SWF Lockdown!

[Kaertos 0]

BOOM

 

BOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOM

 

“NO~”

“NO~”

“NOTORIOUS~”

 

The opening pyrotechnics are once again infiltrated by the opening lyrics to a theme song, this time Spineshank “Synthetic” as John Duran immediately emerges from the curtain. Duran is still wearing the neck brace, likely a direct result of the heinous one-punch assault from Terrence ‘Janus’ Bailey during Storm. The fans boo Duran wildly as he makes his way down the ramp, microphone in hand. The Notorious One moves up the ring steps and into the ring.

 

“I never thought I’d get the chance to say this once again, but,” Duran says it again, “Commissioner Stevens, you have done it again!”

 

The fans immediately boo Duran, now aware of what transpired on Storm that they didn’t get to see on TV, and tired of hearing Duran blab about the Commish.

 

“You had every right to fire, Va’aiga, Mark. I just want to remind you that you’ll never be able to do that to the Unnamed again!”

 

“What is he talking about?” Comet ponders. “I’d expect this to be the announcement of the end of the Unnamed from John Duran, but that doesn’t seem to be the case at all!”

 

“From this point forward, I will be the leader of the Unnamed! Todd-blessed and approved by Mr. Matheson himself, I can promise that this latest casualty to the Unnamed ranks will be the last one!”

 

The crowd’s thought of the Unnamed sticking around is an unpleasant one as Duran receives another round of boos, escalated considerably now that he is the “Todd blessed” leader of the group!

 

“I certainly did not expect this,” Bobby Riley begins, “John Duran has declared himself the new leader of the Unnamed after the events that transpired on Storm, when Va’aiga was fired!”

 

“Speaking of casualties to our ranks,” the neck braced Notorious One continues, “that brings me to the real reason why I came out here tonight to speak to all of you worthless human beings.” Another round of boos follows this line, as Duran already has the crowd riled up no more than five minutes into the show!

 

“I came to talk about Charlie Matthews.” The mention of the SWF Champion is enough to get some of the fans cheering, but the other fans continue to boo in anticipation for just what Duran has to say about the Grappler.

 

“You see, back when Va’aiga started this group in December of two-thousand-and-three, it was just him, Matthews, and I. We were by far the best group to ever grace this organization since the Magnificent Seven, and we had less than half the members that group had.”

 

“But along the way, the ClusterBEEP happened.” After being censored, the fans are given time to refresh their memories on the events of the early February pay-per-view as Duran continues on. “That show was a good night, because Va’aiga finally defeated that good-for-nothing Danny Williams once and for all, sending him packing after dropping him on his skull. But that show was also a bad night. That show was when Charlie Matthews won the 20-man over the top elimination match to determine a number one contender.”

 

The crowd cheers in rememberance of the Clusterfuck, no doubt as good as the ones before it.

 

“I hear fans cheering when I mention that, but why? That was the beginning of the end for this great group. I thought we’d never recover when that oaf made the decision that he’d actually face Va’aiga for the SWF Title at From the Fire. Before we even asked Grappler where he stood, we made sure to pick up some hot new prospects that were on their way into this fed. So, when it turned out that Grappler had become a turncoat and left our group, we brought in the House of Todd to fight Grappler and the Unholy Trinity.”

 

The history lesson has turned into an enjoyment for the fans as they get pleasure from hearing about the problems that the Unnamed has been through in the past month and a half.

 

“Now Va’aiga is gone. And the way I see it, there’s only one person who I can truly blame, the same man who is on the top of that mountain.”

 

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

 

“This is ridiculous!” Comet accuses from the announcing table, and Riley shakes his head.

 

“It makes perfect sense, Comet,” Riley refutes, “I don’t know why I didn’t think of that connection before myself!”

 

“Listen up, Charlie!” Duran begins to yell back towards the locker room, making sure he’s loud and clear. “I’ve watched you destroy this group from the inside, and then leave so you can desecrate it. And now I’m taking a stand! As leader of this group, I’m going to right YOUR wrongs. You won the big Cluster*BEEP* match, and you made the choice to go after the SWF World Title. Congratulations, Charlie. You’re the SWF World Heavyweight Champion. But you’re also a terrible, terrible man who should be reprimanded for the firing of Va’aiga for this company! IT’S ALL YOUR FAULT, CHARLIE! IT’S ALL YOUR--“

 

“Some Kind of Monster” hits, and some of the crowd almost does a backflip as the cheers are ENORMOUS~ for the World Heavyweight Champion!

 

“Here comes the World Champion now, Robert! Maybe he’ll have something to say in response to Duran’s accusations!”

 

“Yes, Comet, it’s about time he admitted to the sins that he has put onto the Unnamed and pay for them!”

 

Charlie finally emerges from the curtain with the belt around his large waist, immediately moving down to the ring as Duran stares silently for a moment, and then decides to speak over the Metallica riffs.

 

“I’m glad you decided to arrive, Grappler, because it’s so much more satisfying to tell all of this to your face!”

 

“Some Kind of Monster” ends and Duran moves away from the ropes, backing away and giving Grappler plenty of room to step through the ropes. The crowd is in a mixture of cheers and boos as they watch both Grappler and Duran staring at each other.

 

“You just couldn’t take it anymore, Charlie. The Unnamed was a good thing for me! I was going places, I was getting recognized, and then you had to *BEEP* all over it! Charlie, you just can’t stand to see me going places before you, so you made sure to take that World Title shot as soon as possible so you could stand above me once again and look down at me like I know you do!”

 

The crowd is rabidly against Duran, prepared to boo him right out of the arena as they are tired of listening to Duran.

 

“So I want to hear you say it, I want to hear you say that you’re the reason why I’m in this neck brace and not holding that right now!” Duran points to the World Heavyweight belt for emphasis.

 

There is another break of silence and Grappler takes a couple of big steps towards Duran before RIPPING the microphone out of the Notorious One’s hands! That is enough to get the crowd excited for what is about to happen, as the fans are about to hang on every word that Grappler says.

 

“You’re wrong,” Grappler puts it simply before continuing, “I had nothing to do with YOUR problems, John. Because everything that the Unnamed did came from you, John, not Va’aiga. We were formed on shaky ground, the three of us, but you just kept on shaking the ground until it cracked. I didn’t leave because I was selfish, I left because I noticed what you were doing. You were using Va’aiga for your benefit, and I knew that you were going to start using me once you got the opportunity.”

 

The crowd cheers for Grappler telling it how it is, keeping attentive to the champion’s words. “You never respected me, Charlie, and you could barely pretend to do so for the sake of the Unnamed. And looking into your eyes right now, John, I can tell that disrespect is still there. But you brought this onto yourself. I moved on to better things, because THAT’S WHAT I DO. You never chased me off from the SJL, Duran. I saw the opportunity to move up the ladder, and I took it. You need to realize that I was going to get the upper hand on you. I always have, and I always will. It has nothing to do with ego, John, my statements are not based on what I think of myself.”

 

“Pfft,” Riley scoffs, “everyone knows that Charlie has a bigger ego than anyone in this company.”

 

Grappler tries to continue, but Duran gets a turn to rip the microphone out of Charlie’s hands, getting a round of boos. “You shut up right now, Charlie! I HAVE THE UPPER HAND! I AM THE ONE WITH THE ADVANTAGE! I’M THE LEADER OF THE UNNAMED, AND YOU HAVE NOTHING!”

 

Duran is absolutely seething, and even through the neck brace you can imagine the veins in his neck bulging. “You don’t have the Trinity on your side anymore, they’re doing their own thing. And how long do you think Ann is going to stay on your side against the three Unnamed members? If we were to fight two weeks from now, you’d go down Charlie.”

 

Charlie doesn’t even bother to rip the microphone away, he tilts it towards his mouth. “That is, if you get that neck brace off in time.” Another round of OOHs and some laughs from the crowd as John is getting ridiculously riled up.

 

“Any chance I’d get to face you in the ring would be a good enough reason to be 100% and in this ring wrestling. I can’t hit you now, I know better than that. And you know better, too, because the House of Todd are just itching to beat you down and get a jump start on your tag match tonight with Ann. Just remember, Charlie. The first strike will come. The Unnamed are stronger than ever without Va’aiga, because I’m the leader now, and I’m going to take this group to heights Va’aiga wished he could reach. And most of all, I’ll make sure to make that belt property of the Unnamed once again, where it rightfully belongs.”

 

Charlie once again tips the microphone his way. “When you feel better, Johnny, you just bring it.” Charlie knocks the microphone out of Duran’s hand, the crowd cheering raucously for the champion as he leaves with the belt around his waist, “Some Kind Of Monster” playing as Duran continues to boil angrily in the ring.

 

“Strong words from both men,” Comet notes, “and I don’t know how much longer these two will be able to keep their hands off each other! This situation is going to explode!”

 

“I hope it happens tonight, Comet. I can’t wait to see Grappler eat mat from a Blunt Force Trauma.”

 

“Well, Grappler can’t look ahead just yet, as he has a formidable pair of challengers in the House of Todd tonight! Ann Onita is in Grappler’s in his corner, as the Hardcore Queen and the Champion will take on two of the remaining members of the Unnamed! But there’s plenty of action coming up, including an ICTV Title Match right after this break!”

 

The camera fades to commercial after showing hype screens for the Toxxic/IL ICTV match.

[Kaertos 0]

The cameras shift to the backstage areas of the arena and focuses on one of the many corridors that wind their way around the America West arena. Turning a corner the SWF’s Hardcore Gamers Champion comes into view, the title slung over one T-shirt clad shoulder as he makes his way towards the stage area for his match. Just the appearance of the new champion and the first challenger of the Insane Luchador sends a thunderous chorus of boos rippling through the arena. If Toxxic hears them he gives no sign, walking calmly and confidently down the halls towards his second title match in as many weeks and a chance to walk away with double the gold.

 

As the Hardcore champion passes a side corridor a hand reaches out to lightly tap him on the shoulder, the champ whirls around one fist already raised before he relaxes looking at a slightly worried Ben Hardy.

 

“What the hell do you want Ben?”

 

“I…well I was just wondering if I could get a word in before your match…”

 

Toxxic snorts and shakes his head.

 

“There’s going to be plenty of time for words after I beat the Luchador’s ass Hardy. Until then don’t let me catch your sorry arse hanging around me again. Clear?”

 

Toxxic stares a hole into Hardy as the diminutive interviewer lowers his mic and beats a hasty retreat down the corridor, Toxxic watches him go with a smirk before he turns back and almost walks straight into the huge form of the Black Angel. The fans at ringside explode as Toxxic takes a hasty step back, surprise and what looks to be a worm of fear written over his features at the sudden appearance of the massive former champion. Aecas is leaning casually against the wall, a huge leather coat covering his body though his chest remains bare affording the viewers a look at some livid red cuts on his pale flesh as he gazes down at Toxxic.

 

“Hello champ.” The Black Angel says quietly as Toxxic quickly composes himself. “You get my package?”

 

Toxxic looks at Aecas for a moment before the cocky smirk returns once again.

 

“I sure did. Cute. Really Cute. Tell me something Aecas, how’s your jaw? Been to the dentist yet? Did he get all the glass out?”

 

Toxxic frowns slightly as Aecas chuckles, a far cry from the angry response that he expected to rise from the giant; instead the Straight Edger recoils as the Black Angel merely opens his mouth and pokes his tongue out at him. On Aecas’ tongue sits a pink mint. Pink only because there’s blood on its surface, the same blood that covers most of his teeth from his lacerated mouth. The Black Angel lets Toxxic see that for a moment before his tongue zips back into his mouth and he crunches the mint, ignoring the stinging pain that must surely result from such an action.

 

“Nice. Really nice. Did your girlfriend teach you that?” Toxxic says his voice thick with disgust.

 

”Serena taught me many things...” Aecas calmly replies.

 

”Like what? How to bark like a dog?” Toxxic says his smirk growing more unpleasant by the second as the Straight Edger’s newfound arrogance makes him more confident.

 

”How to scare little children like you for example.” Aecas says with a slight smile of his own that wipes the smirk off of Toxxic’s face.

 

“Look…what the fuck do you want? Aren’t there plants out there crying for your attention?” Toxxic snaps, irritation poisoning his voice now at the laid back attitude of the giant.

 

“Just wanted to wish you the best of luck in your upcoming match. IL is no pushover and I should know.”

 

Aecas pushes himself off of the wall and turns as if to leave before he looks back at Toxxic as if remembering something a worrying grin plastered over his face as he leans down slightly.

 

“Oh and by the way. Gabriel says hello.”

 

Toxxic blinks and frowns as he receives that message.

 

“Who the fu…“

 

“Hi Ben.” Aecas says quietly, glancing over Toxxic’s shoulder and cutting the champion off in mid expletive.

 

Toxxic turns around once again, angrily rounding on the plucky reporter.

 

“I thought I told you not to…”

 

But there’s nobody there.

 

Just an empty corridor.

 

Exasperated now Toxxic turns back to face Aecas only to find that the giant has disappeared, as quickly and mysteriously as he appeared. Toxxic looks all around him, trying to figure out where someone so big could have disappeared so quickly before he remarks to no one in particular.

 

"Great...just fucking great I'm being haunted by the ghost of a former champion."

 

The Straight Edger shakes his head and begins to walk off once more towards his match and the possibility of a second title, but as the camera watches him move away Toxxic can’t help but cast several nervous looks over his shoulder as if he expects Aecas to be right behind him. As the champion finally moves out of view Aecas emerges once more from a side corridor that Toxxic and the camera looked down a mere moment before and found empty. The giant grins to himself as he looks down the corridor towards the stage area.

 

“We’ll see you…” The Black Angel says to himself still grinning that terrible grin as he turns and walks past the camera, the image slowly starting to fade to black as the heavy thuds of his boots get fainter and fainter…

[Kaertos 0]

“It’s time to hit the first match of the night!” Cyclone Comet calls from the announce table. “In case you hadn’t guessed it this is SWF LOCKDOWN, LIVE from the SOLD OUT America West Arena here in sunny Phoenix, Arizona!”

“Oh be quiet, Comet,” Bobby Riley grumbles. “If anyone happened to be flicking channels you’ve probably just driven them away with your drivelling babble.”

“And the alternative is what?” Comet asks, offended. “A wrestling match with no commentary? An announcing team that doesn’t announce?”

“In your case, I’d take that offer,” Riley replies, but their bickering is cut off by the crunching guitars of Lostprophets’ ‘We Still Kill The Old Way’, and the blacked-out Smarktron flashing up the words “Prepare To Be Proved Wrong” one after another before cutting to a clip of Toxxic taking Mike Van Siclen off a balcony and through a table, the devastating landing timed to coincide with the...

 

GO!

 

BOOOM!!

 

...explosion of red pyro that announces the arrival of the SWF’s premier straight-edger!

 

“Ladies and gentlemen, the following contest is scheduled for one fall,” Funyon booms as the America West arena explodes with boos for the first competitor of the night, “and is for the SWF Intercontinental Television Championship! Introducing first; from Nottingham, England, weighing 218lbs; he is the SWF Hardcore Gamers’ Champion... TOXXX-XXXIIIC!!!”

 

On cue Toxxic appears at the top of the entrance ramp, casting one look back to make sure he’s not being followed, HGC belt slung over one shoulder and again wearing his new “Hardcore Punk” shirt to provide partial protection to his back which is still injured from the From The Fire match against Aecas. Ignoring the hostile reception Toxxic slides into the ring and scales a turnbuckle, throwing his arms wide with the palms flat but only encountering derision. The grin drops from his face and Toxxic hands his title belt to referee Sexton Hardcastle before dropping into a crouch in one corner.

 

“That young man is far too cocky for his own good,” Comet opines. “He had a very successful first month that culminated in his win over Aecas to become Hardcore Champion, but I think his success has gone to his head. Why else would he verbally berate our Commissioner right after Mark Stevens had given him this title opportunity?”

“If Mark Stevens was doing his job properly then no-one should have to worry about what he thinks of them!” Riley argues. “He should be booking matches based on ability, not how much someone brown-noses him!”

 

Before Comet can respond the pounding drums of the Dropkick Murphy’s “The Gauntlet” kick in over the arena PA, followed by crashing guitars and then an explosion of red, green and white pyro as the Insane Luchador makes his way out to a rapturous reception from the Arizona crowd. Rickmen throws his arms in the air to milk the cheers as Funyon starts to speak once more, having to raise his voice to be heard over the crowd.

 

“And his opponent; from Easton, Pennsylvania, weighing in at 201lbs; he is the reigning and defending ICTV Champion, the INSANE LUCHADOR... ANNNDRRREWWW... RRRRICK-MENNN!!”

 

Unfastening the ICTV Title from around his waist Rickmen waves at the crowd once more and then HURTLES down towards the ring, slapping hands with the fans before sliding under the bottom rope, launching himself upright and-

 

BOOM!!

 

-firing off a right hook right into Toxxic’s unsuspecting face!

 

*DING! DING!*

 

“That’s unfair Comet!” Riley yells at Rickmen throws his belt at Hardcastle before continuing to rain punches down on Toxxic to the delight of the crowd. “Rickmen jumped the bell there, not to mention the fact that he should be disqualified for the use of a balled fist!”

“If you really want Citizen Rickmen to be disqualified why don’t you tell the referee?” Comet asks. “After all, it would mean he retains the title. Personally I think Toxxic is going to have one hell of a fight on his hands here, and balled fists will just be the start of it!”

 

Comet’s prediction seems to be an accurate one as Rickmen’s unceasing barrage of punches forces the Brit to cover up as he’s backed into the corner. Finally Hardcastle manages to intersperse himself between the two and pulls the ICTV champ back, only for Toxxic to explode out of the corner with some punches of his own! Brushing Hardcastle aside Toxxic fires off with a-

 

RIGHT!

 

 

LEFT!

 

 

RIGHT!

 

 

LEFT!

 

Windup...

 

DISCUS CLOTHESLINE!

 

But Rickmen ducks! As Toxxic’s right arm sails harmlessly over his head the Insane Luchador grabs his opponent in a rear waistlock and then arches backwards, sending Toxxic flying with a release German suplex - only for the rookie to roll with the momentum and land on his feet! Rising to his feet again Rickmen is momentarily unaware of his opponent’s evasive action and turns round to meet a dropkick in the teeth. Following up on his advantage Toxxic pulls Rickmen upright and presses him back against the ropes before whipping the defending champion to the far side of the ring. As Rickmen rebounds he sees Toxxic charging at him with a clothesline...

 

...but Rickmen ducks under the blow and rebounds off the other ropes, preparing a clothesline of his own...

 

...but Toxxic abruptly drops to the deck, forcing Rickmen to hurdle his prone form unless he wants to trip disastrously. The Insane One hits the ropes again and comes off once more...

 

...but this time Toxxic leapfrogs into the air, hurdling the approaching ICTV champion. His momentum keeping him going Rickmen hits the ropes again, but this time as his opponent comes hurtling towards him Toxxic aims a vicious back elbow...

 

...that never connects as Rickmen ducks once more, and seeing Toxxic momentarily unbalanced from the power he put into the missed attack Rickmen seizes his chance as he rebounds one last time...

 

...and swings up with a satellite headscissors that spins Toxxic round and down to the mat!

 

“RICK-MEN!”

“RICK-MEN!”

“RICK-MEN!”

 

“An amazing display of speed and agility by both men there,” Comet cries as the Insane Luchador responds to the crowd’s chants by scaling a turnbuckle and raising his arms in the air whilst Toxxic tries to figure which way is up. “And Citizen Rickmen certainly showing this challenger that he is not to be taken lightly!”

“That’s all very well Comet, but this is a submission-only match,” Riley responds. “And unless the Insane Luchador has suddenly become a mat technician then he’s outgunned here - Toxxic’s last two wins have come by submission to the Repeat To Fade, and he even made Aecas pass out! Speaking of that overgrown freak, how can Toxxic be fully focused on this match when he saw that giant backstage just now?”

“You know Robert, I do believe that might have been Aecas’ intention...” Comet says thoughtfully.

 

Hopping back down to the mat the Insane Luchador approaches the challenger as Toxxic shakes his head, still trying to get rid of the temporary dizziness. Rickmen gives him no chance to recover by charging in, but Toxxic was apparently play-acting as he catches the Luchador’s outstretched right arm and drops and spins into an armdrag before trapping the champion in an armbar. Rickmen wriggles and thrashes on the mat, trying to get loose, but Toxxic holds fast so the Insane Luchador instead snakes his legs up to capture Toxxic in another headscissors before using his leg strength to throw the challenger off.

 

“See Comet, Toxxic’s targeting the right arm already,” Riley notes. “Not only will that set up the Repeat To Fade, it will also stop Rickmen from throwing those illegal right hands so readily!”

“Possibly Robert,” Comet answers, “but I hope you note that Citizen Rickmen escaped easily there.”

 

While the announcers argue Toxxic has rolled back to his feet near the ropes. Without giving his opponent any time to get his bearings Rickmen charges once more, seeking to clothesline Toxxic over the top rope all the way to the floor... but Toxxic sees him coming and bends double, then backdrops the charging Luchador over the ropes! Somehow Rickmen manages to twist his body in mid-air and he lands on the apron behind Toxxic, but the British punk simply grabs the Insane Luchador’s head and drops, guillotining his opponent on the top rope. As Rickmen chokes and grabs his throat Toxxic backs off and then runs in again, but this time he jumps to the second turnbuckle, then vaults over the top rope and snares Rickmen in a hurricanrana, taking both men off the apron and to the floor outside!

 

“Springboard rana!” Comet shouts as Rickmen lands hard. “That move put Aecas through a ladder at From The Fire, but even without crashing through steel it’s not exactly a gentle landing!”

 

Wincing at the pain in his back, Toxxic pulls himself upright only to see Rickmen also regaining his feet. Without hesitation the straight-edger fires off a European uppercut to the Insane Luchador’s jaw, staggering him backwards, before nailing him with another to lean Rickmen against the guard rail. Diving back into the ring Toxxic heads for the far ropes to gain momentum, then comes charging back and leaps into the air...

 

...but for all his masochistic ways Andrew Rickmen has no desire to be crushed against a steel rail by Toxxic’s plummeting body, and the ICTV Champion dodges sideways...

 

...and Toxxic kills his own momentum by balancing on the top rope for a second, then backflipping back into the ring. Instead of going into the Catalogue Poses however the straight-edger merely grabs his right bicep with his left hand and makes an obscene pumping motion at the Nevada crowd, who rise and jeer in response to the rookie’s disrespectful ways. With the challenger seemingly distracted Rickmen quietly climbs back up to the apron, then vaults to the top rope and springboards off at Toxxic-

 

*SMACK!!*

 

-but is greeted with a boot to the kisser.

 

“Merciful Zeus!” Comet cries as Rickmen hits the mat. “That superkick caught Citizen Rickmen in midair and nearly beheaded the ICTV champion!”

“If your head’s no longer on your body, do you suppose that counts as ‘unable to continue’?” Riley asks.

 

Seeking to capitalise on his early advantage in the match Toxxic grabs the champion’s right arm and slides outside the ring, with Rickmen still flat on his back inside. As Sexton Hardcastle begins his count Toxxic pulls on Rickmen’s limb, dragging the Insane Luchador closer to the ropes, then-

 

*THWACK!!*

 

-slams the ICTV Champion’s arm into the steel ring post! Hardcastle leans over the ropes, admonishing the challenger, but Toxxic simply grabs Rickmen’s arm and does it again.

 

*THWACK!!*

 

“That’s called using the ring to your advantage, Comet!” Bobby Riley chortles as Sexton Hardcastle continues to count.

“Perhaps, Robert, but I think you’ll find that the challenger is outside the spirit of the rules here,” Comet answers uppishly.

 

As the referee’s count starts to rise Toxxic slides back into the ring where Rickmen cradles his arm close to his chest, lying on his side. The challenger reaches down, grabs a handful of his opponent’s hair and hauls Rickmen upright, ignoring Hardcastle’s warnings, then applies a hammerlock to the right arm. Insane Luchador winces in pain, but then as Toxxic’s other arm snakes around his throat the champion suddenly realises the danger he’s in.

 

“Repeat To Fade!” Comet shouts. “Toxxic’s trying for it already!”

 

Realising that he is in a very bad position, Rickmen simply lunges forward, ignoring the pain that this sends shooting up his arm. Taken off-guard Toxxic staggers forward with him, as Rickmen drops to the floor the straight-edger loses his grip on his opponent... and Toxxic’s momentum sends him crashing headfirst into the turnbuckle!

 

As Toxxic staggers backwards, Rickman leaps into action. Reaching up between Toxxic’s legs the champion trips his opponent up and brings him over into a schoolboy pin position-

 

“Rickmen you cretin, it’s submission only!” Riley shouts in delight.

 

-but Andrew Rickmen has not forgotten the stipulation, and as Toxxic lands on his back and shoulders the ICTV Champion traps one leg under each arm and then wrenches his opponent over, sitting back into a Boston Crab!

 

“And now the tables are turned!” Comet cries in delight as Toxxic yells in pain and tries vainly to reach the ropes. “In case you’d forgotten, Robert, Insane Luchador used that very move to achieve a submission in the match that qualified him to face Grappler at From The Fire for the ICTV belt! And what’s more, the Boston Crab is targeting Toxxic’s back, a back that got lacerated a mere week-and-a-half ago!”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever,” Riley answers sulkily. “I refuse to believe that this is an actual gameplan on the part of Andrew Rickmen, though. This must be the only submission hold he can remember!”

 

Whether or not Bobby Riley’s derisive words are accurate Rickmen’s application of the Crab is certainly painful enough, as Toxxic is finding out. The grunts and yells of pain that are coming from behind him only encourage the Insane One to lean into the move further, apparently trying to wrench Toxxic’s legs from out of the hip joints - if the straight-edger’s back doesn’t break first.

 

Face down on the mat, Toxxic’s mood is not improved by the face of Sexton Hardcastle thrust close to his own, repeatedly asking him if he wants to give up. Snarling an answer to the negative, Toxxic reaches out and tries to pull himself across the ring to the ropes... but although Rickmen is light he’s still sitting on Toxxic’s back, and the challenger’s efforts don’t really have much success. Frustrated, and in ever-increasing pain, Toxxic desperately tries to break Rickmen’s grip on his legs. Straining, the straight-edger puts as much pressure as he can into freeing his right leg as Rickmen attempts to strengthen his grip... then Toxxic suddenly wrenches his left leg instead.

 

Rickmen’s right arm has been slammed into the ringpost twice, and isn’t quite at full strength, so the sudden change of attack catches the champion off guard. Toxxic’s left leg squirms free, much to Rickmen’s annoyance, but the Insane Luchador simply shrugs and wraps both arms around his opponent’s right leg, nullifying any hopes Toxxic may have had of freeing that limb too.

 

But Toxxic wasn’t trying to. Now able to get some purchase with his foot he starts to push and pull himself inch by painful inch towards the ropes. Realising what’s going on Rickmen leans forward in an attempt to recapture the stray leg, but as he does so his weight moves off Toxxic’s chest and the straight-edger manages to make it the final foot, clutching the bottom rope like Bobby Riley would a Chippendale and screaming at the referee to make Rickmen release. Hardcastle begins the count, but Rickmen just wrenches back on the one leg he still has hold of and refuses to let go. Hardcastle reaches three... four... and just before the DQ the Insane Luchador releases the hold, stamping on Toxxic’s back for good measure as the referee pulls him away.

 

“That’s outrageous!” Bobby Riley complains as Harcastle admonishes Rickmen for his actions. “Andrew Rickmen isn’t heeding the referee at all here!”

“Nor was Toxxic when he rammed the champion’s arm into the ring postt!” Comet argues. “You can’t have double standards, Robert!”

“It’s a free country!”

 

Holding his back in pain Toxxic manages to push himself up onto all fours, but Rickmen is into his stride now and gives his opponent no time to recover. Brushing past Hardcastle the Insane Luchador slaps a front facelock on Toxxic, dragging him vertical before bringing him over with a SHARP snap suplex. As his spine impacts onto the mat Toxxic arches his back in pain, but Rickmen retains the front facelock and rolls to his feet again before snapping Toxxic over with another one!

 

“The Insane Luchador now showing his strategy,” Comet calls as Rickmen plays to the fans for a moment, the wild glint never leaving his eyes. “He’s focusing on the challenger’s back, and you have to believe that this could not only lead to a submission but will also severely limit Citizen Toxxic’s mobilty.”

“Toxxic doesn’t need to jump around like a lunatic tonight,” Bobby Riley argues. “All he needs to do is keep Rickmen grounded and lock in the submissions.”

 

However it is Andrew Rickmen who is dictating the pace of the match at the moment and the SWF veteran scoops up Toxxic and then drops him over one knee with a pendulum backbreaker, sending the straight-edger into more spasms. Sensing that his opponent might now be softened up enough Rickmen grabs both legs again and drags Toxxic to the centre of the ring, then starts to turn the Brit over into the Boston Crab...

 

...but Toxxic refuses to budge, spreading his arms out as wide a possible to prevent the transition, yelling abuse at Rickmen and thrashing his legs around in an effort to escape his tormentor. Rickmen is having none of it however, and attempts to stamp on Toxxic’s right arm to remove his support. Toxxic pulls his arm back out of the way, and Rickmen leans forward to try and get it again... and Toxxic reaches up and snares him, pulling the champion down into a small package!

 

Er...

 

“What are you doing, you moron?” Bobby Riley yells, “It’s submissions only!”

 

Toxxic is well aware of this and releases Rickmen - but now the Insane Luchador has also released his grip on Toxxic’s legs, and the two men roll apart. Seeking to regain the advantage Rickmen charges at the rising Toxxic. The Brit dodges to one side however, snares the Luchador’s arm and brings him crashing to the mat in a Fujiwara armbar! Pleased with his skill Toxxic leans back into the hold, the lopsided grin returning to his face. Unfortunately for the challenger the face of Andrew Rickmen registers discomfort but no more, and Sexton Hardcastle’s queries are met with a snort of derision from the Pennsylvania native. Angrily, Toxxic wrenches further back on the move, but apart from a slight grimace crossing his opponent’s face it has no discernible effect.

 

“Something of a stalemate here at present,” Comet declares. “Citizen Rickmen’s pain threshold is far too high for even a well-applied Fujiwara to make him tap without a lot more work going onto the arm first, but at the moment the ICTV Champion is effectively trapped in the middle of the ring.”

“I’m sure Toxxic’s just using this respite to plan his next move, Comet,” Riley answers.

 

...and lo and behold, Riley is right for once! Realising that the Fujiwara isn’t doing much good, Toxxic abruptly shifts his weight and scrambles onto the Luchador’s back. Grabbing Rickmen’s legs he laces them together and then traps them between his own before reaching forwards, hammering a right hand into the back of the champion’s head for luck and slipping one arm underneath Rickmen’s left armpit. With Insane Luchador’s near arm effectively neutralised Toxxic reaches around his opponent’s head and laces his fingers together across Rickmen’s face, then wrenches back in a new and far more painful submission move.

 

“The Regal Stretch!” Comet cries as Rickmen grabs at his own face with his free hand. “Toxxic learned that STF variation from renowned British wrestler William Regal when he was training in Atlanta, and the challenger has busted it out here tonight in an effort to win this match!”

“This could end it right here, Comet!” Riley cries in delight. “I don’t care how mad the Luchador is, he has to tap to this!”

 

But Andrew Rickmen does not seem to agree with Bobby Riley’s assessment, and as the seconds pass the crowd start to get more and more behind the ICTV Champion.

 

“RICK-MEN!” *clap-clap-clap*

“RICK-MEN!” *clap-clap-clap*

“RICK-MEN!” *clap-clap-clap*

 

Angrily looking around at the Arizona crowd Toxxic yells at them to shut their holes, but this predictably only incites the Phoenix fans to increase their volume. As he glares Toxxic momentarily forgets to monitor what his opponent is doing - and you always need to keep an eye on Rickmen. Pushing with his one free hand he manages to get Toxxic’s clasped fingers just where he wants them on his face...

 

“OOOOWWWWWWW!!!”

 

“He’s biting him Comet!” Riley yells in outrage. “He should forfeit the title right there!”

“Well, he has four legal seconds for that illegal move,” Comet shrugs.

 

Sexton Hardcastle doesn’t need to count to five, or even four - a millisecond after the Insane Luchador’s teeth close on his hand Toxxic releases his grip and Rickmen wriggles free, popping back up to his feet and looking to pick the pace up. Barrelling into his opponent Rickmen starts firing off his favoured right hands again, backing Toxxic into the corner. Hardcastle calls for the break and gets it, but Rickmen merely back off a few feet before running in again and vaulting up, planting both feet into Toxxic’s chest and falling backwards, taking the challenger over with a Monkey Flip. Toxxic manages to adjust his rotation in mid-air and lands on his feet, but as he turns back to face Rickmen the Insane Luchador takes the Brit off his feet with a brutal clothesline! Toxxic staggers to his feet again only to see Rickmen hurtling at him again - but this time Toxxic ducks sideways and hooks in a reverse headlock as the Insane Luchador passes. The challenger drops to one knee, driving the other into the back of Rickmen’s neck, before popping upright again, spinning his opponent round and then dropping down to the mat with a Diamond Cutter!

 

“Detoxx!” Comet cries as Toxxic completes the move. “Will that shift the momentum in the challenger’s favour?”

 

Raising Rickmen to his feet Toxxic looks to follow up his advantage by whipping the Insane One into the ropes. Rickmen reverses however and it is Toxxic who hits the cables instead. Rickmen ducks his head down looking for a back bodydrop, but instead eats a facebuster from Toxxic. Normally the straight-edger would follow up with an DDT to complete the Sobering Thought but this time Toxxic tucks Rickmen’s head between his legs, slaps his arms around the champion’s waist and hoists him into the air for a powerbomb... but Rickmen slips off Toxxic’s shoulders and snares him in a front facelock on the way down, driving the challenger’s head HARD into the canvas with a DDT of his own!

 

“RICK-MEN!” *clap-clap-clap*

“RICK-MEN!” *clap-clap-clap*

“RICK-MEN!” *clap-clap-clap*

 

“Toxxic didn’t hit the DDT there, presumably reasoning that since the Insane Luchador uses so many DDT’s he’d have the perfect counter,” Comet calls as both men start to struggle upright once more. “However Rickmen managed to counter that powerbomb attempt as well!”

“Where have the submissions gone Comet?” Riley asks, bewildered.

“It’s probably just a case of ‘stick to what you know’, Robert,” the masked superhero replies. “Insane Luchador in particular doesn’t usually wrestle this style, and Toxxic tends to be far more high-flying than mat-based - if you can knock out or soften up your opponent with your usual moves then you can just stick them in a submission and win that way, I guess!”

 

Rickmen gets to his feet first, and the tenacious champion grabs Toxxic by his wrist and whips the Brit into the turnbuckles. The impact further traumatises the challenger’s back, and after firing off another right hand Rickmen whips Toxxic towards the far corner, this time following his opponent in... but Toxxic vaults to the top rope and comes back with a flying clothesline...

 

*SMACK!!*

 

...but Rickmen dropkicks him out of the air!

 

“Rickmen reversed the Role Reversal!” Comet marvels as the champion reaches down for Toxxic’s legs “And now it looks like he’s feeling Crabby again!”

“That pun justifies the death penalty in itself,” Bobby Riley mutters.

 

Rickmen has Toxxic’s legs hooked in preparation for the Boston Crab but Toxxic again reaches up and grabs his opponent, this time pulling him forwards so Rickmen’s head collides with a turnbuckle. As the Insane Luchador staggers backwards Toxxic rises to his feet and starts firing off punches...

 

 

RIGHT!

 

 

LEFT!

 

 

RIGHT!

 

 

LEFT!

 

 

Windup...

 

 

DISCUS CLOTHESLINE!

 

“It hit this time Comet!” Riley calls as Toxxic’s momentum sends both him and Rickmen crashing to the mat, but the straight-edger isn’t done. Repositioning Rickmen’s body slightly he steps outside the ropes onto the apron, wincing as his back twinges. The challenger takes up station next to the turnbuckle and raises three fingers above his head.

“That’s the sign for the Mondo Akimbo A-Go-Go Moonsault!” Comet says. “But has he taken too much time?”

 

Toxxic jumps to the top rope...

 

“MONDO!” chants the small portion of the crowd that always cheers a heel.

 

...to the top buckle...

 

“AKIMBO!”

 

...MOONSAULT!

 

“A-GO-GO!”

 

*WHAM!*

 

“Rickmen got his knees up!” Comet cries as the challenger rolls across the ring clutching his ribs. “And now Citizen Luchador has a chance to put this one away!”

 

Toxxic is lying on his stomach, arms twisted under him as Rickmen crawls over on all fours. For a moment it looks like the Insane Luchador is going to try for the Boston Crab again, but the last two times backfired and Rickmen isn’t that insane. So he places both knees in Toxxic’s back and seizes the challenger’s neck and ankles before rolling backwards.

 

“Bow and arrow lock!” Comet calls as Toxxic cries out in pain. “Rickmen expanding his offence here, and this could spell curtains for Citizen Toxxic’s bid to become double champion!”

 

Racked across Andrew Rickmen’s knees and with his back screaming in pain, Toxxic doesn’t welcome Sexton Hardcastle’s questioning of his position. But as Rickmen pulls down further and further on his handholds it looks more and more likely that the straight-edger will have to abandon his quest... until in desperation, Toxxic’s fumbling fingers find Rickmen’s face. Once they do, it’s the work of a moment to jam them into the Insane Luchador’s eyes, and even an Insane Luchador will release his hold if he’s threatened with blindness...

 

“That’s a dirty tactic by Toxxic!” Comet yells as the challenger rolls off clutching his back while Rickmen rolls away clutching his face.

“Worse that biting someone’s fingers?” Riley asks pointedly.

 

Ignoring the voice of Sexton Hardcastle, Toxxic pushes himself upright and grabs Andrew Rickman as the ICTV Champion continues to claw at his face. With a grunt Toxxic sends Rickmen into the ropes, but although half-blind the champion’s ring sense is still working and the Insane Luchador vaults back off the second rope, twisting in mid-air to snare Toxxic in a hurricanrana and taking him over onto the mat!

 

“RICK-MEN!” *clap-clap-clap*

“RICK-MEN!” *clap-clap-clap*

“RICK-MEN!” *clap-clap-clap*

 

As Toxxic clutches his back once more it is Rickmen’s turn to pull his opponent up, and the champion attempts to send Toxxic into the cables. Toxxic reverses the momentum however and sends Rickmen in instead, then aims a devastating clothesline at the champion...

 

...but Rickmen ducks at the last moment and continues to the other side of the ring before rebounding with his own clothesline prepared...

 

...but Toxxic ducks and the champion’s arm sails harmless over his head. Rickmen rebounds again, but his still-fuzzy vision loses sight of the challenger as Toxxic drops to the deck...

 

...and scythes Rickmen’s feet out from under him with a vicious soccer tackle.

 

*THUD!!*

 

Rickmen somersaults over his own feet and lands HARD on his back. Struggling up the champion attempts to get a bearing on his opponent, but with his ankles suddenly numb and weak Rickmen is unable to avoid Toxxic as the challenger closes in. The Brit fires off a boot to the midsection and hooks both of the Insane Luchador’s arms behind his back before hoisting Rickmen UP...

 

 

AROUND...

 

 

AND...

 

 

DOWN!

 

“Toxxic Shock Syndrome!” Comet yells as Rickmen lands headfirst. “Toxxic can’t pin him, but that might give the challenger the opening he needs!”

 

Sure enough, as Rickman lies flat on his stomach Toxxic moves into action, locking his own feet and ankles around the Luchador’s and reaching forward to hoist Rickmen up by his arms. As Rickmen is hauled vertical it looks as though Toxxic is going for a Mexican Surfboard but the Brit reaches forwards, grabs Rickmen’s right arm and twists it into a hammerlock position before grabbing the wrist with his left hand... locking in a Dragon Sleeper.

 

“This is similar to Thoth’s old finishing move!” Bobby Riley yells in delight, “But with that extra-special British twist! There’s no way Rickmen’s escaping this!”

“Toxxic calls this Repeat To Fade variation ‘The Bends’,” Comet announces as Toxxic wrenches back on the hold, “and it is bending Rickmen in front of our eyes here. But to be honest, I’m not sure how much Rickmen had left anyway after that Toxxic Shock Syndrome!”

 

Sexton Hardcastle leans forward to check on the ICTV Champion, but Rickmen’s left arm is flailing weaker and weaker. Making a decision, Hardcastle raises the limp limb and lets it fall...

 

...

 

...

 

...

 

...

 

...

 

ONCE!

 

...

 

...

 

...

 

...

 

...

 

TWICE!!

 

...

 

...

 

...

 

...

 

...

 

THRRRRRREEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!

 

*DING! DING!*

 

“BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!”

 

“Ladies and gentlemen here is your winner, and NEW~ SWF Intercontinental Television Champion,” Funyon booms, attempting to make himself heard over the crowd’s disapproval and the guitars of Lostprophets, “TOXXX-XXXIIIC!”

 

“Toxxic’s winning ways continue, as Andrew Rickman passes out rather than tap out!” Comet calls as the British straight-edger receives his new title belt from Sexton Hardcastle. “I can’t say I like the man and his new-found attitude problem, but I cannot deny that he backs his words up in the ring!”

“This is brilliant, Comet, just brilliant!” Riley gushes. “Soon Toxxic will have all the belts! Look out Clark! Look out Coy, you flea-ridden redneck! Look out Grappler!”

 

Slinging the HGC belt over his shoulder and fitting his newest acquisition around his waist Toxxic clambers gingerly out of the ring and makes his way up the entrance ramp, laughing at the fans that yell abuse as we

 

FADE OUT

[Kaertos 0]

SWF Lockdown is back on the air in three.

 

Two.

 

One.

 

"RRRRRRRRAAAAHHHHHHH!"

 

As the generic rock music that is Lockdown's theme rings from the speakers, it's drowned out by the sound of the fans as the show comes back from commercial! The spectators are here in their multitudes, packed from ringside to nearly right up to the rafters, and they've brought their cameras and their signs. From "You Suck, Clark!" and "Thoth + DDR > You!", to "Janus Is A Lunatic!" and "How's The Neck, Duran?" complete with a photo of the top rope Rage Unleashed, the signs are many and varied. As the camera pirouettes around the arena, catching sight of almost every single fan in attendance, it begins its trip down towards the announce table. And it is here where everyone's favourite superhero, along with everyone's favourite ambiguously gay announcer is!

 

"Welcome back to S! W! F Lockdown! I'm CYCLOOOOOOOOOOOONE COMET!"

 

"And I'm Bobby Riley!"

 

"And we're here to give you yet another fun-filled night after the promotional show that followed From The Fire!"

 

"Where it was proven that Alan Clark sucks, Janus is certifiably insane, and the Unnamed are my gods."

 

"One of those things is wrong, Robert. And after we just saw Toxxic and the Insane Luchador go at it, the man you call certfiably insane is up next!"

 

"Just grand." Riley moans, burying his head in his hands as the camera pans to Funyon, impeccable as always in the ring.

 

"The following contest is a NO DISQUALIFICATION MATCH, scheduled for ONE FALL! All standard rules are in effect, save that countouts and disqualifications as previously stated, do NOT apply!"

 

As Funyon finishes speaking, the melodic notes that herald the start of Andrew W.K's "Ready To Die" echo throughout the arena. The fans wait for ten long seconds as the tune continues to echo from the speakers, and then...

 

*BOOM! BOOM! BOOOOOOOOM!*

 

"You better get ready to die

You better get ready to kill

You better get ready to run

Cause here we come

You better get ready to die!"

 

...three blasts of white pyrotechnics explode from the stage, and the form of the Spectacular One himself, Mike Van Siclen, steps through with a grin on his face! As he leans over to jaw with a fan or two and slap hands, Funyon once more lifts his microphone.

 

"Introducing first, from Harrison Illinois! At six-foot-four and weighing two hundred and thirty one pounds! The Spectaaaaaacular Onnnne...MIKE! VAN! SIIIIICLEN!"

 

"Citizen Siclen looks rather relaxed today, Robert."

 

"And why shouldn't he, Comet? He's faced Janus before and completely OWNED him."

 

"That was Citizen Janus back then, and this is Citizen Bailey now..."

 

The Spectacular One rolls into the ring and springs to his feet, lifting his arms to mixed cheers and cries from the fans. He mounts the turnbuckles and points out at the fans as if to say 'cheer me' and they oblige by cheering louder! But the cheers become more muted as Andrew W.K fades out to be replaced by the ominous buzzing sound of an alarm. As the bright red word [RELEASED] comes into flashing focus on the Smarktron, Bobby Riley looks at his announcing partner.

 

"I suppose you're hoping you dreamed what he did to Duran, Comet?" the ambigiously gay one smirks.

 

"Please be quiet, Robert, you're bothering me." Comet replies sternly.

 

"When darkness falls! (When darkness falls)

We are reborn!

A dream since the fall of man!

We are reborn..."

 

The siren fades out as the chorus of Killswitch Engage's "When Darkness Falls" starts up, and the spotlight swings towards the ramp. The stage curtain flutters in the breeze caused by the black and white pyrotechnics erupting on the ramp, covering it in a monochromatic haze! Funyon lifts his microphone once more as everyone's eyes focus on the stage curtain.

 

"And his opponent, from Sydney Australia! A member of the Unholy Trinity, he stands at seven foot two and weighs three hundred and sixty pounds! He is the Anti-Heel Machine... TERRRRRRRRRENCE 'JAAAAAAAAANUS' BAAAAAAAILEEEEEY!"

 

As Funyon slides out of the ring, it becomes apparent no one is coming from the backstage area. Matthew Kivell signals for the lights to come back up and as he does, he falls on his ass! Standing in the ring directly behind the Spectacle, with the Equalizer lifted above his head, is the seven foot Australian! The crowd lets out a shocked sound as the big man swings the barbed wire cricket bat in an overhand motion. Mike Van Siclen turns around just in time to take wood and barbed wire to the head and fall straight to the mat, clutching his skull in pain! Blood runs in small rivulets down the face of the Spectacle from the cuts in his skull. Throwing the weapon aside, the big man looks to Kivell to start the match, and the referee really doesn't have a choice!

 

*DING DING DING!*

 

Yanking Mike up to his feet and clearly in Hell Machine form, Janus holds his opponent up by the hair. Rearing back his right fist, he slams it straight into Siclen's face, the Knuckle Bomb knocking the Spectacle One senseless! Held up only by the Hell Machine's grip on his hair, Siclen staggers drunkenly, only to see a large forehead crash into his face! Releasing his opponent, Janus watches him collapse to the ground, and he touches his head for a moment, glowering down steadily at the Spectacle.

 

"That's not Citizen Bailey at all, Robert..."

 

"I told you he'd gone fucking nuts, Comet!"

 

Again peeling his opponent off the canvas, the monsterous Janus throws the Spectacle into the ropes, and when he comes back hoists him high into the air! Mike feels himself suspended up there for several moments, before he's WHIPPED back down into the mat with a brutal high-angle spinebuster! Not letting up for one instant, the Hell Machine rips Siclen from the ground and throws him into the corner, storming over to the opposite one and crouching down. Baring his teeth in an almost feral snarl, the big monster roars across the ring, and the Spectacular feels his insides crumple as he's GORED straight into the turnbuckles! With a bestial look on his face, the Hell Machine pulls Mike from his slumped position and locks on a front facelock, thrownig the Spectacle's arm over his shoulder in preparation for a vertical suplex.

 

"WE WANT TERR-ENCE!" *clap-clap clap-clap-clap*

"JANUS SUCKS!" *clap-clap clap-clap-clap*

"WE WANT TERR-ENCE!" *clap-clap clap-clap-clap*

"JANUS SUCKS!" *clap-clap clap-clap-clap*

 

"Well the fans are letting him have it, Robert..." Comet still looks stunned.

 

"Oh, I wish he was." Riley mumbles, trying not to be heard.

 

The chant seems to have some effect on the Hell Machine, who lifts his head up from the vertical suplex to look around at the fans. Chanting not for him, but for Terrence. He looks genuinely perplexed by this, slackening his grip on the vertical suplex and putting a hand to his forehead. The battered body of the Spectacle drops to its knees, but Mike is still in control of his faculties. And so the bloody-faced Spectacular One lifts his forearm straight into the psychologically confused monster's genitalia! His eyes bulge and the big man stumbles back, blinking surprised and confused eyes. Mike immediatley takes advantage, propelling his battered body forward and kicking his legs out as he catches the big man's head, dropping into a sitout jawbreaker!

 

Clearly the Anti-Heel Machine once more, Terrence jerks upright and clutches his jaw, still looking confused. Leaping off the mat, the Spectacle cracks a beautiful spinning wheel kick into the seven footer's jaw, falling back to the ground with a grimace. The big man stumbles back again and shakes his head before stepping forward...into a drop-toe hold that ensures his face collides with the middle turnbuckle! Siclen rolls to the floor and grabs a chair, sliding it into the ring and rolling back in before opening the chair open. As the Anti-Heel Machine straightens up, he feels the Spectacle's arms around his waist as Mike strains with all his might, trying to lift his mammoth opponent over...

 

..and with a startling *KA-RUNCH*, the steel chair crumples around the head of the Anti-Heel Machine as Mike Van Siclen manages to pull him over in a German suplex! Releasing the hold once the giant has impacted, the Spectacle sprawls on his back, gasping. His head and his ribs ache like nothing else from that earlier assault, and that means he needs to finish this match quickly. Rolling onto his stomach, he watches the body of the seven foot Terrence Bailey begin to stir.

 

"An incredible match so far if you could call it that, Robert. Citizen Janus assaults Citizen Siclen, who fights back bravely! And with the help of the fans..."

 

"Help? Admit it Comet, he's just fucking crazy!"

 

"...and with the HELP OF THE FANS, Robert, Citizen Bailey appears to have returned to his more peaceable self!"

 

Despite knowing he should finish this match early, the Spectacular One seems content to rest on his stomach, to try and recover from the punishing damage wrought in the early point of the match. They've barely been wrestling, yet he feels like he's been run through a grinder, given the force of the Anti-Heel Machine's blows. Carefully, the Spectacle begins to lift himself up into the turnbuckle, wheezing. Meanwhile, on the mat, Terrence Bailey begins to slowly sit up after that German suplex, holding the back of his head. He still looks faintly confused, but aware of where he is as he begins climbing to his feet.

 

As he begins to straighten from his doubled up position however, Mike lunches forward and wraps an arm around his neck, locking him in position for a DDT! Swinging his other arm around, the Spectacle slams the Anti-Heel Machine facefirst into the crumpled steel chair with the Code Red before rolling him over! Aching, Mike hooks one massive leg and implores Matthew Kivell to count swiftly so this match doesn't have to go on any further than it has.

 

ONE!

...

....

.....

TWO!!

...

....KICKOUT!!

 

Siclen rolls onto his back and slaps his hands on the mat in frustration, sitting up with a grimace as the crowd begins to warm to the match, cheering. He asks Kivell if it was a three, and when the referee holds up two fingers, the Spectacular One sighs. He begins to climb to his feet, but as a big shadow falls across him he realises he doesn't have the time. But he isn't assaulted, and as he carefully straightens up, the Anti-Heel Machine backs away to let him get some breathing room. The crowd gives a light cheer for this, as the giant does look a little regretful for his earlier actions.

 

"Don't let him sucker you in, Mike! He's a bloody maniac! He'll savage you with that goddamn Equalizer of his the first chance he gets!" Riley calls.

 

"Don't be ridiculous, Robert! Citizen Bailey is trying his best to keep himself restrained!" Comet shoots back.

 

"He's as restrained as a loose board in the path of a tornado Comet! And when that tornado hits, whoever's near him is completely f**ked!"

 

Comet looks shocked at Riley's swearing, but the censor catches the ambiguously gay co-announcer out. With a short distance between them, the Anti-Heel Machine and the Spectacular One stare at each other. Slowly, Terrence lifts his arms and calls for a collar-and-elbow tie up, advancing slowly. With a suspicious and weary look, Mike lifts his own arms, and then swings his leg up! The giant was expecting the move however, moving sideways and slamming one arm down, pinning the leg against his side. His other hand shoots out to grab the Spectacle's throat, and with the crowd's cheering in his ears, he hoists Mike up and spins around, falling down with a BRUTAL leg-capture chokeslam!

 

Straightening up, the Anti-Heel Machine looks to the crowd, who cheer back at him now that he seems to be back to his senses. He points at the Spectacle and the fans cheer louder, and so Terrence runs to the ropes. Bouncing off them, the three hundred and sixty pound Australian leaves the ground, one huge leg extended, and he DROPS it across the chest of Mike Van Siclen! The hefty legdrop drives all the air out of the battered Spectacle's lungs, and the seven footer just leaves it there for a pinfall, looking up at Matthew Kivell.

 

ONE!

...

....

.....

TWO!

...

....KICKOUT!

 

"Citizen Bailey with a lazy cover there, perhaps wishing the damage he'd done earlier had kept Citizen Siclen down!" Comet calls.

 

"Mike's quicker, smarter, and tougher than that big lunatic will ever be. He's beaten him before and can do it again!" Riley quips.

 

"We'll see about that one, won't we, Robert?" Come replies softly.

 

Shrugging his shoulders, Terrence Bailey rolls to his feet and steps slowly across the ring, holding the back of his head. Blood seems to be becoming visible through the black-and-white hair, showing that earlier German suplex had done more damage than first thought. Leaning on the ropes for a moment, he drops to his knees and eyes the slowly rising Spectacular One. Mike himself has latched onto the ropes and pulled himself up, and then the ring begins to shake! Sensing incoming danger, Siclen begins to flip himself over the top rope... only to see the Anti-Heel Machine roar between the top and middle ropes and crash into the thin matting as his Gore misses! Moments later, the Spectacle finishes his flip and lands on the bigger man's back with a senton, as the crowd chants!

 

"THAT KICKED ASS!"

"THAT KICKED ASS!"

"THAT KICKED ASS!"

 

"Why aren't the crowd censored, Comet?"

 

"Just wait for the DVD, my ambiguously gay friend."

 

Terrence lets out a cry of pain, as his back still hasn't fully recovered from the punishment it took at From The Fire. Sensing weakness, Mike scrambles to his feet and begins raining stomps down on the giant's spine, and the referee can do nothing but watch thanks to the no-disqualification stipulation. After stomping his opponent's back some more, the Spectacle grabs a handful of black-and-white hair and helps his seven foot opponent to his feet. Clearly in pain, Terrence looks vulnerable as Siclen slowly grabs his hands, lifting them up and crossing them over his face.

 

As he prepares to drop to one knee for the Crossface Black, however, he feels the giant's hands wrapping about his own. Thinking fast, Mike slams a knee up into the big man's lower back, causing him to arch in pain! Shifting his grip to an inverted facelock, the Spectacular One arches the Anti-Heel Machine back, and then spins around gracefully for the Russian Roulette! The giant spins in the air and crashes into the ground face-first with an unseen grimace, holding the back of his head and neck. As Mike begins to roll him over for a cover, Kivell slides out of the ring to tell him that even though there's no countouts or disqualifications, the pinfall has to take place in the ring.

 

Sighing, Mike nods and drags his seven foot opponent to a semi-standing position, before straining to roll him under the bottom rope and following him in. He mentally skims what he can do to a man of Terrence's size, and then his eyes light up. Sitting on the fallen giant's back, he lifts the Anti-Heel Machine's huge hands and crosses them over his throat, before leaning back and pulling on them for all he's worth! The big man comes to life beneath him, gasping.

 

"Yay! Go Mikey! He's got the Cardinal Sin Clutch locked in!"

 

"With his hands trapped Citizen Bailey can't reach the ropes. And even if he could, the no disqualification rule means Citizen Siclen doesn't have to let go!"

 

"He's just going to choke that big, maniacal lunatic out and...Hey!"

 

Clearly running out of air and none-too-impressed with all the pressure on his arms, Terrence bulks his muscles and pulls! The Spectacle's strength is no match for the Anti-Heel Machine's, who immediatley plants his hands on the mat and begins pushing himself up! Mike leans forward and begins beating punches into the back of the big man's injured skull, and the result makes him smile as the big man grimaces and reaches back to stop him. Again grabbing Terrence's hands, the Spectacular One attempts to reapply the Cardinal Sin Clutch! But his efforts fall woefully short as his opponent just pulls his arms free and throws an elbow back, catching Siclen under the jaw.

 

Rising to his feet, the big man senses his opponent's proximity and spins around with a rolling lariat, that the Spectacle barely ducks! Jumping quickly upright again, Mike grabs a double handful of white-and-black hair in preparation for a two-handed facebuster, but a huge knee to the stomach stops that! The heavy blow doubles the Spectacular One over, and Terrence bends down and peels him off the ground, flipping him up onto his shoulders for a sitout powerbomb! But punches slamming into his forehead and a poke to the eyes is disorienting, and the Anti-Heel Machine drops Mike to the ground again. He stumbles back, rubbing his face, and steps blindly towards his opponent straight into a drop-toe hold!

 

The ring shakes as the Anti-Heel Machine crashes into the canvas once more, still blinking his eyes. Once more he feels Mike straddling his back and starting to grab his hands for the dreaded Cardinal Sin Clutch. But the seven footer smiles to himself as an image forms in his mind, and as Siclen shuffles forward to apply the hold, Terrence plants his hands on the mat and powers himself up to his knees! Before Mike can tumble off his back again, the giant reaches back as if piggy-backing the Spectacular One, pushing him up onto his shoulders as the Anti-Heel Machine reaches his vertical base once more.

 

"What IS Citizen Bailey doing! He's got Citizen Siclen up on his shoulders..." Comet wonders.

 

"Something murderous and insane I bet" Riley mutters.

 

As the fans watch Mike sit in electric chair drop position on Terrence's shoulders, lightbulbs begin to go off in their heads. Even more go off as the giant reaches up between Siclen's legs to grab him by the wrists. With a wide grin on his face as the fans begin cheering, Terrence Bailey flings Mike Van Siclen forward off his shoulders and kicks his legs out! And almost in slow motion, the Spectacular's head and shoulders are CRATERED into the mat with the ASSAULT DRIVER!

 

"That was Aecas' Assault Driver! Terrence finds a situation to use one of his teammate's finishers and DOES it!" Comet yells.

 

"A lunatic's move for a fellow lunatic, Comet!" Riley sneers.

 

As Mike rolled over and Terrence lays over him, the crowd chants along with the referee.

 

ONE!

...

....

.....

TWO!!

...

....

.....

THREEEEEEEEEE!!

 

*DING DING DING!*

 

As the sound of Killswitch Engage's "When Darkness Falls" roars across the arena, Terrence Bailey rises to his feet, holding his head. There's a smile on his face though, as he defeated not only his opponent in the ring tonight, but the machinations of his split personality as well. Funyon rises to his feet, voice booming to be heard over the chorus of the music.

 

"Ladies and gentlemen! The WINNER of this bout, the Anti-Heel Machine.....TERRRRRRRRENCE 'JAAAAAAANUS' BAIIIIILEEEEEEEEY!"

 

As the fans cheer, Terrence drops to one knee to check on the Spectacular One, who groans and shakes his head, clearly still conscious. Looking relieved, the Anti-Heel Machine rises to his feet and waves to the fans, who cheer and wave back. Stepping over the bottom rope and dropping to the floor, Terrence Bailey strides up the ramp under his own power and with the fans at his back.

 

"An incredible match on any account despite what happened at the beginning, Robert!" Comet calls.

 

"This match was stupid from the start. Janus showed he was an insane maniac, no matter what you say the fans did, Comet."

 

"Each to their own, my friend, each to their own! Now we cut to commercial folks, but when we come back, we'll have none other than Alan Clark himself performing live for everyone!"

 

The camera focuses in on the groggy, but living form of Mike Van Siclen as the cameras cut to commercial...

[Kaertos 0]

The Phoenix crowd is welcomed back from commercial break with a steel chair set up in the ring with a guitar stand beside it and a red rug draped over the canvas. The camera zooms in on Funyon, who stands on the outside, microphone to his mouth.

 

“Ladies and Gentlemen…please welcome for your enjoyment… the SWF Cruiserweight Champion Alan Clark..in CONCERT!”

 

The crowd cheers as Alan steps out from behind the curtain, sans theme music, and begins his long walk to the ring. Alan smiles brightly and seems to be ready to put on a show for the crowd.

 

“What the hell is this?” Riley asks.

 

“Citizen Clark has decided to grace us with a few songs tonight.”

 

“Where is Va’aiga when you need him!” Riley can be heard shuffling around in his chair.

 

“What are you doing, Robert?”

 

“Earplugs” is all Riley says as Alan walks up the ringsteps and then into the ring, waiting for the cheering to stop before he grabs his guitar and takes a seat. Alan pushes the microphone up to his lips, causing it to crackle a bit as he breathes slowly.

 

“How’s everybody doing tonight?’ Alan asks a bit quietly, but the fans react with fervor.

 

“He doesn’t seem to be himself out there, Robert” Comet mentions as Alan shifts in his seat uncomfortably and looks back at the crowd.

 

“Good good. Sorry if I look a bit off-key right now…I need to tune myself up.” Alan says before rolling his neck and popping a few of his knuckles, shaking his entire body loose before regaining his composure..

 

“That’s better…now…

 

…HOW IS EVERYBODY DOING!!!”

 

Alan screams out and the crowd explodes in applause.

 

“There he is, back to normal.”

 

“If you call that normal…” Riley quips as Alan begins to talk once more.

 

“This is my biggest concert ladies and gentlemen…but I hope you like what I have cooked up for you tonight. An acoustic little treat I call ‘Without Honor’…”

 

Alan shifts in his seat and begins playing his guitar, the notes wafting out of the audience, slowly pulling them in before Alan begins to sing in quite the velvety smooth voice…

 

Sometimes when I’m in this ring

And you fans are on your feet

There is no place that I would rather be

Because these feelings can’t be beat

Well I know some can not justify

How I ever won this gold

Taking legends down one by one

Vowing to never break my hold

 

Cause in this life I found my place

Underneath all of these bright lights

And with the honor of a champion

I vow to never lose the fight

To never lose the fight

 

Without honor…

I’d just be dark inside

No reason to smile or show my face

Feeling empty, missing pride

I’d just be dark inside

 

Without your honor

I’d just leave it all behind

Because without each of my dear friends

I would rather lose my mind…

 

 

Alan continues to sing, and the lights begin to dim slowly. He doesn’t even seem to notice until the entire arena is dropped into darkness, and his singing stops dead.

 

“I don’t know if this is part of the show…” Comet remarks, and suddenly the lights flicker back to full power, and Alan Clark is face down in the middle of the ring.

 

“MY GOD! WHAT JUST HAPPENED!” The crowd knows before either Riley or Comet, as they see Landon Maddix walking up the entranceway, Alan’s guitar in his hands. Comet sees Maddix first.

 

“It’s Landon Maddix…and he has Citizen Clark’s guitar!” Comet yells out as Maddix gets to the top of the ramp and waits for Alan to get to his feet. In the ring, Alan uses his chair to get back up, holding his head as he looks around to see what exactly happened, and finally sees Maddix at the top of the stage.

 

Maddix raises the guitar over his head and smiles as Alan looks on, his eyes beginning to burn with anger as he rubs the back of his head, leaving Maddix to simply turn away and walk backstage, leaving the Cruiserweight Champion alone in the ring.

[Kaertos 0]

The American West Arena is filled with the sounds of thousands and thousands of screaming fans. Already pumped from the matches they’ve seen and even more pumped for the action to come. With the fallout of From The Fire still settling down, the crowd is just about ready for anything.

 

Comet: Welcome back Citizens to SWF Lockdown! We’ve had an action packed show so far, but we’ve got far more to come.

 

Riley: I must say, I’m really loving Toxxic’s new attitude Comet. I see great things in his future. And now I get to watch Dace Night get beaten. Life is good.

 

Once again standing in the middle of the ring, Funyon lifts up his custom house mic to announce the next match up.

 

Funyon: Ladies and gentlemen, the following one on one contest will be for one fall! Introducing firstly, from Birmingham England, weighing in at two hundred and fifty two pounds … DACE…

 

FUCKING!

 

Funyon: NIGHT!

 

YYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!

 

Hero rips into life over the arena as pyro lights up the entrance ramp, rolling up to the top of the stage. Standing in the clearing cloud of pyro, Dace paces down to ring side, tagging hands with the ringside fans before sliding into the ring and throwing the horns into the air. Flexing on the ropes, Horrorcore looks around at the cheering fans as he waits for the match to start.

 

"There is nothing wrong with your television set.“

 

“Do not attempt to adjust the picture."

 

“I will control the horizontal.”

 

“I will control the vertical.”

 

“I am controlling transmission...."

 

BBBBBBBBBBBBOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

 

Tainted starts up as a single spotlight focuses on the figure of Andrew Blackwell. Sacred slowly strolling down the ramp, ignoring the calls of the fans and staring into the ring. Climbing the steps onto the apron, Sacred gazes out into the crowd, before brushing off their calls and climbing into the ring. Ready to come face to face Horrorcore, not for the first time.

 

Comet: An SWF Hall of Fameer against someone that just beat Danny Williams on PPV. This could be intense.

 

Riley: Or boring, if Dace doesn’t get his ass kicked.

 

DING, DING, DING!

 

RRRRRRRAAAAAAAAHHHHH!

 

Referee Ced calls for the bell as the matches gets underway. Blackwell dives in like a striking scorpion, jabbing his forearm into Dace Night’s face. Shrugging off the blows with one roll of his head, Dace snaps Sacred’s head back with an Elbow Smash. Quickly catches Sacred’s arm before he can escape, Dace strikes again, slamming the edge of his end into his victim’s chest. The sounds of the Knife Edge Chops echo around the arena as Dace fires off one after another. Reeling back from each blow, Sacred struggles to break free of Night’s grip but can’t manage to as one last blow knocks him to the mat like a lighting strike.

 

SMACK! WWWWWWWOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

 

Like an man that wants to be a veteran, Dace doesn’t give up his grip. Instead he drags Blackwell straight back to his feet in a whiplash motion, burying his knee into Blackwell’s midsection as he comes up. As Blackwell doubles over, holding his chest, Dace ties his arms around his around Sacred’s waist and heaves back. Tipping back to the mat, Dace slams Blackwell down with a Gutwrench Suplex. Floating over into a Lateral Press, Dace goes for a quick opening cover as Ced dives in for the count.

 

……ONE! Kickout!

 

OOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

 

Comet: Citizen Night with a blazing opening attack. Taking it to the veteran Citizen Blackwell and trying to man handle him from the get go.

 

Riley: It’s not going to last long Comet. You think Sacred can’t deal with Dace Night? He’s done it before, he’ll do it again.

 

Rolling back to his feet, Dace pounces in like a wild animal as Sacred starts to stand up. Wrapping on a loose Facelock, Horrorcore drives the point oh his elbow into Sacred’s upper back and shoulders. Hearing the grunts of pain from his opponent, Dace sends him flying across the ring into the turnbuckles with a thud. Following in like a homing missile, Dace launches Blackwell all the way across the ring to the opposite turnbuckles with another thud. Stalking across the ring, showing the defeating of Danny Williams has empowered him, Dace ties up Blackwell once again. Bending over and clamping on a Waistlock, Night arches backwards, slamming Blackwell down with a Northern Lights Suplex, keeping hold of the bridge.

 

……ONE!

 

 

…Kickout!

 

BBBBBBBBBBBBOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

 

Flopping away from the kickout, Night latches on to the nearby ropes and hauls himself up in flash like a rising warrior. Sacred struggles back to his feet, groping at his shoulders for a moment and ends up trapped in a Front Facelock as Dace leaps back to the attack. Swing Andrew’s arm over his shoulders, Dace leans back for a Suplex. Scrambling to find a way out, Sacred shoots his arm out and slips it under Dace’s and racks a thumb across his eye. Recoiling in shock, Dace tries to guard himself while blinded for a moment, but the veteran grabs his arm and dives forwards. Wrapping Dace’s own arm around his neck, Sacred brings him down the mat with a Half Goku Raku Neckbreaker.

 

BBBBBBBOOOOOOOOO!

 

Comet: Citizen Blackwell sneaks a dirty blow in on Dace Night to stop his attacks.

 

Riley: See, those are the skills of a legend like Sacred. He saw an opening Dace hadn’t thought of and made him pay for it. That’s how he’s going to win.

 

Springing back to his feet, Blackwell shakes out the last of the ache in his shoulders as he starts to rain down the boots onto Horrorcore. The veteran targets Horrorcore’s head and face as he tries to roll over to project himself. Lashing out franticly, Night shoves Sacred away and forces himself up, covering his face with one arm, trying to clear his eyes. Striking at the half blinded Dace, Sacred fires off a forearm that gets caught in mid air. Dace rears back and launches a forearm of his as he blinks away the last of the water, only for Blackwell to swat it away and slam home two of his own in quick succession. Shooting Dace straight into the turnbuckles, The Sacred One makes a well timed charge like a cheater. Sailing though the air, Sacred swings out his leg and burries it into Night’s chest.

 

BLACKWELL SUCKS! BLACKWELL SUCKS! BLACKWELL SUCKS!

 

Ignoring the call of the crowd, Blackwell clamps a Side Headlock on the gasping Dace Night. But rather than going for a Bulldog, Blackwell forces Night’s face across the top rope and starts to grin it in, dragging him along the ropes. Referee Ced steps in and yells at Sacred to let go at once then starts up the five count. Struggling at kicking all the way, Dace tries break free, but Sacred holds tight and just forces down even harder. Reaching the other side of the ring at a four from Ced, Sacred releases just long enough to smash Dace’s abused face into the top turnbuckle. Not even give Dace a second to clutch at his even more mangled face, Blackwell doubles him back into an Inverted Facelock and throws his legs out, planting Dace with a Reverse Inverted DDT in the corner…

 

BBBBBBBOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

 

Reaching forwards and cradling both of Dace’s legs away from the ropes, The Sacred One makes a cover, with a grin on his face like someone with a plan that’s working out perfectly. Ced slides in to count the fall as Dace struggles to throw off all the weight on his shoulders..

 

……ONE!

 

 

 

……TWO!

 

 

 

 

……Kickout!

 

YYYYYYYYYAAAAAAAHHHHH!

 

Comet: Citizen Blackwell almost looks like he’s trying to blind Dace then drop him fast and roll him up for the cover…?

 

Riley: Of course, Sacred has everything on Dace in terms of speed. If Dace can’t see him to hit him hard, he’s done for! Blackwell made himself the advantage he needed. Now he can really get to work on Dace.

 

Letting out a small yell of frustration, Sacred hauls Dace back up to his feet in the corner, spitting over the ropes into the front row as he goes. Half turning, Sacred reaches behind him and wraps his arm around Night’s head. Leaping forwards, dragging Dace out of the corner like a bull on a rope, Sacred dives to the mat and pulls Dace down with him in an Inverted Neckbreaker. Flicking himself over and backwards like a snake, Andrew sits across Night’s back and grabs his head. Lacing his fingers around Night’s face, Blackwell hauls backwards like he’s trying to uproot a tree, ripping away on Horrorcore’s abused face.

 

LET’S GO DACE! CLAP CLAP CLAP! LET’S GO DACE!

 

Roaring at the pain shooting from almost every part of his face, Dace crawls at Sacred’s hand and arms like an animal in trap. Moving in along side, Ced checks to make sure Blackwell isn’t gouging the eyes in the submission hold. Locking his arms to close the trap in tight, Blackwell leans back in an effort to rip Dace’s face clean off. Ced asks Dace if he wants to quit he gets a roar of defiance in return. Leaning back even further, Sacred cranks back even more on the hold, looking for the last turn of the screw to break the seal.

Latching onto Sacred’s left arm like a vice, Night desperately starts to hammer away with any blows he can manage to land on it, trying to slam his fist into the sensitive inner elbow. Finally a blow connects with enough force to make Sacred break his holder. With a surge of energy, Dace throws himself up from the mat and launches Sacred off his back.

 

Comet: Dace breaks free! It isn’t over yet!

 

YYYYYYYAAAAAAAHHHHHH!

 

Stumbling to his feet like a wounded solider in battle, Dace clutches at his face, staggering, trying to rub the pain away from it. Blackwell shoots back to his feet as Dace still tries to regain his vision, so missing no chance, Blackwell flies in and drills the unsuspecting Horrorcore in the head with a Flying Forearm Smash. The blow knocks Dace to the mat and almost makes him roll on impact. Leaping on the downed Dace like a trained hunter, Sacred cradles up his leg as he makes the cover.

 

BLACKWELL SUCKS! BLACKWELL SUCKS!

 

……ONE!

 

 

 

 

……TWO!

 

 

 

 

……TWO AND A QUARTER!

 

 

 

……TWO AND A HALF! Kickout!

 

OOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

 

Riley: Damn it, you think someone with a face like that wouldn’t be able to stand much more damage to it Comet!

 

Comet: Citizen Night is a tougher man that most. But with all this abuse, there’s no way he could kick out after Citizen Blackwell’s Cruel Fate, which would drop him right on that face.

 

Taking out his burning frustrations ones again, Andrew starts to drill his fist into Night’s face over and over again, as it swells up and bruises. Hauling the injured Dace to his feet, Sacred clamps on a Front Facelock. Not wasting time playing the fans, Blackwell flicks his leg up to deliver the Cruel Fate but even in his current state, Dace sandbags his weight and doesn’t move an inch. Releasing the Facelock, Sacred viciously drives a knee into Night’s battered face. Reeling from another hammering blow to his face, Dace hardly knows where he is and does nothing to stop Sacred from running him across the ring an nailing his face into the turnbuckles. Slapping on a Rear Waistlock, Blackwell rolls backwards from the corner, pinning Dace down with a Rolling Prawn Cradle. As Ced dives in to count the fall, Blackwell leans forwards and masterfully grabs the bottoms rope out of site.

 

BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

 

……ONE!

 

 

 

……TWO!

 

 

 

 

……TWO AND A QUARTER!

 

 

 

 

……TWO AND A HALF!

 

 

 

 

 

 

……KICKOUT!

 

YYYYYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

 

Comet: Another vicious blow the face and even with the aid of the ropes it’s still not enough to keep Citizen Night down for the three count.

 

Riley: But it’s starting to look like it’s too much for Ced to count to three as a referee.

 

Rolling across the mat, Dace Night struggles to put some distance between himself and The Sacred One and give himself time to recover. But once again Blackwell has too much of a plan for that. Yanking up the struggling Dace, Sacred whips him off into the ropes, but blinded doesn’t mean weak as Dace jams on the breaks and drags Sacred back in. Swinging his arm out for a wild Lariat, Night tries to connect with any bit of Blackwell, but the veteran ducks and hooks his arm out Night’s throat. Before Dace can react, Blackwell leaps forwards and slams Dace down into the mat, dropping to his knees as he goes. Twisting around, Blackwell grabs both legs and leans back into a cradle as Ced jumps in to count the cover.

 

BBBBBBBBBBOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

 

……ONE!

 

 

 

 

……TWO!

 

 

 

 

 

……TWO AND A QUARTER!

 

 

 

 

 

 

……TWO AND A HALF!

 

 

 

 

 

……TWO AND THREE QUARTERS!

 

KICKOUT!

 

YYYYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!

 

DACE! DACE! DACE! DACE!

 

Comet: SPANISH INQUISITION! But Citizen Night still kicks out!

 

Riley: It’s almost over! If Dace can capitalise on trying to overpower Sacred, he can’t do anything to beat him!

 

Frustration now set in like cement, Sacred picks Dace up like he’s a sack of potatoes and steps back. Jumping up, Sacred locks his arms around Dace’s head and dives towards the mat, trying to slam Night face first into his knee…

 

SMACK!

 

Only for Night to shot his arms up and stop himself from being nailed in his face yet again. Sending his fist flying out, Dace blindly drives it into Blackwell’s gut. Hearing the gasp of pain, Dace fires of again, a second Knuckle Bomb almost snapping Blackwell in half. Toppling backwards, Blackwell falls to his BUTT, clutching his midsection like a little kid with cramp. Blindly grouping for the ropes, Dace latches onto them for support and scrubs at his face, forcing his eyes open, trying to clear them up. Slowly edging forwards, Dace takes his turn to stalk the downed Sacred One. As a half dazed Andrew Blackwell forces himself up, a half blinded Dace Night swings his arm out and drills him straight in the face with a skull smacking Knuckle Bomb.

 

RRRRRRRRAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!

 

Comet: Knuckle Bomb again! Citizen Dace just stopped The Sacred One dead in his tracks!

 

Riley: He still has to finish him off. He won’t manage.

 

Sliding behind the staggering Sacred and locking his arms in a Rear Waistlock, Dace snaps himself back in well practiced motion. Slamming Sacred into the mat with a German Suplex that shakes the ring. Holding onto his grip out of sheer will power, still barely able to see, Dace rolls back to his feet. Snapping back a second time, Dace dumps Sacred with another German Suplex. Still keeping his grip locked like a vice, Horrorcore rolls back up to his feet again, with Blackwell almost dead in his arms. Arching backwards one final time, Dace nails a third German Suplex, going into a near perfect bridge. Referee Ced scrambles in to count the pinfall as the fans scream along..

 

Comet: ROLLING GERMAN SUPLEXES!

 

ONE!

 

 

 

 

 

TWO!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THREE!

 

 

DING! DING! DING!

 

YYYYYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

 

Funyon: Ladies and Gentlemen, here is your winner … DACE NIGHT!

 

DACE F’N’ NIGHT! DACE F’N’ NIGHT! DACE F’N’ NIGHT!

 

Comet: All that work from Citizen Blackwell, but even his experience couldn’t been Dace Night down long enough. And in the end, three German Suplexes in a rough was just to much to take.

 

Riley: Bah, go and spoil my fun. Dace scarping by with the win. He wont be so lucky against the next person he comes up against.

 

Rolling out of the ring to the floor, Dace leans against the ring apron and finally clears his face, feeling all the swelling around it. Sucking down some much needed air, he stumbles towards the ramp, tagging hands with fans in the front row as he passes them. Back in the ring, Ced slowly checks Sacred for signs of movement, as the veteran slowly stirs back into life.

 

Comet: But don’t go away just yet Citizens. We’ve got even more still to come on SWF Lockdown!

 

Fade Out.

Edited March 18, 2004 by Grand Slam

[Kaertos 0]

Lockdown’s theme suddenly thunders throughout the America West Arena as the show returns from a brief commercial break, and the Phoenix crowd roars with excitement!

 

“Welcome back to SWF Lockdown, Citizens!” greets the masked Super Hero, Cyclone Comet. “We’ve had one rip-roaring-fun filled evening thus far and it doesn’t look to be slowing down anytime soon!”

 

“Apparently you haven’t seen the card for the next match, Comet,” interjects Bobby Riley, “because it’s Jimmy ‘The Demon’ Liston taking on Wildchild’s tag team partner, Johnny Dangerous.”

 

“I thought you liked Citizen Liston?”

 

“I didn’t say I hated him,” replies Bobby, “but his opposition isn’t exactly what I would call a worthy opponent! Wildchild’s partner is going to have a tough time without Wildchild here to lend a hand.”

 

“Oh, come on, Bobby,” replies Comet, “after all this time you never cease with the accusations against Operative Dangerous’ abilities. You’d think by now that he would have proven you wrong many times over.”

 

“You’d think that, but he hasn’t. It’s a well known fact that Wildchild has carried Johnny Dangerous’ ass to any type of success Wild and Dangerous has had, and quite frankly… I think Wildchild’s back is getting a tad bit sore!”

 

“By Odin’s beard, Citizen Robert,” says Comet, “you seriously need to stop with all that. Let’s take this one to Funyon.”

 

Standing in the ring and dressed in his Sunday best, Funyon draws his microphone to his lips. “Ladies and Gentlemen,” he begins, “the following match scheduled for one fall will be for the number on contendership to the Smartmark Wrestling Federation’s Cruiserweight Championship! Entering first… ”

 

As the lights go dark, a string orchestra can be heard playing a sweetly disturbing tune. The Smarktron comes to life, simply displaying a white ankh. Pyros flash as they climb the ramp, from ringside to entrance. The screen flashes as drums and guitar join in Cradle of Filth's "Born in a Burial Gown". A burst of flame announces the arrival of Liston. On the Smarktron, a collection of clips of previous matches starts up. Liston is seen Hunting Todd Royal, Tormenting Leo Breslin, hitting Blazenwing with the Damnation, and the video culminates with a shot of Liston on the turnbuckle, jumping and landing a Demon Headbutt on Craig McLennan. Red lights accompany Liston as he walks down the ramp to ringside, his eyes seemingly focused on some invisible object floating in front of his face and the crowd launching into a series of boos!

 

“… From Boston, Massachusetts, “begins Funyon, “weighing in at two hundred twenty eight pounds… JIMMMMMMY ‘THE DEMON’ LIIIIIISTOOOOOOOOOOOOOONN!!!”

 

Liston slides into the ring, heads towards a corner and awaits the arrival of his opponent – his eyes totally locked onto the curtains.

 

“Citizen Liston looks mighty focused,” observes Comet.

 

“As he should,” adds Bobby, “Jimmy Liston hasn’t had a match in some time now, and he’s here to prove to everyone that he means business! Johnny had better watch out or he might find himself victim to a Damnation from the get go!”

 

 

Once more the lights begin to dim, only this time a soft spoken yet sultry voice breathes the name of the SWF’s resident Secret Agent!

 

“JOHNNY DANGEROUS~!”

 

“After the Flesh” immediately comes thundering across the arena, while the stage begins to fill with the haze of white smoke swirling out from the sides. Dozens of strobes light up the set, piercing through the smoke and partially illuminating the Barracuda as he steps out from backstage dressed in his sleek-black casual attire with a pair of high-tech shades!

 

“And his opponent, weighing in at two hundred and seventeen pounds, and hailing from Las Vegas, Nevada, he is one half of the Smartmarks Wrestling Federation’s Tag Team Champions, I give you… JOHNNNNY ‘THE BARRRRRRRACUDAAAAAAAAAAAAAA’ DAAAANGEROUUSS!!”

 

Slinging the Tag Team Title over his shoulder, Johnny begins to walk in stride down the ramp, flashing that million dollar smile and winking at those luscious ladies that adorn the first row. One woman swoons while the rest simply dismiss him with a wave. Johnny shrugs off the reaction as he heads towards the ring. He steps up each step of the steel staircase, and then glides across the length of the apron, stopping about midway and turning to the fans before pumping his fist out to them to a generous applause!

 

“Hmm,” says Comet, “it seems like Phoenix isn’t all too thrilled to see the Barracuda here tonight.”

 

“It isn’t just Phoenix, it’s everywhere! I guess Mark forget to add the canned cheers tonight, which is only further proof that Stevens’ is slipping in his old age.”

 

“Canned cheers?” replies Comet, rather disgustingly. “We don’t need that type of stuff for our stars.”

 

“Oh yeah well, than how do you explain Alan Clark’s reaction?”

 

“That’s a good question, Citizen Robert. Maybe we should check into that one later tonight.”

 

Johnny slides into the ring and hands off his Tag Team Championship to referee Eddie Long, and as he does…

 

 

WHAM!!

 

 

… Liston rushes in from behind and begins to ferociously club the Barracuda in the back! Eddie quickly signals for the bell as the beating commences!

 

DING! DING! DING!

 

“And this one is official,” says Comet, “with Jimmy Liston getting a few cheap shots in before the bell was even rung!”

 

“Cheap nothing,” snaps Bobby, “Once you step into the ring with Liston, that’s it! Only pansies wait for the bell to be rung.”

 

Johnny spins around, trying to avoid anymore blast to his back, back leaves his face wide open for Jimmy to swing his fist into!

 

WHAM!

 

“Oh,” winces Comet as Johnny flops to the mat. “Johnny was trying to get himself to level ground, but the Demon just refuses to play fair.”

 

Rolling to his feet, Johnny just barely ducks in time to avoid a clothesline attempt by Liston as the Demon goes blazing past him! Jimmy continues across the ring, and heaves himself into the ropes. He springs back off of the ropes and comes charging back towards Johnny ready to knock his head clean off his shoulders-

 

“-Jimmy’s building some real steam here!” says Bobby, “This match could be over before Johnny even knows it!”

 

But when Jimmy SWINGS his arm out, Johnny ducks down and grabs onto Jimmy by the waist with one hand and catches his swinging arm with his other and hauls him up… over… and-

 

 

“-MIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII…”

 

 

SAAAAAAAALLLAAAAAAAAMM!!!

 

 

… and drills Liston into the canvas neck and shoulders first! The ring quivers as Jimmy hits and Johnny quickly floats over hooking the leg and pulling back for a cover. As expected, Long drops for the count!

 

ONEEEE!!!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TWOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THREEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

DING! DING! DING!

 

 

“By Zeus,” shouts Comet as “After the Flesh” begins thumping through the arena. “Johnny Dangerous has sealed the victory with a single move—damn that MI Slam is lethal!”

 

Kivell receives the Tag Team Title back from the ring side assistant and heads towards Johnny. He hands the belt back to the Barracuda then grabs Johnny by the wrist, raising his arm in victory as Funyon hops up and makes the announcement.

 

“The winner of this bout by pinfall,” says Funyon, “and NEEEEEW number one contender to the Smartmark Wrestling Federation’s Cruiserweight Championship… JOHHHNNNNNNNNNNY DANGEROUUUSS!!!”

 

“What a terrible way to end this match,” moans Riley, “and now Wildchild’s partner is going to try and capture the belt Wildchild lost. Somehow I don’t see that happening.”

 

“That’s another story for another day, Citizen Robert.” says Comet, “as for now, we have another match that will be blistering with excitement coming up next as Coy West defends his newly acquired USJL Heavyweight Championship against non other than SWF Cruiserweight Champion Alan Clark!”

 

“Yeah, well… get your No-Doze ready folks, cause that match is up next!” says Bobby, as we…

 

FADE OUT.

[Kaertos 0]

“Folks we have one hell of a match coming up right this instant,” says The Cyclone Comet as the SWF comes back from a commercial break. “We are going to see the SWF USJL Champion Coy West defend against the Cruiserweight Champion Alan Clark. Both men are coming off the biggest wins of their career at From the Fire but now are going to be putting those streaks on the line against each other.”

 

Bobby Riley speaks up, “Oh please, all they are doing is riding the luckiest streaks in human history. For these two to keep up their winning ways would require them to be struck by lightning while holding winning lottery tickets.”

 

“Be that as it may,” answers The Comet, “one of them will continue that streak tonight, and one will end up on the losing end of a streak. So with that, let us move on over to Funyon for the ring introductions.”

 

Funyon went into the center of the ring and begins to call through the arena, “This contest is scheduled for one fall and is for the Smarks Wrestling Federation United States Junior League Championship! Introducing first…”

 

As the crowd starts to rise, the television viewers at home are treated to the site of the screen moving from color to the stark black and white that has become the symbol of the new Cruiserweight champion. With the acoustic sounds of ‘Wanted, Dead or Alive’ playing through the arena, the SmarkTron shows the full face of a smiling Alan Clark as the crowd continues to cheer wildly at the man that brought down the monster HVT. Walking through the curtain with the SWF Cruiserweight Title around his waist and his guitar strapped over his shoulder, Alan waves to the audience as he makes his way down the aisle. Handing his guitar over to a ringside attendant, Clark leaps up to the apron and up to the top turnbuckle as he continues to bathe in the cheers of the arena. Hopping off the buckle with complete ease, Clark tosses an arm into the air as Funyon continues the announcement.

 

“The challenger comes to us from Long Beach, California and weighs in tonight at 225 pounds. He is the SWF Cruiserweight Champion… ALANNNNNNNNNNNN CLARRRRRRRRRRRRRK!”

 

With that done with, the sounds coming through the sound system change from rock and roll to something a little more country. With the soft vocals of Sara Evans now filling the arena, it is only a matter of time until the new United States Champion makes his way down the aisle. But as I am sure most people are aware, Coy doesn’t ever seem to just walk to the ring without a little something extra special added on top. This time, old Coy is hitch hiking his way to the ring on the front of a pickup truck fitted for fishing. Riding on the front of the truck with a rod in his hands, Coy waves happily to the populace as he rides all the way down to the ring. Pulling his fishing hat up and off his head as the truck comes to a stop, Coy tosses it out to the people before unhooking himself from the front of the truck. Hopping off his seat, Coy slides into the ring and leaps to his feet as the crowd continues to show their appreciation from the man that unseated Sacred only a few weeks ago.

 

“And his opponent, weighing in tonight at 243 pounds and hailing from his RV the S. S. General Lee Junior. He is the reigning SWF United States Junior League Champion. He is ‘The Coyote’ COYYYYYYYYY WESSSSSSSSSSSST!”

 

Hopping from toe-to-toe, West gets his blood pumping as Clark looks on from the other side of the ring with half a grin on his face. Alan knows that this could easily be his next step up the ladder after defeating both Wildchild and Thugg on his path to becoming the major player in the Smarks Wrestling Federation. And as the bell sounds, Clark comes barreling out of the corner and into the center of the ring as Coy looks on with a far more measured view of the situation as he slowly edges into the center of the ring. But his slow advance is met with a sudden surge as Clark pushes his way right into a collar-and-elbow tie up. Catching West on the back of his heels, Clark pushes him all the way back into a corner as the referee calls for a clean break. Alan gives Coy a little shove and backs away back into the center of the ring, obviously still fired up for this very important contest. Flipping his mullet behind his head, West finds his way back into the center of the ring where Alan is once again waiting to crash into him with a collar-and-elbow. This time however, Clark finds that West is more than able to control his smaller opponent with his 240-plus pounds and shove him back into a corner. Pressing Clark hard against the buckles, West cleanly breaks off his hold and backs off into the center of the ring.

 

“Feeling out process here in the early going,” reports The Comet as both men continue to circle about the ring a bit, “but it is as though Alan is the more aggressive here.”

 

“But that can work against you as well,” replies Bobby Riley, “being aggressive makes it a whole lot easier for you to get caught in a trap. And for some reason, I have to think that Coy West probably has a bit of experience in that area. Probably catches opossums and such for supper.”

 

Once again the two men come together in a tie up, but this time rather than get shoved back down to the canvas once again, Clark quickly transitions into a headlock and tries to grind his opponent down with the hold. But West proves to be a bit too powerful for that tactic as he shoves Clark off and into the ropes. Popping back into the USJL Champion with a shoulder tackle though only sends his opponent back a few paces much to Clark’s chagrin. Hitting the ropes once more, Clark tries to use the shoulder block once again only to find West dropping out of view and taking his challenger down to the canvas with a drop toehold. Coy immediately grabs a hold of the ankle and uses it to flip Clark over onto his back and tries to sink in an ankle pick only to have Alan kick him away with his free leg. Quickly both men pop right back up to their feet and Clark once again heads into the ropes to pick up the pace. Getting back into the range of the USJL Champion proves a bit harder than he hoped however as Coy leaps over his charging opponent with a leapfrog. But as West turns back towards his opponent, he ends up on the receiving end of a diving shoulder tackle that finally sends the champion down to the canvas. Immediately diving across West’s lanky body, Clark tries to grab a quick three count. Referee Matthew Kivell drops down to the canvas and counts…

 

ONNNNNNNKICKOUTATONE!

 

Getting up to his feet as soon as he can, West finds himself getting taken right back down to the canvas as Clark rips him across the chest with a hard chop. Looking to keep the momentum he has moving right now, Alan chops West once more as the USJL Champion gets to his feet and knocks him back into the ropes. Quickly pushing The Coyote into the ropes, Clark sets himself before lifting West off the canvas on the rebound. Showing off that he can indeed manipulate the larger Coy’s body as Clark grabs him off the canvas before crunching him down with a tilt-a-whirl Chart breaker! Coy goes flying to the canvas immediately with a hand on the small of his back as Clark continues to try and grab the match away with a quick cover.

 

ONNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNE!

 

 

TWOONOOSTILLTOOEARLY!

 

Grabbing West around the mullet, Clark pulls his foe up and off the canvas before slamming him home with a reverse atomic drop. Dropping down to his knees, West’s eyes cross as Clark looks on with a smile while rotating his arm about in preparation for a clothesline. But as Alan charges in, West sends his arms wide around his opponent and slams him into the canvas with a picture perfect belly-to-belly suplex. Keeping a hand on his back as he rises to his feet, West kicks Alan in the side of the head before collecting his foe off the canvas and pushing him backward into the corner. Leaning back and tossing a right hand into the face of his challenger, West sends his opponent’s feet flying into the air before pulling Alan out of the corner and tossing him into the ropes. Smashing Clark in the face with an elbow, The Coyote knocks his challenger back down to the canvas. Heading off into the ropes on his own, West drops down on the rocker with a hard legdrop across the chest that sends Clark convulsing across the canvas.

 

“This is what West should be doing,” calls out Bobby Riley as The Coyote gets back up to his feet to drop another measured leg. “He needs to slow things down a bit and keep the Cruiserweight down on the canvas. Drop a few more bombs on the little guy and keep him on the mat.”

 

Rolling over to the legs once again, West grabs Alan by the ankle and pulls Clark’s left leg off the canvas. Kicking Alan right behind the calf, Coy goes to work as Clark tries to scramble his way over to the ropes. Grabbing a hold of the bottom strand Clark forces a break as Coy immediately releases the leg rather than continue the attack. Tossing the boot away, West immediately grabs Alan by the head and pulls him off the canvas. West flings Clark across the ring and lowers his head for a backdrop only to have Clark stop short and boot West right across the chest with a stinging kick to the chest that knocks the USJL Champion flat to the canvas. Slinging his own body into the ropes, Clark comes screaming back into his opponent before taking to the air and crushing him under the force of a standing shooting star press! Hooking West up as tightly as he can, Alan tries for yet another cover as the referee moves into position for a…

 

ONNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNE!

 

 

TWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

 

 

THRENOOOOHEDIDNOTGETHIM!

 

Kicking his way out from underneath the cover, West continues to hold onto his USJL championship. But for how much longer might be an issue as Clark pulls his opponent off the canvas and pushes him into a corner. Cutting into his chest with another chop to the chest, Alan lines his opponent up and tosses him across the right with a Irish whip so hard that it drops West all the way down to his knee. While at the same time, Clark continues to keep his body in continuous motion as he bounces off the ropes once again. Coming up behind his opponent, Alan grabs The Coyote by the mullet and creams him against the canvas with a loose fitting bulldog! Springing right back up to his feet yet again, West plunges into the ropes yet once more before springing backward with a lionsault that lands right on the small of Coy’s back. Up to his feet in a moment yet again, Clark continues to attack Coy’s spine as he strikes time and again with a number of short quick stomps to the lumbar region. Stepping in between the legs, Alan positions himself correctly before slapping Coy on the sides in order to grab a hold of him by the wrists. Rolling backward and forcing West into a kneeling position, Alan locks in a variation of the Mexican surfboard.

 

The Comet says, “Alan has set his target on West’s back and is now working to pull it out of whack with the Mexican Surfboard. And … ouch.”

 

Releasing his grip on Coy’s wrists, Clark instead grabs West around the chin and starts to pull back with his new grip in order to further damage his back. Cranking away with the hold, Alan tries to pull forth a submission from the United States Champion. But it seems not to be as West slowly and painfully reaches up and grabs a hold of Clark by the hands and pries them apart. Flopping forward West tries to pull himself away as Clark simply rises up and drops a quick elbow on West’s spine. West arches in pain as Clark grabs his opponent off the canvas before collecting him around the waist and lifts him into position for a side suplex. With West struggling, Clark jams him down with a side Chart breaker that once again does absolutely nothing for the wellbeing of the USJL champion. Lying across West once again, Clark tries to pull out the victory once again as Kivell counts…

 

ONNNNNNNNNNNNNE!

 

TWOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

 

KICKOUTATTWOOOOO!

 

Forcing his body into a kick West once again manages to keep hope alive as he gets his shoulders off the canvas at the count of two. But this does not afford Coy much of a chance to recover as Clark grabs him up and off the mat and shoves him backward into a turnbuckle. Clark lines up again and cuts into West once again with a hard chop that sends Coy leaning back on his heels once again in a painful expression. Next lowering a shoulder, Clark begins to thunder into his opponent’s chest and ribs back and forth time and again to further damage the USJL Champion. Next pushing Coy back harder into the corner, Alan flings him across the ring once again with an Irish whip. Stepping into the proper distance, Clark sets himself up perfectly as he breaks into a cartwheel as he heads across the ring and…

 

RIGHT INTO A CLIP!

 

His feet barely touching the canvas for the second time, Clark soon finds the USJL Champion firing out of the corner and smashing into his knees with a surging low shoulder tackle! Flipping right over the top, Clark finds his right knee a whole lot more out of whack than it was merely moments ago. Trying to rise at a moment, Clark cannot rise all that quickly as he falls right back down to the mat with his hands immediately clutching at his leg. Meanwhile on the other side of the ring, Coy finds that he can barely rise as his back fights him the entire way due to the prior attacks by the Cruiserweight challenger.

 

“These two have gone hot and heavy since this match began,” calls out The Cyclone Comet. “And although neither man has done anything illegal in the least, they have been taking each other to task as hard and fast as they can.”

 

Riley interjects, “Hey if you aren’t cheating, you aren’t trying! I learned that by watching… other wrestling shows that go nameless. I don’t watch it though. I sort of glanced at it one time. I’m just really confused right now. I don’t even know what WWE stands for. Did I say WWE? I meant WHEEEEEEEEEEE!”

 

“SILENCE!”

 

“GAH!”

 

With Clark just now getting to his feet, the Cruiserweight Champion looks about the ring for a moment before West comes in from behind and once again goes low with a shoulder that strikes Clark right behind the knee. Bending over backward at the knee, Clark folds over The Coyote and lands in a heap and grabs at his knee once again as West struggles to find his feet yet again. Pulling the now hobbled Cruiserweight champion up to his feet, West lowers his own center of gravity in order to lift his foe for a body slam only to find that his back cannot even support such a relatively small amount of weight. Immediately placing Clark back on his feet, West drops down to a knee with a hand on the small of his back as Clark continues to hop about. Turning all the way around, Alan continues to test the validity of his limb as he turns back towards West and into a hard lariat!

 

WHAM!

 

Immediately hooking Clark up into a neat little bow, West tries to keep Clark down long enough to hold onto the title.

 

ONNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNE!

 

 

TWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

 

 

THRNOKICKOUTATTWOOOOO!

 

Kicking wildly with his good leg, Clark manages to free himself from the pinning predicament as West looks to the referee with a look of amazement. Running a hand over his back, West rises up as strait as he can as Clark continues to grab at his knee. Collecting Alan’s ankle once more, West hops into the air and collapses onto the leg once more with a hard elbow. Rising up and off the canvas, The Coyote once again jams the knee underneath an elbow yet again. Once more West rises up to his feet only to continue to rain down the attacks with a series of stomps to the knee. Battered by the attack, Clark tries to pull himself away from West only to have the dogged USJL Champion latch onto his ankle once again. Pulling him up and into the air, The Coyote crushes his knee right back down to the canvas once again with an impact that simply does nothing for the state of the limb but make it worse. Gritting his teeth against the pain, Alan tries to get away from his opponent if only to have a moment to collect his wits only to have West once again clamp on the knee and pull Clark back into the center of the ring.

 

“Its obviously that this is what West was going for this entire time,” reports The Cyclone Comet. “Every time he had an advantage in this contest, he went after the leg eventually. But now he has that knee in deep trouble and he be making Clark miserable with it from here on out.”

 

With the knee high in the air, West circles the air with his hand as if to signal to the world as to what is coming down the pike. Quickly spinning around the knee, West crushes the knee in the torque of a spinning toe hold! Cranking away with the specialty of the Funk family, West brings the pain to his determined adversary as Clark reaches long and hard in the hopes of getting a hand on the bottom rope. But as West spins about the knee once more, Clark still finds that the ropes are just out of reach. Crunching the knee with the toehold, West continues to hammer home the point of the knee work as Alan continues to scream out in pain. But as West turns the toehold about once more, Alan takes the moment to place a bare foot in his back and push the USJL Champion forward and right into a turnbuckle! Clanging his shoulder into the steel post, West fumbles into the middle of the middle of the ring as Clark furiously tries to get his knee back into some semblance of working shape. Rubbing the cap of his knee fast and furiously, Clark manages to get enough feeling back in his joint to get moving once again.

 

“Its time to knuckle the hell up,” calls out The Cyclone Comet. “The thing of it is that both of these two warriors have proven time and again that they have everything they need in their guts to pull out a win whenever they have had to in the past.”

 

Hopping over to his opponent, Clark grabs West by the hair and start to pull him up off the canvas only to have the USJL Champion grab a hold of his injured knee and pull it off the canvas. Holding the knee in the air, West hammers with a clubbing punch to the joint as Alan struggles to keep his balance. Stepping into his challenger, Coy tries to sweep the leg out from under Clark only to have the Cruiserweight Champion leap right over the attempted sweep! Quickly taking the air yet again as West struggles to come up with something else to throw at his challenger, Alan cuts his opponent down with a hard enziguri to the back of the head and knocks him to the canvas! Flipping to the mat, West holds onto both the back of his heaed and his back as Clark keeps trying to move his body about the ring. Finally just pushing West over onto his back, Clark tries to take him down right here and now with a cover for…

 

ONNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNE!

 

 

 

TWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

 

 

 

THREEEEENOTGONNAHAPPEN!

 

Up on a rickety and broken down knee, Alan Clark once again heads up the ropes towards the top turnbuckle. Using his good right leg to hop all the way up to the top rope, Alan knows that a high impact move from the top might be the only way to keep Coy down nice and permanent. But moving up so slowly gives Coy the chance he needs to get back up to his feet and move towards Clark. Popping the guitar playing grappler in the middle of the chest with a long right hand, West knocks Alan off his perch and onto the top rope groin first. Slowly and painfully, West heads up right after his challenger and jams him in the face once more with the right hand before clamping down with a front facelock. Stretching his wounded back and ribs to the fullest, West pulls Alan off the turnbuckle and falls backward to the canvas with a stunning…

 

SUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUPERPLEXXXXXXXXXXXX!

 

“SWEET ZOMBIE JESUSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!”

 

Unable to get the full extension off the suplex, West sends himself and his opponent backward to the canvas from seven feet in the air. Not being able to throw Clark onto his back however lends it self to both men crashing into the canvas with the back of their necks! Flopping head over heels, West ends up landing on his chest as Clark simply convulses on the mat after having his neck jammed into the mat. Together both men lie side by side as referee Matthew Kivell looks at both men and immediately starts to check to see if either man will be able to continue here. Seeing that neither man seems to be heading to their feet, Kivell dutifully begins the ten-count towards a double count out.

 

ONE!

 

TWO!

 

THREE!

 

Both men lie down on the canvas in a heap, unmoving as the referee continues to count away.

 

FOUR!

 

FIVE!

 

Slowly West begins to move all the while clutching at the back of his head, he rolls over to the ropes.

 

SIX!

 

SEVEN!

 

And now as West starts to pull his body up by the ropes, Clark rolls over to his stomach and starts to use a push up to start his way up as well.

 

EIGHT!

 

His grasp slipping off the ropes, West collapses back down to the canvas!

 

NINE!

 

Clark puts his knee underneath him to rush up to his feet only to have the injured limb send one last arc of pain flashing through his body and knocking him back down to the canvas!

 

TEN!

 

DING! DING! DING!

 

Calling for the bell, Kivell immediately drops down into a crouch next to Clark as the Cruiserweight Champion continues to clutch at his battered knee. While at the same time on the other side of the ring, West pulls himself into a seated position in the turnbuckle while continuing to rub the back of his head as the final official decision of this contest is reported to the crowd.

 

“Ladies and gentlemen,” calls out Funyon from the arena floor, “the referee has ruled that neither man is able to continue and has ruled this match A DRAW. As such, Coy West is STILL the SWF United States Junior League Champion.”

 

Not exactly taking a whole lot of happy thoughts out of simply holding onto his belt, West still accepts the title strap as it is passed into to him by a ringside attendant. Grabbing a hold of the top rope, Coy finally pulls his body up to his feet all the while using the ropes to keep from falling to mat once again. On the other side of the ring, Clark uses the support of the referee to get up to his feet using just the one leg. Hopping up and down to keep his balance Alan looks across the ring at the man he came so very close to taking down here tonight as Coy starts to stumble his way into the middle of the ring. Looking into each other’s eyes, the opponents take a measure of each other through red and angry eyes… and simultaneously extend their hands?

 

Riley already begins to bitch and moan, “Oh not this mutual respect thing! I hate this thing!”

 

Laughing together at their simultaneous display of friendship, Clark and West clamp their hands together. Ducking into Clark, West gives him a bit more support as he and the referee help the rocker out of the ring. Working their way down the aisle, the two men continue to pull their battered bodies towards the backstage area as they continue to laugh at the amount of damage they just did to each other without even a hint of bile. Hobbling past the cheering throng, West and Clark turn to the capacity crowd and raise their arms to the atmosphere as the SWF program goes to commercial break yet again. But will anyone ever forget just how these two men battered each other to the fullest extent of their ability? I think not.

[Kaertos 0]

As we return to the sold out America West Arena, the crowd in Phoenix comes alive. Still hyped up from the fantastic Alan Clark/Coy West title match just moments ago, the Arizona fans erupt as gradually the overhead boom camera pans around the arena before lowering into the ring and swinging over to the announce table, where Cyclone Comet and Bobby Riley sit going over their notes.

 

“Welcome back to Lockdown Citizens!” Comet roars, putting down his notes and mugging for the camera. “We’ve seen some of the best SWF action in recent memory go down tonight, and we’re not quite done yet!”

 

“That’s right, Comet” Riley continues, “We’ve seen brutal hardcore action from Janus and Mike Van Siclen, an agonizing submissions match between Toxxic and Andrew Rickmen, and even a concert from Alan Clark.”

 

“Yeah, and THAT went well...”

 

As Comet recounts the events from earlier in the night, Riley continues his rundown. “But coming up next, we’ve got a big tag team main event, with the Unnamed’s Landon Maddix and Todd Royal taking on Ann…”

 

“NO…NO…NOTORIOUS!”

 

Riley is cut off mid-shill, and the crowd erupts in boos as all attention swings to the entrance ramp and the lights go down. White letters flash across the screen, spelling out “NOTORIOUS” and illuminating the ramp a bit. As the crowd continues to jeer, Spineshank’s “Synthetic” blares over the loudspeakers and the curtain parts.

 

“Ladies and Gentlemen…” Funyon interjects, “Please welcome…representing the UNNAMED… “Notorious”…JOOOOOHHHHHHNNNNN DDDUUUUUURRRRRRRRANNNNN!!”

 

The boos intensify as John Duran steps out onto the stage, his hair pulled back and sunglasses wrapped around his face. Decked out in leather pants and a “Sin to Win” T-shirt, Duran smirks at the crowd for a moment before raising an “X” of middle fingers and strutting past the ring.

 

“Ah yes,” Comet notes, “and for our main event, we will have the ‘pleasure’ of being joined on commentary by the Unnamed’s own John Duran.”

 

“Finally a competent broadcast partner!” raves Riley, “I’m sure the Notorious One will bring a unique and insightful point of view to this broadcast and enlighten all our days!!”

 

"Get a grip on yourself!"

 

As Duran takes his seat at ringside and slips a headset over his head, the lights in the arena drop to complete darkness. With a melodic ring from up the ramp, a choir of voices sings out across the arena as a spotlight falls on the entrance way, illuminating a stained glass portrait of Landon Maddix and Todd Royal, each grinning wildly.

 

“Todd’s Angels, gentlemen. Music to your ears, huh?” bellows Duran, taking time to admire the fully decked out church choir that has appeared on either side of the entrance way.

 

“Indeed, the voices of heaven are gracing us tonight Mr Duran, sir!” Riley responds, shamelessly sucking up to the guest announcer.

 

As the crowd’s boos begin to overtake the soft singing, strobe lights flash on all around the arena, and AC/DC’s “Shoot to Thrill” blares over the PA system. As the curtain parts, Funyon makes his announcement.

 

“The following tag team contest is your MAIN EVENT!…scheduled for ONE fall…with TV time remaining. Your referee for this contest…Anthony Michael Hall!”

 

Through the curtain comes Megan Skye, a light blue and black halter top on, providing a background to her blonde pigtails. She raises her eyebrows at the camera and smiles, spinning around and pointing at the entrance way.

 

“Introducing first…accompanied to the ring by Megan Skye, and ALSO representing the UNNAMED…they weigh in at a total combined weight of four hundred and thirty pounds…Todd Royal, and Landon “La Cucaracha” Maddix…The HOUSE…OF…TOOOOODDDDDDDDDDD!!!!!!!!!”

 

As Funyon proclaims their arrival, Maddix and Royal step through the curtain to be met by a wall of jeers from the crowd. Dressed in his alternate black and blue tights, La Cucaracha smirks at the camera, strutting up beside Megan and mocking the fans. Behind him, Todd Royal limps out onto the ramp, a soft neck brace around his throat and a cold glare in his eyes. Slowly both men and their valet make their way down the ramp, with the melodious singing echoing behind them.

 

“Todd Royal looks a little worse for wear after his match with Wild & Dangerous at From the Fire,” Comet points out as the pair climbs into the ring and the camera focuses on the neck brace.

 

“Exactly, and just like always, the SWF is screwing over the Unnamed, by making Todd compete with a career threatening injury." growls Duran. "You think they don’t want Charlie Matthews, that ungrateful prick, to win?! They feed him wrestlers who should be in the hospital, and say ‘what a champ!’ It’s a joke.”

 

As Duran rants, the music fades out and the lights come back on. Bobby Riley hesitantly echoes the Notorious One’s statement as Megan leaves the ring, and an angry Royal adjusts his neck brace. Suddenly the crowd erupts, as the opening chords of Megumi Hayashibara’s “Risky Gamble” play over the PA system. Royal’s scowl deepens as the camera fades into the SmarkTron, and an image of Ann Onita spins around, shooting a finger-gun, and setting off a massive explosion over the ring...catching Landon in particular by surprise.

 

“And their opponents…first…accompanied to the ring by Allison Onita, and weighing in at one hundred and seventy five pounds…from Tokyo, Japan… ‘The Hardcore Queen’ … ANN… 'IIICCCCHHHHIIIIBAAAAAAN'… OOONNIIITTTTAA!”

 

The crowd erupts in applause as the Onita sisters step through the entrance way, decked in matching blue suits and ties. Smiling to the crowd and tipping her fedora, The Hardcore Queen marches to the ring, stopping at the edge of the ramp and winking at Megan Skye. Skye turns up her nose and scuttles around the ring to where she is behind Todd, as the Onitas wait for 'their' partner.

 

“Ann Onita is no stranger to wild matches, and this match will certainly be that.” Riley points out, “A long layoff seems to have just helped Annie, as she’s on a roll since returning to the SWF.”

 

“Annie Onita is a joke, Riley. She calls herself ‘hardcore’, and ‘number one’, but she can NEVER win the big one. You people treat her like some kind of legend, when all she does is show up every few months and make a joke out of this company and this business.” Duran mutters, causing Riley to mumble something in return.

 

“I think citizens of Annie and Bobbo’s ilk have to stick together, citizen Duran.” Comet responds.

 

“Yeah, well, whatever her 'alignment' she’ll fear the wrath of Todd tonight!”

 

As Onita’s music fades away, the crowd erupts even louder, knowing who is next through the curtain. The lights drop in the America West again, and the audience erupts in cheers for the incoming champion. Suddenly the PA system rocks with the opening riffs of “Some Kind of Monster”, and the curtain parts, allowing a barrel chested man to step onto the stage.

 

“And her partner…from Kansas City, Missouri…weighing in at three hundred and one pounds…he is the reigning S…W…F….WOOOORRRRLDDDD HEAVYWEIGHT WRESTLING CHAMPION…. “The Grappler”….CHAAAAAARRRRRLLLIIIIIIEEE MATTTTHHHEEWWWSSS!!”

 

With the crowd standing and applauding, Matthews steps from the spotlight, slowly walking towards the ring, but staring right through it to the announce table the entire time. As Funyon bellows out the introduction, The Grappler nods his head, reaching his partner and stepping with her into the ring. As the camera focuses on the champion’s scarred back, John Duran’s voice comes over the airwaves again.

 

“There’s your ‘champion’ ladies and gentlemen, a real credit to this sport huh? What a coward, what a joke. He’s in for a heck of an awakening tonight though, because Royal and Maddix are going to tear him a new one. Even at half strength, the Unnamed is eons above those two.”

 

The Notorious One continues to rant as the sounds of Metallica die down and Anthony Michael Hall separates the two teams. Giving instructions to Allison and Megan to stay out of the match, and handing the World Title to Funyon, Hall turns to pat down each the competitors for foreign objects. The official gives extra attention to Annie’s baggy pants, but after checking Grappler and Landon eventually gives up on Royal who protests the neck pain caused by raising his leg. Throwing up his hands and calling for the bell, Hall starts the match...

 

*DING* *DING* *DING*

 

...as surprisingly Landon steps through the ropes to the apron. Ann goes to her apron too, as Royal and Matthews begin to circle each other in the ring. Hearing boos, Todd points to his neck brace to remind the referee as Matthews adjusts his wrist tape and cricks his neck.

 

“Gotta question the wisdom of Royal, to start out this match in his condition…” Comet points out.

 

“Don’t question the will of Todd, Comet,” Riley fires back. “He has powers above and beyond mortal men.”

 

Quickly The Grappler lunges forward, grabbing Royal in a collar-and-elbow, and working him back across the ring. Both men fight for the advantage for a moment, before Todd ducks under his opponent’s arm, swinging around and grabbing a side headlock on the champion. Royal grins, but Matthews immediately reacts, grabbing Todd by the wrist and slipping behind him, wrenching in with a hammerlock. Megan screams foul from ringside, but Matthews keeps working, placing his boot on the inside of Royal’s knee and stepping him down to the one other knee. Shoving Todd off of him, the champion drops down into a waistlock.

 

“Todd Royal fancies himself a technical master, but he’s in there with one of the best the SWF has to offer.” Comet says, “Matthews has years of experience over Royal, and Todd isn’t about to make his name off the champ on the mat.”

 

As Royal squirms on the mat, rolling out to a sitting position and trying to fight out of Matthew’s grasp, Duran chimes in again.

 

“See, that’s where you’re wrong again, Comet. Todd Royal is the best technical wrestler this company has seen in a long time. Compared to Royal, Matthews is a peewee grappler.”

 

“Yeah,” Riley chimes in unnecessarily, “You better respect your Todd and Savoir!”

 

Unable to power out of the champion’s grasp, Royal presses back against him, planting his feet and bridging himself and his opponent up into a standing position. Reaching up above his head, Todd grabs Matthew’s head and ducks forward, using his shoulder to snap mare the bigger man over onto the mat. Stepping back, Royal unleashes a stiff shin strike, driving his boot into Matthew’s scarred back...the champion flinches momentarily, but shakes his head, climbing to his feet and drawing an “OOOOOOHHHH” from the crowd.

 

“The champ right back up to his feet,” crows Comet.

 

A surprised Royal begs off and points out his neck brace again, as Matthews scowls and marches toward him. As the champion shows no signs of stopping, Todd steps in, paintbrushing Matthews’ chest with a knife edge chop.

 

*SMMMMMMAAAAAACK!!!*

 

“WHOOOOOOOOOOO!”

 

Royal shakes his hand in pain, but the Grappler still advances, raising his arm and bringing it down hard across Todd’s chest with a forearm smash.

 

*TTTHHHHHHUUUUUUUDDD!!!*

 

“OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHH!”

 

As the air rushes out of Royal’s chest and his face reddens, Matthews raises a knee, catching a doubled-over Todd in the chest and snapping him up into the turnbuckles. Incensed, Royal bolts across the ring, grabbing his neck and screaming at the referee for some help. A smile creeps across Matthews’ face, as Todd tags in Maddix and rolls out of the ring, screaming in pain.

 

“You guys see that?!” Duran shouts, “That idiot Matthews just tried to cripple Todd Royal! Doesn’t he know Todd is the future of this business? Without guys like Royal and Maddix, there’s no company for him to be champion of.”

 

“Royal ACCEPTED the match, citizen Duran,” Comet retaliates, “he couldn’t have thought he’d go through the match without getting hit! He’s gonna have to take some punishment sometime in this match.”

 

As Megan tends to Royal at ringside, Landon Maddix leaps over the top rope and into the ring, motioning to Matthews to “bring it on”. The champion smirks, but takes a step back, tagging in Ann Onita to a big pop.

 

“I-CHI-BAN!” “I-CHI-BAN!” “I-CHI-BAN!”

 

Landon just shrugs and nods his head as Annie enters and charges at him, arm outstretched for a clothesline. Maddix ducks the lariat and hits the opposite ropes, rebounding and somersaulting forwards at his opponent with a Koppu kick. However Onita leapfrogs Maddix, landing behind him and immediately sweeping at him with a back kick.

 

“Maddix and Onita firing on all cylinders right now!” Comet shouts as Landon and Annie continue to dodge each others blows.

 

“Yeah, this is definitely a change of pace from the early exchange between Matthews and Royal,” Riley observes.

 

As Maddix leaps over the kick, he immediately charges forward, leaping off the mat and diving at Ann with a flying forearm. The blow finally connects, knocking Onita to the mat and drawing a huge grin over Maddix’s face as he holds his hands out to the side.

 

 

"BOOOOOOOOOO!!!"

 

Ann climbs back to her feet, but Maddix stays right on the attack, backflipping and catching her under the jaw with his boots, knocking her into the ropes and landing down on his chest.

 

“Nice Dropsault there from La Cucaracha.” Duran points out. “This kid has all the talent in the world and mark my words, he WILL be the world champion some day. Hell...he already beat the champ two weeks ago.”

 

"With your considerable help, that is..." Comet points out in response.

 

Pulling Onita out of the ropes, Maddix delivers a knee to the gut to double Ann over. Grabbing her around the neck and leaning forward, Landon quickly snaps back, crushing the Hardcore Queen into the mat with a snap DDT. The crowd lets out a gasp of shared pain, as Maddix quickly rolls his stunned opponent over, hooking the leg for a cover...

 

 

OOONNNNNNNNEEEEE!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TTTTWWWWW…..

 

 

 

 

 

KICKOUT!

 

 

“Snap DDT by Landon Maddix,” reiterates Riley, “And a quick near fall for the House of Todd. That’s definitely an advantage for Landon and Todd.”

 

Climbing off the mat, Maddix kicks Ann in the side, pushing her toward her own corner. Landon then steps back and dusts his hands in satisfaction, and orders Onita to make the tag, drawing a huge chorus of boos for his dickish behaviour.

 

“A LOT of ego there by Landon Maddix.” Comet says condescendingly “He’s not facing Cutthroat and Craig McLennan out there, he’s in the ring with two of the best in the WORLD. He can’t be acting like that, especially with an injured partner!”

 

“Oh give it up, Comet!” Duran immediately fires back. “Landon CLEARLY proved he was better than Annie, and now he’s gonna prove he’s better than Matthews. Again. Then he can stop toying with them, get the easy pin and come back to the hotel room to celebrate.”

 

"You mean his hotel room right..."

 

"Yes...yes...of course I do."

 

Making the tag Matthews steps into the ring, a scowl on his face, as he turns to Landon. Already prepared, Maddix immediately charges, tumbling in the air and bringing his foot down across the champion’s chest with a spinning heel kick. Caught by surprise, Matthews topples and falls shocking some of the crowd that expected Landon to go down immediately to Matthews as his partner had moments ago. Shaking off the shot, Matthews climbs to his feet, but Maddix has already began his next move, running across the ring and leaping onto the ropes, springing off and back at the Grappler with a flying clothesline. As he comes down, however, Matthews catches him, spinning around and sending Landon across the ring with a belly-to-belly suplex.

 

“YYYYEEEEEEAAAAHHHHH!”

 

“BIG Belly-to-belly suplex by Charlie Matthews on Landon Maddix,” Riley calls.

 

“Lucky break is what it was.” Duran counters, “Landon is younger, faster, more talented and better looking than Matthews.”

 

“I’ll second THAT…”

 

Riley trails off as Matthews grabs Landon by the hair and pulls him off the mat. Rearing back for a forearm show, the Grappler is cut off by Maddix, who reaches up and slaps the champion across the face, stopping him in his tracks.

 

“OOOHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!”

 

“Landon Maddix has a lot of talent, but this guy is just digging his own grave tonight with his ego!” Comet shouts as an angry Matthews turns back to face Landon.

 

Not intimidated, the smirking Maddix runs backwards to the ropes, charging forward and flipping up, looking to catch the Grappler with the same dropkick that floored Annie. The Champion blocks, however, catching both of Landon’s feet and dropping him headfirst down on the canvas. As the crowd cheers, Matthews adjusts his grip on Landon’s legs and begins to spin, lifting Maddix off the mat and twirling him around the ring, getting a cheer from the Phoenix faithful and a concerned screech from Megan at ringside. Finally letting go of Landon’s feet, Matthews lets his opponent spin away from him, sending him crashing to the mat with a thud.

 

“Giant Swing!” Riley shouts.

 

“That’s just embarrassing!” Duran grumbles, “Matthews is making a mockery of Landon Maddix and the SWF title. 'The Giant Swing'. That’s ridiculous.”

 

“Considering some of the disrespect we’ve seen from Citizen Maddix in the past few moments, that hardly seems like an embarrassment to our sport.” Comet retaliates, “More like showing Landon who to respect!”

 

“Charlie Matthews deserves about as much respect as Anthony Michael Hall’s haircut.” Duran snipes back, clearly angry with the Unnamed’s position in the match.

 

Slightly dizzy from delivering the move, Matthews makes the tag back to Onita. Eager to get revenge on Landon, Ann climbs to the top rope, leaping over a dizzy and doubled-over Maddix and hitting a flying arm drag on the way down.

 

“ANN-EE!” “ANN-EE!” “ANN-EE!”

 

Quickly Annie moves in, and delivers a pair of stiff kicks to the body of Maddix, revelling in the cheers of the crowd. Trash talking her fallen opponent, Ann grabs Landon by the hair and pulls him to his feet. With the crowd cheering her on, Onita runs back to the ropes, jumping into the air and hitting a swinging DDT on Maddix. As Ann makes the cover, Hall drops to the mat to count.

 

 

OONNNNNNNNEEEE!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TTTTWWWW…..

 

 

 

 

 

KICKOUT!!

 

“Kickout just at two by Landon Maddix, and a near fall for “Ichiban”.” Comet says, calling the fall.

 

As La Cucaracha kicks out, Annie face-washes him with her boot and steps back shrugging her shoulders and pointing at Royal, drawing a pop from the crowd. In the corner, Todd’s eyes widen, and he shakes his head, pointing at his neck and begging off one step down the stairs.

 

“SOMEONE’S jealous.” Duran snaps.

 

“Turnabout is fair play for the House of Todd. Landon took what he dished out, and it doesn’t look like Todd Royal wants ANY part of Citizen Onita.” Comet counters.

 

“Don’t question the integrity of your Todd. Todd Almighty is picking his spots, and he’ll come in when the time is right.” says Riley, as Royal cringes and meekly reaches for the tag from the steps.

 

 

"TODD'S A PU - SSY *clap-clap-clapclapclap*

 

TODD'S A PU - SSY *clap-clap-clapclapclap*"

 

Todd shakes his head with a grimace at the chants, as Landon slowly begins to pull himself up. Annie sees him out of the corner of her eye, and fires a STIFF back thrust kick to the gut, dropping Landon instantly. With her opposition down and hurt, Annie looks to the outside...and blows Megan a kiss, to some wolf whistles from the crowd...infuriating the clearly straight Megan, and Landon who is back up to his knees. As Annie turns around Maddix quickly hits a forearm to the gut and an uppercut to the jaw in succession, before leaping from knees to feet, and then from feet to air, with a jumping enziguri kick to the back of Annie's head!

 

"Nice athletic move from Maddix..." Comet says, almost in monotone.

 

"Nice!?!" wails Riley. "That was beyond 'nice'."

 

"Ok...it was very impressive. I'm sure Landon'll be the first to agree with you on how impressive he is."

 

Slowly Landon shakes the cobwebs off, and holds out his hand for a tag in instinct. However Todd maintains his position on the apron, and as Landon looks up he points to his neck brace. The crowd call foul on Todd's cowardly tactics, but Landon dares not doubt his leader, and shrugs his shoulders. Meanwhile Ann is up to her feet, but stunned...left wide open for a Landon right hand. A second right follows...and then a third, before Landon stops and cockily slaps Annie in the face!

 

"OOOOOHHHHH!!!"

 

Before Onita gets a chance to fire back, Maddix quickly drives his boot into her gut and slaps her a second time, clearly feeling in control. Turning away from Annie, Landon fires a smug smile Grappler's way, before strutting forwards a couple of steps.

 

"You've gotta love this kid." Duran chuckles. "For someone his age he's got a hell of a lot of confidence..."

 

"In abundance." Comet agrees. "But confidence alone doesn't win you matches."

 

The crowd boo wildly Landon's way, as Matthews simply glares at the kid. Still with a grin etched on his face, Maddix turns back around and sees Annie walking over towards him...hitting another boot to the gut once Ann is near enough. Hooking on a front facelock, Landon wheels Ann around and pulls her towards the House Of Todd corner...where Todd finally tags himself into the ring.

 

"See...Todd is simply picking and choosing when to enter...for the good of the team." Riley says smugly.

 

"Exactly. That's why Todd and Landon are the best god-damn tag team in this company." Duran adds.

 

"Well, I think Wild and Dangerous would have something to say about that..." Comet interjects. "After all, they did beat Todd and Landon at From The Fire."

 

Stepping into the ring Todd measures Annie, before raising a quick boot into the exposed ribs. Landon hits a quick shot across the back as he releases the facelock and leaves the ring, allowing Todd to take over with a front facelock of his own. Clutching around Annie's head and neck, Royal leans back to add more leverage to the facelock, whilst trying his best to ignore his nagging neck injury. Firing in with a couple of shots to the ribs Annie looks for a fight back, but Todd synchs back to nullify her…as Landon slaps Todd on the back, tagging himself back in. Quickly he scoots to the top rope, and as Todd manoeuvres Ann around, Maddix launches off the top and drives a double axehandle across Annie’s back. Keeping with the strategy Landon hooks in the front facelock again, to some boos from the crowd.

 

“This is some pretty nifty strategy from The House…” chimes in Duran. “…keeping Annie isolated from the corner.”

 

“And people have the audacity to call Grappler boring.” mumbles Comet in response.

 

Annie tries to use all of her one hundred seventy five pound frame to force Landon back into a neutral corner, but doesn’t get too far before Landon raises his knee into Annie’s chest. Another knee connects, before Landon releases the front facelock and drives the point of his elbow hard into Annie’s now exposed neck. As her body jolts from the impact, Ann’s legs give way and she collapses to the mat…met there by a quick 360 degree spinning legdrop by Landon. Quickly The Disciple rolls over Annie onto her back, and hooks the leg for a cover…

 

 

 

 

OOOOONNNEEEEEE…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TTTWWWWWOOOOOO…

 

 

 

 

GRAPPLER PULLS LANDON OFF!!!

 

“RRRAAAAAHHH!!!”

 

The crowd roar their approval of Grappler’s sudden interjection, as he is quickly shepherded from the ring by Hall. Meanwhile Landon crawls over to his corner and makes a tag to Todd, who enters the ring quickly while Landon keeps hold of Annie’s ankle to prevent her movement. Todd takes the available time to hop to the middle rope, pausing for a moment to glare out at the jeering masses, before leaping off the top…

 

 

…JUST AS ANNIE SITS UP!!!

 

“YYYEEEAAAAAHHHHH!!!”

 

“Todd Damn It!!!” yells Riley in disgust.

 

“Todd misses a splash…that’s not his kind of territory at the best of times, up on the ropes.” Comet adds.

 

Hall turns around in time to move Landon from the ring before he can kick out at Annie, who is know starting to crawl across the mat on her hands and knees. Todd is nowhere near her to stop her progression…laying on the mat wailing in pain at his re-affected neck. By now Annie is halfway across the ring, and nearing Matthews’ outstretched hairy arm, the crowd buzzing as they know the World Champion is on his way into the match. However, Megan sees this and jumps to the apron…catching Hall’s eye, and while he tries to do his job Landon sneaks into the ring.

 

“The numbers game again…” tutts a disapproving Comet.

 

Just in the nick of time Landon grabs Annie’s right heel and clutches on for dear-life, while she tries to fight free from The Disciple’s grip. Landon doesn’t let go of the foot however, so Annie pulls herself up onto her one remaining leg, hopping up and down to keep balance as she stares into the pouting Maddix’s face. Just as he starts getting cocky however, Onita leaves her foot…

 

 

SMACK!!!

 

…and catches Landon in the side of the head with an enziguri!!!

 

The crowd erupt, as Megan still has Hall tied up…but not for long, as Allison Onita is making her way around the ring. Megan doesn’t see her coming, and gets pulled from the apron by ‘the other Onita’. Feisty as ever Megan starts to screech at Allison…BUT GETS SLAPPED TO THE FLOOR!!!

 

“By Hades’ ghost…what a SLAP!!!”

 

“That’s not right.” snaps Duran. “Megs doesn’t deserve that!”

 

“YEAH…” Riley yells in pointless agreement.

 

 

Suddenly, the attention shifts back to the ring…

 

 

 

 

 

…TAG TO GRRRRRAAAPLEEERRRRR!!!

 

 

The crowd quite simply erupt, as the new World Champion steps into the ring with his eyes locked on Landon. Just getting to his feet Landon doesn’t see Matthews, until turning around slowly to be met by the monstrous frame of the champ…dropping to his knees and calling for a timeout as he knows he’s in trouble. Matthews isn’t in a generous mood however and kicks Landon hard in the chest, which sends him flying backwards. To his right Todd Royal charges at Grappler, but receives a boot to the gut which sets him back a few steps. Royal is undeterred and charges in again…but this time Matthews jumps off the mat, scything his right foot in the air and connecting with a bicycle kick!

 

“GRAPPLER! GRAPPLER! GRAPPLER!”

 

The crowd are going nuts for the World Champion, who is seemingly unstoppable. Maddix is now back to his feet, but unable to do more than stumble forwards into Grappler’s waiting arms. Finding himself in prime bearhug position Landon begins to throw frantic right hands at the jaw of Matthews, each one having little to no effect as Grappler tightens on the front waistlock…but rather than squeeze the life out of The Disciple, Matthews adjusts his body position, spinning around and driving Landon down with a belly to belly suplex. With no Todd in sight, Grappler makes a cover…

 

 

 

 

OOONNNEEEEE!

 

 

 

 

 

 

TTTWWWWWOOOOOO!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TODD FROM NOWHERE!!!

 

“Thank Todd…” Riley again mumbles.

 

Angrily Todd nails a set of furious stomps to the back of Matthews, trying to keep the big man down but not succeeding. Meanwhile, Annie appears from the back and places a hand on Todd’s shoulder. Instinctively he swings back with an elbow attempt, which ‘Ichiban’ deftly ducks causing Royal to stumble into the ropes. Annie takes a quick side-step before swinging her right boot towards Royal…

 

 

…but somehow Todd catches the superkick attempt, and pulls Annie forwards by her boot into a front waistlock. Todd takes a step back so he’s in position to throw Annie over the top, but just as the crowd begin to buzz Annie breaks free from the grasp around her gut with a quick headbutt. That seems to jar Todd’s neck, and stop him in his tracks, which Onita time to swing back her leg. A fiery kick begins to rocket towards Todd’s mid-drift, but an alertness takes over Royal’s body, and he uses Annie’s momentum to tip her over the top rope!

 

“See…you keep doubting these guys Comet, and you’re just making yourself look like an ass.” Duran says smugly, getting no reply back.

 

With Annie hurt on the floor, Grappler finally steps in and wheels Todd around…before irish whipping him across the ring. Royal hits the opposite ropes, and comes back at speed looking to knock Grappler down…but Matthews is as ever already one step ahead, and as Todd swings for a clothesline Grappler is easily able to duck under it. Smartly Royal puts the brakes on, and spins on his heels but gets grabbed by Grappler and raised high into the air. Just as doom is impending, Matthews changes his mind on his plans, and brings Royal back down…with a leg either side of his outstretched knee!

 

“That is quite possibly the BIGGEST inverted atomic drop you’re ever likely to see!” Comet exclaims.

 

As Todd jumps around in pain, Matthews suddenly chares like a bull seeing red, and clasps his arms around Royal’s waist. A look of shock overcomes the Royal One, as he is tackled into the corner…again snapping his neck back! However, just as Grappler has Todd where he wants him, Landon Maddix is back to pester him with some right hands to the back. With a back-swipe of the hand Matthews shrugs Landon off, and turns just in time to catch a boot attempt from La Cucaracha!

 

“Oh…damn!” Riley yells.

 

“Come on kid…enziguri…enziguri his primate ass!” Duran begins to scream.

 

Maddix either somehow hears the advice, or thinks on his feet…swinging with his free leg. Equal to it Matthews ducks the kick, and pushes Landon away a step, before grabbing him by the arm and hurling him into the ropes. As Landon rebounds Matthews aims an elbow at his head, but The Disciple is able to duck under, and carry on running…but as he gets to the ropes, the crazy SOB suddenly launches into the air, twirling majestically in the air as he sails out of the ring and wipes out the just recovered Annie Onita with a CORKSCREW PLAAANCHAAA!!!

 

 

“HOLY SHIT! HOLY SHIT! HOLY SHIT!”

 

 

The crowd break into shocked chants instantly, as now both Landon and Annie are left wiped out on the concrete floor!

 

“Amazing athleticism by that crazy Citizen Maddix! Wha…”

 

“IT’S A MAD MAD MADdix!!!” Duran and Riley simultaneously interrupt with a joint laugh to match.

 

 

As both Allison Onita and Megan Skye, who has managed to recover from the slap earlier, look on in shock…

 

…the focus again switches into the ring, where Todd is now creeping up behind Grappler, also looking to the outside where Landon now lays. Todd raises his arms in the air, hands clutched for a double axehandle…and he brings the arms down across the back with a clubbing blow. Quickly he connects with another, before backing up a couple of steps and charging towards the Champ.

 

He by now has turned around though, and raised a boot which connects squarely with the gut of Royal, doubling him over. With a quick glare down towards the announce table, Grappler actually SMILES~!, before turning the bent over Royal around and grabbing his arm…hooking it between his legs, as the crowd suddenly rise from their seats in anticipation.

 

“Oh no…he’s not going to do this.” says a dis-believing Riley. “Surely he’s not going to do this!”

 

“He’d better damn well not do, or I’m going into that ring and kicking his monkey-man ass back in the 1970’s!”

 

Recognising the crowd’s thoughts Grappler nods, as he hooks Todd’s other arm, and pumphandles him up into the air with ease. Placing Todd on his ample back, Grappler pauses for a moment before releasing the pumphandle grip, and pushing Todd back. Helpless, Royal begins to hurtle towards the mat, as Grappler sits out, and drives Royal’s braced neck into the mat!!!

 

“BLUNT FORCE TRAUME…II BETA!!!” yells Comet over the roaring crowd. “That’s YOUR move Citizen Dur…”

 

“I KNOW THAT’S MY GOD-DAMN MOVE!” scream Duran, who is going absolutely nuts. “THERE’S GONNA BE HELL TO PAY…AND IT’S GONNA BE PAID RIGHT…NOW!!!” he then yells, before yanking off his head-set and slamming it onto the table.”

 

“Oh no…we’ve got trouble now Bobbo!”

 

“Business is picking up my Spandex clad friend!”

 

Seething, Duran begins to storm across towards the ring, as Charlie is in the midst of making a cover…

 

 

 

 

OOONNNEEEEE!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

TTTWWWWWOOOOOO!!!

 

 

…Duran leaps onto the apron, which prompts Grappler to abandon his pin attempt, and walk his way over to Duran. Heated words are fired from The Notorious One’s direction, but just as Grappler gets within touching distance, Duran begins to back off…

 

 

 

CCCRRRRRAAASSSHHH!!!

 

 

…as across the ring, Annie Onita finds herself flying into, up and finally over the steel steps from a Landon Maddix irish-whip!

 

“This is chaos!” exclaims Comet The Unnamed numbers game is creating unlimited amounts of confusion for Citizen Hall.”

 

“Well he should get Grappler away from John Duran then. That’s the problem…that big oaf Matthews.”

 

“He’s not the one trying to interfere in other people’s business!”

 

Duran meanwhile is trying to get referee Hall to protect him, which the upstanding professional does. Meanwhile, Landon rolls back into the ring and his first instinct is to go to check on Todd, who is clutching his neck as he has had to do many times in the night. Or, so it seems. Suddenly, while all the distractions around the ring rage on, Landon begins to unwrap Royal’s neckbrace! Despite the tightness of the soft brace, eventually it comes free…

 

 

…and out fall a pair of brass knuckles!!!

 

“Aw…hey! Look in the ring Riley! Do you see that!”

 

“Why yes I do. Poor Todd is having to get some emergency medical attention from young Landon.”

 

“Do you not see those god-damn knucks!?!”

 

“Hey, watch your language…you’re a superhero. They can take away your costume for that sort of behaviour.”

 

“Who can…quit changing the subject! Maddix has slipped on a pair of brass knuckles!”

 

The crowd are jeering, booing and hissing wildly, but referee Hall’s attention is fixed on keeping Duran out of the ring. Grappler’s attention is too on Duran, until a finger taps him on the shoulder. Slowly he turns around and swings with an instinctive clothesline, which catches Maddix!!! He flies across the ring, the knucks coming off but conveniently landing by Todd’s reach. Ever the opportunist Todd slips the knucks on, as Maddix regains his bearings and again goes after Grappler. Another tap on the shoulder causes Grappler to swing around wildly, but this time Landon ducks the clothesline and pushes Matthews forward…

 

 

 

…INTO A BRASS KNUCKLE ASSISTED PUNCH BY TODD!!!

 

Matthews staggers, but somehow doesn’t go down…so Todd hastily removes the knucks and passes them to Landon. Annie manages to clamber up to the apron, but Todd sees her out of the corner of his eye and knees her, sending her flying off the apron to the floor…

 

 

 

…BRASS KNUCKLE PUNCH BY MADDIX!!!

 

 

 

GRAPPLER IS…STILL…UP!?!?!

 

“This is ridiculous. Megan and Duran have still got the referee tied up…”

 

“And all the while, Grappler’s forehead is turning into mush!” Riley gleefully buts in.

 

 

The big champion staggers around, on his last legs, right into Todd’s waiting grasp. Summoning some Un-Toddly strength from somewhere in his being, Royal manages to lift Grappler about an inch or three off the ground…just enough for Maddix to reach up and hook Matthews’ head, before both House Of Todd members fall backwards, which drives Grappler’s already busted up head hard into the mat!!!

 

“CONVERTING THE SINNER!!!” the still near-orgasmic Riley squeals. “This is it…THIS IS IT!!!”

 

 

Finally Duran jumps off the apron, as Landon quickly dives into a cover on the dazed and confused Matthews…Hall slowly turning back towards the action, and upon seeing the cover diving across the ring…

 

 

 

 

 

….OOOOONNNEEEEEEE!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

…TTTWWWWWOOOOOO!!!

 

 

 

 

…Annie jumps to the apron…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

…but gets superkicked by Todd…

 

 

 

 

 

“Not like this…” wails Comet.

 

 

 

 

…THR…

 

 

 

 

 

GRAPPLER KICKS OU…

 

 

 

 

 

 

…NO, TODD ADDS HIS WEIGHT TO THE COVER…

 

 

 

 

……RRRRREEEEEE!!!

 

 

 

 

 

“BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!”

 

 

 

“YES! YES!” Riley erupts, as the crowd are going wild with boos. “THEY DID IT!”

 

“What a travesty of justice. A hideous…travesty of justice!”

 

“LANDON PINS THE CHAMP AGAIN!!”

 

 

In pure ecstasy Landon rolls off from Grappler’s near unconscious body, and scuttles from the ring with Todd right on his heels. Megan is right there to greet her dynamic duo, and Duran makes his way around too to join the celebrations.

 

“It took TWO brass knuckles shots and the Converting The Sinner…”

 

“BUT…” Riley gasps, nearly out of breath. “…Mr Grappler just got pinned…AGAIN!”

 

“This was a damn robbery. They’re be hell to pay for this, mark my words!”

 

As Comet’s voice trails off, the victorious Unnamed foursome begin to move their way towards the backstage area, as SWF Lockdown comes to a worryingly pro-Unnamed close…

[Kaertos 0]

Card will be up tomorrow, as my computer has been acting dodgy all night and I just don't trust it. Besides which, I'm still waiting on a match. But I promise one or two special little suprises for the upcomong card, so I will make it worth the wait.