L-PRO. MBC. UWF. ----------------------------- ACW. PS. DHW. __ \ / _) X |_| /__/ \ | HOUR THREE ----------------------------- December 23rd, 2020 Chicago, IL, L-PRO Arena ----------------------------- [Back into L-PRO Arena we go one more time, with "2x4" by Metallica still playing underneath the graphics before we dissolve through shots of the audience. All over the building, the crowd is on its feet and ready for the culmination of the event. Soon we cut back once again to the announce desk.] MW: And once again we welcome you to the L-PRO Arena here in Chicago! It's been an eventful night already, with the crowning of a brand new MBC Women's Champion in Tesla St. James and both the quarter and semi-finals of the 2x4 Tournament now in the books! CJ: Probably the only time the words Tesla St. James and books have been mentioned in the same sentence, Westley. TL: Now I know you're not trying to insult Tesla, Ceej. You've got enough enemies on this roster. MW: We also saw a tremendous match in the ring between Jan Delgado and Scottie Saratoga over the L-PRO Women's Championship, with a rather unfortunate ending to the match and an inconclusive decision. You can bet we'll see them facing off again soon enough though. TL: Don't forget the stunt Deanna Orlofski pulled on the Donavon Twins tonight, delaying their shot at the Red Light Nightmare and the L3 Unified Tag Team Titles. She's not thinking ahead on this one, after tonight the resolve of the twins will only be stronger. CJ: Dee doesn't concern herself with trivialities, she's playing 4D chess out here in ways you can't even understand. TL: I understand pissing off a pair of brothers that love to fight all too well. Does she? But with all that said, it's time we move on. MW: Next up, we have the... [Before anything else of note can be said, the dialogue is interrupted by a disheveled "Overkill" Joey Malone running to, or rather into, the broadcast table.] CJ: Ack, the unwashed has come! TL: Joey, we've got a show to move on with. What's going on? [Joey looks oddly different from what he did earlier in the show. That's typically not shocking but this is the most un-Joey we've ever seen him. His shirt is actually button down, flannel in fact. His beard is more full and gray in places. Most shocking...] CJ: Dude! You're wearing khakis! OJM: It's a disguise! But they're on to me! TL: Dare I ask why you are wearing an eyepatch? OJM: "Future you" will know this but I sustained a bad injury during the coming war. Though, its just "the war" for me. TL: Joey, we've talked about this. The only person who speaks Malone-ish is you. [This One-Eyed Joey glances over his shoulder, worried about who may be coming.] OJM: Listen, I don't have much time. I could Quantum Leap at any time. CJ: Bakula FTW! OJM: This is the night it all began, Tom. The slate hasn't been wiped clean yet. Sons have not yet destroyed fathers. Daughters have not betrayed mothers! The legacy is still intact! TL: Joey, your mind goes on some strange trips but this one may take the cake. CJ: Doesn't your wife usually have custody of this guy? Or is this your weekend? [Joey slams the table, uncharacteristically focused for him.] OJM: For once in my life, will someone take me seriously? There. Is. A. War. At. The. Doorstep. If you don't... [MEEP]! [Joey dashes away as a mob of anonymous uniformed men swarm after him. All are left confused.] MW: Who were they? CJ: They had the stench of unemployable theater kids trying to steal their flannel back. TL: If the fans didn't love Joey so much, I don't know what we'd do. MW: Did you understand what he was raving about? CJ: Doesn't matter. Nothing Joey Malone does has consequences nor do his actions obey the laws of the universe. If he's going to "Quantum Leap", let's hope it's into the sun. MW: That seems harsh, but as we move on tonight we have two matches left, and what a couple of matches they are! Danny Holden and Michael Bonn will face off in the finals of the 2020 2x4 Tournament in just a little while here, but before that we have the first half of the main event! TL: Title for title. Two world champions go in, one comes out. Jerry "Pure Power" Titus and Eddie Winston the Fifth. The MBC Champion who's proudly waved MBC's banner for years, against the first man to ever wear the L-PRO Heavyweight Championship. And I can't wait for this one. CJ: A lot of wrestlers never win ONE world title in their whole career, but in a little while one of them's going have two at once. Which reminds me- TL: Don't even think of finishing that thought. L writer: kl M P __ \ / --------------------------------------------------- B vs R _) X |_| CO-MAIN EVENT C O /__/ \ | TITLE FOR TITLE UNIFICATION MATCH --------------------------------------------------- JERRY "PURE POWER" TITUS (MBC Unified World Champion) vs. EDDIE WINSTON V (L-PRO World Champion) [Given the special nature of this match, a few more bells and whistles are set up to mark the significance. On either side of the entrance way are two large glass panels. From a distance they look to be clear but closer observation would demonstrates there is more than meets the eye.] CJ: Will these references ever stop? TL: Never. CJ: How much of our budget goes to them though? MW: We have two World titles on the line tonight and with a unification at hand, I do think it's woth pointing out how amazing that is. I do find something odd though. CJ: Tom's cologne hasn't turned his skin orange? More orange? The deep orange of avarice? MW: No. Several of the front row seats at ringside have been vacated. And they're being guarded by security. CJ: Seat jumpers should be put in the stockades. I'm for this. TL: I'm not sure... well, I think we're about to see. [A commotion stirs in the crowd and once the cameras catch up to the source, a sizeable contingent of wrestlers are making their way to the ringside area, all flashing tickets. Lead by "The Master of the Motorways" Bill Mercer, John Higgins and Frank Downs make The Stunt Icon presence felt as each of them takes up a seat at ringside. Mercer leans over to snatch popcorn from a young audience member.] CJ: Free snacks. TL: And we've got more coming, this time from the other side. Scott "Scorpion" Knock, who may I add is making his first L-PRO televised appearance. MW: He's huge. I suppose he is living up to his former tag team monicker "Mega-Titan." TL: Here comes Los Buscadors behind him. All three of them have tickets as well. And... they're flashing obscene gestures to The Stunt Icons. CJ: Do you speak Spanish Sign Language? TL: I think those are fairly universal. [It becomes quite clear that certain like-minded individuals have been paid to sit at ringside. And then the other warm bodies start to show up, bodies like Fun Gun Leonard. You know the type. Those with no dog in the fight but could use a little extra cash to buy the last pair of Air Jordans.] MW: I don't think it takes a genius to see who has the money and motivation to fill ringside with some toughs. TL: I'll give you five guesses and two of them are about to come out. [Speak of the devils and they shall appear. "Bright Lights" by Gary Clark Jr. begins to play over the arena PA system, followed quickly by the mother of all of boo bombs. The left glass pannel lights up to show the visage of he who is about to appear for this match. First from the entrance comes Edmund Winston IV in a suit so tailored, you would think magical elves made it in the middle of the night. Behind him with the L- PRO World Heavyweight Championship secured around his waist is the champion, Eddie Winston V. Five looks so immensly focused and prepared, the lack of a smirk or any emotion really is unsettling. Once Winston walks out, it is shown that he is accompanied by the L3 Triple Crown Tag Team Champion, Red Light Nightmare. The entourage is real.] MW: It's disquieting to see how centered he is right now. TL: Not to say that Titus is any less focused. Still, there's ferocity buried there. CJ: So nice for Elm and Kidd to walk him down to the ring. So courteous. TL: And they too are taking seats in the front row. Flashing those tickets. CJ: Only the best for the Power Brokers. [As Gary Clark fades, the glass panel on the right of the entrance portal lights up to display the image of the second half of this championship equation.] "I'VE GOT THE POWER!" ["The Power" by Snap begins to play, cranking the crowd into a frenzy of wild cheers. From the entranceway comes the massive Jerry "Pure Power" Titus with the MBC Unified World Heavyweight Championship title slung over his shoulder. He surveys the landscape before him and, undaunted, he marches down to the ring. He walks up the ringsteps and cautiously enters the ring, weary of any early attacks from either Winston. They both hang back, seemingly confident in all around him.] TL: Titus clearly shows no signs of backing down. But given the wars that man has gone through, why would he? CJ: Plantar fasciitis? Crohn's Disease? Mange? MW: Was Slush as bad as this? TL: Worse. This is like Slush on a lease. [With both competitors in the ring, the referee calls for both to walk to center ring. He goes through the rules of the match and takes the championship titles from both men. The official raises both titles belts into the air as ring introductions are made.] BC: The following contest is scheduled for one fall and will be a WORLD TITLE UNIFICATION MATCH! Introducing first, hailing from El Paso, Texas he is the reigning MBC Unifed World Heavyweight Champion... JERRY "PURE POWER" TIIIIIIITTTTTUUUUUUSSSSS! [The cheers resume but Jerry's gaze remains fixed upon his opponent.] BC: And his opponent, hailing from Toledo Ohio, he is the reigning L-PRO World Heavyweight Champion... EDDIIIIIIIIIE WIIIIIIINSTOOOOOONNNNNNNNNNNN THE FIIIIIFTH!!!! [Much like Titus, Winston's eyes do not move. The boos take over. The referee hands both title belts to a nearby ring attendant and Edmund Winston IV exits the ring for his own safety. The tension grows thick and then the bell rings. Titus and Winston circle up, feigning advancements to test the other out.] MW: And here we go. TL: Winston suddenly going aggressive but Titus is prepared. We're right into a brawl to start this title unification match. [The two massive monsters among men brawl wildly, adrenaline spiking and spit flying. It's rather disgusting if one were to watch it in slow motion, but the impact reverberates through muscle and flesh. Both men are numb to the pain as the desire to overcome the other is simply far too strong. After a brief respite in the punching, it is Titus who makes the first attempt at a German suplex but Winston escapes and tries one of his own. Titus punches his way out and the two go back and forth into a long exchange of failed takedowns. When the suplexes and takedowns fail, they both try to up their power game, attempting to throw another around with slams but these too are blocked. They simply do not fall. They simply do not yield. Titus and Winston back away and begin their circling again.] TL: Not surprising that they're evenly matched here. CJ: Let's see how the money comes into play, shall we? MW: Cody sadly has a point. We don't know how much money went into hiring all these individuals at ringside. CJ: Actually, I was waiting to see if Titus kept punching Eddie till money popped out. TL: Titus and Winston close the circle... [...and rather than the power game, both men resort to a more amateur style of wrestling. It's a simple approach but indicative to the level of preparation each man has undergone in order to try and gain that extra advantage. The fans cheer on Titus with incredible fervor, not just for Jerry's sake but to also antagonize Edmund Winston IV. He slaps on the ring mat, cheering on his boy. The amateur style yields little results for either man, and it does not take long for the intense brawling to begin again. This time, the punching spills to the outside with both men going over the top rope and ramming one another into the ring apron. The wrestlers in the front row grow more raucus, instigating the referee's ire. But then Papa Winston runs nearby, distracting the referee to a greater degree.] MW: Here we go! This is part of the strategy we were expecting to see. Overwhelm the referee with distractions. TL: Titus can prepares for this all he wants but sometimes, the numbers are just too great. MW: He's got doing a good job keeping eyes in the back of his head but Eddie is pressing his case. CJ: Mercer! Mercer going for more popcorn! Oh the humanity! TL: Not really relevant... [With the referee distracted with Papa Winston, Eddie takes the opportunity to hit Titus at ramming speed and driving him back first into the dasherboards. With the referee's attention elsewhere, the ringside wrestlers earn their money by taking cheapshot after cheapshot on Titus. Jerry's adrenaline kicks up again, allowing the MBC Champion the ability to fight them all off. However, a second of turning his back allows Eddie the time he needs to barrel over Titus and drive him face first into the mat outside the ring.] MW: That's not concrete but those aren't fluffy pillows. CJ: I had a girlfriend who... TL: Don't. Just... don't. MW: Eddie pulls a dazed Titus up and rolls him into the ring. He follows... and we get a quick cover. One... And Titus gets his shoulder up at one! [Not wanting to give Jerry a moment to breathe, Eddie moves quickly behind Titus and applies a rear choke hold. The referee issues an immediate warning but Eddie keeps the hold close right up to the five. Titus struggles but slows as Eddie reapplies the choke tighter and tighter. After what looks like a clear knock out, Titus pulls from his energy reserves and moves to take hold of the bottom rope. The referee inserts himself and completely seperate the hold. Annoyed but determined, Eddie gets to his feet. He starts to drive boot after boot into Jerry's knees.] TL: A smart move here. Take out Jerry's vertical base and that will hinder his power game. Or so as the psychology goes. CW: Psychology is only good for pills. MW: You're thinking of psychiatry. CW: Not if you self-medicate. TL: Hold that thought. CW: Who are you calling? TL: Scheduling you a drug test. [After some long stiff work to pummel Titus' knees, Winston pulls Jerry up and leans him against the corner turnbuckle. A repeated series of chops turns the MBC's champ's chest red and to add insult to (possibly) injury, Eddie drapes Jerry's right leg over the middle rope. He starts kicking away with reckless abandon. The referee steps in with a count and manages to stop Winston before the count of five. Titus grimaces as he pulls his leg back into the ring. Before he can do anything, Eddie snapmares him down to the mat in order to apply another chin lock. All of Eddie's offense is intent on slowing Jerry down and draining the pure power out of him. But Titus has much in his reserves...] TL: Titus is powering himself up. His knees are shaky but he's doing it! He's back to his feet! MW: Eddie still has the chin lock applied but... now Jerry escapes! Slips around! TL: Belly to back suplex! Titus can't get to the cover but he can use the time to clear the haziness! CJ: They have pills for that. TL: You're not making me reconsider the drug test. CJ: You know what else you can buy on the internet other than pills? Someone else's pee. MW: You are disgusting. CJ: Wallow in my ingenuity and greatness. TL: Titus stands and brings up Eddie! Right into a scoop slam! A cover. One... And Eddie powers out! [While Titus uses his advantage to wear Eddie down, more wrestlers start to arrive at ringside via the crowd. More warm bodies. More with menacing faces. And there are some unrecognied men wearing hoodies and skull masks. Their presence throws a few people off guard.] TL: Am I wrong in saying that Edmund the Fourth doesn't recognize that trio of masked men? MW: I don't think you're wrong. Given the influx of wrestlers, we've seen from ACW and others in the network, could it be somebody we don't recognize? CJ: When you've got that much money to spend, do you really remember all the henchmen you hire? TL: Fair point. More muscle to cause Titus grief. [The three masked men take up seats at ringside. Meanwhile, back in the squared circle, the match has devolved back into a brawl with Titus leading the charge and hammering away at the L-PRO Champion's side. It's an aggressive side we don't often see from Titus but its a side no one ever wants to see given the power behind it. Eddie poked the bear and now the bear is raging. Titus takes one errant swing too many, allowing Eddie to grip Jerry by the wrist. Winston whips Titus to the ropes before taking off in the opposite direction. Both come back hard on the rebound and collide mid ring. Neither man falls. Neither man budges an inch. The pair of them run for the ropes again, rebound and collide in the middle. No effect. One more time they do this, this time resulting in a double clothesline that shakes the very ring itself.] TL: Both Titus and Winston are starting to show the effects of this hard brawl but they're getting to their feet! Fighting for every square inch as they do so! MW: Jerry whipped to the ropes and Winston is right behind him.. clothesline over the top rope... but both fall out of the ring! Awkward landing on the arena floor! CJ: Blood in the water! MW: An apt analogy! All those warm bodies in the front row are ready to strike! [Sharks nearby, both men stand and resume their brawl! Righteously powerful shots get traded back and forth but Eddie's fists are just a bit more dirty. Jerry is staggered enough to get whipped hard into the ringsteps, knocking the top half from the bottom with a loud crash. Eddie pushes away the top section with his foot and yanks Titus upwards. A scoop later, and Eddie slams the MBC champ back first onto the bottom set of metal steps. The sound is sickening! The crowd is booing! However, it does not end there as Eddie violently wrenches Jerry up and shoves him towards the dasherboards, straight into sea ringside attendees. Eddie rolls in and out of the ring to restart the count. He proceeds to then take away the referee's attention with an opinion about the officiating. The sharks swarm!] TL: And Titus is getting overwhelmed here! MW: Mercer and the Stunt Icons getting their shots in! The skull masked wrestlers pushing towards Jerry to get their piece no doubt! TL: Jerry is fighting back and... the skull masked wrestlers are pushing every one away? MW: Jerry's expecting an attack. Wait, what's that one masked wrestler saying? Jerry's nodding! And the lead skull is patting him on the shoulder! TL: The skull masked wrestlers are attacking Mercer and the Icons! Jerry has allies in the shark tank! [Witnessing his master plan starting to unravel, Winston IV starts yelling at all the wrestlers ringside. Jerry clears out, now free from the restraints of his ringside attackers. The chaos grows exponentially, prompting security to rush down to get things in hand. Still dazed from the attack, Eddie takes advantage of the brief window he has to roll Titus into the ring and try to maintain control. Winston IV so focused on whats going outside the ring rushes to the instigators. He launches into a volley of words, only to get decked by the lead skull masked wrestler.] CJ: Well, that was money not well spent. TL: I think it's safe to say no money was paid at all! MW: The skull masked wrestlers are hoping over the barricade! This is officially out of control! Security has no control! The skull masked... the masks are coming off! ... ... ... [EARTHSHATTERING POP!] IT'S KYLE LEE! TL: Lee is here and he brought his muscle, The Sons of Skullhead! They're going after Four! This is going to be so, so sweet! MW: Red Light Nightmare is gunning for the SoS! If anyone can handle Jonas Elm, its Darklin and Krow Skullhead! TL Lee and Edmund Winston IV are brawling! Talk about a flashback! [Amidst the chaos, Jerry Titus turns the tide against Eddie Winston! Yet another brawl erupts but Jerry's adrenaline is pumping at high quantities! Eddie holds his own but he's just a bit distracted by his father duking it out with The Doomsayer. More security comes down, this time through the main entrance. They logically go after the SoS and RLN first but are quickly pulled into the front row insanity. Lee and Four brawl their way up the ramp like it was old time. Their muscles follows suit.] TL: Titus really coming on strong! He's got Eddie staggered! Is this the moment! MW: The lift... he's going for the Purely Powerful! ... ... But Eddie escapes! TL: DESCENT INTO HELL BY WINSTON! WHAT A REVERSAL! MW: The cover! One... Two... Titus with his foot on the ropes! This one isn't over! TL: Eddie's frustration is growing with Titus... and now even moreso with his father brawling with Kyle Lee! [A moment's hesitation from Eddie allows Titus to sideswipe from out of nowhere. Titus is quick to take advantage and the two world champions resume their back and forth battle. Meanwhile, the Nightmare brawls the Sons of Skullhead while Lee rocks Winston IV hard, growing ever closer and closer to the large glass panels...] CJ: Who did you say paid for those glass panels again? MW: Kyle Lee is obviously looking for a measure of revenge here! It was Winston who paid the Red Light Nightmare to send him through that glass window all those months ago... TL: And he's about to send Four through that glass! NO! ELM MAKES THE SAVE! BUT... [CRAAAAAASSHHH~!] MW: The Sons of Skullhead just shouldertackled Dutch from that large glass panel of Eddie Winston V! ["HO-LY SHIT~! HO-LY SHIT~! HO-LY SHIT~!" "HO-LY SHIT~! HO-LY SHIT~! HO-LY SHIT~!" "HO-LY SHIT~! HO-LY SHIT~! HO-LY SHIT~!" "HO-LY SHIT~! HO-LY SHIT~! HO-LY SHIT~!"] TL: Edmund the Fourth is wisely getting the hell out of dodge! [The loud crash echoes through the arena and the fans love every bit of it. Even more frustrated, Winston's anger grows. His pace in fighting with Titus had been going reasonably well but the possible fate of his father disrupted the rhythym. As he tries yet another Descent into Hell with Titus, Jerry rocks Eddie with a mighty strike to the jaw.] TL: WHAT A HIT! Eddie is staggered! MW: The scoop up... PURELY POWERFUL! WE HAVE A COVER! ONE... TWO... THR... NO! WINSTON WITH HIS FOOT ON THE BOTTOM ROPE! CJ: Damn ropes taking all the fun. [The chaos continues in and out of the ring. Paramedics swarm to check on Elm. Security finally pulls the Sons of Skullhead and Jamie Kidd away. Lee is the last to be escorted out but as he does he raises his hands. One flashes four fingers, the other flashes five. He turns the four downward and emphasises the five while mouthing "Next."] TL: That's really getting Eddie rocked. The intent is clear. MW: Still, Eddie is staying strong. Fatigued as both Titus and Eddie are, this brawl is wild! CJ: Adrenaline is a great thing. Especially the horse variety. TL: Eddie going for another Decent... NO! TITUS WITH A HEADBUTT! MW: No doubt Winston can take that kind of impact but it still staggers him! Titus going the set up! Another Purely Powerful... TL: Winston slips out before Titus can get him up and over! MW: ANOTHER HEADBUTT! AND ANOTHER! AND ANOTHER! MW: Both men are woozy but... they're both desperatly trying to double the other over... TL: TITUS SUCCEEDS! HE'S GOT WINSTON DOWN... AND UP! MW: RUNNING POWERBOMB! PURELY POWERFUL! TL: Titus hooks the leg... ONE... TWO... THREE! NEW L-PRO WORLD CHAMPION! [And as the referee's hand strikes the mat for a third time, the crowd ROARS with delight! The bell sounds and within seconds "The Power" is playing over the PA system again, and a weary Titus rolls to his knees in celebration. Raising his arms over his head and letting out a triumphant yell, Titus slowly picks himself back up to his feet. Across the ring, an equally battered and weary Five rolls out of the ring, trying to catch his breath and take stock of the situation around him. With no sign of his father at the moment, Eddie looks around and gives a fiery stare up at Titus before starting to limp back up the aisleway.] MW: What a scene we've got, folks! That was as hard fought a match as I've ever seen between two athletes at the top of their game! TL: Yeah I may detest EW4 and the way he's corrupted Eddie, but Eddie Winston the Fifth is a beast. He could have won this match just as easily, and frankly I wonder if all those insurance policies his father took out ended up being too much of a distraction in the end. [The referee retrieves the two championship belts sitting at ringside and returns to the ring just as Titus finally stands fully upright in the middle of the ring. First he's handed the MBC belt, which Jerry slings over his shoulder, and then accepts the L-PRO championship as well and lifts it up over his head.] BC: Ladies and gentlemen, your winner... AND NNNNNNNNNNEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEW L-PRO WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION... JERRRRRRYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY "PUUUUUUUUUUUUUUURE POWERRRRRRRRRRRRRR" TIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIITUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS! [The whole building rumbles with cheers as Titus lifts both belts up over his head next, one in each hand for the triumphant Texan. He continues to celebrate, as overhead a set of pyro explodes for the new unified champion!] MW: What a scene we have here! A wild night has only gotten wilder here, as Jerry Titus is your unified L-PRO and MBC World Champion! TL: Congratulations to Jerry, but if he thought he had a bullseye on his back before just imagine how many people will be after him with a double championship. CJ: Twice the pain, and two times the misery. So I guess there's that to look forward to. MW: We still have the other half of tonight's main event still to come, the finals of the 2x4 Tournament but first I'm being told that Cammy Magnus is attempting to get a word with someone we saw earlier tonight. [Amidst all the chaos of the night's events, we cut to the backstage area. The camera follows Cammy Magnus as she's apparently trying to flag someone down.] CM: She went this way, didn't she? [Looking down the hall, we see a figure cross in the distance carrying a duffle bag. Cammy kicks off her shoes and breaks into a run.] CM: Hurry! Hurry! [Cammy speeds around the corner and catches up to someone who we thought we may never see again: Hayden Childes.] CM: Hayden, Hayden! Can you tell us what it was like down at the bottom of the trap door? HC: I don't think I've ever experienced- CM: Oh my God! Did you see that? [Before Hayden can finish what she was saying, Cammy and the camera person rush off to find another wrestler, this one being eliminated from the 2X4 Tournament and causing the elimination of someone else a short time ago: Damien "The Omen" Williams.] CM: Damien! Can you tell us what you were thinking tonight? [Damien stops and turns, his expression going from cold to angered.] Omen: That’s what you ask? Now? What was I thinking? I've been telling you, and people like you, what I've been thinking for years. You've not been listening. Why should I answer to you now? [Hayden re-enters the conversation and takes Cammy by the shoulder to force Magnus to face her.] HC: Weren't you asking me a question? Omen: And she didn't bother to listen, did she? HC: Nope, not in the slightest. [Hayden and Damien look upon one another and nod, as if a bond of understanding has suddenly formed.] HC: She never has. You know, this is why Orlofski dislikes you so much. CM: I'm only trying... Omen: No, you don't get to answer. You've been held unaccountable for too long. If anyone is going to hold you and your shoddy reporting to the fire, it should be us. Orlofski can only do so much with you. HC: Agreed. Omen: Hayden... I know what you saw in that pit. It was obvious to anyone who was paying attention. Obvious to anyone who has been lost. But there was more. A past that has haunted you all your life. All you've wanted is to be seen and heard and respected for the obvious skill that runs through your veins. HC: But I'm not allowed to cherish that legacy. Omen: Legacy is such an ugly word. HC: They celebrate it here, as long as it's the right kind of legacy. And if it's not, it does more harm to have it. Omen: Legacy is a curse. CM: Umm... HC: You should walk away, Cammy. You're not wanted. Omen: Much less needed. But let me... [Damien looks to Hayden and nods again.] Omen: No, let _us_ offer you a parting gift. Why did I attack Osawa? Because he deserved it. He needed it. He wins that ACW Southwest Heavyweight Championship and he thinks he's some holy man meant to preach the good word. His religion is meaningless. Any faith he has should be tested. HC: A challenge? Omen: A wise idea, Hayden. On Christmas Day, ACW holds one of its largest annual shows. Down in San Antonio, I offer up my ACW Rio Grande Championship as an offering to your blind worship. Meet me, Osawa. Bring your gold and let’s settle things. Title for title. CM: That's... HC: Hush, Cammy. Omen: May I offer a suggestion, Ms. Childes? HC: Please do. Omen: A challenge of your own. To Gloria Butler for the ACW Southwest Women's Championship on Christmas Day. HC: Great minds, Mr. Williams. Great minds. Challenge extended. [Damien turns directly to the camera and beckons it to zoom closer onto his and Hayden's faces.] Omen: Bring your fire, Butler. Bring your religion, Osawa. The visions bear ill-tidings. The foreshadowing decries defeat. The Omen is prophecy. [Fade.] CJ: Just when you think you can't love a guy more. MW: Are you serious? He tried to jump Michael Bonn before their match last round, and when that didn't work he did the same thing to Ryu Osawa before the other semi-final match and if you ask me, gave a huge assist to Danny Holden. CJ: That's called being a go-getter. Look what he just did there, he challenged Osawa to a match on Christmas. There's always a method to his madness, I bet he knew what he was doing the whole time! TL: Well if he didn't, he sure knows how to pivot into an opportunity. We don't even know what condition Ryu will be in after tonight. MW: No we don't, but I for one hope he can get cleared and gain a measure of revenge against the Omen for what he's done. In the meantime though, this is it. We're finally ready for the finals of the 2x4 Tournament, Danny Holden against "Nighthawk" Michael Bonn. What more can you say than that? Let's get down to the ring. writer: mb U __ \ / ------------------------------------------------------ W _) X |_| CO-MAIN EVENT, FOR THE UWF HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP F /__/ \ | 2X4 - FINAL ROUND MATCH ------------------------------------------------------ "NIGHTHAWK" MICHAEL BONN vs DANNY HOLDEN BC: Ladies and gentlemen, it is now time for the second half of tonight's MAIN EVENT! This is the finals of the 2020 TWO BY FOUR TOURNAMENT, and the winner of this match will be crowned the new UWF World Heavyweight Champion! [Slowly the crowd begins to climb with its excitement, and the sound of the bell ringing three times has the people right at a crescendo. And then the scraggly voice of an old man speaks.] Man: I have seen many extraordinary things in my life. I have seen children born and men killed. I have seen storms that would blow over houses, blizzards that turned the whole world white, and the moon so big that I thought I could reach out and grab it. But today... today is a day that I will remember forever, that I will tell my children and grandchildren. For today, I have seen the Greatest Wrestler on Mother Earth. [And once again, the crowd unleashes a torrent of boos while Vangelis' "Chariots of Fire" does little to calm them down. With the lights mostly down except for a spotlight, a figure steps into the spotlight. Dressed again in basic black shorts and matching boots, with a red jacket on as well, he begins to move down the aisle as the lights rise up.] BC: Introducing first, he hails from from Madison, Wisconsin and weighs in at two hundred and twenty-two pounds... HE IS... DANNY HOOLLLLLLLLLDENNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN! [Holden continues to the ring, walking slowly to maintain his energy levels and stamina after having wrestled twice on the night already. He ignores the booing and jeers coming at him, certainly no stranger to any of it. Before he climbs into the ring he takes the opportunity to pass by the podium set up at ringside where the UWF championship belt resides. He glances at it for a few moments and then climbs up onto the ring apron, careful to wipe his feet on the mat again before stepping through the ropes.] TL: As much crap as he gets, you don't get much better than Danny Holden. CJ: FINALLY. Was that so hard? TL: It doesn't mean I like him any better. But it's also hard to ignore the fact that this is the second tournament finals D-Hole has gotten to in the last several months. [While Danny gets comfortable in the ring, taking off his ring jacket, his music fades out and soon instead we get "Fly From The Inside" by Shinedown playing to an ENORMOUS POP by the crowd!] BC: And his opponent! From North Brookfield, Massachussetts, and weighing in at two hundred and twenty-five pounds... HE IS... "THE NIGHTHAAAAAAAAAAWK" MICHAAAAAELLLLLLLL BONNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN! [The guitar-driven music announces his arrival, and Michael Bonn soon appears on the entrance stage dressed in his ring gear and dripping wet from head to toe. The audience goes crazy at the sight of him, their hero wasting no time as he moves quickly down to the ringside area and begins to circle it. Like Danny before him, Bonn stops for a moment to gaze at the UWF championship belt, the same one worn by legends named Annis, Kidd, Reed, Daniels, Lee... This is what he wants, and its within his grasp now. Bonn continues his circle of ringside and stops again to find Ginny, seated again in the front row of the crowd. They share a moment, and then he slides under the bottom rope to roll to his feet and come up face to face with his longtime adversary. The tension is palpable between the two wrestlers, and the head referee brings them to the middle of the ring for final instructions as we wait. But not for long.] MW: And there's the bell. Two men left in the tournament, and perhaps fittingly it's down to the Nighthawk and Danny Holden. TL: They were arguably the favorites to win the L-PRO Title, and a little ironic that pretty soon one of them will lay claim to one of the biggest prizes in wrestling. [The crowd is appropriately on the edge as Bonn and Holden lock up with one another, the third match for each of them on the night. Fatigue isn't noticeable, but there's maybe a little bit less snap in their movements. For every attempted armdrag by Holden, Bonn is able to counter it and send his rival to the mat instead. After a couple of these tosses, Danny slaps the mat and rises back to his feet, charging right into a side headlock and is soon redirected to the corner. Pulling him out by the arm it's Bonn who surprisingly looks to keep things slow and grounded as he applies pressure with an armbar before turning him over and grinding away with his own shoulder leveraged into Holden's bicep.] MW: Now this is a surprise, Bonn keeping it to a slow pace instead of trying to land the big bomb right in the beginning of the match. Into a fireman's carry takeover to the mat, and it's the Nighthawk trapping Holden again! TL: To the ropes, and Referee Scott Ingraham calling for the break. Maybe it's veteran's instinct, maybe it's the toll of three matches in one night, but Bonn's got a plan here and right now it's frustrating Danny Holden to no end. CJ: If you think a little frustration is enough to derail the greatest wrestler on Mother Earth, then you're not earning your obscenely large paycheck. [Thanks to the official's count, both wrestlers are soon back up on their feet and trying again from square one. Holden this time motions towards Bonn with his arms up and dares him to a test of strength. Not one to back down from any sort of challenge, Bonn obliges him and they're soon locked into a struggle back and forth.] MW: Here we go again, these two both seem evenly matched just like they have every other time we've seen them in competition. TL: There's something to be said for knowing your enemy so well, and by now I think Holden and Bonn could write each other's biographies. [Forcing the fan favorite back against the ropes, Holden thinks he's got the upper hand but quickly finds himself reversed into the turnbuckles himself. He forces his way back into mid-ring, hands still clasped with neither one giving away the advantage for very long. It goes back and forth with Bonn dropping slowly to one knee soon, only to thrill the fans as he powers back up to his feet and pushes Holden down to a knee soon afterwards. The crowd is transfixed by the battle and lets it be known that the Nighthawk is their favorite by a mile, which only seems to let Holden fight back out of spite and force of will. Okay, mostly spite.] TL: Not much daylight between these two. As polar opposite as they are in most ways, they've got one important thing in common. CJ: Blackmail over your sister-in-law? TL: Nobody's lived to tell that tale. I'm talking about the desire to be the very best. This could be their tenth match of the night and neither Michael nor Danny will quit as long as they're conscious and breathing. MW: This test of strength is no closer to declaring a winner here, in fact I think it's just making both men dig in deeper. [A few more attempts to declare supremacy over Bonn are thwarted as Holden's face is one of definite irritation, and for every move he tries it's the Nighthawk who thwarts him. Finally he tries to straight up push Bonn back against the ropes again and a shift in his weight allows the Massachusetts native to basically throw Holden off and into something of a whip across the ring. Danny comes charging back looking for the advantage finally... ... and neither man gains one as they instead go right back into the lockup for another test of strength. A loud POP from the crowd, appreciating the artistry and just how evenly matched both men are, that is until a trip by Holden takes Bonn off his feet to the mat. Except that his grip still won't be broken, and with his legs Bonn is able to flip Holden off his standing base, up and over so that he's flat on his back as well. POP!] MW: This is amazing, neither one of them are willing to relent on this test of strength! Ingraham in place here... both's shoulders are down! ONE! TWO! TL: Both get their right shoulders up off the mat! [Despite the hands of the two wrestlers still being locked together, they manage to each lift an arm to break the count. Managing to roll in tandem back to their feet and a standing position the test of strength is no closer to being solved until Holden hooks his leg under that of Bonn's and gets him off balance just enough to catch the fan favorite with a wraparound neckbreaker into the mat!] CJ: Down goes Bonn! Get him, Danny! TL: So we've just thrown out all pretense now, have we? [Finally having gotten the advantage now, Holden does what he can to work over Bonn's arm and shoulder area with kicks and a standing armlock, yanking him around by it and then drops a knee right into his opponent's bicep. Bonn grabs it and tries covering up, but the focus by Holden remains as he tries to soften him up for his signature submission hold. Bonn battles his way back to his feet, favoring his left arm a bit and Holden maneuvers his way into a shoulderbreaker down across his own knee... ...and without letting go hits a second. And then a third, finally allowing Bonn to lay sprawled on the mat, grabbing at his shoulder and trapezius area. The crowd boos Holden heavily, but Danny's face remains indignantly focused as he immediately hooks a leg to cover.] MW: Here we go, one! Two! THR- KICKOUT! [HUGE POP!] TL: It'll take more than that to put Michael Bonn down tonight! MW: Look at the defiance on the face of the Nighthawk, his muscles may be screaming in pain but you'd never know it by that expression. [Holden wastes no time unleashing a series of chops right against the shoulder area before he grabs Bonn and yanks him up onto his feet, but another chop is blocked as quickly and Bonn hooks his arm and flips himself up and around his foe, swinging into a facelock on the other side of him...] MW: STILLDIVE- CJ: HE BLOCKED IT! MW: CRADLE SUPLEX BY DANNY HOLDEN, WOW! He couldn't hang onto it for the pin but it was enough to thwart one of the biggest bullets in the chamber for Michael Bonn here! [The crowd rumbles with the turn of events, trying to will their hero onto his feet as Holden instead gets up first and goes right back to the arm, dragging a slow-moving Bonn to his knees first. Turning into an arm- wringer and pulling him up fully, Danny runs towards the ropes and deftly jumps over them to slingshot the damaged arm across the top... ...but Bonn reaches into his own bag of tricks and counters it with a short-arm clothesline that rattles Danny! His grip unbroken, Bonn launches Holden back over the top rope into the ring with a quick suplex! HUGE POP!] TL: We've still got life left in the Nighthawk here! What a toss! It's buying him a little time to regroup here. MW: And clear Danny wasn't expecting a rally like that either. TL: Not at all, but it speaks to how the fatigue might be affecting Michael a little bit more here with his high risk style compared to Danny Holden's technical game plan. CJ: Play stupid games, win stupid prizes? TL: Not the way I'd put it, but sort of. [Well into their third matches of the night by now, Bonn barely makes it back to his feet before his foe but catches him with a forearm shiver and hits him with a snap suplex back to the mat. With the crowd noise starting to get louder in support of him Bonn catches Holden a second time, with a duck and a german suplex back to the canvas. Seemingly feeding off the energy of the crowd Bonn grabs him again right away and drops him with an inverted suplex, then one more time drags the increasingly battered Danny up and pulls his arms behind his back for a dragon suplex. This is when Bonn's damaged shoulder finally thwarts him though, as Holden breaks his grasp and drops to the mat hooking Bonn and pulling him right into a victory roll! 1! 2! Kickout! HUGE POP!] MW: Wow, Holden just about stole that one out of nowhere! CJ: Stole? STOLE? He's a master technician, nothing stolen about that! He's just so damn good that he can win a match before you can get the words out. MW: Well a wicked kick across the side of the head and Danny Holden trying to get back in control of things here. [From her ringside seat, Virginia St. Ursula breathes a sigh of relief at the close call. Having slowed his opponent down, Holden struggles to get up and blasts Bonn in the side of the head with a knee strike. Taking advantage of the dazed moment Holden lands two more strikes, grabs Bonn by the head and lifts him up as he moves towards the nearest corner. As Holden climbs the ropes and pulls Bonn in to place his knee against the back of his foe's head...] MW: One of Danny Holden's signature moves here, in fact we saw him do this in his last match! CJ: Yeah it's how he defeated Ryu Osawa! TL: That's not _EXACTLY_ how he defeated him, to be fair. CJ: It's all the same in the end, Tom. Two birds with one stone... literally! MW: If he hits this, it could very well be over here! CJ: Get it? One of them calls themself a hawk, the other one owned a chicken. TL: We get it, shut up. Also, leave Trice out of this. [Danny, shaky on the ropes, prepares to deliver the knockout shot on Bonn but gets caught as the Nighthawk suddenly grabs him by the head and flips him up and over with a snapmare... and tightens his grip by applying a rear-naked chokehold that has the crowd ROARING with delight!] MW: OH MY GOD, REAR-NAKED CHOKE AND HOLDEN TRAPPED WITH NOWHERE TO GO! TL: Every single time Danny thinks he's got this won, Bonn manages to surprise him with a counter! Look at him gasping and trying to claw his way free here! [Desperation is what shows on the challenger's face now as he struggles and fights to try and escape the grasp of Michael Bonn, who just cinches it in even more with every struggle on Holden's part. The crowd starts chanting "TAP! TAP! TAP! TAP!" as the excitement builds, and Referee Ingraham begins to check on his condition. A hopeful Ginny leads the crowd in chanting... Danny fights to stay conscious, reaching for the ropes with everything he has and just as all hope seems lost he grabs them, using them to pull himself as well as the Nighthawk right out to the floor where they both hit with a thud right in front of Bonn's manager. It's enough to break the hold though, and both lay on the floor trying to marshall what's left of their reserve tanks of energy.] MW: Such a narrow escape but this match isn't over just yet, Holden may have bought himself enough time to turn this around one more time. CJ: And if all else fails, handcuff Bonn to the steps and win it by countout. It all feels the same when you've got the leather belt in your hands. TL: I recognize that from your online profile. [As the official places a count on both wrestlers, they each struggle to lift themselves back up. Bonn has the early lead with Virginia urging him on but thanks to a shot to the stomach Holden manages to half roll back under the bottom rope, until he's grabbed by the leg and hauled right back out. A fistfight goes back and forth as the two men trade punches, each trying to get back into the ring occasionally to break the ten count before the other pulls them right back out. At one point Holden attacks the shoulder one more time and grabs Bonn by it, swinging and directing him right into the ringpost with a heavy collision that stuns him just enough to let Danny roll into the ring first and then drag Bonn in with a headlock for control. Not even a couple of shots to the kidney can free him, but once Holden switches up into a front facelock he tries to run into the corner for a tornado bulldog... ...and as he runs up the ropes Bonn quickly cuts his legs out from under him and switches right up in position for a hanging DDT as the crowd EXPLODES!] MW: BONN'S SETTING UP THE DEADFALL! TL: He's trying, but that arm's still giving him trouble! He can't maintain that grip now... MW: DANNY HOLDEN WITH A SWINGING TORNADO JAWBREAKER OUT OF THE CORNER! ONE! TWO! THREE! [GASP!] CJ: YESSSSS! TL: NO! The referee is waving it off! That was two and eight-tenths, but it was _NOT_ a three count! [Indeed, Ingraham has two fingers stuck in the air and despite the protests of one Danny Holden, he's not changing his mind on this. The crowd CHEERS LOUDLY OUT OF RELIEF!] MW: Good god that was about as close as you could possibly get, but look at the look on Danny Holden's face! TL: I swear he looks like he could just cry. [Holden, battered and exhausted, hauls himself back onto his feet and it looks like he's talking to himself, trying to self-motivate as he wrenches Bonn by the arm onto his knees. He reaches out and snags a dragon sleeper hold onto the fan favorite, but within seconds Bonn throws a knee into Danny's face and flips himself up and over to reverse it. He can't hold onto it long, still favoring the shoulder, and Holden turns around and PASTES him with a superkick square to the chin. A second one is sidestepped though with another loud cheer, and Bonn rears back with his right hand and catches Holden with a right cross! POP! They just start trading whatever they have left in the tank now, which degenerates to throwing wild punches until a kneelift that seems to go low by Holden results in a small package attempt... ...and Bonn blocks it, straightens up and takes Danny with him into a lift...] MW: A SMALL PACKAGE DRIVER! BUT BONN STILL CAN'T MAINTAIN THE CRADLE! HE MIGHT HAVE HAD HIM WITH THAT! TL: All that wear and tear on his shoulder is doing exactly what Holden wanted it to, it's really getting in the way of Bonn finishing this one out. He really is a brilliant tactician, no matter how this one ends. MW: With all the familiarity between them, it makes all the sense in the world they'd know exactly how to best capitalize on each other's weaknesses. [Holden crawls to the edge of the ring and picks himself up again, then runs straight into Bonn and smashes him in the face with a knee strike. Bonn is laid out flat by the hit, and Holden goes for the cover again... 1! 2! Kickout! Slapping the mat in frustration again, Danny holds Bonn by the head and slaps him across the face, then bashes the back of his head against the mat leaving Bonn semi-conscious while Holden slowly picks himself up one more time. MW: My god, Holden is unhinged! Bonn just keeps frustrating him to no end here. CJ: Yeah but that's got to run out eventually, Danny's just too damn good when it comes down to it. TL: It's such a tough position to be in, to know how close you are to everything you want and that you just can't cross the finish line. [Turning his back on his downed foe, Holden walks to the corner and begins to climb the ropes. The crowd murmurs, confused given this isn't a typical move for him. He pauses just a second before going for the top turnbuckle, and steadies himself as he stands on top. And then jumps off backwards...] MW: HOLDEN WITH A MOONSAULT- BUT MICHAEL BONN GETS HIS KNEES UP! [A HUGE POP comes from the crowd as Bonn counters and Danny comes crashing down on top of both knees, knocking the wind right out of him! Struggling to get back up, his body shaking with a mixture of adrenaline and exhaustion Bonn grabs Holden by the head and arms, gets him with a double underhook and jerks him up and over... Dropping Danny Holden with a sitdown powerbomb!] TL: GOT HIM! MW: ONE! TWO! THREE! [The crowd waits just a moment, until the sound of the bell ringing sends them into a total frenzy! Moments later, "Fly From The Inside" kicks up, and a weary Michael Bonn rolls away from his opponent, laying flat out.] MW: Now _THAT_ was a war! And Michael Bonn stands atop the mountain now, the winner of the 2x4 Tournament and as a result the UWF World Heavyweight Champion! TL: Some might say a decade after it should have happened, but you can't take this moment away from him now! This feels like destiny. MW: And what a statement he made by using the Ecchi Trigger Finger, the move made famous by Ryu Osawa. TL: Danny Holden seemed to have a counter for every one of his signatures, what better way to bring it all home than by using one of his best friend's? [Bonn begins to sit up, the night's events all weighing on him now but the sound of a deliriously happy crowd also lifting up his spirits now. As he begins to rise, a deflated Danny Holden rolls away and to the side of the ring. You can see the disappointment etched on his face once again, and he leans against the corner turnbuckles, watching. Watching as the referee confers with the official, and then receives the title belt from ringside by the attendant. Bonn stands in the middle of the ring, and the ref hands the UWF championship over to the Nighthawk. Taking a deep breath, he grasps it and the official raises his hand to officially crown him the winner.] BC: Your winner of the 2020 2x4 Tournament, _AND NEW_ UWF Heavyweight Champion of the World... "NIGHTHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWK" MMMMMMMMICHAAAAAAAEEEEEEEELLLLLLL BONNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN! [The crowd erupts again louder than before as Bonn holds the belt over his head, rare emotions visible on his face as he stands there. Murmurs as Holden finally stands up on his feet, and slowly approaches Bonn. Seconds go by as they stare at one another, but a slow handshake is offered by Danny... ... one that Bonn accepts.] MW: My word, I didn't expect to see that at all! TL: There's that strange but specific code of honor from Danny Holden. I don't think he's given up his dream of taking home the title for a second, but look at that. He's giving Michael Bonn the moment. CJ: I know. I'll try not to hold this against him in the future. [Once Holden leaves the ring, Bonn watches him for a few moments but then slides out to the floor on the other side where Ginny is waiting for him. The crowd POPS HUGE as they hug tightly, all as fireworks begin to explode over the ringside area once again! The Nighthawk climbs over the barrier and into the crowd, placing the belt on Virginia's shoulder as they celebrate with fans all around them.] MW: One more time, what an unbelievable night this has been fans, we thank you so much for being with us here at 2x4 2020! Congratulations to all of tonight's winners, including of course the unified world champion Jerry Titus and now UWF Champion "Nighthawk" Michael Bonn! TL: Hell of a night, and hell of a sight to cap us off here. MW: Thank you folks, we'll see you later! [Fade to black.]