling Machine’ Nighthawk!”
{As Nighthawk steps out of the corner, his ice-blue eyes never leaving those of his opponent, the crowd roars to life and chants “Let’s go, Nighthawk” as they bomb the ring with blue, white, and orange streamers.} Terri Morasco: “From the second Nighthawk came back, Vasco, we knew it would come to this. The one-on-one match between Nighthawk and Spike Kane. It had to happen. But I don’t know if anyone particularly thought Nighthawk was going to make the challenge for a Last Man Standing match. Was this wise, Vasco?”
Vasco Dias: “I don’t see how it could be, Terri. Nighthawk is a phenomenal pure technician. There aren’t many better pure wrestlers in the world than him. But a match like this, a match designed for violence? That is Spike Kane all day long.”
{As the referee signals to ring the bell both Nighthawk and Spike Kane remain in their respective corners, still staring each other down as the tension and intensity between both men slowly reaches a fever pitch. Smirking openly Spike Kane steps out of his corner and charges at Nighthawk who quickly catches him on the way in with a European uppercut followed by a flurry of knife-edge chops and open-hand slaps that has no effect. Letting out a war cry Nighthawk rushes back in with an attempt at a Concussion on Demand only to be popped up in the air and caught with a lariat on the way down from Spike Kane who screams wordlessly in Nighthawk’s face before moving to a neutral corner as the referee begins the count. Crawling to his feet Nighthawk slowly gets to his feet at the count of 7, causing Spike Kane to somehow get even angrier than he was before if that’s even possible. Charging in Spike lands a European uppercut of his own followed by a forearm smash as he continues to yell insults at the Chicagoan, screaming that Nighthawk thinks he’s the man but has everyone fooled. Tying him up in the ropes Spike runs off for another European uppercut only for Nighthawk to catch him on the way in with a perfectly timed shotei that lands like a gunshot but has no effect only to be chased after with another flurry of slaps that still has no effect. Letting out another war cry as he tries to think of what to do Nighthawk goes for a standing frankensteiner only to be deadlifted into a powerbomb, and then held onto as Spike chains that into a buckle bomb as Nighthawk slumps against the bottom turnbuckle where Spike signals for the referee to count while screaming in the direction of the Chicagoan that “Now you’re dead.” Reaching out to find the ropes the “Wrestling Machine” pulls himself up to his feet at 7 again, apparently refusing to give Spike the satisfaction of letting the count get too deep as Spike just gets angrier and angrier in the opposite corner. Pulling Nighthawk out of the corner Spike again takes his time and lands some bone-rattling forearm shivers only to be caught with a European uppercut followed by machine gun-style knife-edge chops that once again has no effect. Running off the ropes Nighthawk walks right into the Bloody Sunday, slumping to the mat as if hit with a Peterbilt truck. Pulling himself up on the count of 8 the “Master of 1000 Holds” flips his long hair out of his face and beckons Spike in.} Terri Morasco: “Vasco, I don’t know if Nighthawk continuing to get up is in his best interests. He’s already taken a tremendous beating, and the more he’s getting up, you have to imagine Nighthawk is going to make Spike Kane angrier and angrier.”
Vasco Dias: “Maybe that’s the point, Terri. Nighthawk is well-renowned as a tremendous strategist. Maybe he’s thinking that’s what he needs to do. It might be that he thinks if he can get Spike angrier than he’s ever been, he’ll start to make mistakes and leave openings.”
{Getting a running start Spike crushes Nighthawk in the corner with a Yakuza kick, and then dismissively pops him in the jaw with a walk-away right hand to the face expecting him to drop. But as Spike walks to a neutral corner expecting the referee to begin his count he instead hears Nighthawk asking if that’s all he has, causing him to fume in rage and rush Nighthawk only to be caught on the way in with a gorgeous over-the-ropes hanging armbar that he holds onto until Spike simply pulls him in for another buckle bomb, dragging Nighthawk to the floor where he gets powerbombed back-first on the ring apron. Rolling back in the ring Spike looks at the referee in shock when Nighthawk somehow pulls himself up to his feet at the count of 8, albeit on extremely wobbly legs as the punishment is now beginning to show. Dragging himself into the ring, the Chicagoan demands more from Spike Kane only to duck out of the way when he charges and flies over the top rope. Collapsing against the ropes Nighthawk begins to smile when the referee counts Spike instead of him, and Spike getting up at the count of 2 with the beginnings of an egg on his forehead only adds to the growing smile. Realizing what he should do Nighthawk gets a running start as best he can and hits a gorgeous elbow suicida that lands on the point of the jaw that staggers Spike but can’t drop him. Letting out an almost-primal scream the “Wrestling Machine” lands a bombardment of European uppercuts and knife-edge chops, finishing the combo with a Concussion on Demand that finally slumps Spike against the guardrail. Asking for a bottle of water from ringside Nighthawk takes several large gulps as the referee’s count reaches 3 before Spike gets up to his feet, his eyes slightly glassy. Rolling Spike back into the ring, measuring him with supreme care, Nighthawk goes for and hits a springboard clothesline which sends Spike careening through the bottom rope to the other side of the ring. Going for a vaulting frankensteiner Nighthawk must course-correct and land on the apron when Spike moves out of the way, allowing the Bostonian to catch him in midair and heave him back-first into the ring post. Leaning against the guardrail Spike’s jaw drops open as if watching a live horror film when the “Master of 1000 Holds” pulls himself up to his feet at the count of 8, swaying and almost out of it but nonetheless standing.}Terri Morasco: “The big problem Nighthawk has is what we just saw. He’s going to be game. But the two knockdowns he’s had, Spike got up at the count of 3 and the count of 2. He simply doesn’t have the kind of explosive offense you need to have to make a heavyweight have any concerns in a match like this.”
Vasco Dias: “I hate to admit it, Terri, but you’re right. Against junior heavyweights those blows are a lot stronger, and have a lot more behind them. But against a full-grown heavyweight like Spike Kane, it is having almost no effect.”
{Rolling him back in the ring Spike drags Nighthawk into the corner and lays into him with forearm shivers while screaming at him to just stay down. But while the first two land with force heavy enough to send rivers of sweat flying off of his upper body Nighthawk begins to walk through the blows and return his own fire in the form of heavy thudding European uppercuts that back Spike into a corner. Stepping back a step Nighthawk goes for a Stinger splash only for Spike to step out of the way at the last second, causing him to hit his head on the solid turnbuckle stanchion which causes a nasty gash above the left eye to open. Staggering back into the ring, swinging wildly with the last of his energy, Nighthawk staggers towards Spike who glances at him for a moment before whipping him into the ropes for a Bloody Sunday that leaves him out on his feet followed by a Thunderstruck and then a Spike Impaler. Stepping into the neutral corner Spike sighs when the referee signals the count of 10.} Alison Valance: “Ladies and gentlemen, the winner of the Last Man Standing match….. Spike Kane!”
Alison Valance: The following contest is scheduled for one fall, and it is for the IWF Imperial Championship!
{“Angry Heart” by Otherwise begins to play throughout the arena and the crowd boos loudly. The entrance ramp is dimly lit and Laura Howlett makes her way out from behind the curtain. The fans in attendance have no problem letting her know exactly what they think of her. Ryan Shane then makes his way out as pyro goes off behind him.}Alison Valance: Introducing first, being accompanied to the ring by Laura Howlett, weighing two hundred and ten pounds, from Allen Park, Michigan, he is the 2017 Heir to the Throne...Ryan Shane!
Terri Morasco: Ryan Shane overcame one of the richest fields we have ever seen to become this year's Heir to the Throne, and tonight he stands heartbeats away from claiming the biggest prize in the Imperial Wrestling Federation.
Vasco Dias: Some men have title shots. Some men have triumphs, some have tragedies. Tonight, we are going to see a coronation of the one true King of IWF.
{Laura Howlett heads toward the ring with Ryan Shane following close behind her. When they get to the ring Shane slides in under the bottom rope as Howlett climbs the ring stairs. Ryan opens the ropes for her and she enters the ring. Once they are both in the ring the two share a kiss.}Alison Valance: And his opponent...
{The opening riff of "Unbreakable" plays, sending the crowd into a frenzy, and as the drums kick in Andrew Jacobsen comes striding out onto the ramp, Danielle Chase a step behind him. He takes a few steps forward, looking to either side with a wide grin on his face. Andrew looks dead ahead at the ring, cracking his neck, and throws his arms out and head back as a burst of red and green pyro goes off to either side of him.}Alison Valance: Being accompanied to the ring by Danielle Chase, weighing two hundred and thirty five pounds, from Minneapolis, Minnesota, he is the IWF Imperial Champion...Andrew...JACOBSEN!
Terri Morasco: And the Barclays Center is on their feet for the Imperial Champion! Andrew Jacobsen has been having what some have called a career renaissance in 2017, and tonight he faces yet another difficult test. Will he leave New York with his title reign intact?
Vasco Dias: Terri, no matter the caliber of his opponents, none of them have been a man like the King of Detroit, Ryan Shane. I think the North Star is going to find his breaking point here tonight.
{Andrew and Danielle walk down the ramp, Andrew high-fiving fans as he goes, and he pulls himself up onto the apron, looking around at the fans with an infectious grin on his face. He climbs through the second rope and walks to a corner, checking his gloves and talking with Danielle as he waits for the match to start.}Terri Morasco: Stakes could not be higher here tonight. Two men on the runs of their careers, the Imperial Title in the balance. Let's not wait any longer! Here we go!
{The bell rings, and both men move to the center of the ring, immediately shooting in for a lock-up. Andrew swiftly spins into a rear waistlock, lifting Shane and looking for an amateur takedown. Ryan fires an elbow back up into Andrew's head to block, reaching back and hauling him over with a side headlock takeover. Andrew uses his momentum to roll through the takeover to a kneeling position, popping his feet underneath himself and lifting for a back suplex. Shane flips out and through, though, and immediately fires off a dropkick to the back of Andrew's knee! Andrew staggers, clutching the knee, and immediately Shane pounces, hooking Andrew for a shinbreaker before taking him overhead with a Saito suplex! Shane floats into the cover, hooking the targeted leg!
ONE! TWO! KICKOUT!}Terri Morasco: Ryan Shane's gameplan is very clear early on: target the leg and work on it relentlessly.
Vasco Dias: It's smart strategy. Not only does it eliminate all three of Jacobsen's finishing maneuvers from his arsenal as well as weakening his suplexes and backbreakers, it also softens him up for the Crying Shane. Great gameplan early on from Ryan Shane.
{Undeterred, Shane grabs at Andrew's bad leg, looking for a figure-four. Andrew manages to get his good foot up and plant it square in Shane's backside as he twists, kicking him off. Ryan stumbles forward, and Andrew forces himself back to his feet. Shane charges in at Andrew, who ducks and snaps him overhead with a belly-to-belly suplex! Ryan bounces back to his feet, where he's met with a big kick to the gut and an Irish whip into the corner. Andrew charges in after him, delivering a huge clothesline that sandwiches Shane against the turnbuckle! Andrew pulls back, delivering a forceful shoulder thrust to Shane's midsection. He backs up slightly before hitting a second, then a third, before pulling Shane out of the corner and nailing a pendulum backbreaker on the good knee! Andrew drops into a cover!
ONE! TWO! KICKOUT!}Terri Morasco: And I'm not sure if it's Andrew's gameplan or just a response, but he's certainly lighting up the midsection of Ryan Shane with that flurry of moves. The Imperial Champion refuses to stay down for long!
Vasco Dias: That's not gameplan wrestling. That's just Andrew trying to knock Shane off his gameplan, and it's rather unusual for Jacobsen. Ryan must have really rattled him there.
{Andrew stays on top of Shane, quickly snaring a seated bodyscissors. Shane struggles against the hold, but quickly finds escape by elbowing down on the knee he had targeted earlier. Andrew clutches at his knee and Shane gets back to his feet, stomping viciously at Andrew's knee. Jacobsen rolls towards the ropes, prompting the referee to step in and try to back Shane up. Ryan reluctantly obliges, allowing Andrew to get to his feet, but the moment he's free of the ropes Ryan closes the distance and snares his leg with a dragon screw! Andrew clutches his knee, biting his lower lip in pain, and Laura Howlett points to the top rope, shouting orders at Shane. Ryan nods, climbing to the top, and measures the fallen Jacobsen, leaping off with the MURU SPLASH to Andrew's knee! Shane clutches at his chest, but manages to roll into another cover, once more hooking the bad leg!
ONE! TWO! THRE—KICKOUT! Shane pounds the mat, shaking his head as Laura Howlett shouts at the referee.}Terri Morasco: What a vicious frog splash there, and even though Andrew Jacobsen kicked out it doesn't look to have been easy!
Vasco Dias: Shane isn't just getting the usual leverage advantage when he hooks that leg of Andrew's. He's also forcing Andrew to strain and push those ligaments in his knee every time he kicks free. Everything he's done has been to erode that vertical base. Eventually, he just won't be able to get back up.
{Andrew drags himself up by the ropes, staggering as he forces himself back to a vertical base. Shane grabs his arm and whips Jacobsen off the ropes, but Andrew manages to stop short, reversing the whip and sending Shane into the far ropes, where he comes off into a big spinebuster! Andrew leaps to his feet, wincing as he lands in his vertical base, and grabs at Ryan's legs, looking for the SHARPSHOOTER! No! Ryan kicks him off, quickly forward-rolling up, and delivers a swift kick to Andrew's knee! Jacobsen staggers, and Shane catches Andrew on the jaw with a snap left jab! He follows with a second! A third! A fourth! Shane pumps his fist, grinning, and spins with a discus punch, looking to complete the SOUTHPAW SHUFFLE! No! Andrew ducks underneath and snares another waistlock, bringing Ryan over with a huge German suplex! Andrew locks his hands, roaring through the pain, and delivers a second! He rolls through one more time, and Shane fires elbows back at Andrew to try to block, but Andrew's adrenaline pushes him through to deliver the third German suplex and complete the HAT TRICK! Andrew bridges!
ONE! TW—Andrew's knee buckles, breaking the bridge and the pin!}Terri Morasco: All that work Shane put in on the knee of Jacobsen paying off there, as he just couldn't hold the bridge long enough to get a real chance at a pin!
Vasco Dias: Everyone sleeps on Ryan Shane's ring intellect, and I hope they're paying attention here, because they're all being made to look like the fools they are!
{Andrew clutches at his knee, hammering it with his fist to try to get some blood flowing back to the joint. Shane, for his part, seems to be nursing his neck as he stands. Both men get up at roughly the same time, but Shane is the first to strike, throwing a wild right. Andrew catches the punch, thrusting forward into a European uppercut. Shane stumbles, firing a forearm back at Andrew. Jacobsen replies with a forearm shot of his own, and the two men trade a few blows in the middle of the ring before Shane breaks the exchange with a quick poke to Andrew's eye! Andrew stumbles back towards the ropes, and the referee steps in to shout at Shane for the illegal maneuver. As he does so, though, he misses Laura Howlett hopping up on the apron and grabbing Andrew's head, dropping back down and snapping Andrew's throat across the top rope! The crowd boos as Shane sees the opening, moving to intercept the stunned champion and snapping him over with the RIGHT NOW-THERN LIGHTS SUPLEX! Shane bridges, grinning as he does so!
ONE! TWO! THRE—KICKOUT! Shane shakes his head in dismay, getting up and insisting to the ref "THAT WAS THREE! THAT WAS THREE!" as the official insists on the count!}Terri Morasco: What in the hell was that?! Laura Howlett just interfered there, and it almost won Ryan Shane the match and the title!
Vasco Dias: That's what looking out for your client's interests looks like, Terri. None of this standing at ringside and wringing your hands, like Danielle Chase does. That's a manager right there.
{Shane hammers away on Jacobsen with clubbing blows as Andrew tries to stand, continuing to batter at the shoulders and neck of the Imperial Champion. Ryan catches Andrew with a big uppercut of his own, sending Andrew stumbling and bouncing off the ropes. As he rebounds, Ryan dips his shoulder, scooping Andrew up into a fireman's carry and beginning to whirl him around with the AIR SHANE! Shane picks up speed, whipping Andrew around and around at velocity. Showing off, Ryan manages to pull his hands down, spinning Andrew briefly without having to support him! Unfortunately, the looser position allows Andrew to shift his weight and hook Shane's chin with an arm, dragging him down with a modified headlock takeover which Andrew quickly transitions into the HANGMAN'S CLUTCH! Jacobsen lets out a roar as he clamps on the hold, rearing back as Ryan Shane claws and pulls at his grip to try to break it!}Terri Morasco: Hangman's Clutch applied! We've seen Andrew win matches with this hold before, can he do it here again?
Vasco Dias: Fight out, man! If Ryan Shane can outlast the man who perfected this hold, he can sure as hell outlast this second-rate copy!
{Shane thrashes against the hold, pushing his legs under himself and trying to roll Andrew onto his shoulders. Unfortunately for Ryan, Andrew manages to roll with the momentum, keeping the hold applied! Shane cries out in pain, legs flailing madly. His hand quivers, shaking above the mat...but just before he looks like he's ready to tap, Laura Howlett pulls his foot onto the bottom rope behind the referee's back! The crowd boos as she calls his attention to it, and the referee intervenes, forcing Andrew to break the hold! Laura chuckles to herself, grinning as the crowd rains its anger down on her.}Terri Morasco: And again! Laura Howlett just opened the door back up for Ryan Shane! He might have tapped if she hadn't propped his foot up there!
Vasco Dias: It doesn't matter what might have been, all that matters is what is, and the fact is that Ryan Shane got the ropes. Quit your whining!
{As Laura steps back from the apron, though, we see Danielle Chase rounding the apron, eyes ablaze. Chase closes quietly, watching Laura, and she noticeably tenses up as Howlett begins to turn around, tapping her flats against the ringside pads. When Laura does, she only has a moment to process Danielle's expression before Chase lunges forward, delivering a beautiful LIGHTS OUT SUPERKICK straight to the jaw of Laura Howlett! The crowd explodes in delight as Danielle stands over Laura's fallen form, shouting down at her. Shane's jaw drops, and Andrew just shakes his head in disbelief, unable to process what he's just seen!}Terri Morasco: SUPERKICK FROM DANIELLE CHASE! How's THAT for looking out for your client's interests, Vasco?!
Vasco Dias: SHE JUST ASSAULTED A MANAGER! GET THAT VIOLENT LUNATIC THE HELL OUT OF HERE!
{The referee looks over, seeing the scene on the outside, and begins shouting at Chase. Shane quickly interjects, insisting that "that crazy bitch attacked MY manager!" Andrew shakes his head, trying to protest, but the referee nods, pointing at Danielle before making an ejection motion towards the back! The crowd boos at the decision, but Danielle just shakes her head, grinning, and begins to walk to the back. Andrew walks with her, and the two share a few words as Danielle begins to walk back up the ramp. Andrew leans over the ropes, shouting to Danielle, and Shane quickly seizes the moment, charging and spiking Andrew across his knees with the SOMEDAY SNAP! Shane spins to his knees, looking around and laughing cruelly as the crowd boos even louder.}Terri Morasco: Danielle Chase ejected for leveling the playing field, and Ryan Shane takes advantage of the moment to connect with that Someday Snap backbreaker. Even when she's unconscious, Laura Howlett's giving him openings!
Vasco Dias: That's the difference between a manager and a madwoman, and that's the difference between a champion and a former champion. Shane has his opening here, and it's his for the seizing!
{Ryan pounces on the laid-out Andrew, grabbing at his legs and trying to spin him into the CRYING SHANE! No! Andrew grabs at the ropes, using them to shove Ryan back! Shane back-rolls into a crouch, charging again and looking for the SHANING WIZARD!
...ONLY FOR ANDREW TO LUNGE FORWARD AND MEET HIM MID-CHARGE WITH A LIGHTS OUT SUPERKICK! Both men collapse to the mat, Andrew clutching his leg in absolute agony as Shane stares up at the ceiling, breathing heavily! The referee checks on both men, trying to see if they can continue, and when neither man moves, he begins a standing ten-count! ONE! TWO!}Terri Morasco: That superkick connected from Andrew, but all the damage done might have meant it was more lethal for him than for Shane!
Vasco Dias: He lashed out on instinct with a move that's won him so many matches, and his instincts could be his undoing. But Shane can't win the title by count-out. He needs to pin Andrew or make him submit, and right now they're just putting themselves back together.
{Andrew clutches at the ropes, gritting his teeth through the pain as he tries to haul himself back up. Shane has managed to roll on his side, shaking his head as if to try and shake off the cobwebs!
THREE! FOUR! FIVE!
Andrew reaches up desperately, managing to snare his other hand on the top rope, hanging from the middle and top ropes by his arms. Shane rolls onto his stomach, using a forearm to push himself up off the mat!
SIX! SEVEN!
Andrew hauls back with all his might, tottering close to a standing position! Shane gets his other arm underneath himself, grunting and pushing up to a kneeling position!
EIGHT!
Andrew plants his good foot underneath himsef! Shane manages to force himself to his feet, eyes drilling holes in Andrew's back!
NINE!
Andrew has his feet again! The referee waves off the count!}Terri Morasco: They're back up!
Vasco Dias: But look at Shane!
{As Andrew turns around, he's met with another big dropkick to the knee from Shane, sending Andrew buckling forward to one knee again. Shane backs up, lining up Andrew with fire in his eyes, and charges for the SHANING WIZARD!
ANDREW SURGES FORWARD AT THE LAST SECOND, CATCHING SHANE ON HIS SHOULDERS AND LUNGING FORWARD INTO THE ICE BREAKER POWERBOMB! Andrew falls across Shane, somehow managing to hook the leg!
ONE! TWO! THREE! "Unbreakable" plays, and Andrew rolls off of Shane, staring at the ceiling with a glazed look on his face.}Alison Valance: Here is your winner, and STILL the IWF Imperial Champion, Andrew Jacobsen!
Terri Morasco: After a WAR, Andrew Jacobsen has survived the Heir to the Throne! He is STILL the Imperial Champion, and it took one hell of an effort to do it.
Vasco Dias: A last-second counter snatched victory from the jaws of defeat here, and were it not for Laura Howlett's incapacitation I think this match would still be going! The House of Howlett was robbed!
Terri Morasco: Oh, shut up Vasco! Laura Howlett interfered in this match multiple times, and in the end she reaped what she had sown. Ryan Shane put in a smart performance, a tough performance, but at the end of the day, the North Star still shines over IWF!
{The referee hands Andrew the title as he lays on the mat, and Andrew simply rolls to the outside, forcing himself to stand as he rolls under the bottom rope. Andrew backs up the ramp as Ryan Shane stirs in the ring, and Jacobsen looks around at the Barclays Center before raising the belt high in one hand to the roar of the crowd. Andrew turns and hobbles towards the back, and Ryan Shane rolls to the outside to check on Laura Howlett, still furious.}Alison Valance: The following match is a Man of Steel match for the MAN OF STEEL CHAMPIONSHIP Introducing first...
{The lights go out as the melodic opening of The Howling by Within Temptation begins to play. After a few moments a single white spotlight shines down on the stage, showing Dean crouched on the stage, looking down at the ground with his hood concealing his face. Smoke rises around him eerily as he slowly rolls his wrists. Suddenly, in time with the opening guitar riff, the lights snap blood red as Dean stands, walking through the now red-lit smoke towards the ring. He jumps up onto the apron before springing on the bottom rope into the ring. Once in the centre of the ring, he spreads his arms wide as he soaks in the red flashing lights before lifting his head sharply, kicking back the hood to show his face, nodding in rhythm to the music as he slowly breaks into a wicked grin. After a few moments he turns and settles into his corner, tossing his hood and jacket to ringside… which are caught by Rowan, who the audience swears wasn’t standing there a second ago.}Alison Valance: ...Hailing from Sioux Falls, South Dakota standing at 6’2” and weighing in at 200 pounds The Most Loyal DEAN HARPER!
Vasco Dias: Here we see a man of dedication, a man of talent and a man who has one goal on his mind, your hero and mine Dean Harper. A man who knows nothing but loyalty.
Terri Morasco: He showed last week he knows how to take a beating and tonight he and Raine will show who can take more.
{The Lights Darken as the Into of "Omen" starts to play, whilst the beat picks up Devlin emerges from the crowd wearing his jacket and the Guy Fawkes mask , the Destiny Dealer steps up on the guard railing slowly as he slips off the mask and slides under the bottom rope to salute at the crowd waving his hands to the music as if conducting an orchestra and then turns to get met by a charging forearm from Dean, Devlin turns and grabs the rapidly lowering Cage to stop himself from falling to the outside hanging a bit before Dean smiles smugly and pushes to try and angle Dev’s head under the cage! Devlin blinks and kicks backwards wriggling free of bot his precarious positon and Dean’ s grasp to hand walk himself –up the cage even as it finally hits the floor pushing off the cage to turn and face Dean with a look to the cage and Dean shrugs a bit.}Terri Morasco: Did Dean just…?
Vasco Dias: Try to win? Sure.
{Dean charges Devlin gain and Dev ducks under the next forearm now to snap a harsh kick the only just misses Deans head Devlin keeps the momentum to connect with spinning kick to the Gut, popping Dean back up even As Devlin doesn’t Opt for the end of the Brain Dance, instead snapmaring Dean over to kick him in the back before taking off for the opposite ropes , Dean sits under the Attempted Penalty kick that threatens to take his head off , popping back up to his feet with a Kip-up to Hit Devlin with a quick jab to his jaw, Devlin is shook just enough by the Jab for Dean to Pull Devlin in for a few knee strikes to the gut before stepping back to hit a rung knee lift into a neckbreaker!}Vasco Dias: Going for the knock out game yes!
Terri Morasco: It would seem Dean is out to make a point!
{Dean senses his advantage and as Devlin starts to roll away he’s right up to follow along, he waits until Devlin is on the ropes leaning a bit over the middle and aims to kick the rope up into Dev’s throat! Devlin, lurches up holding his throat as Dean simply stands back with a smile and the momentum instead pushes Devlin back up to his feet, holding the back of his neck with one arm and his throat with another as Dean charges Devlin as Devlin counters with either Instinct, luck or Judgment as Devlin pushes Dean past himself Dean going for he goes for the Bicycle knee catching him as he lands with a European Uppercut to the back of the head which Sends Dean Tumbling through the ropes to the space between them and the cage . Devlin grins as he takes a step back and runs into the opposite ropes to Leap over the top rope as Dean stands and wiping them both out}ONE…
TWO…
THREE…
{Both men twitch and grip the ropes at the same time rising to their feet slowly}FOUR..
FIVE..
SIX..
SEVEN!
NO!
{Both Men are up at Seven and Deans early advantage means he slams Devlin’s head into the Cage wall, much to Rowan’s seeming pleasure as he starts to Rake Devlin’s face against the a wall taking a moment to whip Dev to the opposite ropes and standing dangerously close to the Cage wall himself, Devlin is caught by the Belly to Belly and crashes into ropes and Wall now bleeding as he crumples to the Mat and Dean doesn’t actually look to let up, rolling Devlin over to start laying punches in as Devlin covers up as best he can Before Dean pulls Devlin up and sets him up in a corner moving to the opposite corner with a sick grin} Vasco Dias: The Most Loyal is on the attack!
Terri Morasco: Devlin looks liek he's in trouble
{Dean Charges Devlin and connects with a Sick Dropkick, bouncing off the opposite corner to hit another Devlin Sinks to a Knee and Dean bounces again to drop Devlin to the Mat after snapping Dev’s head off the turnbuckle and rolling Devlin out to keep Devlin Stood to hit a SHOW OF DEVOTION!}ONE…
TWO…
THREE…
FOUR..
FIVE..
{Dean’s smirk dies down a bit as Devlin’s right hand seems to snatch up to a rope out of nowhere and he begins to pull himself up slowly and surely to his feet}SIX..
SEVEN!
EIGHT!
NO!
Vasco Dias: Too stupid to stay down
Terri Morasco: The Look on Dean’s face says it all. But can he afford to lose concentration?!
{Devlin manages to lift himself to his feet just before Nine shaking his head off and Dean starts to move for Devlin again with a smile on his face growing even as Devlin seems to catch him and out of pure instinct moves out of the way and use Rope momentum to Kick Dean in the Gut before another foot pushes Dean away Dean rolls backwards and smoothly pushes up to his feet dusting himself off to start moving towards Devlin again as Devlin looks at his hand, coated in his own blood and the dazed expression changes as Devlin smiles and then his eyes lock on Dean as the smile dies before another Kick is blocked by Dean and Devlin doesn’t even Give Dean the Chance to think about the enzigiri giving Himself a little more time to recover.}Terri Morasco: Devlin getting himself a little space!
Vasco Dias: Devlin wasting everyone’s time..
Terri Morasco: Will you Stop?!
{Dean explodes forwards, only to be met by a hard forearm across the Jaw as Devlin fires up out of nowhere then hits another forearms driving Dean towards the cage wall with each heavy hit and ducking a punch from Dean to hit him with a more straight forwards Belly to back Suplex, much like Den earlier Devlin is up to his feet with a smirk. Calling the move eve as he hits it, CANNONBALL! Dean doesn’t quite lift his knees in time given how quickly Devlin went for it, so the two roll opposite directions and start to get up Devlin is quick to duck an attempt by Dean at a DANCE THE SPIRAL! The Kick sails over Devlin’s head and Dean himself has to quickly move aside as Devlin Throws the NO FATE! Dean turns around but Devlin has kept his momentum from the knee to bounce off the ropes and connect with the DEV-D-T! Harper bounces up to his feet from the force of the move and Devlin himself Kips up To Throw Dan into the cage right in front of Rowan Who merely takes a step backwards at seeing the Most Loyal’s visage smushed into the wire at her face her expression as ever unreadable under that mask Even As Devlin doesn’t even let the Ref count raking Dean’s face against the Cage as well, returning the bloodying up favour Devlin’s own face a picture of anger}Terri Morasco: I think Devlin has snapped!
Vasco Dias: Everyone has their limits Terri. Devlin is going to cost himself another title.
{Indeed Devlin’s assault does not let up talking some smack the entire time as Dean seems to come to and stands up as Devlin has a headlock locked in, slowly standing up and levering free to smash Devlin in the face with a forearm himself Devlin touches at his face and fires right on back the two start trading blows back and forth in the centre of the ring as Devlin slowly works Devlin to the ropes, whipping Dean off to follow him in and hit another hard forearm turning his back on Dean who hangs onto the ropes and as Devlin charges off to hit another forearm he follows behind Devlin to hit him with a Bicycle knee, turning to run himself Devlin Follows up as Dean looks to Springboard moonsault Devlin Smoothly landing on his feet in position for the Up is Down Devlin Somehow slips loose with a quick spin of his body throwing a quick kick of his own into Dean’s Gut and landing the BRAIN DANCE! Devlin rolls away to pull himself up as the ref counts}ONE…
TWO…
THREE…
FOUR..
FIVE..
SIX..
SEVEN!
EIGHT!
NO!
{It’s Dean’s turn to push up groggily as Devlin leans against the turnbuckle for a second the pace of the match actually catching up to the both of them before Devlin marches in Dean spinning around to catch Dev with a right and the run for the ropes, Devlin is quick to head in the opposite direction, Dean ducks a Lariat from Devlin as the two increase speed in what appears to be coming a high speed game of chicken where both mean are trying to hit the best timed blow and the other seems to barely missing before Dean catches Devlin with The Sling Blade}Terri Morasco: What the Hell happened there?!
Vasco Dias: Dean Harper just a hair trigger quicker than Devlin
{Dean not wanting to make the same mistake as before pulls Devlin towards the corner and wheelbarrows Devlin looking behind himself and looking ready to German Devlin into the Buckle! As he Lifts Devlin up Devlin ‘s momentum suddenly and violently reverses between Dean’s legs as he catches him in the VOIGHT-KAMPF Clutch! Dean pushes up his face in pain, but Smiling , looking back at Devlin and LAUGHING at him even as Devlin wrenches on the knee some before Dean with a look at Rowan, who nods with a throat cut gesture to her most loyal reaches out for the Rope break forcing the two of them to be split up and Devlin looks briefly over at Rowan as Dean flexes the knee and gets up slowly, The smile on Devlin's face returns as he makes a throat cutting gesture back right at Rowan and it’s Dean’s turn for his smile to drop and anger to lift on his face}Terri Morasco: Given everything That’s happened so for do you think it’s wise for Devlin to taunt Rowan like that?
Vasco Dias: Devlin’s got a death wish. Dean Harper is happy to oblige
{Dean takes a step even in anger his weight momentarily buckles on the knee Devlin was just working , sheer willpower and git get Dean to stand up against walk , even if a little slower towards Devlin checking the knee out again as Devlin holds off for a moment to regain some of his breath and Dean shakes his leg out before Devlin says something Else to Dean barely caught by the cameras and the two go right back at exchanging blows Devlin with Forearms and European uppercuts and Dean with punches and forearms of his own, neither men willing to go down even going so far as to press their heads against each other and stare in each other’s eyes again before Dean snap a quick head butt on Devlin whipping Devlin for a corner, Delvin reveres and Dean manages to hop up to the second d rope, turn himself around with a smooth Rope Walk and Connect with ABBADON’S KISS from the second Rope Knocking Devlin Silly as the Destiny Dealer stumbles away holding his face, clinging to the ropes to hold on, Dean once more gets up and marches towards Devlin lifting him up to the top rope!}Terri Morasco: Dean Harper with evil intentions!
Vasco Dias: I like it!
{Dean measures Devlin up and takes a few steps back to the other side of the ring before charging at Devlin having to Duck as Devlin dives over him to roll to his feet Dean steps up on the second rope to turn and keep his momentum as Devlin moves a few steps forwards to pop Dean over his head and Dean lands feet first on the second rope turning around smoothly as Devlin rolls forwards to look at Dean, charge his direction and hit a Leaping European Uppercut!}Vasco Dias: What the hell was that?!
Terri Morasco: Devlin with some unique offence to get the upper hand I don’t think there’s a portion of this ring they haven’t touched!
{Devlin steps back even as Dean starts to stand shakily nodding to himself as he hops to the top rope in one smooth motion and bringing both himself and Dean Down in an AVALANCHE SUBSPACE SLIDE! Devlin rolls over a bit and not content with that move grabs Dean’s Wrists to pull him up to his knees and hitting a NO FATE right to the side of his head dropping to a knee as he ends up leant on the opposite ropes and pushing himself up slowly as the ref counts}ONE…
TWO…
THREE…
FOUR..
FIVE..
SIX..
SEVEN!
EIGHT!
NINE!
TEN!
{“Omen” Hits the speakers as Devlin leans on the cage wall taking a moment to look directly at Rowan, that carefree smile coming back to his face as he is given the belt and mocking the spot match ritual of the Pack, just like he promised, he Holds up Dean's head like a trophy and then picks up on of Dean's hand to give him a fist bump to lower him down with a gentle pat and maybe a small muttered ‘gg’ looking at the new belt, promises of air guitar forgotten as he climbs the turnbuckle nearest to rowan to smile and show the belt to the crowd}Alison Valance: Here is your winner and NEW MAN OF STEEL CHAMPION The Destiny Dealer DEVLIN RAINE!!
Terri Morasco: Devlin Raine has Done it again!
Vasco Dias: Joy, let’s hope he keeps it longer than last time.