Flashpoint (09.08.18)

[FGA Office]

HEADLINE
★★★ SIX MAN TAG TEAM MATCH ★★★
The Chaotics & James Edwards vs. Brian Stryker & Dogs of War

James Edwards is out first for his team. The Burning Heart begins to pace back and forth as he waits for the arrival of The Chaotics. In recent weeks, the relationship between Logan Alexander and Ashlyn De Luca has been strained, to say the least. It’s normally been De Luca that has come out first with possession of both Tag Team Title belts. After the brawl earlier in the night, it looks like the Tag Champs are finally back on the same page. However, neither De Luca or Alexander make their way to the ring, leaving Edwards standing in the center of the ring with his hands on his hips.

Out next comes Brian Stryker to boos from the crowd. Stryker can be seen mocking Edwards as he makes his way to the ring. After getting inside the ring, Stryker gestures towards the entrance ramp. However, his partners don’t appear on command. Stryker begins yelling at the ref. But the official is just as confused as Stryker is. Stryker continues to wonder where Liam Richard III and “Rumble” Reyes are. He quickly gets his answer via the Video Tron. The Tron switches from a live feed of the hard camera to backstage. The crowd explodes with cheers as the sight of The Chaotics and the Dogs of War getting into it once more! The fists are flying between both teams until Alexander tackles Reyes against the wall. Reyes then begins to deliver clubbing strikes across the back. He then lifts Alexander up into a bearhug before running across the hall and ramming Alexander back-first against the wall. Meanwhile, De Luca doubles Richardson over with a knee to the midsection. She then pulls Richardson into a front facelock before planting him with a springboard Tornado DDT off the wall and to the floor! Officials quick rush the area and try to break up the melee between the two sides.

The camera cuts back to the ring, where Stryker is watching all of this take place. As soon as he turns around, the crowd explodes with cheers when Edwards tackles him to the mat with a double leg takedown! The Burning Heart mounts on top of Stryker before raining down right hands to the face. Stryker then rolls over, gets on top of Edwards and rains down right hands of his own. Edwards rolls back over on top of Stryker before throwing down rights and lefts. Stryker rolls back over and throws down rights and lefts of his own. Edwards rolls over and sends them both rolling underneath the bottom rope and to the floor. As soon as Edwards and Stryker return to their feet, they begin to trade punches until Edwards ducks, hoists Stryker off the floor with a double leg pickup, runs and dives forward, sending both men crashing on top of the announce table before rolling over to the floor! Geoff Penzer is nearly takedown out in the process. The cheers continue when Edwards returns to his feet and starts stomping the hell out of Stryker. Two referees then make their way over to Edwards and pull him off of Stryker, which results in boos from the crowd. The ref’s trying to calm down Edwards. But The Burning Heart is still riled up. Edwards begins to walk away when he hears the crowd gasp. When Edwards turns around, he sees Stryker running across the announce table. Stryker leaps off and knocks Edwards down with a flying forearm! He mounts himself on top of Edwards and rains down right hands to the face! The boos then turn to cheers when Edwards rolls over and rains down right hands of his own. The cheers turn back to boos when Stryker reaches up and rakes Edwards across the eyes. While Edwards covers his eyes, Stryker gets back to his feet before putting the boots to him. Stryker continues to stomp and kick away at Edwards until he’s pulled off by the referees. The ref’s hook each of Stryker’s arms before pulling him down ringside and up the aisle. The boos then turns to cheers once Edwards gets back to his feet. He runs around ringside, runs up the aisle and tackles Stryker down from behind! Edwards gets on top of Stryker’s back and rains down punches to the back of the head. Stryker tries to cover up, but some of the blows still slip through. Two more officials head down the ramp and pull Edwards off of Stryker.

The Chaotics & James Edwards X || No Contest (0:00) || Brian Stryker & Dogs of War X

★★★ COMMERCIAL BREAK ★★★

[FGA Office]

[FGA Office]

MAIN EVENT
★★★ TAG TEAM MATCH ★★★
Salem & BROOKFORD vs. Savannah Taylor & ?

Salem is out first, followed by BROOKFORD. The two US Title hopefuls have words before BROOKFORD turns and heads towards the team’s corner. Out next comes the reigning United States Champion, Savannah Taylor. The Las Vegas Siren gets cheers from the hometown crowd. Taylor readjusts the US Championship belt across her shoulder before turning to the entranceway. Through the curtain steps “Smart” Mark Bisley. The crowd erupts with boos at the sight of the Smart Style member. Bisley gets in the ring, but it’s Taylor who wants to start things off in the main event in front of the hometown crowd. BROOKFORD motions towards Taylor to start things off for his team. But Salem casually walks past him, which gets her a look from the Problem Solver.

Taylor and Salem circle the ring before locking up. After Salem gains the advantage with a side headlock, Taylor shoves her off into the ropes. When Salem returns, Taylor knocks her down with a standing shoulder block. She then turns and runs into the far ropes. When Taylor returns, Salem kips up before knocking her down with a standing shoulder block of her own. She then turns and runs into another set of ropes. When Salem returns, Taylor gets back to her feet and leapfrogs over her. Salem continues to run the ropes. When Salem returns, Taylor tackles her down with a Thesz Press. She mounts on top of Salem and rains down right hands to the face. Salem is then able to roll over on top of Taylor and return the favor with right hands of her own. After pulling the US Champion back to her feet, Salem whips Taylor into the corner. She runs over to follow up with an attack, but Taylor cuts her off with a back elbow to the face. After shoving Salem into the corner, Taylor lights up her chest with knife edge chops. Once Salem has been whipped into the far corner, Taylor runs across the ring to attack when Salem runs out of the corner and cuts her off with a kitchen sink, sending Taylor flipping down to the canvas. Salem rushes over and delivers repeated hard ground knee strikes before pulling Taylor over for the cover. But Taylor gets her shoulder up at two.

Once Salem moves Taylor into the corner, BROOKFORD gets tagged in. The Problem Solver gets in and knocks Taylor down with Mongolian Chops in the corner. He pulls Taylor back up before delivering backhand chops to the chest. He then brings Taylor from out of the corner and shoots her into the far ropes. When Taylor returns, she knocks BROOKFORD back with a yakuza kick. While BROOKFORD is dazed, Taylor turns and runs back into the ropes. As soon as she hits the ropes, she sees BROOKFORD running towards her. So she stops and hangs onto the rope before dropping down, sending BROOKFORD falling over the top rope and to the floor. Taylor steps out onto the apron and waves up the Problem Solver. Once BROOKFORD gets back to his feet and turns around, Taylor knocks him down with an Asai Moonsault! She rolls BROOKFORD back inside and makes the cover, but BROOKFORD kicks out at two.

In the fifth minute, the tag is made out to Bisley. Bisley gets in and delivers a rolling solebutt kick to BROOKFORD, doubling him. Bisley then grabs BROOKFORD and delivers the Iko Uwais (cravat with repeated knees to the head)! “Smart” Mark then moves BROOKFORD into the corner before hitting him with rapid fire elbow smashes. BROOKFORD then grabs Bisley, tosses him into the corner and doubles him over with a cross chop. He then takes Bisley by the wrist and leads him out of the corner before knocking him down with a short-arm elbow smash for a two count. BROOKFORD then takes Bisley and goes for a snap suplex. But Bisley blocks and counters with a snap suplex of his own for a two count. Bisley then goes for an irish whip. But BROOKFORD reverses, sending him into the ropes. When Bisley returns, BROOKFORD throws out a discus elbow smash. But Bisley ducks. When BROOKFORD turns around, Bisley throws out a superkick. But BROOKFORD catches his foot. He then swings Bisley’s leg away from him and goes to follow up with a release German Suplex. But on the way up, Bisley elbows him in the face. After Bisley delivers another back elbow, he turns around and connects with a step-up enzuigiri, which drops BROOKFORD down to a knee. Bisley returns to a vertical base before delivering the Minnesota Buzzsaw (repeated shoot kicks to a cornered opponent's chest)! While BROOKFORD is stunned, Bisley turns and heads into the ropes. When Bisley returns, BROOKFORD leaps to his feet and turns him inside out with a lariat takedown for a two count!

As the match continues, BROOKFORD knocks Bisley into the corner with palm strikes to the chest. Salem gets tagged back in. The Phenomena brings Bisley from out of the corner and goes for an irish whip. But Bisley reverses. When Salem returns, Bisley throws her down with an overhead belly to belly suplex for a two count! Bisley pulls Salem back up, lifts her up across his shoulder and brings her down with Blind Destiny (Canadian backbreaker rack dropped into double knee gutbuster) for another two count. Bisley then takes Salem and whips her into the far corner. Bisley runs over to attack when Salem turns him around with a boot to the face. She goes to follow up with a running bulldog out of the corner when Bisley shoves her off into the ropes. When Salem returns, she drops Bisley down to a knee after a low dropkick. The Witch follows up with a Somersault Cutter for a two count. Salem then takes Bisley and whips him into the corner. Salem then runs over and connects with a corner space rolling elbow before following up with a one handed bulldog for another two count!

Salme pulls Bisley back up to his feet and rocks him with a roundhouse kick. She goes to follow up with a high impact spinning backfist when Bisley blocks the strike. He goes to counter with a belly to back suplex. But Salem rolls over his shoulder and lands on her feet. She turns and hits the ropes when BROOKFORD makes the blind tag. When Salem returns, Bisley throws out a superkick, which Salem ducks. As Bisley turns back to face Salem, BROOKFORD comes up from behind and heaves him over his head with a release German Suplex. After Bisley rolls to the outside and hit the floor, Salem marches over and steps out onto the apron. Once Bisley gets to his feet and turns around, he gets knocked down by a running apron penalty Kick from Salem! The Witch drops down, picks up Bisley and rolls him back inside. BROOKFORD quickly goes for the cover. But Bisley gets his foot on the bottom rope at two.

The Problem Solver knocks Bisley into theroeps after a Kesagiri Chop. He then marches over and doubles Bisley voer with a slap to the midsection before swatting him down with a clubbing strike to the back of the neck. BROOKFORD reaches down, pulls up Bisley and shoots him across the ring into the far corner. BROOKFORD rushes over to attack when Bisley stuns him with a superkick. Bisley quickly steps out onto the apron, scales to the top turnbuckle, leaps off and knocks BROOKFORD down with a missile dropkick! He then heads over and makes the tag out to Taylor, who immediately scales to the top turnbuckle. BROOKFORD gets back to his feet. But he gets knocked back down by another missile dropkick! Taylor makes the cover. ONE! TWO! BROOKFORD gets his shoulder up. BROOKFORD reverses an irish whip, sending Taylor into the ropes. When Taylor returns, BROOKFORD throws out a spinning backfist punch. But Taylor ducks. When BROOKFORD turns around, Taylor knocks him back with another yakuza kick before rocking him with the Ultimecia (spinning backfist)! She then takes BROOKFORD and drives him down with the Blonde Ambition! The Las Vegas Siren then steps out onto the apron before climbing to the top turnbuckle. From there, she looks over at Salem before leaping off and crashing down onto BROOKFORD with a Frog Splash! She hooks the leg for the cover. ONE! TWO! T-NO! BROOKFORD gets his shoulder up.

In the eleventh minute, Taylor doubles BROOKFORD over with multiple knee strikes to the midsection. She then turns and hits the ropes. When Taylor returns, she brings BROOKFORD down with The Gamble (corkscrew neckbreaker)! She then goes for a standing moonsault. But BROOKFORD gets his knees up. The Problem Solver pulls Taylor back up and doubles her over with multiple knees to the midsection. He then takes Taylor, delivers an irish whip, follows Taylor across the ring and cracks her with a discus elbow smash in the corner! He marches back towards the center of the ring while Taylor slumps down in the corner. The Problem Solver then turns around, runs back cover towards the corner and squashes Taylor with a cannonball! BROOKFORD drags Taylor away from the corner and makes the cover. ONE! TWO! T-NO! Taylor gets her shoulder up. BROOKFORD pulls Taylor back up and delivers trapping headbutts, followed by a T-Bone Suplex! He makes the cover. ONE! TWO! TH-NO! Taylor gets her shoulder up. BROOKFORD pulls Taylor up by the hair and doubles her over with a slap to the midsection. He then hoists Taylor up from the side before throwing her down with a pumphandle powerslam! He makes the cover. ONE! TWO! THR-NO! Taylor gets her shoulder up. BROOKFORD pulls up Taylor by the hair and lifts her up for a brainbuster. But Taylor knees him in the head on the way up. After Taylor is lowered back down, she knocks BROOKFORD down to a knee with a roundhouse kick before knocking him down with a Shining Wizard!

Taylor begin to crawl over towards her corner while BROOKFORD shakes out the cobwebs. BROOKFORD is able to roll over and tag Salem back in. Just as it looks like Taylor is about to make the tag, Salem slingshots herself into the ring, rushes over, pulls Taylor up by the hair from behind and throws her down with an inverted exploder suplex! She makes the cover. ONE! TWO! THR-NO! Taylor gets her shoulder up. Salem takes Taylor and goes for an irish whip. But Taylor reverses, sending Salem into the corner. The Las Vegas Siren runs over and rocks Salem with a corner Yakuza Kick! Taylor then runs over into the opposite corner. As soon as Taylor turns around, Salem rocked her with a corner high kick! She then hoists Taylor up onto the top turnbuckle before climbing the ropes. Salem goes for an avalanche Falcon Arrow. But Taylor blocks it. So Salem tries to hoist her up for another Falcon Arrow. But again, Taylor blocks it. The two grapplers begin to trade blows up high before Taylor blocks a strike and responds by shoving Salem down to the mat! Taylor then leaps off and crashes down across Salem with a Frog Splash! She makes the cover. ONE! TWO! T-NO! Salem gets her shoulder up.

Taylor takes Salem and whips her into the ropes. When Salem returns, she sees Taylor setting up for a back body drop. So Salem counters with a sunset flip powerbomb! The ref slides into place for the cover. ONE! TWO! THR-NO! Bisley runs over and breaks up the pin with a baseball slide to the back! This then brings in BROOKFORD, who grabs Bisley runs and tosses him over the top rope. After Bisley lands safely on the apron, BROOKFORD throws out a strike. But Bisley ducks and counters with a shoulder thrust through the ropes. He then brings BROOKFORD out onto the apron and goes for a snap suplex. But BROOKFORD blocks it and counters with a T-Bone Suplex off the apron and to the floor! Back inside, Taylor reverses an irish whip, sending Salem into the ropes. When Salem returns, Taylor flattens her with a yakuza kick before following up with a standing moonsault! She makes the cover. ONE! TWO! TH-NO! Salem gets her shoulder up. Taylor then takes Salem and shoots her into the far corner. The Las Vegas Siren runs into the corner and throws out a running hip strike. But Salem slips out of the way, causing Taylor to crash into the turnbuckles! As Taylor staggers out of the corner, Salem lifts her up and brings her down with a Ushigoroshi (Fireman’s carry neckbreaker)! She makes the cover. ONE! TWO! THR-NO! Taylor gets her shoulder up. Salem picks up Taylor and whips her into the ropes. When Taylor returns, Salem throws out the New Hampshire Handshake (high velocity leaping elbow strike). But Taylor ducks. When Salem lands and turns around, Taylor doubles her over with a boot to the midsection before bringing her down with The Gamble! She then steps out onto the apron and scales to the top turnbuckle. The Las Vegas Siren crouches down as she waits for Salem to get back to her feet. As Salem starts to pick herself up, Taylor stands up on the top turnbuckle. She’s about to flip off for Dancing Mad (diving somersault huracanrana) when BROOKFORD climbs up onto the apron and shoves her down to the canvas! When Taylor returns to her feet, she runs over and throws out a punch at BROOKFORD. But The Problem Solver jumps down to the floor. When Taylor turns around, Salem clobbers her with the New Hampshire Handshake!!! She makes the cover. ONE! TWO! THREE!

After the match, Salem celebrates the win until BROOKFORD returns to the ring and confronts her. The two have words until they see the Las Vegas Siren staggering her way up the ramp with the US Title clutched tightly to her chest. Taylor turns around at the top of the ramp and screams at the two of them letting them know that they will never have her title. Taylor then raises the US Championship belt before exiting through the curtain...

Salem & BROOKFORD O || New Hampshire Handshake (16:54) || Savannah Taylor & Mark Bisley X

★★★ COMMERCIAL BREAK ★★★

[FGA Office]

When we come back from break, Flashpoint interviewer Amanda Johnson is standing in the ring. The capacity crowd is still hot after the main event as they wait with anticipation for the two men that are about to come out.

Amanda Johnson: Ladies and gentlemen! In two weeks, Flashpoint will be hosting it’s next exclusive Pay-Per-View event, Above & Beyond Six. Above & Beyond Six will be headline by two men who will go head to head for the newly created International Heavyweight Championship. Allow me to introduce to you at this time one of the participants, Chandler Scott!

The lights dim as the sound of a guitar plays throughout the arena. Multi-colored lasers soon begin to shoot out from the stage. Once their attention has been captured, the crowd turns to the entryway to prepare for the man that's about to walk out. At the 25 second mark, “Animal Ghosts” bursts through the speakers. Chandler Scott steps through the curtain with outstretched arms to a loud ovation from the crowd.

Chandler swaggers his way down to the ring and slaps hands with the fans along the way, he rolls himself into the ring as the lights come back on. Chandler times his ascension onto the middle ropes with the beginning of the chorus. The crowd sings along with the chorus while Chandler poses with his arms stretched. When the chorus ends, Chandler hops off the middle ropes, turns and lands on his feet. He begins to walk across the ring while waiting for his opponent at Above & Beyond 6.

Amanda Johnson: And his opponent! He is the 2017 Gold Rush Rumble winner. From September of 2017 through April of 2018, he was the FGA Undisputed Champion. Ladies and gentlemen, Johnny Karma!

“When the Levee Breaks” blasts through the Orleans Arena as Johnny Karma emerges at the top of the ramp clad in a crisp, white short-sleeved shirt and a pair of fashionably shabby jeans and he briskly walks towards the ring, pausing at the foot of the ramp and surveying the arena for a few second before he climbs the ring steps and makes his way into the ring

Amanda Johnson: We know the importance of this match for both of you. I don’t think Flashpoint could have ended up with a better match over the International Heavyweight Championship than having the two of you go against each other. This is for all the marbles. This is for history! Both of you will walk into the Staples Center as title hopefuls but only one will leave champion! Johnny, the floor is yours…

After taking a couple of steps forward to accept the microphone from Amanda, accepting it with a nod and a few kind words, Karma walks back and forth for a moment as he considers how he's going to begin, drumming his fingers against the base of the microphone as he does so until he finally decides how he wants to start

Johnny Karma: I’m sure that at the back of everyone’s minds there’s a nagging thought based on what happened at All-Star Showdown, and believe me if it’s just a thought in the back of some people’s minds it's a full-throated shout that echoes through my ears, because I know full well that I had the Undisputed Title won right up until the moment where it was taken away at the last possible second. That’s something I will have to live with, and it's not going away, but at the same time this match at Above & Beyond gives me the chance to remedy the situation by becoming the first-ever International Heavyweight Champion.

As those words slip out of his mouth, Karma pauses

Johnny Karma: ...you know, just saying those words builds anticipation inside my own mind, as I know it’s a big deal to be in this match just as I know the stakes are HUGE. While title reigns come and go, being able to claim you were the first to hold the title is something nobody can take away from you, and since this title defines the Flashpoint brand - and coincidentally it doesn’t have Brandon Macdonald grinning a smug grin on the faceplate - so it’s as much an honour as it is a privilege to be in this match.

Gesturing in Chandler’s direction, Karma continues

Johnny Karma: I’m sure I don’t need to point out how the last couple of times I set foot in the ring with Chandler worked out, and I’m sure he's got a voice in the back of his mind making sure to remind him how they ended, so there’s no need to dwell on that as only a trombonek would feel the need to dredge up the past as a stick to beat somebody with in the present, but there’s one thing that I will make absolutely clear: Chandler knows what my very best is, or to be more accurate he knows what my best was, but that means I have to push myself to be even better to bring that title home.

There is a large amount of cheers from the crowd as they support Karma and his quest to get back to being a top champion. The camera switches over to Chandler Scott. The DNA of FGA doesn’t looked amused or impression over what he’s just heard. While keeping his eyes locked on Karma, he motions or Amanda Johnson to come to him with his index finger and bring him another microphone. The Flashpoint interviewer makes her way over to Chandler before he slowly takes the mic from out of her hands.

Chandler Scott: How about we just cut the crap and get straight to it, huh?

There is a murmur amongst the crowd. The capacity crowd begins to buzz with anticipation over where this is about to go…

Chandler Scott: Two weeks ago, Cherry Baum confronted me in those very Flashpoint halls. And it was there that I had to listen to her run her ill-informed mouth.

There’s a smattering of boos over the diss to Baum.

Chandler Scott: It was there that I had to listen to her accusations based off of second-hand information and her own paranoia. In her mind, she thinks I’m possibly plotting against you. With Brookford, of all people. In her mind, she thinks I’m planning on pulling something underhanded. It didn’t seem to matter how many times I told her the truth, she was only interested in what she heard from others, instead of what she was being told straight from the source. So what I want… is to hear it from your lips, Karma. What exactly do you think? Are you going to believe me, or are you going to fall for that game of telephone that your girlfriend did? Because let me tell you something, come Above & Beyond? No punches are being pulled. I’m not holding anything back. This match between you and I is as far as from a Friendly Exhibition has it can get. This is for the biggest title here on Flashpoint. This is for what will eventually become one of the most prestigious championships in all of FGA. This is for history…

Chandler Scott: … but I still need to know.

Johnny Karma: So you want to know, huh?

Rubbing his hand against his clean-shaven jaw, Karma mulls exactly what he’s thinking for a while under Chandler’s disapproving gaze of

Johnny Karma: Here’s what you need to know: I remember full well the way you acted the last time you had a taste of a title, clinging onto the thing in a manner that made Gollum look like a balanced, well-intentioned member of society and you certainly weren’t above the “win at all costs” mentality that’s a cute way of saying you’re willing to act like a chaya to keep hold of the title - and don’t you dare deny that’s what you did, because there’s literal hours of evidence to back up what I just said.

Chandler looks to respond, but Karma’s not finished yet

Johnny Karma: ...but since you want to cut out any and all uses of dreck, do you know what Cherry told me at the last show? She told me that it took a lot of effort to get you to admit that you met up with BROOKFORD backstage, and if the boot was on the other foot wouldn’t it strike you as a tad suspicious that you didn’t immediately say something like “Yes, he was looking for me, but I told him I wasn’t interested” and instead gave you a laundry list of evasive answers? Do I honestly need to remind you that I’ve seen this all before, so when I hear that somebody’s within a sniff of a title and they’re suddenly having a pow-wow with some malcontent backstage that’s reason enough to have a few alarm bells ringing - especially when that person’s shown that so much as a glimpse of a title belt is enough to have them toss all their scruples out the window?

Karma looks Chandler in the eye

Johnny Karma: That is why I say it's important to set the tone for the title, because while I’m sure there’s a whole bunch of people in the back with various axes to grind about me you know what not one of them can claim? They can’t claim I didn’t earn everything I’ve achieved, because unlike plenty of people past and present I can name I have the beytsim to stand my ground and fight instead of have two or three or four shtarkers do the heavy lifting for them.

Chandler presses his tongue firmly against his cheek as he forces himself to listen to Karma’s rant. He then smirk as he turns on his heels and begins to pace back and forth in the ring. Karma keeps his eyes locked on Chandler just in case things between them turn physical before the big date. Chandler comes to a stop before turning back to Karma. He forces a smirk on his face.

Chandler Scott: I can somewhat understand Cherry’s irrational point of view. But I’m surprised that you would stand there and fix your face to say something so stupid.

There are cheers in the crowd. But that smattering of boos from before is starting to grow louder.

Chandler Scott: I’m not sure what part of “I’m not interested in what he’s selling” is so hard for you and Cherry to understand. You come out here and brag about all this hours of footage. Yet you seem to be too lazy to go back to last Flashpoint and watch me tell Brookford no. You can’t seem to find the time to watch me take that business card that he gave me and toss it. Instead, you, just like her, would rather listen to hearsay. Instead, you, just like her, would rather succumb to your paranoia. More important, you would rather believe in your low opinion of yours truly and don’t you dare deny [ii]that[/i].

The crowd is buzzing as they intently watch the tension-filled ring.

Chandler Scott: Let’s really cut the crap and tell it how it really is, John. You just don’t like me. You never have liked me. At this point in time, I question if you’ve ever truly respected me. You see, when you rolled out your 2016 Apology Tour and confessed to all your past deeds and tried to atone for all of your past sins, you kissed and made up with the Noelle Smith’s and the Fujiko Mine’s of the world. But you want to know who was the one guy that you never really buried the hatchet with? You’re looking right at him.

A beat.

Chandler Scott: You stand there in my face and you tell me that you’ve heard this before… you’ve heard that before. Well clearly you haven’t heard a damn thing if you’re honestly going to sit here and put me in the same class as people like Johnny Cannon, Tony Carmine, Izzy Anders and Evan Envi. See, I didn’t need to cheat to win that Fatal 4-Way in February 2015. I didn’t need to cheat to successfully defend my championship against Jimmy Page. I didn’t need to cheat to successfully defend my championship against Cordy Stevenson. I didn’t need to cheat to successfully defend my championship against Tony Carmine. Did I have to cut corners against you? You’re damn right I did. Did you out-wrestle me on that night? You’re damn right you did. Did I escape with that title by the skin of my teeth? You’re damn right I did. But guess what I did the following year, smart guy? Nearly a year to the date during the Finals of that year’s Frontier Lions Cup? I beat you, in the center of this ring, as clean as a whistle. I had to win that match in that fashion for my own conscience. I had to win in that fashion so I could prove something to myself. I had to win in that fashion so you wouldn’t have any excuses to fall back on.

More cheers come from the crowd. But there’s still a smattering of boos.

Chandler Scott: Now to your credit, it’s been one way traffic ever since. The Vertigo from last Spring. Last year’s Gold Rush Rumble. But most importantly, the kickoff of the first Flashpoint post-Draft, when the GM of this brand threw you to the wolves immediately after becoming Undisputed Champion. And to your credit once again, you responded to the test. You succeeded. And I didn’t cheat. I didn’t cut any corners. I didn’t take advantage. I gave you the best match that I could give you on that night. It just wasn’t good enough. And as much as that result sicked me, as much as that result hurt me, I still showed you respect. I shook your damn hand and admitted that the better man won. Since that date, I haven’t talked out of the side of my mouth when it’s come to you. I haven’t been passive aggressive towards you. I’ve never tried to tear you down. I continued to show you respect as our champion. So for you to come out of the side of your mouth towards me? Yeah, I’m going to take it as disrespect. Yeah, I’m going to take it as an insult. And yeah, it pisses me off.

Chandler clenches his jaw as he stares a hole right through Karma.

Chandler Scott: You spent much of 2016 getting stomped out by Johnny Cannon, Tony Carmine and the rest of The New Kings. You spent much of 2017 getting stomped out by Heroes Never Die. You’ve spent the last several months having to deal with Evan Envi and his garbage. But John, come September 22nd, there won’t be anyone standing in my corner. There won’t be anyone waiting around the corner ready to jump out and do my bidding. There won’t be anyone interfering on my behalf. It’s just going to be you and I. And at Above & Beyond 6, every head will bow and every tongue will confess that Chandler Scott, not Johnny Karma, reigns supreme.

Having listened to what Chandler has to say, Karma spends a moment making sure he’s made a mental note of everything that he needs to make a mental note of as he rocks his head from side to side a few times as he starts to put it together, and once he has…

Johnny Karma: So tell me, Chandler, at which point did you ever look for me backstage, offer me a hand, and say “No hard feelings” to try and fix a few of those bridges after you cheated, and that’s what it is and don’t try and sugarcoat it, to prove you were anything more than somebody who thought winning was the only thing that matters? At which point after I proved that I deserved to hold the Undisputed Championship did you approach me backstage and congratulate me for putting on a great match and showing I could turn back the best? You never did any of those, Chandler, because either of those would show weakness on your part and you can never, ever allow anyone to see that can you? That’s why you call yourself the DNA of this company, because you want to convince people that this company wouldn’t exist without Chandler Scott, even though it seemed to get along just fine when you couldn't get out of the company fast enough once Zero McWhatshisname beat you for the title.

Chandler can be seen mouthing, “that’s a bunch of bulldshit.” Scoffing at the thought, Karma continues

Johnny Karma: You showed me respect? What I just heard from your lips sounded a lot like you releasing some pent-up rage that has been simmering for over a year because you could no longer assume “Johnny Karma? Great, I get my bonus at the pay window” because I took that away from you and there was nothing you could say or do to try and say I cheated, or got lucky, or you had the sniffles that night, or anything other than accept that I’d risen to your level not just by playing the game you say that you’re playing, but being better at it than you.

As Karma looks Chandler directly in the eye for a few seconds to let him know he means every word he says the crowd cheers. Chandler narrows his eyes at Karma over that last line.

Johnny Karma: But as you say, BROOKFORD won’t be seconding you to the ring, so that means you’re completely above any and all forms of chicanery, shenanigans, or generally being a garbage person in order to claim what you feel is yours to hold...

Raising an accusatory finger, Karma continues

Johnny Karma: That’s the point, Chandler, when The New Kings decided their favourite sport was jumping me from behind en masse there was nobody in Tony Carmine’s corner when the bell rang, but after I beat him for the Pride Championship there were plenty of them in the ring. There weren't multiple members of Heroes Never Die in Izzy Anders’ corner when I faced her for the title, but they certainly showed up at ringside the longer the match went on. I told you this, Chandler, I’ve been through this - so don’t stand there and try and tell me something else happened because every punch and kick is etched on my brain, and trying to dupe people into believing your version of events you weren’t even there for really doesn't fit in with your self-appointed image as the hero this company needs, and to be honest I think we’re all tired of being told the sky is green and the grass is blue morning, noon and night and expected to believe it.

Pausing for breath, Karma closes his eyes for a split second, almost as if he's trying to sense the atmosphere inside the arena before he continues

Johnny Karma: I get it, we all get it, you want to be the first guy to hold the belt, just as I want to be the first guy to hold the belt, but you know what the difference between you and me is Chandler? You want the belt because you think every single person in the locker room, every single person sat in the arena right now, every single person watching this wherever they are on whatever device they’re using, you think every single one of them owes you something. You win a match, you expect everyone to pat you on the back and buy you a beer. You win a title, you expect everyone to drop to their knees and worship the ground you walk on. You know what I want when I have a match? I want my match to be something that gets people talking about how good this match was so it generates a buzz and gets more people watching. You know what I want when I win a title? I want to have the best matches against every single person I set foot in the ring with so the title and, since the draft, the brand I’m on generates a buzz for having a guy who not only wrestles like a champion but carries himself as one. So you need to ask yourself one thing Chandler: you might want to be the champion come September 22nd, but have you asked anyone else what their opinion on the matter might be?

Kama drops the mic. There crowd buzzes with anticipation once more as Karma looks directly into Chandler’s eyes. Chandler clenches his jaw while he continues to stare down the former Undisputed Champion. Karma turns his gaze away from Chandler and walks past him. Karma exits the ring as “When The Levee Breaks” pumps through the speakers. Karma continues to make his way up the ramp while Chandler doesn’t even turn around to face him. He continues to stare out with narrowed eyes. Karma stops when he gets to the top of the ramp. He turns back to face the ring once more before exiting through the curtains.