"Base 10" - February 11, 2017
Feb 9, 2017 0:02:58 GMT -5
Post by OrochiGeese on Feb 9, 2017 0:02:58 GMT -5
"Universal Base 10 Count" Tour
Show 1 - February 11, 2017
*Rather than fade into an arena, the broadcast feed for the first show of the "Universal Base 10 Count" Tour begins with a video in sepia tone. There is a watermark on the video that says "OG-Joshi Voltage: February 11, 2007". We see a slow motion reel of various scenes from that night. It starts with the protest of the former OG-FPD wrestlers, then goes to the candid footage of Orochi Geese explaining his selfish motives for their termination, and concludes with Thunder Strike (known affectionately as "Camo-man" back then) wreaking "technical difficulty" havoc on the show. The footage ends with the watermark again, this time accompanied by these words overlaid with a video editor - "The first sail of the Universal Voyage."
The footage then scrambles to black and the broadcast feed switches to that of a live arena.
Arthur Wingate, the owner of UBL, is standing next to a commentary desk with a microphone.*
[Arthur:] "Hello and welcome everyone to the first show of the Universal Base 10 Count Tour and the opening round of the Universal Battalion Championship Tournament. Our journey to the Base 10 show in June will take us around the United States and we begin in San Diego, California."
*The fans wildly applaud since hearing the name of their town is tantamount to high praise for them individually. Hey, gotta get that positive karma and unearned feelings of accomplishment anywhere you can these days!*
[Arthur:] "I want to bring out the commentator for this Tour. In an unorthodox move, I have selected a member of the active roster to call these events. However, he is not just any member, he is our NEXUS Champion.
Matthew Rivers knows the competitors more than anyone else on this roster, having directly faced, trained with, and been instrumental in the training of many of them in Basic Training. He is also more than capable of being objective while not shying away from critical analysis. As a former Field Leader, he produced reports that educated our audience and wrestlers. Since the Tour after this one will focus on the NEXUS Championship, this commentary position will give him a bird's eye view of his competition later this year, provided he is able to defend against Lucha La Barba first."
*Matt Rivers comes out to ringside wearing an athletic warm-up suit with his NEXUS Championship Belt over his shoulder. He shakes Arthur's hand then places his Title on the desk in front of him so that everyone who walks down the entrance ramp can see it clearly.*
[Matt:] "It looks like I have some more Field Reports to file, after all. Hello everyone. It has been a while since I have addressed all of you as NEXUS Champion but I am incredibly glad to do so once again at an event that marks the progress of this promotion. We have defeated Destiny's attempt to silence us and have navigated our way forward thanks to the support we have gotten for this Tour. But that is all the boasting you will hear from me. The only way I want to celebrate this occasion is to get to our three matches tonight.
Each one of these has direct Championship implications. The first round of the tournament for the vacant Universal Battalion Title begins with two matches and we have a Field Leader Title match with Darius defending against Kazuo Saji. Let's start tonight with a tag tournament match. El Fantasma Pálido has returned to the UBL and has a mystery partner to face Kurt Sanders and Jasper Woodruff.
*Kurt Sanders and Jasper Woodruff come to the ring first, being booed quite loudly. Kurt Sanders pantomimes as if his heart is being broken, leading Jasper to legitimately get upset and run to find help until Kurt shakes his head in disgust. Jasper returns and the duo enter the ring.*
[Matt:] "Jasper Woodruff's career is not one of failing to living up to their potential. I have faced Charles Langford a number of times and do not admire his character, but you can't ignore his uncanny ability to utilize Jasper's positives as well as he has. The question is whether or not Kurt Sanders will be able to do the same. Kurt is a clever singles wrestler, one whose toxic personality has led to people overlooking his abilities. But since he does not play so well with others, and does not seem to have a shred of empathy, I do not know how he will work with Jasper even though they seem to be allies. I have observed Kurt's current skills and I am impressed at the progress he has made. His confidence inside of the ring is starting to match his confidence outside of it. However, the down side is that part of his strategy is tied to sadistic tendencies. He can become reckless when he attempts to prioritize humiliating his opponents over defeating them. Jasper seems to have some type of "locomotive amnesia," which is a term I overheard former UBL Psychologist Dr. Gabriel Holt raise in discussing him a few years back. The reason for this diagnosis is Jasper's tendency to forget what he is doing and start dancing. When I relayed this information to Jean Carter and Luke Kisiera, the two laughed nonstop for two hours."
*El Fantasma Pálido comes out to the entrance stage but does not walk down to the ring.*
[Matt:] "Fantasma Verde joined the Front Lines in 2011, two years after I did in 2009. He had the fan's support and possessed a lot of promise but struggled utilizing his 'village hero' legend to effective usage in the ring. He attempted to join the Basic Training program but his efforts were frustrated by losses to fellow rookies who just seemed hungrier than he was for the opportunity. His participation in the Destiny Trial Series was the first true challenge of his character that he faced. And you can hear him tell his story of self-imposed exile as a result of the fallout of his match with Joachim. However, I think what he does in the ring tonight will speak more clearly of his determination and intentions. His choice of partners will tell us a lot about his mindset and I believe he is gesturing toward the back right now. Let's find out who he has chosen."
Entrance Video: El Fantasma Pálido's Tag Team Partner!
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*The audience is speechless as the massive Yoshirozuna walks down to the ring with purpose and malice on his face. He has ignored their reaction and his gaze is locked on Kurt Sanders, who looks like he just saw a ghost. Charles Langford stands up from the middle of the crowd and runs down to ringside, hopping the ramp and getting into the ring to back up his allies. El Fantasma Pálido laughs at this and pats Yoshirozuna on the back.*
[Matt:] "I think we have a problem. Arthur, you hear me in the back? Thunder? Send out security here immediately. This man is not on our roster anymore and should be considered dangerous."
*Before Yoshirozuna can make it into the ring, a team of security runs down to the ring. Yoshirozuna prepares to attack them but pauses as Thunder Strike and Arthur Wingate walk down to the ring. Thunder says nothing, just folds his hands in front of his chest while Arthur does the talking.*
[Arthur:] "This comes as a surprise to everyone, but this is a sanctioned match. After this tournament was announced at '13,' El Fantasma Pálido asked me to place Yoshirozuna back on the roster as his tag partner. I granted his request without condition. Yoshirozuna is the Grand Champion of Sumo and has been welcomed back. Mr. Langford, you may leave the ring. Mr. Sanders, if you wish to forfeit the match right now, we understand."
*Kurt scoffs at this but then quickly leans through the ropes and starts whispering nervously with Charles, who is on the outside of the ring.*
[Matt:] "I am shocked. This man, once known as Yoshiro on the Front Lines roster, turned his back on his allies, Marauder and JET Hamada then left the UBL. To give an idea of the threat that comes with his return, look at Kurt Sanders' eyes. That is a man who has never shown fear until now. Back when he was 100 pounds lighter and less aggressive, Yoshiro used his finisher to accidentally injure Kurt. However, Sanders let his mouth respond to the situation to mercilessly taunt Yoshiro and pretend as if the injury was worse than it actually was. This strategy was devised to guilt Yoshiro and have his finisher banned. Kurt knew that he didn't yet have the tools to defeat Yoshiro one on one so he attempted to use Yoshiro's own good-nature against him with guilt. Over a year of taunting occurred and culminated after Yoshiro's defeat at the hands of Joachim, a loss which allowed Destiny to add a member to our roster. Kurt and his allies sensed blood in the water and rendered verbal abuse which led Yoshiro to put himself into exile, just as Pálido did, and return to the sport of sumo. He won the Fukuoka Grand Sumo Championship in 2015 and redubbed himself 'Yoshirozuna.'
It's not his return to professional wrestling that is surprising to me or the crowd. He showed up at Azteca Pro's event last year and just this past week turned heads with a tremendous victory in the main event of the first show of New Wave Promotions. But given the way that he exited UBL and cut off all contact with his allies, it is a shock that he is back here, and teamed with Pálido. It is an even greater shock, especially to Kurt, that Yoshirozuna is standing in the ring across from the man that he loathes, I understand why Pálido chose Yoshirozuna. Yoshirozuna is not only here to get even with Kurt, but also with Destiny. Yoshirozuna was as humiliated by the Destiny Trial Series, and the commentary in the aftermath, as Pálido was."
*Pálido points to himself and Yoshirozuna and declares "El Exilio." Kurt is cautiously nodding to Charles then and shakes his head yes to Arthur.*
[Matt:] "After Pálido's Spanish lesson from a week ago, I think this means that they are calling themselves 'The Exiled.' Due to Kurt's surprising bravery, Arthur has sanctioned this encounter and Thunder has calmed the situation down and cleared the ring of anyone that doesn't belong. We are going to have a match but I don't know whether Yoshirozuna will be more focused on winning or getting even with Kurt. They may not seem mutually exclusive but revenge can be a distraction and Kurt is masterful at using people's angered state against them. Let's see how this plays out."
Match 1: El Exilio vs. Two of a Kind
El Fantasma Pálido/Yoshirozuna vs. Kurt Sanders/Jasper Woodruff
Universal Battalion Tag Tournament: Round 1
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[Matt:] "Both a medical and security team have rushed out to the ring to take care of Jasper Woodruff and prevent Yoshirozuna from doing any more damage. Once again, Thunder Strike has come out but Yoshirozuna leaves the ring without any further attempts to injure his opponents.
Jasper has been knocked unconscious and looks injured. Charles looks legitimately concerned for him and Kurt Sanders has high-tailed it over the crowd divider and through the crowd to the exit to escape Yoshirozuna. El Exilio has made an immediate impact tonight. The other the teams in this Tournament now have to be ready to face one of the largest, strongest, and angriest men on the roster teamed with a man who has reinvented his style and developed a sharp competitive edge. You have to give 2 of a Kind some credit for being competitive tonight. and for agreeing to wrestle this match to begin with. Despite the finish, it wasn't a rout. Jasper even managed to use his "Gold Grip" (Iron Claw) toward the end after teamwork with Kurt. But Yoshirozuna ended this match with authority. If he was just a step quicker, he may have done exactly the same to a retreating Kurt.
Pálido/Yoshirozuna (O) ["Sumoshiro Slam" - KNOCK OUT - 15:27] (X) Jasper Woodruff/Kurt Sanders
*Advertisements air for STELLARVISION!
[Matt:] "Kazuo Saji's music has started to play during the commercial break but he hasn't come out yet. I think that he's making sure that Yoshirozuna is out of the area first. Kurt wasn't the only one who taunted Yoshirozuna, Saji did it with him. And while I am told that Yoshirozuna got even with Saji, I wouldn't put it past him in this shared mindset with Pálido to revisit his old anger.
*The entrance music for Darius starts playing instead. Our Field Leader comes out and walks down to the ring, passing Yoshirozuna who bumps him with his shoulder. Darius stares him down and whispers something to him, which gets him to go up the ramp and leave. Pálido follows Yoshirozuna and doesn't make eye contact with Darius or acknowledge him in the slightest.*
[Matt:] "Yoshirozuna and Pálido were in Basic Training before he left. Darius was one of the most vocal critics of them taking Destiny Trial Series matches with Joachim due to feeling they were not mentally ready. Since they are back in UBL, I can only assume they are both still in the Front Lines but I will have to check that with Arthur and Drake. If they are, Darius is their obstacle to the main roster.
Kazuo Saji has now come out and looks relieved that Yoshirozuna is gone.
What I'm about to say comes after years of frustration with Saji on public record. I don't think Saji is scared of Yoshirozuna. I think that Saji is scared of getting sucked into the emotions that could lead him to attempting revenge. In an interview last year with Orochi Geese, a man who knows a lot about revenge from both sides, Saji said that he was relinquishing his desire for revenge on Yoshirozuna in order to pursue more positive goals. This was the first time in Saji's career that he truly earned my respect. He needs to stay away from Yoshirozuna if he is going to keep his focus on competition and living the way that his Matsuki Holdings family has inspired him. I think he was avoiding temptation here and I applaud him for that.
The next and more immediate question is whether or not Saji is ready for Darius in this Field Leader Title match. It's true that Saji doesn't have to win to be promoted to the main roster, as long as he impresses Darius, but you have to believe that he needs to prove to himself that he can.
Saji has accomplished a lot since the last time we saw him actually compete in UBL. Despite being in the Basic Training program for rookies, he came within a hair of beating FPCPP World Champion Allen Riggs. Riggs is the man who defeated Tiger Sword who defeated Wonderland who defeated Orochi Geese for the FPCPP World Championship. You just can't treat Saji lightly after that. He also won a one-night tournament for a shot at the FPCPP Grand Prix Championship but fell just short of winning the Title. Howeverm questions of focus still plague him.
Can he do more than just get the upper hand on Darius, but actually defeat him? We saw Darius in an excellent match at '13.' I have a ton of respect for Brandr Hoff after the war he put me through but, if you ask me, Darius and Tetsu Gushiken put on the match of the night. We know that Saji and Tetsu both train with RYOMA and Matsuki Holdings. Will Saji have any more success than his stablemate Tetsu against our Field Leader Champion?"
Match 2: Kazuo "Chrome" Saji vs. Darius (c)
Field Leader Championship
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[Matt:] "And again, Kazuo Saji falls short of victory despite being in charge for much of the match. A similar template is emerging for his matches. He gets the advantage with early aggressiveness, but then gets distracted showing off to the audience and doesn't put his opponent away. I think he could have won here with one more finisher before Darius made his comeback. To his credit, Darius showed excellent resiliency and never lost his composure, even when Saji was throwing everything at him. I haven't seen Darius' poise broken since he got here and that continued tonight."
Kazuo Saji (X) [Double Arm Suplex Pin- 18:59] (O) Darius
*Darius asks for a microphone as Saji slowly gets up looking dejected and shaking out his arms.*
[Matt:] "It looks like we may hear Darius' choice right now as to Kazuo's potential promotion."
[Darius:] "You are not the same Kazuo that I faced last time. Your demeanor is different and you wanted to win tonight. You still get distracted, but it wasn't to try to humiliate me. You seem to enjoy wrestling now and you have fun in the ring. That is important.
Your potential still outshines your performances but I think that you are finally rea-"
*Kazuo puts his hands on top of the microphone, stopping Darius from talking. Then he mouths 'no' and shakes his head.*
[Darius:] "You..you don't want to be promoted to the main roster?"
*Kazuo speaks into the microphone.*
[Kazuo:] "Not until I beat you. We keep doing this until I can, no matter how long it takes."
*Kazuo then sticks his hand out for a handshake, which surprises Darius. He nods and shakes Kazuo's hand, eliciting cheers. Kazuo looks at the Field Leader Title and then walks out of the ring to the applause of the fans. Darius looks over at Matt Rivers, points at Kazuo, and nods.*
[Matt:] "Sometimes in life you prove something by doing the opposite. By turning down the opportunity to move onto the main roster for the reasons that he did, Kazuo proved that he is ready. But Darius will respect his choice and I think Kazuo will come out better for it."
*Advertisements air for the triumphant return of AMBITION!
[Matt:] "Here's some advice for Terry Butcher and Kodeine, Destiny has their hands in a lot of matters right now and it's not always obvious when they are the source. Check into any connections between them and Cache. It may seem paranoid but, then again, you'd never think they could get INTERPOL to temporarily suspend a promotion's activities and bank account. You faced Jeff Monroe once, Level, he and Moreno don't forgive."
*Matt clears his throat.*
[Matt:] "We turn to the final match of the night and the second Tournament match. The SwashBuckLAWLers face newcomers, Watanabe Kai. There are a lot of people who are discounting the Swashbucklers due to their comedic presence but you have to remember they are former IGL Tag Champions. Competition in that promotion was legitimate. I have sparred with both Jack Flint and Henry Bailey and each of them are able to get serious when needed. I have seen Henry Bailey defeat wrestlers you would not believe in sparring sessions and Jack Flint throws his all into matches. There are times that Jack overwhelms his opponents and knocks them off balance with frequent strikes and arguably dirty techniques.
This will not be an easy match for Watanabe Kai but I think everyone is going to see just how clever Sergeant Drake Yoshida was in recruiting them to our tag roster. We saw a pair of matches with them during UBL Live events a few years ago but tonight is really their first chance to show the world what they can do. Kenichi Naito and Mr. Shikori bring intensity, blistering strikes, a dangerous array of suplexes, and fierce loyalty to their manager Mr. Watanabe. Of course, the SwashbuckLAWLers are just as loyal to their 'Captain', the Mad Pirate Lucy Cutlass.
And I am just as dedicated to getting to this smatch so I don't have to mention 'mad pirates' anymore.
Match 3: SwashBuckLAWLers vs. Watanabe Kai
Jack Flint/Henry Bailey vs. Kenichi Naito/Mr. Shikori
Universal Battalion Tag Tournament: Round 1
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[Matt:] "Name me all the people who could lift and slam Henry Bailey with just one hand. That was an incredible display of strength by Mr. Shikori. He and Kenichi made a fearsome impact on this tournament and broader Universal Battalion scene tonight. I also think that this team, who has worked together for years, has an incredible chemistry that other teams of collaborative singles wrestlers lack. It's one thing to be united for a cause, like Palido and Yoshirozuna, but to be united as a team in execution takes timing and trust. It's clear that Watanabe Kai have that connection with each other and that, plus their individual skills, will make them very difficult to defeat in this tournament."
Jack Flint/Henry Bailey (X) [One-Handed Chokeslam - 25:02] (O) Mr. Shikori/Kenichi Naito
[Matt:] "That's it for tonight. Join us on March 16th for our next stop on the Base 10 Tour. That show will feature Darius defending his Field Leader Title against JET Hamada and the next two matches in the Universal Battalion Tourament. Dissmastah Droid and Kazuo Saji go against Geyser and Magma of the Eruptshunned. Tyler Alexander and Goro Yamashita, collectively Agents of the Iron Fist, go up against Jeff and Jack Monroe, collectively representing Destiny. I have a hunch I know which teams will be supported more by the UBL fans. Good night, everyone."
Show 1 - February 11, 2017
*Rather than fade into an arena, the broadcast feed for the first show of the "Universal Base 10 Count" Tour begins with a video in sepia tone. There is a watermark on the video that says "OG-Joshi Voltage: February 11, 2007". We see a slow motion reel of various scenes from that night. It starts with the protest of the former OG-FPD wrestlers, then goes to the candid footage of Orochi Geese explaining his selfish motives for their termination, and concludes with Thunder Strike (known affectionately as "Camo-man" back then) wreaking "technical difficulty" havoc on the show. The footage ends with the watermark again, this time accompanied by these words overlaid with a video editor - "The first sail of the Universal Voyage."
The footage then scrambles to black and the broadcast feed switches to that of a live arena.
Arthur Wingate, the owner of UBL, is standing next to a commentary desk with a microphone.*
[Arthur:] "Hello and welcome everyone to the first show of the Universal Base 10 Count Tour and the opening round of the Universal Battalion Championship Tournament. Our journey to the Base 10 show in June will take us around the United States and we begin in San Diego, California."
*The fans wildly applaud since hearing the name of their town is tantamount to high praise for them individually. Hey, gotta get that positive karma and unearned feelings of accomplishment anywhere you can these days!*
[Arthur:] "I want to bring out the commentator for this Tour. In an unorthodox move, I have selected a member of the active roster to call these events. However, he is not just any member, he is our NEXUS Champion.
Matthew Rivers knows the competitors more than anyone else on this roster, having directly faced, trained with, and been instrumental in the training of many of them in Basic Training. He is also more than capable of being objective while not shying away from critical analysis. As a former Field Leader, he produced reports that educated our audience and wrestlers. Since the Tour after this one will focus on the NEXUS Championship, this commentary position will give him a bird's eye view of his competition later this year, provided he is able to defend against Lucha La Barba first."
*Matt Rivers comes out to ringside wearing an athletic warm-up suit with his NEXUS Championship Belt over his shoulder. He shakes Arthur's hand then places his Title on the desk in front of him so that everyone who walks down the entrance ramp can see it clearly.*
[Matt:] "It looks like I have some more Field Reports to file, after all. Hello everyone. It has been a while since I have addressed all of you as NEXUS Champion but I am incredibly glad to do so once again at an event that marks the progress of this promotion. We have defeated Destiny's attempt to silence us and have navigated our way forward thanks to the support we have gotten for this Tour. But that is all the boasting you will hear from me. The only way I want to celebrate this occasion is to get to our three matches tonight.
Each one of these has direct Championship implications. The first round of the tournament for the vacant Universal Battalion Title begins with two matches and we have a Field Leader Title match with Darius defending against Kazuo Saji. Let's start tonight with a tag tournament match. El Fantasma Pálido has returned to the UBL and has a mystery partner to face Kurt Sanders and Jasper Woodruff.
*Kurt Sanders and Jasper Woodruff come to the ring first, being booed quite loudly. Kurt Sanders pantomimes as if his heart is being broken, leading Jasper to legitimately get upset and run to find help until Kurt shakes his head in disgust. Jasper returns and the duo enter the ring.*
[Matt:] "Jasper Woodruff's career is not one of failing to living up to their potential. I have faced Charles Langford a number of times and do not admire his character, but you can't ignore his uncanny ability to utilize Jasper's positives as well as he has. The question is whether or not Kurt Sanders will be able to do the same. Kurt is a clever singles wrestler, one whose toxic personality has led to people overlooking his abilities. But since he does not play so well with others, and does not seem to have a shred of empathy, I do not know how he will work with Jasper even though they seem to be allies. I have observed Kurt's current skills and I am impressed at the progress he has made. His confidence inside of the ring is starting to match his confidence outside of it. However, the down side is that part of his strategy is tied to sadistic tendencies. He can become reckless when he attempts to prioritize humiliating his opponents over defeating them. Jasper seems to have some type of "locomotive amnesia," which is a term I overheard former UBL Psychologist Dr. Gabriel Holt raise in discussing him a few years back. The reason for this diagnosis is Jasper's tendency to forget what he is doing and start dancing. When I relayed this information to Jean Carter and Luke Kisiera, the two laughed nonstop for two hours."
*El Fantasma Pálido comes out to the entrance stage but does not walk down to the ring.*
[Matt:] "Fantasma Verde joined the Front Lines in 2011, two years after I did in 2009. He had the fan's support and possessed a lot of promise but struggled utilizing his 'village hero' legend to effective usage in the ring. He attempted to join the Basic Training program but his efforts were frustrated by losses to fellow rookies who just seemed hungrier than he was for the opportunity. His participation in the Destiny Trial Series was the first true challenge of his character that he faced. And you can hear him tell his story of self-imposed exile as a result of the fallout of his match with Joachim. However, I think what he does in the ring tonight will speak more clearly of his determination and intentions. His choice of partners will tell us a lot about his mindset and I believe he is gesturing toward the back right now. Let's find out who he has chosen."
Entrance Video: El Fantasma Pálido's Tag Team Partner!
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*The audience is speechless as the massive Yoshirozuna walks down to the ring with purpose and malice on his face. He has ignored their reaction and his gaze is locked on Kurt Sanders, who looks like he just saw a ghost. Charles Langford stands up from the middle of the crowd and runs down to ringside, hopping the ramp and getting into the ring to back up his allies. El Fantasma Pálido laughs at this and pats Yoshirozuna on the back.*
[Matt:] "I think we have a problem. Arthur, you hear me in the back? Thunder? Send out security here immediately. This man is not on our roster anymore and should be considered dangerous."
*Before Yoshirozuna can make it into the ring, a team of security runs down to the ring. Yoshirozuna prepares to attack them but pauses as Thunder Strike and Arthur Wingate walk down to the ring. Thunder says nothing, just folds his hands in front of his chest while Arthur does the talking.*
[Arthur:] "This comes as a surprise to everyone, but this is a sanctioned match. After this tournament was announced at '13,' El Fantasma Pálido asked me to place Yoshirozuna back on the roster as his tag partner. I granted his request without condition. Yoshirozuna is the Grand Champion of Sumo and has been welcomed back. Mr. Langford, you may leave the ring. Mr. Sanders, if you wish to forfeit the match right now, we understand."
*Kurt scoffs at this but then quickly leans through the ropes and starts whispering nervously with Charles, who is on the outside of the ring.*
[Matt:] "I am shocked. This man, once known as Yoshiro on the Front Lines roster, turned his back on his allies, Marauder and JET Hamada then left the UBL. To give an idea of the threat that comes with his return, look at Kurt Sanders' eyes. That is a man who has never shown fear until now. Back when he was 100 pounds lighter and less aggressive, Yoshiro used his finisher to accidentally injure Kurt. However, Sanders let his mouth respond to the situation to mercilessly taunt Yoshiro and pretend as if the injury was worse than it actually was. This strategy was devised to guilt Yoshiro and have his finisher banned. Kurt knew that he didn't yet have the tools to defeat Yoshiro one on one so he attempted to use Yoshiro's own good-nature against him with guilt. Over a year of taunting occurred and culminated after Yoshiro's defeat at the hands of Joachim, a loss which allowed Destiny to add a member to our roster. Kurt and his allies sensed blood in the water and rendered verbal abuse which led Yoshiro to put himself into exile, just as Pálido did, and return to the sport of sumo. He won the Fukuoka Grand Sumo Championship in 2015 and redubbed himself 'Yoshirozuna.'
It's not his return to professional wrestling that is surprising to me or the crowd. He showed up at Azteca Pro's event last year and just this past week turned heads with a tremendous victory in the main event of the first show of New Wave Promotions. But given the way that he exited UBL and cut off all contact with his allies, it is a shock that he is back here, and teamed with Pálido. It is an even greater shock, especially to Kurt, that Yoshirozuna is standing in the ring across from the man that he loathes, I understand why Pálido chose Yoshirozuna. Yoshirozuna is not only here to get even with Kurt, but also with Destiny. Yoshirozuna was as humiliated by the Destiny Trial Series, and the commentary in the aftermath, as Pálido was."
*Pálido points to himself and Yoshirozuna and declares "El Exilio." Kurt is cautiously nodding to Charles then and shakes his head yes to Arthur.*
[Matt:] "After Pálido's Spanish lesson from a week ago, I think this means that they are calling themselves 'The Exiled.' Due to Kurt's surprising bravery, Arthur has sanctioned this encounter and Thunder has calmed the situation down and cleared the ring of anyone that doesn't belong. We are going to have a match but I don't know whether Yoshirozuna will be more focused on winning or getting even with Kurt. They may not seem mutually exclusive but revenge can be a distraction and Kurt is masterful at using people's angered state against them. Let's see how this plays out."
Match 1: El Exilio vs. Two of a Kind
El Fantasma Pálido/Yoshirozuna vs. Kurt Sanders/Jasper Woodruff
Universal Battalion Tag Tournament: Round 1
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[Matt:] "Both a medical and security team have rushed out to the ring to take care of Jasper Woodruff and prevent Yoshirozuna from doing any more damage. Once again, Thunder Strike has come out but Yoshirozuna leaves the ring without any further attempts to injure his opponents.
Jasper has been knocked unconscious and looks injured. Charles looks legitimately concerned for him and Kurt Sanders has high-tailed it over the crowd divider and through the crowd to the exit to escape Yoshirozuna. El Exilio has made an immediate impact tonight. The other the teams in this Tournament now have to be ready to face one of the largest, strongest, and angriest men on the roster teamed with a man who has reinvented his style and developed a sharp competitive edge. You have to give 2 of a Kind some credit for being competitive tonight. and for agreeing to wrestle this match to begin with. Despite the finish, it wasn't a rout. Jasper even managed to use his "Gold Grip" (Iron Claw) toward the end after teamwork with Kurt. But Yoshirozuna ended this match with authority. If he was just a step quicker, he may have done exactly the same to a retreating Kurt.
Pálido/Yoshirozuna (O) ["Sumoshiro Slam" - KNOCK OUT - 15:27] (X) Jasper Woodruff/Kurt Sanders
*Advertisements air for STELLARVISION!
[Matt:] "Kazuo Saji's music has started to play during the commercial break but he hasn't come out yet. I think that he's making sure that Yoshirozuna is out of the area first. Kurt wasn't the only one who taunted Yoshirozuna, Saji did it with him. And while I am told that Yoshirozuna got even with Saji, I wouldn't put it past him in this shared mindset with Pálido to revisit his old anger.
*The entrance music for Darius starts playing instead. Our Field Leader comes out and walks down to the ring, passing Yoshirozuna who bumps him with his shoulder. Darius stares him down and whispers something to him, which gets him to go up the ramp and leave. Pálido follows Yoshirozuna and doesn't make eye contact with Darius or acknowledge him in the slightest.*
[Matt:] "Yoshirozuna and Pálido were in Basic Training before he left. Darius was one of the most vocal critics of them taking Destiny Trial Series matches with Joachim due to feeling they were not mentally ready. Since they are back in UBL, I can only assume they are both still in the Front Lines but I will have to check that with Arthur and Drake. If they are, Darius is their obstacle to the main roster.
Kazuo Saji has now come out and looks relieved that Yoshirozuna is gone.
What I'm about to say comes after years of frustration with Saji on public record. I don't think Saji is scared of Yoshirozuna. I think that Saji is scared of getting sucked into the emotions that could lead him to attempting revenge. In an interview last year with Orochi Geese, a man who knows a lot about revenge from both sides, Saji said that he was relinquishing his desire for revenge on Yoshirozuna in order to pursue more positive goals. This was the first time in Saji's career that he truly earned my respect. He needs to stay away from Yoshirozuna if he is going to keep his focus on competition and living the way that his Matsuki Holdings family has inspired him. I think he was avoiding temptation here and I applaud him for that.
The next and more immediate question is whether or not Saji is ready for Darius in this Field Leader Title match. It's true that Saji doesn't have to win to be promoted to the main roster, as long as he impresses Darius, but you have to believe that he needs to prove to himself that he can.
Saji has accomplished a lot since the last time we saw him actually compete in UBL. Despite being in the Basic Training program for rookies, he came within a hair of beating FPCPP World Champion Allen Riggs. Riggs is the man who defeated Tiger Sword who defeated Wonderland who defeated Orochi Geese for the FPCPP World Championship. You just can't treat Saji lightly after that. He also won a one-night tournament for a shot at the FPCPP Grand Prix Championship but fell just short of winning the Title. Howeverm questions of focus still plague him.
Can he do more than just get the upper hand on Darius, but actually defeat him? We saw Darius in an excellent match at '13.' I have a ton of respect for Brandr Hoff after the war he put me through but, if you ask me, Darius and Tetsu Gushiken put on the match of the night. We know that Saji and Tetsu both train with RYOMA and Matsuki Holdings. Will Saji have any more success than his stablemate Tetsu against our Field Leader Champion?"
Match 2: Kazuo "Chrome" Saji vs. Darius (c)
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[Matt:] "And again, Kazuo Saji falls short of victory despite being in charge for much of the match. A similar template is emerging for his matches. He gets the advantage with early aggressiveness, but then gets distracted showing off to the audience and doesn't put his opponent away. I think he could have won here with one more finisher before Darius made his comeback. To his credit, Darius showed excellent resiliency and never lost his composure, even when Saji was throwing everything at him. I haven't seen Darius' poise broken since he got here and that continued tonight."
Kazuo Saji (X) [Double Arm Suplex Pin- 18:59] (O) Darius
*Darius asks for a microphone as Saji slowly gets up looking dejected and shaking out his arms.*
[Matt:] "It looks like we may hear Darius' choice right now as to Kazuo's potential promotion."
[Darius:] "You are not the same Kazuo that I faced last time. Your demeanor is different and you wanted to win tonight. You still get distracted, but it wasn't to try to humiliate me. You seem to enjoy wrestling now and you have fun in the ring. That is important.
Your potential still outshines your performances but I think that you are finally rea-"
*Kazuo puts his hands on top of the microphone, stopping Darius from talking. Then he mouths 'no' and shakes his head.*
[Darius:] "You..you don't want to be promoted to the main roster?"
*Kazuo speaks into the microphone.*
[Kazuo:] "Not until I beat you. We keep doing this until I can, no matter how long it takes."
*Kazuo then sticks his hand out for a handshake, which surprises Darius. He nods and shakes Kazuo's hand, eliciting cheers. Kazuo looks at the Field Leader Title and then walks out of the ring to the applause of the fans. Darius looks over at Matt Rivers, points at Kazuo, and nods.*
[Matt:] "Sometimes in life you prove something by doing the opposite. By turning down the opportunity to move onto the main roster for the reasons that he did, Kazuo proved that he is ready. But Darius will respect his choice and I think Kazuo will come out better for it."
*Advertisements air for the triumphant return of AMBITION!
[Matt:] "Here's some advice for Terry Butcher and Kodeine, Destiny has their hands in a lot of matters right now and it's not always obvious when they are the source. Check into any connections between them and Cache. It may seem paranoid but, then again, you'd never think they could get INTERPOL to temporarily suspend a promotion's activities and bank account. You faced Jeff Monroe once, Level, he and Moreno don't forgive."
*Matt clears his throat.*
[Matt:] "We turn to the final match of the night and the second Tournament match. The SwashBuckLAWLers face newcomers, Watanabe Kai. There are a lot of people who are discounting the Swashbucklers due to their comedic presence but you have to remember they are former IGL Tag Champions. Competition in that promotion was legitimate. I have sparred with both Jack Flint and Henry Bailey and each of them are able to get serious when needed. I have seen Henry Bailey defeat wrestlers you would not believe in sparring sessions and Jack Flint throws his all into matches. There are times that Jack overwhelms his opponents and knocks them off balance with frequent strikes and arguably dirty techniques.
This will not be an easy match for Watanabe Kai but I think everyone is going to see just how clever Sergeant Drake Yoshida was in recruiting them to our tag roster. We saw a pair of matches with them during UBL Live events a few years ago but tonight is really their first chance to show the world what they can do. Kenichi Naito and Mr. Shikori bring intensity, blistering strikes, a dangerous array of suplexes, and fierce loyalty to their manager Mr. Watanabe. Of course, the SwashbuckLAWLers are just as loyal to their 'Captain', the Mad Pirate Lucy Cutlass.
And I am just as dedicated to getting to this smatch so I don't have to mention 'mad pirates' anymore.
Match 3: SwashBuckLAWLers vs. Watanabe Kai
Jack Flint/Henry Bailey vs. Kenichi Naito/Mr. Shikori
Universal Battalion Tag Tournament: Round 1
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[Matt:] "Name me all the people who could lift and slam Henry Bailey with just one hand. That was an incredible display of strength by Mr. Shikori. He and Kenichi made a fearsome impact on this tournament and broader Universal Battalion scene tonight. I also think that this team, who has worked together for years, has an incredible chemistry that other teams of collaborative singles wrestlers lack. It's one thing to be united for a cause, like Palido and Yoshirozuna, but to be united as a team in execution takes timing and trust. It's clear that Watanabe Kai have that connection with each other and that, plus their individual skills, will make them very difficult to defeat in this tournament."
Jack Flint/Henry Bailey (X) [One-Handed Chokeslam - 25:02] (O) Mr. Shikori/Kenichi Naito
[Matt:] "That's it for tonight. Join us on March 16th for our next stop on the Base 10 Tour. That show will feature Darius defending his Field Leader Title against JET Hamada and the next two matches in the Universal Battalion Tourament. Dissmastah Droid and Kazuo Saji go against Geyser and Magma of the Eruptshunned. Tyler Alexander and Goro Yamashita, collectively Agents of the Iron Fist, go up against Jeff and Jack Monroe, collectively representing Destiny. I have a hunch I know which teams will be supported more by the UBL fans. Good night, everyone."