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Presenting AOW: Art of War Wrestling - The Greatest Affair

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#1 · (Edited)
Last post of last thread was May 31st

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"Warfare is the greatest affair of the state, the basis of life and death, the Way to survival or extinction."

- Opening Line of Sun Tzu's Art of War​

Backstory

August 2005
The WWE comes to terms with Christopher “Chris Jericho” Irvine with his contract expiring

December 2006
The WWE comes to terms with both Paul Heyman and Paul “The Big Show” Wright

January 2007
John “Bradshaw” Layfield, as well as Mick Foley and Dean Malenko, cut ties with World Wrestling Entertainment

Late January 2007
Paul Heyman, shortly after being foolishly denied by TNA Wrestling, reportedly makes a few phone calls, the main ones of note being Foley and Layfield. Chris Jericho, meanwhile, is not called, but instead, calls Heyman. The groundwork for what appears to be a new wrestling organization appear to be set.

1/21/07
Mick Foley and Jericho reportedly rope in Dean Malenko, as well as extending international interest with AAA representative and the “Mexican Hulk Hogan”, Konnan.

Heyman and Layfield, meanwhile, secure sponsoring in Layfield’s own Layfield Energy. The duo is also busy securing what looks to be a television deal with the Fox branch channel FX

All this is overshadowed, however, by the TNA signing of Kurt Angle, a few mere months after his ‘retirement’ from the WWE. This reportedly does not sit well with a great deal of the TNA locker room
.

1/23/07
Heyman calls for a press conference to occur on the following day.

Foley and Jericho, meanwhile, secure Tony Chimel on his leave of absence from the WWE to come be their full time ring announcer. They are also able to fully convince Dean Malenko to became an agent and potential trainer

This, again, is covered up by bigger TNA news of the unconditional release of Jason “Christian Cage” Reso, as well as even rockier negotiations between TNA and Nuufolau “Samoa Joe” Seanoa, both stemming from the signing of Kurt Angle
.

1/24/07
In the press conference held by Paul Heyman, he announces the official founding of AOW – Art of War Wrestling. He also confirms a 1-hour time slot on FX at the beginning of their fall season in August. He also confirms involvement of Mick Foley, as well as Layfield’s financial backing, among others. With both Heyman and Foley’s backing, Heyman has to assure any interested that this is not some sort of ‘hardcore wrestling' promotion. Chris Jericho, present at the conference, confirms that he is the company’s first talent as part of a roster along with being a ‘founding father’. Jericho also confirms involvement from Dean Malenko as well as Lance Storm, whom is also confirmed to be the second competing talent. The launch of a website, aohdubya.com is established and is said to be the host of all future signings.

A few short hours later, aohdubya.com breaks the news that they have signed Christian Cage and Samoa Joe. With several months between the actual television launch of AOW Wrestling, AOW allows for confirmed and future signees to finish up their current contracts, as well as finish any independent circuit tours they may be attending
.

February 2007
AOW confirms the signings of Dave Finlay, Jack Evans, Elix Skipper, and the recently released from the WWE Chris Masters, Gregory Helms, and Jamie Noble. They also confirm the arrival of Aero Star, a top Mexican lucha libre prospect.

The WWE also acknowledges that Rey Mysterio’s contract has expired, with Mysterio not having resigned on the road to Wrestlemania


March 2007
AOW quickly stops all suspicion of what Mysterio will do by signing him, where he will go under the name Rey Mysterio Jr. During this month, AOW is able to sign Matt Sydal, Paul Burchill, as well as drawing Mark “Muhammad Hassan” Copani out of retirement from professional wrestling. Dirtsheets also report they have planted seeds to take Phil “CM Punk” Brooks and Shelton Benjamin straight off the WWE’s roster.

April 2007
Following the WWE’s annual PPV extravaganza Wrestlemania, their spring cleaning takes place. AOW acts quickly to snap up Carlito Colon, Charlie Haas, Paul London, Brian Kendrick, Psicosis, & Super Crazy, among the many more released. In the process, they are also able to snatch Shelton Benjamin away successfully.

May 2007
In news that seems to tickle ROH fan’s pickle, Bryan Danielson confirms he is leaving the promotion that gave him fame and going mainstream with AOW. This is made publically as a “Mick Foley signing”, but the bigger signing is that of another former ROH legend in CM Punk, who walked out on the WWE. Punk mentioned AOW on live television on his final RAW appearance before cutting ties with the company and confirming having signed with AOW.

Later in the month, another former ROH mainstay is confirmed to have signed, as Brandon “Low Ki/Senshi” Silvestry is no longer affiliated with TNA


June 2007
Following the WWE’s One Night Stand PPV, Rob Van Dam was written out of his feud with Randy Orton and announced his signing with AOW Wrestling a few weeks after, almost undoubtedly a “Heyman signing”. As this goes on, talks begin with Paul “Big Show” Wright over a possible return to wrestling following Show using his break from wrestling by losing weight and taking up boxing. No word yet on his alliance with the company.

Late June 2007
With the WWE cutting ties with Ohio Valley Wrestling and the formation of FCW, AOW is quick to announce that OVW will be used as their development talent home. Many former WWE development talents are signed to OVW or AOW official roster contracts. Brent Albright and Ken Doane are reportedly coming up to the main roster immediately, while Kofi Kingson, Afa Jr., Sonny Siaki, DH Smith, Tyson Kidd, Mike Kruel, Jack Swagger, Eric Escobar, Tyson Tarver, and Sheamus O’Shaunssey are signed to OVW deals.

AOW Wrestling later announces they’ve signed unknown talents Justin Gabriel and Tyler Black to development contracts, this being their first professional contract
.

July 2007
Just over a month before AOW debuts on national television on August 22, AOW suffers its first setback when they are unable to sign Mexican sensation Mistico. They are also turned down by Brock Lesnar, who wished to continue pursuing an MMA career.

Amongst this pair of disappointment, Lance Storm confirms he will only wrestle part-time, becoming the co-trainer of OVW with Malenko.

Heyman is also able to confirm that the first ‘season’ of AOW, the three months they’ve confirmed with FX, will take place in the Hammerstein Ballroom. They are to take place here until the funds are sufficient and FX sees fit to send Heyman and company on the road

In more company news, aohdubya.com confirms the four championships that will be used in AOW Wrestling: a world title, tag titles, a cruiserweight title, as well as a championship called the “Dynasty” Championship. This is most likely the name of the mid-card strap
.

Late July 2007
The double-whammy of failed signings in early June is quickly negated by the official word from Paul Wright, who is now officially signed with the company. Joey Styles also confirms he is leaving the WWE to commentate for AOW Wrestling, where his teammate is confirmed to be none other than co-founder John “Bradshaw” Layfield. The first and potentially only female signing for AOW is confirmed when Torrie Wilson reportedly signs, her purpose being a backstage interviewer. Another is reportedly signed, when former MTV actor Mike “The Miz” Mizanin is confirmed as another interviewer, as well as a sporadic competition clause.

This is quickly upstaged, however, when Bobby Lashley, coming on the heels of his WWE Championship loss at the Great American Bash, lets his WWE contract expire and sign with AOW. Many fans recall the Lashley winning of the ECW title in December was the final straw for Heyman, but this is cited as a “Mick Foley signing”.

…but THIS is quickly upstaged by the confirmed release by the WWE of Shawn Michaels, who reportedly asked for his release from the company while on a leave of absence
.

August 2007
…and it was only a matter of days, literally, days before the debut of AOW’s first ever programming (now given the title Wednesday Night Oblivion) that the company confirmed the signing of the one and only Shawn Michaels. It is later revealed that it took Foley, Jericho, and some help from Dean Malenko to fully bring Michaels in, although Jericho is said to have been the most aggressive about gaining the Heart Break Kid. This was done without the consent, knowledge, or a green light of Paul Heyman.

Premise

For those who care not for a backstory, the basic premise of this thread is exactly what it looks like - a dream fed for me. For those who have read my stuff before, realism isn't my strongest suit, but I wish to not stretch the realms too far in this thread. The roster is compiled of individuals and a time period of not only I feel I can write well, but are comferteble doing so, with a few new wild cards for me thrown in.

Oh, and props to Dubya b/c I'm about to steal his opening post format. Here's to hoping he'll forgive me.


-AOW-
ART OF WAR WRESTLING
Life. War. Wrestling.


“Founding Fathers”: Paul Heyman, Mick Foley, John “Bradshaw” Layfield, Chris Jericho, Dean Malenko


~The Administration~
Executive Producer/On-Screen Owner
– Commander in Chief
Paul Heyman
Acting Commander - Mick Foley
Play-by-Play – Joey Styles
Co-Vice Executive Producer/Color Commentator – John Bradshaw Layfield
Ring Announcer – Tony Chimel
Backstage Interviewer(s)The White Chick Torrie Wilson, Steve The Blank Canvas Romero, and Mike The Miz Mizanin


~Roster~
Aero Star
The Boondock Saint Antonio Banks - Suspended indefinately
Bobby Lashley - Inactive due to injury
Shooter Brent Albright
The American Dragon Bryan Danielson
The Bad Apple Carlito Colon
The Straight-Edge Superstar CM Punk
Charlie Haas
The Worthy Man Chris Jericho
The Masterpiece Chris Masters
The Man on the Moon Christian Cage
The Fighting Irishman Finlay
Primetime Elix Skipper
Gregory Helms
Harry Smith
Jack From the Heavens Evans
Jack Hagar
Pitbull Jamie Noble
Ken Doane
The Man With No Land Kofi Kingston
The Warrior Low Ki
Manu
Matt Sydal
Nick Nemeth
The Ripper Paul Burchill
Psicosis
The Biggest Little Man Rey Mysterio, Jr.
The Whole F’n Show Rob Van Dam
The Samoan Submission Machine Samoa Joe
The Heart Break Kid Shawn Michaels
Shelton Benjamin
Siaki
The Crazy Luchador Super Crazy
TJ Wilson
Tyler Black
William Regal

The Tandems and Alliances
The Mexicools - Super Crazy & Psicosis
Mercenaries, Inc. - William Regal, Paul Burchill & Brent Albright
Sons of the Dungeon - Harry Smith & TJ Wilson
American Made - Nick Nemeth & Jack Hagar
Samoan Fight Club - Siaki & Manu


~The Medals of Honor~
AOW Heavyweight Champion – Christian Cage
AOW Dynasty Champion – Tyler Black
AOW Tag Team Champions – The Mercenaries
AOW Cruiserweight Champion – Bryan Danielson


~Medals of Honor Archive~

AOW World Heavyweight Championship


Name: Christian Cage
Reign: March 16th, 2008 –
Event: The Outer Limits 2008*
Match Type: Triple Threat Match
Other Competitor(s): Chris Jericho; Shawn Michaels
*Note: Became AOW “World” Championship by being defended outside the US

Name: Chris Jericho:
Reign: August 22nd, 2007 – March 16th, 2008
Event: Wednesday Night Oblivion – Pilot Episode
Match Type: Lucky 13 Battle
Other Competitor(s): Shawn Michaels, Rob Van Dam, Bobby Lashley, Christian Cage, CM Punk, Chris Masters, Samoa Joe, Finlay, Muhammad Hassan, Rey Mysterio, Lance Storm, Paul Burchill

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AOW Dynasty Championship

Name: Tyler Black
Reign: July 23rd, 2008 -
Event: Wednesday Night Oblivion
Match Type: Singles Match
Other Competitor(s): CM Punk

Name: CM Punk
Reign: December 26th, 2007 – July 23rd, 2008
Event: A Very Merry War
Match Type: Singles Match
Other Competitor(s): Muhammad Hassan

Name: Muhammad Hassan
Reign: September 26th, 2007 – December 26th, 2007
Event: September 26th Supershow
Match Type: Tournament Final Singles Match
Other Competitor(s): Rey Mysterio

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AOW World Tag Team Championship

Name: The Mercenaries - Paul Burchill & Brent Albright
Reign: June 30th, 2008 -
Event: Wednesday Night Oblivion
Match Type: Tag Team Match
Other Competitor(s): Sons of the Dungeon - TJ Wilson & Harry Smith

Name: Sons of the Dungeon – TJ Wilson & Harry Smith
Reign: March 16th, 2008 – June 30th, 2008
Event: The Outer Limits 2008*
Match Type: Tag Team Match
Other Competitor(s): The World’s Greatest Tag Team - Shelton Benjamin & Charlie Haas
*Note: Became AOW “World” Tag Championships by being defended outside the US

Name: The World’s Greatest Tag Team - Shelton Benjamin & Charlie Haas
Reign: September 12th, 2007 – March 16th, 2008
Event: Wednesday Night Oblivion
Match Type: Ladder Match
Other Competitor(s): The Hooliganz – Paul London & Brian Kendrick

--------
AOW Cruiserweight Championship

Name: Bryan Danielson
Reign: September 26th –
Event: September 26th Supershow
Match Type: Tag Team Turning Point
Other Competitor(s): Gregory Helms, Paul London, Brian Kendrick, Super Crazy, Psicosis, Low Ki, Jack Evans, Jamie Noble, Elix Skipper


~Television Schedule~
Wednesday Night Oblivion | 9-10:30 pm EST on FX
Official Theme: “The Fight Song” by Marilyn Manson


~PPV & Supercard* Schedule~
September 26th Supershow

World Ablaze | November 11, 2007 | Boston, Massachusetts – TD Banknorth Garden
A Very Merry War | December 26th Supershow
This is Exile | February 3, 2008 | East Rutherford, New Jersey – Izod Center
The Outer Limitshttp://www.wrestlingforum.com/booke...restling-greatest-affair-24.html#post18213522 | March 16th, 2008 | Montreal, Quebec, Canada - Belle Centre
Offseason Finale Supershow | May 21st, 2008 | Louisville, Kentucky - Davis Arena
Rise of a Dynasty Supershow
| July 2nd, 2008 | Las Vegas, Nevada - MGM Grand
Origins & Endings
| August 24th, 2008 | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania - Mellon Arena

*Supercard names/dates/lengths subject to change

AOW Originals
Lucky 13 Battle - 13-man battle royal; final 4 becomes a Fatal 4-Way, one fall finish
Inaugural Match - Pilot Episode

Yin v. Yang - A veteran versus a younger competitor; done with no count-outs
Inaugural Match - Oblivion Edition 4 - 9.12.07

Tag Team Turning Point - Tag team gauntlet, winners face one another
War Rules - Hardcore match rules
Inaugural Match(es) - Sept. 26th Supershow

Art of the Knockout (A.O.K.O.) - Last Man Standing rules inside a steel cage
Inaugural Match - Oblivion Edition 8 - 10.17.07

The War Chamber - Eight men, pseudo-combination of War Games and Elimination Chamber rules
Inaugural Match - This is Exile

The Offseason - Two-month television hiatus for entire roster; crossover online shows with OVW
Inaugural Event(s) - Accumulates at
Offseason Finale

The Dynasty Tournament - Thirty-Two man #1 Contender's Tournament; follows Offseason
Inaugural Event - Accumulates at Rise of a Dynasty

------
~Contracted OVW Developmental Talent~
Aron "Idol" Stevens
Alex Riley
Brodus Clay
Chris Hero
Claudio Castagnoli
Drew Galloway
Eric Perez
Jay Bradley
Jay Uso
Jimmy Uso
Johnny Jeter
Justin Gabriel
Mike Kruel
PAC
Tyson Tarver
Steve Lewington
Stu Bennet


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DEM CREDENTIALS

1x King of the BTB Tournament winner (2012)

----
Most Underrated (2008)
Most Improved Booker (Spring 2011)
Best BTB of the Year (2012)
Best Individual Show - A Very Merry War (2012)
Most Creative (2008, 2012)
Best Used Character - Chris Jericho (2012)
Biggest Shock - The Double Turn (2012)
 
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#252 ·
Some ramblings, because it's been a while.

I'll start with Christian. Like many I was expecting a tough-but-ultimately-successful title defence over Noble, just to get his title reign going smoothly, but of course... with him, nothing is that simple. It makes a terrific little angle to have the image of Christian, a man who worked so hard for the title, to then worry that he isn't good enough or hasn't done enough just yet as champion to earn his position there. He can't just leap from being challenger to unbeatable champion, so this was exactly the kind of progression that'll serve him well from here on out. The question is; who does he have to beat to validate himself? Noble? Or is this about more than just Noble? I imagine it's the latter, so I look forward to what you have in mind next for the champion.

I had very Wolfy-esque concerns over the Hero-Punk No Contest finish, but you assuaged most of those with Punk's above promo. While I do think you could have pulled a Punk narrow win and had the Mercs attack afterwards, it all built to him essentially snapping and reaching into the darker elements of the Punk character... which is a great idea, someone else should do that. :side: Up until now in AODubya we've seen Punk's honourable side - his aggressive side, sure, but born from honour (Hassan, Banks) - but perhaps it's incidents like these that will bring out the Punk that's seen the world of wrestling like few other people. You also teased the JBL-Punk issue which we've seen brewing over the past however many months, too - and with Legend not around why not have them feud here instead - and while I don't see them going for each other's throats just yet, it's an option for you down the line if you want to use it. Though you owe me a Foley return before a JBL one.

Something that surprised me is that the Offseason is only four shows. Of course, with it being the 'Offseason' as a concept, the idea is that the company is supposed to slow down, but with all the new talent you had to play with, maybe I'm just a little taken aback that they're all disappearing again so soon. Naturally, you still have two more shows (one of which is extended) to throw some characters about, but what with Sandow boycotting the Lucky 27, TARVER lasting to the final four, Perez being -somewhat- in the spotlight and Hero going toe-to-toe with Punk, you've set the stage for some guys who I'd like to see more of. I understand we'll see them down the road, but it was odd that you went from every single OVW guy appearing on the first show, then only a small handful on this recent second one. Matches like Hooliganz/4D go that little way to making sure we remember the Offseason for its unique factor, and not just matches we could have seen on a regular Oblivion. A small thought.

As for the rest of the exclusives, while I should probably wait for the second part, it bodes well. There's all kinds of foreshadowing going on in Samoa Joe's mentioning of Christian, Doane's mentioning of Punk - these aren't guys on the champions' radar right now, but it's nice to see that pretty much anything could happen when the Dynasty tourney rolls around. The Kingston/Black and Antonio Banks situations both have a lot of intrigue attached to them as well, so the thread has potential by the boatload heading towards the new season, which is obviously great for the readers. Oh and I maintain that I want a character-laden Sydal push, by the way.

As I say, just some brief thoughts to let ya know I'm still watching your every move, your highness. Keep at it (Y)
 
#253 ·
'preciate it, fair knight. It's always nice to know when people are still watching my every waking move and thought. I think I work better that way. Anyways, I know I've been moving even slower, but I'll probably go even moreso with uni back on the horizon. But I have more exclusives to get to...


aohdubya.com said:

April 30th Newswire, Pt. II

We’re brought back to last Wednesday, right after the main event of Online Oblivion. Jamie Noble, almost akin to CM Punk earlier in the week/night, is covered in sweat and virtually tearing the backstage set apart. He’s ripping at his hair, pounding his fists against the walls, and tossing down anything not nailed down. He then lets out a frustrated growl before finally turning towards the camera.

Noble:
CHRISTIAN!! I know damn well you ain’t gonna take that! ‘cause I sure as hell aint!
~He continues to breathe heavily

Noble:
I had you, and you know I had you! Saved this company? HA! Saved by the bell is more what it looks like!
~Noble is incredibly frustrated, his eyebrows raising to show his tension

Noble:
This ain’t our stompin’ ground. I had no clue they had time limits down here. And with all due respect, Christian, I know you’ve been through a lot. But so have I. And it should be me who is AOW CHAMPION!!
~Noble turns away from the camera for a quick moment to topple an entire mountain of boxes in sheer anger. He breathes intensely as he tries to gather himself, hitting the wall back first. He slides down the wall, slumping all the way until he’s sitting on the floor, back against the wall, exhausted beyond doubt

Noble:
I couldn’t do it. That’s just what it boils down to. I couldn’t do it.
~Noble curls his fingers through his hair

Noble:
My whole life, my whole career, I’ve been one rung short. I’ve never been closer than tonight. In thirteen years, you rose to the top, Christian, and in thirteen years, I dropped like a stone.
~Noble lets out a wry laugh before getting stern once again

Noble:
No. Not a stone. I’m nobody’s steppin’ stone.
~This creed seems to fuel Jamie, the Virginia native struggling now to get back to his feet. The cameraman offers a hand to help him

Cameraman:
Mr. Noble –
~Noble SLAPS HIS ARM AWAY

Noble:
I’m no steppin’ stone and I don’t need a steppin’ stone!
~Noble wobbles a bit, to regains his balance. He’s virtually screaming at the camera now

Noble:
CHRISTIAN!! I might not’ve known about the time limits, but what I do know is that every champion down here gets a choice. A ‘Champion’s Choice’. You’re the only champion that hasn’t had the chance to use theirs yet.
~Jamie keeps breathing deeply, getting very close to the camera

Noble:
You have a choice of who to face on that Finale Supershow, champ. And if that look in your eye that I saw after our match tonight is any kind of honest, you’ll do the right thing. Pick me. Pick Jamie Noble. Because you know you want to. Because it’s only right. Because it’s what you need and what I deserve. Cure that doubt, Moonman. But rest assured if you do pick me, I’ll give you more than the fight of your career. I’ll give you the fight of your LIFE!
~Noble screams, back to incredible intensity, pulling the camera all close to his face

Noble:
I’M NO PUSHOVER!! I’M NO STEPPIN’ STONE!! I’M THE PITBULL!! I’M JAMIE! FUCKIN’!! NOBLE!!
~Jamie sneers one last time and tugs at his hair once more before stepping off, seething in a pit of rage on towards the locker room as we fade away…


We pick up right where we left off of Banks’ other part, when he has the ball in his hands with a bit of a smirk

Banks:
Oh so you MUST not know who I am. Don’t let my speech fool you, homie, I can take it to the streets.

Man:
Yeah? You an’ what team?
~Banks looks around him to see that indeed, while he may have so many signatures…he’s got no followers

Banks:
Uh…’ey dawg, why not one-on-one?

Man:
Not when you strut up in here in the middle of our game, we not.

???:
Well then what if he’s got us behind him?
~Banks turns around to see…JTG and Shad Gaspard!

JTG:
Yeah, homie. What if he’s got us?

Banks:
What the hell you two doin’ here??

Shad:
Told you, maan. We been keepin’ track of you.
~Shad snatches the ball from Banks and starts spinning it on his finger, Globetrotter style

JTG:
So how ‘bout it, boys. 3-on-3. Us and y’all. Who down?

Man:
Cool. Call yo own fouls.

MONTAGE TIME!! Shots are interplayed with a hip-hop beat, showing the Rucker players pulling out all kinds of tricks and trick shots. Likewise, Banks, JTG, and Shad actually work well together, managing to pull off several big shots, JTG and Shad even hitting some sick tricks of their own. But to sum it all up, it’s Shad who lifts up the ball…only for Banks to follow up with an absolutely sick alley oop, right over the lead opponent’s head

JTG:
OOOOOOOHHHHHH!!! GAME! GAME! GAME!

Shad:
Y’all homies betta grab that pen and SIGN IT UP!

Banks:
Y’all shut up and help me up!
~Banks is shown to have lost his balance on the oop, JTG and Shad going over to help him out. When the three return to the middle of the court, they’re flocked by the Rucker basketball players

Man:
Hey. Y’all was pretty damn good. Where’s the petition?
~Banks, who is breathing the heaviest out of all in attendance, pulls it up and hands it to him. The man signs and then starts passing it around to every other player and person on the court

JTG:
‘ey dawg. We make a pretty good team, right?

Banks:
Shut up. I’m gettin’ too old for this, brotha.
~Banks appears extremely exhausted for some reason, but he looks up to see his petition making the rounds and potentially having all the signatures he needs thanks to help from the oddest pair of gentlemen ever as we fade away…


We cut to Al Snow’s office, when there’s a knock on the door. Snow gets up and goes to turn the knob…only for the door to FLY open and almost hit the hardcore legend square in the face. Almost as shocking as the door ripping Snow’s off is the man who steps in the door…Paul Heyman. He’s back in his wheel chair and neckbrace, unsurprisingly, but the man pushing him into the room is OVW Champion Eric Perez.

Snow:
Paul? What’re you doing down here? You’re supposed to be away, resting up! You took a nasty fall not too long ago.

Heyman:
Don’t remind me, Allen.

Snow:
Well, what’re you doing here? I’ve got everything under control and –

Heyman:
Under control? UNDER CONTROL??
~Heyman damn near pops a vein on that one

Heyman:
I give you the liberty to defend my titles on your show and what happens? TWO - count it - TWO championship matches end in no contests?? You’re just as bad as that joke Foley is!
~Snow grimaces a bit, Heyman talking shit about a lifelong friend

Heyman:
And what about your own people? As Mr. Eric Perez so kindly pointed out to me, your very own OVW Champion, was nowhere to be found on the last program. On a ‘Champion’s Choice’ night, you neglected YOUR OWN CHAMPION!! What kind of Commissioner are you?

Snow:
So you came all the way down here to get in my face about this? You couldn’t yell at me in a phone call from New York?

Heyman:
No. Mr. Perez was just so classy in the way he went about business, I just had to come down and congratulate him. In addition to that, I’m a personable guy. You know that.
~Heyman talks like he’s talking to a cat

Heyman:
So if I want to wind up firing you, I’ll do it to your face. Understand?
~Snow actually does gulp a little bit, while Perez just stands with a shit-eating grin

Heyman:
Also being here in your face allows me to put some pressure on you. So, if you don’t impress me, I’ll just fire you right now.

Snow:
Impress you? Well on the 7th, we already have have –

Heyman:
No no no no no. I mean impress me. Right. Now. With something new.
~A whole new aura comes over the room. Perez just smiles wider

Snow:
Um…okay.

Heyman:
How about solving that whole Dynasty Championship dilemma, huh? Start there.

Snow:
Um…alright. How about on the 7th, we have a…big six-man tag team match!

Heyman:
With who?

Snow:
Let’s see…the team of Brent Albright, Ken Doane, and Tyler Black will face…Kofi Kingston, Matt Sydal…and Charlie Haas!

Heyman:
Interesting. And how does that solve the problem?

Snow:
Easy. The man who gets the pinfall? He gets a title shot on the Offseason finale.
~Heyman elongates his face, somewhat impressed

Perez:
Hey! What about me, cabron? You’re jus’ gonna hang me out to dry again?

Heyman:
Keep it classy, Mr. Perez

Perez:
Sorry, Mr. Heyman.

Snow:
Oh please. I’ve already got you planned.

Perez:
And when were you gonna tell me?

Snow:
When you stopped whining about not being on the show last time. See, if I was informed correctly by Paul here…there’s an empty spot in the AOW Dynasty Tournament after the Offseason, isn’t there?

Heyman:
Right. There is.
~Perez goes from pissed to excited

Perez:
So I’m getting into the Dynasty Tournament?

Snow:
…not all willy-nilly, no. But you’ll get your chance to fight for that spot in the Dynasty Tournament. Against five other OVW guys.

Perez:
Five other --? WHAT?!

Snow:
You don’t get anything handed in AOW. You don’t get anything handed here.

Heyman:
He’s right, Mr. Perez. Very impressive, Allen. You may not be so bad after all.
~Heyman SNAPS his fingers and causes Perez to grab at his chair and begin wheeling him around and go back out the door…only for the door to be blocked by…CHRISTIAN?? Cage is in non-competition attire, but he looks incredibly vexed, not much different from when we last saw him

Heyman:
Mr. Cage!! What a pleasant surprise!

Christian:
Heard you were in. So I dropped by. Where’s Shawn Michaels?

Heyman:
How should I know? Last time I saw him, he put me back in this!
~Heyman points towards his neckbrace

Christian:
I need Shawn. And you own him. Where is he?

Heyman:
I don’t know!
~Perez steps between the wheelchair and Christian

Perez:
Mr. Heyman says he doesn’t know.
~The OVW and AOW Champions have an intense staredown that lasts for quite a while before Snow steps in to try and settle things down

Snow:
Now, now, gentlemen. Let’s just –

Christian:
I’ll be here on the 7th. If anyone – AOW, OVW, or even Chairman – can get ahold of Shawn Michaels, I’ll pay for his plane ticket to come here.
~Christian, almost reverting to his intense ‘Moonman’ eyes, turns back around and heads out, leaving a Commissioner, a Chairman, and a Champion with questions all their own as we fade away…


We’re brought to the scene of what looks like the inside of an apartment building, outside of a door. The halls and stirs are quiet behind the camera, but soon stepping out in front of said camera are Jake Hagar and his girlfriend, Catalina. They’re sort of looking past the camera, Catalina not looking very enthused. Her All-American man looks a little more excited.

Hagar:
Dude, this is it. You want me to hold the camera for you?

Nameth (off-camera):
Yeah. Yeah, just gimmie a sec.
~The camera seems to rustle and jimmy around a little bit before it looks back up, the perspective flipped to now show Nameth

Nameth:
This is it. This is the apartment building. This is the place. Ever since I saw that hot blondie at This is Exile, I’ve done everything I can to track her down. And here it is. It’s all come down to this.
~Nameth shakes his head and smells the air, closing his eyes and overdramatizing the moment…

Nameth:
Well. Time to get some tail.
~…and all dramatic sentiment is lost as Nameth steps towards the door and is about to knock…

Hagar (off-camera):
Whoo!! Look at’cha boy!!
~Nameth stops DEAD before knocking and slowly turns…to glare back at Hagar

Hagar (off-camera):
Oh. Sorry.
~Nick turns back around and knocks on the door. There’s a tense silence for a moment before the door swings open…to reveal a pretty big dude answering the door. You can almost hear Nicky’s boner disintegrating.

Nameth:
Oh. Hi.

Big Guy:
Hi. Can I help you?

Nameth:
Um…I have the right place, right?
~Nameth reaches in his pocket to pull out the piece of paper he wrote the information down on a couple of months before. The big guy reads over it

Big Guy:
Yeah. That’s here.

Nameth:
Well…uh…does a blonde chick live here?
~The big guy’s stare goes from questioning to pissed, glaring a hole through Nameth. Nick isn’t quite sure how to react other than look slightly awkward…before the guy slams the door! Before anyone can react, we can hear the big fella yell someone’s name, but it’s muffled by the barrier that is the door. Nameth turns towards the camera, his friend, and his friend’s girl

Hagar (off-camera):
Aw, man, we didn’t even think about if she had a boyfriend!

Nameth:
Not like it matters.
~Nameth slicks back his hair, playing at it in a very Ziggler-esque way

Catalina (off-screen):
Glad to see you thought this through.

Nameth:
Yep. Stealin’ girlfriends is a hobby. And I want this one.

Hagar (off-camera):
Hey. You’re not taking Catalina from me.

Nameth:
Don’t worry. I don’t want her.
~Beat

Hagar (off-camera):
Wait, what’s wrong with my girl?

Nameth:
She ain’t this girl.

Catalina (off-camera):
And I’m leaving.

Nameth:
NO! You make us look less like creepers!
~Almost as soon as Nameth looks to rush after his best friend’s gal, the door again opens to reveal…the very petite blonde from This is Exile!!

Blonde:
Uh…hi. My brother said you were looking for me?
~The girl takes a moment to actually look at who she’s asking, pointing at him

Blonde:
Wait…Nameth, right? I saw you down at the Izod.

Nameth:
Yeah. You did. And my partner and I have come a long way to try and find you.

Hagar (off-camera):
Yeah, he’s come a long way from being a male cheerleader.
~Nameth turns to glare at Hagar for a quick second, which gets a giggle out of the girl

Blonde:
Did you really come all this way to find me?

Nameth:
Yeah. Um…I know it might seem a little overwhelming with tracking you down and all, but I just wanted to see you again. You kinda caught my attention then and, well…you have my full attention now.
~Is Nameth actually…nervous? The whole cocky flair is melting away by the word…or is he just playing the part of the pathetic pursuer…?

Blonde:
That’s…honestly, slightly creepy, but still…really cool.
~She nods her head, actually liking the idea. Both she and Nameth share a warm smile

Nameth:
Well, um…if it’s not too much can I at least take you out just once? It can be from here in Jersey or back in Manhattan, I don’t care.
~Casablanca? Or nervous geek?

Blonde:
I’d like that. A lot, actually. On one condition.

Nameth:
Name your price.

Blonde:
You guys wrestle, right? So do I. Maybe I wrestle you once. And then we can go out.
~Nameth looks back at the camera and Hagar with the biggest, goofiest smile on his face before turning back to this chick

Nameth:
You got yourself a dear there, Miss…what is your name?
~Nameth has his hand out to shake her hand, but freezes when he suddenly remembers he never asked for her identity. The blonde reaches out and firmly shakes his hand, her timeless beauty queen, warm smile returning

Blonde:
Wilde. Taylor Wilde.
~The two look into each other’s eyes and smile as we fade away…


The screen distorts. Images become waves. Colors twist into dull puddles. The screen suddenly goes black…
…before snapping back to life with the image of a man in the shadows. Only the left eye is visible. All we can hear is a voice. But it’s one all too familiar, even with a sickening twinge and a demonic lower echo…

Jericho:
Are you done?
~Static flashes as those words swirl

Jericho:
Are you done?

~The demonic undertones flare all over that one

Jericho:
Your celebrations…brations
~A sickening echo

Jericho:
…they’re all premature.
~The film starts to split before rejoining on Jericho’s eye and shadows

Jericho:
You act as though it is over…over…As if you are safe. As if a god will crumple into oblivion…’blivion.
~The screen keeps vibrating, shaking, shadows erupting before we suddenly cut to black…then open with a close up on the partial shadowed figure

Jericho:
You can’t kill a god.
~A daunting close-up of the shadow Jericho eye, red rings and an intense glare that reminds us too much of Christian’s old look before we spontaneously CUT TO BLACK

...and a bonus little feature here that might help answer a few questions...

On the latest edition of Bryan Alvarez's Figure Four Daily, Alvarez sat down and spoke with AOW's own Acting Commisioner and one of the five Founding Fathers...MICK FOLEY!! Here's the biggest highlights:


On what to expect “more of” in AOW: Season 2 – “Well from the perspective of the stories and characters that’ve been churned out, you can actually expect lots of alliances. In story, with the domination of the Worthy Legion, the scare/influence of that happening again and all the hoops everyone had to go through to end them, you’ll actually be seeing a good wave of new tag teams, stables, and even trios. Sort of a genuine ‘evolution of war’ thing where whatever was the best weapon in the last battle is studied, copied, and adapted by every opposing side.

Plus, we have a situation similar to what we had going into the Trios Tournament this year. We’re getting a growing roster, but not growing airtime. The online stuff helps, but we can’t shove everyone on TV, and we want everyone to have something. The FX officials have been very generous, though.

You’ll probably also see as many rookie debuts as you did in the last season, although they might be better timed because now we have a better gauge of when and what to do those things. Plus, we’ve gotten a lot of feedback regarding some of the OVW guys we’ve been featuring. People want more of the young guns.”

Will there be any improvements? “I’d like to think we learned a lot from the opening act. There’s a reason the pawns go first and not everyone goes through breaking barriers coming out smelling like roses. So there’ll definitely be improvements in every area. We’ve got William Regal and Finlay back there every day now, Elix Skipper helping out more and more, and even when Lance [Storm] leaves, we’ve still got some great ‘tutors’, I guess, sticking around and giving these guys more things. So I think, inevitably, we’ll be improving whether we want to or not. Even off the wrestling side of things, our production crew is learning too, so from practice to presentation, I’d say the stock is rising.”

How are certain wrestlers dealing with the growth of AOW?
RVD
: “Rob, he loves it. It’s great to see him somewhat motivated again. But what happened was that he was burnt out. He was burnt out because he intended to take it easy for a while after his WWE contract expired, but then he jumped right into AOW and didn’t have much of any time or energy to go full-force all the way. His angle with Finlay was to protect him, the title situation was to keep him up. Does he get title shots this season? I can’t let that go, but I will say this go ‘round, he certainly tries.

Christian: “What can I say? The guy has elevated his game tremendously. We gave him the ball and that Creepy Little Bastard just ran with it. Give Paul [Heyman] credit for working with Christian on that ‘Man on the Moon’ character a lot. He’s our guy right now. And I couldn’t be happier with that.”

Jericho: “Jericho’s main thing upon coming in was his credibility. Boy did he raise that stock with his run in the last season. Only had one loss, but it was huge, and he’s loved every second of the ‘Worthy Man’ character he played. He’s a huge guy backstage, always has been a great guy, and he’s part of the brainchild that got this thing up and running. To say that he’s happy with the way his baby is growing up would be pretty accurate.”

Michaels: “Oh, he’s been great. Between Jericho, Rey [Mysterio] and HBK, I think a lot of the younger guys have just been taken aback, especially the indy heavy talents. It blows their minds to be working with these three. And yeah, we’ve made a big deal out of Michaels’ backstage politicking and whatnot on-screen, off screen, it really couldn’t be further from the truth.

I actually remember before our first ever PPV went on, World Ablaze, it was Shawn who took [Bryan] Danielson and [Gregory] Helms aside and virtually begged them to steal the show. Those two have looked up to Shawn and his accomplishments and character and performing ability their entire careers, so to actually have him say that to them was a huge deal not just to them, but to us. And sure enough, at The Outer Limits, Shawn met with them again. On-screen he may be a little difficult to work around, but backstage, he’s invaluable.

The greatest thing about that was AOW itself. Michaels and Helms worked in the ‘E together, but wasn’t able to have as direct a hand in his development then as he does now. The WWE corporate side wouldn’t really let him, but here, it’s a different story. We reward guys partially based on workrate, and I don’t think anyone has much more workrate than those two guys who laid great groundwork for our cruiserweight division - which, by the way, to just toot my own horn for a moment, Jericho, Dean [Malenko], and I managed to convince Paul to finally include.”

The Antonio Banks/MVP lawsuit scenario and AOW finances: It’s not that I’m not supposed to talk about it, but even so, there’s still some foggy details. And I’m not going on about something I don’t completely know about. Obviously, there’s some ill sentiments between the companies. And it’s not just ‘oh, the WWE is just a conglomerate bully’, no, we’re in the wrong too. We knew what we were getting into and we jumped in the fire a little bit. So there’s faults on both sides.

As far as finances, we all kind of have to put our heads together. Paul’s the ‘one man show’ kind of booker and writer, but he greatly takes our input. But on the business aspect, Paul needs some help. And we’re all there, Bradshaw being a huge assist in that. So one of the things we’ve been doing lately is looking for perhaps another sponsor or so, which is getting a lot easier than it was this time last year considering we now have an established product to our merit. But don’t you or anyone else worry about AOW’s financial situation. That’s our problem, not the fans’.

Does AOW have strict, if any, drug/wellness policies? “After the tragic events of last summer, I think we kind of have to. I mean obviously, this is wrestling and not just any other sport where someone’s personal life doesn’t play so much into performances. We have sort of a policy, but there’s no ‘Three Strikes’ rule or anything like that in place. If what you’re doing gets in the way of things, then you’re gone. And these guys genuinely care for the well-being of one another, so there’s no real ‘enablers’, I suppose, running around. Everyone checks in and checks up on everyone. Makes things like that easier. But yeah, we do have a big push to keep all our guys healthy and able.”

Has there been anyone you’ve noticed that has changed before your very eyes? “Technically everyone, but that’s just what happens with a new company, I guess. Everyone and everything evolves and improves show to show. CM Punk is a kid who exemplifies that. Danielson is right after him, Brent Albright is constantly on the rise, and even Jericho was doing it. Looking at what’s happened to Rey the last few years, I’m surprised to see how much he still has left in the tank, too.

Couple guys stand out in particular – Low Ki, Carlito [Colon], Aero Star, and [Matt] Sydal. Ki and Matt have tremendous workrates, which goes to show that when grouped with Jamie Noble, Greg Helms and Danielson, the cruiserweights are the hardest working guys on the entire roster. Aero is just as hard a worker, but he has to work even more considering he’s never actually worked with American style before this past year, putting in lots of hours with Mysterio, Storm, and Dean Malenko and then Regal when he got here.

Carlito is one who surprised me. He got lots of heat in the other company for having a very laid-back attitude, thought he was bigger and better than what he was, was trying to ride his father’s name. I’m not sure what happened – maybe his dad got to him or maybe some things or someone backstage got to him, who knows, but in AOW, I haven’t seen that ‘coasting’ Carlito. He seems like he’s here to better himself legitimately.”

Favorite AOW match so far? “Uh, gonna go with the A.O.K.O. match here. If for no other reason than it was pitched by Mrs. Foley’s Baby Boy himself *toothy grin and thumbs up*”

And the question everyone’s been waiting for…when will Mrs. Foley’s Baby Boy compete in AOW? “Well, it’s pro wrestling, so never say never. But I can’t say in complete confidence that I will. Even so, you know there comes a time in guy’s careers that they start to consider stepping away from it all. The ones that start to see themselves as old and used-up.

I’m not one of those guys. BANG BANG!”


And then a bare-bones preview!



May 7th, 2008

Davis Arena – Louisville, Kentucky
“The Price of Growth”

.:Confirmed For Online Oblivion:.


~AOW x OVW~
The Hooliganz v. 4D

~Six-Man Tag Team Match~
*Whoever gets the fall becomes #1 Contender for the AOW Dynasty Championship*

Charlie Haas, Kofi Kingston, & Matt Sydal w/Billy Kidman
v.
Ken Doane, Brent Albright, & Tyler Black

ALSO…

~Winner Receives Birth in the 2008 AOW Dynasty Tournament~
*6-Way Dance*

OVW Heavyweight Champion Eric Perez v. Chris Hero v. Brodus Murdoch v. Alex Riley v. Drew Galloway v. Tyson Tarver

AND…

Christian Cage will be in attendance​

Don't know when it'll be up, but it'll be soon. Until then, just watch Kirby dance and hope all don't hate me :eek:
 
#255 ·



May 7th, 2008

Davis Arena – Louisville, Kentucky
“The Price of Growth”


*“Victim” by Eighteen Visions Package*

Fast forwarded footage of the normal OVW video package

So gimmie one

Eric Perez hits the La Critical

Good reason I should be forgiving you

Drew Galloway cranks back with the Scot Shock DDT

When I don’t care anyway

Johnny Jeter hits an Asai moonsault

So gimmie two

Brodus Murdoch roars while bursting through the curtain

Good reasons I should be forgiving you

Tarver cracks a Kill Shot

When I’m the victim today!

4D hits the impressive 4D Crush

And I feel like I’m the victim…

Perez raises the OVW title high…

…but the package suddenly distorts, the song sound like someone is screwing the needle off the record and melting it. The footage starts to dissipate, but is quickly replaced with footage more familiar to us…

Fight!

SWEET CHIN MUSIC!!

Fight!

WARRIOR’S WAY!!!

Fight!

MUSCLE BUSTER!!!

Fight!

SPEAR THROUGH THE TABLE!!

Fight!

619!!!

Fight!

UNPRETTIER!!

Fight!

GTS!!

Fight!

FIVE STAR FROG SPLASH!!!

*Final cymbal crash*

The new image of Christian hoisting the AOW Championship over his head from The Outer Limits
***

We’re in a packed Davis Arena, a very quick pan shot showing the audience and careening on over to the announce booth set up right at the top of the entrance aisle, where we see the two-man fill-in group of The Miz and Steve Romero


Romero:
Ladies and gentlemen, it is raucous here in the Davis Arena back with you for the third edition of Online Oblivion! The Offseason rolls on, where we’re just two weeks away from our Finale, but how are the chips gonna fall tonight?

Miz:
There’s some pretty big dominoes to fall tonight, Steve. Championship contenders are gonna be decided, rookies will be implemented in the Dynasty Tournament, and oh yeah – Christian Cage says he’s gonna be in the building.

Romero:
Well let’s not get waiting, Mike. We’ve gotta start all that action sometime!

Miz:
Call me Mike again and I’ll start the action right now. With you.

As Miz tries to sound like some sort of frat tough guy, we’re treated to the sound of “WORLD’S GREATEST”, which the hum can only mean the arrival of one man at this point. Charlie Haas bursts through the curtain to a great ovation, many still remembering his efforts in the first Offseason show. Nonetheless, Haas legitimately looks like a man with a chip on his shoulder. He stares directly at the ring, no nonsense, no pandering, not even so much as a glance the audience’s way. He quickly steps into the ring and heads to a corner, getting pumped up to himself.

Not too long afterwards, “MAN WITH NO LAND” hits to a solid pop, as Kofi Kingston now comes on through the curtain with his trademark thousand-watt smile on his face. He’s not in his usual workout attire, but he’s got his black Jamaican/Ghana flag hoodie on as he comes bouncing down the ramp. Kingston is almost the polar opposite of Haas, opting to slap hands with fans and wear his grin with pride.

“MACH” hits as Kofi is bouncing, which means that coming up right behind him is none other than the (winless) Matt Sydal. While nothing to show for himself in the win column, the commentator’s note that Sydal does have a new air about him concerning of the things he and Kidman have talked about. Speaking of Billy the Kid, Kidman steps out from behind the curtain as well, as Sydal slaps some fives in the front row before meeting with Kofi at the base. The two get in and try to shake hands with Haas, who surprisingly so, warms up and shakes their hands, no hesitation.

“WELCOME TO WHITECHAPEL” is the next sound heard, as the daunting sound of the pipe organ fills the arena with dread for the arrival of Brent Albright. Albright is not flanked by either one of his ‘overseers’ and stablemates, but he’s nonetheless sinister looking. He has no fear just stepping into the ring and not paying heed to the three men gathered in the opposite corner.

The arena has barely a moment of hush before “BLACK AND WHITE” begins to churn across the threshold, signaling only arrival of Tyler Black. Black is still engulfed in stringy, dingy hair and his intimidating black longcoat. He locks eyes with Kofi Kingston for a moment and smirks devilishly before stepping all the way in and playing to the crowd for some heat. He takes off his coat and tosses it actually in the direction of Brent Albright, knowing that none of these men are really ‘allies’ here tonight.

…but then the mood picks up for a moment when a new theme hits, this one apparently called “DOANE-NATION”, signaling the arrival of none other than DAT DOANE DUDE, Ken Doane. Kenny has all the cocky flair in the world, making his way to the ring soaking up the extra heat he’s getting for looking like a douche. Inside the ring, we actually see Matt Sydal glaring at Doane with angry eyes all the way until Doane rolls into the ring. It takes Kidman getting in his ear to finally settle Sydal down, while Doane tries to slap high fives with his two teammates…only for both of them to just look at him with no expression.

~Six-Man Tag Team Match~
*Whoever gets the fall becomes #1 Contender for the AOW Dynasty Championship*
Charlie Haas, Kofi Kingston, & Matt Sydal w/Billy Kidman
v.
Ken Doane, Brent Albright, & Tyler Black


We kick into this match roughly four minutes in, with virtually everyone involved getting their early shots in a wild affair. Regardless of the alignment of teams, there is much tension on every tag in, especially in the heel corner, because of the implications this match could represent. Even so, when we step in, Charlie Haas and Tyler Black are the legal men, Black trying to shove Charlie into an empty corner. Referee Ray Ramsey admonishes him and tells him to get him out, beginning the corner count. Black raises his hands to do so, only to aim at Haas with a KNIFE EDGE CHOP…but Haas ducks underneath it, spinning Black into the corner now.

It’s Haas’ turn to deliver a fair share of punishment, his new aggressive side taking fold. He strikes Black with several forearms to the face before ramming into the side of his jaw with a hard elbow. He backs away and gives him another one before backing up even further and going for a CORNER CLOTHESLINE…but Black catches him…INVERTED STO ON THE SECOND TURNBUCKLE!! Haas’ face could be all kinds of rearranged here!! Black with a big potential cover – 1…2…3-NO!!

Haas still has loads more fight in him, but his nose might possibly be broken. Black takes him and KICKS HIM IN THE SPINE for good measure before somewhat begrudgingly going over to tag in Ken Doane. Doane jumps in and immediately grabs Haas by the head, yanking him flat and getting an amateur hold on him to pin his shoulders down – 1…2…NO!! Just like in the amateur style, Haas stops the count by bridging himself on his head, his shoulders being lifted up with him. Done tries to jump on him to bring him back down, but Haas rolls out of the way at the last minute, leaving Doane to fall hard on his knees. Haas keeps rolling into his corner, where he tags in Matt Sydal.

An also newly invigorated Sydal instantly leaps up onto the top rope and waits for the man who eliminated him a month ago to get up…FLYING DOUBLE KNEE!! Both of Sydal’s knees are pressed against Doane’s sternum!! The crowd pops big of the high-flying move, Sydal going for a big cover now – 1…2…NO!! Doane still has more in him! Sydal doesn’t give him much time to exhibit this, however, as he stalks him and looks for a ROUNDHOSUE…NOBODY HOME!! Doane ducks it and picks up Sydal from behind and picks him up for a backdrop…ELEVATED NECKBREAKER!! Doane shifts the momentum completely as he crawls over for another cover – 1…2…NO!! Sydal shows his fire!

Doane is frustrated at that, but refuses to tag in anyone in his corner. Doane then aggressively takes Sydal’s head and tries to set him up for something else, but Sydal breaks his grip and nails a PERFECT DROPKICK that sends Doane backpedaling right into his corner, where Brent Albright plants a blind tag onto his selfish partner’s body. Albright steps in with anger on his mind as well, but perhaps through the teachings of Regal, he’s more controlled. He storms in and doesn’t go right after Sydal. Instead, he looks him right in the eye and says “lie down. I won’t hurt you if you lie down.”

The audacity of this motherfucker! Sydal looks towards his corner – Kingston telling him “no”, while Haas just stares at him as if the veteran needs to give him an answer. Sydal then looks over to Billy Kidman while the Davis Arena starts to join Kofi’s refusal. Kidman just looks at Sydal almost with the same look at Haas, Sydal turning back towards Albright…AND SMACKING HIM ACROSS THE FACE!! The crowd roars, as the rookie without a win to his name is showing an immense amount of fire tonight!

Albright is actually shocked at the rebuttal, taking a moment before looking to fire a right hand at Sydal, only to have him block it and start socking him with right hands! Sydal backs Albright all the way into the ropes before trying to whip him, only to have it reversed. On the rebound, he gets Albright caught up…SPINNING HEADSCISSORS TAKEDOWN!! Albright is dizzied, Sydal still waiting and going now for perhaps an ENZEGUIRI…Albright ducks, causing Sydal to fall flat on his stomach. In one smooth motion, Albright grips him by the midsection…WHEELBARROW SUPLEX!! OH MY!! Sydal is dunked on his head, Albright shooting a half and getting a big cover – 1…2…3-NO!! He’s still alive!

Albright doesn’t even think about letting up, taking his fellow rookie and whipping him violently towards an empty corner, sternum first. Sydal recoils right back into Albright’s clutches…GERMAN SUPLEX!! Another huge toss, Albright keeping the bridge – 1…2…NO!!! SYDAL IS STILL ALIVE!! Albright almost can’t believe it, but he doesn’t let up. He slaps Sydal in the back of the head before setting up his arms. Could he be going for a three-peat? It looks so, as he has Sydal all set up for a CONCUSSION CAUSING HALF-NELSON SUPLEX…NO!! Sydal jams the move with a weary, but well placed elbow. Albright has to reel away, but as he goes back towards Sydal…PELE KICK!! PELE KICK!! THE OVERHEAD KICK CONNECTS!!

An awe-inspiring move takes Albright off his feet, but Sydal isn’t done. He gets back to his feet and stands over the downed Mercenary…STANDING MOONSAULT!! The flashy Sydal actually pays for it there, as all those suplex drops on his head leave him spinning for a good few seconds after he hits the backflip splash. He shakes his head steady before going for a cover – 1…2…3-NO!! Albright rolls a shoulder now!! The weary Sydal further shakes the cobwebs out before trying to bring Albright to his feet, only to be shoved away. As Sydal tries to get back up, Albright leans against the ropes – and is blind tagged by Tyler Black! Black is the legal man again, Albright looking pissed. He doesn’t immediately exit, so when Sydal recovers, he rushes back towards Albright…but he doesn’t pay attention to Black climbing the top rope…A DECAPITATING DIVING HIGH KNEE FROM THE TOP ROPE!! Sydal’s head spins on his shoulders he’s hit so hard, the air leaving the Davis arena as he gets the cover – 1…2…3-NO!! KOFI KINGSTON MAKES THE SAVE!!

One of the only friends Sydal has bursts into the ring and makes the first unselfish motion of anyone in the match! Kingston smashes his rival off of his friend, leading to Black looking incredibly pissed and almost going after Kofi. He refocuses once the ref gets Kofi out, only to get DASHED WITH THE ENZEGUIRI!! Black has his lights out now!! Both men begin crawling on their hands and knees to their corners now, Black barely able to make it back to Brent Albright…and Sydal gets the hot tag to Kingston!! The hybrid wrestler immediately springboards off the top rope…AND HITS THE SKY-HIGH CROSSBODY ONTO BRENT ALBRIGHT!! An immediate cover – 1…2…3-NO!!

This still has lots of steam in it, but as soon as Albright gets up, he’s met with a trio helping of sway chops. Albright gets up a third time to try and clothesline Kofi, but Kingston ducks…AND NAILS AN S.O.S!! The ranhei for the cover – 1…2…NO!! Albright still has plenty life!! Brent gets up gripping at his neck, Kingston coming at him once again...SNAP OVERHEAD BELLY TO BELLY!! Kofi gets that great hangtime, but it doesn’t work in his favor here!! Albright is back on the aggression, but before he goes over to mess with Kofi again, he veers too close to Kingston’s corner. Here, Charlie Haas tries to maybe get a cheap shot, but Albright catches him in the act and KNOCKS HIM OFF THE APRON WITH A HARD BLOW!! Sydal is still down on the apron, recovering from his wounds, but now Kofi has no corner!

Albright realizes this, taking Kofi up from behind and looking for the killing blow and a Dynasty title shot with the HALF-NELSON SUPLEX…NO!! Kofi spins out, lands on his feet, and spins on his own…TROUBLE IN PARADISE…NO!! Brent ducks out of that as well and rebounds off the ropes behind him as Kingston comes down. Unbeknownst to him, Ken Doane slaps him on the back and blind tags himself in. Albright keeps running at the now hunched over Kofi…KNEE TREMBLER!! ALBRIGHT BORROWS REGAL’S FINISHER!! Kofi goes spinning to the canvas as the crowd lets forth their displeasure. But they start buzzing again because before Albright can try for a pin, Charlie Haas slides into the ring behind Albright…TOTAL HAASTILITY!! THE OLYMPIC SLAM CONNECTS!!

The crowd roars as Haas gives retribution to the rookie, but the crowd remains buzzing as he stays in the ring too long, watching Albright roll out. Ken Doane stalks behind him and forces him to turn around…RKDOANE!! RKDOANE!! THE CUTTER CONNECTS!! Haas’ head is driven into the canvas now!! He turns his attention towards the still KO’d Kingston, but as he does someone grabs him from behind…BLACK TO WHITE!! BLACK TO WHITE!! WHAT THE HELL?? Tyler Black nails the backdrop-to-reverse STO on his own tag team partner!! The one-man gray area indeed!

The crowd has a brief roar, perhaps out of confusion, but it quickly turns sour when he scours back over to the limp Kingston, grabs him from behind, and sets him up for the PEROXYSM…but Kingston spins out…TROUBLE IN PARADISE!! KOFI NAILS HIS RIVAL!! Black’s not the legal man, but Kingston looks over and tags in Matt Sydal anyway, who immediately ventures to the top rope and towers over Tyler Black…SHOOTING STAR PRESS!! AN ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL MANOUVER!! He sells the damage to his midsection on the blow, but he and Kingston have the crowd on fire after they push Black’s body out. But while they pump their fists momentarily, Ken Doane comes up from behind and pushes Sydal forward, banging heads with Kingston!! Kofi tumbles through the ropes, right in front of Kidman! Billy has to tend to the young competitor, while Doane rolls the legal Sydal back with the VICTORY ROLL – 1…2…3…!!!

Winner and NEW #1 Contender for the Dynasty Championship: Ken Doane at (14:41)

Doane steals one! He absolutely steals one! Doane gets the hell out of the ring and rolls away to the outside and slinks his way right back up the aisle with a big cocky grin on his face. Sydal is only able to look back and for the first time in AOW show…anger? Sydal is visibly peeved to the point where he once again tries to tap into his aggression and rush after Doane, but he’s restrained by Billy Kidman, who has leapt into the ring to keep back his pupil.​


Romero:
Ken Doane just – he just totally stole one right from under the nose of Matt Sydal! Sydal might’ve had a shot at the Dynasty Championship!

Miz:
Stop being biased and selective, Steve! What about Tyler Black? He hit his own man! And what about Charlie Haas breaking in and starting a whole mess of trouble for everyone?

Romero:
That’s not the point, Mike! You can just see Matt Sydal, of all people, is peeved beyond anything we’ve ever seen in AOW or the Offseason for that matter.

Miz:
Forget this twerp. Focus on Ken Doane. He’s the #1 Contender now!

Romero:
Indeed he is, no matter what any of us think, although it was a fantastic six man tag match. But coming up later tonight, we’ll have a six-man dance to determine which OVW competitor will get their chance to earn a berth in the 2008 AOW Dynasty Tournament. That’s our main event!

Miz:
But first – we’ve got competition at it’s finest coming up!

Romero:
That’s right, folks. It’s AOW meets OVW – the Hooliganz will go head to head with one of the best rising tag teams in all of the wresting world – 4D! The unstable veterans meet the unreal athletes coming up next!


**COMMERCIAL BREAK**


Once the streaming goes back live, we hear “CROSSING DIMENSIONS” spark a borderline techno sound. The arena is dark and we can’t see a thing until a throbbing ring of light surrounds the small stage spot in front of the curtain. We can see two figures in the shadows that are glowing before us, one on its knees and one standing with its arms open. The lights soon spaz out for a moment before giving us the image of Justin Gabriel and Steve Lewington to a big ovation. They come down the aisle pumped up, but very focused. They both slap hands and Gabriel even rocks out with the beat.

“LONDON CALLING” soon interrupts their in-ring celebration and puts the spotlight on the team of Paul London and Brian Kendrick, the Hooliganz, enter to much less flair, but just as much dramatics as they remove their masks and DASH down the aisle and slide into the ring, the Davis Arena popping just as big for them. The two teams then approach center ring and shake hands, nothing but competition keeping this one afloat.

AOW x OVW
The Hooliganz v. 4D


We step into this high-athletic contest roughly three minutes in, both teams flashing a little bit of pizazz, but London and Kendrick using their veteran prowess to keep the Unreal Athletes grounded. It’s Justin Gabriel and Brian Kendrick in the ring at the moment, Kendrick forcing Gabes to roll around and find a way out of the grounded hammerlock. Gabriel flashes his athleticism by twisting around, rolling over his own head, and wrenching Kendrick himself before pulling him in and flipping the aerodynamic Kendrick with an impressive MONKEY FLIP!!

Brian goes flinging into his corner, tagging in London in one clean move. The Texas native steps quickly into the ring and rushes towards the young South African, only for Gabriel to sidestep the vet and send him whipping into the ropes. On the rebound, Gabriel surprises London now with a crisp LEAPING CALF KICK that forces London to spit his gum out. Gabriel with a quick cover – 1…2…NO!! It’ll take more than that on these Hooliganz.

Gabriel forces London up, only to drag him to his corner now and tag in Lewington. 4D takes London now and flings him across the ring, rebounding right into a DOUBLE FREE FALL DROP!! Lewington takes control – 1…2…NO!! London lives! He takes London now and looks to set him up for suplex, but London quickly jams the move. He then takes Lewington up…FRONT DROP SUPLEX!! Lewington is dropped right onto his perfect abs, London backpedalling into his corner now and having Kendrick slap him on the back.

Kendrick surprises the youngster by SPRINGBOARDING into the ring, but the Brit ducks at the last second, Kendrick going right over him, only to land right on his feet behind him. With London still in the ring, he and Kendrick have a moment of unspoken synergy and look towards the kneeling Lewington…AND CRACK HIM IN THE JAW AND BACK OF THE HEAD WITH SIMULTANIOUS KICKS!! Lewington’s lifeless body drops to the canvas, but Kendrick has to take a moment to go and knock Gabriel off the apron. This may prove costly, as Kendrick then shoots the half of the larger Lewington and go for the lateral press – 1…2…3-NO!! Lewington somehow kicks out!!

Kendrick doesn’t play furious, instead opting to push his hair out of his face and take a few steps back while waiting for his British foe to recover…AND SNAP INTO HIS JAW AGAIN WITH A LOW DROPKICK!! Kendrick with another cover try – 1…2…3-NO!! Lewington prevails! He has to crawl on over to an empty corner though, using the ropes to get to his feet. Kendrick is in hot pursuit, rushing towards the corner-bound Brit…climbs up his chest…AND NAILS A BACKFLIP CORNER KICK!! WOW!! The chin and jaw of Steve is targeted yet again, the Englishman stumbling out of the corner. Kendrick rebounds off the ropes behind him, shooting back…AND CONNECTING WITH A HURRICANRANA!! BK is absolutely on fire here, hanging onto the hurricanrana and pinning Lewy’s shoulders down – 1…2…3-NO!! Lewington somehow snaps out!

Kendrick drifts back to his feet, now getting somewhat peeved. He tries to drag the youngster up with him, only for Lewington to spring to life with a fierce EUROPEAN UPPERCUT that sends Kendrick backpedalling. Kendrick shoots back with a hard forearm. The two exchange more blows until Kendrick gets the upper hand again, rebounding off the ropes behind him…then getting hoisted up in a MILITARY PRESS…AND DROPPED INTO A FRONT POWERSLAM!! Lewington, who isn’t exactly a powerhouse, breaks out a straight power move there! But even so, both men are down! Now it’s the crawling game, as both men try to reach their respective corners. Gabriel has long since recovered and returned to his corner, both he and London reaching hands…and both men TAG at exactly the same time!

Both Masters of the 450 Splash erupt into the ring, London flooring the kid with a hard clothesline, only for him to spring back up and hit him with one. London, likewise, springs back to his feet and goes for another clothesline, only for Gabriel to sling him over with a deep arm drag. London springs back up and returns the favor, the two exchanging another set of arm drags afterwards. The crowd is eating it up, but when London springs up to rush back at Gabriel again, he’s stunted with Justin pulls out the SPINNING HEEL KICK, crushing London’s jaw!! Another cover for the youngsters – 1…2…3-NO!! The goofy vets live on!

Gabriel seems a little frustrated, taking London up now and throwing him into the opposite ropes, but on the rebound, it’s London who surprises the young one and nails him with a SPINNING WHEEL KICK!! London going for another cover – 1…2…NO!! The kids live on! Before Gabriel can completely recover, London grabs him and wrenches his arm and turns him over for the OUTSIDE CRADLE – 1…2…3-NO!! Justin holds on! London pushes the hair out of his eyes and looks to rush at the fellow cruiserweight once more, but Gabriel leaps clean up and SMACKS him in the jaw with a perfect DROPKICK!! This throws London off, forcing him to a knee…ENZEGUIRI!! London is out cold – 1…2…3-NO!! London stays alive somehow!

Gabriel now takes London and drags him into his corner, where Lewington tags back in. Gabriel whips London into an empty corner, only for Lewington to whip Gabriel RIGHT ONTO LONDON, SANDWICHING HIM!! Gabriel then tosses Paul’s limp body back towards Lewington, catching his arms…BUTTERFLY SUPLEX!! The athletic Lewington keeps the bridge, executing another count – 1…2…3-NO!! KENDRICK MUSHROOM STOMPS ON LEWINGTON’S MIDSECTION!!

No one really saw that coming, but pop nonetheless. Lewington is now curled up, but he doesn’t tend to it for long. He smashes London once for good measure before opting to tag Gabriel right back in. Lewington takes London’s legs now and takes him up in the GIANT SWING, only for Gabriel to interrupt it…WITH A SPRINGBOARD MOONSAULT!! YOU’VE GOT TO BE KIDDING!?! 4D lives up to their ridiculous offensive reputation of stopping a momentous opponent with a freakin’ moonsault, the crowd erupting!! This is it, as Lewington goes over to knock Kendrick off the apron as Gabriel has to restick the landing and hit the cover – 1…2…3-NO!! London stays alive somehow!!

Kendrick jumps back onto the apron and pops, trying to get London into the corner and back in this thing. Gabriel tries to get London up, only for Paul to spring to life…NORTHERN LIGHTS TOSS!! Now it’s London’s turn to try and crawl, managing to hang onto the ropes and pull himself up…and getting the tag to Kendrick!! Brian again zips across the ring and first bashes Lewington off the apron, but he lands on his feet. Kendrick turns back to the ring, London barely on his feet, but helping him out with the groggy Gabriel…LEGSWEEP/CALF KICK COMBONATION!!

Kendrick helps pull London to his feet, only for the angered Lewington to come storming after them…duck under a double clothesline…DOUBLE SUPERKICK!! Lewington is down! Now, London heads back to the apron as Kendrick now takes Gabriel by the head, rushing towards his corner…SLICED BREAD!! SLICED BREAD!! Kendrick’s got him down, but he’s not done yet, immediately tagging back in London! The weary London crawls to the top rope…AND NAILS THE SOUTH AFRICAN WITH A DEVASTATING 450 SPLASH!! A cover – 1…2…3…!!!

Winners: The Hooliganz at (10:48)

And it’s over! London has to be pulled off of Gabriel’s body by his partner, who holds him up on his hip. The two have their hands raised in victory to a great ovation from Louisville. London falls from Kendrick holding him up, and when he does so, he falls on top of Gabriel again, apparently trying to help him back to his feet. But as London tries to do the sportsman thing with he and Kendrick’s back turned…the crowd starts buzzing. Kendrick looks up and turns around…BOOMSTICK!! JAY BRADLEY CRASHES THE RING AND NAILS KENDRICK WITH THE RUNNING LARIAT!! The exhausted London doesn’t realize his partner’s been taken out until he perhaps hears the crowd reaction, so he springs to his feet and turns to rush at Bradley…but Jay ducks…AND HITS LONDON NOW WITH THE BOOMSTICK!!

The Monster of the Midway uses fortune to take out both members of the Hooliganz, the commentators noting that his frustrations since OVW became affiliated with AOW seem to be completely boiling over here. So many standings in the loss column will do that to a guy. Bradley stands intensely over his prey, but then he notices Gabriel trying to make it back to his feet…and he looks at him like a hungry wolf. The Chicago native starts to wind his arm and stalk his prey…and then rushes in…ONLY TO BE HIT BY A DROPKICK BY LEWINGTON!!

Steve breaks back into the ring to save his tag team partner, Bradley knocked completely off of his game! He scrambles back to his feet and drunkenly approaches Lewington again, only for Steve to duck his attempt and wrap around Bradley’s neck….G-FORCE…the stumbling Bradley still stands…RIGHT INTO A GABRIEL SUPERKICK!! THE COMBINATION TAG TEAM MOVE HITS!! The crowd is hot right now for the Unreal Athletes, but also recovering are both members of the Hooliganz. They’re gripping their necks from their hard blows, but Gabriel and Lewington take up the prone body of Bradley…GET WELL SOON!! THE REVERSE STO/JUMPING ENZEGUIRI DESTROYS BRADLEY EVEN MORE!!

Gabriel and Lewington are wowed by the tag team move, only for everyone to look up…and Justin Gabriel’s on the top rope. The crowd is on their feet, while both ‘ganz and the Brit all point up to him…AND GABRIEL HITS HIS OWN 450 SPLASH!! He grips at his midsection to sell the blow, only for Lewington and Kendrick to shove his body under the ropes and to the floor, leaving four men who are legitimate tag team threats in the ring with an even stronger competitive bond. They all grab hold of one another’s wrists…and all four men hold their arms high.​


Romero:
Jay Bradley’s frustrations regarding the OVW administration boils over to the point where he assaults four incredible athletes and he more than pays the price.

Miz:
Oh, so OVW isn’t much different than AOW then. Guy gets jumped for having heart.

Romero:
Stop it. A fantastic contest somewhat spoiled, but despite that, these two teams showed what the true nature of AOW is all about and that’s the spirit of competition. Heck, London and Kendrick were involved in the first ever match in AOW history to illustrate that and they’re passing it on to the next wave.

Miz:
You wanna talk new wave? How about those six guys coming up with a shot to actually break into the AOW title scene?

Romero:
For one of the final six AOW competitors who were in that Lucky 27 Battle, that could come to pass. They’ll have a shot at the AOW Championship if they can make it in and win. Perez, Galloway, Tarver, Riley, Murdoch, and our newest member, Chris Hero will all be at each other’s throats. Who will be the last man standing? Find out, next!


~Backstage, the OVW Interview set…


Torrie Wilson:
Ladies and gentlemen, my guest at this time…a very close friend of mine. Christian Cage.
~Torrie is very somber, as Cage matches her tone as he steps into frame

Torrie Wilson:
Christian, you’ve been awful cryptic about things on your mind for a long time. But I think a lot of people really want to know what’s really on your mind right now?
~Cage readjusts the AOW Championship over his shoulder and stares down

Christian:
Torrie, you of all people should know how hard I’ve worked to get here. How much I’ve had to knock down, how many dragons I’ve had to slay to get right here with this title and the respect that I’ve gained. And I thought…I thought everything would be okay when Chris Jericho was dethroned and I got my hands on the ultimate prize.
~Christian peers over his shoulder at his title, the camera doing a quick zoom in

Christian:
Chris Jericho was a monster. He destroyed every hope, every dream, every whim of decency that even grazed his thoughts and crushed every one he faced not just physically, not just psychologically, but spiritually. And as much as everyone hated him, he was the man on top of the mountain. And he made damn sure he knocked everyone…else…down.
~Cage jabs his index finger at the ground for emphasis

Christian:
But then I dethroned him. And as hungry as I’ve been for years, as many demons as I’ve had to finally get my hands on this world title…I was blinded by my pursuit. So badly. I was so driven by all my falls from the summit that I didn’t realize what it’d actually be like to get there. And now I’m here. And now I realize that I took Jericho down, I knocked the king of the mountain off his perch…
~Cage gets more distant

Christian:
…but now I realize someone has to take his place.
~An intense pause, Cage looking off for a moment before his voice grows in intensity

Christian:
Being at the top means pushing everyone else down. Being on top of the food chain means it’s your job to knock everyone else down. The very same men who have worked their assess off the very same as I did. I have to drown them the same way Jericho did…or I’ll get pushed off. To keep this…I have to be everything I was fighting against.
~Christian wipes his forehead, not liking that logic, but having to come to terms with it

Christian:
And after all that hard work, all that sacrificing, the very first man I faced for this title was a guy who has been in this business literally the same amount of time as I have. Jamie Noble and I have both been in that squared circle non-stop for thirteen years. As hard as it was for me to think about pushing him back down the mountain, y’know what was even harder? Not even beating him.
~Cage is looking right at Wilson now, her eyes filled with overwhelming concern

Christian:
With all due respect to Jamie Noble, believe me, it was a fight. But when I had to topple a self-proclaimed god to get a hold of this…only to not even be able to defeat a guy who, to be frank, isn’t?
~Now there’s concern in Cage’s voice

Christian:
Torrie…have I earned this? Have I earned the right to even be on the mountain, pushing my peers off? What right do I have to carry this prestigious strap when I’m possibly not good enough? Not man enough? Am I just a pretender? Am I the king of the mountain, obliviously rolling all the way back down to rock bottom, still holding onto his crown and scepter?
~Cage has genuine doubt in his voice, quivering

Christian:
And y’know, if there’s anything I learned from the last time I felt like this, it’s that I’m not afraid to look for help now. I’m not afraid to say I don’t know everything. I was hoping to maybe get a hold of a guy who knows about something like this. A guy whose very presence in this company leaves him wondering who he is every day. And that guy is Shawn Michaels.
~There’s a pop heard beyond the walls, but Cage doesn’t even acknowledge it

Christian:
If I want to be champion, I have to be man enough for everything that comes with it. And I have to know I’m that man. Since no one can find Shawn Michaels - Jamie Noble. Listen up. I have to find out for myself.
~Cage now looks directly at the camera, a focus on just his head. His eyes are glowing with purpose

Christian:
At the Finale of this Offseason, I will use my Champion’s Choice. And the man I’m gonna face is you, once again. With this AOW World Championship on the line. But this time, I want no time limits. I want nothing holding you or I back from knowing which one is man enough. Which one of us is able to be on top of the mountain. I have to know.
~Cage pauses, his eyes just radiating in a haunting combination of doubt, anger, and perhaps fear of the unknown

Christian:
I have to know if I’m worth it…and if this title’s worth it.
~Cage’s intense gaze holds, hauntings us in its frame all the way until we fade away…


**COMMERCIAL BREAK**


Coming back to the live stream, “HELL IN SCOTLAND” is playing as Drew Galloway makes his way to the ring, full kilt on and semi-crazed expression on his face. When he steps in the ring and plays to the fans, the look disappears and becomes more normal, if focused. He then undoes his kilt and takes it off, showing more traditional wrestling tights underneath. He bounces off the ropes to warm up, the whole action garnering a great pop.

After that, “COACH K” plays, being the theme for the entire Varsity Squad. All three members – “Coach” Kruel, Johnny Jeter, and the match participant, Alex Riley, step out from the curtain onto the aisle area. They get in what looks like a football huddle before they clap hands and both Kruel and Jeter give Riley pats on the shoulder before he heads on the down the aisle, alone and without his stablemates in this one

“DANGER” hits the fray now, as the very intimidating instrumental makes way for Tyson Tarver to spray back the curtain and give way to his equally intimidating walk. He’s got the bandana over his mouth, nose, and neck, giving him that sort of ‘ninja’ look, but he’s all serious coming down the ramp, only pulling it down to reveal his whole face when he gets to the base

As he approaches the ring, “Y’ALL SOME BUSTAS” carries a more hip-hopish tune, which signals the arrival of the biggest man in the match, Brodus Murdoch. Murdoch lets out a roar as he bursts through the curtain and keeps his intensity all the way down the ramp, the fans loving Murdoch and cheering for him as the mastodon struts

When he rolls in, it’s time for our Offseason’s second helping of “CHRIS IS AWESOME”, making it three hip-hop beats in a row, but nonetheless, this one gives way for Chris Hero, making his second match in mainstream wrestling. He’s got the same jump in his step as he did two weeks ago, cracking his neck and sprinting the last portion of his walk to the ring

And every single man in the ring’s ire is turned back to the curtains when “LA CRITICA” plays now, as a massive array of heat comes down for the OVW Heavyweight Champion, Eric Perez. He’s wearing sunglasses at night and inside, increasing his douche factor, but he’s also carrying himself with the great class he speaks so highly of. He takes his shades off and steps into the ring, his Puerto Rican flag design tights getting a quick close up and getting the match underway


MAIN EVENT
~Winner Receives Birth in the 2008 AOW Dynasty Tournament~
*6-Way Dance*

OVW Heavyweight Champion Eric Perez v. Chris Hero v. Brodus Murdoch v. Alex Riley v. Drew Galloway v. Tyson Tarver


From the ringing of the bell, Brodus Murdoch makes a beeline for his rival, Eric Perez. It’s also Galloway and Tyson Tarver, two men who have traded victories in their tenure in OVW, who start ripping at one another’s throats. This leaves two of OVW’s more recent newcomers, Chris Hero and Alex Riley, to pair off and go at each other. These separate matches actually last for the first several minutes of the contest, these men just laying into each other. It’s not until around the four minute mark that Brodus completely floors Perez long enough to rush over to Galloway and Tarver…AND CLOTHESLINE THEM BOTH OVER THE TOP ROPE!!

If this were battle royal rules they’d be eliminated, but all it does is allow them to flop to the padded outside. It’s Chris Hero who dares to approach the mastodon next, and he gets a huge BATTERING RAM TO THE CHEST!! Hero now hits the canvas and rolls under the bottom rope out of the ring, only for Murdoch to peer over and see Riley crack him in the back of the head, only for the Varsity Villain to see a BRUTAL THROAT THRUST that then flows right into Murdoch tossing him up and over the top rope! The ring is emptied now, leaving only Murdoch and the man who has duped him multiple times in OVW…the OVW Champion Eric Perez.

Murdoch licks his chops as the crowd roars in approval. Perez is recovering in a corner, only to be completely SANDWICHED BY THE MONSTER TRUCK THAT IS MURDOCH!! Perez peels off the iron post like a bug off a flyswatter, flopping to the mat. Murdoch would like nothing more here than to eliminate the champion with a cover –

1…

2…

NO!!

Perez won’t go down just like that! Even so, the ‘classy’ Puerto Rican blatantly jabs a THUMB TO THE EYE of Murdoch as he tries to get him back to his feet. Ray Ramsey admonishes him for that, but it doesn’t stop Perez from now trying to take control somehow. Matters aren’t helped when outside the ring, Chris Hero and Tyson Tarver start up a brawl, with Riley and Galloway interjecting. Ramsey has to turn his attention away, giving Perez all the time in the world to pull more heel tactics.

The commentators again remind us of Murdoch’s constant anger, which explodes once again on Perez and shoves him all the way across the ring into the opposite corner. Murdoch charges for another BODY AVALANCHE…but Perez sees this one coming, and sidesteps, sending Murdoch crashing into the steel himself. Brodus turns right towards Perez…who blatantly SPITS IN MURDOCH’S FACE!! Ramsey turns around now, only to see Murdoch get absolutely enraged. Brodus wraps his huge hands around Perez’s throat and forces him back into a corner, CHOKING THE LIFE OUT OF HIS RIVAL!! The mastodon is seething, not hearing Ramsey’s counting…AND RAMSEY COUNTS TO FIVE!!

ELIMINATION #1 via DQ: Brodus Murdoch at (6:45)

And Murdoch still won’t let go! Ramsey has to try and physically pull the 300+ pound titan off his champion rival, but he just won’t! Murdoch finally does let go, only to glare and follow Ramsey away from this prey! In near Undertaker-like fashion, Brodus Murdoch chases off the ref. As he turns his attention back at Perez, he sees that he’s flanked by other referees and officials, everyone now trying to get the big man out of the ring. Murdoch isn’t any kind of calmer, trying to break the wall of officials, but he’s backed away. He’s forced out of the ring and out of the match, looking back at Perez…who has an absolute shit-eating grin plastered all over his face.

This garners a great deal of heat, but Perez doesn’t have much time to grin much longer because Chris Hero and Drew Galloway burst into the ring and start unloading on the still cornered champion. Perez covers up and rolls away to defend himself, leaving the Scot and the Ohio native to now go at each other. The two begin exchanging blow after blow, but soon their fight is stopped when Alex Riley grabs a hold of Galloway’s foot and drags him out of the ring. That leaves Hero open to turn an about face and see Tyson Tarver LEVEL HIM WITH A CLOTHESLINE!! Tarver with a potentially big cover –

1…

2…

3-NO!!

Hero stays alive! Tarver doesn’t let up on the vigilant Hero, taking him up and knocking him back with a hard right hand. Hero backpedals into the ropes, only for Tarver to grab hold of his wrist and whip him across the ring. On the rebound, Hero smacks Tarver in the face with a kick when he lowers his head. This gets Hero to backpedal once again, rushing right back at Tarver…OVERHEAD BELLY-TO-BELLY TOSS!! Absolutely launched overhead is That Young Knockout Kid, Tarver with another big cover –

1…

2…

3-NO!!

Hero remains ever determinant! Tarver grits his teeth in frustration now, but before he can deal any more damage to Chris, he’s stopped by a blow to the back of the head by Alex Riley. A peek outside shows that Galloway is down near the barricade, having been forced into it by Riley. Alex takes Tarver’s head and bounces it off a corner before ascending to the middle rope on top of him. He starts bouncing fists off his head with the 10 Punch, but being a heel, not many in the crowd join along. Before he can finish, however, Tarver has enough wits about him to actually TOSS RILEY OFF OF HIM AND TO THE FLOOR!! The Varsity Villain is knocked off the top as quickly as he got there! Tarver has no time to recover or celebrate, for as soon as Riley hits the floor, a revived Chris Hero rushes at Tarver…and nails him with the FLYING WING!! THE INSIDE ELBOW CONNECTS!! Tarver groggily steps out of the corner from the blow, while the rejuvenated Hero rushes off the ropes behind him and raises a big boot…and nails Tarver in the skull with the MAFIA KICK!! Tyson goes down as Hero makes his own big cover –

1…

2…

3-NO!!

Tyson stays alive! It’s Hero’s turn now to try and hoist Tarver back up, getting him in the perfect suplex position…CRASH LANDING!! The rolling suplex is landed expertly by Hero, the Davis Arena booming for the move! Hero has all the momentum now, winding up his arm and starting to pull down his elbow pad…he’s getting ready for a big elbow! The crowd is popping huge…only for Hero to be stopped when his ankle is grabbed. It’s not Riley this time, but a recovered Eric Perez. Hero actually grabs hold of the rope and HITS AN AIDED DROPKICK to pack Perez away!

The crowd keeps on cheering, only for it to disappear…KILL SHOT!! HERO GETS DRILLED WITH THE KILL SHOT!! Tarver had all the distraction he needed to crack Hero in the jaw! Hero falls like a stone, his head an arm actually grazing the ropes on their way down. Tarver reaches over to pull Hero away…but he’s pulled from behind into a SCHOOL BOY!! Alex Riley ambushes everyone once again, catching Tarver from behind! Ramsey gets down to his duties –

1…

2…

{RILEY PUTS HIS FEET ON THE ROPES~!!]

...3….!!!

ELIMINATION #2: Tyson Tarver at (10:54)

And Alex Riley pulls a fast one on a fellow heel!! Now it’s Tarver’s turn to absolutely fume! Tyson nearly lunges at the slithery Riley, but Ramsey has a bit more success at restraining him than he did Murdoch earlier. Heel tactics are running wild here! Even with the easier dismissal, Riley doesn’t get the chance to turn back around and capitalize. Instead, he’s gripped from behind by Eric Perez…FULL NELSON SLAM!! Perez impressively nails Riley, but he doesn’t go for a cover on him, instead opting to try and pull Chris Hero away from the ropes. His psychology may be a little off, but that’s why this is developmental, as he tries to hook a leg on Chris –

1…

2…

3-NO!!

He took too long and Hero survives! Perez doesn’t cry for too long, leaping off and turning onto the downed body of Riley –

1…

2…

NO!!

Riley kicks out as well! Perez stands a little bit more agitated, taking Riley up and chunking him out of the ring and to the floor. Hoping to clean things up, Perez now has Hero all to himself, only to be stopped by a BIG BOOT FROM DREW GALLOWAY!! The Mad Scot is back in this thing, taking the surprised Perez and perhaps trying to eliminate him –

1…

2…

NO!!

Perez has life, but he’s quickly chunked into a corner and hit with a NASTY CORNER FOREARM!! Not as bad as Murdoch’s but Perez stumbles out either way, Galloway now hoisting Perez on his shoulders for something…NO!! Perez manages to slink off behind him and set him up now for the FULL NELSON SLAM…NO!!

Galloway lowers a shoulder and sends Perez rolling over it, the OVW Champion trying to get back to his feet only to meet a BULLRUSHING GALLOWAY ELBOW!! THE RUNNING ELBOW SMASH!! Perez damn near loses some teeth as he’s hit so hard, he flops through the ropes! Galloway has no real time to celebrate, as Chris Hero is up and wrapping his arms around Galloway’s midsection…GERMAN SUPLEX!! A somewhat sloppy suplex, but it gets the point across as Hero keeps the bridge –

1…

2…

3-NO!!

Galloway throws his legs up! Galloway tries his best to get back to his feet, but Hero has to pull on his long hair to help him the rest of the way. Hero grips at Galloway’s head…AND LOCKS IN A CRAVATE!! THE CRAVATE!! The crowd is still unfamiliar with the move, but it looks incredibly impressive, aggressive, and painful as Hero whips the big guy around to try and wrench his face off. After a moment or so, Hero stops and pops his hips…CRAVATE SUPLEX!! MERCY!! Hero is showing all kinds of new sides here, the Davis Arena loving it! As he tosses Galloway back, he doesn’t go for an immediate cover. Instead, he rushes at him…and HITS HIM WITH A DOUBLE FOOT STOMP…RIGHT INTO A STANDING SENTON!! Hero pulling it all out here, pulling Galloway away from the ropes now –

1…

2…

3-NO!!

GALLOWAY HAS LIFE!! The crowd pops because of both men’s face billing, Hero a little frustrated. He keeps his tongue in cheek and pushes his hair out of his face. He stalks Drew a bit as he groggily tries to get back to his feet, trying his best to get back up. Hero wants a killing blow, rushing off the ropes and springing back towards Galloway…only for Galloway to flip him upside down with the TILT-A-WHIRL BACKBREAKER!! Galloway torques the nimble Hero! He barely has time to push the long locks out of his face before the crowd starts buzzing intensely. Galloway looks up to see what they’re buzzing about…to see ALEX RILEY LEAPING WITH A FLYING CLOTHESLINE OFF THE TOP ROPE!! Riley smashes Galloway in the face with the incredibly surprising move, the athlete that is the Varsity Villain takes out the Mad Scot!! Riley now scrambles for the surprise cover –

1…

2…

3-NO!!

GALLOWAY STAYS DETERMINANT!! Riley has a right to be frustrated at that one, but as he pounds the mat he’s STRUCK WITH A STIFF BOOT FROM ERIC PEREZ!! Perez continues to pick his spots in a typical heel champion way, taking the stupefied Riley now and tossing him across the ring. On the rebound, Perez hoists Riley up…SITOUT SPINEBUSTER!! Riley’s spine is DRIVEN into the canvas!! Once again, Alex is quick to go down, but with a little more ‘oomph’ this time. Perez is gathering steam here, turning now to see that Galloway is trying to get to his feet…AND NAILS HIM IN THE FACE WITH THE LOW SINGLE-LEG DROPKICK!! The leg explodes off Galloway’s jaw, knocking him right back out cold.

But Perez doesn’t have time to pin either Riley or Galloway because rushing right back at him again is Chris Hero, the superhero named indy talent comes bullrushing at Perez with malicious intent on his mind…BUT HE’S CAUGHT IN A SPINNING SIDESLAM!! A PERFECT SCRAPBUSTER!! Hero is thrown and twisted into a mess, bodies scattered all over the ring at the hands of the OVW Champion now! He’s getting an incredible amount of heat and he gets even more of it when he pulls Hero up by his hair and puts him in position for a spinout powerbomb…the LA CRITICA. The crowd is buzzing considerably for this…but as Perez finds out, it’s not all for him. He turns to see BRODUS MURDOCH ROARING BACK DOWN THE AISLE!!

A swarm of officials and security are following him, but even they can’t catch a 300 lb. man when he’s got full momentum behind him!! Safe to say Murdoch has Perez’s complete and undivided attention, forcing him to drop Hero and go near the ropes. Murdoch is once again being restrained by everyone and their mother, the fans absolutely losing their shit here. Perez and Murdoch scream words at one another, although Murdoch’s words look and sound more like a rabid dog barking. The huge man beast is finally sedated enough to be pushed on back up the aisle, another asshole grin popping up on Perez’s face. The crowd keeps buzzing as the Suplex Machine is escorted out…AND BLOWS A HUGE POP WHEN CHRIS HERO NAILS PEREZ IN THE BACK OF THE HEAD WITH THE DEATH BLOW!! THE ROLLING ELBOW TO THE BACK OF THE HEAD CONNECTS!! The big man in Perez is positively concussed as he drops to the canvas like a mighty oak, Hero hooking a leg and the crowd all kinds of pumped –

1…

2…

3…!!

ELMINATION #3: Eric Perez at (17:11)

Just like that, Chris Hero, in his second match ever in OVW or in the professional leagues, has just pinned the OVW Heavyweight Champion! Unbelievable! Give an assist to Murdoch, but nonetheless, the standing in the box score stands. Hero wearily gets to his feet, but pumps a fist and has to lean up against the ropes for support. There’s only three men left now, but once again, these OVW guys don’t give each other any time to breathe or celebrate. Once Hero is up, Alex Riley forces himself on him and rams several shoulders into the prone gut of the stringy haired Ohio native.

Riley himself is stopped when he gets a clubbing blow to his back from the recovering Galloway, but all three men appear to be nearing dead-on-their-feet status. Drew pulls Riley away and then rushes for a clothesline, but Riley ducks him. It’s Riley now who charges for a clothesline…AND SENDS BOTH MEN TUMBLING OVER WITH A CACTUS CLOTHESLINE!! Intentional or not, now both men are on the floor, leaving Chris Hero the only man in the ring and tending to his tender ribs. He looks outside to see the only men alongside him remaining struggling to get to their feet when he rushes and bounces off the ropes…AND HITS A SUMMERSAULT PLANCHA ONTO BOTH MEN!! THE TOPE CON HERO DOWNS ALL THREE MEN!! The Davis Arena is in love with that, popping like mad!

Hero may have used his last bit of energy for that big move, but he drags himself up to grab hold of Galloway and shove him up under the bottom rope. Both men roll in with their messes of hair making things a little untamed, but Hero crawls to what could be a massive cover –

1…

2…

3-NO!!

Galloway, somehow, still has life in this thing! Hero pushes his hair back some more, only to try and force Galloway to his feet. But Drew gets a spark of life, putting Hero on his shoulders…NAILING HIM WITH THE FIREMAN’S CARRY GUTBUSTER!! It’s only the single-knee version, but at this stage in the match, it does everything it needs to! It’s Galloway’s turn now for a huge cover –

1…

2…

3-NO!! HERO STAYS ALIVE NOW!!

It’s Drew’s turn to get frustrated, looking more crazy than he did a move ago. Galloway forces Hero up then shoves him between his legs. Galloway looks to potentially go for a POWERBOMB here…but as Hero is flipped up, he hops right over the Scot’s head, landing behind him. He then grabs hold of Galloway’s head…perhaps ready to debut the HERO’S WELCOME…NO!! Galloway twists his way out of it, gets the short arm, and pulls Hero in with some double underhooks…SCOT SHOCK!! SCOT SHOCK CONNECTING!! THE SNAP DOUBLE UNDERHOOK DDT STIFFENS HERO!! The crowd throws a mixed reaction, but it’s mostly a big pop as Galloway now looks to cover Hero –

1…

2…

3…!!

ELMINATION #4: Chris Hero at (20:23)

And Hero is the next man gone! There’s only two men left now – Alex Riley, the slithery varsity jock who will do anything underhanded to make the grade and Drew Galloway, the crazy focused brawler who has shown more than his fair share of heart in this match. Riley climbs into the ring right after Hero’s pinfall, again keeping with the theme that these guys don’t give each other any space. He starts stomping like mad all over the Mad Scot, but Drew lives up to his name and lets out an adrenaline roar that scares Riley all the way into a corner. A close-up of Galloway shows he’s truly got a mad expression on, looking damn near like an animal. His long hair only makes things more tribal. He then lunges…AND STARTS GOING AT RILEY WITH A FLURRY OF BLOWS!!

Riley has to cover up from all the offense, but he too taps into the inner regions of his character and person, as the Mad Scot pulls out his crazy, the Varsity Villain pulls out his football star, actually TACKLING GALLOWAY TO THE CANVAS LIKE A LINEBACKER!! These two have initiated an all-out brawl, even in their exhausted states! Ramsey has a hard time trying to separate the two, forcing both men to a vertical position. Perhaps the fresher of the two, it’s Riley who stands first and waits for Galloway, only to rush at him and HAMMER HIM DOWN WITH A THUNDEROUS RUNNING STO!! The ‘Game Changer’ or so it’s called absolutely floors Galloway, Riley now getting to the count –

1…

2…

3-NO!!

Galloway shows he still has plenty heart! Or maybe he’s just crazy enough now to not want to give up. Either way, Riley gets a tad frustrated and grabs on Galloway’s hair to get him up before getting him in a front headlock…looking for a BIG DDT…NORTHERN LIGHTS SUPLEX!! Galloway counters big and keeps the bridge –

1…

2…

3-NO!!

Now it’s Riley’s turn to show some resolve, forcing Galloway to drop the bridge. Galloway tries to up his energy again, but we can see he’s dead tired. It’s Riley who takes advantage of this, surprising Galloway with a BEHEADING CLOTHESLINE. This nets him enough ‘oomph’ to toss Drew into a corner and rush after him…STINGER SPLASH!! A big body sandwich takes the team out of Galloway, who drifts right back into A-Ry’s clutches…HIP TOSS NECKBREAKER!! An impressive move that gets the Scot down, Riley trying hard here to get into the Dynasty Tournament –

1…

2…

3-NO!!

SOMEHOW, GALLOWAY STAYS!! Riley is really getting pissed here, pounding the mat and telling Ramsey ‘that was definitely three!’ Ramsey affirms the two count, forcing Riley to stalk Galloway from behind as he wearily drags back to his feet. As soon as he touches a vertical base, the Villain puts Galloway on his shoulder…going for the FINAL SCORE…NO!! Galloway slides off his back and lands behind him, getting him in an inverted headlock and lifting him up…SLINGSHOT INVERTED SUPLEX!! HOW ABOUT THAT ONE!! Galloway showing some genuine ingenuity there, Kentucky popping big as he crawls over with a berth clinching cover –

1…

2…

3-NO!!

THE REF IS PULLED FROM UNDER THE RING!!

Who the hell did that? None other than Johnny Jeter and Mike “Coach” Kruel – the Varity Squad! The stablemates of Alex Riley finally pop up in the most opportune of moments! Galloway is beyond pissed here, but with on ref, there’s no one to hold these two fresh men back as they storm into the ring and start BEATING THE SCOTSMAN TO A PULP!! The crowd throws tremendous heat at the heinous crew, but Galloway soon fights back, managing to shove away Johnny Jeter and fend off Kruel with a series of hard fists. As he does that, Jeter actually leaps on his back, forcing Galloway to stop with Kruel…to BACKPEDAL HARD INTO A CORNER!!

Jeter hits the iron post hard, forcing him down and rolling out of the ring. Kruel uses that moment to fire right back, coming back at Galloway with a series of blows of his own. That is until Drew recollects himself and tosses Kruel now into the corner, now delivering bow after blow to him! Kruel drifts out of the corner now to eat a CLOTHESLINE THAT SENDS KRUEL OVER!! But out of the corner of the frame comes Johnny Jeter...he’s aiming for the leaning over Scot…AND SMASHES HIM IN THE HEAD WITH…AN ATHLETIC CUP??? The hard plastic that’s designed to withstand Mack truck hits from football and baseball players rockets off Galloway’s skull!!

Ramsey finally is able to crawl back into the ring, but not before Jeter is able to toss the cup away at ringside, which we can see actually as a little trail of blood on it. A look back into the ring sees Galloway all kinds of dizzied, and a look at his left eye reveals that he is busted open just a tad. He stumbles, unable to keep anything together as he veers right into the clutches of Riley…who hoists him on his shoulders…FINAL SCORE!! RILEY NAILS THE FINAL SCORE!! The TKO connects as Riley climbs on top of the Scot and exhaustingly hooks a leg as the bumped Ramsey goes with the slow count –

1…



2…



3…!!!

Winner and guaranteed a berth in the 2008 Dynasty Tournament: Alex Riley at (26:03)

There it is! The sneakiest dog in the fight, the snottiest jock in the joint is going to make his AOW debut in the biggest Tournament in history! Riley can hardly contain his joy, his arms being raised to the sky amidst a downpour of heat. It rains even harder when the rest of the Varsity Squad hoist Riley on their shoulders like they just won a championship trophy.


Romero:
There you see it, folks. By incredibly shady and dirty means, Alex Riley, the Varsity Villain, will make his AOW debut as a member of the AOW Dynasty Tournament for a shot at the AOW Championship.

Miz:
Bravo! Bravo! Encore!

Romero:
Of course you’d cheer, but that’s all we have for you this week, folks! But in two weeks time, don’t miss our Offseason Finale Supershow, where we’ll be here for two whole hours with incredible capping off action! Good night to all and join us back here on May 21st!


The night appears to be over… but we cut to backstage in Al Snow’s office, where we see Al looking very conflicted when he’s watching a television screen. He’s not too happy with the way things turned out, but his displeasure dissipates when a sweating OVW Champion storms into the room


Perez:
Did you not see that?? Brodus Murdoch completely cost me a shot to be in the Dynasty Tournament! You said that spot was mine!!

Snow:
I said no such thing. Nothing’s guaranteed in wrestling. Besides, I don’t think you have time to worry about the Dynasty Tournament. Because on the Offseason Finale on the 21st, you’ve got yourself a title defense.
~…and Eric flips out

Perez:
WHAT!?! A TITLE DEFENSE!? AFTER I WAS ROBBED???

Snow:
It’s gonna be you, Eric Perez, defending that title against the man who pinned you tonight, Chris Hero, a man who was screwed more than you, Drew Galloway, and the man you yourself screwed out of the match…your old pal Brodus Murdoch.
~Perez completely loses it, dropping all hints of ‘class’

Perez:
Oh, BULLSHIT! Is there anything else you wanna tell me without my approval, huh, Mr. Commissioner??

Snow:
Actually, yeah. Because that Fatal 4-Way is normally No DQ. And it still will be. Except because of the stunts you pulled tonight, it’ll be No DQ for everyone but you.
~The crowd has no reaction to this, possibly not even aware this segment is happening, but Perez does enough reacting for everyone

Perez:
This – this is an OUTRAGE!

Snow:
Maybe next time you won’t be such a brownnose and go crying to Mr. Heyman.
~Snow walks out of frame, leaving Perez speechless, the Classiest Man in Puerto Rico throbbing in anger as we finally

FADE…

TO…

BLACK…


END SHOW




.:Confirmed for May 21st Offseason Finale Supershow:.

NO TIME LIMITS
~AOW World Heavyweight Championship~

Christian Cage(c) v. Jamie Noble

~OVW Heavyweight Championship~
*No DQ rules for everyone EXCEPT Eric Perez*

Eric Perez(c) v. Brodus Murdoch v. Drew Galloway v. Chris Hero

~AOW Dynasty Championship~
CM Punk(c) v. Ken Doane


'preciate the kind words there, Alcho. Really means a lot coming from you. As for this show, Commentary was extremely weak for this one, so apologize for that. I also apologize for the pacing and whatnot of the main event. Hope all enjoy and don't hate me for this :eek:
 
#256 ·
Again, appreciate the kind words of the great one named Alcho. Now that I have approval in-thread of both my favorite created thread proprietors, this place feels a little more complete. I've been giving your current thread a peek, Alcho, and barring my excessive laziness completely taking over me, I'll say something nice in there pretty soon ;) P.S. Team America is great, but I was thinking more this during that package -



Yeah. That just screams the 'struggle of the 'hood'.. Anyway, the goofiness out of the way, the latest show is still open for any feedback, but here's what you came here to see - actual stuff...

The Informer said:
The recent Mick Foley interview with Brian Alvarez over at Figure Four revealed several interesting things about AOW behind the scenes and in the inner workings of how this still primordial company is coming to form. One of the things Foley seemed to dodge around a bit was the notion of AOW’s finances. What Foley said in the interview was that AOW has been having an easier time finding sponsors now that they have a project already running. Foley wasn’t kidding, as the technical sponsor for AOW has been said to be Cadbury Schweppes Americas Beverages, the company that owns several soft drink labels in the United States (such as Dr. Pepper, Snapple, and Hawaiian Punch). The organization doesn’t look to be marketed too much in AOW, due to their ‘technical sponsor’ billing. AOW will get to keep its profits, seeing as how Cadbury will be getting their cut from sponsoring the events from FOX and FX themselves. What that means is simply that this sponsor will cover the costs of medical supplies as well as hotel accommodations when AOW goes abroad, as well as potentially helping with production costs.

That being said, what Foley only said was part of the truth. While it has technically been easier for AOW to get sponsors now than last year, it’s been difficult all around for everyone in wrestling. Following the tragic Chris Benoit headlines last summer, the public view of professional wrestling really hasn’t gotten better, and advertisers have been extremely cold on the notion of investing in investing in something with such a negative stock. This would potentially explain why Layfield and Heyman would’ve had to travel all the way to a Texas based company to pitch for sponsorship rather than anything in the New York area picking the company up. This would also explain why Cadbury is only a ‘technical sponsor’, which keeps it as a more behind-the-scenes sponsor than one exploitable on television so often.

With that being said, this sponsorship could work heavily in the favor of AOW when it comes to perhaps solidifying an international market. Cadbury Schweppes, the mother corporation to the American version, is a British based company that could potentially, eventually, help them get a foothold oversees. While the company is perhaps a ways away from actually performing overseas, knowing Heyman, this could lead to an interest in more oversees talents to be recruited.

On the further downside of this, however, is that it’s possible the company agreed to help sponsor so long as it’s immune from helping pay off anything the WWE wants in regards to the MVP/Antonio Banks fiasco. As we noted earlier, the preliminary trial for that was just before the Offseason began and the second and final hearing of it will take place on May 30th, not too long after the Offseason ends. It’s there that AOW will find out how much they will have to pay and what sort of penalty Banks will be facing in regards to television usage/contract details. AOW has not been legally allowed to have Banks perform in a wrestling capacity for the entire duration of the Offseason, however finding a loophole by using him in their online exclusive web clips.

Speaking of things concerning Antonio Banks in story, there’s actually no word yet on whether JTG and Shad – formerly known in the WWE as Cryme Time – have actually been inked to a deal. The two were released last year, only to show up unexpectedly in Banks’ video packages in the Offseason. The two have been paid per appearance so far, but have yet to confirm to signing anything long-term.

Until next time, this has been The Informer…

And now, some of these to tide you over...

aohdubya.com said:
AOHDUBYA.COM EXCLUSIVES - May 14th Newswire, Pt. I

We open in what looks like the Colon’s coconut stand back in Puerto Rico. Hispanic music can be heard playing on a radio as Carlito has an incredible pout while he wipes down the coconut milk stained countertop. His hair bounces with each push of his arm. When it looks like he’s done, he throws the rag in his hand down (WITH AUTHORITY~!!).

Carlito:
HEY, POP!! I’M DONE!!
~On cue and not too long afterward, Carly Colon Sr. brushes back his curtain of a door and looks inside

Colon Sr.
Good. Now come here.
~Colon motions with his finger for his son to follow him. Carlito begrudgingly doing so, the camera following them as they travel across a beach landscape. It looks absolutely gorgeous and as Carlito referenced in our last viewing, there’s Boricua booty everywhere. Carlito is grinning up a storm to these ladies, but his father stops walking suddenly to turn and look at him. Carlito’s smiling stops until they stop walking again a few more steps away. It looks like another small booth, but upon seeing it, Carlito looks pissed

Carlito:
OH NO!! DERE’S NO WAY IN HELL J’U ARE GETTING CARLITO TO CLEAN DAT!!

Colon Sr.
Calles la boca. Shut up j’ur mouth an’ clean. An’ when j’u are done, find a way to apologize to j’ur fellow Hispanic wrestlers.

Carlito:
But Pop –

Colon Sr.
CALLES LA BOCA AN’ CLEAN DE DAMN BATHROOMS~!!
~Carlito hangs his head low as Carlito opens the door to the tropical latrine, his father reaching over and giving him a mop. Carlito goes into a stall and opens it before freaking the fuck out

Carlito:
OH, HELL NO!! Dad, dis is where Ebola came from…!!
~And on that note, Carly Sr. just slams the bathroom door in his son’s face, a small smirk coming on before we hear the jangling of some keys as they go into his pocket. He walks away to the sound of his son now locked in the bathroom drifting behind him

Colon Sr.:
He must learn humility an’ discipline. I think he’ll do better this time.
~The smirk stays on the sire as the walks away, back to the threshold of hot Spanish babes in bikinis on a setting, burning tropical sun as we fade away…


We’re brought back to last Online Oblivion, or at least the very conclusion of it. Charlie Haas is all dressed down into his street clothes, a very dejected look on his face. Suddenly, the locker room gets rowdier, as in comes the winner of the main event – Alex Riley. Alongside him are his equally obnoxious stablemates – ‘Coach’ Mike Kruel and Johnny Jeter – the Varsity Squad.

Haas:
The hell do you guys want?

Kruel:
Hey, hey, hey! Why the hostility, Charlie? We just came to cheer ya’s up.

Jeter:
Yeah! I mean, why the long face when you’re in the presence of winners?

Riley:
Maybe we should leave him alone guys. Even our awesomesauce can’t get him out of his immense sucktitude. I mean come on – I’m headed to the Dynasty Tournament and this nobody’s got no Dynasty Championship shot.

Jeter:
Yeah? And you got no tag team partner now, neither!

Kruel:
Aww. Baby’s all alone now?
~Haas SHOOTS off his spot on the bench and into the face of Kruel

Haas:
You might wanna tell you and the goon squad to get back before I twist all of you into pretzels.
~Riley gets right between his manager and the aggressor

Riley:
Hey. Leave Coach outta this. You want someone to tangle with, you mess with me.

Kruel:
Don’t step in front o’ me, Riley. I can take this.
~Kruel steps back in front of Riley, now getting into Haas’ face

Kruel:
We’s was just tryin’ to be nice. Besides, it’s not like you got anything to get up about. You got no tag team. You got no title shot. So you beat me up and twist me. What’s that gonna do for you? Not a damn thing.

Jeter:
Not a damn thing.
~Jeter suddenly jumps in and echoes this, all three men now in Haas’ face. Charlie, looking unfazed, just reaches down and slings his duffle bag over his shoulder

Haas:
Y’know what? You’re right. Getting pissed at you and beating you guys up won’t do me any favors. But y’know what will?
~Haas presses his index finger against the chest of Riley

Haas:
Downing your boy here and winning the Dynasty Tournament. Doing that’ll do me some good. Don’t you think so, jockstrap?
~Riley smiles to himself

Riley:
Beat me? You’d best hope you don’t draw my number.

Haas:
Naw, son. You’d best hope that you don’t draw mine.
~On that note, Haas pushes past Riley and the gang with his bag in tote. He leaves the locker room, leaving the Varsity Squad somewhat shaken…except Riley, who still has a smirk on his face. The smile stays there in the tense air as we fade away…


The OVW backstage interview set, the cheery and bright Torrie Wilson showing up on our screens to whistles and boners

Torrie:
Ladies and gentlemen, my guest at this time –
~Torrie is cut off when a bearded man in a bathrobe cuts her off

Sandow:
No, no, no, no, Madame Wilson. There are no ‘ladies and gentlemen’ that watch this show, trust me. And even worse, all of this is only on the Internet, which is a cesspool of sin. I ask you to introduce me in a much more fitting manner so that we do not wrongfully flatter our audience.

Torrie:
Um…okay…what do I call them?

Sandow:
Have you no imagination, Madame? They are not ladies and gentlemen, but harlots and miscreants; floozies and convicts; tramps and delinquents. So pick one and introduce me correctly.
~Sandow closes his eyes and sticks his nose in the air, awaiting Torrie to adhere to his whim

Torrie:
Um…alright…floozies and convicts, my guest at this time, “Your Idol” Aaron Sandow.
~Sandow now smiles confidently, a very punchable face getting more hittable. He looks at the microphone Torrie has not put in his face

Sandow:
Why thank you, Madame. You have such lovely hands for such a brainless mouse.
~Wilson is obviously offended, but keeps the mic on Sandow anyway

Sandow:
But I am not here to argue the brain capacity of the average beauty queen blonde, no no. I am here to collect my prize for being “Your Idol”.

Torrie:
Why would that even remotely warrant a ‘prize’?

Sandow:
Because, Madame, I’ve done it better than anyone else so far. See, while I am quite frustrated at not being given any opportunities I have more than deserved, I am going about it in an intelligent manner. Not like the brutes in that Lucky 27 or even Jay Bradley airing his frustrations in such a Neanderthal manner. No. I have stayed silent, waiting, and intelligent.

Torrie:
So what’s that supposed to get you?

Sandow:
It was supposed to get me an OVW Championship match at the very least. But when I was not mentioned in neither the 6-Way Dance for a Dynasty Tournament spot, nor the OVW Championship match on the Finale, I must say, I was very displeased.

Torrie:
But what have you done to earn anything?

Sandow:
Oh, Torrie. Silly, slutty Torrie. Why, I’m “Your Idol”. I am the very beacon you should be aspiring to be like. What other reason do I need to be awarded anything? Besides, I have left a very ingenious essay on the desk of Al Snow explaining why I should be added to the OVW Championship match. I shall wait here until he responds.
~Torrie just looks up at Sandow, who begins humming a classical tune, his eyes closed, lost in the thought of his own orchestra. Wilson uses this opportunity to just slowly sneak away as we fade away…


The traditional exclusives backdrop, the white wall, but two very serious looking men standing before it. This time, it’s the odd couple team known as Low Jack – Jack Evans and Low Ki

Evans:
Yo. This is Jack Evans. And for once, I’m not here to rap. But I hope y’all still listen. ‘cause Ki and I kinda got career-altering news fo’ y’all.
~Evans looks at Ki to confirm going through with it…to which Ki somewhat hesitantly nods

Evans:
Ki and I came together through some pretty unconventional ways. We were forced to be together and as it turns out, we kinda stuck around together. And we’ve become best of friends, even though I don’t seem to shut up and he won’t even say nothin’.
~Ki does nod his head, acknowledging his silence

Evans:
And we’ve done a lot together. But we wanna do more. We always wanna do more. That’s what brings us and keeps us together, no matter how different our dynamics are. And we got so good at that, the Tag Team Champions noticed it and gave us a title shot because of how dedicated we are as a team. And trust us, Sons, we couldn’t have appreciated that any more than we did.
~A genuine smile on Evans’ face, while Ki, again, nods

Evans:
But we always wanna do more. And we know that to do more, you gotta give more. Risk versus reward. And so seein’ as how, yeah, you did retain your titles against us a month ago…you never pinned us. Not throwin’ Aero Star under the bus or nothin’, but he was the one that got pinned. Not us. So we got a case for a rematch.
~Evans raises an eyebrow and has his negotiator eyes on, now getting to the point

Evans:
So right here, right now, Low Jack is gonna challenge the Sons of the Dungeon one last time for the AOW World Tag Team Championships. And I say last time because…it could be our last time.
~Evans somewhat somberly looks at Ki, who dulls his sharp stare for a moment to look back at him and assure him to keep speaking

Evans:
Because we’re puttin’ everything on the line. That’s how bad we want those straps. Y’see, if Low Ki and Jack Evans don’t win the World Tag Team Championships on the Offseason Finale Supershow…then Low Jack is no more. Jack Evans and Low Ki will no longer be a permanent tag team.
~The two stare gravely at the camera

Evans:
Not because we hate each other or because we have too many differences. But because we wanna do more. We’ll still be best friends. I don’t know if anything’ll change that. But we want these titles so bad…that’s what we’re willing to give up to make sure they come home. So whaddya say, Sons? Title…versus team…?
~Evans points to he and Ki

Evans:
And don’t you feel bad for us, dudes. This was a mutual decision. And don’t you dare think we’re gonna be soft just because we might break apart. Oh hell naw. Y’all better prepare because this just means Low Jack is gonna go ALL. OUT. We got everything to lose…so we got everything to give.
~On that, Ki undoes his arms and then suddenly KICKS THE CAMERA!! The tripod it’s sitting on falls, leaving the camera now with a shot of the floor, the lens potentially shattered. After a second of silent awe, Ki and Evans take hold of the camera and turn it to face up at them, crouching over the device still on the floor

Evans:
Y’all boys better be ready. ‘cause everything will change. Us. The gold. You. Everything. Because this? It’s our be all, end all. We ready, boys. Are you?
~On that note, both Evans and Ki smirk before Ki stands up…AND STOMPS ON THE CAMERA LENS…and they cut away…


Back to the last Online Oblivion, Matt Sydal throwing something across the locker room in pure frustration. Billy Kidman looks on in a corner

Sydal:
DAMN THAT DOANE!! NOT AGAIN!!

Kidman:
Hey, don’t be blaming anyone else for your faults. You lost that match because you lost sight.

Sydal:
What? You’re on his side?

Kidman:
I’m not on anyone’s ‘side’, Matt. But if you’re gonna promise to be more aggressive, you also gotta promise to control it and not let it control you.

Sydal:
…maybe you’re right. God, I didn’t think it’d be this hard to change an entire attitude. Maybe…maybe I’m not cut out to be an ‘angry guy’.

Kidman:
You don’t have to be ‘angry’ all the time, kiddo. You just have to be angry enough to let it drive you to be better. You don’t have to wanna rip everyone’s head off all the time. Just don’t let anyone step on you, that’s all.

Sydal:
Oh. So you’re saying I should just be aggressive in pursuit…but not style?

Kidman:
Something like that. Yeah.
~As the two seem to reach a mentor/student accord, someone strolls into the room holding a piece of paper. That man is none other than OVW Commissioner Al Snow

Snow:
Hey, fellas. I’ve been looking for you guys.

Kidman:
Al. Good to see you again.

Snow:
Great to see you again too, Billy. Well, I’m more here for your kid here.

Kidman:
Take him away. Hey, what’s with the paper…?

Snow:
I don’t know. Somebody left this long-winded essay on my desk. Somethin’ about ‘earning your shot’ or whatever. But it got me thinking. Matt? How you doin’, kid?
~Snow holds out his hand for Sydal to shake it, which he quickly does

Sydal:
I’m alright, Mr. Snow

Snow:
Oh please. Call me Al. I just wanted to see you to tell you that you have earned your shot. Now I know we’ve never truly met, but I’ve taken great notice of how hard you’re working in this company to get some attention. And I like you. You know how much I like you? I like you enough to probably put my job on the line.

Sydal:
Wait…what?

Snow:
Yeah. Because what I’m about to do is probably about to cost me my job. Matt Sydal? I’m gonna grant you a Cruiserweight Championship match on the Offseason Finale Supershow.
~Sydal damn near jumps out of his shoes, Kidman stunned as well

Sydal:
WHAT!!

Kidman:
WHAT??

Snow:
Yeah, I know it doesn’t make much sense, that’s why I’m probably gonna get fired. Truth be told, Sydal, you haven’t won. Anything. You haven’t won a match in AOW or here in the Offseason. But I see somethin’ in you, kid. And I’m willing to go out on a limb for it. And for you.

Sydal:
But what about…y’know…making sense? Your job?

Kidman:
Yeah, I appreciate your enthusiasm, Al, but c’mon. That booking doesn’t make much sense. No offense to Matt, he's worked extremely hard, but he hasn’t done much to warrant this. And Heyman-?

Snow:
So what if Heyman’s gonna want my head? What’s he gonna do? It’s the Offseason Finale. Let me worry about him. You two just get ready for Bryan Danielson.
~And just as quickly as he arrived, Snow leaves with a smile, leaving Kidman and Sydal to stand there in disbelief…before Kidman suddenly gives Sydal a huge hug, Sydal hugging him back. The two share an almost father/son-like embrace as we fade away…

.:On aohdubya.com Exclusives, Pt. II:.
Jamie Noble reacts to Christian's 'doubt'
CM Punk reaches into the dark corners
Nick Nameth wrestles...A GIRL???​


.:*UPDATED* May 21st Offseason Finale Supershow Card:.

NO TIME LIMITS
~AOW World Heavyweight Championship~

Christian Cage(c) v. Jamie Noble

~OVW Heavyweight Championship~
*No DQ rules for everyone EXCEPT Eric Perez*

Eric Perez(c) v. Brodus Murdoch v. Drew Galloway v. Chris Hero

~AOW Dynasty Championship~
CM Punk(c) v. Ken Doane

~AOW Cruiserweight Championship~
Bryan Danielson(c) v. Matt Sydal w/Billy Kidman


Again, show still open for feedback/critique/destruction. The Second update and preview will be along because the Supershow is coming extremely slow. 'til then, I hope to break out of my laziness funk (though don't hold your breath on it). Hope all remain well until we meet again :eek:
 
#257 · (Edited)
STUFF~!! If somewhat abbreviated...

aohdubya.com said:
Heyman Overrides Snow; Reinstates Perez’s No DQ Clause

On this past edition of Wednesday Night Online Oblivion, a massive main event gave us Alex Riley headed for the AOW Dynasty Tournament. But the stinger perhaps proved even bigger, as a Four Way for the OVW Championship was announced on the Offseason Finale. In that announcement, Al Snow penalized OVW Champion Eric Perez’s conduct in that night’s main event to take away his standard no DQ clause in a Fatal-4 Way

Due to Perez incredible standing with Paul Heyman(by means that have been questioned), Paul Heyman has announced that on the Finale Supershow, Eric Perez WILL have the same No DQ clause as the other competitors in the contest. Completely overriding OVW Commissioner Al Snow’s decision, what impact will this have on the OVW title match and possibly even OVW’s relationship with AOW…?


Sons of the Dungeon Accept

This just in this morning, the Sons of the Dungeon have accepted the Tag Team Championship challenge issued by Low Jack. At the Offseason Finale Supershow, it’s going to be the team of TJ Wilson and Harry Smith – the incumbent Tag Team Champions - taking on the team of Jack Evans and Low Ki, but per stipulation of Low Jack’s own challenge, should Ki and Evans not walk away with the AOW World Tag Team Championships, they will no longer perform as a permanent tag team. Low Jack has absolutely nothing to hold them back now, even against the most sportsman and technically gifted athletes in all of AOW. Will they be able to conquer their own stipulation and attain their goal?


!!TWO-HOUR SEASON PREMIERE ANNOUNCED!!

AOW is pleased to announced that the very first episode that brings AOW out of the Offseason, airing back on our regular time on FX on June 4th, will be a two-hour festival of action to kick off not just the 2nd ‘season’ of AOW, but to kick off the first ever Dynasty Tournament! With the shackles off and the biding time coming to erupt, what could this possibly have in store? Find out when the Dynasty Tournament christens the beginning of a brand new AOW, Wednesday, June 4th, 9/8c only on FX!

May 14th Newswire, Pt. II

The OVW Interview set, Torrie Wilson sitting there with her Beauty Queen smile and a microphone

Wilson:
Ladies and gentlemen, my guests at this time, two of the men just named to be partaking in the AOW Championship match at the Finale Supershow – Chris Hero and Brodus Murdoch!
~A pan out to show Hero on one side and Murdoch on the other. Murdoch is staring at Hero like he’s lunch, while Hero is confidently trying to smirk it off

Wilson:
Both of you gentlemen will be in the Fatal 4-Way title match to conclude the Offseason. What’re your thoughts heading in?
~Wilson puts the microphone to Hero first

Hero:
Truthfully, Torrie, I wish everyone in that match the best of luck. Most of all Eric Perez because there’s virtually no chance he’s keeping that title. But I respect all my opponents, but in all honesty, the only man in that match that even deserves to be there…is me.
~We hear a bit of an offended snort coming from Murdoch, but nothing else

Hero:
What? You got something to say, big guy?
~Wilson tentatively drifts the microphone into the direction of Murdoch, whose demeanor doesn’t change a bit

Murdoch:
When I got somethin’ to say, believe me, you’ll know.
~Wilson sort of lingers there, expecting for him to say more, but he goes right back to being a stoic stonewall, leading her to put the microphone back on Hero

Hero:
Well I got something to say. Me being the only deserving man in that match isn’t an overconfident or even arrogant boast. I’m the only guy in that match to actually pin Eric Perez. And not to call anyone out, but…all this guy did was lose his temper.
~Wilson and Hero look up at the mastodon before him, the somewhat arrogant Hero not being fazed by poking at the dragon here

Murdoch:
You think you real funny, huh? Well what if I lost my temper right now?
~Hero and Murdoch look like they’re about to get into it, Wilson darting out of the way…but then someone cuts in and takes the attention of both men. It’s Drew Galloway, and he’s got a nasty snarl on his face and a knot above his eye where he was struck with the athletic cup

Galloway:
Yeah? And what if the real guy who deserves a shot steps in here?

Hero:
You got hit in the head with a cup. You hardly qualify.

Galloway:
Yeah? And who is to say without this guy you’d even have pinned him.
~Galloway points to Murdoch

Hero:
Because Chris Hero fights his own battles

Murdoch:
He also digs his own graves.

Galloway:
I don’t have a problem downing you either, luggy.

Wilson:
Guys! Please! I just need some thoughts on Eric Perez from all of you.

Hero, Galloway, & Murdoch:
HE’S DEAD.
~An intense hush now befalls the scene

Galloway:
I can guarantee you this, lass, that no matter what happens in that match, I can guarantee that one of us will walk away OVW Heavyweight Champion. I expect a great match…but the winner’s gonna be me. Why? Because what OVW doesn’t need is some converted thug who thinks he has class. No. It needs a Mad Scot.
~And on that note, Galloway looks at his other two rivals intensely before Murdoch chimes in

Murdoch:
Naw. What OVW really needs…is a monster.
~The unemotional Murdoch now glares back at his other two foes

Hero:
You’re both wrong. What OVW, and in due time, AOW needs right now…is a Hero.
~All three men stare aggressively, back and forth into each other’s faces with Wilson cowering as we fade away…


The screen comes up to show grumpy old man Finlay, sitting on a porch with a round of ale, not much of a telling look on his face other than his perpetual scowl

Finlay:
So I’m just minding my own business in what I was promised was a two month layoff. I don’t like to stop wrestling. I don’t like the idea of not being paid to beat people to pulps. But on that layoff, I got wind of some chap named Matt Sydal getting a championship opportunity.
~Finlay takes a sip of his Irish ale

Finlay:
An’ it got me thinking – I don’t even know who this chap is. Find out he hasn’t won a single match in AOW since he popped up. An’ here he is, getting a title shot out of the blue.
~Finlay shakes his head and takes another sip

Finlay:
I mean, where the hell did that come from? I’m Dave Finlay! I haven’t been pinned in AOW for damn near ten months and I’ve only ever had one title match. ONE. But here’s this little shit with no wins whatsoever getting a title shot all willy-nilly.
~Finlay again shakes his head and takes a gulp of ale before letting out a refreshing sigh and wiping his mouth

Cameraman:
Um…Mr. Finlay, if I recall, Rob Van Dam actually pinned you at The Outer Limits in your Unsanctioned match. You’re not really undefeated anymore.

Finlay:
Oh yeah? What kind of match did you say it was?

Cameraman:
The Unsanctioned Match.

Finlay:
Exactly. Unsanctioned. It never happened. I’ve never been pinned.
~Finlay leers at the cameraman past the camera, but then he looks right back at the camera

Finlay:
But all this is gonna do is piss me off even more. We’re about to head right back to the ring in a couple of weeks. And AOW – you’d better pray Dave Finlay can’t wrestle by the start of the Dynasty Tournament. Of course, I’d have to be dead for that to happen. Because if there’s anything that’s going to get me my shot at the AOW World Championship, it’s winning that Tournament.
~Finlay then veers close to the camera, his toothless grin flashing menacingly

Finlay:
Get to prayin’.
~Finlay then lets out an evil, yet hearty laugh as we slowly fade away…


We’re now brought to what looks like a small room. We’re not sure if it’s an apartment or a room in a bigger house, but we see CM Punk via webcam, his babyface broken and starting to really grow out his beard. He’s sitting with a Chicago Cubs baseball cap on and a pretty unemotional look, but we can tell he’s not happy. The Dynasty Championship is sitting in his lap.

Punk:
So Al Snow called me up and told me that even in my weeks off away from Louisville, I needed to record a reaction or my reaction, my take, how I feel about Ken Doane being named #1 contender for my Dynasty Championship on the Offseason Finale show.
~Punk wipes his mouth with his hand

Punk:
Truth is I feel pissed. I feel pissed that I’m about to have a title match with a spineless, coat-tailing coward of a frat boy when what I should be getting is a rematch from my match with Chris Hero. That match was thrown out. And I wanted to finish it.
~Punk stares angrily into the camera, taking off his hat

Punk:
Ken Doane? You’re a tool. And just like all good tools, I’m gonna use you. I’m gonna use you get out all the anger that I had from that match getting thrown out the way it did. See Kenny, I’m a fighting champion. You want my Dynasty title, I’m more than willing to let you fight me for it. But there’s no fight in you. And what little there is, I promise, I’m gonna knock it right out of you in our match.
~Punk takes the title out of his lap and slings it over his shoulder

Punk:
So come on, Kenny. Step up and be my therapeutic punching bag. Because “Dat Doane Dude”…is gonna get his shit knocked out by a “Perpetually Pissed-Off Punk”.
~Punk’s expression, which hasn’t changed for the duration of the video, remains intense as he stares and we fade away…


We head back to the last episode of Online Oblivion, where Ken Doane, as cocky and as confident as can be, is roaming through the back garage, prepared to leave after getting his Dynasty Championship shot. But as he’s all kinds of cocky pumped, a hand drops over one of his shoulders and stops him in his tracks. He looks over to see Paul Burchill, with William Regal suddenly appearing on his other side as well

Regal:
How’re you tonight, bloke?

Doane:
Um…good. I’m good. Just got a Dynasty Championship shot, y’know?

Burchill:
Yeah. You did, didn’t you?

Doane:
That’s right I did. Y’boy Kenny D’s gettin’ right back on the fast track.

??? (off-camera):
If only life were that easy.
~Doane moves a side a little bit to see who behind him spoke and, no surprise, but it’s Brent Albright

Doane:
Hey, it was every man for himself, Brent.

Albright:
Oh no. It’s not that. It’s just you seemed to work so hard for your title shot.

Regal:
It did seem like a hard fought victory to me. Nothing cheap or embarrassing about it at all.
~Doane is definitely sensing the satirical undertones of this

Doane:
What – you guys just jealous? Jealous I won that title shot over your little pet project, Brent? Jealous because CM Punk chose some dude no one’s heard of over him last month?

Burchill:
I wouldn’t say ‘jealous’. But we are glad you got your title match.

Regal:
Indeed we are. Not a more deserving man around. But wouldn’t it be a real shame if after you worked so hard for that victory tonight that someone were to…I don’t know…interfere in the title match? Make it go the way of the last Dynasty Championship match? Put all your hard work in the trash?

Albright:
Yeah, it’d be a real heartbreaker if that happened twice.
~There’s an incredibly uneasy silence between the four men, the Mercs all starting to smirk, while Doane looks like the cornered kid on the playground

Doane:
Um…what would prevent said happening from happening twice…?

Regal:
Well, we are Mercenaries, Inc. of course. You could pay us to keep that danger away.

Albright:
We’ll be that lightning rod that stops lightning from striking twice…

Burchill:
…in the best interest of the integrity of the sport by way of the integrity of business, of course.
~The three move in even closer, damn near squeezing Doane, who has fear written all over his face

Doane:
Uh…how much you guys want?

Regal:
$300 apiece. By the 21st. And that's being generous.
~Doane’s eyes go wide

Doane:
$300 – what?! You want $900?! C’mon, it’s the Offseason!

Burchill:
Take it and be merry or leave it and be bludgeoned.
~Doane looks like a cornered puppy with literally nowhere to go

Doane:
Fine. You’ll have it before the match.
~Regal pats Doane on the back

Regal:
That’s a good boy. Gents? Let’s head out.
~Regal and Burchill start making their way away from Doane, who scampers off, but Albright stays put and is the last man in the scene. He smirks to himself and lets out a small laugh before turning and going where his cohorts went as we fade away…


A wrestling workout area. With a weight room probably somewhere beyond the walls of where we are, all we see is a wrestling ring sitting in the middle of what looks like a gymnasium. This is where we see American Made’s Nick Nameth and his hard earned date, Taylor Wilde. Both are in workout gear and stretching, but Nameth is almost staring a hole through her ass…

Nameth:
Alright. Now just because you look hot in that workout gear doesn’t mean I’m gonna let up.

Wilde:
You’d better not. According to the Warrior Code, you show a woman respect by not holding back against her.

Nameth:
Well I don’t know about all that but a deal is a deal. We wrestle. Then we go on our date.

Wilde:
Cool. So uh…where’s your friend?

Nameth:
Jake? He was busy.

Wilde:
Oh. You sent him home ‘cause you didn’t want him to see you get beat by a blondie?
~Wilde flashes a flirty smile

Nameth:
Y’know what? It’s easier to just not argue with women. If that’s what you wanna believe, then believe it.
~Nameth finishes stretching and lacing up, stepping into the ring. He sits on the middle rope, opening a small way for Wilde to get in

Nameth:
Your chariot, madame?

Wilde:
Such a gentlemen.
~Wilde finishes lacing up as well…but then slides into the ring after a running start, totally buffing Nameth’s show of chivalry

Wilde:
You gonna sit there like a sissy or what?
~Nameth finally gets down from the ropes and steps in

Nameth:
Alright then. Let’s GO~!!

Before Wilde can even react, Nameth drops his level and hits Wilde with a single leg takedown. Wilde hits the mat hard, but maneuvers her way around and traps Nick in a modified Oklahoma roll, only for Nameth to break out of it. Both athletes get to their feet and Nameth tries to fire off one of his PERFECT DROPKICKS…but Wilde ducks it and sends Nameth flat. He springs back to his feet, only to see Wilde leap up…AND NAIL HIM WITH A PERFECT DROPKICK OF HER OWN!! Nameth goes down to grip his jaw, still clutching it as he gets to his feet

Nameth:
Okay, there. We wrestled. Now we can go on our date.

Wilde:
Oh no. Not so fast. The match isn’t even over, Nicky.

Nameth:
Don’t call me that.

Wilde:
Niiiiiicky.

Nameth:
Do you see a referee? There is no ‘match’, either.

Wilde:
Come on Niiiiicky. Afraid to be beat by a girl?

Nameth:
You’re askin’ for it.

Wilde:
Let’s keep going Nicky.

And suddenly, Nameth LUNGES AT HER WITH AN ANGRY CLOTHESLINE…but she seems to duck at the last minute, grappling Nameth around the waist…and attempting a GERMAN SUPLEX…but before she can do anything, Nameth jams the move and his a standing switch, now getting behind Wilde. She blocks the move now and turns in Nameth’s grip, the two locking in a collar-and-elbow tie. The two jockey for position, Nameth with much more power…but perhaps he lets up…and WILDE CHARGES, pinning Nameth against a corner. The two’s faces are incredibly close…eyes locking in intensity…

Wilde:
You almost clotheslined my head off.

Nameth:
I kind of lose my tempter sometimes. You almost suplexed me.

Wilde:
Right. Almost. So how about that date…?
~Nameth suddenly remembers

Nameth:
Oh. Yeah. Yeah let’s go.
~Nameth struggles a little bit to move, Wilde taking herself off of him as she goes through the ropes and out to the ring. She gazes at him…affectionately?...as he stumbles on through the ropes now (quite possibly trying to hide any potential tent poles). Nicky approaches Wilde and walks beside her on out the door, an obvious attraction between them…


We're at an outdoor scene, possibly close to a farm, where we see Jamie Noble, full of sweat from having worked in the sun all day

Noble:
Well, well, well. The knight in shining army finally shows his cracks in the shield. The celebrated hero isn’t as strong as people say he is. The “Savior” ain’t nearly the god they say he killed.
~Noble wipes sweat from off his forehead

Noble:
Ha-HA. Am I supposed to be laughin’? Lickin’ my chops because the psychological game is already bein’ played for me? Not by me, but by the Moonman himself?
~Noble chuckles…but then abruptly stops

Noble:
Naw. Hell naw. It’s insultin’. You wanna know why? Christian’s not in his little pool of doubt because he couldn’t defend his title on his first try. He’s full of doubt because he couldn’t beat easy-pickins Jamie Noble. Ain’t that right y’all?
~Noble develops a dry smile

Noble:
An’ that’s not all. Oh no. He’s gone even further into his ol’ naval gazin’ habits because he doesn’t wanna take down a guy who worked just as hard as he has to get to the top. Lemme tell you somethin’ Christian – nobody. An’ I do mean NOBODY. Had better ever look past Jamie Noble. I ain’t been the hottest dog on the card, but I still got the nastiest bite. On top o’ that, don’t you pity me, y’hear? Don’t you DARE pity me!
~Noble screams at the camera

Noble:
If you respect me enough for bein’ in this business for as long as you have, then you should respect me enough to go all out, have no regrets, give no quarter, an’ WHIP MY ASS!! Don’t you dare feel sorry for me, boy. Or I’m gonna make you feel sorry for y’self.
~Noble’s stare becomes a little more daunting

Noble:
Christian, I appreciate you pickin’ me to be your opponent once again. But you’d better respect me an’ not talk about me like I’m some kind of family pig. Don’t look past me. Don’t pity me. Why? Because I’m Jamie. FREAKIN’. Noble. An’ on the Finale…that title? It ain’t got a time limit on it this time. Good. Now I’m free to show y’all what you’re in for. Unrestricted. That Noble boy? He’s about to be unleashed. Pity that.
~The Pitbull drifts off, his shadow following him into the wonders of the farm as we fade away…


.:*UPDATED* May 21st Offseason Finale Supershow Card:.

NO TIME LIMITS
~AOW World Heavyweight Championship~

Christian Cage(c) v. Jamie Noble

~OVW Heavyweight Championship~
Fatal 4-Way

Eric Perez(c) v. Brodus Murdoch v. Drew Galloway v. Chris Hero

~AOW Dynasty Championship~
CM Punk(c) v. Ken Doane

~AOW Cruiserweight Championship~
Bryan Danielson(c) v. Matt Sydal w/Billy Kidman

~AOW World Tag Team Championships~
*If Low Jack loses, they will no longer compete as a permanent tag team*

Sons of the Dungeon(c) v. Low Jack



Finale may or may not have a preview if it's called for or even necessary. I'm not sure yet, although I don't see much of a need for one. If no preview, then the next post should be the Finale itself, which will be as in full as any other Supershow before it except this one probably won't include actual commentary. Hope no one hates me for any of that. Until then, hope all stay well :eek:
 
#261 ·
I wouldn't worry too much about the 'old faces' showing up again - if anything, it should result in the likes of yourself and Melvis getting the sort of plaudits you've both earned with your work over the last couple of years :)

Anyways, I had wanted to leave some feedback for the 'Off season finale', but ... well, you know the drill, lack of time/procrastination/other {delete as appropriate}, but I'm excited to see the second season kick off, although if I'm nit picking, I'd be a little concerned that the 10 Dynasty Tournament matches on the opening show might be overkill for the opening night. I'm sure there are reasons for it (lack to time before the finals to fit the matches in?) but that's just my own personal concern for the show, where I feel it could lose some momentum.
 
#263 ·
Plaudits? I can only dream, Wolf Man.

P.S. Holy shit it finally got freakin' posted





June 4th, 2008

The Hammerstein Ballroom – Manhattan, New York City, New York
“Don’t Call it a Comeback”



A black screen with what looks like just a little white square in the center of it. It looks like a faraway television screen just hanging in dark hyperspace, but with each passing second it creeps closer and closer. Images bursts across on that small screen in accordance to the audio that goes by. There’s a faint humming in the background, but above that, we can hear soundclips from the first season of Art of War Wrestling…

“Welcome to AOW – Art of War Wrestling!”
“…Lucky 13…”
“…MICHAELS TAPPED OUT!!”
“I am Chris Jericho and I am your AOW Heavyweight Champ…”
“My god, what happened to Rob Van Dam…”
“That’s…that’s ‘The Great!’…”
“Samoa Joe and Finlay are tearing each other apart on the balcony!”
“WORLD’S GREATEST DOOMSDAY DEVICE!!”
“One…step…ahead…”
“Gregory Helms just stole the Cruiserweight Championship!”
“Hell has ascended to the Earth with the A.O.K.O. match…”
“The Man…on the Moon…”
“The Sons of the Dungeon, American Made, and the Samoan Fight Club debut on the same night…”
“Christian Cage has gone ballistic on Bobby Lashley…”
“…I’m the Real Deal…”
“I…I…I will NEVER QUIT!!”
“LASHLEY JUST SPEARED RVD THROUGH THAT TABLE! Michaels is counting…”
“…this is my Worthy Legion…”
“No one saw Michaels get eliminated…”
“…because you have to win this title before the end of the year…”
“…get rid of all the scum…”
“CM Punk finally is Dynasty Champion!”
“…you don’t retire until I say you do…”
“HEYMAN SCREWED MICHAELS…”
“Shawn Michaels…YOU’RE FIRED…”
“Tyler Black and Kofi Kingston tear the house down on their debut night…”
“CHRISTIAN CAGE HAS RETURNED FROM EXILE!!”
“This world is mine…”
“CHRISTIAN CAGE SURVIVES THE WAR CHAMER!!”
“…the first ever pro wrestling Offseason…”
“Wait a minute…did somebody just jump ship…?”
“I am the Boondock Saint Antonio Banks…”
“The first ever AOW Trios Tournament…”
“…AN UNSANCTIONED MATCH!!”
“Shawn Michaels…has sold his soul to the devil!”
“…a knee to the face means the same thing to every race!”
“I am the Master of Puppets…”
“YOU’RE GONNA GET YOUR F*CKIN’ HEAD KICKED IN!”
“Danielson spins Helms around FORTY TIMES!”
“…the rookies take center stage and become AOW WORLD Tag Team Champions…”
“Colon just used the Samoan Fight Club for the victory!”
“PSICOSIS TAPS!! Mercenaries, Inc. have captured the trophy…”
“THAT’S A HALF-TON ELBOW DROP!”
“MUSCLE BUSTER TO THE BEHEMOTH!”
“Justin King is a racist!”
“Finlay is an absolute bloody mess…”
“HE’S BACK! RVD IS OFFICIALLY BACK!”
“Can Christian hold on…”
“YOU SCREWED BRET! YOU SCREWED BRET!”
“He almost hit Torrie Wilson…”
“UNPRETTIER!! THE UNPRETTIER HEARD ‘ROUND THE WORLD…”
“THE JOURNEY – THE DREAM – IT’S ALL COME TRUE!! THE MADNESS, THE EXILE – IT HAS ALL LED TO THIS VINDICATION!!”

….and suddenly the screen shuts off on the victorious picture of Christian Cage holding the title high…only for the screen to light up on the final image of the AOW Offseason, Christian Cage still sanding victorious in the center ring, the entire crowd chanting and chanting before the scene fades away, leaving only the audio…

AOW!! AOW!! AOW!! AOW!! AOW!!

…before that gradually fades away and all we hear is the narrator we’ve heard for the last year as the AOW logo posts up on the screen

Narrator:
Welcome back to the battlefield. We missed your blood.

***


We enter the Hammerstein Ballroom, 3,000+ people on their feet…AND THEY’RE ALL SINGING ALONG, A CAPPELLA, TO MARILYN MANSON’S “FIGHT SONG!!” The traditional package didn’t even air, but all in attendance are so ready to be back in the swing of things, they’re letting it be heard! No telling how long this has been going on, but the awe-inspiring moment goes on for the first few minutes of the broadcast, reaching a near euphoric moment when the entire arena hits the “FIGHT!! FIGHT!!” chants. They pop huge for themselves as even Tony Chimel is taken aback by what’s going on, but not enough to leave him speechless


Chimel:
Ladies and gentlemen from the Hammerstein Ballroom and all around the world…welcome to AOW Wednesday Night Oblivion: SEEEAA-SUUUUUUN TWOOOO!!


The Hammerstein comes unglued once again before anything even happens, and then the chanting no longer becomes a recording. The rabid, mutant crowd kicks up their own live “AOW!! AOW!! AOW!!” chant that goes a little bit longer and sets an absolutely incredible setting for everything.

With the glorious re-introduction out of the way, we await for a moment until “MISERE CANTARE” begins to play to an ENORMOUS pop. The first man who drew #1 is none other than Dynasty Champion CM Punk! Punk is taken aback at his huge reaction, his Dynasty title flaying by his side. He’s pumped up by the crowd being so pumped up, the frustration we saw in the Offseason subsiding for the euphoric entrance. Punk marches down the ramp and plays to the crowd some more, more than happy to be the first guy these people see as the personification of what AOW is about.



Joey Styles
CM Punk is as ripe and ready as this insane Hammerstein Ballroom crowd! Hello, everyone, I’m Joey Styles alongside John “Bradshaw” Layfield and neither one of us can stress enough just how pumped we are to be back behind this glorious desk for the greatest wrestling promotion in the world on the greatest wrestling show in the world, Wednesday Night Oblivion!

JBL:
AOW is back in the habit, Joey, an’ I wouldn’t have it any other way! This night is two and a half months in the making!

Joey Styles:
And we’re kicking it off in style because in AOW, we don’t sleep on the wrestling here, folks. We’re gonna give it to you heavy and all night long, this match the first of TEN, yes, TEN matches in the AOW Dynasty Tournament!

JBL:
An’ that’s the beauty of the Dynasty Tournament in that no one knows who is gonna face who! I just hope whoever faces this tattooed buffoon knocks him right the hell out of this Tournament.

Joey Styles:
The best way to start AOW Season II, ladies and gentlemen, John Layfield wearing his CM Punk underwear waiting for his favorite wrestler to give him an autograph.


The sweet sound of commentators arguing is music. Other than that, the crowd reminds Punk of how much they love him when they kick up a “CM PUNK!! CM PUNK!!” chant before they die down just a tad. There’s a bit of a hush that goes around the Hammerstein, but a buzz of great intrigue as we wait for the next man…to hear “STORM LANCING” chime out over the system to a huge ovation as well!! It’s Punk’s old mentor, Lance Storm! We’ve only seen Storm twice this year and that was in the Trios Tournament, and no one’s seen him since! The veteran is also surprised at his reaction, walking into the ring to share a smile with Punk. The Dynasty champ can’t believe it, but from the way it looks, CM Punk was asking for a ‘hero’ in the Offseason; a small light in the dark world of wrestling. And it looks like he’s gonna get it

OPENING CONTEST
~Dynasty Tournament: Rd. 1~

AOW Dynasty Champion CM Punk v.
Lance Storm


For most of the match, the two remain on even footing and have a lengthy feeling out process because of it. Even after four minutes of action, the two men continually trade advantages back and forth, neither man being able to sustain a lead. Storm becomes the first man to nail consecutive big maneuvers when he surprises the rebounding Punk with a LEG LARIAT!! Storm immediately covers his former subordinate – 1…2…3-NO!! Punk keeps himself in the Tournament! Storm doesn’t let this stop him, taking Punk up and sending him over with a FLAWLESS NORTHERN LIGHTS SUPLEX!! He keeps the bridge and hopes for another cover – 1…2…3-NO!! Punk stays alive again!

The elder Storm is making it hard for Punk to stay on his feet, getting a hold of him and grappling him back to the mat and squeezing at his ribs with a side waistlock. Punk screams that he doesn’t wanna give up, even though it’s wearing him down. He manages to give Storm a pair of hard shots right in the middle of the forehead, backing him off enough for Punk to get back to his feet. Storm rushes the younger champion, Punk sidestepping and causing Storm to bounce off the ropes, where Punk greets him with a SNAP SCOOP POWERSLAM!! The crowd ignites for Punk as he goes for a cover – 1…2…3-NO!! Storm trugs on

Lance tries to recover by going over to a corner. When Punk approaches him, he shoos him away with a stiff KICK that sends Punk reeling away. But the resilient young rebel rushes back towards the corner, looking for the CORNER HIGH KNEE…NO!! Storm sees the move coming a mile away and DUMPS PUNK OVER THE TOP ROPE…but Punk lands on the apron! Storm turns around to see Punk still up, who CLOCKS HIM WITH A ROUNDHOUSE FROM THE APRON! Storm goes down hard to a pop, Punk leaning back and preparing for his former mentor to get back to his feet, but he may be eating up time here…SPRINGBOARD CLOTHESLINE…NO!!

Storm moves out of the way, Punk landing on his feet after seeing it coming. Storm grips Punk in a rear waistlock and goes for a GERMAN SUPLEX…but Punk jams the move and won’t let Storm get him up and over. Instead, Punk nails a standing switch and tries for his own GERMA…but Storm jams that one, forcing Punk over his shoulder with a FEIRCE SNAPMARE! Punk is rolled over himself, getting back to his feet dizzied…and is greeted with a LANCE STORM SUPERKICK…NO!! Punk counters Storm now, catching the foot before it meets chin, spinning Storm around, and on the spinout, CATCHES HIM ON HIS SHOULDERS FOR THE GTS…but Storm squibbles out of that, landing right behind Punk…AND FINALLY NAILS THE GERMAN SUPLEX!! An impressive mentor-pupil sequence ends with Storm getting a cover – 1…2…3…NO!! It’s not over yet!

The match time clock is striking just after seven minutes, Storm getting a little flustered. He tries to bring Punk to his feet, but Punk springs to life and RAMS THE VETERAN INTO A CORNER!! A violent move by Punk only stopped by him tending to his tender neck area, but he takes several steps back before rushing again…AND HITS THE CORNER KNEE AND BULLDOG COMBO!! Storm falls with his eyes up towards the lights and Punk covering – 1…2…3-NO!!

Punk doesn’t get too mad over the kickout, perhaps a sign of respect, but he doesn’t rise from his knees, just clasping his hands together and putting them by an ear. It’s time to put the old man to sleep. The crowd roars as the taunt is made, Storm somewhat wobbly to his feet…PUT ON PUNK’S SHOULDERS…NO!! He squibs off again, rebounding off the ropes behind him…and cracks Punk with the SPINNING WHEEL KICK!! Storm with another cover – 1…2…3-NO!! As soon as Punk throws his legs up, Storm goes over and grabs it, delivering a pair of boots to the pit of the knee. He then grabs the ankle with the crowd buzzing…CANADIAN MAPLE LEAF…NO!! Punk pulls Storm in for a small package – 1…2…3…NO!!

Punk couldn’t win the way he retained his title at The Outer Limits, both men springing back to their feet, only for Storm to try and set-up Punk for a VERTICAL SUPLEX…but Punk short-arms out of it, wrapping Storm up…and NAILING THE PEPSI TWIST!! But as Storm hits the canvas, his hammerlocked arm flies out…AND ALLOWS PUNK TO LOCK IN THE ANACONDA VICE!! ANACONDA VICE FROM THE PEPSI TWIST!! Storm writhes in pain and tries to make his way to the ropes, the clock almost reaching the final minutes as Punk clamps down harder…………AND LANCE STORM FINALLY TAPS OUT!!

Winner: CM Punk at (8:44)

And the first match of the new season is over! Punk’s arm is raised high as he takes in the huge pop he’s getting, but after a moment or so, he picks up Lance Storm. Storm forces Punk into a handshake that gets a pop…but then Punk pulls his mentor in for a hug in the middle of the ring, the crowd popping even more. Punk is handed his Dynasty title and the two walk out of the ring together, the crowd buzzing still. The Hammerstein knows this may be Storm’s last time in AOW, the crowd letting out a “THANK YOU, STORM!! THANK YOU STORM!!” chant that he briefly acknowledges before walking out with a little bit of a tear in his eye…​


Joey Styles:
The night is still young, this crowd isn’t going home, and we’re just getting started!! Keep it here, ladies and gentlemen, because we’ve got two whole hours to excite you! We’ve got two months to make up for, so keep it right here!


**COMMERCIAL BREAK**



We return from the break to an arena that’s still rockin’ and they seem to remain that way because we see Jack Evans jumpin’ and jivin’ all down the entrance ramp and to the ring to the tune of “JACK E.”, his original theme. Able to dance on the way to the ring full time without a tag team partner for the first time in a long time is somewhat bittersweet for Evans, but he gets in the ring and break dances away his pain just fine.

…but the Hammerstein is somewhat stunned when the next sound heard is “HOLLA TO THA WORLD”. It’s not long before Antonio Banks comes on through the curtain in one of his signature garish outfits, this time decorated in a burgundy hue. Banks has his sunglasses on and a microphone as well as an aura of confusion, considering that we know he probably shouldn’t be here…


Banks:
Knock, knock you cracka’ bastards.

~Banks gets a big round of heat, not pulling any punches on that

Banks:
Yeah, that’s right. “The Boondock Saint” Antonio Banks. I’m back. I’m still black. And I’m still mad as hell.

~The heat continues as Banks steps a little farther out

Banks:
I did everything right. I stated my issue. I went out and spread my message. I gathered a following. Hell, I even got a whole petition of support. Then I consulted administration. And somehow, someway…THE MAN IS STILL KEEPIN’ ME DOWN!!

~Banks is still sustaining a deal of heat

Banks:
So a black man with a worthy cause and justified grievance is somehow suspended from in-ring competition. But this joker. This joker that broke up his tag team, this white devil that keeps on tryin’ to dance and rap like a black man is more than forgiven to keep his job and his spot in this Dynasty Tournament. How much sense does that make?

~A smartass in the crowd close to Banks is heard saying ‘perfect sense’, Banks hearing him and prepping a pimp slap in his direction before stopping and continuing his spiel. Jack Evans shrugs his shoulders and points at himself like ‘who, me?’

Banks:
Yes, I’m talkin’ about you, Jack Evans! I done told you about all the culture you’re tryin’ to take from my people! And somehow you’re still here not changin’ a damn thing! See this is how it is. The white man gets everything he wants and stays alive by takin’ from everybody else while everybody else is forced to change. Well that just forces me to be stronger, wiser, and more resourceful, now doesn’t it?

~Banks is pacing on the stage a little bit

Banks:
I’ve been suspended, my title shots have been suspended, and my right to be in this Dynasty Tournament has been taken away from me.

~The crowd pops for this, which pisses Banks off even more, but he sucks it up and then wags his finger

Banks:
No, no, no. I’m too smart to be held down for long. See I might be gone from this Tournament and this ring…but I found a loophole! The white man ain’t got rules tight enough that I can’t rope around. See I found out that I can find a replacement for myself in this Tournament. And if he wins…I still get my guaranteed AOW World title shot. And then they’ll be forced to lift my suspension. You know how bad it would look if the winner of the inaugural Dynasty Tournament couldn’t even compete?

~Banks now has a smirk as he shakes his head

Banks:
So without further ado, I introduce to some and present to others a man that I have scouted and I have full faith in to follow me in my cause. He is the first of my brothas in arms. He is the most dangerous man in all of wrestling and now that he is signed to a personal services contract to me, he’s the most dangerous man in AOW. And I’m glad these tournament matches are timed…because Jack Evans, you’re gonna be wheeled outta here in about…1.9 seconds. My representative…TYSON TARVER…!!!


“HOLLA TO THA WORLD” restarts as the now Most Dangerous Man in AOW, Tyson Tarver, bursts on through the curtain and on down to the ring. He’s got his face-covering bandana and his taped fists, Banks following up behind him. He gets in Tarver’s ear and he shows the only sign of emotion possible with a slight nod. He intimidating presence and stoic expression on Tarver’s face remain the same when he steps in and takes off his bandana, staring an absolute hole through Jack Evans, who is trying to brush off his fear.

Match 2
~Dynasty Tournament: Rd. 1~
Tyson Tarver
w/Antonio Banks
v.
Jack Evans


Evans gives it his all to try and keep up with the intimidation of Tarver, but even his uber flexibility falls flat to Tarver’s stature. After two minutes in, Evans is still trying to fight for an advantage and not be thrown around like a rag doll, but when he tries to whip Tarver, he gets whipped into a corner himself. Tarver rushes at the cruiserweight, only to get a BOOT TO THE FACE. Evans has some separation finally, but when he tries to set up something on the second rope, Tarver jumps forward and CLUBS HIM OFF!! Evans falls face-first into the corner, giving Tarver time to take a few steps back…AND HIT THE MODIFIED FACEWASH!!

Evans could possibly have a concussion, wandering right back into Tarver’s clutches, right into a DEVASTATING CLOTHESLINE!! Evans drops like a stone and nearly flips over himself. Tarver stops for a moment to let in all the heat he’s getting, with Banks scoffing at the crowd and telling them to ‘shut up and go play golf or somethin’’. Banks’ and Tarver’s grandstanding finally ends when Tarver reaches down and starts pulling Evans up by his hair…only for Evans to spring up and hit a JAWBREAKER! Tarver stumbles for one of the only times in the match, Evans using this space to rush at Tarver…only to get A SNAP OVERHEAD BELLY TO BELLY SUPLEX…RIGHT INTO A CORNER!! EVANS IS FLIPPED RIGHT INTO A TREE OF WOE!!

An absolutely devastating move that keeps Evans pinned right up in the corner, but Tarver is stopped when he tries to go back after him. Like a dog having to be pulled by his leash, referee Justin King (who else) gets between Tarver and Evans, telling him to back away. While that happens, Banks winds up a fist and HITS EVANS SQUARE IN THE UPSIDE DOWN FACE WITH A LOW CLOTHESLINE!! Evans falls over from the tree of woe, flat on the canvas. Tarver is back on the prowl, his focus completely on Evans again, picking him up…and blatantly HEADBUTTING HIM BETWEEN THE EYES. This causes Evans to drop down to a knee. Tarver takes Evans and reaches down and looks to perhaps pull him up FOR A POWERBOMB…BUT EVANS TURNS IT INTO A BACK BODY DROP!! Almost as soon as Tarver hits the canvas, Evans nails an incredible STANDING CORKSCREW MOONSAULT!! Again, the athleticism of Evans is on display as he gets a definitive cover – 1…2…NO!!

The crowd deflates as Evans can’t quite end it there, Banks calling his prized fighter over to a corner. Tarver doesn’t seem tired, but Banks calls him over anyway and talks to him like he’s the corner man of a boxer. He then massages his shoulders before patting him on the back and getting him back to the ring. Tarver shadow boxes on his way back in, only to be greeted by a Jack Evans RUNNING DROPKICK!! Tarver is put right back into the corner, Evans backing away…AND HITS THE TUMBLING ELBOW!! The crowd is rapidly now on the side of Evans, but when Evans possibly tries to follow it up with a BULLDOG…but Tarver CHUNKS HIM ACROSS THE RING!! Evans lands on his tailbone and slowly rises back up…only to be SPEARED IN HALF BY TARVER!! FUCKING HELL!! Evans is absolutely DESTROYED by the Tyson spear, leaving Evans effectively dead. But to really pour the cement on things, he drapes Evans across his chest…AND NAILS HIM WITH TARVER’ LIGHTNING!! Evans is motionless as Tarver emphatically covers the white urban wrestler – 1…2…3…!!!

Winner: Tyson Tarver at (5:31)

With absolutely no emotion, no remorse, Tarver lifts himself off the body of Evans. He completely scares Justin King away from raising his hand just by glancing over at him. It’s Banks who casually crawls into the ring and raises Tarver’s arm instead to a great rain of heat. As Tarver stands like a mechanical man, Banks bends over and looks at the decimated body of Jack Evans, shaking his head. We can see him mouth something…it looks like…‘don’t go to sleep yet…’? While unclear, what this means quickly becomes apparent, as Banks lifts up the limp body of the eliminated cruiserweight and holds him up for Tarver. The crowd is throwing even more buzzing heat, Joey Styles not liking where this is going at all…and TARVER KNOCKS HIM OUT WITH THE KILL SHOT!! Evans could effectively be dead as Banks just lets go of his body! The two then exit the ring to an incredible round of heat that Banks just shrugs off and smiles at, while Tarver just goes up stoically, as we fade away…


~Backstage, Green Zone interview area, but it’s been transformed into the host of some kind of large bingo game roller…​



Torrie:
‘round and ‘round, what the numbers will be, nobody knows!

Miz:
Hey, blondie. I’ll be the one to turn the handle because I understand that that’s too difficult for you to even do.

Torrie:
I understand it perfectly. I mean, you’re standing here. So I know how to work with tools good for only one thing.

~BURN!! Miz has his mouth open as Wilson goes over and takes it by the handle, spinning it and sending the numbered balls around and around. It isn’t long before someone walks into frame…er…a pair of someones

London:
WOH!! Dude, Brian, look at that! It spins!

Kendrick:
(mesmerized)
No. Freakin’. Way.
~London and Kendrick, possibly stoned, just stare at the tumbling balls in the roller. Neither one of them even blink until Miz breaks it up

Miz:
HEY! You two yutzs gonna draw numbers or what?

~the Hooliganz completely ignore him, still hypnotized

Kendrick:
It’s like watching a dryer.

London:
But with balls.

Kendrick:
Or like a whirlpool.

London:
But with balls.

Kendrick:
We should pick some.

London:
But which balls?

~Wilson stops spinning it for a moment for both men to reach in, the spell breaking and letting them live again

London:
Heh heh. Lucky #7.

Kendrick:
#4? Who else got #4?

???:
I guess we’ll find out.

~All four people in the room turn around to see all three members of Mercenaries, Inc.

Regal:
How about you blokes clear out so true gentlemen can enter the fold?

~The disgruntled Hooliganz look at the Mercs funny before taking their balls and leaving the scene. Paul Burchill takes one savage look at The Miz and that causes him to scatter from the scene, leaving the Mercs and the blonde bombshell

Albright:
Turn it around again, tootz.

~Wilson gulps and turns the cage one more time before all three members alternate in putting their hands in and pulling their numbers out

Regal:
Don’t show this to anyone. Alright, gents?

~No sooner does Regal say that does Albright try to look over to Burchill’s ball, but Burch wraps all his fingers around it so he can’t see. Regal jabs his head in the direction away from the scene, all three men heading out that way and leaving Wilson to herself and the tumbler as we fade away…


~Back at ringside…


“QUEN SOY YO” hits the sound system now, a very disgruntled Carlito Colon comes on through the curtain to a decent array of heat for his debut in the new season. He’s got a terrible scowl on his face and we’re not sure why…until he looks behind him and from behind that blood-red curtain comes Carly Colon Sr…?? He’s dressed up in some of Carlito’s older attire, the tropical shirt and all. He doesn’t have an apple, but he points for Carlito to go on down the ramp like he needs some kind of instruction. Carlito aggravatingly waves off his father and walks down the aisle.

A little bit of pause for interest that seems to be the theme for the night, the crowd throwing up a pop when “MAN WITH NO LAND” hits the threshold to welcome the arrival of Kofi Kingston. Kinston hits a pair of thunderclaps before ripping off his exercise shorts and springing on down to the ring. The rookie sensation slaps hands with many front row fans, his thousand-watt smile radiating in his first shot at potentially getting an AOW world title opportunity.

Match 3
~Dynasty Tournament: Rd. 1~
Carlito Colon
w/Carly Colon, Sr.
v.
Kofi Kingston


Having Carlito’s sire with him actually seems to throw Carlito’s rhythm off in the early goings, possibly succumbing to the pressure of having his father at ringside. Even so, he gets his blows in, but is shaken and taken aback by the speed and veracity of the young tropical newcomer, still technically in his rookie year. When we cut in four minutes in, Kingston is still using his speed to his advantage and surprising Colon when he springboards off the second rope and LANDS ON CARLITO’S SHOULDERS…but Colon seems to hold him up in an ELECTRIC CHAIR POSITION…but Kingston twists and slips down his spine to turn it into a SUNSET FLIP – 1…2…NO!! Carlito still has life, but he PUNTS Kofi right in the gut as the two get up.

Carly Sr. doesn’t like this, urging Carlito to show more discipline, but the second-gen competitor argues with his father as Kofi gets back up, hunched over. Carlito rebounds off the ropes behind him, and crushes Kingston with the RUNNING KNEE LIFT, only to rebound off the opposite ropes and come back at Kingston with a NASTY CLOTHESLINE!! Carlito with a cover – 1…2…3-NO!! The match continues, albeit with Carlito a little more frustrated, taking Kingston up and whipping him towards a corner…but Kingston leaps cleanly onto the top rope before launching himself back…REVERSE DIVING CROSSBODY!! Carlito is caught completely off guard – 1…2…3-NO!!

The two tropical warriors keep duking it out, although when Kofi takes Carlito and whips him into the ropes, it’s his turn to be taken by surprise by a Carlito SPRINGBOARD BACK ELBOW!! Carlito has to take a moment to gather himself from all the rapid damage he’s taken, floating over and covering – 1…2…NO!! Kofi stays alive, much to the dismay of the Puerto Rican. Carly Sr. is telling Carlito for ‘mas suave’, Puerto Rican slang for ‘calm down’. Carly Jr. actually nods his hair in confirmation with this, surprisingly. He slowly tugs Kofi up by his hair (which irritates his father), but he delivers a pair of hard knuckles to his head before hoisting Kingston on his shoulders and whipping him around…FIREMAN’S CARRY FLAPJACK!! Kofi’s face hits the canvas with a hard *thud* that prompts another cover – 1…2…3-NO!!

Kingston keeps his title shot dreams alive, Carlito getting more and more frustrated. He stomps on Kofi a pair of times, getting admonished by his sire in the process. Carlito ignores this and takes Kingston up, only for Kofi to shove Carlito back-first into a corner. Kofi shows off his resolve by running and leaping up high, and STARTS HITTING THE 10 PUNCH…but he only gets to four before Carlito shakes the ropes and makes him off balance, catching Kofi in his clutches before rushing forward…SITOUT SPINEBUSTER!! A unique move indeed for the Cool One – 1…2…3-NO!!

The Hammerstein pops big as Carlito knows now how Tyler Black felt in all those rookie duels, pounding the mat and tugging at his mess of a Hispanic afro. He drags the near limp body of Kingston back to a vertical base and sets up for the COOL SHOT…S.O.S.!! KINGSTON TURNS IT INTO THE RANHEI!! A cover – 1…2…3-NO!!! Kofi almost pulls one out of his hat, both men feeling the damage here. Kofi is the first man to his feet, still a little groggy, but able to bounce off the ropes and shift his shoulders and leap up for the BOOM LEG DROP!! But instead of going for another cover, Kingston rolls away and crawls back, grabbing at Carlito’s wrist and wrapping his legs around his neck…A TRIANGLE CHOKE!! THE BERMUDA TRIANGLE CHOKE so says the commentators, Carlito gasping for air. Carly Sr. is telling his son to hang in there, ‘lito’s entire body almost going numb…before he manages to angle his body enough to SLING and arm over the bottom rope!

The crowd’s buzz on the new submission dies down to fizzled heat at ‘lito’s resolve. But as Carlito tries to get to his feet using the ropes, behind him the Hammerstein is getting revived, courtesy of Kingston waving his dreads around and starting to thunderclap his hands together. As the Puerto Rican gets to his feet, he turns around to see Kingston preparing for the TROUBLE IN PARADISE - BUT CARLITO POKES HIM IN THE EYE!! A blatant move that immediately gets him reprimanded by the ref and shouted at by his father. The full of attitude Carlito pays no mind to either man, approaching Kofi...but he's greeted by the swirling hurricane that is the TROUBLE IN PARADISE…A NO!! Carlito ducks the spinning kick by the still blinded Kingston and winds up behind him…BACKSTABBER!! BACKSTABBER!! Carlito connects with his finishing move, Kingston backflipping over Carlito’s knees on the impact!! The selling is effective as effective as the eye poke, as ‘lito shoots the half and covers – 1…2…3…!!!

Winner: Carlito Colon at (8:40)

Carlito crawls off of Kofi’s body and quickly rolls under the bottom ropes with a raised fist in victory. He’s getting his fair share of heat, but when he tries to walk away from the scene, his father stops him in his tracks and tells him to turn back around and “show you’ve got some discipline”. Carlito argues with his father before his dad threatens to take off his belt. Carlito gives him a blank ‘you gotta be kidding me’ stare before just signing and rolling back in the ring, helping Kingston back to his feet…and giving him a begrudging handshake. Almost as soon as the deed is done, Carlito rolls away even faster out of the ring and darts up the ramp and pays no heed to his father with his ‘I told you so’s’.​


Joey Styles:
Well…uh…the somewhat confused look on Kofi Kinston’s face explains most of the story here, as Kingston will not be advancing in the Dynasty Tournament in his rookie year, but he did put up a hellova fight.

JBL:
Kingston’s pretty impressive, but I think Carlito’s daddy knows something that we don’t about motivating that guy.

Joey Styles:
Well, we saw online over the last few months that Carlito’s father has been trying to discipline his son and making him more respectful and less lazy, so perhaps that might be the key to getting Carlito a shot at that World title. Besides, that was a blatant shot to the eyes from Carlito!

JBL:
Ain’t no motivation like daddy’s leather strap.

Joey Styles:
Well, gold and leather straps are all the motivation you need in professional wrestling, but coming up on the other side of the break, the AOW Dynasty Tournament continues! We’re not sure who the heck is gonna show up, but we do know London and Kendrick will both compete sometime tonight, including Kendrick coming up next!! But don’t forget later on tonight, Christian Cage will make his first televised appearance with the AOW World Champinoship! Expect the unexpected, all night long, here on Oblivion!


**COMMERCIAL BREAK**



“BETTER THAN GREAT (REMIX)” begins to chime out as we return, a bit of a harder sound to it with a bit of a twist. This certainly doesn’t sound like the World’s Greatest Tag Team theme very much like we’re used to hearing in this same key and tune, but the aggressive tone of it in no surprise gives way to Shelton Benjamin, showing his face for the first time since his actions since The Outer Limits. No, his hair isn’t gold, but his tights are, an entire new demeanor surrounding him. He’s actually getting a bit of heat, but some aren’t sure what to give him, his new flair following him into the ring.

Like before, there’s a bit of a hush before a new theme is heard, this one getting a big pop, as “LONDON CALLING” gears over the system to show us Brian Kendrick. One of the men who was often overlooked in Season 1 high-steps out to the stage before BOLTING down the aisle and sliding into the ring…ONLY TO BE CUT OFF BY SHELTON BENJAMIN CLUBBING AND STOMPING ON HIM BEFORE HE CAN EVEN GET UP!!


Match 4
~Dynasty Tournament: Rd. 1~
Shelton Benjamin
v.
Brian Kendrick


With that auspicious opening, it’s no surprise the newly aggressive Benjamin takes the upper hand for the first three minutes with this new attitude, but Kendrick starts to find a way to counter it with his own daredevilism, using what brought him to the dance. Benjamin tries to get too aggressive and launches himself a rope-resting Kendrick, but Brian lifts him up over his head…but the athletic Benjamin lands on the apron, akin to Punk earlier in the night. Kendrick turns around to see him, only to DROPKICK HIM TO THE FLOOR!!

The crowd pops as the aggressive athletic competitor falls onto his ass, leaving Kendrick alone in the ring. His locks bounce around a bit as he looks to the crowd to garner a bigger reaction, rushing against the opposite ropes and watching Benjamin as he tries to get up…SUICIDE DIVE!! IMMENSE SUICIDE DIVE!! Kendrick wipes out Benjamin! The smaller Kendrick is the first to get up and rolls Benjamin back into the ring, climbing after him for a pinfall attempt – 1…2…NO!! The match continues, Kendrick waiting for Benjamin to get back to his feet. Kendrick rushes and ducks underneath a counter clothesline and rebounds again…SAMOAN DROP!! BENJAMIN SAMOAN DROP!! Kendrick’s ribs are crunched as Benjamin covers – 1…2…3-NO!!

Benjamin isn’t worried about it, forcing Kendrick up to his feet before lifting the cruiserweight up and crashing down with a HIGH ANGLE BACK SUPLEX. Kurt Angle would be proud of that one, but Kendrick has the veteran wherewithal to start crawling towards a rope, however in pain. Benjamin relishes in the heat he’s getting by taunting him as he climbs the ropes like a ladder to get up. Benjamin grapples him for more offense, but Kendrick manages to whip him off by holding onto the top rope. Benjamin rolls right back to his feet, however, Kendrick springing off the ropes with a clothesline…but Benjamin wraps around it…and turns it into the PULL-BACK BACKBREAKER!!

Kendrick is now tending to his neck area as the crowd ‘oooh’s, on that one, Kendrick trying to get back to his feet…only to be CUT OFF BY A RUNNING BENJAMIN KNEE!! Shelton braces himself against the ropes after cracking Kendrick in the skull, smiling wickedly and getting heat for it. Benjamin is enjoying himself. The sick bastard turns now to cockily cover Kendrick – 1…2…NO! Brian is no pushover, raising a shoulder. Benjamin waits for Kendrick to get up, stalking him…SUPERKICK…NO! Kendrick throws the leg around…DRAGON WHIP…NO!! The dragon whip misses, spinning Benjamin all the way around…LEAPING CALF KICK!! Kendrick nails a crisp move of his own that fells Benjamin, Kendrick standing in place…AND HITS A STANDNIG MOONSAULT! An aerobatic move that gets him a cover – 1…2…3-NO!!

The angry black man gets back up to a knee, but Kendrick is trying to up the tempo and quicken things up to his pace that a match with a limit like this can have…going for a RUNNING HURRICANRANA…BUT SHELTON HANGS ON! He holds on and keeps Kendrick’s legs over his shoulders…TURNBUCKLE POWERBOMB!! OH MY!! Kendrick falls limp as the crowd throws heat and awe at the powerful and aggressive move. Benjamin, again, looks like he’s enjoying this, but instead of covering, he takes Kendrick by the tights and neck…and SHOVES HIM SHOULDER FIRST INTO THE OPPOSITE RING POST!!

Benjamin blatantly turns Kendrick into a corner dart, the referee admonishing him for that, but Kendrick is dead and Shelton is smiling. BK slumps out of the corner, Shelton dragging the limp cruiserweight away…AND LOCKS IN THE SCISSORED ARMBAR!! THE SCISSORED ARMBAR!! The move Benjamin debuted earlier in the year in his duel with Charlie Haas is shown again here on a devastated opponent…and it isn’t long before KENDRICK SHEEPISHLY TAPS OUT!!

Winner: Shelton Benjamin at (6:24)

And Benjamin won’t let go of the hold! The referee has to beg Benjamin repeatedly to get off before forcibly tugging Benjamin away, Shelton finally letting go. The sinister looking Benjamin looks down at his prey with a sick little smile before raising both of his arms to the sky the crowd throwing a considerable amount of heat on him.​


Joey Styles:
This is just disgusting. This is what Shelton Benjamin has become and it’s a damn shame.

JBL:
A damn shame? A man who is a bona fide winner is a damn shame?? Shut your face, Joey. A guy gets a new attitude and you and these people just hate him for it. How is anyone supposed to evolve that way? No, you get in there and you do your thing. Shelton Benjamin is the most gifted athlete on this roster and now he’s finally taking it in.

Joey Styles:
But at what cost?? We hear he’s already burned all bridges with Charlie Haas of putting the World’s Greatest Tag Team almost completely out of commission. I would ask how you could be so enthusiastic about a man ditching a tag team partner and becoming a new man, but I already know that answer.

JBL:
And Benjamin is just like me. He’s an ace. And its damn time he embraced it.



~Backstage, Green Zone Bingo Tumbler set…


Torrie is back to spinning the cage, but coming into the foreground, we see Aero Star…playing referee to a Rock, Paper, Scissors game?? Both Super Crazy and Psicosis appear to reach a tie before Star shakes his head and pats them to do it again.


Mexicools: (pounding their fists against their palms)
PIEDRA, PAPEL, TIJERAS!!
~the gauntlet is THROWN…and Super Crazy’s scissors beats Psicosis’ paper!

Crazy:
ORALE~!! Super Crazy es gonna be in de Dynasty Tournament with you, homes!

~Crazy slaps Aero with a high five as both walk up to the cage and pull out balls

Psicosis:
Watchu guys get?

~Crazy tries to peer over Star’s shoulder, who clenches his fists around it and holds it close to his chest, shaking his head

Crazy:
Homes, ju always so mysterious, man. Well I got…#5!

Psicosis:
What’re ju doin’ back here then, vato? Ju’re match is up, like, NOW! We gotta go!!

~Crazy gets an ‘oh shit’ look on his face before rushing out of the scene, Psicosis trailing right behind, as we quickly fade away…


~Back at ringside…


There’s a little moment of uncertainty going around until “MEXICANO MUY LOCO” hits the soundwaves for the showing of Super Crazy and Psicosis following behind him, pushing him through the curtain. Neither are on their lawn mowers for rushing reasons, but Crazy makes his way down the ramp anyway, almost Santino Marella speed-walking to the ring. He doesn’t get to play to the crowd for very long before his music cuts off

...and gives way to “BLACK AND WHITE”, the daunting rock-esque theme for Tyler Black. His stringy hair looks somewhat different, having colored part of it blonde while leaving the other part of it black, looking like he does in real life over here. Black’s stringy hair now fits his black-and-white philosophy, but he’s still got his longcoat on and his head down to a solid array of heat, almost swatting a front row fan for trying to touch him. He plays with his wrist tape before jumping into the ring to face his Mexican foe.

Match 5
~Dynasty Tournament: Rd. 1~
Super Crazy
w/Psicosis
v.
Tyler Black


The first couple of minutes in the contest are actually back and forth for a bit, Black being caught off guard by the Mexican’s ability to change the pace at the drop of a dime. After the first two and a half minutes, Crazy is still in control of the tempo, stunting a lock-up attempt by Black and trapping his legs with his own legs, getting a LEGSCISSORS ROLL-UP – 1…2…NO!! Black isn’t caught that off guard, getting back to his feet, only to eat a SUPER CRAZY ENZEGUIRI!!

The crowd and Black are taken aback by his offense here, but as the commentary notes, this man was almost on a team that won the Trios Tournament, so he’s no complete pushover. Tyler tends to his jaw in a corner, Super Crazy approaching him, and Black springing to action...REVERSE STO ON THE TURNBUCKLE!! Black shows his ability now to shift the tables, dropping out of the corner and rolling Crazy over himself for a roll-up of his own – 1…2…NO!! Black is somewhat pissed that Crazy won’t go down, but knows he can’t waste time, wearing him down with a side headlock. Crazy is prompted by the crowd to get out of it, getting to his feet and whipping Black against the ropes…TILT A WHIRL BACKBREAKER!! Crazy’s offense surprises again – 1…2…3-NO!!

Black is still in this thing, but he has to go to a corner to recuperate his back pain. Crazy sees this as an open spot, heading to the corner and mounting him for the TEN PUNCH…and he gets the crowd to count with him in Spanish, but he only gets to five when Black starts stirring and walks out of the corner with him in a POWERBOMB POSITION…only to shift him into a fireman’s carry…FIREMAN’S CARRY FACEBUSTER TO THE IRON POST!! The modified Snake Eyes stuns Crazy and makes him drift away from the ropes, Black rebounding off the ropes quickly…YAKUZA KICK!! BLACK BLASTS CRAZY’S HEAD OFF!! Black with a cover – 1…2…3-NO!!

Frustration sets in now for Tyler Black, but he smells the end, taking the picked apart cruiserweight and lifting him for the backdrop…but then shifts it INTO THE INVERTED STO!! THE BLACK TO WHITE!! Black is licking his chops now, not going for the cover there, but signaling that it is indeed time for the end. Like Benjamin, he has a somewhat sick smile as he brings Crazy up and looks for the PAROXYSM…NO!! Crazy spins out somehow…AND TURNS IT INTO A HEADSCISSORS TAKEDOWN! Black goes flying through the middle ropes, but he somehow hangs on and actually counters it somewhat by landing on his feet on the apron. Crazy is still feeling all the blows from the match, not able to get up immediately, but then Black suddenly FLIES INTO FRAME WITH THE SPRINGBOARD DIVING KNEE TO CRAZY’S SKULL!! OUT OF NOWHERE!! Crazy is dead on the canvas as Black shoots the half and rolls him over – 1…2…3…!!!

Winner: Tyler Black at (5:12)

Black rolls off of Crazy to and actually gets a little bit of a pop for his flashy flying finish. He stays on his knees and raises an arm with his stringy new hairstyle falling over his face. His mouth hangs open in both fatigue and victory. He snatches his hand away from Goose Mahoney and walks out of the ring on his own. He jumps at Psicosis when he gets outside, causing him to flinch, but Black pulls the false attack back and laughs to himself as he heads back up the ramp.​


Joey Styles:
Well Tyler Black with a rather impressive showing here in the opening round of the Dynasty Tournament, faring better than the man many consider his rival, Kofi Kingston.

JBL:
Of course he fared better. He won.

Joey Styles:
Such gripping analysis, Mr. Color Commentator.

JBL:
I hate you too.

Joey Styles:
While Bradshaw and I hand out valentines to each other, we’ve already gotten half of our scheduled matches out of the way tonight, five men already going on to extend their title dreams. But ten more men and five more matches are on the way! But coming up next on the other side of the break, the man who finally toppled the tyrannical Chris Jericho will be in the building, in the flesh! Christian Cage, our AOW World Heavyweight Champion, makes a statement! Keep it here, live, on Oblivion!


**COMMERCIAL BREAK**



We’re back in the Hammerstein, an illustrated buzz going out all over the place before the place absolutely EXPLODES when “JUST CLOSE YOUR EYES” hits the threshold, as Christian Cage is home in the Hammerstein for the first time in two months. And for the first time in the company’s entire young history, the AOW World Championship in in the middle of the Ballroom, resting on the shoulders of a man not named Chris Jericho. Cage pats his chest on the stage and looks out – finally able to find his long-lost Peeps. He makes his way down the ramp with the title proudly branded around his waist, stepping in, and being introduced by Tony Chimel. He gets Chimel’s own microphone as he stands in the middle of the ring.

Christian:
You guys have no idea how good that feels.

~…and the crowd ERUPTS all over again

Christian:
I’ve had this gold around my waist for a little over two months now. But I haven’t quite felt like a ‘champion’ until I just walked through that curtain and was reminded that ‘hey. I’m not just a champion. I’m the AOW World Heavyweight Champion.’

~A whole new explosion of a pop from New York

Christian:
And I made a champion’s address way in Kentucky, but I think the rabid fans here in the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York deserve a little love too.

~Cage gets his cheap pop, but it’s yet another huge pop nonetheless, but this one is followed by chants of “CHRISTIAN CAGE!! CHRISTIAN CAGE!! CHRISTIAN CAGE!!”

Christian:
Thank you. Now, before I talk about –


Dark. The entire Hammerstein flickers it’s lights and it’s suddenly dark. The entire arena is consumed in this, no one being able to see much of anything. We know the broadcast is still going on because we can see a few cell phone lights going on, the camera trying to follow what looks like a vaguely seeable Christian silhouette. The crowd is also buzzing considerably, telling us that the telecast isn’t completely turned off. But some perhaps wish it was because we hear something incredibly eerie with all the lights still off

???:
Chriiiiiiistian…Chriiiiiiistian…

~The voice sounds very familiar, but no one’s sure where it’s coming from

???:
Chriiiiiistian…don’t look too hard, oh Savior…

~FLASH. The only real light produced in the whole building now is a spotlight targeted on the entrance stage. In that spotlight, we see a man seated in a chair, sitting with the chair turned around. He’s facing the front in his three-piece suit, his normally astute blonde hair a mess…and Chris Jericho slowly raises a microphone back to his lips. We the shadows still hide his eyes, but we’re more than certain it can be only that one man

Jericho:
There’s no need to reiterate what these people already know about you. You were a man with a vision, who saw the future, but was exiled for his brilliance, only to be the guiding light to take me down. And then…you did just that. You took me down.

~We can see a very faint light on the face of Christian’s face now, most of it still sunken in darkness. His delivery is aggressive, but hypnotic, like a broken dictator…

Jericho:
You did it, Savior. You killed the championship reign of the greatest champion in all of wrestling history. You killed the reign…of a god.

~The crowd is over the incredible intrigue of all this and is now throwing an immense rain of heat, again, Cage’s expression being only seen with a sliver of light

Jericho:
But Christian…you, nor anyone else that’s a mere mortal…can finish the impossible. You can kill my reign. But you can’t kill a god.

~More heat, as the light shows Christian taking the title from around his waist and slinking it over his shoulder

Jericho:
My name is Chris Jericho. And I am what you will never be, Christian Cage. I am a Worthy Champion. And I am a Worthy Man. You stand there looking at me with the utmost uncertainty and I know you know what this is about. I have no rematch clause, Christian.

~Jericho gets up out of his chair and starts walking down the aisle, his eyes still buried and hidden in shadow as the spotlight follows him

Jericho:
And you, the fighting champion I know you will be, have no reason to grant me a rematch. I mean, you had to do so much to even topple me the first time. And I’m probably the only man on this entire roster who you have no quams about…what was the anaology you used…‘toppling down the mountain…?’

~Jericho keeps walking down the ramp, each step more and more daunting

Jericho:
But think about it, Christian. Your doubts are radiating in your eyes. You know you’re not worthy to hold that gold. You could barely defeat a man like Jamie Noble in the Offseason. And you know you’re not nearly the Worthy Champion that I was and was always going to be.

~Jericho roams over to the ring steps, walking up them and to the apron

Jericho:
So what are you really a champion of, Christian? Huh? These people? The same people who ditched you and wanted out of this company not even a year ago? Are you the champion of this administration, one of which still has it out for you, and the other is incredibly incompetient? Are you the champion of that locker room, which right now, is literally filled to the brim with men who have no problem beating you to a pulp for that belt?

~Jericho is almost raving mad here, having to take several breaths before stepping into the ring

Jericho:
You’re a champion of nothing. You’re an unworthy champion of nothing. So you have that gold around your shoulder and it means nothing. Your doubts and your unworthiness are already devaluating this company and that gold I worked so hard to make important. You need me, Christian Cage. These people need me, this administration needs me. It doesn’t need some naval-gazing champion who contemplates his very existence. No. They need a champion who knows all and sees all. They need me. And let’s face it Christian. You beat me once. But it was garbage. And the only man who can even remotely validate you as the man at the ‘summit’…is me.

~With that, Jericho is in center ring, his intense, red-rimmed eyes meeting Christian face to face. The only light in the entire arena is now enveloping the bodies of both Chris Jericho and Christian Cage. Christian seems unmoved

Jericho:
I don’t have a rematch clause. I’m not in the Dynasty Tournament. And damn your ‘celebrations’. But you know you need me, Christian Cage. So all I’m saying is put your doubts to rest. Put your very existence at ease and erase it all away. You’re nothing. But I…I will make you something. Face me again for that AOW World Heavyweight Championship. And one way or another, this company will get its validation.

~Jericho’s mad eyes meet Christian’s, giving us an incredibly intense scene in this ominous spotlight…but Christian remains unmoved as he raises his microphone to his lips. He pats it a couple of times to see if it’s been turned back on and it has

Christian:
Through all that madman talk, Jericho, pardon me while I revel in the fact that the great Chris Jericho, the Worthy Man, the Master of Puppets, the God of Gods…has basically been reduced to a raving lunatic that’s reaching at logical straws and basically begging me for a title shot.

~A huge pop for that, but Jericho’s face is the one unmoved and still mad

Christian:
I revel in this the most, oh worthy one, because it’s like I’m looking in a mirror at what I was months ago. And to be honest, it’s scary. Because I know there’s nothing you’ll stop at to get your hands on what you want and what you’ve lost. But Jericho, I think I’ll revel even more in the fact that as mighty as you think you are and as huge as you think you’ve become, the only thing you’re gonna be able to do…is get. To the back. Of the line.

~Cage is all up in Jericho’s face, completely undaunted by the unstable aura surrounding this broken Lionheart


Jericho:
Keep lying to yourself, Cage. But we both know the one thing seeded deeper than your pathetic self-doubt, deeper than your self-righteousness…is your hatred for me.

~…and here Jericho seems to have struck a nerve

Jericho:
You hate me so much, Christian, that without a me…there would have never been a you. You know that, don’t you? If there was no Chris Jericho to begin with, there would have been no conspiracy and there would’ve been no purpose for you to even be present. In a way…you hate me so much…that I…complete…you. That’s why you know you need my validation…and no one else’s. No matter who is in that line in front of me.

~We see a sly little smile developing on Jericho’s face mixed in with his intense eyes and the shadow of the spotlight and it makes for one of the downright creepiest things ever seen in AOW history. And he’s getting closer to Christian’s face because Christian is obviously struck by this notion

Jericho:
And that…makes you…burn.

Christian:
The only man here who needs to burn is you.

~Oooooh. The crowd is in a bit of awe at that one, as Cage responds by getting in Jericho’s face

Christian:
There’s a special circle of Hell for what you did for seven months, Chris Jericho. And I already made you pay for what you did to this company at The Outer Limits…

~Cage seems to tail off

Christian:
But you’re right. I still haven’t made you pay for what you did to me. But I’m not gonna go there, Jericho. No. I may not know what kind of champion I am, but I know I’m a better man than you. And as much as I hate you right down to the core of my very being…a guy like you doesn’t deserve anything from me. I, Christian Cage, am the AOW World Heavyweight Champion. And no matter how bad I want you…dare I say…dead…I don’t want it so bad that I’ll blind myself with that hatred. But for the sake of me and everyone involved with this company…the puppet strings end here, Jericho. You won’t control anyone else anymore.

~Christian goes to walk past Jericho before stopping right beside him, the spotlight still enveloping both men

Christian:
You really wanna know how to kill a god, Chris? You stop believing in them. You stop giving them power. It ends here, Jericho. It’s not me who is nothing. It’s you. I did topple a god for this. And I think I did just kill one to keep it.


And with that, the crowd lets out one final roar of approval for the AOW Heavyweight Champion, who drops his microphone and walks out of the ring. His barely lit shadowy figure is seen through the arena that’s been dark this whole time, the spotlight now only shining on Jericho standing alone in the middle of the ring. He’s muttering to himself inaudibly as the screen slowly dissipates…


**COMMERCIAL BREAK**


~Back at ringside…


Joey Styles:
Er…ladies and gentlemen as you can see, the lights in the arena are back and fully functioning after what I believe is by far the strangest wrestling promo I think I’ve ever seen in my entire life and I’ve seen some doozies.

JBL:
I might actually be on board with you, Joey. That was quite strange. I knew what Chris Jericho was going for, but it didn’t look like Christian was any kind of fazed.

Joey Styles:
We all saw right through Chris Jericho. He tried to use every single psychological trigger he could on Christian Cage to try and perhaps gets himself another shot at the AOW Championship, but he couldn’t do it. By some kind of divine will, Christian Cage shot the puppetmaster, the grand manipulator that is Chris Jericho down without so much as a flinch or even a punch.

JBL:
The kicker for me, Joey, was I think I saw something in Chris Jericho’s eyes that I’ve never seen before.

Joey Styles:
What was that? Madness?

JBL:
No. Desperation.

Joey Styles:
You…actually made a fantastic point, Bradshaw. Wow. Really something to think about as the AOW Dynasty Tournament continues on right here, right now.


As we return from that surely strange promo, the Hammerstein is filled with the sound of “EXECUTORS FOR EXCELLENCE”, signaling the arrival of one of the members of the AOW Tag Team Champions. On this go, it’s TJ Wilson who pushes through the blood-red curtain and gets a pop from the crowd, any member of the Sons of the Dungeon making their debut with their title tonight. Wilson plays to the crowd and shows off his gold, patting it before handing it off and waiting for his opponent…

…and much to our surprise, “EXECUTORS OF EXCELLENCE” hits the threshold one more time. A big pop of intrigue comes from the crowd and it gets even bigger when Harry Smith steps through the curtain. He’s walking rather slowly, looking down the aisle to look into the eyes of his own tag team partner. Wilson is just as shocked, but the Hammerstein loves it. Smith walks down with his half of the titles in hand and climbs in the ring. Both men smile in disbelief before shaking one another’s hands, making sure the best man will win. The uncertainty of the Dynasty Tournament may reach an apex here.


Match 6
~Dynasty Tournament: Rd. 1~

AOW World Tag Team Champion TJ Wilson
v.

AOW World Tag Team Champion Harry Smith


As one would imagine, these two know each other like the back of their Canadian hands, exhibiting a damn near endless wave of chain wrestling for the first five minutes of the contest. Neither one can gain any kind of upper hand before the other one shows him the counter, no definitive falls set. Harry establishes his power game early, Wilson having to use his quickness, but they’re not pulling punches, evidenced when we cut in to Smith CLOTHESLINING HIS PARTNER’S HEAD OFF!! The first definite cover of the contest has the big man on top – 1…2…NO!!

The ‘Dungeon Resolve’ that’s in both men could be on display tonight, Wilson up first, but Smith shows his by not giving in. He takes his smaller partner up and clubs him in the back of the neck, really not pulling any punches. He then gears back like he’s going for a BACK SUPLEX…WILSON FLIPS OUT!! TJ continues the counter by rebounding off the ropes, but he gets caught by Smith in an OVERHEAD BELLY TO BELLY…BUT WILSON LANDS ON HIS FEET AGAIN!! Wilson flips out of his partner’s move again with insane athleticism, but he’s off balance, using that momentum to run at and leap off the second rope…TORNADO DDT…NO!!

Smith’s strength throws his best friend off of him while he’s spinning, forcing TJ against the ropes. Smith charges him, looking to keep the offense on with more than half their time limit gone…BACKFLIP KICK!! Wilson backflips round the rope and to the apron, Harry reeling, as he looks up…to eat a SPRINGBOARD MISSILE DROPKICK!! The counter-fest ends in sublime fashion, the crowd popping for the sequence as Wilson covers – 1…2…3-NO!! There’s still more work to be done, Wilson getting right to it, LOOKING FOR THE SHARPSHOOTER…but Smith’s strong legs kick him away. TJ rushes right back at him, going for a RUNNING SHOOT KICK, but Smith catches the leg and keeps the momentum…SPINEBUSTER!! A huge spinebuster puts him on top of his partner – 1…2…3-NO!!

These guys know each other almost too well, but Smith keeps his business face on and takes Wilson back up, pumping him above his head and then taking him over with the MILITARY PRESS DROP!! Harry looks to follow up on that, possibly with a FINISHING SPLASH…BOOT TO THE FACE!! As Smith legs gravity do his work, it also does the work on his chin as it collides with Wilson’s boot! He stumbles to the canvas as Wilson rolls away, tending to his back area, but then springboards right back in…SPRINGBOARD ELBOW DROP!! Right across the heart that one is as Wilson goes with another cover – 1…2…3-NO!! Wilson is forced to roll away and await the big man to get his footing back, only to rush at him for something else, but Smith sidesteps it and grabs Wilson’s arm, whipping him into the ropes. The two seem to rush at one another and DOWN EACH OTHER WITH CRASHING CLOTHESLINES!!

Both men think far too much alike and down each other, their recovery killing several precious seconds. It’s Harry who is the first man to be perfectly vertical, an equally exhausted Wilson getting up as well and swinging wildly with a missed clothesline. If this were a Cena match, we’d know what’d happen, but here, Smith wraps around TJ with a rear waistlock and preps for a GERMAN SUPLEX…but TJ jams it and rolls forward with the WHEELBARROW VICTORY ROLL – 1…2…Harry Smith rolls forward, now putting him on top in the victory roll – 1…2…NO!! TJ throws his legs up and forces Smith away, TJ getting up only to see his partner and opponent coming at him with a BIG BOOT…but he ducks it and initiates a SCHOOL BOY – 1…2…3-NO!!

A damn near fall there, both men springing back up, only for TJ to eat a boot to the gut and be hoisted up for a VERTICAL SUPLEX…only to be kept up there for the DELAYED VERTICAL SUPLEX!! The crowd is already hot from the rapid-fire near falls and is getting hotter, regardless of JBL bashing Smith for wasting invaluable time…only to have Wilson wiggle a little bit and slide all the way down Harry’s back and get a very nifty SUNSET FLIP PIN – 1…2…NO!! Harry reveres it by tilting up, TJ now trapped beneath him – 1…2…NO!! Wilson again tilts it and gets another sunset flip – 1…2…NO!! AGAIN it’s reversed to a tilt by Harry – 1…2…NO!! The move is finally broken, both men initiating the highest pace of the night, their hearts racing as they get to their feet. TJ tries to whip his larger partner into the ropes, but this is reversed, as TJ rebounds and seems to leap a little bit and twist into a RUNNING BACKSLIDE PIN…but Harry Smith CARTWHEELS OUT OF IT before the shoulders are all the way down!! The crowd has a legit ‘WOW!’ moment on that, but they only have a second or so before Wilson gets back up, Smith charging the legs and GOING FOR HIS OWN SHARPSHOOTER…BUT TJ PULLS HIM INTO A ROLL-UP – 1…2…3-NO!!

An absolutely incredible sequence by both men finally ends when the package is broken up, the Tag Champions exhausted from the ridiculous pace they just pushed each other into. The Hammerstein is actually on their feet, giving these men an incredible due as they try to regain their breath in opposite corners. They actually smile at one another from across the ring…until they look up at the Ying-Yangtron…to see that a timer has popped up for the remaining minute left of the match. Unfortunately for them, it’s already at fifty seconds remaining.

This deflates both of their smiles as they rush at each other, Wilson pushing for another move, only for Smith to send him over with a HEADLOCK TAKEOVER and shifts his hips for a cover – 1…2…NO!! Wilson bridges out of that and snaps to his feet, grabbing Smith’s legs as he gets vertical and getting a JACKNIFE COVER – 1…2…NO!! Smith wraps around the waist and twists around out of the pin to torque into a BACKSLIDE PIN – 1…2…NO!! TJ Slides all the way down and rolls back to his feet, only to climb up to the second rope and LEAPS FOR A DESPERATION BIG HIT…BUT HARRRY CATCHES HIM!! The Bulldog’s son then slings him over a shoulder and prepares for the RUNNING POWERSLAM…but TJ slides off and bounces Harry off the ropes for ANOTHER VICTORY ROLL…WHILE HOLDING THE ROPES – 1…2…NO!! A buzz of intrigue for that one, but Harry kicks out of it, grabs Wilson, and literally drags him to the ground with an amateur-style pin attempt, SMITH NOW USING THE ROPES AS LEVERAGE – 1…2…NO!! Just showing how badly both men want that AOW title opportunity, they’re back to their feet when Wilson charges at Smith, only to be lifted over his head and to the apron. The two duke it out with several blows there, but as the clock winds down, so do they, as Smith hits TJ so that he falls off the apron, Smith himself falling to a knee from exhaustion…and a BUZZER sounds.

Winner: TIME LIMIT DRAW at (10:00)
THEREFORE, BOTH TJ WILSON AND HARRY SMITH ARE ELMINATED


There’s a bit of heat from the crowd for the inconclusive finish, but then there’s a big noticeable pop once both men get to their feet, being applauded for their incredible efforts. Both men have to kind of keep each other up, but they embrace one another when they get back in the ring and raise their World Tag Team Championships high to another pop.​



We’re brought to the booming, bright city of Las Vegas, Nevada – casinos lined up on every corner, people dressed in their finest, limousines all over the streets, and live band tunes blaring their trumpets.

The camera steps through the doors of one of the casinos and shows us to a room bustling with commotion, but a closer look shows us one of the men participating in the fun is Antonio Banks rolling some dice…and rolling terribly



Banks:
Damn! Another bad roll!

A man in a tux next to Banks leans in

Man:
Shouldn’t you be better at this?

Banks:
What? Just ‘cause I’m black, I’m supposed to be good at dice?

The camera leaves the offended Banks to show us a quartet of guys playing cards – Jack Evans, Low Ki, The Miz, and Jamie Noble

Dealer:
Alright, gentlemen – show your hands!

Jack Evans throws a hand down, followed by Jamie Noble

Noble:
HA-HA!! Read’em an’ weap, ya city slickers!

Noble is stopped from grabbing his winnings by Miz, who lays down his hand

The Miz:
I don’t think so! Mike Mizanin, poker extraordinaire!!

Miz now reaches over to grab the chips, but he’s stopped by Low Ki with no change in expression…who drops down…a full house!

Evans:
Wow! That’s some poker face, Ki!

The Miz:
HEY! That’s four in a row! No fair!

Evans:
Do you want him to kick you back into a closet?

Miz gets sweaty and terrified, sitting back down silently. The camera now pans aside to see Bryan Danielson standing alongside William Regal at a roulette table. The dealer stands between them

Danielson:
So, how the heck does the Dynasty Tournament even work?

Man:
Well, it’s random. No one knows who they’re gonna face until the night of the contest. Everyone draws numbers and whoever gets the same numbers, that’s who you face.

Danielson:
Really? There’s like thirty-two guys in that tournament!

Regal:
Quit complaining, youngster. Hey you – throw that pebble.

Danielson shrugs his shoulders and the dealer flicks the little white ball, the ‘pebble’ landing on a little square that has the number “16”

Danielson:
16? Hey, who’s the unlucky guy who’s gonna face me! Who else got 16?

Danielson is consumed by a large shadow before looking up and seeing Samoa Joe. Regal has a small chuckle as Danielson’s mouth goes agape, but we soon pan away from that to see Brian Kendrick and Paul London jumping on a pool table and kicking things all over the place and acting like general monkeys

We then switch to a view of a security viewer wall, Chris Jericho apparently the man in charge of the entire casino. He speaks into a walkie-talkie


Jericho:
We’ve got a couple of guys acting like Hooliganz on table four. Get rid of’em.

Cut to a shot of Paul Wright in a bouncer’s outfit and sunglasses, throwing the struggling tag team out the front door. We then cut to someone sitting at a bar, the bartender taking note of what just occurred

Bartender:
Well, I guess those guys got eliminated. You want somethin’ hard there, tough guy?

The camera turns to reveal the man to be CM Punk

Punk:
Naw. Just get me a Pepsi. It’s gonna be a long night.

The scene becomes blurry and in the background to words scrolling across the screen

Narrator:
The 2008 AOW Dynasty Tournament – starting June 4th and lasting until July 2nd for the 3-hour Finals Supershow, Rise of a Dynasty, live from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas!

***
[/I]​

**COMMERCIAL BREAK**


~Ringside, commentators’ table…

Joey Styles:
Welcome back, ladies and gentlemen, to what has been an incredible night of Oblivion so far.

JBL:
Incredible ain’t the word to describe it, Joey!

Joey Styles:
I know, Bradshaw, but I also know you don’t possess the vocabulary to describe it. But this ‘Season Premiere’ is only the beginning because folks next week when we return to our regular 90 minute spot, we’re gonna have the remaining six matches in the first round of the Dynasty Tournament! It’s just as unexpected and uncertain as tonight has been, like what we just saw with the Sons of the Dungeon!

JBL:
I tell ya there’s nothin’ like that itchin’ feelin’ in a tag team to know who is better, but we couldn’t find out tonight. Still, kudos to the kids for not holding back against their best friends.

Joey Styles:
But we’ve still got plenty more to look for for the rest of the night!



~Backstage, Green Zone Balls in Cage area…


For once, Torrie Wilson is nowhere to be seen. This time, we see Paul Heyman for the first time live this season to a loud rain of heat from beyond the walls. He has a sour face on in his wheelchair before someone BURSTS into the room, that man in a hurry being Alex Riley. A-Ry is in huffing and puffing from running around


Riley:
I…I can’t find it anywhere!

Heyman:
Are you sure you didn’t simply misplace it, Mr. Riley?

Riley:
Mr. Heyman, I swear, this is the biggest night of my career…no…my life. I would never misplace my number in a million years.

Heyman:
Well then that means there’s only one thing that happened to it. We have a thief in our midst.

Riley:
Well the whole roster is back there. How do we find them?

Heyman:
Calm down, Mr. Riley. I’m on your side. Do you really think I’d the debut of one of my top prospects be soured by such an underhanded tactic?

~Heyman calms down his ‘prospect’ and goes over to the bingo tumbler and digs around for a little bit and is delighted when he finds what he wants. He pulls out a ball and hands it to Riley

Heyman:
I gave you the #10 ball so that you may main event your first night here. Luckily, the other #10 ball is still here. All we have to do is go out there for the final match of the night. Whoever is the man who stole your number will come out and admit to being slimy, pathetic, weasel of a being simply by competing.

Riley:
And then I get to beat him to a pulp, right?

~Heyman and Riley smile. Heyman then…pinches Riley’s cheek…?

Heyman:
There’s my Boston College graduate.

~Heyman smiles like a dumbass as Riley cockily smiles as we fade away…


~Back at ringside…


“LONDON CALLING” belts out now for the second time in the night, the spot we knew Paul London drew earlier. The other half of the Hooliganz pops on through the curtain and rushes down to the ring, but fares much better than his counterpart because there’s no one in the ring to beat him down. London climbs the turnbuckle to a nice ovation before backflipping off and preparing himself for his mystery opponent…

…only for his chances of winning to go down once “LAMBEG” hits the waves. A sourer than usual looking Dave Finlay pushes back the curtains with his shillelagh in hand, the crowd throwing the most heat they’ve thrown for someone not named Chris Jericho. Finlay doesn’t pay any attention to anyone at all except his eyes staying locked on London. Before he climbs in, Brian Hebner has to ask for Finlay’s shillelagh, Dave just looking at Hebner like he’s gonna hit him with it. He finally hands it over, but his expression doesn’t change in the slightest before stepping in to face his cruiserweight opponent.

Match 7
~Dynasty Tournament: Rd. 1~
Finlay
v.
Paul London


Predictably, this contest sees Finlay dominate from the opening bell, almost seemingly taking out any pent up aggression he’d been storing up during the Offseason and releasing it on poor Paul. London doesn’t roll over and die, however, staying in there with the “undefeated” Irishman for much longer than it seemed he would last. After Finlay rips apart London’s leg, the handicap constantly slows London’s offense, but he’s still competitive almost six minutes into the duel. Finlay grows incredibly frustrated, wanting to end the match quite soon, but he’s stooped by London NAILING HIM WITH THE DROPSAULT…THAT SENDS FINLAY OUT OF THE RING!! A big hope spot for the Texan cruiserweight, launching himself through the ropes…SUICIDE DIVE CONNECTING!!

Justin King is counting both men out, the competitors taking a while to get to their feet thanks to the impact and London’s knee injury. London is still the first man to his feet and tries to pull Finlay up, having some trouble with his lack of leverage, and almost rolls him under the bottom rope…only to have Finlay come to life and POUND London’s face off the ring lip. Finlay then rolls London back into the ring and climb up on the apron himself, only to have London recover and charge back…AND NAILS FINLAY WITH A LOW DROPKICK…THAT SENDS HIS FACE OFF THE RING LIP!! It’s Finlay’s turn to eat his environment, knocking him for a loop. London charges back at him looking for the BASEBALL SLIDE…FINLAY TRAPS LONDON IN THE RING SKIRT!!

The pragmatic Irishman uses one of his signature maneuvers and traps London and starts POUNDING on the back of his neck and head. The referee’s ring out count is restarted thanks to London, but Finlay wastes no time keeping his beating going before slinging London back in. London tries to spring back to his feet, but as soon as Finlay rolls in, he takes London and rocks him with a EUROPEAN UPPERCUT!! Finlay shoves a forearm in London’s face as he presses – 1…2…3-NO!! Finlay roars in London’s face to ‘roll over and die’, but London tries to get up, only to be hoisted on Finlay’s shoulders for the ROLLING HILLS…NO!! London slides off a bit and adjusts his angle…FLOAT OVER DDT!! London is still very much in this, driving Finlay’s head down and following it up with a DOUBLE FOOT STOMP…that in hindsight seems like a bad idea because his injured knee begins to act up again. He has to tend to is for a moment before actually covering Finlay – 1…2…3-NO!!

London’s not done, wrenching Finlay’s arm and going over for the OKLAHOMA ROLL – 1…2…3-NO!! Finlay kicks London out so hard, he unwinds and rolls under the bottom rope, but London stays on and slingshots back in…with a SLINGSHOT OKLAHOMA ROLL – 1…2…3-NO!! Both men scramble to their feet, Finlay going for a clothesline, but London wraps around it and tries for a BACKSLIDE…but Finlay fights it and wins the tug of war by turning around and whipping London into the ropes. On the rebound, London tries a HURRICANRANA…but Finlay holds on and then pulls London up over his shoulders, possibly for the CELTIC CROSS…only for London to keep flipping and try for a SUNSET FLIP…but Finlay isn’t getting pulled over, standing over London…AND DROPPING ON HIM WITH THE FINLAY PRESS!! The hip drop lands right on London’s chest, Finlay just sitting on him and hooking a leg with his toothless grin – 1…2…3…NO!! LONDON USES HIS HOOKED LEG AS LEVERAGE TO PULL FINLAY ALL THE WAY OVER INTO A SUNSET – 1…2…3…NO!!!

London almost came within a quarter of a second of pulling off the biggest upset thus far in the Tournament, but Finlay got out of it. The crowd deflates as they almost saw Finlay “pinned for the first time” in a sanctioned match, but Finlay shares none of this enthusiasm…especially when he and London look up at the screen to see that the timer has shown up and they only have less than a minute. Finlay sees London staring at the clock too long and takes advantage with a HUGE CLOTHESLINE, dropping and hooking the hurt leg – 1…2…3…NO!! FINLAY IS FURIOUS!! He really wanted to end it there, letting out an agitated cry before picking London back up…and get HIT WITH A SURPRISE SUPERKICK!! LONDON FELLS FINLAY!!

London falls to his hurt knee since he had to use it as a base, but after a second, Finlay is still down and London begins slowly climbing to the top rope, the crowd all kinds of behind him as he gets his balance…and sets…450 SPLASH…NO!! FINLAY COMES BACK TO LIFE BY CUBBING THE INSIDE OF THE INJUREDK KNEE!! London collapses and leans over the top rope, but doesn’t fall, Finlay bringing himself up to the second rope and finishing pulling London over his back…CELTIC CROSS!! CELTIC CROSS FROM THE SECOND ROPE!! OHHH MY GAAAAD!!! Finlay with a brutal move there, an elemental cover – 1…2…3…!!

Winner: Finlay at (9:44)

Such brutality! Finlay drops London’s hooked leg WITH AUTHORITY~! demanding that the referee get him his shillelagh. Hebner hands the wooden staff to the toothy-grin bearing Irishman. Finlay steps on London’s face as he walks by to add incredible insult to injury, London not having moved in any capacity since being drilled into the canvas. The ref has to check on him as Finlay storms out of the ring and up the ramp, not looking much worse for the wear.​


Joey Styles:
Well Finlay seems to be back on the right track after what couldn’t have been a very enjoyable Offseason for him after taking his first genuine loss in the company back in March.

JBL:
Clearly, you didn’t pay attention to what Finlay said over that Offseason. It was in an Unsanctioned match. It doesn’t count. He’s still never been pinned or made to submit.

Joey Styles:
Schematics and technicalities, John. At that, Finlay almost lost it against Paul London there, London lasting over nine and half minutes before Finlay finally put him down. Maybe the veteran is losing a bit of steam?

JBL:
It’s guys like him that excel in tournaments like these. If I had any number of picks, one of them would have to be on Dave Finlay.

Joey Styles:
Even with that overkill, Paul London may be faring better right now than Alex Riley, who won a chance to be in this Tournament, almost lost his marbles and his Dynasty number!

JBL:
But Paul Heyman is always thinkin’ on his feet, even when he’s not on his feet.

Joey Styles:
Well, folks, more Dynasty Tournament opening round matches are just around the corner, including evidently our tenth and final match which will serve as our main event. Alex Riley, one of AOW’s top prospects, will be making his debut and facing whoever it is that potentially stole his actual number! How will all that and the rest of the bracket pan out? Stay here on Wednesday Night Oblivion!


**COMMERCIAL BREAK**



Upon our return from the break, “619 ESTA VIVO” is heard, heralding the Season II debut of none other than the Master of the 619 himself, Rey Mysterio! Mysterio is greeted with a wonderful ovation, Rey Rey shaking out his previously injured knee to show it’s pretty much all-right. Mysterio hops into the ring and plays away with the crowd, hitting all his semi-religious taunts to perhaps aid him in moving on in this Tourney.

But a whole new daunting aura develops when “JIMBO” hits our ears, as Siaki and Manu of the Samoan Fight Club both come down the ramp. The commentators tell us that unlike the Mexicools, both members of the team are in the Tournament, which means they’re breaking the ‘honor’ code set forth by the Tourney standards. Neither seem to care, but we also don’t know which one is going to be in the match until it’s Siaki what leaps up onto the apron and into the ring, shoving the much smaller Mysterio away to a solid shot of heat.


Match 8
~Dynasty Tournament: Rd. 1~
Rey Mysterio v.
Siaki
w/Manu


Siaki tries to throw his weight around from the opening bell, the cocky and brash youngster making Mysterio feel his superior might. The strong Samoan is able to succeed in this mission for the first three minutes of the contest, but Mysterio keeps showing his vigilance and tries to fire right back. Siaki tries to keep the pressure on the luchador, but as Siaki lifts Mysterio onto his shoulders, the veteran whips himself around and takes Siaki over with a WILD HEADSCISSORS TAKEDOWN!

Siaki is thrown for a loop, getting back to his feet quickly, only for his feet to be DROPKICKED FROM UNDERNEATH HIM…AND HE DROPS ON THE MIDDLE ROPE!! The Hammerstein ignites as Mysterio preps himself, bouncing off the ropes…619 COMING…NO!! Siaki ducks out of the way and off the ropes! Mysterio goes swinging all the way around, but lands safely on the apron. Siaki gathers himself, only to look up and see FLYING AT HIM WITH A SPRINGBOARD SENTON!! Mysterio downs Siaki and gains some momentum, springing up and rebounding off the ropes several times before coming back at Siaki…and nails him with the INVERTED BODYSCISSORS BULLDOG!! Mysterio with a big cover – 1…2…3-NO!!

The young man stays alive and quickly gets to his feet, Manu screaming at the referee in an almost distracting way. This allows Siaki to take advantage and quickly grab Mysterio by the skull and start RAKING HIS EYES ACROSS THE ROPES! The Mahoney sees it and tells him to stop, Sonny finally dropping him. He keeps the offense on, however, taking Mysterio and capturing him in a pumphandle…SIAKI DROP!! THE PUMPHANDLE FALLAWAY SLAM CONNECTS!! Manu roars in approval as the crowd buzzes in approval as well, not seeing a move like that before as Siaki sticks a forearm in Mysterio’s raked eyes on the cover – 1….2…3…NO!!

Rey’s infamous resolve again rears its head, but Siaki is having none of it. He wastes no time pulling Rey back up and driving a knee into his gut before chunking him right back towards the ropes. On the rebound, Rey ducks a clothesline and shoots to the second rope, LOOKING FOR THE SPRINGBOARD CROSSBODY…SIAKI CATCHES HIM!! The much stronger Siaki catches Rey in his arms and then charges forward to SMASH MYSTERIO INTO A CORNER!! Mysterio is sandwiched something fierce, drifting back out to the middle of the ring…AND WALKS RIGHT INTO A SAMOAN DROP!! Siaki with another cover – 1…2…3…NO!!

The Biggest Little Man keeps earning that moniker as Siaki is holding two fingers up to question if it was just two. The angry Siaki starts gritting his teeth and shooting an elbow into the side of Mysterio’s neck before taking him back to his feet and hoisting Mysterio up onto his shoulders again, this time in an ARGENTINE RACK…SPINNING…but Mysterio turns the power display…INTO A DDT!! A SPINOUT DDT!!

Both men are down on the canvas to a roaring crowd, but they start to stir after several seconds of gathering themselves. As they get up, Siaki grapples Mysterio’s waist and looks for a belly to back suplex…but Mysterio flips out…and hits the double front dropkick to Siaki’s spine…THAT PUTS HIM ON THE MIDDLE ROPE!! The crowd is gearing up big time as Mysterio rebounds…AND HITS THE 619!! 619 CONNTECTS!! Siaki is thrown back to the center of the ring, trying to get to his feet to see a flying Mysterio…WEST COAST POP!! Rey grapples a leg – 1…2…3…!!

Winner: Rey Mysterio at (6:43)

The graceful elder luchador unhooks the Samoan’s leg and scoots under the bottom rope to possibly avoid any altercation from the larger Manu, who stomps into the ring and almost gets his hands on Mysterio. The San Diego native rights a little bit of revenge on the men who possibly cost him his match against Carlito Colon to conclude last season, getting back to his feet and heading back up the ramp with a smile, as Manu seethes in his direction as we fade away…


~Backstage, Paul Heyman’s office…


Heyman is in his wheelchair, sitting by himself and watching the show from a backstage screen when there’s a knock on his door.​


Heyman:
I’m home.

~The door creeks open to reveal Ken Doane walking in. Doane has an incredibly eager look on his face as he approaches Heyman. Paul is not nearly as enthusiastic.

Heyman:
Ah. Kenny.

Doane:
The man himself, Paul Heyman. Look, uh, I know you asked me in here, but I kinda wanna hurry up so I can go get my number.

Heyman:
I’m glad you’re so eager, Kenny, because you’re not in the Dynasty Tournament.

~Doane suddenly loses the ants in his pants

Doane:
Wait…what?

Heyman:
Yes, I figure it’d be hard for you to swallow. See, Kenny, there’s a stereotype here in professional wrestling that we in this profession, well, that we have short memories. I mean, we do this every week of the year, so it’s easy to forget things. But I remember everything, Mr. Doane, and this wheelchair is a constant reminder of you. While others may have pushed me down a flight of stairs, it was you who put me here in the first place.

~Doane looks incredibly nervous

Doane:
I, uh…haha…though we were past that.

Heyman:
I hold a grudge tighter than a noose holds a throat, Kenny. Especially when people leg drop me through tables.

~Heyman is smirking all kinds of facetious

Heyman:
See, I want to use this second Season as a way to right all the wrongs that were done to me in the first. So congratulations on your Dynasty Championship opportunity in the Offseason. Salvage it. Savor the memory. Because it might be the last of anything you get here for a long, long time.

~Funnily enough, there’s actually a pop from beyond the walls of the Hammerstein at Doane’s misfortune. Kenny is completely dumbstruck, completely unable to make any real emotion. Heyman pats him on the shoulder with a smug as shit look and tries to wheel out of his office as we fade away…


~Back at ringside…



JBL:
Paul Heyman isn’t playin’ games this season, I tell you what.

Joey Styles:
Can Paul Heyman even do that? I mean it’s one thing to be authoritative, but it’s another thing to try and derail someone’s career like that.

JBL:
Derail? How about putting a powerful man in a wheelchair and handicapping him for virtually the whole year! If that doesn’t deserve some kind of retribution, then what the hell does?


Bradshaw’s tirade is cut off by “WELCOME TO WHITECHAPEL” bellowing out over the sound system to an actual mixed reaction, this smarky Hammerstein crowd popping for the accomplishments of whichever member of Mercs Inc. walks out. This time, it’s Brent Albright, the man whom some call the ‘mechanic’ of the group, comes to the ring without much fanfare to himself at all but a noticeable ovation beside some heat from the crowd. One third of the 2008 Trios Tournament trophy holders slides into the ring, ready for business and adjusting his wrist tape for whoever it may be.

…and in almost an exact replay of earlier in the night, “WELCOME TO WHITECHAPEL” blares out yet again, the crowd letting out a big buzz of interest. The man who comes through the curtain next is Paul Burchill, the man who just considered Albright like a brother. The mentor somewhat hesitantly walks onto the stage and looks his pupil in the eye from across the distance before he walks a normal stride down the ramp. He doesn’t seem much affected by the chance pairing at all. When he steps into the ring, Albright isn’t fazed either, looking at Burchill as though he’s looking at CM Punk or anyone else. But there’s still an uncomfortable tension between them.

Match 9
~Dynasty Tournament: Rd. 1~

2008 Trios Tournament Winner Paul Burchill
v.

2008 Trios Tournament Winner Brent Albright


The uneasiness between the two in the opening seconds subsides and is much different from the match between the Sons of the Dungeon earlier tonight. While this one has almost as much chain wrestling as that one did, it feels darker than the Punk/Storm dynamic of earlier, this one is much more physical, the heel mentor and mentee striking and slamming each other without much concern for the other’s health. It’s almost as if Burchill is still teaching his apprentice some things, but Albright is trying to show what he’s learned. Their physicality reaches new heights roughly five minutes into the contest, when Burchill looks like he’s GOING FOR A C-4 ATTEMPT…but Albright twists his arm and short arms his mentor into a DDT…which Burchill turns into a NORTHERN LIGHTS SUPLEX!! He keeps the bridge for a cover – 1…2…3-NO!!

Burchill is somewhat proud Albright kicked out, but somewhat disappointed he couldn’t put him away, although that’s nothing some boots to the ribs won’t help solve. Burchill shows his apprentice boot after boot of tough love before dragging him back to his feet and striking him with a knee to the gut. He then sets Albright up for a suplex before bouncing his legs off the top rope…SLINGSHOT SUPLEX!! Burchill really not pulling any punches here, floating over – 1…2…3-NO!! Burchill throws his locks out of his face, looking down at his strong-willed mentee before heading up to the second rope and looking for something, then leaping with a DIVING KNEE DROP…NOBODY HOME!! Burchill misses the big blow and tends to his knee, Albright jumping to his feet and seeing an opportunity by bouncing off the ropes…RUNNING KNEE LIFT!! Regal would be proud, but Albright hits Burchill so hard, he goes dangling on the middle rope. Albright takes that chance to take his mentor’s legs and pull him away before pulling back…WHEELBARROW SUPLEX!! A deadly combination gets Albright a fall – 1…2…3-NO!!

Albright doesn’t waste much time, taking Burchill up and whipping him into the ropes and catching him on the rebound, setting his hips and going for the OVERHEAD BELY TO BELLY…NO!! Burchill jams the move before he can fly with an elbow strike to the face before shoving his stablemate back into the ropes, Albright bouncing off…RIGHT INTO A BURCHILL ENZEGUIRI!! Albright runs into the climb-up, Burchill with another cover – 1…2…3-NO!! Another near fall, Burchill again not wasting time, taking his apprentice in another suplex position…but Albright jams whatever he had planned there, twisting out of that move and grabbing Burch from behind…REGALPLEX!! Another move that would make Regal proud, Albright now with a big cover – 1…2…3-NO!!

The guys are going blow for blow to a heavy extent, but Albright doesn’t look like he wants to get up, grabbing Burchill’s wrist and shoulder as he tries to get up…GOING FOR THE CROWBAR…but Burchill rolls out of that. Albright keeps hold of his mentor’s wrist, however, and whips him into the ropes, only for Burchill to shoot low and then behind Albright on the momentous charge…AND THIS HIS OWN REGALPLEX!! The tit-for-tat continues as Burchill keeps the bridge – 1…2…3-NO!! The match continues! It’s Burchill who possibly gets desperate now, trying to force a ROYAL MUTLIATION…but it’s Albright turn to get out, scooting by the ropes to force a break. He pushes Burch back, and as Burchill rushes back at him, Albright pops up…AND THEN POPS BURCHILL UP WITH THE FREE FALL DROP!! Burchill falls flat…AND ALBRIGHT GOES RIGHT FOR THE CROWBAR!! Burchill squirms around as the crowd is hot for the finish, Paul struggling to find a way out of the Fujiwara…until he GETS CLOSE ENOUGH TO GRAB A ROPE!!

Albright almost fumes at not finishing the match right there, but Burchill’s shoulder is killing him to the point that he can’t get up immediately, prompting Albright to head to the top rope. He looks down on his mentor…before looking up on the ‘tron to see that they have one minute left. Albright hesitates no more, leaping for the DIVING HEADBUTT…NOBODY HOME!! Albright lands flat on his front, but pops up a opposed to rolling around. Burchill sees this and finishes getting Albright vertical, taking him up ONTO HIS SHOULDERS…but the vigilant Albright squibbles off after hitting Burchill’s weak shoulder. He lands behind his mentor…AND NAILS A DESPERATION GERMAN SUPLEX!! Albright takes a moment to roll over with it, still feeling the missed headbutt, and Albright makes him pay when they get to his feet, hitting a standing switch…AND HITTING NOT ONE, BUT TWO BIG GERMANS!! The clock is winding down, at thirty seconds, so Burchill wastes no more time…AND LOCKS IN HIS OWN ROYAL MUTILATION!!

Albright is scurrying around much like Burchill did, trying to angle his body so he can sling a leg over a rope, but Burchill keeps moving with him and torqueing the elbow and shoulder back. He’s in the hold so long as the clock keeps counting down, the crowd actually white hot for this down-to-the-buzzer finish. Albright is scurrying, tendons almost ripping…’TIL HE GRIPS A BOTTOM ROPE FOR DEAR LIFE!! Burchill doesn’t release the grip immediately, forcing the referee to take action and make him get off, pushing him away from his apprentice. The crowd deflates back to counting down with the clock, Burchill’s agreement with the referee making the lock tick down all the way to four…

4…

3…

Burchill glances at Albright then to the ref with a look of anxiety and frustration in his eyes

2…

…AND BURCHILL BLATANTLY SLAPS THE REFEREE IN THE FACE!!

…1!!!


THE REF CALLS FOR THE BELL!!

Winner via DQ: Brent Albright at (9:59)

Albright stands stunned, somewhat confused. He’s announced the winner by DQ and just stares at Burchill for a moment, blinking and looking for an answer. Burchill walks up to him and we can hear him say ‘duty above all’. Albright seems to nod his head in somewhat compliance before both men exit through the ring, Albright raising a fist to acknowledge that at least he’s advancing​


JBL:
What a brilliant move by Paul Burchill!! I tell ya, Mercenaries, Inc. is by far one of the greatest three-man crews I’ve ever seen.

Joey Styles:
Brilliant?! How is that brilliant?! That was blatant loophole abuse!

JBL:
You wanna get in that ring and prove’em wrong, then? Be my guest.

Joey Styles:
I mean he got himself intentionally disqualified so Brent Albright could advance! If that’s not trying to find a way out, I don’t know what is!

JBL:
Look lawyerpants, it’s not that hard to figure out. One of’em advancin’ is a hellova lot better than both of’em gettin’ eliminated. That’s what Burchill was doin’. But numskulls like you are too stupid an’ narrow minded to see anything but what’s on the surface.

Joey Styles:
Well from here it looked –

JBL:
Shut up, Joey. You’re so dumb, I’ll even take your ad spot. Hold it right here, folks, because the final match of the night and our main event is up next. Alex Riley is in the #10 spot, an’ he’s gonna face the thieving rascal that tried to steal his spot in the first place. Who is the thief and how badly will Alex Riley lay waste to him? Find out when we come back! That’s how you go to commercial, Poindexter!


**COMMERCIAL BREAK**



As soon as we return from commercial, we see Alex Riley in his varsity jacket coming down the ramp to the tune of “COACH K”, his OVW theme. The normally cocky as all hell Riley has a little bit of worry in his step and it’s easy to know why when he steps into the ring. He demands a microphone and garners more of a negative reaction before stepping back center ring.

Riley:
My name is Alex Riley. I am the son of an All-American football star and a beauty queen mother. I have the genes of the perfect star and –

~Before he can finish his lineage talk, the crowd is throwing heat on him

Riley:
Y’know what? That’s okay. I mean, I’ve been the best at literally everything I’ve touched my entire life. I’m used to people being incredibly envious of me no matter what I do. So hate away, pencil pushers, hate away.

~Riley is playing it up here, eating up the great deal of cheap heat he’s getting

Riley:
But I digress. See I was given the #10 ball by Paul Heyman because I won a chance to make my AOW debut in the actual Dynasty Tournament. But somebody broke into my bag and stole it from me. Can you believe it? Somebody tried to steal from me!

~Riley is actually getting a “YOU SUCK!” chant started up that he has to acknowledge

Riley:
How can I suck? I’m the perfect athlete who has been criminally wronged here tonight! I don’t suck! New York, that’s what sucks!

~…and an ungodly downpour of cheap heat rains down so much that the Hammerstein crowd is getting much more graphic with their chants

“YOU SUCK DICK!! YOU SUCK DICK!! YOU SUCK DICK!!”


Riley:
I wouldn’t expect anything less from a population that sucks as bad as this one. One that houses and endorses criminal activity! So whoever it was who tried to steal away my right to be in this Tournament and tried to steal my debut from me, just get out here right now so you can confess and I can beat the holy hell out of you! You will answer to me – A-Ry – ALEX RILEY!!

~Riley roars into the microphone and still gets a huge amount of heat as he drops the microphone and snatches off his jacket. He’s pumped, prime, and ready, staring up the ramp as the whole crowd waits in anticipation for who it might be…





**SEXY BOY**

…AND THE ROOF BLOWS OFF THE HAMMERSTEIN!! Much like his surprise appearance in the Offseason, Shawn Michaels shimmies his way on through the curtains, looking much more like himself than a man forced to be Paul Heyman’s lackey. He digs into his tights and pulls out a ‘#10’ ball and shows it off like he’s a game show hostess before throwing it into the crowd. He bounces on down the ramp and rolls into the ring doing traditional Shawn Michaels things…before he tells Riley to ‘suck it’. Riley is beyond pissed, getting to his corner and anxiously awaiting the ring bell.


MAIN EVENT
~Dynasty Tournament: Rd. 1~
Shawn Michaels
v.
Alex Riley


As everyone gets settled back into their seats, it’s no real surprise that Michaels takes the upper hand for the first few moments of the contest, igniting the arrogant youngster with a series of CHOPS(Woooo!). But after the elation of seeing HBK wears off, so does his advantage, with Riley’s youth showing up when he is able to us his superior speed and power to corner Michaels. We cut into this some three minutes into the action, Riley having rammed Michaels into the corner and is MERCILESSLY DELIVERING SHOULDER BLOCK AFTER SHOULDER BLOCK!!

The Heart Break Kid probably hasn’t been hit that hard in a long time, and Riley doesn’t let up. He violently whips HBK across the ring to the opposite corner, his chronic back pain coming into light as he pops right back out of the corner…INTO A RILEY CLOTHESLINE!! A huge upset on the way – 1…2…NO!! It’s gonna take a lot more than that to take down this guy, Riley realizing that and staying on him. As Michaels tries to recover, A-Ry cuts him off with a front headlock and starts delivering clubbing blow after clubbing blow to the spine. When Michaels collapses, Riley just grabs HBK by his tights and SKIDS HIM ACROSS THE CANVAS, UNDER THE ROPE, AND FACE FIRST TO THE OUTSIDE!!

An extremely cocky smile envelops on Riley’s face now, enjoying every last second of tearing Michaels apart here. He eats a lot of heat for this before going outside and retrieving Michaels, taking him up and AGAIN RAMMING HIS BACK INTO THE RING LIP!! Riley looks to be targeting the oft-cited back troubles of Shawn, Riley now taking Michaels and rolling him back into the ring. Riley doesn’t immediately follow him, taunting towards the crowd as he climbs up the apron and keeps climbing onto the top rope, waiting for the cringing Michaels to recover before leaping…WITH A TERRIFIC DIVING CLOTHESLINE FROM THE TOP ROPE!! Can Riley legitimately pull it off here – 1…2…3-NO!! Michaels keeps his chances alive!!

Despite the resiliency, A-Ry has really taken control here, staying right on Shawn and laying more boots into. He pulls Michaels up by his hair and keeps talking trash the whole way up before once again RAMMING Michaels’ back into another corner. Riley’s feeling really cocky now, backing away a few steps and eating up his heat before charging into the corner again…only to eat an HBK UPRAISED BOOT!! Michaels takes that chance to rush at Riley and HIT HIM WITH THE LOU THESZ PRESS!! MICHALES IS POUNDING AWAY AT THE YOUNGSTER’S HEAD!! HBK gets to his feet, all kinds of pumped up now, but still has to tend to his back. Riley gets up rather quickly, if dizzy, but regrets it when he’s again lit up with a pair of CHOPS(Wooooo!) that send him retreating to a corner. Michaels grabs a wrist and looks to whip the youth to the opposite side, but Riley slides down to one knee and reverses the whip, then pulls Michaels right back at him and ducks underneath a swing attempt, getting him in a BELLY TO BACK SUPLEX LIFT…INTO A NASTY TAKEDOWN LARAT!! THE GAME CHANGER!! Riley again with a commanding cover – 1…2…3-NO!!

Riley is getting incredibly frustrated, telling Ray Ramsey that the match should be over. Ramsey ignores the arguing rookie and makes him get back to business regarding The Icon. Riley starts arrogantly slapping at Michaels’ head as he tries to get up, whipping Michaels into the ropes again…AND HITS THE DIVING FOREARM SMASH!! The crowd lights up because they know what’s coming…AND MICHAELS KIPS UP!! He’s a little slow because of the targeted lower back, tending to it as he rises, but as Riley gets up and charges, he’s met with an INVERTED ATOMIC DROP and then a punch to the head before eating ANOTHER INVERTED ATOMIC DROP and eating a clothesline! Riley bounces back to his feet, still energetic, but he gets caught right in a Michaels scoop slam. HBK makes a small smirk before heading to the top, everyone knowing the sequence by now…DIVING ELBOW DROP!! The theatrical drop connects!! Michaels pulls up a leg, hoping its all he needs – 1…2…3-NO!!

Riley shows some fire, but it’s nothing compared to what HBK has left, getting off of Riley’s body with more life than he had at the start. The crowd is all behind him as he goes over to the corner and looks to start TUNING UP THE BAND. The crowd is ready to count with him…but he stops as the crowd buzzes. That’s because he looks up at the entrance stage…where PAUL HEYMAN has suddenly appeared, apparently having rolled out not too long ago. The look on his face is not one of much pleasure at all, Paul E. staring down Michaels as he blatantly starts TUNING UP THE BAND ANYWAY. The Hammerstein counts along with Shawn, ready for the killing blow…SWEET CHIN MUSIC…SPINEBUSTER!! ALEX RILEY TURNS IT INTO A SPINEBUSTER!! Riley with a huge cover – 1…2…3-NO!!

Paul Heyman damn near cost Michaels his shot, and we can see Heyman visually displeased that Riley didn’t get the job done there. Michaels is still in the Dynasty Tournament to the administration’s displeasure. Riley now heads back to the top rope, looking for another exclamation point on a win. He sets up…leaps…AND COPIES MICHAELS’ SIGNATURE ELBOW DROP!! The crowd throws deafening heat as Riley covers again – 1…2…3-NO!! Michaels holds on! Riley is getting incredibly frustrated here, pounding the mat and forcing Michaels up, putting him on his shoulders, possibly for the FINAL SCORE…NO!! Michaels manages to slide off and push Riley away towards a corner. Riley’s back doesn’t fully hit as he stops himself right before, hopping up onto the second rope. He sees a still recovering Michaels before leaping for ANOTHER DIVING CLOTHESLINE…SWEET CHIN MUSIC!! SWEET CHIN MUSIC!! MICHAELS ERASES RILEY’S FACE OUT OF MIDAIR!! The crowd comes unglued as that incredible visual plays out just as the clock appears on the big screen, a beaten up HBK crawling and slinging an arm and then himself on top of the now headless Varsity Villain – 1…2…3…!!!

Winner: Shawn Michaels at (9:06)


WOW!! Michaels lifts his body off of Riley and even beats his chest a little bit before he gets his hand raised. Ramsey raises his hand as Michaels looks smugly right up the ramp to see Paul Heyman about to blow a goddamn gasket

Joey Styles:
What a scene!! The ‘puppet’ that Shawn Michaels has used what little freedom he has to find a way into the Dynasty Tournament!

JBL:
You mean abuse all power he doesn’t even have!! You mean weasel his way into a prestigious bracket! What the hell is wrong with Shawn Michaels?!

Joey Styles:
Nothing! But something tells me that even if Shawn Michaels remains under Paul Heyman’s control, he’s gonna have a lot to say about it this season! I think if we had one word to sum up this entire night to set the tone for the whole season...I think 'unpredictable' would be pretty damn apt!


The final image of the Season Premiere of AOW Oblivion Season II is that of a smug bastard in Shawn Michaels looking up on the entrance stage to see Paul Heyman reduced to a sort of tranquil fury as he looks at his puppet stretching his limbs. A sort of semi-smirk makes its way across his face as the wheelchair-bound Chief looks at the triumphant Heart Break Kid. We’re only left to wonder what both Shawn and Paul Heyman are planning as we

Fade…

To…

Black…


END SHOW




.:Confirmed for next Oblivion:.

The final 6 Dynasty Tournament opening round matches




~RISE OF A DYNASTY~
*Confirmed Card*

~2008 Dynasty Tournament~

~Quarter Finals~

TBD v. TBD
TBD v. TBD
TBD v. TBD
TBD v. TBD

~Semi-Finals~
TBD v. TBD
TBD v. TBD

~The FINALS~
TBD v. TBD



Admittedy, it's probably not my best installment (probably for the reasons of the Wolf Guy mentioned) and I felt a little burnt out with my schedule and writing this. But hope all enjoy and don't hate me until your King sees you again :eek:
 
#264 ·
Great job on setting the tone right from the get-go with a rabid crowd not even needing the music to start singing, clearly very passionate about the product they’re paying to see. ECW-esque vibes almost - not a bad thing at all.

There isn’t a whole lot of feedback to dish out tbh, it was a solid, wrestling orientated show, with a conveyor belt of matches to savour. Like I had previously said, ten matches in such a short space of time felt a little much for me. I’m not entirely sure if this analogy will help - depends on whether or not you’re a UFC fan - but it did feel like a season opening Ultimate Fighter show, with two solid hours of preliminary fights to earn a shot in the house. But, in your favour, your viewers/readership will already be familiar with the characters on show, and their own distinct personalities. And, in their own way, each one of the ten matches on show here delivered.

I suspected we’d see at least one instance of tag team partners facing off - if only to play up the unpredictability of the draw, and I found it interesting that in the two matches where partners clashed, both were set to be time limit draws until Burchill intentionally got himself disqualified against Albright. In general, the matches on display were something of a purists ‘wet dream’ if you will. Punk vs. Lance Storm as the season opening match?? Yes please. I also think Punk being the first man out on the season opener is an indicator that he’ll be a heavily featured act - even more so than he was last time around - and I think he’s a lock for the semi-finals at least … if not even further. Carlito vs. Kofi, Finlay vs. London, Benjamin vs. Kendrick on the line up of mouth watering matches too. Awesome array of talent.

But what impressed me was a couple of other things you threw into the fray to switch things up, rather than allowing the show to become bogged down by successive match after match. For instance, after all the hullabaloo around THE BOONDOCK SAINT~!! (yup, still love it ;)) not being allowed to appear for a period on television, yet turning up and competing (via representative) in the tournament certainly put a spanner in the works, and I’m intrigued to see what the backlash is from that. While I’m not a Tarver fan in the slightest, him being brought in with Banks hiring him to his own contract works for me. Hopefully Tarver ends up as an eventual muscle or bodyguard for THE BOONDOCK SAINT~!! as I feel that’s probably the best role available to him. There was also the main event scenario that was a great surprise - but I’ll get to that shortly.

In terms of surprises in tonights matches, I don’t think too many results really felt as such. Bar perhaps the finish to the Albright/Burchill match, and the draw between the Sons of the Dungeon … HOWEVER … it would be remiss of me to not call the inclusion of Shawn Michaels a surprise, because I certainly wasn’t expecting HBK to be the ‘thief’. My money was on another OVW alumni looking to make a mark … so getting Michaels was a big shocker, and right away, the Showstopper has to be the odds on favourite to go all the way … but I don’t see it going down that way myself personally.

Also, quick question - if Shawn Michaels stole Alex Rileys ball … then who was dumped from the tournament to allow Riley to compete?? :S

Now, while the tournament dominated the show, the best part of the night - for me - was the Christian/Jericho in ring confrontation. While for now, Christian is refusing to play the games with Jericho, not being lured into granting Jericho a shot for ‘validation’, I think Jericho will wear him down eventually - months from now - and break Christian until he does meet him again. You write the cold, calculating character of Jericho brilliantly - so brilliantly, that it almost, almost feels like a shame that he had to lose the title - but in that respect, I’m excited to see what you can do with him and what devious schemes he’ll muster up now as he plots to get back into the title hunt.

Right now, the tournament will be the focus of the shows, so that’s to be expected … but I thought you handled it well. Being completely honest, the inclusion of HBK as the shock #10 probably helped this go from a serviceable but ultimately forgettable show to a memorable season opener, ending with a bang. Nothing needs said really on Jericho or Christian really - you’ve got both mens characters nailed. Just keep the brilliance coming with both of them, thanks. Good to see this back :)
 
#265 ·
Thnx in bunches, Wolf Man. I say I always appreciate any words and I do. So let me answer a few of these concerns...

Like I had previously said, ten matches in such a short space of time felt a little much for me. I’m not entirely sure if this analogy will help - depends on whether or not you’re a UFC fan - but it did feel like a season opening Ultimate Fighter show, with two solid hours of preliminary fights to earn a shot in the house. But, in your favour, your viewers/readership will already be familiar with the characters on show, and their own distinct personalities. And, in their own way, each one of the ten matches on show here delivered.
I'm not exactly a UFC buff, but I understand what you're onto. I was sure the show would feel quite overwhelmed with things as tedious as what were essentially qualifying matches, but that's the side effects of your 'reset button' being a 30+ man tournament. Gonna be honest in that it'll probably feel like that for the next few shows, then, because they're all about the Tourney, too.

Wolf Beast said:
Punk vs. Lance Storm as the season opening match?? Yes please.
Had to go full circle. Couldn't help myself.

Wolf Beast said:
I also think Punk being the first man out on the season opener is an indicator that he’ll be a heavily featured act - even more so than he was last time around - and I think he’s a lock for the semi-finals at least … if not even further.
Was Punk that heavily featured last time around? I tried to lay off him a little bit, but I guess favorites will remain favorites. As for will I feature him even more this time? Yes and no. And you'll see why in due time.

Wolf Beast said:
HOWEVER … it would be remiss of me to not call the inclusion of Shawn Michaels a surprise, because I certainly wasn’t expecting HBK to be the ‘thief’. My money was on another OVW alumni looking to make a mark … so getting Michaels was a big shocker, and right away, the Showstopper has to be the odds on favourite to go all the way … but I don’t see it going down that way myself personally.
Honestly, I kind of thought this was glaringly obvious for who it could be. But I guess my whole 'Double Debut' thing might've screwed with some, eh?

Wolf Beast said:
Also, quick question - if Shawn Michaels stole Alex Rileys ball … then who was dumped from the tournament to allow Riley to compete?? :S
Doane sounds like a safe answer. So I'll say that Kenny fella :side:

Wolf Beast said:
I think Jericho will wear him down eventually - months from now - and break Christian until he does meet him again. You write the cold, calculating character of Jericho brilliantly - so brilliantly, that it almost, almost feels like a shame that he had to lose the title - but in that respect, I’m excited to see what you can do with him and what devious schemes he’ll muster up now as he plots to get back into the title hunt.
You greatly embellish my abilities, but something tells me you won't have to wait long to figure out what Jericho is up to...

Wolf Beast said:
Being completely honest, the inclusion of HBK as the shock #10 probably helped this go from a serviceable but ultimately forgettable show to a memorable season opener, ending with a bang.
And honesty is the best policy and I appreciate that. I figured this would be the case for most of the Tournament-heavy shows, as I guess the build-up to the 'reset button' things can make a lot of stuff seem lost (i.e. in WWE, everything not pertaining to a world title when going into the Royal Rumble). But that's my own fault for attempting an Offseason and having to deal with how to reset things for the new start.

Anywho, here's some tidbits of news for those who care about that hubbub...

The Informer said:
AOW seems to be playing with even more fire when it comes to the entire Antonio Banks situation. There actually hasn’t been any kind of legal word yet from the WWE or anyone’s camp yet regarding Banks being on-screen during his ‘no competition’ clause. The ‘E camp might as well try and get satisfied with it because something tells us Heyman is going to try and look into every loophole he can to get as much as he can out of an investment like Banks. How many contract laws Heyman may break to do that may just be a casualty of war, but he and the company realize they’re up against an economic juggernaut. At that, FX may be the one to pull the plug on Banks to wash their hands of any further impending legal matters.

As notably evidenced by this past edition of Oblivion, Lance Storm has decided to call it quits with the company. Storm has been noted as saying that he is ‘very proud to have been part of such an incredible new organization’, but he has also been noted as wanting to step away from the ring full-time and dedicate his time to his wrestling school in Calgary. Storm has not ruled out working with the company again in the future, however for the time being, his contract is up and he’s on his way out. The terrific thing about Storm leaving to do what he wants and on such good terms, though, is that AOW will almost definitely have top billing of any graduates from the Storm Wrestling Academy in the coming years.

With Storm on out, this leaves Elix Skipper, Billy Kidman, and Al Snow as the men bucking up the development system. Skipper has completely stepped away from full-time on-screen duties, while Kidman isn’t that far away from stepping away himself once much of his story with Matt Sydal reaches that point. And even when men get up to the main roster, their pseudo-coaches include the likes of William Regal and Dave Finlay (or as Mick Foley noted in his interview, depending on the individual, possibly Shawn Michaels himself).

While on the topic of developmental, it doesn’t look like AOW has many plans to keep certain guys in there for very long. We recently noted their new signings, and a pair of them in PAC and Claudio Castagnoli might be soon on the call-ups. Chris Hero is also rumored to be on the fast track, but the only definite word is that both Eric Perez and Alex Riley will be called up this year as evidenced by their current standings in development.

Until next time, this as been The Informer...

...and then let's just sprinkle on some of these...

aohdubya.com said:
AOHDUBYA.COM EXCLUSIVES




We’re brought to what looks like a scene backstage from the Season Premiere this past Wednesday. Carlito Colon is waking through the backstage halls, his father, Carly Colon, Sr., walking behind him. Carly says something to Carlito in his ear before heading off. Whatever was said doesn’t make the sour Puerto Rican any more jolly, as he keeps on walking…until he’s stopped by both members of the Samoan Fight Club

Siaki:
So. When’re you gonna manage us again?

Carlito:
Manage…? Maybe if ju had beaten Rey Mysterio tonight, Carlito might be more enthusiastic about that.

Siaki:
Oh yeah? The only reason you even beat Rey Mysterio last time is because of us. Remember that?

Carlito:
It was nice of you to help Carlito, but Carlito doesn’t need any help.

Siaki:
Right. I guess that’s why your pops is up here now.
~Carlito drops his ‘cool’ for a moment and gets really irritated

Carlito:
He’s here because he won’t go away! He’s like a giant mosquito that wants to suck out Carlito’s hair instead of his blood. And Carlito has a lot of hair!

Siaki:
Yeah. We know. But look, ‘lito, can’t you dump the old man?

Carlito:
Das Carlito’s dad, man. Ju don’t jus’ dump jou’re parents aside in Puerto Rico.

Siaki:
Well…you could introduce him to us.~Both members of the Fight Club ready their fists

Carlito:
Even if Carlito wanted to manage ju’ guys again, Papi said…he said jou’re all ‘bad company’. Carlito would be willing to give ju guys another shot…but Pops comes first.
~With that, ‘lito keeps on walking past the intense Fight Club, neither one of them really knowing what to make of getting brushed aside by daddy as we fade away…


The Green Zone, turned back into an interview set. We’re not quite sure if this took place on the previous Oblivion or some time in between then and now because both Paul Burchill and Brent Albright are in competition attire, but this competition attire looks more like workout gear as opposed to ring gear. Regal is in a lavish suit as always.

Romero:
Hello, ladies and gentlemen, I’m Steve Romero with my guests at this time, Mercenaries, Inc. Now, Paul Burchill, one of the questions I’m sure are on many of the minds of our viewers is the finish to you and Brent Albright’s Dynasty Tournament match together.

Burchill:
What kind of twat would question the finish?

Romero:
Well…er…it’s sort of unconventional in a tournament with stakes as high as the Dynasty Tournament for a match to end as abruptly and, if I do say so, intentionally as that match did.

Burchill:
‘Unconventional’…? It was the only thing that made any kind of sense.

Romero:
Eliminating yourself and letting your protégé go on to potentially become Dynasty Champion…made sense?

Regal:
Obviously, you need it to be spelled out for you, sunshine, so allow me. Everyone saw what happened earlier in the night with the Sons of the Dungeon. They got so wrapped up in their own selfishness that, even though they are Tag Team Champions, they wound up eliminating each other. Now neither of them have any kind of shot at the title. But what Burchill did –
~Regal puts a hand on Burch’s shoulder

Regal:
What Burchill did was what Mercenaries, Inc. is all about. And that’s duty above all. He knew that the chances of one of us walking out with that title shot would go down incredibly if even one of us was eliminated, much less two of us with a draw. The fact that Burchill was the one who wound up disqualifying himself was by chance. I’m sure Albright would have done the same thing.
~Both men turn to Albright who nods his head

Albright:
Absolutely. My only regret is that we had to face each other in the first place.

Regal:
Exactly. But with that DQ, it keeps two of us in the game as opposed to one of us. So unless anyone has any more dull questions, we have to finish preparing to win this bloody Tournament. Gents.
~And with that jab of the head, Regal watches his stablemates head back out, presumably to the ring, before he follows suit in his suit. Romero is left somewhat satisfied as we fade away…


We’re back to last week on Oblivion in the Green Zone still hosting a bingo roller full of numbered balls. The Miz seems to be trying his best to woo Miss Wilson, but she’s not having very much of it at all. Much to her great relief, someone steps into the room to retrieve a number, it being none other than the babyfaced high-flyer, Matt Sydal

Sydal:
Uh…hope I’m not interrupting…?

Wilson:
Of course not, silly goose! Come on and take a number!
~As Sydal steps up to stick his hand in and get a ball, Miz swoops between he and the roller and prevents him from doing so

Miz:
Y’know what I don’t get? How does a guy with no wins not only get a Cruiserweight Championship shot but gets into the bracket for an AOW World Heavyweight title shot? I mean, does any of that make sense to you, chief?

Sydal:
I’m not gonna argue with it. I’ll take anything as it comes.

Miz:
Oh. I see. But what I don’t see is uh…where’s your pimp? Is Kidman okay with you getting in here on nothin’?

Sydal:
He’s not my pimp. He’s my mentor…former mentor. We’ve had our differences.

Miz:
Yeah, I heard. This is some kind of joke. I’m pretty sure even I could beat you without even trying. And then I’d be in this Tournament.

???:
Miz, shut up and move.
~All three individuals in the scene turn around to see the Cruiserweight Champion, Bryan Danielson, march up and almost make Miz move just by looking at him. Danielson slings his belt over a shoulder before reaching into the tumbler and getting a ball of his own. He then motions for Sydal to come up.

Danielson:
I didn’t question it last month when I faced you, and I’m not gonna question it now. Get in here.
~Sydal doesn’t waste any breath, stepping up to the roller and pulling out a ball. He shrugs when he sees it

Sydal:
Lucky me. #13.
~Sydal, Wilson, and Miz all then look towards Danielson as if asking him what his number is. Danielson just chuckles and looks at Sydal

Danielson:
Maybe I’ll see you out there. Maybe I won’t.
~No one’s really satisfied with the cryptic answer, but Sydal knows that’s all he’s getting and smiles before leaving the scene. Danielson is still looking at his ball, but before he can leave, someone else enters…

Noble:
You gonna stick up for me too?
~Jamie Noble walks into frame as he’s speaking, staring a hole in Danielson

Danielson:
If you ask nicely.

Noble:
Jamie Noble doesn’t do anythin’ nicely, boy. But I guess it’s only fair that a guy with no wins gets in…while I could and should be AOW Champion right now and I barely got in. So you gonna stick up for me, White Knight?

Danielson:
Maybe you should just draw, Noble.
~The tension is getting to an apex between the two, Noble smirking as Danielson has a pure stoic look plastered on his face. Noble doesn’t even break the gaze to reach into the roller and pull out his number.

Noble:
Well how-dee. Would ya look at that. I got the main event! #16, boy.
~Noble gets damn close to Danielson’s face

Noble:
You see that, boy? Jamie Noble doesn’t need help to get into the main event. He plucks it with his own two hands.
~Noble flashes a working man's grin as he turns and walks out, leaving Danielson alone with only Wilson with him in the shot. He looks back down at his number and seems to shrug in acceptance and then look towards his shoulder and delivers one cheeky little line before we fade away

Danielson:
I guess somebody’s gotta keep all these lightweights in check.


We’re right back in the bingo roller scene, but it must be at a different point in the night because Steve Romero alone is rolling the cage. He, like London and Kendrick, is enjoying watching the balls hit up against one another (as few as them as there appears to be left). His fun is stopped, however, by the entrance of one Charlie Haas

Haas:
Hey, Stevie. You mind stopping the spin so I can get a pick?

Romero:
Oh sure, Charlie. It’s just…kinda mesmerizing.

Haas:
Maybe it is. Y’know what’s a little mesmerizing to me? This whole ‘random draw’ thing. I like it.

Romero:
Really? Well doesn’t not knowing who you’re gonna face put you at a severe disadvantage…?

Haas:
No way, man. I love competition. And not even knowing who your competition is is kind of a cool thrill in itself. Plus, it makes you go watch video and scout everyone on the roster so you’re prepared, y’know?
~Romero nods his head, as this all seems to make sense. Haas puts his hand in, rolls around a little, then pulls out a number and smirks

Haas:
#12. That was my brother’s number when he played football. That’s gotta be good luck, right?
~Romero is about to answer back, but he stops when someone from offscreen THROWS A STOPWATCH, right at Haas’ chest. The quick reflexes of Haas only manage to cradle it, taking the watch and looking at it before looking up to see who threw it…Shelton Benjamin, fresh out of his match with Brian Kendrick

Benjamin:
6:24. Beat that.
~Benjamin struts out with a smirk almost as quickly as he showed up. This just leaves Haas, cheerful disposition completely gone, looking just as angry as he did all Offseason. He clutches the stopwatch so hard we can hear it cracking in his fist. Haas is left looking incredibly intense as he clutches his ball in his other hand and walks out, muttering “6:24. 6:24” to himself as we fade away…


This exclusive isn’t any kind of long. It isn’t ominous. It isn’t mysterious. It isn’t even story-advancing.

We’re brought back to the scene following the first match of the new season, the Hammerstein still buzzing following CM Punk’s victory over former mentor, Lance Storm. Storm is trying to walk to the back gracefully, but the New York crowd kicks up a “THANK YOU, STORM! THANK YOU, STORM!” chant that seems to humble the Canadian as he walks on back through the curtain.

The chants continue when he steps back there, but he only disappears for a second because it looks like someone pushes him from Gorilla back onto the entrance stage. The crowd is revived with a huge pop and continue chanting their hearts out. The man who pushed him out is revealed to be CM Punk, who raises Storm’s hand and starts one more gargantuan pop from the Hammerstein. Storm gives Punk a big hug before Punk walks on back, leaving Storm on the stage to look out at his body of work and all these people. They continue chanting until he raises his own arm and fully acknowledges them, pointing all around the arena before patting his heart…and walking on through the curtain…
And now, an outline preview...



June 11th, 2008

The Hammerstein Ballroom – Manhattan, New York City, New York
“Can’t Call it a Comeback”


.:Confirmed for Oblivion:.

~The final six matches of the 2008 Dynasty Tournament will commence and finalize the Sweet 16!
~Twelve spots remain, but who all is gonna show up and claim their spot for an AOW Championship shot?
~Will Paul Heyman address the situation that Shawn Michaels has put him in after literally 'stealing' the show and a way into the Dynasty Tournament?
~Bryan Danielson, Jamie Noble, William Regal, and Samoa Joe will be in attendance!
~All this, and more in store!!


*whew* A bit big on the info there, but you guys can handle it. I hope I can handle it because I really want to be able to post Rise of a Dynasty by the end of the year (although manning another Newsletter might stall that...). Show should be up over the weekend sometime, but until then, leave Wolfy some predictions, leave others some feedback, take a gander at the oldies coming back to life, and for goodness sake, don't eat too much of your Halloween candy (not pointing any fingers...Kirby). Hope all don't hate me 'til then :eek:
 
#266 ·


June 11th, 2008

The Hammerstein Ballroom – Manhattan, New York City, New York
“Can’t Call it a Comeback”


***
A black screen flashes by, strikes of red between it all before we realize that it’s a close-up of the AOW logo, which appears on our screens as a rabid crowd chants behind it…

AOW!! AOW!! AOW!! AOW!! AOW!!

***


This edition of Oblivion has no real opening other than the new ‘signature logo’ vignette, more than likely waiting a little while to flash a new opening package. Whatever the reason, the Hammerstein is absolutely rocking for what’s essentially Pt. II of the Season Premiere. But it gets even louder when the first sound heard of the whole night is “SIN LIMITES”, meaning the night is about to kick off with AOW’s greatest import, Aero Star! Star bursts from behind the blood-red curtain and gives salutes to all before lightly sprinting to the ring and swinging around a post, giving another salute as he comes around


Joey Styles:
Welcome to yet another exciting edition of Wednesday Night Oblivion where we’re about to kick things off with an exciting style!

JBL:
An’ we’re gonna keep that going through all night ‘cause we’ve got six matches to fill out!

Joey Styles:
That’s right, partner, because the Dynasty Tournament continues right here, live, back in our 90-minute slot!

JBL:
Look at the little guy go.

Joey Styles:
A man who almost led his team to a Trios Tournament victory and did not disappoint in action in the Offseason, Aero Star is ready to perhaps make even more of a name for himself than he did in Season One.


After the brief intro, Star stands center ring and awaits who his opponent will be…and the crowd lets out an even louder explosion when “FINAL COUNTDOWN” hits the speakers. The Dynasty Champion kicked us off last week and this week, it’s the Cruiserweight Champion who is gonna do it! Bryan Danielson comes on through the curtain with a finger held high, his maroon hood up, and his Cruiserweight Championship wrapped and flashing around his waist. He marches down the aisle before sliding into the ring and singing the chorus along with the rocking Hammerstein before stepping center ring and shaking hands with Aero.

OPENING CONTEST
Cruiserweight Champion Bryan Danielson
v.
Aero Star


The contest is surprisingly mat based for the early installments, as Danielson goes with the predictable strategy of trying to keep the Blue Blur grounded. But Star has his bursts of vigilance to get back on his feet, and begins to up the pace against a man he has never had a one-on-one contest with. We break into the contest about four minutes in, as Danielson has Star wrapped up in a suplex position…but Star jams it and tries to maybe turn it into a suplex of his own…but Danielson now jams that and tries to make another suplex out of it…but Star FLOATS out of it, landing behind Danielson and pushing him into the ropes, getting the victory roll – NO!! Danielson holds onto the ropes and sends Star rolling backwards empty-handed. He springs up to see Danielson coming off the ropes, trying to rush at CLOTHESLINE HIM…but Danielson ducks that and wraps around Star’s arm, getting a single underhook, then pulling Star in for a knee to the gut before grabbing the other arm…BUTTERFLY SUPLEX!! A beautiful double underhook suplex as Danielson floats over – 1…2…3-NO!!

An incredible flurry of moves already there, but Star keeps the match going, as Danielson brings him to his feet and gives him another shot to the ribs before backing him into a corner. He takes Star and tries to whip him into the opposite corner, but Aero stops himself before he hits the padding. Danielson tries to push the issue and rushes after Star, but Aero lifts himself up while grabbing the top ropes…and CATCHES DANIELSON WITH SOME HEADSISSORS!!

Danielson sprawls away before getting up and rushing back at Star with a clothesline of his own, only for Star to dodge it…with the MATRIX TECHNIQUE! The crowd ‘oooh’ for the brief moment, Star snapping back to a vertical base, only for Danielson to attempt a SHOOT KICK instead…but Star sees the kick coming and turns the blow into a LEG WHIP, slinging Danielson over. As soon as Danielson hits the canvas, Star comes out of his crouch and LEAPS ON DANIELSON WITH A STANDING DOUBLE FOOT STOMP! No sooner does the luchador hit the move does he roll under the bottom rope, get up, and springboard off the apron…towards another rope…where his legs SLINGSHOT HIM INTO A MOONSAULT!! A DOUBLE JUMP SLINGSHOT MOONSAULT!! Aero Star is bouncing everywhere here – 1…2…3…NO!!!

Star almost pulled off what might’ve been the biggest upset in the Tournament thus far. But Danielson’s not gonna go down just on that. Star rolls off to tend to his ribs there, Danielson recovering faster than he is, despite his ribs hurting as well, showing off his threshold for pain. AmDrag surprises Star with a SHOOT KICK TO THE STERNUM! Star’s body recoils violently, but Danielson delivers FOUR MORE before rearing back and going for the FINISHING ROUNDHOUSE…NO!! Star manages to duck under it and cover his head, but as he does that, Danielson wastes no time in jumping on his bellied-down opponent, grab the arm…AND ATTEMPT A LEBELL LOCK – NO!!

Star manages to roll out of that as well, but Danielson still has hold of his wrist arm. The Aberdeen native takes another shot at Aero’s ribs before whipping him into the ropes, but instead of a rebound, Star hits the HANDSPRING ELBOW…but Daniel catches him and uses his own momentum…TO MAKE IT A GERMAN SUPLEX!! A beautiful flowing move, Danielson keeps the bridge – 1…2…3…NO!! Star violently throws up his legs to get out of the move! Both men are down and this crowd is showing their appreciation. Danielson rolls over and suddenly latches onto the still downed Star and sets him up for the CATTLE MUTILATION…but Star has it scouted, making sure to flail by some nearby ropes and drape a leg on them.

Danielson keeps the double chickenwing in, however, and pulls Star away from the ropes, only for Star to force him to undo them when he hits a MODIFIED ARM DRAG! It sends Danielson slinging through the middle rope and to the floor, giving Aero the space he needs to execute his high-flying moves. And it looks like he will when he looks out towards the crowd and they start popping big, rebounding off the ropes…TOPE TORPEDO!! STAR NAILS THE MISSILE NO-HAND TOPE!! Danielson’s body is CRUNCHED off of the guard rail behind him as Star’s head goes right into his chest!

The crowd is nearly in a frenzy at this point, Star trying to recover quickly and roll Danielson back into the ring. No sooner is Danielson in does Star look up…and see that the countdown clock is on the big screen, showing up with one minute left! Star scurries to position Danielson and gets up to the top rope, looking for the AERO STAR PRESS…NO!! Danielson springs to life and clubs Star in the spine, then starts setting him up for a SUPER BACK DROP…NO!! Aero not only fights back, but he drops off the top rope by falling between Danielson’s legs! He then quickly climbs back up, clubbing Danielson in the spine now, and then grappling him from behind…quickly jumps…AND HITS A SUPER REVERSE ROLLING PRAWN PIN!! HOLY SHIT WHAT IS THAT??? Danielson’s head is driven up into his stomach from ten feet high as Star acrobatically bridges over him as the crowd goes nuts for what they just saw – 1…2…3…!!!

Winner: Aero Star at (9:32)

Star shifts his hips and rolls out of the ring, hitting the floor on the way out, as Danielson looks like he kicked out not too long after the referee counted three. Star can barely stand up from near exhaustion, while Danielson is still trying to unfold himself completely as he rolls over to a hip and clutches at his neck. The crowd is still going nuts for what just happened​


Joey Styles:
And Aero Star just pulled off what I think is arguably the first true upset of this entire Tournament! Aero Star, who has never faced Bryan Danielson one on one, manages to pull it out of his magic hat!

JBL:
Well I’ll be damned. The Blue Blur sure has hell showed just how quick he is. Kudos to the kid, an’, y’know what, I think that might put him right back in Cruiserweight title contention.

Joey Styles:
Indeed it might, but that’s also assuming Aero Star doesn’t go on to win this whole thing.

JBL:
Oh please. Just be happy he waved his magic wand once tonight. No way he goes to the end. It’s an impressive win, but you can’t keep this up on the whole bracket.

Joey Styles:
He just might be able to, Bradshaw. You never know! And as spontaneous as that blue streak is, he just might be the perfect wild card to go all the way in this thing! Bryan Danielson has been eliminated, shockingly, in the very first round, and that’s something I’m sure he won’t be too happy about. But believe it or not, folks, that boisterous action is just the first of six similar contests we have going on here tonight!

JBL:
Oh no, we’re just gettin’ started, baby!

Joey Styles:
We know that Matt Sydal has #13 and that Jamie Noble has the main event spot, but we honestly don’t know much else! William Regal picked a number last week and is in attendance tonight, as is Samoa Joe!

JBL:
This just in, I think Christian Cage might be in the buildin’ as well, tryin’ to see maybe some competition he might be facin’ in this thing.

Joey Styles:
Now that hasn’t been confirmed, but what has been confirmed is that coming up next, Charlie Haas, who drew #12, will compete in his first match on Oblivion since the forceful breakup of the World’s Greatest Tag Team.

JBL:
An’ he’s got the unofficial challenge of beatin’ Shelton Benjamin’s time from last week.

Joey Styles:
A match with a subplot is up next, here, on Wednesday Night Oblivion!


**COMMERCIAL BREAK**


~Backstage, the Green Zone interview set…

Steve Romero:
Ladies and gentlemen, I have in my hand right now the final ball from the tumbler that held the Dynasty Tournament numbers. There is only one man who was invited to the Tournament who has yet to pick up his number. And right now, he’s about to receive it and compete later on tonight…

~Romero holds up the ball before SAMOA JOE walks into the frame to an enormous pop beyond the walls. His face is incredibly serious and stoic

Steve Romero:
He is the Samoan Submission Machine, the One Man Army…SAMOA JOE!

~Another pop is heard from the ring area. Joe smirks as Romero hands him the ball

Steve Romero:
Now, Joe, I didn’t reveal what number was on the ball because it’s up to the competitor to reveal it. Do you wanna show us that number?

~Joe looks at his number then looks at Romero like he’s about to kill him…before a smile suddenly breaks out over Joe’s face

Joe:
Of course I’ll show it. Samoa Joe isn’t a cryptic son of a bitch. Lighten up there, Steve.

~Joe pats the tense and still nervous Romero on the back so hard he almost drops the microphone. Joe turns the ball around and shows the camera #15 to a pop

Joe:
It’s not the main event. But it will be when I get there.

Steve Romero:
Now, Joe, we’ve talked to a few others about this random format. Are you confident enough in yourself to throw away some of the randomness by showing off your number?

Joe:
I like the chaos of it. It makes everybody be prepared to be unprepared. Plus, I’ve got nothing to lose showing my number. Samoa Joe is ready for whoever he might face. But whoever he might face…they’re not ready for Samoa Joe.

~Another pop from beyond the walls as Joe smirks confidently and looks at the camera

Joe:
So just be warned, AOW. This whole Tournament has an air of uncertainty. But one thing is for certain – tonight, Samoa Joe is gonna is gonna kill somebody.

~The genuine badass expression dawns over Joe’s face as he smirks one more time and walks off camera as we fade away…


~Back at ringside…

There isn’t much of a lull period before “WORLD’S GREATEST” greets our ears, the older theme for the World’s Greatest Tag Team. It’s not a team this time, but one half of the former tag champs in the rejuvenated Charlie Haas, who comes down to the ring as pumped up and focused as ever. On his wrist tape, we can actually see that he’s written “6:24” on it, a constant reminder of the gauntlet being thrown at him by his (former?) friend. Haas slaps some hands before getting in the ring and waiting intensely for his opponent.

…only for a quite daunting air to hit when “JIMBO” is heard across the threshold. And with Siaki already competing last week, that means that Charlie Haas’ opponent is the monstrous Manu. The son of one of the Wild Samoans looks quite wild himself, although in much more of a tranquil fury than his father. He’s being accompanied down the ramp by his tag team partner, Siaki, the Samoan Fight Club continuing to disrespect the ‘honor system’ of the Tournament. And all that does not bode well for Charlie Haas at all, but he doesn’t seem to be too affected by his Samoan savage kickboxer-esque opponent

Match 2
Charlie Haas
v.
Manu

w/Siaki


Haas isn’t intimidated at all by the daunting figure that is Manu, but even still, he’s hesitant to do much offense because he knows he can’t do much, and what he can do, it would take forever to do to wear the big man down. Can he beat the 6:24 that way? The question is in his eyes as Manu keeps coming at him like a freight train, and it isn’t any better two minutes into the contest. Manu has a CLAW HOLD on Haas’ shoulder blade, forcing him down to a knee.

With enthusiasm from the crowd, Haas manages to get back to his feet and fight off the rabid beast holding him, and rebounds off the ropes with a BIG CLOTHESLINE…but the beast doesn’t fall! Manu is thrown off balance, but stays afloat, forcing Haas to rebound and try again with ANOTHER CLOTHESLINE…ANDH HE STILL DOESN’T FALL!! Haas is as stunned as anyone would be, including referee Justin King, who stares at Manu in amazement. Charlie goes to rebound off the ropes one more time…only to FALL ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR AS SIAKI LOWERS THE TOP ROPE!!

Cocky Siaki eats extreme heat for doing that, King seeing the damage and getting into an argument with Siaki, who claims he’s innocent…AND JUSTIN KING THROWS HIM OUT!! KING EJECTS SIAKI FROM RINGSIDE!! The crowd pops considerably as Siaki is forced now to go up the ramp, leaving his monster partner no caretaker. Manu is visibly upset, but he carries on, roaming outside the ring ant now taking up Haas, whom he WHIPS VIOLENTLY INTO THE STEEL RING STEPS! Haas’ shoulder could damn well be dislocated, and he’s selling it like it potentially has. Manu cares not, taking Haas and rolling into the ring with a cover – 1…2…3-NO!!

Manu is angered enough to almost take King in his clutches, but he instead grabs Haas’ locks and brings him up before putting him in a MILITARY PRESS POSITION…and holding him there to show off his dominance. But the grandstanding bites him when Haas squibbles from on high and HITS THE HEEL OF THE HEEL WITH A CHOP BLOCK! The crowd ‘Wooooos’ away, but the big man quickly recovers, only to see Haas rebounding and running back at him with A LOW DROPKICK TO THE KNEE! Haas hooks the targeted leg – 1…2…NO!!

Manu powers out, but Haas isn’t done. He drives elbow after elbow onto the big man before he forces him over…AND LOCKS IN THE HAAS OF PAIN!!! It’s not locked in tight because of the size of Manu’s legs, but it’s doing something…UNTIL MANU UNCOILS IT AND FORCES HAAS AWAY!! The crowd almost can’t believe Manu powering out of the submission, only for him to wobble to his feet. Haas tries to go for the legs again, but Manu catches him and pulls him up to a bearhug…before SQUISHING HIM AGAINST A CORNER! Manu roars savagely before he UNLEASHES A RELENTLESS ARRAY OF BLOWS TO THE CORNERED HAAS!! His beastly, but kickboxer-esque movements are sickeningly enjoyable to watch, but Haas’ isn’t enjoying it and neither is the referee. He counts down and then warns Manu that he’s about to get disqualified…but Manu doesn’t seem to care and keeps pummeling Haas UNTIL THE REFEREE CALLS FOR THE BELL!

Winner via DQ: Charlie Haas at (5:20)

AND MANU STILL WON’T STOP!! He’s nailing Charlie Haas with blow after vicious blow, refusing to let up, despite the ring bell sounding off yet again. With no caretaker or partner to call him off, Manu just might not stop until Haas is lifeless. He finally stops when he’s satisfied with his handiwork, Haas’ body indeed falling lifeless out of the corner and having to be held up by the official. Manu flips his sweaty hair back and lets out one more roar before stepping out of the ring and heading to the back to a great rain of heat​


Joey Styles:
An absolute savage this guy is! The match was over, he got himself disqualified, and he still wants to sit out here and pummel Charlie Haas into a pulp!

JBL:
Manu was only doing what he was supposed to be doing and that’s destroying. The Samoan Fight Club loves to destroy and that’s what he did. And now dare you call this man a savage like it’s a bad thing! It’s in this man’s blood! His father, Afa Anoa’i, was one of the Wild Samoans. It’s in this man’s genes to beat men to a pulp and he can’t help it.

Joey Styles:
Oh, so you’re gonna use his biology as an excuse?? That’s reaching. Even for you and your terrible logic, Bradshaw.

JBL:
It’s not terrible logic, it’s utter destruction. And this just proves even moreso that Charlie Haas is nothing without Shelton Benjamin. Haas is advancing on a technicality an’ he’s been using Shelton like a crutch.

Joey Styles:
You can’t judge Charlie Haas based on a match like this, Bradshaw. Besides, Haas is more than capable to of sustaining himself in the ring without the ungreatful Shelton Benjamin. Even so, it might look like Charlie Haas is gonna be in need of crutches after this match. Well, ladies and gentlemen, don’t let this deter you from sticking around, because we’ve still got lots more first round matches, including Samoa Joe later on tonight, and Jamie Noble in our main event! But up next, Matt Sydal is gonna face his first round adversary! Will Sydal be able to finally get that first big win en route to a championship shot?


**COMMERCIAL BREAK**



As we come back to the Hammerstein, the sound of “MACH” hits the speakers for a welcome ovation for Matt Sydal, the hardest working man on the roster. While JBL opines that it’s not about how hard you work but how well you work, Sydal still has a wide-eyed grin on his face because all of his work has not been lost on these New York fans. He gladly slaps fives with several of them before playing it up with peace signs in the ring, awaiting who could potentially be the first man he actually pins and defeats in AOW…

…only for a little air of mystery to go abound when “YOU CAN’T RUN” is heard. Some recognize it, but many others do not and even Sydal himself doesn’t know what’s going on…until BILLY KIDMAN steps through the blood red curtain. There’s a huge buzz pop going around as Kidman marches down the aisle, in competition attire for only the second time in his AOW run. A look in the ring has Sydal with his mouth hanging open, not sure what to even believe about seeing the man who was his former mentor standing before him right now.

Kidman doesn’t have any smile and doesn’t play up to any fans. He simply gets to the ring and marches up the steel ring steps and into the ring, strutting to the center to greet his former pupil. Kidman’s eyes are caring, but his stance his harsh and ready for battle. Sydal, meanwhile, doesn’t seem to be able to accept this at all. He’s shaking his head and with every step Kidman takes towards him, Sydal takes a step back. When Kidman extends his hand for a respectful handshake…Sydal slips under the ring, actually getting some heat from the crowd.

Sydal is in such disbelief at this, he’s beside himself. He storms off from the outside and around back to the entrance ramp, marching all the way back halfway up. The crowd’s heat has gone to just a general buzz, but in the ring, Kidman looks legitimately concerned and reaches for a microphone.


Kidman:
Matt! Matt, don’t walk away from this!

~Sydal stops walking back, but doesn’t look back

Kidman:
Look, I know this looks bad. This looks really bad and I’m sorry for that. This isn’t selfishness on my part, I promise. You should know me better than that. Everything I’ve done in this company has been for you. And me being a part of this Tournament isn’t gonna change that.

~Sydal turns around to see Kidman, but most of his body stays facing the back curtain

Kidman:
Matt, I know that ditching you in the Offseason wasn’t the best move. But I wasn’t supportive of you then because I wasn’t supporting that decision. I told you that. I didn’t think you deserved that title shot. Just like I don’t think you’re entirely deserving of this Tournament opportunity.

~This statement actually garners a bit of heat for Kidman and also causes Sydal to turn back around in disgust

Kidman:
I know, yeah, I know I probably deserve that for thinking that way. But then I got to thinking…maybe you are ready. Maybe Matt Sydal is ready for the next step and I’m just not letting him get there.

~Sydal again turns around

Kidman:
So I convinced Paul Heyman to let me in the Dynasty Tournament. I hoped and prayed that I’d face you at some point and low and behold, here we are in round one. I wanted to face you, Matt, because I know that that’s when you’d be ready. Not just when you got that big first win, but when you got that first big win…over me.

~A small buzzing pop for that, as Sydal turns his entire body around now


Kidman:
When the mentee defeats the mentor, then the world knows he’s ready for anything. And Matt Sydal, I wanted you to show the world that you’re ready. So Matt, if you can beat me, the main who trained you, who fought for you and taught you; if you can beat that man right here, tonight, in New York City, then you can make it anywhere, kid!

~Kidman is on fire with that one, the crowd roaring for the delivery. Sydal is actually smiling on the ramp now, taking a couple steps back towards the ring

Kidman:
Now get your ass back in here and prove to yourself and prove to the world that Matt Sydal has what it takes to go toe-to-toe with Billy Kidman!


And this evokes one more HUGE ovation from the Hammerstein, all of them wanting to see these two cruiserweights get it on! Sydal hasn’t moved from his position on the ramp, however, but the crowd stars kicking up a “MATT SY-DAL!!” MATT SY-DAL!!” chant to prompt the winless cruiserweight to get in the ring. Sydal shrugs his shoulders and starts to jog down the ramp to a big pop, but it turns into an indiscernible buzz…AS HE’S STRUCK FROM BEHIND BY KEN DOANE!! An enormous amount of heat goes as Doane downs Sydal, but a look into the ring sees Kidman not going to help his pupil…BECAUSE HE’S TRAPPED IN THE MASTERLOCK!!! THAT’S CHRIS MASTERS!! WHAT’S GOING ON HERE??

We haven’t seen Masters in months since being taken out at the very hands of the man he seems to be assisting! The shocked commentators note this, as well as the fact that Doane and Sydal have some bad blood left over from the Offseason. Masters throws Kidman around enough to make him go limp, while Doane CHUCKS SYDAL AGAINST THE GUARD RAIL!! Doane then takes Sydal’s body and throws it into the ring, while Masters actually throws the body of Kidman out of the ring. Doane and Masters are pumped up at their heinous acts, actually bouncing and high-fiving one another to another rain of heat. Doane follows Kidman’s body and then DRIVES THE OLD MAN’S SPLEEN INTO THE EDGE OF THE ANNOUNCE TABLE!! He then tells the commentators to “MOVE!” as he rolls Kidman’s dead body on top of the table.

Inside the ring, Matt Sydal is now being SUBJUGATED TO THE MASTERLOCK AS WELL!! This one doesn’t go near as long as Kidman’s due to the prior assault, but now Sydal is near lifeless as well. Doane climbs up the apron and then up to the top rope, looking down on the outside to Kidman’s body. The crowd is buzzing huge as they know what’s coming. Masters knows to, and he forces the near dead Sydal’s head up so he can see it. Doane makes some kind of hand gesture that just seems odd before setting himself…AND DELIVERING THE SKY HIGH LEG DROP TO BILLY KIDMAN THROUGH THE TABLE!! THE TABLE SHATTERS WITH KIDMAN ON BOARD!!

The crowd buzzes loudly for the violence, but then reverts back to an immense rain of heat for this duo that seems to have reconnected at the cost of what might have been one of the more semi-emotional stories in this federation. And the sick part about it is, as Doane is helped from the rubble by Masters, the two don’t have mad looks in their eyes, or even sinister smiles. They’re patting each other on the back and the chest like this was just some sort of…party. The two continue their devilishly jubilant celebration up the ramp, as we get a look at the carnage in and around the ring one more time. Matt Sydal is barely conscious, but he’s trying to crawl to the edge of the ring, looking to the outside, and reaching desperately to try and get to his former mentor…but he collapses once more. Kidman’s body may damn well be broken in half as we fade away…



We’re brought to the booming, bright city of Las Vegas, Nevada – casinos lined up on every corner, people dressed in their finest, limousines all over the streets, and live band tunes blaring their trumpets.

The camera steps through the doors of one of the casinos and shows us to a room bustling with commotion, but a closer look shows us one of the men participating in the fun is Antonio Banks rolling some dice…and rolling terribly



Banks:
Damn! Another bad roll!

A man in a tux next to Banks leans in

Man:
Shouldn’t you be better at this?

Banks:
What? Just ‘cause I’m black, I’m supposed to be good at dice?

The camera leaves the offended Banks to show us a quartet of guys playing cards – Jack Evans, Low Ki, The Miz, and Jamie Noble

Dealer:
Alright, gentlemen – show your hands!

Jack Evans throws a hand down, followed by Jamie Noble

Noble:
HA-HA!! Read’em an’ weap, ya city slickers!

Noble is stopped from grabbing his winnings by Miz, who lays down his hand

The Miz:
I don’t think so! Mike Mizanin, poker extraordinaire!!

Miz now reaches over to grab the chips, but he’s stopped by Low Ki with no change in expression…who drops down…a full house!

Evans:
Wow! That’s some poker face, Ki!

The Miz:
HEY! That’s four in a row! No fair!

Evans:
Do you want him to kick you back into a closet?

Miz gets sweaty and terrified, sitting back down silently. The camera now pans aside to see Bryan Danielson standing alongside William Regal at a roulette table. The dealer stands between them

Danielson:
So, how the heck does the Dynasty Tournament even work?

Man:
Well, it’s random. No one knows who they’re gonna face until the night of the contest. Everyone draws numbers and whoever gets the same numbers, that’s who you face.

Danielson:
Really? There’s like thirty-two guys in that tournament!

Regal:
Quit complaining, youngster. Hey you – throw that pebble.

Danielson shrugs his shoulders and the dealer flicks the little white ball, the ‘pebble’ landing on a little square that has the number “16”

Danielson:
16? Hey, who’s the unlucky guy who’s gonna face me! Who else got 16?

Danielson is consumed by a large shadow before looking up and seeing Samoa Joe. Regal has a small chuckle as Danielson’s mouth goes agape, but we soon pan away from that to see Brian Kendrick and Paul London jumping on a pool table and kicking things all over the place and acting like general monkeys

We then switch to a view of a security viewer wall, Chris Jericho apparently the man in charge of the entire casino. He speaks into a walkie-talkie


Jericho:
We’ve got a couple of guys acting like Hooliganz on table four. Get rid of’em.

Cut to a shot of Paul Wright in a bouncer’s outfit and sunglasses, throwing the struggling tag team out the front door. We then cut to someone sitting at a bar, the bartender taking note of what just occurred

Bartender:
Well, I guess those guys got eliminated. You want somethin’ hard there, tough guy?

The camera turns to reveal the man to be CM Punk

Punk:
Naw. Just get me a Pepsi. It’s gonna be a long night.

The scene becomes blurry and in the background to words scrolling across the screen

Narrator:
The 2008 AOW Dynasty Tournament – starting June 4th and lasting until July 2nd for the 3-hour Finals Supershow, Rise of a Dynasty, live from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas!

***
[/I]​

**COMMERCIAL BREAK**


~Ringside area, commentators’ spot, amidst the shambles of an announce table...

Joey Styles:
Uh…well, this was our announce desk just a few moments ago, but in what looked like a reunion of teacher and student is now turned into a pile of rubble from the hands of a pair of monsters.

JBL:
They weren’t monsters. They were two guys who obviously had something much more important to say than having some lovey-dovey meeting in the ring.

Joey Styles:
Billy Kidman and Matt Sydal had a falling out, but it seems that they were going to be rebounded over Kidman actually getting himself in the Dynasty Tournament and helping Matt Sydal become that much of a better competitor, but then Ken Doane and Chris Masters, who we haven’t seen for seven months, suddenly showed up and did this…and it was disgusting.

JBL:
You say disgusting, I say necessary. Ken Doane was kicked out of this Tournament an’ I can understand his frustration. An’ Chris Masters has been out of action for seven months, but he looks better than ever, an’ he was tryin’ to make an impact.

Joey Styles:
But at the cost of these two men who had done absolutely no wrong?? I mean, sure, Kenny and Sydal had a few run-ins in the Offseason, but that’s no reason to put the man he looks up to through a freakin’ table. And for goodness sake, it was Ken Doane who put Chris Masters on the shelf seven months ago! Why the hell was he out here helping his former tag team partner?

JBL:
I guess we’ll have to wait for an answer, but we do have sort of an answer right now.

Joey Styles:
We do and it’s regarding Matt Sydal and Billy Kidman. Unfortunately, both men are in absolutely no shape to compete and both have been rushed to a local medical facility forced to drop out of the 2008 Dynasty Tournament at the hands of these two deviants. And you wanna know the sick part about it is? They looked like they were having fun! The bastards were having fun!

JBL:
I’m not gonna go into all that because all I know is that the unpredictability of this Tournament had nothing on that.


The gloom still a little resonating in the air, this is alleviated when “THE PROUD WARRIOR” hits the sound system for the first time in a long time as an individual, non-remixed track. Low Ki comes through the curtain, as ninja-like as ever, crouching low and keeping his arms out. He actually does let a fan in the front row touch his bald head, but that’s the only real crowd pandering he does as he jumps into the ring through the middle rope, impressively, and goes right back to his mysterious ninja aura

And this is pretty much put in direct contrast with the next sound, as “WE AS AMERICANS” is heard for the first time in two months, as both members of American Made strut on through the curtain, but they have a blonder, more attractive new member in Nameth’s new lady friend, Taylor Wilde. She’s holding hands with Nicky as they walk out, Jack Hagar slapping a handshake with Nameth before walking back, showing us that it’s Nameth who is gonna get the call for the team right now. The fiery blond leads his woman to the ringside area before trying to show off a little bit to the crowd, who boos him for even trying

Match 3
Nick Nameth

w/Taylor Wilde
v.
Low Ki


For a majority of the first portion, Nameth takes control, all the while showing even more flash than usual because he’s trying to show off for the new blonde in his corner. The crowd is letting him have it for displaying such show-off tendencies, but no one grows tired of it quicker than the all-serious Low Ki. He’s so pissed off by it by the three minute mark, that after flipping out of a backdrop attempt, he flat out SLAPS NAMETH SQUARE IN THE FACE!! We can see Ki mouth off to Nameth and most likely reprimand him, but Nameth has his own response when he and Ki aggressively lock up, forcing one another up against the ropes!

Ki’s short patience has flared up Nameth’s short fuse and they’re knocking each other all over the place! Nameth seems like he wins out when he forces Ki into a corner, but suddenly Ki BURSTS out and forces Nameth all the way into the opposite corner, the tie-up still locked in! As Ki separates himself from Nicky, he lights him up with a trio of hard CHOPS(Wooooo!) that Nameth sells beautifully, stumbling in stinging pain to the center ring.

Nameth lands on his knees, leading Ki to go over and nail him with a pair of HARD SHOOT KICKS before pounding the mat and roaring and going for a FINISHING COMBO ROUNDHOUSE…NO!! Just like Danielson before him, Ki’s combo is broken by a ducking opponent, except Nameth grabs Ki from behind, only for the showoff to be knocked away by a well-placed Ki elbow. Ki rebounds off the ropes, only to eat a PERFECT DROPKICK!! Nameth pulls it out of his hat and a cover – 1…2…NO!!

While Wilde argues that Mahoney should count faster, Nameth has to stay on Ki and does so by wrapping him up in a tight headlock…and then showing off even more by flipping over with a bridge. When he does, he’s looking right at his new beauty, who loves every minute of Nicky’s arrogance. Nameth smiles as he wrenches at Ki’s head. He has to return to a normal frame of execution, but this allows Ki to get back to his feet and shove Nameth off of him into the ropes. On the rebound, Nicky looks for something but he’s stopped dead with the ROLLING KIPPOU!! THE ROLLING WHEEL KICK CONNECTS!! Nameth goes down hard, Ki with a cover – 1…2…NO!!

Wilde’s expression goes from moderate concern to calmness as Nameth gets back to his feet, still a little loopy. He’s so loopy, he doesn’t see Ki retreating to a corner before rushing back at him…AND SENDING HIM FLYING ACROSS THE RING WITH THE JOHN WOO KICK!! The selling is absolutely majestic as the proud American BLASTS against a ring corner as though he were just hit by a bomb. And Low Ki isn’t done, backing away and sizing Nameth back up before hitting the cartwheel…TIDAL CRUSH…NO!! Nameth ducks out of the corner at the last second, leaving Ki to kick nothing but the iron post.

As Ki resituates himself in the corner, he doesn’t have much time to recover because flying right at him is Nameth with a STINGER SPLASH!! Ki is sandwiched hard between body and steel and recoils out of the corner, right into the clutches of a waiting Nameth…who sends him up and over with an INVERTED SCOOP POWERSLAM!! Nameth with an impressive sequence, covering Ki – 1…2…3-NO!! Low Ki stays alive!

The Warrior slowly gets to his feet and has to try and gather himself while Nameth is over arguing with the zebra. When he sees Ki is vertical, Nameth rushes behind him…AND GOES FOR THE JUMPING REVERSE BULLDOG…NO!! Ki holds onto the top rope and sends Nameth’s head whiplashing off the canvas, rolling backwards. Nameth lands on his knees, which prompts Ki to pound the mat and then quickly GO FOR THE FINISHING ROUNDHOUSE…NO!! Nameth dodges the killing blow for the second time in the contest, spinning Ki all the way around. Nameth springs up big from his crouch position…AND NAILS THE JUMPING SPIKE DDT!! OH MY!! Low Ki’s head is absolutely driven into the canvas as Nameth shoots the half and turns him over – 1…2…3…NO!!!!

The crowd roars as Nameth is beside himself, almost laying hands on the referee. Wilde has to call him over to her as he leaps on the apron, trying to tell her new man to calm down. The two are touching foreheads as Wilde tries to soothe him, but their Zen moment is interrupted when Low Ki ROLLS NAMETH INTO A SCHOOL BOY – 1…2…3-NO!! Nameth shoves his legs up, only for both men to quickly get to their feet…as KI EATS A NAMETH LARIAT!!

Nameth doesn’t scramble to a cover, instead, looking on his prey with a sinister, angry, and cocky smile. He takes the beheaded Ki up and shoves him in a corner, smacking his face and playing with him for a moment. Wilde seems to like that, but is still telling him to ‘finish it’, Nameth now whipping Ki into the opposite corner…but Ki reverses it, whipping Nick instead. But Nameth doesn’t hit the corner…HE HANDSTANDS ON THE IRON POST!! Truly embracing his new showoff principles here, but no sooner does he get vertical does Low Ki come tumbling…AND SMASHES HIM RIGHT IN THE RIBS WITH THE TIDAL CRUSH!! Nameth’s new flash costs him as he goes tumbling to the canvas, Ki’s momentum already taking him to the apron as he quickly climbs, fueled by the crowd’s roars…WARRIOR’S WAY!! WARRIOR’S WAY!! KI NAILS IT!! The cover – 1…2…3…!!!

Winner: Low Ki at (8:40)

WOW!! Quite the quick sequence to finish this thing, as Nameth is sent rolling out of the ring for Ki to have his hand raised to an astonished crowd. They’re popping for what they suspected was an upset, as Nameth is having his girl try to help him lick his wounds. The show-off attitude of Nameth costs him dearly in his first match of the new season, although Wilde seems more concerned about his health than his disappointing loss or even looking angrily at Low Ki​


Joey Styles:
Nick Nameth’s new relationship with this Taylor Wilde chick seems to already not be paying off! Hey Nicky! Women have caused empires to fall, so they can certainly cost you Tournament matches.

JBL:
I love American Made, I love Nick Nameth, but I actually have to agree with you, Joey. WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU DOIN’, YOU BONEHEAD?? You went through all that trouble to meet that girl! She’s gonna be there after the match, I promise you, so there’s no need to do all that showboatin’ nonsense!

Joey Styles:
One man’s misfortune is another man’s triumph and while Bradshaw should’ve gotten in the ear of his favorite tag team, Low Ki makes something out of it by pulling one of the bigger upsets of this entire tournament! The ninja-like cruiserweight who even lost his chance to form a permanent tag team with Jack Evans in the Offseason is actually advancing to the next round! How impressive is that?

JBL:
It’s a fluke. He took advantage of America when it was trying to be a gentleman. That’s no way to win.

Joey Styles:
Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me. You’ve absolutely got to be kidding me.



~Backstage, Commander’s office…


Paul Heyman, no longer in a neckbrace but still apparently in a wheelchair, is sitting by in his office behind his desk, where an awkward silence is definitely taking place. Shawn Michaels is sitting not too far from Heyman, just staring a hole though the man who ‘owns’ him. Heyman is looking up from his paperwork quite nervously at random intervals until he breathes a sigh of relief when there’s a knock at the door


Heyman:
PLEASE come in.

~The two individuals who walk in aren’t much more pleasing than Michaels, being the duo of “The Boondock Saint” Antonio Banks and his representative, Tyson Tarver. The still recovering Heyman doesn’t move from his chair

Heyman:
Ah, Mr. Banks and Mr. Tarver! How wonderful to see you both!

Banks:
Whatchu bring us in here for, Heyman?

Heyman:
Oh my, why the hostility?

Banks:
Maybe because the last time I was in here, you suspended me indefinitely for absolutely no reason.

Heyman:
Oh come now, Mr. Banks, I have plenty of reasons to have suspended you. Just like I have plenty of reasons to disqualify Mr. Tarver from the remainder of the Tournament.

~Banks, livid, almost jumps Heyman before Tarver actually steps and goes nose to nose with Heyman himself. Heyman isn’t looking the daunting boxer in the eye, but at the ground

Heyman:
Mr. Tarver, if you do not remove yourself from my face, then I will remove you from this company as quickly as you showed up.

~Banks gets between both men and pushes Tarver back

Banks:
So you have reasons, do you? Are those reasons that you just don’t want to see black men succeed? Huh? Are you that worried that the winner of the first Dynasty Tournament might be a black man? Will we stain your federation? Huh Heyman?

Heyman:
It has nothing to do with that, Mr. Banks, and you know it. I had to go over the rules over at my desk, but it clearly states that while it is decreed that one may use a representative in the Tournament, you are only allowed to do so after you win the first round. Not to compete in your place the whole way through, especially when you have been suspended indefinitely.

~Banks still looks behind pissed, even briefly looking over Heyman’s shoulder to see the unmoved Shawn Michaels, who finally changes expression to curl his lip and throw his hands up

Michaels:
Don’t look at me. I hate him too.

~Banks scoffs a little and looks back to a growingly confident Heyman

Heyman:
Furthermore, while the winner of the Dynasty Tournament actually has the option to give away his title match should he choose, the fact that you blatantly let us all know that Mr. Tarver was here for you almost would have prevented that from happening. In other words, Mr. Banks, I’m not doing this because you’re black. I’m doing this because you have a big mouth, you broke the rules, and you just so happen to be black.

~Heyman now has one of his signature slimy smirks, completely catching Banks in a checkmate. Banks has no choice but to suck his teeth and turn his head away momentarily. In that moment, Tarver steps forward aggressively like a dog given the slightest slack on its leash, which Banks has to stop

Banks:
Chill out, Tyson. Don’t let the white devil rile you up like that. We’ll be back. That’s a promise.

~Banks takes Tarver and the two walk out of the room, leaving Heyman with his unbelievably smug face…

Heyman:
To believe, the nerve of some people to just break into my Dynasty Tournament, snap my rules in half, and try to do whatever they please.

~…until he turns around to see Shawn Michaels still sitting there, unnerving him just a bit more

Michaels:
What. Are you gonna disqualify me too?

Heyman:
Actually, no. Your case is much simpler, Shawn. See, while you may have gone against what I thought was better judgment last week, I’ll simply use you to my advantage.

~Michaels doesn’t quite understand

Heyman:
See, Shawn, I still want the one thing I haven’t had yet. And that’s an AOW Champion I can be proud of, one that I have handpicked and called my own. I want my own AOW Champion, Shawn. And since you’ve already inserted and asserted yourself into the bracket…you’d better win. So whaddya say, Haich Bee Kay?

~Heyman laughs out loud

Heyman:
It’s not like you have a choice since I own you and all…but will you be Paul Heyman’s AOW World Heavyweight Champion?

~Heyman still has the look of a satisfied lawyer drilled into his face, directly contrasting HBK’s cold and stoic look. Michaels rises from his chair and gets in Heyman’s face, looming over the front of his desk

Michaels:
Not for you. But for me.

Heyman:
Good. Because I still own you.

~Michaels, disgusted, gets out of Heyman’s face and walks out of the room himself, leaving Heyman alone to smirk away like the devil (not white devil) he is as we fade out…


~Back at ringside…


The commentators argue about Heyman’s motives and leadership ability (while also showing off that they have a new table, although it’s an ordinary wooden table from the back), though as they do so, Jack Hagar is making his way to the ring already, the crowd not reacting as hot because, naturally, they’ve already heard this theme song once tonight. Even so, the other half of American Made is as intense as ever, ready for the man who everyone here knows is gonna come out, but like Charlie Haas before him, isn’t gonna step down. Hagar’s intense focus is broken, however, when the rabid Hammerstein crowd starts up a chant we haven’t heard much, if at all, in AOW…

“JOE’S GONNA KILL YOU…”
“JOE’S GONNA KILL YOU…”
“JOE’S GONNA KILL YOU…”

…until “MAMA SAID KNOCK YOU OUT” bellows out following the Godzilla horn and makes the crowd go into a frenzy, as Samoa Joe steps on through the curtain for the first time this season, making his way down the ramp with his towel thrown over his head. The intimidating aura is all over the place for the One Man Army, who only takes off his towel once he’s in the ring and raises a fist towards the crowd that wants him to kill this American blonde. Joe doesn’t even so much as look at Hagar before dropping his towel off and doing some shadow boxing before the bell rings

Match 4
Samoa Joe
v.
Jack Hagar


These two athletic powerhouses play a tug-of-war with their strength, although the crowd never stops being behind Joe for one second. With his now healed elbow, there’s nothing really stopping Joe from going all out on his power, but three minutes in, Hagar cuts him off with a surprising TACKLE TO THE KNEE, which forces Joe to seek a corner for refuge and recovery. Hagar surprises him there, too, when he ambushes Joe with a massive HIGH RUNNING KNEE!! Joe’s big body recoils and falls, Hagar shooting a half – 1…2…NO!

It’ll take a lot more than that and Nameth knows it, opting now to club Joe around and then trap him in a chin lock. Trying to wear down the Samoan is easier said than done, as Joe feeds off the crowd and gets back to his feet and tries to fight out of the draining lock, only for Hagar to keep the hold on and even jump on Joe’s back. Joe can sustain the weight, even pulling Hagar over into the ISLAN DRIVER POSITION…but Hagar notices this and lets go and gets to his feet, driving a quick knee into Joe’s ribs. As Joe bends over, the All-American goes for a HEAD AND ARM SUPLEX…BUT JOE TURNS IT INTO A BACK BODY DROP!!

The reversal gets the crowd back into it, as Hagar springs back to his feet, only to take an INVERTED ATOMIC DROP!! Joe then follows up with a rebound and a SINGLE LEG DROPKICK!! He bursts back to his feet and rebounds again towards the downed Hagar and finishes the combo with a SICK RUNNING SENTON! The weight of Joe gets a cover – 1…2…NO!! The young stud has more life to give!

Joe knows the focused young grappler has more, so he immediately tries to drain it out of him by transitioning…RIGHT INTO AN STF!! THE STF!! The long limbs of Hagar are forced to constrict on himself, Joe trying to get him to tap out here. Hagar manages to make some headway on the crawl towards the ropes…BUT JOE TRANSITIONS RIGHT INTO A CROSSFACE!! The forever shifting offense of Samoa Joe retraps the All-American who has to struggle even more now to get to the ropes…AND MANAGES TO FIND IT WITH HIS FOOT! The long limbs of Hagar work to his advantage there, Joe keeping on him even as he lets him get to his feet. Hagar shoves Joe away once he gets vertical, giving him some room. Joe looks to close up that gap right away, but as Joe rushes, he’s caught when Hagar shoots…AND HITS A DOUBLE LEG TAKEDOWN POWERSLAM!! Joe surprised once again – 1…2…3-NO!!

Hagar is again aware of how much damage the One Man Army can take, and with a moniker like that, why not. He pulls the limp body of Joe closer to a corner before going across the ring to the opposite corner. We can all see what’s coming as Hagar rushes all the way across and bounces up for the HAGARBOMB…JOE STANDS UP AND CATCHES HAGAR ON HIS SHOULDERS…SAMOAN DROP!! OH MY!! An incredibly impressive move the from Joe, but he doesn’t get to make a cover, as Hagar is very ring-aware and rolls out of the ring. This still doesn’t save Hagar, as the crowd starts buzzing as Joe spins around in the ring and rebounds off the ropes…ELBOW SUICIDA!! ELBOW SUICIDA!!

The big suicide elbow has the crowd in a frenzy as both men go down, Joe the first man up and tries to drag Hagar back into the ring…but Hagar comes to life and SHOVES JOE SPINE FIRST INTO THE RING STEPS!! He then backs up a few feet…before BLASTING JOE WITH A BIG BOOT AGAINST THE STAIRS!! Brian Hebner is hitting the count out and is at a five count, Hagar stumbling back into the ring. He begs for him to count faster as Joe is dead up against the rocks. With each motion of the zebra’s arm, Hagar gets more and more antsy, looking to defeat Joe by any means, the count already at an eight now. Joe groggily peels himself off the steel and stumble against the apron on then nine count…before ROLLING IN JUST BEFORE THE TEN!!

The crowd roars as Hagar is infuriated. The usually more calm half of American Made seems to have inherited his partner’s hair-trigger temper, as he’s going off on Hebner that he should have counted faster. Joe still hasn’t gotten to his feet, however, Hagar now taking his rage out of Joe with stomp after stomp after stomp. The ref has to back Hagar away from Joe’s body since he’s still so close to the ropes, but Hagar is having none of it, almost knocking over Hebner until Hebner restrains him again, warning him that he might get DQ’d. Hagar seems to calm down a little bit, but before he can turn back towards Joe, Samoa Joe suddenly LUNGES AT HAGAR FROM BEHIND, CLIMBS ONTO HIS BACK…AND THEN PULLS HIM DOWN WITH THE CLUTCH!! THE COQUINA CLUTCH!! The rear naked choke is locked in deep as the crowd cheers along, Hagar losing life by the second…before finally TAPPING OUT!!

Winner: Samoa Joe at (8:33)

Hagar put up a fight, but Joe puts up an even bigger one, managing to make the tall and powerful Hagar tap out! Joe releases The Clutch and has to roll over to a corner to put his weight on and get up, the damage he took outside the ring still ringing in his bones. Hagar hasn’t moved much, if at all, since choking out, but Joe’s hand gets raised in the corner to a big pop​


Joey Styles:
Samoa Joe keeps his promise, as Jack Hagar gave Joe all he could handle, but in the end, Samoa Joe did make somebody fall to his hands.

JBL:
Samoa Joe is a bad, bad man, Joey. As disappointed as I am in American Made, they both put up valiant fights, but unlike Nick Nameth, Jack Hagar at least has the excuse that he damn near handicapped the One Man Army!

Joey Styles:
That is a very impressive feat in itself, but Joe managed to literally wrangle Hagar into the position of his choosing before putting him in the position of his liking and that’s in the rear naked choke.

JBL:
I know I’m supposed to be unbiased, but I think that might be my favorite submission hold in AOW.

Joey Styles:
It’s certainly potent, but speaking of favorites, John, you’ve mentioned your swooning love for American Made here tonight, but do you have any actual favorites in this tournament?

JBL:
Of course I do. I’m a bettin’ man. You know that.

Joey Styles:
Care to share with us then, Mr. Reno?

JBL:
I’m legally not allowed to use that name anymore. But my favorites really shouldn’t be a surprise, but I’ll stick with only three of’em – Dave Finlay, William Regal, an’ Shelton Benjamin. Finlay an’ Regal have done this for a long, long time an’ I know some people are lookin’ to the Dynasty Tournament as a way for a young star to break the glass ceiling, but I say to those people the glass ceiling doesn’t just exist for the young, but for the older too. Do you know how long it took me to break through? No, these guys have all the experience an’ aggression in the world an’ they’re ready to break on through.

Joey Styles:
Fair enough, fair enough, but what about your Shelton Benjamin pick?

JBL:
He’s hungry, Joey. He’s broken out from that leech Charlie Haas, he’s got a whole new attitude, he’s literally addicted and compelled by competition, an’ if there’s anyone here that can withstand all the punishment this bracket has to offer, it’s him. This is an endurance contest too, Joey, an’ Shelton Benjamin is the perfect athlete built for the long haul.

Joey Styles:
Good analysis, partner, but if you ask me who my favorites are, I’ll say –

JBL:
I never asked you that. An’ I’m not gonna ask that. What a terrible question.

Joey Styles:
Too bad, because I’m answering anyway. I’m gonna pick some dark horses, some guys that I know have the ability to make it, but some people might count them out. I’m gonna go with Charlie Haas for the same reasons you picked Shelton Benjamin. I’m gonna say Jamie Noble because we know and we’ve seen exactly what he’s capable of if he’s put in a spot like this. And just to make you happy, John, I’m gonna also pick CM Punk. Because there isn’t a more driven man in this bracket when we get right down to it.

JBL:
If CM Punk makes it to the Finals, not even win the Finals, just get there, I swear to the mighty Father above, I quit.

Joey Styles:
In that case, I’ll definitely be rooting for CM Punk. But that’s not to count out that man right there, Samoa Joe, because he still hasn’t been pinned or made to submit in his entire run in AOW! But coming up on the other side of our break, we’ve got main event action and the last match in the opening round. One of my favorites, Jamie Noble, will go head to head with the last man who picked a ball and hasn’t shown up yet –

JBL:
An’ one of my favorites!

Joey Styles:
…and one of John’s favorites, William Regal! A Mercenary and a Pitbull do battle, live, next, and it’s confirmed finally that we WILL be joined on commentary by the AOW World Heavyweight Champion himself! Keep it here!


**COMMERCIAL BREAK**



We return from the break with the sound of “WELCOME TO WHITECHAPEL” hitting the threshold, marking the arrival for the third member of Mercs, Inc. in this bracket, William Regal. Regal looks far more distinguished than his counterparts, his lavish jacket enveloping him rather than a tattered jacket. Me makes it to the ring with an actual mixed reaction, just like the other members of his stable. He wipes his feet on the apron and then steps in before taking of his coat and not even handing it to the referee, Ray Ramsey, but Tony Chimel. Chimel just stands there, somewhat dumbfounded at what to do with this grand rug. Regal adjusts his wrist tape and doesn’t do any crowd playing, keeping a stoic expression locked on.

This seriousness stays around until “A COUNTRY BOY CAN SURVIVE” hits to an ovation that would surprise anyone who didn’t watch the Offseason (shame on them), but Jamie Noble bursts on through purely fueled by adrenaline. He’s pumping his arms left and right before walking on down the ramp, slapping hands with some fans before sliding in and throwing his hands up to play to the crowd for a moment, his cutoff jean tights on for extra trailer park effect

But the crowd saves it’s biggest pop of the night for when “JUST CLOSE YOUR EYES” hits, the entire Hammerstein lighting up and blowing the roof off for AOW World Heavyweight Champion, Christian Cage. This comes as a surprise to most everyone in the building at the time, seeing as how they didn’t know Christian would even be here tonight. Cage looks out and finds his peeps as he holds in title over his shoulder and comes on down the ramp. He takes a look at both men in the ring before giving a slight nod in the direction of Jamie Noble. He roams around and then takes his place at the announce “booth” alongside JBL and Styles.


Christian:
Woh, tight spaces. John, Joey, nice to see you guys again.

Joey Styles:
Christian Cage, always a pleasure. It’s been a while since you were out here on commentary, hasn’t it?

Christian:
Yeah, I feel like it has. Last time it happened I was kinda out of my mind, but yeah.

JBL:
So what exactly are you doin’ here, ‘Savior’? You turned away a very worthy challenger last week in Chris Jericho an’ now you’re out here doing who knows what.

Christian:
I’m just scouting some guys out because somebody in this Tournament is gonna be the next guy I face for this title. And I also wanna show a little support for Jamie Noble because that little dude is one of the toughest SOBs I’ve ever been stuck in a ring with.

JBL:
Well get a good look because William Regal’s gonna take that SOB an’ whip him good.


MAIN EVENT

2008 Trios Tournament Winner William Regal
v.
Jamie Noble


These two seasoned veterans stay at a technical pace in the early goings, but Regal catches a break when Noble lands hard on his left shoulder. This opens up a window for the Mercs, Inc. member, who goes to work on picking Noble’s shoulder and arm apart and take out a whole chunk of his offense. Noble still fights back like the scrappy little bastard that he is, resulting in him keeping in it three minutes in, only for him to be cut off when Regal WRENCHES HIS ARM and sends Noble face-first into the canvas!

Regal continues to work over the arm, but Noble scraps back to his feet and starts delivering kick after kick to Regal’s thighs. But Regal stops the rabid assault with a harsh European uppercut. But Noble responds with another KICK. The crowd cheers with that blow, but Regal retaliates with another European uppercut, and the crowd BOOs along with it. The two then start knocking each other at an accelerating pace –

YAY!!

BOO!!

YAY!!

BOO!!
BOO!!
BOOO!!

Regal takes the groggy Noble and pulls his face in and DRILLS HIM WITH A KNEE…before hitting him with DOUBLE KNEES!! Noble drops to his knees then before falling face-first into the canvas, allowing Regal to shoot the half and roll him over – 1…2…3-NO!! The heart of Noble is on display a bit there, but Regal isn’t taking any chances. He doesn’t really let up, instead opting to pull Noble up by the same targeted shoulder and send it CRASHING into his own shoulder with a shoulder block. Noble stumbles to recover, only for Regal to set him up and nail a perfect VERTICAL SUPLEX! Regal scurries to another cover – 1…2…NO!!

Noble throws the shoulder up once again, but it’s the same targeted shoulder and Regal grabs it and digs his knee right into it, making it a sort of armbar now. Noble refuses to tap out and tries to get the crowd back in this, eventually able to get to a seated position and then to a knee. Regal tries to push the move harder, but Noble is able to get up and use Regal’s own grip and momentum to push him chest-first into a corner. As soon as he hits, Noble lights him up with a DROPKICK TO THE BACK, pushing him up against the corner once again! As Regal falls back, he falls into Noble’s clutches of a SCHOOL BOY – 1…2…3-NO!!

Regal showing some veteran fight there, but as he gets to his feet, he’s greeted by a Noble kick to the gut and then lifted up….AND PUT DOWN WITH A DROP SUPLEX!! Regal falls flat on his face, but he has enough presence of mind to roll away as he hits, preventing Noble from getting an immediate cover. But Noble is still on his case, opting to climb on up to the top rope and wait for Regal to get back up…AND NOBLE NAILS A BIG TIME CROSSBODY!! Noble falls and sustains the lateral press after going airborne – 1…2…3-NO!! Regal manages to get Noble’s body off of his, once again having the presence of mind to roll away, this time out of the ring. Noble still has an eye on his English foe, waiting until Regal has gathered himself…running…SUICIDE DIVE…but Regal jumps on the apron at the last minute…AND DRILLS THE RUNNING NOBLE WITH A KNEE TO THE SKULLL JUST AS HIS HEAD POKES THROUGH THE ROPES!

The elder man Regal still showing not only agility, but world-renound ring smarts at that. Noble goes down hard, clutching at the top of his head. The savage gentleman once again wipes his feet off before he enters the ring and then wastes no time picking up the possibly concussed Noble and sets him up…NAILING HIM WITH A HALF-NELSON SUPLEX!! Noble goes flinging across the ring from the big flip, Regal chasing him down a bit, but doesn’t go for an immediate cover. Instead, he kicks Noble into place and then ascends to the middle rope…AND COMES DOWN WITH A KNEE DROP!! Driving the knee into the back of Noble’s neck, Regal again shoots the half – 1…2…3…NO!! Noble kicks out somehow!

Regal is agitated, but remains his very dignified self. He brushes himself off before taking up Noble and grabbing him in the reverse cradle, setting up for the REGAL PLEX…NO!! Noble rolls forward and maneuvers his way out of the cradle while at the same time tangling Regal’s own legs…AND LOOKS FOR THE TRAILER HITCH…but Regal gets to the ropes relatively early in the hold, clutching his heart because he knew that could’ve been it. He uses the ropes to climb back vertical against a corner, only to be hit by a Noble RUNNING EXPLODING ELBOW! Regal drifts out of the corner from the harsh blow, right into Noble’s clutches with a FIREMAN’S CARRY…NO!! He slips off and sets Noble up again…REGAL PLEX!! He finishes the sequence how he wanted to start, keeping the bridge – 1…2…3-NO!! NOBLE STAYS ALIVE!!

Regal now is seeing what made Christian Cage get frustrated and he has even more reason to be frustrated because one look up at the big screen now shows that the dreaded countdown clock has shown up. And he’s suddenly only got 56 more seconds to end this thing! Regal doesn’t immediately panic, however, using that new adrenaline rush to take the downed Noble…AND LOCK IN THE REGAL STRETCH!! The arm trap brings Noble’s shoulder back into light, but neither man can actually afford for too much of a struggle here. Noble fights back with all his might, the crowd begging him not to tap, as he squirms around and looks for the ropes beside Regal’s gritting teeth…AND HE DRAPES AN ARM OVER A BOTTOM ROPE!!

But that entire exchange ate up precious time, Noble trying to get to his feet eating up even more time. Regal tries to push the issue, but Noble is ready and pushes Regal up on his shoulders…AND NAILS HIM WITH THE DOUBLE KNEE GUTBUSTER!! The veteran loses himself in the time constrains for a moment and it might cost him – 1…2…3-NO!! It’s Regal’s turn to show some vigilance!! Noble is getting frustrated now, even more so when he looks up to see only 20 seconds left! Noble now tries to pull up the dead body of Regal, forcing the double underhooks while watching the clock…TIGER DRIVER…NO!! Regal spins out and drills Noble’s weak shoulder over and over with several elbows!! The early target comes back to bite as Noble is reduced to his knees, only to see Regal rebound off the ropes…AND CRUSH HIM IN THE TEMPLE WITH THE KNEE TREMBLER!! Noble might be dead and have a dislocated shoulder, the shots to Noble’s head now coming into play as Regal holds down the injured shoulder and pretty much prays while he’s covering, the crowd counting to and from three all at the same time – 1(3!!)…2(2!!)…3(1!!)…!!!

Winner: William Regal at (9:58)

JUUUUUST in the nick of time! The referee’s hand comes down before one more second could be shown and erased, as well as just before the buzzer sounds. The crowd cheers because the buzzer both sounds and is defeated, but then reduces to buzz when it’s Regal’s music that plays. He’s still getting a mixed reaction, however, even as his hand is raised.​


JBL:
You see that! That man right there is the man who is gonna go all the way to the end!

Christian:
He beats the bell, but that doesn’t mean he’s gonna beat me.

Joey Styles:
Indeed, William Regal literally just beats the bell, having to take advantage of Noble’s shoulder that he targeted earlier.

JBL:
Who cares how he won? Christian, he just beat a man in less than ten minutes that it took you a combined fifty minutes to beat!

Joey Styles:
Yeah, but what about – what the hell?!


Noble and Regal have since rolled out of the ring, but just like last week, all of the lights in the arena GO OUT!! The Hammerstein buzzes incredibly as the announce ‘table’ tries to figure the situation out, only for Christian to know exactly what’s going on. We can hear him take his headset off and in the shadows, see a figure moving towards the ring. The mystery suddenly stops when we hear the same eerie voice in the same eerie tone as we did last week…

???:
Chriiiiiiistian…Chriiiiiiistian…


Where last week we got the spotlight, this week instead…it’s the big yin-yang screen that lights up. On the screen is none other than Chris Jericho. The crowd delivers an incredible amount of heat as he shows up, the screen light giving us the sight of Christian standing in the middle of the ring, watching the screen. Jericho himself is in one of his signature suits and seems to be not in a dark area, but sitting in…in a hospital?

Jericho:
I hope you’re having a wonderful evening, oh Savior. Because I’m in a place where nobody has a real wonderful evening. Mount Sinai Hospital. In Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

~A sense of awe is felt around the Hammerstein and through the television screen. We flash to the arena only to see Christian’s face go from puzzled and focused…to almost terrified…

Jericho:
And on this day, June 11th, there’s someone in this building who means a hellova lot to you. Isn’t there, Christian? But instead of being here with them, you selfishly decided to remain in New York and sit amongst an arena of tapeworms.

~Jericho gets up from his chair, obviously in a hospital waiting area. He talk as he walks down a hall

Jericho:
See Christian, you doubted so much that you deserved to hold that title because you didn’t want to push anyone back down the mountain. Because once you sit atop the summit, you become the very thing you wanted to fight against. And I can see you’re trying to find that balance now…but what about here? Outside of the ring? Can you be a savior here as well…? Or are you still just unworthy…?

~Jericho stops walking at a door leading to a patient’s room. A man with a clipboard and a lab coat exits the room and stops in front of Jericho, who changes his mastermind tone to talk to this man like a trembling little boy

Jericho:
Hello, sir. Is this the room for Carla Reso?

Man:
Yes, sir, it is. But she’s being prepped for a rather important surgery. Only her immediate family is allowed to see her.

Jericho:
Oh, but I am. I’m her son. Jason Christian Reso.

~We can hear and feel all the air in New York just leave the entire building. The man with the clipboard flips through the papers on it

Man:
Ah, yes, here you are. Don’t stay for too long. She needs her rest and time for the medication to take effect. But we assure you, sir, your mother is going to be all right.

~The man puts a hand on “Jason’s” shoulder, reassuring him before walking away. Jericho’s expression goes from Tiny Tim to that of Charles Manson

Jericho:
Do you hear that, Christian? Your mother is going to be all right.

~Jericho opens the door and puts a foot in, slowly creeping in by leaving his head on the outside

Jericho:
You were right last week, Christian. You stop a god by refusing to believe in them. But that, oh Savior…

~…a close up on Jericho’s demented grin and gaze

Jericho:
…that is where devils thrive.


…and with that, Jericho slowly drifts behind the door, the sick, puppetmaster smile never leaving his face as he disappears behind the door. All we can do is cut back to the arena and see Christian Cage, the AOW World Heavyweight Champion, the Savior, the Man on the Moon, the Instant Classic…reduced to his knees with a look of horror etched, tears streaming down his face.

Joey Styles:
Oh my god…this…Chris Jericho has just reached an entire new low…


The final image we have of this edition of Wednesday Night Oblivion is a man who fought against everything a man could fight against to reach the top of a wrestling company and despite every personal attack imaginable is on his knees, his arms reaching out towards the big screen, trying to console his ailing mother in Toronto from New York. But ultimately, the man who reduced a god to shambles is himself reduced to calling out, into the vast emptiness, for his mother as we

Fade…

To…

Black…

END SHOW




~RISE OF A DYNASTY~
June 2nd, 2008 - MGM Grand; Las Vegas, Nevada
*Confirmed Card*

~2008 Dynasty Tournament~

~Quarter Finals~

TBD v. TBD
TBD v. TBD
TBD v. TBD
TBD v. TBD

~Semi-Finals~
TBD v. TBD
TBD v. TBD

~The FINALS~
TBD v. TBD


A day late and might be a dollar short, but here it is. Hope all don't find it too dreary. Be well until we meet again :eek:
 
#267 ·
Barnesk9's review

Danielson vs. Aero Star
Two Words HOLY SHIT!!!!! This match had me on the edge of my seat the entire time
Aero Star looked like a million bucks. I couldn't believe that he actually got the win considering how strongly Danielson has been booked
in AOW.

Charlie Haas vs Manu
I really liked the sub plot going into the match. Even though Haas and Benjamin aren't a team they're still in competition with each other
While a short match it showed how much of a monster Manu is. But I do have to ask. Has Manu or the SFC ever won a match in AOW??? I can't remember one

Kidman Sydal segment
I've been reading the interaction between the two and waiting for a pay off. I think you book Kidman better than he ever was in real life.
But I have to say I didn't like him throwing his hat into the dynasty tourney hoping to meet Sydal at some point. There are way
too many people in it to have these two match up in the first round. Maybe he's just stringing Sydal along. Maybe he really wants what's best for him IDK.
The attack by Doane and Masters was fine by me. I've always been a Ken Doane fan so he can do no wrong in my book.

Nick Nameth vs Low Ki.
Love the pairing of Nameth and Taylor Wilde. Low Ki put on a solid performance as usual and the was Nameth lost by showing off for Wilde instead of finishing the job was good storytelling.

Banks Segment
I guess he was too smart for his own good and now he and his representative are out of the Dynasty tournament. Don't like the back and forth with HBK and Heyman because
we saw enough of it last season. I really hope Michaels doesn't win the Dynasty tournament

Joe Vs Hagar
Not in one bit did I expect Joe to lose this match. Good back and forth but Joe did what we all expected.
He's definitely my pick to win the tournament.

Regal vs Noble
Great to see Mercenaries INC. pick up another win. My favorite stable as I'm a huge Albright mark. Noble has been looking like a legit
contender since the offseason matches with Christian. I'm sure it's going to lead to something down the road. The down to the wire win
also added a great layer of tension in the contest.

"Who cares how he won? Christian, he just beat a man in less than ten minutes that it took you a combined fifty minutes to beat!"
That line by JBL holds so much truth and has to shake Christian just a little bit more. Perfect placement.

Final segment
FUCKING FUCK!!!!!!!! The booking of Jericho in this thread is truly amazing. First the promo last week and now this???? I find myself hanging on to every word he says
I could actually feel the terror that Christian felt during this segment and that my friend is great writing. I look forward to where this goes.

I was originally gonna give this show an 8/10 but after that final segment I had to change that to a 9/10 Awesome show dude and I can't wait to see how the dynasty tournament plays out.
 
#269 ·
First of all, allow me geek out similarly to the way I geeked out when PARANoIR and Wolfy posted in here for the first time: :mark: ZOMG DDMAC RESPONDED TO MY THREAD!! :mark:

...and now to business. First, a couple of statements in some feedback that I'd like to address...

While a short match it showed how much of a monster Manu is. But I do have to ask. Has Manu or the SFC ever won a match in AOW??? I can't remember one
Actually, they had a small winning streak after they debuted and even became the first team to beat the then-champion WGTT clean. They also made it to the second round of the Trios Tournament, which means they had to have won at least once.

barnesk9 said:
I've been reading the interaction between the two and waiting for a pay off. I think you book Kidman better than he ever was in real life.
But I have to say I didn't like him throwing his hat into the dynasty tourney hoping to meet Sydal at some point. There are way too many people in it to have these two match up in the first round. Maybe he's just stringing Sydal along. Maybe he really wants what's best for him IDK.
This concerns me a little bit. While I have been playing up the randomness of the Dynasty Tourney and this is probably one big punch to the gut of that and that's probably a big 'my bad' on my part, but I've never gotten much feedback in regards to the Sydal/Kidman storyline. I have always had a long-term plan for this, but I wasn't sure if people liked it or if they saw it as a 'pet project' (which it honestly isn't) and thought I was shoving it down their throats. This segment has a storyline (and character, for that matter) purpose, but if it's not well received or is just a bad story, it's also a nice place to end it :$.

Also, yeah, the Styles commentary was probably out of place and not needed, but I was looking for perhaps a small mental break from what just happened before keeping going. Again, I see now it was probably better without.


Anywho, now off to an unspoiled bit of rather important bundle of news...

The Informer said:
The decision to take Antonio Banks off TV in kayfabe was not AOW’s ruling at all, so say my sources. It was the fault of FX’s executive meddling, which to this point, is the first and only time FX has ever directly made AOW have a creative change. The network did this out of an intense precaution, seeing as how the young wrestling company and the network itself could get in trouble for showing Banks even in a non-competition role. This may also cause AOW to have to report to the network with any future provocative material. That scenario is thinking of things to the largest extreme, and seeing as how FX has been incredibly generous with the budding company so far, there’s no evidence to indicate it would be taken that far.

However, it must be noted that the next the next two editions of Oblivion are to be taped for the first time in the company’s young history. Whether this is another precaution by FX or for any other reason, but ticket sales for this week’s Oblivion have been dated as “June 17th“ and “June 24th” rather than June 18thand 25th. Apparently, they will be taped Tuesday and then aired Wednesday night at their regular times. More details will come as I gain insight as to why this and why at this particular time when the company knows it’s ratings will be under review and has a Supershow following the two taped shows.

That being said, AOW is likely to feel the pressure this summer. As if the Banks situation weren’t enough, ratings dropped off after great numbers for the Season Premiere and likely aren’t going to get much higher in the summer thanks to the 2008 Olympic Games being on the horizon. This might cause AOW to go back into the mindset they were late last year in trying to prove their worth by trying to pop ratings with bigger weekly shows, which the company has always done but what they sort of should be doing anyway with a PPV right around the corner. But like last time, this could result in more hotshot weekly booking.

Back to the Banks situation, plans were originally to have Tyson Tarver be called up later rather than sooner and be Banks’ muscle and potentially the first member of a stable if the company ever wanted to reach back out to the members of Cryme Tyme for full-time contracts. Unfortunately, the ruling that Banks couldn’t compete on-screen forced them to play their hand earlier and call up Tarver before they intended to and now it might appear that both men might have to be off-screen until Banks’ No Compete Clause has run its course. How badly this hurts AOW’s plans and Bank’s momentum in the long run is sure to be something to take note of in coming months.

In regards to other backstage news, the decision for Aero Star to go over Bryan Danielson in their Dynasty Tournament match was a bit of a ‘heads up’ sort of call that was meant to show AOW is looking to make cruiserweight wrestling a focal point in the coming season. Last season, the Cruiserweight Champion Danielson was heavily featured, but not so much the rest of the division bar Tres Reyes’ showing at The Outer Limits. The breaking up of Low Jack, the ongoing push of Jamie Noble, the rumored signing potential of Chris Sabin, as well as the possible payoff to the Sydal/Kidman saga is all part of this potential focus on the division.

With the event of Oblivion now being shown on 24-hour tape delay, I, The Informer, will take it upon myself to be there live at both events to cover live-update spoilers for anyone interested.

Until next time, this has been The Informer…
...and some website news...


aohdubya.com said:
THE FAN BRACKET SHOWCASE

Announcing for the first time in AOW history, it’s the fans that literally get to decide what they want! At the AOW’s Rise of a Dynasty Supershow in Las Vegas, the eight finalists of the Dynasty Tournament will face off until there’s one winner. But just because a competitor who put up a hellova fight and didn’t make it to the final rounds doesn’t mean they should sit out completely. And if your favorite didn’t make it to Vegas, well now’s your chance to send’em there!

Introducing the AOW Fan Bracket Showcase – a few feature that lets the fans vote to determine who they would like to see compete in a separate match at Rise of a Dynasty! It may not be a Tournament match, but it’s a way to thank the fans for their support and to reward hard-working members of the AOW roster who may have just come up short.

So how does the Fan Bracket Showcase work? Following this week’s edition of Oblivion, a poll will go up of every member of the AOW roster who was eliminated from the Tournament. Then, log on to aohdubya.com whenever and wherever you’d like to cast a vote for anyone you want from that poll to get a shot at showcasing their abilities at Rise of a Dynasty! Depending on how many votes there are and for whom those votes are for, the competitors with the highest number of votes will compete in a 1-on-1 match…or, if demanded, a 2-on-2 match, or better yet, a Trios contest! Don’t leave your favorite off the card – vote often!


AOHDUBYA.COM EXCLUSIVES

~Backstage, what seems like the locker room area. It looks to be the scene of last week’s Oblivion, as Nick Nameth is sitting by himself on a bench, looking sort of flustered. In walks Taylor Wilde, who has a bit of a timid look on her face…

Nameth:
Where’ve you been? I’ve been looking all over for you.

Wilde:
I’ve been around. But I just figured you wouldn’t like to see me after you lost.

Nameth:
Well, yeah I was pissed, but I’d still like to see you. I mean, I lost the match because I was showing off. I didn’t lose the match because I lost my temper like usual.

Wilde:
Yeah, but you were showing off for me.

Nameth:
And that’s my fault. You don’t worry about that.

Wilde:
Okay. So…do you want me at ringside for any more of your matches?
~Nameth gets up from his seated position and puts his hands on Wilde’s shoulders and glides down her arms to hold her hands

Nameth:
Taylor, f course I do. What, just because I lost one match, we’d break up? No way!
~No sooner does Nameth say that does Jack Hagar walk into the room tending to his shoulder/neck area after being choked out by Samoa Joe

Hagar:
You guys alright?

Nameth:
Yeah. Guess the luck of the draw kind of got us both, huh?

Hagar:
Luck of the draw? I got a machine in Samoa Joe and you got a guy who until a few weeks ago, was hanging out with a break dancing white guy! Luck of the draw my foot!

Wilde:
Okay, so he got distracted. What, you wanna break up the team because something happened?

Hagar:
No.

Wilde:
Okay then let’s get all this tension out of all of us! Alright, so American Made is a collective 0-2 to begin Season 2. But you'll bounce back! Guys, you represent America. Is it the American way to overact to something at first?

Nameth:
Actually, yeah. Yeah it is.

Wilde:
Okay, so maybe more often than not it is. But then what does America do?

Hagar:
We calm down and handle business.

Wilde:
Right! So you’ve got the losses under your belt. The whole Season isn’t lost. Now just collect each other and kick some ass for the Stars n’ Stripes every chance you get after this.
~Hagar dips his chin and purses his lips, pointing at Wilde

Hagar:
I like her. She’s a keeper.

Nameth:
Damn right. Oh, hey Taylor, a note for you…don’t be afraid to uh…get more involved in our matches. You catch my drift?

Wilde:
Way ahead of you Nicky.

Nameth:
Don’t call me that.

Hagar:
Niiicky.

Nameth:
I MEAN IT!
~The hamminess of that delivery shows it’s not entirely serious, but all three leave the locker room together, still together after airing out their differences as we fade away…


~Backstage, the Green Zone interview set…

Romero:
Steve Romero here and my guests at this time…the duo of Ken Doane and Chris Masters, who wish to be known collectively…
~Romero takes in a great big sigh before Doane off-camera hisses at him

(Off-screen)Doane:
Say the line!
~Romero sighs again and rolls his eyes

Romero:
Known collectively as the team of…DAT MUSCLE.
~Doane and Masters now enter from the left and right, respectively, onto our screens. They both look like they’re in wrestling attire, but they’re also wearing…fraternity jackets? They’re green and white, a trio of gold letters going down the side. Their cockiness is overwhelming; Kenny is smacking gum, while Masters crosses his gigantic arms

Romero:
Uh…gentlemen, this past Wednesday, we saw not only your return, Chris, but the team of you delivering a beatdown to both Matt Sydal and the man he looks up to, Billy Kidman. First, Chris Masters, a big question everyone’s asking is why are you back and teaming with Ken Doane?

Masters:
Of course everyone’s asking that. I mean, they should. The last time AOW saw Chris Masters, he was getting slung around pretty bad by Kenny over here. We’ve had our beef and we aired it out. But you don’t ever turn your back on a brother. And no beef is so big, you can’t forgive your brother for it. And Kenny found himself at a low point, so I didn't leave him behind.

Romero:
Brother? I don’t understand.

Masters:
What, are you blind? Check the jackets, mutt. We’re both members of the only professional wrestling fraternity around (points to the letters on his jacket) – Alpha Sigma Slamma.
~:side:

Romero:
How clever. But that still doesn’t quite explain the senseless attack on the defenseless Matt Sydal and Billy Kidman.

Doane:
Oh, boo hoo. Y’know what? I’m sick and tired of people feeling sorry for Matt Sydal. The guy’s a loser. He doesn’t deserve anything in the world, but what does he get? Title shots? Entries into the Tournament? And what do I get? I get banned by Paul Heyman from even competing in the Dynasty Tournament!

Romero:
Well, to be fair, Kenny, you did kind of leg drop –

Doane:
Yeah, yeah, through a table, whatever. The point is, is I was down. I felt like absolute crap after gettin' kicked out of the Tourney and threatened. Then I remembered I had a brother to fall back on. But I'd done him wrong too. But unlike Paul Heyman, this is a true man and we worked things out. Now, life’s a party!

Masters:
Hell yeah!

Doane:
And we’re gonna celebrate by snappin’ Sydal and his little teacher in half because that’s what they deserve. Not pity. Not an audience. Not matches.

Masters:
That’s right. They deserve to get Masterlocked and leg dropped. And then we’re gonna party ‘til the cows come home.
~Doane and Masters reach across Romero and do a special handshake before we fade away…

Doane & Masters:
DAT MUSCLE! Brotherhood sustains us!


~The standard exclusives white background, but the man standing in front of the camera is not white being Shelton Benjamin

Benjamin:
Charlie Haas. You lucky son of a bitch.
~Shelton’s shaking his head in near laughing disbelief

Benjamin:
It just so happens that someone gets disqualified and gives you a chance to compete in the next round. And I mean technically, you did beat my time. But you know that’s not what I’m about.
~Benjamin jabs a thumb at himself

Benjamin:
Naw. Shelton Benjamin is all about proving just how better he is. You’re not better than me because you technically beat my time. Oh no. You’re not better than me period. You wanna know why? Because Shelton Benjamin doesn’t just live for competition. I AM competition!
~Benjamin is fired up

Benjamin:
And by the end of this tournament, I promise you, I promise all of you – Charlie Haas, CM Punk, Christian Cage – anybody and everybody – that you will know Shelton Benjamin is the athletic ace that’s just head and shoulders better than anything goin’.
~Benjamin flashes a cocky smirk

Benjamin:
How’s that for technicality?
~Benjamin snidely chuckles to himself, full of brash arrogance as the camera fades away…



June 18th, 2008

The Hammerstein Ballroom – Manhattan, New York City, New York
“Changing the Questions”


.:Confirmed For Oblivion:.

~Rd. 2 of the Dynasty Tournament is officially underway! Five matches, all of them pushing more limits with a time limit of 15 MINUTES!!
~…but no one still knows who they’re facing as the brackets are re-randomized. Who will face who?
~Christian Cage IS NOT in attendance, but rumors are swirling that someone much more sinister is…
~Names like Shelton Benjamin, Aero Star, Samoa Joe, and Rey Mysterio guaranteed to be in action!
~All this and more in store!



What does the pair of now ‘taped’ shows mean? It means that (and hoping folks forgive me for this one) the next two shows are gonna be in recap form. But a different kind of recap form that I’ll be experimenting with. I haven’t the time right now, and I probably won’t within the next week, but I do have the drive. It’s just the next show on tap is actually sort of taxing and I just thought I’d try my hand at recapping before a big show (plus , even moreso than the first two episodes, it’s very match-based, which I don’t know if people will wish to read through). Will it affect people’s ability to care about the card and about the build itself? Who knows. Plus, I really do wanna get to Rise of a Dynasty before the end of the year while sqeezing in other BTB related projects. I'm not sorry for doing recaps, I just probably will be if I don't do them right. Hope all forgive me for this load of information all dropped at once. Show should hopefully be up over the weekend. And hope all don't hate me 'til then :eek:
 
#268 ·
The final segment with Jericho entering into Christian's mom room was a pretty strong way to end the show. I haven't been reviewing but I have been keeping an eye out in the distance and I like what you're doing. Very different stuff, different feel - particularly with the Christian/Jericho stuff.

If I may offer a rather small suggestion though. No need for Styles commentary at the end. We don't need to hear from him, because that awesome moment of Jericho stepping in and then Christian crying was perfect on it's own. Just let it sit.

Good stuff though, bro. I'll be reading. Keep it up.
 
#270 ·
Just wanted to drop in quickly to comment on that show closing angle at the end of last weeks show; unsettling. I can only imagine what Jericho has in mind to do to Christians mother in the hospital - unless it was just a stark warning to Christian of what he is capable of? From the writing, it was easy to grasp just how helpless Christian felt, powerless to do anything to stop Jericho. That final couple of lines from Jericho --- chilling.

I’m inclined to agree with Mac though on the Styles commentary at the end. The moment was enough to sell itself.

A couple of other quick notes;
- Good to see a couple of real shock results in the tournament, Aero Star beating Danielson was a real eye opener. And for me, Regal beating Noble, just a few weeks after Noble took Christian to the wire was an upset in my book. Some nice surprises there. And I liked how Haas was able to beat Benjamins time … without actually beating it himself. That ought to make Shelton happy…

It’s also interesting - and refreshing - that you put up plenty of road blocks for yourself. The situation with Banks especially, but now the network pushing their weight around to try and shackle the promotion. I’m looking forward to what your take is on the recap format. I’m envisioning it being written from the perspective of a fan or ‘The Informer’ in the form of online spoilers.
 
#271 · (Edited)


June 18th, 2008

The Hammerstein Ballroom – Manhattan, New York City, New York
“Changing the Questions”


*Online SPOILERS*

Greetings, everyone. This is your backstage reporter extraordinaire known only to you as “The Informer”. Okay, sorry, maybe I’m getting a big head on myself. But yes, this is me and I’ll be continually updating this post over the course of the next few hours with the results and happenings of this week’s edition of Wednesday Night Oblivion that’s being taped on a Tuesday. I ramble a lot, so I apologize in advance for the results’ lack of directness. I’m rambling already because I prefer to be called ‘backstage reporter’ rather than ‘dirtsheet writer’ because dirtsheets are rather cryptic and ambiguous with their information while I choose to investigate and have sources of direct information. But tab this post and keep up with my ‘spoiler diary’, as I might call it. I promise to use my investigating skills to not just sit on my ass in the crowd and bring you direct results, but also see if I can wander around backstage and catch some juicy gossip as it happens. Prepare to be Informed.

[8:10] – Rendezvous
Gates to the Hammerstein opened at 7:50, but several of the concessions don’t get up and completely operating until about 8:30, so there’s no drunk people yet. As one would imagine, AOW has pretty much sold out every show they’ve had in this building and all of us like to get here early, so fighting through 2,500+ fans took a little bit of time to find my seat. I’m not directly on the front row, but just a little bit back from it, so I’m still close enough to see and whatnot. I’m also on the main camera side, so if they play to the camera, they’ll be playing to me, so hopefully I won’t miss any of the little details.

But being on the camera side means I’m not so close to the commentary booth, and I wanna get you guys all the coverage I can. That’s why I took some time after finding my seat to have a little meeting with one of my sources, who is also attending the show, but he’s sitting directly behind JBL and Styles and will be relaying me any information regarding commentary notes and possibly even what they do during the commercial breaks. Camera coverage? Check. Commentary? Check. Now all I got to do is not lose my wi-fi and hope the people sitting in front of me don’t have signs and I (and therefore, you) should be good.

[8:41] – The Most Suspiciously Convenient HealthCare Package
JBL and Joey Styles came down to the commentary area. Joey, predictably, got an enormous pop from the people who hadn’t left for the now functioning concessions and even more predictably, an “ECW! ECW!” chant kicked up. Styles played with it and smiled and even slapped a few hands on his way over. One fan even offered him a can of beer, although when he caught Joey’s attention, the fan asked him to take the can and “pull a Sandman”. I couldn’t hear if that’s exactly what he said, but when a fan in a rabid ECW-esque crowd takes a can and mimes pounding it against his forehead, there’s really only one conclusion. Joey gladly denied, but then came JBL, who to my surprise, also got a huge pop. He didn’t get “ECW!” chants, but what he did get were “YOU SUCK DICK” chants, which only makes sense to anyone who saw one of the WWE’s One Night Stand shows when the crowd chanted that at him and he responded by calling the entire crowd gay. Never seen a guy get cheered and then told to suck a penis. He got a kick out of it, apparently.

But as fun as that was, I wanted to do a little more pre-show investigating. I weaseled through the crowd (I only say ‘weaseled’ because, I shit you not, I saw someone with an “I Am Weasel!” tattoo. I miss surreal 90s cartoons.) and managed to score a peek at what looked like EMTs rolling in and getting some stuff set up. I’m sure they’re there every show just in case something goes horribly wrong (and even moreso because AOW is no longer paying for health expenses out of pocket. Sponsors are awesome). Although this meeting looked a little suspicious. I’m not sure if personnel are given scripts to the show, but it looked like a production manager of sorts handed the EMTs something that looked just like that. They talked for a bit and the production manager pointing at a certain part. Do they get scripts so they know when matches are going on so they can be prepared? Or is someone going to be getting “hurt” tonight…? Must investigate further. But for now, I gotta head back to my seat.

[8:54] – Nachos and Zebras
It’s almost time for curtains up! The place is buzzing like crazy and there’s all sorts of random chants going on all over the arena. The best one is probably the ubiquitous “WOOOOO!” chant that echoes all over the place. But my favorite one was probably the “WE WANT BANKS!” chant that was kicked up by a section of guys who looked like they had homemade “We Want Banks” t-shirts. Looks like people know Banks’ problems aren’t his fault at all. Of course they know; this place is full of smarks. Also, scored a whole plate of free nachos from one of the guys sitting next to me. Said his fiancé didn’t want them, so I was just like “hell yeah!” I love nachos. Don’t judge me. His fiancé was pretty hot, too. He said they come to Oblivions every other week. Dude has a hot fiancé that likes wrestling? Lucky sumbitch.

Aside from my personal endeavors, it looks like Earl’s son, Brian Hebner, is out to referee the first match, which it looks like will open the show. According to my commentary side source, he was talking to a production person sitting by the timekeeper’s area, who said something about making sure “nothing blocks the EMTs”. Hebner nodded and said “I’ll tell Ramsey”. Things get even more cryptic about the prepared EMTs. Again, not sure if this is a standard message and Brian gets it because he’s still relatively new to AOW or if it’s a standard message and Ray Ramsey, the Senior Official, needs to know all things like that OR if Ramsey is the one calling the match the ‘injury’ will happen in. So many thoughts about something that probably isn’t as big a deal as I’m making it.

[9:01] – CURTAINS UP!
There’s still no opening video package and just the new crowd chanting “AOW” signature to kick things off, but this place is still rabid. Fuck, it’s one thing to see this place unglued this early when it’s on TV, but damn, it’s surreal in person. I was losing my voice 30 seconds in! As I figured, a match is up first. Will write details about it as it happens and put it up in one big post when it’s finished so I don’t spam my own feed.

[9:16] – Outer Limits Rematch
Carlito is out first with his dad, who seems to be telling Carlito pull his tights up before trying to pull them up for him. It was pretty funny watching them come down the ramp, Carlito trying to be all serious and Carly Sr. looking like he’s trying to get a piece of his son’s ass while he’s just screaming “DAS NOT COOL!”. Carlito acted like he had a wedgie and tried to play it off all tough once he got in the ring. He gets a solid array of heat. Not sure where this Carlito/Carly pairing is going, but I like it so far.

I forgot the fact that all the matches are ‘random’ tonight for the last time, but Carlito’s opponent is…REY MYSTERIO! Sweet! A rematch from The Outer Limits kicks off the night and the crowd couldn’t be happier to see Rey, although the same couldn’t be said for ‘lito. His dad certainly liked it, though.

The match kicked off much differently from their PPV match, obviously, with Carlito going for a bit more on the offensive in the early going, although the more cheap shots he got, the more his father got onto him. Didn’t their whole thing start because of the way Carlito was disrespecting Rey…? Whatever it was, it gave Rey the opening he needed to get the upper hand and hit Carlito with a FRONT DROPKICK so hard, Carlito flopped through to the floor by the ramp. When Carlito got up, all he saw was Rey HITTING A SLINGSHOT PLANCHA HURRICANRANA. Rey then started playing with his knee, saying “I’m 100%, mijo!” whatever that means. Rey tried to get Carlito back in the ring, but Carlito RAMMED him into the ring lip and rolled him back in, only to go for that KNEE LIFT/CLOTHESLINE combo, but Rey countered it at the last minute and turned the clothesline part into a CRUCIFIX COVER, but it didn’t end there.

Carlito had to keep barking at his dad to “SHUT UP!” because he didn’t like the way he was treating Rey in the match. Carlito kept trying to shrug him off and eventually locked Rey up in an ABDOMINAL STRETCH and tried to drain him. But we all started the whole clapping thing to get Rey back in things. It took a little while, but Rey managed to flip Carlito over with a hip toss and land him sitting down before KICKING HIM IN THE SPINE so hard, it almost shook the whole arena. Then he hit one of his patented DROPKICKS TO THE FACE, but it didn’t get him the win. Rey followed that up with more of his ‘pace-quickening’ moves, but then he got caught in a TILT-A-WHIRL BACKBREAKER. Rey shows his resiliency and didn’t have it end there, but Carlito was gaining more confidence as opposed to getting more pissed.

He started slapping Rey around and whipped him HARD into a corner at one point, getting his father more irate. Carlito just started to not care and started torturing little Rey, stomping on the surgically repaired knee to a lot of heat. Then he hoisted him onto his shoulders for some kind of FIREMANS CARRY move…only for Rey to slip off, regain life and HIT CARLITO WITH A BACKCRACKER!! I got a huge kick out of that one as did the rest of the crowd, as Rey showed he can be as much a dick as Carlito was being. Of course, the move hurt Rey’s knee that had been targeted a bit, slowing him down enough to where he couldn’t get the three count. This still softened ‘lito up enough that Rey got him in a corner and Rey was able to execute a FULL 10-PUNCH, and then immediately followed up on that with a drop toehold…RIGHT OVER THE MIDDLE ROPE. The crowd was pumped and all into this one as he went for the 619, but Carlito CAUGHT HIM WITH THE SPRINGBOARD BACK ELBOW as he was running to hit it! That didn’t finish the match either, but it was a spectacular sequence to watch.

Carlito was back on top, again trying to wear Rey down with a rest hold, but Rey was able to fight his way out, but before he could completely get out, Carlito pulled him right into a vicious COOL SHOT! That still didn’t end things, surprisingly. It was here Carlito started getting pissed and tugging at his afro, but his dad started barking at him about something, which irritated ‘lito even more. He turned back to Rey, who tried to surprise him with a ROLL-UP, but he escaped. He softened Rey up some more before whipping him into the ropes, but Rey countered by KICKING HIM IN THE FACE when his head was down. Never understood the logic behind that move, but if it works, it works.

This turned into some SPINNING HEADSCISSORS for Rey that plopped ‘lito right on the middle rope again and he went for a second 619 and it looked like he got it, but Carlito moved and sent Rey spinning all the way round…AND WENT FOR A BACKCRACKER…but Rey held onto the top rope and sent Carlito’s head crashing down. He followed that up with his INVERTED BODYSCISSORS BULLDOG…that reversed into a WHEELBARROW FACEBUSTER from Carlito. These guys were just going back and forth like hell. This still didn’t get the winning fall for the Puerto Rican, who was really getting pissed here. His dad was yelling at him again, in Spanish this time, so you knew it was serious shit.

Carlito had had enough and went over to argue back at his dad in one of those heated angry Spanish people arguments that sounds like someone’s gonna get stabbed really soon. It got so bad that Carlito actually dipped his head through the middle ropes to get in his dad’s face. And they Mysterio saw that and promptly answered all arguments by finally CRACKING CARLITO WITH THE 619. Rey followed that up with the WEST COAST POP…but Carlito dodged it! That one caught everyone off guard, even Carly Sr. Carlito tried to follow that up with a BACKDROP/GERMAN SUPLEX of sorts, but Rey flipped out of it, landed on his feet, and caught Carlito in a STANDING HURRICANRANA, almost like a stationary West Coast Pop. He grabbed both legs…AND FINALLY GOT THE THREE! Mysterio beat Carlito at (13:40) in one of the better opening matches in the fed and definitely more exciting than their PPV encounter.

Post-match, Carlito was pretty upset and his father was giving him this ‘I told you so’ finger while the commentators evidently played up that Rey got his revenge from The Outer Limits. We cut to commercial afterwards after the commentators hyped up the rest of the card, er, the potential card. They kept flashing graphics on the screen for the plug, and of course, we cheered or booed because we’re wrestling fans and we’re predictable.

[9:21] – No Matches for the Wicked
Apparently, we’re back from the commercial break and we look up at the Yin-Yang-Tron to see Steve Romero in the Green Zone. He looks nice in a brown suit. Anyway, he’s standing by with his guests in William Regal and Brent Albright. No Paul Burchill? Strange. Romero asks Albright how he feels about the randomness of the Dynasty Tournament. Albright doesn’t even say anything. Instead, he hocks up a lugie and SPITS ON ROMERO’S NICE SUIT! The hell!? As Romero reels from getting spit on, Albright just leans into the microphone and says “That’s what I think about it.” Really, Brent, tell us how you really feel. But then I guess being forced to face your mentor will make a guy bitter.

Regal steps between the two and admonishes Albright, albeit with a very empty tone. He reminds him that Mercs, Inc. are “civil first, savages second”. Regal then mutters something about being “able to take the boy out of Oklahoma, but you can’t take the Oklahoma out of the boy”. Interesting that this is the first time they reference Albright’s upbringing to my knowledge. Regal goes on to say that the randomness isn’t so bad, considering that by luck of the draw, he’s one of the three men who will get byes in this round and go straight to Rise of a Dynasty. But then he also notes that he and the Mercenaries also make their own luck in the randomness, so we can be assured one of them will make it to the finals.

[9:23] – Byes, Byes, Byes…
An update from my commentary area source. He says Styles and Bradshaw ran down the list of reasons why there are three byes and the men who got them. There were vacancies in the bracket because of one draw (the SOD’s match together), one which saw a health induced no-contest (I presume was the Sydal/Kidman match that never happened) and a competitor disqualification (knocking Tarver and Banks out). The byes were assigned at random, just like the other places on the bracket, although the men that got them were Regal, Finlay, and Shawn Michaels. Styles then evidently reported how ‘convenient’ it was that two guys like Regal and Finlay got into the Supershow so easily, but then went on a rant about how Michaels was probably Heyman’s doing himself trying to advance the chances of having his own champion. Personally, I hope HBK doesn’t win, but hey, I’m supposed to be unbiased.

[9:37] – A War Machine Meets a Gray Area
When the focus went back to the ring, Tyler Black came out through the curtain in his really cool trenchcoat. I’m not sure if this is intended or not, but at the moment, no one is actually entirely sure how to react to Tyler Black. He’s getting mostly heat, but there’s a noticeable mixed reaction. I mean the guy is advertised as the ‘One Man Gray Area’ or whatever and I’ve always thought that while antiheroes work great in wrestling, if the crowd is too confused with your alignment to know what’s up, it might be bad. Would he be an antivillain, then…? I assume he’s still a heel and from the way he played to the crowd I see he still is, but I kind of find it hard to dislike this guy (the Blessed Giver of Nachos’ fiancé thinks so too and says she loves his new hairdo). I’d like to know what to do because he’s becoming one of my favorites.

Of course as soon as I say he’s one of my favies, the next sound I hear is the freakin’ Godzilla horn. Samoa Joe came out to the biggest pop of the night and damn he just radiates intimidation. On TV, Joe looks so natural in his badass role, but in person, it’s not just natural, it’s an entire aura. I just saw a behemoth with a towel on his head cut on down the ring with no nonsense, step in, rip it off, and then play up a little bit.

The match actually kicked off in quite the unexpected fashion, because Black was in control from the early goings. He was going after Joe with all kinds of kicks and elbows. The way Black delivers his offense is chaining strikes together, so Joe actually didn’t have much time to react to a lot of stuff. I also didn’t realize how much Black likes to talk smack when he’s on offense. He’s quite the cocky little shit. He got too cocky and gave Joe a little bit of room, which Joe quickly closed up by hitting a RUNNING SINGLE LEG DROPKICK. This put Black in the corner, where we all got to chant along as he raked Black’s face with the OLE KICK.

Joe’s offensive efforts only netted him a pile of 2-counts, but he did keep countering Black and stopping his momentum. When Black nailed Joe with a STANDING ENZEGUIRI, he tried to bounce off the ropes at Joe, only to get caught in a SCRAPBUSTER. It didn’t end the match there and Black managed to get in another position of advantage after avoiding an ISLAND DRIVER and even drove Joe’s face right into the second turnbuckle with a sick STO. That’s when Black took control of the pacing again and smashed Joe with a BRILLIANT YAKUZA KICK. But that didn’t get Black the win either.

Joe got back on top when Black tried to nail him with a CORNER FOREARM SMASH, but Joe did that one-hand catch thing he does in the corner. The ST JOE I think is what it’s called. Joe managed to his one of his sick combos and ended it with a RUNNING SENTON. That still didn’t end things and when Joe tried to force things, Black lowered the top rope when he charged at him and sent him outside. Then Black made me love him even more when he nailed a beautiful PLANCHA SHOOTING STAR PRESS. It got the crowd chanting and perhaps again put his alignment in question, but when he tried to follow it up with a suplex on the outside, Joe managed to reverse it and SUPLEX HIM ON THE PADDING. This led back into the ring where Joe locked in THE CLUTCH…but Black thrashed around like a dying fish trying to find a way out. He actually managed to get to his feet, only for Joe to pull him back under again. Joe won with the rear naked choke at (10:41).

Post-match saw Joe actually nod his head at Black as perhaps a small sign of respect, but didn't help him up or anything.

[9:40] – WE WANT NACHOS
Close to around the time we went to a commercial break, that section of guys started up with a “We Want Banks” chant again, although since this is a taped show, I don’t know if that’ll stay in or be muted. Not that AOW would mute that; they don’t seem nearly as “crowd control Nazi” as the WWE does, but maybe if FX doesn’t even want a mention of him on the air, they might force them to edit it out. But yeah, around the commercial break, I decided to sulk in one of my rising favorites losing out and seek refuge in a new plate of nachos, however this one I’d have to pay for.

The commercial breaks are shorter in AOW than in general, but this week, the commercials are really short because they’re trying to fit all these lengthy matches in. I guess they could fix that in post-production with editing and whatnot if they needed to, but kudos to AOW for not actually changing their show formula JUST because it’s being taped this week and next. They’re still treating it like a live, organic performance. Anyway, there wasn’t much of a concession wait, so I didn’t have to wait in line long and thank God, Yahweh, Allah, and all the animal spirits I didn’t because holy shit there were some annoying fans in that line. And I mean I know this is a pretty great wrestling hotbed, but you also have those fans that make you embarrassed to be a wrestling fan even when you’re amongst other wrestling fans. Like the guys in line in front of me talking about the WWE and how they’d ‘fire Cena’ and ‘hire Nigel McGuinness’ and ‘get CHIKARA on a TV deal’. Dudes, you’re at an AOW show which is trying to fill all of those holes. And to make matters worse, the nacho maker didn’t look a thing like Justin Gabriel. Whatever.

[9:56] – The Ace Meets an Ace Steel Student
AAWWW YEAAAAH~!!! IT’S CLOBBERIN’ TIME!! Sorry, had a mark out moment there. Punk was on his way out and got a reaction pretty similar to Joe’s. I really wonder what they have in store for this guy. He’s got a lot of tools and can do lots of things well and out of all the perceived ‘mid-carders’, he’s gotten the biggest and best reaction by far. Suffice to say, Punk might hold that Dynasty title for a while. He actually threw his “One Dark Flame” t-shirts into the crowd RIGHT TOWARDS ME, but the Bestower of Nachos actually got it and gave it to his fiancé. He was fangirling pretty hard. As cute as the two of you are, watch yo girl, dude. She might just be into wrestling for the hunky guys.

There was a little bit of a wait for his opponent, which was…SHELTON BENJAMIN! Benji was getting some surprising heat, considering that I don’t feel like he’s made a full-on heel turn quite yet, but he’s certainly more than going that way. He was wearing one of the hoods he had in the WGTT, but it didn’t have the WGTT design on it and it was a deep red.

This one was hot out of the gate, mostly because these two have met each other before in both the WWE and AOW, but Christ, Shelton was on FIRE. His whole ‘Ace aggression’ thing he’s had recently in his heel-ish turn really showed out here. He gave Punk NO room for anything. Punk backs away to whip off the ropes? Shelton follows him, knees him in the gut, and nails him with a GUTWRENCH SUPLEX. Punk tries to whip Shelton into the corner and go for the HIGH KNEE? Benjamin reverses the whip, short arms it, and destroys Punk with a SHORT-ARM LARIAT. After almost every move, Benjamin would ask the referee (who was Black Referee, btw) “what’s my time”, like he was obsessed with maybe beating his own time from the first round. Punk managed to create some space with a NIFTY NECKBREAKER, but it didn’t down Benjamin enough to stop his offense at all. He kept Punk down and grounded him with his amateur wrestling skills for a while after that, slowing him down considerably.

It wasn’t until Punk was able to surprise Shelton with one of those cool ROUNDHOUSES he has that he was able to mount any substantial offense. He managed to pull off a very crisp SNAP SCOOP POWERSLAM, but it didn’t get him closer to the three count. Punk tried to pick up some more steam and go for the CORNER HIGH KNEE, but Benjamin freakin’ caught him during the move, turned around, and hit him with the TURNBUCKLE POWERBOMB. I’m telling you, the guy is mean. He got the advantage again, but still couldn’t quite put Punk away, even after a nasty OVERHEAD BELLY TO BELLY. He then tried to go for a SUPERPLEX, but Punk knocked him off the top rope and looked like he wanted to hit a big move from up top…until Benjamin recovered and did that clean leap to the top rope and SLAMMED PUNK AGAIN!

That still didn’t end it, but Punk managed to dodge a STINGER SPLASH in the corner and successfully turn it into his HIGH KNEE/BULLDOG combo. He couldn’t get the winning cover there, but then tried for his SPRINGBOARD CLOTHESLINE, only to fall flat and for Benjamin to try his DRAGON WHIP…but then Punk dodged the second kick and put him up for the GTS. I couldn’t see cleanly from my angle, but other people said they saw Benjamin push his feet off the ropes behind him and force Punk to fall, Shelton landing on top and then locking in that SCISSORED ARMBAR he’s introduced. It took a while, but Punk got to the ropes to break it. Benjamin was really pissed about that, but when he got Punk back up, Punk tried for a PEPSI TWIST, only for Shelton to get behind it and go for a GERMAN SUPLEX, but Punk kept the pace up and forced it into a WHEELBARROW VICTORY ROLL…AND THEN GOT THE THREE COUNT!! Punk won at (13:32) in what’s been one of the better matches of the night so far. Shelton was super pissed and tried to deck Punk, but Punk ducked it, took his title, and kept going up the ramp all smiles.

…but Shelton was not all smiles. At all. Since he couldn’t get his hands on Punk, he turned around to Justin King and CRUSHED HIM WITH AN EXPLODER SUPLEX!! If there was any doubt in my mind that Shelton Benjamin was just heel-ish or just being more aggressive and not turning full heel, those were promptly squashed. Heel Benjamin has arrived and God help Charlie Haas because I’m pretty sure that’s his first target.


[10:05] – “God” Shoots the Moon
So my commentary source said JBL and Joey were plugging the “Fan Bracket Showcase” at the talkie table and putting over Benjamin’s mean streak while Benjamin himself left the ringside area, but then suddenly the arena’s lights just shut off. I think by this point we all know what was going down and who was responsible. The arena was groaning into a great deal of heat, but then it erupted to a huge pop when the Yin-Yang-Tron lit up to show the full moon outside. I think everyone in this arena had seen the ‘Man in the Moon’ promo to know that image means something. The camera then panned back…to show Chris Jericho outside on a roof, as opposed to Christian Cage. This was met with ungodly heat that didn’t get any better when he smirked like the smug bastard he is.

Jericho went on to actually recite the beginning of that ‘Man on the Moon’ promo. But then he stopped and chuckled. He factiously asked Christian if he still believed in that nonsense he spewed months ago. He went on to say that he must still believe it because Christian’s head is still on the moon. Because, he said, Christian says he’s for the people; that he’s this “Savior” character when he’s really in it for himself and that that’s the reality. The reality is that this “Man on the Moon” persona is empty because the Moon, in reality, is not made of cheese. It’s not some kind of god in itself and it doesn’t have divine powers. It’s simply a giant piece of rock in Earth’s orbit.

And that’s what Jericho says he is. He’s a ‘god that has fallen to the Earth. I am the Earth’. He says Christian exists because he’s in Jericho’s orbit. That he made Christian. And that the sick truth is that if Christian were any kind of man on a mission that he says he is, he’d try and rid himself of ‘the Earth’ so that he can become his own being. I sense that he’s still trying to entice Cage into a rematch hard. He finished off by saying this world is not big enough to leave either man left standing while the other is and that the ‘Earth can be without a moon…but the Moon cannot survive on it’s own.” This guy is one glorious bastard.

[10:07] – Give Us Video Package Footage
Another commercial break pause, this time Tony Chimel played up to us and told us to hold up our signs so they could show them on the big screen. I’ve always thought this part of shows was so they could get footage for their future video packages regarding signs. There were some real nifties in the crowd tonight, but the one that caught my attention the most was one small one (not like ‘If Cena Wins We Riot’ size) draped over the balcony that said “AOW Please Tour Japan” that looked like it was from a legit Asian dude. It got me thinking if AOW really would do an oversees tour of sorts. I would think Japan would be pretty far up there on Paul Heyman’s radar of places to go should that be a possibility.

[10:18] – Silent Killers and Masked Thrillers
Aero Star is out after the commercial break and it makes a great deal of sense considering how low we probably were after the deconstructive promo. Star is probably the most fun guy to watch and I’m glad they’re potentially giving him the ball, especially after upsetting Bryan FREAKIN’ Danielson. Makes me wonder who they have in store for him this week…

YES! A cruiserweight match for a second week in a row! It’s Low Ki! I wonder how this is gonna work out, actually, considering one of the defining characteristics of both guys is that they don’t actually talk. I’m sure most of these people have seen the Offseason stuff and saw Ki rap, but that still leaves the number of times both of these guys have spoken on screen being able to be counted on one hand.

As anyone would expect, it was pretty furiously paced at the very beginning. Star showed off some of his technical, mat-based prowess last week and had to do so again to keep up with Low Ki. The two had a couple of stalemates that I couldn’t even begin to describe the sequence of in the early goings, flipping and rolling all out of each other’s clutches, grips, and wrenches. Things stayed at this high-paced stalemate until Ki got a good lick in on Star’s face (or where his face should be) and got to whip him into the ropes, only for Star to try the HANDSPRING ELBOW, but as he feet slingshot off the ropes and he was on all fours for a split second, Ki saw that and KICKED HIS LEGS FROM UNDER HIM.

That incredibly observant move that only a dedicated warrior could pull off got him the upper hand for a little while, but no matter how hard he kicked the masked bastard, the match wouldn’t end. I think Aero is inheriting some of that Rey Mysterio resolve. But it looked like Ki had it when he nailed the BLACK MAGIC and snapped the back of Star’s head open, but things didn’t end there either. I think Ki went for the JOHN WOO, but Star actually sidestepped it and caused Ki to fall on the back of his head. This gave Star all the room he needed to start upping the pace in his favor, but when he tried to go for a hurricanrana, Ki kept him from finishing it and actually pulled him up and looked like he was gonna hit him with a POWERBOMB…until Star somehow slipped his legs up under Ki’s arms, got him by the ropes, and flipped over, sending Ki ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. Star himself flipped right onto the apron and waited for Ki to get back up, only to spring up for an ASAI MOONSAULT, but from the top rope…but instead, he bounced up and came crashing down on top of Ki with some kind of FREE-FALL CANNONBALL kind of move.

It was incredible to see, especially the elevation he got on it, but it took out as much of him as it did Ki. He stayed on him, though, and tried to get the win, bud couldn’t. He then managed to counter one of Ki’s sick kicks the same way he countered Danielson last week with a LEG WHIP. Ki ran into a kick to the gut and Star hit a beautiful FLOAT OVER SUPLEX that went right into a pin, but couldn’t end it there. Star was actually countering Ki trying to get back on his feet entirely, using his speed to his advantage. He arm whipped Ki so hard he went onto the ring apron, only to be DROPKICKED IN THE FACE and sent to the floor.

Anytime the opponent lands outside with Aero Star, the whole crowd lights up because I think the Tope Torpedo just might be one of, if not the, most over move/spot in the company. But we were disappointed tonight because when he went to try the TOPE TORPEDO, Ki actually ROUNDHOUSE KICKED HIM SQUARE IN THE HEAD JUST AS HE FLEW THROUGH THE ROPES. It was one of the stiffest, most non-hardcore brutal counters I’d ever seen and it knocked Star out cold. It KO’d Star so bad, it let Ki get to the top rope and go for the WARRIOR’S WAY…but Star rolled out of the way at the last minute, though Ki was ready for it and landed so that he rolled when he hit.

Star still wasn’t fully conscious, so he got up woozy to a still prepared Low Ki, who successfully delivered the JOHN WOO KICK that Star sold like an effin’ champ. This was followed up by the TIDAL CRUSH, which is also one of the most over moves in the promotion. This didn’t get him the win either, but then he went for the KRUSH KOMBO, only for Star to dodge the last kick and ROLL HIM UP, but that didn’t end things either, but right afterwards, Ki FINISHED THE ROUNDHOUSE COMBO anyway. That couldn’t finish things either, so Ki got a little desperate and looked like he was going for a DRAGON SLEEPER, but Star managed to fight out to his feet, twist out, and hit a PERFECT ENZEGURI. That set Ki up perfectly by the turnbuckle and looked like he was going for the AERO STAR PRESS, but Ki got himself up and hit a SPRINGBOARD ENZEGUIRI that got Star right in the back of the head that caused him to fall from the top and get caught in a Tree of Woe. Ki then went up to the top rope and stood over the Tree of Woe and got us all buzzing…THEN KI NAILED THE WARRIOR’S WRATH, THE TREE-OF-WOE HUNG DOUBLE FOOT STOMP. Needless to say, this got Ki the three count at (11:45) in one of the more exciting matches of the night. So much so, they got a ‘Standing O’ from a lot of people.

[10:20] – A Noble Reward
We went backstage to Paul Heyman’s office. As usual, he was with Shawn Michaels, but HBK really looked miserable being there. Heyman just kinda kept glancing over at Michaels with these uneasy eyes. He’s still in his wheelchair and trying to get work done when he can feel Michaels’ eyes hit him and he actually says “You should be thanking me you’re not competing tonight”. Or he would’ve finished that sentence before Jamie Noble walked in the office. I think it goes without saying, Joey Styles’ suspicions were right.

Heyman welcomed Noble before telling him that he had a reward for him because of his hard work in the Offseason. He told him he isn’t at liberty to give him something like an AOW World title shot, but he can give him something just as good and that’s that Jamie Noble now has the right to face off for any other championship that he desires. Noble was pretty psyched and even tried to celebrate the news with Shawn Michaels…but Michaels wasn’t having it. So Noble just “Yee-Haw”ed to himself on out of Heyman’s office…

My commentary accomplice told me that Joey and JBL went over the fact that the brackets for Rise of a Dynasty will be finalized before the next show on aohdubya.com, meaning this will be the first leg of the Tournament where people who know who they're facing.

[10:43] – Technical Knock Out
So onto the main event of the evening, which to a lot of people, still has four names up in the air, but with my commentary knowledge, I know there’re only two distinct possibilities. So it was of no surprise to me when Charlie Haas was the first man out, looking more intense than usual, but not more than he did last week. He was paying a little bit to his left shoulder which might have been hit hard last week. Coming in after him as his opponent was none other than…Brent Albright, who came out with William Regal to the entrance stage. Regal just saw him off and didn’t come down the ramp with him, the Tournament’s ‘honor code’ or whatever being in effect.

So just as everyone would expect, this one got off to be a very technical grappling affair, both guys pretty much schooling the rest of the roster and showing them just how guys like Kurt Angle and Chris Benoit would do it in their heyday. Albright was playing the heel obviously, so he was the more aggressive one on offense, but the more aggressive Albright got, the more it brought out the aggression in Haas to try and match him and not let him overtake him. Things reached such a technical fervor, that the two were reversing each other’s moves at a lightning pace to the point where their rolling pin attempts kept countering one another and caused them to fall out of the ring.

They got back in, but not before Albright abandoned his technical style for a more brutish and brawler one for a moment, opting to smash Haas RIGHT UP AGAINST THE GUARD RAIL before clubbing him in his back and rolling him back into the ring, only to have his upper body hanging off of the ring lip. He started clubbing him more and then drove an elbow into the back of Haas neck before KICKING THE SHIT OUT OF HAAS’ SHOULDER. No doubt he saw Charlie tending to it earlier and probably the match last week and with Burchill and Regal in your ear, you’re not gonna let that slide with no punishment. He would get back in the ring and fail to get the three count by pinning the hurt shoulder down, but he kept working at it, only for Haas work his way out of what looked like a GERMAN SUPLEX attempt…and HIT HIS OWN GERMAN SUPLEX! But the damage had been done, as Charlie wasn’t able to hit the rolling Germans or even keep the bridge for a count attempt.

Still yet, it gave him the upper hand and with his unhurt shoulder, started delivering a series of fierce European uppercuts, flashing his physical side now. Haas then went on to deliver a pair of vertical suplexes to Albright that didn’t net him the win, only to get up and look like he was going for a third one…only to HANG ALBRIGHT TO DRY ON A ROPE!! Albright’s body dangling halfway into the ring opens up new pastures for him as he ventured to the middle rope of a nearby corner…AND NAILED A SECOND-ROPE DIVING KNEE TO A ROPE HUNG OPPONENT!! Albright might’ve been knocked out cold, but Haas didn’t do himself any favors by hitting Albright so that he fell outside of the ring and not inside.

Haas retrieved his prey from the outside edge, but not before casually CHUNKING HIM INTO THE RING STEPS! Was wondering when those would get displaced tonight and I’m glad I wasn’t disappointed. Haas rolled Albright back into the ring and waited for him to get up so he could springboard, and then went for the SPRINGBOARD BULLDOG…but Albright must’ve felt it coming because he dodged it pretty swiftly, forcing Haas to come down hard in a somewhat seated position, which Albright quickly picked on and pulled into a REGAL PLEX! He kept the bridge, but couldn’t’ quite the get the pin for it, but the meticulous one was back on the offensive. He started working over the shoulder a little bit more, even busting out a SHOULDER BREAKER, but didn’t get him the pin, so he followed that up with a really nasty SLINGSHOT SUPLEX that still didn’t end things.

Albright then went for another GERMAN SUPLEX, but again, Haas fought out of it enough that he could turn around while still in Albright’s grip, but Brent never let go, opting instead to throw Haas over for an OVERHEAD BELLY TO BELLY. Haas maybe looked like he landed on that left shoulder, worsening things for him, but not so bad that the match ended, as he kicked out. Albright didn’t’ show much frustration at all, opting instead to take Haas and ram him into a corner before taking him up for what looked like a SUPERPLEX. But still not dead in the water, Haas started fighting back and eventually had enough in him to knock Albright off the top to the canvas. Then he waited until Albright got up…AND HIT THE LEAPING TOP ROPE BULLDOG!! A huge move that put him right back into it, but it BARELY didn’t end the match, Albright raising a shoulder at 2½.

Both men were feeling it at that point, both of them slow to get back to their feet. That’s when Haas started hitting a series of arm drags that really started upping the pace until Albright came back for more, only to get hit with a mean BACK BODY DORP. The crowd was really getting into Haas here, and he was really starting to feel invigorated. So much so, that when Albright sought refuge in a corner, Haas happily showed him a STINGER SPLASH. Perhaps he and Shelton aren’t so different after all. After Albright was knocked around from that a bit, he lifted the Mercenary up to the top rope and set himself…BEFORE HITTING A FRANKENSTEIR!! CHARLIE FREAKIN’ HAAS HIT A FRANKENSTIER!! This got one of the biggest pops of the night, Haas pumping his fist on fire and went for the cover, but just couldn’t manage to get it there. Still with a lot of momentum, Haas waited for Albright to get up, where he caught him in a PAIR OF ROLLING GERMANS, though he had to wait between each one because of his shoulder. When he paused for the THIRD one, Albright hit a standing switch and finally hit his own GERMAN…THAT SENT HAAS’ SHOULDER RIGHT INTO A RING CORNER!!

Again, Albright showing just how meticulous he could really be, killing Haas’ momentum and possibly his shoulder. He then went high up to the top rope and somewhat surprised us all…AND NAILED THE DIVING HEADBUTT!! It looked like maybe that was aiming for the shoulder too, but that didn’t get the winning fall either. Even so, right after Haas threw his shoulder up, his arm was grabbed and PUT INTO THE CROWBAR!! Haas was fighting struggling like a motherfucker to try and get to the ropes before he FINALLY did. That shoulder was probably ripped to shreds by that point, but Haas got up to try to keep fighting. Albright tried to press the issue, but Haas caught him in the ONE-MAN FLAPJACK…AND THEN ROLLED IT INTO THE HAAS OF PAIN!!

It was Albright’s turn to scream in pain, but being another submission advocate, he could withstand the pain for a long time; so long that the One-Minute Warning clock appeared. Long enough for him to be able to move his body around…and roll through the HoP…AND LOCK IN ANOTHER CROWBAR!! That’s probably one of the coolest and most seamless submission sequences I’ve ever seen, and we were whiplashed right back into having to root for Haas to get out of it alive…when he FINALLY reaches another rope!! We were definitely into the match hardcore at this point, Haas having to get up in the corner. Albright pulled him out then tried to get him in the HALF NELSON SUPLEX, only for Haas to spin out and try for the TOTAL HAASTILITY, but then Albright dropped out of that and went for ANOTHER HALF NELSON SUPLEX…but then Haas spun out of that too and pulled him in for a SUPERKICK!! Not too long afterward, the fired-up Haas managed to pull him up and finally nail the TOTAL HAASTILITY and Charlie Haas got the most definitive, but pumped, pinfall of the night at (14:40).

Haas’ received a pop like he’s never heard before, but as Ray Ramsey raised his hand, we could see someone running down the ramp. The ramp was actually shadowed a little so unless you were in the right spot, you couldn’t see it and I couldn’t until he popped into the ring. But just as Haas was getting his hand raised, SHELTON BENJMANIN CAME IN, TOOK HAS, AND SHOVED HIM SHOULDER-FIRST INTO AN IRON RING POST!! The heat for Shelton was, in direct correlation to Haas, getting the most heat he’d ever gotten before. He looked pretty pissed, but Haas hit the corner so hard, he flopped through the ropes to the floor, where Benjamin continued the punishment by RAMMING HIM SHOULDER FIRST INTO THE REMAINING STEEL STEPS!!

The not a lot of us were booing anymore, we were just watching Shelton to see what’d he’d do next, which was even worse. He slung Haas back into the ring and loomed over him…BEFORE LOCKING IN THAT SCISSORED ARMBAR AND KEPT DESTROYING HAAS’ SHOULDER. Haas was screaming bloody murder and there was no one helping him. Ramsey had fled the ring, I assume because he attacked a ref earlier. He was also signaling to the back to get help/security/other, as Benjamin was not letting up. And maybe it was because I was sitting so close to the ring, but I could swear I heard something *POP* all the way where I was. It wasn’t until then that Ramsey and other officials got onto Benjamin and pulled him off, leaving Haas to roll around in some of the most pain I’ve ever seen anyone be in. I saw a kid break his leg in fifth grade once and he looked just like Charlie is right now, but with his shoulder. Officials started pulling Benjamin away from the carcass…and then I saw the EMT’s I saw in the lot earlier rushing down the ramp. Dammnit, I should’ve seen this coming. I guess Ramsey did his job, because there was nothing blocking them from getting a gurney and putting Haas on it and keeping his shoulder raised. I think we kept hearing them mutter “there's no way it’s not dislocated”. We’re heavy in overrun, but I think that’s the way they ended the show. Shelton Benjamin being detained as his former tag team partner was carried away with a dislocated shoulder…

Until next time, this has been The Informer...


-------


~RISE OF A DYNASTY~
June 2nd, 2008 - MGM Grand; Las Vegas, Nevada
*Confirmed Card*

~2008 Dynasty Tournament~

~Quarter Finals~

TBD v. TBD
TBD v. TBD
TBD v. TBD
TBD v. TBD

~Semi-Finals~
TBD v. TBD
TBD v. TBD

~The FINALS~
TBD v. TBD

*Fan Bracket Showcase*
Whomever has the most fan votes will compete





Aero Star
Brent Albright
Brian Kendrick
Bryan Danielson
Carlito Colon
Harry Smith
Jack Evans
Jack Hagar
Jamie Noble
Kofi Kingston
Manu
Matt Sydal
Nick Nameth
Paul Burchill
Paul London
Shelton Benjamin
Siaki
Super Crazy
TJ Wilson
Tyler Black


Who would you like to see compete in the Rise of a Dynasty Showcase?
1.
2.
3.


Alright, so here’s how the “Fan Bracket Showcase” is gonna work – it’s basically my mini-version of ‘Cyber Sunday’, I guess. And yes, you, fair BTB reader, get to vote!! If you wish to vote for any certain competitor that you wish to see compete at Rise of a Dynasty, send me via PM (NO spamming up the thread) the above template with your three choices and yes, the order does matter, sort of like a mini-BTB Mega Standings ballot. You’re able to pick from all the above losers of the Tournament so far, so that’s why some names aren’t there in particular. Depending on how many votes I get and for whom will determine the match type (1 vs. 1, 2 vs. 2, or a Trios match). Voting is open now, but remember there’s one more show before the Supershow. On the post for that show, I’ll probably post a deadline for your votes. Oh – and your votes may have an impact on the booking in the near future because if I know who you wanna see, I might feature them more. Maybe even some title implications might be involved in this…

Or if I don’t get enough people to vote, I can always fabricate the results :side: Hope all don’t hate me for the recap style.
 
#272 ·
Yes, it's time for ramblings. I haven't given you some proper thoughts in a while, so hopefully this'll provide that somewhat. As you've said before, King and Curator, EN GARDE~!

DAT OBLIVION FEEDBACK​

First off, of course, I'll say my piece on the format. I like how you're sort of fleshing out The Informer a little, given that you used him as a expository tool in the past and now he can accomplish the same thing, just with more atmosphere to it. He provides that fan's viewpoint which means you can recap the show but we still get the drama from it. I also like how similar The Informer's report was to real life dirtsheets (the pre-show focus on the arena fans, the commentators, the prepared EMTS etc.), it gives it an authentic feel and that keeps in line with how realistic the world you've created is. My slight issue is that at times I did feel a little detached; obviously this is always going to happen with recapped shows somewhat, but especially in losing the usual JBL-Styles banter (the discussion about the byes included) I felt like the show lost something there. I saw this with the Jericho promo, too - which I'll gush about in a bit - because the language was excellent but it had even greater potential had it been in full. Overall though, you got the information across, and whatever's easiest for you is preferable. Seeing as I'm recapping my own weekly matches now, I certainly know how helpful it can be.

So that I don't forget, let's talk Jericho. Obviously his bit in the hospital was chilling as all living fuck, but better minds than I have already pointed this out, so you know that. Heading to this week's goodness - the Earth vs. Moon metaphor was beautifully lyrical, exactly what I've come to expect from you, and I love the implication that Jericho is the man of real substance while Christian is empty, selfish. It's classic poetic, cruel Jericho. What really struck me though, and I've really had this impression for the last few weeks (I just don't tell you, sorry :$ <3), is this idea that without Jericho, there is no Christian, and though Jericho would never say so, it works the other way around. These two, despite your insistence on using Michaels prominently, have been the spine of AOW, the blood feud, and they are the Batman/Joker - they need one another, because without the other their life has no meaning. Had Jericho not become the Worthy Man and seized A-O-Dubya by the throat, Christian could never have risen to 'power' if you will, he never would have been able to save the company and become the man he is. It's exactly the kind of thing that made me write my article in the Summer Newsletter; sometimes we're not just here to book matches, sometimes we're here to tell stories. All that said, this is exactly why I wish we'd had the 'I am the Earth' moment in full, because it epitomises one of my favourite feuds in all BTB and solidifies the re-rise of challenger Jericho. Still, excellent little piece to keep this feud haute couture. Bon.

Obviously the main content of the show is the Dynasty Tournament, which I was pumped for during the Offseason as you know, but I haven't had a chance to discuss it so far. I see you're using TARVER/Banks as another branch to your realism tree rather than having them stick around in the tourney, but having the GOAT on Oblivion in the future is always promising. Similarly, the other main stories so far have been pretty entertaining, even if in other places it feels like just going through the motions; the Sons eliminating one another but Burchill being smarter and handing Albright his chance to go on is a nice little dichotomy, for instance. I'd agree with the above poster who said that Kidman's odds of getting Sydal made that segment a little too far-fetched, but to answer your question from before about general opinion regarding it - I love the Sydal/Kidman angle. I asked for a character-driven Sydal angle, and you delivered. Fear not there. Not sure where you take him next, especially now with the debut of DAT MUSCLE (who you've now made an interesting tag team with a unique gimmick, which is what I dared you to do a long ass time ago but hey ;)), but I imagine Matt's first win is on the horizon.

Making sure I give feedback on all fronts here; elsewhere in the tourney, I agree with Wolfy (I think it was he) who said that Regal over Noble was a surprise, given Noble's heroic effort against Christian in the Offseason. Admittedly, that performance was as much to suggest Christian hasn't earned the title yet as to put Noble over I imagine, but regardless, to see Noble go out in the first round was a shock. Likewise, to see Heyman (of all people) give Noble a title shot of his choosing is odd, because Paul E. generally doesn't seem like the guy to do that for people he's not working in cohesion with. I imagine that's your way of setting him up to maybe have another crack at Danielson, and that brings me to what was undoubtedly the shock of the tournament so far... I'm not so sure about it all. I was willing to give Danielson being eliminated a chance, but I was under the impression that you were launching Aero Star into the upper tiers of the tourney to apply him as the 'wild card', 'surprise package' of sorts... then Low Ki murdered him in their match this week. No doubt the action was spectacular (though I'd say Ki got a heavy amount of offence in the ending sequence without much reply), and that kick off the Tope Torpedo is a monster of a spot, but I was surprised to see a couple of these result decisions. While I'm here, losing Kofi so early caught me off-guard too. My only thought is that you're preparing for a sneaky Danielson/Noble rematch MOTN attempt on the undercard of Rise of a Dynasty, but then I still think if Aero was going to beat AmDrag, perhaps he shouldn't have been knocked out right after. I get you're going for 'It's AOW, anything can happen' and all, and I know not everyone can be on the Supershow, I just think it was a peculiar decision in the grand scheme of things. You know me though, always making mountains out of molehills.

I'm surprised it took me so long to get around to it, but the second-hottest thing on your show (behind Batman and the Joker) is undoubtedly Haas/Benjamin, and I think you did a clever little job - don't think we missed it - by having The Informer be unsure of Benjamn's alignment prior to his match, then deliberately make it very clear for all of us reading. The Punk/Benjamin match read very well, especially in Benjamin's character of constantly going mad with aggression and then asking Justin King what his time was, that's cool as fuck. He reminds me a little, in different way I suppose, of my Cody Rhodes - capable of great aggression at any cost to win, though mine's lost his mind and yours can't fathom a world where he's not the best athlete on the planet. It also makes him a huge scalp for Punk, but that's a point for another time, tonight wasn't really about him. I think tonight was a big turning point for the feud, even without the big post-match attack, because it solidifies that this isn't just Benjamin and Haas playing at competition anymore - it stopped being light-hearted and it got serious, like an argument that starts as a joke and ends with someone being shanked with the end of a broken bottle... wait, maybe that's just us English :side: I think the feud has a whole lot of potential, even though Haas/Benjamin feuds are done to death, and that's why it'll be all the more impressive if you pull it off well. The question is now how Charlie "Kills in Cold Blood" Haas responds, especially in the aftermath of the attack, and that's where the feud could possibly come into its own, so I await that. The other question, with Haas putting away a big threat in Albright, is how you handle him heading into RoaD, and whether the 'dislocation' will prevent him from competing. More on that in a second. I like how you somewhat focused on these two in this episode, briefly referencing the Michaels and the Jericho/Christian issues but mainly putting the cameras on your other feuds under the banner of the tournament. And you say I pay attention to my midcard, geez.

So looking at Rise of a Dynasty, we obviously have one more show before then; this is where I wonder about the Haas issue, seeing as he could technically fight heroically back to make it for the quarter-finals by then, only to be picked apart by Regal or Finlay because he's not yet ready, or be assaulted again by Benjamin, or whatever. I think you'll try to sneak Jericho into the frame somewhere - in fact I'm almost certain of it - so I think there could be a window there, but you've made a point of establishing thus far that when someone gets knocked out, there's no loopholes, so I wonder how you'll bring Jericho into the picture, or if you'll just have him collapse the entire tourney structure by ruining the Final. Lots of possibilities. The only thing you didn't do on this show, which I assume you'll do next week, is highlight the people who have made it to the big one, but with Haas' uncertainty I can understand why you didn't put your cards on the table right away. So far I'm seeing Joe, Punk, Mysterio, HBK, Regal, Finlay, Low Ki and Haas (with a BIG asterisk by his name), but Regal and Finlay are your only heels, which is a surprise. I maybe expected Danielson there, and Black and Kingston in there to tease yet another rematch, because you're you, but that might be the card you're playing by having Joe and Finlay in there under the radar together. The 6-to-2 face-to-heel is what makes me think Jericho's jumping into the fray somewhere, but as I say, you have lots of possibilities and that's what makes it exciting. Oh, and evidently you have the Fan Bracket Showcase thing too, so that's a bit more unpredictability. Actually that's probably why you won't do Noble/Danielson, you've only got so much time. And I may have been wrong about that anyway. I'm useless.

Overall, things are starting to heat up. I think perhaps the new season didn't kick off with as much of a bang as I expected, but things are up and running now and it looks good. I had a couple of gripes here and there, but don't we all, and tbh I know you've got something big planned for RoaD. Haas/Benjamin and that 'I am the Earth' promo stood out, and I eagerly await what happens on next week's show if only because there are a few things I'm unsure about: Low Ki, for instance, is a total boss but I'm amazed he's in the final 8. It might be after the Supershow that the tag team divison regains its spotlight, too, because American Made's interaction in the exclusives was excellent (Wilde shows promise as a character) and DAT MUSCLE obviously either have issues with Kidman/Sydal or they'll be on the tails of the Sons before too long. That's a lot of rambling, but to summarise, AOW has a lot of interesting stuff going forward, and I'm glad we'll get the Supershow before the year is out. Bon stuff good fella, stamp of approval and all that jazz. On to the next one (Y)
 
#273 ·
Can't thank the MelvisKnight enough for the blurb of welcome feedback. Lots of stuff for me to think about and digest going forward. Also, a big thanks to everyone who has voted so far for the Fan Bracket Showcase. Even with one more show to go, I've already gotten some early ballots that make me feel a little better about opening ballots up to people.

Since there was plenty news last time and it covered a lot of things, there's not any this go 'round, but a couple key things from the website...



aohdubya.com said:
CHARLIE HAAS DISLOCATES SHOULDER;
PROMISES TO STILL COMPETE AT RoaD


After defeating the meticulous Brent Albright this past week on Oblivion and punching his ticket to Las Vegas, Charlie Haas was assaulted by his former friend and tag team partner, Shelton Benjamin. After his shoulder had been picked apart by Albright, Benjamin would continue to play to the shoulder and eventually shove it into steel numerous times before forcing the shoulder out of place with the scissored armbar he introduced against Haas months ago.

Despite having to be carted out of the Hammerstein last week and against medical advice, Charlie Haas has made a vow to attend Rise of a Dynasty and take his spot in the Supershow. Haas has promised that he will be better by the time the quarterfinals roll around in two weeks. He won’t be in competition this week, but Haas definite inclusion rounds out the opening bracket of 8 for the Supershow. Will Charlie Haas be at 100% and actually be able to finish up the Dynasty Tournament?


RISE OF A DYNASTY QUARTER-FINAL BRACKETS ANNOUNCED!!

The uncertainty is finally at a standstill! For the first time in the entire bracket of the AOW Dynasty Tournament will be up for display and known before the matches actually take place!

Dynasty Champion CM Punk v. Rey Mysterio
Low Ki v. Finlay
Shawn Michaels v. Charlie Haas
Samoa Joe v. William Regal


These men are all that’re left from a field of 32 and they’re more than ready to tear into each other to figure out who is gonna be the man to earn an AOW World Heavyweight Championship match.

AOHDUBYA.COM EXCLUSIVES

This week on the .com Exclusives, (and in going with this week’s episode theme) we’ve got a trio of videos from four men who are in the running for the Fan Bracket Showcase who won’t be able to let their voice be heard on this week’s edition of Oblivion, but who are more than ready and apt to compete on the big show.

The standard exclusive white backdrop. The man standing before it is decked out in his ******* best and is not very good at hiding his smile. Jamie Noble rubs his hands together before he starts to talk

Noble:
Y’know, I think I’m startin’ to know what it feels like to be in control. I mean, before the Offseason? Let’s be honest – how many people were talkin’ about Jamie Noble?
~Noble stops and purses his lips and lifts up a “0” with his fingers

Noble:
But after the Offseason? The only man people are talkin’ about…is Jamie Noble. The Dynasty Tournament is good an’ all. But there’s only one guy that can even stand up to Christian Cage. An’ he’s not even in the bracket anymore.
~Noble’s confidence actually loosens up

Noble:
I messed up in my match. Left a body part open for William Regal to work me over on. But that doesn’t undo the fact that I took the AOW World Heavyweight Champion to the absolute limit.
~Noble’s back to his energized, cocky self

Noble:
An’ yeah. Paul Heyman granted me a title shot at any title of my choice. So y’know what? Maybe it doesn’t even matter. If you vote for me, you’re gonna see me. If you don’t, you’re gonna see me in a title match. I guess it’s win-win for me, huh? But that’s why you should vote Jamie Noble in the Showcase. Because we all like winners. An’ I know what it takes to win. ‘cause now, I got the power.
~Jamie gets closer to the camera

Noble:
An’ now you have the power to give me more power. A country boy can survive, an’ he can thrive! Vote for me – JAMIE FREAKIN’ NOBLE! YEE-HAW!
~The Virginia native makes a lasso with his arm as he yells, grinnin’ up a storm as he rides out of frame…

We’re on the Green Zone interview set, Steve Romero all set and ready to go

Romero:
Ladies and gentlemen, my guests at this time, he is one half of the high-octane tag team known as The Hooliganz…PAUL LONDON!
~The camera pans to our right…to see no one coming in or standing there.

Romero:
Uh…PAUL LONDON!
~…and Romero’s conjuring spell still isn’t working

Romero:
Where is he? He was here a minute ago…

London:
BLAAAAHHH~!!
~London suddenly JUMPS IN from the left side of the screen, a silly face plastered on and his tongue sticking out after startling Romero

Romero:
OH shit…um…well Paul, it’s nice to see you.

London:
It’s nice to see you.

Romero:
Are you…feeling well?

London:
Are you…feeling well?
~London looks quite spaced out as he repeats everything Romero says

Romero:
Um…okay…well, Paul, we’re here because you won’t be competing this week on Oblivion to maybe make your case for being voted into the Fan Bracket Showcase. Your tag team partner, Brian Kendrick, is competing, however. Can you tell the fans why they should vote you in?

London:
It’s simple really, Stevie – I’m a Hooligan. Well, technically, I’m half a Hooligan, but that’s why you shouldn’t just vote for Paul London, but you should also vote for Brian Kendrick.

Romero:
But why exactly should they vote for you?

London:
Why not? I mean, who doesn’t wanna see two wacky white guys kick some ass?

Romero:
Well said, I guess. Any other reasons?

London:
How about some tag teams getting the spotlight, huh? The Dynasty Tournament’s put a big focus on who we are individually, but some of us like to be seen two at a time.

Romero:
Well, you heard him, folks. Save two of those spots for some well-to-do tag teams and maybe we can make this Showcase a little bit more interesting.

London:
As interesting as me.
~London gazes like he’s lost in space again, staring directly into the camera. He gets closer and closer to it…until we go up his nostril and hear his breathing

Romero:
Um…cut?
~…as we fade away…

Back to the traditional white backdrop with a pair of big bad Samoans in the way. Siaki and Manu still have never looked ‘happy’ since they set foot in this company.

Siaki:
This is Siaki and Manu. Two of the baddest sons of bitches on this entire roster. We are the Samoan Fight Club. And you know what the first rule of Samoan Fight Club is? ALWAYS talk about Samoan Fight Club.
~Siaki jabs thumbs at he and the heavily-breathing monster beside him

Siaki:
But the problem is…nobody is. Nobody’s talkin’ about the Club. We’re just an afterthought. How can you call two guys who can beat any man on this roster to a bloody pulp ‘afterthoughts?’
~Manu is breathing harder

Siaki:
See, that’s why we need to be in the Fan Bracket Showcase. Because nothin’ gets people talkin’ like breakin’ some bones and destroyin’ some dudes. Trust me – you vote for us, and we’ll get you talkin’.
~Siaki steps a little closer to the camera

Siaki:
And I’ve been hearin’ some people say that without Carlito, we don’t have much of a leg to stand on. I say Carlito’s gone soft. But we? We’re just as crushing as we’ve always been. So give us the chance to prove that. ‘cause we’re the Samoa Fight Club. And when all is said and done, no matter who is in our corner, there’s always one thing we love to do.

Manu:
WE DESTROY!!
~Siaki points to his monstrous partner, who keeps breathing heavy as we fade away…



June 25th, 2008

The Hammerstein Ballroom – Manhattan, New York City, New York
“Mêlée à Trois”


~Just one week away from the biggest Supershow on the AOW calendar, we have not one, not two, but a TRIO of TRIOS MATCHES!
~The main attraction is a big six-man tag between the men who will tear into each other next week in the Dynasty Tournament! CM Punk, Samoa Joe, and Rey Mysterio tag up to face Finlay, William Regal, and Low Ki.
~Will Charlie Haas, despite being not medically cleared, show up? Also, what role will Paul Heyman and Shawn Michaels play?
~Two other six-man tags remain! Brian Kendrick, Super Crazy, and Kofi Kingston team up to face the men who eliminated them in the Dynasty Tournament – Carlito, Shelton Benjamin, and Tyler Black!
~And finally, the Cruiserweight Champion and the Tag Team Champions team up to face men who have been thorns in their side – American Made and possibly hoping for another upset, Aero Star!
~ALSO – Chris Masters competes in his first match since his return
~The Fan Bracket Showcase will be full display, as lots of men compete in lots of matches to get your attention for votes!
~…but before all of that, Christian Cage has a special decree!
~All this (and more!) on the next Oblivion!

.:Confirmed for Oblivion:.

The Return of Chris Masters

PLUS…

~A Trio of Trios~

~Dynasty Tournament Clash~
Dynasty Champion CM Punk, Samoa Joe, & Rey Mysterio
v.

2008 Trios Tournament Winner William Regal, Finlay, & Low Ki


~Dynasty Revenge~
Kofi Kingston, Super Crazy, & Brian Kendrick {w/Paul London}
v.
Shelton Benjamin, Tyler Black, & Carlito Colon {w/Carly Colon, Sr.}


Cruiserweight Champion Bryan Danielson & World Tag Team Champions Sons of the Dungeon
v.
Aero Star & American Made
{w/Taylor Wilde}

BUT FIRST…

Christian Cage demands time to speak

Refusing to go out today and tomorrow with the whole 'Black Friday' thing not being my thing, so hopefully I can get the next show (which will be in the same recap style as the last show) polished in that time. Also, don't forget, the Fan Bracket Showcase is still up and open, so keep those PM's coming, seeing as how the deadline isn't even set yet. Happy Thanksgiving to all celebrating and good fortunes to the section as a whole for the increased activity. Show should be up over the weekend hopefully. Don't hate me 'til then :eek:
 
#274 ·
Sorry this is nearly an entire week late. Life got caught in the way. But here it is anyway, in I think shorter form than last show :$




June 25th, 2008

The Hammerstein Ballroom – Manhattan, New York City, New York
“Mêlée à Trois”


*Online SPOILERS*


What’s going on, good people? This is your reporter extraordinaire “The Informer” and I’m back with another batch of spoilers for the take-home show before RoaD. Just like last week, I’ll have a ringside partner so you guys can get all the juicy goodness of stuff I can’t be at. I’m in virtually the same seat as I was last week, so there’s that. Keep it here for updates that hopefully won’t bother you all the night long. It’s time for a spoiler diary – pt. II! I’ve already arrived at the arena, so I won’t bore you with too much pre-show goodies, but let’s get to it anyway…

[8:40] – Nachos and Dark Matches (Men?)
I think my affinity for nachos was well documented last week, so it goes without saying I made sure to get some before the opening bell. And this time, I had to go get my first round on my own seeing as how this was an ‘other’ week for the engaged couple that I met last week that only comes to the shows every other week.

Nonetheless, I’m actually glad I went and got some and didn’t go investigative skulking because as it turns out, we had a dark match. I don’t think anyone was expecting it at all, but we didn’t really complain when it was Tyson Tarver who came out. He actually got a decent pop and then a “WE WANT BANKS!” chant started up again. These smarks. Oh, who am I kidding – we smarks. He was facing Justin Gabriel, which I suspect was possibly just one of those pseudo-tryout matches for Gabriel and possibly a tune-up match for Tarver…? Guess they didn’t want him sitting on ring ice too long with Banks not allowed to be there.

Won’t go too much into detail because the match didn’t last too long, although Tarver looked really impressive. Gabriel wasn’t a slouch either, flashing some really cool cruiserweight moves and even hit that moonsault-to-DDT thing AJ Styles does. Tarver killed him anyway, and won with the Kill Shot around the (6:01) minute mark. Tarver’s really scary up close. Not like Mark Henry scary, but y’know, the same fear you would have if you were approached by a large, powerful black guy who could break your jaw before you blink.

[9:01] – Curtains Up!
And we’re rolling film! The place is just as electric as it was last week, with things just off the walls here, which is great for both the cameras and the take-home show, I suppose. No signature and no singalong, though.

[9:17] – A Man Possessed
The show opened with all of us buzzing around and already rocking the whole place, but then it got even louder when we heard “GO!” from the sound system. Christian Cage was out to open up the card as promised, and we cheered something fierce for that guy. He looks really good with the AOW World title. I could barely hear his music because everyone around me was so loud. We really do like this guy, don’t we? But Christian was having none of it. The look on his face, even from where I was sitting, was not one of joy. He didn’t do the chest pat. He didn’t look for Peeps. He didn’t even so much as look at anything except looking forward. I guess when your archrival threatens your mother, you wouldn’t look like Christmas morning either. He almost, if I have the way to say, looked…like the Christian of old. Driven mad.

He certainly sounded like he was back in his Man on the Moon mind. He got a microphone and didn’t look up from the canvas while speaking – a dead giveaway indicator that he’s back in his old mind. The first words out of his mouth were to be us to stop cheering. When the cheering died down but didn’t subside, he SCREAMED into the microphone for us to stop. This shit was gonna get serious really quick. He went on to explain that the months of torture Jericho put him through last time was bad enough, but now he’s crossed something even deeper. But even in his rage of Jericho doing that, Christian says that Jericho still has a point.

He says that he can’t be the champion we all expect him to be. He went on to say that he failed us; that he’s failed us as AOW World Champion because he hasn’t been the Savior he promised to be. He then dropped to his knees and apologized to us. He apologized to AOW for not being our Savior and then apologized to his mother for not being able to save her too. And then he said he had to apologize to everyone as a whole, AOW and mother, because of what he was going to say next. “I know what Chris Jericho wants. And I know everything he’s ever done has been to have this”, pointing to his AOW Championship. “And I said before, I told him in front of all of you, that the puppet act stops here. No one else will fall prey because we’d all seen the act. And yet…that’s just what I’m about to do.”

Christian then continued to say that he knows it’s wrong and against everything he stands for, but he knows Jericho won’t stop and worse and worse things will happen. His whole body was shaking. It was truly a disturbingly beautiful sight. So, he said, in order to stop Jericho from doing anything more…he’d grant Chris Jericho a rematch for the AOW World Heavyweight Championship. For the first time in a long time, Cage got some kind of heat, but I think most of us were too taken aback by his performance than to actually boo the news.

But our reaction suddenly recoiled from being pulled in by Christian to a huge pop because we heard what sounded like a car crash hit the sound system. And that only meant one man. MICK FOLEY WAS BACK! Mick acknowledged us, but barely, because he was obviously making a beeline to the ring. Christian looked pretty indifferent to seeing Foley, but before Foley stepped in the ring, he put the microphone up and told Christian to “stand up. You don’t owe anybody anything, no apologies, nothing, stand up.” Cage listened and then we listened to Mick. He wasn’t playing any games either.

Foley asked Christian to think about what he’s doing and what he’s saying. Foley continued to say that Cage has done an impressive job as champion so far. “You can’t save the company every day. No one expects you to. What these people expect is a fighting champion who is the epitomy of this company and it’s spirit. That’s exactly what you are”. Foley kept building Christian up, but then he let him have it: “…the only thing disappointing about your reign so far…is this. He told Christian that “what you’re doing right now is not just saying what Chris Jericho wants you to say, but you are who Chris Jericho wants you to be. You’re breaking. Cracking.” He also tells Christian that “I have no problem with you facing Jericho again. It’s just why you want to paired with the fact that like this…you’ll never beat him.”

That one really struck a chord with Christian, who looked up for the first time right at Foley. Foley continued and told Christian that ‘You owe no one anything because being the man with that belt makes you a greater man already. And Christian, that makes you the strongest of all of us. Because you’ve taken it before. And here you stand, greater than us all. Don’t you let him bring you down to the level he wants” We actually got behind that one, as we were trying to cheer both Foley and Christian on. Foley went on to say that he knows Christian and that Christian isn’t going to change his mind. But what Foley can do, he said, was to “offer a balance”. He couldn’t stop Christian from giving Jericho that match, but he said what he can do… “is don some referee stripes for ya”. That got the largest pop of the night and a satisfied look on Cage’s face.

Christian responded by saying that’s his favorite thing about Foley – “you get it. You always get it.” But Christian says that he has two more requests for the Acting Commander. “One – I want the match not to take place in Vegas or Pittsburgh. No, I want it in two weeks, right back here, in front of the same people Jericho’s been stringing along, the same people who I have saved and will save again – the people of the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York!” Needless to say, that condition got the biggest reception outside of both men’s entrances. I guess that means we’ll be getting Christian/Jericho on free TV?? The network’s waning faith and the hotshot mindset they’ve gotta be in have to be the blame for this one.

But speaking of that, Christian’s next condition was that “I’ve already made a ‘god’ drop down to Earth. Now I’m gonna show him just how mortal he is. How much like a regular man he is. I want it to be…a LAST. MAN. STANDING match.” That got a huge pop as well, but also a look of genuine concern on Foley’s face. We found out why when he told Christian that “I can do that…but I don’t know if it’ll go through”. We were all sort of confused as to what was going on and then Foley explained: “The network hasn’t been pleased with some of our conduct as of late, and something that might wind up as graphic as that match might not fly with the ‘Big Guys’.” So they’re actually bringing their network trouble on screen in a way? I like. I guess Heyman might be quick to jump the gun on these things, though, considering his past with networks...

Christian wasn’t very happy about that at all, even getting in Foley’s face and asking him “are you with me or against me??” Foley barked right back that “in a way, I AM against you!” He said he has no problem with getting a front row seat to see Christian beat Jericho to a pulp because “trust me, Christian, the only guy here who might hate Jericho more than you is me”. But he reiterated that he still didn’t condone Christian’s decision because of the motives and the fact that he was played along. Christian said that he didn’t care because “sometimes, Mick…and you should know…sometimes you have to become a monster of a man to fight the monsters who think they’re above man”. That seemed to hit Foley hard, who then lowered his intensity to a normal tone and told Christian that at Rise of a Dynasty, he can get Christian an audience with an FX executive…in the middle of the ring. “See if you can convince them yourself. The way I know you’ve convinced me.” So the segment ended on a huge pop as both Foley and Cage shared a pair of sick, but slick, smug smiles as they shook hands. I don’t think I’ve seen an AOW scene that intense in quite a while, but that set the tone for the night in a big way. So I guess we’ll be getting at least one segment at RoaD with Christian and…I guess a guy from FX. Could be cool, could fall flat on it’s face like my heart says it will, but I guess we’ll see. We had a bit of a lull after this, which I’m assuming they’re doing the whole ‘live commercial break’ thing again this week.

[9:29] – Trios Night: Pt. I
Okay, so one of the most prominent parts of the entire night is the fact that there’s three different six-man tag team matches going on. I guess I shouldn’t call them ‘Trios’ considering that Trios matches have a different set of rules than just plain old six-man tags. But regardless, the first set of guys out were the ‘face’ team of Kendrick, Crazy, and Kofi Kingston (London wasn’t with Kendrick, surprisingly). Kingston, predictably, got the biggest pop of the three. I really hope they do something with him. I know he won one of the rematches, but outside of the 25-minute debut, he hasn’t done much yet.

Coming out next was Tyler Black, who got a similar reaction to last week – no one’s entirely sure whether they should boo or cheer him. Still the personification of his actual character. Either way, Carlito got a bit more undisputed heat, with his dad still on his tail. He even pulled him by the ear halfway down the ramp and to the ring! Carlito wasn’t very happy and like last week, tried to play it off. But Benjamin came out to an A TON of heat. I was unsure about him last week, but damn, he was actually nearing Jericho territory. I think it has more to do with how hot Haas was last week (or even if Haas is over like that) than perhaps genuine hatred, seeing as how I don’t think he’s fully explored his newly heel character quite yet.

BUT regardless of what I think, the match started off with Super Crazy stepping in against Carlito (even though Benjamin wanted in first). I was told the commentators played up the past between these two, which made more sense when Super Crazy was hot out of the gate. He was bashing ‘lito’s brains in with some fists before going for the TEN PUNCH with the whole crowd counting in Spanish. He used this momentum to tag in Kendrick, who started to keep Carlito on the ropes, but he gave him a bit too much room when he forced him against those ropes. Kendrick tried to rebound off the ropes at him, but Carlito countered by BACKDROPPING KENDRICK UP AND OVER THE TOP ROPE!!

That surprised the hell out of most of us, but Carlito didn’t let up on that, despite his dad getting onto him for it. Carlito CHUNKED KENDRICK UP AGAINST THE GUARD RAIL before dragging him back in and failing to get the pinfall. Tyler Black was the next guy to give it a go, and he didn’t waste any time laying into Brian. He SMASHED A PAIR OF FOREARM in Kendrick’s face, but when he tried to do it one more time, Kendrick moved and caused Black to hit the turnbuckle hard. Kendrick tried to use that opportunity to get to his corner, but when he tried to leap over Black to do it, Tyler caught him in a fireman’s carry and HIT THE FIREMAN’S CARRY FACEBUSTER on the turnbuckle before rebounding and finishing the combo with a YAKUZA KICK. Kendrick showed some resolve, successfully kicking out of that.

I didn’t hear it for most of it, but apparently, Benjamin’s been chiming for most of the match to get in. I guess the whole ‘consumed by competition’ thing really is a thing. This led to a point when Black couldn’t get the pinfall and Benjamin started chastising Black for not getting the job done. Black looked to get in his face, but he was rolled up from behind by Kendrick, but that didn’t finish things. It gave Kendrick enough momentum, however, to actually take Black and get him in a JUMPING SWINGING DDT!! Both men were down and the crowd was getting insanely hot for Kendrick to get into his corner, but that’s possibly only because he was going for Kingston...and he finally got it! The hot tag brought Kofi in, and the crowd got even hotter when the action in the ring just stopped so that Black and Kingston could have a standoff…but it got interrupted when Benjamin got the blind tag on Black, which got him even more heat.

Shelton and Kofi were fresh but were almost an even match for one another for several holds until Shelton started digging in his amateur wrestling repertoire. He kept Kingston grounded for quite a while until Kofi was able to snap his way out and almost turned it into the S.O.S., but Benjamin undid the bind and PULLED KINGSTON BY THE HAIR BACK TO THE MAT. Carlito was seen in the corner calling for Benjamin to tag out, but Shelton wanted to do no such thing. He’s really making no friends here. Shelton’s next move was trying to whip Kingston into a corner, but Kofi managed to bounce up and hit a SPRINGBOARD CROSSBODY, but it didn’t net him the win. He started getting hotter with a pair of clotheslines and then finished it with a dropkick, only to get set for the BOOM DROP…but he leapt so high with it, Benjamin was able to set himself and catch Kingston’s feet, get completely vertical, get back up…AND REPOSITION HIM FOR THE TURNBUCKLE POWERBOMB…but Kofi turned it into a HURRICANRANA…THAT SENT BENJAMIN’S FACE INTO THE TURNBUCKLE!!

This got Kingston enough in him to start the thunderclap and started setting up for the TROUBLE IN PARADISE…but Benjamin ducked it at the very last second and tried to blast Kofi with a SUPERKICK…but Kofi caught it and slung it, turning it into…A DRAGON WHIP…but Kingston ducked that too. As Shelton turned all the way around, Kofi geared up…AND CRACKED HIM WITH THE TROUBLE IN PARADISE…BUT BENJAMIN FELL THROUGH THE ROPES!! Benjamin collapsed to the floor and left Kingston unable to pin him, but as Kingston hung out through the ropes looking at the guy he couldn’t pin, no one really noticed Tyler Black…CRUSHING KINGSTON WITH A DIVING HIGH KNEE FROM THE TOP ROPE!! Kofi was dead in the ring while Black was now trying to recover himself on the outside, but jeez, now neither of the black guys were moving.

Kingston had to drag himself to his corner to try and get another tag, which he eventually got when Kendrick tagged in. Benjamin took a while to drag back into the ring, but even when he got back in, he refused to tag anyone back in and got blasted by Kendrick, very reminiscent to how Benjamin jumped Kendrick in their match. Kendrick kept his adrenaline going by knocking both Black and Carlito from off the apron just in case. He tried another TORNADO DDT attempt on Benjamin…only for it to turn into a NORTHERN LIGHTS SUPLEX that almost got the three, but didn’t. Shelton started asking the ref’ “what’s my time” again, but Kendrick had enough in him to weasel out of a SAMOAN DROP attempt and hit Benjamin with a nice LEG LARIAT. This set Shelton up for the SLICED BREAD, but before he could pop it off, Carlito rushed in and hit Kendrick with the BACKCRACKER!

This got a big reaction from his dad, who started fussing as Carlito rushed out the ring. Tyler Black wasn’t far behind to try and break into the ring, but Kofi and Crazy broke in to thwart him by clotheslining him over the top rope near Carlito. The two then set each other up and rushed at the ropes before flipping over…AND NAILING CARLITO AND BLACK WITH A DUAL SUICIDE DIVE!! That just left Benjamin and Kendrick alone and legal in the ring, Benjamin trying to set up Kendrick for the SCISSORED ARMBAR, but Brian fought out before it was locked in and once again tried for the SLICED BREAD…but Benjamin turned it into a SICK GERMAN SUPLEX THAT FLIPPED KENDRICK ONTO HIS STOMACH!! The move killed Kendrick enough for Benjamin to pick him up and hit the EXPLODER SUPLEX for the win at (9:31). It was plenty high paced at the end, although it was also mostly about Shelton Benjamin being a prick. Talk about a ballhog.

[9:31] – Low Ki Stays Low Key
We went backstage to the Green Zone interview set where Torrie Wilson was back in the habit and interviewing (or trying to interview) the most silent guy on the roster – Low Ki. I immediately questioned the logic behind this the instant Ki showed up, especially since he didn’t even look like he wanted to be there. Torrie asked him what he thought about being considered the biggest underdog in the Dynasty Tournament still…and Ki just looked at her kinda annoyed. I guess that was his feelings…?

Torrie tried to ask another question, this time about whether or not he’ll be able to do much in tonight’s main event. Ki simply nodded his head. This seemed to satisfy Torrie, but she was still a bit irked. Then she just flat out said that in the Offseason, everyone didn’t just hear Low Ki speak, but they heard him rap. “So will you answer my questions…?” Ki thought about it for a moment, but then he spoke the very first words he’d ever spoken on AOW network television, outside of the Internet specials and shows – “Naw.” Boy, that was worth the payoff. It was actually pretty funny because Torrie just kinda chuckled out of minor frustration and just said that “I guess the interview’s over, then.” She then wished him good luck in the main event and Tournament. And for the first time, it was the interviewer who walked away before the interviewee, which gave Ki a moment to watch her walk away…and raise an eyebrow…and then look back at the camera with a nodding head and a curled chin. I guess even silent ninja warriors like some white girl ass.

[9:46] – Trios Night; Pt. II, ft. Jamie Noble
Before the next match actually kicked off, Jamie Noble came down to ringside to observe the match at the announce booth. My ringside source tells me that Noble’s justification for being there was because “there’s a lot of champions in this match and [he] just might challenge one of them”. This is a valid point, I guess. Noble and the commentators went on to build up the fact that he has a championship match opportunity for any belt other than the Heavyweight title. Jibbles evidently was singing Noble’s praises the whole time.

But even after that, we had another pre-match bit of shenanigans because as American Made came down the ramp, Nameth was taking into a microphone. He introduced all in attendance to his new “Miss America”, Taylor Wilde. Wilde, oddly enough, doesn’t seem to be playing much of a heel role of showing herself off. She acted a bit…shy? She did a Miss America wave thing, but that was only after Nameth prompted her to. Nameth and Hagar got each other pumped when they got to the ring by doing push-ups as Wilde counted each one before they were interrupted by the partner’s music in Aero Star. Neither man was thrilled to have their pre-game warm-up interrupted and when Star (who is STILL coming out to a big pop) tried to shake hands with them, they gave him the All-American cold shoulder.

The opposing team weren’t so cold in welcoming one another, however. In fact, Wilson and Smith actually waited on the end of the entrance ramp for Danielson to come on down before they all shook hands and went into the ring. The crowd was hot for all members of the team, and they actually shared a laugh or two before finishing their march to the ring. Probably just showing these guys have been in trios before, like the Offseason. Even so, Danielson looked pretty…irritated? He wasn’t as easygoing as the Tag Team Champions. Maybe he’s just sour from losing to Aero in the opening round of the tourney…?

Well, the starting action actually answered that question pretty quickly, because Danielson volunteered to go first for his corner and American Made pretty much bullied Aero Star into stepping in first. In the opening minutes, Danielson laid into Aero Star. It was kinda shocking, actually, and the crowd wasn’t entirely sure what to think. He really didn’t let Star get much offense in, cementing it by letting fly some of those repeat shoot kicks he does to a kneeling opponent. Star managed to dodge the final roundhouse into a ROLL-UP, but Danielson managed to keep the match going. Star started mounting a bit more offense after that, upping the tempo and looking like he was softening up Danielson a little bit…only for Nick Nameth to tag himself in.

Nameth began taking a little control over Danielson, who was now playing things much more face-like. He managed to flip the script on Nicky by FINISHING HIS ROUNDHOUSE COMBO after rolling out of a school boy. He tagged in Smith, who began using his power game to wear down Nameth and capped it off with a BIG BOOT that took him down hard, but not hard enough for the three count. Smith tried to stay on him, but Nameth wound up surprising his long-time rival by turning the potential RUNNING POWERSLAM into a RUSSIAN LEG SWEEP, though it did not end the match. Nameth tagged in Hagar not long afterwards, the two hitting Smith with a DOUBLE FRONT SUPLEX that Nameth followed up with an ELBOW DROP to the back of the head while Hagar went away to charge back…AND HIT THE HAGARBOMB ON SMITH’S BACK, KIDNEY, AND RIBS!! A very impressive double team on that one, but the tag champs would not be pinned.

From there, Hagar and his corner took complete control, isolating the thrashed Smith. Hagar and his tag partner kept a revolving door of tags between themselves and didn’t let Aero get in on much of the fun. But when Hagar came in again, Smith was able to regain himself and catch Nameth in a sick SCOOP POWERSLAM and get the hot tag to his corner in TJ Wilson. Wilson entered dynamically, springboarding off the top rope and hitting Nameth with a THUNDEROUS DROPKICK. Hagar tried to rush back in and help his partner, but he got a BACKFLIP KICK for his troubles, putting Wilson the apron. He hit Hagar in the gut with a shoulder block and forced him to lean through the middle rope, where he did one of the most athletic things I’ve ever seen – he leapt in, BOUNCED OFF OF HAGAR’S BACK, simultaneously pushing him out of the ring, flew towards Nameth, and NAILED A FLYING SPINNING WHEEL KICK!! An incredible one-man sequence that got us all hot as hell, but didn’t finish the fight.

Nameth had to back into his own corner to recuperate, which is where Aero Star gladly brought himself back into the fray with a wonderful blind tag. He took a page out of Wilson’s book and springboarded into the ring…AND HIT HIM WITH A BEAUTIFUL SKY-HIGH CROSSBODY!! This didn’t get Star the pin, but it did get him style points. He and Wilson then bumped the match up to a cruiserweight pace, Aero again able to show off some of the same mat work he showed against Danielson. Wilson was finally able to get an advantage and rope Star into his corner, where he tagged Danielson back in. The Cruiserweight champ, again, refused to let up on Aero, cracking him with SEVERAL KICKS and what seemed like a flurry of SUPLEXES before Star retaliated with his SPRINGBOARD BACK ELBOW.

Both guys were pretty out of it, but as they were recovering, the members of American Made went over to the ‘face’ corner and RIPPED THE TAG CHAMPS OFF THE APRON, prompting a small brawl between the four rookies who had been feuding since their debut. Back in the ring, Danielson was trying to regain his advantage, only for Aero to counter him with a FLOAT OVER SUPLEX that didn’t get the near fall, but irritated Danielson enough for him to charge ad Star, only to get a SPINNING HEADSISSORS TAKEDOWN for his troubles…THAT SENT DANIELSON OVER THE ROPES AND ONTO THE FOUR BRAWLING MEN! All five guys went down, as we all started getting pumped for what Star might be going for next. When all five guys started getting up, still clumped together, I knew a big spot had to be coming. Star pointed to the mob of guys outside and we just kept popping harder. Star started feeling it and getting pumped before GOING FOR THE TOPE TORPEDO…NO!! As he was just slipping through the ropes for the move, both members of American Made covered their heads and tried to duck out of the way. Star pulled a feint, instead staying on the apron. While his teammates for the evening bitched him out for hitting them, the other three were recovered and clumping all five guys back together to see Star SPRINGBOARDING…AND HITTING THAT REVERSE TOPE FREEFALL CANNONBALL TO ALL FIVE GUYS!!

All six men were sprawled out as he went nuts, which probably would be a great spot to go to a commercial when the episode airs. A lot of people were kicking up “HOLY SHIT” chants, although it died out a little before it could reach me. When that happened, Hagar and Smith were to the first two guys to get up, only for Smith to counter a Hagar GUTWRENCH SUPLEX by landing standing…AND HITTING A GERMAN SUPLEX ON THE OUTSIDE PADDING!! Big move there, as everyone else started moving around after that big spot. Star was able to roll Danielson back inside, who was still feeling the pain. Star springboarded off the ropes towards another set of ropes and nailed that AWESOME DOUBLE JUMP SLINGSHOT MOONSAULT right on Danielson, but just like their first round match, it didn’t get the finishing fall. Star looked like maybe he would go for the AERO STAR PRESS, but Danielson came to life, literally yanked Star off the ropes, got some double underhooks, and HIT A NICE SLINGSHOT BUTTERFLY SUPLEX!! A nifty move, but that didn’t end things, either.

Both guys had taken a good chunk of abuse, so they looked to their corners, which each only had one guy in them because Hagar and Smith knocked each other out on the outside at some point. I was paying attention to Star, so I’m not sure how they did it, but I’m sure a cameraman got it and it’ll be on the broadcast. Star was forced to tag in Nameth, who saw Danielson tag in Wilson. TJ tried his explosive, springboard entry once again, but this time Nameth was ready, sidestepping him, watching him crash, and then hitting him with the LEG DROP BULLDOG when he tried to get up. That didn’t end things either, but when Nameth got a little bit too cocky and played to the crowd some, he got smashed by a WILSON ENZEGUIRI. That knocked him loopy enough for Wilson to put him on his shoulders and head to the top rope, looking for the ROLLING STAMPEDE…BUT THEN TAYLOR WILDE JUMPED UP ON THE APRON!!

This distracted both Wilson and referee Goose Mahoney, who went over to tell her to get the fuck off. But as he was distracted, Hagar appeared and KNOCKED WILSON’S FEET OFF THE ROPES, making him lose his balance and allowing Nameth to crawl off his shoulders safely while Wilson fell to the canvas from up high. This led to Danielson flying across the ring with a SUICIDE DIVE on Hagar, but at the last second, Hagar sidestepped and sent Danielson CRASHING RIGHT INTO THE LAPS OF JBL, STYLES, AND JAMIE NOBLE!! Nameth now goes for the recovering Wilson up against the ropes, but gets another BACKFLIP KICK that sends him to the apron. He springboards back this time, going for the CODE BLUE…but when he tried to flip over to complete the neckbreaker, HAGAR CAUGHT HIM, preventing him from fully executing the move and getting him in a POWERBOMB POSITION. Nameth then readjusted himself as he and Hagar nailed the PATRIOT ACT!! Hagar scurried out after the tag team finisher, but Smith was right there crawling in…only to NOT BE IN TIME!! Nameth pinned Wilson at (12:21), getting a bit more time than the first MATCH. An insane action finish to this one that got us all pumped.

The post-match was pretty interesting, though. American Made were heading up the ramp with their hands up in definite victory, but they were forgetting something…Nicky’s new girlfriend. She was actually at ringside helping Aero Star to his feet. She didn’t leave him alone until he was standing on his own, where she scurried up the ramp to give Nameth a big hug, only for Hagar to join in on the hug. Nameth’s face when that happened was pretty hysterical, because it was like “dude, no, this is my hug”. Wilde seems cool, though. She’s ‘Miss America’ (even though I think she’s from Canada…) and has no problem getting involved, but she’s not a bitch. I guess just like a real Miss America…?

As for the rest of the aftermath, Danielson threw himself to his feet and grabbed his Cruiserweight title before pointing at Star and nodding in…approval? Maybe that’s just a ‘I got you back’ look…? Star and the Sons actually walked to the back together, although that probably won’t be aired or is even relevant.

[9:52] – AmDrag Spews Fire
There was a little bit of a pause before this segment, possibly because this will be cut and pasted together with a commercial between it in post-production for the actual broadcast or whatever. I say that because the first guy we saws on the screen after the second six-man tag was one of the guys who was in it in Bryan Danielson. He still had his Cruiserweight Championship and was marching through the backstage halls when Torrie Wilson caught up to him and asked him what was the deal with the incredible show of aggression against Aero Star.

It was just as I suspected, only deeper than I expected. Danielson said that yeah, he was “pissed he lost tonight and pissed because Aero Star knocked him out of the Dynasty Tournament”, but he was “more pissed because Star lost in the next round”. Danielson went on to say quite confidently that he, Danielson, was the best cruiserweight in AOW and possibly one of its best wrestlers overall, despite his size. He says he takes great pride in his work and when he loses, he’s not afraid to admit who the better man was. But what pisses him off is when guys who beat him can’t beat others. He also says that ‘with no disrespect to Low Ki, me beating Aero up was me being pissed that he beat me, but couldn’t do better”. I guess Danielson’s pretty passionate about the booking triangle there, feeling bad because the guy who beat him didn’t continue. Could this be the signs of a Danielson/Star feud? Danielson/Ki feud? Or hell, I almost forgot Jamie Noble over there, but that’s a looming possibility by this point. That might’ve also been what that table crash earlier could cause. Lots of directions this one could go and I like it.

[10:03] – Pledges & ‘Pendejos’
The attention was back towards the ring, where Tony Chimel announced The Miz in, for some reason. On the stage, Miz got a decent amount of heat for being the spineless worm that he is. He was wearing an outfit I can only describe as “fratty” because he looked like the frat boys I had on my old college campus. He even had a towel with him for some reason. While I was wondering the big deal with the get-up, Miz went on talking about how he’s the “new pledge for Alpha Sigma Slamma”. Miz is evidently pledging to be in the wrestling fraternity that Doane and Masters introduced. I actually will say just how excited I am to see that. Miz, the spineless worm, being hazed on screen? And not just by JBL? That should be fun.

But yeah. Miz went on to introduce the team of DAT MUSCLE himself, both Doane and Chris Masters coming out to a new remix of Doane’s most recent theme song. Doane was in some semi-formal wear, as he was in jeans but had a white shirt and a blazer on, which again, still looked ‘fratty’. Masters was in competitive attire, seeing as how he’s wrestling and all. His opponent answered the question of why Super Crazy didn’t have his tag team partner with him earlier, as Psicosis came down to a decent reception and slapped some fives.

This one was understandably virtually all Masters. He exploded out of the gate and fucked Psicosis up with a MAMMOTH CLOTHESLINE. He took control from there on out, continuing the onslaught with a DELAYED VERTICAL SUPLEX that got us all to boo him before he planted him. He pulled a very Kane-esque move when he whipped Psicosis into a corner so hard, he recoiled right into a Masters SIDESLAM. He stopped there to show off his muscles to get even more heat, Doane and Miz loving the damage being done. He stood over Psicosis’ body and prepared for him to get up and put him in the MASTERLOCK…but Psicosis reverse crawled through Master’s legs and got him in a nifty SMACK PACKAGE kind of pin.

That actually made it kind of interesting, Psicosis peppering Masters with a bunch of kicks before crushing him with a seemingly random LEAPING HEADBUTT. That send Masters reeling enough for Psicosis to try and whip him into the ropes, only to have it reversed. Psicosis ducked underneath a clothesline and shot off the second rope with a nice SPRINGBOARD BACK ELBOW that wasn’t too unlike the one Carlito uses. Masters was getting knocked around a bit, Psicosis keeping his offense going by heading to the apron and hitting a SLINGSHOT SUMMERSAULT SENTON that damn near got him the three count. He waited for Masters to get up, rebounding off the ropes for more offense, but Masters DESTROYED HIM WITH A POLISH HAMMER!!

Masters was pissed now, taking Psicosis up in a bearhug and SMASHING HIM AGAINST A CORNER TWICE before turning out and finishing things with a NASTY SPINEBUSTER. He really was seething by this point, standing over Psicosis and just stalking him, slapping at his head to get up quicker. He barely got to his knees before Masters got hold of his arms and hit his MASTERLOCK. Psicosis didn’t last too long while thrashing around. Black Referee rang the bell at (6:30), but Psicosis really wasn’t moving afterward. When Masters got out of the ring, I heard Doane say “towel him off, pledge”, to which Miz acted on immediately and took the towel he had and wiped some of the sweat off of Masters. Chis snatched the towel out of his hands and the three kept walking to the back, all three men all smiles while the rest of us just booed.

I highly doubt it will be showed on the actual show since it’s never really a lot of fun to show losers leaving the ring, but Super Crazy came in from the back, still tired from his earlier match, and helped his tag team partner to the back. I just thought that was really cool that even though the cameras probably won’t be rolling on that, they still keep that logical character continuity. Bravo AOW and Mexicans.

[10:10] – Hype, Hype, Hype!
It was at this point, my commentator area colleague had to do 90% of his work for the evening because this was the part where they hyped up Rise of a Dynasty. They went over the huge implications of the night, the whole Tournament, and of course, the fact that the winner of the Tournament earns himself an AOW World Championship shot. I find it funny they mention that, because they still haven’t mentioned when that title match can be cashed in (although common sense simply says Origins & Endings). Nevertheless, they showed the matches on the Yin-Yang-Tron for the opening round – CM Punk vs. Rey Mysterio, Samoa Joe vs. William Regal, Low Ki vs. Finlay, and Shawn Michaels vs. Charlie Haas.

I guess that was for the people who didn’t check the website before tonight or picked up anything from Low Ki’s promo earlier (if you can call it a promo). I think the guys making it past the opening round are gonna be pretty obvious, but that’s just me. Plus, with the way AOW does things, who knows? Could be some big upsets in order…which, evidently, was exactly what Joey Styles was going over. Jibbles was apparently gloating that two of his favorites are in (Finlay and Regal), but Styles counter argued that two of his were still in as well (Haas, who they hyped promised to compete, and Punk). Then…JBL and Styles made a bet that if one of JBL’s favorites wins, Joey has to eat a Clothesline from Hell in the middle of the ring on an episode of Oblivion. Joey actually agreed and then played off of JBL’s pride by countering that if one of Styles’ favorites wins, then JBL has to have a match…AGAINST CM PUNK.

I have no idea where that bet will go, but from the sound of it, there could be a legit chance one of Joey’s favorites gets the win – most likely Punk, at that. Or maybe this is JBL’s way of possibly getting back in the ring…? Either way, it seemed to play into the fact that the Supershow is gonna be in Vegas next week But that’s not all they hyped. They also hyped the Fan Bracket Showcase, talking about all the men who are eligible – and virtually all of them competed tonight in some fashion. They encouraged everyone to log onto aohdubya.com and vote for who they want to compete. They didn’t reveal who may be in the lead of vote getting, but they did say that the way the voting looks at the moment, it’s leaning towards a tag team match. Personally, I welcome it on a night full of singles matches, but I guess that’s why folks need to keep voting. Then they hyped the main event which is on its way.

[10:36] – Trios Night, Pt. III – They All Fall Down
It’s time, it’s time, it’s main event time! Punk, Rey, & Joe taking on Finlay, Ki, & Regal. From the entrances, the biggest pops went to Joe and Punk, while Finlay undisputedly got the most heat. It’s kind of surprising, actually, considering this arena’s affiliation with hard-nosed bastards. Maybe we’re all just playing the part…? Either way, it was actually pretty cool to see all six guys again, but I paid attention to Low Ki’s interaction in his corner. It gave off a feel very similar to Aero Star in the last tag match, but seeing as how Regal and Finlay aren’t incredibly emotional beings to begin with, I couldn’t really tell if they liked him anyway.

But after all the hoopla and the entrances, Ray Ramsey was ready to ring the bell, only for Paul Heyman to show up with his puppet-on-strings, Shawn Michaels. The commentators seemed just as surprised as we did, apparently. Heyman and Michaels slowly (and I do mean slowly. Like, almost Undertaker speed) down to the ring, Heyman with that Heyman smirk plastered on his face for the entire strut. Michaels never smiled the entire time. Heyman smugly looked at all six guys in the ring before walking over to the announce desk, where he put on a headset and is evidently gonna talk with this one. Looks like my colleague has more work. Michaels didn’t get a headset, rather, he just got to sit beside Heyman and keep that stonefaced stoic look in his eyes.

As the match got started, William Regal kicked it off against CM Punk. I’m sure Punk got a real thrill out of that, given how much it’s known that he adores Regal outside the ring. Nonetheless, Punk was forced on the ground for some of the early portions, as Regal worked some of his rough technique on him. But Punk was able to work on out and take a small advantage himself, hitting regal with a snapmare and then KICKING HIM IN THE SPINE. That got the first pin attempt of the match, but wasn’t successful. He tried to keep the pressure on Regal, only for him to shove Punk in a corner and bash him with some clubs. But Punk was able to counter that with some nice kicks to the midsection and even a Mongolian chop before making it to his corner and tagging Rey.

Mysterio was greeted by a sharp back elbow from Regal that kept him on the defensive for a little bit, Regal using a nice assortment of knees and rest holds to keep Mysterio down. But when the crowd started getting more amped and into things, Mysterio responded with a classic MONKEY FLIP that forced Regal to make a tag into his corner, bringing in the ninja, Low Ki. Ki leapt in and prepared himself, as the action stopped the situation to settle in that these two were about to go at it. There was actually a pretty great response from the crowd about Mysterio meeting Low Ki, the match sort of hitting a bit of a reset button on that note, the guys initiating a lock-up and doing some technical dancing of their own. Does Low Ki do this with everybody? Seems like it happens the most with him.

Anyway, their stalemate was broken when Mysterio went for the WHEELBARROW BULLDOG on Ki, but the pint-sized powerhouse kept hold of Mysterio on the pop-up and THREW HIM ACROSS THE RING, Mysterio landing hard on his tailbone. This prompted Ki to NAIL THE BLACK MAGIC, going for a definitive cover that couldn’t end things in that way right there. Mysterio had to go on the defensive here, as Ki started lighting him up with some of his signature SHOOT KICKS before he pounded the canvas and went for the FINISHING ROUNDHOUSE…which surprisingly, CONNECTED. But that didn’t get him the winning fall either, noting Mysterio’s resiliency. It wasn’t until Ki slung Mysterio across the ring for an Irish whip did Rey give a response, reversing the whip and getting Low Ki to go for the SUNSET…but Mysterio rolled through and CRACKED KI IN THE HEAD WITH A ROUNDHOUSE OF HIS OWN!! That wasn’t enough to get Mysterio the win either, but he was really feeling the pain from the prior moves. Rey tried to get to his corner, but Ki managed to tangle up his legs while grounded and prevented him from getting closer.

Ki kept Mysterio’s legs all tangled after he pulled them away, bridging over and getting him in a MUTA LOCK. This was pretty impressive as I hadn’t seen Ki use the move before, but it stopped Mysterio in his tracks and forced him to find a way to fight out of it. Mysterio eventually wrenched Ki’s arms off and dodged ANOTHER ROUNDHOUSE when back on his feet to pull Ki from behind into a ROLL-UP, but no final pinfall there. Ki then caught Mysterio and HOISTED HIM ON HIS SHOULDERS, clutching him in a fireman’s carry. He went to an empty corner before RUSHING ACROSS THE RING TO THE OPPOSITE CORNER, but whatever he was gonna do with Rey, Mysterio climbed off at the last minute and sent Ki STERNUM FIRST INTO THE POST. Ki turned around and got an ENZEGUIRI for his troubles, putting him on the SECOND ROPE. Mysterio started dialing it up as we started feeling it, but of course, he missed the 619, swinging all the way around as Ki got up from the ropes. Even so, he was still groggy, and Rey was on the apron, so he settled for a SPRINGBOARD DROPKICK!!

Hadn’t seen one of those from Rey in a while, but it downed both men for a bit and allowed the us to get all worked up. Ki was crawling to his corner while Mysterio was crawling to his, with Ki getting the slap tag to Finlay. Rey was within FINGERTIPS of someone in his corner, but Finlay jumped on him really quick to stop the transaction from happening. He kicked Mysterio hard to flip him over before holding him by his neck in front of his corner and taunting the fact that he can’t get a tag in. Geez, Finlay’s a dick. He pulled Rey back with a hard MAT SLAM, and followed up with a seated senton of his own with the FINLAY PRESS, RIGHT ON REY’S SURGICALLY REPAIRED KNEE! Rey rolled around for a bit and it got so bad that Ramsey had to go check on him. Finlay tried to charge him, but Ramsey kept him back and told him to ‘back off’. The place went hush for a bit while Ramsey was asking Rey if he was okay…before Mysterio SUDDENLY LEPT TO HIS CORNER AND TAGGED IN SAMOA JOE!!

A sneaky as shit move from Mysterio, who went to the apron to shake his hurt leg out, the crowd loving Rey for pulling the wool on Finlay for a moment. But then the popping got louder when we realized what it had resulted in. Samoa Joe stepped into the ring and the place exploded in buzz and Finlay and Samoa Joe were in the ring together at the same time for I think only the second time since their feud ‘ended’. The place was going effin’ nuts and I loved it. I think I know what match we all want in the finals. And the two didn’t disappoint as they immediately proceeded to reenact their balcony brawl by FIRING LEFTS NAD RIGHTS BACK AND FORTH!!

The whole Hammerstein was on FIRE, igniting Joe’s blows enough for him to snapmare him over, chop him in the back of the head, a kick to his chest, and then topped it off with a RUNNING JUMPING KNEE DROP. This didn’t get the final fall on Finlay in the least, Joe actually smiling when Finlay threw up a shoulder at one and then stood back up. They really are acknowledging a lot between the two. Finlay sprung to his feet and rammed a shoulder into Joe’s gut, driving him into a corner, and continuing to deliver them before short arming him out into a NICE CLOTHESLINE. It’s Joe’s turn to get up on a one count on the pin attempt, Finlay trying to club Joe back down. He then tries for another clothesline, only for Joe to duck underneath and hit a GERMAN SUPLEX!! A big German got a two count this time, but it didn’t end anything again.

Finlay had to go to an empty corner to recuperate, but Joe didn’t let up, CRUSHING FINLAY IN THE CORNER WITH A RUNNING FOREARM SMASH! He immediately followed this up with a huge CCS ENZEGUIRI! Finlay was down and out in the corner, Joe getting us all pumped up with “OLE” chants before going for the OLE KICK…but Finlay caught him on his shoulders and rolled forward for the ROLLING HILLS!! That move got Finlay a near fall, but the match went on. Finlay decided to opt out and tagged back in Low Ki after dragging Joe to their corner. Ki actually got some offense in on the gargantuan Joe before an Irish whip attempt was reversed, sending Ki into an empty corner. Joe charged, only to get a face of foot when Ki kicked him away, giving Ki room to hit the JOHN WOO DROPKICK!!

Joe actually flung back into the opposite ropes, which surprised me a bit, but when Ki tried for the TIDAL CRUSH, partway through his cartwheel, Joe burst out of the corner, caught Ki from behind and nailed A BEAUTIFUL DRADON SUPLEX!! He kept the bridge, but that wasn’t able to put Low Ki away. Joe decided it was time to go, tagging in CM Punk for a second time. Joe actually whipped Ki into the ropes so on the rebound, Punk could just catch him right in the SNAP SCOOP POWERSLAM, but this didn’t end the match. Lots of fast and furious action going on, Punk trying to up it even more by slinging Ki into a corner and going for the HIGH CORNER KNEE…but NOBODY WAS HOME! Punk banged his knee up on the post, leaving Ki to step back and NAIL THE TIDAL CRUSH! Ki’s kicks always get big pops and this one was no different, but even that stiff one didn’t put Punk away, prompting Ki to tag in Regal.

The two guys who were legal to start the match were back at it again, although as soon as Regal was tagged, he rushed across the ring and DUNKED MYSTERIO AND JOE FROM THEIR CORNER! Punk was trying to get to them for a tag, but Regal cut’em off in the best way. No wonder he and his Merc crew have that trophy. But when Regal lifted up Punk to try and deal more damage, Punk surprised everybody with a BIG ROUNDHOUSE TO REGAL’S SKULL! Punk went for a big cover, but couldn’t put the vet away. Punk then got a little desperate and rolled to the apron, waiting for Regal to get to his feet…and went for the SPRINGBOARD CLOTHESLINE, but Regal sidestepped at the last minute and sent Punk CRASHING! Almost as soon as Punk landed, Regal took him up from behind and hit a nasty REGAL PLEX!! He kept the bridge for the cover, but Punk still had a means to kick out!

Regal was getting a little flustered, but wasn’t showing it too much…only to look up and see Samoa Joe in the ring with him now. Joe looked pretty pissed, probably about Regal slapping him off the apron a moment ago, and Joe CLOTHESLINED REGAL OVER THE TOP ROPE!! A bit too much aggression from Joe, but when he turned around, he was met by Low Ki running in and HITTING HIM WITH THE SPRINGBOARD ENZEGUIRI!! A literal out of nowhere strike of lighting and Joe went down! Ki then quickly went on up to the top rope…AND NAILED THE WARRIOR’S WAY ON SAMOA JOE!! A huge move on a huge guy that might make Low Ki huge and got us all pumped, but no sooner did he roll to his feet all pumped after the move did Rey Mysterio re-enter the fray and front dropkick Ki in the spine…right onto the middle rope.

Rey went ahead and fed off the amped crowd and didn’t waste any time…619! THE 619 CONNECTED big time, Rey now chillin’ on the apron while Ki rolled around in pain. Mysterio leapt onto the top rope, and SPRINGBOARDED, possibly looking for a big finish…but he didn’t see Finlay rush in and CATCH HIM OUTO OF MIDAIR on the move. Low Ki kept rolling on back to the outside of the ring. Finlay readjusted Mysterio over his back and then nailed a perfect CELTIC CROSS!! Mysterio was a stick in the mud, so Finlay had to roll him out of the ring while yelling at him, only to drift backwards right into the waiting clutches of CM Punk…WHO HOISTED FINLAY UP…AND NAILED THE “UNDEFEATED” IRISHMAN WITH A GTS!! Finlay went down hard as we lost our freakin’ minds for the immense finisher barrage. But Punk was still feeling the damage and had to drop to a knee. Then, as if on cue, William Regal reentered the ring unbeknownst to Punk…AND HIT HIM RIGHT IN THE TEMPLE WITH THE KNEE TREMBLER!! No one else was around, everyone was down, and on the final take-home match before the big Tournament, William Regal pinned CM Punk at (18:12) to win for his team. The finisher flurry definitely got us all kinds of hyped, as I expected at least one trios match to end that way, but the way that one went down was quite exciting. Plus, it makes Regal look a little more legit for the Tourney.

…but we weren’t done there! Because while Regal was celebrating is win and at least getting it solidified in our minds, BANG! HE GETS HIT BY SOME SWEET CHIN MUSIC!! Regal went down in a heap as we all popped gloriously for the superkick, although Heyman didn’t look like he gave Michaels orders to intervene in anything. Protecting his investment and all that. Michaels stood tall for a moment, only for Low Ki to enter the ring again…AND HE GOT SWEET CHIN MUSIC!! Michaels was just handing’em out like candy…but then Samoa Joe got to his feet. Joe charged Michaels only for ANOTHER SUPERKICK TO COME…but Joe blocked it! He then spun Michaels around and then put him on his shoulder, reminiscent to the last time these two were in a ring together…ISLAND DRIVER…BUT NO! Michaels squirmed out and waited for Joe to turn…TO FINALLY GIVE HIM ANOTHER DOSE OF SWEET CHIN MUSIC!! Everyone was down, finishers were hit galore, and Shawn Michaels was pumped as fuck, beating his chest and getting the whole Hammerstein pumped up with him. He gave a signature smartass smirk to Heyman over at the announce desk before continuing with his mini celebration with bodies lying everywhere. HBK’s music hit as we cheered a bit more (and, evidently, the commentators selling all the carnage and the uncertainty of Shawn Michaels himself) as I think the show ended on the (Sweet Chin) musical note of Shawn Michaels hitting his flexing taunt in the middle of the ring and get us all churned up for the big show next week.

Great crowd, great action, although a bit of an odd ending for me. But whatever way it goes, until next time, this has been The Informer…




------


~RISE OF A DYNASTY~
July 2nd, 2008 - MGM Grand; Las Vegas, Nevada
*Confirmed Card*

~2008 Dynasty Tournament~

~Quarter Finals~

Dynasty Champion CM Punk v. Rey Mysterio
Samoa Joe v. William Regal
Low Ki v. Finlay
Shawn Michaels v. Charlie Haas


~Semi-Finals~
Punk / Mysterio v. Joe / Regal
Ki / Finlay v. Michaels / Haas

~GRAND FINALE~
Punk / Mysterio / Joe/ Regal
v.
Ki / Finlay / Michaels / Haas


*Fan Bracket Showcase*
Whomever has the most fan votes will compete

~Meeting the Big Guys~
Christian Cage makes his case to the network execs





Aero Star
Brent Albright
Brian Kendrick
Bryan Danielson
Carlito Colon
Harry Smith
Jack Evans
Jack Hagar
Jamie Noble
Kofi Kingston
Manu
Matt Sydal
Nick Nameth
Paul Burchill
Paul London
Shelton Benjamin
Siaki
Super Crazy
TJ Wilson
Tyler Black


Who would you like to see compete in the Rise of a Dynasty Showcase?
1.
2.
3.


*NO PREDICTIONS YET PLZ.* However, you're more than welcome to keep sending in your Fan Bracket Showcase votes. I already have a very nice number of votes in, but I can always have and take more, no problem. Remember to message me those and not spam in the thread. And a big thank you to all who have already voted. There will be an official preview posted before the show, so you can all make your predictions then. I also want to apologize to all again for the late show, but more for not being able to leave any feedback at all lately. Feel like I'm slippin' on you guys. But I'll be here and kicking and hopefully reading more in the next few weeks. Don't know when the big show will be finished and don't know when the preview will go up, but it will all be before the year is out, I assure you. Hope all don't hate me 'til then :eek:
 
#275 ·
~RISE OF A DYNASTY 3-HOUR SUPERSHOW~
*OFFICIAL PREVIEW*


Thirty-two men began the journey in an event so huge, it brought in virtually the entire AOW roster. But now, after a month of grinding it out, only eight men stand alone. Who will topple them all and raise himself and become the FIRST EVER AOW One Man Dynasty and become the new #1 contender for Christian Cage and his AOW World Heavyweight Championship...? The 'RoaD' to Origins & Endings...starts NOW!




The “Undefeated” Irish Bastard
FINLAY

Never been pinned or made to submit in sanctioned matches. Two losses in ten months.
Round of 32 - Def. Paul London @ 9:30
Bye in Sweet Sixteen
Vegas Odds: -200 | Fraction Odds: 1/2

Already having made a name for himself in various promotions around the world, the battle-tested veteran Irishman Finlay has left nothing but a path of destruction since coming to AOW. Undoubtedly the bitterest man in this group, Finlay uses that to drive him to the AOW Championship he says he deserves. Why? Because this tough Irish bastard has only lost twice in his entire ten month stay in AOW. While he claims to have no losses due to passing out in one match and the other loss being an ‘Unsanctioned’ match, the record still shows the guy is tough. Rumors have been swirling that Finlay is perhaps losing his touch or a step or two in the ring since his match with Rob Van Dam (as evidenced by his down-to-the-wire win over Paul London), but rest assured this durable hardnosed veteran will not be eliminated without a fight.





The Submission Boss
CHARLIE HAAS

Former AOW World Tag Team Champion; Six month reign
Round of 32 – Def. Manu @ 5:20 via DQ
Sweet Sixteen – Def. Brent Albright @ 14:30
Vegas Odds: +1300 | Fraction Odds: 13/1

Make no mistake about it – Charlie Haas is one though customer. Being one half of the first-ever AOW World Tag Team Champions and holding the gold for six months, Haas already has made a name for himself in AOW. He even defeated his partner, Shelton Benjamin, while both still held the titles! But after a falling out between the two resulted in Benjamin dislocating Haas’ shoulder just two weeks ago, things don’t look good for Haas. Vowing to compete is brave, but just how brave is it to go into a bracket with the likes of Finlay, William Regal, Shawn Michaels, and Samoa Joe with only one arm…? With all those factors working against him, Haas is far from the odds on favorite.





The Iron-Hearted Iron Man
SHAWN MICHAELS

Former 4x World champion amidst many other accolades
Round of 32 – Def. Alex Riley @ 9:06
Bye in Sweet Sixteen
Vegas Odds: +200 | Fraction Odds: 2/1

What more can be said about the Heart Break Kid? He’s determinant, rebellious, vigilant, an icon, a performer, hardheaded, strategic, religious, and of course, a MOTY god. The twenty plus year career of Shawn Michaels is a resume that speaks for itself with a ‘who’s who’ of guys who have eaten his beautiful superkick. But since being forced to ‘sell his soul to the devil’ to not only return to the company, but for a shot at the AOW World title, HBK has been almost a shell of his former self. A man who only comes alive in the ring anymore, Michaels has the advantage of potentially having Paul Heyman in his corner. But even so, can the Icon who has become a puppet keep the drive and motivation to make it through the end of the bracket?





The Samoan Hitman
SAMOA JOE

Never been pinned. Never submitted.
Round of 32 – Def. Jake Hagar @ 8:33
Sweet Sixteen – Def. Tyler Black @ 10:41
Vegas Odds: -200 | Fraction Odds: 1/2

The definite odds on and fan favorite of this tournament, Samoa Joe, like Finlay, has done nothing but pile bodies on top of bodies in AOW. But unlike Finlay, Joe can say he has genuinely never been pinned and never been made to submit. There’s a reason this man has earned the moniker the ‘One Man Army’, as it would seem to take an army to take down this one Samoan tank. At that, he’s a man on a mission to clean up all the ‘scum’ of AOW. In the process, he’s nearly cleared his hitlist and is on the cusp of getting the AOW Championship match he’s always deserved. A near perfect combination speed, power, technical/submission prowess, and brawling ability, the only thing able to stop Samoa Joe…is Samoa Joe.





The Silent Striker
LOW KI

Round of 32 – Def. Nick Nameth @ 8:40
Sweet Sixteen – Def. Aero Star @ 11:45
Vegas Odds: +600 | Fraction Odds: 6/1

While not having the flashiest credentials of most people in the bracket, Low Ki has proven to be more than a worthy competitor. While paired up in the tag team Low Jack alongside Jack Evans, it was usually always Evans who took the losing fall, leaving Low Ki to build himself up individually. Even so, Ki has developed from just a stone-faced assassin to one with genuine feelings towards other human beings and respect towards his opponents, staying true to his ‘Warrior Code’. His biggest accomplishment to date is taking the Word Tag Team Champion Sons of the Dungeon to a 25-minute contest, showing he has the guts and the skills to take anyone to the limit. Pulling two upsets in the bracket already, this kicking fiend, wild-card ninja is ready to pull the biggest upset of them all and walk out with the win.





The Living Lucha Legend
REY MYSTERIO

Former 1x World & 7x Cruiserweight champion
Round of 32 – Def. Siaki @ 6:43
Sweet Sixteen – Def. Carlito Colon @ 13:40
Vegas Odds: +300 | Fraction Odds: 3/1

Another well-traveled veteran on the bracket, Rey Mysterio has long made a name for himself as one of the best high-flyers in recent history. A man who has paved the way for people in the budding AOW Cruiserweight division, Mysterio continues to prove his place amongst heavyweights. Proving to be quite the formidable opponent in AOW, Mysterio has spent a large chunk of his time on the shelf with an injury. But when he’s on, he’s on, and reminds people constantly why he’s one of the best. Taking back a measure of revenge against rival Carlito Colon in the second round, Mysterio has a clear head going into the biggest tournament of the year.





The Strait-Edge Smartass
CM PUNK

Current Dynasty Champion
Round of 32 – Def. Lance Storm @ 8:44
Sweet Sixteen – Def. Shelton Benjamin & 13:34
Vegas Odds: +200 | Fraction Odds: 2/1

The straight-edge, competition addicted CM Punk has shown just how much he loves this business and what he’s willing to do in the ring. Already having been AOW Dynasty Champion going into his seventh month, Punk is a guy that has proven his worth, but has made quite a few enemies in the process. Recently raging against the machine that is wrestling as a whole, Punk is seemingly becoming steadily more painfully aware of the business he’s dedicating his life to. But for now, he’s one of the hardest working guys in the bunch and definitely the most outspoken. The Dynasty Champion is one of the favorites of the bracket and the fans, giving this Pespi-fueled professional wrestling all the drive he needs to take the next step.





The Manager of Malice
WILLIAM REGAL

2008 Trios Tournament Winner
Round of 32 – Def. Jamie Noble @ 9:58
Bye in Sweet Sixteen
Vegas Odds: +300 | Fraction Odds: 3/1

Appearing on aohdubya.com at the very end of last year, Regal would not make his debut on-screen until This is Exile, showing up and taking The Mercenaries with him. While he has not been in AOW for very long, Regal has already shown to be quite the player-manager for the Mercenaries, showing off his veteran chops by bringing them the trophy in the inaugural Trios Tournament, cleanly sweeping Tres Reyes and even getting the winning fall this past Oblivion. Already having established himself as incredibly meticulous and malicious and pulling off what most call the biggest upset in the Tournament so far in knocking off Jamie Noble, the well-traveled British grappler is out to make a name for himself in AOW - and not just for his good business sense.


_______________________________


PREDICTION TEMPLATE

~RISE OF A DYNASTY~
July 2nd, 2008 - MGM Grand; Las Vegas, Nevada

~2008 Dynasty Tournament~

~Quarter Finals~

Dynasty Champion CM Punk v. Rey Mysterio
Samoa Joe v. William Regal
Low Ki v. Finlay
Shawn Michaels v. Charlie Haas


~Semi-Finals~
Punk / Mysterio v. Joe / Regal
Ki / Finlay v. Michaels / Haas

~GRAND FINALE~
Punk / Mysterio / Joe/ Regal
v.
Ki / Finlay / Michaels / Haas


-----

*Fan Bracket Showcase*
Whomever has the most fan votes will compete

~Meeting the Big Guys~
Christian Cage makes his case to the network execs



~Bonus Questions~
1. Predict the winners of each leg of the tournament
2. What will be the longest Quarter-Final match?
3. In the Fan Bracket Showcase, name a) who received the most votes and b) the match type
4. Will the executive(s) grant Christian permission for his desired Last Man Standing Match?
5. What match will open the show?


Got a couple of things to finish on the show, but most of it is finished. Hoping to have it up sometime in the next week, time permitting. I guess it goes without saying the Fan Bracket voting is CLOSED, but thanks to all who voted because I really didn't expect anything like that turnout. Anyways, like noted, show should be up in a week (or sooner). Hope all remain well 'til then :eek:
 
#276 ·
~2008 Dynasty Tournament~

~Quarter Finals~
Dynasty Champion CM Punk v. Rey Mysterio
Samoa Joe v. William Regal
Low Ki v. Finlay
Shawn Michaels v. Charlie Haas

~Semi-Finals~
Punk / Mysterio v. Joe / Regal
Ki / Finlay v. Michaels / Haas

~GRAND FINALE~
Punk / Mysterio / Joe/ Regal
v.
Ki / Finlay / Michaels / Haas


I genuinely haven't got a clue who takes this thing and that's credit to you for the amount of talent involved and the credibility they all have. I'm gonna go out on a limb and say Punk though. I don't know why, I just feel like this is gonna be a star making moment and he's on the cusp of it, victory here, especially if he goes through guys like Mysterio, the unbeaten Joe and perhaps a final showdown with HBK would be phenomenal. Again though, anybody's for the taking, I've no doubts there'll be swerves along the way but it should be a hell of a ride.

-----

*Fan Bracket Showcase*
Whomever has the most fan votes will compete

Going for this to be: Danielson vs Noble vs Benjamin

~Meeting the Big Guys~
Christian Cage makes his case to the network execs


~Bonus Questions~
1. Predict the winners of each leg of the tournament Done
2. What will be the longest Quarter-Final match? Joe/Regal
3. In the Fan Bracket Showcase, name a) who received the most votes Danielsonand b) the match type Triple Threat
4. Will the executive(s) grant Christian permission for his desired Last Man Standing Match? No
5. What match will open the show? Punk/Mysterio


No doubting this will be a fantastic show. You've all the tools to deliver something big here, good luck with it(Y). I know I haven't been around so much of late but I will look to give you my thoughts once this is up.
 
#277 ·
~RISE OF A DYNASTY~
July 2nd, 2008 - MGM Grand; Las Vegas, Nevada

~2008 Dynasty Tournament~

~Quarter Finals~

Dynasty Champion CM Punk v. Rey Mysterio
Samoa Joe v. William Regal
Low Ki v. Finlay
Shawn Michaels v. Charlie Haas


~Semi-Finals~
Punk v. Samoa Joe
Finlay v. Michaels

~GRAND FINALE~
Samoa Joe
v.
Michaels

-----

*Fan Bracket Showcase*
Whomever has the most fan votes will compete

~Meeting the Big Guys~
Christian Cage makes his case to the network execs



~Bonus Questions~
1. Predict the winners of each leg of the tournament DONE
2. What will be the longest Quarter-Final match? MICHAELS VS HAAS
3. In the Fan Bracket Showcase, name a) who received the most votes and b) the match type A) Danielson, B) Trios
4. Will the executive(s) grant Christian permission for his desired Last Man Standing Match? YES
5. What match will open the show? PUNK VS MYSTERIO


Tournaments are always hard to predict. I normally like to leave comments as to why I'm predicting xy&z, but these were all just gut feeling calls - although Joe never being pinned or submitted has me backing him. The Michaels story - for me - is the big one, and I could envisage some great TV if he fell short in the final or ended up screwed over by a vengeful Heyman in some kind of double cross, despite being his supposed 'chosen one'. Hence Joe vs HBK as the final. The two best stories; Joe unbeated, Shawn determined for another crack at glory.
 
#278 ·
PREDICTION TEMPLATE

~RISE OF A DYNASTY~
July 2nd, 2008 - MGM Grand; Las Vegas, Nevada

~2008 Dynasty Tournament~

~Quarter Finals~

Dynasty Champion CM Punk v. Rey Mysterio
Samoa Joe v. William Regal
Low Ki v. Finlay
Shawn Michaels v. Charlie Haas


~Semi-Finals~
Punk v. Joe
Ki v. Michaels

~GRAND FINALE~
Joe
v.
Michaels


-----

*Fan Bracket Showcase*
Whomever has the most fan votes will compete

~Meeting the Big Guys~
Christian Cage makes his case to the network execs



~Bonus Questions~
1. Predict the winners of each leg of the tournament Done.
2. What will be the longest Quarter-Final match? Punk vs Mysterio
3. In the Fan Bracket Showcase, name a) who received the most votes - Bryan Danielson and b) the match type - Tag Team Match
4. Will the executive(s) grant Christian permission for his desired Last Man Standing Match? NO
5. What match will open the show? Joe vs Regal

 
#279 ·
~RISE OF A DYNASTY~
July 2nd, 2008 - MGM Grand; Las Vegas, Nevada

~2008 Dynasty Tournament~

~Quarter Finals~

Dynasty Champion CM Punk v. Rey Mysterio
Samoa Joe v. William Regal
Low Ki v. Finlay
Shawn Michaels v. Charlie Haas


~Semi-Finals~
Punk v. Samoa Joe
Finlay v. Michaels

~GRAND FINALE~
Samoa Joe
v.
Michaels

-----

*Fan Bracket Showcase*
Whomever has the most fan votes will compete

~Meeting the Big Guys~
Christian Cage makes his case to the network execs



~Bonus Questions~
1. Predict the winners of each leg of the tournament Sorted.
2. What will be the longest Quarter-Final match? Punk vs Mysterio.
3. In the Fan Bracket Showcase, name a) who received the most votes and b) the match type: Bryan Danielson, and we know you love your Trios...
4. Will the executive(s) grant Christian permission for his desired Last Man Standing Match? No, then Christian drops him with a Killswitch to show how crazy he is.
5. What match will open the show? Michaels vs Haas.

Should be a cracker my good man. I think Joe/HBK is the final waiting to happen, given that Joe has almost been a consistent sleeper threat throughout AOW's history and considering he's physically never been stopped in the ring. I also remember the tensions between Joe and Michaels that were present earlier in the thread that never really materialised into much else, while he's pretty much destroyed everyone in his way up until this point. He'd make an excellent threat in the title scene while Christian/Jericho rages on too. Michaels making it all the way (including a painful, emotional win over Haas and a hard-fought one over Finlay perhaps) but losing out at the last hurdle would provide plenty of ammo in his storyline with Heyman. I imagine Shelton Benjamn will also be involved somewhere to keep his angle ticking over as well, the same for Jericho. Anyway, I eagerly anticipate reading it, play on play on. (Y)
 
#281 ·
Rise of a Dynasty Feedback​

Yeah this is a little late, apologies but that pesky real world eh…

No better way to start things off than Punk/Mysterio and there was some beautiful action throughout, particularly in the early exchanges with the counters. The constant near misses, be it Mysterio with the 619 and Punk with his kicks lead nicely towards the end but Punk was always to come out on top considering his position right now compared to Rey’s. Strong start here to nobody’s surprise and a marker laid down from Punk.

Very clever second contest here and a smart way for you to write Joe out of contention without actually being beaten. Was also good use of the Mercs and their tactics, makes them look smart howeverrrrrrr…then we hear afterwards it wasn’t infact the plan, they’ve been paid off? Very interesting little spin on it and I hope we do get something coming out of this as to just who wanted Joe out. My money would be on Heyman.

Pretty surprised that Finlay/Ki went on this long but kudos for it, certainly produced the goods. The questioning of if Finlay’s lost a step or two beforehand made me think you might just go that way and in the opening stages it fit the bill. Finlay of course was gonna come back strong and the vicious manner you write him always captures me. After the commercial things really picked up even more and there was some great up and downs, back and forths between the two, loved the Springboard Kick into the Rolling Hills from Finlay in particular. You almost had me with the Warrior’s Way, I seriously thought it was over and the upset of all upsets was on but Finlay finally prevails. Outstanding contest here, it just drew me in and I can’t say that for bundles of matches around these parts, so for that this makes it one of your finest matches written in my book.

Decent match next up and pleased that Haas’ injury didn’t completely hamper him. Towards the end yes it gave way but generally Haas gave it all he head whilst Michaels played his role well, not wanting to take advantage but knowing he had to get the job done. Simple booking.

Fatal 4 Way eh? Those who predicted get a do over here, we expected three people :no: Four high quality superstars in the mix, little surprised with Burchill out of all the options but the others were all in the equation. Made sense to try take out Danielson early on and the action was solid enough between the three men whilst he was out the equation. No denying that things picked up though once Danielson returned to the mix. His little battle with Benjamin was really enjoyable, some nice back and forth between the two. You displayed Danielson’s resilience throughout well, he was seemingly the target of all three and yet he continued to rise back up. I thought Joe mighta waited til the next show to go all out on the Mercs but him not waiting and taking it to Burchill here just goes to show how pissed off he is which is good portrayal of him and just how big an opportunity it was for him tonight being taken away.

Ending again fitted in nicely with Danielson not giving up the fight and ultimately being screwed after all his hard work. Didn’t see Black winning this at all but I’m a fan of it. I think he’s starting to show a little bit more and you’ve also noted that in your commentary etc so I’m looking forward to seeing his rise continue. Really strong action in this one with a few surprises along the way from start to finish, good job.

Beautiful opening here with the targeting of Punk’s arm, Regal was portrayed as calculated and smart as ever in picking him apart once seeing the opportunity. Punk’s comeback was again, done beautifully. The fact it was all done through his pluckiness, his legs being the key and the selling of the arm injury, it was great stuff. Story throughout the match and the closing stages kept up with the beginning. You had Punk dig as deep as he possibly could to pull it off and at the same time Regal comes out looking as cold and relentless as usual despite defeat. Heading into the final now you’d expect the arm to be exploited but it sets it up nicely with that question mark hanging over Punk now.

I know it was a slightly different story here with Heyman being a key factor in Michaels ways but it was somewhat similar to the Punk/Regal match just beforehand in the fact you had the ‘face’ right up against it from the get go, Finlay’s savage attack followed up with a Shillelagh early doors and it immediately puts Michaels on the back foot. Minor error in that you had King as referee but mentioned Hebner in the early going. Michaels certainly came back strong following that early battle, perhaps a little too strong, would’ve liked a touch more from Finlay although I know not every match can be a 15-20 minute war. Ending tied in well with the Michaels-Heyman saga while allowing Finlay yet another huge victory. I’ve no idea what the next step now is in the Heyman-HBK stuff but it certainly has my interest.

You captured Christian’s passion and his desperation almost for the match with Jericho really well in this promo. I wasn’t too keen to begin with, it felt a bit of a laugh and whatnot with he and Foley being all buddy buddy but it soon picked up. Wasn’t sure how I felt when he practically reeled off the roster and gushed over them but it did make sense with what he was building towards, shooting down Jericho with his comments. Jericho’s antics were typical Jericho, wasn’t all that keen to be honest as I felt you could’ve just run with the promo straight, though I got why you did it. Promo was strong and Jericho again getting inside Christian’s head was well done. Gonna be extremely ugly next week, can’t wait to read it.

And here we go, show time. Again, small error but you had written ‘Punk and Joe stand in their respective corners’, makes me wonder if that was indeed the planned final at one stage before you came to think of the end game or more likely a typo lol. Nice to see things switched up a little with the opening here. More cagey, more serious almost with it now dawning this is the final showdown. Clever little spot with the shillelagh, liked that and shows Punk to realise the dangers that shillelagh possesses. Typical Finlay, laying into Punk in brutal fashion, expected a bit more focus on the arm to be honest and the fact he didn’t allowed Punk to have more of a stranglehold on the contest. Eventually he did go to the arm though and at that point I expected a long onslaught from the Irishman but again you displayed Punk’s heart and will to win well as he stuck at it, giving it right back to him. Top rope exchanges were nice if a little unexpected, particularly from Finlay, the spot with Punk hitting the guard rail would’ve been urgh. Ending had me thinking it was over more than once, GTS, over? Nope. Sitout powerbomb, over? Na. Before finally Punk gets the win and in emphatic fashion although I’d have liked a little more mention on how he struggled to pull it off with the injured arm. Gripping finale though, not my favourite contest of the night but a worthy one nonetheless.

Ending was…interesting. I can see why you went for it with Punk’s statement, making his intentions clear and what have you. It was well written and you had his character nailed on, I just didn’t think it was necessary, didn’t think it was the right timing. I get that perhaps it would feel more natural being a heat of the moment type speech but I guess I’d rather you’d have had Punk simply looking have his hand raised in victory, looking like the man having seen off Finlay and going through hell and back tonight. Think it might’ve been better saved for you to have Punk reveal all this on the next Oblivion or over the next couple of weeks but that’s just personal preference, not a knock on the segment.

Other than perhaps a small criticism there, can’t complain about any of the action and booking whatsoever, it was fantastic. Punk was my choice to win and I think it fits everything that the tournament was all about, he’s the Dynasty champion, he represents what the company stands for and he’s certainly worthy of entering the title mix soon enough with a shift in character on the way it may seem. As for the other competitors/matches, nobody/nothing comes out of this with a black mark next to ‘em. Joe was robbed, Michaels/Heyman continues, Haas injury angle extends while Finlay and Regal still looked brutal even in defeat, Mysterio loses to the winner and Ki pushed Finlay further than near enough anybody has. Top notch stuff here and I’ve no doubts the fallout from this will be big with Christian/Jericho set for a bloody end next week to go along with it(Y)
 
#282 ·
The King had grown weary. He was beyond feeling, past any kind of numbness. Lifeless? Perhaps this was the beginning of what it felt like to have the vitality slip through one’s fingers. He wouldn't know. He had grown weary.

He wasn't sure of the last time he had washed himself, much less cared for much of anything. As a result, the kingdom itself has become to resemble the King’s body – the castle has overgrown, vines trapping the once enchanted bricks like flies on their last limbs in the spider’s silk. The woods behind the castle is beginning to rot and deteriorate, no longer giving the warm escape from the royal realm they once bestowed. But even worse, the people in the valley of the commoners have become complacent. While the King stayed to himself, they turned to their once former leaders, who had returned to reclaim what was once theirs. The Inner Circle had taken over once more.

What more can I do, pondered the King. There are not many remaining in the village as we speak. The ones who remain seek their enlightenment, but could be suffocated by the new masters. The once bright, new faces had seemed to go the way the King is now. But even worse to the man on the throne, the MelvisKnight had ridden off and had not returned. The man who continually pushed him to be better was not there.

But suddenly, the King gained something that made his lifeless state turn into one of anxiousness – time. He is no longer exhausted. He is able to gaze once more at his works. He begins to feel not weary, but invigorated. Jealous. There are men in my village, he thinks, proving their worth. And what have I done? Nothing. Nothing but sulk and take the weary pace life has thrown my way. I cannot wither, he continues. It is almost spring. I can bloom.

And just like that, a little pink round creature that the King had not seen in some time burst into the dreary throne room. The alarmed King sits up, only to have a computer keyboard thrown at him. He catches it, but almost as soon as they letters touch his fingers, the pink creature throws at him another projectile – a copy of the Art of War. The magenta entity with the strong right arm (nub?) steps out of the shadows to reveal none other than the Hero of Dreamland himself, Kirby.

For once, his innocent smile has been revamped. It is no longer empty, brimming with aimless wonder. It is now a smile that seems to inspire the King’s aging bones, filling him with the same determination that appears to be in the big, blue eyes of the Dreamland knight. Then, something happens to the King’s face. It too cracks with a determined smile.

“Kirby”, he says to the spherical warrior, “I think I wish to take my kingdom back.”

The King rises from his throne, his scepter the only thing keeping him from collapsing back down. He walks towards his enormous front door, the adorable blush-colored ball following close behind. Perhaps now he can be the King they deserve…and the one they need right now. For now, he will have to deal with the somewhat new pressure of coming back out of the woodwork and trying to match that infamous faction. That kind of responsibility can tear a booker/writer apart.

But the King wouldn't know. He has grown weary. He just wants to write.

“It is time to kill what I created…but have fun doing it.”

Here comes the origins…and the endings.



---

Yes, I had a busy schedule to kick off the year, but with things getting more relaxed, I figured I show up here again. Not declaring war on anybody (for now :side:) but couldn't resist writing something so theatrical. A sign of things to come, one could say. Anyways, lemme see where I left off...


The Informer said:
There’s a set of rumors going around that AOW has signed another ROH name, but that’s highly unlikely given the fact that the roster is pretty filled at the moment. As Mick Foley stated in his interview in the Offseason, the big problem is the number of talents AOW has and wants without getting more airtime. FX isn’t going to consider giving AOW another time extension until the fall TV season starts and they probably aren’t gonna sign anyone else due to the roster and such.

In direct correlation to what Foley also had to say in that interview, the prophecy that AOW will have to start getting creative with things like stables to get the increasing roster size some air time is gonna come true. The team of DAT MUSCLE is probably a big example, and if the latest .com Exclusives are to go by, the teaming up of Carlito & Rey Mysterio will be there too.

AOW might also have to deal with contracts expiring pretty soon. Many of the guys on the roster are signed to one-year deals, due to the experimental status of the whole promotion. Now it seems those contracts will be both a blessing and a curse, as they’ll have to renegotiate with anyone they want to keep, and if they want to do some ‘summer cleaning’, it’ll pretty much be done for them.

In regards to the Antonio Banks saga, Banks has evidently volunteered to take a pay cut if he returns to the promotion. ‘If’ is the key word because it remains to be seen if FX will allow Banks back on their network after the fiasco he’s caused. AOW, of course, wants Banks back due to the huge risk, involvement, and character they gave him. Banks is still on his 90-Day No Compete clause and won’t be available on-screen until after Origins & Endings.


aohdubya.com said:
AOW ANNOUNCES CHAMPIONS IN JULY

AOW Commander in Chief Paul Heyman and Acting Commander Mick Foley have both agreed to label the remainder of the month as CHAMPINOS IN JULY – an event that makes the entire roster take notice, puts champions on edge, and gives the fans everything they want! That's because for the rest of the month, there will be a guaranteed championship match every week! Tune in every week to not just see the build-up for AOW’s one year anniversary PPV, Origins & Endings, but also for a set of incredible matches week after week!

AOHDUBYA.COM EXCLUSIVES

Backstage, the trainer’s room, Rise of a Dynasty. Charlie Haas is being examined as his shoulder is being wrapped up. The trainer says something about ‘surgery’. Haas shakes his head as he walks away. Haas turns his head the other way…only to see Shelton Benjamin walk in, fresh off of his Fatal 4-Way match. Even so, he’s as smug as ever

Benjamin:
So how’s the shoulder holding up there, champ?

Haas:
Better than you.

Benjamin:
You can’t be better than me. You ain’t even win tonight.

Haas:
Yeah? And neither did you, Mr. “Ace”.

Benjamin:
Nope. But at least I can compete next week. And the week after that. And the week after that. And the month after that.
~Benjamin gets closer and closer to Haas’ face, throwing acid on the papercut here

Haas:
Y’know what this whole thing has taught me, Shelton? That you wanna be the best so bad. But the fact is…I’m better than you. With one arm.
~Benjamin’s smile disappears and makes him get serious

Benjamin:
If you wanna prove that…step back in that ring. I promise you – I won’t just break your arm. I’ll break it off.
~And with that, Benjamin’s smile reappears as he walks away, leaving Charlie Haas to cringe in pain at the trainer again poking at his shoulder as we fade away…


Backstage, Rise of a Dynasty once again. Rey Mysterio is readjusting his mask he looks kinda down after losing earlier. It doesn’t take long for another masked man to approach him…in Aero Star. The two sit, almost mirroring their first encounter at The Outer Limits. Star places a hand on Mysterio’s shoulder and says his first words in the actual promotion…

Star:
“Si usted no es un campeón hoy, puede ser un futuro campeón.”
~Mysterio looks up and goes from somewhat despaired to having a smile

Mysterio:
“If you're not a champion today, you can be a champion tomorrow.” I’m glad you remembered that, man.
~Mysterio motions for Star to ‘come here’ and the two share an embrace…but they’re interrupted by another Spaniard…

Colon, Sr.:
Rey Mysterio Junior!
~Rey looks up from his hug to see Carly Colon, Sr…and his son, Carlito. Carlito doesn’t look like he wants to be there

Colon, Sr.:
Rey, my son here has been very disrespectful to j’ou in the past. I have accompanied my boy here to New York to teach him some respect. Carlito. Is dere something j’ou want to say to dis luchadore legend?
~Carlito hangs his head low and sheepishly approaches Rey

Carlito:
Mmmr…sorry abmmurmur…

Colon, Sr.:
What was dat?
~Carlito raises his head as his father starts unbuckling his belt…

Carlito:
Carlito is sorry for disrespecting j’ou.

Mysterio:
Uh…thank you.

Colon, Sr.:
And to show jus’ how sincere he is, he is going to be j’ur new tag team partner.

Carlito:
WHAT?!

Mysterio:
What?


Colon, Sr.:
Das right. Because Rey Mysterio, I think my son could learn a lot from j’ou. Whether he wants to or not.

Carlito:
Papi, dis is insane –

Mysterio:
With all due respect, Carly, I kind of already promised Aero Star I’d start personally mentoring him –

Colon, Sr.:
No, no, no. I insist.
~Mysterio looks to Star, who is glaring at Carlito. He hasn’t forgotten their short past

Carlito:
J’ou can’t be serious, Pops.

Colon, Sr.:
Cállate la boca!
~Carlito promptly shuts up

Mysterio:
Um…okay. I guess
~Carly enthusiastically shakes Mysterio’s hand and gives Aero a rub on the head before leaving and beckoning for Carlito to follow. Carlito is stunned, but sees his father leaving and follows…before pointing at Rey with a sneering face and leaving the frame. Mysterio can only cross his arms as Star shakes his head and we fade away…


The screen suddenly goes haywire, very much akin to Chris Jericho’s older videos during the offseason. The crazy screens give way to a solid spotlight on a stool, there which sits Jericho in his three piece suit and a dastardly, strategist grin

Jericho:
Chriiiiiiiistian…Chriiiiiiistian…Don’t try to think about your mother too much. The doctor’s assured she’s fine.
~Static. Close up on Jericho

Jericho:
And as for you, I’ve already told you you mean nothing without me…and you don’t know yourself well enough to not doubt yourself.
~Jericho laughs as it statics again. The camera pulls back away

Jericho:
But if you really wish to drown in your self-doubt and continually think of your mother…I can help you with both. It isn’t enough that you played right into my hand. But now I’m going to crush you with them. I know your mother had neck surgery when I paid her that visit. And so I’m going to let you join her. Christian Cage, I’m not just going to destroy you and regain my AOW World Heavyweight Championship…I’m going to break your neck.
~Jericho laughs again as the camera statics and gets another close up

Jericho:
God has the power to show you who’s god.
~Static. Black.






July 9th, 2008

The Hammerstein Ballroom – Manhattan, New York City, New York
“Becoming a Monster”


~After months of mental and physical torment, Christian Cage will finally get his wish to destroy Chris Jericho…in a LAST MAN STANDING MATCH!! After having to plead to Mick Foley and FX themselves, being faced with the monster named doubt inside himself, and having to deal with the anguish of reaching the top, can Christian Cage do the impossible and finally, FINALLY…kill a god? Or is Jericho right in that he is ‘immortal as the Earth’…?

~CM Punk went farther than anyone in the Dynasty Tournament and wound up winning it all, becoming only the second man to pin Dave Finlay. It took everything he had to become what he called a ‘hero’, but now what’s next? Is Punk going to keep his promise to not cash in his AOW World title shot at Origins & Endings? Or has he reconsidered and as other plans…?

~More fallout from the AOW Dynasty Tournament – who screwed Samoa Joe? What will Shawn Michaels’s punishment be? How long will Charlie Haas be out for? And how will Finlay recover from his Finals loss?


.:Confirmed for Oblivion:.

AOW World Heavyweight Championship
~Last Man Standing~
*Christian can only win if Jericho is bleeding
SPECIAL GUEST REFEREE: Mick Foley

Christian Cage(c) v. Chris Jericho

AND…

CM Punk leads off the night

BUT FIRST…

A brand new (slightly altered) opening vignette for the new season!


Show should be up very soon, either tomorrow or definitely over the weekend. Until then, cp, thanks for the feedback and to everyone else, I hope all will remain well. Here's to poking my head in this section again :eek:
 
#283 ·


July 9th, 2008

The Hammerstein Ballroom – Manhattan, New York City, New York
“Becoming a Monster”



*AOW!! AOW!! AOW!!*

“The Fight Song” by Marilyn Manson vignette

(Whispers)

Fight…

Danielson leaps for the flying headbutt…

Fight…

HBK cocks back, Sweet Chin Music ready…

Fight…

Christian leaps for the springboard plancha…

Fight…

Chris Jericho’s silhouette is highlighted…

*Opening guitar riff*

You'll never grow up to be a big rock star

The camera goes from the ground up to the face of Antonio Banks in his debut

Celebrated victim of your fame

Shawn Michaels comes down the ramp, pumped up from the main event of day one

Just cut our wrists like cheap coupons

RVD pumps his thumbs

And say that "death was on sale today"

Bryan Danielson points to his opponent singing his theme’s chorus

*Upped tempo, heavier sound*

And when we were good

Jack Evans’ double moonsault!

You just close your eyes

Aero Star, Psicosis, and Super Crazy perform the Triple Tope Torpedo!

So when we are bad

Ken Doane leg drops Billy Kidman though the announce table!

We'll scar your minds

A replayed shot of the Dungeon Device from TJ Wilson to Jack Evans in the Offseason

Fight!

SWEET CHIN MUSIC!!

Fight!

WARRIOR’S WAY!!!

Fight!

MUSCLE BUSTER!!!

Fight!

PEPSI PLUNGE!!

Fight!

FIVE STAR FROG SPLASH!!!

Fight!

CELTIC CROSS!!

Fight!

619!!!

Fight!

UNPRETTIER!!!

*Final cymbal crash*

Christian Cage holds his title high in jubilation
***


We open up to the raucous ovation of the Hammerstein Ballroom, back home after a stay over on the West coast. The entire arena is echoing the “AOW!” chant, welcoming the company back after their Supershow last week. The camera is panning all over the arena, showing crazed fans chanting and pumping their fists, and even briefly swinging around the announce table but not stopping…

…until the first sound to hit the threshold is “MISERE CANTARE – THE BEGINNING”. The crowd ROARS in applause as the first guy to come through the curtain is the last man who went through the crimson curtain last week – CM PUNK! Punk slips through the blood-red curtain with his Dynasty title held high and his ‘One Dark Flame’ shirt proudly displayed for all to see. He slings his title around his shoulder and walks to the ring, being introduced by Tony Chimel as the 2008 Dynasty Tournament winner.


Punk:
I know we were in the Pacific time zone last week, and even though this is the ‘City That Never Sleeps’, just in case you guys were driving your drunk friends home late last week and missed it…CM Punk is not just still your Dynasty Champion going into his seventh month, but he also became the winner of the 2008 Dynasty Tournament!

~Another HUGE pop from New York, “CM PUNK! CM PUNK!” chants galore

Punk:
I spoke my piece last week in my victory speech, so I don’t really wanna waste words and be redundant, but there is something about winning that grueling Tournament that I think got lost in the shuffle a little bit, no matter how big it actually was. Yeah, I have an AOW World Heavyweight Championship opportunity, but I also have the choice of announcing when I want to use it.

~A buzz of intrigue from the crowd as Punk molds his face into a thinking expression

Punk:
And for the past week, I’ve been getting remarks, responses, messages, from everyone back home in Chicago, everyone on the street here in the Apple, and all the guys in the back. Everyone wants to know when I want to use that shot. Been getting a lot of feedback about it.

~Punk starts pacing in the ring a little

Punk:
A lot of guys have told me I should do it next month. That the main event of Origins & Endings should be CM Punk taking on either Christian Cage or Chris Jericho for the AOW World Heavyweight Championship.

~The crowd pops at that simple notion

Punk:
Or another one of my favorites is that I should make my case and actually get myself involved in a title match tonight.

~A HUGE pop for that at the thought of Punk injecting himself in a big time feud…

Punk:
But my absolute favorite is the idea of me holding onto my Dynasty Championship and waiting until the Outer Limits II…and unifying the Dynasty Championship with the World title on the biggest stage this company has to offer.

~But an even BIGGER pop for that very idea, yet another “CM PUNK! CM PUNK!” chant kicking up

Punk:
But I tell all those people and everyone else who has not heard me say it yet that I will wait until the time is right for me to make my mark and make my stand –


Punk doesn’t get to finish that statement because he’s cut off by the sound of the Godzilla horn, as “MAMA SAID KNOCK YOU OUT” blares out across the arena. Samoa Joe struts through the curtain to a pop that almost rivals Punk’s, but he doesn’t acknowledge it or even let out the slightest smirk, storming straight to the ring

Joe:
CM Punk. Dynasty Tournament winner. Congratulations, bro. I mean that.

~Joe sticks out a hand that Punk hesitates a moment at before extending his hand and shaking with Joe

Joe:
Just thought I’d tell you that in person. I haven’t seen you in the past week. Hell, I haven’t seen anyone in the past week. I’ve been so pissed, I haven’t wanted to see anyone.

~Punk’s face hardens up as he looks somewhat puzzledly at Joe

Joe:
Taking nothing away from you, Punk, but don’t you think that maybe it’s fair to say you won the whole thing because someone got rid of me first…?

~'Oooooohhh...' The crowd’s buzz for the two faces gets a little more tense

Punk:
What’re you inferring, Joe? I’m pretty damn sure I could’ve won that on my own…

~Punk walks closer to Joe, getting in his face

Punk:
…and I did.

~“Ooooooh”

Joe:
Don’t get it twisted, Punk. I consider you a friend. As a matter of fact, you’re my most honest friend. So you’d tell me if you knew something about who put the hit out on me…right?

~Joe gets back in Punk’s face, the air getting tenser by the second

Punk:
As an honest friend, Joe, I can tell you I know as much as you do about the whole thing. Hell, I’ll even help you out any way I can. But as your honest friend…I’ll say I don’t like you being this close to my face.

~He says that and Punk doesn’t move his face away from Joe’s


Joe:
I like you, Punk. You know I do. And I’m not taking anything away from your win. But until I figure out who sent Mercs, Inc. after me, honestly…nobody’s innocent.

~With that, Punk backs away, obviously insulted (intimidated?)

Joe:
But…since you’ve made it pretty clear that you won’t be ‘cashing in’ your shot anytime soon, I think someone needs to fill that void at Origins & Endings. Someone’s gotta be in the title match in that main event.

~Joe turns away from Punk and turns to the stage

Joe:
So maybe somebody better come out here and exact some justice. Samoa Joe was screwed. So it’d only be fair if he was given some kind of title shot as compensation. In the main event of Origins & Endings.


The crowd goes from suspect of Joe to popping big for the idea of Joe getting a shot at the big show…but it’s not Heyman or Foley that shows up. Instead “LAMBEG” blares out to a solid array of heat, Finlay coming through the curtain now. He has just as nasty a scowl as ever, stomping towards two of the only men who have ever beaten him. He has a microphone, but no shillelagh.

Finlay:
The hell is this? If anyone is getting a title shot, it’s a guy who actually made it to the final round of the Tournament.

Punk:
I don’t think so, Ireland. All you did last night was get pinned and give rise to my dynasty.

~Punk gets a brief pop, but Finlay is quick to get in his face

Finlay:
Some fluke win doesn’t make you a dynasty, boy. It makes you a lucky bastard.

~Heat, but Joe actually gets between both men

Joe:
What might be really lucky, Finlay, is the fact that prior to last night, the only guy in that bracket to ever beat you…was me. That seems like a good enough motive to put a hit on me and get me out of the Tournament. You wouldn’t have had anything to do with knocking me out. Would you, ol’ buddy, ol’ pal?

~Joe gets in Finlay’s face now, the tension stirring greatly, but Finlay doesn’t flinch

Finlay:
Please. I’m not scared of you. If anything, I’d have wrapped those ropes around your neck and choked the hell out of you again.

~“Ooooooh”. The reference to their last match together gets a daunting reaction, Joe actually flinching

Finlay:
Besides, you look like you’re looking everywhere in your search. Except the obvious place – the guy you were facing. So how about you step aside before I give you another loss on your record and really give you something to be mad about. Aye?


More considerable heat for Finlay, Joe and Punk staring him down and Punk almost having to be the one to pull Joe away from him, but this is interrupted yet again by the sound of a pipe organ hitting the threshold, as “WELCOME TO WHITECHAPEL” blares out across New York now. Coming down the ramp this time is all three members of Mercs, Inc. – William Regal, Paul Burchill, & Brent Albright. Like Joe and Finlay before them, none of them are happy in the least bit, William Regal donned in one of his premier robes. He is the only one that steps into the ring, getting up to the apron to wipe off his feet…only for JOE TO CHARGE AT HIM!! Nobody stops the raging Samoan, Regal quickly dropping off the apron and screaming “DOWN, BOY!”, The Mercenaries moving to stand between the two. Joe stays inside, while Regal is behind his wall of men on the outside.

Regal:
Now, now, gentlemen. You’re all bitter about something. But there’s absolutely no reason to be pointing any fingers at me and my men.

Joe:
Pointing fingers?! You’re the ones that got me eliminated in the first place!

Regal:
Business is business, chap. You should know that. And besides – you don’t deserve anything after you cost Burchill here a shot at that scoundrel’s Dynasty Championship.

~Regal points at Punk, who now gets defiant

Punk:
Hey, the only scoundrels here are you and your band of paid maids!

Finlay:
You don’t have any room to talk, Chicago!

Regal:
And you! You daft Irish prick! Stop accusing me and my men of being anything but good businessmen!


And just like that, the ring and the area surrounding the ring are filled with men arguing back and forth, each one of them pissed at each other and shouting. But that’s before an even more annoying voice pierces the airwaves between all six men. And no, it’s not Teddy Long.

Heyman:
Gentlemen. Gentlemen. GENTLEMEN!!

~The arguing men stop bickering with each other and look all the way to the entrance stage to see what the audience is booing hysterically at…to see Paul Heyman, no longer in his wheelchair, but still in neckbrace. Accompanying him in a near identical suit is Shawn Michaels. Michaels’s hair is greased back almost exactly like Heyman’s in addition to the mirroring suit. It looks like HBK’s already paying for what he did last week…

Heyman:
I have a World Heavyweight title match to oversee tonight and I will not be distracted by a bunch of bickering children!

~More heat for Heyman, who doesn’t care much


Heyman:
Now then. It looks like thanks to Mr. Punk’s decision to hold off his title shot for not Origins & Endings, I’m out of a main event in one of my biggest shows of the entire year. So what will happen next week will be an enormous main event.

~The crowd buzzes a little more positively for this

Heyman:
Mr. Punk, your win and your title shot are engraved in stone. The winner of the Dynasty Tournament’s title shot is protected and held in regard beyond all others. It cannot be taken away from you.

~An informative piece from Heyman gets a little more buzz

Heyman:
So next week…I propose the same thing. A match where the winner will face the winner of tonight’s main event for the AOW Championship at Origins & Endings. A match where the winner’s title shot cannot be disputed…and cannot be taken away.

~All six men are looking with great intrigue at Heyman

Heyman:
…and it will be a Triple Threat Match! It will be between the last three men in the Dynasty Tournament. William Regal, Dave Finlay…and Shawn Michaels.

~The crowd throws a very big mixed reaction, Michaels lifting his head for the first time all promo. Joe’s face, on the other hand, is twisted into absolute anger

Joe:
Wait, so I get screwed and three guys who could’ve cost me that title shot all get another shot?

Heyman:
Joe, your selfish dedication never ceases to amaze me. I will not reward a man who has resolved to tear through my roster once before and is making the same oath to do it a second time.

~Joe drops his microphone from his lips in disbelief

Heyman:
BUT…I cannot waste a golden opportunity like this to make a big show even bigger. Tonight, Joe, perhaps you can let out some of your selfish steam. And all six of you can resolve your differences. Because tonight, it’s gonna be the entire 2008 Trios Tournament Champions Mercenaries, Inc….taking on AOW Dynasty Champion and 2008 Dynasty Tournament winner CM Punk, the Fighting, near-undefeated Irishman Finlay…and the unpinned One Man Army Samoa Joe!

~The crowd roars in approval for this absolutely huge match on an already big night

Heyman:
And all of you better start resolving differences right away. Because that match starts…RIGHT NOW!!

~Teddy Long would be proud, as all six men start stirring and the crowd goes absolutely wild as we go to the commentator’s table

Joey Styles:
Welcome to what’s shaping up to be the biggest episode so far of the new season of Oblivion! I’m Joey Styles alongside John “Bradshaw” Layfield and what an incredible segment we just saw!

JBL:
I love it! Six guys, they all want at each other’s heads, an’ we’re gonna get a big fight right off the bat!

Joey Styles:
And we’re gonna get an even bigger one next week when we decide the #1 Contender for the AOW World Heavyweight Championship at Origins & Endings!

JBL:
But we’ve already got what could be the biggest match in AOW history already tonight!

Joey Styles:
John’s right, folks. Because tonight we will have a match that many say should be on Pay-Per-View, but we’re giving it to you tonight. Christian Cage’s plea to the FX executives was met with great enthusiasm and granted him his match. Christian Cage will defend his AOW World title against Chris Jericho in a Last Man Standing match! Mick Foley is the special guest referee and Christian can’t win the match until Chris Jericho is bleeding! But we’ll be right back with huge six-man tag action, folks! Keep it here all night!


**COMMERCIAL BREAK**



~Christian vs. Chris Jericho Retrospective~
World Ablaze 2007

After weeks of conspiracy theories, Christian and Bobby Lashley have an absolute slugfest “I Quit” match that only ends with Christian, handcuffed, helpless, and destroyed by merciless chair shot after chair shot, executing a double turn with Lashley just before Lashley tries to Con-Chair-To Torrie Wilson that forces Christian to say those two words. Because of this, Christian is forced to leave the company…

Later in the main event, Chris Jericho & Rob Van Dam have their ECW Rules match and RVD on the cusp of victory…only for Lashley to show up and spear RVD through a table and give Jericho the win and his AOW Championship, thus shocking the world and forming the Worthy Legion…



~Back at ringside...


OPENING CONTEST
~Six Man Tag~
Dynasty Champion CM Punk, Finlay, & Samoa Joe
v.

2008 Trios Tournament Champions Mercenaries, Inc.


The contest is already in full swing when he get to it, the opening pair of minutes gone by. From what we see, Finlay, Punk, and Joe all have an incredible amount of tension between them, only Punk and Joe’s later tags being more traditional and everything else being nothing short of slaps. This, obviously, is contrasted by the silk-like smoothness and katana-like precision of the opposing corner. We cut in around the eight minute mark, CM Punk in brief control before being overpowered by the meticulous nature and corner that is Mercenaries, Inc. Each man gets to break Punk down, who has to play face in peril to the now legal Brent Albright.

Albright takes his sweet time torturing Punk, the commentators noting that these two have a past that was re-ignited in the Offseason. Albright nails Punk with a nasty BELLY TO BELLY SUPLEX that just decimates Punk, but doesn’t give Albright the winning fall. The Merc’s corner implores their youngest member to tag out, but Albright wants to exact more damage and revenge, taking Punk up for the deadly HALF-NELSO SUPLEX…but Punk manages to twist his way out, short arm Brent…AND HITS THE PEPSI TWIST!! Punk has to crawl to his corner to try and make the hot tag…Albright gets to Regal…Punk is damn close…AND GETS IT IN TO SAMOA JOE!!

Joe comes in like a house afire, having been in the contest before this point, but being off the hot tag, is freakin’ untouchable. He blasts Regal with a running elbow, his frustration striking Regal in the face. He then goes over to the opposing corner and SMASHES BURCHILL OFF THE APRON!! Albright fights back, taking Joe and RAKES HIS EYE OFF THE ROPES! The big man is stunned…but then he SLAPS AT HIS EYE AND SHAKES IT OFF!! Albright, a man as stoic as the men he learns from, gets a look of genuine fear as Joe pulls him into the ring and hits him with the CCS ENZEGUIRI!

Albright falls to a turnbuckle, Joe looking around for Regal, who has played it smart and rolled out of the ring. Joe sees this and makes a case to start charging up the ELBOW SUICIDA…BURCHILL BASHES HIM IN THE HEAD!! Burchill flies in and gets some retribution, knocking Joe for a loop that gets Regal back in and allows him to his a REGALPLEX…NO!! Joe fights out…CCZ ENZEGUIRI!! Regal Now falls to a turnbuckle, Albright still sitting in his and Joe pumps up the crowd with chanting…AND HITS OLE KICKS TO BOTH CORNERS!! The crowd is on fire for Joe, who is pumped and possibly ready for a finish…BUT THEN FINLAY BLIND TAGS HIMSELF IN!

Obviously, this pisses Joe off beyond any and all doubt, getting into a huge argument with Finlay. Finlay jaws back and jabs at Joe’s pecs. It gets so bad, Punk has to step in and try to make peace to maybe win the match. While that’s going on, it looks like Regal makes the tag to Burchill in his corner, Regal and Albright KNOCK PUNK OFF THE APRON AND SMASH JOE AND FINLAY TOGETHER, CLOCKING HEADS THEIR HEADS, IN ONE MOTION!!

This knocks Punk and Joe to the outside, while Finlay is vulnerable to get caught by Albright while Burchill goes to the second rope…the catapult…INTO THE MERCY KILL!! THE CATAPULT CLOTHESLINE CONNECTS!! Burchill props up to maybe go for the cover, but he goes right back at the opposing corner to drive a KNEE TO PUNK AND KNOCK HIM BACK OFF THE APRON! Burchill then turns around and looks to be another man to add a loss to Finlay’s record…AND HE GETS SMASHED BY A CHAIR SHOT FROM SAMOA JOE!!!

Winners: Mercenaries, Inc. by DQ at (11:37)

AND JOE ISN’T STOPPING!! The big man is on an absolute rampage, as Regal and Albright try and approach him with a strategy…only for Joe to outmuscle them and RAM THE CHAIR RIGHT INTO REGAL’S GUT!! Albright sees an opening, but he too gets a CHAIR RIGHT OT HE RIBS!! Joe finishes it off by CRACKING THE CHAIR OFF OF ALBRIGHT’S SPINE!!

But the look on Joe’s face doesn’t make him seem satisfied at all with the destruction he’s caused, as he’s glaring at the downed Finlay, awaiting for him to get to his feet…AND THE ONE MAN ARMY BLASTS FINLAY RIGHT BETWEEN THE EYES!! Finlay drops like a rock and is dead, Samoa Joe more than letting out his frustrations and steam. The crowd is roaring for the rampage of destruction, but then CM Punk puts a hand on Joe’s shoulder…AND ALMOST GETS CLOCKED IN THE FACE WITH THE CHAIR!!

The crowd reels from this and so does Punk, who backs away as Joe swings around, the only two faces left standing with an incredible amount of tension between them. Punk tries to regulate his heartbeat in a corner, Joe backing away from the ring and up the entrance ramp, steel chair still in hand all the way…​


Joey Styles:
Oh my gosh…a fantastic match that ended with a DQ win for the Trios Tournament winners, and Samoa Joe just let out every single frustration he had, even almost on his ‘friend’ CM Punk!

JBL:
He should’ve smashed his grease fire face in right here.

Joey Styles:
Always the CM Punk fan, Bradshaw is. But I think there’s some cracks starting to show in Samoa Joe’s impenetrable armor. The One Man Army might be having some problems on the frontline!

JBL:
How unoriginal. Someone else in this company losin’ their damn mind. But at least his wasn’t some breakdown ramble. He took down a whole crop of guys with him! That’s good TV!

Joey Styles:
No one said Joe was completely cracked, John. He’s just consumed with this notion of finding whoever screwed him out of the Dynasty Tournament, so I actually think he has a damn good reason for going crazy with that chair!

JBL:
But Joe’s not the only guy who is gonna go crazy here tonight!

Joey Styles:
Oh no, far from it. If you thought this was madness, just wait for our main event. Christian Cage vowed to become a ‘monster to kill the monster’ that is Chris Jericho. And he’ll do that in the Last Man Standing match later tonight! The AOW Championship is on the line and blood will be shed! Oblivion continues!

JBL:
I don’t think Christian’s the only guy tonight who might be becoming a monster, either…




***

A black screen. We don’t see anything until what sounds like Shawn Michaels speaks

Michaels:
In the beginning…God said ‘Let there be light’. And there was light.

The screen lights up with a light at the end of a dark tunnel

Michaels:
And God saw the light and that it was good. He separated the light from the darkness.

The silhouette of a man walks down a hallway. A side view reveals that this man is Shawn Michaels. As he walks, still pictures of Shawn Michaels as part of The Rockers come to life and play videos of matches.

Michaels:
He saw the light and that it was good…

Michaels keeps walking past a picture of his “Sexy Boy” days before it too comes to life, standing alongside Sensational Sherri and stripping in the ring for no reason at all

Michaels:
But then there was the darkness…

Michaels keeps walking past a picture of the Montreal Screwjob, the picture going in motion to have Michaels win

Michaels:
…and that is what man wishes to rid himself of.

Michaels stops walking now, freezing in front of a very hazy picture of what looks like him holding a world title

Michaels:
He wishes to always be in the light…

Michaels hangs his head before he keeps walking…

Michaels:
And that light…that spotlight…is what drives him. He was born in it.

HBK walks by a picture of his very first appearance in AOW, the picture becoming a video of a pumped up Shwostopper

Michaels:
But that light is what will drive him back to darkness…from ashes to ashes…

Another picture of HBK facing Chris Jericho back in December, Jericho pinning Michaels…

Michaels:
From dust…to dust…

A full-front shot of Michaels, who raises his head…only to smirk and look forward, the blood-red curtain right in front of him

Michaels:
How it is done…is how it shall be. Until the end of all time.

Michaels approaches the curtain, a raucous crowd being heard chanting “HBK!! HBK!!” Michaels now turns to the camera and speaks

Michaels:
But my time…will never be up!

Michaels pushes through the curtain and though we only get a back view of his way out, we can see him doing his entrance the crowd going nuts for a second before fading off…





~AOW PRESENTS~
ORIGINS & ENDINGS
*THE ONE-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF AOW*
~A FOUR HOUR PAY-PER-VIEW SPECTACULAR~

AUGUST 24th, 2008
Mellon Arena – Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

***

**COMMERCIAL BREAK**


~Christian vs. Chris Jericho Retrospective~
This is Exile 2008

Christian Cage returns from exile to lead Team AOW against the Worthy Legion inside the first ever AOW War Chamber. Through a brutal array of eliminations, the last three men are Christian, Lashley, and Jericho. Jericho is knocked out by his own man, leaving Christian to finish off Lashley with a savage Con-Chair-To, ridding himself of one of his past demons.
The Outer Limits I
A month later, Christian, Shawn Michaels, and Jericho duel for the AOW World Championship in one of the most anticipated matches of the entire year. All three men give it their all and personify all of their places in the story. In the end, Jericho almost screws Christian over using Torrie Wilson again, but Cage stops before he and Wilson collide. Christian wraps Jericho up and nails him with the Unprettier Heard Around the World, finally becoming AOW World Heavyweight Champion in his home country.

~Backstage, the Green Zone interview set…


Romero:
Steve Romero here and with me is my guest at this time, the AOW Cruiserweight Champion, Bryan Danielson!

~A big pop for the American Dragon, who appears on the pan right

Romero:
Bryan, this month has been advertised as “Champions in July”, and every week for the rest of the month will have a championship be defended. And so next week, you’ll be defending your Cruiserweight Championship in a Triple Threat match against Low Ki and Aero Star. Can you give us a few thoughts about that?

~The crowd lets out a big pop beyond the walls for another huge triple threat next week

Danielson:
Aero Star shocked the hell outta me when he pinned me a couple of weeks ago. And I know Aero Star wants this title more than anything. A guy that quick with that much desire? I gotta watch my back.

~Danielson shrugs and pats his title

Danielson:
But Low Ki…he’s a little bit harder to read. I mean, they’re both hard to read, technically, but this’ll be Ki’s first shot at my gold. And he’s been incredibly impressive since his tag team broke up. Gonna be a tough one.

Romero:
Thank you, Daniel. Um, addressing some of the backstage snickering at the prospect of this match and because there’s actually a pool depending on your answer…who would you like to have a conversation with more? Low Ki or Aero Star?

~A little poke at the fact that neither man really talks, which makes Danielson chuckle…

Danielson:
It doesn’t really matter, Stevie. I make’em tap and ask questions later.

~And with that, Danielson pats Romero on the back and exits the frame…

…but then he suddenly springs back into frame!


Danielson:
But for the sake of competition of the guys in the back…Low Ki. Because I’m from nowhere, Washington. I don’t know Spanish.

~Danielson then flashes a somewhat goofy smile and a thumbs up that Foley would be proud of (and Romero even mouths “Muy Bien!”) before darting back out of the frame as quickly as he showed up and we fade away…


~Back at ringside…



Joey Styles:
Well how about that! For next week of Champions in July, we’ve got ANOTHER huge Triple Threat match! Aero Star and Low Ki will do their best with their recent surprising momentums to see if they can be the ones to stop the near unstoppable Cruiserweight Champion, Bryan Danielson.

JBL:
Ol’ Spaghetti Legs has his work cut out for’im, I’ll say that. Low Ki is almost the perfect warrior he claims to be, an’ Aero Star is faster than a speeding bullet an’ hella fun to watch. I think one of’em could do it.

Joey Styles:
They very well may be able to, John. Star managed to shock us all and eliminate Danielson from the Dynasty Tournament, while Low Ki put on an incredible showing in the tournament, especially against Finlay. They’re both deserving, but Danielson has proved he deserves to hold that title, too.

~The commentators’ hype is interrupted by the piercingly annoying goad of one Mike “The Miz” Mizanin

Miz:
My fellow aspiring leaders of tomorrow –

~Miz is cut off by a great deal of heat

JBL:
The hell does this chicken bastard want?

Miz:
Lend me your ears as I show you the fruits of brotherhood! The greatest achievements of fraternity house Alpha Sigma Slamma – the men I wish to pledge myself in alliance with! They are Ken Doane and Chris Masters – DAT MUSCLE!!


A soundbite rings the air prior to the theme, which gives it its name – “BROTHERHOOD SUSTAINS US”. DAT MUSCLE busts through the curtain with an incredibly cocky flair. They jump around like assholes and walk down to the ring in their frat jackets before taking them off. Miz comes with them, making the pledge hold their jackets as they pose for their first shot as an actual tag team.

Not too long afterward, “EXECUTORS OF EXCELLENCE” hits the stage for the emergence of the AOW Tag Team Champions the Sons of the Dungeon. It’s their first appearance in several weeks, and quite in contrast to their frat brother opponents, are incredibly focused. TJ Wilson and Harry Smith share a quick high five before stepping into the ring and staring down their partygoing foes.

MATCH 2
~Non-Title Match~
AOW World Tag Team Champions Sons of the Dungeon
v.
DAT MUSCLE

{w/The Miz}


The opening minutes of the contest show just how different these two teams are, with the Sons spending their time actually wrestling, dragging their opponents on the mat, and working them over with focused technicality. The frat boys, meanwhile, hit moves, taunt, and act like the ring is one big party. Their lack of focus costs them big time when they take their eyes off the speedy Wilson around four minutes into the contest. Wilson makes them pay with a nasty BACKFLIP KICK that sends him to the apron. From there, he tags in Harry Smith, who surprises the legal Ken Doane with a SLINGSHOT SHOULDER BLOCK!! Smith covers Doane – 1…2…3-NO!!

Doane stays alive if only barely, but now he’s at the mercy of the Tag Champs. The champs start breaking him down, Smith picking him apart with a pair of big suplexes before tagging Wilson back in and lifts him up for a military press, only for Wilson to leap up…AND HIT A MILITARY PRESSE ENZEGURI!! WOW!! An incredible move there, Wilson with a big cover – 1…2…3-NO!! CHRIS MASTERS BREAKS THE COUNT!!

Wilson almost goes after Masters, but he keeps his focus and tags back in Smith, who ascends to the second rope. Wilson then takes the limp body of Doane and lifts him up in a suplex lift…and SETS HIM UP ON SMITH’S SHOULDERS. Looks like a super powerbomb could be in order, but as the crowd buzzes for the move to hit off, Miz turns it to heat when he distracts the referee! Goose Mahoney is telling Miz to shut up, allowing Masters to charge across the ring AND KNOCK WILSON INTO SMITH’S GROIN!! This is more than enough to knock Smith off balance, falling forward as Kenny drifts off his shoulders…A SECOND ROPE FACEBUSTER FROM KENNY!!

Doane is still reeling from the big hit earlier, the ref still distracted with getting Masters back to the apron. Masters is yelling at DAT DOANE DUDE to get cover or something, while Wilson has rolled to the floor. Doane recovers and slinks over to the apron and heads to the top rope…SKY HIGH LEG DROP…NOBODY HOME!! Smith rolls out of the way and looks to his corner, Wilson not quite up on the apron and holding the tag rope. Doane has to roll across the ring as both men struggle…and Doane tags Masters…AND SMITH TAGS WILSON!!

Wilson enters like a house ablaze, hitting Masters with several clotheslines, but on another rebound, Masters surprises him and breaks that momentum with a DEVASTATING CLOTHESLINE!! Masters gets cocky and stomps Wilson’s face in before taking him up…and lift him up over his head with a military press of his own and getting a lot of heat for showing off…but Wilson suddenly drops and TRAPS MASTERS IN A HURRICANRANA – 1…2…3….NO!! Masters has enough to break the count!

The crowd deflates from Wilson almost putting away the musclehead in sudden fashion, but Masters doesn’t give him much time to celebrate when he gets back to his feet…and NAILS WILSON WITH THE POLISH HAMMER!! Wilson’s head is knocked right off, getting Masters some heat, but he gets even more when he opens his arms to signal his finisher…AND LOCKS WILSON IN THE MASTERLOCK…NO!! Wilson backpedals into his corner and now traps Masters in the corner, where Smith tags himself in. Smith gets opposite of Masters as he and Wilson nod at each other, each one RUSHING TOWARDS AND THEN PAST ONE ANOTHER!!

Wilson knocks Doane off the corner as Smith crushes Masters with a corner clothesline, before taking him and whipping him at Wilson…WHO CRACKS MASTERS WITH A SUPERKICK…that turns him right back towards Smith, who hoists Masters on his shoulders…AND HITS THE RUNNING POWERSLAM!! Smith perfectly executes his father’s finisher, covering Masters as Wilson gets out of the fray – 1…2…3…!!!

Winners: Sons of the Dungeon at (7:45)

Smith rolls off of the body of Masters, Wilson joining him as they celebrate with their tag titles. DAT MUSCLE, meanwhile, has to lick their wounds as they head up the ramp. Doane tries to keep Masters up, almost as if he’s trying to keep a drunken friend awake. Miz helps him hold Chris up, but is struggling while still trying to hold the frat jackets too. Wilson and Smith hold their tag team gold high and towards the crowd to a great ovation, as they remind everyone just who they are, and we fade away…


~Backstage, Paul Heyman’s office…


Heyman still has on his neckbrace, but is out of his wheelchair once again. Sitting not too far from him is none other than the man he pretty much owns, Shawn Michaels. After a moment, there’s a knock on the door. Heyman looks up and looks at Michaels and darts his eyes at the door. Shawn stares daggers at Heyman before begrudgingly getting up and opening the door…revealing Samoa Joe. Heyman gets up, but makes sure Michaels stays between he and Joe at all times. Joe and Michaels don’t let their eyes leave one another.​


Heyman:
Ah! Samoa Joe. Just the man I wanted to see.

Joe:
You called me. I’m not here ‘cause I wanna be.

Heyman:
Well, that’s too bad. Because I find it very hazardous to every member of my roster if you’re going to go around interrogating everyone and then bashing their heads in.

Joe:
Maybe that wouldn’t happen if people gave me some answers.

Heyman:
Well here’s an answer. Not to your problem. But to mine. Samoa Joe, because of your actions tonight and for the safety of the other members of the roster, I am suspending you until you give up your wild goose chase.

~Joe damn near blows a gasket

Joe:
WHAT!? What kind of bullsh –

Heyman:
Mr. Joe, if you say or do anything more, I can extend that suspension to an indefinite one.

~Joe’s eyes are hot and borderline crazy…but then he take a look at Shawn Michaels in front of him. And his eyes are…apologetic? Joe has no choice but to back out of the office and pace away from Michaels’ apologetic eyes and look at Heyman’s deviant ones…which know more than they’re leading on…


~Back at ringside…



Joey Styles:
What an unheard of bunch of malarkey! Samoa Joe was just suspended for no good reason!

JBL:
No good reason?? He was out here bashin’ everybody with chairs earlier! What do you mean ‘no good reason?’

Joey Styles:
I’ll bet Heyman knows a bit too much about who cost Samoa Joe his shot in the Dynasty Tournament. It’s almost enough to make one suspicious…

JBL:
Oh, don’t you start your conspiracy theorist crap!

Joey Styles:
I wouldn’t have to start it if there was nothing to base it on!

JBL:
How DARE you accuse such a man of integrity as Paul Heyman! He is a promoter and a businessman! You can’t promote anybody if everybody’s beaten with chairs an’ that’s not good for business! Besides, a good businessman always anticipates. He’s anticipating Joe’s actions based on what he’s already seen. All the more reason it’s a brilliant move!

Joey Styles:
Samoa Joe’s not a man who is gonna go down without a fight, but speaking of fight, I hope you folks are ready for a doozy. Because coming up next, Chris Jericho will have one last shot at the AOW World Heavyweight Championship in a match he manipulated Christian Cage into giving him. With Foley as the guest referee, Chris Jericho and Christian Cage battle for the AOW World Heavyweight Championship in a Last Man Standing match! These two have been at each other’s minds for months and at each other’s throats for just as long. But in the last couple of months, things have gotten severely personal.



~Christian vs. Chris Jericho Retrospective~
Offseason 2008
Christian Cage has to prove himself amidst his doubts in a pair of lengthy, character-testing battles with Jamie Noble. All the while, Chris Jericho leaves viral, cryptic messages that remind everyone that ‘you cannot kill a god’ and ‘there’s more than one way to rule the world’.
Oblivion – June 4th
Jericho tries to dig into Christian’s mind for a rematch, but Christian refuses to believe in a god to thwart his attempts
Oblivion – June 11th
In perhaps his most chilling appearance ever, Jericho threatens to harm Christian’s own mother by faking his identity and slipping into her room before surgery
Oblivion – June 18th – June 25th
Jericho cuts a promo claiming he is the ‘Earth’, that without, Christian’s ‘Man on the Moon’ character could not exist. Christin counters the next week by knowing he’s playing right into Jericho’s own ploy, but has no choice but to allow Jericho one more shot at the title by ‘becoming a monster’, even swaying Acting Commander Mick Foley and getting promised an audience with FX executives over the graphic nature of what Christian wants
Rise of a Dynasty Supershow
Christian gets his request – a Last Man Standing match that can only be won when Jericho is bleeding because Christian wants a ‘god to bleed to death’. Mick Foley agrees to be special guest referee, only for Jericho to crash the party again and inject even more doubt and fury into Christian’s psyche




**COMMERCIAL BREAK**



As we return from the break, “WRECK” is blaring out over the sound system as Mick Foley is standing center ring with his very hardcore looking referee shirt. It looks incredibly tattered for a shirt he’s only worn one other time here in AOW, but he stands in a nervous silence as Tony Chimel announces that the match is a championship Last Man Standing match that Christian can only win if Jericho is bleeding.

“KING OF MY WORLD” hits the threshold soon after the announcement, with an ENORMOUS rain of heat pouring down for the man who keeps declaring himself a god, no matter how many times he’s fallen – Chris Jericho. His aesthetically displeasing short tights are on, but so is the look of utter madness in his eyes, looking incredibly unnerving when paired with his smug strategist smile. He strolls right into the ring withihis nose held high…until he glares menacingly at Mick Foley. There’s more than one man in that ring tonight that Jericho’s had tensions with for far too long.

But this stare is interrupted by the ERUPTION of the Hammerstein when “JUST CLOSE YOUR EYES” hits the soundwaves. Down to the ring comes Christian Cage, his AOW World Heavyweight Championship draped over his shoulder. Cage has an incredibly focused look on his face, his eyes charged with fire…AS HE STORMS TO THE RING AND IMMEDIATELY TACKLES JERICHO!! WE’RE GETTING STARTED NOW!!




AOW World Heavyweight Championship
~Last Man Standing~
*Christian can only win if Jericho is bleeding
SPECIAL GUEST REFEREE: Mick Foley

Christian Cage(c) v. Chris Jericho


The bell rings immediately and Christian starts PUMMELING AWAY AT JERICHO’S HEAD!! The Torontonian is thrashing away with lefts and rights with absolutely no thought but rage! Jericho is trying his best to cover up and block the blows, but Christian is wailing away and Mick Foley certainly isn’t going to stop it. Foley does have to take the championship belt that Christian took off and pass it to the timekeepers, but no one notices it. Instead, everyone has their eyes glued on Christian peeling Jericho off the canvas and WHIPPING HIM VIOLENTLY INTO A CORNER!!

Jericho reels from the hard throw, right back to the center of the ring where Christian is waiting. Cage takes Jericho’s head and BOUNCES it off the turnbuckle now, stunning Jericho some more and further targeting his head. Christian then steps onto the second rope and traps Jericho in the corner beneath him, setting his knuckles up for the TEN PUNCH as the crowd counts along…

…ONE!!

…TWO!!

…THREE!!

…FOUR!!

…FIVE!!

…SIX!!

…SEVEN!!

Jericho throws Christian off and away…but Christian lands on his feet! Jericho tries to charge out of the corner and mount some kind of offense, but he’s cut off by a VICIOUS CAGE CLOTHESLINE!! It’s the first time all match we get to see a good look at Cage’s face since his entrance…and his eyes are burning with even more intensity than the first time. He stares at Jericho’s downed body with those infuriated eyes for a moment before taking him up and again trying to whip him into a corner, but Jericho manages to reverse the whip this time, throwing Christian into one instead. Jericho again looks to get some offense going and rushes at Cage, but Christian raises an elbow that Jericho runs into. This sends Jericho reeling a few steps as Cage lifts himself up to the second rope…FLASHPOINT…NO!! JERICHO SIDESTEPS THE DIVING UPPERCUT!!

Cage lands hard on his shoulder and his head, he and Jericho knowing each other so well, that the Master of War saw it coming. The maniacal former champion now sees a window of opportunity, mounting Christian and STARTS PUMMELING CAGE’S FACE!! Jericho’s letting out all his frustrations! But unlike Christian’s outburst, Jericho’s doesn’t last long at all, only rattling Christian around long enough for Jericho to pull him up and hit him with a nasty TWISTING NECKBREAKER!!

Christian again falls on a tender spot and
Jericho lands in a position where he just stares at his opponent. While Christian’s eyes were burning with passion and rage, Jericho’s are now filled with mad hatred. Those intense, madman eyes remain and slip in sanity more and more as the contest progresses. With Cage down, Jericho slides out of the ring and orders Foley to ‘start counting, assclown!’

…ONE!!



…TWO!!



NO!

Christian curls up fairly early off the neckbreaker, but as he rises, he doesn’t see Jericho. That’s because his fellow Canadian is still outside and reaching under the apron…AND PULLING OUT A STEEL CHAIR. The first steel apparatus has been introduced, but Jericho doesn’t get to use it, as when he turns to get back in the ring, Christian grips the ropes and KICKS IT RIGHT INTO JERICHO’S FACE AS CAGE SLIPS FEET-FIRST TO THE OUTSIDE!!

Jericho is thrown for a loop for a second with the steel hitting his chin, allowing Christian to grab hold of him again and drive a hard knee into his gut, followed by yet another pair of right hands to the cranium. Christian follows this up by taking Jericho’s head and BASHING IT AGAINST THE STEEL RING STEPS!! Christian is again playing towards opening up Jericho quickly, as the Worthy Man is stupefied from the hard knock. As Jericho drunkenly wanders around, Cage grabs his head again and POUNDS IT OFF THE STEPS A SECOND TIME!!

Jericho isn’t busted open, but he certainly may have a concussion. This time, Jericho stays planted on the steps as opposed to wandering off, allowing Christian to turn around and grab the chair that Jericho introduced from the floor. The crowd starts to buzz in anticipation, as Christian lifts the chair up and looks to SANDWICH JERICHO’S HEAD BETWEEN CHAIR AND STARIS…NOBODY HOME!! The still-aware Jericho moves from the guillotine at the last second, Christian’s arms snapping down and getting a bit of a shock as metal hits metal. He turns around with the chair still in his hands, only to have the tables turned and have the CHAIR DROPKICKED INTO HIS FACE BY JERICHO!!

The steel folding chair bounces off of Christian’s head now, knocking him dizzy. As Cage tries to keep his balance despite being clocked hard, keeping himself up using the steel ring steps, Jericho gathers himself and rushes right at Cage…grabs his head…AND HITS CHRISTIAN WITH THE ONE-HANDED BULLDOG RIGHT ON THE STEEL STEPS!! Cage’s face is absolutely driven right into the unforgiving metal!! Even Jericho has to recover, as his landing forced his thigh to hit one of the jutted parts of the stairs, but it’s very minimal in comparison to the champion’s newly rearranged face. Jericho grips at the ailing thigh/quad region as he gets to his feet with the help of the guard rail, again yelling at Foley to ‘start the count’.

…ONE!!



…TWO!!



…THREE!!



…FOUR!!



…FIVE!!



…SIX!!



…NO!!

Christian’s up right after the six!! He’s a bit wobbly, but the match will continue! Jericho’s eyes go wide and his mouth melts into a deeper scowl. He grabs Christian by the head and pulls him close, snarling his words…

“You will join mommy, you hear me! YOUR EARTH COMMANDS IT!!”

…and Jericho SNAPS CHRISTIAN’S NECK ON THE EDGE OF THE RING APRON!! The Man on the Moon grips at the back of his neck and collapses to the floor, but Jericho won’t let him lie. Y2J takes his rival and slides him under the bottom rope, but he keeps his head poked out over the apron. Jericho then goes up on the apron and STOMPS on the exposed neck of Christian before taking a few steps back…AND GOING FOR THE KNEE DROP TO THE BACK OF THE NECK…NOBODY HOME!! CHRISTIAN SLIDES HIS HEAD UNDER AT THE LAST MINUTE!! Jericho lands square on his knees on the outside, the ‘God’ rolling over and grabbing at his joints like an old man. Both men are down here, forcing Foley to start a count –

…ONE!!



…TWO!!



…THREE!!



…FOUR!!



…FIVE!!

Christian is up on his feet, his neck much stiffer than it was several offensive moves ago. Jericho is at a semi-vertical base, ending the count on his end as well. Christian steps through the ropes onto the apron and begins stalking Jericho, who turns back towards the ring only to see Christian flying at him…WITH THE FLASHPOINT FROM THE APRON!! THE DIVING EUROPEAN UPPERCUT CONNECTS ON THE OUTSIDE!!

The crowd goes nuts at not just Christian’s first sign of life in a while, but such a high-octane sign of life at that! Jericho isn’t getting counted out, however, because he’s not bleeding yet. Cage recognizes this and takes Jericho and slides him under the ropes, completely in the ring on this one. Cage soon follows, carrying the steel chair in tow with him. He waits for Jericho to get to his feet, sizing him up, and preps himself…AND BLASTS THE STEEL CHAIR RIGHT OFF JERICHO’S HEAD!!

The ringing of bone meeting metal sends ripples all through the Hammerstein, drowned out after a moment because of the riled up crowd. Jericho drops like a rock and hits a flat bump on the canvas, Christian reveling in his home run swing. But as good as that looked, sounded, and undeniably felt, Jericho still isn’t busted open. This doesn’t frustrate the Instant Classic, just gets his gears turning…he removes the protective padding on one of the turnbuckles, exposing the small metal ring holding the ring ropes in place. Foley warns Christian to not ‘go too far’.

Cage peers at him over his shoulder, Foley backing away as he sees Christian’s intense look. Cage then takes the still stunned Jericho and CRACKS HIS HEAD OFF OF THE STEEL RING…BUT JERICHO STOPS IT!! He gets a foot up to prevent his skull from being completely destroyed, taking Christian and CRUSHING CHRISTIAN’S HEAD OFF THE METAL RING!! Cage is dizzied considerably from the flip of the script, both men having to take some time to recover from their blows to the head. But Jericho is the first man to shake the cobwebs out, albeit not completely. He’s recovered enough to get the steel chair that he introduced…AND SMASH CHRISTIAN IN THE STOMACH…THEN OFF THE BASE OF HIS NECK AND SPINE!!! Jericho hits him so hard, Christian FLOPS THROUGH THE MIDDLE ROPE TO THE FLOOR!! Jericho is in no hurry to chase after him, however, just watching his prey fall to the floor like a despicable god-king. Foley looks concerned, but is forced to count –

…ONE!!



…TWO!!



…THREE!!



…FOUR!!



…FIVE!!



…SIX!!

Christian is barely stirring, forced to grip at his already destroyed neck…

…SEVEN!!



…EIG-NO!!

CHRISTIAN IS UP! He probably can’t move his head at the moment, but he’s up! He tries to whip his neck around to maybe get it loose, but it looks like it hurts a bit to even do that. The infuriated Jericho doesn’t waste any time, looking to hit Christian with a PLANCHA BODY PRESS…NO!! Christian moves, but Jericho lands on his feet. The AOW Champion charges at Jericho, looking for more offense, only for Jericho to sidestep him and send him careening…SHOULDER FIRST INTO THE RING STEPS!!

Christian hits them with such force that he knocks them loose, prompting him to roll around on the outside of the ring in immense pain. The man who was consumed with destroying Chris Jericho looks himself to be consumed; already having paid the price for his requested stipulations. Meanwhile, Jericho’s face twists into his wicked strategist smile. Everything that he’s done to this point has gone according to plan. And now, he looks like he’s going for the kill. Christian tries to get to his feet using the guard rail, but he turns around only to find that Jericho is rummaging under the ring again and pulling out…A TABLE!!

The crowd ‘oohs’ and ‘aahhs’ at the sight of the wooden slab, but Christian doesn’t give Jericho any time to implement it, scurrying back towards him. Jericho leaves it on the floor to fight off Christian, who is delivering hard lefts and rights. Jericho finds a small opening in the flurry and actually CLUBS CHRISTIAN IN THE SIDE OF THE NECK, opening up a whole world of pain on the already damaged part. This gets him the separation he needs, rushing at Cage for more offense…Christian catches him…ONE MAN FLAPJACK…RIGHT ONTO THE FLAT TABLE!! CHRISTIAN WITH A HUGE COUNTER!! Jericho’s body splats off the flat slab and sends him curling up in a ball of pain, both men again taking a painful time-out.

Christian somehow keeps a vertical base on himself, and now it’s his turn to go rummaging under the ring to see what toys he can find…ANOTHER STEEL CHAIR!! Christian drags himself over to Jericho’s still downed body and raises the steel…AND VICIOUSLY BRINGS IT DOWN ON JERICHO!! The crowd pops once more for Jericho getting just a small piece of his comeuppance, Christian raising the chair to go for it again…NOBODY HOME!!

Jericho is able to roll out of the way, body still wrapped in pain. He rolls into the ring, grabs the chair in there, and rolls back out now behind Christian, barely able to stand after that last shot. As Jericho composes himself, Cage turns around to see him, instead seeing that they’re both very armed, very angry, and very dangerous. The crowd is buzzing like crazy at this stand-off moment that could decide the momentum of the rest of the match. Jericho BANGS his chair off the floor, the sound challenging Christian. The Man on the Moon takes that in…and BANGS his chair off the floor! These two bulls are getting ready to charge! As the crowd hypes some more, both men CHARGE WITH CHAIRS IN HAND…CHRISTIAN UP HIGH…BUT JERICHO CATCHES HIM IN THE RIBS!!

Jericho, once again, is one step ahead of Christian, who went to knock Jericho’s head clean off his shoulders. With Cage doubled over now, Jericho raises his chair and MASHES IT OFF OF CHRISTIAN’S VERTABRAE!! Christian could have a broken neck and back when this is all over with…but now it looks like Jericho really wants that to happen. As Christian flops to the floor, Jericho takes him by the head…and WRAPS THE STEEL CHAIR AROUND CHRISTIAN’S NECK. The air in the entire arena is escaping by the second, Jericho’s smile growing from all the new negative energy. His madman eyes are burning bright as he takes everyone’s hero with the vice around his neck…forces him to his feet…before getting close to Christian’s ear again…

“You forget! I AM GOD!”

AND JERICHO SMASHES THE CHAIR-WRAPPED NECK RIGHT OFF A STEEL RING POST!!

What little hope was left in the building may be gone with that shot, as Jericho almost assuredly just broke Christian Cage’s neck. Foley has a horrified look on his face, as do some of the audience members who were captured by the camera. Jericho has a near demented smile engraved on his face, looking down at some of the most dastardly handiwork he’s ever done. The arena is damn near silent, not very many counting down as Foley is forced to get to his duties…

…ONE!!



…TWO!!



…THREE!!



…FOUR!!



Jericho slides back into the ring, overlooking the body of a man whose life he has made hell and is about to drive even further into those demonic circles…

…FIVE!!



…SIX!!



…SEVEN!!



…EIGHT!!

Christian is somehow stirring…



…NINE!!



…TE-NO!!

CHRISTIAN CAGE SOMEHOW GETS TO HIS FEET!! He could have a damn near broken neck, but he stands up and is still ready to fight, the entire Hammerstein EXPLODING at this awe-inspiring sight! Cage is having a hard time trying to breathe, but he’s making the best of it as he holds onto the very pole that very nearly snapped his neck off. He unwraps the metal from around him and stares up at Jericho, his own madman eyes viciously returning. Jericho looks down at Christian with a mixture of shock, fear, and rage. Two men who look to open up hell on each other stare-off as we hit out last…


**COMMERCIAL BREAK**


When we return from the break, Jericho is back on the offensive and throwing Cage into a corner. The ‘during the break’ replay shows that Christian tried to enter the ring with both the table from outside and the chair that was around his neck, but Jericho ambushed him as he entered, stomping on him and deliberately hitting his neck a few times, leading to this moment. Christian’s neck hits up against the corner hard, forcing him to double over and grip it while Jericho conducts more maliciousness.

His next tool of choice looks to be the piece of lumber he originally introduced, taking the table and tinkering with it before setting it up against the corner opposite Christian. No doubt Jericho has a plan here, smirking as he roams back over to Christian and takes him by the back of the neck and tights…CHUNKING CHRISTIAN RIGHT THROUGH THE CORNER TABLE…NO!! Christian reverses his body and the whip in one motion, CHUNKING JERICHO FACE-FIRST AT THE TABLE!!

Jericho doesn’t break through the wood, merely blasting his face off of it and making him woozy. For the second time tonight, Jericho is beaten by a table that isn’t even completely set up! The momentarily stunned Jericho turns back around, only to see Christian with a chair in hand…WHO CLOCKS THE WORTHY MAN ACROSS THE SKULL WITH A CHAIR SHOT!! MERCY!!

Once again, the sound of Jericho’s consciousness being destroyed echoes through the Hammerstein as he drops like a mighty oak against the ring ropes. Christian put so much into that chair shot that he was thrown off balance and has to use some nearby ropes to keep himself up. As Christian tends to his neck and balance, he looks up to see Jericho leaning against the ropes…and bah gawd, he’s been BUSTED OPEN! JERICHO’S BUSTED OPEN!!

The crowd roars at this sight because it finally looks like the match can really begin! Blood starts to drip down the God of god’s face as he tries to pull himself to a vertical base and take a few steps away from the ropes. But Christian is stalking him as he does so, getting into a crouch and setting him up…SPEAR!!! SPEAR!!! SPEAR THROUGH THE CORNER TABLE!! Not just a direct homage to his best friend, but also re-enacting the very spot that signified the start of the Worthy Legion! Oh, the irony, as it could be the end of Jericho! The crowd is losing their shit for this, several “HOLY SHIT!” chants kicking up, while others opt to count with Foley for Christian’s first knockout attempt –

…ONE!!



…TWO!!



…THREE!!



…FOUR!!


Christian gets back to his feet and grips at his neck again, possibly jarring his neck on the projectile move…

…FIVE!!



…SIX!!



…SEVEN!!



…EIGHT!!



…NO!!!

JERICHO’S UP!! Now it’s Jericho’s turn to show some resolve, as even with blood pouring down his face, he’s got enough to stand up and keep fighting! The ‘God’ is bleeding and Christian might have some broken disks, but Cage keeps the aggression on by jumping on Jericho again…only for Jericho to take his foundation out from under him with a double leg takedown…WALLS OF JERICHO!! WALLS OF JERICHO…NO!! Christian manages to torque his body and spin Jericho off of him, putting Jericho on the ropes. Christian cautiously gets up, but then throws it all by running at Jericho…Cage gets tossed over…and lands on the apron!

Christian still has some kind of wits about him as he and Jericho now have a duel on the ropes and apron, both men bashing right hands back and forth. But Jericho’s blows start to pull away, Christian having to tend to his neck again. This gives Jericho enough time to bounce off the adjacent second rope…TRIANGLE DROPKICK!! TRIANGLE DROPKICK…THAT BOUNCES CHRISTIAN’S FACE OFF THE ANNOUNCE TABLE!!

Christian recoils violently straight to the floor, lain completely out from his crash landing. Jericho, meanwhile, has a moment to gather his breath before he ventures to the outside, but not anywhere near Christian. Instead, he goes by the displaced ring steps from where the two were at war earlier. He takes the steel steps and travels back near the timekeeper’s area where Christian is trying to recover, the crowd knowing what’s coming, as Jericho sizes up his puppet…AND SMASHES CHRISTIAN IN THE FACE WITH THE STEEL STEPS!!

Christian is decked right between the eyes and falls flat on his back, Jericho dropping the battering ram as soon as his momentum stops. The Worthy Man’s smile is back, made perverted by the blood pouring down his face, and he proceeds to add insult to concussion-causing injury by opening up his arms in his crucifix pose, garnering a TON of heat. When the camera shifts from Jericho in the spotlight to Christian back down on the floor, the AOW World Champion has been BUSTED OPEN himself.

Canadian blood is flowing freely in New York, as Jericho reaches down and takes Christian by the head and lands several punches between the eyes, trying to open up the wound he’s created. When more blood pumps out, Jericho takes Christian and rolls him on the announce table, the crowd buzzing for what this could be, especially after Jericho jumps up and joins him. Jericho has to pull Christian’s body up to his, but suddenly, Christian gets a BURST of life and SMACKS JERICHO IN THE FACE!!

The slap is so sudden and unexpected, it turns Jericho’s head around, leading Christian to act quickly, grab the arms, and start setting up for the UNPRETTIER…NO!! Jericho undoes the coil, forces Christian to turn back front, and hits another double leg takedown…steps over…AND LOCKS IN THE WALLS OF JERICHO!!! WALLS OF JERICHO LOCKED IN ON THE ANNOUNCE TABLE!! This won’t win Jericho the match, but it will wrack Christian’s body with an insidious amount of pain!

Jericho is pulling back with considerable force, his bloody face selling the intensity of the move incredibly. On the other side, a likewise crimson mask is displaying the pain and anguish Christian is going through now, the blood flowing freely as he clenches his fists and tries not to pass out when it counts. But that’s before Jericho starts cranking back…AND TURNS IT INTO THE LIONTAMER ON THE TABLE!! CHRISTIAN’S NECK IS LITERALLY GETTING SNAPPED OFF OF HIS BODY!!

The crowd ‘oooohs’ at the sight that is the gruesomeness of a bleeding Christian pretty much getting beheaded by Jericho’s knee pushing his neck. Fortunately, Jericho himself is losing plenty of oxygen and can’t maintain the hold for much longer, which leads him to collapse and slink off the table. Cage is lifeless, broken, and bloody right on top of the announce desk as another horrified Mick Foley has to get to his duties…

…ONE!!



…TWO!!



…THREE!!



…FOUR!!



Jericho slinks to his feet and onto the apron, his back conspicuously to the outside…

…FIVE!!



…SIX!!



LIONSAULT!! LIONSAULT FROM THE APRON TO THE TABLE…NOBODY HOME!!! JERICHO CRASHES AND BURNS AS HE BREAKS THROUGH THE ANNOUNCE TABLE!! OHH MY GAAAAD!! Chris Jericho, the Worthy Man, the prideful strategic master of AOW, looked to land too heavy a final blow and pays the price!! The ringside area is now nothing but a mess of broken bodies and equipment!! Christian, who only had enough in him to roll over, is eagle spread and still has no real signs of life, while the supposed immortal opposite him is in a bloody heap, wrapped up in some TV wires. Neither man is moving a muscle, Foley getting down to his ten count once more –

…ONE!!



…TWO!!



…THREE!!



…FOUR!!




…FIVE!!



…SIX!!



…SEVEN!!

Christian is up and moving, albeit incredibly groggily, sliding back into the ring as Jericho begins to make motions…


…EIGHT!!



Jericho starts picking himself up out of the rubble…

…NINE!!



…TE-NO!!

JERICHO IS UP!! HE BREAKS THE COUNT!! HOW IN THE HELL??? Like Satan himself rising out of the fiery pit, a bloody Chris Jericho rises from the carnage and lifts his head to show raging eyes with an angry scowl and a crimson complexion. Jericho groggily staggers towards the ring now, slumping over the ring lip. Christian takes this moment to grab one of the chairs still in the ring and slap it down a little off center, a tad towards a ring corner. What’s he up to…? Jericho rolls into the ring quite limply, only for Christian to drag him to his feet, propping him up against the ropes and forcing his bleeding face to look into Christian’s…

“A god? No. You’re shit.”

AND CHRISTIAN SMACKS JERICHO WITH A THROAT THRUST!! The smash knocks Jericho right in the Adam’s apple, grappling him in a front headlock…TORNADO DDT ON THE STEEL CHAIR…NO!! Jericho jams the move and forces Christian to land on his feet. This leads the ‘god’ to punt Christian in the gut, doubling him over, Jericho getting him in a crucifix powerbomb position…and letting Christian go over him a bit more…GORY NECKBREAKER!! GORY NECKBREAKER!! MY GOD, CHRISTIAN’S NECK SNAPS BACK LIKE A GODDAMN LOADED SPRING!! The air in the Hammerstein is completely gone on that one move, Christian’s neck ominously coming right back into play! Jericho keeps his word on trying to make Christian join his mother, Foley having to get to another count as Cage lies with sparse convulsions…

…ONE!!



…TWO!!



…THREE!!



…FOUR!!



Jericho proudly brushes his hands together before taking a steel chair, opening it, and sitting in it, just watching Christian die…

…FIVE!!



…SIX!!



…SEVEN!!



…EIGHT!!



…NINE!!



…NO!!!

CHRISTIAN IS BACK TO HIS FEET!! WHAT IN THE HELL?? He has to use the ropes to get to his feet and hold his body steady so his neck can snap back into place, but he’s not finished yet! The crowd pops huge for this determination, but Jericho is having none of it. He jumps up from his chair and WHACKS Christian in the back of the neck, stunting his advancements to get vertical.

With Christian on one knee and ailing once more, Jericho takes the other chair in the ring and sets it up right beside the first one, the two seats facing each other. He takes Christian and delivers a blow to his head to boost the blood flow once more. This softens up Christian enough for Jericho to whip him hard into a corner, causing Cage to recoil back out.

As Christian wanders in pain back towards the center ring, Jericho rebounds and goes for the ONE-HANDED BULLDOG ON THE CHAIRS…NO!! Christian catches Jericho’s arm, twists it around, and short arm pulls an inverted headlock…REVERSE DDT DROP!! REVERSE DDT DROP ON THE CHAIRS!! JERICHO’S SPINE IS CRUNCHED AND MANGLED!!

The crowd pops big as Jericho’s entire body tightens to display his snapped spine, Christian getting a bit of a breather. Foley goes to perform his ten-count duties, but Christian isn’t done with Jericho yet. Instead, he brushes away one of the chairs and takes the other. He folds it back up and just like a few moments ago, slaps it flat on the canvas.

Like Jericho on the outside, Cage is giving up a possible win to make sure he destroys his rival. Jericho is wracked in all sorts of pain, but he shows some resilience by trying to make it to his feet…only to be greeted by a Man on the Moon with awaiting, open arms that get in the underhooks…coil him around…UNPRETTIER ON THE STEEL CHAIR…NO!!

Christian was definitely going for the kill, but Jericho has enough in him to jam the move and shove Christian into a corner. The AOW World Champ stops himself before he hits the corner, Jericho charging at him to inflict some damage. Cage responds by getting Jericho in the gut with a strong back kick, leaping up, and springboarding off the second rope…CODEBREAKER!!! JERICHO NAILS CHRISTIAN WITH THE CODEBREAKER OUT OF MIDAIR!! The double knee facebreaker connects and actually get a small pop from the crowd from the sheer surprise of it! Jericho crawls away from Christian’s body, once again ordering Foley to get to his assignment…


…ONE!!



…TWO!!



…THREE!!



…FOUR!!




…FIVE!!



…SIX!!



…SEVEN!!



…EIGHT!!



…NO!!


ONCE AGAIN, CHRISTIAN MAKES IT TO HIS FEET!! The sheer determination in Cage’s eyes is unrivaled! Could this finally be his defining moment? Where every doubt he’s had in his mind can finally be erased? It certainly seems that way, but as he gets to his feet, he slumps right back into a corner and has to tend to his still ailing neck.

Jericho uses this time to wipe some of his blood out of his eyes before picking up the steel chair Christian had placed in the middle of the ring. He stalks Christian, watching him intensely to see when he’s going to look up. Cage wanders out of the corner with his head still down, gripping at his neck, but Jericho charges anyway with the chair…CODEBREAKER WITH THE STEEL CHAIR…NO!! Christian catches both of Jericho’s feet and causes the chair to fall harmlessly. Cage keeps both of Jericho’s legs, folds them up, and swings around…CLOVERLEAF!! THE CLOVERLEAF IS LOCKED IN!!

Two bloodied Canadians are both once again selling the incredible pain that submissions yield! The way Jericho landed on the reverse DDT is brought into play, as his back has to be still feeling those effects and now having to put up with the weight of Christian and the way he’s torqueing the body of Jericho! Cage knows this won’t end the match, but the more damage the better. Cage pulls back more and more, making the crimson Jericho scream more and more in pain.

As Jericho tries to crawl away, Cage starts pulling back just a bit more…perhaps going for the ELEVATED CLOVERLEAF…but he lets go of the excruciating bind, not because of pain, but because of exhaustion. Christian flops to the canvas and pounds it, somewhat disappointed that he couldn’t hold on longer, but even so, Jericho is torn apart and down, prompting Foley to start the count…

…ONE!!



…TWO!!



…THREE!!



…FOUR!!




…FIVE!!



…SIX!!



…SEVEN!!



…NO!!


Jericho BARELY gets to his feet, but he slumps right back down, tending to his ailing back and leaning against the ropes. Christian’s bloody scowl starts concocting something now, as he leaves the ring and dips around the ring skirt. He rummages under the ring for a moment until he pulls out…ANOTHER TABLE!! Cage is really swinging for the fences on this one, propping the table up against the ring lip. He dives right back under the ring to pull out something else…AND IT’S ANOTHER TABLE!! Two tables already busted and Christian wants to double the wooden body count!

Looking to really put Jericho away, Christian takes one of the tables and slides it under the bottom rope and then slides in the other, making sure to follow them inside. Foley stops him upon re-entry, only to again remind him to ‘not go too far’. Cage looks like he takes heed, but still takes one of the tables and sets it up anyway. It’s a little off center and diagonal to a corner on the right side of the ring, but it seems to be where he wants it.

He grabs the recovering Jericho by the hair and throws a pair of precise punches to Jericho’s open wound before BOUNCING HIS HEAD OFF THE TABLE! Jericho groggily backpedals and bounces off the ropes, using that momentum to lunge forward…AND KNOCK CHRISTIAN’S HEAD OFF THE TABLE!! Christian is loopy now, his blood dripping over his eyes, but that doesn’t stop him him from drunkenly reach over…AND BANGING JERICHO’S HEAD OFF THE TABLE AGAIN! AND THEN JERICHO POUNDS CHRISTIAN’S HEAD OFF THE SLAB ONCE MORE!! These two are dead on their feet and alternating table shots! The crowd starts picking up on it and letting their voices be heard for each man…

BOO!!

YAY!!

BOO!!

YAY!!

BOO!!
BOO!!

Jericho pounds Christian’s head off twice in a row, dizzying him so bad he slips over near Foley and loses his balance on him. Foley inadvertently catches him and tries to hold him steady. Jericho ventures away from the table and grabs one of the steel chairs still hanging out in the ring, Foley still trying to get Christian to stand on his own. Jericho swings with the chair AIMED AT CHRISTIAN’S SKULL…HE DUCKS…BUT FOLEY EATS CHAIR!! MICK FOLEY IS CRACKED IN THE CRANIUM BY A WILD CHAIR SHOT!!

Jericho takes a moment to take in what he’s done, but when he realizes it, a warped smile actually stretches across his bloody face. He’s wanted to do that for almost a year. But even so, that leaves no official to get him his win and his title…and when that sinks in, the smile fades. But before he can try to do anything about it, the suddenly enlightened Jericho is CLOCKED IN THE HEAD BY A CHAIR SHOT FOR THE THIRD TIME!! CHRISTIAN BEHEADS JERICHO ONCE AGAIN!! That was possibly for drilling Foley, but no matter what or who it was for, Jericho is hit so hard that he wobbles…and conveniently falls on the table that Christian set up moments before.

Christian smirks to himself as he looks at the body of the god before him, lifts his chair, and SMASHES JERICHO ACROSS THE CHEST FOR GOOD MEASURE!! He finally drops the chair and goes to grab the other table that he threw in the ring. He takes it, sets it up…and then puts it on top of Jericho. There are two tables stacked on top of one another and Chris Jericho is in the middle of it.

The crowd is buzzing incredibly for the possibility of what might happen. Christian socks a pair of blows off of Jericho’s skull for good measure…and then goes through the middle rope…and ascends to the top rope. All of the Hammerstein is on their feet and anticipating something huge. Cage gets to the top with his mad eyes and crimson face, wipes some off, pats his chest with it…and looks for his Peeps. The crowd roars as Christian leaps…FROG SPLASH THROUGH TWO TABLES!!! CHRISTIAN CRUSHES AND SANDWICHES CHRIS JERICHO THROUGH TWO TABLES AND POSSIBLY DESTROYS HIS OWN BODY!! OHHH MY GAAAAADDD!!!

“THIS IS AWESEOME!”
“HOLY SHIT!!”
“THIS IS AWESOME!!”
“HOLY SHIT!!”

Like a meteor, the Moon crash lands and comes right down on top of Earth! There are literally bodies strung everywhere and they’re all in some sort of wreckage. Christian may have just finished himself off and broken his own neck, is still a bloody mess, Jericho is in his own pool of blood and looks like he was thrown from a mobile home in a tornado, and Mick Foley is still downed from his chair shot, which a new camera angle reveals, made him BUST OPEN as well!! The crowd is in all kinds of chaotic, anarchic euphoria, their chants alternating between each other.

The crowd is still on fire and nobody in or around the ring is moving…but then those pops turn into a heavy array of heat once the crowd sees someone coming down the aisle…ALEX RILEY!?! Once again, for the second week in a row, the Varsity Villain shows up in the midst of the Christian/Jericho rivalry, and this time it can’t be a coincidence. Riley storms into the ring and absorbs and ignores all the heat he’s getting just to do what he needs to do…and that’s pick Chris Jericho out of the wreckage.

The crowd is throwing a ridiculous amount of heat at the OVW upstart as he slings Jericho over a shoulder and helps guide him to a corner which he can lean against and not be counted out. Riley makes sure Jericho can at least stay vertical while leaning, even though Jericho is pretty much dead on his feet at this point. He keeps drooping over and Riley has to keep trying to hold him up…which gives Mick Foley enough time to finally get to his feet after his rough shot.

The crowd’s reaction starts buzzing the other way from heat, as Foley looks over through his own crimson mask and messy hair to see Alex Riley, his back turned to the official. Foley shakes his head and reaches inside his pants…AND PULLS OUT MR. SOCKO!! The crowd throws one of the biggest pops of the entire match, Foley slipping on his hardcore sock puppet, and waits for Riley to turn around. A-Ry sets Jericho up properly in the corner, only to turn around…AND EAT A MANDIBLE CLAW!! THE MANDIBLE CLAW!! THE VARSITY VILLAIN CHEWS ON SWEATSOCK!! He’s forced to roll out of the ring and to the floor.

The crowd loses their shit for Riley getting slugged for the second straight week, Foley letting out a “BANG BANG!” that gets them roaring even more…only for Jericho to cut him off from behind with a DEVESTATING CLOTHESLINE!! Jericho put everything he might have had left behind that move, flooring Foley and forcing him to land on his bloody forehead. Jericho can barely peel himself off the canvas, drops of blood following him as he tries. He mouths off to the downed Foley, telling him to not lay his hand on “my disciple!” But Jericho’s holy admonishing is cut off by a bleeding Christian grabbing his arms from behind, coiling around…AND HITTING THE UNPRETTIER…ON THE STEEL CHAIR IN THE MIDDLE OF THE RING!! HOLY SHIT!!

Jericho is absolutely killed as he lies face down on top of the chair, giving Christian time to roll over and see him…and then he gets another little smirk. Cage crawls over to the other chair that’s still in the ring, and groggily gets to his feet, towering over Jericho. The crowd already knows what’s coming. And they’re losing their minds all over again.

Christian looks down at the man who has made his life hell for his entire stay in AOW. The man who claimed he was a god. A man who called himself the Earth to which we all revolve around. A Worthy Man who was anything but. Christian cracks his neck to give it life before raising the chair over his head, his sanguine-covered madman eyes blazing…AND BRINGING THE CHAIR CRASHING DOWN ON JERICHO’S SKULL!! THE CON-CHAIR-TO CONNECTS!!

Cage looks over to see Foley trying to get back to his feet, but he’s not quite there yet. Christian nods his head and looks down at the dead Worthy Man in front of him…and he mutters ‘…Mama…’ Cage then grips the chair so tightly that his knuckles are turning white. He raises the bloody chair back over his head…AND CONNECTS WITH ANOTHER CON-CHAIR-TO!! TWO CON-CHAIR-TOS TO JERICHO!! That’s gotta be it! With that, Christian throws the chair down WITH AUTHORITY~!! He backpedals and leans up against the ropes right as Foley gets up on his own. The bleeding referee sees the carnage and knows what probably happened, but he will more than gladly get to his duties now…

…ONE!!



…TWO!!



…THREE!!



…FOUR!!




…FIVE!!



…SIX!!



…SEVEN!!



…EIGHT!!



…NINE!!



…TEN!!!

HERE IS YOUR WINNER AND STILL AOW WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION: Christian Cage at (31:41)


He’s done it and the Hammerstein lets out a HUGE pop!! Christian has to lean against the nearby ropes to maintain his balance, but when he stays upright, he goes over to the still woozy Foley. The two basically have to lean up against each other to keep themselves up, but Foley gathers himself enough to take Christian’s wrist and hold it high for all to see and give a pop to once more. Cage drops to his knees and is handed his AOW World Heavyweight Championship

Joey Styles:
YES! Christian Cage finally gets his revenge! All the pain and suffering has led to this euphoric moment of glory!

JBL:
Don’t make it sound all poetic. That was an absolute war. That was probably the bloodiest match in AOW history an’ it was legitimately like a damn frontline.

Joey Styles:
Three men were busted open. Not just Jericho, but as you can see, Cage flowing freely as well as Mick Foley. So your claim of bloodiest match has tons of validity, John, but all that matters is that Christian Cage has quelled all his doubts, all his anger, all that suffering. And perhaps this is now the gateway to being the champion he wants to be and the one AOW deserves.

JBL:
I’m sure he has that in mind, too. But just look at what he had to go through to keep that title an’ dispel all that other stuff. Blood, sweat, tears…it doesn’t get any more brutal than that. How in the hell is he even able to stand?

Joey Styles:
He had the will to win, he has the will to – HEY!!


Styles is cut off because as the camera focuses on the now standing and celebrating Canadian, someone’s snuck into the ring behind him…

…stalking…

…AND SWINGING AT HIS HEAD WITH THE SHILLELAGH…

…BUT CHRISTIAN DUCKS IT!!

Cage narrowly dodges Finlay’s sneak attack, but the champion is in absolutely no condition to fight back. All he can do is bleed while he backs away, Foley stepping in to try and back Finlay off…BUT FINLAY THROWS FOLEY ASIDE!! The sheer disrespect of the move garners a huge amount of heat, but Foley stays true to his hardcore roots and recovers enough to start EXCHANGING BLOWS WITH THE IRISHMAN!

Of course, Finlay gets the upper hand and fells Foley once again after a few shots. He turns back towards the bleeding and wrecked Christian, only for the crowd to start buzzing considerably once again. It could be for Finlay raising the dreaded SHILLELAGH HIGH ONCE AGAIN…

…BUT HERE COMES SHAWN MICHAELS!! HBK IS IN THE FRAY!! Michaels, possibly getting revenge for the sneak attack from last week, unloads on Finlay! The crowd lets out an enormous pop for HBK finally showing some clear face tendencies, and possibly on his own whim and not on Heyman’s. Michaels chases Finlay from the ring, allowing Christian some time to try to get back to his feet…only to turn around to see Shawn Michaels READYING SWEET CHIN MUSIC…but Michaels feigns it, doesn’t pull the trigger, and watches as Christian stumbles off balance to get away from that, too. The two have a staredown that gets Michaels his usual mixed reaction back, but it’s mixed with more buzzing…

…AS THE MERCENARIES NOW STORM THE RING AND ATTACK SHAWN MICHAELS!! But it’s only the Mercs tag team – Burchill and Albright. Michaels tries to fight back, but to no avail, getting overpowered. The crowd starts reacting again because Regal (who bears a slightly taped midsection from the earlier attack) sneaks in the ring through the crowd…and picks up the bloodied steel chair Christian just won the match with. Cage is still trying to find some way to recover and stay away from the madness around him in a corner, but he can barely move as Regal HOISTS THE CHAIR OVER HIS HEAD…

…AND GETS SMASHED IN THE BACK OF THE SKULL BY A SHILLELAGH!!
The attacks come full circle, as Finlay has recovered and finally gets a sneak attack on someone. As Regal goes down, the Mercs stop beating on Michaels and attend to Regal, putting him in a corner. Michaels has to gather himself in another corner, while Finlay readies himself in the only other unoccupied corner.

All four parties are in all four corners here – Michaels, Finlay, Regal and the Mercenaries…and a still bloodied and exhausted Christian, whose eyes have gone from glowing in intense, borderline madness and self-frustration brought upon by doubt…to triumphant, but incredibly uncertain.


Joey Styles:
This is complete chaos! One of these three men is going to face Christian at Origins & Endings, but the absolute disarray of it all…!

JBL:
He wanted to know, an’ now he does. This is exactly what being a world champion looks like. Welcome to the top of the mountain, Christian.



The final image of this edition of Oblivion is the crowd going nuts at the completely anarchic scene before them – four corners of chaos. The righteous Michaels, the ballistic Finlay, the meticulous Mercenaries, Inc. and a now very enlightened Christian Cage as we

Fade…

To…

Black…




END SHOW




.:Confirmed for Next Week:.

~AOW Cruiserweight Championship~
Bryan Danielson(c) v. Aero Star v. Low Ki


~Origins & Endings AOW Championship #1 Contender Match~
Shawn Michaels v. Finlay v. William Regal





ORIGINS & ENDINGS
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania – Mellon Arena
August 24, 2008
*Current Card*


~AOW World Heavyweight Championship~
Christian Cage(c) v. Shawn Michaels OR Finlay OR William Regal



Couldn't stand the beginning, but thought it was necessary. Hope the main event isn't too long for some people. Hope I can spread a little bit of love if time permits. If not, hope all don't hate me 'til next show :eek:
 
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