Post by gvb on Jun 11, 2021 16:13:23 GMT -6
Millennium LXXXVI
Live from Long Beach Arena in Long Beach, CA
Wednesday, June 9th, 2021
We open backstage at the ready area. A low, sinister chuckling is heard. As the camera pans out we see that this laughter is coming from none other than “The Assassin” Clyde Sutter. The Assassin is dressed in his rather plain black wrestling gear and a long black trenchcoat. An evil, snarling grin is upon his face.
Clyde Sutter:
Ya may notice that something is different about me today. One thing that’s different is the fact that I’m in a pretty god damn good mood. I wasn’t in that good a mood a couple weeks ago. In fact, I was in a pretty fucked up state of mind. Ya may also have noticed that the skinny little punk Mason Van Stanton isn’t with me tonight. His weak, puny, little ass isn’t here tonight because he got hurt. Bein’ thrown off the top of a hell in a cell will do that to a guy.
Another nasty laugh escapes the lips of The Assassin.
Clyde Sutter:
But then, that right there is what contributed to my good mood. Because Mason not bein’ here tonight means that there isn’t a damn living soul who can stop me from doin’ whatever the hell I want to whoever the hell I want tonight.
He shakes his head.
Clyde Sutter:
Now Mason, I know yer watching from your home in North Carolina; bed ridden at doctor’s orders. Now I am not above lying so I could lie and promise I will be on my best behavior but ya know what? I’m gonna be one hundred percent honest with ya; I am going to engage in every single violent act, dream, and vision that I have ever had but you tried to stop me from engaging in. And what that means for the morons of the Millennium Brand, is that you get to behold the REAL Clyde Sutter.
He points a finger at the camera.
Clyde Sutter:
And you get to be at the epicenter of the explosion, Morgan Bean. Congratulations, maybe? If you enjoy a good fight then you’ll damn sure enjoy what I bring tonight. Ya see, all my life I’ve been held back and restrained by people who were afraid of what I was truly capable of. The law kept me restrained because I was too violent for society. So I tried professional wrestling thinking that there was the one sport where I could paid to beat a man’s ass. But then I got kicked out of wrestling school and for what? Because I couldn’t stop myself from beating the ever loving shit out of a worthless, pathetic student? Because I took a cheap shot and knocked one of the trainers on his ass just because I could? Yeah, even wrestling school said I was too violent for wrestling. Mason Van Stanton got me an opportunity, he got me the chance to compete in this business, but let’s be honest, he was doing it for his own selfish reasons and not because of me. And Mason, bein’ the business oriented clown he is, was worried about his image. Funny, the world knows he’s a scumbag but he is worried about his image, so he restrained me too. He held me back.
Sutter snickers nastily.
Clyde Sutter:
But now the puppet master is a cripple. I once had strings but now I am free, there are no strings on me!
The Assassin throws his head back and laughs.
Clyde Sutter:
So tonight, Morag, congratulations, you are the lucky bitch who gets the full experience of what The Assassin is capable of! And I don’t know about you, but I know for a fact that I will definitely enjoy myself tonight.
Sutter turns and walks off, laughing to himself.
Singles Match
Morag Bean VS Clyde SutterThe absence of his manager Mason van Stanton in his corner didn’t really affect Clyde’s aggression, or at least not in the way Morag would’ve thought. It actually seemed that without him somehow holding him back and being the voice of reason, The Assassin was even more brutal and defiant of the referee’s authority. In the first two minutes of the match he had already received two stern warnings from the man in the striped shirt for trying to choke Morag, once with his bare hands and the second time by pushing her neck down against the bottom rope. Bean rolled out of the ring to regroup, whatever her game plan was, it was already clear it wasn’t working the way she expected. Clyde gave chase on the outside, not wanting to give her any break but he found the imposing figure of Morag’s bodyguard blocking his path. The Gargantuan Indian shielded the Cannibal Queen who, hidden from Clyde’s sight, slid back inside the ring and took a run at the ropes, hitting the unaware Sutter with a baseball slide that sent the man crashing against the barricade. The impact of his head against the barrier left the Assassin laying against it, trying to regain his bearings. The Scotswoman jumped from the apron and hit him with a dropkick, once again sending his head crashing against the barricade again. The pint sized woman now found herself having to deal with a major issue, pushing the 280 pounder back inside the ring. Easy solution, get Meera Makara to do the heavy lifting and rolling Sutter back inside the ring while she climbed to the top of the turnbuckle from where she jumped with the A75 senton, landing on top of Clyde and making the first pinning predicament, only obtaining a two. Being almost literally twice the size of his opponent, Clyde easily regained control, catching Morag off a crossbody attempt and dropping her on his knee with a rib breaker. He dragged her up to her feet and rocked her with some heavy strikes, leaving her groggy in the middle of the ring as he hit the ropes and turned her inside out with a clothesline from hell. Suttter dropped in position for a cover, but Morag survived this time. The Scot even tried to make a comeback, biting the opponent’s nose and blasting him with a step up enziguri. Clyde was down to one knee and Bean went behind him to apply her Hanging Devlin dragon sleeper. Clyde tried to wriggle out of it. Eventually he succeeded, even with the use of some elbow shots to the sides of the Cannibal Queen. He then caught her with a hard backfist that left Morag stunned. Wasting no time, he folded her up and lifted her for a powerbomb, holding his grip to deliver a second one, and a F-5 to complete the sequence he calls Judge, Jury And Executioner. The cover at this point was purely academic, Sutter got the three count and the win he needed to put himself back on track. WINNER: Clyde Sutter BY: Pinfall (Judge, Jury And Executioner), 7:16 |
After the first match of the night we head backstage where Clyde Eldon Jr is getting ready to make his first attempt at a singles title against Dusty Douglas. Not seeming the most confident he has ever been considering he is having his first match since his injuries from WarBlade along with the fact he’s coming off watching his mother win the Tag Team Championships with Olly. He does a few last minute stretches when arriving at the arena is Faizah Marshall, the Gold Star of the Academy and already someone making a lot of noise on the roster.
Clyde Eldon Jr:
Hey...hey…
Clyde is only able to muster up that as a response to seeing Faizah arrive. Faizah who was looking down at her phone as she walked in looked up, eye to eye with Clyde.
Faizah Marshall:
Hey there. I always wondered when we were going to meet face to face. Feels strange we knew of each other before officially meeting. Chalk it up to the age we live in right?
Clyde not usually known as the shy type let’s out a rather loud and unrealistic laugh, clearly a bit flustered.
Clyde Eldon Jr:
Yeah it’s weird for sure, have been a fan of yours for awhile. You were great in the Academy and we are glad to have you on Millenium. Looks like we both may be champions sooner rather than later.
Faizah nods.
Faizah Marshall:
You should be champion right now. I respect your mom. Olly, he is always full of surprises, can’t predict what his next move will be. Just when I think I have the answer he changes the question... anyway, you should be one half of the tag team champions. Look on the bright side. You get to be the one to take down that arrogant bastard, Dustin. Someone needs to humble him. That’ll be you.
She pats Clyde on the shoulder to give him some encouragement. Considering the past month and a half he has had, a new friend seems to be giving him a bit more hope.
Clyde Eldon Jr:
And you are totally going to take that belt from Lowri. Guess you got Trinity and Tiff tonight? Best of luck. And maybe I’ll see you around?
Faizah smiles.
Faizah Marshall:
Of course you’ll see me around. The future of this company needs to stick together.
This seems to give Clyde a bit of a better outlook, forgetting at least for the moment that he is about to go one on one with the man they call the Murder Train. He gives her an awkward wave as he walks towards the entrance area for his first big singles title match having hopefully made a new friend.
Just like two weeks ago, during the previous episode of Millennium, the Cloud Gate Champion, Lowri Moss, appears in a pre-recorded video. Standing backstage somewhere, again filming herself on her smartphone, Lowri is dressed this time in a pair of jeans and a replica Wales football jersey, her title draped over her shoulder, and she flashes a smile as she begins.
Lowri Moss:
What’s occurring, Long Beach?
Following her usual greeting, Lowri continues.
Lowri Moss:
Unfortunately I won’t be getting to wrestle here tonight in front of all of you great fans in Southern California, but although I’m not scheduled to compete, I still wanted to be here to watch the show in person, particularly the main event, as well as the match immediately preceding it.
Those matches being the singles contest between Gareth Prichard Jr. and the Intercontinental Champion, Eliza Foley, and the tag team bout pitting Faith Savell and Faizah Marshall against Tiff Rollins and Trinity Thompson.
Lowri Moss:
I don’t want to take up too much of the show, and I’m going to try to keep this brief, but I want to take a moment or two to talk about what happened two weeks ago. And speaking of main events, the main event of the last show was of course a triple threat, Champions Showdown featuring the Lockdown Champion, Dusty Douglas, the Chicago Way Champion, Kimberly Williams, and yours truly.
Lowri quickly glances at the championship belt that is resting on her shoulder, before looking back to the camera.
Lowri Moss:
I’ve watched it back since, and one of the commentators-- Ambra, I think it was-- said that whoever won the match would be able to call themselves the best champion on Millennium. Well, Dusty and Kim were two very challenging, if very different opponents, as I expected them to be, who both showed why they’re champions, but there could only be one winner, and in the end, it was me that came out on top… as if we didn’t all already know who the best champion on Wednesday nights is.
She gives a wink to the camera.
Lowri Moss:
I didn’t get much chance to celebrate my hard-fought victory though, because barely had the match ended, when Faizah Marshall blindsided me with a superkick.
A sigh escapes her lips.
Lowri Moss:
While I don’t appreciate being sucker-punched-- or sucker-kicked, I guess-- in this case, I’m not actually as angry about it as you might think… although if she had attacked me during the match, rather than after it, then I would’ve been a bit more annoyed about it.
She lets out another sigh.
Lowri Moss:
When I spoke two weeks ago, prior to the match, I mentioned that two of the Academy graduates, Faizah and Faith, each had a guaranteed title shot, and I told them both that if they wanted to face the best, then there’s only one choice that they should make. Now, I would’ve preferred Faizah to reveal which champion she had chosen to challenge in a way that didn’t involve me being attacked, but nevertheless, she did at least “make the right decision.”
Those last four words were the same words that Lowri concluded her promo two weeks ago with.
Lowri Moss:
And Faizah, after talking earlier with Elsa McCarthy, I can reveal that you’re going to get your shot at my title in three and a half weeks from now, at the next pay-per-view event… the final show before MWE’s weekly programming goes on its now annual summer break-- Glory Horizons.
There is a momentary pause, following which Lowri continues.
Lowri Moss:
I know, Faizah, that you’re a bit apprehensive about having to team with Faith tonight, but I’ll let you know that one thing you don’t need to worry about is me retaliating by attacking you, catching you unaware after your match-- that’s not my M.O.
She shakes her head, to emphasise that last part of her statement.
Lowri Moss:
I’m going to wait until we meet in the ring, face-to-face. And when we do, that reputation of mine that you mentioned on Twitter a couple of weeks ago, the one that you said is more than a mile long, you’re going to learn that it’s not at all unwarranted; you wanted the best? Well, you’re going to get it.
With her smile still on her face, Lowri taps the faceplate of the Cloud Gate title with her free hand, before the video then comes to an end.
Lockdown Championship Match
Dusty Rule: Five Count
Dustin Douglas © VS Clyde Eldon Jr.Dusty Rule: Five Count
Having been replaced in the role of his mother’s tag team partner by the Academy graduate Olly, Clyde Eldon Junior started a new chapter of his career as a singles competitor tonight, facing one of the greatest challenges he could possibly face in the Lockdown Champion Dustin Douglas. Kyle didn’t look intimidated, or if he was, he hid it rather well. Before the referee could even call for the bell to start the match Clyde lunged at Dusty looking to get every advantage he could against the bigger, stronger and more experienced opponent. The head start took the champion by surprise and allowed CEJ to land a flurry of punches and kicks that staggered the big man. When Clyde went for an irish whip, he couldn’t even move Dustin who, on the other hand, easily sent the young man against the ropes. On the rebound Clyde ran into Douglas with a shoulder tackle, literally bouncing off the Lockdown champion and falling back on his ass. The Big Nasty picked him up and delivered some vicious chops. Five of those landed, enough to paint Clyde’s chest a bright shade of red. Dustin delivered a wild right hand but this one was ducked by Eldon who wisely moved behind Douglas’ back and took him down with a chop block. CEJ sprinted to the ropes and hit the champion with a hard big boot to the back of the head. The challenger made the cover but Dusty kicked out in two. Clyde stayed on the attack with some forearm strikes, but his offense was short lived as the Murder Train grabbed him by the throat for a chokeslam attempt. Clyde quickly began to drive his elbow into the back of Douglas’ head causing him to release the chokehold. Eldon now charged right at Viduus and connected with a huge clothesline while Douglas was still trying to shake off those elbows to the back of the head. Another pin attempted by the challenger, another two count. As the match continued, the champion took control and with his characteristic array of suplexes. He had Clyde in a tight hug, ready for an overhead belly-to-belly suplex but the young kid freed himself with a headbutt that stunned Dustin. He stumbled back toward the ropes and Clyde took the chance to spear him through the ropes with his For You Dad. Both men fell hard on the concrete floor and the referee started to count them out. At four Clyde was up, using the apron to pull himself off the ground. Douglas was up as well and the two traded stiff punches. An uneven exchange that saw the champion coming out on top and picking up the young kid in a powerbomb position. What happened next shocked the fans who feared for Clyde’s health when the Lockdown Champion threw him into the steel post with the King Kai Bomb (running powerbomb). The count reached eight, Douglas rolled the opponent back in the ring and confidently made the cover, but CEJ kicked out in four and half. There was still some fight left in the kid, enough to attempt another comeback and hit a second spear on the champion. Clyde Eldon Junior ALMOST stopped the Murder Train tonight in his homecountry California, but Douglas popped his shoulder up in four. Clyde was desperate and exhausted, clearly he put everything he had left into that spear and it wasn’t enough. The discouragement and fatigue kicked in, and for the following two minutes it was all Dustin. Until the Lockdown champion put the exclamation mark on the match with the Giga Impact, keeping Clyde down for the whole five seconds. WINNER: Dusty Douglas (STILL LOCKDOWN CHAMPION) BY: Pinfall (Giga Impact), 11:43 |
We then head to something that looks as if it’s been taped earlier since it isn’t even in the location of Long Beach but rather what appears to be an office that isn’t the one from his home. Sitting alone in this spot is the current MWE World Champion and the previous briefcase winner in Seth Iser. For a man who has people targeting him everywhere he seems quite calm and at peace with things. Even sitting down though you get a sense of how tall this man really is.
Seth Iser:
Oh Duke...what are we going to do with you…
He says that as if he’s lamenting something with a stoic shake of the head.
Seth Iser:
Through all the shiny suits...and barking of renewed focus, your priorities are still not in order. Outside things that seem impressive to the naive viewer but then when you think just a little bit about it...it’s literally the cotton candy of our industry. It seems like it is full, feels sweet to have and you get a lot of it but it’s all fluff. That’s what anyone who brags about a ‘wrestling clinic’ or an arbitrary rating point that you just made up. Those things aren’t professional wrestling to me...never have been, never will be.
The veteran has this scowl on his face as he delivers this. The shine of the championship gold he’s won and retained twice now gleams through as he straightens his purple tie in his choice of the black and purple variant of his suit.
Seth Iser:
Not to mention putting out certain carvonis desires...hell you might have done that so often you’ve turned Envy into my father: a bible thumper.
The scowl has turned into a full condescending sneer as he says those last words, bitterness fully ingrained as he says that last sentence.
Seth Iser:
But when the devil removed himself from Heaven and Earth...he left behind his seven deadly sins. There are many people in our line of work who fall under the motif of pride. It’s in a way the original sin...the one where the others are born from in some way. It is easy to paint this on many people and I think many have accused both of us Duke of being guilty of this. And while at times you are guilty of this...you proved that a little bit in Morgantown...thanks for showcasing that by giving me the green light for whatever match I want for it...it’s just not the motif for you.
He shakes his head as that frown is still there but his demeanor is more along the lines of a man trying to warn someone else about something.
Seth Iser:
As the son of a preacher...Duke Andrews...you are guilty of the sin of envy.
He pauses for a moment as he lets the weight of that sink in. He has his arms crossed as he’s sitting there, expression almost stoic for that brief second.
Seth Iser:
In all honesty...it’s the thing that both drives and defines you. And believe me...nobody understands that better than me. Lord knows I’ve been there...and of all the sins I’ve done in my career...hell, my life...it’s the one that’s driven me to both highs and lows. If you wondered why I understood exactly what and why you did what you did for your own career turning on Christian...this is part of what I meant all that time ago. I’ve done the same damn thing...turning on someone for an opportunity to be my own brand. It helped net me my second reign as a world champion all those years ago.
Even with the hints of bitterness that exuded from him earlier, he’s still the picture of calm as he stands up from his chair and picks up the World Title from the table.
Seth Iser:
But envy then...and now is what courses through you. You covet the title I hold. Everyone here does to some level but it runs far deeper with you Duke. I noticed the suits you wear in part of a desire to be taken seriously in that spot. And I certainly remember the tantrum you threw all over social media when I got that spot in the battle for the briefcase. Wasn’t your most professional moment when you made certain accusations about favoritism and all that unfounded bollocks. It’s unfounded because it was honestly the path of most resistance and I still found a way on that one. Wasn’t always ‘noble’ in the traditional sense but I never claimed to be a blue eye.
For a brief moment there’s a smirk as he states this as a fact before it vanishes.
Seth Iser:
But you really want to be where I’m at. You call me scum...a lie by the way, or the worst of professional wrestling. But I know why deep down. I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again. It’s because you can spout out those loud claims...but the respect goes my way. You might even feel a little knot in your stomach and a touch of anxiety standing opposite me because of what’s happened throughout my career. The genuine influence I have on people...it’s undeniable. Your case included Duke. From the championship, to the change in your presentation...to getting Dusty to chase a certain championship to get him better. And especially with the former Neal now Gareth...and if the rest of the title holders aren’t paranoid about what he could do with that timebomb ticking down...then they’re guilty of the sin of sloth and he’ll get what he wants while playing his game…
He side tracks for a moment with a pause...almost as if he’s giving people one more warning to be aware of what could happen before he sneers toward the camera.
Seth Iser:
Without even trying in some instances, Duke...those are just the indirect consequences of my influence...all in a game to try to better themselves, their careers...and chase down the person that’s sitting at the top of the peak right now. You want to take the title from me...you’re talented enough to reach that goal I’ll admit. It could happen but I don’t think you can beat me with the championship on the line, brother. But the other goal you spoke about? Taking everything from me and bringing me to that ‘low’? That’s an impossible task for you. Quite frankly, it’s just more cotton candy for the masses as far as I’m concerned.
He is calm as this arrogant smirk is on his face but it’s faint and it vanishes fast.
Seth Iser:
In fact...you’re part of why my legacy will grow. You wouldn’t have had this visible image change without me...you haven’t found this new form without that little push from me. And as intoxicating as that feeling you have winning these matches against some of the best in the game today, brother...you’re also a little bit afraid wondering if it’s enough. But you're getting where you’re at now...you’re there because of that envy for me. It all comes toward...me. And that’s not empty, son. It’s part of my near twenty year legacy. It’s part of what you have to overcome to reach the pinnacle of this company.
There’s more of a calm confidence to him as he’s got the championship and places it over his broad shoulder. Even in a suit he’s quite intimidating.
Seth Iser:
Duke Andrews...you could beat me for the title as I’ve stated. But as long as you’re blinded by your envy...you have those spots to be exploited. You can’t beat me for the championship. I’ll tell you the form of combat you’ll lose in...to your face. You’ve at least earned that right for a direct confirmation but...no matter the form...you can’t kill what I am. You can’t drive me to a low...only take me to a new high in one form or another. You’re already influenced by me...far too much. So are more people than you think…
He pauses as he taps the championship.
Seth Iser:
You have a little more to learn yet, Duke. And when I’m the one who walks away still your World Champion with the new threat of the briefcase to worry about later...you’ll understand what that thing truly is for you to learn and work on.
With that last statement things go to black as he’s done speaking.
Battle For The Briefcase Tournament Match
Second Round: No DQ
Xavier Laroux VS Kenzie GarrettSecond Round: No DQ
With Liberty Pro currently on hiatus and having finished his commitment with Valiant at their most recent pay-per-view, Xavier's only focus now was on Millennium. The Battle For The Briefcase represented the shortest way to the top for the veteran of the sport, an opportunity he, now more than ever, wouldn't want to miss. On his way in this second round match was the returning Kenzie Garrett, one known to thrive in the hardcore settings. The former Chicago Way Champion has been involved in some of the most brutal matches in the company history, especially during her rivalry with Hammerstein. And she came prepared, walking to the ring with a steel chair in hand. Laroux smiled and left the ring to grab one of his own, meeting Garrett at the end of the ramp and staring the match on the outside. He raised the chair over his head and drove her down on her skull, but she saw it coming and, after dropping her weapon on the floor, rolled forward and sprung up to her feet, leaping on the apron and, from there, jumping toward X and catching him with a tornado ddt that dropped him precisely on top of the steel chair. The fans went ballistic, the beginning of the match had been spectacular over their greatest expectations and if a good beginning bosses well, they were surely in for a treat. The Soulknife had some difficulty talking X limp body inside the ring but she eventually succeeded. She waited on the apron for him to start stirring up and then jumped on the top rope, using it as a springboard to attack Laroux who blocked whatever she had in mind with a dropkick. Kenzie went down and the former Cloud Gate champion began delivering his own brand of punishment, relying on stiff shots rather than weapons. He pushed Kenzie back in the corner and took a few steps back to charge at her with a corner clothesline. Garrett lifted her pointed her feet to his chest, pushing down with a double foot stomp. To overcome the size difference, she helped herself with the great equalizer, driving the chair down on X several times. Always innovative and creative in her offense, Kenzie delighted the fans with a coast to coast dropkick through the chair that busted Laroux open, but couldn't keep him down for the three count. Seeing his own blood triggered something in Xavier who became more ruthless and vicious, as if he was somehow holding back until now. He blocked a hurricanrana attempt from the Geek Gladiator and tossed her into the corner with a running buckle bomb. Garrett bounced back after the impact, right into a discuss lariat from Your Favorite Drug. The time off didn't affect Kenzie's resilience and her pain tolerance. She kicked out from everything Xavier threw at her, and he as well looked surprised and impressed by her refusal to give up. Looking to end this, X left the ring to introduce a table to the mix. Kenzie's eyes widened, her unlucky history with tables was well documented and you could see she was fearing that this would be one again her downfall. Pushing herself up, she tried to change what looked like an inevitable fate and kicked the rope as X was entering through them, causing it to suddenly rise and collide with the man's jewels. She quickly hooked his head in a front face lock and set him up for a rope hung ddt, getting another two count. She went to set up the table but seeing that her opponent was getting up already, she just leaned it against the corner, turning around to throw a few kicks at Xavier. One of them, aimed at his stomach, was blocked by Laroux who then pushed her leg up. Kenzie made a complete 360° flip in the air and landed on her feet right in front of Xavier, who blasted her with the Narcoterrorism. The patented bicycle knee strike sent Garrett into the corner, crashing through the table. Xavier only had to make the cover now, there was no way she could kick out after that. But he got distracted by West Long appearing on the stage. And wherever the Warwolf was, the Star Of The Night can't be too far away. Luna entered the ring behind Xavier's shoulders, taking advantage of the distraction provided by her bodyguard. When he turned around and realized that Luna was there, it was too late already. She clicked him with the Starstorm,and while X was still putting himself together after the sudden blow, Kenzie came charging at full speed, finishing him with the Grim Fandango spikerana. As she made the cover, she glared at Luna who smiled and said "You're welcome." Kenzie, though, didn't look so thankful. WINNER: Kenzie Garrett BY: Pinfall (Grim Fandango), 11:44 |
As Olly stood in the ring, his music faded and “Can’t Be Stopped” by Roy Jones Jr began to play throughout the Long Beach Arena. Shortly after Duke Andrews emerged to a mix reaction from the fans in attendance.
He was dressed in brand new gear yet again. The base layer of the spandex singlet was a dark grey color, and his typical design was in the red, white, and blue. His knee pads were blue, and his boots were the same shade of dark grey with the American Flag in the shape of “DA” in an old school touch on the outside of both of his boots.
He stopped midway down the ramp and brought the microphone to his lips.
Duke Andrews:
Say put, I’ll get to you in a second, kid.
His eyes darted across the ring and into the direction of the tag team champion in Olly. The crowd was split in not knowing who was the baby face in this match. Which is due to bad booking.
Duke Andrews:
Shall we address the elephant in the room?
With a short pause the crowd knew where he was going with this portion of his promo.
Duke Andrews:
Seth Iser.
Insert crowd reaction of boo’s at this point.
Duke Andrews:
This is called pandering to the crowd Seth. All I have to do is mention your name to elicit a reaction from this crowd. I’m sure next week you’ll find a way to say that this is your way of getting me to play into your evil master plan. You are the easiest of books to read, Seth. You come on the screen, a show after belittling myself for not showing, which I did, but the champ can’t even be bothered to leave his hickville town in West Virginia.
And now the crowd begins to cheer for Duke Andrews.
Duke Andrews:
And now, let’s get the cheap pop in. Pay attention Oliver, I’m sure they didn’t teach you this while you were playing grab ass in The Academy…Seth, I’m shocked you couldn’t make it to Long Beach…
And then a big pop comes from the crowd as Duke raises his hand and closes his fist as if to tell the crowd to shut up.
Duke Andrews:
But let’s get to the meat and potatoes of this promo. Seth, you said that this whole thing was fueled by envy? You’re damn straight. Like you said, every single wrestler in this company that is NOT Seth Iser is envious of you. They’re envious of the spot and they’re envious of the pay. They want that spot at the top of the card. The marquee. The center of attention. The first one that says otherwise, and I’ll show you a damn liar. There has never been a single soul that has stepped between the ropes and into the squared circle that said ‘no I don’t want to be a champion’. But that’s where you’ve got it all wrong after the envy. Seth, pay attention, listen closely, and maybe you’ll understand where this is headed. I don’t want to be you.
The camera now moves in closer to Dukes face.
Duke Andrews:
I don’t want to be you Seth, I don’t want your career. I don’t want anything other than the fifteen pounds of leather and gold that you hold. It’s my god damn destiny Seth. For too long I’ve settled as second best. For too god damn long I’ve played the game of just going with the flow and making someone else rich. That isn’t the Duke Andrews you’re looking at. And you know that, deep down you know that this version of Duke Andrews is the guy you can not beat. You know that you woke me up on the inside months ago. You’ve even admitted it. So you can sit back, run your gums and explain to the world that you’re the one calling the shots. We know that if it was you calling the shots you wouldn’t be getting ready to step into the ring with me once again. Deep down Seth, you’re counting your days as thee champion because you know that I’m the one that is taking your spot at the top of the food chain.
With a smack on the side of the camera, it zooms back out as Duke continues his walk down the ramp and into the ring.
Duke Andrews:
Which is exactly why I’m giving you the honor of planning the funeral of your career as we know it. I’m giving you the option to name your stipulation, because that’s how confident I am. I know what I can do. Hell, the rest of the locker room knows what I can do in this ring. That cotton candy you were talking about, the fluff, the lack of density, that is all real Seth. You can mark it as what you want. You can try and tell yourself it’s x, y and z. But at the end of the day, you’ve been wrong this entire time. You should be wise and step back and watch what happened when I stepped into the ring with Melissa Reeves. Watch what happened when I went toe to toe with Brookford. Watch what I’m going to do to little Oliver tonight. What I do in the ring, is what you could only wish you could do. Seth, you have had to bend the rules and find little holes to get where you’re at, because you aren’t at the same level as I am. Admit it, you have never had the raw talent to do what I do in the ring. I will even give you the benefit of the doubt, and I’ll proudly shout about my arrogance, and my cockiness, but at the end of the day, I’ve been backing it up. I’ve stepped in this ring for the last two months focused and ready to achieve the single goal I set when I signed my name on the dotted line in Millennium.
Duke stood in the middle of the ring before turning and walking towards the ropes facing Olly.
Duke Andrews:
Don’t take this ass kicking personal, kid. This is your final lesson from The Academy. This is something that has been a very long time coming. If you hadn’t learned by now, I see you as nothing more than a rebound. You’ve had a little impressive streak, but I need to show you the true spot on the pecking order where you belong. You could’ve avoided this, but too many times your fingers have put your ass in a spot you can’t get out of. Too many times you’ve piped into situations involving the set of tits you call a tag team partner. After tonight, everything is settled.
With that he drops the microphone and steps back allowing Oliver to step into the ring.
Singles Match
Olly VS Duke AndrewsOlly has already made a tremendous impact on the main roster, being the first graduate to ever win a title on the main roster. An even greater achievement when you consider that, unlike some of his peers, he didn’t have a guaranteed title shot as one of the perks in his contract. And tonight he stepped in the ring against a man who’s been on a roll for the past couple of months, ever since turning to a new leaf after losing to Seth Iser. A match that Duke Andrews himself wanted, possibly to test the young kid, even though some would argue he did it to impress Karen Eldon. Either way, the Epitome Of Perfection was so confident that he granted his opponent a free shot. “Are you fucking serious?” Was the answer of an amused and surprised Olly. And when it was clear that he really meant it, Olly clocked Duke with a closed fist to the jaw, hitting harder than Andrews expected. The punch sent the veteran staggering back. And while the referee was warning Olly about using closed punches, the kid was already charging at Andrews, taking him down with a Thesz Press and raining down hard blows. Duke was taken completely off guard, unexpectedly finding himself on the back foot in the first part of the match and having only himself to blame. Olly had him in the corner and was throwing some sharp elbows to his face. Andrews punched him hard in the gut and ended the young man’s offense, shoving him to the ground. Olly popped up to his feet but he was quickly leveled by a clothesline from the number one contender to the World title. With the opponent down, Michigan’s favorite started stomping him into the canvas with his Red Wing Stomp, until Olly managed to roll out of the ring to catch a break. The fight on the outside went on for a good couple of minutes, and to everyone’s surprise, it saw Olly taking the lion’s share. The turning point was when he found himself with his back against the wall, or rather the ring post with Duke ready to hit him with a stiff chop. Olly kicked him in the kneecap and quickly sidestepped, driving Andrews’s head against the steel post. He did it twice more for good measure, entering the ring to interrupt the count out and taking a run to the opposite side to come back at Duke with a baseball slide.that sent him into the barricade. Olly did the best of their time outside throwing Andrews against the steps, planting him on his head with a butterfly ddt on the outside and finally connecting a guillotine legdrop before eventually entering the ring and making the cover, coming a couple of inches away from a shocking win. He couldn't believe it, but even the replay confirmed that the referee’s hand never touched the canvas the third time. Back to square one, Oliver took out his frustration with a series of stomps, but Duke soon blocked his feet and pushed his leg back causing him to lose balance and fall on his face. The Epitome Of Perfection then shifted gears and slowly but steadily regained control of the match. Scooping Olly up, Duke carried him on his shoulder as if he was going for a running powerslam, but threw the young opponent face first into the top turnbuckle instead. As the son of the late Reese Kennedy picked himself up, Duke hit him with the Red White & Blue combo, but it wasn’t enough to keep Olly down. Andrews tried a couple more times with a falcon arrow and a spinning side slam, but the outcome remained the same. As Olly stood up, he defiantly smiled and asked Duke if that was everything he had. In response, he received a straight punch to the face that sent him recoiling into the ropes and bouncing back right into the Crossroads (leghook reverse STO). Andrews made the cover, but shockingly Oliver survived once again. The tag team champion even managed to slip away from a first Andrews Effect attempt and almost got the veteran with a quick cradle. But then Duke caught him a second time and hoisted him up for his version of the electric chair driver, this time driving him down hard on his neck for the definitive one, two, threee. WINNER: Duke Andrews BY: Pinfall (Andrews Effect), 15:08 |
Tee cameras roll into Joey Leclair’s locker room where he is seen sitting on a bench lacing up his boots preparing for his match later tonigh when he notices the camera, and faces the camera as his finishes tying his boots.t.
Joey Leclair:
I have heard whispers in the locker room that since I have left the hardcore division, and joined the main event picture that I don’t belong, and that I should go back into that blood, and guts divsion where it takes no talent to be a hardcore wrestler, and yea after losing to Melissa Reeves I may have let that talk get to me considering I kept losing with no sight of turning my career around until a friend of mine from the past reached out to me, and said Joey what are you doing! You are better than this! They then proceeded to show me a part of the match I had with Melissa, and that part he showed me was where out of desperation I reached into my arsenal, and showed my technical side, and for one solid minute I was out performing Melissa, and my friend said for that one minute I saw the real Joey Leclair, and I said you know what? Your absolutely right, and so I went back to orlando where I was born, and stormed inside the wrestling school that trained me, and I started training to bring back my technical style
Joey reaches beside him, and grabs a roll of tape, and wraps some around his left wrist before biting the end off finishing taping his wrist.
Joey Leclair:
Last week I proved to myself, and to everyone that I belong when I beat Neil Newman last week who was a tough opponent, and someone that many rightfully chose to win a spot in the Battle for the Briefcase ladder match, and that’s just the beginning.
Joey gets a serious look on his face, and stares into the camera.
Joey Leclair:
Brookford you said there can only be one, and that it will be you moving forward, and no disrespect you because I know you are a top tier talent who is going to give me a run for my money, but you see? It’s not as simple as there can only be one. I made a proclamation that I am going to become World Champion, and I have to live up to that promise which means that the Battle for the Briefcase may be my only chance to grab that golden ticket, and deliver.
Joey stretches, and then stands up pacing back, and forth.
Joey Leclair:
Listen I know your probably thinking something like everyone wants to win the big one so what, and that is completely true, but for me? It’s so much more, because I have so many miles on my body, and have been around the world, and have held many championships, but now I am nearing the end of my career from all the wear, and tear on my body so therefor I have to take every opportunity I get to enjoy one last run to leave one final mark on my legacy before I hang up my boots so therefor Brookford I cannot afford to lose because this opportunity means everything to me! So tonight, and every single night going forward you are getting one hundred percent of me using all my technical ability to leave a lasting legacy which means Brookford as good as you are? You are stepping into the ring tonight with a technical god, a prodigy which means that I am just simply better than you, and everyone else I step into the ring with! I am simply the greatest! I am the Man of Millennium!
Joey walks passed the camera man leaving the room as the scene ends.
In a pre recorded production, a limo pulls up outside of the Long Beach Arena. Stepping out of the limo is BROOKFORD wearing a crisp black suit, white button up shirt and blue tie. He slams the door behind him. Takes a deep breath of the California air. He gives the camera in front of him his full attention.
BROOKFORD:
Joey; I found it jarring that you tweeted that you can’t afford to lose. I get it. You want to become World Champion. Haven’t had the best of luck. Understandable. Here’s the thing. At least you have been a champion in this company. I don’t think your situation is as dire as you claim it is, now, take me for instance. Sure, I have beaten up my fair share of people. Cleaned up messes. I barely lose matches, most of those losses, divine intervention stepped in. We are in a completely different realities.
Mine?
I was the guy from Underground who avoided having my shoulders pinned to the mat for a full calendar year. I was expected from day one to clean everyone's clock. I’ve beaten some of the so called best this sport has to offer BUT I haven’t been a champion; yet. A couple of weeks ago, I lost to Duke, no shame in that, my track record of winning big matches around here, for whatever reason I have come up short.
What that means Joey, the next time I aim to negotiate a new contract, you think the owner is going to pay me more than what I am making now based on my current track record? Sure she appreciates me dealing with ROTTEN. Our boss the sentimental type. Which I like by the way. She is the best owner I have ever worked for. All about what you can do for me lately. You tell me Joey, if I can’t get the job done, if I can’t show that I belong at the top of the marquee, if I can’t be the World Champion, my value diminishes a bit.
You?
BROOKFORD points at the camera.
BROOKFORD:
I doubt you care about your bottom line as much as I do. You come up short, you’ll pick yourself up. Try again, continue this dance. I am a businessman, winning this tournament, using the contract to become World Champion gives me all the leverage I need to get a better payday when contract time rolls around. I respectfully disagree with your assessment of you can’t afford to lose. I can’t afford for my money to be affected. Nothing personal man, this is business. See you out there.
BROOKFORD nods. He walks off. Scene fades.
Battle For The Briefcase Tournament Match
Second Round: No DQ
BROOKFORD VS Joey LeclairSecond Round: No DQ
A match that, on paper, was right in Joey’s alley, being a former Chicago Way champion and all. The Prodigy used this “home field advantage” and walked to the ring with a kendo stick in hand. The match started and Joey swung with his weapon, missing BROOKFORD’s head as the man ducked the blow. More shots followed, really putting the New Yorker’s evasion skills to test. Not the most agile on the roster, BROOKFORD inevitably ate a few of those, though they didn’t seem to bother him too much. And eventually he blocked the cane and yanked it away from Joey’s grasp, throwing it out of the ring before hammering at him with quick right hands. Leclair didn’t shy away from a brawling session, holding his ground against the bigger man. After catching BROOKFORD with a throat jab that left him momentarily stunned, Joey pulled out a brass knuckle from inside his boot and charged for a loaded superman punch, but his move was countered into a backbreaker by the Problem Solver. The former UG Dynasty Champion wasn’t taking any chance and even though he’s not known as a hardcore wrestler, he didn’t hesitate in leaving the ring and grabbing a weapon, the always versatile steel chair. He put Joey through the ringer with it, slamming it vigorously across his back, shoulder, ribs and literally wherever he could hit. He only stopped when Joey stopped moving, finally dropping the chair and making the cover on the former Chicago Way champion, who kicked out in two. Anything goes in this kind of match, so when Joey hit BROOKFORD with a low blow, nobody could argue with that. The big man was still recovering when Joey pulled him down and sent him crashing face first on the middle turnbuckle. The back and forth continued for several minutes when the two men refrained from using weapons, throwing hard strikes and power moves instead. BROOKFORD went close to the win with a pumphandle powerslam, Joey replied with the Prodigal Elbow, taking off the elbow pad to maximize damage. The impact knocked the Problem Solver down, but it wasn’t enough to get the three. Joey rolled out of the ring and started looking for something under the ring. After a short search, he pulled out a barbed wire bat, looming over BROOKFORD with a devilish grin on his face. And then he drove it down, the big man able to roll out of the way just in time to avoid the ruthless blow aimed at his skull. BROOKFORD quickly pulled himself up to his feet, but he wasn’t quick enough to avoid a second swing of the bat, this one catching him in the abdomen area. The sharp edges of the wire cut through his skin, and he dropped on his knees, visibly in pain. Leclair moved behind him and pressed the bat against his forehead, beginning to grind. it. Blood began pouring down BROOKFORD’s face, the New Yorker letting his discomfort be heard with a loud groan of pain. The torture lasted several seconds, longer than most people were comfortable to watch and eventually Joey let him go. The former Chicago Way champion dropped the weapon and made the cover, but somehow BROOKFORD kicked out at the very last moment. The big man slowly got up to his feet, bleeding profusely and barely able to stand. Seeing him groggy and on his last leg, Joey went for another Prodigal Elbow Smash. Not only BROOKFORD dodged it, but he caught the opponent in his Lights Out (Half Nelson choke with body scissor). Gasping for air, Leclair tried to break free, but BROOKFORD held on tightly. Instinctively the former Chicago Way champion went for the ropes, only to realize that they wouldn’t save him under no DQ rules. He had been in the chokehold for almost a minute, but still had some fight in him. Enough to swing some elbow strikes in a desperate attempt to force the big man to let him go, but to no avail. He was starting to fade now, but BROOKFORD was exhausted as well and began loosening the hold. Realizing it, Joey tried one last desperate attempt to slip out of the submission, and this time successfully so. Both men were down, taking time to recover from the very physical and demanding battle. Leclair was the first to get up and immediately went for BROOKFORD. But the Problem Solver was ready this time. Having retrieved the barbed wire bat from the floor, he returned the courtesy to Joey, doubling him over with a nasty shot to the gut, following up with the Problem… Solved to advance to the semi-final. WINNER: BROOKFORD BY: Pinfall (Problem… Solved), 17:08 |
The scene opens backstage with Paisley Dawn standing next to Faizah Marshall.
Paisley Dawn:
How are you doing this evening, Faizah?
Faizah Marshall sighs.
Faizah Marshall:
Shouldn’t that be obvious?
Paisley nods.
Paisley Dawn:
So there is no chance you and F--
Faizah holds up her hand.
Faizah Marshall:
Don’t you say that name. I don’t want to talk about the tag match. What annoys me the most about this is Elsa ignoring my tweets. Why am I in the middle of whatshername and Tiff’s nonsense? No. What I want to talk about is Lowri.
Paisley Dawn:
Why did you attack Lowri two weeks ago?
Faizah’s face lights up remembering ending her first official appearance on Millennium dropping the current Cloud Gate Champion in the center of the ring. She looks dead into the camera.
Faizah Marshall:
Lowri... knocking your head clean off wasn’t personal. Might have felt that way. It wasn’t. You need to trust me on that. For me this is all about being the best. At. Everything. In my short life, everything that I set my mind to. Sports. Playing musical instruments. Arts and crafts. Name a hobby. Any-thing, I set my mind, I became the best at it. Not to brag, I am a modern day renaissance woman.
I was flipping through channels, landed on a wrestling show by accident, I told myself I could become the best at that. Nearly a year in The Academy. Two time Gold Star Champion later here I am. So I asked myself what can I do to assert myself as the best. Between you, Dustin and Kimberly, the option of who was going to fall to me was a no brainer... you.
I’ve watched your matches. Seen the praise you receive from our peers. No doubt you are one of the best. What better way to assert myself as the best. At. Everything? By beating one of the best in the sport. That’s why I chose you.
Faizah points to the camera. Paisley nods. Faizah shifts her attention to look at Paisley.
Faizah Marshall:
Now if you excuse me I have a potential handicap match to walk into.
Faizah shakes her head as she walks past Paisley. The scene fades to black.
We head to the medical bay here at Millenium. We have on one side sitting up right looking at a freshly stitched up cut over his brow in Clyde Eldon. Meanwhile holding his neck on the chair next to him is one half of the Tag Team Champions, Olly. Both still in their ring gear having gone to the medical bay rather quickly after their matches. Neither of them looked at their best after coming off losses tonight, despite valiant efforts by them both. Glaring over at Olly, deciding to get in a little jab in.
Clyde Eldon Jr:
So guess you couldn’t beat Duke after all?
Olly:
Motherfucker hits like a freight train…
Olly says with a grimace of pain painted on his face.
Olly:
But I think I did pretty good considering this was my third pro match and the first one as a single competitor. But at least I still have my title… Where’s yours, Clyde?
Not one to shy away from confrontation no matter the circumstances, Olly replies by taunting the son of his partner in K20. Clearly having gotten the better of the exchange as Clyde can’t do anything but just glare. He is about to do his best to reply when the door opens and in walks Karen Eldon. Wearing a gold tight fitting dress with black heels to match her new gold belt she has over her shoulder.
Karen Eldon:
Oh jeez are you boys ok?
Karen says this as she looks over at Clyde, looking at his cut for just a moment before moving over to her fellow tag team champion in Olly. She stops at Olly putting a hand on his shoulder looking very closely at him.
Karen Eldon:
How are you feeling Olly?
Olly keeps massaging his sore neck, tilting his head to look at Karen.
Olly:
Just a bit roughed up, nothing too serious.
He’s playing tough, but the bruised eye is already a bit swollen.
Olly:
I should be ready to go next week, should management decide to throw us a curveball…
Reaching to the side and grabbing an ice pack she places it on his neck, seeming way more worried about her tag partner than her son.
Karen Eldon:
I’ll make certain they don’t, they should have never put you in there with Duke. Not that you couldn’t beat him, but he’s got this vendetta because I never gave him a chance. Whatever you looked amazing out there, we’ll get you healed back up to one hundred percent.
Clyde doesn’t seem the least bit enthused about this, sitting alone across the room as his mother checks on Olly.
Olly:
Thank you.
He says smiling at Karen as she keeps the ice pack on the sore spot.
Olly:
And yeah, I don’t see the point in this match either. Duke’s ego is big enough even without the management blowing smoke up his ass and pandering him. But it is what it is, this match meant nothing to me, my focus is on K2O and our next defense. Heard anything from Elsa about who our next opponents will be?
Karen rolls her eyes, never the biggest fan of Elsa.
Karen Eldon:
That woman is the worst , never know what her plans are. But I am sure she is going to try her best to take these belts from us. But there isn’t any stopping K2O.
Karen smiles at Olly then seems to dawn on her that the two are not alone as she smiles.
Karen Eldon:
Oh and Clyde you did great as well, held your own with Dustin.
Getting up from his seat and not really seeming to want to deal with this, ready to go home.
Clyde Eldon Jr:
I am going to get a ride back to the hotel…
Walking off quickly, Karen clueless to the fact that he seems upset with her thinking it’s just about the match.
Karen Eldon:
He’ll cool off, why don’t we find a better spot for you to rest up?
Olly thinks about it for a moment then stands up from the chair he was sitting on.
Olly:
Sure, there’s still some time before Faith’s match and I’ll be damned if I spend it here. Let’s get outta here.
Karen nods, and the new Tag champions collectively known as K2O walk out of the room.
Tag Team Match
Tiff Rollins & Trinity Thompson VS Faith Savell & Faizah Marshall
A highly anticipated tag team match featuring three Academy stars and Tiff Rollins. The former Cloud Gate champion had been waiting for a chance to get some payback on Faith Savell ever since their match at HSL where the Valedictorian picked up what many still consider a shocking win over the former champion. She had the chance tonight as she teamed with her new found sister Trinity Thompson, who gladly let her start things off against her rival. But Faith wanted nothing to do with the Five Foot Murder Machine. There wasn’t even any discussion with her partner, Savell just left the ring as soon as she realized that Rollins was the one who would start things off. Nobody was happy about it, not Tiffany, not the fans, not Trinity and not even Faizah, who shook her head at her partner. But Savell couldn’t care less, standing in the corner and watching as the match started. Rollins started off very aggressive, quickly knocking down Marshall with a flurry of hard kicks. She turned her attention on Faith, inviting her to come and fight but the former Gold Star just laughed it off. Faizah saw that her opponent was distracted and tried to surprise her with a schoolboy pin, but Tiff kicked out without sweating. Marshall connected a series of quick lefts and rights before taking a run at the ropes and bounced off with a springboard crossbody, eating a superkick from the former Cloud Gate champion. Down went Faizah, and Rollins made the cover. Not even now with the match in jeopardy Savell left her place in the corner, but luckily for her Marshall kicked out. Tiffany made the tag to Trinity who entered the ring and delivered a shining wizard for another two, The two sisters worked well together over the following couple of minutes, keeping the opponent in their corner and tagging in and out. Tiffany was sonce again the legal woman when she sent Faizah in the opposite corner. It was an easy tag for Faith to make, but she looked the other way. Rollins hit the jumping knee/bulldog combination but once again Marshall raised her shoulder. Not quite the match Marshall was dreaming of so far, but the chance to turn the tables came when Trinity telegraphed a roundhouse kick and allowed her to duck under it and connect with a snap german suplex. Faith called for the tag, Faizah frowned but, at this time, she really needed to get out of the ring and recover. Savell entered the ring and put on a clinic, showing her flawless technique, smoothly transitioning between holds and suplexes. Thompson stunned her momentarily with a jumping knee and quickly headed to her corner but Faith caught her with a snap german suplex, bridging into a pin for another near fall. Trinity was in great difficulty now, a neckbreaker from the Valedictorian took her very close to the three, but somehow she popped up her shoulder in the nick of time. Faith went for her finishing move, the bridging northern lights suplex but Trinity rolled her up and almost got away with the win. Faith escaped the pinning predicament and tried to pick herself up, but a big boot to the face floored her. Thompson wasted no time and tagged her sister in, Tiff quickly entered the ring and went for Faith… Who tagged herself out right away. The disappointment and frustration was clear on the former Cloud Gate champion’s face, but there was no time to cry over spilled milk. Faizah wanted nothing more than to add Tiff’s name to the list of her victims, a great boost of confidence and momentum in preparation for her match against Lowri Moss. And she almost did it with an inverted ddt, but Trinity broke up the pin. Despite the young age, Rollins was by far the most experienced of the bunch and she found an opening to hit Marshall with the Peacemaker and finally tagging Thompson back in. A quick exchange between the two saw Trinity coming out on top and pushing Faizah toward the corner. Faith took the tag and entered the ring, and Marshall was not happy about it. A sudden superkick knocked Faith down, but it didn’t come from Thompson. It was her own partner who floored her and left her laying on the floor. Trinity turned toward her sister, asking if she wanted in but Tiff shook her head. “Not like this.” she said. Thompson instead showed no qualms in taking advantage of the unexpected gift, delivering another superkick for good measure before hooking the leg and getting the win for her team. WINNER: Trinity Thompson & Tiff Rollins BY: Pinfall (Superkick), 13:28 |
The pre-recorded segment takes us inside Elsa's office. The General Manager is standing in front of the camera, shaking the head of a woman whose identity is, for now, a mystery. On her desk though, lays a freshly signed standard MWE contract.
Elsa McCarthy:
It's good to have you back.
The camera finally moves to a better position, revealing the identity of the returning woman: Helena Noir.
Helena Noir:
The pleasure is mine. Your offer came at the right moment, and it was too good to refuse.
She glances at her right. There must be someone else in the room with them, sitting out of frame.
Elsa McCarthy:
I'm glad we could find an agreement so quickly.
Elsa replies, smiling at the Swede.
Elsa McCarthy:
Unless you have specific requests, I think we could schedule your return match for next week.
Helena Noir:
That works for me. I'm not one to make demands, I just want to fight. And I'm always ready to do it, even now.
Elsa takes a long pause before continuing.
Elsa McCarthy:
Even now, you say? Hmm...
Let's just spice up things up for the main event then. Let's make a triple threat.
Helena smiles and thanks the general manager. As the camera follows her outside, we get a glimpse on the third man. From the fancy shoes to the elegant suit, the camera slowly moved up, cutting to black right before the revealing his face.
??:
Existence is a search for strength. ‘The weak are meat and the strong do eat’. Call it survival of the fittest or the law of the jungle; the message is the same. I’ve seen the best of Millennium and the best of professional wrestling as a whole, and while there is plenty of power … I’ve never found someone truly strong. Do you know the difference? I thought I did, but what strength does a king who can move armies truly have when they’re hiding in their castle? Strength isn’t power. Power can be bought. Strength is earned. Strength is paid for with struggle and pain.
Flashes cross the screen as the deep voice rumbles. We’re somewhere dark, lit only through small cracks of light passing between barely-opened doors. Inside what appears to be some kind of bar, chaos unfolds. Tables and chairs are strewn about, with broken men littered among the trash.
??:
I was taught that one can always find their light at the end of the tunnel, but that right is not given to everyone. Your glory must be earned. Not many survive the path, but the path must be walked. Can you walk it? Can you survive the path? That’s what I’m back to find out.
Another person goes crashing through the door, flooding the room with a beam of sun from a clear, cloudless day. The door creaks as it tries to close again from the momentum, but this time it is caught. Exiting out into the light is a man completely reborn, yet infamous to the Millennium viewing masses. Sans-tattoos and muscled-up nearly beyond recognition, the glare of Devin Hearst remains the same. The former World Champion steps out into the parking lot in front of his “Sandcastle” bar as if for the first time seeing the sun, taking his time to breathe in the warm ocean air.
Hearst:
Test my limits. Show me what new strength I can find, and in return, I will give you the chance to test yourself. Next week, Millennium will walk the path. Whether any of you make it out on the other side, well … we’ll just see.
As Hearst disappears off-screen, we’re left with one final view of the sign for his Sandcastle bar, now being covered by a temporary banner: “Guiding Light: Key West Chapter”.
Triple Threat Match
Eliza Foley VS Gareth Prichard Jr. VS Helena NoirPeyton Holland: “Well, can’t say there’s no surprises in Millennium…” Ambra Monroe: “And judging by the reaction of the fans, it’s a greatly appreciated one,” Peyton Holland: “At least someone does… Eliza definitely doesn’t seem to be a fan of her return, or at least the part where Elsa added her to the match. As for Gareth… well Iìm not sure what to make of his reaction, he hasn’t moved from his corner yet.” As the bell rang, Gareth was the first to move. but rather than charging at one, or both, the opponents, he left the ring and started looking for something under the ring. Ambra Monroe: ”What is he doing now?” Peyton Holland: “He pulled out a chair… While technically he can’t be disqualified for using it, I don't think this is how he would want to play his hand.. Both Eliza and Helena have a well documented history as hardcore wrestlers.” But GPJ had no intention to use the chair. as a weapon. He unfolded it on the outside and sat down to watch the match. Though always keeping an eye on Gareth on the outside, Helena and Eliza began to circle each other, inching closer to each other while doing this. Finally they locked up in the center of the ring, Foley got the upper hand with a knee to Noir’s ribcage and irish whipped her into the ropes then sprinted at the ropes on the opposite side of the ring. Both women bounced off the ropes then came barrelling at one another. The Intercontinental champion went for a running lariat but missed the target as Helena ducked, continuing her run to the opposite side of the ring and catching Eliza with a sling blade as their paths crossed again. Noir applied a headlock to keep the opponent grounded and, at the same time, keep an eye on Prichard, making sure he doesn’t ambush her from behind. The Artist Formerly Known As Neal Durden remained seated and kept enjoying the match from his privileged position. Foley stood up and created some separation with a few elbows to the stomach and quickly turned around to throw a series of quick jabs. When she went for the big right hand, Helena once again dodged the impact and took Eliza down with an armdrag, applying an immediate armbar. Peyton Holland: “And on top of that, Helena is also a fine technical wrestler. Well, they both are, we still remember Eliza’s match against Megan Monroe for the IC title.” Ambra Monroe: “Instant classic.” Eliza quickly reached the nearby ropes and Helena let go of her hold almost right away. Eliza stood up and she didn’t look happy with her performance so far. She shot a glare at Gareth, and so did Helena but he still wasn’t moving. Foley caught the opponent off guard with a flurry of punches. A right hook, followed by a left jab and another right hand to the cheek. Noir halted her offense to protect from the shots, but the IC champion continued to push her to the corner. Eventually Helena found herself on the defensive leaning against the turnbuckle in the corner. Eliza delivered a brutal backhand chop that echoed in the arena and caused the former Liberty champion to wince in pain. Eliza continued to soften up Helena with backhand chops in the corner, and then climbed up on the middle turnbuckle to mount her opponent in the corner. From that position she began to hammer Helena in the face, the crowd counted along as Foley rained down those right hands. After the count reached ten, she hopped back down then hoisted Helena up onto the top turnbuckle in a seated position.Once again she climbed up, this time looking for a superplex but Helena fought back, driving her fist into her ribcage four or five times before delivering a headbutt straight to the nose that knocked Eliza down. Helena climbed to the top rope and jumped down with a piercing double foot stomp, hooking the leg and obtaining a near fall. Ambra Monroe: “I’m still trying to figure out what Garet h's endgame is here.” Peyton Holland: “Hard to tell, Ambra. He’s been acting weird since coming back from retirement.” Helena got back to her feet quickly, Foley struggled a bit but managed to get to one knee. Noir came flying in with a shining wizard, the maneuver leveled Eliza. Another pinfall attempt from the tattooed woman and another two count. Noir picked her up and set her up for her Ink Yo Face (double underhook sitout facebuster) but Foley blocked the attempt and countered with a backslide pin. Helena kicked out in two and tried to quickly get up to her feet but Elza was faster and frustrated her attempt with a superkick right to the mush. Ambra Monroe: “Only a two count!” Peyton Holland: “Wait, where is Gareth?” The chair was empty and Prichard was heading to the timekeeper table, asking to be handed his briefcase. Eliza watched his movements very carefully, but taking your eyes off Helena was a big mistake. Noir hit a sit down jawbreaker and then followed with a flurry of stomps. Just like Eliza, Helena always kept an eye on Gareth on the outside: Technically, the Welsh was in the match and could decide to get involved at any moment, even though he didn’t show any intention to. The two women kept fighting with another hard hitting exchange in the middle of the ring. Helena got the upper hand and set Foley up for her Fondu Au Noir, but the champion once again countered it with a northern lights suplex. It was her turn now to try connecting her finishing maneuver but Helena clearly had the Mysterious Girl scouted and blocked the attempt. Gareth nodded and even applauded the two competitors who were now jockeying for position. They traded holds trying to get the leverage advantage and Eliza had the best in this circumstance. At this point Gareth stood up, Foley saw him out of the corner of her eye and hesitated for a moment. Enough for Helena to roll her up with a quick cradle and get the three count in this odd triple threat match. GPJ just smiled, picked up his briefcase and left. WINNER: Helena Noir BY: Pinfall (cradle), 16:55 |