4CW Presents... Storm Front: WAR IV - December 31, 2020
4CW Presents… Storm Front: WAR IV
Live from 4CW Fight Island
December 31, 2020
"War Eternal” by Arch Enemy blasts around the arena as the familiar tones of head commentator Scott Phoenix fill the air.
Phoenix: Ladies and gentlemen, people of all ages: WELCOME to 4CW Storm Front: WAR IV!! It's New Years Eve, and we're about to say goodbye to 2020 and hello to 2021! I'm Scott Phoenix, joined as ever by my broadcast partners, Ray Jeffrey and James Roberts! Are you guys ready to say goodbye to this year?
Jeffrey: Absolutely! But first, we have some scores to settle and some stakes to be raised! Tonight, FIVE of 4CW's elite will compete in the WAR match for the grandest prize in wrestling: the 4CW Undisputed World Championship.
Roberts: That's right! 4CW World Champion Jack Valentine will defend against Brian White, Tommy Young, Phil McGroin AND Rhys Cain inside WAR! And frankly, I have no idea who's going to walk out the champion!
Phoenix: It could be any one of them, that's for sure! There’s been a buzz around the air of a feeling that Valentine’s reign could be coming to an abrupt end tonight! But that's not all we have tonight, the 4CW Universal Championship will be on the line as Pilgrim Paige defends the title she reclaimed at Gallows End, and she will do so against none other than Madeline Phoenix!
Roberts: And that's a hell of a clash I can't wait to see! Speaking of things I can't wait to see, Xavier Avana will defend the 4CW Custom Cup Championship in an open challenge! Not only will we find out who his challenger is, but we'll also find out what stipulation he has chosen to defend the title under!
Jeffrey: The 4CW Tag Team Championships will be on the line tonight in a triple threat ladder match as four-time champions Umbra Maxima defend the titles against Silent Sorcery and S&M! Each of these teams are multiple time tag team champions, so which of them will enter the new year with the belts?
Phoenix: Two Black Flame members, Erica Moxie and Eli Waters, will settle their differences tonight in a one-on-one match! Leader Rhys Cain hopes having them fight it out will allow them to move on as a unit... but I'm not so sure that's gonna work out as Cain hopes.
Jeffrey: I dunno, you'd be surprised how much a good scrap can alleviate issues in a team.
Roberts: Regardless, we have even more! Also tonight, Zephyris and The Liberation of The Black Flame take on Kinzy Kane and Synth City Thrillers in a six-person tag! The 4CW Franchise Championship will be on the line, but we're obligated to stress that the 4CW Franchise Championship is still NOT an official 4CW title.
Jeffrey: I say it may as well be! Why the hell not? The more competition we have, the better... and championships breed competition!
Phoenix: And finally, Lindon Jett and Grant Zaiden continue their Best of Seven Series! So far, Lindon Jett has been in cruise control. winning the first two matches! Tonight, Jett has chosen a two out of three falls match. Can Zaiden scrape a win back, or will we be looking at the threat of a whitewash after tonight?
Jeffrey: I can't wait! Let's get started, already!
Phoenix: I couldn't agree more! Here's Michael Carson with the opening match introductions!
The lights dim and a legion of blue spotlights dance around on stage as the intro to "Forever Lotus" by RUDE slithers through the sound system. One by one, the lights go out, until only the center stage spotlight remains. Right as the song kicks into full gear, two streaks of blue pyro rise into the night sky. Tsukiko Mizuno and Oki-Kira step out from behind the curtains to a warm crowd response. They stroll to the edge of the ramp with an air of great purpose.
Carson: The following contest is a LADDER MATCH for the 4CW Tag Team Championships! Currently making their way to the ring, weighing in tonight at a combined 332lbs and hailing from Osaka, Japan... SIIILENT SOOORCERYYY!
Kiko and Kira hype each other up as they jog down the ramp together and slide into the ring. Kira slides headlong into the ring and front-flips to his feet, while Tsukiko simply rises up from the mat and joins her partner's side. Kira offers a polite nod to senior referee Anna Molly, who returns the nod from her position at ringside. Rather than playing to the crowd like usual, the challengers from Osaka stand face-to-face and communicate in JSL, presumably reviewing strategy.
Jeffrey: Man, is this match type tailored to these two high-energy hellraisers or what?!
Roberts: There's definitely a lot of potential for creativity whenever Silent Sorcery are involved in something crazy. They've really got their work cut out for them tonight, though! They're at a serious disadvantage in terms of size, as the other teams each have one big man apiece.
Phoenix: Three teams, two ladders, one suspension mechanism high above the ring—I'm no cook, but I'm pretty sure that's a recipe for complete and utter chaos!
Miley Cyrus' take on "Head Like A Hole" takes command of the PA system. Out comes Senecca and Dirk Meyer, sans Marquis the Moose due to those damn transportation laws. Nonetheless, Senecca and Meyer look ready and determined. They banter with each other on stage, then slap hands and head toward the ring.
Carson: Also challenging, from Valhalla, New York and weighing in at a combined 570lbs... 4CW Hall of Famers, SENECCA AND DIRK MEYER ... S AAAND M!!
Senecca and Meyer are both repping their remarkably basic SeryShop-exclusive shirts tonight, and the guys spot a pair of young fans and decide to treat them to some free merch: Dirk removes his shirt and hands it off to the smaller of the two kids, who responds with a smile and a high five; Senecca, on the other hand, Hulk-shreds his shirt and unceremoniously slaps the ruined garment into the bigger kid's outstretched hands. The kid raises an eyebrow, the small crowd boos and Senecca simply shrugs before resuming his trek to the ring.
Phoenix: We all know these guys like to have their fun, but when it comes time to get down to business, S&M is a hard-hitting veteran team with more than a decade of experience apiece. They are not to be taken lightly!
Jeffrey: Like me and Mrs Roberts in the bedroom!
Roberts: *shudder*
Phoenix: Seriously though, how much would S&M love to match Umbra Maxima's record of 4 tag title wins and embarrass Simtul and Yesgill by cutting their latest reign short?
Senecca and Meyer climb into the ring, take up the corner adjacent to Silent Sorcery and await the champs' arrival.
Right on cue, "Taking You Down" by Egypt Central begins blaring through the speakers. The fans make their voices heard as the tag team champions appear on the stage, stoic as ever.
Carson: And from New York, New York... weighing in at a combined weight of 485lbs ... the 4CW TAG TEAM CHAMPIOOONS! ... MAXIMILLIAN YESGILL... ELFAN SIMTUL... they are UMBRAAAAA... MAXIMAAAAA!!
Lights resembling moons and stars flash around the stage and ramp as Umbra Maxima make their way down the steps from the stage.
Roberts: The reigning and first-ever four-time tag team champions are here!
Jeffrey: Oh man! I can't wait to see how these guys handle themselves in a ladder match; you just know they have all manner of nasty thoughts on how to conquer and destroy in this type of environment!
Phoenix: I wouldn't wanna be squared off against the likes of Elfan Simtul when there's no DQs, and Maximillian Yesgill is as springy and unrelenting as they come! I'm making a call right now: No one's coming out the other side of this one the same, and the combination of Umbra Maxima + ladders is the most likely cause!
Simtul and Yesgill get into the ring and drink in the atmosphere. Then, they hand off the title belts and take up their own corner.
Anna Molly calls for the bell.
DING-DING-DING!
Simtul immediately rushes Senecca, catching him by surprise and knocking him off-base with an explosive shoulder block! This results in a tussle in S&M's corner. Before Dirk Meyer can jump in, Maximillian Yesgill and Oki-Kira collide with one another and reel into his path, laying into one another with forearms and elbows. Meyer finds himself stuck behind a wall of humanity and tries to club his way out of it. Through all the chaos, he spots Tsukiko circling the area of combat, looking for an opening. Not finding a way through to the odd man out, Kiko shrugs and throws herself at the far rope; Meyer quickly surmises the Siren's intent and begins hammering away at Kira's back, trying to break up the grapple. Unfortunately for him, Kiko is moving too fast—she comes sliding in under Kira's and Meyer's legs, slips down to the ringside floor and yanks Meyer's legs out from under him!
Roberts: 30 seconds in and all hell is already breaking loose!
Kiko keeps hold of one leg and releases the other so she can lift the ring apron; apparently, Kiko wants to go keelhauling. Sadly for her, Meyer isn't keen on the idea and elects to kick his attacker in the thigh with his newly freed shin! This gets him free of Kiko's grasp altogether, so he scrambles onto his feet and lands some more muscle-tensing shin kicks. Tsukiko staggers back, incidentally creating enough room for Meyer to take her down with an expertly delivered dropkick! At the same time, Kira throws Yesgill for a loop by rolling through under an attempted clothesline and swiftly sweeping his legs out from under him! Meanwhile, the brawl between Senecca and Simtul finally reaches a breaking point: While trying to fight his way out of the corner, Senecca throws a haymaker that catches Simtul on the ear—a lucky hit that rocks the master of the Shadow Hammer! Seizing the opening, Senecca throws all of his weight forward and absolutely levels Simtul with a hard clothesline!
Jeffrey: Woo, nice one!
Roberts: Like a dump truck slamming into a... uh.. winter service vehicle.. thingie!
Phoenix: Actually, a lot of North American WSVs are dump trucks, James.
Roberts: Huh. The more you know!
Jeffrey: What the.. what in the holy hell is happening right now?!
Kira attempts to blindside the big man with a superkick, but Senecca evades it and takes the Shiga Stomper for a ride with a big Biel toss! He then directs traffic, sending Meyer on a trek to the nearest ladder. Meyer approaches the ladder, slaps the spreaders shut and hoists the ladder up to pass it off to Senecca. Kira sees this, scrambles to his feet and—like his teammate earlier—baseball slides between Senecca's feet, booting the ladder back into Meyer's face!
Roberts: Well that plan really blew up in his face!
Jeffrey: Uggghhh, shut up, Roberts!
Phoenix: Silent Sorcery's speed has served them well thus far, but there has to come a point in this match when you slow you down and go for the gold. Keeping the pace up for too long will end up gassing the duo in the long haul, so I'm curious to see if they can adapt new strategies as the match goes on.
Unfortunately for Kira, he's put himself on the apron, sitting squarely in front of Senecca. The 4CW veteran yanks the meddlesome cruiserweight up by his hair, turns him front-facing and aggressively goozles him with both hands! Kira tries to fight out of it, but Senecca maintains the death-grip, hoists Kira up in front of him and unceremoniously dumps Kira onto his back in the ring!
Jeffrey: Well that's one way to get him back in the ring!
Roberts: Lying on the canvas with a pissed-off Senecca looming over you is the last place you wanna be on New Year's Eve!
At this point, Simtul and Yesgill are back on their feet and silently observing these goings-on from behind Senecca's back. The champions stand eerily still as Senecca throws all of his weight down on Kira in the form of a big splash! Every fan in attendance reacts with an "OOF!" on Kira's behalf, as does Ray Jeffrey; conversely, Yesgill's upper lip hints at his enjoyment in witnessing this crushing attack. True to form, Umbra Maxima promptly blindside Senecca the second he stands back up: Simtul takes the high road, delivering clubbing blows and elbow butts to the back of the neck; Yesgill takes the low road, sinking stiff shoot kicks into the back of Sen's knee while keeping up a classic stick-and-move approach, neatly avoiding Senecca's blindly swinging arms.
Phoenix: That's something I've noticed about Maxima in these multi-team matches—they've proven to be very proficient in picking their moments and jumping into action only when necessary. Save up energy, expend it at the right time. Very strategic approach.
Jeffrey: And that's my cue! *ahem* Why overwork yourself when letting someone else do it and putting your name on it at the last minute can yield a same or better result? It's a work ethic I can really get behind, and you can read all about it in my new book, Pick up the Scraps & Throw Them at the Weak! In this one, "I" express pride in the fact that three-quarters of it were ghostwritten by some low-rent shut-in! Low-rent means low rates for Ray in the world of literary ghosts!
Roberts: Wha—I—uhh, I dunno how to tell you this, but they're not actual ghosts, Ray.
Jeffrey: Pssh! And have you ever written one-quarter of a book? Shut up, Roberts!
Senecca lucks into getting hold of Yesgill's trunks and knocking him down with a forearm shiver, but Simtul pulls Senecca's neck back, hooks on an inverted facelock and leaves his feet to apply a bodyscissors, dragging the big man down on the mat in a modified dragon sleeper!
Roberts: Ah, Darkness Takes You! No tap-outs in a ladder match, of course, but that's a smart way to wear Senecca down!
Adding insult and injury to injury, Maximillian Yesgill lands some more kicks and stomps to Senecca's legs while Simtul works to maintain the bodyscissors on his struggling opponent. Senecca hangs on a little longer, but soon goes limp and with that, one half of S&M has been laid out cold!
Jeffrey: Woo, how about that, boys?! A KO in a ladder match! Love 'em or hate 'em, you gotta give props to Umbra Maxima.
Phoenix: Leave it to Maxima to wrestle a smart match in a chaotic environment.
Simtul rolls Senecca out of the ring, then directs Yesgill to retrieve a ladder; Yesgill quickly slides the nearest ladder into the ring and follows it in. While Yesgill is picking the ladder up off the mat, Tsukiko Mizuno comes springboarding in, hitting Simtul the square in the back with a missile dropkick! Simtul stumbles forward and bumps into his partner, causing Yesgill to go off-balance and drop the ladder. Simtul recovers fast, but as he turns around, Tsukiko is already running right past him—she dashes straight at Yesgill, leaves her feet and takes him over with a hurricanrana, driving his spine into the ladder!
Roberts: That quickness paid off again for Tsukiko!
Jeffrey: Sure, but just wait til Simtul gets a hold of her!
Simtul does indeed go straight for Tsukiko and wrenches away on her left arm. Tsukiko backflips through the hold and throws her leg up high for a roundhouse, but Simtul catches her by the leg, hoists her up by the neck and brutally chokeslams the siren onto the ladder!! An "OOH" sounds out from the stands. With all of his opponents down, Simtul rolls Tsukiko off the ladder and begins setting it up in the middle of the ring.
Roberts: Simtul is a man on a mission! Can he end this match early for his team?
Satisfied with the ladder's position, Simtul begins the climb. All at once, Dirk Meyer slides into the ring and hops up onto the ladder, directly behind Simtul! Meyer lays into the big New Yorker with forearm shots to the back of the neck, simultaneously trying to keep his face clear of Simtul's attempted elbow strikes. Meyer manages to get the better of his opponent and throws caution to the wind, dragging Simtul off the ladder with a crushing neckbreaker!!! The ladder teeters to one side in the process, tips over with the impact of the move. Both men are down and the fans are on their feet!!
Jeffrey: WHOA! Are you kidding me with that neckbreaker?!
Phoenix: Talk about a turnaround! Meyer came in outta nowhere and took down the biggest threat in this match!
About 10 seconds later, Dirk Meyer uses the ropes to regain a vertical base, nursing his aching back as he goes. Once he's standing and steady on his feet, he surveys the area: Simtul is down and near-motionless nearby; Kira is sprawled out on the ring ring apron; Tsukiko and Yesgill are down in opposite corners, and Senecca is still laid out cold at ringside. Meyer calls out to his buddy, hoping to rouse him, but predictably gets no response. Meyer instead turns his attention to the gold belts dangling over his head like big, shiny carrots and works on setting the ladder back up.
Roberts: Dirk Meyer has gold on the brain!
Phoenix: The moment is opportune, I'd be thinking the same right now.
Meyer makes his way back up the ladder, comfortably reaches the top rung and Booster Descent outta nowhere from Yesgill!! In the process, Yesgill grabs hold of the ladder and situates himself on a rung, while Meyer insensibly tumbles off the ladder!
Jeffrey: Wait, what the hell just happened?! I looked away from the monitor for 2 seconds, tops!
Roberts: Yesgill just flew in from who-knows-where and superman-punched Dirk Meyer right in the jaw!
Yesgill quickly scurries his way up the victory tree, only to be met by a fellow flying squirrel with the same idea—Kira, springboarding onto the opposite side A clumsy mid-ladder melee ensues and goes on for a bit, with both men struggling to land a game-changing blow. Just as Kira seems to gain the upper hand, Senecca slips back into the ring and tries to shove the ladder over! At the opposite side of the ladder, Tsukiko springs back into action and slides her way under the ladder to give the big man what-for, but Senecca's got it scouted: He snatches her up off the mat, picks her up fireman-style and throws her backward over the top rope! With his eyes still focused on the ladder, Sen doesn't realize that Kiko has managed to cling onto the top rope and set herself down safely on the apron. With a mighty push, Senecca brings the ladder down—with Kira and Yesgill in tow! Yesgill lands squarely on his back, while Kira actually manages to tuck and roll... leaving him facing away from Senecca! Sen waits for Kira to turn round; the second he does, the Hall of Famer easily scoops Kira up onto his shoulder for the Dark Plunge and *OOH!*—Tsukiko comes up from behind with a swift kick to the groin!
Jeffrey: Egads!
Roberts: Egads?! What is this, an old Looney Toons bit?
Jeffrey: Shut up, Doc!
Senecca's hands make a swift trip down south to check on the family jewels, leaving Kira free to slip down off Sen's back and take up position in the nearest corner. Kira waits until his target turns around, then takes off like a shot and-
Phoenix: KIIINSHAAASAAA!!!
Jeffrey: Yeesh! It's been years since I've seen Senecca take so many hard knocks in the course of one match!
As Kira runs through Senecca with his knee, Maximillian Yesgill blindsides the other half of Silent Sorcery with a cheap shot to the back of the head! Kira—whose momentum is carrying him forward still—pumps the breaks, turns on his heel and stuns Yesgill with a slick Pele Kick! Not done by any definition, The Silent Senshi whips Yesgill off to the far corner and follows in with a running dropkick to the chest! Yesgill's legs wobble, but Kira doesn't allow him to collapse in the corner—instead, he makes sure Yesgill's arms are nicely draped round the top rope, signals to Kiko and drops to hands and knees.
Roberts: Oh, here we go!
Tsukiko sprints straight at her partner, leaps off his back and cannonballs her way into Yesgill's chest!! Still not done, Kira hops up off the mat and repeats the propping up process on Yesgill, then signs something to Kiko in JSL.
Roberts: Poetry in Oceans! And it looks like Yesgill isn't outta the woods yet!
Jeffrey: Seems like Silent Sorcery have it out for that guy, or his chest, at least. I'd hate to be him when the adrenaline wears off!
Tsukiko grabs the ladder and lays it out lengthwise in relation to Yesgill's corner; she then casually sits down beside the ladder. Over in the corner, Kira sends Yesgill flipping through the air with a forceful monkey flip—Yesgill over-rotates—and Tsukiko spits blue mist in Yesgill's face right before he crashes face-and-chest-first onto the ladder!!! The fans barely even know what to do with themselves, but ultimately pop big!
Jeffrey: WOOHOOHOO!!! Correction, boys: I really wouldn't wanna be him when the adrenaline wears off! What the hell?!
Phoenix: That's one sick twist on the Monkey in the Mist! Yesgill is hurting bad and doesn't know where the hell he's at!
Anna Molly wants Kira out of the way so she can have a look at Yesgill, but Kira gets her to wait a moment and then dumps Yesgill out of the ring; satisfied, he gestures for her to go ahead. With Umbra Maxima in a daze at ringside and S&M trying to shake away the cobwebs on the opposite side, Kiko and Kira put themselves to work setting up and positioning the ladder.
Roberts: Huge opening for the two-time former champs right now!
Kiko and Kira wordlessly pick a side and start the climb; both are moving pretty well, if a little gingerly. Kira gets to the top rung first, soon followed by his teammate. Together, they reach up high, put hands to gold, and both take a flying ladder to the ribs!!
Hands go from gold to midriff for Kiko and Kira, and their whole selves go from ladder to canvas from all 15 feet above the ring!!!
Jeffrey: HOLY SHIT!!
Phoenix: The second ladder! My god, Elfan Simtul—from ringside—tossed the other ladder straight at Silent Sorcery!
Roberts: Wha—the, the power, my god what a throw! Whatever opening there was before, it's fading away in the rear view now. Unreal!
Simtul dumps his vanquished foes out of the ring, boots the new ladder away and makes quick work of setting up the familiar one. As he stomps his way up the lower rungs, Dirk Meyer slides in from ringside, hops up behind Simtul and slams the big New Yorker's face against the middle rung! Meyer sets up for The Eclipse and receives a few elbow butts in reply from the resilient super-heavyweight; the third one sends Meyer off the ladder and stumbling back into the ropes, which Meyer turns in his favour by carrying through with the momentum and delivering a running double axe-handle to the small of Simtul's back! Simtul definitely feels this strike, reaching back awkwardly with one hand while still gripping the top rung with the other. Before he can recover, Meyer slaps the spreaders open, hits the ropes opposite Simtul's side and baseball slides into the foot of the ladder, knocking the whole thing shut and sending Simtul riding the length of it down to the canvas!!
Jeffrey: WHOA, BABY!! That ladder makes a piss-poor magic carpet, huh?!
Roberts: Like a roller coaster ride without a rail car! That was a very clever play by Meyer!
Phoenix: And a crucial one at this stage in the match.
Keen to follow up, Meyer hits the ropes, bounces off and drops an elbow on Simtul's back, wreaking havoc on Simtul's chest at the same time!
Jeffrey: Y'know, if he keeps this up, he's gonna make a permanent imprint in Simtul's chest!
Meyer repeats the above but puts a little spin on it by making it a jumping elbow drop! Simtul's back arches and the fans gasp in horror as the full effects of the coaster ride from hell are revealed: Simtul's chest is red with bruises and abrasions; a bruise around his left orbital bone is swelling his eye shut; and a nasty gash above his left eye has resulted in a face that's almost wholly covered in blood!!
Phoenix: Good lord, Elfan Simtul looks like he's been boxing against a bear!
Meyer is done with Simtul it seems, and so he puts his back into rolling the 280-pounder off the ladder. Once that's done, he grabs the ladder and-
Phoenix: KADO KICK!!!
Indeed, Oki-Kira comes rushing in and blasts Meyer upside the head with a running superkick! Meyer hits the mat hard and the ladder lands right on his chest! Seizing the opportunity, Kira heads up to the second rope, hops off and drives both feet into the ladder!!
Jeffrey: Call off the fat lady, boys, 'cause this show ain't over just yet!
Phoenix: I can't overstate just how much all three of these teams want to get their hands on those belts!
All things considered, Kira isn't in the worst condition, but his clearly aching ribs make it obvious he isn't 100%. This stands in stark contrast to his teammate, who's currently being checked on again by referee Anna Molly: Tsukiko, in fact, is still gritting her teeth and nursing her ribs near the ramp. Kira spots this and casts a look her way, but receives some slurred, single-handed JSL in response that sets his attention back on the match. Pretending his peripheral vision isn't showing him Anna Molly signalling for medical help, The Silent Senshi dumps Meyer out of the ring, takes the ladder in both hands and props it upright in the centre of the ring.
Roberts: It looks like Tsukiko Mizuno is out of this one, guys.
Phoenix: What with Simtul's ladder toss and the subsequent fall, I'm shocked that Kira is still able to stand, quite frankly. As for Tsukiko, I fear she may have a cracked rib and even if not, the bruising alone could put her out of action for weeks. Lord knows there's no quit in her, but the senior referee had to make a call here and simply put, it's the right one.
As medical aid arrives on the scene, Oki-Kira begins an arduous journey up the ladder, climbing with one arm wrapped round his abdomen while the other leads him toward the promised land. Making as good a trek of it as he can, Kira soon finds himself standing on the top rung of the ladder, staring up at the tag team championship belts!
Phoenix: My god, Kira's gonna do it!
Kira reaches high and stretches himself out to his full height—a move that he immediately regrets as his ribs give him hell about it! The resilient young man involuntarily cries out in pain—the only form his voice has been heard in since his wife's passing over 12 years ago. He gives it another go, playing it a little safer this time, but finds that the "safe" route only gets him as far as his fingertips touching gold.
Roberts: Oh, this is heartbreaking to witness!
Jeffrey: Maybe he should be taking a stretcher ride with his bestie instead of going it alone and hurt, then.
Phoenix: Sure, and maybe hang up his boots for good when he gets backstage. Come on Ray, you're not that daft!
With an agonized growl, Oki-Kira takes as deep a breath as his body will allow and goes for broke: he plants both feet on the very top of the ladder and stands atop it as steadily as his tired, shrieking muscles will allow! Reaching up once more, he puts hands to gold and gives a hard tug, only to find that the hook clasp won't give up the goods that easy. Kira reaches for the clasp as Senecca moves the ladder out from underneath him, leaving the remaining member of Silent Sorcery literally hanging! Not a single fan is seated at this point, and not a single breath is drawn! Anna Molly is frozen in place, as are commentary, other than-
Jeffrey: Hey, where's that stretcher lady when ya need her?!
Senecca sets the ladder aside and gawks up at the scary spectacle he's created.
Phoenix: Oh, we know Senecca can be sadistic with the worst of 'em, but just what the hell does he have in mind here?! If he doesn't do anything, this could end in worse than just another injury!
Whatever Senecca has in mind, it seems to involve standing directly under Kira and watching the dangling prey squirm on the line. After hanging on for 10 long seconds, Kira's strength wanes and he comes dropping out of the sky—right into Senecca's waiting arms!
Jeffrey: Huh?!
Phoenix: Oh, thank goodness! Looks like ol' Sen is gonna cut the kid a break.
And with that, Senecca drives his own head straight into Kira's abdomen!! Some S&M fans seem to dig it, but their voices are quickly drowned out by the gasps and boos resonating from the Silent Sorcery fans. Even Ray Jeffrey coils up with involuntary empathy at ringside.
Jeffrey: WHOA!!
Roberts: You gotta be kidding me!
Phoenix: So much for a break, I guess. Can't hate on Sen too much for it, he's in it to win it, but man!
Jeffrey: Y'know, I was just being an ass before but seriously, someone get some medical personnel back out here!
Anna Molly approaches but before she can assess the damage, Kira is somehow hauling himself up using the ropes, slowly but surely! Senecca can barely believe his eyes and watches on, stunned. Before he can even process what the hell is happening, Kira is leaning back on the ropes with both middle fingers raised!
Phoenix: Oh, what guts Kira has! Figuratively and literally, it seems! Even in my prime, I'd be outta here by now!
Senecca raises an eyebrow, wearing an expression that simultaneously conveys annoyance, amusement and respect for this display of defiance. With as much intensity as his tired body can muster, Kira follows this little pantomime with a classic "bring it" gesture. Senecca obliges and makes Kira regret it pretty fast by locking him into a bearhug! Despite Senecca only barely applying pressure, Kira soon flops about lifelessly in his arms. Satisfied with his handiwork, Sen releases the hold and instantly gets a face full of green mist!! He reels, blinded and enraged!
Roberts: Possum! Oki-Kira was playing possum!
Jeffrey: Which begs the question, was he ever truly hurt?
Phoenix: If he'd been faking it all along, then he didn't think of a lotta great plays. Kid's smart; I'd wager this is more of a last stand, myself.
Kira wants the Kinshasa, but Senecca blindly rushes forward and lucks into shoving Kira away. This backfires in a hurry, as The Shiga Stomper bounces back out and boots him in the face with a Kadō superkick that stuns the super-heavyweight and knocks him on his ass! The crowd is electric!
Jeffrey: How the hell is this guy still in this thing?!
Kira nearly jumps out of his boots when Maximillian Yesgill suddenly clambers up onto the apron right across from him. Then, he spots movement from Elfan Simtul out of the corner of his eye. A moment of feeling trapped abruptly fades into something wholly opposite as Kira has a revelation: all three competitors in his line of sight are not presently seeing him whatsoever! Sen is sitting on the canvas, shaking cobwebs and rubbing at his stinging eyes; Yesgill is in similar condition on the apron; and Simtul is trying to wipe away blood from his face with hands and forearms that are already smeared all over with blood from the very same source. In this realization, Kira conjures a clever plan: True to his nature and his team's name, he gets to work setting up the ladder as silently as possible! The S&M and Umbra fans try to give away what's happening for their respective favourite teams, but this quickly becomes a muddled mess of shouting voices being countered by those of Silent Sorcery! With the ladder neatly in place, Kira takes one last glance at his surroundings and begins a slow, sure, light-footed climb.
Phoenix: Oh, this is just a whole other ballgame! I've never seen a situation quite like this play out before! Kira could steal this one and slip away while his rivals are still feeling around in the dark!
Jeffrey: Ha! I love it!
Rung by rung, Kira makes his way up the ladder, glancing down at his blinded opponents from time to time and making sure Meyer is still down at ringside. Halfway up the ladder, Kira's ribs betray him: a stab of pain causes him to cry out, and the whole operation is scuppered! Within seconds, Senecca is on his feet and sightlessly seeking the ladder. Before long, Senecca lays hand on a rung—a hand that Kira is quick to stamp down on! While Sen is preoccupied with his hand, Kira's body finally decides it's had enough, and the silent warrior from Shiga crumbles to the canvas below! Senecca manages to clear one bleary eye well enough to spot this, then turns his attention entirely back on the ladder and- Maximillian Yesgill with the Booster Descent!!!
Roberts: Yesgill again, outta nowhere!!!
Maximillian Yesgill's very first action upon reclaiming his vision is to springboard into the ring and sock big Sen right upside the head with a ruthless closed-fist punch—but to his horror, Senecca is rocked but doesn't go down!!
Jeffrey: Uh-oh! Wrong move, sucker!
Senecca is desperately trying to shake the cobwebs out when Elfan Simtul springs up from the canvas, grabs Sen from behind and hoists him up into a backbreaker rack! Simtul nods to his partner.
Simtul: Climb, brother! Climb!
And with that, Elfan Simtul spikes Senecca on the mat with the Shadow Hammer!!! While Yesgill makes the climb, Dirk Meyer tries to make his way back into the ring on the opposite side, but Simtul goes hell-for-leather, hops right over Kira and shoulder-blocks Meyer back down to the arena floor!! Maximillian Yesgill safely completes his vertical trek, grabs hold of the gold and undoes the pesky clasp for a successful retrieval!!!
DING-DING-DING!!!
Carson: Here are your winners and STILL the 4CW Tag Team Champions... UMBRA MAXIMA!!!
Jeffrey: DAMN, BOYS!!!
Roberts: My god, what a hard-fought battle!
Phoenix: No, Roberts—fittingly enough, I'd have to call this one an all-out war!
Roberts: No argument here, Scott. The spirit of competition in the tag division is a markedly strong one! I mean, these five competitors—and, of course, Tsukiko Mizuno, who's being tended to backstage—put as much figurative and literal blood, sweat and tears into this as you could ever have hoped to see!
Phoenix: Incredible competition, right across the board, to be sure! And I feel I have to call special attention to the heart on display by Oki-Kira here tonight—just unbelievable. But all said and done, this one goes on the books as an incredible retention for Umbra Maxima!
As S&M exit the scene, the crowd makes a hell of a lot of noise for the revered veteran team! Kira receives a roof-raising vocal response as personnel aid his return to the backstage area, and Kira manages a weak bow for the fans that are standing in admiration of his performance. And Umbra Maxima stick around a little longer in celebration of their victory, with looks of great pride etched clearly across both their faces as "Taking You Down" blares through the speakers!
Win-Loss Records:
Maximilian Yesgill 5-4
Elfan Simtul 5-4
Senecca 3-7
Dirk Meyer 3-7
Oki-Kira 2-5
Tsukiko Mizuno 2-5
Phoenix: And we’d just like to take a moment to thank Arch Enemy, for their song “War Eternal”, the official theme for Storm Front: WAR IV!
Roberts: And coming up next, a war between comrades!
”Ravenous” by Killswitch Engage hits the PA system. The former Universal Champion Eli Waters steps out on stage. He represents Black Flame with a black sleeveless jacket with a monochrome flame on the back.
Carson: The following contest is scheduled for one fall!Introducing first, from Newport, Wales, weighing in at 231lbs… THE HORIZON … ELIIII … WATERS!!
Phoenix: The tension has been building for months between Black Flame members Erica Moxie and Eli Waters. Leader Rhys Cain has made his desires clear: he wants the both of them to fight out whatever differences they have in this match tonight so they can move on as a unified force!
Jeffrey: That’s his theory, but how well will that actually work?
Phoenix: That’s a good question, especially since it was down to Erica Moxie that Eli Waters lost the Universal Championship back to Pilgrim Paige!
Waters gets into the ring and awaits his opponent.
”Antivist” by Bring Me The Horizon hits the PA system. The crowd boo on the arrival of Erica Moxie, but there are a few cheers from a select few fans that are loud enough to be noticed.
Carson: And his opponent, from Omaha, Nebraska, weighing in at 147lbs… ERICAAAAAAA … MOXIE!!
Erica Moxie makes her way down the ramp. As she goes, she points at Waters, shouting something at him that isn’t picked up in the audio. Inside the ring, Eli Waters flexes as he tries to control his temper.
Phoenix: Call it jealousy… maybe call it concealed respect… whatever the issue is, these two do not like each other. Regardless of their reasoning for the match though, the prospect of these two talents does excite me, I must admit!
Jeffrey: Of course! Moxie is one of the most dangerous women in the game and Waters is having the rookie year of a life time!
Roberts: And neither will hold back when it comes to the brutality in this match, I think we can assert that much!
Moxie arrives at the ring and slides in. Jumping to her feet, she looks back at Waters. Then she takes her position in her corner. Senior official Anna Molly checks both competitors for foreign objects and briefly has talks with them. When she is satisfied everything is in order, she calls for the bell.
The bell rings and Moxie and Waters immediately clash in the middle of the ring. Moxie jumps up to Waters’ height with multiple forearms, bringing the fight to the bigger man. She causes him to stumble back and fall to one knee, but moments later he retaliates with a brutal forearm which sends Moxie down on her back.
Phoenix: Moxie has the guts, but she can’t defy the laws of physics!
Moxie rolls backwards and back up to her feet, slightly rocked. Waters advances and attempts a clothesline, but Moxie ducks. A quick jab to the ribs, then a knee strike to the gut keels Waters over. Moxie follows up with a spinning back elbow, which rocks The Horizon. Moxie then hits a dropkick and goes for a quick cover! ONE … TWO … NO! Waters kicks out!
Roberts: Moxie proving she can come out with a flurry of offence from nothing and Waters needs to be ready to deal with that!
Jeffrey: Waters also has nearly 100lbs on Moxie, so she needs to make sure she doesn’t get knocked out with a snug elbow!
Moxie picks up Waters and whips him into the corner. Moxie follows him into the corner and unleashes multiple knife edge chops. Moxie then takes a running start and hits a stinger splash in the corner on Waters! The Horizon stumbles out of the corner and Moxie impressively lifts him into a spinebuster! ONE … TWO … NO! Waters kicks out!
Phoenix: An impressive burst of strength from Moxie there! She almost caught Waters by surprise!
Moxie picks up Waters and hooks his arms for the Moxie Massacre - but Waters sees it coming! He pulls himself out of Moxie’s grasp and knocks her on her ass with a boot to the face! Moxie is quick to recover, but Waters takes advantage of his position and grabs Moxie, taking her out with a snap suplex! He makes a lazy cover! ONE … NO! Moxie kicks out in defiance!
Waters scowls and throws a few right hands down on top of Moxie, then grabs her and lifts her up. Hooking her up again, Waters lifts Moxie up into the air for a vertical suplex - and holds her in the air just for show! Waters keeps Moxie up in the air for at least five seconds before dropping her down with the big suplex! Waters covers! ONE … TWO … NO!! Moxie kicks out!
Phoenix: Incredible resilience on display from Moxie, after Waters showed exactly why he’s one of the hottest new stars on the show with that beautifully delayed vertical suplex!
Jeffrey: These two are giving it their all and it’s been a pretty even affair thus far!
Waters sends Moxie to the ropes and on her return, lifts her high into the air and delivers a thunderous spinebuster of his own!
Phoenix: This Fire Burns! Waters with his own patented spinebuster!
Waters covers Moxie! ONE … TWO … NO! Moxie kicks out! Visibly getting more and more frustrated at her continuous kickouts, Waters pulls Moxie back to her feet but this time does it by pulling her hair. Moxie reacts violently to this disrespect, breaking free and slapping Waters viciously across the face. The slap is so powerful that Waters falls back into the corner. It takes him a moment to recover and when he does, he steps forward into Moxie’s Rolling Thunder Cutter!
Phoenix: BAM! Omaha Slicer!
Roberts: And this could be it for The Horizon!
Moxie covers Waters and Anna Molly counts… ONE … TWO … TH--NO!! Waters kicks out!
Jeffrey: No! We’re not Over The Horizon just yet! Eli Waters survives!
Knowing she has him in an ideal position, Moxie climbs the turnbuckle all the way to the top. Moxie comes off, just as Waters sits up, to take him out with a somersault senton!!
Phoenix: Moxie Go Round from the top!
Moxie picks up Waters and hooks him up for the Moxie Massacre again - but again Waters breaks out of her grasp. Waters sends Moxie to the ropes. On her return, Waters takes down Moxie with a discus clothesline!
Phoenix: Hate By Design!! Waters clocks Moxie! She’s out cold!
Moxie crumbles to the mat, seemingly unconscious. Waters gets down and covers Moxie! ONE … TWO … TH--NO!! Moxie gets her FOOT on the bottom rope, and Anna Molly sees it and stops the count!
Phoenix: If Moxie is conscious, it’s barely! She did that purely on instinct!
Jeffrey: It won’t matter unless she can find a way to fight back in this match!
Moxie rolls around, clutching her neck in agony. As Waters leans down to grab her, she suddenly comes aware of her surroundings, grabs Waters and GETS HIM IN THE CRADLE! ONE … TWO … NO!! KICKOUT!!
Phoenix: Moxie was playing possum and she almost had Waters!
Moxie uses the ropes to get back to her feet as Waters scrambles back up to his feet. Moxie is ready with a kick to the gut … then hooks his arms for a DOUBLE UNDERHOOK DDT!!
Phoenix: MOXIE MASSACRE! Moxie hits it on the third attempt!!
Moxie covers Waters! ONE … TWO … THREE!!
Carson: Here is your winner… ERICAAAAA … MOXIE!!
Win-Loss Records:
Eli Waters 4-5
Erica Moxie 2-6
Phoenix: Moxie did it! Moxie pulls off the victory!
Jeffrey: And that’s Moxie’s first singles win of the year, on the last day of the year!
Roberts: It certainly seems like her luck is starting to turn around!
As ”Antivist” blares through the speakers, Moxie gets to her feet and allows the ref to raise her arm in victory.
Phoenix: Moxie is victorious. The question now is, have Moxie and Waters put their issues behind them after this match?
Waters helps himself up to his feet and he finds himself face to face with Moxie. They glare at each other, holding limbs, breathing deep. Eventually, Moxie extends her hand. Waters looks like the last thing he wants to do is shake it, but he finally concedes and takes her hand. There’s a moment of tension as they seem to each put pressure in the handshake but eventually they release. Moxie slaps him encouragingly on the shoulder and they both leave the ring together.
Phoenix: Well it does seem that Cain’s plan has worked! These two got the chance to beat the crap out of each other and now seem to have come to an understanding!
Jeffrey: I guess a good scrap is a good ice breaker! And now The Black Flame is seemingly stronger than it was!
Roberts: We’re going to break but don’t go anywhere! When we come back, 4CW Hardcore Champion Jason Crow will be in the parking lot to see if anyone wants to challenge him!
Jason and Robert Crow are backstage in the parking lot. Jason has the Hardcore Title over his shoulder and Robert is carrying a steel chair.
Jason: In case you been livin’ under a rock, I’m the Hardcore Champion now! You know what that means? It means I’m the baddest man on this roster! And I got my brother Robert here backing me up. So, there’ll be no sneak attacks on me! You want to take me on? You gotta go through Robert, first.
Robert: And make no mistake, you ain’t getting through me. Nonetheless, we issue the challenge regardless. Parking Lot Brawl. Right now. Who’s got the balls?
The camera cuts over to Quentin Cosmo, who steps into the parking lot much to the amusement of the Murder of Crows.
Jason: You?
Jason turns to Robert.
Jason: He’s kidding, right?
Robert: Must be.
Cosmo lifts his arms in a shrugging manner.
Cosmo: What’s the matter? You wanted a challenge, well here I am.
Jason: Ain’t you that time travelling kid? They should have kept you locked up in the madhouse.
Cosmo: I’m not crazy. Just because I’ve experienced time and space in ways your peanut brain couldn’t understand, doesn’t mean I’m crazy.
Robert steps forward.
Robert: Well, you MUST be crazy, talking to us like that. You want a shot at Jason? Fine, but you gotta beat me first!
Robert throws a thumb into the eye of Cosmo. Cosmo grabs his eye and yells as he tries to escape.
Robert: Didn’t see that coming, did you, Time Nerd?!
Robert grabs him and DDTs him into the hood of a car! Together, Robert and Jason begin beating down Cosmo two on one.
Phoenix: Oh, come on! This is ridiculous!
Suddenly, there is a power surge and all the lights in the room spark into darkness.
Phoenix: Woah! What the hell is happening? Some kind of power cut?
Jeffrey: Hey, we can’t see a thing!
Roberts: We apologise for this! Be assured we’re on it to get us back up and running!
A few moments pass of darkness and muffled shouting and …. Pop! The lights come back on. Jason and Robert are on the offensive, but there is no-one there. Cosmo has seemingly escaped in the chaos. Then, someone runs over to them, a production member, with a phone in his hand.
Crew Member: You might wanna take a look at this…
Jason snatches the phone from him and watches. We cut back to the ring where Quentin Cosmo is standing in the ring! He’s holding the Hardcore Championship! And he’s seemingly changed his clothes. His former orange and black trunks are now blue and grey tights. Decorative blue lights go along the length of the tights.
Phoenix: How did Cosmo get out here so fast? And change his clothes to boot?
Roberts: Forget that, how does he have the 4CW Hardcore Title?! Look! Jason still has it backstage!
Backstage, Jason sees what’s going on and looks just as confused. He looks around on the floor for Quentin Cosmo, but he is of course, nowhere to be seen.
Phoenix: Well, I don’t know what to tell you, folks - but we have to take a break, we’ll be right back!
==
When we return from break, we see new 4CW interview Leon Teller running down the hall. He catches up with Quentin Cosmo, dressed in his usual black and orange trunks.
Teller: Quentin! Quentin!
Cosmo stops and turns, holding the back of his neck and sighing as Teller approaches.
Teller: We saw what happened before the break. Congratulations on your title victory!
Cosmo: Is this some kind of joke? Murder of Crows just put a beating on me, but mark my words, I’ll get them back.
Teller: But you were in the ring - with the title - hey, what happened to the tights?
Cosmo frowns, and seems to be in deep thought for a moment.
Cosmo: Tights? What are you -
Cosmo pauses for a moment, but then scowls.
Cosmo: - I don’t have time for this, excuse me!
Cosmo storms off. Leon Teller looks confused at the camera and shrugs.
Jeffrey: Well, I don’t think any of us know what to make of all that! Maybe Cosmo is crazy after all!
We cut to another backstage interview area, where Gabriel Crowe is standing by.
Crowe: Ladies and gentlemen, I am joined right now by “Full Gear” Lindon Jett. Lindon, since debuting earlier this year, you’ve begun a best of seven series with Grant Zaiden. You won the first two matches, and if you can do it for the next two matches, you’ll earn a whitewash victory. Are you confident you can do that?
Jett: I’ll keep it simple. I learn from my mistakes. So far, I’ve won two matches against Zaiden. So until he gives me something to learn from, I’ll continue to wipe the floor with him. Match three is tonight, and it’s two out of three falls. So, when I beat Zaiden 2-0 tonight, it’ll just be a preview of the next two matches in the series. I’ll see you out there, Grant.
Jett leaves the interview area.
Phoenix: Jett is clearly ready to go out here and get on with it. Unfortunately, he has to wait a bit longer, because it’s time for the Custom Cup Open Challenge!
Carson: The following contest is an Ante Up Open Challenge scheduled for one fall!
”You Ain’t Ready” by Skillet hits the PA system. The crowd pops at the appearance of the 4CW Custom Cup Champion as he steps out on stage.
Carson: Introducing first, weighing in at 230lbs… he is the 4CW Custom Cup Champion… XAVIEEEER … AVANA!!
Xavier Avana heads down to the ring with the championship strapped around his waist. He takes in the approval from the crowd and nods along with them.
Phoenix: And here he is, the NEW 4CW Custom Cup Champion!
Roberts: It’s his first title defence - an open challenge - and we know that his stipulation is Ante Up!
Jeffrey: Yeah! No such thing as a free title shot with Xavier Avana as champion!
Avana gets into the ring and raises the title into the air once more. Then, he grabs a mic from ringside.
Avana: For anyone who missed my exclusive interview on the 4CW Network, I made it clear that I’m not keeping my cards close to my chest. I’m putting my 4CW Custom Cup Championship on the line tonight. And my stipulation is Ante Up, so whoever comes out and accepts my challenge, I hope you have something to offer up!
Avana drops the mic and waits for his opponent. There’s a few moments of waiting, and then ”Inked in Blood” by Sigh hits the PA system.
Avana: Witch Hazel. It’s an honour to have you as my first challenger. May the best competitor win. But before we get started, you know the rules. This is Ante Up! I’m putting my 4CW Custom Cup Championship on the line. What do you have to offer?
Hazel: Hazel could probably write a cheque…
Avana: No, no… I have no interest in the money. It needs to be something important to you. Something as important to you as this championship is to me.
Hazel thinks for a moment, with her hand on her chin. Then, she animatedly brightens up, like a lightbulb has gone off above her head.
Hazel: Ooh, what about Hazel’s tickets to HazelFest 2021.
Avana: HazelFest?
Hazel: Oooh, it’s the best thing. When this nasty virus goes away, Hazel wants to invite all her friends to a big Hazel festival. We’ll have lights and music and food and UNICORNS!
Avana: OK, stop… that’s not gonna cut it, I’m afraid.
Avana narrows his eyes at Hazel.
Avana: How about… you put Licky on the line?
Hazel gasps.
Hazel: But Licky is my friend. I don’t own him!
Avana: Licky means a lot to you. Probably as much as my title means to me. They are my terms. Take ‘em or leave ‘em.
Hazel contemplates for a moment, and then a moment longer, clearly torn... but then nods.
Hazel: ...Deal.
Phoenix: And there we have it! It’s 4CW Custom Cup Champion Xavier Avana defending the title against Witch Hazel, with Licky also on the line!
Roberts: I like this stipulation! Now both competitors have something to lose!
Jeffrey: Avana realises that anyone can buy Licky at the 4CW.com shop, right?
Phoenix: Of course he does, Ray. But that’s not the point. That Licky is important to Hazel, right now.
Hazel rolls into the ring and, after a quick kiss to the plush, hands Licky to the referee. Avana gives the referee the championship and the referee lifts both into the air, before handing them off to a ringside assistant.
The two competitors take their corners as Jude O’Cater calls for the bell.
Avana and Hazel circle each other before locking up in the middle of the ring. Avana overpowers Hazel and pushes her into the corner. Avana unleashes a quick few chops but Hazel ducks under Avana’s arm and runs to the ropes. Avana turns around and walks into a dropkick from Hazel!
Phoenix: A welcome shot from Hazel!
They both get back to their feet and Avana ducks a clothesline. When Hazel returns, he takes her down with a hip toss! Avana runs to the ropes and comes back with a dropkick to the seated Hazel! Avana makes the quick cover! ONE … TWO … NO! Hazel kicks out!
Phoenix: A quick back and forth opening but Avana’s power gives him the slight advantage!
Roberts: Maybe, but Hazel is definitely faster!
Avana picks up Hazel and hooks her up, executing a suplex. Another cover. ONE … TWO … kickout! Avana picks up Hazel again and executes a perfect Northern Lights Suplex! He holds the bridge for the cover! ONE … TWO … NO! Hazel kicks out!
Roberts: That was one beautiful Northern Lights!
Avana continues his assault by picking up Hazel and whipping her into the corner. He runs at her but Hazel gets a boot up which rocks Avana right in the jaw. Avana stumbles back and Hazel hoists herself up to the middle rope, jumping off and hitting a diving dropkick! She scrambles to cover Avana! ONE … TWO … NO! Avana kicks out!
Jeffrey: Hazel fights back but Avana is still in this!
Hazel runs at Avana and attempts to take him out with a hurricanrana. Avana holds her weight and reverses the momentum, throwing up Hazel into a makeshift powerbomb! Avana makes the cover! ONE … TWO … NO! Hazel kicks out!
Jeffrey: Hell of a show of resilience from Witch Hazel!
Roberts: And one fantastic reversal from Avana!
Avana and Hazel both stumble to their feet and lock up in the middle of the ring again. Once again, Avana wins out, and transitions into a side headlock. He applies the pressure for a few moments until Hazel pushes him off to the ropes. Avana goes to the ropes and comes back with an attempt at a lariat, but Hazel sidesteps and drop-toe-holds Avana, tripping him onto the middle rope.
Hazel runs after Avana and dropkicks him in the back! Avana clutches his lower back as he stumbles to his feet as Hazel runs towards him with a big boot!
Phoenix: Sole Sorcery! Hazel has rocked Avana!
Roberts: Can she take advantage?
Hazel primes herself for an attack and at the right moment, launches herself forward and takes down Avana with headscissors! Hazel then goes to the ropes and yanks herself up to the top! She begins to walk across the top rope!
Phoenix: Hazel is tiptoeing through the void!
Roberts: Never stops being impressive!
Hazel then turns to her opponent, and soars into the air with a springboard moonsault! Hazel makes the cover! ONE … TWO … NO!! Avana kicks out!
Phoenix: Absolutely astounding athletics from Hazel, but it wasn’t enough to put away the champion!
Jeffrey: She has him on the ropes, though!
Hazel rushes over to the corner and climbs the turnbuckle all the way to the top! As Avana gets to his feet, she flies off the top with a missile dropkick!! Adrenaline flowing, Hazel jumps back up to her feet. She grabs Avana, pulls him up and sets him up for the Nilswitch - but no, Avana pulls himself free. Avana throws Hazel into the corner, then runs up and takes her out with the Helluva Kick!
Phoenix: BENT OUTTA SHAPE!! Avana with the brutal kick in the corner!
Avana follows this up by climbing the turnbuckle.
Jeffrey: No way! Could we be about to see it?!
Hazel stumbles up to her feet, disorientated. Avana majestically soars and flips in the air with a shooting star press jump, then reaches Hazel and takes her out with the DDT!!
Phoenix: BURN OUT!! Avana takes down Hazel!
Avana rolls over and covers Hazel. Jude O’Cater counts… ONE … TWO … THREE!!
Carson: Here is your winner and STIIILLL 4CW Custom Cup Champion… XAVIEEEER … AVANA!!
Win-Loss Records:
Xavier Avana 6-1
Witch Hazel 1-4-1
Xavier Avana gets up and grabs the championship off the ringside assistant. He raises it in the air as the referee hands him Licky too. Avana looks at the plush, then at Hazel. He offers a hand to Hazel and lifts her to her feet. Then he pays respect to her with a few short words we don’t hear, gives Licky back and leaves the ring. On the way up the ramp, he lifts the belt into the air for a big cheer.
Phoenix: Avana with some great sportsmanship there! The bigger story though, is that Avana defeated Witch Hazel to retain the 4CW Custom Cup Championship!
Jeffrey: An impressive first outing as champion for Xavier Avana and he goes into the New Year with a heap of momentum!
We cut backstage, where Gabriel Crowe is standing by.
Crowe: Ladies and gentlemen, I am here with none other than The Red Rhino, Grant Zaiden! Grant, I’ve seen your work outside of 4CW and I know how talented you are. Many saw your signing here as an important moment in 4CW history. But it would be impolite not to address the elephant in the room: you’re 0-3 since you debuted here. Tonight, you face Lindon Jett in match three of a possible seven. After already losing to him twice, is your confidence knocked? And how do you bounce back from that?
Zaiden glares at Crowe for his long winded question, but eventually starts to answer.
Zaiden: I don’t talk much. I like to do my talking in the ring. And I will admit that since I arrived here, I haven’t been the most eloquent speaker inside that squared circle. But don’t mistake my stumbling start to this 4CW venture as a sign of weakness. “The Red Rhino”... when people first started calling me that, I thought it was stupid. Then, I realised the reason I have that name is because people immortalised me as a myth… because they feared me. They feared my dominance and power in the ring. They feared how all their heroes would crumble when they met me. When I came here, I let that fear feed my ego and I got cocky… but now…. Now I know exactly what Lindon Jett is made of.
Zaiden snatches the mic from Crowe and looks directly at the camera.
Zaiden: Congratulations, Lindon. You got the first two matches of this series over me. Enjoy it... because you’ll never beat me again. That is a promise. And I don’t make promises I can’t keep.
Phoenix: Grant Zaiden breaks his silence here in 4CW… and he looks determined to right the wrongs of his faltering 4CW start. But coming up after the break, it’s trios action! The Black Flame will take on Kinzy Kane and the Synth City Thrillers! Don’t go anywhere!
We cut back to the middle of the ring where Michael Carson is standing to introduce the next bout.
Carson: The following contest is a six-person tag team match scheduled for one fall and it is for the Franchise Championship!
”Black Flame” by Bury Tomorrow hits the PA system and out comes Zephyris, closely flanked by Garret Fischer and Bruce Rigg.
Carson: Introducing first, the team of Zephyris and The Liberation … they are the Franchise Champions, THE BLACK FLAAAAME!!
Zephyris, with the Franchise Title wrapped around his waist, gets into a huddle with The Liberation. After a few moments of unheard tactics, they break and march down to the ring.
Phoenix: Well, official championship or not, the competition is very real. And The Black Flame are determined to prove they are the most dominant group in 4CW.
Jeffrey: Credit where it’s due, they did win Faction of the Year in the End of Year awards…
Roberts: And Zephyris and The Liberation have worked and trained together for years Their opponents only recently became friends, so The Black Flame have the upper hand in that regard.
All three members of The Black Flame slide into the ring. Zephyris pulls the belt from around his waist and raises it in the air. He then hands it to Rigg, and he and Fischer take turns raising it while on the turnbuckle.
”Roadgame” by Kavinsky hits the PA system. Drummond and Kojo step out on stage, grooving along to their own music.
Carson: And their opponents, first the team of Devon Drummond and Reuben Kojo, SYNTH CITYYYYY … THRILLERS!!
The duo stop at the top of the ramp as ”Those In My Way” by Straplocked hits the PA system. Kinzy Kane steps out through the curtain to a respectable pop from the crowd.
Carson: And their partner, from Downtown New Toronto, Neontario, weighing in at 130lbs… NEON RAIN … KINZYYYYYY KANE!!
Phoenix: The neon-blazing, dance-strutting trio of Kinzy Kane and Synth City Thrillers know how to have a good time… but can they get the job done tonight in the ring, where it counts?
Jeffrey: Like we’ve already pointed out, The Black Flame is a well-oiled machine. This will be a tough hurdle for them to try and overcome on their first time out as a trio.
The makeshift trio enter the ring and step off against The Black Flame on the other side. After an exchange of words on both sides, each trio takes their respective corner. Bruce Rigg volunteers to open the match for The Black Flame, and on the opposite side, Reuben Kojo steps up to the plate. Satisfied the match is ready to begin, senior official Jason Trent calls for the bell.
Phoenix: The match is underway and we have Bruce Rigg and Reuben Kojo stepping up in the middle of the ring! And they lock horns!
Both Rigg and Kojo struggle back and forth as they prove to be a stalemate to each other. Eventually, they break apart but quickly go into another lock up. This time, Kojo gets the advantage and takes forward steps, pushing Rigg into the corner. When they arrive in the corner, Kojo charges his shoulder into the ribs of Rigg. After the third shoulder to the ribs, Rigg clubs Kojo in the back hard, which creates some distance between the two competitors.
Phoenix: Clubbing blows and brutal strikes are pretty much the M.O. of these two.
Jeffrey: And that means more great content for us!
Kojo and Rigg lock up, and Rigg is quick to transition into a headlock. He wrenches the neck of Kojo until Kojo is able to push Rigg away to the ropes. Rigg goes to the ropes and comes back, only to fall directly into the path of a spinebuster from Kojo!
Phoenix: And there’s the Synthbuster from Kojo!
Roberts: Right on the coccyx!
Jeffrey: Roberts! That’s disgusting! This is … sometimes … a family show!
Roberts: No, that’s the name of the bone - oh nevermind...
Kojo covers Rigg but Rigg kicks out at two. Kojo picks up Rigg and whips him into the Synth City corner. Kojo arrives at his own corner and tags in his partner, Drummond. Drummond steps into the ring and throws a few knife edge chops to the chest of Rigg. After four of them, the last one sounding particularly nasty, Rigg roars, elbow Kojo off the apron with a rogue shot, and takes Drummond out with a clothesline!
Jeffrey: I think those chops woke up the beast!
Rigg gets into position as Drummond gets to his feet and then takes him back out with a succinct belly-to-belly suplex. Rigg storms over to his corner and tags Fischer. Fischer gets into the ring and then immediately climbs the turnbuckle.
Jeffrey: Well, The Rotterdam Raven isn’t wasting any time going airborne!
As Drummond stumbles back to his feet, Fischer dives off the top rope and takes him down with a missile dropkick! Fischer immediately covers Drummond… ONE … TWO … NO! Drummond kicks out!
Phoenix: A spectacular feat with that dropkick but Drummond is still in this!
Drummond struggles to get back to his feet and Fischer gives him no time to earn respite. He grabs The Keeper of the Keys and takes him out with a spinning neckbreaker. Instead of making the cover, however, Fischer goes to his corner and tags in Zephyris.
Phoenix: Each member goes in, does their bit, and cycles to the next member. Prowess of a group that is well-acquainted.
Zephyris charges over to Drummond and stomps away at him, before throwing some kicks into the man’s chest and then dropkicking him while he is in the seated position. Zephyris covers Drummond! ONE … TWO … but NO! Drummond kicks out!
Zephyris picks up Drummond and attempts a DDT, but Drummond breaks free of Zephyris’ grasp. He hits Zephyris with a right hand which knocks him on his ass. Zephyris quickly recovers, but Drummond takes him down with a hip toss. He then sends Zephyris to the ropes and takes him out with a spinning back fist on his return! Drummond makes the cover! ONE … TWO … but Zephyris kicks out!
Phoenix: So enamoured are people by Drummond’s technical ability, they often forget he can hit like a brick too!
Jeffrey: That rocked Zephyris for sure!
Drummond tags in Kinzy Kane. She leaps into the ring, pumped and ready to go. She targets the vulnerable Zephyris and when the time is right, runs forward and takes him down with a hurricanrana! Zephyris flips in the air and bounces on the mat and by some fortunate determination, ends up near his own corner. Rigg leans over and tags himself back in, with a wicked grin on his face.
Phoenix: Rigg thinks he’s just found easy pickings!
Jeffrey: He should know better than to underestimate any woman here in 4CW. And actually, just in life, in general. Especially ones you’re married to, even if it is for only half an hour. *shivers*
Phoenix: Flashback there, Ray?
Jeffrey: … Hey come on, we’ve got a match going on here!
Inside the ring, Rigg and Kinzy lock up in the middle of the ring. Rigg of course wins the power battle with ease and throws Kinzy across the ring. Kinzy rolls through and gets bak to her feet. She regroups and squares up to Rigg again. Instead of locking up this time, she flurries forward and unleashes a set of forearms, none of which Rigg is expecting, and he takes the full brunt of at least four of them before he manages to shove Kinzy away.
Phoenix: Kinzy isn’t here to mess around!
Rocked, Rigg shakes the cobwebs… but Kinzy is on a mission. She charges forward and takes out Rigg with a hurricanrana! Rigg is quick to his feet as Kinzy recovers and he charges forward with a clothesline, but Kinzy falls backwards into a Matrix evasion, then lifts herself back to her feet and hits Rigg square in the jaw as he turns back around with the spinning heel kick! Rigg falls backwards and lands in his corner, where Fischer tags himself back in.
Phoenix: Kinzy won that little exchange, but now she has to face off against Fischer!
As Fischer charges at her, Kinzy takes him down with a Japanese arm drag. Fischer quickly recovers and tries again, but falls victim to the same result. On the third go round, Kinzy beats Fischer to the prime position and hits a SPINNING BACK ELBOW!! BAM!
Phoenix: BLADE RUNNER! That could be all she wrote because Fischer is OUT COLD!
Suddenly, Rigg and Zephyris invade the ring but Synth City Thrillers were clearly ready for such a thing and they meet the other two in the ring and the four of them start brawling as Kinzy sits in one corner and Fischer is laid out on the other side.
Phoenix: We’re losing control of this match right now!
Eventually, the smoke is settled, when Synth City Thrillers take out Rigg and Zephyris on the outside with double clotheslines! As Rigg and Zephyris crash to the floor, Synth City Thrillers run to the ropes and dive through them to the outside, clashing with their opponents!
Phoenix: Synth City lighting up Rigg and Zephyris!!
Inside the ring, Kinzy approaches Fischer while the referee tries to settle the chaos outside of the ring, leaning through the ropes to check on the competitors. As he does this, Kinzy picks up Fischer and Fischer reaches forward and sticks his thumb in the eye of Kinzy!!
Phoenix: Thumb to the eye! And that yelp from Kinzy says to me that Fischer got his target good!
Jeffrey: This could spell danger for The Neon Queen!
Now blinded and disorientated, Kinzy tries to see what’s happening - but Fischer is easily able to grab hold of her and hit a DDT!! With the referee still leaning through the ropes, Fischer stamps on the face of Kinzy!
Jeffrey: Hey, come on now! Dick move!
Inside the ring, Fischer goes to the corner and starts to climb to the top turnbuckle!
Phoenix: What is The Rotterdam Raven planning now? Are we about to see Quote The Raven?!
Kinzy is down and out and Fischer gets in perfect position - flying off with the Quote The Raven Shooting Star Press!!
Phoenix: Yes, we are - NO, WAIT!! KINZY GOT HER KNEES UP!!
Indeed Kinzy has got her knees up, and Fischer writhes in agony at the impact that has now winded him severely. A still half-blinded Kinzy grabs Fischer and pulls him up, then pulled Fischer in close with a short-arm bicycle knee kick! Fischer goes down and Kinzy calls for the referees attention before making the cover! ONE … TWO … THREE!!
Carson: Here are your winners and the NEW Franchise Champions… KINZY KANE … and the SYNTH CITTYYYYYYY … THRILLERS!!
Phoenix: WOW! If the Blade Runner didn’t knock out Fischer, that bicycle knee kick certainly did!
Jeffrey: One hell of a strike from Neon Rain! And we have a new Franchise Champions!
Roberts: Unofficially…
Jeffrey: Oh shut up, Roberts… Kinzy Kane and Synth City Thrillers are the new 4CW Franchise Champions! Official, oh-smishal!
Phoenix: I do have to admit that match certainly enticed me to the idea of the Franchise Title!
Inside the ring, the referee hands Kinzy the championship which she celebrates with, holding it up high, until Kojo and Drummond join her in the ring to celebrate. They each take turns holding the belt, before it returns to Kinzy, who is then hoisted on the shoulders of Synth City as we cut to a break.
Win-Loss Records:
Kinzy Kane 4-1
Devon Drummond 2-4
Reuben Kojo 2-5
Zephyris 2-4
Bruce Rigg 2-5
Garret Fischer 2-4
”Creatures of Habit” by Polaris hits the PA system. The crowd pops at the ever more familiar theme music of Lindon Jett, who steps out on stage and takes a moment to milk the crowd's reaction before heading down the ramp.
Carson: The following contest is a two out of three falls match, and is Match 3 in the Best of Seven Series. Introducing first, from Brisbane, Australia, weighing in at 247lbs … FULL GEAR … LINDOOOOOON … JETT!!
Phoenix: Let’s be clear: both Lindon Jett and Grant Zaiden are great talents… but so far in this Best of Seven series, we’ve only really seen Jett shine. And Zaiden really needs to pull something out of tonight’s match or risk facing severe embarrassment.
Roberts: I bet Lindon Jett is feeling very confident right now, as he should be - but he should be careful not to underestimate Zaiden.
Jeffrey: Oh, what fantastic advice, Roberts. Jett isn’t stupid, he KNOWS the talent that Zaiden is.. He’s been fortunate so far against him, but if he loses tonight, how much do the tables turn?
Jett rolls into the ring as his music cuts out and ”Into Nothing” by Bleed From Within hits the PA system. Grant Zaiden steps out onto the stage, staring down Jett in the ring.
Carson: And his opponent, from Charlton, England, weighing in at 260lbs … THE RED RHINO … GRANT … ZAAAAIDEN!!
Roberts: The crowd are more hostile towards Zaiden, though a lot of his reaction could be considered neutral. Clearly, his first two losses in this series have hurt his image a little.
Jeffrey: But don’t forget they call him the Red Rhino. And I don’t want to see how a rhino reacts when it’s cornered… by which I mean, that’s exactly what I want to see!
Phoenix: Well here we are, at maybe the most critical part of this series of matches, it’s two out of three falls, it’s Lindon Jett vs Grant Zaiden!
Senior official Jason Trent calls for the bell! Both Jett and Zaiden circle each other and within moments clash in a flurry of lefts and rights much to the approval of the crowd who give a big roar. Jett sends Zaiden to the ropes. Jett attempts to clothesline Zaiden on his return, but Zaiden avoids the swing and swoops in to pick up Jett on his shoulders! Without a moment’s warning, Zaiden throws off Jett and hits the FIREMAN’S CARRY INVERTED MICHINOKU DRIVER!!
Phoenix: OH MY GOD! THE DISPARITY! Zaiden hits The Disparity!! ONE … TWO … THREE!!
Jeffrey: Woah! There’s the first fall!!
Carson: Grant Zaiden is the winner of the first fall!
Roberts: WOW! I can’t believe what we just saw!
Zaiden grins and takes in his pinfall for a moment, and then goes for the second pinfall, the one that will actually win him the match! ONE … TWO … NO!! Jett kicks out!!
Phoenix: Well The Disparity shocker was enough to earn Zaiden one pinfall! But on the attempt to get the second, decisive fall, Jett was able to power out! He’s clearly rocked though, and he may not be long for this match!
Zaiden stands ready in his corner as Jett struggles to shakily get up to his feet. He shakes his head when the referee asks if he wants to give up. Zaiden approaches Jett and puts up his fists, ready to strike. Jett does the same, but his grogginess results in him throwing some wildly off-target shots and getting a belly-to-belly release suplex for his troubles!
Phoenix: Beautiful execution!
Roberts: And Jett landed hard!
Zaiden picks up Jett and continues his assault, this time lifting up Jett and taking him out with a Fallaway Slam! Zaiden then picks up a barely able to move Jett, hooks him up into position and slams him down with a powerbomb!!
Phoenix: I hate to say it, but I think this match is over… and it’s probably for the best too. Jett hasn’t been the same since that opening salvo from Zaiden!
Zaiden finally covers Jett to make a pinfall attempt! ONE … TWO … TH---NO!! JETT KICKS OUT!!
Phoenix: Wow! Apparently, The Disparity, a belly-to-belly and a powerbomb are still not enough to put away Jett!
Roberts: They don’t call him Full Gear for nothing, boys!
The frustration seeping into Zaiden’s face becomes clear after the powerbomb kickout. He grabs Jett roughly and whips him into the corner. He then follows it up with a big elbow smash in the corner! Zaiden lifts Jett up on his shoulders, seemingly for another Disparity, but we never find out, as Jett breaks free and finds himself back on his feet!
Jett grabs Zaiden from behind and throws him up into a gutwrench powerbomb!! Jett rolls over and covers Zaiden! ONE … TWO … NO! Zaiden kicks out!
Phoenix: Somehow, Lindon Jett is fighting back! A near fall there almost levelled it up!
Jeffrey: This would be one amazing comeback if he could pull it off!
As Jett gets to his feet, he finds Zaiden almost back to his too, so he runs at him and takes him out with a slingblade!
Phoenix: Broken Barriers by Jett! Is that enough to put away The Red Rhino?!
Jett makes the cover! ONE … TWO … NO! Zaiden kicks out! Zaiden is so ready to kick out that he tries to beat Jett to his feet, but Jett is just a little bit faster, taking out Zaiden with a snap DDT!
Phoenix: An opening for Full Gear!
Roberts: Can he pull it off?!
Jett grabs Zaiden and pulls him to his feet. Zaiden is rocked, and Jett is able to set him up for the Backslide Driver. He attempts Jett Lag, but Zaiden overpowers and breaks free of Jett’s hold. Zaiden spins around Jett and lifts him up, and hits THE DISPARITY once again! Jett crumbles as Zaiden hooks the leg! ONE … TWO … THREE!!
Carson: Here is your winner, GRANT … ZAAAAAIDEN!!
Win-Loss Records:
Lindon Jett 3-2
Grant Zaiden 1-3
Phoenix: Wow! Grant Zaiden has done it, a 2-0 victory here tonight!
Jeffrey: I guess he proved everyone wrong! He completely dominated Jett tonight!
Roberts: I still can’t get over how convincing that victory was! Zaiden caught Jett off guard tonight!
As ”Into Nothing” plays, Grant Zaiden celebrates his victory. The score on the titantron updates:
Best of Seven Series
Lindon Jett 2-1 Grant Zaiden
Phoenix: And that means Zaiden is back in the fight in the best of seven series!
Roberts: And he now has the choice of the next stipulation!
We cut to a break as Grant Zaiden celebrates on the ramp.
Carson: The following contest is scheduled for one fall! And it is for the 4CW Universal Championship! Introducing first, the challenger!
"Phoenix (Volkor X Remix)" by Scandroid hits the PA system. The crowd explodes as she steps out onto the stage, complemented by dimmed lighting and dancing red spotlights. The spotlights encircle her, then give way to just one, which centres itself over Phoenix herself.
Carson: Hailing from Nara, Japan, weighing in at 125lbs... MADELIIIIIINE ... PHOEEEEEEEEENIX!!
Phoenix: There she is! My incredibly talented daughter! With the opportunity of a lifetime tonight! She deserves some 4CW gold!
Roberts: As much as I agree with you Scott, her opponent may be the most fighting champion i’ve ever seen. Pilgrim Paige is constantly defending her title at every event and in every kind of match. This match is one of, if not the, most intriguing of the entire card. There is no doubt in my mind, we are in for a classic here.
Madeline Phoenix walks down the ramp sporting an intensely focused look. A shred of excitement can be seen sneaking through at certain times, as she reaches the bottom of the ramp and heads over to ascend the steel ring steps. She turns to the crowd and throws up her arms. They shower her in cheers and she smiles, before entering into the ring. She tosses her arms up one more time for the same response and then makes her way to the corner, readying herself for her opponent.
The arena lights go out, as well as the 4CWTron, leaving everything in pitch black. A thick layer of purple fog begins to envelope the stage and ramp. Barely visible through the haze, at centre stage, a small purple flame flickers in mid-air, providing a momentary glimpse of a woman's face. Suddenly, she blows the flame out. The crowd buzzes in anticipation. Across the darkened stage, a rainbow-patterned series of six coloured fireworks ascends out of the darkness and explodes overhead, creating a starburst shower of crackling sparks. The arena goes from blackened to dimly lit when the lights flicker back on, ready for the Moon Maiden to appear.
The crowd roars when "The Astral Dialogue" by Agalloch begins blasting over the PA system and Paige appears through the fog, wearing a black leather jacket over her purple-trimmed black ring attire. She proudly displays the 4CW Universal Championship strapped round her waist. The 4CWtron shows dark, stylized clips of Pilgrim Paige in various settings: descending the staircase of the Moontower; howling out her window, etc. At the top of the ramp, she throws an arm up in the air and gives the sign of the horns while pumping her arm a few times.
Carson: And making her way to the ring, hailing from Newfoundland, Canada and now residing on... The DAAARK Side of the MOOOON... weighing in at 134 pounds... the 4CW UNIVERSAL CHAMPION ... PILGRIIIM PAAAIIIGE!
When the song's beat picks up and the harsh vocals kick in, Paige takes off running through the fog down to the ring. At the bottom of the ramp she leaps and slides into the ring under the bottom rope, then arises swiftly from the canvas. After removing her jacket and tossing it to a ring attendant, she walks to the middle of the ring. Paige spreads her arms wide and throws her head back, sounding out a loud WOOO as rapid bursts of purple pyro shoot from the corner posts. The lights return to normal as she moves to a corner and warms up, keeping her adrenaline flowing.
Jeffrey: Madeline's entrance was cute, but Paige’s was better. Judging from looks alone, Paige is going to handle Phoenix here.
Phoenix: Well that’s why we don’t judge a book by its cover Ray!
Paige hands over the title to the official and he holds it up high for all to see. The crowd roars and fans go into a picture taking frenzy. The flashes reflect off the belt and then it is handed to an official on the outside. The referee then immediately signals for the bell.
Phoenix: And this Universal Championship bout is underway!
Paige and Madeline lock eyes and slowly walk towards the center of the ring to face each other. There’s a few words exchanged as they both slightly nod, seems to be that of respect. They lock up and struggle back and forth. Paige, with the very slight size and strength advantage, starts to back Phoenix up. Suddenly, Madeline slips behind her and swiftly forearms her in the back of the head. She then runs the ropes as Paige turns around. Phoenix flies in with a running forearm that connects on the jaw of Paige and she's sent stumbling backwards.
Paige centers herself and shakes off the attack. She looks up only to see the challenger not letting up as she leaps and attempts a swift Dropkick! Paige manages to half block the maneuver with her left arm and shoulder, but the force backs her up against the ropes. She glances up again and sees Phoenix charging at her again, except this time Paige instinctively drops down, grabbing the top rope in the process! Phoenix stumbles over Paige and easily over the top rope, but Phoenix gets a hold of the rope with one hand!
She holds herself long enough to scoot back onto the ring apron. Both she and Paige scramble to their feet, with Phoenix up first. Expecting to see Paige, she instead bears witness to a kick right in the kisser! Phoenix stumbles backwards a step, as Paige then propels herself up back over the top rope and manages to connect with a closeline! Both competitors hit the mat and Paige swiftly hooks the leg! 1… 2.... NO! Kickout!
Phoenix: Impressive athleticism there from The Moonlight Maiden!
Jeffrey: Could be a long night here for your daughter Scott.
Roberts: I thought she was off to a decent start, but we’re seeing why Paige is a former 4CW Champion and the current Universal Champion!
Phoenix: And it’s still very early, Ray!
Paige gets up and grabs Madeline by her hair and forces her to her feet. She forearms the challenger in the head and follows that up with a few Knife Edge Chops. Her attacks back up Phoenix into the turnbuckle and Paige then switches over to a few swift kicks to the gut. Paige walks away to about the center of the ring and turns back. She charges the corner and comes up empty! Phoenix slides out of the way and then Dropkicks the champion in the back! She then hits the turnbuckle again and stumbles backwards into Phoenix’s waiting arms. She wraps her up around the waist and then hoists her up and over for a German Suplex!
Phoenix doesn’t release the hold and rolls left, forcing Paige to do the same. She brings them both back to their feet and lifts her up and back again, for a second German Suplex! Phoenix isn’t finished! She repeats the process one more time and connects! This time releasing Paige mid air and she hits the mat hard! Paige rolls over onto her stomach as Phoenix nips up to a standing position using just her legs. She shows off to the crowd and gets a big pop for her efforts.
Roberts: Hot damn! Tossin the champ around like a rag doll!
Phoenix: Yeah girl! Woooo!
Jeffrey: Scott you are supposed to remain unbiased and call this matchup right down the middle! This lack of professionalism is making me look bad!
Madeline Phoenix walks over to her opponent and gets her up on her feet. She pushes her back against the ropes and then uses the momentum to whip her across the ring. Paige hits the ropes and returns, only to have Phoenix leap frog right over her. Paige continues along and hits the adjacent ropes. Phoenix reaches for Paige, but The Golden Pilgrim baseball slides right under Phoenix’s legs. Paige pops right up to her feet and as soon as Phoenix turns around, she is met with a Standing Dropkick to the face!
Phoenix: Ooh! I have a feeling she felt that one.
Both women hit the mat and then race to stand back up. Paige is first and brings her leg around to kick a downed Phoenix in the side of the head, but it’s caught! Phoenix stands holding Paige’s leg as she struggles to maintain balance on her one leg. Then BOOM! Out of nowhere Paige connects with her free leg for a vicious Enzuigiri! The crowd reacts with a collective gasp.
Phoenix struggles to stay on her feet and collapses into the turnbuckle, barely keeping herself up. Paige picks up where she left off earlier and charges. She slams into Phoenix with a clothesline! Paige wastes no time in unloading a barrage of kicks all over the body of her opponent. After 7 or 8 kicks, she takes a few steps back and howls up to the rafters. She leaps and connects with another Enzuigiri! Phoenix eats the attack to the side of her head and slides down the turnbuckle.
Jeffrey: Yikes! Madness of the Moon! That looked like it really hurt. I think Miss Maddy might be in a bit of trouble.
Phoenix: God damn you Ray. I can’t even look.
Roberts: I think Paige saw early that if she doesn’t turn things up a notch or two, Phoenix could legitimately take her title. Now I’m worried Madeline may actually have a concussion…...or two.
Paige doesn’t boast to the crowd. She instead forces Phoenix back up and quickly sets her up for a Suplex and proceeds with the maneuver. Phoenix’s body slams into the canvas, but Paige isn’t finished. She lifts her feet up and twirls, never letting go of her opponent. She forces them both right back up to their feet and hits another Suplex. Immediately, twirling her feet again for a third and final Suplex, although this time, she sticks her own head under Phoenix’s arm and lifts back for a Northern Lights Suplex! She holds the impressive maneuver for the pin! 1… 2… Kickout!
Jeffrey: I thought that might be it Scott.
Phoenix: Oh come on! My daughter has more heart than that!
Paige sits up and breathes. Fully in control, she still looks impressed by Phoenix’s will. Seh stands and grabs Phoenix by the back of her head. She gets her to her feet, pulls back, and connects with a forearm to the head. Phoenix staggers back into the turnbuckle. Paige grabs her and whips her to the adjacent turnbuckle, but Phoenix holds and sends Paige for the ride. Paige hits the turnbuckle and eats it with her back. She comes right out of the corner with a look of annoyance. She swings at Phoenix, but the challenger ducks underneath the maneuver. Paige turns and lunges, only to have Phoenix disappear beneath her! Paige walks right into a Drop Toe Hold and her face slams right into the middle turnbuckle!
Paige is down holding her face, as Phoenix stays down as well. Phoenix slowly crawls towards the closest ropes and uses them to leisurely get to her feet. Paige has recovered herself and she turns to look at Phoenix. The Mad Phoenix isn’t looking back and instead taking time to further recover. Paige explodes out of the corner again, only to have Madeline suddenly Dropkicks her in her left knee! Paige stumbles forward, falls and slides across the ring. She grabs her knee as Phoenix slowly gets up again, but this time she is looking over at Paige.
Roberts: I think Phoenix may have been playing possum!
Jeffrey: I don’t think she’s smart enough to think of that strategy. She saw her coming at the last second and reacted. She got lucky, James.
Phoenix: Either way, she has managed to recover from an early onslaught from the champion. And now Paige is down and nursing her knee!
Phoenix heads over to Paige and grabs her by the bad leg and drags her to the center of the ring. She then holds the bad leg and starts punching the knee. Paige yells out with each hit and then Phoenix drops an elbow down onto the knee! Paige roars in pain. Phoenix gets back up and straddles the leg. Paige sees what’s about to happen and puts her free leg onto her opponent’s rear end and pushes her away with some force. Phoenix stumbles forward and through the middle ropes! She spills out to the mat below! Paige gets to her feet and even has her knee buckle for a second before settling. She runs the opposite ropes and returns with speed, leaps up and over the top rope, and slams into Madeline Phoenix! Both competitors are laid out on the floor!
Phoenix: And a huge Over the Top Crossbody from the Champion!
Jeffrey: The Golden Pilgrim just came crashing down into your daughter’s dreams Scott!
Roberts: Low blow Ray. That move looked devastating on both individuals, but I think Paige needed to even things up.
Jeffrey: And more time to nurse that knee!
The official on the inside of the ring gets his count to “5” when Paige gets herself to her feet, leaning against the ring apron. Phoenix is starting to stir and Paige heads for her. She helps her to her feet, scoops her right up and drops her face first against the ring apron! Phoenix rolls away holding her face as Paige follows. Paige brings Phoenix back to her feet again, but suddenly eats a straight jab to the gut. Paige angrily reacts and double axe handle swings and slams into Phoenix’s back, dropping her back down to the mat. Paige then forcefully pulls her opponent back up to her feet by her hair and tosses her into the ring. She slides in behind her with the count at “8”.
Phoenix crawls slowly across the mat, as Paige rolls in and stands. She walks over with an angry expression and grabs the challenger by a big clump of the back of her hair. She forces her to her feet, even talking some smack. She then swiftly whips Madeline into the closest set of ropes. Phoenix hits the ropes and runs back towards a clothesline, that she ducks and picks up speed. She hits the ropes again and heads back towards a spinning Paige. Phoenix uses her momentum, acrobatically leaps, and dropkicks the bad knee of Paige! The leg of Paige flies back, as if hit by a cannonball, and she hits the mat nursing the knee.
Phoenix: Looks like that knee is causing Paige some issues!
Madeline is not blind to this and pounces on the champion, not allowing her a moment to recover. She throws Paige up against the corner turnbuckle and unleashes some chops. Paie fights back with some forearms and Phoenix stumbles back. Paige hobbles after her but Phoenix lifts her up and over with a back body drop!
Paige is quick to her feet but Phoenix is already two steps ahead and takes her out with the Ranhei!
Phoenix: Maddie hits the Barrel Roll!
Roberts: This could be big!
Phoenix picks up the fallen Paige and hooks her up in the set up for the MARE DE LUNE - but no! Paige scouts it and slips out of Phoenix’s grasp. Phoenix spins on the spot and eats a SUPERKICK to the jaw! Paige falls against the ropes clutching her bad leg that she just used to kick Phoenix’s face off. Eventually she recovers her energy enough to make a running start.
Phoenix: What’s Paige doing here?
Paige runs towards the ropes and jumps up on to the top, springboarding off - but she jerks weirdly. Her footing isn’t quite right - AND PAIGE CRASHES TO THE MAT!!
Phoenix: Oh, wow!
Roberts: A rare faux pa by The Golden Pilgrim!
Paige stumbles up stunned and groggily, due to the impact and the embarrassment, but she realises too late that Phoenix is behind her! Phoenix rolls up Paige into a tight package!!
ONE … TWO … THREE!!
Phoenix: WHAT!
Roberts: Oh my god!
Carson: Here is your winner… and the NEEEEEEEW 4CW UNIVERSAL CHAMPION … MADELINE …. THE MAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD …. PHOEEEEEENIX!!
Win-Loss Records:
Pilgrim Paige 5-3-1
Madeline Phoenix 5-4
Jeffrey: Wow! That mistake cost Paige everything!
Roberts: With such an abrupt and odd ending to the match, I’m a little flustered!
Phoenix: Me too but it’s official! MADELINE PHOENIX IS THE UNIVERSAL CHAMPION!!
Roberts: An incredible moment for you, I’m sure Scott! Madeline Phoenix came into this match on another level! She was determined to walk out champion, and any mistake, even the smallest one, she would certainly capitalise on!
Phoenix: Pilgrim Paige has held that championship twice this year, with only a two month period where she wasn’t the champion! But now we move into a new year with Madeline Phoenix claiming her first piece of 4CW gold!
Jeffrey: A shock it certainly is! Paige would have hit that springboard 999 times out of 1000! But today, luck was not on her side!
Inside the ring, as Phoenix’s music continues to blare, the referee hands her the 4CW Universal Championship. Phoenix falls to her knees, holding the belt up high with both hands, before burying her face in it. Paige has long left the ring, rolling out at the first immediate opportunity. But the focus is all on Madeline Phoenix.
Phoenix: What a moment! And we have more to come tonight so don’t go anywhere! We’ll be right back! When we come back - the MAIN EVENT is upon us!
"Clockwork" by Northlane plays over a video package.
I'm running out of time
I'm running out, I'm running on a feeling so
I'm running out of time
I'm running out, I'm running on a feeling so, oh
I'm running out, I'm running on a feeling soThe song begins with flashes of Jack Valentine's 4CW World Championship victory, where he won the 2019 Rumble in the Storm to become champion, finally eliminating Pilgrim Paige.
Phoenix: Jack Valentine is 4CW World Champion!
These are lonely words, barely on the page
I've a million thoughts, but I can't let them escape
I've got this barrier, screaming "Inferior"
Am I a saboteur lost in the fear that I'm destined to fail?
That I'll derail the dream
I've got nothing to show, but the show must go onI'm running out, I'm running on a feeling so, oh
I'm running out, I'm running on a feeling soValentine's reign continued strong with the madness of the Hard Knocks Life match with Carstein and Inferno resulting in his retaining the title, and again defending the title against Carstein in a Gallows Pole match at Gallows End.
I'm running out of time
I'm running out, I'm running on a feeling so
I'm running out of time
I'm running out, I'm running out of
So empty, so empty
I'm so empty, so empty
I'm running out of time
I'm running out of timeMeanwhile, clips from Phil McGroin winning the Lightning in the Bottle match are shown, followed by Brian White's victory in the 2020 Rumble in the Storm and finally Tommy Young's victory in the 2020 13 Ghost Gauntlet match.
Then it shows Sery announcing a match between Jack Valentine, Brian White, Tommy Young, Phil McGroin and Rhys Cain for the championship - inside the WAR match!
Roberts: Number one contenders are all lining up, and Sery has decided to give them all a shot at the same time!
Help me see the rainbow
Help me see the rainbow through the clouded eyesValentine: I am the longest-reigning 4CW champion of all time! Everyone around me is jealous, because they wish they were me. No matter how many challengers are thrown at me, I will walk out the champion! Because I am simply better than every single person in this match.
Jack Valentine and Phil McGroin take on Run 'N' Gun in a tag team match. Quick highlights are shown of the match.
Help me see the rainbow!
When the breakdown hits, Rhys Cain appears out of nowhere to take down Brian White with a Dragon Rage, before the rest of The Black Flame invade the ring.
I can't find a pulse and it's getting cold
Help me see the rainbow!Cain: Benthyg dros amser byr yw popeth a geir yn y byd hwn. You’re running out of time, Jack… tick tock.
Young: My time is now.
McGroin: I’ve never been more ready...
White: All record-breaking reigns must come to an end...I'm running out of time
I'm running out, I'm running on a feeling so
I'm running out of time
I'm running out, I'm running out of
So empty, so empty
I'm so empty, so empty
I'm running out of time
I'm running out of timeCain stands tall in the middle of the ring with the 4CW World Championship held high in the air, and everyone laying around the ring, taken out, as The Black Flame stands tall.
I'm running out of time
Yeah
Carson: The following contest is the WAR MATCH and it is for the 4CW World Championship! The rules are simple. The WAR structure will surround the ring. There are no disqualifications or count outs. The first competitor to gain a pinfall or submission will be declared the winner and will leave the WAR match as 4CW World Champion!!
"As I Am" by Dream Theatre hits the PA system. The crowd erupt into a flurry of boos. Rhys Cain steps out onto the stage. The black flame on the tron behind him illuminates the stage. Cain comes to life and raises both arms in the air, and his pyro goes off around him.
Carson: Introducing first, from THE SCORCHED PATH … weighing in at 230lbs… 4CW Hall of Famer ... THE BLACK FLAAAAAME … RHYS … CAAAAIN!!
Cain makes his way down the ramp. He eyes up the structure, a magnificently large, rectangular cage that surrounds the ring and a chunk of the ringside area with dominating, steel foundations on each corner.
Phoenix: There is the newly-designed WAR structure! That’s more like a steel fortress than a steel cage!
Jeffrey: It’s huge! We’ve got barely any legroom out here!
Phoenix: As you can see, the entire ring, the bottom of the ramp and the outside of the ring are enclosed in this rectangular structure. We’re the only thing out here that escaped the cage!
Roberts: There’s no way I was getting trapped in there! You’re welcome, fellas.
Jeffrey: So, it’s your fault I have no leg room!
Phoenix: Nevertheless, I suppose we must pay attention to the man making his way to the cage. Rhys Cain, 4CW Hall of Famer, two-time 4CW World Champion and he will look to make his third summit of the mountain tonight.
Roberts: And Cain has found himself in the WAR match many times, and even has a win under his belt, but this is the first time he - or anyone, for that matter - is competing in WAR without a team.
Jeffrey: And now he’s gotta prove that he can do it without the help of his cronies. I know Cain has won the World Title before, and I give him kudos, but I’m not convinced this Rhys Cain has what it takes. As an annoying shit he was as a nice guy, he was also a hell of a lot more successful. That’s what the facts tell you, Cain may spout something different.
Phoenix: It can’t be denied that he has achieved great things under The Black Flame. He became Grand Slam Champion, but of course, most of his achievements lately come with the asterisk. Tonight though, if he actually manages to earn this victory, he could put all his doubters to silence, including us.
Cain reaches the bottom of the ramp and the referee opens the cage door, allowing Cain entry. Cain takes one last look at it, takes a deep breath, and steps through the threshold. He rolls into the ring and takes a corner, waiting patiently for his opponents.
”Numb” by Linkin Park hits the PA system. The boos for Cain don’t improve much as the next challenger appears on stage. Phil McGroin stands with his Lightning in the Bottle in his hand, and Camera Man, finally allowed to work for him again, scampering around him to get the best shots.
Carson: Next, from Helston, England, weighing in at 14 stone, he is the 2020 Lightning in the Bottle winner, opening the bottle tonight for this opportunity... PHIL … MCGROOOIN!!
Phoenix: And it is by virtue of being the Lightning in the Bottle winner that former Custom Cup Champion McGroin finds himself in this match! He agreed to be a part of this match and open the bottle to do so!
Jeffrey: And this was part of his master plan all along, I’m sure! McGroin has to be the favourite here!
Roberts: You can’t be serious.
Jeffrey: Why the hell would I not be serious? Because he’s abrasive? Because you don’t like him? The man is a former Custom Cup Champion. The man has won matches more times than you’ve been called a virgin, which is A LOT. Let’s not forget McGroin is a former winner of the 13 Ghost Gauntlet! Mock him all you want, Roberts, but the fact of the matter is McGroin has built a decorated series of accolades in the last three years and he has been champion longer than any other challenger in this match this year!
Roberts: …Well, I must admit you make a compelling argument.
Jeffrey: Damn right, I do. And don’t think saying I’m right means you don’t have to SHUT UP, ROBERTS!
Camera Man reaches the cage door and moves away. McGroin warns him to make sure he gets good footage and then steps through the door and rolls into the ring. McGroin glares at Cain for a moment, before turning to the crowd and taunting them.
”Wherever I May Roam” by Yashin hits the PA system. Brain White comes out alone on to the stage. He looks around the arena before focusing on the gigantic WAR structure. Steam erupts from around the stage.
Carson: On his way to the ring, from Barry, South Wales… weighing in at 385lbs… he is the 2020 Rumble in the Storm winner and 4CW Hall of Famer… BRIAN … THE FREIGHT TRAAAAAAAAIN … WHIIITE!!
Phoenix: In July, Brian White overcame twenty nine other competitors to win the Rumble in the Storm and earn this World Title opportunity. Because of the power struggle between Sery and Cain, it took a while but tonight, he finally gets the chance he’s been waiting for!
Jeffrey: And let me tell you something, I was talking with White earlier and he is HUNGRY! He’s been wanting that championship back ever since it was snatched from him in under two months the last time he won it. He’s been ITCHING for another go at it and he’ll get no better opportunity to put matters into his own hands than tonight!
Phoenix: That’s absolutely right. Tonight, Brain White is on a mission.
White reaches the bottom of the ramp and the official opens the cage door. White steps inside. As soon as he is within the structure, his eyes hone in on Cain. He doesn’t take his eyes off Cain as he gets into the ring and continues to glare at him as the music for his tag team partner and opponent tonight hits the PA system.
”Aces High” by Iron Maiden blares through the speakers as the already hyped crowd explode for the younger but just as popular member of Run ‘N’ Gun as he steps out on stage.
Carson: On his way to the ring, from Barry, South Wales, weighing in at 195lbs… he is the 2020 13 Ghost Gauntlet winner… TOP GUN … TOMMYYYYYYYY … YOUNG!!
Young comes to the ring with a frenetic energy. He eats up the crowd’s cheers and eggs them on to turn it up even more!
Phoenix: Young is certainly excited to be part of this… but let’s not forget he’s also determined, smart as hell in the ring, and a bonafide star at this point!
Roberts: It’s easy to sleep on Tommy Young, but he has been building his legacy for four years now and doing a damn good job of it! Multiple time tag team champion, Custom Cup Champion, 13 Ghost Gauntlet winner, WAR winner… Young has climbed the ladder of his own success and now he’s finally at the top of the mountain. The question is, can he make history tonight and plant his flag? Or will he come tumbling back down the hill?
Jeffrey: He’s certainly the biggest underdog, if only in perception than actual reality. Tommy Young is out here tonight to prove he can hang with the elite in 4CW… that he is the elite in 4CW!
When Young reaches the bottom of the ramp, he looks up at the structure, takes a deep breath, and walks on through. Moments later, Young jumps into the ring and takes a look at each of the three opponents. White still hasn’t taken his eyes off Cain.
”Supernova Goes Pop” by Powerman 5000 hits the PA system. The crowd’s cheers for Young are doused with toxicity and turned into rancid boos almost instantly.
Carson: And finally, introducing the champion, from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, weighing in at 220lbs… he is the longest reigning 4CW Undisputed World Champion of all time… 4CW Hall of Famer… JACK … MAD DOOOOOOG … VALENTIIIINE!!
After the very long-winded introduction no doubt curated by Valentine himself, the champion raises the title in the air as pyro goes off all around him on stage.
Phoenix: And as Michael Carson said, you are looking at the longest reigning undisputed 4CW World Champion of all time. His championship reign currently stands at a monumental 522 days. To put that into perspective, the next longest reign is Eddie Wolfbaine’s, which is almost half the length at 271 days. Make no mistake, Jack Valentine is THE guy in 4CW.
Roberts: But that doesn’t change the fact he’s facing his biggest challenge to date. He has to face four, count ‘em, FOUR of the most elite 4CW has to offer. Two hall of famers included in those four. A lot of people think Jack Valentine is going to crack under the pressure. A lot of people think the 20% chance Valentine has of retaining tonight is simply not enough.
Jeffrey: Well, I know one thing about a lot of people. A lot of people are stupid! Valentine has overcome the odds at every turn! Everyone and their mother bet against him at Gallows End, and he STILL came out on top, vanquishing Carstein!
Roberts: And the key difference is, this time he won’t have anyone to help him! This is WAR! Valentine is trapped inside that structure with four men who want his head!
Phoenix: Valentine, regardless of what anyone is saying, is here… and he looks ready! He carries himself like a champion, even if he doesn’t display it in the ring at all times. This, ladies and gentlemen, is what the pinnacle of pro wrestling looks like.
Valentine takes a long, hard look at the cage before entering. When he does, the officials clang the door shut behind him and lock it up! The last person to come inside the structure before it shuts is senior official, Jason Trent, who will be officiating this match.
Valentine gets into the ring. He stands in the middle as each of his opponents take one of the corners. He holds the belt high and makes sure to look at each one of them, except White doesn’t meet his glance as he is still staring at Rhys Cain.
The referee Jason Trent decides the wait is over and calls for the bell!
Immediately, the five break out into groups. White makes a beeline for Cain, smashing a knee into his gut. Meanwhile, Young and McGroin have the same idea and take out Valentine with a double dropkick! White throws Cain over the top rope to the outside and follows after him.
Phoenix: Oh boy! All out mayhem to start this one!
Roberts: I didn’t expect anything less!
On the outside, White throws Cain into the cage wall. Cain crashes and falls. White immediately picks him back up and throws him into the steel steps, which implodes upon impact! Inside the ring, Young clotheslines Valentine to the outside. But before Young can do anything else, McGroin runs to the ropes and suicide dives, taking out Valentine!
Jeffrey: McGroin soars through the air and takes out the champion!
Tommy Young decides to change his strategy and instead climbs the turnbuckle. He eyes up both recovering competitors, McGroin and Valentine on the outside, then flies off and takes them both out with a crossbody!
Roberts: And Top Gun doesn’t want to be left behind! This is madness!
White pulls up the ring apron. He pulls out a few steel chairs and launches them into the ring. He then pulls out a trash can full of an assortment of weapons. He pulls a kendo stick out of it and corners Cain. Cain kicks at White’s knee, in an attempt to defend himself, but White retaliates by raining down kendo stick shots all over Cain’s body, who curls up to defend himself!
Phoenix: Brain White is going to town on Cain with those kendo stick shots!
When White has had his fill, he throws the now broken kendo stick away, grabs Cain and rolls him into the ring. White rolls in afterwards, picks up Cain, and takes him out with a body slam, right on top of a steel chair! White makes the cover! ONE … TWO … but Valentine jumps into the ring and breaks the count!
Phoenix: And a second longer is all it would have taken for Valentine to lose the title right there! He has to be aware of everything that is going on at all times!
White jumps to his feet and Valentine immediately retreats out of the ring again. White approaches the ropes and looks to follow Valentine, when suddenly he is yanked back into a rollup by McGroin! ONE … TWO … but White bursts out of the fall! McGroin attempts to keep the offence up with some stomps. But White is soon back to his feet and whips McGroin into the corner. White follows McGroin and takes him out with a corner splash and then follows up with a belly-to-belly suplex!
Phoenix: White throwing McGroin around like a ragdoll!
Young rolls into the ring. He and White stand off in the middle of the ring. Then, Young smirks - and falls to the mat!!
Phoenix: What’s he doing?
White kneels down to COVER his partner! ONE … TWO … NO! Valentine breaks the fall!
Jeffrey: What the hell was that?
Phoenix: It seems Run ‘N’ Gun are determined to walk out the winners, even if that means one of them handing the win to the other!
Jeffrey: Yeah? We’ll see how long that lasts! When that hand comes down for a third time, it’s just pure instinct to kick out!
Valentine grabs Young and throws him roughly out of the ring. He then grabs a kneeling White and takes him down with a DDT! Valentine makes to go for the cover when suddenly he is blasted in the back by a steel chair held by Phil McGroin! Cain gets back up to his feet and McGroin blasts him across the head with the chair too!
McGroin sees Young getting back up on the outside and launches his chair out of the ring, which bounces against the cage wall and hits Young.
Jeffrey: The steel chair is a deadly weapon in the hands of Phil McGroin!
McGroin picks up another steel chair and hits Valentine and Cain once more each in the back for good measure. Then, he turns his attention to a recovering White who is getting back to his feet. He takes his time to find an ideal position behind White, and then swings with all his might. The chair breaks into several pieces as White absorbs the blow.
Phoenix: WOW! That steel chair just crumbled in contact with Brian White!
Roberts: I wouldn’t want to be Phil McGroin right now!
Brain White runs at McGroin and takes him down with a clobbering shoulder block. Cain is next up to his feet and White takes him down with a thunderous big boot! White turns around to see who else is left standing. What he doesn’t expect is for Jack Valentine to be on the top rope! Valentine flies off and takes down White with a beautiful moonsault! The champion covers! ONE … TWO … NO!! WHITE KICKS OUT!
Phoenix: Jack Valentine went high and mighty with that moonsault, but it wasn’t enough to put away The Freight Train!
McGroin charges at Valentine, but Valentine sidesteps and sends McGroin to the outside and he crashes into Young! Inside the ring, Valentine grabs White and hits the FLEA SHOT DDT! Valentine covers White! ONE … TWO … NO!! Cain breaks up the count!
Phoenix: Valentine caught White off guard with that Flea Shot! And ironically, Cain just saved White’s chances of walking out World Champion!
On the outside, McGroin and Young begin exchanging blows left and right, making their way around ringside. McGroin grabs Young and bashes his face into the turnbuckle post. He then grabs the hurt Young, and throws him face-first into the steel mesh! Young bounces off and McGroin sets him up for the Eggcution DDT - but Young escapes, spinning around McGroin and taking him out with a bulldog on the steel steps!
Phoenix: McGroin eats steel! He’s getting a full meal there!
Young picks up McGroin and throws him into the cage with vengeance! McGroin comes stumbling back towards Young, who takes him out with a dropkick! Young then jumps up and climbs the turnbuckle all the way to the top.
Phoenix: What’s Young planning now?
Young looks over at the cage for a moment too long, and then decides to leap across and clutch on to the cage!
Jeffrey: Wow!
Roberts: Impressive!
Phoenix: Is it a bird? Is it a plane? Or is it some combination of both in human form!
Young climbs up the cage until he reaches the top, which is roofed off. McGroin is just getting back to his feet and looks up in time to see Young come CRASHING DOWN and take him out!
Phoenix: OH MY GOD!! Young didn’t fly! He just crashed into McGroin! And both men are seemingly out right now!
Jeffrey: That was batshit!
Roberts: All is fair in love… and WAR!
Jeffrey: And it was still absolute batshit! Tommy Young clearly doesn’t have a brain because what he does in that ring is mindless!
Phoenix: We may need medical attention for both Young and McGroin after that!
Inside the ring, the battle between Valentine and Cain has heated up. Cain sets up Valentine for Avada Kedavra, but gets an elbow to the side of his head. Valentine gets a moment of space and uses it to aim a SUPERKICK, taking out The Black Flame! Valentine picks up Cain and sets up for the Flea Shot, but Cain wriggles out of Valentine’s grasp and takes down the champion with a lariat!
Phoenix: Cain has Valentine in a prone position!
Cain goes to the corner of the ring and sets up for Dragon Rage. He waits patiently as Valentine gets into position, and then snaps into a breakneck run, throwing himself into the air and taking down Valentine with the Busaiku knee kick!
Phoenix: DRAGON RAGE! We may have a new champion!!
Cain covers Valentine and Trent counts… ONE … TWO … TH--NO!! VALENTINE KICKS OUT!!
Jeffrey: The greatest champion of all time kicked out! Hell yeah!
Phoenix: I thought Cain might have had it there, I really did! Valentine isn’t done yet though!
Roberts: There’s nothing more dangerous than a desperate man! Valentine is looking pretty desperate right now!
Cain picks up Valentine. He pulls him to his feet and runs to the ropes. On his return, Cain attempts a clothesline. Valentine ducks and spins Cain on the spot, attempting a Flea Shot DDT. Cain manages to reverse - and LOW BLOWS Valentine with a swift kick to the nuts!
Phoenix: I’m not even surprised at this point that Cain has resorted to such measures!
Jeffrey: We don’t have to like it, but Cain isn’t breaking any rules!
Roberts: This could be the moment!!
Cain runs to the ropes and comes back, taking out Valentine with a SECOND Dragon Rage! Valentine crumbles to the mat... but ROLLS OUT of the ring and crashes to ringside! Cain scrambles after Valentine but isn’t able to get there!
Phoenix: Another Dragon Rage! But Valentine rolling out of the ring may have just saved his title!
Jeffrey: That’s what we call veteran instinct, and Valentine has it in spades!
Outside of the ring, Young and McGroin are somehow back on their feet! Young is clutching his ribs and McGroin his neck, but when their eyes meet, they immediately start brawling again. McGroin throws Young into the ring and gets in after him. As Cain uses the ropes to get back to his feet, McGroin takes out Young with a Fisherman’s Suplex!
Jeffrey: Beautiful execution from McGroin! Somehow, there’s still fight left in him!
McGroin gets back up to his feet and eyes Cain. The mat is scattered with steel chairs. Both Cain and McGroin grab chairs and swing wildly at each other. They connect a couple of times with the chairs until they both drop the chairs from the force of the clashes. They then resort to strikes, punching the crap out of each other with lefts and rights.
Phoenix: Cain and McGroin going at it!
Cain manages to get the advantage with a nasty forearm. He sets up McGroin for a suplex and hits it perfectly. He keeps the lock in and sets up and hits a second suplex! Cain keeps McGroin locked up and goes for a third suplex - but McGroin manages to break free! Cain takes a kick to the gut and eats a swinging neckbreaker! McGroin covers! ONE … TWO … NO! Cain kicks out!
Jeffrey: McGroin almost had it!
Roberts: But Cain was able to kick out! Valentine’s reign is safe!
Phoenix: That may be true for now, but McGroin has an advantage!
McGroin picks up Cain and sets him up for a T-Bone suplex, but Cain elbows his way out of McGroin’s grasp. They both end up face to face again, but before either of them can make a move however, Brian White gets to his feet. White doesn’t waste any time, charging at McGroin and taking him out with a RUNAWAY TRAIN!! Cain runs for a chair, and manages to pick one up, but before he can even think of swinging it, White takes him out with another RUNAWAY TRAIN!! White then picks up Cain, clearly not finished with him.
Phoenix: Brian White is UNLEASHED right now!
Roberts: And he’s not finished with The Black Flame!
Phoenix: This has been building all year! And for the first time: Cain has no power, and nowhere to hide!
White sets up Cain in the powerbomb position, then lifts him up high and hits the TRAIN CRASH!!
Phoenix: TRAIN CRASH!! CAIN IS DONE FOR!
Roberts: THIS IS IT! NEW CHAMPION!
White covers Cain! ONE … TWO … THR--NO!! Valentine breaks the count with a steel chair shot to the back of Brian White!
Phoenix: NO! Valentine saves his championship once again!
Roberts: Everyone is in it to win it! And if you want to pull off this victory, you need to account for all opponents! Complete mayhem inside that cage tonight!
Valentine gets to his feet as White stands up. Valentine is ready for him and hits a hurricanrana! Valentine then picks up the steel chair again and jabs it into the gut of White. He then drops the chair on the mat and grabs White, hitting the FLEA SHOT ONTO THE CHAIR!!
Roberts: FLEA SHOT!!
Jeffrey: Right onto steel! This one is over!
Phoenix: No - look - it’s Tommy Young!
Young springboards off the ropes and into the ring, taking down Valentine with a flying forearm smash!
Phoenix: ACES HIGH!!
Young covers Valentine! ONE … TWO … NO! Kickout! Young rolls over and covers Cain! ONE … TWO … KICKOUT! Young scoots over and covers White! ONE … TWO … KICKOUT!!
Phoenix: Young trying his luck with everyone but to no avail!
Jeffrey: Ha! And White kicked out! Told you it wouldn’t last!
Young gets straight back up to his feet. Everyone is down and he goes back up to the top rope! He eyes Valentine up as he dives off hitting the SWANTON BOMB!!
Phoenix: BOMBS AWAY!! Young has Valentine RIGHT WHERE HE WANTS HIM!!
Young covers Valentine! ONE … TWO … THR---NO!! CAIN BREAKS THE COUNT!!
Phoenix: CAIN GETS THERE! I don’t think Valentine was kicking out! Young was half a second away from becoming World Champion!!
Jeffrey: Close but no cigar! Let’s go Jack!
Young recovers quickly from Cain’s break and gets back to his feet, but Cain is two steps ahead of him and grabs Young, flipping himself backwards and bringing Young with him for the C4!
Phoenix: AVADA KEDAVRA! Cain takes out Young!
Jeffrey: The Black Flame is going to win this whole damn thing!
Cain is about to cover Young when he sees Brian White stirring in the corner. Cain swiftly rolls out of the ring and grabs the 4CW Championship, which the referee left on a table right in the corner of the cage. Cain rolls back in and as White gets back to his feet, he runs at him and SMASHES him across the head with the championship!
Phoenix: Cain using the championship to take out White! And White looks glazed over!
Young jumps on Cain’s back after seeing this, but having already taken an Avada Kedavra, Cain is able to overpower Young and throw him off his back. Young recovers and takes out Cain with a hurricanrana!
Phoenix: And look at this, Top Gun has found a second wind!!
Cain is quick to his feet but Young strikes again with a slingblade! Young makes a quick cover! ONE … TWO … NO! Cain kicks out!
Young picks up Cain and throws him to the ropes. Cain sidesteps Young’s attempt at a dropkick on his return. When Young climbs back up, Cain hits him with a dropkick of his own! Cain goes to the ropes as Young scrambles to his feet. Coming back around, Cain breaks into a run, taking Young out with a DRAGON RAGE!!
Roberts: BAM! Dragon Rage! I think we’re done here!
Phoenix: As much as I hate to say it, I think you’re right!
Young goes down and Cain jumps back up to his feet! His adrenaline is clearly pumping as he glares wide-eyed around the ring at all the bodies. He approaches Young - but doesn’t notice one body behind him - JACK VALENTINE! Valentine spins Cain around - FLEA SHOT DDT - on to the CHAMPIONSHIP BELT!!
Phoenix: Valentine with the FLEA SHOT ON CAIN!
Jeffrey: THERE IT IS!
Valentine falls down and covers Cain! ONE … TWO … THREE!!
Carson: Here is your winner… and STIIILLLL… 4CW UNDISPUTED WORLD CHAMPION … JACK … MAD DOOOOOOG … VALENTIIIINE!!
Win-Loss Records:
Jack Valentine 4-2
Brian White 7-8
Tommy Young 7-7
Phil McGroin 6-4-1
Rhys Cain 4-6
Phoenix: Astounding! Incredible! Jack Valentine has done it! Jack Valentine CONTINUES his record-breaking reign as 4CW World Champion!
Jeffrey: I told you he would! I TOLD YOU! This is the greatest champion 4CW has ever seen! You don’t have to like it, but you can’t deny it!
Roberts: Jack Valentine won that championship in the summer of 2019. He will now carry that championship into 2021, having held it the entirety of 2020! It’s impressive, no matter how you look at it!
Phoenix: We know the Stormchaser Tournament is looming in two months… where we will find our challenger for Revival. But who will be the challenger? And will Jack Valentine manage to extend this already monstrous run until then?
Jeffrey: Of course he will! And then he can main event Revival 2022 after he does it in 2021!
Phoenix: It’ll be exciting whatever happens, and we’ll be seeing you all for 4CW Duskfall, in 2021! Thank you for joining us, thank you for helping us celebrate yet another year in 4CW … and we’re coming off the air just in time to count down to the New Year! …
The crowd counts along as 10...9...8…7...6...5...4...3...2...1… HAPPY NEW YEAR appears on the tron.
Phoenix: Happy New Year! IT’S 2021!! Goodnight!
The show ends with Jack Valentine standing on the top turnbuckle inside WAR, with the title held high in the air.
Quick Results:
-Umbra Maxima (c) defeated S&M and Silent Sorcery in a triple threat ladder match to retain the 4CW Tag Team Championships
-Erica Moxie defeated Eli Waters
-Xavier Avana (c) defeated Witch Hazel in an Ante Up match to retain the 4CW Custom Cup Championship (Hazel put Licky on the line)
-Kinzy Kane & Synth City Thrillers defeated The Black Flame (c) to win the 4CW Franchise Championship
-Grant Zaiden defeated Lindon Jett in a two out of three falls match 2-0 as part of the Best of Seven Series (Jett 2-1 Zaiden)
-Madeline Phoenix defeated Pilgrim Paige (c) to win the 4CW Universal Championship
-Jack Valentine (c) defeated Rhys Cain, Brain White, Tommy Young and Phil McGroin in a WAR match to retain the 4CW Undisputed World Championship.
Themes:
“War Eternal” by Arch Enemy (Official Theme for Storm Front: WAR IV)
“Clockwork” by Northlane (Theme for WAR match video package)
Writing Credit:
-Open: Rhys
-Triple Threat Tag Title Ladder Match: Paige
-Quentin Cosmo/Murder of Crows segment: Rhys
-Moxie vs Waters: Rhys
-Jett/Zaiden interviews: Rhys
-Custom Title, Avana (c) vs Hazel: Rhys
-Franchise Title: The Black Flame (c) vs Kinzy & Synth City: Rhys
-Best of Seven (Match 3 of 7), Jett vs Zaiden: Rhys
-Universal Title, Paige (c) vs Phoenix: Lheat
-World Title, WAR match: Rhys
Review Sheet:
-Triple Threat Tag Title Ladder Match:
-Quentin Cosmo/Murder of Crows segment:
-Moxie vs Waters:
-Jett/Zaiden interviews:
-Custom Title, Avana (c) vs Hazel:
-Franchise Title: The Black Flame (c) vs Kinzy & Synth City:
-Best of Seven (Match 3 of 7), Jett vs Zaiden:
-Universal Title, Paige (c) vs Phoenix:
-World Title, WAR match:
Match of the Night:
Moment of the Night:
Graphic of the Night:
MVP of the Night:
Thanks Taker_2004 for the banner!
By LHeat87 Tue-15-Jun-2021 12:08:23
Main Event · 798 commentsAs usual, totally worth the wait. *Shudders and hides in corner* I’m very happy I got Match of the year in 2020 because there’s no way I’m topping that tag match. There’s at least another match on this card I’d have a hell of a time topping. Awesome show
Former 4CW Champion
4CW Hall of Fame Class of 2019
4CW 2019: Champion/Wrestler/Moment
By Gorgrim Tue-15-Jun-2021 21:51:15
Main Event · 734 comments-Triple Threat Tag Title Ladder Match: What a way to open the show! Crazy action, amazing heart from the competitors, especially Kira, I was marking out for him so hard by the end of the match! This alone was worth the wait I think. Great work Paige, seriously! And Umbra Maxima actually get a surprise win, but then, as was said, they really do know how to pick their moments.
-Quentin Cosmo/Murder of Crows segment: Well, this was kinda weird. And needs some explanation. Explanation obviously not forthcoming in this show!
-Moxie vs Waters: Gotta say, I enjoyed this match. It's good to see Moxie finally get her W too, not to mention knocking Mr Waters down a peg or three. I am intrigued with Moxie at the moment...
-Jett/Zaiden interviews: Did what they had to do. And whilst Jett is playing the face for this series, this interview did bring out his arrogance nicely. Zaiden was honestly surprisingly verbose about the whole situation to be honest, and honest about himself. I don't ever see a full face turn in him, but I doubt he'll stay full heel for long ;-)
-Custom Title, Avana (c) vs Hazel: Good to see Hazel in action again, it feels like it's been a while! A good quick match, and a particularly good show of sportsmanship from the champion. This Ante Up stip could be interesting.
-Franchise Title: The Black Flame (c) vs Kinzy & Synth City: I felt this was a bit of a filler to be honest. Kinzy and SCT have a good dynamic together, and could be an interesting team, they certainly worked well against the Black Flame. And it is funny to try and give the whipping boys of that group a title to try and give them legitimacy, not that it worked or anything... :-P
-Best of Seven (Match 3 of 7), Jett vs Zaiden: Enjoyed this match actually, even though it was relatively short. I love that Zaiden did exactly what he said he would do and just ruined Jett's day! Let's see if Jett can learn from past experience.
-Universal Title, Paige (c) vs Phoenix: Good match, and I would say it has the bronze on that scale. It's always interesting when you have a pair of faces fight each other, but I think it worked well here. Both were on fire, both wanted the win badly. And it's a great wi for the Mad Phoenix!
-World Title, WAR match: Whoo boy, here's the big one! It's hard to pick a standout match when the show opens and ends with such phenomenal examples! But I think this one just tops it! Frenetic action, crazy spots, great story telling. I honestly had no idea who was going to win! And on a side note, I'm so glad the bit where Tommy lies down for White made it in! And to answer Jeffrey's comment about Tommy pinning White, it was all part of the plan (kinda, when you're down and out, learnt reflexes are a thing! ;-P ) Tommy was to take his chance if he could, even against White. But yeah, amazingly well crafted and told match, pacing was fantastic, you didn't get lost in the crowd and everyone had their moment. Even if Mad Dog did get the win... :-P
Match of the Night: WAR!!!!
Moment of the Night: Kira just missing out of reclaiming the tag belts
Graphic of the Night: I'm gonna say Cupid's Chaos on this one.
MVP of the Night: Kills me to say this, but bloody Mad Dog Valentine! :-P
4CW Hall of Fame Class of 2018. Triple Crown Champion 2020. 2 times Universal, 2 times Tag team and 1 Time World Heavyweight Champion.
Wrestler of the Year 2017, Champion of the Year 2017, Most Improved 2017
By rhys Mon-14-Jun-2021 19:48:03
Admin and 4CW Head Booker · 5,096 comments