As requested...

[Zack Malibu 0]

At the request of Tom, here's my losing match for last night's main event. If any of you want to feedback it, please do.

 

“…and that’s when I said to her “Honey, I already paid for the room!”

 

“King, we’re back on the air.”

 

“Oh sh…”

 

“Fans, welcome back to Lockdown! Longdogger Pete and the one and only Suicide King here ready to wind down the night with the most anticipated matchup of the evening. A bout between two champions, but more importantly, two friends. The careers of Todd Cortez and Landon Maddix intertwined thanks to the powerful grip of Revolution Zero, and tonight, those men face each other in battle for Landon’s ICTV Championship. Todd Cortez has been skyrocketing through the competition, surviving some of the most brutal encounters in SWF history. Tonight, he’s thrust out of that element and into straight up singles competition against a man who stands alongside him in Martial Law.”

 

“They’re friends now, but can that friendship survive this contest? If Maddix retains, will Cortez accept defeat kindly? By the same token, if the hot streak of Cortez continues tonight, will Maddix revert back to the Landon of old? There’s a lot more at stake here than just a belt, Pete. Not to mention that Toxxic has been in Todd’s ear as of late, and…”

 

“Hold it right there. There is no way that Todd Cortez would even consider listening to Toxxic. When you think about it, it’s been Toxxic that has caused Cortez to “come out of his shell” so to speak. He ended the legacy of Mike Van Siclen and Hollywood Boulevard in one fell swoop, and put the new kid on the block, the rookie Cortez, into a totally unplanned situation. However, Todd has adapted quite well, as evidenced by his USJL and Hardcore Championship reigns, and he’s found allies in the form of Alan Clark and Landon Maddix, two men who I never thought would team up.”

 

“See, now by that token, a Cortez and Toxxic pairing would make sense, wouldn’t it?”

 

”It’ll never happen.”

 

“Only one way to find out.”

 

“Right you are King, and that’s why we’ve got to go up to the ring!”

 

The hard camera zooms in on Funyon, standing in the ring, as the crowd is abuzz with anticipation. Fans who went to claim their final snacks for the evening are returning to their seats, and all eyes are on the famed announcer as his vocal chords strain to introduce this next match.

 

“Ladies and gentlemen, the following contest, scheduled for one fall, is for the SWF ICTV CHAMPIONSHIP!”

 

“BREATHE!”

 

“OH!”

 

The fan reaction to the pulsing beat of Fabolous’ hot track is amazing, as they know who is en route to the ring. Green lights blink rapidly, illuminating the entranceway, and as the first chorus hits-BOOM! Golden sparkles of pyro shoot up into the air, and Todd Cortez comes walking slowly through it all, looking more focused than ever before.

 

“Making his way to the ring at this time, the challenger. Hailing from Hollywood Boulevard, he weighs in tonight at two hundred and twenty six pounds. A member of Martial Law, he is the current reigning and defending SWF Hardcore Champion…The Urban Legend, TODDD CORRRTEZZZZ!”

 

“The body language says it all, Pete. Cortez isn’t playing to the crowd much, and he’s got that stone face, that expressionless look about him. You can tell he’s got thoughts running through his mind.”

 

“As well he should. However it should be noted that Cortez has done battle with Maddix before, and it was in fact Maddix who lost that bout after winding up on the wrong of Cortez’s Hook Up submission finisher. Can history repeat itself tonight?”

Cortez grasps the cross dangling from his neck and kisses his fists, then looks up to the sky and takes a deep breath, paying tribute to his deceased brother who watches over him. The Urban Legend then climbs up the steps and into the ring, disrobing himself of his bulletproof vest and unstrapping the SWF Hardcore Title from around his waist. After ridding himself of his entrance attire and title belt, Cortez turns to face the entranceway, just in time to hear his theme fade out and get replaced by another familiar sound.

 

“PREPARE…FOR…LANDON!”

 

The dimmed lights of the arena come up again, and another crowd pop greets the other competitor in the contest. Landon Maddix comes out and works the crowd, thrusting his arms up and scanning the sea of fans before turning back towards the curtain and calling out Megan Skye. The duo, who along with Alan Clark and the man in the ring make up the Martial Law stable, head down to the ring, welcomed by the fans as Funyon announces their entrance.

 

“Making his way to the ring now, accompanied by Megan Skye, he too is a member of Martial Law. Hailing from Huron, South Dakota, and weighing in tonight at two hundred, twenty pounds, the current reigning and defending SWF ICTV Champion…LANDON “LA CUCHARACHA” MADDD-ICKSSSSSS!”

 

Landon hops up on the apron, raising up one arm and turning back to the crowd before stepping into the ring. Megan stays at ringside, looking on as Landon slingshots into the ring and walks over to his friend, briefly staring him down before unstrapping the ICTV belt and handing it over to the referee. The one and only Sexton Hardcastle raises the belt up in the air, signifying this as a title match, while Funyon makes himself extinct and heads for his seat at ringside.

 

DING! DING! DING!

 

“There’s the bell, and this one is ready to begin!”

 

Maddix and Cortez stand at center ring, eyeing each other and moving closer and closer. They ultimately come nose to nose, staring each other down, the looks on their faces each showing the world that they won’t be taken down so easily. The two men then back away from one another, and simultaneously extend their hands, shaking hands in a great show of sportsmanship that the crowd appreciates, and then begin to circle one another.

 

“The mark of true competitors, true sportsmen.”

 

“Yeah, we’ll see how long it lasts.”

 

Cortez and Maddix move around the ring, keeping their eyes on each other, and then move in, locking up in dead center ring. Cortez gets the early advantage as they jockey for position, pushing Landon back towards the ropes while he’s tied up, but Landon rotates at the last second, and now he’s got Cortez pinned against the ropes. Hardcastle comes to order a break, but Landon immediately backs off, allowing Cortez room to come away from the ropes, and again the two men lock up! Cortez starts to push back again, forcing Landon to take steps backwards, but the former World Champion quickly drops to his knees and dumps Cortez over with a fireman’s carry! Cortez hops back up to his feet and Landon snags a headlock, but Cortez quickly pushes him to the ropes and fires off a high dropkick…that gets swatted away! Cortez again recovers quickly, just in time for Landon to plant him with a dropkick…no, HIS gets swatted away by Cortez! Landon is back up, but Cortez pushes him back to the ropes, sending him in with an Irish Wh…REVERSED, and Landon puts his head down for a back bodydrop…but Cortez stops short, and pulls him into a headscissors! Todd bounces off his feet, already going for the RIOT ACT PLUS…NO! Landon lifts Cortez up onto his shoulders, and starts twirling around with his friend-turned-opponent draped across his shoulders, countering the move with his projectile vomit-inducing Airplane Spin!

 

“That’s one way to take someone off their game!”

 

Landon finally drops Cortez, and falls to his knees himself, both men shaken up by the old school maneuver. Cortez crawls to the ropes and uses them as an aid in getting up, as he’s too dizzy to do it on his own. Landon shakes the cobwebs loose and comes up to his feet, approaching Cortez and trying to whip him into the ropes, but Todd ducks and dumps Landon over his back, over the ropes! Maddix lands on the apron and spins his opponent around, taking him by the head and walking him towards the corner where he rams his he…NO! Cortez puts a foot up to block, and tries to do the same to Landon, who counters in the same fashion! Cortez then takes Landon and suplexes him back into the ring…but at the last second Maddix slides out, landing on his feet and hooking Todd by the waist! Cortez quickly hooks the top rope with both arms, stopping Landon from being able to take him over, then quickly swings around, grabbing his own waistlock! Cortez then spins Landon to face him, and lifts for an inverted atomic…NO! Landon boxes his ears, then hits a Nothern Lights Suplex on the Hardcore Champion!

 

ONE!

 

That’s all Hardcastle can get out, because Cortez begins bridging up, taking his shoulders off the mat and twisting around so that he can hook both of Landon’s arms and take him to the canvas with a butterfly suplex! Cortez follows up by grabbing Landon during his attempt at recovery and trying a vertical suplex…but it gets turned into a small package in mid-move!

 

ONE!

 

T-KICKOUT!

 

“Another attempt at victory by Maddix, followed by another Cortez kickout. Both of these men have brought their A-game tonight!”

 

Both men scramble to their feet, and Cortez get stunned by a blistering chop from the champion, then retaliates with one of his own! Landon reels, but fires back with another chop, only to have that smack returned right back to him by the Urban Legend!

 

“It’s a game of one-upsmanship!”

 

Landon hits back. Cortez hits back harder. Landon hits harder, and Cortez cracks him across the chest with all he can muster. Before long, both men are clutching at their chests, but even as the pain becomes harder to take, they keep coming at one another with knife edge blows!

 

“Someone’s chest is going to cave in!”

 

“Let’s hope it’s not Megan’s!”

 

“I…oh King. Oh man.”

 

Cortez fires off another chop, but Landon is able to block, getting both his arms up in front of his chest to defend himself from the blow. As Cortez pulls away, Landon quickly takes him by the wrist and wrings the arm, holding him in an armbar momentarily before Cortez counters with an arm wrench of his own! Landon braces himself, then counters again, putting Cortez in a hammerlock. As Landon pins Todd’s left arm behind him, Cortez fires back with the right, trying to catch Landon with a back elbow, only to have it ducked! Landon turns Cortez around and quickly plants him with an inverted atomic drop, then scoops him up onto his shoulders and jumps back, crushing Todd with a thunderous Samoan Drop! Landon stays laying across Todd, keeping hold of his leg as Hardcastle counts…

 

ONE!

 

TWO!

 

CORTEZ ROLLS HIM OVER, CRUCIFIX STYLE!

 

ONE!

 

T-NO!

 

Landon, stunned by the attempt by Cortez, lifts his head up and fires off a European uppercut, sending Todd staggering back just as he’s getting to his feet. Cortez falls into the corner, but as he comes up out of it Landon connects with a boot to the ribs, and brings Cortez up and over with a snap suplex. Landon then moves towards the corner, climbing the ropes with his back to Cortez. Landon gets to the top and turns, seeing that Cortez was still stirring as he climbed. Cortez makes a charge towards the corner, hoping to knock Landon off his perch, but Maddix quickly springs from the ropes, jumping over Cortez and landing on his feet in the ring! Cortez then turns to see his friend-turned-foe, and Landon charges, tucking his head and driving his shoulder into Todd’s ribs in spear-like fashion, ultimately driving him into the corner and the wind from his body!

 

“Maddix forcing Cortez into the corner the hard way…”

 

“Pete, think about what you just said. Is there an easy way to force someone into a corner?”

 

With Todd worn down, Landon keeps him cornered (no pun intended), as he climbs up onto the middle rope. Raising a fist in the air, Landon gets a mixed reaction from the fans for what he’s about to do, as he begins to rain hard shots into the forehead of a man who stands by his side every night except tonight.

 

ONE!

 

TWO!

 

THREE!

 

FOUR!

 

FIVE!

 

SIX!

 

SEV-NO!

 

Cortez pushes Landon down, but Maddix kips right back up and charges the corner…eating boot in the process! Cortez’s well placed foot sends La Cucharacha stumbling back, and allows Todd the time to push up onto the middle rope and leap onto Landon’s shoulders, sending him across the ring with a perfectly executed huracanrana!

 

“Quick thinking, and even quicker on his feet! What a seesaw battle this has been so far!”

 

Landon pushes up to his feet, coming up and standing face to face with Cortez, who immediately pushes him towards the ropes, whipping him across…NO! Landon spins around, hanging onto Todd’s arm and pulling the Hardcore Champion into a knee, doubling him over before running the ropes and jarring Todd with a swinging neckbreaker! Landon stands up, hovering over his challenger and then leaps off his feet, coming down with a kneedrop that lands right between Todd’s eyes! Landon rolls Todd back onto his back and takes his head in his arm, pulling him up to his feet while clutched in a reverse facelock, then tugging on the waistband of his pants and carrying him over for a reverse…NO! Cortez, even in a daze, manages to slip out and land on his feet…but Maddix quickly reaches back and snapmares him over, then backs up and runs forward, driving the instep of his right foot into the spinal cord of Cortez!

 

“Great, great, GREAT clinic of counter wrestling! No matter who wins tonight, neither of these men will have anything to be ashamed of.”

 

“They should be ashamed now, letting greed overcome their friendship. Just goes to show you what type of bond Martial Law really has. We know about Maddix and Clark, but now the glue holding that unit together is getting put to sleep by his own good buddy!”

 

King refers to the fact that Cortez is now held tightly in a chinlock, as Maddix struggles to wear down the quick cruiserweight, hoping to ground him enough to mount a more effective offense. Landon kneels as he applies the hold, using his knee to dig into the back of Todd’s neck and further wear him down.

 

“Maddix putting more of a focus on the neck, no doubt trying to make Todd an easy target for the Land of Nod.”

 

Hardcastle keeps watch, but who submits to chinlocks now, really? Certainly not Cortez, who tries powering out but uses the next best means, rolling to his knees and pushing up to his feet, while Landon tries to force him back down. Todd proves resilient as always, getting to one knee, then up on both feet…but is immediately taken back down, as Landon moves from the chinlock into his patented So-Dak Moment, driving the back of Todd’s head into the canvas! Todd rolls on the mat, holding his head, but Landon rolls him onto his back and then springs up, getting a good vertical leap into the air as he comes down with an elbow into the sternum! With Todd laid out, Landon then quickly exits the ring, moving out to the apron and then springing up onto the top rope, coming down on his Martial Law compadre with a springboard legdrop to put a cap on that offensive sequence!

 

ONE!

 

TWO!

 

SHOULDER UP!

 

Landon had to know it was coming, as he knows just how much of a fighter Todd Cortez is. He simply stands up and lays Cortez flat again, then leaps up and drop another leg across his throat! Cortez remains motionless, and Landon moves towards the ropes again, staying in the ring and springing up onto the middle rope, then rotating in midair to crash onto his opponent’s throat AGAIN, with another variation of the springboard legdrop!

 

ONE!

 

TWO!

 

NO!

 

Yet again, Cortez throws up his shoulder before that final count, and again Maddix seems to have expected it. He brings Cortez to his feet, rocking the weary superstar with rapid fire forearms, then runs the ropes, swinging his arm at Cortez in an attempt to knock his head off with a LARRRIATTTTOOOOOO, which is more like LARIATO-NO, as Cortez ducks…AND FIRES OFF A SUPERKICK TO THE BACK OF THE HEAD! Landon falls forward, landing on the top rope causing himself to bounce backward, and Cortez sweeps his legs out from under him, then jumps into the air, flipping himself over so that he crashes onto Landon back first, rocking the ICTV Champion with a quick flip senton! Cortez crawls back onto Landon, hooking the leg…

 

ONE!

 

TWO!

 

KICKOUT!

 

…but Landon kicks out, proving that he’s just as capable of fighting the good fight as the reigning Hardcore Kingpin. Cortez brings Landon to his feet, taking him up and dropping him down with an inverted atomic drop, and immediately following with a sitout jawbreaker that sends Landon flying back to the canvas! Cortez rolls backwards, coming up on one knee as he watches Landon struggle to recover. Once Landon is on his feet, Cortez charges, and Landon can’t shake himself off in enough time to counter, because by the time he spots Cortez, the Urban Legend connects with a running lariat, the momentum of which sends both men over the top and down to the floor below!

 

“This is where this match could break down. You’ve got a guy whose claim to fame is finding new and exciting ways to make you bleed, and another guy who preaches a philosophy about cheating to win. Not that I don’t agree with either mindset, Pete, but now is where we find out just how friendly these two are going to remain!”

 

Cortez is the first up, while Landon is aided by Megan during his recovery, as the lovely valet shows concern for her man. As Landon is coming up, Cortez speeds things up for him, dragging him away from Megan and connecting with another vicious chop, the sound of skin cracking against skin echoing through the arena. A wounded Maddix is then taken by the head and sent face first into the ring apron, staggering him enough so that Cortez can hop up onto the apron, but as he’s about to springboard off the ropes, Maddix lunges upward and yanks him down, then hooks both of his legs…AND POWERBOMBS HIM OFF THE APRON TO THE FLOOR!

 

“Now THAT is innovation!”

 

“MADDIX!”

 

“MADDIX!”

 

The torn crowd bursts out in a chant for the defending champion, and a replay for the viewers at home reminds us how sick of a fall that was, the impact of Cortez’s back striking the ringside floor enough to make someone quiver. Maddix leans on the apron for support, having been through the ringer so far, and then moves away from the ring to reclaim his opponent, taking him and rolling him into the ring. Maddix then begins to climb the ropes, not stopping until he gets to the top…AND COMES OFF WITH A PICTURE PERFECT ELBOW DROP INTO THE CHEST OF TODD CORTEZ!

 

“What height! What impact!”

 

Landon bounces off the body of Cortez as his move strikes, sending a jolt through Todd’s body before leaving him motionless. Landon gets up and ponders whether or not to go for the pin, then decides that going back to the top is a better choice.

 

“What’s he doing? This could be a mistake!”

 

“It took three of those to put away Johnny Dangerous in the past, and not to discredit a man as accomplished as he is, but it may take even more than that to put someone like Todd Cortez away!”

 

Landon returns to the top, drawing the cheers of the crowd as he measures up Cortez, hoping that high risk pays off again as he leaps off, this time flying through the air like heat seeking missle towards it’s target, as Landon Maddix crashes into Todd Cortez with a soaring swandive headbutt!

 

“Maddix using his head and switching it up, and is able to connect with another punishing maneuver from the top!”

 

Maddix cradles his own head, the move having jarred him as well. The North Carolinians look on with concern for both men, but Maddix is the first to his feet, still holding his head as he moves towards the corner once again! Maddix starts his climb, and the fans roar with approval…although the camera pulls back to show that the roar isn’t necessarily all for Maddix, as Todd Cortez is starting to sit up!

 

“He’s getting up, and Maddix hasn’t noticed!”

 

Cortez slowly starts to get to his feet, and just as Landon gets to the top rope, he turns to see Cortez coming to. Quickly, Landon hops down and powerwalks towards Todd, dragging him by the arm over to the ropes and sending him into the far side, then runs towards him as he rebounds and drills him with a knee to the gut!

 

“Well, now we can say they’ve used everything including the kitchen sink!”

 

“Har har.”

 

Landon pulls Todd up from the fetal position and hoists him up, carrying him over with a gutwrench suplex and then dragging him across the ring, closer to the corner. With Todd incapable of defending himself once again, Landon returns to the top, looking to complete his trifecta of high flying offense. Maddix makes the climb, and the fans once again go wild, as Cortez isn’t about to go anywhere, the heat from the spotlights above the ring soon blocked by the form of Landon Maddix hovering above him, gravity pulling him closer to his destination, as his picturesqure frog splash crashes down on Todd Cortez’s KNEES!

 

“He got the knees up! He got ‘em up!”

 

Landon bounces off of Todd’s legs and rolls around the ring, gasping for air as he’s now stuck in a fetal position, his ribs nearly shattered after that drop! Cortez rolls himself away from Landon, his movement stopping Hardcastle from making a standing ten count for both men. Todd pushes himself up and staggers over to Maddix, pulling him up and quickly taking him by the throat, that action drawing an enormous response out of the sold out crowd here at the RBC Center!

 

“Cortez is looking for an Urban Assault!”

 

Cortez paces himself, too weakened to quickly hoist Landon up, and it gives Maddix enough time to drill Cortez with a series of elbows in the side of the head that forces a break! Landon then tugs on Todd’s wifebeater, pulling him back around…but Cortez brings a knee up, doubling Landon over! Cortez pulls him into a headscissors, but Landon immediately drops to his knees and shoves Cortez off, right into the corner! Landon charges in, but Cortez sidesteps him, although Landon stops himself at the last minute! He spins back around, just as Cortez is bouncing off the ropes running alongside his opponent, and drills him in the side of the ribs with the Hollow Point!

 

“Landon Maddix just crumbled like a stale cake!”

 

Cortez pushes up to all fours after connecting with his “Pounce” variant, rolling Landon Maddix onto his back and covering him, sluggishly pulling his leg up for added leverage!

 

“Look at him, he can barely hang onto Landon’s leg!”

 

ONE!

 

TWO!

 

THREE!

 

…

 

NO! FOOT ON THE ROPES!

 

Cortez pushes up to his knees and hangs his head in shame, as most of the crowd cheers for the avoided defeat!

 

“Look at Cortez. It seems as if he knows he should have taken Landon away from the ropes! Maddix may have been out after that Hollow Point!”

 

Cortez drags Landon’s limp carcass away from the ropes, then jumps onto his chest, deflating him like a balloon as he crushes him with a double stomp! Cortez then moves out to the apron and leaps up onto the top rope, springboarding in and coming down across Landon’s temple with a flying kneedrop! Cortez rolls through with the move and leap up to the middle rope, executing a quebrada…but Landon gets the knees up…AND CORTEZ LANDS ON HIS FEET, AS HE SIMPLY BACKFLIPS OVER LANDON! Maddix looks up at Todd, who looks down and offers his buddy a smirk in the midst of this heated “friendly competition”, then jumps onto him again with a double foot stomp to the chest, and follows that up with a standing moonsault that crushes La Cucharacha!

 

ONE!

 

TWO!

 

THR-NO!

 

“The ability to absorb punishment like this, such a brutal give and take…what a test these guys are going through!”

 

Cortez tries taking Landon up with him, but Maddix thumbs him in the eye out of desperation, blinding the Urban Legend!

 

“See that, Pete? What kind of friend would try to take your eye out?”

 

Cortez has lost part of his vision, his left eyesight now blurry thanks to Landon. Maddix gets up and fires off a superkick, the sole of his boot aiming for the side of Todd’s head…but it’s caught! Landon hops around on one foot for a moment before noticing Todd squinting, still unable to clearly see from his left eye. Landon leaps up and kicks out his left leg, trying to knock Cortez cold with an enzugiri…but Cortez ducks at the last second! Landon does a belly flop, and Cortez immediately drops down onto his back, HOLDING LANDON DOWN FOR THE HOOK UP!

 

“The Hook Up! If he cinches this in, the ICTV Title will leave the waist of Landon Maddix!”

 

Cortez tries to hold Landon down, but Maddix wriggles out from under him, crawling across the ring with Cortez closely in tow. Landon comes up to his feet and Cortez grabs him in a rear waistlock, trying to take Landon down, but Landon swings around behind Cortez and pushes him chest first towards the ropes and goes airborne, leaping up onto Todd’s shoulders…AND SNAPS HIM OVER WITH AN INVERTED HURACANRANA!

 

“Reverse Hura-Lan-Rana by the champion!”

 

“MAD-DIX!”

 

“COR-TEZ!”

 

“MAD-DIX!”

 

“COR-TEZ!”

 

The crowd is now fighting with each other as they try to overpower each other with their respective chants. Maddix comes over and takes the weary Cortez in a headscissors, hoisting him up onto his shoulders…but Cortez rakes the eyes as he’s held in the air, stopping Maddix from driving him to the mat! Maddix has no choice but to release his grip, and Cortez lands on his feet and runs the ropes, charging with amazing velocity to crack Landon with a YAKUZA KICK~!…BUT MADDIX ROLLS UNDER IT! HE LEAPS TO THE ROPES AND TURNS BACK AROUND, HITTING A SPRINGBOARD JUMP SWINGING DDT…NO! Cortez pushes him off, and Landon charges HIM with a Yakuza Kick, but it’s ducked, and both men bounce off the ropes…TAKING EACH OTHER OUT WITH FLYING BODYPRESSES!

“Like two jet planes colliding, both men crashed and burned in mid-air!”

 

The crowd is at a fever pitch, as the already worked over ribcages of both men must be feeling much more sore after that collision. Hardcastle starts the standing ten count, with the fan clubs of each man continuing their chants, hoping to adrenalize their favorite enough to end this contest. At the count of five, both men simultaneously get up, as if they’ve seen a sign telling them to get off their asses and finish this thing. As they stand on spaghetti legs, both men turn to each other, and like a scene from a Western, engage in a duel of epic proportions.

 

Forearm by Landon!

 

Chop by Cortez!

 

Chop by Maddix!

 

Back elbow by Cortez!

 

“They’re running on instinct now! Nothing fancy about this at all!”

 

Much like the dueling chops earlier, for every shot given, another one is earned. Cortez puts a halt to the tradeoff with a boot to the gut, pulling Landon into another potential Riot Act Plus~!…but we never find out, as Landon backdrops him over…AND CORTEZ HANGS ON FOR A ROLLUP!

 

ONE!

 

TWO!

 

ROLL THROUGH! Landon takes Todd by the legs and rolls him onto his stomach, then sits on his back, reaching around to pull his head back…GOING FOR THE LAND OF NOD! Cortez claws at Landon’s arm, pulling it away from his face as to not get trapped in the submission, and manages to slide out from under Landon, coming up behind him…AND PUTTING HIM IN A DRAGON SLEEPER OF HIS OWN, THE STREET DREAMS~! Landon kicks and shakes to free himself, finally able to spin himself around and force Cortez back into the corner, driving his shoulder into his ribs to knock the wind out of him! Cortez nearly collapses, but is pulled back to his feet by Landon, who turns so that he can hop up on the ropes, while keeping Cortez in his grasp. Landon climbs up the ropes, seating himself on the third rope so that he can kick off the middle rope, as he pulls Cortez around with him for a CRASH LANDON~!…NO! CORTEZ TRANSFORMS IT INTO AN INVERTED ATOMIC DROP IN MID-MOVE, DOUBLING LANDON OVER…AND HOPS OVER LANDON’S BACK, USING THE MOMENTUM TO TAKE THE CHAMPION OVER WITH A RIOT ACT PLUS!

 

“R.A.P. connects on La Cucharacha! We’re going to have a new champion!”

 

Cortez stretches himself over Maddix, cradling a leg more out of reassurance than necessity.

 

ONE!

 

TWO!

 

THREE!

 

DING! DING! DING!

 

“He did it! Todd Cortez has just become a double champion, at the expense of one of his stablemates!”

 

Cortez lays on his back, not looking like the celebratory type, as Megan slides into the ring to check on both men, Maddix first of course. Hardcastle also checks on the competitors, and the battle worn Cortez is led to his feet by the SWF official, who holds the belt that now belongs to the Urban Legend in his hand. Cortez stands up and wipes the sweat from his brow, looking at Hardcastle as the referee puts the sixteen pounds of gold in his hand.

 

“Ladies and gentlemen, your winner…and the NEW SWF ICTV CHAMPION…The Urban Legend, TODDDD CORRRRTEZZZZZZZ!”

 

Funyon’s announcement draws a huge response from the crowd, as Cortez looks at his reflection in the belt, seemingly in disbelief that he’s just captured it. Hardcastle also comes to him with his Hardcore Title, and now Cortez looks down at both belts, one in each hand, before thrusting his head back and raising them proudly up into the air, much to the delight of the packed house that’s here for Smarkdown.

 

”What a moment, and what a man, right there. Todd Cortez has fought in cages, in frat houses, in casino brawls…but nothing could have prepared him for tonight, doing battle with a man he calls a friend.”

 

“Now he’s got that on his conscience. If Martial Law ends tonight, it’s his fault. Remember that, Pete!”

 

As “Breathe” plays in celebration of Cortez’s win, Alan Clark rushes down to the ring, sliding in and putting an arm around Cortez, patting his shoulders for a job well done. As Clark joyously celebrates the victory, a much more serious Cortez looks past him, across the ring. Into the eyes of a beaten man that he calls a stablemate.

 

“Here we go, Pete. I told you it was going to break down into this!”

 

Cortez slowly walks away from Clark, who keep his eye on the man Todd is approaching. A hurting Landon Maddix, barely able to stand, let alone walk, stares a hold through the man he shares a stable with. A man he confides in. A man who just beat him for his belt.

 

And then he extends his hand. Todd Cortez looks down and takes the hand, shaking it, and the two men embrace, getting an enormous reception from the crowd.

 

“You were saying, King?”

 

“Wait for it, wait for it…”

 

Maddix raises Cortez’s hand, but nearly falls over in doing so, his head still jarred by the impact of the Riot Act Plus. Clark comes over to help Maddix, a sight we never expected to see, as Martial Law as a unit begin to exit the ring.

 

“Come on Landon, we don’t have much time!”

 

“We don’t have any time, King. In fact, we gotta go!”

 

“No, it’s coming…look…dammit Maddix!”

 

“Fans, it’s been on wild ride tonight, and we have a NEW ICTV Champion, but that belt still has a home in Martial Law! For the King, this is Longdogger Pete, saying we’ll see you next time on SWF TV!”

 

“OK, he’s gonna throw him off the ramp…watch! Don’t fade out! Don’t…”

 

FADE OUT.

[King Cucaracha 0]

Yeah, a very good back and forth match. Very fast paced. Might even have given Maddix a bit TOO much credit in the back and forth wrestling stakes.

 

Uhm...yeah, that's my comment.