That is, Crimson Losing Matches.
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The opening guitar riff of "King of Your Own World" by Smugface plays over the arena speakers, as golden sparks are fired from under the stage. Several seconds in, Spike Jenkins emerged from behind the curtain, looking confident as usual, but oddly determined tonight. He stands on the stage, allowing the sparks to twilight around him, relishing in the delight of the golden shower. He doesn't spend as much time there as he usually does though, and walks down the ramp, intent on getting the match started as soon as possible...
"The following non-title match is set for one fall. Introducing first, from Hollywood, California, weighing in at 220 pounds, 'HOLLYWOOD' SPIKE JENKINS!" announces Funyon.
Once at ringside, Spike walks up the steps towards the middle of the apron on the far side. He steps down and hooks his arms around the top rope, leaning back on it. The crowd here in Cleveland clearly doesn't support him, but Spike's cocky and driven attitude blocks out their booing and hissing. He steps through the ropes and inside the ring, walking towards one of the corners. As he climbs the bottom two ropes and sits down on the third one, Spike keeps a fixed stare on the entrance. His music fades away, and the crowd's booing is heard more clearly...
That is, until Breaking Benjamin's "Polyamorous" hits the Gund Arena, and the lights flash to it. Once the drums kick in, a large white explosion goes off onstage, sending some of the remaining sparks back into the air. Behind the location of the exploding pyro, Sean Atlas appears standing in front of the curtain. He wears his European Championship around his waist, and the white mask on his face. He starts walking towards the ring, his stride matching the beat of the music... Funyon introduces him to the audience.
"And his opponent, from Chicago, Illinois, weighing in at 230 pounds, he is the current SJL European Champion... SEAN ATLAS!"
To a very mixed reaction, Atlas arrives at ringside, staring back at Jenkins. Unfortunately for Spike, the mask hides Atlas' expression, revealing nothing but his eyes and mouth. Slowly, Atlas walks around the ring to the timekeeper's table, handing his belt to him personally. Spike comes down from his corner, waving Atlas in to start the match. As his music fades out, Sean walks up the steps and walks along the apron, almost teasing Spike...
King: Why doesn't he just get in there already?
Axis: He's playing mind games with him, mate. Spike is focused, maybe too focused, and the European Champion is trying to use it against him.
The referee, Ced Ordoñez, urges Atlas to step through the ropes, but he is completely ignores as Atlas doesn't take his eyes off Spike. Jenkins keeps his gaze on Sean as well, growing more impatient by the second. Finally, he cracks... and darts at Atlas on the apron! He tries a shoulder tackle to knock Sean off, but that's exactly what Atlas was waiting for and he uses the top rope to swing himself over the charging Jenkins and into the ring.
*ding ding*
Landing behind Spike, who got nothing but air once he reached the ropes, Atlas steps up behind him and slightly to his left. He lifts Spike's leg and supports his back as he lifts, then drops him to the mat for a Side Suplex. Angry, Jenkins stands right back up and goes after Sean, but his hand is being held by Atlas as he prepares to Irish Whip him... Jenkins reverses it however, and sends Atlas running off into the ropes. Sean bounces and on his return, Jenkins stands ready to use a Superkick. Aware of it, Sean ducks and baseball slides down next to him, allowing Jenkins' kick to miss and fly over his head. Atlas stops his slide by Spike's planted foot, and being in such a good position, he swipes it out from under him.
Jenkins falls, face first to the mat. He doesn't let it faze him though and gets to his feet right away, looking for Sean behind him. Atlas finds him first though, primarily with the back of his hand. *smack* The sound of flesh on flesh echoes throughout the Gund Arena, as the fans "Whoo" along with it. *smack* The chops push Jenkins back, closer to the corner behind him. *smack* Finally, he is forced against the turnbuckle pads, and Atlas stops with the chops... *smack* That is, after that last one. Sean lowers his shoulder and grabs the middle rope on either side of Jenkins, and with one strong tug he thrusts it into Spike's gut. Atlas pulls back, and again, drives his shoulder into Jenkins' midsection. Many of the fans are actually cheering him on here, as he continues to force the air out of his opponent.
Axis: King, it seems like the SJL fans here in Cleveland are so against Spike that they're actually cheering Atlas.
After nearly half a dozen shoulder thrusts, Jenkins finally gets angered enough to force Atlas away, and lifts his knee up to his Sean under his chin. Atlas is forced back rubbing his neck, when Spike pushes himself away from the corner and with the same leg he kneed Atlas with, tries to kick him from the side. Sean catches the leg though, and holds it under his arm as Jenkins hops on one foot like a crippled kangaroo. He gets ready to try an Enziguri, but Atlas quickly stops him before he starts. Sean throws his arm around Spike's neck, in an attempt to set up a Leg Capture Suplex... But Spike remembers the move from their match on Wrath and forces Atlas away with his hands. However, his foot is still in Sean's arms. Quickly, Atlas switches the arm that holds Spike's leg and again, swings his arm around Jenkins' neck. Lifting him up before Spike can pull away, Atlas hoists his opponent and drops him on his back with a Fisherman's Suplex! He keeps the hold on and bridges for the pin...
...One...
...Two
NO!
Spike kicks out just as Ced gets to two. Knowing that he wouldn't have gotten a three count this early, Atlas casually stands up and takes Spike's hand, pulling him to his feet. Continuing the motion, Atlas tries whipping Spike into the ropes again, which works this time. Spike bounces off and on his return to Atlas, tries to clothesline him. The European champion ducks it though and as Jenkins runs past him, Sean turns around and follows him, to be close when he comes off the ropes again. Expecting such a situation, Spike jumps towards the ropes instead, and lands on the middle one. He bounces off it and thrusts his leg out, hoping to catch Atlas with the springboard back kick. But he miscalculates and Sean isn't close enough, forcing him to land awkwardly on his feet.
Taking advantage of the bad landing, Atlas steps up behind Spike and slides his arms under those of Jenkins. His hands connect behind Spike's neck and Atlas lifts him up in a Full Nelson, then drops him down on the canvas, ass first against the ring mat. Spike lets out a small yell out of pain, but stops himself from showing that kind of emotion. Still behind him, Atlas stands up and stepping back a bit, delivers a knee to the back of Spike's head. Jenkins quickly grabs it, rocking back and fourth form the pain. Unmercifully, Sean picks him up from behind and wraps his arms around Spike's waist, locking them in the front. The crowd grows a bit louder as Sean pops his hips and lifts Spike up in the air, then slams him straight down with a...
Axis: German Suplex!
King: He's keeping it on and bridging again!
Ced drops down and counts...
...One...
...Two...
NO!
Axis: Again, Hollywood kicks out, taking a little bit longer this time.
King: He's gotta stop trying to get the quick win. Work on him, champ. Wear him down slowly. That kid's vitality is just as good as yours.
Atlas drops the bridge and rolls to his front to get out from under Spike. One knee, then one leg at a time, Atlas comes back up to a standing position. With Spike still rolling around on the mat, Atlas picks up his arm and hoists him up. Once Spike is standing, he rapidly speeds up his motions and kicks Atlas in the gut, then sneaks his arm over Sean's head and drops him down with a DDT!
King: Finally, Jenkins comes out with his first offensive move of the match.
Axis: Won't see too many of those, mate. It seems as though Atlas is diligently working on Spike's neck, as well as his midsection.
Taking little harm from the desperation move, Atlas quickly gets up, just as fast as Jenkins does. Spike follows up on the reverse DDT by locking on a front face lock, but as he tries to lift him, Atlas reverses it and traps Jenkins in a front face lock of his own. Lifting Spike off his feet, Atlas chooses to drop him on the top rope, abs first. Atlas runs towards the opposite ropes, trying to build momentum for his next move. Mindful of Sean's strategy, Jenkins places his feet on the apron and slides down off the rope. He sees Sean coming off the opposite ropes, charging at him. Quickly, Jenkins grabs the top and middle ropes tightly, and just as Atlas comes near, Spike sidesteps, swings his legs through the ropes, making sure his feet don't stop until the hit Atlas in his back.
Sean ends up running into the ropes and due to Spike's swing kick, doesn't bounce off. Meanwhile, Jenkins spins Atlas around scoops him up. Spike then reaches around the waist of the European champ and lifts him up, turning him in mid-motion. Finally, once Atlas' is facing up, Jenkins drops Sean's back onto his knee with a vicious Backbreaker! Atlas ricochets off Spike's leg and slides down onto the mat, slightly arching his back. Jenkins grabs hold of his hand though and brings him up without giving him any time to recover.
King: See, looks like Spike's getting on a roll here.
Axis: He may build up some momentum, but I doubt it getting him anywhere in this matchup.
Getting Atlas to stand, Jenkins pulls back on his arm and Irish whips him towards the ropes. Sean runs at them, then bounces off and sees Jenkins standing, leaning over and waiting for his return. As Atlas comes back, he stops short of Spike and kicks him in the abdominal area. Spike bends down even further as Sean takes off towards the adjacent ropes, perpendicular to those he came off of seconds before. He bounces again and sees that Spike's position is a perfect one to hit a running Neckbreaker on. Upon his return to where Jenkins stands, Atlas bands back and sneaks his arm under Spike's neck...
But Jenkins expected it and uses Atlas' twisting motion against him. He rolls through the neckbreaker attempt, and both men end up making a full rotation, with Jenkins facing forward and Atlas facing up, bent back in a cumbersome way. Conveniently, Spike sneaks his arm around Sean's neck, putting him in an inverted facelock. Then with one swift motion he rotates them both and slams Atlas down to the canvas an Inverted Facelock Swinging Neckbreaker, or as he likes to call it...
King: Roll the Joint! Haha, Hollywood rolls the joint on Sean Atlas!
Axis: Well you said he's getting on a roll here...
King: ... Alright, you don't get to make jokes anymore, you hear?
Axis: (Ignoring King completely) And now he prepares to roll even more and Spike sets up for the Rolling Thunder!
Spike rolls atlas over onto his back and closer to the ropes, then jets towards the ropes opposite his opponent. Jenkins bounces off and comes down, somersaulting down the middle of the ring. As the majority of the fans boo, some who are marks for that particular spot cheer him on as he comes off the ring surface and springs up, then lands atop Sean Atlas with his back, completing the Rolling Thunder. He rolls back and prepares to pin, but notices how close and accessible the ropes are to Sean. So by his hand and leg, Spike drags Atlas towards the middle of the ring, then hooks his leg for the cover...!
...One...
...Two...
NO!
King: Dammit, Spike. Why do the Rolling Thunder. It's a weak move, you hear me? WEAK!
Axis: Give him some credit. At least he was smart enough to get Atlas way from the ropes.
King: That's experience, not intelligence. If Spike was smart he'd... he'd...
Axis: He'd what?
King: Actually, just the idea is so ludicrous; I can't even finish that sentence...
Back in the ring, Jenkins sits up on his knees, rethinking his gameplan. Atlas, meanwhile, tries to catch his breath. He isn't given enough time however, as Spike brings him up to his feet again. He takes Atlas by his arm and again, whips him across the ring, but into a corner this time. As Atlas comes into it with his back, Spike is already running and on the way there, does a handspring off the ring mat. Turning back upright, Spike comes into the corner and jumps, aiming for Sean's face with his feet... and hits it with both, perfectly executing The Spotlight! Atlas turns and leans over, instinctively grabbing his face, despite the mask acting as sort of an insufficient shield for him.
Spike wastes no time as he turns Sean back around, then puts him in a front face lock. He lifts the European champion into the air and places him on the top turnbuckle, making sure to slam him down hard. He throws a couple of punches at him, all closed-fist, which gets Spike a warning from Ced Ordoñez. He pays no attention but does stop throwing punches. Instead, he climbs up, first to the second rope then to the top one and makes sure to blatantly force his crotch against Sean's face. He briefly yells at some select members of the crowd, inciting more boos from them before jumping onto Atlas shoulders, legs around his head... Then pulls back and twists his body, throwing Atlas off the top and into the ring with a Top Rope Hurricanrana!
Axis: Had Spike done more of that in Sunday's cruiserweight match, he might have had a bit of an advantage.
King: Suddenly you're a critic too?
Axis: Damn right.
He walks over to Sean and by his head, brings the fallen man up to his feet. Directly in front of the referee, Spike rakes his fingers on Sean's eyes, prompting another warning. Just as before, he disregards Ced and continues attacking Atlas. Spike then grabs Sean's arm and whips him towards the ropes... but doesn't let go. Taking a page out of Atlas' book, Jenkins uses an Unreleased Irish Whip and snaps Sean back to him. Before Atlas comes close enough though, Spike jumps into the air and turns his body, thrusting his leg out into Atlas' moving head, kicking him directly in the face!!!
Axis & King: He-Just-Broke-His-Nose!
And fans jeer Spike as Atlas falls to the ground, finding he has to tend to his face again. Meanwhile, Jenkins runs at the ropes parallel to Atlas. At two steps away, he jumps to them, landing on the middle one again. Using the top rope for balance, he leaps off backwards, flips in mid-air and successfully lands across Atlas' fallen body with an Asai Moonsault! The members of the crowd come to their feet as Jenkins hooks Sean's leg, draping his arm across Atlas' chest...
...ONE...
...TWO...
...NO!!
Axis: Atlas kicks out!
Upset with the count, Jenkins bangs his fist on the ring surface. He stands up and motivated, he walks to the corner of the ring. The crowd begins to sense what he's about to try and the noise in the Gund Arena grows louder. Spike grips the top rope on either side of the turnbuckle pad, then swings himself up to the top, one foot landing on the metal support between the ringpost and pad. Some flashbulbs go off as the boos grow louder, and the spot-fanatics cheer his efforts on. Finally, Jenkins stands himself up on the top rope and leaps off.... contracting and explaining his body in the air... and lands THE RATINGS GRABBER...
... On the empty surface of the ring! Atlas rolled away just in time to escape the frog splash!
King: He missed it again!
Axis: If Spike had landed that, the match would be over by now. Dammit!
Spike rolls around on the mat, clutching his belly. After all the damage done to it by Atlas, Jenkins goes out of his way to hurt it himself. Atlas, meanwhile, is sitting up nearby. He gets one knee down, then plants his foot, and finally his other foot. He stands up completely, hoping he could swing the momentum of the match his way. He walks over to Jenkins and by his hair alone, forces him to his feet. Moving to the side of him, Atlas sneaks his leg behind Spike's then his arm around him to hit a Russian Leg Sweep... but Jenkins isn't hurt enough to allow it, and instead, reverses it and drives Atlas down face first into the mat! Spike slides over near Atlas' head and outs his arm around the front of his neck. He pulls back and gets on top of Sean, trying to set up THE SILVER LINING!
King: He could end it here, Axis! Just has to get that hold on tight...
Atlas struggles, trying to keep a bad situation from getting worse... He manages to get both arms free and uses them to pry off Spike's hand... Atlas forces Jenkins off him and rolls to the side, quickly standing up. Jenkins rolls off in the opposite direction and also stands. But before he can turn around, Atlas latches on around Spike's neck, and quickly snaps his arm around Spike's shoulder, locking on the KATAHAJIME CHOKE!
Axis: Sean Atlas, trying to lock in a submission of his own!
Jenkins struggles to get out of it, flailing his arms in the air like a madman. Behind him, Atlas clutches on tightly, refusing to release his grip on Spike's neck. Finally, Atlas slides his foot in between Spike's and trips him up, forcing Jenkins to fall forward with the hold still intact. Atlas lands on top of him, using his weight to make it even harder for Spike to breathe.
Axis: All this time, Atlas was working on his neck and midsection that being his ribcage, for this very hold!
King: This, and the Saint's Demise, Axis.
Axis: His one mistake however, was forcing Jenkins down so far forward. The ropes are not very far away...
Spike stops fighting the hold. His arms no longer flail wildly in the air, nor does he attempt to pry Atlas's hands off. Instead, Jenkins pushes against the surface of the ring with his legs, trying to move the combined weight of their bodies closer to the ropes, which are not completely out of reach... He inches nearer to them, desperately hoping to make it there before he blacks out... Atlas can do nothing about it however, as releasing the hold will make it altogether ineffective... Spike is close now, less than a foot... he's just a stretch away...
King: Come on, Jenkins...
A little bit more...
King: Come on...
He gets it!
King: Yes!
Axis: Spike goes the distance, making it to the ring ropes and actually getting out of the Katahajime!
Ced forces Atlas to release the hold, and after a moment, he does. Slowly, he stands up, trying to regain some of the energy that applying the submission hold took away. He arrogantly kicks Spike's hand off the bottom rope, then picks up head to lift him up by his hair....
*smack*
Sean uses the knife edge chops again, forcing Spike further back. *smack* Another shot to the bare area of skin above Spike's wife beater. *smack* He hits another one, which gets Spike leaning against the ropes. Atlas motions for another chop, but stops himself and instead, rips the wife beater down the middle, exposing more bare skin... *SMACK* He drives the back of his hand against the fresh white flesh of Hollywood Spike Jenkins, putting more force into it than before. *SMACK* again, and Spike coughs as the color of his chest turns to a crimson red. Finally, Atlas lifts his arm up and, after pushing him against the ropes, sends him running off in the other direction and follows... Spike bounces off the ropes, but before he can even take two steps......
Axis & King: Spear!
Axis: A Spear by Sean Atlas, delivering the final blow to Spike's ribcage!
Atlas leans over and covers him...
...ONE...
...TWO...
...TTHHHRRRNNNNNNOOOOO!!! Spike kicks out as Ced's arm was moments away from slapping the mat for a third time!
Axis: What? Spike kicked out? He didn't lose?
King: Can someone please check on hell? It's getting a little chilly down there....
Despite the mask hiding his face, Atlas' shocked eyes can clearly be seen through the holes. He stares at Ced, then at Spike, then at the fans who have made him the de-facto favorite in this match. Slowly he gets up, hovering over Spike. Jenkins, meanwhile, rolls over onto his knees and slowly begins to stand. Atlas stands in front of him, waiting for Spike to get in position for the Saint's Demise... But Spike never does, and instead, springs up and comes to his feet completely!
Quickly, with the back of his wrist, *smack* he gets revenge on Sean for the earlier chops. *smack* Another one, then he tries a third... but Sean blocks it! He throws a forearm, but before he can complete the motion, he notices Spike's leg coming in towards his side... and catches it! Again, he's got Spike hopping on one leg, but this time, falls back and twists it, taking Spike down with a Dragon Screw Legwhip. Still holding the leg, Atlas stands up and takes Spike's other leg, steps through between them and crosses his feet. He then turns himself around, rotating Spike onto his chest and locks in the Sharpshooter!
Axis: King! For the first time in his tenure here, Atlas is using the Sharpshooter!
King: We knew he used this move, albeit rarely, but he's got it locked in on Jenkins now!
Axis: He sure... wait, no!
In the ring, Jenkins knows that giving in here would mean the end of the match for him, and another win for Atlas. So Spike grabs on to Sean's legs and pulls himself back. It arches his body more, but he manages to get more leverage on Atlas and finally, uses his legs to force Sean forward and down. Still holding his feet, Jenkins stands up, wraps his arms around the front of Sean's legs and takes several steps back, trying to successfully apply THE SMOKE OUT!
Axis: Hollywood Jenkins reverses it!
King: There you go! Just as Atlas did before, Spike gets out of his opponent's submission hold and put on one of his own!
Axis: He sure... Dammit, no!
Jenkins arches back, pulling away at Atlas but his strength has faded during this match and he isn't able to put all the force on the move that he wants to. Atlas times his motions with Spike's stepping back and manages to get to the ropes before the move can even be completely applied. Furiously, Spike throws Atlas' feet down, angry and upset with himself. He turns around, waiting for Atlas to get up and face him. Sean gets off the bottom rope, using the middle and top one to help him stand. He makes it up to his feet as the fans get louder, knowing what's about to meet Atlas when he turns around. Sean has little to no clue however, and when he faces Spike, he finds himself being set up for THE HIGHLIGHTER!
With his chest red and sweat dripping down into his eyes, Jenkins throws his arm across Sean's chest, and prepares to hit the move as soon as possible. But as he lifts, Atlas struggles away, relieving those fans that thought this was the end. Sean spreads his own arm across Jenkins, then throws Spike's arm over his shoulder, in a blatant attempt to rip off Spike's finishing maneuver. Jenkins will have none of that though and elbows Atlas to the back of the head! He forces Sean to get off and step to the side. Again, Spike sneaks under him, flinging Atlas' arm over his shoulder and reaches across his chest again. He looks at the many flashbulbs going off early, preparing to hand Sean Atlas his first loss in the Smartmarks Junior League... He lifts Sean up....
King: It's The Highlighter!!!
And Atlas goes down... Down under Spike's arm, that is, as he sneaks around to escape the move! He kept a grip on Spike's arm though, and forces him to turn around. Pulling on that arm, Atlas lowers his shoulder and tries to get Jenkins on... but Spike doesn't budge and goes around the European champion, refusing to be put in a Fireman's carry! His hand still held by Atlas, Spike faces him now, man to man, eye to eye, face to mask. Suddenly, he pulls on Sean's arm, bringing him closer... Jenkins throws his leg up, aiming for the side of Atlas' head, hoping to use a kick to the temple to get him to let up on the grip...
But it backfires! Atlas ducks the kick and because of the position under Jenkins, he forces Spike's leg to go over him. Continuing the motion, he drives his shoulder into Spike's gut yet again, and uses his momentum against him, causing Spike's kick to carry him up and onto his shoulder! Still moving forward, Atlas adjusts and firmly lays Spike Jenkins across his back in a Fireman's Carry! Atlas runs out of ring to run in though, and as he reaches the corner with Spike lying across his back, he decides to take the risk of using the ropes... With all 220 pound of Spike on him, Atlas steps on the bottom rope... then on the second... he goes for the third, but can't make it and leaps off the middle one, turning to his side...........
... Driving Spike's head into the ring with the SAINT'S DEMISE!!!!
Axis: He did it! Atlas hit the Saint's Demise off the ropes!
King: It figures...
Spike lands on his neck and back, spreading his arms out on the ring mat. Atlas falls across his chest, covering him...
...ONE...
...TWO...
...TTTHHHHRRRRREEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!
*DING DING*
"The winner of this bout... SEAN ATLAS!"
As "Polyamorous" hits the Gund Arena, and the fans that supported Atlas during this match cheer him for the victory, Sean Atlas rolls over and lays on his back, considering himself lucky to have won.
Axis: Unbelievable performance from both men here, King.
King: I'll admit that at times, I did thaink Spike was going to win. And if he locked in The Smoke Out completely, we'd probably be hearing his music by now. Unfortunately, he gets to stare at the lights yet again, at the hands of Sean Atlas.
The referee brings Atlas belt to him as he rolls onto the apron and clumsily stands on the floor. He raises his hands in the air, clearly weakened after the match. As he walks towards the ramp, he gives an occasional look at Jenkins, who is still lying in the ring. He walks up the ramp, then turns around to walk backwards, raising his arms, and the European Title in the air. The fans still give him a mixed reaction, but at least they respect his abilities and cheer him for winning yet another match.
