Storm losing matches

[Guest Evolution]

"We're back, fans," Cyclone Comet speaks as the camera fades in on the packed Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado, "this is SWF Storm, and we have just taken our final commercial break of the night so we can give you the next match in its entirety, which just happens to be tonight's MAIN EVENT!"

 

The camera switches to a view of the announcing table, with the fans behind Cyclone Comet and his announcing partner.

 

“That’s right,” confirms Bobby Riley, “and tonight’s main event features a man destined for the SWF Hall of Fame, and...well...”

 

“A man who has already acheived that status!” Comet finishes for Bobby, speaking of John Duran’s opponent. “Mark Stevens honestly has nothing left to prove in the SWF, he’s already done enough for this sport, but the Suicide King has found a loophole in the Slammer’s contract that has forced him back onto the active roster!”

 

“You gotta read the fine print,” is all Riley can say in defense of Suicide King, “and it’s not like the Suicide King is sending a crippled Stevens out there. He’s slightly out of shape, but his knee is better, and there’s no reason why he can’t compete!”

 

Comet glares at his announcing partner for a moment before continuing. “Let’s just get to the ring for the introductions for this match,” he spits out with contempt.

 

The camera view changes again, this time to a far shot of the ring as Funyon is standing front and center, with the referee in the corner.

 

“Ladies and gentlemen, this next match is tonight’s MAIN EVENT!” Funyon pauses for a moment for the small round of cheers to die down, “and it is scheduled for one fall with the TV time remaining! Your referee is Mark Hebner!” Hebner raises his hand in acknowledgement before stepping back into the corner.

 

“NO!

NO!

NOTORIOUS!”

 

The crowd ignites with a stirring round of jeers towards the former World Champion as Spineshank’s “Synthetic” kicks in. Duran immediately parts the curtain and begins his trek down to the ring, not even bothering to flip off the fans--who are conditioned to show him the middle finger as he moves down the aisleway.

 

“Introducing first,” Funyon begins, “he hails from Champaign, Illinois, weighing in at two hundred and sixty-eight pounds, he is THE NOTORIOUS ONE, JOHN DURAAAAAAAAAAAAAN!”

 

The fans’ boos continue as Duran steps up on the apron, wiping his feet on the canvas before stepping between the ropes and entering the ring, going to the nearest turnbuckle and climbing the ropes, throwing his arms in the air with both middle fingers extended, finally returning the act of bird flippage to the many fans who have already shown him that he’s “number one”.

 

“We haven’t seen him since 13th Hour,” Riley warns, “so he’ll need some time to shake off the ring rust, but I, for one, would like to give John Duran a hearty ‘welcome back!’”

 

“Duran may have been gone for a few weeks, but Mark Stevens has not seen a singles’ match for over two years!”

 

“If Mark is as legendary as advertised, it shouldn’t be a problem,” Riley points out.

 

No sooner has the comment about the Heavy Hitter finished than the lights go out, hushing the crowd into silence, waiting for that one sound before they can--

 

CRACK!

 

simply put, explode!

 

“Born Bad” by the Gone Jackals begins its opening bass, multicolored lights flashing all around the frantic crowd.

 

“BORN BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD!”

 

White light fills the Pepsi Center, and then--

 

BOOM!

 

An explosion of red and white pyro fills the air, and in the smoke left behind comes Mark Stevens--in full wrestling gear!

 

“I never thought I’d see a sight like this again,” confesses Comet.

 

The fans go nuts for Mark’s suede varsity jacket, complete with “Grand Slam” emblazoned on the back, as Stevens begins to saunter down to the ring. Duran crouches down in the ring, resting his hands on his knees and waiting for Mark to reach the ring.

 

“And his opponent,” Funyon continues the second half of his introductions, “hailing from Lincoln, Nebraska and weighing in at three hundred and one pounds, he is THE HEAVY HITTER! THE SLAMMER! GRAND! SLAM! MARK STEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEVENS!”

 

The roar of the crowd is deafening as Stevens continues down the aisle, fans reaching out to touch the hand of Mark as he slaps hands with the fans, his Colorado Rockies baseball cap fit snugly onto his head. Duran seems to grow restless in the ring as Mark enters the ring, climbing to the near turnbuckle like Duran...as the Notorious One charges over and brings an arm up, slamming it into the back of Stevens! Hebner is shocked by this sneak attack to begin the match, quickly calling for the bell as Funyon flees from the ringside area!

 

DING DING DING !

 

“Thank God for that,” Riley sighs with relief. “I thought Mark was never going to stop hamming it up to the fans.”

 

“Give me a break, Robert, Duran is already being incredibly cheap,” Comet speaks with disgust.

 

Stevens is doubled over from the initial strike to the back, and Duran continues to club away at Mark with blows to the back as Mark Hebner pleads with Duran to get Stevens out of the corner, the crowd showing their disdain for the cowardly opening attack by Duran.

 

ONE! TWO! THREE!

 

Finally, John obeys, getting Mark up to a vertical base and pushing him into the corner before whipping the Slammer out of the corner and to the opposite side. As Stevens’ back slams against the opposite turnbuckle, Duran charges forward...but so does Mark, as Grand Slam comes forward and decks Duran with a clothesline, knocking the Notorious One down to the mat and sending the crowd into a frenzy! Duran snaps right back to his feet, but takes only one step before Mark takes Duran down again with another clothesline! John still has the adrenaline pumping, but the crowd is behind Grand Slam! The Notorious One rises to his feet once again, and this time catches a big boot right to the kisser, sending Duran down for the third and final time as Stevens is pumped up! He throws off his varsity jacket, chucking it at the downed body of Duran and then flings his Rockies cap into the crowd, pumping his fist into the air as camera bulbs flash EVERYWHERE!

 

“Yeah!” Comet feels the emotion of Stevens at ringside. “He’s come to wrestle!”

 

Mark approaches Duran again, as John is struggling to get to his feet now. Stevens grabs the back of Duran’s head to aid John in getting to a vertical base--but before Grand Slam can get another strike off, Duran goes to the eyes with a cheap poke!

 

“And so has Duran!” Riley chuckles.

 

The crowd’s cheers die down again and immediately turn into boos as referee Hebner admonishes Duran for going to the eyes, issuing a warning to the Notorious One to not whip out that Notorious Tactic again! But the damage has already been done, as Duran takes control of the match. John backs Stevens into the ropes, delivering a knee to the breadbasket of the Heavy Hitter. Duran then whips Mark across the ring, bouncing off the ropes himself as Stevens rebounds off the opposite side. They both come running to the middle of the ring, and Duran’s strength advantage is enough to knock Stevens down to the mat as Duran comes to a stop in the center of the ring. He then goes to his right, bouncing off the near ropes as Mark turns his body over, lying on his stomach in hopes of tripping Duran--but Duran leaps over the body of Grand Slam and heads towards the opposite ropes. As Duran rebounds off the ropes, Stevens gets to his feet and actually tries to leap(!) over the body of Duran as it comes charging at him...but Duran comes to a stop! When Mark lands from his leap, he doesn’t have enough time to pay attention to his aching knee, as he catches another knee in the midsection!

 

“Mark was showing a little bit of the athleticism that he has,” Comet mentions the vertical leap from the Slammer, “but it was all for naught in the end.”

 

“And when Duran is finished with him, Stevens might be thinking that his whole career was for naught, because the Notorious One is going to send it right down the tubes!” Riley responds with a cackle tacked on to the end.

 

Mark is doubled over from the knee to the solar plexus, as Duran holds the back of Stevens’ head and comes forward with another knee, driving it RIGHT INTO THE FACE of Grand Slam as Duran steps forward, the former Midnight Carnival member’s body falling face-first to the ground behind him.

 

“He sure likes to use those knees,” Comet says plainly.

 

“It is his specialty, Comet. Duran has mastered the art of the knee, which is more than we can say for Mark’s gimpy knee.”

 

Duran poses for the crowd, showing a rare bit of showboating as he pats his trusty knee. He then turns around, grabbing the shoulder-length red hair of Stevens and dragging him to his feet as the referee warns him to not pull on the hair. Duran doesn’t bring Mark to a vertical base, instead opting to leave him doubled over--a position that Mark has already found himself in plenty of times in this match--as John aims his elbow carefully, before driving it right down into the neck of Stevens, earning a “OOOH!” from the crowd as Duran goes down with Mark with the elbowdrop, driving the sharp elbow into the back of Grand Slam’s neck.

 

“And he’s off to working on that neck,” Riley acknowledges Duran’s new fighting style. “He’s tired of his opponents going after his weak neck first, so he’s beating them to the punch!”

 

“Certainly a different strategy from others who have documented neck problems, such as Nathaniel Kibagami. Looks like Duran isn’t trying to protect his neck, but trying to hurt the other person’s neck first!”

 

With Mark back down, face first on the mat, Duran rises to his feet and then quickly aims his knee for some more destruction. Duran than drops to one knee, slamming his kneecap into the neck of the Heavy Hitter as the Notorious One continues to brutalize the neck of the former commissioner. The fans are not appreciating the focused attacks of Duran, as the boos which have been scattered for a few moments now become more organized and louder, the Notorious One inciting the fans as he raises a single hand up, middle finger extended, not even bothering to look at the fans as he aims his knee again and then calmly drops the knee onto Mark’s neck again, as Stevens’ legs flail behind him, the pain of a near two hundred and seventy pound man’s knee taking it’s toll on the family man’s neck. Duran then switches fingers, from the middle to the index, signaling that he’s going to strike Mark’s neck one more time. He backs away from Grand Slam’s body and then takes a few steps forward, leaping into the air and extending his leg for a legdrop...

 

...as Mark rolls out of the way! Duran holds his tailbone in pain from the missed legdrop as the cheers slowly begin to build once again.

 

“That’s it, Mark! Now show him what Grand Slam is all about!” encourages Comet from the announce booth.

 

Duran is cursing through his teeth as he continues to hold his tailbone in pain. Mark is getting to his feet, holding the back of his neck as Duran does the same, except holding the small of his back. Mark is the first to react when both men reach their feet, however, as he comes forward with his right hand, drawing it back and then--

 

SMACK!

 

“WHOO!”

 

--slamming it hard across the chest of Duran, the knife-edge chop sending Duran back a step. Mark lines up another one--

 

SMACK!

 

“WHOOOOOOO!”

 

--and Duran takes another step back! Grand Slam looks ready to deliver chop #3, but Duran gets his hands up, forming them in an axe-handle position and knocking Mark’s hand away, the crowd booing as Duran knees Stevens in the stomach again, quickly locking Mark’s head in a front facelock and dropping back, sending Mark’s head into the mat with a quick, but deadly DDT!

 

“Citizen Duran was able to stop those chops,” Comet notes, “and that’s a good thing, because the two knife-edge chops that did connect on Duran are starting to show on his chest!”

 

“That DDT probably did more damage to Mark’s neck, however,” Riley offers his rebuttal.

 

Mark, once again, is face-first on the mat and holding his neck from the force of the DDT as Duran rolls him over onto his back, putting the lateral press on Grand Slam and hooking the leg as Mark Hebner slides around to count

 

ONE!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TWO!

 

before Grand Slam gets his shoulder up. The fans cheer for Grand Slam’s refusal to stay down, but Duran is determined to get the three count out of this pinfall, putting Mark’s shoulder back down and yelling at the ref to count again:

 

ONE!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TWO!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

T-

 

As Mark once again gets a shoulder up, much to the delight of the Denver fans rooting on the Slammer!

 

“Very basic tactic from Duran as he hopes that the first kickout was all the energy that Mark had left,” Comet acknowledges the second pinfall, “but Mark is still in this match!”

 

“He’ll regret that when he gets on the wrong end of the Blunt Force Trauma, Comet.”

 

Duran doesn’t look too frustrated, but glares at the ref as he grabs Mark by his hair again, gradually bringing Mark back to his feet. The referee warns Duran to let go of the hair, but John simply grabs the Heavy Hitter’s left arm, whipping him towards the near corner. Stevens makes connection with the turnbuckles in the corner as the Notorious One goes over with Mark in the corner, leaning on the ropes and bringing his jet black boot up, pressing on the Adam’s apple of the Slammer as the fans begin to boo louder for yet another Notorious Tactic . Mark Hebner is right there, however, demanding that Duran break the choke and even pulling on Duran’s boot to get it off Mark’s neck.

 

“Can you imagine the pressure that Mark’s neck must be feeling?” Comet says with pain in his voice.

 

ONE!

 

“He won’t be able to talk right for a few days after this, that’s for sure!” Riley speaks with another cackle.

 

TWO!

 

“Just shut up already, Robert. That poor man is having the life choked out of him in there!”

 

THREE!

 

Duran promptly breaks the choke, staring at the ref as he simply lifts up his boot and starts it again...but this time Mark has his hands blocking his neck, grabbing John’s boot and pushing him backwards onto his hind end as the crowd erupts in cheers! Duran is stunned temporarily, long enough for Mark to throw his right arm in the air, signaling for a HOME RUN~!

 

“HE WANTS THE WALK OFF!” Comet screams through his mask.

 

“This early in the match? Surely, he must be ‘shroomin!”

 

The crowd is erupting with impending happiness at seeing the Walk Off, but Riley’s disbelief is well-founded, as Duran notices that Mark wants to go for the kill and get this match over with, rolling out to the floor as the crowd’s raucous cheering turns to raucous jeering, some fans in the front row taunting Duran and throwing middle fingers in his face as Duran takes a powder on the outside.

 

“And of course, Duran will have no part of The Walk Off, Robert. Very surprising.” says Comet with obvious sarcasm.

 

“Mark might have some neck pain, but he’s crazy to think he’d be able to hit the Walk Off on Duran at this stage!”

 

Referee Hebner asks Duran to get back into the ring, and seeing that he won’t honor that request, begins the usual ten count.

 

ONE!

 

Right after the count of one, Duran pushes Funyon out of his chair at ringside, taking the chair and folding it up as the crowd surrounding Funyon begins to boo the Notorious One for not only pushing the beloved announcer but also grabbing a chair, perhaps looking for a cheap way out of this match. Duran calmly walks up the near ring steps, stepping through the ropes as referee Hebner stops Duran with his chair, to the approval of the fans who want to see this match end fairly. John tries to insist on bringing the chair into the ring, but “stripes” will have none of it.

 

“What exactly is Citizen Duran trying to do? Doesn’t he know that will get him disqualified?”

 

Duran finally gives up on the chair, dropping it in the ring as it leans up against the ropes. Duran simply enters the ring as referee Hebner gets to work on getting rid of the chair from the ring. Mark comes forward and tries to boot Duran in the midsection, but John is smart enough to dodge it and quickly drop to one knee, slamming a straight fist into the Stevens’ family jewels.

 

“BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!”

 

The low blow is obviously missed by the ref, who turns around just in time to see Duran rise back to his feet and to see Mark fall down on the canvas in pain. The referee did manage to get rid of the chair, however.

 

“What a masterful plan by Duran!” Riley sings the praises of Duran’s cheating tactics. “It’s hard to think on the spot like that, but Duran came up with something to stop Grand Slam dead in his tracks!”

 

“I despise Citizen Duran. For so many months, he has resorted to fighting like a complete coward! I hope his neck breaks! It couldn’t happen to a more horrible person!”

 

Comet’s overreaction is not that outrageous, as many of the fans seem ready to jump the guardrail to defend the SWF legend from this beating at the hands of the despicable former leader of the Unnamed. Duran takes a break for a couple of seconds, and then grabs Mark again to bring him to his feet. As soon as the Heavy Hitter reaches a vertical base, however, Duran reaches under the Slammer’s armpits and locks Mark’s arms in a full nelson. Duran brings his hands around, pressing on the back of Stevens’ head and compressing the neck as the full nelson is fully locked on!

 

“He’s not looking for the Break Point here,” Riley analyzes, “he’s simply working away on the neck of Mark, and he’s no doubt looking for a submission here.”

 

“That doesn’t seem too far away, thanks to Duran’s cheating ways. I don’t think our beloved Grand Slam can catch a break here!”

 

The referee can see that Mark is in pain, but when he asks if Stevens gives up, Grand Slam responds with a clear-cut “No!”

 

“TAP OUT, YOU MOTHERFUCKER!”

 

Duran’s response is vicious, as Mark tries to turn his head in the full nelson, looking for any way to relieve the pressure of the move. But when Mark moves his head too far, Duran spits in the face of the Heavy Hitter! The boos are traveling in waves now, seeming to shake the arena with their intensity. The full nelson is still locked on as the fans begin to clap, trying to get behind Mark the best they can. Duran looks around at the fans rallying their support for the former commissioner, and decides that he’s had enough as he lifts Stevens off the ground, falling backwards and slamming Mark on the back of his neck!

 

“OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!”

 

The crowd’s clapping is stopped dead as the Dragon suplex hits its mark. Duran can’t bridge out of the move because of his own neck problems, but instead releases Mark’s lifeless body, letting him flop to the mat before covering him and hooking the leg, referee Hebner once again hitting the mat to count

 

ONE!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TWO!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THREE! DURAN GOT HIM!

 

 

 

 

 

 

NO HE DIDN’T! SHOULDER UP! TWO COUNT ONLY!

 

The fans are each having individual joygasms as Mark is barely able to shrug a shoulder off the mat. Instead of trying for a pinfall once again, a frustrated Duran simply grabs the hair of Mark and pummels him with ferocious right hands, slamming them into the face of the Heavy Hitter as the referee finds himself pleading again with Duran to open up the fists and let go of the hair. After about eight or nine punches, Duran throws Mark’s head back down to the mat in disgust, rising back to his feet and holding his hand in the air to signal for the chokeslam.

 

“Oh yeah, baby!” Riley says excitedly. “Mark Stevens is DONE FOR!”

 

“I’m afraid to admit it, but you’re right, Robert. If this chokeslam hits, I don’t think Grand Slam will be able to get the victory in his return match!”

 

Duran begins to taunt Mark as the Slammer slowly begins to rise to his feet, not possibly having any clue of what will be waiting for him when he finally reaches his feet. Stevens finally does reach a vertical base, however, and John grabs his shoulder to turn him around, rushing forward for the chokeslam...

 

...but Mark ducks! The crowd is going apeshit at this point, begging for Mark to find something to come back as Stevens goes behind Duran, turning him around and attempting to boot him in the midsection!

 

“He’s going for the Walk Off again,” Comet says as he jumps out of his seat.

 

...but Duran blocks it again! He grabs the black boot of Grand Slam, spinning him around so that his back is facing Duran, and locks on another full nelson! Before Mark has time to react, the Notorious One lifts Stevens into the air and brings him right back down with a full nelson bomb!

 

“BREAK POINT!” Riley also jumps out of his seat in celebration as Comet and the rest of the fans are very subdued. Most of the fans are very angry as well, as they begin to rain a torrent of boos down on the former World Champion.

 

Duran leans back and locks on the body scissors, keeping the full nelson on as Hebner falls to the mat, checking to see if Stevens quits. The pain on his neck is unbearable, not to mention Duran’s strong legs trying to crush his abdomen.

 

“GRAND SLAM!

GRAND SLAM!

GRAND SLAM!”

 

The chant starts suddenly but gains steam quickly...but not quickly enough for Mark, who’s already gone.

 

“YES! I GIVE!”

 

Mark’s hands flail in the Break Point as Hebner rises to his feet and calls for the bell, Duran releasing the hold immediately and rolling out of the ring as “Synthetic” cues up again.

 

“Your winner,” Funyon announces, back in his chair, “JOHN DURAAAAAAN!”

 

“Mark tried as best as he could, darn it,” Comet sighs. “But Duran is more focused than ever to be a sick and sadistic bastard.”

 

“He’s all of those things plus a genius, Comet! I love the new John Duran!”

 

The Notorious One has a very cold look on his face as he heads to the back, however. It doesn’t seem he’s found the person that will impress Zenon enough to get back in the main event. The camera fades out on Duran’s frigid eyes as we go to commercial.

 

---

 

Notice how I went to commercial when we were the main event? That and I wrote everything as a regular match. But as a regular match, I liked it.