Post by gvb on Mar 15, 2022 16:17:25 GMT -6
Millennium CIII
Live from Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, SC
Wednesday, March 9th, 2022
Backstage in the arena at Greenville, South Carolina we find the pair of wrestlers known as Fabulous; individually they are Summer Collins and “The Archangel” Jessica Lasiewicz. Both women are dressed in their wrestling gear, but with one or two minor exceptions when it comes to Jessica. The Archangel is wearing a Duke Blue Devils T-shirt and her hair has been dyed royal blue.
Jessica Lasiewicz:
My sister is great, very supportive, and she even loaned me her stupid Dalek. But I gotta admit, it’s great to be riding as Fabulous again. Even if we’re in separate singles matches.
Summer Collins:
Ditto, Jess. But that hair…
Jessica Lasiewicz:
What? Don’t you like it?
Summer sighs and shakes her head.
Summer Collins:
No…definitely not Fabulous. If you were going to change your hair color you should have went ginger…maybe that strawberry blonde look you had once.
Lasiewicz smirks.
Jessica Lasiewicz:
You’re just mad because my Duke Blue Devils kick ass!
Collins rolls her eyes.
Summer Collins:
Right, that’s exactly what it is…but seriously, try and set this Duke obsession to the side for a moment and focus on tonight. You have Lowri. You haven’t exactly had the best luck against her.
Jessica Lasiewicz:
“Don’t remind me. I had her beat for the Cloud Gate Championship when Prichard got involved and cheated me out of the win. I got over Prichard’s crap, but I still want to beat Moss. And tonight I intend to.”
Summer nods her head.
Summer Collins:
And I intend on beating Joey tonight. But what about us? What about Fabulous regaining the tag titles?
Jessica Lasiewicz:
We can do both, you know that we’re good enough to dominate the tag team division and the singles division at the same time. It’s time we go out there and prove it. Beat Joey, I’ll beat Lowri, and then from there…championships.
Singles Match
Summer Collins VS Joey LeclairOpening the show in Greenville was a match between two finalists of the recent Cloud Gate tournament. Before the bell sounded, Elsa McCarthy came out to announce that, due to the controversial ending of the tournament's final at Centum, she believes that they both have a claim on that next contender’s spot. But only one of them will challenge Faizah at Dark Web IV, and it’ll be the winner of this match. The added stipulation was welcomed by a loud round of applause from the fans, while Lelcair and Collins just nodded at the GM, keeping their focus despite the extra pressure this news undoubtedly added. Joey walked into this match with a huge chip on his shoulder and took out his frustration on Summer. Everybody remembers his speech from last week about the Academy and its graduates, a divisive statement that saw the fans and fellow wrestlers taking opposite stands on the matter. But although Summer had been less vocal about it, she just wanted that rematch as much as him. When Leclair tried to hit her with the Prodigal Elbow, Summer quickly moved to the side and dodged the impact, catching Joey with a Russian legsweep. Summer then rolled backward and, in one fluid motion, got back to her feet and landed across the former Chicago Way champion’s throat with a legdrop. The following pinning predicament only gave her a count of two. One of the most common sayings in wrestling is that the opening match is the second most important match on the card, as it sets the bar for the rest of the night. In that case, everyone else will have their work cut out for them to follow this match. Summer and Joey put up an instant classic, a match that could’ve easily main evented any show. Intense, back and forth action with a lot of reversals between two competitors who clearly had prepared themselves for this match, studying the opponent. It was like watching a game of chess, every time someone appeared to have built the momentum and were ready to strike with the big move, the other one had it scouted and had a counter ready. The closest calls came with moves that, usually, were not part of the respective movesets. Surprising the opponent with something they didn’t expect seemed the way to go and so we saw Joey hitting Summer with Henri’s Black Sacrament and Collins paying homage to her tag partner Jessica with the Beauty combo (roundhouse kick followed by a curb stomp). And speaking of surprises, they both were in for a big one when Olly entered the ring and lifted Leclair over his shoulders, hitting him with the Born To Lose. This, obviously, led to a DQ win for the Prodigy and Summer didn’t take it well. She tried to hit Olly and make him pay, but the former Academy student rolled out of the ring before she could catch him. WINNER: Joey Leclair BY: DQ, 12:31 |
** PREVIOUSLY RECORDED **
Pacing back and forth as usual, we find the always high strung Karen Eldon doing her usual angry walk back and forth. Some may wonder how Olly deals with it as he sits off to the side, the two not having a match tonight here in South Carolina.
Karen Eldon:
My skin is crawling, why did we even show up in South Carolina? This place is disgusting…I want to be on the first plane out of here. This dress? These heels? They cost more than this entire city is worth.
Letting Karen vent as she shakes her head, the stresses of the past few weeks are starting to clearly get to her.
Karen Eldon:
Then we have all these little twirps coming after us. My son and Tiff have been a constant nuisance. Lucie takes out Faith…And thinks she can get away with it? The Greenes keep sticking their fake noses in our business! And don’t get me started…on Skye…
Unlike his tag partner, Olly seems calm, thoughtful even.
Olly:
This is all my fault. Tiff, Clyde, Lucie… I’ve had the chance to end each of their careers but I hesitated. I stopped short, I held back instead of delivering the final blow, thinking that it’d have been enough to teach them a lesson… This is what I get for showing mercy, ungrateful little shits.
The duo keeps walking down the hallway, heading toward the General Manager’s office.
Olly:
But that’s why I’m here tonight. I know how to make things right.
Liking the sound of that Karen smiles as she looks over at Olly.
Karen Eldon:
And what do you have in mind?
Olly:
Skylynn Reed got in our way for the last time. I’m going to ask Elsa to give me a match against her at the next PPV, and I swear to God it’ll be the last time she steps in a ring. I’ll make an example out of her, and I’ll be making damn clear to Lucie, Tiffany and even your son that this will happen to them if they keep fucking with us.
Nodding her head in agreement with his decision as the two stand outside of Elsa’s office.
Karen Eldon:
Good! You can put that little good for nothin’ Skye down on the first night. And the second night? We can finally put the Greene’s behind us once and for all. Because we deserve to be fighting gold, not have to deal with these Greene’s following us around trying to make their names off of us.
A smile appears on Olly’s face as he nods in agreement.
Olly:
Yeah, I didn’t forget about them. Like I said, last week’s truce was only temporary, teaching a lesson to the twins is still on the menu. They got away with it in Valiant, the place went to shit before we could get them one on one. And I was ready to move on and forget about them but after the stunt they pulled at Centum? We’ll make them regret coming to MWE.
Karen Eldon:
I am so ready to put these losers behind us, and get back to where we belong. Taking back OUR tag team titles. Let's go talk to the Boss.
Karen does what Karen's do best storming in to talk to a manager as Olly follows her in.
Singles Match
Andrew Raynes VS Jay GallagherRIght out of the gate Jay darted across the ring looking for a Flying Knee that Andrew easily slid out of the way of. Raynes looked for a quick uppercut that Gallagher blocked, following up with a punch of his own before catching Andrew with a Roundhouse Kick that got the Chicago Way champion flat on his back. Not quite the start the Embracer Of Hate was expecting. Could it be that he underestimated the Nightfall Rising member? Perhaps. One thing for sure though, Jay appeared to be in rare form tonight. As soon as Andrew got back up, Gallagher charged for another flying punch again. This too got ducked by Andrew who then wrapped up around him and delivered a back suplex before he mounted Jay and nailed him with a couple of blows. Immediately finding back his confidence, Andrew took his time to taunt the opponent and the fans before picking up the opponent by the hair. Quick as a flash, Jay caught the Chicago Way champion with an inside cradle and almost scored the upset of the night as Raynes kicked out just in the nick of time. Jay’s speed and unpredictability seemed to be the key of this match, something Raynes wasn’t ready for and apparently didn’t have a counter for. Another near fall for the Nightfall kid came with the step-over spinning kick. from which Raynes saved himself with a foot on the rope. A blessing and a curse, Gallagher’s recklessness soon became the cause of his downfall. All it took was a slight mistake, an excess of enthusiasm or perhaps the will to please the fans that were getting behind him. His diving moonsault to the outside was certainly a thing of beauty, but it backfired spectacularly as Raynes moved out of the way, causing him to crash on the hard floor. That wasn’t even the worst part as now Jay found himself in a dangerous environment against one of the most dangerous men in MWE. Raynes fully exploited the surroundings to quickly turn the tides of the match, handing as much punishment as possible to Jay before going back in the ring. Namely, he smashed his head against the turnbuckle multiple times and set him up on the barricade to hit him with the Code Of The Sith. Satisfied with the damage done, he pushed the opponent back in the ring and hooked the leg for a cover, but Jay was not done yet. A minute later he came very close to the win with his Syndication but once again Gallagher survived. Jay was on his last leg, stuck into the corner with Raynes pounding him with punches to the ribs and forearms to the face. One last, desperate comeback attempt saw Jay stunning Andrew with an elbow to the face, followed with a bicycle kick that floored the Chicago Way champion. Gallagher transitioned on the apron and went for the Galla-Star Press, landing on Raynes’ knees raised to counter the springboard shooting star press. The Embracer Of Hate then stalked the opponent and, as soon as he got up, planted him on his face with the Hate Never Sleeps, obtaining the three count. WINNER: Andrew Raynes BY: Pinfall (Hate Never Sleeps), 10:06 |
Tornado Tag Team Match
Tank Steiner & Dusty Douglas VS Meg Coleman & Tiffany Lynn-Page
Another chapter to the neverending rivalry between these two teams. So far, the tag champions had a good track record against the opponents, although some of those wins were tainted by questionable actions and blatant interference. All four competitors in the ring at the same time, one fall to a win. Those were the ingredients for this match that from the get going seemed to be all downhill for Tank and Dusty. Their strength alone put them on the lead, their hard strikes immediately creating big troubles to the champs. If Herr Steiner, as was the costume, spared Tiffany his skin-tearing chops opting for some heavy right hands to the corner instead, The Murder Train didn’t give the same courtesy to Coleman, lighting up her chest with devastating chopes. He and Tank then exchanged a nod of understanding and whipped the two opponents to the opposite corners, causing them to collide in the center of the ring. As the two women bumped into each other and stumbled back, the big men were right behind them and caught them with stereo German suplexes. Both made the cover and both got a count of two. It wasn’t easy for the referee to keep an eye on everything that was going on, and he ended up missing Tiffany’s knee to Dusty’s crotch. The Murder Train grabbed his jewels with both hands and doubled over in pain, quickly getting dropped on his head by Page with a snap DDT. The former MENTV champion now could finally go to help her partner, attacking Tank from behind. As soon as the Austrian Hulk turned around to hit her, Coleman delivered a brutal jumping knee to the back of the head. As they started off, Meg and Tiff relied mostly on their individual skills to win their matches, but week after week their chemistry kept improving, reaching the level they were displaying tonight. Perfect unity of thought, flawless execution of their coordinated attacks and impeccable timing gave them the upper hand against the duo of powerhouses and, perhaps more importantly, served as a warning for the other teams. Keeping Tank out of the ring with baseball slides and dives every time he tried to get back in and isolating Dustin proved to be a very effective tactic that gave the champions a near fall with Tiffany’s Prima Donna (chick kick) and Coleman’s jumping knee strike. Tank tried once again to enter the ring but Meg was immediately there to stop him. He was prepared this time though and grabbed the woman’s foot, pulling her out of the ring and starting to spin around, showing off all his strength with the giant swing. He eventually let her go and launched her into the barricades, in the exact same moment when Dustin kicked out from Page’s pinning predicament. Just like that the tides had turned and the big boys had the numerical advantage. A situation they exploited in the best possible way, quickly wearing the Diva out relentless attacks. For those who were not fans of Page, and there were many in the crowd, seeing her being decimated must have felt very good. And the pop when Dusty hit her with the King Kai Bomb leaving her laying on the mat for Tank’s Der große Kaboom. As his partner made the cover, The Murder Train made sure Coleman wouldn’t be able to make the save, spearing her as soon as she stepped inside the ring. WINNER: Tank Steiner & Dustin Douglas BY: Pinfall (Der große Kaboom), 13:02 |
Singles Match
Julian Savell VS Clyde Eldon Jr.Poor Clyde… Facing someone like Julian Savell is always dangerous, facing THIS Julian still wearing the mask after the Cage Of Atonement match and still mad about the loss suffered last week against Clyde and his team in that trios match was a whole different beast. Even more aggressive than the usual, Savell dropkicked the opponent in the corner and started stomping his chest, pressing his boot against the neck with an illegal choke that earned him a first warning from the referee. While the official was having a talk with Julian, his bodyguard Rebekkah choked CEJ with what looked like a rope, letting him go before the referee turned around. Coughing and struggling to breathe, Clyde crawled out of the corner and received a hard kick to the ribs from Savell who then dragged him to his feet and dropped him on the head with an implant DDT. The beatdown continued for over five minutes, in which Savell never even tried to make a cover. He just kept beating up Clyde, enjoying every single moment of the punishment he inflicted to the young man. His mistake though was to count Clyde out. The young son of Karen may not be the most technically gifted, the most agile or the most powerful in the roster, but he possessed one, if not the, biggest heart. At first he punched Julian in the ribs, a weak blow the Golden God scoffed at before mocking Clyde and delivering a punishing knee strike to the sternum, But then another punch followed, slightly harder than the previous. And a third one. The crowd came alive and backed the young man who was now literally pounding at Julian’s abdomen with lefts and rights. Eldon then went for a belly-to-belly suplex that caused the fans to pop big time,following with a cover for a two count. Riding on the wings of enthusiasm, Clyde now insisted, attacking Savell with a flurry of punches. Julian found himself in the corner, with Eldon driving the shoulder into his stomach. The veteran’s experience came into play as he lifted his knee to counter the shoulder tackle, catching Clyde right on the face and stunning him, As the younger opponent stumbled back, Julian ran out of the corner and went for a clothesline, ducked by Eldon. The Savior Of Wrestling continued his run to the opposite side of the ring and came back with a headscissors, but Clyde blocked the momentum and powerbombed Savell on the canvas. Once again the young man made the cover but it was going to take a lot more to keep Jules down. No matter what he tried, Clyde didn’t seem to have what it takes to defeat the veteran. Nobody can take away this gutsy performance from him, the attitude and heart he displayed surely earned him new fans tonight. But Julian was just too much for him, especially when it came to a pure brawl. With a kick to the stomach he killed the young man’s momentum and lifted him for a sitout inverted suplexslam. Once he regained control, Savell maintained it with some of his trademark moves like the diving knee to the head and the Savior Kick (superkick to a kneeling opponent). Eldon was in deep water now, visibly dazed and struggling to even get back to his feet. Julian called for his killing shot,drawing his thumb across the throat with the classic cutthoat sign before charging in and kicking the opponent in the head. At that point, the ref could’ve counted to ten, there was no way CEJ could kick out of that. WINNER: Julian Savell BY: Pinfall (Golden God Kick), 9:43 |
Olly:
I bet you're all wondering why I did what I did...
Somewhere backstage in a nondescript room we find the former tag team champion Olly, seemingly ready to explain the attack on Joey on the opening match.
Olly:
Seriously, you don't get it? I know that listening to Joey Leclair rambling for an extended amount of time can induce mass suicide among brain cells but come on... Y'all heard him trashing the Academy, he even cut his promo in front of the building... And for what? Because he got his panties in a twist ever since Faizah beat him for the title?
The Academy graduate lets out a chuckle.
Olly:
Don't get me wrong, I'm not here to take her side. And I'm not white knighting the Academy either, I still think Gian is a piece of shit, Lady Magdalena a stuck-up cunt and Michael Ali... Well if we're lucky we won't hear about him anymore. I got no love for them, but that place... It's what made me the man I am today.
After a brief pause he continues.
Olly:
Yeah, you may be thinking "big fuckin deal", you may even be even think you're clever and say "uh, you just proved Joey's point, el-o-el". If you really think that, then you deserve the Joey Leclairs, a man in his thirties calling himself a prodigy as if he was a rookie, because he never got past that stage of his life and never got to fulfill the "potential" some drunkass promoter thought he saw in him.
You deserve the Dukes, wearing their tin hats and spewing made-up conspiracy theories while living in denial of the fact that their best days are now past them.
You deserve the Alan Envys, a life spent on his knees between praying God and sucking Duke's cock for that last bit of relevancy.
You deserve the Tiffanys and Megs, talentless hacks who only needed one month to bury the titles Karen and I elevated. Like it or not, when K2O held the gold, the division was alive, the tag titles mattered, people cared about them.. Now, the only who seem to care about them is Dusty, but that's probably because of this weird love/hate triangle he's in with his best friend and his woman.. Even Freud himself would get an headache trying to explain that relationship.
You deserve the Neverending Comeback Story of Tiff Rollins.. For every little step forward, she takes three backs. Makes you wonder if there's not some underlying issue there, if she's not sabotaging herself because wallowing in self-pity got her the attention she never got from mommy and daddy, and a brand new lesbian girlfriend who, ironically, is even more of a mess than she is, overly emotional and with self-destructive tendencies.
You deserve the Callaways, all of them. Psychopaths in wrestling trunks talking a big game and pretending that people will still respect and fear them for some shit they did ages ago, when they have done nothing relevant in the past five years.
You deserve the Mannings and the Monroes, still living off their past success and thinking that who they were gives them any street cred today. That's like if the kid from Home Alone wanted the main role in the next MCU movie for the one hit wonder he did he did 30 years ago. Flash news, we stopped giving a fuck about it 29 years ago.
A quick shrug of the shoulders interrupts his list.
Olly:
And I could go on for hours, calling out almost everyone on the MWE roster. See, mister Prodigy, what bothers me is this toxic "back in my days" mentality y'all seem to share.
From those who started like three or four years before me, to those who have been doing this for twenty years, everybody talks about the good ole times when they were young. As if this shit didn't happen back then, as if you didn't do, or were on the receiving end, of the same things that happen these days. As if you weren't the hungry rookie who just got in the business struggling to make a name for themselves, rotting in the lowcard while less talented dinosaurs clogged the main event scene, as if you never felt that fire burning inside you, the desire coming from the awareness that, if only you had the chance, you would wrestle circles around those old fucks and prove that your time is fucking now.
Olly runs his hand through that black mess of hair falling from his head.
Olly:
Life's a wheel and in a few years I'll be where you guys are today, watching the new generation coming for my spot in the sun.
A quick shrug of the shoulders.
Olly:
I can already tell you it won't be anyone from this year's class, and definitely not someone bragging that he took eight suplexes from a relic from the past. If an old fuck like that tried that shit with me, he'd have been checking if his balls were still in their place after the second. But i digress...
With that cocky smile persistent on his face, he continues.
Olly:
When that time comes, you won't see me yelling at those pesky kids to get off my lawn, you won't see me complaining that they have no respect. for those who paved the way for them. Nobody paves shit for nobody. Getting here was a bumpy road for me like it was for every single fucking hypocrite of you. Nobody handed me anything, I bled buckets ever since I was back in the Academy, I pulled strings, I made and lost friends, I ate shit for months... I did what I had to do to make my own fortune, so don't come at me with that bullshit. You, Joey. You, Duke. You, Pierce. You, Seth... You didn't do shit for me. I can count the people who believed in me on the fingers of one hand.
He starts to count as he lists the names. lowering the thumb first.
Olly:
Hammerstein.
He lowers his index.
Olly:
Karen.
Now the ring finger.
Olly:
Faith.
Finally he lowers the pinky finger.
Olly:
And myself.
Obviously the only finger left is the middle one, and he flashes it to the camera with a smirk.
Olly:
And I still have enough left to tell every single one of you to fuck off.
He keeps that unequivocal gesture for a little longer, an act of defiance to the majority, if not the entirety, of the locker room.
Olly:
Anyway, back to you, Joey. I just gave you the chance to fight Faizah, one on one at Dark Web IV. You should thank me because God knows if I didn't hit you, you would've found a way to embarrass yourself again.
You're welcome bud.
That grin now grows even wider.
Olly:
As for you Faizah... I'm sure you know Dark Web is the one PPV of the year where fans get to pick the stipulation for every match. And the MWE fans are known to be some sadistic sons of a bitch. Maybe they'll pick some deathmatch set of rules, maybe they'll just get rid of that giant piece of trash you hide behind. Either way, Dark Web IV will be your make it or break it moment.
And I, for once, don't give a fuck about which one will be.
His long speech seems to come to a conclusion as he pushes himself off the wall.
Olly:
You heard it right, I don't care if you walk out still the champion, I don't care if you don't walk out at all.
One of these days, Faith will come back and she'll come for her title, the title she never lost. She could take it straight from you, or she could take it from the man who took it from you.
Either way, she'll prove once again that, no matter how hard you try to be her, going as far as desperately trying to get her sloppy seconds...
No sounds comes from his mouth, but he's clearly seen mouthing "Hello JJ".
Olly:
... No matter how good your imitation is, it'll never be as good as the original.
On those words, Olly leaves the room and the camera cuts to the next segment.
Singles Match
Pierce Manning VS Gareth Prichard Jr.Almost a deja-vu for the fans. Much like last week, Gareth was waiting in the ring for his opponent, but when Pierce walked out, he was dressed in a fancy and expensive suit. He kept his speech short, pretty much repeating what he said last week about this match not being worth his time. Not that Gareth cared about what he was saying, as soon as it was clear that the match wasn’t happening, Prichard shrugged his shoulders and turned around… Into a chair shot to the head from Megan! Manning joined his girlfriend in the ring, even though he wasn’t going to compete, nothing was stopping him from teaching a lesson to the Welsh. Or so he thought. Out came Billy Danielson, who may not particularly care for GPJ’s well being but he surely wasn’t a fan of The Man or his girl. The fans welcomed him with a loud pop, already foreshadowing the punishment he was about to lash out. And Billy didn’t disappoint. He grabbed Manning’s by the collar of the jacket and yanked, literally ripping it off. Pierce turned around in shock, the sleeves of the jacket still on his arm while the rest of it was in Danielson’s hand. Pierce went down like a sack of potatoes after the Chicago Blackout hit him right on the mush. Billy pushed him out of the ring and threw the jacked at him. As he turned around, he saw Megan charging at full speed, and he caught her with a brutal spinebuster. Their match was next on the card, they were already going at it so the ref might as well make it official, right? WINNER: Gareth Prichard Jr BY: Forfeit, 0:00 |
Singles Match
Megan Monroe VS Billy DanielsonThe bell sounded while the two were already trading stiff punches in the middle of the ring. Danielson grabbed the dizzy Monroe by the arm and whipped her into the ropes, raising his leg for a big boot on the rebound. But Megan slid under his leg and grabbed the other foot, tripping the Franchise and causing him to land face first on the canvas. She quickly stood up to her feet and ran to the ropes once again, hitting the opponent with a shining wizard to the back of the head. With a standing moonsault Megan made the first cover of the match but Billy kicked out in one. Monroe immediately kicked him again with a superkick and put him down on his back. The former Intercontinental Champion climbed to the top rope and went for a shooting star press… Into a Chicago Blackout! The crowd went ballistic as Danielson jumped on his feet and caught the opponent in mid air with a brutal knee strike, taking her down. He then hooked the leg but no! Megan was still in this. Non-stop action, these two were literally tearing each other apart with no intention to slow down. Billy hit two more, maybe three, Chicago Blackouts to the opponent in the corner before lifting her for a suplex. Megan shifted her weight and landed behind his opponent, taking him down with a backstabber. The longest reigning IC champion was back in control, thanks also to the distraction provided by her boyfriend who attempted to get in the ring only to get hit with a forearm to the face by Billy. Manning probably happily took the bullet to give Meg a chance to turn the tides, and Monroe didn’t let it go to waste. She dropped Danielson with an inverted ddt and jumped on his chest with a double foot stomp. No love lost between them, that much was clear from Megan’s aggressiveness. Closed punches and attempts to choke the Franchise with the use of the ropes didn’t go unnoticed and the referee raised his voice, threatening a disqualification. This excessive zeal didn’t, in this case, play in Megan’s favor, causing her to miss the Fly-Dell and opening the way to Billy’s comeback. The Chicago native is known for being quite versatile and for his vast moveset, but tonight he was just spamming Chicago Blackouts like there’s no tomorrow. With Megan sitting defenseless in the corner after a buckle bomb, Billy started running toward her and hitting her with those vicious running knees to the head, calling each of them so that the fans could keep count. All seemed to point toward a series of ten, which would’ve really done a number on Meg, potentially concussing her. A risk Pierce wasn’t going to take, entering the ring and blasting Billy from behind with the same chair Meg hit Gareth with, in a way coming full circle. WINNER: Billy Danielson BY: DQ, 15:28 |
As the attention of the camera switches elsewhere, Jennifer Carter is seen standing somewhere backstage at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena, microphone in hand.
Jennifer Carter:
Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome my guest at this time… Lowri Moss!
The camera pans out, and the audience responds with a loud cheer, as Lowri comes into view.
Jennifer Carter:
Lowri, thank you for your time.
Lowri gives a smile and a nod to the newest backstage interviewer.
Lowri Moss:
You’re welcome, Jenny. And welcome to MWE. It’s good to see that you’ve been able to find work in another promotion, after Valiant went on hiatus; I know that not all of your former colleagues have been quite so fortunate.
Lowri is wearing the special attire that she wore for the first time this past weekend in FGA, which consists of a light blue top and a pair of yellow trunks– the significance of which should not be lost on anyone– with black knee pads, black boots and black kick pads.
Jennifer Carter:
Thanks.
Jen smiles gratefully at Lowri, as she proceeds with the interview.
Jennifer Carter:
We're two and a half weeks away from the next pay-per-view event, Dark Web IV, and there are a number of things still to be determined between now and then, one of which is who will be the next challenger for the MWE World Championship; several people have been mentioned as potential challengers, with you among them, and BROOKFORD has challenged anyone who wants a shot at his title to separate themselves from the pack– with time running out, how do you feel about your prospects of being the one to emerge from that pack?
Lowri Moss:
You’re right, Jenny, we are getting closer and closer to Dark Web, after tonight there’s only one more episode each of Riot and Millennium, so yeah, there’s not much time left for any would-be challengers to stake their claim. All I can do is go out there tonight and win my match against Jessica Lasiewicz, do the same again next week on Riot or Millennium, if I’m booked on either of those shows, and then wait and see what decision Elsa McCarthy and Vincent Moretti make– if they decide I’m the one who’s most deserving of a shot at the title, then great, I’ll look forward to facing BROOKFORD at the pay-per-view, if not, I’ll look to put myself in a better position as we head towards Bound For Greatness in May.
Bound For Greatness being the pay-per-view event that will be next following Dark Web IV.
Lowri Moss:
Ultimately, Jenny, I think pretty much everyone on the roster wants to be World Champion, don’t they? Not everyone can get a shot though - not everyone deserves a shot, no matter how vocal they are about wanting one.
Jennifer Carter:
Is there anyone in particular who you think that statement applies to?
Lowri considers evading the question, and sitting on the fence, but in the end she decides to give the interviewer a proper answer.
Lowri Moss:
Glory Braddock. A month ago she lost the MENTV title, and she thinks that now qualifies her to be in contention for a shot at the World title, the premier title in the promotion?
She frowns.
Lowri Moss:
I’m not sure about that one, Chief.
She shrugs slightly, before continuing.
Lowri Moss:
Glory showed how important being the MWE World Champion really is to her when she went after the MENTV title instead. Now I know she had an issue to settle with Clyde Sutter, but what was actually most important to her? If she wanted to teach him a lesson, which is what I thought she wanted to do, she could’ve just fought him in a non-title match. But no, Glory saw a chance to get her hands on some gold, a chance to add something else to her list of accolades– as if she needed to, she has enough titles to her name already– and so decided that was what she wanted.
She takes a breath.
Lowri Moss:
She’s kinda like Joey Leclair, who said previously that he wanted to be World Champion, but then once he was handed a chance to compete for the Cloud Gate title, all of a sudden that was what he wanted. Not me though– I’m not confused. I said it six weeks ago, Jenny, and I’ll say it again now: I’m not interested in winning just any old title. There’s only one thing that I want, one championship that I want, and I know exactly which one it is.
Jennifer Carter:
Conversely then, who do you think is most deserving, right now, of being given a shot at the World title?
Lowri smirks.
Lowri Moss:
Are you expecting me to say myself?
She lets out a bit of a chuckle, as she continues.
Lowri Moss:
In all seriousness, I’m not sure who deserves it most right now, but I do think that whoever wins the main event, even though they’ve both been both on the losing side in tag matches in the past week, I think whoever wins that will have a strong argument, particularly if it’s Duke that wins– if Seth wins, things will be a little less clear cut, given that he and I each have a recent win over one another. And I know there’ll be people who’ll be quick to point out that my win wasn’t in an MWE ring, but as far as I’m aware, MWE rings and FGA rings are the same size… at least I think they are, I haven’t measured them.
She left her tape measure at home.
Lowri Moss:
And besides, Alexus Meyer was given a shot at the MENTV title last year after she beat the then-champion, Alex Andrews, in a match in Valiant, so there is already a precedent for results in other promotions being taken into consideration here in MWE.
Jennifer Carter:
Let’s talk about your match here tonight then, and as you mentioned earlier, you’re going to be facing Jessica Lasiewicz. The two of you were of course also opponents last week, in a tag team match that saw you and Melissa Reeves beat Jessica and Seth Iser; are you confident of getting a second win against Jessica in as many weeks?
Lowri responds with a nod of her head.
Lowri Moss:
Yeah, I’m confident– I’m always confident in my ability regardless of who I’m in the ring with, although in this case my opponent is someone who I’ve been in the ring with a number of times before; you brought up last week’s tag match, Jenny, but we were also on opposing sides in a tag team match last year, where Gareth and I faced Jessica and Summer Collins, and I also defended the Cloud Gate Championship successfully against her around the same time. While I am feeling confident though, and while I have beaten her previously, I know I can’t simply turn up and expect to win, certainly not against someone like Jessica Lasiewicz.
She emphasises that by now giving a shake of her head.
Lowri Moss:
When I defended the Cloud Gate title against her last year, I spoke about having watched Jessica wrestle in the UK, prior to beginning my own career in the sport, and having seen what she’s capable of from a fan’s point of view. Well, I’ve now gotten to see what she’s capable of a few times from an opponent’s point of view, and even though I’ve beaten her before, I know I’m going to be in for a tough match, I know that I’m going to be in for a fight… but like I just said, I’m still confident of getting the win.
Jennifer Carter:
And like we’ve already discussed, a win for you in this match wouldn’t do your chances of getting a shot at the World title any harm.
Lowri Moss:
No, it definitely wouldn’t– although the same could possibly also be said for Jessica. It has been about a year now since Fabulous lost the tag titles, and I don't know for sure, I haven't been on Cagematch to check, but it feels like in that time, the two of them have competed mainly in singles matches, rather than tag matches. And while I believe Jessica has talked recently about wanting to get another shot at the tag titles for her and Summer, she is an accomplished singles wrestler, even if her success here in MWE has come predominantly in the tag team division. I mean, just two weeks ago she defeated the woman who holds the record for the longest reign as MWE World Champion, Melissa Reeves, when she showed that basic fundamentals can still get the job done, and should she get another win tonight, she could soon find herself as contender for the World title.
Lowri runs a hand through her hair.
Lowri Moss:
Jessica is talented enough and experienced enough to take advantage of any opening she sees against me, just like she did in her match with Melissa, which is something I have to be mindful of. As talented as Jessica is though, I believe that I’m better, and I fully intend on showing that here tonight, by emerging victorious from this match.
Following the briefest of pauses, Lowri continues.
Lowri Moss:
After the win in the tag match last Wednesday, I can’t afford to follow that up with a loss here tonight, not if I want to be considered as a potential challenger for the World title; I need to be consistent, I need to put together a run of consecutive wins, something that I’ve made a habit of during my career, so that means that I need to beat Jessica Lasiewicz– and that’s exactly what I plan to do.
Lowri then takes her leave, and the camera cuts away.
Singles Match
Lowri Moss VS Jessica LasiewiczThe excitement was at an all time high for this match between two of the best wrestlers in the company. Moss and Lasiewicz were no strangers to each other and spent the first couple of minutes on the defensive, putting all their efforts in preventing the opponent from playing on their strength. For Jessica, this meant to stay out of reach from Lowri’s strikes while the last thing the Welsh wanted was to let the Archangel grab her and put her in those painful holds. In fairness, none of them was a one trick pony and they had several aces up their sleeves. Jessica, for example, could count on her speed and agility to catch Lowri off guards with moves like a springboard cutter. Now that the former Cloud Gate champion was down, Lasiewicz could implement her original gameplan, targeting the “Top Face” legs with stomps and an indian deathlock. The submission was tight, the ropes not as near as Lowri had hoped and reaching them took a lot out of the Welsh. But eventually she got there, and she seemed to appreciate the fact that the Archangel granted her a clean break. Up to her feet, Lowri nodded at Jessica who was waiting for her in the middle of the ring and locked up with a collar and elbow tie up. Having the slight strength advantage, Lowri pushed Jessica back into the ropes, but once there he immediately let the Archangel go. Just because they both abided by the rules and kept the match clean (a nice change of pace the fans surely seemed to appreciate), that didn’t mean they were going easy on each other. When Moss finally got some momentum and started to hit Jessica with a barrage of kicks, she hit hard as ever, shoving Jessica back into the ropes. Lowri was ready to hit her with the Breuddwydion Melus as she bounced back but Lasiewicz was quicker and connected the Our Lady Peace, flattening the FGA World champion. Jess immediately made the cover but Lowri kicked out in two. The fight continued, going well past the fifteen minutes mark with no sign of slowing down from neither competitor. Plenty of near falls from both sides, with the two women able to kick out from the respective finishers as well. The Nos Da, in fact wasn’t enough to keep the Archangel down, and neither was Jessica’s Pure Deformation though, in that case, it was probably the position too close to the ropes that allowed Lowri to save herself with a foot on the rope. Lasiewicz then went back to her original plan, stomping at Lowri’s leg and bending it in an elaborate submission. She kept working on the limb a little longer before applying the Four Card Trick right in the middle of the ring. Moss tried to get to the ropes, fighting the excruciating pain. The Welsh tried to claw at the canvas, dragging herself toward the edge of the ring. But her efforts were made in vain when Jessica brought her back to the center of the ring. At that point, Moss tapped out. With the PPV coming up and her title to defend in FGA, risking an injury was the last thing she would want. WINNER: Jessica Lasiewicz BY: Submission (Four Card Trick), 21:09 |
Seth Iser:
You are your own worst enemy…you know that, right?
The veteran’s voice just echoes calmly in the locker room as he just has his arms crossed and puts out a menacing figure without really trying. For the observant there’s still that bandage over his head considering the places he’s been outside of this company that wound over his head still hasn’t closed fully. The gray is creeping more and more into his beard but it seems he’s keeping his hair maintained that color of black. He’s opting to wear his brown tights as a symbol of…being grounded with roots sprouting off and his name in growing green. It isn’t the most flattering look from a cosmetic standpoint but when has Iser ever worried about those type of things?
Seth Iser:
Duke, even I can’t believe where your head’s at right now and I’ve…seen it all. You turned down a world title match…just to have the opportunity to wrestle me. After some…tremendous negotiating on your part over social media about who you should or shouldn’t face as well as the lack of awareness to read the place of when you’d be wrestling me to boot. All of this while you’ve made more enemies and then not too long ago found your ass thrown out of the ring by a damn giant.
The veteran just rubs his temple while also shaking his head, uncrossing his arms in the process as he’s just still leaning back on that wall.
Seth Iser:
You really think an old man is the ‘golden child’ of this company…yet I’m not the one whining and complaining about every little thing like a petulant child. You’re the one who has gotten catered too with every god damn whim! YOU asked for this! And son…I have to flat out say your ego is completely out of control. Bragging about some vanity title awarded over the internet is merely proof of your vanity. That’s all those awards are to me…vanity. They mean about as much as a politician's word to their constituents these days.
There’s a shake of the head from the former world champion as he’s just looking more…sour about this endeavor.
Seth Iser:
Nobody recognizes that trait better than somebody who just went through the ordeal myself. But do you really have the courage to look at yourself in the mirror…see everything you’ve ever done to somebody…to someone…and to yourself…and be willing to bare all the consequences? Whether it’s your enjoyment out of hearing someone being told to go Roy Holliday yourself or the pain you caused one of your closest friends when you chose your career…you’ve yet to really deal with everything coming back to you. I bailed your ass out twice when Devin was about to make you meet your maker, remember? Hell, I still have the unopened liquor YOU sent me when I saved you the first time!
A narrow frown coming from Iser as he recounts that bit of business over a year ago with bitterness creeping into his voice.
Seth Iser:
You don’t remember it that way, do you. I’m still the thief for that in your brain after the second time I saved your ass. Just like now…you’re creating a narrative of something else. Everyone’s against you…why can’t you just get what you want even though…you’ve been catered to time and time again. Come to think of it… ever since BROOKFORD was the one who directly defeated your ass…deep down, you really don’t want any of him. You’re afraid of the champion. You’re…afraid of consequences.
There’s a half smile creeping on Iser’s face but it isn’t exactly from joy as it’s a humorless laugh that finally comes out…before the proverbial mask is back on.
Seth Iser:
Yes…that’d make the most sense now that I’ve...said this out loud. The old paper dragon routine. Hide behind the rematch clause but never really commit to it. But the bad news doesn’t stop for you now. You have to wrestle me next…if you can find whatever courage you have left to do so that is. And to take out one less excuse: You don’t have to worry about the Triumvirate. They’ll…only make a move if someone from your camp deems you’re in too much trouble and tries to get involved. If that monster comes for you though…
Seth just coldly sneers at the camera, no sense of remorse in what he’s about to say.
Seth Iser:
I sure as hell ain’t saving your ass. I’ll just leave you for dead and do it in a way where I still get my hand raised. And that’d be your fault for leaving unaddressed business out on the table…lord knows I just went through that and had to finish it in that damn cage. But let me ask you a question…a simple one…
He leans forward as his face is starting to protrude more intensity with the vein creeping into his arm as well.
Seth Iser:
All your persistent whining…all the people forgetting you were a champion and just seeing you as a perpetual bitcher and moaner…the giant coming out to get you…and the whirlwind you’ve created for yourself as a whole since you lost the championship and proving you weren’t mature enough to handle the consequences of that title…when are you going to look in that mirror and just admit for once in your life…that you fucked up. That this entire thing raging on…was created by you alone.
There isn’t any sense of joy from Iser’s face as he again shakes his head.
Seth Iser:
I doubt beating your ass tonight will give you the strict humbling you deserve but maybe in due time you’ll get it. But the rate you’re going…and the people you’re going to alienate and eventually piss off, I sincerely hope you actually find people that’ll mourn you when you’re gone because you’ll be out of here far sooner than me with how you handle adversity. Not to mention you’ve…been a terrible judge of character for a while now.
He just scoffs as he brushes his black hair away from his face so we get a good look at him.
Seth Iser:
Instead of a former champion…you’re again looked at as just another blowhard despite your talent. And neither of us…are the same person I was when you took the belt from me. I found my peace through the hell I’ve gone through all year. You lost yours. And all I have to do is show that work in the ring. It gets me one step to the champion after all. The champion being…BROOKFORD.
And then the smirk that comes from Iser’s face as he mentions BROOKFORD’s name.
Seth Iser:
In due time BROOKFORD…you’ll get your match with me. In due time. I’m not ducking you. But…who the hell would I be…and what the hell would your championship be if I didn’t kick everyone’s ass I can to get there? I’m…old fashioned. You can say that’s not making use of resources…but it’s what I’d tell my students, my Triumvirate companions and anyone who listens…I want to leave no doubt who is better…
The smirk even becomes a smile that…surprisingly lacks the predatory air. It’s more…serene and calm. Almost as if that’s his more natural smile.
Seth Iser:
I am Seth Iser…the last of an era. And it’s time that I show that my style in my area has its own damn case for being the best in the world.
With that conclusion he walks off ready to go wrestle his main event.
Singles Match
Duke Andrews VS Seth IserPeyton Holland: Not too long ago, these two men were competing for the top prize in the company. Two veterans, two pillars of MWE clashing one more time.” Ambra Monroe: “Not only that, but the two matches they had were in the short list of the top five matches of the year. I’d say the hype for this match is well-founded.” Peyton Holland: “Absolutely. Am I hearing it wrong or the majority of the fans are chanting for Iser?” Ambra Monroe: “You’re hearing it right. This has been going for a few weeks now, ever since the match against Julian Savell.. I believe the fans have seen a slight change of attitude in the veteran, that could explain the rise of a Seth section. What’s even more odd is that Iser seems to appreciate that.” Peyton Holland: “And at the same time, Duke going back to APE and his antics have caused a good portion of his supporters to turn their backs on the Epitome Of Perfection. But enough talking, the two former World champions are standing face to face. The main event is about to start!” The two exchanged a few nice words before starting to circle each other for a brief moment, Duke shot in and took Seth down to the mat with a single leg takedown. He then positioned himself on top of him and hit him across the face with a quick elbow. Iser reacted quickly, grabbed him with both hands and threw him off to the side. He then rolled over to his stomach and pushed himself up but before he could get up, Andrews gave him a nasty right hand to the face, crushing his nose. Michigan’s Favorite Son then pushed Seth’s head forward, slamming his face into the canvas and stood to his feet. The Deity Of Destruction shook it off and planted his hands into the mat but before he pushed himself up, Duke kicked him in the stomach so hard that he lifted him up from the canvas. Relentlessly on the attack, Duke then grabbed him by the head and pulled him up to his feet and lifted him upside down and slammed him on the canvas with a body slam, following with a knee drop to the head. Andrews hooked the leg for the cover but Seth kicked out in two. Duke grabbed him by the arm, pulled him to his feet and then threw him to the ropes. As Seth came back, Andrew ran at him, taking him off his feet and down to the mat with a spear. Once again the leader of APE mounted himself on top and unloaded with a fury of punches. Seth managed to block the majority, only taking minor damage before catching the opponent’s arm and trapping it. He then rolled him over to the side and turned his body, wrapping his legs around the arm and applying an armbar. Peyton Holland: “This is a reminder of how dangerous Seth can be.” Ambra Monroe: “It’s been all Duke in the opening minutes, the amount of punishment he dished out would’ve put in serious difficulty any opponent but Seth? He just absorbed it and at the first chance he got, he turned the tables.” Duke released a grunt as the pain shot up his arm. The ref quickly moved in on him, checking for a submission but didn’t get one as Andrews struggled to break free, refusing to give up. Iser then jerked his arm back with all of his might, forcing Duke to yell as the sharp pain hit him. With one final effort, Duke managed to reach the rope and obtained the break. Even though Seth, allegedly, had turned to a new leaf, he still held the submission a little longer, before finally letting Andrews go. Duke clutched his arm, visibly in pain. Holding onto the ropes, he started to push himself up but Seth charged in and delivered a brutal kick to the shoulder, knocking him over to his back. Iser lifted the opponent up to his feet and targeted the arm with a couple of shoulder tackles before throwing the Top Heel into the corner. There he rocked him with a couple of stiff forearm strikes and lifted him up, sitting him on top of the turnbuckle. Another right hand to make sure the leader of APE wouldn’t have the strength to fight back and Seth climbed the turnbuckle as well to the middle rope, bending Andrews’ injured arm behind his back. Peyton Holland: “Seth is not messing around. If he connects this super hammerlock suplex… I don’t like what it could do to Andrews’ arm.” Ambra Monroe: “He already messed it up badly with that armbar. If he can drop all of Duke’s weight onto it from this height… Iser might be one move and a Dream Eater away from beating his rival in an impressive fashion.” Duke knew this was the turning point of the match and desperately fought back. At first with punches to the ribs then, when those failed, with some hard headbutts. That did the trick and Seth lost his grasp. The impact left Duke stunned too and before he could recover and leave the precarious position, Iser hit him with a massive uppercut to the chin. Once again the grizzled veteran climbed and put the opponent in the hammerlock and lifted him up, falling back and dropping Duke onto his own arm. The leader of APE wisely rolled under the bottom rope, holding his arm in agony. He may have saved himself for now but Seth had accomplished what he was out to. Duke’s right arm was hanging limp against his side, useless. Despite that, Andrews kept defending himself from Seth’s attempt to bring him back to the ring. Duke jumped off the apron causing Seth’s throat to bounce on the top rope, taking the breath away from him. Quickly back on the apron, Andrews grabbed a handful of hair and dragged the former champ’s face along the rope before slamming his face into the corner. If he couldn’t use his arm anymore, he still had his legs to hit Iser with the Killshot to the side of the head, knocking him down. Before making the cover, Duke lashed out with the Red Wing Stomps, but that wasn’t enough to keep Iser down. Peyton Holland: “Well Ambra, we can already say that no matter how this match ends, it definitely lived up the expectations.” Ambra Monroe: “Every time these two meet, it’s an instant classic. At first it was all Duke, then Seth seemed to have this in his pocket and… Watch out!” Andrews’ cactus clothesline, with the left arm of course, knocked both men out of the ring. The fight continued there with Duke launching Seth against the ring post and the Dirtiest Player In The Game countering the move. Andrews hit the steel post shoulder first, which perhaps wasn’t as bad as smashing his head against it but still hurt like hell. Seth entered the ring for a brief moment to interrupt the count and went to pick up Duke, determined to do more damage on the outside before bringing him back in the ring to win the match. But Andrews still had some left in the tank and kicked Seth on the knee before dropping him quickly with a DDT on the concrete. Andrews kept stomping and kicking Iser until the count reached nine then broke it up by sticking his head under the bottom rope. The referee asked him to come back in the ring but he ignored the advice. The double count out started once again and Andrews went back to work. Seth was bleeding from right above the eye, using the commentators’ table to pick himself up, Duke hit him in the lower back and turned him around. He then set Seth up for a powerbomb through the table, perhaps not the best idea with an arm in such bad shape. He managed to do the lift, though it was far from a perfect execution. With sensibly less strength in that arm, he was completely off balance and couldn’t perform the move correctly. As he felt Duke losing control of the weight, Seth shifted his position so that he could limit the damage on impact when they inevitably fell through the table, and quickly put Andrews in the Dream Eater. The match couldn’t be won via submission on the outside, they both knew that. But that also meant that Seth had no obligation to let Duke go even if he tapped out instantly. He kept the submission locked in until the count reached eight, keeping enough time to safely get to the ring and take the count out win. That’s what would have happened if his foot wasn’t caught in one of the wires scattered everywhere after they destroyed the table and Duke didn’t yank it, causing Iser to trip over. The match ended as the ref counted the ten with no winners though, between the two, Seth looked much more like one when the dust settled. WINNER: Draw BY: Double Count Out, 20:22 |