Post by Staff on Sept 23, 2018 9:37:41 GMT -5
Laurence Othello: Welcome fans to another riveting edition of Valor Pro Wrestling Blitz. I’m Laurence Othello. With me is my brother, Kenneth.
Kenneth Othello: Folks, the things we have in store tonight is nothing short of amazing. Between the promotional events and the circus of getting the arena ready, the AccorHotels Arena has been hopping.
LO: That's right, brother. That's absolutely right. We'd like to take this moment to thank Paris, France for all the support they've shown us while Valor Pro has been in town.
KO: And lest we forget the ladies of Paris who showed these two old goats such a phenomenal time.
LO: (Laughs) I didn't think we were going to talk about that on air, Kenneth, considering my divorce papers are still not finalized.
KO: Come on, Laur. It's not like that bitch is going to watch this show.
LO: Fanny, lawyers, I want it made clear that I did not say that, nor am I responsible for the views and opinions expressed by my broadcasting colleague.
KO: Oh....we're just colleagues now. Now I know why she left your ass on grounds of abandonment.
LO: Will you shut the hell up and start the show already!
KO: Folks, without further ado, lets see if Emily Burlingame had any better luck with our resident beast, Joel Hawkfield.
Kenneth Othello: Folks, the things we have in store tonight is nothing short of amazing. Between the promotional events and the circus of getting the arena ready, the AccorHotels Arena has been hopping.
LO: That's right, brother. That's absolutely right. We'd like to take this moment to thank Paris, France for all the support they've shown us while Valor Pro has been in town.
KO: And lest we forget the ladies of Paris who showed these two old goats such a phenomenal time.
LO: (Laughs) I didn't think we were going to talk about that on air, Kenneth, considering my divorce papers are still not finalized.
KO: Come on, Laur. It's not like that bitch is going to watch this show.
LO: Fanny, lawyers, I want it made clear that I did not say that, nor am I responsible for the views and opinions expressed by my broadcasting colleague.
KO: Oh....we're just colleagues now. Now I know why she left your ass on grounds of abandonment.
LO: Will you shut the hell up and start the show already!
KO: Folks, without further ado, lets see if Emily Burlingame had any better luck with our resident beast, Joel Hawkfield.
A roaring engine is heard in the distant background as the camera fades into the parking lot of the arena, no sign of the live vehicle in sight. Coming in from the right, Hawkfield appears on his motorcycle, sliding to a halt at the far end with a resounding screech that delivers a slightly painful twinge to all ears. Stepping off the bike, Hawkfield dusts the seat off before turning the ignition off, soon making his way for the entrance to the backstage area. Pushing the door, he nearly knocks Emily Burlingame off her feet, microphone thudding against the ground. With a blank look, Joel stares at Emily for a quiet moment before continuing on his way. Quickly picking up the mic, Emily rushes after Joel in an attempt to keep up to pace with him.
Emily: "Joel, a moment if y--"
Joel: "What did I tell you last time out? Piss off. I only made the statement last time out because I had everyone's attention hooked after I made them freeze in fear."
Emily: "But I just want to know your thoughts about the Exhibition Showcase you took part in."
A heavy sigh emits from The Brute, pausing in his tracks.
Joel: "My thoughts? You're asking me what the hell I thought? It was bland, colorless, lacking, and whatever else is demeaning. In other words, there wasn't enough paint on the canvas. No one could make art like I did when I threw Siberia Zombie about and now look at her being the curtain jerker for this evening. Vanessa Byrne just knows how much of a threat I am to this roster and here we are with the main event being a match between myself, Fantana, and Devlin to determine the number one contender for Devereux's Gladiator Championship."
Emily: "And your thoughts on it..."
Joel: "Don't even make me laugh with that question, Em. I could honestly give a rat's ass less about what the end result of this match is. Regardless of whether I win or lose tonight to either of those schmucks doesn't change the fact that my goal here in VPW is to make art in the ring with the bodies of my enemies and paint the canvas crimson with them. There's no change in that and there never will be. If you're wondering what kind of purpose this is serving...all I can say is that one day you'll find out why a man who just vapes, wears a half mask, and beats people up for living with no real rhyme or reason and within that moment of realization, everything is going to make sense and you'll be wondering why you didn't put two and two together quicker. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go prepare for my next art show."
Pushing a forearm into Emily, Joel shoves her aside before continuing his walk down the corridor, leaving Emily in silence as she can only watch on with a look of defeat resting on her face.
Emily: "Joel, a moment if y--"
Joel: "What did I tell you last time out? Piss off. I only made the statement last time out because I had everyone's attention hooked after I made them freeze in fear."
Emily: "But I just want to know your thoughts about the Exhibition Showcase you took part in."
A heavy sigh emits from The Brute, pausing in his tracks.
Joel: "My thoughts? You're asking me what the hell I thought? It was bland, colorless, lacking, and whatever else is demeaning. In other words, there wasn't enough paint on the canvas. No one could make art like I did when I threw Siberia Zombie about and now look at her being the curtain jerker for this evening. Vanessa Byrne just knows how much of a threat I am to this roster and here we are with the main event being a match between myself, Fantana, and Devlin to determine the number one contender for Devereux's Gladiator Championship."
Emily: "And your thoughts on it..."
Joel: "Don't even make me laugh with that question, Em. I could honestly give a rat's ass less about what the end result of this match is. Regardless of whether I win or lose tonight to either of those schmucks doesn't change the fact that my goal here in VPW is to make art in the ring with the bodies of my enemies and paint the canvas crimson with them. There's no change in that and there never will be. If you're wondering what kind of purpose this is serving...all I can say is that one day you'll find out why a man who just vapes, wears a half mask, and beats people up for living with no real rhyme or reason and within that moment of realization, everything is going to make sense and you'll be wondering why you didn't put two and two together quicker. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go prepare for my next art show."
Pushing a forearm into Emily, Joel shoves her aside before continuing his walk down the corridor, leaving Emily in silence as she can only watch on with a look of defeat resting on her face.
KO: This one right here folks, wow. In a night full of triple threats, I don't think anyone could have expected the tenacity that came out of this one. Megan Rydell and Brodie may be the new kids on the block, but they are experienced in the squared circle, and that is where it counts!
LO: New Kids On The Block...Damn! That takes me back.
KO: Yeah, those were the days, when faded denim jackets were cool, and bandannas around your boots wouldn't get you a second look.
A clip of a focused Megan Rydell being led to the ring by Spencer Walsh, followed by another clip of Brodie whipping her wild hair around, and throwing up devil signs to the crowd with her tongue out.
LO: You know, I sort of wish Spencer Walsh had stuck around ringside. You don't see the manager types that much anymore, but all he did was talk Rydell up like she was the second coming of Jesus.
KO: Yeah, and nobody needs Jesus more than Zachariah Krahe.
A clip of Zachariah Krahe coming out to the ring with an apathetic heir about him, while the fans watch on unsure of what to make of him.
LO: Brodie was quick on the draw in this one, firing into the other two like a wild woman, but somehow still making time to rock out with the fans.
KO: That is until Rydell got a hold of her, just after she sent Krahe to the concrete outside!
A shot of Megan Rydell repeatedly kicking Brodie while she's trapped in the corner, to a shot of Zachariah Krahe coming back into the ring with a sucker punch to Rydell, and finally a clip of Brodie mounting a comeback by running the ropes and double clotheslining Rydell and Krahe to the canvas.
LO: From here Brodie looked absolutely vicious, using her submission tactics to brutalize Krahe with a single leg Boston Crab.
KO: Seriously folks, it looked like she was going to rip that thing out of socket until Megan Rydell broke it up.
A clip of Brodie viciously locking in Krahe's leg, violently torquing it back with her knee in the center of his hip. Next a shot of Megan Rydell springboarding off the middle rope, and sending both feet into Brodie's face to break up the submission. Next Rydell driving her knee down into Brodie's forehead before hooking her leg for a pin.
1...
2...
3--NO!!
KO: It was almost over that quickly, but Brodie is pretty damn tough. Rydell had her back up on her feet, and nailed her with what looked like a fatal super kick, when Zachariah Krahe broke up this tet-a-tet with some massive damage of his own!
A shot of a wobbly Brodie being pulled up to her feet by Rydell, just as she turns to her side and sends her foot slamming into Brodie's jaw. Megan tries to go for another pin, but she's taken off her feet by a spear from Krahe, who follows up by pinning her arms beneath his knee's, and laying in unanswered shots right into the woman's face.
LO: Damn, that reminds me of my first marriage!
KO: He should call those punches 'Domestic Violence'.
LO: That's sensitive of you to those who really do have to go through that ordeal, but the action didn't end there. It gave Brodie all the time she needed to get to her feet.
A clip of Brodie bouncing into the ropes for momentum, and then delivering a nasty running knee right to the back of Zachariah Krahe's head. Zach lurches forwards off of Rydell holding the back of his head, while Brodie jerks Megan up to her feet, and nails her with a Fisherman Driver. She keeps the leg hooked for a pin.
1...
2...
3--NO!
KO: Zachariah broke that pin up at the last second, and showed that he was threw messing around.
A clip of Krahe sending Brodie off the ropes, and then nailing her with a devastating Busaiku Knee Kick that takes her head off. He drops for the cover.
1...
2...
LO: Megan Rydell was somehow still in this thing enough to break up that pin fall, and go for one of her own!
A shot of Rydell stiffly kicking Krahe off of Brodie, and then waiting for him to get halfway up before hooking him around the head, and dropping him with her Beautiful Disaster.
KO: I honestly believed that was the end of this match, but Brodie made an incredible last minute save at two and three quarters of the referee's count.
LO: Yeah, but unfortunately they had all taken so much damage that they nearly got a ten count.
KO: Notice how he said, 'Nearly!' Watch what happens next!
A clip of Brodie and Rydell getting to their feet at about the same time, while Zachariah Krahe uses the ropes to assist himself. Rydell takes a swing at Brodie, but the loud haired wonder ducks the swing, and delivers a standing drop kick to Megan's exposed back. Rydell lurches forwards and collides head first with Krahe, who tumbles through the middle and top rope to the concrete below. Rydell clutches her head as she stumbles back towards Brodie, who nails her with a butterfly kick.
KO: And that was the end of it folks. 1...
LO: 2...
KO: 3...
A clip of Brodie taking the second rope with a punk rock nod to her theme music "Prototype" by Viktoria Modesta, while Zachariah Krahe pulls himself up outside of the ring, looking around in bewilderment that the match is over. Megan Rydell strikes the mat in frustration before rolling out of the ring while Brodie continues her celebration.
KO: Now that's the way to kick off some Valor Pro Action folks, as the former artist proved that she isn't some tiger lily, but is a real contender.
LO: Yeah, but even though tonight was her night, Megan Rydell and Zachariah Krahe have nothing to be ashamed of.
KO: Except for defeat.
LO: Where is your sense of sportsmanship.
KO: I don't know. Maybe I'll find it in the next match!
LO: New Kids On The Block...Damn! That takes me back.
KO: Yeah, those were the days, when faded denim jackets were cool, and bandannas around your boots wouldn't get you a second look.
A clip of a focused Megan Rydell being led to the ring by Spencer Walsh, followed by another clip of Brodie whipping her wild hair around, and throwing up devil signs to the crowd with her tongue out.
LO: You know, I sort of wish Spencer Walsh had stuck around ringside. You don't see the manager types that much anymore, but all he did was talk Rydell up like she was the second coming of Jesus.
KO: Yeah, and nobody needs Jesus more than Zachariah Krahe.
A clip of Zachariah Krahe coming out to the ring with an apathetic heir about him, while the fans watch on unsure of what to make of him.
LO: Brodie was quick on the draw in this one, firing into the other two like a wild woman, but somehow still making time to rock out with the fans.
KO: That is until Rydell got a hold of her, just after she sent Krahe to the concrete outside!
A shot of Megan Rydell repeatedly kicking Brodie while she's trapped in the corner, to a shot of Zachariah Krahe coming back into the ring with a sucker punch to Rydell, and finally a clip of Brodie mounting a comeback by running the ropes and double clotheslining Rydell and Krahe to the canvas.
LO: From here Brodie looked absolutely vicious, using her submission tactics to brutalize Krahe with a single leg Boston Crab.
KO: Seriously folks, it looked like she was going to rip that thing out of socket until Megan Rydell broke it up.
A clip of Brodie viciously locking in Krahe's leg, violently torquing it back with her knee in the center of his hip. Next a shot of Megan Rydell springboarding off the middle rope, and sending both feet into Brodie's face to break up the submission. Next Rydell driving her knee down into Brodie's forehead before hooking her leg for a pin.
1...
2...
3--NO!!
KO: It was almost over that quickly, but Brodie is pretty damn tough. Rydell had her back up on her feet, and nailed her with what looked like a fatal super kick, when Zachariah Krahe broke up this tet-a-tet with some massive damage of his own!
A shot of a wobbly Brodie being pulled up to her feet by Rydell, just as she turns to her side and sends her foot slamming into Brodie's jaw. Megan tries to go for another pin, but she's taken off her feet by a spear from Krahe, who follows up by pinning her arms beneath his knee's, and laying in unanswered shots right into the woman's face.
LO: Damn, that reminds me of my first marriage!
KO: He should call those punches 'Domestic Violence'.
LO: That's sensitive of you to those who really do have to go through that ordeal, but the action didn't end there. It gave Brodie all the time she needed to get to her feet.
A clip of Brodie bouncing into the ropes for momentum, and then delivering a nasty running knee right to the back of Zachariah Krahe's head. Zach lurches forwards off of Rydell holding the back of his head, while Brodie jerks Megan up to her feet, and nails her with a Fisherman Driver. She keeps the leg hooked for a pin.
1...
2...
3--NO!
KO: Zachariah broke that pin up at the last second, and showed that he was threw messing around.
A clip of Krahe sending Brodie off the ropes, and then nailing her with a devastating Busaiku Knee Kick that takes her head off. He drops for the cover.
1...
2...
LO: Megan Rydell was somehow still in this thing enough to break up that pin fall, and go for one of her own!
A shot of Rydell stiffly kicking Krahe off of Brodie, and then waiting for him to get halfway up before hooking him around the head, and dropping him with her Beautiful Disaster.
KO: I honestly believed that was the end of this match, but Brodie made an incredible last minute save at two and three quarters of the referee's count.
LO: Yeah, but unfortunately they had all taken so much damage that they nearly got a ten count.
KO: Notice how he said, 'Nearly!' Watch what happens next!
A clip of Brodie and Rydell getting to their feet at about the same time, while Zachariah Krahe uses the ropes to assist himself. Rydell takes a swing at Brodie, but the loud haired wonder ducks the swing, and delivers a standing drop kick to Megan's exposed back. Rydell lurches forwards and collides head first with Krahe, who tumbles through the middle and top rope to the concrete below. Rydell clutches her head as she stumbles back towards Brodie, who nails her with a butterfly kick.
KO: And that was the end of it folks. 1...
LO: 2...
KO: 3...
A clip of Brodie taking the second rope with a punk rock nod to her theme music "Prototype" by Viktoria Modesta, while Zachariah Krahe pulls himself up outside of the ring, looking around in bewilderment that the match is over. Megan Rydell strikes the mat in frustration before rolling out of the ring while Brodie continues her celebration.
KO: Now that's the way to kick off some Valor Pro Action folks, as the former artist proved that she isn't some tiger lily, but is a real contender.
LO: Yeah, but even though tonight was her night, Megan Rydell and Zachariah Krahe have nothing to be ashamed of.
KO: Except for defeat.
LO: Where is your sense of sportsmanship.
KO: I don't know. Maybe I'll find it in the next match!
Winner: Brodie by pinfall, (15:17).
Othello Verdict: ***1/2
The big screen lights up with a flickering white light as the clicking of a projector can be heard. Grainy footage is shown highlighting Roxi Johnson. Soon, there’s a voice over - it’s the Monarch Champion, Elina Cartel.
“Roxi Johnson’s name is much better known than mine. Her history in this sport is deeper than mine. Some might even call her a legend, while addressing my status as, ‘spotty at best’. In the upcoming contendership match, she is clearly the favorite.”
Finally footage is shown of Roxi finishing Chase Drama.
“She has already proven to Valor Pro that she can take on the larger opponent in a lopsided match and come out with the victory. Some would even argue that the Monarch Championship match was flawed in its design and in a ‘one on one’ contest, Johnson would be the favorite. High praise.”
Now the footage shows Siberia Zombie highlights.
“Siberia Zombie would be that cliche ‘wild card’ in this contest. She’s driven, but she seems to lose herself to emotion. Her first match with Valor Pro ended with a sigh as she became blinded by emotion and didn’t finish the fight.”
Footage is shown of Siberia as she looks off into the distance having fought to a no contest.
“Of course, Siberia’s passion could work out for her. Hence the ‘wild card’. She might become blinded by her emotion, but it could result in a victory. Yet, can a ‘wild card’ maintain a firm grasp on a championship?”
Switch to footage of Arlo Rosabel’s young career. A lot of the footage captures his hair, because, well, it’s pretty excellent.
“Finally, the youngster Arlo Rosabel. He is likely the one with nothing to lose. Everything is in front of him. The world on a string. The only one who can truly defeat Arlo is Arlo himself. While he may not be the favorite to win this match tonight, he will likely put in a memorable performance, not unlike his performance against the ‘wizard’.”
Finally the footage shows Arlo with a smile on his face.
“Personally? I expect to face Arlo Rosabel for this Monarch Championship. Yes, it could be Roxi or Siberia, but when you look into the future, you see Arlo Rosabel taking on Elina Stardust for the Monarch Championship.”
Static.
“Roxi Johnson’s name is much better known than mine. Her history in this sport is deeper than mine. Some might even call her a legend, while addressing my status as, ‘spotty at best’. In the upcoming contendership match, she is clearly the favorite.”
Finally footage is shown of Roxi finishing Chase Drama.
“She has already proven to Valor Pro that she can take on the larger opponent in a lopsided match and come out with the victory. Some would even argue that the Monarch Championship match was flawed in its design and in a ‘one on one’ contest, Johnson would be the favorite. High praise.”
Now the footage shows Siberia Zombie highlights.
“Siberia Zombie would be that cliche ‘wild card’ in this contest. She’s driven, but she seems to lose herself to emotion. Her first match with Valor Pro ended with a sigh as she became blinded by emotion and didn’t finish the fight.”
Footage is shown of Siberia as she looks off into the distance having fought to a no contest.
“Of course, Siberia’s passion could work out for her. Hence the ‘wild card’. She might become blinded by her emotion, but it could result in a victory. Yet, can a ‘wild card’ maintain a firm grasp on a championship?”
Switch to footage of Arlo Rosabel’s young career. A lot of the footage captures his hair, because, well, it’s pretty excellent.
“Finally, the youngster Arlo Rosabel. He is likely the one with nothing to lose. Everything is in front of him. The world on a string. The only one who can truly defeat Arlo is Arlo himself. While he may not be the favorite to win this match tonight, he will likely put in a memorable performance, not unlike his performance against the ‘wizard’.”
Finally the footage shows Arlo with a smile on his face.
“Personally? I expect to face Arlo Rosabel for this Monarch Championship. Yes, it could be Roxi or Siberia, but when you look into the future, you see Arlo Rosabel taking on Elina Stardust for the Monarch Championship.”
Static.
LO: So we move on to the first number one contender’s match of the night. It’s a doozy. Siberia Zombie, Arlo Rosabel and Roxi Johnson all came mere inches from winning the Monarch Championship at the Blitz exhibition show.
KO: In the end, though, it was Elina Cartel who won the right to call herself the first ever Monarch champion.
LO: Well deserved, if you ask me.
KO: You’ll get no disagreement from me.
LO: And with this match, it’s up to one of these three competitors to earn the right to face Ms. Cartel for the championship at… do we know when that happens?
KO: I think, at this point, that’s at the head office’s discretion.
LO: Right. So whoever walks away the number one contender of this match, or the match later on for the Gladiator belt will simply own the right to be the first challenger for the belt. Date to be announced.
KO: You know, the more I see of this Arlo, the more convinced I am he’s going to be the one to put Valor Pro on the map.
LO: Or drive it into the ground under the weight of that ego.
KO: Ever the optimist.
LO: I do my part. So let’s get started on this.
KO: Roxi and Siberia go right to work on Arlo with a classic double team.
Shots of either woman trading off taking hits on Arlo, working in tandem, keeping the youngster off his feet until one of them tries to double team Arlo into a powerbomb and finds Rosabel swiftly reversing course and driving Roxi’s head into the canvas and moving in one swift motion to take down Siberia Zombie.
KO: God damn this kid could probably take them both on by himself. Shame you’ve got such a hate on for him.
LO: Look, I have never denied Arlo’s talent. I have simply raised the question as to how wise it is giving a kid with an ego the size of texas a spotlight.
KO: Does need you to give it to him, he’s going to take it.
Arlo arm drags Siberia Zombie than slams Roxi Johnson with a brutal fisherman suplex pin combo!
1…
--
Siberia Zombie breaks the pin.
KO: I mean I give Arlo a lot of praise, but each of them tonight looks on their game. Siberia Zombie had to bow out from competing in the Ladder match for the title due to some concerns after her absolue war with Joel Hawkfield--
LO: That man should be banned from active competition.
Ko: It was a perfectly legal contest. Hawkfield just goes that extra mile--
LO: To hurt people.
KO: This is a contact sport.
LO: Anyways, it looks like Siberia Zombie and Roxi Johnson never stopped teaming together against Arlo Rosabel who seemed, I don’t know, buoyed by confidence--
KO: Talented.
LO: Some mix of the two, but iot took both of them to put Arlo down and keep him down.
Another shot of Arlo being irish whipped into a fierce knife edge chop from Roxi Johnson. Cut to a wicked headscissor takedown by Siberia on Arlo, which cuts to a seeming recovery by Arlo taking gut shots on both women before downing them both with a double DDT that has the crowd roaring.
KO: Arlo with another cover…
1…
2..--
LO: It’s great to see Siberia and Roxi working together.
KO: It won’t last.
LO: You never know. Tag teams are going to become a priority as Valor gets some wind beneath its wings.
Arlo leans against the ropes looking stunned as an oncoming Roxi Johnson rushes him only for Arlo to duck and toss Roxi over the top to crash to the outside. Arlo follows after her with a splash that has the crowd roaring. Siberia Zombie chases out after them with a cross-body of her own, but Arlo catches her and slams her down with a spinning powerslam, then jaws with the crowd.
KO: This is great. Fan engagement.
LO: Heh. This is actually, as I check my twitter feed, this is going viral as we speak. Fan-captured footage someone posted to youtube.
KO: Let’s check it out.
We cut to a great ground-floor, front row seat from Arlo talking himself up.
ARLO ROSABEL: --Nobody in this company can do what I do. Nobody. Not you. Not your brother. Nobody.
He looks to the crowd with a likeable confidence. Some fans reach across the guard rail to pat Arlo on the back which he shifts away from with a warning like, he might be too good to be touched by mere fans before a man in the crowd hauls off a massive right fist on Arlo that downs the youngster!
KO: I don’t believe it!
LO: See why this is going viral?
Brennan Devlin is in the crowd with a ballcap tucked low over his face. He stands up to a roar of boos from the crowd, only to flip someone off and step over the guardrail to lay some brutal stomps down on Arlo. The referee looks on, confused, from the ring as Roxi and Siberia are both laid out.
BRENNAN DEVLIN: You got one, kid.
KO: In the end, though, it was Elina Cartel who won the right to call herself the first ever Monarch champion.
LO: Well deserved, if you ask me.
KO: You’ll get no disagreement from me.
LO: And with this match, it’s up to one of these three competitors to earn the right to face Ms. Cartel for the championship at… do we know when that happens?
KO: I think, at this point, that’s at the head office’s discretion.
LO: Right. So whoever walks away the number one contender of this match, or the match later on for the Gladiator belt will simply own the right to be the first challenger for the belt. Date to be announced.
KO: You know, the more I see of this Arlo, the more convinced I am he’s going to be the one to put Valor Pro on the map.
LO: Or drive it into the ground under the weight of that ego.
KO: Ever the optimist.
LO: I do my part. So let’s get started on this.
KO: Roxi and Siberia go right to work on Arlo with a classic double team.
Shots of either woman trading off taking hits on Arlo, working in tandem, keeping the youngster off his feet until one of them tries to double team Arlo into a powerbomb and finds Rosabel swiftly reversing course and driving Roxi’s head into the canvas and moving in one swift motion to take down Siberia Zombie.
KO: God damn this kid could probably take them both on by himself. Shame you’ve got such a hate on for him.
LO: Look, I have never denied Arlo’s talent. I have simply raised the question as to how wise it is giving a kid with an ego the size of texas a spotlight.
KO: Does need you to give it to him, he’s going to take it.
Arlo arm drags Siberia Zombie than slams Roxi Johnson with a brutal fisherman suplex pin combo!
1…
--
Siberia Zombie breaks the pin.
KO: I mean I give Arlo a lot of praise, but each of them tonight looks on their game. Siberia Zombie had to bow out from competing in the Ladder match for the title due to some concerns after her absolue war with Joel Hawkfield--
LO: That man should be banned from active competition.
Ko: It was a perfectly legal contest. Hawkfield just goes that extra mile--
LO: To hurt people.
KO: This is a contact sport.
LO: Anyways, it looks like Siberia Zombie and Roxi Johnson never stopped teaming together against Arlo Rosabel who seemed, I don’t know, buoyed by confidence--
KO: Talented.
LO: Some mix of the two, but iot took both of them to put Arlo down and keep him down.
Another shot of Arlo being irish whipped into a fierce knife edge chop from Roxi Johnson. Cut to a wicked headscissor takedown by Siberia on Arlo, which cuts to a seeming recovery by Arlo taking gut shots on both women before downing them both with a double DDT that has the crowd roaring.
KO: Arlo with another cover…
1…
2..--
LO: It’s great to see Siberia and Roxi working together.
KO: It won’t last.
LO: You never know. Tag teams are going to become a priority as Valor gets some wind beneath its wings.
Arlo leans against the ropes looking stunned as an oncoming Roxi Johnson rushes him only for Arlo to duck and toss Roxi over the top to crash to the outside. Arlo follows after her with a splash that has the crowd roaring. Siberia Zombie chases out after them with a cross-body of her own, but Arlo catches her and slams her down with a spinning powerslam, then jaws with the crowd.
KO: This is great. Fan engagement.
LO: Heh. This is actually, as I check my twitter feed, this is going viral as we speak. Fan-captured footage someone posted to youtube.
KO: Let’s check it out.
We cut to a great ground-floor, front row seat from Arlo talking himself up.
ARLO ROSABEL: --Nobody in this company can do what I do. Nobody. Not you. Not your brother. Nobody.
He looks to the crowd with a likeable confidence. Some fans reach across the guard rail to pat Arlo on the back which he shifts away from with a warning like, he might be too good to be touched by mere fans before a man in the crowd hauls off a massive right fist on Arlo that downs the youngster!
KO: I don’t believe it!
LO: See why this is going viral?
Brennan Devlin is in the crowd with a ballcap tucked low over his face. He stands up to a roar of boos from the crowd, only to flip someone off and step over the guardrail to lay some brutal stomps down on Arlo. The referee looks on, confused, from the ring as Roxi and Siberia are both laid out.
BRENNAN DEVLIN: You got one, kid.
Brennan holds up one finger to demonstrate before dragging a stunned Arlo up to his feet.
BRENNAN DEVLIN: Everybody gets one.
Brennan slams Arlo's head off his knee.
BRENNAN DEVLIN: But that’s all you get.
Brennan lifts Arlo up and drops him on the guardrail first off the jaw, then again stomach first before pushing him over into the fans and following after him. He grabs what appears to be a bag of apples.
Brennan slams Arlo's head off his knee.
BRENNAN DEVLIN: But that’s all you get.
Brennan lifts Arlo up and drops him on the guardrail first off the jaw, then again stomach first before pushing him over into the fans and following after him. He grabs what appears to be a bag of apples.
BRENNAN DEVLIN: You like apples, Arlo?!
Devlin goes to town swinging the bag down hard on a severely beaten Arlo Rosabel.
BRENNAN DEVLIN: How you like them apples now, kid?
BRENNAN DEVLIN: How you like them apples now, kid?
LO: Where the hell did he get the apples.
KO: I was just wondering that.
LO: (Laughs)
Brennan taunts as the fan-caught footage is as close as any professional footage could come as Devlin reacts to a mouthy fan, stealing his drink and pouring it all over the downed Arlo.
BRENNAN DEVLIN: Or that guy’s drink, how you like that? Or this popcorn. How you like popcorn?
Devlin spills popcorn on Arlo as Arlo rises, stunned, to his feet, and fights back landing a series of blows, but Brennan has the upper hand and knees him once more, then suplexes Arlo down on a set of folding chairs clearing out more of the audience.
LO: Sweet Jesus!
KO: He’s distraught from the loss of Slippery Pete.
LO: He’s getting Arlo back. Gonna kill the kid.
KO: Somebody was bound to.
The referee in the ring is counting Roxi and Arlo and Siberia out, with Brennan taking Arlo to task further and further into the crowd, well away from the match. The camera holder shifts his cell phone to Siberia and Roxi who seem to either not have noticed, or disregarded the Devlin interference and have turned towards one another.
LO: They got back in the ring…
KO: Ref’s gonna end up counting Arlo out and run with the two of them?
LO: …. That’s--Damn.
KO: A good call if I ever saw one.
LO: You’re right. Referee’s discretion in a triple threat match that may very well be considered a no disqualification.
The fan footage shifts back to see Brennan Devlin punching and slamming Arlo back into the arena proper, out of view as the fans have a hard to discern crowd chant rushing the poor audio quality.
LO: It’s just Zombie and Roxi competing for this thing now.
In the ring, the fight has become a one on one, with Siberia and Roxi trading blows before Roxi manages to stun Zombie with a lariat into a sunset flip combo!
1…
2…
3--Zombie kicks out.
LO: With Arlo forcibly removed from this match by Brennan Devlin, Siberia Zombie and Roxi Johnson now have a 50/50 shot of becoming the number 1 contender.
KO: Roxi might have this thing.
Roxi flattens Siberia with samoan drop then goes top rope and leaps off for a stunning split legged moonsault!
LO: She got all of that!
KO: Roxi’s gonna put this thing away!
1..
2..
3--
LO: Another kickout by Siberia Zombie! Nothing keeps this woman down.
KO: It’s tenacity. She’s of the zombie clan.
LO: She’s doing the name proud so far in Valor Pro.
Roxi looks frustrated, dragging Zombie up to her feet and hitting her with a bridging northern lights suplex, but Zombie kicks out before Roxi can settle in.
KO: Roxi Johnson has to pull out all the stops right now.
LO: She’s against a woman who isn’t going to stay down without a damn good reason.
KO: Give her time.
A shot of Siberia Zombie being brought to her feet and knife-edge chopping Roxi back towards the rope before Roxi breaks away and rebounds off the ropes looking for a disaster kick, but Siberia Zombie narrowly dodges, catches hold of an off-balance Roxi Johnson and slams her down for a spinebuster and hooks the leg into a Pulpo Guerrero that has Roxi instantly in pain.
KO: Ohhh. Bad spot to be in. That’s a Zombie specialty….
LO: Is she gonna…? She’s tapping!
Roxi taps out in pain as the ref calls for the bell and Zombie rises up to lift her arm.
LO: What a match. Siberia Zombie is the new Number One contender for the Monarch championship.
KO: Hard fought. You gotta wonder what would have happened had Arlo not been dragged from the fight.
LO: That’s a what-if we’ll have to wait to answer. We don’t even know what ended up becoming of him and Devlin.
KO: Devlin still has a match.
LO: Indeed. In terms of an official Othello Ranking for this one, how many stars should we give it?
KO: I’d give it… maybe a three and a half.
LO: Again?
KO: It’s a stellar match. These two, initially three, brought the intensity. Anytime someone gets dragged out of the match due to outside interference though...
LO: Counts against them.
KO: On second thought, that was pretty entertaining, if only for the viral quality. Give it 4 stars.
LO: 4 Stars it is.
BRENNAN DEVLIN: Or that guy’s drink, how you like that? Or this popcorn. How you like popcorn?
Devlin spills popcorn on Arlo as Arlo rises, stunned, to his feet, and fights back landing a series of blows, but Brennan has the upper hand and knees him once more, then suplexes Arlo down on a set of folding chairs clearing out more of the audience.
LO: Sweet Jesus!
KO: He’s distraught from the loss of Slippery Pete.
LO: He’s getting Arlo back. Gonna kill the kid.
KO: Somebody was bound to.
The referee in the ring is counting Roxi and Arlo and Siberia out, with Brennan taking Arlo to task further and further into the crowd, well away from the match. The camera holder shifts his cell phone to Siberia and Roxi who seem to either not have noticed, or disregarded the Devlin interference and have turned towards one another.
LO: They got back in the ring…
KO: Ref’s gonna end up counting Arlo out and run with the two of them?
LO: …. That’s--Damn.
KO: A good call if I ever saw one.
LO: You’re right. Referee’s discretion in a triple threat match that may very well be considered a no disqualification.
The fan footage shifts back to see Brennan Devlin punching and slamming Arlo back into the arena proper, out of view as the fans have a hard to discern crowd chant rushing the poor audio quality.
LO: It’s just Zombie and Roxi competing for this thing now.
In the ring, the fight has become a one on one, with Siberia and Roxi trading blows before Roxi manages to stun Zombie with a lariat into a sunset flip combo!
1…
2…
3--Zombie kicks out.
LO: With Arlo forcibly removed from this match by Brennan Devlin, Siberia Zombie and Roxi Johnson now have a 50/50 shot of becoming the number 1 contender.
KO: Roxi might have this thing.
Roxi flattens Siberia with samoan drop then goes top rope and leaps off for a stunning split legged moonsault!
LO: She got all of that!
KO: Roxi’s gonna put this thing away!
1..
2..
3--
LO: Another kickout by Siberia Zombie! Nothing keeps this woman down.
KO: It’s tenacity. She’s of the zombie clan.
LO: She’s doing the name proud so far in Valor Pro.
Roxi looks frustrated, dragging Zombie up to her feet and hitting her with a bridging northern lights suplex, but Zombie kicks out before Roxi can settle in.
KO: Roxi Johnson has to pull out all the stops right now.
LO: She’s against a woman who isn’t going to stay down without a damn good reason.
KO: Give her time.
A shot of Siberia Zombie being brought to her feet and knife-edge chopping Roxi back towards the rope before Roxi breaks away and rebounds off the ropes looking for a disaster kick, but Siberia Zombie narrowly dodges, catches hold of an off-balance Roxi Johnson and slams her down for a spinebuster and hooks the leg into a Pulpo Guerrero that has Roxi instantly in pain.
KO: Ohhh. Bad spot to be in. That’s a Zombie specialty….
LO: Is she gonna…? She’s tapping!
Roxi taps out in pain as the ref calls for the bell and Zombie rises up to lift her arm.
LO: What a match. Siberia Zombie is the new Number One contender for the Monarch championship.
KO: Hard fought. You gotta wonder what would have happened had Arlo not been dragged from the fight.
LO: That’s a what-if we’ll have to wait to answer. We don’t even know what ended up becoming of him and Devlin.
KO: Devlin still has a match.
LO: Indeed. In terms of an official Othello Ranking for this one, how many stars should we give it?
KO: I’d give it… maybe a three and a half.
LO: Again?
KO: It’s a stellar match. These two, initially three, brought the intensity. Anytime someone gets dragged out of the match due to outside interference though...
LO: Counts against them.
KO: On second thought, that was pretty entertaining, if only for the viral quality. Give it 4 stars.
LO: 4 Stars it is.
Winner: Siberia Zombie by submission, (34:27)
Orthello Verdict: ****
Orthello Verdict: ****
Deep in the bowels of the AccorHotels Arena, Zack Fantana is enjoying a submarine sandwich. In the background, a Valor Pro crew appeared to be setting up a scale for the pre-match weigh-in for Monarch competitors.
Zack Fantana: Why’d you bring a high speed camera?
There’s some mumbling off screen from one of Valor Pro’s finest crew members, but they’re not SAG-AFTRA so they don’t get a speaking credit.
Zack Fantana: You guys haven’t heard? I’m a heavyweight now. They decertified me as a junior heavyweight because apparently eating disorders are in vogue in wrestling now. It’s the first time in recorded history that a weight class has dropped down to get into the Zack Fantana division.
He kept talking but no one appeared to be stopping
Zack Fantana: So, um, I don’t need to weigh in anymore but I guess you could film a montage of me eating this submarine sandwich if you need the content.
A generous offer, to be sure, but Emily Burlingame had other ideas. Zack looked at her curiously. It seemed like she’d popped out of nowhere.
Emily Burlingame: Zack, you have quite the contrast in opponents this week. First, Brennan Devlin, who you’ve fought all over America in the past year, and then there’s Joel Hawkfield, whose past is a bit of a mystery.
Zack Fantana: I mean, that’s what he’s going for - mystery. He told you on the last show that was kind of his aesthetic, that and making everything smell like vanilla bean.
Zack imitates taking a hit of a vape pen.
Zack Fantana: I imagine. I’ve not come toe-to-toe with the guy yet, but I imagine he’s a vanilla bean kind of guy.
Zack looked at Emily for confirmation but she only shrugged.
Zack Fantana: So I’ve tried to look into Joel Hawkfield and there’s nothing to be found. Is that how he wants it though? I think Joel is so content hiding in obscurity because, quite frankly, that’s where a man like him belongs. I don’t know that it’s part of any grand design. It’s just what his skill set achieves for him. Obscurity might just be his ceiling, because guess what? No one remembers the guy who fought to a double countout on the first show. No one claps for a punt.
Emily Burlingame: The Othello Brothers did give the match 3 stars.
Emily had clearly designed that as a dig at Zack Fantana’s 2 and a half star rated match on the Valor Pro exhibition show.
Zack Fantana: Whoa, okay. You wanna poke fun at my match at the Valor Pro exhibition show? You wanna talk about Chase ‘n’ Trauma? It’s the one and only time Chase ‘n’ Trauma will be relevant, so why not, right? Why hold anything back?
He spoke about them collectively as if he forgot which one he’d faced.
Zack Fantana: The only thing I’m mad at Chase ‘n’ Trauma for is that they brought my average Othello star rating down.
He mumbled something about something about Chase ‘N’ Trauma being the “dollar store BombTrax”.
Zack Fantana: I’d love to say I’ve transcended Othello star ratings along with everything else about my identity that I’ve shed lately, but I would just be lying to myself. I need to win the Othello Brothers over, because everyone knows that as the Othellos go, so goes the world.
Emily Burlingame: And Brennan?
Zack Fantana: No one’s happier than me to see Faceless Devlin gone and buried, and I’m glad that Brennan has said he’s not going to overlook anyone anymore, because I don’t want the Brennan Devlin who has nothing to prove. I want the Brennan Devlin who is petty and insecure and has a chip on his shoulder, because that’s the Brennan Devlin who has the capability to push me like nobody else in this company can.
Zack Fantana: Devlin and I are always good for a wrestling clinic, and hey, maybe we can pull a five star classic out of Hawkfield. If he tried as hard to finish a match as he did to hurt innocent teenagers, he’d probably be champion right now.
Zack smiled.
Zack Fantana: But, no, I like Hawkfield, really. Seems like a great guy, lots of fun. I’ve even thought about commissioning him for a painting of me holding the Gladiator Championship.
Emily Burlingame: Any final thoughts going into your match? How has France been treating you?
Zack Fantana: Well, Emily, I’ve been in a very reflective state of mind lately, ruminating on all the people I’ve lost by taking this journey. It’s made me think about all the mistakes I’ve made. In my hubris, I’d been molding these pledges into my image, but what I should have been doing was molding myself into a better representative for them. Fantanasy was meant to be a living vessel for the hopeless and disenfranchised and yet I made it all about me like always. But this is the beginning of a new chapter. I have the opportunity to inspire an entirely new demographic.
He took the final bite of his submarine sandwich.
Zack Fantana: Well, that’s my time. Enjoy the show.
Zack got up, stretched his legs and walked off screen.
Zack Fantana: Why’d you bring a high speed camera?
There’s some mumbling off screen from one of Valor Pro’s finest crew members, but they’re not SAG-AFTRA so they don’t get a speaking credit.
Zack Fantana: You guys haven’t heard? I’m a heavyweight now. They decertified me as a junior heavyweight because apparently eating disorders are in vogue in wrestling now. It’s the first time in recorded history that a weight class has dropped down to get into the Zack Fantana division.
He kept talking but no one appeared to be stopping
Zack Fantana: So, um, I don’t need to weigh in anymore but I guess you could film a montage of me eating this submarine sandwich if you need the content.
A generous offer, to be sure, but Emily Burlingame had other ideas. Zack looked at her curiously. It seemed like she’d popped out of nowhere.
Emily Burlingame: Zack, you have quite the contrast in opponents this week. First, Brennan Devlin, who you’ve fought all over America in the past year, and then there’s Joel Hawkfield, whose past is a bit of a mystery.
Zack Fantana: I mean, that’s what he’s going for - mystery. He told you on the last show that was kind of his aesthetic, that and making everything smell like vanilla bean.
Zack imitates taking a hit of a vape pen.
Zack Fantana: I imagine. I’ve not come toe-to-toe with the guy yet, but I imagine he’s a vanilla bean kind of guy.
Zack looked at Emily for confirmation but she only shrugged.
Zack Fantana: So I’ve tried to look into Joel Hawkfield and there’s nothing to be found. Is that how he wants it though? I think Joel is so content hiding in obscurity because, quite frankly, that’s where a man like him belongs. I don’t know that it’s part of any grand design. It’s just what his skill set achieves for him. Obscurity might just be his ceiling, because guess what? No one remembers the guy who fought to a double countout on the first show. No one claps for a punt.
Emily Burlingame: The Othello Brothers did give the match 3 stars.
Emily had clearly designed that as a dig at Zack Fantana’s 2 and a half star rated match on the Valor Pro exhibition show.
Zack Fantana: Whoa, okay. You wanna poke fun at my match at the Valor Pro exhibition show? You wanna talk about Chase ‘n’ Trauma? It’s the one and only time Chase ‘n’ Trauma will be relevant, so why not, right? Why hold anything back?
He spoke about them collectively as if he forgot which one he’d faced.
Zack Fantana: The only thing I’m mad at Chase ‘n’ Trauma for is that they brought my average Othello star rating down.
He mumbled something about something about Chase ‘N’ Trauma being the “dollar store BombTrax”.
Zack Fantana: I’d love to say I’ve transcended Othello star ratings along with everything else about my identity that I’ve shed lately, but I would just be lying to myself. I need to win the Othello Brothers over, because everyone knows that as the Othellos go, so goes the world.
Emily Burlingame: And Brennan?
Zack Fantana: No one’s happier than me to see Faceless Devlin gone and buried, and I’m glad that Brennan has said he’s not going to overlook anyone anymore, because I don’t want the Brennan Devlin who has nothing to prove. I want the Brennan Devlin who is petty and insecure and has a chip on his shoulder, because that’s the Brennan Devlin who has the capability to push me like nobody else in this company can.
Zack Fantana: Devlin and I are always good for a wrestling clinic, and hey, maybe we can pull a five star classic out of Hawkfield. If he tried as hard to finish a match as he did to hurt innocent teenagers, he’d probably be champion right now.
Zack smiled.
Zack Fantana: But, no, I like Hawkfield, really. Seems like a great guy, lots of fun. I’ve even thought about commissioning him for a painting of me holding the Gladiator Championship.
Emily Burlingame: Any final thoughts going into your match? How has France been treating you?
Zack Fantana: Well, Emily, I’ve been in a very reflective state of mind lately, ruminating on all the people I’ve lost by taking this journey. It’s made me think about all the mistakes I’ve made. In my hubris, I’d been molding these pledges into my image, but what I should have been doing was molding myself into a better representative for them. Fantanasy was meant to be a living vessel for the hopeless and disenfranchised and yet I made it all about me like always. But this is the beginning of a new chapter. I have the opportunity to inspire an entirely new demographic.
He took the final bite of his submarine sandwich.
Zack Fantana: Well, that’s my time. Enjoy the show.
Zack got up, stretched his legs and walked off screen.
LO: And now, joining us in the studio, we’ve got a real treat for you. The first ever VPW Gladiator Champion, Ace Devereux himself.
KO: Welcome, big man.
AD: Hello, gentlemen. Glad you get to see me.
LO: Nice to have you with us for Blitz round 2.
KO: What’s it like holding the strap?
AD: It feels so natural. It’s practically second nature at this point. Sleep, shower, get dressed, put on my belt… Know what I mean?
LO: (Laughs) You walk around out in public with that thing?
AD: Of course. I know, I’m clearly already a man who people look up to and admire, but sometimes, people need that little extra to realize what they’re seeing exactly.
LO: Can’t imagine that thing means much to anyone, yet.
KO: That’s why Ace is here, Laur-- Start us off right. Get the ball rolling, right?
AD: Exactly. Seeing Valor Pro Wrestling’s logo over the shoulder of someone like me? This place is gonna be flying high in no time.
KO: That’s exactly why I think it was a good thing for the federation when you won it.
LO: Would have been just as good had anyone else won it.
KO: Ever the contrarian. Laurence is the even-keeled half of this tag-team as you can tell.
LO: More reasonable, you mean. Let’s look a little more objectively at the field of Gladiator competitors. Who do you think has the likeliest chance of challenging you for the belt, Ace?
AD: Challenging? No one. Competing for it? Well, that’s what this show is meant to determine, isn’t it?
KO: It’s a decent field. Could use more bodies.
LO: We go with what we have, and I think Ace here might be selling some of these folks short. Look at the people in the upcoming match alone. Joel Hawkfield. He’s monstrous.
KO: I think Ace has him, though. On paper, at least.
AD: Think? Kenneth, buddy, now you’re sellin’ me short. Joel is a feral animal, not a fighter. He oozes all this aggression like it’s supposed to mean something. He doesn’t understand strategy, tactics. You need more than an animalistic roar to wear a championship.
LO: Absolutely right. But I’d be mindful before you go counting anybody out.
KO: And what about Zack Fantana?
AD: Mr. Identity Crisis? I think he should’ve stuck to chasing Elina. When you look at him, you don’t see anything special. And I believe in my heart he doesn’t see it either. Maybe that motivates him to push harder than the next guy… Or gal… But he doesn’t know which way he wants to go. What if he lost to Devlin or Hawkfield? He’d probably just slink back down to the Monarch division to recoup his losses.
LO: Now that weight class transfer was a clerical error-
KO: It’s not a big deal, Laur. Let him finish, I’m liking this. And Devlin? This is a guy you shouldn’t sleep on.
AD: The big name. The ‘face.’ When this place got started, all seventeen people that were payin’ attention pegged ol’ Devlin to be the number one guy. Lo and behold, here I sit with the Gladiator Championship. I had plenty of time to fight this guy and there’s really only one word to describe him: overrated. He’s got all the hype in the world but I don’t care about his marketing campaigns. That packaging’s nice but the package is empty.
LO: (Under his breath, almost) I can think of at least one word to describe you. (Normal volume) Let’s get right on to this recap.
KO: Geez, Laur-
LO: I’m the reasonable one, remember? I think this is a field of competitors that could have just as easily been waking up and wearing that title Ace is wearing. And I think the next time the title is on the line it can switch hands as quick as a blink.
KO: We’ll, first, have to decide who is the number one contender for the belt, so let’s get right down to it.
Still photos of the competitors striding down to the ring are played. Zack Fantana, Brennan Devlin, and Joel Hawkfield, each reacting to the crowd who is roaring for this match to get underway.
KO: What about you, Laurence. Who do you think is gonna take this thing?
LO: Honestly? I think Joel Hawkfield has the intensity, and an eye for violence that is, as yet, unrivaled in this company.
KO: Pffft.
LO: I’m serious. He’s the guy who can inflict the most amount of damage in the shortest amount of time possible. When it comes to weight class, that’s the stuff that matters.
KO: Well, you’re not wrong. Check this out. To start with, Joel Hawkfield rushes Zack Fantana and clocks him with a hard-charging elbow that knocks Zack into a corner. Hawkfield seems to not pay much attention to Devlin, continuing to stomp a downed Zack Fantana.
LO: Devlin wasn’t too keen on getting in on the action early on. More resolved to let Hawkfield expend himself.
KO: Which was smart.
AD: Not to mention that he left Fantana as a puddle in the corner as a result.
LO: Devlin picked his spot. And it’s exactly why Arlo should’ve been more careful about antagonizing a man like this.
KO: You mess with the bull, you get the horns. Devlin’s vicious. No doubt about it.
A clip of Devlin inviting Hawkfield for a test of strength then hits him with a gut kick underhook suplex pinning combination.
LO: That was a nice one there.
AD: See? This is what I was talking about. All Hawkfield cares about is being as aggressive as possible. Devlin, in an uncharacteristic moment of brilliance, uses that against him and he pays for it. How’s your animal looking now, Laurence?
LO: Match isn’t over.
KO: So Devlin takes control, working Hawkfield over before he’s on the receiving end of a side backbreaker from a recovered Zack Fantana.
A clip of Fantana stunning Devlin, and the crowd, coming out of nowhere to drop Devlin to the canvas. And with Fantana in the mix, it’s a true triple threat. With exchanges going in each direction. Hawkfield gets a good handle on Devlin for an irish whip into the corner only for Fantana to splash Devlin in the corner and rebound for a vicious kick that stuns Hawkfield.
LO: True free-for-all. We haven’;t really had a chance for the Gladiator guys to go one on one.
AD: And really, these moments of chaos will only favor Hawkfield, no matter how much his diet right now consists of leather.
A clip of Devlin backbody dropping Fantana, and almost takes Hawkfield’s head off with a lariat right after.
KO: I love that viciousness. Devlin didn’t have it at the exhibition show. It was easy to see he wasn’t expecting what he got from the Valor Pro roster at first. But he’s got a keen awareness now.
AD: Maybe that Devlin will be a challenge after all.
LO: (Laughs) You bet your ass. The exhibition was just that, exhibition.
KO: The offense in this one is varied and splits evenly down the middle. Gladiator Division, like the Monarch Division, might not be so easy to decide after one night.
A shot of Hawkfield getting thrown clear of the ring, colliding with the outside guardrail and then it’s a fight between Devlin and Fantana that the crowd can’t get enough of.
KO: These two guys… this was the match fans were clamoring for when they both signed.
AD: From what I heard, sounds like this may be a match that’s happened a ton before?
LO: It’s happened enough. (Laughs)
KO: Good rivalry. It was a decent prelude to a potential real thing in the future to see these two trading suplexes, and body slams. Look at that.
Shot of the two men trading blows center ring, then suplexes, then body slams before Devlin rakes Fantana’s eyes and gets the upperhand.
LO: (Laughs) Devlin doing what a Devlin does.
AD: And what is a ‘Devlin’ exactly?
KO: A mean SOB that sees what he wants and tries by any means to get it, I guess.
LO: A fair assessment.
Devlin takes Fantana down with a running knee off a rebound then goes to work on Fantana’s limbs, systematically weakening his shoulders at the joint before Hawkfield comes in and lays Devlin out with a belly to belly.
KO: Damn. Hawkfield literally is this brutal artist. Guy’s out for blood every time he steps in the ring.
AD: Devlin and Fantana may need a rabies shot when this is over.
LO: Hawkfield was brutal. Dropping Devlin on top of Fantana with a suplex than stomps, and knee drops onto the both of them before Devlin and Fantana turn the tables and give the fans a chance to see the two men actually working together!
KO: Miracles CAN happen, fight fans.
A clip of Fantana and Devlin double clotheslining Hawkfield back outside of the ring, but Hawkfield manages to grab hold of both Fantana and Devlin and pull them all outside!
LO: (Laughs) I don’t think either of them were expecting that.
KO: From there it’s a battle on the outside. Hawkfield’s playground.
LO: Devlin’s too. And Fantana isn’t exactly inexperienced.
AD: And while Hawkfield drives Devlin into the ring steps and Fantana into the guardrail, you can see who benefits most from the chaos, y’know, like I mentioned earlier. And then some headbutts and slamming Fantana’s head off the post… And now he’s bleeding. Great.
LO: Ooooh. He cut the Fantanasy open at the forehead after that series of brutal headbutts combined with mashing his head off the post.
KO: It’ll happen. And, once again, Devlin is there to take advantage of HAwkfield doing his thing. Watch Brennan leap off the apron and take out Hawkfield with an impressive standing Senton.
LO: These guys looked great out there.
KO: And then leave it to Devlin to do to Hawkfield, what Hawkfield was doing to Fantana.
A shot of Devlin smashing Hawkfield off the ring post before Fantana re-enters the fray and takes both Hawkfield and Devlin out with back to back headscissor take downs.
LO: Zack Fantana is never out for long.
KO: He’s a wildcard.
LO: I would more call him a threat regardless of the state he’s in.
KO: Suit yourself. Watch this. A Fantana picture perfect moonsault on Hawkfield.
LO: But, by now, a, what, 15 minute grueling match has all three men down and out.
KO: And… uh… oh-oh.. Is that--
AD: Ooh! Now this match is really heating up!
LO: You’ve got to be kidding me..
A shot shows Ace Devereux come striding out and down the ramp. The fans boo like they already know Devereux is up to no good.
AD: There he is, gentlemen. Your Valor Pro Gladiator Champion.
KO: (Haha). Sort of an inception thing going on here…
LO: Oh, I don’t believe this. You planned this.
AD: Of course I did, Laurence. What kind of second rate tactician do you take me for? Watch this, it gets good.
KO: So, now with this new dynamic, which, admittedly, is kind of funny, my hats off to you, brother, Fantana and Devlin gotta keep an eye on Devereux--
LO: Don’t get confused fans. He’s in the studio, apparently calling his own run-in.
KO: No better way to do it, Laur-.
The crowd is hyped, watching Devlin and Fantana drag themselves back into the ring and begin to duke it out. Fantana gets the upper hand and looks to put Devlin away with a belly to back lifting into what he has set up for a lumbar check but Devlin reverses the momentum entirely mid lift and takes Fantana down with a surprise leaping cutter that has the crowd on its feet!
KO: I don’t believe it! Fantana had him.
LO: Not anymore.
A stunned and winded Devlin goes for the cover!
1…
2…
---
AD: … and that’s when I grabbed the referee’s ankle and pulled him out of the ring. Ain’t gonna be that easy, Devlin.
LO: Cheeky bastard.
KO: Brutal.
AD: So then, I slide in and blast Devlin with a steel chair shot to the spine and break up that pin attempt! Oh, if you could’ve heard the shocked cry of pain I got to hear up close and personal… It’s fair to say that I am the one true artist in this company.
LO: Ruined the damn match.
KO: I wouldn’t go that far.
AD: I mean, how many arm drags did you want to see before this thing ended? I did you a favor, Laurence. Thank me.
LO: It was a bit more than a couple arm drags, Ace.
KO: The ref called this thing.
A shot of Ace Devereux slamming the chair into the downed Fantana, then blasting Joel Hawkfield as he reenetered the ring and rushed Ace is shown. The official calls for the bell with all three men laid out in the ring with Devereux standing over them.
LO: So now what?
KO: What do you mean now what?
LO: There’s no number one contender now that Ace decided to intervene like that.
AD: Not my problem, is it? The animal, the enigma, and the face all showed that they aren’t anywhere near my level. I mean, it took me, what, fifteen seconds to stand tall whereas none of them could do it in fifteen minutes plus?
KO: It’s not exactly a bad outcome. It just means the head office is going to need to figure out another way to figure out who challenges for Ace’s title.
AD: So those three got their shot and failed. Line up some others for me.
LO: It’s still cheap, and I would’ve socked you in the mouth for that.
AD: You’ve still got some time to try it out.
KO: Easy, Laur--. Man’s half your age.
LO: (Annoyed sigh). All right, so what sort of rating do we give this abortion of a match.
KO: Keep it PG. I dunno, Ace, you’re the man of the hour, what do you think?
AD: I mean, I guess it was enjoyable but they took their sweet time getting to the end. I would probably give it maybe… three stars? But then I showed up and it immediately became a five star match.
KO: (Laughs) Modest.
LO: Bullshit, is what that is. I’m not asking you again, Ace.
KO: The man’s a guest, Laurence. You act like he clubbed a baby seal on television, or something.
LO: An unwelcome one after pulling a stunt like that.
AD: C’mon, Laurence. Don’t get your Depends in a twist. It was brilliant even if you think you’re addressin’ me from some moral high ground.
LO: (Angrily) Yeah. Well, that’s about all the time we have. We didn’t get a contender crowned for the Gladiator belt, but the night wasn’t a bust.
KO: Not by a long shot. We got some time with the Gladiator Champion. Got to see the field spread out a little, got a closer look at what to expect in the coming weeks. You’re making a big thing out of a pretty decisively fantastic episode of Blitz.
KO: Welcome, big man.
AD: Hello, gentlemen. Glad you get to see me.
LO: Nice to have you with us for Blitz round 2.
KO: What’s it like holding the strap?
AD: It feels so natural. It’s practically second nature at this point. Sleep, shower, get dressed, put on my belt… Know what I mean?
LO: (Laughs) You walk around out in public with that thing?
AD: Of course. I know, I’m clearly already a man who people look up to and admire, but sometimes, people need that little extra to realize what they’re seeing exactly.
LO: Can’t imagine that thing means much to anyone, yet.
KO: That’s why Ace is here, Laur-- Start us off right. Get the ball rolling, right?
AD: Exactly. Seeing Valor Pro Wrestling’s logo over the shoulder of someone like me? This place is gonna be flying high in no time.
KO: That’s exactly why I think it was a good thing for the federation when you won it.
LO: Would have been just as good had anyone else won it.
KO: Ever the contrarian. Laurence is the even-keeled half of this tag-team as you can tell.
LO: More reasonable, you mean. Let’s look a little more objectively at the field of Gladiator competitors. Who do you think has the likeliest chance of challenging you for the belt, Ace?
AD: Challenging? No one. Competing for it? Well, that’s what this show is meant to determine, isn’t it?
KO: It’s a decent field. Could use more bodies.
LO: We go with what we have, and I think Ace here might be selling some of these folks short. Look at the people in the upcoming match alone. Joel Hawkfield. He’s monstrous.
KO: I think Ace has him, though. On paper, at least.
AD: Think? Kenneth, buddy, now you’re sellin’ me short. Joel is a feral animal, not a fighter. He oozes all this aggression like it’s supposed to mean something. He doesn’t understand strategy, tactics. You need more than an animalistic roar to wear a championship.
LO: Absolutely right. But I’d be mindful before you go counting anybody out.
KO: And what about Zack Fantana?
AD: Mr. Identity Crisis? I think he should’ve stuck to chasing Elina. When you look at him, you don’t see anything special. And I believe in my heart he doesn’t see it either. Maybe that motivates him to push harder than the next guy… Or gal… But he doesn’t know which way he wants to go. What if he lost to Devlin or Hawkfield? He’d probably just slink back down to the Monarch division to recoup his losses.
LO: Now that weight class transfer was a clerical error-
KO: It’s not a big deal, Laur. Let him finish, I’m liking this. And Devlin? This is a guy you shouldn’t sleep on.
AD: The big name. The ‘face.’ When this place got started, all seventeen people that were payin’ attention pegged ol’ Devlin to be the number one guy. Lo and behold, here I sit with the Gladiator Championship. I had plenty of time to fight this guy and there’s really only one word to describe him: overrated. He’s got all the hype in the world but I don’t care about his marketing campaigns. That packaging’s nice but the package is empty.
LO: (Under his breath, almost) I can think of at least one word to describe you. (Normal volume) Let’s get right on to this recap.
KO: Geez, Laur-
LO: I’m the reasonable one, remember? I think this is a field of competitors that could have just as easily been waking up and wearing that title Ace is wearing. And I think the next time the title is on the line it can switch hands as quick as a blink.
KO: We’ll, first, have to decide who is the number one contender for the belt, so let’s get right down to it.
Still photos of the competitors striding down to the ring are played. Zack Fantana, Brennan Devlin, and Joel Hawkfield, each reacting to the crowd who is roaring for this match to get underway.
KO: What about you, Laurence. Who do you think is gonna take this thing?
LO: Honestly? I think Joel Hawkfield has the intensity, and an eye for violence that is, as yet, unrivaled in this company.
KO: Pffft.
LO: I’m serious. He’s the guy who can inflict the most amount of damage in the shortest amount of time possible. When it comes to weight class, that’s the stuff that matters.
KO: Well, you’re not wrong. Check this out. To start with, Joel Hawkfield rushes Zack Fantana and clocks him with a hard-charging elbow that knocks Zack into a corner. Hawkfield seems to not pay much attention to Devlin, continuing to stomp a downed Zack Fantana.
LO: Devlin wasn’t too keen on getting in on the action early on. More resolved to let Hawkfield expend himself.
KO: Which was smart.
AD: Not to mention that he left Fantana as a puddle in the corner as a result.
LO: Devlin picked his spot. And it’s exactly why Arlo should’ve been more careful about antagonizing a man like this.
KO: You mess with the bull, you get the horns. Devlin’s vicious. No doubt about it.
A clip of Devlin inviting Hawkfield for a test of strength then hits him with a gut kick underhook suplex pinning combination.
LO: That was a nice one there.
AD: See? This is what I was talking about. All Hawkfield cares about is being as aggressive as possible. Devlin, in an uncharacteristic moment of brilliance, uses that against him and he pays for it. How’s your animal looking now, Laurence?
LO: Match isn’t over.
KO: So Devlin takes control, working Hawkfield over before he’s on the receiving end of a side backbreaker from a recovered Zack Fantana.
A clip of Fantana stunning Devlin, and the crowd, coming out of nowhere to drop Devlin to the canvas. And with Fantana in the mix, it’s a true triple threat. With exchanges going in each direction. Hawkfield gets a good handle on Devlin for an irish whip into the corner only for Fantana to splash Devlin in the corner and rebound for a vicious kick that stuns Hawkfield.
LO: True free-for-all. We haven’;t really had a chance for the Gladiator guys to go one on one.
AD: And really, these moments of chaos will only favor Hawkfield, no matter how much his diet right now consists of leather.
A clip of Devlin backbody dropping Fantana, and almost takes Hawkfield’s head off with a lariat right after.
KO: I love that viciousness. Devlin didn’t have it at the exhibition show. It was easy to see he wasn’t expecting what he got from the Valor Pro roster at first. But he’s got a keen awareness now.
AD: Maybe that Devlin will be a challenge after all.
LO: (Laughs) You bet your ass. The exhibition was just that, exhibition.
KO: The offense in this one is varied and splits evenly down the middle. Gladiator Division, like the Monarch Division, might not be so easy to decide after one night.
A shot of Hawkfield getting thrown clear of the ring, colliding with the outside guardrail and then it’s a fight between Devlin and Fantana that the crowd can’t get enough of.
KO: These two guys… this was the match fans were clamoring for when they both signed.
AD: From what I heard, sounds like this may be a match that’s happened a ton before?
LO: It’s happened enough. (Laughs)
KO: Good rivalry. It was a decent prelude to a potential real thing in the future to see these two trading suplexes, and body slams. Look at that.
Shot of the two men trading blows center ring, then suplexes, then body slams before Devlin rakes Fantana’s eyes and gets the upperhand.
LO: (Laughs) Devlin doing what a Devlin does.
AD: And what is a ‘Devlin’ exactly?
KO: A mean SOB that sees what he wants and tries by any means to get it, I guess.
LO: A fair assessment.
Devlin takes Fantana down with a running knee off a rebound then goes to work on Fantana’s limbs, systematically weakening his shoulders at the joint before Hawkfield comes in and lays Devlin out with a belly to belly.
KO: Damn. Hawkfield literally is this brutal artist. Guy’s out for blood every time he steps in the ring.
AD: Devlin and Fantana may need a rabies shot when this is over.
LO: Hawkfield was brutal. Dropping Devlin on top of Fantana with a suplex than stomps, and knee drops onto the both of them before Devlin and Fantana turn the tables and give the fans a chance to see the two men actually working together!
KO: Miracles CAN happen, fight fans.
A clip of Fantana and Devlin double clotheslining Hawkfield back outside of the ring, but Hawkfield manages to grab hold of both Fantana and Devlin and pull them all outside!
LO: (Laughs) I don’t think either of them were expecting that.
KO: From there it’s a battle on the outside. Hawkfield’s playground.
LO: Devlin’s too. And Fantana isn’t exactly inexperienced.
AD: And while Hawkfield drives Devlin into the ring steps and Fantana into the guardrail, you can see who benefits most from the chaos, y’know, like I mentioned earlier. And then some headbutts and slamming Fantana’s head off the post… And now he’s bleeding. Great.
LO: Ooooh. He cut the Fantanasy open at the forehead after that series of brutal headbutts combined with mashing his head off the post.
KO: It’ll happen. And, once again, Devlin is there to take advantage of HAwkfield doing his thing. Watch Brennan leap off the apron and take out Hawkfield with an impressive standing Senton.
LO: These guys looked great out there.
KO: And then leave it to Devlin to do to Hawkfield, what Hawkfield was doing to Fantana.
A shot of Devlin smashing Hawkfield off the ring post before Fantana re-enters the fray and takes both Hawkfield and Devlin out with back to back headscissor take downs.
LO: Zack Fantana is never out for long.
KO: He’s a wildcard.
LO: I would more call him a threat regardless of the state he’s in.
KO: Suit yourself. Watch this. A Fantana picture perfect moonsault on Hawkfield.
LO: But, by now, a, what, 15 minute grueling match has all three men down and out.
KO: And… uh… oh-oh.. Is that--
AD: Ooh! Now this match is really heating up!
LO: You’ve got to be kidding me..
A shot shows Ace Devereux come striding out and down the ramp. The fans boo like they already know Devereux is up to no good.
AD: There he is, gentlemen. Your Valor Pro Gladiator Champion.
KO: (Haha). Sort of an inception thing going on here…
LO: Oh, I don’t believe this. You planned this.
AD: Of course I did, Laurence. What kind of second rate tactician do you take me for? Watch this, it gets good.
KO: So, now with this new dynamic, which, admittedly, is kind of funny, my hats off to you, brother, Fantana and Devlin gotta keep an eye on Devereux--
LO: Don’t get confused fans. He’s in the studio, apparently calling his own run-in.
KO: No better way to do it, Laur-.
The crowd is hyped, watching Devlin and Fantana drag themselves back into the ring and begin to duke it out. Fantana gets the upper hand and looks to put Devlin away with a belly to back lifting into what he has set up for a lumbar check but Devlin reverses the momentum entirely mid lift and takes Fantana down with a surprise leaping cutter that has the crowd on its feet!
KO: I don’t believe it! Fantana had him.
LO: Not anymore.
A stunned and winded Devlin goes for the cover!
1…
2…
---
AD: … and that’s when I grabbed the referee’s ankle and pulled him out of the ring. Ain’t gonna be that easy, Devlin.
LO: Cheeky bastard.
KO: Brutal.
AD: So then, I slide in and blast Devlin with a steel chair shot to the spine and break up that pin attempt! Oh, if you could’ve heard the shocked cry of pain I got to hear up close and personal… It’s fair to say that I am the one true artist in this company.
LO: Ruined the damn match.
KO: I wouldn’t go that far.
AD: I mean, how many arm drags did you want to see before this thing ended? I did you a favor, Laurence. Thank me.
LO: It was a bit more than a couple arm drags, Ace.
KO: The ref called this thing.
A shot of Ace Devereux slamming the chair into the downed Fantana, then blasting Joel Hawkfield as he reenetered the ring and rushed Ace is shown. The official calls for the bell with all three men laid out in the ring with Devereux standing over them.
LO: So now what?
KO: What do you mean now what?
LO: There’s no number one contender now that Ace decided to intervene like that.
AD: Not my problem, is it? The animal, the enigma, and the face all showed that they aren’t anywhere near my level. I mean, it took me, what, fifteen seconds to stand tall whereas none of them could do it in fifteen minutes plus?
KO: It’s not exactly a bad outcome. It just means the head office is going to need to figure out another way to figure out who challenges for Ace’s title.
AD: So those three got their shot and failed. Line up some others for me.
LO: It’s still cheap, and I would’ve socked you in the mouth for that.
AD: You’ve still got some time to try it out.
KO: Easy, Laur--. Man’s half your age.
LO: (Annoyed sigh). All right, so what sort of rating do we give this abortion of a match.
KO: Keep it PG. I dunno, Ace, you’re the man of the hour, what do you think?
AD: I mean, I guess it was enjoyable but they took their sweet time getting to the end. I would probably give it maybe… three stars? But then I showed up and it immediately became a five star match.
KO: (Laughs) Modest.
LO: Bullshit, is what that is. I’m not asking you again, Ace.
KO: The man’s a guest, Laurence. You act like he clubbed a baby seal on television, or something.
LO: An unwelcome one after pulling a stunt like that.
AD: C’mon, Laurence. Don’t get your Depends in a twist. It was brilliant even if you think you’re addressin’ me from some moral high ground.
LO: (Angrily) Yeah. Well, that’s about all the time we have. We didn’t get a contender crowned for the Gladiator belt, but the night wasn’t a bust.
KO: Not by a long shot. We got some time with the Gladiator Champion. Got to see the field spread out a little, got a closer look at what to expect in the coming weeks. You’re making a big thing out of a pretty decisively fantastic episode of Blitz.
Winner: None, DQ, (19:10).
Othello Verdict: ***
LO: Well, there you have it. Another Blitz came and went, and Ken, I gotta be honest, it feels like we're no better off at the end of this thing than we were at the beginning.
KO: Nonsense. We've got some heat now. IWe secured a number one contender for the Monarch Championship, Brennan Devlin seems to have evened the score with Arlo Rosabel--
LO: That's not done.
KO: Of course not. Not by long shot. But it's a great start.
LO: But no contenders for the Gladiator belt.
KO: It'll all come out in the wash, Laur.
LO: I hope so. We have ourselves a right mess now.
KO: And it's just getting good.
LO: I'm Laurence Othello, and this is Kenneth, we're the Othello Brothers. Stay tuned next time, cause I think things are just starting to get good. This has been the Flipping the Script Podcast. Good night, everybody.
KO: So long.