WRESTLEFEST XIX

[EWC]

WARNING: This live event contains strong coarse language (L), and intense violence (V) which may be unsuitable for younger viewers. None of the matches you are about to watch have been predetermined. Only some of the thematic story-lines have been discussed beforehand. Accordingly, EWC and it's producers must insist that no one attempt to recreate or re-enact any match or activity performed in this live event.

T H E  E X T R E M E  W R E S T L I N G  C O R P O R A T I O N  P R E S E N T S
A  Q U A D  B R A N D  P A Y - P E R - V I E W  E V E N T

WRESTLEFEST XIX

4 DAY WRESTLING FESTIVAL

Brought to you by Under Armour, PS5 and Dr Pepper 

LIVE! from the Estádio do Maracanã in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil‎

---

---

4-DAY WRESTLING FESTIVAL
FEATURING: LIVE BANDS, FOOD TRUCK WARS, MULTIPLE WRESTLING RINGS, AUTOGRAPH BOOTHS AND MUCH MORE
WrestleFest is a professional wrestling pay-per-view event, produced annually in December/January by the Extreme Wrestling Corporation (EWC) The event was first produced in 1998, since then, EIGHTEEN editions of WrestleFest have been produced thus far, with WrestleFest 19 (XIX) to be held in 2021. The products of the EWC's television shows are tailored to reach their climax at WrestleFest, which sees contests for the company's championship titles, specialty and gimmick matches. Participation in a WrestleFest match, and especially the main event, is considered by many wrestlers and fans alike as one of the greatest achievements and symbols of professional success. While most WrestleFests have been held in sports arenas in major cities, a number of them have been held in large stadiums. The format of WrestleFest is built upon the main event matches for the EWC Undisputed Championship. A select number of other championship titles are also contested, while there are several gimmick matches, submission matches, ultimate submission matches and personal feud matches on the card. As was the case in 2019 with WrestleFest XVII, and in 2020 with WrestleFest XVIII, WrestleFest XIX will take place over a 4 day period and will be a true Wrestle-FEST. The events will begin on Friday and end on Monday at center stage. There will be multiple wrestling rings, live bands, Superstar autograph booths, Food Truck wars and more during the 4 day event. There will also be scheduled matches on each of the 4 days.

WRESTLEFEST XIX: DAY 1 - FRIDAY

Commentators: Marcus Woo & Valentina Gomez
Backstage Reporter: Pepper Montana

Announcer: Nina Dobrev
Senior Referee: Toyo Yasahiro
Referees: John Dean & Niklaus Forbes

"WHO GONNA STOP ME" by ALIBI begins to blast throughout Estádio do Maracanã in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Video footage detailing historic events over the EWC's Twenty Four year history.

From March 1997 all the way down to the most recent episodes of Monday Night Brawl, Friday Night Rampage, Paramount Wrestling and EWC Prime!

Images of previous EWC Champions are shown, starting with the very first Champion Black Ninja, then moving onto Big Danny Mac and Steve "The Predator" Bennett. Sped up footage then shows a special montage of Memphis Reigns, Shadow Man, Hirsh Valentine, Jesse Nunez, Hurricane Jeff, Moses Lake, James Chambers, BDC, Jay Cee, Stray, Gladiator, The Rev, Drake, Xplode, Luke Wolfe, Natalie Young, Candy, Dominic Sanders, Cyrus Black, Melody Malone, Scorpio, Xavier Reid, Jordan Sharpe, Stitches and Ace King all with the EWC Undisputed Championship.

This is followed by highlights of showcasing current EWC Champions:


Ace King
Xavier Reid
Melody Malone
David Miller
Narumi Tsutsumi
Tyler Bradford
Samantha Hamilton
James Keaton
Scorpio
El Pablo
Rushin' Roulette

The opening pyros hit and here we go.

The energy in Rio de Janeiro is breathtaking as the crowd is absolutely electrifying in their uproar of cheers.

Spotlights circle around the Stadium as the tens of thousands of fans in attendance are shown in a wide angle shot. The camera then pans back out showing a full-scale view of the jam-packed Estádio do Maracanã and shows the setups of dunk tanks, autograph stations, food trucks, music stages and then zooms in on some crazy fans. The crowd is rowdy, chanting the company's namesake at such a loud volume that it's a wonder that the music can be heard at all.

EWC

EWC

EWC

EWC


EWC

Fireworks emit outside Estádio do Maracanã and then all around the ring while a fog machine covers the venue in a red, green, orange and blue haze! Fans stand up, pumping their fists and raising signs as the camera feed pans to each one of them. One last round of fireworks blast out now, and we turn our attention to Marcus Woo and Valentina Gomez.

Woo: Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to WrestleFest XIX! I'm Marcus Woo alongside Valentina Gomez, and we are excited for what's in store for you this weekend here in beautiful Rio de Janeiro!

Gomez: That's right Marcus, it's the most amazing and insane four day Festival of Wrestling that is WrestleFest and we are here with the nineteenth edition! Over this weekend we close out Season 22 with sights to see from all around the Estádio do Maracanã and beyond, and of course it wouldn't be a wrestling festival without the wrestling! Championships and opportunities to get into title contention are on the line all throughout the weekend including matches for nearly every championship all culminating in a wild Four-Way Ladder Match for the Undisputed Championship! Add in some wars involving cages, kendo sticks, houses of fun and ladders and we need four whole days just to fit it all in!

Woo: Today kicks the weekend off and we have a huge US Title Clash between Melody Malone and her challenger .. HBO Broadcast Champion "The Titaness" Samantha Hamilton!

Gomez: We also have Darius versus Adriana Aquilla to determine the number two contender to the X-Division championship and Damage Inc versus the newly named Eleos Affect in a House of Fun Match! 

Woo: We have Tommy Burton versus Darna Dare with the winner becoming the new number one contender to the EWC United States Championship, and to kick things off .. 

Gomez: .. We have a huge seven person cage match where they can and will tear each other apart just for a shot at their brands Broadcast Championship. 

Woo: But before all that .. I'm being told that it's time to hit the music! 

"Coming Undone" by Korn begins to blast over the speakers in the stadium and the fans of Rio de Janeiro begin to chant and cheer

Woo: And it looks like we're going to kick things off with the man himself, President Mac!

President Mac makes his way down to the ring

Gomez: The fans here definitely love themselves some President Mac. I think I just saw a female fan faint .. but she also looked drunk, so she might have just passed out. It's only ten in the morning lady! 

President Mac is now standing ringside and pauses for a moment to collect his thoughts as he's sees the thousands in attendance is is taken back by the reception he's gotten.

Mac: Bom Dia .. Bom Dia .. Bom Dia! Como estamos nos sentindo a todos?

The fans in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil erupt in cheers!

Mac: From the bottom of my heart, thank you for being here with us this morning. To all those watching around the world, welcome to WrestleFest NINETEEN! I can't believe it. Next year the EWC turns twenty-five, and we have so many surprises in store. We already know that the EWC Undisputed Championship will be on the line at next years Rumble .. we know that the Insanity Cage at next years Night of Champions will feature every singles champion battling it out trying to punch their ticket to WrestleFest to face to EWC Undisputed Champion. We also know that we'll be debuting two new shows next season. Our brand new Development brand, NEXTGEN. And .. EWC UNCHAINED is making a comeback. We've got lots of excitement for next season .. but guess what? This Season isn't done yet!

Mac pauses, smiles and waits for the cheers to die down.

Mac: We have four days of Wrestling ahead of us. Four days of absolute insanity. Four days of fun. I want to thank everyone who has helped us pull this off yet again. The crew and everyone backstage, thank you - and all of our EWC Superstars, who will be putting it all on the line for you over the next four days .. thank you! That's it from me for now .. I'll be seeing you all weekend. I look forward to meeting many of you, interacting with many of you, and maybe getting soaked in the dunk tank because of many of you .. Mac laughs .. So thank you  and I hope you enjoy WrestleFest .. vamos festejar!!!!!!

Mac drops the mic to a huge pop from the fans

Woo: Well there you go folks, you heard from the man himself .. he's excited, the fans are excited, my nipples

Marcus looks down.

Woo: Yep .. excited. It's WrestleFest Day One Baby!

Gomez: We've got so much in store for you all today, and ultimately, across all four days .. but we wouldn't be our normal selves if we didn't hear from EWC TV before moving on to anything else .. so lets get that out of the way shall we. We'll be right back to more WrestleFest action .. after this word from EWC TV! 

The fans continue to chant and cheer as we fade to a brief word from EWCTV.

---

---

---

---

WHAT IS EWCTV?

• All live EWC Pay-Per-View events (including StrangleMania, Night Of Champions, EWC Rumble, WrestleFest)
• All day scheduled live programming
• Plus, hours and hours of on-demand content & never before seen behind-the-scenes footage!
• Groundbreaking original series - See new episodes of BRAWL, RAMPAGE, PARAMOUNT WRESTLING, EWC PRIME and more
• Live in-ring action, reality shows and documentaries

HOW TO ORDER

Get the award-winning EWC Network through your TV provider. Call your local TV Provider today to subscribe.
Only $7.95/month

WATCH ONLINE

If you are subscribed to EWC Network through your TV Provider you can now enjoy EWC Network on your:
PC, Laptop, Playstation, mobile app or tablet.

EWCTV for only $7.95 USD per month

Along with being an EWCTV Subscriber, you get:
EVERY Pay-Per-View event included at no extra charge
15% off any and all EWC Merchandise from the EWC Store
20% off all tickets to LIVE EWC Shows
A free EWC Yearly Wall Calendar signed by the entire active EWC Roster

As an added bonus for all those currently subscribed including any new subscriptions
Receive a FREE copy of WRESTLEFEST XIX DVD and Blu-Ray combo when it's released early next year
+ free T-Shirt and Replica EWC Undisputed Championship belt.

So act now if you aren't already subscribed to EWCTV

---

---

In the still morning on Friday, December 17th just outside the city of Estádio do Maracanã in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Zack Tyler sits on a large boulder that is located on the side of the road, sitting under a tree that is overlooking a scenic view of sunlight in the distance. Reflecting on what will be happening over the next few days for the EWC company, Zack reaches into his pocket and pulls out his cell phone and phone stand as he begins to record a video.

Of course, this video will be submitted across Social Media which then undoubtedly would get back to EWC management and all who view it. He began to speak in a calm voice although visibly he was disturbed because of the incident (which will be explained) but let's get to the video so you can see what I mean.

Adjusting the microphone lapel on his shirt collar and the image of Zack is then seen. He proceeds to talk as in the picture, himself and the scenery is in full view. Zack then speaks in a slowly and methodical voice as the camera begins to zoom in on Zack's face.

Zack Tyler: The E...W...C, let me introduce myself...again.  I come from a lineage where only a select have been chosen to represent. I was taught under a technique that is looked at by the industry as cursed but is highly reverenced and sacred. Taught by a man whose name cannot be mentioned, I now bring everything here to you the E...W...C and directly to you, Brawl. See, for it is you who I will call home and it is you who will learn that my name is Zack Tyler and unlike before...

He pauses, turning his head for a moment before turning his attention back to us.

Zack Tyler: Now you're going to get to hear me. Those who do not hear, will be made to hear.

Turning his head from the camera and looking off in the distance, he slowly begins to smile as if crazed or deranged or something is wrong, but the camera begins to fade to a Black screen but statics? A quick glimpse of a Red circle enclosed around a Left palm print flashes across the screen, before the camera continues to power off.

[EWC]

The warm sun glistens in the sky as Ruby Clifton and her associate Black Velvet are exploring the festival. They see all kinds of booths. As they are walking around the grounds. Velvet taps Ruby on the shoulder.

Ruby Clifton : What is it Vel? 

Black Velvet: Look

Velvet points as Ruby notices a ring toss booth. Velvet nods her head as the duo make their way towards it. Ruby tubs her hand together as she is looking at all the stuff animals she can win.

Ring Toss Booth Runner: Step right up and see if you can toss a ring and have it land on a bottle. Do that and you can win a prize!

Ruby Clifton: Sounds easy

The Booth runner smirks as Ruby picks up her first ring. She tosses it at the front bottle. It lands perfectly but the booth runner pretends not to see it.

Booth Runner: Better luck next time. 

Black Velvet grabs the guy by his shirt collar as Ruby hops up onto the booth counter. She pulls down a giant teddy bear then hops back off. Velvet let's him go as Ruby is holding the giant bear in her arms. The duo decides to leave after tossing the booth runner into his own bottles.

[EWC]

MATCH 1 - 11:00 AM

TAG TEAM | HOUSE OF FUN MATCH

 Damage Inc

VS The Eleos Affect
MATCH WRITER: EWC Staff Assistant: Em

---

We return to ringside where we see Marcus and Valentina standing by.

Woo: Earlier we saw Ruby Clifton have a smashing time but that is nothing compared to what we have for you now!

Gomez: It's a House Of Fun Match between Damage Inc and the newly minted team of Antoni Malietoa and KU, now known as The Eleos Affect. 

Dobrev: The following match, set for one fall, is a House Of Fun Match. Joining us first, fighting out of the Fear Factory Dojo and weighing in at a combined 725 lbs... Malice... MAYHEM... DAMAGE INCORPORATED!!!

The light pulses like lightning and Lacey Savage appears wearing a skull bandanna that covers her lower face. When the lightning pulses again a thick smoke rolls in, and from the smoke come two huge figures dressed in matching leather jackets that reach all the way to their matching boots. The two men are wearing full face masks that look like skulls. Each skull face is partially covered by a bandanna, outlaw style. The two men flank Lacey and they all come to stand in the center of the stage.

Removing their masks the group marches in lock step down the ramp to the ring.  Once between the ropes the group clusters together in a tight huddle to go over their final game plan, each member sizing up their opponents and getting ready for a war.  Malice holds the ropes open for Lacey before the bell rings where she takes her place at ringside where she prepares to aid her team however she can.

“Warrior” by Atreyu begins to blare through out the Estádio do Maracanã  

Dobrev: Coming to the ring, at a combined weight of 484 pounds… "The Black Tree of Sapporo" and "The Samoan Warrior"… THE ELEOS AFFECT!!!

Antoni Malietoa walks out first, head down as he gets prepared for the battle about to commence. KU walks out next and stops next to his partner, his arms folded over his chest. Small streaks of pyro go off as Antoni raises his head and lets out a battle cry to get himself and the crowd pumped! The pair then begin the walk down the aisle as the music continues. Once they make it to ringside, Antoni grabs the top rope and pulls himself to the apron as KU methodically takes the stairs. Antoni steps over the top rope as KU enters through the middle and top ropes. The pair stand side by side as Antoni lets out another battle cry, knowing that war is about to commence.

DING DING DING

There is total carnage to start as all four brawl as soon as the bell rings. They eventually pair off with Mayhem fighting KU while Antoni battles Malice on the other side of the ring. Mayhem whips KU off the ropes but Malice catches him with a Back Elbow leaving him open for Malice to blast KU with a clothesline. Malice heads to the other battle where Antoni sees him coming. He stops Malice at the pass with some open hand strikes and elbows. Mayhem hits Antoni with an Axe Handle. They lay into him with more punches before whipping Antoni off the ropes. Antoni comes back with a boot to the side of Malice's head. Mayhem fires a Superkick at Antoni who blocks it by catching Mayhem's foot allowing KU to appear smacking a chair across Mayhem's shoulder blades. KU attacks Mayhem with a series of forearm smashes. Mayhem blocks one but all that does is give Antoni space to rush toward Mayhem with a Spear. Antoni rises to his feet, turns, and walks into a Spinebuster from Mayhem onto the chair!

Woo: That looked painful!!

Gomez: When spine meets steel it's never anything else.

KU smacks Mayhem with a European uppercut and follows with a series of roundhouse kicks to the gut. Mayhem ducks one and grabs KU for a Side Suplex but drops Ku on his face before grabbing a baseball bat from the weaponry. KU gets to his feet long enough to be smashed in the ribs by the bat sending him back to the mat. Mayhem places a foot on KU's shoulder as he lifts the bat aiming for KU's head. Antoni grabs Mayhem in a Chinlock but Mayhem turns booting Antoni low. Mayhem follows with a DDT. KU runs at Mayhem who catches KU with a Bearhug. Mayhem squeezes as hard as he can before throwing KU through the air where Malice hits a Spinebuster. Malice smacks KU in the face with forearms as Mayhem sets up a table. Malice lifts KU for a Powerbomb but KU dives off Malice's shoulders onto Mayhem with a cross body that sends both men through the table!!

Woo: What a sensational counter!

Gomez: I need to disagree. He put himself through the table as well. That may cost him.

Malice drags KU from the wreckage and hits a pop-up Samoan Drop. He holds on for the cover!

ONE...




TWO...




THR... NO! KICK OUT!

Antoni dives into the ring and at Malice to break the count! He then rolls to the outside before grabbing a trash can, placing it in the middle of the ring. Malice punches him on the side of the head and whips Antoni off the ropes. Antoni ducks a clothesline, then grabs an unaware Malice, dropping him with a Uranage onto the trash can. Antoni with the cover now...

ONE...




TWO...




THR... NO! KICK OUT!

Mayhem is able to pull Antoni off Malice to break the count. Antoni gets to his feet and boots Mayhem in the head before rolling to the outsdie, grabbing a table and setting it up on the ringside area. He drags Mayhem and lays into him with elbows before grabbing a chair and whacking Mayhem in the head with it. Antoni slides back into the ring but Malice is back on his feet and puts the boots to him. Malice runs off the ropes looking for a lariat but Antoni runs at Malice, hitting a running a knee into Malice's gut. On the outside, KU places a second table on top of the first and slides into the ring. Antoni Irish Whips Malice as KU leaps into the air for a Spinning Heel Kick. Malice reverses the whip and KU accidentally kicks his own partner! KU takes a moment to look at his downed partner before turning to Malice. It costs him. Malice takes advantage of the distraction by lifting KU for a Gorilla Press but brings him down for a Powerslam, following through with a cover...

ONE...




TWO... 




THR... NO! KICK OUT!

KU gets a shoulder up to break the count. Malice gets to his feet and then runs off the ropes looking for another lariat, but runs into a leaping leg lariat from KU that sends him to the mat. KU then drops onto Malice with multiple elbow Drops/ Malice gets to his feet clutching his chest which gets even more painful when KU Chops him hard across the chest. KU runs off the ropes and leaps over Malice with a Stunner that allows KU to make the cover!!

ONE...




TWO...




THR... NO! KICK OUT!

Woo: The momentum seems to be shifting here as Ku is firmly in control, but that was a close cover! 

Gomez: That it was but with Malice's partner, Mayhem still down, he may not be able to withstand much more.

As if he heard commentary, Mayhem grabs KU and brings him to his feet, hitting a Butterfly Suplex. Malice then grabs KU and forces him to feel the full force of Shock and Awe. KU lays flat on the canvas as Mayhem makes the cover.

ONE...




TWO...




THR... NO! KICK OUT!

Antoni smacks Mayhem with a chair to break the count. Malice confronts Antoni and fires a Right Hand. Antoni ducks and catches Malice with a chop bock to the back of the knee. As he goes down, KU hits a Lariat to the back of the neck and makes a cover.

ONE...




TWO...




THR... NO! KICK OUT!

Woo: I thought that was it! How is this still going?

Gomez: Both teams with a lot of fight left in them!

All four pull themselves to their feet in a tense standoff. Soon the battle rages on with Mayhem fighting KU while Antoni battles Malice. Mayhem backs KU into a corner while Antoni does the same with Malice. Mayhem lifts KU to the top turnbuckle. Antoni with Malice. Bot attempt Superplexes. Both are countered. Both are reversed. All four go crashing through the stacked up tables at ringside. The referee dives to the outside to check on the participants. He looks at Antoni and Malice, neither man moving... He runs to the other side of the ring to check on KU and Mayhem, but they are both motionless... A moment of nothing goes by before the referee is waving in the air with both hands.

DING DING DING

He runs over to the timekeeper are where Nina Dobrev is wiating to hear from him. He says something into her ear before she addresses the EWC Nation.

Dobrev: Ladies and Gentlemen. All four men are unresponsive at ringside, therefore the referee has made a decision and elected to call this contest A DRAW!

Referees, officials and EMTs rush to the scene. The begin to untangle these four mammoth men from the metal and wood that all crumpled in the impact at ringside. KU and Malice are eventually helped up the ramp by officials. Antoni and Mayhem are placed on stretchers and are wheeled to waiting ambulances.

Woo: Ladies and gentlemen, this is not the start to WrestleFest anyone wanted. This was a cracking contest and you never want to see anyone taken away like that. I hope and pray that all are soon found to be fit and well.

Gomez: It's an ominous sight to see and it's a reminder, as we have some violent contests over this weekend, just how dangerous professional wrestling can be.

Woo: That is it for us right now. We will be back at one with the Mac Invitational Cage Match as seven will compete for a chance at their brand's broadcast championship. 

Gomez: Between now and then, there will be plenty of chances to catch up with the goings on backstage and if we have it, we'll bring you updates on Damage, Inc and The Eleos Affect.

The camera fades out...

[EWC]

Roisin Cadieux enters the dimly lit loading bay at the back of the arena. They had been searching for isolation in preparation for the Mac Invitational Cage match, getting themselves centered and focused. They pass by a stack of crates, failing to notice a particular tattooed and spike-haired guest leaning against them, her arms and legs crossed in a very relaxed posture.

Rebel Rhodes: Sup, Roisin.

The muscles in Roisin’s neck visibly stiffen in surprise. A quick turn on their heels to see their opponent patiently awaiting a response. A quick rub of their face, Roisin attempts to shake off the sudden tension. After a quick breath, the Fighting Rose throws on a composed smile.

Roisin Cadieux: Ms. Rhodes…I’m hoping this isn’t an ill-tempted strategy of trying to take a few shots before the match. I know seven people is a big number but I will assure you, just in case, that it will do you no favors.

She offers up a little chuckle and shrugs.

Rebel Rhodes: Rosy, I’d never do that. For one, ain’t no fun in it and for two, it ain’t even sporting. Nah, out of everyone in this match, you’re the only one I really have any kind of questions for. You’ve gotta’ be one of the most gifted talkers I’ve run across in a long time and I’m surprised nobody’s signed you sooner. Watched your match with Doug and that poor bastard was left just inches away from being human jelly by the time you were done with him. Color me curious.

Roisin crosses their arms as they arch back a bit. A contemptuous roll of their tongue over their teeth and a gaze shifting quickly from right to left before Roisin bites.

Roisin Cadieux: That was Doug’s own damn fault and the fault of management. Someone twice as put together as him would be a tough sell to let in the ring, he was an inevitable liability to the company. I merely hurried the process. And while I appreciate the flattery I guess, I will give you fair warning. I am the wrong person to be curious about. It isn’t good for anyone’s health.

There is a flatness in their voice that is emphasized in the end with raised eyebrows while Roisin pauses for effect and response. Many thoughts roll through the Rebel’s head as she listens to him, pondering choices. Instead of doing what was expected for the type of response that is so easily mocked, she instead takes another route.

Rebel Rhodes: You want your mystery, I get that. The walking question with no answer is harder to figure out than the one who wears the answers on their sleeves. I will say this though, you could’ve pinned that guy and been done with that match a dozen times over. Everyone here at some point in their lives was a Doug in a Barrel, green as goose shit and just trying to make a living to feed their families and pay their bills. Did you enjoy what you did? A little sadism get you going in the morning?

She pushes off the boxes, stepping only a couple of feet closer to Cadieux. She looks them over for a moment, gauging their body language and looking for all the little ticks and twitches when they choose to respond. There is a smoldering stillness. Roisin stares daggers in the midst of conjuring a response.

Roisin Cadieux: This isn’t about bills. Want to pay bills? Be a plumber. Pipe-fitters have better unions than this. Trying to feed somebody? Then trade stocks or visit a food shelf. There are choices to be made and consequences to be had. I didn’t beat the shit out of Doug because I liked it. I was pissed. Did doing it make me feel better?

Roisin shrugs.

Roisin Cadieux: I reckon I broke even. Look, if you have a real question then out with it. I am not here for riddles or therapy. I’ll say I respect you more than Doug, because this wouldn’t have lasted half as long if it was him playing Sherlock.

She’s still as relaxed as when this all began, nodding and listening to every word Roisin has to say.

Rebel Rhodes: We all have dreams, don’t we? Not everyone wants to be a plumber, a stock broker, or depending on the old food shelves. Wrestling is about making dreams come true and fighting for what you want. Some of us get crushed in the pursuit, no lie, but tell me, what’s your dream, Roisin? ‘Cause you got the look of someone that is seeking meaning in life and maybe you’ve found a small hint of that through violence. Come on, fill in some blanks.

Roisin shakes their head.

Roisin Cadieux: No, no, no. I’m not playing this game.

Uncrossing their arms, Roisin points to Mel, stressing an accusatory stance.

Roisin Cadieux: What gives you the goddamn right to ask? You think you deserve to know?

Melinda gives a little nod, her lips screwed ever so slightly with a look of acknowledgement on her face.

Rebel Rhodes: You got a point there. What business is it of mine? I'm just a nosy bitch asking questions. Thing is, I don’t usually go asking anything of anyone. Just this once though, I wanted to make an exception. Maybe I’m wrong for that and if so, I offer up an apology.

A harsh laughter erupts from Roisin.

Roisin Cadieux: I don’t accept. You don’t get to have my forgiveness after a little regret! You want to know what my deal is? My dreams and motivations? If I crave violence or if I am just treading water and lashing out? Here’s an answer for you. Every monolith of legend I see is a target. Every armed bear trap is a challenge. Not a single monument dedicated to greatness gets to be left standing. My dreams are made up of the end.

They lean in close to Rhodes with a prolonged exhale.

Roisin Cadieux: I’ve seen and spoken to God. And he says I can destroy anything I want.

At first she appears as if absolutely blown away by this revelation, her eyes wide as saucers. Was she shocked? Dismayed? Utterly amazed? Suddenly she reaches out and pats their shoulder with a huge smile on her face, amusement glittering in those hazel eyes.

Rebel Rhodes: There, was that so hard?

A snarl crawls onto Roisin’s lips as they take a step back.

Roisin Cadieux: You’re not dumb, Ms. Rhodes. In fact your curiosity proves that well enough. You are about to step into a cage. I suggest you don’t get distracted. Wouldn’t want you to get knocked half-dead again before I tear the victory right out of your hands.

There’s a coy little smirk on her face.

Rebel Rhodes: Listen, I know I got a check about to be cashed on this face during that match by you, but hell, It’s totally worth it bud. Just remember one thing, I ain’t locked inside that cage with you and six other motherfuckers. Ya’ll are locked in there with ME.

That smirk becomes a rather wicked smile, a dangerous gleam in her eye as she backs away from Roisin.

[EWC]

The camera finds Mitch Heart hanging at the back talent entrance to the arena. Partially crouched, he seems to be talking to a young girl with dirty blonde hair in a ponytail sporting a penguin shaped backpack. The large bunch of EWC branded balloons in her hand threatens to obscure the picture, and the cameraman zooms a bit closer.

Mitch: Hey, squirt. You having fun?

??: Yeah! I got a ton of balloons and this one truck was selling this yummy corn and I ate like three of them.

Mitch: Attagirl. Staying safe?

Folding her arms to the best of her ability without freeing her balloons, the girl rolls her eyes.

??: Duh. I remembered everything you told me. Don’t talk to strangers, tell you right away if I see anybody shady. But nobody’s been shady or creepy that I’ve seen, Mitch.

Mitch: Okay. Here.

Reaching into his pocket, Mitch pulls out a lanyard, a VIP access pass secured onto the attached clip. There was a photograph of the child on it, along with the name ‘PENELOPE HEART’.

Mitch: This’ll get you in through this entrance. My match is gonna be coming up in an hour so I gotta get in here in a little bit to get ready. You gonna be okay by yourself in the audience, Pen?

Pen: Yeah! You worry too much. I can take care of myself, I’m tough’s you, you know.

Mitch: I know.

Lacing the lanyard around Pen’s neck, Mitch exhales a plume of smoke away from her and grinds the cigarette out against the wall.

Mitch: Don’t forget to check your sugar before you sit down. I showed you earlier where the bathrooms are, and the medical station just in case.

Pen: I will. … Don’t worry, Mitch. You’re gonna do great. Those other guys don’t stand a chance, you’re gonna kick all their butts.

Mitch: Thanks for the vote of confidence.

Chuckling, Mitch leans down and kisses the girl on the cheek, sending her off with a wave before sighing and turning to Ace Heart, who emerges from behind the cameraman with a microphone.

Ace Heart: Ace Heart here with the smartly named Mitch ‘The Broken’ Heart. It’s an hour before the Mac Invitational cage match, and I have to ask you… who was that?

Mitch: My kid sister. Is that a relevant question at all?

Put on the spot for letting his curiosity get the better of him, Ace scratches the back of his head sheepishly before clearing his throat, rebounding professionally.

Ace Heart: Anyway. As I said. The cage match is in an hour, and you have a lot to address. Will there be an alliance of any sort between you and Roisin Cadieux? Were you serious about disfiguring Shaker Jones? And do you think you might be taking the likes of Ruby Clifton and Xander Wolfe too lightly?

Mitch rolls his shoulders, expression deadpan.

Mitch: That’s a lot of questions. Lucky for you I have pretty damn good answer for all of them. Want to hear it?

Ace Heart: Yes, please.

The cold, neutral expression on the Broken’s face cracks into a smirk.

Mitch: Watch the fucking match and see for yourself. Later.

Turning away, Mitch heads into the building, leaving the interviewer somewhat agape.

Ace Heart: Um, we'll be back soon with more from WrestleFest.

The camera cuts away  

[EWC]

We open up backstage to The Love Club locker room. A slightly miffed Titaness is the first thing we see as she crosses her arms over her chest.

Hamilton: Really guys? Really? I said I was preparing ...

A ghost of a smirk spreads on her face as she places her hands on either side of her.

Hamilton: I've honestly said most of what I need to, but ... I suppose I can indulge you all long enough. So ... the Queen assumes I'm not adding new things? That I don't say or do new things?

The Queen has quickly made herself look like a huge Fool. And she answered her own question as to why I don't always 'say anything new or creative'. It's because she made herself join the many other broken records in this company. Doubly so with losses. I'm not going to say they don't matter. But at the moment -- literally right here, right now? No. No, they do not. What does ... is the outcome of tonight's main event. And Melody?

With how much you proved yourself to be like Scorpio? I know exactly what to do with you. As well as you guys. Now ... excuse me.

Sam stands up, calmly walking to the door as she begins to close it.

Hamilton: Don't say I didn't warn you. If I get what I want, not only will you leave tonight without the United States Championship, but you'll fail in obtaining the Undisputed Championship. It won't be your fairytale WrestleFest at all, nope. It'll be your nightmare version you get. The Queen needs to be lowered to the status of a peasant ... and humbled. It does one wonders.

Sam winks at the camera before closing the door completely. The camera fades. 

[EWC]

MATCH 2 - 1:00PM

MAC INVITATIONAL I (CAGE MATCH)
Winner gets a Broadcast Championship Match at the Season Premier

Mitch "The Broken" Heart
Rebel Rhodes
Roisin Cadieux
Ruby Clifton
Shaker Jones
Tanja Devereaux
Xander Wolfe

MATCH WRITER: Calamity Nguyen

---

We return to ringside; or cageside, as a forbidding structure now awaits the participants.

Woo: This next match is sponsored by the Federal Bureau of Prisons, and by the good folk of Barter Town. Seven violent criminals enter, one of them leaves. Alive, if they're lucky.

Gomez: Not just lucky, but skilled! Only the most violent of these guerreros and guerreras will walk away with a broadcast title shot next season. There's going to be pain, there's going to be blood! I can't wait!

Dobrev: The following match is the first Mac Invitational, and is a cage match. Joining us first, from Rome, Georgia, weighing in at one hundred and forty five pounds ... "THE REBEL STAR" MELINDA RHODES!

#I'M BAAAAACK FROM THA' DEEEEEAAAAAAADDDDD!!!

The lights dim and "Back from the Dead" by Halestorm plays over the P/A speakers. With a pyro explosion, the Rebel bounds from the curtains and onto that stage with a wicked grin. She sports her ring gear, a red leather vest with her winged star logo, aviator shades, and fingerless gloves. She strides down to ringside, slides through the open door into the cage, pops up and throws a three fingered salute to the fans!

Dobrev: And her opponent, from Rockford, Illinois, weighing in at one hundred and ninety three pounds ... "THE FIGHTING ROSE" ROISIN CADIEUX!

DEVILMAN by EXOCIETY creeps on to the PA System while lights and screen pulse red and black to the warped piano notes. There is a short pause of silence before the beat spills into the arena. Roisin Cadieux flashes on the titantron as they step through the curtain and onto the ramp.

Taking a slight gaze around the arena, Roisin makes their way to the ring in a hunched and distrusting stroll. They roll into the cage and walk to the far corner, placing their forehead against the turnbuckle, appearing to say something to themselves before clambering onto the cage wall, staring out into the crowd.

I got ice in my veins, blood in my eyes
Hate in my heart, love in my mind

Dobrev: And their opponent, from Detroit, Michigan, weighing in at two hundred and fifteen pounds ... MITCH "THE BROKEN" HEART!

‘Drop The World’ thumps through the speakers as Mitch Heart saunters out from the back, tense as a coiled spring. His icy eyes flick around at the crowd, and he rolls his shoulders as he stalks down the ramp, seizing the bottom rope and pulling himself up to the apron, ducking between the cables as he enters the ring proper, cracking his neck and shifting his weight from foot to foot.

Dobrev: From New Orleans, Louisiana, weighing in at one hundred and fifteen pounds ... TANJA DEVEREAUX!

Pyros hit as Videos of bustling crowds in various locations of New Orleans appear on the X-Tron as "Daughters of Darkness" by Halestorm blasts on the P.A. system. Tanja comes out onto the top of the ramp in a style compared to Gail Kim during her early time in TNA before heading down the ramp with some of her black leather coat flows at her feet while the mix of boos and jeers and cheers from the crowd fills the arena. She slaps hands with a few fans at ringside before she reaches the bottom of the ramp.

Tanja walk up towards the cage and enters via the door, putting one hand to the cage wall as she mounts it. She poses as she does her usual taunt with a hand and arm in the air as "Daughters of Darkness" continues to play. Tanja drops down as she removes the leather coat and throws it to an attendant outside the cage.

Dobrev: From Boston, Massachusetts, weighing in at two hundred and thirty pounds ... "THE BOLLOCKS" SHAKER JONES!

Shaker comes through the crowd looking like a wild thing before heading to ringside so he can enter the cage.

Dobrev: From Parts Unknown, weighing in at two hundred and twenty five pounds ... XANDER WOLFE!

The lights cut out as the NWO Wolfpac theme starts, after the howl "Of Wolf and Man" by Metallica hits and blue lights shine as Xander Wolfe slowly walks out from the back and starts to make his way to the cage.

--and then is sent tumbling down the ramp, head over heels, as seventh entrant Ruby Clifton slams both feet into his back! A woman possessed, she tumbles into a roll and follows her floored opponent, grabbing a handful of his hair and pulling him toward the cage with her, screaming at the attendants to hold the door open. Bending Wolfe over, she kicks him in the face several times and then shoves him through the door into the ring, scrambling inside herself before the bell tolls.

Woo: Well! I guess the Gaijin Assassin, Ruby Clifton, doesn't want us to know how much she weighs.

DING DING DING

Wolfe stumbles upright, holding himself against the cage. Cadieux and Devereaux pace warily in their respective corners, watching Clifton get to her feet. Mitch Heart, however, has eyes only for Shaker Jones. The 24/7 champion beckons him on, smirking. Heart obliges, charging in with his fists cocked and loaded-- and then collides with a shoved Xander Wolfe! Clifton lets out a screeching laugh, using the momentum from the shove to run at Rebel Rhodes!

Rhodes is almost blindsided as she searches the ring for the eighth competitor, but manages to fall back against the cage, narrowly avoiding Ruby's flying lariat; the Velvet Ropes. Clifton collides with the steel and rebounds, snatched into a reverse frankensteiner by the countering Rebel. Skull Tattoo! Instinctively, Rhodes goes to cover before realizing that there are no pinfalls in this match! 

Across the ring, Mitch Heart untangles himself from Xander Wolfe and whips him toward the cage wall. Ever opportunistic, Tanja Devereaux lunges from the relative shadows to floor the running man with a roundhouse kick, smoothly dragging him back upright into a Tiger Suplex that rattles the cage. Xander's bad day is unending as Tanja catches him on the rebound, draping him over her shoulders and absolutely devastating the unfortunate man with Legba's Spirit!

Heart is now busy with Shaker Jones, the men grappling for supremacy and trading sharp little hits, dirty boxing their way around the outside of the cage. Yet-unfazed, Roisin Cadieux hops down from their seat upon a turnbuckle, and beckons to Melinda Rhodes as she turns from stomping a mudhole into Ruby Clifton. Rhodes grins, and circles her challenger.

Getting the better of Jones, Mitch Heart proceeds to punish the other man exactly as promised. A full-bodied left hook forcing Shaker to take a knee, whereon he's hauled upright into a Heartbreaker, choking on his own breath as it's forced from his body. Before his prey can fall, Heart spins him around and throws an ugly kick to the midsection, putting his weight behind it to drive Shaker against the cage wall. A couple of brisk rabbit punches follow, the second impact drawing a spray of crimson that only spurs Heart on; he begins to rake his opponent's face repeatedly against the chain links.

Roisin Cadieux goes for a running bicycle kick on Rhodes, but doesn't get all of it. The Rebel drops into a baseball slide, taking Cadieux out at the knees. She springs up to continue the assault, but is intercepted by Devereaux and Wolfe. The latter seems to have wised up to his situation, and works with the Cajun Queen, the duo hitting Rhodes with a mean Dragon Suplex/big boot combo that scatters her momentarily to the winds. Tanja smiles, punches Wolfe between the eyes, and teep kicks him toward Ruby Clifton, who is waiting with a big, malicious grin on her own lips.

"My turn!" Cackles the little psychopath, pointing at Mitch Heart as she rams Wolfe into the chain with one hand. She pulls him back, rakes him across the eyes, and then jumps on his back, using this mounted position to force him against the cage wall, throwing in the occasional crossface blow. There's no satisfying spray of blood this time, but the deep scratches on Wolfe's face begin to ooze as Clifton hops down and springboards off the nearby ropes, hitting the Shiny New Tools!

Devereaux's prior dominance is threatened now by Roisin Cadieux, who appears to have the Wicked Witch's number. Ducking a whipping kick, they open their assault with a jumping neckbreaker, throwing their body forward with an unmatched intensity. Tanja bounces off the mat, and Cadieux turns into a ready crouch. Their frame vibrates as they wait the moment it takes a game Devereaux to rise, and then they surge upright into a full rotation, the tip of their elbow all but decapitating the Cajun Queen with the Irish Revolutionary Anger! Their momentum carries them both against the cage, and they fall together.

Her prey brutally handled, Ruby Clifton points at Rebel Rhodes. The veteran rocker scrapes a thumb against the tip of her own nose and smirks, obliging the Gaijin Assassin with a boisterous charge. The bait taken, Clifton closes the snare, twisting as she seizes the incoming haymaker and jams Rhodes' arm against the cage wall. A quick mule kick keeps Rebel in place, and Clifton spins into a short-arm lariat, targeting the neck with a singular ferocity. Rhodes goes down in a heap, but before she can fully capitalize Ruby is dragged away by Shaker Jones and Xander Wolfe.

A flurry of kicks and punches incapacitate the struggling Clifton long enough for Jones to pick her up and toss her at Wolfe, who is waiting with something we never see; screeching like a harpy, Ruby wraps herself around his extended arm, and rides him like an out-of-order bucking bronco. Tilting and whirling, she emerges from her own hurricane with a massive DDT. AnniSlam! Wolfe is OUT! Ruby rises straight into a flying forearm smash from Shaker Jones. He presses the attack, shoving the much smaller woman off of the cage and popping her up into the Fulton Reed! The hellacious European uppercut drops Clifton. Roaring in triumph, Shaker Jones starts to climb.

Woo: Jones beginning his climb! 

Gomez: He may want to get a move on. I think Rebel Rhodes has spotted him.

Rebel Rhodes and Mitch Heart fire each other a cautious glance, and then both begin their ascent after Jones. The two are quicker than the one, and as the 24/7 champion starts to pull himself over the lip, both his ankles are grabbed. Heart merely pulls him down, but Rebel uses the extra leverage to make her way further up the cage, drawing level with Shaker. Her balance is in doubt, but she doesn't need long to push away with both feet and turn, catching Jones in mid-air with a face lock and hauling him down, down, into the canvas with a Shot Through The Heart! The crowd explodes!

Predatory Clifton is watchful, and takes this moment to retrieve Mitch from the cage, following the mammoth collision with another, seconds later, as she drops The Broken with a leaping reverse DDT!

Tanja and Roisin have brawled their way into the other half of the ring, Devereaux meticulous against the sporadic fury of her opponent. Her shots land mostly on the body, targeting the organs, wearing Cadieux down. Though clearly in pain, they seem to be accepting the woman's punishments, eating whatever she gives them and responding with a thousand defiant cuts. Frustration knits the brow of the Cajun Queen, as she raises her arms to block a flurry to the head, using her forearms to push her lithe and bruised foe away, whipping a kick to the liver that sends them, inescapably, to their knees. She retreats as if satisfied, giving Cadieux the space to recover, baiting them in with an apparently-lowered guard.

Few could resist. Cadieux pushes themselves up on a trembling arm, loading up the other fist as they step into a beautifully-searing spinning backfist. The Claimh Solais. In the instant before it lands, Devereaux smiles. WHAM! For the second time, they hit the floor together, Roisin stretched out with the striking arm now trapped in a crucifix. With her hooks in, Tanja shows no sign of releasing the Gris Gris; in moments, Cadieux begins to scream.

Across the ring, Rhodes and Xander Wolfe trade shots against the cage as a disheveled Mitch Heart takes Ruby Clifton apart on pure instinct, interrupting a savage combination by the maddened minx with a kick to the gut and a crunching headbutt. Cadieux's screaming has intensified now, though it seems equally pained and impassioned, the grimace on his lips disquietingly enraptured by the torture inflicted by Devereaux. Heart wheels from his fallen foe and shakes his head at this scene, taking swift steps toward the grounded pair before dropping a fist into the Cajun Queen's skull. She hisses in protest, releasing a gasping Cadieux to clutch at her forehead. Heart pulls her upright, softening her gut with a knee.

Melinda Rhodes bobs and weaves around an infuriated Wolfe, before dropping him with another Diamond Cutter. She holds on, and starts to flip through into the Rebel Star Slayer, but is caught from behind and dragged into a suplex by Shaker Jones! Still exhausted from the Rebel's earlier efforts, he is slow to recover, and both find their feet together, each going for a clinch simultaneously and breaking into a hockey fight in the corner.

Mitch Heart goes to Drop The World on Tanja Devereaux, hooking her for a cradle suplex. The Cajun Queen fights back, managing to turn them both before she's taken for a ride, her legs pushing against the cage wall. Mitch holds on as he's sent stumbling, still fighting for his finisher. A deft adjustment in grip from Tanja sees her pull her legs down, and she counters into a reverse STO. They're close to the cage; Heart's head catches it on the way down, the whole structure rattling as he's RIPPED open! Devereaux surges to her feet and grabs the cage with one hand, looking upwards.

Still entangled with Shaker Jones, Rhodes suddenly finds herself spun around. Shaker stumbles back in the confusion, as Cadieux comes in with a fierce sucker punch across the Rebel's jaw. It lands like a gunshot, her lip busted open as she collapses to her knees. Roisin scowls down at her, as he steps over to seize Shaker Jones in a front face lock, hopping up into a brief bodyscissors and turning the pair of them away from Rhodes. With a sharp yell, he takes the 24/7 champion down with the DDT; Day of the Tiles! Behind them, Melinda Rhodes shakes off the cobwebs, wiping the blood from her chin as she mouths, "totally worth it!" Laughing, she hops upright and turns to meet Cadieux.

Tanja Devereaux is halfway up the cage, but much like Mitch Heart before her she's interrupted by Ruby Clifton. Game to this new challenge, the Gaijin Assassin uses Devereaux as a climbing frame, grabbing her limbs and then hair to pull herself over the Cajun Queen. Cursing in Creole, Tanja hangs from the cage by one arm as she grabs Clifton by the throat. Ruby chokes, saliva bubbling from between her lips, and with fierce desperation contorts against the chain link, rebounding into a modified Ruby Vision; hitting the Shining Wizard right between the eyes. Devereaux is launched off the cage; but her grip doesn't loosen, and Clifton comes with her, their bodies entangling as they go down hard! BOOOOM!!

Woo: You can hear that all around this arena but they felt it and, from here, it doesn't look like it felt good. 

Gomez: I feel their pain just looking at the replay!

Exhausted and soaked in blood, Shaker Jones is back to his feet, met by a similarly-wounded - if moderately less bloody - Xander Wolfe. Eager to share his state, Jones takes him down and hooks him up for the TMNT, using the brutalizer to introduce Wolfe's less-ravaged face to the cage wall. A recovered and crimson Mitch Heart is only too keen to help, basement dropkicking Jones into Wolfe, Wolfe into the steel. Heart forcefully parts the pair, taking hold of Shaker Jones, hitting him with a Heartbreaker then a massive boot to the nose. There's blood everywhere.

Cadieux and Rhodes are trading holds, the more experienced Rebel gaining supremacy as she hauls Roisin around with counter-holds and Judo tosses. Cadieux looks worn down as they bounce to their feet from a Tomoe Nage, clutching the cage for stability. Rhodes cracks her knuckles and grins, licking at her own blood. Cadieux tilts their head, a thoughtful if distinctly violent glare shot around the ring before settling upon their foe. She steps forward, and they lunge beneath her, hitting the opposite side of the ring then coming back running. Their lithe frame ripples into a surging knee strike, leaping to connect with Rhodes' face. Flight of the Wild Geese! Rhodes goes down with Cadieux an active passenger, stretching out their body to land atop her with wild forearms, smashing and bashing with a maddened intensity.

Cadieux is hauled up by Mitch Heart, shaking his head as he packs the smaller fighter into a cradle suplex. Drop the World! He's canny not to maintain the pin, but instead sits up in time to spot an incoming Tanja Devereaux. Wide-eyed, Mitch tries and fails to dodge the woman's running knee strike. It hits with pinpoint accuracy, right on the wounded brow. Picking up the insensible Mitch, Tanja gets him in position for Voodoo; and gets it, the one-winged angel driving Heart into the middle of the ring. The cage quivers from the impact. Heart rolls over, collapsing in a spreading pool of blood.

Devereaux has little time to recover from the move as she's intercepted by Ruby Clifton, who in turn is cut off by Rebel Rhodes. Each spins the other around, Clifton thinking fast to aim a high kick at Rhodes. Melinda avoids it with a Matrix evasion, and pops back up to see Ruby hauled into a Death Valley Driver by Tanja. Shrugging, Rhodes backs off, pausing to stretch as she considers the downed Mitch Heart. Devereaux turns around to look at Rebel, and the decision is made; Heart is pulled off the ground and shoved toward Devereaux, who barely gets a forearm up into his throat. Heart gurgles, but fights back, a blood-soaked and beaten mess as he exchanges stiff blows with the Cajun Queen.

The brutalized Wolfe and Jones are still having their own fight in the corner, and Clifton and Cadieux are back up, also exchanging strikes. A couple of elbows from Clifton before she goes for another Shiny New Tools, which Cadieux cuts off with an ugly-looking spear, keeping Clifton grounded with knees to the gut. She fights back with a rake across the eyes, flipping Cadieux over as she gets back to her feet. With a surging yell, the Fighting Rose rises into an elbow uppercut, lifting Ruby nearly a foot off the ground. She lands, stumbles against the cage, and then looks absolutely bi-furious as she comes in with a combination of kicks and palm strikes, driving Cadieux toward the center of the ring.

Rebel Rhodes picks her moment to re-insert into the contest between Tanja and Mitch, interrupting a suplex attempt from the Wicked Witch with a liver shot, then an arm drag. She tries to hold on, but Tanja rolls through and counters her with a clothesline. Rhodes does a full backflip and lands on her knees, both beside one another now, gasping and hurt.

Heart looks like shit, and has stumbled his way back to the center of the ring, where he comes back-to-back with a dazed Cadieux in the very moment that Xander Wolfe breaks away from Shaker Jones to come at Ruby Clifton. He attempts a spear, but she grabs him by the hair and spins around, launching him horizontally against the cage. Freed from her assault, Roisin straightens up and turns in alarm as they feel a new presence behind them, coming face-to-face with Mitch Heart. Both raise a fist, meeting each other with a tired stare. Slowly, they smile, forming a silent accord.

Woo: That can't be good...

Gomez: Sometimes in matches like this, alliances will form. I just wonder how long it will last. 

Mitch launches himself at Ruby Clifton, cracking her across the jaw, then fights to cinch in a rear naked choke, softening her with crossface blows. Opposite them, Roisin hits Melinda Rhodes with a jumping snapmare, then fluidly turns, leaping to hit a surprised Tanja Devereaux with a bicycle kick. Shaker Jones has set off in pursuit of Wolfe, but finds Mitch Heart instead, vengeance on his addled brain as he rips his rival away from Ruby Clifton with a lifting DDT. Rocksteady! Clifton is freed, but is all but out on her feet, stumbling toward Cadieux - who hungrily awaits her approach.

Not keen to give the 24/7 champion any ground, Mitch staggers to his own feet and barely blocks the follow-up from Jones, fighting his way out of a tight grapple with a hard foot stomp and a snaking headbutt. Dripping with sweat and blood, his back arched uncomfortably, he seizes Shaker in a desperate headlock, trying to wrestle him to the mat.

Ruby is in a similar predicament, but worse; the Fighting Rose is far less devastated than the Broken. They pull the little psychopath into a clinch, driving rough knees to the midsection, then turn and unceremoniously hurl her against the cage wall. She hisses in pain and fury at the impact, catching herself on crossed arms. Throwing back her head, she laughs, adrenaline flooding her body as she rounds on Cadieux and obliges them in kind, using her legs to send them into the cage. Eyes wide, nostrils flaring, they leap in their turn and land halfway up. Scrambling, they climb to the top, and then glance back over their shoulder; Clifton spots this and snarls, but she's nowhere near! Cadieux has their chance...

Abandoning any pretense of winning the match, Roisin lets a beatific smile settle on their lips, and starts to fall backwards, arms folding across their chest, the shadow of their form falling over Ruby Clifton. She shrieks, and is silenced as Cadieux's back slams her brutally to the mat! The fans go wild, as Cadieux flops onto all fours, heaving for air.

Mitch Heart is busily bulldog-choking Shaker Jones, who is slowly going limp. Tanja Devereaux has dragged Xander Wolfe to one corner, where she works him over with brusque shots, taking her time and saving the best of her strength. Rebel Rhodes looks around, realizing in that moment that the crowd is getting behind her. With a game smirk, she mounts the cage and begins climbing, fingers about to scrape the top when WHAM! The entire structure vibrates! Heart uses Jones like a battering ram, a second blow bringing Rhodes crashing down alongside Ruby Clifton.

Woo: Well that's how you SHAKE someone from the cage.

Gomez: Dear God! 

Devereaux turns from Wolfe, alert and intent, lunging at Heart as he drops the broken Shaker to the mat. He's a mite slow to catch her coming in with a wind-up punch, and she drapes him across her shoulders, using a fireman's carry to hit her swinging side slam; City of the Dead! Heart's spine hits the mat for the umpteenth occasion. He's hurt.

The Cajun Queen grabs the cage and begins hauling herself up. Roisin Cadieux lurches to their feet, using the chain links for support, barely taking note of the devastation around the ring as they fixate upon Devereaux. She continues to climb, hissing a prayer to the Loa, and the Fighting Rose moves toward the slumped Xander Wolfe, using his frame for a boost. Drawing level with Tanja, Cadieux makes several daring sideways hops, closing in on her at the top of the cage. She pulls herself up onto the precipice, and then they spring up alongside her, face-to-face, eye-to-eye...

Tanja smiles. Her hand finds Cadieux's throat effortlessly, as if she knew they would be there. Their own eyes widen, as with a twitch of her arm she attempts to cast them down. Cadieux seems to be going where she wishes; and then keeps going, her nails raking their neck as they snap free from her grasp and slip behind her, feet scrambling against chain for the momentary purchase needed to limpet onto her back. They drop their full body weight, and it's Devereaux's turn to look alarmed. She's reaching for Roisin's arms even as they're falling, together, them beneath her. It's a long way down.

There's a roar from the crowd, and then an uncertain silence as the Witched Witch falls on top of her assailant. The impact is thunderous, the flexion of Devereaux's form speaking of pain and destruction. She flops aside and falls still; but surely, the Fighting Rose is no better for wear, their expression glazed as they lie where they fell, limbs flopping.

Rhodes and Heart are up, each leaning against one side of the cage. Seemingly blinded by the blood in his eyes, the exhaustion of his body, Mitch begins to climb, only to be pulled off seconds later by Rebel Rhodes. She grabs an arm, drags him to the mat, and goes for an armbar. It's almost cinched in when Heart comes alive, bucking his hips and driving the opposite elbow into Rhodes' skull. He flicks her off, and each find their feet, Mitch shaking his head and wagging a finger in defiance. Rebel starts forward, and is cut off by Ruby Clifton - coming from out of nowhere with an Huracanrana.

The psychopath rises and goes for Mitch Heart, who cuts her off with a kick to the gut, then bundles her up. He's seething, ranting to himself, defiant against his own failing physicality as he steps forward with Clifton and throws his best shot at her; DROP. THE. WORLD! He releases her, throws himself forward, crawling to the cage. Furiously, desperately, he begins to climb, his legs barely responding to his need to scramble heavenward.

Rebel Rhodes is up, and so - somehow - is Roisin Cadieux. Rebel goes for the cage, for Mitch, and grabs a leg only to lose her grip instantly as the climbing man lets out a gurgling roar and thrashes against the chain links. He holds on by only one arm, but she falls away, into the grip of Cadieux. They turn her, seizing an underhook, then leap into a piercing knee strike. The Gribeavual! Rhodes collapses! Heart struggles, resumes his climb. Roisin follows him.

Both bear the sloth of battle, but the Fighting Rose is the faster, catching Mitch before he can mount the precipice. An elbow bounces off Heart's bloody skull, slumps him over the top of the cage, and Cadieux looks out over the crowd for a moment, their expression's intensity boundless as they loop an arm over the back of Heart's neck. Like Tanja before him, the Broken is forced to wear Roisin's weight like some kind of hellish backpack, his white-knuckled grip loosening upon the cage as Cadieux sacrifices themselves to prolong the contest. It's a battle of will more than strength now, one having only the wherewithal to end it all - the other, his victory in sight, forcing himself to hold on.

Something has to give. Someone has to surrender.

Mitch Heart screams, blood and saliva spraying out past the cage wall, and with a mighty shrug of defiance he throws Roisin Cadieux from his back. Cadieux falls messily, a disorganized tangle of limbs that catch the steel links on their way down, less crashing and more collapsing to the inside of the ring. The crowd goes wild for Heart, as he roars again, pulling himself over the top of the cage. He doesn't pause at the top; he can't. Gravity and a broken body pull him downward. He barely twists to avoid landing on his wracked spine; a shuddering impact to the ribs and an outflung arm instead.

The fans in Brazil lose their collective minds as Mitch lies there, triumphantly bleeding on the floor. Victorious.

DING DING DING

Dobrev: And your winner ... MITCH "THE BROKEN" HEART!

Competitors stir in the ring, reacting variously; Devereaux with a cold fury, punching the wall of the cage, looking out across the crowd with a muttered prayer to her spirits. Clifton is on her knees, rocking back and forth, quivering with barely-stilled violence. Rebel Rhodes is down with her head in her arms. Roisin Cadieux is as motionless on the inside as the victor, Heart, remains on the outside. It's the aftermath of a war.

Woo: I... I'm a little speechless here. We expected a lot of action and you could say we got it. Mitch Heart has all the momentum going forward, but can he even walk away? Do we have a medical team on hand?

Gomez: Hell yes, Woo! That was estupendo! Could have done with a little more blood, though.

Woo: More? This is now the SECOND match where we have had to have EMS personnel come to ringside post match! and we're only TWO MATCHES IN!!

Gomez: Yeah. And I may get it when Adriana Aquilla and Darius clash in an X-Division rankings match later on today, so join us for that! 

Camera slowly fades out...

[EWC]

The camera cuts to one of the beautiful beaches in Brazil, where people are gathered around a podium in their best swimwear. They are all talking to each other with excitement, as they await the show to begin. Suddenly, a man with a microphone walks onto the stage.

He pauses a second.

Man: Ladies and Gentleman, Her Royal Thighness herself… Iggy Swango.

Iggy walks onto the stage with her hands outstretched. The people in the crowd go wild for her. After taking in the applause for a minute, she suddenly motions for the crowd to quiet down, and in no time the screams of excitement turn to nothing but silence.

Iggy Swango: You never know what the Universe has in store for you. That is why you listen closely to its messages. Close your eyes, and you will feel it pull you in a certain direction, it's like gravity… but on a deeper level.

She pauses.

Iggy Swango: and like the universe you are all made of 95 percent of all that is vast, dark, and unknown, while the rest is ancient stardust ever changing and ever knowing but alas, the same universe…

Iggy Swango: ... but I am glad you all listened and found your way here. I am truly blessed that each of you have heard the message and made The Iggy Swango Thigh Master™ a number one seller here in Brazil!

The crowd goes wild.

Crowd chants in unison.

Iggy! Iggy! Iggy!

She motions for the crowd to quiet down

Iggy: But let's not let it stop there. The universe has more in store for each of us. It's time to take ourselves to the next level. Ladies and Gentleman, I am here to announce the next step….

Iggy walks over to a large covered billboard. She pulls on a rope, removing the curtain. The crowd cheers!

Iggy: The Cheeks of Steel video series, available in a store near you!

More cheers and applause

Iggy: And now the moment you've all been waiting for, a live demonstration and group work out! Assisting me today is a beautiful young woman from Miami, who I know will be taking the world by storm! She certainly will be turning a few heads her today.

The camera cuts to a beautiful bikini clad woman, who appears to have just emerged from the water. She flips her hair back and poses for the cameras.

Iggy: Give it up for the first official Lady Stardust sponsored athlete, Sunny Skye!

Sunny joins Iggy on stage as a thunderous applause erupts from the crowd. The two woman on stage begin to lead the audience in a workout, all while the rowdy Brazilian crowd continues to chant, Cheeks of Steel!

Fade out

[EWC]

We return to ringside where Marcus Woo is standing by with some social media reactions

Woo: What an unbelievable show we've had so far, and it's not even two-o'clock yet! EWC and WrestleFest has been trending world-wide on twitter, so lets take a moment and share some of the reactions we found online!

[/div]


The feed returns to Marcus Woo

Woo: Wow! Those were some reactions! In about an hours time, we will have Darius VS Adriana Aquilla .. where the winner becomes the number two Contender to the EWC X-Division Championship! Stick around - there is soooooo much more to come!

The feed fades with another shot at the crowd

[EWC]

With the Brazilian sun beating down on him, Undisputed and Tag Team Champion Ace King stands below the statue of Hilderado Bellini, adjacent to the Estadio do Maracana grounds. Ace appears somewhat impatient as he glances down at his phone.

Ace King: He said he would be here by now-... Oh… Oh no…

Ace’s eyes widen as he sees a taxi pull up at the nearest opportunity; stepping out of the back seat is none other than his friend and fellow Rushin’ Roulette member, El Pablo, who looks very much to be embracing the local culture.

Ace King: What in the…

El Pablo: Saudações, Ace!

Ace King: I, uhh… Do I even wanna…

EP finally clocks the rather stunned expression on his partner’s face.

El Pablo: …Something wrong?

Ace King: I mean, not culturally, I don’t think, just… The feathers? There?

El Pablo: Yeah…it’s called Carnival.

Ace King: Right, I get that, but you may be a touch on the premature side… I’d get it if they were on your head, but why are they on your… No… You weren’t actually going to try to fly, were you?

El Pablo: What do I look like, an idiot?

Ace King: I mean, not in so many words…

El Pablo: I was gonna glide - y’know, like the squirrels?

As EP speaks, Ace takes a quick look at his friend’s full ‘ensemble,’ rubbing out his eyes as he tries to focus again.

Ace King: …You might have trouble finding the nuts.

El Pablo: I’ll stick with Skittles, then.

EP’s hand somehow, suddenly, finds itself in possession of a packet of Skittles, which he of course tears open with glee.

Ace King: Oh god, where did you even… Do I dare ask?

EP lifts his other hand to reveal a clear backpack filled with various coloured bags of the aforementioned candy, prompting a pronounced sigh of relief from his partner.

El Pablo: Gotta keep the energy levels up, right? I mean, four days…I don’t wanna wind up exposing myself on one of the biggest stages of them all!

Ace King: Oh, I don’t think you have to worry about that…

Ace simply raises an eyebrow at EP as an increasing number of locals are taking note of the Technicolour Tecnico’s attire. Noticing this himself, EP turns his back to the Gambler and takes a bow to the crowd that is slowly forming around them.

Ace King: OH, COME ON!

The words are hardly out of his mouth before Ace starts dry-heaving on the other side of the statue, much to the amusement of the locals.

El Pablo: Guess some people just can’t handle the carnival.

Ace King: …A THONG?!?! Seriously?!?!

El Pablo: A what? Nono - the guy outside the store said that this was a traditional Marajó warrior’s battle armour!

Ace King: …What’s being protected, may I ask?

El Pablo: Physically? Very little. Emotionally, though? I’m a frickin’ rock. Maybe physically too; depends how the breeze hits.

At this point, Ace just throws his hands up in the air, clearly at a loss for words.

Ace King: As long as it works out tomorrow night, you do you, my friend.

EP smirks, tossing a fistful of Skittles into his mouth.

El Pablo: Hey, it’s worked out pretty well so far, right?

Ace King: Comfort to the point of discomfort, what a concept!

El Pablo: Our opponents have spent a lifetime making people very uncomfortable…fortunately, as that fateful night in Monaco showed, we know how to play them at their own game.

Ace King: Indeed so, and we won’t even need those heels to do it again!

El Pablo: Oh please, it’s not like you haven’t worn dresses before!

Ace puts a finger up to protest, though it slowly droops as he mutters ‘Shit’ under his breath.

El Pablo: Pretty sure they've got plenty of experience in that, too.

Ace King: Fair cop. Anyway, I’ve had something come up for tonight, so I’ll catch up with you later… Just don’t do anything to hurt your other tag team in the meantime. God, Tommy would have a field day if he saw you like this.

With that, Ace heads off in the opposite direction, leaving El Pablo to thoughtfully stroke the feathers of his entirely oversized traditional Brazilian headdress to complete his barely-there ensemble as the feed cuts to…

[EWC]

We return to ringside where Marcus Woo is standing by with some more social media reactions

Woo: The producers along with President Mac have been in my ear saying we got some more social media reactions .. so I guess lets make like a tree and check those reactions out!

The feed returns to Marcus Woo

Woo: Wow! Did you read those comments? I sure didn't. We are inching closer and closer to our next match .. don't go anywhere fans! We'll be back with more action sooner than .. a thing that goes fast .. I don't know .. I need another coffee. 

The feed fades with Marcus heading towards the coffee truck and another shot at the crowd

[EWC]

The feed opens up backstage where Ace Heart is standing by with the EWC United States Champion .. Melody Malone!

Ace Heart: Melody, tonight you will be facing the HBO Broadcast Champion, Samantha Hamilton, with your EWC United States Championship on the line. The match has been heavily hyped online and has been trending all day. A poll even ran that has Hamilton winning, and earlier today she said .. referring to you .. and I quote .. that the Queen needs to be 'lowered to the status of a peasant ... and humbled'

Ace pauses, looks into the camera and then looks back at Melody Malone

Ace Heart: What is your response to this?

Melody Malone smirks .. while never taking her eyes off of Ace Heart and ..

Melody then turns and walks away .. leaving Ace Heart bewildered

Ace Heart: I .. well .. I guess that's a response.

The scene fades with Ace Heart looking very confused and concerned at the same time

[EWC]

James Keaton was positively buzzing with anticipation. The festivities of the WrestleFest week had ensured that his mindset going into his match complemented his original thoughts before the week began. Knowing that everyone, from fans to wrestlers, were busy with their individual needs and the overall atmosphere of WrestleFest meant that James’s thoughts about uncovering the truth behind the veil felt like they were edging closer to reality. Knowing that he held an icon of power in the EWC also imbued James with a greater sense of self, as well as self-belief.

Self-belief was a powerful tool at any time, moreso when there was a clear and present path to take. However, that path still had some obstacles. It would only be after James’s match against Isabella that his schedule would truly open up. Until then, he had to play by the rules of engagement which meant taking the time to discuss his match and get a few burning words off his chest. The match against Isabella had nothing to do with James’s reasons for being in the EWC, barring his own selfish desire to show up David Miller in the future. All it took was one word and James Keaton was set in his ways about a man who he had little-to-no interaction with.

James was fully aware that he would need to approach the match with caution, but likewise, he needed to be seen approaching the match. This prompted his call to be interviewed with a reasonable gap of time between the interview and his match. It didn’t fully matter whether it was the first or second day, only that he got some of the coveted camera time. Isabella, after all, deserved some form of scathing comment before the bell rang. It was why Pepper Montana was slightly confused that James Keaton appeared to be lost in thought. That was true in some respect, but the other part of the truth was that he simply didn’t notice Pepper approach him until the man spoke.

Montana: Look if you don’t want to talk we’ve got other wrestlers who would kill for this time.

Keaton: You think there’s actual killers on this roster?

Montana: Turn of phrase, look, you called for this.

Keaton: So? Get to doing your thing.

Pepper Montana gave James the sort of look reserved for the most egregious examples of disrespect. James, of course, didn’t notice this. Instead he cracked his knuckles and paced slightly as Montana did his thing.

Montana: I’m here with James Keaton. CW Broadcast Champion and, depending on the outcome of his match on Sunday, the number one contender for the North American Championship. He’s informed us that he has some words for his opponent in that match. Tell us, James, what you have in store for Isabella.

Keaton: What I have in store for Isabella? I’m not giving away trade secrets like that. She knows and I know what I’m gonna bring to the table. I’m just letting her know now that whatever she thinks of herself and her own progress, she already proved why I’m going to be the victor.

Montana: And how do you come to that conclusion?

Keaton: This whole thing about looking at long bridges. Sure, we’re all a little guilty of pointing to the Redeemer and saying this is our redemption. I get that. She wanted to be unique but, sure, let her point to a bridge all she wants, all she’s doing is pointing at the gap between us.

Montana: Are you saying that your opponent is unprepared?

James Keaton motioned to answer, but avoided speaking when he noticed Pepper Montana’s demeanour.

Keaton: Ask what you really want to ask.

Montana: Are you saying that you’re better than Isabella?

Keaton: Oh no, this isn’t a question of skill or tenacity. I know she’s got the… What’s the Portuguese for balls?

Montana: Well that’s a difficult question, there’s bolas in Portuguese but colhões in the Brazilian dialect. I guess you want the B…

James threw his hands up in defeat.

Keaton: Shouldn’t have asked. Look, I know she’s got the balls, the bolas, the colhões, the whole dog’s bollocks if needed. But like she alluded to, there’s a bridge between us that’s been there all season long. That hasn’t changed, and whatever she might think of me, I know I can do things that she won’t.

Keaton: Isabella will still stop at the line I’m more than happy to cross. She’s an ex-Marine of all things, everyone knows there’s supposed to be some honour in that. But me? I’ve already said over and OVER again there are no heroes left in Wrestling. You think I’m going to start playing one now when I’m THIS CLOSE to my reason for being here? Which is exactly why I’m going to do what needs to be done. Holding this title…

James gestured to his CW Broadcast Championship.

Keaton: …It’s a means to an end. I need this title because it opens up doors and opportunities I wouldn’t get otherwise. Beating Isabella does the same thing. She’s right, she’s good in the ring and she could absolutely break me if the chance came up. But she’s gonna be sweating out these next couple of days because I’ve got the edge in being a bastard. Isabella might have been something special… We’ll see how good that Vegas training is next year. Isabella, you better hope something changes for you because after I’m done with you, you’ll be as much bloody use as a chocolate fireguard!

Montana: Any thoughts on the North American Ch…

Keaton: Miller’s winning.

James paused.

Keaton: He better win because I’d like nothing more than throttle that title belt around his throat and tell him who’s the goddamn disappointment now! I’d do the same to Sharpe, of course, but that doesn’t bring about the same comeuppance if you catch my drift.

Montana: …Yeah.

Keaton: It doesn’t matter how he does it as long as he does. For all my reasons for being here, him thinking he’s better than me is one of the more blatant. You understand that if everything lines up as it should, I get to choke him out and remind him that every defence he had was on borrowed time. And then once I find out who… I get to walk away from it all and he literally gets no comeback. Until then, there’s no rest and no remorse.

James finished his speech and motioned to walk away, leaving Pepper Montana with the aftermath.

Montana: Strong words from a motivated James Keaton there, he’ll be facing “La Belicista” Isabella on Sunday for a chance to face David Miller or Jordan Freakin’ Sharpe. The North American title has some explosive figures in the midst and it seems The Wicked has his eyes set on one outcome over all others.

We transitioned away from the backstage area as Pepper Montana finished speaking.

[EWC]

We return to ringside where Marcus Woo is standing by with even more social media reactions

Woo: Thank you Pepper Montana for that interview. He's a good dude! We are mere moments away from our next match, a EWC X-Division Contendership match between Darius and Adriana Aquilla .. but before we get to that .. lets see some more twitter reactions .. 

The feed returns to Marcus Woo

Woo: Interesting, those were words. Don't go anywhere folks, I'll be back with Valentina shortly with our next match of the day! It's a hot one friends! 

The feed fades with a pan of the fans chanting and cheering, waiting in excitement for the next match!

[EWC]

MATCH 3 - 3:00 PM

SINGLES MATCH
Winner Becomes #2 Contender to the EWC X-Division Championship

Darius

VS Adriana Aquilla
MATCH WRITER: Darius

---

We come back after footage of the happenings around WrestleFest to ringside, where Marcus and Valentina are standing by.

Woo: Welcome back. You want a war? You got one now! Darius and Adriana Aquilla have been in each others orbits all season, and now we settle this for a spot on next seasons ranking for the X-Division championship! 

Gomez: Sweet! I do love an X-Division rankings battle.

Dobrev: The following match is a singles match to determine the number two contender to the X-Division championship! Introducing first, from San Antonio, Texas … She is “Lo Divino” ADRIANA AQUILLA!

The opening riff to "Iron" by Within Temptation hits the speakers and the crowd comes to their feet as the lights flash around the arena before finally, Adriana comes out from the back ready for her big match. Adriana makes her way down to the ring mouthing the lyrics to her theme song along the way, as she enters the ring she removes her jacket before yelling out "THE WAR IS COMING" in time with her song before jumping over the top rope and rolling into the ring before posing on one knee with her arms outstretched at her sides.

"Burn It Down" begins to play, flames erupt from the stage below and circle the stage. After a few moments, Darius rises above the flames ...

Dobrev: And her opponent, making his way to the ring, from Albany, New York, weighing in at 265 lbs ... He is the "E of the EWC" ... Darius!

Darius hypes himself up, throwing devil horns to the sky for a moment as fireworks go off in a spiral behind him. Elissa then emerges from the smoke behind Darius, holding his bat over her shoulder with a sadistic grin on her face. Darius then runs through the flames and slides into the ring, looking around the arena before jumping up to his feet. Elissa starts to walk around the ring, watching Darius as he tosses his sunglasses to the side of the ring, then throws his trench coat off to the side before leaping onto one of the turnbuckles, posing with devil horns once again as he waits for the match to begin.

DING DING DING

As soon as the bell sounds, Addy rushes forward at Darius and clocks him across the jaw with a stiff forearm, knocking Darius back into the ropes from sheer surprise. Addy continues the assault, landing numerous kicks to the calves and stiff punches to the sternum, not allowing Darius a moment to breathe. Addy then leaps up onto the rope, springboards from it, and hits Darius with a springboard dropkick, sending him over the top rope and down to the floor below! Addy wastes no time as she rushes to the opposite side of the ring, rebounds off the ropes, then flies over the top rope toward Darius, landing onto him with the Addy Star Press! The crowd pops loudly as Addy kips up to her feet and lets out a primal roar of victory as Darius lays on the floor, his eyes seemingly glazed over from the attacks!

Woo: Darius? More like Dazed at this point. 

Gomez: With a scream like that, Addy is up for this one. 

The referee starts the count out, but Addy takes a moment to slap hands with a few of the fans around the ring before returning her attention to Darius. She moves forward and reaches down to pick Darius up, but he grabs hold of her top, pulling her forward and face first into the steel steps with a sickening thud! Darius gets to his feet and spits onto the mat next to Addy before rolling into the ring, then back out to restart the count.

Darius then grabs a handful of Addy’s hair with one hand, the side of her face with the other, then proceeds to bash her face against the steps! The referee slides out of the ring and pulls Darius away, warning him about disqualification if he continues, so Darius just throws his hands up and slides back into the ring with a sick grin on his face. Addy staggers back up to her feet and rolls back into the ring, but as soon as she stands, Darius greets her with the stiffest big boot imaginable, turning Addy inside out in the center of the ring! Darius drops down onto Addy and hooks the leg!

ONE...





TWO...




No! Addy kicks out!

Woo: Boot size 11. Face size 10. Still a kick out at 2

Gomez: Think Addy still has some boot print on her face after that?

Darius sits up and looks at Addy with wild eyes. He gets to his feet, picking Addy up by the hair as he does, then yells “NOW” toward Elissa as he chucks Addy into one of the turnbuckles. Darius rushes Addy and goes for a spear in the corner, but Addy leapfrogs over Darius, making him crash shoulder first into the ring post! Darius pulls away from the post and turns to face Addy, but he is met with a quick roundhouse kick to the side of the head!

While Addy pummels Darius, Elissa has managed to remove one of the pads from the top turnbuckles on the opposite side of the ring, then tosses the pad into the crowd. Addy then takes a few steps back from Darius, then runs forward and clocks Darius with a Divine Wizard in the corner! Addy then leaps onto the middle rope, springboards from it, then hooks her arm around Darius’ neck and brings him to the mat with the slingblade she calls the Hoja de Honda! Addy hooks both of Darius’ legs!

ONE...





TWO...





THR- NO!


Darius kicks out at the last moment! Addy sits up, frustrated over the kickout. She gets to her feet and tries picking the bigger man up but he shoves her away. Darius gets to his feet as Addy leaps up and attempts to hurricarana him, but Darius holds onto her knees and instead hoists her up into the air! Darius then charges forward and throws Addy spine first into the exposed steel! Addy lays against the turnbuckle, clawing at her back with pain as Darius rushes forward and spears her into the steel with the Hunter's Mark! She stumbles forward, dazed by the attack, but then Darius rushes forward again and lands ANOTHER Hunter's Mark into the exposed turnbuckle! Addy crumples to the mat, Darius drags her to the center, then hooks the leg!

ONE...




TWO...




THREE!!!

DING DING DING

Dobrev: And your winner, via pinfall DARIUS!

Darius raises his arms up in celebration before dropping to his knee and rolling out of the ring. He keeps his heads raised as he heads up the ramp. 

Woo: An absolute classic just played out before us. Addy gave it everything here at WrestleFest but it's Darius that takes the win and with it is now the number two contender to the X-Division championship heading into season 23!

Gomez: Even then it took two Hunter's Marks to take that win. 

Woo: If that's what it took here, what will it take later on in our next match when Tommy Burton battles Darna Dare to be a number one contender for the United States Championship? 

Gomez: I don't know but I can't wait to find out, so join us then!!!

The camera slowly fades to black...

[EWC]

---

We rejoin the EWC broadcast outside of the Maracana stadium at the smaller venue on the property - the Maracanãzinho complex. Inside, there are tables covered in white tablecloths, overflowing with wine glasses and subtle gold and silver decor. To the far end of the arena is a stage set up, complete with a fashion catwalk jutting out into the crowd.

The cameras pan around the room and finally behind the elaborate stage, where Melody Malone is standing alongside her personal assistant turned business manager Rachel and her surly but steeled bodyguard Rory.

Rachel: It’s nearly time. Are you nervous?

Melody Malone: Nervous? No.

She peers past the edge of the stage to the crowd. The whole affair has attracted a fair number of the EWC faithful as well as several well dressed business agents. Her reps with Crown Royal have their shoulders adorned with almost gaudy purple crushed velvet capes as they mingle with the crowd, the wine glasses exchanged for thick bottomed crystal whisky glasses. Standing front and center at the end of the catwalk, the creative director of Dior itself Maria Grazia Chiuri stands with a wine glass stem pinched between her fingers.

Melody Malone: My release is going to be the biggest thing to happen to Dior since Isabella Adjani. Its the unwashed masses that have shown up that make me nervous. All it takes is one drunk slob who took a shot every time someone hit the cage in the Mac Invitational earlier to come in here, and spill a glass of wine all over Maria’s dress and this entire event is ruined.

Rory: I’ll handle that if ye need. Give me an excuse to get out of this bloody suit.

Rachel: Suit stays on. There’s a dress code to even get into the building. Nobody needs to worry about a thing. No slobbering drunks are going to make it in here. We send out the models, drop the banner of the campaign poster, and usher you out on stage like the Queen you are.

Melody Malone: Right.

Rory: You sure you’re alright?

Malone looks flustered a bit before she brushes it off and shakes her head.

Melody Malone: Of course I am. I start with the campaign kick off - I go on tonight to main event and beat Hamilton in a few hours, and then we come back here to celebrate the night away.

Rachel: Thatta girl… now, shoulders back. Chin up! You’ve got just a few minutes before this goes. Rory, go give the signal to dim the lights. I’ll collect the models. Catwalk in 5!

Both Rachel and Rory scurry from the back end of the stage as Melody closes her eyes and inhales deeply. The lights in the arena room dim and Malone takes a careful drink from the water bottle beside her. Rory returns, giving her a look over with a quizzical gaze before Rachel slips in past the parading models.

Rachel: Show time.

Rachel and Melody quickly exit as the cameras change angles now. The focus is on the catwalk as a series of men and women walk out, lining each side of the stage and up the sides of the catwalk as a voice begins to speak out to the crowd.

Voiceover: Paris. Milan. Cairo. Tokyo. New York City.

Fashion is global.

But fragrance?

Is royal.

The center stage curtain falls, revealing the newest Dior fragrance campaign.

A round of applause breaks from the crowd before the models take a half a step back and the very end of the catwalk begins to open. From the stage rises Melody Malone, leaned back in a chair as she recreates the soon to be considered iconic image. The models unveil small bottles of the perfume from their outfits, turning towards each other with a symbolic spritz of the scent as the voice returns.

Voiceover: A strong scent, for a strong woman. Notes of coffee and orange blossom intermingle for a scent that defies the odds. Warm and spicy.. This? Is Euphoria.

The models begin to file away and the spotlight focuses solely on Melody who hasn’t moved from her spot in the chair. One single model returns, spraying the perfume onto Melody as it elicits a cleverly placed gasp from the Queen before the chair lowers back down into the stage. The crowd begins their applause again as the camera spies Rachel and Rory in the shadows - a fist bump between the two of them for a well-executed launch party as the camera cuts to show us what else is going on around WrestleFest...

[EWC]

---

It has been a couple hours since Ruby competed in the steel cage match to start WrestleFest. She is sporting a bandage around her head, several cuts to her hands and bruises a long her back. After resting, she decided to come out to the Ed Sheeran concert that is about to start. As she is making her way through the crowd, a fan stops her along the way.

Fan: Oh my god! You are Ruby Clifton! 

Ruby Clifton: So what? Do you want a fucking cookie?

The fans shakes her head as she produces a notebook and a pen.

Fan: Can I get your autograph? 

Ruby Clifton: Let me think on this

Ruby takes all but three seconds to think about her answer.

Ruby Clifton: No! Now get lost! 

Ruby is laughing as the fan runs off with tears running down her cheek. Ruby pats herself on the back while continuing to make her way towards the Ed Sheeran concert as the camera fades...

[EWC]

---

The camera cuts back briefly to ringside where we see Marcus Woo and Valentina Gomez standing by. 


Woo: Well folks, let us not be one's to keep the music form playing. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome - 

Gomez: ED SHEERAN!!!

---

---

As his performance closes, the camera slowly fades to other happenings around WrestleFest...

[EWC]

---

Somewhere within the depths of Estádio do Maracanã a suspicious door remains slightly ajar. From within the crack in the door there is a slit of illumination from a light source. Peering through the slit in the door the light source appears to be emitting from an oil lantern placed precariously on top of a metal table. Sprawled out across the table is a litany of weapons devised to cause pain. Barbed wire, thumbtacks, light tubes, and shards of glass all litter the top of the table. Standing at the opposite end of the table, peering down at the weapons is the carnival clown, a wicked smile permeates his face as if he was all too aware that he was being watched.

Stitches: Xavier Reid, in a few short nights this becomes our playground. All of these weapons laid out before me, and a multitude more, they all become the connective strand that carries us from bell to bell. You once said you wanted a fight so violent that it can only happen at an indie show. Well, WrestleFest is no indie show, but with all of these weapons at our disposal, you will be afforded the pleasure of that fight, oh so violent, that you have wanted against me for all these years. Bed Of Weapons, any three of these weapons, and then some, will be at our disposal, sprawled across beds as the match type suggests.

The carnival clown picks up the barbed wire and wraps it around his clenched fist in one hand before picking up a handful of thumbtacks in another.

Stitches: Barbed wire. Thumbtacks. A staple of these ultra-violent type matches. And rightfully so, how easy they can pierce flesh.

Stitches stares down at the barbed wire wrapped around his right hand, the barbs have already pierced the flesh. Blood trickles down his forearm. The thumbtacks, however, rest precariously in the palm of his left hand and have not punctured the flesh.

Stitches: As evident by example one. Foolish of me to wrap this barbed wire around my clenched fist, but that is the length you must be willing to go to in order to endure these sort of matches. You put your own body on the line in order to maximise the damage done to your opponent. And Xavier Reid, you should know better than most the lengths I am willing to go to in order to ensure you don't walk out of Rio de Janeiro the same man that walked in. You want to lambaste my performances in Carnival Carnage and the Candy Castle because of my shortcomings, but fail to mention the anguish I put Candy through in both of those matches. Let's not forget, also, that in defeat I walked into the Rumble match an hour later and survived thirty-nine other competitors.

Stitches: But that isn't how this works, right, Xavier? The mission is to put down the clown until you feel some semblance of confidence in walking out of Estádio do Maracanã still with the International Championship resting over your shoulder. You didn't expect me to be here, you expected someone else. But with me migrating over to Brawl and you still parading around with the International Championship, this was always going to be an inevitability. EWC love rehashing old feuds, and how appropriate was it that two-thirds of last year's WrestleFest main event would once again step between those ropes for WrestleFest this year. But that just means the smoke clears on WrestleFest with the same foregone conclusion; Stitches is once again a champion.

The carnival clown turns his open palm around and allows the thumbtacks in his hand to rain down upon the metal table, each thumbtack colliding with the metal table with an echoing metallic clink. Next, he precariously unfurls the barbed wire from around his clenched fists and lays it down upon the metal table. With a sinister smile, he stares across the table at the broken shards of glass sprawled nearby. Stitches grabs a handful of the broken shards of glass and rolls it between the palm of his left hand, the same hand that held the thumbtacks earlier.

Stitches: Glass, so eloquent, so beautiful, so unforgivably vicious. If that ring can only be littered with three barbaric weapons and three barbaric weapons only, these broken shards of glass are my choice. That way, when I end your reign as International Champion you can lie in a pool of your own blood and broken shards of glass and stare at the reflection of the broken shell of a man so adamant for redemption that he looked past the very man that sent him on this downward spiral to begin with.

Much like he had done with the thumbtacks, Stitches turns over the palm of his hand and allows the broken shards of glass to fall upon the metal table. Unlike the thumbtacks, the broken shards of glass crack and crumble upon impact, breaking up into smaller shards and powdered glass. The carnival clown chortles.

The camera fades...

[EWC]

MATCH 4 - 5:00PM

SINGLES MATCH
Winner Becomes #1 Contender to the United States Championship

Tommy Burton

VS Darna Dare
MATCH WRITER: Calamity Nguyen

---

We return to ringside where the cleanup crew are just exiting. A few traces of blood remain on the canvas, relics of the wars already fought here at WrestleFest.

Woo: I'm still reeling from our last contest, Valentina, but this next one could be interesting. The winner of this contest goes on to face whomsoever has their hands on that United States title come the bitter end of WrestleFest.

Gomez: It could - it should - be violent, Woo, and I'm here for it!

Dobrev: The following match is for one fall. Joining us first, from Sugbu, Philippines, weighing in at one hundred and thirteen pounds ... DARNA! DARE!

Darna emerges amidst coils of thick, gray smoke, her hood raised and gaze trained upon the ring. Bold steps carry her into a dive through the ropes, where she rolls and comes up balanced on her hands, spine curved dramatically and legs extended, toes pointed in line with her determined glare. A few scuttling hand-steps are taken in this bizarre signature pose, before she thrusts her feet forward and flips to standing, rising in a distorted gymnast's salute, then a flamboyant bow to the crowd; a devilish grin gracing her lips.

Dobrev: And her opponent, from New Brunswick, Canada, weighing in at two hundred and nine pounds ... "THE INMATE" TOMMY! BURTON!!

The drum beat. The scream of the guitar… The unmistakable sound of Nirvana.

As the lights dim slightly, the orange strobe of the lower stage lights strobe over the hooded man walking out. His hardened jaw. His mouthguard. His taped hands clenched hard as he makes his way down to the ring.

As the Scentless Apprentice plays, and the lights come up, we see Tommy Burton pull back his hood and remove his Club jacket. His eyes wide… crazy looking. His young body looking battle ready, and somehow already battle worn at the same time. He’s looking at nothing it seems, as always just… staring. In moments he knows, and the fans are about to know… his eyes will fill with determination, and even deeper behind that… rage. Controlled rage. Barely controlled rage.

As the music starts to lower, and Tommy removes his hoodie and drops it to the mat, he clenches his hands together… the words “let’s fuckin do this” is barely heard behind his mouth guard…

Woo: This is the moment where we ask ourselves, just how much can little Darna chew? She's bitten off a mouthful here.

DING DING DING

There's barely a flicker in time between the bell ringing and Darna crossing the ring, already leaping, already spinning, lashing out at her opponent with a whipping tornado kick. Tommy Burton is ready, his stare readily-levelled upon the approaching woman. Wrapped hands catch her lashing ankle and thrust it past his face. He barely moves, really. Looks down at her with a blood-curdling sneer as she lands in a dynamic fighting stance. Small hands raised.

Their difference in height, in size, is ridiculous; funny, slightly disturbing. Dare doesn't seem to even notice. Screaming, she switches her stance and throws a palm strike clean into Burton's chest. He tenses and releases, taking just a half-step back as he soaks the blow. It lands with a meaty thud, getting an 'oooooh' from the crowd. The Inmate smirks, and responds with a strike of his own, the downward angle only adding greater power as he counters with his own palm into the cheekbone.

The sound is less impressive; quieter, sharper. Those who know, know. It STINGS. Darna lets out a hiss and turns into the contact, whirling around Tommy's arm before it can even retract. Her leg rises, and keeps rising, extending fully behind her and then snapping clean over her head, erupting through the open air at the Inmate's flank to make a clean impact, toe to jaw. He goes down, and the little Pinoy rights herself with a grunt. Then, a grin.

Burton's face is red, and he moves to rise as Darna hits the ropes at a sprint, going for a basement dropkick that he evades with a forward roll, sprawling out as he turns to stabilise himself in a low three-point crouch. He drives forward, catching Dare with a brisk shoulder check, pulling her up for a cracking headbutt. A whip back toward the ropes, and he meets her halfway with a running knee strike that turns her inside out; tumbling heels over head, a spiral of momentum.

Tommy chambers a knee and kicks the ball of fury from the air. Darna unfurls into a roll clean across the ring, bouncing off her shoulder to rise beside the ropes in a crouch, hair dishevelled and eyes wild.

Woo: I've seen that look before in an ex of mine. That is NOT a good look to be on the receiving end of! 

Gomez: Even I want to back up. 

Burton's blood is up. He stalks his diminutive opponent, who remains on her knees, scuttling around to face him using her planted hands. Like a wild animal she darts this way and that, pre-empting the subtleties within Tommy's motions. A cold laugh from the Inmate, his lips curling in malicious disdain, as he feints and she responds, repeating the motion in the opposite direction before he elects to charge. Darna is ready. The flexion of her wrists is a micro-second telegraph for a tight roll, carrying her past his incoming feet. He tries to turn and catch her, but she comes up on one extended palm, switching to the other to avoid his canny low kick, small arms rippling with tone as she inverts - briefly entering that bizarre pose, her legs scorpioned above her... and then stands in a graceful arch just as Burton moves to capitalize.

Dare smiles. Tommy Burton does not. In his rage, he spins into a Chin Check that lithe little Darna evades with a circular sweep of her torso, catching the elbow and pulling the arm outward as she uses her gathered motion to leap fluidly across the vastly larger man's shoulders. He realizes too late what's happening; and she takes him down with a crucifix pin!

ONE




TW-- NO!

His torso straining with the effort, Tommy Burton powers his way not out - but up, popping free an arm and looping it around Darna to reverse the pressure, keeping her in place as he launches the pair of them back into the corner. His shoulders sandwich her against the turnbuckle, and she's forced to release; messily flopping off the corner post onto the apron, crushing an arm and shoulder. Her third impact comes with the ground on the outside.

The Inmate looks down at his fallen foe, baring his teeth as he considers his options. For a moment he mimes clearing the ropes with a leap, just long enough for the crowd to respond; and then be denied, as Tommy shakes his head and hawks a mouthful of phlegm at the front row. A moment later he steps out onto the apron, one hand on the ropes as he lifts his elbow and takes measure of Darna, who is getting groggily to her feet. Burton steps off--

--and brings the tip of his elbow crashing down on her head. She collapses in a heap, face-first, allowing Burton to bend and scoop her up and over directly into a massive backdrop driver; Hard Time, on the outside of the ring!! The impact is brutal, crumpling the tiny Pinoy and sending her tumbling against the barricade. Tommy snorts, and remains seated for a moment, sparing a few harsh words for the fans taunting him. Almost nonchalantly, he gets to his feet, signaling around his waist, then slicing a thumb across his throat. He moves to retrieve the fallen woman.

It's like touching a rabid wolverine. The second his hands make contact, Darna thrashes to life, a sloppy but spirited attempt at a triangle choke throwing the Inmate off-balance. Tommy catches himself on an arm, and Dare slides underneath, getting both her legs up to launch him over her head. He just about lands on his feet, stumbling, as Dare kips up and turns on a dime, losing very little momentum as she leaves her feet and waffles Burton with a front dropkick that flips him over the barricade into the crowd. A gap clears, and he goes down into a semi-circle of steel chairs.

Woo: The clatter of body on steel is not one you want to hear often folks!

Gomez: And that steel is less forgiving than Darna is. And she isn't forgiving. 

"EIGHT!"

Darna's eyes widen, and she scrambles to the apron, breaking the count to a roar from the crowd that isn't entirely appreciative; could she have won by count out? She clearly doesn't WANT to, throwing a shrug and a cheeky, crooked smirk to a couple of heckling fans at ringside. She stands on the apron, glancing out at Tommy and then back into the ring. A nod. The Inmate gets to his feet, and Darna loops an arm over the top rope. With a breathless, "hup," she hops upward, only wobbling slightly as she transitions to her full height atop the rope. Burton's eyes widen.

Dare leaps from the top rope, flipping heels over head as she flies forward, her miniscule frame caught picture-perfect beneath the arena lights as she extends both legs at the apex of her inverted somersault. It's how she finished Winterborn; but better, a Monkey-Eating Eagle Splash fired from the top rope like it was easy. She crashes down on Burton, and both go down in a tangle of limbs and chairs! The crowd quickly revert their opinion of Darna Dare.

Both competitors are down. The official begins to count.

"ONE!"



"TWO!"



"THREE!"



"FOUR!"



"FIVE!"

A hand appears atop the barricade, and Tommy Burton pulls himself to his feet, clearly shaken, a trickle of blood running down his back from an ugly little hole in the right shoulder. He looks back, heaving for breath, and sees Darna pushing herself to all fours, gaze alert and trained on him. Blood runs down her face; her hair is slick with it, a fracture perhaps opened by his earlier elbow strike. Burton swears, and she grins at him.

"SIX!"

Both of them move at once, Tommy vaulting the barricade but immediately turning to intercept the woman following him. She leaps obligingly, both hands descending upon his shoulders, her feet impacting his chest and thrusting him back. He staggers, but manages to stay upright, using his superior strength to flip little Darna around and catch her in a dangerous position. She struggles momentarily, but there's nothing she can do. INJECTION! Burton launches her against the edge of the apron with his signature exploder suplex. She rebounds painfully and rolls, coming to rest against his legs. The Inmate kicks her in the face and steps over, sliding up into the ring.

"EIGHT!"



"NINE!"

The crowd is absolutely incensed with Tommy Burton, who leans on the ropes with a cold smile, watching to see what the battered, bloody woman does. A whole lot of nothing, it seems, until she moves with a sudden purpose, clearly dead on her feet as she makes it to the ring on the very beat of ten, flopping through the ropes to the canvas.

Woo: By the skin on the skin of her teeth this match continues! 

Gomez: Does she have anything left to continue with or is she handing an easy win to Tommy Burton? 

Burton doesn't exactly look displeased at this turn of events. Bending to drag Darna up with a handful of dark, bloody hair, he works her over with stiff body shots, then slams an elbow into her cheek. This time it slices her open, a long gash appearing right beneath the left eye. Her pained hiss turns into a scream, and she responds with body shots of her own, slamming her palms again and again into Tommy Burton's ribs. Her fury is astonishing; but he's in better condition than she is, weathering them and then spinning into a second attempt at a Chin Check!!

Either she has him scouted, or is a beast of pure instinct; Darna drops to a crouch, scrambles beneath Burton's feet, diving upward into a single-legged dropkick that catches him flush. Frustrated and surprised, the Inmate stumbles toward the corner post, impacting it uncomfortably. He turns around into an oncoming ball of madness; Dare is in mid-air, crashing down upon him with a flying forearm, brow-beating Tommy back against the turnbuckle. This leads into an eight-limbed assault, palm strikes and chopping low kicks yielding to rough, driving knees, and finally unprotected elbow shots to the head. The Inmate ends up seated against the post, streaks of both their blood running down his face. Screeching, Darna grabs him by the skull and falls into a headbutt that knocks them both to the canvas.

Woo: Ouch! That sound is.... unpleasant! 

Gomez: Both are down but who can get to their feet a-HEAD of the other?

Each is slow to rise, exhaustion driving the one and malice the other. Burton is hurt but doesn't want to admit it; Darna Dare is a wounded animal. They're a perfect match as they pull themselves up on opposing sets of ropes, their bloodshot stares slowly meeting. Burton hawks up a mouthful of bloody saliva, and casts it at Dare. It strikes her cheek, and she almost lifts a hand to wipe it away... instead, she smiles. Pushes herself from the ropes, leaping to catch Tommy between her legs, climbing him like a tree, bringing her teeth down upon his head.

He cries out, gets a hand between them, and throws her off with a thrusting palm to the face, mashing the bridge of her nose. Catching herself in a sliding crouch in the middle of the ring, falling to her knees, Darna screams and beats at her chest with both hands, throwing her arms out in open invitation to the Inmate. He obliges, stepping forth to lash out with three brutal kicks that catch the crazed Pinoy amidships. One, two, Three Strikes! Dare absorbs them all, blood and tears streaking her face, weakly lifting a hand to flip off Tommy Burton. He laughs, almost choking on it.

Grabbing the tiny Pinoy by the hair, Burton hauls her upright. Not to her feet, but off the ground, her legs kicking and scrambling for purchase. She finds it; on him, getting one heel on his thigh and driving the other foot into his crotch. The Inmate doubles over as Dare drops to a crouch, eyes wide and chest heaving. In spite of her tactic, the crowd rallies behind her; and she hits the ropes at a rapid-fire sprint, bouncing back and forth like a greased pinball--

--and then leaving her feet on the fifth beat, driving forth at Burton with the Kalabaw Hunting Horn!

Perhaps he sees it coming. Perhaps he remembers what he promised himself he would do.

It doesn't matter. Knee meets face, and Tommy Burton hits the deck. Darna lands in a wild scramble, throwing her unenviable body weight atop the Inmate, punching the air with one arm as she feels the count.

ONE...




TWO...



THREE!!!

DING DING DING

Dobrev: And your winner, via pinfall, DARNA! DARE!

Dare lies across Burton, gasping for air, feeling the thrum of the arena as it erupts in her favor. Her arm has fallen across her chest, limply twitching as the supply of adrenaline keeping her conscious fluctuates. She rolls back her hazel eyes, casting a glance over the shoulder at Tommy Burton, whose eyes are wound shut, his mouth a pronounced scowl of hatred and bitter disappointment. Darna pushes off of his chest, rolling to her feet with the remembered grace of a gymnast, turning to look down upon the Inmate. Her arm is seized and raised by the official, but she barely notices; she's busy recalling how to make her mouth produce saliva. She does it, producing a hot, sticky trickle flecked with crimson, leaning forward to drape it over her fallen opponent. His eyes flutter open, and he reaches up to grab at her throat; she dances away, whirling through the ropes to ringside, escaping with the hard-won victory...

Woo: This could be the start of a beautiful friendship. Blood, sweat, and, er, spit notwithstanding, these two left absolutely nothing behind. Darna Dare is our new number one contender for the United States championship!

Gomez: Haa! I like her, Woo! There was no wrong decision in this one. Next season is going to start with a ¡PUM!

Woo: Dear lord. 

Gomez: You gotta believe that Darna will be watching our next match as Melody Malone battles Samantha Hamilton for the United States Championship!

The camera slowly fades....

[EWC]

The lights go out, which has zero effect since it's 5:30 PM and the sun is still up .. but the crowd still cheers with anticipation. A few moments pass before a man screeches through the PA System.

PA: YOU KNOW WHERE YOU ARE?!

Very familiar guitar notes echo through the arena and the crowd buzzes. The X-Tron lights up and a pair of boots step down onto a sidewalk at nighttime. The toes of the boots scuffle around as if there's some confusion, before another, much larger set of boots heft themselves down onto the sidewalk. And then a pair of much smaller boots drop into view and the large boots fly out of the shot. The guitar notes are still echoing through the arena.

PA: YOU'RE IN THE JUNGLE, BAY-BAY!

The camera cuts from underneath a bus to a shot down a gritty city sidewalk. And there, dressed to the nines in their finest denim tuxedos, with long pieces of strong stuck in the corners of their mouths is the infamous B-Team trio looking back toward the bus that they just got out of. The crowd in the arena lose their ever-lovin' minds! It's been years since anyone has heard from their heroes, and here they are in all of this gigantic pixelated glory. There is nothing better than spending hard earned dollars to attend an EWC event, unless that EWC event is WrestleFest, where all of the stars come out to play.

The echoing guitar devolves into the opening notes of "Welcome to the Jungle," and Axl Rose mutters, "Oh my god..." The B-Team turn and start walking toward the camera, hands tucked in their denim pockets. The music and the screen fade back into silent darkness. The frenzied crowd start chanting and clapping, "We want B-Team!" Clap! Clap! Clap-clap! Clap! The cheering and chanting go on for a few moments until it seems as though that's all the crowd may be getting. The chanting begins to fizzle out when an unmistakable drone can be heard throughout the arena

Woo: Wait. Oh my, can it be?!

The stage area is very suddenly bathed in bright white light as a parade of men and women in kilts file out, bagpipes filled and humming away. In unison they hit high notes and they hit low notes. The crowd come unglued. Their heroes have returned. Their heroes have arrived. The bagpipes begin playing along to Korn's "It's On!" that is now pumping through the arena's PA system and the building shakes. The B-Team emerge from the shadows of the entrance of the stage and you can hear nothing, the crowd is so loud. The commentators high five and exchange exclamations of excited profanity, but the sound guy can't do anything about the microphones all red-lining from the noise. He's probably also too busy jumping up and down from seeing The B-Team for the first time in what feels like an eternity.

Sean "The Man" Ferguson, Happy Pete, and Irish Pete make their way down the aisle between two lines of bagpipers. They're looking out over the crowd, soaking in all of the adulation. They waste little time climbing in the ring and somehow the crowd gets louder. Sean walks over to the corner where a stagehand gives him a microphone. He climbs the turnbuckles and motions for the crowd to get louder, that he can't hear them. They respond in kind. Sean just laughs and hops down, toward the middle of the ring. The B-Team look out into the crowd as the cheering is still deafening. He then pretends to unsheath the microphone from an imaginary hilt on his hip and holds it up. The crowd doesn't care. They chant, "Wel-come back! Wel-come back!"

Sean: All right. Shut up. I'm hear to say some things.

The crowd just cheers louder. They chant more, "Stay for-e-ver! Stay for-e-ver!"

Sean: I don't know. I feel like this entrance is almost as long and drawn out as a Hurricane Jeff promo and I haven't even said anything yet. This may actually take forever.

The crowd laugh and cheer

Sean: All right. Let's get back to brass tacks, we've carried on enough. The last time you people saw me, I was terrifying the poop out of an old friend of mine directly into his tights, such that Orsome's mom is still scrubbing the stains out. Now --

The crowd cheers and chants for Joey Orsome's mother.

Sean: I have a dollar that says that won't be the first or last cheap pop Orsome's mom gets tonight. But I digress. That little program that was afforded to me was to settle a little score. I didn't like the number of checkmarks that Orsome had in his books, so I was granted the opportunity to even that shit out. So why now? Why here? Why this WrestleFest? Why dust off the rest of the band and come out here? It's WrestleFest, baby! There's no better time and no better place and no better crowd!

The B-Team chuckles at the cheap pops as the crowd continues to lose their minds.

Sean: I've had a lot of time to burn online, this year. And somehow, I stumbled on to the EWC website. It's a fancy little page with far more information than you could ever want to have at your fingertips. And for whatever reason - I don't know if I needed the ego boost or what - but I found myself perusing the page devoted to the Hall of Fame members. Now, I --

Crowd: You de-serve it! You de-serve it!

Sean: Yea, I thought so, but have you seen some of the people in there? Mayor MacCheese had the nerve to put himself in his own Hall of Fame! How utterly ridiculous is that? Now, I don't want to make it all sound bad. You've got people like Steve Bennett in there. Our buddy, Moses Lake. Beth Harte. Jay Cee. But Big Mac? The only thing worse is if he put his secret son, Max Carter in the Hall of Fa--wait a minute! Max Carter is in there. So, how prestigious is this Hall of Fame?

The members of B-Team shrug and act incredulous like they truly have no idea what to say. But we know better. Never have we ever seen The B-Team without something to say.

Sean: So, how about it, WrestleFest? Do you want some answers?

The crowd cheers with a resounding affirmative.

Sean: Do you want to know what the deal is with this ridiculous Hall of Fame of ours?

The crowd cheers along.

Sean: Let's go, Biggie Mac. I know the retirement home hasn't locked you out and made you miss Jello Time yet. Drag your dusty ass out here and give us some answers!

The crowd gets to their feet and everyone turns their attention toward the stage. Time passes and nothing happens. The crowd starts to chant Mac's name and Sean has to raise his voice to be heard.

Sean: C'mon, Biggie Mac. Give the people what they want, it's WrestleFest!

A spotlight comes on at the entrance way and 'Coming Undone' blasts over the PA with the fans going absolutely insane out walks President Mac who makes a goofy face into the camera.

He then waves to the fans but then keeps his eyes locked on Sean in the ring. Mac climbs up on to the apron of the ring and he just glares at The B-Team. Sean turns toward the crowd and shoots mockingly.

Sean: Let's hear it, WrestleFest! It's the big cheese!

To the surprise of Sean, the crowed rallies behind Mac, chanting and cheering for him. Sean is stunned as he was hoping for some boo's. A fan throws beer down The B-Team which causes a bit of ruckus in the ring.

Mac: Well? You have me out here Sean .. to be transparent to everyone here .. this isn't what Sean and I had discussed. This wasn't the agreement. I knew there would be shenanigans .. and I love you all for that reception .. I know Fergy Ferg wasn't expecting that .. but what are you up to Sean?

Sean: I'm serious, Big Man. This Hall of Fame of yours is ridiculous. How do you explain putting yourself in there? How do you only have Beth Harte in there? How do you even talk to Steve Bennett when you put him in the same record book as Max Carter? Are you even serious?

Mac smirks, looks around at the fans still cheering him on, raises the mic to his mouth and continues

Mac: The EWC's Hall of Fame is a -- its a huge achievement. It's something that we -- that you -- everyone should be proud. I -- I don't know how you think Beth Harte shouldn't be in the Hall of Fame. Though you have one thing wrong .. it's not me that put myself or anyone in the Hall of Fame .. you know darn well it's made up of a committee that .. 

Sean: That's not what I said. What I was saying was, she's the only actual woman. Little Maxie not withstanding, of course. Now, look. I get that it's basically a $5,000 paycheck to come out in a tuxedo, to make a speech, and then we get to add Hall of Famer to our resume, but to some of us, to some of the people that have sweat in this ring, have cried in this ring, have bled in this ring for these crowds, and for your checking account. Some of us take the Hall of Fame seriously. And honestly, you put Shadow Man in there? Shadow Man? He's a third rate Van Wilder that you wouldn't even allow to be in the same ring as me.

The crowd gasps and starts to boo at Sean now. Clearly things are getting heated. Big Mac loosens his tie and looks out into the crowd before replying.

Mac: First off .. when's the last time you even visited the Hall of Fame? Because Beth Harte isn't the only female in the Hall. How have you never heard of Ruthann Hunter? She has more talent than you could ever dream up of having. And Shadow Man? You're really going after the Hardcore Hero of the People? The Taco Man himself? The guy who holds more records than your music collection can handle? Sean Sean Sean .. you've been gone for far too long and are way too out of touch. 

Sean: All right. All right. Clearly I've struck a nerve. I'm sorry. I know this is your favorite night of the year and I have you all upset. We said we just wanted to come out here, announce that we'd be making a few appearances, warm up the crowd some, and we'd be on our way. We've done that, so maybe we should go.

Mac smirks and shakes his head before sitting on the middle rope to allow The B-Team to leave. Sean steps forward and sticks his head through the ropes before he gets a wicked grin on his face. He stops and looks at the audience for a moment before spinning back into the ring. He puts a finger up in the air to signal for silence for just a moment and paces.

Sean: But you know, my Mac-man? Something just occurred to me.

Mac closes his eyes and mutters to himself. He's about to get played right into whatever scheme these scamps were already ramping up for.

Sean: You know who isn't in the Hall of Fame?

Mac just stares into the ring, probably replaying how his entire life has lead him to this very moment.

Sean: I said, "You know who isn't in the Hall of Fame?"

Playing along with Sean, Mac comes off the ropes and walks over to Sean. He lets out a sigh and then replies

Mac: Let's hear it Sean .. who?

Sean: Well, B-D-C, of course!

The crowd cheers at BDC's name, just as loud as they had cheered earlier. Sean pretends to be thrown off and dismayed.

Sean: Now, how could that be? He certainly was a highly regarded champion! He certainly held the title for a long time. And gosh darnit! I certainly couldn't beat him!

Mac: Yeah I remember those day's pretty clearly Sean. And if memory serves .. you never did get a single win on him. 

Sean: Now - now. There's no need for all of that. I -- I just think it's really strange that I'm in the Hall of Fame, but a guy I couldn't ever beat isn't in there. Now, what's up with that?

Mac: Well .. if you paid any attention to the EWC since you ran off never to be heard from again .. you'd know that BDC was voted in, we had him set to be in the Hall of Fame just two years ago. 

Sean: ...and...?

Mac: I mean .. do I need to teach you how to use google search? We didn't hear from him. Couldn't book his appearance. So .. his induction has been put on hold. Not much I, or anyone else here can do about it. 

Sean: Well, isn't that like him to Welsh on a deal?

Sean mugs for the poor pun. In case you don't remember, BDC is from Wales, making him Welsh. The Petes guffaw as if the pun was absolutely hysterical and that none of this is a set up.

Sean: Well, Biggie Mac -- can, can I call you that? Biggie Mac?

Mac: Whatever gets this ending quicker Sean .. 

Sean: That just doesn't seem right to me. And as I've gotten a little longer in my years, I've discovered the importance of second chances. Third chances. Ninth chances. So, here's what I propose. I propose that you induct BDC into the Hall of Fame next year.

Mac: That's fun Sean .. it's like you don't hear the words coming out of my mouth .. so why not get to your actual point .. what is it that you want?

Sean: Whatever do you mean Biggie Mac?

Mac smirks, looks down at his watch then back up at Sean

Mac: I honestly don't have time for this .. so lets get to it Sean. What is it that you want. You got to come back. You got to be here in the ring. You get to be all over national TV and will probably be trending online. Now you even got me out here and you have your moment. So what else do you want Sean?

Sean: No game. No game.

Mac: Like I said .. his induction is on hold because we can't track him down .. but absolu --

Sean: I thought you would disagree, so how about this? Seeing as that big bastard has been sitting at home and singing with his hot ladyfriend, he's probably got a little ring rust on him. How about, next year? At WrestleFest Twenty, we make it BDC versus Sean "The Motherlovin' Man" Ferguson? And the winner gets my spot in the Hall of Fame?

Mac laughs and leans on the ropes as the crowd reacts with him. Mac shakes his head, turns to the crowd and shrugs, then looks back over to Sean.

Mac: So let me get this straight .. we haven't been able to reach BDC in over two years .. to have him properly inducted into the Hall of Fame. Yet somehow, we're going to reach him in the next ten or eleven months, and convince him to come out of retirement and face you, to .. wait .. lets see if I get this right .. to get your Hall of Fame spot instead of the one already waiting for him? Whatever Sean .. sure. 

The crowd gasps. Suddenly The Petes look very concerned and start to visibly get Sean to reconsider. He just stares daggers into the eyes of President Mac. Mac rolls the proposition around in his head before a smile spreads across his face.

Mac: So how about I do all of this .. on one condition.

Sean: Name it.

Mac: Work a part time schedule. Come back to the EWC. You can join any brand you want. BRAWL, RAMPAGE, PARAMOUNT, PRIME or even UNCHAINED. Doesn't matter to me. Come back, put some face time in, get that ring rust off of you .. and then sure .. yes .. I'll give you that match.

Sean: Done.

Sean smiles almost maniacally and sticks his hand out. The crowd gets to their feet as Mac is still hesitant. Slowly he puts his hand out and Sean grabs it and violently shakes hands with President Mac. The crowd murmurs and then Sean pulls Mac close. Both drop their microphones and clearly Sean makes up for lost time. He starts giving Big Mac a piece of his mind and Mac starts to leave the ring. Sean pulls him back in after not letting go, and he sucker punches Mac in the mouth. The crowd explodes and a parade of security runs down to the ring. The Petes haul Sean out of the ring yelling at him for his behavior. Mac yells at Sean from the ring and Sean just stares back at Mac. The cameras fade out with Mac and Sean being held apart by security.

[EWC]

The camera cuts to a tent outside on the grounds of Estadio de Maracana where a crowd of what looks like a thousand people have gathered for what has become a yearly tradition here on the first night of WrestleFest…The Doug Robinson Show...now as you may or may not remember this is the show where Tommy Love exposed himself to the EWC back in 2019 and the show where last year we saw The Roast of Tommy Love…what does this year have in store…well we are about to find out as Doug Robinson walks out onto the stage to a huge cheer from the EWC fans…

Robinson: WASSSS UPPPPP BRAZIL!!!!

The fans snap right back with…

Crowd: WASSSS UPPPPPP DOUGGGGG!!!!

Doug pumps his arm, Arsenio Hall style as he walks to the center of the stage and bows to the crowd

Robinson: Welcome one and all to The Doug Robinson Show, I am your host ‘Dangerous’ Doug Robinson and if you’re not familiar with me and maybe only wandered in here because...

A little about me, I was a former manager in the late 70’s and early 80’s and then transitioned behind the scenes to a GM and head booker and I WAS the host of The Doug Robinson Show on Sirius XM Monday through Friday from 9am to noon eastern and USE to take my little One Man Show on the road every Saturday night and do Town Hall style shows…that was until 2019 when Tommy Love pulled out his dick live on my show and got me fired…that’s a lot for that ‘buddy’...

The fans groan remembering that night that will live on in EWC lure…

Robinson: It’s ok…once I was fired and broke from the legal battle to keep The Doug Robinson name I did what all out of work people do…I started a Podcast and became the Newest Shock Jock of the Pod World and that was fun for a bit…but after last years Roast I knew I needed to mix it up so now…you can find The Doug Robinson Show on Barstool sports with a bigger budget than before with the cuffs still off…

Doug takes another bow as the fans cheer

Robinson: And I know what you are must be asking, ‘with all the problems Tommy Love have caused you why in the world would you bring him back’...well because the fucker draws ratings…people are still talking about him pulling out his wanker and all the #SEEDING that fool did and well everyone expects the most shocking shit here at WrestleFest so without any further delay please give it up for my guest tonight, ‘The Memphis Mouthpiece’ himself, TOMMY LOVE!!!!

There is a mixed reaction from the crowd as Tommy Love walks out holding up the double bird which just draws more cheers from this crowd as he takes a seat on the stage next to Doug Robinson

Love: You better be thankful you asshole, Samantha Hamilton challenges for the US Championship here in 2 hours and while I should be back there with her I’m giving your tired ass the time of day…

Robinson: Yeah well I heard from her husband Joseph that your pervy ass is banned from her locker room until a half an hour before the match so she can dress without the fear of you live streaming it or making an OnlyFans page so you had nothing better to do than to join me on stage…

Tommy smiles.

Love: You know if I wasn’t afraid of her that would be a great idea…I do have a few pictures of Gabi from her coked out days…maybe I can still make a little more money off her…

Robinson: And you wonder why people want to kick you in the balls…

Love: Please, Gabi is watching what I have been doing for Samantha, for Xavier and knows that could have been her and instead she’s wrestling in a Mac Invitational…how far she has fallen but I guess that’s what happens when you leave The Love Club for 3C…

Robinson: The Love Club members have set themselves up for a HUGE WrestleFest for sure, tonight HBO Broadcast Champion Samantha Hamilton looks to once again win the US Championship, tomorrow afternoon Jason Hunter can win a shot at his brands top championship in the Mac Invitational II, tomorrow night The Southern Express look to win back the EWC Tag Team Championships and then Monday Night, Xavier Reid looks to retain the International Championship against Stitches, your own son challenges for the X-Division Championship and in the Main Event your former client Killjoy Ito, now managed by your son Buddy challenges for the Undisputed Championship…

Tommy smiles again.

Love: And people want to question who the ‘Best Stable’ in the EWC is…I don’t see Sabotage in championship matches, 3C…only Jordan has a champions match…The Love Club runs the EWC…

Robinson: It’s hard to argue that Tommy…unless you all fail and lose each and every match here at WrestleFest…oh how that would be funny to see…

Love: Wow, you’re a dick these days aren’t you…are you still pissed about me pulling out my penis…

Robinson: You cost me everything Tommy…

Tommy shakes his head.

Love: Cost you everything, Doug I made you the talk of wrestling with that stunt, here we are two years later and we are still talking about that night…it made you Doug…hell it made me…I became must watch that night and this place is full tonight just in case I…

Tommy jumps up as the fans pop and he starts to unzip his pants but stops and smiles.

Love: See that…it’s what they want…

Robinson: Nobody wants to see that…

Love: Of course they don’t want to see it but what they want is to be able to say they were there that night in Brazil where Tommy pulled out his ‘Love Stick’ on The Doug Robinson Show again…it’s why I sold so many of these…

Tommy pulls out a #SEEDED t-shirt

Love: People love to say they despise me but the thing is deep down they really LOVE me, see Doug they want me in their life, they need me in their life…they can’t live without me, if I walked out of the EWC tonight yeah some would cheer openly but how long before this place got boring and they would be begging me to come back…a day, a week a month…listen Doug I make this place interesting and Must Watch TV because nobody knows what I’m going to do…I could #SEED this stage right now and would be trending #1 in 5 mins…

Robinson: Please let’s not test that theory…

Love: Don’t worry, that’s not why I agreed to come out here tonight…as many people know my client Xavier Reid and I have been at odds…

Robinson: Yeah…ever since you found out he’s bending over your daughter…

Love: Easy now Doug, that is my sweet little princess you’re talking about and tonight I invited both of them here to The Doug Robinson Show so we can solve these issues…so without further delay, ladies and gentleman…Xavier Reid and Bunny Love…

‘Papercuts’ plays out as the EWC International Champion Xavier Reid and Bunny Love walk out onto the stage, hand in hand and take a seat next to Tommy Love.

Love: Now, the two of you went behind my back and kept this ‘relationship’ a secret which tells me you both knew what you were doing was wrong…

Bunny Love: Dad…

But Tommy holds up his hand.

Love: No, let me finish, I’m not going to lie to either of you…I’m hurt by this…Xavier…

Tommy looks at his client Xavier Reid.

Love: I came to you in your time of need, helped you win the International Championship at last years Hardcore Revolution, was at your side and put together an incredible strategy to win the Undisputed Championship at last years Night of Champions…took Gabi’s focus away from you at this years StrangleMania and helped you recapture the International Championship…was by your side TWICE this season when you defended that championship this year and you went behind my back and slept with my daughter…there was a time where I would have beaten you bloody with my ‘Love Stick’ or turned on you and starting managing your rival…but…I love my daughter…

Tommy looks at Bunny.

Love: A daughter that hooked up with one of my clients which I told her years ago was the ONE thing she was forbidden to do…I told you Bunny that my business was off limits to you yet you went behind my back and went after Xavier…so…

Tommy looks at them both and shakes his head.

Love: I’m left with two choices here…I either cut you both out of my life and treat you both as enemies or…Doug…

Doug Robinson looks uncomfortable.

Robinson: I want you both to know this wasn’t my idea…it was all Tommy’s but…drop the curtain…

With that announcement the curtain drops as does Xavier and Bunny’s mouth as they see the wedding altar. Doug Robinson pulls out his jacket to show he’s wearing a white collar and pulls out a bible.

Robinson: I got ordained online just for this…

Love: You two get married right here and now and Xavier…you become part of The Family!!!

The crowd pops as Xavier and Bunny look like they’ve seen ghosts…

Love: Come on, you two love each other clearly and we can ‘one up’ Dominic Sanders’ crappy wedding last year with a Love Blowout…this is the only way…

Reid: Tommy…

Bunny Love: Dad we are NOT getting married you fucking lunatic!!! How many bedtime stories did you tell me about how Bobby and Jimmy hooked up with some random person on the road…or were a little drunk and told me about the sluts you nailed and now I have to get married because I’m dipping my ink onto your client's pen…

Reid: We are having fun Tommy…if Bunny was Lisa Goldrush you wouldn’t be pushing marriage onto me…hell you’d kidnap me and leave me in Mexico if I wanted to get married at my age…you even said to me, ‘Xavier…marriage is evil and you should never do it…just fuck…fuck anything that has tits and a hole well’...

Bunny Love: I have tits and holes Dad…

Reid: We aren’t doing ANYTHING you or Bobby and Jimmy didn’t do 30 years ago…

Bunny Love: Or last night…I walked by Bobby’s room and heard things…

She gives a shiver remembering the noises.

Reid: So we are NOT going to get married here tonight so if you feel so strongly about this then and feel the need to ‘cut me out of your life’ then I’ll take that as you quitting thus forgoing your 10% of me…

Bunny Love: And Xavier, if you are looking for a new manager I’d gladly take you on, I mean I have managed the EWC Tag Team Champions to a record setting reign and…

Love: NO!!!! Xavier is my client you little HO…you may be fucking him but you’re not going to fuck me also…

Tommy looks at Xavier.

Love: Fine, I was bluffing and you called…I’m not quitting as your manager…

Reid: Then you need to knock this shit off and do the job I’m paying you for Tommy…enough of the pouting in the corner or standing around ringside like I killed your puppy…

Bunny Love: Yeah he’s just defiling me dad…

Reid: So enough Tommy…this is your final warning…now, Bunny and I are done here…we are going to go wish Samantha good luck here tonight and be ready to celebrate tonight after she wins the US Championship…get on board or get off…

Bunny Love: Bye daddy…

Bunny smiles as she takes Xavier’s hand and the two leave the stage as Doug starts cracking up at Tommy.

Robinson: Well that didn’t go well for you did it Tommy…and to know your client is bending your daughter…

But before Doug can finish that sentence Tommy turns and.

Knocking Doug Robinson out, the crowd is stunned as Tommy stands over him and looks down.

Love: Well how did this interview go for you Doug…you want to piss on me well…

Shocking screams come from the crowd as Tommy unbuckles his pants and drops them to the ground like a toddler, standing bare asses over his friend and…

As the first drop hits Doug Robinson the feed is cut.

[EWC]

We return to ringside where Marcus Woo is standing by with even MORE social media reactions

Woo: The producers along with President Mac have been in my ear once again, saying we got even more social media reactions .. so I guess let's make like a tree and check those reactions out!

The feed returns to Marcus Woo.

Woo: Wow! Did you read those comments? I sure didn't. We are inching closer and closer to our next match .. don't go anywhere fans! We'll be back with more action sooner than .. Sonic the Groundhog? .. I don't know .. It's just about dinner time for me.

The feed fades with Marcus heading towards one of the food trucks and another shot at the crowd.

[EWC]

Darkness. Considered the antithesis of the light; the good, the just. A state to be feared.
Without it, there is no respite. No sleep, no healing, no personal growth.
The wise one embraces their darker self as the dark itself will surely embrace them - because it doesn't discriminate.
Even the blind can be alone in the dark.

Our setting is not pitch as coal, merely gloomy. Stacked shapes glimmer dully in the false gloaming, a dim-bulbed lamp in the corner shedding dismal light on what seems to be some kind of store room. A nowhere place, in the midst of somewhere.

It's in such a place that Darna Dare finds herself, once again. She's leaned upon a concrete sill, a rough-hewn trough serviced by a rusty, dripping tap. From behind, the Pinoy appears to be naked, but a closer examination reveals she simply wears a navy jumpsuit unzipped to the waist. Her bare shoulders are darkened with dried ichor, streaked in the pattern left by her hair, which is part-disheveled from a recent brushing, but not washed. It's black, in patches, where her blood has flown most heavily. One shoulder is a mess of ugly bruising, muscle stiff and contorted where it has cramped.

Cracked lips part in a sigh, and Darna lifts her hands, pulling the jumpsuit up and over, concealing the worst of her injury. Turning, she leans against the trough, running a couple of fingers along her cheek. The swelling is bad here, too, beneath the eye. Puffy flesh is pinched taut by crude stitches, their tips pricked with dried gobbets of her fluid. Her body shakes momentarily, an echo of pain that brings with it the warming floodlight of a smile.

Dare draws and releases a satisfied breath, zipping her suit in one quick motion, a teasing glimpse of flesh rapidly vanishing. She lifts her long hair in one hand, and with the other reaches behind to lift and then place a faded ballcap. Across the front, an etched legend in what seems to be Comic Sans:

ZELADORA. Janitor.

Whistling as she goes to work, Darna snatches up a mop on her way out of the door, which, on opening, emits a cacophony of sound. Hubbub. Commotion. She steps right out into one of the Estádio's main concourses... and right into another member of staff, who appears to be walking backwards as he crosses his own breast fearfully. His face is aflame with panic.

Janitor: "O mal anda aqui."

He repeats the phrase beneath his breath. Darna blinks, and uses the handle of the mop to stop him walking, then spins him around so he's facing what she clearly deems - as hinted by a disapproving, almost motherly frown - to be the 'right way'.

Janitor: "O mal anda aqui!"

Darna: "What's he saying?"

She asks of a random passerby in a Phoenix Winterborn t-shirt, who shrugs, and casually replies.

Fan: "He said, 'evil walks here'."

Darna: "Evil walks where?"

Waving her thanks regardless, she steps out of the way of the passing crowds and experimentally sniffs the air, going up on her tiptoes to get better reception. Her eyes widen, and she frantically waves to the man now walking forwards away from her, still repeating that phrase.

Darna: "Ei! They are not evil! Just... worse than most..."

She trails off with a sigh, and shoulders her mop over the unruined side. Scratching at the back of her neck, she sets off down the concourse, and we follow her from a high vantage; getting a small tour of the facilities along the way. She passes by a row of food vendors, and stops momentarily to swap a ticket for a stacked bifana which she proceeds to rather impressively deep-throat before her pace quickens, and we move from the colorful thrum of the festival attendees--

--to the bowels. And how. Darkness overcomes the lens before it can adjust to the change in lighting, and when it snaps back into focus we see teeny-tiny Darna, lost in her custodial garb, standing in a large, empty-feeling room that plays host to the stacked-up remnants of the brutal seven-way cage match from earlier in the evening. The monolithic structure is bent and bloody, dripping here and there with the remnants of the ravaged competitors.

Darna: "Tabi, tabi po."

Her voice is a little too loud for the setting, uncomfortably thrumming off the hollow walls. The background hum of the crowd remains, distant and strange, but not half so the latter as what happens next. Tears appear in what seemed open space above and around the dismantled cage, gouges in nothing that yield a prismatic sheen at their outer edges. As if inverted into being, reverse-imploded, creatures come into view, crawling the width and height of the steel chain.

Darna: "Tiyanak?"

She advances with the mop before her like a quarterstaff. Hazel eyes narrow, and the exorcist's nostrils flare as she assesses the nightmarish little things; shaped like young children, barely past being toddlers, but their limbs warped and tangled, joints bending at unnatural angles. Skin like rice paper, frail and peeling in places, with the discomfiting brightness of ichor-drenched bone beneath. One turns to look at her, and hisses, bearing needle-thin teeth that don't fit together. Beady, black eyes widening. There's something hungry about it. Desperate.

Darna: "No."

The Pinoy shakes her head rapidly to and fro, the motions small, because she does not dare look away.

Darna: "You are not lost children. You are the offspring of violence. You... belong here."

If any fool needed assuring that Darna Dare smiles for the damnedest reasons, she does so now, bending to a crouch against some resistance from her tired and damaged body. The scuttling, twisted beast drops from the cage wall and approaches her, letting out another hiss that's almost mewling. A forked tongue flickers from within its lipless mouth.

Darna extends a bandage-wrapped hand, brings the opposing thumb in to dig into her own wound, slips it out bearing fresh blood.

Darna: "I'm not going to pick you up, but I will feed you. Take this gift of my life, and bless this place; we need violence, as it needs us."

As she speaks this line, she reaches into a front pocket and draws out a wooden figure, perhaps six inches long, whittled into the shape of a tall, long-limbed woman. Hewn from what may be maple, honey-brown and pleasing to the eye. She sets this down before the imp as it twitches forward to begin lapping at the bloodied bandage.

Darna: "Where you find blood, follow sweat and tears, and you will find champions."

Another figure is produced, this one noticeably smaller, but still feminine in structure. Formed from black oak, it's beautiful in a different way; or for different tastes, for those who love the compulsion of the void. Unlike the other, this figure is decorated with a crown, a band of copper gleaming atop the darkened wood.

Darna: "Bless challenger and champion both, little one. I need them each at their worst, that I might face them at their best."

The creature is feeding succulently now, the lapping of its tongue quite audible as it uses its lipless mouth to suck on the covered wound. Darna bites her lip, and breathes to release the tension this ignites; every morsel of her screaming, like always, to remove herself from this situation. That this is wrong. She knows, though; our instincts are a traitor. We fail to understand everything around this because we obey the fear. She fears not, because she loves.

Darna: "Mm."

Her lips are still dry, and she strives to moisten them for a moment, quietly watching the hideous thing feast upon her hand.

Darna: "You know what, little one? Little ones. Halika rito!"

Her voice raises, calling over the relative horde that have yet to approach. A few freakish heads turn toward her. Her smile fading, mouth a grim line, the exorcist lifts her free hand and urgently tears at the stitches sealing the wound upon her cheek. She rips her clawing digits away; blood spatters, the dam bursts. A chorus of sibilant, stuttering hisses respond, and the disassembled cage shudders and groans at the weight of the subsequent dismounting spirits.

They pour toward her across the concrete, a flood of common evil. A dark plague. The figures of Melody Malone and Samantha Hamilton are soon buried in wretched, twisted limbs. The sucking sounds intensify. As one, they slurp.

Darna: "Bless this whole damned show. Make this a WrestleFest nobody ever forgets."

The camera slowly fades...

[EWC]

Cut to a dark room with the camera facing a dark figure, candle holders on either side of the figure. 4 candles in a square configuration and a 5th in the middle raised higher above the 4. The figure's head bowed down, his head slowly rising, revealing Caleb Scott's face.

Caleb: The 23rd season of EWC will signal the beginning of the end for countless superstars. As I, Caleb Scott, begin to make my ascension upon the entire organization and force the EWC to recognize what they have done by putting me on the roster, everyone will have no choice but to submit to me. I am a force you can not deny and it will proven in my debut on GAMBIT against whatever poor soul they decided to place in front of me. My competitor will become an example and will show the world how much brutality I intend on inflicting upon the EWC roster. There is nothing you can do to stop me.

Caleb puts down his hood, not breaking eye contact with the camera.

Caleb: And once I reach BRAWL, nobody will be safe from my reach. Soon enough I will have all of EWC under my control.

Caleb puts his hood back up as the camera zooms out showing Caleb on one knee with his arms held out to the side as smoke fills the room.

[EWC]

We return to ringside where Marcus Woo is standing by with further reactions on social media!

Woo: Hello folks, we're on the home stretch for day one of WrestleFest XIX .. and, you guessed it, social media is buzzing as we head toward our big United States Championship bout!

The feed returns to Marcus Woo

Woo: And with that, we're just moments away from our main event of the evening! Who will be victorious and leave Rio as the United States Champion? Will the Queen of EWC retain, or will the Titaness ascend to the throne? Stick around and find out!

The feed fades another shot at the crowd, who are getting absolutely HYPED for our first main event of WrestleFest XIX!

[EWC]

MAIN EVENT - 8:00 PM

EWC UNITED STATES CHAMPIONSHIP

Samantha Hamilton

VS Melody Malone
MATCH WRITER: Ace King

---

Woo: What an eventful day we’ve already had with Mitch Heart, Darius and Darna Dare all emerging victorious today, and now, we’ve arrived at our first of FOUR Main Events of this WrestleFest weekend in Rio!

Gomez: It’s been a crazy pace already, and yet we’re still just climbing toward the top of the roller coaster! You’d have to think that, regardless of whatever medical treatment she’s getting, Darna Dare will be watching this one closely as well, having just earned the #1 Contender slot to whoever ends tonight as the United States Champion.

Woo: Obviously, there’s no love lost between our two main-eventers tonight, so let’s not keep the people waiting any longer.

On cue, the feed cuts to Nina Dobrev standing in the middle of the ring, microphone in hand.

Dobrev: The following contest is scheduled FOR one fall, and it is FOR the EWC UNITED STATES CHAMPIONSHIP!

The Rio crowd starts to buzz as the feed goes to a wide shot of the Maracana, which goes dark shortly thereafter. A few seconds later, the signature air raid sirens to open ‘Indestructible’ by Disturbed reverberate around the stadium. There’s a big explosion of pyro on the stage as the guitars finally kick in, with the crowd cheering as The Titaness, her husband, Joseph "Orion" Hunter, and 'The Memphis Mouthpiece' Tommy Love all stand at the top of the ramp.

Dobrev: Introducing first, THE CHALLENGER… From Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, weighing in at one hundred and forty-five pounds, she is the HBO Broadcast Champion ... SAMANTHA… "THE TITANESS"… HAAAAAAAAMILTOOOOOOOON!

The Titaness saunters down the ramp, flanked by Joseph on one side and Tommy on the other. Upon closer inspection, we also see the HBO Broadcast Championship draped over Samantha's right shoulder.

Woo: What an opportunity Samantha Hamilton has in front of her tonight, with the potential to leave Rio as a double champion!

Gomez: Granted, she’d eventually have to drop the HBO Broadcast Championship, but she’s made it clear how much it would mean to her to reclaim the United States Championship.

Woo: You have to imagine it would be a solid matching set within the Love Club dynamic as well, with Xavier Reid coming into WrestleFest holding Brawl’s counterpart, that being the International Championship.

The Titaness remains stoic as she makes her way toward the ring with Tommy and Orion in tow, though she does offer the occasional wave to the Rio supporters.

When she finally gets to the ropes, the Titaness slips through the middle and top ropes, waiting patiently as ‘Indestructible’ fades out. Shortly thereafter, the lights dim, but don’t go dark before the soft words of Billie Eilish begin to play over the P.A. system.

Bite my tongue bide my time
Wearing a warning sign
Wait till the world is mine

Visions I vandalize
Cold in my kingdom size
Fell for these ocean eyes

As the chorus hits, a bright flash of pyro explodes from the base of the X-Tron and Melody Malone stands on the stage, flanked by her personal retainer Rory Hyland. Melody stands with a crown atop her head as a spotlight follows them down to the ring.

Dobrev: Making her way to the ring, accompanied by Rory… she is YOUR QUEEN of EWC, AND the EWC United States Champion… MELODY MAAAAAAAALOOOOOOOONE!

You should see me in a crown
I'm gonna run this nothing town
Watch me make 'em bow
One by, one by, one
One by, one by

Woo: Well, if it wasn’t clear beforehand, Melody Malone is very much on a mission this weekend, and it begins tonight as she looks to break the record for most defenses of the United States Championship.

Gomez: Of course, who could forget that it was at this very event two years ago where Ace King’s benchmark 777-day reign came to an end with 10 defenses, so if the Queen pulls it out, I highly doubt that record will be taken away from her.

Rory climbs onto the apron first, holding the ropes open as Melody climbs the stairs and steps through with her chin held up to keep the crown atop her head. She gives the crowd a sarcastic smile as they boo, and she gingerly removes the crown from her head and hands it off to Rory as he exits.

You should see me in a crown
Your silence is my favorite sound
Watch me make 'em bow
One by, one by, one
One by, one by, one

The lights come back up to full brightness, and Melody has her gloves tugged into place as she rakes her hair back, initially paying little attention to the Titaness or her entourage as she hands her championship off to senior referee Toyo Yasahiro, who raises the strap high in the air to the raucous approval of the Rio crowd. However, just as he’s about to call for the bell…

“THE ACE OF SPADES! THE ACE OF SPADES!!!”

Woo: WELL NOW!

Gomez: As if there weren’t enough championships out here already, we’re about to Double Down!

Woo: Nice.

Indeed, the Rio crowd cheers boisterously as Undisputed and Tag Team Champion Ace King emerges from the back, greeting the tens of thousands in the audience with a smile and wave. The Queen’s demeanor immediately becomes more sour, while Hamilton remains focused as Ace makes his way down the long ramp, his arms outstretched to casually high-five those lining the barricades.

Woo: I have to say, it’s certainly a curious stroke of timing for our Undisputed Champion to make his presence felt, and it looks like he’s coming this way!

In the ring, Malone’s gaze turns toward Ace, barking at her Monday night opponent as he offers a passing glance back before going to the announce table, where he picks up the extra headset and rests his championships against his stomach.

Ace King: Hey, guys, got lost on the way to the Christ the Redeemer statue, do you guys have any idea where I should be going?

Woo: I’m pretty sure it’s the opposite direction from here.

Gomez: And you just happened to come out as one of your Undisputed Championship opponents could break one of your records. Did you want to watch this one go down?

Ace King: Yeah, I might take a load off, thanks. It’s getting late for an old-timer like me to be out any-WHOAAA LOOK OUT!

As ‘The Gambler’ gets comfortable at ringside, Malone’s got a death grip on the ropes and staring daggers through the Undisputed Champion. However, Hamilton puts a hand on her shoulder and spins her around, rocking her with a loud slap! As Malone slowly puts a hand to her mouth, the Titaness talks trash to her, barking out ‘WAS THAT NEW?!?!’ for the ringside microphones to hear as she bears down on Malone again.

Gomez: WOW, you could hear that one from Buenos Aires!

Woo: If only there was a short sound the crowd could make to accompany such a strike… I’m sure it’ll come to me.

Ace King: Having been in the ring with both, I can tell you Sam’s hands are like cricket bats when she gets full extension on a strike. It’s not a pleasant experience… Wait a minute, has the bell even rung yet?

Woo: Nope.

Hamilton looks to continue the pre-match onslaught, but Yasahiro steps between the two combatants to try and calm things down. However, with Yasahiro as a block, Malone is able to reach around his blind side and rake Hamilton’s eyes! The crowd boos boisterously as Hamilton clutches her face, a small trickle of blood seeping through her fingers as Malone casually brushes the tips of her nails, checking for specks of blood.

Woo: If this is any indication, I think we’re in for an absolute barn burner to close Night One!

Gomez: I genuinely hope you didn’t need that to happen for you to believe as much. Otherwise, you’d better check your pulse.

Ace King: Some would call this a catfight, others might say it’s a dogfight, but I’m just gonna call it a straight-up fight for one of the biggest prizes in wrestling.

Yasahiro quickly checks on the slightly bloodied Hamilton as Tommy protests from ringside; meanwhile, Malone revels in the boos from the Rio crowd. Once Yasahiro is satisfied with the condition of both competitors, he finally calls for the bell.

DING DING DING

There’s clearly no love lost between the two combatants as the proceedings devolve into a brawl in the middle of the ring before the bell’s even fully rung. Both Hamilton and Malone trade haymakers in the middle of the ring, with Tommy shouting from ringside for Samantha to not lose her cool too early. Eventually, Yasahiro steps in to break them up, sending them back into their corners as the Rio crowd has not lost any of its energy over the course of the day. Hamilton checks the blood trickle on her face, then mouths ‘IS THAT ALL YOU’VE GOT?’ at Malone, who’s less than impressed.

The two square up in the middle of the ring again, this time with the more traditional collar and elbow tie-up. Hamilton uses her height advantage to gain initial leverage on Malone, but once she’s down to a knee, the United States Champion is quick to counter, grabbing onto Hamilton’s leg and dragging the HBO Broadcast Champion to the ground! Once she has Hamilton down, Malone starts raining strikes down on her, with Hamilton protecting herself as best she can before she spots an opening, slashing an elbow through Malone’s strikes and catching the United States Champion clean on the jaw!

Hamilton is quickly back to her feet as Malone holds the stricken jaw, but the HBO Broadcast Champion doesn’t relent, building up speed before connecting with a big Discus Clothesline, the impact looking like nothing more than a flash of blond hair as she whips around! Hamilton goes for the quick cover…

ONE...




TWO-


The United States Champion kicks out rather emphatically, shaking her head in disappointment toward the Titaness before rolling out of the ring under the bottom rope.

Woo: This has been relentless on both sides so far, but it’s Melody Malone trying to make the most of her Champion’s advantage to take a breather in the early going.

Gomez: The Queen didn’t get her moniker by just skirting through obstacles, so it’s an entitlement she’s earned.

Ace King: I’m not a fan of it myself, but if Melody’s been anything in EWC, she’s been resourceful with a good sense of timing.

Woo: She’s definitely proven willing to use anything and everything she can get, and we should expect that to continue.

However, the Titaness doesn’t stand for it, following Malone out of the ring and engaging on the floor below, bouncing the United States Champion’s head off the ring apron, with the Queen’s jaw again taking the brunt of the impact! As Malone massages her jaw, Hamilton remains on the offensive, sliding a hand around the Queen’s throat to attempt a Chokeslam off the ring apron. However, the height of the Chokeslam attempt allows Malone to get seated on the ring apron, pushing Hamilton off and springing to her feet to connect with an Enzuigiri!

Malone laughs as she steps back through the ropes, with Hamilton following in a timely manner. As Hamilton climbs back in, Malone tries to go for the quick snatch into Nightmare Fuel, but Hamilton pushes her off and gets back in the ring! The HBO Broadcast Champion charges at Malone with a Big Boot, but the United States Champion ducks it, then launches herself to attempt a Tornado DDT… BUT HAMILTON COUNTERS INTO A THUNDEROUS SPINEBUSTER IN THE MIDDLE OF THE RING, TO THE DELIGHT OF THE CROWD!

Woo: WOW, what a sequence there!

Gomez: Maybe not the most technically sound exhibition ever, but goddamnit, the brutality on display is beautiful to watch.

Ace King: Neither one is leaving anything to change, just as it should be when the United States Championship is at stake!

Woo: But surely you wouldn’t mind Melody Malone exerting herself more ahead of Monday night?

Ace King: Fair point, but one step at a time, Marcus.

The Queen rolls away and out of the ring again, this time using the apron to push herself back to a vertical base. However, as she does, Titaness charges… SUICIDE DIVE SPEAR THROUGH THE ROPES… BUT MALONE MOVES OUT OF THE WAY AT THE LAST SECOND, LEAVING HAMILTON TO CRASH AND BURN!

Woo: We knew this one was gonna be wild, but Samantha Hamilton just ratcheted things up with that attempt!

Gomez: The Titaness’s intentions were clear there, but the Queen was ready for it… and now, we know her intentions, too!

Malone smirks and tosses her hair as Hamilton nurses the shoulder she slammed into the announce table, but as she does, she sees Ace out of the corner of her eye, and her expression turns decidedly more vengeful, eyeing up the Undisputed Championship as Ace casually gets up out of his chair. Melody smirks before saying “What the fuck are you doing here?” for the cameras to hear… THEN CATCHES THE UNDISPUTED CHAMPION WITH A VICIOUS SLAP, triggering a wave of boos!

Woo: We said it off the top, but Melody Malone’s got her eyes on MULTIPLE prizes this weekend, and just made a statement about the biggest one of all!

Gomez: Yes, but she’d better be careful not to lose what she’s already got, because this won’t be a walk in the park by any stretch of the imagination.

Ace is immediately agitated as he massages his jaw following the slap, with Malone talking trash as her eyes focus squarely on the Undisputed Championship. However, as she does, Hamilton slips in and hoists Malone up on her shoulders, then quickly executes a GTS! Malone’s back buckles on the ring apron, and Hamilton follows it up by rolling the United States Champion back into the ring. Malone continues to clutch at her back, and Hamilton seizes the moment, grabbing Malone and connecting with a Lumbar Check!

However, before she can make the cover, Malone pulls herself back to her feet using the ropes, though she does so gingerly as her back continues to be a sore spot. Looking to continue the momentum, Hamilton again goes for a Big Boot… MALONE SIDESTEPS, AND HAMILTON’S HUNG UP ON THE ROPES! The United States Champion revs up, then hits a Standing Dropkick on the prone Titaness! Malone then waits for Hamilton to get free from the ropes, then launches forward and hits a CROWNING ACHIEVEMENT, sending Hamilton bouncing off the ropes and to the canvas! Though slightly slowed by her back, Malone crawls across to cover Hamilton…

ONE...




TWO...



TH-NOOOOO! Hamilton kicks out just as Yasahiro lifts his hand off the mat for the two-count, which slightly irks Malone.

Woo: Melody Malone looks to be on an absolute tear as she looks to cement her place, on defenses anyway, as the greatest United States Champion of all time, breaking that deadlock with you, Ace.

Ace King: I mean, records are meant to be broken, and even though we barely see eye-to-eye on anything, I said I’d be first in line to congratulate her if she does it tonight, so if she succeeds, I’ll be a man of my word.

Gomez: And what of Samantha Hamilton? You two have clearly built up respect for one another over the better part of three years, almost like she’s a younger sister to you, so you can’t look at this one objectively.

Ace King: She’s more than capable of handling her own business, so no need to look for something that isn’t there.

The United States Champion remains firmly in control; seeing Hamilton still down on her back, Malone gets to the nearest turnbuckle as quick as she can, then launches off the top for a Diving Stomp straight into Hamilton’s gut. The Titaness heaves after feeling Malone’s body weight slam down, but the United States Champion doesn’t let up, going back to the same corner for a Split-Legged Corner Moonsault… BUT HAMILTON MOVES OUT OF THE WAY, AND MALONE CRASHES AND BURNS! Seeing an opportunity, Hamilton lifts her up and connects with a nasty Backbreaker, which clearly had an effect on the United States Champion.

With Malone still down, Hamilton scurries over to the nearest turnbuckle and tries to climb it. However, she does so with her back turned to the ring, allowing the Queen the opportunity to drive a forearm into the back of Hamilton’s knee, getting her hung up between the middle and top ropes! The crowd boos as Malone makes her way up the turnbuckle, bludgeoning the back of Hamilton’s neck with another forearm as she gets her footing on the top ropes… THEN LAUNCHES OFF WITH HER FEET AROUND HAMILTON’S NECK, THROWING HER TO THE CANVAS WITH A VICTORY STAR DROP!

Woo: Wait a minute… Was that…

Ace King: Yeah. Yeah, it was.

Gomez: There’s bold, and then there’s Melody Malone hitting the 7-7-7 you’ve busted out in big moments over the years! I’m sure that particular move wasn’t a coincidence, either, given the significance of that number to you.

Ace King: Yeah, well, the Queen’s always preferred style to substance, unless it’s one of her ridiculous Crown Royal ads.

Woo: Regardless of style or substance, that appeared to be a statement aimed directly at you!

Understanding the significance of the move, the crowd boos heavily as Malone’s eyes are firmly locked onto Ace, a thin smirk on her face as she slowly moves to try and cover Hamilton, but the Titaness is ready for it, snatching Malone’s arm and wrenching back as hard as she can on a Kimura Lock! The crowd heavily cheers the development as Malone thrashes about in the ring, but the Titaness maintains the hold, screaming out as she tries to pull Malone’s arm from its socket! However, the Queen is able to touch the toe of her boot to the bottom rope, prompting Yasahiro to force Hamilton to break the hold.

Reluctantly, the HBO Broadcast Champion does so, but upon release, Malone immediately goes on the offensive, rolling Hamilton onto her stomach and twisting her legs up to go for the Queen’s Exile, but before she can execute the stomp, Hamilton’s raw strength comes into play, slowly getting herself back to her feet and grabbing a handful of Malone’s hair before pulling her into a modified Crucifix position… AND CONNECTING WITH ATLAS SHRUGGED!

ONE...





TWO...





THRE-NOOOOOOO!!! Malone gets a shoulder up in the last possible millisecond, leaving the Titaness in utter disbelief as Tommy goes ballistic at ringside!!!

Woo: HOW IN THE WORLD DID SHE KICK OUT OF THAT?!?!

Gomez: She’s put competitors away with that in the past, and she damn near became a two-time United Stated Champion because of it.

Ace King: Here's the thing, though: Love her or hate her, Melody Malone's calling card is resiliency. Sam nearly got the job done there, but I know I've learned to never count the Queen out, so this match is far from academic.

With Tommy still raging at ringside, Hamilton gives Yasahiro a brief side eye before turning her attention back to Malone, though the momentary lapse is all the United States Champion needs for an opening, leaping to her feet and executing a Jumping Snapmare on the Titaness, then not wasting any time in hooking her arm around Hamilton’s neck… AND DRILLING HER INTO THE CANVAS WITH NIGHTMARE FUEL!

Woo: That was a sickening thud. Was there even a canvas there to absorb some of the blow?

Ace King: The canvas might as well just be a blanket. It really doesn’t make it hurt any less.

Gomez: The blanket’s a perfect analogy, because the Titaness might be saying Nighty-Night here shortly!

With utter contempt in her eyes as the boos threaten to engulf her, Malone scales the nearest turnbuckle, just begging for the vulnerable Hamilton to get up as she gets her footing while still clutching at her ribs.

Woo: Melody Malone’s full of malice as she can taste the United States Championship defense record.

Ace King: She looks to be in full control right now, and she’s hard to stop in that state.

Gomez: This could be it right here, guys!

Once Hamilton is up to her feet, Malone launches off to attempt Off With Their Head… BUT HAMILTON CATCHES HER IN MID-AIR… AND THE CROWD ROARS AS THE TITANESS COUNTERS INTO ZEUS’ WRATH!

Woo: WOW, WHAT A REVERSAL!

Gomez: HOW DID SHE DO THAT?!?!

Ace King: I felt that in my soul, folks!

Hamilton scrambles around as fast as she can to make the cover, with the crowd chanting along…

ONE...




TWO...




THREE!!!

DING DING DING

Dobrev: Here is your winner, and the NEWWWWWWWWW EWC UNITED STATES CHAMPION… SAMANTHA… ‘THE TITANESS’... HAAAAAAAAMILTOOOOOOOON!!!

Woo: She’s done it! Samantha Hamilton joins the woman she’s just vanquished, Melody Malone, as a two-time United States Champion, and will end the season as a double champion!

Gomez: I don’t know where she found the wherewithal to pull that off, but Samantha Hamilton kept herself grounded just long enough to get the job done for what’s got to be the biggest win of her career!

Ace King: I know better than most what kind of fighter Melody Malone is, and she showed it here again tonight in a valiant effort, but the Titaness had that final answer when she needed it.

‘Indestructible’ blasts through the stadium once more as Yasahiro hands the HBO Broadcast Championship back to an emotional Hamilton, along with her newly-won United States Championship. After a few seconds to absorb what’s happened, the Titaness emphatically raises both championships high in the middle of the ring, soaking in the applause from the adoring Rio crowd as Tommy and Orion join her!

Woo: I tell you what, folks, it’s crazy to think the next three days could even get crazier-

Gomez: Forget that, this day might not even be done yet!

With Ace joining the rest of the crowd in a standing ovation for both competitors’ efforts, Malone sees him out of the corner of her eye, and she immediately scowls before rolling out of the ring, making a beeline for the Undisputed and Tag Team Champion. The two lock into an intense, silent staredown as the crowd senses the tension; Ace tries to explain himself, but Malone’s having none of it, catching the Undisputed Champion with another whip-like slap!

The crowd boos as Ace’s face turns red, clearly irritated as he looks down on Malone, who’s trying to goad him into a retaliation. However, before he can think about a physical reaction, EWC security intervenes to split the pair up, pulling them apart and away from the ring as they continue talking trash. As this is going on, the feed cuts to a split-screen; one side shows Killjoy Ito while the other features Moxie, both of whom are watching this happen on separate backstage monitors.

Woo: Again, we’d like to remind you that this is just NIGHT ONE! How much crazier will things get over the course of this weekend?

Gomez: Yeah, it’s been something else already!

Woo: We’ll be back bright and early tomorrow for our second day of WrestleFest, where the Tag Team Championships will take the spotlight in our Main Event, but tonight is all about The Titaness, Samantha Hamilton, now a two-time United States Champion! So, for Valentina Gomez, Ace Heart, and the rest of the EWC production staff, this is Marcus Woo. Boa Noite, Rio!

The final shot focuses back on the ring, where Tommy and Orion each take a leg and lift Samantha Hamilton onto their shoulders, parading her around the ring as she raises both her championships high before the WrestleFest poster appears on screen to end the feed.

[EWC]

WARNING: This live event contains strong coarse language (L), and intense violence (V) which may be unsuitable for younger viewers. None of the matches you are about to watch have been predetermined. Only some of the thematic story-lines have been discussed beforehand. Accordingly, EWC and it's producers must insist that no one attempt to recreate or re-enact any match or activity performed in this live event.

T H E  E X T R E M E  W R E S T L I N G  C O R P O R A T I O N  P R E S E N T S
A  Q U A D  B R A N D  P A Y - P E R - V I E W  E V E N T

WRESTLEFEST XIX

4 DAY WRESTLING FESTIVAL

Brought to you by Under Armour, PS5 and Dr Pepper 

LIVE! from the Estádio do Maracanã in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil‎

---

---

4-DAY WRESTLING FESTIVAL
FEATURING: LIVE BANDS, FOOD TRUCK WARS, MULTIPLE WRESTLING RINGS, AUTOGRAPH BOOTHS AND MUCH MORE
WrestleFest is a professional wrestling pay-per-view event, produced annually in December/January by the Extreme Wrestling Corporation (EWC) The event was first produced in 1998, since then, EIGHTEEN editions of WrestleFest have been produced thus far, with WrestleFest 19 (XIX) to be held in 2021. The products of the EWC's television shows are tailored to reach their climax at WrestleFest, which sees contests for the company's championship titles, specialty and gimmick matches. Participation in a WrestleFest match, and especially the main event, is considered by many wrestlers and fans alike as one of the greatest achievements and symbols of professional success. While most WrestleFests have been held in sports arenas in major cities, a number of them have been held in large stadiums. The format of WrestleFest is built upon the main event matches for the EWC Undisputed Championship. A select number of other championship titles are also contested, while there are several gimmick matches, submission matches, ultimate submission matches and personal feud matches on the card. As was the case in 2019 with WrestleFest XVII, and in 2020 with WrestleFest XVIII, WrestleFest XIX will take place over a 4 day period and will be a true Wrestle-FEST. The events will begin on Friday and end on Monday at center stage. There will be multiple wrestling rings, live bands, Superstar autograph booths, Food Truck wars and more during the 4 day event. There will also be scheduled matches on each of the 4 days.

WRESTLEFEST XIX: DAY 2 - SATURDAY

Commentators: Marcus Woo & Valentina Gomez
Backstage Reporter: Pepper Montana

Announcer: Nina Dobrev
Senior Referee: Toyo Yasahiro
Referees: John Dean & Niklaus Forbes

"The Hunter and the Prey" by Halocene begins to blast throughout Estádio do Maracanã in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Video footage detailing historic events over the EWC's Twenty Four year history.

From March 1997 all the way down to the most recent episodes of Monday Night Brawl, Friday Night Rampage, Paramount Wrestling and EWC Prime!

Images of previous EWC Champions are shown, starting with the very first Champion Black Ninja, then moving onto Big Danny Mac and Steve "The Predator" Bennett. Sped up footage then shows a special montage of Memphis Reigns, Shadow Man, Hirsh Valentine, Jesse Nunez, Hurricane Jeff, Moses Lake, James Chambers, BDC, Jay Cee, Stray, Gladiator, The Rev, Drake, Xplode, Luke Wolfe, Natalie Young, Candy, Dominic Sanders, Cyrus Black, Melody Malone, Scorpio, Xavier Reid, Jordan Sharpe, Stitches and Ace King all with the EWC Undisputed Championship.

This is followed by highlights of showcasing current EWC Champions:


Ace King
Xavier Reid
Samantha Hamilton
David Miller
Narumi Tsutsumi
Tyler Bradford
James Keaton
Scorpio
El Pablo
Rushin' Roulette

The opening pyros hit and here we go.

The energy in Rio de Janeiro is breathtaking as the crowd is absolutely electrifying in their uproar of cheers.

Spotlights circle around the Stadium as the tens of thousands of fans in attendance are shown in a wide angle shot. The camera then pans back out showing a full-scale view of the jam-packed Estádio do Maracanã and shows the setups of dunk tanks, autograph stations, food trucks, music stages and then zooms in on some crazy fans. The crowd is rowdy, chanting the company's namesake at such a loud volume that it's a wonder that the music can be heard at all.

EWC

EWC

EWC

EWC


EWC

Fireworks emit outside Estádio do Maracanã and then all around the ring while a fog machine covers the venue in a red, green, orange and blue haze! Fans stand up, pumping their fists and raising signs as the camera feed pans to each one of them. One last round of fireworks blast out now, and we turn our attention to Marcus Woo and Valentina Gomez.

Woo: Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Day Two of WrestleFest XIX! We've already had a crazy weekend just one day in, and we are gearing up for some more exciting action today!

Gomez: Yesterday we saw a grudge tag match end in a draw due to all four competitors not being responsive, along with new contenders entering the title picture including Mitch Heart earning a shot at the FX Broadcast Championship, Darius becoming the number two contender to the X-Division championship, and Darna Dare earning the number one contenders spot to the United States Championship which now rests around the waist of "The Titaness" Samantha Hamilton as she was able to conquer the Queen Melody Malone!

Woo: What a match that was last night between Hamilton and Malone, a very close affair that was trending world wide on Twitter .. as a matter of fact .. let's look at some of those tweets now!

Woo: Today continues the trend, as we seek out more contenders with the likes of our Mac Invitational Ladder Match when six competitors battle it out to see who earns a future title shot at their brand's main championship, and three teams square off to see who will be the next number one contenders to the Tag Team Championship!

Gomez: That's right Marcus, we could see Gabi Vee, Phoenix Winterborn, Autumn Raven, Mercenary, Faith Rivers, or Jason Hunter earn a title shot, and you gotta wonder who will get next in line for the tag titles between Senshi of the Blade, Halo Syndicate, and the Sabotage pairing of Eddie Dozier and Callie Clark!

Woo: Speaking of the tag titles, our main event sees the Southern Express cash in their rematch clause to take on Rushin' Roulette for the Tag Team Championship! And this match will be held under X-Division rules!

Gomez: Things have really heated up between those teams since Ace King and El Pablo managed to end the record-breaking title reign of the Express back in Monaco, and now the elder statesmen of the tag division look for revenge on the biggest stage possible!

Woo: And to round out the in-ring action, we do have a wild triple threat ahead of us between Iggy Swango, Emma Louise, and Aeon Khronos .. but before all of that, we have a grudge match that's been some time in the making! Gideon Gage absolutely HATES Grizzly Duggan, and has made things tough for the Rampage GM over the past couple months, and it all comes down to this .. an I Quit match to kick off Day Two of WrestleFest XIX!

Gomez: There's a lot in store, but we're gonna go to a quick ad for EWCTV and show you more going on in the area as WrestleFest XIX moves on!

The fans continue to chant and cheer as we fade to a brief word from EWCTV.

---

---

---

---

WHAT IS EWCTV?

• All live EWC Pay-Per-View events (including StrangleMania, Night Of Champions, EWC Rumble, WrestleFest)
• All day scheduled live programming
• Plus, hours and hours of on-demand content & never before seen behind-the-scenes footage!
• Groundbreaking original series - See new episodes of BRAWL, RAMPAGE, PARAMOUNT WRESTLING, EWC PRIME and more
• Live in-ring action, reality shows and documentaries

HOW TO ORDER

Get the award-winning EWC Network through your TV provider. Call your local TV Provider today to subscribe.
Only $7.95/month

WATCH ONLINE

If you are subscribed to EWC Network through your TV Provider you can now enjoy EWC Network on your:
PC, Laptop, Playstation, mobile app or tablet.

EWCTV for only $7.95 USD per month

Along with being an EWCTV Subscriber, you get:
EVERY Pay-Per-View event included at no extra charge
15% off any and all EWC Merchandise from the EWC Store
20% off all tickets to LIVE EWC Shows
A free EWC Yearly Wall Calendar signed by the entire active EWC Roster

As an added bonus for all those currently subscribed including any new subscriptions
Receive a FREE copy of WRESTLEFEST XIX DVD and Blu-Ray combo when it's released early next year
+ free T-Shirt and Replica EWC Undisputed Championship belt.

So act now if you aren't already subscribed to EWCTV

---

---

We cut to outside the building where a large sea of people can be seen. A good number are customers who are going to see the show. A few EWC camera people point out "La Belicista" Isabella and Alejandro De La Rosa.

And sure enough, the man on the scene himself, Pepper Montana, always ready with a question or five.

Montana: Miss Isabella? Would you mind sparing a few moments to answer a few questions?

Isabella: Sure. Ask away.

Montana: So ... aren't you a bit early?

As "La Belicista" raises an eyebrow, Pepper Montana elaborates.

Montana: Isn't your fight tomorrow?

Isabella chuckles at the question as she nods.

Isabella: Did I miss a memo where I can't enjoy WrestleFest freely or something?

Pepper's face almost immediately flushes as he quickly shakes his head apologetically.

Montana: I ... wow, I'm sorry. I'm clearly not as awake as I thought.

Isabella: It's fine. Really it is. But to answer that, yes. Still, there were many firsts for me in the EWC. My first attendance at Uprising, Young Blood ... and now, WrestleFest. I'm taking the time to better appreciate moments like this.

Montana: So, was there any truth in Keaton's words? About you being a part of Ace King's wrestling school?

Isabella's eyebrows furrow slightly as her head tilts.

Isabella: I'd love to know how he got that. ¿Está siendo otro canalla como Lumas?

Isabella sighs as she shakes her head.

Isabella: Regardless ... yes. However, before you add onto that, there's something important that everyone should note, and I suppose I'll get that out of the way now. Me going to Ace's school and getting help ... that's all well and good. But it won't be Ace stepping through the ropes on my behalf. No, it'll still be me. So if you want to try to downplay that or whatnot, by all means, go for it. Use whatever cards any opponent think will help out, including the 'oh, she's run away before' card. But ...

Isabella smirks as she points at herself.

Isabella: I mean, I am still here, so ... is that logic really relevant? Same will be true with me getting some pointers from Ace. It's not going to matter he helped me improved; it'll be the fact I do so at all that you need to worry about, plain and simple.

Montana: Fair enough. Do you have any predictions on who will end up winning the North American Championship?

Isabella thinks for a few moments before shaking her head.

Isabella: It's honestly not going to be that easy to call. Jordan Sharpe was the first person to pin Miller in the ring. Already, that makes him a threat. I also imagine that if Keaton wins, Sharpe will have some words about him doing that.

Montana: Doing ... what?

Isabella grins as she elaborates.

Isabella: He's all but assumed Miller will win that fight. Keaton didn't even once mention that there may be the possibility of facing Sharpe. Now, don't misunderstand me. Miller is, indeed, one of the toughest bastards in this industry. No one can take that from him. But for Keaton to make a huge mistake like not even considering that Jordan can and might win this match? Oof. That's a huge joder on James' behalf, something he'll very likely get - rightfully, I might add - lashed at for, let alone if he wins.

And then, honestly, some of his lines ... most I heard from others, but the one about Sisyphus? Goodness, even I admitted that to Merc myself. That wasn't overly creative or anything. Just someone who repeats the easiest lines to use. Losing ... yes. It is a bit disappointing. But you know what would make me a real disappointment?

Isabella goes quiet, allowing the question to hang in the air before answering.

Isabella: If I repeated history by giving up again. And sadly, even if some of the Paramount roster may hope I do exactly that ... that's not happening.

Montana: One last one, if you don't mind?

After seeing a nod of approval, Pepper quickly tosses over his question.

Montana: Is there anyone in particular you're hoping to fight next season?

Isabella: Hmmmm ....

She takes a moment to ponder on this before nodding and responding.

Isabella: Particularly in singles fights, yes. I got a few. Who they are? That's for me to know for now. Thank you though!

Isabella leaves with Alejandro in tow, refusing to expand on her vague response further, leaving a disappointed Pepper Montana to his devices. The camera slowly fades...

[EWC]

Mark Keaton strolls backstage at Wrestlefest, he's decked head to toe in leather with his sunglasses on. He walks by catering to see a little boy eating a fudgesicle and has most of it all over his face. He smirks then tussles the boy's hair.

Boy: Excuse me, mister! Who said you could touch me? I'm telling my mom!

Unphased, Mark just shrugs the mini tantrum off.

Mark: You know who I am, kid? Only the biggest star this company has ever seen, that's who!

Mark spits out his gum and bats it away, cool-like.

Boy: Ya well you don't look like Ace King to me! You look more like some stupid idiot who stepped in a time machine in 1985 and ended up here!

The little boy takes a big bite of his fudgesicle.

Mark: Hey! That's bad manners kid! Respect your elders!

Mark points at the kid.

Boy: You know what's bad manners? Having breath like that! Did you eat a dog shit sandwich before you came here today? Ever hear of Colgate? You keep strutting around here breathing on everything then nobody will know what time it is because you're stopping all the clocks in the place!

Mark: What the hell? My breath doesn't stink!

Mark breathes on his hand then smells it.

Mark: It's not THAT bad!'

Boy: Stop talking to me! Stranger danger! Stranger danger!

The kid roars then wipes his chocolate covered hands all over Mark's jacket before he runs away, continuing to scream stranger danger.


A graphic spins towards the screen as Mark watches on perplexed.

RMK CONDOMS

Don't leave home without them!

[EWC]

MATCH 1 - 11:00 AM

I QUIT MATCH

 Gideon Gage

VS Grizzly Duggan
MATCH WRITER: FN'R

---

We return to ringside where commentary smile to the camera.

Woo: It's time for the opening match of Night 2 of WrestleFest 19. Much like our opener for Night 1, this could be a hard match to stomach.

Gomez: Two men hell bent on killing each other. A rivalry spanning all the way back to March of this year. It finally comes to a conclusion one way or another here tonight. 

Dobrev: The following match is an I Quit Match. The only way to win is to make your opponent say the words I QUIT. Joining us first, from Topeka, Kansas, weighing in at 273 pounds ... GIDEON GAGE!

Gideon Gage comes out onto the stage. He barely even pays attention to the fans all booing him as he heads down the ramp. He enters the ring, and roars out at the crowd as pyro goes off from the ring posts.

Dobrev: And his opponent, from Columbia, South Carolina, weighing in at 385 pounds ... GRIZZLY DUGGAN!

Grizzly Duggan walks out to a large reaction of cheers. He looks dead ahead and makes his way to the ring, once inside he raises his hands high into the air.

Grizzly turns towards Gideon Gage.

Woo: If looks could kill, we'd be in trouble.

DING DING DING

The bell rings, Grizzly Duggan and Gideon Gage stare into each other's eyes. Neither man moves an inch. They stand, gazes interlocked. There is no blinking, there is hardly breathing. The crowd begins to amp up more and more and more.

HOLY SHIT, HOLY SHIT, HOLY SHIT!

But neither man cares much what the crowd thinks. Gideon Gage blinks, Grizzly Duggan cracks a smile though you can see sweat drip down his forehead, down his cheek, into his beard. Gideon Gage backs up and leans into the corner. Grizzly Duggan follows suit for his own corner. They lounge back and smile at the other man, neither willing to lose the mind games that will set the tone of the match.

KILL EACH OTHER… KILL EACH OTHER… KILL EACH OTHER1

Grizzly Duggan steps out of the corner and walks to the center of the ring, looking Gage in the eyes the entire time. Gage steps into the center of the ring as well.

Woo: This is going to be a war… You can smell it in the air.

Grizzly makes the first move, wrapping his giant hand around Gideon’s throat. Gideon slaps the crook of Duggan’s arm to break the hold before shoving Duggan backwards into the ropes. Grizzly Duggan comes flying out with a big boot into Gideon’s face. Gideon Gage takes a few steps backwards off the boot but does not fall. Grizzly Duggan punches Gideon in the mouth and follows up with another big boot. Gage stumbles backwards into the ropes and explodes out into a shoulder block! Duggan stumbles backwards into the ropes and rushes out into another big boot! Gideon Gage uses the momentum to rush backwards into the ropes, then rush passed Duggan into the opposite ropes and then SPEAR!

Gomez: Grizzly Duggan has been taken off his feet!

Gideon Gage lets Grizzly get up and approach him before picking him up and dropping him with a spinebuster!

Woo: Gideon Gage with the second takedown of Grizzly Duggan already in this match.

Gideon Gage drags Grizzly Duggan up by the beard, Grizzly shoves Gage off and punches him in the mouth again. Gideon advances but gets floored by a Grizzly Duggan dropkick! Gideon Gage gets to his feet, but a lariat from Duggan puts him back down on his ass. Grizzly kicks Gage in his ribcage and then stomps down on the back of his head. Duggan drags Gage up by the ear and Irish-whips him into the ropes. Gage rushes out at Duggan who grabs Gage’s neck and throws him up and down into a chokeslam!

HOLY SHIT, HOLY SHIT, HOLY SHIT!

Grizzly Duggan drags Gage up to his feet and grabs on a side-headlock. Duggan transitions the side-headlock into an over the shoulder carry before dropping Gage down into a running powerslam! Gideon Gage jumps up to his feet and slams his thumb into Duggan’s eye. Gage hoists Duggan up onto his shoulder into his own over the shoulder carry and then drops Duggan down into a cutter! Duggan jumps up to his feet. Neither man is willing to give an inch or show weakness!

Woo: These are men’s men in there folks! They just took each other's finishing move and neither man will stay down!

Grizzly Duggan slaps the taste out of Gideon Gage’s mouth. Gage fires back with his own slap. Duggan slap, Gage slap, Duggan slap, Gage slap. The crowd cheers for Duggan, boos for Gage.

YES! NO! YES! NO! YES! NO!

Back and forth they go, when they’ll stop slapping nobody knows… Oh, apparently they stop slapping now and turn into knockout blow punches. Duggan gives Gage a two piece and some fries, Gage spits blood into Duggan’s face and jumps into a quick spear! Gideon Gage drags Duggan up and shoves him into the ropes, another spear! Grizzly Duggan starts to cough and grab at his chest, his lungs have taken a beating. Gideon Gage starts kicking Duggan in the ribs before dragging him up by his beard into a headbutt.

Woo: I don’t think either man is anywhere close to saying “I quit” yet…

Gomez: I think you are quite correct.

Gideon Gage drags Grizzly Duggan up into a side-headlock and hoists him up. Gage backs up into the ropes and Duggan shifts his weight to spin himself down onto the apron and lift Gage up into his own vertical headlock. Duggan drops Gage down into a brainbuster on the apron! Duggan grabs Gage up by the throat and shoves him backwards into the barricade. Duggan starts rapid fire punching Gideon in the face until he falls to a knee. Grizzly grabs Gage’s face and knees him in the jaw before grabbing on a side-headlock and lifting Gage into another vertical drop brainbuster.

HOLY SHIT, HOLY SHIT, HOLY SHIT!

Duggan calls the ref over and tells him to ask Gideon if he quits. Gideon shoves the microphone away. Duggan stomps down on Gideon’s chest and drags him up by the ear again. Grizzly slams Gideon’s head into the ring post and then Irish-whips him into the steel steps! Gideon Gage tries to get to his feet, but Grizzly runs up from behind him and dropkicks the back of his head!

Woo: OH MY GOD

Grizzly Duggan drags Gideon Gage up by the ear for a third time and slams his head into the point of the steps, blood is now beginning to pour from Gideon’s head. Duggan turns Gideon onto his back and goes to stop, but Gideon kicks Duggan in the groin. Duggan topples over onto the apron. Gideon pulls himself up with the steel steps, and then promptly yeets the steps into Duggan’s face! Duggan’s nose explodes into a river of blood as it is surely broken. Grizzly stumbles and slips on his own blood right into ANOTHER spear from Gideon Gage! Gideon yells at the ref to ask Duggan, but Duggan is pulling himself up the apron before Gideon even finishes.

KILL EACH OTHER… KILL EACH OTHER… KILL EACH OTHER!!!

Gideon Gage grabs Grizzly into a sleeper hold, but Grizzly hoists him onto his shoulders in a fireman’s carry. Gideon grabs at Duggan's eyes and slides off the back into a waist-lock. Gideon rips Duggan backwards into a German suplex! Duggan's head smashes hard on the padded concrete. Gideon grabs Duggan’s wrist and drags him up into a short-arm SGS! Gideon goes to the ring and retrieves a chair from under it. Duggan pulls himself up the barricade, Gideon smashes the chair into Duggan’s hand! Duggan gets to his feet and grabs at his hand, Gideon swings the chair into his knee! Duggan falls back down onto the barricade and Gideon smashes the chair into the back of Duggan’s head. Gideon pulls Duggan up and spinebuster onto the chair! “ASK THE BEARDED FUCK” Gideon yells. “NO. FUCK YOU” Duggan fires back.

Gomez: How much more can we allow?

Gideon Gage drags Duggan to the ramp by his foot before stomping the downed giant in his stomach. Gideon goes under the ring and grabs a baseball bat. Gideon rushes Duggan and swings for the fences, Duggan just barely moves before it lights out! Gideon drops the bat and turns to connect a punch to the back of Duggan's head before he can stand. Gideon drags Duggan up the ramp in a side headlock. Gideon goes to throw Duggan off the ramp but Duggan uses Gideon’s own momentum to jump into a headbutt! Duggan grabs Gideon by the throat and CHOKESLAM OFF THE RAMP TO THE CONCRETE 3 FEET DOWN! Duggan jumps off the ramp into an elbow drop, Gideon moves! Duggan’s elbow smashes into the concrete, he yells out in pain. Gideon gets to his feet grabbing at this throat, laughing through coughs.

Woo: This won’t end until one man is dead!

Gideon drags Duggan up by his face, Duggan punches Gideon in his stomach and LARIAT! Gideon stumbles backwards into a barricade. Duggan limps off towards a door to the backstage. Gideon follows. Gideon gets backstage and looks around for Duggan and he finds Duggan via Duggan slamming a 52 inch TV into Gideon’s face! Grizzly throws the TV to the ground. Behind him you can see where the TV used to hang on the wall before he tore it off. Grizzly grabs at his elbow in pain, he stomps down on the bloodied Gage. Grizzly drags Gideon up and slams his head into the brick wall. With both hands Grizzly grabs Gage and starts to strangle the life out of him. Gage knees Grizzly in the stomach and gets his own hands around Duggan’s throat. Gage shoves Duggan off him and SGS lariat! Gage drags Duggan up and Irish-whips him face first into the wall before stomping down on his elbow. Duggan yells out in pain and Gideon shoves a broom handle into his mouth, trying to jam it down his throat! Duggan gets his hands up and breaks the broom handle before leg sweeping Gage down to the floor! Duggan mounts Gage and tries to stab the broom into his face but Gage fights him off. Gage and Duggan get to their feet and go back to trading slaps, but the slaps are short lived as Gage lands another SGS! “ASK HIM!” Gage yells but Duggan refuses to quit.

Gomez: This is a pure war, there is no coming back after this for either man.

Woo: I think you are absolutely right about that.

Gideon Gage grabs Duggan up by his beard and shoves him backwards so his head slams into the wall. Gage drags Duggan’s ear and pulls him towards the parking lot. Duggan shoves Gage off him and lands another big boot into Gage’s chin. Gage stumbles backward, breaking a Pepsi bottle that someone littered on the ground. Gage rushes at Duggan but Duggan jumps into his own spear! Gage lands in the broken glass, his back is cut and bleeding. Duggan punches Gage in the mouth and drags him up by his throat and goes for another chokeslam, but Gage jumps into a side-headlock and falling DDT! Duggan’s face goes right into the glass! Gideon Gage rolls Duggan over while Duggan yells in pain. Gage laughs as he gets to his feet and boots Duggan in the side of the head. Gage advances on Duggan, but Duggan throws some of the glass into Gage’s face. Gage stumbles backwards and Duggan jumps into another spear as Gage is off balance. Duggan mounts Gage and rains down punches until Gage stops moving. Duggan grabs Gage’s eye and forces it open with two fingers while pulling a shade of glass from his own cheek. Duggan brings the glass down dangerously close to Gage’s eye. The glass is now touching Gage’s eye and Duggan goes to slice but Gage yells he quits. He quits!

DING DING DING

Dobrev: And your winner, via Gideon Gage quitting... GRIZZLY DUGGAN!

Grizzly Duggan looks down on Gage, debating slicing his eye anyway. Duggan instead spits down on Gage and throws the glass aside. Duggan limps off, leaving a trail of blood in his wake. Gideon Gage rolls over and touches at this eye making sure he can still see and isn't bleeding. 

Woo: That was a war I don't think we will ever forget. We apologize for any fans who may have been disturbed by what they saw. But please remember this was a 9 month rivalry that had to end.

Gomez: And really no other way FOR it to end than what we just saw. 

Woo: Neither man was going to accept going down without leaving it all on the line. 

Gomez: Coming up at 1PM today will be the Second Mac Invitational match, this one a ladder match, the winner getting a Money In The Bank shot at either the EWC International, EWC United States, EWC North American or EWC Indy Championship. All depending on who wins. That should be one heck of a match as all brands are represented. But we have plenty of WrestleFest festivities between now and then .. so .. see you soon!

The feed fades with a long angled view of the crowd chanting and cheering.