MWE Presents: Summer Hits

It was a sunny afternoon in Miami, not much different from any other summer day in the renowned resort. The show opened with an aerial view of the bitch, plenty of tourists basking in the sun, walking along the shore or just engaging in various beach activities: playing tennis, ball, surfing, swimming and so on. A quick passing view of the city as the drone flew in the Florida sky to reach the Bayfront Park. There, in the Klipsch Amphitheater the stage was set. The ring took the center of the stage, surrounded on three sides by the stands. The crowd was hot and excited, chanting for their favorites even before the show started. The buzzing suddenly stopped and turned into a loud round of cheers as “Noir” by Shandon blasted out of the loudspeakers, signaling the entrance of the new Intercontinental Champion Helena Noir. Quite the night for the night, who will be in tag team action later with her fellow Revenant, the Riot champion Henri Black against two thirds of The Triumvirate in Pierce Manning and the former World Champion Seth Iser, right before finding out who her next challenger will be. But first, she had something to say to the fans, probably addressing Gareth’s actions at Glory Horizons, or calling the man out to get the explanation she, and the fans as well, needed to hear.

That wasn’t far from the truth.

Helena Noir:
It’s a true honor for me to be standing tonight in front of you.

She said as soon as the cheers slowed down, allowing her to speak.

Helena Noir:
I know you all are looking forward to tonight’s show, the first one in a month, so I’m not going to take too much of your time. I’m sure you all remember what happened in Hartford, the night when I won this.

She slowly unwrapped the title from around her waist and raised it in the air for an easy pop from the fans.

Helena Noir:
I went through a war, one of the toughest matches in my career against an incredible athlete. You all saw how she literally refused to give it up,I had to take it from her unconscious body. I didn’t even have time to fully process it and I was already defending it against Gareth Prichard Jr.

The mere mention of the King Of Failure’s name drew instant boos from the fans.

Helena Noir:
I’m not blaming him for taking his shot, we all knew it was coming that night, it was just a matter of who he would cash the briefcase on. And no, I’m not even here to ask him why he threw that chance away, why he willingly kept me locked in even after the rope break, fully knowing that he’d be disqualified. He will, if he feels like it. Or maybe not, and he’ll keep this mysterious aura about him for a little longer. That’s his decision to make and it doesn’t concern me, not anymore.

Her words left the fans with a sense of confusion, but their doubts were soon cleared by the former Liberty Champion.

Helena Noir:
Two days after the show, I went through arthroscopy surgery to clean up the joints in my left knee, and while I made a full recovery since then, to the point that I was cleared to compete tonight… I decided that I won’t.

The buzzing grew, the fans started wondering how this will affect Henri Black and the tag match the Revenants were scheduled to compete in. But the surprises weren’t over yet.

Helena Noir:
Nor will I ever again.

A heavy silence fell on the Bayfront Park as those words left her lips.

Helena Noir:
I already spoke with the management, I thanked them for the opportunities they gave and apologized for not being able to do this title justice and carry the legacy Megan Monroe and Eliza Foley built. But that match at Glory Horizons was the last one of my career.

As if to confirm what she just said, she put the championship down at her feet.

Helena Noir:
In seven years, I’ve been in some crazy matches. I’ve bled buckets in the rings all across the world, I’ve competed in multiple matches in the same night, against multiple opponents.. And never once I had to stop, never once I had to miss one show due to an injury. In the last year, I suffered two injuries, and even though in both cases I was able to heal from my wounds and get up again, I can’t help but think that my body is trying to tell me something.

Not a sound could be heard, barring Helena’s voice echoing in the Amphitheater.

Helena Noir:
Add that to a growing feeling of detachment from a business I don’t recognize myself in anymore, and you can easily get why I’m leaving all this behind.

She continued.

Helena Noir:
Maybe I’m just getting old, maybe this is my back in my days things were different moment, but I have a feeling the new generations are losing sight of what this sport is all about.

An emotional round of applause spontaneously started from the Miami fans, growing in volume until Helena had to stop her speech. A soft, rare smile curled her black lips.

Helena Noir:
I don’t know what the future holds for me, I just know that, for the first time in seven years, it won’t be between these four ropes.

And there, in that moment, the Swede’s icy cold armor cracked ever so slightly, showing a glimpse of the rollercoaster of emotions she was going through. For just a fleeting moment, before she regained her bearings and continued.

Helena Noir:
To my brother in arms, Henri Black.. We’ve been through so much, you’re the one true friend I made in this business, and I would have loved to have one last dance with you. But the time has come for me to hang up the boots. Thanks for everything.

The last part seemed rushed, as if she wanted to say more but had to cut short due to the overwhelming emotions getting the best of her. Without adding another word, she rolled out of the ring and walked the ramp heading backstage, abandoning the title in the middle of the ring.

The Miami fans tributed her with a “Thank You Helena” chant that went on for long after she disappeared behind the curtain.

For the last time.

Clyde’s singles career has been far from impressive so far, and with Olly successfully replacing him and bringing gold around his mother’s waist, going back to the tag division is no longer an option for the young man, at least for the now. This conflictual relationship with the son of the late Reese Kennedy surely affected Clyde’s feelings toward Faith Savell, though in fairness they weren’t seeing each other eye to eye since the Academy days. Eldon tried to provoke the young Savell, who didn’t take the bait and kept her composure, knowing that she was the better wrestler among the two. And that difference became clear as the match started, Faith easily outwrestled Clyde and took him down on the canvas, even finding the time to taunt and embarrass him with some quick pats on the head. Eldon was fuming, but that fire that was burning inside him only made his attacks less precise and more predictable. Faith stayed in control for several minutes, collecting near fall after near fall. But Clyde kept coming back from more, his anger and frustration growing as he was being outclassed by the young girl. Finding himself at the ropes, Clyde was finally able to catch her kick and unceremoniously dump her over the top rope. Faith hit the apron hard and then tumbled on the floor, holding her shoulder in pain. The momentum had shifted, Clyde took advantage of that injured shoulder and targeted it, tossing Savell against the barricades and stomping at her arm. Even when the match was taken back inside the ropes, Eldon kept targeting the shoulder with some basic holds and direct strikes. His confidence continued to grow, more so after he obtained a two count with a shoulder breaker. Feeling the momentum on his side, he tried to spear Faith with his finisher, For You, Dad but the Valedictorian leap frogged over him and Clyde crashed into the corner. Even though that right shoulder was bothering her, Faith walked out with the win once again thanks to her picture perfect northern lights suplex.

After the match, Faith asked for a microphone. She started her speech by mentioning her last two opponents, Crystal Zdunich and, of course, Clyde. “While it’s always fun to put nobodies in their place” she continued. “I deserve better, and you know it. Elsa knows it.” Faith went on listing all her accomplishments, from beating Tiana when she was at her best, actually becoming the cause of her downfall, to becoming the best Gold Star in the history of The Academy, graduating as Valedictorian, and humbling Tiff Rollins in her return match… Each and every one of those achievements was followed by loud boos, peaking at the mention of the former Cloud Gate champion. Speaking of which, she reminded the fans that she’s still entitled to a title match, and it’s no secret that her eyes are on the top prize on the Millennium brand, the same title that was held for over a year by Tiffany. “I want some real competition, I want to prove that I am the best thing coming out of The Academy, the best thing in Millennium. I want your title, Lowri.” The challenge had been issued for “When The Sun Goes Down”. Faith Savell will challenge Lowri Moss for the Cloud Gate championship.

WINNER: Faith Savell
BY: Pinfall (Northern Lights Suplex), 9:37

The scene begins, panning across a local bar room, passing over the various patrons before stopping on a man seated alone in the corner, hair draping down to cover his face and an open bottle on the table.

Henri Black:
Seven years ago, an alliance was formed. Four of the biggest egos in wrestling came together with the simple goal of making themselves a household name. Oh sure, the roster changed over the years as members left and were replaced, but our underlying goal, our mission, always stayed the same.

Henri raps his fingers across the table and pours himself a drink from the bottle at his elbow.

Henri Black:
First we lost Hennerz, one day he just packed his bags and rode off into the sunset, never to be heard from again. We eventually replaced him with Esgaroth, but the Count of Waldorf was already near the end of what most people would call their prime years in this business and his own personal obligations had to take precedence so he eventually stepped aside. And so we were reduced to three.

Running his finger along the rim of his glass, Henri hangs his head.

Henri Black:
Then Prayme broke with the pack, making the claim that without him the rest were nothing, he and I clashed repeatedly, but it was never conclusive… oh I won every one on one encounter but there was just too much bad blood there to end it with both of us still standing. When he eventually retired for the twelfth and final time there were only two, Henri and Helena against the world.

Tossing back his drink Henri sighs and shakes the memory free of his mind.

Henri Black:
And now she’s gone too, and I alone carry on a legacy of dominance that has spanned seven years and three continents. So what should I do now? should I put out the word that Henri Black is recruiting an army? Oh, I’m sure they will come, a legacy like ours will always attract those eager to attach themselves to it.

Henri runs his hands through his hair, pulling it back from his face.

Henri Black:
But are these the kinds of people I would want? dare I risk them tainting the legacy that we spent our blood, sweat and tears to build. maybe instead I should recruit known factors... maybe I should call Joey Leclair, the man who spent nearly a quarter of his life hunting me across half a dozen companies, always failing at the last step. He claims to be a changed man now, but can I trust him enough to take that risk?

Henri suddenly barks out a rough laugh.

Henri Black:
Or maybe I should call Glory Braddock, that's a name that brings prestige and recognition wherever it goes but it also brings baggage, baggage that could tear any alliance apart even if she did agree to join forces right now, but who knows what might happen in the future.

Standing from his booth and dropping a wad of cash at the table, Henri makes for the door.

Henri Black:
No, the only option is to carry the weight of that legacy alone, only on my shoulders is it safe. I am the Blackstar no more, from now on I am the sole survivor, I am the last man standing... I am THE Revenant.

A thunderous ovation welcomed Tiff here in Miami. Understanding the difficult moment the former and longest Cloud Gate champion was going though, the crowd showed the Five Foot Death Machine their support. But that didn’t help Tiffany getting out of that mental block, that sense of inadequacy that surely has been limiting her since coming back. Helped by the fact that Nina, by nature, was more of a defensive wrestler, Tiff remained on the attack, but her kicks and strikes lacked that intensity and fire that always characterized the former Cloud Gate champion. Nina effortlessly avoided them, waiting for that chance to counter with one of her Sambo-based offenses, bringing the match onto the canvas with a scissors takedown. Looking in the best shape of her life, having finally left behind the concussions history that sensibly slowed down her career in the past months. Her strategy was even more careful than the usual, keeping a slow pace and holding the opponent down with various submissions, aiming mostly at that right leg to take out her most dangerous weapon. Tiffany struggled to get out of those holds, finally getting a break after reaching the ropes and taking time to massage the sore leg. Nina taunted her by saying how disappointed she was to see the once great Tiff reduced to the shadow of who she once was. That got her instant boos and a glare from the Little Hoss, more surprised that Nina, who had always been friendly to her while working as Twitter intern for MWE, would say those harsh words. Still, they hit the spot and provoked the reaction the fans, and perhaps Nina herself, wanted to see. One by one, Tiff paid her tribute to all the people who helped her become the wrestler she is today. Andreas Lasiewicz’ Peacemaker, Brittany Rollins’ swinging DDT and even Nora Foley’s spinebuster. Nina kicked out of all of those, and almost surprised the former champ with an inside cradle, but Rollins kicked out in two and got up to her feet before Nina could, delivering a thunderous Death Kick that knocked the former intern down for the one, two, three.

WINNER: Tiff
BY: Pinfall (Death Kick), 10:07

We open backstage where we see Summer Collins and Jessica Lasiewicz, the duo collectively known as Fabulous. Both are wearing matching ring gear; tri-colored royal blue, black, and white cheerleader uniforms with “Fabulous” printed on the front. Confident expressions are etched across their faces.

Summer Collins
Don’t we look absolutely FABULOUS? Silly question. Of course we look Fabulous. We look Fabulous outside the ring but lately we haven’t looked as Fabulous inside the ring. At our peak we were holding the MWE World Tag Team Championship and the GCW Global Tag Team Championship at the same time. No one in this business could touch us.

Jessica Lasiewicz
Many wanted to for various reasons.

Summer Collins
Of course. But touching this? In your dreams! Unfortunately as Fabulous as we look outside the ring, we haven’t been that fabulous inside the ring lately. Jess and I got together, talked about it, and decided that it was high time we did something about it. It is time we got back to basics, back to what she and I do best and what we do best is looking great inside and outside the ring. What we do best is imposing our will inside the ring while looking damn good doing it.

Jessica Lasiewicz
Which means tonight you get to bear witness to this beautiful perfection and at the same time bear witness to us get back to our winning ways.

Summer Collins
In fairness you already have gotten back to your winning ways, Jess.

Jessica Lasiewicz
Oh right, Matt Stone. I did beat him, didn’t I?

Summer Collins
And you looked absolutely FABULOUS doing so, just like I will look when I beat Echo tonight. And as for Andrew Raynes, if he wants to tangle again, I will be more than happy to finish what we started at Glory Horizons.

Jessica Lasiewicz
As for me, I continue my winning ways. It has been far too long since I have wrapped championship gold around this sexy waist, and seeing my husband Kyle become Lockdown Champion, well, I can’t let him have all the fun now can I? So tonight, I may have to go through an army of opponents, but trust me when I say that I will rain hell down upon each and every one of them and I will climb the ladder of success and earn my shot at the Intercontinental Championship.

Summer Collins
That you will and all of this, it will be…

Summer and Jessica
...ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS!

Collins’ singles career hasn’t exactly picked up yet, but a win tonight could skyrocket her stocks and even earn her a shot at the Junior Heavyweight. Echo of course had different plans, starting the match with the usual aggression, choking the opponent against the ropes and reluctantly letting her go when the ref counted to five. One moment later, she was doing the same thing again, challenging the official with a clear act of defiance. The man in the striped shirt was not getting any of it, getting in the Aussie’s face determined to pull rank and establish his authority. Echo didn’t seem to care about it or the match either, responding in kind and even threatening to hit the official. She most likely would have done it and taken the DQ loss if Summer didn’t spear her into the mat, mounting on top to deliver a chaotic flurry of lefts and rights to her The official shook his head, realizing that this was going to be one hell of a night for him trying to enforce the rules. And it was confirmed in the following minutes, with rope breaks ignored, closed fists being thrown, eye rakes and all that jazz. Illegal moves aside, the match was fairly even and enjoyable to the fans, though they really hadn’t any horse in this race. Echo obtained several near falls in the first ten minutes of the match, giving the impression that she was enjoying this a little too much, and that she could’ve ended the opponent if only she wanted to. Summer tried to resist, waiting for the opportunity to turn things around, eventually catching Echo with the Money Clip (stunner). For the next couple of minutes it looked like she really could get the win, the Summer’s End saw Echo saving herself with the foot on the rope, leaving Collins wondering what would have happened if only she dragged her away from the ropes before making the pin. The final moments of the match saw the two competitors trading punches in the middle of the ring. A slight distraction from Summer, caused by As I Lay Dying’s “Through Struggle” blasting out of the loudspeakers allowed Echo to drive her knee into her midsection and whip her into the ropes, catching her on the rebound with The Reverb. And that was all she wrote.

WINNER: Echo
BY: Pinfall (The Reverb), 9:33

Backstage the Academy Class Of 2021 Graduate Trinity Thompson was standing next to Robbie. The interviewer started off by congratulating her and her partner for their win at Glory Horizons against Nightfall Rising. He jokingly said how good it was to see them kicking his long time friends Jay and Donnie all over the place. Trinity chuckled but had nothing but positive things to say about the Nightfall guys, thanking them for the match and saying that they have been true professionals.

Trinity Thompson:
Unlike someone else.

She added clearly talking about the tag champions. Robbie then asked her about Karen and Olly, wondering if the stipulation was favoring the champions, more accustomed to break the rules and use weapons than Millie and Trin could be. Trinity replied that Millie and her don’t need any of that to beat K2O, they are better wrestlers and that’s why they will leave tonight as the new MWE Tag Team Champions. Uncaring about the ongoing interview, Echo walked in front of the camera, making sure to bump into Trinity and sending her down on her ass. Thompson popped up to her feet and called out Echo using that same C word the Aussie loves to drop at every turn. Echo didn’t even deem her worthy of a reply, continuing her way to the locker room. But Trinity wasn’t letting go, charging and blasting her with a jumping knee to the back. The fight at this point was inevitable, forcing the cameraman and Robbie to make a prompt strategic retreat as security rushed to the scene.

Safe to say this was one of the most anticipated matches of the night after the events that happened during the MENTV championship match at Glory Horizons. The footage of the ruthless assault perpetrated by The Assassin at the expense of James Edwards was aired before the match, a brutal reminder of Sutter’s ferocity now that he’s free from Mason Van Stanton’s guidance. Unfortunately for the Miami fans, the match never happened as The Burning Heart attacked his opponent as he was making his way to the ring. James was taking his revenge, returning in spades the punishment Clyde inflicted one month ago. Security rushed to the scene and separated the two men, at least momentarily. Clyde, in fact, escaped their hold and launched himself onto James, taking him and half the security team down. The rest of the men in black reacted quickly and dragged Sutter away. James got up to his feet and yelled something at the Assassin, promising that this was far from over.

WINNER: //

Heading backstage here at Summer Hits we first get a glimpse of the MWE Tag Team Championships sitting on a bench. Into the locker room area for the champions we go where Olly and Karen Eldon, better known as K2O are getting ready for their title defense later in the night.

Karen Eldon:
You know I still can’t believe they are actually giving Team Trillie a shot at our belts. These two couldn’t even stand out in the Academy. Yet they earned the right to face us? It’s unreal. Let alone them placing us in a No Holds Barred match, I had to look up what that even means. And it means they can use whatever they want, it’s not fair.

Karen shakes her head clearly not finding the thought of a match where anything goes exactly a fun time for herself. Especially with two girls they have given every reason to hate them. Her tag team partner instead has that wicked smile persistently painted on his face, even while he’s lacing up his boots.

Olly:
True, but it also means WE can do whatever we want, and they will no longer have grounds for complaints when we will walk out with these still around our waist.

The ever confident graduate picks up the title that was resting next to it and polishes it, checking his own reflection on the gold plate.

Olly:
They beat a couple of injured clowns, if the management deems that worthy of a shot at us, I guess we’ll have to show them how wrong they are.

Karen Eldon:
You are right Olly, no amount of weapons in the world will stop us from beating them. There is a reason when the Academy opened up I saw you and thought you’d be the perfect partner. You have the same drive to win like I do, you don’t care who you hurt to get to the top. And that is why you are the first one to hold gold from that class. As for Millie and Trinity? Alone they are useless, together? Losers. They’ll never make it close to holding these.

Taking her half of the gold now in her hands Karen hoists it over her shoulder, clutching it tight. The two sharing a smirk until walking into the locker room area is an upset looking Clyde Eldon Jr fresh off a defeat from Faith.

Clyde Eldon Jr:
Don’t even say a word!

Clyde says this to Olly before he can even make a remark, sitting down angrily in the corner after another defeat.

Olly:
Chin up kid, there’s no shame in losing to the Best Of The Academy.

As if the condescending tone wasn’t mocking enough, the obvious reference to Clyde’s friend Faizah Marshall’s nickname was definitely made to provoke his tag partner’s son.

Olly:
And besides, you should be used to the bitter taste of defeat by now.

Angry at the remarks it seems Clyde has had enough getting up and going to get into Olly’s face but Karen steps in between to stop what will surely end up being a heated fight.

Karen Eldon:
Now, now. Let’s not do anything we’ll regret. You will get back to form Clyde. As for tonight Olly and I have to take out these little losers Trinity and Millie. Just rest up…

Karen pats Clyde on the back as she walks towards the exit, Olly is not far behind giving a smug little grin to Clyde in passing as we head to the next match.

Perhaps Millie and Trinity didn’t fully understand what the stipulation implied. Smith headed to her corner, letting her partner start the match.The tag champions instead knew that in a match where anything goes, nobody could blame them for attacking the opponent two on one. It became quickly clear for Millie as well, and she charged at Karen hitting her with a dropkick. Eldon stumbled through the ropes and rolled on the floor, getting up to her feet to see Millie charging toward her for a suicide dive. Noticing her purse within reach, Karen quickly grabbed it and clocked Smith with it as the blonde girl was flying through the ropes. Staying true to their word, Millie and Trinity kept themselves away from weapons and such, relying on their skills to get the best of the champs. Quick and innovative action was par for the course with Team Trillie, quickly becoming one of the most exciting teams to see. Each and every time they stepped in the ring, they came up with something new and different, showing perfect chemistry and unity of intent with perfectly timed team maneuvers. Perhaps, if this was a regular match, they really could have taken the titles from around the champions’ waists. But the lack of rules was clearly favoring the champions who had no qualms using a chair to turn the tides. Smith had been already taken out with a nasty chair shot to the back of the head, and K2O could now focus on Trinity. Karen leaned a table against the corner and Olly was looking to put Thompson through it with a buckle bomb, but the young sister of Tiff Rollins countered it with a hurricanrana that sent him head first into the same table. Karen went for a high kick but missed it as Trinity ducked the blow and hit her with a jumping knee, flooring Eldon. As the woman started to get up, Trinity took a run to the ropes on the opposite side of the ring to deliver a running single leg dropkick. But as she bounced back, she ran right into a Reverb from Echo. The Junior Heavyweight champion was incredibly quick to hop the barricade and slide inside the ring in time to catch the young rival with her spinning side slam. Karen wasn’t one to look a gift horse in the mouth and made the quick cover while Olly kept Millie from breaking up the pin.

WINNER: K2O (STILL MWE TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS)
BY: Pinfall (The Reverb), 13:10

Backstage we find referee Charles in his zebra uniform walking around. He stops dead in his track and his eyes go wide as a sense of fear washes across his face. The camera pans over to see why; he is being approached by “The British Bombshell” Glory Braddock. Charles starts to back up slowly but Glory keeps walking towards him with a smile on her face and a bag in her hand.

Charles:
Glory, uh, let me just apologize for…

Glory Braddock:
Apologize for what? What exactly are you apologizing for, Charlie my boy?

Charles:
Uh, because I, um, well, I missed…

Glory Braddock:
You missed my foot being on the ropes in my match against Pierce Manning?

Charles:
Uh, yeah?

Glory Braddock:
And are you worried that I’m going to choke your ass out and leave you unconscious right here?

Charles:
Please no!

Braddock smirks.

Glory Braddock:
Who the hell do you think I am? Henri Black? Bloody hell, mate, I wouldn’t do that to you. I get it, people make mistakes. I make mistakes all the time. Now, should you work very hard to make sure something like that doesn’t happen ever again? Yeah, you should. Because while I am not a vengeful person, other people are. We know how bad Henri can get right?

Charles:
Uh-huh…

Glory Braddock:
Then there’s that big angry bloke Tiffany Page hired, Clyde Sutter. He trained at my wrestling school. I kicked him out because he was uncontrollable and beat up other students and even the trainers when he got mad. Imagine what he would do to you if you made a mistake like that and cost him a match? And of course we can’t forget my mates, Neil Newman and Kyle Butler. Do you think they’d appreciate it if you accidentally cost them a match? Or what about my best mate of them all, Sophie O’Brian? She throws fireballs at people and that’s when she’s in a good mood. Imagine what she would to you if you made a mistake that cost her a match?

Charles gulps. Braddock pats him on the back and hands him the bag she was carrying.

Glory Braddock:
But it’s ok! People make mistakes, the important thing is that you learn from them. Right?

Charles:
Uh, yeah, right.

Glory Braddock:
Good. So take this as a peace offering, from me to you, to prove that despite how I may come off at times, I really am not a monster. And despite the bad calls you make...constantly...you are not a bad referee.

Charles:
Ok…

Charles looks in the bag. He takes out one of its contents...a muffin.

Charles:
Muffin?

Glory Braddock:
Yeah, I am a bit of a baker. One of my hidden talents...another talent of mine is choking people out but, you know that I’m sure.

Charles:
Yeah, uh…

Charles take a big bite of the muffin

Charles:
These are real good!

Glory Braddock:
And they’re all yours.

Charles:
Thanks!

Charles walks off, taking another bite of the muffin as he does. Glory snickers, watching from afar.

Glory Braddock:
Eat up, wanker.

When it rains, it pours. First Henri lost his tag partner for the night, finding himself alone to deal with a former World champion and a former Riot champion. And now, as if things weren’t bad enough, he discovered who the referee for his match was. The infamous Charles. The official asked Black about his tag partner, only getting a cold glare in return. Then he asked if he had a substitute, but Henri barked to start the match already. And even though he at first had the upper hand on Pierce, things immediately turned for worse when Manning made the tag to Iser. The Triumvirate exploited the numerical advantage, dominating the Riot champion and quickly wearing him down. Black showed all his resilience, fighting back despite the situation looking desperate. He managed to rock Seth with an enziguri and instinctively began to crawl away toward his empty corner. Or was it? Joey Leclair jumped the barricade and stood in the corner, extending his hand toward Henri who gladly made the tag. Seth and Pierce exchanged a confused look. Was this even legal? Apparently yes, since Charles didn’t say anything against it, clearly signaling to fight. He didn’t have to ask Joey twice, the Prodigy hammered at Iser with a flurry of forearm strikes, taking the veteran off his feet. Manning entered the ring and received the same treatment. Leclair’s intensity and this new found fire were enough to keep both members of the Triumvirate at bay while Henri recovered on the apron. The former Chicago Way champion connected with the Prodigal Elbow Strike on Iser and made the cover. Charles dropped in position for an oddly fast count, interrupted at the last moment by Pierce who asked the official what the hell he was doing. In fairness, Charles seemed equally in a rush, all counts were faster than they were supposed to be. He also seemed to be in pain, a suffering expression painted in his eyes. Until the unexpected happened, and Charles rolled out of the ring, leaving the four wrestlers dumbfounded as he rushed toward backstage. Seth Iser was, unsurprisingly, the first to see the opportunity the sudden disappearance of the referee presented. He delivered a low blow to Joey and told Pierce to join him inside the ring so they could maul the Prodigy. But Black had recovered by now, and this quickly turned into a two on two brawl. Amidst the chaos, Pierce hit the Riot champion with his trademark sock full of dime, knocking him out. Seeing that a new ref was on his way, Manning dropped on top of Henri and hooked the leg, making the cover even though none of them was legal.Seth took himself and Joey out of the equation with a cactus clothesline and the new official made the count, but Henri kicked out in two. It was all down to the two contenders and, at the end of the grueling battle, it was Henri who found the opening to connect his Black Sacrament and obtain the win.

WINNERS: Henri Black & Joey Leclair
BY: Pinfall (Black Sacrament), 16:43

The Cloud Gate Champion, Lowri Moss, was the first of the two to make her entrance for this champion versus champion match, and after making her way towards the ring and stepping through the ropes, she climbed to the second rope, then gestured to the fans by making the ILY sign with one hand and held her title aloft with the other. Before Kyle Butler could make his entrance though, Lowri asked for a microphone, wanting to quickly address something that happened earlier in the night, specifically Faith Savell’s declaration that she wants to use the guaranteed title shot that she possesses to challenge Lowri for the Cloud Gate title. Lowri commended Faith for making “the right decision,” saying that she welcomes the challenge, and so if Faith wants a match for the Cloud Gate title, then Lowri will see her next month, at When The Sun Goes Down.

Her sight might as well be on her next opponent, but Lowri’s focus was all on tonight’s match. Kyle Butler received a warm reception from the Miami fans, only slightly less loud than the one they gave Lowri but this surely was a match between two competitors who had the respect of the fans. And each other’s as well, seeing that this match started with a handshake. But after the act of sportsmanship things got heated pretty fast. Lowri started with her usual aggressive strike, trying to corner the opponent with her fast striking combinations. Kyle blocked a kick to the ribs and clocked Moss with a forearm to the jaw, sending her stumbling back. Scoop slam by the Lockdown champion but the following elbow drop found nobody home. Though not very familiar to each other, the two surely watched a lot of tapes and seemed to know what the opponent was going to do before they actually did it. The crowd was vocal. really involved in what had been, so far. the match of the night without a doubt. The action was fast paced and hard hitting, back and forth as the momentum kept changing. One moment Lowri was in control thanks to her arsenal of kicks, a moment later Kyle turned the tides with a picture perfect suplex. The Cloud Gate champion escaped a Roll Tide attempt and tried to counter it with the Breuddwydion Melus, but Butler dropped on the mat and dodged the superkick. This exciting fight continued for several minutes, a sequence of near-falls on both sides of the fence kept the fans on the verge of their seats. And despite Butler’s valiant effort, it was Lowri who connected the fatal blow, another Breuddwydion Melus that, this time, hit Kyle right on the chin and floored him. Not quite the beginning of the Lockdown Golden Era he was hoping for, but he could take consolation on his impressive performance, highlighted by the loud round of applause of the Miami fans.

WINNER: Lowri Moss
BY: Pinfall (Breuddwydion Melus), 15:36

Envy and Andrews shared quite some history. From the APE days with REDD Thunder and Chris Constantine, to their reign as Tag champions, they even stood together against Sandstorm Inc. after CCJ’s betrayal. But tonight was a different story, tonight they were opponents, and they both needed a win. Duke to start his reign as MWE World champion with the right foot, Alan to establish himself as a major player after failing to win the Battle For The Briefcase tournament. And speaking of the Briefcase, the current holder BROOKFORD came out as soon as the bell rang, taking a seat at ringside. His presence, and knowing that at any moment he could change the stipulation of the match or even insert himself into it to try taking the title from him was obviously a distraction for Duke. And Alan, who could not be 100% after the grueling three stages of hell against BROOKFORD, exploited it to get an early advantage. The thing is, when you give someone like Alan a head start, turning things around may not be as easy, more so when Envy slowed the pace. BROOKFORD watched the match with a persistent smirk on his face, taking notes on what looked like a good strategy against the Epitome Of Perfection. But eventually the World Champion found his way out of the hold Alan had him locked in, putting an end to the Lonestar’s supremacy. Punch after punch, kick after kick, Duke recovered ground, shifting the momentum of the match. Alan tried to keep up, answering blow after blow but Andrews was too much for him tonight. As minutes went by and fatigue began to creep in, the gap between the two became even more evident. Alan looked in great difficulty, evidently the injuries sustained at Glory Horizons took longer than expected to heal and didn’t leave him much time to get back in shape and prepare for this match as he wanted to. He looked worn out, cardio was clearly the aspect he sacrificed the most in his preparation for this match. Andrews didn’t slow down, not even when his friend was at the ropes. Knowing that Alan would have done the same, he kept attacking the friend and rival. eventually setting him up for the Andrews Effect that sealed the deal. After the three was counted, Duke helped Alan to his feet, giving him a pat on the back. For a moment he forgot about the threat named BROOKFORD looming over him and his reign. As the realization hit him, he quickly turned around, only finding an empty chair. BROOKFORD was gone.

WINNER: Duke Andrews
BY: Pinfall (Andrews Effect), 17:29