Continuum III

[OrochiGeese]

(Note: I will be posting this event in individual segments over the next few weeks since it's quite long)


"The Randolph Report"

Event: "Continuum III"

Originally Held: Sunday, December 13, 2020

Report Posted: January-March 2022.

Location: "Peter Venkman Memorial Arena" in Westchester, New York.

Hello fans and welcome back to the UBL after a long and unintentional hiatus.

This report was actually completed two weeks after this event occurred. I can't begin to apologize to the fans on behalf of UBL for our delay in posting this report. We truly hope that Continuum III and our efforts going forward will re-catalyze the Collider Tour that started off so strongly in early 2020. However, let's now finally get to the action now instead of continuing to explain the lack of it!

This event is the third stop of the Collider Tour in the "Continuum" stream. Our four standard Continuum matches tonight will take place between wrestlers from a different Block in this League.

Block B Brandr Hoff vs. Thomas Mills
Block D Geese Walker vs. James Ward
Block A: Alicia Gordon vs. Tsaoring Chou
Block C Corey O'Brian vs. Joachim


Since tonight is the storied date of December 13th, Continuum III also counts as the 17th OG-FPD Anniversary Show! Due to this joyous occasion, we will be having two special bonus matches! We're even going to kick the show off with one now!

Joining us tonight is one of the legends of Proving Ground Championship Wrestling - William King! King is a former multi-time PGCW Openweight and Tag Team Champion. In just a few weeks, King will be joining his Crawling Chaos teammate, and significant other, Kathy Queen to face Geese and Robin Walker. Since King was going to be in town awaiting that tag match, Arthur Wingate reached out to him and offered this match tonight as a show of respect for all that King has done in his career.

Jasper Woodruff was chosen as the opponent due to all of the noise he has made since Charles Langford got injured last year. Woodruff is upset at a great many things, daily hygiene being one of them, and he has continued to lobby for a match on the next event of the Dimensional stream. In fact, I have heard that he demanded a Title match against the Universal Circuit Champion, THRASH Ogawa, wanting to bring the glory of gold to "3 of a Kind" to raise Langford's spirits. Wingate said that he'd consider that match if Jasper was able to impress him here. Let's get to the ring.


Match 1 - William King vs. Jasper Woodruff

Jasper is the more physically imposing specimen here but King's demeanor actually makes him the more intimidating of the two. To his credit, Jasper doesn't seem to notice and insists on being the aggressor early on. That...doesn't work well for him. King goes shot for shot with Jasper.  Every punch, shoulder block, and elbow from Jasper is returned in kind and with interest by King. Despite Jasper's larger size and arguably strength, King's ferocity and technique in throwing those strikes wins the exchange and control of the match. 

King then dominates Jasper as if he was training a dog at obedience school. I assume Kathy Queen even has a "choke chain" in her locker backstage. King is able to keep Jasper down with clean, old-fashioned mat wrestling holds that Jasper has absolutely no answer to. Although we know how ferocious William King can be, he seems to be enjoying putting on this exhibition of total control in front of the UBL audience.

The mood changes around the 7 minute mark. While King has an abdominal stretch on Jasper, Woodruff's stench seems to unnerve King enough to break the hold. This gives Jasper the opportunity to hit a shoulder block to create some distance and then a running spear. He gets a 2 count but King quickly kicks out. This is Jasper's first real opening.

He muscles King into the corner but doesn't seem to know what to do with him. After a few wild punches miss the mark badly - I think Jasper even accidentally punched the ring post - he just goes on pure instinct. Jasper begins choking King and Eiji Yoshida (our referee) gets in between them and calls a rope break.

However, as King is taking a breath to recover, Jasper takes advantage of the situation and hits King with a sucker punch to the mouth. This actually draws a little blood and summons a completely different side of William King. He smiles, with blood trickling out, then drills Jasper with an elbow that looked like it was launched from a shotgun! Jasper is sent right down and I think William could have gotten the victory right there if he wanted to. Instead, he upgrades to a nuke.

SPOILER: Click to show

And that is how William King managed to steal the show with the single most impressive moment of the 17th OG-FPD Anniversary Show!

William King (O) ["Cthulhu Clutch" - 9:08] (X) Jasper Woodruff


Once again, William King has shown the world why he is so dangerous. This is why he has Geese's full attention for that mixed tag match. However, Geese isn't the only one with an eye on King - as THRASH Ogawa has just appeared on the ramp. The Universal Circuit Champion grabs a microphone and slides into the ring. THRASH points to the downed Jasper with a look of disgust and starts screaming.

[THRASH:] "This bad joke isn't fit to be in the ring with either one of us, let alone take my spot against someone I deserve to fight. I know all about you, King. There's no way that match scratched your itch. So take an hour to shake off the Woodruff stench then face me during intermission for my Circuit Title. I don't care if Wingate officially sanctions it or not - I'll personally hand you the belt if you beat me."

THRASH takes the Title off of his waist and throws it on the mat in between William and himself. King stares at it and then back at a dead serious THRASH. An injured Jasper is suddenly roused by the proximity of an actual Championship belt. He screams "GOLD!" and tries to slowly grab the title. However, he is met with a vicious downward thrusting headbutt from Ogawa that knocks him unconscious again as the crowd gasps. THRASH picks the belt up without looking at Jasper and turns back to King.

THRASH: "Win or lose, I'm ending this sh*tty year with a real fight."

THRASH Ogawa has just made a very bold move against someone who is more than capable of giving him the fight that he craves. We may just see a new Universal Circuit Champion tonight in William King! As for Jasper Woodruff, that is probably the longest he'll get to hold gold, and maybe stand in the ring, for a very long time. After being knocked out twice within a five minute span, he may be joining Charles Langford on the injured list.

[OrochiGeese]

And now we turn to our first scheduled Continuum match of the night which happens to take place in Block B of our league. Brandr Hoff will be having his first match of the Continuum Tour against Thomas Mills who lost during the previous event against Wonderland. Mills is desperately trying to turn things around due to his recent losing streak.

Surprisingly, Brandr is in a similar position in respect to his overall record here. Hoff joined the UBL a few years ago - right after impressively defeating Destiny's monster, Matthias. Brandr had initial success gaining two title shots against Matt Rivers for the NEXUS Title but fell short in both attempts. That started a losing streak and you can tell that Brandr has somewhat lost his way. It was one thing to earn a Title shot only to fall short against a Champion. But he hasn't been anywhere near a Title shot in a few years now. Worse, he has repeatedly lashed out after being defeated. Brandr is capable of so much but his recent failure to earn Championship gold appears to be changing him.

However, I do not think we are going to see that frustration grow as a result of who wins tonight. Far stranger things have happened in the UBL but, let's be honest - Brandr isn't losing against Thomas Mills.  Mills lost his last match because Wonderland stole his shoes then tied them so that Thomas would fall down. Even a viking ship sailing at half mast can brave the calm, tepid Mills shame spiraling whirlpool.


Match 2 - B: Brandr Hoff vs. Thomas Mills

Look, so I wasn't trying to trick you with what I said above. Sometimes the most obvious potential outcome really happens. This match wasn't even close. Maybe Mills was expecting a feeling out process to start the match but that was not the pace Brandr intended to go at. 

Thomas tried to gingerly open up a flavorless can of catch-as-catch-canteloupe only to find out that Brandr was serving spicy lariats fresh off of the grill as the first course. The only reason this match didn't end sooner was because Brandr reveled in dominating an opponent for the first time in a while. This overconfidence almost cost him as Mills scored a few surprise roll-up attempts, but nary a 2 count was at stake. Despite the stench of desperation wafting from Mills, Brandr still took umbrage at the continued efforts. His anger continued to grow throughout the match as Mills had the sheer audacity to try not to lose it.

It's clear that Thomas needs to work on his offensive strategy but I will admit that his defensive resilience is actually impressive. Matt Rivers is not wrong in having confidence in him for that reason. You also have to give Mills credit for having the wherewithall to grab the ropes after being planted with Brandr's torture rack powerbomb. This seemed to enrage Brandr so much that he immediately hit his "Valhal-lariat" finisher upon getting up.

Miraculously - for Mills, not the audience - Thomas rolled out of the ring onto the floor. It's unclear if that was due to a veteran's instinct to avoid an imminent pin or the sheer physical momentum resulting from the impact of the move. In any case, Brandr was frustrated that he even had to use his finisher against Mills. He marched around the ring in an angry huff. This venting distracted him to a key fact - and not just that marching around like a Viking named Hoff yelling "HUFF" will get you thrown out of the UBL for idiocy and gimmick infringement. You're on notice, Berzandr.

Brandr also neglected to realize that Mills was not recovering on his own. In fact, Mills was out cold. I don't know if Mills took a bad shot on the way down to the floor, but he was not getting back into the ring on his own power. By the time Brandr realized this, there were only 10 seconds left in the outside count. Hoff slid out the ring and attempted to lift Mills up, but he was not budging. Hoff gave one last effort of press slamming Mills, but Thomas just rebounded off the top rope and fell back on the floor outside. The fans gave Brandr a "VIKING POWER!" chant but it was to no avail. Not wanting to risk getting counted out himself, Brandr quickly slid back into the ring and gained the disqualification victory.

Brandr Hoff (DQ-W) [Count Out - 5:30] (DQ-L) Thomas Mills


This finish, predictably, enraged Brandr. Although he has never physically attacked anyone outside of a match, this is the closest he has gotten to sinking to that level. He left the ring and started berating a downed Mills to the point that he was spitting all over him. This was insult to a possible injury and was hard to watch.

Mills just tried to cover himself up in case this turned to blows ... or he secretly shared my concern that the spittle from a angry Norsemen could potentially end the world through a great flood. The intervention of the referee and UBL security made sure it didn't get to either point. It took Thunder Strike to forcefully get in front of Brandr and escort him up the ramp. Mills slowly got up on his own accord. Fortunately, it doesn't appear he was actually injured but he was certainly shaken up by the force of the [Valhal-lariat, the press slam, and the vicious viking verbosity afterward. He's not alone. I may sleep with a nightlight. Brandr shouted in tongues that could be actual Asgardian curses!

Brandr earned 4 points.
Thomas earned 1 point.


A dejected Mills begins slowly and painfully walking his way back up the ramp.

However, it took him so long that the entrance music for one of the wrestlers in the next match started.  "Seized with Fury" gets the fans riled up. as we are joined by a smirking Geese Walker who is...reading a newspaper? Oh no...

PLEASE TELL ME IT'S NOT THE STOCKS SECTION.  Fortunately, Geese is not wearing his "Stonk" suit.

Instead, he's holding the Mills Tribune which is the publication owned by Thomas' father. Geese motions Thomas over and hands part of the newspaper to him. It appears to be the "Classified" section with job listings.

Mills once again suffers cruel insult to injury here. He is furious at the implication that he'll be out of a job here soon. He gets into Geese's face. However, he does it in such a slow, painful, and grimacing manner that it sends Geese into a fit of uproarious laughter. Thunder Strike sighs, doubles back, and starts to escort Mills up the ramp after giving an exasperated look and mild scolding to Geese. This also puts a smirk on Geese's face. Old habits, I guess.

Geese saunters to the ring after ripping the newspaper and discarding it in a trash can near the timekeeper's table. After that interview I did with Geese a few months before this event, it's clear that he is enjoying tormenting Mills. I just don't understand why. Even at his most vicious and anti-social, Geese didn't make a point to pick on people like this. He also wasn't one to "punch down" to those so far below him in the rankings that he didn't deem a threat.  Along with punching, Robin Walker's "Kick em when he's down" entrance theme seems entirely too applicable here.


(The next part of Continuum III coming this weekend!)

[OrochiGeese]

But Geese's opponent for the night, James Ward, isn't so easily punched, kicked, or berated. James comes out to the ramp possessing the same amount of confidence that Geese has. This puts an even bigger smile on Geese's face and he rolls out of the ring. At first the audience cheers cause it seemed that Geese was going to intercept James with a preemptive strike on the ramp. That would certainly square with the history that these two have had. But instead, Geese grabs a microphone and gets back into the ring, gesturing James to join him.

[Geese:] "T minus 2."

Geese tosses his microphone outside. Ward doesn't have a microphone but his loud, booming, Centurion voice succeeds in announcing to everyone his confusion at what Geese said.

[Ward:] "What the f*ck are you on about?"

Despite his strong language, this is the first time I have ever shared a thought with James Ward. Geese's words (or maths equation?) threw me and everyone in the audience for a temporal loop. Geese then smiled in return. And you know what, I'm just going to say it. That smile sent a legitimate chill up and down my spine, unrepressing thoughts I paid good money to throw down down a memory hole. But it was too late, and fairly unprofessional, to run away from this situation. As Ward walks to the ring, the bell rings starting the match.


Match 3 - D: Geese Walker vs. James Ward

It took me days to bring myself to write down what happened in this match. I was numb when I thought about it and Arthur cautioned me to think carefully about how I portrayed it. Keep in mind that I have seen some of the worst things that Geese Walker has ever been a part of:

[/i] Jeff Monroe and ended his career.

- I observed him enabling Robin Walker's vicious attack on Diane Cavuto, ending her career.

- I watched Geese betray and attack his best friends in cold blood with murderous intent.

- I saw Kyle Walker betray Geese and almost cripple him with near murderous intent. It was only Kyle's sadistic desire to punish him even further pyschologically that saved Geese.

- I saw Geese's "funeral," poignant last match, and improbable return.[/ul]


I have seen it all and yet I was completely unprepared for what "T minus 2" truly meant.

It meant domination...with a smile.

Geese did not spike James on his head. He did not grievously injure him out of revenge for how James had wronged him in the past. There was not an ounce of blood spilled nor inch of vertebrae protruding. Insead, Geese humiliated him beyond anything I have seen in this sport. James Ward's offense was so completely dissected that he literally gave up and left the ring.

He did not land one attack on Geese. Not even a glancing blow. And it was not for a lack of effort or opportunities. Geese intentionally left his guard down, goading James to hit him from every angle. And yet James was thoroughly countered after every attempt. Geese dismantled his entire gameplan and all attempts at improvising.

Five minutes into the match, the crowd was silent. Geese didn't say a word either. This wasn't Brandr berating Thomas like we saw earlier. It was Geese showing his undisputed supremacy over Ward by not wasting a word on him besides constant, mocking laughter.

SPOILER: Click to show

The final straw in this pity colada occurred after Geese used his forearm to counter Ward's attempt at a haymaker punch. Geese transitioned into a new version of his "Imperial Intervention" (original oosotogari buster) that focused on the arm and back.

SPOILER: Click to show

James used all of his remaining energy to intentionally roll out of the ring, cursing to himself due to the pain and frustration. Unlike Mills, James was able to eventually make it onto his feet and began walking up the ramp. However, before he made it to the backstage curtain, a man jumped the crowd barrier wearing a black mask. The crowd's reaction alerted Ward to turn around. With the new development, he temporarily abandoned his exit plan.

If you are feeling deja vu, you aren't alone. We've seen this happen before in matches between Geese Walker and James Ward. And the last two times the man in the mask was Kyle Walker. Both of those times saw Kyle brutally attack Geese during the match. The second attack was vicious enough that Geese's career almost ended. Like last time, the man is carrying the helmet from James Ward's old "Centurion" attire. As Ward begins re-approaching the ring, the man throws him the helmet and gestures him to resume the attack.

If this is Kyle, there is a huge problem in the Walker household. From all accounts and observations, he and Geese are practically family now. Furthermore, Kyle seemed at least somewhat rehabilitated from his quench for ultra-violence.

Geese reacts to this situation oddly: by laughing and beckoning James to return to the ring. Ward is infuriated at the utter disrespect by Geese. With every remaining ounce of strength and will, James marches down to the ring. Geese gives him safe harbor to re-enter as well. Ward takes one last ditch effort to hit Geese in the head with the helmet. However, Geese easily blocks it with his forearms. He knees Ward hard in the stomach, steals the helmet, and puts it on Ward's head backward, blocking his sight! The crowd laughs away the awkwardness.

Ward flails around missing punches and eventually falls down. To his (dis)credit, its not like he landed more punches when he could see. But even I worked up some pity seeing him like this, despite all the pain he had put me through in the past. Surprisingly, the same masked man then slides a chair into the ring in the direction of Geese. The fans are as nervous as they are confused now. They thought the masked man was helping Ward.

Geese winds the chair up like a baseball bat, to the audible shock of the fans. If he swings it right now at Ward's head, with that helmet on him, I can't even think of the results. I see some parents in the audience shielding the eyes of their kids as well as their own. Everything Geese said in his "Threshold" speech may prove to be a lie right now if he uses that chair.

But, he does not. Rather, the only thing he follows through with is laughter - as much against the fans as against his opponent. Geese throws the chair down on the mat. He pulls the helmet off Ward and points at the downed chair with a smirk.

Ward's face turns completely pale as he realizes what could have happened. He was at Geese's mercy the entire time. After falling to his knees, he hands Geese the helmet. Then he seemingly apologizes and leaves the ring looking defeated in mind, body, and spirit. Geese allows him to leave, clearly satisfied with the victory of breaking Ward's pysche rather than his body to capture a pin or submission. Geese holds the Centurion helmet high as a trophy as he earns the most complete and decisive count-out win I've ever seen in my career.

Geese Walker (DQ-W) [Count Out - 9:30] (DQ-L) James Ward

Geese earned 4 points.
James earned 1 point.


The masked man makes a show of sneaking into the ring as Geese is celebrating. But Geese smirks again and holds the helmet with one hand over his head. The masked man takes a running start and somehow vaults over Geese's head. He grabs the helmet in mid-air and spikes it down into the same garbage can outside the ring that Geese discarded the Mills Tribune into earlier. This was an impressive throw given the distance and accuracy. He then takes his mask off to reveal that ... once again, its Kyle Walker! Only this time, he's clearly on Geese's side and seemed to revel in the mind games against James Ward. Much as Geese said in his interview with me, the third time is the charm and he trusted Kyle completely. It also looks like this was Kyle's final piece of revenge against James Ward for betraying him and co-opting his motives.

Geese then calls for a microphone and points to the garbage can.


[Geese:] "The discarded helm of the Roman Empire shows that the past is dead.

Only the future remains.

For the second time in my career, I invite all to enter a new era where I am reborn.

'T minus 2' represents the next step in my quest toward achieving my threshold in battle. You have all just witnessed me end the career of James Ward. I did so without destroying his body while keeping mine completely unscathed.

At 'T minus 1,' my Infinite Continuum Championship victory is guaranteed.

And at 'T', I become invincible: securing the grandeur and immortality of my legacy.

This is not chaos, this is not violence, this is not propaganda, this is evolution. You will celebrate the first man to ever truly reach his potential and the first warrior to master oneself in competition. You also will witness 'addition by subtraction' as those who are unfit to wrestle here will be exposed. This new era is not for the James Wards or the Thomas Mills or the Kurt Sanders. It is also not for the crowd-chanters, hand-shakers, or the rhythmic-clappers. It is for those who require victory as they do oxygen. It is for those who would sooner retire than be consoled by false praise of effort or sportsmanship. Those who bitterly scoff at corrupting words like "but you had an entertaining match" when they have fallen short of the victory that real warriors crave above all else. And it is for those whose constant push for self-improvement can not be obstructed by the self-delusional platitudes of lesser peers. As I did a decade ago, I will carve my ideal image deep into this world once again. The difference this time is that you will not all bleed as a result."

Geese smiles and leaves the ring with Kyle Walker, who kicks the garbage can over on the outside.


The fans (and I) don't know whether to be more shocked at Geese's words or his actions. Fortunately, we can all take a break now that our first intermission is here!


(Part 4 of Continuum III is coming next week!)

[OrochiGeese]

*Intermission 1*

Over at the merchandise booth, Robin Walker has gleefully taken over. She's capitalizing on Geese's success, handing out "I'm a Goose T's" shirts (with a picture of a phallic-shaped Goose on the back) and "Fleshhold" ... uh, finger-trapping puzzles (dear god, I hope that's what they are) that will likely be banned soon. OG-FPD Anniversary Shirts are also selling nicely as well as special Anniversary show editions of UBL and OG-Joshi merchandise. There's even a few "L.A.W.L." shirts thrown in there for good measure. For them, "T-2" might mean that they are short a tag team of tomatoes which would throw the A/S/L division off.

Over at the concessions booth, fans are initially surprised to see it renamed to "The Snackatorium." Jean was responsible for the change because, in her words, "'Concessions' sounds like you lost a battle to junk food and gave up! Let's be snack-positive" The hot sellers are well, all things hot because it's bitterly cold outside. There's a special promotional deal where every king or queen sized beverage comes in a cup featuring pictures of William King on the side and Kathy Queen's mouth placed right where the straw goes. Maybe Jean should have kept Robin and Kathy away from the intermission plans but we're all so happy to have OG-Joshi activity that I can't blame her for being so permissive.


OG-Joshi Showcase

Speaking of Miss Carter, our proud and accomplished OG-Joshi Coach has come out to the ring. She easily gets the biggest ovation that the fans have given (and will give) all night long. With joyous tears in her eyes at their reaction, she runs down to the ring with enthusiasm.

[Jean:] "Happy Anniversary to OG-FPD! And thank you to Arthur for allowing OG-Joshi to make an appearance for our party tonight!! You know - I promised the world that OG-Joshi would continue in 2020 and by gum I meant it!

Last year we returned with Robin vs. Ruby - battle of the non-piratey "Rrrr's" - and stole the show! That match affected the eventual re-crowning of the OG-Joshi World Championship. But tonight we're going to go in a different direction and honor one of the most entertaining parts of our history - our tag teamery. With Championship duos like HAWT*Wing and J*NiGHT, the tag team division put on some of the most legendary matches in OG-Joshi history.

We aim to do the very much same for the future but we also have to acknowledge the recent past. When OG-Joshi was controlled by LAWL, the Hellions became the Tag Team Champions. Incredibly, they have not lost the Titles for over 5 years! It looks like RYOMA isn't the only Matsuki Holdings member who has had a notable tag reign. Tonight, Hae-Won and Sako Dasumi are going to defend their Championship for the first time in the true OG-Joshi. And they are going to do it against a team that no one would have imagined.

In a few weeks, Robin Walker and Kathy Queen are going to face each other in a mixed tag match: with their significant others backing them up. Tonight, Robin and Kathy are going to be on the same side as they team together to form the "Rocket Queens!" I was told by Geese that is the name of a poker hand where you have an Ace and a Queen. I told him that I prefer Old Maid or "Silly 8's" - since I don't like saying someone is crazy for enjoying card games with trusted friends. I also love Hearts, but only with Luke, because he has the..."

*Jean holds her microphone out and the entire crowd shouts "Heart of a Hero!" The volume and enthusiasm made Jean smile extra large.*

[Jean:] "Yeah! That made my day!! And I'm betting this match is going to make yours!! Happy Holidays everyone! And give that fruit cake from Great Aunt Emelda a chance. She made it with love and it just may be the Rudolph of your meal - lighting the way toward flavor!"

Jean smiles and salutes the crowd with a bow and curtsy, before skipping backstage looking as happy as I've seen her. And for good reason because we're about to see if two of the greatest singles wrestlers of all time can put their burgeoning rivalry aside to win a Championship.

We're also going to see just how far the Hellions have come since they last competed in OG-Joshi. While Kathy Queen regularly competes against men, and Robin regularly trains with Geese and Kyle, the Hellions are also no stranger to hard-hitting competition. They train exclusively with their Matsuki Holdings teammates RYOMA, Kazuo Saji, and Tetsu Gushiken. And for those who remember, their series against the fierce Lorelai and Chanel Melendez raised the physicality of the Amplitude shows back in 2011. Like THRASH Ogawa, the Hellions are always ready for a fight against any opponent. And like Geese and William King, Robin Walker and Kathy Queen always go into a match with the mindset that they already have it won. The wrinkle here is whether they can actually co-exist and win this one together?

My initial guess was actually...yes. Because in a move that surprised me, Robin and Kathy actually came to the ring together in one entrance. It seems that Kathy even agreed to use Robin's classic "Kick 'em when he's down" OG-Joshi theme song. Hearing that song and watching Robin walk down to the ring got one of the biggest crowd pops of the night. Watching Kathy move her hips rhythmically to the bass of the song got an equally loud pop. I can't tell if that irritated Robin or just got her further excited. It seems like, despite their rivalry and war of words, Kathy respects Robin and all that she has done in OG-Joshi.

The Hellions come down to the ring together, of course. Both Hae-Won and Sako Dasumi look a lot more at ease and confident than they have before. When they first joined OG-Joshi, they had a chip on their shoulder so big it looked like they were wearing an 80's blazer. But although their intensity has not faded, it seems as if it has been focused into poise and pure competition. I am sure that both of them have made great strides in their anger management working with their allies in Matsuki Holdings. I am even more sure that they have also made great strides in the ring given their years long reign in LAWL with those Championship.

Also, Jean asked me to discuss the referee for this match. Kellie Boone was an up and comer on the Amplitude roster. In the years that have passed, she decided to retire from active competition and transition into a referee role. As a former gymnast, her speed will definitely come in handy. Also as a former gymnast, she seems to be getting thoroughly checked out by both Robin and Kathy who are actually making some lighthearted but risque comments to each other which I am certain I would not be allowed to transcribe here. (If puns could kill, the FCC would read UBL's eulogy.) Kellie actually steps up and admonishes them which shows some massive growth in her initiative as a referee, but I think her actions just egged on the "Rocket Queens" even more as they are enjoying being scolded. Let's get to the match right away!


-----------------------------------


OG-Joshi Tag Team Championship

Match 4 - "Rocket Queens" vs. The Hellions (c)

Robin Walker/Kathy Queen vs. Hae-Won/Sako Dasumi

This match started off with high spirits on both sides. Robin and Kathy engage in a very polite "battle" of making offers to the other to start the match. However, this was not as it initially seemed. The two of them were not at all agitated by the other's antics. Instead, this game was clearly designed to annoy the other team and it worked.

Hae-Won became livid when her opponents refused to start the match due to their conversation. Not one to complain when she could actually do something about it, she grabbed Kathy by the arm to get her to start the match. However, Robin actually came in behind her and rolled her up for a quick 2 count. Hae-Won kicked out but was shocked at the maneuver. Kathy, pointing at Robin, looked to Hae-Won and whispered "she's gonna start" with a patronizing smile. The crowd ate this up. Robin then gave Kathy a firm smack on the bottom and a cheeky smile as their first strategic initiative succeeded.

Then it was Hae-Won's turn to get into her opponent's heads by...getting something out of her own. She blew two snot rockets at Robin. Although Robin dodged them, and hit back with a piercing look of disgust, Hae-Won still benefitted. That is because, in choosing not to step on the "affected" areas of the mat, Robin lost her balance in dodging an incoming flurry of Hae-Won's strikes. After landing with a few hard kicks to the stomach, Hae-Won whipped Robin over to the corner where Sako was waiting for her. Robin fought Sako off but was distracted long enough to get hit by a huge flying knee by Hae-Won that sent Robin face down to the mat.

It was with this maneuver that the Hellions took early advantage of the match. They isolated Robin from tagging out and goaded Kathy in when the referee wouldn't allow it. Robin seemed taken back by the Hellions high impact offense, particularly by Sako Dasumi. Prior to OG-Joshi falling into Ruby Moreno's hands, the Hellions had far less experience. Hae-Won had led the team with her ferocious strikes, debilitating submissions, and aggressive demeanor. Although Hae-Won has still managed to grow in every area, Sako has quickly caught up and became a force to be reckoned with. It's clear that she has trained with RYOMA due to her new array of high impact suplexes. Robin got dropped on her head a few times with high angle backdrops and you wouldn't blame her if she was hallucinating being back on the Walker farm.

However, there's one quality that Robin Walker has in spades - the ace of spades - and that's resiliency. Despite this prolonged 2 on 1 assault, Robin managed to kick out of every suplex and fight out of every submission. And although Kathy seemed genuine in trying to come to Robin's aid, she also appeared to be taking the match in for her own purposes: no doubt scouting the extent of Robin's endurance and fighting spirit. The Hellions, for their part, appeared to be doing the same. To their credit, they did what few other opponents of Miss Walker have done: kept their composure. They did not get frustrated, they got more aggressive.

At the fifteen minute mark, Sako hit a huge elevated powerbomb for a very close 2.9 count. Robin actually kicked out of this on her own before Kathy helped her get out of the predicament. A few minutes later, Hae-Won delivers an Emerald frosion that looks to just about knock Robin out. However, during the pinning attempt, Robin grabs Hae-Won's tights attempts a pin! She gets a 2 count but, perhaps more importantly, disorients Hae-Won who was shocked at the counter.

The fans pop huge for this display of endurance and poise on Robin's part. It even seems like Kathy is cheering her on, and not just because of her position as her teammate. The defensive tank that is Robin Walker, that Kathy Queen signed up to OG-Joshi to watch, is on full display here. And, I must say, it truly wouldn't be an OG-FPD Anniversary Show without it.

Robin takes the opportunity of Hae-Won's predicament to crawl to her corner. Sako runs into the ring to grab her leg and drag her back. Robin counters by kicking Sako just a wee bit south of the ole Mason-Dixon. Wow, I think that may have been an accident? Robin actually grimaces a when she sees the effect, and quickly gestures to Sako's leg as if to point to her intended target. Looks like Robin misjudged the kick but wow, can you ever remember her apologizing for something like that? The growth in maturity is lost on Sako who is furious at the errant kick. She immediately lariats Robin down and prevents her from continuing her momentum to make the tag. As Sako tries to "walk off" her own lingering pain, Hae-Won is able to slide back into the ring. She tries to capitalize on Sako's lariat, but Robin kicks out again.

As a woozy Robin starts to get to her feet, Hae-Won starts running the ropes. It looks like she's going to attempt her infamous "Wanton Kick" finisher!! Robin senses the rapid movement and quickly dodges out of the way. Hae-Won misses the kick! Robin doesn't look a gift Hae in the face. She uses the long follow-through of Hae's kick to run over and tag in Kathy!!

The fans erupt as we're seeing Kathy Queen in the ring for the first time in the match...and ever in the Peter Venkman Memorial Arena! She is absolutely cleaning house here!! Kathy immediately irish whips the still off-balanced Hae-Won into Sako who has gotten back into the ring. The two collide and Kathy takes advantage of the impact to grab Hae-Won in the "Cthulhu Clutch" rear naked choke sleeper. Given that this is one of Hae-Won's specialties as well, she is able to fight it, get to her feet, and break out of it. However, this was a tactical mistake as it leaves her vulnerable to a "Lip Lock Mind Flayer". (Complete Shot)

If Sako didn't break up the pin, Hae-Won may not have been able to kick out. But the match continues - and now under the reign of Kathy Queen. She drags Hae-Won to her corner. Kathy takes the opportunity to go up to the top rope. I think she's going for her moonsault here! Yes! But right as Kathy is about to jump, Robin smacks her on her rear end! Was that just some locker room tomfoolery? Regardless of motivation, it doesn't break the concentration of the Queen. She connects with a picture perfect "Queen's Landing" on Hae-Won!

However, Kellie Boone refuses to make the count and we see Robin get into the ring. Kellie points to Robin - yes, that's right, that playful tap on the derriere was actually a tag since Robin was furtively holding the tag rope. Kathy didn't initially realize it but now she knows something is wrong and stands up. Robin immediately covers Hae-Won, sending Kellie down to count. However, the break in the action has given Hae-Won enough time to recover and kick out. This clearly annoys Kathy who starts having less playful words for Robin.

Kellie sends Kathy back to her corner. Robin shrugs and makes a "what's the big deal?" gesture and Kathy is livid right now from the apron. Robin gets closer and taunts Kathy by saying she was just trying to get her to tighten up her 'loose, aging core' before the moonsault. That causes Kathy to scream back that one would think Holly would know how to 'hook' the leg after Geese paid Robin to be his 'special assistant' all those years. This was all said quite loudly for the fans to hear and both women were furious as a result.

But Robin's attention should have been on her opponent throughout this verbal saber-rattling session. During Kathy's latest barb, Hae-Won started to run the ropes again. She finally scores with a huge "Wanton Kick" to the back of Robin's head which sends her rushing forward into Kathy! The unexpected impact knocks Kathy off the apron and sends Robin careening backward into Hae-Won: who grabs Robin with a surprise bridging roll-up pin. Robin is unable to kick out and Hae-Won retains the Tag Team Championships for the Hellions!

Kathy Queen/Robin Walker (X) ["Wanton Kick" - 22:30] (O) Hae-Won/Sako Dasumi


-----------------------------------


The Hellions grab their OG-Joshi Tag Championship title belts and leave the party. I think they sense something is about to go down between their opponents and they have proven enough for one night. I am really taken back by the leaps and bounds they have both made in maturity in and out of the ring. A lot of us questioned Miss Matsuki's methods when she first came onto the scene but the way her group has meshed and grown up together has been incredible to watch.

Once Robin Walker is able to shake the cobwebs and stand up on her own, she looks around for Kathy but doesn't immediately see her. She throws her hands down, looking to wash them of the entire ordeal, and begins to walk down the ramp backstage. However, Kathy calls out to her with a microphone that she grabbed while on the arena floor.

[Kathy:] "Well folks, I guess we learned that Robin hasn't been shaving lately because that was bush league. Don't you know the first rule of a club party? Don't touch without permission. Even Sandy Morton knows that shit. Or maybe Jo Ryder didn't have that rule. I mean, that place is infamous in kink circles, you know there's a whole subreddit dedicated just to it?"

Robin looks annoyed but is trying her best to control her temper right now, especially given the cartoon-sized lump she probably just got from Hae-Won. But Kathy isn't done. She gets back into the ring, smirks widely, and slams the last straw that broke Robin's ass..burro's back.

[Kathy:] "Speaking of, settle a bet for me. How many broomsticks *was* it?"

And we're off to the races. Robin yells out "F*CK YOU!" with a classic "Holly" expression and runs back down the ramp to the ring. The two of them get in each others faces and if they weren't so angry, they'd probably be getting ready to make out. Hell, with these two, they may be more likely to do it when they are this angry. "Get a room or a ring", am I right? And while I'd love to say that cooler heads prevail, they really don't. They never do here.

Kyle Walker slowly stalks out from the backstage area with a look that could fry eggs - and he has the least tolerance for any jokes made about Robin's past. Perhaps reports that he has mellowed during retirement have been far overstated. In fact, once Robin sees him, she immediately backs away from Kathy to collect her own self so that she's able to calm his rage. As Kyle begins staring at Kathy, William King runs down to the ring to back up his Queen. This only makes Kyle angrier and Robin is physically holding him back now. Just when things look bad, Geese Walker runs down to the ring and we have a donnybrook on our hands...or not?

Geese appears to have entered the fray just to help Robin calm Kyle down. He holds his hand out to Kathy and William in a gesture of "Let me handle this" and blocks Kyle's path. This allows Robin to talk some sense into Kyle. William and Kathy don't advance nor do they retreat. But then things get weird. Yeah, even weird for an OG-FPD Anniversary show.

THRASH Ogawa comes out in his ring attire with his Universal Circuit Title belt slung onto his shoulder. You can't blame him for taking the opportunity to appear early for his match given that his (recently) scheduled opponent is now here. But the timing seems odd since we're still cleaning up the 'royal' mess from this match. He enters the ring on the side of Kathy and William, appearing to back them up. At the very least, this seems to even up the odds in case Geese derives a new equation to upgrade this potential donnybrook with a Pier 6 modifier.

However, THRASH walks right over to Geese and whispers something to him. Geese looks at him, initially confused to see him and hear what he has to say. But he nods after a few seconds of thought. THRASH holds his arms up trying to calm Kyle. This has very little effect since the two men have zero history between them and THRASH hasn't exactly been known for his mellow temperament or possessing words to sooth the savage beast.

Then my heart skipped a few beats as THRASH suddenly pops Kyle in the face with a shotei slap. This causes probably the loudest, in unison "Oh sh*t" reply from the crowd that I've ever heard in this arena. THRASH Ogawa just slapped an already enraged Kyle Walker. Let me repeat. An excessively angry Kyle Walker was just slapped in the face by a man who lives to fight.

Robin is stunned at THRASH but even angrier at Geese. The crowd then quiets down to less then a whisper. Kyle, who was not knocked over from the punch, slowly turns his head around to face THRASH again. THRASH smiles, anticipating the reaction, and beckons him to hit him back. The two stare at each other for what feels an eternity but which is somehow only clocked as a minute. The longest minute of my life. Kyle then punches THRASH even harder than THRASH hit him!

And just when we all thought this would boil over into nuclear winter territory, Kyle has somehow been defused. Like a flipped light switch, he leaves the ring smiling and calm. Robin is even more confused now than she was angry at anyone, and goes to follow Kyle. You can see her peppering him with the kind of questions we all have.

Meanwhile, THRASH is still on his feet from the blow. He's sporting some blood from his nose, but his eyes are electric. I've never seen him so pumped up. Geese nods at THRASH, shoots a threatening look at William and Kathy, then leaves the ring to catch up to Robin.

Why did Kyle and THRASH look happier than we've ever seen them? Is this why THRASH came out? To push a thorn into a rabid lion's paw in a way that seemingly removed it? And why did Geese think that it was going to work!? Really...what in the hell did we even just see here?

William and Kathy do not visibly reveal their own reaction to this. To their credit, they do not seem uncomfortable with these proceedings given what they have experienced in their career...and personal life. Instead, Kathy goes outside the ring and sits by the timekeeper since William's match is next. It's probably safer for her to be here with William then go to her locker room and risk running into Robin or Kyle. THRASH doesn't seem to have an issue with her accompaniment, and doesn't even accept a towel to wipe some of his blood from leaking into his mouth. Rather, he's even more ready to start this match then he was earlier.

And I don't think we have to wait too long but Sergeant Drake Yoshida and Thunder Strike have come out to ask both men if they still want to wrestle now. Drake talks to William while Thunder talks to THRASH. It's worth mentioning how much Thunder is studying THRASH's demeanor right now. THRASH just walked into the dragon's den that was an angry Kyle and Geese...and almost escalated things beyond comprehension. If anyone can appreciate the christmas miracle of non-violence that resulted from that group, Thunder Strike can.

Both William and THRASH demand to still have their match so Eiji Yoshida comes back to ringside to get set up. In the meantime, let me indulge myself in a little pre-match comparison.


(Part 5 of Continuum III is coming next week!)

[OrochiGeese]

Although William did win his earlier match against Jasper rather decisively, he took a few hits from a very large and powerful man. I don't know if he's quite at 100% as a result. But perhaps that just equalizes this contest. For as fighting of a champion as THRASH has been, he's still a relative newcomer to the sport compared to William King. THRASH has defeated a lot of big names here but King has been one of the cornerstones of PGCW for a long time. THRASH is certainly on his way to achieving that status with challenges like this one and the brave display he put on just a few minutes ago against two of UBL's most dangerous men and the Ace of OG-Joshi.

The thing is, I don't really know whether to count that punch from Kyle as a liability or a motivator for THRASH. I'm leaning toward the latter. I can't emphasize this enough - I've never seen THRASH have this energized look in his eyes before. I can't even describe it but he kind of looks like a beast who knows that he's about to be fed after months of starvation. Between getting this match and having that exchange with Kyle, all of the frustration that we saw from THRASH at the start of the show is gone. I can't remember the last time he approached a match with this type of intensity and excitement but that's also because he didn't get many opportunities this past year. That's why he wanted to end it with some fireworks tonight.

Earlier, THRASH made it clear that he has followed William's career and respects his accomplishments. However, I am not sure how much William knew about THRASH. King will likely get a crash course in "Headbutt 101" throughout this match. Provided he's able to retain any information after that, I think he'll do fine!

I will also note that this match will be held under the 15-minute time limit for Universal Circuit Title matches. That is unlike the league matches tonight which are held under a 20 minute time limit: even though we didn't get anywhere close to that with our matches earlier tonight. Eiji has formally cleared THRASH and William to wrestle right now. Let's get to the match that may just steal the show tonight!


Universal Circuit Championship




Match 5 - William King vs. THRASH Ogawa (c)

I guess if you try to steal the show, you can't be too surprised if someone tries to steals it from you too. And if there's anyone that knows about thievery, it's Kurt "The Hurt" Sanders. Before THRASH and William even locked up, Sanders rushed the ring and was joined by the shocking return of Charles Langford. We thought Charles was injured, possibly even to the point of retirement, but he came back with a devious look in his eyes and tripped up William from outside the ring. The two vultures then got into the ring and cornered William.

Kurt looks at THRASH and THRASH takes a step back, seemingly signaling that it was okay for them to attack William. I can only assume Kurt and Charles are out here for revenge for William turning Jasper into sillier putty earlier in the night. But right when Kurt and Charlies advance, THRASH bum rushes them and knocks Kurt down with a headbutt! King takes the cue and obliterates Charles with an elbow smash. THRASH walks over to William and points down to Kurt and Charles. He looks even more fired up than he was before. King nods and the two of them seemed to have reached an understanding - one that I am certain Kurt and Charles did not see coming an hour ago.

Eiji doesn't seem to know what to do here but THRASH makes it simple. He knees Kurt hard in the stomach and sends him through the ropes onto the apron. Then he props Charles up onto the corner and delivers a piercing chop to the chest. William walks over to the opposite apron and holds the tag rope. Eiji is a quick study and realizes we are about to have an impromptu tag match! For whatever reason, THRASH seems willing to wait to get his match against William.

Wait...I think we're about to get the reason. THRASH signals for a microphone.

[THRASH:] "Sanders!! Langford!! You two are the reason I haven't had a real fight in over a year! You're the reason Tetsu lost his cool before our Title match. You're the reason he lost his smile before he faced me in the league. Langford - you acted hurt to f*ck with his guilt. And now you come out here and dare get in my ring? Right when I'm about to fight someone that you don't even deserve to be in the same arena with?"

*THRASH spits at Charles who is still getting his bearings back.*

[THRASH:] "F*ck that - now we war."


Match 5B - THRASH Ogawa/William King vs. Kurt Sanders/Charles Langford

The bell rings. THRASH throws the microphone at Kurt, who narrowly ducks it, and hits an elbow of his own against Charles. He then begins peppering his midsection with Muay Thai style knees, while screaming at him - "how was your vacation!?" It's clear that this is beyond personal for THRASH. He was looking forward to a competitive match with King all night but was happy to put that aside in order to fight for a cause that he's been looking to avenge all year.

This is the worst I've ever seen Charles Langford get punished and it's only a minute into the match. After THRASH gets tired of the knees, he whips Charles over to the side of the ring with King. THRASH takes Charles head and runs it into King's outstretched leg, then tags him in. I gotta say - for two guys who were about to tear each other apart for the Universal Circuit Title, King and THRASH appear to be quite a potent tag team on the fly.

From there, King shows why it's a very bad idea to jump him from behind. He stretches Charles out in submissions that I've never even seen before and likely have all types of umlauts and accents in their names. They may not even be legal in the contiguous United States.  Charles is screaming in pain from them and Kurt looks legitimately nervous. He doesn't even see THRASH coming over to pull his legs out, sending him chin first into the apron. THRASH takes a chair from ringside but when he raises it, Eiji quickly takes it away. THRASH laughs and looks at Kurt, pointing to the referee - saying "you owe him your career."  Looks like THRASH may have taken a page from Geese earlier tonight about playing mind games. THRASH then knees Kurt in the face and walks back to his side of the ring.

Charles has been put into an STF by King when THRASH returns to the apron. King tags THRASH in and THRASH attempts the same submission as King, only with headbutts. THRASH lets go of the hold and walks over to King with a smile on his face. He appears to whisper something and King nods. THRASH picks up Charles and headbutts him, sending him down to the mat, then tags in King. King picks up Charles and throws an elbow at this face, sending him down just as hard. THRASH claps and it looks like the two have channeled their competitive urges with each other into who can beat up their opponents more. Gotta admire that "can do" thinking! A wide cut has opened on Charles' head and he's bleeding all over his gentleman's suit. I feel for his dry cleaner, really, I do.

King looks like he's getting bored of Charles and heaves him over to Kurt who has managed to pull himself up to the apron again. Kurt doesn't know what to do but King walks over and forces him to tag Charles. He then slingshots Kurt over the top rope and into the ring. Kurt backs up and tries to retreat, holding his hands up. King drills a boot right to Kurt's stomach and starts stomping a mudhole in him. It's just startling to me how much Kurt and Charles, noted tacticians, really didn't think this whole plan through. For two guys who pride themselves on not getting emotionally involved, and mocking others that do, it seems they let a desire for revenge cloud their thinking.

King pulls Kurt up and puts him in the same sleeper suplex position as he did to Jasper. However, he walks him over to THRASH. From the apron, THRASH begins headbutting Kurt. After the third headbutt, King suplexes him! Kurt goes flying across the ring. King tags in THRASH. THRASH forces Kurt to make the tag to Charles and drags Charles into the ring. He hits him with an "Ogawa Driver" face buster (full nelson face driver) and then irish whips him to the ropes. On the rebound, THRASH catches him in a lifting chokebomb for the cover. THRASH lets go at 2 and starts trash talking Charles. Langford is defenseless and Kurt Sanders is barely holding on to consciousness on the apron. I think a lot of people backstage must be enjoying this given what these two have pulled in the past.

THRASH keeps screaming at Charles but Charles seems to be reaching for something in his pocket. I think he found it - because he just sliced THRASH's forehead with it!! It appears that he re-opened the cut that was bleeding as a result of Kyle's punch before the match. I don't think Eiji saw what happened though. The object fell to the ground but Charles quickly picked it up and put it back in his pocket. It appeared to be a playing card with jagged metal edges.

Charles kicks THRASH off of him and retreats to his own corner to catch his breath. It looks like this could be just the thing to turn the tide but - oh man, what has gotten into THRASH tonight? He wipes the blood from the wound all over his forehead and face like war paint. The expression on Charles face looks like he just dealt his pants a "Royal Flush."

THRASH comes at Charles even harder now, sending thrusting knees to his midsection. Kurt is pleading with the referee to get THRASH to back up. Luckily for him, the referee complies and gets in the middle of the two, buying Charles some time. Kurt makes the tag but takes the metal playing card from him for insurance. (maybe THRASH was showing an ace card?)

THRASH didn't see that Kurt made the tag so he's still focused on Charles. Kurt tells the ref to check on Charles and uses the distraction to hit a low blow. He then uses the card to open up the cut further. I don't know how Kurt even survived the onslaught from before but you have to respect his resiliency. He begins to attack THRASH's arms and puts him in a seated armbar, hoping to keep him down on the mat and also buy himself some time to recover. The loss of blood may be slowing down THRASH as he's not having the easiest time escaping the hold.

Kurt seems to have gotten everything out of that hold and picks THRASH up. He punches him right in his opened forehead, but this has almost a reflexive reaction as THRASH then pops him right back with an even harder punch. However, THRASH relies on instinct and goes for a headbutt which lands but causes him to lose more blood. That wasn't the best choice for him but this isn't a great situation for him to be in now. Kurt is still woozy from the two attacks himself, but has enough wherewithal to drag THRASH over to his corner. Charles is there to make the tag. He's not in the best shape of his life but he's able to keep THRASH down with a seated octopus hold, further targeting the arm and making THRASH work and expend both breath and blood to break the hold.

King has started to yell encouragement at THRASH, challenging him to prove his worth. This seems to rile THRASH up and he powers his way to escape. He then hits Kurt on the apron with a spinning back fist, sending an audible "CRACK" through the arena. He attempts to go to his corner to make the tag to King, but Charles grabs hold of him from behind. He screams "You're running out of cards to play, son." THRASH nods to King who tries to get into the ring. Eiji immediately tries to stop him since there was no legal tag. But this time it's THRASH who benefits from the ref distraction. He uses a mule kick to score way down low below which doubles over Charles. THRASH sees Kurt getting back onto the apron and runs at the ropes with an elbow, knocking Kurt back down onto the floor. THRASH continues his running momentum toward Charles, jumps, and SPIKES Charles Langford's head to the mat with a vicious curb stomp!! I take it that THRASH won't have any of the same guilt in causing a neck injury to Charles as Tetsu did.

THRASH smiles and goes to pin Charles...but pulls him up again at the last second. He drags Charles prone body over to the corner and tags in King, telling him to "enjoy the scraps." Then THRASH goes to the outside where Kurt is.

King climbs the ropes and hits "Shadow Over Innsmouth" (Diving Splash) on Charles who is still face down from the curb stomp. He immediately transitions into his infamous "Cthulhu Clutch" (Crossface Chickenwing Choke) to put the match away. The referee calls for the bell as Charles is completely unconscious and unable to defend himself.


THRASH Ogawa/William King (O) ["Cthulhu Clutch" - 14:30] (X) Charles Langford/Kurt Sanders


THRASH rolls Kurt into the ring and picks him up. He sends him into King who kicks Sanders in the midsection and nails a "Kingmaker" (DDT). THRASH places Kurt on top of Charles and looks at King. The two appear satisfied with the work out that they had. Even though blood is still all over THRASH's face, he seems to have kicked his endurance and spirit into a higher gear.  He then calls for the microphone yet again.

[THRASH:] "Be on notice - this is the cost of denying me what I crave. Any one gets in the way of my fight again, I'll add you to this house of cards."

THRASH turns his attention to William.

[THRASH:] "And King, we're not done. I've got a Title match with your name on it once you and Geese are done escorting Holly and Kathy to the couples cotillion.  Don't let them spike the punch."

THRASH smirks then leaves the ring, dragging his Universal Circuit Title behind him. Kathy Queen rejoins William King on the ramp and the two walk backstage looking as if they accomplished what they wanted tonight. After what they experienced here, I can only imagine what they are going to write on their vacation postcard to PGCW.



(Part 6 of Continuum III is coming next week!)

[OrochiGeese]

*Intermission 2*

Fortunately, the "Fleshhold" uh...devices available earlier tonight have now been removed. Mills Tribune newspapers started to sell like hotcakes but apparently just so that people can tear them up and throw them out. That's just wasteful. At least use them to line a birdcage or to burn for a fire when it's cold? But that is all the merchandise news that I am contractually obligated to report on for tonight. Pop on our website for more gimmicky goodness!

"The Snackatorium" success continues unabated. The "Thrashed potatoes ograwa'tin" are surprisingly tasty, if I may recommend an item that is really hard to actually verbally order. And by the time your mouth can recover, it's hit by the heat and the spice on the back end of the eating experience. It's worth trying once but not for the feint of heartburn. I think Ralph Ferguson ate 5 orders in an inhuman display. It may be a good thing that we couldn't have any shows for a year given that he broke our arena's septic tank that very night.*


Now it's time to get to the final two league matches of the evening. First we turn to Tsaoring Chou vs. Alicia Gordon.

Tsaoring Chou came out first and looks extremely focused. If I didn't know better, and I'm not sure that I don't, he seemed to have taken exception to some of what Geese said about his chances of winning this league. Geese sorted the majority of wrestlers in this league into two categories - "aspirational failures and antagonistic feuders." He placed Chou in the former category, expecting him to fall short in success due to a mindset of merely wanting to compete. Whether Chou is trying to prove he truly wants to win or is instead just confident in his own mindset, the increase in intensity seems evident. The only question is whether it results in success.

Chou has never competed against someone as accomplished and dangerous as Alicia Gordon. Alicia is a former LAWL 1337 TV Champion and A/S/L Tag Champion. She was also the last reigning UBL Nexus Champion after having defeated Matthew Rivers this time last year. But she is also one of the rare cases where Championship gold really doesn't define her career as much as her intensity and ability to beat overwhelming odds. In consistently beating those odds, she eventually became that same overwhelming force that she once competed against. We're talking about someone who, as a rookie, held her own against Robin Walker and Geese in a mixed tag match over 15 years ago. She has only gotten better since then. Her victory against Matthew proved that along with her victories against Joachim, Brandr Hoff, and Kazuo Saji on her road to becoming NEXUS Champion in 2019. Arguably, she is in the prime of her career right now.

Sensing that, Alicia comes out with a look of impatience. After becoming NEXUS Champion, she wanted to immediately face Corey O'Brian to unify the NEXUS and World Heavyweight Championship Titles. When she was told of this league and the competition it would offer, she gladly contributed her NEXUS Title and participation. But it's now taken the entire year for her to compete in it. She looks almost restless in comparison to Chou's air of calm determination. Even as the two stand across each other in the ring, there's a tremendous contrast in energy and ease. The two nod at each other with a sense of mutual respect but it looks like Alicia is staring beyond Chou whereas Chou is focused squarely on Alicia.


Match 6 - A: Alicia Gordon vs. Tsaoring Chou

Alicia breaks the tension like someone breaking the ice with a mallet. She immediately attempts a flying cross arm breaker which is shrugged off as quickly as it was attempted. Undeterred, Alicia tries a sliding heel hold but Chou deftly jumps straight up in the air to avoid it. Alicia throws a middle roundhouse kick but Chou dodges in front of it, catches it behind his back, and sends her down with a back sweep. He follows up with a floatover pin and gets a 1-count. Alicia gets up and nods, finally acknowledging and respecting the challenge that she has in front of her. She holds out her hand for a handshake and Chou accepts it. It seems like he got her full attention.

Chou declines to go on the offensive, electing to continue to play counter to Alicia. He has clearly spent the past few months scouting her in preparation for this match. He is able to anticipate and block many of her standard middle and low kicks. Despite the impact that she delivers them with, Chou's blocks have an unyielding quality to them. Alicia does not seem to mind this game though, as she just continues throwing strikes testing Chou's resolve and resiliency. And Chou finally shows some recognition of a key point. Just because his body can handle this assault now, volunteering to be Alicia Gordon's heavy bag may not be the best strategy.

However, Alicia doesn't give Chou the opportunity to try a new strategy. After a kick to the midsection is thrown with half speed so that Chou is able to catch it, Alicia suddenly twists her body and sweeps Chou, securing a surprise takedown. She rolls over onto Chou's upper back and connects with an elbow to the shoulders and then transitions into a fujiwara armbar. She cranks it while elevating her legs, giving her extra leverage. Chou is able to roll his body to trip up Alicia and break the hold, but he's a step slower as a result of Alicia's tactics.

Alicia waits for Chou to get up and hits a hurracanrana, sending him into the corner. She runs with an outstretched leg but Chou ducks under it, and hits his own hurracanrana when she turns around. The two get up and each look to both try the same maneuver again to each other, but Alicia quickly transitions her hurracanrana attempt into a dropkick which connects with Chou's knees and flips him over in mid air. She does not waste any time and grabs his left leg for a twisting achilles hold, one of her specialties. Chou is steadying himself, despite the pain, and attempting to crawl to the ropes. The man's got grit, there's no doubt about that. He makes it to the ropes and Alicia dutifully breaks the hold. But some damage was done here. Chou is shaking out his leg and his arm from the holds before. Alicia is still mostly unscathed although you can tell she has expended a lot of mental energy and concentration just to do this level of damage after about 6-7 minutes. And Tsaoring also looks mentally depleted from his efforts. A significant percentage of this match has seen Chou finding an answer to the types of Alicia's moves which so often quickly win matches.

Alicia beckons Chou to give it a shot and attack first but he declines. Defense appears to be his bread and butter on stand-up. Alicia shrugs but clearly seems to enjoy being on the offensive anyway. She feints a few kicks which allows her to cut off the ring and corner Chou. He answers by attempting to slide under Alicia but she catches him on the ground and pulls him up so that she's behind him. However, he lands a massive backward flipping dropkick that sends Alicia careening into the ropes. He follows and catches her with a frankensteiner pin and gets a 2 count. He jumps off of the post and scores with a senton. Another impressive 2 count.

He lifts Alicia up onto her feet. Sensing an opportunity, he sets up his "Tsaoring Spirit" finisher by quickly jumping up off of her knee and launching into the air. However, she had it scouted and spins to the side, dodging Chou's flying body press on the way down. As he bounces off of the mat, she drills him on the back with an axe kick: aggravating his landing. She attempts the pin and just gets a 2 count. This may have changed the momentum of the match though.

Suddenly, the lights go out!

And I don't mean Chou's "lights" as a result of Alicia's kick. The house lights were cut and when they come back on, we have a surprising but uninvited guest in the ring! Marie Reyes of L.A.W.L. has suddenly appeared...to stare at Alicia? The two have been best friends for years but something isn't right. Marie is dressed in rags and has what appears to be blood leaking out of her eyes and running down her face. Alicia looks quite concerned and has every reason to be. The fans are silent as they look upon a horrific version of what is usually a jovial Marie. We're well past HaLAWLoween so I don't know why Marie is dressed like that and I certainly don't know why she decided to appear in the middle of this match.

Marie takes a few slow steps toward Alicia then stops, as if she's being held back by something. She slowly and painfully reaches her arm out to Alicia and smiles in a way I still try to shrug off when I go to sleep. Then the lights go out again. When they come back on, Marie is gone but Alicia's face is covered in blood and she's down!

Eiji doesn't know what to do. He didn't see her get attacked by Marie and it's clear Chou had nothing to do with it even if she was. It appears that the blood is not Alicia's though, based on the way it's coming clean off of her face. There isn't any flowing from her once it rubs off her onto the mat. That is good news...I guess? Eiji then decides to start a standing ten count since both competitors are down. Chou gets up first and looks rather shocked at Alicia's misfortune. He breaks the ten count by talking to Eiji and trying to figure out what happened. Eiji attempts to explain it but Chou looks concerned. Eiji starts the ten count again but Chou breaks it again by checking on Alicia, to see if she is okay. When it appears she is, Chou lifts Alicia up and props her against the corner, seemingly to recover either physically and emotionally. Geese can say what he wants about Chou but these are not the actions of a failure: aspirational or otherwise.

We're at the fifteen minute mark now and Alicia has finally regained her wits and composure. She nods to Chou and also at the referee, signaling that she wants to continue the match. But it's clear that a large segment of her mind is focused on what just occurred, and what didn't occur but seemed like it did, with Marie.

The two are feeling each other out anew. Chou is still playing defense but it appears to be more out of a sense of self-preservation than an integrated part of his strategy. He is still suffering the effects of that axe kick and is moving with a little more caution. Once you get tagged point blank with one of Alicia's strikes, it has a distinct psychological effect.

Alicia is figuring out where to attack next. She throws kicks to each part of Chou's body, seemingly reading his reaction time and response. After feigning a low kick with her right leg, she immediately swivels and kicks Chou right in the gut with her left. Before he fully doubles over, she slides under his upper body to grab him into a northern lights suplex! This results in a long two count. She immediately grabs his leg for another Achilles hold but he rolls out of it and manages to hit a low impact enzuigiri from the ground to shake her off. He follows this by kipping up and immediately hitting a moonsault onto her back. Chou, now fully sensing a very real opportunity to win this match, goes to the top rope and hits a 450 splash on Alicia! He gets a long two count as well but Alicia fights out of it. Folks, we're at the 18 minute mark now. 

Chou picks up Alicia and hurracanrana's her into the corner. He then lifts her onto the top turnbuckle and fires her off with a top rope frankensteiner!! He lands on his own feet and then hits a quick moonsault onto her! Another very long two count! Chou seems a little confused as to what to do next at this point. But Alicia answers that question by using a single leg takedown while she was still on the ground. She maneuvers into a cross arm breaker but doesn't fully lock it in. Instead, she correctly anticipates Chou rolling into it to prevent the torque and uses his motion to get Chou's back! She immediately applies a rear naked choke! What anticipation by Alicia!

Chou is very adept at defense and using his speed on his feet to avoid strikes. But this current situation is not in his comfort zone, especially against someone as experienced in submissions as Alicia is! Chou is trying to wriggle free but Alicia is not budging. She has her arms firmly wrapped around Chou's neck and forehead, and her legs are forming a tight grapevine around his body. Chou recognizes the predicament he is in but has little recourse.

He tries one final maneuver by rolling left and right, attempting to shake Alicia off or at least give her some mat burn. This doesn't appear to be breaking the hold but it does seem to be causing Alicia to loosen her grip in order to use her elbows and legs to prevent herself from being rolled over by Chou. Chou takes the opportunity to flip upside down so that his head is still in her choke grasp but his flexible legs have bridged over the back of Alicia. This is exactly what he needs for a pinning position as Alicia's head and shoulders are stuck to the mat.

1...2... *DING DING DING*


The bell has run!! The referee stopped counting the fall as the time limit has run out.


Alicia Gordon (T) [Time Limit Draw - 20:00] (T) Tsaoring Chou

Alicia earned 3 points.
Tsaoring earned 3 point.


I don't know what would have happened here if we just had one more second. But you have to be impressed with what Alicia and Chou did in the final 5 minutes given the bizarre occurrences leading up to it. And even before this match went off the spooky Reyes rails, you have to give credit to Chou. He seemed to have the right defensive answers to Alicia's aggression. The fans give him a standing ovation here for his abilities and sportsmanship and Alicia shakes his hand afterward. She whispers something to him which I can only imagine is a variation of competitive gratitude and then she leaves to allow him to celebrate with the fans. The expression on her face is imperceptible but is not one of celebration. You have to figure she's as upset about the draw under these circumstances as she is about what went down with Marie.


After Chou leaves, the crew comes in to change the ring mat due to all of the blood. Hygiene first, people. While they attend to this task, let's talk about our main event.



(Part 7 of Continuum III is coming next week!)

[OrochiGeese]

Corey O'Brian and Joachim never got the 1 on 1 match that the former wished for. After Joachim defeated Matt Rivers for the NEXUS Champion in 2013, Ruby Moreno found ways to prevent Corey from getting his deserved Title match. Corey was the last reigning NEXUS Champion in the previous generation of UBL, the one that ended in 2011 when Geese sold it to Arthur Wingate. When Corey returned, he wished to face the current NEXUS Champion to unify the Titles. However, the bad blood between Corey and NEXUS transferred to Joachim as one of the leaders of the group. It was around this time that Corey introduced the UBL World Heavyweight Championship - a Title representative of his previous NEXUS claim. The only match Corey and Joachim ever had was a three-way match in 2019 meant to unify the Titles. This was held between Corey, Joachim, and Matthew Rivers. Rivers had already regained his Title from Joachim but also joined Destiny under the influence of psychological manipulation by Ruby Moreno. However, that match was tarnished when Agent 1 interfered, causing Corey to chase him down and prematurely exit the contest. I will note that, up until that point, Corey had been dominating both competitors and looked to be on a fast track to winning the match and unifying the two Championships. Corey never got his rematch, Rivers lost his Title to Alicia, and Corey's proposed reunification match with Alicia was turned into this quattro-Championship unification Continuum league.

So...here we are. A one on one match ten years in the making. Joachim claims that he is no longer with Destiny and has disavowed all connection with the Gauntlet offshoot. Corey has his share of doubts about that along with his overall concern with what Joachim's motives are right now. For his part, Joachim's new positive life direction has been vouched for by many people with credibility: not the least of which being Jang Bae and Mr. Clyde of Orochi Army. But there still seems to be some bad blood between Corey and Joachim that goes beyond the competition that we'd expect from such a high profile match in this league. At the minimum, we're looking at two of the last four NEXUS Champions doing battle in this league. A win here could make one of these two the presumptive leader in the loaded C-block. At the maximum, well we may just see close to ten years of tensions boil over in a violent, bloody affair. And that may suit Joachim as much as it does Corey O'Brian. While Corey has fought, and won, his share of death matches, Joachim has never been one shy to draw blood even if it's his own. You can take the man out of Destiny, but you may not necessarily take the blood-letting rituals out of the man. Of course, take too much blood out of any man, and he's gonna be worse for the wear. This...was not an invitation for Jakob of Furis to join us, by the way.

In fact, let's get to the ring now that the crew finished up.

Corey O'Brian comes down first to massive applause and adulation from the fans. He doesn't bask in it but he doesn't seem to terribly mind it either. I think a hint of a smirk may have even come out. This arena has been Corey country since the day he signed a UBL contract in 2008. He gets in the ring and begins some mild stretching exercises. His face is all business. On a night where we've seen everything from Brandr Hoff crushing Thomas Mills like a soda can, to Geese Walker psychological retiring James Ward, and William King and THRASH Ogawa fighting like two lions on the Serengeti, Corey O'Brian has just as much a claim to "stoic badassery" as anyone else. You can see it on his face - he did not come for polite conversation.

Joachim is out next to an uneven crowd reaction. Some fans seem to dig his "reborn" grey pony tail look and appearance of piety. Others look at him with as much suspicion as they did before. We're talking about a man who directly aided Ruby Moreno in almost turning this promotion upside down. Promises of "good works" may be too little, too late. For his part, Joachim acknowledges the mistrust and nods his head, seemingly accepting responsibility, But when he looks at his opponent, a fire in his eyes awakens. For whatever reason, even if he knows Corey was right about his past, Joachim just seems to not like him. This should lead to tremendous entertainment for us but a lack of Secret Santa Goose gifts exchanged between them.


Match 7 - C: Corey O'Brian vs. Joachim

The two stare across the ring at each other for a good minute. Both are emotionless but are clearly studying their opponent and taking in the energy of the match in front of them.

Corey takes the initiative and holds his arms out in an offer for a test of strength. Joachim nods and slowly walks up. He locks hands with Corey but then immediately falls to his knees. I know Corey has the strength and leverage advantage here but this was kind of sudden for a display of dominance. On closer look though, it appears that Joachim's muscles are not even tensed up and he's just enduring Corey's crushing grip. Corey realizes this and breaks his clasp. He gestures to Joachim with an expression that seems to say "hey guy, what's the haps"

Joachim stays on his knees, goes down to the mat to pray, and looks up at Corey.

[Joachim:] "My strength is from within, I can take your worst."

Corey offers his hand, helping Joachim up, and grins. The two go back to their corners.

The crowd really doesn't know what to make of this. But I'll give Corey credit - he was not at all thrown off by this display of confidence and inner strength by Joachim. If anything, it looks like it got him even more into the match.

Corey decides to let Joachim make the next move. Joachim obliges and hits a blistering chop to the chest. Corey doesn't budge, smirks, and mouths: "inner strength." Joachim takes the hint and attempts a go-behind into a single leg takedown but Corey intentionally falls before the takedown, with his legs thrust forward, and ends up on top of Joachim's head with a headlock. The fans applaud this as it was a pretty damn good read and execution!

Corey wrenches it a little but just to give Joachim a feel of what he's capable of. He stands up, with Joachim still in his grasp. Joachim goes limp, again, and slithers out of Corey's grasp. I think Joachim is trying to make some point here but it's not really getting him anywhere in the match. Corey seems eternally patient though, at least under these circumstances. He once again beckons Joachim to attack him.

Joachim begins praying in the center of the ring for a solid minute and Corey just leans back against the corner turnbuckle. He gestures to his wrist to Eiji and Eiji calls out "5 minutes." Corey shrugs and looks as cool as a continuum cucumber. Either Corey has achieved a new level of chill or he thinks he is onto Joachim's plan to rattle him with unorthodox theatrics.

For his part, Joachim appears to be in a trance. After another minute, he stands up and looks more focused then he did before. He walks over to Corey and says "5 for 5." Okay, I did hear that the concessions booth is doing a "5 tacos for 5 dollars" deal but I think we'd all prefer these two finish the match before Joachim treats Corey to dinner.

Corey is also a little uncertain so Joachim gestures for a microphone.

[Joachim:] "My strength against your strength. Even if I lose, I still offer my best and accept yours unconditionally. Then you and everyone else can accept me for who I have truly become."

Corey looks intrigued but, like all of us, seems to want more information.

[Joachim:] "My 5 strongest moves vs. your 5 strongest moves. Winner is the one left standing."

Corey unflinchingly nods and offers his hand to show he agrees. Joachim shakes it. Then Corey backs up and gestures to Joachim, allowing him to start these odd festivities. Eiji Yoshida has no choice but to let these two settle things in their chosen way and just stands back and waits to see what happens.


Joachim's first move


Although this was Joachim's plan, he looks a little awkward about just walking up to Corey and doing a move. He gestures to his hand and Corey figures it out immediately. Corey gestures to his own chest and Joachim's arm. Joachim hits a large chop on Corey's chest in such a way that it causes Corey to turn around. This opens him up for:





Joachim's first move was his "Twisting Path" (Rapid Face Crusher). 

Corey is sent to the mat face-first but he is able to recover after a few seconds. He looks a bit wobbly at first but shrugs it off and seems to appreciate the impact in which Joachim dropped him. Joachim, to his credit, backs off entirely until Eiji clears Corey to continue. Then he walks over, with his chest out.

Corey waves off the opportunity for the chop receipt and instead starts the action with a go-behind. From there he transitions from a backdrop into a nasty backbreaker!





Corey calls this move the "Death Note" and drives Joachim on his knee with a thud. This is going to take some time to get up from as well. To his credit though, Joachim is able to do it. But already just one move in each, both competitors look damaged and sluggish. You wouldn't think one big move would do it outside of a backstage catering vignette, but here we are.

Joachim gets his feet back under him and it's worth noting that even though both men will likely progress through their arsenal to more powerful moves, each one of those moves may lose some efficacy due to the increasing damage done to these men.

Joachim next grabs Corey and hoists him up for a familiar maneuver.





This was formerly known as the "Destiny Driver" (Samurai Driver '84). It won Joachim the NEXUS Championship against Matt Rivers. I really don't know how pinfalls factor into Joachim's impromptu challenge to see "who is left standing" though. I suppose a 3 count would get the job done in this contest and Eiji had no issue counting. Corey was able to get out in time before the 3 count, seemingly a bit worse for the wear.

However, he's been in enough grueling matches to not be felled by 2 moves and a chop. Corey does seem to be favoring his neck a bit though so we will have to watch that. However, Joachim isn't the only one in this ring that targets the neck. Corey once again elects to forego any kind of "rhythm inducing" strike to start the next move. Instead, he once again switches to Joachim's back with a go-behind and plants him with this:





Corey's Dragon Suplex has been feared for a long time and won him a number of UBL matches. Joachim kicks out but those arms and neck paid the price to honor his own proposition. Now both men are moving a little slower and eyeing each other intently, wondering what their opponent will choose next.

Joachim appears to be catching his breath on the mat but he may also be meditating. This could serve him well psychologically but you really don't want to give Corey time to recover. Resilience has always been one of his hallmarks so if you aren't attacking him, you may as well be buying him a sports drink. Make haste, Joachim!

As if he heard me, likely not about the sports drink part, Joachim stands up and transitions to a go-behind as Corey has done the past two exchanges.





Joachim just dropped Corey on his upper back and neck with a Michinoku Driver Beta! Although Corey kicked out, he seemed to do it slower this time and with a grimace on his face. A move like that can give you a stinger. Once Corey stands up on his own power, he tries to walk the feeling off. Of course, now you're just giving Joachim more time. But if you can't even pick your opponent up, then you're out of luck entirely.

It seems that Corey was not just trying to stabilize his body but also further steel his mind. Joachim's recent move represented a significant escalation of weaponry. Corey was just pacing to amp himself up to deliver one of his most feared weapons - the Kinniku Buster!





People always talk about "a puncher's chance" - the idea that a striker always has a chance to win a fight because of the potential for a knock out. But the truth is, wrestlers and grapplers possess the same chance when it comes to suplexes. The Kinniku Buster is a move that has won Corey countless matches. One doesn't even have to be that worn down to fall to it. So it is incredibly impressive that Joachim was able to get to his feet by the 7 count to keep alive in this contest. He is showing a new type of physical resiliency that we haven't seen before to match his psychological strength.

But he's also showing intelligence. Rather than attempt yet another massive head drop, Joachim tends to his own endurance and health with the next move. Joachim irish whips Corey to the ropes and then catches him in a Dragon Sleeper he calls "Dreams."





He holds on while the referee observes from a distance. Eiji isn't so clear on whether or not to check with Corey in a match for the one last standing. But given that Eiji counted the earlier pins, he's slowly walking over to gauge Corey's condition in this hold. Joachim doesn't appear to be telling him to leave. As for Corey, I can't tell how he is faring in this hold due to what appears to be muscle spasms. However, a closer look reveals very deep, rhythmic breathing. While the actual contortion of the move is likely painful, Corey appears to be fighting off the sleeper aspect by controlling the contraction of his diaphragm and lungs. Joachim, to his credit, senses this situation and relinquishes the hold. He backs away and looks at Corey with surprise, clearly appreciative of the control he has over his body.

However, it still takes Corey a few seconds to get up. Eiji starts counting, with speeds up Corey's process and he's on his feet by the count of 6. Joachim has made a little recovery of his own from applying the hold. What's the old saying, "whatever doesn't drop you on your head makes you stronger?" It certainly helped Joachim to apply the dragon sleeper for as long as he did.

But now it's Corey's turn and he walks over to Joachim. Joachim beckons his next move and Corey grabs him in a front headlock, then lightly knocks him down to the mat. I'm assuming that elbow wasn't the move since I couldn't imagine any match ending like that.

But we quickly see Corey's real plan as he immediately applies his version of a Fish Stretch Sleeper that he calls "The 42."





Joachim is being twisted by this even more than Corey was by the Dragon Sleeper! But keep in mind that one of the purposes of both moves are to prevent the opponent from escaping. I don't know if that's entirely relevant in this "take my best shot" type of match. However, the aspect of the move preventing escape also plays a role in the torque of the body leading to damage. And Corey is doling out a metric ton of it here, especially after the previous moves that targeted Joachim's back. Although Joachim's breathing appears regular, his body is sustaining much more damage than Corey's was in the dragon sleeper. You can see Joachim's body spasming betraying his stoic calmness. However, he's not giving up and I think Corey must have known that even before attempting the move. Whether Corey was just using the opportunity to rest or wanted to test Joachim is a different question. In any case, Corey has voluntarily let go of the hold.


This time, it's Joachim who takes to the 7 count to get up as Eiji counts. The damage is done here and you can see almost a crooked posture in the movement of Joachim. However, he has one last change to end this encounter. It is now his turn to land his final blow and what could be the final blow of the match.

Joachim irish whips Corey over to the corner. Is he going for a running shotei? No, he slowly walks over and hoists Corey onto the turnbuckle. It looks like Joachim is going for a move that we have rarely seen - the top rope reverse DDT known as the "Alpha Rapture!"





To his credit and respect for the contest, Corey does not fight this at all. Joachim takes full advantage and drives Corey into the mat, neck first. We could have a winner right now!! Eiji has started to count and Corey looks completely out of it!





Corey does it! With less than one second left, he has fought his way up to his feet, regained his balance and wits about him! At the very minimum, Corey has forced some kind of draw or sudden death. I don't even know what that would mean in this match. Maybe agreeing to a time limit draw? Who knows but Joachim and he may not even be thinking straight right now. He definitely seemed to tweak his lower back and hip area during that move. Luckily for him, the move we all know that Corey is about to use isn't a "Gluteso Bomb."

Joachim slowly walks over as the crowd starts engaging in a "Corey's gonna kill you" chant that can't be encouraging for any opponent to hear. Corey looks at Joachim and mouths to him: "You got this?" Joachim takes a second to think. I think part of him was really hoping that he'd finish this match by now, or even be knocked out already so he wouldn't have to make this choice. To his credit, he nods at Corey. Corey nods back and one can almost see a glint in his eyes of respect.

But things get serious now. Corey is about to bring out the big gun-so - the original powerbomb known as the "Core Meltdown". We haven't seen him do this in a long time. We're talking about a move that shortens careers and spines. Joachim agreeing to this seems crazy and noble at the same time. He did propose these rules, and he did hit Corey with his hardest shot. It's only fair to submit to the same but that doesn't make it any more sane.





Ayyyyyiyyyy...that's gotta hurt. Was it just me or did it seem like Corey modified the way he did it? Even a man like Corey must feel the need to innovate to stay ahead of the competition he has in this league. Geese sure seemed to feel that same need.

To Joachim's credit, simply not getting knocked out is a moral victory here and he achieved that. But I think he also may have thrown up a little on the mat once he got to his hands and knees. I don't think anyone can blame him for that. He's taking some time in that position to gather his strength, his sense of balance, and his remaining spirit. Can he get up?





Joachim's legs were shaking and he was knocked out on his feet. Eiji can't acknowledge a successful return to a ready position and Joachim collapses like a rag doll right as we get to the ten count. He was putting in everything he had left into standing on his own but his body just could not comply and his mind was elsewhere. Corey O'Brian has won this match.


Corey O'Brian (W) [ "Core Meltdown" - 18:01 ] (L) Joachim


Corey earned 5 points.
Joachim earned 0 points.


With a concerned look, Corey O'Brian goes over to check on Joachim. Fortunately, it doesn't appear any injuries were sustained beyond a very sore neck. However, since Joachim is still down and potentially knocked out, Corey decides to keep his distance. A medical team comes out as a precaution. Corey, likely sensing that this isn't the time for any further interaction, leaves the ring and goes backstage. A minute later, Jang Bae comes to the ring to assist his fallen mentor.



(The final part of Continuum III is coming next week!)

[OrochiGeese]

As Jang and the medical team attend to Joachim, a buzzing can be heard in the crowd. The volume increases until it's clear that the fans were shouting that people were forcing their way to the front. Jarec, APEX, and Summit jump over the railing and pour into the ring. Should we condemn their opportunism or applaud their restraint for waiting until the end of the show? They immediately throw the medical team out of the ring and begin attacking Jang and the downed Joachim. This is truly despicable. If Joachim wasn't injured before, he's certainly in an unenviable spot for his health to remain stable. And Jang simply can't fight a one on three against these incredibly dangerous and unstable Gauntlet members. APEX and Summit have double-teamed him and are holding him up prone for Jarec.

Jarec picks up Joachim and points to Jang, seemingly shouting - "justice against apostates!"

And then it rained spears. No, that isn't a metaphor, it's to be taken quite literally.

A spear, harpoon, or some type of projectile flung into the ring and impaled Jarec right through his left shoulder!! The fans gasp at the sound of metal piercing bone as blood pours from the. Jarec falls to the ground. If he wasn't wearing a mask, I'd imagine we'd see his face turning quite pale.

Worse yet, the harpoon is still inside of his shoulder and a rope seems to be attached. The rope is pulled taut, seemingly because the blade of the spear is firmly stuck in Jarec's shoulder blade. Suddenly, Mr. Clyde rappels down the rope attached to the spear...once again, embedded in Jarec's shoulder. The fans are gasping at this display of brutality.

This is as dramatic a scene and visual as I've ever seen occur in the UBL. To be honest, we wanted to show this footage to you but for legal reasons we simply can't. And that isn't just because of what happened already, it's because of what immediately follows.

The ninja magic turns tragic.  A tremendous blast of fire is sent toward Mr. Clyde on his way down the rope, causing him to lose his grip and fall about 20 feet down to the hard floor of the arena. The fans once again gasp as this was not the type of impact one can simply shrug off, even by a noted ninja.

The flame appears to have come from a giant of a man with a buzz cut wearing fatigues. He had snuck over the crowd barrier while everyone was distracted by Gauntlet. He drapes the wounded Jaraec over his large shoulder and jumps back over the barrier. They are able to escape before Thunder Strike and UBL Security come down to the ring. I don't know what was keeping them before but I can only imagine there was as much chaos backstage as there was in the ring.

Thunder immediately checks on Mr. Clyde and his expression is not one that inspires confidence. He frenetically calls for more medics to come to the ring as well as more security since APEX and Summit are just tossing them over the ropes as they come into the ring. Laser Sight and Land Storm heed the call and have come to the aid of Jang and Joachim. APEX and Summit turn their attention to them but still take some shots at the downed Jang and Joachim.

This brings down Alicia Gordon who has no business logging any more time in a blood-stained ring tonight. Summit has Jang Bae locked in a Stretch Muffler. Alicia runs down to the ring enraged and immediately knocks Summit off with an AG-47 (Buzzsaw kick). I don't just mean that Alicia knocked Summit off of Jang, I mean she practically knocks his head off its spinal axis. Summit falls with his head visibly twisted to the side and the crowd just collectively gasps in horror. Land Storm has to hold Alicia back from continuing her attack. APEX immediately grabs Summit and drags him out of the ring. Pretty sure you're not supposed to move someone with a neck injury like that but uh...here we are.

Order begins to be restored as Gauntlet is in full retreat through the crowd...but the UBL hates the restoration of order. Viktor Katona just appeared in the crowd and knocked out APEX with a heavy roundhouse kick to the face, causing him to drop the broken Summit. Jakob of Furis slinks out and drags the unconscious APEX away!! Summit is only able to escape due to being picked up by Gauntlet security plants in the audience. Damage is done though - one member of Gauntlet was gravely injured and another was just apprehended by the worst person they would want as a captor!

The medical team has finally surrounded Mr. Clyde, securing him on a stretcher and treating his burn wounds. Jang Bae and Joachim appear unconscious but the medical team does not look as concerned about their injuries. I guess on a night where people were hit with explosive blasts, spears through shoulders, and whiplash kicks, their injuries are more par for the course for those brave enough to step into the ring. (or perhaps foolish enough to step into a UBL ring during one of our Anniversary shows). They are lucky - lucky - that they didn't get a crowd-gasping injury to go along with the others. Meanwhile, Thunder Strike is talking with Alicia, trying to calm her down and assessing what went wrong here tonight.

Short answer: everything.

The fans are dumbstruck as to what occurred here. So I get the sense we may not be following with Continuum IV any time soon? Or, uh, anything? We will update as soon as its legally prudent to do so. Try to remember - we just wanted to unify the Championships and celebrate a freaking Anniversary (Wingate's note: "Language!"!) Is that such a bad thing? This is beyond the pale for anything UBL planned for this event. Gauntlet will pay. Unfortunately, we already did.