LIVE FROM SCOTIABANK SADDLEDOME
CALGARY, ALBERTA, CANADA
(near Fort Assiniboine - Home of the World’s Largest Wagon Wheel)
Reggie Estrada
- vs -
Ennui Clown Street Fight
Shrine of the Snake God Palagea
ROUND ONE
John Blade
- vs -
Razor Blade
- vs -
Barney Green Triple Threat
One Fall
If an opponent is thrown out of the stage or knocked out, the match will continue until someone is pinned, submitted or eliminated via Ring Out or KO
Ling Sheng-Su Temple Ruin
ROUND ONE
Bing Bong Twinz
- vs -
Mister Oz
- vs -
Matthias Syn Triple Threat
One Fall
If an opponent is thrown out of the stage or knocked out, the match will continue until someone is pinned, submitted or eliminated via Ring Out or KO
Hall of the Warrior God
ROUND ONE
Sebastian Everett-Bryce
- vs -
Yelena Gorgo
- vs -
Scoops McGee Triple Threat
One Fall
If an opponent is thrown out of the stage or knocked out, the match will continue until someone is pinned, submitted or eliminated via Ring Out or KO
As Warfare comes on air, Ennui Clown is lying face down in the ring. He’s not unconscious, just kinda bummed.
JC: Ennui Clown has made quite the name for himself on Anarchy! I'm not sure exactly what *kind* of name he's made, but he's certainly made one!
JR: You know, this Ennui Clown is a badass. He don't give a fuck nor a shit nor a piss bout' nothin'- and that makes him dangerous! More dangerous than his win/loss record would indicate!
JC: And he has a major match coming up against The Kingsguard on Anarchy, so a win tonight could help put some momentum in his sails- not that he'd give a hoot!
We see on the walkway, where the camera pans to the entrance, as soon as the beat drops we see Reggie walking down out to the song. He stares at the crowd, who gives him mix reactions as he walks down to the ring, then he gets to the steel steps, but looks at the crowd some more. Then he climbs up to it, and get into the ring. Camera cuts to various fan signs that either love or hate Reggie, then it cuts to him going on the corner to raise his fist and talk some trash, then he gets down and stand in the ring as his theme cuts off.
JC: The one, the only, the legend himself: REGGIE ESTRADA!
JR: Now if you want to talk about someone who don't give a rat's ass, it's this cholo right here. Reggie Estrada is a certified THUG, and you know what that means.
JC: Actually, I don't! What's that mean?
JR: That means he's coming to Warfare to kick ass, and take names! So that clown had better watch out, cause Reggie will paint his smile upside down!
JC: But Ennui Clown is already wearing a painted-on frown!
JR: Well then...Reggie might just superkick him so hard that it becomes a smile!
JC: Now wouldn't that be something! Ennui Clown smiling for once, what a sight it would be to see! If anyone can do it, it's Reggie Estrada!
Reggie Estrada
- vs -
Ennui Clown Street Fight
HIGHLIGHT REEL
DING! DING! DING!
Reggie Estrada moves first!
He storms forward like a man who learned to fight in alleys where hesitation gets you killed.
Ennui Clown stands in the center of the ring, shoulders slouched, face paint cracked in dull pastels. His head tilts slightly to the side, as if he’s listening to music no one else can hear. His arms hang limp. His expression is a blank mask of indifference.
Reggie crashes into him!
A forearm smashes across the clown’s jaw. The sound pops sharp and ugly. Ennui’s head snaps sideways, but his body doesn’t resist.
He sways.
Reggie hits him again.
Another forearm. Then another. Then a closed fist. The street fight rules don’t forbid it, and Reggie has never needed permission to throw a punch.
The clown absorbs them like a mannequin bolted upright.
Reggie grabs a fistful of greasy, multicolored hair and yanks Ennui’s head down into a rising knee. The impact lifts the clown’s feet off the canvas for half a heartbeat before he slumps back into place.
The clown has no fire in his eyes.
But Reggie snarls.
He hooks Ennui around the waist and launches him with a vicious overhead belly-to-belly suplex.
The clown flips high, rotating awkwardly, and lands hard on his back. The canvas shudders beneath him.
He lies there.
Blinking at the lights.
But Reggie doesn’t go for a cover.
He rolls out of the ring and immediately begins throwing up the apron skirt, digging underneath like a raccoon in a dumpster.
JC: This is a street fight, the kind of fight that Reggie's always felt most comfortable in- and now, it looks like he wants to invite a few metal friends to the party!
JR: Reggie Estrada in a street fight is like meeting a tiger in it's natural habitat. There's going to be violence, chaos, and blood! A whole lot of blood!
Reggie drags out a steel chair. Then another. Then a dented trash can.
He slides back into the ring with the chair first.
Ennui Clown has managed to sit up.
Not scramble.
Not crawl away.
Just… sit.
Reggie steps forward and swings.
The steel chair slams across the clown’s spine with a metallic crack that echoes through the building. Ennui folds forward, his forehead pressing against the mat.
No scream.
No plea.
Just a slow exhale.
Reggie raises the chair again and brings it down across the back of Ennui’s shoulders. Then across his ribs. Then across his arm when the clown lazily lifts it, not even to block, just to exist in the way.
Reggie tosses the chair aside and grabs the trash can. He jams it down over Ennui’s head and shoulders, trapping him inside the metal cylinder.
Reggie backs up.
Runs.
And boots the trash can with all the fury in his legs!
JC: Reggie Estrada is going for broke already! He's making sure to take full advantage of these street fight rules!
JR: Going for broke? If you ask me, Reggie's just trying to break this clown down!
The clang reverberates like a gunshot. The can caves in around the clown’s skull. Ennui topples sideways, rolling awkwardly across the mat with the can still stuck around his upper body.
Reggie laughs.
It’s not joyful.
It’s not triumphant.
It’s the kind of laugh that comes from someone who finally found something he’s allowed to break.
He grabs the edge of the can and rips it off Ennui’s head. The paint on the clown’s face is smeared now. One eye is ringed darker where the metal pressed into skin.
Ennui blinks slowly.
Reggie kicks him in the face.
A sharp, soccer-style punt.
Ennui rolls to his back.
Reggie drops down and begins hammering fists into the clown’s forehead. Over and over. His knuckles thud against skin. Each punch snaps Ennui’s head slightly into the mat.
The clown’s arms flop uselessly at his sides.
JC: You know, at some point in his XWF career Ennui Clown is going to have to throw a punch! He may be an expert at taking damage, but in order to go very far in this federation, at some point you have to deal damage!
JR: Ennui Clown is no amateur, I think he's just waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike!
JC: Is that opportunity going to come in this match?
JR: I guess we'll have to wait and see!
Reggie grabs him by the throat and hauls him upright.
He slaps Ennui hard across the face.
The clown’s head tilts.
Reggie slaps him again.
And again.
Finally, Ennui’s eyes focus on Reggie’s face.
There’s no anger there.
No fear.
Just…ennui.
Reggie’s lip curls.
He hooks Ennui’s arm and whips him violently into the corner turnbuckles. The impact rattles the ring posts. Ennui collapses into the corner, half-sitting, half-slumped.
Reggie charges and drives his shoulder into Ennui’s midsection. Once. Twice. Three times. Each thrust compresses the clown against the turnbuckles.
Ennui’s body folds around the blows, but his expression barely changes.
Reggie backs up and delivers a brutal running boot to Ennui’s face in the corner. The clown’s head snaps back against the turnbuckle pad. His body slumps forward again.
Reggie reaches out, hooks his arms under Ennui’s and drags him up to the top rope.
Not for a high-risk move.
For punishment.
Reggie climbs to the second rope and starts raining down punches into Ennui’s forehead. One. Two. Three. Four—
The clown sways with each strike.
At ten, Reggie shoves Ennui off the top rope.
The clown crashes back-first onto the canvas, rolling onto his side.
Reggie drops down and immediately grabs one of the steel chairs again.
He wedges it between the top and middle turnbuckles in the opposite corner.
Then he stalks back to Ennui, grabs him by the collar of his torn shirt, and drags him across the ring like a sack of laundry.
Reggie pulls him up.
Irish whip!
Ennui stumbles toward the corner.
Reggie follows close behind and drives him face-first into the wedged chair.
The steel explodes loose from the turnbuckles and clatters to the mat as Ennui collapses.
JC: This is starting to look less like a street fight, and more like a good old fashioned assault!
JR: That's Reggie's specialty! His career on the streets started with simple assaults, before it ever elevated into professional wrestling! This is just Reggie Estrada's way of getting back to his latino roots!
Reggie doesn’t pause.
He drags Ennui up again and hooks him for a snap suplex.
But instead of falling backward normally, Reggie shifts mid-motion and drives Ennui down throat-first across the top rope.
The rope vibrates violently as Ennui spills back into the ring, clutching at nothing.
Still no panic.
Still no fight.
Reggie rolls out again and this time he pulls out a wooden kendo stick.
JC: Reggie has another weapon!
JR: I think he has an unlimited supply of them!
He slides back in, twirls it once in his hand, and then cracks it across Ennui’s ribs.
The sound is sharp and splintering.
Ennui jerks slightly from the impact.
Reggie swings again, this time across the clown’s back.
A third time across the thigh.
A fourth across the shoulder.
The stick begins to fray.
Reggie tosses it aside and stomps Ennui’s midsection repeatedly, each stomp landing with grinding force.
Ennui curls slightly under the assault.
But when Reggie steps back and grabs him by the hair again, Ennui’s eyes still carry that same detached haze.
Reggie roars and launches him with a release German suplex.
Ennui flips backward and lands dangerously high on his shoulders before collapsing flat.
Reggie pops to his feet and immediately grabs both of Ennui’s ankles.
He drags him toward the center of the ring, spreads his legs apart—
—and drops an elbow straight into the groin.
Ennui’s body jolts for the first time with something resembling instinct.
But even that fades quickly.
JC: A low blow from Reggie Estrada! That wasn't even necessary in the slightest!
JR: Maybe a good ol' tickle to the taint will help Ennui Clown snap out of his funk!
Reggie rises, breathing heavier now.
He grabs the second steel chair and unfolds it in the middle of the ring.
He pulls Ennui up, positions his head between his legs—
But instead of finishing anything, he hoists the clown up and powerbombs him spine-first onto the open chair.
The metal frame collapses under the impact.
Ennui bounces once and rolls off the wreckage.
Reggie stands over him, chest heaving.
Still no resistance.
Still no rage.
Just that empty stare.
Reggie crouches down close to Ennui’s face.
Ennui blinks.
A faint smile touches his lips.
That does it.
Reggie stands and drags Ennui toward the ropes. He shoves him under the bottom rope and follows him to the outside.
Concrete.
No padding.
Reggie grabs Ennui and whips him hard into the steel barricade. The metal rattles loudly as the clown’s back slams into it.
Reggie charges and crushes him against it with a running forearm.
Then he grabs Ennui by the head and repeatedly smashes his face against the top edge of the barricade.
Once.
Twice.
Three times!
The paint on Ennui’s face smears further as blood begins to spill.
Reggie hooks him for a vertical suplex and drops him spine-first onto the concrete floor.
The thud is sickening.
Ennui lies flat, staring upward at nothing.
Reggie reaches under the ring again.
This time he pulls out a folding table.
JC: And now Reggie's pulling out a table! I don't think Estrada gives a damn about pinning Ennui Clown anymore, he just wants to send a message! A sick, sick message!
JR: That's what THUGZ do, baby!
He sets it up near the ring apron, unfolding it with impatient aggression.
He goes back to Ennui, drags him up, and leans him against the ring post.
Reggie steps back and charges, driving a brutal knee into Ennui’s face, smashing his head against the steel post.
Ennui slumps.
Reggie hoists him up onto his shoulders in a fireman’s carry.
He turns toward the table—
—but before he can move, Ennui lazily slides off his shoulders.
Not countering.
Not escaping.
Just… slipping down.
He stands in front of Reggie again.
Still upright.
Still blank.
Reggie stares at him for a split second.
Then he headbutts him!
Hard!
The crack of skull on skull sends Ennui reeling slightly, a crimson mask now completely covering his painted face.
Reggie grabs him again, lifts him, and this time he powers him through the table with a brutal Samoan drop.
Wood explodes beneath them!
Both men hit hard.
Reggie rolls to his knees first.
Ennui lies in the wreckage.
Arms spread.
Eyes open.
Still conscious.
Still uncaring.
Reggie crawls over and hooks the leg for a cover on the outside.
1!
2!!
KICKOUT!!
Ennui’s shoulder lazily lifts off the concrete.
JC: It appears that Ennui Clown still has some fight left in him!
JR: I'm not sure I'd call it "fight", but that clown is certainly still kicking!
Reggie pounds the floor with his fist in anger!
He grabs Ennui and drags him back into the ring.
He shoves him under the ropes and slides in after him.
Reggie pulls him upright one more time.
Ennui’s knees wobble.
But his eyes…
His eyes are still calm.
Reggie sets him up for another suplex.
This time a brainbuster.
He lifts him high and drives him straight down onto the crown of his head.
Ennui crumples on impact.
Reggie rolls him onto his back.
1!
2!!
KICKOUT!!!
The shoulder lifts again.
Barely.
But it lifts.
Reggie stands slowly.
Something dark settles into his expression.
He reaches down and drags Ennui to his feet one last time.
The clown sways.
His legs barely holding him upright.
But even now—
Even now—
There’s that faint hint of a smile.
Reggie shakes his head.
He kicks Ennui in the gut!
Hooks the head...
Jumps—
And drills him into the mat with a vicious Stone Cold Stunner!
JC: Stona-Duna! Stona-Duna! Reggie just hit this clown with one of the most powerful finishing moves in all of wrestling!
JR: That's it, I'm calling it! There's no way this clown- or anyone, for that matter- is getting up from that!
The impact snaps Ennui’s body horizontal before he crashes flat on his back.
This time—
His eyes roll back.
His limbs go limp.
No sway in his body.
No blink in his eyes.
No detached smile.
Just stillness.
Reggie stares down at him for a long moment.
Then drops into the cover.
1!
2!!
3!!!
Winner: Reggie Estrada
Ennui Clown lays completely lifeless in the ring whilst Reggie Estrada’s arm is raised by the referee. Reggie’s music plays over the PA system whilst his thuggish, ruggish fans cheer him on from the bleachers.
JC: What an impressive showcase from Reggie Estrada! He completely dominated that match, bell to bell! Ennui Clown never stood a chance! I’m not sure if Ennui Clown even touched Reggie!
JR: That’s what THUGZ do, Jackie! They beat down on the innocent, they run through pockets, and they leave nothing but blood in their wake! Reggie Estrada is BACK, baby- and he looked better than ever tonight!
JC: This was a great win for Reggie Estrada, no doubt! He just showed the entire XWF Universe that he ain’t playing when he comes to Warfare- he’s coming for scalps!
JR: And he’s wiping smirks off of faces- no matter how long you spend painting it on!
JC: Well folks…that clown still isn’t moving. We had better get him some medical attention….we’ll be right back! Don’t go anywhere, because this was just our opening bout!
JR: And what a great opener it was! But the night’s far from over…and we still have plenty more clowns in need of ass-whoopings like this!
JC: Folks, it’s that time of year again! March Madness!
JR: Or Ides of March as it was called last year for some reason!
JC: Some of the best names from around the XWF, AND around the wrestling industry at large, will all vie for the rights to call themselves the KING of the XWF!
JR: And don’t forget Jacuinde! The Universal title is on the line! Not just in the Final, but every match that the Universal champion competes in, the winner will take the Universal title with him!
JC: The stakes couldn’t be higher! We’ll see the Universal champion compete tomorrow on Savage (check your local listings!) but advancing in this tournament as the numbers dwindle almost guarantees you a shot for the top prize in all of wrestling!
”Those who survive shall be heralded as champions of battle! Those that fall forgotten!”
…
JR: Sorry, what’d you just say, Jacuinde?
JC: I didn’t say anything, Joe.
…
The camera pans over the long, claustrophobic walkway called Shrine of the Snake God, Palgaea... A razor-thin fighting path suspended over darkness. On one side, a massive statue dedicated in homage to Palgaea, a serpentine deity wielding a large scythe…
On the other side, pure black… A seemingly endless drop.
JC: Deep beneath the shore of the Black Sea, inside the heretical temple of Fygul Cestemus, the three of them will fdo battle! Not in a ring with ropes and turnbuckles — but the narrow, multi-tiered stone platforms of the shrine itself!
JR: Shouldn’t they have caution tape over that big drop? That’s gotta be an OSHA violation, Jacuinde!
”Mythmaking has no regulations beyond those imposed by the human mind!”
JR: …There it is again. Did you hear that, Castillo?
JC: Genuinely don’t know what you’re talking about.
…
''Wrestling has more than one... royal family.''
As soon as those words are heard, the crowd inside the Shrine of the Snake God Palgaea erupted as you heard the commentator's reaction as well.
JC: Huge reaction for the November 2025 Star of the Month! The American Nightmare! Razor Blade!
JR: Everywhere Razor goes, he’s beloved! From west coast to east coast to… heretical temples of snake worshippers apparently!.
Smoke emanated from the stage, completely covering as you weren't able to see anything through it and before you knew it, Razor Blade is seen walking through the smoke, a big smile on his face as the crowd erupted even louder at the sight of the American Nightmare.
JC: Razor Blade took a non-traditional route to get to his current rolling momentum, but he’s finally crawling up those ELO ranking charts, Joe!
JR: Not only that, but he’s got a new energy about him! He’s stopped interviewing with Steve Sayors, he’s wielding that Star of the Month accolade like the first of many!
JC: It’s a long road from round one to the finals… Still, one must ask! Could we be crowning King Razor in a few short weeks!?!
''Adrenaline, in my soul
Every thought out of control
Do it all to get them off their feet''
Razor glanced out at the crowd, nodding his head pointing out towards them dressed to the nines in one of his many custom suits as he knelt down, tapping the ramp with his fist, jumping up to his feet as he extended his arms out.
''Crowd is here, about to blow
waitin' for me to start the show
out the curtain, lights go up I'm home
Whoooooooooooooa!''
A burst of pyro went off behind Razor as he brought his arms in before pumping his fist as one final big burst of pyro went off behind him Razor glanced out at the crowd again, that smile remaining on his face as he walked down the ramp, high fiving members of the crowd in the front row before going over and doing the same thing on the other side of the ramp. Razor walked down the rest of ]the ramp, stopping at the end of it as he looked around before walking towards the steel steps. He glanced down at them, before tapping them with his hand as he raised his arms trying to pump up the crowd before walking up the steel steps as he scaled the turnbuckle, looking around before extending his arms as even more pyro went off on the stage. Razor hopped down into the ring.
…
The Time is now hit's as he walks out on stage. “The Surgeon of Thug” John Blade talks to the cameraman and bounces a little. He holds up his “Never Give Up” logo flag and tosses it to the f-... wait, no fans over on that side. He just tossed it into the abyss. Regardless, he salutes and runs straight down towards the platform!
JC: There he is! The “Surgeon of Thug”! The “Chain Gang”! John Blade!
JR: We’ve seen him in Action Wrestling! We’ve seen him in WGWF! Wherever he goes, he gets a reaction! Where he goes, headlines follow! But for the first time in his storied wrestling career, John Blade has come to the XWF!
JC: This certainly isn’t a typical match, wrestling on a thin platform above an unfathomably deep drop! But, ya gotta wonder if a career that’s been as long as John Blade’s gives him some kind of experience advantage. If he can apply some stipulation in his past to this scenario and if that will give him the edge the Surgeon of Thug needs to carve out the win!
John bounces off the ropes side to side and he holds up his “Hustle, Loyalty, and Respect” shirt. He takes off his hat and tosses his shirt to the fans, hands his Chain to the ref, and waits for his opponent to arrive[/align]
…
"Realize" By AC/DC starts to play as the fans start cheering. Out walks Barney Green, dressed in his ring gear. He slowly walks out and waves at the fans.
JC: The LIVING LEGEND! THE GREEN MACHINE! Barney Allison Green! The uncrowned King of X-Treme!
JR: We’ve seen Barney in prior March Madnesses! And while he’s never gone all the way, it’s a constant highlight reel whenever he sees fit to make a comeback!
JC:It’s been, by my count, five years since Barney Green had a shot for the Universal title, when he took on Thaddeus Duke, Saturday Night Savage, January 9th, 2021! Could you imagine Barney Green walking out of March Madness, not ONLY with the King of the XWF crown… But also the Universal championship around his waist!
Green walks down to the platform and steps onto the stage. He waits on the side of the long snaky platform as his music fades.
…
The torches flicker.
The surf rumbles somewhere far above the cavern ceiling.
Three men stand on the thin, unforgiving causeway of the Shrine of the Snake God Palgaea — no ropes, no apron, just stone beneath their boots and oblivion on either side… Razor on the far side, John in the middle, Barney on the opposite end…
Barney Green grins first.
Not a confident grin — a crooked, wild, one-eyed grin that says he doesn’t care where he is. He rolls his neck. Cracks it. Spits to the side.
Razor Blade’s jaw tightens. His eyes flick once toward the drop. He flexes his fingers, bouncing lightly on the balls of his feet, calculating the narrowness.
John Blade smirks. He spreads his arms to the darkness as if the temple itself were a stadium of screaming children.
JR: Dude… ot feels like it just hit me how insane this is! There’s no ropes. If somebody gets momentum they’re just gone! This environment, you have to forget basically a lifetime of instincts built in the ring!
JCo: March Madness isn’t a traditional tournament, Joe! It’s a test to see who can be the very best without boundaries like a ring or familiar structures to lean on!
Fate intertwines three warriors upon the Chin of Genesis… Only one shall carve his legend into eternity!
JR: …Is… Is that you, God?
Triple Threat
One Fall
If an opponent is thrown out of the stage or knocked out, the match will continue until someone is pinned, submitted or eliminated via Ring Out or KO
HIGHLIGHT REEL
As the bell rings, Razor and John step cautiously out of their starting blocks… Almost as if testing not only their opponents’ footwork but also the sturdiness of the platform under them!
JC: Razor and John understandably a little cautious to start off! A single misstep can mean you’re outta the biggest tournament in wres-
AIEEEEEEEEEEE!
From the other side of the platform! BarnDawg throws his shoulders forward and ROARS, stampeding straight down the causeway at both men.
JC: Oh my God! Barney Green!
JR: Thank God! I was worried for a sec we weren’t going to see something stupid!
…Razor and John’s eyes widen as Barney charges them!
JC: Oh wow! There’s no width on the sides for Razor and John to sidestep! Barney might have came up with an unbeatable first move!
Barney charges!
…But John Blade standing switches around him!
And Razor slides through Barney’s legs!
Barney charges to the other end of the ramp as the two spin around! And Barney… just starts charging again!
JC: I think we’re seeing Barney’s gameplan in its complete form! He’s just gonna run laps and shoulder block the whole width of the platform until both men get driven off!
JR: So far, no flaws in that plan I can see!
As Barney charges again, Razor’s eyes widen — irritation flashing across his face at being forced backward — and he instinctively sidesteps to avoid getting bulldozed with exacting precision, keeping his footing on the platform!
JC: Razor pulls off another impressive dodge!
JR: But it’s only a matter of time until Barney connects, Jacuinde!
John’s smirk fades into a focused squint. As Barney charges him… He plants his feet!
JC: Oh my God! John Blade is refusing to back down!
JR: The Surgeon of Thug is about to require an operation after Barney runs him over!!
Barney barrels into John looking for a…
SHOULDER BLOCK!
But, John explodes forward with a Lou Thesz Press, tackling Barney backward to the stone!
JR Oh! Blade just drove him down on the stone!
JC: Like an offering to Palgaea herself, Blade has Green upon the rocks! Blade at his throat now!
They crash hard with a loud thump! Barney absorbs it, gritting his teeth, wild hair flaring across his face.
Barney snarls like a wild animal resisting containment! John reels his hand back, looking for a mounted right h-
WHAM! Green drives a brutal throat punch upward!
Intelligent Diversion!
John’s eyes bulge as air leaves his lungs. He staggers upright, clutching his throat.
“Strike true, and sever the breath of destiny!”
*sound of Joe taking his headphones off*
JR: Where is that coming from?!?
JC: Joe, let’s focus up, okay?
Barney pulls himself up to one knee off the platform…
As, with a burst of adrenaline, Razor sprints forward — his face twisted with reckless confidence!
JC: Razor Blade, never one to be outdone by anyone in the category of ‘putting his body on the line in the name of victory’
JR: I think you mean, never to be outdone in the category of ‘taking stupid risks’!
As Barney scampers back up to a vertical base, Razor launches into a dropkick aimed at Barney’s temple!
Barney’s single eye widens in fury — not fear — and he absorbs the blow with a stumble instead of falling.
JR: Barney just ate that dropkick like it was a plate of chicken wings!
Razor, surprised that Green is still standing, pursues Green… Green, conscious to avoid a ringout, rotates himself so his back is to the wall and the Palgaea statue behind him…
JC: Barney, making a calculated move to avoid getting driven off the side of the platform! Wise play!
Razor turns on a dime as Barney pivots! Razor leaps through the air with a…
RUNNING KNEE!
…But Barney catches Razor in mid-air! And spins, RAMMING him against the wall!
Razor’s face flashes pain as his back splatters against the wall!
Barney hauls Razor up by the wrist and, with a guttural roar, snaps him over with a…
RELEASE FOLEYPLEX!
Razor’s back smacks stone. The causeway vibrates, as Razor tumbles across the platform…
But narrowly stops himself from going over the side!
JC: Holy COW! I don’t think we’ve ever seen Barney look this dominant!
John coughs violently, eyes watering — humiliation burning through the pain in his throat.
He sees Barney standing over Razor, grasping at the back of Razor’s head…
He sees the drop behind them.
His jaw sets.
JC: Uh oh! You never want to give your back to the “Surgeon of Thug”!
He pumps his arms once, twice, feeding off invisible cheers, then charges with a…
RUNNING SHOULDER BLOCK!
Barney sees a looming shadow… He spins aro-
WHAM! Blade’s shoulder collides with Barney’s chin!
Razor rolls away, clutching his ribs, his eyes widening as he sees both heavyweights inches from oblivion.
Barney’s heel slips halfway off the ledge.
For the first time — just a flicker — something like awareness crosses his face.
He snarls and drives his head forward, trying to shift the center of his weight back onto the platform…
…
……
His arms go out to his sides!
He stays upright!
[white]JC: Incredible ring awareness by Barney Green! …er, shrine awareness?
Barney sees John ahead of him, Blade exhales shaking his head, in disbelief that didn’t toss out the Green Machine… Machine charges again!
JC: Barney going for another charge!
JR: If the gameplan ain’t broke, why fix it?
Green stampedes ahead… John backsteps toward the wall…
As Barney barrels forward, Blade scoops Barney up off his feet!
JC: What strength by John Blade! Barney is 280 pounds!
John hoists Barney up… and falls backward!
Flapjack against the stone wall behind the platform!
Barney’s skull connects! He staggers back, closer to the edge of the platform…
John barks at Razor, still on the ground…
Razor looks at Green… Then, the wall!
JC: The Blades may not be related, but I think they both recognize they gotta get Barney out for the Blade name to carry onto the next round!
Barney shakes it off, he charges again with a…
LARIAT TO JOHN BLADE!
…
But John ducks! He scoops Green up into the air!
SPIN OUT POWERBOMB!
Barney’s punch drunk but he’s staggering up on jelly legs…
As Razor charges off his feet to the wall…
He leaps off the statue of Palgaea!
JC: Sacrilegious!
And… RAZOR KICK! (Disaster Kick!)
Barney gets driven back!
His feet go off the side!
…
AND HE FALLS!
YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
…
JR: I didn’t hear a splat.
JC: There might not be a bottom! IF anyone could survive a fall like that, it’s Barney Green, the King of X-Treme, however, it’s safe to say that Barney Green, for the purposes of this match is…
Eliminated: Barney Green
JC: And then there were two!
A Man Falls But a Legend Rises In His Stead! Who Among the Remainder Shall Don the Role of Victor!
JC:You said it, God!
Razor Blade and John Blade stand alone on the narrow causeway — both men breathing hard, both men now acutely aware that there is no third body to break a fall.
John rolls his shoulders, jaw tight, eyes narrowing at Razor with competitive disdain.
Razor wipes sweat from his brow, nostrils flaring, adrenaline buzzing in his veins. No more chaos. No more Barney. Just him… and the Surgeon of Thug.
JC: It has become a one-on-one contest! And now, gentlemen, precision matters more than ever!
John’s lips curl into a confident half-smirk. He spreads his arms slightly — inviting Razor in — daring him to make this match a test of strength.
Razor’s eyes flash with irritation at the taunt.
He explodes forward like he’s looking to deck John… John raises his guard, ready to block and counterpunch…
But Razor, with precise footing, take John into a sideguard, with a Russian Legsw-
….No! John plants his weight and puts the brakes on it!
John immediately pivots and transitions, hooking Razor’s waist for a Spinebuster!
JC: Oh my! John could be going for the win here, looking to spinebuster Razor off the side of the platform!
Razor’s eyes go wide — panic at the proximity to the edge — and he desperately hammers elbows into John’s temple.
John grimaces — anger flaring — but still powers Razor up, carrying him to the side!
John!
JOHN!
…
John lifts Razor!
…
But, at the last second, Razor shifts his hips mid-air and twists, turning the Spinebuster attempt into a sunset flip!
JC: Pinfalls count! This match remains one fall to a finish!
A snake cultist ref, who’s been here the whole time, drops to count!
ONE!
TWO!
THR-NO!
John kicks out forcefully, sending Razor rolling backward.
JC: Razor almost stole that one!
JR: History does not remember the method of victory! Only the name of the victor!
Back off my turf, Rogan!
JR: …Sorry, God.
Razor and John slowly, exhaustedly, rise up off the mat…
John’s jaw clenches.
He pumps his arms once. Twice.
The invisible crowd roars in his head.
He charges.
Leaping Clothesline!
Razor’s head snaps back violently as he flips to the stone wall side of the platform…
John launches —
Diving Running Bulldog!
Razor’s face smashes into the stone.
John pops to his feet, feeling momentum surge through him now.
He throws his hand up.
“You can’t see me!”
Without hitting any ropes (because there are no ropes) John hits the…
FIVE
KNUCKLES
SHUFFLE!
Razor’s face contorts in fury as John rebounds and drives the running strike down across Razor’s skull.
JC: Vintage John Blade!
John wastes no time — scooping Razor up onto his shoulders.
Death Valley Drop attempt.
Razor’s face flickers with panic — then calculation.
He begins hammering fists down across John’s head.
John staggers.
Razor slips free behind him.
JC: Doesn’t matter how many times you put Razor Blade down! He has the will to survive and the will to win!
Razor’s breathing is ragged now.
His eyes burn with defiance.
He charges forward with a Bulldog — planting John face-first!
John bounces up to a knee, stunned.
Razor sees it.
He sees destiny.
He grabs John by the wrist, spinning him violently inward —
Setting up the Blade Rose.
(Arm trapped. Turn. Momentum building.)
JC: If Razor hits this in the center, it’s over!
JR: Yeah but look where they are, Jacuinde… they’re drifting!
Razor twists his hips, going to sling John down with the rotational cutter variation —
But John’s eyes suddenly sharpen.
Instinct takes over.
Mid-rotation, John widens his base and blocks the turn.
Razor’s face flashes confusion — then fear.
John shifts his grip — powering Razor up across his shoulders in one smooth, explosive motion.
The crowd inside his head is deafening.
JC: COUNTER! COUNTER!
Razor thrashes wildly — realizing too late they are only a step from the edge.
John doesn’t hesitate.
With a roar of raw adrenaline and ego and impact —
He takes one deliberate step sideways —
DEATH!
VALLEY!
DRIVER!
OFF THE SIDE OF THE PLATFORM!
JC: Oh my GOD! WHAT THE FUCK!?!?
JR: …Hey, yeah, never thought about that. What happens if all three men drop off the side?
Both men disappear.
…
……
JC: Uh… I didn’t… I don’t… Sorry, folks. John Blade performed an INSANE finishing move on Razor, driving both his opponent and himself off the side of the platform! I’m… um… getting a lot of voices in my ear as to… uh… how we’ll handle the tournament going forward… An-
JR: Wait! Jacuinde, look!
A hand creeps over the side of the platform! It finds a perch, and a forearm starts to pull back up off the side!
JC: Someone hung onto the side! This match might still have a winner!
JR: But who?!?
“Two destinies descend into the abyss — but only one shall rise from the crucible of ruin!”
…Another arm reaches over… And pulls back onto the platform…
THE SURGEON OF THUG!
Winner and Advancing to the March Madness Quarterfinal: John Blade
JC: My God! He countered the Blade Rose in mid-motion and drove Razor Blade off the shrine itself!
JR: That wasn’t just a Death Valley Drop… that was a Death Valley descent!
John rolls off slowly, clutching his ribs, staring up at the snake-lined ceiling.
He raises a trembling hand.
JC: Love him or hate him, John Blade is advancing to the next round of March Madness!
JC: Folks, if you’re just joining us, before the commercial break, The “Surgeon of Thug” John Blade claimed the first victory in this March Madness tournament and will be advancing to the next round!
JR: But who else will make it to the Elite Eight?!? Who else is going to have a one-in-seven chance of a Universal title match next round!?!
”The Roll of the Dice Rewards Those Who Survive To Toss Them Again!”
JR: Praise be!
The camera pans over Ling Sheng-Su Temple… a haunting bright yellow moon hangs over the sky as a dark fog pans over the broken tiles and barren soil that once housed the grandest temple in mainland China…
JR: Spooky vibes here, Jacuinde!
JC: Quite an understatement, Joe! The release of the Soul Edge, nearly a full continent away, drove the monks of the Ling Sheng-Su Temple insane! They literally tore each other apart with their well-honed combat skills, fighting until their bodies broke and they died crippled and bleeding, their souls rife with fury! This land is infused with abominable energy and the ghosts that haunt these lands bring out the worst of the human soul! What do you say to that, Joe!
…
JR: Spooky!
Their Spirits are Angry! Their Souls Refuse Release Until Blood is Spilled Enough to Sate Their Hunger!
JR: I second what God said.
Da Bing Bong Twinzz bust out that back stage bitch like WTF and perp slash pimp walk to the TEM-PULL. You feel me?
JR: Now, Jacuinde, could you explain to me again why the Bing Bong Twinzz are allowed to enter this tournament together?
JC: “again” implies I ever explained that to you in the first place, Joe! I have no clue why a tag-team is competing in a singles tournament! And frankly, it makes no sense!
What is a twin but a single soul spread across two bodies? Inseparable from birth, inseparable in battle!
…
Oswald stands amidst an indie metal band, watching the ring, looking at the band. Soon a choir is heard as the band begins to play his theme song. He walks towards the lead guitarist, clapping him gently on the back so as to not mess up her playing. Oswald, walks down the road, the bottom of his white cloak dragging along the ground.
JC: A dark horse entrant in the March Madness tournament! Mister Oz! A man who’s been taking on three opponents at a time over on Anarchy!
JR: He called Warfare the B-show, Jacuinde! And once you do that, you better back it up with a win! Oz, through his words, is representing the Thursday Night brand here! And after all that running his mouth, he’s gotta do Anarchy proud!
Once standing at the gate before the temple grounds, he'd leap, launching himself over the gate to show how strong and agile he was to lift such mass with such ease, before de-cloaking himself, placing it in his corner before stretching out his arms in a lower case t and roaring out to the crowd before going and sitting on top of his cloak, awaiting the bell as he mentally plans out the match, as well as how to try and beat his opponent.
…
The opening riff of The hangman's body count by Volbeat starts to play throughout the hills of mainland China as the lights dim. Several red and purple laser lights envelope the stage as Matthias Syn casually walks through the curtain. As he steps onto the stage, he stops and acknowledges the crowd by stretching both arms forward while touching his balled up fists together.
JC: We’ve seen vignettes hinting his return! We even saw him declare for March Madness! But I genuinely cannot believe Matthias Syn is finally back!
JR: The Syn City Saint! Not only did he have a historic 252-day reign as XWF Revolution Champion, he had an incredible run at last year’s March Tournament, all the way to the final four! It took Kieran King, the ultimate winner of the tournament, to take out Syn!
JC: Matthias Syn is a big-match competitor! Something about the opportunity to strike at someone standing above everyone else fuels him! Gives him that extra fire to go for the throat with every strike! And in March Madness, the only way to take out the King is to march through every soldier in between you and him!
JR: The Matthias Syn Revolution may start anew tonight! But will it get derailed by either of his THREE opponents?
After several seconds he begins to nonchalantly walk down the road toward the Temple, not allowing the fans to touch him. He slides over the gate onto the Temple Grounds, jumps to his feet and poses. He takes off his red leather shearling coat, hands it to the temple girl and sits on the gate…
JR: Always nice to see an excited fan get to be ring crew, huh, Jacuinde!
JC: What are you talking about, Joe?
JR: The young lady working the ring! Er, temple grounds, I guess? The one that just took Syn’s jacket!
JC: What girl?
JR: That one! Right th-
Where the girl was standing is vacant. Syn’s jacket sits on the ground.
JR: …Spooky.
The wind howls through the shattered pillars of Ling Sheng-Su Temple Ruin… broken stone underfoot… the cursed aura of Soul Edge humming faintly in the distance.
Matthias Syn’s lips curl into a crooked smirk — arrogance masking the unease in his eyes as he scans the jagged drop-offs surrounding the platform.
Mister Oz tilts his chin skyward, eyes half-lidded, arms slightly outstretched — as if absorbing worship from ghosts long dead.
The Bing Bong Twinzz stand shoulder-to-shoulder, eyes darting, whispering incomprehensible slang to each other, hyping themselves up with frantic hand gestures and bouncing knees.
JC: Triple-threat rules! One fall to a finish! Elimination by pinfall, submission, knockout, or ring out! And there are no ropes here to save anyone!
JR: This place looks like it failed an OSHA inspection in 1592, Jacuinde!
“Upon these sacred stones, destiny tests the unworthy!”
The bell rings.
Triple Threat
One Fall
If an opponent is thrown out of the stage or knocked out, the match will continue until someone is pinned, submitted or eliminated via Ring Out or KO
HIGHLIGHT REEL
Syn’s brow furrows — calculating — and he circles lightly on the balls of his feet, testing traction against the cracked marble.
Oz’s expression shifts to mild irritation — offended that no one kneels — and he steps forward with a deliberate, heavy stomp.
The Twinzz exchange a glance.
Their eyes widen.
A synchronized nod.
They suddenly shriek something unintelligible and sprint forward together — arms windmilling wildly!
JC: And here come the Twinzz using their numbers advantage!
JR: Who could have seen this one coming?!?
JC: Almost anyone, Joe!
Syn’s smirk vanishes — annoyance flashing — and he backsteps.
Oz’s jaw tightens — insulted — and he squares up.
The Twinzz crash into Oz first, one hammering forearms wildly against his ribs while the other jumps onto his back in a sloppy sleeper attempt.
Oz’s eyes flare with anger — teeth grinding — and he staggers forward two steps under the unexpected weight.
JR: They’re swarming him like caffeinated raccoons!
JC: I… no, yeah, that’s actually a perfect simile to describe their offensive style!
Oz roars, grabbing MC C-Munqqquee BathZaltz by the waistband, flinging him forward with brute force, before his hands skitter up to try and rip Lil' Ca$h-App Dolla Billyunnai$$e from off his back!
C-Munqqquee gets driven forward into the gate… But he kicks off it and goes for a sliding kick to Oz’s heel!
Oz starts to drop!
JC: Timber!
And Lil' Ca$h-App falls into an Edge-u-Cator!
Both Twinzz leap into position, going to pin the fallen Oz!
JR: Remember this is one fall to a fin-
KICKOUT!
JR: …Didn’t even make it to one!
JC: As my broadcasting partner was saying, this match is one fall to a finish! While you CAN eliminate an opponent by KO or Ring Out, once someone taps out or gets pinned, whoever obtained that submission or pinfall IS the victor! And WILL be advancing to the next round!
As Oz attempts to rise to his feet, the Twinzz attempt to chop him back down to size with kicks to the calves and thighs!
JR: You weren’t kidding with that timber line, Jacuinde! The Bing Bongz are out here trying to chip at Oz’s legs like a redwood, one little swing at a time!
Syn creeps up from behind, stalking the hyenas attempting to pick apart the apex predator…
JC: Syn looks like he’s choosing his moment here! Remember, he and Oz are old allies from back at WarGames 2024!
JR: And they were both members of the Corporation under Charlie Nickles!
JC: …Are still?
JR: Unclear, Jacuinde!
Oz finally FORCES his way back up right! And lifts both Twinzz off the tiles of the temple grounds by their throats!
JC: Uh oh! It looks like Oz is about to give the Twinzz a very late-term abortion!
Oz howls at the Twinzz in his hands…
But as he does, Syn’s eyes narrow opportunistically!
He darts in, leaping off Oz’s knee with a sharp…
Step-Up Enzuigiri!
CRACK!
Oz’s head snaps sideways!
JC: It looks like this match is NOT going to be a friendly reunion between members of The Institute!
Oz drops once more to one knee… But furiously shoves himself upright again! His face hardens — humiliation burning — and he turns slowly toward Syn.
The Twinzz, sensing opportunity, leap together —
One lands a sloppy dropkick to Oz’s thigh while the other wildly clubs his shoulders.
Oz stumbles back.
For the first time — genuine frustration crosses his divine expression.
JC: The Twinzz are actually… irritating him!
The Twinzz are pulling Oz into a tandem front-facelock!
JC: The Twinzz… can they even lift Oz together?!?
The Twinzz GIVE IT THEIR ALL!
…
HOIST!
…
Oz isn’t lifted even an inch!
JR: These two gotta get on that paleo, yo! They’re two scarecrows!
Oz exhales sharply and impatiently through his nose.
His eyes go cold.
He suddenly lunges forward, grabbing one Twin by the throat and the other by the waistband —
With a snarl of offended divinity, he hoists both simultaneously —
Spins —
And DRIVES them both down across his knee!
DOUBLE A SPINEBUSTER-TO-BACKBREAKER HYBRID!
JC: Holy FUCK! JESUS! I heard that crack from here, Joe!
JR: That was… wow, I’ve never heard a spine break with an ECHO! The acoustics at this temple ground are amazing!
“Two voices silenced by the wrath of false divinity!”
Both spines bend sickeningly across Oz’s thigh.
The Twinzz’ faces go slack.
Their limbs go limp.
They slump motionless to the stone.
JR: Oh my GOD! He just folded them like lawn chairs!
JC: That may be a double knockout!
A cultist referee checks both.
No response.
Eliminated by KO: The Bing Bong Twinzz
Oz stands tall, chest heaving, eyes blazing with vindication.
Syn watches from several feet away — expression unreadable — but a slow grin creeps across his face.
JC: And just like that, we are down to one-on-one!
The wind picks up.
Loose tiles skitter across the stone.
Oz rolls his shoulders — resetting — gaze locking onto Syn with simmering contempt.
Syn’s eyes flicker with defiance — chin tilted upward — daring Oz to strike first.
JC: Syn had some… choice words for Oz! That’s gotta really piss off Oz!
JR: Two points, Jacuinde! One, Syn would have harsh words for Mother Theresa and Mister Rogers! That guy ain’t like anybody! Two, Oz would get pissed off… at Mother Theresa and Mister Rogers! These two are already dynamite and a lit match! The words leading up to this showdown just put the explosive components that much closer together!
Oz explodes forward, charging with a head of steam!
Syn’s eyes widen — survival instinct igniting…
Oz goes for a…
STRIKING SPEAR!
…
But Syn sidesteps at the last possible second!
Oz crashes shoulder-first into a fractured pillar.
Stone splinters.
Oz growls — anger rising — and spins back around.
Syn rushes in with a Flying Leg Lariat —
CRACK!
Oz stumbles but doesn’t fall, landing backwards against the pillar!
Oz’s face twists — insulted — and he fires back with a thunderous Big Boot!
…
Once more, Syn barely ducks — feeling the wind of it brush his hair — and responds with a German Suplex attempt!
…
Nope! Oz tucks his leg around Syn’s calf to block it!
JC: Great block by Oz!
JR: But it’s a sign that Syn’s got a little more oomph than those Bing Bongs that Oz had to block it all!
As Syn continues to try and muscle Oz off his feet, Oz’s eyes flare — disbelief — and he throws heavy elbows backward into Syn’s temple!
Syn releases the waistlock!
Oz pivots and catches Syn mid-motion in a single clean and jerk!
GORILLA PRESS GUTBUSTER!
Syn’s body folds across Oz’s knee before crashing to stone.
Syn gasps — air gone — eyes blinking rapidly to refocus!
JC: Oh my! This is Oz’s first Warfare in many years according to him! Could he be headed toward the next round of March Madness!?!
Oz stalks forward… Syn cradles his ribs, breathing heavily, face seething in pain…
Oz kneels, circle-strafing around Syn as Syn slowly works his way back to a vertical base…
His face softens into something disturbingly paternal.
He spreads his fingers.
JC: He’s going for it!
Syn slowly turns around…
“I Failed You.”
WHAM!
The Mandible Claw drives into Syn’s mouth!
Syn’s eyes go wide — shock and rage colliding.
Oz presses down.
JC: Oz has it! Oz has it locked in!
JR: If Syn passes out, Oz will be moving on to the next round of March Madness!
Syn’s face reddens.
His arms flail.
Oz leans his weight forward — expression serene now — believing victory inevitable.
Then—
Syn’s eyes change.
The panic disappears.
They go feral.
His jaw clamps down.
Hard.
Oz’s eyes explode with pain.
He howls — jerking his hand free instinctively.
Blood beads at his knuckles.
JR: HE BIT HIM! HE BIT OZ!
Oz stumbles back clutching his hand — fury overriding composure.
Syn rises instantly.
He grabs Oz by the wrist.
Spins inward.
Hooks the head.
Twists with violent precision—
SYNTHESIS!
(Backside Driver into snapping rotational impact!)
Oz’s skull slams against the stone.
The entire platform shudders.
Syn, breathing heavily, hooks both legs tightly.
ONE!
TWO!
THREE!
Winner and Advancing to the March Madness Quarterfinal: Matthias Syn
JC: Matthias Syn just turned divine punishment into calculated anarchy! One of the most celebrated Revolution champions in XWF History just started the Matthias Syn Revolution anew tonight!
JR: Oz made the oldest mistake in the book! You can’t Mandible Claw a guy who’s willing to bite you like a rabid dog, man!
“The self-proclaimed god falls… and chaos claims the temple.”
Syn rises slowly.
Blood at the corner of his mouth.
He looks down at Oz — not with relief — but with smug satisfaction.
He spreads his arms to the cursed sky.
As the feed fades to commercial.
JC: Folks, I hope you’re strapped to your seats right about now, because we’ve got a barn-burner of a tournament match that’s about to take place!
JR: You wanna talk about how exciting these matches can be, Jack? This match could damn well main event a Pay-Per-View by itself!
JC: And you couldn’t ask for a better spot for this to take place in!
The Hall of the Warrior God.
The great wooden gate opens to reveal the antiquated shrine, with vases and weapons lining the side of the walkway. Past the weapons along the walkway lies an endless chasm, the same as there is past the balcony overlooking the cliff the shrine is on.
What dominates the shrine itself, however, is the statue of the great Eastern dragon, its body contorting as it stares out across the room.
But just a little ways from the balcony is a series of raised fan bleachers, the lot of them screaming their heads off now that they realize they’re live and on the air. Even as the sun is setting, nothing is stopping them from enjoying themselves.
And they’re only about to get louder.
The fires lining the walkway towards the shrine dim in time with the sirens and beat to the opening of Sweatpants (BattleTapes Remix) by Childish Gambino, the fires then beginning to flash, alternating left and right onto the shrine.
In lieu of there being no Xtron present, the fans shout out the familiar blurbs that pop up around this time.
“S! E! B! EMPIRE!”
"She askin' “Why you say that?!”
"Rich kid asshole, paint me as a villain"
Sebastian Everett-Bryce flings his arms wide, staring up with his head covered by the hood of his jacket. He stands in the middle of the stairway, the fires heating up beside him, before looking out at the crowd. He wears a long jacket with the hood pulled up over his head, zipped to the waist. The jacket, which is cut away at the bottom and only runs down the back of his legs, is patterned with an elongated Union Flag, but it’s in black and white and appears to be cracked and broken. His tights are short, with the initials SEB emblazoned upon the front.
The lights lift, and SEB makes his way to the shrine, stretching his neck from side to side as he walks, his eyes focused on the great gate. He climbs up the steps and steps through the gate before standing in the middle of the shrine.
JC: You have to imagine that SEB is one of the heavy favorites in this tournament, Joe. He’s coming off one of his hardest-fought wins at Snow Pain, Snow Gain, and he’s just itching to get some singles glory going again.
JR: He shouldn’t forget that he’s still a tag champ, though. He’s got a lot riding for that right now, and he could get some huge momentum for his partner too who’ll be on right after this.
JC: Many teams rising up in the XWF right now, but only one can wear the gold, and this Exiled Emperor is one-half of that duo!
"I'm winnin', yeah, yeah, I'm winnin' (What?)
Rich kid, asshole, paint me as a villain"
He extends his arms once more before pulling back his hood and removing his jacket to reveal the back of his tights which read “S.E.B.”
"Don't be mad cause I'm doing me better than you doing you
Better than you doing you, fuck it, what you gon' do? (What?!)"
He flashes his arms out to a side, a satisfied and somewhat sneery grin upon his face, he holds the position for a moment, to allow the crowd to take pictures, before moving towards his corner.
Inexplicably, however, despite the fact that there’s still light outside, the entire place suddenly feels darker than it has before.
Silence hangs in the dead air—a held breath—before the world DETONATES.
♫ YOUR HEART ♫
♫ IS A HOLE ♫
The lights lining the walkway up the shrine begin to shudder and flicker endlessly, producing a disorienting, epileptic stutter. The shrieking song echoes out in rapid bursts.
♫ I CAN SEE FOR MILES AND MILES! ♫
♫ BEYOND THE BLACK RAINBOW! ♫
Color-tinted haze bleeds out across the stairway. The camera sweeps the crowd, catching the frenetic energy. Inexplicably, the area feels like it’s only getting darker. The music builds, grinding upward.
♫ EX-IT! ♫
The fire turns crimson. Through the thick haze, a silhouette stands motionless. Head down. Shoulders rigid.
The lens pushes in aggressively. She lifts her head.
YELENA GORGO. She wears a nightmare grin—arrogant, cruel, and sexy. Intricate blonde braids pull tight against her scalp, gleaming under the red light, woven with crimson thread that looks like fresh sutures.
♫ INSIDE THE MIDNIGHT YOU'VE BEEN SLITH-ER-ING ♫
♫ YOU FORM THE COLUMN'S … DE-FIC-IEN-CY ♫
Yelena breaks her stance. She doesn't walk; she PROWLS. A confident, hip-swaying swagger that radiates pure, unadulterated narcissism. She locks eyes with the camera lens, acknowledging her own dominance.
JC: I gotta say, Joe. I never thought we’d ever see Yelena Gorgo in an XWF environment ever again.
JR: She’s the kind of girl you hear nightmares about, Jack. And based on what I’ve heard of her, she’s looking like she’s got a lot clearer of a head again.
JC: And a Gorgo that’s in control of herself could spell doom for the entire rest of the roster… if she can get past this threat tonight.
♫ I LATCH ON TO YOU … WE … RE-PRESS-UR-IZE ♫
♫ IN-FRA-RED … PAR-A-DISE ♫
The bass drops out. A suspended moment of tension. Yelena stops dead. She stares at nothing, eyes wide, that grin horrifyingly fixed.
The beat DROPS.
♫ UPWARDS! FEEL THE PRE-SSURE! ♫
♫ ABSCESS! HEART IS A HOLE! ♫
A fist slams to her chest—perfectly timed to the percussion—as she mouths the scream.
Desperate hands reach over the balcony railing during the approach to the shrine, but they are ignored. The camera angle drops low, transforming her into a giant against the lights, her focus locked entirely on the shrine.
♫ DISSOLVE! DISPLACE! REJOICE! REPEAT! ♫
♫ NO PRESSURE HERE! ADMIT DEFEAT! ♫
Yelena saunters inside of the shrine, her gaze sweeping across like a predator surveying the night’s menu.
She explodes to her feet in the center of the shrine. Arms thrown wide. Chest heaving. She screams the lyric to the ceiling:
♫ BEYOND THE BLACK RAINBOW! ♫
A scream tears from her throat, directed straight at the ceiling. In one fluid motion, she spins, hooks the row of weapons, and leans back over it—hanging upside down—staring backward at the crowd with that frozen, beautiful, PSYCHOPATHIC grin.
The show is quickly interrupted by the sound of a distant synthesizer, followed up by horses neighing and galloping through the dirt. It fades out, leading into the riff of a guitar strumming a fiery tune. There's an inherent electricity building within the air of the shrine, culminating as the drums kick in. As they do, the steadfast figure of Scoops McGee comes out from the misty stairway, a look of no nonsense etched onto his face as he takes a long look at the crowd and the great gate.
JC: One year ago, Joe, Scoops McGee had a barnburner of a match in the first round of the Ides of March tournament against the eventual winner Kieran King where he came up just a bit short.
JR: Story of his life, isn’t it, Jack? I’d say there’s good odds for the same thing to happen here, too.
JC: Well, he’s determined not to let that happen. Scoops’ late-stage renaissance has been going strong, and he’s even made the bold claim in the lead-up to this match that he’s got the ‘home-field advantage’ tonight.
JR: I’d guess both SEB and Gorgo are gonna have something to say about that…
He nods, steadily walking to the shrine and absentmindedly high-fiving any fans stretching out their hands who happen to be right in his way. He makes his way over to the gate, stepping through the doors methodically as he takes one last long look at the crowd behind him. They give their reception to the seasoned vet, making it known how much they love him. Scoops stretches his arms out wide, accepting everything they've got to give before stepping into the shrine.
Scoops skulks over to his corner, pacing there and doing some small stretches to keep himself warmed up before the match begins.
Triple Threat
One Fall
If an opponent is thrown out of the stage or knocked out, the match will continue until someone is pinned, submitted or eliminated via Ring Out or KO
The three competitors share glances with each other, impatiently circling around the shrine as they feel each other out. There’s a tension in the air, thick enough to choke each of these fighters as they wait for someone to make the first move.
JC: It’s precarious in there right now, Joe. They know the minute they make a mistake, the other two are going to snap at them like sharks.
JR: That’s the price you have to pay, Jack. It’s a big-fight feel with big-fight stakes on the line here. None of these people are gonna wanna get tossed from this tournament early.
Scoops snaps his glare to SEB as he EXPLODES out of his corner! He quickly pounces on him, wailing on him with rights and lefts to the sternum as SEB has to try to cover up!
Scoops goes for an overhand right to the skull - CAUGHT BY SEB! SEB parries the blow, lines his mark, looks for a roundhouse in retaliation - DUCKED BY SCOOPS! Scoops shoots in for a double-leg - SEB trying to drop his hips to guard against it!
JC: Well we know that Scoops and SEB aren’t wasting any time going at it here! It’s just like it’s a continuation of their fight in October! Or how they were going at it inside of Santa’s Workshop in December! It’s a fight on our hands right now!
JR: But if you look to your left right about now…
Yelena Gorgo does not enter the fray. She simply watches. Waits. Observing her prey as they relentlessly batter each other.
SEB realizes Gorgo is waiting while fresh right now! Scoops lunges in towards SEB with another right hand, but SEB ducks the blow as he lunges at Gorgo with a running dropkick!
Gorgo gets staggered by the blow, but she does not fall! SEB quickly pulls himself back up-
BUT GORGO CLOBBERS HIM IN THE SKULL WITH A RUNNING KNEE WHILE HE’S ON ALL FOURS!
JC: NASTY knee strike from Gorgo there! She and SEB are similar, their legs are like weapons of mass destruction!
JR: She’s just as fast as she is dangerous! You can tell she’s been itching to get back into the ring here!
SEB takes a moment to shake out the cobwebs, which leaves Gorgo and Scoops staring daggers at each other. The two circle each other again, slowly closing in as they do so.
Both fighters stretch out a hand, the other taking it as they don’t even flinch in their test of strength. They push against each other, a battle of will taking place.
JR: Gorgo’s got the slight size advantage, and a helluva lot more power behind her frame. She could toss Scoops around like a rag doll if she wanted to.
JC: That may be true, but Scoops has that bulldog tenacity in him. He’s gonna push and fight back as long as there’s breath in his body.
There’s a stalemate between the two, neither one giving an inch as Scoops winds up-
GORGO SNAPS A KICK RIGHT TO SCOOPS’ RIBS!
Scoops winces, but he’s still not giving up- ANOTHER KICK! A SECOND! A THIRD! The gnarly kicks echo around the entire shrine as the audience collectively winces!
Scoops hunches over, letting Gorgo lunge forward! SHE THROWS HIM OVER HER HIP WITH A HARAI-GOSHI!
JC: Folks, if you know anything about Gorgo, she’s just as deadly with her throws as she is with her kicks! She calls her judo throws ‘Ippon’ - one point!
JR: You think if she hits three Ippons in a row, that counts as a three count in her eyes?
JC: Maybe if we see it happen, we might get an answer…
Gorgo quickly hooks the leg to cover Scoops!
ONE!
TWO!
KICKOUT!
JC: Scoops still has plenty of fight left in him, Gorgo can’t be thinking she’s going to dispose of him quickly.
JR: But even kicking out of a strong body like Gorgo’s pinning you is gonna take some fight outta your body, Jack. If she keeps that up, Scoops is gonna be right where he wants her.
Gorgo barely acknowledges the kickout, bringing herself back onto her feet. She’s prepared to continue the assault-
BUT SEBASTIAN EVERETT-BRYCE RUNS RIGHT IN! HE DARTS PAST GORGO - WAIST LOCK!
GERMAN!
SUUUUUUUUUUUUUUPLEX!
GORGO GETS DROPPED RIGHT ON HER HEAD AS SEBASTIAN ROARS BACK ON HIS FEET!
JR: Sebastian playing up to that ‘Star of Stage and Screen’ nickname, isn’t he?
JC: For all of Sebastian’s accomplishments - and he is quite accomplished - he’s got buckets of charisma to back it up! Just listen to this crowd cheer for him!
“SEB! SEB! SEB! SEB! SEB!”
Sebastian nods along with the audience’s support, quickly bringing Gorgo right back onto her feet. He grabs the wrist, tightly wrenching it now, before he throws a body kick of his own!
Gorgo grits her teeth, sucking in air through the pain, but she shakes her head no towards the kick!
But Sebastian quickly responds by dropping an elbow right on Gorgo’s wrenched arm, applying more pressure as Gorgo drops to a knee!
JC: Sebastian working the arm here to pretty good effect. We know he likes controlling the limbs, and that can be huge in a match like this.
JR: Gotta wonder if he should be targeting the legs instead, though. Considering the nature of Gorgo’s kicks and the fact that Sebastian’s Kings Road submission focuses on that leg…
JC: You take out Gorgo’s arms, though, that’s going to impact her ability to throw you around. In fact, softening up the shoulder in particular is going to help for if Sebastian can lock in the Emperor Lock.
Sebastian looks to control the elbow now, looking to cinch in a tight hammerlock now! But Gorgo rises to her feet before Sebastian can do so, and she DRIVES her shoulder right into his sternum!
That creates a moment of separation between the two as Gorgo gets onto her feet, sizes up Sebastian, and - CRAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!
A HEAVY ROUNDHOUSE LANDS RIGHT ON SEB’S CHEST!
BUT
HE
DOES
NOT
GO
DOWN!
SEB STANDS HIS GROUND, HUFFING FROM THE IMPACT AS HE GLARES AT GORGO!
AND HE LANDS A ROUNDHOUSE OF HIS OWN RIGHT TO GORGO’S CHEST!
GORGO STAGGERS BACK FROM THE BLOW! BUT HER EYES LIGHT UP AS SHE COMES BACK!
KICK TO SEBASTIAN!
SEB’S CHEST LIGHTS UP A BEET RED AS HE GRITS HIS TEETH!
KICK TO GORGO!
GORGO WOBBLES FROM THE IMPACT AS SHE QUICKLY RIGHTS HERSELF!
KICK TO SEBASTIAN!
KICK TO GORGO!
KICK!
KICK!
KICK!
KICK!
KICK!
KICK!
KICK!
KICK!
KICK!
KICK!
JC: Folks, you can hear these kicks echoing from a mile away!
JR: They’re like mortars, Jack! They’re just standing and beating the Hell out of each other!
SEB AND GORGO BOTH STUMBLE BACKWARDS! BUT THEY HAVE THE SAME IDEA AS THEY AIM FOR EACH OTHER’S SKULLS!
DOUBLE ROUNDHOUSE KICK!
BUT THEY BOTH COLLIDE AGAINST EACH OTHER’S SHINS!
BOTH FIGHTERS STUMBLE BACK AS-
SCOOPS MCGEE RUSHES IN WITH A DOUBLE LARIAT TO TAKE BOTH FIGHTERS DOWN!
JC: Scoops came in there like a freight train just now!
JR: I’ll give credit where it’s due, he picked one hell of a moment to make his presence known!
SCOOPS LOOKS AT SEB! HE GRABS HIM BY THE ANKLE AS HE TRIES TO SQUIRM!
BUT HE CAN’T GET OUT IN TIME AS SCOOPS STARTS TO LOCK IN A SPINNING TOE HOLD!
JC: Scoops calls that the Merry-Go-Round! That was one of his dedicated finishers back in the 80s, and it’s still seeing some damn good use!
JR: There’s the leg work, but Sebastian is trying to hold on!
SCOOPS CONTINUES TO WRENCH IN THE MERRY-GO-ROUND!
SEBASTIAN PUNCHES SCOOPS IN THE FACE AS HE WHEELS AROUND!
BUT SCOOPS JUST TELLS HIM TO PUNCH HARDER BEFORE HE CIRCLES AROUND AGAIN!
SEBASTIAN IS WRITHING IN AGONY!
BUT HE MANAGES TO TUG HIS LEG IN! SCOOPS STUMBLES FORWARD!
SEBASTIAN WITH A SMALL PACKAGE!
ONE!
TWO!
YELENA GORGO BREAKS UP THE PIN!
JC: Sebastian had that one almost snagged!
JR: Gorgo quick to save this match though! It only turns into a one-on-one if you knock your opponent out or ring them out first! If there’s a pin or submission, that’s it, match is over!
Sebastian rolls on his side from exhaustion, and it finally feels like there’s a break in the match for all three competitors to catch their breath!
The fans are already on their feet, whooping and hollering over the explosive action they’ve seen so far!
Scoops is the first to make it back to his feet, and he has his sights set on Yelena-
SHE CATCHES HIS ARM THOUGH! ARMBAR ATTEMPT COMING IN!
JC: Gorgo playing possum there! Scoops in big trouble as he’s trying to find it!
JR: Look at the way she’s coiling around her body! It’s freakish! Like she’s a viper!
Scoops has his fingers locked together tight! Gorgo is yanking with the force of a gorilla, but she can’t break his grip!
Scoops grits his teeth and HOISTS Gorgo up just a few feet! Before he SLAMS her right to the ground!
But this time it’s Gorgo who shows off her own tenacity as she keeps herself in position!
AND SHE GRABS ONTO SCOOPS’ THUMB AND TUGS!
SCOOPS’ FACE TURNS BONE WHITE AS HE HOLLERS! THE GRIP IS BROKEN AS GORGO CINCHES IN THE ARMBAR!
JC: I… I think Gorgo just broke Scoops’ thumb!
JR: We got submissions everywhere, Jack! But I think Gorgo just committed the most lasting damage of the match!
Scoops still is trying not to give in! He shakes his head no towards any notion of tapping out!
He tries to twist his body upwards! He’s trying to counter the armbar into a pin!
But Gorgo responds by moving one of her feet to kick Scoops in the skull!
Again!
Again!
Again!
Again!
Scoops tumbles back to the ground, eyes dazed as Gorgo continues to keep the hold locked in!
JC: Oh no…
JR: Oh shit!
The fans pop like crazy as they see what’s happening just outside of the camera’s view!
JC: LOOK OUT!
SEBASTIAN EVERETT-BRYCE COMES IN WITH A MOONSAULT RIGHT OFF THE GIANT DRAGON STATUE!
HE LANDS RIGHT ON GORGO, CAUSING HER TO BREAK UP THE ARMBAR WHILE ALSO HITTING SCOOPS!
JR: SEB just decimated the competition!
JC: He might have even done more than that! That was Scoops’ left arm that’s been damaged by them both! And folks, if you don’t know, that’s his deadly arm, the one that can knock opponents silly with his patented Cattle Prod!
SEB HOOKS GORGO’S LEG FOR THE PIN!
ONE!
TWO!
KICKOUT!
SEB silently curses as he gets off of the pin, before looking towards the injured Scoops who’s stuck on all fours right now.
He grabs the injured arm, stretching it out before he drops a knee right on the shoulder! Scoops howls in pain as he quickly tries to roll away from SEB!
SEB isn’t having it though! He pulls Scoops right back to his feet, taking his back now! He hooks one arm around the injured shoulder and the other arm around his waist!
HALF-AND-HALF SUPLEX-
SCOOPS DRIVES AN ELBOW INTO SEB’S RIBS! ANOTHER QUICKLY COMES!
SCOOPS COUNTERS OUT WITH A SLICK SNAPMARE!
Scoops staggers back to his feet - ONLY TO EAT A STIFF DROPKICK FROM SEBASTIAN!
JR: Scoops is taking an awful beating right now from both these guys!
JC: Gotta give it to him, though! He’s still getting back up!
Scoops is slow to still move, but Sebastian isn’t waiting! He moves in -
Only to see Gorgo is right back on her feet!
Sebastian lunges for her! But Gorgo is quicker-
SNAP DRAGON SUPLEX TO SEB!
GORGO MAINTAINS CONTROL OF THE ARMS AS SHE PICKS HERSELF AND SEB BACK UP! LOOKING FOR A SECOND DRAGON SUPLEX!
SEB STOMPS ON GORGO’S FEET AS HARD AS HE CAN! THAT ALLOWS HIM TO SLIP OUT! SEB TURNS AROUND NOW!
BELLY-TO-BELLY SUPLEX TO GORGO!
SEB DRAGS GORGO BACK TO HER FEET- BUT NOW IT’S GORGO’S TIME TO RESPOND!
A KATA GURUMA WIPES HIM OUT!
JC: That’s another Ippon from Gorgo! Two points for her now!
JR: Gotta give it to Gorgo, she’s more than holding her own out here!
SEB quickly rolls over onto his belly to avoid a pin, but Gorgo won’t let him escape! She boots him right in the head before picking him up! She’s looking right towards the balcony on the other side of the shrine!
JC: This could be bad for SEB! Gorgo’s going to try to ring him out, surely!
JR: Smart thinking! If she can get SEB out, all she’s gotta worry about is a one-armed Scoops!
Gorgo throws SEB across with an Irish Whip and runs right after him!
BUT SEB COMES TO LIFE!
HE HOPS RIGHT OFF THE DOORS OF THE GREAT GATE-
TORNADO DDT TO GORGO TAKES HER OUT!
AND
SEB
KIPS
UP
TO
HIS
FEET!
JC: We’re being reminded of an ever-present rule in this company, Joe! Never count out Sebastian Everett-Bryce!
JR: He’s gotta try to capitalize on this, though!
Sebastian sets himself up for a running start as he looks towards Gorgo! He’s trying to get a running start ready as he waits for her to get back up onto her feet!
SCOOPS PICKS SEB UP FROM BEHIND AND ROCKS HIM WITH AN ATOMIC DROP!
SEB STAGGERS FORWARD INTO A MEATY HEADBUTT FROM GORGO THAT ROCKS HIM!
BUT SCOOPS TACKLES GORGO WITH A LOU THESZ PRESS!
GROUND AND POUND PUNCHES COME RAINING DOWN ON GORGO!
BUT GORGO FLIPS SCOOPS ONTO HER BACK AS HE PULLS GUARD! AND NOW IT’S HER TURN TO THROW SOME HEAVY HAMMERFISTS!
ONE CLOBBERS SCOOPS RIGHT ON HIS CHIN AS HE HAS TO KICK GORGO OFF OF HIM!
GORGO LINES HER TARGET AS SCOOPS PICKS HIMSELF UP-
KICKDEMON!
IS DUCKED!
GORGO FUMBLES AROUND AS SCOOPS TAKES HER BY THE WRIST AND PULLS HER IN FAST!
CATTLE PROOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!
JC: These two are throwing their hardest hitting moves at each other right now!
JR: I think Scoops is gonna need way more, though! Look!
GORGO
HAS
NOT
FALLEN!
BUT SCOOPS IS WINCING AS HE REALIZES HOW BAD HITTING THAT CATTLE PROD HURT!
BUT HE STRAIGHTENS HIMSELF!
HE TRIES TO FINISH THIS!
AS HE GOES IN
FOR ONE MORE
CATTLE PROOOOOOOOOOOOD-
BUT IT’S CAUGHT BY GORGO!
SCOOPS’ FACE CONTORTS IN PANIC AND TERROR AS GORGO GOES TO STRAIGHTEN HIS ARM! SHE’S WEAVING HER ARM UNDERNEATH HIS ARMPIT AND TRYING TO COLLAPSE HER BODY WEIGHT ONTO HIM!
SCOOPS IS TRYING TO KEEP HIMSELF STEADY, BUT IT’S A LOSING BATTLE!
JC: This is Yelena Gorgo’s patented submission move, the Black Rainbow, named after her former group! If she gets this locked in, it’s game over for Scoops!
JR: The question is just how long he can last before she pins him to the ground and locks it in fully?
GORGO PUSHES DOWN FURTHER ON SCOOPS AS HE HAS TO FALL TO A KNEE!
SCOOPS THROWS A RIGHT HAND INTO GORGO’S SIDE, BUT SHE HOLDS FIRM!
SCOOPS SLOWLY GETS BACK ONTO HIS FEET-
BUT SEB RUSHES IN WITH AN EMPIRE KICK TO BOTH COMPETITORS!
JC: SEB just waylaid the competition!
JR: Now’s his chance to score the pin!
SEB is tired! He’s groggy! He’s sweating everywhere! But he crawls along the ground to turn Scoops over as the crowd wills him on!
HE HOOKS THE LEG!
ONE!
TWO!
KICKOUT!
JR: How the Hell is Scoops not down for the count yet?!
JC: He’s like a machine! SEB doesn’t look that fazed though!
SEB slowly pushes himself onto his feet, running down the list of options in his head-
KICKDEMOOOOOOOOOOOOOON!
THE ROUNDHOUSE CLOBBERS SEB ON THE JAW AS HE BARELY MANAGES TO NOT FALL DOWN! GLASSY EYES STARES BACK AT GORGO!
AND SHE FLASHES HIM THAT DISARMING, KILLER SMILE IN RESPONSE!
A SECOND KICKDEMON!
THIS ONE LANDS RIGHT ON SEB’S NOSE AS AN AUDIBLE CRACK RINGS OUT FROM THE IMPACT!
SEB IS GUSHING BLOOD ALL OVER HIS FACE, BUT HE’S STILL NOT FALLING! BUT HE DAMN SURE IS WOBBLING!
GORGO GOES IN ONE MORE TIME-
A THIRD KICKDEMOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOON!
KNOCK OUT!
SEB SLUMPS TO THE FLOOR AS GORGO STANDS OVER HIS BODY!
SEBASTIAN EVERETT-BRYCE - KNOCKED OUT!
JC: Gorgo just dug into SEB like he was a piece of damn meat! And it still took three Kikkudemons to keep him down!
JR: And then… there were two.
Gorgo slowly cranes her head back further inside the shrine as she sees Scoops pulling himself to his feet. He’s tired, he’s hurt, his arm wants to fall out of his socket, yet somehow he’s still fighting as he grits his teeth towards Gorgo.
That killer grin from Gorgo hasn’t faded as she strolled her way forward. She looks towards the rows of weapons like they were fashion outfits to try on, before she takes a long halberd into her hands and twirls it around!
JC: Oh no.
JR: Uh… is she going to try to murder him? Can we even show this on the air?
JC: Well, we wouldn’t have put the weapons out there if it weren’t allowed, but… I don’t think I want to watch this…
Scoops won’t go down without a fight, though! He looks to the opposite row of weapons, before yanking free his own spear into his hands!
Gorgo’s eyes light up with ecstasy, a kindred spirit appearing in front of her as the two circle each other one last time!
JR: Is this a wrestling match or a HEMA competition?
JC: It’s a fight to the death more than anything right now!
Gorgo lunges in with an overhead slash with her halberd, trying to tear Scoops in twain!
But Scoops rolls to the side before she can slash him in time! He smacks her with the butt of the spear, before setting up for a lightning-quick thrust!
Gorgo parries the incoming spear attack, before using her weight to drive the weapon off to the side and bring Scoops with it!
AND THAT GETS HIM OFF-BALANCE ENOUGH FOR GORGO’S SPEAR TO SINK INTO SCOOPS’ SKIN!
THE AUDIENCE SHRIEKS IN HORROR AS BLOOD STARTS SPILLING!
BUT SCOOPS ROARS AS HE HOLDS GORGO’S HALBERD IN PLACE INSIDE OF HIS BODY SO HE CAN STAB RIGHT INTO HER SHOULDER WITH HIS SPEAR!
JC: THESE TWO MANIACS ARE GOING TO KILL EACH OTHER AT THIS RATE!
JR: Gorgo’s as big of a sadist as they come! But Scoops will kill himself out in a fight if it means he can drag his opponent to Hell along with him!
BOTH GORGO AND SCOOPS LOOK AT EACH OTHER WITH THEIR WEAPONS STUCK INSIDE OF EACH OTHER AS THEY LUNGE FORWARD!
CRACK!
DOUBLE HEADBUTT CONNECTS AS THEY STAGGER BACK AND REMOVE THEIR WEAPONS! MORE BLOOD POURS EVERYWHERE!
THE FIGHT IS STARTING TO LEAVE EACH OTHER’S EYES! THEY HAVE TO END THIS BEFORE ONE OF THEM PASSES OUT FROM BLOOD LOSS!
GORGO STEPS FORWARD WITH ANOTHER OVERHEAD SLASH!
SCOOPS SIDESTEPS THIS TIME AND PINS THE WEAPON IN PLACE WITH HIS SPEAR! RIGHT BEFORE HE KICKS GORGO’S SPEAR AS HARD AS HE CAN TO BREAK THE WEAPON IN TWAIN!
JC: HOLY SHIT!
JR: I THINK THAT TOOK A LOT OUT OF HIM!
SCOOPS IS ON SHAKY FOOTING AS HE STAGGERS!
HE SLASHES HIS SPEAR TOWARDS GORGO-
BUT GORGO NAILS A KICKDEMON THROUGH THE SPEAR THAT BREAKS IT AS WELL BEFORE SHE CLOBBERS SCOOPS RIGHT ON THE JAW!
JR: How fucking fast is she?!
JC: Yelena Gorgo is a goddamned MACHINE!
SCOOPS STAGGERS FORWARD AS HE’S USING THE LAST OF HIS ENERGY!
CATTLE PROD TO YELENA!
BOTH COMPETITORS FALL AGAINST EACH OTHER AS THEY SLUMP TO THE FLOOR!
JR: Are they dead?!
JC: No, they’re still breathing! I… Are we seeing a draw here?
A LONG MOMENT PASSES BY!
THE BREATH OF THE AUDIENCE HANGS IN THE AIR!
THE OFFICIALS ARE ABOUT TO TOSS THE MATCH…
BUT WAIT!
THEY’RE BOTH MOVING TOGETHER!
THE LAST DREGS OF THEIR ENERGY BEING USED-
AS GORGO LOCKS SCOOPS INTO THE BLACK RAINBOW AGAIN!
JR: TIME TO TAP, NAP OR SNAP!
JC: This is the same situation Gorgo forced Scoops into before, and SEB isn’t here to save him anymore! If she can plant his body down onto the ground and get the full Fujiwara Armbar applied, she’s going to win!
SCOOPS HOWLS IN PAIN AS YELENA MOVES TOWARDS HIS FINGERS AGAIN!
SHE DISLOCATES THE INDEX FINGER THIS TIME AS SCOOPS’ FACE TURNS BEET RED!
JR: SHE’S GONNA BREAK THE MAN, PIECE BY PEACE!
THE RAUCOUS CHANTS OF THE FANS ARE DEAFENING RIGHT NOW!
“FIGHT, SCOOPS, FIGHT! FIGHT, SCOOPS, FIGHT!”
JC: SCOOPS IS TRYING TO FEED OFF THE FAN ENERGY AS MUCH AS HE POSSIBLY CAN HERE! BUT WILL IT BE ENOUGH?!
SCOOPS SHOWS THE HEART OF A WARRIOR AS HE WILL NOT LET HIS BODY FALL! HE WILL FIGHT TO THE DEATH IF NEED BE!
HE MOVES! HE’S BRINGING GORGO WITH HIM! BUT HIS INTENT IS CLEAR, HE’S TRYING TO REACH RIGHT TOWARDS THE GAP IN THE WALL GORGO MADE WHEN SHE PULLED OUT HER HALBERD EARLIER!
JC: SCOOPS IS TRYING TO REACH FOR ANOTHER WEAPON HERE!
JR: HE’S GONNA TRY TO KILL YELENA GORGO FOR REAL!
SCOOPS GRABS RIGHT ONTO THE SHAFT OF ANOTHER SPEAR-
BUT GORGO DRAGS SCOOPS OFF! AND SHE DISLOCATES HIS MIDDLE FINGER WHILE SHE’S AT IT!
SCOOPS SCREAMS AT THE TOP OF HIS LUNGS!
BUT HE REVERSES THE ARMBAR INTO AN ARM DRAG AT THE LAST MOMENT!
GORGO GOES FLYING OFF INTO THE GAP SHE MADE!
AND SHE TUMBLES OFF THE STAGE!
RING OUT!
WINNER BY RING OUT: SCOOPS MCGEE!
JC: WHAT A MATCH WE HAVE WITNESSED HERE TONIGHT!
JR: Someone’s gotta go check on Gorgo, that was one hell of a fall!
JC: And check on the senior citizen while we’re at it!
Scoops is unable to even rise to his feet, but the expression of relief on his face is priceless! Medical staff rush into the shrine en masse, some of them venturing down into the pits as others help Scoops rise to his feet!
AND HE RAISES HIS GOOD HAND TO THE SKIES FOR HIS FANS!
THEY POP LIKE CRAZY FOR THE LEGEND IN RETURN!
Scoops is helped to the back as Warfare rolls to commercial!
JC: Folks, we're starting the final match of the night in the gallery of the Old Toledo! And we're forgoing entrances because... well...
JR: Because we can't risk pyro lighting this ship up like a roman candle!
JC: We've got three favorites to make HUGE runs in March Madness! The X-Treme champion, Samael Dyson! The Anarchy champion, Micheal Graves! And one-half of the Tag Team champions, Isaiah King!
JR: They're all champions, Jacuinde! But only one is making it to the next round of March Madness! And maybe out of the burning ship at all!
All three men stand across from each other in the gallery.
The air is tense as old rotted wood of the gallery creaks.
Nobody makes a move until…
FWOOOOSH!!!
A fire ignites and the room is set ablaze!
Triple-Threat X-TREME RULES TRIPLE-THREAT
If an opponent is thrown out of the stage or knocked out, the match will continue until someone is pinned, submitted or eliminated via Ring Out or KO
Must pin Samael Dyson for the X-Treme title to change hands
Stage Hazard - FIRE!
The soul ignites with Old Toledo as three warriors stand on the precipice of history!
JC: And with that EXPLOSION! The match is underway!
Eyes are on the Xtreme Champion as Graves rushes from the side and King sprints forward, Dyson’s eyes flick from one to the other and he runs at King!
Isaiah dives for a spear but Dyson leaps up and plants a foot on King’s spine and Mario jumps off his back and out of harm’s way but Graves keeps charging and shoulder barges King into the wall!
Samael lets out a laugh until Gravy snaps his head to him and comes barreling over, Dyson steps back until he hits a bookcase and begins throwing book after book at Gravy.
JR: Oh yeah that’ll stop Graves, literature! Bet he’s never made it past the Very Hungry Caterpillar.
Graves keeps moving forward as the toasted books bounce off him and he reaches Samael who throws the bookcase over and it crashes onto Graves! But Micheal bodies the blow and pushes the shelves off him but Dyson is right on him with an elbow to the orbital and scratches at his mask but Gravy counters with a snap hook and follows up by grabbing Samael by the throat.
Dyson gargles on his own spit as Gravy tightens his grip, lifting Samael up but Dyson manages to throw his hand onto Gravy’s groin and laughs as he tightens and twists.
But to no avail!
As Gravy simply laughs and brings Dyson toward him for a nasty headbutt!
Dyson shakes the cobwebs as his grip around Graves loosens and Gravy follows up with a second headbutt!
A streak of blood flows down Samael’s forehead as his eyes unfocus.
Gravy follows up with another headbutt but Dyson has the wherewithal to open his mouth in the nick of time and bite down on Graves’ nose!
A howl of pain comes from The Dark Warrior as he pushes against Dyson and manages to throw him off.
Dyson lands with a thump on the wooden floor as Gravy covers his face, blood dripping into his hand.
King is back on his feet and manages to lock a full nelson onto Gravy who struggles in the hold.
Dyson seizes the opportunity, rushes to his feet slipping slightly on the floorboards before running in with-
JC: BLACK MASTERPIECE!!!
The running kick looking for the groins of Gravy and King but before Samael can reach him, Gravy throws an arm down and a large puff of smoke explodes. Samael rushes through the mist and hits only King!
Isaiah grabs his crown jewels and drops to his knees in agony.
Samael swipes at the smoke and looks around before grabbing King around the neck and dropping him with a DDT!
And going for the cover!!!
The disembodied voice of the ref rings out.
ONE!!!
TWO!!!
MUAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!
And Gravy from nowhere falls from the ceiling and crushes both Samael and King with a massive splash!!!
JR: WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT!? Did Gravy just use his Critical Edge!?
JC: Critical Edge? Nobody played Soul Calibur 6, Joe. What Gravy did was good ol’ fashioned witchcraft.
The crash winds all three men as the room shakes and a pillar falls from the ceiling igniting the fire further.
Gravy bounces off clutching his ribs as Samael rolls on the ground in agony holding his back whilst King is gasping for air on his back.
The room burns further and further as more debris falls.
JC: The structural integrity is diminishing before our eyes, Joe.
JR: No shit, Jack. The place is on fire!
Gravy gets to a knee huffing before coughing heavily and covering his mouth, the black smoke from the fire clogging the air.
Samael sits up to meet him and stares deeply into Gravy’s eyes.
The two men stand up to meet each other, both gasping air.
Before they look down at a prone King and each grab a shoulder, forcing him up and barreling over to the large window.
JR: Some smart teamwork here in this triple threat, neither of them can breathe so they’re gonna use King to open a window!
JC: Pretty sure that’s not what you should do when there’s a fire.
JR: Why?
Both men hurl Isaiah out of the window, smashing the glass and sending him hurdling into the air!
ISAIAH KING - RING OUT!
There’s a brief moment as both men suck in clean air, until-
JC: That’s why.
[/b][/i][b]KA-FWOOOOOOOOOOSH!!![/b][/i][b]
The backdraft sets the room further ablaze and both men are caught in the fire!
Graves rips the curtains off the wall and begins suffocating the flames immediately as muffled screams come from him as Samael runs with almost a laugh as he drops and rolls to smother the flames.
Graves throws the curtains off of him, steam rising from his body as he stumbles forward with scorch marks on his outfit.
Dyson is on his knees, twitching as the pain stabs into him, his skin bright and red.
Gravy looms over to him and grabs his shoulders but Samael Dyson counters with a solid punch to the groin which lets out a metallic clang! And Dyson reels back holding his hand in agony while Graves laughs maniacally before quickly picking him up and dropping him back down with-
JC: GRAVE DIGGER!!!
The Death Valley Driver knocks all the wind out of Dyson and leaves a dent in the ground as the floorboards break and splinter.
Gravy drops down to a knee and shoves his elbow into Dyson’s face as he goes for the pin!
ONE!!!
TWO!!!!
THR-NO!!!!
Dyson kicks out before the three!
Graves slams the back of Dyson’s head into the floor and tries again.
ONE!!!
TWO!!!!
THR-NO!!!!
Graves growls in frustration and does it again, this time leaning his forearm on Dyson’s throat.
ONE!!!
TWO!!!!
THR-NO!!!!
This time Dyson halts the pin by digging his thumb into Graves’ eye and digging in deeply!
Gravy screams in agony and throws himself away from Dyson.
Samael forces himself up and begins to stumble, almost tripping over himself as he collapses against a side table and hurls the contents at Gravy before flipping the table over onto Gravy.
Samael stumbles back and walks away looking to the only exit and whistles loudly before hacking up a lung as smoke flows into him.
His insignificants appear in the hallway holding a large gauntlet like a prized possession. Samael doubles over spluttering and spitting on the ground as he waves his lackeys over impatiently.
As they get close, the room rumbles and a pillar falls over the hall followed by debris which crushes the insignificants.
Samael gawps at this before flying into a rage.
“You USLESS, MISERABLE BUNCH OF I SHOULD YOUR UNTIL YOUR is BLEEDING YOU !!!!”
During his rage-filled speech, Gravy is back on his feet nursing a bloated black eye and he kicks the a flaming couch into the back of Samael to grab his attention.
Dyson looks back as Gravy stands there with a sick smile and grabs a flaming piece of wood and lurches over to him.
Dyson’s eyes widen as he looks back and then his eyes go to the gauntlet, sitting in the flames.
Samael lunges to the hall and sticks his body in the fire grabbing the red hot gauntlet and sticks his arm inside with a blood-curdling scream!
Graves gets to Dyson and grabs his belt pulling him up and Dyson swings wildly with the gauntlet catching Gravy’s jaw!
Graves stumbles back and barely dodges a second strike and bring the flaming stick on top of Dyson’s shoulder, it erupts into splinters as Dyson falls to a knee.
Graves goes for a stomp on the gauntlet but Dyson moves quickly and lands another strike into Gravy!
Graves falls to a knee also and the two are level.
They suck in air.
Sweating.
Burnt.
Bloody.
As they glare at one another.
With a huge amount of effort Samael lifts the gauntlet with a roar and strikes again but Gravy bats it away and the gauntlet flies across the room showing Samael’s deep red and blistered arm.
Gravy swings a right hook into Samael.
And Dyson swings a right into him!
Then Graves!
Then Dyson!
Again!
AND AGAIN!
JC: There’s no quit in either man!
JR: They’re gonna fucking die in there! One of them needs to do the honorable thing and just lay down before we lose both of them!
They continue striking.
Their punches getting heavier and slower and slower.
Until…
Both men cling onto consciousness.
The smoke blinding them.
The fire biting at them.
Gravy lifts his hand for one more strike.
As does Dyson.
But both men…
Fall against one another…
Both are out cold.
DOUBLE KO!
The fires are extinguished rapidly as XWF medics rush onto the scene.
[whote]JC: Oh my God! What… what?!?
JR: It seems like both ran out of oxygen! The official had to make the call to end it before both men suffocated in the raging fire that was the Old Toledo!
JC: But what even happens now, Joe?!?[/white]
The firefighters manage to retrieve from the raging inferno both Samael Dyson and Micheal Graves…
As a member of the XWF Ownership Management Team, ELON MUSK, emerges from the safety of a production truck!
”Double Knockout?!? What! So they all got eliminated?!?”
…
”Ugh… so, what happens now? Do none of them advance?”
Elon spins around to Peter Principle behind him.
”I hate that!”
Peter is horrified!
”You don’t like that, boss?!? Well… then we should do something else! But what?!?”
Nadine, Peter’s assistant raises her hand.
”Um… sir? Last year, there was a draw between Aurora and Yelena Gorgo in March Madness… and they both advanced to face the next round in a triple-threat!”
”That’s a neat bit of trivia, Nadine! But how does it apply to this situation where there was a draw between Samael Dyson and Micheal Graves! Those names are completely different!”
…
Nadine sighs. She leans into Peter’s ear and whispers.
”GASP!”
Peter spins toward Elon!
”Sir, I just had a great idea!”
He leans into Elon’s ear!
…
Elon’s eyes widen!
”XWF Universe! I was just struck by GENIUS! An idea entirely on my own!”
“Samael Dyson!”
“AND Micheal Graves!”
“Will BOTH advance to the next round of March Madness!”
“Whoever is unfortunate enough to draw them on the wheel…”
“Will face BOTH Graves AND Dyson!”
JC: Wow! Both Dyson and Graves advance!
JR: Incredible on the spot idea-generating by Elon Musk!
THANKS TO OUR MATCH WRITERS
Peter Principle
Liam Desmond
'Big' Dick Lichter
Atticus Gold
The following 4 users Like Liam Desmond's post:4 users Like Liam Desmond's post (Gravy_Xtreme_5000) (Yesterday), Matthias Syn (Yesterday), Mr. Oz (02-24-2026), XXXVI (Yesterday)
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I SHOULD 
