Circuit - August 2013
Aug 10, 2013 4:38:54 GMT -5
Post by OrochiGeese on Aug 10, 2013 4:38:54 GMT -5
Universal Circuit - August 2013
*Royal Wingate Hall is filled to its capacity as the first Circuit Show in over two years begins!
John Randolph is standing in the ring, wearing a tuxedo and holding a microphone.*
[John:] "Hello again to the fans of Universal Battle League and welcome to the first Circuit Show in 2013! It's great to be here again and this show is a long time coming. I'd like to thank Drake and Arthur for bringing my favorite format back. I have a lot of great memories of our Circuit and Open shows and even though I know we won't be running them at the same frequency as we used to, it's great to be doing this again. We have three huge matches for you, all with Championship implications.
The NEXUS Champion himself, Matt Rivers, will be wrestling tonight. And in his usual showing of respect for his fellow wrestlers and the Title he holds, he has requested that the main event slot tonight be given to RYOMA and Corey O'Brian. Their match tonight will be the first in a 'best two out of three' series with the winner going on to face Matt for the Championship. Whereas Matt's opponent tonight, Kazuo "Chrome" Saji, will be facing him with the Title not on the line. While Matt did promise that Kazuo could get a Title shot if he's victorious tonight, very few believe that will be the case. In fact, Matt told me that since Kazuo has no chance of beating him but that either RYOMA or Corey are guaranteed to face him in the future, he wants them to have the main event NEXUS spotlight tonight. That may also be a show of respect from Matt to Corey, and we'll discuss why later on.
In between those matches of NEXUS implications is an encounter that many people have been looking forward to for a while. The team of "WE HAVE BEARDS," made up of the mysterious Tenshi and the utterly confounding Lucha La Barba, will be wrestling the "Golden Pair," made up of Charles Langford and Jasper Woodruff. The winner of this match will get a shot at the Universal Battalion Championships held by JET Hamada and the Marauder. But we start with-"
*Kazuo Saji's "Black Connection" music plays but only Miss Asako Matsuki comes down to ringside. She grabs the microphone out of John's hand and points him to go sit at his broacasting table. He laughs, rolls his eyes, and shrugs his shoulders before seeming to acknowledge that the booth is probably the place for him to go anyway.*
[Asako:] "Yes yes John you go back right now and do your talking job. Only wrestlers and managers allowed in ring. You use headset like academic, leave physical strength and inspiration to RYOMA tonight."
*John gets his headset on.*
[John:] "I just got 'Asakoxiled', better then being 'Warded' though. I'm not sure why Miss Matsuki has come down without her 'rookie ace'. But if there's one thing we know about Miss Asako Matsuki is that she won't be shy to tell us what's going on."
[Asako:] "Kazuo Saji not here tonight. *Crowd erupts in boos* It Matt Rivers fault! Boo him. not me."
[John:] "And Asako dropping a Chromeshell here. Apparently Kazuo Saji will not be wrestling on our show tonight."
[Asako:] "If you aware, you know Kazuo Saji just won major tournament in FPCPP. Now he getting Grand Prix Title shot at FPCPP Revenge PPV. That bigger show then tonight. So he train from now on to defeat HTIMan, the soon to be former Champion."
[John:] "For the record, HTIMan is one of my favorite wrestlers. He was actually the first man to throw a wrench in Jinchuu's plans by defeating and containing Jakob of Furis in FPCPP. But anyway..."
[Asako:] "Until Matt respects Kazuo enough to give him real Title shot here too, Matt have to wait until RYOMA beats him for that Title. Please to all look forward to that and buy Chrome Foam!"
*Asako politely bows and walks out of the ring. As she's going backstage, Matt Rivers comes out (sans entrance music) and looks at her, shrugging his shoulders. She does not make eye contact and continues to the back where she stands on the stage. Matt walks to the ring and rolls in, grabbing the microphone that Asako dropped.*
[Matt:] "It's easy for me to be annoyed right now cause Miss Matsuki just robbed all of us of a match tonight. But honestly, I'm happy for your client. Saji finally put more effort into his training and was clearly rewarded for it. I saw those matches, his opponents weren't push-overs. And I know he dug down deep and earned those victories through the preparation he put into them. I'm glad he earned some success since that is just proof of everything I've been telling him recently. This is exactly what I wanted for him and when he and I finally do lock up, I know the match will be better for it."
*The crowd cheers Matt's words and he then points to Asako.*
[Matt:] "So Miss Matsuki, you can complain all you want about how I'm supposedly treating him, but I'm going to take satisfaction knowing that I was the one who pushed Saji to do better then he ever had before. I could have ignored him and not even given him a match against me. But as my last true act as Field Leader, I got in his face as my and made him better for it. That's more then you can say for yourself, for either Kazuo or RYOMA. I'm the one who has motivated both to be better."
*Asako looks very annoyed at this, sticks out her tongue, and then leaves through the backstage curtain.*
[Matt:] "Now, we still got a problem on our hands because I came here to wrestle tonight. *The crowd cheers as Matt pumps his fist* That's what I do, that's what being Champion is all about. I want to test my skills against the best in the world. Out of respect for Corey and RYOMA, the Title will still not be on the line. Each of them was promised that they'd get the next Title shot if they defeated the other one. I'm not bypassing that. But the great thing about wrestling here is that being Champion is not a limitation on my wrestling anyone I want, it's an opportunity. No one is gonna turn me down. Who doesn't want to get a shot at the Champ, right? So, for me, it's like open season on the entire roster, a dream come true. Arthur allows me the leniency to challenge anyone at any time. And that time is here once again. So how about someone from the back, I don't care which roster of ours you are a part of, step up and show the NEXUS Champion, and the world, what you are capable of."
[John:] "Huge open challenge from Matt Rivers. Title or not, if you beat the Champion, or even compete with him, your spot on the roster will certainly rise. There has got to be a ton of guys in the back trying to run out here right now. Hopefully none of them being Pot Belly. And folks, I think I hear some music on the Battle-Tron..it looks like..."
A NEW CHALLENGER APPEARS!!
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[John:] "It's Scott Cramer!! I know that Scott has been training in the UBL dojo over the last few months. In fact, he was waiting to make an official in ring return to both FPCPP and UBL. And this is as good an opportunity as any! These two actually wrestled a few times in the UBL Dojo back when Matt was on the Front Lines and they had as series of great exhibition matches. I know there is a lot of mutual respect here, which means they will both give it their all."
*Matt seems very pleased at Scott's entrance and invites him into the ring. When Scott comes in, Matt extends his hand and Scott returns the handshake. Sergeant Drake Yoshida comes to ringside and gets ready to officiate this match.*
[John:] "And we're on! Matt Rivers vs. Scott Cramer. A fitting return to our Circuit show format!"
Match 1: Scott Cramer vs. Matt Rivers (c)
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[John:] "An incredible return to the ring by Scott Cramer who came as close to submitting Matt Rivers as we've seen anyone do in the last few years. Matt has been undefeated since Spring of 2011 and Cramer got as close as RYOMA and Lucha La Barba to changing that, in my opinion. But there's a reason Matt Rivers is NEXUS Champion and that's because he always finds a way to dig deep down into his spiritual well...I'll pause for the joke to hit...and harness the flow of his energy. What impressed me here was how he managed to keep himself awake in light of those punishing submissions by Scott. You can call them chokes or sleepers, but either way most people would have been left unconscious by those holds. I don't know if Matt found a way to neutralize the placement of Scott's hands, or if Matt's arm-targeted offense weakened Scott's application of the move, but you can't chalk this up to just spiritual resistance. Matt has the wrestling ability to coincide with it. You take a guy like Kyle Walker and sure he refused to go down but what could he do against a guy applying a textbook perfect submission in the middle of the ring? Scream? Threaten? Get his goons to help? If you answered all of the above, you watched UBL in 2011! But resolve alone does not win wrestling matches or Championships, you need skill too. And Matt showed why he is the NEXUS Champion. Meanwhile, Scott Cramer showed why he has to be considered one of the top contenders to that Title given how far he pushed Matt tonight.
Matt Rivers (O) ["Gargle Driver" - 20:18] (X) Scott Cramer
*Both Scott and Matt are finally on their feet and the crowd is cheering for both men. Scott walks over, looks at his hand, and then extends it to Matt. The crowd cheers and Rivers nods with respect and shakes Scott's hand, even raising it for the fans to cheer him on. They both go backstage complimenting each other and shaking hands with the fans.*
[John:] "The English fans really eat up that type of sportsmanship amongst competitors. It's one of the reasons Arthur Wingate knew the UBL would be a success here. And we turn next to the #1 contender match for the Universal Battalion Championships held by JET Hamada and the Marauder. The teams competing for that shot are "WE HAVE BEARDS" and the "Golden Pair". I'm still not sure if I am supposed to shout "WE HAVE BEARDS" every time I say their name. When I asked them a few weeks ago about whether or not their names were capitalized, they handed me a pretzel with salt forming both upper and lower case letters. Putting aside how they even had the foresight to prepare that for me, the pretzel, though delicious, clarified nothing.
What we do know is that each team here is very skilled. WE HAVE BEARDS are already the KPC World Jr heavyweight Tag Team Champions in Kirin Dojo. They have become one of the teams throughout pro wrestling who have had incredible momentum and support this year: the other two teams being our own Battalion Champions and the team of "Sun & Moon," who many believe are the undisputed best team in the entire world. Even though WE HAVE BEARDS are junior heavyweights, they can compete with the bigger guys. They successfully defeated the team of Mills. Inc by confusing the large and brash Calvin Corbett. Meanwhile, the Golden Pair also achieved victory to this point by confusing the SwashBuckLAWLers into getting counted out.
So if there's any guarantees tonight, it's that four men who revel in mind games, and lack a sound mind themselves, will be doing all they can to get one over on the other team. We're gonna see a ton of trickery tonight, the likes of which many of us may not understand. I know the wrestling camp that Lucha La Barba comes from and there is absolutely no way he's gonna let Charles or Jasper get into his head. I also know that Jasper Woodruff only cares about gold and dancing about gold, so good luck derailing that mess. I think the closest to a strategist we have here is Charles Langford but he thinks he was born in the 1800's. That makes him only slightly less insane then FPCPP's frisbee enthusiast, Chester Willoughby who thinks he was born in the middle ages.
Folks, it's gonna be a crazy match but I do think we'll be entertained from watching it. Despite the combined lunacy, each set of pairs work extremely well with each other. We have a multitude of different styles from lucha to mysterious martial arts to technician to brawler. Expect a lot of team work and a sense of urgency from both teams to get a shot in a tag team division that has grown a lot in the last few months. Neither team wants to be left behind and have to climb the ladder again to get a match like this, because the ladder will be much longer then it was this time around. Let's get to the match!"
Match 2: "We Have Beards" vs. Golden Pair
Tenshi/Lucha La Barba vs. Charles Langford/Jasper Woodruff
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[John:] "The Battalion delivers once again! There was a lot of debate after Re-Crowned about which match happened to be everyone's favorite. While no absolute consensus was achieved, it seemed that more people were impressed with the Battalion Championship match. And I think our tag teams once again showed tonight why our Battalion division is so strong.
For two sets of men of questionable mind, they know how to work together, they know how to cut off the ring, and they know how to wrestle with the best of them. It looked like, on many occasions, that the Golden Pair were going to walk away with this victory but WE HAVE BEARDS proved THEY HAVE SPIRIT and the skill to back it up. Lucha La Barba's "Ultimo Rizo" maneuver may be the most impressive one in the UBL and it just took out Jasper Woodruff. Sure there were some shenanigans here, but I think the fans just got more then their money's worth out of this contender match. You can't deny the ability of Golden Pair but tonight, WE HAVE BEARDS also has victory. They will be facing the Battalion Champions very soon.
Tenshi/Lucha La Barba (O) ["Ultimo Rizo" - 29:11] (X) Jasper Woodruff/Charles Langford
*After both teams go to the back and a few minutes pass, "Baron" by Marine plays and Sir Arthur Wingate comes out to the stage area. The fans applaud as he graciously accepts their adulation and walks to the ring with a microphone in hand.*
[John:] "Ladies and gentlemen, the owner of the UBL, Sir Arthur Wingate!"
[Arthur:] "Greetings, our loyal fans. It is of great privilege for me to come out here and address you all on the return of one of this promotion's most storied shows. My deepest respect to every wrestler in the last two matches for giving it their all, and my congratulations specifically to the victors.
Our NEXUS Champion has once again shown why he is the rock of this promotion. He manages to both scare off frightened potential and attract motivated intensity in the same night. Mr. Saji, do not make it a habit to skip out on your bookings or you will find that you have none left. Mr. Cramer, your return spoke for itself. It is clear you have the tools to be a future Champion.
I have come out here to congratulate another man, one that I think we owe a second chance to. Please welcome Jean DuBreil!"
*There is no entrance music but Jean DuBreil comes out to ringside looking more positive then we usually see him. While he still has an air of secrecy andevil blood magician 'misunderstoodness', the fans seem to be giving him some cheers based on what Arthur said. Jean gets into the ring and accepts a handshake from Arthur."
[Arthur:] "Our Field Leader Darius was correct, Jean DuBreil has risen to the occasion and maximized the opportunity given to him by the Second Chance Battle Royale. He has a tall order ahead of him, as now he must take on Algernon LeBlanc to decide the #1 contender to Darius' position. But I am not here to endorse Jean or Algernon in that encounter. 'May the better man win' is a credo I stick to in every battle, especially those in contention for Championship gold.
What I would like to congratulate Jean specifically on is his re-dedication to the craft of pro wrestling and distance from in ring violence. He was once a shining example of everything that is wrong in pro wrestling but he is turning his career and life around. He has come to realize that the violence, the group attacks, the blood gathering, all of this does not belong here. Yes there is physicality, opposition, and injuries in this sport, but they are the results of any athletic competition. Pro wrestling should not be plagued by those who look to spread and maximize violence for violence sake. While 'red' is not a foreign color when two competitors lock up in a physical encounter, it should remain an unintentional byproduct, not be a core objective. If you are in pro wrestling to cause blood or proselytize about it, you are simply in the wrong profession. Blood is not pure, blood is not evil, blood is just indicative of injury. Jean is an example of how people can change and have success as a result. Jean is an example that no one has a violent...destiny that they have to fulfill, but rather, they make their own choices."
WE HAVE VISITORS!
(NOT UFO's)
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[John:] "Oh I think he said Bloodjuice three times and here is Destiny!"
*Three individuals stand on the ramp: Ruby Moreno, the head of Destiny public relations and former OG-Joshi World Champion, stands in front. The King of Kirin Champion, Joachim stands next to his close ally, the Man-Mountain, Matthias. And an unidentified large man (wait, maybe this is a UFO sighting?) stands in back. Ruby grabs a microphone while Arthur rolls his eyes.*
[Ruby:] "So as not to be rude, a pet peeve of this entire country that has oppressed millions throughout history yet still gets slighted at missing an invitation for afternoon tea, let me introduce our newest member. This is Franklin Dyne and he is the new Chief of Gauntlet Security. The only head of security. Do not pay any mind to whatever conspiracy theories Thunder Strike has dreamed up with hidden chameleon enemies of his past planting explosives on our behalf. It's like that fellow Thomas Fiero is drugging him once again and no one else remembers the crazy allegations Thunder made the last time that happened. Above all, remember that we are a group that seeks peaceful enlightenment. Mr. Dyne is simply here to protect our interests. Just as Joachim and Matthias are here with me to protect the interests of Destiny as a whole, so let's get to it."
[Arthur:] "You have absolutely no business here and you have already experienced the failure of previous attempts."
[Ruby:] "Failure? I don't know the meaning of the word."
[Arthur:] "Yes, the likelihood of receiving a proper education has recently declined in the States at an alarming rate. I feel for you all. How else would Destiny be spreading if people could properly think for themselves?"
[Ruby:] "Your slander and blasphemy will not go unheeded. But what we are out here to discuss tonight is the blasphemy that your new best friend Mr. DuBreil has perpetrated on us. The world needs to know."
[Arthur:] "Once again, your failure of education hinders your attempt at expression. One can not actually blaspheme against a belief system that they never accepted to begin with. And as far as I know, Jean has never made any claim to being a member of your group. Furthermore, just what does this have to do with the UBL?"
[Ruby:] "Because I believe that you hired Jean DuBreil back onto your roster, independent of that meaningless "Second chance Battle Royale", with the express condition that he attack us in some way. We are here because what he did was a UBL sponsored act of hatred aimed against our peaceful group and we will not stand for it."
*Matthias hits the ramp with a double axe handle, leaving a huge dent in it, one that causes even Ruby and Joachim to pause. The crowd goes quiet, in awe at the man's power.*
[John:] "Um, the ramp is made out of metal. I don't even know how he could dent that. Or, how he's not screaming in agony right now that his hands are broken, as they logically must be."
[Ruby:] "Brother Matthias, please save your strength. I am confident the world will see that we are the victims here. Recently an act of intolerance, hatred, ignorance, harassment, and cruelty was perpetrated on our home. Due to the graphic and sensitive nature of the attack, we are only going to show a small piece so as not to upset your viewers and our future brothers and sisters."
*Ruby points to the Battle-Tron which has clearly been hacked by Destiny techniques due to the Destiny watermark.*
The footage is from the night of March 23rd, 2013.
We see a small crowd has gathered right outside of the walls of the private residential headquarters of the Destiny group. The crowd is made up mostly of local neighbors and other outsiders. They look on frightened at the sight in front of them. The shape of the sun has been drawn in blood on the large wooden front gate to the Destiny compound. The 'rays' of the sun also resemble pathways. The perimeter of this entire design is covered in oil that is currently wildly burning, with flames climbing high to the sky. However, what is truly confusing and ominous is that the wooden gate itself has not caught on fire.
*The footage ends as the crowd looks very uneasy at what they just saw.*
[Ruby:] "This goes beyond childish vandalism and is an attempt to persecute us for our beliefs. At first we were unaware of who could have done this. While the members of J.U.S.T.I.C.E. seem to irrationally hate us more then anyone else, this is really not their style. I doubt that Alicia Gordon could rub two sticks together without Marie Reyes' loins catching on fire."
*The crowd laughs which seems to annoy Joachim as much as it annoys Arthur.*
[Ruby:] "But when we saw Jean DuBreil of the "Bastille of Blood" return to your roster, it became obvious who the culprit was. This was clearly a failed attempt at black voodoo magic, the type that DuBreil has claimed to harness and use in the past. Given his alliance with Athrin Kazama, and Kirin's war against us, it is clear that Jean had at least a minimal motive. And once he was accepted onto this roster, any detective could see that you hired him to perform this act of intolerance.
Had it not been for the faith of Matthias, led by the Guiding Light onto the correct Path, real damage could have been done to the lives and spirit of Destiny members. So we could not sit back and allow this outrage to go unpunished. You, the owner of UBL, congratulating Jean for turning into a man of peace after ignoring the act of war he just declared on our world."
*The crowd is silent. Jean looks very uncomfortable but is trying to motion to Arthur that he had nothing to do with the footage on screen. Arthur looks at him, then back at Ruby, then at Jean again, then the audience. He nods his head and turns back to Ruby.*
[Arthur:] "You are a fool of the highest caliber. It shocks the conscience that you are allowed to walk around unsupervised. "
*The crowd laughs but they are still uneasy at the confrontation.*
[Ruby:] "You dare-"
[Arthur:] "What night did you say this near apocalyptic event occurred on?"
[Ruby:] "March 23rd..."
[Arthur:] "Correct. And March 24th was the day that the E3 SuperClash show was held. This event took place in North Carolina. With all of your intelligence gathering, you must have been aware of this, correct?"
[Ruby:] "It is my business to be aware of events like that. What is your point?"
[Arthur:] "Our talent had heavy participation on that show. So I joined them in making the trip to the United States as I had not visited there in a while and had some business to conduct with promising new wrestlers. Unlike a jet-setter such as yourself, I thought it prudent to make a multitude of meetings during one trip, to minimize my time spent traveling. So on the evening of March 23rd, Darius and I met with Jean DuBreil to discuss whether or not he has reformed to the point where I could accept him onto my roster. And yet, the time stamp on your video suggests the event in question happened a little after 3AM. Would you care to explain, using all the nonsensical 'logic' that Destiny tries to employ, how Mr. DuBreil could have been with us late that night, then traveled to California in time for that little painting, then managed to join us the next morning to watch the show? Does the 'guiding light' somehow bend time? Does a functioning wristwatch preclude one from walking 'the Path'?"
[Ruby:] "But you have no evidence that DuBreil returned-"
*Arthur yawns as he points to the screen. Footage from a recorded interview with himself, Darius, and Jean is shown with a timestamp of March 23rd at 11 PM Eastern Time. Shortly after, footage is shown of Jean in SuperClash audience, sitting with a group of UBL wrestlers during the early afternoon of March 24th.*
[Matthias:] "THEY SIN AGAINST US WITH BLACK MAGIC YET AGAIN!"
[John:] "Black magic? It's a Blu-Ray player. *Sighs* Maybe he was an HD-DVD early adopter."
[Arthur:] "Your accusations are false, your methods are laughable, and your outrage is pathetic. Now I will give you all one final warning to leave here before things get ugly for you...yet again."
[Ruby:] "You will pay for these slanderous insults to cover up your conspiracies!! Franklin, please radio in further security. It's time we punish those who seek to block out the light and divert the path. We must strike a decisive blow for the truth!"
[Joachim:] "The path is blocked with the thickets of hate. We must cut through it with certainty."
*The four of them march down to and surround the ring. But before they can get inside-*
WE HAVE EVEN MORE VISITORS
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[John:] "It's Athrin Kazama, the owner of Kirin Dojo!! And he is coming out to the stage with a kusarigama along with two allies: his brother Hanzori and Tyler Alexander. Athrin seems especially focused on Matthias who is closest to Jean DuBreil and trying to grab him from under the bottom rope. Remember folks, Jean was part of the Fuzen Tara Seitan faction in the UBL, run by Athrin. We have no reason to believe these two aren't still friendly so, as far as I know, Matthias is about to attack one of Athrin's allies. That is not the move one makes if they want to guarantee a long and robust life expectancy."
*The crowd is going nuts for Athrin as he is waving his kusarigama in an unsavory way. Franklin Dyne steps forward but Ruby immediately pulls him back whispering "are you out of your mind!?" to him. Matthias does not heed this warning and begins walking up the ramp to Athrin but then the curtain opens to reveal Goro Yamashita, the head of UBL Security and a trainer of Tyler's. He is joined by his close friend Marauder, JET Hamada, and Yoshiro. The crowd is buzzing at this showing of locker room support and erupts when Matt Rivers comes out. This rise in the crowd enthusiasm level gets the attention of Joachim, who steps away from the ring to stare at Matt. Rivers notices this and returns the gesture to Joachim, neither man blinking.*
[John:] "Destiny is in a real bind here. I'm not sure what they are going to do but I can't see it being effective, at least not unless they bring in more men. Matthias and that Dyne guy are huge, but they are up against too many powerful and, dare I say, dangerous men. You don't want to fight an angry Athrin when he's holding that thing. I can't really stress that enough. Long time UBL fans remember Kyle Walker and that barbed wire stapler bat but don't think for a second that Athrin is any less dangerous when he holds his signature bladed weapon. Every single time a member of Destiny taunts Athrin, I think they have a death wish.
Marauder and Goro have been through wars, Rivers and Wingate have the soul of UBL on their shoulders, and Yoshiro seems to be able to get hit in the head with a truck and not feel it. Hanzori is one of the few men who not only stood up to James Ward, but slapped the taste out of his mouth, and then proceeded to beat him right after. I own a shirt that says "Hanzori is my favorite wrestler" for a reason. And then there's Tyler Alexander who has recently become the S-CROWN Champion and possesses a very nasty side if you bring it out of him. You anger him or threaten his friends and he'll go at you like a rabid wolf. And the biggest obstacles to Destiny right now are, ironically, the smallest men out there: JET Hamada can easily take down anyone in that ring with his judo ability. Matt Rivers possesses the mat wrestling ability to do the same thing. From a pure strategic viewpoint, when you are faced with a 4 on MANY situation, being taken down once can be your downfall. Destiny simply does not have the tools or manpower to win this encounter and I think Ruby has finally just realized that. She seems to be whispering to Joachim."
*Joachim walks up to Matthias and tries to calm him down. At first it doesn't work, but then Matthias goes into a type of trance. He then suddenly throws his arms up, screams in a foreign tongue that seems to confuse Joachim and Ruby, and once again drives his fists down onto the metal entrance way. This manages to short out the entire arena lighting system for a few seconds, leaving total darkness. When it comes back on, the members of Destiny are nowhere to be found.*
[John:] "Okay...anyone have a clue about what just happened?"
[Arthur:] "Mr. Kazama, this is the second time that you have constructively assisted in our pest control. It appears that Mr. DuBreil is not the only Fuzen member who wants to foster positive ties with us. Perhaps the schedule for this summer has not been finalized just yet, a position that Drake has been trying to convince me of recently."
*Arthur smirks and Athrin nods, shaking his head.*
[Arthur:] "Meanwhile, let the world see that Ruby's allegations against Mr. DuBreil are false. Any organization that takes truth as a personal insult is one that bares their corrupt soul for all to see. And the irony of a member of Destiny intentionally bringing darkness to escape should not be lost on anyone, especially not a desperate guiding light like Miss Moreno."
*Arthur and Jean shake hand, leave the ring, and then walk back up the ramp. Jean joins up with Athrin and his Kirin Dojo allies while Arthur thanks his large UBL contingent. We go to a quick commercial for "Chrome Foam 6900" but it's quickly interrupted by a more professional advertisement for a Blu-Ray box set of Battle Formation 2010 and 2011.*
[John:] "Well, folks, we are back. And after surviving the second Destiny invasion in about nine months, I'd say we are doing just fine. I'm not sure the crowd feels the same as that power outage has spooked some of our fans. Look, anytime a giant man punches electronics, bad things happen. But I've been instructed to mention that there's nothing further to read into the fact that he damaged part of our electrical system which actually is wired under the stage. It's not like he did anything that a two ton boulder falling on the stage wouldn't do. Not that any man has the force of a two ton boulder anyway-"
*John loosens his neck tie a little, looking a bit nervous.*
[John:] "Let's try to move beyond that and get to the main event. This is the first out of a potential three matches between Corey O'Brian and RYOMA. It's possible that one of them just wins two matches in a row and ends this, but if we have a tie after the second match, we're going to three. The reward for the winner of this series is the next shot at the NEXUS Championship.
RYOMA and Matt Rivers have had a respectful rivalry over the past few years. In 2011, RYOMA won the "Rookie Battle Royale" at Battle Formation. That victory came with a shot at the Field Leader Title, held by Matt Rivers. Many consider the match between Matt and RYOMA to be the best UBL match of 2011. In fact, tonight's show is within a week of being on the two year anniversary of that match. It certainly deserves accolades for being one of the best matches that year, and helped to carry our promotion beyond the Jinchuu threat. Although Matt won that encounter, retaining his Field Leader Title, RYOMA's performance cemented him as one of the absolute top rookies on the roster. RYOMA then had a very impressive two years in pro wrestling since then, becoming a double tag team Champion as part of the "Sun and Moon" tag team with Nobu Nakazawa. They hold the Tag Titles in Kirin Dojo and Super NOVA. RYOMA was also very close to winning the UBL Tag Titles with Kazuo Saji last year at ReCrowned. However, RYOMA has yet to win singles gold and he believes that his career will not be complete without a World Title.
Corey O'Brian is the former NEXUS Champion and the only one to never be formally defeated. This is a point of controversy in the UBL and makes everyone from Matt to Corey to Arthur uneasy. Despite Matt becoming the 'Undisputed Champion' at Recrowned by winning the NEXUS Championship while still holding the Field Leader Title, Corey returned to the UBL a few months later to show that there was indeed some dispute. Why the drama? After a year of competing for it, and arguably being cheated in his quest, Corey finally won the NEXUS Championship at OG-FPD Immortal in 2011. In a battle royale, he defeated Gene Starr, Markus Caesaro, and Julian Caesaro: all three of them being former NEXUS Champions. But when the UBL changed ownership to Arthur Wingate, there was a contractual dispute or, at least ambiguity, that led to Corey being stripped of the TItle without actually being defeated for it. I must give credit to Corey for not being bitter about this. If anything, he just wants to help UBL clear this confusion up. In fact, he is even planning on carrying his NEXUS Title belt with him until this matter is resolved.
Corey O'Brian has not had a match in UBL since December of 2011 but at that time, he was head and shoulders above everyone else in the NEXUS Title division. In fact, he personally defeated EACH opponent of his in the Immortal Battle Royale. I don't know if Corey has lost a step, but even if he has, he may still be able to win this series against the still developing RYOMA. However, Corey has had a long career of punishing matches and RYOMA's high impact offense can definitely test his body's resiliency. Both men have an arsenal of what can only be described as nightmarish head drops. I think Corey's "Core Meltdown" may actually have been banned in some smaller independent promotions around the world. And Miss Matsuki has already been investigated by O.S.H.A. in the United States for the dangerous nature of RYOMA's "Red Dawn" maneuver. So while both men also have incredible endurance and spirit, eventually one man is going to have to stay down because the human body is not built to handle getting driven on one's head more then like, oh I dunno, maybe fifty times. Ballpark figure. Your time zone mary vary.
Let's get to the match and see who takes an early lead in this series!"
Match 3: Corey O'Brian vs. RYOMA
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[John:] "This is why Corey O'Brian is as feared and respected as he is. The man is not just fierce and driven, he's smart. Rather then continue this war of attrition, this nuclear arms race of lariats and head drops, Corey took an alternative strategy. He decided that winning this match and getting closer to a Title shot was more important then breaking RYOMA's neck to put him down.
Corey was able to do that by sensing an opening in RYOMA's strategy. As RYOMA was preparing for yet another powerful slam, Corey took the opportunity to roll up RYOMA for the pin. If RYOMA has one weakness, it's that he is still somewhat inexperienced against technical and submission based wrestlers. That doesn't necessarily mean that he isn't prepared to fight against someone who isolates a body part or tries to make him tap out. But it does mean that he doesn't always see the opportunities he gives to his opponent to counter his moves with a pin or hold. Since he is not a technical wrestler himself, he doesn't realize the openings that his maneuvers leave for a technical wrestler to take advantage of. Corey, being an all around wrestler with years of experience, is able to scout out the weaknesses of a given move and exploit it, just as we saw here.
Experience and all around skill won this match tonight for Corey O'Brian.
Corey O'Brian (O) [Roll-up Reversal - 18:44] (X) RYOMA
*As both men slowly stand up, RYOMA looks very agitated.*
[John:] "Well, this isn't good. I'm not sure what RYOMA is upset about here. Corey didn't do anything illegal. That was a clean roll-up, no tights were grabbed, no ropes were held, no Gooses were harmed in the recording of that video."
*Corey slowly walks up to RYOMA and extends his hand. But RYOMA storms out of the ring looking frustrated and disappointed.*
[John:] "I really don't know what to make of that. Despite being surrounded by people who do not always embody respect, RYOMA is usually very big on sportsmanship even if he loses. I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt here in explaining why he feels wronged before coming to any conclusions myself. But this is rather surprising behavior, just the same. Corey also doesn't seem to know what this is about but he shrugs it off and starts celebrating his hard fought victory.
Well, folks, I hope to see you soon for our next Circuit Show. Our Field Leader, Darius, will be bringing you a Basic Training report next month. And for those local fans, we continue to have UBL Live shows every Friday night. They are the best place to catch our newest rookies as well as some younger talent that has returned to us in recent months. I hope you all have a great summer!"
*The show fades as Corey remains in the ring soaking in the applause of the crowd. He is holding his upside down NEXUS Title over his head and has a stoic look on his face.*
*Royal Wingate Hall is filled to its capacity as the first Circuit Show in over two years begins!
John Randolph is standing in the ring, wearing a tuxedo and holding a microphone.*
[John:] "Hello again to the fans of Universal Battle League and welcome to the first Circuit Show in 2013! It's great to be here again and this show is a long time coming. I'd like to thank Drake and Arthur for bringing my favorite format back. I have a lot of great memories of our Circuit and Open shows and even though I know we won't be running them at the same frequency as we used to, it's great to be doing this again. We have three huge matches for you, all with Championship implications.
The NEXUS Champion himself, Matt Rivers, will be wrestling tonight. And in his usual showing of respect for his fellow wrestlers and the Title he holds, he has requested that the main event slot tonight be given to RYOMA and Corey O'Brian. Their match tonight will be the first in a 'best two out of three' series with the winner going on to face Matt for the Championship. Whereas Matt's opponent tonight, Kazuo "Chrome" Saji, will be facing him with the Title not on the line. While Matt did promise that Kazuo could get a Title shot if he's victorious tonight, very few believe that will be the case. In fact, Matt told me that since Kazuo has no chance of beating him but that either RYOMA or Corey are guaranteed to face him in the future, he wants them to have the main event NEXUS spotlight tonight. That may also be a show of respect from Matt to Corey, and we'll discuss why later on.
In between those matches of NEXUS implications is an encounter that many people have been looking forward to for a while. The team of "WE HAVE BEARDS," made up of the mysterious Tenshi and the utterly confounding Lucha La Barba, will be wrestling the "Golden Pair," made up of Charles Langford and Jasper Woodruff. The winner of this match will get a shot at the Universal Battalion Championships held by JET Hamada and the Marauder. But we start with-"
*Kazuo Saji's "Black Connection" music plays but only Miss Asako Matsuki comes down to ringside. She grabs the microphone out of John's hand and points him to go sit at his broacasting table. He laughs, rolls his eyes, and shrugs his shoulders before seeming to acknowledge that the booth is probably the place for him to go anyway.*
[Asako:] "Yes yes John you go back right now and do your talking job. Only wrestlers and managers allowed in ring. You use headset like academic, leave physical strength and inspiration to RYOMA tonight."
*John gets his headset on.*
[John:] "I just got 'Asakoxiled', better then being 'Warded' though. I'm not sure why Miss Matsuki has come down without her 'rookie ace'. But if there's one thing we know about Miss Asako Matsuki is that she won't be shy to tell us what's going on."
[Asako:] "Kazuo Saji not here tonight. *Crowd erupts in boos* It Matt Rivers fault! Boo him. not me."
[John:] "And Asako dropping a Chromeshell here. Apparently Kazuo Saji will not be wrestling on our show tonight."
[Asako:] "If you aware, you know Kazuo Saji just won major tournament in FPCPP. Now he getting Grand Prix Title shot at FPCPP Revenge PPV. That bigger show then tonight. So he train from now on to defeat HTIMan, the soon to be former Champion."
[John:] "For the record, HTIMan is one of my favorite wrestlers. He was actually the first man to throw a wrench in Jinchuu's plans by defeating and containing Jakob of Furis in FPCPP. But anyway..."
[Asako:] "Until Matt respects Kazuo enough to give him real Title shot here too, Matt have to wait until RYOMA beats him for that Title. Please to all look forward to that and buy Chrome Foam!"
*Asako politely bows and walks out of the ring. As she's going backstage, Matt Rivers comes out (sans entrance music) and looks at her, shrugging his shoulders. She does not make eye contact and continues to the back where she stands on the stage. Matt walks to the ring and rolls in, grabbing the microphone that Asako dropped.*
[Matt:] "It's easy for me to be annoyed right now cause Miss Matsuki just robbed all of us of a match tonight. But honestly, I'm happy for your client. Saji finally put more effort into his training and was clearly rewarded for it. I saw those matches, his opponents weren't push-overs. And I know he dug down deep and earned those victories through the preparation he put into them. I'm glad he earned some success since that is just proof of everything I've been telling him recently. This is exactly what I wanted for him and when he and I finally do lock up, I know the match will be better for it."
*The crowd cheers Matt's words and he then points to Asako.*
[Matt:] "So Miss Matsuki, you can complain all you want about how I'm supposedly treating him, but I'm going to take satisfaction knowing that I was the one who pushed Saji to do better then he ever had before. I could have ignored him and not even given him a match against me. But as my last true act as Field Leader, I got in his face as my and made him better for it. That's more then you can say for yourself, for either Kazuo or RYOMA. I'm the one who has motivated both to be better."
*Asako looks very annoyed at this, sticks out her tongue, and then leaves through the backstage curtain.*
[Matt:] "Now, we still got a problem on our hands because I came here to wrestle tonight. *The crowd cheers as Matt pumps his fist* That's what I do, that's what being Champion is all about. I want to test my skills against the best in the world. Out of respect for Corey and RYOMA, the Title will still not be on the line. Each of them was promised that they'd get the next Title shot if they defeated the other one. I'm not bypassing that. But the great thing about wrestling here is that being Champion is not a limitation on my wrestling anyone I want, it's an opportunity. No one is gonna turn me down. Who doesn't want to get a shot at the Champ, right? So, for me, it's like open season on the entire roster, a dream come true. Arthur allows me the leniency to challenge anyone at any time. And that time is here once again. So how about someone from the back, I don't care which roster of ours you are a part of, step up and show the NEXUS Champion, and the world, what you are capable of."
[John:] "Huge open challenge from Matt Rivers. Title or not, if you beat the Champion, or even compete with him, your spot on the roster will certainly rise. There has got to be a ton of guys in the back trying to run out here right now. Hopefully none of them being Pot Belly. And folks, I think I hear some music on the Battle-Tron..it looks like..."
A NEW CHALLENGER APPEARS!!
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[John:] "It's Scott Cramer!! I know that Scott has been training in the UBL dojo over the last few months. In fact, he was waiting to make an official in ring return to both FPCPP and UBL. And this is as good an opportunity as any! These two actually wrestled a few times in the UBL Dojo back when Matt was on the Front Lines and they had as series of great exhibition matches. I know there is a lot of mutual respect here, which means they will both give it their all."
*Matt seems very pleased at Scott's entrance and invites him into the ring. When Scott comes in, Matt extends his hand and Scott returns the handshake. Sergeant Drake Yoshida comes to ringside and gets ready to officiate this match.*
[John:] "And we're on! Matt Rivers vs. Scott Cramer. A fitting return to our Circuit show format!"
Match 1: Scott Cramer vs. Matt Rivers (c)
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[John:] "An incredible return to the ring by Scott Cramer who came as close to submitting Matt Rivers as we've seen anyone do in the last few years. Matt has been undefeated since Spring of 2011 and Cramer got as close as RYOMA and Lucha La Barba to changing that, in my opinion. But there's a reason Matt Rivers is NEXUS Champion and that's because he always finds a way to dig deep down into his spiritual well...I'll pause for the joke to hit...and harness the flow of his energy. What impressed me here was how he managed to keep himself awake in light of those punishing submissions by Scott. You can call them chokes or sleepers, but either way most people would have been left unconscious by those holds. I don't know if Matt found a way to neutralize the placement of Scott's hands, or if Matt's arm-targeted offense weakened Scott's application of the move, but you can't chalk this up to just spiritual resistance. Matt has the wrestling ability to coincide with it. You take a guy like Kyle Walker and sure he refused to go down but what could he do against a guy applying a textbook perfect submission in the middle of the ring? Scream? Threaten? Get his goons to help? If you answered all of the above, you watched UBL in 2011! But resolve alone does not win wrestling matches or Championships, you need skill too. And Matt showed why he is the NEXUS Champion. Meanwhile, Scott Cramer showed why he has to be considered one of the top contenders to that Title given how far he pushed Matt tonight.
Matt Rivers (O) ["Gargle Driver" - 20:18] (X) Scott Cramer
*Both Scott and Matt are finally on their feet and the crowd is cheering for both men. Scott walks over, looks at his hand, and then extends it to Matt. The crowd cheers and Rivers nods with respect and shakes Scott's hand, even raising it for the fans to cheer him on. They both go backstage complimenting each other and shaking hands with the fans.*
[John:] "The English fans really eat up that type of sportsmanship amongst competitors. It's one of the reasons Arthur Wingate knew the UBL would be a success here. And we turn next to the #1 contender match for the Universal Battalion Championships held by JET Hamada and the Marauder. The teams competing for that shot are "WE HAVE BEARDS" and the "Golden Pair". I'm still not sure if I am supposed to shout "WE HAVE BEARDS" every time I say their name. When I asked them a few weeks ago about whether or not their names were capitalized, they handed me a pretzel with salt forming both upper and lower case letters. Putting aside how they even had the foresight to prepare that for me, the pretzel, though delicious, clarified nothing.
What we do know is that each team here is very skilled. WE HAVE BEARDS are already the KPC World Jr heavyweight Tag Team Champions in Kirin Dojo. They have become one of the teams throughout pro wrestling who have had incredible momentum and support this year: the other two teams being our own Battalion Champions and the team of "Sun & Moon," who many believe are the undisputed best team in the entire world. Even though WE HAVE BEARDS are junior heavyweights, they can compete with the bigger guys. They successfully defeated the team of Mills. Inc by confusing the large and brash Calvin Corbett. Meanwhile, the Golden Pair also achieved victory to this point by confusing the SwashBuckLAWLers into getting counted out.
So if there's any guarantees tonight, it's that four men who revel in mind games, and lack a sound mind themselves, will be doing all they can to get one over on the other team. We're gonna see a ton of trickery tonight, the likes of which many of us may not understand. I know the wrestling camp that Lucha La Barba comes from and there is absolutely no way he's gonna let Charles or Jasper get into his head. I also know that Jasper Woodruff only cares about gold and dancing about gold, so good luck derailing that mess. I think the closest to a strategist we have here is Charles Langford but he thinks he was born in the 1800's. That makes him only slightly less insane then FPCPP's frisbee enthusiast, Chester Willoughby who thinks he was born in the middle ages.
Folks, it's gonna be a crazy match but I do think we'll be entertained from watching it. Despite the combined lunacy, each set of pairs work extremely well with each other. We have a multitude of different styles from lucha to mysterious martial arts to technician to brawler. Expect a lot of team work and a sense of urgency from both teams to get a shot in a tag team division that has grown a lot in the last few months. Neither team wants to be left behind and have to climb the ladder again to get a match like this, because the ladder will be much longer then it was this time around. Let's get to the match!"
Match 2: "We Have Beards" vs. Golden Pair
Tenshi/Lucha La Barba vs. Charles Langford/Jasper Woodruff
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[John:] "The Battalion delivers once again! There was a lot of debate after Re-Crowned about which match happened to be everyone's favorite. While no absolute consensus was achieved, it seemed that more people were impressed with the Battalion Championship match. And I think our tag teams once again showed tonight why our Battalion division is so strong.
For two sets of men of questionable mind, they know how to work together, they know how to cut off the ring, and they know how to wrestle with the best of them. It looked like, on many occasions, that the Golden Pair were going to walk away with this victory but WE HAVE BEARDS proved THEY HAVE SPIRIT and the skill to back it up. Lucha La Barba's "Ultimo Rizo" maneuver may be the most impressive one in the UBL and it just took out Jasper Woodruff. Sure there were some shenanigans here, but I think the fans just got more then their money's worth out of this contender match. You can't deny the ability of Golden Pair but tonight, WE HAVE BEARDS also has victory. They will be facing the Battalion Champions very soon.
Tenshi/Lucha La Barba (O) ["Ultimo Rizo" - 29:11] (X) Jasper Woodruff/Charles Langford
*After both teams go to the back and a few minutes pass, "Baron" by Marine plays and Sir Arthur Wingate comes out to the stage area. The fans applaud as he graciously accepts their adulation and walks to the ring with a microphone in hand.*
[John:] "Ladies and gentlemen, the owner of the UBL, Sir Arthur Wingate!"
[Arthur:] "Greetings, our loyal fans. It is of great privilege for me to come out here and address you all on the return of one of this promotion's most storied shows. My deepest respect to every wrestler in the last two matches for giving it their all, and my congratulations specifically to the victors.
Our NEXUS Champion has once again shown why he is the rock of this promotion. He manages to both scare off frightened potential and attract motivated intensity in the same night. Mr. Saji, do not make it a habit to skip out on your bookings or you will find that you have none left. Mr. Cramer, your return spoke for itself. It is clear you have the tools to be a future Champion.
I have come out here to congratulate another man, one that I think we owe a second chance to. Please welcome Jean DuBreil!"
*There is no entrance music but Jean DuBreil comes out to ringside looking more positive then we usually see him. While he still has an air of secrecy and
[Arthur:] "Our Field Leader Darius was correct, Jean DuBreil has risen to the occasion and maximized the opportunity given to him by the Second Chance Battle Royale. He has a tall order ahead of him, as now he must take on Algernon LeBlanc to decide the #1 contender to Darius' position. But I am not here to endorse Jean or Algernon in that encounter. 'May the better man win' is a credo I stick to in every battle, especially those in contention for Championship gold.
What I would like to congratulate Jean specifically on is his re-dedication to the craft of pro wrestling and distance from in ring violence. He was once a shining example of everything that is wrong in pro wrestling but he is turning his career and life around. He has come to realize that the violence, the group attacks, the blood gathering, all of this does not belong here. Yes there is physicality, opposition, and injuries in this sport, but they are the results of any athletic competition. Pro wrestling should not be plagued by those who look to spread and maximize violence for violence sake. While 'red' is not a foreign color when two competitors lock up in a physical encounter, it should remain an unintentional byproduct, not be a core objective. If you are in pro wrestling to cause blood or proselytize about it, you are simply in the wrong profession. Blood is not pure, blood is not evil, blood is just indicative of injury. Jean is an example of how people can change and have success as a result. Jean is an example that no one has a violent...destiny that they have to fulfill, but rather, they make their own choices."
WE HAVE VISITORS!
(NOT UFO's)
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[John:] "Oh I think he said Bloodjuice three times and here is Destiny!"
*Three individuals stand on the ramp: Ruby Moreno, the head of Destiny public relations and former OG-Joshi World Champion, stands in front. The King of Kirin Champion, Joachim stands next to his close ally, the Man-Mountain, Matthias. And an unidentified large man (wait, maybe this is a UFO sighting?) stands in back. Ruby grabs a microphone while Arthur rolls his eyes.*
[Ruby:] "So as not to be rude, a pet peeve of this entire country that has oppressed millions throughout history yet still gets slighted at missing an invitation for afternoon tea, let me introduce our newest member. This is Franklin Dyne and he is the new Chief of Gauntlet Security. The only head of security. Do not pay any mind to whatever conspiracy theories Thunder Strike has dreamed up with hidden chameleon enemies of his past planting explosives on our behalf. It's like that fellow Thomas Fiero is drugging him once again and no one else remembers the crazy allegations Thunder made the last time that happened. Above all, remember that we are a group that seeks peaceful enlightenment. Mr. Dyne is simply here to protect our interests. Just as Joachim and Matthias are here with me to protect the interests of Destiny as a whole, so let's get to it."
[Arthur:] "You have absolutely no business here and you have already experienced the failure of previous attempts."
[Ruby:] "Failure? I don't know the meaning of the word."
[Arthur:] "Yes, the likelihood of receiving a proper education has recently declined in the States at an alarming rate. I feel for you all. How else would Destiny be spreading if people could properly think for themselves?"
[Ruby:] "Your slander and blasphemy will not go unheeded. But what we are out here to discuss tonight is the blasphemy that your new best friend Mr. DuBreil has perpetrated on us. The world needs to know."
[Arthur:] "Once again, your failure of education hinders your attempt at expression. One can not actually blaspheme against a belief system that they never accepted to begin with. And as far as I know, Jean has never made any claim to being a member of your group. Furthermore, just what does this have to do with the UBL?"
[Ruby:] "Because I believe that you hired Jean DuBreil back onto your roster, independent of that meaningless "Second chance Battle Royale", with the express condition that he attack us in some way. We are here because what he did was a UBL sponsored act of hatred aimed against our peaceful group and we will not stand for it."
*Matthias hits the ramp with a double axe handle, leaving a huge dent in it, one that causes even Ruby and Joachim to pause. The crowd goes quiet, in awe at the man's power.*
[John:] "Um, the ramp is made out of metal. I don't even know how he could dent that. Or, how he's not screaming in agony right now that his hands are broken, as they logically must be."
[Ruby:] "Brother Matthias, please save your strength. I am confident the world will see that we are the victims here. Recently an act of intolerance, hatred, ignorance, harassment, and cruelty was perpetrated on our home. Due to the graphic and sensitive nature of the attack, we are only going to show a small piece so as not to upset your viewers and our future brothers and sisters."
*Ruby points to the Battle-Tron which has clearly been hacked by Destiny techniques due to the Destiny watermark.*
The footage is from the night of March 23rd, 2013.
We see a small crowd has gathered right outside of the walls of the private residential headquarters of the Destiny group. The crowd is made up mostly of local neighbors and other outsiders. They look on frightened at the sight in front of them. The shape of the sun has been drawn in blood on the large wooden front gate to the Destiny compound. The 'rays' of the sun also resemble pathways. The perimeter of this entire design is covered in oil that is currently wildly burning, with flames climbing high to the sky. However, what is truly confusing and ominous is that the wooden gate itself has not caught on fire.
*The footage ends as the crowd looks very uneasy at what they just saw.*
[Ruby:] "This goes beyond childish vandalism and is an attempt to persecute us for our beliefs. At first we were unaware of who could have done this. While the members of J.U.S.T.I.C.E. seem to irrationally hate us more then anyone else, this is really not their style. I doubt that Alicia Gordon could rub two sticks together without Marie Reyes' loins catching on fire."
*The crowd laughs which seems to annoy Joachim as much as it annoys Arthur.*
[Ruby:] "But when we saw Jean DuBreil of the "Bastille of Blood" return to your roster, it became obvious who the culprit was. This was clearly a failed attempt at black voodoo magic, the type that DuBreil has claimed to harness and use in the past. Given his alliance with Athrin Kazama, and Kirin's war against us, it is clear that Jean had at least a minimal motive. And once he was accepted onto this roster, any detective could see that you hired him to perform this act of intolerance.
Had it not been for the faith of Matthias, led by the Guiding Light onto the correct Path, real damage could have been done to the lives and spirit of Destiny members. So we could not sit back and allow this outrage to go unpunished. You, the owner of UBL, congratulating Jean for turning into a man of peace after ignoring the act of war he just declared on our world."
*The crowd is silent. Jean looks very uncomfortable but is trying to motion to Arthur that he had nothing to do with the footage on screen. Arthur looks at him, then back at Ruby, then at Jean again, then the audience. He nods his head and turns back to Ruby.*
[Arthur:] "You are a fool of the highest caliber. It shocks the conscience that you are allowed to walk around unsupervised. "
*The crowd laughs but they are still uneasy at the confrontation.*
[Ruby:] "You dare-"
[Arthur:] "What night did you say this near apocalyptic event occurred on?"
[Ruby:] "March 23rd..."
[Arthur:] "Correct. And March 24th was the day that the E3 SuperClash show was held. This event took place in North Carolina. With all of your intelligence gathering, you must have been aware of this, correct?"
[Ruby:] "It is my business to be aware of events like that. What is your point?"
[Arthur:] "Our talent had heavy participation on that show. So I joined them in making the trip to the United States as I had not visited there in a while and had some business to conduct with promising new wrestlers. Unlike a jet-setter such as yourself, I thought it prudent to make a multitude of meetings during one trip, to minimize my time spent traveling. So on the evening of March 23rd, Darius and I met with Jean DuBreil to discuss whether or not he has reformed to the point where I could accept him onto my roster. And yet, the time stamp on your video suggests the event in question happened a little after 3AM. Would you care to explain, using all the nonsensical 'logic' that Destiny tries to employ, how Mr. DuBreil could have been with us late that night, then traveled to California in time for that little painting, then managed to join us the next morning to watch the show? Does the 'guiding light' somehow bend time? Does a functioning wristwatch preclude one from walking 'the Path'?"
[Ruby:] "But you have no evidence that DuBreil returned-"
*Arthur yawns as he points to the screen. Footage from a recorded interview with himself, Darius, and Jean is shown with a timestamp of March 23rd at 11 PM Eastern Time. Shortly after, footage is shown of Jean in SuperClash audience, sitting with a group of UBL wrestlers during the early afternoon of March 24th.*
[Matthias:] "THEY SIN AGAINST US WITH BLACK MAGIC YET AGAIN!"
[John:] "Black magic? It's a Blu-Ray player. *Sighs* Maybe he was an HD-DVD early adopter."
[Arthur:] "Your accusations are false, your methods are laughable, and your outrage is pathetic. Now I will give you all one final warning to leave here before things get ugly for you...yet again."
[Ruby:] "You will pay for these slanderous insults to cover up your conspiracies!! Franklin, please radio in further security. It's time we punish those who seek to block out the light and divert the path. We must strike a decisive blow for the truth!"
[Joachim:] "The path is blocked with the thickets of hate. We must cut through it with certainty."
*The four of them march down to and surround the ring. But before they can get inside-*
WE HAVE EVEN MORE VISITORS
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[John:] "It's Athrin Kazama, the owner of Kirin Dojo!! And he is coming out to the stage with a kusarigama along with two allies: his brother Hanzori and Tyler Alexander. Athrin seems especially focused on Matthias who is closest to Jean DuBreil and trying to grab him from under the bottom rope. Remember folks, Jean was part of the Fuzen Tara Seitan faction in the UBL, run by Athrin. We have no reason to believe these two aren't still friendly so, as far as I know, Matthias is about to attack one of Athrin's allies. That is not the move one makes if they want to guarantee a long and robust life expectancy."
*The crowd is going nuts for Athrin as he is waving his kusarigama in an unsavory way. Franklin Dyne steps forward but Ruby immediately pulls him back whispering "are you out of your mind!?" to him. Matthias does not heed this warning and begins walking up the ramp to Athrin but then the curtain opens to reveal Goro Yamashita, the head of UBL Security and a trainer of Tyler's. He is joined by his close friend Marauder, JET Hamada, and Yoshiro. The crowd is buzzing at this showing of locker room support and erupts when Matt Rivers comes out. This rise in the crowd enthusiasm level gets the attention of Joachim, who steps away from the ring to stare at Matt. Rivers notices this and returns the gesture to Joachim, neither man blinking.*
[John:] "Destiny is in a real bind here. I'm not sure what they are going to do but I can't see it being effective, at least not unless they bring in more men. Matthias and that Dyne guy are huge, but they are up against too many powerful and, dare I say, dangerous men. You don't want to fight an angry Athrin when he's holding that thing. I can't really stress that enough. Long time UBL fans remember Kyle Walker and that barbed wire stapler bat but don't think for a second that Athrin is any less dangerous when he holds his signature bladed weapon. Every single time a member of Destiny taunts Athrin, I think they have a death wish.
Marauder and Goro have been through wars, Rivers and Wingate have the soul of UBL on their shoulders, and Yoshiro seems to be able to get hit in the head with a truck and not feel it. Hanzori is one of the few men who not only stood up to James Ward, but slapped the taste out of his mouth, and then proceeded to beat him right after. I own a shirt that says "Hanzori is my favorite wrestler" for a reason. And then there's Tyler Alexander who has recently become the S-CROWN Champion and possesses a very nasty side if you bring it out of him. You anger him or threaten his friends and he'll go at you like a rabid wolf. And the biggest obstacles to Destiny right now are, ironically, the smallest men out there: JET Hamada can easily take down anyone in that ring with his judo ability. Matt Rivers possesses the mat wrestling ability to do the same thing. From a pure strategic viewpoint, when you are faced with a 4 on MANY situation, being taken down once can be your downfall. Destiny simply does not have the tools or manpower to win this encounter and I think Ruby has finally just realized that. She seems to be whispering to Joachim."
*Joachim walks up to Matthias and tries to calm him down. At first it doesn't work, but then Matthias goes into a type of trance. He then suddenly throws his arms up, screams in a foreign tongue that seems to confuse Joachim and Ruby, and once again drives his fists down onto the metal entrance way. This manages to short out the entire arena lighting system for a few seconds, leaving total darkness. When it comes back on, the members of Destiny are nowhere to be found.*
[John:] "Okay...anyone have a clue about what just happened?"
[Arthur:] "Mr. Kazama, this is the second time that you have constructively assisted in our pest control. It appears that Mr. DuBreil is not the only Fuzen member who wants to foster positive ties with us. Perhaps the schedule for this summer has not been finalized just yet, a position that Drake has been trying to convince me of recently."
*Arthur smirks and Athrin nods, shaking his head.*
[Arthur:] "Meanwhile, let the world see that Ruby's allegations against Mr. DuBreil are false. Any organization that takes truth as a personal insult is one that bares their corrupt soul for all to see. And the irony of a member of Destiny intentionally bringing darkness to escape should not be lost on anyone, especially not a desperate guiding light like Miss Moreno."
*Arthur and Jean shake hand, leave the ring, and then walk back up the ramp. Jean joins up with Athrin and his Kirin Dojo allies while Arthur thanks his large UBL contingent. We go to a quick commercial for "Chrome Foam 6900" but it's quickly interrupted by a more professional advertisement for a Blu-Ray box set of Battle Formation 2010 and 2011.*
[John:] "Well, folks, we are back. And after surviving the second Destiny invasion in about nine months, I'd say we are doing just fine. I'm not sure the crowd feels the same as that power outage has spooked some of our fans. Look, anytime a giant man punches electronics, bad things happen. But I've been instructed to mention that there's nothing further to read into the fact that he damaged part of our electrical system which actually is wired under the stage. It's not like he did anything that a two ton boulder falling on the stage wouldn't do. Not that any man has the force of a two ton boulder anyway-"
*John loosens his neck tie a little, looking a bit nervous.*
[John:] "Let's try to move beyond that and get to the main event. This is the first out of a potential three matches between Corey O'Brian and RYOMA. It's possible that one of them just wins two matches in a row and ends this, but if we have a tie after the second match, we're going to three. The reward for the winner of this series is the next shot at the NEXUS Championship.
RYOMA and Matt Rivers have had a respectful rivalry over the past few years. In 2011, RYOMA won the "Rookie Battle Royale" at Battle Formation. That victory came with a shot at the Field Leader Title, held by Matt Rivers. Many consider the match between Matt and RYOMA to be the best UBL match of 2011. In fact, tonight's show is within a week of being on the two year anniversary of that match. It certainly deserves accolades for being one of the best matches that year, and helped to carry our promotion beyond the Jinchuu threat. Although Matt won that encounter, retaining his Field Leader Title, RYOMA's performance cemented him as one of the absolute top rookies on the roster. RYOMA then had a very impressive two years in pro wrestling since then, becoming a double tag team Champion as part of the "Sun and Moon" tag team with Nobu Nakazawa. They hold the Tag Titles in Kirin Dojo and Super NOVA. RYOMA was also very close to winning the UBL Tag Titles with Kazuo Saji last year at ReCrowned. However, RYOMA has yet to win singles gold and he believes that his career will not be complete without a World Title.
Corey O'Brian is the former NEXUS Champion and the only one to never be formally defeated. This is a point of controversy in the UBL and makes everyone from Matt to Corey to Arthur uneasy. Despite Matt becoming the 'Undisputed Champion' at Recrowned by winning the NEXUS Championship while still holding the Field Leader Title, Corey returned to the UBL a few months later to show that there was indeed some dispute. Why the drama? After a year of competing for it, and arguably being cheated in his quest, Corey finally won the NEXUS Championship at OG-FPD Immortal in 2011. In a battle royale, he defeated Gene Starr, Markus Caesaro, and Julian Caesaro: all three of them being former NEXUS Champions. But when the UBL changed ownership to Arthur Wingate, there was a contractual dispute or, at least ambiguity, that led to Corey being stripped of the TItle without actually being defeated for it. I must give credit to Corey for not being bitter about this. If anything, he just wants to help UBL clear this confusion up. In fact, he is even planning on carrying his NEXUS Title belt with him until this matter is resolved.
Corey O'Brian has not had a match in UBL since December of 2011 but at that time, he was head and shoulders above everyone else in the NEXUS Title division. In fact, he personally defeated EACH opponent of his in the Immortal Battle Royale. I don't know if Corey has lost a step, but even if he has, he may still be able to win this series against the still developing RYOMA. However, Corey has had a long career of punishing matches and RYOMA's high impact offense can definitely test his body's resiliency. Both men have an arsenal of what can only be described as nightmarish head drops. I think Corey's "Core Meltdown" may actually have been banned in some smaller independent promotions around the world. And Miss Matsuki has already been investigated by O.S.H.A. in the United States for the dangerous nature of RYOMA's "Red Dawn" maneuver. So while both men also have incredible endurance and spirit, eventually one man is going to have to stay down because the human body is not built to handle getting driven on one's head more then like, oh I dunno, maybe fifty times. Ballpark figure. Your time zone mary vary.
Let's get to the match and see who takes an early lead in this series!"
Match 3: Corey O'Brian vs. RYOMA
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[John:] "This is why Corey O'Brian is as feared and respected as he is. The man is not just fierce and driven, he's smart. Rather then continue this war of attrition, this nuclear arms race of lariats and head drops, Corey took an alternative strategy. He decided that winning this match and getting closer to a Title shot was more important then breaking RYOMA's neck to put him down.
Corey was able to do that by sensing an opening in RYOMA's strategy. As RYOMA was preparing for yet another powerful slam, Corey took the opportunity to roll up RYOMA for the pin. If RYOMA has one weakness, it's that he is still somewhat inexperienced against technical and submission based wrestlers. That doesn't necessarily mean that he isn't prepared to fight against someone who isolates a body part or tries to make him tap out. But it does mean that he doesn't always see the opportunities he gives to his opponent to counter his moves with a pin or hold. Since he is not a technical wrestler himself, he doesn't realize the openings that his maneuvers leave for a technical wrestler to take advantage of. Corey, being an all around wrestler with years of experience, is able to scout out the weaknesses of a given move and exploit it, just as we saw here.
Experience and all around skill won this match tonight for Corey O'Brian.
Corey O'Brian (O) [Roll-up Reversal - 18:44] (X) RYOMA
*As both men slowly stand up, RYOMA looks very agitated.*
[John:] "Well, this isn't good. I'm not sure what RYOMA is upset about here. Corey didn't do anything illegal. That was a clean roll-up, no tights were grabbed, no ropes were held, no Gooses were harmed in the recording of that video."
*Corey slowly walks up to RYOMA and extends his hand. But RYOMA storms out of the ring looking frustrated and disappointed.*
[John:] "I really don't know what to make of that. Despite being surrounded by people who do not always embody respect, RYOMA is usually very big on sportsmanship even if he loses. I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt here in explaining why he feels wronged before coming to any conclusions myself. But this is rather surprising behavior, just the same. Corey also doesn't seem to know what this is about but he shrugs it off and starts celebrating his hard fought victory.
Well, folks, I hope to see you soon for our next Circuit Show. Our Field Leader, Darius, will be bringing you a Basic Training report next month. And for those local fans, we continue to have UBL Live shows every Friday night. They are the best place to catch our newest rookies as well as some younger talent that has returned to us in recent months. I hope you all have a great summer!"
*The show fades as Corey remains in the ring soaking in the applause of the crowd. He is holding his upside down NEXUS Title over his head and has a stoic look on his face.*