MWE presents: Dark Web V (night 2)

MWE presents: Dark Web V (night 2) May 5, 2024 13:39:23 GMT -6

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Post by gvb on May 5, 2024 13:39:23 GMT -6

MWE Presents: Dark Web V (night 2)
Live from Ticketpro Dome in Johannesburg, South Africa
Saturday, December 30th, 2023

In the equipment truck parking lot, we find The Gold Star of The Academy, Bennett Chance, standing in front of a truck for the show that happens to have his face on it. Bennett is talking to the camera crew, still not 100% sure how he’s supposed to know when to cut promos.

Bennett Chance:
Yo, so you’re rolling right now? That’s wild, I usually gotta put a little timer on my phone. Man, these big leagues are something else!

You can see the excitement and the amazement in his eyes. He can’t help but be in awe of everything around him. He’s even getting distracted by big-name wrestlers who are walking by, but after a signal from the cameraman to hurry up and get started, his demeanor changes to something more professional and focused. He taps his Gold Star, and starts to utter some words by American Poet and Philosopher, Chance the Rapper.

Bennett Chance:
I can't believe it
Must be the luckiest guy alive
Somehow, I arrived
But I’m only gonna survive if I go crazy.

He smiles at the camera with confidence.

Bennett Chance:
Today is the Big Day. The biggest event of my life. The biggest match of my life. Everything about tonight is big, and the fact that I get a chance to give Jaime Idol a receipt for all the nonsense he has put me through over the last few weeks makes it even bigger.

Bennett takes a deep breath, as the concept of just how important tonight is for him becomes a bit overwhelming.

Bennett Chance:
I know I’m getting to the point where I can’t talk about being a nobody anymore, but still something I’m getting used to.

The Gold Star of Team Noir swallows a bit to keep his cool, though he is getting emotional. He’s been through a lot over the last few months, all of it good, and it just feels nice to see that hard work paying off in his young career.

Bennett Chance:
I started 2023 as a drop-out and a burn-out, and I’m ending it with my first title defense. I took a bet on myself, and even if I were to lose tonight (but I won’t), I still would have gotten so much more than I have ever thought possible. I got the Gold Star, I got recruited by the Holligunnz, I got to be the first person in my class booked on an outside show, and I even got this

He points to his face on the side of the production truck he was in front of.

Bennett Chance:
THIS IS WILD TO ME!!! My face is on a truck. Jaime Idol can’t say that. Jaime Idol can’t do much but try to steal what I earned and lessen my light so he can get out of my shadow. But I got news for you, Jaime.

Bennett puffs his chest out a bit by bowing up. He’s trying his best to look intimidating.

Bennett Chance:
Tonight, there ain’t nothing between us but air and opportunity…

He “blows away” the air.

Bennett Chance:
And there just went the air.

He chuckles at the joke for a moment as he continues.

Bennett Chance:
My guy Chance said it best, “The only way to survive is to go crazy”, and I’ve been living crazy since I started in The Academy. That’s why I outlasted everyone in Team Noir. That’s why I outlasted Deya and Huracan. That’s why everything I do happens to be just that much more important than those around me. I know I don’t tweet much, but when I do people look. When I speak people listen. When I wrestle, people watch. The only way to survive is to go crazy, and the St. Louis Quad-inal is the wildest out of the bunch.

Acid Grap points at the camera.

Bennett Chance:
And I’ll give the devil his due. Jaime you been doing the most to screw me over and get yourself this opportunity. Sometimes you gotta work smarter, not harder. However, being smart ain’t always what it's cracked up to be when you ain’t properly equipped, and that’s going to be the hard lesson for you to learn tonight when I fold your clothes and put them away with you still in them.

Confidence is oozing off of Bennett, as he looks at the camera with a determined smile. His fiery words echo through the parking lot as he looks back up at the big picture of his face. His eyes slowly start to drift to other faces on the truck though. After a second or two, something changes in his eyes. A realization of something he hadn’t realized before.

Bennett Chance:
But tonight ain’t just about me finally getting back at Jaime or retaining the Gold Star…

He points at the truck one last time.

Bennett Chance:
Tonight, I might be opening the show, but I’m also going to be stealing the show. I’m letting all of these current main roster stars know that the future is knocking on the door, and it’s being spearheaded by the one and only Acid Grap, Bennett Chance!!!

Bennett pauses until the camera guy tells him he’s done. The last glimpse we get of Chance is with him walking over to see how the promo went.

The Academy Pre-Show Match
Gold Star Match

Bennett Chance VS Jaime Idol

Neither young man was lacking confidence walking into this match. But the similarities ended there, and where Jaime had a disrespectful, taunting attitude, Bennett looked focused and ready to slap the taste out of Idol's loud mouth. And he wasted no time to do that, clocking the Brit with a jab to the jaw as soon as the bell rang. Jaime stumbled back against the ropes and Chance decided to knock him over the top rope with a clothesline, but the young Idol was ready for him, ducking and pulling down the top rope. Bennett's own momentum sent the Gold Star flying over the top rope and crashing on the mat below. Idol jumped straight on him with a slingshot crossbody to the outside.
Jaime's aggressive side was on full display tonight as he kept the fight outside the ring to inflict as much punishment as possible to Bennett. He launched him into the barricade and started kicking him hard on the sternum and ribs, forcing him to slip to a seated position. Then he took a few steps back and charged, hitting him with a dropkick to the face. Picking him up, he dragged him back inside the ring, slamming his head on the apron before pushing his body under the bottom rope and attempting a cover with a springboard legdrop, but the champ popped his shoulder up in time.
Minutes passed and Jaime stayed in control, working Bennett in the corner while maintaining a slow and methodical pace. He rocked him with a few elbows to the face and then slammed his head on the top turnbuckle before firing him to the opposite side with an Irish Whip. Chance arched his back in pain upon impact, an expression of pain painted on his face. Idol charged at full speed and tossed him with a monkey flip but the athletic kid from St. Louis landed on his feet. Idol charged once again, running into a big enziguri that rocked him.
After being oddly quiet in the opening minutes of the match, perhaps due to not being very familiar with either competitor, the crowd was finally coming alive, and they seemed to have picked Bennett as their favorite. The South African fans had already grown fond of his flashy style and aerial attacks, holding their breaths when he took a major risk with a springboard shooting star press to the outside and cheering in awe when he connected with a handspring cutter for a long count of two.
A well placed knee to the midsection put a stop to his momentum, changing the course of the match once again. Idol then took the doubled over opponent down with a neckbreaker, but he only got a count of two out of it. Frustrated, he yelled at the official before lashing out at Bennett's body with hard stomps to the ribs. The challenger took it to the sky with a double foot stomp but Chance moved out of the way. Idol rolled back to his feet and parried the Gold Star's right hand, jumping and connecting with the knee to his chin. A sudden and hard impact, but still not enough to keep the champ down.
Jaime tried to put Bennett away with a powerbomb but the Gold Star was able to counter it with a hurricanrana, spiking the challenger on his head. Bennett kept it up, blasting him with a running clothesline to the back of the head, enough to keep him down for a two count. The young champion decided to take it to the sky, climbing to the top rope and, from there, jumping on Jaime's chest with both feet. As Idol sprung to a seated position coughing and aching, Chance rolled through and stood back up, finishing the opponent with a wicked running single leg dropkick to the side of the head, making the cover for the final three count.

WINNER: Bennett Chance (STILL GOLD STAR)
BY: Pinfall (Running Single Leg Dropkick), 11:36

We come backstage to the locker room of the Chaos Theory champion where her doting boyfriend, Bobby Bradley, is watching a video on his phone while he waits for her to get ready for the big title defense later tonight. Bobby is clearly in a good mood, laughing at what he’s looking at.

Bobby Bradley:
I’m telling you Em, those friends of yours are nuts!

Emma Wakefield:
What are they doing now?

The sound of Emma’s voice can be heard coming from behind the closed door where she had been changing before it slowly opens, the Chaos Theory champion walking out in her ring gear for her big title defense tonight. The fifth, and arguably most important one, which is why she had decided to bring a little extra luck on her side with her choice of attire. Her colour choice was the obvious gold and white combination, but it was the hair clips holding her hair back in place which was the real lucky piece, tiny little clover leafs.

Emma Wakefield:
Something that will get them in trouble I bet.

It took Bobby a second to reply as he was admiring the stunning attire Emma had chosen to wear for the last title defense of the year.

Bobby Bradley:
Wow Em…you look…wow.

He holds up the phone for her to see what he had been looking at, her two best friends Phoebe and Zoey had filmed a good luck message for her as they showed off over-the-top outfits they were trying on.

Bobby Bradley:
I think they plan on taking you shopping afterwards, those post Christmas sales hits different.

Emma Wakefield:
That means you’ll be the one stuck carrying all of the bags.

Emma laughs a little bit as she playfully nudges Bobby on the arm before walking over to pick up her Chaos Theory championship belt.

Emma Wakefield:
It’s nice to have so much support going into this match, being a defending champion is not easy work, it feels like you have a lot of pressure on your shoulders all the time. I’ve gotten lucky a few times to be able to walk out with the title still in my hands.

Looking up at the way Emma was eyeing her championship, Bobby gets to his feet and starts rubbing those heavy shoulders of hers.

Bobby Bradley:
Luck isn’t the reason you still have that title Em, it’s the hard work and dedication you’ve had since the first day you walked that aisle. You’ve been making your family and friends proud since day 1 and sure, there’s been some breaks along the way but you get those by putting yourself in the position to get them, that’s all you. We just give you a little nudge sometimes, that’s all.

The corners of Emma’s mouth turn upwards into a smile slowly as she lifts her gaze upwards from the golden plate of her championship belt.

Emma Wakefield:
You always know exactly what to say Bobby. It’s going to be a tough gig this time around trying to fight off Luna, Betsy, and West all at once. My sister used to work for Luna and she says that she was very difficult.

Bobby Bradley:
Working for your sister isn’t an easy gig either

Bobby chuckles at the reaction Emma gives him to that comment

Bobby Bradley:
I’m kidding! But you do bring up a good point, there’s gunna be a lot of moving pieces tonight with 4 people in the match so you do need to keep your head on a swivel a bit out there. It’s one of those matches where awareness is going to be key. You’re on defense as much as you are on offense tonight.

Emma Wakefield:
That’s why I have to stay focused and in the zone.

Emma takes in a deep breath as she’s speaking before she squares her shoulders back with determination, bringing two of her fingers up towards her face, pointing them at herself and quickly pointing over in Bobby’s direction.

Emma Wakefield:
Also I imagine Holly is just a little bit on edge planning her wedding.

Bobby’s eyes widened at the gesture, playing it off.

Bobby Bradley:
Oh I know she is, just doing my best to make her life as easy as possible, her and Charles are in the audience tonight too but they didn’t want to overwhelm you beforehand. We’re all rooting for you, you’ve got this Em. Luna, Betsy and West all want to be where you are, don’t forget that. You’re in control.

Emma Wakefield:
I’m in control.

Emma repeats his last words, the smile returning to her face, as she gives him a determined nod.

Emma Wakefield:
You’re right Bobby. I have what they want and I can’t let them take it from me so easily, I need to set an example as the first Chaos Theory champion after all.

Bobby Bradley:
And if all else fails, remember you have the luck of the Irish with you

He smiles, making reference to her hair clips that the camera gets a good shot off. Emma laughs a little bit before she gives Bobby a quick kiss.

Emma Wakefield:
That’s for extra good luck.

Emma winks towards her boyfriend as the camera cuts away.

Chaos Theory Match
Four-Way Match

Emma Wakefield © VS Betsy Gallagher VS Luna Smith VS West Long

Massive opportunity for Emma Wakefield to finish her reign in one fell swoop by beating four opponents at once. Surely, it wasn’t going to be exactly a walk in the park as all three opponents looked determined to take the title away from her, and two of them could work as a unit in this particular predicament. And as soon as the match started, Luna took a step back, almost hiding behind her bodyguard. Marina and Betsy both charged at Long, receiving a kick to the stomach each by the Warwolf who then proceeded to throw the champion over the top rope and lift Betsy in the air, slamming her on his knee for a massive backbreaker. He then took a step aside and let Luna connect a springboard leg drop before she attempted to make a cover on Gallagher, but the British wrestler raised her arm in time.
Emma entered the ring behind Luna's back and took The Star Of The Night down with a bulldog. West immediately turned around and took a swing at the Chaos Theory champion, rocking her with a heavy right. Betsy got Long's attention with a clubbing blow to the kidneys, following with a quick flurry of strikes that didn't seem to bother The Warwolf. Wakefield quickly joined in, the two young women striking a sort of alliance to take down the big guy and biggest menace in the ring. They doubled him over with simultaneous kicks to the stomach and tried to suplex the behemoth. Not only he resisted it, but he countered and lifted both women, slamming them on the mat with a double suplex. An impressive feat of strength from the Warwolf, but unfortunately he couldn’t take advantage of it, as both Wakefield and Gallagher rolled out of the ring. Luna tapped on her bodyguard’s shoulder and whispered something in his ear. He then lifted her over his head with a Gorilla Press and threw her out of the ring, right on their opponents who both hit the floor hard.
The British Powerhouse took on Long, the quick Chaos Theory champion went after Luna, taking her down with a drop toe hold and flowing into an Ankle Lock with one fluid motion. Smith was able to escape and hit a dropkick, sending Wakefield into the corner. She delivered a superkick to Betsy’s chin, helping out her enforcer when things were starting to get hairy for him. Long thanked her with a nod and threw Betsy into the champion, stacking them both in the corner. Luna charged and hit them with a dropkick, stepping aside so that Long could then squash them with a running splash. The Warwolf then climbed on the middle rope and delivered the ten punches at the turnbuckle to both opponents before letting Luna make the cover. But neither Emma nor Betsy would go down so easily.
After Betsy took herself and West out with a cactus clothesline. Emma was left alone in the ring with Luna, finally able to show her talent. The former Academy student showcased her technical prowess, something she hadn’t been able to do in this fast paced and very physical match until now. First she connected her hip toss into a snapmare, then almost ended things with a beautiful northern lights suplex, but Luna managed to kick out in the nick of time. On the outside, Long got rid of Gallagher by tossing her against the barricade with such strength that the Brit stumbled over it and into the fans. West now was free to go back and help his employer, breaking up another pinning predicament with a double axe handle to Emma’s lower back.
It quickly became a two on one affair, Luna and West working together on the champion in what was becoming a race against time. There was just under five minutes left to go, and despite being outnumbered, Emma was still fighting back bravely. A standing dropkick sent West stumbling back, giving her time to drop Luna with the From Your Emmagination (snap DDT). She made the cover but Long managed to break up the pin at the very last second. The big guy then got a hold of Emma’s arms and locked her in position, offering the Chaos Theory champion to Luna for target practice. The former Junior Heavyweight and Lockdown champion showcased her Krav Maga background, hitting the immobilized Wakefield with several knee strikes. The last one, a jumping knee under the chin, led straight into a dragon suplex from the Warwolf. He then held his hands in front of him, offering them to Luna as a stepping stool to help her stand on his broad shoulders. And from there, the Star Of The Night jumped down, connecting her Stardom (sparkle splash) on the champion. The cover was made and it would’ve been a clear three count if Betsy didn’t break it up at the last moment by grabbing Luna’s foot and dragging her out of the ring. Gallagher wasted no time and hooked Smith’s arms, lifting her and delivering a brutal Hexcalibur on the outside that left Luna flattened on the floor.
Gallagher was not intimidated by West’s size, slugging it out with the bigger and stronger opponent. And somehow, she got the upper hand, stringing together a series of strikes, creating the opening for the Regal Knee. The impact with Long’s skull was as stiff as it comes, the Warwolf went down like a ton of bricks but still managed to save himself, putting his foot on the bottom rope. We were about to enter the last sixty seconds of the match, and both Luna and Emma were still laying flat on the floor just outside the ring. Long and Betsy were still trading blows, but this time the enforcer was the one coming out victorious from the exchange. His hand suddenly wrapped around Gallagher’s throat and he easily lifted Titania over his shoulders. From that position, he then dropped her on the mat with his Point Blank (Fireman’s Carry Powerslam). Time was running out and all West had to do was to make the cover and become champion. Instead, he took the time to drag Luna back in the ring and leaned her on top of Gallagher. The referee began to count, Emma tried a desperate rescue to save her reign but she ran right into a big boot from the Warwolf. The referee slapped the mat a third time, and a slightly surprised Luna was crowned the new Chaos Theory champion.

WINNER: Luna (NEW CHAOS THEORY CHAMPION)
BY: Pinfall (Point Blank), Time

Leia LeBeau:
Hot Night. Big City. Johannesburg, are you ready for The Show?

Came the voice of the former International and Junior Heavyweight Champion, Leia LeBeau. She was clad in her traditional ring gear, the top hat, the veil and her customized long ring tights in red and white. This time it depicted all of her opponents, their faces stitched into her tights. Sisters Of Calamity, The Bad & Boujee, Eldon Family, TI 'n' Trin and The Band Of Nine. Each individual was printed on her tights, but her eyes crossed out, with the word “Bish” scribbled over them instead. Apart from the Eldon Family, which instead had “Stoopid Bish” against theirs.

Bebe LeBeau:
AND A BEBE!!!

And the youngest LeBeau, social media starlet Bebe LeBeau, bounced into view. It being the winter holidays, she was attired in a raunchy little Mrs. Claus number, complete with the hat and tons and tons of gold tinsel. Leia rolled her eyes at the sight of her sister trying to eat up the attention as she twirled and blew kisses to the camera.

Leia LeBeau:
Welcome to the newest, freshest, biggest season of The Greatest Show yet. And you are getting an exclusive behind the scenes look before the season premiere, hosted by yours truly, the most beloved former International and Junior Heavyweight Champion in the history of MWE!

Bebe pulled a face at Leia as she let her Vegas sized ego run rampant, but otherwise didn’t interrupt her.

Leia LeBeau:
And tonight, in your long awaited premiere, you will witness The Show back on her goodwill world tour, returning to Johannesburg, reforming Those Damned LeBeaus to face the biggest gauntlet of Bishes there has ever been.

After Leia’s words, Bebe slid back into view, holding up a sign advertising her private, members-only website “OnlyBebeiacs”.

Bebe LeBeau:
SPONSORED BY THE GREATEST FANS ONLY SITE IN THE WOOOORRRLLLDDD!!!

Leia snatched away the sign, glaring at her sister. Bebe then turned around, stomping her feet in a huff as Leia went to speak on, completely not realizing that Bebe had the exact same advertisement on the back of her Christmas themed ring jacket. Leia shook her head, before taking out a glittering envelope.

Leia LeBeau:
And now, in front of you all, the long awaited moment where we discover how you all voted. What stipulation will be taking place tonight in our season premier?

Leia opened the envelope as Bebe peered over her shoulder, trying to take a peek at what was revealed there. But during this time, Leia blinked, going a shade of white as her jaw dropped.

Bebe LeBeau:
Ooooh! What’s a flaming tables match mean?

Leia was shaking now, dropping the envelope as she marched off set, leaving a bemused and confused Christmas Bebe standing there.

Bebe LeBeau:
Leia? LEIA?! Where are you going?! I dunno what a flaming tables match means? Tell meeeee?!

She called out to her sister, who was already long gone. In a huff, she stomped her feet on the floor, until a stagehand with a pencil thin mustache came over and whispered something in Bebe’s ear. This caused Bebe to jump in fright, screaming out loud.

Bebe LeBeau:
THIS IS NOT THE KIND OF HOT I AM INTO!!! WHEN I SAY MY BUTT IS FIRE, THIS IS NOT WHAT I MEAN!!

Bebe then stomped her feet, running off after her sister who had gone to prepare for one of the most dangerous matches in the game.

Singles Match
Loser Leaves MWE

Crystal Zdunich VS Missy Propaganda

In a lot of high stakes matches on this pay-per-view, this one probably had the highest of them all, at least for those involved. After tonight, one of these competitors will no longer be part of the MWE roster. The craziest part of this cut-throat stipulation the fans chose was that one of the people involved is one of the Millennium originals and has been part of this company since before the actual owner Grace van Beek took over, while the other one only recently graduated from the Academy. A literal sink or swim scenario for Missy Propaganda, called to step up to the plate big time, against an opponent who has been doing this for as long as she’s been alive. Crystal started the match with a kick to the gut but Missy saw that coming and blocked her foot, instantly taking the veteran down with a quick dragon screw leg whip. The former Academy student quickly grabbed Zdunich’s foot and began to twist it, applying her patented ankle lock. Unfortunately a quick finish wasn’t in the books for her, as Christina quickly crawled to the nearby ropes and saved herself.
The younger wrestler attacked the veteran with her infamous kicks, the one she made a name for herself with at the Academy. She then sent Crystal into the ropes with an Irish whip but Zdunich countered with a rana, sending her flying across the ring. The veteran then delivered a boot of her own and hit Missy with a huge backbreaker for her first near fall of the night. Picking up The Second Propagandist, Crystal then hung her upside down in the tree of woe position, kicking and stomping her a few times before taking a few steps back and charging with a dropkick to the head, but neither that was enough to end Missy’s MWE career.
In this intense back and forth, the Blossoming Rose was able to build some momentum and swung for the fences with her Flashing Lights (roundhouse kick). Propaganda ducked the blow and followed with a knee to the back that sent Crystal into the ropes. As the veteran bounced back, Missy quickly tried to roll her up, but the pinning attempt only got her a count of one. Not only Zdunich kicked out quickly, but she was just as fast to go for another Flashing Lights, this time connecting her boot with Missy’s skull. The second generation wrestler went down, the veteran didn’t let the opportunity to make her Smell The Roses (handspring standing moonsault) go to waste. After all the difficulties Missy went through at the Academy, after witnessing the uncle she looked up to screw over her cousin, the Academy graduate wasn’t just ready to give it all up.
Crystal was doing everything in her power to put the youngster down and save her spot in the roster. But after a few failed attempts, including an incredibly close near fall obtained with her patented Rock & Roll (snap swinging DDT), frustration clearly began to build inside her, and she took her aggressiveness to the next level. She slammed Missy’s head on the post a few times, then tried to choke her with the top rope and several other “dirty tricks” to try and stay ahead of the rookie. This led to the official having to step in and discourage her from using those tactics any further. The lecture bought Missy some valuable time to recover and the young girl took the chance to hit the veteran with an elbow strike to the mush, almost knocking a tooth out. Zdunich stumbled back into the ropes. Missy ran past the ref and took Crystal down with her Propaganda Bomb (springboard flatliner) for a count of two.
What looked like frustration quickly became desperation as nothing Zdunich threw at Missy could keep the rookie down. The veteran was losing it, lashing out at the referee and accusing him of being too slow with his count and even being part of some conspiracy to push her out of the company. Obviously none of that was true, the ref’s decision had all been above board. To be honest, he actually graced the veteran when her protest got a bit out of hand and he shoved the ref a couple of steps back. Her outcry didn’t bring any benefit, if anything it gave Missy time to regroup. As soon as the match took over once more, Propaganda leaped at her opponent and fell backward, dragging her face first onto her knees with a codebreaker. Wisely, Crystal rolled out of the ring, not giving Missy the opportunity to make the cover.
The last minutes of the match saw Missy taking the spotlight and absolutely dominating the more experienced opponent. The tornado punch rocked Crystal and opened the way to a furious combination of MMA strikes that knocked the veteran down a couple of times, including one, ironically a roundhouse kick like those Zdunich was famous for, that saw Christina saving herself by grabbing the bottom rope. At this point the fans had picked their favorite, cheering loudly for the Second Propagandist who seemed to be feeding on their support to push through and keep the pressure on the veteran, wearing her out enough to strike her down with the Silent Violent (leaping double bicycle knee). The veteran wisely rolled out of the ring, saving herself and her career. If it wasn't for her selective mutism, Missy would be screaming now, out of frustration and anger for not being able to capitalize. Still, she gave chase to her opponent, looking to bring her back in the ring and ending this match. But Crystal had one final trick up her sleeve, tripping the former Academy student and smashing her face into the steel steps. The two continued to fight, neither of them seemingly worrying too much about the referee counting, or perhaps too caught in the action to even hear him. Sure as hell though, they heard the bell ringing. The match was over, ending in a double count-out draw. But what would this mean for their careers?

WINNER: Draw
BY: Double Count Out, 9:51

The scene opens up late at night in the middle of the woods where the camera is focused on a large bonfire, where Ashley Layeth is seen stepping into view in front of the fire.

Ashley Layeth :
“Fire is unpredictable, and allowed to its own devices? It burns and burns, destroying everything in its path leaving mass destruction in its path.”

Caitlyn Sage :
“Yet Fire is a vital part of life, mankind would have gone extinct before we made any advancements if not for the heat it provided to keep us warm from the cold, or gave us a source to cook food to eat.”

Ashley Layeth :
“As mankind advanced in knowledge, we learned to harness the power of fire, to create tools to help us with everyday needs, as well as creating weapons of destruction. Come Dark Web? Fire will once again become an uncontrollable source of destruction as tables will be lit, and bodies will be consumed by this fire.

Caitlyn Sage :
“Multiple teams step inside the ring the punish each other while being wary to the untamed fire burning around them, fearing the scaring it will do to their body if touched, fearing the potential chaos that the fire may bring….. That is everyone except The Sisters of Calamity, because we thrive on chaos.

Ashley Layeth :
“And Chaos we shall bring, as we sacrifice each and every single team in the match with us to baptism by fire, because it is required to open a path of our goal.

Caitlyn Sage :
“Our goal is simply this. The MWE Tag Team Championships, and we will bring utter chaos, and destruction upon everyone in our path until we hoist those championships above our heads, and then we shall usher in an era of pure Ruin as we dismantle everyone who comes after our throne, and everyone will have no choice, but to bow down to the Sisters of Calamity, and call us the queens of the tag division.

The camera zooms in on the fire burning as the scene comes to an end.

Tag Team Match
Flaming Tables

Sisters Of Calamity VS Those Damned LeBeaus VS Bad & Boujee VS
Eldon Family VS TI 'n' Trin VS The Band Of Nine

The ring was absolutely crowded, the tension was visible, especially between Ti ‘N’ Ttin and The Band Of Nine. Thompson was quite literally foaming at her mouth, wanting nothing more but to beat up Saoirse and EMP. The referee got the wrestlers’ attention and reminded them of the few rules of the match. No pinfall, no submissions, no eliminations. The match ends when one member of any team gets put through a flaming table, and whoever accomplishes that will be the winner of the match. Regular tables won’t win the match, and if anyone breaks a flaming table accidentally or on his own, for example because of a missed dive, the match will go on. Anything else was fair game, including attacking the opponents before the match officially started, which was what Trinity did, delivering a sudden, violent running single leg dropkick to Tyrell’s face, knocking her down. That was the signal to unleash hell, the six teams all began to trade blows. The ring was far too small to contain the action, and the fights inevitably spilled to the outside. Clyde and Caitlyn hit the floor after Karen’s first born speared the Deceitful Queen through the ropes. His sister joined them not too long after, courtesy of a clothesline from Sage’s partner who then decided to take all of them out with an Asai moonsault.The former Tag Team champions Bad & Boujee were double teaming Tiana, and in a similar way the Band Of Nine was able to use the number advantage to isolate Trinity. The LeBeau sisters happily watched from a few steps away, gladly keeping out of trouble for the time being. They scouted the situation, waiting for the opportunity to strike. Bebe went to grab a steel chair and smacked it across Erin’s back, drawing Saoirse’s attention. The Irish native looked like a woman possessed tonight,unleashing a flurry of kicks at Bebe, until Leia stepped up for her sister and knocked the tattooed woman down with a leaping knee.
Eventually every team got a chair, in the twins’ case, both of them were wielding one each, rhythmically swinging them at Leia LeBeau. To the cry of “Bishes!” a Bebe charged with a full head of steam at Aliyah and Annica, ducking under the first one’s chair shot and tackling the sister. Aliyah instantly turned to hit Bebe, but Leia quickly grabbed the chair that Annica dropped and drove it in the former champion’s stomach, doubling her over. Not too far from them, the first table was brought out by Tiana and set up next to the apron where Trinity and Saoirse were fighting. Petrova-Hammond then found the bottle of flammable liquid and was ready to set the table on fire but her partner wasn’t going to wait. Caring more about hurting the member of Nine’s cult rather than actually winning the match, Thompson grabbed the opponent in a Rock bottom position and jumped, taking her through the table. Tiana took a step back as she saw her partner jumping and stared at her with the most “WTF” look on her face. Trin, on her hand, looked pretty pleased with what she accomplished and after taking a moment to recover from the impact, turned her attention on EMP, taking her out of Layeth’s grasp with a German suplex.
Just because the match could only be won after putting one of the opponents through a table after setting it in flames, nothing was stopping the people involved from having some fun while they’re at it. The twins were thoroughly enjoying creating havoc. After getting the best of the Eldon family they set Clyde and Erika on top of two tables in the middle of the ring, one adjacent to the other. From opposite turnbuckles, they both jumped and landed on the two siblings with stereo swanton bombs, leaving the Eldons laying motionless in a bed of debris. Their celebration was cut short by the Saoirse and Erin who blindsided the former Tag Team champions and knocked them down with cheap shots to the back of the head, proceeding to toss them out of the ring right away. They then introduced a new table, setting it up in the middle of the ring and lighting it up. They then dragged Trinity’s limp body in and presented it to Tiana who was being held against the barricade by a group of cultists disguised as fans. They were about to make an example out of Thompson and wanted her partner to witness it. They lifted Trinity in the air and were ready to drive her down through the flaming table but The LeBeau sisters prevented them from ending the match with well-timed stereo superkicks. Of course this wasn’t an act of mercy on their end, more like an attempt to steal the kill. Leia, in fact, was quick to pick up Trinity and attempt to put her through the table herself, but at that point Tiana had managed to break free and she saved Thompson by knocking down both Those Damned LeBeaus. One by one the rest of the teams, minus the Band, entered the ring but Petrova-Hammond had kicks for every single one of them, protecting her girlfriend.
With the match dragging on, the bar of violence kept getting raised as all teams were trying to end this as quickly as possible. At some point there were three tables burning simultaneously, with pairs of wrestlers fighting dangerously close. Bebe leaped from the apron trying to push Annica through one with a diving seated senton, but the former Tag champion ducked and Bebe landed onto the table, her rear catching fire. It was almost comical in a twisted way to see her bouncing on her butt trying to extinguish the flame, or how she squirmed and squealed when referees did it for her. It was bound to be a busy night for the refs outside the ring as they soon had to put out the flames surrounding Clyde after his failed attempt at spearing Annica through the flaming table, avoided by the former Tag Team champion with an athletic leapfrog. The ringside area was starting to look more and more like a battlefield. Bodies were scattered all around, the only competitors left standing were the twins and the Sisters Of Calamity, now face to face in the middle of the ring in a tense standoff.
For a couple of minutes, this looked like an actual wrestling match, and a damn good one in that. A fast paced, athletic and highly entertaining back and forth between the four competitors. The end to this exciting exchange in which both teams had their chance to shine and showcase their talents even with team maneuvers, was quite anti-climatic as the LeBeau sisters wiped Aliyah and Annica out with chair shots to the back. Their focus then moved to the SoC, once again locked in an odd two-on-two in the midst of a chaotic fight. But this time the scale was tipped in the LeBeaus favor, the chairs in their hands were definitely giving them an advantage. Things were taking a bad turn for the Sisters Of Calamity, but all of a sudden the tide turned thanks to a lucky break. Caitlyn was quick to duck a chair shot aimed at her head and Leia’s swing bounced off the top rope and caught The Show right on her face. Bebe took her eyes off her opponent for a brief moment to check on her sister and paid for it, as the Mistress Of Malice yanked the chair away from her and drove it in her midsection, folding the Bebe in two. The next chair shot hit the Academy graduate on the lower back and knocked her flat on her stomach. A few more were delivered on Bebe’s back to make sure she’d stay down while Sage set another table on fire. Only the perfectly timed For You Dad spear by Clyde Eldon Jr allowed this match to continue, saving Leia from what looked like an already sealed fate.
At this point we had officially lost two teams. Ti ‘N’ Trin and The Band Of Nine had long stopped caring about the actual match and were just brawling in the crowd. Occasionally one or two fans, or we should say members of the cult, jumped the former Academy students and helped turn the tide, but Tiana and Trinity never stopped fighting with unprecedented fury despite being outnumbered. Eventually the four of them disappeared from sight and the focus went back on the action inside the ring. The intense fight had taken a toll on everyone, and surprisingly the Eldon Family, or at least one of them, looked in control. Clyde was throwing a flurry of punches at Leia while his sister was setting up a table in the corner. From out of nowhere came that little imp known as Bebe who sneaked up behind Erika and pulled up her trunks giving her a wedgie. As unconventional and ridiculous as it looked, it gave the younger LeBeau an opening to plant Eldon on her head with a DDT, causing her to drop the bottle of flammable liquid. Bebe immediately grabbed it and poured it on the table placed against the corner, lighting him up. She then hit Clyde from behind with a clubbing blow, allowing her sister to catch a break. Leia then did the rest by hitting Karen’s oldest with a shotgun dropkick that propelled him against the burning table. The impact wasn’t enough to break it, but it forced Clyde to instantly take a step forward, walking into a Jet CIty Jive that ended the match.

WINNER: Those Damned LeBeaus
BY: Table Breaking (Jet CIty Jive), 16:30

A thumb with blue painted nail is dragged on a phone screen, scrolling through pictures of various wrestlers celebrating accomplishments and title wins, both as singles and tag team competitors. The one thing they all have in common is the last name, they're members of the Hardy family. From the forerunner Robb and his brothers Nick and Will, the San Francisco Miracle Rayven striking gold on her very first match and the newest generation McKena, Junior and Jvstice with their arms raised.

As the gallery ends with yet another picture of Robb wearing a title around his waist, the camera pans out to reveal Alice Wagner sitting in her locker room, intent on looking thorugh some of her family's rich history.

Alice Wagner:
You know, some people will tell you that it's easy to be a second generation wrestler... All the doors are open for you, companies roll down the red carpet and welcome you with open arms.. Heck, some would even grant you title shots just based on your last name alone. And while this may be true for some of us, coming from a wrestling dynasty can be a burden too.

It's quite obvious that she's talking about herself.

Alice Wagner:
My father, my uncles, my cousins. They wrote incredible pages of this sport, they etched the Hardy's name in the record books and raised quite a high bar for me to clear.

The young girl, sporting blue hair matching her nails and a white and blue ring gear, stands up from the chair and puts the phone back inside her bag.

Alice Wagner:
And I want to make it clear once and for all, that's the only reason why I'm not using my last name in this business. I've read a lot of speculations about how I'm allegedly ashamed of being a Hardy because of what my dad did, about how I'd be running from my family because I don't want to be associate with them... It's no secret how I feel about the awful things my father did, and it's no secret that he's the reason why I quit training, moved to Phoenix and tried to leave all of this behind. But there's more than that to being a Hardy. My family has been a staple in this industry for as long as I've been alive, I grew up watching my uncles, my father and my cousins being successful, I've been looking up to them and dreamt about continuing their legacy. But I'm not sure I'm up for the task.

An audible sigh follows her words.

Alice Wagner:
That was my fear when I joined the Academy, and it never really left me despite the praises I have received. It didn't help that the two biggest matches of my career ended the way you all remember, with me conceding the victory to my opponent. Don't get me wrong, I don't regret doing what I did. I stand by my decision and, if anything, I feel sorry for Reign and Alex who had to deal with the consequences of my choice, settling for a win that inevitably left a bitter taste in their mouth. But still, it fueled this doubt that has been eating me forevver. Do I have what it takes to be as successful as my family? Am I good enough to carry their name? My name?

Slowly, she stands up from the chair.

Alice Wagner:
Questions I haven't the answer for. Maybe tonight will be the night I find them. Maybe going one on one against one of the best in the world for half an hour will tell me more about where I actually stand. Seth Iser... What can I actually say about you that people don't know already? Your accolades speak for yourself, you've been doing this since before I was even a though in the back of my parents' mind and you keep proving wrong everyone saying that you're past your prime. Size, power, experience... Looks like you have all the advantages and honestly... This is the kind of challenge I want. Watching your matches, studying your tapes. It was an exciting and learning exercise, as I'm sure it'll be stepping in the ring with you.

Alice takes a deep breath, masking all her emotions and the understandable tension behind a forced smile.

Alice Wagner:
One thing I will learn for sure is whether I belong here or not.

And on those words, the camera fades to black.

Junior Heavyweight Championship Match
One Sided Rules (Abby)

Abby Blake © VS Rainer Nordhagen

Where the fans were standing was clear before the match even started, just by looking at the stipulation they chose with their vote. Sick and tired of Rainer’s shenanigans, the fans picked a definitely unfair but somehow just stipulation, giving Abby the opportunity to ignore rope breaks, count outs and disqualifications. Rainer, on the other hand, would still have to abide by the rules to win the title back from Blake. Nordhagen was still arguing with the ref and complaining to the fans about the detrimental stipulation, when Abby struck him with a throat jab, causing the challenger to stumble back and hold his neck. A neckbreaker followed, taking the former Academy student down. Abby stomped him four or five times before going for a standing moonsault. Rainer rolled out of the way to avoid the impact, but Blake showed great athleticism and landed on her feet, immediately turning around and grabbing the top rope with both hands, flying out of the ring and taking the former champion down with a pescado.
The duo battled outside, trading chops and strikes trying to get the upper hand. Rainer had his back against the barricade, but even then he managed to duck Abby’s strike. He wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her, driving her all the way back against the ring apron. She immediately arched her back, letting out a cry of pain. Wasting no time, Rainer grabbed her hand and whipped her into the barricade where he was right a moment ago, This time she impacted chest first into the railing, doubling over. Nordhagen grabbed her by the hair and slammed it repeatedly on the barricade, then picked Abby up and just dropped her on top of it. It was at that point that Rainer heard the referee yelling “NINE!” and realized that he was the only one who could be counted out, and he only had one second to get back in the ring before losing a match that, as of now, was seeing him in control.
Abby could take all the time in the world to make it back to the ring, and she truly seemed in no rush, using this time to recover from the recent onslaught. Inside the ring, Rainer seemed to be growing more and more impatient. He shook his head and left the ring, going to grab Abby by the hair and dragging her toward the ring. Holding her by the back of her head, he tried to push her under the bottom rope but Abby was able to raise her leg, point her foot on the apron and push back, countering Rainer’s attempt with a beautiful Shiranui on the floor. She then rolled the challenger back in the ring and landed on him with a slingshot senton. The referee quickly got in position and made the count, but Rainer got his shoulder up in two.
Abby hit him with an arm drag, but Rainer carthweeled through and quickly got back to a standing position, now standing face to face with the champion in the center of the ring. He smiled cockily and gloated a bit, which seemed to get under the champion’s skin as she immediately charged at him. He took a step to the right and waited for her to bounce off the ropes and come back. With a back body drop he sent the woman flying in the air and landing hard on her back. He then followed up with uppercuts in the corner, pressing his foot on her throat and getting another warning from the official. He seemed to agree with the ref and took a step back, but it was just a decoy, and he immediately went back on the attack, striking Blake with his Torrential Rainer, delivering a flurry of kicks, knees, elbows and all that jazz. Once again the ref had to step in, and gave the challenger one final warning. Next time he’ll try something like this, he will be disqualified.
The champion ate two back elbows but he was able to duck the third one and connected with a springboard back elbow. Abby counterattacked with a calf kick, followed by a wheelbarrow facebuster. The champion then climbed to the top rope and hit Rainer with a swanton bomb, but the German-Australian was able to get his shoulder up. Blake got his elbow up and connected with a palm strike. Once again the tide changed when Rainer moved out of the way to dodge the champ’s soccer kick, quickly trying to roll her up with a schoolboy pin. He aided himself by grabbing a handful of thighs, without the refereeing catching him. But even with that, he couldn’t keep her down for the count of three.
Fair play to Rainer for staying in a match stacked against him and fair play to Abby for not abusing the advantage this match gave her. We entered the final stretch of this intense bout, the challenger was still doing his best in an attempt to dethrone the woman who took the title from him, but his The Last Stand missed the target. Blake sprinted to the ropes and leaped at the Academy graduate, starting to spin with her 720 headscissors. She sent Rainer flying next to the ropes and immediately followed with her Fore (Natural Selection). The champion made the cover to retain, Rainer instinctively reached for the bottom rope with his left foot. The referee noticed it, but per the rules of this match, he didn’t have to interrupt the count in this case.

WINNER: Abby Blake (STILL JUNIOR HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION)
BY: Pinfall (Fore), 10:07

The MWE brass all gathered in one specific backstage room. The owner Grace van Beek, the Agora Network Chief Production Officer Elsa McCarthy, the Riot General Manager Vincent Moretti and his counterpart, BROOKFORD.

Elsa McCarthy:
Understood, Miss van Beek.

The former Millennium GM nodded her head, glancing at Vince and BROOKFORD. They both looked deep in thoughts, mulling over what transpired from this meeting.

Vincent Moretti:
We will inform our roster, let them know of this developments.

Moretti spoke in a serious tone.

Elsa McCarthy:
We appreciate that, Vince.

BROOKFORD:
And what about Missy Propaganda and Crystal Zdunich? With the way their match ended...

Elsa McCarthy:
I think the best course of action is to run it back on the next show. Same stipulation. I'm not a fan of firing people, but if that's what the fans have chosen, we should give them what they want.

Another nod from the two GMs.

Elsa McCarthy:
So be it, then. Thank you for your time, gentlemen.

Grace van Beek:
I do not say it often, but I appreciate everything you have done and will continue to do for this company.

Without waiting for their reply, Grace would stand up from her chair. Ryker, the head of her security, touched his earpiece and spoke with one of his men on the outside, waiting for them to give the green light so that they coulld escort the owner of MWE out of the room. The scen then would cut to the next segment.

No Ropes Match

Xavier Laroux VS Paula Parker

The ring was stripped of its ropes for this match, putting the veteran and multi-time champion Xavier Laroux one on one against the self-proclaimed Prodigy Paula Parker. At ringside, just like every other match the New York native had in her MWE career, her three brothers were there for “moral” support. The match started with a lock up, and Laroux immediately asserted his physical superiority by pushing the young opponent several feet back. He then doubled her over with a knee strike to the stomach and grabbed her wrist for an Irish whip, wisely taking advantage of the unorthodox stipulation. Parker slid on the canvas and managed to slow down the momentum, stopping right on the edge of the ring. She quickly stood to her feet and turned around, seeing Xavier charging at her in an attempt to knock her over. She quickly sidestepped and moved out of the way watching as X failed to stop his run and fell out of the ring. She turned around and jumped toward him, looking to hit a double axe handle. But Your Favorite Drug’s veteran instinct kicked in, as he raised his leg and connected a superkick to the flying Prodigy.
The two briefly brawled on the outside, but Laroux quickly desisted when Paula hid behind one of her brothers. X taunted the rival and climbed back in the ring, inviting her to join in and fight. Parker immediately did and fired a couple of kicks at the veteran who easily blocked her leg and sent her flying across the ring with an exploder suplex. She used the ring post to stand up and momentarily leaned against it to lure the opponent in. Laroux charged at full speed and she moved out of the way, but this time X had it scouted and he slowed down, avoiding the impact. Paula tried to capitalize nonetheless, but an elbow to the mush instantly killed her momentum. Xavier then put his hand on the back of her head and just slammed her face first into the corner. Dazed, Paula stumbled back toward him, walking right into the Narcoterrorism. She went down flat on her back, this match and her undefeated streak seemingly over in a shockingly fast way, but once again her brothers got involved, quickly pulling her out of the ring.
That wasn’t the last time they interfered. A couple of minutes later, Jesse managed to catch his sister in mid air, saving her from a nasty landing when Xavier just flat out tossed her out of the ring. At this point Laroux was, rightfully so, pissed and just leaped toward the man, aiming at his face with a flying knee. Jesse quickly tossed Paula at Justin and took the whole impact of Xavier’s strike and got knocked on his ass. At that point Justin had circled to the adjacent side of the ring and helped his younger sister back in the ring. Behind the ref’s back, Jackie leveled Xavier with a clothesline to the back of the head and quickly threw him inside the ring so that Paula could pin him. X popped his shoulder up in two and half.
The absence of ropes was affecting Paula’s performance, perhaps even more than she thought it would. No flips, no springboard maneuvers, no aerial assaults, she had to rely mostly on her striking ability and evasion skills to stay away from the stronger and more experienced opponent. In one of the rare moments when the Prodigy was in control, Paula came quite close to the upset win, dazing Laroux with a roundhouse kick and dropping him with a reverse DDT. She didn’t stop there, jumping in the air and landing with both knees on his chest connecting a moonsault knee drop. She made the cover with her usual confidence, getting a taste of Xavier’s resilience and ability to take punishment.
By far the toughest opponent Paula had faced so far in her young career, Xavier seemed to be too much for the young Prodigy. Her brothers tried to distract Xavier, but in his long career the multi-time champion had learned better than letting their shenanigans affect him. He was teaching the youngster a lesson, hitting her with heavy blows and power moves without leaving her much of a chance to fight back. He put her through a barrage of attacks and, to Paula’s credit, she withstood the onslaught and stayed alive, impressively managing to do so on her own strength, without the help of her brothers. Sure, she looked rough near the end of it, but she still managed to counter his spinning side slam with a tornado ddt. And that might as well have been the turning point of the match.
In the final minutes of the match, Parker seemed to have found renewed confidence and fighting spirit, throwing everything she had left at the veteran, drilling him with a reverse rana and coming this close to the three. Unfortunately, Your Favorite Drug was not staying down and he used his experience to turn the tide one more time. A pop up uppercut left the young woman dazed, near the edge of the ring. Xavier pointed his finger at her and went for another Narcoterrorism, this time hitting the Prodigy right on the mush. The impact was so strong that it sent Paula literally flying back and right into her brother Jackie who cushioned her fall and then shielded her with his own body, causing X to waste valuable time. He eventually managed to get him off Paula but then he was faced by Jesse and Justin. There was some trash talk between the three men, and soon the Parker brothers tried to attack the veteran. The referee immediately got between the three and prevented any harm to be done to Laroux, at least for the time being. As he was busy arguing and eventually sending the two of them in the back, Jackie pulled out a brass knuckle from his pocket and blasted Xavier on the back of his head. He then pushed him back in the ring and Paula quickly rolled him up with a cradle, scoring an unexpected win against the veteran.

WINNER: Paula Parker
BY: Pinfall (Inside Cradle), 11:22

Dog Collar Match

APE (Alan Envy & Duke Andrews) VS The Division (Jvstice Hardy & Thatcher Ray Nash)

Both teams did their research on how to use the chain to inflict pain. Duke went, unsurprisingly, old school with it, wrapping the metal links around his fist and trying to change Jvstice’s facial features. Alan, who had quite an history with chains having been involved in one of the most memorable matches in MWE history during Grace’s first year at the helm in the main event of Deep In The Heart against Heathen Jones, just used it as a whip to flog Thatcher, forcing him to retreat on the outside. Then we got a taste of Alan’s most sadistic side as he gave a display of strength and brutality as he pulled the chain with all his strength, lifting Thatcher from the ground and, for a few long seconds, literally hung him. Jvstice saw his partner in a dangerous spot and after getting away from Duke’s offense, he helped him by hitting a jumping knee to Alan’s back. The veteran fell down, and so did Thatcher once the Lone Star had to let go of the chain. Not a nice lanting for Nash, but at least he could breathe again.
The ring wasn’t enough to contain the two teams, and they inevitably ended up fighting on the outside. If Duke left on his own accord to chase Jvstice, Envy was literally dragged out by Thatcher after he used the chain that had wrapped around Alan’s foot to trip him over. In a pure brawling situation APE had a clear advantage. The mismatch between Envy and Thatcher Ray-Nash was particularly evident, and Alan seemed to be in control. Duke was having a harder time against Jvstice but he eventually got the upper hand too. He said something the cameras couldn’t quite pick up to his partner as the two of them walked in opposite directions, creating some distance to keep the Division members separate. This was to avoid what happened earlier in the match when Hardy was able to rescue his opponent. Something similar happened again with reversed roles as Nash walked around the corner and pulled the chain, dragging Alan into the ring post. Nash would have loved to return the courtesy and help Jvstice out as Duke had backed him against the barricade and he was throwing the chain onto his chest, leaving some ugly and surely painful bruises on his skin. But they were literally on the opposite side of the ring, out of range. So he focused on Envy, stomping him on the floor and repeatedly slamming his head onto the steel steps. Alan was doubled over, face down onto the steel steps and visibly dazed. Thatcher stepped on the apron and went as far as the chain would let him before running toward Alan and leaping, attempting to stomp his face onto the steps. But the setup for the move, including a few moments he took to taunt the crowd, was a tad too long and gave Alan time to recover. As Nash was flying, the Iconic caught him with a chain shot to the midsection.
Jvstice had to resort to throwing a fans’ drink in Duke’s face to catch a break. Instinctively he began to walk away, which is not the wisest idea in this type of matches. As soon as Duke wiped the beer from his eyes he yanked at the chain to pull Hardy back toward himself. Jvstice fell on his knees, back turned to Andrews who walked up to him. On his way to the opponent the Epitome Of Perfection loaded his punch with the steel chain, but he never got the chance to use that improvised weapon like he planned. Jvstice, in fact, grabbed a steel chair while Andrews was momentarily blinded and kept ijt shielded by his sight with his own body. But as soon as he felt the veteran closing in, he quickly stood up and just tossed the weapon right to his face with such force that he opened a cut right above Duke’s left eye. Seeing his own blood triggered a furious reaction in the former World champion as he charged head first toward Jvstice, spearing him through the barricade. As the two of them fought through the crowd, inside the ring Thatcher looked in full control. He had Alan on all fours and was sitting on his back, straddling him as if he was at a rodeo. After dropping a couple of punches to the head, the Killer Kowboy used the chair in a quite innovative and uncomfortable to watch way, slipping the metal links inside Envy’s open mouth and pulling back. Alan tried first hand what a horse must feel, and by the look of it, it wasn’t a pleasant experience. The unorthodox yet quite effective form of punishment went on for almost a minute before the Envious One managed to unsaddle him.
One of the refs was begging Duke and Jvstice to get away from the fans area before one of the people in attendance would get caught in the crossfire and get hurt. They didn’t seem to listen, although eventually the flow of their brawl lead them back close to the barricade. A superkick from Hardy sent Andrews tumbling over the barrier and finally they were once again at ringside. Jvstice climbed on the edge of the barricade and jumped with a knee drop. Inside the ring Alan caught the opponent with a spinebuster and turn the tide of his personal battle against the Killer Kowboy, making the first cover attempt of the match. Jvstice rushed in to break up the pinning predicament, but Duke prevented him by tugging the steel chain, choking the former military in the process. Luckily for The Division Nash still had enough left in his tank to get his shoulder up in the nick of time.
All four competitors were now in the ring trading blows. As it was to be expected, there was nothing pretty about this hate-fueled battle, but if you are a fan of violence, and there were quite a few of those inside the TicketPro Dome, That didn’t mean it was just fists and kicks, there was definitely room for the collars linking the wrestlers to come into play. While Duke and Jvstice were involved in a tug-of-war that was currently in a stalemate, Thatcher took the opportunity to push Alan toward the tensioned chain, using it to “clothesline” the Texan. The impact caused both Duke and Jvstice to falter, ending their test of strength without a clear winner. But now that Alan was down, the Division had the numbers game and that’s where they were the most dangerous. Working together, they knocked Andrews down and started kicking and stomping him. But turning your back to a veteran like Alan for too long is never a good idea and Thatcher learned it the hard way. Envy noticed the chain on the canvas running between the Kowboy’s legs and figured it would be fun to low blow him with it. Thatcher certainly didn’t enjoy it, but the look on his face when the chain was yanked and driven up where it hurts the most was, indeed, quite funny. Not even time to catch his breath and Alan lifted him in a straightjacket position and violently dropped him on his face. Unfortunately for him Duke wasn’t quick enough to prevent Jvstice from breaking up the pin.
The longer the match went, the more blood was shed on the no longer white canvas. It was pretty impressive that all four men were still standing. Between the four of them, Jvstice was by far the one in the worst shape, the punishment he had to endure earlier in the match was finally taking its toll. Not that the one linked together with him was doing much better, with blood still oozing out of that eyebrow cut, but other than slightly compromising his sight from one eye, it wasn’t as debilitating as having your back and ribs flogged with a steel chain. Andrews was ready to end it, as he picked Jvstice over his shoulders, setting him up for the Andrews Effect. He shouted at Envy to make sure Thatcher couldn’t help and turned around to drop Hardy on top of one of the many steel chairs scattered across the ring… Finding himself nose to nose with Jack Graves! The GEW Grand champion smiled and swung the punch. Andrews tried to dodge it by bending backwards, managing to avoid the full impact. Hardy managed to use the momentum to flip him over and nail him head first onto the steel chair with a reverse hurricanrana. Alan, stopped beating up Thatcher in the corner and rushed to help his partner but a big boot from Graves put him down for good, allowing Jvstice to make the cover unbothered and pick up another controversial win for The Division, proving once again that strength is, indeed, in numbers.

WINNER: The Division
BY: Pinfall (Reverse Rana), 21,14

Jelena Shcherbakova:
Alice! Alice!

Hearing her name being called, Wagner stopped on her tracks, allowing the MWE backstage interviewer to catch up with her.

Alice Wagner:
Hey Lena, what’s up?

Jelena Shcherbakova:
I was wondering if you had a minute for me…There’s something I wanted to ask before your match…

Alice raises an eyebrow.

Alice Wagner:
I mean I do but… Honestly I said all I needed to say already, I’m not sure how I could help…

Jelena Shcherbakova:
Oh, I saw your promo, I liked it. I just feel there’s one thing you haven’t addressed, one thing the MWE fans really want to know.. Have you heard about Faith Savell challenging you? Are you going to accept?

The blue haired girl let out a soft sigh.

Alice Wagner:
I did, but I have a huge match tonight and that’s where my focus is. This match, not the next one. But I can see the fans want to know… Well, before I reply and make it official, allow me to clarify a few points.

Jelena hands over the microphone to the Academy graduate and takes a step aside.

Alice Wagner:
Faith didn’t take my spot in the Academy. The only reason why I didn’t join the class she graduated from is because I was 15 back then, and the minimum age to join was 16. Gian promised me a spot the following year but when the time came, I had decided to quit wrestling for the reasons you all know.

After a brief pause, she continues.

Alice Wagner:
As far as our match back then… Yes, she did beat me. And I’m not making excuses, but there’s a detail she conveniently left out. She had to fake an injury to beat me.

Jelena can be seen shaking her head.

Alice Wagner:
We had been wrestling for a good ten minutes, uncle Robb said they’re still showing the tape to the Nightfall prospects to this day. I was working her arm, I dropped her with an armbreaker and she began to scream in pain. I thought I injured her, I thought I just cost her the ticket to the Academy and the guilt was killing me. You know, I don’t hate Faith, I surely didn’t back then. I never felt this rivalry between us, I was looking up to her, I wanted to be as good as she was and worked my ass off to reach her level, I literally studied her movements, I have yet to see a northern lights suplex as smooth and perfect as hers. That match meant everything to me, and when I thought I fucked up I felt so bad…

Another long sigh escapes her lips.

Alice Wagner:
In hindsight, I should have figured it out. I should’ve seen that nobody, not Julian, not uncle Robb, not even my dad seemed concerned about her injury. Nobody threw the towel, nobody ran inside the ring. But like I said, I was 15 and I thought I had just injured a friend. I went to check on her and she pinned me. I was in shock, I left the ring and ran in the locker room. I’m not ashamed to admit I even cried out of frustration, while she celebrated and discussed her move to Chicago with Gian and her at-the-time boyfriend JJ.

Jelena Shcherbakova:
That was a tough lesson you learned that day. And I have to say it sheds a new light on her win.

This time it’s Alice who shakes her head.

Alice Wagner:
Nah, I’m not doing that. She won, end of the story. I was naive and emotional, and she took advantage of that. Good on her. With that said… Faith is right. She IS the one who got away, she IS the one I want… No, the one I NEED to beat.

Jelena Shcherbakova:
Does that mean…

Alice Wagner:
It’s on. Next week, next show, the next Pay-per-View… Whenever they want, I’ll take on Faith Savell. I think it was Jay Gallagher who, back then, called our match “Best Of Nightfall”. I never made too much of it, I thought it was a nice play on words. But we’ve been carrying this label of best prospects coming out of Nightfall for years, I say it’s time we settle this once and for all.

Jelena Shcherbakova:
I agree, and I’m sure our fans agree as well. Thank you Alice, and good luck for your match.

Wagner crosses her fingers and smiles at the camera before walking away in the opposite direction.

Cloud Gate Championship Match
Triple Threat Match

Bey Addams © VS Kendrick Kross VS Luis Rivera

The Cloud Gate champion said on the lead-up that she wasn't too concerned with the stipulation, since her two opponents were likely going to tear each other apart and make her job much easier. And her prediction seemed to be right as Luis immediately charged at Kendrick and hit him with a boxing combination, straight shots to the face and head. Kross tried to protect himself by raising his arms while Bey just leaned back against the corner and watched the two men going at it. Back against the wall, Double K started to fight back taking the Academy Graduate off guard with a knee to the guts. He then swung with some rights of his own but a punch right to the chin from the former boxer sent him back into the corner. Addams tried to take advantage with the Schoolboy Dropout, but K2 was quick to dive in and break up the pinning predicament.
This match showcased three wrestlers with three completely different styles. There was the heavily boxing influenced background that Rivera was known for, Kross added that bit of brawling and viciousness the lax rules allowed him while Addams was using her technical prowess and her “wrestling instinct” to take advantage of the various situations that presented during the match. She seemed determined to obtain the best possible outcome with the minor effort. Kendrick and Luis were playing right into her strategy, leaving her plenty of chances to sneak up behind one of them and hit exploit their momentary distraction. At some point she took Rivera down with a backstabber and then clocked Kross with a running single leg dropkick but the former Liberty Pro Anarchy champion got his shoulder up in time.
Midway through the match, Kross took control and tossed Luis out of the ring with a running big boot straight to the face. He then engaged with Bey, the Cloud Gate champion tried to stay away from the challenger’s attacks, ducking a lariat. She couldn’t dodge his following Pele kick, stumbling back and looking dizzy. Kendrick then kicked her in the stomach and dropped her on her head with the Brainwashed (Lifting Single Underhook DDT). Kross had a smirk on his face as he took a few steps back, watching as Bey slowly began to push herself up. As she was on all fours, he darted forward, looking to finish her with his Tramp Stamp (curb stomp) but from out of nowhere came Luis Rivera, knocking him down with a running punch to the jaw. The former boxer then tried to make the cover on Addams, but the Cloud Gate champion caught him with a roll-up, almost getting the win.
With Kendrick momentarily knocked down, Luis turned his focus on the champion. Using his background to wear her down with a flurry of punches, he then impressed the people watching with a fisherman suplex for another near fall. Kross came back inside the ring and broke up the bridge with a shot to Luis’ midsection. Once again the two squared up, the rivalry between them was far from over and, just like Bey predicted, it was possibly more important than the title itself. Stiff strikes flew back and forth between them until Addams put an end to their exchange with a dropkick to Kross’ back, pushing him into their opponent. Rivera collapsed to the ground while Kendrick looked pretty dazed after bashing heads with the former boxer. The Cloud Gate champion went for a bulldog, dropping K2 face first onto Luis’ groin.
Kendrick’s chaotic nature and his penchant for hardcore wrestling worked quite well in this match, allowing the former LPW Anarchy champion to go a little crazy without having to worry about being counted out. He spent most of the time mauling Rivera, throwing him back first into the apron and the steps several times and dropping him on the concrete floor with a powerslam. Bey tried to catch him off guard with a baseball slide but the British wrestler saw it coming and stepped aside, grabbing her by the legs and slamming her into the barricade. He then rolled her on the apron and her him with some pounding strikes to the chest, leaving her coughing and groaning in pain. After pushing her back in the ring, he went for his Tramp Stamp once again, crushing her face under his boot and hooked the leg for the title. Luis rushed in and broke up the pin at the very last second, saving the champion and the match.
While Addams took time to recover on the sidelines, Kross and Luis went at it in the center of the ring. Fists flying back and forth, the clean and precise strikes from Rivera seemingly being more effective than the more powerful blows Kendrick threw at him. The former boxer built a good rhythm with his combinations, attacking K2 relentlessly. He had the English man back against the ropes, but tonight that wasn't going to stop him. He gave Kross a brutal beating, almost uncomfortable to watch. K2's face was swelling, blood trickling down his nose as Luis now used him as a punching bag, delivering his flurry of strikes to the torso. Kendrick slumped to a seated position and Luis looked ready to deliver the final blow. But then Bey came back into the mix, grabbing Lucho's arm and pulling him into a double knee facebreaker, connecting the Wristlock Hero to secure the win.

WINNER: Bey Addams (STILL CLOUD GATE CHAMPION)
BY: Pinfall (Wristlock Hero), 11:06

Walking through the arena's backstage area is one of MWE's Academy 2024 class members, MacKenzie. Not having a match on the Dark Web show makes her presence a bit unexpected. However, she came as a guest of Skylynn Reed who, of course, came to cheer on Tiff. However, MacKenzie isn't hanging around that couple at the moment. She walks through the halls to visit the person who, surprisingly, has shown the most interest in helping the 18 year old train and find her potential.

She stops at a locker room door and knocks with her free hand. Her other hand holds a drink carrier with what would appear to be various coffee drinks in it. She's dressed in jeans and a black Jurassic Park t-shirt with a raptor in a pink background around it. Across the top says line from the first movie, “Clever Girl”.

After a brief delay, the door swung open, revealing MWE’s resident Aussie warrior, Echo. She had a fist raised, as if she was expecting a visit from the Band of Nine, but upon seeing Mac she shook her head. She’d clearly been going through her pre-match warmup, with sweat dripping from her messy hair, darkening her gray t-shirt.

Echo, without saying a word, retreated back into the room but left the door open behind her.

Mac:
Um….

Mac looks around for a moment unsure, but takes the open door as an invitation to enter. She offers a slightly nervous smile as she sets the tray of coffee drinks down.

Mac:
There is a peppermint mocha, mocha frappuccino, green tea, strawberry refresher, coconut milk latte, cold brew, caramel macchiato hot chocolate, and plain black coffee.

Still looking at the tray of coffees and not up at Echo, the teen continues rambling.

Mac:
Sorry It's alot, but I wasn't sure what you liked. I thought about texting you, but then I realized I don't have your number… because why would I?

Mac gives the side of her head in a kinda “duh moment” type smack before continuing on and pulls the drinks from the holder onto the table.

Mac:
I started to dm you on Twitter…. Or X… it still feels weird calling it that. But anyway I wasn't sure if I should bother you, but then I again here I am bothering you.

She lets out another nervous laugh and looks upnat Echo who has her arms crossed starting at her.

Mac:
Um, hi…

Thoroughly unimpressed, Echo took a step toward MacKenzie.

Echo:
Listen, kid, I’m a little busy here so if I can help you with something, out with it. If not, ‘preciate the drinks but get the fuck out of here.

She pushed by, taking hold of the plain old coffee, but hesitated with a sigh. She pulled out a chair from the table, taking a seat and motioned for Mac to do the same with a nod of her head.

Echo:
It’s going to be a rough night. You’re a good kid, but tonight is just a bad night for you to be here. You’re going to see a side of me that isn’t going to be pleasant.

Mac:
I know.

She quickly takes a seat.

Mac:
I'm sorry that my timing isn't the best, but it's that side of you that I want to see. I want to see the side that makes everyone scared of you. I can do the cute and adorable thing all day, but how far is that going to take me. I was hoping you might be able to help me find the unpleasant side of me.

She offers a small smile.

Mac:
Obviously, I don't mean like right now but maybe we could talk later. Train together some outside of the time I'm at the academy. Like a mentorship kinda thing. If your OK with it

Echo:
You’re the size of a pomeranian. I don’t think you trying to emulate me is ever going to work. What you need to do is find your way, not copy anyone else’s.

Echo paused, toying with the cup of coffee between her fingers.

Echo:
Maybe avoid cults. Though stepping foot in here put you on their radar, so maybe keep your back against the wall going forward.

Mac:
My family has had enough experience with cults for my lifetime, so no worries there.

Mac lets out a small sigh and stands up.

Mac:
I didn't mean to copy you. I'm not Gards and trying to be your clone. Was just hoping I could pick your brain a bit, but it's cool. Sorry I bothered you. Good luck tonight.

Echo pushed herself away from the table and stood.

Echo:
Listen, I’ll help you with what I can, when I can. Just keep putting in the work and we’ll figure it out later, alright?

She held her hand out, waiting.

Mac:
Deal.

Mac says as she fights back, smiles and takes Echos hand to shake.

Mac:
And I'm not THAT small!!

She sticks her tongue out at Echo and quickly opens the door to leave the locker room.

Echo shook her head, quickly going back to her warmups. She motioned her head, telling MacKenzie to get the hell out a little faster with a smirk on her face. As MacKenzie leaves, the fluorescent lights catches a split-second glimmer in the distance, that of a gold mask - which of course can only mean once thing. The cult member watches MacKenzie leave Echo’s arena like a hawk, staring...but no - it’s no cult member! They lift up the mask to reveal themselves to be none other than Gardiner Eden! She mouths “what the f...” to herself before a detachment of Nine van der Hoek’s cultists round the corner, forcing an undercover Gardiner to quickly fix her mask back into position, turning and joining the group.

MWE Intercontinental Championship
15 Minutes Time Limit

The MWE Intercontinental champion was in the ring, waiting for her opponent. Definitely not an ideal situation for Melody who didn’t have the chance to prepare for this, but she looked ready and confident nonetheless. That changed when Skylynn Reed walked through the curtains, welcomed by a roar of approval from the crowd. The MWE fans were no strangers with the former Valiant star, knowing her for her relationship with the Five Foot Death Machine Tiff Rollins and for being a part of Dark Web IV in a brutal Parking Lot Brawl match against Olly last year where she got injured by the former Academy student. Now fully healed, Reed was back in MWE and with a big chance to add some gold around her waist; all she had to do was beating Melody Lennox in fifteen minutes.
Skylynn started off strong, backing Melody into the ropes and slapping her across the chest. The champion fought back with a headbutt, quickly regaining the ground she had just lost. Back in the middle of the ring, they went face to face, exchanging forearm shots. The sequence ended when Lennox ducked a lariat attempt and clocked Reed in the face with a Pele Kick. The Villainess executed a snapmare and followed with a hard kick to the spine. Sky arched her back in pain and stood up, stumbling into the corner where she quickly ate a running big boot from the Intercontinental champion, but her following cover attempt only gave her a count of one. They continued to trade forearm shots until Skylynn blocked the opponent’s arm and dropped her with a single arm DDT, obtaining the first near fall of the match.
As the match continued, Skylynn seemed to have the upper hand, the element of surprise giving her an edge over the champion, who didn’t have time to prepare for the surprise opponent. The former Valiant star executed a German suplex and delivered kicks to the champ’s head, forcing Mel to a tactical retreat on the outside.The challenger’s daredevil attitude made her take a big risk with a dive to the outside, and she didn’t miss. The crowd got on their feet cheering and clapping their hands as Reed landed on her feet and quickly tossed Lennox back in the ring, preparing for a springboard move. Sky jumped on the top rope and flew toward the champion who, this time, was ready and countered with a dropkick to the chest. Mel now fired back and brought Sky down with a facebuster, followed by a nice springboard leg drop, securing a close near fall. Feeling the momentum switching on her side, Melody kept her offense going, running the ropes to deliver a low dropkick to the side of Sky’s head as she was trying to get up, obtaining another count of two..
The match met the expectations, the pace constantly high as both competitors showed their full arsenal, holding nothing back. Reed planted Lennox with a diving tornado DDT and the champ returned the courtesy a minute later, dropping the challenger on her skull with the signature reverse rana. Both were back on their feet, locking up briefly with Sky getting the upper hand and throwing Lennox onto the mat with an arm drag. The challenger delivered a few stomps to the champ’s chest and shoulder and went to pick her up, ending up getting caught by a quick inside cradle that almost won the match for the VIP of MWE. Melody took a moment to taunt her opponent, pointing out how close she got to beat her and retain. Skylynn wasn’t going to take it and kicked her in the stomach but Mel grabbed her foot, blocking the attempt. She then pushed the leg upward to drop Sky on the canvas but the athletic woman landed on her feet and quickly took the champion down with a clothesline. Urging the opponent to get back to her feet, Reed prepared herself to swing with a big roundhouse, connecting to Mel’s temple and knocking her down. The following cover attempt saw the champion kicking out at the very last second, saving her reign.
Skylynn backed Melody into the corner and hit her with a couple of short-range lariats to wear her down. She then climbed to the middle rope and began to throw some punches to the top of her head. Halfway to the typical ten blows, Lennox reacted by pushing Sky’s legs causing her to lose her footing. The Cali native’s size came in handy on this occasion as the Intercontinental champion was able to slide between Sky’s legs as she dropped face first into the turnbuckle. Melly quickly followed with her patented buckle flatliner and immediately climbed to the top rope, ready to end this with her Crescendo (moonsault double foot stomp). Reed rolled out of the way and quickly stood up, eating another enziguri by the champion who managed to react faster than her opponent. Once again Melody hooked the legs for a deep cover but Reed stayed alive. The two competitors then battled for control, exchanging armdrags, takedowns and holds in an attempt to get the advantage. After almost a minute of back and forth, it all came down to nothing as neither competitor was able to get the upper hand. Sky changed her strategy and went for a sudden superkick, dodged by Lennox with a one handed cartwheel. The Villainess went for a dropkick right away but the challenger saw that coming and took a couple of steps back to avoid the impact. She then quickly grabbed Melly’s legs and fell back, catapulting the Intercontinental champion into the turnbuckle. Once again her quick reflexes saved Lennox who managed to land on the middle rope and jumped back, catching the opponent with a cutter.
[li]The intensity grew even higher as the match entered its last three minutes. Skylynn knew time was of the essence and she relentlessly attacked the champion, pinning her into the corner and throwing a wild flurry of strikes, mostly punches and elbows to the face alternating with the occasional kick to the gut. The referee had to step in and pull her back to stop the onslaught and give Melody a chance to regroup, but Reed went right back on the attack, sending the champion flying with a monkey flip. Lennox’ agility came into play as the Villainess landed on her feet and charged toward the ropes, knocking with a springboard elbow to the face. Someone else might have chosen to waste time and let the clock run down but the VIP of MWE wasn’t going to settle with a time limit draw to retain the title she had chased for so long. Getting back on her feet with a kip up, Melody once again switched gears and pulled out all the stops to get that decisive three count, getting incredibly close to achieve her goal with her Viola D’Amore (Tequila Shot) but Skylynn once again managed to get her shoulder up in time. And speaking of time, before the clock ran to zero there was still room for one last gasp of emotion as the challenger threw the champion into the ropes and obliterated her with a wicked jumping knee to the back of the head on the rebound. Melody barely survived it, kicking out at the very last second. Desperation and frustration seemed to be kicking in with Sky, who literally came an inch away from celebrating her return to the company with some gold. She quickly shrugged those feelings and prepared to deliver the final blow. Unfortunately for her, there wasn’t enough time left. As disappointing and anticlimactic as it may be, the match ended with neither winner nor losers. As a consequence, the belt remained around Melody’s waist.

WINNER: Draw (MELODY LENNOX STILL MWE INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPION)
BY: Time Limit, 15:00

We then head to the locker room where we see Seth taping up his wrists before he’s about to go to war for half an hour. There’s a new scar above his eyebrow, the mark of his previous cage match with Billy Danielson. The face wears a contemplative look as he’s leaning back on the steel chair, his eyes shut for a moment as if he’s visualizing something. There isn’t a smile creeping onto his face, rather a lone frown protruding over it.

Seth Iser:
A 30 minute Iron Person match is what the people want…so be it. I prefer the old school gamesmanship of two out of three falls but I’m content with this selection as well.

There’s a distinct coldness in Seth’s tone as he stays leaning back on the chair, his eyes still haven’t reopened as he’s just in deep thought. You just hear a long deep breath as he seems prepared to go to action.

Seth Iser:
While I don’t like that I’m not in the Battle of the Briefcase final, I accept that loss for what it is. And I do find the irony that we’re fighting here after we had that brief conversation several months ago when you saw yourself on that poster. I thought there’d be more on the line potentially but that’s now how the cards have played it. But…before we go to war for thirty minutes, I’m going to spend some of our valuable time because…I have a few things on my mind.

Yet again, he doesn’t open his eyes but he’s keeping a low tone to his voice. The man is calm even if it does look like a lot is on his mind.

Seth Iser:
A couple thoughts have hit my mind seeing you opposite me, Alice. The first one is a brief reminder of your own family drama and what that would ever mean for my daughter if she decided to fully embark in our industry. Oftentimes the next generation…has to deal with a lot of unsolved issues from the previous one and that isn’t fair to you. It’s a different kind of burden. And like your father…I can tell you I sure as hell haven’t been a saint. In my case…I know I’ve done a lot of what I’ve had to do…in order to survive.

You can hear a sigh come out of his lips as he finally opens his eyes, lowering his head with a solemn look thinking on this thought.

Seth Iser:
No matter what the child does in the industry, their formative years have them linked permanently to the previous one just because of where they come from. It happens all the time in our profession even after you decided not to take the last name of the previous generation. It sure as hell isn’t fair to my daughter Allison nor is it really fair for you but unfortunately the sins of the father far too often come back upon the child. Even if you do everything in your power to be different, there will always be some in the industry that’ll make that link no matter what. It’ll be something that’s going to follow you the first few years of your career. But it seems you’re moving forward. I commend you for that. Truly, I do.

You can see his eyes show a little more of that known determination going through his eyes. Even through the scars and a face that looks older than his age with the graying hair, the rest of his body sans that bulky knee braced left knee seems like it’s in phenomenal shape; looking younger than the rest of himself. The determination is turning into…a familiar intensity.

Seth Iser:
And now here you are about to participate in the semi main event on pay per view in front of a global audience taking on…me. I know several other people have called me a Living Legend but the truth of the matter is…the more I think on that label, the more I don’t like it. A legend implies that my best days are behind me. That I can no longer wrestle at the level I once did…that I can’t compete at an elite level anymore. No…anybody that truly knows professional wrestling knows that this is bullshit. I’m the same man who went nearly a god-damned hour at the Gold Rush Rumble in a bid to show where I still stood with many people in that company targeting me specifically. And lately between that, this briefcase, and even that battle royal over in FGA. And the more that kind of result happens, the more I feel…saddled with that legend name. I’m not a legend. Not yet. I’m still one of the best in the world to this god damned day! For as much of a negative as my last name can bring, nobody can deny then and now that the name Iser truly means something in our industry. And it’s going to mean more in the future…so much more when I accomplish even more than I already have. There’s a reason why people feel a certain level of anxiety when they see MY name opposite them…

You can actually see the vein pop up on Iser’s neck and more showing on his arms. He’s actually…for the first time in a while seemingly agitated. The glare has more fire then ice now as he’s staring through it.

Seth Iser:
But there’s no greater teacher…then defeat. I’ve had to relearn and reform my style to deal with things I can no longer do but it’s made me master the things I can. The moveset continues to be tweaked and updated over the years. But I’ve found new ways to improve my physical attributes as well…who knew that renting out a cabin in Colorado and climbing a different mountain everyday would be a fantastic thing for your wind when it was also a soul helping experience eh? Grew a hell of a beard too then but Rebecca likes the shorter beard better so that went…regardless I still have that old football strength background and I might not win many forty yard dashes or do a backflip worth a damn… but I sure as hell have that same football one step explosiveness that never left me when I played football in my youth and will knock your head off with that lariat I cultivated in Japan years and years ago.

Other than the scar, it seems Seth has focused on the past year on healing nagging injuries and seems…like he’s back to the peak condition he was in just before he won the MWE World Title. Maybe even better considering his mind…

Seth Iser:
There shouldn’t be any doubt on my physical condition…I know Alice Wagner doesn’t. But…to call this match merely a physical challenge does a disservice to what we’re about to step into. It’s not just a test of physical conditioning…it’s another form of human chess. You have to plan for multiple different ways to defeat somebody within a time limit. You can’t just rely on just one set up…one way to finish someone off. You have to think of every variable, every counter, every possible long and short term strategy involved in those long thirty minutes. And nobody knows how to break someone down throughout a given time limit better than me…and make you feel like you’ve wrestled longer than the allotted time given.

And now there’s an actual shark like grin creeping on Iser’s face as he’s recounting that as fact. He finally stands up and you get a true sense of scale that he’s this tall, lean 6’5 that’s well put together.

Seth Iser:
Alice, you don’t have the experience to do that. Not yet. Hell kid, I’ve been wrestling longer than you’ve been alive and no amount of training or second generation instincts will ever fully compensate for that. There will be a day where you’ll be up to this kind of mental challenge…I guess you have to hope your physical gifts will be enough to compensate for this kind of hurdle. That’s your best bet…and it’s a good one. Just…I don’t think it’ll be enough.

He shakes his head as he states this but you can feel the confidence bordering on arrogance seeping through.

Seth Iser:
I have a statement to make…you’re the messenger more or less. Nothing personal. And one day…few years down the line you’ll have a better chance to have a mind sharp enough to deal with the obstacle in front of you. But today is not that day. I am Seth Iser…I am the one who reinvented the wheel that so many of the gannets today borrow from and you’ll get the full playbook on how and why I’ve made my name and been so great at the art of professional wrestling since before you were born. It’s because…I never stop learning. And you’re going to get thirty minutes of some of the best learning experiences of your life. Just don’t conflate this with having a chance in hell of beating me…you’ll have your day. Just not today.

With that last statement, Iser exits the locker room and it seems like he’s ready to go for this Iron Person match.

I Quit Match

Nine van der Hoek VS Echo

Echo and Nine van der Hoek have never been a fan of each other, but things really took a turn for the worse when the Leader abducted the Australian’s sister, the recently graduated from The Academy Brighton Lancaster. Tonight wasn’t a simple match, and that was clear from the very beginning. The commentary team was still making the introductions when the titantron flickered to light, showing an ongoing brawl in the backstage area of the TicketPro Dome. The once guarded door to Nine’s locker room was knocked off its hinges, two masked cultists laying sprawled on the floor, motionless. The camera peeked inside, where all hell had broken loose. The room was absolutely trashed: pieces of broken furniture scattered all over and a dented locker, with a Saoirse Tyrell laying next to it. Echo was crouched over Nine, punching her into the ground. Erin Marie Paige slowly stood to her feet and immediately rushed to rescue her Leader, kicking Echo in the back and giving Nine a chance to escape, which she gladly took. The Dutch managed to leave her locker room, stumbling out in the hallway while Erin did her best to contain Echo’s fury, pushing the former Invictus champion into the iron locker before dropping her onto the ripped off door with a DDT.
Unfortunately for Nine, EMP wasn’t much of a match for the Australian, who soon managed to dispose of the former musician and once again began to chase her rival, reaching her in proximity to the Gorilla position. Echo’s strong hand clenched on Nine’s shoulder, stopping her march. The Australian then tossed her into a pile of crates with all her might and charged toward her, looking to obliterate the Frisian Demon with a big boot. The Dutch moved out of the way at the very last second and avoided disaster, watching the tower of crates getting knocked over by the sheer force of the Aussie’s kick. Echo felt the impact as well, a wince of pain forming on her stoic face for a brief moment as she reached down to touch the injured leg. Van der Hoek noticed it and took advantage, kicking her on the thigh and taking her down with a dragon screw legwhip. The Leader then pushed one of the crates down onto the floored opponent but Echo managed to roll out of the way and avoided getting her leg crushed and possibly shattered under the heavy weight. She couldn’t avoid the following series of stomps that Nine delivered to her knee, a ruthless sequence to damage the former champion’s leg and hinder her mobility. And it seemed to work seeing how when Nine began to drag her opponent through the curtain and down the ramp, Echo was visibly limping.
The two competitors exchanged chops and punches all the way to the ring, much to the delight of the bloodthirsty South African fans.The vast majority of them was cheering for Echo, and the few who seemed to enjoy whenever Nine was getting the upper hand were most likely her followers in disguise. The duo finally arrived to the ring where the referee was waiting for them to officially start a contest that, in reality, had been going on for a good five minutes already. His pleas to stop fighting and get in the ring fell on deaf ears as neither competitor seemed interested in slowing down and give the other a chance to catch a breath. Nine was targeting the opponent’s leg, figuring that all this damage would give her an opportunity to force Echo to say the infamous two words whenever she decided to put her into one of her many submissions later on the match. So she chose to throw the Australian into the steel steps but Echo managed to avoid impact by throwing herself forward and leaning with her arms on the steps. Even though her plan failed, Nine tried to follow up but she ate an elbow to the face instead. Echo turned around and clocked her with a closed punch to the jaw, rocking the Leader. Her eyes lit up with a twisted light as she folded the opponent in two with a kick to the stomach and set her up for a powerbomb through the announcer’s table. An instant later, Echo was once again on top of Nine, raining down stiff forearm strikes to her face.
Never before in the two years Nine has been with the company have we seen her in such difficulty. Echo was bigger, stronger and even more intense than her, not to mention that backstage assault gave the Aussie a huge advantage. All these factors put the Frisian Demon in a difficult spot, so much that the referee (who in the meantime ordered for the bell to ring out of frustration) asked her if she wanted to quit. He almost got punched in the face by Echo who, regardless of what Nine’s answer would have been, didn’t seem to be satisfied with the punishment inflicted to her rival. But van der Hoek wasn’t going to quit. Instead she kept struggling to get out of that unfavorable predicament, managing ro slip one arm out from under Echo’s body and going for her eyes, raking her face and finally getting some separation. Nine crawled back in the ring, likely the safest place to deal with this hyper-aggressive version of the former Junior Heavyweight champion, and used this time to recover. Battered, bruised and bleeding from her mouth, the Leader prepared herself for the second wave of the onslaught. As Echo leaned in through the ropes to enter the ring, Nine kicked the middle one into her inner thigh, causing the Aussie to trip over. More stomps to the leg and ankle followed, with Nine using the bottom rope as a fulcrum to twist and bend her leg in an unnatural way, causing Echo to scream in agony.
Finally the pace slowed down. The intensity though, that didn’t simmer down, it just changed form. Nine van der Hoek was now flaunting her technical prowess with a series of excruciating submission holds aiming at Echo’s injured leg, topping it with frequent punches and kicks to the limb whenever possible. To add insult to injury, the Dutch woman taunted her opponent by saying that her sister will be seeing Echo quitting tonight, giving up not only on the match but on her as well. This lit the proverbial fire in Echo who powered her way out of the leg lock with a remarkable feat of strength. The damage was done, that leg was in pretty bad shape, the Australian looked in pain whenever she put weight on it and she appeared to be moving at half speed. But her willingness to fight and thirst for revenge weren’t affected, still strong enough to push her through the pain to bring the fight to the Dutch. A ring-rattling spinebuster marked the turning point of the match, leaving Nine flattened and buying Echo some time to recover. The Aussie then left the ring and grabbed a steel chair, using it to carry on her revenge.
Countless strikes were delivered to the torso and back of Nine in a somewhat uncomfortable display of violence. The referee seemed tempted in a couple of occasions to step in and interrupt this massacre but the only person who could put an end to Nine’s suffering was the Dutchwoman herself, and despite everything she didn’t seem to be considering that option. Quite the contrary, she found the strength to fight back with a weak kick to Echo’s knee. It didn’t look like a significant impact, but it was enough to make Echo falter and lose a step. When the Australian resumed the onslaught, the Leader rolled out of the ring. Echo went to chase her but Nine once again seemed to be one step ahead and swept her legs off, causing the former Junior Heavyweight champion to fall heavily on the apron.Holding her by the foot, Nine dragged Echo toward the corner and began to slam her leg into the steel post. With a wicked grin on her face, Nine then applied a figure four around the post, a move that would be considered illegal in normal circumstances, but tonight there were no rules and the only way Echo could get out of this was by finding a way to escape or giving up.
Somehow, the Australian found her second wind and managed to take back control, planting Nine on top of her skull with a DDT. Exhausted, she crawled to the corner and tore off the protective pad, exposing the steel underneath and introducing it to Nine’s head. Once, twice, three times the Leader’s head connected with the exposed steel, cutting her skin and causing her to start bleeding. Echo wasn’t satisfied and picked her opponent up, sitting her on the top rope. Nine looked out of it, unable to fight back as Echo climbed up as well and picked her up for seemingly a superplex. But the Aussie’s intentions were far more wicked, her hatred for the Frisian Demon so big that there was no length she wasn’t willing to go to end the threat she represented once and for all. Not a superplex but a brainbuster on the exposed turnbuckle was what Echo had in store, a devastating move that left Nine sprawled on the floor, motionless. The Arena plunged into a heavy silence, the image looked way too similar to the one we were left with at the end of last year’s tag match at On Thin Ice; Nine’s still body and her opponent (Trinity back then, Echo tonight), sitting next to it. One year ago Nine was sidelined for several months due to a neck injury, tonight she stopped the referee from calling the match. “I…. Don’t…. Quit…” She said, her voice barely a whisper. Yet, the message was clear and the official, contrary to his better judgment, had no choice but to allow the match to continue. Echo seemed unfazed and not at all moved with compassion: if anything, she looked determined to end it once and for all. She wrapped the chair around Nine’s head and prepared to jump on it, not really caring about snapping her neck in the process. Before she could do that, Soairse came to the rescue, sliding inside the ring and whacking the Australian with a chair shot to the head, knocking her down.
The first thing Soairse did was checking on her Leader and getting the chair away from around her neck. Nine gave her a nod and slowly made it back to her feet, walking up to Echo who was beginning to stir. The Dutch kicked the chair out of Echo’s reach, delivering a vicious punt kick to her skull to keep her down. Van der Hoek then grabbed the opponent’s arm and dragged her toward the corner, sitting her against the middle turnbuckle. Things took a dark turn when Tyrell pulled out a set of manacles, which the Leader used to tie Echo to the ring post. The Australian was now at the mercy of Nine, who wickedly stomped on the injured leg as she leaned closer to her face, whispering something inaudible to her ear. She then turned and nodded at Saoirse who in turn looked over at the entrance stage and made some unmistakable gestures at someone to come in. Out came Erin Marie Paige, followed by a couple of masked cultists dragging Brighton’s semi-unconscious body. This lit once again a fire of vengeance inside Echo who started squealing and yelling in a desperate attempt to break free. But those manacles held her firmly in place, and a kick to the jaw momentarily cooled down that fire.
Brighton was brought inside the ring, her blonde locks dirty and disheveled, bruises covering her tired face and the same signs of torture that were visible on Trinity’s body after spending weeks in captivity in the Cult’s grasp present on her torso and back too. The cultists forced her down on her knees right in front of her sister, each of them holding one arm to keep her in position and snuff any (unlikely) act of rebellion. The former Academy student was forced to watch the Leader torture and hurt the woman she looked up to in an attempt to break her and make her quit. But Echo wasn’t about to give her that satisfaction, refusing to give up. Seeing how she was more likely to break the Australian’s leg before she could break her spirit, Nine took a step back and looked at Brighton. That stoic look on her face shifted for a moment into a twisted and unsettling grin as she grabbed the chair that was still on the floor. “Put her down.” She told Saoirse who quickly obliged. placing her boot on the back of Brighton’s head and stomping her face into the canvas. The Frisian Demon then proceeded to stick the Academy graduate’s head into the folded chair, in the exact same way Echo did to her before Tyrell came to the rescue. The former Invictus champion began to yell insults and kick at Nine, stretching her body without being able to hit her. Trinity and Tiana rushed out to stop the Band Of Nine from their evil intentions, but they got swarmed by a number of cultists preventing them from getting to the ring. Nine raised her leg, ready to stomp on the chair and snap Lancaster’s neck, possibly ending her career before it would even start. “I QUIT!” Echo’s voice boomed in the TicketPro Dome filled with anger and frustration. The bell rang, the match was over. Nine bursted out laughing, seemingly satisfied with the outcome: she may have failed to break her physically, but finding a weakness in the Aussie’s badass persona and exposing the soft spot she has for her sister was still a big win in her book. The Leader then tossed the key to Echo’s manacles next to Brighton and, flanked by EMP and Saoirse, left the ring, heading backstage. As she walked part Trinity and Tiana, who were still being held back by the cultists, the former XIX World Champion Thompson yelled her anger at the Frisian Demon, shouting all sorts of insults and even spitting on her face, which got a number of cultists to react with kicks and punches. Van der Hoek didn’t bother with her and kept walking, disappearing behind the curtain.

WINNER: Nine van der Hoek
BY: Echo Quitting, 24:49

Backstage, the camera picks up on the unusual sight of the Agora Network trailer, loaded with media equipment being used by the sound engineers and production team

Jackie Fowler:
Jackson Lorenzo Fowler, silent as a lamb… Who would have thunk it, eh?

Came the voice of the Bastard of Bowland, giving some of his first words on camera within MWE since he debuted in the company a year ago. He was stood there in his ring gear, powder blue boxing style trunks, his offensive looking fishnet top and a rebellious bomber jacket pair with a grey flat cap. The loudmouth Brit had that cocky, surefire grin on his face, knowing that he had the people’s attention after giving his first words in months.

Jackie Fowler:
It’s a bit weird, innit? I’ve shown up at this show, the next show, across the whole damn world and still didn’t say boo to a goose. Not one interview, not one career smashing promo, not a single explosive put down. Not. One. Word. At. All.

His hand gestures were rapid, clapping as he put focus on those last few words, and his eyes glared into the camera. He parked himself on one of the crates, no one else in sight, as he leaned forward slightly, speaking slow and purposefully.

Jackie Fowler:
Now why would that be? Afterall, this Bastard over here is well, well documented for lashing out at the system, smashing the opponents verbally and out and out rinsing every tom, dick, harry and extra tiny dick that wanders this path thinkin’ they got inches. I’ve hit people that hard that a bunch rounded up into the National Butthurt Brigade and started a round table social group to cry to each other about how their feelings were hurt. It got so fuckin’ bad, that a number of them actually went to their general manager to complain. Not about me actions in the ring, I play by the rules. Not about match interference, I don’t do that shite. Not about cheating the system, I stick by the letter of the law. No, they went and complained and cried and whined and balled their eyes out about what I said about them in their interviews… And then tried to get me banned from saying anything about them over the air.

Jackie exhaled, seemingly getting numerous things off his chest as the weight of the world lifted up off of his shoulders. He pulled out his trusty Eleaf branded e-cig, taking a long toke on the box mod before billowing out a plume of greyish white vapour, fogging up the screen for a moment before he let out a little laugh.

Jackie Fowler:
I hit harder than Ricky Gervais giving an awards show truthbomb with his golden globes swinging low while singing Sweet Chariot. That’s just what I do.

Fowler let out a little chuckle, taking another toke on his e-cig before sliding it discreetly into his side pocket, the number one contender for the World Title shrugging his shoulders before he carried on with his speech.

Jackie Fowler:
So for the Bastard to have taken a vow of silence, it’s gotta be a big reason, innit? After all, most of you would be screaming to high heaven if you’ve done what I’ve done. Smacked around two of the most psychotic gingers in the biz, Angelica Jones and Kimmy Williams, part of the legendary Jones fam. This bellend has gone bell to bell in not one, but two elimination chamber matches, one of which was at Red Line in the main event to earn this opportunity tonight. I’ve won extreme titles, pure titles, tag titles, national titles, continental titles, titles made of titles and titles with big brass bells on.

As Jackie paused, the commentators spoke over quietly, mentioning that he was right. He’d won practically every type of championship there was, including many top titles in massive companies. But he had never won a World Championship, not a recognised one like MWE, and Jackie had always fallen at the final hurdle in places like ECWF, HKW and HELL.

Jackie Fowler:
But sometimes, shouting to the rafters ain’t the right thing to do. Sometimes, bigging yourself up ain’t the way to go. Sometimes, resting, training, rehabbing and keeping yourself to yourself after going through fucking hell is the best way about doing your business. And fuck, Red Line shelved me for a good couple of months. I didn’t look like a winner despite getting me arm raised back in La La Land for Red Line. But fuck me, did I feel like it. But doing that, accomplishing the seemingly impossible, I knew exactly where that would lead me. And it’s right here, right now, and exactly where I wanted to be. Face to face with the Head of the Division…

Fowler hopped off of the crate, his eyes casting to the left for a moment, as if he had his eye on something just out of shot. It wasn’t all too clear what it was, but he pulled out his phone and snapped a quick picture of whatever it was.

Jackie Fowler:
Now many of you, shit, practically all of you will say I’m a bit of a mad twatter for wanting this. Given the track record for them, given how Savell, a man I am well familiar with, handles his business. Definitely considering the stipulation and the effect they are having on MWE itself. Madness, they say. A raving loony, they call me. Bat shit crazy, others shout. Massive cock, everyone agrees. But I’m the lad known for bucking the system, and I ain’t daunted by the task or the challenge. Shit, I once sat in the home end of Anfield wearing the blue moon and weren’t put off.

The Bastard grinned, giving the camera a wink before the Brit carried on with his cool, calm speech.

Jackie Fowler:
But there are two things that make people wonder. One, how did the Division get all of their resources to turn MWE into their personal playground? And two, how the hell do you stop them? Well I got the answer to both, but Jackie lad here has been keeping shush for a reason, so I ain’t spilling the beans on the former. But as for the latter, I know exactly what to do here. And it’s something I have done before with big boss Julian Savell. A man who has never, ever beaten me.

It was no secret that Savell and Fowler had a past, once teaming together before battling it out for a chance for glory. On that occasion, it was the Bastard that had won. And Fowler’s confidence was showing. Despite the odds, he had never lost to Savell, and he had no intentions of making a start on that tonight.

Jackie Fowler:
You aim for the head… and not only that, Julian Savell is gonna get his fucking head kicked in. Savvy?

And with that, Jackie Fowler walked on from the camera’s view, getting ready to go one on one with the champion in the infamous Texas style Deathmatch.

30 Minutes Iron Person Match

Seth Iser VS Alice Wagner

Two different generations, a twenty-plus year gap between the veteran Seth Iser and the former Academy student Alice Wagner. And while it may not be the first time Seth had to step in the ring with someone the same age as his daughter, this one seemed to have a different flair For once, Alice may have only half a dozen matches under her belt, but she already proved her worth in each of them, holding prestigious wins against former champions like Karen Eldon and Kimberly Williams, not to mention that she beat Iser in a tag match a few weeks ago. And then there was her attitude, respectful of both the opponent and the sport itself which represented a nice change of pace from most young and talented rookies. Another interesting point was the clash of styles: power versus speed, sure, but also tradition versus innovation. And finally, the contrast of personalities. The Dirtiest Player In The Game, a man who built a career taking advantage of situations unafraid of taking shortcuts against what can be considered a “black swan” in the industry, a young woman who refuses to benefit from any sort of advantages, favoring a loss over a cheap victory.With all that said, the fans knew they were in for a classic, a potential MOTY in the making. It started with Alice looking for a handshake, like she always does. Iser didn’t shy from it, if anything so that he could take a cheap shot with a kick to the gut. A trues student of the game, Wagner was expecting this from the veteran and grabbed his foot, immediately swinging the leg backward causing him to fall on his face. She then darted to the ropes and connected a low dropkick to the side of the head before trying a quick pinning predicament with a magistral cradle. The Deity Of Destruction was taken completely off guard, but he was still able to power out just in the nick of time.
After the initial scare, Seth took control, bringing the fight down on the mat where his experience and strength allowed him to keep in check the younger opponent and curtail her enthusiasm. An Iron Man Match is more akin to a marathon than a sprint, and Seth knew that he couldn’t possibly keep up with Alice’s pace for the whole thirty minutes, and took a couple to put Wagner in a prolonged headlock, teaching her a couple of things about controlling the opponent. Always the fast learner, Alice eventually managed to slip out of the veteran’s iron grip and regain a vertical position, charging in for an attack. Seth caught her with a hip toss but she landed on her feet and surprised the veteran with a kick to the thigh, followed by a big enziguri that rocked Seth, causing him to stumble toward the ropes. Alice ran in that direction and just leaped over the top rope to land on the apron right in front of the former World champion to blast him with a forearm strike to the jaw. Once again the veteran staggered a couple of steps back, enough to allow Wagner to leap back inside the ring and plant him with a slingshot DDT, only worth another count of two.
So far, Alice was able to always stay one step ahead, her meticulous study of Seth’s moveset was paying its dividends allowing her to maintain constant pressure on the Deity Of Destruction, forcing him on the defensive. Despite the unfavorable early part of the match Iser kept his cool and waited for the right opportunity to strike back. The occasion eventually came as he caught the running prodigy and picked her up, driving her onto his stretched out knee with a brutal backbreaker. He then focused on that body part, dropping a couple of knees on her spine and then lifting her with a bear hug. The young girl struggled to free her arms from the strong grip and clapped them on Seth’s head, breaking free from the hold. Before Alice could attack, the Morgantown Mauler hit her with a quick jab to the chin. A second one followed, his posture and movements all pointing at one of his classic combinations. There came the third jab, after which Seth spun around and went for a devastating discus clothesline. The downside with trademark moves one has been doing for decades was that the opponent would likely know what’s coming. And that was the case tonight, as Alice ducked under the clothesline and grabbed the extended arm with both hands.She then jumped and wrapped her legs around the other arm, taking the veteran down on the mat with a crucifix pin. Once again caught off guard by the opponent’s quick wit and unpredictability, Seth tried to kick out before the three, but this time he failed to do so.(Iser 0 - Wagner 1 12:02)
The initial balance had now been disrupted, the scale tipped in the former student’s favor but neither Seth nor Alice seemed too concerned with that in one way or the other. Focus and determination visible on their tense faces, both aware that there was still too much time on the clock for this fall to be decisive. They locked up once again, Seth’s size and strength giving him the upper hand although Alice was able to counter and put him in a front face lock, trying to cut off the air flow and wear him down. Not a problem for the veteran, who began to work his way out of it, soon getting another sample of Alice’s talent and craftiness as she quickly transitioned into a side headlock. The former World champion had to sweat a little bit to top her submission game and regain control, eventually finding his way into a headlock of his own. Alice tried to shove him away but he planted his weight down and resisted, throwing the young opponent on the mat with a side suplex. That was only the first of an array of throws from the grizzled veteran as he fished from his immense repertoire to rag-doll the former student. Honorable mentions in his impressive display of technical prowess for a pumphandle version and a devastating Tiger suplex, but unfortunately for him, Seth wasn’t able to capitalize as Alice rolled out of the ring before he could pin her, showing great ring awareness despite the young age.
Seth chased Wagner out of the ring, reaching her with a clubbing blow to the back that almost knocked the former student down on her knees. Each one of the chops he then hit her with was followed with a booming “WOOOOO” by the sold out crowd who was really into this match. Grabbing her by the multi-colored hair, Iser then attempted to slam her face into the apron but Wagner blocked the attempt with both hands on the edge of the ring. With a quick upward movement of her elbow Alice rocked Seth and created a bit of separation. SHe then jumped on the apron and measured the distance for an Asai moonsault attempt, but the former MWE World Champion was quick to take a step toward her and grab her leg as soon as she jumped, slamming her unceremoniously on the apron. It was a brutal that impact knocked Alice loopy, and Seth was happy to capitalize on it by rolling her under the bottom rope and hooked her leg for a cover. That may not have been enough to keep Alice down, but the following Deprivation DDT surely did the trick, securing Seth the point that tied the total count of falls to one each. (Iser 1 - Wagner 1 18:33)
The second generation wrestler was having a hard time recovering from that, not being able to find the break she needed to turn the tides of the match in her favor. All this was playing right into Seth’s hands, allowing the veteran to stay in full control. The master strategist set a slow pace that allowed him to wear down Alice with direct hard blows and high impact moves aimed at the head and neck of the young wrestler. Whenever Wagner showed a spark of life and attempted a comeback, feeding on the love and energy of the very supportive South African fans, he was quick to shut her down, switching to some chokehold variation. Eventually the Academy graduate found an opening and landed a few kicks to the older man’s side, causing him to wince in pain. This was the opening she needed, and she sprinted to the ropes to add some momentum and speed behind her next strike. She was met with a big spear from Seth, not a move you see the Morgantown Mauler pull every day but, perhaps for this very reason, one that was quite effective. Alice rolled on the canvas holding her ribs in pain, using the ropes to pick herself up. Iser was right there waiting for her, wrapping his strong arms around her head and putting her into a sleeper hold. Wagner begin to squirm, flailing her arms around as she gasped for air. You could see the desperation creeping up in her gaze as the life force was being squeezed out of her. She was trapped in the hold for a good half minute, and there seemed to be only one possible outcome for this situation, one where she would concede the fall to the opponent and use whatever time was left to recover and attempt another assault. But right in that moment, when all hope seemed to be gone and giving up seemed to be the only option left, a moment of clarity hit the young wrestler. You could see her eyes shining with a renewed spark as she darted toward the nearby corner. Iser was caught off guard by this sudden reaction and couldn’t hold her back, although he maintained his hold. Alice raised her right leg, pressing her foot on the middle turnbuckle. She did the same with the left too, pushing backward with all the strength she had left, falling on the canvas on top of Seth and causing him to lose his grip.Surprisingly, driven by adrenaline and desperation alone, Alice was the first back on her feet, and that gave her the opportunity to duck Seth’s punch and slide behind his back. She jumped, raising both knees onto his back, falling back into a backstabber. There was a loud pop as the fans realized this being the prelude to the Severed Wings. With the usual smoothness and elegance Alice transitioned into the Dragon Sleeper. Unfortunately, the sudden boost of energy that helped her escape the submission ran out and she couldn’t hold her grip, allowing her opponent to escape rather easily.
Quite the wake up call for Seth whose eyes focused briefly on his opponent with a curious look, a mix of shock and relief. It was only a fleeting moment before he switched back to his competitive setting, well aware that despite the close call, he had the young Hardy on the ropes. It was time to strike the iron while it was hot and bring the match home with less than ten minutes to go. To do that he relied on his strength, putting Alice through the grinder with a series of uppercuts and some of the most devastating moves in his arsenal. To give credit where it was due, Wagner proved that she could take a lot of punishment, her will to fight and passion kept her afloat during this storm. She survived the pendulum backbreaker and the Pillar Of Truth, but she had to raise the white flag when the veteran connected a half nelson suplex transitioning into the Dream Eater. The tap out was immediate this time, coming as soon as the submission was locked in. The suspicion that she did that on purpose to spare enough time for one last attempt at evening the score was legit, and you can bet a veteran like Seth knew it as well. Quite possibly, he would even commend the decision, likely the same one he would have made in this situation. (Iser 2 - Wagner 1 24:23)
With only five minutes left, you’d expect the young rookie to go all in trying to score that fall, but Alice wasn’t going to charge headfirst and expose herself to the veteran’s counterattack. The sense of urgency was visible as she went for some big moves like her downward roundhouse kick/running knee strike to the side of the head combination, but she was always keeping her guard up, careful not to leave any opening to the former World Champion. For his part, Seth was playing defense, although he didn’t seem to mind going for the killing blow whenever the opportunity presented itself. After doubling Alice over with a knee to the gut, he went for his ultimate finisher, the Black Magic piledriver but the young girl was able to get away and kicked him hard behind the knee, causing him to buckle.and give her the opportunity to follow with a facebreaker, but the veteran raised his shoulder at the very last second. At this point you could see the disappointment on the young girl’s face. This might have been her last and best chance to equalize, as the clock now signaled only a little over two minutes left.
At this point, Seth switched to a defensive stance, knowing that time was on his side. He tried to keep himself away from the opponent’s offense, repelling her attacks and dodging her strikes. Wagner looked exhausted and almost desperate, for the first time in her young career running out of ideas and without a clear strategy. That made her attacks reckless and opened her to Seth’s final assault. Once again the choice fell on the Black Magic as the final nail on the coffin, a way to make a statement and, at the same time, a testament to the opponent’s worth, a nod of respect in some way. He rocked her with a heavy jab and turned her upside down for the piledriver, but right then with her back against the wall, Alice found a stroke of brilliance. Swinging her leg, she kicked Seth on the top of his skull, causing him to drop her on the floor. The landing wasn’t pretty, she still got dropped on her head and neck, but the impact was far less hard than what the former MWE World Champion had planned. She stood back to her feet and ducked under his punch, sliding between his legs and grabbing his ankles, trying to use the momentum to pin his shoulders to the mat. But Iser resisted and reached down, grabbing her by the neck with both hands and pulling her back to her feet, right in front of him. He went for a discus lariat but once again Alice ducked the blow, hooking his arms and bending forward for a backslide pin. As the referee got in position and started to count, the Academy graduated bridged over the veteran’s body, adding more weight to her pinning predicament and securing the fall. With only four seconds left on the clock. (Iser 2 - Wagner 2 29:56)
The joy for seeing the young and talented teenager tying the score with Seth Iser at the end of an incredible and emotional match quickly faded and turned into boos of disappointment as the bell rang, ending the thirty minute mark. Seth’s stoic expression relaxed, and for the briefest moment a smirk appeared on his face. Sure, not winning always leaves a bitter taste in your mouth, but that was somehow mitigated by the circumstances. He acknowledged one more time his opponent with a nod and left the ring, leaving Alice soaking in the applause of the fans. The former student looked particularly emotional, on top of being clearly exhausted. She asked the ring announcer for a microphone and, after wiping off some sweat and maybe a single tear as well, she raised it to her lips. “Seth, please… Hold on a second.” She spoke, stopping the veteran on his tracks. “I just want to say thank you. I haven’t told this to anyone yet, and trust me… It’s not easy. This was my final match in MWE and I couldn’t ask for a better opponent to say goodbye to this incredible crowd.” The reaction to those words was inevitably negative, a mix of disappointment and incredulity. Even on the short time she had been on the main roster, Alice made a remarkable impression on the fans thanks to her talent and work ethic. “I will forever be thankful to this company for sparking back my love for wrestling, to Gianluigi and all The Academy staff for everything they did for me, to miss Grace van Beek, Mr. Moretti and Mr. BROOKFORD for the opportunities they gave me since graduation, and to everyone I faced in MWE for pushing me to the limit and teaching me valuable lessons. And last but not least, I‘m grateful for every single one of you. Your support means everything to me.” The crowd replied with a loud round of applause, pushing the emotional Alice almost on the verge of tears. “I wish this company and everyone in it all the best, but I believe it’s best for me to move on. It’s the toughest decision I had to make in my life but I have my reasons for it. I don’t want to take too much time from you, and besides this is not the place to lodge complaints. For me, a wrestling ring is sacred ground, it’s where passion and dreams shape into reality and that’s what it should be reserved for.” She had to stop briefly to wait for the cheers to die down. “My dream is to compete against the best wrestlers in the industry. Up to a point, wins and losses hardly even matter to me as long as I can test my skills and see where I stand compared to the top talents, and what I can improve to get to that level. A thirty minute draw against a former World champion? Boy that’s huge, it’s much more than I could’ve dreamt of. And yet, I can’t help but feel disappointed. I’m with you guys…” She added, echoing the crowd’s sentiment. “We didn’t fight for half an hour to split the glory 50/50. I don’t give a damn if I walk out of this match and MWE on my back, but these fans deserve to see a winner tonight and quite frankly? So we do, Seth. So whatcha say, do you feel like getting back in the ring and go for another round? Sudden death rules, first fall wins.” The idea seemed to be sitting particularly well with the Johannesburg fans, but it still needed Seth to be on board to become reality. The veteran looked at the younger opponent, then at the referee and back at Alice. Even without a microphone, everyone could still hear his reply. “It’s not our call, kid.”. There was a hint of disappointment in his voice, he likely would have liked to continue the match but only one of the higher-ups had the power to make that decision. Introduce Vincent Moretti. “But it is mine.” The Riot General Manager said from the entrance stage, eliciting a roar from the sold out crowd. “We’re in a bit of time constraints but… Fuck it. Ref, ring the damn bell!”
Alice looked as happy as ever, a big smile painted on her face as she waited for Iser to get back in the ring. She even thanked both him and Moretti before assuming the fighting stance and beginning to circle around Seth. Not sure if it was just the short break or the adrenaline coursing through their veins, but this extra time was just as intense as the early minutes of the contest. Neither of them was holding anything back, the action keeping the fans on the edge of their seats cheering for their favorite and ready to jump when a pinfall attempt was made. Wagner came close to the upset but surely deserved win with a flurry of kicks that left Seth dazed and caused him to Flair flop face down on the canvas. At that point the former student went for a curb stomp, but the veteran survived thanks to his great ring awareness as he simply placed his foot on the bottom rope. The same ring awareness was shown by Alice a couple of minutes later when she rolled under the bottom rope to avoid getting pinned after being dropped on her neck with a snap dragon suplex. Iser reached and tried to suplex her back inside the ring but it was Alice who, instead, was able to pull him out. They traded blows on the apron, and for the first time in this match Iser seemed to be running low on energy, losing ground strike after strike. At the same time, Alice’s confidence kept growing with every passing second, every punch and kick she connected was seemingly giving her more strength and faith in her ability. A high kick to the temple left the former champion dazed, defenseless against whatever Wagner was going to do to him next. Or so she thought. She turned her back to the champion and ran toward the corner, stepping onto it to fly backward with a spectacular moonsault. Iser caught her in mid air and, after slightly adjusting her position, dropped her on her head with a devastating Black Magic on the apron. There was a moment of absolute silence as Alice laid down motionless, her body limp while Seth pushed her inside the ring and made the cover. The silence was only interrupted by the thuds of the referee’s hand hitting the canvas. Once, twice, three times.

WINNER: Seth Iser
BY: 3-2, 36:16

As the commentary team was running down the Tale Of The Tape between the two contenders for the World championship, the epic notes of Ennio Morricone's "The Ecstasy Of Gold" began to blare out of the loudspeakers, anticipating a rare appearance of MWE's owner Grace van Beek. The hometown girl was truly dressed to the nines, showcasing a long black haute couture dress and designer shoes that cost way more than anyone in attendance would make in a year. But even though such ostentatious display of wealth may look offensive to a degree, the South African crowd cheered loudly for their compatriot who brought one of the marquee events of MWE events here in Johannesburg, gifting the local crowd with two nights of incredible wrestling.

Grace van Beek:
I do not remember ever receivng such a warm reaction when I started wrestling in JCP, or in any pubblic apperance before that. But it does feel nice to feel welcome, back where it all started seven years ago.

Standing in the middle of the ring, surrounded as always by her personal security detail, the young South African was standing in the middle of the ring. Austere as usual, although upon closer inspection one could notice the slightest smile curling her dark red lips.

Grace van Beek:
I still remember the headlines, the scion of one of South Africa's most influential and powerful families embarking on a wrestling career made it on the front page of nearly every tabloid and newspaper. Some called it an act of rebellion, some went as far as labeling me as the "Wayward Diamond Princess", citing various examples of troubled last-borns openly defying their families. But that has never been the case, It was not a fit of pique for not being "the chosen one". It was not an impulsive act, but rather a rational decision, a first step into proving myself to my family.

The crowd was listening in silence, hanging from her lips. Despite being a public figure, Grace had always tried to stay away from the spotlights, and even her rare speeches were known to be very matter-of-factly and straight to the point. Hearing her open up about personal matters was a new, and in a way unsettling feeling.

Grace van Beek:
I never aimed at becoming a World champion. I never chased gold, fame, glory. My days in the ring were always meant to be numbered, nothing but a priviliged position to learn the facets of this business I could not grasp from an outsider perspective. Although the companies I worked for could not stand the test of time, I nonetheless accomplished what I set for myself. And tonight it is a testament of that.

At this point the fans tributed her a round of applause, which brought another hint of a smile on her face.

Grace van Beek:
Which brings me to the reason why I came out here tonight. This may not come as a news to my fellow South Africans, once again the press has covered this majorly. But for the MWE fans all over the world, my father Gustav van Beek II is stepping down from his position at the helm of our family's enterprise. And he has been so impressed with what I have done with MWE that he picked me over my older brother to run his business.

Catching her breath for a quick moment, Grace then continued.

Grace van Beek:
As you may understand, this means I will no longer be able to dedicate my time to MWE.

The reaction to her words was pure disappointment. Are we witnessing the company's final show?

Grace van Beek:
Do not despair, loyal fans. MWE has been my first major success, it is what I built my name and reputation on, and I will not let it go down, especially not when it is such a profitable venture. I will be looking for potential partners and investors, trusted individuals who shall stay the course and lead this glorious company into its new chapter. I do not know how lomg it will take, I want to be sure said partners and I share my vision and meet the standards I have always held myself and my company. Therefore, after tonight Millennium Wrestling Enterprise will go on a hiatus but I promise you we will be back, stronger and better.

The crowd was still buzzing, the disappointment evident although, at the same time, Grace's words and how convinced and convincing she sounded while saying them prompted a round of applause.

Grace van Beek:
And if all these years under my leadership have taught you anything, that ought to be that I always keep my promises.

"The Ecstasy Of Gold" began to play once again as security escorted miss van Beek backstage. It was now time for the main event, the last MWE match for the foreseeable future.

MWE World Championship Match
Texas Deathmatch

The fans were still breathing a sigh of relief knowing that Alice was fine when “Black Honey” by Thrice blasted out of the loudspeakers. Seeing the MWE World champion entering first in the main event was an unusual sight, and for a moment it seemed to take the fans aback. The reason for this unique choice was purely intimidatory, as right behind Savell came out The Division in full force. RAZE, Manson, Olly, Jvstice and McKena Hardy, Thatcher Ray Nash, Jack Graves, Benjamin Atlas, Donovan Keane, Tyson Gregory and his girlfriend and newest addition to the group, the Chicago Way champion Ahalya Patel. The champ took the center of the ring, eleven men and women standing behind him all of them staring menacingly at the entrance stage. The largest group in MWE history, possibly in the industry altogether, a dominant and ruthless force who ruled over the company for months, all gathered in the ring, all waiting for one man. Oasis’ hit “Fucking In The Bushes” hit the PA system, the fans jumping on their feet to welcome the Bastard Of Bowland, the Bellend himself, the Red Line 4 winner Jackie Fowler. The Brit walked down the ramp with that characteristic smirk on his face, shouting something about having never seen “so many twats in the same place since Liverpool fans celebrated the Carabao Cup last year”. Fowler entered the ring and stood defiantly in front of Julian and his gang: no matter how frightening the sight would be, if their goal was to intimidate him, he wasn’t going to let them have satisfaction. His eyes locked on Julian, the tension growing even without any of them needing to say a word. And yet, Jackie couldn’t help but taunt the MWE World Champion, asking him if he always took the whole gang to his dates, and adding that he can see how this affected his relationships. Savell let out a chuckle and took a step back. That was the signal his hound dogs were waiting for. They all jumped Fowler at the same time, kicking and stomping the Banksy Of Lucha and easily overwhelming him. Fowler curled on the floor, trying to protect himself from the kicks and stomps.
The boos were deafening, covering the bell that Julian himself proceeded to ring seeing how the ref was refusing to start the match until the Division member left the ring. Jackie was being brutalized, picked up and beaten down by The Division as they all took turns to get their shots in. The worst part was that the Bellend, who spent the most part of the year dealing with a broken hand and the aftermath of that grueling Red Line main event, didn’t really make any friends in the back. Luckily for him tho, The Division had made enough enemies, and they all had had enough of their shit. Alex Andrews was the first one out, followed by Anna Daniels and Tiff Rollins. The APE duo was not too far behind[, and more people were rushing to the scene, including JJ and CJ Night. Julian shouted his orders, sending a welcoming committee to meet the oddly assorted group. And now, all hell's breaking loose not just inside the ring where a number of Division folks was still assaulting Fowler, but in the surrounding area as well. And the fans were loving it.
Duke and Alan, still showing the signs of the war they have been through earlier in the night, started slugging it out with the former [R]evo Tag Team champions RAZE and Manson. The Murder City Saints initially got the upper hand but the two veterans still managed to turn the tide, using some cheap shots to get ahead in the battle. Headbutts, kicks, punches.. APE seemingly turned back time to 2020 when they used to dominate the tag scene, decimating MCS and putting them both through the announcers’ desk with stereo chokeslams. They couldn’t even celebrate taking out the duo because they were immediately blindsided by Olly and Jack Graves, taking them both out with chair shots to the back of the head. To add insult to injury Graves yelled at Duke that he already took him out twice tonight, and this time he’d better “stay the fuck down”. The Division duo complimented each other on a job well done and went back in the ring, leaving APE motionless on the floor and bleeding from their skulls, right next to the Murder City Saints.
McKena stopped CJ halfway on the ramp, asking him to stay out of this. A little known fact, while on opposite sides of the battlefield and despite all the issues between The Division and the Night family, Mac and JJ are still very close. A friendship born years ago when Chris' son was just a toddler and the young Hardy would take care of him when his parents couldn’t be around due to their wrestling commitments. That would explain the awkward moment of stalemate following her words and how emotional the young Night was when he said with a broken voice “Sorry, I can’t..” Things then went back to the regularly scheduled mayhem as Thatcher mercilessly superkicked the soul out of CJ. McKena for a moment looked like she was turning on Nash, at least to scold him for the unnecessary act of violence but she was quickly taken down by JJ’s Thesz press. While he punched Hardy in the face, CJ got back on his feet and was dealing with the Killer Kowboy, keeping him at distance with stiff kicks and quickly getting the upper hand in the confrontation. His momentum came to an abrupt end when his eyes caught his cousin and his former babysitter fighting dangerously close to the edge of the stage. Hard to tell what went through JJ Night’s mind in that moment when he saw his cousin wrap an arm around Hardy’s neck and leap backwards, taking both of them out with a Spanish fly on the production crates situated between the elevated stage and the fans area. He took his eyes off the prize for a moment and that was enough for Nash to knock him down with a devastating knee strike. The Killer Kowboy then began to stomp and curse the young Night in a brutal display of violence against the helpless Academy graduate.
While all this was going down, inside the ring Jackie was going through a very rough time. He caught a momentary break when his old rival Anna Daniels managed to breach through the wall of Division members and floored the big guy Atlas with her Interrobang. Tiff Rollins went straight for the Chicago Way champion Ahalya Patel, punishing her with a Kendo stick. The Five Foot Death Machine delivered the final blow using Patel’s own championship belt, driving it straight into the Indian Queen’s face. After taking the champ out, Tiff briefly indulged with the title in her hands, staring intently at her image reflected on the central golden plate, daydreaming about how it’d feel to hold gold again… Then came the reality check, in the form of a Random Act Of Violence (running knee strike to the back of the head), courtesy of Olly. After her memorable match against Alice Wagner, Alex now mixed it up with her cousin Jvstice. Both wrestlers looked worse for wear after the events of this weekend, but even though Hardy’s injuries were more recent and he didn’t have as much time to recover, those endured by the former Riot’s champion in yesterday’s main event were still lingering, and Jvstice won this first exchange.and picked her up over his shoulders for the Truth In Vengeance (fireman’s carry into a cutter). Andrews fought tooth and nails and, with a couple of elbow shots to the side of the former military’s face, she was able to slip away. Wasting no time, the former Riot champion went for the Elysium kick but Hardy moved out of the way and she ended up taking out Olly instead. Not quite the designated target but that’ll do.
The numbers’ game was just too much, Division members were coming from everywhere and easily repelling the opposition’s attacks, keeping control of the battlefield. More importantly, they always seemed to have someone free to beat up Jackie, all without Julian needing to get his hands dirty. What was a greatly anticipated main event was turning more and more into an execution, a brutal display of power and violence by the dominant group known as The Division. The silver lining, if we can call it that, was that it was almost over for Jackie. Donovan Keane had a steel chair in hand and he was about to smack it on the challenger’s skull, making the pinfall and subsequent count out pretty much a formality. Just as he was about to swing the killing blow, a female voice called his name, making him hesitate and turn around. It was an emotional Qiyara Singh, coming out and begging her long time friend to stop. A lot had changed since the Nightfall crew was unite by a deep friendship, but even if Donnie had turned his back on Jay to join Julian and his crew, the Indian hasn’t given up on hope just yet. And her words seemed to hit the mark and find the way to that side of Keane. He was still holding the chair in his hands, but his body language was no longer threatening now that Qiyara was right in front of him. Anna Daniels wasn’t taking any chance though, and after taking the chair from his hands and throwing it on the floor, she dropped Donnie on top of it with the Oncoming Storm. Ahalya Patel entered the ring and she wasn’t happy with her tag partner getting involved in this situation. They didn’t get physical, but the interaction they had before Singh meekly left the scene shaking her head left people wonder about the state of the HRW tag team champions.
As the chaos continued, more people joined into the fray.Ava Grimes came out yelling in a desperate attempt to prevent Thatcher from throwing her friend CJ in the same pit JJ and McKena had fallen moments ago. Unfortunately her attempt failed as Nash just tossed the young man all the way down and through a table before preparing to welcome the other Academy graduate with a clothesline. The former gymnast rolled under his arm and quickly turned around to hit him with an enziguri kick to the side of the head that sent the Killer Kowboy spinning around. Just right behind Ava was her boyfriend Scott Martell, ready to catch Thatcher and just drive him into the ground with The Scoop. He then just yelled at Ava to “Go!” as he called for paramedics to check on CJ. The young Grimes just ran down the ramp and just headed to the corner of the ring where Jack Graves was stomping onto Tiff. She just launched herself toward him, catching him with a risky and spectacular suicide tornado DDT through the ropes, planting the former GEW Grand Champion on his head. Finally some authority figure came out to try and restore order. The fans roared as the Millennium General Manager BROOKFORD appeared on the stage with a plethora of security behind him. A glance at him and you could tell that he would have loved to deal with this mess personally, grabbing everyone involved and reminding them why he was at one point the most feared man in professional wrestling. But his new role commanded a different approach, and he just threatened to fire anyone who dared take another step, unless it was in the direction of the backstage area. The message was received loud and clear, the security helped cleaning the area and allowed the doctors to attend to the several people who needed their attention. All of a sudden the battlefield was clear of all the guests that turned this main event into one of the biggest messes in the company’s history. All but one.
Julian’s best friend, his long time partner and likely his right hand on The Division was still there, relying on the fact that he couldn't be fired since he wasn’t working for MWE in the first place. Tyson Gregory was holding Jackie up while Julian mocked and slapped him across the cheek. “Is this all you got?” The World champion taunted Fowler, swinging his hand at the Brit’s swollen face. Jackie had taken a beating, and him being able to continue, or rather start, the match, looked more and more like a moonshot, especially with Gregory still around to run roughshod on him. But even with one foot into the proverbial grave, the Bellend defiantly spat blood on the Golden God’s face. The ultimate sign of disrespect that caused Julian to start cackling, a maniacal laughter that echoed through the arena, fallen into a heavy silence as they watched the utter destruction of Jackie Fowler. Julian then told Tyson to go grab a chair as he picked up that was left abandoned. Jackie was on his knees, seemingly accepting his fate. Surely this wasn’t how he thought this night would go, although he had probably taken into account that he was going to get roughened up by the Division. He fought the best he could even against the overwhelming number of foes, but he was now too exhausted to even defend himself. And yet, when all hope seemed to be gone, there came yet another twist. As Tyson got on all fours to look for a chair under the ring, another unidentified person jumped the barricade. It all happened so fast that Julian couldn't even warn his fellow Bad Boy, the slender figure ran up behind Gregory and stepped on his back to double stomp him onto the concrete floor. Valiant and Liberty Pro fans would recognize that move as the Kinkaku-ji, the finishing maneuver of an old acquaintance of both Julian and Jackie: Leanne Jones. The former King & Queen Of Chaos Tournament winner turned her attention to Julian after disposing of his best friend, winking at the World champion. Savell was livid, shouting insults at Lan. “I’m not the bitch you should be worrying about, Jules.” She replied with a smirk. At that point Savell turned around to find Jackie once again standing, blood dripping from the corner of his mouth and an expression of pure anger on his face. One punch, straight to the jaw. That was all it took to send Savell back in the corner where Jackie could finally return the love the Master Of Puppets showed him, in the form of a flurry of punches to the torso and face.As Julian collapsed onto the floor, Jackie glanced in Leanne’s direction, but his former Valiant rival was nowhere to be seen.
If there was any chance for this to be an actual wrestling match, that went out of the window the moment The Division started their assault on the challenger. Now it was personal, it was about retaliation and hurting Savell. The title that may come from this was just a consequence, Fowler’s main goal had just become to eradicate Julian and, hopefully, the Division as a whole by cutting the head of the snake. And now that any possible interference had been ruled out, he had a massive opportunity to do so, even though he had to battle through the injuries sustained in that early attack he suffered. Fowler went in heavy with those boxing combinations, closed fists that would otherwise be illegal but, under tonight’s stipulation, were perfectly legal. Julian put his arms up to protect his face from those punches as fast as bullets, blocking at least those that were directed at his head. Those that were aimed lower, instead, all found their mark. A particularly hard left possibly cracked a rib, seeing how the World champ doubled over and crumbled to one knee. Fowler sprinted to the ropes and came back at full speed to blast Julian with a knee strike to the face, knocking him down. The Englishman then made the cover, and even though he didn’t necessarily need to, Julian kicked out in two, sending a clear message to his opponent. He still had a long way to go if he wanted to keep him down.
Jackie was more than happy to oblige, dishing out to Savell all the punishment he could take and then some. He seriously rocked his shit with the Punition (Multiple Spinning Backfists) and then went for a walk on the ropes looking for the ropewalk clothesline formerly know as Old Skool Fuck Skool, but Julian managed to make him lose balance and fall crotch first onto the top rope. The World champion finally caught a break and immediately went back on the attack to create more discomfort in Fowler’s nether regions by repeatedly shaking the ropes until Jackie fell on the apron, holding onto his jewels with both hands. The Golden God then just used his foot to disrespectfully push the opponent’s body on the floor below and waited until he began to stir up to dive through the ropes and shove Fowler onto the barricade. The fight continued outside where Savell used every part of the surroundings to hurt the challenger. His head met the steel post countless times and eventually split open, painting Fowler’s face a crimson red. His back slammed into the barricade so hard that Jackie basically crumpled to the concrete floor, looking in extreme pain. Savell collected the kendo cane Tiff briefly used on Ahalya and began to flog his opponent. It didn’t take long for Jackie’s back to match the color of his face. Looking to escape from this new round of punishment, Fowler crawled back toward the apron and rolled back in the ring.
Obviously Julian stayed in his wake, dropping the weapon as soon as he entered the ring. He no longer needed it, he now had Fowler right where he wanted and all he needed to do was to kick his head off with the Golden God punt kick and end the Brit’s ambitions for good. But Jackie wasn’t done just yet, rolling out of the way to dodge the deadly kick. He struggled to even get up to his feet, but still somehow managed to block Julian’s right hand and kick him in the nuts. Savell dropped down and ended up hanging on the middle rope, right where Fowler wanted him. Jackie pulled himself together and ran the ropes on the opposite side, getting more momentum behind his Donkey Punch. This time, he got the three count, but that was only half of what he needed to win. Now he had to stay back and watch as the referee started counting to ten, but he only got halfway there before the World champion made it back to his feet.
The initial beatdown undoubtedly took its toll on Fowler, and the longer this match dragged, the more it started to show. Savell took full advantage of the situation and got back in control with a sitout inverted suplex slam.onto the steel chair. If this was any type of one fall to a finish match, it would’ve been enough to retain the gold. But under Texas Death Match rules Jackie still had a chance to save himself by getting up before ten, and he was able to do so. “STAY DOWN!” Julian roared, kicking him once again between the legs. Fowler fell to his knees and was met with the Savior Kick, taking the fall and seven of ten seconds before standing up and taunting the World champion, begging him to hit him again.Savell obliged, a straight punch to the chin. Jackie took it, slightly staggering but still remained on his feet. He then showed the World champion the middle finger and used it to poke his eye before throwing one back. Julian really felt this one, reeling back and bringing his hand to his cheek. He glared at the opponent and spat some blood on the canvas before lunging in, engaging in another massive brawl. This kind of situations were Fowler’s bread and butter and you have to believe he purposely lured the World champion in this. He was coming out on top, stringing together a series of blows and pushing Julian back into a corner. But the Golden God caught him off guard with a devastating headbutt to the nose. Blood began to pour from his nostrils as he fell flat on his back. Savell rolled out of the ring and grabbed him by the feet. Realizing what was about to happen, Fowler tried to kick him away and wiggle free, but Julian kept his grasp and yanked the Bellend toward himself, crushing his jewels on the ring post.
As Jackie was rolling in agony after receiving a third low blow, the founder of The Division climbed to the top rope. This wasn’t the match where you want to take unnecessary risks with moves like the Savell Splash, and someone with Julian’s experience knew that oh too well. There was something else going through his mind as he perched on the top turnbuckle, eyes glued on the Englishman who slowly tried to get up. It all became more clear when Julian lowered his knee pad: he was going to take Jackie out with a diving knee strike. But Fowler had it scouted and dropped on the canvas, avoiding impact. Julian landed on his feet and got whacked in the face with a brutal chair shot, going down like a ton of bricks. This could have been it, but Fowler wanted to make sure that this time the Golden God would stay down. But first, he wanted to get a bit of revenge, targeting the body part that Julian hit one too many times. The World champion was down, and he likely didn’t realize what was about to happen, although the noise the fans were making should’ve given him a hint. As much as they disliked Julian, they still felt bad for what Fowler suggested as he raised the chair in the air. “YOU SICK FUCK! YOU SICK FUCK!” Was the chant that echoed after Fowler drove the chair down where it hurts the most, laughing as Savell squirmed in pain. Fun was had, now it was time to end it. He pulled Julian up and placed that same chair around his head, hitting him with the Lancaster Bomber. (ripcord knockout punch), hurting his hand in the process. Exhausted, Jackie collapsed on top of him and covered for the one two three, and now he was ten seconds away from walking out of Johannesburg with gold around his waist.
The ref counted to four when a loud bustle caught the Bastard’s attention. What he saw was, possibly, worse than any member of The Division, at least for his dreams of glory. Briefcase in hand, Billy Danielson was rushing down the ramp for the quickest cash-in in history, only 24 hours after winning the BFTB tournament. The Franchise received a somewhat mixed reaction, although there was a good chunk of fans supporting his endeavor to become the new MWE World champion. The count reached seven, Jackie tried to hijack the cash in attempt but he was too tired to stop Danielson. Billy just ran through him and rushed to pick Julian up to his feet, leaning him into the corner as he handed the briefcase to the referee. It was now official, the match was changed into a triple threat and, more importantly, it was no longer a Texas Death Match. One fall to a finish, that was his choice. A wise one, considering that both his opponents were exhausted and, while in a much better shape than the two of them, he had to still be feeling the aftermath of yesterday’s match. He ran toward Julian and hit him with a Chicago Blackout in the corner, delivering one to Jackie as well. He chose to pick the Bellend up and throw him out of the ring, so that he could focus on Julian alone. Ending things on a high note, and perhaps a bit of an overkill too, Danielson dropped the World Champion with the Big Match Driver, adding another accolade to his career. The MWE World championship.

WINNER: Billy Danielson (NEW MWE WORLD CHAMPION)
BY: Pinfall (Big Match Driver), 25:55

Post by gvb on May 5, 2024 13:39:23 GMT -6

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