Check out all the action from BattleZone as both Tim and August took part in a #1 contenders battle royal!
Number One Contender’s Battle Royale
Poe: Everybody’s in the ring… Let’s find out who’s gonna be headin’ to the main event against Pinex or Nana Moto at Revelations!
Baxter: My money is STILL on Gambino!!
[All of the competitors are in the ring. Hardaway and Gambino make a beeline for each other right out of the gate. Brittany Lohan and Sophie O’Brian pair off near one of the corners. Stephen Myers, Jr. and Chris Pressler are going to work on Nightmare near the opposite corner. Mark O’Brian and Maximum Violence have paired off near the ropes. Tim Worthington and Jack Gaither have paired off, as have August Joyce and Jason Wright. Gambino and Hardaway are trading blows in the center of the ring, neither man looking to give the other an inch. Meanwhile, Nightmare has grabbed both Pressler and Myers by the heads and have forced the two into a meeting of the minds. Lohan is putting the boots to Sophie O’Brian while Mark O’Brian and Maximum Violence trade blows near the ropes. Worthington and Gaither are caught in a collar-and-elbow, while Wright and Joyce trade blows.]
Baxter: These things can be so hard to call in the beginning. Too much action going on at one time.
Poe: You ain’t neva lied!
[Nightmare has whipped Myers into the ropes; he lets him taste one of his boots, sending him crashing to the mat. Pressler, using Nightmare’s distraction, dropkicks him in the back, sending him stumbling into Mark O’Brian and Maximum Violence. Maximum Violence catches Nightmare with a forearm shiver to the side of the head, followed by a kick to the gut by Mark O’Brian. Max and Mark both apply front facelocks on Nightmare before hoisting him in the air then driving him face first into the mat.]
Regi: We didn’t really expect that Mark O’Brian and Maximum Violence would work as a team… Battle royales make strange bedfellows!
Baxter: Indeed…
[Gambino whips Hardaway into the ropes then attempts a running clothesline; Hardaway catches Gambino with a boot to the face then explodes off the ropes with a double leg takedown. Lohan has Sophie in the corner, punching her in the face while standing on the second rope; Sophie grabs Lohan’s legs, hoisting her higher in the air before taking a couple steps toward the center of the ring then falling backward, driving Lohan’s face into the top turnbuckle. Maximum Violence and Nightmare are going toe-to-toe, while Mark O’Brian has now moved on and is assisting Jason Wright in working on August Joyce. They have Joyce situated precariously on the top rope, both men attempting to push him over. Chris Pressler runs across the ring, leaping in the air onto Jack Gaither’s back, applying a Sleeper in the process. Myers and Sophie O’Brian are working over Lohan in a corner, each one putting the boots to her. Meanwhile, Tim Worthington is clearly trying to determine which of the battles going on around him to participate in.]
Poe: The thang that I’ve neva liked ‘bout battle royales is how unpredictable they are. You’ve gotta watch yo’ back at all times… Neva know who’s comin’ at’cha or when.
[Nightmare catches Maximum Violence with a Judo thrust to the throat before attempting to throw him over the top rope. Maximum Violence holds onto the top rope, falling onto the apron. Meanwhile, Nightmare attacks Tim Worthington from behind. As Maximum Violence rolls underneath the bottom rope and back into the ring, Gaither catches Pressler with a back suplex. Joyce has managed to extricate himself from being eliminated, but is being worked over by Wright and Mark O’Brian. The two men pull Joyce out of the corner then whip him across the ring. Joyce catches them with a double dropkick, sending them into the ropes. Out of nowhere, Stephen Myers comes in with a clothesline, sending Wright over the top rope and out to the floor.]
Baxter: Does it surprise ANYONE that Jason Wright is the first one to be eliminated?
Poe: Why you gotta ride Wright?
Baxter: If he was being ridden AT ALL by SOMEBODY, he might actually do something decent in the ring!
[August Joyce charges at Mark O’Brian; O’Brian low-bridges Joyce, sending him sailing to the floor.]
Regi: There goes August Joyce!
Baxter: So much for The People’s Choice!
[Myers attempts to give Mark O’Brian a high-five; instead, he gets a headbutt for his trouble. Mark grabs Myers by the throat with both hands then lifts him in the air. Meanwhile, Nightmare is pounding away at Tim Worthington; Sophie O’Brian is still working over Lohan in the corner. Maximum Violence and Kevin Hardaway are trading blows, as are Gabriel Gambino and Jack Gaither. Chris Pressler is sitting in the free corner, trying to stay inconspicuous. Nightmare scoops Worthington in the air, walking toward the ropes to toss him over; Worthington wriggles free. As Nightmare spins around, Worthington catches him with a dropkick to the chest, sending him stumbling back against the ropes. Just as Worthington backs up to make a go at Nightmare, Pressler comes out of nowhere with a spear.]
Poe: Didn’t see THAT comin’!!
Baxter: Neither did Worthington!
[Maximum Violence catches Hardaway with a guillotine drop over the top rope; Mark O’Brian has thrown Stephen Myers, Jr. down on the mat. Brittany Lohan has taken the advantage and looks poised to send Sophie O’Brian over the top rope. Mark, seeing this, charges, catching Lohan with a double axe-handle to the back. Mark O’Brian grabs Lohan, spins her around then sends her sailing clear over the top rope and to the floor.]
Regi: He’s DEFINITELY protective of his sister, isn’t he?!
Poe: Somebody’d betta check on Lohan to make sure she’s ahaight!
[Referee Marco Mancini attempts to check on Lohan, only to get shoved away and told to self-fornicate. In the ring, Mark is checking on Sophie. Chris Pressler catches Worthington with a DDT; Gambino rakes Gaither in the face before catching him with a jawbreaker. Maximum Violence is connecting with a series of headbutts to Hardaway; Nightmare is catching a breather. Mark O’Brian charges after Nightmare, leaping, only to get caught by Nightmare, who applies a bearhug. Nightmare wrenches on Mark’s back, swinging him from side to side like a rag doll. Pressler pulls Worthington to his feet then backs him against the ropes. Pressler attempts to whip Worthington, but Worthington holds onto the top rope, blocking the attempt. Pressler tries again, only to be blocked once more. Out of nowhere, Maximum Violence explodes on the scene; Pressler sees him coming then falls back out of the way; Max’s clothesline catches Worthington, sending him over the top rope and to the floor.]
Baxter: So much for Worthington reclaiming past glory! It won’t be happening at Revelations!
[Mark O’Brian is biting Nightmare, which forces him to release him; Gambino has gone back to work on Hardaway. Pressler and Maximum Violence are trading blows near the ropes. Myers is back on the attack on Gaither while Sophie looks on, taking a breather. Mark O’Brian builds a head of steam then clotheslines Nightmare; all it does is make the big man stagger back a couple steps. Mark tries again, bouncing off the ropes this time; the clothesline only manages to put Nightmare off balance. Mark attempts a third time; Nightmare makes an adjustment, catching Mark by the throat before quickly and emphatically choke-slamming him to the mat.]
Baxter: HE’LL FEEL THAT ONE IN THE MORNING!
Poe: Nightmare ain’t even playin’ in there!!
[Pressler whips Maximum Violence toward Sophie O’Brian; Sophie catches Max with both feet to his chest, dropping him to the mat. Pressler drops an elbow to Max’s head, followed by Sophie grabbing Max’s feet, lifting his legs in the air then catching him with a leg drop through the uprights.]
Baxter: NEW PAIN!!
[Gaither whips Myers across the ring then catches him with a Manhattan drop. Gaither spins around into a choke from Nightmare. Nightmare lifts Gaither up, looking for the choke slam, but Gaither wriggles free, landing on the mat behind him. Nightmare spins around; Gaither catches him with a boot to the midsection, followed by a swinging neckbreaker. Pressler has lifted Maximum Violence to his feet and has him set up in the corner. Sophie is choking Max with a well-placed boot to the throat; Gambino has Hardaway positioned so that his head is beneath the bottom rope while lying on his back. Gambino has Hardaway’s legs, the ankles locked in his arm pits. Gambino falls backward, forcing Hardaway’s throat against the bottom rope. Gambino doesn’t see Pressler’s attack coming; Pressler clubs him in the back before spinning him around then scooping him up off the mat. Pressler slams Gambino, only to pick him up then do it again. Meanwhile, Gaither is attempting to pull Nightmare up, but the weight is just too much for him to do it by himself. Mark O’Brian comes in for the assist. O’Brian and Gaither pull Nightmare up then back him against the ropes. They whip him across the ring then attempt a double clothesline; Nightmare leaps in the air then drops on their arms, forcing them to collide with each other. Sophie O’Brian attempts to whip Maximum Violence across the ring, only to have it blocked. She attempts again; Max blocks it once more. She attempts a third time; Max counters into a short-arm necktie. Max pulls Sophie up then scoops her off the mat, dropping her throat-first across the top rope. A groggy Nightmare stands over Gaither and Mark O’Brian. Seeing Max near the ropes with his back to him, Nightmare charges; Max low bridges Nightmare on the clothesline attempt, sending him over the top rope and to the floor.]
Regi: The biggest man in this match has been eliminated!
[Pressler is trying to force Gambino over the top rope when Hardaway comes up behind him; Hardaway lowers himself enough to get the leverage to shove Pressler right over the top rope and out to the floor.]
Baxter: HARDAWAY CHEATED!!
Poe: This is a battle royale, Kent… There’s no cheatin’ in a battle royale!
Baxter: Hardaway just did!!
[Stephen Myers, Jr., is finally recovering from Gaither’s Manhattan drop, but he doesn’t see Maximum Violence barreling down on him until too late; one Busaiku Knee Kick later and Myers’ hopes of going to the main event at Revelations are dashed.]
Regi: And another one down!!
Poe: He neva knew what hit ‘im!
[Hardaway spins into a Thesz Press from Sophie O’Brian. Jack Gaither and Mark O’Brian are paired off on opposite sides of the ring against Maximum Violence and Gabriel Gambino, respectively. Sophie is raining down slaps on Hardaway, who is doing an adequate job of blocking them. Maximum Violence is putting the boots to Gaither; Gambino has the upper hand in his current struggle against Mark O’Brian. Sophie pulls Hardaway into a seated position before hitting the ropes then catching him with a neck whip. Sophie quickly applies a Cross Arm Breaker.]
Poe: A submission ain’t gonna do it! She needs to figure out how to get Hardaway outta tha ring!
Baxter: She’s a ring general, Poe…! She KNOWS what she’s doing!
[Max catches Gaither with a boot to the midsection, quickly following it up with a snap suplex. Max pulls Gaither up backs him into the nearest corner. Meanwhile, Gambino backs Mark O’Brian into the opposite corner. Max and Gambino whip their respective opponents across the ring; Gaither ducks under a Mark O’Brian leapfrog. Max attempts a back body drop, but Mark makes an adjustment, dropping Max with a clubbing blow. Meanwhile, Gaither wasn’t so lucky, as he fell victim to a dropkick from Gambino. Gambino pulls Gaither up to his feet before forcing him back-first toward the corner. Gambino applies a front facelock then hoists Gaither in the air, sitting him atop the top rope. Gambino connects with a series of right hands before climbing up on the bottom rope then up to the second rope. He applies a front facelock when Mark O’Brian comes up from behind then gets beneath him, forcing him onto his shoulders. Gambino quickly releases Gaither, just as O’Brian stands straight up in the air. Knowing what’s coming, Gambino pounds away at O’Brian’s head. O’Brian collapses, Gambino lands precariously atop him. Meanwhile, Sophie O’Brian has released the Cross Arm Breaker. Max is on all fours as Sophie attempts to pull Hardaway to his feet. Hardaway shoves Sophie back, favoring his arm. Sophie attempts a kick to the face, but Hardaway blocks it. Hardaway keeps his hold on Sophie’s leg, lifting it slightly and forcing her to fall on her ass. Sophie begs off as Hardaway rises to his feet. Hardaway’s back is to Gambino as Sophie backs against the ropes. Gambino quickly runs up behind Hardaway as he stalks Sophie then dumps him over the top rope.]
Baxter: YES!! THE CONQUEROR HAS ELIMINATED KEVIN HARDAWAY!!!
Poe: He ain’t won this thang yet, Kent! There’s still a few people left befo’ you can call it a done deal.
[Gaither has climbed down off his perch on the top turnbuckle. Mark O’Brian is on all fours, recovering from the blows he received from Gambino. Gaither goes to grab O’Brian; O’Brian headbutts Gaither in the midsection. O’Brian connects with a fist to the breadbasket, then another. O’Brian is on his feet now, building momentum with closed fists. O’Brian backs Gaither against the ropes then attempts an Irish whip, only to have it countered by Gaither; Gaither catches O’Brian with a back body drop near the ropes that sends him out to the floor.]
Regi: Mark O’Brian has been eliminated!!
Poe: And he was startin’ to look GOOD, too!
Baxter: WHY DO WE HAVE SO MANY CHEATERS IN THIS MATCH?!
Poe: Fo’ real?!?!
[Hardaway and Gambino are still jawing at each other; the referees have yet to get Hardaway to leave ringside. Sophie, seemingly finding her spot, tries to dump Gambino over the top rope in the same manner that Gambino dumped Hardaway. Gambino lands on the apron just as Maximum Violence comes up behind Sophie then scores with an Atomic Drop. Hardaway seems intent on trying to get to Gambino, but the referees are blocking him. Gambino, still on the apron, stands. Both Sophie and Max are near the ropes when Gaither dashes across the ring. Seeing Gaither make his approach, Gambino grabs the top rope then holds on; Gaither catches both Maximum Violence and Sophie with a running clothesline from behind while Gambino low bridges them, eliminating both at the same time.]
Regi: WOW!!
Poe: AND THEN THERE WERE TWO!!
Baxter: THE CONQUEROR IS ONE STEP CLOSER TO MAIN EVENTING AT REVELATIONS!!
Poe: But he’s gotta go through Gaither first!
[Gambino rolls back into the ring underneath the bottom rope. Gaither backs away as Gambino stands. The two circle the ring with the crowd letting them both hear about it.]
Regi: One of these two men is going to the main event of Revelations to take on either Nana Moto… Or the longest-reigning world champion in MWA history.
Baxter: What did you just say…? I can’t hear you over this crowd!!
[They circle the ring before coming together in the center. Gambino takes the early advantage with a rake of the eyes before backing Gaither against the ropes. Gambino with an Irish whip and a clothesline; Gaither gets back up, only to fall thanks to another running clothesline. Gambino pulls Gaither up then whips him into the far corner before charging; Gaither gets his right foot up, stopping Gambino in his tracks. Gaither quickly climbs to the second rope before catching Gambino with a dropkick. Both Gaither and Gambino scramble to their feet; Gaither quickly applies a front facelock but Gambino blocks the suplex attempt. Gaither tries again; Gambino blocks then counters into a suplex of his own.]
Regi: It’s a question of who wants it most!
Poe: You got that right!
[Gambino pulls Gaither up then whips him hard into the far corner before sprinting then connecting with a hard lariat. As Gaither staggers out of the corner, Gambino quickly hits the ropes to Gaither’s left before coming off then catching him with a modified bulldog. Gambino pulls Gaither up before kicking him in the gut; he quickly applies a double underhook, looking to execute The Fongul (Angel’s Wings). Gaither drops down onto his knees; Gambino releases the double underhook to pound away on Gaither’s back. Gambino pulls Gaither up once again, hooking the arms. Just as it seems he’s about to get The Fongul, Gaither muscles his way out, countering into a modified back body drop.]
Baxter: HOW…?! HOW’D HE DO THAT?!?!
Poe: Determination, Kent… Gaither main evented at last year’s Revelations in tha Fatal Four-Way match that Pinex won. He came to play… Even if he doesn’t win tha thang, he’s put EVERYBODY on notice… The Golden Eagle is in tha house and he’s fo’ real!
[The two men trade blows near the center of the ring; each successive blow is harder. Gaither begins taking the advantage, getting two blows in for each one of Gambino’s. Gambino rakes Gaither’s eyes before catching him with a thigh to the midsection. Gambino applies a front facelock then attempts to hoist Gaither in the air; Gaither counters, turning slightly while trying to hoist Gambino in the air. Gambino counters Gaither’s counter, turning slightly and moving closer to the ropes in the process. Gaither catches him with a couple fists to the breadbasket; Gaither hoists Gambino in the air. Gambino kicks his legs frantically; the motion forces Gaither to drop him… Straddling him on the top rope. Every man witnessing the miscue groans in unison.]
Baxter: WHOOO-HOOO!!
Poe: That ain’t right…!!
[With Gambino prone on the top rope, Gaither dropkicks him, sending him down to the floor.]
Baxter: NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!
Regi: JACK GAITHER IS GOING TO THE MAIN EVENT AT REVELATIONS!!!
Kendra: Ladies and gentlemen… The winner of the battle royale… AND THE NUMBER ONE CONTENDER FOR THE MWA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP… THE GOLDEN EAGLE, JACK GAITHER!!!!
Poe: That was a HELL of a battle royale!
Regi: Gambino CAN’T be happy about this!!
[Gaither is down on his knees in the center of the ring, head held high as he points to the sky. He can be seen mouthing I love you… This was for you! as the scene cuts backstage.]