Losing Match Thread

[Guest Goodear]

“Ladies and gentlemen,” booms the thunderous voice of the glittery ring announcer known only as Funyon, “this next contest is a fatal four way with the first man to score a pin fall will be declared the winner. That man will also be THE NEW number one contender to the SWF WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE.”

 

“This match simply filling to the brim with tons of importance,” relates The Cyclone Comet. “Not only because there is a World Title shot on the line but also because we’re looking at four very hungry competitors that all have their reasons for taking that next step up that ladder.”

 

“That’s right Comet,” replies Bobby Riley. “Michael Craven continues to battle for the respect that is due him. Ejiro Fasaki wants personal revenge against Tom Flesher. Xstasy wants to show everyone that he is just as good as every other member of his posse. And Mak Francis just wants to come back here and show everyone just what a man he is.”

 

“Introducing first…”

 

And with that the anticipation of the crowd begins to build as the lights to the arena all slowly begin to drop low to near perfect darkness. But as the sounds of Saliva start to build up through the speakers, and the darkness moves to the harsh buzzing of strobe lights, the crowd’s mood shifts to that of anger as ‘The King of Nightmares’ makes his way out through the curtain. With the lights now shifting to a bluish hue, Michael Craven walks down the aisle and takes careful steps to keep from getting anywhere near the outstretched hands of the riffraff that populates Seattle. Secure that he has enough distance from the grungy rabble, Craven breaks into a little spin by ringside and stretches his arms out to his sides…

 

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

 

And a huge blast of bright white pyrotechnics bursts into the air around the staging. Providing Craven with the signal he needs to slide into the ring and climb up to the middle ropes. And with a spotlight shining down on his body, Craven enjoys the sounds of Funyon as the colorful announcer introduces him to the television public.

 

“He weighs in tonight at 280 pounds and hails from Tampa, Florida. This is ‘The King of Nightmares, The Gulf Coast Hurricane, The CHIMERA….’ MICHAELLLLLLLLL CRAAAAAAAAAAAVEN!”

 

“And his first opponent…”

 

JUSTICE!

 

RULE!

 

POPPOPPOPPOPPOPPOPPOPPOPPOPPOPPOPPOPPOPPOPPOP!

 

With little explosions dotting the landscape, Ejiro Fasaki comes trumping out from behind the curtain with a microphone in hand. With Funyon seemingly relieved of his duties, Fasaki yammers into the microphone as he wanders down the aisle.

 

“Shut your trap you mealy mouthed son of a whore!” yells out Ejiro as Funyon merely shrugs his shoulders at the already laughing Michael Craven. “The fact of the matter is you aren’t worthy to even say my name and, hell, half the people hear hardly deserve to hear it. But regardless, for instructional purposes allow me to introduce myself… I am from Sarasota, Florida and weigh in at a lean, mean, chiseled, ripped and JAAAACKED 210 pounds. I am a former SWF United States champion and the one half of the greatest tag team in the world … Suck it Charlie and Shelton. I am the Tomicidal Maniac… I am EEEEEEEJIRO FASAKIIIIIIIIIIIIII!”

 

“Tomicidal?” questions The Cyclone Comet.

 

“It mean he’s itching to make Tom Flesher a being of past tense,” replies Riley. “The man has taking Tom Flesher down twice in consecutive occasions my dear Comet and if the so-called World Champion would have the guts to face Ejiro without making Fasaki jump through all these hoops, Ejiro would do it again!”

“And their opponent…making HIS RETURN TO THE SWF!”

 

“So do you wanna’ be a Franchise… And live large… A big house… five cars…”

 

THE FRANCHISE… streaks across the SmarkTron in giant green lettering before fading to the smiling face of Mak Francis much to the delight of every fan in the arena. Already their flashbulbs are shooting off even before Francis actually sets foot on the stage.

 

“The rent charge… Comin’ up in the world, don’t trust nobody… Gotta’ look over your shoulder constantly!”

 

So you know as the lights shine down on the man himself, that the entire crowd is on their feet. With his shades down across his nose, Mak peeks over the top to all the audience before a huge smile crosses his lips. No one has forgotten ‘The Franchise’.

 

“I remember the days, when I was a young kid grownin’ up… Lookin’ in the mirror dreamin’ about blowin’ up!”

 

Stepping down the aisle way, Mak leaps up to the apron and raises his arms up to the people with a big ass smile. Turning his attention to his opponents for a moment, Francis points decisively at both men to let them both know just who that he is going to be coming for in just a few moments. But that will be in a few moments and right now, Mak Francis is all about basking in the cheers of the home of grunge.

 

“Ladies and gentlemen, from the city of Brotherly Love… weighing in tonight at 230 pounds. This is THE FRANCHISE… MAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAK FRANCISSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!”

 

“MAK! MAK! MAK! MAK! MAK! MAK! MAK! MAK! MAK! MAK! MAK!” shouts the crowd in unison as Francis smiles brightly back at them one and all.

 

“And finally…”

 

BAM!

 

Finally nothing! As Funyon and Francis both turn their backs to the men already in the ring, Craven and Fasaki take the opportunity to strike while their opponent is looking the other way! Clobbering Francis down to the mat with a double clothesline, the partners from Ashes to Ashes seemingly continue to work as a unit as they stomp down on the returning superstar. And as Craven takes his opportunity to blast Mak across the face with right hand, Fasaki makes it a point to grab the confused Funyon by the hair and heave him right over the top rope and to the arena floor!

 

“What the hell is this?” questions The Cyclone Comet as Fasaki re-joins Craven in the attack on Francis. “What the hell does Fasaki have against Funyon anyway?”

 

“Well I put some of my staff on the matter,” answers Bobby Riley, “And it turns out that Fasaki never took to that whole deal where Flesher would have Funyon exaggerate all of his accomplishments. So Fasaki is taking a stand by beating the hell out of the messenger.”

 

“But Funyon didn’t want to…”

 

“Don’t tell me! Tell the psycho!”

 

Together still, Craven and Fasaki pull the staggered Franchise off the canvas and send him across the ring into a corner where they trade chances at popping Mak across the face with some big time shots. Finally one big haymaker from the Chimera knocks Francis down to his seat in the corner where both of his opponents jam a boot into his throat. Holding Mak there though, neither man plays close attention to the man that is now running down the aisle and sliding into the ring!

 

“It’s the Perfect Drug! It’s Xstasy!”

 

Sprinting down the aisle, Xstasy grabs Fasaki from behind and hurls him right over the top rope just as the tag team champion did to Funyon a moment ago. Immediately, Craven turns to his new opponent and is immediately blitzed with a forearm shot across the face. Stunned by the blow, The Gulf Coast Hurricane staggers backward into the corner for just a moment before X tosses him across the ring with an Irish whip. Instantly chasing Craven into the corner, Xstasy leaps into the air and crushes Michael against the turnbuckle with a huge Stinger splash. But as he leaves Craven hung up in the corner, X does something that most people would not expect as he runs across the ring once more and does the same exact thing to the rising Franchise!

 

BOOM!

 

Shattered by the blow, Mak falls face-first on the mat, as the crowd looks on confused for a moment much like the announcers currently watching the battle.

 

“What was that?” questions The Cyclone Comet as Xstasy leaps across the ring once again to mash Craven into the corner again. “That was NOT JUSTICE!”

 

“Well,” adds a perplexed Bobby Riley, “This match is an every man for himself contest, but with the unity being shown by Craven and Fasaki, cooperating with Francis might have been X’s best shot at coming out of here with a win. But it looks like he wants to win this one all by his lonesome.”

 

Looking about the ring for another adversary to knock to the canvas, Xstasy finds the only one standing still down on the floor. Not one to let the fight come to him, X hits the ropes with a full head of steam and comes flying strait out of the ring with a dropkick that flashes between the ropes and knocks Fasaki down to the concrete once again. Stunned from his impact, Xstasy hangs down on the floor as the action continues in the ring. Shaking his head from the onslaught by the ICTV Champion, Craven gathers himself up to get back on the similarly ailing Mak Francis. Grabbing The Franchise about the head, The Chimera pulls Mak up vertical only to have Mak EXPLODE loose from his grip and grab Craven around the waist. Instantly arching back with all of his beefed up power, Francis sends the 280-pound Craven overhead with a mammoth belly-to-belly suplex!

 

WHAM!

 

Popping up to his feet with a smile, Mak basks in the crowd for a moment as X and Fasaki pick up their battle on the floor. Crashing Ejiro’s head against the top of a ring barricade, Xstasy allows the tag team champion to fall back down to the concrete before looking back into the ring. There he sees the Franchise standing tall there in all of his glory and calling out for the ICTV Champion to join him in the ring for some more combat. Not one that needs to be invited to battle twice, X slides underneath the ropes and rises just in time to have Mak boot him in the breadbasket. Grabbing Xstasy by the wrist, Francis tosses his opponent into the ropes and looks to knock his teeth right out of his head with a devastating Yakuza kick. But being as early as it is, Xstasy is no where tired enough to get stuck this early and he almost casually rolls underneath the kick and behind a confused Francis. Immediately locking Mak in a tight waist, X looks to get control of his foe only to have Francis stick a foot back in between the legs and turn it around. And from there, Xstasy only has a moment to make out his will before…

 

WHAM PART TWO!

 

“FLITHY GERMANNNNNNNNNNNNN!” crows The Cyclone Comet. “Fans Mak Francis hasn’t lost a step… a half a step or a even a tenth of a step! This guy can still go!”

 

“This is nothing!” rants Bobby Riley. “The true test will be if Francis can take the punishment. Can he take the pain? He won’t be in charge all night long and when he isn’t you will see just how soft he’s gotten.”

 

Turning over immediately, Francis scrambles over to make a cover only to find his path barred as Michael Craven strikes him once more with a boot to the top of the head. Proving that someone is going to need a heck of an opening to get a pin fall in this contest, Craven stops the count before it can even begin. Pulling Francis off the canvas, Michel sends a slapping right hand bouncing off Francis yet again before sending him flying into the ropes and knocking him to the canvas with an elbow to the solar plexus. Looking out of the ring for a moment, Craven calls out to Fasaki to get into the ring and help with taking out one of their mutual foes. Sliding into the ring while trying feverishly to shake the cobwebs loose, Fasaki joins Craven by kicking Francis across the chest and knocking him back against the ropes in a crouching stance. Together then, the Ashes to Ashes partners send Francis across the ring with a double whip and catch him on the rebound. Elevating ‘The Franchise’ high in the air, Ejiro and Craven drop backward to the canvas and slam Mak to the canvas with a double flapjack.

 

“Nice double team there by Craven and Fasaki,” admits The Cyclone Comet. “But they both have to know that they cannot trust each other in this contest. Only one of these men are going to advance to face the World Champion, so when push comes to shove you have to wonder when it is going to break on down.”

 

“Yeah,” calls out Riley, “but they might end up crippling Xstasy and Francis first. So in that case … we all win!”

 

Leaving Mak where he lies, Craven motions Fasaki to follow him in going to work on Xstasy. Ejiro gives Craven thumbs up but as soon as his back is turned, Fasaki dives across Francis and hooks a leg for…

 

ONNNNNNNNNNNE!

 

CRAVEN MAKES A SAVE AS MAK KICKS OUT AT TWO!

 

Turning at the sound of the referee’s hand hitting the canvas, Craven immediately kicks Fasaki in the middle of the back while, at the same moment, Mak kicks away indicating that he still has a ton of fight left in his body. But he is forgotten at the moment as Craven continues to batter away at his friend from a moment ago with a boot to the top of the head. But Fasaki has the strength still in his body to explode up and off his knees and drive an elbow into the side of Craven’s head. Absorbing the shot, Craven strikes back immediately only to get another one in a quick return. Back and forth these men go slugging away back and forth with neither man actually gaining an inch until both men notice movement incoming out of the corner of their eyes. Shifting their gazes, both men get a total eye full as the resurgent Xstasy springs off the top rope and knocks both men flat on their back with a flying body press! Holding on tightly, X tries to keep both men flat on the canvas as referee Eddy Long slides into position for a…

 

ONNNNNNNNE!

 

TWOOOOOOOO! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

 

Kicking out together, Craven and Fasaki manage to kick Xstasy high enough that the cagey competitor manages to land on his feet. Immediately grabbing the rising King of Nightmares around the neck with a headlock, Xstasy leaps into the air to grapple Fasaki around the neck with a head scissors before snapping over and sending both of his opponents rolling to the canvas with a double takeover! Getting to his feet a step faster than both of his foes, X manages to run them both down with a double clotheslines that sends both men rolling to opposite sides of the ring. Looking one way and then the other, X makes a mental calculation to see just whom he should go after first. But that decision is made for him as Mak Francis comes across the ring and knocks X strait back to the canvas with a cutting knife-edge across the chest. Xstasy does not stay down for long and rises back up to his feet only to be knocked right back to the mat with another savage chop. Controlling the action, Mak presses the once again rising ‘Perfect Drug’ into the ropes and elevates him high into the air with a big back body drop! Immediately back on the attack, Francis buries a kick deep into X’s chest before picking him up at the waist and dumping him down to the canvas with a gut wrench suplex!

 

“MAK! MAK! MAK! MAK! MAK! MAK! MAK! MAK! MAK! MAK! MAK!”

 

“Here it comes, fans! We all know what that gut wrench suplex means! It’s time for a little Brotherly Love” reports The Cyclone Comet as Mak makes his way up to the top turnbuckle. “If he hits this frog splash…”

 

“He’s not going to!” calls out Bobby Riley. “Ejiro has him by the ankle!”

 

Reaching up from the apron, Fasaki has indeed hooked the ankle of The Franchise and is keeping Mak from leaping off the top and onto the prone Xstasy. But Mak still manages to start popping Ejiro across the face in order to get himself free. Punching Fasaki time and again, Francis finally manages to dislodge his foe and knock the Tag Team champion right off the apron and to the arena floor! But by that time, another factor has come into play as Michael Craven charges in and delivers a sharp blow to Francis’ chest before plucking him right off the top rope and onto his shoulders. Carrying the struggling Mak out to the middle of the ring, Craven holds The Franchise over his shoulders before swinging The Franchise around and driving him into the canvas with a Samoan driver! Hooking the leg and compacting Francis into a tight little package, Craven holds on as Long counts…

 

ONNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNE!

 

TWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

 

THREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

 

NO! FASAKI MAKES THE SAVE!

 

Sliding into the ring the moment he saw Craven make a cover, Fasaki drops down on Craven with an elbow to the back of the head in order to free Mak from the cover.

 

“Tell me Comet,” asks Bobby Riley. “Did you ever think in your life that you would see Ejiro Fasaki help out Mak Francis?”

 

“No I did not.”

 

“Did you ever think you’d see Xstasy try to beat down Mak?”

 

“No I did not.”

 

“… Have you ever seen a grown man naked?”

 

“Shut up Riley.”

 

Pulling Craven away from the vulnerable Francis, Ejiro drags his foe into a corner and once again starts to jam a number of short elbows right into the face of his opponent for this evening. Pushing into Craven long enough to grab a hold of him by the wrist, Ejiro shrugs him across the ring with an Irish whip before racing across the other side of the ring and crushing The Chimera with a high knee right to the chest. Secure in his impending victory, Ejiro smiles brightly as he turns back into the center of the ring.

 

BAM!

 

And knocked right back to the mat with a leaping Capoeira kick from the ICTV Champion Xstasy! Checking his teeth almost immediately, Fasaki tries to roll his way to the ropes only to have Xstasy latched onto his body like a rabid wolverine. Pushing Fasaki into a corner, X starts to crack away at his opponent with a number of blitzing jabs that all find their mark on the button of the tag team champion. But there is trouble brooding for Xstasy though as Craven slowly recovers from the knee in the corner and stalks to stalk ‘The Perfect Drug’ from behind. Watching carefully, Michael watches with a smile as X delivers an upstart slap right underneath the chin that knocks Fasaki off his feet and over the top rope to the apron. And that is when Craven looks to strike…

 

Waited too long…

 

Because that’s when Mak Francis grabs him by the shoulder and turns Michael into his grasp before taking him over with a T-bone suplex!

 

WHAM!

 

Impacting with his shoulders against the canvas, Craven virtually slides across the mat after the big throw from Mak Francis. But the joy the crowd feels for the returning grappler does not last long before once again, Xstasy presses the attack against his fellow fan favorite. Snapping off a sidekick, X catches ‘The Franchise’ right underneath the heart and causes Francis to double over at the waist from the blow.

 

“Now I have to wonder here if Xstasy realizes that Francis just about saved his bacon a few moments ago,” asks The Cyclone Comet.

 

Riley quickly replies, “But with this match coming down to there only being one winner, you just cannot allow feelings of gratitude to enter into the match. There’s a world title shot on the line here Comet and it can only go to one person in that ring. There is no time to make friends in there.”

 

Popping into the ropes for momentum, X proves that philosophy to be true as he kicks Francis once more this time right across the side of the head. Rolling with the force of the kick, Mak ends up nearly entangled in the ropes as Xstasy holds court in the middle of the ring. Leaving Francis there, X turns back to the assault on The King of Nightmares with a running kick to the stomach that knocks The Chimera backward into a turnbuckle. Immediately pinning Craven into the corner, Xstasy climbs right up to the middle rope. Looking back and forth from side to side, X calls for the cheers of the fans as he peppers Craven down across the face with a crushing series of punches!

 

ONE!

 

TWO!

 

THREE!

 

FOUR!

 

FIVE!

 

SIX!

 

EIGHT!

 

NINE!

 

But X gets no farther as Craven uses his sizable strength to muscle Xstasy off the corner and pull him out towards the center of the ring before dropping down with a reverse atomic drop! But Xstasy keeps his legs as extended as possible and is able to avoid the force of the drop and quickly spins about to crack Michael across the mouth with a kick right to the jaw!

 

“TEN!” shouts the happy Seattle crowd as Craven goes flopping down to the mat from the force of the kick.

 

Continuing with the attack, Xstasy grabs Craven off the mat and uses his muscle to lift 280 pounds up to shoulder height before dumping Craven down in the center of the ring. Marking the distance mentally, X moves quickly to polish Mike off before the other two men in the match can make a save. Virtually leaping his way up to the top turnbuckle, Xstasy sends his body flying backward with a moonsault!

 

Spinning!

 

Falling!

 

HITTING KNEES!

 

“Xstasy made the move too quickly!” calls out The Comet as X rebounds off the knees. “He tried to hit a home run and ended up whiffing. He had the right idea but it didn’t turn out right…”

 

“Turned out perfectly for Ejiro Fasaki!”

 

KICK!

 

WHAM!

 

STUNNER!

 

Sneaking in as X rolled up to his feet, Fasaki was there to hit the jawbreaker! Popping strait back to the mat, Xstasy holds his jaw from the force of the smash but can provide no defense as Fasaki lies across him and makes a cover of…

 

ONNNNNNNNNNNNNE!

 

TWOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

 

MAK MAKES THE SAVE!

 

Stomping down on Fasaki’s back to make the save, Mak makes sure that Ejiro does not make the win. Cracking Ejiro with a chop, Mak knocks his foe down to the canvas as Xstasy and Craven both roll to the ropes in order to get themselves a little bit of a breather. Pulling Ejiro back up, Francis looks to whip Ejiro across the ring and into the ropes only to have Fasaki hold his ground and reverse with a swift kick to the stomach. Immediately pulling Francis back into his arms, Rule quickly hooks him up and sends him overhead with a snap suplex! Almost immediately, Fasaki takes Mak by the arm and pulls him up to a vertical base once again. Then putting his weight against the shoulder, Ejiro looks to drive Mak down with a Fujiwara armbar in preparation for the cobra crossface! But the instant he feels the pressure, Francis rolls forward and out of the precarious position and makes his way right up to his feet. Then stepping in a moment later, Francis uses his own wrestling expertise to drive Fasaki strait down to the canvas and lock on his own Fujiwara armbar! Immediately popping his hips off the canvas, Francis looks to hyper extend the shoulder as Fasaki shouts out in panic. And in such pain, Ejiro’s free arm rises off the canvas as though he is only moments away from tapping out to the pain!

 

Thankfully for him, he doesn’t have to wait that long.

 

WHAM!

 

Kicking Mak across the face, Craven keeps the match going as he jars Rule free of the armbar and gets the match back to a veritable square one. Immediately snatching Mak off the canvas, The Gulf Coast Hurricane slaps his foe across the face with a hard open hand blow before sending Francis across the ring with a whip. But Mak has his wits about him to reverse and send a clothesline the way of the long time World Title Contender. But Craven did not get this far without being very well schooled and grabbing the arm; Craven manages to float around the blow before SPIKING Mak into the canvas with the DDT! Floating over instantly into a cover, Michael tries to steal one as the referee slides into position for…

 

ONE!

 

TWO!

 

THREEEEEE!

 

NOOOOOOO! KICK OUT AT TWO!

 

Looking at the referee, Mike looks as though he might have just missed his big chance at coming out of this match with the win. But he still has an ace in the whole, which he has saved for just such an occasion. Dragging Mak out into a corner, Craven heads out to the apron and makes his way all the way to the very tiptop of the ring ropes. Standing tall there on the top, Craven looks about ready to unleash his ‘Kingdom Come’ shooting star knee drop. But before that can happen a surging jolt of Xstasy unleashes itself on the Chimera as the ICTV Champion runs up the turnbuckle and sends Craven flying off the top with an amazing arm drag takeover from ten feet in the air!

 

“WHAT A MANEUVER!” calls out The Cyclone Comet as three men lie in the ring spent from the recent action.

 

“Only Ejiro Fasaki has avoided going to the top rope and having it cost him,” answers Bobby Riley. “The other three men have taken chances. But Fasaki is just biding his time! He’s the smartest man in there.”

 

Well that may or may not be true but as the man in question rises up to his feet on the apron with a hand on the arm damaged from the Fujiwara armbar, he knocked right back off the apron with a springing dropkick to the jaw from X!

 

CRASH!

 

And with the rebound sending him strait back, Fasaki collides with the ringside barrier with the back of his head!

 

“I think that right there knocked off quite a few IQ points!” yells The Cyclone Comet, as Fasaki lies still on the floor unmoving.

 

Immediately sliding out of the ring to check on Ejiro, the referee makes sure that the Tag Team Champion is not dead as Xstasy continues to roll in the middle of the ring by watching Craven carefully as he rises up to his feet stunned by the super arm drag. Then exploding out of the box, Xstasy blows strait through The Chimera with a MAN-SIZED SPEAR! Hooking the legs as tightly as he can, X tries to get the winning pin fall only to find that the referee is still on the outside of the ring checking on the injured Rule. Looking out to the referee, Xstasy shouts out loud for the referee to get into the ring but it is simply too loud for Long to hear the calls. So taking matters into his own hands, The ICTV Champion rolls out of the ring. Shouting to the referee to do his job, X grabs a hold of Long and tosses him right back into the ring!

 

“Dangerous move there by Xstasy,” warns The Comet, “he sure is risking disqualification by putting his hands on a official.”

 

“Hey, the referee does his job and there wouldn’t be a problem. Xstasy wants to win this thing and he won’t be able to do that with Eddy Long playing nursemaid to a guy on the outside.”

 

Diving across Craven once again, Xstasy holds on as the referee begrudgingly drops down to make a count. But before the count even begins, it is immediately interrupted as Mak drops down on X with an elbow to the back. Immediately shoving Xstasy out of the ring, Mak takes this opening to press the assault on Craven. Pulling the Gulf Coast Hurricane to his feet, Mak sends his opponent into the ropes and leapfrogs right over his foe on the rebound. Turning and leaping, Mak catches Craven right on the button with a dropkick to the face. Crashing to the mat once again, Craven doesn’t really get a moment to rest before Mak pulls him up and off the canvas before slamming him strait back down to the canvas with a side belly-to-belly suplex! Hooking Mike up and tightly as he can with both legs, Mak tries to get the three…

 

ONNNNNNNNNNNE!

 

TWOOOOOOOOOOO!

 

THREEEEEEEEEEEEE!

 

NO X MAKES THE SAVE!

 

Slinging his own body over the top, X comes down across Mak’s head with a legdrop in order to keep his bid for the World Title Contender’s spot alive. And as he rises up to his feet, Xstasy shows the world that he is no longer in the mood for anymore nonsense as he pulls his wetsuit open! But this is not the usually happy Xstasy! This is one pissed off man from the Nation’s Capital. And Xstasy shows that to be the case as he heaves Mak right over the top ropes and to the arena floor leaving Xstasy alone with the battered Chimera. Immediately striking the seated Craven with a chop across the face, Xstasy stuns Michael once again long enough to pull him up and place his head in between his legs. Reaching around his opponent’s body, Xstasy pulls Craven up vertical! Holding him up there, Xstasy takes little steps rotating around the ring and showing off his captive before finally sitting right back and CRAMMING Craven strait down on his head with the piledriver! Springing off his noggin, Craven bounces virtually a foot off the air with the force of the blow!

 

“This is where you get in trouble. These guys aren’t going back and forth anymore, they’re battling over the scraps of Michael Craven’s body. These might have become a two horse race between Xstasy and Francis… Xstasy makes a cover!”

 

ONNNNNNNNNNNNNE!

 

 

 

TWOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

 

 

 

THREEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

 

 

NO! MAK PULLS XSTACY OUT!

 

Reaching out from the arena floor, Mak grabs X by the ankle and pulls him all the way out of the ring! Diving into the ring as X lands on the floor, Francis virtually dives on top of Craven as the referee counts again.

 

 

ONNNNNNNNNNNNNNNE!

 

 

TWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

 

 

THREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

 

 

NO! CRAVEN GETS A SHOULDER UP!

 

Barely getting a shoulder off the canvas in time, Craven continues to prove that he is all man and a mile long. But you have to wonder just how long his manhood will still be attached as Mak Francis gets right back on the attack. Pulling Michael up to his feet, Francis ducks underneath The King of Nightmare and comes up from behind to lock down with the million-dollar dream! Cinching down on the hold, Mak looks to put the already woozy Craven out of action permanently with this choke out submission hold. And as Craven immediately starts to fade out from underneath the pressure, Mak feels the life draining from his opponent. It will only be seconds now as The Gulf Coast Hurricane drops down to his knees. But as the referee checks in Craven’s arm to see if he is still conscious, Xstasy makes the save by coming off the top with a flying chop to the back of The Franchise’s head! Freed from the hold, Craven slumps forward a bit as Mak falls backward to the turnbuckles. Immediately though, X steps to the second rope and sends another kick into the mush of the Franchise and knocks him right down to the canvas.

 

“This might be it,” calls out Comet, “this might be Xstasy’s chance to step up and become the champion that he really wants to be.”

 

With Mak down in the corner and Fasaki STILL down on the floor, The Perfect Drug places his full attention on the beaten and battered Michael Craven who has managed to survive a great deal of punishment in the latter stages of this match. Stalking The King of Nightmares, X looks for his chance before exploding into the ropes and then exploding onto Craven!

 

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

 

“XCEPTIONNNNNNNNNNNNNN!” calls out The Comet as X puts Craven through the death spiral that is the hardest spinning neckbreaker in the sport!

 

Snapping up to his feet with a resounding yell out to the crowd, Xstasy shouts out to the people who know that Craven is only a lateral press away from getting beaten. But for the fans of the Perfect Drug, that cover never comes as Mak Francis races across the ring and…

 

CRACK!

 

“YAKUUUUUUUUUZA KICK!”

 

Smashing into X’s face with a full head of steam, Francis knocks Xstasy right over the top rope and to the arena floor! It’s down to just Francis and Craven now and with Craven in the state he is in; this match is a forgone conclusion.

 

 

 

 

 

Or is it?

 

 

 

 

 

“What the hell?”

 

 

 

 

 

Virtually leaping up from his seat on the arena floor, EJIRO FASAKI races into the ring and crushes Mak in the back of the head! Immediately grabbing Francis off the canvas, Ejiro looks to the outside and deposits Francis right on top of Xstasy right on the floor!

 

“It’s a miracle!” glows Bobby Riley.

 

“That filthy son of a bitch!” condemns The Cyclone Comet. “He’s been playing opossum on the floor while the other three men have been killing each other.”

 

“I told you he was smart.”

 

But how smart really? Because Ejiro does NOT make a cover on Craven! Instead, Fasaki looks in closely on The Gulf Coast Hurricane and starts to aid Craven in returning to his senses. Slowly and carefully, Fasaki looks to help a potential partner in crime in recovering.

 

 

 

 

Yeah right.

 

 

 

 

EJIROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOCATION!

 

After a boot to the stomach, Ejiro immediately grabs a double arm and crushes Craven with his double arm piledriver!

 

 

COVERRRRRRRRRRRRRR!

 

 

ONNNNNNNNNNNNNNNE!

 

 

TWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

 

 

XSTASY AND MAK SLIDE INTO THE RING!

 

 

THREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

 

 

TOO LATE!

 

 

DING! DING! DING!

 

Smiling brightly, Ejiro pops up to his feet and slides out of the ring while X and Mak stare at each other over the broken body of Michael Craven. Upset at each other for costing themselves the chance at The World Championship, Mak and X look about a second away from starting the battle once again. But as Ejiro continues to laugh his way down the aisle, Francis and Xstasy can only steam as they here the official announcement from Funyon.

 

“The winner of this contest, and NEW number one contender to The World Heavyweight Title… EEEEEEEEEEJIROOOOOOOOOOO FASAKIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!”

 

“That was borderline robbery,” rails Comet as he shakes his head is disgust. “I have never seen a man do less in a match and still come out the winner. He literally spent half the match taking a rest on the floor!”

 

“But he won!”

 

“It was cheap and disgusting.”

 

“BUT he won.”

 

“It was a disgrace.”

 

“BUT… HE… WON.”

 

“But he won.”

 

“Exactly.”