Destiny Drive - 2014
Oct 14, 2014 0:02:08 GMT -5
Post by OrochiGeese on Oct 14, 2014 0:02:08 GMT -5
*Destiny Drive opens with a cinematic style video of Joachim walking on a country dirt road with the UBL NEXUS Championship around his waist. On each side of the dirt road are images of wrestlers from around the world that he has already defeated. He looks in front of him and a bright gold light leads him forward on his path beyond his current field of vision. The camera follows the light and fades into the Destiny logo *
*The camera opens to the LAWLitorium re-decorated in the customary black, white, and gold colors of Destiny. After a brief panning of the crowd, the focus settles on UBL commentator, John Randolph.*
[John:] "Hello fans and welcome to Destiny Drive, a show put on mainly by the Destiny organization but also featuring stars from the Universal Battle League. We have four big matches tonight including a UBL sanctioned defense of it's NEXUS Championship by Joachim, a Destiny member. There is a buzz in this arena given the stakes of this show and the fans all seem to be on edge. Speaking of the fans..."
*The focus scans the crowd where we see a variety of different fans representing different camps and ideologies.*
[John:] "It's rare to see a pro wrestling event with as much diversity of fan opinion as the one we have tonight. Naturally, there is a large Destiny fanbase here. I may add that they have not had to pay for attendance to this event, unlike everyone else. But even that is made up of it's own different contingents ranging from pious looking men in robes to throngs of Gauntlet Security crawling throughout the arena. There is also a large UBL fanbase, itself divided amongst mostly ordinary fans wearing shirts of their favorite wrestler or UBL branded merchandise. I see a lot of 'WTF is UBBLE' shirts, more J.U.S.T.I.C.E. shirts than usual, and a ton of misguided 'Pot BeLAWLy Ferguson' ones. Really? I know this is the land of LAWL...but really? What's next? 'Chester WiLAWLoughby' frisbees-"
*John gets hit in the head with one, then sighs in disgusts.*
[John:] "Speaking of confused LAWL fans, there are many here tonight who seem utterly lost about the fact that this event is not for their favorite promotion. Yes, this is the LAWLitorium, but the usual Friday night LAWL show was moved to Saturday this week. A few OG-Joshi fans are sprinkled throughout the arena as well, looking somewhat sullen. In their defense, it is true that Ruby Moreno has not delivered on her promise to feature OG-Joshi as much as she said she would when she purchased it from Orochi Geese. These fans are also none too happy that an entire show is being dedicated to Destiny, which is not even a wrestling promotion, rather than OG-Joshi.
Jean Carter has been getting fan mail all year asking her to do something about this but, folks, her hands are tied. She doesn't work for OG-Joshi anymore. It's not her fault what is going on here. She kept OG-Joshi going strong so that it could be sold in a meaningful exchange. There's really no surrpise that Ruby has taken revenge on Jean, Holly, and Geese by intentionally burying OG-Joshi. And yeah, feel free to throw me off the air for that one, Ruby."
*John waits but no armed guards escort him away.*
[John:] "Speaking of being intimidated for having journalistic integrity, our first match tonight features an old commentator partner of mine. For some reason, Destiny has invited James Ward back to the world of professional wrestling. He helped wage one of the most destructive, and obnoxious, wars on UBL, and good taste, as part of the Jinchuu faction in 2011. And tonight he'll be facing his former Jinchuu comrade, Jason Hyde.
Now, apart from his membership in Jinchuu, i've always been a fan of Jason. And other than two incidents, Jason managed to stay seperate from the majority of Jinchuu violence. So I say this with a clear conscience: I hope Jason Hyde wins this. I hope Jason Hyde humiliates James Ward. I hope we never see James Ward again. I hope he hears this, tries to attack me, and gets carried off by the uncompromising Gauntlet Security and thrown in a hole somewhere. If you were around in UBL in 2011, then you'd know I'm being generous and restraining the full extent of my emotions.
However, one thing I can't deny is that Ward is a force in the ring. He's incredibly strong and even more violent. You'll never see him doing anything particularly innovative, but he often is able to get the job done. He also has a lot of experience, having debuted in UBL as "The Centurion" in the mid 1990's. He may still be somewhat 'new' to us as James Ward, but he's one of the most experienced wrestlers on this show tonight. And he knows how to get inside his opponent's head.
The thing that I would like to know is what exactly is Ward trying to do here? Does he want to punish Jason Hyde for deserting Jinchuu before they were officially disbanded by Kyle Walker? Months before Kyle finally made peace with Orochi Geese, Kyle and the rest of Jinchuu held a despicable fake funeral for him. However, despite coming out with them to the ring, Jason Hyde actually publicly rebuked Jinchuu and left. While that was not the worst thing to happen to Jinchuu that night, as Geese returned with friends to immediately turn the tide, it certainly could have stuck in Ward's craw. The reason for that is because Kyle's intentions were not actually the only motivation that Ward had. He and a former UBL wrestler named COSMIC K*I*D were riding Walker's wave of violence to destabilize UBL so that Geese would decide to sell it to K*I*D, who wanted revenge on Drake Yoshida. This match may give Ward the opportunity to punish Hyde for not sticking around.
As for Jason, he has recently returned to the UBL but we still do not know exactly why or how he feels about the Jinchuu era. He's managed to keep his nose clean though while putting on some great matches with UBL fan favorites. I get the sense that many people want to cheer for him but are still tentative, having been stabbed in the back by his role in Jinchuu. But the Jason we've seen since he returned at Silent Knight is the Jason we saw for much of his UBL tenure: understated, noble, and poised. He nearly defeated Joachim during a Trial Series match and that effort vaulted him up the rankings in Arthur Wingate and Drake Yoshida's estimation.
Jason has not wrestled for as long as James has but he is wise beyond his own years. Jason Hyde has been a UBL main eventer since 2008. We're talking about a man here who defeated, amongst others, Orochi Geese and Jack Dod in the Universal Championship League of 2007. We're talking about a man who, along with Kyle Walker and Johnny Bingo, defeated the absolutely dominant Dod Squod in the Battalion Finale of 2008. We're talking about a man who broke Thunder Strike's leg legitimately in a match, winning the Battalion Tag Titles for him and Kyle. Despite his success with Jinchuu, my guess is that Jason wants to further distance himself from it by beating James here even more so than James wants to punish Jason for deserting Jinchuu.
They'll both have the chance now, as the darkest era in UBL history is once again revisited. Jason Hyde vs. James Ward...I hope that poor Jinchuu Goose is watching Jason take it to Ward."
youtu.be/Huyr4n5E87o"]
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[John:] "Don't let the relative short match fool you, this was not one-sided. I think the entire arena held it's breath after James Ward managed to land that brutal avalanche sit-out powerbomb, countering whatever Jason was attempting. How Jason had the energy and resolve to kick out of that is truthfully amazing to me. What was even more amazing though was that it seemed to spur Jason on. James was pretty quiet from that point forward, although the super kick to his mouth probably helped that along. Don't feel bad, he already did a lifetime of trash talking in the commentary booth.
Jason took this match but it wasn't a walk in the park. However, he won without getting violent in any way and seemed to just treat James as any other competitor. That tells me that Jason is trying very hard to put Jinchuu behind him. And I think just about everyone is happy to see that."
Jason Hyde (O) [Schwein - 13:24 ] (X) James Ward
[John:] "James Ward slithers away from the ring. I think that final onslaught by Jason made any post match attacks especially unadvisable, and impossible, for James. If we have truly seen the last of him, I'd like to know now so that I can also buy lottery tickets. Good riddance, Ward. Don't let the door hit you on the way out. You don't have to go home...but get out of our sight."
*John takes a moment to recollect his composure.*
[John:] "We turn now to a difficult situation. At last year's Destiny Drive, Jang Bae wrestled his first match as an official convert of Destiny. He teamed with Matthias to face Team "Laser Storm", a team that make up the "J.U.S.T.I.C.E." faction with Thunder Strike and Alicia Gordon. In this match, Jang Bae knocked out and injured Land Storm, a man who was rather successful in UBL up to that point, having advanced considerably in the Field Leader Title Tournament. But Jang Bae struck him so hard with his "Running with Scissors" Axe Kick, that Land Storm was rendered unconscious.
In ordinary circumstances, Storm's allies would want revenge. But that is not what is happening here. Laser Sight, Storm's usual tag and battle partner, is stepping into the ring to try to disarm Jang Bae, not punish him. Jang and Thunder were close allies and friends until some mysterious events occurred in UBL related to Thunder's feud with Geese and Alicia's feud with Holly. The public still doesn't really know what happened other than that Jang was somehow put off by a certain event. He then left UBL to go to Kirin Dojo, where he met Joachim and Matthias. Jang soon fell under the spell of Destiny, despite vehemently denying that he's been brainwashed in any way. Thunder and Alicia have been trying to talk to Jang, to presumably 'de-program' him, but he has wanted no part in it. The only concessions Destiny has given is as follows: if a member of J.U.S.T.I.C.E defeats a member of Destiny in an official match, then Jang will have one sit-down meeting with Thunder and Alicia. So far, no one has been able to do it. Thunder and Marie Reyes will have the opportunity to do so later, and Laser Sight is about to give his best against Jang now.
Land Storm has also asked Laser Sight to not take any anger out on Jang for Land's injury. And, in Jang's defense, the knock-out did occur during the match with a perfectly legal move that does not have anywhere near a perfect knock out rate. Was Jang trying to injure Land Storm? That's impossible to say. although Jang and Destiny maintain that he was not. Right now Laser Sight is planning on focusing more on helping Thunder's attempt to bring Jang back, then focusing on making Jang pay for injuring Land Storm. The question is, can Sight make this happen?
Jang Bae has been a formidable opponent since joining UBL in the summer of 2008. In fact, he was one of the very first wrestlers to join Geese's UBL that had not already been part of the Drake's version. Jang's first victory was against Mr. Clyde of the Orochi Army. That is not just impressive, it seems borderline impossible given the things we saw both Clyde and Figaro do in later years. So when I say that Jang Bae is potentially one of the most dangerous wrestlers in the world, it is not hyperbole. If he has a new vicious side to add to his Tae Kwon Do mastery, then Laser Sight is in serious trouble. And based on the promotional materials given to me before the match, it appears that Jang's appeareance has changed since we saw him last year. It's not an improvement.
Laser Sight is still somewhat of a mystery to all of us. We know that he and Land Storm have been engaged in a number of military operations spanning years with Thunder Strike as a commanding officer. But it's rather ironic that knowing he was in 'secret military operations' give us more of a handle on this guy. We also know that Laser Sight has some type of high tech surveillance goggles. However, we don't know whether they allow him to see across long distances or allow him to steal people's PIN numbers from their wallers.
The bottom line is that we haven't yet gotten a sense of what Laser Sight is capable of in the pro wrestling ring. This is actually somewhat similar to Jang's challeng when he first joined UBL. He had difficulty adapting his traditional Tae Kwon Do abilities to professional wrestling. Laser Sight and Land Storm are trying to adjust their military style tactics to competition in the squared circle. That isn't always an easy thing to do, even with a veteran like Thunder Strike assisting in the transition. But the one thing that Laser Sight definitely has going for him is that he already has some experience against Jang from the tag match last year. Whether or not that will help him, or help Jang even more, remains to be seen. I suppose the thing that is worrrying me is what's truly going on with Jang Bae right now. This entire Destiny lifestyle has a disturbing effect on people. That Matthias seems to be a close confidante of Matthias makes me even more concerned.
But the time for talk is over as both men have come out to the ring. As I indicated, Jang Bae...he really needs to re-evaluate things. I don't like that look on him, or anyone. Yeesh. Someone get this man a hose and a tetanus shot. He either hasn't bathed in months or is bathing with knives. I hope Laser Sight's headgear can detect and neutralize staph infections."
"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TXObx32gAA"]
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[John:] "I didn't like that look on Jang but I really don't like this look on Laser Sight. For the second match in a row, Jang Bae has dominated and knocked out his opponent. That was one of the most vicious kicks I have ever seen in professional wrestling. Jang Bae has practically become the silent assassin for Destiny."
Laser Sight (X) ["Running with Scissors" CRITICAL! - 7:21 ] (O) Jang Bae
*Marie Reyes, Thunder Strike, and Land Storm run to ringside and come to the aid of Laser Sight. Jang Bae rolls out of the other side of the ring when he sees them coming. Gauntlet Security immediately converges around the ring and gets in between those inside of it and Jang, allowing him to leave without any further confrontation. A medical team is allowed to pass them and get into the ring to attend to Laser Sight. Thunder Strike is livid and has to be held back by everyone else from leaving the ring to chase down and confront Jang.*
[John:] "Folks, we're gonna give Laser Sight some privacy as he's helped out of the arena. And I think we need a change of tone right about now, so let's go to a pre-recorded message featuring a voice that many of you have not heard for awhile."
*The camera fades quickly backstage where we see long time LAWL commentator Dottie Comms with a microphone and an excited smile.*
[Dottie:] "Hi everyone! Wow, it's sure been a while since I've been broadcast worldwide! Speaking of world wide, Willa Webb sends her warm regards!
Now, I'm here tonight to report on a major news story regarding one of LAWL's most cherished roster members. As LAWL is partially, well mostly funded by Destiny, Miss Moreno thought it would be appropriate to discuss this so that we can get as much support as we need for our cause.
Recently, on a tour of Japan, one of Las Potatodoras was assaulted, but not buttered, *Dottie looks ashamed*...sorry, inappropriate. La Patata Espacial, better known as Purple Space Potato by those who don't speak EspanoLAWLa, was abducted by an unknown party and for unknown reasons. Sadly, it seems as if the latter question may have finally been answered.
We were made aware of this disturbing story a few weeks ago. Needless to say, high ranking members of Destiny have been in emergency meeting with this "McDonalds"...no, I never heard of it, must have just sprung up over night... to discuss hostage negotiations.
We implore all Japanese citizens, and tourists, who enjoy 'partially gelatinated non-dairy gum-based beverages' to NOT drink one of the most entertaining members of our roster!! Oh, this is "Orange Juliagate" all over again...though she was less entertaining. But that's not a reason to eat or drink wrestlers. LAWL reminds everyone that good nutrition is at the top of our mission statements but Soylent purple is people!! Thank you and now back to Destiny Drive!
*The camera returns to the arena where we see an empty ring. "Knights Come Marching Home Again" plays on the speakers to a HUGE ovation as Thunder Strike and Marie Reyes march right back onto the stage and to the ring with a sense of urgency.*
[John:] "Both of them are all business after what happened to Laser Sight. And while that's always expected of Thunder Strike anyway, a man who can only produce a cough when he attempts to smile, this is a major departure for Marie Reyes who usually happily acknowledges her fans. It's still unclear whether or not Marie Reyes is actually a formal part of J.U.S.T.I.C.E but she is following Thunder Strike's lead as she knows what's at stake here. Like I said before, if they win this match, or any match against Destiny, they get the opportunity to have a sit down meeting with their 'turned' friend, Jang Bae. And given how dangerous Jang has clearly gotten, I think they should now see this as a mission to protect others in addition to saving Jang."
Marie Reyes is here because Jang was her Tae Kwon Do sabonim, much as he was Alicia's. And since I brought up Alicia, I'd like to briefly note that she is the only member of J.U.S.T.I.C.E. to be banned from showing up here tonight due to the hatred that she has for Ruby Moreno, and due to Ruby's fear of her. So if Marie and Thunder do win tonight, the sit down meeting won't take place after the show since Alicia demanded that she be there for it. But that does not reduce their sense of urgency at all, especially after the previous match. That explains why Marie is even here. She has had her hands full in LAWL trying to guide her volatile sister to a point of stability while also worrying about the rest of the competition there. But she has put all of that aside to train for the last few months for this match, in the hopes that she and Thunder could finally talk to Jang.
Now Ruby and Marie have had a storied rivalry in LAWL. They have traded the OMG Title back and forth, and put on some of the best matches in that promotion's history. Marie has been forced to work with Ruby for the last few years due to Destiny fronting money to LAWL to keep it alive. But there's absolutely no love lost between Ruby and Marie, or with Ruby and the entire Reyes family. The LAWL-Destiny arrangement has been a partnership of convenience to Gloria, Marie's older sister. But to Marie, it's been a deal with the devil. And she's not only hoping to defeat Ruby tonight for Jang's sake, but you have to believe she wishes to send a message to Ruby for the entire LAWL locker room based on the way Ruby has used LAWL to help Destiny prosper.
As for Thunder Strike, this man is a walking weapon. He is one of very few men to defeat Orochi Geese on multiple occasions, and one of fewer to hold multiple Tag Championships with him. Thunder Strike is also a multiple time Universal Champion. However, despite an almost twenty year career, he has not stepped into the ring in an official match in a long time. Choosing instead to deal with Destiny from a military perspective, he's been scouting them rather than wrestling their members. You have to figure there is some degree of professional wrestling ring rust no matter what type of combat preparation and training he has been undergoing. Whether he is willing to acknowledge this or not, tonight he's up against at least one prodigy in the ring. Ruby Moreno is one of the absolute best wrestlers in the world, male or female. It's rare that Thunder Strike is up against a legitimate challenge but I think he and Marie have to be wary here. After all, if Ruby Moreno has actually offered to let them talk to Jang if they are victorious here, you have to figure that she has something up her three-quarter arm sleeve. Hopefully that something isn't the same fate that Laser Strike received when this 'Jang Bae' challenge was extended to him."
*"Dies Irae' plays on the speakers as Ruby Moreno comes out carrying a microphone to a mixture of cheers and boos: divided evenly based on the comped Destiny and paying fan section of the audience.*
[John:] "Ruby has come out alone, no doubt building suspense as to who her mystery partner will be for tonight. She's relishing the attention almost as much as the murderous look in Thunder Strike's eyes. To add insult to injury, she even poses seductively and blows a kiss to Thunder Strike. Marie actually has to hold him back from attacking prematurely. Judging by the expressions of some of the fans, they didn't seem to 'hold back' from avoiding premature activity after her hypersexualized pose. Ugh, LAWL branded moist towLAWLettes, anyone?"
The camera centers on Ruby sporting a look of decadence on her face.*
[Ruby:] "Well, what a pleasure that you two could make my soiree tonight. *Ruby laughs jubilantly*. Now, I'd hate to keep what passes for a lady in the Reyes family...and a war criminal... waiting, so I'll introduce my surprise partner for the night without further delay.
Hailing from Parts Unknown, to you, and wearing a mask of pure anonymity... The Summit!!"
*A huge masked man walks onto the stage and Ruby's smile grows wider. They walk to the ring as Thunder Strike sizes up the Summit.*[/color]
[John:] "Well, I guess by design I have no idea who the Summit is. I can confirm he is large and appears human. And that's all I can put together about him now as this match is starting immediately! Looks like Ruby wants the element of surprise here to cut off Thunder's strategy."
"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dUscGifFDCY&feature=youtu.be"]
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[John:] "What a debut!! It appears that Ruby has taken a training role in the Summit's development as that counter Cutter style move is right out of her play book. But he performed it with a focus on power and anger, a bit of a tweak from her emphasis on speed and technique. It certainly got the job done though as Marie Reyes is unconscious and Ruby is quite pleased. This is the second friend of Thunder Strike to get knocked out tonight by a member of Destiny."
Thunder Strike/Marie Reyes (X) ["Cutter" - 26:19 ] (O) Summit/Ruby Moreno
*Thunder Strike treads carefully, looking to tend to Marie but also keenly aware of the 1 on 2 situation due to the Summit and Ruby remaining in the ring. The Summit begins to advance on him but Ruby holds him back once she hears a disturbance in the crowd. A blonde woman, wearing camouflage gear and a scowl, jumps the audience divider.*
[John:] "Oh sh*t! It's Alicia Gordon!! So much for the ban!"
*Ruby quickly escapes the ring. The Summit leaves more slowly, making sure to gesture at his dominance over Marie and Thunder. Ruby tries to drag him out of the ring quickly, but Alicia spots her arm peaking out from the floor through the bottom and middle rope. She smiles with a look of pure malice and launches a roundhouse kick at it. An audible snap is heard throughout the arena, sickening a few of the fans, signaling that Alicia Gordon has just broken Ruby Moreno's wrist. Ruby's face immediately goes pale and she collapses in pain. The Summit bails out and guards Ruby from further attacks. The audience is chanting: "A-li-cia" at the enraged Gordon. Gauntlet Security has come out but appear tentative as both Alicia and Thunder Strike appear ready to take on an entire army by themselves.*
[John:] "After watching Laser Sight and Marie Reyes both get knocked out tonight, Alicia is unhinged. I wouldn't suggest Gauntlet Security even get close to her. Either Thunder calms her down, or she mows through everyone here. I know Ruby has banned Alicia from all OG-Joshi and LAWL events, and she certainly wasn't invited here tonight. But with her close friends competing, it was foolish to think she wouldn't be here or respond to her friends in danger. You know, this seems kind of a strange thing to say, but I'd almost venture that Alicia Gordon is the most dangerous member of this J.U.S.T.I.C.E. group given the way we've seen her when volatile."
Thunder recognizes Alicia's mood and starts to calm her down so that they can focus on Marie. But Alicia has a look in her eyes that appears untamable. Finally, Marie stirs a little and that gets Alicia's attention and spurs her better nature. She and Thunder help Marie out of the ring and they escape through the crowd, leaving the arena."
[John:]"Well, we're going to take another commercial break here as order is restored. I don't think I can get that 'snap' out of my head, and I'm sure it will be a long time until Ruby Moreno does as well. You'd think Gauntlet Security, of all groups, could protect a wrist..."
*Commercials for Japan's Purple Potato shake air in what can only be described as an 'ironic nightmare' in corporate synergy.*
[John:]"Something tells me that Ruby's lawyers are going to hit a massive payday after tonight. Well it's time for our main event and there's no shortage of security here given what has just happened. I think it's safe to say that J.U.S.T.I.C.E. has left the building. But given the stipulations of tonight's Title match, Destiny is not opening Joachim up for any unexpected risks.
And that is because Joachim is defending his UBL NEXUS Championship in an open challenge tonight. The rule here, as Ruby told it, is that whatever wrestler in the back makes it to the entrance ramp first is the one who will challenge Joachim for his Title. But given the amount of wrestler alliances, Ruby was extra careful to ensure that no one from the audience could get a free hit on Joachim, giving their ally an advantage against him. Until the challenger is chosen and has walked to the ring, Gauntlet will be protecting Joachim. Speaking of which..."
"Testament of NESTS 2002" plays on the speakers as Joachim walks slowly down to the ring. He is flanked by Matthias, Jang Bae, and five members of Gauntlet Security. Joachim looks out at the crowd and the fans who are still unclear as to what to think of him. He nods respectfully and those who nod back are met with a smile and gesture of respect from him. Those who do not nod back, or who scream obscenities at him, are threatened by Matthias until they basically sh*t their pants. Gauntlet Security is actually trying to calm Matthias down as he's destabilizing their operation but he does not seem to care, and continues screaming at hostile fans.*
[John:] "Well, the Champion certainly looks ready, and why wouldn't he? We're talking about a man who has been the dominant force in UBL for the last year. Joachim turned UBL on it's head at Battle Formation this past December when he soundly defeated our long time Champion, Matt Rivers, for the NEXUS Championship. He didn't stop there, though. In Trial Series matches, he went on to defeat top veterans like the Marauder and Naja Mask as well as up and coming rookies like NorthStarLion and Yoshiro. Beyond UBL, Joachim has had two unrivaled years in pro wrestling, winning prestigious Championships around the world like the King of Kirin Title.
Regardless of Destiny and a host of questions we may have about Joachim's motivations, there is one thing that no one can take away from him. He's been a fighting Champion, arguably the most prolific fighting Champion that UBL has ever had for any of our Titles. And tonight he takes on a huge challenge by inviting everyone in UBL to take that title from him. Due to the unique stipulation, we're going to activate one of our cameras backstage to get an idea of what's going on there in addition to the one we have here in the main section of the arena. Let's take a look."
*Backstage camera: There's no delay in the action here as Gauntlet Security is holding back a number of wrestlers from getting to the entrance ramp.*
[John:] "I've heard numerous explanations for the 'Gauntlet' name but this is the most logical one. UBL competitors literally have to run a gauntlet to actually get to the prodigal son of Destiny. I know that this is what Ruby wanted, to ensure that all wrestlers are sufficiently drained before facing Joachim. But I don't think Joachim is even aware of this, nor would he support it. He's currently meditating in the ring, as Jang Bae and Matthias appear to be praying next to him."
*We see the Marauder and JET Hamada throwing some Gauntlet Security guards around but more converge on them, leading an opening which Bones tries to capitalize on. He knocks out a few security guards before he is pounced on by five more. James Ward is out again, despite his loss, and is brawling with as many people as he can.*
[John:] "I doubt he cares that the Title is even on the line. He's just drawn towards violence."
*Ward is pepper sprayed, to little effect other than laughter, but then knocked on his ass by the director of Gauntlet Security. Franklin Dyne has come out to lead the 'crowd control' of fifty Gauntlet Security members against the UBL wrestlers.*
[John:] "This is ridiculous. How are they going to even get through this wall of Security? I see Scott Kramer and NorthStarLion trying to take out individual guards with takedowns but they are leaving themselves open to the strikes of other guards. You need a different strategy to brawl against greater numbers than to win matches. And here's Charles Langford and Jasper Woodruff, to the applause of the crowd, oddly enough, trying to break through wth some of their drunk poker buddies. Jasper is a big guy, I could see him breaking through this. He supposedly used to work in gold mines, after all. But no, even they are met with resistance by the Gauntlet force. Langford has already 'folded' and gotten the hell out of there. That's probably a wise choice.
This is a mockery of UBL and the NEXUS Title, folks. And I would be shocked if Joachim knew this was going on right now. So many worthy competitors but no one can break through to challenge him.
*Arena camera: Joachim is still meditating but Matthias and Jang Bae are beginning to look impatient.*
[John:] "See, I'm telling you, they aren't behind this. This is definitely Ruby and Gauntlet's work. Oh shi-"
*A very, very loud noise has just blasted through the backstage area. *
[John:] "That sounded like an explosion! What is going on back there!?"
*Backstage camera: We see Thunder Strike and Alicia Gordon wearing covert ops gear with masks. They are using high frequency sound emitters causing everyone else to fall down on their knees holding their ears. They are making sure to only blow them directly at Gauntlet Security but some of the UBL wrestlers are also suffering as collateral damage. Thunder reaches into a bag and starts handing out masks to some of his allies, like the Marauder. Alicia begins rabidly attacking the vulnerable Gauntlet Security members with stiff, bone-breaking strikes in between sound blasts.*
[John:] "Ahh...that hurts. I gotta lower my earpiece volume. Geez. You know, people think J.U.S.T.I.C.E. is just 'playing around' with that declaration of war stuff. But they have met Gauntlet head on with military grade hardware here. And everyone is down in the back absolutely shocked by what happened."
*John's opens his eyes wide in recognition of a new thought.*
[John:] "Wait...does this mean... Is...is Thunder Strike going to take the Title shot? Even after going through that tag match before, we're still talking about one of the most dominant Champions ever to wrestle in UBL, one of it's legends. This would be huge!"
*Backstage camera: Thunder Strike has carved out a clear path to the stage from the backstage hallway. He looks at Alicia and boldly gestures her toward it's direction.*
[John:] "Holy sh*t...is Alicia Gordon going to challenge Joachim? Talk about insult to injury for Ruby Moreno. And Alicia...she's held her own against Orochi Geese in his prime. She's a warrior. She could do this! She could be our next Champion!"
*Alicia looks out at the ramp for a second, seemingly considering her option. She takes a few steps forward but then stops short of the divider line. Thunder walks over to her and she looks at him, shaking her head no but displaying a rare smile. Thunder nods and then takes out a communication device."
[Thunder:] "Plan B - send him in."
*Sixty grueling seconds later, a man confidently walks through the sea of bodies, past Thunder Strike and Alicia Gordon, and to the entrance ramp to earn his Title shot."
ENTRANCE VIDEO - WHO HAS EMERGED AS THE NEXUS CHALLENGER!?
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[John:] "It's Matt Rivers!! The former NEXUS Champion has made his return to the ring, and to the public eye, since disappearing the night of Battle Formation! And what a way to re-enter the ring! The fans are on their feet for him and the look in his eyes all of us that he means business."
Joachim, meanwhile, is still meditating. I think he was thrown by Matt's new entrance music as he does not recognize who his opponent is. But Matthias whispers to him and Joachim's eyes immediately open. To his credit, Joachim looks pleased at who his opponent is. He did, after all, offer Matt a rematch once Matt returned so I don't think this is a situation Joachim didn't plan for or desire. In fact, he is now ordering Gauntlet Security out of the ring since Matt has made his way to the ring.
*The Gauntlet Security members appear to be listening toe their earpieces and are not leaving the ring. Joachim is orering them out but they are arguing with him."
[John:] "However, it appears that the Gauntlet members in the ring have heard what happened to their cronies backstage. They are approaching Matt Rivers in an intimidating manner. Joachim gets in front of them and tells them to leave, but they aren't standing down. They are trying to push Joachim out of the way so they can get to Matt and punish him for what Thunder and Alicia did! We've got some dissension here, folks!! No wait...we have five Gauntlet members absolutely eviscerated by Matthias and Jang Bae. I don't even know what to make of this! J.U.S.T.I.C.E. took out Gauntlet, now Destiny has taken out Gauntlet. Maybe Purple Space Potato will become un-imbibed and take Gauntlet out next!
Matt nods at Joachim, showing appreciation for the gesture. Joachim holds out his hand, and Matt shakes it. The two clearly have mutual respect after the excellent match they put on last year. And now, to the absolute delight of the fans and myself, we're getting a rematch. Folks, we're about to find out once again why this is a golden age for the NEXUS Championship."
Universal Battle League NEXUS Championship
"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5GCCmgvMqA"]
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[John:] "New Champion!! Matt Rivers has regained his NEXUS Title to become a two time, two time Champion!! And he did so with the same level of decisive victory as Joachim earned over him. This is a new and improved Matt Rivers and a very impressive one at that. He showed more resilience and more killer instinct, along with a strategy that Joachim seemed thrown by. Make no mistake, Joachim certainly got his licks in here,. You can't deny that you held your breath during that last 'Destiny Driver,' given how it was the move that defeated Matt at Battle Formation. But the determination in his eyes that Matt displayed as he walked down the ramp held up."
Matt Rivers (O) ["FLOWseline" - 18:43 ] (X) Joachim
[John:] "And folks, UBL is once again ... UBL. Our Champion is one of our own: A man who does not seek to destroy us, or hold us for some type of ransom. For all the sportsmanship and competitive nature that Joachim showed and added to that NEXUS Title, he has been under the thumb of Ruby Moreno this whole time: a woman who outwardly plots our destruction due to her twisted revenge scheme against the Orochi Army.
But tonight, that plan of hers has been dealt a series of damaging blows. If Joachim no longer holds our Title, she no longer holds any power over us at all. Destiny no longer has any leverage over UBL and we are better for it. We are free once again. No offense to Joachim, a man who I have developed a lot of respect for, but until he plays for a new team, I can't ever truly root for him.
And I think we've been waiting months to say this with renewed confidence: The narrative of Matt Rivers is not false. In 2011 he preserved our spirit against Jinchuu and tonight he did something just as important. Tonight he evolved to critically weaken Destiny and earn our independence back. Of course, I'd be remiss to ignore the contributions of J.U.S.T.I.C.E. in getting Matt here, as uncomfortably violent as they may have been. But were it not for their efforts, and willingness to step aside for Matt to take the match, who knows how this night would have turned out. They are owed a debt of gratitude, though I suspect some in the back may disagree.
Now the questions are..,will Matt Rivers do what we all want him to and face Corey O'Brian to unify the NEXUS Title with the UBL Heavyweight Championship? And where does that leave Joachim? No shortage of questions after tonight but folks...our Champion is back. UBL has truly returned. And things feel a lot more like Spring than Autumn right now, as a result. Don't just ask me though..."
*The camera pans the audience as they are ecstatically cheering for Matt. He holds the NEXUS Championship above him high and points to all his fans, mouthing 'this is for you'. *
[John:] "Well folks, this night certainly went differently than Destiny thought. Destiny 'Drive' just turned into Destiny 'Reverse.' UBL will keep moving forward though, and will see you at Basic Training next month. I hear we have a few Live shows to look forward to as well, if you're in London. For now, let's enjoy the moment as Matt is doing right now, he certainly earned it. Good night, folks, you can sleep soundly once again. Unless there's a Goose under your bed."
*The camera opens to the LAWLitorium re-decorated in the customary black, white, and gold colors of Destiny. After a brief panning of the crowd, the focus settles on UBL commentator, John Randolph.*
[John:] "Hello fans and welcome to Destiny Drive, a show put on mainly by the Destiny organization but also featuring stars from the Universal Battle League. We have four big matches tonight including a UBL sanctioned defense of it's NEXUS Championship by Joachim, a Destiny member. There is a buzz in this arena given the stakes of this show and the fans all seem to be on edge. Speaking of the fans..."
*The focus scans the crowd where we see a variety of different fans representing different camps and ideologies.*
[John:] "It's rare to see a pro wrestling event with as much diversity of fan opinion as the one we have tonight. Naturally, there is a large Destiny fanbase here. I may add that they have not had to pay for attendance to this event, unlike everyone else. But even that is made up of it's own different contingents ranging from pious looking men in robes to throngs of Gauntlet Security crawling throughout the arena. There is also a large UBL fanbase, itself divided amongst mostly ordinary fans wearing shirts of their favorite wrestler or UBL branded merchandise. I see a lot of 'WTF is UBBLE' shirts, more J.U.S.T.I.C.E. shirts than usual, and a ton of misguided 'Pot BeLAWLy Ferguson' ones. Really? I know this is the land of LAWL...but really? What's next? 'Chester WiLAWLoughby' frisbees-"
*John gets hit in the head with one, then sighs in disgusts.*
[John:] "Speaking of confused LAWL fans, there are many here tonight who seem utterly lost about the fact that this event is not for their favorite promotion. Yes, this is the LAWLitorium, but the usual Friday night LAWL show was moved to Saturday this week. A few OG-Joshi fans are sprinkled throughout the arena as well, looking somewhat sullen. In their defense, it is true that Ruby Moreno has not delivered on her promise to feature OG-Joshi as much as she said she would when she purchased it from Orochi Geese. These fans are also none too happy that an entire show is being dedicated to Destiny, which is not even a wrestling promotion, rather than OG-Joshi.
Jean Carter has been getting fan mail all year asking her to do something about this but, folks, her hands are tied. She doesn't work for OG-Joshi anymore. It's not her fault what is going on here. She kept OG-Joshi going strong so that it could be sold in a meaningful exchange. There's really no surrpise that Ruby has taken revenge on Jean, Holly, and Geese by intentionally burying OG-Joshi. And yeah, feel free to throw me off the air for that one, Ruby."
*John waits but no armed guards escort him away.*
[John:] "Speaking of being intimidated for having journalistic integrity, our first match tonight features an old commentator partner of mine. For some reason, Destiny has invited James Ward back to the world of professional wrestling. He helped wage one of the most destructive, and obnoxious, wars on UBL, and good taste, as part of the Jinchuu faction in 2011. And tonight he'll be facing his former Jinchuu comrade, Jason Hyde.
Now, apart from his membership in Jinchuu, i've always been a fan of Jason. And other than two incidents, Jason managed to stay seperate from the majority of Jinchuu violence. So I say this with a clear conscience: I hope Jason Hyde wins this. I hope Jason Hyde humiliates James Ward. I hope we never see James Ward again. I hope he hears this, tries to attack me, and gets carried off by the uncompromising Gauntlet Security and thrown in a hole somewhere. If you were around in UBL in 2011, then you'd know I'm being generous and restraining the full extent of my emotions.
However, one thing I can't deny is that Ward is a force in the ring. He's incredibly strong and even more violent. You'll never see him doing anything particularly innovative, but he often is able to get the job done. He also has a lot of experience, having debuted in UBL as "The Centurion" in the mid 1990's. He may still be somewhat 'new' to us as James Ward, but he's one of the most experienced wrestlers on this show tonight. And he knows how to get inside his opponent's head.
The thing that I would like to know is what exactly is Ward trying to do here? Does he want to punish Jason Hyde for deserting Jinchuu before they were officially disbanded by Kyle Walker? Months before Kyle finally made peace with Orochi Geese, Kyle and the rest of Jinchuu held a despicable fake funeral for him. However, despite coming out with them to the ring, Jason Hyde actually publicly rebuked Jinchuu and left. While that was not the worst thing to happen to Jinchuu that night, as Geese returned with friends to immediately turn the tide, it certainly could have stuck in Ward's craw. The reason for that is because Kyle's intentions were not actually the only motivation that Ward had. He and a former UBL wrestler named COSMIC K*I*D were riding Walker's wave of violence to destabilize UBL so that Geese would decide to sell it to K*I*D, who wanted revenge on Drake Yoshida. This match may give Ward the opportunity to punish Hyde for not sticking around.
As for Jason, he has recently returned to the UBL but we still do not know exactly why or how he feels about the Jinchuu era. He's managed to keep his nose clean though while putting on some great matches with UBL fan favorites. I get the sense that many people want to cheer for him but are still tentative, having been stabbed in the back by his role in Jinchuu. But the Jason we've seen since he returned at Silent Knight is the Jason we saw for much of his UBL tenure: understated, noble, and poised. He nearly defeated Joachim during a Trial Series match and that effort vaulted him up the rankings in Arthur Wingate and Drake Yoshida's estimation.
Jason has not wrestled for as long as James has but he is wise beyond his own years. Jason Hyde has been a UBL main eventer since 2008. We're talking about a man here who defeated, amongst others, Orochi Geese and Jack Dod in the Universal Championship League of 2007. We're talking about a man who, along with Kyle Walker and Johnny Bingo, defeated the absolutely dominant Dod Squod in the Battalion Finale of 2008. We're talking about a man who broke Thunder Strike's leg legitimately in a match, winning the Battalion Tag Titles for him and Kyle. Despite his success with Jinchuu, my guess is that Jason wants to further distance himself from it by beating James here even more so than James wants to punish Jason for deserting Jinchuu.
They'll both have the chance now, as the darkest era in UBL history is once again revisited. Jason Hyde vs. James Ward...I hope that poor Jinchuu Goose is watching Jason take it to Ward."
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[John:] "Don't let the relative short match fool you, this was not one-sided. I think the entire arena held it's breath after James Ward managed to land that brutal avalanche sit-out powerbomb, countering whatever Jason was attempting. How Jason had the energy and resolve to kick out of that is truthfully amazing to me. What was even more amazing though was that it seemed to spur Jason on. James was pretty quiet from that point forward, although the super kick to his mouth probably helped that along. Don't feel bad, he already did a lifetime of trash talking in the commentary booth.
Jason took this match but it wasn't a walk in the park. However, he won without getting violent in any way and seemed to just treat James as any other competitor. That tells me that Jason is trying very hard to put Jinchuu behind him. And I think just about everyone is happy to see that."
Jason Hyde (O) [Schwein - 13:24 ] (X) James Ward
[John:] "James Ward slithers away from the ring. I think that final onslaught by Jason made any post match attacks especially unadvisable, and impossible, for James. If we have truly seen the last of him, I'd like to know now so that I can also buy lottery tickets. Good riddance, Ward. Don't let the door hit you on the way out. You don't have to go home...but get out of our sight."
*John takes a moment to recollect his composure.*
[John:] "We turn now to a difficult situation. At last year's Destiny Drive, Jang Bae wrestled his first match as an official convert of Destiny. He teamed with Matthias to face Team "Laser Storm", a team that make up the "J.U.S.T.I.C.E." faction with Thunder Strike and Alicia Gordon. In this match, Jang Bae knocked out and injured Land Storm, a man who was rather successful in UBL up to that point, having advanced considerably in the Field Leader Title Tournament. But Jang Bae struck him so hard with his "Running with Scissors" Axe Kick, that Land Storm was rendered unconscious.
In ordinary circumstances, Storm's allies would want revenge. But that is not what is happening here. Laser Sight, Storm's usual tag and battle partner, is stepping into the ring to try to disarm Jang Bae, not punish him. Jang and Thunder were close allies and friends until some mysterious events occurred in UBL related to Thunder's feud with Geese and Alicia's feud with Holly. The public still doesn't really know what happened other than that Jang was somehow put off by a certain event. He then left UBL to go to Kirin Dojo, where he met Joachim and Matthias. Jang soon fell under the spell of Destiny, despite vehemently denying that he's been brainwashed in any way. Thunder and Alicia have been trying to talk to Jang, to presumably 'de-program' him, but he has wanted no part in it. The only concessions Destiny has given is as follows: if a member of J.U.S.T.I.C.E defeats a member of Destiny in an official match, then Jang will have one sit-down meeting with Thunder and Alicia. So far, no one has been able to do it. Thunder and Marie Reyes will have the opportunity to do so later, and Laser Sight is about to give his best against Jang now.
Land Storm has also asked Laser Sight to not take any anger out on Jang for Land's injury. And, in Jang's defense, the knock-out did occur during the match with a perfectly legal move that does not have anywhere near a perfect knock out rate. Was Jang trying to injure Land Storm? That's impossible to say. although Jang and Destiny maintain that he was not. Right now Laser Sight is planning on focusing more on helping Thunder's attempt to bring Jang back, then focusing on making Jang pay for injuring Land Storm. The question is, can Sight make this happen?
Jang Bae has been a formidable opponent since joining UBL in the summer of 2008. In fact, he was one of the very first wrestlers to join Geese's UBL that had not already been part of the Drake's version. Jang's first victory was against Mr. Clyde of the Orochi Army. That is not just impressive, it seems borderline impossible given the things we saw both Clyde and Figaro do in later years. So when I say that Jang Bae is potentially one of the most dangerous wrestlers in the world, it is not hyperbole. If he has a new vicious side to add to his Tae Kwon Do mastery, then Laser Sight is in serious trouble. And based on the promotional materials given to me before the match, it appears that Jang's appeareance has changed since we saw him last year. It's not an improvement.
Laser Sight is still somewhat of a mystery to all of us. We know that he and Land Storm have been engaged in a number of military operations spanning years with Thunder Strike as a commanding officer. But it's rather ironic that knowing he was in 'secret military operations' give us more of a handle on this guy. We also know that Laser Sight has some type of high tech surveillance goggles. However, we don't know whether they allow him to see across long distances or allow him to steal people's PIN numbers from their wallers.
The bottom line is that we haven't yet gotten a sense of what Laser Sight is capable of in the pro wrestling ring. This is actually somewhat similar to Jang's challeng when he first joined UBL. He had difficulty adapting his traditional Tae Kwon Do abilities to professional wrestling. Laser Sight and Land Storm are trying to adjust their military style tactics to competition in the squared circle. That isn't always an easy thing to do, even with a veteran like Thunder Strike assisting in the transition. But the one thing that Laser Sight definitely has going for him is that he already has some experience against Jang from the tag match last year. Whether or not that will help him, or help Jang even more, remains to be seen. I suppose the thing that is worrrying me is what's truly going on with Jang Bae right now. This entire Destiny lifestyle has a disturbing effect on people. That Matthias seems to be a close confidante of Matthias makes me even more concerned.
But the time for talk is over as both men have come out to the ring. As I indicated, Jang Bae...he really needs to re-evaluate things. I don't like that look on him, or anyone. Yeesh. Someone get this man a hose and a tetanus shot. He either hasn't bathed in months or is bathing with knives. I hope Laser Sight's headgear can detect and neutralize staph infections."
"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TXObx32gAA"]
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[John:] "I didn't like that look on Jang but I really don't like this look on Laser Sight. For the second match in a row, Jang Bae has dominated and knocked out his opponent. That was one of the most vicious kicks I have ever seen in professional wrestling. Jang Bae has practically become the silent assassin for Destiny."
Laser Sight (X) ["Running with Scissors" CRITICAL! - 7:21 ] (O) Jang Bae
*Marie Reyes, Thunder Strike, and Land Storm run to ringside and come to the aid of Laser Sight. Jang Bae rolls out of the other side of the ring when he sees them coming. Gauntlet Security immediately converges around the ring and gets in between those inside of it and Jang, allowing him to leave without any further confrontation. A medical team is allowed to pass them and get into the ring to attend to Laser Sight. Thunder Strike is livid and has to be held back by everyone else from leaving the ring to chase down and confront Jang.*
[John:] "Folks, we're gonna give Laser Sight some privacy as he's helped out of the arena. And I think we need a change of tone right about now, so let's go to a pre-recorded message featuring a voice that many of you have not heard for awhile."
*The camera fades quickly backstage where we see long time LAWL commentator Dottie Comms with a microphone and an excited smile.*
[Dottie:] "Hi everyone! Wow, it's sure been a while since I've been broadcast worldwide! Speaking of world wide, Willa Webb sends her warm regards!
Now, I'm here tonight to report on a major news story regarding one of LAWL's most cherished roster members. As LAWL is partially, well mostly funded by Destiny, Miss Moreno thought it would be appropriate to discuss this so that we can get as much support as we need for our cause.
Recently, on a tour of Japan, one of Las Potatodoras was assaulted, but not buttered, *Dottie looks ashamed*...sorry, inappropriate. La Patata Espacial, better known as Purple Space Potato by those who don't speak EspanoLAWLa, was abducted by an unknown party and for unknown reasons. Sadly, it seems as if the latter question may have finally been answered.
We were made aware of this disturbing story a few weeks ago. Needless to say, high ranking members of Destiny have been in emergency meeting with this "McDonalds"...no, I never heard of it, must have just sprung up over night... to discuss hostage negotiations.
We implore all Japanese citizens, and tourists, who enjoy 'partially gelatinated non-dairy gum-based beverages' to NOT drink one of the most entertaining members of our roster!! Oh, this is "Orange Juliagate" all over again...though she was less entertaining. But that's not a reason to eat or drink wrestlers. LAWL reminds everyone that good nutrition is at the top of our mission statements but Soylent purple is people!! Thank you and now back to Destiny Drive!
*The camera returns to the arena where we see an empty ring. "Knights Come Marching Home Again" plays on the speakers to a HUGE ovation as Thunder Strike and Marie Reyes march right back onto the stage and to the ring with a sense of urgency.*
[John:] "Both of them are all business after what happened to Laser Sight. And while that's always expected of Thunder Strike anyway, a man who can only produce a cough when he attempts to smile, this is a major departure for Marie Reyes who usually happily acknowledges her fans. It's still unclear whether or not Marie Reyes is actually a formal part of J.U.S.T.I.C.E but she is following Thunder Strike's lead as she knows what's at stake here. Like I said before, if they win this match, or any match against Destiny, they get the opportunity to have a sit down meeting with their 'turned' friend, Jang Bae. And given how dangerous Jang has clearly gotten, I think they should now see this as a mission to protect others in addition to saving Jang."
Marie Reyes is here because Jang was her Tae Kwon Do sabonim, much as he was Alicia's. And since I brought up Alicia, I'd like to briefly note that she is the only member of J.U.S.T.I.C.E. to be banned from showing up here tonight due to the hatred that she has for Ruby Moreno, and due to Ruby's fear of her. So if Marie and Thunder do win tonight, the sit down meeting won't take place after the show since Alicia demanded that she be there for it. But that does not reduce their sense of urgency at all, especially after the previous match. That explains why Marie is even here. She has had her hands full in LAWL trying to guide her volatile sister to a point of stability while also worrying about the rest of the competition there. But she has put all of that aside to train for the last few months for this match, in the hopes that she and Thunder could finally talk to Jang.
Now Ruby and Marie have had a storied rivalry in LAWL. They have traded the OMG Title back and forth, and put on some of the best matches in that promotion's history. Marie has been forced to work with Ruby for the last few years due to Destiny fronting money to LAWL to keep it alive. But there's absolutely no love lost between Ruby and Marie, or with Ruby and the entire Reyes family. The LAWL-Destiny arrangement has been a partnership of convenience to Gloria, Marie's older sister. But to Marie, it's been a deal with the devil. And she's not only hoping to defeat Ruby tonight for Jang's sake, but you have to believe she wishes to send a message to Ruby for the entire LAWL locker room based on the way Ruby has used LAWL to help Destiny prosper.
As for Thunder Strike, this man is a walking weapon. He is one of very few men to defeat Orochi Geese on multiple occasions, and one of fewer to hold multiple Tag Championships with him. Thunder Strike is also a multiple time Universal Champion. However, despite an almost twenty year career, he has not stepped into the ring in an official match in a long time. Choosing instead to deal with Destiny from a military perspective, he's been scouting them rather than wrestling their members. You have to figure there is some degree of professional wrestling ring rust no matter what type of combat preparation and training he has been undergoing. Whether he is willing to acknowledge this or not, tonight he's up against at least one prodigy in the ring. Ruby Moreno is one of the absolute best wrestlers in the world, male or female. It's rare that Thunder Strike is up against a legitimate challenge but I think he and Marie have to be wary here. After all, if Ruby Moreno has actually offered to let them talk to Jang if they are victorious here, you have to figure that she has something up her three-quarter arm sleeve. Hopefully that something isn't the same fate that Laser Strike received when this 'Jang Bae' challenge was extended to him."
*"Dies Irae' plays on the speakers as Ruby Moreno comes out carrying a microphone to a mixture of cheers and boos: divided evenly based on the comped Destiny and paying fan section of the audience.*
[John:] "Ruby has come out alone, no doubt building suspense as to who her mystery partner will be for tonight. She's relishing the attention almost as much as the murderous look in Thunder Strike's eyes. To add insult to injury, she even poses seductively and blows a kiss to Thunder Strike. Marie actually has to hold him back from attacking prematurely. Judging by the expressions of some of the fans, they didn't seem to 'hold back' from avoiding premature activity after her hypersexualized pose. Ugh, LAWL branded moist towLAWLettes, anyone?"
The camera centers on Ruby sporting a look of decadence on her face.*
[Ruby:] "Well, what a pleasure that you two could make my soiree tonight. *Ruby laughs jubilantly*. Now, I'd hate to keep what passes for a lady in the Reyes family...and a war criminal... waiting, so I'll introduce my surprise partner for the night without further delay.
Hailing from Parts Unknown, to you, and wearing a mask of pure anonymity... The Summit!!"
*A huge masked man walks onto the stage and Ruby's smile grows wider. They walk to the ring as Thunder Strike sizes up the Summit.*[/color]
[John:] "Well, I guess by design I have no idea who the Summit is. I can confirm he is large and appears human. And that's all I can put together about him now as this match is starting immediately! Looks like Ruby wants the element of surprise here to cut off Thunder's strategy."
"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dUscGifFDCY&feature=youtu.be"]
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[John:] "What a debut!! It appears that Ruby has taken a training role in the Summit's development as that counter Cutter style move is right out of her play book. But he performed it with a focus on power and anger, a bit of a tweak from her emphasis on speed and technique. It certainly got the job done though as Marie Reyes is unconscious and Ruby is quite pleased. This is the second friend of Thunder Strike to get knocked out tonight by a member of Destiny."
Thunder Strike/Marie Reyes (X) ["Cutter" - 26:19 ] (O) Summit/Ruby Moreno
*Thunder Strike treads carefully, looking to tend to Marie but also keenly aware of the 1 on 2 situation due to the Summit and Ruby remaining in the ring. The Summit begins to advance on him but Ruby holds him back once she hears a disturbance in the crowd. A blonde woman, wearing camouflage gear and a scowl, jumps the audience divider.*
[John:] "Oh sh*t! It's Alicia Gordon!! So much for the ban!"
*Ruby quickly escapes the ring. The Summit leaves more slowly, making sure to gesture at his dominance over Marie and Thunder. Ruby tries to drag him out of the ring quickly, but Alicia spots her arm peaking out from the floor through the bottom and middle rope. She smiles with a look of pure malice and launches a roundhouse kick at it. An audible snap is heard throughout the arena, sickening a few of the fans, signaling that Alicia Gordon has just broken Ruby Moreno's wrist. Ruby's face immediately goes pale and she collapses in pain. The Summit bails out and guards Ruby from further attacks. The audience is chanting: "A-li-cia" at the enraged Gordon. Gauntlet Security has come out but appear tentative as both Alicia and Thunder Strike appear ready to take on an entire army by themselves.*
[John:] "After watching Laser Sight and Marie Reyes both get knocked out tonight, Alicia is unhinged. I wouldn't suggest Gauntlet Security even get close to her. Either Thunder calms her down, or she mows through everyone here. I know Ruby has banned Alicia from all OG-Joshi and LAWL events, and she certainly wasn't invited here tonight. But with her close friends competing, it was foolish to think she wouldn't be here or respond to her friends in danger. You know, this seems kind of a strange thing to say, but I'd almost venture that Alicia Gordon is the most dangerous member of this J.U.S.T.I.C.E. group given the way we've seen her when volatile."
Thunder recognizes Alicia's mood and starts to calm her down so that they can focus on Marie. But Alicia has a look in her eyes that appears untamable. Finally, Marie stirs a little and that gets Alicia's attention and spurs her better nature. She and Thunder help Marie out of the ring and they escape through the crowd, leaving the arena."
[John:]"Well, we're going to take another commercial break here as order is restored. I don't think I can get that 'snap' out of my head, and I'm sure it will be a long time until Ruby Moreno does as well. You'd think Gauntlet Security, of all groups, could protect a wrist..."
*Commercials for Japan's Purple Potato shake air in what can only be described as an 'ironic nightmare' in corporate synergy.*
[John:]"Something tells me that Ruby's lawyers are going to hit a massive payday after tonight. Well it's time for our main event and there's no shortage of security here given what has just happened. I think it's safe to say that J.U.S.T.I.C.E. has left the building. But given the stipulations of tonight's Title match, Destiny is not opening Joachim up for any unexpected risks.
And that is because Joachim is defending his UBL NEXUS Championship in an open challenge tonight. The rule here, as Ruby told it, is that whatever wrestler in the back makes it to the entrance ramp first is the one who will challenge Joachim for his Title. But given the amount of wrestler alliances, Ruby was extra careful to ensure that no one from the audience could get a free hit on Joachim, giving their ally an advantage against him. Until the challenger is chosen and has walked to the ring, Gauntlet will be protecting Joachim. Speaking of which..."
"Testament of NESTS 2002" plays on the speakers as Joachim walks slowly down to the ring. He is flanked by Matthias, Jang Bae, and five members of Gauntlet Security. Joachim looks out at the crowd and the fans who are still unclear as to what to think of him. He nods respectfully and those who nod back are met with a smile and gesture of respect from him. Those who do not nod back, or who scream obscenities at him, are threatened by Matthias until they basically sh*t their pants. Gauntlet Security is actually trying to calm Matthias down as he's destabilizing their operation but he does not seem to care, and continues screaming at hostile fans.*
[John:] "Well, the Champion certainly looks ready, and why wouldn't he? We're talking about a man who has been the dominant force in UBL for the last year. Joachim turned UBL on it's head at Battle Formation this past December when he soundly defeated our long time Champion, Matt Rivers, for the NEXUS Championship. He didn't stop there, though. In Trial Series matches, he went on to defeat top veterans like the Marauder and Naja Mask as well as up and coming rookies like NorthStarLion and Yoshiro. Beyond UBL, Joachim has had two unrivaled years in pro wrestling, winning prestigious Championships around the world like the King of Kirin Title.
Regardless of Destiny and a host of questions we may have about Joachim's motivations, there is one thing that no one can take away from him. He's been a fighting Champion, arguably the most prolific fighting Champion that UBL has ever had for any of our Titles. And tonight he takes on a huge challenge by inviting everyone in UBL to take that title from him. Due to the unique stipulation, we're going to activate one of our cameras backstage to get an idea of what's going on there in addition to the one we have here in the main section of the arena. Let's take a look."
*Backstage camera: There's no delay in the action here as Gauntlet Security is holding back a number of wrestlers from getting to the entrance ramp.*
[John:] "I've heard numerous explanations for the 'Gauntlet' name but this is the most logical one. UBL competitors literally have to run a gauntlet to actually get to the prodigal son of Destiny. I know that this is what Ruby wanted, to ensure that all wrestlers are sufficiently drained before facing Joachim. But I don't think Joachim is even aware of this, nor would he support it. He's currently meditating in the ring, as Jang Bae and Matthias appear to be praying next to him."
*We see the Marauder and JET Hamada throwing some Gauntlet Security guards around but more converge on them, leading an opening which Bones tries to capitalize on. He knocks out a few security guards before he is pounced on by five more. James Ward is out again, despite his loss, and is brawling with as many people as he can.*
[John:] "I doubt he cares that the Title is even on the line. He's just drawn towards violence."
*Ward is pepper sprayed, to little effect other than laughter, but then knocked on his ass by the director of Gauntlet Security. Franklin Dyne has come out to lead the 'crowd control' of fifty Gauntlet Security members against the UBL wrestlers.*
[John:] "This is ridiculous. How are they going to even get through this wall of Security? I see Scott Kramer and NorthStarLion trying to take out individual guards with takedowns but they are leaving themselves open to the strikes of other guards. You need a different strategy to brawl against greater numbers than to win matches. And here's Charles Langford and Jasper Woodruff, to the applause of the crowd, oddly enough, trying to break through wth some of their drunk poker buddies. Jasper is a big guy, I could see him breaking through this. He supposedly used to work in gold mines, after all. But no, even they are met with resistance by the Gauntlet force. Langford has already 'folded' and gotten the hell out of there. That's probably a wise choice.
This is a mockery of UBL and the NEXUS Title, folks. And I would be shocked if Joachim knew this was going on right now. So many worthy competitors but no one can break through to challenge him.
*Arena camera: Joachim is still meditating but Matthias and Jang Bae are beginning to look impatient.*
[John:] "See, I'm telling you, they aren't behind this. This is definitely Ruby and Gauntlet's work. Oh shi-"
*A very, very loud noise has just blasted through the backstage area. *
[John:] "That sounded like an explosion! What is going on back there!?"
*Backstage camera: We see Thunder Strike and Alicia Gordon wearing covert ops gear with masks. They are using high frequency sound emitters causing everyone else to fall down on their knees holding their ears. They are making sure to only blow them directly at Gauntlet Security but some of the UBL wrestlers are also suffering as collateral damage. Thunder reaches into a bag and starts handing out masks to some of his allies, like the Marauder. Alicia begins rabidly attacking the vulnerable Gauntlet Security members with stiff, bone-breaking strikes in between sound blasts.*
[John:] "Ahh...that hurts. I gotta lower my earpiece volume. Geez. You know, people think J.U.S.T.I.C.E. is just 'playing around' with that declaration of war stuff. But they have met Gauntlet head on with military grade hardware here. And everyone is down in the back absolutely shocked by what happened."
*John's opens his eyes wide in recognition of a new thought.*
[John:] "Wait...does this mean... Is...is Thunder Strike going to take the Title shot? Even after going through that tag match before, we're still talking about one of the most dominant Champions ever to wrestle in UBL, one of it's legends. This would be huge!"
*Backstage camera: Thunder Strike has carved out a clear path to the stage from the backstage hallway. He looks at Alicia and boldly gestures her toward it's direction.*
[John:] "Holy sh*t...is Alicia Gordon going to challenge Joachim? Talk about insult to injury for Ruby Moreno. And Alicia...she's held her own against Orochi Geese in his prime. She's a warrior. She could do this! She could be our next Champion!"
*Alicia looks out at the ramp for a second, seemingly considering her option. She takes a few steps forward but then stops short of the divider line. Thunder walks over to her and she looks at him, shaking her head no but displaying a rare smile. Thunder nods and then takes out a communication device."
[Thunder:] "Plan B - send him in."
*Sixty grueling seconds later, a man confidently walks through the sea of bodies, past Thunder Strike and Alicia Gordon, and to the entrance ramp to earn his Title shot."
ENTRANCE VIDEO - WHO HAS EMERGED AS THE NEXUS CHALLENGER!?
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[John:] "It's Matt Rivers!! The former NEXUS Champion has made his return to the ring, and to the public eye, since disappearing the night of Battle Formation! And what a way to re-enter the ring! The fans are on their feet for him and the look in his eyes all of us that he means business."
Joachim, meanwhile, is still meditating. I think he was thrown by Matt's new entrance music as he does not recognize who his opponent is. But Matthias whispers to him and Joachim's eyes immediately open. To his credit, Joachim looks pleased at who his opponent is. He did, after all, offer Matt a rematch once Matt returned so I don't think this is a situation Joachim didn't plan for or desire. In fact, he is now ordering Gauntlet Security out of the ring since Matt has made his way to the ring.
*The Gauntlet Security members appear to be listening toe their earpieces and are not leaving the ring. Joachim is orering them out but they are arguing with him."
[John:] "However, it appears that the Gauntlet members in the ring have heard what happened to their cronies backstage. They are approaching Matt Rivers in an intimidating manner. Joachim gets in front of them and tells them to leave, but they aren't standing down. They are trying to push Joachim out of the way so they can get to Matt and punish him for what Thunder and Alicia did! We've got some dissension here, folks!! No wait...we have five Gauntlet members absolutely eviscerated by Matthias and Jang Bae. I don't even know what to make of this! J.U.S.T.I.C.E. took out Gauntlet, now Destiny has taken out Gauntlet. Maybe Purple Space Potato will become un-imbibed and take Gauntlet out next!
Matt nods at Joachim, showing appreciation for the gesture. Joachim holds out his hand, and Matt shakes it. The two clearly have mutual respect after the excellent match they put on last year. And now, to the absolute delight of the fans and myself, we're getting a rematch. Folks, we're about to find out once again why this is a golden age for the NEXUS Championship."
Universal Battle League NEXUS Championship
"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5GCCmgvMqA"]
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[John:] "New Champion!! Matt Rivers has regained his NEXUS Title to become a two time, two time Champion!! And he did so with the same level of decisive victory as Joachim earned over him. This is a new and improved Matt Rivers and a very impressive one at that. He showed more resilience and more killer instinct, along with a strategy that Joachim seemed thrown by. Make no mistake, Joachim certainly got his licks in here,. You can't deny that you held your breath during that last 'Destiny Driver,' given how it was the move that defeated Matt at Battle Formation. But the determination in his eyes that Matt displayed as he walked down the ramp held up."
Matt Rivers (O) ["FLOWseline" - 18:43 ] (X) Joachim
[John:] "And folks, UBL is once again ... UBL. Our Champion is one of our own: A man who does not seek to destroy us, or hold us for some type of ransom. For all the sportsmanship and competitive nature that Joachim showed and added to that NEXUS Title, he has been under the thumb of Ruby Moreno this whole time: a woman who outwardly plots our destruction due to her twisted revenge scheme against the Orochi Army.
But tonight, that plan of hers has been dealt a series of damaging blows. If Joachim no longer holds our Title, she no longer holds any power over us at all. Destiny no longer has any leverage over UBL and we are better for it. We are free once again. No offense to Joachim, a man who I have developed a lot of respect for, but until he plays for a new team, I can't ever truly root for him.
And I think we've been waiting months to say this with renewed confidence: The narrative of Matt Rivers is not false. In 2011 he preserved our spirit against Jinchuu and tonight he did something just as important. Tonight he evolved to critically weaken Destiny and earn our independence back. Of course, I'd be remiss to ignore the contributions of J.U.S.T.I.C.E. in getting Matt here, as uncomfortably violent as they may have been. But were it not for their efforts, and willingness to step aside for Matt to take the match, who knows how this night would have turned out. They are owed a debt of gratitude, though I suspect some in the back may disagree.
Now the questions are..,will Matt Rivers do what we all want him to and face Corey O'Brian to unify the NEXUS Title with the UBL Heavyweight Championship? And where does that leave Joachim? No shortage of questions after tonight but folks...our Champion is back. UBL has truly returned. And things feel a lot more like Spring than Autumn right now, as a result. Don't just ask me though..."
*The camera pans the audience as they are ecstatically cheering for Matt. He holds the NEXUS Championship above him high and points to all his fans, mouthing 'this is for you'. *
[John:] "Well folks, this night certainly went differently than Destiny thought. Destiny 'Drive' just turned into Destiny 'Reverse.' UBL will keep moving forward though, and will see you at Basic Training next month. I hear we have a few Live shows to look forward to as well, if you're in London. For now, let's enjoy the moment as Matt is doing right now, he certainly earned it. Good night, folks, you can sleep soundly once again. Unless there's a Goose under your bed."