RAMPAGE #525 - SCARS & STRIPES - Kentucky

[FN'R]

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...

»»SCARS & STRIPES««
2 SHOWS UNTIL MANIA!!!

The Extreme Wrestling Corporation Presents

FRIDAY NIGHT RAMPAGE

FRIDAYS LIVE ON ESPN & HBO AT 10PM CST.
SPONSORED IN PART BY UNDER ARMOUR, SONY, DR. PEPPER AND GEARBOX STUDIOS.

EPISODE #525
MARCH 29TH 2024

KFC Yum! Center in Downtown Louisville, Kentucky

EWC RAMPAGE
3/29/2024
Live From KFC Yum! Center in Downtown Louisville, Kentucky
General Manager - Grizzly Duggan
Commentators -
Play-By-Play: Koala Duggan
Color: Polar Duggan
Announcer: Emmanuelle Chriqui
Head Ref: Toyo Yasahiro
Assistant Refs: Mike Michaelson & Pierce Patterson
Backstage Help: Bryan Spade & Candice Duggan

---------------

Fog spreads throughout the arena, covering the screaming fans as "Asking For It" begins to sound off over the loudspeakers.



"MAYBE YOU TALKED TO MUCH AND YOU WERE ASKING FOR IT, ASKING FOR IT, ASKING!
YOU CAN BLAME BAD LUCK, BUT YOU WERE ASKING FOR IT, ASKING FOR IT, ASKING!!!"

The fans scream for delight as the X-Tron explodes to life. Pyro ignites on the stage.



The camera pans around the arena as fans scream for delight and begin their chants and raise their signs high into the air.

{ALWAYS BET ON THE HOUSE}

{GO ON A RAMPAGE TEAM}

{CALL IT CAUSE AND AFFECT}

{ONLY THE YOUNG CAN SAY}

{ITS TIME FOR AUTUMN, SEASONS CHANGING}

{APOLLO GOT IT LOCKED IN}







FN'R!!!

FN'R!!!

FN'R!!!

FN'R!!!

The camera flashes back to the X-Tron which shows the current FN'R roster... Ace King, Alexander Umbra, Arthur Miller, Autumn Raven, Cassie Wolfe, Chelsea Winston, Chris Page, Cosmo Goldworthy, Dane, Emiko Okita, Gideon Gage, Jamie Love, Jason Anderson, Jesse Bennett, Kevin Hunter, Lavender, Mercenary, Moxie, Ruthann Anderson, The Saito Family, Vin Havoc and ZERO. We cut back to Vin Havoc who holds his Fighting Spirit Championship high, then Cosmo Goldworthy holds up his United States Championship. He yells in pride as feed bleeds into another round of pyro.




And then the camera cuts over to the commentary desk, where Koala Duggan stands with a smile. Polar Duggan stands, bows to the camera and then sits back down. Koala sits down, takes a drink from his water bottle and starts.

KD: Good evening ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to a very special Friday Night Rampage. It's Scars & Stripes! 

P-DUG: And there will be Scars tonight, maybe even some stripes!

KD: In our opening bout, Autumn Raven takes on Apollo Polamalu. It's a first time match-up and Apollo's Rampage debut. That'll be a good one. 

P-DUG: Apollo has been on a tear on Paramount, and he's looking to leave a big mark on Friday Night Rampage. 

KD: After that match, EWCs new workhorse tag team Young Justice take on Eleos Affect in tag team action. 

P-DUG: Eleos Affect are the world Tag Team Champion #1 contenders, and they are looking to make a statement here on the road to StrangleMania. 

KD: But Young Justice are getting better and better with every match, and they might sneak a win here!

P-DUG: And in our main event, it's War Games! Team House taking on Team Rampage!

KD: With some special rules to be undisclosed later in the show. But that's going to be an insane match!

P-DUG: Going to be very bloody! This card is stacked to the brim with personality!

---

WHAT IS EWC TV
All 10 EWC pay-per-view events - including StrangleMania, PARABELLUM, Night Of Champions and WrestleFest. Plus
All day scheduled and 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, and PRIME.
The Best Live In-Ring Action, Reality Shows and Documentaries

HOW TO ORDER
Call your local TV Provider to subscribe. $7.95/month * Taxes extra.

WATCH ONLINE
If you are subscribed to EWC Network through your TV Provider you can now enjoy EWC Network on your PC, laptop, PS4, PS5, or tablet.

EWCTV for only $7.95 USD per month

Along with being an EWCTV Subscriber, you get all Pay-Per-View events included at no extra charge, 10% off any and all EWC Merchandise from the EWC Store, 15% off all tickets to LIVE EWC Shows, and 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 prior to midnight MARCH 31ST 2024you will get a FREE copy of the StrangleMania DVD and Blu-Ray combo when it's released later this year, which also comes with a free Ides Of March Themed T-Shirt and Replica EWC Championship belt.

---

---

With Rampage’s intro over with – the camera cuts to the parking lot. The sound of cameras flashing can be heard, as the main camera pans over to a motorcade arriving into the arena. There’s two cars each in front and behind two black SUVs. Security guards make their way out of the other cars, opening the door for the first SUV.

Out of the SUV enters Dimitri Graves, the manager of Cosmo Goldworthy, who sports a smug grin on his face. Entering afterwards is Moises Ferro, the manager of ZERO, who dusts himself up and looks around the parking lot to observe the atmosphere. Following that is Tori Taylor, JoJo Rush’s wife and manager. She looks behind her to see JoJo’s other manager, as Alastor Gray, one half of The House’s official leading members of the group exits the SUV. The four begin walking, dressed finely for the occasion of tonight’s intense War Games match.

Security then shifts over to the other SUV, opening the doors. Out comes the monstrous frame of ZERO, nearly barreling through the security in his way. He’s not dressed like the rest – but he sure as hell doesn’t need to be. Following ZERO is Bruce Booth, proudly holding his Primetime Briefcase, dressed well with a cocky smirk on his face. And lastly is Cosmo Goldworthy, the EWC United States Champion, with his finest clothing on as he looks to make a statement tonight on behalf of The House.

..But the notable omission? JoJo Rush isn’t there.

KD: Can’t say that I saw this one coming! The House have rolled out a red carpet entrance for their arrival into the arena tonight for War Games in the main event!

P-Dug: They are the premiere group in EWC for a reason! What an entrance! But where the hell is their fourth partner..?

The large group collectively begin walking off, as they make way for their personal locker room of the night. Media and paparazzi try to follow along, but security cut them off, and also block the view of the EWC’s cameraman recording this.

---

MATCH #1
Autumn Raven
Vs Apollo Polamalu
(SINGLES MATCH)
Referee: Pierce Patterson

We return to ringside. 

KD: Not sure what is happening with our main event, but for now we've got our opening bout. 

P-Dug: And a huge debut for Apollo ahead!

Chriqui: The following match is a singles match. Introducing first from Los Angeles, California & weighing in at 125 pounds... AUTUMN RAVEN!!!

The tron plays a scene of the hollywood walk of fame going by slowly, the shadow of a raven seen over each and every star that’s there. As you hear the lyrics ‘Your stars burned out for good, somewhere in Hollywood’, the shadow flies into the one star without a name, writing out Autumn’s name on it, the star turning to a dingy, grungy picture with graffiti written all over it.

As the first part of the song starts up, Autumn appears from backstage, slowly walking out, coming to a stop at the top of the ramp as she surveys the crowd with a cold smirk on her face. She stands there for a minute before making her way down the ramp slowly, walking once around the ring before sliding under the bottom rope and hopping to her feet, making her way to the corner to climb to the top ringpost. She flings her arms out to the side, laughing at the crowd.

Chriqui: And her opponent from Auckland, New Zealand & weighing in at 260 pounds... APOLLO POLAMALU!!!

As “I Serve The Base” by Future blares throughout the building, the fans wait in anticipation as Apollo Polamalu slowly emerges from the back, walking through a trail of smoke. As the beat drops, the lights strobe black and red on key around the building. A white spotlight shines on Apollo as he extends his arms out, allowing the fans to indulge in embracing his presence. Apollo makes his way down to the ring, locked in on what goes on in the ring and not quite the crowd reaction.. He walks up the steps and places his hand on the top rope, entering the ring and throwing his arms up with a cocky grin on his face. He backs up, leaning in the turnbuckles as his theme slowly fades away.

KD: Autumn Raven is a Rampage Vet, and she's looking to show Apollo how things go on Friday Nights.

P-Dug: But Apollo has been on a roll on Wednesdays, and maybe we are looking at a future Undisputed Champion.

DING DING DING

As the bell rings out, both competitors step into the center of the squared circle. Autumn raises up her hands looking to bait Apollo into a tie-up, but Apollo just gives her a smile and then shoves her backwards away from him. Autumn catches herself and comes in with a shove of her own. Apollo takes a step back and then gives Autumn a slap in the face, followed by an Irish-whip into the ropes. Autumn rolls under a lariat and is quick to her feet. Apollo spins around and Autumn uses his momentum to hoist him up and down into a flapjack. Apollo lands on his stomach and bounces up to his feet, Autumn comes up from behind and hits a chopblock, taking Apollo back down. Autumn makes her way over to the ropes and scales up them, before leaping down into a flying leg-drop right into Autumn's face...

At least that was the target. Apollo sits up and shakes his head now while Autumn lands hard and grabs at her rear and leg in pain. Apollo drags Autumn up by her arm and rips her into a short-arm lariat. The crowd boos Apollo and he starts to taunt them.  

KD: Apollo Polamalu is in his element right now. I think the angrier the crowd gets, the more fired up he gets. 

P-Dug: And that's a very bad thing for Autumn Raven!

Polamalu drags Autumn's wrist and drags her up into another short-arm lariat, and another, and another. Apollo yells out in victory as he goes for yet another, but this one Autumn ducks before locking on a waist-lock. Autumn Raven hoists Apollo off his feet, up and down into a very high-angle German suplex, dropping the much larger man right on his dome. 260 pounds right into the head. Apollo stumbles up to his feet, Autumn BLASTS him with her own lariat! Apollo does not go down, but he does stumble into the ropes. Autumn rushes and with a huge lariat sends both competitors flying out of the ring to the padded concrete.

Autumn drags Apollo up by his hair, into a neckbreaker! Autumn drags Apollo up by his hair and sends him face-first into the ring-post with a hairish-whip. Apollo drags himself up the apron, now busted open. Autumn goes for Claw Of The Night, but Apollo catches and counters with a huge powerbomb on to the apron. Autumn rolls off the apron back to the padded concrete, clutching her back. Apollo drags her up into a waist-lock and spins around while lifting to German suplex Autumn right into the apron. Both competitors are down! 

P-Dug: Autumn Raven may have concussed Apollo with that German suplex, and she followed up nicely. But The Marksman is a beast!

KD: This match may go to a double count-out here. 

Pierce's count is up to eight when Apollo rolls into the ring and then rolls back out to break the count. Apollo drags Autumn up by her wrist and sends her into the ring. Apollo shakes off the cobwebs as he rolls into the ring himself. Autumn pulls herself up and kicks Apollo in the face as he rolls in. Autumn keeps kicking and punching down on Apollo's head as he stands and fires his own punch into Autumn's mouth. Autumn goes to swing wildly into a haymaker, but Apollo catches her up and down with a Samoan Drop! Apollo drags Autumn Raven up by her head, and then quickly pulls her into Impenitency, his massive forearms cutting off all the blood to her head with the best Guillotine Choke in the business today. Before Pierce can stop the match, Apollo lifts Autumn up into a vertical suplex before dropping down into a Northern Lights Bomb with Damnatio Memoriae. Apollo covers.  

ONE!
.
.
.
TWO!!
.
.
.
THREE!!!

DING DING DING

Chriqui: And your winner, via pinfall ... APOLLO MOLAMALU!!!!

Pierce Patterson raises Apollo's hand, but Apollo is quick to pull away and raise his arms by himself. Apollo shakes out the cobwebs again, and then robs some of the blood off his face into his hand, and then he rubs that blood onto Raven's face. Apollo exits the ring to a mix of boos, jeers and cheers while medical staff check on Raven. 

KD: Apollo won tonight's match with authority, refusing to win by count-out or knock-out, he put Raven down for the 1-2-3 and heads back to Paramount a winner. 

P-Dug: Autumn left her mark on Apollo, busted him open and I'd say gave him a concussion. But in the end she just couldn't overcome his raw power. 

Camera cuts to backstage, where we see Grizzly Duggan standing in his office.

Grizz: Hope everyone’s enjoying Rampage: Scars & Stripes edition! We’ve got a huge main event tonight, perhaps one of the biggest in Rampage’s history. But this year for War Games, we’re doing things a little differently here on Rampage. I like to think of it as Rampage Games, my own little creation. The rules will be generally the same. Team Captains Vin Havoc and Cosmo Goldworthy will start the match, and since The House won last year’s War Games match…

The words sting Grizz a bit.

Grizz: …The House will have the advantage. After five minutes, the first House member will enter, and then every two minutes after, Team Rampage and Team House members will alternate. When everyone has entered, the match begins! But here’s where things are different. Instead of two rings this year, it’ll all be inside one ring, with an open roof cage surrounding the entire ringside area, almost like a fence. This is to give these teams more room to brawl, and to use weapons! And most importantly, tonight’s War Games will be under elimination rules! You must completely eliminate the other team via pinfall, submission, knockout, or referee stoppage in order to win! This might be the most brutal War Games yet!

Suddenly, Vin Havoc enters the office with a smile on his face.

Vin: How are ya, dawg? Feels like forever since we’ve actually been able to talk!

Grizz gives Vin a big ol’ hug and pats his Fighting Spirit Championship.

Grizz: I said it briefly when you won this, but seriously man, congratulations!

Vin nods in appreciation.

Vin: Thanks, but let’s cut to the chase, why’d you call me in here?

Grizz: Well… I still have no idea if JoJo Rush is coming or not. Hell, I even asked The House, and they got no idea. And since the main event is coming up real soon, I have to make the executive decision to replace him if he’s not gonna show. So in tonight’s main event, Tori Taylor from NextGen will be competing. BUT! If JoJo does show while the match is occurring, he’ll be entered into it as he is contractually obligated to. So my question to you is… In the event of a five person House team… Do you have a fifth member?

Vin gives a look of dismay briefly, but then quickly smiles and pats Grizz on the back.

Vin: I’ll figure it out.

Grizz raises an eyebrow.

Grizz: You sure? I don’t want to send you out there with a handicap-

Vin: I ain’t no quitter. And besides… The House has no shortage of enemies. I got this.

Vin leaves Grizz’s office with a wink of the eye, and Grizz is just left shaking his head as we fade to black. 

The camera is momentarily fixated on commentary, until all lights in the arena turn black.

KD: I believe that it's time that we hear from our United States Champion, and the challenger before StrangleMania!

P-Dug: Now this is how you kick off a show if you ask me!

YEAH

MONEY ON MY MIND, MONEY ON MY MIND (YEAH)

MONEY ON MY MIND, MONEY—MONEY ON MY MIND (YEAH)

MONEY ON MY MIND, MONEY ON MY MIND (THAT'S RIGHT)

MONEY—MONEY ON MY MIND

SO MONEY IS ALL I THINK OF

Confused murmuring and questioning turns to nothing but boos, as “Money On My Mind” plays throughout the beat, the guitar and bass reverberating throughout the arena as the walls nearly start shaking. Cosmo Goldworthy swaggers out from the back, the EWC United States Championship around his waist as he’s dressed to the nines ahead of tonight’s big main event matchup. Following right behind Cosmo is his manager Dimitri Graves, as the two have an extremely smug look on their faces coming down to the ring.

Cosmo leaps up onto the apron and climbs the top rope, unhooking the United States Championship from around his waist and proudly raising his championship up in the air. Per usual, the pyro flies off behind him for an uncomfortably long amount of time, while Dimitri enters the ring and claps it up for Cosmo. Cosmo enters the ring and Dimitri retrieves a microphone. Cosmo adjusts the United States Championship to be over his shoulder and he calls for the music to cut.

Dimitri Graves: Silence, Kentucky! Allow for the United States Champion to grace you with his presence and speak his undeniable truth!

The fans continue booing, wanting no part of any “truth” that Cosmo Goldworthy is about to spit right now. Cosmo rolls his eyes and holds his hand out for the microphone, which Dimitri hands to him.

Cosmo Goldworthy: Fine, play that game then! I ain’t bothered by it, because y’all just keep booing me like babies when you don’t get your damn way. The fact of the matter is this— I RUN RAMPAGE! Who is everyone gunning after? They’re gunning after me! I don’t just have rivals on this brand, I have people on Brawl, Paramount, Prime, they’re all trying to come and stop me from being the absolute best!

Spit flies out of Cosmo’s mouth as he lets his feelings out, which prompts the fans to continue booing the hell out of him.

Cosmo Goldworthy: Over 100 days as the United States Champion, but that ain’t enough for me. I need to notch a defense on my belt, I need to make a statement. At StrangleMania, I take on Lavender and I WILL beat her. One of the best United States Champions this brand has ever seen, she is going to fall at MY hands!

Clearly, the fans don’t seem to agree with that sentiment. There’s nothing more they would want than for Lavender to take that championship from him.

Cosmo Goldworthy: I’m aware that War Games is happening in the main event tonight, but I’ve let Lavender get by without facing my wrath for some time, haven’t I? I laid it out on Fighter Talk and I’ll do it again. Lavender, I want you to bring your ass out here right now so you and I can be face-to-face!

Cosmo backs up, as the fans booing slowly starts to die down. All heads turn to the stage as everyone eagerly awaits the appearance of Lavender. Dimitri Graves waits patiently, just like the United States Champion.

STAND IN THE FRONT, BUT SHUT UP 'TIL I TELL YOU TO GO

DON'T GET CAUGHT UP IN PRETEND 'CAUSE YOU'RE NOT IN CONTROL

'CAUSE THIS IS MY WORLD, LITTLE GIRL, YOU'D BE LOST ON YOUR OWN

JUST HATING AND WAITING AND SAVING UP

The lights go out as 'Better Without You' by Evanescence begins to play. The lights start to flash in time to the intro until the beat starts to kick up in the song. At around the thirty-six-second mark smoke billows from behind the curtains and a spotlight shines down upon the center of the stage. The lights come back on shortly afterward and out walks Lavender. She looks out across the crowd as the crowd erupts into cheer. A smile creeps across her face as she embraces their warm welcome before staring down at Cosmo Goldworthy in the middle of the ring.

KD: Here we go! The number one contender to the United States Championship is here!

P-Dug: This is the first time on Rampage that these two are crossing paths! I’m extremely interested to see how this one plays out!

Lavender begins to make her way down to the ring with a calm and cheerful demeanour spread across her face. As Lavender reaches the bottom of the ramp she walks over to the steel steps, walks up the steel stairs, and takes another glance across the crowd before wiping her feet and entering the ring. Once inside the ring Lavender climbs the nearest turnbuckle and holds her arms up high in the air to accept the warm adulation from the crowd, keeping one eye on Cosmo Goldworthy whilst her back is turned. Lavender steps down from the turnbuckle and grabs a microphone.

Lavender: Let me get things perfectly clear here because I am a little perplexed; how is it that someone can claim to ‘run Rampage’ with the United States Championship in their possession for one hundred days… and not have a single defense to their name? I get the swagger. I get the moxie. I understand wanting to stand out here, puff out your chest and proclaim that you are the greatest that ever lived but there have been plenty to come before you that have done the same thing and there will be plenty long after you leave these hallowed halls. But what is remembered, Cosmo, are not words, but your actions. You stand there, proclaiming yourself to run Rampage with not a single defense to your name… but every time my music hits they know my worth because my actions have always spoken louder than words.

The fans immediately reciprocate Lavender’s statement with cheers, because everyone in the building is well aware of her and what she’s capable of.

Lavender: Three successful defenses to my name… during the BORT… and I went on to win the entire thing. Four successful defenses to my name… during the BORT… and I carried that championship all the way to the finals. I hold the third-longest reign that championship has had in the modern era… whilst defending it, and at Stranglemania I have the opportunity to once again make history by becoming a record-breaking three-time champion. And Cosmo, you best believe your first defense will be your last because apart from myself, no one has successfully defended that championship since 2022.

Cosmo looks at Lavender and mockingly shrugs his shoulders. It appears Dimitri is going to say something to him, but Cosmo waves him off because he’s got it on his own.

Cosmo Goldworthy: Great fact, one I wasn’t aware of— actually. Y’see, I get your points. I see where you’re coming from but to be honest with you, there’s a reason that I claim that I run this show already. There’s a reason that I talk high and mighty as I do now because I already know what awaits on the other side. I am going to beat you at StrangleMania and immediately put my name up there with legends. There’s no doubt that you’re one of the best to have ever graced this brand, but you can’t be the greatest forever. You had a great 2023! Somehow you escaped without losing either your United States or Undisputed Championship in a one-on-one match but come April it will be as decisive a victory as possible. I know that you want to make history and become a three-time United States Championship, but what you WANT doesn’t align with what this company NEEDS. EWC needs Cosmo Goldworthy to step up to the plate, and they sure need me to do what very few on this brand can say they’ve done, and that’s defeat you when it matters the very goddamn most.

Any cheering that came for Lavender turns to boos. Dimitri smirks at the reaction, knowing that it’’ll make it that much sweeter if his client pulls it off.

Cosmo Goldworthy: This year hasn’t been very kind to either of us yet, huh? I suppose that happens when you keep changing the standards, people will risk life and limb to keep you down. But just like how I moved past my loss to Vin Havoc, it’s just like how you’ll move past your loss to Mercenary. Were superior to those kind of guys, we were born better. But as the time ticks down for you, as you have continued to set record after record.. You’ve been here for some years but finally, it is time for someone to take that weight off your shoulders. I am doing you a favor Lavender and here’s what you come and do, you speak actions are louder than words, but I showed that when I became United States Champion after not even being here for a full year!

Cosmo proudly holds up the United States Championship in Lavender’s face, but she simply chuckles. His eyes narrow as he looks her up and down, not expecting that to be her reaction.

Lavender: If we are talking numbers, it took me precisely six months after walking back through that curtain to become the United States Champion. Sure, not my debut year nor my rookie year, but it was arguably a renaissance that has carried me through to this very day. I am not going to deny your accomplishments, you have accomplished a lot in your short time here, but those accomplishments make me all the more determined to end them all where you stand. You see, I have a knack for that; putting an end to people’s aspirations merely because they thought they could walk all over little ole me. Moxie assumed… no, downright proclaimed that he would beat me in the finals of the BORT and I walked out with his HBO Broadcast Championship. Melody Malone was certain she would walk right through me en route to defending the Undisputed Championship at WrestleFest… and it was me defending that championship. And Ace King was certain he would squash my newfound confidence inside a steel cage and I did what I said I would do and not only beat him, I pinned him in the middle of that steel cage.

She grins at the mention of some of her finest victories. Cosmo rolls his eyes in defiance.

Lavender: You see, Cosmo, we can throw around accolades all we want to, but there is only one person winning that game here. The loss I sustained a fortnight prior was crushing, but it taught me a lesson in humility. I am not naive to think I can’t be beaten… I can… but I also have an unwavering confidence in the fact that I can beat anyone who stands across from me inside that squared circle. That it what has gotten me this far, Cosmo; a determination to be the best version of myself that I can be in spite of people’s low expectations of me. I have waited nine long months for this rematch, being without that championship - a championship that helped define my entire story - has been arduous, and Cosmo… I’ll be taking it back now. I have beared the burden of that weight on my shoulder countless times before, I can do it again.

Lavender says with an extremely firm tone, asserting herself. But Cosmo starts laughing, and the laughter is audible to the mic – which prompts boos.

Cosmo Goldworthy: Haha, no, No. NO! That’s not how this thing works! You had your time in the sun. Two reigns as United States Champion, two reigns as Undisputed Champion. You don’t just get to come back and say that you’ll be taking it back. Especially not after what I’ve had to endure just to get here. And what I’ve had to endure just to secure my spot at the top of this mountain?! I can’t allow you to just overtake me again because we have seen that song and dance already. You have ran through so many, you have decimated so many names on this brand.. But you have never faced me.. And at StrangleMania I need to ensure that you’ll have never defeated me either. I’m aware of your accomplishments. I’ve watched as much of your work as I possibly can. Because while I am so sure that I’m going to beat you.. I admire your legend. What you’ve accomplished me motivates me, not because I’m gonna drop to my knees and bow at your feet.. But because it reminds me to push harder than I have ever pushed in my ENTIRE GODDAMN LIFE!

Cosmo’s face starts to flare up, turning light shades of red as he stares down Lavender, his emphatic statement firing him up.

Cosmo Goldworthy: And you know what that’s like, right? We’ve both had to overcome a lot. But you had your moment many moons ago. The world has seen what you were capable of. I use were because now it’s time they find out what I am capable of. Very few can say they’ve bested The Queen and The King like you have and that means something to me. You don’t need a title like they do. Your accomplishments speak for themselves.. Just like how my victory over you will speak for itself. When we touch down in Wembley Stadium— when I defeat you.. I need you to understand that it was for a great cause. Everyone will respect you no matter what path you embark on post-StrangleMania, but I need to make damn sure that they respect me too. Beating you doesn’t just guarantee that respect. It puts me in a new league of talent. It ensures that nothing I do can EVER be diminished again!

The intensity of Cosmo Goldworthy is in full effect as he starts to get into the face of Lavender, but Lavender doesn’t back down from the champion at all. She’s got an even more determined glance on her face.

Lavender: Chris Page once said that people were sick of the ‘Lavender Project’ and it was time for it to end and a new crop of talent to take its place, and as much as I can appreciate a new crop of talent coming in and making their waves, this doesn’t end until I am ready for it to end. A man… sure, let’s just call him a man… once said ‘to be the man you must beat the man’ and the same applies here… you want me to move aside? Beat me. Because as long as my heart is still beating, as long as I can still step through those ropes, and as long as I have a passion for this there it not a single person who can stop me from continuing to rise to the top, over and over again, until I am satiated. You said you had to endure to get here? You feel entitled to accomplishments because of what you have endured. I HAVE ENDURED MY ENTIRE LIFE just to be a spectator, let alone being able to step through the curtains and inside the squared circle and do what, for the longest time, I only assumed was a pipe dream.

Lavender nods her head, proudly embracing what she’s overcome in the face of an agitated Cosmo Goldworthy.

Lavender: You say I don’t need this, you say I should step aside because I have had my moment in the sun, but that is where you are wrong about me, Cosmo, because without this there is no me, without this I am just the poor orphaned girl with an alcoholic father, a deceased mother, and no hope for a future. Without this I am not Lavender, without this I cease to exist. Seems like hyperbole, right? But it is the fuckin’ truth! This industry, and my passion for it, pulled me out of the darkest pits of despair and I will be DAMNED if I allow some self-entitled prick to take it away from me because he feels shunted by me remaining relevant at the top. You say you are going to beat me? THEN BEAT ME!

She starts to get into Cosmo’s face, shouting. The fans give a HUGE cheer for this, and both Cosmo and Dimitri are a little taken aback! Dimitri starts to get closer, but keeps his boundaries and he’s leaving this between champion and challenger – although some people may see it the other way around.

Lavender: End this, end my reign of tyranny, many people have made such promises, but you know how many have lived up to them? None. Be the difference, Cosmo, because I could sure as hell use a good fight at Stranglemania.

Lavender smirks upon saying that, to a loud applause from the crowd. Cosmo eyes the crowd, sneering at them. He turns his eyes back to Lavender, who shows her own fire tonight – one that only Cosmo is used to only giving off himself.

Cosmo Goldworthy: You could use a good fight at StrangleMania? You will get MORE than a good fight. I am going to make you scratch and claw with every fiber of your being against me! I ain’t certified like Ace King or Melody Malone! I wasn’t blessed with Hall Of Fame training like Chris Page or veteran advice like Moxie! I worked for all of this on my own, just like you — and I know that worries you. You gotta go toe-to-toe with someone just like you.. But for once, you look in the eyes of a man who has endured the same exact pain as you.. I know everything you feel, except for what it looks like to have legendary status. I need it. I crave it. And I don’t care WHAT HAPPENS at the PPV! I will HAVE IT! I don’t care if we ever fight again. I don’t care if we become familiar with one another after April! As long as I win our first outing.. As long as my heart keeps beating and my blood keeps pumping, I put my name up there with the very best! That’s what pushes me to the next level. I’m not gonna disrespect you and say that people are sick of the ‘Lavender Project’.

Cosmo pauses himself for a second, letting that sit. He looks around, before continuing.

Cosmo Goldworthy: I hold you in much higher regard than to reduce you to something like that. But what I can tell you is that the times are changing. The old guard is fizzling out and you are trying your hardest to retain old glory. Last year, you still showed you were up to par. This year, your two wins have shown that you can still go. But sometimes it’s not about if you’re declining or not. It’s simply if someone is improving quicker than you expected. When I came into this company, you were the champion. You were the name to beat! I haven’t even completed a full season of competition and somehow I am the United States Champion, and now you need to try and take this championship from me! But I will give you your credit! You are the one to beat. I can beat Vin Havoc another time. I can beat Mercenary another time. But you are the true former United States Champion that needs to be dethroned. And I hope the Lavender that has crushed dreams, broke bones, overcame the adversity of every single thing thrown in her way is at StrangleMania.. Because you are getting the very BEST Cosmo Goldworthy.. And come hell or high water, I will walk in the United States Champion? And I will leave THE United States Champion.

Cosmo puts the microphone down and raises the United States Championship up in Lavender’s face. Lavender doesn’t seem threatened at all, though. She stares Cosmo down, then looks at the championship that she never got her rematch for.

KD: Wow! What a confrontation between the United States Champion and his challenger at StrangleMania! Cosmo Goldworthy and Lavender just set the tone for an already great night of action adn I can’t wait to see what happens come the PPV!

P-Dug: That was one hell of a back and forth! Cosmo seems extremely hellbent on being the one to defeat Lavender for that United States Championship, but can he get the job done?! I’m not sure, but I do like his chances!

KD: But you can’t forget all that Lavender has done! She is a three-time United States Champion with six total defenses to her name! Cosmo is going to have to work hard, but sometimes that’s not enough for a competitor like her!

P-Dug: It’s all going to be on the line at StrangleMania! It’s already one of the most hyped events of the year but THAT just made it that much bigger! I can’t wait!

As Cosmo’s theme song plays, he backs up along with Dimitri. He exits the ring and allows Lavender to stay there alone, giving her a lot to think about.

---

MATCH #2
Eleos Affect
Vs Young Justice
(TORNADO TAG)
Referee: Mike Michaelson

KD: Big words to hype up StrangleMania, as now we head into tornado tag action!

P-Dug: This tag match will be good and all, but I want more Cosmo and Lavender!

Chriqui: The following match is a tornado tag team match. Introducing first standing at a combined weight of 484 pounds, Antoni Malietoa and KU... 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.

Chriqui: And their opponent standing at a combined weight of 243 pounds, Cassie Wolfe & Harper Mason... YOUNG JUSTICE!!!

The intro to Jonathon Young's cover of the Earth's Mightiest Heroes theme hits the speakers and Cassie and Harper emerge from the back ready for action! The two Hero Academy Graduates pose back to back with their arms crossed at the top of the ramp before pointing to the ring with a gun like motion as they wait for their introduction.  

Once they are announced the two metalheads throw up the devil horns and share a fist bump before they run down to the ring, Cassie leaps into the ring between the middle and bottom rope before rolling to her knees whilst Harper slides into the ring! They two youngsters share another fist bump before posing for the fans.

KD: Hype up the first entrant.

P-Dug: Hype up the second entrant.

DING DING DING

With the ring of the bell, both Cassie and Harper sprint into Antoni Malietoa and take the huge man down with a double dropkick. The Duo kip-up to their feet and swivel their heads around as KU goes for a double lariat... Which is double ducked, sending KU into, and over, the top rope to the padded concrete. Harper grabs Antoni's wrist and drags him up, while Cassie gives him a few kicks to the stomach. The girls double Irish-whip Antoni away from them into the ropes. KU rolls into the ring and comes up from behind Cassie, grabbing on a waist-lock. Antoni breaks a clothesline and drags on a bear-bug. KU yeets Cassie backwards into a German suplex, while Antoni yoinks Harper up and down with a belly-to-belly.

Cassie rolls through the German up to her feet, but KU socks her in the jaw with a stiff forearm that knocks her back prone. Behind him, Antoni has mounted Harper and is raining down punches. KU yells at Antoni, who drags Harper up and shoves her backwards into KU, who catches Harper in the mouth with a European uppercut, stumbling her backwards into an Antoni German suplex. KU drags up Cassie and goes for a European uppercut into her as well, but Cassie jumps up and brings KU down with an arm-drag. Antoni spins Cassie around and goes for a punch, but Cassie ducks the punch and gives Toni a chop into his Adam's apple.  

KD: An evenly paced bout here in the opening minutes, with both teams looking pretty good in this tornado environment. 

P-Dug: Things can break down quickly, so both teams will need to be on the top of their game!

As Antoni stumbles back choking, Cassie Wolfe comes up from behind and gives him a dropkick into the back of his leg, causing Antoni to fall backwards and smash the back of his head into the canvas. Cassie starts to stomp down on Antoni's head, but KU comes up from the rear and gets Cassie in a rear-naked choke. KU drags Cassie backwards away from Antoni, and transitions the choke into an Irish-whip into the ropes. On the rebound KU punches Cassie square between her eyes, hard enough there is an audible pop from KU's right hand. Cassie goes down like a sack of puppies, while KU looks down at his hand as it throbs and bleeds.

KU doesn't get long to think as Harper Mason comes up from behind and smashes KU with a lariat that stumbles The Burning Tree forward into a corner. Harper comes from behind and smashes another lariat into the back of KU's head while he's trapped in the corner. KU falls to a knee, Harper grabs his head and then kicks off the top turnbuckle into a DDT, but as she lands the DDT, Antoni catches her with a giant spear out of nowhere. KU lands in a motionless lump on his head, while Harper lands a few feet away with Antoni on top of her.

Antoni begins to rain elbows down into Harper's head, but Cassie Wolfe comes up from the side and gets Antoni in the side of the face with a superkick. As Antoni rolls off Harper, she gets to her feet and then the duo catch Antoni square in the mouth with a double superkick. They cover!

ONE!
.
.
.
TWO!!
.
.
... The attempt gets broken up by KU stomping Harper in the back of the head. As Cassie launches into KU, he catches her with a forearm, followed by a European Uppercut, followed by taking-a-back and then ripcording her around into a bitch slap! That's one hell of an Ultimatum! KU drags Harper up and goes for the same ripcord, but the ripcord gives Harper the 180 she needs to slam her elbow right into KU's face with Into The Earth! As KU stumbles backwards, he trips over Cassie Wolfe and then Harper leaps into a cover!

ONE!
.
.
.
TWO!!
.
.
... The attempt is broken up by Antoni!

P-Dug: Young Justice are putting up a lot more fight here than I think most gave them credit for, absolutely holding their own against the #1 contenders to the EWC World Tag Team Championship. 

KD: A win here, I think would definitely make StrangleMania a triple threat!

Antoni drags Harper Mason up, and those two begin to brawl it out. KU and Cassie begin to trade slaps and punches. Seeing an opening KU jumps into a forearm on Harper, while Cassie jumps into a superkick on Antoni. Antoni falls to a knee and Cassie goes for her shining wizard, but Antoni powers her up and down onto her head with a nasty powerbomb, while Harper Mason has just hit KU with a diamond cutter out of nowhere with her massive Crowd Killer! Antoni leaps into Harper as she stands with a huge headbutt, followed by dragging her into him for a Samoan drop... but Harper is able to counter the drop into a Crucifix Bomb! Antoni rolls through the Crucifix Bomb up to his feet dazed, Harper jumps up looking for another cutter... but Antoni grabs Harper's head with his bicep while using her momentum to yeet her backwards off her feet down to the padded concrete. Cassie Wolfe goes after Antoni, but KU grabs her by her ankle and holds firm giving Antoni the chance to rush and blast Cassie inside out with a lariat. KU pulls himself up using the ropes for advantage. Antoni drags Cassie up shoves her into KU. KU positions Cassie's head between his legs, then he grabs her hips and hoists her up and down into a sit-out piledriver. KU keeps the position locked firm while Antoni grabs Kassie's ankles and pulls her out of the piledriver into him and a tombstone piledriver. Antoni covers!

ONE!
.
.
.
TWO!!
.
.
.
THREE!!!

DING DING DING

Chriqui: And your winner, via pinfall ... THE ELEOS AFFECT!!!!

KU and Antoni get their arms raised by Mike Michaelson, before pointing into the cameras at Heat Packers. The Bros high five and head out of the ring to the back. Medical staff check on Harper and Cassie, who walk to the back on their own without the need of assistance. 

KD: A big win here tonight on Friday Night RAMPAGE for the #1 Contenders, and I think we even saw a new finishing move just debut here tonight on Scars & Stripes!

P-Dug: I think that speaks to the level Young Justice are getting to, they didn't win tonight but they did stand their own against the #1 contenders, and fell to a move they've never seen before. 

Camera cuts to ...

The House locker room is deathly quiet as Bruce Booth, ZERO, Tori Taylor, and Moises Ferro watch the door. Alastor Grey steps through the door and closes it behind him and locks it.

Alastor Gray: I have a good news and bad news about my client, JoJo Rush.

The camera pans over to Cosmo Goldworthy, who adjusts the United States Championship on his shoulder. He turns to Alastor upon hearing his voice and the door closes.

Cosmo Goldworthy: So...? Is he here?

Cosmo gulps, considering the last thing he wants to do is enter this battle without him. Alastor keeps his famously stoic expression while scanning the rest of the House locker room. However, before Alastor could spill the beans he turns his attention to the camera man in the locker room and reopens the door to shoo them out.

Alastor Gray: I apologize, but this is House-business only.

The scene fades to black as the cameraman is booed and literally shoved out of the Locker Room.

---

MAIN EVENT | MATCH #3
The House (Cosmo Goldworthy, Bruce Booth, JoJo Rush) & ZERO
Vs Team Rampage (Vin Havoc, Mercenary, Jason Anderson, Alexander Umbra)
(WARGAMES)
Referee: Toyo Yasahiro

As a large steel fence is set up around the ringside area, the ExtremeTron begins playing a video package highlighting how we got to this point. The House winning the 2023 War Games match, getting their own PPV, kicking out Jamie Love in brutal fashion…

Then we see Alexander Umbra saving Jason Anderson from a beatdown by JoJo Rush and Tori Taylor… Umbra defeating JoJo Rush thanks to help from Jason, and Jason defeating Bruce Booth… Then we see The House laying out Mercenary and Vin Havoc in the parking lot, and Vin defeating Cosmo Goldworthy to become the first ever Fighting Spirit Champion…

Finally we end on Vin’s successful defense against ZERO, and the brawl after that led to this very match being announced. The chaos of that brawl and these connecting feuds are shown as the rules of the “Rampage Games match” are reiterated…

Voiceover: Team Captains Cosmo Goldworthy and Vin Havoc start. Then after five minutes, a member of The House enters. Then every two minutes, alternating team members enter, until every member has entered the match. Then the cage door closes, and WAR GAMES begin!

We see COSMO GOLDWORTHY… ZERO… BRUCE BOOTH… JOJO RUSH…

Voiceover: A team can only win when every member of the opposing team has been eliminated via pinfall, submission, knockout, or referee stoppage.

Then we see JASON ANDERSON… MERCENARY… ALEXANDER UMBRA… VIN HAVOC…

Voiceover: Who will be a survivor?!

As we cut back to the arena, it plunges into darkness as the electric beat of "Money On My Mind" reverberates throughout the building. Gold and white lines then strobe throughout the building as the EWC United States Champion Cosmo Goldworthy swaggers out with his manager Dimitri Graves towing behind with a sinister smirk on his face. Cosmo, just wearing jeans and a bedazzled tank top, shows off the United States Championship around his waist, the gold glistening under the arena lights as he struts down the ramp.

Chriqui: The following contest is a RAMPAGE STYLE War Games match! Entering first, representing The House, he is the EWC United States Champion… COSMO GOLDWORTHY!!!

Cosmo rattles the cage a bit before handing his championship to Dimitri, and sliding into the ring, as Dimitri stays outside the cage. He climbs the top rope and raises the Too Sweets up high for everyone - as regardless of if you're with The House or against them, noise is being made from every corner of the building. Cosmo drops off the top rope, and awaits his opponent.

The barks of the intro of 'X Gon Give It To Ya' by DMX pierce the arena, as the crowd anticipates the arrival of Vin Havoc. As soon as DMX utters the chorus, Vin comes bursting out of the back, dressed in all white gear, and looking pissed off and ready for a fight. He storms down to the ring, kissing his Fighting Spirit Championship before tossing it to a ringside crew member.

Chriqui: Next, representing Team Rampage, he is the EWC Fighting Spirit Champion… VIN HAVOC!!!

Havoc steps to the corner of the ring, but instead of doing his usual prayer, he just stares Cosmo down, pacing back and forth as if he can’t wait for the bell to ring.

DING DING DING

As soon as the bell sounds, Cosmo and Vin charge at each other, firing forearms back and forth. Cosmo quickly gains an advantage by switching to a question mark kick, staggering Vin a bit as he knees him in the gut repeatedly. This staggers Vin into the ropes… where he fires back with a step-up enzuigiri! Cosmo quickly slides out of the ring, but Vin surprises him again by running the ropes once more… and diving out of the ring with a big ol’ suicide dive! Vin looks to the crowd, feeling their energy, but this brief distraction is enough for Cosmo to punch him right in the liver, before hitting another stiff forearm to the jaw. Vin fires back with two forearms of his own, but when he goes for a third, Cosmo brings an elbow down right on his shoulder! Cosmo then tries to whip Vin into the cage… but Vin puts his hand and boot up, stopping just short of hitting it, before turning around and hitting Cosmo with another big forearm! Vin tosses Cosmo back in the ring, but when he tries to enter, Cosmo is back up and knocks him off the apron with an axe kick! Vin drops to his hands and knees on the floor, and Cosmo jumps down, driving his boot right onto Vin’s left hand! As Vin recoils, Cosmo is able to bring him to his feet and whip him right into the cage, which Vin hits head-first with a heavy thud!

As Vin slowly gets back up, Cosmo goes to under the ring, grabbing a steel chair, but Vin ducks as Cosmo swings, and Cosmo just hits the cage! Cosmo staggers back slightly… and doesn’t notice Vin grabbing him until it’s too late and he’s tossed head-first into the cage as well! As Cosmo drops down to his knees, Vin is finally able to toss him back into the ring, and actually enter as well this time. Vin tosses Cosmo into the corner, delivering a big knife edge chop! Cosmo follows up by slapping Vin back, and asking if that’s all he’s got. Big mistake. Vin follows up with rapid fire machine gun chops and Cosmo doubles over onto the mat when he’s done! Vin irish whips Cosmo into the other corner, and Cosmo crumples down, so Vin attempts a cannonball… but Cosmo CATCHES VIN WHILE IN THE CORNER! COSMO, ON SHAKY LEGS, STANDS UP WHILE LIFTING VIN, AND JUST AS QUICKLY AS HE CAUGHT HIM, HE LAUNCHES HIM DOWN WITH A POWERBOMB, CRUMBLING DOWN TO THE MAT WITH HIM!

Cosmo begins beating down on Vin with grounded punches and stomps, especially targeting Vin’s neck, shoulder, and hands, before posing to the crowd, holding up a too sweet in the corner of the ring again. Cosmo sets Vin up in the corner and delivers his own chops, mocking Vin, before just switching over to a barrage of punches. As Vin begins to struggle to stand, Cosmo runs the ropes and knocks Vin down in the corner with a running back elbow! Cosmo grabs Vin by the face, grinding his fists against it and stretching it, while yelling “This is the heart and soul of Rampage?! This guy is Fighting Spirit?! What a joke!” Cosmo then drags Vin to his feet… but Vin starts to fight back with some more forearms! Cosmo staggers back briefly but comes right back with an axe kick… which Vin ducks! As Vin ducks under Cosmo, Cosmo turns around, right into a big boot of Vin’s own! Cosmo staggers back again… and Vin hits him with a leaping headbutt, taking him down right as the countdown for the next House entrant ends!

As 'Burn In My Light''s unmistakable intro sounds throughout the venue, the fans and Vin Havoc alike turn their head toward the entranceway, and out comes Bruce Booth, who stops a few feet out from the curtain, holding onto his Primetime Briefcase, and also dressed in jeans and a tank top. Bruce starts running down the ramp as Vin grins, motioning for him to come on in, but he stops short of entering the cage, instead starting to back up. Vin is all like “wtf, get back here,” so Bruce starts to slowly walk back towards the cage… and this finally gives Cosmo just enough time to recover and low blow Vin from behind! Cosmo rolls Vin out of the ring and punches and stomps away at him as Bruce finally enters the cage, hitting Vin with his briefcase before tucking it away under the ring.

Both members of New Money deliver punches and knees in a two on one assault on Vin, before tossing him back-first into the cage! Cosmo then holds Vin up as Bruce talks smack to him and punches him a bit. Cosmo drops Vin, and New Money pose over him, too sweeting each other. The two go to whip into the cage again, but Vin stops himself with his hand and boot, although this further aggravates his now injured left hand. As Cosmo charges forward, Vin whips him head-first into the cage instead, and then looks to hit Bruce with the Punisher Suplex into the cage, but Bruce stops it with a knee to Vin’s gut! Bruce turns Vin around… inverted DDT right on the floor! Bruce poses and then enters the ring with Cosmo to wait as the countdown finishes for the next Team Rampage entrant ends!

Black Label Society's Fire It Up blasts over the PA. A flashing red strobe lights the stage as the rest of the room goes dark. Mercenary swaggers out onto the stage with his face hidden behind a hard tactical mask painted to look like The Punisher's iconic skull logo. His eyes inside the mask stare New Money down. He crosses both arms, gloved fists clenched, across his chest and under his chin. The pose resembles a skull and crossbones. To either side of him the stage explodes in motes of red and orange flame. Mercenary quickly removes his mask and runs down to the ring, taking both members of New Money down with clotheslines! He then scoops Cosmo Goldworthy up onto his shoulders, uses Cosmo’s legs to knock Bruce back down, and delivers a Saturn Driver! Before he can inflict further damage on Cosmo, Bruce starts wailing on Mercenary from behind, and Cosmo joins in. New Money whip Mercenary against the ropes… but he comes flying back with a double arm clothesline!

Mercenary goes over to Vin Havoc in the corner of the ring, helping him up to his feet. The Outlaw and The Gunslinger start a two on one attack on Cosmo, whipping him against the ropes and then knocking him down with a double big boot. They follow up with a double team vertical suplex, sending Cosmo reeling and clutching his back. He doesn’t have much time to rest, however, as Mercenary grabs him and props him up in the corner, while Vin traps Bruce in the other corner. The two Team Rampage members go to town on New Money, delivering punches in the corner, much to the delight of the audience. Vin and Mercenary toss their opponents out of the ring as the countdown for the next House member ends!

With the voice of Jaz Coleman screaming "ASTEROID", the lights reveal ZERO on stage, flanked by Moises Ferro. ZERO begins his terrifying emotionless walk towards the ring, with Moises speaking to the nearby audience members in Spanish. ZERO stops his descent down the ramp, slowly turning his gaze to an audience member, and raising a barbed wire covered fist! The audience member quickly leaves their seat and begins retreating into the crowd. ZERO resumes his journey, entering the cage and subsequently the ring rather quickly, and immediately ducks a clothesline attempt from Mercenary, taking him down with an Oblivion Boot! Moises, oddly enough, heads to the back. Vin tries to hit a lariat, but the same thing happens, and he’s also taken down with an Oblivion Boot. ZERO then hits Mercenary with a big barbed wire assisted forearm, and delivers the same to Vin! ZERO grabs Vin by the skull, crushing it with his own hands, and grinding the barbed wire across Vin’s forehead.

New Money slide into the ring to help, attacking Mercenary and kicking him out of the ring, before stomping on the now bloody Vin. ZERO isn’t too enthused about the help, however, and shoves Cosmo out of the way to continue grinding barbed wire on Vin’s forehead. Cosmo gets a little pissy briefly, telling ZERO not to shove him, but ZERO’s imposing figure quickly makes him back down, and instead pose to the crowd with Bruce. ZERO rolls out of the ring to grab a table and set it up in the lower-right corner of the ring, while New Money roll out to slam Mercenary head-first into the cage and grind his face to the steel. They then re-enter the ring to beat down Vin some more, moving out of the way to let ZERO hit him with a big body block in the upper-left corner. As the countdown for the next member of Team Rampage ends, all three Team House members ready themselves in the ring.

'Holding Out For A Hero' by Adam Lambert hits over the speakers as Alexander Umbra steps out of the back. The fans cheer lightly, still unsure of this new Umbra. Dressed in a black t-shirt with a white rook on the front, a pair of black cloth shorts, it is the plain white jabbawockeez mask that is a bit unsettling... but at least it's not a red purge mask. And hey, what’s that in his hand? More barbed wire! Umbra runs down to the ring and ZERO immediately charges forward when Umbra hops up on the apron, but he’s immediately clocked with Daydream, Umbra’s brass knuckles! ZERO staggers slightly and Bruce comes in next, but Umbra hits a quick sole kick, staggering him back as well. Cosmo manages to rip Daydream and the barbed wire away from Umbra, but eats an elbow smash and headbutt for it. Then Umbra jumps to the top rope, diving out onto all three Team House members! While New Money roll out of the ring, ZERO actually catches Umbra and lifts him up! ZERO rams Umbra into the upper-left corner… but Umbra kicks ZERO right in the crotch in the process!

KD: ZERO’s got nards!!!

ZERO doesn’t seem enthused and barely flinches… SO UMBRA KICKS HIM AGAIN! AND AGAIN! AND AGAIN! Finally, ZERO staggers and clutches his, uh, pearls, giving Umbra the opportunity to sneak away from the corner and return with a high knee in the corner, but with his knee wrapped in barbed wire! Umbra grinds it in ZERO’s face, trying to rip the mask, and it does rip slightly, showing blood underneath! Fueled by seeing ZERO bleed for once, Umbra rips the barbed wire off and puts on Daydream again, hitting ZERO with a superman punch right in the corner! ZERO collapses down, taking a breather, as Umbra moves outside of the ring to brawl with Cosmo Goldworthy, who just got done taking Mercenary out by tossing him into the cage, while Vin Havoc brawls with Bruce Booth. Umbra tries to hit Cosmo with Daydream, but Cosmo once again catches his hand, and this time throws it out into the audience when he rips it off. Umbra manages to ram Cosmo into the cage, and then attempts to save Vin from being ground into the cage by Bruce, but Cosmo comes right back, this time cracking a chair against Umbra’s back! Meanwhile, Mercenary and ZERO slowly get up and start throwing hands at each other in the ringside area.

New Money manage to separate Vin from Umbra, hitting the Knife Talk combo on him, suplexing him right into the cage! Umbra quickly bashes Bruce’s head against the cage, but Cosmo doesn’t take too kindly to that, and hits Umbra with a CRE elbow, followed by a Mushroom Stomp! At this point, Mercenary had just taken ZERO out with a massive Deadpool Drop, so Cosmo pays him a visit, trying to attack him from behind. During this, Vin rolls into the ring, hoping to take a breather from the chaos of this match. Mercenary manages to get the upper hand on Cosmo with a snap suplex onto the floor, before rolling into the ring to sit with Vin and protect him as the next House entrant arrives!

‘Devil Trigger’ by Little V hits as the replacement for JoJo Rush, Tori Taylor, makes her way down the ramp, and she’s not alone… She’s dragging Dave, Jason Anderson’s mentor, by the arm! He tries to fight back but Tori has his rings on her hand, and she backhands him! Mercenary and Vin Havoc’s eyes widen and they move to try to help as Tori drags Dave all the way to the cage and handcuffs him to it!

KD: Oh my god… What happened to Jason, I wonder?!

Vin, however, is too hurt to really move all that fast, and when Mercenary rolls out of the ring, ZERO hits him from behind. As Tori enters the cage, Alexander Umbra also tries to save Dave, but Tori overpowers him and takes him out with a lariat! Tori rolls into the ring and knocks Vin down with a chop block, followed by a german suplex! ZERO tosses Mercenary into the ring, and Tori and ZERO share a glance before they deliver tandem deadlift german suplexes to Vin and Mercenary respectively! They follow up by hitting their opponents with a Devil Trigger and an Oblivion Boot at the same time! ZERO then lifts both Vin and Mercenary up with a two-for-one belly to back suplex, roaring as he does! Meanwhile, Cosmo Goldworthy is beating Dave down with a chair outside of the cage. Tori rolls out of the ring and lifts Umbra up… ramming him into the cage! Then she rams him into the ring post! Then she rams into the cage! Then back into the ring post! She finally lets him go and then throws him head-first into the cage! ZERO, Cosmo, and Bruce surround Umbra with Tori, all holding chairs. Bruce tosses a chair to Tori and the four Team House members all beat Umbra down with their chairs at once! When done, they grab more chairs from under the ring, and begin absolutely piling them onto him! Mercenary tries to save Umbra, but just eats a chair right to the fucking head from ZERO! The chair hits him so hard that his head goes through it! Mercenary stumbles back, blood spurting from his head, and ZERO then hits him with a Black Hole Slam on top of the chairs (and Umbra) as revenge for the Deadpool Drop earlier! The countdown for the next Team Rampage entrant finishes up, and Team House surrounds the entrance of the cage, grinning and ready for a fight.

The arena lights start to flash on and off as NF- No Excuses comes over the speakers and smoke appears. On the Extreme Tron in big letters with his picture… Jason Anderson “The Boss”. Jason limps slightly from the back, dressed in just jeans. He clutches his ribs, taped up from the much speculated upon backstage assault he went through, but he’s coming down to the ring holding two chairs! He immediately tosses one at Cosmo, and then smashes the other over Bruce Booth’s back and throws him into the cage! ZERO and Tori briefly try to overpower Jason, but Jason hits them both with his chair, and goes back and forth hitting them with alternating chair shots! With all four opponents taken out, Jason finally goes to check on Dave, although he can’t seem to be able to free him from the cage due to the lack of any sort of key. Jason tosses Cosmo into the ring, and starts beating on him with the chair. He grabs another chair and begins to set Cosmo’s head inside of it! He raises the other chair, but before he can come down on Cosmo’s head with it… TORI TAYLOR SPEARS HIM THROUGH THE TABLE THAT WAS SET UP IN THE LOWER RIGHT CORNER OF THE RING!

Vin Havoc tries to save Jason from further assault, but ZERO intercepts, bashing Vin against the cage, before throwing him into the ring where Tori lays into him with stomps. A 10 second countdown commences, and all four Team House members stand around the ring, realizing this means JoJo Rush showed up, and they’ve got five members!

RIP AND TEAR! RIP AND TEAR!

Lightning strikes the stage in a bright bolt of light. JoJo Rush… or at least some sort of beast resembling him… appears at the point with his head back, before literally breathing fire! The Beast wears black and red armor that makes him resemble some sort of horned lizard.

As The Beast slowly walks down the ramp, Moises Ferro also strolls down with a cart full of weapons! Tables, chairs, garbage cans, kendo sticks, oh my! The Beast and ZERO start unloading weaponry, tossing chairs into the ring, some even hitting Vin Havoc! The Beast also smashes Dave with a chair for good measure, before entering the ring and throwing a chair right at Vin’s head! The Beast picks up another chair, and as Jason Anderson tries to get up, he too eats a chair to the head! The Beast stands up on the top rope and roars to the audience! He then rolls out of the ring to set up a ladder, while ZERO sets up a table on the other side, and New Money and Tori Taylor beat down Vin and Jason some more in the ring. The Beast and ZERO slide into the ring and all five Team House members stomp on Vin and pose above him as the final countdown finishes, for a Team Rampage member who may or may not actually exist!

KD: These two teams wanted war, and it’s war they got! The House has been dominating! Vin and Jason swarmed in the ring… Umbra is buried underneath chairs somewhere… Mercenary is being checked on by doctors due to that open gash on his head…

P-Dug: And who knows if Team Rampage even got their fifth here in time! The House might have this one in the bag!

Cosmo Goldworthy’s eyes widen as ‘Kickstart’ by K-FORCE hits, meaning only one thing… But as all of Team House stare up the entrance ramp… JAMIE LOVE IS CLIMBING THE CAGE, WITH A KENDO STICK IN HIS MOUTH! By the time they realize what’s going on, JAMIE DIVES OUT ONTO ALL OF THEM!

KD: Holy hell! Jamie Love is BACK!

Jamie tears off his neck brace, which is covered in glue… and glass! He smashes it into ZERO’s face and whips it against him repeatedly, using it like a deadly club! Bruce Booth tries to attack Jamie, but Jamie just ducks and rams Bruce into the cage, followed by hitting him with that kendo stick! Tori Taylor is next, and while Jamie also ducks a lariat from her, she almost gets him into a german suplex, but Jamie keeps his feet planted, and after a back elbow, he gets his kendo stick back and cracks it against her a few times! And for good measure, he hits ZERO over the head with the kendo stick before dropping it in favor of the neck brace club again, hitting ZERO with one final shot. Jamie looks out into the crowd and then enters the ring with his neck brace, where The Beast is waiting. Jamie and The Beast trade blows to the head, with The Beast just using his forearm, and Jamie continuing to use the neck brace as a club. Jamie staggers from a barrage of forearms, but then fires right back with a big neck brace shot!

The Beast doesn’t move at all, and instead just grabs Jamie by the throat. Jamie furiously fights out of it though, using his neck brace to hit The Beast in the head and kicking The Beast’s legs in to get him kneeling, albeit on just one knee. The Beast lets go of Jamie and Jamie finally begins just smashing the neck brace over his head, before grabbing him and hitting a kneeling DDT onto the neck brace! BUT THE BEAST JUST POPS RIGHT BACK UP, ROARING! But before Jamie can do anything, Cosmo Goldworthy hits him from behind with the kendo stick! Cosmo hits Jamie a few more times before letting The Beast hit a big german suplex, tossing Jamie across the ring. Vin Havoc charges in with a chair, hitting The Beast across the back, although The Beast just looks annoyed. Vin hits him in the stomach. No real reaction, just pissed. Vin hits him over the head. No real reaction, just SUPER pissed. Vin hits him over the head again and again! Finally The Beast stumbles back and out of the ring, but Cosmo hits Vin with a kendo stick as well! Jamie grabs Cosmo from behind, locking in a sleeper, and Cosmo charges himself into the corner to get Jamie off. Vin uses this opportunity to yell for Jamie to move, and he obliges, as Vin cannonballs into Cosmo in the corner! Vin whips Cosmo out of the corner, and Jamie hits a basement dropkick right into his knees! Jamie tries to lock Cosmo into the Love Attachment, screaming about how The House are a bunch of traitors, but Cosmo gets to his feet too quickly and is too conscious for the hold to be completely locked in. So… Jamie just transitions into a half-nelson suplex, dumping Cosmo right on his head! He makes the first cover of the match!

KD: The first pinfall attempt here, 25 or so minutes deep into the match!

P-Dug: The cage is being locked… War Games has officially begun!

ONE…





TW- NO! Cosmo kicks out!

Vin sets a table up in the top right corner, and then begins to help Jamie lift Cosmo up, ready to launch him head-first into the table, but Tori Taylor comes in with the save, with forearms right to both men! A Devil Trigger knocks Vin out of the ring, but Jamie proves to be too quick for Tori to catch, with him maneuvering around her to try and lock on various grapples. Both competitors wrestle closer and closer towards the table. Tori almost suplexes Jamie into it, but Jamie stays planted on the ground, and then tries to lock on a standing Love Attachment. Tori just backs up, still trying to back Jamie into the table, before raking his eyes to get out of the hold. As Tori gets out of the way, The Beast reenters the ring, and lines Jamie up in front of the table for a spear… BUT JAMIE DODGES AT THE LAST SECOND! THE BEAST DIVES HEAD-FIRST THROUGH THE TABLE! Tori immediately tries to german suplex Jamie, but Vin is back in the ring, and a big rolling elbow knocks Tori away from Jamie. Jamie hits Tori with an enziguri, and Vin follows up by lifting her up and dropping her with Made In Brooklyn! He covers!

ONE…





TWO…





THR- NO! Cosmo breaks up the pin!

Cosmo beats down on Vin, who just barely gets up and knocks him out of the ring, as ZERO enters the ring with the ladder that was set up, smashing Jamie right in the head! As soon as Vin turns around, ZERO hits him with the ladder as well! ZERO holds the ladder up and whips it around to hit Vin again! Then Jason Anderson enters the ring again… only to eat the ladder to the head as well! Jamie back up… he eats the ladder again! Vin back up… ladder! Moises Ferro laughs maniacally from outside the cage as ZERO causes all sorts of destruction inside the ring with this ladder. ZERO smashes the ladder over Jamie some more, and then holds it up again, turning around right into Vin hitting an enziguri to knock the ladder into ZERO’s head! As ZERO stumbles back, Vin hits some forearms, but ZERO is able to overpower him. ZERO grabs the ladder again, but Vin ducks! Vin runs under the ladder and bounces off the ropes, headbutting the ladder into ZERO! Both men are knocked down, but Vin, feeling the adrenaline, gets to his feet first and sets the ladder up hanging on the ring apron, connecting to the cage wall. He begins to set ZERO up for a Havoc Driver onto the ladder… but Cosmo rakes Vin’s forehead gash from behind! Cosmo starts to move Vin into position for a Gold Mine onto the ladder… but Vin gets out of it and hits Cosmo with a release german suplex over the ropes, back into the ring! Vin enters the ring and immediately takes Cosmo down with a sliding lariat! He wastes no time starting to lift him into an Emerald Flowsion, but Cosmo slips down behind Vin, and comes right at him with the Ready To Die kick! He covers!

ONE…





TWO…





THR- NO! Jason Anderson breaks up the pin!

Jason superkicks a kneeling Cosmo, but before he can do anything further, he turns right into a chair shot to the stomach from Bruce Booth! Bruce lifts Jason up for a flapjack, and Cosmo plants Jason with a DDT onto the chair, completing the Moneymaker! Bruce dangles Jason on the ropes and hits him with a Hangman’s DDT, again on the chair! He covers!

ONE…





TWO…





THR- NO! Jason kicks out!

Bruce slaps the mat in frustration as a devilish grin crosses Cosmo’s face. Cosmo rolls out of the ring, going under to grab Bruce’s Primetime Briefcase that was stashed away earlier… BUT HE’S HIT RIGHT IN THE HEAD WITH IT BY SOMEONE UNDER THE RING! As Cosmo collapses to the floor, ALEXANDER UMBRA EMERGES FROM UNDERNEATH THE RING! Tori Taylor slides into the ring but immediately is taken out by Umbra with a crossbody from the top rope! He catches a running Bruce, and turns him around into the Sound of Silence sit-out facebuster! Umbra and Jason stare each other down, nodding silently, right as Cosmo slides back into the ring! Umbra flapjacks Cosmo and Jason hits him with a DDT, doing their own version of the Moneymaker! Cosmo bounces off the mat and rolls back out of the ring, and then Umbra and Jason both hit Bruce with high knees in the corner! Umbra dangles Bruce in the corner upside down… and Jason climbs to the top rope and stomps down on him! Umbra covers!

ONE…





TWO…





THR- NO! Bruce kicks out!

Jason lifts Bruce up into an inverted powerslam position, as Umbra runs the ropes looking to complete the Box Office Bomb… but Cosmo rolls in and throws Umbra (and himself) out of the ring! Jason struggles to continue to carry Bruce, so Bruce is able to elbow out of the hold. Bruce attempts a Director’s Cut, but Vin Havoc comes in and hits a rolling elbow to Bruce’s head, stopping him in his tracks! Vin then lifts Bruce up for the Box Office Bomb, telling Jason to run the ropes, but ZERO IS BACK UP! ZERO catches the running Jason into Bombing The Heavens! Bruce gets out of Vin’s grasp and rams him into the corner! ZERO tries to grab Jason again… BUT MERCENARY IS BACK, HEAD HAPHAZARDLY BANDAGED AND STAPLED TOGETHER! MERCENARY HITS ZERO WITH A MASSIVE SPINEBUSTER! BUT AS SOON AS HE GETS UP… THE BEAST TAKES HIM OUT WITH AN ABSOLUTELY ABSURD POUNCE! Mercenary flies across the ring, landing on his head! The Beast turns around… RIGHT INTO JAMIE LOVE! JAMIE ATTEMPTS TO HIT THE LOVE INJECTION… BUT NO! THE BEAST JUST CATCHES HIM AND HITS A MASSIVE GERMAN SUPLEX, BRIDGING INTO A PIN!

ONE…





TWO…





THR- NO! ALEXANDER UMBRA BREAKS UP THE PIN WITH MEETING OF THE MINDS ONTO THE BEAST! UMBRA MAKES THE COVER WITH JAMIE HELPING KEEP THE BEAST DOWN!

ONE…





TWO…





THR- NO! TORI TAYLOR DIVES ONTO ALL THREE MEN WITH HER VERY OWN CALLIESAULT!!!

KD: OH MY GOD!!! WHAT WILL IT TAKE FOR EVEN A SINGLE ELIMINATION TO HAPPEN IN THIS MATCH?!

P-Dug: This war might just last forever! Everyone is on their back right now!

The battle lines quickly become drawn, however, as Bruce, Cosmo, and ZERO help Tori and The Beast to their feet, and across the ring, Vin and Jason help Mercenary, Jamie, and Umbra up. The two teams, all sharing the ring simultaneously for the first time in this match, stare each other down… AND THEN THEY RUSH INTO BATTLE, FIRING FOREARMS AT WHOEVER IS ACROSS FROM THEM! JASON FIGHTS BRUCE! MERCENARY FIGHTS ZERO! UMBRA FIGHTS THE BEAST! JAMIE FIGHTS TORI! VIN FIGHTS COSMO! The brawl is wild and spills out of the ring, leaving just the team captains left standing inside. They duke it out, trading forearm strikes in a test of fighting spirit. Cosmo takes Vin’s best shot in the jaw, and just shakes it off, telling Vin to quit before coming right back with a barrage of his own strikes. Vin staggers, clearly woozy and absolutely covered in blood, but he bounces back with a massive lariat! But still, Cosmo doesn’t fall down, bouncing against the ropes to keep himself up. He instead roars and runs back towards Vin with a lariat of his own… but Vin has the same idea, and ducks Cosmo’s lariat, and then hits his own, finally knocking Cosmo to the ground! Vin uses so much force in that lariat that he also spills outside the ring, but he holds onto the ropes in order to pull himself back to his feet. As he stands up… THE BEAST SPEARS HIM OUT OF THE FUCKING RING AND THROUGH A TABLE THAT WAS SET UP OUTSIDE IT! BOTH MEN CRASH HEAD-FIRST INTO THE CAGE!

Back in the ring, Mercenary slides in with a garbage can, launching it at Cosmo as soon as he sees him. He then places the garbage can over Cosmo’s head… AND HITS A SLIDING LARIAT! Before he can capitalize, however, ZERO enters the ring, and the two behemoths trade forearms and lariats, showing a much meatier display of fighting spirit than Vin and Cosmo just did. They seem to be equally matched, knocking each other both back with powerful strikes, so they grab chairs to up the ante! ZERO dodges a chair shot from Mercenary, and then goes for his own, but MERCENARY PUNCHES RIGHT THROUGH THE CHAIR! MERCENARY THEN SMASHES THE CHAIR OVER ZERO’S HEAD, AND ZERO GOES RIGHT THROUGH IT, ROARING AND COMPLETELY NO SELLING! THE TWO MONSTERS GRAB TWO MORE CHAIRS, AND HIT EACH OTHER OVER THE HEAD AT THE EXACT SAME TIME, BOTH COLLAPSING TO THE MAT! Jason and Umbra slide back in next, but so does The Beast! Jason and Umbra both grab chairs and just start wailing on The Beast, who simply stands there, flexing his muscles and roaring! Jamie Love comes in behind with a third chair… but The Beast doesn’t budge! Jason and Umbra go to hit him with chairs one more time, but The Beast grabs both chairs, still held by Jason and Umbra, and then rips them away so hard and fast that Jason and Umbra are sent flying back! The Beast turns around… JAMIE LOVE JUST RAMS THE EDGE OF THE CHAIR AGAINST HIS BALLS! The Beast finally acknowledges the pain, and all three men in the ring go to corners of the ring… and hit running dropkicks onto The Beast, sending him down and rolling out of the ring. Jamie and Jason have a brief staredown, all the hatred between them still so fresh and raw. And then… Jamie asks one thing.

Jamie: Do you trust me?

Jason smirks.

Jason: Nah. Do you trust me?

Jamie shakes his head.

Jamie: Nope.

And then without saying a word, the two run and hit stereo suicide dives onto The Beast, keeping him down on the outside of the ring! Inside, the slightly distracted Umbra is immediately attacked from behind by Tori Taylor, who then empties out a bag of thumbtacks into the ring! Tori tries to german suplex Umbra onto the tacks… But Jason makes the save with a Boss Trigger right to her face! Jason and Umbra then irish whip Tori… and hit a double flapjack to send her face-first into the tacks! She immediately recoils in pain, and Umbra hits her with Therapy Session as she stands up! He covers!

ONE…





TWO…





THR- NO! New Money break up the pin with kendo sticks!

Cosmo and Bruce attack both Jason and Umbra with kendo sticks, sending Jason rolling out of the ring, before switching to chairs to take Umbra down. The sound is sickening as Bruce bashes a chair against Umbra’s head, and Cosmo does the same once he’s on the mat. Cosmo grabs Umbra by the legs… AND SLING SHOTS HIM RIGHT INTO A DIRECTOR’S CUT BY BRUCE- WAIT NO!!! UMBRA HITS BRUCE WITH A BIG HEADBUTT RIGHT AS HE’S FLUNG UPWARDS! Bruce rolls out of the ring, and Cosmo runs at Umbra, but Umbra just barely manages to pull the rope down to dump Cosmo right over him and out of the ring! Umbra stands up, barely functioning… AND THAT’S WHEN ZERO CATCHES HIM WITH A BLACK HOLE SLAM ONTO THE THUMBTACKS! ZERO then grabs Umbra… ICONOCLASM ONTO A CHAIR! At the behest of Moises Ferro, he then sets the chair up so that it’s unfolded, and picks Umbra up one last time… DIVIDING BY ZERO, BUT ON THE EDGE OF THE CHAIR! THE CHAIR CRUMPLES UNDER THE WEIGHT AS ZERO COVERS UMBRA!

ONE…





TWO…





THREE!!!

Chriqui: Credited to ZERO via pinfall, Alexander Umbra has been eliminated! Team Rampage is down to four members!

ZERO rolls out of the ring and beats on Mercenary some more, and also sets up two tables, looking to put him through them. Cosmo slides into the ring, but he gets distracted by Mercenary reversing ZERO’s suplex attempt and hitting his own Punisher Suplex through the tables! Vin Havoc rolls Cosmo up from behind!

ONE…





TWO…





THR- NO! Cosmo kicks out!

Vin looks to hit a short-arm lariat, but Cosmo ducks and comes back with a dropkick! Cosmo then attempts a Mushroom Stomp, but Vin catches him mid-air into a folding powerbomb! He stacks him up on his shoulders!

ONE…





TWO…





THR- NO! Cosmo kicks out!

Vin lifts Cosmo up, once again going for an Emerald Flowsion… but Cosmo slips down and pulls Vin into an inverted facelock! He hits the WTR!

KD: Wild Thing Revolution from Cosmo! That’s Vin’s own move!

P-Dug: Or should you say, GSR! Gold Standard Revolution!

Cosmo covers!

ONE…





TWO…





THR- NO! Vin kicks out!

Cosmo locks on to Vin’s arms and tries to maneuver him into the Gold Mine… BUT VIN SLIPS BEHIND HIM AND FLIPS HIM BACKWARDS WITH AN O’CONNOR ROLL! HE HAS COSMO PINNED DOWN!

ONE…





TWO…





THR- NO! Cosmo kicks out!

Cosmo immediately takes control back of the match with a CRE elbow, rocking Vin backwards! He then finally hits Vin with a Gold Mine! Vin is planted right down on the mat, and Cosmo cockily and lazily covers!

ONE…





TWO…





THREE!!!

WAIT NO! VIN KICKED OUT AT THE LAST SECOND! HE HAS ONCE AGAIN KICKED OUT OF THE GOLD MINE! COSMO CAN’T BELIEVE IT!

KD: Maybe Cosmo got a little cocky with that cover…

P-Dug: Or maybe Vin is just immune to the Gold Mine!

Cosmo angrily yells down the entranceway, clearly frustrated by the lack of elimination that just occurred. Callum MacBeth, the young lion of The House, starts to come down the ramp, pushing another cart of weaponry, albeit this time it’s exclusively full of weapons wrapped in barbed wire! Cosmo rolls out of the ring and stomps on Jason, grabbing him and forcing him to watch as Callum starts throwing hands at Dave, who is still handcuffed to the outside of the cage.

Cosmo: Save him, Jason! Save him!

Callum cackles as Dimitri Graves and Moises Ferro overpower the referee on the outside, stealing the key to the cage! Dimitri unlocks the door and Callum begins throwing the weaponry inside… a barbed wire baseball bat, some sort of remote, a barbed wire chair, and a barbed wire table. He then continues beating on Dave, shouting maniacally to the helpless Jason on the other side as he does.

KD: What the hell is going on here?! I didn’t even know Callum was in the building!

P-Dug: You gotta respect Cosmo’s strategy here! He’s doing whatever it takes to win! And plus, everything’s fair in War Games!

KD: Yeah, but this is just- WAIT, IS THAT WHO I THINK IT IS?!

And it is, as RUTHANN ‘RUTHLESS AGGRESSION’ HUNTER RUNS DOWN THE RAMP! SHE IMMEDIATELY CLOCKS DIMITRI WITH A RIGHT HAND, AND MOISES RUNS AWAY AS SHE THEN STARTS FIRING FISTS AS CALLUM! RUTHANN SPEARS CALLUM ONTO THE FLOOR! THE CROWD GOES WILD!

Ruthann finally digs the handcuff key out of Dimitri’s jacket, and frees Dave from the cage! She throws the handcuffs and key into the ring, and then begins to check on Dave to make sure he’s okay, embracing her love and helping him to the back. Inside the ring, Cosmo has set up the barbed wire table in the top left corner. He and Bruce Booth beat down Jason together, but Jamie and Vin make the save, and help Jason fight back against New Money! This prompts The Beast to enter the ring, able to take down Jason, Jamie, and Vin all by himself with vicious clotheslines and headbutts. The Beast grabs Jamie by the head and begins dragging him against the barbed wire table, cutting him open! He pulls Jamie back by the hair and attempts to launch him right into the table… BUT JAMIE STOPS HIMSELF BY PUTTING HIS ALREADY PERMANENTLY INJURED HANDS OUT IN FRONT OF HIM! HIS HANDS GET ABSOLUTELY SHREDDED UP BY THE BARBED WIRE, BUT AT LEAST HE’S NOT THROUGH THE TABLE! Jamie staggers back in pain, and The Beast takes him down with a massive running european uppercut! The Beast grabs the barbed wire table, taking it out of the corner and instead placing it down on the mat. He then lifts Jamie up, placing him on the top turnbuckle, looking for a big back body drop off the top and through the barbed wire table! But as he starts to try to flip Jamie over his head… JAMIE LOCKS ONTO HIM AND TWISTS HIM DOWN! LOVE INJECTION THROUGH THE BARBED WIRE TABLE! Jamie yells in pain, but hey, The Beast is down!

Meanwhile, Vin and Jason managed to throw New Money out of the ring, but now they’ve got Tori Taylor to worry about! Tori hits Vin with a chop block, taking him down, and then attempts a release german suplex onto Jason to the outside of the ring, but Jason elbows out of it. He runs the ropes, looking to clothesline Tori out of the ring, BUT WHAM! HE’S HIT RIGHT IN THE FACE WITH A CHAIR FROM CALLUM MACBETH! Callum starts stomping away on Jason… BUT RUTHANN RUNS DOWN INTO THE CAGE! SHE CLIMBS TO THE TOP ROPE AND HITS CALLUM WITH A DIVING CLOTHESLINE! TORI TRIES TO RUN AT HER BUT VIN HITS TORI WITH A STEP-UP ENZIGURI! Jason follows up with a BJA to Tori! With both Tori and Callum down, Jason and Ruthann look to each other… Jason grabs Callum… Ruthann grabs Tori… STEREO RUTH AWAKENINGS!

KD: Like mother, like son! You love to see it!

The crowd goes nuts as Ruthann then pulls Callum out of the ring, dragging him all the way to the back! Jason grabs the handcuffs… and then hands them to Jamie Love. Jamie looks up at his former enemy, who then extends a hand. Jamie hesitantly grabs it, and Jason pulls him up.

Jason: I trust you. Now do what you have to do.

Jason rolls out of the ring, letting Jamie have his moment! A wicked smile crosses Jamie’s face as he throws the handcuff key to the audience! He then grabs The Beast’s arms, still laid out in the wreckage of the barbed wire table, and handcuffs him around the ring post in the corner of the ring! The Beast just now begins to come to, and struggles against the handcuffs, but there’s no escaping. Jamie then grabs the barbed wire baseball bat, and the remote… He lays in a few shots on The Beast with the bat, letting all his pent up aggression since he got kicked out of The House out! And then? He presses the button on the remote, and tosses it aside. A countdown begins as he steadies what is now clearly an EXPLODING barbed wire baseball bat above The Beast’s horned head… but just as he hits him, the timer mysteriously doesn’t go off. Jamie whips his head around to the other side of the ring, where Tori has just barely stopped the explosion by pressing the button on the remote again. But after being laid out by Ruthann’s finisher, she’s basically useless. Jamie glances at The Beast, and then at Tori… and then an awful idea comes to his head. He begins brutally assaulting Tori with the barbed wire bat, before switching back and forth between her and The Beast! Eventually, though, he just settles on bashing her head in for an uncomfortably long amount of time with the bat, as The Beast struggles and roars futilely. Jamie turns and grabs the remote, looking The Beast in the eyes, as blood spills from Tori’s head.

Jamie: Just know this… What I’m about to do? It’s because of what you and The House did to me. And you all deserve so much worse.

Jamie presses the button on the remote, and as it counts down, JoJo Rush, not The Beast, finally emerges. He tries his everything to save his beloved wife, but despite being as strong as an ox… he just can’t break free from the handcuffs and stop what’s happening right in front of him. You can almost see a tear go down his face underneath his mask as Jamie SLAMS down on Tori’s head, and the bat splinters and explodes! Jamie then, as if that wasn’t enough, locks in the Love Attachment, while staring JoJo right in the eyes. He blows him a kiss as the referee declares Tori to be knocked out.

Chriqui: Credited to Jamie Love via knockout, Tori Taylor has been eliminated! Team House is down to four members!

KD: Holy shit, I think we just witnessed a murder.

P-Dug: Yeah… That was… Uncomfortable. I can only imagine what must be going through JoJo’s head right now…

Jamie begins to step towards JoJo, who’s eyes just glaze over in shock, but before he can get any closer, he’s taken out from behind by The Heat Packers, who already took out Jason on their way in! The Heat Packers beat down on Jamie together, and then Dan Funk takes a pair of pliers out of his pocket, going behind JoJo to cut his handcuffs. He doesn’t exactly free JoJo, however, as The Beast reemerges and immediately rushes towards Jamie like a fucking escaped gorilla! The Beast grabs Jamie and just unloads with a trio of the most deadly german suplexes you could ever imagine, and then starts beating on him with his elbow until Jamie has a complete crimson mask! He puts Jamie into the House Special… AND THEN LAUNCHES HIM FUCKING BACKWARDS WHEN HE LIFTS HIM UP! JAMIE LANDS RIGHT ON HIS HEAD! The Beast roars with rage! Vin Havoc tries to make the save, but The Heat Packers just take him down, quickly hitting him with the Tennessee Destroyer onto a chair! The Beast spears the ever living fuck out of Jamie Love, and then rolls out of the ring, coming back with a fork! He lines Jamie up… BIG IRON WITH A FUCKING FORK IN HIS HAND! JAMIE IS STABBED RIGHT IN THE SIDE OF THE HEAD! THE BEAST COVERS WITH ONE HAND!

ONE…





TWO…





THREE!!!

Chriqui: Credited to JoJo Rush via pinfall, Jamie Love has been eliminated! Team Rampage is down to three members!

KD: This might be some of the most uncomfortably violent shit that’s ever occurred on Rampage…

P-Dug: Besides, y’know, Darna Dare exploding.

The Heat Packers and New Money attack Jason Anderson and Vin Havoc in the ring while medical staff attend to both Jamie Love and Tori Taylor, pulling them out of the cage. The Beast grasps onto Tori’s hand, the look of concern and fear returning to his eyes as he watches the doctors treat her injuries. New Money and The Heat Packers stop their four on two assault to too sweet each other… and then they’re whipped from behind by… dog collars?! That’s right, Eleos Affect is here! They whip the shit out of The Heat Packers, and Antoni gets a few extra shots in on Cosmo for revenge sake. KU puts a dog collar around Brodie’s neck, Antoni puts one around Dan’s, and the Brawl tag team physically pull their StrangleMania opponents out of the cage by the neck! Eleos Affect brawl up the ramp and into the back with The Heat Packers, and the referee is finally able to lock the cage door again. Back in the ring, while Cosmo and Vin have spilled their fight to the outside, Bruce Booth stabs Jason in the head with the fork! Bruce then moves to stab Jason in the corner… but Jason dodges! Bruce stabs the turnbuckle pad! Bruce tries to pull the fork out but it’s stuck! He turns around and Jason fires at him with a bunch of slaps, followed by a Boss Trigger! Jason hits the kneeling Bruce with another Boss Trigger, and then pulls the fork out of the turnbuckle! He goes to stab Bruce in the head… but ZERO stops him! ZERO knocks the fork out of his hand and beats Jason down with clubbing blows to the back. Vin tries to put ZERO in a sleeper but Cosmo hits him from behind with a kendo stick! As ZERO drags Vin to the ring apron over by the ladder, Bruce takes Jason to the top rope, and hits a superplex onto a pile of chairs! Cosmo follows up with a splash to complete the Blockbuster Plex! Meanwhile, ZERO HITS VIN WITH A HAVOC DRIVER OFF THE APRON THROUGH THE LADDER! Cosmo covers Jason in the ring!

ONE…





TWO…





THREE!!!

WAIT NO! JASON KICKED OUT AT 2.99!

KD: THIS KID HAS GOT HEART!

P-Dug: And I think ZERO just killed Vin!

KD: Polar, I think EVERYBODY is dying in this match!

With Cosmo barking orders, he, Bruce, and The Beast, recently re-entering the match, all start to tear the ring apart. They rip the apron off, start peeling the mat and padding back, and they expose the wood underneath! Cosmo spits on the wood, yelling at the camera.

Cosmo: Vin! You love this ring so much?! You wanna represent “the best” of Rampage?! Well, FUCK Rampage! AND FUCK THIS RING!

AND THEN MERCENARY SLIDES INTO THE RING, IMMEDIATELY TAKING COSMO OUT WITH A MASSIVE SHORT-ARM CLOTHESLINE! BRUCE RUNS UP TO HIM BUT JUST EATS A DEATH STROKE ONTO THE WOOD! The Beast tries to german suplex Mercenary… BUT MERCENARY STAYS PLANTED AND REVERSES INTO A PUNISHER SUPLEX ONTO THE WOOD! Wood planks pop up as both men crash down onto it… it’s a very dangerous situation now here in the ring! Mercenary starts to set The Beast up for a Grave Breaker… BUT ZERO PUTS A STOP TO IT WITH A LEAD PIPE SHOT TO THE HEAD! Mercenary collapses, his head still oozing blood, even through the bandages and staples. ZERO continues to beat Mercenary over the head with the lead pipe… until Jason comes in out of nowhere with a Boss Trigger! ZERO staggers, but just TOSSES Jason into the corner! He runs to squash Jason, but Jason moves, and ZERO hits the corner! Jason props ZERO up on the top turnbuckle and climbs up with him, delivering a barrage of corner punches! But ZERO soon overpowers him… BOMBING THE HEAVENS TO JASON OFF OF THE TOP ROPE! JASON CRASHES ONTO THE WOODEN PLANKS! ZERO STARTS TO POSITION HIMSELF FOR THE ASTEROID… BUT MERCENARY CATCHES HIM! MERCENARY REVERSES IT INTO TO HELL THE HARD WAY RIGHT THROUGH THE RING! Mercenary falls through the ring with ZERO, collapsing from exhaustion, but luckily right on top of ZERO!

ONE…





TWO…





THREE!!!

Chriqui: Credited to Mercenary via pinfall, ZERO has been eliminated! Team House is down to three members!

The referee raises Mercenary’s arm… but it just drops down, limp. He motions to the time keeper table.

Chriqui: And Mercenary has been eliminated via referee stoppage! Team Rampage is down to two members!

KD: Genuinely not shocked at all that those two took each other out! I just hope Mercenary can receive proper medical attention now…

Vin Havoc narrowly avoids the hole in the ring as he drags Jason Anderson across the ring, towards the corner on the other side. New Money and The Beast enter the ring again, towering over the kneeling Vin and the exhausted Jason. Vin, not taking his eyes off of The House, slowly pushes Jason out of the ring, saving him from whatever beatdown is about to occur. Cosmo Goldworthy steps forward, and falls to his knees with his arms stretched out.

Cosmo: I’ll give you one free shot! Come on, Vin! Make it count!

Vin just barely stands up, using the corner to help himself up, and he attempts a sliding lariat… ONLY TO EAT A SPEAR FROM THE BEAST INSTEAD! Cosmo cackles as Vin falls in front of him. But then his cocky look turns into one of amazement as Vin continues to try and get to his feet!

P-Dug: Vin is a crazy fucking bastard!

Cosmo laughs at the crazy bastard’s display of fighting spirit, and takes his gold knuckles out of his trunks. 24K MAGIC RIGHT TO VIN’S HEAD! VIN STUMBLES INTO A DIRECTOR’S CUT FROM BRUCE BOOTH! Bruce makes the cover!

ONE…





TW- NO! Cosmo tells Bruce to let go! Bruce obliges, albeit a little annoyed.

Cosmo lifts Vin up… AND SLAMS HIM RIGHT DOWN ON HIS HEAD WITH A COSMOLOGY! HE COVERS!

ONE…





TWO…





THREE!!!

Chriqui: Credited to Cosmo Goldworthy via pinfall, Vin Havoc has been eliminated! Team Rampage is down to one member!

KD: Well… Shit.

P-Dug: Cosmo Goldworthy just avenged his loss to Vin Havoc by eliminating him… Things are looking grim for Team Rampage.

Cosmo grabs a microphone as The Beast tosses Jason Anderson back into the ring.

Cosmo: Jason… Look at us. Look at how we’ve destroyed all your friends. Do you really think you stand a chance? Just quit now.

Jason grabs Cosmo’s tights and Cosmo shoves him down.

Cosmo: QUIT!

Cosmo puts his gold knuckles back on as The Beast holds Jason up, but when he goes for 24K Magic… JASON SHOVES THE BEAST IN THE WAY! JASON FOLLOWS UP WITH A BOSS TRIGGER TO COSMO! As Cosmo staggers, Bruce tries to hit Jason with the Primetime Briefcase, BUT JASON HITS THE BJA ONTO THE BRIEFCASE, KNOCKING IT INTO BRUCE’S FACE! The Beast is back up at this point, but Jason grabs the briefcase and smashes it over his head! The Beast is barely phased and roars at Jason, breathing a fireball at him! Jason blocks the fire with the briefcase, and then hits a Boss Trigger! The Beast tumbles out of the ring, and Jason scoops Bruce up upside down on his back… ANGEL DROP! HE GOES RIGHT INTO A PIN!

ONE…





TWO…





THREE!!!

Chriqui: Credited to Jason Anderson via pinfall, Bruce Booth has been eliminated! Team House is down to two members!

KD: Jason might just do this!

P-Dug: He’s still at a disadvantage, though!

Cosmo immediately starts punching the hell out of Jason on what’s left of the mat, before pulling him out of the ring and tossing him into the cage a few times. On the fifth time, Jason is able to reverse and actually throw Cosmo into the cage! Then Jason jumps up to the top rope… PIPER’S PIT TO COSMO! Jason, barely functioning, digs underneath the ring until he finds it… a big black bag! He rolls into the ring and pours the bag open… and shards of glass come spilling out! He then rolls back out, tosses Cosmo in, and lifts him into position for an Angel Drop over the glass… BUT THE BEAST SPEARS JASON WHILE HOLDING COSMO! HE COVERS!

ONE…





TWO…






THREE!!!

WAIT NO! JASON KICKED OUT AT THE VERY LAST SECOND WITH A DEFIANT MIDDLE FINGER!

KD: This kid has so much heart and fighting spirit, it’s unreal!

P-Dug: Yeah, but I think he’s just pissed JoJo off even more!

The Beast begins furiously digging through Jason’s bag, finding rope and barbed wire. He starts to choke Jason with the rope… AND THEN MOVES ON TO CHOKING JASON WITH THE BARBED WIRE! Cosmo quickly stops this, however, in favor of telling The Beast to help him tie Jason’s hands behind his back. The Beast obliges, and once finished, both Cosmo and The Beast wrap their own arms in barbed wire. They stand Jason up in the middle of the ring, before going to opposite sides…

BARBED WIRE GOLD RUSH FROM COSMO!

BARBED WIRE BULL RUSH FROM THE BEAST!

BUT JASON DROPS TO THE GROUND FROM EXHAUSTION! COSMO AND THE BEAST COLLIDE, WITH COSMO TAKING THE BRUNT OF THE IMPACT, FLIPPING INSIDE OUT FROM THE MASSIVE BULL RUSH LARIAT! IT’S YOUNGBLOOD ALL OVER AGAIN! The Beast rolls out of the ring but Jason just barely rolls on top of Cosmo…

ONE…





TWO…





THREE!!!

Chriqui: Credited to Jason Anderson via pinfall, Cosmo Goldworthy has been eliminated! Team House is down to one member!

KD: AND JUST LIKE THAT, JASON ANDERSON HAS PINNED THE UNITED STATES CHAMPION!

P-Dug: WITH HIS HANDS TIED BEHIND HIS BACK, NO LESS! ALL THANKS TO A MISCOMMUNICATION BETWEEN COSMO AND JOJO!

Jason wastes no time rolling over to the glass pile, using a shard to cut himself free from the rope. The Beast enters the ring as Jason slowly gets to his feet… AND THE TWO RUSH AT EACH OTHER WITH FOREARMS! IT’S A GOOD OL’ FASHIONED SLUGFEST! The Beast, however, gets the upper hand with a massive headbutt, rocking Jason to his knees! The Beast, pure rage in his eyes, starts to put glass in Jason’s mouth, and then he goes to the corner… AND RUSHES FORWARD WITH A TORPEDO MOSCOW! GLASS AND BLOOD FLY OUT OF JASON’S MOUTH! But The Beast isn’t finished, and he rolls out of the ring to grab one more object from underneath… a massive concrete block! The Beast just effortlessly tosses it into the ring, and it nearly hits Jason! Back in the ring, The Beast forces Jason on top of the block, and begins grinding his boot down on Jason’s neck while he’s on the block, effectively choking him. He then starts to drag Jason to his feet… BUT JASON FLIPS THE BEAST OVER HIS SHOULDERS! HE’S IN POSITION FOR THE ANGEL DROP OVER THE CONCRETE BLOCK! But The Beast is able to wrestle out of it, and he knocks Jason down with another massive headbutt!

The Beast lifts Jason up high into a vertical suplex position… AND THEN POPS HIM RIGHT DOWN WHILE JUMPING! STEINER SCREWDRIVER ONTO THE CONCRETE BRICK! IT’S THE END! IT’S OVER! THE BEAST COVERS!

ONE…





TWO…





THREE!!!

DING DING DING

Chriqui: Credited to JoJo Rush via pinfall… Your winners are… TEAM HOUSE!!!

‘The Mess We’ve Made’ begins to blast through the arena as The Beast shoves medical officials off of him and roars in defiance, celebrating the war he has just won!

KD: Well both teams pulled out the kitchen sink there, and more… I don’t know if we’ll ever see another match quite like this one again!

P-Dug: In the end, The House always wins, I guess. Even against some of Rampage’s top stars! Each and every person involved in this match gave it their absolute all, but in the end, it’s this new side of JoJo Rush that seems to have prevailed!

KD: Well, thank you all for joining us for Scars & Stripes! We’ll see you next time for the StrangleMania go-home show!

The Beast climbs to the top of the cage and breathes fire on top as we fade out!

---

END SCREEN

..................................................................................................................

SEGMENT WRITERS

[font size="1"Cosmo Goldworthy
Lavender
JoJo Rush
Grizzly Duggan/Vin Havoc

[/font][/div][/div][/div][/div][/div][/div][/div][/div][/div][/div][/div][/div][/div][/div]

..................................................................................................................

MATCH WRITERS

MATCH ONE
WRITER: FN'R

MATCH TWO
WRITER: FN'R

MATCH THREE
WRITER: Jack Severn

..................................................................................................................


RECAP OF WINNERS

MATCH #1
Autumn Raven (NS)
Vs Apollo Polamalu
(SINGLES MATCH)
WINNER(S): Apollo Polamalu
...

MATCH #2
Eleos Affect
Vs Young Justice
(TORNADO TAG)
WINNER(S): Eleos Affect

...

MAIN EVENT | MATCH #3
The House (Cosmo Goldworthy, Bruce Booth, JoJo Rush, Tori Taylor) & ZERO
Vs Team Rampage (Vin Havoc, Mercenary, Jason Anderson, Alexander Umbra, Jamie Love)
(WARGAMES)
WINNER(S): The House & ZERO

...


...............................................................................................................…

MVP OF THE NIGHT: Everyone In The Main Event
MATCH OF THE NIGHT: The House (Cosmo Goldworthy, Bruce Booth, JoJo Rush, Tori Taylor) & ZERO
Vs Team Rampage (Vin Havoc, Mercenary, Jason Anderson, Alexander Umbra, Jamie Love)

© THE EXTREME WRESTLING CORPORATION 2024

---