It's weeks of bracket draws and qualifying matches. It's almost two months of GCW's hottest new talent battling for supremacy. It's show after show of joy and despair, triumph and disappointment. It's favourites being upset in the first-round. It's unfancied newcomers making it all the way to the finals. It's a career-defining night: one that can take a fledging wrestler and propel them to the stars.

It's the GCW logo flashing across your television screen.

It's Rampage.

An elaborate highlight reel plays over pounding rock music. Clyde Fox defeats Zacharia Taylor in 2009, then Andy Murray pins Chris Bagwell the year prior. Tempest, David Spencer, Rasa, and Tim Shipley wrestle their way through the competition and stand tall. Then it's their greatest hits. Tim Shipely wins the Rampage Royale. Tempest wins the Television Title. David Spencer upsets PAZUZU, THE DARKNESS. Rasa beats Triumph Frost and Slash.

Then BOOM. The arena lights up like the forth of July. Pyrotechnics welcome us inside the Tokyo Dome with fire and a panoramic camera gives us the bird's eye tour. The Megatron's looking as elaborate as ever and the ring's set-up where it would normally be, but the floor's more open than usual. GCW's three announce tables separate the standard ring from a completely separate area, housing two rings and two ominous steel cages.

Bryan: Ladies and Gentlemen we are LIVE from the Tokyo Dome here in Tokyo, Japan! With over 50,000 fans in-attendance we are set for one of the biggest pay-per-view events of the wrestling calender! Four of the most talented new wrestlers in Global Championship Wrestling have earned the right to be here tonight, but only one of them can walk out victorious! Hello, everyone: I'm James Bryan, and alongside me as always is my broadcast colleague David Yale!

Yale: Tempest, David Spencer, Tim Shipley, Rasa. These four athletes have been on one hell of a journey since joining GCW, but three of them are going to leave here disappointed! There can only be one winner, JB, and this is certainly shaping-up to be one of the most unpredictable Rampage finales in a long time!

Finally the camera cuts to ringside, but the noise doesn't let-up. Both JB and Dave struggle to make themselves heard over the music and the crowd's roar.

Bryan: All four of these wrestlers are gifted in their own unique way; this is truly anyone's tournament to win, Dave! Up first in the tournament we've got number one seed and favourite Tim Shipley taking on David Spencer, seeded fifth, in what should be one hell of a clash!

Yale: David Spencer has looked impressive since returning to GCW but Tim Shipley has been on one hell of a roll since joining! He's gotten over his disappointment at missing out on the commissioner's job by establishing his credentials as one of the game's finest technical wrestlers. He's ruffled a few feathers along the way, too: just ask Andy Murray and Chris Bagwell!

Bryan: I wouldn't discount Spencer completely, Dave! As "Face" he was one of the most dangerously unpredictable men GCW has ever seen, and this guy has done little to dispel the notion that isn't a complete lunatic since his return! The guy is capable of anything, much like second seed Rasa!

Yale: Rasa has been in GCW for a few months now and I still have no idea what to think of him. Err, her. IT! Rasa's reluctance to give interviews and show it's face means that it's completely impossible to read what's going on behind that vast array of masks, but one thing's for sure: Rasa has torn through the competition with it's fast-paced assault, and Tempest is certainly going to have her hands full!

Bryan: Tempest is one fine competitor herself, though! She's been one of the most dominant Television Champions in recent memory and is quickly becoming one of the most popular wrestlers in the company. The fans would love nothing more than to see Tempest win tonight, and having their wind in her sails could make the difference for her tonight.

Yale: But hey, it turns out there are other matches tonight too! To start is off, Andy Murray and Chris Bagwell will battle Cheap Labor and Tim Shipley in a tag team grudge match. Bad blood has been brewing between these guys for quite some time, and I'm sure Murray and Bagwell are just itching to let off some steam!

Bryan: What's interesting about this match is the fact that up until about a month ago, Murray and Bagwell were mortal enemies yet they align tonight to battle two common foes. Can they hold it together? We'll find out soon enough, but Tim Shipley really has to be careful in this match! He could potentially be wrestling three times tonight, and he can't afford to go all-out in this opening clash.

Yale: Two wrestlers who certainly won't be avoiding going all-out are Vivica J. Valentine and AXEL Action! These two have built-up quite the distaste for one another over recent weeks, and finally they're going to settle their rivalry. This whole thing started when Valentine suggested that AXEL wasn't on her level, that he wasn't worthy of United States Title contention, and it's going to come to a violent, bloody head tonight.

Bryan: This is a huge opportunity for AXEL to atone for his previous United States title mishaps, but what about our MASSIVE World Title clash? Two rings, two cages, four wrestlers. This one isn't going to be pretty!

Yale: Terror, Storm, Windsor, Fox! One of them will be walking out GCW World Heavyweight Champion tonight! This match is custom-built for carnage, and I can't wait to see how it goes down.

Bryan: Chris Storm has certainly cut a desolate figure over recent weeks; he may not be the jolliest soul on the roster these days, but he's as driven as anyone. For all his successes, Storm has never held a singles belt in his GCW career, and despite what he says, I'm sure he'd love to break that duck by winning the big one tonight!

Yale: But we know all about Storm's reticence to this match, JB. There's a very high chance that he could end up wrestling his wife tonight, and he's made sure Garbage Bag Johnny knows exactly what he thinks of that! For Tessa, this is a real crossroads. If she fails to win the title then she may forever be known as GCW's perennial also-ran, but a win would give her career the apex it has promised for so long.

Bryan: Tessa has been on one hell of a roll recently and has certainly never looked more likely to finally step-up, but Jay Terror will be doing everything in his power to stop her. This guy is a modern day Machiavelli: he wants the power and he'll do everything he can to get it. With his benefactor, Steven Caldera, currently absent, Jay is more determined than ever to recover his place at the top of the pile, and you know he'll be chomping at the bit to start a second title reign tonight.

Yale: And what about Clyde Fox, JB? He's had his doubters, myself included, but Clyde has this uncanny knack of getting it done in the ring. Despite his childlike demeanour, Clyde fights like a brave and never gives up. Tonight marks his arrival on the big stage. Will he sink, or will he swim?

Bryan: I guess we'll find out later on. Let's get this show on the road!

Back to Top

With the fireworks still flaring and the energy in the Tokyo Dome at an all-time high, the camera's briefly cut backstage. While Chris Bagwell tightens his wristbands, Andy Murray is glaring in a mirror, straightening his signature shades. It's certainly a sight to be seen, two titans of this era together and on the same page.

Murray: Just think, Bubbles. It was only two years ago that the two of us were headlining this thing in the finals. And look at us now...

Chris holds a hard, determined stare as he continues his preparations.

Bagwell: And tonight...

He and The Scottish King of Cool meet at the doorway of the locker room, ready to make their exit.

Bagwell: We're going to steal the show in the opening bout.

The King smirks and nods his head.

Murray: Let's do this.

And just like that, the two fastest rising stars in GCW history begin their methodical march to the ring...as allies.

Back to Top

"Do you have everything?"

The camera cuts backstage where Chris Storm is seen entering the building. The crowd gives off a mixed reaction but all that soon changes when they notice Rikki Roxx right behind him carrying a duffel bag. Rikki stops and looks inside it for a moment.

Roxx: Let’s see; duct tape, super glue, fake staff passes, costumes, and fifty pounds of explosives.

Yale: WHAT!?

Bryan: I’m sure he has to be kidding about that last one.

Chris stops dead in his tracks and turns back around to face Rikki.

Storm: Don’t tell me you forgot the pudding pops!

Rikki looks deeper into the bag.

Roxx: Nope, they’re right here.

He holds out two to prove his point. Chris quickly snatches one away and rips apart the wrapper, shoving it into his mouth. They must have been making too much noise, because pretty soon Toad comes walking into the scene.

Toad: What the hell are you two doing?

Spotting the head of security, Rikki starts to freak.

Roxx: Oh shit, it’s the cops!

He instantly tosses the duffel bag back out the door and into the parking garage. There is a huge explosion behind them. Chris acts like he hears nothing, taking the pudding pop out of his mouth to talk.

Storm: So….what’s up?

Toad: What in the world….wait, is that a pudding pop?

Storm: Yep.

Toad: Can I have one?

Storm: Totally, Rikki, hand the man a pudding pop from the bag.

Poor Rikki looks into his empty hands, realizing he threw the duffel bag into the parking garage.

Roxx: I, uh, only packed one?

Toad frowns as Chris shoves the only surviving pudding pop into his mouth again. He shakes his head and gets back down to business.

Toad: Anyways, I was told by front office to make sure I keep you both out of trouble. There is rumors going around that you’re up to something tonight.

Chris looks around innocently, ignoring the fire raging on behind the door.

Storm: The hell man? Can’t a dude enjoy a pudding pop without getting harassed around this place?

Toad: You have to expect it, given your reputation.

Storm: Shouldn’t you be bothering Andy Murray and Chris Bagwell? They’re the ones running around pretending to be Banned & Exiled~!

Roxx: They hit me with a haggis when I was walking down the hall the other week.

Remembering the horrid experience, Rikki almost breaks into tears. Chris throws his arm over his little buddy’s shoulder.

Storm: Can’t you see the damage they have done! Leave us alone and go bother them!

Toad: I would but the boss actually likes them. You, you kind of annoy the shit out of him.

Storm: I do have a rather magnetic personality.

Toad: And you seem to be his polar opposite. And because of that, you get stuck with me for the rest of the night.

Chris throws his arms up in the air in disgust.

Storm: Ah come on now, you were a part of System-Y.

Toad: System X.

Storm: Whatever. Can’t you just let it slide?

Toad: System X annoyed Caldera and his cronies. Besides, Garbage Bag Johnny was nice enough to give me my old job back.

Roxx: Janitor?

Toad looks at Rikki and instantly the Maestro of Metal shuts it.

Storm: Dude, you use to always let me and Markus prank back in the day. Come on man, just one more time?

Toad: I never let you do anything! You guys always snuck by.

Storm: Wow, you really sucked at your job then. We just figured you were letting on sneak by you.

Toad growls at Chris, letting the Rock Superstar know he needs to shut it as well. There is a lingering moment of uncomfortable silence hanging in the air. Chris rubs the back of his head.

Storm: So, like, I gotta go to the little boy’s room. You mind?

Toad steps out of the way and lets Chris pass, Rikki following right behind. But with every step Chris takes, Toad takes one as well. Chris seems to notice he’s being followed and stops. He takes two steps and sure enough Toad takes two. He takes one and likewise Toad takes one. Just to test it, Chris takes a step back and the two behind him follow suit. Chris turns and faces the Head of Security.

Storm: Seriously? Can’t even take a number two alone? Is nothing sacred?

Toad: Nope.

Storm: Can you at least get me a magazine or something to read?

Toad: Nope.

Roxx: Bummer.

Chris throws his arms up in the air, realizing he is in store for a long night.

Toad: If we have to go to the bathroom, we should probably hurry. I had bean burritos for breakfast.

Storm: Why in the world did you have bean burritos for breakfast?

Toad: Because they were the only thing in the fridge without mold on it.

Roxx: That makes sense.

Two-times, two-times he throws his arms into the air. It was going to be a very, very long night.

Back to Top

Jacobs is seen standing next to the GCW Hardcore Champion Bryan Mayhem. Mayhem is staring into the camera with his black eyes. His hair is pulled back, black trench coat covers his tattooed body. The Hardcore Title is wrapped around his shoulder. Mayhem dwarfs the little man.

Jacobs: Bryan Mayhem, tonight you face obviously the biggest threat for your Hardcore Title where you will basically run a gauntlet against anyone who will touch you. 4 matches in one night, how’s your confidence?

Mayhem pulls his eyes from the camera and looks down at Jacobs who lets out a loud gulp.

Mayhem: I am always confident Kevin. I have no fear.

Jacobs holds the mic there a little longer anticipating more of a response, but instead Mayhem goes back to staring into the camera.

Jacobs: 4 matches though, no offense, but even you may have a problem with that.

Mayhem does not remove his eyes from the camera.

Mayhem: I have this little voice that follows me everywhere. This little voice often tells me to do some unspeakable things. Sometimes I can control it, other times I can’t. My problems in the past were I did not allow this voice to control me, instead I hid him away and went off and did my own little thing. Maybe I should listen to this voice tonight. 4 matches. Hmm. 4.

Jacobs: What is the voice telling you to do?

Mayhem’s head jerks quickly, he puts a finger to his lips in a hushing signal, covers his one ear with the other hand, and begins to nod. He smiles for a second, than his lips form an ‘OOOOH’. He chuckles violently than rubs his hands together.

Mayhem: This is good. This is really good.

Jacobs stands there in confusion.

Mayhem: There will be blood.

Mayhem storms off camera leaving Jacobs standing backstage, mic still held above his head, his eyes even more confused than were before.

Back to Top

Bryan: Welcome back Ladies and Gentlemen, and boy do we have one hell of an opening match ahead of us!

Yale: Labor. Shipley. Murray. Bagwell. THIS is how you kick-off one of the biggest events of the year!

Bryan: These guys have become more accustomed to headlining lately, but all four of them will be relishing the prospect of setting the tone tonight. It’s two of the biggest stars in recent GCW history taking on one of the promotion’s fastest ever rising stars and… errr, Cheap Labor. This could be a barnstormer.

Yale: Star power is what this match is all about, and these days there are none brighter than Murray and Bagwell. I fancy Shipley and Cheap for the upset, though. Shipley is a slimy, conniving son of a gun with the chops to back-up his cocky exterior, and Cheap, despite his submissive personality, is a very accomplished wrestler himself.

Bryan: I don’t know about that, Dave. There’s been a lot of tension between Cheap and Shipley for months now, and they’re facing two of the finest wrestlers that GCW has ever seen. Shipley and Cheap are both fantastic grapplers, but their lack of cohesion may cost them.

Yale: You wanna talk about a "lack of cohesion," how about Murray and Bagwell? Do you honestly think that these guys are going to work as a team? They may be all smiles and laughs, but these men have done some brutal, brutal things to each other in the past. They can share as many limousines as they want, but these guys are never really going to be "friends", are they?

Bryan: Maybe not, but they’ve put their differences aside to battle Shipley and Cheap over recent weeks, and I’m confident they can do it again tonight.

Yale: But the heat of battle is much different to hanging out backstage, JB. This is about pride and ego: do you honestly believe that Chris Bagwell will let Murray pin Shipley for the win, and vice versa?

Bryan: I guess there’s only one way to find out.

BREATHE!

Mike Hardy’s beat doesn’t linger for longer, but that doesn’t stop the fans sounding their appreciation. Soon GCW’s only original entrance theme is replaced by Clutch’s loose grooves as "The Mob Goes Wild" kicks in. Two large figures appear through the fireworks and strobe lights. A robed Andy Murray and a buzzing Chris Bagwell make their way down to the ring, slapping hands.

Bryan: Who ever thought we’d hear such a reaction for Chris Bagwell?!

Yale: I think it probably has more to do with the man he’s aligned himself with!

Bryan: Maybe so, but this isn’t the same Chris Bagwell that was in GCW a year ago. He’s as sharp-tongued and cocky as ever, but something’s changed. The fact that Andy Murray of all people trusts him to be his partner speaks volumes.

Yale: You can never be too sure with Bagwell, though. Murray may well end up being a fool for trusting him, but for now it looks very much like Chris Bagwell has sold himself out. The shameless self-promoter has become just another ass-kissing fawner. It’s a tragedy, JB.

Eventually Murray and Bagwell reach the bottom of the ring and enter the ring. Both take turns to pose for the crowd, with Murray throwing his arms in the air and Bagwell asking the fans to "idolize me".

Andrews: Ladies and Gentlemen, the following is a tag team contest scheduled for one fall! Introducing first, weighing in at a combined weight of 602lbs… The Rajah of Ratings and The Scottish King of Cool… CHRIS BAGWELL AND ANDYYYY MURRRRAAAAYYYYYYY!

There is no sexy entrance theme mix for the other team, though. "Astral Conversations with Some French Dude" is all that soundtracks the arrival of Cheap and Shipley, whose body language couldn’t be more of a contrast. Shipley looks stoic and focused, Labor’s a ball of energy. The former Television Champion charges down the ring at 100mph, stopping just sort of sliding in with Murray and Bagwell, while Shipley strolls down casually.

Yale: Shipley looks determined, doesn’t he? He’s going to have to wrestle at least two matches tonight, and may very well end up wrestling thrice! That’s a big ask of any man!

Bryan: It surely is, Dave. Shipley may very well want to beat on Murray and Bagwell but he can’t get too carried away. This is a massive night for him, and expending too much energy in this match may see him suffer later this evening.

Yale: Absolutely. Shipley’s got to ask: what means more? Beating Murray and Bagwell, or winning the Rampage Tournament? Obviously he doesn’t want to do himself an injustice in this contest, but he has to be smart. At least he’s not going it alone, though.

Bryan: Indeed. Cheap is in his corner and we know he’s been eager to do Shipley’s bidding in the past. I’m sure he’ll be more than happy to do most of the dirty work.

Finally Shipley’s slow descent comes to an end and Labor hops onto the mat and into the ring. Tim does not join him; just stands on the apron, leaning over the ropes as his partner goads Murraybags.

Andrews: And their opponents! In the ring, weighing in at a combined total of 405lbs… they are The Cavalier and the former GCW Television Champion… TIM SHIPLEY AND CHEAAAAPPPPP LAAAABBBBOOOUUURRRRR!

The Just Wrestling owner seems plenty content to take it easy on the outside of the ring as the music fades. Murray immediately retreats to the apron as Cheap walks back across, stepping through the ropes to join his partner. Shipley glares at him.

DING! DING! DING!

Bryan: Heh. I don’t think Cheap Labor is too keen on getting things started…

Yale: I wouldn’t be too giddy at the prospect of getting into the ring with a suplex machine like Bagwell either.

Cheap clasps his palms together and pleads his case, but barely a word can escape before Bagwell charges across the ring and pulls Cheap over the top rope. He immediately throws Labor into the corner and hammers away with a few body shots, before whipping him towards Murray’s corner. Chris tries to follow-up with a big clothesline, but Cheap rolls out of the way,

Yale: Bagwell’s quick to turn but walks right into the arm drag!

Bryan: Cheap’s going to try to hyper-extend that arm with a hold, but Bagwell’s too strong! He’s power to his feet.

The Rajah rises but doesn’t quite shake Cheap Labor off. Cheap pulls at Chris’ arm and tries to whip him across the ring, but Chris stands firm and counters. An attempted hip toss is foiled as Cheap lands on his feet and throws a boot upwards into Bagwell’s gut. Finally the tussle is broken as a winded Bagwell stumbles backwards. Cheap soon seizes on him with a few furious fists, followed by two kicks to the shin and a drop toe hold. Bagwell hits the mat, Cheap hits the ropes, and eventually a running splash is avoided when Chris rolls away.

Bryan: Fast-paced start to this match-up.

Yale: What else can you expect when Cheap Labor is in the ring?

Bryan: He doesn’t want to tire himself out, though. With Shipley conserving himself for later, I get the impression that Cheap may have to do a lot of the dirty work in this one.

Yale: Absolutely. Shipley’s a smart man, but if Cheap gets too carried away in the opening then Tim will be forced to hit the ring earlier than he might want.

Both men are back on their feet and they tie-up. Bagwell forces Cheap into the corner, where he knees him in the gut and stomps him hard on the chest. Satisfied that Labor is downed, Bagwell slaps Murray’s extended hand and The Scottish King of Cool enters the fray by picking Cheap up and throwing him against the ropes. Murray ducks for the flapjack, but Cheap hooks his arms over the top rope and prevents a rebound.

Yale: Here comes Cheap!

Bryan: Sunset flip! But Murray won’t go down…

Cheap tries desperately to pull Murray down but the big man keeps vertical. He leans down and, with both hands around Cheap's throat, hauls the former Television Champion to his feet and chops him across the chest.

"OOOOHHHHHHHHHH!"

Labor staggers backwards and Murray lurches forward, knocking his opponent with a couple of hammer blows to the jaw. Cheap, reeling, desperately throws his boot between Murray's legs, and the connection is enough to bring The King to his knees.

"BOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Bryan: And that's what you get from Cheap Labor in 2010, folks.

Yale: Obviously Shipley's been teaching him well.

Bryan: He wanted nothing to do with Murray's considerable brawling skills, but he took the cheater's way out. Shame on him.

All 275lbs of Andy Murray hunches, the crushing pain in his groin preventing him from rising. Cheap, meanwhile, is like a headless chicken. He advances on the former GCW Champion only to turn on his heel and slap an unsuspecting Shipley across the shoulder. Tim flashes Cheap a disparaging look as he steps into the ring.

Yale: Well, here comes The Cavalier.

Tim, unlike his partner, shows no hesitancy. He goes towards Murray immediately and hauls him into a side headlock. From there, Shipley hooks Murray's heel and drives him down into the mat. The Englishman sits his fellow Brit upright and pushes a knee between his shoulder blades while pulling back on his arms.

Yale: This is where Shipley has Murray beat, JB. His technique is excellent, and he possesses an armoury of holds that is almost second-to-none in the business.

Bryan: Absolutely. Murray is one of the most well-rounded athletes in the game, but he's never really been known for his ground game. Shipley and Labor can't stand toe-to-toe and knock the stuffing out of Murray: they've got to use their respective technical and speed advantages.

Andy's face twists with pain but he's not about to give up. Slowly he out-strengths Shipley and pulls his arms downwards. Shipley notices this and lets go, looking to lock-in a sleeper instead, but he underestimates Murray's quickness and the Scot twists to his knees. The two former AWC wrestlers meet eyes but it's Shipley who has the quicker reflexes: he dives forward and tackles Murray to the mat, before quickly hopping to his feet.

Bryan: Look at these stomps from Shipley!

Yale: He's like a man possessed.

It doesn't take long for Tim to tire of this approach and soon he's standing tall, basking in the crowd's bile. Murray begins to rise so Shipley takes his head and cracks an elbow across the back of Andy's skull. Assuming Murray is stunned, Shipley bounces off the ropes for momentum, but The King suddenly recovers by stepping towards Shipley, wrapping his arms around his torso, and quickly tossing him overhead with a belly-to-belly suplex.

Bryan: HUGE move from Andy Murray!

Yale: That's the kind of move we've come to expect from Chris Bagwell! Maybe the Ratings Guru has been teaching Murray a thing or two.

Bryan: Bagwell teaching Murray?! Come on...

The Admiral of Awesome tries to get up quickly but he's feeling the pain. Though his rise is slow he still makes it, and, after shaking the dust from his head, makes a tag. Now Chris Bagwell's in the ring sporting a mile-wide smile.

Yale: Bagwell's licking his chops, JB! He can't wait to get a piece of Shipley.

The Rajah cracks his knuckles as Shipley begins to get up. He aids Shipley's rise and knocks him with a few stiff body shots, before kneeing him in the gut and pushing his opponent towards the ropes. From there, Chris pushes Tim's head beneath his armpit and tries to pull Tim up for a suplex, but Shipley counters with an awkward punch to Bagwell's side. With The Rajah's grip weakened, Shipley bursts free and skips around Bagwell. He drops to his knees and uses his arms to sweep Bagwell's legs... but instead of following up, Tim strides across the ring and slaps Cheap's torso.

Yale: And there's the tag!

Bryan: Already?!

Yale: Energy conservation, JB. You'll see.

Knowing that there's work to be done, Cheap doesn't waste any time. He knows he's never going to out-brawl Bagwell so he keeps his distance as Chris rises. Bagwell eventually comes forward and swings a heavy clothesline, but Cheap ducks beneath it and kicks his thighs hard. With Bagwell immobilised, Cheap drops him to the mat with a snapmare, and immediately follows with a standing senton.

Bryan: Here comes the cover!

...1!

Yale: No! Easy kickout for Bagwell.

Again Cheap backs off and allows Bagwell to rise on his own accord. The Rajah of Ratings still has a few tricks up his sleeve, though. Catching Labor in his peripheral vision, Chris plays possum. He fumbles his way towards Shipley's corner before finally getting to his feet. Hearing Cheap's footsteps start to rumble, Bagwell quickly drops to the mat... and Cheap's flying forearm hits Shipley right in the jaw!

Yale: Uh-oh!

Bryan: Cheap just inadvertently nailed his partner!

Yale: Check the look on Shipley's face!

Pure indignation from Tim Shipley, who rubs his sore jaw. Cheap, meanwhile, is all apologies. So focused is he on apologising to Shipley that he's wide open to Bagwell's roll-up.

...1!

...2!

Bryan: No! Cheap kicks out!

Chris Bagwell knows that he's in trouble if he lets Cheap use his speed, so he keeps on top of his opponent even after the kickout. Bagwell balls a fist and smashes Cheap in the forehead a couple of times, before rising to his feet and taking a leg with him. With Cheap's leg raised, Bagwell suddenly yanks it back towards Cheap's torso.

Yale: Hamstring pull! Now that's a dirty move. I guess Bagwell isn't as much of a changed man as he professes to be.

Bryan: Old habits die hard.

The Rajah of Ratings doesn't get jeered for his antics, though. The crowd are well aware of who he's in the ring with and are fully behind him. Now Bagwell finally decides to lift Cheap from the mat. He steps behind him and tries to haul back for a German suplex, but an elbow to the head from Cheap puts an end to that. With his hamstring in pain, though, Cheap can't react quick enough to take advantage, and soon he's stuck in Bagwell's clinch again.

Bryan: Bagwell's got Cheap locked, and look at these body shots! Bagwell's really stepped things up in the striking department lately.

Yale: He's just beating the living daylights out of Cheap at the moment.

Satisfied that his opponent isn't going to fight back, Bagwell throws his head between his thighs and lets out a roar.

Bryan: Powerbomb time!

Bagwell pulls Cheap onto his shoulders, but Cheap's not done yet. He curls a fist and bashes it twice into Bagwell's skull.

Yale: Wait a minute, Cheap's fighting back!

Bryan: AND THE HURRICANRANA! WOW!

Both men fall to the ground, but Cheap's first instinct isn't to make the cover: it's to crawl towards Shipley. Tim, still angered by Labor's earlier mistake, sees that his partner needs a break and tags in. The first thing Shipley sees is Murray's extended hand, then Bagwell crawling towards it. Bagwell's hand is just about to slap Murray's when Shipley steps between them, swats Murray's hand away, and kicks Bagwell straight in the head.

"BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Bryan: JESUS! That was vicious.

Yale: But perfectly legal, JB. Nothing wrong with that one at all.

Bryan: Here comes the cover.

...1!

...2!

Bryan: Chris gets the shoulder up, but that was a big, big shot from Shipley.

It was, and Bagwell's reeling. Tim takes his arm and forces an arm wrench as he brings Bagwell up. The heel kick that follows catches Bagwell in the chest and isn't enough to knock him down, but it knocks Bagwell into the corner and Shipley follows with a spear. From there, Shipley takes Bagwell by the head and bulldogs him out of the corner. Dusting his hands off cockily, Shipley dusts his hands off and flashes Andy Murray a quick wink.

Bryan: Check the attitude on Shipley, Dave. This guy has almost no redeeming features whatsoever.

Yale: He's in this business to win, JB, not to make friends. Chris Bagwell is isolated in the ring right now and there's absolutely nothing that Andy Murray can do about it. Shipley's just making sure he knows it.

Eventually the Just promoter elects to bring Bagwell to his feet again and hits him in the face a couple of times. Running towards the ropes, Shipley comes back with a clothesline attempt... but sheer desperation from Bagwell sees him land a simultaneous clothesline on Shipley! Both men hit the deck lack a sack of spuds.

Bryan: What a counter from Bagwell, but now both men are out!

Yale: Lets see who can make it to the corner first...

"LET'S GO BAGWELL!"

"SCREW YOU SHIPLEY!"

"LET'S GO BAGWELL!"

"SCREW YOU SHIPLEY!"

Duelling chants fill the arena as Bagwell claws his way towards a clapping Andy Murray. Shipley, on the other hand, doesn't seems as interested in reaching his partner. Instead, Shipley wraps his digits around one of Bagwell's ankles and makes himself dead weight.

Bryan: What the hell is he doing?!

Yale: He's the ball on the end of Bagwell's chain, JB!

Bryan: I thought he wanted to save energy, not waste it.

Yale: That's exactly what he's doing. Bagwell has taken a couple of big moves and Andy Murray is a lot fresher. If him and Cheap can keep Bagwell isolated in the ring then they'll find it a lot easier to win this match. Simple.

Bagwell rolls onto his back and lashes out at Shipley. Eventually he manages to break the grip and he returns his attention to tagging Murray in... but a quick elbow drop from Cheap Labor lays rest to that idea.

"BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Bryan: Where the hell did he come from?!

Yale: He's just making amends for his earlier mistake, JB.

Immediately Cheap is admonished by the referee. Instead of complaining, though, Cheap quickly leaves the ring and returns to his spot, raising his hands innocently. Now Shipley is on his feet and Chris Bagwell is in trouble. He's not quite teetering, but he's certainly swaying. Shipley rakes his eyes, throws his head beneath his arm, and pulls back with a quick snap suplex. Now Shipley tags in Cheap Labor, who's first instinct is to hop up to the top rope.

Bryan: What's cheap going to do here?

Yale: MOONSAULT!

Cheap flies through the air with grace and precision, landing on Bagwell in the middle of the ring. However, instead of making the pinfall, Cheap rises to his feet and steps towards Andy Murray, goading the Scot.

Bryan: What the hell is Cheap Labor doing?!

Yale: He needs to be covering Bagwell right now, JB! He could have this match won!

Bryan: Is he doing this because he saw Shipley doing it earlier?! Idiot. Complete idiot.

Now Shipley's bawling across the ring and Cheap takes not. He steps passed Bagwell, unaware of the fact that he's crawling, and walks across to his partner, shrugging. Tim's arms are flailing wildly and he's calling for Cheap to turn around, but Labor hears none of it.

He doesn't realise that Chris Bagwell has made it to his partner until the crowd's roar almost blows the roof off the building.

Bryan: Here comes Murray!

The King powers into the ring like a freight train and spins Cheap by the shoulder. He hits a couple of right jabs, before putting Cheap's head under his arm and dropping him with a DDT!

Bryan: Here's the cover!

...1!

...2!

Yale: No! Big kickout, but what a dumb, dumb move by Cheap Labor.

Bryan: He doesn't seem to be thinking straight tonight, Dave. First he accidentally clocked Shipley, and then he saw it more fitting to taunt Murray than to make the cover and potentially win the match. A truly baffling decision.

Yale: I think Shipley is getting a little fed up of this, JB. Just look at his body language.

Now it's Murray's turn to wink, and that only raises Shipley's ire further. The grin tells us that The King is enjoying himself as he whips Cheap across the ropes, tosses him into the air, and catches him with a big European uppercut on the way down. Shutthefuckuppercut, he calls it; but JB and Dave can't swear, y'know. Murray hooks the leg.

…1!

...2!

But Cheap kicks out. Just.

Bryan: That was almost it, Dave. That very move has finished people in the past, but whatever you may say about Cheap Labor you cannot deny the fact that the man can take a beating.

Yale: But for how much longer? He's in there with a big, powerful guy in Andy Murray. Any more of those big-hitting power moves and Cheap is done for.

Now it's Andy Murray's turn to act the goat. Instead of beating on Cheap further, and stands straight, arms folded, between Cheap and Shipley. He can't help but chuckle as Shipley hurls abuse at him from behind, and takes great satisfaction in kicking Cheap's hand away as he attempts to crawl towards his partner.

Yale: What the hell is Murray doing now?!

Bryan: He's having a little fun, Dave. That's how The King rolls.

Yale: He's just as much of an asshole as Shipley and Cheap; but nobody calls him out on it because he's the "golden boy". Well I say screw that.

The King of Cool has had his fun. He grabs Labor's head and pulls him back towards Chris Bagwell, who tags in and immediately locks Cheap in a full nelson. Now it's Bagwell's turn to get in Shipley's face, looking the Englishman in the eye as he pulls back on the arms.

Yale: This is getting ridiculous.

Bryan: It's no worse than what Shipley and Cheap were doing earlier, Dave. Chris Ba--... hey, wait a minute!

Yale: Where the hell is he going?!

Tim Shipley has had enough. To the surprise of just about everyone in the building, he hopes down from the apron and begins slowly making his way up the ramp.

Bryan: Is he leaving?!

Yale: He is! Tim Shipley is walking out on Cheap Labor!

"BOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Tim's pace quickens and his facial expression sours, but not one does he look back. Andy and Chris look on with bewilderment, Cheap Labor looks on in dismay.

Bryan: I can't believe what I'm seeing, Dave. What a coward.

Yale: Tim Shipley has bigger fish to fry tonight, JB, and he's stuck with an idiot for a partner. I can't say I blame him.

Bryan: If he was so concerned about having 3 matches on one night then he shouldn't have signed up for this match! It's not fair on his partner, and it's not fair on two guys who were eager to beat the snot out of him.

Bagwell's gaze lingers until Murray joins him in the ring and Shipley has disappeared through the curtain. Both are so caught-up in disbelief that they don't notice Cheap Labor rising until he stumbles in front of them. The volume rises.

Bryan: Uh-oh!

Yale: This doesn't look good for Cheap...

Cheap's eyes widen as two of the most dominant competitors in GCW advance upon him. It's Bagwell that grabs and pulls him towards the centre of the ring, before hoisting him in the air.

Bryan: Here it comes...

Yale: Torn Identity!

Murray suddenly propels himself against the ropes. He runs just beyond Bagwell and hops up as Cheap is going down, grabbing Cheap's head with a huge Hex Breaker!

Bryan: Wow!

Yale: What the hell was that?! The Torn Breaker?

Bryan: The Hex Identity?! All I know is that Cheap Labor just got DRILLED!

The count is elementary.

...1!

...2!

...3!!!

DING! DING! DING!

Bryan: That's it, folks. We're done.

"Breathe" hits the PA system as Andy Murray and Chris Bagwell slowly rise to their feet. The referee comes between them, raising both of their arms in the air.

Bryan: What an absolute farce, folks. I can only apologise on the company's behalf for what just happened.

Yale: It was a smart move, JB. You'll see it when Shipley wins Rampage later.

Bryan: The fans paid good money to see this match happen, Dave. It is a complete and utter joke that Shipley couldn't stick around long enough to see it out. The lack of professionalism he's shown tonight, for me, should see him tossed out of the tournament.

Yale: But the Rampage tournament has absolutely nothing to do with this clash! Shipley was stuck in a no-win situation and did the only thing he could. Murray, Bagwell, and the fans may be disappointed, but their opinions are worthless in this situation.

It's quite clear from the muted Murray/Bagwell reaction that both are equal parts confused and disappointed, but they'll take the victory. They embrace in the centre of the ring, before Andy grabs Bagwell's wrist and throws his arm in the air.

Bryan: Well it wasn't quite the intro we were expecting, but full credit to Murray and Bagwell. They've put aside two years of hatred to form a dangerous, cohesive unit. This team may have mileage.

Yale: These two have colossal egos, JB. They won't be able to hold it together much longer, trust me.

Bryan: That remains to be seen, but they were victorious tonight. More power to them.

Back to Top

The scene opens down a hallway where AXEL Action is shown holding the GCW United States Championship in his arms. He gazes upon the silver strap with a vacant stare, almost as if taken aback by having the legendary championship in his grasp once again.

Bryan: There's AXEL Action, bit night tonight for him as he tries to take that very title away from The Bulletproof Blonde, Vivica J. Valentine.

Yale: He shouldn't have that title in the first place! He's a theif!

Bryan: Ayake Sonoda gave that title to AXEL Action on WorldWide, claiming that she couldn't give it back to Vivica J. Valentine because she felt like it was the wrong thing to do.

Yale: She's a little witch!

Bryan: She's a woman with a moral conscious! Which is something we used to be able to say about Valentine, but her paranoia about her legacy has turned her into a psychotic killer. She's sabotaged any relationship she's ever had out of fear.

Yale: Valentine's new-found mean streak has paid dividends, JB. It has brought a championship back around her wais...

"YOU SON OF A BITCH!"

A scream suddenly erupts through the otherwise tranquil hallways as Vivica J. Valentine appears on the scene, apparently straight from getting medical clearance to compete as medical staff and security alike swarm to the scene and catch Valentine just inches away from contact with the Angel Of Vengeance. Ripping and clawing, Vivica does everything in her power to get her hands on AXEL Action and her GCW United States Championship as she's being restrained.

Bryan: Valentine is acting like an animal! That's just raw emotion, with no ounce of humanity.

Yale: She's trying to get back what's hers. Are you telling me if someone stole something you'd worked your entire life for, that you wouldn't do anything to get it back?

Bryan: This is different, if she beats AXEL Action tonight she'll get that title back.

Yale: But it's not his in the first place!

Valentine: You think you can just take MY title?!

Vivica screams as she holds on on trying to kill him, temporarily.

Valentine: Give it back to me.

The Bulletproof Blonde just stares at AXEL Action, but gets no response. No emotion. No reaction, until a smile crosses his face.

Valentine: You think this is funny?! Huh?

Vivica is impatient for an answer.

Valentine: SAY SOMETHING.

Action: ...Kirisute Gomen.

The crowd in Tokyo, Japan erupts as Vivica J. Valentine scrunches her nose in frustration.

Valentine: I don't have a clue what in the hell you just said... but know this, sunshine. Those were your final words because tonight... I'm ripping out your FUCKING throat.

With that line Valentine catches the napping security off guard and rips the United States Championship away from the arms of AXEL Action. He jumps to attack her back but security jumps in between the two of them as Vivica swings the United States Championship back over her shoulder where it belongs.

Valentine: And that was the last time you'll touch my title, I'll see you in the ring, sunshine.

With those words Vivica turns her back to AXEL who tries to attack her once again and is restrained by security, preventing him from getting his revenge on Valentine who simply walks away. On her way down the hallway, they still restrain AXEL Action as Vivica J. Valentine passes an interesting individual. Ayake Sonoda who is on her way past. Seeing the image of Valentine, Ayake stops on her tracks and tries to turn the other direction, but she's spotted before she can get away.

Valentine: Hey!

Ayake freezes before slowly turning around to face the woman whose title she stole.

Sonoda: I have nothing to say to you.

Valentine: But I have something to say to you. For someone who feels she's morally above me, you sure seem to have no problems with stealing.

Sonoda: I just do what I think is right.

Valentine: Well, if you go out there and try to do "what is right" during my match tonight.

Vivica pauses for a moment, narrowing her eyes towards Aki-San.

Valentine: I'll maim you, too.

Sonoda simply glares back at the United States Champion before proceeding down the hallway as if nothing had just happened. Vivica watches intently as she walks away.

Bryan: That battle is going to be heated, that's for sure.

Yale: Ayake will stay away if she knows what's good for her.

Bryan: I hope to God she knows that too, Dave.

Back to Top

Backstage, Bryan Mayhem walks about with a sense of alertness, a gazelle on the lookout for prowling tigers.

Bryan: The Lunatic is a marked man tonight. I do not envy him in the least!

Yale: Guy's got a target right on his chest. That has to--

As Mayhem surveys the halls of the Tokyo Dome, without warning, Shaman bursts out of nowhere with a chair, blasting Mayhem across the back of the head and sending him tumbling.

Bryan: And Shaman makes the first strike! Here we go!

Referee Cameron Wrigley follows close behind Shaman, as he lays into Mayhem's back with the unforgiving steel. The cracks come fierce and frequent, and, after his ninth crack, he drops the dented chair and flips Mayhem over. He covers for the pin.

ONE...

TWO...

Bryan: DIAMOND!!!

Sure enough, Diamond kicks into Shaman's cheek, sending the pin into a level of disarray.

Bryan: Donny Diamond took the preemptive strike and made himself involved.

Yale: Is he allowed to do this?

As Mayhem rests on all fours, Diamond rears back and lets loose a NFL-style kick to his ribs.

Bryan: Diamond can compete against Mayhem backstage any time that he pleases.

Diamond walks over Mayhem, and stomps right on his solar plexis, pushing all the air out of the Lunatic.

Yale: Well, in that case...BREAK HIS RIBS, DIAMOND!!!

Diamond goes in for a pin, but Shaman extends an arm and grabs Diamond's hair, using all of his force to pull Diamond to the ground.

Bryan: Shaman is still in this one!

With Diamond rolling around on the ground, Shaman gets himself upright. As he turns around, though, Mayhem blasts him with a lariat with such forward momentum as to send both of them to the ground.

Bryan: And now all three are on the ground!

The three of them lay about, gathering their wits about them, as Wrigley stands above them all.

Bryan: Who will get up first? Who will make the last stand?

It's Shaman up first, as he hastens Mayhem's rise by lifting him up by his dreads. Mayhem doesn't take too kindly to the help, however, and unleashes a head-thrust to Shaman's midsection.

Bryan: Desperation from the Lunatic!

Shaman rears backwards, as Diamond, with a blunt pipe in his hand, blasts Shaman in the small of his back, as Shaman howls out in pain.

Yale: There's the hardcore this has been lacking!

Diamond lays into Shaman's back with the pipe, but only gets two solid hits off before Mayhem kicks right through Diamond's chest and sends the metal clanking to the ground, bouncing away from arms length.

Bryan: Some sentimentality, you think?

The thought barely leaves James' mouth before Shaman crushes Mayhem's jewels with a forearm betwixt the legs.

Yale: Hardly.

On the ground again, they take their moments of respite before they rise up, all three in defensive positions, in a triangular position from one another. They huff and they puff.

The calm before the storm.

Bryan: It's do or die time!

Mayhem lays in a straight right to Shaman's face. Shaman, in turn, hits Diamond with a jab to his mug. Diamond swings around, and crushes a punch into Mayhem's kidney. The vicious circle goes about, as they hit one another repeatedly in the same pattern.

Bryan: All three won't stand down!

The tide turns, as Diamond skips a turn and blasts Shaman in the lung. Shaman doesn't take too kindly, and returns with a left to Diamond's jaw.

Bryan: And the beast rears it's ugly head!

Before anyone realizes it, it's between Shaman and Diamond, as they begin trading blows back and forth. Bruises form at their cheeks, their chests, and their sides.

Bryan: Neither one is giving in!

The punches become less frequent, as fatigue sets in. They pause to take in a breath, and look around.

Mayhem's gone.

Bryan: The Lunatic got away in the bedlam!

Yale: What a coward! What's up with that?

Bryan: Wouldn't you do the same?

Yale: Well, yeah...but, still...

Diamond and Shaman lament over their wasted opportunity. That is, until their eyes meet, and the venom seeps back in, and the two of them are at each others throats. Diamond clutches around Shaman's throat, and drives him to the ground, Shaman's head bouncing off the unforgiving concrete.

Bryan: So much for that!

Diamond tries to choke the ever-loving life out of Shaman, who retaliates with hard fists to the side of Diamond's head. Diamond won't relent, as Shaman gasps for air. A punch to Diamond's left temple sends him tumbling off.

Yale: These guys are out for blood, and I love every minute of it!

Shaman gets up, quickly catching his breath, as Diamond rolls about, clutching the side of his head. Shaman lifts Diamond up by his long ravenous hair, and drags him to the loading dock. With one swoop, Diamond goes tumbling through the loading dock doors to the parking lot outside of the arena.

Bryan: It seems like we'll be taking this outside.

Diamond lifts himself off of the pavement wearily and makes it to his feet. Only Shaman is behind him, his massive hand clutching the back of Diamond's neck, and slamming Diamond's face into the hood of an awaiting stretch limo.

Yale: That'll show that freak!

Diamond's head bounces off, and his body tumbles in a heap onto the ground. Shaman, all business, lifts Diamond up.

Bryan: Shaman is a man possessed!

Shaman rolls the weary Diamond onto the hood of the limo. He leaps onto the hood himself, and drags Daimond by the hair, bringing him to the roof.

Bryan: What is Shaman planning?

Lifting a weary Diamond onto his feet, he sets him up and lifts him into a suplex.

Bryan: No...

Yale: Oh, yeah!

Bryan: No! Shaman isn't...he can't...

With a helpless Diamond hanging vertically in the air, Shaman remains intent on making a statement, and CRUSHES Diamond with a Desert Spike across the roof of the stretch limousine!

Bryan: Desert Spike! DESERT SPIKE!!!

Yale: Shaman ain't no Bishop Steele no more, is he!

Shaman sits upright on the roof as Diamond twitches about lifeless. Shaman looks at the crowd gathering, fans that couldn't get in, all foaming at the mouth for more. Shaman smiles, and stands up on the roof, picking Diamond's lifeless body up once again.

Bryan: Damnit! Someone stop this right now!

Shaman locks Diamond into a front facelock, and hoists Diamond's listless arm over the back of his neck. Grabbing his pants, he lifts him vertical once again.

Bryan: Shaman is just trying to hurt Diamond now!

Yale: Good!

Shaman gets ready for his second Desert Spike. But suddenly, Diamond shows signs of life, and begins to wriggle about.

Bryan: What's going on?

As Shaman tries to follow through with his finisher, somehow, someway, Diamond switches it mid-way.

Switching it into a Diamondized.

A Diamondized that sends both Shaman and Diamond...

Bryan: GOOD LORD!!! THEY SMASHED THROUGH THE ROOF OF THE LIMOUSINE!!!!

Sure enough, the roof caved in, as the heaps inside the limo, amidst debris, are Shaman and Donny Diamond, both finished for the foreseeable future.

Yale: They're done for!

The crowd howls, their blood lust slightly sated, as officials and trainers rush up to the limo.

Bryan: Diamond and Shaman sacrificed their bodies, Hardcore title be damned!

Yale: Hell, they proved to be more hardcore than any title can let them be.

Bryan: It seems we've only bore witness to the beginning to the venom between Shaman and Diamond. This is far from over.

EMTs and an ambulance pulls up, as GCW folks clear through the wreckage to the fallen combatants.

Back to Top

There is nothing, but in a symbolic way it is the most appropriate way to greet the one they call Rasa. There is no flash, no music, or lights. It is just still, and eerie. Japan loves it’s unique, but even this seems to be unsettling to the fans in attendance. No one cheers, no one boos. They just sit and watch as Rasa walks toward the ring. Even Joey Andrews, wiz of the mic, is at a loss of what to do. All he can do is announce what he knows, it is all anyone knows.

Andrews: Introducing first, RASA!

He seems deflated as he calls out the name, as if Rasa is rubbing off on all around, wiping away all that is unique and curious.

Bryan: Here comes a tough mystery to crack.

Yale: And it will be Tempest’s job to crack it tonight, no one else has had much luck, which is why Rasa finds itself in the semi-finals tonight.

Everything that is dull and grey gets spun on its head one-hundred and eighty degrees. Colors all across the spectrum fill the Tokyo Dome as a subtle electronic chorus of voices wafts from the speakers and drive away the silence. "Battle Flag" by the Lo-Fidelity Allstars kicks in, joyously giving the crowd reason to stand and cheer. Laser blue pulses across the screen and over the crowd. On their feet at the opening strains, the crowd’s volume starts to rise as flashes of lightning and quick shots of a whirling maelstrom of wind and rain illuminate the darkness on the screen accentuating the beats just as the words kick in.

What was once shapeless now has form in the appearance of a woman’s cobalt blue eyes flashing out of the darkness and a tumble of jet black hair, her face lit by flashes of light and a smile with a light all its own. These are interspersed with the lightning and the storm. The crowd gets loud, seeming desperate to finally hear their own voices cry out and shatter the silence and stillness of before.

Joey Andrews has more life to him, more kick as he grabs the microphone and readily pulls it up to his lips.

Andrews: Making her way to the ring, from Hong Kong, in the People’s Republic of China, weighing in at 133.3 pounds… TEEEEEEMMMPEEEEESSST!!!

Bryan: Talk about a complete turn around. I don’t think there is anyone on this roster any more different from Rasa than Tempest.

Yale: And the crowd is certainly reacting to that. But will any of that help her take down this walking enigma? Will she even be here? Rumor is that she hasn’t shown up yet JB, and after the news coming out of Hong Kong, I have grave doubts.

But the entryway remains empty, the spotlight seeming to search in vain for the sparkling starlet. The crowd starts to murmur, restless and confused. Andrews tugs at his bowtie anxiously and referee David Fellows takes a deep breathe and lets it out, glancing quickly at Rasa for any sign of impatience. There is none, save for a slight swivel of the head in the direction of the ramp.

Bryan: Mr. Caldera went to some pains to try and get Tempest released for this event, but reportedly Christian Zenith managed to find enough corruption to mine to keep it from happening.

Yale: Which has got to be the most brilliant coup of this event so far, JB.

Bryan: How can you say that? Letting a semi-final match go to naught is a horrible thing for this company and anyone associated with it.

Yale: Unless you feel like this company screwed you over. I didn’t say it was a good thing for the company or the fans, I said it was brilliant. Who’s going to mess around with a guy who can keep you from even showing up for the biggest match of your career? It’s a huge statement to anyone paying attention.

Slowly but surely the crowd has begun to chant. Tempest’s name rises from the mouths of the gathered fans. If not in genuine support, at least in the wish to see her there, fighting. While Fellows confers with other officials at ringside, Rasa appears unmoved. It watches. It waits.

TEM-PEST! TEM-PEST!

Bryan: The crowd getting restless and getting behind the woman they’d like to see compete here tonight, particular fans of hers or not, they want to see this match. And why not? It’s a great one, one Christian Zenith had no business interfering with.

Yale: Like she had no business interfering with SurReal and "Normal" John Johnson? Consequences, my friend. Consequences.

Finally, sadly Fellows glances at Rasa, who is standing there, merely looking back, unmoving, but with an expectant air, hands at its sides. There is only one thing to do. David Fellows looks at the empty ramp one more time and signals for the bell.

DING-DING!

Fellows looks at Rasa, who merely stands there, looking back silently, and begins the count.

Fellows: ONE!

Yale: And I admit it’s a shame to see it end like this. It would have been a great match.

Fellows: TWO!

Bryan: It’s beyond a shame, it’s criminal. And this crowd is not happy about it.

Fellows: THREE!

The crowd tries to shout down the count, but to no avail. As the boos grow louder, rasa stands impassive, and David fellows shakes his heads, but has no choice but to continue.

Fellows: FOUR!

Bryan: This is just not the way anyone wanted to see Rampage start off tonight.

Fellows: FIVE!

Yale: except Christian Zenith, who I’m sure is in front of a monitor somewhere smiling like the cat who swallowed the canary.

Fellows: SIX!

The explosion of noise and sparkling blue pyro made everyone jump, even seasoned fans and Rasa, who had seemed unmoved by the scene unfolding around it. The music kicked in at an unusual spot, loud and forthright.

I SAID HALLELUJAH!

And Tempest sprinted past the shower of sparks to a sudden eruption of cheers in a shimmering short bodysuit of blue with silver lightning streaks overlaid, and black patent looking boots.

Bryan: Yes! It’s Tempest and she made it just in time!

Yale: Unbelievable. Now Christian Zenith is somewhere looking like he swallowed… well something unpleasant. She better have eyes in the back of her head during this match.

Tempest slide under the ropes and leaps up just as Fellows was about to mouth the word "seven" and she smiles. Overheard vaguely by the cameras is, "Sorry I’m late." And to Rasa, "Did you miss me?"

Bryan: Now we can finally start this match for real.

Yale: She may have made it to the ring in time, but she still has to get past Rasa if she wants to make it to the second round. That’s easier said than done.

Like the firecracker she is, Tempest comes out of the gates and explodes on Rasa. The crowd, expecting such action from them, rises to their feet just as quickly to cheer on the action. Rasa has the arms open, ready to counter whatever she may bring, but as fast as she is in the face, Tempest is gone with a Slide right between the legs of Rasa. There is that moment of confusion, which Tempest takes full advantage of. Behind her opponent, she continues on to the ropes and uses them as a springboard as she jumps onto the middle rope.

Her momentum carries her off her feet and like a graceful bird she twists her body around the back of Rasa until her legs are under the opposite arm. Those slender and silky legs snake themselves around the neck of Rasa. She doesn’t stop there; her body is moving along the rail and looks to pull Rasa down toward the canvas.

Bryan: System Crash!

Yale: It’s too early for that; there is no way she can take down Rasa so soon.

Even with the added surprise and all her strength in the core, Tempest still is unable to bring down Rasa, who breaks free from the move. Tempest smashes into the canvas, the fans cringing as they watch her landing. Despite being just moments away from meeting a quick ending to the Rampage match, Rasa remains cold and distant from the events transpiring. Standing over her and the leather starting being brought down upon her, stomping on anything Rasa could spy. It is a relentless, ruthless, menacing attack that adds insult to her injury.

Dropping down beside her, Rasa waste no time in slapping on a Reverse Chin Lock. It is not to make her tap out, as Tempest is already successfully moving toward the ropes. Rather, the move serves onto to continue to wear her down and make each minute of the match feel like an hour. By the look on her face, it seems to be working very well.

Bryan: Tempest gets to the ropes, but Rasa is still not breaking the hold!

Yale: He knows she has a five count, so it’s going to take full advantage of it.

Bryan: He, she, it? What?

Yale: Yeah, I just don’t know how to address Rasa.

At the four count Rasa finally breaks the hold and releases Tempest. The fans are very clear in their feelings over the extended hold on the move. Still holding onto the ropes, Tempest pulls herself outside the ring and tries to take a moment to gather herself. Rasa will not give her the chance for any rest, moving right toward her now. Always moving and always thinking, Tempest sees a chance and hooks the leg of Rasa from under the bottom rope. Seeming uncomfortable in the boots, Rasa is unable to balance and falls to the mat.

Yale: What a dirty trick!

Bryan: Dirty? How?

Yale: Because, I just don’t like her!

Popping onto the apron, Tempest seems to have to end to her energy and bounces herself over the top rope and onto Rasa with a Rolling Senton Splash over the ropes. She rolls off her opponent, who tries to use the ropes to get back to its feet. Tempest spots it and makes a move, landing a beautiful Dropkick that sends Rasa through the ropes and onto the mats outside. The crowd is on their feet now, cheering for the Cyperpunk Goddess to try and continue to swing momentum in her favor. When they see what she is thinking, they turn it up a notch.

Bryan: This place is about the blow the roof off the building!

Yale: Because Tempest is about to do something very, very stupid.

Bryan: This is Rampage; Tempest is planning on going big or going home.

Yale: She’s going to be going home on a stretcher.

Backing herself up toward the center of the ring, Tempest goes straight into the ropes with a head full of steam. She throws herself between the ropes for a Suicide Dive. Unfortunately she finds no one home and crashes hard onto the ground. Her failed attempt at a big move comes with a heavy price as Rasa again lays into her with stomps. Lifting Tempest back to her feet, Rasa sends her flipping over into the guard rail, allowing her to land upside down against the barricade. The only thing on Rasa’ mind is the beauty of violence as this demented being places its boot onto her chin. Fans in the front rows cringe as Rasa looks to try and crush her skull.

Yale: I told you, she is being reckless out there. Rasa is one of the most relentless members on the roster. It is going to take advantage of any situation.

Bryan: She certainly finds herself in a bad way. She is flailing her legs wildly, looking to try and free herself any way she can.

Yale: And the referee can’t do anything to help her now. She is on her own now.

For the second time in this match, David Fellows starts a ten count, but the crowd is not booing him this time. They are booing the person trying to end Tempest’ career. Finally one of those wild kicks manages to find their mark and Tempest is able to blast Rasa in the head to free herself. Despite all the punishment and abuse, Tempest still kips up to her feet to a huge pop from the crowd. Rasa shakes the head to loosen the cobwebs, only to be greeted with a Spinning Heel Kick right to where the mouth should be.

THREE!

The impact of the kick spins Rasa around and causes it to fall into the apron chest first. Tempest is there, looking to give out some serious punishment herself, grabbing the back of the mask.

FOUR!

She wants to smash that ugly mask into the apron, but Rasa gets the hand onto the apron to stop her. Tempest catches an elbow into the ribs of Rasa, trying once more, but only gets the same results. She tries once more, but this time Rasa is much quicker to the draw and nails its own elbow into Tempest’s ribs . Rasa uses her idea against her and slams the head of Tempest into the apron.

SEVEN!

Hearing the referee continue to get closer and closer to the ten count, Rasa decides to go ahead and roll Tempest back under the ring apron and slides in behind her. Watching her every moment as the Cyberpunk Goddess tries to find her feet, Rasa waits until she is finally erect before making a move.

Bryan: This doesn’t look good; Rasa has her in the sights.

Yale: Tempest doesn’t seem to know where she is at.

As soon as she is up, Rasa charges, nailing her with a vicious looking Flying Knee Strike. Tempest collapses to the mat.

Yale: Huge Tiger Crusher by Rasa!

Bryan: Rasa isn’t done yet; Tempest is being picked back up.

As Rasa lifts her up, her arms are crossed over her throat. The crowd holds its collective breath, seeming to know what is about to happen. Tempest, too far out of it from that Tiger Crusher, is unable to drop it as Rasa pulls her forward into both knees for a big time Lung Blower. Rasa makes a cover, the crowd booing while Fellows slides into position.

ONE…

TWO…

KICK OUT!

The fans are finally able to breathe again, seeing Fellows rise up and signal for only two. Unfazed by the near fall, Rasa continues on his attack by hooking on a Butterfly Lock. Tempest struggles in the hold, already showing the wear and tear from such a grueling match against the machine like Rasa.

Bryan: You have to wonder how much longer Tempest can last.

Yale: She has taken a huge beating thus far. Zenith has to be happy with what he is seeing backstage.

Squirming on the mat, Tempest refuses to give up on the match and continues to fight on. The crowd has her back, chanting her name over and over, raising their voices with each syllable.

TEM-PEST! TEM-PEST! TEM-PEST! TEM-PEST!

She struggles, looking for any way out of the hold, knowing the ropes are nowhere near to help her. She grabs hold of the elbow and somehow manages to take Rasa over with an Arm Drag to free herself. She tries to stay on top of Rasa to keep building momentum, but as soon as she tries to pick Rasa up off the canvas she ends up the victim of a Triangle Choke.

Yale: TRIANGLE CHOKE! This match is over!

Bryan: Tempest is trying to keep herself calm; she realizes she just got caught off guard.

Tempest places her hands together, and uses that to help drive her elbow into Rasa’s thigh. Despite the move getting locked on even tighter now, Tempest still pulls Rasa’s hips onto her thigh, grabbing onto the full body suit. Suddenly she has leverage and is able to pull her head out of the choke hold. Rasa fights with her, but is unable to prevent her from getting free.

Bryan: She’s did it! She’s gotten free!

Rasa’s only reaction to her breaking free is to get back to a standing base and continue on with the match. It is almost unnerving to Fellows to see such a calm reaction despite everything. Tempest is right behind, coming back to her feet as well after the counter. Seeing Rasa continue to move toward her, Tempest tries to defend herself with a kick but Rasa is easily able to catch it.

Yale: Not a good place to be. Tempest needs to find something to…

WHACK!

That sound echoing through the Tokyo Dome? It’s the sound of Tempest’s foot cracking against the side of Rasa’s head. The Enziguri sends Rasa stumbling backwards and into the nearest turnbuckle.

Bryan: My goodness! I hope that mask has plenty of padding because that was one hell of a kick!

As she has all match, Tempest pulls energy from some unknown source and charges at Rasa in the corner. She blast her opponent right in the mask with a Flying Back Elbow, never stopping as she runs into the far ropes. The impact from the elbow forces Rasa out of the corner, who walks right into a rebounding Tempest. She spins into Rasa, coming around the back and up over the shoulder onto her feet in front. Rasa tries for the counter, looking to nail a suplex, but as Tempest is being lifted up into the air she flips out of it and catches Rasa with a Sit-Out Jawbreaker. She makes a cover as the crowd comes to their feet.

ONE…

TWO…

KICK OUT!

Bryan: Tempest was so close to moving onto the finals.

Yale: Christian Zenith can breathe a little easier now, but that was too close for comfort.

Despite only two, Tempest covers up on Rasa again, only this time she’s not looking for a pin. Staring right into that faceless mask, Tempest goes crazy with a barrage of punches. Simply taking them, Rasa bids for time until Tempest gets a little sloppy with her punches. Seizing the moment, Rasa turns her fury of punches into an Arm-Triangle Choke. Tempest is able to get to the ropes, but as with before, Rasa makes sure not to break until Fellows is already on four. Once free, Tempest rolls herself under the bottom rope and to the outside for another breather.

Yale: I swear, Rasa seems able to end this match at any time.

Bryan: Tempest has got to stay on the top of her toes. She’s done a good job of getting out of that choke, but she might not be so lucky next time.

Yale: You can already see the wear this match is placing on her. I don’t think she’s had this hard of a match yet in GCW.

Barely two seconds into her break, and Tempest can already feel the heated breath of Rasa against the back of her neck. Rasa leans between the middle and top rope, looking to pull her violently back into the ring. The Cyperpunk Goddess has another idea, reaching up and grabbing the back of Rasa’s head. She drops down onto the mats, pulling the throat of Rasa right across the middle rope. The impact bounces the enigma back into the ring and gives Tempest the time to hop onto the apron. As much as she would love a second to stop and breath, this is Rampage and there is only one speed; all out.

Bryan: Tempest looks like she’s planning something big.

Indeed she does, as the air in the Tokyo Arena starts to fill with electricity. Slowly a tidal wave takes over the crowd, bringing each one to their feet and drives them to chant. It is low and soft at first, but continues to pick up steam as Tempest readies herself on the apron.

"TEM-PEST! TEM-PEST! TEM-PEST! TEM-PEST! TEM-PEST!"

Rasa gets to a standing base. Turning, the only thing the holes in the mask see are a pair of boots. Tempest springboards off the top rope and absolutely blast Rasa with a Double Pump Dropkick, nailing it like a shotgun blast. Scrambling, she tries for a cover as the crowd gets to a euphoric level.

"TEM-PEST! TEM-PEST! TEM-PEST! TEM-PEST! TEM-PEST!"

David Fellows slides into place for the cover, everyone is on their feet.

ONE…

TWO…

THRE-NO!

Fellows pops to his feet, making sure to signal to the timekeeper only a two. The crowd deflates, letting out all their air with a long boo. Tempest’s eyes are clinched shut, her fist are white as she squeezes so hard. She was fractions of a second away from the Rampage finals.

Yale: Yes! Only two, Rasa is still in this!

Bryan: You can tell Tempest really wanted that, but she has to keep going. She cannot allow Rasa to rest on the mat for long.

Looking to take JB’s advice, Tempest leans over to pick up Rasa only to be greeted with a kick to the side of the head. She staggers back, trying to grab her bearings but unfortunately Rasa is able to get back to a standing base. Seeing her opponent on its feet, Tempest switches gears and lowers herself into a Capoeira stance. Rasa responds with a Muay Thai stance of his own.

Bryan: Well this started off as a wrestling match, but it looks like it will be a mixed martial arts match!

Yale: That garbage? Please, we know it’s all fake.

Going right at it, Tempest swirls her body counter-clockwise for a Spinning Back Kick. Rasa is right there to block the attack with an elbow, looking to fire in the other elbow into her knee. Tempest instantly drops all her weight down to the canvas to avoid the strike and spins like a bottle on the mat, going for a Leg Sweep.

Rasa hops over the kick and comes down, attempting to drive the heel right into the opponent. Just in the nick of time, Tempest manages to roll out of the way and back to her feet. She slings her foot at Rasa, but again it is blocked. The enigma uses its knee to take the blunt force of the kick, only this time Tempest doesn’t give Rasa the chance for a counter and comes back with a Back Fist strike that leaves her masked opponent stumbling back. Rasa answers right back, though, with a strong kick to her stomach. All the air escapes from her body, the impact so great as to take her off her feet. But with unmatched grace and athleticism, Tempest flips herself onto her hands and balances herself. Going right back on the offense, she tries for a Handspring Kick, but Rasa catches the foot and uses it to throw her down.

Bryan: Tempest is down, and Rasa is again unloading on her with those stomps.

Yale: He is continuing to wear her down with sheer force. She’s been a little energizer bunny, but we’ll see how long that continues under the weight of those boots.

For the third time Rasa brings his boot down onto his opponent, and rubs the sole of the boot over her like she was mud being wiped away. Rasa lifts the boot up, ready for a fourth stomp, but Tempest rolls out of the way and back to her feet. Despite having the attention back on Tempest, Rasa is still unable to block all of the incoming kicks flying from every direction. Like an endless barrage, Rasa can only move and dodge, hoping to avoid any strong blows. Tempest continues to pursue, looking to try and trap her opponent into the turnbuckle.

Her leg is high, looking to meet skull, but Rasa catches it and uses his own leg to kick out Tempest’s base. She falls backwards onto the mat and Rasa joins her, flipping forward to snap that leg. The screams echo through each inch of the building, as Tempest clutches her leg in pain. She knows she has to fight through it though, Rasa is on the move.

Bryan: I can’t believe Tempest is able to stand after that.

Yale: I’m surprised she’s stupid enough to stand after that, oh wait, no I’m not.

Bryan: That’s called heart, Dave, and it looks like it is the only thing pushing her on.

Though she is up, it doesn’t do her much good as Rasa elbows her into the corner. Rasa folds both her arms over the top rope and starts to rifle in some stiff Mongolian Chops to the chest. The crowd "Ohhh!" with each one, cringing at the sound of the impact.

POP!

POP!

POP!

POP!

WHIFFFFFFFFFFFFF!!!!!!

That sound? Rasa finding nothing but air as Tempest ducks under the arm and comes up behind Rasa. Going all carpe diem on Rasa’s ass, Tempest gets the left arm barred behind the back as she reaches across with the right into a Crossface.

Bryan: FERRET FACE! She has it locked on tight!

Knowing how close she is to the ropes, Tempest starts to try and back into the center of the ring.

Yale: Rasa looks to be breaking free, I don’t think she had Rasa worn down enough for the move.

Rasa uses the free hand to grab Tempest’s elbow, trying to push her arm over the mask. Sensing it, Tempest just drops all of her weight to the canvas, bringing Rasa down with her. She knows she cannot stay still for long, moving her body out and flipping over Rasa to bridge the Crossface Chickenwing. Holding it at a ninety-degree angle from their bodies, Tempest forces Rasa to have to use that free arm to support the weight and keep pressure off the shoulder.

Bryan: She might just have Rasa here.

Yale: But they are now very close to the ropes.

Unable to see where the ropes possibly are, things are not looking good for Rasa. David Fellows is right there, checking to make sure it was able to continue. Silent, cold, Rasa shows no sign of giving up. Instead the feet continue to search, trying to move any inch they can to reach the ropes. The crowd, though, is not giving Rasa any help, just a suggestion.

TAP! TAP! TAP! TAP!

Not going to happen though. Rasa finally finds gold.

Yale: Rope break! Rasa has done it!

Bryan: yeah, but Tempest seems to be showing no sign of letting go. She’s giving Rasa payback for draining every second out of the referee.

Finally releasing the hold at the sound of four, Tempest comes back to her feet to find Fellows right there. The young referee is reprimanding her for holding onto the move for so long, despite the rope break. He doesn’t succeed in getting her to listen, but he does accidentally give Rasa enough time to recover. Coming up behind Tempest, Rasa grabs her by the seat of her trunks and uses them to pull her between the ropes and to the outside.

BBBBBBBBBBBOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

Ignoring the crowd, Rasa follows Tempest to the outside, and slams her into the ring apron. With Tempest slumped up against the ring apron, Rasa again goes to stomping away on her. This time, however, Rasa uses the bottom rope as leverage as those leather boots slam away on the helpless opponent.

Yale: Rasa continues to wear down Tempest, looking to finally take the fight out of her.

Bryan: It will take a lot, Tempest has responded every time Rasa has came at her.

Yale: But Rasa is still controlling the match right now. Rasa is like a machine, no matter what Tempest has done, it just keeps coming at her with the same effectiveness.

Bryan: That’s the scary thing about Rasa, no one has figured out how to slow it down.

Having enough of the attack, Rasa finally picks Tempest back up to her feet and rolls her in under the bottom rope. Following right behind her, Rasa slides in under the bottom rope. A sense of worry washes over the crowd when Rasa picks her up and runs into the near ropes, barreling toward Tempest like an incoming train. Leaping, Rasa feigns another Tiger Crush and everyone knows what is next.

Yale: FLYING TRIANGLE CHOKE!

WHIFFFFFFFFFFFFF!!!!!!

That sound? Rasa missing AGAIN. Almost as if she was running on pure instincts alone, Tempest ducks under Rasa. The enigma, though, does manage to land feet first, preventing a face on canvas collision. Turning back toward Tempest, Rasa finds both her legs around the neck.

Bryan: Tempest going for the Hurricarana!

She was, if Rasa hadn’t stabilized and held on. Tempest cannot get enough force to flip Rasa, and is brought back up onto the shoulders. In a sick and violent motion, Rasa snaps her back down into the canvas for a huge Powerbomb dead center of the ring. It’s just a matter of dropping down and making the cover. Fellows is already in position.

ONE!

TWO!

BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

THRE-NO!

RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!

The normal reaction is to leap to your feet, get right in Fellows’ face, and argue a slow count. To hold up three fingers in his face and berate him for never learning to get past two in kindergarten. Rasa, though, is far from normal. It just comes to its feet, grabbing Tempest, and pulling her up as well. After the Powerbomb, she almost seems unable to stand under her own power, but Rasa makes sure that’s not a problem. Hooking the head, she is brought right back down with a modified Ace Crusher. Rather than just holding onto the head, Rasa makes sure to have one arm hooked in as well, so that when they hit the mat, Rasa can hold on tightly while returning to a four point base.

Straight out in front of Tempest, Rasa uses the forearm pressed against the back of her neck to flip her forward into the D’Arce Choke. Feeling the pressure and the quick lose of air, Tempest has to reaction fast. Her legs shoot out, looking to find something to help. Feeling the bottom rope with her toes, she instantly wraps her ankles around it to break the hold.

Bryan: Another brutal submission hold from Rasa.

Yale: And like Tempest before, Rasa is going to hold on for as long as possible.

Bryan: Rasa has been doing that all match! It has shown no remorse in stretching the rules as far as they can possibly go.

Yale: To be fair they both have. This is to get into the finals. They aren’t going to leave anything on the mat.

Bryan: I hate to say it Dave, but you have a point.

While David Yale has a shit-eating grin over his rare compliment, Rasa is back to a standing base after the four count. While the masked enigma would rather focus back on the opponent, Fellows wants to make sure he gets in a few words with Rasa just as he did with Tempest before. Almost as if he is trying to make up for before, Fellows accidentally gives Tempest the time she needs to recover and get back to her feet. Behind Rasa now, Tempest flips backwards and hooks both ankles under the arms of Rasa, flipping it over into a crushing blow against the canvas.

LOLLIPOP DROP!

Bryan: Tempest has the cover!

Yale: NO!

The crowd is on their feet, everyone trying to see as Fellows drops down to make the count. They all count along with the referee.

ONE!

TWO!

THREE!

RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

Yale: NO! Only two! Rasa kicked out! Rasa kicked out!

Indeed Rasa had, just at the last possible moment. The crowd takes their anger out loudly, but quickly changes tunes when they see Tempest come to her feet and climb between the ropes and onto the apron. Everyone can tell she’s looking for something big to finally put this one away. Electricity fills the air as Tempest launches herself onto the top rope, springboarding into the perpendicular ropes. She lower body hits the top rope, flipping her over into a Moonsault onto Rasa.

Or at least Rasa’s knees. Rasa is back up now, bringing Tempest with. Wiping her into the ropes, Rasa readies only to have Tempest throw herself at the enigma for a Lou Thesz Press. Taking Rasa down, she just starts to rifle off punch after punch into the faceless mask once again. David Fellows has to get between them, as Tempest is throwing nothing but stiff closed-fist shots into Rasa. The Cyperpunk Goddness finally gets off, but not having made sure she got a good piece of Rasa.

Bryan: You can really feel the hatred coming from Tempest. She’s had to deal with faceless tyrants her whole life, and she looks to be trying to take it out on Rasa.

Yale: That’s why Rasa wears those mask, for the head games. It may not look it, but it is really working in this match.

Bryan: You’re right, Tempest has got to keep a level head in this match or she’ll make a mistake and allow herself to get trapped again in another deadly submission hold.

Rasa back to a standing base, and goes right for a tie up with Tempest. Even though the boots are lifted, it doesn’t change the fact that Rasa already has a big size different over Tempest and uses that to back her into a corner. Fellows is right there to break the hold, but Rasa is still able to get in two European Uppercuts after the break and follow it with hoping onto the middle rope and nails a knee to the side of Tempest’s head. She stumbles out of the corner and right into a big Mongolian Chop that sends her right back into the turnbuckle.

Yale: Rasa again using those crisp strikes to brutalize Tempest.

Bryan: Unrelenting is the only word you can use to describe Rasa. No matter what happens in the match or what the opponent does, Rasa never seems to vary that approach.

Another Mongolian Chop and Rasa finally grab Tempest’s wrist and launches her across the ring and toward the opposite turnbuckle. Rasa follows right behind but Tempest is able to use cat-like reflexes to see where she is at and instead of crashing into the padding, runs right up the turnbuckle and onto the top rope.

Bryan: Tempest counters! She could be looking for something big!

Yale: I would say she better think this through, but that would go against her very nature.

Seeing what transpires, Rasa stops in the middle of the ring but by then Tempest has thrown herself to the air as carelessly as a bird taking flight. Her legs wrap around the mask, her body swings, twisting as it does. Rasa wants to resist, tries to resist, but gets taken up and over with Tempest and becomes a landing pad as that mask crashes into the canvas.

The crowd explodes. It is easily the loudest they have been all match. Like a wave, they starting rising to their feet just as Fellows slides into position for the pin.

Bryan: SYSTEM CRASH!

Fellows is not alone as he counts. He has the entire Tokyo Dome counting with him.

ONE!

TWO!

THREE!

No kickout, no last moment foot on the rope. David Fellows comes to his feet and signals for the bell.

RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!

Bryan: She has did it! Tempest has moved on to the finals!

Yale: No! Zenith is going to be pissed! What have you done Rasa!

The fans are all on their feet, cheering wildly as the Cyperpunk Goddess gets back to her feet and bathes in their cries. Christian Zenith, no doubt, is not seeing any of this. He has most likely already launched his television halfway across whatever room he may be occupying tonight. But this is her moment, at least for now. Tempest can enjoy it for a few minutes, but as the fans are letting her know, it isn’t over yet.

ONE! MORE! MATCH! ONE! MORE! MATCH! ONE! MORE! MATCH! ONE! MORE! MATCH!

Rampage Finals: Tempest vs. Shipley or Spencer. Who will it be?

Back to Top

Star wipe!

Tyrone: LLLLLLADIES AND GENTLEMEN WELCOME TO A CURIOUS COMMENT WITH CLYDE FOX!

The always low key Tyrone projects his voice like a game show host as the scene bursts with neon colors. Clearly, Tyrone is backstage in Clyde’s locker room. However, this just isn’t any ordinary locker room. It’s a studio locker room! Tyrone pleasantly sits in one of two brown pleather chairs as bombastic lights flash all around him.

Tyrone: And now the star of the show; CLYDE FOX!

His tone comes off as if Clyde has drugged him but nonetheless Tyrone’s enthusiasm seems genuine. He nearly blends into the background with his faded brown suit on. Sooner than later, Clyde Fox skips into view, wearing nothing but a pair of farmer overalls. His trademark toothy grin is on display for everyone as he slumps down in the vacant chair.

Tyrone: CLYDE! Hey, how you doin?

Fox: HETO TYWONE, YA! BIG TIME! Aren’t we big pimpin?

Tyrone holds back just slightly as if giving the impression that he is under some sort of influence.

Tyrone: Uh... yeah. Big pimpin for sure.

His voice resumes that game show-like tone.

Tyrone: So Clyde, want to tell all the lovely folks at home what we’re doing here?

Fox: SURE! Heto fwends out their in pay per view land! The wondrous land of insta movies, insta coffee, and insta naughty shows! Now I know what you’re all thinking! Clyde Fox, what’s with all the flashy things? Well peeps, I just got paid and I thought I’d blow it all and buy a piece of the Price is Right set.

The fans can be heard in the background faintly cheering.

Fox: But there’s a madness behind my method, fwends. You see, soon I’ll have a World Title belt that’s just as flashy and will go nicely with my new stuffed, and bronzed, moose head. I ordered it from amazon dot com. Amazon dot com; nope, we don’t have any wild ladies for sale. Ell oh ell. Ain’t that right, Tywone!?

Tyrone just stares straight ahead.

Tyrone: Okay, that’s it. I can’t do this anymore. I’m sorry, I know you offered the plinko board to me if I acted like a game show host, but I’m sorry. I can’t do this anymore. It’s childish and stupid. You have a huge match in less than an hour and we’re playing game show dress up? Look at you! You’re in overalls! Do you even know what you’re going up against?

Fox nods.

Fox: Uhhhh, yeah. A dysfunctional married couple and a druggie. I don’t think playing game show host will hurt my chances that much.

For once, Tyrone has no comeback.

Tyrone: That’s... that’s a good one, Clyde. Did you think it up all by yourself?

Fox: Teleprompter.

Tyrone: Oh.

Fox: Boom, baby! Now pick up your microphone! We’re going to play GUESS THAT FART TYPE!

An automated crowd clapping machine rings loudly as the scene fades. Dear lord, why does GCW even pay him?

Back to Top

Backstage, Bryan Mayhem goes on a tear. He spots a grip wrapping up some cables, and rushes up to him, knocking him out with a forearm to the back of the head.

Bryan: The Lunatic has lost it!

He spots a small group of crew members standing around, and attacks two of them without warning with fists.

Yale: What is his deal?!?

Bryan: I think he figures if he just goes around knocking people out, there won't be anyone left to catch him off guard!

Everyone scatters, as Mayhem howls their way. Mayhem takes out his frustrations, destroying equipment and generally going ape-shit.

As Mayhem looks down the hall for his next victim...

BAM!

Triumph Frost slams a Louisville Slugger into his side, breaking the bat and sending splinters flying everywhere.

Bryan: Frost comes out of nowhere!

Yale: Awesome!

Bryan: He might have broken ribs with that shot!

Triumph tosses the broken handle down, as Mayhem crawls about, looking for his bearings, while referee Tim Vale makes his presence known.

Triumph starts to toy with the Hardcore champion, kicking him as he crawls around.

Triumph Frost: Yeah, bitch. I got you now.

Mayhem peers up at Frost, as Frost places a kick into Mayhem's ribs and sends him on his backside. Frost hovers over Mayhem.

Triumph Frost: Look at a bitch like you. You supposed to be big time? You're just some nothing fuckhole. All used up and tossed out.

He gets in Mayhem's face.

Triumph Frost: Just another dickwipe.

Frost rises up.

Triumph Frost: There's something you need to realize, shithead. Something that stares you in the face every moment of your wasted life.

Frost immediately lays into Mayhem with a stomp to the chest.

Triumph Frost: I...

Another stomp.

Triumph Frost: Am...

Another stomp.

Triumph Frost: Better...

Another stomp.

Triumph Frost: Than...

He finishes it off with a stomp on Mayhem's face.

Triumph Frost: You!

Standing over the fallen champ, he spits right in Mayhem's face.

Bryan: Does this kid have no shame?

As Frost leans in, Mayhem grabs the broken barrel of the bat and starts to dig the sharp end into Frost's chest, as Frost screams out in pain.

Bryan: Bryan Mayhem is pulling out all the stops!

Frost backs away, blood pouring down his chest, as Mayhem is up, and absolutely livid. Frost backs away slowly, but Mayhem gives him no chance, and levels him out of his shoes with a boot to the face.

Yale: Here we go! Let's get hardcore!

Mayhem kicks repeatedly at Frost, leaving the imprints of his boots all over Frost's body. He picks up the weary Frost, and grabs him by the neck. Frost pounds away at Mayhem's arm, but Mayhem isn't letting go. He lifts Frost into the air, and crushes him with a chokeslam.

Bryan: Chokeslam on the ground! Frost is in dire straits!

Mayhem's face is expressionless. His eyes burn cold with seething rage, his breathing calm, his methods diabolical, as he lifts up Frost and puts him between his legs.

Bryan: Mayhem is sending a message! Do not mess with the Hardcore champion!

Mayhem lifts up Frost, who seems barely conscious, and crushes him with an Oblivion Bomb onto the unforgiving concrete.

Bryan: Oblivion Bomb! This one is all over, folks.

Mayhem admires Frost's prone body for a moment, and stalks toward him. Vale tries to place himself between Mayhem and Frost, pleading with the champion, but he responds by throwing Vale to the ground.

Bryan: Oh no. This is not good.

Mayhem lifts up Frost, who can't even stand on his own, and puts him between his legs.

Yale: Another Oblivion Bomb? This might be too hardcore for even me...

As Mayhem goes to wrap his arms around Frost's waist...

ZAP!!!

Mayhem's body seizes up, as he swings around. There's little Alexis Frost, taser in hand.

Bryan: Alexis Frost just tased Bryan Mayhem?!? Is she nuts?!?

Mayhem's eyes become saucers. Alexis panics, and zaps Mayhem again, as his body jolts, but he remains standing.

Yale: Hit him again, Alexis! Save yourself!

She goes for a third, but Mayhem smacks it out of her hand. As the 7' beast overshadows the 5' wraith, he doesn't get very far as Frost locks one of Mayhem's arms in an underhook, the other in a half-nelson. Before Mayhem has a chance to react...

Bryan: REPPAGEKI!!!

The momentum isn't enough to get Mayhem outright, as he snaps on the back of his neck, and hangs in a position resembling a Yoga pose, before his legs go limp and he ends up on his back. His eyes are closed, his breathing slow.

Bryan: Mayhem is out cold!

Frost pops up into the air, and he looks as if he has no freakin' idea where the hell he is. He looks at Alexis as if he's surprised to see her, and tumbles backwards, tripping over his feet and landing on Mayhem's chest.

Bryan: Oh no...

Vale jumps down to count.

ONE....

Bryan: Can it be?

TWO....

Bryan: Is this happening?

THREE!!!

Yale: It is! It is!

Frost can barely keep his eyes open, as Vale lifts up Triumph Frost's arm.

Yale: Triumph Frost is the new Hardcore champion!!!

Frost pulls his arm away, as Alexis rushes up with the championship in tow. She's going on like a tween fat girl at a Justin Bieber concert, putting the title in his hands. He looks at it, and he could not look less enthused if he tried.

Bryan: You heard my colleague correctly, folks. Triumph Frost has defeated Bryan Mayhem to become the brand new Hardcore champion, but not without help from a stun gun courtesy of his wife.

Yale: You saying he cheated? In a backstage brawl where anything goes?

Bryan: Regardless of how I feel, we have our first new champion of the night, with two more on the line still to come.

Frost is helped to his feet by Alexis, as they make their escape, while Mayhem remains laid out unconscious.

Back to Top

The crowd in the Tokyo Dome comes alive as the camera tracks down the first winner of the night’s Rampage tournament festivities, giving a hearty ovation for Tempest. She walks along beaming, burnished with the sweat of her hard fought match with Rasa, but smiling nonetheless. A sudden flurry of activity seems to startle her as Barry Goldstein comes into view, scurrying ahead of Kevin Jacobs.

Goldstein: I saw her first! Buzz off, Jacobs!

Whether the crowd or Tempest finds this more amusing is hard to tell as Tempest snickers behind her hand. But she shoos Jacobs gently and resettles the GCW television title on her shoulder as she speaks.

Tempest: There, there Barry, no need to get excited. I was just looking for a nice guy in a suit with a microphone.

Goldstein: You were? Well… well good! I mean, thank you. Erm, Tempest the world of GCW has been worried sick about you since you were hauled off by authorities in Hong Kong, weeks ago. And the rumors that you might not even make it here just made matters worse. What happened? How did you defy the odds and make it here? And what’s next for Sparkly one?

Tempest: Worried sick, hmm? I highly doubt that. Well, I’m sure a few of you were. But then I strongly suspect there might be those here who were involved in getting me put away in the first place.

Tempest nods meaningfully toward Goldstein.

Goldstein: If you’re alluding to Christian Zenith, as your manager Ms. Matsudaira did, he insists that he had nothing to do with it.

Goldstein looks a little nervous as he straightens his tie and continues in the most professional tone he can summon.

Goldstein: He actually said you were of no real consequence and not worth that kind of effort.

Tempest: Did he really?

Goldstein nods nervously, but Tempest just smirks and takes the mic, stepping forward and peering into the camera with those deep cobalt blue eyes.

Tempest: Well if that’s the case, then I expect Christian Zenith will remain uninvolved in my matches tonight. And that’s fine considering he never had any business in them to begin with. But if he or anyone else was really stupid enough to miss what I just did to Rasa, then stay tuned. Cuz I’m gonna do it again in the final.

She tosses the mic to Goldstein and turns to leave before he pipes up and stops her.

Goldstein: Tempest, what are your thoughts on the final and who you might face if…

Tempest: Barry, it doesn’t matter who I face. I wasn’t stopped by lock and key, by walls, by guards, by oceans, by Rasa and his freak-boy ‘I’m-not gonna-show-you-my-face-and-take-responsibility-for-my-actions’ crap. No one’s stopping me.

Goldstein: Strong words, and good luck to you, Tempest. Now, is there any chance I could interest you in a magazine subscription?

The crowd groans loud enough to be heard backstage and they echo Tempest’s sentiments as she plants her face in her hand. But she just sighs.

Tempest: Got Popular Cybernetics?

Goldstein: Ooo, a challenge…

Back to Top

An interior shot of the Tokyo Dome ignites the capacity crowd of 55,000 that have made sure to be in their seats for the second Rampage Tournament match of the night.

Bryan: Welcome back to Rampage! We are ready to kick off the third contest of the night, and this one has a familiar face and a not-so-familiar Face.

Yale: That was pretty good, JB.

Bryan: Thanks Dave. That's right, we have two competitors that are both finding great stride in GCW. Both have destroyed everybody in their way on the path to the Rampage Semi-Finals, and one has already had a match tonight.

Yale: Well you know, JB, I don't want to hear that. It's not an excuse, and I'll tell you what; the last person on this Earth to make it an excuse is Tim Shipley. That man does not dwell in the past, does not worry about a match whether it was last week or a half hour ago, he lives in the now.

Bryan: David Spencer, of course, is much the same. He was the only Rampage Tournament participant to decline a week of rest before tonight. He had a brutal match at WorldWide against Tessa Windsor; a match he is going to want to make up for tonight.

Darkness consumes the arena as a telling song begins to play: "Welcome Home (Sanitarium)" by Metallica. As the opening chords play through, the sickening, twisted, chilling sound of a laugh that can only belong to one man reverberates throughout the arena. Various strobe lights and spotlights throughout the arena shine and blink around the crowd in many shades of red, blue and white. The crowd's anticipation builds as the opening instrumental of the song begins to wind down.

Andrews: Making his way to the ring, from Albuquerque, New Mexico, weighing it at 213 pounds...DAVID SPENCER!

Yale: That's 213 pounds of Dangerous right there, JB.

Bryan: David Spencer is all business. He has had his eye on one prize since Shockwave. This man wants to win the Rampage Tournament, and so far he has shown that he will do anything to get there.

As soon as the lyrics kick in, the spotlights and strobe lights invert in colour, making wherever they shine look strangely inverted as well. At this time, David comes out from the back, a lighter in his hand that he constantly flicks on and off. He stops center stage and crouches down, his arms up on his knees, which are nearly at the height of his head in this position. He surveys the crowd, whoever he sees flinching at the sight of his masked face. After a few moments of simply surveying the crowd, David gets up and starts walking down the entrance ramp, towards the ring, continuing to flick his lighter on and off like clockwork. Every once and a while he suddenly stops in his place and turns to face a particular nearby fan, his blank - almost dead - expression not reassuring in the slightest to whomever he faces.

Bryan: You know David Spencer watched Tim Shipley's match earlier tonight. You know he watched where every single punch and kick landed, where every move hit its impact, and you know he is going to take every advantage he can get.

Yale: Sympathy is not a feeling David Spencer recognizes, JB.

The song begins to slowly die out as David reaches the ring. He stalks along the ropes, staring down at his feet and not really paying attention to the inside of the ring or showing any intent on entering it. However, he soon has a change of heart, it seems, as he suddenly lifts the top rope and swings under in, snapping to attention once inside. The song dies out completely. The lights come back on. David tosses his lighter to the ref and surveys the crowd one last time.

The house lighting fades, and white spotlights bear down on the stage as a cacophony of crashing and bleeping is heard. "Please welcome: Tim Shipley. Does not compute. Does not compute...", moans a robotic voice, and momentarily the ugly strummings of Ash's "Astral Conversations With Toulouse Lautrec" blast into the fans' ears.

Andrews: Making his way to the ring, being accompanied by Cheap Labor... from Milton Keynes, England, weighing in at 225 pounds... TIM! SHIPPPPLEEYYYYYYY!!!

Yale: Here we go! The Cavalier is here, JB! And if you want to talk about somebody who has made an impact in GCW, you know you're talking about Tim Shipley.

Bryan: He certainly has shown a tenacity, a viciousness that has been almost unstoppable here in GCW.

Shipley comes through the curtain, his tights gleaming in the oppressive lighting. There is no smirk on Shipley's face, and Cheap Labor is nowhere to be seen. Shipley's brow is stone has he takes step by commanding step toward the ring - toward David Spencer.

Bryan: Do you suppose Cheap Labor's been fired, following the events that took place earlier tonight?

Yale: I'm not going to jump to conclusions, JB. But I'll tell you what. I wouldn't be surprised if he wasn't here for medical reasons; those chair shots were absolutely crippling earlier tonight. And Shipley doesn't look like he needs Cheap Labor. Besides, when has Cheap Labor's help ever actually aided The Cavalier? It always backfires.

Shipley enters the ring to a chorus of boos and insulting chants, of which the Englishman takes precisely zero notice. Shipley refrains from flexing for the crowd tonight, only staring at David Spencer, who stares right back from behind the mask, as Hal Jenkins calls for the match to get underway.

DING! DING! DING!

Tim Shipley turns and faces David Spencer and without so much as a nod the two combatants meet in the middle of the ring with a strong grapple! The fans haven't even had a chance to sit down for the action before these two begin to look for leverage.

Bryan: And if you had any doubts about Tim Shipley taking it easy in his second match of the night, you can forget it!

Yale: And David Spencer is absolutely meeting him on it! They look like a couple of bulls with their horns locked!

Both competitors push and pull at each other with severe intensity, and Tim Shipley is the first to drop low in an attempt to get a hand on one of Spencer's legs, but Spencer sprawls back and both men come back up to standing. Spencer takes the opposite approach and begins to put all his weight into pushing Shipley toward a corner, his extra height lending advantage in leverage.

Bryan: Neither man looking to give any ground right now-

Before reaching the turnbuckle, Shipley gives a half step and ducks under Spencer's arm, coming up behind Spencer with a hold on his arm while Spencer whips around to face him. Spencer lands a big haymaker that makes Shipley drop his opponent's arm and fire back. Spencer fires back, and Shipley again returns. While the punches are equal in number, David Spencer seems to have the upper hand as he pushes Shipley backward with each blow. As Shipley goes for his fourth haymaker David Spencer counters with a left jab, then a right jab, and then comes in with a big grapple up top and throws his hips out for a big headlock takedown as he hangs on to Tim Shipley's head.

Yale: These two aren't looking to hold back, JB! They're throwing the big punches right off the bat, and now Spencer seems to be trying to lock in a type of chokehold.

With Shipley in a headlock, David Spencer is trying to work a leg over the neck and arm, but Shipley has grabbed ahold of Spencer's leg and is trying to use it for leverage for a reversal. Shipley is able to get a decent grip on David Spencer's foot and twists it sideways in a version of an ankle lock that causes David Spencer to scramble up and away. Spencer gets to standing first and goes to stomp on Tim Shipley, but Shipley gets to his knees and catches Spencer's foot and holds it. Shipley stands, still holding David Spencer's foot, as the masked wrestler hops to keep his balance. With Spencer on one leg, Tim Shipley kicks his foot and sweeps the other leg, following David Spencer to the mat with a standing leglock.

Bryan: Fast paced and furious, neither of these two wants to give the other a second to breathe!

Yale: Think about it, JB. Both of these guys want to press the attack. Shipley's had a match already tonight, so he knows he's not gonna win an endurance battle. Spencer, meanwhile, wants to take advantage of any sore spots that Shipley has acquired in his first match. He doesn't want to give Tim Shipley the chance to play chess, and Shipley wants to end this as fast as possible.

With Spencer trying to get his hands on Shipley to try to break the standing leglock, Tim Shipley picks up his foot and stomps on the stomach of David Spencer. Spencer's efforts do not slow, so Shipley lands another boot to the gut. Then another. Then another. Finally, Shipley holds Spencer's leg out and brings an elbow down onto the inside of the thigh.Shipley is up in a flash and pulls David Spencer onto his feet. Leaning into the near ropes, Tim Shipley whips David Spencer to the far side and on his way back Shipley hits a hip toss and holds on to Spencer's arm. Shipley maintains pressure as he stands up straight and locks Spencer's arm, executing a perfect standing armbar while Hal Jenkins checks on Spencer.

Bryan: Tim Shipley has gained early control of this match, but Spencer's fighting it and is trying to come up to standing.

David Spencer, his arm still locked, has put all his weight on his heels and is trying to pop his back up, looking to arch into a standing position. In one fluid motion, Spencer spins inward, twisting out of the armbar, and comes up to standing only to meet Tim Shipley's big standing clothesline that sends him back down to the mat in a heap!

Yale: Great counter by Tim Shipley right there! That is how you dominate the way he does; you anticipate. You counter the counters.

Tim Shipley stands David Spencer up and looks for an over/under grapple, but Spencer greets Shipley with a headbutt, followed immediately by an uppercut to the throat! Shipley stumbles backward a few steps, turning to breathe, and Spencer lunges in from behind, grabbing Shipley around the waist. David Spencer lifts Tim Shipley up for a belly-to-back suplex, but Shipley throws his weight forward to prevent being lifted up. Shipley spreads his legs very wide, giving him a very wide center of gravity, and as David Spencer tries to suplex him again he is again met with no success. Shipley is trying to pry David Spencer's hands apart in front of Shipley's waist, and as he succeeds David Spencer re-locks his hands above one shoulder and below the other, in a reverse over/under grapple, looking for the leverage to throw Shipley backwards. Immediately, Tim Shipley starts to cough and choke, prompting Hal Jenkins to come in close and check for a chokehold.

Bryan: This match has been close together and very, very technical. Does Spencer have a chokehold locked in? He's not near Shipley's throat from what I can see-

As Hal Jenkins is checking Shipley's throat, Shipley's leg shoot straight back between David Spencer's legs. In an instant David Spencer falls to his knees and lets go and Shipley quits the act, turning and looking to capitalize as the crowd boo's his smug face.

Yale: Tim Shipley is one of the best strategists around! Did you see how he found that opening?

Bryan: He found the opening alright.

Yale: Hey, don't sound sour JB. Spencer got cheap with that chokehold, and Shipley responded in kind.

Bryan: I'm not sure if there ever was any chokehold, but I'll move on Dave.

Tim Shipley is again on top of David Spencer and he lands several punches to Face's head before Hal Jenkins tells him to break. Shipley stands up, then picks David Spencer up off the mat and Irish Whips Spencer into the far turnbuckle. As soon as Spencer's back hits the turnbuckle Shipley is there with a huge running clothesline that drives Spencer back into the corner! Shipley immediately follows up by bringing his foot up under Spencer's chin, holding it as Hal Jenkins counts to ten.

Bryan: Look at the determination, look at the relentlessness that Tim Shipley has come out here with tonight.

Yale: We saw it once in the first match, JB, and we're seeing it twofold here. He wants this tournament. He wants this to be his night. And he is not going to let a match with Andy Murray and Chris Bagwell stand in his way.

As Jenkins hits the nine count, Shipley breaks prematurely so that he can immediately jump in with repeated shoulder thrusts to the abdomen. After a few thrusts, Jenkins tells Shipley to back off for a second. Shipley takes one step back, snarls at Jenkins, then immediately plants a boot to David Spencer's mid section. Right away Tim Shipley throws an elbow to the head of David Spencer, who falls to the ground and Shipley stays right on him. Tim Shipley takes both of David Spencer's legs under his armpits and stands up straight, then looks out to the booing crowd with a ice cold look.

Yale: Is he gonna-?

Tim Shipley plants his feet and falls backward, keeping his back straight, and throwing David Spencer up and over in a huge catapault that lands Spencer on his stomach in the middle of the ring!

Bryan: Jeez! I haven't seen a standing catapault in...in quite a while!

Spencer remains face-down as Tim Shipley moves over to him. Shipley grabs both of Spencer's legs and starts to sit down in a Boston Crab, but Spencer kicks his legs forward, flipping Shipley in a somersault off of him. Shipley is up in a jiff and runs toward David Spencer, but Spencer executes a perfect drop toe hold that brings Tim Shipley down to the mat. Spencer keeps ahold of Shipley's foot with his legs and rolls up, bending Shipley's legs and putting pressure on the knees. Spencer grabs one of Tim Shipley's arms and pulls it back, executing most of what could be considered a reverse surfboard. Shipley, though, is not about to give up his other arm but uses it to grab onto the nearest rope. Hal Jenkins calls for the break and Spencer gets up.

Bryan: David Spencer tried to go for the offensive there, but Tim Shipley said 'no.'

Yale: If you can't beat 'em with offense, beat 'em with knowing the rules! Reach out and touch the rope.

Spencer stomps on Shipley's back, then reaches down and lifts Shipley to standing. With a forearm to the head, Spencer scoop slams Tim Shipley onto the mat, then hits a standing leg drop. Instead of going for the cover, David Spencer stands again and hits another leg drop. Spencer stands again and looks to hit a third, but Shipley rolls out of the way and David Spencer lands right on his ass! Shipley is up in a hurry, and he is not in a great mood.

Shipley is on top of Spencer before Spencer can get up, and Shipley brings down a double axe handle onto Spencer's back. With David Spencer down, Shipley locks in a front facelock and hits a big snap suplex, but holds tight on to David Spencer. With the hold still in place Shipley stands up again and hits a second snap suplex! Still holding on to the grapple, Tim Shipley stands up a third time and lifts David Spencer, this time holding Spencer in the air for a stalling suplex before bringing him down to the mat in a crash!

Bryan: Incredible strength by Tim Shipley! After suplexing a man his own size twice in quick succession, he is then able to hold David Spencer up for that stall on a third suplex!

Yale: They don't call him The Cavalier for nothing, JB!

Tim Shipley is up again and picks David Spencer up off the mat. Shipley holds on to one of Spencer's arms with one hand and with the other he makes a club. Pulling David Spencer toward him, Shipley steps in with a huge standing clothesline that sends Spencer down to the mat! Shipley holds on to his arm, though, and picks Spencer up again and repeats, clotheslining Spencer down to the mat a second time! Shipley picks him up again and repeats with a third clothesline! Then a fourth! After the fifth straight standing clothesline, Hal Jenkins steps in and makes Tim Shipley back off as the crowd continues to rain down boo's.

Bryan: Tim Shipley is absolutely relentless! It's rare to see David Spencer be on the receiving end of a break from the referee!

Shipley does not wait for long, though, as he picks David Spencer up again. This time Shipley bear hugs Spencer and rips Spencer back in a twisting belly-to-belly suplex that sprawls Spencer out! Without wasting time, Shipley picks David Spencer up yet again!

Yale: Not even looking for the cover, JB! Tim Shipley is all about crushing his opponent right now!

With Spencer up Shipley lands a quick double axe handle to the back of his head. Shipley begins to try to lock in an octopus-style armbar submission hold. But before he can finalize it, Spencer finally comes to and twists away from Shipley, firing a haymaker at Shipley. Shipley ducks the punch, though, and wraps an arm around the waist and trips out David Spencer's legs in a Russian Leg Sweep!

Bryan: Every time David Spencer tries to gain some momentum, Tim Shipley executes a perfect counter to snuff it out!

Gaining some momentum, Shipley runs to the ropes and bounces off as Spencer is getting up. Shipley comes in on Spencer with a huge running knee lift that sends David Spencer staggering! Tim Shipley immediately lands a side kick to the stomach that doubles David Spencer over, then runs at the bent down Spencer.

Yale: Uh oh! This might be it!

Shipley plants his left foot on Spencer's back, plants his right foot on the top turnbuckle, then on the way down grabs David Spencer's head and executies The Eternal Hope that rocks the ring as camera flashes fill the stadium! Shipley makes the cover as Hal Jenkins goes for the count!

1!...

2!...

3!!

Amongst the boo's, Tim Shipley stands triumphant, raising his hands not in celebration but to show the crowd just how damn good he is.

Andrews: Here is your winner, and Rampage Tournament Finalist...TIM SHIPLEY!!!

Bryan: It was quick, all things considered, but it was vicious!

Yale: Well as we said, JB, we knew it was going to be fast paced and brutal. Both of these guys knew that their best chance was to come in with a high octane offense and really bring it to their opponent. Tim Shipley walked into this ring already having fought tonight, and now he's got some rest before his third and final match of the evening.

Bryan: A match he definitely has earned, Dave.

Back to Top

"Dude, the hell! You die in there?"

Chris Storm walks into the locker room of his wife, Toad and Rikki Roxx right behind him.

Toad: I guess those burritos didn’t agree with me.

Storm: This is beyond a disagreement, this is attempted murder. You need a doctor.

Roxx: I’m a trained doctor here in Japan. A doctor of ROCK~!

Storm: Dude, no ~! without Markus around.

Rikki hangs his head in shame, realizing his error.

Roxx: Sorry.

Storm: It’s cool bro, knuckle bump?

KNUCKLE BUMP~!

Storm: DUDE!

Oh sorry, KNUCKLE BUMP!

Storm: That’s better.

Their commotion finally draws the attention of the owner of the locker room, Tessa Windsor.

Windsor: For the love of god, please tell me that is not Markus you’re talking to.

Her attention slowly turns towards the doorframe, dreading her husband’s partner in crime. She’s caught even more off guard by the sight of Toad.

Windsor: Uh, okay? Something going on?

Storm: He followed me home, we should probably bring him to the vet to get euthanized or something.

Toad: Hey!

Roxx: I thought he was just checking out your ass this entire time.

Toad: HEY!

Storm: It is a rather nice ass.

Chris looks over his own shoulder, trying to get a good look at his ass.

Tessa seems none too amused by all the commotion her husband seems to have brought along with him before quite possibly one of the biggest matches of her career.

Windsor: Seriously. Do you guys need something? I’m kind of in the middle of getting ready for a big match, let alone the head games that are bound to come along with it.

Storm: Oh yeah, right. I had wanted to make sure you were still good to go for the match.

He stops and looks at the two behind him.

Storm: Guys, mind?

Rikki takes the hint and makes his way out of the locker room but Toad remains steadfast.

Toad: Boss’ orders, gotta stay on you like green on meat.

Storm: Uh…meat’s not supposed to be green.

Toad: Really?

Toad’s stomach starts to growl increasingly loud.

Toad: I gotta go then!

He makes a mad dash for the door, busting through and heading off. Chris lets out a long sigh and turns back to his wife.

Storm: Seriously though, no games. Are you alright?

Rather than turn her attention towards him, she focuses her attention on the knee she is taping up.

Windsor: Good as I’m going to be. Suppose I ought to ask you the same.

He just shrugs his shoulders.

Storm: I’m fine. I know what I’m doing. Shaman didn’t do anything others haven’t tried to do before.

He sits down beside her and pats her knee, trying to gauge her reaction.

Storm: But if we get first match against each other, I just wanted to let you know I’m not going after your knee. I’m going to give you a fair fight, I won’t cop out. But I’m not targeting your knee.

Tessa maintains her focus on her knee, refusing to look her husband’s way.

Windsor: Good. At least I know if I face off against you first I’ll walk out under the power of both my legs. But what about the second? Say Terror’s only trying to psyche us out right now and we both make it to that second cage. Then what?

Storm: Same deal applies. World titles come and go, I’m not about to put my wife in a wheelchair for one. Some things are a little more important.

Tessa smiles faintly, finally turning her husband’s way and offering out her hand.

Windsor: Then I guess the only thing left if for me to do is to wish you the best of luck.

Suddenly the door burst open, slamming into the wall as it swung. Chris and Tessa are both standing, ready to fight.

Toad: Totally, not, COOL!

Seeing the head of GCW security, both of them let out their breath. Chris shakes his head, knowing that his moment of peace with his wife is shattered now. He turns back to her.

Storm: Good luck to you too.

Walking out of the locker room, he wrinkles his nose as he passes Toad.

Storm: The hell man?

Toad: I think I owe them a new toilet.

Chris looks like he is about to gag, but holds it in and walks out of the locker room, leaving Tessa to finish getting ready for her match.

Bryan: Well it looks like Toad is still right on Storm’s case.

Yale: Good thing to, no telling what trouble he would have gotten into.

Bryan: More interesting though is the fact that Chris and Tessa seem to have a mutual understanding about their match.

Yale: That’s bad strategy to me. It’s the GCW World Heavyweight title. You need to go all out or you don’t deserve to wear it. I don’t think either understand that.

Bryan: Be it as it may, they both have a chance to win it tonight in what should be an amazing match.

Back to Top

Cue "Somebody's Gotta Die" by Notorious B.I.G.

Bryan: WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?!?!?!?!?!?

Yale: I DON’T BELIEVE IT! AM I SEEING WHAT I THINK I’M SEEING?!

Jay Terror drops the chair, his eyes glowing with pleasure. From the floor, still holding the package, Caldera begins to laugh hysterically, mocking the fallen White. Terror kicks the chair out of the way and hooks White’s leg, leaving Vale standing motionless above him. Caldera screams at Vale to count, and reluctantly Vale obliges.

Bryan: JAY TERROR JUST BLASTED JORDAN WHITE! I DO NOT BELIEVE THIS!

Sometimes, even the hardest decisions must be made.

Bryan: OH MY GOD! You have got to be kidding me! Jay Terror is actually shaking hands with President Caldera!

Yale: INCREDIBLE! Terror was Caldera’s friend! Terror gets the prize! Terror gets the title shot! Terror gets the glory! All because he’s finally seeing reason and he’s sided with the most powerful man in wrestling!

No matter how hard they may be though, there's always a pay-off. It's that pay-off that drives you to do what is needed.

Bryan: OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD! VALENTINE! VALENTINE!

Yale: NOOOOO!!!! I DON’T BELIEVE IT!

Bryan: That was the most incredible sequence I’ve ever seen! Terror hit the Bandstand Bust on White, but Valentine hit the Destiny Driver on Terror at the same time! I DON’T BELIEVE WHAT WE JUST SAW!

Yale: It can’t be! THIS ISN’T HOW IT’S SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN!

With the crowd heaving in the biggest reaction they can muster, a dazed and exhausted Valentine drapes herself over the nearest target, White’s motionless body.

Even through failure, that decision means that you've dedicated yourself to something. It proves that you won't give up and won't fade away.

Bryan: THREE!!!! SHE DID IT! SHE DID IT!

Yale: UNBELIEVABLE!

Bryan: VIVICA J. VALENTINE HAS RETAINED THE TITLE!

At the lowest point, you still know that deep down, you haven't lost yet.

Valentine struggles mightily, but Terror lifts her off the mat and onto his shoulder, still standing outside the ring on the second rope. He places a boot on the top rope and leaps into the ring, pushing Valentine out as he crashes to the mat! He drives Valentine’s skull down into the canvas with incredible impact, and the crowd explodes in shock!

Bryan: BANDSTAND BUST! HE GOT IT! A Bandstand Bust from the TOP ROPE!

Yale: YES! YES! YES! It’s over, JB! This is it!

Bryan: My God, it’s over! Terror’s got her!

Rioting in the stands, the crowd counts along in disbelief as Terror hooks the leg!

When that day comes and everything is built up for you, there's only one thing to do. Sit back, feel the moment, and live every second of it that you can.

…1!

Crowd: ONE!!!!

Bryan: Terror!

…2!

Crowd: TWO!!!

Yale: I don’t believe it!!

……..The final count hits the mat and the roof of the arena is blown off by the shocked crowd. Terror rocks back, his arms raised in the air, his face twisted with emotion. Valentine remains motionless on the mat, knocked cold from the devastating move. Terror’s music immediately begins to play as cameras flash wildly to capture the historic moment.

Bryan: NEW CHAMPION!

Yale: YES!!!!!!!

Bryan: We’ve got a new champion! Terror has done it!!!!

Some people are afraid to make decisions but they're the ones who aren't ready. They don't understand what has to be sacrificed to achieve glory.

Yale: Get ready, this company is finally going to be headed in the right direction with Jay Terror at the helm!

A great man once said Don't screw this up.

Jay Terror knew, Not this time.

Back to Top

Andrews: The following match is scheduled for ONE FALL and is for the GCW UNITED STATES CHAMPIONSHIP...

Bryan: Here we go!

Yale: This one is going to be a fight, JB. I know Vivica J. Valentine is more of a finesse wrestler by nature but she's coming out swinging for this one. I guarentee it.

Bryan: I believe you and I think AXEL Action feels the exact same way. This one is certainly going to be intense and I have a feeling there will be blood here tonight even without the Hardcore stipulation.

"Judith" by A Perfect Circle hits over the arena and the crowd rises to their feet. The spotlight hits the stage and out walks AXEL Action to the cheers of a capacity crowd. He doesn't show any emotion at all, or even acknowledge the fact that there are fans all around him. His eyes are simply focues on the ring, and his face is expressionless. Marching down to the sound of his song the intensity is clear across his face as his blonde hair flows behind him.

Bryan: This is a newly focused AXEL Action, and I think we can agree that a focused AXEL Action is a dangerous AXEL Action. A lack of focus has always been his problem and now that he's got his head on straight, I think AXEL is a very dangerous competitor here in GCW.

Yale: He may be focuses, but is he Valentine-like focused. That's something you have to keep in mind here. He's not coming out here to face Rikki Roxx or Scott Stevens, well... Scott Stevens might murder him with the Ghetto Houze Blaster, but he's facing in my opinion is the closest thing to a "sure-thing" Hall of Famer that GCW has on the roster in Valentine.

Bryan: He's beaten her once, but he took her a bit by surprise. That won't happen again. This time we'll find out what he's really got.

Andrews: First the challenger. From Tokyo, Japan weighing in at 225 pounds... "THE ANGEL OF VENGEANCE" AXEELLLLLLLLLLLLLLL ACT...

CRACK!

The crowd screams to try and get AXEL's attention, but their cries are to no avail when Vivica J. Valentine comes sprinting out from the backstage area with a steel chair, places it against AXEL Action's throat, and then slams his head chair first towards the ground.

Bryan: OH MY GOD!

The music stops. Tokyo watches in horror as their adopted son falls to the ground grasping his neck in agony. Above him The Bulletproof Blonde still holds the chair, staring down at the #1 contender with a sneer.

Bryan: What a cowardly move! She attacked AXEL from behind with a chair and the match hasn't even started yet!

Yale: Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant.

Bryan: The first time in Valentine's career where she didn't enter a match to music and she might've seriously injured AXEL Action here.

Yale: And she isn't done yet!

As AXEL Action rolls over onto his stomach to protect his injured throat, Valentine winds the chair up over her head before slamming it down on AXEL's back. The impact forces him to bridge and grab his back in pain, leaving his throat open to a shot straight down from the steel chair. A swarm of security quickly make their way down from the backstage area as Vivica tosses the chair onto the ground and holds her arms in the air.

Security: Get into the ring, Valentine!

Valentine: HE DID THIS TO HIMSELF.

Security: I said get into the ring!

Valentine: TALK SHIT NOW AXEL, TALK SHIT NOW.

Those are the words screamed by the GCW United States Champion over a chorus of boos as she swings her title over her shoulder and backs away from the scene of the attack. Paramedics make thier way down the aisle towards AXEL Action, who continues to kick in horrible pain. A smirk crosses the pink lips of Valentine as she slides into the ring per request of security. Inside the ring, Vivica leans against the ropes and watches as the staff checks on AXEL's ability to compete.

Bryan: This match may not even get started here, it looks like this might be serious.

Yale: That's what happens when you steal a woman's title.

Bryan: AXEL didn't even take it! Ayake did. Valentine is attacking Action out of the fear of defeat. She's scared that someone might be taking her spot. That someone might be better than she is. Paranoid about slipping down the ranks of Global Championship Wrestling.

Yale: Then Ayake deserves to be attacked like this, too!

Bryan: No one deserves to be attacked like this. This is a violent sport, yes... but there should be some honor in it. This is a sport, not a war.

Yale: But AXEL wanted a war, and a war is what Vivica is bringing him.

Bryan: He didn't want a war, he wanted a chance!

Yale: Now he's got it, be careful what you wish for, JB.

The crowd roars in approval as AXEL Action somehow manages to make it to his feet with a drip of blood flowing out of the corner of his mouth. Wiping it away with the back of his hand he takes a step down towards the ring only to be stopped by the staff. Tokyo begins to get behind their adopted son, chanting his name as medical attempts to talk some sense into The Angel Of Vengeance.

AX-EL AC-TION! AX-EL AC-TION!

Vivica J. Valentine backs away from the rope she was leaning on, looking down the aisle towards her nemesis with a look best described as sheer intensity. She motions with her fingers for AXEL to come down to the ring and fight before handing the US Championship over to an official. Action tries to take a step forward again only for another staffer to stand in his way. His nostrils flare before he shoves a trainer out of his path and sprints down towards the ring. Inside Valentine waits for him to cross the threshold.

DING! DING! DING!

Bryan: I don't know if this is smart by AXEL...

Yale: We have a match! Lets do this!

As soon as he gets in under the bottom rope, Valentine pounces on him like a lion attacking it's prey. Raining down stomps on the back of AXEL's head, he never gets the chance to even see the woman he's after. Yet the crowd comes to life as AXEL refuses to give up and fights through it, eventually getting up to one knee before taking Valentine down to the ground. Blood drips down from his lips as he gets a full mount on the former phenom, he then grabs a hand full of blonde hair and begins to rain down hard shots in a ground and pound.

Vivica seems a bit surprised by the sudden assault, leaving her the only option of covering after taking a few hard blows. Seeing that he wasn't going to get through Vivica's new defense, AXEL grabs Valentine by the wrists she's using to guard her face and lifts her up off the ground with him. Once on her feet, Valentine manages to land a hard chop across the chest of AXEL Action. He winces with the impact before answering with one of his own!

WOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Bryan: Valentine's a vicious striker, but I don't think it's wise to trade shots with AXEL Action!

Yale: AXEL's injured, the longer this match goes the more it favors Valentine.

Bryan: You might be right, Dave... but Vivica can't take those shots all night.

The impact of the chop spins Valentine around so that her back is towards The Angel Of Vengeance. Seizing the opportunity, AXEL moves in to go for the Triad Of Torture hoping to use the move as a stepping stone to killing off Valentine early but...

Bryan: REPENTANCE!

Yale: OUT OF NOWHERE!

Bryan: She looked momentarily gazed but came right back with a enziguiri right to Action's face.

The sight of Valentine's finisher kills any noise coming from the fans in Tokyo. Action falls limply to the ground as Vivica quickly jumps on and hooks the leg.

ONE!

TWO!

THR...KICKOUT!

Tokyo explodes as Valentine jumps up from the pin and gets into the face of the official. He stands his ground sticking two fingers in Valentine's face before she shoves them out. He orders a warning and Vivica barks something at him before dropping back down to the ground and strangling AXEL with a blatant choke.

Blood begins to emerge from AXEL's lips, there has definitely been something busted inside of Action and it's bleeding heavily. The pressure from Vivica's chokehold is only temporary as the official breaks the illegal manuever. Valentine gets up and hits a well places stomp on the adam's apple... or what'se left of it, of AXEL Action. Pointing up to the top rope, Valentine also has plans to put this match away early signalling The Second City Air Raid.

Yale: Valentine trying to make quick work of Action here!

Bryan: With that attack before the match, she just might get it done... but that doesn't mean it was right.

Yale: But it was effective, it's hard to argue that.

Vivica quickly hops up to the top rope looking down at AXEL Action as he rolls over to his side coughing, watching splatters of blood sprinkle on the mat. Valentine takes her eyes away from the fallen angel and out at the Tokyo crowd before standing to her feet. Looking back towards AXEL, she sees just in time as he manages to hop up to the second rope. As he goes for a superplex, Valentine drops down to a seated position to block the move.

They jostle for position on the top rope, AXEL trying to pull Valentine off as she hooks her legs around the rope. Quickly Valentine lands a shot to the kidneys of Action, making him slightly lose his balance enough for Vivica to shove him off the top rope. Landing on his back Action looks up into the rafters as Valentine readjusts herself on the top rope. This time she never takes her eyes off of the fallen angel. This time, there's liftoff.

Bryan: Valentine going for the kill!

Yale: This one is...

Bryan: HOLY...

Yale: NO WAY!

As Valentine rotates once in the air, AXEL Action pops up just enough to grab Valentine on the way down by the wrist and pull her face first into his outstretched boot. A modified version of Eat Defeat. After impact Valentine whiplashes and falls like a rag doll onto the canvas. AXEL Action regains control of a match he has no business being in. Seeing the opportunity, Action rolls over onto the grounded blonde and hooks the leg.

ONE!

TWO!

TH...KICKOUT!

Bryan: With a shocking turn of events AXEL Action almost just put the champion away!

Yale: But even after landing those shots, how much can AXEL have left in the tank?

Sensing the urgency himself, he goes for a cover again.

ONE!

TWO!

KICKOUT!

The same result. AXEL eyes Valentine before crawling back away from her, staying close to the ground as if he doesn't want her to know where he's going. As he gets back, Vivica reaches out for the ropes... using them as a brace to get back up to her feet. Reaching a verticle base, Valentine spins around to try and find her opponet just in time to see AXEL leap into the air right in front of her in an attempt to put her away with Total Sacrilege!

Unfortunately for AXEL, Valentine quickly grabs onto the ropes sending AXEL down on his back hard before Valentine uses the bottom rope to jump into the air and land a knee right across his injured throat. After imapact AXEL rolls across the canvas before getting up to his hand and knees, coughing hard as blood soaks the mat splattering from his lips. He doesn't get the opportunity to catch his breath however as Vivica runs and lands a hard kick to his ribcage.

Bryan: Valentine is back and up and delivering a merciless assault.

Yale: She's tenacious, that's how you get to the places she's been in GCW.

Bryan: You're absolutely right, she's like a shark who smells blood in the water.

Yale: Can sharks smell?

Bryan: Lets just focus on the match, can we?

After the shot AXEL continues to roll over to the ropes, clutching the bottom rope as a ropebreak just barely warding off a stalking Valentine. Vivica takes the opportunity to take as step back and rub her jaw, victim of Action's unbelievable counter just a few moments ago. Suddenly as Action releases the rope she sprints towards him and drills him with a baseball slide, knocking him under the bottom rope and to the outside. AXEL lands awkwardly on the floor, letting out an audible grunt writhes in pain.

On the ring apron, Valentine pulls herself up to her feet with a smirk watching the injured Angel Of Vengeance grimace on the floor. Jumping down off the apron she walks over to him, staring down as he crawls across the concrete reaching out for the barricade. As he does she slaps him on the back of the head, arrogantly rubbing salt in the wounds of a defenseless Action. He grasps the barrier, using it to try and pull his uncooperative body to its feet as Valenting simply waits.

Bryan: What gall by the champion here, this is precisely the type of attitude that got her into this position in the first place. If it wasn't for actions like this, AXEL Action may not have beaten her that night.

Yale: It's the only way AXEL Action could've possibly beaten her at all.

Bryan: I'm afraid we may not get to find that out, Dave beacuse Valentine decided to attack AXEL from behind before the match started.

Yale: If it were the other way around, Valentine would've been ready for it. That's the difference between the two of them, JB. It isn't just skill, it's the fact that Vivica is always "on." She never turns her switch off.

Bryan: That doesn't even make any sense.

Yale: Yeah, in my head it sounded right but when it came out it was just kind of... bad.

Bryan: A lot like Billy's interpretation of this match at 3:30am.

Yale: It's his own fault for procrastinating, JB!

AXEL holds the guardrail's bars to keep himself upright, but he hardly does an admirable job of such a task.

Bryan: Is it?

Yale: Hmm. I feel different already. Like I'm ready to make a bevy of dick and fart jokes.

Bryan (sighing): Figures.

Using the railing to gain a bit of posterity, Valentine has gotten all the time she needs to position herself for a nice little superkick straight to AXEL's jaw, sending him tumbling into his hometown crowd in the front row.

Bryan: If AXEL Action wanted to get intimate with his hometown fans, here's his opportunity.

Valentime leapfrogs the guardrail and gets the vitriol from the Japanese crowd. Instead of taking it in, she's barking at random fans.

Valentine: Who's your hero now, huh?

She grabs AXEL and levels him with a punch to the jaw.

Valentine: WHO'S YOUR HERO NOW?!?

The hometown crowd does not even bother to mask their disdain towards Valentine. With AXEL a bit out of it, Valentine grabs AXEL by his hair and slams his throat across the guardrail. AXEL screams out in pain, as Valentine steps back a few yards. With a running start, she uses AXEL's back as a springboard to leap onto the apron, and with cat-like reflexes, leaps from the apron.

Bryan: What athleticism by the Bulletproof Blonde!

Valentine takes a few steps back, but gets a running star and leaps off the apron...

Bryan: SOMERSAULT LEGDROP! ACROSS AXEL ACTION'S NECK!!!

Sure enough, the Japanese crowd can hear AXEL Action trying to spit up clots of blood as he clutches his neck in evident pain.

Vale: That's gotta be bad for his drinking skills.

Bryan: That has to be bad for anything AXEL tries to do!

AXEL rolls about like a wounded animal, as Valentine hovers above him.

Bryan: This is not a good position for AXEL to be in...

Valentine, holding onto AXEL's golden locks, forces him in the ring. Valentine leaps onto the apron and over the ropes with a fiip. As Valentine stalks towards AXEL, the crowd remains behind their hometown boy.

Bryan: The United States champion is an unrelenting champion, I'll give her that!

As the champ walks to her fallen foe, what comes next isn't expected.

AXEL Action sprays a mist of his viscous insides into the face of Vivica J. Valentine.

Bryan: AXEL just spit blood in Valentine's face!!!!

As Valentine screams, as a woman would scream with a stranger's blood in her face, Action grabs her neck and drops her with a straight DDT.

Bryan: AXEL takes the initiative! Is that enough?!?

AXEL doesn't take the immediate route of the pin, instead taking in the crowd's hometown admiration towards him.

ONE...

TWO...

Valentine kicks out!!!

AXEL, a bit disgusted with himself, doesn't hesitate in his misery, as he lifts Valentine's weary body up and crushes her with a Michinoku driver.

Bryan: What a move by Action!

With Valentine now prone on the ground as AXEL positioned her, he signals for the end. Jumping up to the top rope, he signals for Absolution.

Problem? Valentine isn't waiting for him.

As AXEL leaps up in pain, Valentine makes the most of her opportunity and crushes him with a knee to the nuts, sending AXEL doubling over.

AXEL, not in the position he should be in, has things turn for the worse as Valentine underhooks his arms.

Bryan: Here comes the Bulletproof Blonde!!!

Holding up the man billed from Hollywood, Florida, she gives him a nice send-off with the Freefall!

Bryan: And here we go!

Valentine hooks AXEL's leg.

ONE....

TWO...

TH...KICKOUT!!!

Yale: No!! Dammit!

Valentine shoots up, disgusted with the result. Meanwhile, the crowd remains behind AXEL Action.

Unfortunately, AXEL is hardly conscious.

Bryan: This is looking worse and worse for the "Angel of Vengeance"!

Valentine kicks AXEL in the stomach, positioning AXEL's head between her legs.

Bryan: Is this?

Before AXEL can do anything reaction-worthy, Valentine flips him in the air with...

Bryan: THE END OF HEARTACHE!!!

As AXEL's head bounces off the mat, Valentine hooks the leg.

ONE...

TWO...

THREE!!!

Andrews: Your winner....and STILL United States Champion....VIVICA!!!! J!!!!! VAAAAAA-LENNNNN-TIIIIIIINE!!!!!!!!

Cam Wrigley raises Valentine's arm, as the United States Champion retains her title!

Bryan: AXEL gave it his all, but the Bulletproof Blonde took it home. We need to get some medical attention out here, after that shot on the barricade there might be some serious injuries, Dave. A man is not supposed to be bleeding from the mouth so much he can mist someone with his own blood.

Yale: Wait, that was BLOOD?

Bryan: Yes, Action has very bad internal bleeding in this throat. I even called it was his own blood... are you even paying attention?

Yale: I thought it was all part of the gimmick. Ooooh, I'm AXEL Action, I'm hardcore.

Bryan: No, that really happened.

Yale: Damn, Valentine better go get some tests run.

Bryan: Oh, will you stop it?!

Yale: She might have AIDS or something now. Who knows what that freak is carrying around.

Paramedics rush in to check on AXEL Action as the GCW United States Champion walks over to check on him. The GCW staff shoos her away as she hovers over the challenger, her face covered in his blood before raising the United States Championship in the air over his head. The crowd boos as Vivica shows her sign of superiority before swinging the title over her shoulder and heading to the back.

Back to Top

Voices and pounding bass, though muffled, come through a closed door labelled "CHRIS BAGWELL" backstage. Predominantly female tones laugh, hoot, and holler over what sounds like a bad strip club soundtrack, but we only get a moment to focus before the door begins to creep open and a Scottish leg slides through. A victorious Andy Murray eventually closes the door behind him and breathes a sigh of relief.

Murray: Jesus H., that guy parties like Rick James.

Yale: Heh. Looks like Murray isn't too keen on getting caught-up in Bagwell's victory celebrations.

Bryan: I can't say I blame him.

A periscope lowers from behind a fichus plant down the hallway--a periscope searching for any sign of Scotsmanship, leglike or otherwise, and having spotted the Jock's escaping limb, Commissioner Garbage Bag Johnny emerges from behind the fichus plant and approaches the King of Cool.

GBJ: I was hoping that was going to be you and not Chris. The last thing I need on a night like tonight is to get dragged into another one of Bagwell's soirees. Is he trying to DJ yet?

Murray: Now, now. There's absolutely nothing wrong with Bubbles' DJ'ing skills. If you happen to be a fan of Bon Jovi. And Nickelback. And Elton John. And using a cheese grater as a face cloth. Thank Skywolf I managed to get outta there before he started fist-pumping...

The King grimaces.

Murray: What's up, Beardy?

GBJ: Oh, nothing major. I was actually looking for you--hoping you could do me a favor.

Garbage Bag Johnny reaches into his pocket and pulls out a fake beard, one that's very much akin to his own.

GBJ: Now keep this between you and me, but I'm not going to be around for WorldWide 134. I've got some important business to take care of. But if folks like Tim Shipley and Chris Storm get word that I won't be here, who knows what kind of stunts they'll pull, you know what I'm saying?

Murray: Uh-huh. I get it.

Murray's eyes narrow. He nods before pulling a plastic moustache and a fake pair of glasses from his pocket and fixing them to his face. Not wanting to be heard, Andy leans closer.

Murray: When do you need them killed by?

GBJ: Take off that ridiculous facewear--I'm not asking you to kill them. If I wanted them offed, I'd go to Shaman, but that's not my style.

Garbage Bag Johnny then hands Murray the fluff of beard.

GBJ: Here, I made this out of my own old beard. I want you to take my spot at WorldWide and just pretend you're me. You're the only one I trust not to muck this up.

Murray: Ohhhh, I see. Let me guess: "I'm not asking you to kill them" is code for "make it look like an accident," right? Well, Johnny, I'm not much of an assassin, but my friends in the church might be able to help out. They're quite unholy.

The look that meets Murray is all The King needs.

Murray: Alright, no killing. You want me to run the show? Do actual "boss" stuff like hiding behind fichus plants and hanging out with Shaman, and all I have to do is don this ingenious disguise?

GBJ: You're as smart as you are handsome, Andy, and that's why I think you'll work fine as a passable commissioner Garbage Bag Johnny double.

Andy eventually takes the beard from GBJ after tossing his moustache and glasses to the side. He gently presses it against his face, before admiring his reflection in Bagwell's gold nameplate.

Murray: Glorious. Count me in, chief. You must bear in mind that the only thing I've ever been in-charge of in my life was a lemonade stand at high school, though, and only lasted until I got caught spoiling the competition's supplies. So don't blame me if something ridiculous like Chris Bagwell winning a title happens. Anything Garbage Bag Murray should know before he gets started?

GBJ: There is one really important thing to know. Don't, under any circumstances, let--oh, crap. Run!

With that, GBJ bolts off as Andy Murray notices a little too late that Bagwell's door has opened, and the Rajah of Ratings is peering from side to side, looking for any trace of Andy Murray.

Bagwell: Where the hell did he go?!

Suddenly Bagwell catches sight of Andy Murray in his cunning disguise.

Bagwell: Hey, Johnny; have you seen Andy anywhere? I must've turned my back for 10 seconds and poof, he was gone.

GBM: No. No I haven't.

Bagwell's eyes tighten and Murray sweats. The King's relief is almost tangible when Bagwell finally shrugs.

Bagwell: Oh well, just tell him to get back here if you happ-- hey, are you wearing stilts?

GBM: No, I've been sleeping with my feet in fertilizer bags. That's why I'm six inches taller all of a sudden.

Bagwell: You crafty old dog.

Suddenly the door swings wide open again and a female arm pulls at The Rajah of Ratings' shoulder. A broad smile etches its way across the Jerseyian's face.

Bagwell: Duty calls.

And in a split-second Bagwell is dragged back into the locker-room, leaving a very uncomfortable Garbage Bag Murray standing in the hallway. Andy suddenly turns and bolts away from the scene.

Back to Top

The camera cuts back to the ringside area where it pans over toward the announce table. Not far from it the crew is finishing the final touches on the Double Jeopardy Cages. Joey Andrews stands in the center of the left ring, a microphone being lowered down from the ceiling for him.

Andrews: The following is a Double Jeopardy Steel Cage match and is for the Global Championship Wrestling WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE!

The Japanese crowd explodes at the proclamation, having waited all night for this moment.

Andrews: Having won the Golden Star match, Clyde Fox and Jay Terror will get to choice which steel cage they wish to enter. After that, the remaining two competitors will come out. Both matches will start at the same time and can only be won by pinfall or submission. There will be a short break after both winners have been decided.

He pauses to let the crowd soak in all the information.

Andrews: Now ladies and gentlemen, ARE YOU READY!? As an added bonus, the World Heavyweight title will be suspended over the cages to remind all the competitors just what is on the line. So let’s get READY TO FIGHT!

The crowd explodes all over the place, bringing a huge grin to Joey’s face. The camera pans up to show the GCW World Heavyweight title hanging high above the two cages, the gold shining brightly against the lights. Seeing the belt on the MegaTron, the Tokyo fans go crazy with anticipation. The crowd doesn’t have to wait long as 'Ghost Town' by Shiny Toy Guns roars through the arena. The fans collectively jolt up from their seats as they wait for the arrival of their hero. Clyde Fox emerges from the back, cape and all. The fans erupt as Clyde hops around with a big smile pasted on his face.

Andrews: Making his way to the ring, from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, weighing in at 190 pounds... CLYDE FOX!

Bryan: This is easily the biggest match of his career. But I’m not sure if Clyde Fox understands the importance of it all.

Yale: You saw him earlier. He wants to play game show host when everyone else is getting ready for the match. Clyde cannot, and will not ever be the GCW World Heavyweight Champion.

Fox throws his arms out in front and pretends to fly down to the ring. He promptly marches up the steps and into the ring through the door of the cage. He proceeds to climb the nearest turnbuckle and wave to all his friends.

Bryan: People have told him what he can and cannot do for a long time, and he has proven them wrong. But I do have to wonder how prepared he is for this. He is the reigning Rampage Winner after all.

Yale: He’s the reigning winner for another few minutes. The finals are after this and they will be huge!

Fox unties his cape from around his neck and walks to the middle of the ring.

Bryan: Jay Terror will be out next to decide if he wants to be in the same cage as Fox or a different cage. After that Fox can decide if he wants to remind in his cage or not.

"As we proceed..."

The audience begins to stand from their seats as they turn their attention to the MegaTron.

"...To give you what you need."

Andrews: Making his way to the ring, from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania weighing in at 187 pounds. . . JAAAYY TERRROOORRR!

Bryan: Here comes the only person in this match to have actually held the World title previously.

Yale: I think that gives me the biggest advantage going in. He’s certainly my favorite to win it. He’s been held back from getting his shot ever since he won Dangerous Games, and now he’s having to share it with two others.

The curtains break open and Jay Terror walks straight out wearing only a pair of tattered jeans and his signature bandanna. Sunglasses cover his devilish eyes and he offers a slight smirk for those looking his way. As the music picks up, Terror begins his stomp down to the ring cracking his knuckles and neck. He surveys the scene in front of him, the two massive cages side by side with Clyde Fox waiting in one for him. He approaches the two doors and looks to be trying to decide which one to enter. He finally signals for the same door Fox entered. Walking into the ring, he heads into the center of the ring where he fastens his belt to the right setting. To the corner he heads where he waits for the match to get underway.

Bryan: It looks like Jay Terror wants to start off against Fox!

Yale: And that means Chris Storm and Tessa Windsor WILL have to face each other in the first round. We thought this was going to happen.

The Tokyo crowd boos Terror, knowing what this means for the married couple. Everything becomes hush as 'Broken' by Seether starts to play. All eyes turn to the entrance ramp where Chris Storm suddenly appears. Wearing his usual; a black Punisher hoodie with matching black leather pants, Chris Storm steps out onto the ramp on his journey toward the ring.

Andrews: Making his way to the ring, from New York City, weighing in at 250 pounds. . . CHRIS STORM!

Bryan: He never looks happy, but right now he has even more reason to be upset!

Yale: That’s right, as it stands he’ll have to get past Tessa if he wants to win the GCW World Heavyweight title.

His head tilted down, Chris makes his slow descend toward the ring, bouncing from foot to foot. His arms shake at his sides, his neck rolling as he goes. The crowd desperately moves in as close as the guard rails will allow, but Chris doesn't seem to notice them. His body just keeps on moving until he reaches the cage. The referee opens the other door, letting Chris enter the lonely cage. The entire time he never seems to take his eyes off Terror, who blows him a kiss.

Bryan: Jay Terror is just rubbing it in his face.

Yale: If Chris wanted to be able to pick his cage, he should have won the tag match. He has no one to blame but himself.

Stepping between the ropes, the crowd finally starts to die down as Storm makes his way toward the far ropes. Upon reaching them he throws both arms up to entice another huge pop from the crowd, again bringing them to their feet. He flips back the hood covering his head and looks out at the sea of people before finally turning his attention to the task at hand.

Last is Tessa. She’s always last, always ignored. But tonight she has a chance for the spotlight. She just has to go through her husband to get it. "You're Gonna Go Far Kid" by Offspring hits over the PA system and the fans react immediately with a strong volume of cheers for Tessa Windsor. Coming out with her knee brace still on, and on the correct leg this time, Tessa doesn’t seem to have as much bounce in her step as usual.

Andrews: From Boston, Massachusetts, weighing in at one 120 pounds...TESSA WINNNDSOR!!

Tessa makes her way down the ramp, slapping the many extended out to her with a wide smile. Ready to enter the cage, she is suddenly stop by Clyde Fox, who is asking the referee to open the door.

Yale: What is Fox doing?

Bryan: He’s exercising his right to pick which cage he enters, and it appears he’s not going to let Jay Terror have his way!

To Tessa’s surprise, Clyde Fox exits his cage with Terror and hops right in to join Chris Storm. The Rock Superstar just shrugs his shoulders, but inside he has to be smiling wide. In the other cage Terror looks to be going nuts. He is screaming for Fox to get back in the cage but Tessa quickly hops in and the referee shuts the door behind her.

Bryan: Given Terror’s track record against Tessa Windsor, he should want no part of her.

Yale: The only thing that matters is the last match, which Terror not only picked up the win but put her on the shelf and is the reason she has that large knee brace on.

Bryan: Still, he seemed to have had a plan and Clyde Fox just threw all that out the window, or in this matter, out the cage.

With the two cages set now, the referees enter the cages and signal for the bell.

DING-DING!

While the bells still echo through the arena, there is a moment of pause as everything seems to settle. After three long months, GCW will finally have a new World Heavyweight Champion. The camera again pans up to show the vacated belt hanging over everyone’s head. All four competitors take a moment to look up at it, to admire it, to know what they are about to put their bodies on the line for.

Bryan: I don’t care who you are, are where you are from, this is the ultimate prize in professional wrestling!

Yale: And it needs a new waist to warm.

The timekeeper brings everyone back down to earth by ringing the bell once more.

DING-DING!

Snapped from their dreams, the four competitors all redirect their attention back to each other.

Ring #1

Jay Terror shakes off his frustration with Clyde Fox and looks across the ring at his opponent. It may not be what he wanted, but he has to smile when he eyes that knee brace on Tessa Windsor. If Clyde did anything right, he at least gave Jay the opponent who could not be one-hundred percent healthy. Jay Terror made sure of that himself. All Tessa can think about, however, get payback. And well, payback is a bitch!

Yale: Jay Terror looks to be going right after Tessa here, he is aiming for her knee.

Bryan: It’s not unsurprising. He wants to finish this off quickly. Endurance has never been his strong suit, Malboro has made sure of that.

Attempting to hook her leg, Jay keeps going low as he maneuvers around the ring. Tessa is able to keep herself just far enough away to stay safe, but Terror is getting close. He stays low, hoping to grab her ankle, but Tessa feeds him her knee into the mouth. While the knee pad may protect her, it is unforgiving to Jay Terror, busting his mouth open very early in the match. She takes off that knee brace and throws it on top of Terror, covering him up with punches to try and further damage his mouth.

Bryan: Tessa is just going all out in this match.

Yale: She’s cheating again with that knee brace!

Bryan: I don’t think her knee is fully healed, but as she told Chris earlier, nothing is going to hold her back from trying to win it.

Ring #2

With the bell ringing again, Chris Storm gets into his standard wrestling stance. Clyde Fox is more than glad to join him, mimicking Chris by trying to get into a wrestling stance of his own. Chris straightens up and gives a soft laugh. He again gets into his stance and Fox once more follows suit. Chris steps back to create some space for them and seems to dimenstrate a Single Leg Takedown. Clyde nods and copies. Chris claps and signals for the crowd to join in.

Yale: What is this, a practice session? This is supposed to be a World title match!

Bryan: I have to admit, I am surprised by this, but then again nothing Clyde does should surprise me.

Chris stands up and shows Clyde how to do a Double Leg Takedown, but stopping before he actually takes Clyde down. Jumping up and down in excitement, Clyde can’t wait to try the new move himself. He gets into stance and comes at Storm only to have the Pure Wrestling Punisher throw his knee right into Clyde’s face. The impact is sickening as his knee smashes into Clyde’s nose. The crowd is venomous at him, at least from those that saw it.

Bryan: What a dirty move!

Yale: That’s more like it! I’m really starting to like his new attitude.

Wasting no time, Chris drops onto Fox and locks him into a Hammerlock. With his free arm he presses it into the back of Fox’s skull and grinds poor Clyde’s forehead into the canvas. Just being mean now, Chris repeatedly smacks Clyde in the back of the head with his forearm, bouncing his head off the mat. After three hits, he uses the Hammerlock to bring Fox back to his feet.

Ring #1

Despite not having to worry about a disqualification, Tessa gets off Terror and brings him back to his feet. Terror, though, is well aware he doesn’t have to worry about getting DQ’ed and blatantly jabs Tessa in the eye with his thumb. The half of the crowd watching this match boos him with just as much venom as they gave Storm earlier.

Yale: Jay Terror badly wants the World title back. He’s tasted it, and he wants another. By not having to worry about getting disqualified, this match is wide open for him.

Tessa stumbles back, holding her eye in pain. Terror goes right to the attack, nails her with vicious strikes to try and force her into the ropes. Tessa is able to get her arms up to block but Terror has the size advantage over her and gets her into the ropes. Terror reaches back for a big punch but Tessa grabs him by his head and throws him face first into the cage. The crowd roars with life as Jay bounces off the cage and onto the canvas.

Bryan: Big counter by Tessa!

Yale: If that mouth was busted open before, it’s wide open now.

Tessa comes right back with a fast elbow drop to Jay’s sternum, trying to get the breath out of him. Hopping up to her feet, she drops a leg across his throat, spinning right back up. The crowd soaks her in cheers, but Tessa knows she cannot rest.

Ring #2

With Fox back up, Chris continues to ring away on the arm. Clyde can feel his shoulder burning with pain, but is unable to get his free arm back and high enough to reach the taller Storm. With one more reach, he is able to extend his hand around the back of Storm’s neck. Clyde drops forward to his left shoulder and brings Chris over with a Snapmare. The crowd cheers, just as they do for Tessa and the Prince of the Playroom follows it up with a beautiful Dropkick to the back of Storm’s head.

Bryan: Nice comeback by Fox and it looks like he is scorning him for being a meanie.

Yale: You need a little mean streak to be successful in a match like this. Clyde will learn.

Clyde makes the first pin attempt of the matches. The referee slides into position and all focus shifts over to their cage.

One…

Kick out!

Yale: It’s way too early for a pin attempt, Clyde is just hoping on that one.

Bryan: It still takes effort to kick out, if nothing else, he’s wearing him down. There is no way he can match Storm in actual wrestling ability but he can certainly beat him in the energy department.

Yale: He would beat the Energizer Bunny in that department. He’s a six-year old on a sugar rush.

Chris Storm kicks out with ease and starts to get back to his feet only to have Clyde slap on a Sleeper Hold. Chris almost laughs at the attempt at some technical wrestling, but grabs Clyde’s elbow and forces his own shoulder into Clyde’s stomach. With a lift and a pull, Chris flips Fox out in front of him and back first onto the canvas. Chris easily slaps on his own Sleeper Hold now, albeit a much tighter one.

Ring #1

Tessa has Terror back on his feet and nails him with two shots to the jaw, possibly looking to be busting his mouth even more. The Terrorible One hits a kick to the lower regions, which still hurt Tessa despite not having a one-eyed snake. Jay takes advantage and nails a nice European Uppercut before giving her a Ric Flair-esque chop to the chest. Despite their hate for him, no one can resist the Ric Flair chop.

WWWWWWOOOOOOOOO!!!!

He sucks her in for a Front Headlock, looking to score one of his DDT’s, but Tessa throws in some heavy shots to his body. Terror throws a knee into her chest, nearly taking her off her feet. He falls back, but Tessa refuses to go, leaving Terror to accidentally send himself back first on the canvas. Tessa grabs both legs and flips herself forward for a Bridged Pin. All eyes are now on them as the referee counts.

One…

Terror rolls through, getting out of the pin attempt and instead has Tessa in position for a Piledriver. Tessa kicks her feet wildly and when the Malboro Man realizes he can’t lift her, he instead throws himself forward and crushes her into the canvas with a Pancake.

Yale: Big move! Terror just nailed her with that one.

Bryan: They have squared off a lot in the ring and it is showing off right here. They know each other so well, they seem to be able to counter anything the other throws.

Stepping over her body, Jay goes right for a Boston Crab, looking to see just how much that knee actually has healed.

Yale: And he’s right back to targeting the knee!

Bryan: This is bad, because in this match there is no rope breaks. The only way out is to fight.

Yale: Tessa certainly won’t be powering out of it.

Ring #2

With his Sleeper on tight, Chris is able to just grind away on his opponent. Clyde, though, is a very quick student and goes right to grabbing Chris’ elbow. He thrust his own shoulder into Chris’ stomach. The Rock Superstar knows what is going on and quickly slides his weight back to keep Clyde from pulling him forward. Although Clyde cannot counter just as Storm did, the shift in weight is more than enough to give him wiggle room to slip out of the hold.

Bryan: Clyde Fox is free!

Yale: Chris Storm looks livid, he doesn’t like Clyde copying him.

Even though Clyde gets back to his feet, he is greeted right away with a big right hand from Storm. The crowd boos him, but Chris shoves Fox into the ropes. Clyde bounces back at him and Chris unloads with a huge Belly to Belly Overhead Suplex. He comes back to his feet roaring, getting Clyde right back to his feet. The Prince of the Playroom seems out of it, nearly dead on his feet, as Storm launches him for a T-Bone Suplex.

Yale: There is that suplex aptitude showing off.

Bryan: Chris Storm is one of the best, no doubt about it. Clyde cannot allow him to get into a rhythm.

This time Chris goes for a pin of his own. Having his huge offensive explosion, everyone looks to see if there may be their first fall of the match.

One…

Two…

KICK OUT!

Bryan: Clyde just barely manages to kick out.

Yale: Chris almost had him there. This could almost be over if he can keep it going.

Ring #1

With the Boston Crab on tight, Tessa can only grin her teeth in pain. She does her best to try and hide how much her knee may actually be hurting but bum knee or not, the Boston Crab is still a very painful move in its own regard. All Tessa can do is trying to send all her strength and energy into her legs and attempt to kick them wildly.

Bryan: The one thing working in Tessa’s favor is that all of her strength does come from her legs. Terror looks to be having trouble holding on tightly.

Feeling his grip loosen, The Outlaw switches from a full Boston Crab to only a Single Leg Boston Crab. He does make sure to grab her hurt knee as the leg he continues to hold.

Yale: Smart move, sensing that he is losing the move and switching to one where he can use both hands to hold her in.

The crowd boos, despite that as David points out, it is a smart move. They look to try and rally her with their support, crying out for her.

WE LOVE TESSA! WE LOVE TESSA! WE LOVE TESSA!

Opposing chants start to become just as loud as the other half of the crowd joins in.

TERROR SUCKS! TERROR SUCKS! TERROR SUCKS!

Soon the entire crowd is broken into fractions, each trying to overpower the other.

WE LOVE TESSA! TERROR SUCKS! WE LOVE TESSA! TERROR SUCKS! WE LOVE TESSA! TERROR SUCKS!

Her earlier attempts at kicking her way free prove futile now as Jay has his hold locked in tight with both arms for support. The realization that she may not be able to escape from this hold starts to sink in with Tessa and desperation kicks in. She violently claws at the mat, trying to get free, but knows even if she can drag him with her, there is nowhere for her to go. Then she sees it. Tessa stretches out as far as she can.

Bryan: Tessa looks to be a dead duck. She has to find some way to break free.

Yale: No way, not with how well Terror has it in there. It’s just a matter on when she finally taps out.

She grabs it, Terror has his back to her and never sees it. The Petit in Pink has to twist her body as much as she possibly can, but is finally able to blast him in the back of the skull with her knee brace. It knocks him forward, enough for her to finally be able to escape. The crowd breaks into cheers upon seeing her freed.

Ring #2

Not worrying about the near fall, Chris grabs Clyde Fox and peels him off the canvas. Fox seems to have some life left in him, has he manages to twist Storm’s nose. The Pure Wrestler Punisher withdraws in just as much shock as pain. Clyde tries to catch him by surprise with a punch but Chris ducks it and hooks in a Full Nelson. Just as quick as that he has Clyde up and over in a textbook Full Nelson Suplex. Still rubbing his nose, Chris angrily stomps away on Fox before pushing himself away. Pacing around his cage like an animal, Chris suddenly catches something out of the corner of his eye.

Bryan: Uh oh, not good.

Yale: No! No! Don’t let yourself get distracted! Fox looks like he is down for the count!

Chris Storm doesn’t care, in fact Clyde Fox is the last thing on his mind right now. He sees Jay Terror with a Half Crab locked on tightly on his wife. Tessa is crawling viciously on the canvas, trying to escape. Chris is right up against the cage wall that divides the two rings, but the metal bars keep him from being able to go any further. He yells for the referee to do something, but his own referee reminds him that there is no disqualification or rope break.

Yale: Chris Storm is losing it! He seems to have completely forgotten about Clyde Fox!

Bryan: If he has any weakness, it’s Tessa. That man just can’t think right when he thinks she’s in danger. We’ve seen it cost him countless times in GCW.

Looking around for something, Chris sees the door for his cage. He heads toward it, telling the stage hand to open it for him. The poor thing has to shake his head and tell Storm no, only further angering him. Thankfully there is the cage between the two, otherwise Chris may have mauled the poor worker for his defiance. Grabbing onto the metal bars and hollering at the top of his lungs for them to open the door, Chris never notices that Clyde has gotten back to his feet. Even the cheers of the crowd can’t tip him off.

Bryan: This isn’t good, Clyde is up now and Chris still doesn’t see him.

Yale: He better turn around and focus on his own match!

Chris is shaking the bars, but ends up kissing them when Clyde Dropkicks him in the back and sends him face first into the metal. The crowd doubles it’s volume with glee as Clyde rolls Chris up from behind.

One…

Two…

THRE-NO KICKOUT!

Bryan: That was a close one. Clyde almost got Chris with that one.

Yale: He needs to pay better attention, but he was able to kick out at the last second.

Ring #1

Tessa tosses her knee brace away, no longer needing it after breaking free from the hold. Jay is a little slow to get back up, holding the back of his head in pain. She makes him pay for it, running at him and catching him from behind with a Bulldog. The Established One lands center of the ring and rolls over onto his back, leaving him a huge target. Tessa leaps over him and sends herself into the far ropes. Hoping onto the middle rope she sends her body up and over for a picturesque Springboard Moonsault.

FINAL VISION!

Bryan: She hit it! She hit it!

Yale: No! She cheated, she used the knee brace, disqualify her! She’s about to rob Jay Terror again!

Bryan: There is no disqualification, just as you said before, and we’re about to have our first competitor in the second half of this match.

Staying on him for the crowd, Tessa brings the entire crowd up to its feet. They count with the referee.

ONE!

TWO!

THREE!

BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Despite the crowd’s three count, the referee only got to two before he saw Jay Terror get his shoulder up. Just to make sure there is no confusion, the referee comes to his feet and gives the sign for two toward the time keeper’s table.

Yale: That was close, too close for comfort.

Bryan: I can’t believe he kicked out.

Yale: Terror wants this bad, nothing short of murder is going to keep him from doing everything to win.

Tessa can only look on in shock, seeing the referee proclaim the near fall. Shaking her head, she gets back up and brings Terror with her. She hops onto his shoulders, looking for a big impact Hurricarana. Whether from instinct or awareness, Jay Terror grabs hold of her and runs forward, throwing Tessa into the steel cage with a Running Powerbomb. Her body collapses into the ropes and onto the canvas. Jay Terror drags her out, pulling Windsor back before stomping away on her. He sees that knee brace Tessa discarded and picks it up, readying it as he watches her stir on the canvas.

Bryan: Jay Terror looks like he wants to pay her back for using that knee brace as a weapon.

Yale: He is yelling for her to get back to her feet, but after that gruesome Powerbomb, I don’t know if she can.

The crowd in Japan and all those watching at home hold their breath as Tessa crawls over toward the ropes and uses them to lift herself once again to a vertical base. Jay is nearly jumping out of his boots now, unable to wait any longer. Tessa turns around, only to be blasted in the face from the brace.

Bryan: What impact!

Yale: I don’t know if I like this or not, but it doesn’t look like Jay is finished with her yet.

Bryan: I would go for a pin attempt here, but he may be worried that it isn’t enough.

Lifting Tessa to her feet, Jay Terror gets behind her and hooks for a Reverse DDT. Instead of bringing her down, however, Jay lifts her into the air. Everyone in the building knows what he is going for.

BANDSTAND BU-EOLIAN!

Bryan: She countered! At the last moment she countered!

Flipping out of the lock, Tessa manages to change into a Sitout Read Mat Slam before he can hook the leg for the Reverse DDT. Tessa grabs the nearest leg and pins.

ONE!

TWO!

KICKOUT!

The crowd boos, knowing just how close she was to winning and moving one step closer to the finals.

Yale: That still isn’t enough to bring down Terror. He simply will not be denied!

Ring #2

Chris rolls to his feet, but cannot stay there long, as Clyde takes him down with a Clothesline. He again pops back to his feet, and this time manages to duck the Clothesline attempt. He turns to face Clyde only to be met with a stiff kick to the gut before the Front Face Slam.

FOX FACTOR!

Clyde runs into the nearby ropes and springboards himself off the middle rope for a Moonsault. When the person in the other cage does it, they call it the Final Vision, but this man calls it

BUNNY SAULT!

Bryan: This has to be it! He’s done it!

Yale: I can’t believe Clyde Fox will be moving on, this is horrible!

The crowd cheers for Clyde, yelling for him to pin Chris, but he doesn’t. Instead Clyde starts moving toward the cage, leaving the fans in Tokyo confused. Suddenly Clyde starts to climb the cage and it becomes clear.

Bryan: No Clyde! You can’t win that way; this isn’t a normal cage match!

Yale: He thinks he needs to escape to win! This is why they should have put a roof on the cages! I should have known he would screw this up!

The fans are wildly screaming, trying to tell him to go back, but only manage to drown out the referee. Clyde thinks they are cheering on him and stops at the very top of the cage, taking a moment to celebrate his accomplishment. He looks down and sees Chris getting back to his feet. Proud of himself, Clyde slowly and carefully climbs down the other side of the steel cage in front of Chris.

Bryan: Clyde thinks he won, but now he has to climb back in.

Yale: And on top of that, he gave Storm time to recover. That’s an all around fail.

Clyde makes it to the floor by the time Storm is on his feet. Looking at him safely through the metal bars, Clyde sticks out his tongue and gives him a raspberry, only for Chris to open the door to the steel cage.

Bryan: The referee is explaining to Clyde he can only win by pinfall or submission, not escape!

Yale: His eyes are as wide as saucers, Chris Storm is inviting him back in, I love this!

Holding the door for him, Chris is licking his chops, watching as Clyde Fox takes a big gulp upon realizing his mistake. He walks in through the door and nearly jumps out of his shoes when he hears it slam behind him. He turns around to see Storm cracking his knuckles. He offers his hand in friendship but Chris grabs hold of it and uses the hand to pull him into a Spinning Belly to Belly Suplex.

Bryan: That’s going to leave a mark.

Ring #1

Tessa gets back to her feet, holding her head as she tries to rattle her brain for any way she can possibly finish off Jay Terror. She sees him struggling to get back to his feet and rushes at him, looking to score big with the Shining Wizard she has stolen from Markus Stone. Given the circumstances and what is at stake here, he might not mind her using it, if only she didn’t completely miss.

Yale: Jay Terror ducks!

Bryan: Tessa’s off balance now.

Seeing the rare opening on her, the Outlaw throws himself at her and connects with his own stolen move, one he got from the same man he got his bandana from.

RICH ROLLINS SUPERKICK!

Terror drops over her body for the cover. The crowd is up and back to having their attention on these two after having to yell at Clyde Fox for his mistake. They see the referee slide into position to make the pin and Tessa looking up at the lights.

ONE!

TWO!

THRE-KICK OUT!

Bryan: Tessa kicked out, she kicked out at the very last second! Just like Terror, she will not go down without a fight!

Yale: If it’s a fight she wants, it is a fight she will get. Jay Terror isn’t finished with her yet.

Ring #2

Chris has Clyde Fox back on his feet now, but brings him right back down with a vicious Short-Arm Clothesline. He holds on tight to the arm, refusing to let go, and brings him back to his feet for a second one. This time he lets go, allowing Clyde to plop onto the canvas. He drops down for a cover, almost following right behind Jay Terror’s own pin attempt.

ONE!

TWO!

KICK OUT!

Like Jay Terror, Chris can only manage a two. Punching the canvas, Chris pulls Clyde back up and sucks him in for a Powerbomb. He flips him up onto his shoulders with relative ease. The crowd holds its breath as Chris showcases his prize. Clyde, though, is far from finished and answers back with a wet willy, or as he calls it, Ghost Town Ectoplasm. Distracted, Chris ends up leaving himself wide open for a Hurricarana from Fox.

Bryan: Clyde Fox may have just saved himself there.

Yale: Chris had him dead to rights, but more foolishness has saved his tail.

Bryan: A wet willy certainly is not conventional, but it works. But Clyde has to figure out some way to sustain some kind of momentum.

Ring #1

The Terrorible One has a few words with the referee before turning his attention back onto Tessa. Seeing her try to get back to her feet, he quickly stops her by planting his boot into the side of her head. Acting fast, Terror punts her in the ribs, forcing her to roll over onto her back as she lets out a scream of pain. Picking her up, he carelessly throws her haphazardly into the nearby turnbuckle.

Bryan: Jay Terror is just being brutal with Tessa now. He is trying to dismantle her.

Yale: He knows what it will take to win. He’s going to make sure that is him.

Nailing her with various blows, Jay Terror uses Tessa as a punching bag in the corner, finishing with a Clothesline that knocks her onto her ass. He stomps away on her until he has her flat on the canvas, really putting the leather on her. Normally Jay would stop and rub it in on the crowd, but he is all business tonight. Taking one glance at the World Heavyweight title hanging over head, he knows what is at stake and that he cannot play around.

Bryan: Jay Terror is stealing a glance at that belt. He better not be looking ahead.

Yale: He’s just reminding himself what this is all for. He’s as motivated as he’s ever been.

Lifting her up to her feet, Jay blast her in the mouth with a big left that sends her right back into the corner. He grabs her wrist and sends her clear across the ring, crashing into the opposite turnbuckle. Tessa hits so hard the impact nearly bounces her out of the corner, but the Established is right there with a Clothesline to keep her from going anywhere. Terror places his boot under her chin to keep her in place, choking her in the process. The referee tells him to let go, but it is empty words. Jay and the referee both know there is no disqualification. He can choke her out until she’s blue in the face and there is nothing the referee can do. Regardless of that fact, Terror does release the hold, but only so that he can charge in on her once again.

Bryan: Tessa gets the boot up!

Yale: Oh my! Blood is just gushing from Jay’s mouth now.

Even the Japanese crowd is taken back by the amount of blood seemingly coming out of Jay’s mouth. He spits as much of it out as he can, but it just is never ending. Tessa looks to capitalize on it and throws herself out of the corner. Terror spots her out of the corner of his eye.

Yale: Spinebuster! And what a big one!

Bryan: That almost shook both rings.

He hooks the leg.

ONE!

TWO!

KICK OUT!

Rather than argue or fight, Jay gets back to his feet and brings Tessa with him. He hooks her head, dropping her for a sick DDT in the middle of the ring. Again he flips her over and hooks that leg, demanding the referee make the count.

ONE!

TWO!

KICK OUT!

Bryan: Again, so close, but Jay Terror seems unable to finish her off.

Yale: He’ll cripple her if he can’t. Nothing is going to hold him back from finally reclaiming his belt.

Ring #2

Clyde Fox scouts out his location in the cage, trying to get a sense of his bearings. Seeing Chris stir, he formulates a plan and springs into step. The Prince of the Playroom runs right back Chris, who is now on one knee, and into the far ropes. Leaping onto the middle rope, Clyde springboards himself back to Storm and catches the Rock Superstar with a Double Knee Face Buster! With Chris out in the middle of the ring, Clyde again starts up the cage.

Bryan: What is he doing? Didn’t he learn from last time?

Yale: This is Clyde Fox, he never learns! It’s why he’s burning himself on the stove so many times even though I keep telling him it’s hot. But does he listen? NOOOO!! He just has to keep touching the hot stove. Well guess what, that’s why you keep getting burnt!

Bryan: Uh, Dave?

Yale: Huh? Oh, sorry. Our Commissioner was having me work with him some to help get him ready for the Golden Star matches.

Despite the crowd again moaning, seeing that Clyde is making the same mistake again, Fox continues on up the cage. Finally reaching the top, he looks down to see Chris still flat on his back looking up. Clyde rises up, holding both hands high into the air and gives the Snuka.

Oh yeah, he knows what he’s doing. The crowd? Bat shit crazy.

SNUKA SPLASH OFF THE STEEL CAGE!

HO-LY SHIT! HO-LY SHIT! HO-LY SHIT! HO-LY SHIT! HO-LY SHIT! HO-LY SHIT!

He makes a cover and the referee drops down to count.

ONE!

TWO!

THRE-NO KICK OUT!

Ah, who am I shitting? That was a motherfucking Snuka Splash off the steel cage. Of course it’s a three count.

THREE!!!!!!!!

Bryan: Clyde Fox has done it! He has done it!

Yale: I can’t believe it! He’s going to the second half of the match! He’s beaten Chris Storm!

Bryan: Chris was bigger, meaner, and stronger than Clyde but he didn’t have the heart Clyde had and that is why Fox is standing in the middle of the ring with his arm raised right now!

DING-DING!

Andrews: And the winner, by way of pinfall, CLYDE FOX!

Hearing his name announced out loud, Clyde drops to the mat and throws up both arms in celebration. The referee unlocks the door and helps the Prince of the Playroom out of the cage, leaving a broken and beaten Rock Superstar to look up at the lights and the World title he will never hold.

Ring #1

Both competitors are on their feet after the series of near falls, but as they lock in a tie up, they stop upon hearing a monstrous crash. Jay and Tessa look over to the other cage and see Clyde Fox nailing the splash on top of Chris and making the pin. Poor Tessa has to watch as the referee makes the three count, eliminating her husband from the match. Terror takes advantage of her distraction and nails a Running STO, slamming her hard into the canvas. Tessa rolls over to her stomach, at least aware enough to keep herself from being an easy pin.

But after seeing Clyde Fox get the win, Jay Terror realizes every second he spends in the match is more of an advantage to Fox. Rather than attempting what will likely be another near fall, Jay decides it is time to end this. He signals to the crowd his intentions.

Bryan: This is not good! Jay Terror looks like he may have lost it.

Yale: He wants to end it here, one move. This is not good for Tessa. She’s about to join Chris Storm.

Grabbing both her arms, Jay Terror places his foot into the small of her back and bends her over his foot. Despite her screams of pain, there is nothing anyone can do to help her. Jay places his other foot onto the back of her head.

CURB STOMP!

Everyone loves them a good curb stomping, but not even the Tokyo crowd can bring themselves to cheer for Jay Terror.

BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bryan: Well folks, it looks like we have our World title match all set up now. It will be Jay Terror taking on Clyde Fox.

Yale: You have to really like Terror’s chances. Fox showed a lot of heart in there against Storm, but Terror is a completely different level. He’s been a World champion and he’s not going to let Fox prevent him for repeating.

It’s all elementary, but Jay Terror flips Tessa over and makes a cover. The referee drops down for the count. He can barely be heard over the boos from the fans. It’s too disgusting to watch.

ONE!

TWO!

KICK OUT!

Wait, what? Kick out?

Bryan: WHAT!

YALE: NO!

RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA*deepbreath*AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jay Terror looks on with disbelief. He pops up to his feet, right in the referee’s face this time. Forget calm and collected, that was a Curb Stomp. The referee had to be wrong. Jay shoves three fingers in his face as if the number was some kind of foreign alien to him. His face is absolutely red, and not just from the pouring blood foaming at his mouth.

Realizing he is not going to win this argument, Jay Terror grabs Tessa by her wrist and drags her into the ropes. Placing her upper body onto the bottom rope, he positions her face right up against the steel cage. He again hooks the arms and places his foot into her back.

Bryan: No he can’t!

Yale: He’s going to Curb Stomp her right into the steel cage!

Everyone in the building is up on their feet in concern. Things were getting real serious now. Even Jay Terror seems to be having second thoughts about such a dangerous move, but one look up at the World title hanging over his head seems to erase any of that. Jay pulls back tightly on both arms. He brings his foot down.

MISS!

A little too amped up, Jay pulls on the arms too tightly and when he finally brings his arms forward as he stomps, he gives Tessa enough momentum to break her wrist free and move her head out of the way. Jay ends up stomping as hard as he possibly can into the steel cage. Pain shoots up his leg and into his brain. Using the ropes for support, Tessa gets back to her feet. Terror turns to face her but the Pink Clad Diva cuts him down with a Spinning Heel Kick.

Bryan: And just like that Tessa has new life!

Yale: But she’s still feeling that first Curb Stomp! She can barely get back to her feet.

Even with the Spinning Heel Kick, Tessa seems out of it. Rolling around the canvas, she gets up at the same time as Jay Terror. The Outlaw comes right at her, not giving Tessa a second to try and regain her senses. He clips her with a Back Elbow and shoves her into the turnbuckle. Jay hops onto the middle turnbuckle and rifles in shots to her forehead.

ONE!

TWO!

THREE!

FOUR!

FIVESIXSEVENEIGHTNINETEN!

He hops off as the crowd venomously boos his very existence. Grabbing Windsor by the wrist, Terror launches her across the ring and hard into the opposite turnbuckle. Coming in at her, all Jay can find waiting is a big ol’ boot to the mouth.

Tessa sees her opening. She jumps onto the middle rope, coming off with a Springboard Hurricarana!

FATAL STORM!

She’s not finished there. Back on her feet, Tessa is running purely off adrenaline now. She hops over Terror’s body and right into the ropes. She again springboards, but this time goes it one step further and grabs the cage, pulling herself even higher and springboarding off the cage as well for a double jump.

FINAL VISION!

Bryan: She has the leg hooked!

Yale: NO!

ONE!

Yale: NO!

TWO!

Yale: NO!

THREE!

RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bryan: It’s Tessa Windsor against Clyde Fox for the GCW World Heavyweight title!

Yale: NOOOOO!!!!!

Bryan: I can’t believe what I am saying, David Yale is speechless, but Tessa Windsor will be taking on Clyde Fox for the World Heavyweight title!

Andrews: And the winner, by pinfall, TESSA WINDSOR!

The referee opens the door for Tessa, who instantly leaves her cage to go check on Storm. On the outside she is greeted by Clyde Fox, who just gives her a bone crushing hug. The crowd in Tokyo is going crazy, as Tessa returns the embrace, but moves past Clyde to check on her husband. Joey Andrews brings the microphone to his lips.

Andrews: There will be a short break and next we will be having the finals to the RAMPAGE tournament! After that, we will put the cage back up and Tessa Windsor will take on Clyde Fox for the Global Championship Wrestling World Heavyweight title!

It is defying in the building as the MegaTron comes to life, showing Clyde Fox nailing the huge Snuka Splash off the top of the cage. The screen cuts to just seconds ago where Tessa has amazing hang time on a Double Jump Springboard Moonsault. The MegaTron cuts to a split screen, showing replies of both moments, with World heavyweight title between them.

One down, one to go. Who will wear the crown?

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It is moments before the biggest match of her career. Tessa Windsor is in her locker room, a bundle of nerves. There is a knock at the door and she nearly jumps out of her boots. The door opens and in walks Chris Storm. His shirt is off, revealing heavily bandaged ribs. Seeing him, Tessa instantly runs to his side.

Windsor: Are you alright?

Storm: I'm fine, I'm fine. I just came to check in on you.

She takes on look at his ribs, and is all over him.

Windsor: No, did you go see the doctor?

Chris rolls his eyes.

Storm: Yes, that is who wrapped me up.

She doesn't seem to be buying his story, inspecting his wrapping.

Windsor: Are you sure you're not lying to me to make me feel better? Did you really go see the doctor?

Chris finally has to grab Tessa to get her to stop moving so much.

Storm: Calm down, I'm fine. You really don't need to mother me. You need to be more concerned for yourself.

Her eyes rolls away, trying not to make contact with him.

Windsor: I know.

Her words are sheepish and weak. Chris forces her over to her bench so she can sit down.

Storm: I know you are nervous but you can do this.

Windsor: But what if I can't!

He places his hand on her shoulder.

Storm: You can. I believe in you. You have come so far, put up with so much bull. It almost seems unfair. But you are here now. And you need to worry about yourself. You can't be concerned with me or with Clyde or with anyone else. This is your time. You are allowed to think about yourself first for the next thirty minutes.

She still seems fidgety, continuously looking over at his bandages. Chris gets frustrated and finally just rips them off in from of her. His ribs are clearly bruised and have already started to swell.

Storm: Worrying about me won't fix my ribs. Worrying about me won't help you. You CAN do this. Even if Markus was here, he would be damn proud of you.

Tessa shoots him a look, knowing she does not like that name. Chris shakes it off.

Storm: I'm serious. I don't care how it went between you two. He would be. He cared about us and he wanted you to be in this spot now more than anyone. You have so many people that believe in you and you don't even realize it. Me, Markus, Knight, Viv, Rikki, Tempest, and so many more. We all believe in you. Now it is time for you to believe in yourself.

Windsor: Yeah...

He rubs her hair, messing it up.

Storm: Don't worry, no matter what happens we'll all still love you. I promise.

He finally manages to get a smile out of her.

Storm: Your time has come. Now you just need to seize it.

Patting the top of her head, Chris turns and starts to leave. Tessa grabs hold of his wrist, stopping him before he gets away.

Windsor: Chris.

Storm: Yeah?

Windsor: Thank you. I won't hold back. I'll make this mine.

Storm: That a girl. You go get them tiger.

They share a kiss before Chris finally leaves. The scene fades to black.

Back to Top

Bryan: We’re ready for more action, folks, and I thought we’d have crowned a new world champion by now, but we’ve only narrowed the field, and we’ll resume the World Title match between Clyde Fox and Tessa Windsor once we have a Rampage Tournament victor.

Yale: It will definitely be a good night for Clyde or Tessa, JB, because one of them will commence their first GCW World Title reign later on tonight, but right now, we’ve got a huge battle coming up, and I have a horse to back in this one! Tim Shipley is my pick to walk out the winner, and he’ll show the world why he’s the best ring technician tonight, even outdoing Tempest by fighting in one more match than she did tonight.

Bryan: I wouldn’t call that fighting! Shipley left his tag team partner out to dry!

Yale: That’s just strategy. There are casualties in war, after all.

Bryan: Call it whatever you will, Dave, but I’m leaning Tempest, though, and I’m definitely cheering for her to pull off what would undoubtedly be her biggest GCW victory yet. And let’s not forget, the TV Champion would get a banked shot at the United States Title if she were to beat Shipley, and think of that match! I would love to see Tempest go toe to toe with Vivica J. Valentine.

Yale: So would I. Vivica would tear Tempest apart. Let’s get one thing straight here. Vivica J. Valentine is ruthless, and we’ve seen many times that Tempest is by no means innocent, but throwing a lollipop at Tim Shipley’s head isn’t going to win her Rampage. Hacking into Shipley’s computer isn’t going to win her Rampage. Vivica J. Valentine would have no problem ending someone’s career if it meant winning a match. I don’t think I could say the same thing about Tempest.

Bryan: And you think that’s a bad thing? This match has rules, and Timothy Vale is a veteran referee who will make sure they’re followed. This match isn’t about ending careers, it’s about starting them. It’s about being the better wrestler--not the most heinous!

Yale: It’s never that simle, JB. If it was, realists like me wouldn’t need to exist.

Bryan: Then realistically speaking, Tempest is a lot tougher than you think. We know she’s battled demons in the past, and her upbringing in Hong Kong was nothing short of grueling. Tempest is a proven survivor, and in my book, she’s got the kind of heart it takes to survive whatever Shipley throws at her tonight.

Yale: These aren’t the streets of Hong Kong. Even if it doesn’t come down to who is willing to do whatever it takes, rules be damned, to win this thing, Shipley has a nearly unrivaled knowledge of how to keep control inside the ring. He doesn’t take uncalculated risks like Tempest, and all he’ll have to do is wait to capitalize on one of Tempest’s attempts at wowing the fans.

Bryan: I suppose we’re going to have to agree to disagree, and then we’ll have to wait and see. Joey Andrews is in the ring, ready to call this one!

Andrews: The following contest is scheduled for one fall, and it is for the distinction of becoming the 2010 Rampage Tournament Champion!

Bryan: I’m getting goosebumps, Dave. Think of all the careers the Rampage Tournament has made. Potential new World Champion, Clyde Fox, GCW’s longest reigning champion, Andy Murray, and his partner earlier tonight and 2008 Rampage runner-up, Chris Bagwell. Seems to me, the last two hold a win over Tim Shipley here tonight.

Yale: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Obnoxious factoids from my esteemed broadcast colleague aside, it is an honor just to make the Rampage finals...especially in such a competitive field. But there’s a reason Shipley was top seed.

Bryan: At this point, it’s just a number. They’re both just Rampage finalists now--at least from bell to bell they are!

A distorted riff winds down the scales on an electric guitar, thumping drums soon joining it. Matt Bellamy’s lyrics over a gnawing, repeated note. Red and green discordant bursts of colour scatter around the arena at random, the lights swivelling dangerously on their fixtures.

Bryan: This isn’t Tempest’s entrance music, and it isn’t Shipley’s, either.

Yale: I recognize it from somewhere, though...

It’s Roxie Sykes, and she comes through the curtain, walking tall in the outfit that Tempest designed for her months ago, which fits snugly around her "narrow waist and powerful thighs." "MK Ultra" by Muse continues to blast out from the speakers either side of her. Her crowd reaction is more confused than anything, and the announce team is right along with them as she slowly circles the ring and heads towards them.

Bryan: I didn’t expect that Roxie Sykes would be back in GCW! She had a brief stint wrestling in PRIME after Commissioner Garbage Bag Johnny was reluctant to let her wrestle here, but things didn’t work out too well for her over there.

Yale: It looks like Shipley’s still got some allies after all...I think.

As Roxie slides around the booth, James Bryan politely sets up a spot for her before unraveling the cord of another headset to present to Shipley’s former manager. She puts on the headset, albeit somewhat reluctantly, and takes her seat.

Bryan: Hi, Roxie. I have to say that it’s quite a surprise to have you with us tonight.

Roxie: Hi yourself.

Bryan: It’s just that we haven’t seen you around in a while, so it’s a bit curious that you’re back in GCW now.

Roxie: There’s no place like home, I guess.

Yale: Can you at least confirm that you’ll be cheering for Tim alongside me?

Roxie: I’m not much for cheering, Dave.

Bryan: Well, we’re not getting any answers, so now that we’ve pretty much interrupted Joey Andrews to a ridiculous extent, let’s let him finish.

A subtle electronic chorus of voices wafts from the speakers as a laser blue hue pulses across the screen and over the crowd. On their feet at the opening strains of "Battle Flag" by the Lo-Fidelity Allstars, the crowd’s volume starts to rise as flashes of lightning and quick shots of a whirling maelstrom of wind and rain illuminate the darkness on the screen accentuating the beats just as the words kick in.

Then the bass beat kicks in and the images flash to that of a woman’s cobalt blue eyes flashing out of the darkness and a tumble of jet black hair, her face lit by flashes of light and a smile with a light all its own. These are interspersed with the lightning and the storm.

A white hot light flashes from the screen and the real Tempest bounds from beneath the screen to a sparkling shower of blue pyro and a raucous cheer from the crowd.

Andrews: Making her way to the ring, from Hong Kong, in the People’s Republic of China, weighing in at 133.3 pounds...she is your GCW Television Champion...TEEEEEEMMMPEEEEESSST!!!

Bryan: The Japanese crowd is fully behind Tempest tonight, and she looks even more pumped than usual!

Yale: How much is left in the tank after that match with Rasa, though? It’ll be interesting to see how quickly she burns herself out if she tries to keep things fast paced.

Tempest still doesn’t skip a beat, though. She hurries around, making as much time to slap hands with the fans as she can, circling the ring to celebrate the most important night in her GCW career with the ringside fans, before running up the stpes, mounting the ropes and standing atop them. Tempest poses for another huge pop and thousands of flash photographs before dismounting and repeating the process on the opposite set of buckles.

Bryan: Tempest is savoring this moment, but she’s also letting the fans savor this moment, too!

Yale: Well, let them get it while it lasts.

After the final dismount, Tempest gives Roxie Sykes a cautious look before turning to stand dead center in the ring, her eyes now trained towards the entrance awaiting her opponent. Darkness overcomes the ring, though, and the spotlight shifts to the white spotlights bearing down on the stage. Crashing, beeping noises, and synthesized arpeggiations usher on the third coming of a familiar introduction. "Please welcome: Tim Shipley. Does not compute. Does not compute...", moans a robotic voice, and momentarily the ugly strummings of Ash's "Astral Conversations With Toulouse Lautrec" blast into the fans' ears.

Andrews: Making his way to the ring, from Milton Keynes, England, weighing in at 225 pounds... TIM! SHIPPPPLEEYYYYYYY!!!

Yale: I still can’t believe that Steven Caldera chose Garbage Bag Johnny over Tim Shipley as GCW Commissioner. In less time as an active member of the GCW roster, Tim Shipley has achieved way more than Johnny.

Bryan: In his time as a GCW roster member, his independent promotion, Just Wrestling, has declared bankruptcy. I think Caldera made a wise decision.

Shipley comes through the curtain, his tights gleaming in the oppressive lighting. There is no smirk on his face this time, just a serious expression as he briskly makes his way to the ring without any muss or fuss, ignoring the boos and insults shouted at him from the crowd.

Yale: Shipley is all business now, and when he’s got his game face on, there isn’t much that can stop him.

Bryan: Any comment, Roxie?

Roxie isn’t paying attention. Instead, she meets eyes with Shipley as he slides into the ring and keeps referee Tim Vale between himself and Tempest. Tempest doesn’t take her eyes off of Tim Shipley, even as he shoots Roxie a confused look over the ropes. Tim turns his attention back to the match, and fellow Tim, referee Timothy Vale, calls for the bell.

DING! DING!

Bryan: And the 2010 Rampage Final is officially under way!

No sooner than that can be said does Tim Shipley charge in for the collar and elbow tie-up, using his size advantage to quickly muscle Tempest back into the turnbuckle, but in the split second that Shipley rears back to throw in a back elbow, Tempest dodges out of the way, and Tim Shipley’s side meets the turnbuckle. The slight collision doesn’t slow him down any, but a huge roundhouse kick from Tempest leaves Shipley slouching in the turnbuckles.

Bryan: Right out the gate, Shipley is aware of his size advantage, if not completely used to it, and Tempest is right at home with her quickness advantage.

The so-far-quiet Roxie Sykes begins giggling.

Bryan: What?

Roxie: Nothing...just that bit about Tim not being used to having a size advantage.

Shipley doesn’t have the time or superhuman hearing to find that funny as Tempest quickly lays into him with a stiff series of mudhole stomps to his gut that send his body slinking down the turnbuckle and into a sitting position in the corner. Tempest agilely circles around the ring, gaining enough momentum without wasting too much time to connect with a low dropkick to Shipley’s face, bouncing his head back off of the second turnbuckle.

Bryan: Tempest is showing a lot of fire here in the opening moments of this match!

Yale: I think Shipley got a bit ahead of himself, making the first move. That’s something he’s not really pegged to do. Maybe it was a plan to change up his game that simply backfired, but now he’s just going to have to revert to his tried and true strategy until he can find a groove.

Shipley pulls himself up in the corner, and Tempest is quickly attacking with an attempted monkey flip. The flip, however, does not connect as Tim Shipley catches her in mid air, spins a half circle and sits Tempest down on the top turnbuckle. Unfortunately, the feisty Tempest is again one step ahead, sending a sharp kick to Shipley that staggers him there.

Bryan: Shipley literally trying to turn things around, but Tempest is proving to be the aggressor here tonight.

Yale: All I can say is that she better finish Tim off quick, because the more opportunities you give a technician like Shipley an opening, the better the chances are that you’ll end up boots pointing at the sky.

Tempest’s boots, however, point in many directions as she quickly straightens herself into a standing position on the top rope before leaping off to catch Tim Shipley with a flying spinning heel kick that lands Shipley on the canvas while Tempest rolls back to her feet. Letting her momentum carry her, Tempest springs forward, springboarding herself off the second rope and into an asai moonsault. The moonsault ends up being one move too many in the chain, and Shipley, desperate for both rest and control, manages to get his knees up just in time and no sooner.

Yale: Counter by Shipley, and I think that puts them back on even ground!

Bryan: We’ll see if that’s enough to keep Tempest down while Shipley recovers.

Shipley pauses only momentarily to regain his bearings before trying to regain his footing, noting the window of time to take advantage is dwindling as Tempest rolls around clutching her midsection. Shipley musters up his strength too quickly for planning and instead, opts for brawling, kicking Tempest hard in the side before she can get up on her own accord. Her efforts to get to her feet don’t go unseen, however. Shipley whips her up by an arm, only to send her flying into a short arm clothesline. He holds onto her wrist and repeats the process one more time. Tempest goes down hard, but Shipley won’t have it. He pulls her up immediately by the back of her wrestling gear before tossing her head first through the second and third turnbuckle so that Tempest’s body goes horizontal, stopped only by her shoulder slamming into the ring post.

Bryan: Oh my God, it might be broken! Shipley was wrenching Tempest’s shoulder with those clotheslines, and now he sends that same shoulder into the ring post at full force!

Yale: I have to give it to Tempest, she came out swinging, but Shipley’s out for blood now. If it looks like focusing on the shoulder will work, he’ll tear it right off.

Bryan: Both of these competitors are looking more vicious than I’m used to seeing them this early on in the match. Roxie, you’ve been quiet tonight. Do you have any thoughts of what we’ve seen so far?

Roxie: I dunno. It’s been alright so far, I guess.

Shipley, feeling momentum swinging his way, peels Tempest out from her predicament in the turnbuckles before setting her up for a belly to back suplex. He connects and hangs on for the pin.

Bryan: Timothy Vale drops down for the first pinfall count of the match!

...1!

Yale: That suplex is a particular favorite of the Englishman’s.

Bryan: Still, this bridging pin isn’t the most effective this early on in the match.

...2! ...followed by an immediate kickout!

Yale: The point is that Tempest had to exert some energy to kick out. Shipley’s just wearing her down.

The strategy works, at least to an extent, in that it allows Shipley enough time to stand up, grab hold of the arm he’s been working, steps on Tempest’s shoulder, and pulls. Tempest lets out a cry of pain, and Shipley loosens up on his foot grinding into Tempest.

Bryan: Possibly a show of compassion by Tim Shipley?

Roxie: Come on. You know better than that.

Sykes is right. The release of pressure is only temporary as Shipley frees his foot a little bit to make room to pull his opponent up by the affected arm before stomping it back down with some authority. Tempest yelps again as this shot to the shoulder proves more punishing than the last.

Yale: I’m loving what I’m seeing! Shipley is not relenting!

Without breaking the hold, Shipley drops a knee on Tempest’s shoulder en route to helping her back to her feet before twisting Tempest’s arm for good measure. Almost out of instinct, like a fox gnawing off a trapped paw, Tempest somersaults out of the arm wrench and lands on her feet. A crescent kick shoots towards Tim Shipley’s head as Shipley maintains a hold of Tempest’s untwisted wrist, but Shipley is shrewd enough to duck, landing Tempest in an awkward position before she lands in an awkward position after a quick adjustment to a wrist clutch suplex!

Bryan: Tempest made an attempt to turn things back in her favor, but Tim Shipley is really firing on all cylinders right now.

Yale: I’d be surprised if Tempest got another offensive move in!

Roxie: Don’t sell Tempest short.

Yale: If I wasn’t a smarter man, I’d almost think you were rooting for Tempest.

Roxie: Hey, us gals gotta stick together.

And if truer words were never spoken, fate--or a baseball slide from Tim Shipley--drives Tempest under the bottom rope and off the apron towards the announce table. Shipley can’t find a suitable follow-up that doesn’t involve flying through the ropes or over the top rope, and not ready to do that yet, he takes a little more time than he would have liked stepping through the ropes and down from the apron.

Bryan: And now Tempest is out here by us, and Shipley looks like he’s played out his hand as far as he could. The further we get from a traditional wrestling setting, the further we break from Shipley’s comfort zone.

Shipley finally does get to Tempest as she’s trying to claw her way up the announce table, and he lets her get high enough to where he barely needs to reach to grab her by the air and turn her around, quickly finding her wrist again to send her for an Irish whip towards the steel ring steps.

CRASH!

But as the stairs rattle, the roles are reversed. Using everything she had to counter, Tempest winds up on all fours from the force of whipping the 100-pounds-larger Shipley, and Shipley sits against the steps, clutching his shoulder.

Bryan: These two superstars have paralleled each other so far. Despite having fought earlier, each one is trying to control the fight early, and historically, I’d say Tempest is more comfortable at this pace.

Yale: Tempest may have bought some time, but as long as Shipley keeps the shoulder in mind, he should be able to rein this match in whenever he wants.

If Yale’s right, though, the time isn’t now. Tempest powers back to her feet before Shipley can push himself fully upright, even while using the stairs for assistance. Even with a sorely worked shoulder, Tempest is able to slam Shipley’s head back down onto the steps with heavy force, and Shipley, unable to fully resist with the block, falls backward, clutching his face. Tim Vale slides out of the ring and begins to warm Tempest.

Bryan: Vale knows that it’d be unwise to enforce count outs in a match with so much on the line, so he’s making a veteran move by ushering Tempest back into the ring.

Tempest heads back towards the apron, and from the outside, she grabs hold of the second rope to pull herself up. With one great leap, she swings her legs up and over the second rope, all the way over the top rope--but barely--for a tremendous split-legged moonsault variation! This prompts applause from Roxie.

Bryan: Beautiful split-legged moonsault, and it appears that Roxie liked that one.

Roxie: What can I say? It was a good move.

Yale: I disagree. Sure, it might have looked cool, but it’s inefficient. Tempest’s going to need time to recover from that, and ever second she takes to recover, Shipley gets to recover.

Bryan: A move like that can really get the crowd going, and that, in turn, can get momentum swinging faster. We’ll just have to see what develops.

The crowd grows louder, and this time, Tempest manages to get up to her feet well before Shipley. Filled with adrenaline, she inadvertently obeys referee Timothy Vale by pulling Shipley to his feet and rolling him into the ring. Tempest then leaps onto the apron, but Shipley’s already rolled over to push to his hands and knees, which is, coincidentally, right where Tempest wants him as she springboards off the top rope and lands a flying double fisted chop splash that drives Shipley back down face first to the canvas...

Bryan: Category Fi--NO!

...or she would have landed it had Shipley not somersaulted forward out of harm’s way in the nick of time.

Yale: Ha! That’s what happens when your offense is a trapeze act with no net.

Bryan: Shipley had that one scouted!

Roxie: Tim might act like an arrogant ass, but he still does his research.

Despite his diligent studies, no tape can tell Tim Shipley how to bypass recovery time. Shipley crawls towards the turnbuckles to catch a breather and prop himself up, but as soon as he’s recharged and ready to go, he’s surprised to see that Tempest is right there with him. Shipley’s the first to swing, pushing forward with a clothesline, but Tempest avoids it by wrapping around Shipley’s body by way of his arm and pulling him down for a crucifix pin!

...1!

Yale: Tim Vale down to count a little bit faster this time. I know he’s good friends with Commissioner Johnny. You think Johnny wanted to make sure the odds were against Tim?

Bryan: I think that’s a ridiculous accusation.

...2!

Yale: It’s alright. A pinning maneuver isn’t going to win Rampage. Why is Tempest even bothering?

Bryan: What about your whole diatribe about Shipley pinning Tempest to force her to waste energy kicking out?

...3?

Yale: He’s got a hundred pounds on her, JB. Besides--

Bryan: Hold your horses! I think we got a three count!

Not quite! Shipley kicks out and referee Timothy Vale calls for two. The crowd roar dies down at once.

Yale: Don’t jump the gun, JB, and it’s rude to interrupt. As I was going to say, Tim Shipley waited until the last possible second to kick out there, thus conserving the maximum amount of energy.

Meanwhile, in the ring, Tempest is a tick faster to her feet, the energy Shipley wasted kicking out probably costing him a few seconds, and an enziguri later, a dazed Tim Shipley falls slowly, like a tree falling in the forest. Except this time, everyone hears him land. Tempest makes sure of that by planting him with a high impact DDT before he hits the ground on his own accord!

Bryan: WHAT A DDT BY TEMPEST! She just spiked him!

Yale: You’re going to give yourself a heart attack, JB.

Roxie: It’s kind of cute how excited he gets, though.

Tempest looks up at the top rope and uncharacteristically decides against it. Instead, she pins Shipley again, this time hooking the leg for good measure.

...1!

Bryan: Tempest trying a safer approach here, and it might pay off.

Yale: If I said it once, I’ll say it a thousand times. Tempest just doesn’t have the size to win against the men here in GCW if she doesn’t take risks.

...2!

Roxie: I resent that!

Yale: Go ahead. Resent the truth.

...KICKOUT!

Yale: See? It’s like he’s kicking out from under a light blanket.

Bryan: He was inches away from losing right there, Dave. If you’re backing Shipley, I’d be breathing a sigh of relief right now if I were you.

Tempest slaps the canvas and looks up towards the top rope, wondering if she could have put the match away from there. Though disappointed, she steels herself and gets back to the task at hand, stomping on a groggy Shipley a few times before helping him up to his feet prematurely. He’s too busy regaining his bearings from the DDT to avoid an Irish Whip into the ropes, and when he comes bouncing back, Tempest is there waiting for him with a drop toe hold. She quickly rolls forward from the maneuver, locking Tim Shipley in a crossface chickenwing!

Bryan: FERRET FACE!

Roxie: That’s not a nice thing to call Dave.

Bryan: I wasn’t calling Dave a Ferret Face...that’s the name of Tempest’s trademark submission hold.

Roxie: Do all play-by-play men take everything so literally?

Tempest has the hold synched in on Tim Shipley, and she’s got great position in the center of the ring. Despite the weight advantage Shipley employs, Tempest has anchored herself in her spot tight enough where Shipley’s efforts to crawl towards the ropes are slow. Referee Timothy Vale gets down on his knees for a closer check on Tim Shipley.

Bryan: Tim Shipley has had a busy night tonight, and it looks like that’s starting to get to him. I see him fading, and it doesn’t look like there’s any way out!

Yale: Tim Shipley always finds a way. Right, Roxie?

Roxie: Well, no. Not always.

Referee Timothy Vale raises Tim Shipley’s free arm once. It falls. The crowd starts to buzz.

Bryan: He betrayed his only ally in GCW tonight! He survived Spencer, but Tim Shipley is going...

Vale raises Shipley’s arm a second time. The crowd’s buzz turns to a cheer.

Bryan: ...going...

A third time.

Bryan: GoNo!

The cheers deaden as Shipley raises his arm just before it hits the ground. Vale backs off, and Shipley musters strength from somewhere within and begins pulling himself forward towards the rope with his forearm. He makes it one foot...two feet...Tempest is struggling to hold him back. She pulls back heavily to keep Shipley from moving forward. It works.

Yale: Jesus, that is art right there!

But even though it stops Tim Shipley from moving forward, he times it perfectly, pushing himself backwards towards Tempest as she clinches back as tightly as she can on the hold. Reversing his momentum sends Tempest off balance, and she rolls on her back, Shipley subsequently rolls on top of her, and this lands Tempest underneath a pinfall attempt.

Bryan: Tempest’s still got the Ferret Face locked in!

Yale: She’ll let go if she isn’t as dumb as I think.

...1!

Bryan: She doesn’t look like she’s loosening her grip, but I think she’s doing what Shipley’s doing--waiting to kick out until the last second to inflict as much damage as possible.

Yale: She’s taking an unnecessary risk is what she’s doing! What’s one second extra on a hold if it could cost you such an important match if you don’t time things properly?

...2!

Bryan: You’re something else, Dave. You know that?

...KICKOUT!

Tempest lets go of the hold to break up the pinfall attempt, and as soon as she does, Tim Shipley springs free and rolls himself out of the ring. As Shipley walks gingerly around the ring clutching his own shoulder, it’s the perfect opportunity for Tempest to take off and suicide dive between the second and third ropes!

Bryan: Incoming!

Unfortunately, the timing is a little too perfect. Shipley’s got Tempest scouted again, and a suicide dive quickly turns into a powerslam to the outside!

Yale: That’s the kind of karma you get for cheesy remarks like that, JB.

Roxie: He’s right, you know. That was pretty bad.

Bryan: I’m just going to ignore you guys. Tempest just took a monster slam onto that mat, and hopefully that one just knocked the wind out of her because she isn’t looking too good.

Tim Shipley knows that he can’t win the match outside the ring, but he can certainly help his case. He quickly scoops Tempest up from the mats, and a quick snake eyes on the ring barrier is carefully positioned to refocus on Tempest’s shoulder. He completes the attack by catching Tempest with a side Russian legsweep as she bounces back off the barricade.

Yale: Shipley’s showing some control here, but he can’t win if he’s not in the ring.

Bryan: He hasn’t been getting much offense inside the ring either. I think Shipley might be running out of gas.

Yale: He’s just waiting to catch another wind, and I think this might be it.

Shipley keeps on his offensive, pulling Tempest up again, raking her forehead across the top of the barrier as he drags her around the ring steps and towards the announce table. In fact, Shipley wastes little time tossing Tempest onto the table as the announce team along with special guest Roxie Sykes stand from their chairs and utilize the space from the expanded floor area. Soon, Shipley’s up, too, and there’s static from the headsets being pulled off. James Bryan’s voice cuts through.

Bryan: I’m sorry folks, bear with us while we get reconnected. I think David Yale and Roxie Sykes have both lost audio on their headsets, but Shipley is up, and OH GOD!

Tim Shipley hasn’t even taken the time to remove the monitors as he positions Tempest’s head between his legs while reaching for the tights.

Bryan: He’s going for the stump piledriver, and he’s going to put her through the announce table!

Referee Timothy Vale is out of the ring now, trying to restore order, screaming at Shipley to take things back into the ring, but Shipley knows the rules, and there’s nothing referee Tim can do right now if he’s not counting them out. Fortunately, there’s something Tempest can do that only lands her with a warning. She drops to a knee, balls up a fist, and sends it where the sun don’t shine.

Bryan: I believe that some people might consider that a regions shot!

Yale: I consider that blatant cheating. Come on, Vale! Do something!

Bryan: That was a life preserving maneuver, Dave. I can’t fault her for that!

As Yale protests, his audio cutting in and out, Tim Shipley collapses across the table, holding his groin, and Tempest takes to climbing, however she has the wherewithal to remove both monitors in the desk first. She mounts the apron in one leap and then takes it three turnbuckles higher, ascending all the way up to the top rope. She’s showing signs of fatigue, too, from this match, and her earlier bout--a closely contested semi-final match with the mysterious Rasa. Her ascent is slower than normal, and Shipley’s burst of ascent is much quicker, and totally unexpected.

Bryan: Shipley just flew off of the table and onto the apron! That’s very uncharacteristic of him!

Yale: What I’d like to know is how a man can be that spry so soon after being hit in the groin!

Through static, Roxie’s headset audio reenters one more time before all three announcers run for cover again.

Roxie: Tempest didn’t have much of a target to aim for!

And with that, headsets are thrown to the wayside, because Shipley is up the ropes and one step ahead of a shocked still Tempest. It gives him the edge to catch Tempest under the leg and over the shoulder, and in a moment so gracefully epic that any words the commentators had could not do it justice, Tim Shipley flies backwards, flipping Tempest over with a super cradle suplex to the outside--a breathtaking augmentation of his trademark Chaos Theory suplex. For a few seconds, the fans forget about Tim Shipley and all the bastard things he’s done to Andy Murray, Garbage Bag Johnny, GCW as a whole, and even the fans themselves. They forget that the man flying through the air is even Tim Shipley, and when Tempest goes cleanly through the announce table, reducing it almost to nothingness. Tim Shipley lands with her, perhaps catching even more direct impact with the hard ground outside the ring, and nobody is there to question whether it was the wisest choice to put his body at risk like that, especially when his strengths lie elsewhere. The fans grow loud now, replacing the void left by the announcers as Yale and Bryan scramble to get their audio back in gear.

HO-LY SHIT! HO-LY SHIT!

Roxie has abandoned her headset completely, and she just kind of stares over the rubble, standing in front of her chair with her hands over her mouth in disbelief. She slides back into the chair, awed.

HO-LY SHIT! HO-LY SHIT!

Even referee Timothy Vale doesn’t know what to do as he stands there outside. He’s surveying the wreckage, looking for signs of life, and he has to see something because he’s not calling for EMTs. Instead he--

Bryan: WE BACK? YES, I THINK WE’RE BACK AND, JESUS H., I DON’T THINK EITHER COMPETITOR IS GETTING UP AFTER THAT!

Yale: I’m speechless, JB, absolutely speechless.

And with nothing else to do, Timothy Vale starts to do what comes to him naturally. He starts to count.

ONE!

Yale: Can this match even end in a double count out?

Bryan: I’m not sure he’s counting them out. I think he’s counting to see if either one of them is still fit to compete!

TWO!

Bryan: Timothy Vale knows how important this match is. If it weren’t the Rampage Finals, I don’t see him letting this one continue!

Yale: Well, what happens if he gets to ten? They can’t both win the Rampage Tournament.

THREE!

Bryan: I don’t know. Let’s just hope it doesn’t come to that.

The first signs of twitching show up in Tempest, and before the next spread count, Shipley follows suit, but they’re only the faintest of twitches.

FOUR!

Bryan: I think I see some movement.

Yale: Speaking of movement, we’re going to have to kick Donald and Malcolm out of their seats and steal their table before next match.

FIVE!

The movement evolves into crawling as Tempest inches her way towards the ring, and Shipley moves in the opposite direction, towards his former manager.

Bryan: Tim Shipley is moving towards Roxie Sykes, and I don’t know if it’s intentional or not. He did take quite a fall.

SIX!

Yale: Of course it’s intentional. Everything Tim Shipley does, he does for a well plotted out reason. Give him the benefit of the doubt.

And as his path continues, it becomes more defined, more pointed towards Roxie Sykes. He’s close when she notices.

SEVEN!

Timothy Vale begins to relax his count a little bit now that the competitors are moving, hoping that one of them gets up before he has to count to ten. Far be it for Tim Vale to prevent this year’s tournament from having a clear champion. Meanwhile, Roxie Sykes tries to shake Tim Shipley off of her as he grabs onto her leg and tries to pull himself up.

Bryan: Tim Shipley is making an awkward attempt to pull himself to his feet using Roxie Sykes.

Yale: Stranger strategies have existed.

EIGHT!

And as Tim gets a bit too grabby as he pulls himself further up the irritated Roxie, she reaches her hand back and slaps the taste out of his mouth.

Bryan: Ooh! Tim Shipley getting a bit too hands-on there, and that’s what’s coming to him.

Yale: Whoa, there. Now you’re just trying to make Shipley look bad. Any perceived groping was clearly an accidental side effect of Tim trying to get back to his feet. He’s groggy.

NINE!

Too fixated on the developing struggle between Tim Shipley and Roxie Sykes, even Timothy Vale takes a second to notice that Tempest is in the ring, and as he turns, possibly readying himself to have to count out Tim Shipley, Tempest looks at the action, too, laying down from her recently acquired position laying on the canvas just inside the bottom rope.

Bryan: Tempest’s in the ring! We’re one count away from a Rampage Champion!

Yale: What the hell is she doing?

And as much as the crowd would have loved for Tempest to win Rampage, they go bananas when she rolls back out of the ring, resetting the count before rolling herself right back in to recover.

TEM-PEST! TEM-PEST! TEM-PEST!

Bryan: She doesn’t want to win like that, and I don’t blame her! If Tempest is going to take Rampage 2010, she wants to do it with an exclamation mark!

Yale: I’ve seen some bonehead moves in my day, but that might have been the boneheadiest. A win is a win, and that display of honor right there may end up costing her a career-making accomplishment.

Bryan: She doesn’t want to be remembered as the wrestler who won Rampage by countout, and that proves to me right there that Tempest has what it takes to overcome Tim Shipley and his deviousness and his plotting and his calculations and OH MY GOD!

Tim Shipley, is up on his feet, and after a strange turn of events, Roxie Sykes is on the ground holding her jaw. Having taken offense to being slapped, Shipley snapped, and after a momentary distraction to monitor Tempest’s count reset, Timothy Vale takes notice as Shipley catches his breath on the chair Roxie was sitting on before his impulsive reaction--a stiff haymaker--knocked his former manager out of it.

Bryan: Now that was uncalled for!

Yale: She slapped him first, JB, and Roxie always wanted to prove that she could hang in the ring with anyone.

Noticing Tempest shakily standing in the ring, Tim Shipley, absolutely worn, folds up the steel chair and stumbles back towards the ring in an exhausted daze. Before he can get there completely, Timothy Vale stops him, and the referee tries to wrestle away the chair.

Bryan: Look at Tempest! She doesn’t care about that chair, she’s urging Shipley to bring it on!

Yale: I honestly think that after that fall, neither of these two really know where they are. It’s all pure adrenaline now.

Vale sees it, too, that Shipley’s not all there, and he tries reasoning with the Rampage finalist as he tugs weakly at the legs of the nearly confiscated chair.

Bryan: That could be, Dave. It was a very hard fall.

Yale: Exactly. How else could you explain it?

One possible scenario includes the absence of Roxie Sykes from where Tim Shipley left her and her potential resurgence inside the ring...behind Tempest...with a nicked GCW Television Championship.

Bryan: Wait a damn minute! Roxie Sykes is in the ring, and Shipley is distracting Tim Vale! No! Damn it! No!

Yale: Haha! Yes, yes, yes!

And from behind, Roxie rushes Tempest. She swings the belt hard, but her steps prove to be too loud. The belt slices the air as Tempest steps to the side. A burst of adrenaline allows Tempest to grab Roxie for a bulldog which she immediately transforms into a flipping reverse neckbreaker.

Bryan: OLD SCHOOL! And Roxie Sykes rolls out of the ring. Get that garbage out of here!

His ploy failing and the chair commandeered, Tim Shipley wastes no time in getting into the ring. He’s in there quick enough to get to Tempest before she can get back to her feet and face the right direction. When she’s halfway there, Shipley turns her and kicks her hard in the gut. Tempest doubles over, and this time, Tim Shipley does hit his trademark stump pulling piledriver. The pin comes next.

Yale: This could be it right here!

Bryan: I knew Shipley had something up his sleeve!

...1!

Yale: He always does, JB, and that had to be the deathblow there with all the trauma these two have suffered already tonight. A shot to the head like that, and goodnight!

...2!

Bryan: A hard fought match by Tempest, but she’s limp. It looks like this is it.

...3?

Yale: All hail Tim Shi--

NO! KICKOUT IN THE NICK OF TIME! Vale signals only two as Tempest springs to life!

Yale: t! What does Shipley have to do to put Tempest away?

Bryan: His plan B didn’t work. He might be out of ideas.

Ideas maybe, but he has both ire and desire in droves. Shipley calls for the end, and going straight for the finish, he pulls Tempest up, whips her across the ring and charges in, driving a shoulder into her midsection so hard that he bounces back a few steps. Tempest hunches forward, and Tim Shipley calls for it.

Yale: This is it! Eternal Hope! Eternal Hope!

The incredibly complex maneuver starts out with Shipley slingshotting himself up to Tempest’s back and onwards towards the top rope. It doesn’t complete from there. Tempest drops down to the ground, perhaps even accidentally, and it throws Shipley off balance enough to where he lands, crotched on the top turnbuckle as he faces the Tokyo crowd...his fate...his execution.

Yale: No!

Bryan: I feel bad for his allegedly tiny nuts right about now, but I don’t pity the man! Not one bit!

Tempest recovers as quickly as she can, knowing the end is soon, and she’ll be able to rest. For now, she climbs up the ropes, up Shipley’s back, and then back down...taking Shipley with her with a beautiful Victory Star Drop. She quickly switches positions into the pin.

Bryan: The Lollipop Drop! This one’s over!

Yale: It can’t be!

...1!

Yale: Shipley can’t fall to a move called "The Lollipop Drop!"

Bryan: There is no can’t in this match, Dave.

...2!

Bryan: And folks, it looks like we’re going to crown Tempest the 2010 Rampage Tournament Champion!

Yale: You can, but I refuse to.

...3?

Tim Shipley doesn’t kick out as Timothy Vale’s hand descends towards the canvas. The crowd explodes in unison, but underneath all the noise, and all the anticipation to celebrate, one small problem remains. Tim Shipley has hold of the bottom rope, and Timothy Vale sees it before his final count is registered.

Yale: Hand on the rope! Hand on the rope!

Bryan: I thought that was it, and the fans did, too. That just took the air right out of them.

But any air taken out of the fans can easily be replenished, and the crowd starts to buzz as Tempest ascends the turnbuckles one final time, The System Crash and a Rampage victory in her sights. She gets to the top rope and waits for Tim Shipley to get to his feet.

And waits.

Bryan: Tim Shipley still hasn’t gotten up, and he’s holding his neck. Tempest could’ve injured it on the Lollipop Drop--let’s take a look at the replay.

As the footage plays on Bryan’s monitor, and presumably on the TV screens of millions of GCW fans, a slow motion shot of Tim Shipley landing high on his neck from the Lollipop Drop plays.

Bryan: Ooh, yeah. Did you see the angle that he landed? Tim Vale is checking Shipley out, seeing if he wants to hang in there or call it.

Yale: It absolutely stuns me that Shipley wants this so bad that he grabbed the rope after that. He could have easily quit, but his body wouldn’t let him. It’s just in his blood to want to win so bad!

Bryan: Well, he doesn’t look to be in too good of shape right now. I think he’s just delaying the--

And James Bryan buys it again, hook, line, and sinker. David Yale buys it too, even if he won’t admit it. Roxie Sykes, forgotten but not gone, reappears from ringside to shake the top rope and crotch Tempest on the top turnbuckle this time.

Bryan: That dirty, no good...

Yale: Watch yourself, Bryan.

A fist to the midsection later, and Tempest is hunched over up top, leading to something the likes Tim Shipley may never, ever risk again, because tonight’s different. Despite the rules he bent, and despite the fact that he used outside help time and time again--outside help he’s obviously willing to double-cross--it’s all about the end result. For a meticulous planner like Shipley, it usually is, but as conniving as Shipley is, he ends it with a maneuver so poetic that to not see the artistry in it is to be blind. It is the Eternal Hope, springboarded from Tempest's back from her vantage point on the top turnbuckle off of the top of the steel ring post.

And he lands it, and for a while, all is silent.

...1!

...2!

...3!

For about three seconds, that is.

Andrews: And here is your winner...and the 2010 RAMPAGE TOURNAMENT CHAMPION...TIIIIIIIIIM SHIIIIIIIPLEEEEEYYYYYY!

It sinks in, and the crowd starts too boo, harder than they did at Shipley's entrance. He doesn't mind. He's in no state to.

Yale: Tim Shipley did it! He's the Rampage Tournament Champion, and he's banked himself a shot at any GCW Title he wishes, any time he wants!

Bryan: This was crooked, Dave, and you know it!

"Astral Conversations with Toulouse Laurec" is playing, and Roxie is rolling Tim Shipley out of the ring, helping him to the back. Despite it all, he's elated--as elated as such a worn out man can be. In the ring, Tempest doesn't move for a while. She waits for the shower of boos to die down--a storm that lasts all the while the new Rampage Champion is assisted up the ramp. All the way until Tim Shipley's entrance music stops playing.

Bryan: Commiserations to Tempest. She put up one hell of a fight tonight and got screwed.

Yale: She didn't get screwed, JB. Shipley played the game smarter. Besides, it's not like 2nd place is all bad. Look what it did for Chris Bagwell's career! We still talk about his Rampage performance today, and I have a feeling this is one match that will be talked about for years to come.

Bryan: Yeah, but in her heart of hearts, Tempest knows that this could be hers, and I don't think she'll forget that, even if next Rampage, she's far too reputable here to qualify for a tournament for up-and-comers.

And as Tempest gets up in the middle of the ring, the fans start to cheer her on, getting louder and louder as she rises while she rises as they get louder and louder.

TEM-PEST! TEM-PEST! TEM-PEST!

The loudest ovation of the night peaks as Tempest gets to her feet, beaten, worn, disappointed, but in many respects, someone with every right to feel like a champion.

Back to Top

The camera's cut backstage to undoubtably the most colorful locker rooms in the industry. Yet despite rainbows being painted on the walls and lego blocks scattered across the floor, there's something missing inside Clyde Fox's one night dwelling.

Animation.

The usually peppy, upbeat, and outgoing Fox is shown seated in the center of his locker room with his arms resting on his knees. His body is battered - cuts and scrapes evenly scattered across his skin. There only thing that can be heard is the steady pace at which Clyde breathes.

...at which Clyde [b]BREATHES[/b].

A sudden disruption in Clyde's meditation causes him to peer up at his locker room door. In an instant, a smile lights his face as his long time friend and 'guardian angel' steps inside.

Fox: KWIS!

Wearing a smirk, dressed in casual clothes, Chris Bagwell enters the locker room of his only true ally.

Bagwell: Great job out there, Clyde. You really impressed me tonight.

Fox nods his head, hardly able to draw the energy to speak.

Fox: I'm just so tired, Kwis.

Bagwell grabs a spare chair and pulls it up next to Clyde. He sits down and faces the World Title Contender in the face.

Bagwell: Pep up, Clyde. In just a little while, you're going to be given an opportunity that few people in this industry ever get to experience. You're going to be given the chance to change your life forever.

Clyde looks at Bagwell blindly.

Bagwell: The GCW World Heavyweight Championship is the most prestigious belt in the business. It's what separates superstars from Hall of Famers. Take a look at Andy Murray and I, Clyde. He and I joined this company at the exact same time. We climbed the ladder together. We each defeated the same people. Yet, he became World Champion and I did not. He's established a legacy already - one that the world will never forget.

Fox nods his head, trying to grasp the importance of this match.

Bagwell: Now it's your turn.

Clyde smiles.

Bagwell: Say it.

Fox: It's my tuwn!

Bagwell: Say it louder.

Fox: IT'S MY TUWN!

Bagwell: That'a boy, Clyde.

Fox: But what if it isn't my tuwn yet, Kwis?

Bagwell: Up until this point, Clyde, your career has been defined by two landmark rivalries - your battles with Tyson DeBough and Zacharia Taylor. At their respective times, they were high profile and drew a lot of attention to a since-decaying Television Title scene.

Fox: Champion of the TV's!

Bagwell: Yes, yes. But Clyde...those accolades are two years removed. In the wrestling world, that might as well be centuries ago. People have long forgotten about the heart you gave when you soared through the air and hit Tyson with a Bunny Sault to capture your first Television Title. They've forgotten about what an underdog you were when you went BIG TIME on Zacharia Taylor and finally defeated him to become the Rampage Tournament Winner.

Fox: But that was only last year...

Bagwell: A year is a long time, Clyde. This year, it was about a guy like Tim Shipley. And for the next year, it'll continue to be about him. That is, of course, unless you can go out there tonight and show the world what you're made of.

Fox: I'm the Prince of the Playground!

Chris chuckles, acknoweldging Clyde's pure spirit.

Bagwell: Not tonight you're not.

Clyde frowns with Chris' comment.

Bagwell: Tonight...when you walk in that ring...you're not going to be the Prince of the Playground anymore - no, no. Tonight, you're the King of the Castle, Clyde.

Fox: Like the one in Disney World?

Bagwell: Just like that one! You're going to walk out there like you own this place - like you're the top guy. Because you are - there is nobody better than you in this company right now.

Fox: The King of the Sand Castle! I like that!

Chris stands up from his chair and slaps Clyde on the back, trying to fire the kid up a bit.

Bagwell: So what are you going to do tonight?

Fox: I'M GOING TO DISNEY WORLD!

Chris can't help but to break out in laughter.

Bagwell: Haha- besides that...

Fox: I'm going to be the King of the Sand Castle!

Bagwell: And?

Fox: I'm going to win the GCW World Heavy Title!

Bagwell: Ha-ha, Exactly!

Fox: And then I'm going to Disney World!

The Rajah of Ratings throws his arm around Fox.

Bagwell: You win tonight, Clyde - I'll take you to Disney World.

Fox: Promise?

Bagwell: Let it be known and let it be sworn...

Fox: BIG TIME!

A rejuvinated, energetic, and fired up Clyde Fox springs from his seat. He marches toward the door, ready for action. He glances back at Bagwell, awaiting his company, but Bagwell waives him forward. As Clyde exits the locker room, Bagwell remains there, looking all around with a smile on his face.

Bagwell: And the crazy thing is - this kid might actually win it. Damn, what an adventure that would be!

Chris follows Clyde's steps out the door as the camera fades to black.

Back to Top

This is it. This one is for the big prize. The stage hands make the final touches on the steel cage and step back. There is a moment of relevance for the crowd as they soak it all in.

Bryan: After three long months, GCW will finally have a new World Heavyweight Champion.

Yale: And as much as I hate to say it, it will either be Tessa Windsor or Clyde Fox. Before tonight did you think you would ever see such a thing?

Bryan: I can't say I did, but these two have certainly deserved it. They have both gone through so much in their careers here, and tonight will be the crowning achievement for one of them.

All focus turns to the center of the ring where Joey Andrews stands. He has the microphone in hand and a look of great pride upon his face.

Andrews: The following match is scheduled for one fall and can only be won by pinfall or submission. CLIMBING OUT OF THE CAGE DOES NOT COUNT!

The last part gets a laugh from the crowd, still remembering Clyde Fox trying to escape the cage, only to have to reenter. The crowd here in Tokyo explodes with anticipation as all eyes fall on the entrance ramp. The lights turn off, bathing the arena in darkness.

Now dance, fucker, dance, man, he never had a chance

And no one even knew, it was really only you

The roar of the crowd welcomes Tessa Windsor back out for her second match of the night. Her body language shows just how grueling these last few weeks have been on her not just physically but mentally as well. Despite it all, she knows she has to put it all in the back of her mind. If she lets it beat her tonight, then it will all be for naught. Determined and sure, Tessa breaks into a run toward the cage causing the crowd to wildly cheer and come to their feet.

Andrews: Introducing first, from Boston, Massachusetts; weighing in at one-hundred and twenty pounds, TESSA WINDSOR!

Tessa slides into the ring through the opened door and pops up to her feet. She charges at the far turnbuckle and leaps up onto the middle rope, throwing both arms up for celebration. The crowd eats it all up, showering her with their cheers.

Bryan: She has been a Woman's champion, an Intercontinental champion, a Tag Tam champion, Television champion, Mid South champion, North American champion, Cruiserweight champion, and United States champion. But never in her life has she ever been a World Heavyweight champion.

Yale: They have told her she couldn't do it. That she didn't have the killer instinct to be champion. But if she can win tonight, she can silence all that.

Bryan: You have to believe this is easily the biggest match of her life. But surprisingly that lack of experience won't be a factor in this match. Not with who her opponent is tonight.

As Josh Briggs checks Tessa, everyone turns toward the entrance ramp. Though he is no longer the reigning Rampage winner, this is still his show. All eyes are on him and if he can repeat his performance from last year, it will be the greatest accomplishment of his career.

It's a bird!
It's a plane!
NO!
It's SuperFox!

'Ghost Town' by Shiny Toy Guns hits for the second time tonight. The crowd is still on their feet cheering. They challenge themselves to get louder and louder as everyone watches the ramp. But SuperFox doesn't walk down a ramp. He doesn't run to the ring. SuperFox flies bitches.

A spotlight hits high on top of the GCW MegaTron where Clyde Fox stands tall with his cape on and a giant F on his chest. Suddenly he steps off the MegaTron and drops. The crowd lets out a gasp but it quickly turns to awe.

Bryan: He’s flying! Clyde Fox is flying down to the ring!

Yale: I can’t believe it! Anything is possible tonight!

Thanks to the magic of a grappling hook and a body harness, Clyde Fox flies down toward the cage and over it, soaring over the crowd. Grinning ear to ear, he gives all of Japan a big thumbs up as he comes to a landing in the crowd.

Bryan: This is nuts! Clyde Fox just flew into the crowd!

Yale: More nuts is he has to wrestle for the World title! He’s flying down to the ring for his World heavyweight title bout! I just can’t believe this!

Taking off his harness, Clyde waves to everyone as security helps him through the capacity crowd and to the ring.

Andrews: And her opponent, from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; weighing in at one-hundred and ninety pounds, he is CLYDE FOX!

Bryan: Like Tessa, he’s been told what he could and could not do in his career. He’s brother tried to stop him, his friends tried to stop him, even his believe father tried to stop him. But Clyde Fox never stopped believing, never stopped hoping, and it has all paid off for him tonight!

Yale: This has got to be the most unlikely World title match ever. We could have had the Established, Jay Terror taking on the former PTC Global Champion and one of GCW’s greatest champions, Chris Storm. But instead we have two people who competing to see which one can win their first ever World title.

Bryan: So much work and so many hours have gone into this moment from the both of them. They are the ultimate underdogs, but tonight they both are the big dogs in the yard!

Joey Andrews stands in the ring beside Josh Briggs, all the lights go out in the arena except the spotlight they share in the center of the ring. A second spotlight hits the suspended GCW World Heavyweight title hanging high over the cage. Slowly the belt lowers down toward the ring. When it gets low enough Josh Briggs grabs it and unhooks the belt. He holds it high over his head, allowing the spotlight to shine the gold as brightly as the sun.

Andrews: The following match is for the Global Championship Wrestling WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP! Nineteen different people have worn this belt, and tonight we will make it number twenty! This is your RAMPAGE 2010 MAIN EVENT!

The lights kick back on as if cued up by the screams of the fans. Only by a miracle can they still shout, but they continue on raising their voices to the rafters. Josh Briggs shows the title belt to both Tessa and Clyde, allowing them to touch it before handing it off to Joey Andrews. Once Andrews has the belt, he exits the cage and orders a stage hand to lock the cage. A buzz builds in the arena. Briggs steps back, but before he sounds for the bell Clyde Fox steps forward. Tessa has her arms raised defensively, but Clyde embraces her in a hug. Realizing this, Tessa returns the embrace. After a moment the two competitors break and head to their separate corners.

Bryan: What a touching moment. Never have I seen such sportsmanship.

Yale: I think they both realize just how big this moment is. They have came a long way, and shared a lot. Don’t forget they have had their shares of battles against each other. But this is bigger than all of that, and they both know it.

Bryan: Both of them have gotten pep talks before this match, but now it is time to get to work. No more Jay Terror, no more Chris Storm, no more Chris Bagwell. This is only between Tessa Windsor and Clyde Fox.

Briggs signals for the bell.

DING-DING!

RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!

Despite all the wear and tear, both come right out of their respected corners and right at each other. Tessa goes for a Clothesline but Clyde ducks under it. Fox runs past her and into the ropes, coming at Tessa. The Petite in Pink seems him and ducks down, allowing Clyde to leap frog over her. They never stop running, hitting opposite ropes and comes at each other. Tessa hooks Clyde’s arm, flipping around back and takes him over with an Arm Drag. Clyde rolls through to his feet and when he comes back up he catches Tessa with a beautiful Dropkick. Tessa hits the mat, giving Clyde a chance for an elbow drop. He comes up empty, however, as Tessa rolls back to her feet.

Bryan: A fast start from both of them here, rather surprising by that.

Yale: Yeah I’ll agree, JB, given that they have already had a hard match not that long ago, for them to be trying to burn so much energy quickly is shocking.

Bryan: You have to believe adrenaline is the only thing driving them right now.

Yale: It has to be, it absolutely has to be.

Both on their feet, Clyde gets Tessa into a Side Headlock, wrenching away on her head. He brings Tessa over onto the mat with a Takedown, keeping the headlock in tight as he does. Tessa knows what to do and kicks both her legs up to hook them around Clyde’s head. Just as fast as Fox put her on the canvas, Tessa reverses and has him in a Scissor Choke. The Prince of the Playroom kips out, getting right back on his feet.

With both on their feet, arms raised in a defensive position, they have to stop and soak in the roaring cheers of the Japanese crowd, who appreciate their skills. But neither wrestler can get too involved, as they still have a long way to go before either can rest.

Bryan: Listen to this crowd, they are pumped.

Yale: This is why I am so glad we came here. Japan really loves their wrestling, and GCW delivered tonight huge.

Continuing their fast pace, Clyde rushes Tessa, only to be caught with a Drop Toe Hold. Tessa is back up, hitting the near ropes and rebounds with a fast Elbow strike. She hooks his arm for an Arm Bar, trying to put some wear on her opponent. Clyde tries to get back to a kneeing base, but Tessa throws her body into the air and crashes down on the outstretched arm, slamming Clyde back into the mat. She reaches over and hooks the other arm into a Double Arm Bar now. Clyde lets out a scream, trying to figure some way out. Again he looks to get back to his feet, but Tessa pulls him back and drives her knee into his back, bending the arms behind him.

Yale: Tessa is really applying the pressure here early in the match. She is using her expanded knowledge of technical wrestling to stay on top of Fox.

Bryan: Indeed, as rare as it is, Clyde actually has the strength advantage in this match but just as rare can match speed and athleticism with Tessa. So she has to use what advantages she has in this match.

Showing off that strength advantage, Clyde forces himself up to his feet, causing Tessa to raise with him. Throwing his right arm over his head, Clyde spins through the Crucifix Hold and once they are face to face, kicks Tessa in the gut. He makes sure to still keep his hands locked with hers and uses it to pull her forward into a suplex. He slaps on a Headlock on the fallen Tessa.

Bryan: Now it looks like Clyde will try to wear down Tessa after that nice reversal.

Yale: Both showing good strategy here. It seems like Chris Bagwell’s talk really helped Clyde. He is focused right now.

Tessa goes out the back door with the Headlock and slams Clyde down into the mat, hooking in another Arm Bar. Clyde Fox sits out, getting back to a seated base and Snapmares Tessa over his shoulder. Both scramble to their feet, going right into another tie up. Clyde again wins, getting Tessa into a Standing Arm Lock. Spinning under it, he snaps the arm on Tessa, working it very smart. Tessa flips forward, rolling on the mat. Rolling, Tessa flips over and reverses the Arm Lock. Clyde drops back, looking to try his own hand at a reversal but as he flips Tessa uses her other hand for a big chop across his chest. Tessa grabs his head and Snapmares him over, following it up with a Dropkick to the back of his head. She makes a cover, the Tokyo Dome jumps up.

ONE!

KICK OUT!

Bryan: Too early!

Yale: She wants the belt, and who can blame her?

The crowd continues to cheer as Tessa grabs Clyde and sends him into the ropes. Bouncing back, Tessa drops to the mat and has Clyde hop over her. She comes to her feet but Clyde looks to take her down with a Sliding Dropkick. Tessa has to front flip to avoid him, landing gracefully on her feet. Clyde comes at her, hoping to catch her from behind but Tessa sidesteps him and helps him forward into the ropes. Fox uses his momentum and hops onto the middle rope, springboarding for a Moonsault. Tessa again moves out of the way, but Fox lands on his feet. Tessa takes her turn, jumping onto the middle rope and hooking her legs around his neck.

Yale: Normally Clyde would love this, but not when the World title is on the line.

Bryan: He’ll have to keep her pervasions under control just for tonight.

Placing both hands on her backside, Clyde pushes and sends Tessa off his shoulders. Tessa manages to land on her feet behind him, but a well timed Mule Kick sends Tessa stumbling into the opposite ropes. Tessa tries to bounce back with a Spinning Heel Kick but Clyde had hoped for a Low Dropkick. The two miss each other and have to make a mad scramble back to their feet.

Bryan: Back and forth this match continues, neither seems able to gain any real momentum.

Yale: Despite that both should be very tired by now, the rush is just carrying them.

Clyde answers the call by finally nailing a kick to Tessa, before coming at her with the opposite leg for another strike to the side. Clyde spins and blast her in the chest, sending Tessa into the turnbuckle. Running at her, Clyde hooks her head and sends Tessa up and over with a Monkey Flip. Picking her back up, Clyde tosses Tessa back into the nearest corner. Giving a big chop, Clyde let’s out his inner Ric Flair.

WWWWWOOOOOOOO!!!

Grabbing her wrist, Clyde launches Tessa across the ring only to be reversed and sent slamming into the turnbuckle. Tessa rushes him, but Clyde drops a shoulder and sends her up. Showing her cat-like reflexes, Tessa again lands on her feet on the apron. Looking to fly over the top rope into the ring, Tessa gets caught by a Springboard Dropkick from Clyde that sandwiches her against the steel cage. Her body slumps over the top rope. Clyde grabs her head and flips her over the ropes and back into the ring. He tries for a pin.

ONE!

TWO!

KICK OUT!

Bryan: We almost had a new World Champion!

Yale: And it was almost the Prince of the Playroom. But Tessa was just barely able to kick out.

Clyde Fox picks Tessa back up to her feet and sends her into the ropes. As she comes back he places both hands on her hip and tosses her into the air for a Flapjack. Watching her bounce, Clyde stomps on her to try and continue to wear on her. He gives a kick, forcing Tessa under the bottom rope. He lifts her up and again sends her across the ring. As she comes back, Clyde catches Tessa and scoops her onto his shoulder. Spinning with her, Clyde gets her into an Argentine Backrack. He drops down to his knees, cracking her over his shoulders.

Yale: Big move there by Clyde! The match has really shifted to his favor now.

Bryan: He needs to keep it going; he can’t afford to let this slip away from him now.

Looking to stay on top of things, Clyde Fox walks over to the turnbuckle and scales it. The crowd cheers, but there is concern he may be trying to climb out again. It dies down; however, as he turns and faces back toward the ring. Standing there on the top rope, Clyde takes a moment before he leaps. He draws his body in, and then explodes into a huge splash.

BIG TIME!

RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!

Bryan: He’s nailed it; he’s going for the cover!

ONE!

TWO!

THRE-NO!

Yale: She kicked out! Tessa kicked out!

Clyde Fox looks more heartbroken than anything else, but the Tokyo crowd is cheering both of them equally. Picking Tessa back up to her feet, Clyde scoops her up into his arms and holds her chest to chest perpendicular. Again going to that back, Clyde drops her across his knee. Rather than attempt another pin, the Prince of the Playroom shows off some smarts, instead electing to go with a Half Crab. Her back burns intensely, the one-hundred and ninety pounds of Clyde feeling more like three hundred. Then, he does something surprising. He lets go. Despite not having any rope breaks, Clyde Fox still releases his hold.

Yale: What is he doing?

Bryan: I couldn’t tell you, but he has Tessa back on her feet now.

Pulling her in, Clyde shoves her head between his legs and flips her onto his shoulders now. In a snapping motion, Clyde Fox brings her down into the canvas for a Pinning Powerbomb!

ONE!

TWO!

Bryan: Tessa bridges her neck! Her shoulders got off the mat just before the three!

Yale: But Clyde still has the hold on her!

Lifting her back into the air, Clyde tosses her backwards over his shoulders and sends her face first into the steel cage! He tries for another pin when she bounces back onto the canvas.

ONE!

TWO!

THRE-NO KICK OUT!

Once more Clyde has to pick Tessa up, and the Pint Sized Diva tries to answer back with strikes, but a big Overhead Chop from Clyde drops her onto the mat. He brings her back up, sending her again into the ropes. Coming back, Clyde catches her and smashes her into the mat with a big Spinebuster! Still holding the legs, he starts to spin faster and faster, gaining speed.

Bryan: We’ve seen this from him before!

Yale: Airplane Spin!

Bryan: And it’s a big one, its making me dizzy just watching!

Finally releasing, Clyde throws Tessa into the mat and nearly falls over himself from the spins. He gets into the turnbuckle, trying to regain his composure. Shaking the cobwebs loose, Clyde thrust himself out of the corner and over to Tessa. Windsor has rolled over to the ropes, trying to use them to help get back to her feet. Helping her up, Clyde pulls Tessa back to the center of the ring and hooks her for a Suplex.

He tries to lift, but Tessa uses her leg to hook inside his knee. He tries again only for the same result…Fisherman Brainbuster!

Yale: What a counter!

Bryan: Clyde Fox is down and Tessa is making a desperation cover!

ONE!

TWO!

THRE-NOOOO!!!!

After the kick out, both competitors lay on their backs looking up at the sky. It seems the adrenaline has finally started to settle and both look to be gassed. Tessa is the first to her feet surprisingly, grabbing Clyde and helping him the rest of the way. She kicks him in the ribs to double him over before lifting him up for a Vertical Suplex.

SMALL PACKAGE COUNTER!

ONE!

TWO!

THREEE!

NEW WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT-NOOOO!!!

Yale: At the last second, make that millisecond! Tessa just barely was able to kick out!

Bryan: We were so close to nearly having a champion just now!

Yale: He almost surprised her, that was a great counter. But now he has to follow it up. You can feel the momentum nearly shifting in her favor.

Clyde Fox picks Tessa up only to be greeted with a right to the jaw. Tessa has him reeling now, answering with two more shots. She throws him into the ropes only to come back and get nailed with a Dropkick! Again both competitors lay on the mat, trying to catch their breath. Clyde is up first, followed by Tessa. Fox goes right at her, but again gets smacked in the jaw. Tessa grabs his head and throws him face first into the steel cage. He bounces off and she hits the ropes, coming back with a Bulldog on him. Coming back onto her feet, she grabs the cage and starts to climb.

Bryan: What is she planning?

Yale: I don’t know, but I hope she isn’t trying to escape. Clyde tried that earlier and it didn’t work.

Climbing high enough so that her feet are just above the top rope, Tessa releases the cage and falls onto the top rope. The crowd comes to their feet in excitement. She springboards.

Bryan: It’s the Moonsault!

FINAL VISION!

Bryan: Knees up!

Yale: Big risk and no reward right there. Tessa was looking to put this away right then and there.

Bryan: It might just be over. Clyde is going for the pin now.

ONE!

TWO!

KICK OUT!

Back on his feet, Clyde’s shoulders slump down as he tries to figure out what he has to do. Seeing Tessa start to get back up, Clyde hurries over and knocks her in the mouth, dumping her right back on the canvas. Picking her up, Clyde gets her into a Pumphandle.

Bryan: He’s going for INTO THE FOX HOLE!

Yale: But Tessa has slipped on behind, Reverse DDT!

She is back on her feet now, scouting out Clyde Fox. The Prince of the Playroom stirs, rolling over and getting to his hands and knees. Tessa runs at him. Clyde looks up, but can’t get his hands up in time to block.

SHINING WIZARD!

Still off and running, Tessa goes right into the ropes and hops onto the middle rope.

FINAL VISION!

Bryan: She’s nailed it this time! She nailed it!

Yale: She’s got the leg hooked!

ONE!

TWO!

THREE!

DING-DING!

Bryan: I cannot believe it! Tessa Windsor is the new GCW World Heavyweight Champion!

Yale: She has finally done it; she has finally realized her dream!

Bryan: What a special, special moment.

Hearing the bell ring, Tessa gets to her knees, unsure if this is really happening. Only when she sees the cage door open and Garbage Bag Johnny standing there with the World Heavyweight title does it start to sink in. He walks toward her, looking like he is saying something but it is inaudible over this raucous Japanese crowd. He extends the belt out to her, for her to take. She is unable to stand up. Tessa falls forward, tears rolling down her cheeks.

Bryan: Ten long years, but she has finally done it. Tessa Windsor can say she is the very best now.

Garbage Bag Johnny places the title in front of her, clapping as the crowd follows suit and come to their feet. Tessa looks up and sees the golden belt resting on the mat. She hastily scoops it up and cuddles it to her chest like a newborn. She finally finds the strength to stand and comes to her feet, causing the crowd to reach new levels. Tessa Windsor has to take a moment to soak it all in, as Garbage Bag checks on Clyde Fox to make sure he’s already. Sure enough the Prince of the Playroom is fine, though more than a little disappointed. GBJ gives him a great big bear hug, releasing him and letting Clyde Fox walk over to Tessa.

Bryan: They were competitors in one great match, but Tessa stands tall now.

Yale: Just look at the expression on Clyde’s face. He knows he was so close. There was countless times in the match I thought he had it.

Bryan: But Tessa continues to defy the odds and now she stands as GCW’s new World Heavyweight Champion.

The two stare into each other until Clyde finally offers up a handshake to her. Tessa disregards it and instead pulls him in for a bone crushing hug.

THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! chants the fans, witnesses the scene play out before them.

Tessa and Clyde break from their hug and Tessa has to again wipe away the tears. She turns toward the entrance ramp where there seems to be a stir. Coming out from the back is Chris Storm, but not far behind is Tempest as well. The two stop at the top of the ramp, clapping and cheering on Tessa. They are joined by Rikki Roxx, Zoey, and Shaman, and soon even Andy Murray and Chris Bagwell come out. Next is Ayake Sonoda, Sally Ford, and Toad. All of them stand at the top of the ramp and cheer on the two competitors, each knowing how much this meant.

Bryan: Everyone is out here showing their support for these two, who have come such a long way.

Yale: Everyone told Clyde and Tessa they would never make it to the top of the mountain. That nice people finish last.

Bryan: But looking into that ring right now, I can tell you all those people were wrong! Nice people can win, and Clyde Fox and Tessa Windsor just proved that tonight. They put on one hell of a show and I am certainly glad to have been here for this.

The camera pans out to show the entire arena still chanting "Thank You", even the superstars on the ramp. It fades to the GCW logo.

We have a new champion. We have one to stand at the top of the mountain. It took ten long years to get there. Her name is Tessa Windsor. GCW, welcome your new World Heavyweight Champion.

Back to Top

Rampage 2010 Credits

Introduction by Andy
The King and His Rajah by Sugga F'N Shane, Andy F'N Murray
It's What's for Breakfast by Bobby
There will be Blood. by Bryan
Cheap Labor and Tim Shipley vs. Chris Bagwell and Andy Murray by Andy
Taking Back What's Mine by Billy
Delay Is Preferable To Error by Prop Justin
Rasa (2) vs. Tempest (3) by Bobby
A Married Couple, A Druggie And A Game Show Host by Ross
If God Is Just, I Tremble For My Country by Prop Justin
One Down, One To Go by Leah
Tim Shipley (1) vs. David Spencer (5) by Dan Classic (Borealis)
Mutual Understanding by Bobby & Samantha
Why We Sell Our Souls by Dan
AXEL Action vs. Vivica J. Valentine by Billy (with an assist by Prop Justin)
Handing over the Keys by Jondy
Jay Terror vs. Clyde Fox vs. Chris Storm vs. Tessa Windsor by Bobby
Your Time Has Come by Bobby
????? vs. ????? by Josh K
From a Prince to a King by Shane
Jay Terror vs. Clyde Fox vs. Chris Storm vs. Tessa Windsor, part 2 by Bobby