Post by Staff on Sept 9, 2018 14:31:24 GMT -5
Laurence Othello: Welcome, fans. Tonight, is the night. I’m Laurence Othello. With me is my brother, Kenneth.
Kenneth Othello: And this is the Valor Pro Wrestling Blitz Exhibition Recap Show. Say that five times fast.
LO: I’ll pass. We are coming at you from our very own podcast, for an extra special edition of Flipping the Script. Now, let it be known, that with talks ongoing about securing broadcast and streaming rights for Valor Pro programming, the Blitz Exhibition show is not able to be viewed in entirety save for perhaps the few sporadic YouTube clips that might be circulating on the internet.
KO: We do have exclusive wrestler segment clips you can't get anywhere else right here on Flipping the Script. Speaking of, the Face of Wrestling himself, the King Kong of Dong, the Four Course Meal of-- how many nicknames does this guy have?
Kenneth Othello: And this is the Valor Pro Wrestling Blitz Exhibition Recap Show. Say that five times fast.
LO: I’ll pass. We are coming at you from our very own podcast, for an extra special edition of Flipping the Script. Now, let it be known, that with talks ongoing about securing broadcast and streaming rights for Valor Pro programming, the Blitz Exhibition show is not able to be viewed in entirety save for perhaps the few sporadic YouTube clips that might be circulating on the internet.
KO: We do have exclusive wrestler segment clips you can't get anywhere else right here on Flipping the Script. Speaking of, the Face of Wrestling himself, the King Kong of Dong, the Four Course Meal of-- how many nicknames does this guy have?
LO: (Laughs) A lot.
KO: Yeah, no kidding. Brennan Devlin had some words for his opponent, Arlo Rosabel, to start off the night. Let's give you, right here, your first wrestler exclusive.
Cut to Brennan Devlin sitting in the back in a steel chair with his feet propped up on a chair. He chewed on some gum as he contemplated things thus far, smiling as he peered over into the camera.
Brennan Devlin: “Leading up to this whole exhibition show, I’ve been pretty excited. No joke.”
He popped a bubble as he chewed on his gum, turning his gaze towards the camera as he leaned back in his seat.
Brennan Devlin: “Ya see, I heard what Arlo Rosabel had to say and believe me, he somehow managed to put a smile on my face through it all, even the bad. Through it all, he managed to make me actually get a few chuckles about myself, about how hard he was trying and another reason. You know why that was, though? Because he sounded… in some way, familiar?”
A brief pause as he adjusted his black jacket and dusted off his pants, leaning over as he mulled over why that might be.
Brennan Devlin: “I know why that is though, I see it.. But Arlo doesn’t yet. He’s young, he’s got a long time to learn. Right now, he thinks he’s on top of the world, he’s got a girl who’s at best a five on a good day on his arm and he feels like the world is his oyster.”
Smiling wide as he kept twisting the knife, why not go for his personal life?
Brennan Devlin: “He doesn’t see through the cracks yet, but the kid has potential, one day, he’ll see through them like I do. I have faith. He’ll see that his boo-hoo’s and wah-wah’s about the major leagues? It doesn’t mean shit, the major leagues of professional wrestling are a state of mind and my mind has never left that state. Where I am, where I go, that, Arlo, that is the definition of big league.. Hell, if you have such a problem with me being where I want to go, that you’d rag on Valor for being I don’t know, minor, compared to this magical entity of a company you clearly have envisioned?”
He shrugged as he thought about it, then let out a chuckle.
Brennan Devlin: “Then go there, ‘cause I’ve been a cornerstone in some of the so-called best. They’re fun if you like a bunch of people circle jerking.. You’ll see it too, you’ll see if I have to pry your eyes open and illuminate you to the world around you. I am here because somewhere along the way, people like you forgot. People like you forgot that no matter what company I’m in, I’m bigger than all the fuckin’ companies. Nobody on this planet has a better work rate, a better promo, a better anything than this guy right here and that’s what eats away at some folks. No matter how many corners you’ve got, no matter whether you’re valor or representing the world, no matter what company it is…
I broke away from every trend in this business, I took a path all my own and I’ve been more successful than half the so-called breakthroughs of wrestlings ‘big leagues’ by doing it.”
He stood up and lightly stretched, letting out a yawn as he brushed his own hair out of his eyes and kneeled down to peek into the camera lens.
Brennan Devlin: “Still though, I see you Arlo, I see through the cracks and I see what you bring to the table tonight. No doubt this will go beyond tonight, too.. Next time though, win, lose, or draw tonight… You earned a portion of my attention, but trust me, you’ll grow to regret having such a luxury, cause I’m the big fuckin’ bad around these parts and you just walked into the wrong neck of the woods.”
He turned off and began whistling a jaunty tune, letting out a laugh.
Brennan Devlin: “See ya tonight kid, and probably not too long after that. Toodles.”
Throwing up a peace sign as he sauntered down the hall, off into the rest of the building to prepare for his match. As snarky as he usually was when it came to these things as the show faded back to...
Brennan Devlin: “Leading up to this whole exhibition show, I’ve been pretty excited. No joke.”
He popped a bubble as he chewed on his gum, turning his gaze towards the camera as he leaned back in his seat.
Brennan Devlin: “Ya see, I heard what Arlo Rosabel had to say and believe me, he somehow managed to put a smile on my face through it all, even the bad. Through it all, he managed to make me actually get a few chuckles about myself, about how hard he was trying and another reason. You know why that was, though? Because he sounded… in some way, familiar?”
A brief pause as he adjusted his black jacket and dusted off his pants, leaning over as he mulled over why that might be.
Brennan Devlin: “I know why that is though, I see it.. But Arlo doesn’t yet. He’s young, he’s got a long time to learn. Right now, he thinks he’s on top of the world, he’s got a girl who’s at best a five on a good day on his arm and he feels like the world is his oyster.”
Smiling wide as he kept twisting the knife, why not go for his personal life?
Brennan Devlin: “He doesn’t see through the cracks yet, but the kid has potential, one day, he’ll see through them like I do. I have faith. He’ll see that his boo-hoo’s and wah-wah’s about the major leagues? It doesn’t mean shit, the major leagues of professional wrestling are a state of mind and my mind has never left that state. Where I am, where I go, that, Arlo, that is the definition of big league.. Hell, if you have such a problem with me being where I want to go, that you’d rag on Valor for being I don’t know, minor, compared to this magical entity of a company you clearly have envisioned?”
He shrugged as he thought about it, then let out a chuckle.
Brennan Devlin: “Then go there, ‘cause I’ve been a cornerstone in some of the so-called best. They’re fun if you like a bunch of people circle jerking.. You’ll see it too, you’ll see if I have to pry your eyes open and illuminate you to the world around you. I am here because somewhere along the way, people like you forgot. People like you forgot that no matter what company I’m in, I’m bigger than all the fuckin’ companies. Nobody on this planet has a better work rate, a better promo, a better anything than this guy right here and that’s what eats away at some folks. No matter how many corners you’ve got, no matter whether you’re valor or representing the world, no matter what company it is…
I broke away from every trend in this business, I took a path all my own and I’ve been more successful than half the so-called breakthroughs of wrestlings ‘big leagues’ by doing it.”
He stood up and lightly stretched, letting out a yawn as he brushed his own hair out of his eyes and kneeled down to peek into the camera lens.
Brennan Devlin: “Still though, I see you Arlo, I see through the cracks and I see what you bring to the table tonight. No doubt this will go beyond tonight, too.. Next time though, win, lose, or draw tonight… You earned a portion of my attention, but trust me, you’ll grow to regret having such a luxury, cause I’m the big fuckin’ bad around these parts and you just walked into the wrong neck of the woods.”
He turned off and began whistling a jaunty tune, letting out a laugh.
Brennan Devlin: “See ya tonight kid, and probably not too long after that. Toodles.”
Throwing up a peace sign as he sauntered down the hall, off into the rest of the building to prepare for his match. As snarky as he usually was when it came to these things as the show faded back to...
LO: It looks like it hasn't taken long for some sparks to fly. Brennan Devlin and Arlo Rosabel were set on a collision course leading up to this night, and it looks like some sparks have already flown. We'll just have to wait and see how that turns out.
KO: That's right, because also, this will be your official, such as it is, all-access pass to the event itself. And we, the Othello Brothers are your official guides to a full on recap and review of what became a monumentally successful first show.
LO: Right here, with us and no other. So let’s get right into it. Now look at that.
A clip of Roxi Johnson striding down to the ring to a huge ovation from the crowd.
LO: That’s my girl. Strnge to see her opening the show, but it wasn't a bad decision. Roxi Johnson got the crowd booted up right off the bat as she squared off against Chase Drama.
A shot of the two meeting in center ring, the height difference obvious from the angle of the photograph.
LO: This one looked pretty lopsided to begin with. Roxi looked more than a little rusty at first, and Chase Drama looked incredibly powerful early on.
A shot of Chase hitting Roxi with a reverse DDT. Then Chase has Roxi in a rear naked choke. Chase slingshotting Roxi off the ropes and Roxi returning with a stellar tornado DDT that pops the crowd.
KO: From there Roxi went to town. You’d never know this woman had been away for, what, how many years?
LO: Think it’s been like 8.
KO: No!
LO: Something crazy like that. Look at her.
A clip of Roxi being sent into the corner but climbing up to the top rope and rebounding with a cross body on a surprised Chase Drama.
KO: Girl can still move. Chase Drama started out strong, but by increments then by whole steps Roxi outclassed the bigger man.
LO: Years of experience will do that. Roxi was just too fast. Too much in ring awareness. The fans were behind her the second she showed her face. The longer she spent in that ring the more it looked like she never left.
KO: Looked like she did when she was just starting out.
A clip of Roxi and Chase exchanging blows before Chase reverses an irish whip attempt that sees Roxi sent into the corner once more. Chase charging, but Roxi once more races up the turnbuckles and turns it around into a disaster kick with the crowd popping.
LO: Nice Ray of Hope there.
KO: Mean kick right there.
Cut to a clip of Roxi getting the cover on Chase Drama with the fans chanting along.
LO: This one looked pretty lopsided to begin with. Roxi looked more than a little rusty at first, and Chase Drama looked incredibly powerful early on.
A shot of Chase hitting Roxi with a reverse DDT. Then Chase has Roxi in a rear naked choke. Chase slingshotting Roxi off the ropes and Roxi returning with a stellar tornado DDT that pops the crowd.
KO: From there Roxi went to town. You’d never know this woman had been away for, what, how many years?
LO: Think it’s been like 8.
KO: No!
LO: Something crazy like that. Look at her.
A clip of Roxi being sent into the corner but climbing up to the top rope and rebounding with a cross body on a surprised Chase Drama.
KO: Girl can still move. Chase Drama started out strong, but by increments then by whole steps Roxi outclassed the bigger man.
LO: Years of experience will do that. Roxi was just too fast. Too much in ring awareness. The fans were behind her the second she showed her face. The longer she spent in that ring the more it looked like she never left.
KO: Looked like she did when she was just starting out.
A clip of Roxi and Chase exchanging blows before Chase reverses an irish whip attempt that sees Roxi sent into the corner once more. Chase charging, but Roxi once more races up the turnbuckles and turns it around into a disaster kick with the crowd popping.
LO: Nice Ray of Hope there.
KO: Mean kick right there.
Cut to a clip of Roxi getting the cover on Chase Drama with the fans chanting along.
1…
2…
3..!
A shot of Roxi celebrating in the ring.
KO: I mean, she had the fans eating out of her hand from start to finish.
LO: If there was any doubt that Roxi Johnson is back, this match should disaster kick that idea out of everyone’s minds.
KO: It was great to see her out there, doing it at that level of intensity she made everybody get used to before she left, you know?
LO: It was definitely a great match. But, then, in your expert opinion, how many stars would you give it?
Kenneth thinks on it a minute, some tough consideration from a hard marker.
KO: I dunno. I’d give it a 2 and a half for the Roxi factor. She carried this match on both shoulders. And I’m only giving it a 2 and a half because of Roxi.
LO: Agreed. I wish Chase would have done something with it, but he didn’t seem to have his head in this one.
KO: Maybe next time?
LO: You just never know.
KO: I mean, she had the fans eating out of her hand from start to finish.
LO: If there was any doubt that Roxi Johnson is back, this match should disaster kick that idea out of everyone’s minds.
KO: It was great to see her out there, doing it at that level of intensity she made everybody get used to before she left, you know?
LO: It was definitely a great match. But, then, in your expert opinion, how many stars would you give it?
Kenneth thinks on it a minute, some tough consideration from a hard marker.
KO: I dunno. I’d give it a 2 and a half for the Roxi factor. She carried this match on both shoulders. And I’m only giving it a 2 and a half because of Roxi.
LO: Agreed. I wish Chase would have done something with it, but he didn’t seem to have his head in this one.
KO: Maybe next time?
LO: You just never know.
Winner: Roxi Johnson by pinfall, (7:35).
Othello Verdict: 1/2
It was a match. Siberia Zombie sat backstage looking into a mirror. She stared at herself as she tried to remove any feelings about that match from her face to appear neutral. Any fan she met would only be met with the most agreeable of smiles. This should be easy for her, but she was out of practice. It was all in the eyes, but the only things her eyes were showing her was that she was still in fight mode. She covered them with her hands, and let out a deep sigh.
The sound of a lighter was loud in the silence of the room.
The flicker of flame briefly illuminating the face of a man somehow managing to comfortably lounge in a cheap beat up metal chair.
The smell of rich pure cherry tobacco seeped into the enclosed area. It was faint but distinctive and heady.
"Well, that was interesting." Krähe's voice was mild and relaxed, as if he didn't know full well that he was one of the last people she wanted to see...or hear from.
His voice was a fly buzzing by her ear. Siberia got up with a start and stared at Krähe like he was a ghost. Then the realization of his very corporeal form hit home, and she scowled while crossing her arms in front of her.
“I didn’t think you would be here today. I guess seeing us live is much better research than seeing it later…”
She darted her eyes at him to see what he was thinking but his expression was unchanging. She didn’t want to give him the satisfaction, but for some reason she had to know.
“Well what did you think?”
The small ember at the end of the self rolled cigarette glowed slightly, as he took a shallow drag from it. The smile that tugged the corners of his mouth of his mouth was a Cheshire like grin.
"Do you know what phantom pain is?" With his question he exhaled a slow plume of smoke that swirled and twined through the air.
The question was abrupt and seemingly random. Most would likely say pointless once they regained their mental balance and unintentionally answered it.
It did clear her mind with its spontaneity.
“Of course I… What does that…” She froze and waited for an attack or some move as she tried to think of a counter, but she already knew that she was too late and he had the jump on her anyway. The fight seemed to have dulled her paranoia. “Yes.”
A small dip of the head acknowledges her answer, and he seems slightly pleased that they saying wasn't lost on her.
"Sometimes when we have a person entwined in our lives they ingrain themselves into us." He paused for a moment to take another drag, and let his words hang for a moment in the air. Much like his next exhale of smoke.
"They become a kind of phantom pain, and when that person happens to be a partner. It could lead one to fight as if that person is there in the ring with them, or outside of it...Watching their back, and stepping in to take that next hit."He raises his eyebrows slightly over eyes that saw far more than you would think.
"It's disorienting."
Siberia walks up to him and pinches the cigarette off with her fingers and pulls it from his mouth.
“I was fine before him, and I am fine now. I just…” She puts the cigarette out against the wall. “I just need to adjust. I know that this is a test, and I will live up to my duty. It’s what we are all here for, right?”
Z went very still as his freshly rolled cigarette was plucked from his mouth and thrown to the side. His calculating gaze turning almost mournful as he looked down at the slender crushed bit of white.
She threw it away as if it was a generic piece of trash bought at a gas station, rather than the hand crafted work of art that it was.
He could get annoyed. He could get more than annoyed, but should he?
He easily retained eye contact while sifting through his thoughts, as if doing so would answer the silent question.
Perhaps it did.
With a sudden sigh he gave a careless shrug of his broad shoulders.
"I think that is a question you are supposed to answer for yourself. I would advise that you find someone to spar with to retrain your instincts, but hey what do I know?" He started to stand with a slow lazy grace that gave her plenty of time to step back.
"I'm just a asshole doing business." The smile he gives her is a self-deprecating smirk, his serious demeanor forsaken for that of bored amusement.
Siberia lets him rise, and lets down her guard despite herself. She was more exhausted than she’d like to admit. She wondered if the time out of the ring had also been the cause of this. She disliked him more than anything for making her realize this at the moment. She turned her back to him, and tried to calm her breathing.
“I will consider it although someone may never measure up to who I had before.” She put a particular emphasis on that someone to make things a little bit clearer.
"The idea isn't to find someone like you had before." His rough chuckle filled the silence between them, as he turned to saunter to the door.
"The idea is to find someone willing to push you to the edge, and not someone you will look to for support." One scarred hand rubbed the back of his head as he reached the door.
Almost as if after thought he turned his head just enough to look at her from the corner of his eyes.
For a moment it seems like he might say something deep and insightful, but what actually comes out of his mouth when he opens the door..."And don't crush peoples cigarettes it's rude."
With those final words of wisdom he slipped out the door and was gone.
Siberia turned abruptly, but he was already gone. She sits down again to collect her thoughts. Her face show the beginnings of the faintest of smiles before the shot cuts away.
The sound of a lighter was loud in the silence of the room.
The flicker of flame briefly illuminating the face of a man somehow managing to comfortably lounge in a cheap beat up metal chair.
The smell of rich pure cherry tobacco seeped into the enclosed area. It was faint but distinctive and heady.
"Well, that was interesting." Krähe's voice was mild and relaxed, as if he didn't know full well that he was one of the last people she wanted to see...or hear from.
His voice was a fly buzzing by her ear. Siberia got up with a start and stared at Krähe like he was a ghost. Then the realization of his very corporeal form hit home, and she scowled while crossing her arms in front of her.
“I didn’t think you would be here today. I guess seeing us live is much better research than seeing it later…”
She darted her eyes at him to see what he was thinking but his expression was unchanging. She didn’t want to give him the satisfaction, but for some reason she had to know.
“Well what did you think?”
The small ember at the end of the self rolled cigarette glowed slightly, as he took a shallow drag from it. The smile that tugged the corners of his mouth of his mouth was a Cheshire like grin.
"Do you know what phantom pain is?" With his question he exhaled a slow plume of smoke that swirled and twined through the air.
The question was abrupt and seemingly random. Most would likely say pointless once they regained their mental balance and unintentionally answered it.
It did clear her mind with its spontaneity.
“Of course I… What does that…” She froze and waited for an attack or some move as she tried to think of a counter, but she already knew that she was too late and he had the jump on her anyway. The fight seemed to have dulled her paranoia. “Yes.”
A small dip of the head acknowledges her answer, and he seems slightly pleased that they saying wasn't lost on her.
"Sometimes when we have a person entwined in our lives they ingrain themselves into us." He paused for a moment to take another drag, and let his words hang for a moment in the air. Much like his next exhale of smoke.
"They become a kind of phantom pain, and when that person happens to be a partner. It could lead one to fight as if that person is there in the ring with them, or outside of it...Watching their back, and stepping in to take that next hit."He raises his eyebrows slightly over eyes that saw far more than you would think.
"It's disorienting."
Siberia walks up to him and pinches the cigarette off with her fingers and pulls it from his mouth.
“I was fine before him, and I am fine now. I just…” She puts the cigarette out against the wall. “I just need to adjust. I know that this is a test, and I will live up to my duty. It’s what we are all here for, right?”
Z went very still as his freshly rolled cigarette was plucked from his mouth and thrown to the side. His calculating gaze turning almost mournful as he looked down at the slender crushed bit of white.
She threw it away as if it was a generic piece of trash bought at a gas station, rather than the hand crafted work of art that it was.
He could get annoyed. He could get more than annoyed, but should he?
He easily retained eye contact while sifting through his thoughts, as if doing so would answer the silent question.
Perhaps it did.
With a sudden sigh he gave a careless shrug of his broad shoulders.
"I think that is a question you are supposed to answer for yourself. I would advise that you find someone to spar with to retrain your instincts, but hey what do I know?" He started to stand with a slow lazy grace that gave her plenty of time to step back.
"I'm just a asshole doing business." The smile he gives her is a self-deprecating smirk, his serious demeanor forsaken for that of bored amusement.
Siberia lets him rise, and lets down her guard despite herself. She was more exhausted than she’d like to admit. She wondered if the time out of the ring had also been the cause of this. She disliked him more than anything for making her realize this at the moment. She turned her back to him, and tried to calm her breathing.
“I will consider it although someone may never measure up to who I had before.” She put a particular emphasis on that someone to make things a little bit clearer.
"The idea isn't to find someone like you had before." His rough chuckle filled the silence between them, as he turned to saunter to the door.
"The idea is to find someone willing to push you to the edge, and not someone you will look to for support." One scarred hand rubbed the back of his head as he reached the door.
Almost as if after thought he turned his head just enough to look at her from the corner of his eyes.
For a moment it seems like he might say something deep and insightful, but what actually comes out of his mouth when he opens the door..."And don't crush peoples cigarettes it's rude."
With those final words of wisdom he slipped out the door and was gone.
Siberia turned abruptly, but he was already gone. She sits down again to collect her thoughts. Her face show the beginnings of the faintest of smiles before the shot cuts away.
LO: Getting our first glimpse of Zachariah Krahe. Is that how you pronounce that?
KO: If people are reading the transcript of this they're gonna have a hell of a time, either way.
LO: I'm thinking this federation's going to be a collection of some of the weirdest damn people you ever met and then that one guy--
KO: Or girl--
LO: (laughs) exactly, whoever it is that's gonna be the straightest edge mother you ever saw and no one's gonna know how to respond in a sea of oddities.
KO: I'm not seeing a downside here. Frankly, that right there, what we just saw, might very well be the beginnings of a beautiful friendship.
LO: Or the absolute worst nightmare unleashed on an unsuspecting public (laughs).
KO: I’ll say this about this first show, for an exhibition show, Valor Pro grabbed this crowd by the balls and never let go. No sooner had Roxi Johnson and Chase Drama ended, Zack Fantana comes out, and I’m telling you… this guy must have a hell of a PR team cause this crowd knew this music the second it hit.
LO: Another one where you wonder how long he’s been out of the ring for.
KO: Well, he was over in Fight 2 Win. That was a bit more extreme. I tell you, he got in the ring it’s like a dynamite lit up his ass. This kid was on fire.
LO: Nice image.
KO: I do try.
LO: There was some jaw-jacking going on. Chase Drama stuck around at ringside and, sure enough he was immediately sticking his nose into the match and it gave Billy Trauma a good headstart.
A still image of Billy Trauma grabbing Zack by the neck and lifting him for a surprise choke slam, that Fantana did not look ready for, in the lower corner is Chase Drama at the ring apron running the distraction.
KO: It’s weird though, because the fans never know whether to cheer for Zack or boo him.
LO: I think that’s the point. Cause let me tell you, the first thing Zack does when he gets Billy Trauma down off after a set of spike DDTs is he goes right over to Chase Drama and he shuts him up.
KO: Well, I wouldn’t say he shut him up, but he definitely didn’t want to, let’s say, exclude Billy’s tag partner from the proceedings.
A clip of Zack standing on the apron sending a kick into Chase’s mouth then leaping off the apron and downing one half of the Trauma and Drama tag team with a blockbuster. The clip cuts to a clip of Zack using a stunned Chase as a shield to block a stunning superman punch on the outside from Billy Trauma.
LO: The fans love that stuff, though. And half of the crowd wanted to see Zack get his comeuppance--
KO: And the other half wanted to see him put the two of these guys down.
A shot of Zack getting rammed into a ring post then using the apron for leverage to bring his feet up and kick a charging Billy Trauma in the face, while the ring official counts.
KO: Frankly, I think Billy Trauma could’ve done this. He had some terrific spots.
A shot of Billy Trauma hitting Zack with a stalling suplex and going for a pin Zack kicks out of after 2. Another shot of Trauma slamming Zack with a wheelbarrow facebuster.
LO: Yeah, but at the end of the day, the experience of Zack Fantana won out in this one.
KO: Trauma got in some great offense, but Fantana played the longevity game.
A tired looking Fantana pulls out of an impending bulldog from Billy Trauma, leaving the bigger man running forward before stopping himself, turning around and getting brought down by a Zack Fantana Sling Blade he promptly follows up with a standing moonsault.
LO: Fantana was off to the races after that game changer.
KO: You know, you gotta give Billy Trauma credit. This match was all but his, but it’s a testament to just how skilled Fantana is, how opportunistic he is, that he was able to turn the flow and momentum of this match on a dime back to his favor.
A shot of a roaring crowd as Zack climbs the ropes and leaves room for the pumped up crowd to cheer as he hits an electrifying corkscrew shooting star press into a pin!
LO: Another one where you wonder how long he’s been out of the ring for.
KO: Well, he was over in Fight 2 Win. That was a bit more extreme. I tell you, he got in the ring it’s like a dynamite lit up his ass. This kid was on fire.
LO: Nice image.
KO: I do try.
LO: There was some jaw-jacking going on. Chase Drama stuck around at ringside and, sure enough he was immediately sticking his nose into the match and it gave Billy Trauma a good headstart.
A still image of Billy Trauma grabbing Zack by the neck and lifting him for a surprise choke slam, that Fantana did not look ready for, in the lower corner is Chase Drama at the ring apron running the distraction.
KO: It’s weird though, because the fans never know whether to cheer for Zack or boo him.
LO: I think that’s the point. Cause let me tell you, the first thing Zack does when he gets Billy Trauma down off after a set of spike DDTs is he goes right over to Chase Drama and he shuts him up.
KO: Well, I wouldn’t say he shut him up, but he definitely didn’t want to, let’s say, exclude Billy’s tag partner from the proceedings.
A clip of Zack standing on the apron sending a kick into Chase’s mouth then leaping off the apron and downing one half of the Trauma and Drama tag team with a blockbuster. The clip cuts to a clip of Zack using a stunned Chase as a shield to block a stunning superman punch on the outside from Billy Trauma.
LO: The fans love that stuff, though. And half of the crowd wanted to see Zack get his comeuppance--
KO: And the other half wanted to see him put the two of these guys down.
A shot of Zack getting rammed into a ring post then using the apron for leverage to bring his feet up and kick a charging Billy Trauma in the face, while the ring official counts.
KO: Frankly, I think Billy Trauma could’ve done this. He had some terrific spots.
A shot of Billy Trauma hitting Zack with a stalling suplex and going for a pin Zack kicks out of after 2. Another shot of Trauma slamming Zack with a wheelbarrow facebuster.
LO: Yeah, but at the end of the day, the experience of Zack Fantana won out in this one.
KO: Trauma got in some great offense, but Fantana played the longevity game.
A tired looking Fantana pulls out of an impending bulldog from Billy Trauma, leaving the bigger man running forward before stopping himself, turning around and getting brought down by a Zack Fantana Sling Blade he promptly follows up with a standing moonsault.
LO: Fantana was off to the races after that game changer.
KO: You know, you gotta give Billy Trauma credit. This match was all but his, but it’s a testament to just how skilled Fantana is, how opportunistic he is, that he was able to turn the flow and momentum of this match on a dime back to his favor.
A shot of a roaring crowd as Zack climbs the ropes and leaves room for the pumped up crowd to cheer as he hits an electrifying corkscrew shooting star press into a pin!
1..
2..
3..!
KO: That’s a move you never get tired of. Lucid Dreams.Kid’s fire, and the crowd knows he’s fire.
Shot of Fantana celebrating as Trauma rolls out of the ring to check on his still down tag partner.
LO: It definitely wasn’t the start of great things for Trauma and Drama. Back to back to losses.
KO: Yeah, but look who they were up against.
Shot of Fantana celebrating as Trauma rolls out of the ring to check on his still down tag partner.
LO: It definitely wasn’t the start of great things for Trauma and Drama. Back to back to losses.
KO: Yeah, but look who they were up against.
LO: No kidding. Out of 5 stars, what do you give this one?
KO: Uhm. Probably 2 and a half stars. Again, nothing against the competitors, but we can't leave it up to one of the competitors to carry the thing. Fantana by himself is worth 3 stars, at the very least. He drops down half of one of these, I guess it'll probably be more like an asterisk than a star but that's what you get folks, cause of what Zack had to work with here tonight. End of story.
LO: Damn. Ken, you're pulling not giving these guys their props.
KO: They'll get them. But I don't just give out freebies, you know?
Winner: Zack Fantana by Pinfall (9:12)
Othello Verdict: 1/2
The shot opens up to one of the corridors backstage with staff conversing with one another all over the hall, some more hyped up than others since it's the start of something new in the business. Despite the energy among the members, the corridor quickly falls into silence as heavy footsteps start to echo off the walls. One by one the attention of each staff member slowly draws toward what's pacing its way down the corridor with a few pairs of eyes widening at the sight of the unknown person. The camera swivels to the left, revealing Joel Hawkfield, already dressed in his ring gear and vest, hands tucked away in its pockets. Despite not looking at anyone in the eye, the staff still sense a need to press themselves against the walls as The Brute passes through nonchalantly. In his wake, a certain female steps away from the wall, a microphone visibly sitting in her hand, giving the crowd the indication that it's the backstage interviewer, Emily Burlingame.
Emily: "Uh, Mr. Hawkfield...?"
Joel simply turns his eyes towards her, still in stride.
Joel: "Whatever it is, piss off."
The comment nearly rattles Emily but she remains strong as she stands her ground while Joel keeps strolling by.
Emily: "If you could just spare a little bit of your time, even if it's for a minute. The fans do want to know some more about you."
A sigh of discontent emits from Joel as he pauses in his tracks, soon turning to look down at Emily.
Joel: "The hell is there to know about me? Matter of fact, why do people care to begin with?"
Emily: "Well it's just since you're one of the participants on tonight's card we figured it'd be of interest to know a little bit of your backstory and what motivations you have for entering Valor Pro."
Joel lets out a sinister chuckle at the statement.
Joel: "Sweetheart, there's no prequel for this story of mine. Anything someone could potentially trace back to me is erased for all I know. If you are looking for a story about me, you're witnessing it right now. Valor Pro is home to the chapter in which I decimate Siberia Zombie tonight. My motivations are nothing special either. I just like hurting people for fun and kicking them while they're down because people deserve to know just how worthless and pathetic they are when they get beaten and throttled by my hands. The strong prevail and the weak suffer losses in this world, girly."
He looks around at the staff who are still staring in complete silence. A sly grin appears on his face as he turns to address them.
Joel: "Listen closely and listen well you wastes of space: What you're going to witness tonight is the Art of Destruction and what it brings to those who stand in front of its path, whether it's by force or of their own accord makes no difference. They'll all end the same way just like Zombie will once I'm finished with her. Beaten, bloodied, broken, left to rot with no purpose."
Joel sneers at his own remark.
Joel: "Since you're all still here and the cameras are rolling, allow me to make this know: From this night forward I'm setting a declaration of war on the entire VPW roster. I don't care who the hell you are, what history you have in this business, or whatever else is applicable...it makes no difference. The Tour of Destruction is commencing tonight and its first victim is that vermin, Zombie. Not the first time I've had to tango with her kind but what can you do? Oh well...time to go prepare to put her in the dirt. Ta-ta ladies and gents."
Turning on his heels, Joel continues his way through the corridor with everyone visibly stunned at what just occurred. Emily seems somewhat unnerved by the event but shakes her head at the thought of it before rejoining her co-workers, hand raised to her head.
Emily: "Uh, Mr. Hawkfield...?"
Joel simply turns his eyes towards her, still in stride.
Joel: "Whatever it is, piss off."
The comment nearly rattles Emily but she remains strong as she stands her ground while Joel keeps strolling by.
Emily: "If you could just spare a little bit of your time, even if it's for a minute. The fans do want to know some more about you."
A sigh of discontent emits from Joel as he pauses in his tracks, soon turning to look down at Emily.
Joel: "The hell is there to know about me? Matter of fact, why do people care to begin with?"
Emily: "Well it's just since you're one of the participants on tonight's card we figured it'd be of interest to know a little bit of your backstory and what motivations you have for entering Valor Pro."
Joel lets out a sinister chuckle at the statement.
Joel: "Sweetheart, there's no prequel for this story of mine. Anything someone could potentially trace back to me is erased for all I know. If you are looking for a story about me, you're witnessing it right now. Valor Pro is home to the chapter in which I decimate Siberia Zombie tonight. My motivations are nothing special either. I just like hurting people for fun and kicking them while they're down because people deserve to know just how worthless and pathetic they are when they get beaten and throttled by my hands. The strong prevail and the weak suffer losses in this world, girly."
He looks around at the staff who are still staring in complete silence. A sly grin appears on his face as he turns to address them.
Joel: "Listen closely and listen well you wastes of space: What you're going to witness tonight is the Art of Destruction and what it brings to those who stand in front of its path, whether it's by force or of their own accord makes no difference. They'll all end the same way just like Zombie will once I'm finished with her. Beaten, bloodied, broken, left to rot with no purpose."
Joel sneers at his own remark.
Joel: "Since you're all still here and the cameras are rolling, allow me to make this know: From this night forward I'm setting a declaration of war on the entire VPW roster. I don't care who the hell you are, what history you have in this business, or whatever else is applicable...it makes no difference. The Tour of Destruction is commencing tonight and its first victim is that vermin, Zombie. Not the first time I've had to tango with her kind but what can you do? Oh well...time to go prepare to put her in the dirt. Ta-ta ladies and gents."
Turning on his heels, Joel continues his way through the corridor with everyone visibly stunned at what just occurred. Emily seems somewhat unnerved by the event but shakes her head at the thought of it before rejoining her co-workers, hand raised to her head.
KO: There he is, the brute named Hawkfield. HE made his presence known early and often leading up to this show. And, I'll tell you, he was the one guy I knew from the onset was going to be tough to handle no matter who they put in the ring against him.
LO: Absolutely. You could see it in him. That man has a taste for violence. And this match with Siberia Zombie...
KO: Definitely everything we expected, and then some.
LO: This one started off pretty run of the mill. Zombie was the more experienced of the two, and trust me, she got some good shots in early.
A clip of Siberia Zombie hitting successive superkicks that stuns Hawkfield. Wipe to a frenetic shot of Zombie climbing the turnbuckle with Hawkfield in tow then driving him to the canvas with a beautiful shiranui.
KO: But technical wasn't going to last too long against brute force.
Shots of the stiff elbows stopping a charging Siberia Zombie dead in her tracks delivered by Joel Hawkfield, followed by a brutal headbutt.
LO: I hate to say you're right--
KO: But I am always right. This guy's size was way more than a match for Siberia Zombie.
A shot of Hawkfield hitting Zombie with a massive gorilla press slam and a pin attempt but Zombie kicks out at 2 and makes her way outside with Hawkfield following after her.
LO: In a lot of ways, this was that match that showed the fans what these competitors were made of. They actually made it all over ringside.
A standing dropkick to Hawkfield turns into a running powerbomb that sends Zombie through the announce table as the crowd roars.
KO: HE said he was here to make art, and this match devolved very quickly. What do we think though?
LO: There's a place for every kind of fighter in this sport, but this guy knew exactly what he was doing. Targeted strikes, precision strikes.
KO: It's amazing Zombie kept going, to be honest.
LO: You were being a little sexist in your assessment of this matchup last episode.
KO: Maybe a little. But Siberia proved me wrong.
With the ref counting down to a count-out and the fans cheering and booing in a horrendous mixture as Hawkfield stalks the outside after throwing Zombie against the guardrail, he charges in only for Siberia Zombie to drop toe hold Hawkfield into the guardrail.
Another shot of Zombie rising to the top rope, with Hawkfield collapsed on the outside, she goes for a diving senton only for Hawkfield to raise his feet for a brutal kick to Zombie's back. Another shot of Hawkfield whipping an exhausted Siberia Zombie into the ring steps as the ref calls the match and the bell sounds.
LO: At the end of the day, though, this thing went to a double count-out.
KO: What's wrong with that?
LO: It's not helpful for anybody. But, I will say, that for a woman like Siberia to stand her ground against Joel Hawkfield and come out no worse, if not pretty well equal with him, she showed a hell of a lot of heart out there.
KO: And Hawkfield looked like an absolute beast.
LO: He looked pretty strong out there. What we giving this?
KO: Honestly? This thing had all kinds of twists and turns. Hawkfield's a stiff, fierce competitors who needs to refine his technique.
LO: You could say they same for Siberia Zombie.
KO: Yeah, but she's also got finesse. This one was like comparing apples to oranges, honestly. I give it 3 stars out of five. If we'd had a clear winner it would have maybe earned them half a star, or asterisk, or whatever.
LO: (Laughs) You're killing us here, Ken.
KO: It's what I do.
Winner: Double Count-out, (15:56)
Othello Verdict:
The accommodations backstage aren’t exactly five star. Sure, the arena might be nice but the event budget falls on Valor Pro Wrestling, a small independent wrestling promotion that hasn’t made any actual money yet. Still, when Ace Devereux opens the door, his smile never wavers for even a second. He’s wearing a crisp navy blue suit with a white button up shirt and matching navy blue tie. He removes his sunglasses - the ones he’s wearing inside the arena, at night, like a douchebag - and looks around to take it all in. He then closes his eyes and takes a deep breath.
Ace Devereux: “I’ve gotta tell ya, I’ve missed all this. The grindin’ in these humble surroundings… Really shows ya just how much they need me here. Sure, we could just keep grindin’, end up hittin’ high school gyms all over the place, but Valor? They’ve got their eyes on a bigger picture, you know what I mean? They’ve got their eyes on the big time, not a dump like this. Still, they need me to get there and I’m all too happy to oblige.”
Ace approaches a bench by a set of lockers and begins to put his duffle bag down but stops. Instead, he unzips it and pulls out a large, white towel. He lays the towel down on the bench before placing his duffle bag down on top of it and muttering.
Ace Devereux: “Gonna have to burn that…”
He shakes his head before looking back up.
Ace Devereux: “Now look, I’ve heard the rumors about me. Some nerd somewhere posted a blog about Valor Pro Wrestling and yours truly in particular and, while I normally wouldn’t give something like that the time of day, I thought it fair to connect with you, the current and prospective fans of this company. He had some bizarre theories, something about there being larger forces at play regarding my presence here. Specifically, he brought up Deathcore and speculated as to my associations with it. Let me clear the air by sayin’ that ol’ Ace doesn’t go where he doesn’t want to go. My presence in VPW? It’s all because I want to be here. I want to be here for the company, I want to be here for you the fans, and I want to be here for all of these so-called competitors that are trying to make their big break, and I want to be here for this industry. People like Joel Hawkfield, like Elina Cartel, like Brennan Devlin? Even your role models need their own. And me? I’m a selfless and caring guy. I’m more than happy to give them something to look up to, something to aspire to. The Johnsons, the Fantanas, and all the championship reigns of the past for these ‘stars’ just aren’t enough. They want to rise above their own mediocrity and be something more. And when they look to me for that, how can I deny them? That would be terribly irresponsible of me. So before you read too many blog posts and start getting all the wrong ideas, I just want you to know that Ace Devereux…”
Ace points to the camera and winks.
Ace Devereux: “He’s here for you too.”
The camera fades on that brilliant white smile.
Ace Devereux: “I’ve gotta tell ya, I’ve missed all this. The grindin’ in these humble surroundings… Really shows ya just how much they need me here. Sure, we could just keep grindin’, end up hittin’ high school gyms all over the place, but Valor? They’ve got their eyes on a bigger picture, you know what I mean? They’ve got their eyes on the big time, not a dump like this. Still, they need me to get there and I’m all too happy to oblige.”
Ace approaches a bench by a set of lockers and begins to put his duffle bag down but stops. Instead, he unzips it and pulls out a large, white towel. He lays the towel down on the bench before placing his duffle bag down on top of it and muttering.
Ace Devereux: “Gonna have to burn that…”
He shakes his head before looking back up.
Ace Devereux: “Now look, I’ve heard the rumors about me. Some nerd somewhere posted a blog about Valor Pro Wrestling and yours truly in particular and, while I normally wouldn’t give something like that the time of day, I thought it fair to connect with you, the current and prospective fans of this company. He had some bizarre theories, something about there being larger forces at play regarding my presence here. Specifically, he brought up Deathcore and speculated as to my associations with it. Let me clear the air by sayin’ that ol’ Ace doesn’t go where he doesn’t want to go. My presence in VPW? It’s all because I want to be here. I want to be here for the company, I want to be here for you the fans, and I want to be here for all of these so-called competitors that are trying to make their big break, and I want to be here for this industry. People like Joel Hawkfield, like Elina Cartel, like Brennan Devlin? Even your role models need their own. And me? I’m a selfless and caring guy. I’m more than happy to give them something to look up to, something to aspire to. The Johnsons, the Fantanas, and all the championship reigns of the past for these ‘stars’ just aren’t enough. They want to rise above their own mediocrity and be something more. And when they look to me for that, how can I deny them? That would be terribly irresponsible of me. So before you read too many blog posts and start getting all the wrong ideas, I just want you to know that Ace Devereux…”
Ace points to the camera and winks.
Ace Devereux: “He’s here for you too.”
The camera fades on that brilliant white smile.
KO: I think the crowd, after the night that it already was, wasn't sure what to expect from these two.
LO: I don't know that anybody was, to be honest.
KO: Two, relatively, unknown quantities.
LO: Yeah, the energy died down a little.
KO: But not for long.
LO: true. I mean, Elina Cartel had been a champion in a few other federations, we knew she'd had some concussion setbacks early on in her career that might hold her back from reaching the heights she hit formerly--
A shot of Elina and Ace meeting head-on in the center of the ring, a stark contrast in their height.
KO: But look at her, she looks ready. Focused.
LO: They both did. Ace Devereux, same thing, we weren't quite sure what we were getting in him, but this match?
KO: Took off like a rocket.
Elina Cartel unleashes a set of impressive martial arts kicks. Some of them land. Some of them Ace blocks, and he manages to stop Elina's momentum each time with a deft hip toss that keeps Elina from mounting much offense.
LO: I mean, it's gotta be hard to get up against someone smaller than you, undeniably quicker than you, who's hitting you with kicks you're never sure where they're going to come from.
KO: But Ace planned ahead.
A swift kick to Ace's sternum leaves him stunned and Elina rebounds and returns only to be hit with a ring-shaking spinebuster followed by a series of mounted punches.
LO: He was smart. Kept her grounded.
Ace goes to work on Elina's neck with a modified chickenwing crossface he turns into an armbar.
KO: Targeting body parts is a thing of beauty when it works, and Ace Devereux looked like a surgeon.
Just as Elina is about to reach the ropes for a rope break, Ace drives a knee into her shoulder blade and drags her back to center ring to drop a leg across the back of her neck and turn it into a slick triangle choke.
LO: But Elina seemed to have an answer for that kind of stuff.
A crowd-rousing display as Elina slowly builds up her defenses, climbs to a knee, elbows her way out of an Ace Devereux grounded headlock and turns it into a smooth rolling DDT into a pinning combo that Ace kicks out of.
KO: Back and forth, back and forth. This one would have given anyone sea-sickness.
A scissor kick stuns Devereux, and quick as lightning Elina's up on the top rope leaping and hitting Devereux with an overcastle but Devereux kips up and the two have a staredown.
LO: If you didn't buy tickets for this thing, fans, buy tickets for the next one. Cause this was the kind of wrestling match that is a delight to watch.
Elina rushes for a step-up enziguri that Devereux avoids with a matrix evasion and slams her down with a cleverly manipulated STO into a pin Elina kicks out of.
KO: For every definitive answer Ace Devereux had for the offense of Elina Cartel, the little spitfire seemed to have an equal, if not more severe response.
LO: They traded offense for the better part of the match, but--
A surprise spun 180 flare kick stuns Devereux where he stands, the crowd is just as surprised.
KO: Came out of nowhere. She stopped on a dime and turned that thing around in no time.
Elina hits her patented 540 gyro crescent kick to Devereux' head to the delight and absolute shock of the fans!
LO: And the cover. I almost thought Devereux was gonna kick out of that.
KO: Almost did!
Indeed, Devereux gets a shoulder up just after the three count and the fans want more!
LO: This had all the makings of a main event match.
KO: These two held their own out there, quashed any idea they may not be ready, and just absolutely kicked ass. No way to put it lightly.
LO: So then how many stars?
Kenneth has to think on that.
LO: Or asterisks. (laughs)
KO: I'd give this four, and I'll tell you why. I wanted more. Explosive offense on either side, but you could tell this was a first match back off a hiatus for the both of them. And me, and the fans, want more.
LO: Fair enough.
Winner: Elina Cartel by Pinfall (14:15)
Othello Verdict:
We open backstage.
Arlo Rosabel looks like a total badass if you asked him. He had on sunglasses and a leather jacket.
The camera comes quickly up to where Arlo stands, he just so happens to have Essence with him and they are awkwardly holding hands like a couple of teenagers in the hallway between classes. Arlo sees the camera approaching and smirks. He holds up his hand to the camera, before he speaks. Essence and Arlo begin making out.
The camera waits... and waits... and waits... then the camera pans like someone shaking their head and walks off as we fade to the next match.
LO: I'll tell you right now, this Arlo kid is gonna be trouble.
KO: (Laughs) Why?
LO: Arrogant. Full of himself.
KO: That's what'll carry him further than most, Laur-.
LO: Bad for the business. This kid'll put an I before the Team. You wait.
KO: You used to be like that.
LO: Till I got with the program.
KO: (Jokingly under his breath) Still like that now.
LO: (Laughs) Come on!
KO: And even better, look who he's up against. You can't tell me about one guy's ego without adding BRennan Devlin into the conversation.
LO: Fair enough.
KO: And this thing took off like a rocket.
A shot of Devlin and Rosabel trading blows in the middle of the ring to the hype of the crowd. Arlo hits a headbutt, and Devlin hits him right back. The two trade off before Devlin hits a shoulder block, and Arlo stuns him with a sweet sunset flip that almost captures the win before this thing gets off the ground.
LO: And then they're off to the races.
A shot of Arlo leaping through the ropes and hitting Devlin with a diving crossbody on the outside.
KO: High energy. This had all the makings of the main event match it pretty much was.
LO: Oh, without question.
Devlin heaves Arlo's forehead off the guardrail then drops him with a jawbreaker off the rail again before leveling a series of punches at Arlo before threatening a nearby fan, then taking a selfie with the fan's camera much to the fan's chagrin.
KO: And you're saying yuou're worried about Arlo's ego?
LO: (Laughs) I'll say this, all the talk of whether Devlin lost it, whether he was just riding in off the coattails of what he did before, all that gets put to rest with this match.
KO: I'm still skeptical. But he definitely isn't rusty.
Devlin has Arlo on the ring apron, half in the ring and half out and he springboards over the ropes into the ring with a leg drop!
KO: This one went all over.
A shot of Arlo being tossed into the corner by Devlin only to lift his feet in the nick of time and halt a charging Devlin. An elbow from Arlo puts Devlin down and Arlo is quick up to the middle ropes and he just goes for it, hitting a crowd-pleasing phoenix splash pin combo that Devlin kicks out of at 2 and half!
KO: I like this kid's versatility. His ability to go high or low depending on the situation.
LO: Versatility is an understatement.
An exchange as Devlin takes Arlo down with an exploder suplex then slams a boot down into a downed Arlo who catches the stomp, rises up and ltakes Devlin down with a dragon screw!
LO: But, I mean, you could see that arrogance getting to his head at times.
Arlo takes a minute to rile the fans up, taking a few precious seconds before climbing up the ropes facing out into the crowd only to get stunned by Devlin and brought down with a package powerbomb and pin that sees the ref get to a count of 2 and half!
KO: True.
Another clip of Arlo going for another sunset flip only tis time Devlin doesn't go over. He gathewrs his balance, slams some shots down into Arlo's face before rising him to his feet qand slamming him over with a snap suplex Devlin kips over maintaining a handle on Arlo and transitions expertly into a lifting samoan drop.
LO: Devlin's just a seasoned veteran. He was every bit of that and more in this match. I tell you this is the Devlin that was at the height of his powers in Boardwalk.
KO: I don't think nI'd go that far. He's still got more to go, some corners he keeps cutting, but for sure, he looked phenomenal out there.
LO: But he couldn't keep Arlo down!
A clip of Devlin going for his patented face-off diamond cutter finisher but Arlo pushes out at the last second and slams Devlin with a surprise gutwrench suplex! The shut transitions to Arlo locking on his Arlo Lock with the crowd on its feet.
KO: Impressive stuff.
LO: But he can't keep focused. The kid is acting like he's ten steps ahead of himself and trips on his own feet.
In a tense moment, whether it's Arlo not locking i the hold tight enough, or Brennan just willing himself for the ropes, Devlin forces a rope break much to the dismay of Arlo and the crowd.
LO: Lot of gas in Devlin's tank. People forget he was running marathon matches for years before finding his way back into the indie circuit.
KO: And it's that experience that gave Devlin a clear edge here.
Devlin finally hits his Diamond Cutter face-off finisher and rolls Arlo up for the cover! The fansd count along!
1...
2...
3--NO!!!
Devlin can't believe it as Arlo just BARELY got a shoulder up!
KO: This thing was fire. No denying it. Devlin haters. Arlo haters. They were given a straight-up crash course in why these two are among the upper echelons of this sport. This was a message testifying to that fact.
The two men look exhausted as Devlin throws Arlo into the ring apron and rushes for an elbow that Arlo dodges out of the way of and hits Devlin with a belly-to-back on the outside that leaves both men being counted out.
LO: I thought they were done there.
KO: But they weren't.
After a stiff exchange, Devlin nails Arlo with a reverse atomic drop then rolls him into the ring. ON his way in, Devlin leaps off the ropes only to be connected by a stunning super kick that leaves Devlin hanging and Arlo, to everybody's surprise, exhaustedly hits Devlin with a rope-assisted spike pile driver and goes for the cover!
1...
2...
3--NO!
Arlo can't believe it.
LO: This thing was a nail biter.
KO: Down to the wire.
A charging Arlo hits a lariat on Devlin that aims a rolling thunder senton for Devlin who narrowly avoids it, kips up and slams Arlo down a side-bent backbreaker!
LO: And in the end it was literally just when opportunity knocked that we got a winner.
Devlin sends Arlo whipping for the ropes. A leapfrog keeps the circuit going but on the rebound Arlo whips into a asurprise back handspring that NAILS Devlin with a cutter and it takes all his strength to finally go for the pin!
1...
2...
3!!!
LO: 5 star match if you ask me.
KO: 4 and a half.
LO: What?! Are you crazy? Even the fans were exhausted after this.
KO: This wasn't all these guys had to give. It was a roller coaster, sure. But Devlin could have kicked out of that. He had more.
LO: You're ranking matches based on what you think they could havew done rather than what they did.
KO: I'm not as generous are you.
LO: Yeah no kidding. Sheesh. Well, as the guy who's gonna end up finalizing the write up online, I'm giving this one five.
KO: What?
LO: This was everything you could have wanted.
KO: But not the best these two have to offer.
LO: Not by a long shot. But I'm assessing the match for what it was, not for what it could have been.
KO: We'll have to agree to disagree.
Winner: Arlo Rosabel by Pinfall (21:23)
Othello Consensus Verdict: 1/2
KO: And that's all she wrote, fans! Great show.
LO: (laughs)
KO: what?
LO: Except that's not all she wrote, is it?
KO: Haha nope.
LO: The woman herself made an appearance tonight. Let's give them the full clip.
The crowd is preparing to file out of the Echo Arena in Liverpool when "Lady Venom" plays onto the speaker system, and the crowd turns back to the ramp to see a woman dressed stylishly in a red evening gown standing in the entrance arch. Hers is an effortless stride down to the ring, smirking, and not bothering to glance at the fans. She climbs the ring steps and gingerly steps into the ring letting her music die down along with the crowd as she is handed a microphone.
Vanessa Byrne: Good evening, and welcome to our first Valor Pro show. Thank you all for coming. I do hope you've enjoyed it, and I do hope you'll be by the next time we're in Liverpool.
There's a pop from the crowd.
Vanessa Byrne: To the competitors in the back who have performed ever so diligently this evening, thank you. I, as a fan, thank you, as I'm sure everyone here tonight thanks you.
A huge pop from the crowd. The ovation dies down, Vanessa hasn't lost her smirk.
Vanessa Byrne: But the night isn't finished.
A confused din.
Vanessa Byrne: To everyone in the back. To every wrestler who competed here tonight, know that while you performed valiantly. Indeed, valorously you have each performed. It's not good enough.
There's a boo. Vanessa remains smirking, as if above it all.
Vanessa Byrne: Hear me out. Each competitor who gave it their all out here tonight, while impressive... the fans love you for it. It is not... impressive... enough.
An even louder boo.
Vanessa Byrne: Know that I have been where each of you have been. I have accomplished the things you're accomplishing, and even things you haven't accomplished, and will never accomplish in this business. I have been in rings the world over, and competed in match, after brutal match. I have run companies in the past that dwarf some of the biggest companies alive today. For as impressed as each fan in this arena may be to have seen your exploits tonight, my dear Valor Pro roster... you didn't... impress... me.
The fans are angry. The boo is rising above the wash of crowd noise as excitement is brimming.
Vanessa Byrne: I think you've got more to give, my dear roster. Tonight was just an exhibition. A warm up. Anyone can make it to the semi-finals. To make it to the finals, to find yourself at the top of the mountain... each of you will have to work even harder. And that's why I've decided that while tonight was always about terrific wrestling. It's also about something else: Determining our first Monarch, and Gladiator Champions, respectively.
A louder confused din as the fans are getting excited.
Vanessa Byrne: To everyone in the back. Come on out here. You're not done.
The pop is huge as every performer of the night comes out looking confused.
Vanessa Byrne: Welcome back. This lot missed you.
The crowd pops even louder.
Vanessa Byrne: If you'll look above me, you'll see dangling over this ring is a briefcase.
At the same time, ladders are being positioned around the ring.
Vanessa Byrne: Inside of the briefcase... is the Monarch Championship. Every competitor who competed here tonight who weighs less than two hundred and nineteen pounds will enter this ring once more. And wrestle, once more. Whomever makes it to the top of the ladder and unhooks that briefcase... will be Valor Pro Wrestling's first Monarch Champion.
A huge pop as, indeed, there is a briefcase hanging over the ring. That means, reluctantly, Roxi Johnson, Zack Fantana, Elina Cartel and Arlo Rosabel stride dowen to the ring and look apprehensive as Vanessa Byrne coaxes them each into the ring like nervous little squirrels, uncertain whether it's safe to enter.
Vanessa Byrne: Come on. I won't bite.
And they step in, looking at one another with fresh eyes. Arlo Rosabel and Elina Cartel look especially tired having just competed more recently than Roxi Johnson and Zack Fantana. Vanessa hasn't lost her smirk. Her attention turns to the entrance where the rest of the roster stands a little confused.
Vanessa Byrne: But I haven't forgotten about you, my portly, oversized Gladiators. You're going to compete too. For the Gladiator Championship. Simultaneously.
The crowd is in an uproar of excitement. What kind of match is this going to be?!
Vanessa Byrne: But how, you ask? There's only one ring. Think again.
The arena, it is now revealed, had been split in half. A curtain is dropped to reveal the other half of the arena where there is another ring set up. The fans spread ouit a little bit, treated to a wider space than originally thought. The pop is enormous. Vanessa Byrne has that cat that got the canary smirk permanently stuck on her lips, it seems.
Vanessa Byrne: A second ring. A second match. At the same time. Only you Gladiators two hundred and twenty pounds are more aren't going to be climbing any ladders. No, you're going to be throwing your weight around. In an over the top rumble to determine the first Gladiator Champion. Last man standing wins.
Chase Drama, Billy Trauma, Joel Hawkfield, Ace Devereux and Brennan Devlin look to each other before tsaking the hint and striding down to the second ring and climbing inside. Vanessa Byrne has already slipped outside the first ring, and stepped down the steps.
Vanessa Byrne: Impress me, fighters. Let's make this first show... one the entire world sits up and takes notice of.
And with that she departs.
LO: I'll just set the stage for you, folks. Because there's nothing quite like actually being at a live wrestling show, I'll do my best to give you the picture. So, the ring and the fans are there in the Echo Arena. And that's all fine. With two rings? The whole arena now has a wide open space because , I mean, they sold tickets for the half of the arena.
KO: It was something. Must have had this planned from the beginning.
LO: Well we knew there was more going on with the weight classes.
KO: Just wasn't sure what.
LO: (laughs) Exactly. So... before we do the recap... seeing as this just happened and it's fresh in our mind, as a fan, what's your reaction.
Kenneth blows a tired sigh into the mic.
KO: Exhasting. Vanessa Byrne--
LO: She still looked great, didn't she?
KO: Hadn't lost a step. Few wrinkles, though.
LO: Haha! You're selling everybody short tonight.
KO: I mean, look, this is a woman who was... what, the big deal back, what... ten years ago?
LO: Almost fifteen.
KO: She comes down and she meant every word. It wasn't throwing her weight around. It wasn't some sort of power trip. It was a woman who can still own a mic, still, like you said, she still looks great even though she's, what, fifty?
LO: (Laughs) I'm not sure. So out she goes, and the crowd is hyped. We now have two rings. What is it, nine?
KO: Yeah, nine. Four for the Monarch belt, and five for the Gladiator.
LO: (haha) I gotta say, this thing... was nuts.
A clip of the camera man not sure which ring to focus on. In one ring, Brennan Devlin, Chase Drama, Ace Devereux, Joel Hawkfield and Billy Trauma unleash at the sound of the bell and the 5 man rumble devolves quite quickly into chaos. The camera swings over to see the four Monarch competitors, Elina Cartel immediately squaring off against Roxi Johnson, and Arlo Rosabel meeting face to face with Zack Fantana for the first time. The crowd is roaring.
LO: So you have a ladder match in one ring--
KO: And a rumble in the other. It was confusing.
LO: Wasn't that the point?
KO: The point was to impress the boss. This was a clusterfuck.
LO: True.
Arlo Rosabel runs along the ropes rather deftly and leaps for a hurricanrana on Fantana but Zack rolls out of it expertly and even returns the favor to Arlo with a stiff kick that sends Rosabel sprawling under the ropes to the outside.
KO: I mean, the stories, the narratives in either ring were much the same. Young lions versus old, though it was more obvious among ther Monarch competitors.
LO: Roxi Johnson and Elina Cartel were trading blow for blow, Roxi was the fresher competitor than an Elina Cartel who had seen a marathon match against Ace Devereux. The young lion i the ring, Arlo Rosabel, at firsat, definitely looked outclassed by a far better rested Zack Fantana.
Zack Fantana leaps over the ropes and drops onto Arlo, dropping the two to the canvas. In the other ring, Chase and Billy, Drama and Trauma are double-teaming the field until Devlin forms an unlikely alliance with Ace Devereux and both men simultaneously superkick Trauma and Drama square out of the ring with a quick elimination leaving them alone with the monster named Hawkfield who gives them both a double clothesline that looks like it just might send them all over the ropes!
KO: I mean, it was a little fitting to see the tag team get put out first in the rumble.
LO: Figured they'd last longer.
In the Monarch ring, we have clips of Roxi Johnson working over a tired Elina Cartel in the corner with a series of rights and lefts before she takes a head start and runs in for an acrobatic, fan-erupting back handspring elbow bulldog combination.
KO: Elina Cartel was fading fast in this thing. She looked downright out of it.
LO: Fantana though...
A clip of Fantana bringing the ladder into the ring only to be met by Roxi Johnson, but Fantana hits her with a sit out facebuster right on the ladder that leaves much of the crowd groaing along with Roxi. In the Gladiator ring, Joel Hawkfield's size, and his merciless attitude has Ace Devereux about to go over the topp rope as Devlin hangs back to recuperate. Hawkfield manages to get Devereux over the ropes but he lands on the apron and rolls back in after Joel tried to boot him out. Devlin takes advantage of Hawkfield's attention being on Devereux to rush in and hit Hawkfield in the back with a running knee that has enough force to send Hawkfield up and over the ropes to the outside.
LO: The rumble eliminations happened fast once they started. First, nearly simulataneously went Chase n Trauma. Next nearly 5 minutes later, Devlin eliminated Joel Hawkfield.
KO: Leaving just Ace Devereux and Brennan Devlin to duke it out one on one for the Gladiator title. There was something fitting about it. I mean, the two guys from the last two matches, they'd already ran a couple of miles, and here they are running even more.
Devlin and Ace square off in the other ring attracting plenty of attention from the crowd, watching the two heavyweights trade blows at first before Devlin nailed Ace a fall away DDT triangle choke combination that looked to tire Devereux out.
LO: I tell you Devlin lit this night up. He'd just taken Arlo Rosabel to his absolute limit, and he turned around and did the exact same thing to Ace Devereux.
KO: To tell the truth, I don't think Devereux was expecting Devlin to have that much fight left in him.
IN the other ring, Arlo Rosabel is back in this thing catching Zack Fantana unawares with springboard bulldog onto the ladder. And he is the first one to get the ladder set up but finds himself shaken off the ladder after Elina Cartel comes to and sends Arlo careening to the canvas.
LO: Cartel got a second wind about ten minutes into this thing and started to clear house.
Cartel slams a lifting crane kick into Zack Fantana's chin, then hits a charging Roxi Johnson with an inverted suplex onto the ladder once more. But Roxi Johnson isn't downed so easily. To Cartel's surprise she hits Elina with a sudden snap spinning powerslam and then goes to climb the ladder with Rosabel finding his way up near the top on the other side. The two exchange blows before Johnson tosses Arlo off and looks set to free the briefcase but Zack Fantana kicks the ladder out from under her and Roxi tumbles to the outside.
KO: This match, I'm telling you, was full of spots. For everyone who was busy watchign the technicians match wits in the ring with Devlin and Devereux, you missed some high-=flyign wizardry in the other ring, watch this.
Zack Fantana vaults out of the ring at Roxi only to find her connecting a jumping double knee facebreaker that has Fantana down and out on the outside. Another clip shows Arlo Rosabel hitting an impressive slingshot DDT on Elina Cartel.
LO: Arlo and Roxi climbed the ladder, what?
KO: I lost count. Always the two that found their way up to the top to face each other.
LO: And each time someone was there to kick the ladder out from under them.
KO: But what I hated about this match was while you were busy focusiing and getting excited about what was going on in one ring, you missed something big in the other ring.
A shot of Devlin swinging a lariat for Devereux' head sure to decapitate him only for Devereux to duck and slam a side kick off Devlin's head that stunned the Face of Wrestling and leaving him open near the ropes for Devereux to take advantage and kick Devlin up and over the ropes!
LO: And you have it: First champion.
Gladiator Championship Winner: Ace Devereux, over the top elimination of Brennan Devlin (14:56)
KO: Devereux winning the Gladiator belt like that. His chance to celebrate was overshadowed cause over in the other ring you have the dynamite still going on. It's my biggest complaint about this whole thing.
In the other ring, Arlo Rosabel is on the outside watching as Roxi Johnson and Elina Cartel climb the ladder, trading blows, giving Arlo enough time to drop kick the ladderr and send both women freefalling to the outside.
LO: Arlo was the wrench in every plan.
KO: And you said he was too arrogant.
LO: Arrogant but damn good.
KO: The two go hand in hand, Laur-.
Elina Cartel and Roxi Johnson find one another outside the ring and keep battling while Arlo thinks he's home free for the title. He climbs the ladder only for Zack Fantana to climb the ropes, leaps onto the ladder and meets Arlo up there to hit Arlo Rosabel with a lucid dreams off the ladder!
LO: It's that experience. Fantana knew when to strike, how to strike, and he was so damn vicious.
A shot of Fantana making it up the ladder, grabbing hold of the briefcase! But Elina Cartel shakes him loose. Zack leaps off the ladder for a surprise moonsault but Elina Cartel moves out of the way.
KO: By the time Cartel made it up the ladder, everyone else was too far gone to stop her.
A clip of Elina unhooking the briefcase from the hook just as Roxi Johnson kicks the ladder out from under her, leaving Elina dangling from the hook before falling with the briefcase!
LO: A huge night.
KO: Massive. A surprise main event. Two new champions.
Monarch Championship Winner: Elina Cartel, (24:36)
LO: This thing was huge.
KO: You said that already.
LO: I can't stress it enough. This was a night that could have just ended aftert the Arlo/Devlin match and that would've been fine. But this one pulled out all the stops.
KO: No doubt. I mean, it was a bit confusing to watch, and if it had been televised I can't imagine the staghe director having a good time trying to get enough cameras everywhere your eyes needed to be.
LO: Yeah. There was just so much going on.
KO: For that fact alone I give this a four star rating.
LO: I agree. This was something else, though.
Othello Verdict:
KO: Set the bar pretty high. I can only imagine what comes next. Where do they tour next?
LO: I think Paris.
KO: France.
LO: There's another Paris?
KO: Funny. That's pretty much it for us. We'll be back with, what, is it another recap next time?
LO: Same rules apply as they did for this show.
KO: Expect the unexpected.
LO: Absolutely. I'm Laurence Othello, with my brother from another mother, Kenneth Othello, and you've been watching the Flipping the Script Exclusive Valor Pro Wrestling Blitz Recap show.
KO: Hope you enjoyed it.
Leaving the venue Krähe pauses to reach for a rolled up cigarette previously tucked behind his ear. Only to remember that it was no longer there. Rather than be annoyed however he can't help but smile.
Human's truly were creatures of habit, which meant they had a pattern. Everyone developes patterns, and once you figured out those patterns you were automatically one step ahead of the game.
Not that it really mattered one way or another he would get paid win or lose. It was the game that his boss was interested in, and he was more than able and willing to deliver. It was all good buisness.
Of course the sky chose this moment to rain all over his parade. Effectively ruining his self inflated brooding inner monologue.
With a sigh he took a leisurely stroll through the rain, seemingly in no particular hurry to go anywhere despite the rain.
Barely discernable over the sound of the rain was the tune "Let us entertain you" being whistled to the night.
Human's truly were creatures of habit, which meant they had a pattern. Everyone developes patterns, and once you figured out those patterns you were automatically one step ahead of the game.
Not that it really mattered one way or another he would get paid win or lose. It was the game that his boss was interested in, and he was more than able and willing to deliver. It was all good buisness.
Of course the sky chose this moment to rain all over his parade. Effectively ruining his self inflated brooding inner monologue.
With a sigh he took a leisurely stroll through the rain, seemingly in no particular hurry to go anywhere despite the rain.
Barely discernable over the sound of the rain was the tune "Let us entertain you" being whistled to the night.