XXIX: “WE HAVE A PROBLEM.”
Live from the Toyota Centre in Houston, Texas, USA.
Thursday 25th May, 2023.
Rod Sterling: "Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to the twenty ninth edition of Meltdown, coming to you LIVE from Houston, Texas!"
The camera pans around the Toyota Centre, the audience going wild for the opening of the show, before resting on the stage as plumes of pyrotechnics bloom around the screen.
Anzu Kurosawa: "And we’re jumping right in to championship action! It’s time for another tag team title defense…"
Cheering amongst the fans as Makima Snowmantashi walks out onto the stage with a smile on her face.
Rod Sterling: "Here is one half of the challengers here in our opening contest, but so far she's alone…"
Anzu Kurosawa: "Alone and sporting some peculiar theme music. And not just because she's new."
Makima looks back at the curtain as her huge, unfamiliar partner appears to the general confusion of the audience. Tall and hulking and greyish in colour, the reaction to the fourth participant in the match is one of general bemusement amongst the assembled fans.
Rod Sterling: "Well… that is certainly… a tag team partner. Not one I’m particularly familiar with but, still!"
Anzu Kurosawa: "I met Zom Gippy earlier today, actually! I opened the stationary cupboard to find a pencil sharpener and there she was. Said she was hiding out before the match. Didn’t want to ruin the surprise. Nice girl. Well, zombie. Zombie girl."
Rod Sterling: "Did you get any idea as to its… um, her motivation in debuting for the FWA?"
Anzu Kurosawa: "Well, Zom Gippy was pretty awkward, and it was sometimes difficult to pick through the negativity, but her motivations were the one thing she was crystal clear about. She’s here to help Makima Snowmantashi capture the FWA World Tag Team Championships! Pretty singular purpose, really."
Makima and Zom Gippy climb into the ring, where they limber up and await the arrival of their opponents.
There's booing in the arena as the FWA World Tag Team Champions appear on the stage, their gold on their shoulders and both Bill Scorpane and Uncle J.J. JAY! escorting them out. The crowd doubles down on their derision as MvH lifts her belt into the air. Gerald is already walking down the ramp.
Rod Sterling: "Here come the Connection, who have seemed somewhat disconnected over the past few months. And it's the first time we've seen MvH on FWA television since that bombshell announcement for Back in Business: Dreamer versus the kaiju in a Retirement match."
Anzu Kurosawa: "Gerald and Michelle have had their problems over the past few months, yes. Undeniable. But they've still managed to overcome all challengers put in their way. This is the Connection's eighth defense of those belts. Let's see if Makima and Zom Gippy can do what the previous seven challenger's have failed to do…"
Dreamer and the Daredevil have climbed into the ring and stand in the opposite corner of it from the champions. Katie Lynn-Goldsmith is in position between them, a microphone in her hand.
Katie-Lynn Goldsmith: "Ladies and gentlemen, the following contest is scheduled for one-fall with a sixty minute time limit… and is for the FWA World Championships!!"
The belts are handed to the official, who holds them both up above his head to polite applause from the audience.
Katie-Lynn Goldsmith: "Introducing first, the challengers… from Tokyo, Japan, and weighing in at fifty kilograms… 'the Last Twinkle in the Sky'... Makima Snowmantashi!"
Some applause for the newcomer, who limbers up next to her tall and relatively unknown partner.
Katie-Lynn Goldsmith: "… and Zom Gippy!!"
A more bemused reaction for Makima's chosen partner.
Katie-Lynn Goldsmith: "And the champions… representing Cthulhu's Nephews… at a combined weight of three hundred and fifty five pounds… 'Dreamer' Michelle von Horrowitz… 'the Daredevil' Gerald Grayson… they are the Connection!"
Almost entirely boos for the reigning champions, but for a small contingent showing their support for Grayson. It doesn't phase the champions, who stare ahead at their next set of challengers and loosen up for the contest ahead.
With Katie out of the ring, the official conducts his final checks. Michelle remains inside for the champions, whilst Makima prepares to start things off for their eighth challengers. With their partners out on the apron, the official finally calls for the bell…
<< 00:00. >>
Michelle and Makima circle the ring before bringing it together in a collar and elbow tie-up. They buck in the ring before Michelle backs the challenger up into the corner, the official insisting on a clean break… but Dreamer hits her with a Mongolian chop! Then a knife edge! Dreamer whips her hard across the ring, Makima hitting the other set of turnbuckles with force and bouncing back at the champion, who connects with a leg lariat. Dreamer is quick to hoist Makima up to her feet and throw her across the ring with a belly-to-belly overhead release suplex! Von Horrowitz with the cover…
ONE… TWO… NO!
Makima gets the shoulder up. Dreamer drags her up in a front facelock, pulling her towards the corner and tagging in Gerald. GiGi comes into the ring and joins Michelle in the facelock, before the two take Makima over with a double suplex!
Rod Sterling: "Tandem offense on display from the tag team champions, and another pinfall attempt here from Gerald at the onset of this match…"
ONE… TWO… NO!
Anzu Kurosawa: "It’s going to take more than a couple of suplexes to put Makima Snowmantashi away, but the Connection find themselves with the advantage early on here…"
***
<< 04:51. >>
The Connection have had success dividing the ring into two, keeping Makima isolated on their side of it and employing frequent tags to keep her away from Zom Gippy. Von Horrowitz has Makima in an octopus stretch, Uncle looking on approvingly and applauding from the outside. The official is in close and asking Snowmantashi if she wants to give in, but she shakes her head resolutely and inches closer to the ropes, eventually managing to hook onto the top one with an outstretched arm.
Rod Sterling: "The official forces a break, but we’re fully aware how little that means with Michelle von Horrowitz…"
Indeed, MvH goes for a forearm strike, but Makima sees it coming and ducks beneath it. Von Horrowitz hits the ropes with her front and Snowmantashi is waiting for her behind, hitting a German suplex!!
Anzu Kurosawa: "She calls that the shooting star plex! Not sure why…"
Rod Sterling: "And now Makima Snowmantashi begins to crawl towards her corner… are we about to see the long-awaited introduction of Zom Gippy?!"
Indeed, Makima crawls over towards her corner, Michelle doing the same towards hers… and both make the tag! In comes Gippy, stepping over the top rope as Gerald leaps over it on the other side. The Daredevil bounds across the ring at her… and is turned inside out by a big boot!!!
Anzu Kurosawa: "Here comes Dreamer, looking to catch Gippy unawares… but what an elbow strike from the big woman!!"
Michelle is staggered, but manages to stay on her feet by clinging onto the official. Gippy decides to gather some steam by hitting the ropes… and Bill Scorpane reaches under the bottom one to grab her legs! It pauses her momentum, Gippy turning around to glare at Scorpane, who promptly scarpers away from the ring. Zom turns around… and gets nailed by a busaiku knee kick from Michelle! Dreamer with the cover…
ONE… TW – NO!
Rod Sterling: "Barely even two!!"
The distraction, though, allows Gerald - the legal man - to take the advantage, applying a headscissors on Zom Gippy as the match rolls on…
***
<<09:28. >>
Makima and Gerald are legal and in the ring, with the Daredevil succeeding in backing Makima up into the corner with a series of knife edge chops. He attempts an Irish whip across the ring, but Snowmantashi reverses and sends Gerald across into the turnbuckles instead. She attempts to charge in with a cornered forearm strike… but GiGi ducks beneath it and launches the small frame of Makima over the top rope with a big back body drop!! Makima lands in a heap at Uncle’s feet, dragging herself up just in time to be struck down again by a tope con hilo from Grayson!
Rod Sterling: "The Daredevil takes to the air!!"
Anzu Kurosawa: "But here comes Zom Gippy!!"
Indeed, the colossus has hit the opposite ropes…
Rod Sterling: "TOPE SUICIDA! Unbelievable athleticism there!!"
Anzu Kurosawa: "Both Gerald Grayson and Uncle J.J. JAY! are flattened!!"
It’s Zom Gippy’s turn to drag herself up to her feet, and then focuses on helping Snowmantashi up to hers. The camera cuts to a view from the ramp, Michelle seen in position in the ring, waiting for the pair to rise…
Anzu Kurosawa: "SPRINGBOARD SHOOTING STAR PRESS!!"
Rod Sterling: "EVERYONE is down on the outside!!"
Everyone, that is, except for Scorpane, who watches on aghast, and the official, who shakes his head on the inside of the ring. He starts a count as the competitors begin to rouse…
ONE...
***
<< 13:10 >>
Michelle has Makima up on her shoulders in a fireman’s carry, perhaps looking for a Death Valley Driver, but Snowmantashi begins to struggle. She kicks her legs out and Michelle loses her balance, stumbling over towards the side of the ring… where Zom Gippy is able to reach over the top rope and grab Makima’s boot. She pulls Snowmantashi out of Michelle’s grip and onto the apron, the official immediately over to admonish Gippy for the illegal intervention. Makima springboards into the ring, going for a big knee strike, but Michelle forward rolls beneath it, and then catches the turning Makima with a discus forearm!
Rod Sterling: "Michelle has Makima by the wrist, looking to Irish whip her into the champions’ corner… no! Michelle reverses direction and sends Makima into the challengers’ corner! The referee is clattered against the turnbuckles!!"
Huge groans go up around the arena as Makima looks down at the frail and now broken frame of the man in black and white. She tries to rouse him, realises it’s an impossible task, and turns to face Michelle. Dreamer hits her with a mule kick…
Anzu Kurosawa: "… BRAINBUSTAAAAAAAAAH!"
Michelle gets to her feet, just in time to see Zom Gippy climbing in… but the Daredevil also enters and charges at her! GiGi takes Zom over the top rope with a clothesline, the pair landing on their feet on the outside. Grayson begins to lay in with right hands… until Zom Gip raises a knee into his sternum, before hurling him into and over the steel ring steps!! Gippy turns around and walks towards the ring… but Michelle is up on the top turnbuckle!
Rod Sterling: "CROSS-BODY!! Michelle comes off the top and crashes into Zom Gippy on the outside!!"
Michelle gets to her feet with the assistance of Uncle J.J. JAY! and Bill Scorpane, not realising that Makima Snowmantashi is now on the top rope with her back to the group…
Anzu Kurosawa: "The Last Twinkle with an anything-sault from the top!! Michelle, JAY!, and Bill all fall victim to the move!!"
With the referee still down in the ring, Makima collects Gerald and first throws him head-first into the post, and then Irish whips him hard into the barricade. Gerald falls over the barrier and into the laps of the first row fans, Makima slowly sauntering over towards him…
… but she’s clocked with the ring bell! Michelle stands over the fallen Makima with the bell in her hands, the fans booing her exploits as she smiles and drops the weapon next to her. Bill and JAY! are up now and flanking her, and then assist Dreamer in tearing the cover off the announce table…
Anzu Kurosawa: "Uh-oh! Watch out, Rod!"
The commentators scatter away from the table as the monitors and are removed from the cover. Michelle and Uncle then collect Zom Gippy and drag her over to the table, slamming her face first onto the desk before lying her down on it. Michelle hops up onto the apron…
Rod Sterling: "Up she goes! Michelle is scaling to the top rope once again, with Zom Gippy supine upon our announce desk! We need that table!"
Anzu Kurosawa: "Lighten up, Rod!"
Rod Sterling: "Difficult in the face of all this carnage! Can we get another official out here?!"
One doesn’t seem forthcoming, and Uncle and Bill begin to divert their attention towards rousing Gerald. They are trying to get him back towards the ring, but Makima is back with a microphone in her hand! She clocks Uncle not once… not twice… but three times with the microphone! And then Makima rounds on Bill Scorpane…
Rod Sterling: "Get him, Makima!"
Anzu Kurosawa: "What do you have against Old Billy Boy?!"
Rod Sterling: "Snake!"
Bill scarpers away from Makima, and Snowmantashi decides to focus on Gerald instead. Grayson, though, is able to kick the microphone out of her hand! It bounces away and the two begin to exchange strikes, Gerald with forearms and Makima with elbow strikes… until it seems that the Daredevil is taking the upper hand. He nails her with a series of forearms, but Makima ducks beneath the fifth of them…
Rod Sterling: "SKO from Makima Snowmantashi!! Gerald is planted with the cutter!!"
Anzu Kurosawa: "And as Makima rises to her feet on the outside, the match official is finally doing the same thing inside the ring… I don’t think he’ll enjoy what he sees…"
Indeed, Michelle and Zom Gippy are still buried amongst the rubble of the announce table, and when the official sees this he seems to gather his bearings and realise that a count is appropriate…
ONE…
Perhaps out of instinct, Makima rolls into the ring and gets up to her feet, her breathing laboured as she stares out at her partner and the other champion in the debris.
TWO…
Makima, realising where she is and the stakes in the match, goes to the side of the ring where Michelle is and climbs out of the ring.
Rod Sterling: "Makima remembering that this is a championship match, and a countout victory won’t be enough for her and her partner…"
THREE…
Anzu Kurosawa: "Careful, Bill!"
Anzu’s advice is directed at Scorpane, who is standing in Makima’s way… and eats a discus big boot from Makima!!
FOUR…
Rod Sterling: "Oof! Bill Scorpane takes one in the line of duty!"
Anzu Kurosawa: "I don’t think the Nephews would appreciate that cop metaphor, Rod."
Makima stumbles over to MvH, grabbing her by the scruff of the neck and attempting to drag her towards the ring…
FIVE…
Michelle is resistant, though, and when she’s on her feet she hits a forearm strike into Snowmantashi. She absorbs it, and then sends Michelle limp with a superkick!
Anzu Kurosawa: "Leo Kick!! Michelle is dead weight, now, Makima needs to drag her into the ring…"
SIX…
Michelle grabs hold of Rod Sterling’s leg to try and stay her momentum, Makima loosening her grip with a quick stomp to the wrist…
Makima puts Michelle on her shoulders in a fireman’s carry, Dreamer unable to do anything as Makima stumbles back over to the ring…
SEVEN…
Rod Sterling: "She’s got it! And Michelle is almost out! A serious advantage here for Makima and Zom Gippy!!"[/i]
Makima reaches the base of the ring, Michelle still up on her shoulders and offering no remonstration… when, rather suddenly, Snowmantashi’s momentum is stayed…
EIGHT…
Anzu Kurosawa: "Huh?!"
Snowmantashi stares down at a black, metallic, animatronic hand gripping her ankle, the arm on which it is attached protruding from beneath the ring apron. Realisation passes over her face, and she stomps down on the wrist…
NINE…
but it seemingly has no effect, the iron grip of this interloper unrelenting and stopping her from being able to enter the ring!
Anzu Kurosawa: "Is that?!"
Rod Sterling: "Of course it is! How many people do you know with an animatronic hand?!"
TEN!!
Referee: "Ring the bell!"
Rod Sterling: "Oh, come on!"
With the match over, Makima drops Michelle from her shoulders, with Uncle promptly dragging her away from Snowmantashi. Gerald does the same with the still-down Scorpane. Makima, meanwhile, begins searching under the ring for the owner of the hand, which has promptly disappeared again beneath the ring.
Katie-Lynn Goldsmith: "Ladies and gentlemen, this match has been declared a double countout… meaning, still your FWA World Tag Team Champions… the Connection!"
General booing in the arena as the Nephews, in various states of disrepair, collect their belts - retained through the champions’ advantage - from the timekeeper’s area. They retreat up the ramp…
… where they are joined by Harry the Sane Wizard, who has emerged from the ruffling apron and assists in the carrying of the dishevelled Michelle and the potentially-unconscious Sorpane. More help, in the form of Quiet and the Maid of Death, emerges through the curtain.
Rod Sterling: "The Nephews leave Makima Snowmantashi seething… and they might’ve killed poor Zom Gippy!"
Anzu Kurosawa: "Not sure you can kill the undead, Rod. Zombies 101. Most important thing is that the Connection leave with those FWA World Tag Team Championships…"
Rod Sterling: "… by the skin of their teeth, Anzu."
After seeing Makima looking frustrated inside the ring, we cut to the Nephews, the exertions of this match and perhaps the previous seven of them too weighing heavily upon them, as they disappear through the curtain. We fade to elsewhere.
We cut backstage where Katie Baxter is standing by.
Katie Baxter: “Ladies and gentlemen, my guest at this time is…”
Katie pauses and lets out a sigh before motioning stage left with a slight nod.
Katie Baxter: “Is FWA’s newest signee… dragonperson.”
dragonperson: “Rawr.”
Katie looks less than amused, furrowing her brow at the sight of this furry-suit wearing monstrosity.
Katie Baxter: “Welcome to FWA dragonperson.”
dragonperson: “Rawr!”
Meltdown’s resident interviewers’ eyes close for a brief moment which for her feels like an eternity during which she ponders the choices which led her to this excruciating point of her life. Katie Baxter ponders this for only a moment, for she is a professional, able to repress all existential dread and perform as if nothing is wrong. A smile crosses Katie’s lips and her mood suddenly shifts back to her usual perky persona.
Katie Baxter: “I suppose the question on everyone’s mind right now is just who is dragonperson?”
dragonperson: “Rawr, rawr rawr rawr. Rawr! Rawr rawr rawr rawr rawr rawr, rawr rawr rawr. Rawr? Rawr, rawr, rawr, rawr rawr rawr. Rawr!”
dragonperson pounds their chest after their passionate tirade, explaining their motivation, strength of character and intentions in the FWA. Their speech however is met with confusion from Katie.
Katie Baxter: “I’m sorry, I don’t quite understand what you’re saying.”
dragonperson: “Rawr??? Rawr, rawr rawr rawr!”
Katie actually loses her composure for a moment, looking down at her feet as she mumbles to dragonperson quietly.
Katie Baxter: “I really am sorry. Do you speak English?”
dragonperson is outraged by Katie’s question.
dragonperson: “Rawr!”
Katie bites her bottom lip and sinks quietly offscreen whilst dragonperson continues to rant.
dragonperson: “Rawr rawr rawr rawr. Rawr, rawr, rawr rawr rawr rawr. Rawr! Rawr! RAWR! RAWR! RAWR!”
The feed fades to black just as dragonperson raises their middle finger to whomever or whatever they’re addressing.
Going to the commentary table, we see the lead team for Meltdown, Rod Stirling, and Anzu Kurosawa. Together, they are attempting to break a bit of that dead air with an appropriate topic.
Rod Stirling: “Ladies and gentlemen, after the introduction of the new FWA World Trios Championships by Jon Russnow last week on Meltdown, Trios fever has ran wild in FWA as we have three trios matches between tonight on Meltdown and Fallout this Saturday as factions are picking their three, and others are finding potential partners going into the Trios battle royale.”
Anzu nods her head and continues on.
Anzu Kurosawa: “At Back in Business, we have a Trios Battle Royale to crown the first champions with any team of three from FWA or beyond having a chance to win the inaugural championships. Alliances are a huge part of professional wrestling and we can likely see new teams form before or after that match in anticipation of winning championship gold.”
Rod Stirling: “And the exciting part is that it is open invitation and Trios matches are a different beast compared to regular tag team matches with more people, more chaos, and a greater need to be on the same wave-length as your team.”
Anzu Kurosawa: “And as you said, there’s a chance of international attention. As some may know, Trios matches have lucha origins, so Back in Business being in Mexico may attract some teams from the country… Or farther- as this footage from a company some of you may have heard of shows…"
The feed switches to several match highlights from Japan. The venue is somewhat small and intimate with the biggest feature being a stunning colourful glass window looking over the ring. The canvas is white and pink with the ropes being purple. On the corner of the screen reads “Courtesy of COSMIC Joshi Wrestling.” The home promotion of FWA star Katsu. She is in the ring with her new in-ring persona, her colours this match being more neon inspired with a black base. Her partners wear matching colours. One is a woman with silver hair, long tights, and the other has an almost skirt-like finish on her tights, and she towers over most other female competitors. Cali Hayama and Ririko. The other two thirds of YOKAI Death Squad.
One of their opponents are in the corner and the three do a chain of corner attacks with Katsu hitting a high knee in the corner, Cali following with a dropkick, and the big girl, Ririko, squishing her foe with a running back elbow. Further flashes of in ring footage show the two agile members of the team hip toss one of their opponents, hand springing back with a double dropkick, as Ririko runs in with a running senton. This is just a small taste of what a Trios match can be with a team on the same wave-length. Fast paced, multiple moves chained together. After some more brief match highlights, we see backstage post-match.
It is an interview area with a white backdrop. Plastered on it is a repeating logo of the promotion, a ringed-planet, along with several key sponsors. Walking into frame first is Cali Hayama, drenched in sweat after her match, holding a championship belt on her shoulder. It has a black strap with gold and silver plates. She shouts in English.
Cali Hayama: “Damn, it’s great to have the team together!”
Katsu and Ririko follow shortly after. Like Cali, Ririko has a matching championship belt over her shoulder. Ririko pats Katsu on the back and speaks in Japanese, with rough translations showing on the lower half of the screen for our English speakers.
Ririko: “Always so fun to have us together. I guess with someone here busy in America, it just makes nights like this more special.”
Katsu gives a small grin, speaking in Japanese with a little extra energy by speaking in her native language.
Katsu: “Each time I come to Cosmic, I feel a rush of fighting spirit course through my veins. And it does not matter what mask or name I use, those who will me on makes each experience special. I am Katsu! These two are the CJW Tag Team Champions, Cali Hayama and Ririko! We are MAYHEM’s YOKAI Death Squad, Y-D-S! Individually, or in any combination, we push each other to… As my Canadian friend would say… to the Next Level.”
She winks to the camera and Cali puts her hand on her friend’s back. She switches to Japanese and continues.
Cali Hayama: “And sadly, while we would love to be Trios Champions here again, we do not have much to prove. We held those championships before. They were special to us. But we already held them longer than anyone in a single reign. We also have commitments elsewhere… But maybe we can prove our Trios success can extend to another continent…”
Katsu knows where Cali is heading and she quickly dismisses the idea.
Katsu: “Didn’t you say you were too busy here and with your YouTube career? I don’t want to force you two…”
The Gamer shrugs her shoulders.
Cali Hayama: “I can be a part-time person. Isn’t that what all the big stars do these days? You know, like Alyster Black, Uncle J.J. Jay, Jeffry Mason, those guys-”
Katsu: “Alyster is not part time- He just… I don’t know what that was abou-”
Katsu groans.
Katsu: “DON’T get them pissed off at me now with your big mouth! Besides, Ririko does not even speak English well.”
Ririko: “Ah come on! It was so fun visiting America a few weeks ago!”
Ririko shouts with glee. She has a big grin.
Ririko: “I can practice, and wrestling is a universal language! Those World Trios Championships in FWA look really cool! Maybe my tag championship can have another friend? We can show them off here!”
Cali Hayama adjusts her tag team Championship title and looks to Katsu.
Cali Hayama: “Think about it- ‘FWA World Trios Champions, YOKAI Death Squad’ has a nice ring to it.”
Katsu: “But I already have the Golden Opportunity match… And I need to get my hands on El Vengedor…”
Ririko: “And we can help with that!”
Ririko shouts.
Ririko: “Maybe it is time you have friends you can call on? To prevent people from doing that stuff to you… You know how important it is to have people you can trust here...”
Katsu thinks the words over of her friends. A chance to team with them in FWA too? Some people she knows that reliably will have her back when they’re there. Cali gives a confident grin of reassurance while Ririko practically gives puppy dog eyes. She’s broken down.
Katsu: “I will think about it-”
And Ririko reaches in for a HUGE hug, lifting her friend off the ground. She places Katsu back on the ground as she composes herself.
Katsu: “Why did I know that was going to happen?”
Cali and Ririko give a hearty laugh before Hayama winks at the camera.
Cali Hayama: “Guess it is Game on then, FWA?”
The three hold down three fingers, the “MAYHEM” M, gesture before they head off. Back to the arena in Houston, Anzu and Rod are there to react.
Anzu Kurosawa: “Tell me, is there a Joshi quota we need to hit?”
She jokes.
Rod Stirling: “The FWA Trios Championships seems to be in the eye of former CJW Trios Champions, YOKAI Death Squad. We already know what Katsu can do in the ring, and if Ririko and Cali are as advertised, the Trios Battle Royale at Back in Business might be shaken up with their inclusion in what can be expected to be a dynamic Trio’s Division.”
Anzu Kurosawa: “We’ll see if they enter. With Katsu already having her eye on the Golden Opportunity AND with business picking up with El Vengedor, she might not want her eggs in even more baskets than she already does, but I think she wouldn't shy away from a challenge.”
Returning to Meltdown, The Bad Boys Boy Band are shown to be occupying the ring ahead of the upcoming match and unfortunately for everyone in the crowd, The Backstreet Boy is in possession of a microphone.
The Backstreet Boy: “Alright everyone, why don’t you all show a little bit of respect towards the premier performers here in the Fantasy Wrestling Alliance. You’ve got me, The Backstreet Boy and my bad boys In-Sync and Mike Stand. Together, we are the Bad Boys Boy Band!”
The crowd are very apathetic in response to this.
The Backstreet Boy: “Tonight, we are going to show why we are going to become the first ever FWA Trios Champions… so why don’t those losers we’re facing tonight get themselves out here so we can run through our greatest hits! Then, we’re going to go on to Back in Business and become champions… OH YEAH BAAAAYYYYBEEEEEEEEEE!!!”
The terrible singing is enough to draw loud jeers from the crowd and the group ignore them and start posing for cameras that are not taking pictures of them.
Rod Sterling: “My ears are bleeding.”
Anzu Kurosawa: “Forget about your ears, Rod. My eyes are bleeding!”
For very good reason, as the next image shown on the screen is Ratin Mikichin emerging from the back and as per usual he is dressed in nothing more than his mankini; tonight’s number is the classic lime green. Following Ratin out is Greg and after him, a very annoyed-looking Steve the Techno Vampire. The cause for his upset being presumably that he lost the toss and was not able to come out to his own theme music. Behind the three of them though is the same robed figure that appeared on Meltdown XXVIII.
Katie-Lynn Goldsmith: “The following contest is a Trios Match scheduled for one fall! Introducing first, already in the ring… THE BAD BOYS BOY BAND!
Their opponents, on their way to the ring and accompanied by The Higher Power, the team of Ratin Mikichin, Steve the Techno Vampire and GREG!”
Rod Sterling: “Well, following Jon Russnow’s announcement on Meltdown XXVIII that the first ever FWA Trios Champions will be crowned at Back in Business XVII, it seems that these punk rockers have thrown their names into the ring. It would seem that Greg and this Higher Power have other plans for Ratin Mikichin and Steve the Techno Vampire, as they want the main event slot of Night One at Back in Business.”
Anzu Kurosawa: “If there’s anything that you can give these guys credit for, it is their persistence. Months upon months they’ve battled and they want a final showdown on the grandest stage. Russnow has made it clear they’re not getting the spot they want, though.”
The Higher Power stays at ringside by the steel steps as Ratin, Steve and Greg all enter the ring and again the cameraman gets a shot of Ratin from behind as he bends over the ropes. In the ring, Steve opens his cape and some plastic bats drop to the floor, requiring the referee to sweep them all away. Their opponents seem amused by what they are seeing and the referee tries to maintain order before signaling that the match can begin.
Michelle and Makima circle the ring before bringing it together in a collar and elbow tie-up. They buck in the ring before Michelle backs the challenger up into the corner, the official insisting on a clean break… but Dreamer hits her with a Mongolian chop! Then a knife edge! Dreamer whips her hard across the ring, Makima hitting the other set of turnbuckles with force and bouncing back at the champion, who connects with a leg lariat. Dreamer is quick to hoist Makima up to her feet and throw her across the ring with a belly-to-belly overhead release suplex! Von Horrowitz with the cover…
ONE… TWO… NO!
Makima gets the shoulder up. Dreamer drags her up in a front facelock, pulling her towards the corner and tagging in Gerald. GiGi comes into the ring and joins Michelle in the facelock, before the two take Makima over with a double suplex!
Rod Sterling: "Tandem offense on display from the tag team champions, and another pinfall attempt here from Gerald at the onset of this match…"
ONE… TWO… NO!
Anzu Kurosawa: "It’s going to take more than a couple of suplexes to put Makima Snowmantashi away, but the Connection find themselves with the advantage early on here…"
***
<< 04:51. >>
The Connection have had success dividing the ring into two, keeping Makima isolated on their side of it and employing frequent tags to keep her away from Zom Gippy. Von Horrowitz has Makima in an octopus stretch, Uncle looking on approvingly and applauding from the outside. The official is in close and asking Snowmantashi if she wants to give in, but she shakes her head resolutely and inches closer to the ropes, eventually managing to hook onto the top one with an outstretched arm.
Rod Sterling: "The official forces a break, but we’re fully aware how little that means with Michelle von Horrowitz…"
Indeed, MvH goes for a forearm strike, but Makima sees it coming and ducks beneath it. Von Horrowitz hits the ropes with her front and Snowmantashi is waiting for her behind, hitting a German suplex!!
Anzu Kurosawa: "She calls that the shooting star plex! Not sure why…"
Rod Sterling: "And now Makima Snowmantashi begins to crawl towards her corner… are we about to see the long-awaited introduction of Zom Gippy?!"
Indeed, Makima crawls over towards her corner, Michelle doing the same towards hers… and both make the tag! In comes Gippy, stepping over the top rope as Gerald leaps over it on the other side. The Daredevil bounds across the ring at her… and is turned inside out by a big boot!!!
Anzu Kurosawa: "Here comes Dreamer, looking to catch Gippy unawares… but what an elbow strike from the big woman!!"
Michelle is staggered, but manages to stay on her feet by clinging onto the official. Gippy decides to gather some steam by hitting the ropes… and Bill Scorpane reaches under the bottom one to grab her legs! It pauses her momentum, Gippy turning around to glare at Scorpane, who promptly scarpers away from the ring. Zom turns around… and gets nailed by a busaiku knee kick from Michelle! Dreamer with the cover…
ONE… TW – NO!
Rod Sterling: "Barely even two!!"
The distraction, though, allows Gerald - the legal man - to take the advantage, applying a headscissors on Zom Gippy as the match rolls on…
***
<<09:28. >>
Makima and Gerald are legal and in the ring, with the Daredevil succeeding in backing Makima up into the corner with a series of knife edge chops. He attempts an Irish whip across the ring, but Snowmantashi reverses and sends Gerald across into the turnbuckles instead. She attempts to charge in with a cornered forearm strike… but GiGi ducks beneath it and launches the small frame of Makima over the top rope with a big back body drop!! Makima lands in a heap at Uncle’s feet, dragging herself up just in time to be struck down again by a tope con hilo from Grayson!
Rod Sterling: "The Daredevil takes to the air!!"
Anzu Kurosawa: "But here comes Zom Gippy!!"
Indeed, the colossus has hit the opposite ropes…
Rod Sterling: "TOPE SUICIDA! Unbelievable athleticism there!!"
Anzu Kurosawa: "Both Gerald Grayson and Uncle J.J. JAY! are flattened!!"
It’s Zom Gippy’s turn to drag herself up to her feet, and then focuses on helping Snowmantashi up to hers. The camera cuts to a view from the ramp, Michelle seen in position in the ring, waiting for the pair to rise…
Anzu Kurosawa: "SPRINGBOARD SHOOTING STAR PRESS!!"
Rod Sterling: "EVERYONE is down on the outside!!"
Everyone, that is, except for Scorpane, who watches on aghast, and the official, who shakes his head on the inside of the ring. He starts a count as the competitors begin to rouse…
ONE...
***
<< 13:10 >>
Michelle has Makima up on her shoulders in a fireman’s carry, perhaps looking for a Death Valley Driver, but Snowmantashi begins to struggle. She kicks her legs out and Michelle loses her balance, stumbling over towards the side of the ring… where Zom Gippy is able to reach over the top rope and grab Makima’s boot. She pulls Snowmantashi out of Michelle’s grip and onto the apron, the official immediately over to admonish Gippy for the illegal intervention. Makima springboards into the ring, going for a big knee strike, but Michelle forward rolls beneath it, and then catches the turning Makima with a discus forearm!
Rod Sterling: "Michelle has Makima by the wrist, looking to Irish whip her into the champions’ corner… no! Michelle reverses direction and sends Makima into the challengers’ corner! The referee is clattered against the turnbuckles!!"
Huge groans go up around the arena as Makima looks down at the frail and now broken frame of the man in black and white. She tries to rouse him, realises it’s an impossible task, and turns to face Michelle. Dreamer hits her with a mule kick…
Anzu Kurosawa: "… BRAINBUSTAAAAAAAAAH!"
Michelle gets to her feet, just in time to see Zom Gippy climbing in… but the Daredevil also enters and charges at her! GiGi takes Zom over the top rope with a clothesline, the pair landing on their feet on the outside. Grayson begins to lay in with right hands… until Zom Gip raises a knee into his sternum, before hurling him into and over the steel ring steps!! Gippy turns around and walks towards the ring… but Michelle is up on the top turnbuckle!
Rod Sterling: "CROSS-BODY!! Michelle comes off the top and crashes into Zom Gippy on the outside!!"
Michelle gets to her feet with the assistance of Uncle J.J. JAY! and Bill Scorpane, not realising that Makima Snowmantashi is now on the top rope with her back to the group…
Anzu Kurosawa: "The Last Twinkle with an anything-sault from the top!! Michelle, JAY!, and Bill all fall victim to the move!!"
With the referee still down in the ring, Makima collects Gerald and first throws him head-first into the post, and then Irish whips him hard into the barricade. Gerald falls over the barrier and into the laps of the first row fans, Makima slowly sauntering over towards him…
… but she’s clocked with the ring bell! Michelle stands over the fallen Makima with the bell in her hands, the fans booing her exploits as she smiles and drops the weapon next to her. Bill and JAY! are up now and flanking her, and then assist Dreamer in tearing the cover off the announce table…
Anzu Kurosawa: "Uh-oh! Watch out, Rod!"
The commentators scatter away from the table as the monitors and are removed from the cover. Michelle and Uncle then collect Zom Gippy and drag her over to the table, slamming her face first onto the desk before lying her down on it. Michelle hops up onto the apron…
Rod Sterling: "Up she goes! Michelle is scaling to the top rope once again, with Zom Gippy supine upon our announce desk! We need that table!"
Anzu Kurosawa: "Lighten up, Rod!"
Rod Sterling: "Difficult in the face of all this carnage! Can we get another official out here?!"
One doesn’t seem forthcoming, and Uncle and Bill begin to divert their attention towards rousing Gerald. They are trying to get him back towards the ring, but Makima is back with a microphone in her hand! She clocks Uncle not once… not twice… but three times with the microphone! And then Makima rounds on Bill Scorpane…
Rod Sterling: "Get him, Makima!"
Anzu Kurosawa: "What do you have against Old Billy Boy?!"
Rod Sterling: "Snake!"
Bill scarpers away from Makima, and Snowmantashi decides to focus on Gerald instead. Grayson, though, is able to kick the microphone out of her hand! It bounces away and the two begin to exchange strikes, Gerald with forearms and Makima with elbow strikes… until it seems that the Daredevil is taking the upper hand. He nails her with a series of forearms, but Makima ducks beneath the fifth of them…
Rod Sterling: "SKO from Makima Snowmantashi!! Gerald is planted with the cutter!!"
Anzu Kurosawa: "And as Makima rises to her feet on the outside, the match official is finally doing the same thing inside the ring… I don’t think he’ll enjoy what he sees…"
Indeed, Michelle and Zom Gippy are still buried amongst the rubble of the announce table, and when the official sees this he seems to gather his bearings and realise that a count is appropriate…
ONE…
Perhaps out of instinct, Makima rolls into the ring and gets up to her feet, her breathing laboured as she stares out at her partner and the other champion in the debris.
TWO…
Makima, realising where she is and the stakes in the match, goes to the side of the ring where Michelle is and climbs out of the ring.
Rod Sterling: "Makima remembering that this is a championship match, and a countout victory won’t be enough for her and her partner…"
THREE…
Anzu Kurosawa: "Careful, Bill!"
Anzu’s advice is directed at Scorpane, who is standing in Makima’s way… and eats a discus big boot from Makima!!
FOUR…
Rod Sterling: "Oof! Bill Scorpane takes one in the line of duty!"
Anzu Kurosawa: "I don’t think the Nephews would appreciate that cop metaphor, Rod."
Makima stumbles over to MvH, grabbing her by the scruff of the neck and attempting to drag her towards the ring…
FIVE…
Michelle is resistant, though, and when she’s on her feet she hits a forearm strike into Snowmantashi. She absorbs it, and then sends Michelle limp with a superkick!
Anzu Kurosawa: "Leo Kick!! Michelle is dead weight, now, Makima needs to drag her into the ring…"
SIX…
Michelle grabs hold of Rod Sterling’s leg to try and stay her momentum, Makima loosening her grip with a quick stomp to the wrist…
Makima puts Michelle on her shoulders in a fireman’s carry, Dreamer unable to do anything as Makima stumbles back over to the ring…
SEVEN…
Rod Sterling: "She’s got it! And Michelle is almost out! A serious advantage here for Makima and Zom Gippy!!"[/i]
Makima reaches the base of the ring, Michelle still up on her shoulders and offering no remonstration… when, rather suddenly, Snowmantashi’s momentum is stayed…
EIGHT…
Anzu Kurosawa: "Huh?!"
Snowmantashi stares down at a black, metallic, animatronic hand gripping her ankle, the arm on which it is attached protruding from beneath the ring apron. Realisation passes over her face, and she stomps down on the wrist…
NINE…
but it seemingly has no effect, the iron grip of this interloper unrelenting and stopping her from being able to enter the ring!
Anzu Kurosawa: "Is that?!"
Rod Sterling: "Of course it is! How many people do you know with an animatronic hand?!"
TEN!!
Referee: "Ring the bell!"
Winner: Match declared a draw through double countout at 19:05.
Rod Sterling: "Oh, come on!"
With the match over, Makima drops Michelle from her shoulders, with Uncle promptly dragging her away from Snowmantashi. Gerald does the same with the still-down Scorpane. Makima, meanwhile, begins searching under the ring for the owner of the hand, which has promptly disappeared again beneath the ring.
Katie-Lynn Goldsmith: "Ladies and gentlemen, this match has been declared a double countout… meaning, still your FWA World Tag Team Champions… the Connection!"
General booing in the arena as the Nephews, in various states of disrepair, collect their belts - retained through the champions’ advantage - from the timekeeper’s area. They retreat up the ramp…
… where they are joined by Harry the Sane Wizard, who has emerged from the ruffling apron and assists in the carrying of the dishevelled Michelle and the potentially-unconscious Sorpane. More help, in the form of Quiet and the Maid of Death, emerges through the curtain.
Rod Sterling: "The Nephews leave Makima Snowmantashi seething… and they might’ve killed poor Zom Gippy!"
Anzu Kurosawa: "Not sure you can kill the undead, Rod. Zombies 101. Most important thing is that the Connection leave with those FWA World Tag Team Championships…"
Rod Sterling: "… by the skin of their teeth, Anzu."
After seeing Makima looking frustrated inside the ring, we cut to the Nephews, the exertions of this match and perhaps the previous seven of them too weighing heavily upon them, as they disappear through the curtain. We fade to elsewhere.
We cut backstage where Katie Baxter is standing by.
Katie Baxter: “Ladies and gentlemen, my guest at this time is…”
Katie pauses and lets out a sigh before motioning stage left with a slight nod.
Katie Baxter: “Is FWA’s newest signee… dragonperson.”
dragonperson: “Rawr.”
Katie looks less than amused, furrowing her brow at the sight of this furry-suit wearing monstrosity.
Katie Baxter: “Welcome to FWA dragonperson.”
dragonperson: “Rawr!”
Meltdown’s resident interviewers’ eyes close for a brief moment which for her feels like an eternity during which she ponders the choices which led her to this excruciating point of her life. Katie Baxter ponders this for only a moment, for she is a professional, able to repress all existential dread and perform as if nothing is wrong. A smile crosses Katie’s lips and her mood suddenly shifts back to her usual perky persona.
Katie Baxter: “I suppose the question on everyone’s mind right now is just who is dragonperson?”
dragonperson: “Rawr, rawr rawr rawr. Rawr! Rawr rawr rawr rawr rawr rawr, rawr rawr rawr. Rawr? Rawr, rawr, rawr, rawr rawr rawr. Rawr!”
dragonperson pounds their chest after their passionate tirade, explaining their motivation, strength of character and intentions in the FWA. Their speech however is met with confusion from Katie.
Katie Baxter: “I’m sorry, I don’t quite understand what you’re saying.”
dragonperson: “Rawr??? Rawr, rawr rawr rawr!”
Katie actually loses her composure for a moment, looking down at her feet as she mumbles to dragonperson quietly.
Katie Baxter: “I really am sorry. Do you speak English?”
dragonperson is outraged by Katie’s question.
dragonperson: “Rawr!”
Katie bites her bottom lip and sinks quietly offscreen whilst dragonperson continues to rant.
dragonperson: “Rawr rawr rawr rawr. Rawr, rawr, rawr rawr rawr rawr. Rawr! Rawr! RAWR! RAWR! RAWR!”
The feed fades to black just as dragonperson raises their middle finger to whomever or whatever they’re addressing.
Going to the commentary table, we see the lead team for Meltdown, Rod Stirling, and Anzu Kurosawa. Together, they are attempting to break a bit of that dead air with an appropriate topic.
Rod Stirling: “Ladies and gentlemen, after the introduction of the new FWA World Trios Championships by Jon Russnow last week on Meltdown, Trios fever has ran wild in FWA as we have three trios matches between tonight on Meltdown and Fallout this Saturday as factions are picking their three, and others are finding potential partners going into the Trios battle royale.”
Anzu nods her head and continues on.
Anzu Kurosawa: “At Back in Business, we have a Trios Battle Royale to crown the first champions with any team of three from FWA or beyond having a chance to win the inaugural championships. Alliances are a huge part of professional wrestling and we can likely see new teams form before or after that match in anticipation of winning championship gold.”
Rod Stirling: “And the exciting part is that it is open invitation and Trios matches are a different beast compared to regular tag team matches with more people, more chaos, and a greater need to be on the same wave-length as your team.”
Anzu Kurosawa: “And as you said, there’s a chance of international attention. As some may know, Trios matches have lucha origins, so Back in Business being in Mexico may attract some teams from the country… Or farther- as this footage from a company some of you may have heard of shows…"
The feed switches to several match highlights from Japan. The venue is somewhat small and intimate with the biggest feature being a stunning colourful glass window looking over the ring. The canvas is white and pink with the ropes being purple. On the corner of the screen reads “Courtesy of COSMIC Joshi Wrestling.” The home promotion of FWA star Katsu. She is in the ring with her new in-ring persona, her colours this match being more neon inspired with a black base. Her partners wear matching colours. One is a woman with silver hair, long tights, and the other has an almost skirt-like finish on her tights, and she towers over most other female competitors. Cali Hayama and Ririko. The other two thirds of YOKAI Death Squad.
One of their opponents are in the corner and the three do a chain of corner attacks with Katsu hitting a high knee in the corner, Cali following with a dropkick, and the big girl, Ririko, squishing her foe with a running back elbow. Further flashes of in ring footage show the two agile members of the team hip toss one of their opponents, hand springing back with a double dropkick, as Ririko runs in with a running senton. This is just a small taste of what a Trios match can be with a team on the same wave-length. Fast paced, multiple moves chained together. After some more brief match highlights, we see backstage post-match.
It is an interview area with a white backdrop. Plastered on it is a repeating logo of the promotion, a ringed-planet, along with several key sponsors. Walking into frame first is Cali Hayama, drenched in sweat after her match, holding a championship belt on her shoulder. It has a black strap with gold and silver plates. She shouts in English.
Cali Hayama: “Damn, it’s great to have the team together!”
Katsu and Ririko follow shortly after. Like Cali, Ririko has a matching championship belt over her shoulder. Ririko pats Katsu on the back and speaks in Japanese, with rough translations showing on the lower half of the screen for our English speakers.
Ririko: “Always so fun to have us together. I guess with someone here busy in America, it just makes nights like this more special.”
Katsu gives a small grin, speaking in Japanese with a little extra energy by speaking in her native language.
Katsu: “Each time I come to Cosmic, I feel a rush of fighting spirit course through my veins. And it does not matter what mask or name I use, those who will me on makes each experience special. I am Katsu! These two are the CJW Tag Team Champions, Cali Hayama and Ririko! We are MAYHEM’s YOKAI Death Squad, Y-D-S! Individually, or in any combination, we push each other to… As my Canadian friend would say… to the Next Level.”
She winks to the camera and Cali puts her hand on her friend’s back. She switches to Japanese and continues.
Cali Hayama: “And sadly, while we would love to be Trios Champions here again, we do not have much to prove. We held those championships before. They were special to us. But we already held them longer than anyone in a single reign. We also have commitments elsewhere… But maybe we can prove our Trios success can extend to another continent…”
Katsu knows where Cali is heading and she quickly dismisses the idea.
Katsu: “Didn’t you say you were too busy here and with your YouTube career? I don’t want to force you two…”
The Gamer shrugs her shoulders.
Cali Hayama: “I can be a part-time person. Isn’t that what all the big stars do these days? You know, like Alyster Black, Uncle J.J. Jay, Jeffry Mason, those guys-”
Katsu: “Alyster is not part time- He just… I don’t know what that was abou-”
Katsu groans.
Katsu: “DON’T get them pissed off at me now with your big mouth! Besides, Ririko does not even speak English well.”
Ririko: “Ah come on! It was so fun visiting America a few weeks ago!”
Ririko shouts with glee. She has a big grin.
Ririko: “I can practice, and wrestling is a universal language! Those World Trios Championships in FWA look really cool! Maybe my tag championship can have another friend? We can show them off here!”
Cali Hayama adjusts her tag team Championship title and looks to Katsu.
Cali Hayama: “Think about it- ‘FWA World Trios Champions, YOKAI Death Squad’ has a nice ring to it.”
Katsu: “But I already have the Golden Opportunity match… And I need to get my hands on El Vengedor…”
Ririko: “And we can help with that!”
Ririko shouts.
Ririko: “Maybe it is time you have friends you can call on? To prevent people from doing that stuff to you… You know how important it is to have people you can trust here...”
Katsu thinks the words over of her friends. A chance to team with them in FWA too? Some people she knows that reliably will have her back when they’re there. Cali gives a confident grin of reassurance while Ririko practically gives puppy dog eyes. She’s broken down.
Katsu: “I will think about it-”
And Ririko reaches in for a HUGE hug, lifting her friend off the ground. She places Katsu back on the ground as she composes herself.
Katsu: “Why did I know that was going to happen?”
Cali and Ririko give a hearty laugh before Hayama winks at the camera.
Cali Hayama: “Guess it is Game on then, FWA?”
The three hold down three fingers, the “MAYHEM” M, gesture before they head off. Back to the arena in Houston, Anzu and Rod are there to react.
Anzu Kurosawa: “Tell me, is there a Joshi quota we need to hit?”
She jokes.
Rod Stirling: “The FWA Trios Championships seems to be in the eye of former CJW Trios Champions, YOKAI Death Squad. We already know what Katsu can do in the ring, and if Ririko and Cali are as advertised, the Trios Battle Royale at Back in Business might be shaken up with their inclusion in what can be expected to be a dynamic Trio’s Division.”
Anzu Kurosawa: “We’ll see if they enter. With Katsu already having her eye on the Golden Opportunity AND with business picking up with El Vengedor, she might not want her eggs in even more baskets than she already does, but I think she wouldn't shy away from a challenge.”
Returning to Meltdown, The Bad Boys Boy Band are shown to be occupying the ring ahead of the upcoming match and unfortunately for everyone in the crowd, The Backstreet Boy is in possession of a microphone.
The Backstreet Boy: “Alright everyone, why don’t you all show a little bit of respect towards the premier performers here in the Fantasy Wrestling Alliance. You’ve got me, The Backstreet Boy and my bad boys In-Sync and Mike Stand. Together, we are the Bad Boys Boy Band!”
The crowd are very apathetic in response to this.
The Backstreet Boy: “Tonight, we are going to show why we are going to become the first ever FWA Trios Champions… so why don’t those losers we’re facing tonight get themselves out here so we can run through our greatest hits! Then, we’re going to go on to Back in Business and become champions… OH YEAH BAAAAYYYYBEEEEEEEEEE!!!”
The terrible singing is enough to draw loud jeers from the crowd and the group ignore them and start posing for cameras that are not taking pictures of them.
Rod Sterling: “My ears are bleeding.”
Anzu Kurosawa: “Forget about your ears, Rod. My eyes are bleeding!”
For very good reason, as the next image shown on the screen is Ratin Mikichin emerging from the back and as per usual he is dressed in nothing more than his mankini; tonight’s number is the classic lime green. Following Ratin out is Greg and after him, a very annoyed-looking Steve the Techno Vampire. The cause for his upset being presumably that he lost the toss and was not able to come out to his own theme music. Behind the three of them though is the same robed figure that appeared on Meltdown XXVIII.
Katie-Lynn Goldsmith: “The following contest is a Trios Match scheduled for one fall! Introducing first, already in the ring… THE BAD BOYS BOY BAND!
Their opponents, on their way to the ring and accompanied by The Higher Power, the team of Ratin Mikichin, Steve the Techno Vampire and GREG!”
Rod Sterling: “Well, following Jon Russnow’s announcement on Meltdown XXVIII that the first ever FWA Trios Champions will be crowned at Back in Business XVII, it seems that these punk rockers have thrown their names into the ring. It would seem that Greg and this Higher Power have other plans for Ratin Mikichin and Steve the Techno Vampire, as they want the main event slot of Night One at Back in Business.”
Anzu Kurosawa: “If there’s anything that you can give these guys credit for, it is their persistence. Months upon months they’ve battled and they want a final showdown on the grandest stage. Russnow has made it clear they’re not getting the spot they want, though.”
The Higher Power stays at ringside by the steel steps as Ratin, Steve and Greg all enter the ring and again the cameraman gets a shot of Ratin from behind as he bends over the ropes. In the ring, Steve opens his cape and some plastic bats drop to the floor, requiring the referee to sweep them all away. Their opponents seem amused by what they are seeing and the referee tries to maintain order before signaling that the match can begin.
<< 00:00 >>
The Bad Boys determine that Mike Stand will be kicking things off for them whilst on the other side of the ring, it is agreed that Greg is going to be opening the match for their team. Greg approaches the middle of the ring and then extends his hand, offering his familiar greeting which riles the crowd up in annoyance, but Mike Stand accepts the handshake! Greg releases and then applauds Mike, and Stand is pleased with himself until he sees his bandmates shaking their heads in disapproval.
This snaps Stand back into it and he responds by shoving Greg in the chest, and Greg then bounces back from the ropes and knocks Stand down with a forearm to the face! Greg himself seems surprised by this and Stand scrambles back and tags in In-Sync. In-Sync rushes in towards Greg, but Greg sidesteps him and then sends him over the top rope!
Both The Backstreet Boy and Mike Stand look to come in and attack Greg from behind, but Steve and Ratin are there to cut them off! The rivals work together to send both of the other boy band members out of the ring and the very oddball trio stand tall in the ring on their own.
Rod Sterling: “A very unfamiliar sight here on Meltdown, but these guys are in control of things at the moment and they’ve got The Bad Boys Boy Band on the ropes…. Wait, why is Greg getting microphones?”
Greg collects some microphones from someone at ringside, and then passes one to Ratin and Steve each and keeps the third for himself. The three of them nod their heads and the lights in the arena suddenly dim as some music begins to play over the speaker systems…
Greg: “Gre-egggggggg!”
Ratin Mikichin: “You are… my fire.”
Steve the Techno Vampire: “My vone de-sire. Believe vhen I say…”
Greg: “That my name is Greg!”
Ratin Mikichin: “But we are two worlds apart,”
Steve the Techno Vampire: “Can’t reach to your heart vhen you say..”
Greg: “That my name is Greg!”
Steve the Techno Vampire: “TELL ME VHY!”
Greg: “Ain’t nothing but a heartache!”
Steve the Techno Vampire: “TELL ME VHY!”
Ratin Mikichin: “Ain’t nothing but a stinkface!”
Steve the Techno Vampire: “TELL ME VHY!”
Ratin Mikichin: “I never want to hear you say…”
Greg: “That my name is Greg!”
As the group begins to do some sort of pre-choreographed dance to the instrumental part of the song, their opponents get into the ring and attack them from behind! The Bad Boys are very annoyed about their gimmick being ripped and they start stomping out the other three to the amusement of the crowd following the terrible performance.
<< 05:10 >>
The Bad Boys Boy Band have maintained full control of the match and showed that perhaps they have been previously underutilised in the FWA with some impressive teamwork with Ratin Mikichin the one that has been singled out and worked on by all three of them. Both Mike Stand and The Backstreet Boy take Ratin up and then drop him on the mat with a Double Suplex! Stand returns to the corner and TBB then applies a front facelock on Ratin to keep him grounded.
Rod Sterling: “Thirty minute Ironman matches aside, I think this might be the longest that we have seen a Ratin and Steve match last, Anzu.”
Anzu Kurosawa: “Well, they’re not exactly doing well there, Rod. These singing and dancing fools have worked reasonably well so far out there.”
There is a lot of shuffling and jiggling as a result as Ratin tries to get himself out of the facelock and he manages to pull himself up onto his knees and then is able to pick The Backstreet Boy up and drops him flat on his face to break the hold! TBB slumps back into the corner against the bottom turnbuckle and In-Sync reaches over the ropes to tag himself in. Ratin tries to get to his team’s corner, but In-Sync gets in front of him and Dropkicks him back… and Ratin falls into a Stinkface on The Backstreet Boy!
This seems to give Mikichin a new lease of life and he ducks the attempted Clothesline from In-Sync and then dives forward and tags in Steve the Techno Vampire! The crowd cheers as Steve avoids In-Sync as well and then hits Mike Stand from the ring apron. Steve then climbs up onto the second rope and connects with a Flying Back Elbow to In-Sync to knock him down. The crowd responds positively as Steve gets fired up and bears his fangs with In-Sync in his sights… but Greg slaps Steve on the back and tags himself in!
Greg gets into the ring and in Steve’s confusion, he is knocked out of the ring by In-Sync! Mike Stand is back and he bundles Ratin out of the ring as well. Greg is suddenly at a three-on-one disadvantage and he is unable to fend the vultures off as both Stand and TBB pick him up and hold him up with a Delayed Suplex, and In-Sync climbs onto the top rope and HITS A CROSS BODY ONTO GREG! They call that the Stage Dive! In-Sync goes for the cover on Greg,
ONE… TWO… THREE!!!
The three members of The Bad Boys Boy Band are ecstatic as they all hug in the middle of the ring, a rare victory on FWA television for the group. On the outside, The Higher Power looks on stoically at his team’s failure to win the match.
Katie-Lynn Goldsmith: “Here are your winners… THE BAD BOYS BOY BAND!”
Rod Sterling: “The Bad Boys Boy Band pick up some surprise momentum en route to Back in Business where they will look to become the inaugural FWA Trios Champions! As for these other guys, that must have put a dent in their plans…”
Anzu Kurosawa: “Well, I wonder what The Higher Power is going to make of all of this, Rod. I’m not sure what the intentions are for this group but their Back in Business main event prospects seem even lower now.”
Greg is helped up by Steve in the ring after the victors have left up the ramp as their celebrations continue onwards. Ratin joins them and there are no cross words on the losers’ part. The disappointment is enough.
Meltdown returns from a commercial break to the view of some crowd members cheering and posing for the camera. We see the commentators in their position, where their table once was.
Rod Sterling: “Ladies and Gentlemen welcome back to Meltdown XXIX. We have a guest joining us to supposedly speak his mind.”
The crowd stays fairly quiet and neutral for a few seconds until ‘The Wolf Blood’ Jason Quinn emerges from the curtain, sporting black cargo pants, a white vest and a denim jacket. A large smirk possesses his face as he makes his way down to the ring whilst being showered in boos.
Rod Sterling: “Listen to this Anzu. Jason Quinn, the Wolf Blood, the brother of Al Blizzard. He’s never been as popular as his older brother but he has made waves of his own on the independent scene by being one of the most uncensored, uncut competitors ever to lace boots. He’s followed his brother here to the FWA and well, I’m sure this is going to end in fireworks.”
Anzu Kurosawa: “He sounds friendly.”
Jason climbs through the ropes, the large smirk still on his face, he calls over to one of the ringside personnel for a microphone and one is tossed to him, which he catches with ease.
Jason Quinn: “For those of you too busy living under rocks, who don’t know who I am, allow me to introduce myself. I am Jason Quinn and you may not know me, but you know my brother… Al Blizzard.”
The crowd cheers at the mention of Al Blizzard and this causes Jason to shake his head and he seems angered by the response towards Al but bites his tongue and then gets on with what he had come out to say.
Jason Quinn: “My brother has a saying. He says ‘And you can bet on that!’”
Jason chuckles as the crowd continue to boo him.
Jason Quinn: “Considering you say that so often, you really didn’t bet on me, did ya Al?”
His smirk grows even larger now whilst the boos do the same.
Jason Quinn: “Now why am I here? Well it’s pretty simple. I want to end his stupid career. His worthless career. You know how much he has taken from me? He has taken so much from me, my father’s validation, my mother’s care. He took it all. He is the golden child, he’s the successful one.”
Jason walks in circles around the ring, seemingly struggling to stand still as every emotion from his childhood haunts him.
Jason Quinn: “Alex. I know you’re here, I know you can hear me. If you were a man, you’d be out here, but you are not a man, you never have been. That’s why you’ve never won a championship. You’ve never won shit. Hell, even with that dickhead Robert Steel by your side you couldn’t win shit. You were perfect, a perfect failure.”
He chuckles again, soaking in the negative reaction from the Meltdown crowd.
Jason Quinn: “You are nothing but a disappointment, maybe that's why Violet divorced your ass.”
The crowd jeers at this comment.
Anzu Kurosawa: “This guy just doesn’t care at all does he?”
Rod Sterling: “This is just distasteful. Do we need to cut his mic?”
Jason Quinn: “Hell even your own son Matthew knows tha-”
Jason’s mic cuts off. He angrily taps it trying to get it to switch back on before music begins to play through the speakers
Jason turns to the stage, surprised yet elated. The crowd cheers as Al Blizzard’s music hits.
Rod Sterling: “Given what Jason Quinn was just saying, we might need to think about getting some security out here… I don’t think Al Blizzard will be happy with what he heard there one bit.”
Al Blizzard emerges from the curtain, he quickly paces down toward the ring, microphone in hand and a very pissed off look. He climbs into the ring and stands face to face with his brother for the first time ever.
Al Blizzard: “Keep my sons name out that fucking mouth of yours.”
The crowd cheers as Jason takes a step back. However a smirk still occupies his face.
Jason Quinn: “Finally, you’re facing me, took you long enough?”
Al Blizzard: “What other choice do I have? Huh?! You’re out here, chatting complete shit out of your mouth about mum and dad, about Violet, about my son, about me! That’s enough you son of a bitch.”
The crowd cheers once again.
Jason Quinn: “Oh I’m sooooo sorry please spare me from your wrath Mr.. wait, is it Perfect Storm, or Perfect or Bottlehea-”
Al Blizzard: “SHUT THE FUCK UP.”
The crowd cheers even louder this time. Jason takes a step back but steps right into Blizzards’ face this time.
Jason Quinn: “No.”
The crowd boo’s Jason. They then follow the boo’s up with chant’s of “Beat His Ass”. Al Blizzard eventually holds his hand up, signaling to quiet down.
Al Blizzard: “No, I won’t. He doesn’t deserve the time of day.”
Al Blizzard turns around and starts to make his way toward the ropes. The crowd boo, trying to tell Blizzard to face his brother and teach him a lesson. Before he gets through the ropes, he is interrupted.
Jason Quinn: “You turn and face me, you bastard.”
Al Blizzard stops halfway through the ropes. As the crowd is mixed with cheers for Blizzard and boos for Jason.
Jason Quinn: “You’ll want to hear this.”
Al Blizzard fully steps back into the ring, facing his brother once again.
Jason Quinn: “Me and You. Back in Business. One on One. If you win, I’ll leave you and your family alone. If I win? You have to embrace your evil and become him.”
Al Blizzard turns his head away, almost looking conflicted. The crowd cheer at the idea of a match between the two.
Jason Quinn: “If you don’t take this match with me, I’ll travel back to London, go to your house and beat the ever living shit out of your girlfriend and your son.”
The crowd boos become ever more prevalent than before as Blizzard looks back toward his brother.
Al Blizzard: “No.”
The boos grow increasingly louder. Jason almost looks confused yet angry that his brother denied his proposal.
Jason Quinn: “No?! All I get is a no? You don’t want to defend your family?”
Al Blizzard: “I don’t need to. I don’t want to fight you brother. Whatever you’re mad about, we can talk about i-”
Before Al finishes, Jason cuts him off.
Jason Quinn: “Shut your fucking mouth. You’re a pussy now? What the fuck happened to you? The divorce, the false retirement. Jesus Christ you’ve gone soft. What happened to that Blizzard from ten years ago?! You were a force to be reckoned with. And now, you’re just a jobber with personality.”
The crowd jeers at this comment. Blizzard laughs a bit, chuckling to himself.
Al Blizzard: “Jesus Christ man. A few Deathmatches and all of a sudden you decide who I am? Fuck that, I’m the pioneer of my own success.”
The crowd cheer which is then proceeded by chants of “Fuck You Jason”. Jason, absolutely beside himself, flips off the crowd.
Al Blizzard: “I don’t want to fight you. I refuse to fight you. Not at Back in Business, not anywhere.”
Jason turns his face away, visibly pissed off. Suddenly he swings for his brother but Al manages to duck under the punch. Blizzard hoists Jason up onto his shoulders, signaling for the Al Cutter, but Jason manages to squirm off his brothers’ shoulder and he rolls out of the ring.
Rod Sterling: “Jason managed to squirm out of the Al Cutter. Al Blizzard got the upper hand on his brother.”
Anzu Kurosawa: “Jason challenged his own brother to a match, but he didn’t get it, I’m surprised, Rod. Especially after what Jason was saying about Al’s family.”
Rod Sterling: “I don’t quite think that’s the end of this, Anzu.”
The camera fades to black as a shot of Jason standing on the stage bearing an angry expression.
There is a strong response from the crowd, mainly slanted towards cheers, as the music of the FWA World Champion plays and after a few seconds, Chris Peacock himself appears on the stage. The champion is dressed in his usual ring attire consisting of purple dress trousers with a matching jacket and shoes. The FWA World Championship is strapped around his waist underneath his jacket and he has his trusty Singapore cane in his possession.
Peacock raises the cane into the air and a burst of fireworks shoots out from the stage behind him. Satisfied that he has created enough of a spectacle with his entrance, Peacock makes his way down to the ring and interacts with some of the fans in the front row.
Katie-Lynn Goldsmith: “The following contest is scheduled for one fall, with a twenty minute time limit! Introducing first, from Boogie Wonderland by way of New York City and weighing in at two-hundred and ten pounds… he is the FWA World Champion, ‘Disco’s Last Warrior’... CHRRIIIIIIIIIIIISSSSSSSSSS PEEEAAAAAACCCCOOOOOCCCKKKKKK!!!”
Rod Sterling: “Before our commercial break we saw a match for Back in Business almost set in stone between Jason Quinn and Al Blizzard, but one thing we do know for sure is that in the main event of Night Two; Chris Peacock will be defending the FWA World Championship against the winner of the 2023 Carnal Contendership, Cyrus Truth. Anzu, I am surprised if I am being honest with you, because both men seem to be rather quiet about the whole situation.”
Anzu Kurosawa: “Well, when we were in New Orleans, it seemed that Chris Peacock had a bone to pick with just about everyone except Cyrus Truth and all of that parading and bravado towards the hostile crowd came back to bite him after he allowed them to get into his head, opening the door for Danny Toner to bash his face in with that Equalizer. Not great preparation for the biggest match of his career.”
Rod Sterling: “I agree, Anzu. I think Peacock allowing the crowd to have such a profound effect on him really speaks to the fact that there are some larger problems that he is experiencing. For his sake, I think he will be grateful that this crowd here tonight will be treating his opponent similarly to how he was treated in New Orleans on Fallout 028.”
In the ring, Peacock removes his jacket and smirks as a few fans scream at the sight of him topless, and he unclips the championship from around his waist. Peacock climbs onto the second rope in one of the corners and absorbs the positive vibes being thrown his way by the Texan crowd. However, before Peacock can drop down, his music is cut off by that of his opponent playing.
Peacock shakes his head and laughs to himself as the attention is swiped away from him by his opponent, and the Houston crowd is not pleased at all to see Shawn Summers. Despite being slated for action tonight, the man in possession of the FWA X Championship and the FWA Television Championship is dressed in a fine gray suit. In addition to his championships, he holds a briefcase in one hand and a microphone in the other.
Rod Sterling: “That is Shawn Summers… but looking at how he is dressed, you wouldn’t think that he has a match right now against the FWA World Champion, Chris Peacock!”
Anzu Kurosawa: “This crowd is definitely letting ‘Der Basterd’ know what they think of him, and with good reason, given the bad blood between Summers and their own Tommy Bedlam. What’s the briefcase about, though?”
In keeping with his apparent lack of preparedness for the match, Summers makes no attempt to approach the ring, and stays on the stage with both of his championships draped over each of his shoulders.
Shawn Summers: “Enough, cut the music! These hicks from Texas don’t deserve to hear the greatest entrance theme on the planet. Cancel the pyro, they’re not worth it, any of them!”
The crowd ferociously boo Summers, who laughs at their anger towards him. He then feigns not noticing the Television Championship on his left shoulder, acting surprised.
Shawn Summers: “With these two championships on my shoulders, my balance feels a bit off, as I’m used to just the one… this one. The FWA Television Championship… the same championship that those three dipshits and that dumb cowboy Tommy Bedlam couldn’t take away from me!”
‘Der Basterd’ laughs once again and some crowd members throw things in his direction. A soda cup lands at his feet and Summers picks it up and throws it back into the crowd! He points at the particular fan that threw the object at him.
Shawn Summers: “This suit costs more than your whole damn life! You throw something I’ll bury you in litigation for years, then I’ll take that trailer of yours and burn it down and that’s just a Saturday afternoon for me!”
Chris Peacock: “Hey, Summers! Are we doing this or not?”
The crowd reacts more positively when Peacock chirps up having taken Katie-Lynn’s microphone, and the dual champion turns around and looks at Peacock with an initial look of ire, but then shakes his head.
Shawn Summers: “Peacock… I almost forgot you were there. Being the least credible FWA World Champion in history will have that effect, won’t it?
Well, to answer your question… no. You debased yourself in New Orleans by performing for a collective of people that hated your guts, and I will not be repeating that mistake. These backwood, redneck bigots in Texas don’t deserve to see the greatest champion in this company’s history compete.”
Both Chris Peacock and the crowd are very angered by that response to Peacock’s question, which only elevates Summers’s enjoyment of the entire situation even further.
Shawn Summers: “Oh, cry me a river. If you want a match, Peacock, why don’t you go back there and find that loser Tommy Bedlam. Maybe he’ll be willing to fight another hack such as yourself.”
This time, it is Peacock that is laughing, and Summers steps forward a few paces down the ramp, leaning into the microphone in his hand.
Shawn Summers: “What’s so funny, Peacock?”
Chris Peacock: “Maybe Tommy will be interested. Why don’t you ask him yourself, though?”
The crowd begins to cheer in anticipation, and they absolutely lose their minds when someone else walks out from the back…
Rod Sterling: “THAT’S TOMMY BEDLAM!”
Shawn Summers slowly turns around and his eyes widen when he sees Tommy Bedlam behind him on the stage and Tommy slowly walks towards him with a stone-faced expression and after a couple of seconds, Bedlam leaps forward and starts laying into Summers with punches to the face! Both of Shawn’s championships drop to the ground, along with the microphone and the briefcase, and Summers is forced to back away down the ramp with Bedlam in hot pursuit!
Meeting Bedlam with a kick after getting some separation between the two of them. After a couple of clubs to the back, Summers tries to get past Bedlam and escape. However, Bedlam grabs him around the waist and shoves him further towards the ring and then knocks him down to the floor with a huge Clothesline! Bedlam then shares a nod with Peacock, and then picks Summers up from the floor and rolls him in the ring under the bottom rope. With both competitors in the ring, the referee Richard Davis calls for the bell!
The Bad Boys determine that Mike Stand will be kicking things off for them whilst on the other side of the ring, it is agreed that Greg is going to be opening the match for their team. Greg approaches the middle of the ring and then extends his hand, offering his familiar greeting which riles the crowd up in annoyance, but Mike Stand accepts the handshake! Greg releases and then applauds Mike, and Stand is pleased with himself until he sees his bandmates shaking their heads in disapproval.
This snaps Stand back into it and he responds by shoving Greg in the chest, and Greg then bounces back from the ropes and knocks Stand down with a forearm to the face! Greg himself seems surprised by this and Stand scrambles back and tags in In-Sync. In-Sync rushes in towards Greg, but Greg sidesteps him and then sends him over the top rope!
Both The Backstreet Boy and Mike Stand look to come in and attack Greg from behind, but Steve and Ratin are there to cut them off! The rivals work together to send both of the other boy band members out of the ring and the very oddball trio stand tall in the ring on their own.
Rod Sterling: “A very unfamiliar sight here on Meltdown, but these guys are in control of things at the moment and they’ve got The Bad Boys Boy Band on the ropes…. Wait, why is Greg getting microphones?”
Greg collects some microphones from someone at ringside, and then passes one to Ratin and Steve each and keeps the third for himself. The three of them nod their heads and the lights in the arena suddenly dim as some music begins to play over the speaker systems…
Greg: “Gre-egggggggg!”
Ratin Mikichin: “You are… my fire.”
Steve the Techno Vampire: “My vone de-sire. Believe vhen I say…”
Greg: “That my name is Greg!”
Ratin Mikichin: “But we are two worlds apart,”
Steve the Techno Vampire: “Can’t reach to your heart vhen you say..”
Greg: “That my name is Greg!”
Steve the Techno Vampire: “TELL ME VHY!”
Greg: “Ain’t nothing but a heartache!”
Steve the Techno Vampire: “TELL ME VHY!”
Ratin Mikichin: “Ain’t nothing but a stinkface!”
Steve the Techno Vampire: “TELL ME VHY!”
Ratin Mikichin: “I never want to hear you say…”
Greg: “That my name is Greg!”
As the group begins to do some sort of pre-choreographed dance to the instrumental part of the song, their opponents get into the ring and attack them from behind! The Bad Boys are very annoyed about their gimmick being ripped and they start stomping out the other three to the amusement of the crowd following the terrible performance.
<< 05:10 >>
The Bad Boys Boy Band have maintained full control of the match and showed that perhaps they have been previously underutilised in the FWA with some impressive teamwork with Ratin Mikichin the one that has been singled out and worked on by all three of them. Both Mike Stand and The Backstreet Boy take Ratin up and then drop him on the mat with a Double Suplex! Stand returns to the corner and TBB then applies a front facelock on Ratin to keep him grounded.
Rod Sterling: “Thirty minute Ironman matches aside, I think this might be the longest that we have seen a Ratin and Steve match last, Anzu.”
Anzu Kurosawa: “Well, they’re not exactly doing well there, Rod. These singing and dancing fools have worked reasonably well so far out there.”
There is a lot of shuffling and jiggling as a result as Ratin tries to get himself out of the facelock and he manages to pull himself up onto his knees and then is able to pick The Backstreet Boy up and drops him flat on his face to break the hold! TBB slumps back into the corner against the bottom turnbuckle and In-Sync reaches over the ropes to tag himself in. Ratin tries to get to his team’s corner, but In-Sync gets in front of him and Dropkicks him back… and Ratin falls into a Stinkface on The Backstreet Boy!
This seems to give Mikichin a new lease of life and he ducks the attempted Clothesline from In-Sync and then dives forward and tags in Steve the Techno Vampire! The crowd cheers as Steve avoids In-Sync as well and then hits Mike Stand from the ring apron. Steve then climbs up onto the second rope and connects with a Flying Back Elbow to In-Sync to knock him down. The crowd responds positively as Steve gets fired up and bears his fangs with In-Sync in his sights… but Greg slaps Steve on the back and tags himself in!
Greg gets into the ring and in Steve’s confusion, he is knocked out of the ring by In-Sync! Mike Stand is back and he bundles Ratin out of the ring as well. Greg is suddenly at a three-on-one disadvantage and he is unable to fend the vultures off as both Stand and TBB pick him up and hold him up with a Delayed Suplex, and In-Sync climbs onto the top rope and HITS A CROSS BODY ONTO GREG! They call that the Stage Dive! In-Sync goes for the cover on Greg,
ONE… TWO… THREE!!!
Winner: The Bad Boys Boy Band by pin fall at 6:37.
The three members of The Bad Boys Boy Band are ecstatic as they all hug in the middle of the ring, a rare victory on FWA television for the group. On the outside, The Higher Power looks on stoically at his team’s failure to win the match.
Katie-Lynn Goldsmith: “Here are your winners… THE BAD BOYS BOY BAND!”
Rod Sterling: “The Bad Boys Boy Band pick up some surprise momentum en route to Back in Business where they will look to become the inaugural FWA Trios Champions! As for these other guys, that must have put a dent in their plans…”
Anzu Kurosawa: “Well, I wonder what The Higher Power is going to make of all of this, Rod. I’m not sure what the intentions are for this group but their Back in Business main event prospects seem even lower now.”
Greg is helped up by Steve in the ring after the victors have left up the ramp as their celebrations continue onwards. Ratin joins them and there are no cross words on the losers’ part. The disappointment is enough.
Meltdown returns from a commercial break to the view of some crowd members cheering and posing for the camera. We see the commentators in their position, where their table once was.
Rod Sterling: “Ladies and Gentlemen welcome back to Meltdown XXIX. We have a guest joining us to supposedly speak his mind.”
The crowd stays fairly quiet and neutral for a few seconds until ‘The Wolf Blood’ Jason Quinn emerges from the curtain, sporting black cargo pants, a white vest and a denim jacket. A large smirk possesses his face as he makes his way down to the ring whilst being showered in boos.
Rod Sterling: “Listen to this Anzu. Jason Quinn, the Wolf Blood, the brother of Al Blizzard. He’s never been as popular as his older brother but he has made waves of his own on the independent scene by being one of the most uncensored, uncut competitors ever to lace boots. He’s followed his brother here to the FWA and well, I’m sure this is going to end in fireworks.”
Anzu Kurosawa: “He sounds friendly.”
Jason climbs through the ropes, the large smirk still on his face, he calls over to one of the ringside personnel for a microphone and one is tossed to him, which he catches with ease.
Jason Quinn: “For those of you too busy living under rocks, who don’t know who I am, allow me to introduce myself. I am Jason Quinn and you may not know me, but you know my brother… Al Blizzard.”
The crowd cheers at the mention of Al Blizzard and this causes Jason to shake his head and he seems angered by the response towards Al but bites his tongue and then gets on with what he had come out to say.
Jason Quinn: “My brother has a saying. He says ‘And you can bet on that!’”
Jason chuckles as the crowd continue to boo him.
Jason Quinn: “Considering you say that so often, you really didn’t bet on me, did ya Al?”
His smirk grows even larger now whilst the boos do the same.
Jason Quinn: “Now why am I here? Well it’s pretty simple. I want to end his stupid career. His worthless career. You know how much he has taken from me? He has taken so much from me, my father’s validation, my mother’s care. He took it all. He is the golden child, he’s the successful one.”
Jason walks in circles around the ring, seemingly struggling to stand still as every emotion from his childhood haunts him.
Jason Quinn: “Alex. I know you’re here, I know you can hear me. If you were a man, you’d be out here, but you are not a man, you never have been. That’s why you’ve never won a championship. You’ve never won shit. Hell, even with that dickhead Robert Steel by your side you couldn’t win shit. You were perfect, a perfect failure.”
He chuckles again, soaking in the negative reaction from the Meltdown crowd.
Jason Quinn: “You are nothing but a disappointment, maybe that's why Violet divorced your ass.”
The crowd jeers at this comment.
Anzu Kurosawa: “This guy just doesn’t care at all does he?”
Rod Sterling: “This is just distasteful. Do we need to cut his mic?”
Jason Quinn: “Hell even your own son Matthew knows tha-”
Jason’s mic cuts off. He angrily taps it trying to get it to switch back on before music begins to play through the speakers
Jason turns to the stage, surprised yet elated. The crowd cheers as Al Blizzard’s music hits.
Rod Sterling: “Given what Jason Quinn was just saying, we might need to think about getting some security out here… I don’t think Al Blizzard will be happy with what he heard there one bit.”
Al Blizzard emerges from the curtain, he quickly paces down toward the ring, microphone in hand and a very pissed off look. He climbs into the ring and stands face to face with his brother for the first time ever.
Al Blizzard: “Keep my sons name out that fucking mouth of yours.”
The crowd cheers as Jason takes a step back. However a smirk still occupies his face.
Jason Quinn: “Finally, you’re facing me, took you long enough?”
Al Blizzard: “What other choice do I have? Huh?! You’re out here, chatting complete shit out of your mouth about mum and dad, about Violet, about my son, about me! That’s enough you son of a bitch.”
The crowd cheers once again.
Jason Quinn: “Oh I’m sooooo sorry please spare me from your wrath Mr.. wait, is it Perfect Storm, or Perfect or Bottlehea-”
Al Blizzard: “SHUT THE FUCK UP.”
The crowd cheers even louder this time. Jason takes a step back but steps right into Blizzards’ face this time.
Jason Quinn: “No.”
The crowd boo’s Jason. They then follow the boo’s up with chant’s of “Beat His Ass”. Al Blizzard eventually holds his hand up, signaling to quiet down.
Al Blizzard: “No, I won’t. He doesn’t deserve the time of day.”
Al Blizzard turns around and starts to make his way toward the ropes. The crowd boo, trying to tell Blizzard to face his brother and teach him a lesson. Before he gets through the ropes, he is interrupted.
Jason Quinn: “You turn and face me, you bastard.”
Al Blizzard stops halfway through the ropes. As the crowd is mixed with cheers for Blizzard and boos for Jason.
Jason Quinn: “You’ll want to hear this.”
Al Blizzard fully steps back into the ring, facing his brother once again.
Jason Quinn: “Me and You. Back in Business. One on One. If you win, I’ll leave you and your family alone. If I win? You have to embrace your evil and become him.”
Al Blizzard turns his head away, almost looking conflicted. The crowd cheer at the idea of a match between the two.
Jason Quinn: “If you don’t take this match with me, I’ll travel back to London, go to your house and beat the ever living shit out of your girlfriend and your son.”
The crowd boos become ever more prevalent than before as Blizzard looks back toward his brother.
Al Blizzard: “No.”
The boos grow increasingly louder. Jason almost looks confused yet angry that his brother denied his proposal.
Jason Quinn: “No?! All I get is a no? You don’t want to defend your family?”
Al Blizzard: “I don’t need to. I don’t want to fight you brother. Whatever you’re mad about, we can talk about i-”
Before Al finishes, Jason cuts him off.
Jason Quinn: “Shut your fucking mouth. You’re a pussy now? What the fuck happened to you? The divorce, the false retirement. Jesus Christ you’ve gone soft. What happened to that Blizzard from ten years ago?! You were a force to be reckoned with. And now, you’re just a jobber with personality.”
The crowd jeers at this comment. Blizzard laughs a bit, chuckling to himself.
Al Blizzard: “Jesus Christ man. A few Deathmatches and all of a sudden you decide who I am? Fuck that, I’m the pioneer of my own success.”
The crowd cheer which is then proceeded by chants of “Fuck You Jason”. Jason, absolutely beside himself, flips off the crowd.
Al Blizzard: “I don’t want to fight you. I refuse to fight you. Not at Back in Business, not anywhere.”
Jason turns his face away, visibly pissed off. Suddenly he swings for his brother but Al manages to duck under the punch. Blizzard hoists Jason up onto his shoulders, signaling for the Al Cutter, but Jason manages to squirm off his brothers’ shoulder and he rolls out of the ring.
Rod Sterling: “Jason managed to squirm out of the Al Cutter. Al Blizzard got the upper hand on his brother.”
Anzu Kurosawa: “Jason challenged his own brother to a match, but he didn’t get it, I’m surprised, Rod. Especially after what Jason was saying about Al’s family.”
Rod Sterling: “I don’t quite think that’s the end of this, Anzu.”
The camera fades to black as a shot of Jason standing on the stage bearing an angry expression.
There is a strong response from the crowd, mainly slanted towards cheers, as the music of the FWA World Champion plays and after a few seconds, Chris Peacock himself appears on the stage. The champion is dressed in his usual ring attire consisting of purple dress trousers with a matching jacket and shoes. The FWA World Championship is strapped around his waist underneath his jacket and he has his trusty Singapore cane in his possession.
Peacock raises the cane into the air and a burst of fireworks shoots out from the stage behind him. Satisfied that he has created enough of a spectacle with his entrance, Peacock makes his way down to the ring and interacts with some of the fans in the front row.
Katie-Lynn Goldsmith: “The following contest is scheduled for one fall, with a twenty minute time limit! Introducing first, from Boogie Wonderland by way of New York City and weighing in at two-hundred and ten pounds… he is the FWA World Champion, ‘Disco’s Last Warrior’... CHRRIIIIIIIIIIIISSSSSSSSSS PEEEAAAAAACCCCOOOOOCCCKKKKKK!!!”
Rod Sterling: “Before our commercial break we saw a match for Back in Business almost set in stone between Jason Quinn and Al Blizzard, but one thing we do know for sure is that in the main event of Night Two; Chris Peacock will be defending the FWA World Championship against the winner of the 2023 Carnal Contendership, Cyrus Truth. Anzu, I am surprised if I am being honest with you, because both men seem to be rather quiet about the whole situation.”
Anzu Kurosawa: “Well, when we were in New Orleans, it seemed that Chris Peacock had a bone to pick with just about everyone except Cyrus Truth and all of that parading and bravado towards the hostile crowd came back to bite him after he allowed them to get into his head, opening the door for Danny Toner to bash his face in with that Equalizer. Not great preparation for the biggest match of his career.”
Rod Sterling: “I agree, Anzu. I think Peacock allowing the crowd to have such a profound effect on him really speaks to the fact that there are some larger problems that he is experiencing. For his sake, I think he will be grateful that this crowd here tonight will be treating his opponent similarly to how he was treated in New Orleans on Fallout 028.”
In the ring, Peacock removes his jacket and smirks as a few fans scream at the sight of him topless, and he unclips the championship from around his waist. Peacock climbs onto the second rope in one of the corners and absorbs the positive vibes being thrown his way by the Texan crowd. However, before Peacock can drop down, his music is cut off by that of his opponent playing.
Peacock shakes his head and laughs to himself as the attention is swiped away from him by his opponent, and the Houston crowd is not pleased at all to see Shawn Summers. Despite being slated for action tonight, the man in possession of the FWA X Championship and the FWA Television Championship is dressed in a fine gray suit. In addition to his championships, he holds a briefcase in one hand and a microphone in the other.
Rod Sterling: “That is Shawn Summers… but looking at how he is dressed, you wouldn’t think that he has a match right now against the FWA World Champion, Chris Peacock!”
Anzu Kurosawa: “This crowd is definitely letting ‘Der Basterd’ know what they think of him, and with good reason, given the bad blood between Summers and their own Tommy Bedlam. What’s the briefcase about, though?”
In keeping with his apparent lack of preparedness for the match, Summers makes no attempt to approach the ring, and stays on the stage with both of his championships draped over each of his shoulders.
Shawn Summers: “Enough, cut the music! These hicks from Texas don’t deserve to hear the greatest entrance theme on the planet. Cancel the pyro, they’re not worth it, any of them!”
The crowd ferociously boo Summers, who laughs at their anger towards him. He then feigns not noticing the Television Championship on his left shoulder, acting surprised.
Shawn Summers: “With these two championships on my shoulders, my balance feels a bit off, as I’m used to just the one… this one. The FWA Television Championship… the same championship that those three dipshits and that dumb cowboy Tommy Bedlam couldn’t take away from me!”
‘Der Basterd’ laughs once again and some crowd members throw things in his direction. A soda cup lands at his feet and Summers picks it up and throws it back into the crowd! He points at the particular fan that threw the object at him.
Shawn Summers: “This suit costs more than your whole damn life! You throw something I’ll bury you in litigation for years, then I’ll take that trailer of yours and burn it down and that’s just a Saturday afternoon for me!”
Chris Peacock: “Hey, Summers! Are we doing this or not?”
The crowd reacts more positively when Peacock chirps up having taken Katie-Lynn’s microphone, and the dual champion turns around and looks at Peacock with an initial look of ire, but then shakes his head.
Shawn Summers: “Peacock… I almost forgot you were there. Being the least credible FWA World Champion in history will have that effect, won’t it?
Well, to answer your question… no. You debased yourself in New Orleans by performing for a collective of people that hated your guts, and I will not be repeating that mistake. These backwood, redneck bigots in Texas don’t deserve to see the greatest champion in this company’s history compete.”
Both Chris Peacock and the crowd are very angered by that response to Peacock’s question, which only elevates Summers’s enjoyment of the entire situation even further.
Shawn Summers: “Oh, cry me a river. If you want a match, Peacock, why don’t you go back there and find that loser Tommy Bedlam. Maybe he’ll be willing to fight another hack such as yourself.”
This time, it is Peacock that is laughing, and Summers steps forward a few paces down the ramp, leaning into the microphone in his hand.
Shawn Summers: “What’s so funny, Peacock?”
Chris Peacock: “Maybe Tommy will be interested. Why don’t you ask him yourself, though?”
The crowd begins to cheer in anticipation, and they absolutely lose their minds when someone else walks out from the back…
Rod Sterling: “THAT’S TOMMY BEDLAM!”
Shawn Summers slowly turns around and his eyes widen when he sees Tommy Bedlam behind him on the stage and Tommy slowly walks towards him with a stone-faced expression and after a couple of seconds, Bedlam leaps forward and starts laying into Summers with punches to the face! Both of Shawn’s championships drop to the ground, along with the microphone and the briefcase, and Summers is forced to back away down the ramp with Bedlam in hot pursuit!
Meeting Bedlam with a kick after getting some separation between the two of them. After a couple of clubs to the back, Summers tries to get past Bedlam and escape. However, Bedlam grabs him around the waist and shoves him further towards the ring and then knocks him down to the floor with a huge Clothesline! Bedlam then shares a nod with Peacock, and then picks Summers up from the floor and rolls him in the ring under the bottom rope. With both competitors in the ring, the referee Richard Davis calls for the bell!
<< 00:00 >>
The crowd cheers loudly as Summers rises to his feet in the ring, holding the back of his head, and he watches as Bedlam backs up the ramp and then spots both the X Championship and the Television Championship on the ramp and picks them both up and raises them in the air. Bedlam grins as he backs away, dropping the titles and ignoring the briefcase completely. Summers hurls insults and abuse in his direction and then turns around, and is tackled to the mat by Chris Peacock!
Rod Sterling: “Summers was so focused on Tommy Bedlam sending a message on the outside that he took his eyes off of the FWA World Champion! You don’t need to give Chris Peacock an advantage like that.”
Peacock lays into Summers with some punches on the mat, and ‘Der Basterd’ grabs hold of the bottom rope and uses it to pull himself out to the outside, but Peacock is in quick pursuit. The FWA World Champion ducks out onto the ring apron and steadies himself for when Summers turns to face him once again and he leaps off the apron and lands on top of Summers with the GLITTERBALL DROP!
The Seated Senton takes Summers down onto his back, and Peacock slaps hands with a fan in the front row who enjoyed seeing the man who mocked all Texans prior to the match getting taken down. Peacock picks Summers up from the floor and grabs him around the back of the neck and then sends him into the ring barricade!
Anzu Kurosawa: “Shawn Summers might be the X Champion, but that is a title that Peacock understands very well, being a former two time X Champion himself.”
Summers seems to be completely off the pace as Peacock backs away and then measures him up, waiting for the dual champion to rise. Peacock charges in… and SUMMERS ELEVATES HIM OVER THE RING BARRICADE AND PEACOCK LANDS ON THE FLOOR!! With Peacock over-exerting himself, Summers leans on the barricade and puffs his cheeks, the first time he had some breathing space in the match.
<< 03:24 >>
After a brief tour around the crowd where Summers had his way with Peacock whilst hurling insults at the Houston crowd, Summers grabs the FWA World Champion and then sends him back over the ring barricade, with the referee using his discretion not to count either man out.
Rod Sterling: “Shawn Summers is really showing some dominance at the moment, with Chris Peacock potentially facing another tough day at the office after his defeat to Danny Toner on Fallout 028.”
Anzu Kurosawa: “Hey, Summers is on a roll at the moment and he is definitely responding better to these fans that detest him than Peacock did when we were in New Orleans.”
Summers picks Peacock up and rolls him into the ring, and then pulls himself up onto the apron where he exchanges a few words with a female fan in the front row and he ends this with a gesture to dismiss her. This few seconds proves critical though, as it allows Peacock to get back up and he meets Summers with a couple of punches once ‘Der Basterd’ is back in the ring and he then spins on the spot and goes for a third punch, but Summers cuts him off with a knee to the midsection!
With Peacock doubled over, Summers grabs him around the waist and then slams him down onto the mat with a Gutwrench Suplex! Summers stands with his arms outstretched in the middle of the ring and absorbs the negative reaction from the crowd as Peacock is down on the mat, holding his back.
<< 07:19 >>
Save for a couple of moments where Chris Peacock almost mounted some sort of comeback, it has been all Shawn Summers since the action was brought back into the ring following the sojourn into the crowd. He currently has the FWA World Champion’s head trapped and then takes him over with a Sitout Double Underhook Suplex!! Summers then floats over gracefully and then harshly hooks both of Peacock’s legs.
ONE… TWO… NO!!!
Rod Sterling: “Chris Peacock displays some more of one of his most defining traits, which is his resilience, and well Shawn Summers isn’t happy about it… Penalty Kick to the back of the FWA World Champion!”
Peacock is shown grimacing on the mat after the kick directly to the small of his back whilst he was down, and Summers then gets on top of Peacock and starts laying in some heavy strikes consisting of punches and elbow strikes - Blitzkrieg!
Anzu Kurosawa: “I don’t think we’ve seen Chris Peacock get dominated like this in a very long time, Rod. Summers could end up just knocking him out! Look, there’s blood in his mouth from these strikes!”
Indeed, Peacock does taste the bitterness of his own blood pooling in his mouth from his busted lip as a result of one of Summers’s elbow strikes, but the resourceful disco dancer thinks quickly and then SPITS THE BLOOD INTO SUMMERS’S FACE!
The effect of his is to make Summers recoil and he stands back up as he desperately attempts to clear his face of the blood, his eyes in particular. This leaves him in prime position for Peacock to charge at him and then take him down with a Spear! Peacock does not go for a pin or any other follow up and both men are down on the mat.
<< 10:01 >>
Anzu Kurosawa: “Peacock has been beaten from pillar to post in this match, but here he is doing what he can to give some back to Shawn Summers, and he has this crowd right behind him.”
Peacock has Summers in the corner and he delivers a couple of stomps to the chest and midsection and then he grabs Summers by the head and forces him upright in the turnbuckle. Peacock clenches his fist and then stands up on the second rope and starts hammering down punches to the top of Summers’s head, and the crowd counts along!
“ONE! TWO! THREE! FOUR! FIVE! SIX! SEVEN! EIGHT! NINE! TE-”
The count stops as instead of a tenth and final punch, Peacock starts biting down on the forehead of Shawn Summers instead! The fans are very into it and Peacock only stop at the behest of Richard Davis, who threatens the FWA World Champion with a disqualification should he refuse to stop.
This allows Summers to shove Peacock back, but Peacock charges straight back in, only to be met by the boot of the Television and X Champion. This does not stop Peacock from backing up and trying again BUT SUMMERS CATCHES HIM… WIPE OUT SUPLEX INTO THE TURNBUCKLES!!
Rod Sterling: “Oh no, I don’t see how anyone could come back from something like that; I think Peacock landed on his head, Anzu.”
Summers drops to his knees after the big move, and looks back at Peacock trapped in the corner, not pleased with the fight he has found himself in especially after not wanting to compete in the first place. Now he is here, however, he realises that he might as well go for the win.
<< 13:57 >>
Shawn Summers looks down at the battered Chris Peacock, his frustration evident. Despite numerous attempts to put Peacock away, he has not been able to follow through with Midsommar which would assuredly put an end to things. Each time, Peacock has negotiated himself out of position and countered with a move of his own. As a result, Summers has taken just as much offence as Peacock has.
Rod Sterling: “Shawn Summers must be closing in on that victory now, Anzu. He’s bringing Peacock up and that is mostly dead weight… and a German Suplex from ‘Der Basterd’!”
After connecting with one German Suplex, Summers retains his grip around Peacock’s waist and pulls him back up and then takes him over with another German Suplex! Summers leans into Peacock as he tries to bring the FWA World Champion up for a third, but the efforts of the match so far along with the dead weight makes it hard. He gets to his feet, but Peacock seems to be adjusting his own base and making himself as heavy as possible.
Summers attempts to heave him over, but Peacock instead shoots a fist up which catches Summers in the jaw - Fight Fever! Enraged, Summers swings for Peacock when he is back up, but Chris ducks it… kick to the midsection… DISCO THRILLER STUNNER!! Summers lands on his back and Peacock dives on top for a pin!
ONE… TWO… THR-NO!!!
Anzu Kurosawa: “Oh, these Texans are not happy that Shawn Summers kicked out of that one! They thought Peacock had it! So did I!”
Following the unsuccessful pin, both Peacock and Summers rise to their feet and both start swinging with punches and the crowd respond loudly to the two men just going at it for a few seconds. Their enthusiasm wanes when Summers breaks it off by driving his thumb into Peacock’s eye!
Peacock groans in pain and Summers then grabs him around the neck and forces his head downwards and then puts him in position for the MIDSOMMAR AGAIN… BUT PEACOCK BACK BODY DROPS SUMMERS OUT OF IT! Once again, Peacock evades Summers and then he falls forward into the corner where he steadies himself. Summers rises in the middle of the ring and Peacock charges in…
Rod Sterling: “PEACOCK CHARGES SUMMERS INTO THE TURNBUCKLE… SPINEBUSTER… ROLLER DISCOOOOOOOO!!!”
The crowd cheers as Peacock falls forward on top of Summers after the Roller Disco, and the referee is down to make the count!
ONE… TWO… THREE!!!
There is a party atmosphere as the classic music plays once more, and Peacock sits up next to Summers on the mat, and he checks his busted lip for blood. The FWA World Championship is placed in his possession and he rises to his feet and has his arm raised by the referee.
Katie-Lynn Goldsmith: “Here is your winner… CHRIS PEACOCK!!”
Rod Sterling: “In this battle of champions, it is the man that sits atop the FWA mountain that has come away with a very hard-fought victory. It is also a very important one on the path to Back in Business, with Cyrus Truth waiting for Chris Peacock in the main event with the FWA World Championship on the line. Speaking of ‘The Exile’, take a look at this…”
As Peacock celebrates by holding up his championship, a shot of a backstage area shows the man that Peacock will be facing at Back in Business - Cyrus Truth - watching on intently. Seemingly satisfied with what he’s seen, Cyrus turns away from the screen without giving any indication of how he feels.
Anzu Kurosawa: “Things have been surprisingly and decidedly tame between Peacock and Truth as we draw nearer to Back in Business. The same cannot be said for Shawn Summers and Tommy Bedlam, though. Tonight did not go to plan for Shawn Summers at all, Rod.”
Rod Sterling: “He arrived here with no intention to fight Chris Peacock, not even dressed for competition. It was Tommy Bedlam that forced his involvement in the match and I believe that there really is a lot of unresolved issues between them.”
Shawn Summers sits up and demands his titles are handed to him and he holds both close to his chest as he ruefully watches Peacock walking up the ramp. ‘Disco’s Last Warrior’ grins at him and then turns his back as the Houston crowd mocks ‘Der Basterd’.
The screen fades back into a dark and foggy post apocalyptic looking landscape, littered with the bones of both animals and perhaps humans. The view starts in with a tight close up of a pair of purple boots that walk onto the shot. The feet walk, crunching through the bones as they make their way more into the shot, exposing more of the person. First it’s the purple and black leggings up through the similarly themed bodysuit. The man entering the scene is Ground Zero Season 4 winner, El Vengador.
El Vengador: "I’ve been on the hunt. I’ve traveled the multiverse. I’ve seen death. I’ve seen dispair. I’ve seen good triumph over evil. I’ve seen evil squash out any chance of hope. I’ve seen brothers kill their brothers. I’ve seen children kill their parents. I’ve seen the best of these worlds. I’ve seen the worst of these worlds…”
“But I still haven’t found what I’m looking for.”
“I still haven’t found… who… I’m looking for.”
“But this hunt… this hunt… has lead me here… to the Fantasy Wrestling Alliance. As a multiversal traveller, I recognize many faces from other universes. I’ve seen your champion Chris Peacock before. Shawnathan Summers. Jeremy Best. Krash. Alyster Black… you name them… I’ve encountered them in my travels. But not in the ways you would recognize them. And through all this… I arrive here… where all of them live… it tells me… it’s all happened for a reason. This is where I’m supposed to be.
“This is where… I find… Justicia!”
“But to get here… I had to prove myself. I had to forge through the trenches that was Ground Zero.”
El Vengador stops, reaching down to pick up a skull from the ground. While not quite distinguishable, the skull could perhaps be that of a marsupial such as a possum. Vengador crushes the skull in his hand.
El Vengador: "And prove myself… I did. But I did it… my way. My so-called coach had nothing to do with my victory… yet she wanted to come out and soak up the accolades that she had little to nothing to do with. Most of the competition she spent galavanting about on a journey of self discovery. She is not a coach. She is not a mentor. I earned my way back into the finals because I’m on my own journey. A journey for justice.”
“And I will obliterate anyone who stands in my way.”
“KATSU… you are the first… in my way.”
“JUSTICIA SERA MIA!”
The fog gets heavier until it engulfs the entire screen as it fades out.
In a familiar-looking backstage setting, we see that the FWA Brand Coordinator Jon Russnow is once again sitting at his desk in front of the camera. Russnow waits for a moment and then addresses the camera, with his hands clasped together.
Jon Russnow: “Ladies and gentlemen, I hope that you are enjoying tonight’s show so far. I just wanted to take some time to make a very important announcement.”
Russnow pauses and slowly nods his head.
Jon Russnow: “Whilst the Fantasy Wrestling Alliance is arguably in its strongest position it has ever been in thanks to the wrestlers and competitors that put their bodies on the line week after week, none of this would be possible without the stars of the past that helped build this company to the heights it is at today after almost eighteen years.
Here at the FWA, we honour those exceptional individuals who have contributed so much to this company and I am pleased to announce that at the Eighteenth Anniversary Show which will be taking place this summer after Back in Business XVII, we will be recognising some of these individuals and welcoming them into the FWA Hall of Fame.
Therefore, please look out for announcements over the coming weeks of the deserving individuals that will be taking their spots in history. For now though, please allow me to introduce you to the first member of the Fantasy Wrestling Alliance Hall of Fame, Class of 2023.”
Russnow smiles and bows as the picture fades out into a video package.
***
The video package begins with a black screen and then the sound of a cheering crowd can be heard as a woman’s legs are shown walking down the ramp on the way to the ring. A wider shot of the arena shows that the event this is taking place at is Trial by Fire, all the way back in 2006.
“... GABRIELLE MONTGOMERY!”
A young Gabrielle Montgomery is shown waving to the fans ahead of her debut match in the FWA seventeen years ago, and some more shots of her earlier appearances are shown.
Narrator: “A goddess is defined as a woman who is greatly admired, especially for her beauty. However, in the case of Gabrielle Montgomery, there is much more than what initially meets the eye.”
Gabrielle is shown winning various championships throughout her career and after some of her biggest wins, such as defeating Duke Drazin in the main event of Back in Business VI and winning the Mile High Massacre Match at Mile High in 2010 and 2014.
Jean-Luc Watkins: “Gabrielle has been with this company since almost right at the very beginning; it is hard to imagine anyone talking or thinking about the FWA without also thinking about Gabrielle Montgomery.”
Lizzie Rose: “She was and still is an inspiration for so many young women out there in the world today, not just those who want to follow in her footsteps as I was lucky enough to be able to.”
Narrator: “As dangerous as she is beautiful, Gabrille amassed a significant amount of accolades throughout her illustrious career in the FWA. A two-time FWA World Champion, a four time FWA World Tag Team Champion and recipient of numerous awards. However, it was one of her most significant failures that defined what many have considered to be one of the greatest periods of her long and storied career.”
A clip of Saint Sully defeating Gabrielle at Desert Storm 2021 is shown, and then some highlights of the following weeks and months when Gabrielle drifted into what many referred to as her ‘Broken’ persona.
Saint Sully: “That period of time after losing the Golden Opportunity cash-in match was the most difficult in Gabrielle’s life but she still came out week after week and competed and in that time she defeated some of the best that the FWA had to offer at the time. That is just how good she is.”
Alyster Black: Gabrielle showed her strength during that time in her life. Despite pushing everyone away and losing herself, she was still strong enough to come back.”
After the brand split in 2021, Gabrielle is shown thriving on Fallout and then entering an alliance with Kayden Knox and then joining Executive Excellence. As the narrator continues to talk, some more of her successes from over the years are shown.
Narrator: “Even when the chips were down, she always found a way to get back up and the Fantasy Wrestling Alliance is proud to welcome Gabrielle Montgomery as the first inductee of the FWA Hall of Fame, Class of 2023.”
The video package then ends with Gabrielle blowing a kiss at the camera, before fading into a graphic as some triumphant music starts to play.
GABRIELLE MONTGOMERY
FWA HALL OF FAME
CLASS OF 2023
We cut to a quiet hallway in the Toyota Center as Lizzie Rose, sits against a wall, exhausted after MONTHS of mental torment from Keres and Princess Nova. She's got a skirt on with a halter top, something she likely never would have worn previously. But, they are in her head. Running her hands through her dark hair, she takes a slow and deep breath, but she can't stay calm. No. She begins a small rant.
Lizzie Rose: "Who thought it was a good idea to say 'Hey, let's team Lizzie with the same girls tormenting her for MONTHS on Fallout?!' Good TV at the cost of whatever sanity I have left?!"
Lizzie groans before getting up.
Lizzie Rose: "Why can't Jon Russnow just cancel the match!? I'd take anything to get away from them now. A vacation, them getting fired on an account of trying to mind-fuck me, anything!"
???: "But where would the fun be in that?"
Lizzie practically leaps. She knows EXACTLY who is behind her. Turning around we see Princess Nova in her usual attire of a long and luxury purple princess dress, tiara, and long gloves. Her hair is tied back in a ponytail and in her arms is a toddler?! The little girl has her black hair in pigtails and a black school girl outfit. Could it be? No. Can't be.
Princess Nova: "We've been looking forward to a chance to team with you! I think it will be far more fun than being on the opposite side of the ring as you..."
Lizzie is practically bubbling with anger right now. She's SICK of this.
Lizzie Rose: "You know what's better? Joe not-"
Distracting the conversation, Nova compliments.
Princess Nova: "Oh, and that skirt is SO cute! Suits you well-"
Lizzie Rose: "....You hurt my friend"
There's no warmth or anxious energy coming from Lizzie's body language like usual, she's standing up and looking Nova square in the eyes clearly annoyed, yet her eyes travel from time to time to the small girl in Nova's arms because...yeah,, that's just weird, but she tried to focus her anger at Nova, she seems like she wants to say something more aggressive but...again...small girl, she bites her tongue, takes a breath and begins to talk.
Lizzie Rose: "You know I'm someone whose always been used to violence, I used to get beat up a lot, I got beat up a lot in school, out on the street, but there was this one time, a couple of bullies came to my family's apartment, when I was babysitting my siblings while my mom was at work, and they knocked on my door right as I was setting up for dinner. I went outside, and I scratched, and I clawed and I'm not saying I was Bruce Lee fighting off an army of thugs all by myself. I'm not saying I looked pretty afterwards, but I won. They never bothered me again. Every other time I got my butt kicked, but not then. You wanna know why? Do you want to know the difference?"
Lizzie pauses, half out of emotion and half to underline what she's about to say, stepping forward just an inch, opening and closing her hands
Lizzie Rose: "They came to my house. All those other times, they just wanted to hurt me, but that time? They came for my family. They came for me where I live. They came for the people I love."
Lizzie took a beat again to temper herself
Lizzie Rose: "You want to play games with me? You want to hurt me? That's fine...but whatever problem you have with me, had nothing to do with Joe."
She sighed as she tucked a lock of now dark hair behind her ear
Lizzie Rose: "I'll team with you and your sister because I kind of have to, but I just have to know... Why Joe? This....Whatever this is is between US. Not him"
Princess Nova places the toddler down. Her tone is rather warm and caring.
Princess Nova: "Why would you think we would want to hurt him? You're right about one thing. This was entirely between us. We wanted to extend an offer to you, and not him. We wanted to better you, not him. But, he wanted to get involved did he not?"
Lizzie Rose: "He was JUST looking out for me!"
Lizzie interrupts Nova. The TORN Angel gives a warm chuckle.
Princess Nova: "Or was he taking the choice out of your hands? Come on. Think about those moments you have... cut back and let your TORN self-thrive-"
Lizzie Rose: "It was HORRIBLE..."
Nova shakes her head.
Princess Nova: "Not how I remember it. You were stronger. You're already a strong, caring woman. But you just hit differently. We want you to have the decision on your own. Not without him. We didn't want him involved in, how you put it, 'what is between US.' He wouldn't go away. The only way to keep him out was for Keres to take him out."
Nova leans down, looking at the Toddler in the eyes.
Princess Nova: "Isn't that right, Keres!?"
Lizzie's jaw drops. K-Keres?!
Young Keres: "For your own good! For your own good!"
The toddler claps and Lizzie backs up.
Lizzie Rose: "-What the... HELL!?"
Princess Nova: "What? You never seen a toddler before?"
Lizzie Rose: "Ok, you know WHAT!? I thought taking out my friend, was the last straw, but I guess I must have been wrong, I guess it must have the second to last straw because this is the REALLY the last straw...in the...the...thing.....Basically I don't have any pieces of straw left! So...so what is this? Is this her little sister, her twin? Because that's not Keres!"
Princess Nova, despite Lizzie's rage, keeps a grin. She smiles at her.
Princess Nova: "Aww, don't you remember? You met her before! Don't you remember?"
Lizzie gives Nova a cross-eyed look.
Princess Nova: "You don't? But it REALLY happened. Hehe. I mean, if you don't... Then-"
Young Keres: "HUG!"
Keres, with Lizzie distracted, gives her a BIG hug around the legs. Lizzie Rose looks shocked and the hug is tight.
Lizzie Rose: "Hey! L-Let go of me!"
Keres the Toddler lets go as Princess Nova picks her up. Despite it being a hug from a toddler, Lizzie Rose appears in a daze, as if she's got vertigo. She stumbles to the ground, blinking confused.
Rod Sterling: "That's a demon child!"
Anzu Kurosawa: "It's just a hug- what on Earth is going on!?"
Princess Nova waves along with the toddler Keres.
Princess Nova: "Aww. Don't worry. You'll be fine. See you Saturday, Elizabeth!"
Young Keres: "Bye bye!"
Princess Nova skips away carrying Toddler and Lizzie attempts to get up, but she is off balance, knocking over a near-by trash can. The noise attracts visitors as people check on her.
By-Stander: "Lizzie, are you okay? Lizzie!"
Lizzie Rose is on a knee, holding her head, feeling sick and dizzy as if the entire room is spinning.
Rod Sterling: "Something HAS to be done about Eternal, especially Keres. Like, a toddler? She's a- Toddler!? And just a HUG DID THAT!?"
Anzu Kurosawa: "I don't think there's been anyone like them in FWA. They're just bat-shit weird! Get Lizzie away from them!"
A near-by doctor rushes over to ask Lizzie Rose if she's okay. The camera zooms in and sees on Lizzie's face...
A snide smirk and a devious look in her eye, before she shakes her head and is seemingly back to normal.
The camera fades on the scene.
Rod Sterling: "Well, from one surreal scene to another… I’m not sure what we should expect from what we are about to watch, but it’s time for our Main Event… which, believe it or not, is taking us to Sesame Street.”
Anzu Kurosawa: “I’m pretty excited about this, Rod. This Jackson Fenix vs. Jeremy Best rivalry is one that doesn’t ever seem to want to die and it’s fitting to have this match almost a year to date from last year’s ill-fated Undisputed Amigos Friendship Jamboree.”
Rod Sterling: ”These two haven’t had much interaction since last year’s Back in Business, but last week it seemed as though Jackson Fenix had seen enough of this version of Jeremy, coming out to make the save for Violet Dreyer and challenging Jeremy to this match.”
Anzu Kurosawa: “It was quite bold of Fenix, because you have to think this is a bit of a home field advantage for Jeremy. But we’ve certainly seen a different side of Jackson Fenix over the last few weeks.”
Rod Sterling: ”We certainly have… but there’s no more time to waste. Let’s go ahead and head down… to Sesame Street.”
The screen fades to a familiar scene of many, the streets of Sesame Street. Specifically the exterior setting of one of the main locations featured on Sesame Street, the two story brownstone apartment building with the inviting front stoop at 123 Sesame Street. An FWA wrestling ring has been assembled right in front of the building, taking up the actual street.
Sitting on the stoop are some familiar members of Sesame Street including Elmo, Grover, Abby Cadabby, and Rosita. The green doors open up and Jeremy Best emerges from the building.
Elmo: "Jeremy! Elmo is so happy to see you again!”
Jeremy Best: "Hiya Elmo! It feels good to be back! I just wish it was under better circumstances.”
Rosita: ”Yeah! I can’t believe we’re inviting that guy Jackson Fenix back to Sesame Street! After what happened last time..”
Grover: “Now, now Rosita, it wasn’t all Jackson’s fault! Plus, remember, what today’s letter taught us… F is for Forgiveness.”
Elmo: "Ahh, Elmo does need to learn to forgive.”
Everyone’s attention turns to the left as Jackson Fenix has arrived, walking into Sesame Street with some caution.
Abby Cadabby: “Jackson Fenix has arrived! Welcome back, Jackson.”
Jackson cautiously waves to the muppets on the stoop, but has his eyes locked in on Jeremy. Best slowly walks down the steps, also keeping his eyes on his former friend.
Elmo: "Elmo is very nervous about this.”
Grover: “Okay fellas, let’s take this to the ring!”
Jeremy and Jackson both nod as they head to the ring, climbing in. A blue muppet in a red and white checkered sports jacket also climbs into the ring, with a microphone sewn to his hand. This is “The Announcer” muppet.
The Announcer: "Ladies and gentlemen, muppets and puppets, tonight’s MAIN EVENT is scheduled for ONE FALL and is brought to you by the letter F! In this corner, you have the one… the only… the Protector of the Puppets… The Savior of Sesame Street… Your Best Friend and Mine… THE ONE AND ONLY… JJJJJJJJJJJJEEEERRRRRRREEEEEEMMMMMYYYYY BEST!”
Some piped in cheers happen as Jeremy lifts up his arms and takes in the accolades while Jackson Fenix shakes his head across the ring.
The Announcer: "And his opponent… THIS GUY!”
Loud piped in boos take effect as Jackson Fenix, again, seems unamused. Jeremy Best walks over to The Announcer and whispers in his ear.
The Announcer: "Oh… my apologies… our BFF has just informed me that this man actually deserves an intro. So allow me to introduce you to his opponent, the former friend of Jeremy Best, one quarter of the legendary Undisputed Amigos, and the man who actively stabbed Jeremy Best right in the back… this is… JACKSON FENIX!”
The piped in boos continue as Jackson shakes his head, his hand on his hips. It’s sort of clear that Jackson felt like maybe he deserved some of that as through his disdain for Jeremy, the regret is clear.
Anzu Kurosawa: “I mean, there was some truth to that introduction, if not somewhat unnecessary.”
Rod Sterling: ”That is part of the reason this match is happening in the first place, Anzu. Jackson clearly has a lot of regrets for his actions this time last year.”
FWA Official Larry Steven has made the trip out to Sesame Street, entering the ring in front of 123 Sesame Street in order to call the match. But just as it looks like things are going to get under way, Jackson Fenix walks over and asks for the microphone from The Announcer. The Announcer looks over to Jeremy, who shrugs his shoulders and seems to allow it. The Announcer literally rips the microphone from his felt hand and gives it over to Jackson.
Jackson Fenix: "Jeremy… it was one year ago… that you gave this to me.”
Jackson lifts up his right arm, revealing the Undisputed Amigos friendship bracelet around his wrist. Jeremy’s eyes light up at the sight of the gift he had given his former friend back at the Undisputed Amigos Friendship Jamboree.
Jackson Fenix: "One year ago, I made a mistake. Our friendship… it wasn’t a lie. We had some good times together. And what I did to you… dude, it wasn’t right at all. I get that now. But what you’re doing… what you’ve done to Krash… that isn’t right either. That’s not what friends do. There’s still time to make this right… you gotta let Krash go, man…”
The muppets on the stoop begin to talk amongst themselves, seemingly unaware of what Jackson was referring to about Krash. Meanwhile, Jeremy walks out of the corner of the ring and meets Jackson in the center of the ring. He looks down at the friendship bracelet around Jackson’s wrist.
Jeremy Best: "You kept it? After all this time? You still have it?”
Jackson Fenix: "Yep. And now it’s a reminder of what I did to you. What I’ve driven you to…”
Jackson extends that right arm out to Jeremy.
Jackson Fenix: "How about we forget all about this and we go let Krash go. Get him some real help. Be a real friend.”
Jeremy’s eyes go from Jackson’s hand up to his eyes. Jeremy smiles and he takes Jackson’s hand.
Jeremy Best: "Real friends…”
The friendliness of Jeremy’s eyes disappear as does his smile.
Jeremy Best: "Don’t stab each other in the back!”
Jeremy pulls Jackson down by the arm right into the Friendship Bracelet!
The crowd cheers loudly as Summers rises to his feet in the ring, holding the back of his head, and he watches as Bedlam backs up the ramp and then spots both the X Championship and the Television Championship on the ramp and picks them both up and raises them in the air. Bedlam grins as he backs away, dropping the titles and ignoring the briefcase completely. Summers hurls insults and abuse in his direction and then turns around, and is tackled to the mat by Chris Peacock!
Rod Sterling: “Summers was so focused on Tommy Bedlam sending a message on the outside that he took his eyes off of the FWA World Champion! You don’t need to give Chris Peacock an advantage like that.”
Peacock lays into Summers with some punches on the mat, and ‘Der Basterd’ grabs hold of the bottom rope and uses it to pull himself out to the outside, but Peacock is in quick pursuit. The FWA World Champion ducks out onto the ring apron and steadies himself for when Summers turns to face him once again and he leaps off the apron and lands on top of Summers with the GLITTERBALL DROP!
The Seated Senton takes Summers down onto his back, and Peacock slaps hands with a fan in the front row who enjoyed seeing the man who mocked all Texans prior to the match getting taken down. Peacock picks Summers up from the floor and grabs him around the back of the neck and then sends him into the ring barricade!
Anzu Kurosawa: “Shawn Summers might be the X Champion, but that is a title that Peacock understands very well, being a former two time X Champion himself.”
Summers seems to be completely off the pace as Peacock backs away and then measures him up, waiting for the dual champion to rise. Peacock charges in… and SUMMERS ELEVATES HIM OVER THE RING BARRICADE AND PEACOCK LANDS ON THE FLOOR!! With Peacock over-exerting himself, Summers leans on the barricade and puffs his cheeks, the first time he had some breathing space in the match.
<< 03:24 >>
After a brief tour around the crowd where Summers had his way with Peacock whilst hurling insults at the Houston crowd, Summers grabs the FWA World Champion and then sends him back over the ring barricade, with the referee using his discretion not to count either man out.
Rod Sterling: “Shawn Summers is really showing some dominance at the moment, with Chris Peacock potentially facing another tough day at the office after his defeat to Danny Toner on Fallout 028.”
Anzu Kurosawa: “Hey, Summers is on a roll at the moment and he is definitely responding better to these fans that detest him than Peacock did when we were in New Orleans.”
Summers picks Peacock up and rolls him into the ring, and then pulls himself up onto the apron where he exchanges a few words with a female fan in the front row and he ends this with a gesture to dismiss her. This few seconds proves critical though, as it allows Peacock to get back up and he meets Summers with a couple of punches once ‘Der Basterd’ is back in the ring and he then spins on the spot and goes for a third punch, but Summers cuts him off with a knee to the midsection!
With Peacock doubled over, Summers grabs him around the waist and then slams him down onto the mat with a Gutwrench Suplex! Summers stands with his arms outstretched in the middle of the ring and absorbs the negative reaction from the crowd as Peacock is down on the mat, holding his back.
<< 07:19 >>
Save for a couple of moments where Chris Peacock almost mounted some sort of comeback, it has been all Shawn Summers since the action was brought back into the ring following the sojourn into the crowd. He currently has the FWA World Champion’s head trapped and then takes him over with a Sitout Double Underhook Suplex!! Summers then floats over gracefully and then harshly hooks both of Peacock’s legs.
ONE… TWO… NO!!!
Rod Sterling: “Chris Peacock displays some more of one of his most defining traits, which is his resilience, and well Shawn Summers isn’t happy about it… Penalty Kick to the back of the FWA World Champion!”
Peacock is shown grimacing on the mat after the kick directly to the small of his back whilst he was down, and Summers then gets on top of Peacock and starts laying in some heavy strikes consisting of punches and elbow strikes - Blitzkrieg!
Anzu Kurosawa: “I don’t think we’ve seen Chris Peacock get dominated like this in a very long time, Rod. Summers could end up just knocking him out! Look, there’s blood in his mouth from these strikes!”
Indeed, Peacock does taste the bitterness of his own blood pooling in his mouth from his busted lip as a result of one of Summers’s elbow strikes, but the resourceful disco dancer thinks quickly and then SPITS THE BLOOD INTO SUMMERS’S FACE!
The effect of his is to make Summers recoil and he stands back up as he desperately attempts to clear his face of the blood, his eyes in particular. This leaves him in prime position for Peacock to charge at him and then take him down with a Spear! Peacock does not go for a pin or any other follow up and both men are down on the mat.
<< 10:01 >>
Anzu Kurosawa: “Peacock has been beaten from pillar to post in this match, but here he is doing what he can to give some back to Shawn Summers, and he has this crowd right behind him.”
Peacock has Summers in the corner and he delivers a couple of stomps to the chest and midsection and then he grabs Summers by the head and forces him upright in the turnbuckle. Peacock clenches his fist and then stands up on the second rope and starts hammering down punches to the top of Summers’s head, and the crowd counts along!
“ONE! TWO! THREE! FOUR! FIVE! SIX! SEVEN! EIGHT! NINE! TE-”
The count stops as instead of a tenth and final punch, Peacock starts biting down on the forehead of Shawn Summers instead! The fans are very into it and Peacock only stop at the behest of Richard Davis, who threatens the FWA World Champion with a disqualification should he refuse to stop.
This allows Summers to shove Peacock back, but Peacock charges straight back in, only to be met by the boot of the Television and X Champion. This does not stop Peacock from backing up and trying again BUT SUMMERS CATCHES HIM… WIPE OUT SUPLEX INTO THE TURNBUCKLES!!
Rod Sterling: “Oh no, I don’t see how anyone could come back from something like that; I think Peacock landed on his head, Anzu.”
Summers drops to his knees after the big move, and looks back at Peacock trapped in the corner, not pleased with the fight he has found himself in especially after not wanting to compete in the first place. Now he is here, however, he realises that he might as well go for the win.
<< 13:57 >>
Shawn Summers looks down at the battered Chris Peacock, his frustration evident. Despite numerous attempts to put Peacock away, he has not been able to follow through with Midsommar which would assuredly put an end to things. Each time, Peacock has negotiated himself out of position and countered with a move of his own. As a result, Summers has taken just as much offence as Peacock has.
Rod Sterling: “Shawn Summers must be closing in on that victory now, Anzu. He’s bringing Peacock up and that is mostly dead weight… and a German Suplex from ‘Der Basterd’!”
After connecting with one German Suplex, Summers retains his grip around Peacock’s waist and pulls him back up and then takes him over with another German Suplex! Summers leans into Peacock as he tries to bring the FWA World Champion up for a third, but the efforts of the match so far along with the dead weight makes it hard. He gets to his feet, but Peacock seems to be adjusting his own base and making himself as heavy as possible.
Summers attempts to heave him over, but Peacock instead shoots a fist up which catches Summers in the jaw - Fight Fever! Enraged, Summers swings for Peacock when he is back up, but Chris ducks it… kick to the midsection… DISCO THRILLER STUNNER!! Summers lands on his back and Peacock dives on top for a pin!
ONE… TWO… THR-NO!!!
Anzu Kurosawa: “Oh, these Texans are not happy that Shawn Summers kicked out of that one! They thought Peacock had it! So did I!”
Following the unsuccessful pin, both Peacock and Summers rise to their feet and both start swinging with punches and the crowd respond loudly to the two men just going at it for a few seconds. Their enthusiasm wanes when Summers breaks it off by driving his thumb into Peacock’s eye!
Peacock groans in pain and Summers then grabs him around the neck and forces his head downwards and then puts him in position for the MIDSOMMAR AGAIN… BUT PEACOCK BACK BODY DROPS SUMMERS OUT OF IT! Once again, Peacock evades Summers and then he falls forward into the corner where he steadies himself. Summers rises in the middle of the ring and Peacock charges in…
Rod Sterling: “PEACOCK CHARGES SUMMERS INTO THE TURNBUCKLE… SPINEBUSTER… ROLLER DISCOOOOOOOO!!!”
The crowd cheers as Peacock falls forward on top of Summers after the Roller Disco, and the referee is down to make the count!
ONE… TWO… THREE!!!
Winner: Chris Peacock by pin fall at 15:31.
There is a party atmosphere as the classic music plays once more, and Peacock sits up next to Summers on the mat, and he checks his busted lip for blood. The FWA World Championship is placed in his possession and he rises to his feet and has his arm raised by the referee.
Katie-Lynn Goldsmith: “Here is your winner… CHRIS PEACOCK!!”
Rod Sterling: “In this battle of champions, it is the man that sits atop the FWA mountain that has come away with a very hard-fought victory. It is also a very important one on the path to Back in Business, with Cyrus Truth waiting for Chris Peacock in the main event with the FWA World Championship on the line. Speaking of ‘The Exile’, take a look at this…”
As Peacock celebrates by holding up his championship, a shot of a backstage area shows the man that Peacock will be facing at Back in Business - Cyrus Truth - watching on intently. Seemingly satisfied with what he’s seen, Cyrus turns away from the screen without giving any indication of how he feels.
Anzu Kurosawa: “Things have been surprisingly and decidedly tame between Peacock and Truth as we draw nearer to Back in Business. The same cannot be said for Shawn Summers and Tommy Bedlam, though. Tonight did not go to plan for Shawn Summers at all, Rod.”
Rod Sterling: “He arrived here with no intention to fight Chris Peacock, not even dressed for competition. It was Tommy Bedlam that forced his involvement in the match and I believe that there really is a lot of unresolved issues between them.”
Shawn Summers sits up and demands his titles are handed to him and he holds both close to his chest as he ruefully watches Peacock walking up the ramp. ‘Disco’s Last Warrior’ grins at him and then turns his back as the Houston crowd mocks ‘Der Basterd’.
The screen fades back into a dark and foggy post apocalyptic looking landscape, littered with the bones of both animals and perhaps humans. The view starts in with a tight close up of a pair of purple boots that walk onto the shot. The feet walk, crunching through the bones as they make their way more into the shot, exposing more of the person. First it’s the purple and black leggings up through the similarly themed bodysuit. The man entering the scene is Ground Zero Season 4 winner, El Vengador.
El Vengador: "I’ve been on the hunt. I’ve traveled the multiverse. I’ve seen death. I’ve seen dispair. I’ve seen good triumph over evil. I’ve seen evil squash out any chance of hope. I’ve seen brothers kill their brothers. I’ve seen children kill their parents. I’ve seen the best of these worlds. I’ve seen the worst of these worlds…”
“But I still haven’t found what I’m looking for.”
“I still haven’t found… who… I’m looking for.”
“But this hunt… this hunt… has lead me here… to the Fantasy Wrestling Alliance. As a multiversal traveller, I recognize many faces from other universes. I’ve seen your champion Chris Peacock before. Shawnathan Summers. Jeremy Best. Krash. Alyster Black… you name them… I’ve encountered them in my travels. But not in the ways you would recognize them. And through all this… I arrive here… where all of them live… it tells me… it’s all happened for a reason. This is where I’m supposed to be.
“This is where… I find… Justicia!”
“But to get here… I had to prove myself. I had to forge through the trenches that was Ground Zero.”
El Vengador stops, reaching down to pick up a skull from the ground. While not quite distinguishable, the skull could perhaps be that of a marsupial such as a possum. Vengador crushes the skull in his hand.
El Vengador: "And prove myself… I did. But I did it… my way. My so-called coach had nothing to do with my victory… yet she wanted to come out and soak up the accolades that she had little to nothing to do with. Most of the competition she spent galavanting about on a journey of self discovery. She is not a coach. She is not a mentor. I earned my way back into the finals because I’m on my own journey. A journey for justice.”
“And I will obliterate anyone who stands in my way.”
“KATSU… you are the first… in my way.”
“JUSTICIA SERA MIA!”
The fog gets heavier until it engulfs the entire screen as it fades out.
In a familiar-looking backstage setting, we see that the FWA Brand Coordinator Jon Russnow is once again sitting at his desk in front of the camera. Russnow waits for a moment and then addresses the camera, with his hands clasped together.
Jon Russnow: “Ladies and gentlemen, I hope that you are enjoying tonight’s show so far. I just wanted to take some time to make a very important announcement.”
Russnow pauses and slowly nods his head.
Jon Russnow: “Whilst the Fantasy Wrestling Alliance is arguably in its strongest position it has ever been in thanks to the wrestlers and competitors that put their bodies on the line week after week, none of this would be possible without the stars of the past that helped build this company to the heights it is at today after almost eighteen years.
Here at the FWA, we honour those exceptional individuals who have contributed so much to this company and I am pleased to announce that at the Eighteenth Anniversary Show which will be taking place this summer after Back in Business XVII, we will be recognising some of these individuals and welcoming them into the FWA Hall of Fame.
Therefore, please look out for announcements over the coming weeks of the deserving individuals that will be taking their spots in history. For now though, please allow me to introduce you to the first member of the Fantasy Wrestling Alliance Hall of Fame, Class of 2023.”
Russnow smiles and bows as the picture fades out into a video package.
***
The video package begins with a black screen and then the sound of a cheering crowd can be heard as a woman’s legs are shown walking down the ramp on the way to the ring. A wider shot of the arena shows that the event this is taking place at is Trial by Fire, all the way back in 2006.
“... GABRIELLE MONTGOMERY!”
A young Gabrielle Montgomery is shown waving to the fans ahead of her debut match in the FWA seventeen years ago, and some more shots of her earlier appearances are shown.
Narrator: “A goddess is defined as a woman who is greatly admired, especially for her beauty. However, in the case of Gabrielle Montgomery, there is much more than what initially meets the eye.”
Gabrielle is shown winning various championships throughout her career and after some of her biggest wins, such as defeating Duke Drazin in the main event of Back in Business VI and winning the Mile High Massacre Match at Mile High in 2010 and 2014.
Jean-Luc Watkins: “Gabrielle has been with this company since almost right at the very beginning; it is hard to imagine anyone talking or thinking about the FWA without also thinking about Gabrielle Montgomery.”
Lizzie Rose: “She was and still is an inspiration for so many young women out there in the world today, not just those who want to follow in her footsteps as I was lucky enough to be able to.”
Narrator: “As dangerous as she is beautiful, Gabrille amassed a significant amount of accolades throughout her illustrious career in the FWA. A two-time FWA World Champion, a four time FWA World Tag Team Champion and recipient of numerous awards. However, it was one of her most significant failures that defined what many have considered to be one of the greatest periods of her long and storied career.”
A clip of Saint Sully defeating Gabrielle at Desert Storm 2021 is shown, and then some highlights of the following weeks and months when Gabrielle drifted into what many referred to as her ‘Broken’ persona.
Saint Sully: “That period of time after losing the Golden Opportunity cash-in match was the most difficult in Gabrielle’s life but she still came out week after week and competed and in that time she defeated some of the best that the FWA had to offer at the time. That is just how good she is.”
Alyster Black: Gabrielle showed her strength during that time in her life. Despite pushing everyone away and losing herself, she was still strong enough to come back.”
After the brand split in 2021, Gabrielle is shown thriving on Fallout and then entering an alliance with Kayden Knox and then joining Executive Excellence. As the narrator continues to talk, some more of her successes from over the years are shown.
Narrator: “Even when the chips were down, she always found a way to get back up and the Fantasy Wrestling Alliance is proud to welcome Gabrielle Montgomery as the first inductee of the FWA Hall of Fame, Class of 2023.”
The video package then ends with Gabrielle blowing a kiss at the camera, before fading into a graphic as some triumphant music starts to play.
GABRIELLE MONTGOMERY
FWA HALL OF FAME
CLASS OF 2023
We cut to a quiet hallway in the Toyota Center as Lizzie Rose, sits against a wall, exhausted after MONTHS of mental torment from Keres and Princess Nova. She's got a skirt on with a halter top, something she likely never would have worn previously. But, they are in her head. Running her hands through her dark hair, she takes a slow and deep breath, but she can't stay calm. No. She begins a small rant.
Lizzie Rose: "Who thought it was a good idea to say 'Hey, let's team Lizzie with the same girls tormenting her for MONTHS on Fallout?!' Good TV at the cost of whatever sanity I have left?!"
Lizzie groans before getting up.
Lizzie Rose: "Why can't Jon Russnow just cancel the match!? I'd take anything to get away from them now. A vacation, them getting fired on an account of trying to mind-fuck me, anything!"
???: "But where would the fun be in that?"
Lizzie practically leaps. She knows EXACTLY who is behind her. Turning around we see Princess Nova in her usual attire of a long and luxury purple princess dress, tiara, and long gloves. Her hair is tied back in a ponytail and in her arms is a toddler?! The little girl has her black hair in pigtails and a black school girl outfit. Could it be? No. Can't be.
Princess Nova: "We've been looking forward to a chance to team with you! I think it will be far more fun than being on the opposite side of the ring as you..."
Lizzie is practically bubbling with anger right now. She's SICK of this.
Lizzie Rose: "You know what's better? Joe not-"
Distracting the conversation, Nova compliments.
Princess Nova: "Oh, and that skirt is SO cute! Suits you well-"
Lizzie Rose: "....You hurt my friend"
There's no warmth or anxious energy coming from Lizzie's body language like usual, she's standing up and looking Nova square in the eyes clearly annoyed, yet her eyes travel from time to time to the small girl in Nova's arms because...yeah,, that's just weird, but she tried to focus her anger at Nova, she seems like she wants to say something more aggressive but...again...small girl, she bites her tongue, takes a breath and begins to talk.
Lizzie Rose: "You know I'm someone whose always been used to violence, I used to get beat up a lot, I got beat up a lot in school, out on the street, but there was this one time, a couple of bullies came to my family's apartment, when I was babysitting my siblings while my mom was at work, and they knocked on my door right as I was setting up for dinner. I went outside, and I scratched, and I clawed and I'm not saying I was Bruce Lee fighting off an army of thugs all by myself. I'm not saying I looked pretty afterwards, but I won. They never bothered me again. Every other time I got my butt kicked, but not then. You wanna know why? Do you want to know the difference?"
Lizzie pauses, half out of emotion and half to underline what she's about to say, stepping forward just an inch, opening and closing her hands
Lizzie Rose: "They came to my house. All those other times, they just wanted to hurt me, but that time? They came for my family. They came for me where I live. They came for the people I love."
Lizzie took a beat again to temper herself
Lizzie Rose: "You want to play games with me? You want to hurt me? That's fine...but whatever problem you have with me, had nothing to do with Joe."
She sighed as she tucked a lock of now dark hair behind her ear
Lizzie Rose: "I'll team with you and your sister because I kind of have to, but I just have to know... Why Joe? This....Whatever this is is between US. Not him"
Princess Nova places the toddler down. Her tone is rather warm and caring.
Princess Nova: "Why would you think we would want to hurt him? You're right about one thing. This was entirely between us. We wanted to extend an offer to you, and not him. We wanted to better you, not him. But, he wanted to get involved did he not?"
Lizzie Rose: "He was JUST looking out for me!"
Lizzie interrupts Nova. The TORN Angel gives a warm chuckle.
Princess Nova: "Or was he taking the choice out of your hands? Come on. Think about those moments you have... cut back and let your TORN self-thrive-"
Lizzie Rose: "It was HORRIBLE..."
Nova shakes her head.
Princess Nova: "Not how I remember it. You were stronger. You're already a strong, caring woman. But you just hit differently. We want you to have the decision on your own. Not without him. We didn't want him involved in, how you put it, 'what is between US.' He wouldn't go away. The only way to keep him out was for Keres to take him out."
Nova leans down, looking at the Toddler in the eyes.
Princess Nova: "Isn't that right, Keres!?"
Lizzie's jaw drops. K-Keres?!
Young Keres: "For your own good! For your own good!"
The toddler claps and Lizzie backs up.
Lizzie Rose: "-What the... HELL!?"
Princess Nova: "What? You never seen a toddler before?"
Lizzie Rose: "Ok, you know WHAT!? I thought taking out my friend, was the last straw, but I guess I must have been wrong, I guess it must have the second to last straw because this is the REALLY the last straw...in the...the...thing.....Basically I don't have any pieces of straw left! So...so what is this? Is this her little sister, her twin? Because that's not Keres!"
Princess Nova, despite Lizzie's rage, keeps a grin. She smiles at her.
Princess Nova: "Aww, don't you remember? You met her before! Don't you remember?"
Lizzie gives Nova a cross-eyed look.
Princess Nova: "You don't? But it REALLY happened. Hehe. I mean, if you don't... Then-"
Young Keres: "HUG!"
Keres, with Lizzie distracted, gives her a BIG hug around the legs. Lizzie Rose looks shocked and the hug is tight.
Lizzie Rose: "Hey! L-Let go of me!"
Keres the Toddler lets go as Princess Nova picks her up. Despite it being a hug from a toddler, Lizzie Rose appears in a daze, as if she's got vertigo. She stumbles to the ground, blinking confused.
Rod Sterling: "That's a demon child!"
Anzu Kurosawa: "It's just a hug- what on Earth is going on!?"
Princess Nova waves along with the toddler Keres.
Princess Nova: "Aww. Don't worry. You'll be fine. See you Saturday, Elizabeth!"
Young Keres: "Bye bye!"
Princess Nova skips away carrying Toddler and Lizzie attempts to get up, but she is off balance, knocking over a near-by trash can. The noise attracts visitors as people check on her.
By-Stander: "Lizzie, are you okay? Lizzie!"
Lizzie Rose is on a knee, holding her head, feeling sick and dizzy as if the entire room is spinning.
Rod Sterling: "Something HAS to be done about Eternal, especially Keres. Like, a toddler? She's a- Toddler!? And just a HUG DID THAT!?"
Anzu Kurosawa: "I don't think there's been anyone like them in FWA. They're just bat-shit weird! Get Lizzie away from them!"
A near-by doctor rushes over to ask Lizzie Rose if she's okay. The camera zooms in and sees on Lizzie's face...
A snide smirk and a devious look in her eye, before she shakes her head and is seemingly back to normal.
The camera fades on the scene.
Rod Sterling: "Well, from one surreal scene to another… I’m not sure what we should expect from what we are about to watch, but it’s time for our Main Event… which, believe it or not, is taking us to Sesame Street.”
Anzu Kurosawa: “I’m pretty excited about this, Rod. This Jackson Fenix vs. Jeremy Best rivalry is one that doesn’t ever seem to want to die and it’s fitting to have this match almost a year to date from last year’s ill-fated Undisputed Amigos Friendship Jamboree.”
Rod Sterling: ”These two haven’t had much interaction since last year’s Back in Business, but last week it seemed as though Jackson Fenix had seen enough of this version of Jeremy, coming out to make the save for Violet Dreyer and challenging Jeremy to this match.”
Anzu Kurosawa: “It was quite bold of Fenix, because you have to think this is a bit of a home field advantage for Jeremy. But we’ve certainly seen a different side of Jackson Fenix over the last few weeks.”
Rod Sterling: ”We certainly have… but there’s no more time to waste. Let’s go ahead and head down… to Sesame Street.”
The screen fades to a familiar scene of many, the streets of Sesame Street. Specifically the exterior setting of one of the main locations featured on Sesame Street, the two story brownstone apartment building with the inviting front stoop at 123 Sesame Street. An FWA wrestling ring has been assembled right in front of the building, taking up the actual street.
Sitting on the stoop are some familiar members of Sesame Street including Elmo, Grover, Abby Cadabby, and Rosita. The green doors open up and Jeremy Best emerges from the building.
Elmo: "Jeremy! Elmo is so happy to see you again!”
Jeremy Best: "Hiya Elmo! It feels good to be back! I just wish it was under better circumstances.”
Rosita: ”Yeah! I can’t believe we’re inviting that guy Jackson Fenix back to Sesame Street! After what happened last time..”
Grover: “Now, now Rosita, it wasn’t all Jackson’s fault! Plus, remember, what today’s letter taught us… F is for Forgiveness.”
Elmo: "Ahh, Elmo does need to learn to forgive.”
Everyone’s attention turns to the left as Jackson Fenix has arrived, walking into Sesame Street with some caution.
Abby Cadabby: “Jackson Fenix has arrived! Welcome back, Jackson.”
Jackson cautiously waves to the muppets on the stoop, but has his eyes locked in on Jeremy. Best slowly walks down the steps, also keeping his eyes on his former friend.
Elmo: "Elmo is very nervous about this.”
Grover: “Okay fellas, let’s take this to the ring!”
Jeremy and Jackson both nod as they head to the ring, climbing in. A blue muppet in a red and white checkered sports jacket also climbs into the ring, with a microphone sewn to his hand. This is “The Announcer” muppet.
The Announcer: "Ladies and gentlemen, muppets and puppets, tonight’s MAIN EVENT is scheduled for ONE FALL and is brought to you by the letter F! In this corner, you have the one… the only… the Protector of the Puppets… The Savior of Sesame Street… Your Best Friend and Mine… THE ONE AND ONLY… JJJJJJJJJJJJEEEERRRRRRREEEEEEMMMMMYYYYY BEST!”
Some piped in cheers happen as Jeremy lifts up his arms and takes in the accolades while Jackson Fenix shakes his head across the ring.
The Announcer: "And his opponent… THIS GUY!”
Loud piped in boos take effect as Jackson Fenix, again, seems unamused. Jeremy Best walks over to The Announcer and whispers in his ear.
The Announcer: "Oh… my apologies… our BFF has just informed me that this man actually deserves an intro. So allow me to introduce you to his opponent, the former friend of Jeremy Best, one quarter of the legendary Undisputed Amigos, and the man who actively stabbed Jeremy Best right in the back… this is… JACKSON FENIX!”
The piped in boos continue as Jackson shakes his head, his hand on his hips. It’s sort of clear that Jackson felt like maybe he deserved some of that as through his disdain for Jeremy, the regret is clear.
Anzu Kurosawa: “I mean, there was some truth to that introduction, if not somewhat unnecessary.”
Rod Sterling: ”That is part of the reason this match is happening in the first place, Anzu. Jackson clearly has a lot of regrets for his actions this time last year.”
FWA Official Larry Steven has made the trip out to Sesame Street, entering the ring in front of 123 Sesame Street in order to call the match. But just as it looks like things are going to get under way, Jackson Fenix walks over and asks for the microphone from The Announcer. The Announcer looks over to Jeremy, who shrugs his shoulders and seems to allow it. The Announcer literally rips the microphone from his felt hand and gives it over to Jackson.
Jackson Fenix: "Jeremy… it was one year ago… that you gave this to me.”
Jackson lifts up his right arm, revealing the Undisputed Amigos friendship bracelet around his wrist. Jeremy’s eyes light up at the sight of the gift he had given his former friend back at the Undisputed Amigos Friendship Jamboree.
Jackson Fenix: "One year ago, I made a mistake. Our friendship… it wasn’t a lie. We had some good times together. And what I did to you… dude, it wasn’t right at all. I get that now. But what you’re doing… what you’ve done to Krash… that isn’t right either. That’s not what friends do. There’s still time to make this right… you gotta let Krash go, man…”
The muppets on the stoop begin to talk amongst themselves, seemingly unaware of what Jackson was referring to about Krash. Meanwhile, Jeremy walks out of the corner of the ring and meets Jackson in the center of the ring. He looks down at the friendship bracelet around Jackson’s wrist.
Jeremy Best: "You kept it? After all this time? You still have it?”
Jackson Fenix: "Yep. And now it’s a reminder of what I did to you. What I’ve driven you to…”
Jackson extends that right arm out to Jeremy.
Jackson Fenix: "How about we forget all about this and we go let Krash go. Get him some real help. Be a real friend.”
Jeremy’s eyes go from Jackson’s hand up to his eyes. Jeremy smiles and he takes Jackson’s hand.
Jeremy Best: "Real friends…”
The friendliness of Jeremy’s eyes disappear as does his smile.
Jeremy Best: "Don’t stab each other in the back!”
Jeremy pulls Jackson down by the arm right into the Friendship Bracelet!
With that swift move from Jeremy, the match is underway and Larry Stevens immediately has to check in on Jackson, as Jeremy leans all the way back, arching his back up to apply pressure to Fenix’s arm. Jackson begins to use his legs to make his way toward the ropes.
Anzu Kurosawa: “No one should ever trust a handshake from Jeremy Best! Under any circumstances!”
Rod Sterling: ”Jackson Fenix could easily tap right here and the match would be over! We saw it happen to Danny Toner in the past! But Jackson is trying to reach the ropes, but this is under Street Fight rules, which means there wouldn’t be a rope break even if he does reach the ropes!”
That realization seems to come across Fenix as he now stops trying to reach the ropes and instead repositions his body to get on top of Jeremy and uses his free left arm to begin punching Best in the side of the head on the mat! Eventually this is enough to get Jeremy to release his grip on Jackson’s arm. Fenix continued to rain down the blows to Jeremy’s upper body, now able to do so using both of his arms.
Trying to escape the wrath of Fenix, Jeremy scurries across the mat, pulling himself up with the ropes but in comes Jackson with a running dropkick that sends Jeremy toppling through the ring to the ground below, right in front of the stoop. Jeremy rolls over, using the stairs on the stoop to help pull himself up.
Elmo: "Tell Elmo it’s not true, Jeremy. Tell Elmo you didn’t do anything to Krash!”
Struggling to his feet, Jeremy shook his head.
Jeremy Best: "Jackson Fenix is a known liar! Don’t believe anything he says! Krash is my best friend and I would never do anything to…”
Jeremy is cut off as Jackson dives out of the ring with a suicide dive, sending both of them into the stairs! The muppets scurry away as Jackson pulls himself up and begins to repeatedly boot Jeremy in the midsection while he sits on the stairs. After multiple stomps, Fenix takes Jeremy by the hair and tosses him back into the ring. Jeremy staggers back to his feet in the ring as Fenix climbs to the apron… springboard high knee to take Jeremy right back down to the mat!
Jackson perhaps could’ve gone for the pin there but instead he stands behind Best, sitting up into an upright position, holding Jeremy’s head with his left hand and he begins to repeatedly drive his right fist down into Jeremy’s forehead, showing no mercy before continuing the onslaught of offense by driving his knee right into the back of Jeremy’s neck. He finally backs off, only to let Jeremy exert the energy to pull himself back up as Fenix takes Jeremy by the arm and pulls him in for a short arm lariat, sending “The Savior of Sesame Street” right back down to the mat!
Fenix goes for the pin this one.
“A ONE! A TWO! A KICKOUT!”
Anzu Kurosawa: “What the Hell was that?”
Rod Sterling: ”It appears we have some company on the call, Anzu.”
The Count: ”Ah ha! Greetings, it is I The Count!”
Anzu Kurosawa: “What the Hell are you doing here?”
The Count: ”To count, of course! Ah ha!”
Anzu Kurosawa: “Well then, of course.”
Best begins to pull himself up to his feet, but Jackson is right there, with a clubbing blow to his back before locking him in a waistlock, looking to hit a German Suplex. However Jeremy battles back with a pair of back elbows to create some distance. But Jackson comes right back at Jeremy as he turns around with a knee to the midsection. Jackson looks for an Irish Whip to Jeremy, but when Jeremy hits the ropes, he hooks the top rope to stop his own momentum… and he ducks out of the ring to the street!
Jackson encourages Jeremy back into the ring, almost daring him… but instead Jeremy shakes his head as he turns and begins to walk away.
Rod Sterling: ”Jeremy doesn’t want anything to do with Jackson Fenix it seems! And with how dominant Fenix has been so far, who can blame him?”
Fenix isn’t about to let that happen as he jumps out of the ring and chases Jeremy down, striking him with a forearm to the back. Spotting a cluster of trash cans next to the 123 Building, Fenix grabs Jeremy and begins to whip him towards the cans, but Jeremy reverses it and sends Jackson crashing into the collection of steel trash cans!
Best staggers over, grabbing one of the cans with both hands, lifting it above his head and bringing it down onto Jackson’s back as he tries to get back up to his feet, sending Jackson down to the ground. Fenix is only down briefly as he begins to pull himself back up again only to have Jeremy come at him with another attempt of a trash can shot, but Jackson telegraphes it with a boot to Jeremy’s midsection!
Jeremy doubles over as Jackson grabs another one of the trash cans and now he flattens it across Best’s back! Best arches his back, crying out in pain as he staggers away, but then comes back with his own can, denting it across Fenix’s head!
???: “What in the world is all that noise!?”
One of the other trash cans still on the ground has its lid open up as Oscar the Grouch pokes his head out.
Oscar the Grouch: ”Jeremy Best? What is the meaning of all this ruckus? I’m trying to get some sleep here!”
Unlike before when Jeremy acknowledged his muppet friends, he seems to completely ignore Oscar’s presence as he has his eyes locked in on Fenix. Jeremy grabs the trash can containing Oscar and his home, and lifts it up in the air.
Oscar the Grouch: ”Woah! Woah! Woah! What’s the big idea! Put my house down! Have you lost your mind?!”
Anzu Kurosawa: “Oh you have no idea.”
Jeremy once again ignores the words from Oscar as he measures up Fenix.
Oscar the Grouch: ”Alright, I can’t watch… I’m outta here!”
Oscar ducks back inside his can as Jeremy moves in for the attack..
But Jeremy counters! SUPERKICK ME BABY ONE MORE TIME into the trash can, sending it back into Jeremy’s chest! Fenix walks over, grabbing Oscar’s trash can and tosses it aside. He drops down and makes the cover!
The Count: ”A ONE! A TWO! A THR - A NO!”
Best rolls to his chest and tries to pull himself up but Jackson is right there with him, trying to lift Jeremy up into a fireman’s carry, but Jeremy rakes the eyes of Jackson! Fenix stumbles backwards as Jeremy fires off a spinkick to the midsection and then leaps up with a diving DDT onto a trash can!
The Count: ”A ONE! A TWO! A THR…A NO!!”
Best slowly pulls himself back up, hitting a pair of chops to Fenix as he also fights his way back up to his feet. Taking a handful of Jackson’s hari, Jeremy pulls Fenix down the street, slamming Jackson head first into Hopper’s General Store door. Fenix stumbles to the side of that building, into the alleyway where a giant bird’s nest was waiting.
Jackson staggers around in the alley, his eyes starting to adjust to the new scenery. Once he realizes what he’s looking at, Jackson’s eyes grow wide.
Anzu Kurosawa: “Jackson Fenix looks like he’s seen a ghost!”
Rod Sterling: ”And for good reason! Jeremy Best is perhaps the only bigger rival than who that nest belongs to… BIG BIRD!”
Anzu Kurosawa: “That’s right and it was Big Bird who provided a huge assist to The Buddy System last year at Back in Business to help them defeat The Undisputed Alliance!”
Jackson rubs his eyes, not wanting to believe what he was seeing. But luckily for him, the nest was currently empty. But Jeremy is there, however, and he attacks Jackson from behind! After some blows to Jackson’s back, Jeremy hooks Jackson and hits him with a vertical suplex INTO THE NEST!
Pulling Fenix back up to his feet, Jeremy begins to set him up, lifting him up and looking for a Piledriver into Big Bird’s nest, but Jackson fights it off and instead he BACKDROPS JEREMY OUT OF THE NEXT TO THE STREET! Jackson stumbles away from the nest, tripping over the edge and down to the ground as well.
From the ground, Jeremy reaches up and grabs at the straw of the giant bird nest, using it to help him pull himself back up to his feet.. Jeremy slowly gets back up with the assistance of that pine straw, but when he turns around, he is met by a charging Fenix…
THE BRITNEY SPEAR BACK INTO THE NEST!
Jackson hooks the leg, going for the pin inside the bird nest!
The Count: ”A ONE! A TWO! A THREE! A NO!!!”
The count is broken up!
Anzu Kurosawa: “It’s BIG BIRD! BIG BIRD makes the save for Jeremy Best!”
Sure enough, the yellow feathered large bird has grabbed Fenix by the foot and pulls him off of Jeremy. Fenix quickly gets back up and turns around, going toe to toe with the bird of his nightmares. And Big Bird strikes first with a feathery elbow to the side of the head followed by a big bird leg to the midsection. Fenix staggers backwards as Big Bird spins around and hits a discuss lariat, taking Fenix down to the ground!
Rod Sterling: ”I didn’t know Big Bird had these kind of moves…”
Big Bird walks over to Jeremy and helps him up to his feet, and then seems to slide something into Jeremy’s pocket before hopping back out of the nest and heading over to Fenix. He pulls Fenix back to his feet as Jeremy perches himself on the side of the giant bird nest. Big Bird lifts Fenix up into a Spinebuster… and Jeremy leaps over him from off the side of the bird nest with a Meteora, driving his knees into Fenix while Big Bird slams him down to the ground!
Bird grabs Jeremy and helps him to get on top of Fenix!
The Count: ”A ONE! A TWO! A THREE! A NO!!!”
Anzu Kurosawa: “It’s BIG BIRD! BIG BIRD makes the save for Jackson Fenix… wait… just… a minute here.”
What seems like deja vu is reality as a SECOND Big Bird has appeared and now pulled Jeremy off of Fenix, stopping the three count!
Rod Sterling: ”Do not adjust your television sets ladies and gentlemen, you are not seeing double. There are, in fact, two Big Birds now in this match!”
The second Big Bird pulls Jeremy up to his feet and before the first Big Bird can get to him, he lays out Jeremy on the ground with a Pop-up Powerbomb!
The first Bird and the second Bird approach one another and they go BEAK TO BEAK! One shoves the other and the other shoves back… and before we knew it, both Birds were exchanging blows! With Jackson and Jeremy both down on the ground, the two brawling Big Birds became the focus of the camera as they brawl out of the alley and back around to the front of Hooper’s General Store. It becomes impossible to now know which one had shown up to help Jeremy and which one had shown up to help Jackson.
But the one Bird leans the other up against the side of the store, right up against the glass window pane. That Bird wears down the other Bird with a forearm, or perhaps a forewing after forewing before backing up…
And charging back in…
RUNNING SPLASH THROUGH THE WINDOW!
Both Big Birds tumble into the store, falling through a pane of glass and then crashing through a display of canned tuna! The camera pans around through the window… both Big Birds heads had come off…
To reveal they had been FAKES! Under one mask was Bryan Baxter and under the other was Nate Savage! But now both are down!
Rod Sterling: ”It seems both Nate Savage and Bryan Baxter had similar ideas on how to help out their partner in this match!”
Meanwhile, Jackson Fenix has now crawled over and makes the cover on Jeremy!
The Count: ”A ONE! A TWO! A SHOULDER UP!”
Sitting up on his knees, Fenix delivers a series of right hands to Jeremy’s head before getting back up and taking Jeremy with him. Now Jackson leads Jeremy back down the street, heading back to 123 Sesame Street where the ring is still waiting for them. Jackson rolls Jeremy under the bottom rope, climbing to the apron and slingshots into the ring with a leg drop!
Fenix jumps back up to his feet, and plays to a crowd that isn’t there as he waits for Best to slowly begin to pull himself up. Fenix then moved in from behind… snap dragon suplex into a bicycle knee combination to follow it up… it’s the Double Shot!
Anzu Kurosawa: “Jackson is on a roll right now and I think Jeremy is in a lot of trouble here, Rod.”
Rod Sterling: ”I think you’re right about that, Anzu. He is measuring up Jeremy once again!”
Fenix is fired up as he pops back up to his feet and heads to the corner of the ring, bending over and motioning for Jeremy to get back to his feet. He had Best lined up for another Britney Spear…
LOW BLOW FROM BEHIND TO FENIX!
Rod Sterling: ”Oh for crying out loud, what now?”
Anzu Kurosawa: “IT’S KRASH! I mean at least a man in a mask that Jeremy Best claims is Krash!”
Fenix grabs at his own crotch, falling to his knees in pain as the man in the white mask featuring a prominent mustache stands tall over him, jumping up and down with excitement. The man who debuted last Fallout has arrived in Sesame Street to help out his friend.
Jeremy sits up on his knees in the ring, noticing “Krash” had arrived and a huge smile crosses his face.
Jeremy Best: ”KRASHY! I KNEW YOU’D COME!”
“Krash” rushes over and helps Jeremy to his feet, the two supposed friends embracing one another with a hug before Best approaches Fenix, who is still on his knees, clutching at his nether regions. Best takes advantage with a stiff kick right to the chest of Fenix. And another, and another as Jeremy unleashes some Friendly Fire combination kicks to Fenix before Jeremy steps aside and invites “Krash” to finish off the combination…
But wait, from under the ring, Jackson Fenix has some back up as Kung Fu Karl emerges! He slides into the ring and goes right after “Krash.”
Rod Sterling: ”The sides have been evened once again!”
Karl and “Krash” go back and forth trading some relatively tame right hands until Jeremy Best comes to his own friend’s aid, attacking Karl from behind. “Krash” and Best double team Karl until Jeremy lifts Karl up onto his shoulders in a Fireman’s Carry. As Jeremy turns his back away from “Krash,” Fenix pulls himself back up and Fenix strikes “Krash” with a Superkick!
BFF to Kung Fu Karl from Jeremy!
Fenix scoops “Krash” up and levels him with the Sing City Hangover!
Best and Fenix both turn to face one another again as their associates roll out of the ring and flop to the ground. The two rivals meet in the center of the ring and begin to exchange heated blows once again! Back and forth they go! Fenix gets the upperhand in the exchange, working Jeremy into the corner and then leaps up and connects with an enziguri! Fenix takes Jeremy by the arm and attempts to whip him into the opposite turnbuckles, but Jeremy reverses it and sends Fenix in instead! Jeremy rushes in with a shotgun dropkick to the cornered Fenix!
Jeremy then lifts Jackson up and places him on the top turnbuckle before beginning to climb up with him. He looks to be going for a top rope hurricanrana, but Jackson begins to fight it off. Jackson hits some forearm shots to Jeremy, but Jeremy comes back with some clubbing blows of his own. Jackson stands up on the top turnbuckle as Jeremy now also steps up… both men trading blows back and forth on the top rope…
UNTIL JACKSON SHOVES JEREMY OFF THE TOP ROPE sending him to the outside, Jeremy’s body crashing into the stoop outside the ring! His back bending awkwardly across the stairs!
Anzu Kurosawa: “Jackson may have just broken Jeremy in half!”
Rod Sterling: ”An ugly fall for Jeremy Best could be a huge turning point right now in favor of Jackson Fenix. But the match has certainly taken its toll on both men.”
Fenix takes a moment to catch his breath as he perches on the top turnbuckle before looking up to the light pole just next to the corner of the ring. Fenix notices the famous Sesame Street sign that is attached to the pole, and he reaches up and begins to jostle with the sign, shifting it back and forth until he is able to pull it down off the pole!
Outside the ring, Jeremy crawls down the stoop and to the ring apron, grabbing the curtain and pulling himself back up enough to roll back into the ring, but Jackson is waiting for him with the Sesame Street sign… and he SMACKS it across Jeremy’s back before driving the edge of the sign right between Jeremy’s eyes!
Jeremy drops to the mat as Fenix drops the sign and makes the cover.
The Count: ”A ONE! A TWO! A THRE… A SHOULDER UP!”
Fenix gets right back up, positioning the sign on the mat as he pulls Jeremy up and sets him up for a Reverse DDT onto the sign… but Jeremy escapes the clutches, spinning around and hits a Northern Lights Suplex out of desperation! But Jeremy is unable to maintain the bridge for the pin and instead rolls over onto his chest, very slowly pulling himself up.
Best grabs the Sesame Street sign himself now as Jackson starts to try and pull himself up, but Jeremy comes up behind him with the sign, placing it around Jackson’s throat! Fenix struggles as he drops to his knees, Jeremy pulling back relentlessly with the sign, his eyes wide and crazed as he continues to apply the pressure to Fenix’s throat.
Fenix's eyes begin to roll back in his head, slowly finding it more and more difficult to sustain his own body weight as he slumps back into Jeremy’s body as Jeremy refuses to release the sign from Jackson’s throat. Larry Stevens comes over and begins to check on Fenix…
Anzu Kurosawa: “This may be it, Rod! Jackson is out!”
Larry Stevens lifts up Jackson’s arm and it falls to the side.
The Count: ”That’s A ONE!”
Larry Stevens lifts up Jackson’s arm again and it falls to the side a second time.
The Count: ”That’s A TWO!”
Larry Stevens lifts up Jackson’s arm a third time…
And it STAYS UP! AND HE REACHES BACK… his hands finding Jeremy’s face and then his eyes! Fenix begins to gouge at Jeremy’s eyes and gets Jeremy to release the sign! Fenix keeps his eyes digging into Jeremy’s eyes as he gets back up to his feet himself and an angered Fenix gives Best a stiff headbutt sending Best stumbling back to the ropes where Fenix clotheslines Jeremy over the top rope! Best crashes to the apron and then to the ground.
Best crawls to the stoop, once again trying to escape the wrath of Jackson as Fenix steps out of the ring and hops down, stalking Jeremy. Best reaches the top of the stoop, grabbing the railing to help himself up…
JACKSON CHARGES UP THE STAIRS AND SPEARS JERMEY INTO THE GREEN DOORS!
Both men crash through the door and into the building!
Jackson makes the cover on Jeremy in the hallway.
The Count: ”A ONE! A TWO! A THREE! AAAAAA NO!!”
Rod Sterling: ”Say what you will about Jeremy Best, but the fact that he is still kicking out after the punishment Jackson has given him in this match says something about him.”
Fenix sits up, some frustration on his face but he grabs Best and begins to pull him back up. Jeremy rakes the face of Fenix once again and begins to stagger down the hallway, making his way into the kitchen, leaning over the counter trying to regroup as Fenix gives chase. Fenix catches up with Jeremy and drives another pair of forearms to Jeremy’s back before locking him in a waistlock, but Jeremy reaches across the counter and finds…
Cookie Monster’s cookie jar! Jeremy grabs the ceramic jar and reaches back with it, SHATTERING IT ACROSS JACKSON’S HEAD!
Anzu Kurosawa: ”Nooo! Not Cookie Monster’s cookie jar! Jeremy has gone too far!”
With Fenix dropping to the ground, Jeremy now went for the cover.
The Count: ”A ONE! A TWO! A THREE! AAAAAA NO!!”
Jeremy Best: ”COME ON!”
Best screams out, venting his frustrations as he glares at the FWA official Larry Stevens, who repeats again that it was only two. He pulls Fenix up, but Fenix begins to battle back once again! The two begin to brawl some more, making their way through the kitchen and back out into the hallway. Jeremy takes Jackson by the hair and begins to head up the stairs. As they go up the stairs, Jackson battles back and then it’s Jackson taking Jeremy by the hair as they go up another flight of stairs and Jackson slams Jeremy into the door at the top of the stairs. The door swings open and Jeremy finds himself staggering back outside, the duo now on the roof of 123 Sesame Street.
Slowly backing away, Jeremy stops as he approaches the edge of the roof, realizing he had nowhere else to run. Jeremy drops down on his knees…
Jeremy Best: ”Jackson… please… maybe we can… work this out…”
Jackson Fenix: "You had that chance, Jeremy… but you’re too far gone…”
Jackson approaches Jeremy, grabbing him by the head… but Jeremy has slide his hand into his pocket and pulls his right arm out and DECKS FENIX with a right hand! Fenix drops like a sack of potatoes as Jeremy gets up, sliding a pair of brass knuckles off his hand.
Anzu Kurosawa: ”Brass Knux!?! From Jeremy?!”
Rod Sterling: ”Apparently a gift from Big Bird Baxter!”
Best pulls Fenix’s body over towards the edge of the building, lifting him up.
Jeremy Best: ”I’m… sorry… old friend… but… you will not come between me and Krash.”
Anzu Kurosawa: ”He’s not going to… is he?”
Rod Sterling: ”Jeremy, no… don’t do this!”
Jeremy lifts Jackson up onto his shoulders in a Fireman’s Carry, walking to the ledge of the building…
???: “Jeremy! Stop!”
Jeremy turns back toward the door they had emerged from to access the roof to find Big Bird… the actual Big Bird this time.
Best is taken by surprise by the appearance, but stands his ground.
Jeremy Best: ”This has to be done! You’ve seen what he did to me!”
Big Bird: ”Stop and think about this, Jeremy. Sure, Jackson has made some mistakes… and we’ve certainly had our differences… but so have you. I know about Krash. This isn’t right, Jeremy.”
Jeremy hangs his head and finally drops Jackson down safely on the roof. Big Bird begins to slowly approach Best.
Big Bird: ”You’re making the right choice. We’re all friends here, Jeremy. We just want to help you. Jackson just wanted to help you. Let us help you.”
Jeremy Best: ”I’m so sorry! What have I done?”
Big Bird: ”There, there, friend.”
Big Bird hugs Jeremy, who has started to slightly sob. Jeremy wraps his arms around the yellow feathered giant, seemingly accepting the warm embrace.
Jeremy Best: ”So… sorry…”
Jeremy suddenly spins with Big Bird in the hug, HIPTOSSING THE BIRD OFF THE ROOF! Big Bird falls from the top of the two story building, crashing into a dumpster down below! Jeremy peers down from the roof, his eyes showing little emotion over what he had just done.
Rod Sterling: ”What… have we just witnessed…”
Jackson Fenix meanwhile has pulled himself back up to his feet in time to witness the heinous act by Jeremy Best. Best turns around…
SUPERKICK ME BABY ONE MORE TIME!
Jeremy is left staggered by the superkick…
Jackson Fenix: "What have you done?!”
ANOTHER SUPERKICK to Jeremy!
Jeremy wobbles backwards, somehow still up but struggling.
Jeremy stumbles some more… his feet now on the edge of the roof… he’s teetering…
Jackson loads up for another Superkick Me Baby One More Time…
But Jeremy was already about to fall off the ledge. He extended out his arm, his emotionless eyes replaced with ones in need. Pleading for the help from his former friend.
Jeremy Best: ”Jackson… please… help…”
The look in his former friend’s eyes is enough to get some sympathy from Fenix as he decides to not pull out another Superkick and instead… grabs Jeremy by the arm just as it looks like Jeremy is going over the edge. He pulls Jeremy back in to safety…
And Jeremy repays him by lifting Fenix up onto his shoulders…
Fenix struggles against the grips of Best, as Jeremy peers over the edge…
But instead of tossing Fenix over, he instead walks back away from the ledge and hits the BFF to Fenix!
Fenix drops to the roof as Jeremy leans over and hooks the leg.
The Count: ”A ONE! A TWO! A THREEEEEE!”
Jeremy sits up to his knees, pulling Fenix’s head over into his clutches as Jeremy repositions himself by crossing his own legs and laying Fenix’s prone head in his lap. Jeremy begins to caress Jackson’s long hair.
Rod Sterling: ”Jeremy Best may truly be an actual monster. I can’t believe what we just witnessed. Jackson Fenix, in a moment of sympathy and compassion for his former friend, saves him from taking the two story plunge and that’s how Jeremy repaid him!”
Anzu Kurosawa: ”Jackson Fenix may have been the last hope of getting back the Jeremy Best we all came to love over the past two years… but this guy… he’s unrecognizable.”
Jeremy Best rocks back and forth as he holds onto Jackson, Jeremy once again starting to sob.
Jeremy Best: ”Thank you… Jackson… maybe you are a good friend after all.”
Jeremy stops his rocking as he looks back down at Jackson’s right arm. He spots the friendship bracelet still clinging to his wrist. Jeremy reaches up and wipes his eyes before he grabs Jackson’s arm and pulls the friendship bracelet off of his arm.
Jeremy Best: ”But… this doesn’t belong to you anymore.”
Jeremy slides the bracelet back onto his own wrist as he stands up and allows Jackson’s head to rest back down gently on the roof. Meltdown comes to a close with the sight of the deranged Jeremy Best limping away from Jackson, walking through the door back into the building. The camera zooms out, giving us one last shot of the damage done at 123 Sesame Street.
Anzu Kurosawa: “No one should ever trust a handshake from Jeremy Best! Under any circumstances!”
Rod Sterling: ”Jackson Fenix could easily tap right here and the match would be over! We saw it happen to Danny Toner in the past! But Jackson is trying to reach the ropes, but this is under Street Fight rules, which means there wouldn’t be a rope break even if he does reach the ropes!”
That realization seems to come across Fenix as he now stops trying to reach the ropes and instead repositions his body to get on top of Jeremy and uses his free left arm to begin punching Best in the side of the head on the mat! Eventually this is enough to get Jeremy to release his grip on Jackson’s arm. Fenix continued to rain down the blows to Jeremy’s upper body, now able to do so using both of his arms.
Trying to escape the wrath of Fenix, Jeremy scurries across the mat, pulling himself up with the ropes but in comes Jackson with a running dropkick that sends Jeremy toppling through the ring to the ground below, right in front of the stoop. Jeremy rolls over, using the stairs on the stoop to help pull himself up.
Elmo: "Tell Elmo it’s not true, Jeremy. Tell Elmo you didn’t do anything to Krash!”
Struggling to his feet, Jeremy shook his head.
Jeremy Best: "Jackson Fenix is a known liar! Don’t believe anything he says! Krash is my best friend and I would never do anything to…”
Jeremy is cut off as Jackson dives out of the ring with a suicide dive, sending both of them into the stairs! The muppets scurry away as Jackson pulls himself up and begins to repeatedly boot Jeremy in the midsection while he sits on the stairs. After multiple stomps, Fenix takes Jeremy by the hair and tosses him back into the ring. Jeremy staggers back to his feet in the ring as Fenix climbs to the apron… springboard high knee to take Jeremy right back down to the mat!
Jackson perhaps could’ve gone for the pin there but instead he stands behind Best, sitting up into an upright position, holding Jeremy’s head with his left hand and he begins to repeatedly drive his right fist down into Jeremy’s forehead, showing no mercy before continuing the onslaught of offense by driving his knee right into the back of Jeremy’s neck. He finally backs off, only to let Jeremy exert the energy to pull himself back up as Fenix takes Jeremy by the arm and pulls him in for a short arm lariat, sending “The Savior of Sesame Street” right back down to the mat!
Fenix goes for the pin this one.
“A ONE! A TWO! A KICKOUT!”
Anzu Kurosawa: “What the Hell was that?”
Rod Sterling: ”It appears we have some company on the call, Anzu.”
The Count: ”Ah ha! Greetings, it is I The Count!”
Anzu Kurosawa: “What the Hell are you doing here?”
The Count: ”To count, of course! Ah ha!”
Anzu Kurosawa: “Well then, of course.”
Best begins to pull himself up to his feet, but Jackson is right there, with a clubbing blow to his back before locking him in a waistlock, looking to hit a German Suplex. However Jeremy battles back with a pair of back elbows to create some distance. But Jackson comes right back at Jeremy as he turns around with a knee to the midsection. Jackson looks for an Irish Whip to Jeremy, but when Jeremy hits the ropes, he hooks the top rope to stop his own momentum… and he ducks out of the ring to the street!
Jackson encourages Jeremy back into the ring, almost daring him… but instead Jeremy shakes his head as he turns and begins to walk away.
Rod Sterling: ”Jeremy doesn’t want anything to do with Jackson Fenix it seems! And with how dominant Fenix has been so far, who can blame him?”
Fenix isn’t about to let that happen as he jumps out of the ring and chases Jeremy down, striking him with a forearm to the back. Spotting a cluster of trash cans next to the 123 Building, Fenix grabs Jeremy and begins to whip him towards the cans, but Jeremy reverses it and sends Jackson crashing into the collection of steel trash cans!
Best staggers over, grabbing one of the cans with both hands, lifting it above his head and bringing it down onto Jackson’s back as he tries to get back up to his feet, sending Jackson down to the ground. Fenix is only down briefly as he begins to pull himself back up again only to have Jeremy come at him with another attempt of a trash can shot, but Jackson telegraphes it with a boot to Jeremy’s midsection!
Jeremy doubles over as Jackson grabs another one of the trash cans and now he flattens it across Best’s back! Best arches his back, crying out in pain as he staggers away, but then comes back with his own can, denting it across Fenix’s head!
???: “What in the world is all that noise!?”
One of the other trash cans still on the ground has its lid open up as Oscar the Grouch pokes his head out.
Oscar the Grouch: ”Jeremy Best? What is the meaning of all this ruckus? I’m trying to get some sleep here!”
Unlike before when Jeremy acknowledged his muppet friends, he seems to completely ignore Oscar’s presence as he has his eyes locked in on Fenix. Jeremy grabs the trash can containing Oscar and his home, and lifts it up in the air.
Oscar the Grouch: ”Woah! Woah! Woah! What’s the big idea! Put my house down! Have you lost your mind?!”
Anzu Kurosawa: “Oh you have no idea.”
Jeremy once again ignores the words from Oscar as he measures up Fenix.
Oscar the Grouch: ”Alright, I can’t watch… I’m outta here!”
Oscar ducks back inside his can as Jeremy moves in for the attack..
But Jeremy counters! SUPERKICK ME BABY ONE MORE TIME into the trash can, sending it back into Jeremy’s chest! Fenix walks over, grabbing Oscar’s trash can and tosses it aside. He drops down and makes the cover!
The Count: ”A ONE! A TWO! A THR - A NO!”
Best rolls to his chest and tries to pull himself up but Jackson is right there with him, trying to lift Jeremy up into a fireman’s carry, but Jeremy rakes the eyes of Jackson! Fenix stumbles backwards as Jeremy fires off a spinkick to the midsection and then leaps up with a diving DDT onto a trash can!
The Count: ”A ONE! A TWO! A THR…A NO!!”
Best slowly pulls himself back up, hitting a pair of chops to Fenix as he also fights his way back up to his feet. Taking a handful of Jackson’s hari, Jeremy pulls Fenix down the street, slamming Jackson head first into Hopper’s General Store door. Fenix stumbles to the side of that building, into the alleyway where a giant bird’s nest was waiting.
Jackson staggers around in the alley, his eyes starting to adjust to the new scenery. Once he realizes what he’s looking at, Jackson’s eyes grow wide.
Anzu Kurosawa: “Jackson Fenix looks like he’s seen a ghost!”
Rod Sterling: ”And for good reason! Jeremy Best is perhaps the only bigger rival than who that nest belongs to… BIG BIRD!”
Anzu Kurosawa: “That’s right and it was Big Bird who provided a huge assist to The Buddy System last year at Back in Business to help them defeat The Undisputed Alliance!”
Jackson rubs his eyes, not wanting to believe what he was seeing. But luckily for him, the nest was currently empty. But Jeremy is there, however, and he attacks Jackson from behind! After some blows to Jackson’s back, Jeremy hooks Jackson and hits him with a vertical suplex INTO THE NEST!
Pulling Fenix back up to his feet, Jeremy begins to set him up, lifting him up and looking for a Piledriver into Big Bird’s nest, but Jackson fights it off and instead he BACKDROPS JEREMY OUT OF THE NEXT TO THE STREET! Jackson stumbles away from the nest, tripping over the edge and down to the ground as well.
From the ground, Jeremy reaches up and grabs at the straw of the giant bird nest, using it to help him pull himself back up to his feet.. Jeremy slowly gets back up with the assistance of that pine straw, but when he turns around, he is met by a charging Fenix…
THE BRITNEY SPEAR BACK INTO THE NEST!
Jackson hooks the leg, going for the pin inside the bird nest!
The Count: ”A ONE! A TWO! A THREE! A NO!!!”
The count is broken up!
Anzu Kurosawa: “It’s BIG BIRD! BIG BIRD makes the save for Jeremy Best!”
Sure enough, the yellow feathered large bird has grabbed Fenix by the foot and pulls him off of Jeremy. Fenix quickly gets back up and turns around, going toe to toe with the bird of his nightmares. And Big Bird strikes first with a feathery elbow to the side of the head followed by a big bird leg to the midsection. Fenix staggers backwards as Big Bird spins around and hits a discuss lariat, taking Fenix down to the ground!
Rod Sterling: ”I didn’t know Big Bird had these kind of moves…”
Big Bird walks over to Jeremy and helps him up to his feet, and then seems to slide something into Jeremy’s pocket before hopping back out of the nest and heading over to Fenix. He pulls Fenix back to his feet as Jeremy perches himself on the side of the giant bird nest. Big Bird lifts Fenix up into a Spinebuster… and Jeremy leaps over him from off the side of the bird nest with a Meteora, driving his knees into Fenix while Big Bird slams him down to the ground!
Bird grabs Jeremy and helps him to get on top of Fenix!
The Count: ”A ONE! A TWO! A THREE! A NO!!!”
Anzu Kurosawa: “It’s BIG BIRD! BIG BIRD makes the save for Jackson Fenix… wait… just… a minute here.”
What seems like deja vu is reality as a SECOND Big Bird has appeared and now pulled Jeremy off of Fenix, stopping the three count!
Rod Sterling: ”Do not adjust your television sets ladies and gentlemen, you are not seeing double. There are, in fact, two Big Birds now in this match!”
The second Big Bird pulls Jeremy up to his feet and before the first Big Bird can get to him, he lays out Jeremy on the ground with a Pop-up Powerbomb!
The first Bird and the second Bird approach one another and they go BEAK TO BEAK! One shoves the other and the other shoves back… and before we knew it, both Birds were exchanging blows! With Jackson and Jeremy both down on the ground, the two brawling Big Birds became the focus of the camera as they brawl out of the alley and back around to the front of Hooper’s General Store. It becomes impossible to now know which one had shown up to help Jeremy and which one had shown up to help Jackson.
But the one Bird leans the other up against the side of the store, right up against the glass window pane. That Bird wears down the other Bird with a forearm, or perhaps a forewing after forewing before backing up…
And charging back in…
RUNNING SPLASH THROUGH THE WINDOW!
Both Big Birds tumble into the store, falling through a pane of glass and then crashing through a display of canned tuna! The camera pans around through the window… both Big Birds heads had come off…
To reveal they had been FAKES! Under one mask was Bryan Baxter and under the other was Nate Savage! But now both are down!
Rod Sterling: ”It seems both Nate Savage and Bryan Baxter had similar ideas on how to help out their partner in this match!”
Meanwhile, Jackson Fenix has now crawled over and makes the cover on Jeremy!
The Count: ”A ONE! A TWO! A SHOULDER UP!”
Sitting up on his knees, Fenix delivers a series of right hands to Jeremy’s head before getting back up and taking Jeremy with him. Now Jackson leads Jeremy back down the street, heading back to 123 Sesame Street where the ring is still waiting for them. Jackson rolls Jeremy under the bottom rope, climbing to the apron and slingshots into the ring with a leg drop!
Fenix jumps back up to his feet, and plays to a crowd that isn’t there as he waits for Best to slowly begin to pull himself up. Fenix then moved in from behind… snap dragon suplex into a bicycle knee combination to follow it up… it’s the Double Shot!
Anzu Kurosawa: “Jackson is on a roll right now and I think Jeremy is in a lot of trouble here, Rod.”
Rod Sterling: ”I think you’re right about that, Anzu. He is measuring up Jeremy once again!”
Fenix is fired up as he pops back up to his feet and heads to the corner of the ring, bending over and motioning for Jeremy to get back to his feet. He had Best lined up for another Britney Spear…
LOW BLOW FROM BEHIND TO FENIX!
Rod Sterling: ”Oh for crying out loud, what now?”
Anzu Kurosawa: “IT’S KRASH! I mean at least a man in a mask that Jeremy Best claims is Krash!”
Fenix grabs at his own crotch, falling to his knees in pain as the man in the white mask featuring a prominent mustache stands tall over him, jumping up and down with excitement. The man who debuted last Fallout has arrived in Sesame Street to help out his friend.
Jeremy sits up on his knees in the ring, noticing “Krash” had arrived and a huge smile crosses his face.
Jeremy Best: ”KRASHY! I KNEW YOU’D COME!”
“Krash” rushes over and helps Jeremy to his feet, the two supposed friends embracing one another with a hug before Best approaches Fenix, who is still on his knees, clutching at his nether regions. Best takes advantage with a stiff kick right to the chest of Fenix. And another, and another as Jeremy unleashes some Friendly Fire combination kicks to Fenix before Jeremy steps aside and invites “Krash” to finish off the combination…
But wait, from under the ring, Jackson Fenix has some back up as Kung Fu Karl emerges! He slides into the ring and goes right after “Krash.”
Rod Sterling: ”The sides have been evened once again!”
Karl and “Krash” go back and forth trading some relatively tame right hands until Jeremy Best comes to his own friend’s aid, attacking Karl from behind. “Krash” and Best double team Karl until Jeremy lifts Karl up onto his shoulders in a Fireman’s Carry. As Jeremy turns his back away from “Krash,” Fenix pulls himself back up and Fenix strikes “Krash” with a Superkick!
BFF to Kung Fu Karl from Jeremy!
Fenix scoops “Krash” up and levels him with the Sing City Hangover!
Best and Fenix both turn to face one another again as their associates roll out of the ring and flop to the ground. The two rivals meet in the center of the ring and begin to exchange heated blows once again! Back and forth they go! Fenix gets the upperhand in the exchange, working Jeremy into the corner and then leaps up and connects with an enziguri! Fenix takes Jeremy by the arm and attempts to whip him into the opposite turnbuckles, but Jeremy reverses it and sends Fenix in instead! Jeremy rushes in with a shotgun dropkick to the cornered Fenix!
Jeremy then lifts Jackson up and places him on the top turnbuckle before beginning to climb up with him. He looks to be going for a top rope hurricanrana, but Jackson begins to fight it off. Jackson hits some forearm shots to Jeremy, but Jeremy comes back with some clubbing blows of his own. Jackson stands up on the top turnbuckle as Jeremy now also steps up… both men trading blows back and forth on the top rope…
UNTIL JACKSON SHOVES JEREMY OFF THE TOP ROPE sending him to the outside, Jeremy’s body crashing into the stoop outside the ring! His back bending awkwardly across the stairs!
Anzu Kurosawa: “Jackson may have just broken Jeremy in half!”
Rod Sterling: ”An ugly fall for Jeremy Best could be a huge turning point right now in favor of Jackson Fenix. But the match has certainly taken its toll on both men.”
Fenix takes a moment to catch his breath as he perches on the top turnbuckle before looking up to the light pole just next to the corner of the ring. Fenix notices the famous Sesame Street sign that is attached to the pole, and he reaches up and begins to jostle with the sign, shifting it back and forth until he is able to pull it down off the pole!
Outside the ring, Jeremy crawls down the stoop and to the ring apron, grabbing the curtain and pulling himself back up enough to roll back into the ring, but Jackson is waiting for him with the Sesame Street sign… and he SMACKS it across Jeremy’s back before driving the edge of the sign right between Jeremy’s eyes!
Jeremy drops to the mat as Fenix drops the sign and makes the cover.
The Count: ”A ONE! A TWO! A THRE… A SHOULDER UP!”
Fenix gets right back up, positioning the sign on the mat as he pulls Jeremy up and sets him up for a Reverse DDT onto the sign… but Jeremy escapes the clutches, spinning around and hits a Northern Lights Suplex out of desperation! But Jeremy is unable to maintain the bridge for the pin and instead rolls over onto his chest, very slowly pulling himself up.
Best grabs the Sesame Street sign himself now as Jackson starts to try and pull himself up, but Jeremy comes up behind him with the sign, placing it around Jackson’s throat! Fenix struggles as he drops to his knees, Jeremy pulling back relentlessly with the sign, his eyes wide and crazed as he continues to apply the pressure to Fenix’s throat.
Fenix's eyes begin to roll back in his head, slowly finding it more and more difficult to sustain his own body weight as he slumps back into Jeremy’s body as Jeremy refuses to release the sign from Jackson’s throat. Larry Stevens comes over and begins to check on Fenix…
Anzu Kurosawa: “This may be it, Rod! Jackson is out!”
Larry Stevens lifts up Jackson’s arm and it falls to the side.
The Count: ”That’s A ONE!”
Larry Stevens lifts up Jackson’s arm again and it falls to the side a second time.
The Count: ”That’s A TWO!”
Larry Stevens lifts up Jackson’s arm a third time…
And it STAYS UP! AND HE REACHES BACK… his hands finding Jeremy’s face and then his eyes! Fenix begins to gouge at Jeremy’s eyes and gets Jeremy to release the sign! Fenix keeps his eyes digging into Jeremy’s eyes as he gets back up to his feet himself and an angered Fenix gives Best a stiff headbutt sending Best stumbling back to the ropes where Fenix clotheslines Jeremy over the top rope! Best crashes to the apron and then to the ground.
Best crawls to the stoop, once again trying to escape the wrath of Jackson as Fenix steps out of the ring and hops down, stalking Jeremy. Best reaches the top of the stoop, grabbing the railing to help himself up…
JACKSON CHARGES UP THE STAIRS AND SPEARS JERMEY INTO THE GREEN DOORS!
Both men crash through the door and into the building!
Jackson makes the cover on Jeremy in the hallway.
The Count: ”A ONE! A TWO! A THREE! AAAAAA NO!!”
Rod Sterling: ”Say what you will about Jeremy Best, but the fact that he is still kicking out after the punishment Jackson has given him in this match says something about him.”
Fenix sits up, some frustration on his face but he grabs Best and begins to pull him back up. Jeremy rakes the face of Fenix once again and begins to stagger down the hallway, making his way into the kitchen, leaning over the counter trying to regroup as Fenix gives chase. Fenix catches up with Jeremy and drives another pair of forearms to Jeremy’s back before locking him in a waistlock, but Jeremy reaches across the counter and finds…
Cookie Monster’s cookie jar! Jeremy grabs the ceramic jar and reaches back with it, SHATTERING IT ACROSS JACKSON’S HEAD!
Anzu Kurosawa: ”Nooo! Not Cookie Monster’s cookie jar! Jeremy has gone too far!”
With Fenix dropping to the ground, Jeremy now went for the cover.
The Count: ”A ONE! A TWO! A THREE! AAAAAA NO!!”
Jeremy Best: ”COME ON!”
Best screams out, venting his frustrations as he glares at the FWA official Larry Stevens, who repeats again that it was only two. He pulls Fenix up, but Fenix begins to battle back once again! The two begin to brawl some more, making their way through the kitchen and back out into the hallway. Jeremy takes Jackson by the hair and begins to head up the stairs. As they go up the stairs, Jackson battles back and then it’s Jackson taking Jeremy by the hair as they go up another flight of stairs and Jackson slams Jeremy into the door at the top of the stairs. The door swings open and Jeremy finds himself staggering back outside, the duo now on the roof of 123 Sesame Street.
Slowly backing away, Jeremy stops as he approaches the edge of the roof, realizing he had nowhere else to run. Jeremy drops down on his knees…
Jeremy Best: ”Jackson… please… maybe we can… work this out…”
Jackson Fenix: "You had that chance, Jeremy… but you’re too far gone…”
Jackson approaches Jeremy, grabbing him by the head… but Jeremy has slide his hand into his pocket and pulls his right arm out and DECKS FENIX with a right hand! Fenix drops like a sack of potatoes as Jeremy gets up, sliding a pair of brass knuckles off his hand.
Anzu Kurosawa: ”Brass Knux!?! From Jeremy?!”
Rod Sterling: ”Apparently a gift from Big Bird Baxter!”
Best pulls Fenix’s body over towards the edge of the building, lifting him up.
Jeremy Best: ”I’m… sorry… old friend… but… you will not come between me and Krash.”
Anzu Kurosawa: ”He’s not going to… is he?”
Rod Sterling: ”Jeremy, no… don’t do this!”
Jeremy lifts Jackson up onto his shoulders in a Fireman’s Carry, walking to the ledge of the building…
???: “Jeremy! Stop!”
Jeremy turns back toward the door they had emerged from to access the roof to find Big Bird… the actual Big Bird this time.
Best is taken by surprise by the appearance, but stands his ground.
Jeremy Best: ”This has to be done! You’ve seen what he did to me!”
Big Bird: ”Stop and think about this, Jeremy. Sure, Jackson has made some mistakes… and we’ve certainly had our differences… but so have you. I know about Krash. This isn’t right, Jeremy.”
Jeremy hangs his head and finally drops Jackson down safely on the roof. Big Bird begins to slowly approach Best.
Big Bird: ”You’re making the right choice. We’re all friends here, Jeremy. We just want to help you. Jackson just wanted to help you. Let us help you.”
Jeremy Best: ”I’m so sorry! What have I done?”
Big Bird: ”There, there, friend.”
Big Bird hugs Jeremy, who has started to slightly sob. Jeremy wraps his arms around the yellow feathered giant, seemingly accepting the warm embrace.
Jeremy Best: ”So… sorry…”
Jeremy suddenly spins with Big Bird in the hug, HIPTOSSING THE BIRD OFF THE ROOF! Big Bird falls from the top of the two story building, crashing into a dumpster down below! Jeremy peers down from the roof, his eyes showing little emotion over what he had just done.
Rod Sterling: ”What… have we just witnessed…”
Jackson Fenix meanwhile has pulled himself back up to his feet in time to witness the heinous act by Jeremy Best. Best turns around…
SUPERKICK ME BABY ONE MORE TIME!
Jeremy is left staggered by the superkick…
Jackson Fenix: "What have you done?!”
ANOTHER SUPERKICK to Jeremy!
Jeremy wobbles backwards, somehow still up but struggling.
Jeremy stumbles some more… his feet now on the edge of the roof… he’s teetering…
Jackson loads up for another Superkick Me Baby One More Time…
But Jeremy was already about to fall off the ledge. He extended out his arm, his emotionless eyes replaced with ones in need. Pleading for the help from his former friend.
Jeremy Best: ”Jackson… please… help…”
The look in his former friend’s eyes is enough to get some sympathy from Fenix as he decides to not pull out another Superkick and instead… grabs Jeremy by the arm just as it looks like Jeremy is going over the edge. He pulls Jeremy back in to safety…
And Jeremy repays him by lifting Fenix up onto his shoulders…
Fenix struggles against the grips of Best, as Jeremy peers over the edge…
But instead of tossing Fenix over, he instead walks back away from the ledge and hits the BFF to Fenix!
Fenix drops to the roof as Jeremy leans over and hooks the leg.
The Count: ”A ONE! A TWO! A THREEEEEE!”
Winner: Jeremy Best by pinfall at 27:13.
Jeremy sits up to his knees, pulling Fenix’s head over into his clutches as Jeremy repositions himself by crossing his own legs and laying Fenix’s prone head in his lap. Jeremy begins to caress Jackson’s long hair.
Rod Sterling: ”Jeremy Best may truly be an actual monster. I can’t believe what we just witnessed. Jackson Fenix, in a moment of sympathy and compassion for his former friend, saves him from taking the two story plunge and that’s how Jeremy repaid him!”
Anzu Kurosawa: ”Jackson Fenix may have been the last hope of getting back the Jeremy Best we all came to love over the past two years… but this guy… he’s unrecognizable.”
Jeremy Best rocks back and forth as he holds onto Jackson, Jeremy once again starting to sob.
Jeremy Best: ”Thank you… Jackson… maybe you are a good friend after all.”
Jeremy stops his rocking as he looks back down at Jackson’s right arm. He spots the friendship bracelet still clinging to his wrist. Jeremy reaches up and wipes his eyes before he grabs Jackson’s arm and pulls the friendship bracelet off of his arm.
Jeremy Best: ”But… this doesn’t belong to you anymore.”
Jeremy slides the bracelet back onto his own wrist as he stands up and allows Jackson’s head to rest back down gently on the roof. Meltdown comes to a close with the sight of the deranged Jeremy Best limping away from Jackson, walking through the door back into the building. The camera zooms out, giving us one last shot of the damage done at 123 Sesame Street.
