HD: TB vs. SJP

[Tony149 0]

Not a classic but not a dud either.

 

SJ, if you wanna change or add anything, go right ahead.

 

For some reason, my pre-match promo was not in the show last thursday. I hope no one edited it out. Anyways, please include this first,

 

 

 

 

 

COLE
Fans, due to technical difficulties last week, Stephen Joseph's promo on Dan Black was not aired.  This promo and SJ's victory set up the match you're about to see next.  Let's take you back to last week, and what you didn't see.

::Stephen Joseph stands in the middle of the ring as we come back from commercial break, admist a chorus of boos.::

I know, I know. I'm out here yet again with a microphone, and everyone in this arena has decided that I'm about 1 shade worse than the devil himself and so the Boos are raining down on me. Enjoying yourselves? ::pause:: Good, glad to know it. Now I've got something from the heart to say.

::And the crowd boos and jeers as SJ pauses to clear his throat. He turns slowly to his left as he scans the crowd, settling in a gaze on Sofa Central.::

I know why you boo me, at least right now. With this "revolution" going on, I turned on Dan, Tony, and though it should be no surprise, Zack Malibu. Have you ever really considered why I did what I did? Have you ever thought how you would have acted?

::Stephen Joseph pauses, giving Sofa Central a chance to comment::

Cole
SJ trying to plant a seed of doubt in the true OAOAST fans.

Coach
He's got a point Coach. Have you ever thought about it

Caboose
Oh, I've thought about it all right... I'd...

Let's rewind here. Look at my career. It started off great, I was winning matches, had a dominant tag team run, and was for awhile the number 1 contender for the World Title. Remember the Trinity? Remember Intensezone as a great show? Los Infernales, my idea. Mystery Weirdness Connection, my idea. Hell, I made Eskimo in the fans eyes when he first started out, does anyone out there remember our USTV Title matches? I do. Then, because of some punks, I lost my smile, and with it, my position in the company. Because some punks thought making light of my, now, ex-fiancee was humorous. Sophomoric hijinks were in, and my personal life was exposed to the business. Let me ask you fans a question? Would you like it if your family was exposed to those are around you, your secrets, your home? How'd you like to have people camping outside your house chanting degrading things as you and your family go about their business, try to live a normal life? It takes a damn toll, its a circus, I know how that feels. And what did my company do, my 'veteran' friends do? They allowed it. None had any gumption to step up and say "This is not right". They made it clear they preferred the insulters to the insultee. No longer was I even wanted around here, and it became clear when good boy Malibu and Co. fled to their own show of HeldDown, took any talent that came around, and left the flagship show to rot and die. And where are the insulters now? Disgraced, like they deserved, but it took time. And did anyone of them ever, ever apologize? Well, I'll be honest. One did. But what about my friends, those who should have had? No, they didn't.

Coach
Stephen's being very real here.

Caboose
Talk about crossing the line between a shoot and a shoot.

Now, out of everyone who stayed with IntenseZone till the end, I had nothing but respect. Until, that is, Dan and Tony decided to not look after themselves anymore. Now they pander. It's pathetic. They're not thinking of their families, their friends, they're just thinking of themselves. That's selfish.

Cole
WHAT? And your NOT?

Coach
Of course he isn't. He's thinking of his family!

Caboose.
Ego.

Every company must eventually go in a new direction. You've either got to embrace the change, or let it destroy you. Now, I don't know about you all, but I have a job. I wrestle. Some of you work in cubicles, some of you own companies, and some of you serve hamburgers. But what we all have in common is that we have a job.

Caboose
I pray every day that you don't have a job

Coach
That's more likely to happen to you...or Cole

Cole
Hey, Josh Matthews is going first!


And why do we have a job? That's right, to take care of those near and dear to us. Would you throw away your job if it meant not being able to support those whom you love? I don't think so, and neither would I. We're the same in that respect.

Caboose
No. We are not.

Coach
That's because you lack integrity.

Now, let's go back again. Who on IntenseZone didn't change? Tha Puerto Rican, that's who. I don't really like like PR, I mean, he's a freaking arrogant prick. But you know what I do like? He trains 6 hours a day, watches tapes for 2 hours, and then spends the rest of the time with his family. He treats them well. He may have an ego about it, but damn if he doesn't take care of them. And he wants to take even better care of them, he wants to be World Champion, and he's puttting forth the effort to get there. You have to admire that. And deep down, you do, because that's why you all were so stoked for PRL/Cappa last week. There was a point to that match.

Cole
Whatta match last week that was!

Because to me, out of everyone in the OAOAST, PRL is family. And come hell or high water, we're going to take care of each other. 

Coach
You want loyalty? That's loyalty, to the 24/7 Champ no less!

Put yourself in my shoes. The winds are changing, and I've muddled it out here, hanging on, in a job I hate, just to put food on the table. And a roof and a few cars, but I stayed in a job I disliked for my family, for my friends. How is that any different from you?

::Crowd boos as SJ pauses, but a smattering of hands clapping. A very small smattering. OAOAST production crews are quick to edit it out::

But, but recently I woke up. See, here's where ole BPP imparts a little wisdom. If you want anything in life, you have to take a chance at it. Nobody becomes a somebody without risking a chance to be a permanent nobody. Our leaders took a risk like that (well, except for Daddy's boy Bush...) If you remember back to MSG, Jimmy Snuka took that risk. 

::The crowd pops at the mention of Jimmy Snuka::

You have to take that risk. So I did.

I took that risk because, while I don't doubt for a moment that Drek and Co only care about themselves, maybe, just maybe, they'll take better care of me, of PRL, of the LC, and of my family than the whole old order of the OAOAST did for us. Maybe PRL will get that title shot he's been deserving for TWO YEARS! And I'm not even mentioning my claim to it.

::Crowd boos, again. Some fans clap, but you can't hear them. They're mostly in the front seats of the arena.

And here's where we differ, you fans and I. When I saw this opportunity to improve my lot, I came back. I returned, I went for it. I've got...cajones. I'm trying to live my dream. Now look around at you all, how many of you have put it all on the line for your dreams, or how many of you have let your dream pass you by, you've settled for something less than what you know you could have been.

Coach
That's it. Motivate these low-lifes!

Cole
I like my job just fine.

Coach
But you could have been more Cole. You can have been.

Caboose
Yeah, if he took steroids...


See, that's the difference. I'll risk it all. You won't. Well, not all of you. There are some of you, who are like me, who'll take that risk. And I salute you, and those who will be inspired by you to take that risk...finally.

How many people lose their dreams and wonder why? But that not for me
I'll get my dream or die trying.

And you know what my dream is.

OAOAST HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION.

Caboose
OH FUCK NO!

Coach
Oh HELL YES! Popick's stepping it up!

Hoff, I'm serving notice to you. I will be coming for that title. And if not from you, from the next person, or the next person. I will have that title. I'll live my dream. And starting tonight, by any and all means necessary, I will start the climb back up to get there. By any means necessary. This week, I'll beat Dan Black 1,2,3 in the middle of the ring.

Next week, I challenge former World Champion Tony Brannigan. I'll beat your ass too.

It's not over for me.

And if you don't like that, then well... Fuck You. (minor crowd echo, which is quickly gone).

COACH
That's how this match was set up.  Who will win tonight in this feud of Original vs. Upstart?

BUFFER
Our next contest LIVE on HeldDOWN~! is set for one fall. 

[I] It Ain't Over (Terrence Howard)

Look this is my life, and it's a battle within
I gotta survive, even if I'm sinnin to win
And if I show no remorse I reap the devil's reward
He said he'd, give me riches but I'm lookin for more

This is the gift I was given so I just live by my hustle

[Chorus 2X: Djay] + (singer, ad libbing at times)
(Keep hustlin) It ain't over for me, no it ain't over for me
(Keep, flowin) I'ma step my game up and get what's comin to me

[Djay]
So I give it my all, you feel my struggle and pain
If you ain't feelin what I'm spittin trick you late to the game
But the closest ones to me know I'm holdin it down
You gon' feel me one day, we gon' be heard in the town

[Chorus] - 2.5X, singer ad libs to fade
[/I] 

BUFFER
Introducing first, weighing in at 225 pounds, STTTTEEEPHHHEN JOOOSEPHHH!

Stephen Joseph Popick appears onstage, grinning from ear to ear as he embraces the negative reaction from the crowd. He high-fives someone holding a pro-SJP sign, telling the young fan he appreciates it, doesn't need his support, especially from someone so puny.  Grow some muscle, he says. As he continues his march to the ring, SJ is blindsided by a running forearm smash to the back of the neck from TONY BRANNIGAN! 

"YEEEEAAAAHHHHH!"

COLE
Stephen Joseph Popick getting a good dose of his own medicine. It was just last week when he jumped Dan Black from behind. Tony Brannigan with some payback for that heinous assault. 

CABOOSE
Black T is like a gang. They watch out for one another. It reminds me of a great Arn Anderson quote: "You put one of our guys in the hospital, we'll put two of yours in the morgue."

COACH
And it just so happens the most deadly double-team move in wrestling today is called the what, fellas?

TRIPLE C
Black Body Bag. 

COLE
Or 3-B. Speaking of the great Arn Anderson, I'm sure he's excited about the 2nd annunal Anderson Cup that'll be occurring early next year. I understand OAOAST officials are in discussions about that very subject. But right now Tony Brannigan, who along with Dan Black made it to the finals of the first ever Anderson Cup, is in complete control. 

SJP rolls down the steel ramp uncontrollably. Referee Nick Patrick orders Tony to bring the action inside the ring. His request is ignored, as the former World Heavyweight Champion plants his foot on the ground and KICKS Stephen in the ribcage like a football. He then walks over to the timekeeper and throws him to the ground, taking away the STEEL CHAIR he was seated in. He folds up the chair and...

* BOOM! *

...hammers SJP across the back. Stephen drops to his knees, in obvious pain from the chairshot and once again is... No, Charles Robinson jumps off the apron and rips the chair out of Tony's hands just as he was about to strike Popick again. 

"BOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Charles scolds Tony for the use of the chair, resulting in the former World Champion engaging in a tug-of-war over the chair with the scrawney referee. Tony throws Charles down and swings the chair at Popick's head, but Popick kicks the chair in his face! With the referee's back turned away as he gets back up, Popick gets in a cheapshot by punching Brannigan in the groin. 

"OOOOOOOOOH!"

COLE
Well, that was...uh... Every red-blooded male felt that. 

COACH
(laughs)
Oh, that is beautiful. 

COLE
Are you kidding me?! 

COACH
When you have guys willing to do whatever it takes to win, like we do in this match, you're gonna see just about every trick in the book used. 

CABOOSE
You noticed Cole said "every red-blooded male" and not every male? 

COACH
Bwahahahaha! Another sign from above. 

Popick tosses Brannigan in the ring and covers him, putting both feet on the ropes. 

ONE...

TWO

TH-- NO! The referee sees Popick's feet on the ropes and stops the count. Instead of aruging, Stephen continues to stay on the offensive, sending Brannigan head-first into the top turnbuckle. He spins Tony around and...

* CHOP *

"WHOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

...chops the hell out of him. Right hand snaps Brannigan's head back. Stephen gets a laugh out of seeing the man he's had a love/hate relationship in the past reeling in the corner. He places Tony on the top turnbuckle and goes up to meet him on the second rope. After applying a front facelock, Popick climbs all the way up to the top!

"OOOOOOOOOOOH!"

COLE
Superplex coming up. 

No! Brannigan stuns Popick with a series of right hands to the mid-section, then SHOVES down to the canvas. As Stephen gets back up, Tony perches himself on the top rope. He lands on his feet after successfully connecting with a clothesline to the back of the neck. Brannigan flexes his biceps and then...the HIP SWIVEL~! 

"YEEEEEAAAAAAHHHHHH!"

Tony buries the knee into the lower back. He picks Popick up and rams him head-first into the top turnbuckle. He backs Stephen in the corner and connects with a couple of kneelifts to the mid-section. He brings SJP out of the corner and backs him against the ropes, firing him across the ring. Tony takes Popick over with a powerslam that gets two. The former Heavyweight Champion of the World sets SJ up for a suplex, but SJP blocks it by sticking his leg between Tony's and takes Brannigan up and over with a snap suplex. Tony sits-up and gets nailed across the back with a stiff kick by SJP. Stephen scoopes Tony up and slams him to the canvas. Stephen misses the elbow. Tony gets back up on his feet and nails Popick with a kneelift to the side of the head. He sends Stephen into the ropes. Tony lowers his head, and Popick counters into a swing neckbreaker! It's SJ's first step in working over the neck of his opponent. He brings Tony back to his feet and drives the knee into the mid-section. Front facelock into a hangman's neckbreaker! 

The cover. 

ONE...

TWO....

KICKOUT! 

Standing headscissors by SJP. He jams the neck by leaping up and crashing all his weight down on Tony's neck. Popick quickly follows up by leveling Brannigan with a clothesline. Snapmare takeover, SJP hammering the back of the neck with hard forearm smashes before applying a reverse chinlock. 

COACH
Look at this wear-down hold. Stephen Joseph allowing himself a breather while still continuing to take it to quite possibily his greatest opponent ever. Very sound strategy. 

COLE
Stephen Joseph Popick wrenching the neck. You know he wants to win this match. A win over Tony Brannigan, a former World Champion, and Popicks shoots right up the ladder for a shot at the title. 

COACH
It's bigger than a Super Bowl. Bigger than an NBA title. Bigger than the World Series. Easily more important than the WNBA title. It's the OAOAST Championship! 

CABOOSE
And that's what it's all about -- the World Heavyweight Title. Every person in this sport wants to hold the most coveted championship in the game today. I've had the honor of holding that very title on two separate occasions. Peter Knight hopes to add his name to the list of World Title holders this Sunday night, as he faces Hoff at Dirty Deeds live on pay-per-view. 

The crowd gets behind Tony, clapping and stomping their feet. Brannigan gets up to a knee, grimacing as Popick tries to keep his 6'6" frame grounded. Brannigan with a couple of elbow strikes to the mid-section, freeing himself. 

He hits the ropes and takes Stephen off his feet with a shoulderblock tackle. Tony then hits the near side, hopping over Popick. Stephen goes back down as Tony comes on the rebound faster than originally thought. A game of human chess ensues as both men try to guess what the other has planned. Both men charge toward each other, with Tony getting caught in mid-air and spiked into the mat with a SPINEBUSTER! 

"OOOOOOOOOOH!"

COLE
Oh, my! Stephen Joseph just nailed Tony with his version of the Out of Body Experience. Stephen signals this is it. It may very well be. We'll find out. 

ONE...

TWO...

TH-- NO, KICKOUT! 

"YEEEEEAAAAAHHHHH!"  

Popick gets up in a rage and stomps the living daylights out of Tony. He picks Tony back up and spikes him back into the mat -- this time with a piledriver! 

ONE...

TWO...

THRE-- NO! 

"YEEEEEAAAAAHHHHH!"  

COLE
Stephen is absolutely livid. Complaining about a slow count. He should worry more about his opponent rather than the referee's count. 

COACH
With Nick Patrick's checked past, it's a valid question, in my humble opinion. 

COLE
You haven't been humble since going from Johnathan Coachman to The Coach. 

SJP sets Tony up for a Tombstone piledriver, but Tony shifts his weight back and now has Popick upside down. 

COACH
Uh-oh. The Tombstone piledriver is to Tony Brannigan what coming off the top is to Ric Flair: they never hit it. I mean, when it comes to women, they can hit it, but...

COLE
We know what you mean. Hey, Flair's come off the top successfully twice this week. So who knows. 

TOMBSTONE PILEDRIVER! 

ONE...

TWO...

THREE-- NO, FOOT ON THE ROPES! 

COLE
He hit it! But Popick was too close to the ropes. Both men trading some exciting nearfalls. The average wrestler would of been put away long ago. 

COACH
Average may get it down in other promotions, but not the OAOAST, baby!

With Popick still laid out in the ring, Tony steps out onto the apron and climbs up the turnbuckles. He takes a few moments to balance himself on the top rope. He leaps off and drives the KNEE into... Stephen rolls out of the way and Tony's knee hits NOTHING BUT CANVAS! Groggy from being spiked on his head, Popick uses the ropes to help pull himself up, while Tony lies in a fetal position holding onto his right knee. 

COLE
High-risk, high reward there. Chances are if he would've hit it it would of been over. 

COACH
Oh, no question about it, Mikey. No way SJP would've been able to withstand two blows to the head within a matter of minutes. The first man to make it back to his feet is gonna win it, in my opinion. 

Stephen Joseph Popick is the first back to his feet. He shakes off the cobwebs before drilling Tony flush in the jaw with a superkick. The impact sends both men down. Fortunately for Brannigan, he falls through the ropes to the outside. 

COLE
Both men once again down. Fatigue setting in. But Stephen Joseph is clearly in the driver's seat, as Tony is down on the outside. Referee Nick Patrick beginning to administer the 10 count. And to tell you the truth, I don't think he's gonna make it back in. 

"YEEEEEAAAAAHHHHH!"  

His back facing SJP, Nick Patrick doesn't see DAN BLACK come off the top and connect with a DIVING HEADBUTT on SJP! Dan dives out of the ring, exiting through the crowd. 

COLE
You said it youself, Coach: When you have two guys who aren't afraid to throw out the rule book, you're gonna see just about every trick in the book. The match has been pretty straight forward...

COACH
Until now. 

COLE
Until now. Exactly. 

Tony pulls himself up on the apron and crawls back into the ring via the bottom rope. He crawls over and draps an arm over Popick. The crowd counts along as Nick Patrick counts...

ONE...

TWO...

THR-- NO! 

"OOOOOOOOOOOOOH!" 

COLE
Unbelieveable! Another amazing nearfall. 

COACH
The way this match is going, it's gonna be a heartbreaker for somebody. 

Brannigan swipes his arms, saying that's it. He picks Popick up and rocks him with a combination of rights and forearm shots. He whips Popick to the ropes and crotches down. Not liking his positioning, Tony insteads leapfrogs over Stephen and catches him on the rebound with the OUT OF BODY EXPERIENCE! But just as Nick Patrick is about to go down to count he sees THA PUERTO RICAN, with the 24/7 Title wrapped around his waist, jump on the ring apron. PR buys SJP time by pleading ignorance as Patrick orders him down. Tony slaps the mat with his hand, trying to gain the attention of the referee. When that doesn't work, under section 2-A Paragraph 3 of Brannigan's Law (The Right to Kick Ass), Tony decks Tha Puerto Rican with a right hand, knocking the sunglasses off (NICKNAME HERE) face!

"YEEEEEAAAAAHHHHH!" 

COLE
THE CHAMP IS...DOWN!

Everybody turns their attention back to the ring. Everybody except Tha Puerto Rican, now back up complete with sunglasses, who grabs Tony's leg. Brannigan reaches over the top rope and grabs PR by his bandana, but PR stays down low to avoid the punches being thrown by Tony. The crowd erupts again as Dan Black returns and levels PR with a right. PR pops back up, jelly-legged, and runs around the ring, Dan trailing him from behind. While all that is going on, in the ring, SJP lifts Tony up in a inverted suplex that serves as the prelude to the Finality. But Tony floats over and drives Stephen into the ropes, rolling him up. 

ONE...

Tha Puerto Rican slides into the ring from Patrick's blindside, Black following him in. 

TW--

The referee sees Dan, not PR, coming in and stops him. The two argue as Tha Puerto Rican hits the ropes and DRILLS Tony in the face with the 24/7 Title! Stephen rolls through! 

As the referee turns to his left and goes down to make the count, Tha Puerto Rican leaps over him with his outstretched, hoping to take Dan out with a diving clothesline, but Dan grabs the arm in mid-air and takes PR down to the mat where he locks on the HEART OF ICE (Crippler Crossface)! 

ONE...

(Dan looks over his shoulder and sees his partner in trouble.)

TWO...

(Black let's go of the hold and dives toward SJ.)

THREE! 

(He drills SJ with a forearm smash to the back of the neck, but is too late!)

* DING DING DING DING *

SJP flies out of the ring, but it doesn't faze him, as he and Tha Puerto Rican stand victorious outside, while Dan kneels over his partner, giving SJ and PR a piece of his mind. 

COACH
(laughing)
Tha Puerto Rican and SJP just beat Black T at their own game. 

COLE
Stephen Joseph Popick has defeated both members of Black T in back-to-back weeks! With 3 days to go before Dirty Deeds, do Tha Puerto Rican and Stephen Joseph have Black T's number?

Edited September 22, 2005 by Stephen Joseph