[The footage begins as Jeff Keenan is raising his arms to the ropes, arms outstretched, as if to expand as much surface area possible to receive the chorus of boos coming from all sides from the fans. Glenn Chambers, in the meantime, is writhing on the ground, covering the vitals between his legs.] CONLON: Welp. I never thought I'd see that again in a wrestling ring. JACKSON: For once you don't know what the old Keenan just applied was... CONLON: That's because it's not a hold. JACKSON: Looked like a hold to me. CONLON: Let me clarify. That is not a _legal_ maneuver in the sport of professional wrestling. [The camera flashes back to the recent action that led us to this point. Glenn Chambers grabbed a Jeff Keenan clothesline, wrang the arm into a flipping hip toss, then crossed over the back of the shoulder, straddling the ball and socket joint while pulling back on the arm. As the ref checked on Keenan to see if he tapped, he managed to jut in to loosen the torqued arm, which promptly elbowed Chambers in the groin. Chambers let loose of the arm, and Keenan, still pretending to be hurt to the ref, used the opportunity to clutch the unprotected jewels of Mr. Chambers, squeezing and pulling, until he relented, and then "powered through" the hold in front of the ref.] CONLON: That is...beyond uncouth. JACKSON: Nothing is too extreme when it involves winning the most prestigious title in UPW! [Back to live action, where Chambers gets to a knee, only to eat a dropkick from Jeff Keenan.] CONLON: This is the second straight week Glenn Chambers has had to deal with someone who is willing to break the rules. Though I must say, Keenan has been quite a bit more willing to bend these rules more often. JACKSON: He's been clever though, Stan! As far as the ref sees, this might as well be an amateur wrestling match! CONLON: If you ignore the chops, kicks, punches, and submission holds. JACKSON: Well. Other than those. [Keenan is now stalking Chambers, as if he has to try so VERY hard to target that perfect spot, and as Chambers gets to a knee, Keenan delivers another dropkick to the jaw.] CONLON: The veteran is taking his time applying these educated feet to his opponent here. JACKSON: Keenan's not getting paid by the hour, but that isn't stopping him from enjoying himself! [Keenan looks to measure one more dropkick, to his kneeling opponent, and afterwards, runs to leap onto the middle rope and springboards backwards for an moonsault!] CONLON: And that is the kind of offense Jeff Keenan's known for! A text book Asai moonsault from the quintessential all-do-well in wrestling. [Keenan genuflects to the crowd, outstretching his arms out and up, waving in...more boos. He rubs them into his still perfectly cut pecs.] JACKSON: I didn't know jeers could be a Broner's soap replacement...I should try that sometime. Save me some scratch. CONLON: Jeff is really taking it in, when he should be going for a cover. [Instead, he picks up Glenn Chambers by the fade, getting some admonishment from the referee, and tucking him in for a front chancery, lifts him up for a suplex, but instead drops him forward and to the side over his knee!] CONLON: Over the knee gutbuster by Keenan that may have gone a little low, I'm not sure, but he's rolling him up for the cover! 1... 2... 3-NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! JACKSON: No question it was low, look at how red Glenn's face is! CONLON: A lot of guts to kick out there. [Keenan is being more adamant with the referee now, wondering how come he didn't count the three.] CONLON: Keenan is not pleased with Adam Warzowitz right now. JACKSON: Adam what? CONLON: Adam Warzowitz. The official in this match. Did you read the notes at all? JACKSON: I got the important bits. I'm strictly here to call the action, Stan! [Chambers is clambering up the ropes to grab some footing. Keenan kicks the back of Glenn's knee, and then sets off to the opposite ropes, and launching himself at Glenn for a dropkick, who ducks down and pulling the middle rope towards the apron-] CONLON: Keenan looked like he was going through the ropes, but he caught the top rope and hung on! And Chambers, who has been taking an absolute pounding this match through all sorts of nefarious tactics, is struggling to get up. [Keenan, facing the crowd, manages to pull himself up and over the top rope backwards.] CONLON: What strength from the veter- [Only for Glenn to toss him back over the top rope as he nearly gets himself onto the canvas, but Keenan catches himself, landing on the apron! Glenn Chambers throws his shoulder into Keenan's gut-] CONLON: Keenan is reeling here. [And, grimacing, Glenn Chambers jumps over Keenan, and, grabbing him by the torso from behind, sunset flipping-] CONLON: Oh. Oh my. Oh my good gracious. That...that was a sunset flip Locked and Loaded to the unforgiving floor outside. [The crowd is absolutely apoplectic.] JACKSON: I think they're both dead Stan. CONLON: The referee is counting them both out right now. JACKSON: Chambers, wow! He's already getting up! 1... CONLON: Chambers is holding his back, bent over but he's already to his feet! 2... JACKSON: Chambers isn't bringing him in to pin him? 3... [Chambers rolls into the ring under the bottom rope, putting his hands behind his head and breathing heavily.] CONLON: Glenn has taken a lot of punishment! And he landed hard on the sitdown powerbomb. 4... CONLON: A countout rewards Glenn Chambers an advancement to the tournament as much as a pinfall here, Reggie. 5... [Keenan is unmoving on the floor.] 6... 7... [And then the boos, as Keenan rolls to his belly and stares blankly up at the ref...] 8... CONLON: Keenan has amazingly come to here. If he got rolled in, he was as good as pinned! JACKSON: He's lost two already! He knows he can't climb back without taking it to Chambers here! 9... [And Keenan, staggering to his knees...] 10????? [And the boos reign in as Jeff Keenan slides in!] JACKSON: HE MADE IT! HE SLID IN! [And as he tries to get up, Chambers has a dropkick to HIS face.] CONLON: Turnabout appears to be fair play here, as Chambers' act of desperation to even the score has led to a severe tactical advantage. [Rather than waiting to deliver another drop kick, he grabs Keenan around the torso from behind, and lifting, delivers a german release suplex!] JACKSON: Keenan folded like a bad poker hand with that slam! [Chambers trudges to Keenan, whose eyes are rolled to the back of his head but is clawing to find where ‘up' is, only to be hooked into a front chancery and held up high, before being swung to the canvas with a thundering vertical suplex!] CONLON: Keenan must have been in the air for ten seconds! And the crowd cheering for Glenn Chambers! [And then he lifts Keenan to his feet from behind his back by the gut. And Jeff lifts his body, to try and back body drop Glenn, but Chambers sprawls, widening his base. When Keenan's power gives way, he lifts the smaller man up by the stomach, over his shoulder, and holds him for a camera shooting bit before bringing him back over for an over the knee shoulder breaker!] CONLON: Keenan may be done after that impact move! And Chambers has both legs pulled in deep on the cover! 1... 2... 3? CONLON: Two and three quarters, as Keenan raked Chambers eyes in desperation! He didn't have enough in the tank to kick out, so he had to resort to cheating. JACKSON: Glenn is not pleased! [Glenn Chambers grabs at his eyes for a few moments, but quickly his pain gives way to pure rage, as he he starts slapping at the mat in anger. Keenan, in the meantime, claws his way to the corner to catch his breath.] CONLON: Glenn Chambers was livid when Frank Anthony stole a victory from him, and he promised that should Keenan try and cheat him out of a victory, he would show Keenan his mean streak. JACKSON: I think Glenn's a tea kettle boiling over! [Chambers huffs and puffs, the big bad wolf incarnate. His face, formerly red from repeated low blows, is now purple in anger. He gets to his feet, and charges at Keenan, who's down in the corner.] CONLON: Keenan literally threw himself out from under the bottom rope to avoid Glenn Chambers, rolling off his shoulder down the concrete floor outside. It couldn't have felt good, but what Chambers has in store for him is surely more destructive. [The referee, Adam Warzowitz, is attempting to keep Chambers from going to the outside, but it doesn't work. Glenn bulls through the middle rope and steps down, where Keenan, off instincts, has gotten to his feet, and runs away.] JACKSON: It's a foot race, and Chambers just blew by that ref! [The referee is chasing Glenn Chambers, who is losing him, but he is not making headway on Keenan, who is the faster competitor.] CONLON: Jeff Keenan is quick with his feet, and he's avoiding Chambers here! [The stripes, rather than tiring himself out, decides to slide into the ring and start counting both men out. This causes Glenn and Keenan, on opposite sides of the ring at this point, to slide in.] CONLON: The match is going to get underway again after a brief chase. And Keenan looks totally dazed. [Chambers runs in for a clothesline, Keenan ducks, and as Glenn runs back, Keenan aims for a superkick, but Chambers sidesteps it, and catching him at the groin and the shoulder, he throws him backwards.] CONLON: Chambers with a reverse exploder suplex sends Keenan face first into the mat! JACKSON: Keenan is beat up, man! CONLON: Perhaps this is where Chambers and Dylan Cardinal's paths could align, as they did in the backstage area earlier tonight? [As Keenan tries to get up, Chambers front flips and snaps a whiplash neckbreaker to Keenan.] JACKSON: I didn't know Chambers had that in him! [Keenan tries to get to his feet and Chambers drops a knee to Keenan's back, holding it in his spine after the drop, and then uses it as a fulcrum as he grabs both of Keenan's wrists and pulls them out from behind his back!] CONLON: A painful submission hold torqueing at the upper back and shoulders of Jeff Keenan! JACKSON: And the ref's breaking it up! Keenan has his foot on the ropes! CONLON: But Chambers isn't letting go! [Indeed, Glenn Chambers uses all four seconds and nine/tenths of his allotted time to keep the pressure on.] JACKSON: How is that fair? CONLON: Chambers said he was willing to play dirty if Keenan did, and while he hasn't broken the rules like Jeff has, he is willing to stretch them. No pun intended. JACKSON: Yeah right. [Glenn wastes no time, and as Keenan looks to escape out of the ring, Glenn locks on another front chancery.] CONLON: Chambers looking for another suplex, and Keenan is desperately locking his leg around Glenn's ankle to stop it! [Chambers again sprawls and Keenan's leg can't stretch to stop him. Then Chambers, the stronger man, lifts...] CONLON: Keenan tries to go dead weight here- [Keenan goes dead weight, but Chambers is able to get Keenan high enough to bounce his ankles off the top rope for a slingshot. But then Jeff flips OVER Chambers' shoulder, and flipping grabs around Chambers, and before Glenn knows it, he is being lifted slightly, pulled, and slammed.] CONLON: QUICKSTRYKE! QUICKSTRYKE! JACKSON: Stan! I'm not used to you yelling that loud- CONLON: I can not believe it! He hit it out of no where! With nothing left in the tank! JACKSON: And he's got a leg hooked! 1... 2... 3!!!!! CONLON: Keenan to his feet, and he has cause to celebrate now as- [Adam Warzowitz shakes his head and holds two fingers up, pointing at Glenn Chambers' foot toed on the bottom rope!] CONLON: Unbelievable! Jeff Keenan hit his finisher, as is his signature, from out of nowhere, but Glenn Chambers knew where he was in the ring, and Keenan didn't have the strength to hook both legs, and Chambers used his free one to keep himself in the match! JACKSON: Three inches of heel keeps the match going! Wow, what a brawl! [Keenan has his hands pressed against the sides of his head, in complete shock. A wave of fear coming over him, as he just stares down at his opponent.] CONLON: Keenan muse feel sick to his stomach. This is his worst nightmare coming true. No one wants to become irrelevant, and Jeff Keenan has promised to go all or nothing tonight, and it's possible he just doesn't have what it takes to win tonight. JACKSON: Glenn Chambers is savvy, Stan! And he will not be denied! Jeff is going to have to pull something out here. [Now it's Jeff Keenan's turn to slap the mat, which he does once, before shaking his head, and running to the top rope.] CONLON: Keenan clambering up the ropes for a high risk attempt here! [And that's when Glenn Chambers, gets to his feet, just as Keenan has finished perching to the top rope...] CONLON: Chambers throws himself on the top rope! Keenan...what an amazing show of balance! JACKSON: Keenan doesn't fall! [But the time trying to rebalance himself is enough for Chambers to take three big steps towards Keenan. Keenan kicks at Chambers, but Chambers grabs his leg. Keenan sits down on the top turnbuckle to avoid pulled to the canvas, only for Chambers to throw a forearm shiver at Keenan. Then, a knife-edge chop. Then, with Keenan stunned-] CONLON: Chambers wrapping Keenan in a bearhug! [And then, from the second rope, lifting, twisting...] CONLON: A flying belly-to-belly from Glenn Chambers! Keenan's back hit hard there! JACKSON: He's got to be feeling that sunset slip sitdown powerbomb from earlier. [And the anguish is clear on Keenan's face. Glenn Chambers doesn't hover over him long, as he lifts Keenan up, and putting Keenan's head between his legs, he lifts for the powerbomb-] CONLON: Keenan flipping over the powerbomb for a sunset flip! [And the momentum takes Chambers over in a pinning predicament, but Keenan pulls his legs out from the sitdown pin and flips over for a bridge!] CONLON: Keenan has a cover! 1... [And as the ref counts the pin, Keenan's feet land behind the bottom rope.] 2... CONLON: Keenan is tucking his legs into the bottom rope for leverage on the bridge! [And Chambers is kicking and scratching to escape...] 3!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! CONLON: It's over! [The bell rings, and Keenan lets go and immediately rolls under the bottom rope and out of the ring.] CONLON: Jeff Keenan has done it! He's moving on to face the winner of Tripp Skylark and "The Basilisk" Dylan Cardinal! And for the second time in a row, Glenn Chambers has been swindled! JACKSON: Keenan had felt that powerbomb already tonight, I don't think he wanted to feel it again! [Chambers is gritting his teeth, mad at Keenan, or perhaps himself. It's unknown which irks him more.] CONLON: Glenn Chambers put on a hell of a match today- JACKSON: He got out of the Quickstryke! CONLON: But getting his foot on the rope was not enough, because Jeff Keenan had two feet latching onto that bottom rope, and with it, he hung on to victory! [The camera shows Jeff Keenan, with a giant grin on his face, pointing at his temple and nodding, before moving his hands over his waist.] CONLON: Jeff Keenan is moving on, and after a grueling match, he'll need to pull out one more victory to keep his title hopes alive! [Fade to black.]
[We fade from the footage directly to this backstage segment.] [We see inside the UPW locker room. "Top Dog" Rick Styles sits on the bench while a line of lockers stands behind him. Styles is in his blue "Top Dog" tights and shirtless (relax, ladies). His dark blond hair is slicked back. Between him and the lockers, Erin rubs his shoulders. Styles peers into the camera with his deep blue eyes.] Rick Styles: Tonight, Ultimate Pro-Wrestling makes the map...because this federation will see the "Top Dog" Rick Styles reenter the ring for the first time in over twelve years. How exciting for all of you. I am sure all of the fans, including UPW's talent are feeling the goosebumps....and it's understandable. Those who were around back in the day remember how great the sport truly was. You remember how difficult it was to choose just 200 wrestlers who deserved to be in the RSPWF top 200, yet Rick Styles was an obvious choice for number one. When you stack the talent of today to the talent of then, well, let's be honest, none of you would crack the top 200 back then. None of you would have EVER made the UEW roster...and I was world champion FIVE TIMES. For ANY talent of that era to wrestle today, it's something special because of how great we all were....and yet, you get the best, back in action today. (Smiles) I am so happy for you. The honor is truly yours. Erin: It truly is an honor, Rick Styles. I can't wait. Rick Styles: Now, not to cause disappointment, but I should let everyone know that my wrestling tonight is contingent ONLY on the UPW brass offering up an opponent tonight who is even close to worthy of facing the legend that is Rick Styles. From what I've seen so far, no one truly deserves that honor. Hell, no one who has competed in ew-wrestling for the last several years deserves such an honor...but alas, tonight, I will have to lower my standards exponentially to give you, the loyal fans of ew-wrestling, a chance to see Rick Styles in that ring. So, that is what I will do. Erin: You are SOOOO generous, Rick Styles. Rick Styles: I'm just doing my part, Erin, to better peoples' lives. Now, it's up to the UPW to do its part and provide for me that worthy opponent. If they can pull it off with the roster being what it is, then tonight will be memorable. It will be historic. Everyone out there will be able to keep this date in their hearts and minds forever, as they tell their grandchildren where they were the moment they saw "Top Dog" Rick Styles make his return. You are welcome. [Fade to black.]
[We return to the Showdown Studio and our announce team at the desk.] SMITH: I hate that guy so much. CHANEY: Tell us how you really feel big guy! SMITH: Seriously he grinds my gears! The man gets the chance to be one of the big deals of this league and he is treating it with disrespect and taking the focus off the guys who are actually willing to wrestle! CHANEY: So let's not give in to him at all then, Gorilla! Let's discuss the match we just saw! SMITH: No doubt! CHANEY: Everyone assumed Glenn Chambers was a lock when this schedule got handed out, but Jeff Keenan just showed exactly why he was one of the best in the sport more than a decade ago with this one. SMITH: Yes he did, and that is what has made UPW so special. It is literally wide open and anyone can become a champion. Nobody heard of Glenn Chambers coming into this and suddenly he is a top guy only to be upset by one of the big names in the locker room! CHANEY: It has been something special and you have to wonder if that interaction with Cardinal didn't get into his head more than he let on. SMITH: It is possible. Glenn is a solid guy that wouldn't seem to be that way, but results do show that perhaps his mind wasn't on Keenan and a man like Keenan certainly knows how to take advantage of that. CHANEY: You can say that again. SMITH: Now will Cardinal have a letdown as well after seeing his main focus of the night get defeated? CHANEY: Only one way to know and that is to fire up the video footage! Let's take a look!
[The footage begins as Skylark ducks under Cardinal's punch and stuns him with a swift kick to the leg.] *THACK!* [And another!] *THACK!* [And another!] CONLON: Tripp attempting to deprive Cardinal of his vertical base! [The high flyer backs into the ropes, bounces back out with added momentum, jumps into a knee-high dropkick... but hits nothing but air then canvas when the Basilisk pivots away.] JACKSON: No cigar! [Skylark hurries to his feet, but too late; Dylan Cardinal runs him down with a lariat!] JACKSON: I'll give it to Skylark, I thought this match would've been over by now. [Cardinal grabs his opponent in a standing Dragon Sleeper.] JACKSON: Just look at the enormous size difference! [With his opponent still captive in the Dragon Sleeper, Cardinal drops to one knee, driving the other in the small of Tripp Skylark's back.] JACKSON: It's like David against Goliath... Skylark's only chance is divine intervention! CONLON: You're making the mistake of underestimating Tripp based on his size! [Cardinal stands again, still maintaining the Dragon Sleeper, then drops to the mat, driving another knee into Skylark's spine.] CONLON: Skylark is arguably the best technical wrestler in UPW, and his heart... JACKSON: It grows three sizes larger? [Dragon Sleeper still applied, Cardinal pulls himself and his opponent up again, only Tripp simultaneously launches himself off the mat up, above and over, slamming the Basilisk back first on the canvas!] CONLON: Rear mat slam! Creative counter by Tripp Skylark, here! [Skylark pop ups, bounces off the ropes, grabs a rising Cardinal's head and slams it into the mat.] CONLON: Bulldog! [Skylark grabs Cardinal's long legs, kicks at the left knee joint, then folds them into each other through his own, pivots himself and his victim into...] CONLON: Sharpshooter! JACKSON: Cardinal's feeling that! CONLON: Tripp Skylark, targeting his opponent's vertical base! JACKSON: I dunno. All I see is a munchkin punching at a giant's legs because he just can't reach any higher. [The giant's not in a position he appreciates. He appeals to his size and reach to find solace in the ropes, but can't quite make it. Cardinal's stuck in the Sharpshooter as Skylark leans back a little more to increase leverage.] CONLON: Once the giant can't stand up anymore, can your munchkin punch high enough? JACKSON: Hot dang! You're making it seem like Tripp Skylark's smarter than he looks... and sounds! CONLON: HE IS! [Pulling himself in a crawl, Cardinal tries to break away. Skylark doesn't lose his hold, but he's forced to reposition his feet to keep the pressure on... which was the opening needed. During the brief instant Tripp is off balance with a boot off the mat, the Basilisk can push out with his legs, free himself with superior strength.] CONLON: Cardinal powers out! But how damaged is his leg? [Cardinal tries to get up, but Tripp kicks his leg, knocking him back down to his knees. He measures up his opponent, spins on himself, outstretches his arm in a fist...] -*THAAACK!*- CONLON: SPINNING BACK FIST! What a hellacious blow! [Tripp grabs Cardinal's leg, applies a kneebar, floats into an Achilles Tendon Hold...] CONLON: Cardinal got the rope this time! [Deflated pop!] JACKSON: Some sports favor tall men, just ask the Louisville Cardinals. [Skylark has to break the hold, and pulling himself by the bottom rope, Cardinal slithers out of the ring to some boos.] CONLON: Out goes Cardinal to shake the cobwebs off! JACKSON: He does not look pleased. CONLON: He's seething, in fact... and favoring his left leg! [Tripp raises some cheers when he raises a hand up. He bolts into the ropes, leaps feet first through the ropes... crashes into Cardinal feet first, sending him crashing into the fencing!] CONLON: MISSILE DROPKICK THROUGH THE ROPES!!! [POP!] JACKSON: How can something so small be that dangerous! CONLON: By being Tripp Skylark, Pepper! [The referee begins the count-out... . ONE! . CONLON: Tripp Skylark putting his own well being on the line! JACKSON: Well, what I see now is two men on the floor, and one official counting both of them out! . TWO! . CONLON: Skylark sacrificed his own body, but there's no doubt Cardinal absorbed most of the damage! . THREE! . [Skylark stirs... then kips up!] CONLON: Skylark's alive and well! [POP!] . FOUR! . [Skylark pulls up Cardinal, takes him in a side headlock... fans cheer as he raises a knuckle up high!] CONLON: Could it be... the Atomic Noogie? . FIVE! . JACKSON: You can't do that to a bald man! [Skylark brings his knuckle to the top of Cardinal's skull... but Dylan pushes him off!] -*THOOONK!*- CONLON: FACE FIRST INTO THE RINGPOST! . SIX! . [Tripp bounces off the ringpost, staggers backwards into a belly to back suplex!] CONLON: My goodness! Tripp Skylark landed neck first on those ringside mats! . SEVEN! . JACKSON: Those things don't absorb nothin'! CONLON: The ref keeps counting... and if both men get counted out, we might not even get a main event, tonight! . EIGHT! . [Cardinal slowly rises, coldly, methodically, and reaches out for Tripp Skylark's fallen form...] . NINE! . [The Basilisk shoves Skylark back into the ring then slides in after him.] CONLON: That was shaving it close! [Cardinal slithers over to Skylark, pulls him up in a double underhook...] CONLON: Here comes the LD50... [POP!] [Skylark wraps a leg around Cardinal's... blocking the LD50 DDT!] CONLON: Skylark's not out! Incredible! [Cardinal knees Skylark, transfers into a front facelock. Trapped, Skylark takes two stiff knees to the face, then absorbs a facebreaker knee smash!] JACKSON: Hot dang! Maybe Skylark shouldn't have blocked that LD50... [The Basilisk watches Skylark collapse onto the mat, kicks at his head. In a daze, Tripp Skylark crawls on the mat. Cardinal smirks, stomps at the back of his head with his boot.] CONLON: Is Cardinal just toying with him at this point? JACKSON: A cat playing with a doomed little mouse, Stan. [Tripp feebly crawls away, Cardinal busts into him with a kick to the gut, then drops a knee on his forehead.] CONLON: This man has no conscience. You can tell. JACKSON: What good does a conscience bring you in that ring? [Tripp's groggy, trying to escape on instinct alone... Cardinal sizes him up, runs at him and punts him with a running knee!] -*THOOOCK!*- CONLON: Flying Serpent! [Skylark lays inert while Cardinal lounges at the corner turnbuckles, deciding whether to end it or not.] JACKSON: Lights out for Skylark. He is not moving, Stan. CONLON: That knee struck him in the temple, Pepper! He might even be concussed! [Decision made, Cardinal slithers over Skylark's body and hooks a leg...] ONE! . . . . . . TWO! . . . . . . THR-SHOULDER UP! [BIG POP!] CONLON: I CAN'T BELIEVE IT! JACKSON: HE BROKE THE COUNT? CONLON: TRIPP SKYLARK'S STILL IN THIS! [Cardinal can't hide his surprise. He gets up, pulls Skylark up after him and whips him into the ropes. On the rebound, he smashes Skylarks' head with his elbow! The impact sends Skylark flying, flipping into the air before crash landing near the ropes.] CONLON: BACK ELBOW! JACKSON: Did you see that? Skylark flipped 180 degrees in the air right there! CONLON: We all saw, Pepper, we all saw. JACKSON: Not true. Skylark didn't see anything at all! He was out the moment that elbow caught his chin! [Cardinal deliberately walks over to Tripp Skylark, drapes his head over the bottom rope, then pushes down on it with his sole, strangling Skylark in the process.] CONLON: This is getting scary, Pepper. Skylark should be fighting for air right now, but he's barely moving at all! [The referee steps in and Cardinal breaks the hold, stepping away with his arms raised, a cruel smirk on his face.] JACKSON: Goliath wins. Little David needs nothing short of divine intervention at this point! [Cardinal moves back in, pulls Skylark up and whips him into the opposite ropes. Skylark bounces back, leaps...] CONLON: My goodness! [HUGE POP!] CONLON: Flying armbar on Cardinal! JACKSON: What the what? [Both men crash to the mat, Cardinal stuck in an armbar. Skylark maneuvers into a hammerlock, placing his weight over Cardinal's body, then floats over to fold Cardinal's leg into the other, locking his arms through them, then rising up in a Texas Cloverleaf!] CONLON: SATIVA SPECIAL! Good God, Skylark hasn't pulled that one out of his bag of tricks in years! JACKSON: I don't even understand how he's moving at all! He couldn't've been playing possum, I don't buy it! [Jolts of pain wreck through Cardinal's legs as the Basilisk uselessly reaches out to the ropes.] CONLON: Cardinal might be forced to tap, here... [At great pain to himself, Dylan turns to lay shoulder first on the mat instead of chest first, and he uses two arms to grab Skylark's boot and pull. Skylark falls to one knee, Cardinal torques him over and onto his back. With Tripp's shoulders on the mat...] ONE! . . . . . TWO! . . . . . TH-SKylark breaks the hold and lifts a shoulder!] [Cardinal wrenches his leg free, clutches it... Skylark gets to his feet, sizes up his opponent while he hobbles to his feet and runs into the ropes. Skylark rebounds with momentum, leaps...] CONLON: FLYING LEG ROLL UP! He's got a pin, now! ONE! . . . . . . TWO!! . . . . . . THR-KICK-OUT! [Deflated Pop] CONLON: Not quite enough this time! [Skylark's fasted to get on his feet: he kicks Cardinal in the abdomen, clubs him in the back and grabs him in a side headlock. He winks at the fans, buffs Cardinal's chrome dome for some cheers, then runs into a bulldog!] CONLON: Countered! [Cardinal shoves Skylark off as he leaps into the bulldog, launching him into the turnbuckles!] JACKSON: Did he catch one of those turnbuckles with his face? I think he did! [The Basilisk pulls Skylark away from the corner, places him in a double underhook...] CONLON: LD50... [Immediately, Skylark livens up, fights the hold, desperately tries to wiggle free... But Cardinal plants him down!] CONLON: Double Underhook Facebuster! JACKSON: Oh, Cardinal's mad. CONLON: Skylark kept fighting off the LD50 and he had to improvise... [Visibly irate, Cardinal flips Skylark over, just hoping to get this one over with at this point. The ref slides into position...] ONE! . . . . . . TWO!! . . . . . . TH-SHOULDER UP! [POP!] CONLON: Skylark refusing to give up! JACKSON: Oh, and if Cardinal was getting angry before... [Cardinal grabs Tripp, pulls him up, grabs his arm... pulls him into a short-arm clothesline...] CONLON: SKYLARK DUCKS! [POP!] -*THAAACK!*- CONLON: SPINNING HEEL KICK! [Cardinal collapses to the mat and Tripp Skylark stumbles around, barely able to stand, catching his balance along the ropes.] JACKSON: I admit it, Stan. You had a point. I was underestimating Tripp Skylark. My bad. CONLON: That heart! That resolve! [Skylark pulls himself along the rope to the ring corner. One turnbuckle at a time, he climbs up, reaches the top to raucous cheers... In the ring, Cardinal slowly gets to his feet, trying to find his bearings... Skylark jumps... . . . -*FWAAAAAAM!*- . . . CONLON: LD50! JACKSON: Holy sh... CONLON: SKYLARK JUMPED STRAIGHT INTO THAT LD50!!! [Cardinal rolls Skylark over, slides on top of him...] ONE! . . . . . . . TWO!! . . . . . . . THREE!!! -* DING! DING! DING!*- CONLON: I can't believe what we've just seen, Pepper! JACKSON: Nature at work. Big eats small. CONLON: Tripp Skylark leaped off the top rope and straight into the LD50. A loosely applied LD50 at best, but the added fall damage compensated all too much. JACKSON: Tripp Skylark didn't stand a chance and just like that, Dylan Cardinal moves on in the tournament to face former World Champion Jeff Keenan! That is going to be a helluva main event! [Fade to black.]
[The screen transitions to the following footage.] (Cut backstage to Liam Donegal and his manager, "The Phoenix" Adam Lazarus, as they watch the show from the privacy of...an unused catering suite?) DONEGAL: Are you sure it's okay for us to be here? LAZARUS: Well, if you really, really, really want to know, no. DONEGAL: Adam! LAZARUS: What? They don't have closed circtuit TV in the rafters, you know, and you wanted to watch the show without being bothered. DONEGAL: Yeah, well...I did say that. LAZARUS: So what's up, kid? Why the secrecy? DONEGAL: Well...because I'm not in the mood for a lot of questions tonight, okay? And I wanted to watch some friends of mine wrestle tonight. LAZARUS: Oh really? Anybody I might know? DONEGAL: Just some of the guys I've been hanging around with on the road. I wanted to see how they do against their opponents. LAZARUS: So then why'd you ask me to bring... (Lazarus reaches down and picks up his custom-made emerald green Louisville Slugger.) LAZARUS: This? DONEGAL: Because some of those friends...have enemies. LAZARUS: Whoa, whoa, whoa! I didn't fly to Ken-frickin-tucky to watch you get involved in someone else's problems. What... DONEGAL: Adam, don't worry. I'm a big boy and I can take care of myself. LAZARUS: Liam, you've got a tournament match coming up and you're just starting to recover from being everybody's punching bag on the last Showdown. I don't want you jeopardizing that for Malcom Shabazz or The Dominion. DONEGAL: I know, Adam, but I don't want the same thing to happen to anybody else, either. LAZARUS: Just watch yourself, okay? Malcom Shabazz, he's got enough problems but when has that ever stopped him? The stuff he pulled last week, they arrest people for that. If we're lucky, maybe he'll resist a little too hard and... DONEGAL: ADAM! LAZARUS: Relax. I was going to say that maybe somebody will TASER *him* this time. DONEGAL: Couldn't happen to a nicer guy actually. LAZARUS: So...you're going after The Dominion? DONEGAL: Only if I have to. After all, my opponent in that tournament match you're so worried about is Caleb Foley, and he's wrestling Antonio DeLuca tonight. I don't want him getting targeted by The Dominion the way I was last week and I don't want *my* match against him to be tainted by an injury that could have been prevented. LAZARUS: Then you let me handle it, alright? I've forgotten more dirty tricks than you'll ever learn. If The Dominion wants to take out Caleb Foley, they'll have to get through me first. DONEGAL: Are you sure about this? LAZARUS: Yes. I just need you to do one thing for me first. DONEGAL: Oh? (And, as Lazarus starts to lay out his plan, we fade out.)
[We return to the Showdown Studio and our announce team at the desk.] SMITH: And there's that bat again. You have to wonder if Donegal and Lazarus are going to be looking to make some sort of major move tonight. CHANEY: I have no doubt they both have their own agendas, Gorilla, but do you really think they would disrupt a show the same way others have? SMITH: I'd like to think not, but when you have been treated the way they have the first few weeks, you can only imagine what measures they are willing to go through to regain their footing in UPW. CHANEY: Why would their footing be in jeopardy? SMITH: Well as a veteran, I can tell you that once you become a punching bag, you are always a punching bag. Perhaps not because the fans see you this way, but because management does. One bad streak early on and you could be doomed. CHANEY: And a bat solves it. SMITH: Not at all. What solves it is asserting yourself and using whatever means you choose to do so. CHANEY: Interesting. SMITH: We all had to do it when we first started, and others again if they were out of the sport for a long while. CHANEY: Well the time away from the ring has never affected Dylan Cardinal, or at least it certainly seems that way as he has been dominant in many ways in UPW. SMITH: Well he was facing a smaller man that he has some knowledge of, and that probably hurt Tripp's chances. But you gotta love the little guy for giving it his best. CHANEY: So that gives us a surprising main event tonight as later on we will watch Dylan Cardinal go to battle with Jeff Keenan and a spot in the World Title Fatal Four-way is on the line. SMITH: If Keenan brings what he did against Chambers, Cardinal will have a lot more trouble with him than he did with Skylark. CHANEY: This one could be something special. SMITH: Can't wait! CHANEY: But before the main event, we have a lot more action to come your way, including the interesting question of whether or not Rick Styles would actually wrestle on Showdown. SMITH: Almost the entire company has been up in arms since he walked out of his tournament match against Aaron Lewis on the last Showdown, citing his intent to only wrestle when the title is on the line. CHANEY: Quite a gutsy move, when you think about it. SMITH: It really is because now he has put a bulls eye squarely on his back and also raised expectation son what he will do when the bell does sound for him to perform. CHANEY: Well let's take you back to Louisville and see just what happened in the scheduled match between Rick Styles and John Herdick.
[The footage begins with John Herdick in the ring as Rick Styles' entrance is finishing.] [As "All I Do is Win" by DJ Khaled continues playing, Styles steps into the ring, decked out in his leather jacket and blue tights. Surrounding him are his "aides" Erin and Ralph, he asks for a microphone.] JACKSON: It looks like we are finally getting to see Rick Styles in action folks. CONLON: Are you sure? The bell hasn't rung yet, Pepper. JACKSON: The guy is decked out in his ring gear and everything. He's going to finally put on a clinic in UPW. CONLON: He was dressed to wrestle last time, too, and he walked out without even attempting a headlock. [Styles stands staring Herdick up and down as the fans begin throwing heat at him for not just getting started already. Finally he raises the microphone to speak.] Rick Styles: So, THIS is the best Ew-wrestling has to offer today? (shakes his head) I came here to scope out the competition and if YOU are the competition, then maybe I need to go back to sleep for another 12 years. John Herrick, based on all you had to say going into this match, I deem you unworthy of facing Rick Styles and I choose not to waste my time with the likes of you. [Looks back at Ralph and Erin] Rick Styles: We 're done here, lets go. JACKSON: WHAT?!?!?! CONLON: It looks like Rick Styles is once again refusing to wrestle! JACKSON: You have got to be kidding me! [Styles steps through the ropes after his "entourage" has exited already. He continues eyeing Herdick, probably figuring the guy will take his shot and attack during his exit of the ring.] CONLON: What a disappointment yet again. I don't think Styles gives a rat's ass about the fans or the sport anymore! [Herdick, obviously disappointed, turns away from Styles and starts to exit himself. Rick steps back into the ring and runs over, nailing Herdick with a double ax-handle to the back of the head, which causes him to fall awkwardly with one leg still caught on the middle rope.] CONLON: RICK STYLES ATTACKING FROM BEHIND WITH A DOUBLE AX HANDLE!!! JACKSON: That's the "Styles Ax-handle," Stan. Rick has specially named ALL of his moves, you know. CONLON: What a pretentious ass! JACKSON: Maybe so, but he knows what he is doing. CONLON: Cheating by attacking before the opening bell. JACKSON: Early on you are taught to never take your eyes off an opponent. This is Herdick's fault. [The referee signals for the bell as Styles takes off his leather jacket and tosses it out to Erin. Styles then rushes back into that corner and begins kicking away at Herdick as John was trying to get back to his feet.] CONLON: Styles just kicking away at Herdick in that corner! I cannot believe you are siding with him right now, Pepper. JACKSON: I wouldn't call it siding with him so much as I would call it understanding him to a degree. CONLON: Look at this! Herdick is in the corner and the referee is yelling at Styles to stop and he keeps throwing those kicks like crazy! JACKSON: "Styles kicks," Stan. Seriously, you need to make sure to read production memos. [The referee forces a break as Herdick was in the corner against the ropes for that blitz attack. Styles refuses at first, landing a couple of more kicks before finally stepping back.] CONLON: Finally Rick Styles is backed off by the referee there. JACKSON: He's in complete control right now, Stan. CONLON: And he ought to be, Pepper, considering he jumped the poor guy before the bell! JACKSON: You do what you have to do and Styles know this better than anyone. [After the referee checks on Herdick, Styles attacks quickly. Rick grabs Herdick's waist and hits a belly-to-belly suplex.] CONLON: STYLES BELLY-TO-BELLY SUPLEX! JACKSON: That is the right name for it! It's about time you called one right! CONLON: Rick Styles has always been an extremely talented wrestler and cheap shot artist. Nobody can deny that and we all knew it coming into UPW, but what he is doing tonight is just wrong? JACKSON: It's wrong to take advantage of a situation and give a seminar on how to destroy somebody so people see what you can do? CONLON: When it involves cheating, absolutely. JACKSON: For someone who has been around as long as you have, Stan, that is pretty naive. Styles wants people to know he can still go and is making sure everybody in that locker room knows it! [Styles pulls Herdick up and gets the waist lock from behind, lifting him for a German suplex. He rolls through and hits a second one, and then he rolls through and hits a third, releasing this one. Herdick lands hard on the back of his neck and his body crumples on top of that neck in a nasty fashion.] CONLON: HERDICK LANDS AFTER THAT THIRD GERMAN SUPLEX! Styles is on a roll! JACKSON: Herdick might be dead, Stan. That Styles Rolling German Suplex combination looks completely sick! CONLON: That was a nasty landing and he doesn't look like he is moving much. The German suplexes have done their job. JACKSON: And now Rick is doing his! [Rick Styles holds his arms out, taunting the crowd and working them hard. They boo him mercilessly as he then drops almost in slow motion and lands a measured knee right to the forehead of John Herdick.] CONLON: Knee to the forehead of John Herdick! Styles continues to attack while still taunting everyone in the arena! JACKSON: There is a word for that: showmanship! CONLON: Styles drops down for a cover. ONE! . . . . . . . . . . TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!! . . . . . . . . . . TH............NO! STYLES PULLS HERDICKS HEAD UP OFF THE CANVAS!!! [Styles pulls the Herdick's head up and just shakes his head as if to say he isn't done yet.] JACKSON: There was no way this match was ending without us witnessing the debut of the "Styles Maneuver." CONLON: He has proved his point and everyone here can see this match was over. JACKSON: The match will be over when Rick says it is over. This is his party and we're all just guests! CONLON: That is the dumbest thing I have ever heard. JACKSON: Just because you disagree with something doesn't make it dumb. [Styles whips Herdick into the corner and follows in to hit a leaping splash, but Herdick moves. Styles his the turnbuckles and stumbles out of the corner a few steps before stalling and then falling flat on his face.] CONLON: HERDICK MOVED! STYLES IS DOWN! JACKSON: Herdick with the golden opportunity now! CONLON: John Herdick managed to just get out of the way and now he looks to capitalize quickly! JACKSON: Now or never Johnny! [Herdick goes over and hits a stomp and then another. The fans are cheering him on as the first man to actually get offense in on Rick Styles. He raises his arms in celebration after the third stomp and the fans shower him with cheers.] CONLON: HERDICK STOMPING AWAY ON STYLES! JACKSON: The kid has some chops, I'll give him that! [Styles suddenly kicks Herdick right in the groin area, ending the jubilation quickly. Herdick doubles over and drops to his knees.] CONLON: STYLES WITH A KICK TO THE GROIN! And that advantage was short lived! JACKSON: Herdick got kicked in Hisdick! CONLON: You've been dying to use that one, haven't you Pepper? JACKSON: Hey gold is gold, I can't help it sometimes. Things just flow like Rick Styles' wrestling ability. [Styles quickly over and grabs Herdick's arms in a full nelson style hold, while also pulling his body into a cobra clutch position.] CONLON: Styles Clutch! Rick Styles with a powerful submission hold right now! JACKSON: The referee is checking on Herdick, but he isn't giving in just yet. CONLON: Of course not. Many are wondering how Herdick had managed to stay employed by UPW and so he wants to prove his worth every chance he gets. JACKSON: Kind of surprises me because the beating he has taken here would make most men want to avoid more. [Herdick isn't giving in as the referee continues to check on him. Styles is almost smiling as he wrenched that full nelson hold back to cause more pain.] CONLON: Herdick still refusing to give in, despite his entire face turning red! JACKSON: This hold is brutal! Styles is just imposing his will right now. CONLON: The referee is checking both Herdick, but also the hold itself to make sure nothing shady is going on with how Styles is working this submission. JACKSON: I can't believe you would question such an amazing hold like this! If it were anybody but Styles, you wouldn't say a word. CONLON: That's not true and considering how the match got started, I think Styles is open to ALL forms of questioning right now. JACKSON: Says you. [Styles lets go of the hold and stands up to his feet with a cocky grin on his face and once again working the fans. He taunts them by mocking Herdick's jubilant celebration from moments ago.] CONLON: Look at the arrogance of Rick Styles! The bravado will someday get his ass kicked for him! JACKSON: All he is doing is mocking what was done over him as he took stomp after stomp. CONLON: I'm sorry, but the only thing it can be called is cocky and arrogant. Rick Styles is acting like the pompous jerk he is right now. JACKSON: He's just being himself and winning, I might add. So don't hate the player here. [Styles pulls Herdick up and sets him up for a vertical suplex. He lifts the suplex up, but doesn't drop it immediately. He starts the drop, but then sits down sharply dropping the suplex into an inverted stunner.] CONLON: STYLES MANUEVER! HE NAILED IT! JACKSON: If that is what it is, I can understand why he kept it secret! That was nasty! Here is the pin! ONE! . . . . . . . . . . TWO!!!!!!!!! . . . . . . . . . . THREE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! CONLON: RICK STYLES WITH THE VICTORY! JACKSON: Well, we have to be honest here. It wasn't exactly a shock, Stan. Styles had control from the moment the match began. [Styles is up to his feet with his arms in the air as his music begins to play loudly. He walks to the corner and again asks for a microphone, and receives one. He steps back as he speaks.] Rick Styles: The best UPW has to offer, huh? Well, I PISS on the best UPW has to offer! [Styles takes a step towards the downed John Herrick, but stops suddenly, and turns toward Ralph.] Rick Styles: Actually, I'm too much of a gentlemen to demean myself with such tactics. Ralph, YOU do it. [Ralph steps forward and stands over Herrick.] CONLON: HE CAN'T DO THIS! JACKSON: Nobody's going to stop him! [He slowly unzips his fly, brings out his little Ralph and proceeds to urinate a yellow stripe down Herrick's spine.] Rick Styles: Consider yourself marked. As for the rest of this federation, I have just as much respect for YOU. Your turn will come. ["All I do is Win" as Rick Styles leads Erin out of the ring. Ralph quickly zips up his fly, exits the ring and follows the two back up the aisle.] CONLON: I CAN'T BELIEVE WHAT I JUST WITNESSED!!! JACKSON: Rick Styles leaving a mark in UPW already, so to speak! CONLON: You condone this behavior? JACKSON: The guy knows what he is doing and now everybody will hate him even more! CONLON: This is a travesty and Styles ought to be fired. JACKSON: You know damn well that isn't going to happen, Stan. The guy is too good. CONLON: Talent is important, but some things are just more important! This was disgusting! JACKSON: I won't disagree with you there. [Fade to black.]
[The screen nows shows the following footage.] [Cameras go to the crowd... THE HYPE are going through the stands, carrying a styrofoam cooler from the concessions stand!] NASH: We gotcha UPW popsicles, just three dollars apiece folks! Freezy-pops fresh from the deep- freeze! We got Soldiers of the Citrus! We got the Brothers Grape! Lime Donegal! You want red? We got Brandon Franklin's Forehead Red! Jester Chad Allen's Mystery Batch! We've even got Malcolm Shabazz Black Licorice! MESSER: Hey, we've been in the back, we know it gets hot and funky when you're surrounded by sweaty dudes. Locker rooms or bleachers, either way you need something to take the edge off. Getcha UPW popsicles, cool and refreshing! [The announcing team has been joined by The Hype, and their cooler full of branded freezy-pops. CJ Messer offers Stan Conlon a tasty icicle to whet his whistle.] MESSER: Something to keep you on your game? CONLON: Thank you, this has been a grueling night already and my throat can use it! JACKSON: Mmm, you got the Tripp Skylark Special Recipe. This should be an interesting evening. [Conlon rips the top off and takes a chunk of tie-dye colored ice into his mouth.] NASH: That'll be three dollars. CONLON: What?! JACKSON: You heard the man. You bought the merch, you pay the cash. CONLON: Oh, this is ridiculous! Fine, let me find my wallet. MESSER: Always a pleasure, gentlemen. [Danny Nash collects the concessions fee. CJ Messer hoists the cooler onto his shoulder and the team head back into the stands to see if they can get some more of that sweet, high-margin cash benefit from the boys in the bleachers.]
[We return to the Showdown Studio and our announce team at the desk.] CHANEY: Rick Styles getting a victory in UPW, but many will look at just HOW he got it, right Gorilla? SMITH: Not me. CHANEY: What? SMITH: Listen, in my career, I was a win at all cost kind of guy, so I can't find fault with anyone using whatever advantage he can get in order to come out on top. CHANEY: Really? SMITH: I don't think he necessarily needed that advantage, and his arrogance will forever grate on me, but I'm not going to fault him for using an advantage. CHANEY: Spoken like a true veteran. SMITH: Well it is who I am. I do what I do, just like The Hype, who discovered we now sell frozen pops I guess. [The two share a chuckle before continuing on.] CHANEY: That they did, Gorilla! Those two are hilarious and the fans love them! SMITH: Yes they do and at some point that will translate in the ring, and we'll see them in action in a little while. CHANEY: Fans, I am going to shift gears a little as we have reached the point that things seemed to get a little awkward in the arena as UPW sent out one of the Vice Presidents in charge of Talent Relations out to discuss the situation with Malcom Shabazz. SMITH: This was an interesting exchange and one again, you have to admire Malcom for his stand, but the way he is going about it can only be considered as militant and eventually that is going to bite you. CHANEY: And we really thought it was going to last night. SMITH: It certainly looked that way, but it is easiest for us to just let the fans see what happened. CHANEY: That's right, let's go to the tape and show where the UPW finally made some form of statement on Malcom Shabazz and his personal fight for justice. Roll it, boys!
[The screen nows shows the following footage.] [The footage begins with a view of the UPW ring and a man dressed in a black suit with a green tie standing in the center of the ring with a microphone and a piece of paper. He raises the microphone to speak.] MAN: Ladies and Gentlemen, my name is Thomas Grissom and I work for Ultimate Pro Wrestling as an executive in talent relations. I have been sent out here to discuss the current situation with one of our contracted performers named Malcom Shabazz. [The crowd immediately begins to boo at the very mention of Shabazz's name.] GRISSOM: Over the course of the history of UPW, Mr. Shabazz has shown his desire to do things his way rather than by adhering to company standards. He has attacked UPW officials, interfered in matches, and even ignored a suspension given out by my office at the request of the UPW owner, Phil Coulter. We have sat down and realize that there are inherent problems here that need addressed. [He pauses to let the crowd's chant of "fire him" be heard. Thomas smiles before speaking.] GRISSOM: Oh believe me, if I could, I would have by now. [A slight smile before continuing.] GRISSOM: There are special circumstances involved here that cannot be ignored. The current climate of the culture we live in dictates that a simple firing just cannot be done, even if it is justifiable in its need. [We hear out ringside announcers reacting.] JACKSON: Did he just say what I think he said? CONLON: What's that? JACKSON: That we can't fire Shabazz because he is black. CONLON: That isn't what he said.....exactly. JACKSON: Damn, man! [Thomas stops his pause and speaks again.] GRISSOM: So we have come to an agreement that is now to be presented to Mr. Shabazz and he can choose to accept this agreement or part ways with UPW completely. [Fans erupt at the mere mention Shabazz could get sacked.] GRISSOM: So Malcom Shabazz, come on down to the ring and let's hash this out! [Suddenly "The Devil Made Me" by Paris plays, and the fans erupt in boos. Yet as the music plays for several seconds, nobody one appears coming out of the entrance way.] GRISSOM: Alright, cut the music. [The music stops abruptly.] GRISSOM: Mr. Shabazz, this is not one of your little protests or a smart time for you to think you are above the sport that is helping you gain such fame. So please, come out here immediately! [The music starts up again on cue. The fans throw shade as if Pavlov had dished it out just for them. Yet once again, nobody is coming out and we hear our announcers again.] CONLON: Malcom Shabazz continuing to be defiant toward the UPW, its officers, and even worse, the fans! JACKSON: Perhaps he just doesn't want to jump through hoops set up by white people. CONLON: Oh give it a rest! You want to keep your job, you do what the boss tells you to do so you keep it! JACKSON: Great plantation talk there, Stan. Really motivated the hell out of me. [Thomas makes the throat cut gesture to kill the music and it stops with nobody coming out at all.] GRISSOM: Alright then, have it your way. You have defied everything we have asked you to do from simply coming out when asked to an easy apology. It is clear you desire not to actually deal with the problems you have both felt and caused in UPW and so you leave me no choice. [The fans' chanting for a firing again begins to be heard.] GRISSOM: As Director of Talent Relations, I must announce that effective immediately, Malcom Shabazz is termin.... [Before he can finish the sentence, Shabazz jumps the rail about half way up the entrance. He walks down to the ring. He wears his black combat boots, black and gray camo pants and a black bullet proof vest. He hides his eyes with his sun glasses.] CONLON: Shabazz finally shows up and probably just in time to hear himself be fired. JACKSON: Grissom didn't finish the sentence, and probably good for him that he didn't. CONLON: Well at least now we get to find out what UPW plans to do about this Shabazz problem. I'm certain that whatever Grissom shares from that envelope will be very interesting. JACKSON: All I know is that Thomas Grissom better watch what he says right about now. [He steps into the ring, looking right at Thomas Grissom He crosses his arms and stands in front, very emotionless. He takes a microphone from the ringside interviewer with his black leather gloves.) Shabazz: I'm not like Glenn Chambers or Derek Rage and Velvet Sims. I'm not that monkey you get to call out and dance when the music starts. This isn't the days of a slave trade. I will show up when I feel like it's appropriate for me to show up. [Crowd drops major boos. Shabazz just nods his head. He turns his attention to Thomas Grissom.] Shabazz: I know you expect me to come out here and beg for my job. Let's be very realistic about the circumstance of this situation. My belief is someone needs to stand up for the injustice that has taken place. [Shabazz removes the sunglasses to show his angry eyes.] Shabazz: It is my firm belief that someone has to be there. I Can't tiptoe through the tulips. I Can't play politics. I CAN'T compromise. I have to be strong. If I saw anyone else step up and be strong, perhaps I could tone it down. But I feel a desperation to get the message out. I need to plant the seed in those who are strong enough that in the walls of their mind to carry a revolutionary light. [Shabazz looks at Grissom, getting nose to nose with him] Shabazz: You just don't get it do you? Keeping me out of the World title tournament. That closes doors in my face. It drives the fans away from me. But I keep pushing, because someone has to hold the line. And I will hold that line. [Grissom holds up a hand defiantly to Shabazz and pretty much everyone now assumes Grissom may die eventually because of it.] GRISSOM: First of all, there has been no injustice. There was no conspiracy to keep you out of the tournament. But there was also no cause for you to attack wrestlers and UPW officials on that first Showdown. [Shabazz goes to speak, but Grissom cuts him off.] GRISSOM: I'm not finished yet. [The crowd erupts as Shabazz's face looks as if it might be death itself.] GRISSOM: Then you come out here into this ring.....a UPW ring, I might add, not owned by you or anyone connected to you, but owned by this company; and you berate UPW officials and attack yet another set of competitors. These actions have all been promised to be forgiven and a clean slate if you would have apologized, but you refused. [He pauses a second.] GRISSOM: If you would like to apologize now to the referee you verbally assaulted, feel free and we can start this meeting on a good note. [Grissom lowers his microphone and the crowd starts chanting "Say you're sorry!" as Thomas waits for the answer. Shabazz stares him down for what feels like an eternity, but really only about 10 seconds or so before raising his microphone and speaking.] Shabazz: You want an apology? I am Sorry I was left out of your Tournament. I am Sorry that I have to vent my frustrations on Liam Donegal. I am Sorry ratings are going through the roof since I started my rants. I'm Sorry you hillbillies don't get what it is like to be ME!!! [Shabazz hears the boos get louder and he jumps to face the crowd with his face contorting angrily.] Shabazz: SHUT UP!!! You rednecks have no idea what it is like to be an educated black man in this country. It is a lot easier to be held down when you are as ignorant as you country bumpkins. [The crowd utterly hates him at this point, and can you blame them?] Shabazz: So, what are you going to do, GRISSOM!!! [The crowd's "Fire him!" chant starts up again as Grissom's face is beet red with frustration. He raises his microphone and speaks.] GRISSOM: I'm going to give you one chance, Shabazz. You get one shot tonight. I'm going to allow you to fight for your roster spot. [The fans boo this decision.] GRISSOM: I'm had it up to my ears with your crybaby garbage. I'm sick of hearing how you have been held down, when the only thing holding you down is your own attitude and stupid decisions. You want to be a man, Shabazz? You want the world to see you as more than just another black man screaming at supposed injustice? Then step the [BLEEP} up tonight! [The crowd erupts as Thomas' words are heard.] GRISSOM: I will give you a match tonight and if you win, you get to keep your roster spot. In fact, I'm going to throw in my own little sweetener. If you win your match, I will put you in the North American Title Event coming up in December and give you a chance to win a championship. [Shabazz actually seems to be nodding his head, liking what he is hearing.] GRISSOM: You have to win the match against whomever is listed in this envelope to get those perks. However if you don't win. And I mean if you get counted out......if your get disqualified.....if you so much as breath your stinky-ass breath on the referee..... [A slight pause for effect.] GRISSOM: You'll be FIRED! [Shabazz's face drops all positive looks.] GRISSOM: That is your choice now, Shabazz. You can fight and take a chance or you can choose to quit now and head back to the shanty you were in before we found you. The choice is yours. [Shabazz stares down Grissom as the fans begin chanting "fight!" over and over.] Shabazz: I don't think ANYONE here can come close to my talent. Bring him out so I can earn a title shot that I deserved since I walked in to UPW!! [Thomas smiles.] GRISSOM: Well let's see who the match is against, shall we? [He hastily opens up the envelope and his eyes go wide when he reads the small piece of paper inside. He looks up with a smile.] GRISSOM: You know what, I'm not going to tell you anything. How about we just start this match now and let you find out like the rest of us. Have fun Shabazz, and it was nice knowing you.... [Grissom exits the ring as Shabazz stands in the center of the ring.] "You got to keep them Separated!!" [The Grimm Brothers come walking down to the ring as Offspring's "Come Out and Play" rocks the arena"] CONLON: The Grimm Brothers name was in the envelope. Shabazz must beat them in a handicap match. JACKSON: That's the way UPW works. They stack the deck against Shabazz to give him the bum's rush out of here. [The pair gets into the ring. Shabazz looks as both of them. Suddenly, Shabazz grabs both of them by the throat. He tries to lift them into a double choke slam. But the due turns the tables on Shabazz] CONLON: Shabazz ego may have gotten in the way there and he paid for it. JACKSON: Those two hillbillies are taking it right to Shabazz, just as Grissom wanted. You can tell that Shabazz will not get a break if he has his way. [Grimmace picks up Shabazz and throws him into the corner. Grimmley is whipped into Shabazz with a powerful corner clothesline. Shabazz stumbles out into Grimmace's bear hug. Grimmley climbs to the second rope into a modified clothesline Doomsday device. Shabazz goes down hard] CONLON: Shabazz was not prepared for this fight today. The Grimm Brother's are taking apart Shabazz.... JACKSON: .... And the hillbillies love it. CONLON: Will you knock it off. [Grimmace gets a running start and gets high into the air.....but Shabazz moves out of the way and Grimmace lands face first onto the mat.. Grimmley tries to stomp Shabazz, but Malcom grabs the leg and leg drags him to the mat. Shabazz quickly kicks Grimmley out of the ring. Shabazz drops a knee to the back of Grimmace's head.] CONLON: A major mistake by The Grimm Brother's opens the door for Shabazz to make a comeback. JACKSON: Thomas Grissom thought he had it all planned out, but Shabazz is showing him two rednecks can't keep The Hard Truth down. [Grimmace looks out of it as Shabazz picks him up Shabazz locks in the Belly to Belly..... BOOM!!! Shabazz picks him up again...... BOOM!!! Shabazz keeps the belly to belly locked in and....... BOOM!!! [Shabazz sees Grimmley starting to work his way up the side of the ring. He gets a running start and baseball slides into his face.........Knocking him into the railing.] CONLON: Shabazz is keeping both men at bay. He is working over Grimmace while keeping Grimmley on the outside. JACKSON: Shabazz is a revolutionary...and he knows he must wrestle wisely. He has to win to Hold the Line!! [Shabazz drags Grimmace to the turnbuckles and bounces his head over and over on the second turnbuckle] Shabazz: (Yelling to the crowd) If you don't respect me, YOU WILL FEAR ME!!!! [Grimmace is starting to bleed. The referee is trying to get Shabazz to back up. Shabazz looks dead into his eyes.] CONLON: Our Vice President already warned Shabazz if he puts his hands on the referee, he will be fired. JACKSON: He has not done anything yet. You are racially profiling him. [Shabazz turns his attention back to Grimmace. Grimmace is slowly getting up, but has a glassy look in his eyes. Shabazz lifts him into the vertical suplex.....and holds him there.....] CONLON: There's Shabazz showing off his strength. JACKSON: 18....19..... 20 [Shabazz drops Grimmace face first. Shabazz slides out of the ring. He grabs Grimmley. Sets up the flapjack....turns to the ring post......] CONLON: HARD TRUTH!!!!! Right into the ringpost. Grimmley is bleeding all over. He is not moving. JACKSON: That is why they had to bring out two men to try and stop him!! [Shabazz gets back into the ring as the referee counts to 9. Shabazz slides behind Grimmace. He bounces off the ropes. Single Leg Lariat to the back of Grimmace. CONLON: Shabazz set up move for the Hard Truth!! JACKSON: Welcome back Malcom Shabazz!!! [Shabazz picks up Grimmace. He starting the Hard Truth....But the referee gets knocked over. Grimmace is out. Shabazz with the cover. But there is no referee to count.] CONLON: Shabazz accidentally knocked over the referee. There is no one to count. JACKSON: That's how you stop him., The referee is faking being out. Shabazz is screwed just like UPW wants him to be. [Liam Donegal jumps over the barricade. He slides into the ring. He grabs the referees arm] ONE!! TWO!!! THREE!!! [Shabazz gets up and raises his hands, just as he turns to see the referee is still on the floor and Liam Donegal is standing there. A smile crosses Shabazz's face......] CONLON: Donegal made the three count using the referee's arm, but he's about to pay for that move. JACKSON: Why would Donegal keep Shabazz in UPW? What is his purpose. CONLON: I don't think it's going to matter in a few minutes. Shabazz is going to tear into him. {Thomas Grissom walks out, informing Shabazz if he lays a finger on Liam, he is fired.} CONLON: Look at Shabazz, He is LIVID!! JACKSON: He better not turn his back on Donegal!! [Liam gets a running start and DROPKICKS Shabazz out of the ring.] CONLON: Liam Donegal gets a final shot onto Shabazz as Liam has been declared untouchable. JACKSON: What a cheap shot!! [We can see Shabazz angry in the aisle and the camera can pick up his voice.] Shabazz: You are going to get yours Donegal. One day, I am going to break you in HALF!! [He backs up the aisle as Liam Donegal raises his arms to a massive crowd explosion.] CONLON: Referees are running out of the locker room, forcing Shabazz back and he is still yelling back at Donegal. JACKSON: Someone is going to pay for this [Fade to black.]
[We return to the Showdown Studio and our announce team at the desk.] CHANEY: Liam Donegal showing up big there and now you have to wonder what Malcom Shabazz thinks after one of the men he was for certain was against him helped him win this match and keep his job! SMITH: I didn't like UPW doing what they did and essentially telling Shabazz that because you pissed us off, we are making you fight two fat white guys for your job. That being said, he has his job because of Liam Donegal and Donegal showed his strength tonight and instead of costing Shabazz his job, he did what was right and counted the three count. CHANEY: And then he kicked him out of the ring, literally! SMITH: That he did! Shabazz learned an important lesson tonight and that is not to assume that you are more powerful than everybody just because you think you have a point. CHANEY: He will have his anger up all the more because of what Donegal did. SMITH: Of course he will because he will want to prove Donegal isn't strong enough to take him out of the ring like that. He will want to make it out to be a fluke. CHANEY: In the end, though, Shabazz wins and still has a job. What happens next is anybody's guess as drama has followed this match from day one. SMITH: It certainly has. CHANEY: Speaking of high drama, once the dust settled from that match, some familiar music hit and we got a visit from Brandon Franklin. SMITH: The "Hardcore Icon" wanted to address the crowd and so many others in advance of his big match tonight, let's go hear what he had to say!
[The screen nows shows the following footage.] [The footage begins with a wide shot of the arena as the crowd buzzes with excitement...] ## CUT MY LIFE INTO PIECES ## ## THIS IS MY LAST RESORT ## [MAJOR Pop! For the song or for the guy?] ## SUFFOCATION - NO BREATHIN' ## ## DON'T GIVE A F[CENSORED]K IF I CUT MY ARM BLEEDIN' ## [The curtain is shoved aside and the 6 foot 2, 2 hundred and 65 pound "Hardcore Icon" emerges! The crowd has a mixed reaction, most of them cheer loudly as fans of Franklin while the rest cheer because they're present at a wrestling event! Franklin pauses at the top of the entrance way and raises both of his arms high into the air, a smile of appreciation on his face. As "Hardcore Icon" Brandon Franklin walks towards the ring, determined and focused, he slaps a few hands on his way. He's wearing blue jeans that aren't too snug and not too baggy, black boots and a black tee shirt - "HARDCORE" across the chest and "ICON" across the mid-section in bold white.] [As Franklin gets ringside, we notice the back of his shirt and in yellow print, between his shoulder-blades, a hash-tag "#RickStylesCoppedOut". Franklin uses the ropes and pulls himself to on top of the apron, then steps through the middle ropes. He strides to the far side of the ring and demands a microphone then walks to center ring. He reflects, looks around the arena while rubbing his chin and a small chant of "Franklin" breaks out, he looks down and shakes his head. Then back up, eyes scanning the crowd, he begins.] BF: It's been a real long time since I've felt *THIS GOOD*... [He nods, reassuring himself and the viewers.] BF: As a matter of fact - I feel about like Lamar Jackson right now!! [Big Pop for the Heisman Hopeful Quarterback!] BF: I feel like the absolute, no doubt about it, put your money on me ... FRONT RUNNER!! [Another decent pop as he cheaply plays to the fans!] BF: And I gotta' admit ... It feels real good to be out here and standing in the center of this ring again. Not too long ago - I didn't think *ANY* of this would be possible... [Small section of cheers as Franklin pauses.] BF: But here I am. And while everyone's interested in tallying up wins and losses, I'm tallyin' up mistakes! [Another pop as he starts to get to the point, slowly pacing the ring as he continues, making eye contact with different members in various sections of the crowd.] BF: And Frank Anthony - *YOU'RE AT THE TOP OF THE LIST!!* [Cheers for the threat! Boos for Anthony!] BF: There's a whole lotta' guys like *YOU* on this roster ... a lotta' guys I *USED* to have a lot of respect for... But things change... [Pause as cameras flash as some fans shout, hoping Franklin hears them.] BF: And like most of the guys on this roster ... Frank Anthony is *LIVING OFF OF... WHO ... HE ... WAS*...!! [Slight pop - brief pause, Franklin standing center ring, pointing to himself.] BF: And I'm *NOWHERE NEAR* the man that I used to be in my prime and I'm not used to playing by the rules but week to week - and with Walt by my side... [Small pop at the mention of the fiery old man, Franklin nods matter of factly.] BF: I'm getting to where I need to be and when the dust settles and when it's all over with - it'll be *ME* standing at the top! Guys like Chase, maybe they'll win a few battles - but to me ... This might be my last shot - it's survival of the fittest - *THIS IS WAR*!! [Mean mug. Camera zooms in as the crowd pops at the mention of WAR!] BF: Frank Anthony! You can consider this your *FINAL WARNING*! As for the *REST OF THIS ROSTER* if *YOU* decide to get into my way - there *WILL* be consequences! [Franklin drops the microphone and stands mean mugging the camera as the crowd pops!]
[We return to the Showdown Studio and our announce team at the desk.] SMITH: Strong words right there from Brandon Franklin! CHANEY: The guy has found his voice in a way I haven't seen out of him since the UEW days and I'm certainly glad to see it. SMITH: Do you think Frank Anthony is paying attention to it? CHANEY: I hope so because Brandon Franklin is a legitimately dangerous guy in the ring, and to think less of him in any way is to do so at your own peril. SMITH: Franklin has focus, but I'm hoping that doesn't get stomped out by the business end of Frank Anthony's "pride." CHANEY: I still can't believe he gets to carry that to ringside. SMITH: Everyone says that, but technically he hasn't used it yet. I would like to think he is smarter than that, but anything is possible when you get into hard-hitting matches like he tends to do. CHANEY: And the idea of a hard-hitting match is the real meaning of our next contest as Derek Rage takes on Damian Payne. SMITH: Both of these men are on that level nearing legend status. I have been in the ring with both of them at different times in my career and I can tell you both of them are legitimately tough. CHANEY: And both have had success almost everywhere they have ever been. SMITH: True. And that is a testament to both of them. But Rage has had major success as a tag team guy for over a decade and now has had a good run on his own. CHANEY: Two of the biggest men in the UPW facing off in the middle of the ring. Would you say this is a rock and a hard place kind of match? SMITH: I would say it may be an "immoveable force and irresistible object" kind of thing. These two are both massive and that ring seemed to move every time they went at each other. It was a real treat. CHANEY: Let's head to the ring, and view what happened when these two beasts went at it!
[The footage begins as both Derek Rage and Damian Payne look exhausted as they grab onto each other and trade one big right hand with another, the fans hanging on each momentous impact.] CONLON: This match has been nothing short of what we expected! Two mastadon's locking horns, neither man willing to give an inch! JACKSON: The Proverbial irresistable force meets the immoveable object if you will! CONLON: Exactly Pepper! [It does indeed seem to be a battle of attrition as the two monsters trade huge punches in the ring, Rage finally gains a slight advantage rocking Payne back into the ropes with a huge knee lift. He hurls Payne off the opposite ropes, and the crowd pops HUGE as the two behemoth's violently collide in the center of the ring, with neither man budging!] CONLON: Holy moses! I felt that collision all the way over here. absolutely thunderous! JACKSON: Payne is smiling in the face of Derek Rage and he points to the ropes! [Another rattling collision in the center of the ring has the crowd going ape [beep]! Damien Payne pounds his chest and the slightly larger Rage bellows and charges forward!] CONLON: Rage is like a charging Rhino headed for a brick wall! JACKSON: These collisions are bone-jarring! [Damien surprises the charging rage using his own momentum to swing him into the air and drives him downward with a surprisingly massive spinebuster that shakes the whole arena!] CONLON: What a display of power by Payne! Rage weighs a good three fifty and Payne just planted him into the mat with ease. PEPPER: Thats why these guys are legends among big men Stan! Everywhere they have been, they have dominated their competition with unmatched power! Damien Payne almost put Rage through the mat with that move! [Payne helps Rage to his feet but recieves a punch to the gut for his effort. Rage drives several more fists into the gut of Payne, backing him into the turnbuckle he switches to driving his shoulder into Damien's gut, before violently throwing him into the opposite buckles, and crushing the air out of him with a massive avalanche!] CONLON: Rage crushes Payne into the turnbuckle, who stumbles into Derek's waiting grasp! [The big man uses Payne's own momentum to lift him high into the air, spiking him into the mat with HUGE Belly to Belly suplex. He holds for the pin as the ref slides into position. But before he can even count one Payne Powers out to the delight of the crowd!] PEPPER: Even after that ring shaking belly to belly suplex we don't even get a a one count! Damien Payne is inhuman! CONLON: Both these guys might as well be monsters out of a horror story! Two unstoppable behemoths! PEPPER: King kong versus Godzilla! Leviathin Versus the Kracken! [Rage looks less than amused as he helps Payne up and throws a wild right, which is ducked by Damien, who surprises Rage as he turns with an inverted atomic drop, and knocks Rage off his feet with a follow up lariat. Payne Shakes the top rope Wildly as the crowd is behind him and he turns and drops a leg across the throat of Rage.] CONLON: Payne is starting to build a little momentum now as these two have traded high impact moves but no one has really built any momentum. JACKSON: It looks like Payne may finally be catching fire. He pulls Rage up after the leg drop, and drives his fist into the side of the big mans head, backing him into the ropes. He tries to throw him off the other side but Rage has other ideas. [And reverses the whip. Payne hits the ropes and rebounds, right into a HUGE boot from the seven foot monster. Payne is rocked but doesn't go down as he stumbles back, catching the ropes to keep his feet. Rage charges forward enraged, and takes himself and Payne over the top rope and hard to the floor with a harrowing lariat. Both men manage to land mostly upright, and the crowd erupts!!] CONLON: MY GOD! Payne and Rage both managed to land on their fee! JACKSON: AND LOOK AT THEM STAN!!! [The is arena is going absolutely BANANA as the two German Tanks begin trading right hands at ringside . Like robots, they trade punch after punch, ignoring the count from the referee. As he reaches nine the light bulb goes off and both men stop punching long enough to roll into the ring. Only to resume battering each other from there knees] CONLON: They barely made it back into the ring but the war has not slowed down! They are now trading punches from there knee's! JACKSON: Right by Payne! Answered By Rage! Payne! Rage! Payne! Rage! [The two men continue blasting each other unmercilessly, Payne finally gaining a measure of advantage with a headbutt. Another stuns Rage enough, for Payne to take a knee, and flatten Rage with a lunging lariat. The exhausted Payne drapes an arm over Rage as the ref counts.] ONE! . . . . . . . . . . TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! . . . . . . . . . . THREEE!!!!!!!! NOOOOOOOO!!!! JACKSON: NOOOOOOOOOO Dice!!!! Rage got a foot on the ropes. Payne is losing it! He stomps away at Rage, seething as he waits for Rage to get to his feet!] [Payne bellows and bull rushes Rage into the corner, unleashing a fury of kicks and upper cuts that forces the referee to fight his way between them and force a break after his count is ignored. Rage takes this opportunity to thrust his thumb into the eye of Payne as the ref forces him backward, and Rage drops him with a big boot out of the corner.] CONLON: And the crowd is not happy with Rage after that cheap shot! JACKSON: The old thumb to eye boot to face combo! [Firmly in control now, Rage pulls Payne up by the hair, and forces him into a standing headscissors and in a _freakish_ show of strength, muscles the three hundred pound Payne into the air, and drives him down into the mat with a massive ring shaking powerbomb! The crowd is in absolute awe!] CONLON: What a powerbomb! JACKSON: AND HE'S NOT _DONE!_ [No Sadly for Damien, he is not. And if the display of Rage's raw power a moment ago was not enough, he refuses to release the Powerbomb, and somehow manages to lift the dead weight that is Damien Payne off the mat high enough to spike him with a second power bomb!] CONLON: That might be the most amazing feat of strength I have ever witnessed! JACKSON: Rage is a freak. He hooks the leg. This has got to be all!! ONE! . . . . . . . . . . TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! . . . . . . . . . . THREEE!!!!!!!! CONLON: DEREK RAGE WITH THE VICTORY! JACKSON: Talk about a bout of pure behemoths! This was as hard hitting as you can get! [The referee raises Derek Rage's arm as Payne rolls out of the ring and gets to his feet.] CONLON: Rage and Payne are not your typical big men as both can put on a wrestling show and these fans ate it up! JACKSON: They certainly did. This was old school at its finest and I hope the young guys backstage were watching! [Fade to black.]
[The screen switches to show the following footage.] [Bubbles float across the screen. Surely, that means commercials aren't over quite yet because no bubbles would ever float across a UPW screen. Unless maybe a giant of a bearded man with a waxed mustache was blowing bubbles at the camera the way Kel Robertson is doing right now. We're in a creepy daycare version of backstage, one that's filled with pillows, candy and plush toys instead of boiler rooms, steel pipes and sports equipment.] CARTER: We'll think on RJ Souza. I mean, if we're gonna recruit a third Warrior who's not in UPW yet, might as well go for the best fit possible, right? [That's DeAwn Carter, athletic African American athlete, pacing the room with his Tag Team Championship over his shoulder.] ROBERTSON: What about "Street Samurai" Robert Spade? CARTER: That nickname sounds like cultural appropriation to me... ROBERTSON: He's black though, so... SHARIFI: What about Shadoe Rage? If Derek Rage is here as a solo, that clearly means Shadoe is a free agent. Think of the experience we'd be adding. CARTER: For sure... although... WAIT! [Carter snaps his fingers, points to his sharply dressed manager Sammy Sharifi.] CARTER: That big guy you used to handle! He'd be a great Warrior! SHARIFI: Khalam al-Sadiq? ROBERTSON: Oh him! He decimated IPW by himself! SHARIFI: He did, but he's been deported since. CARTER: What? SHARIFI: Can't get a visa for him, especially with the warrants for his arrest. ROBERTSON: Why? 'Cause of the Tijuana Death Match thing? CARTER: It wasn't even in Tijuana, let alone Mexico. [DeAwn kicks a stuffed elephant across the room.] CARTER: God, I hate cultural appropriation so much! ROBERTSON: I thought they said the guy died because of medical malpractice? CARTER: No man, it's the organizers. Insalubrious, unsanctionned work environment, that's what I heard. That and cultural appr- SHARIFI: Whatever the reasons, al-Sadiq is no longer welcomed in the United States. ROBERTSON: Classic case of islamophobia, amirite? [A light knock grabs the Warrior's attention when The Soldiers of the Sun step into the frame. STRIKER Kato chuckles through his handsome devil may care smile while the towering masked Titan Juarez has a stoic expression. Ricky Courage, on the other hand, is absolutely BEAMING with a giant smile and arms in the air.] COURAGE: COOL! It's the champs! [Kato and Juarez are taken aback as their young partner rushes towards the Warriors with an outstretched hand and spazz out energy!] COURAGE: Oh! M! Gee! It's so nice to meet you guys can't wait to meet in the ring and have a nice clean fight for the belts may the best team win and all the best wishes going forward in all things let's have a sporting handshake! SHARIFI: WOAH! Take a breath, motormouth! [STRIKER and Titan follow Ricky close behind, ready to pull him back in case his enthusiasm is met with aggression. There's no mistaking the distaste on the Warrior's faces, but ever the diplomat, Sammy Sharifi smiles like a car salesman.] SHARIFI: But I share your spirit! A handsh- CARTER: HEY! [DeAwn pushes Sharifi's outstretched hand aside and stabs a finger at Ricky Courage.] CARTER: THAT ONE HAS TO GET OUT! ROBERTSON: Yeah! Can't you people read? [Kel points to a sign on the wall that reads "SAFE SPACE. People of color only."] COURAGE: Wuuut? [Titan emits a light grunt while Kato inquisitively points to the very white Kel Robertson.] CARTER: He's part Native American. Also genderfluid. And gay. Stop oppressing him. Kel stays, [pointing to Ricky again] he doesn't. [Courage makes a sad face with puppy dog eyes as he lowers his hand.] COURAGE: But.. But... The sporting handshake... [Kato puts a comforting hand on Ricky's shoulder and flashes a warm, fatherly smile to the young man.] KATO: It is going to be OK, Ricky. How about you go wait over there for a bit, alright? [Kato motions towards off screen with his head and Ricky sadly sighs and walks off screen.] ROBERTSON: STRIKER Kato, Titan Juarez, it's truly an honor to shake your hands. CARTER: Good luck. [Juarez nods, takes Robertson's hand in a firm grip.] KATO: Good luck! [The image fades on five men exchanging handshakes... five instead of six.]
[We return to the Showdown Studio and our announce team at the desk.] SMITH: You have to wonder if The Warriors didn't just sew some discontent in the challengers right there. As a former tag team guy, my partner had to be someone I trusted in absolutely and Ricky Courage may not have that feeling toward his partners at this moment. CHANEY: You think it will affect the match coming up later for the Tag Titles? SMITH: How could it not? Courage should be watching his back now, or at the very least be watching for signs of a breakdown. He is young, so paranoia could becomes an issue now. CHANEY: Perhaps that is why the Warriors kicked him out of the meeting. Maybe this was an attempt to play on the younger man's insecurities. SMITH: It wouldn't surprise me. You may laugh at some of the Warriors' antics and statements. Hell, you may even think they are a little crazy at times. But one thing you can never say is that they are ignorant of their actions. They're smart and dangerous. CHANEY: And they are the World Tag Team Champions. SMITH: Indeed, which means they have to get beaten to lose the titles and that is an advantage people seem to forget. CHANEY: Makes it tough for a challenging team. SMITH: It does, and I know as a tag team guy, I always enjoyed wearing those belts because of that very reason. CHANEY: Well the tag team division is on full display in our next match as The Hype have set aside their side jobs as freeze pop salesmen and entered the ring to face off against a debuting tag team, The Dominion. SMITH: Well, this is their first match, but they made a splash in their actual debut last Showdown when they appeared and helped Antonio De Luca defeat Liam Donegal. CHANEY: Tyson Bishop and Lance Donovan have definitely made their presence felt and now that The Dominion is here in full force, you have to wonder when they will get their tag title shot? SMITH: If you are the Warriors, you want to avoid being across from them as long as you can. Not because of fear, but because they very well could play the game better and take what you have by brute force. These two are relative unknowns right now, but all signs show that they shouldn't be messed with. CHANEY: Well let's head back to our footage from the KFC-Yum Center in Louisville, Kentucky and see what happened between The Dominion and The Hype! Roll the tape!
[The camera fades into the footage with Adam Lazarus, Louisville slugger in his hands, halfway down the ramp watching the match.] CONLON: "The Phoenix" Adam Lazarus has helped himself to the entranceway we've set up here in the KFC-Yum Center in Kentucky. JACKSON: And no one's come out here to jump him. CONLON: The baseball bat may be helping with that, as well as the fact that both tag teams have been engaged in a back and forth battle. [Currently, "The Adonis" Lance Donovan of The Dominion has locked The Hype's "Downtown" Danny Nash in a boston crab, Donovan facing away from Lazarus and towards Nash's partner, CJ "Mackie" Messer, who desperately wants a tag.] CONLON: This has been the plan from the beginning for The Dominion. Donovan has done his best to slow Nash down and work on his legs, occasionally tagging in Tyson Bishop to lay out some quick, brutal punishment onto Danny before coming back to wear him down. JACKSON: Not to mention lots and lots of eyerakes, eye gouges, and the ever present elbow eye rake. CONLON: A very illegal submission hold, which would be effective if its existence didn't invalidate earning a fall with it. JACKSON: But points for creativity on Bishop's part. CONLON: Tyson Bishop has clearly earned the nickname "The American Nightmare" so far in his brief stint with UPW. JACKSON: Another reason for Lazarus to bring the bat. [Nash finally manages to crawl his way to the ropes, but Donovan doesn't seem inclined to break the hold. The referee warns Nash that he could disqualify him, and as Donovan let's go of Nash's legs, Danny spanks Lance on the behind.] JACKSON: I know he's an Adonis, but I don't think you can do that. [Lance angrily raises his fist, but Nash is in the ropes, and the ref pulls "The Adonis" away. Before he's out of leg's reach, Danny Nash extends a leg and, with the toes of his boot, tickles Donovan between the legs.] JACKSON: And I think that's sexual harassment! [As Nash slides between the ropes to the apron, Lance shoves the ref out of the way to charge, but Nash meets him with a much firmer kick to the groin while the ref is staggered. Then he fish hooks Donovan's cheek and runs him into the turn buckle!] CONLON: And a little taste of their own medicine leads to Nash getting in some offense! And now he's going to the top! [Lance Donovan pulls the referee in and points at his crotch to explain his was cheap shotted. As he does so, Tyson Bishop has already gotten to the turnbuckle, and simply grabs Danny Nash by the thigh and chest, and tosses Nash from the top rope to the floor below!] CONLON: Danny Nash writhing on the ground here at the bottom of the entrance ramp as Adam Lazarus observes. JACKSON: Do you think he's going to strike soon? CONLON: While he has a baseball bat, Adam Lazarus is not an active wrestler on the UPW roster, and he would still be at a two to one deficit against The Dominion as it stands now. Perhaps he is just scouting for the Caleb Foley/Antonio DeLuca match? JACKSON: Hrmmm. ["The American Nightmare" raises his arms in triumph, and "The Adonis" follows with the same gesture inside the ring...only to get jumped from behind by CJ Mezzer, who leaps in with a bulldog from behind. He then turns Donovan to his back and, mounting him, delivers a rabid ground and pound.] CONLON: I would say that referee Alfonso Gomez has lost control of this match, but between these two teams, he has never exactly had a grasp of it. [Bishop comes into the ring to deliver a boot to the back of CJ Mezzer's head, but "Mackie" seems to have eyes on both sides of his skull, and he tumbles to the side. Tyson overshoots the boot, and turns to get his open leg grabbed, and the other one quickly tripped as "Mackie" lays ground and pound on the much bigger man!] CONLON: CJ Mezzer has been itching to get into this match, and The Dominion just gave him the opportunity to come in and show his MMA background! JACKSON: Tyson Bishop has 50 pounds on the guy, but he got caught and got taken down in a flash! [Donovan tries to deliver a dropkick, but CJ AGAIN sees it coming and tumbles off Bishop, and slides under the bottom rope, running around the ring to tend to Danny Nash, who's now getting to his feet.] CONLON: CJ was able to buy his partner some time there, and Danny's going to be able to reenter this match. [Bishop is ticked that CJ got some offense in on him, and Bishop steps through the ropes so Donovan can tag him in!] CONLON: The big man wants in, and he's pointing at CJ! [Danny and CJ come to the ring together, and CJ slides in to the ring!] CONLON: CJ not the legal man...but Bishop coming after him anyways! [Bishop lumbers for a big clothesline. Which CJ Mezzer ducks. Bishop then sweeps his arm to catch Mezzer with a backfist, which Mezzer ducks. Bishop then does a biiiiiiiig wind up, and swings a haymaker, which "Mackie" barely evades with a half L-step. The momentum sends Bishop spinning 180 where Danny Nash, the legal man puts one finger up to Bishop's face. Bishop pauses, and Danny Nash does the splits in front of him, and proceeds to fondle the bits between "The American Nightmare's" legs.] JACKSON: The Hype are playing with Bishop. Literally. [In complete frustration and anger, Bishop shoves Nash rolling into his own corner, as CJ, still behind Bishop, executes a double-leg trip takedown from behind, and then just starts socking Bishop in the kidneys with lefts and rights!] CONLON: And that is the dichotomy of this team, The Hype! Nash seems to be all fun and games, but while he's getting their feathers ruffled...CJ comes in and decimates the mentally off balanced opponent with tactical, painful strikes! JACKSON: Not to mention completely illegal kidney shots! CONLON: He's also not the legal man! [Neither is Lance Donovan, who just lunges a spear tackle at CJ, and both of them roll out of the ring. In the meantime, Danny Nash is on the top rope, and he flies, delivering a guillotine leg drop to Tyson Bishop!] CONLON: Danny Nash IS, and he's managed to roll Tyson Bishop for the cover! 1... 2... 3? CONLON: Tyson Bishop gets out in dramatic fashion, pressing Nash three feet into the air to throw him off! JACKSON: And Adam Lazarus still hasn't budged an inch! Is he really JUST scouting!? CONLON: Despite the aggression of The Dominion last week, it appears so. And for their part, they are keeping focused on winning their official debut! [On the outside, Donovan thumbs Mezzer in the eye, and hits a snap suplex following up by hooking Mezzer in an armbar.] CONLON: It's chaos on the outside of the ring! [The ref investigates the action outside, as, in the ring, Danny Nash digs his nails into Bishops back and rakes him! Then, as Bishop arches his back up and his head rises, Nash jams two thumbs into Bishops ears!] JACKSON: That'll ring your bell! [Bishop's yell of surprise causes the ref to turn his attention back into the ring as Nash runs to a turnbuckle. On the outside, Mezzer turns his body into the armbar, wrapping his legs towards Donovan's head, he stacks Donovan's body so he can simply pull his arm out...which he then uses to deliver a diving 12-6 elbow to Donovan's head!] CONLON: Might not be a good idea to lock the mixed martial arts competitor in a cross armbar... [Nash leaps from the top rope...] CONLON: And a flying elbow from Danny Nash! He's covering Bishop again! 1... 2... 3???? CONLON: And Bishop is just able to raise his arm that time, not as enthusiastic in breaking free of that pinfall! ["Mackie" then comes in, and both members of The Hype start laying boots into the bigger man!] CONLON: Tyson Bishop is seeing is most extended in-ring action right now, and he's not coming out the better for it! JACKSON: I don't claim to be the expert here, but I don't think CJ has been tagged in all match! Not that the ref is doing anything about it. CONLON: Nor the low blows, eye gauges, and repeated chokes we saw from The Dominion earlier. JACKSON: True. [The Hype Bros nod at each other, and both lift Bishop to his feet. Then CJ stands back as Danny gets ready to whip Bishop into the ropes!] CONLON: I think it's time for The Hyper-Driver! [Danny Nash whips Tyson into the ropes, and when he goes for the back body drop, Bishop dives shoulder first into Nash's face!] CONLON: Diving shoulder block from Bishop! But CJ is wasting no time here! [As Bishop gets to a knee, CJ grabs him in a front chancery-] CONLON: The Messerschmitt incoming, but no! [As Lance Donovan slides under the bottom rope, Bishop grabs CJ by the upper thighs and squats to slowly press CJ straight up into the air, and as he comes down, Donovan lands a leaping cutter!] JACKSON: What a move! CONLON: That gorilla press led to Donovan hitting the "Fall from Grace," and CJ is down! [Now, with CJ kicked out of the ring by "The Adonis," Tyson Bishop grabs Danny Nash in a gutwrench, and as he manhandles him up into a powerbomb, Lance is able to leap and dive and this time hit a reverse neckbreaker as Bishop sits down with the powerbomb!] CONLON: And that's the "Stomping Ground!" Bishop covering! 1... 2... 3!!!! JACKSON: B-b-b-b That's all folks! CONLON: The Dominion win in their debut against The Hype, and a match which the referee lost control of early has ended with a couple of flashy, powerful moves! [Adam Lazarus nods at The Dominion, and then simply turns and leaves.] JACKSON: It could have gotten more out of hand... CONLON: Apparently "The Phoenix" has finished his scouting report, and surely he'll be able to confirm that "The Dominion" are a lasting threat in UPW. [Fade to black.]
[We return to the Showdown Studio and our announce team at the desk.] CHANEY: Well, now we know why Lazarus brought that bat with him. SMITH: You know, after last Showdown we were all talking about how shocking it was that Adam Lazarus looked like a typical manager. CHANEY: What do you mean "typical manager?" SMITH: Well managers tend not to be brute forces or some from of real physical threats. They talk well and can take punishment, but generally they aren't forces for their clients. Now bodyguards and the like are different, but managers generally are not "heavies." CHANEY: OK, I understand that. SMITH: Lazarus is a former World Champion performer who is still in great shape and could be on the roster himself if he wanted to be. So he is a manager that could step in there and compete. It is a different animal. CHANEY: So exactly why do you bring this up, Gorilla? SMITH: Because I have been thinking heavily that Lazarus has been playing down his entire time here and it was to get information to help Liam Donegal. He's smarter than we give him credit for and his scouting ability is well known as well. CHANEY: So you are saying Adam Lazarus is a master tactician? SMITH: In a manner of speaking, and tonight he is showing that he can effect things without physically being involved and while gathering information. Keep an eye on him because the whole story isn't in the open yet, I believe. CHANEY: Very interesting theory, my friend. Fans, this portion of UPW Showdown is brought to you by UPW SURVIVAL! SMITH: That's right! [The screen between them changes from the UPW logo, to the following image...]
[The footage begins as Brandon Franklin grabs Chad Allen by the head in the center of the ring.] CONLON: Neckbreaker! Franklin going for the cover here... ONE! . . . . . . . . . .TW...........KICKOUT! [Franklin's offense doesn't relent. A kick to the gut, a big chop to the neck... then Chad Allen retorts with a hook of his own!] CONLON: Franklin with a right! JACKSON: The Jester punching back! CONLON: A forearm strike! ... Allen responds in kind! JACKSON: These two crazy mofos are just unloading on each other! CONLON: Neither of them backing down! JACKSON: And neither of them going down! [Brandon Franklin winds up and clocks Chad Allen, but he's visibly getting winded. Allen grins, throws in a left jab.] CONLON: Kick to the gut by Franklin! [HEEL POP!] CONLON: OOH! And Jester Chad Allen responds with a blatant knee to the groin! Right in front of the referee! JACKSON: Something tells me Allen doesn't care. [Branklin collapses, clutching at his groin. Allen reaches for him, but the referee steps in, pushes back on the Jester, wagging his finger.] JACKSON: Stan, tell me, is this the bravest referee you've ever seen or the dumbest one? CONLON: As insane as it sounds, Pepper, he's got no choice. If he lets Chad Allen walk over him, he'll lose complete control over this match! [Finally, Allen pushes the referee away and lunges at Brandon Franklin. A punch to the gut by the "Hardcore Icon" stops the Jester dead in his tracks. Franklin unloads another punch, then a forearm strike. He grabs Allen's arm, Irish whips him into the ropes and into a big back elbow smash!] CONLON: That took Allen off his feet! [Franklin measures his downed opponent and falls on top of him with a knee drop! Even now, Allen is worryingly quick to get to his feet. The "Hardore Icon" stalks up behind him...] CONLON: Back suplex! [Allen rolls into the corner, but Franklin pursues and stomps at the Wicked Clown again and again and again until he's forced to catch his breath.] CONLON: Allen rolls out under the bottom rope, now. JACKSON: That's just the smart thing to do. [The referee begins a count-out.] CONLON: You may be right. Both men have been landing a lot of offense all night without anyone gaining the upper hand... until now, Brandon Franklin looked like he was building some momentum, there. [At ringside, Iris Galiver accosts Allen with some instructions... or rather demands?] JACKSON: But now he can get back in the game after conferring with his better half, Iris Galiver. CONLON: What a strange, inhuman couple! JACKSON: How so? They're pretty relatable to me! CONLON: Are you serious? JACKSON: They're just like the wife and me! One's a child in an adult's body and the other spends way too much time putting on make-up! CONLON: True Stepford couple of uncanny valley. [In the ring, Franklin's been recuperating as well, impolitely inviting Allen to return to the fray.] JACKSON: If you want crazy, you got it in Franklin, Stan. CONLON: I'll grant you that one. JACKSON: Creepy clowns and vampires, only a nutcase would invite one in! [Comfortably before the ref's count of seven, Allen slides back into the ring. Franklin is immediately upon him, striking him with a knee to the ribs, an elbow to the nape. Barely slowed down, Chad Allen rises, absorbs a right, then a left!] CONLON: Eye gouge! JACKSON: Ow! That dug in deep! Franklin may go blind from that one! [The referee tries to step in, but the Jester ignores him and pushes him aside before grabbing his opponent's legs.] CONLON: Double-leg takedown! ... Freakout! JACKSON: Franklin didn't see that one coming! CONLON: That flurry of mounted elbows from Allen! JACKSON: Get it? 'Cause of the eye gouge? CONLON: Franklin's doing a fair job of protecting himself. JACKSON: No way he blocked everything, though! [Satisfied, Allen gets up, kicks the back of Franklin's head. He pulls him up, then knees him in the ribs.] CONLON: And another knee to the midsection. [Allen follows with a forearm strike, and another knee that stuffs Franklin into the turnbuckles.] CONLON: Franklin's trapped! [The Jester strikes again and again with his forearm, striking at Franklin's chest, his jaw, his temple, each blow hammering the Hardcore Icon lower and lower into the turnbuckles until Allen can only knee him in the head, club at the back of his neck, stomp at his gut.] CONLON: Relentless! JACKSON: Chad Allen's like a slasher pic come to life, Stan! [Allen points to Iris at the outside, like he's dedicating all of this to her. The Pretty Pretty Princess claps her hands, beams with anticipation. Suddenly, Brandon Franklin gets to his feet, staring straight at the Jester.] JACKSON: You just got whooped! Stay down, son! [Franklin motions for Allen to give him his best shot.] JACKSON: You're gonna make it worse, fool! [Whether it's with sadism or glee, Chad Allen grins, like the Hardcore Icon's fortitude a delightful surprise. The Jester throws a jab.] CONLON: Franklin responds with an elbow strike! [Allen throws an uppercut! Franklin staggers, pulls himself into the Wicked Clown and pummels him with three stiff elbow strikes to the left side jaw!] CONLON: Goodness, these men... they're not human! [Allen hobbles, Franklin measures him and winds up... then the Jester wraps his arms around his opponent, locks his hands...] CONLON: BELLY TO BELLY SUPLEX! JACKSON: Franklin won't get up as fast, now! CONLON: Allen's not going for the cover, though. So far in this match, Brandon Franklin has tried for a quick pin a few times, but not Allen. [Instead, Chad Allen knees down, puts one of his knees on Franklin's temple, then gradually applies more and more weight, crushing the Hardcore Icon's skull into the mat.] JACKSON: Not scientific, just sadistic. CONLON: And he has to laugh while doing it. Disturbing. [Battling through the pain, Franklin manages to throw up a punch at Allen's side, just enough to throw his off balance. Franklin rolls free from under his opponent grabbing his calf, forcing the Jester onto his belly.] CONLON: "Jester" Chad Allen's stuck in a half crab! [Franklin reaches for the other leg, but that only affords Allen enough wiggle room to reach for the cables to force the rope break. Allen's the first one to his feet, and he charges at Franklin, still trying to catch his breath. As Allen comes at him, Franklin drops to the mat, catches Allen's foot in a scissor and drop toe holds him face first into the bottom turnbuckle!] CONLON: If often doesn't look like Chad Allen feels much pain, but can he get his bell rung? JACKSON: I don't know, Stan. [Brandon tucks Allen's head between his thighs, hoists him up by the waist...] CONLON: PILEDRIVER! JACKSON: Guess we'll find out! [In an exhausted crawl, Franklin inches towards Allen's fallen form and drapes himself over it.] ONE! . . . . . . . . . . TWO!!!!!!!!!! . . . . . . . . . . THR....................HOULDER UP! CONLON: Unbelievable! JACKSON: If you drop a man on his head and he still stirs, what else can you do? [Slowly, Franklin gets up, pulling Allen up with him in a facelock. He jumps... and drills Allen head into the mat with a DDT!] CONLON: JAILBREAK! JACKSON: Does Franklin have enough steam left? He looks winded! [Franklin coughs, laboriously pulls Chad Allen up again, pulls him up on his shoulders...] CONLON: Brainwashed?... [Brandon's knee buckles, Allen slips out of the fireman's carry and down to the mat! CONLON: Brandon Franklin doesn't have enough fuel left to go the distance! JACKSON: Tank's empty! CONLON: The toll this match has taken! [Franklin tries to pull Allen into a fireman's carry again... but the Jester knees him in the head! From behind, Allen lifts up his opponent back first on his shoulder, jumps, then drops him head first on the canvas in an Awful Waffle.] CONLON: KIDDIE DRIVER! [Iris Galiver screams with delight!] JACKSON: That can only lead to early retirement! CONLON: Franklin's out, but so is Allen, it appears! JACKSON: Chad Allen would have this if he could roll over and pin the guy! Is he lying dormant? CONLON: Has the match taken too much of a toll for him as well? JACKSON: Do clowns even have tolls to pay? CONLON: I don't know, Pepper. But anyone familiar with these two men sees are the similarities. Both refuse to give up, both always come back for more... JACKSON: They both have the same finisher too, don't they? CONLON: "The Last Laugh" and "Brainwashed" aren't performed quite the same way, but to the untrained eye they may look nearly identical. JACKSON: Did you just call me untrained and ignorant? [Like an automaton, Chad Allen finally rises, then reaches down to pull up his opponent when Brandon Franklin reaches up around the Jester's neck, hooks and arm and a leg and rolls him into a...] CONLON: Schoolboy! ONE! . . . . . . . . . . TWO!!!!!!!!!! . . . . . . . . . . THR....................KICKOUT! [Deflated pop!] JACKSON: I actually thought he had him! [Chad Allen's immediately on his feet, rage in his eyes. He grabs Franklin and whips him into the turnbuckles!] *THOOCK!* [Allen runs and dives shoulder first into Franklin's abdomen!] CONLON: My goodness! JACKSON: He just crushed him halfway out the turnbuckles like he's mashing a potato! [Franklin falls slumping in the turnbuckles with a leg dangling out of the ring through the bottom two ropes, arms slung out of the ring on either side. Allen knees him in the head, then strikes at his temple with a forearm... and another... and another... and another!] CONLON: Relentless and without pity! JACKSON: Allen's going in! [The ref has reached the count of four, tries to pry Allen off, but to no avail. It's raining punches in the corner turnbuckles and the storms not coming to an end any time soon. Strike after strike, punch after punch, Franklin gets pounded into the turnbuckles.] CONLON: Brandon Franklin can't even protect himself! [Now well past the count of five, the referee tries to pull Chad Allen off of his opponent again, this time more insistently. The Jester turns, roughly shoves him away, sending the official flying halfway across the ring!] JACKSON: Can anything stop Chad Allen? * DING! - DING! - DING! * ["Jester" Chad Allen stops mid-swing, turns around... sees the official who, from his knees, signaled for the bell...] RING ANNOUNCER: Your winner... by disqualification... BRANDON FRANKLIN! [Allen and the referee lock eyes. The referee freezes for half a moment, then rolls out of the ring as fast as he can.] CONLON: Referee's running like his life depends on it! JACKSON: It very well might! [Allen walk - or rather stalks - after the referee, steps through the ropes and hops off the apron. He starts up the aisle after the official, but Iris Galiver joins him and stops him.] CONLON: It ends up as a win for Brandon Franklin, but not the kind of win he was aiming for. JACKSON: Of course not! The man's busted open! Bleeding all over the place! CONLON: True enough, Pepper. [Franklin is busted open. Not as bad as Jackson sees it, a trickle of blood flowing from his forehead and into one eye, but bleeding nonetheless.] CONLON: I imagine this isn't how Chad Allen hoped things would turn out either. [Weakly, Franklin finally frees himself from the turnbuckles, limps out along the ropes holding to the top one for balance.] JACKSON: Can't believe Brandon Franklin's still conscious! [Brandon Franklin wipes blood away from his eye with the back of his forearm, then motions at Chad Allen to come get some more.] JACKSON: My bad, he's not conscious. [From the aisle, "Jester" Chad Allen takes sight of Brandon Franklin... and smiles. Not just a smile, but sickening, evil grin of his...] [Fade to black.]
[The screen switches to show the following footage.] [We see the familiar backstage interview area of UPW and standing in front of it is Aaron "All Day" Lewis. Aaron is in his street clothes, which stands to reason since he isn't scheduled to compete. He has a microphone in his hand.] Lewis: Here we are, folks. Past the half way point in the journey toward the UPW World Heavyweight Title and I'm still in the mix. I know many of you out there worried because of what Chase Williams did at the end of Showdown, but I'm more than alright. [He laughs.] Lewis: Hell, I can go "all day" remember? [Another laugh.] Lewis: One thing it did tell me was that Williams is worried, he's scared. He sat at ringside and watched me perform and outwit Sandoval. He saw what is coming his way and he was afraid. [He pauses.] Lewis: You see dinosaurs like Williams think that being at the top is their birthrite. As if it is something handed to them at the beginning of a new federation because of their past achievements and successes. It didn't matter which one of us won between Felix and myself because both of us were new to him. Chase saw the future and was enlightened to the fact that he is obsolete. [He holds up a hand.] Lewis: Now don't get my wrong, Chase is a great competitor and one of the best big men in the business today for sure. However, he has been around forever! And that is why when he saw the way the fans were getting behind me. And he saw the way I was performing in the ring. Well, his mind had to begin asking questions of himself. [He raises an eyebrow.] Lewis: He had to question if he had the stamina at this age to outlast someone like me. Is this new breed of wrestler something I can really handle? And in the end, he went and reverted to a tactic that has been around since the days wrestling first hit the airwaves: he lashed out and attacked what he was afraid of. [He smiles.] Lewis: Don't worry, Chase. I fully understand your situation. I'd be fearful of someone younger, faster, and more talented as well. And I will be honest that facing someone with your size and stature brings a little catch in my throat and pucker to the Sphincter, but I'm looking forward to the challenge. [The smile slowly leaves his face.] Lewis: At least you had the balls to attack and do something. Unlike that coward Rick Styles. [He shakes his head unapprovingly.] Lewis: Styles showed nothing about why he felt he was above everyone else. All he did was show that his brand of arrogance doesn't deserve any credibility. He simply showed his entire character is branded by a streak painted yellow. [He points at the camera.] Lewis: Styles, you cheated me and the fans. You avoided a true test citing that you only wanted a title match and now I'm going to win that title. [A grins.] Lewis: And when I do, You will have to _EARN_ a shot. I will not just hand you one. I will teach you humility and to never take for granted what you have been blessed with. The fans deserve to see you in the ring, and I will someday give them that. And when I do, you will scream in pain and be forced to realize that your walk and your talk are both out of date. [He takes a breath before saying anything else.] Lewis: I'm ready for whatever comes my way because with the fans at my side, I can handle it and come out on top all day long! [He smiles before walking off as the screen fades to black.]
[We return to the Showdown Studio and our announce team at the desk.] SMITH: Aaron Lewis discussing his readiness for the World Title, among other things. This kid seems ready to take his moment and run with it. He really has been one of our breakout performers in UPW thus far. CHANEY: I agree with that, Gorilla, and I also must say that part of the reason that happened was the fact Rick Styles literally avoided facing off against him last Showdown. SMITH: Well that wasn't what Styles said he was doing, but... CHANEY: I know it wasn't what he said, but that is the perception of what he did. SMITH: OK, yeah, I can agree with that I guess. CHANEY: And now you have this young guy who had success in a smaller pond now getting his chance to shine on a grander stage against much stronger competition. SMITH: Exactly and his success could make him the face of the UPW moving forward. CHANEY: I can't believe you said that. SMITH: I know you are having trouble with it because I normally hesitate to ever call anyone the face of anything. I believe leagues are built from the ground up on talent, hard work, and with a great product in the ring and on the microphone. It really never should be about one particular guy. CHANEY: And yet Lewis? SMITH: Is one of three or four guys that have really stood out since UPW opened. CHANEY: Who are the others in your mind? SMITH: Well it is hard to deny guys like Glenn Chambers, Dylan Cardinal and Antonio De Luca as well. All of whom have a chance to supplant the veterans signed here to establish a new order in their line. CHANEY: But it is still early. SMITH: Yes, it is. There is so much talent here that it is amazingly deep. CHANEY: And that depth is not just in singles, but in the tag team division. SMITH: You got that right, Chaney. CHANEY: And our big tag match of the night is up next with The Warriors defending the UPW World Tag Team Titles against the Soldiers of the Sun. SMITH: The Soldiers bring that "freebird rules" idea to the table, even though it may not work that way after what we saw earlier between these teams. CHANEY: It certainly looked like Ricky Courage was odd man out of that special meeting. SMITH: And now we get to see what, if any, part that came to play in the match between them! CHANEY: The Tag Titles are on the line! Let's roll that footage!
[The footage begins as the World Tag Champs enter.] ["A Guitar and a Heart" by M83 blasts out in the KFC-Yum Center and out come the UPW Tag Team Champions, led by their manager, Sammy Sharifi. The trio walks to the ring, titles slung over their shoulers, showered by boos and popcorn.] CONLON: Here they are! JACKSON: I'll be right back, Stan. CONLON: The Tag Team Champions. ... Pepper? [The Warriors enter the ring, Sharifi follows suit with a pair of microphones. Big, bearded Kel Robertson motions for the music to be turned down and Sammy Sharifi raises a mic to his lips.] SHARIFI: Ladies... [The music may have stopped, the Louisville booing is still going strong. Sharifi clears his throat, begins again with a louder tone.] SHARIFI: PERSONS OF ALL IDENTITIES! It is not too late to join the revolution! Once again, Louisville has the chance to make its mark. For the first time ever, you all can choose to fall on the RIGHT side of history, for once! Please collectively snap your fingers for your Tag Team Champions, the leaders of the revolution, the future of wrestling... Kel Robertson and DeAwn Carter... THE WARRIORS! [Fans in Louisville do not snap their fingers in appreciation. They boo. Loudly.] CARTER: Rome wasn't built in a day. [With a microphone of his own, DeAwn Carter steps in.] CARTER: Similarly, the social justice revolution will be built one brick at a time. [He nods.] CARTER: Since it's Halloween season, let's tackle the issues of the day. I'm talking costumes. [Crowd groans.] CARTER: Louisville, show the world the example and STOP sexist, misogynist "sexy" costumes that objectify women. [Boos. Louisville seems to think sexy costumes is half the fun of Halloween!] CARTER: But if a strong, independent female bodied person decides to empower herself and wear a "sexy costume"... [Scattered cheers in support of women in sexy costumes...] CARTER: STOP OBJECTIFYING THEM, and STOP THE SLUT SHAMING! [Boos.] ROBERTSON: You damned misogynists should be ashamed of yourselves! CARTER: And speaking of costumes... Stop wearing offensive costumes that appropriate or stereotype oppressed cultures! No black face! No anime characters, no squaws, no geishas, no Indian murdering cowboys, no sombreros, no cross-dressing as a joke, no Donald Trump masks... in short, no sexist, racist or toxically masculine costumes! [More exasperated boos.] CARTER: Stop wearing costumes that make fun of real people, human traits or cultures, or costumes that reduce cultural differences to jokes, stereotypes or historical and cultural falsehoods! [Also, stop having fun.] CARTER: If you want to be leaders and role models, Louisville, you have to ACT like champions! [DeAwn proudly pats the golden belt slung over his shoulder, "The Hound" does the same.] CARTER: Set the example! Like us. Go beyond the gold standard. Embody... ... the rainbow standard! [DeAwn Carter beams with pride, Robertson nods in agreement. Both men raise their Tag Team Titles up high, garnering a rather negative response from the fans.] CONLON: These two athletes sure know how to make friends. [The Warriors hand their microphones to Sammy Sharifi who exits the ring. Now, the ring announcer takes center stage as "Black Star" by Yngwie Malmsteen begins to play.] RING ANNOUNCER: Their opponents, accompanied to the ring by Titan Juarez, at a combined weight of 470lbs... STRIKER KATO... ... RICKY COURAGE... ... THE SOLDIERS... OF THE SUN! [The masked giant emerges out from curtains and steps aside to let his teammates through; the handsome STRIKER Kato and the dynamic Ricky Courage who bursts out from behind him and jumps into the aisle, raising cheers as he raises his arms!] CONLON: The Soldiers of the Sun form a trio, ladies and gentlemen, but the two men who will be wrestling tonight are Kato and Courage. [Juarez and Kato walk towards the ring, but that's too slow for Ricky! He nearly sprints to the ring, enthusiastically slapping hands and rocking out with any fan willing to join in along the way!] CONLON: A unique blend of experience and raw talent in this team, a multi-generational reimagining of the original Soldiers of the Sun, Ricky Courage taking the place of Stevie Courage, his father. [Ricky greets more fans, exchanging more high fives, and circles the ring twice before Kato and Juarez catch up. The Japanese and Mexican veterans exchange a ringside handshake with Sammy Sharifi before STRIKER and Courage step within the squared circle to focus on their first championship opportunity.] CONLON: A historic moment in Louisville; the UPW Tag Team Championships are defended for the very first time! [At one corner of the ring, Kel "The Hound" Robertson steps over the ropes and into the ring while DeAwn Carter takes a grip on the tag rope. At the opposite corner, there's a lot of pointing. STRIKER and Titan point to the experience of Kato while Ricky excitedly points to himself!] CONLON: Enough debate, it seems the veterans give in and let their young protégé start the match. You can't bottle up that kind of energy. *DING! * DING! * DING!* CONLON: Here we go! [Robertson lunges, but Ricky Courage ducks, runs the ropes and charges at the Hound!] CONLON: Shoulder block! Robertson doesn't budge! [Ricky runs the ropes again, rebounds...] CONLON: Another tackle! Again Robertson doesn't give an inch! [Ricky turns, runs at the ropes... but Kel does the same, both men bounce off the ropes, meet in the middle...] CONLON: ARMDRAG! [POP!] CONLON: That threw Kel Robertson halfway across the ring and under the bottom rope! [A beaming Ricky gets to his feet and sees what he's accomplished.] COURAGE: YEAH! [The fans respond with cheers, and Ricky Courage soaks it in! He strikes an air guitar chord, fans burst in response. He strikes another... more cheers! He hops across the ring like Marty McFly shredding a solo and...] *THWAAACK!* CONLON: CARTER WITH THE TITLE BELT! Right at Ricky's head! [Louisville erupts in boos, Ricky Courage collapses, the referee motions for the bell.] *DING! * DING! * DING!* [DeAwn Carter vacates the scene of the crime, sliding under the bottom rope to Robetson's side. Sharifi joins them with the other belt and they make their way out, showered with boos.] CONLON: Was that the plan all along? I can't tell! [Titan and Kato get in through the ropes to check on the unconscious Ricky Courage.] CONLON: What a shameful title defense! JACKSON: Hey what'd I miss? CONLON: The match! RING ANNOUNCER: The winners, by disqualification... The Soldiers of the Sun! JACKSON: That's a surprise! CONLON: Where were you? JACKSON: Nature called! We don't air the first half of a match on TV so I figured I had plenty of time! CONLON: Turns out you didn't! JACKSON: Lemme see the replay... [Footage is shown of Courage arm-dragging Kel Robertson out of the ring.] CONLON: Arm drag; the perfect hold to use on a bigger man running at you. JACKSON: Whatever. [Replay shows Courage playing air guitar, and Carter getting visibly hot when he sees him.] JACKSON: What an obnoxious punk! [Carter hops off the apron, grabs his title belt then rolls back in before blindsiding Ricky with it.] JACKSON: Like smashing pumpkins on November first! Right on the ear! CONLON: Ricky Courage is barely regaining consciousness now! JACKSON: Yeah, well, you know what? If I was the champ and I saw the other team disrespecting me like that, I'd do the same thing, Stan. CONLON: I don't know. The Warriors can't lose the titles on a disqualification. Maybe Carter just wanted to take the easy way out. JACKSON: A pure athlete like DeAwn Carter? He's a true competitor, Stan, just like Robertson. You should think twice about slandering the champions like that! CONLON: True, I can't read minds. We'll have to let the footage speak for itself. [The Louisville crowd supportively applauds the Soldiers as Titan Juarez and STRIKER Kato help a staggering Ricky Courage walk out of the ring and to the back. When Ricky Courage raises a "thumbs up" close to the curtains, the fans give them one last cheer before they exit.] JACKSON: Meanwhile, word to the wise: if you have a championship opportunity, take it seriously. There's a time for fun and games can wait, Stan. Kids today, I swear, some of them just have no respect. No respect at all. [Fade to black.]
[We return to the Showdown Studio and our announce team at the desk.] SMITH: Well the advantage played out just like it should. CHANEY: The "beat the champs" rule? SMITH: Yeah! The Soldiers did get the win, but because it wasn't a pin or submission in the mmiddle of the ring, The Warriors are still the tag champs! That advantage of being champion is just too much in some teams' hands. CHANEY: And you have to wonder what this means to the Soldiers: will they be bolstered knowing they were a match-up the champs felt the need to get disqualified from, or will it be the kind of situation that causes a youngster like Ricky Courage to begin questioning himself and his team? SMITH: I don't think Ricky will question anything. He knows that Titan and Kato have his back, but the Warrios now have learned that winning the titles is the EASY part of tag team wrestling. Holding onto the straps is a whole difference ball game. CHANEY: And speaking of a new ball game, we want to take this moment to introduce a new talent coming to UPW. He goes by the name of "Marvelous" Marco Matters and he will be debutign in action on the enxt episode of Showdown! Let's take a look! SMITH: Yeah, let's get it.
[The screen switches to show the following footage.] [An orange yellow glow from the sun is what you see as the scene opens up to to New York's Central Park. In the distance a figure can be seen sitting on a bench.] [As you get closer you can see its a man with light blue jeans on black timberland boots and black and red under armor hoodie. The man looks up and it's a face known to some but not many, your own reflection is seen in his mirrored aviator sun glasses. The man proceeds to remove the glasses and it's none other then "Marvelous" Marco Matters the newest signing to the UPW. Marco takes a drag of a cigarette as he leans back and puts his arms length wise across the bench.] Marco Matters: "You know it's been a long time since I've had to do this." [A chuckle is heard.] Marco Matters: "Ever since the closing of UCW and then the closing of IW, I've just been bumming it around NYC and just hanging out in my 2.5 million dollar apartment on the west side." [He pauses.] Marco Matters: "For those who don't know that's where us elite live. Now it's time again for me to grace the wrestling world with my presence, now it's time for the UPW to see what real wrestling greatness is. Mr. Coulter reached out me with a contract offer, an offer to join the up and coming revolution of pro wrestling. Looking up and down the roster none of these names are known to me and I'm sure my name is not known to them, but I guess that's what you get for wrestling in Japan. This is not about money, i got money! Wrestling in Japan pays well but being away from the good ol USA is what I missed a country i gave my blood sweat and tears to for 5 years. You know being away at war takes it toll on you but it 100% makes you hardened man. Went in to the is army as a boy came out a man, just like it's supposed to do its a vicious cycle but one that works." [Marco sits up and pulls another drag from the cigarette) Now can I go on and on for days on end about the roster of this federation yea probably but what's the point actions speak louder words. And I plan on having that happen it's like we say in the army don't talk about it be about. ( a smirk comes over Marcos face.] Marco Matters: "Should I start out at the top right away? Yea probably but I got no issues making my bones again it gives the UPW time to something truly marvelous." [Marco stand up and takes one last drag of the cigarette and flicks it.] Marco Matters: "Every wrestler had a catchphrase I guess so here goes mine" [Marco takes off the aviator sunglasses.] Marco Matters: "'When nothing else matters, Marco Matters.' So go ahead start making signs and teeshirts action figures and what not because from this day forward it's a new era for the UPW the Marco Matters era." [Marco puts the aviator sun glasses back on and puts his hood up and his hands into the front pocket of his sweatshirt and begins to walk away. He can be seen reaching into his jeans pocket and pulling out a pack cigarettes and lighting one. As he exhales the camera watches the smoke rise into the sky and disappear into the rays of the sun.]
[We return to the Showdown Studio and our announce team at the desk.] CHANEY: There you have it Marco Matters and you have to believe some good things are on their way from this guy. SMITH: It will depend on who he gets matched up with in his first night out, but he seems liek someone driven to succeed and that isn't bad at all! CHANEY: Speaking of driven to succeed, or maybe just plain driven is a better word for it, Harrison Daniels III is up next in a match that would make anybody who tried to game plan go crazy. SMITH: How can you plan for someone as deranged as Frank Anthony? CHANEY: How can you call him deranged? SMITH: The man walks to the ring with an object that he literally calls his "pride!" This is a level of attachment to an inanimate object that we haven't seen in two decades since a wrestler spent a ton of time walking around with a mannequin head every week! CHANEY: But that doesn't really speak to his mental capacity does it? SMITH: Perhaps not literally, but it is a pretty good window into what is happening upstairs there. He is the kind of guy that you can't plan on doing anything but tryign to survive against. CHANEY: If anyone can, we see that Daniels could be that man. SMITH: Daniels has talent to go hold-for-hold with anyone. He can do it all and has every major move in his bag of tricks, but can he brawl with Anthony when Frank gets all bar-brawl crazy? I'm not so certain. CHANEY: Well only one way to find out, and that is to head to the tape!
[The footage begins with Harrison Daniels III grabbing Frank Anthony for an Irish whip across the ring and into the corner, and then rushing after him to hit a jumping splash right after Frank's back hit the turnbuckles.] CONLON: Harrison Daniels III taking the battle right to Frank Anthony once again! This is a classic battle already! JACKSON: Anthony is frenetic, dude has very little desire to show technical abilities. CONLON: Which has been contrasted by the great technique and quickness Daniels is showing. These two are just taking turns using their strengths on each other and it has this crowd excited. JACKSON: They certainly are, Stan, but Anthony is a cornered animal style of wrestler. He can snap at any moment! Like there! [Daniels grabs Frank again and whips him across the ring to the opposite corner and follows in again, but this time the bigger Anthony pushes his hands out and uses Daniels leaping momentum against him, sending him into the air and landing on the top rope at his stomach. The rebounding of the impact sends Daniels falling awkwardly out of the ring.] CONLON: GOOD GOD ALMIGHTY, FRANK ANTHONY TRIED TO DECAPITATE DANIELS ON THE TOP ROPE!!! JACKSON: To be fair, he just defended against that leaping splash again, but the air he got on the shove was impressive. CONLON: This is what you were talking about, Pepper. Frank Anthony's frenetic style, which is more akin to reacting and surviving, like right there. Now Daniels is outside the ring and his intestines must be jumbled after taking that drop over the top rope like that. JACKSON: Anthony is a man that can take punishment, Daniels is going to have to prove equally as tough if he wants to get the victory tonight. [Anthony sees what happens and steps through the ropes to head out after his prey. He drops down to ringside and lands a knee to the back of Daniels' head as the fans explode in boos.] CONLON: What a knee by Anthony! JACKSON: The man knows a lot about wrestling in his career, but the one thing he knows best is how to hurt somebody! CONLON: Both men are outside and the referee is counting at a deliberate pace. JACKSON: You can say that. I think I counted to three between his counts. [Anthony pulls Daniels up and whips him into the steel ring steps, causing the top part to separate off due to the impact. Anthony then has the presence of mind to interact with the referee to delay the mandatory count.] CONLON: DANIELS' HEAD AND SHOULDER SENT RIGHT INTO THE STEEL RING STEPS!!! Frank Anthony is looking to finish him off outside the ring! JACKSON: Nothing can be won out there, but I'm not sure Anthony cares. CONLON: It is funny to say this, but the safest place for Harrison Daniels just might be INSIDE the ring! JACKSON: True that! Anthony's level of dangers goes up ten fold out on the ringside area! [Frank finally turns from the referee, who now seemingly restarts his count at one after the delay, and pulls Daniels up and pushes Harrison's head between his massive thighs. He lifts and drops Daniels with a piledriver on the barely padded flooring as the fans erupt in boos.] CONLON: PILEDRIVER BY FRANK ANTHONY! JACKSON: Anthony is old school! How often do we see straight up piledrivers anymore? The guy is a throwback and Daniels is feeling every bit of it now! CONLON: I'm not sure Daniels is feeling anything! That was a move that can seriously impair somebody! JACKSON: I guess we'll find out, won't we? [Anthony looks over at that object he calls his "pride" and begins walking over to it. The referee again stops counting and leans through the ropes to warn Anthony about using it.] CONLON: Oh no! The referee getting involved again, this time to keep Anthony from using that mangled object. JACKSON: Has he ever actually gotten to use his "pride" yet? CONLON: No.....but why give him the opportunity. Look at that thing! It is all nasty and mangled. I have no idea where it came from, but there are so many jagged edges on it that it could cause real harm. JACKSON: Not to mention hideous scars on somebody's face! Damn! [Frank waves the referee off after a threat of disqualification and goes back to Daniels. He pulls Daniels up and lifts him into a powerslam position, seemingly as if he plans to put him back in the ring, only to drop him where his head bounces off the ring apron.] CONLON: Anthony still wants to use it. JACKSON: I told you he cares more about hurting people than winning a match. For crying out loud both men have been outside the ring for two minutes or more and yet no count out! CONLON: What are you trying to say? JACKSON: I'm saying Anthony is either very lucky or the referee doesn't want this match to end that way. [Anthony makes a face that makes it seem like he didn't mean to do that, but yet his laughing doesn't back it up. He finally pulls Daniels up and rolls him into the ring, following right behind under the bottom rope.] CONLON: Finally the men are back in the ring. JACKSON: And just a shade before the count of a hundred-forty, too! Alright! CONLON: Your sarcasm is well noted, Pepper. JACKSON: Thanks, Stan. I tried hard there. [Anthony pulls Daniels to his feet and then lifts quickly from the waist, landing a nasty belly-to- back suplex.] CONLON: BELLY-TO-BACK SUPLEX BY ANTHONY! JACKSON: That had some real force to it and now he goes for a cover! ONE! . . . . . . . . . . TWO!!!!!!!!!! . . . . . . . . . . THR....................KICKOUT! CONLON: DANIELS ESCAPES AS THE CROWD CHEERS HIS DESIRE TO KEEP FIGHTING! JACKSON: In the end, he may regret not just lying down and finishing this one off. CONLON: Why would you think it better for a competitor to stop competing? It doesn't make sense at all. JACKSON: It does when you start to see the alternative. Anthony is once again thinking about his prized possession and that is NOT good news for Harrison Daniels III. [Frank stares down the referee and shakes his head, then looks over at his "pride" and once again considers using it. He gets the rest of the way and starts walking over to it, but the referee cuts him off and warns him again about using the mangled object.] CONLON: Once again the referee is on top of things and is over to block Anthony's path to that metal object! JACKSON: Oh sure. He can't count to ten in more than two minutes, but he can rush over there in seconds to stop Anthony getting to his own property. That seems legit. CONLON: There are times, Pepper, when you sound more like Malcom Shabazz than our color commentator. JACKSON: That only happens when I make sense about some of the things I see which are, shall we say, questionable? [Suddenly Anthony is sent hurtling into the corner thanks to a running dropkick to the back by Daniels as the crowd erupts in cheers.] CONLON: DANIELS WITH A DROP KICK TO ANTHONY! He's still in this one! JACKSON: Only because of the referee's delays and help. [Anthony lumbers out of the corner and goes for a lariat, but Daniels ducks and grabs Frank, lifting him for an inverted atomic drop.] CONLON: ATOMIC DROP BY DANIELS! JACKSON: Anthony is feeling that one! Daniels is showing some fight, even though he was all but dead minutes ago. CONLON: Frank Anthony gave him far too much time to recover worrying about using the object he brings to the ring. JACKSON: That is his "pride," Stan. You never fully leave your pride when involved in a fight. [As Anthony grabs his lower region, Daniels follows up with a lightning fast DDT that gets a massive pop from the crowd as he hooks a leg and goes for the cover.] CONLON: DDT BY DANIELS! JACKSON: Quick cover! ONE! . . . . . . . . . . TWO!!!!!!!!!! . . . . . . . . . . THR....................ANTHONY RAISES A SHOULDER! CONLON: That was close! Anthony escapes and that was a lot like the early portions of the match when Daniels' technical skill got him several near falls on the bigger man. JACKSON: That skill is good to have, but as we have seen, sometimes size and sheer meanness can overcome when they survive the early onslaught. CONLON: Anthony has certainly proven that true, Pepper. JACKSON: It is like his anger carries him through inside the ring. [Daniels quickly jumps into the air and drops a legdrop on Anthony's neck. Daniels keeps the advantage by going to the corner and climbing to the top turnbuckle, and without delay he leaps into the air dropping a flying elbow drop on top of the larger man.] CONLON: ELBOW DROP BY HARRISON DANIELS! He takes to the air with ease! JACKSON: And now he grabs one of those giant legs and goes for another pin! ONE! . . . . . . . . . . TWO!!!!!!!!!! . . . . . . . . . . THR....................ANTHONY WITH A SHOULDER UP AGAIN! CONLON: FRANK ANTHONY CONTINUES TO ESCAPE! The size disparity between the two does make it tougher for Daniels to keep him pinned. That has to play a role here. JACKSON: That and Anthony is just a hard headed individual who doesn't feel pain like most of us do. CONLON: I can't disagree with you there. Anthony seems inhuman at times. JACKSON: Imagine if he wasn't constrained to a ring? Talk about blood baths that would harken back to the days of Ultimate death matches. Damn! [Daniels pulls Anthony to his feet and the moment he grabs the left arm to set up his next offensive move, Frank jabs his right hand at Daniels' face, gouging at his eyes.] CONLON: EYE GOUGE BY ANTHONY! Frank Anthony resorting to a cheap shot to regain an advantage. JACKSON: The guy does what it takes to stay alive in a match. Whether you like it or not, we all would be that way if in a tough spot. CONLON: I'd like to think I would be a tad more discerning than to act like that. JACKSON: Yeah right, Stan. You have never been in that kind of position in your life then. [Anthony whips Daniels into the ropes, and lifts his leg for a big boot, only to have Daniels grab the leg and use momentum to whip Anthony to the canvas with a dragon screw leg whip.] CONLON: DRAGON SCREW LEGWHIP BY DANIELS! JACKSON: The kid is doing a good job of staying in the match himself. CONLON: Daniels' technical skill is what is serving him in these moments, Pepper. JACKSON: That's true, but will it be enough to overcome? Anthony is no pushover, as we've seen. [Daniels grabs Anthony's legs and locks in a figure four leglock. The fans go nuts as Anthony begins to writhe in agony as Daniels is locking in as tight as he can.] CONLON: FIGURE FOUR LEGLOCK BY DANIELS! He has it in position, but is it locked in? JACKSON: I can't tell for sure. Anthony's legs are like giant ham hocks! I'm not sure Daniels has the ability to wrap them tight enough around his much smaller legs to get the torque necessary to get a submission. CONLON: That is true, but the positioning is still painful and can cause mobility problems and structural damage regardless. JACKSON: We'll see. Anthony's sheer size advantage is probably saving him right now. [The referee asks Frank if he gives in, but the reply is more about what Frank thinks the referee should do with himself later. Daniels continues to try and wrench the hold and cause more difficulty for Anthony.] CONLON: Daniels is still trying to add more to the hold, but those legs are just massive for him. JACKSON: We shouldn't talk about Frank like he is fat, but having five inches of height and sixty pounds of weight difference does make it tough to lock this hold on. CONLON: Daniels is trying his best and pushing on that foot for leverage as best he can. JACKSON: If e gets a submission, I'd be shocked. More likely he will just slow Anthony down even more, which won't really change much. [Daniels sits up and cranks on the foot he has hold of in this submission attempt. Anthony sits up as well and starts trying to flip the hold over. He is shifting back and forth, rocking the hold and his size makes it difficult for Daniels to hold on tight enough.] CONLON: Anthony trying to flip the hold over. JACKSON: If he does this, Daniels is in real trouble as it is a different ball game when the larger man has the advantage in the hold. CONLON: And that is probably why he is shifting back and forth to try and flip the hold. He can't escape easily and that size advantage makes this the easiest way to turn this around. JACKSON: Being fat makes you tough to kidnap and being a lot bigger than your opponent makes it tougher to submit you, ideally anyway. [Anthony eventually does flip the hold over, but Daniels ends up under the ropes and the referee calls for the break immediately. Frank's legs break out of the hold not by choice, but by the flip over anyway, so both men are down.] CONLON: ANTHONY FLIPS IT OVER! JACKSON: The hold breaks down quickly! Those legs were just so much larger that it all fella part as they rolled over! CONLON: And now both men are moving slowly and trying to regain their standing positions. And you have to imagine that their knees will not be feeling great. JACKSON: Anthony was slow to begin with, and that may have made him a sitting duck! [Daniels is first to get to his feet, while Anthony reaches and pulls himself up to one knee. Harrison rushes over and nails a running knee lift to Anthony's chin, but the big man doesn't do down thanks to having hold of the middle rope.] CONLON: DANIELS WITH A RUNNING KNEE! Anthony doesn't go down! JACKSON: Anthony is strong as an ox in many ways and that hand wasn't letting go of the ropes at all! CONLON: Harrison also seems to have used a lot of energy to rush for that knee lift. This battle has really taken a toll on both men! JACKSON: It has become a war of attrition and if it stays that way, I like Anthony's chances. [Daniels rushes again for a knee lift, but instead Anthony thrusts his left hand out in a fist and punches him directly in the groin, sending Daniels back to the canvas.] CONLON: ANOTHER CHEAP SHOT BY FRANK ANTHONY! JACKSON: What were you expecting? CONLON: I was expecting Anthony to fight like a man and not constantly cut corners. JACKSON: Oh please! [Anthony pulls himself the rest of the way up and feels around on his knees. Daniels is trying to get back to his feet as well and take advantage of this pause in offense by Anthony.] CONLON: Frank Anthony is not rushing into attack mode, but rather taking this moment to try and check those aging knees. JACKSON: He's no spring chicken, Stan. Those knees have been through war after war and he has to make sure that he can still function properly. [Daniels is up and rushes toward Anthony, who shocks everybody by catching a leaping Daniels and dropping him with a Spinebuster slam.] CONLON: MASSIVE SPINEBUSTER SLAM BY FRANK ANTHONY! JACKSON: He just dropped Daniels like he was a bag of laundry! That was sickening! CONLON: Anthony now with a clear advantage, and you have to wonder if he could finish this one off right now. JACKSON: I think he knows he can....and his "pride" could come into play for the finish! [Anthony gets back to his feet and looks over at his "pride" again, but makes no move toward it. Instead he reaches down and pulls Daniels to his feet and goes for an STO, turning it into an over the knee back breaker.] CONLON: HAMMER AND ANVIL! Anthony hits his favorite move and Daniels is in real trouble. JACKSON: Anthony hooks a leg for good measure as he pins him! ONE! . . . . . . . . . . TWO!!!!!!!!!! . . . . . . . . . . THRRRRRRREEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! CONLON: ANTHONY WINS IT! JACKSON: The match is over and Frank Anthony weathers the technical storm of Daniels before merging with the victory. CONLON: With help from some eye pokes, throat jabs, and groin shots....all of which are highly illegal, I might add. JACKSON: What matters most is that his arm is the one being raised. Everything else is crap! [The crowd erupts in boos as Frank Anthony is announced as the winner. Frank goes over and grabs the mangled object he calls "pride" and begins walking toward Daniels with it.] CONLON: Oh no! Anthony has that nasty object he carries around and is looking to use it on Harrison Daniels! JACKSON: Looks like the match was just the beginning! This could be fun to see what "pride" can do to someone! CONLON: You are sick, Pepper! JACKSON: No, I'm not! I'm just intrigued. That object looks like it could really cause damage and I want to see if it is as bad as I think it is. [The referee jumps between them and refuses to allow the attack as the fans boo loudly.] CONLON: The referee not going to allow it! Great thinking by one of our great UPW referees. JACKSON: What a spoil sport! Get out of the way and let the man go to work! [Frank finally shrugs and backs off, stepping through the ropes and walking away with his prized object in his hands.] CONLON: Now Anthony seems to have regained his senses and won't attack after all. JACKSON: After we saw what happened with Shabazz and his dealings with the referees, Anthony probably doesn't want to risk being thrown into a bad situation because of his desire to use "pride." CONLON: Either way, it is probably fortunate for Daniels that he backed off. JACKSON: It was for his face anyway. [Fade to black.]
[The screen switches to show the following footage.] [We now see a man backstage, dressed in pastel hot pink shirt and white pants. He has a couple of gold chains hanging around his neck and a pair of sunglasses on. In his right hand he holds a cigar, which he hasn't lit up because it is illegal to smoke inside enclosed areas these days. Next to him is Dyan Ciccarelli, the gorgeous UPW interviewer.] DC: Ladies and Gentlemen, with me now is "El Patron" Felix Sandoval. [Felix stands there, as if annoyed.] DC: Felix, after wrestling to grueling matches on the last Showdown, what do you think about the landscape of UPW and the depth of talent it has? [Felix looks over to Dyan with complete condescension.] FS: My thoughts? Chica, you don't want my thoughts. DC: Of course I do, that is why I'm asking. [He wags a finger at her.] FS: No, you don't. You see UPW was supposed to be a coming out party for the greatest talent in history, but it hasn't been the case. DC: But, I don't thi.... [He cuts her off.] FS: Shhhh, little dove. Allow the Big Boss to have his say, and perhaps I'll allow you to speak more when I have finished. [Dyan's brow furrows as Sandoval takes the microphone from her hand.] FS: As I was saying, the UPW was supposed to be something special, but it isn't special when the greatest talent in the entire world is standing right here doing an interview instead of wrestling in the ring out there. [He steps forward.] FS: I know their excuses. "Felix, you wrestled twice in one night." "Felix, our roster has grown and not everybody can get on the lineup." But it is crap! The truth is that you don't want this man out there whipping those of lesser stock. There isn't a man alive that can take me down for good. DC: (barely heard in background) Aaron Lewis? [Felix turns and stares at her angrily.] FS: What did you say? DC: Nothing? FS: I thought so. [He turns back around to face the camera.] FS: Lewis got lucky. Lewis only had one match that night, and I fought a war to move on first. I was a man fighting at barely sixty percent and he had not even been touched yet that night. It was a completely loco proposition. And it shows that the UPW doesn't want men like me rising up. They will stack the deck against you every chance they get. [He takes a breath.] FS: That is why I want to take what should be rightfully mine. In TTW, I was the greatest Television CHampion of all time, and I want to bring that pattern to UPW as well. I will be Television Champion, if for no other reason than to be on the screen so much it will make the puntas in the office choke every time they see me. [He has a small, treacherous smile.] FS: I don't care if they announce me as being in the match or not. I have never cared for the approval of others. A man in the position of life that I am does what he wants, when he wants to do it. Because of that, I will tell you myself that I will be in the ladder match next Showdown for that Television Title. [The smile is gone.] FS: I will also tell you that I will climb that ladder and grab on to what is rightfully mine and each of you will see just what I mean when I say "¡Soy el luchador más grande en la televisión en el mundo hoy! ¡El amor vive El Patron!" [He tosses the microphone over his head as he walks off, Dyan catches it with an incredulous look on her face.] DC: It looks like Felix Sandoval wants that Television Title, folks. Whoever is in the match better watch out. [Fade to black.]
[We return to the Showdown Studio and our announce team at the desk.] SMITH: I'll get to Sandoval in a second, Chaney, because I want to talk about Frank Anthony. CHANEY: Alright, go for it, Gorilla. SMITH: This guy has been discussed as a has-been. He's been called a man past his prime with no discernable wrestling skill. He has been looked down on, even by me just awhile ago, for his mental acuity. And yet the man is always finding a way to win and get his arm raised. CHANEY: What does that mean to you, big guy? SMITH: What it tells me is that this man is quite possibly the biggest dark horse in UPW. While we focus on the younger guys with less pedigree like Cardinal, Lewis, Chambers, De Luca... CHANEY: ...and Sandoval... SMITH: ...and Sandoval. This old man is knocking down every single person he gets put in front of him. He is a survivor and it could mean a shocking turn of events here in UPW where he could have the World Title belt at some point. CHANEY: Well you have to remember the way he got a win over Glenn Chambers. SMITH: Yes, but all that told me was just how devious he really is and that there is more going on than we all realize. And remember, next Showdown is HIS bracket in the World Title tournament and nobody should sleep on him at all. CHANEY: Impressive performance for Anthony tonight defeating a man who is set to be part of the UPW Television Title ladder match next Showdown in Harrison Daniels III. SMITH: It really was, and now we can bring up Sandoval because that is something Daniels and Felix have in common now: The chase for the TV Title. CHANEY: Sandoval has stated he will be part of the Ladder match next Showdown one way or another! SMITH: Strong claim considering the three men we already know will be part of that match: Damian Payne, Chad Allen, and Daniels. Talk about three guys I wouldn't rush into a match with under those rules and circumstances. And now he says that no matter what he will be part of it. Does that mean he will be the seventh man in the match? That could make it even more chaotic! CHANEY: Well Gorilla, it seems like chaos may be somewhat avoided as I just received a note confirming the identity of the last three men that will be in the UPW Television Title Ladder match on the next Showdown and the first name on that list is "El Patron" Felix Sandoval! SMITH: You have to think that name is on there due to the threat of being involved regardless. Probably a smart move, but the Television Title is an area he dominated in the past, so it could make for interesting action. CHANEY: There are two more names. The first on that list is Tripp Skylark! SMITH: Love that little guy! He got taken out after a great fight by Dylan Cardinal earlier tonight, but if you listened to anything he had to say during the past few weeks, you know his heart has always been for Television Championships. He is probably overjoyed with getting a shot in this match. CHANEY: And the final man in the Television Title, six-man ladder match next Showdown is....."Hardcore Icon" Brandon Franklin! SMITH: WOW! CHANEY: So the six men are Damian Payne, Brandon Franklin, Tripp Skylark, Chad Allen, Harrison Daniels III, and Felix Sandoval! One of them will be the new UPW Television Champion! SMITH: Just look at the heritage and talent put together in that lineup. You have guys with World Championship history. You have guys who are at home in chaotic and hardcore type of matches, which this will most certainly be. And you also have guys are used to shining on the big stage of televised events. It really looks good from my point of view and no clear favorite either! CHANEY: That is definitely going to be one to watch, and we hope you will tune in to Showdown when we crown that Television Champion. SMITH: We should just call the show "Showdown Chaos" at this point. CHANEY: (chuckling) Perhaps so. SMITH: Especially with everything that has gone down so far! CHANEY: Fans we have two more matches on the docket and both of them were complete hum- dingers! SMITH: Is that actually a phrase? CHANEY: Don't even start, my friend. SMITH: Ooooo, I'm so scared. (begins laughing) CHANEY: We have to show you the match between Caleb Foley and "Legionarius" Antonio De Luca because this match had all the makings of problems before this night even arrived. SMITH: Rumors had begun to spread about Liam Donegal and Adam Lazarus trying to get with Foley about helping attain some payback for The Dominion and their attack should they show up in this match. CHANEY: Donegal has been upset because he felt he was being allowed to be a pin cushion the last episode of Showdown with no help coming from backstage, so he wanted to try and change that not for Donegal, but for all those whom the fans cheer. SMITH: And we know that earlier in the show, Lazarus was seen watching The Dominion during their match. The question is would letting those men know they were being watched help keep Bishop and Donovan from stepping out and helping De Luca again if he needed it? CHANEY: The only way to know if Foley and De Luca had a straight-up match is to watch! Let's hit the tape and watch this epic encounter!
[The footage begins with Caleb Foley rushing Antonio De Luca.] [Foley sprints, leaps, hooks an arm out and nearly beheads Antonio De Luca with a massive clothesline!] CONLON: Big clothesline! JACKSON: Think I saw that one in one of 'em ISIS videos... CONLON: You didn't, but Foley's sheer speed does make his hooking clothesline particularly effective! [Caleb rolls over his opponent, hooks a leg] CONLON: We have a cover... ONE! . . . . . . . . . . TW....................KICKOUT! JACKSON: A Legionnaire doesn't go down that easy! CONLON: Indeed. This match has been an even split so far, no one able to take control and set the pace as of yet. JACKSON: They did try, though. Don't think I didn't notice Caleb Foley trying to focus on De Luca's back, tonight! [The Celtic Crippler leans down to pull up De Luca, but the Roman hooks him into a small package!] ONE! . . . . . . . . . . TWO....................NO! CONLON: Foley rolls into a counter, and now De Luca's shoulders are pinned! ONE! . . . . . . . . . . TW....................NO! De Luca lets go of the facelock and rolls out! CONLON: De Luca trying to take Foley by surprise, and it nearly backfired! JACKSON: Nearly paid off, too! [Both men spring to their feet, Antonio takes a swing, but Foley ducks and replies with a blow that sends De Luca staggering into the ropes!] CONLON: European Uppercut! [Foley leans in and wraps his arms around De Luca's waist, then drills him face first into the mat!] CONLON: GUTWRENCH DDT! De Luca's gotta be out! JACKSON: Ain't over 'til the fat lady sings, Stan. CONLON: Foley has to... Wait a moment! [A rumble of boos rustles over the Louisville crowd like a wind over a wheat field. Something up the aisle has caught their attention, Foley's as well; it's Dominion, slowly making their way down to ringside.] CONLON: Why am I not surprised? They already made their presence felt, tonight... JACKSON: Donovan and Bishop are only here to make sure no one cheats Antonio De Luca out of his hard-earned victory. CONLON: Are you kidding me? JACKSON: He look, we know Foley aims to win by hook or by crook. Hook didn't work, so what's left? CONLON: I've seen a lot of Caleb Foley matches, and at no time did he ever use any underhanded tactics. I'm certainly not comfortable with Dominion lurking around the ring, and I can't imagine he is either. [De Luca gets back to his feet, but Foley hasn't lost focus. As the Roman lunges, Caleb throws him off with a hip toss!] CONLON: There goes De Luca! [Foley cartwheels to his opponent then nails him in the face with a dropkick!] JACKSON: What a showboat! CONLON: Foley's got flash, but he packs a crash to match. JACKSON: Say that again ten more times real fast. [With Antonio supine on the mat, Foley climbs the nearest corner, bestrides the top turnbuckles with his hands and raises himself up into a handstand, drawing big cheers.] JACKSON: Showboatin' again! [Cheers turn to boos quickly when Lance Donovan hops up on the apron to shake the top rope.] CONLON: Hey! Get that man off the ring! [Foley almost loses his balance, but manages to safely drop down to his feet. He runs along the ropes and lariats Donovan off the apron and back down to the floor for a huge pop!] JACKSON: What's all this unjustified aggression about? CONLON: Foley's not going to made a fool of so easily! JACKSON: Lance Donovan was just trying to get the referee's attention! CONLON: Why would he even need to do that if not to mess with Foley? JACKSON: Maybe he had to warn the referee about Foley's loaded beard. CONLON: His loaded what? JACKSON: Stan, look at that red beard then tell me nothing looks suspicious to you. CONLON: It's a beard, Pepper. OH AND DE LUCA FROM BEHIND! [Huge boos when De Luca chop blocks Foley from behind, and the Celtic Crippler falls to the mat clutching his left knee. De Luca grabs Foley's boot, stretches out his leg and kicks at the knee and thigh.] CONLON: De Luca going to town on Foley's leg! JACKSON: Mobility was one of Rome's greatest strengths, seems like the smart thing to do to get the monopoly on that. [Antonio pulls on the leg, then hurls himself backwards in a spin.] CONLON: Dragon Screw! JACKSON: And that threw Foley right out of the ring! CONLON: Out of the ring and right between Bishop and Donovan! I don't like where this is going... [Rumbling boos come from the crowd as the Dominion looms over Foley, clutching his left leg at ringside. The referee begins the count-out.] ONE! . . . . . TWO! . . . . . THREE . . . [Sudden cheers erupt the moment a masked figure appears at the top of the aisle!] CONLON: IT'S ADAM LAZARUS! JACKSON: WHAT? I don't even understand how that man is standing after what Malcom Shabazz did to him! CONLON: It's the phoenix, Pepper. It just keeps rising again and again! JACKSON: Don't hit me with that voodoo mumbo jumbo, Stan! It ain't got nothing to do with rising from the ashes, it's the mask! It's cloth glued to a steel helmet, that's what! CONLON: Don't be stupid, Pepper! JACKSON: He got dropped head first on a steel post! He should be drooling in a cup, not struttin' to the ring! [Obviously, the referee interrupted his count. Mostly because Antonio De Luca went out of his way to point Adam Lazarus out to the official. With the referee otherwise occupied, Dominion seize their chance; Tyson Bishop pick up Caleb Foley and rolls him back into the ring, but not before braining him with a headbutt first!] CONLON: Oh, come on! JACKSON: Why you complainin'? Dominion's giving Foley a fighting chance instead of letting him lose by count-out! [That didn't escape Adam Lazarus' attention, however, and he leans over the railing to pick up a folding chair on his way down to the ring. Across the squared circle, Lance Donovan is feigning innocence.] CONLON: De Luca raises Foley in a vertical suplex... springboard... JACKSON: BAM! That's my favorite part! CONLON: He hooks the leg for the pin... ONE! . . . . . . . . . . TWO!!!!!!!!!! . . . . . . . . . . THR....................KICKOUT! CONLON: Foley's not giving up! [Lazarus arrives at ringside, but Dominion are ready to flank him, one man on either side, ready to pounce.] JACKSON: What now? CONLON: Mexican standoff at ringside.. [Meanwhile, De Luca grabs Foley's left leg and applies his...] CONLON: Achilles Tendon Ankle Lock! [A rustle in the crowd. Intrigued, Bishop and Donovan look behind them, towards the spectators parting to let a man through...] CONLON: ADAM LAZARUS??? JACKSON: WITH A BASEBALL BAT? CONLON: How can... JACKSON: OH MY GOD! Lazarus' secret isn't a steel helmet... IT'S AN ARMY OF CLONES!!! CONLON: What? JACKSON: EVERYTIME ONE OF THEM GOES DOWN, A NEW CLONE TAKES OVER! Don't you realize what this means? THIS IS HOW THE WORLD ENDS, STAN! THIS IS HOW THE WORLD ENDS! CONLON: One of them is obviously Liam Donegal. JACKSON: Oh. Right... Told you it was Donegal! [In the ring, De Luca still holds on to the ankle lock. Despite enduring great pain, Foley struggles to break free, but can't quite seem to do it.] CONLON: Foley still refusing to give up, fighting to stay in this match. JACKSON: Putting his long term health at risk in the process. [Outside the ring, it's Dominion's turn to be caged, one Lazarus with a chair in front, one with a bat at the rear. The second Lazarus pulls off his mask and throws it to some cheering fans, revealing that he is indeed Liam Donegal.] CONLON: Donegal and Lazarus sending the message tonight. They are not going to stand for the antics of Malcom Shabazz, they're not going to let Dominion get away with them either! [Fighting through the pain inch by inch, Foley manages to grab a hold of the bottom rope, forcing De Luca to break off the ankle lock.] CONLON: Foley's free! JACKSON: But at what cost? [Foley uses the ropes to pulls himself to his feet, turns around and...] -THWAAACK!- CONLON: Big knife-edge chop from the Legionarius! [De Luca pushes Foley into the ropes, whips him into the opposite direction. grabs him on the rebound in a tilt-a-whirl...] CONLON: HURRICANRANA BY FOLEY! My goodness what a counter! [De Luca's shoulders remain pinned under Foley's folded knees and the referee goes for the count!] ONE! . . . . . . . . . . TWO!!!!!!!!!! . . . . . . . . . . THR....................DE LUCA KICKS OUT! [Deflated pop from the crowd.] CONLON: Almost! [De Luca springs to his feet, angry at being taken by surprise, immediately stomps a boot into Foley's gut. He pops a knee into the Celtic Crippler's jaw then takes the Irishman down to the mat with a drop toe hold.] CONLON: De Luca floats into a kneebar, now, going after Foley's knee again. JACKSON: No idea what he's doing but it's impressive, and it's working. [At ringside, the arms race picks up; Dominion obtain chairs of their own and the stand off continues, four men tensely sizing up each other as Foley struggles to escape the hold that traps his leg.] CONLON: I am not liking this ringside situation, Pepper. With all these bats and chairs being waved around, it feels like a ticking time bomb. JACKSON: We've reached the point of mutually assured self-destruction. It's kept every nuclear nation in the world in check for decades. CONLON: Let's hope the same is true in UPW. But Foley's maneuvered to a position where he can fight back, now! [Fighting through the pain, Foley wiggled himself free enough to land some awkward punches at De Luca's head, not the kind that'll get a KO, but the kind that deals just enough damaged to make a man break a hold. Legionarius rolls away, kips up, then catches Foley off guard with a Shining Wizard!] -THAAACK!- JACKSON: That should have kicked that ugly red beard right off! [De Luca pulls up his opponent, applies a Cobra Clutch, lifts Foley off the mat and slams him down!] CONLON: Eagle Eye! Things taking an awful turn for Foley, now... JACKSON: This one's over right here. CONLON: De Luca's going for the cover! ONE! . . . . . . . . . . TWO!!!!!!!!!! . . . . . . . . . . THR....................SHOULDER UP! [POP!] CONLON: Foley's still alive! JACKSON: Not for long at this pace! [De Luca's frustrated, but not enough to let up. He pulls Foley up to his feet, knees him in the abdomen, tucks his head between his thighs then hoists him over his shoulders by the waist...] JACKSON: Oh here it comes! CONLON: Antonio De Luca setting up the Blood and Sand... FOLEY FREES AN ARM! [Hoisted up in the air, Foley uses his free arm to elbow at the Legionarius' head, rolls forward off De Luca's back and grabs his legs to roll him into a Sunset Flip! Crowd pops expectantly...] CONLON: Here's the pin... ONE! . . . . . . . . . . TWO!!!!!!!!!! . . . . . . . . . . THR....................NO! CONLON: De Luca breaks out! JACKSON: No matter what Foley tries, De Luca's not falling for it! [Antonio gets to his feet first and charges.] CONLON: Running knee connects! JACKSON: Right on that red melon! [De Luca's had enough. He hooks Foley up, raises him high...] CONLON: TIGER SUPLEX Jackson: I don't know a million moves, but I know this one, Stan. It's called the Italian Suplex. CONLON: As De Luca calls it, yes. Jackson: Get it right, scrub. [De Luca presses Foley's shoulders to the mat, hooks a leg...] ONE! . . . . . . . . . . TWO!!!!!!!!!! . . . . . . . . . . THR....................SHOULDER UP! [POP!] CONLON: Caleb Foley not giving up! [Outside the ring, the tense truce between Dominion and Donegal/Lazarus holds up. Inside, Antonio De Luca is getting increasingly frustrated. He grabs Foley by the hair and punches at his forehead before picking him up.] CONLON: Foley thrown into the ropes... ducks under the clothesline... SPRINGBOARD DDT!!! [HUGE POP!] JACKSON: How in the world did Caleb Foley even manage that? CONLON: Who knows? But he did! JACKSON: He can't get to the cover, though. CONLON: Is the tank empty? He's struggling to his feet... [The Celtic Crippler hobbles to his feet, massages his ailing left leg as he waits for De Luca to follow suit. As soon as he does...] CONLON: SPEAR! [Foley hobbles close to where De Luca lays prone, still favoring his left leg, lunges in the air...] CONLON: Irish Blessing! Foley barely landed that moonsault! JACKSON: He didn't get all of it! I repeat, he did not get all of it! CONLON: Some height was missing, but that was still two hundred pounds crashing on top of De Luca! The Roman's in trouble here, you know "Air Dublin"'s coming right up! [Caleb Foley measures the ring, hobbles in position, vaults into the ropes with a handspring... CONLON: MY GAWD!!! [... and vaults over the lowered ropes and crashes out of the ring in a heap!] CONLON: DONOVAN PULLED DOWN THE ROPE! JACKSON: FOLEY FLEW RIGHT OVER IT! [All hell breaks loose!] -THOCK!!!- CONLON: DONEGAL JUST HIT DONOVAN ACROSS THE BACK! JACKSON: With a baseball bat! SOMEONE ARREST THAT MANIAC! CONLON: Oh and here comes Bishop! [Donegal turns and narrowly dodges Bishop's chair! Bishop swings again, Donegal tries to block...] -THWANNG!!!- [The resulting impact sends the bat flying towards the timekeeper's table, narrowly missing the official!] CONLON: My goodness, that could've hit a fan! JACKSON: You gotta respect Bishop's strength, though. You do NOT want that boy swinging a chair at you! [Bishop has Donegal cornered, he sizes him up, winds up... then gets dropkicked into the fencing by Adam Lazarus for a huge pop!] CONLON: Complete chaos out here! Referee's trying to keep this situation contained but no luck so far! JACKSON: Contained? He should be counting out Foley right now! [Liam Donegal stomps a mudhole into Donovan while Lazarus takes a moment away from the brawl to check up on the Celtic Crippler.] CONLON: I hope Caleb Foley's not injured, 'cause that type of catastrophic fall could end a career! JACKSON: If only... [Bishop's back on his feet and he knocks down Adam Lazarus with a shoulder tackle!] JACKSON: It's like Lazarus was hit by a freight train! -THAAACK!!- CONLON: Roundhouse kick from Donegal and down goes Tyson Bishop! JACKSON: I bet that boot's loaded, Stan! CONLON: With a foot and years of practice, maybe! [Donegal helps his mentor up to his feet... -HOLY MOLY POP!- ... and Antonio De Luca crashed on both of them!] CONLON: ANTONIO DE LUCA, FLYING OVER THE TOP ROPE AND NOW EVERYONE'S DOWN! JACKSON: Mutually assured self-destruction. Didn't I tell you? Didn't I tell you? [Slowly, Lance Donovan gets to his feet. He picks up Liam Donegal and whips him back first into one of the ringside fences. The Adonis takes a running start and clothesline Donegal over the fence and into the front row spectators!] JACKSON: That should take care of Donegal! CONLON: That's it. Referee's given up on this whole thing and here comes security! [Bishop pulls up Adam Lazarus... whips him towards his partner and right into Donovan's waiting arms!] -THUUUMP!- CONLON: SPINNING SPINEBUSTER! JACKSON: Right on the unforgiving floor! No give at all! Lazarus won't get a clone down here fast enough to save him now! [Security starts to surround both members of Dominion, De Luca too, while the referee finally gets a chance to safely take a closer look at Caleb Foley's condition.] CONLON: Crazy chaos broke out, the entire match has been thrown out, but I think things are finally settling down, here. JACKSON: WAIT! [Donegal leaps off the top of the fencing and lands a double clothesline on Bishop and De Luca!] -POP!- CONLON: I spoke too soon! Donegal's back in this, and now security's struggling to keep everyone separated! [Through the swarm of security men, punches are thrown, kicks are attempted... then suddenly Lance Donovan breaks free and knocks Donegal down with an elbow!] JACKSON: No mere mortal can keep Dominion contained, Stan! [Donovan pushes a security guy away, sizes up a kneeling Donegal...] -THWAAAACK!- [HUGE POP!] CONLON: ENZIGURI! CALEB FOLEY WITH AN ENZIGURI FROM OUT OF NOWHERE! [Down goes Donovan, up goes Donegal. Lazarus shoves off security and jumps at Antonio De Luca, landing with a Lou Thesz Press and a flurry of punches!] JACKSON: What's going on, here? Do we need the police to show up? [Foley lands a series of punches on Tyson Bishop, then Irish Whips the big man into the corner fences! Being heftier, Bishop doesn't quite go over, ending up draped back first over the fence.] JACKSON: Someone stop this! [Liam Donegal breaks free, hops up the apron, runs along the ropes and leaps off!] CONLON: DIVING ELBOW! DIVING ELBOW RIGHT ON BISHOP! [Both men crash over the fence sending the nearby spectators scattering!] JACKSON: UPW's gone mad, Stan! [Security has finally managed to separate De Luca and Lazarus. As they drag the masked legend away, Lance Donovan charges in and tackles him to the ground, security running after the two men to try and separate them.] CONLON: Here comes De Luca, and he's got a chair! JACKSON: Whatever he does with it, it's self defense! [Antonio takes a swing at Caleb Foley, but the Irishman ducks, leaps in a spin kick and knocks the chair out of De Luca's hands!] CONLON: De Luca with an eye poke! -THOOM!- CONLON: And he follows up with an European Uppercut! JACKSON: I can't even keep up with what's going on, here! Where are Donovan and Lazarus? Last I saw they were up the aisle! CONLON: I guess they're backstage, by now. JACKSON: And look! Bishop and Donegal are way up there in the crowd, still throwing punches at each other! CONLON: I hope no one gets caught in the crossfire! [Foley and De Luca are in a tie up, and a swarm of security personnel pulls and pushes at them, shoving them away from the ring and up the aisle, failing to separate the two men. No cameraman can find Dominion, Lazarus or Donegal, only crazed fans cheering on the chaos.] CONLON: Good Lord, security's taken these men away, but I don't think anything's has been settled! JACKSON: Settled? All I've seen is new grudges coming to life! CONLON: What will be the consequences of what we've witnessed, Pepper? JACKSON: All I know is Antonio De Luca and Dominion are here to dominate! CONLON: Foley, Donegal and Lazarus don't seem inclined to let them. JACKSON: Not sure that matters, Stan. If security hadn't come down to save some skins, dominate is exactly what Dominion would have done. [Fade to black.]
[We return to the Showdown Studio and our announce team at the desk.] SMITH: ALL HELL BROKE LOOSE!!! CHANEY: Well one thing you know now is that Liam Donegal is a man of his word and won't take anything from anybody! SMITH: That is not what you expected from Donegal. I know he was upset, but this entire night he has gone on offense and you have to like that about him. he isn't sitting back waiting for something to happen to him. CHANEY: And because of this, Caleb Foley is not a winner in this match. SMITH: But he isn't a loser either, and I assure you had things played out as The Dominion planned he would have been a loser in the match AND probably roughed up worse than Donegal last Showdown. CHANEY: As you can see, The Dominion are here to stay, it seems. Now we know that anytime you see one of those names scheduled, you can probably expect all three to somehow be involved. SMITH: And to be honest, that is how greatness usually lifts itself up. All the great groups watched each others' backs and made sure they had upper hands at every turn. I expect all three of them to benefit each other and it will probably lead to a lot of titles down the road. CHANEY: And speaking of titles, we have finally come to our main event of the evening. The UPW World Heavyweight Title Advancement Match! "The Basilisk" Dylan Cardinal facing off against Jeff Keenan with the winner advancing to the Fatal Four-way for the belt! SMITH: Cardinal was not a surprise in this spot, but I think many were shocked when veteran Jeff Keenan upset the man many have come to love in UPW, Glenn Chambers. CHANEY: It was probably a shock to Cardinal himself, considering he went out of his way to try and get into Chambers' head early in the evening. SMITH: And now you have to throw all you planned out the window and face off with somebody who is back to top form. And top form for Keenan is pretty damn good. CHANEY: He dominated leagues nearly two decades ago, and now he is back to showing the kind of skill that got him there. SMITH: This one is going to be absolutely great and I can't wait to see it! Let's get that tape rolling now! CHANEY: Go to it, guys!
[The following taped footage begins to roll.] [The footage begins with Dylan Cardinal sliding up to Jeff Keenan in the corner and throwing stiff jabs into the side of the former World Champion's head. Each jab causing Keenan's arms to fly out as if his entire body is being rocked.] CONLON: Cardinal REALLY unloading on Jeff Keenan, Pepper! JACKSON: Those fists are like jack hammers! Each one messing up those marbles in Keenan's head! CONLON: These two have gone back and forth and I never would have thought it possible with the battles they both had to get here. JACKSON: Been a long night for both men, and they are making it worse with every punch! [Cardinal pauses and coils back, unleashing a strong lariat that misses as Keenan ducks. Keenan fires a hard chop to the taller man's chest as the fans give the pavlovian response of "WOOOO!"] CONLON: Keenan firing back yet again! These two have no quit in them! JACKSON: This is a big match, you expect that, right? CONLON: Of course, especially from Keenan since he has held that brass ring before. JACKSON: It's a gold belt, unless Keenan is literally so old that it was a brass ring when he first held a title. [After the third chop, Keenan grabs Cardinal's arm and shoots him into the ropes, dropping his head and sending Cardinal high into the air with a back body drop that causes "The Basilisk" to bounce off the mat on landing.] CONLON: BIG BACK DROP BY KEENAN! JACKSON: Cardinal is tall, but I don't think he willingly goes that high very often! Wow! CONLON: Jeff Keenan doing what he does best, staying in control and finding a way. JACKSON: Just like he did earlier against Chambers, though I swear Chambers got freaked out by running into Cardinal backstage and quit to avoid this match. [Keenan is fired up and rushes over, but Cardinal slithers out of the ring and stands outside near the fans as Keenan motions at him, taunting him to re-enter the ring.] CONLON: CARDINAL TO THE OUTSIDE! You want to talk avoiding, that is exactly what Dylan Cardinal did right there! JACKSON: It is a smart strategy, and one thing we all know about Cardinal is that he is a master at planning what happens in that ring. CONLON: You can say what you want, Pepper, but Cardinal wanted no part of Keenan this second. He wants to cool him off a little. JACKSON: Always good for a time out here and there when it can help you. [Keenan starts to exit the ring, but is stopped by the referee, who says they need a winner and that Cardinal should get inside the ring. The fans cheer the referee for forcing this and the smirk on Cardinal's face disappears as is ordered back in.] CONLON: The referee is ordering Cardinal back into the ring! JACKSON: He can't do that! If Cardinal wants to stand out there and even get counted out, that is his right to do so! A referee cannot force a man into the battle against his will! What is wrong with this place?!?! CONLON: His point is valid, this is an advancement match and we truly need a winner. If Keenan had exited the ring, we risk a double count out and nobody moving on. JACKSON: This kind of stuff pisses me off. [Cardinal slides in under the bottom rope and stands up in the corner just in time to be drilled by a hard right hand from Keenan. Keenan pounding away as the crowd actually cheers his attack.] CONLON: Keenan taking advantage and pummeling "The Basilisk" with fists! JACKSON: Cheap and effective. If he loses, Dylan should formally file to get this referee fired. CONLON: He won't file anything. Cardinal and Keenan both would want to win in the ring anyway. JACKSON: Whatever. A win is a win, and this referee is playing God with this match. [Keenan grabs the arm and whips Cardinal across the ring and into the opposing corner as hard as he can. Dylan hits with massive force and stumbles back toward Keenan, who leaps and nails a roundhouse kick right to the jaw of the reptilian grappler.] CONLON: ROUNDHOUSE KICK BY KEENAN CONNECTS FLUSH! JACKSON: You see the spit go flying out of Cardinal's mouth! Damn! Keenan going for another cover! ONE! . . . . . . . . . . TWO!!!!!!!!!! . . . . . . . . . . THR....................KICKOUT BY CARDINAL! CONLON: Cardinal escapes the pin yet again, and Jeff Keenan is turning back the clock tonight folks! JACKSON: He certainly is! You would think this was the late-nineties Shootfire-Pro right now! CONLON: I'm not sure Cardinal expected Keenan at all, so perhaps his game plan was for Chambers and this has him a little askew. JACKSON: Its possible, but Cardinal isn't dumb. He would be ready for anything. I just think Keenan has been balls-out awesome tonight. [Keenan grabs Cardinal by the ear and gets him up to his knee before hauling off and kicking him right in the groin area. Jeff sneers as he grabs the right wrist and begins twisting the long arm and forcing Cardinal back to his feet with the arm bar.] CONLON: Keenan working that arm over pretty good. He's been focusing on it almost all evening. JACKSON: So much of what Cardinal does is based from using his length and reach advantages in there. Keenan is trying to negate some of that. CONLON: It seems to be working as he is almost grounding Cardinal by his arm! JACKSON: Think of it this way, you can't do a full-on LD50 if one arm is too hurt to hook an arm under for it. [Keenan again twists on the arm and wrist as Cardinal seems to be feeling some pain from it. Jeff yanks down hard and jerks on that right shoulder. Keenan pulls it tighter and even head butts the arm just below the shoulder to add difficulty for Cardinal's arm.] CONLON: KEENAN GOING MIDEVAL ON CARDINAL'S BICEP! JACKSON: That bruise is going to fester, Stan! Keenan is making sure that if Dylan does use that arm, he won't feel good trying. CONLON: Your right on with your thoughts on a reduced chance of an effective LD50. Keenan seems to have scouted well. JACKSON: Would you expect anything less from a man like Jeff Keenan? I think not. [Keenan yanks hard on the arm again as Cardinal winces in pain. Jeff yells out "Watch This!" as loud as he can before using the awkward arm bar hold to lift Cardinal up and over for a suplex out of that arm bar. Cardinal lands awkwardly, but Keenan doesn't let go of that right wrist and remains in control.] CONLON: KEENAN USES THAT STANDING WRIST LOCK TO LIFT AND SUPLEX CARDINAL OVER!!! JACKSON: And he still has control of the arm! That has to hurt like hell! CONLON: Keenan showing some of his technical skills now and Cardinal's arm may not work right again tonight. JACKSON: If that is the case, there will be a ton less fear of Cardinal moving forward. [Keenan pulls the arm out as Cardinal lays on the canvas and then he leaps in the air to land a standing legdrop on the exposed arm. Cardinal immediately pulls the arm back in considerable pain, feeling that elbow joint first off.] CONLON: Keenan with a leg drop on that arm! He may have broken it in half! JACKSON: Well I doubt that, Stan, but I do think that elbow looks swollen a little already! CONLON: Cardinal is in serious trouble and those were words I didn't expect to utter tonight, Pepper. JACKSON: I hear ya! [Keenan taunts the crowd a little before going back over to Cardinal and pulling him up by the ear again. He grabs him from the side and plants him back down to the canvas with a side Russian Leg Sweep.] CONLON: Russian Legsweep by Keenan and Cardinal is down again! JACKSON: Fighting fire with fire, Stan. Keenan knows that you have to take away the striking ability of a snake to have a chance of taking it down. CONLON: He won't be throwing a lot form the right side now, that is for sure. JACKSON: This match may have an affect on Cardinal's entire career moving forward! That is truly saying something! [Keenan quickly down and he grabs that right arm again, pulling it back into a hammer lock behind Dylan's back. He continues holding it down and pushing Cardinal's chest down against the canvas, wrenching it up in a nasty fashion that makes his shoulder blade stick up disgustingly.] CONLON: Look at that arm bar hammer lock! Cardinal's arm looks like it could come off any second! JACKSON: Keenan would love that because he could beat Cardinal with his own arm! CONLON: It looks like Keenan is going old school mat wrestling now! He's driving knees into the ribs! JACKSON: Good God that looks nasty! [Keenan steadies against the trapped body of Cardinal and then begin driving his knee as hard as he can into the ribs of the bigger man. He does this several times and the crowd even counts along until he hits the eighth knee strike to the ribs.] CONLON: Finally Keenan is done with knee strikes and he rolls him over for a pin! ONE! . . . . . . . . . . TWO!!!!!!!!!! . . . . . . . . . . THR....................CARDINAL WITH A SHOULDER UP!!!!! JACKSON: Cardinal escapes, but he'd be the winner in the Octagon because they have outlawed defenseless strikes like that. Look at the welts on Cardinal's rib cage on that side! Damn! CONLON: He's breathing heavily as well. JACKSON: Probably every breath hurts, too! [Keenan again goes for that right arm and grabs the wrist, pulling Cardinal back to his knees and wrenching the arm straight out in the standing arm bar again.] CONLON: Keenan back to the arm bar again! JACKSON: That entire right side is messed up on Cardinal. Not a good look for the big man. CONLON: And Keenan knows he has total control right now. JACKSON: He really does! Look at that face! [Keenan looks up at the crowd with a sly grin, as if in total control, until the grin disappears into a contorted face in pain as Cardinal throws a left jab to the upper thigh.] CONLON: CARDINAL TRYING TO BREAK FREE! JACKSON: But having to use the weaker hand to do it! Will this be enough? CONLON: A snake always seems to escape tight spots when cornered. JACKSON: Most of the time, but not if half their body is busted up. [Cardinal hits another left jab, this time not on the thigh but closer to the knee joint and it dislodges the arm bar. As Keenan reacts, Cardinal springs up and jerks both hands up and hits a throat thrust with his hands.] CONLON: SNAKE BITE BY CARDINAL! He hit that throat thrust and finally counters Keenan! JACKSON: He did, and these two have attacked in every way to stay alive in the chase for the UPW WOrld Heavyweight Title. CONLON: But both are using illegal blows to do it as well. Keenan has used low blows, Cardinal has just thrown that throat thrust. Both men are willing to stoop low to win and that is sad. JACKSON: No, Stan. Both men are willing to do whatever it takes to win. That is called having the will to win. [Keenan stumbles back holding his throat and Cardinal again throws left jabs to the face over and over before he reaches out and lifts Keenan onto his back and drops him with a Samoan Drop.] CONLON: SAMOAN DROP BY CARDINAL! JACKSON: But you can tell his shoulder and arm didn't react well to it. CONLON: Fighting through pain is what champions do, Pepper. Cardinal is trying to move on and will have to suffer to do it. JACKSON: Yes, he will. Both of them will. [Cardinal's face shows his anger as he begins to stomp Keenan over and over. Jeff tries to move, but gets met with a large boot to the back, ribs, chest, arm, whatever is exposed as he stomps. Cardinal refuses to end the stomping and is on full attack.] CONLON: CARDINAL IS A MAN POSSESSED!!! STOMPING AWAY OVER AND OVER ON KEENAN, WHO JUST WANTS TO GET AWAY FROM HIM! JACKSON: Cardinal is not letting up and I don't know if that is the only way to avoid thinking of his own pain, or if he is just that angry? CONLON: Either way, Keenan is now the one in trouble as Dylan Cardinal is performing his own solo edition of stomp! JACKSON: That was a bad reference even for you, Stan. C'mon man, tighten up your game. [Finally the referee throws his arms out to get Cardinal to pause and Keenan rolls over, only for Cardinal to slowly drop a knee right into the forehead of his opponent. Keenan's legs fly up like he was just shot in the head.] CONLON: Cardinal back to his methodical ways, dropping the knee square on Keenan's forehead! JACKSON: That is actually a pretty dangerous move, too! You can kill somebody that way! CONLON: Cardinal would probably argue self defense for how he was getting torn up moments ago. JACKSON: Both of these men are simply tearing at each other over and over. And considering it is their second match of the night, you have to give them props for going this hard! [Cardinal stands back to his feet and pulls Keenan up as well. He takes Keenan's arm and whips him into the corner, following him in with a clothesline against the turnbuckles.] CONLON: CLOTHESLINE IN THE CORNER BY CARDINAL! JACKSON: Keenan in serious trouble now. Cardinal has the advantage and seems willing to shrug off all the pain his right arm must be feeling. CONLON: He's feeling it. You can see him wince and he just touched the shoulder. He just doesn't care, it seems! JACKSON: Talk about putting your pants on and doing some work! Go on, big guy! No pain! [Dylan refuses to back off as the referee requests, burying his left shoulder into the gut of Keenan and into the turnbuckles. He does this five times, but on the fifth time, he does it with the right shoulder and he winces from pain, obviously still recovering from the arm bars earlier.] CONLON: CARDINAL WITH A SERIES OF SHOULDER BURSTS IN THE CORNER!!! JACKSON: But he felt that last one! Sometimes you get caught in the moment and forget which one is hurt. CONLON: Well he isn't forgetting now. JACKSON: I would think not. If Keenan is smart, he'll jump on it. [Keenan sees the wince and throws a jab, but Cardinal swats it away and then hits a straight elbow thrust to the face that knocks Keenan back into the corner again as the fans begin to boo Cardinal in a big way again.] CONLON: Keenen turned away again! He tried right there, Pepper! JACKSON: Yes he did. Right idea, bad result. Thing is he tried and that means he still has something left in the tank. That could mean a lot as we move forward! CONLON: It could mean everything, especially if Cardinal ends up running out of steam due to the hurt shoulder. JACKSON: Exactly! [Cardinal gets the fans even more irate as he grabs Keenan and push his face against the top rope, rubbing it back and forth against the rope. The referee rushes in to break this up, but Cardinal continues until the count of five before blatantly poking Keenan in the eyes and stepping back.] CONLON: CARDINAL IS JUST GOING NASTY ON KEENAN! He tried to peel his face off with the top rope and then gouged at his eyes! That is just wrong! JACKSON: But yet he doesn't care! That is one thing you gotta love about Cardinal. He just does his business! CONLON: Cardinal tried to blind someone already in UPW with that eye gouge. You would think it would be outlawed by now! JACKSON: It is outlawed, but like I said....Cardinal doesn't give a rat's ass! [Cardinal waits for the referee to get out of the way after his quick check of Keenan's face, but the moment the referee moves, Keenan rushes at "The Basilisk." Cardinal reacts and grabs Keenan for a monster Spinebuster slam in the center of the ring.] CONLON: SPINEBUSTER BY CARDINAL! THAT WAS DISGUSTING! JACKSON: Cardinal hooks the leg for a pin! ONE! . . . . . . . . . . TWO!!!!!!!!!! . . . . . . . . . . THR....................KEENAN GOT HIS FOOT ON THE BOTTOM ROPE!!! REFEREE SAW IT!!! CONLON: What a catch by the referee there! JACKSON: Cardinal thinks he has this one, but the referee just holds out those two fingers. CONLON: Dylan Cardinal not happy with the referee. JACKSON: And you have to wonder how close he came to tearing those fingers off the referee's hands and shoving them into his eyes? [Cardinal pulls Keenan up and grabs his right wrist, returning the favor with an arm bar of his own. Cardinal twists it around and then yanks down as hard as he can, forcing Keenan to his knees with the force of the yank.] CONLON: Dylan Cardinal now giving a little back to Keenan now. JACKSON: It is only fair to allow Jeff to feel some of the same pain! CONLON: He certainly is, and perhaps worse considering how much taller Cardinal is. JACKSON: That size advantage could cause a lot of structural damage to Keenan's arm and shoulder! This could get ugly yet. [Cardinal has a devious look on his face as he pulls Keenan back up by that arm, only to jerk on it again and pull Jeff quickly toward him and nailing him with a short-arm lariat.] CONLON: SHORT-ARM LARIAT FROM CARDINAL! That is one of his staples in the ring. JACKSON: It is effective, but it hurt him too. You can see him wince yet again. CONLON: These two may never be the same after this, and twenty pounds of gold is what it is all about! JACKSON: To think one of these guys has to step in the ring with both Aaron Lewis AND Chase Williams, as well as someone else in a few weeks! [Cardinal grabs both of Keenan's arms from behind and stretches them out wide, using his knee as a median point on the lever-like hold. He stretches the arms so much the veins are popping out and Keenan's face is turning red in his seated position.] CONLON: Cardinal trying to split Keenan in half right now! JACKSON: If there is any saving grace it is that one arm isn't as strong on this pull. I doubt Keenan cares right now, though. CONLON: You are probably right, Pepper. JACKSON: This looks as painful as it is, I assume. Cardinal is just a methodical nightmare in there. Pain or no pain, he intends to cause you plenty of hurt! [As the referee checks on Keenan, Cardinal begins slightly leaning off the knee and then driving it deep into the area between the shoulder blades in the middle of the spine. He does this over and over, and his face is calm and almost serene as he causes the pain.] CONLON: CARDINAL DRIVING THATKNEE TO THE SPINE OVER AND OVER!!! JACKSON: How is Keenan even surviving this? Those knees are boney and not meaty at all. They would hurt being slammed into you like that. CONLON: Dylan Cardinal knows how to hurt people, and Keenan has proven worthy of every trick he knows I guess. JACKSON: If this is a sign of respect, imagine what he does to people he hates! [Keenan finally begins trying to fight back and force his way up. He strains against Cardinal's hold and uses that leverage to begin getting to his feet. The fans are actually cheering for Keenan's comeback.] CONLON: Keenan trying to force his way back to his feet. He is pushing hard against that hold. JACKSON: If he can't get vertical, none of this will matter and he will end up hurt worse. CONLON: How much do the fans hate Cardinal that they actually cheer Keenan? JACKSON: Pretty sick, huh Stan? [As Keenan gets to his vertical base, Cardinal releases the right arm and almost spins Keenan around. He swings for a clothesline, but Keenan ducks and nails a chop to the chest of Cardinal.] CONLON: KEENAN FIRES BACK! HE'S NOT DONE! JACKSON: The will of a champion shown for everybody! CONLON: Another miss by Cardinal and Keenan hits another chop as the crowd reacts the way you expect! JACKSON: Lemmings. All of them, lemmings. [They repeat this same exchange two more times, Cardinal missing a swing and Keenan dodging to return fire with a chop. The fourth time Cardinal throws a haymaker, Keenan ducks and shoves Dylan into the ropes, catching Cardinal off the rebound and lifting him for a T-bone suplex that actually explodes the crowd.] CONLON: T-BONE SUPLEX BY CARDINAL! HERE IS A COVER! ONE! . . . . . . . . . . TWO!!!!!!!!!! . . . . . . . . . . THR....................CARDINAL GETS THE LEFT SHOULDER UP! JACKSON: Jeff Keenan so very close to advancing for a shot at the World Title! CONLON: These two have given it all tonight. They just look like they could be mopped off the canvas right now! JACKSON: You may hate them to death; but if you don't respect them, then you don't know wrestling at all! [Both men lay on the mat, fully spent. The crowd is anxious as they begin stirring to find the ropes and pull themselves to their feet. They move very slowly, the night taking its toll on them.] CONLON: These two are both trying to get back to their feet! This match isn't over yet! JACKSON: Why can't we call this a draw and send both of them on? CONLON: That isn't really fair, Pepper. JACKSON: If Lewis can get a walk over win in round one, we can call a tie here! [Keenan is up first and he gets to Cardinal just in time to lower an elbow to the back of Dylan's head. Keenan pulls Cardinal into position for a vertical suplex lift and then drags him back to center ring for the lift.] CONLON: There's one of those illegal blows in MMA, Pepper! JACKSON: But it is allowable here and now it looks like Cardinal is about to take a vertical ride! [Cardinal blocks the lift once. Then he blocks it a second time. Suddenly Cardinal lifts his left knee right into the chest of Keenan while holding that vertical lift position.] CONLON: CARDINAL BLOCKS IT EVERY TIME AND THEN HITS A KNEE LIFT! JACKSON: Cardinal is a snake backed into a corner, and that makes him dangerous even when at a disadvantage! CONLON: You can say that again! JACKSON: I don't have to, just look at what we are witnessing in that very ring tonight! [Cardinal yanks his head out of the hold, while still having the chancery hold on Keenan. He again hits a knee to the chest, and another. Finally he smashes Keenan's face into his knee and lets go so Keenan's head can snap back up.] CONLON: CARDINAL USES THAT FRONT CHANCERY FOR KNEE STRIKES! Nasty stuff there! JACKSON: And this is all a set up! [As fast as a snake attack, Cardinal rushes and hits a knee to the stomach, doubling Keenan over and he grabs the arms before crushing him to the mat with a double-underhook snap DDT.] CONLON: LD50! LD50!!! HE HIT IT FLUSH IN THE CENTER OF THE RING! JACKSON: THAT'S IT! HE COVERS! ONE! . . . . . . . . . . TWO!!!!!!!!!! . . . . . . . . . . THHHRRREEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! CONLON: CARDINAL ADVANCES! JACKSON: What a match by both men, but Dylan Cardinal had just a little more in the tank tonight! CONLON: Literally, Pepper. Look at Keenan now! He isn't moving at all! JACKSON: Cardinal hit that LD50 for everything it was worth to finally close out the former champion! [Keenan is still out cold in the center of the ring as Cardinal raises his arms and then shrugs them away from the referee.] CONLON: Dylan Cardinal advances folks and now the stage gets even more set for our Fatal Four Way for the UPW WOrld Heavyweight Title. JACKSON: Aaron Lewis, Chase Williams, and now...Dylan Cardinal! I'm glad I'm not a wrestler in that mix! CONLON: I think we all are, Pepper! [Fade to black.]
[We return to the Showdown Studio and our announce team at the desk.] SMITH: My Man, Dylan Cardinal! Wooo! CHANEY: Cardinal advances in a thriller and now the field is up to three! SMITH: Williams, Cardinal, Lewis, and whomever comes out of the next bracket! CHANEY: And those names are pretty top shelf! The likes of Caleb Foley, Liam Donegal, Derek Rage and Frank Anthony! SMITH: Adding any one of those guys to the three we already have will be simply amazing! UPW is delivering every time out! CHANEY: And we have finished the delivery for this evening! SMITH: Time's up? CHANEY: Yes it is! Folks, we are so glad you joined us for this edition of UPW Showdown. For my colleague Robert "The Gorilla" Smith, I'm Eric Chaney saying, "so long and God bless!" We'll see you next time! [The screen with the announcers fades into a screen that has the first picture listed below in it. The still change as the credits roll. "Tear Away" by Drowning Pool begins playing in the background as the following set of stills recapping the night's action begins to roll.] [Picture still of Jeff Keenan standing arrogantly after his victory over Glenn Chambers.] [Picture still of Malcom Shabazz standing in the ring looming over VP Thomas Grissom.] [Picture still of Rick Styles attacking John Herdick from behind.] [Picture still of Derek Rage's arm being raised after his victory over Damian Payne.] [Picture still of Chad Allen sneering in the aisle after the match was called against Brandon Franklin.] [Picture still of Frank Anthony holding "pride" and staring down Harrison Daniels III.] [Picture still of the massive brawl involving Antonio De Luca, The Dominion, Caleb Foley, Liam Donegal, and Adam Lazarus.] [Picture still of Dylan Cardinal hittign the LD50 on Jeff Keenan.] © 2016 UPW, Inc. LEAGUE WEBSITE: http://www.ultimateprowrestling.fwrestling.com/ LEAGUE MAILING LIST: https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Official_UPW/info LEAGUE TWITTER: @UPW_Official LEAGUE RADIO SHOW SITE: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/ultimateprowrestling