Meltdown XXIX & Fallout 029 || Card & Discussion Thread.

[SupineSnake]

XXIX: “WE HAVE A PROBLEM.”
Live from the Toyota Centre in Houston, Texas, USA.
Wednesday 25th May, 2023.

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FIRST MATCH - 1/60.
The Connection (Michelle von Horrowitz and Gerald Grayson) [c] vs. Makima Snowmantashi and ???
Tag Team Match - FWA World Tag Team Championships.
Match Writer: SS.​

Following the Connection's victory in their sixth defense of the FWA World Tag Team Championships against Claw and Order during Meltdown XXVIII, Gerald Grayson was at ringside two nights later to see Makima Snowmantashi overcome seven other competitors and earn this championship opportunity. We’re yet to find out who she will be teaming with, though: the young woman - challenging for FWA gold in only her second match in the company - has the pick of the locker room (and beyond) for this, MvH and Grayson’s seventh defense. An added layer in this one is the looming contest between von Horrowitz and Jon Snowmantashi, Makima’s father, at Mexico City’s Back in Business. With Dreamer’s career hanging in the balance, this encounter with Baby Kaiju is no doubt one that she will relish… as indicated by the manner in which the Nephews saw Makima over the line in that eight-person in New Orleans.

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SECOND MATCH - 1/20
Ratin Mikichin, Steve the Techno Vampire, and Greg vs. The Backstreet Boy, In-Sync, and Mike Stand.
Trios Match.
Match Writer: Man.​

You ready for some more?

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THIRD MATCH - 1/20
Chris Peacock vs. Shawn Summers.
Singles Match.
Match Writer: Man.​

It’s champion versus champion in Houston, as the FWA World Champion Chris Peacock prepares to go one-on-one with the FWA X Champion and FWA Television Champion Shawn Summers. Peacock was last seen in action on Fallout 028, when he and Danny Toner joined together in chiding a hostile New Orleans crowd before Toner overcame him thanks to an Equalizer. Peacock will hope to bounce back quickly following that loss, but that will be no easy task with the FWA’s resident double champion standing in his way at XXIX. Der Basterd’s fortune were better during the last cycle, where he triumphed in a four-way match over Trixie Bordeaux, Death Walker, and XYZ, retaining his Television Championship in the process. No gold will be on the line here in Houston, but Peacock will certain look to recover some momentum ahead of his showdown in Mexico City with Cyrus Truth.

​

FOURTH MATCH - MAIN EVENT - 1/30
Jackson Fenix vs. Jeremy Best.
Sesame Street Fight.
Match Writer: Dubb.​

The long, rollercoaster relationship between Jackson Fenix and Jeremy Best - and, in a wider sense, between the Undisputed Alliance and the Buddy System - will see its latest chapter play out in the main event of Meltdown XXIX. Both Fenix and Best were unsuccessful in their outings during the last cycle of FWA television: Fenix against fellow Golden Opportunity qualifier Katsu, and Best against heated rival Violet Dreyer. It was after that match with Dreyer that Jackson Fenix laid out the challenge for this one, which will see the former tag team champion return to Sesame Street and perhaps another meeting with another old friend. Expect partners Nate Savage and Bryan Baxter to be close at hand in this one, which promises to be a unique encounter if nothing else…

029: “KEEP FALLOUT WEIRD.”
Live from the Frank Erwin Centre in Austin, Texas, USA.
Saturday 27th May, 2023.

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FIRST MATCH - 1/20.​

Eternal (Princess Nova and Keres) and Lizzie Rose vs. Cthulhu’s Nephews (Maid of Death, NOE-I, and Kha’’rina Halruzh).
Trios Match.
Match Writer: SS.​

It’s been an interesting couple of months for Lizzie Rose, who has found herself at the mercy of Eternal, a mysterious tandem who have led Rose through a journey of discovery in strange lands. With Rose seemingly becoming more and more embroiled in the TORN universe of Princess Nova and Keres, we will now see these three women team up in this trios contest to open up Fallout 029. Their opponents will be Cthulhu’s Nephews, and specifically the team of the Maid of Death, the Avatar, and relative newcomer Kha’’rina. It is believe that the three women requested this trios booking in light of Jon Russnow’s announcement of new FWA Trios Championships last week on 028, declaring their interest in that battle royale and their intent to take bookings in preparation of that. It remains to be seen if the same is true of Eternal and Rose, who will have an air of strange bedfellows about them as they team for the first time in Austin. NOTE: profiles for the Nephews are in MvH's thread.

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SECOND MATCH - 1/20​

Mike Parr vs. Tommy Bedlam.
Singles Match
Match Writer: Dubb.​

Mike Parr was last seen in action at the Grand March, when he overcame Jackson Fenix to secure a shot at the FWA North American Championship. That victory means that the Prodigy is 3-0 since his return to action in the Fantasy Wrestling Alliance, picking up victories over Kayden Knox, Trevor Walker, and the aforementioned Fenix. Bryan Baxter, the champion that Parr will challenge at Back in Business, will no doubt be keeping a close eye on this one, and is expected to be on commentary for Parr’s Fallout 029 contest. The Prodigy’s opponent will be Tommy Bedlam, who finished second in 028’s eight-person elimination match, failing to secure a tag team championship shot but impressing none-the-less along the way. Later on in the night, ‘the Cowboy’ engaged in a stand-off with the current FWA Television Champion, who Bedlam defeated by disqualification at the Grand March, a man who Mike Parr, of course, knows very well…

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THIRD MATCH - 1/20​

XYZ, Death Walker, and Jason Randall vs. The Coven (Celestia Ravenwood and Blair Ravenwood) and Trixie Bordeaux.
Trios Match.
Match Writer: Jimmy.​

More trios action sees XYZ, Death Walker, and Jason Randall join forces against the team of the Coven and Trixie Bordeaux. These six competitors know each other very well, given that XYZ, Death Walker, Randall, and Trixie are amongst those who have challenged for the FWA Television Championship since Back in Town, and their participation in the recent King of the Deathmatch tournament for the FWA X Championship. That tournament also saw Kleio De Santos, the stable-mate of Celestia and Blair Ravenwood, progress all the way to the semi-finals. Kleio was also seen engaging with quarter-finalist Trixie backstage following their respective eliminations, and now Bordeaux will compete alongside members of the Coven for the second time in her young FWA career. XYZ, Death Walker, and Jason Randall will no doubt have a more difficult time coexisting, given the constant loggerheads that the three have found themselves at in recent weeks.

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FOURTH MATCH - 1/20​

Cyrus Truth vs. Noriko Kaitomi.
Singles Match.
Match Writer: BT.​

Although unsuccessful in her maiden voyage in the FWA, ‘the Holy Knight of Kamakura’ impressed in Fallout 028’s eight-person elimination match, picking up a pinfall over Madison Gray and placing third behind Tommy Bedlam and eventual winner Makima Snowmantashi. Kaitomi outlasted some established names and former champions in that contest, but prepares to face off a man whose experience and accomplishments are unrivalled in the company and indeed the sport. It will indeed be a Cyrus Truth with a point to prove, too, after tasting defeat in Meltdown XXVIII’s main event to weaselperson. Noriko will need all of her wits about her if she’s to survive the Exile as he looks to recover his momentum on the path to Back in Business, much like the champion he will challenge in Mexico City’s main event.

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FIFTH MATCH - 1/20​

Aka Manto (Aka Yurei and Keiko Hirabayashi) vs. Necessary Evil (Reagan Cole and TYLER).
Tag Team Match.
Match Writer: Jimmy.​

Aka Yurei and Reagan Cole were two of seven unsuccessful competitors in Fallout 028’s FWA World Tag Team Championship number one contendership match, and - although they previously held said gold together as part of the Spirit Walkers - they competed opposite one another in that show-down in New Orleans. There is some animosity lingering between Yurei and Cole, mostly due to the circumstances in which Yurei disappeared from FWA screens at the tail end of 2022. This animosity reared its head in the Carnal Contendership match, and now - with both the Crimson Ghoul and the British Apprentice backed up by their new tag team partners - we will see them go against each other without the distraction of six other competitors crowding the ring.

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SIXTH MATCH - MAIN EVENT - 1/20​

Danny Toner vs. weaselperson.
Singles Match.
Match Writer: SS.​

XXVIII and 028 saw the return to winning ways of both Danny Toner and weaselperson, who overcame tough competition in Chris Peacock and Cyrus Truth respectively. After defeating both halves of the Back in Business main event, Toner and weaselperson will now go up against one another in Austin’s main event. Toner’s victory was particularly notable, given that he pinned the current FWA World Champion, a belt that he of course never lost when he was forced to vacate it in Autumn 2022. weaselperson, meanwhile, got one over on the Exile, forcing him to tap out just two weeks after Truth triumphed in the Carnal Contendership match. weaselperson’s win was accompanied by a challenge to Alyster Black, which was mostly ignored by the longest reigning FWA X Champion in history. Black declared his intent to become a CDW exclusive, disregarding weaselperson’s challenge and surmising that it’s not worthy of his time in Mexico City…

The promo deadlines for both shows are:

Sunday 21st May, 2023 at 23:59 Pacific Time.
Monday 22nd May, 2023 at 03:00(am) Eastern.
Monday 22nd May, 2023 at 08:00(am) UK.
Monday 22nd May, 2023 at 10:00(am) Turkey.
Monday 22nd May, 2023 at 17:00 Melbourne.

There will be no extensions. Good luckl!​

 

[Rosie]

Seeing the match card:

 

[Oz]

im glad im retired again what the fuck is everyone doing

 

[weaselperson]

im glad im retired again what the fuck is everyone doing

going to be calling out caesars and nova diamonds and scv and luna piper and jin ho next show. they'll ignore me but everyone does that so its not a big deal.

 

[Oz]

going to be calling out caesars and nova diamonds and scv and luna piper and jin ho next show. they'll ignore me but everyone does that so its not a big deal.

i cant promo with all of them in the same show

 

[weaselperson]

i cant promo with all of them in the same show

cant or wont?

 

[Oz]

cant or wont?

both

 

[Dubb]

both

 

[Oz]

My stance on writing promos.

 

[Jimmy King]

Please come back to the Discord, Oz. We miss you there.

 

[weaselperson]

The Connection Promo Cheat Sheet:

Spoiler: Cheat Sheet

You have to do an evening event with a single character 4 times to unlock them as a possible partner on the final day.
You have 11 total evening slots, so in theory, you can have at most 2 valid partners to choose from on the final day.
Izaya Snowmantashi is a dead end. After a couple of scenes, you can no longer move forward with him since you never actually get to see him to improve your Connection.

Connection Types:
Genevieve - Self-Care
Harry - Ambition
Izaya - Luck
Jon - Instinct
Moochelle - Flexibility
Lavonny - Toughness
Liyah - Determination
SS10K - Deception
Uncle - Charisma
Zom Gippy - Reliability

In each 'scene' you're presented with three choices that boost your Connection by 1-3 (weakest answer 1, best answer 3).
Each 'tweet' boosts your Connection by 1 (but you can tweet about one Connection 5X).
Each Connection has 6 Total Scenes
F - this is the first scene which is unlocked by 'tweeting' a Connection for the first time (except for Izaya/Uncle which you start with)
D - need 2 points, which you get automatically from the first scene
C - need 4 points (even if you picked the worst answer in F & D, you should still have 4 points)
B - need 6 points (now if you picked the worst answer for F/D/C, then you'd only have 5 points, 1 tweet would unlock it)
A - need 8 points (if you picked the worst answer for F/D/C/B, then you'd only have 6 points, 2 tweets would unlock it)
S - for final day, need 10 points (if you picked the worst answer for F/D/C/B/A, then you'd only have 7 points, 3 tweets would unlock it)
So it's not super hard to get a partner down for the final night. But there's no way for you to know for sure if you've unlocked it unless you've finished 5 scenes with them, and have 3 tweets, then you're guaranteed. If you somehow picked the worst answer each time though, that's pretty funny.

There is a Golden Ending that anticipates a victory and exposes who the intended partner for Makima is meant to be.

 

[Mandalorian]

I did not get to write as many promo reviews for this cycle as I had originally hoped, but thought I'd just share the ones that I did.

Jeremy Best - @Dubble J
Jeremy fanboying over Kermit was very fun and plays into his obsessive personality which is now just fully out there for all to see after everything that has happened with Krash in the last few months, and this is mirrored in the flashback to when Jeremy first met Krash. Jeremy has been the same guy the entire time, we’ve just been looking at him differently. I think Jeremy believes himself to have been the same person throughout, as well, and is just totally oblivious to the negatives of his own behaviour. Even Jackson trying to talk some sense into him didn’t seem to snap him out of it and him ignoring what the crowd actually wanted was a good touch, too.

As per usual with your promos, this was very clean and easy to read. My only presentational gripe was in the section where Jackson and Scorpane had some dialogue so close to one another due to their colours being so similar. Small things, though. Overall, I really enjoyed this entry as it does serve as a useful recap for everything that has gone down to get to this point and does help to set the stage for whatever it is that is coming next.

The Connection - @SupineSnake
The main thing to comment on here is obviously the aesthetics of the promo and the way that you utilised all of the different annotations, with some adding to the overall story and others just being purely expository. I think this was a very creative touch which definitely elevated the promo without taking anything away from it. I did find myself getting caught up in some of the annotations and losing my way slightly in the main text a couple of times as the alignment became skewed a couple of times, but I think that can be attributed to reader error as much as anything else. The story of The Nephews showing up and soiling a planet is not an unfamiliar one, but I think it was executed well here.

I definitely got more into the promo the further into it I got, as the narrative began to get a bit more centralised and I do think the parts I actually enjoyed the most were the parts where Michelle, Gerald and their relationship was the main focus with everything else stripped away. The lack of annotations during these parts to emphasise this was another good touch. I enjoyed Michelle being forced to reflect on how much she has changed and with her larger story looming all over this, the tie-ins to Jon Snowmantashi were fun, and the opening with Rondo was a very fun way to kick things off.

I didn’t really get the vibe that Makima and Izaya were suspicious of the Nephews at all, which seemed slightly off to me in a way I can’t properly explain? From my admittedly limited knowledge of the characters, it just seems that they’d be a bit more curious of this group and as such may suspect that there was some sort of ulterior motive to them arriving out of nowhere. It is good that value was placed in Makima here, with the suggestions that she is brought into the group based on their interactions with her thus far. I don’t think it took much away from the promo at all though, as Michelle and Gerald were rightly the stars of it. Where I think you have faltered in the past but excelled at here is still having the Nephews - and especially Uncle - being a prominent part of the promo but not at the expense of the characters you should be focusing on. Uncle was a big part of this, naturally, but the time and attention character-wise was put into Michelle and Gerald, as it should be, for me. Good work with this one, SS.

Also pfft. Imagine putting in a contrived Sopranos reference into a promo to pander to the graders. Pathetic.

Jackson Fenix - @Jimmy King
I think it is fair to say that the promos coming from the Undisputed Alliance guys as of late have been some of your best work, Jimmy, as far as I have seen since being part of the fed, anyway. With everything that Fenix has to come with the GO - the biggest opportunity of his career - it makes perfect sense that he wants to purge away anything else that is bothering him. I also really like that Nate is so pissed off about all of it, as it is definitely a thread you can carry forwards with the UA as well.

The alternate timeline and a what if kind of scenario is something that we have seen before, but I really liked that you constructed the narrative in such a way that we would have ended up in the same position as we are anyway, with Jackson realising that Jeremy is beyond redemption and can’t be forgiven after taking things so far. Bringing things back around to Jackson coming back to Nate was a solid way to end the promo. The Kung Fu Boom stuff was fun, and you got the right balance of their involvement before they took away from what was actually a very serious piece of writing for a group of characters that have historically filled that comedic role. Really enjoyed reading this.

 

[SupineSnake]

love to see the mod-on-mod reviews!