Chapter 8: Malice In Wonderland

(The opening chords of Disturbed's "Are you Ready" power through the blackness of the screen before we are shown a wonderful outside view of the Vivint Smart Home Arena as the show’s opening theme continues to echo throughout the arena, the cameras pan around to show the fans in attendance as well as the Defiant stage before cutting over to the broadcast table where the “Three Voices of Nova” are sitting)





Croft:
Hello everyone and welcome to this dog day of summer edition of Defiant live from the Salt Lake City of Utah!!

Capulet:
Yeah...the capital of the Mormon culture…

Cole:
You don’t sound too happy about being here, Tyler?

Capulet:
You kidding me, I haven’t had any brandy since we got to this lousy...stinking...poor man’s excuse for Branson Missouri…

(Cole looks over at Croft with a sheepish look)

Cole:
It’s hard to be a man of sophisticated leisure when you’re in a dry county…

Croft:
...At any rate we have a fully stocked show here for all here tonight which includes not only the return to in ring action of none other than Hellfighter, but also a once in a lifetime match between two wrestling greats when Stark takes on Zell Hunter!

Capulet:
Not only that but also we have all three matches in the fight for the right to see who will wind up facing off against our reigning and defending tag team champions in the Mechanical Animals.

Croft: Exactly, so let’s get onto our first match of the evening!!
===========================================

Our opening match Sabin Richards in a match against newcomer David Belmont of Devon Umbervind's Phantom Troupe and it was a high octane affair as both wrestlers showcased reasons why they are apart of this company with Sabin attempting to use his experience and striking skills to counter Belmont's sheer fearless ferocity as Belmont kicked out of each and every attempt by Sabin to pin him for a quick victory.

At the ten minute mark was a real highlight of the match as Sabin, out of sheer frustration, grabbed Belmont's head and started to beat his head into the top turnbuckle only for Belmont to start banging his own head into the turnbuckle while throwing up the "Devil's Horns" with is left hand before turning to an astonished Sabin and yelling at him "THAT'S HOW YOU FUCKING DO IT, YOU WANKER!!"

The end of the match came when Sabin went for the "Cruel Angels Thesis" only to have that turned around into Belmont's "Fade to Black" before hitting Sabin with the "Skyward Slam" for the three count victory!!

Winner of the Match: David Belmont

‘blood//water’ plays out through the arena speakers as Graham Baker makes his way to the ring, looking like a house on fire with a microphone in one hand and his other empty. He scrambles up onto the apron, sliding through the ropes as the ring announcer prepares an introduction, but the ICW World Heavyweight Champion shoves him out of the way, and raises the microphone to his mouth.

“Let’s make this short. I don’t have any fuckin’ time for clowns like Matsuda to come out here and run their mouth six feet from me, spitting all over me about how good they are, and how terrible I am. Quite a quandary, right? Matsuda’s got one belt here, and sure, it might be relevant, but it ain’t the fuckin’ be-all end all.” Baker holds the ICW Worlds Heavyweight Championship up. “This is. This is a belt that’s defended company to company, challenger to challenger, wherever, whenever. Super Tiger held it before I did, and where’s she been since I dropped her ass twenty feet from the ladder top to the fuckin’ canvas? In and out of the fucking hospital. But it ain’t about that belt right now, is it?”

The crowd boos Baker, but he shrugs them off as he continues.

“Few months ago, at Genesis, I was scheduled to challenge for PWN’s big belt in the Challenge of the Immortals. I was penciled in to fight Jake Knight, Arata Asakura, Sweet Roxy, Matsuda, Hale Caesar, and a whole unit of fucking clowns who looked to do something with this goddamn belt. Zell Hunter ruined that for me, because he got too big a fuckin’ ego, and he decided to take it out by cracking my skull and getting the fans all riled up. He wants to take the opportunity and make something of a moment? He’s gotta fuckin’ earn it, and I’ll say it again, if that fucking pussy wants to come for me throat again, wants to cave my fuckin’ head in again, he’s going to have to earn that opportunity.”

A few fans try to start a chant against Baker, but he shuts them down.

“Shut the fuck up! When I talk, you listen.” The fans boo heavily, and Baker shrugs again. “Graham Baker’s no goddamn ball-tugger. I’m not here to play grab-ass and talk to the fans like they’ve got an IQ lower than the sea floor. I’m not here to pretend I’m here for all of you. I’m not here to pander and play crowd favorite, I’m here to challenge myself and the top level of competition in this fucking company, and show how fucking good I really am. Matsuda holds the belt, this much is true, but if she wants to prove that she’s really king shit? She’ll have to get through me. I don’t give a fuck how long it takes me to get my match-I wanted it now, but management’s sure-fire gonna save it for something big. Shame for them, because now they’ve got a bitch who doesn’t give a fuck about this company and goes on shit-talking challengers they know nothing about.”

Baker grimaces as he stares dead into the hard camera, hanging over the ropes with the ICW World Heavyweight Championship in one hand. He speaks dead into it.

“Because the truth is, Steph, you can’t tie my boots no matter where we meet. It could be here, it could be in SSW, it could be in OATH, or it could be in a fuckin’ back alley. You call yourself the War Queen, but when I finally run full speed into you, you’ll be wishing you were a fucking pacifist. I’ll cave your fucking skull in and leave you lying dead in the middle of the fucking ring. No wife nor no twin magic can save you, and when I’ve got a boot crushing your skull as I stand over you with the belt you consider yours in both hands, you’ll regret even getting into this fucking industry. I don’t know where, I don’t know when, and I don’t know how, but I will get the shot that this company owes to me-and your title reign?”

Baker chuckles into the microphone as he looks away.

“It’ll be a distant fucking memory. Play my fucking music.”

‘blood//water’ plays out again as Graham Baker drops the microphone to the ground, and then suddenly his music shifts!!



("Run the Jewels" by Oh La La begins to play as the Unified World's Heavyweight champion herself storms to the ring with her title and gets right into the face of Graham Baker, daring him to say it to her face)

Croft:
Ladies and Gentlemen, we might actually have a thrown down between our champion and the number on...

(Baker makes like he's about to say something when suddenly something catches his attention over Matsuda's right shoulder and his eyes narrow at which point Cloud catches the odd look and turns to look at it as well as a masked man has jumped over the barricades and now is standing on the outside of the ring to which the fans are having an incredible boo fest at the masked man's appearance)



Cole:
Wait, who is this fuck?

Capulet:
That's...no...it can't be? Astaroth??

Croft:
Wait, what is a member of Oath Pro Wrestling enhancement pool doing here in Pro Wrestling Nova??

Capulet:
Well, he did recently get recruited into....

(Suddenly the lights in the arena cut out completely as a very sinister sounding techno beat starts up in the darkness)



Croft:
Now what's going on??

Capulet:
Astaroth recently got brought into Oath's premier stable, the Hell Realm by...



(Suddenly the lights in the arena came back to life and standing there in the middle of the ring right behind Stephanie Matsuda is a hooded figure who then quickly locks in and hits a full nelson slam onto the unsuspecting "War Queen" before he quickly flips himself over and starts to use his body to wrench back hard on the arms, shoulders, neck, and upper back of Cloud as she lets out a scream of frustration and pain for a few seconds as Graham Baker wisely leaves the ring before the man releases the hold and moves to sit calmly next to the grounded Matsuda before accepting a mic from Astaroth before pulling off his hood to reveal the face of Oath's own Intrepid champion)

Locke:
Hello Stephanie. I'm sorry to...barge in on you like this.

(Locke turns to look at Graham as well)

Locke:
Oh, my apologies to you as well Mister Baker. You can go about your business here in a moment as I only need just a second more.

(Locke then returns his attention to Stephanie)

Locke:
The last time the two of us were in a ring together, childe, you showed me some disrespect. I don't care about your title, I don't care about your ill tainted rep. But you should know that you always show respect to a rattlesnake, Stephanie. After I deal with a delusional childe, I assure you...my dance card will be more than willing to accommodate *you*.

(Locke then stands up and drops the mic before leaving the ring with his "right hand" hot on his heels as the camera cuts to commerical)

Hellfighter vs. Talyn Beoulve

Our next match after the previous bit of chaos before the commerical featured the return to action of former world champion, "HellFighter" Patrick M. Shutt, to action anywhere in the world against the man known as "Pickman's Pupil", Talyn Beoulve.

This match was a hotly contested affair as Talyn used the fact that this was Hellfighter's first match in ten years against him only to find that the veteran was a quick study and used said status to his advantage, quickly overcoming some of Talyn's signature offenses to great effect.

At one point in the match, Talyn managed to pick up the over three hundred pound Hellfighter to hit "Gift from Cynaide's Genius" (an overhead gutwrench powerbomb flipped sideways into a cutter) but despite the commentary team going crazy with this unexpected moment of the very slight Talyn being able to lift and hit the move on the seven foot tall, three hundred pound man from Saint Louis...he is unable to capitalize on it as both men had been fighting for over 14 minutes at this point.

However the match came to an explosive end when Hellfighter was able to hit an explosive "T-Bar Drop" on Talyn, spiking the younger wrestler hard into the mat for a well earned and deserved three count victory!!

Winner of the match: Hellfighter
---------------------------------------------------

Remy Ordox vs. Alex Slayer

The third match of the evening put the "Gawd Damn Man" in Alex Slayer against the silently brash newcomer Remy Ordox with Ordox looking to avenge himself on his attacker from the chapter before.

The "Alpha" took it to Alex very quickly in the opening moments of the match, taking down the slightly taller man with a jumping knee strike into a falling neckbreaker in the opening moments of the match and showed that he'd done his homework on Slayer by trying to keep him off balance throughout most of the match, however these tactics didn't work for long as Alex was able to showcase why he belonged in Pro Wrestling Nova by brutally catching Ordox during an attempt by him to hit his "Beauty in the Eye of the Beholder" springboard cutter that he quickly transitioned into his dreaded "Aoi Shoudou" that he held and hit three more times onto Ordox.

Slayer then savagely started to beat down Ordox, quickly showing why he is slowly becoming a force to be reckoned with in PWN before finally taking Ordox up to the top turnbuckle and hitting a top rope version of his "Seventh Seal" piledriver for the victory.

Winner of the match: Alex Slayer

The "Phantom Troupe" vs. the Guerilla House Party

In a match of polar opposites, PWN fan favorites in the Guerilla House Party took on the newcomers in the erstwhile "Phantom Troupe", namely the combination of Devon Umbervind and the masked Kyle Storm as Matt Maverick came to the ring as the group “flag bearer”.

Dion and Devin were extremely hot in this match, showcasing their experience working together in the ring against Umbervind and Storm’s relative rookie experience as a team as Storm’s debuting rookie status became fully clear as Umbervind was forced to come to his partner’s assistance at several key points throughout the match.

However an accidental miscommunication between the GHP allowed for a critical moment of change when Dion accidentally caught his partner with an off the top rope lariat that drove Devin hard into the mat as he misjudged the distance. At that point the troupe was able to quickly turn things around in their favor.

The end of the match finally came when Kyle hit a Canadian Destroyer onto Dion from Devon’s shoulders for the pin.

Winner of the match: Devon Umbervind & Kyle Storm.

After the match, Devon and Kyle offered their hands to the GHP to shake and while Devin and Dion were hesitant to do so, they eventually accepted the handshakes and were shown respect by the winners of the match.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

(As “Land of Confusion” continues to play throughout the arena, Graham Baker has a mixed look of confusion and disbelief on his face as he looks back at the entrance way where his partner should’ve followed him down as the ref comes over and tries to figure out what’s going on as does Onslaught before the camera cuts to the broadcast team)

Croft:
Ladies and Gentlemen, we are at a complete loss as to the reason for Jacob Knight’s lack of appearance here in Salt Lake…



(Suddenly “Moneytalks” by AC/DC starts to play as a swarmy looking young man in a light peach colored suit steps out onto the entrance way with a mic in his hands)



Man:
Ladies and Gentlemen, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Mister Robert Baron and I represent the office of the vice PRESIDENT of Pro Wrestling Nova and as such I speak for the front office in lieu of proper management not being available.

(Baron adjusts his suit just a little bit, even going as far as brushing off some imaginary “lint” as the crowd lets up some boos)

Baron:
Now unlike a certain impotent little mouthpiece working for our colleagues over in OWM…

(Big crowd pop for One Wrestle Movement which draws a little bit of ire from Baron)

Baron:
As I was SAYING, unlike the mouthpiece-I hold actual power and that means that I have to make a very important judgement call here right now. Now since our dear Mister Knight has failed to show for a scheduled match, that leaves you Mister Baker without a partner doesn’t?

(The camera cuts to Graham Baker in the ring looking at baron with an incredulous look on his face as he can’t believe what he’s hearing)

Cole:
Mister Baron knows this already!!

Baron:
Now President Slayton is very firm in his belief in a strong tag division and as such I cannot change this match to a handicapped as it would go against the company’s rules and as such my only recourse would be to find you a replacement partner.

The only problem is Mister Baker is that you really don’t have anyone in the back here that holds enough respect or even likes you enough to tag with you and while normally I could respect such a man, it does mean that tonight I am forced to declare the winners of this match to be…

Man's voice:
For a few seconds, this place was Armageddon!

AAARGH! THERE WAS A *FIREFIGHT*!!!



(The look of complete and utter shock on Robert Baron’s face tells the entire story as the crowds explode with a face pop as the “Blackheart” Wil Pierce walks out onto the entrance way, dressed in his ring gear with both the SSW Grand Japan and PWN International Junior Heavyweight titles held firmly in his right hand as he looks up at the ring and the camera shows us the look of anger on Baker’s face as he apparently thinks that one of his hated rivals is there to mock him but instead Wil thrusts the titles into the chest of Baron before making his way down to the ring)

Croft:
What the hell?! What is Wil Pierce doing here, guys?!

Capulet:
I honestly don’t know, Thomas!

(Wil slips into the ring and the two hated rivals get right into each other’s faces as an utterly silent conversation happens between the two men before Baker finally, very grimly nods and then both men launch each other at Onslaught with Wil going after Ebony while Baker takes to Ian as the ref dives out of the way while signalling for the bell)

*DING DING!!!!*

Graham Baker & Wil Pierce vs. Onslaught

Following a sudden last minute switch out, the scheduled match that was to put Deliverance versus Onslaught was changed to Graham Baker and his hated rival in Wil Pierce against Onslaught when Jacob Knight no showed the event!!

Despite the trans-Continental furious relationship between the two men, Baker and Pierce made for a very effective tag team in the ring with their hatred for each other feeding into several very effective tandem moments during the match as Wil hitting a tilt-a-whirl headscissors takedown on Ian that flings him into a crossface by Graham in the center of the ring that is barely broken up in time by Ebony to Graham hitting a Rocket Launcher onto Ebony which Wil then catches her into mid-air before hitting a running DVD onto the turnbuckles followed by a roll up into a three count attempt!!

In the second time in the history of Defiant, an incredible match went to a time limit draw!!!
=====================================

Capulet:
Ladies and Gentlemen, for the second time in the young history of Pro Wrestling Nova we have had a truly tremendous match go to a time limit draw here...not since Arata Asakura and Jacob Striker went to a time limit draw during their submission match several months ago have we seen such a tremendous level of talent here in this company!!

Croft:
I completely agree but my only question is what….





(Suddenly a rather bluesy sounding rock theme starts up as the crowds then explode into boos as none other than Pro Wrestling Nova Councilmember John Herncastle comes walking out onto the stage, looking rather pleased with himself while making his way over to Robert Baron who willingly hands him the mic)

Herncastle:
Now first off, it’s great to be back here in the greatest wrestling promotion in the world..Pro Wrestling Nova, and it’s nice to see that I’ve been missed as much as I’ve missed all of you wonderful fans out there!!

(The crowds show how much they’ve “missed” John Herncastle by the boos reaching levels reserved for some of the truly hated in professional wrestling, but Herncastle simply gives them an even bigger shit eating grin)

Herncastle:
Now I was sitting in the back and watching this truly awesome match, it got me thinking about what this will do for the tournament since the match was originally scheduled for Graham Baker and Jacob Knight to face off against Onslaught and while I applaud Wil Pierce’s dedication to this company to make sure that this match happened...I cannot in good conscious allow this match to simply be a draw and I know that even though the four of you are incredibly tired after that match...I’m not going to make you all keep going.

Instead this is what we’re going to do. I’m making the main event of chapter nine be Onslaught versus Deliverance, however...and this is great big however mind you all...I want you, Graham Baker, to talk with your erstwhile partner and have him understand that I’m going to wave fining him tonight for his little no show. But I want YOU to put some serious thought into this concept.

At chapter nine, live from New Jersey in our match event, we will try this tournament match again but this time it will be a TWO OUT OF THREE FALLS MATCH!!!

(The camera cuts to the people in the ring with Onslaught looking slightly impressed at this announcement while Baker fights to keep an eye on his erstwhile foe, unsure if Wil is going to jump him or not still before the camera cuts back to Herncastle)

Herncastle:
Meaning that you have two weeks to get your house into order, Mister Baker, because if Jacob Knight can’t make it to chapter nine...you might find yourself teaming with someone you hate again…

(“Devil’s Tricks” keys up again as Herncastle heads into the back with Baron on his heels as the screen fades to black)

Bianca LeBlanc vs. Kamila Rose (w/Lexi Gold)

These two women went toe to toe once again with Bianca putting a touch more viciousness to her actions in an attempt to get a victory over her “Uggo” opponent but she was also incredibly leery of the “Golden Queen” that was Lexi Gold standing at ringside to help repay a favor from a few weeks earlier.

The match was very back and forth with both women trying to secure their future as a possible contender for the Global Joshi championship with lots of fast and furious action with nothing out of place...until suddenly the crowds started to boo en-mass at which point the camera’s showed the arrival of Bloody Fairytale at ringside at which point Kamila found herself somewhat distracted as she had to keep an eye on both her opponent in the ring and old foes at ringside.

In the end, one moment of distraction was all that it took for Bianca to catch Kamila on the top rope which she followed that up with an Avalanche “Beauty Sleep” that she then rolled up for the pin.

Winner of the match: Bianca LeBlanc

Meanwhile as she was gloating at Kamila after the match, suddenly all of the lights in the arena cut out as “Burn the Ships” started to play and when the lights came back on Bianca was face to face with a very angry looking “Blackheart” at which point Bianca quickly stumbled out of the ring as fast as she could move backwards.



(As “Burn the Ships” continues to play throughout the arena, Bianca looks up at the face of an angry looking “Blackheart” who pulls a mic out of a pants pocket)

Wil:
I want you to do *ONE* thing before you start talking anything about “Uggos”, little girl. I want you to get a hold of that little mouth piece of yours and tell him that you can consider this a formal challenge from me to you.

(Wil then points right at Bianca who slowly starts to get to her feet while keeping her eyes on the PWN Junior Heavyweight champion)

Wil:
And you tell him that my challenge isn’t for here, in Pro Wrestling Nova...no, you tell him that I’m going to do the polite thing and bring this to Mister Southern’s HOUSE!!

So get to stepping, Bianca!

(“Burn the Ships” begins to play again as Wil does a mic drop before he goes to check on Kamila)

Bloody Fairytale vs. Kawaii Trash Pandas

The next match actually featured the Kawaii Trash Pandas taking on Bloody Fairytale in what was supposed to be the last first round match of the “Fight for the Right” mini-tournament before the actions of Jacob Knight changed things.

In an especially very charged match as Bloody Fairytale wanted to win the match and prove their future dominance over the PWN tag team division, they faced an equally charged and as dedicated pair of Pandas who have just come off their major win as they had become the newest NVR Tag Team champions the weekend prior and all four women pulled out all of the stops, it was such an explosive exposition of tag team wrestling that all of the other teams in the company-from the newly formed Phantom Troupe to Onslaught to even the current champions-came out to watch the match.

Even Kamila Rose, whose history with the BF is well known, actually stayed her hand for this match.

The action was fast paced and hard hitting, with nothing being held out or back, everything in both teams’ playbooks were used and despite every dirty trick that Bloody Fairytale could pull out-the Pandas were able to overcome them.

But in the end, It would take the extreme effort of BF to hit their "Unhappily Ever After" finish on Arley Kirk to take her out of the match long enough to hit Super Tiger with the "Bloody Good Ending" to get the pinfall victory and move on in the tournament!

Winners of the match: Bloody Fairytale

(The camera starts up and we see a rather bookish looking man sitting in a respectable looking chair in a nice room set between two ferns)





Man:
Greetings there, my name is Vincent Hartman and I am the newest member of the Pro Wrestling Nova media group family. Every so often I will bring a member of the roster or staff of this company and ask the real questions on everybody’s minds behind some of the people that make this company great.

(Vincent takes a moment to look rather proudly around at his surroundings before looking at the camera once more)

Vincent:
For instance we have a tremendous first guest on the show who has celebrated not only his first year as an active professional wrestler but also as one half of the very first Pro Wrestling Nova World Tag Team champions in the form of none other than Jacob Striker.

(The camera pans right to show us the couch fully and we see Jacob sitting there, dressed in his regular street clothes, and looking very uncomfortable)

Jacob:
Hello.

Vincent:
I wanted to thank you again for agreeing to be my first guest, Jacob.

Jacob:
Agreeing? Buddy, I didn’t “agree” to anything...I was told to be here by some guy repping the company’s vice president.

(Vincent looks over at Jacob and simply nods like a parent to a child)

Vincent:
Yes, you agreed. So moving onto my first question and this is one that most people capable of much saner, logical thought needs to know and that is why stick with Lash Donohue as your tag team partner?

(Jacob’s eyes narrow at the question)

Jacob:
(in a low, dangerous tone) And what exactly do you mean by that?

Vincent:
Well I mean you do have access to a number of very skilled and capable people and friends who are a lot more...sane in the ring than Lash. For instance you’re best friends with Ryo Sakazaki, Robert Garcia, and Uiriamu Minami...surely you have more of a bond with one of those three than Lash?

Jacob:
Buddy you are really new to this aren’t you?

Vincent:
No, but I do question the logic. I mean this is nothing against Lash as a wrestler but I do understand that forming a very capable and long term tag team takes a level of...familiarity does it not?

Jacob:
While that might be true, Lash and I clicked on the same level that I did with Ryo and the others and that combined with him being there for me when I needed him to be has helped with forming a bond of trust and partnership between us.

(Vincent nods in agreement)

Vincent:
Yes, that is true. I mean that is very commendable and all, especially since you’ve held the belts for one hundred and sixty days almost.

Now for the next question, it has been said that you are the one spearheading PWN’s efforts to work with other companies such as One Wrestling Movement and the World Wrestling Headquarters, why?

Jacob:
Because it’s a good business move for one, it allows us to have any number of matches across any number of concepts. I mean my time with OWM aside, I find most of the talent there to be very skilled and WWH is working hard to reband and structure themselves to become even better.

In short, the better question is why not?

Vincent:
Hrm, a very good point and one that I’m sure that President Slayton, his vice president, and the council will no doubt also consider to be quite logical.

Next question, how are things between you and Miss Cage?

(At that question, Jacob’s eyes narrow darkly as he looks at the other man)

Jacob:
I’d rather move onto another question.

Vincent:
Why is that? I mean you started out the year with her on your arm and she was seen backstage with you during the events of chapter one...but since then there has…

(Before Vincent can say anything more, Jacob leans towards the other man and in a low, sinister sounding growl)

Jacob:
Next.Fucking.*QUESTION*.

(Vincent doesn’t look too intimidated by Jacob as he chuckles lightly and shakes his head)

Vincent:
I’m sorry Jacob, but that’s not how we do things on this show. I ask the questions and you, as my guest, are supposed to answer them. I mean ever since your debut in this sport, you’ve busted your ass across a number of promotions and yet World Wrestling Headquarters has passed you over time and again for anything real, New Frontiers Wrestling used you as the jobber that you rightfully are, and now you refuse to speak on the one subject that actually makes you interesting which is the actions of Miss Cage….

(Before the words can even leave Vincent’s mouth, Jacob is already in motion as he hits a very stiff lariat on the bookish man, sending him flying out of his chair as the chair itself goes flying in the opposite direction as Jacob starts to lay into Vincent with stiff rights and lefts before standing back up, hauling the bookish man up with him)

Jacob:
First rule of interviewing, Vinnie. If a guy built to throw other human beings around like they are empty soda bottles tells you to drop something, you fucking drop it!!

(Jacob the hauls Vincent up and then drops him through the table with the “Apocalypse” before leaving the set behind, even more incredibly angry, but the camera shifts to a look at Vincent as he rolls over onto his stomach as he watches Jacob leave the scene, he gives the camera a big old smile like he's won as the screen fades to black)

Stark vs. Zell Hunter

In our main event was a once in a lifetime match as the Pro Wrestling Nova International Heavyweight champion and co-holder of the Strong Style Wrestling Tag Team titles, Stark, went up against the last ever Frontier Wrestling Alliance World’s Heavyweight champion in Zell Hunter in a once in a lifetime match!!

Zell attempted to win the match quickly and brutally by attempting to use his years of experience in combination with his infamously brutal wrestling style, quickly driving Stark into one of the corners before the “Budda” was able to quickly turn the tables onto Zell, driving him back with an equal amount of physical brutality, using sheer determination to not only hold his own against the more experienced man but also to push him back as well.

What followed next was a match for the ages as both men showcased why they were the best of their respective promotions in Japan with Stark repping for the still alive Strong Style Wrestling while Zell held up the dual honor of both R*Y*U and Super Japan Pro Wrestling respectfully as the level of physicality simply kept ramping up more and more throughout the match.

The moment everything changed for the match was when Zell finally hit his signature "Crazy Buffalo" move onto Stark that sent both the International champion and the ref to the outside of the ring, Zell simply leaned against the ropes and waited with a look of sick joy on his face when suddenly out of nowhere, Zell's former student in Wil Pierce slipped into the ring and waited for the older man to turn around at which point Zell walked over and got into the face of Wil and started to trash talk the younger man before attempting to pie face his former student only for Wil to quickly hit a Ushigoroshi onto the bigger man before hitting of all things a Ripcord Sling Blade onto Zell, driving him down to the mat!!

Zell then quickly got back up to his feet and tried to go for a lariat, but Wil quickly caught Zell and hit him with a thunderous Samoan Drop that would make KAGUYA proud which leaves Zell on the ground as Wil moves to circle Zell as he slowly gets up to his feet before Wil takes him down with a vicious spear right to Zell's SPINE!!!

At this point, Wil simply rolls out of the ring and helps Stark and then the ref back in as Zell slowly struggles to get back up to his own feet yet again at which point Stark comes flying across the ring and nails him with "Enlightenment" before he climbs to the top turnbuckles and hits the "Wings of the Phantom" for the three count to end the match.

Winner of the match: Stark

After the match, Wil comes into the ring and glares at the ref who backs away from an exhausted and kneeling Stark at which point the "Blackheart" raises Stark's hand in victory as Defiant goes off the air.

(The cameras then cut to a meeting room where President Slayton, Commissioner Booth, General Manager Tennyson, Council members Zahn and Herncastle are along with Mister Baron)

Booth:
Well that was an interesting show...could've done without Wil's interaction with Miss LeBlanc though.

Tennyson:
I don't think it could've been helped, she did indirectly challenge him on Twitter.and when you combine that with the fact that he's been having long meetings with Oda and Stark?

(President Slayton simply offers up a shrug, but something is obviously troubling him)

Zahn:
What's wrong?

Slayton:
What the fuck was Vincent doing during his segment? We told him that certain things were off limits and he purposefully went after that one?

(There is a polite cough and everyone in the room turns to look over at Baron who has a beaming smile on his face)

Baron:
I did that, thought it would generate more numbers to know that our supposedly incorruptible tag team champion isn't as clean as he likes to put out that he is.

(Slayton is about to say something but oddly enough it's Herncastle who stops him)

Herncastle:
Still, you knew that Vincent was told not to go there and you thought that it'd be great for him to do that question in particular because it would generate numbers?

(Baron smiles with pride and goes to open his mouth but he's stopped)

Herncastle:
I think that's all we need from you, Mister Baron. You're excused.

(Baron looks as if he is going to say something more but again, he's stopped)

Herncastle:
NOW.

(Baron finally gets the hint and rolls his eyes as he leaves the room, closing the door behind him as Herncastle turns back to face the rest of the group)

Booth:
So, you still want to try your idea, Chris?

(The screen suddenly cuts to black)