Vertigo

[FGA Office]

We fade into color, filming ocean waves crashing against the beachfront. The sky is a deep blue and orange, blanketed with clouds. It’s evident that we’re filming this through a window. Somewhere behind the camera, the operator sighs. He turns, swinging the camera away from the window. We’re standing in a living room, adorned with warm-colored furniture. It’s when we cross a mirror, however, that we realize the scene is being filmed by Nando Fresno: Alien Hunter, earning a pop from the live Australian crowd.

Nando Fresno: Evan, this is a nice place.

Nando moves through the house, with the camera sweeping over framed pictures of the aforementioned Evan Harrison and photos of family… before we move through the kitchen and the camera steadies on the figure of Evan Envi, seated with a coffee mug in hand, staring coldly back at Nando. This time, the audience erupts. The Chief looks tired. Disheveled. He wears a faded red robe, opened at the front to reveal a t-shirt bearing an image of Mr. Feeny. He takes a sip from the mug and sighs.

Evan Envi: Get out of my house, Nando.

Nando Fresno: In a bit. You know, we’re live right now? I mean, basically live. Give or take a second. It cost me a lot to get this set up, so--

Nando pauses, zooming in on Evan’s face, revealing a mostly-healed scar under his right eye.

Nando Fresno: Look at that.

Evan rolls his eyes, turning his attention back to his coffee-- anything to avoid looking at Nando.

Nando Fresno: You have any idea who did that to you?

Evan scoffs, turning to look at Fresno again.

Evan Envi: What are you even doing?

He gestures to Nando and the camera.

Evan Envi: What. Are you legit gonna walk into my house and try to beat me half to death on camera again? Have you completely lost your min--?

Nando Fresno: “Again.”

There’s a loud scrape across the hardwood floor as Nando pulls out a chair on the other side of the table. Evan visibly prepares to tell Nando to stop, even raising a hand-- but he simply shakes his head in defeat as Nando plops down anyway, placing the camera down flat on the table. He pushes it out to the edge of the table and angles it to capture both himself and Evan Envi on camera. Nando crosses his arms and narrows his eyes at Envi.

Nando Fresno: Do I seem like I’m here to attack you?

Evan Envi: Didn’t seem like you were last time. But--

Nando Fresno: You honestly think Jill and I were behind that. What exactly would we have to gain from attacking you in a parking lot? And beyond that-- why would we be so-- so sloppy about covering up our tracks?

Evan shrugs his shoulders.

Evan Envi: For attention? Jillian’s basically competing in a main-event level match against Ricky tonight, and that’s thanks to…

Face growing red, Evan points a finger at the scar under his eye, speaking coldly and quietly.

Evan Envi: ...this.

The alien hunter narrows his eyes at the Chief, contributing to the dead silence in the house-- so quiet that the ocean waves, nearly a hundred yards away, are faintly audible. Nando rests his elbows on the table and leans forward, just slightly.

Nando Fresno: Jillian is competing against Ricky tonight because he assaulted me. He tried to pin something on me-- on us because he felt like he could. Because Jillian and I-- evidently-- don’t have the credibility to defend ourselves against accusations like that. But we’re not gonna let people treat us that way just because we aren’t competing for World Championships against the Fujikos, the Evans of the world. So you can point at that scar all you want, but Jillian isn’t fighting Ricky for you. She’s fighting for the Saturnian Connection.

There’s a pop from the live crowd in South Australia at the words. Evan leans back in his chair a bit, meeting Nando’s gaze with an indistinguishable one of his own. After another prolonged silence, Evan rubs at his eyes with his free hand and exhales.

Evan Envi: Nando. What are you doing in my house?

Nando Fresno: Clearing our name.

Evan Envi: How?

Nando Fresno: Logic. And reason. You’re a smart guy. I think you know exactly what happened to you.

Evan rolls his eyes, shaking his head. He looks away from Nando, gazing out the kitchen window. The chair he’s sitting on rattles as he shakes his leg, anxiously.

Nando Fresno: You know what happened.

The live crowd in South Australia goes steadily louder and more restless as Envi continues to ignore Nando. Nando sighs and reaches down into something off-screen-- likely his often-seen army medic bag. After a few seconds, Nando pulls his laptop from the bag and slides it onto the table, clearing his throat as he opens it up.

Nando Fresno: I’m gonna need your wi-fi password.

Evan Envi: I’d rather die.

Nando Fresno: What is it. “Password”?

Evan Envi: I would never use something so obv--

Nando Fresno: And I’m in. Cool. Thank you.

Evan Envi: Ugh.

Nando types away on the laptop for a moment, humming to himself. Evan leans back in his chair, unable to control his restless, shaking leg.

Evan Envi: Now what are you doing?

Nando doesn’t look up from the screen, instead continuing to type as he responds to the Chief.

Nando Fresno: You know-- when you spend as much time at these shows as Jillian and I do, showing up to every single date whether we’re booked or not, on this pay-by-appearance basis, you start to feel alienated from the rest of the roster. Sure, there’s Sadie, but beyond that, we’ve learned to build a sort of community with the lesser-knowns. The people in catering, of course, but in this case… the people… in the production truck.

Nando turns the laptop toward Evan, slowly, angled in a way that allows us to see it from the camera that sits on the table. Although the quality suffers, it shows Nando tuned into a live feed of the Vertigo broadcast. Upon a sweeping shot of the interior of the Adelaide Entertainment Centre, many fans roar, rising to their feet at the sheer opportunity of being on camera. Evan sighs, looking at the laptop and then to Nando.

Evan Envi: Alright? Where is this going?

Nando Fresno: We’re gonna keep watching. We’re gonna watch Ricky take on Jill and by that time, with all of this flooding back to you--

Nando points toward the laptop.

Nando Fresno: --I think you’ll be able to say exactly what happened to you.

Envi looks toward Nando with the same cold, distrusting eyes he’d had locked on him before. Nando crosses his arms and leans back in the chair, gazing back at the Chief as we slowly fade to black.

[FGA Office]

We find Mark Bisley sitting backstage, towel draped around his shoulders as always, and one thing is obvious: it's just Mark Bisley, with no sign of Ashley Sands, which bodes well for their match against Seth Iser & Ashley Marie Chase later this evening

Mark Bisley: As you are all aware, this evening is the first round of the Wildcard Lottery, where eight teams made up of sixteen oh-so-fortunate people who were thrown together compete, and I am one of those oh-so-fortunate people. Notice the number I quoted there: one.

Holding up an index finger to further illustrate the point, in case there was somebody watching who is unaware of what the number one is, Bisley wears an expression that is one part weary and one part unimpressed

Mark Bisley: Now I cannot speak for our opponents this evening, nor can I speak for any of the other pairings featuring in tonight's programming, but what I can say is that ever since I was partnered with Ashley Sands I have attempted to get in contact with her in order to touch base, or discuss potential strategies, you get the idea. I've slid into her DMs, I've texted her, I've even asked other members of the Frontier Grappling Arts roster to let her know that I'm trying to get in contact so we can at least give off the impression of two people who know who the other person is, and yet I've not heard a single word back from her.

Once again Bisley holds up and index finger to illustrate this point, his point being obvious when he retracts the finger to reveal a big, fat nothing

Mark Bisley: Now I have no idea why my partner for this evening has been giving me the silent treatment, although I do have some theories. For example, she may be aware that I was a former tag team specialist, and since her approach to wrestling involves more than hitting people with the front, back or side of your hand endlessly she believes that the more we converse the more we will end up confusing one another when the best approach is to use our instincts and let that carry us across the line. Or potentially she believes that, as her last name is "Sands", that gives her proverbial plot armour, as you can’t have a contest in Frontier Grappling Arts without somebody named "Sands" in the final four, as that's almost heretical. Or maybe she's just rude.

Bisley gives a passive aggressive shrug to camera as he pretends he doesn't have an answer, but implying he's got one - namely the last one

Mark Bisley: But whatever the reasons, we should not dwell on them, because we have a match this evening and it would be deeply unprofessional if we allowed some misunderstanding to get in the way of our preparations, as that can and will lead to unfortunate results. Instead, I am going to say that in spite of our communication issues, I am going to demonstrate why only a fool would believe that this match will be a walkover for the pairing of Seth Iser and Ashley Marie Chase in much the same way that only a fool would believe that Johnny Karma had a chance of actually fulfilling a promise he made to win a championship.

Bisley mouths "Sorry" to camera in response to the last quip

Mark Bisley: Now I could sit here and make a promise of victory, of glory, of some-such aspiration, but the reason I won't do that is because I am not an idiot. If there is a promise I will make is that I intend to take this tournament seriously and aim to win it, and if I do, great - but if I don't, it's not the end of the world as I can find something else to do in order to climb the ranks as I know I'm fully capable of doing with or without a partner. And let's be clear, this is where Johnny Karma ultimately failed: he set himself too lofty a goal when he could have played it safe, and doing so caused the pressure to crush him like a cheap stress toy in the hand of somebody who is very, very stressed. Now if he wasn't so specific about his goals he could have made a play for the Pride Championship, the United States Championship, the Mid-Atlantic Legacy Championship, the 15 Championship...you see, J-K, you had options even before thinking about finding a partner to challenge for either of the tag championships. Now look at me: I just listed a series of titles that I can challenge for, and I make no qualms about my desire to challenge for them, but I know I have to get myself into a position where it's a no-brainer for me to be placed into contention...and would you look at that? The former Pride Champion is on the other side of the ring from me this evening!

Bisley feigns surprise at that revelation, as if he wasn't fully aware of it all along

Mark Bisley: And now you see why I have a reason to take this evening's match very, very seriously, because if the proverbial chips fall where they proverbially will that gets me into the Pride Championship conversation, and all I had to do was hold up my end of a tag team match with a randomly-selected partner. Funny how things fall into your lap sometimes, isn't it?

[FGA Office]

WILDCARD LOTTERY (FIRST ROUND)
Seth Iser & Ashley Marie Chase vs. Ashley Sands & Mark Bisley

The arena lights dim to almost pitch blackness, save for a couple of blue lights that pulse in sync with the intro to "Storms End" that is rising in pitch and intensity until the main hook burst forth and, at that very second, the ramp is bathed in blue light as Mark Bisley strides onto the ramp with his head bowed and an arm raised before he comes to a stop on the ramp and raises his head to survey the arena wearing one hell of a self-satisfied smirk upon his face

Keeping his arm raised as he makes his way down the ramp, Bisley walks at his own pace as he confidently walks to the ring at his own pace right up until he reaches the ringside area, and once he reaches the ringside area he lowers his arm and breaks into a short dash to give him the momentum to hop onto the ring apron where he crouches for a moment and taps the side of his head a couple of times to the song's beat before he rolls backwards into the ring and quickly gets back to his feet

J.A. Aldridge: Ladies and gentlemen, the following contest is a first round match in the Wildcard Lottery tournament! Introducing team number one! First, hailing from Minneapolis, Minnesota! Weighing in at 201 pounds! He is “The Smartest Guy in the Room”... MARK BISLEY!

Once he's got to his feet Bisley makes his way to the nearest corner and climbs the nearest turnbuckles where he stands with one foot on the top rope and his arms held out wide as he slowly tilts his head back for a few seconds until he turns his head and peers back into the ring and climbs down, removing the towel from around his shoulders the second his feet touch the canvas and casually tossing it in the referee's direction as he takes a few steps forward so he's standing in the centre of the ring where he drops to a knee and runs his hand on the canvas to say one thing: this is my ring

The opening guitar riff of "Warrior" by Skarlett Riot begins to play over the sound system seconds before the 15 Champion Ashley Sullivan walks out onto the stage. Patting gentle at the title belt held around her waist before pointing out to the fans all over the arena, Sullivan walks down to the ring. Once she gets down to ringside, and gets on the apron before climbing the turnbuckle from the outside. She nimbly climbs the turnbuckle from the outside to perch atop the top rope as she sits on her knees.

J.A. Aldridge: His partner, hailing from Bradley Beach, New Jersey! She is the reigning FGA 15 Champion… ASHLEY SANDS!

With her name being announced, Ashley reaches back behind her back to undo the title belt and holds it up high for everyone to see. Flashing from cameras going off all around her, Sullivan rolls forwards to flip down into the ring and land on her feet.

Kris Cruise: According to Mark Bisley, he hasn’t had any contact with Ashley Sands heading into tonight’s match. That doesn’t exactly bode well for the two of them, if that’s the case.

Stephy Auger: Of course it doesn’t! I’m sure Ashley Sands would love to be teaming up with the lesser Ashley of AAA, Ashley Marie Chase. But guess what? There’s a lot of people in this tournament that would prefer to have different partners. But that’s the nature of the Wildcard Lottery. You have to work as a team and put up with people you might not normally see eye to eye with. I don’t know what the heck Ashley’s problem is. But she better get it together.

Kris Cruise: Again, this is just Bisley’s version of events. But if this is true, I have to question Bisley’s judgement. If what he’s saying is true, why broadcast that to the world? That’s just music to both Seth Iser and Ashley Marie Chase’s ears.

"I Bring the Darkness (End of Days)" by Jim Johnston featuring Tommy Vext
begins to play as the aisle way fills up with smoke. AMC rises up from the smoke in full face paint and is trying not to cough from all the smoke.

”Who do you think you are?
You’ve now gone much to far!”

AMC steps through the smoke and looks around at the crowd she then slowly walks toward the ring basically strutting with a smirk as she fist bumps some of the fans

J.A. Aldridge: Their opponents! First, hailing from Beverly Hills, California! She is ASHLEY MARIE CHASE!

”I bring the darkness!
I am the thunder!
I come from HELL
And I’ll pull you under!”

AMC walk up the steps, taking a moment to wipe her feet on the apron before getting into the ring. AMC then drops to her knees in the middle of the ring and stretches out her arms and looks out toward the crowd.

The lights dim down as the music begins to play. Soon enough, Seth Iser slowly walks through the curtain with that familiar scowl on his face. He starts walking down to the ring...glare etched on his face and listening to the fans boo him.

J.A. Aldridge: Her partner, hailing from Morgantown, West Virginia! Weighing in at 243 pounds! He is the “Deity of Destruction”, SETH ISER!

A methodical, slow walk as he cracks his knuckles on the way down before pulling himself up onto the apron and enters the ring calmly before performing a crucifix pose at the center of the ring to revive the lights. He then goes to his corner and slinks to a seat just waiting for the bell to ring.

Kris Cruise: Unlike their opponents, we did hear from both Seth Iser and Ashley Marie Chase earlier in the show. Both of them seem willing to work together for just one night to advance in this tournament.

Stephy Auger: Seth Iser’s got his eyes on Fujiko Mine and the FGA World Championship. He wants to restore the prestige of that championship and he’ll be damned if anyone stops him from advancing at a shot at that goal here tonight. Then you have Ashley Marie Chase. This is a woman that’s been chomping at the bit to win here first championship here in FGA. Her partner, Seth Iser, has held something that she wants. Her BFF, Ashley Sands, currently holds something that she wants. At the end of all of this are Fujiko and Cordy Stevenson, the reigning World and International champions that have something that she wants. This is her opportunity to get something that she feels is long overdue. You know what I like about her? She’s willing to do what it takes to advance, even if that means going through her friend Ashley Sands. Can Sands say the same?

The bell sounds as Ashley Marie Chase and Mark Bisley start things off. Bisley starts to head towards the center of the ring when he stops, backs up and tags Ashley Sands into the match.

Kris Cruise: What is this?

Sands gives Sands a double take before looking over and seeing her AAA teammate standing in the center of the ring. The Adelaide crowd starts to boo Bisley as he points at Sands before pointing over at Chase.

Kris Cruise: What is Mark Bisley trying to do here?

Stephy Auger: He wants to see where Sands’ head is at. He hasn’t heard from her all week. They haven’t trained. They haven’t done any prep work. Now it’s time to put up or shut up, Cruise. It’s like I just said, Chase is willing to go through Sands to advance in this tournament. Can Sands say the same? I don’t think so. If she wins? Great. If she loses, she has her 15 Championship to fall back on. Chase doesn’t have anything to fall back on.

Sands narrows her eyes as Bisley before slowly stepping into the ring. The reigning FGA 15 Champion makes her way over to Chase. The two AAA members share a couple of friendly works before following up with a head nod and a handshake. Bisley can be seen from the apron motioning for Sands to punch Chase right in the face. Sands just rolls her eyes at Bisley while she continues to circle the ring. Her and Chase lock up. After jockeying for position, Sands gains the advantage with a side headlock. She tries to bring Chase down to the mat with a side headlock takeover. But Chase blocks it. Sands then tries to muscle Chase down with another side headlock takeover attempt. Once again, Chase blocks it. Chase then quickly counters with a belly to back suplex before making the cover.

ONE!
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Sands kicks out.

Chase pulls up Sands before applying a side headlock of her own. The hold doesn’t stay on for long Sands pushes her off into the ropes. When she returns, she knocks Sands down with a running shoulder block before running into another set of ropes. Sands then leapfrogs over the returning Chase before Chase continues to run the ropes. When she comes back, Sands tries to throw her down with a hip toss. But once again, she’s unable to get Chase off her feet. Sands tries to muscle her up for another hip toss. But again, Chase blocks it. Sands then doubles her over with a slap to the midsection, drapes her leg across the back of Chase’s neck and follows up with a backflip. As soon as Sands lands on her feet, she knocks Chase off hers with a legsweep. Sands goes to follows up with a standing moonsault when Chase rolls out of the way to safety. Luckily for Sands, she’s able to land on her feet. She then runs into the ropes. When she returns, Chase brings her back down with a Samoan Drop! The cheers continue as Chase reaches back and hooks the near leg.

ONE!
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TWO
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Sands reverses into a grounded crucifix pin.

ONE!
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TWO!
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Chase kicks out.

Kris Cruise: Chase nearly got caught with the three count there.

Once both grapplers are back to their feet, they trade knife edge chops until Sands goes for an irish whip. No! Chase reverses, sending the 15 Champion back into the ropes. When she returns, she brings Chase down with a running hurricanrana. Chase gets back to her feet, only to end up back on the mat with after a pair of dropkicks. Sands throws out a third dropkick when Chase sidesteps and swats her down. Chase then flips over and ties Sands up in an Oklahoma Roll.

ONE!
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TWO!
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Sands kicks out.

Kris Cruise: Nice pin attempt there by Chase gets two...

After both grapplers get back to their feet, Chase goes for an irish whip into her team’s corner. Sands then reverses, sending Chase into the corner. Sands then rushes in and throws out the Wind Kick (running boot kick in the corner)! At the last second, Chase catches her foot before shoving Sands down to the mat. When Sands rolls back to her feet, Chase runs out of the corner and tries for the Kick of Doom (superkick)! But Sands is able to get her hands up and catch Chase’s foot. After swinging Chase’s leg away from her, Sands takes control of her back before driving her down with a reverse side russian leg sweep! Sands then pushes her over before making the cover.

ONE!
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TWO!
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Chase kicks out.

Sands pulls up Chase and applies an arm wrench. She then executes another arm wrench before Chase rolls forward, leans back, kips up and reverses into an arm wrench of her own. She then pulls Sands into another side headlock before being shoved off into the ropes. As Sands sets up for a back body drop, Seth Iser makes the blind tag. Chase heads back over to Sands and hurdles over her. Sands then stands up and turns to face Chase before getting caught with a standing dropkick. The dropkick sends Sands stumbling back into Iser, who quickly throws her down with a release German Suplex! The boos continue as he makes the cover.

ONE!
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TWO!
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Sands gets her shoulder up.

Kris Cruise: Some nice teamwork there by Chase and Iser!

Stephy Auger: Maybe Chase should think about dropping Sands and hitching her wagon to Iser.

Iser takes Sands, moves her into the corner and lights up her chest with multiple knife edge chops. Once Sands is whipped into the far corner, Iser rushes across the ring. He goes to follow up with an attack when Sands knocks him back with a boot to the face. Before Iser can shake out the cobwebs, Sands hoists herself up onto the middle ropes, jumps off and then brings Iser down with Into Dust (Codebreaker)!

Kris Cruise: Sands saw her opening and took it! She’s got Iser down and he is rocked. Will she go for the pin?

While Iser tries to get back to his feet, Chase crawls over and makes the tag out to Bisley. “Smart” Mark positions himself on the apron while he sees the former Pride Champion. Once Iser gets back to his feet and turns around, Bisley goes for a springboard lariat… and gets counters with the Pillar of Truth (Bossman Slam) in mid-air!

Kris Cruise: Oh, what a counter!

Stephy Auger: This one might be over already!

The crowd cheers (the counter, not Iser) while he makes the cover.

ONE!
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TWO!
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Bisley gets his shoulder up.

Iser pulls Bisley back to his feet and goes for a vertical suplex when Bisley slips down from behind. After pushing Iser off into the ropes, Bisley tries to take out his knee with You Didn’t See That Coming (high speed running dropkick to the knee). But Wrestling’s Greatest Mind did see it coming and is able to strafe out of the way. Bisley scrambles back to his feet while Iser rushes in for an attack. This time, Bisley is able to knock him down to a knee with a superkick to the leg, followed by a superkick to the face!

Stephy Auger: Anaconda Bite!

Kris Cruise: Bisley’s going for the cover...

ONE!
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TWO!
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Iser kicks out.

Bisley moves Iser into the corner and delivers the Minnesota Buzzsaw (repeated shoot kicks in the corner)! Iser is then pulled out of the corner before finding himself on the receiving end of the Iko Uwais (cravat with repeated knees to the head). Bisley then takes Iser and follows up with Greetings from the Twin Cities (hangman’s neckbreaker across the knee)! He makes the cover.

ONE!
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TWO!
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Iser gets his shoulder up.

Bisley pulls Iser back to his feet and goes for a snap suplex. Iser blocks it. Bisley tries to muscle him up for another snap suplex when it gets blocked again. Iser then takes control of Bisley and brings him down with a vertical suplex. Iser returns to his feet and takes a couple of steps back. While Bisley turns over and tries to return to a vertical base, the former Pride Champion rushes over before sending his head snapping back with a Wrestling II Knee Lift! With Bisley down, Iser takes off into the ropes. Iser comes back and goes for a jumping knee drop. But at the last second, Bisley rolls out of the way. Iser remains on his knee while Bisley returns to his feet. He then rushes over and goes to work on Iser with rapid fire elbow smashes before taking off into the far ropes. Instead of Bisley returning for an attack, the crowd cheers when Chase knocks him down with a rope-assisted gamengiri to the back of the head!

Stephy Auger: Chase just cheap shotted Bisley!

Kris Cruise: Had the roles been reversed, you would have loved it!

Stephy Auger: Ah, so when someone like Iser bends the rules or when someone like Bisley cheapshots someone, you shame them. But when Ashley Marie Chase does it, it’s all fine and dandy! I’m gonna make a note of that!

Bisley slowly gets back to his feet before turning to face Chase. He rushes over to attack when Chase wisely drops down to the floor. Chase keeps Bisley’s attention until Iser is able to take control of his back with a rear waistlock. Iser hurls Bisley over his head with a release German Suplex. But Bisley’s able to rotate in mid-air and land on his feet! While Iser is getting back to his feet, Bisley rushes over for an attack. Before Bisley can strike, Iser sidesteps, snatches him by the back of the neck, runs and tosses him over the top rope. When Bisley lands safely on the apron, Iser rushes over to knock him off with a lariat. Before he can, Bisley doubles him over with a shoulder thrust through the ropes. The crowd gasps when Bisley goes to lift him up for a vertical suplex to the floor! But Iser kicks his legs, forcing Bisley to lower him back down. Iser then goes to suplex Bisley back into the ring when Bisley again slips down from behind. He then quickly takes control of Iser’s back for a German Suplex when Iser pushes forward, wraps his arms around the top rope and yanks back, sending Bisley down to the mat. While Bisley rolls back to his feet, Iser runs towards him. He goes for a running big boot when Bisley catches his foot. After throwing the leg down, Bisley doubles him over with a rolling solebutt before grabbing a hold of Iser and throwing him through the ropes and to the apron. Bisley turns and motions to run after Chase when she once again drops to the floor. Bisley then marches over to Iser on the apron while Iser is pulling himself up using the ropes. Iser goes to return the favor with a shoulder thrust through the ropes when Bisley stuffs the attack. After blocking Iser, Bisley brings him down with the Left Hand Free (rope-assisted single arm DDT)! He makes the cover.

ONE!
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TWO!
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Iser kicks out.

Bisley makes the tag out to Sands. Sands gets in, takes Iser and goes for an irish whip when he reverses, sending her off into the far ropes. When she returns, she sees Iser setting up to catch her for a belly to belly suplex. So she escapes him by sliding through his legs. Iser then turns around, only to get knocked off his feet with a spinning heel kick! Sands then hits the ropes, returns and delivers the Wind Whisper (Rolling Senton) before making the cover.

ONE!
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TWO!
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Iser pushes her off of him.

Sands then takes Iser and whips him into her team’s corner. The 15 Champion rushes in to attack when Iser returns the favor with a boot to the face. Iser then turns to Bisley before dropping him with a hard right handed punch! When he turns his attention back to Sands, the crowd cheers when she catches him with the Wind Kick! Bisley then gets tagged back in before he hits a step-up enzuigiri. The self-proclaimed Smartest Guy in the Room follows Iser out of the corner before sending him back into the far ropes. Bisley catches him off the returns and goes for an overhead belly to belly suplex when Iser blocks, counters with a bell clap to the ears and follows up with a European Uppercut that rocks Bisley. Bisley is then caught with three jabs before getting knocked off his feet with a discus clothesline! No! Bisley ducks the clothesline and heads into the ropes. When Bisley comes back, Iser sends him flying across the ring with a release belly to belly suplex! He makes the cover.

ONE!
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TWO!
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Bisley gets his foot on the bottom rope.

Kris Cruise: Good ring awareness there by Bisley to avoid the three count.

Stephy Auger: I thought Iser had him after nearly chucking Bisley out of the ring with that suplex!

Iser moves Bisley into the corner and rocks him with another European Uppercut before sitting him on the top turnbuckle. He then climbs the up to the middle ropes. Before Iser can even attempt a superplex, Bisley cuts him off with rapid fire elbow strikes. After pushing Iser down to the mat, Bisley stands up on the top turnbuckle. The moment Iser gets back to his feet, Bisley raises up from the crouched position, leaps off for a missile dropkick… and gets swatted down by Iser! Iser then whips him into the ropes, catches him off the rebound and drops him down throat-first across the top rope with a Stungun! He makes the cover.

ONE!
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TWO!
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Bisley gets his foot on the bottom rope.

Kris Cruise: Again, Bisley avoids the three count.

Iser brings Bisley back down with a vertical suplex! He turns over into a lateral press and hooks the leg.

ONE!
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TWO!
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Bisley gets his shoulder up.

After Bisley is whipped into the corner, Chase holds his arms from behind while Iser rushes in and rocks him with a running big boot! He then lifts Bisley up onto the top turnbuckle before climbing up to the middle ropes. He then tags Chase back in before throwing Bisley down with a superplex! Chase then scales to the top turnbuckles, leaps off and crashes down across Bisley with a flying body splash! She hooks the leg.

ONE!
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TWO!
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Bisley gets his shoulder up.

Kris Cruise: Oh, she almost had him!

Chase picks up Bisley and goes for an irish whip when he reverses, sending her into the far ropes. Chase bounces off the rope and soars across the ring for a diving forearm smash when Bisley drops to the prone position, causing Chase to hit hard and roll across the mat. As she gets back up, Bisley runs over to attack when she ducks and dumps him over the top rope. Bisley then lands safely on the apron and tries to follow up with a shoulder thrust through the ropes. But Chase counters with a knee lift, pulls Bisley across the middle rope and then brings him down with a swinging neckbreaker! The cheers continue as she goes for the cover.

ONE!
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TWO!
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.
Bisley gets his shoulder up.

Kris Cruise: Bisley again avoids the three count. The man needs to tag out to Sands.

Stephy Auger: Why? She wasn’t interested in talking strategy. She wasn’t interested in putting together a gameplan. Bisley went into this match with the mindset that he would have to do this himself if he wanted to advance.

Kris Cruise: Yeah, and look where that’s got him now? A shot at the World or International Championships are on the line at the end of this tournament. A $100,000 check is on the line. Even if you don’t win in the end, by advancing to the next round, he’s getting a shot at Sands’ 15 Championship on the next Vertigo. Now is not the time for Bisley to be stubborn and think that he can do this himself.

Stephy Auger: Bisley is The Smartest Guy in the Room. He knows what he’s doing.

Chase pulls Bisley back to his feet before heading towards the ropes. She rebounds back with a springboard roundhouse kick when Bisley counters with Paul Krause (Bisley sidesteps a leaping opponent and catches them with a shinbreaker)! While Chase lays in the prone position, the boos continue as Bisley heads towards the ropes, flips back and connects with Corazón de Zorro (lionsault to a face-down opponent's back)! He pulls Chase over and makes the cover.

ONE!
.
.
TWO!
.
.
Chase gets her shoulder up.

Bisley pulls up Chase and sets her up for a German Suplex when she counters with a back elbow to the face. After two more back elbows, she performs a standing switch before bringing him down with a Scorpion Death Drop! Chase then rolls over and tags Iser back in. Iser rushes in, brings Bisley back to his feet before bringing him back down with a hangman’s neckbreaker! He makes the cover.

ONE!
.
.
TWO!
.
.
Bisley gets his shoulder up.

After pulling Bisley back to his feet, Iser hits him with three more jabs. He throws out a discus clothesline. But Bisley is able to duck underneath it. He then grabs Iser from behind and brings him down with two rolling German Suplexes! Bisley pulls Iser back to his feet and tries for a release Dragon Suplex. But Iser is able to power out, perform a standing switch, grab Bisley and hurl him over his head with a release Dragon Suplex!

Kris Cruise: Bisley is down! Iser is down! Who can make the tag first?

Both grapplers drag themselves across the mat towards their respective corners. The crowd cheers when both Chase and Sands gets tagged back in! Chase gets tagged in first and immediately rushes across the ring. Before she can stop herself, Sands is able to knock her down with a springboard dropkick! She makes the cover.

ONE!
.
.
TWO!
.
.
Chase kicks out.

Chase is whipped into the ropes before being knocked down with a spinning heel kick! Sands follows up with the Wind Whisper before making the cover!

ONE!
.
.
TWO!
.
.
Chase kicks out.

Sands takes Chase, delivers an irish whip, follows Chase into the corner and nails her with the Wind Kick! The cheers continue as Sands delivers another irish whip, follows Chase into the far corner and bashes her with another Wind Kick! Sands then climbs up to the middle ropes, takes Chase and spikes her with a Tornado DDT! She makes the cover.

ONE!
.
.
TWO!
.
.
T-NO!

Chase gets her shoulder up.

Kris Cruise: She was that close, Stephy!

Sands grabs a hold of Chase before heading towards the corner and bringing her down with a one-handed bulldog! The 15 Champion then gets into position on the middle ropes while Chase struggles to get back to her feet. As soon as Chase looks up, Sands flips off and brings her down with a Blockbuster! She then drags Chase into position before stepping out to the apron. Bisley can be seen calling for the tag to finish Chase off. But Sands pays him no mind while she continues to scale the turnbuckles. The crowd stands up once Sands reaches the top. She raises her arms into the air… flips off for the Sunset (Swanton Bomb)... and crashes hard on the mat when Chase rolls out of the way!

Kris Cruise: Nobody was home!

Stephy Auger: Yeah, because she took FOREVER AND A DAY to jump off!

Kris Cruise: She did not!

Sands slowly turns over on all fours before being driven face-first into the mat with the Full Facial (Curb Stomp)!!! The cheers continue as she makes the cover.

ONE!
.
Bisley steps into the ring…
.
TWO!
.
Bisley leaps over to break up the pin!
.
THREE!

Bisley lands on top of Chase!

The crowd cheers when "I Bring the Darkness (End of Days)" hits the speakers.

J.A. Aldridge: Ladies and gentlemen, the winners of this bout… SETH ISER and ASHLEY MARIE CHASE!

The crowd cheers the sight of Chase getting her arm raised before erupting with boos when the official raises Iser’s arm in victory.

Kris Cruise: Seth Iser and Ashley Marie Chase get the win! They will advance to the next round of the Wildcard Lottery, where they will face each other!

Stephy Auger: See? See!? What did I tell you? I told you that Mark Bisley could get the job done himself! But what happens? He makes the tag out to Ashley Sands and she screws things up for the both of them! She should have just tagged back out to Bisley when he was calling for it and he would have put this thing away! Guaranteed!

Kris Cruise: Sands didn’t screw up anything. She was on fire in there against Chase! Chase, to her credit, was able to get out of the way at the last second and took advantage when Sands was trying to get back up off the mat! Sands doesn’t deserve any blame here, Stephy. The better team won here tonight.

Stephy Auger: No, Ashley Sands LOST this match for her and Mark Bisley. You don’t need to sugarcoat it. She’s a big girl. She can handle criticism and trust me, if I know Mark Bisley like I know him, he’s about to give her an earful!

• COMMERCIAL BREAK •

[FGA Office]

Earlier Tonight

Our scene opens up in a currently unoccupied Adelaide Entertainment Centre. The camera pans around to the empty rows of seats, filmed hours before showtime until we settle on the FGA ring. Seated in front of it is the former FGA 15 Champion, Sadie San Francisco. Spencer Burke sits next to her, notes in hand, clearly poised and ready to conduct an interview. Next to Spencer is a currently-empty folding chair, but the interviewer begins before the seat’s occupied.

Spencer Burke: Ladies and gentlemen, at this time, I want to introduce the number one contender to the United States Championship, Sadie San Francisco. Now my original intention was to conduct a sit-down interview with you and the Grappler you’re teaming with tonight in the main event as a part of the Wildcard Lottery, Nina Stokes.

Sadie San Francisco: Maybe she got busy.

Spencer Burke: Possibly. Hopefully she’ll join us soon, but in the meantime, I wanted to ask y--

Sadie holds up a hand to stop Spencer, adjusting her posture slightly as footsteps audibly fade into the scene.

Sadie San Francisco: Just in time.

Nina trots over and takes a seat in the remaining chair.

Nina Stokes: Good afternoon, Spencer.

She nods her head respectful before she turns and glances at her tag team partner for the evening.

Nina Stokes: Sadie.

Sadie wears the smallest hint of a smirk on her face as her eyes drift to the FGA United States Championship in Stokes’ grip, now resting on her lap.

Spencer Burke: Sadie, Nina, tonight, you guys are going up against one half of the World Tag Team Champions in Lowri Moss and the Pride Champion, Tyler Storm in what looks to be a huge opportunity for the participants. The winner of the Wildcard Lottery pockets a guaranteed hundred-thousand dollars but perhaps more importantly… a World Title shot of their choosing at Only the Strong Survive. Now obviously there’s a lot at stake, a lot hanging in the balance, but after seeing how hard you guys fought with the United States Title on your minds at the 8 Year Anniversary Show-- do you trust yourselves to coexist and progress through this tournament?

Sadie wears the same expression on her face, finally raising her gaze from the belt and up to Nina’s eyes, responding softly.

Sadie San Francisco: I trust that we’re gonna work really hard. Gonna have to depend on each other. For a little bit at least.

A small shrug.

Sadie San Francisco: Sure. I trust myself. I think we’re gonna make it all the way to the end. You, Nina?

She fixes a gaze on Stokes that displays so much outward curiosity that it almost has to be disingenuous. In turn, Nina responds by meeting her gaze. She also lifts up her right hand and extends two fingers.

Nina Stokes: Izzy Anders and Fujiko Mine―they are the only people in this company that I fully trust. Period.

She lowers her hand and rests it in her lap.

Nina Stokes: But for the sake of this match, I will work with you.

Sadie drums her finger against her chin for a moment, staring at Nina quietly and in thought as she leans back in her chair for a few moments.

Sadie San Francisco: You know…

Sadie leans forward in the chair, looking down, contemplative for a moment before she looks back up toward Nina-- but again, her eyes stop as she stares at the United States Title.

Sadie San Francisco: I was worried about having to split my focus when I heard about this Wildcard Lottery. On one hand, there was another opportunity at a World Championship, and like-- how many people never get a shot at something like that? It became important to me, immediately, to do the best I could in this, whether there’s a hundred grand at the end of it or not, because I want my name inked in the history books. Everyone wants it, but until recently… until after I cashed in the Fifteen Championship and took another step toward that...

Sadie gestures toward the United States Title.

Sadie San Francisco: ...I didn’t know how bad I wanted it. So there was this internal conflict about where my head should be-- on the United States Title, or on a World Title-- but it should’ve been obvious from the beginning.

Sadie’s eyes meet Stokes’ again.

Sadie San Francisco: I’m gonna take both. And I have every intention of doing that. I just wanted to look you in the eye and say it so we didn’t enter the tag match under any delusions.

Sadie raises a brow, shrugging once more.

Sadie San Francisco: But I figured out of everyone, you’d get that.

Nina lifts an eyebrow.

Nina Stokes: Look me in the eye, huh?

There’s a short pauses.

Nina Stokes: You’ve done very little of that this afternoon. It seems as if your fixation is elsewhere.

Nina lets out a small grunt.

Nina Stokes: So let me say this to you, Sadie. I’m not an inanimate object. And I am not a person to be disrespected or trivialized. If you desire to hold this belt, then you will address me as the champion that I am. Otherwise, you won’t have to worry about splitting your focus.

Her words aren’t riddled with the almost playful tone that she'd employed against her former partner. On the contrary. They were serious and stern.

Sadie San Francisco: Wh--

Nina Stokes: I will bust your head to the white meat, right now. And then you can go hang out with Salem, or something of that nature.

Nina’s gaze rests solely on Sadie. Sadie looks back at Nina, though the smirk on the number one contender’s face has evolved, mouth slightly agape. She exhales.

Sadie San Francisco: Okay. Champ. Look, I meant no disrespect. You have my word that as long as you are a champion I will act like it. One hundred percent.

Spencer Burke: I imagine this is exactly the kind of conflict you guys wanted to avoid before this tag team match.

Sadie laughs quietly, looking from Spencer, back toward Nina Stokes’ United States Title-- then finally back up to Nina.

Sadie San Francisco: No conflict. Nina, I don’t know if you think I’m unaware of what you’re capable of. I’ve seen it. But I don’t believe for a second you’re going to throw an International Heavyweight Championship match… a World Championship match out the window to take a swing at me prematurely. Your ego is not that fragile.

Sadie visibly plays back and reconsiders her own words in her head.

Sadie San Francisco: Maybe it is.

Nina holds up two fingers once again.

Nina Stokes: Strike two.

Sadie doesn’t respond to Nina, but leans back in her chair again, staring quietly at the champion.

Spencer Burke: Well, even if you two do manage to get along or bond over the course of the evening before our main event-- you still have a roadblock in the form of Lowri Moss and Tyler Storm. Any thoughts on how they’ll fare as a team? On what you’ll physically have to do to walk out of Adelaide with a victory?

Sadie doesn’t change her posture, and continues to stare at Nina.

Sadie San Francisco: I know Lowri incredibly well as a performer. Both of us have grown a lot since we’ve last been in the ring together, but knowing that, I’m confident enough in my abilities to hold my own and take her down when the time’s right. I can’t say I have a lot of in-ring experience with Tyler Storm, but I know he can adapt to… pretty much any situation he’s thrown into. He’s shown it, and in my eyes it makes him a focal point in this match. Still though, if you and I keep our heads straight, we should be golden.

Spencer nods a bit before turning to the United States Champion.

Spencer Burke: Nina, your thoughts?

Nina Stokes: Not to be disrespectful, Spencer, my thoughts about how they might fare as a team are ultimately irrelevant. Whether they mesh well or not doesn’t change the fact that they are standing in our path. Lowri and Tyler? They’re formidable, there’s no doubt about that. However, I think our ferocity and energy will play a pivotal role in―

Before Nina can finish her words, she catches Sadie staring at the United States Championship once more. Nina? She lets out a sigh.

Nina Stokes: And that’s strike three.

She places the championship belt in Spencer’s lap and stands to her feet. Sadie looks up at her with a look that somehow lingers between concern and amusement… until her face devolves into a frown, eyes narrowed at the slowly-oncoming Stokes.

Nina Stokes: Spencer? You might want to take a step back.

She approaches her partner for the evening. Sadie? She darts to her feet and looks like she’s ready to fight.

But before the audience can witness anything, the picture fades out.

[FGA Office]

Returning backstage, we see Spencer Burke standing by, calmly positioning himself in one of the hallways and nodding forward.

Spencer Burke: Vertigo’s first show of 2020 is heating up with some great action in this new era of FGA, and coming up a bit later tonight will be yet another matchup in the return of the Wildcard Lottery. Not just that, but that matchup will be our main event of the evening, featuring some of the best to offer at this moment in the company. One of those competitors, and joining me now, is your FGA Pride Champion...Tyler Storm!

Tyler walks in from the right into view, the Pride Championship over his right shoulder, and he grins brightly as he greets Spencer.

Tyler Storm: It’s another happy day, Spence! And on behalf of my other wrestling family I have the pleasure of being a part of at this stage in my career...welcome to Australia!

Spencer Burke: It certainly has been a great time out here in Adelaide, and we’ve seen just arriving today at the arena that you have a well established presence here in Australia. Any hope that you can make it work as a weird sort of home field advantage tonight?

The Wrestling Swiss Army Knife laughs out a bit to the question, shrugging his shoulders with a positive glance in his eyes.

Tyler Storm: I mean, that could certainly be one way to put it. I will certainly say, if there is one place I feel like I’m at home aside from my origins out in Alabama, the love and support I’ve had here in Australia has certainly made this a second home for me. I’ve had the pleasure to work on a nearly weekly basis out in the Melbourne area, Adelaide I am certainly no stranger to either, and all in all I have so much respect for the fans in this country for helping me find a large belief in myself throughout 2019. So if that gives me a bit of advantage tonight, wrestling in front of people I am proud to call as close to family and friends as I have in this industry outside of Alabama back in the States, then I’ll definitely take that!

Spencer Burke: Any advantage would certainly have to be helpful tonight, because in our main event of the evening you are participating in a first round matchup of the returning Wildcard Lottery. Tell us Tyler, what was the reaction when you heard your name announced on social media for this event after the announcement of its return at the Anniversary Show?

Tyler Storm: Oh lord, to find the words...honestly, it made me very grateful for the experiences I’ve continuously had coming my way over the past year of my wrestling career. January of last year, I definitely had dreams of what all I could potentially accomplish, but I had no idea the plan would go as perfectly as it did. I got to end 2019 here as the Pride Champion, I got the ultimate win again over a much respected foe in Seth Iser and I’m sure this won’t be the last time we step foot in a ring together...I got to prove to my kids back at home that dad really is serious about this and making sure I take full advantage of the blessing I was given when I was told I could wrestle again. I don’t want to leave this industry the same, and part of that means climbing my ladder, accomplishing my goals, and proving that I deserve opportunities like tonight where I’m now on a path to the most ultimate of greatness. Trust me, as a dad, knowing the big extra paycheck side of it, I am hungry merely for that because anything that means I get to further provide for my little ones is more than motivation for me...but also knowing that the winner of this thing gets that future crack at the World Titles? That to me is the ultimate motivator, I don’t care where your cards lay, as a wrestler you are in this to eventually push to become World Champ.

Tyler glances to his shoulder, the Pride Championship glistening right as he does, and he pats it a couple times.

Tyler Storm: This baby isn’t going anywhere and will be defended and fought over by me with the greatest of fire. But if I could add to this picture...if I somehow could become the top of this company when a year ago I was questioning if maybe I wouldn’t be able to do enough right to even get as far as I am now...man I’d be on my knees crying if that moment ever comes. I really want to prove I can do something like that, it eats me up inside to prove I really do belong among this amazing roster of athletes.

Spencer Burke: I don’t think there is much debate that you do belong, Tyler. Now onto tonight, with the opening round, you are going into tag team action. The big question mark for every team comes down to this...you want to be a champ, THE champ? Fair enough. But is the fire and more importantly the trust there to team with someone to try and earn an opportunity to advance...knowing that in the next round, you’d be standing across the ring from them as a foe?

Tyler Storm: Damn, asking the harder questions now...I don’t like these thinkers, Spencer!

At that moment, something-- or someone-- catches Tyler's eye just beyond Spencer, who turns slightly, following his gaze, and as the camera pans out further, one half of the World Tag Team Champions, Lowri Moss comes into view.

Lowri Moss: What's occurring, gents?

Lowri is sans title, but she is wearing a t-shirt that has on it a striking image of a Koala surrounded by a red heart. She smiles politely at both Spencer and her partner for the night.

Lowri Moss: Sorry for eavesdropping, but… do you mind if I take this one, Tyler?

Tyler Storm: By all means! Plus I need the talking break.

Lowri Moss: Great, thanks!

She turns her attention from Tyler to the reporter.

Lowri Moss: To answer your question, Spencer, I think that if Tyler, or me, or anyone else in the tournament wants to stand a chance of going all the way to claim what’s on offer at the end of this thing, then they don’t have any choice other than to trust whoever it is that they’ve been paired with. I know that’s going to be easier for some people than it is for others, but me and Tyler? I don’t think we’re going to have any problems getting along with one another. We both understand what’s at stake here, the opportunity that’s up for grabs, and to put it simply, Spencer, I think we’re both smart enough to realize that if we don’t work together as a team, then our involvement in the tournament isn’t likely to last beyond tonight’s main event.

Tyler Storm: And just to elaborate a little more, beyond just the fact that we both understand this is a case of either work together or fall completely apart, I’m also gonna say at least personally I have a lot of respect for Lowri. I was happy the moment I saw my name right next to hers after realizing the recent history of the Wildcard and knowing that you are paired with that 1-2 combo for the first round. I mean, I’ll definitely consider it luck of the draw because I’m paired up with a wrestler who knows their tag wrestling, they know what it takes to win in this environment on the highest level, and I’m just saying that I’ll take that any day because I’ve never been the best tag wrestler so lord knows how bad it could have been for me if I was paired with someone who was antagonistic to the idea of partnership. I know there have been already a lot of murmurings about our opponents tonight and what the true extent of their partnership would be, knowing both Nina and Sadie are on a crash course here eventually for that United States Championship. But trust me, Lowri and I both know when it comes to the smell of a top tier opportunity, your enemy can become a friend in an instant with little issue, if you really want it bad enough.

Tyler grins from ear to ear turning back towards Lowri.

Tyler Storm: I’m just happy that “enemy” is the farthest thing I’d consider Lowri. I know if our team wins tonight...I’d almost be willing to say WHEN we win because I am digging the fire and understanding we both have...winning this tonight, and knowing what is to be dealt with in the next round, I am proud to have an opportunity to stand in a ring with Lowri. She deserves just as much out of this, and I know how hard she works week in and week out to be someone I’m honestly a fan of outside of being a coworker. When it comes to tonight, this is a team ready for success and I’m happy to be a betting man saying that.

Lowri Moss: Well, thank you for those kind words, Tyler, and I can assure you that I'm equally as happy to have you as my partner. Like you said, it was the luck of the draw that the two of us were paired together, or even that we're in the tournament at all, and… obviously if I had been able to pick my partner, then I would've chosen Neal, as that would've probably guaranteed me a place not just in the next round, but the round after as well.

Lowri gives a wink to the camera, knowing full well that Neal will be watching somewhere, and that the implication in her remark will not be lost on him.

Lowri Moss: But knowing that in all likelihood my partner was going to be someone other than Neal, I just hoped that by partner would be someone who I can rely on, someone who can not only hold their own in the ring, but also someone that I can trust to have my back when I need them to, and having been paired with the current Pride Champion, who also happens to be one of the nicest guys in any locker room, well, I don't think I could've done much better.

She takes a quick breath, before continuing.

Lowri Moss: We may not be regular partners, but there aren’t many better people that I could have on my side, Tyler. And I admire your confidence about our chances, although having been in the ring with Nina before, and having been in there with Sadie on numerous occasions, I know this is going to be far from easy, regardless of what issues the two of them may possibly have… but having said that, makeshift team or not, there’s no denying our collective ability, so I reckon that together, as a team, we've got enough to be able to make it through to the next round.

Tyler Storm: I'm confident for good reason, I promise. I trust this partnership tonight, and I definitely trust that one of us is taking this whole tournament by storm, no pun intended. You just give me your damn best, and I'll give you mine. Win or fail, we leave that ring with more heart than we entered it with.

Tyler holds out his fist for Lowri, and he gives a light chuckle as a thought crosses his mind.

Tyler Storm: And...maaaaaaaybe also we promise each other if we get through tonight and into the next round, we don't try to kick the other's face in too hard. You know, just as a side thing.

Lowri cannot help letting out a chuckle of her own at that comment.

Lowri Moss: Let’s cross that bridge when we come to it. One thing at a time, and all that.

She then bumps fists with Tyler, and a nod of respect between both competitors.

Spencer Burke: I guess with that, I don’t have anything further. Tyler, Lowri, good luck tonight and in everything going forward.

Tyler Storm: Much appreciated as always, Spence.

Tyler motions to Lowri to follow him after shaking hands with Spencer, and the temporary partners exit off to the left as the scene fades.

[FGA Office]

Ricky Valero vs. Jillian Clay

The lights in the arena dim, and multiple green-and-blue lasers illuminate the interior of the arena with what appear to be starlight, giving its ceiling the look of a planetarium.

"Attention, all personnel, this is CBTS; phase vehicle pre-count operation will start on my mark in

"FIVE.

FOUR.

THREE.

TWO.

ONE.”

Polaris’ “Hey Sandy” explodes across the PA system as the arena lights explode to life, casting shades of blue and green across the arena as Jillian Clay emerges from the back. Eyes glued to the ring, Clay wastes no time bursting through the curtains, striding down the ramp and toward the ring with no fanfare-- not even a glance toward the outstretched hands of the fans of Adelaide on either side of her.

J.A. Aldridge: The following contest is a grudge match set for one fall! Introducing first, on her way to the ring, hailing from Bonn, Germany, she is one half of the Saturnian Connection, Jillian CLAAAY!

Jillian Clay climbs up onto the apron and pauses, glancing out at the masses in the arena, taking a moment to allow a small smile to her face as she acknowledges the crowd. Clay nods a bit to herself and climbs the turnbuckles, holding two fingers skyward, looking upward before closing her eyes for just a moment, muttering something to herself before she swings herself into the ring over the ropes, pacing across the center as she gazes up at the ramp. Abruptly, her music is replaced as “Amazing” by Kanye West hits, lifting the fans to their feet in a fit of rage. White and pink strobe lights start to flash throughout the arena.

It's amazing
I'm the reason
Everybody fired up this evening

J.A. Aldridge: And her opponent…

I'm exhausted
Barely breathing
Holding on to what I believe in

J.A. Aldridge: Hailing from Staten Island, New York, he is one half of the Good Guys, he is the Franchise... RICKYYYYY VAAAALEROOOO!

No matter what
You'll never take that from me
My reign is as far as your eyes can see

Ricky Valero emerges from the back amidst a cloud of fog. With that trademark smirk stretched across his face, he scans the arena with hubris. He puts his legs together, extends his arms outward, throws his head back and basks in the building’s negative energy… though his smirk morphs into a scowl as he locks eyes with Jillian Clay.

It's amazin', so amazin', so amazin', so amazin', it's amazin'
So amazin', so amazin', so amazin', it's amazin' (Let's go)

Ricky makes his way toward the ring intentionally ignoring the outstretched hands of front row fans along his route. Eyes locked on Clay, Valero circles the ring, before reaching the far corner. Inside the ring, the Portland Pro Wrestling star keeps her eyes on the Franchise. Slowly Ricky climbs up the steps and leans his back against the ropes, bouncing against them a few times with his arms wrapped over top of them before slipping into the ring-- and immediately, Jillian Clay pounces on Valero, unloading with rights and lefts to his body! The referee wastes no time calling for the bell to signal the start of the match!

Stephy Auger: Wha- WHAT?! Ref! This isn’t fair!

Kris Cruise: The official disagrees with you, Stephy. This match is underway.

Jillian backs Valero into the corner, delivering stiff knee strikes and elbows to the body of the Franchise! Ricky shoves Jillian away with a hand to the face! He chases after her, but Clay takes Valero to the ground, looking to lock in a Crossface! Valero wrenches his arm free, avoiding the submission, but Jillian mounts Valero’s back, continuing her rapid, erratic striking, landing elbows, forearms, fists, taking Ricky to the canvas! Valero howls out in pain and for upwards of ten seconds, the onslaught continues until Valero cries out, straining as he hooks Clay in a gutwrench. He ceases the clubs to his back by throwing an elbow into the side of Jill’s head before deadlifting her off the canvas!

Stephy Auger: Look at this power!

Valero rushes to the corner, looking for a Gutwrench Turnbuckle Powerbomb, but Clay drops down behind him and takes him to the mat with a modified falling Slingblade! Valero pushes himself up, but Clay is quick to drive him back down with a Reverse DDT! Again, she mounts Valero, firing off with alternating right and left hands to the face!

Kris Cruise: Jillian Clay is absolutely unloading on Ricky Valero! She’s been waiting to do this for weeks!

Stephy Auger: Yeah, so she can finish the job and take out the other half of the Good Guys, just like she helped take out the Chief on the last episode of Vertigo!

Kris Cruise: Well, Nando Fresno promised to clear his name tonight. Time is running out on that, but in any event, Valero is in trouble. He might have seriously underestimated his opponent!

Valero covers up as the referee warns Clay off for closed fists. At the count of four, Clay begins to push herself off of Valero… and she’s immediately rocked with an up-kick to the jaw, sending her sprawling to the canvas to boos from the crowd. Valero dives on top of Clay, hooking both legs for the first cover of the match!

ONE
.
.
.
.
TWO
.
.
.
.
Kickout!

Kris Cruise: A pin attempt by Ricky Valero, but Clay emphatically kicks out! Now it looks like Ricky’s rolling out to the apron to catch his breath.

Stephy Auger: As he should! This lazy referee should’ve backed that psycho Clay off by now!

Valero, after a few moments on the apron, hops down to the floor and walks over the timekeeper’s area. Shooing the young man away, Ricky immediately grabs an empty chair and closes it shut. He walks back toward the ring, staring menacingly at Clay.

Kris Cruise: And what the hell are you doing with that? This isn’t a no-disqualifications match!

Stephy Auger: Ricky is a man pushed to the limit, Cruise! He didn’t ask for this-- Jill did. Jillian Clay instigated this the moment she and Nando put their hands on Ricky’s best friend, Evan Envi. And now that unhinged alien hunter is in Evan’s house on the other side of the world while Ricky is here, fighting an alien. Doing Nando’s job.

Valero slams the chair against the top of the steel steps for emphasis before marching up them, walking across the apron, eyes locked on Clay. The referee loudly warns Ricky off, but he steps through the ropes anyway, stalking Clay with the chair as she rises to her feet.

“YOU SUCK!”

“YOU SUCK!”

“YOU SUCK!”

Jillian turns and Ricky sprints forward, looking to drive the chair into Clay’s head like a javelin-- but Clay counters with a Drop Toehold, sending Valero face-first into the corner of the chair!

Stephy Auger: OH NO!

Valero howls in pain and staggers to his feet, only to be planted with a Running Knee-Assisted Bulldog that drives him face-first into the chair on the mat! With a jubilant audience behind her, Jillian rises to her feet, arms outstretched as she turns, beckoning Valero to his feet! He stumbles upright and Clay drives a boot into his gut before using her other leg to swiftly nail a knee smash and finally a discus forearm, knocking Valero to a seated position! Clay shoots the ropes and rebounds with a Front Dropkick to the side of Valero’s head, sending him awkwardly to the canvas! The referee pushes the chair out of the ring, turning a second later to catch sight of the cover! He slides into the count!

ONE
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.
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.
TWO
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.
.
Kickout!

Kris Cruise: Ahh, the ref made the right call by removing the foreign object from the ring, but that was a valuable second that could’ve cost Jillian Clay the biggest singles victory of her career just now.

Jillian runs a hand through her hair, shaking her head in frustration before she slides out to the apron. With a glance over her shoulder at her stirring opponent, Clay climbs to her feet and ascends to the top turnbuckle. Wasting no time at the top as Valero turns to face her, Clay leaps off and takes the groggy Valero down with a Flying Cross Body… but Valero latches onto Jill and rolls through, lifting her into his arms before hoisting her up onto his shoulders and into a Fireman’s Carry with a cry of exertion!

Kris Cruise: Oh--

Stephy Auger: The strength! Acknowledge the pure, raw strength of the Franchise!

Loudly, Valero exclaims “it’s finished!” before launching Jillian up for the Ushigoroshi (Thy Will Be Done)... but Clay over-rotates and lands on her feet! In the same motion, she blocks the oncoming knee with Valero with her hands before shifting her grip and hoisting the larger Valero up-and-over with an Exploder Suplex!

Stephy Auger: Wha…

Kris Cruise: The strength! Acknowledge the shocking, raw strength of the Saturnian!

Stephy Auger: Okay, don’t mock me on air, Cruise.

Valero cringes, rising up to his knees. Clay rolls to her feet and shoots the ropes, rebounding to blast Valero with a knee strike to the back of the head! Valero collapses to the mat in a heap and Clay immediately hooks his arms, taking mere seconds to lock in the Rings of Saturn!

Stephy Auger: Ohmy--!

Kris Cruise: RINGS OF SATURN! Ricky Valero is in serious, serious trouble! He’s disoriented after that shot to the back of the head! He has no idea where he is!

Chants of “TAP, TAP, TAP!” thunder through Adelaide as Clay wrenches the hold, shrieking as she leans back as far as she can! Seconds pass and Valero howls out in agony, planted in the center of the ring. Groggily, he lifts his head, looking in every which direction for the closest set of ropes. His eyes widen when he realizes his positioning.

“TAP!”

“TAP!”

“TAP! “

Valero grunts and digs his knee beneath his body, using his legs and his torso to slug across the mat, inching closer and closer to the ropes! The chants of “TAP!” are slowly and surely replaced by boos as Valero steadily drags himself and the Saturnian closer to the edge of the ring. The referee stays inches away from Valero’s face, ready to accept the verbal submission as Valero’s face grows a deeper and deeper shade of crimson… until finally, Valero’s head hits the mat…

...and he turns ever-so-slightly to guide his right foot over the bottom rope!

“BOOOOOOOOOOOO!”

Stephy Auger: Get her off him, ref!

The ref indeed does administer his five count as Jillian maintains the hold, but she immediately relents at the count of one. The frustrated, dejected Clay throws a few uncalculated shots into the back of Ricky’s head as she pulls herself off of him. As she reaches her feet, the official backs Clay away with a warning, prompting her to sigh, raising her hands as she backs to the center of the ring.

Stephy Auger: Finally, a little bit of restraint from this animal.

While Cruise audibly sighs at Auger’s remark on commentary, Valero turns into a seated position in the ring, the back of his head still resting on the ropes… until Clay rushes forward, driving her boot across Valero’s jaw with a Facewash so rough that it sends her through the ropes and out to the apron!

Kris Cruise: Right on target! And then some!

Stephy Auger: That doesn’t make any sense, Cruise! Somebody needs to go check on Ricky! RICKYYY!

Valero clutches his face, howling in pain as he rolls to the center of the ring, kicking his feet against the canvas. Clay glares a hole through him as she moves to the corner, ascending to the top turnbuckle for a second time, bringing a visible majority of the crowd to their feet along with her in anticipation. Valero, unsure of his surroundings stumbles to his feet, back turned to Clay. She leaps from the top turnbuckle, landing on Valero’s shoulders-- before flipping backwards to spike him into the canvas with a Poison-Rana! The audience erupts for the display!

Kris Cruise: Ricky Valero just got drilled right into the canvas with that Reverse Hurricanrana and I think that’s it! Valero’s not moving!

Jillian plants herself on top of Ricky’s chest, hooking his left leg against her body while the ref drops down to make the count, the entire Adelaide audience counting alone with him!

ONE!
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.
.
.
TWO
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THRE-!

Stephy Auger: Did he?-- he kicked out!

A collective groan from the audience and Jillian as Ricky throws his shoulder off the canvas. Jillian looks at the referee, holding up two fingers to erase any doubt-- and buries her face in her hands as the official confirms it. Valero rolls over onto his stomach, clutching at his own head. Jillian sits upright, nodding along to the rhythmic clapping of the Adelaide crowd that tries to will her back into the match. She pulls herself up using the ropes and turns a glare to Valero, pointing two fingers at him as he pushes himself up to a knee. Jillian strides forward and launches a Superkick in Valero’s direction-- but Valero side-steps! Jillian staggers past the Franchise… leaving room for Valero to turn, rising fully to his feet-- and lock in the Cobra Clutch to gasps from the crowd!

Kris Cruise: The Cobra Clutch! Ricky’s looking for the Franchise Tag!

Stephy Auger: She can only fight it for so long… count the seconds, Cruise.

Jillian flails, throwing herself in every which direction as Valero tries to tighten his grip on the Clutch. He wrenches his arms around her neck, but Jillian manages to walk toward the corner, forcing the unsteady Valero to walk with her. Finally, Clay places one foot on the middle turnbuckle… before getting her second foot onto the top rope and pushing off, flipping backwards over Ricky’s head, driving him down and pinning his shoulders to the mat! Immediately, the ref drops down to make the count!

ONE
.
.
.
.
TWO
.
.
.
.
Kickout!

A collective groan resonates from the crowd as Ricky throws the shoulder out, but Jillian is quick to push herself to her feet, delivering not one, but two vicious stomps straight into the heart of Ricky Valero before dragging him closer to the corner, gripping both of his wrists. Jillian takes a breath and ascends the turnbuckles, back turned to Valero-- but Ricky sits upright, clutching onto Jillian’s ankle! Clay tries to pull her left leg free, but Valero latches onto her to pull himself up to his feet before yanking as hard as he can, sending Jill chin-first into the top turnbuckle before crashing to the mat!

Kris Cruise: What a nasty landing. Jillian Clay just took a terrible shot to the jaw in the corner!

Before Clay can fully reach her feet, Valero drives her back down with a Russian Leg Sweep, grinding his forearm across her face, leaning across her as he trash-talks the Saturnian. His own face is red-- eyes narrowed into a glare, seething as he talks right into Clay’s face. Clay shoves his face away, trying to free herself out from beneath him, but Valero hops to his feet, forcing Clay up as well before hurling her back-first into the corner! Clay goes to cover up, but Ricky charges in with a Forearm Smash, sending a SMACK! echoing throughout the arena and a mist of saliva flying out of Clay’s mouth. Valero glares into the nearby camera, uttering the words “this is what you get” before backing out of the corner, allowing Clay to collapse onto her side, gasping in pain. Valero steps out onto the apron, shooting a look of disgust down toward Jillian before he makes his way to the corner, slowly ascending to the top.

Stephy Auger: And now the Franchise is taking this fight to the top rope to show Jill exactly how it’s done!

Jillian rolls onto her stomach, trying to push herself up-- and Valero leaps from the top rope, executing a Diving Double Foot Stomp across the spine! Jillian shrieks in pain, flattened to the canvas. Valero stumbles past her but quickly picks himself back up, hoisting Clay up from behind… and driving her back down with a Pinnacleplex (Regalplex)! The impact sends Clay bouncing onto her stomach but Ricky quickly recovers, shoving her onto her back and hooking both legs for a deep pin!

ONE
.
.
.
.
TWO
.
.
.
.
THRRRE-!

Kris Cruise: The stomp, the Pinnacleplex-- it wasn’t enough!

Another pop surges through the Adelaide Entertainment Centre as Clay throws her shoulder off the mat! Valero sits upright, smirking bitterly at the referee before shaking his head out at the fans, mumbling something about them being “idiots” as he climbs to his feet. He bends down, ready to collect Clay off the mat once more… but his eyebrows perk as an idea goes off in his head. After the momentary delay, Valero suddenly crosses Clay’s legs and drops down, locking in the Arm-Trap Cross-Legged STF!

Kris Cruise: Rally Killer!

Stephy Auger: I don’t see how she’s gonna make it out of this one. Valero has her dead to rights.

Jillian cries out in pain, trapped in the STF in the middle of the ring! She reaches out toward the ropes, but Valero presses every ounce of his weight down onto Clay’s back! Jillian grunts, but quickly stops trying to crawl, and instead tries to angle herself onto her side. Valero adjusts his grip, trying to maintain leverage and transition into something that looks more akin to a chokehold, earning a brief admonishment from the referee!

Stephy Auger: Mind your business, ref, and watch a professional at wor-- AHHH!

Jillian frees her legs from beneath Valero and wrenches her left arm free, firing hard, deliberate elbows back into his jaw and collarbone! Valero slumps downward and Jillian shifts her weight entirely, placing herself next to Valero and gaining control of his arms to lock in the Rings of Saturn!

Kris Cruise: Rings of Saturn, locked in again! Is Ricky gonna tap?!

Ricky grunts in a mixture of frustration and agony as the seconds tick by! He tries to squirm free, but an exhausted Clay uses all of her energy to keep the Rings of Saturn locked in!

“TAP!”

“TAP!”

“TAP!”

“TAP!”

“TAP!”

Ricky’s eyes widen and he grunts again in frustration, rocking his body upward and downward repeatedly until he’s able to get his knees beneath himself! Shaking, face and body blood-red, Ricky pushes himself to a knee while Clay continues to apply a modified version of the Rings of Saturn! With a cry, Ricky pushes himself up to his feet! He pulls one of his arm’s free, wrapping it around Clay’s neck, and shifting her into a Fireman’s Carry! Clay fires rapid elbows into Valero’s skull-- but Valero launches her up-and-over, slamming Jill’s neck across his knee with the Ushigoroshi!

Stephy Auger: THY! WILL! BE! DONE!

Boos rain down on Valero as he rolls over Clay, hooking her near leg, exhausted grin across his face as the referee makes the count.

ONE
.
.
.
.
TWO
.
.
.
.
THREE!

The bell sounds and “Amazing” hits the PA system, cutting through the ocean of boos. Valero pushes himself to his knees, grinning toward the ref as his hand is raised.

J.A. Aldridge: Here is your winner… RICKYYY VAAAALERO!

Ricky yanks his hand away from the ref and drops down to his back, sliding out of the ring.

Kris Cruise: What’s he--?

Valero picks up the steel chair he’d abandoned earlier, turning an eye to Clay in the ring as he marches up the steps. His music fades, leaving the deafening boos of South Australia clearly audible as Valero steps through the ropes.

Kris Cruise: You already won the match. There’s no need for this!

Stephy Auger: There’s so much need for this. Jillian Clay and her freak friend need to learn a lesson. Unfortunately for her, this is the hard way!

The Adelaide audience serenades Ricky with chants of “YOU STILL SUCK!” Regardless, he approaches the still-stirring figure of Jillian Clay, gripping the chair in both hands…

??: Hey. I can see you now.

Valero stops, casting a look over his shoulder toward the Tron, where Nando Fresno’s face is visible once again. It’s all we can see at the moment, blocking the background of the scene. The alien hunter sighs, nodding a bit.

Nando Fresno: Unfortunate, but that was a hell of a win, Rick. You dug deep. You earned that one.

Nando adjusts the positioning of the camera and backs away, revealing the same kitchen he and Evan Envi had been sitting in at the Chief’s Ocean City home earlier. In the background, Evan Envi sits at the table, arms crossed, staring at the open laptop in front of him. His face is expressionless. Nando sits down across from Evan and turns to face the camera.

Nando Fresno: Evan and I have been doing a little bit of thinking… and a lot of talking since you last saw us, Rick. But I think we’ve had a breakthrough.

Ricky throws the chair aside, pacing in the ring now. He shouts for someone to get him a microphone.

Nando Fresno: You see-- for a long time, Evan wasn’t ready to admit what happened to him that night in--

Ricky Valero: Hey! HEY! Listen to me right now you son of a bitch!

Nando’s eyebrows raise in mock-amusement. He crosses his arms, listening to Valero.

Ricky Valero: I don’t know how you forced your way into my friend’s house. I don’t know how you haven’t been ARRESTED yet.

Nando Fresno: Ricky--

Ricky Valero: --but if you think I’m going to stand here while you traumatize Evan after everything he’s been through--

Nando Fresno: Rick. Rick.

Ricky Valero: What?!

Nando Fresno: Shut the hell up.

Valero rolls his eyes while the comment earns the cheapest of cheap pops from the crowd. Nando reaches down into his pocket out of frame before retrieving a USB drive-- the same one, bearing the image of an alien that we’d seen earlier in the episode. Nando turns, calmly plugging the USB drive into the laptop before turning to Evan.

Nando Fresno: Remember earlier, when I said… you don’t spend as much time at these shows, hanging around the back, making friends with every passerby like we do-- without building a community. With the staff. With the catering. With--

Ricky Valero: Turn this off!

Nando Fresno: --with the guys in the production truck. So when shaaady, shady people storm into the truck and offer to pay thousands of dollars to “lose” CCTV footage… we have Plan B. From Earth.

Nando turns, shooting a wink at the camera.

Ricky Valero: I swear to God--

Nando Fresno: So at the risk of acting as a substitution for basic logic and understanding… I have something I want everybody to see. Evan, you, especially play close attention. Cue it up, boys!

Ricky Valero throws his microphone to the mat, pacing, fuming in the ring as the lights dim, and our Tron fades to a previous recording.

VERTIGO 74 - 11/2019

Below standard-quality, but full-color CCTV footage greets us. We are clearly watching a third party film the CCTV footage from their phone camera, watching it from a monitor inside a production truck. The “PLAY” button is hit, displaying an empty parking garage. We cut to several different levels before finally focusing on a familiar one… one that was quite visible on the previous episode of Vertigo.

Within seconds, we see a taxi cab pull into the parking lot. The familiar driver occupies the driving seat and immediately takes out his phone, leaning back in the seat as he awaits his customers.

In the corner of the screen, we see the double doors burst open… and Evan Envi bursts onto the scene, backpack slung over his shoulder, tossing his keys up and down in his left hand nonchalantly-- until he fumbles them, distracted by something. Evan pauses, reaching into his pocket to check his phone. For seconds, the Chief stands with his side to the camera, responding to whichever message he received… before he bends down and scoops his keys off the ground.

“PAUSE.”

Nando Fresno: Okay. Pay really close attention to this part.

Nando reaches forward and presses the spacebar on the laptop again.

“PLAY.”

Keys in his hand, Evan Envi stands upright.

Immediately, Envi’s rushed from behind, grabbed by the back of his shirt and the belt of his pants-- and with a sickening, angry amount of force, is launched face-first into the rear window of the cab!

The live audience reacts loudly, though-- mercifully-- the video lags, dropping in quality just a bit as Evan’s skull connects with the glass. The glass shatters and the Chief’s knees buckle. He crashes to his back, head smacking the pavement to another groan from the audience. Lacking audio, viewers can only imagine the sound as the cab driver’s mouth opens in a clear scream, tossing his phone in the air in shock. He throws his hazard lights on and scrambles out of the car,

The figure is only visible from the side, decked in dark pants and a black jacket, hood thrown over his head, before stepping to the left, out of camera frame, leaving in the same direction he came. The driver timidly approaches the side of the car-- before reacting in horror again at seeing the motionless body of Evan Envi. The feed cuts as the driver takes off in the opposite direction.

“PAUSE.”

We cut to Ricky’s live reaction. Ricky shakes his head and bends down, picking up the microphone again, gesturing to the screen.

Ricky Valero: You can’t even see who that was. That doesn’t tell me anything. HOW does that clear your name?!

On the Tron, we cut to the live feed in Evan Envi’s house… though Nando Fresno is nowhere to be seen. Instead, Envi looks into the camera, jaw clenched, lips squeezed shut.

Ricky Valero: Evan, come on. Get that lunatic out of your house before something happens.

There’s a clear lump in the Chief’s throat. He takes a deep breath, opening his mouth to say something-- but nothing comes out.

Ricky Valero: Evan--

“PLAY.”

The person watching the CCTV footage rewinds the scene on the camera, rewinding to the moment Envi landed on the ground. Back to the moment the assailant stepped out of screen.

We zoom out, giving a full scope of the screen as the attacker walks back in the direction he came toward the arena entrance.

The assailant turns, facing the camera for just a second…

“PAUSE.”

...revealing the face of Ricky Valero.

“OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHH…”

We cut to a convenient split-screen, one based in Adelaide, South Australia-- and the other in Ocean City, Maryland. Envi is clearly shaking as he stares back into the camera. Valero paces the ring, rubbing the back of his neck.

Evan Envi: It was you.

Ricky tilts his head back, sighing loudly, back still turned to the camera. He runs a hand down his face, bringing the mic to his lips, speaking softly, almost forcing the raucous crowd to quiet down just briefly.

Ricky Valero: Evan…

Ricky turns to face the Tron… wearing an ear-to-ear grin, drawing a deafening chorus of boos from the Adelaide Entertainment Centre.

Ricky Valero: You’re GODDAMN RIGHT! And I should’ve done it AGES ago! F… AGES AGO, EVAN! Do you-- do you have any idea what it’s like to do this for twenty years-- TWENTY YEARS-- and then to have to look yourself in the mirror every morning as a father and realize you pretty much threw away the thing you loved— your career— for someone like YOU?!

Ricky laughs bitterly, pacing the ring now, pointing a finger at Evan.

Ricky Valero: I took a backseat for you. I goddamn nurtured you, guided you to your first World Championship because for eleven years you weren’t capable of getting the job done yourself! I did that for YOU and I got NOTHING back! I didn’t get a match for the championship-- I didn’t get a Tag Team Championship-- I just got to be “happy”, EXISTING as a Good Gu-- no, EXISTING as Evan Envi’s best friend. Meanwhile, between title matches and tournament victories that you should be celebrating like a HERO, you’re making an ass out of yourself-- out of the Good Guys-- with Fujiko Mine and Kazu Hirano on live television, and MY name is attached to it. I have to take that home to my FAMILY.

Envi stares back at Ricky, doing his best to maintain a stoic face, though tears clearly form in the eyes of the Chief.

Ricky Valero: Well, I’ve got news for you, Chief.

Ricky shakes his head, pointing angrily at the Tron.

Ricky Valero: You’re not a good guy. And you’re not my best friend.

Valero’s serenaded with boos at the comment. Envi looks down. And for seconds, his gaze remains downcast. He considers everything he’s seen and heard in silence.

Ricky Valero: I was hoping this would actually bring us closer together, you know. With you being far, far away from the ring, and far, far out of my way, we would’ve gotten along better than ever. And we still could. We still could.

Valero shrugs.

Ricky Valero: All you have to do is stay the hell away from FGA.

“BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!”

Envi sighs, rubbing at his eyes for a moment, inhaling deeply before he looks up into the camera. His eyes are red, glassy from fighting back emotions, but he leans forward and stares back at Ricky.

Evan Envi: Thanks for letting me know.

Inhale.

Evan Envi: Ricky-- if you threw away everything you loved… if you sacrificed your career for me... I’m sorry. I never meant for that. But…

Exhale.

Evan Envi: ...but if there’s anything left for you to hold onto…

Envi shakes his head a little.

Evan Envi: ...I’m gonna find you… I’m gonna beat you half to death… and I’m gonna take it from you. Might as well finish what I started.

The audience roars at the proclamation. Valero looks back up at the Chief, rubbing at his jaw a bit, unsure of what to say-- though he finds that he doesn’t have to, as the Tron quickly cuts to black. Ricky stands in the center of the ring, wearing a small smirk on his face, though his eyes are swimming with a multitude of emotions.

“YOU FUCKED UP!”

“YOU FUCKED UP!”

“YOU FUCKED UP!”

“YOU FUCKED UP!”

“YOU FUCKED UP!”

Valero continues to stand in the ring, seemingly deaf to the jeers of the crowd as our camera swings over to our stunned announce team.

Kris Cruise: What did we just witness?

Stephy Auger: A really impressive investigation as much as I hate to admit it. I’m… shocked. Ricky brought up some great points though. How’s he supposed to go home to Keke, knowing he’s chosen to take a backseat to the Chief?

Kris Cruise: You really think this can be justified?!

Stephy Auger: I’m just saying, I get it!

Kris Cruise: Ugh. We’ll be back.

We cut to Valero, standing in silence in the ring one final time before we slowly fade to black.

• COMMERCIAL BREAK •

[FGA Office]

Cameras slowly fade in on a pair of thick ropes, lying parallel to each other. The camera chugs up the length of them, and about 5 feet up it leads to the ends being gripped by hands, wrapped in fingerless gloves. The camera tilts up to see the fatigued face of the FGA World champion, Fujiko Mine. Her chest expands and contracts with heavy breathing, and beads of sweat trace over paths on her face. With a momentary pause, she gets back to work, alternating whipping the ropes back and forth. The voice of the champion fills our ears as she works.

Fujiko Mine: There may be some sort of notion that I’ve been resting on my laurels. After winning wrestler of the year award both in 2018 and 2019, and maintaining my grip on the FGA championship, some may think I’ve begun to think myself untouchable.

The camera zooms out slowly, getting a fuller view of the area in which the champion is working out. Various pieces of equipment adorn the area. “Arcades” by C2C begins to play as Fujiko suddenly is over at the punching bag, laying in rattling forearms and kicks. She steps back, and throws a 720 kick, slamming her heel into the bag.

Fujiko Mine: Maybe it’s less of an assumption, and more of a hope. Either way, perhaps the iron grip the Apex Goddess has on the championship is beginning to loosen.

Fujiko is now across the gym, jumping rope. She alternates between quick and slower reps.

Fujiko Mine: ...and James Edwards believes he is the one who is going to make history. He is the one who wants to take my dreams…

Fujiko is now lifting a barbell in a deadlift, and breathing intently for a few moments. She then unceremoniously drops the weights with a resounding thud. The music stops as the weights hit the ground.

Fujiko Mine: And crush them utterly.

Only the sound of Fujiko’s labored breathing is heard for a moment.

Fujiko Mine: But that’s not in the cards just yet.

The main beat of “Arcades” kicks in again. Fujiko is now seen working on box jumps. First with two boxes…

Fujiko Mine: James, you are the next chapter in the book entitled: Fujiko Mine…

...then with four boxes.

Fujiko Mine: ...the greatest wrestler FGA has ever seen.

...now six. She preps for a moment, the boxes nearly as tall as she is. She digs down deep, propels herself up, and leaps. The camera goes in slow motion as she moves up into the air.

Fujiko Mine: In a few short weeks, James. You and I will do battle again. And you will find out that even though I’ve beaten you before, I am treating this encounter like the very first time. Because I know better than anyone that I’m living on borrowed time. I am only able to keep this championship for so long. One day, someone is going to be hungrier than me. They are going to be faster than me. Stronger than me. More determined than me. So my goal, my job...is to not hold this forever, as life is fleeting. But to set the record for the most defenses. To hold it for a year. To be in that conversation when people mention the greats that have held this title. I want to be the first name that they mention.

She draws her legs into herself, aiming her toes for a suitable perch on the top box. She clears the box, but barely.

Fujiko Mine: Because that’s how i’ll truly get to live forever. As a tale passed down from generation to generation.

The camera zooms in on Fujiko’s sweat ridden face, as she slowly looks up from her focal point on the box. Her lips curl into a smile as she looks up slowly.

Fujiko Mine: And you will not stop me. Not yet you don’t. I will achieve my goals. That is the will of the goddess…

The camera zooms out to the beat of Arcades, fading slowly until the screen is filled with darkness.

[FGA Office]

MAIN EVENT
WILDCARD LOTTERY (FIRST ROUND)
Lowri Moss & Tyler Storm vs. Nina Stokes & Sadie San Francisco

Kris Cruise: We are back with tonight’s main event! It’s the last of the first round matches here in the Wildcard Lottery. This one is the most anticipated match of the night, Stephy! There are champions all over the place in this one!

Stephy Auger: We’ve got one half of the World Tag Team Champions, the Pride Champion and the United States Champion!

Kris Cruise: You’ve also got Sadie San Francisco, who has cemented here place here in FGA as one of the best Mid-Atlantic and 15 Champions! I cannot wait for this one!

The lights in the arena fade to a rose-gold color as the familiar sound of smooth jazz echoes throughout the building. “Young Nation” hits the PA system and a roar surges throughout audience. Sadie San Francisco steps out to the top of the ramp, offering a quick wink to the camera nearest before continuing past. Sadie pauses at the bottom of the ramp, performing a full turn as she gazes at the masses surrounding her.

J.A. Aldridge: The following contest is scheduled for ONE fall! It is your main event of the evening and it is a first round match in the Wildcard Lottery tournament! Introducing team number one! First, hailing from The West Side! She is “The Pope” SADIE SAN FRANCISCO!

Nodding a bit to herself, Sadie strides around to the side of the ring facing the hard camera. She climbs onto the apron, narrowing her eyes at the camera is it pans closer to her, capturing only a cold gaze from Sadie as she spends a few seconds staring into the lens-- before slinking through the ropes, sliding seamlessly back into the ring. Sadie makes her way toward the turnbuckles, slowly ascending to the second rope, shooting a broad smile out toward the raucous audience before raising a single “V” above her head with her left hand. Sadie casually drops down from the turnbuckles and turns, leaning against the turnbuckles as she awaits competition.

The lights in the arena dim to a fairly darkened level. A couple of seconds pass before MUCC’s “Sei to Shi to Kimi” begins to play. The base of the entrance becomes fills up with heavy smoke. Nina Stokes makes her way out from the back a few seconds later. She emerges from the smoke after a moment or two. She gives a sly sneer to camera before she makes her way towards to the ring.

Her pace down to the ring deliberate and leisurely. She tosses a couple of glances towards the crowd, but for the most part, she keeps her eyes fixated on the square circle. Nina flexes her arms a bit as she reaches the end entryway. She cracks her neck and completely circles the ring one time. Afterwards, Nina cracks her knuckles and slides into the ring.

J.A. Aldridge: Her opponent, hailing from Miami, Florida! She is the reigning FGA United States Champion, NINA STOKES!

Nina paces around for a moment. Then she removes her jacket and tosses it into the corner. Nina pulls on the ropes and stretches before she lounges in the corner and waits for the start of the match.

Stephy Auger: Why didn’t Spencer Burke tell us how testy things got between Nina and Sadie earlier tonight!?

Kris Cruise: We don’t know how physical things turned once the cameras stopped rolling. Did the two of them get into a shoving match? Were punches thrown?

Stephy Auger: I bet you Nina Stokes knocked Sadie’s lights out!

Kris Cruise: Regardless of what did or didn’t happen, what’s undeniable is the tension on that side of the ring. A lot of wild pairings came out of that lottery drawing. But I don’t think there was a more explosive pairing than Nina Stokes and the number one contender to her US Championship, Sadie San Francisco!

The lights begin to slow fade out to the opening tunes of "Eye of the Tiger" before flashing quickly back on once the rifts of the guitar begin playing, along with being met with flashes of blue and gold light on the stage. Once the song picks up into it's normal tune about 25 seconds in, Tyler Storm rushes out from behind the curtain to a positive pop, bobbing his head to the beat of the song and mouthing out to the fans.

Once the lyrics start, Tyler begins making his way down the ramp, walking along the left for the first half of his trek to the ring and high-fiving fans or talking with them, and doing the same in the second half of his walk on the right side. Before long he reaches ringside and after interacting with a few more people at ringside, he works his way up the stairs onto the ring apron. He rubs his feet off for a few moments, then gripping onto the top rope he jumps up and slides his legs in between the top and middle ropes and into the ring.

J.A. Aldridge: Their opponents! First, hailing from Tuscaloosa, Alabama! Weighing in at 215 pounds! He is the reigning FGA Pride Champion… TYLER STORM!

The song goes on for a few more moments with Storm motioning out to the crowd for a reaction before rushing to one side of the ring just as the drawn out "Eye of the Tiger" lyric hits, landing his right foot on the bottom rope and his left on the middle rope with his arms spread out open with the audience cheering. He then hops back off the ropes and walks over to his corner as the music fades.

“New Blood” by Zayde Wolf plays over the PA system, and once the song's intro finishes, through the curtains - and out onto the stage - walks Lowri Moss, who is greeted by a cheer. Lowri takes a moment to scan the crowd, before making her way towards the ring, and as she does so, she slaps the hands of some of the fans that reach out to her.

J.A. Aldridge: His partner, hailing from LLanelli, Wales! She is one half of the reigning FGA World Tag Team Champions… LOWRI MOSS!

After arriving at ringside, Lowri climbs the steps up onto the ring apron, and then steps through the ropes, before heading for one of the corners and climbing to the second rope. There are further cheers and more applause for Lowri from the fans, and she soaks in the reaction for several seconds, as she again surveys the crowd.

Kris Cruise: Tyler Storm and Lowri Moss have been on the same page since the get go. They are coming into tonight’s match with zero animosity towards one another.

Stephy Auger: Yeah, they’re all buddy buddy now. But we know what happens on the next Vertigo. If Storm wins, he has to defend his Pride Championship against Lowri Moss. Moss has made it clear that she wants to get back into singles title contention here in 2020. The $100,000 at the end of this is great. Getting a shot at the World or International champions is an opportunity of a lifetime. But you don’t think she wouldn’t love to hold the Pride Championship, the same title that her “mam” Izzy Anders once held?

Tyler Storm and Nina Stokes look to start things off for both teams. The official then calls for the bell once he gets the okay from both Storm and Stokes.

Kris Cruise: Alright, Stephy, it looks like the champions will look to set the tone in the opening moments of our main event!

The Pride and United States Champions proceed to circle the ring before locking. After jockeying for position, Storm uses his strength advantage to muscle Stokes across the ring. After be pressed up against the ropes, Stokes starts to push Storm back. But Storm is able to overpower her and move her right back into the ropes. The official has seen enough and calls for a rope break.

Ref: ONE… TWO… THREE… FOUR…

The moment Storm lets go, the crowd boos when Stokes catches him with a boxing forearm strike flush across the jaw!

Kris Cruise: Good God, what a blow!

Stephy Auger: Protect yourself at all times, Cruise!

Stokes switches positions, knocks Storm up against the ropes with a front push kick to the chest and follows up with a flurry of shoot kicks! While Storm guards his chest, Stokes takes off into the far ropes. She builds up speed as she runs back across the ring for a strike… only to get dumped over the top rope and to the floor! Stokes starts to pick herself up off the floor when Storm hits the far ropes. As Storm comes back, Stokes rolls into the ring before knocking him down with a running roundhouse kick! She makes the cover.

ONE!
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TWO!
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Storm kicks out.

Kris Cruise: Whatever Storm was looking to hit on the outside, Stokes denied it with that hard kick right across the chest for a two count!

After being pulled back to his feet, Storm pushes Stokes away from him to create some distance between the two. The Kodiak goes to close the distance and pounce on Storm when Storm catches her with a knife edge chop. Another blistering chop echoes throughout the arena. Storm connects with a third and goes to follow up with a spinning forearm. Stokes quickly tucks her head, causing the Pride Champion to whiff. Storm turns around and gets rocked with another boxing forearm strike! Stokes blasts Storm with a third boxing forearm strike before hitting the ropes. When she returns, she sees Storm running past her into the same set of ropes. As Stokes turns back around, the crowd gasps when Storm rebounds back for the Hardcastle Treatment (springboard roundhouse kick)! But Stokes avoids it by rolling underneath it. Storm land on his feet, turns to face the United States Champion and gets caught with a rolling solebutt that doubles him over. Stokes knocks him upright with a rising knee to the chin before knocking Storm into the corner with a palm strike flurry! Stokes pulls her arm back and swings hard into Storm’s chest with a lariat before whipping him into the far corner. The boos continue as Stokes charges across the ring for an attack. She then hurls herself at Storm with a running double knee, only to crash into the corner as soon as Storm rolls out of the way! While Stokes pulls herself up using the ropes, Storm continues to head towards his corner and tag out to Lowri Moss.

Kris Cruise: Moss had just been tagged in. We’re about to see one of the most feared strikers in all of wrestling against the woman that took hope that best Striker award in 2019 over Stokes!

The Adelaide crowd showers Moss with cheers as she steps in through the ropes. Stokes keeps her eyes on the Tag Champion as she meets her in the center of the ring. They two quickly lock up. After jockeying for position, Moss starts to move Stokes back until Stokes overpowers her, moving her across the ring and towards the corner. After presses Moss up against the turnbuckles, the official rushes over and calls for them to break it up on five.

Ref: ONE… TWO… THREE… FOUR…

Stokes and Moss make a clean break. In the blink of an eye, Stokes catches Moss with a rolling solebutt to the midsection, doubling her over!

Stephy Auger: Stokes is just that quick! Lowri didn’t even have enough time to get her hands up!

Stokes pulls Moss out of the corner by the hair before lifting her up across her shoulders. The crowd boos Stokes as she’s got Moss set up for a fireman’s carry gutbuster until Moss starts to elbow her way out of the hold. Moss then slips down from behind before hooking both of Stokes’ arms. The cheers grow louder as they see Moss has her set up for a Tiger Suplex, which would eventually lead into the bridging double chickenwing. But Stokes is able to reverse the Tiger Suplex into a wheelbarrow victory roll!

ONE!
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Moss kicks out.

Moss beats Stokes back to a vertical base and tries to catch her with a Switchblade Kick when Stokes slips out of the way, quickly pops back to her feet and takes control of her back with a rear waistlock. Before Moss can be thrown to the mat with a German Suplex, Moss blocks it with a back elbow strike to the face. Another back elbow connects. Moss goes to throw another back elbow when Stokes rushes forward, sending Moss towards the ropes. Both grapplers bounce off the ropes before Stokes brings her down to the mat. The crowd gasps as Stokes goes for a Chaos Theory when Moss returns the favor and reverses into a wheelbarrow victory roll!

ONE!
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Stokes kicks out.

Moss and Stokes scramble back to a vertical base. Moss goes to catch Stokes off guard with a roundhouse kick when Stokes swats it away. She quickly goes to counter with a high roundhouse when Moss ducks, takes control of Stokes’ back and lifts her up for a German Suplex. No! Stokes counters with a back elbow, forcing Moss to lower her back down. After Moss gets caught with another back elbow to the face, she releases the rear waistlock, allowing Stokes to hit the far ropes. Stokes comes off the ropes, darts back over to Moss and drives her down hard with an STO, resulting in boos from the crowd! She makes the cover.

ONE!
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TWO!
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Moss kicks out.

Stokes pulls up Moss before sending her into the far corner with an irish whip. The US Champion charges in with an attack when she gets caught with a back elbow to the face. Stokes stumbles back and shakes off the blow before charging back in for another attempt. This time, Moss knocks her back with a boot to the face. Stokes stumbles back before dropping down to a knee. Stokes shakes off the blow, rises back to a vertical base and goes to run back in, only for Moss to come out of the corner and cut her off with a running STO over her own! She makes the cover.

ONE!
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TWO!
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Stokes kicks out.

Stephy Auger: These two are going move for move!

Kris Cruise: Lowri is proving that she can hang with the likes of Stokes in an FGA ring!

Stephy Auger: Please, let’s not get ahead of ourselves...

Stokes reverses an irish whip, sending Moss into the ropes. The Kodiak goes to catch her off the rebound with a back body drop when Moss slips down from behind. She quickly takes control of Stokes back with a rear waist lock before Stokes performs a standing switch and takes control of her back. Moss then reverses, performs a standing switch and takes control of her back with another rear waistlock before Stokes reverses and does the same. The crowd gasps as Stokes looks to hurl Moss over the top with with a German Suplex! But Moss repeatedly hooks her leg behind Stokes’, blocking the move. She then pushes back, pressing Stokes up against the ropes. The official once again gets in and motions for Stokes to break the hold.

Ref: ONE… TWO… THREE… FOUR…

Stokes breaks the rear waistlock before shoving Moss in the back of the head. Moss staggers forward a couple of steps before she gathers her footing. The Pendragon member turns and prepares herself for another attack when Sadie San Francisco reaches over the top rope and slaps Stokes on the the shoulder! Stokes looks down at Sadie’s hand still on her shoulder before slowly looking up and giving her a cold glare.

Kris Cruise: If looks could kill...

The slightest smirk shows up on Sadie’s face as she takes her hand off the shoulder. The Pope then steps into the ring. The US Champion and her number one contender stare each other down before Stokes exits out to the apron. Sadie looks past Stokes and to the US Championship seated on the timekeeper’s table before turning her attention her old ally against The New Murder and a former opponent over the Mid-Atlantic Legacy Championship, Lowri Moss.

Kris Cruise: Boy, these two have been in some barnburners.

Stephy Auger: Oh, they haven’t forgotten.

Moss and San Francisco stare each other down before each take a few steps back. They then circle the ring before locking up. They jockeying for position until San Francisco gains the upper hand. The Pope then quickly performs a standing switch and transitions into a hammerlock from behind. Moss doesn’t stay trapped for long as she spins out and reverses into a hammerlock of her own. She then spins San Francisco around before catching her in a side headlock. Moss tries to wrench down on the hold when The Pope shoves her off into the ropes. Moss comes off the ropes and runs San Francisco over with a shoulder block. She then heads into another set of ropes, comes back and continues to run the ropes after San Francisco leapfrogs over her. When Moss comes back, she slips down from behind after a back body drop attempt from San Francisco before following up with a russian legsweep! She makes the cover.

ONE!
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TWO!
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San Francisco kicks out.

Moss picks up San Francisco and moves her into the corner before delivering a hard knife edge chop. A second knife edge chop connects before Moss follows up with a European Uppercut. The Pope is then pulled out of the corner and is set up for an irish whip into the far ropes. Sadie reverses, sending Moss back into the ropes. When Moss returns, the crowd cheers when she knocks San Francisco off her feet with a spinning heel kick! She goes for the cover.

ONE!
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TWO!
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San Francisco kicks out.

Moss pulls up San Francisco, wrenches the arm, drags her over into the corner and tags Storm back in. Storm gets in, delivers an arm wrench and tags back out to Moss. Moss then gets back in, takes control of the arm and wrenches it two more times before tagging back out to Storm. Storm gets back in, delivers three arm wrenches and follows up with a hook kick that knocks San Francisco down to the mat. As San Francisco turns over before trying to push herself up off the mat, Storm takes off into the ropes. The Pride Champion comes back and throws out a Scissors Kick when San Francisco slips out of the way. The crowd gasps when San Francisco hooks both arms from behind! They know what Sadie is trying to go for!

Kris Cruise: Vanity!

Storm tries to resist. But San Francisco is able to actually keep hold of the larger Storm and slowly turns into position. Before she can drive him face-first into the match with an Unprettier, Storm slips out, grabs San Francisco from behind and then dumps her on her head with a Backdrop Driver! He makes the cover.

ONE!
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TWO!
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San Francisco gets her shoulder up.

San Francisco gets sent into the far ropes with an irish whip. Storm catches her off the rebound with a Sleeper. Before he can fully get it locked in, San Francisco reaches back, grabs a hold of him and pulls him down with a sitout jawbreaker! While Storm is dazed, San Francisco gets back to her feet before hitting the far ropes. The Pope comes back and blasts Storm with a running forearm strike, knocking Storm back a few steps. San Francisco then turns, hits the far ropes, comes back and blasts Storm with another running forearm. Again, Storm gets knocked back closer towards the ropes. But he still remains on his feet. Storm tries to shake out the cobwebs while San Francisco heads back into the far ropes. The Pope picks up speed as she runs back across the ring before blasting him with a bicycle kick, knocking Storm into the ropes. Storm slumps down against the ropes while San Francisco heads back into the far ropes once more. When she returns, the crowd cheers Sadie when she swings through the ropes before locking Storm inside Alcatraz (tiger feint crucifix armbar)! Sadie pulls back on the hold while Storm cries out in pain. The referee is quick to give San Francisco a five count to break the illegal hold.

Ref: ONE… TWO… THREE…

San Francisco breaks the hold. Storm immediately drops down to all fours. Storm pulls his right arm close to his body while he slowly tries to crawl across the mat. The Pride Champion doesn’t make it far as San Francisco springboards to the top turnbuckle, leaps off and flattens him with a diving knee drop across the back! With Storm now down in the prone position, San Francisco stands on the back of his legs. The Pope then proceeds to wrap Storm up before pulling him into a Surfboard Stretch! Storm howls out in pain while San Francisco keeps him suspended off the canvas. The official gets down and asks Storm if he wants to give up. Storm turns the offer down by shaking his head no. San Francisco continues to keep the hold applied until she rolls back, placing both of Storm’s shoulders on the mat for the pinning position.

ONE!
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TWO!
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Storm breaks free.

Storm tries to get back to his feet when he gets caught with a bicycle knee to the side of the head from a charging Storm. The knee rocks Storm, causing him to lose his balance as he staggers off towards the side. He’s unable to regain his footing and ends up taking a tumble to the floor. Back inside, Sadie crouches down while she eyes her opponent intently. Storm starts to pick himself up off the floor while San Francisco stands up, turns and hits the far ropes. The crowd cheers when San Francisco rushes forward, leaps through the ropes and knocks him down with a suicide dive! The Pope rolls back into the ring before taking off into the ropes. She builds up speed as she comes back before leaping through the ropes and knocking Storm down with a second suicide dive! The Adelaide crowd is firmly behind The Pope as she rolls back into the ring. Sadie then rushes back into the far ropes. She comes back across the ring, hurls herself through the ropes and takes out Storm with a third suicide dive to a loud pop!

Kris Cruise: Three consecutive suicide dives from Sadie San Francisco! She’s got this crowd eating out of the palm of her hand!

Stephy Auger: Shen should be less focused on theses idiots and more concerned about getting Storm back in the ring for the pin!

Storm is rolled back inside before Sadie makes the cover.

ONE!
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TWO!
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Storm gets his shoulder up.

San Francisco takes Storm, marches into her corner and slams him face-first into the top turnbuckle before tagging Stokes back in. The Kodiak steps back in and slams Storm face-first into the top turnbuckle before stepping back towards the center of the ring. Stokes charges forward, hurls herself at Storm and drives both knees into his back, causing him to let out a labored groan! Stokes grabs Storm by the back of the tights and pulls him out of the corner. A loud *CRACK!* echoes throughout the arena when Stokes nails him across the back of the head with the Divine Night (rolling elbow)! A dazed Storm doubles over before collapsing on all fours. Before Storm can get back to his feet, Stokes hits the ropes, returns and flattens him with a jumping senton across the back. Stokes delivers a second jumping senton across the back, then a third! The boos continue as she pulls Storm over onto his back before making the cover.

ONE!
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.
TWO!
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.
Storm gets his shoulder up.

Stokes pops back to her feet and measures up Storm before delivering a delayed knee drop across the face! She makes the cover.

ONE!
.
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TWO!
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.
Storm gets his shoulder up.

Stokes returns to a vertical base. After snatching a hold of Storm’s wrists, the crowd boos the US Champion when she rains down rapid curb stomps to the face! After the last stomp, Stokes lets go of Storm’s wrists to step backwards into the far ropes. The Kodiak bounces off the ropes, returns and goes for another jumping senton. Storm gets his knees up at the last second, earning cheers from the crowd! Stokes bounces off the knees and turns over into the prone position. She doesn’t stay down for long as she gets back to a vertical base. She sees Storm slowly picking himself up. Moss reaches her arm out for the tag. Storm holds his arm out as he tries to make his way into the corner. But he doesn’t get far as Stokes reaches out and grabs him by the tights. She then pulls Stokes towards her and connects with a boxing forearm strike across the back of the head! The moment Storm drops down to a knee, Stokes quickly takes several steps back. As Stokes charges forward, the crowd in Adelaide gasps as they know what’s about to happen. Stokes throws out Amidst the Shadow of Sorrows III (Boma Ye)... and misses when Storm ducks out of the way! When Storm turns around, the crowd cheers when Storm gets back to his feet and throws out a bicycle kick! No! Stokes catches the kick, throws his leg down, doubles him over with a rolling solebutt before bringing him down with a scissors kick! The boos continue as she pushes Storm over before making the cover.

ONE!
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TWO!
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.
T-NO!

Storm gets his shoulder up.

Stephy Auger: That was three!

Kris Cruise: It was not! Close, but not a three count.

Stokes slowly pulls Stokes back to his feet before placing him in an inverted facelock lock. She starts to lift Storm up off the mat before dropping him on the back of his head with Requiem Aeternam (Inverted Implant DDT)! The boos continue as Stokes drags Storm into position before stepping out to the apron.

Kris Cruise: What Stokes about to do here?

Stephy Auger: Put the match away, that’s what!

The crowd rises with Stokes as she scales to the top turnbuckle. She leaps off for a diving double foot stomp, only to miss when Storm rolls out of the way! After momentum sends her rolling forward, Stokes turns and sees a doubled over Storm trying to stagger over into his corner to make the tag. Stokes then darts across the ring and cuts Storm off by clobbering him with another bicycle knee to the side of the head! The crowd erupts with boos when Storm drops face-first to the mat. Stokes pulls a motionless Storm onto his back before making the cover.

ONE!
.
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TWO!
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THR-NO!

The crowd breathes a sigh of relief when Storm gets his foot on the bottom rope.

Stephy Auger: Oh come on!

Stokes looks at the official for clarification. The referee stands by his decision and holds up two fingers back at Stokes. The Kodiak narrows her eyes as she pulls Storm back to his feet. Storm is then shot off into the far ropes. Stokes goes to knock him out with another Divine Night when Storm counters with a bicycle kick to the forearm! While Storm doubles over to grabs her forearm, Storm follows up with a scissors kick, taking the US Champion down!

Kris Cruise: Stokes is down! Stokes is down! Tyler Storm has his opening! Can he make his way to the corner and tag out to Lowri Moss!?

Stephy Auger: I don’t think he’s got anything left!

San Francisco has her arm held out while Moss is seen calling for the tag. Moss begins to slap the top turnbuckle with her hand. The Adelaide crowd quickly takes their cue from the tag champion and begins clapping their hands in unison. Storm continues to crawl across the ring while Stokes tries to pull herself across the mat. Storm jumps towards his corner and tags Moss back in! Moss is greeting with a loud pop as she hops back in through the ropes. Stokes is just about to tag out when Moss leaps over and latches onto her ankle with both hands! Moss hangs on for dear life as she drags Stokes back across the ring. With Stokes still down in the prone position, Moss mounts her back and hooks one arm from behind. Stokes puts up a valiant effort, but Moss is able to wrestle the other arm and lock it up. She then flips over into a bridging double chickenwing!

Kris Cruise: The Severn Bridge!

Stephy Auger: GAH!

Kris Cruise: Moss has it locked in! Listen to this crowd!

"TAP!"

"TAP!"

"TAP!"

"TAP!"

Stephy Auger: No, shut up!

The crowd here in Adelaide is solidly behind Moss as she fights for the submission! She wrenches the hold while Stokes lets out a groan. The referee gets down and asks Stokes if she wants to give up. She refuses. She tries to pull her arms free. But Moss has them locked up tight. She tries to swing her leg over towards the ropes. But with Moss’ weight down right on top of her, there’s nowhere for her to go. Moss keeps the submission applied while Sadie begins to scale the turnbuckle!

Kris Cruise: Wait a minute! Wheres Sadie going!?

The crowd gasps when Sadie leaps off for a diving knee drop… and cheers when Moss rolls out of the way, catching Stokes across the back inadvertently!

Stephy Auger: YOU IDIOT!

Moss quickly takes San Francisco, runs and chucks her through the ropes and to the floor. Se then rushes back over, pushes Stokes across her back and makes the cover.

ONE!
.
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TWO!
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T-NO!

Stokes gets her shoulder up.

Kris Cruise: Stokes just got her shoulder up in time!

Stephy Auger: Phew!

Stokes is shot into the ropes with an irish whip. On the return, she sees Moss setting up for a back body drop. So she counters with a kick to the face, knocking Moss upright. She goes to follow up with a high roundhouse when Moss swats away the kick before countering with a roundhouse kick of her own. She then fires off four shoot kicks before takes a few steps back, rushing forward and catching Stokes with a Scorpion Kick! The kick dazes Stokes before she drops down to a knee. From there, Moss cracks her across the top of the head with a Switchblade Kick! She then drops down and hooks both legs for the cover.

ONE!
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TWO!
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T-NO!

Stokes gets her shoulder up.

Moss moves Stokes into the corner before delivering alternating rapid knee edge chops and forearms! After Stokes gets sent into the far corner, Moss runs across the ring to attack when Stokes ducks and dumps her over the top rope! Moss then lands safely on the apron before catching Stokes with a shoulder thrust through the ropes. With Stokes doubles over, Moss starts to climb the ropes. Just then, Stokes darts up to the middle ropes, hooks both of Moss’ arms and rattle off four trapping headbutts. While Moss is rocked, Stokes switches positions on the middle ropes and turns away from Moss. The crowd gasps when she lifts Moss up across his shoulders before bringing her down with an avalanche fireman’s carry gutbuster! Moss rolls across the ring before guarding her midsection while kicking her legs. The US Champion then crawls over towards Moss before making the cover.

ONE!
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TWO!
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T-NO!

Moss gets her shoulder up.

Kris Cruise: Only two!

Stephy Auger: Only two! That was clearly a three count!

Stokes pulls up Moss and takes control of her back before Moss elbows her way free with back elbows to the face. Moss goes to head towards the ropes while unbeknownst to her, Stokes is right behind her! As soon as Moss’ back hits the ropes, she gets caught with the Divine Night! The boos continue as Moss gets turned around before behind thrown down to the mat with the Chaos Theory! The ref slides into place for the count.

ONE!
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TWO!
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TH-NO!

The crowd cheers when Moss gets her shoulder up.

Stephy Auger: C’mon, dammit!

Stokes pulls up Moss before trying to take control of her back. The crowd rallies behind Moss as Stokes is trying to slip on a cobra clutch. But Moss is able to counter and throw Stokes down to the mat with a judo throw. Stokes tries to scramble back to her feet, only to get caught with a Shining Wizard on the way up! Stokes remains sprawled out on the canvas while Moss makes the cover.

ONE!
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TWO!
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T-NO!

The crowd sighs when Sadie dives over and breaks up the pin.

Kris Cruise: The Pope with a huge save!

Stephy Auger: About the only good thing she’s done all night!

Moss goes for an irish whip when Stokes reverses, sending Moss into the ropes. Stokes tries to catch Moss off the rebound with a lariat when Moss counters with a crucifix driver!

Kris Cruise: OH! Stokes is left folded up on the mat! This could be it...

ONE!
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TWO!
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T-NO!

Stokes kicks out.

Moss brings Stokes down with an Inverted DDT before heading over into the corner. The fans in Adelaide rise with Moss as she scales to the top turnbuckle. The crowd gasps as she soars through the air for a moonsault… and gets countered when Stokes gets her knees up!

Stephy Auger: YES! YES! YES C’mon Stokes! C’mon!

Kris Cruise: Both Moss and Stokes are down! Who can make the tag first!?

Moss bounces off of Stokes’ knee before rolling across the ring. She remains curled up next to the far ropes while guarding her midsection. Across the ring, Stokes turns over and goes to pull herself back across the ring. In the corner, The Pope is seen sticking her upper body through the ropes and stretching her arm out as far as she can for the tag. Meanwhile, Storm is trying to will Moss over to their corner by waving her over. Moss tries to get back to her feet, but she can’t. So she starts to use the bottom rope to pull herself across the ring into her team’s corner.

San Francisco is met with a loud pop from the crowd after getting tagged back in! The Pope steps through the ropes and tries to run as fast as she can across the ring to cut Moss off. But it’s too late! The crowd explodes with cheers when Storm gets tagged back in. Storm starts to step through the ropes when The Pope catches him with a bicycle kick to the side of the head, sending him tumbling to the floor. Storm tries to pull himself back up while Sadie takes off into the far ropes. The Pope comes back and goes for a fourth suicide dive when Storm leaps up and cuts her off with a jumping knee strike! Sadie stumbles backwards in the ring before collapsing to the mat. The crowd continues to buzz with cheers as Storm rolls back inside, crawls over and makes the cover.

ONE!
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TWO!
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.
T-NO!

Sadie gets her shoulder up.

Storm pulls San Francisco back to her feet. He goes to lift her up for a vertical suplex when Sadie turns her body in mid air and counters by bringing him down with a shoulder jawbreaker! Storm stumbles back a few steps before trying to shake out the cobwebs. Once Sadie is back to her feet, Storm pushes forward and throws out a spinning forearm. He misses when Sadie ducks her head. Storm turns around, only to get knocked off his feet with a gamengiri! The Pope goes for the pin.

ONE!
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TWO!
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Storm gets his shoulder up.

Storm gets doubled over with four knee strikes to the midsection before Sadie hits the ropes. She comes back and goes for a fameasser when Storm slips out of the way and counters with a Blue Thunder Bomb! The referee slides in place for the count.

ONE!
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TWO!
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TH-NO!

San Francisco gets her shoulder up.

Storm sets Sadie up for another backdrop driver when she counters with elbows to the back of the head. While Storm’s doubled over, Sadie turns around, jumps up and finally drives him down with a fameasser! She pushes him over for the cover.

ONE!
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TWO!
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.
T-NO!

Storm gets his shoulder up.

Kris Cruise: ANOTHER two count!

Stephy Auger: I don’t think my heart can take many more of these nearfalls!

San Francisco picks up Storm and fires off four forearm strikes before blasting him with a spinning backfist! While Storm is dazed, Sadie hits the far ropes, returns and sends him staggering forward with a Northern Lariat! Storm doubled over as san Francisco turns and heads back into the far ropes. When she returns, she brings him down with a somersault shoulder jawbreaker! The Pope makes the cover.

ONE!
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.
TWO!
.
.
THR-NO!

The crowd gasps, then cheers when Storm gets his shoulder up.

Kris Cruise: Sadie San Francisco was THAT CLOSE to getting a three count! It doesn’t get much closer than that!

San Francisco slowly pulls Storm up off the mat. The Pope sets up for an irish whip when Storm reverses, sending her towards the ropes. San Francisco collides with Stokes, who was positioned halfway on the apron trying to recover from the targeted attacks on her arm. A collective gasp is heard when the collision sends Stokes flying off the apron, followed by a hard *SMACK! when Stokes’ face hits the guardrail!

Stephy Auger: NINA!

A dazed Sadie stumbles back as Storm runs past her towards the ropes, bounces back and knocks her off her feet with the Hardcastle Treatment! Storm then picks up Sadie and delivers an irish whip before following her across the ring and connecting with a yakuza kick in the corner! Storm delivers another irish whip, follows Sadie back across the ring and connects with a spinning forearm! The Pride Champion pulls Sadie out of the corner, lifts her up and throws her back into the corner with a Buckle Bomb! A groggy San Francisco stumbles out of the corner while Storm hits the far ropes. When he returns, he nearly breaks her in half with a spear, resulting in a loud pop from the Adelaide crowd! The crowd continues cheer Storm as he takes The Pope and positions him up over his head. Storm keeps her held in place before bringing her down with the Bite Wound (crucifix cutter)! Storm slowly pulls San Francisco off the mat before turning her into position. Storm yells out at the crowd, “Time To…!” The Adelaide crowd responds with “...Be Witness!” before Sadie is clobbered across the back of the head with the Hybrid Crackdown (inverted headlock into rolling elbow)! With the momentum firmly on his side, Storm takes Sadie and lifts her up onto his shoulders before driving her down with Authority using the Eye of the Storm (Electric Chair Driver)! The referee slides into place for the cover.

ONE!
.
.
TWO!
.
.
THREE!

"Eye of the Tiger (Metal Cover)" blasts over the PA to an explosion of cheers.

J.A. Aldridge: Ladies and gentlemen, the winner of this bout… TYLER STORM and LOWRI MOSS!

The cheers continue as Storm and Moss get their arms raised in victory.

Kris Cruise: Tyler Storm comes through in the end, helping to get the victory for himself and Lowri Moss! On the next Vertigo, it will be Storm and Moss competing against each other in the next round of the tournament with the added stakes of Storm’s Pride Championship on the line!

Stephy Auger: This is all Sadie’s fault! She deliberately dove off the top turnbuckle onto Stokes! Then she purposely SHOVED Nina off the apron, sending her flying into the guardrail. The woman calls her The Pope but she doesn’t even have the decency to go to the outside and check on Nina! Why? All because she wants Nina’s US Championship! All because she wants to be where Nina is here in FGA! Well guess what? Nina already gave her multiple warnings. Trust me when I tell you, when Nina comes to, there is going to be hell to pay. The Pope better pray to the Lord above because Stokes is going to bust her head open to the white meat, Cruise. To the white meat! She said so herself!

Kris Cruise: I don’t envy the position that Sadie finds herself in. We’ll be keeping our eyes glued to that situation as it continues to unfold. Once again, congratulations of Tyler Storm and Lowri Moss for advancing! Coming up on the other side of the break, Johnny Karma, after nearly seven years in FGA, bids farewell. You don’t want to miss this! Stay tuned!

• COMMERCIAL BREAK •

[FGA Office]

As we return to the action we see Cherry Baum standing in the ring as the Adelaide Entertainment Centre looks on, and as she stands there the crowd begin to chant Johnny Karma’s name as loudly as possible

"KARMA! KARMA! KARMA!"

Cherry attempts to give her introduction, but the emotion in the air causes her to lower the mic for a moment as the words catch in her throat, and she looks genuinely upset to have to be standing here for this moment, although the crowd rally behind her by chanting her name

"CHERRY! CHERRY! CHERRY!"

Having finally regained a modicum of composure, and giving a nod of appreciation to the crowd, Cherry takes a breath and raises the microphone to her lips

Cherry Baum: Ladies and gentlemen, please allow me to introduce to you…hailing from Queens NYC, and weighing in at a lean, a mean, a prim, proper and perky 233lbs, he is the man from hella over, he is JOHNNY KARMA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The arena lights flash in a myriad of different colours in time with John Bonham's quite remarkably epic drum intro that is filling the arena, and just as it reaches a crescendo the man they call Johnny Karma emerges at the top of the ramp, and as he walks onto the ramp he comes to a halt and uses a couple of fingers to blow a kiss to the fans, holding his arm in the air for a couple of seconds to signal his arrival

As he walks down the ramp he unfastens the cuffs of his ring jacket as he's done many times before, pausing for a second as he realises it's force of habit doing this as he's not here to wrestle - as if the shirt and jeans he's wearing didn't make that clear enough - as Robert Plant serenades his entrance like he's done so many times before

If it keeps on rainin', levee's goin' to break
If it keeps on rainin', levee's goin' to break
When The Levee Breaks I'll have no place to stay

Setting foot in the ring, Karma looks around to the four familiar turnbuckle posts before stopping to have exchange a few words with Cherry, before he slowly raises an arm before slowly extending the index finger to say that, in spite of everything, he’s still Number One

Mean old levee taught me to weep and moan
Mean old levee taught me to weep and moan
It's got what it takes to make a mountain man leave his home
Oh well, oh well, oh well

"KARMA! KARMA! KARMA!"

Kris Cruise: Listen to this crowd! Listen to this ovation! Johnny Karma is loved all over the world, from his hometown of Queens all the way here on the other side of the world in Adelaide! They don’t want him to go! They don’t want him to call it quits!

Stephy Auger: Oh boo hoo! He made that foolish stipulation. He couldn’t live up to his end of the bargain. So it’s see ya! Sayonara! Don’t come back, jack!

For a few seconds we see a first in FWA history: Johnny Karma at a loss for words, as it seems to have hit home that this is it, and the emotion in the air coupled with the size of the moment has him dumbfounded, as instead he looks from the crowd to Cherry to the crowd once more as he tries to figure out how to get started

Kris Cruise: These are some of the hardest words that Johnny Karma might ever utter, Stephy!

Stephy Auger: Geez, overdramatic much?

Finally, having taken in what he’s here to do, Karma slowly raises the mic to his lips so he can begin

Johnny Karma: So I guess you all know why I’m here, huh?

"Booooooooooooooooooooo!"

Johnny Karma: I could get right to the point, because on my way out here I passed a producer appearing to have a coronary as they were staring at the stopwatch around their neck so I’m guessing we’re already going over time and they’re hoping I wrap things up quickly, but…

After the momentary pause, Karma can’t help but laugh

Johnny Karma: …but he’ll just have to hope somebody else can keep it brief, because I’d look real narish if I stepped back through that curtain, slapped myself on the forehead, and realised that I forgot to say a few things, so if somebody backstage could get that producer a chair and a glass of water, that’d make his night.

Karma flashes the “Okay” sign in the direction of the curtain, and then he continues

Johnny Karma: But anyway, let me take you back to the heady days of 2013: a time where the Yankees sucked…as they always do, a time where people said they watched Game of Thrones so they’d appear different rather than trying to fit in with everyone else, and a time where a repeatedly bankrupt gameshow host being President of the United States seemed like a punchline in The Simpsons. In particular, let me take you back to a particular date: April 6th 2013, the date where I first walked through that curtain…well not that curtain…

Karma gestures towards the entranceway

Johnny Karma: …the curtain we used back then wouldn’t have filled the entranceway, and let’s be honest it probably isn’t legal to use it these days as that thing stank. Seriously, it was rancid, from years of sweat and what have you passing to and fro between it, the thing’s probably buried deep in Three Mile Island as a safety precaution by now.

Karma gives a performative shudder as he remembers the one time said curtain brushed against his arm and latched on like some kind of demonic octopus

Johnny Karma: On that date I first set foot in an FWA ring, in my hometown no less, and while I’m sure people in Australia were picking and choosing which FWA shows they wanted to buy because I hear the shipping costs to get a few DVDs over here are groylik so I could maybe count the number of people who bought the DVD of that show way back when on one hand, but for anyone who watched that show, be it someone in the arena or someone back home or someone anywhere else in the world, that one date seven years ago changed so much in my life.

Karma pauses to nod for a moment as he mulls over what he just said

Johnny Karma: Of course a lot of people had a lot of opinions about me back then. Some thought I wouldn’t last a month, others thought I might make a useful addition to the roster, and some thought there was something there that might just become something greater in the years that followed. And I can happily say that one group were right: I’ve held the top title in this company, I’ve experienced success up and down the card, and if Chandler Scott doesn’t mind me saying this, I’ve made myself an important part of the DNA of FWA – while also leaving plenty of my own DNA on the mat as one group of shlangs after another jumped on me, yet no matter how much they put me through one thing always happened: I was the one left standing at the end.

While that should have been a high note of his speech, Karma lets his head drop for a second and sighs

Johnny Karma: And then Autumn Annihilation happened.

The crowd boo at the mention of it

Johnny Karma: Now I know this is the wrestling business, where we all retire something like six times before we’re done, but I don’t want to be that guy. This time last year I stood in the ring and say that, if I didn’t win the championship by the year’s end, I’d leave on my own terms because I knew I couldn’t reach the heights again. And, what’s the best way to put it…?

Karma looks over to his shoulder, the shoulder he has held the World and Pride Championships over in the past, but that shoulder is empty

Johnny Karma: As you can see, I didn’t do that.

Rather than dwell on the point, Karma presses on

Johnny Karma: I know there’s been a bunch of people telling me to reconsider, begging me to reconsider, believing that if I keep pushing I can do what I have done in the past, and that’s not just fans but one or two people in the back, but the simple question I have to ask them is this: do they believe that I can, or do they believe that the idea they have of me can? Because there comes a point in a wrestler’s career where they’re not as quick as they used to be, not as strong as they used to be, and can’t take as much punishment as they used to, and the thing is there’s no date written on the calendar telling you when you’re going to hit the wall, instead you don’t know the wall’s even there until you hit it. And that’s why I set that target for myself: I wanted to know if the wall was right in front of me or not, and I got the answer I was looking for even if I didn’t want to hear it, so here I am…

"PLEASE DON'T GO!"

"PLEASE DON'T GO!"

"PLEASE DON'T GO!"

As he hears this, Karma lowers his head and places his thumb and forefinger against the bridge of his nose as he takes it in

Kris Cruise: Reconsider, Johnny...

Finally Karma raises his head, but as he does so he reveals that he wasn’t trying to hold back the tears: instead he’s looking at the audience in much the same way that a teacher would look at a student who said the fourth letter of the alphabet was seven

Johnny Karma: “Please don’t go…”

Karma takes a deep breath, and once he does he slowly walks in a half-circle around the ring and he looks pissed while all Cherry can do is look at him as she tries to figure out what the hell is going on

Stephy Auger: Hmm?

Eventually Karma returns to where he was stood before and raises the mic once more, but his tone of voice isn’t nostalgic with a hint of regret – it’s downright accusatory

Johnny Karma: Right now you’re telling me that you don’t want me to leave, that the idea of this company without me is something you can’t get your heads around, but let me remind you of something I heard at Autumn Annihilation:not only was I fighting for the title but also my career, and during the match I had Cordy Stevenson locked in a hold that I’ve beat enough opponents with in the past so I knew I had a chance to get one step closer to my goal and prove that I hadn’t hit the wall, but do you know what I heard in that moment? “Please don’t tap”, over and over, not to me but to Cordy Stevenson. And you know what? What you were chanting a moment ago, that told me everything I need to know: you don’t care about who’s in the ring, you only care about what you want. Remember when my name was echoing through arenas? I sure do, but do any of you? Or did you forget when hollering the names of Cordy Stevenson, of Fujiko Mine, of Jimmy Page, of everyone else you’ve picked up while leaving the poor sap you cheered for last month in the gutter because you just don’t care about them anymore as you’ve got a new god to worship and everyone else can go to hell.

Kris Cruise: What the…? What’s going on here?

Stephy Auger: I think… I think Johnny Karma is finally starting to tell it like it is!

Johnny Karma: Seven years, seven years I’ve put into this company, and what do I get for it? An entry on my TV Tropes page making light out of every single beatdown I’ve had, because it’s so damn funny to have three or four or five people attack and humiliate you every single time you set foot in an arena, but what the hell? Let’s all nudge and wink and laugh at Johnny Karma, because you don’t care what happens to me until it suits you. It’s pathetic. So you know what, I’m done with this.

An audible gasp emanates from the crowd at the last pronouncement…but Karma isn’t done yet, not by a long shot, as he wheels around and raises an accusing finger at Cherry

Johnny Karma: And you, you’ve held me back for years.

If the crowd were shocked a moment ago, they’re even more shocked now

Johnny Karma: Did you ever think about what I actually needed to hear? Did you??? All those years of coming up short, getting my ass handed to me, seeing chance after chance slip away, and all I heard from you was “It’s going to be okay.” NO IT WASN’T, you just wanted to keep your precious little “J-K” all to yourself because you were afraid that if I made something of myself I wouldn’t need you. Well guess what, Cherry? I don’t need you, so you wasted all that time in trying to keep me for yourself because you and I are done.

Kris Cruise: *gasp*

Stephy Auger: Hell yeah, Karma! Kick her to the curb! She was nothing but a gold digger, anyway!

Kris Cruise: What the hell’s the matter with you? WHAT THE HELL’S THE MATTER WITH JOHNNY KARMA!? HE CAN’T GO OUT LIKE THIS!

Stephy Auger: Oh, I disagree! What better way to go out than going out guns blazing! Let them know how you really feel, Karma!

Cherry’s eyes rapidly fill with tears as she pleads with Karma to stop, but he’s not stopping, instead he looks right in Cherry’s eyes and asks one simple question

Johnny Karma: What are you doing in my ring?

Shaking her head, Cherry continues pleading, but Karma is having none of it

Johnny Karma: Get out of my ring. NOW.

As an almighty cacophony of boos fills the arena Cherry approaches Karma, trying to talk some sense into him, but he isn’t interested

Johnny Karma: I SAID NOW.

The look of sheer contempt that Karma’s giving Cherry causes her to freeze in her tracks and slowly back away, genuinely afraid of what might happen next – but Karma simply points to the ropes and glares at her until she steps through them onto the ring apron, at which point she drops to the floor in floods of tears to the point where a member of the security team has to escort her back to the locker room as a tsunami of trash is hurled into the ring in Karma’s direction


Stephy Auger: Yep, that’s right. Escort her to the back. I’m sure one of those suckers for love in the back will lend her their shoulder to cry on!

Kris Cruise: Shut UP, Stephy! Christ! I cannot BELIEVE what we’re hearing from Karma right now! After all these years!

Stephy Auger: The man’s fed up! For years he’s been used, abused and taken for granted!

Looking at the trash piling up around his ankles, Karma picks up an empty beer cup and looks at the crowd, and adopts a mocking tone

Johnny Karma: What happened to “Please don’t go”? I thought you wanted me to stay, but now you’re throwing trash at me because I won’t give you want you want?

Karma lets out a sneering laugh

Johnny Karma: Don’t you get it? You’re giving me more reason to despise each and every one of you entitled brats who only care when it’s convenient for them. But as you care so much about me, I’m going to take the one thing you claim to give a goddamn about away from you, because as of right now Johnny Karma is DEAD and you’re the ones who killed him one piece at a time. So get one last look about the hero you claim to love, because he’s gone.

Karma mockingly holds out his arms and slowly does a 360 degree spin in the middle of the ring so that everyone inside the arena can get a good look at him, and once he’s done he nonchalantly drops the mic into the ever-growing pile of trash at his feet before dropping the beer cup he plucked out on top of it

As he wades through the trash pile towards the ropes, he eyeballs the camera and starts mockingly clapping at it chanting “Karma! Karma! Karma!” before stepping through the ropes and dropping to ringside, kicking aside the loose pieces of trash at his feet as he heads up the ramp as the chorus of boos reaches a crescendo behind him...