Metal Losing Match

[janusd 0]

SINGLES MATCH

EUROPEAN TITLE

Chris Card vs Janus©

 

SJL Metal comes back off commercial to a resounding lack of cheers from the crowd. Considering the fact they're in Budokan, Japan, it's not that surprising. The occcasional sign is also spotted in the crowd, but it's written in the tradition Japanese symbol-writing fashion, so the signs themselves are untranslatable. Finally panning down to ringside, we come upon the sight of Axis and the Suicide King waiting almost...patiently for the camera.

 

Axis: "Welcome back to SJL Metal, everyone. We're airing from Budokan, Japan, on another round of the SJL World Tour!"

 

Suicide King: "Japan's a great place! You get all sorts of violence and insane stuff coming from here!"

 

Axis: "I doubt we'll see anything but power versus technical perfection in this match...."

 

A polite smattering of applause comes from the Japanese crowd as "Grind" by Alice In Chains fires up, and "Technical Perfection" himself struts out onto the ramp, accompanied by none other than the Sexy Goth Bitch herself. With Natasha by his side, Chris Card begins to walk down the ramp, glancing at the crowd with a small sneer on his lips as Funyon, as always present in the ring, lifts his microphone.

 

Funyon: "The following contest, is scheduled for one fall......and is for the Smarks Junior League EURRRRRRRROPEAAAAAAN CHAMPIONSHIP!! Introducing first, the challenger! From Halifax in Canada, weighing two hundred and sixty four pounds.....accompanied by Natasha......he is "Technical Perfection" CHRIIIIIIIISSSSSS CAAAAAAAAAARD!"

 

Pausing at the ring, Chris hops up onto the apron and opens the ropes, and Natasha climbs into the ring. After a moment, Card follows her into the ring, and the Sexy Goth Bitch lifts her arms above her head. She thenpoints them at Chris as he drops into a fighting pose, arms crossing his chest and thumbs pointing towards his heart in the "Heartbreaker" pose. Holding this pose for several moments, Card then motions Natasha to get out of the ring as one by one, each light in the arena goes out, plunging everything into darkness. The only light comes from fountaining blue pyros that spring up on either side of the ramp, as a haunting tune fills the air for a moment, and a voice begins to sing softly.

 

"Consumed with memories,

That preceded today.

Given a chance to bereave

Life that's slipping away!"

 

The heavy guitar riffs of "Resurrection" by Fear Factory blaze through the arena, and a spotlight finally swivels about before focusing on the ramp and the seven foot two figure now standing there with the European title over his shoulder. Like a silent goliath, Janus tosses his hair from his face and starts stepping towards the ring, each set of fountaining pyros going out as he walks past them.

 

Axis: "Janus has been on a ROLL lately....running right through Arianwyn in brutal fashion to proceed on in the World Title tournament. However tonight, he's defending a title he won from former JLer Ejiro Fasaki...and he only defended it once!"

 

Suicide King: "Perfect strategy! Don't forget, before he left, Ejiro made Janus a part of the Magnificent Seven! Strategy is always present there!"

 

Funyon watches as Janus walks to the ring, tracked only by spotlight, and lifts his microphone once more, glancing at Chris Card who is now standing at the opposite side of the ring from where Janus will enter.

 

Funyon: "And his opponent....weighing in at three hundred and fifty pounds and hailing from Sydney Australia! He is the sole member of the Junior League Magnificent Seven, and the S....J....L.....EURRRROPEAN CHAMPION! Ladies and gentlemen.....JAAAAAANUS!"

 

Funyon then gets out of the ring as the giant walks around it, stalking straight past Natasha who watches him with what could be veiled interest, but nothing more. Putting the European title on the timekeeper's table, the giant ascends the stairs and climbs into the ring, prompting Chris Card to temporarily evacuate and stand with Natasha as the giant steps to the center of the ring, still illuminated by only a spotlight. Slowly, he lifts his arms into the air, and...

 

*BOOOOM*

 

Four pillars of blue-tinted fire burst from the turnbuckles as the lights come back on, and Chris Card slides back into the ring. The giant senses his presence and turns around, stopping Card in his tracks with a simple stare, as the two superstars just lock eyes for several moments as the Sexy Goth Bitch watches from ringside.

 

Axis: "And a staredown to start things off, it seems!"

 

Suicide King: "Card's gonna have his work cut out for him this time...Janus is easily bigger and heavier than he is...many of Card's usual moves aren't going to phase someone that big!"

 

Axis: "Since when did we call a straight match like this anyway!?"

 

Suicide King: "Since Janus somehow weaselled it into his contract or something, I dunno. Maybe he's special."

 

After staring for some time, Card dashes in with a knife-edge chop to Janus' chest. The giant looks down at him, barely flinching, as Card repeats the move. One more. No, twice more. Abruptly, Janus clamps one great hand around Card's arm, and swings his other arm around, aiming to decapitate his opponent with a short-arm clothesline. However, Card shows his intellect by ducking his head and twisting his arm free, coming up behind the giant. Almost comically, he perches on one foot in the Muay Thai pose, before swinging his knee into Janus' lower back.

 

This produces results. Janus stumbles forward, and smelling a possible advantage, Card keeps it up, alternating legs as he slams his knees into Janus' spine. After four or five, he backs off, measuring the giant up as Janus holds his back for a moment, before turning around. Moving quickly, Card steps forward and swings one leg up, only to be knocked entirely off balance as Janus swats the kick aside like it was nothing, reaching out and crushing the technically perfect one in a bearhug, before dropping him into his knee with an inverted atomic drop. Holding his possibly damaged jumblies, Card hops away as Janus lets him go.

 

Axis: "An.....interesting start. Card realises that his normal offence isn't working, and then starts applying the knees to Janus' back."

 

Suicide King: "He got a bit confident after those knee strikes - Janus capitalised after blocking his kick like any good champion could."

 

Axis: "Card's no slouch, remember. He's done some serious damage before."

 

Suicide King: "Point taken, idiot Aussie to intelligent commisioner."

 

Tapping the side of his leg, Janus crouches slightly before steaming across the ring, swinging one leg up into the air in order to destroy the back of Card's head, but Chris drops to the canvas and catches Janus with a drop toe hold! The giant loses his balance and crashes to the canvas with a thud. Springing to his feet and wincing at the pain from the inverted atomic drop, Card swings his leg into the air and drives his heel down into Janus' spine. The giant shudders and makes an incoherent growl, and Card follows it up with a double kneedrop. He crouches, climbing onto Janus' back and scissoring his waist. Before he can apply the grounded crossface however, Janus pushes off the ground with his arms, almost jumping back up to a monsterously vertical base with Card clinging to his back.

 

The man known as "Technical Perfection" attempts to unscissor himself and does, however Janus reaches back and grabs him by the waist, before proceeding to walk backwards, and then crush Card in the turnbuckle! Sandwiching him in the corner, Janus steps away, rubbing his lower back, and turns around. Dragging Card out of of the corner, the giant hoists him up into the air, resting him in a fireman's carry.....before dropping sideways and cratering Card's skull into the mat with a death valley driver, and rolling over him for a pin!

 

ONE!

TWO!

 

Card kicks out, and Janus rolls off him, rubbing his back again as Card holds his skull.

 

Axis: "First pinfall by Janus!"

 

Suicide King: "And he got two! Card is off his game tonight!"

 

Axis: "And Natasha doesn't look that pleased either."

 

Outside the ring, Natasha looks on at Card and slaps the apron, trying to get him back onto his feet through crowd motivation. Unfortunately, none is forthcoming from the Japanese crowd, as Janus climbs back to his feet and looks down at Chris, kicking him with a boot. Seeing he appears to be dazed, the giant stands still for a moment, and then lifts off the ground like a sack of heavy ball bearings and his huge leg comes crashing down on Card's chest, making him gasp and writhe in pain, rolling away. The giant rises to his feet once more and snorts, flipping his hair from his face. He motions for Card to get up, then lifts his hand high in the air, wriggling his fingers.

 

However, as Chris gets up, he doesn't walk straight into the chokeslam attempt - half-rising, he drops low and tries to legsweep Janus' tree-trunk like legs from under him! The move fails miserably as Janus merely stumbles, but Chris takes the momentary distraction to crawl away and get back to his feet. Janus storms in again, and Card lifts his leg for a roundhouse kick. The giant lifts an arm to swat it away - but the kick doesn't go high, it goes low, crashing into his shin! The giant growls and stumbles, as Card follows up with another, and another, segueing between chest-height and shin-height roundhouse kicks! Keeping up this kicking offense, Card pushes Janus back from one side of the ring and almost all the way to the other.

 

Axis: "Innovative offense from Card! He can't lift Janus, so he'll rely on his martial arts training to get him the advantage!"

 

Suicide King: "Janus doesn't look too pleased about that!"

 

Stinging from the kicks and looking rather displeased with this turn of events, the giant does nothing as Card kicks him back against the ropes, and then makes the mistake of grabbing his arm and attempting an irish whip. Janus reverses the whip and holds Card's arm, and then lifts him into the air effortlessly before dropping him down with a whirl sideslam, causing the ring to shake. Rather than go for a pin, the giant drags Card away from the ropes by the leg and then pulls him to his feet, and higher into the air as Card goes up, and up, and up with a gorilla press. Janus holds him for a moment...

 

...but Card wriggles free, sliding down Janus' back! Wrapping his hands over the giant's head in a modified crossface, "Technical Perfection" uses the momentum of falling down Janus' back to pull the giant off his feet and crash his skull into the canvas with a crossface reverse mat slam! The crowd ooooooos at the ingenuity of Card, as Janus sprawls on the canvas. Rolling the stunned giant over, Card presses a knee into Janus' lower back and then wraps his arms around one giant leg, lifting it up and gritting his teeth as he applies the half-crab! Janus abruptly comes to life, arrrrghing at the submission hold.

 

Axis: "Amazing! Card avoids a gorilla press, scores with the reverse mat slam, and has the half-crab locked in!"

 

Suicide King: "Janus is nearly invulnerable to submissions, Axis! Look! Card's having trouble simply holding that leg up!"

 

Axis: "...This is true. Hey, haven't all of Janus' clean losses been by submission?"

 

Using his superior upper body strength, Janus pushes himself up off the canvas, and pulls himself towards the ropes. Due to the trouble Card is already having with holding the submission, he drops the leg and watches Janus pull himself up in the turnbuckles - the giant is rubbing his lower back and growling like a cornered and angry animal. Heading over to the corner, Card locks eyes with Janus before slamming a roundhouse kick into his shin. The giant arghs, and grits his teeth as the second roundhouse kick slams into his ribcage.

 

The third kick of the shin-body-head combo doesn't come...due to the simple fact Janus reaches out and clamps both hands around Card's throat, throttling the smaller superstar. Stepping forward, he lifts Card off the ground, still choking him, and abruptly puts the smaller man on his shoulders and sits out, smashing his opponent into the ground with a sitout powerbomb, and holding it for the pin!

 

ONE!

TWO!

TH...

 

Card kicks out, and the crowd 'aaaah's at the smaller superstar's vitality. Janus frowns and rolls off his opponent, stalking to the other side of the ring from Card and crouching slightly, narrowing his eyes. He steps a little to the left, then to the right, measuring just where Card is as he stands up. Locked on target, Janus stampedes across the ring like a freight train, shoulder angled to shatter Card's ribcage with a Gore. Showing quick thinking, "Technical Perfection" dodges out of the way, then drops flat and legsweeps the running giant, knocking Janus off balance and sending him tumbling out of the ring to the floor!

 

Suicide King: "Janus is out of the ring! And Card's got help on the way while he makes a plan!"

 

Axis: "Is that really a wise decision of Natasha's?"

 

Suicide King: ".....Probably not."

 

Janus lifts his head from the ground as he gets up, and gets a faceful of cleavage. Rising up with surprising speed for a seven foot behemoth, he looks down at Natasha, who has one hand partly raised. Janus tilts his head slightly and frowns, as Natasha shakes her head and lifts both hands to indicate she didn't mean any harm, backing away. Watching her back off, Janus doesn't see Card slide out of the ring, but he sure as hell feels his presence when he feels a knee drive into his lower back, making him argh in pain! With his Muay Thai knees, Card pummels Janus' spine, then spins the giant around and whips him towards the steel steps.

 

Janus however proves that you can't irish whip a HOSS, reversing the move and sending Card knees-first into the steps! Following up, the giant grabs a handful of Card's hair and starts pounding his skull into the stairs as the referee finally gets the common sense to make a ten count, lifting his hands in the air to signal to the crowd.

 

ONE!!

 

Janus finally stops banging Card's head into the stairs, picking up the dazed superstar and holding him over his shoulder, heading for the guardrail.

 

TWO!!

 

Clenching his arms around his opponent's legs, Janus prepares to punish Card's spine by hitting some sort of move on the guardrail - but somehow, Chris fights out of of it, jamming elbows into Janus' head and sliding to the floor!

 

THREE!!

 

Janus shakes his head and turns to the side, looking for Card, only to receive a stiff side kick to the stomach that sends him reeling, clutching his abdomen. He leans on the timekeeper's table, bracing himself with one giant arm.

 

FOUR!!

 

Card scouts Janus, looking at him for a moment. The man known as Technical Perfection charges in...and Janus lunges forward, brutally shortening Chris Card's lifespan with a chest-crushing big boot. Glaring down at the superstar that seems to have a fixation on his spine, Janus moves over to the ring, proceeding to lift the apron cover and ratchet around. The referee, seeing this, stops his count and slides out of the ring as Janus pulls out a steel chair!

 

Axis: "Hey! This match isn't no disqualification!"

 

Suicide King: "Janus wants to retain at all costs! Even if it's by disqualification!"

 

Axis: "Looks more like he just wants to beat Card's head in!"

 

Sliding out of the ring, the referee interposes himself between Janus and Card, trying to pull the chair out of the giant's hands. Janus ignores the referee tugging futilely at his weapon, as Natasha crouches beside Card to check on his condition. Rubbing his chest, Chris slowly pushes himself to his feet as Janus brushes past the referee, lifting the chair high above his head. However, the ref doesn't take too kindly to being snubbed and uses both hands to pull the chair, making Janus turn around to glare at him. Thrusting a finger into the referee's chest, Janus just glares...

 

...and with the giant sufficiently distracted, Card gets back to his feet and crouches slightly, crossing his arms across his chest and pointing his thumbs at his heart...

 

...And finally, Janus gets tired of glaring at the referee and lets him have the chair, turning around just in time to receive a thunderous superkick to the left side of his chest, making him reel backwards in surprise and showing pain, holding his chest.

 

Axis: "HEARTBREAKER!!!"

 

Suicide King: "That HAD to hurt...Janus is reeling like Robocop after meeting ED-209!"

 

Axis pauses, glancing at the Gambling Man for a moment with a cocked eyebrow.

 

Axis: "Nice movie reference."

 

Suicide King: "I'd thank you, but what would you Aussies know about good movies?"

 

Axis closes his eyes to think, as the referee yells at both Janus and Card to get back in the ring. Janus seems to obey, rolling back into the ring and coughing a little to gain breath, as the referee carefully puts the chair down on the stairs and climbs back into the ring, followed shortly by Card. The technically perfect one looks slightly perturbed at how Janus proceeds to get back to his feet, as the giant has been absorbing everything thrown at him. The match seems to pause momentarily as both superstars catch their breath and watch each other from opposing ring corners.

 

Janus steps out into the middle of the ring, towards Card, lifting his hand. Cautiously, Card edges out of his corner as well, lifting the same hand. The giant lifts his other arm, as if challenging Chris to a test of strength, and the smaller superstar lifts his arms as well, interlacing the fingers of one hand - before driving a stiff kick into Janus' stomach and applying a hammerlock! Janus coughs to catch his breath, as Card leans in to wrap his arm around the giant's neck. Janus shakes his head, but is too busy recovering lost air to do anything as Card falls back, smashing Janus neck-and-upper-back-first into the canvas!

 

Axis: "CARDIAC ARREST~! CARD HITS THE CARDIAC ARREST~!"

 

Suicide King: "Janus is down!! Get back up! You've held that title longer than Ejiro!"

 

Janus twitches on the canvas as Chris desperately hooks the giant's leg, looking up as the referee drops down to make the count!

 

ONE!

TWO!

THREE....?

 

One giant shoulder lifts off the canvas microseconds before the hand comes down for the three, much to Card's frustration! He doesn't lose his cool, however, helping the big man back to his feet and applying another hammerlock. Janus is going to have none of this, however, wrapping his free arm around Card's waist and steamrolling him back into the corner. However, this proves to have good and bad effects...

 

The good thing was that Card let go of the hammerlock as Janus Gored him back into the unforgiving turnbuckle.

 

The bad thing was that the not-so-unforgiving, referee was between Card and the turnbuckle, and is now in a slightly squashed looking heap on the ground, half on the apron. Card clutches his back, and Janus limps a little, holding the back of his neck for a moment, then moving his hand down to hold his lower back. Measuring Card as he leans in the turnbuckle, Janus stampedes in, lifting a huge boot to crush Card's skull into the turnbuckle. However, as he swings his leg up, Natasha picks the chair off the stairs and puts it in Card's reaching hand, and he throws it at the giant and ducks out of the way! The result....Janus drives his big boot into the chair....and into the turnbuckle, missing Chris Card completely! Arrrghing in pain, Janus doesn't move his leg from the turnbuckle for several moments, grimacing in pain.

 

Axis: "Janus misses the big boot and kicks the chair into the turnbuckle! And the referee's down!"

 

Suicide King: "Geezus Card! Pick a part and stay with it! You were on his back! Then you drilled his head! Now it looks like you're trying to bust his leg!"

 

Axis: "I guess he's trying to keep Janus off balance so the giant doesn't know where he'll get hit next."

 

Lifting his foot off the turnbuckle and wincing, Janus picks up the chair and turns around with intent to murder Chris Card with it, but he can't even wind up as Card stiffly roundhouse kicks Janus in the shin, and the body, and instead of the face, he roundhouses the still-held chair back into the giant's head! Janus' head snaps back, blood trickling from his nose as he drops the chair. Kicking the chair to the center of the ring, Card grabs the woozy giant and applies the hammerlock again, wrapping his arm around Janus' neck as he moves himself and the giant over to the chair.

 

However, Janus twists as Card attempts to apply the inverted DDT, ending up fully upright! Looking down at the surprised Card, Janus shows him just how painful a boot to the stomach is, and the technically perfect one smells armpit as Janus wraps an arm around his head, and effortlessly lifts him into the air, smashing him down onto the chair with a thunderous implant DDT! The crowd oooooooohs loudly for this segment, as Janus sprawls on his back for several moments.

 

Axis: "Card looking to put Janus out with a Cardiac Arrest on the chair! But that backfired!"

 

Suicide King: "Janus twisted out of it and hit an implant DDT onto the chair! I think Card's skull is busted open!"

 

Axis: "Card's down, Janus is down, the referee's down!"

 

Axis' statement is disproven moments later as Janus abruptly sits up, eyes narrowing as he looks at the barely stirring Card. Looking at the referee, who groans in pain, the giant slowly rises to his feet and slashes his thumb across his throat, signalling that it's over for Chris Card. Dragging him up to his feet by the hair, Janus hooks Card's bloodied head and stands over the chair, hoisting him up into a vertical suplex, holding him there through sheer physical power. He smiles grimly, feeling Card's wriggling rather weak against his body as he holds him in position for the Rage Unleashed.

 

Suicide King: "It's OVER now! Janus will retain the title!"

 

Axis: "It seems Natasha doesn't think so, King! Look!"

 

Sliding into the ring, the Sexy Goth Bitch immediatley drops into the Heartbreaker pose to Janus' side as the giant slowly turns his body, turning a full revolution to show off his power. This turns out to be a rather BAD idea...as Natasha shows to all that Janus is just like any other man by driving a thrust kick straight into the giant's grapefruits! Janus' eyes almost literally bug out of his head at the impact (not to mention most of the male crowd inwardly wincing), and he releases Card, allowing the bloodied superstar to slide down his back to safety as the giant totters in pain.

 

Card takes advantage of this, driving several stiff knees into Janus' back and making him arch in pain, then spinning the giant around and applying a hammerlock, again wrapping his arm around Janus' neck! The giant realises what's coming and shakes his head with a growl, trying to fight out of it, but the pain of having his grapefruits nearly crushed by that thrust kick tells against him...as Card gets a grip and falls back....

 

...NAILING THE CARDIAC ARREST ONTO THE CHAIR!!

 

Suicide King: "Get up! Janus! Get uuuuup!"

 

Axis: "CARD HITS THE CARDIAC ARREST ONTO THE STEEL CHAIR! JANUS MAY BE OUT COLD!"

 

Suicide King: "The hell he is! Look! He's moving!"

 

Indeed, the giant is stirring feebly after that assault, rolling over onto his stomach and trying to push himself up. Card kicks the steel chair to the side as Natasha crouches by the referee, slapping him 'lightly', to help him back up to his feet. Card drives his heel into Janus' lower back with a heel drop, then leaps into the air and drives both knees into the giant's spine yet again. Arghing and twitching at the feeling of pain pouring through his back, the giant can do little as Card presses a knee firmly into his lower vertebrae and pulls one of the giant's legs back.....faaaaar back....as he applies the half-crab again, pressing his knee into the giant's punished spine!

 

Janus arghs and shakes his head, trying to press himself up horizontally and crawl to the ropes again, but the pain from his punished back is telling against him. With the referee properly revived (but dazed), Natasha slides out of the ring and pretends she wasn't in there at all, leaning on the apron and shouting at Card to pull back on the submission.

 

Axis: "I think Janus is done for, King! His finisher countered by the sexy goth bitch, and now Card's punished his spine and hooked on the half crab again!"

 

Suicide King: "Janus! Come on! I know I said you were shit as a good guy, but seriously! GET UP! DON'T TAP OUT!"

 

Finally recovering his senses, the referee dives to check Janus' meaty arms as the giant growls and shakes his head viciously, trying not to tap out. He looks at the ropes, straining with his great bulk to pull Card back with him so he can break the hold...but his muscles fail and the giant slumps to the canvas, fists clenched and teeth gritted as he shakes his head repeatedly to the question of tapping out.

 

Thinking of the title that he stands to lose, Janus concentrates all his power, all his energy, into not tapping out...and reaching forward, he stretches an arm to its limit and lunges to grab the rope!

 

Other rather, he would have, if his hand hadn't fallen short thanks to Natasha pulling the rope just out of his reach. Card makes use of the distraction, gritting his teeth at holding the giant's leg up, and pulls him back to the center of the ring. Janus lifts his right hand higher......higher....gritting his teeth...

 

...and taps out, hitting the canvas repeatedly with his hand! Card instantly drops the giant's leg as "Grind" fires up over the speakers yet again, and Natasha walks over to the timekeeper's desk, picking up the European title and sliding into the ring as Funyon stands up and lifts his microphone.

 

Funyon: "Ladies and gentlemen....your NEW..SMARKS JUNIOR LEAGUE..EURRRRRROPEAAAAN CHAMPION....."Technical Perfection", CHRIIIIIS CAAAAAAARD!"

 

Natasha hands the belt to Chris, who holds it above his head, and then the sexy goth bitch assists in belting it around his waist, Axis and the Suicide King finding their voices once more.

 

Axis: "Card wins the title! Card defeats Janus after a long fight!"

 

Suicide King: "AND some lucky intereference! I don't think Janus will stand for that!"

 

King's words seem to ring true, as Janus grabs the steel chair with one hand, grabbing the ropes with the other and climbing to his feet, blood still running from his nose and a rather displeased expression on his face. Eyeing Card, Janus looks at the title that use to be his. Hobbling on one leg, he lifts the steel chair above his head as "Technical Perfection" turns around...

 

*WHAM!!*

 

Janus spikes the chair into the ground, staring evenly at Chris Card for a long moment. After staring at both him and Natasha with an intense glare, the giant slowly climbs over the top rope and drops to the floor, limping a little on his leg, and starts walking to the back, the beat of Alice in Chains playing "Grind" accompanying the ex-champion as the show cuts to commercial...