Xero Gravity

Im in.

He can say it as much as he wants, just so long as he doesn't post HOW he's gonna do it.

Like I wasn't gonna sign up for this.

Yeah, I'm in too.

Yeah, count me in.

Look er... this is SO gonna sound stupid but whats this based on and hows it work?

So very, very in.

Smeg and the Heads.

Stigmata, 5th September 2007

The Flying Jobber Vs. Jimmy Rave

We kick off Stigmata this week with a match. Or something that should resemble a match. In reality, it was nothing more than a few minute long mugging of The Flying Jobber. Everyone was expecting it to happen, so all was right with the world. It lasted roughly four minutes, and consisted of one lone offensive move on behalf of TFJ. His opening punch caused Rave to snap and literally beat the piss out of him all over the ring. A lot of the crowd was surprised to see such viciousness coming from Jimmy, but those who saw his feud with CM Punk in ROH knew he had it in him. After Rave had made his point abundantly clear, he nailed a Greetings From Ghana in the middle of the ring for the 1…2…3!

Jimmy Rave def. The Flying Jobber

Overall Rating: 55%

Crowd Reaction: 42%

Match Quality: 68%

Rave rolled out of the ring to boos from the crowd, but stopped halfway up the aisle.

Looking back into the ring, TFJ was already starting to show signs of getting to his feet. Apparently, Jimmy didn't like that one bit as he made his way back towards the ring. Shoving a fan to the ground, he stole his chair and snapped it shut. Jobber would have wished he'd stayed down a little bit longer, as he staggered to his feet and BAM! Took a stiff chair shot right in the face! He went limp immediately, crumpling to the canvas in a heap. A disgustingly focused look came across Jimmy's face, as he dropped the now dented chair. Grabbing Jobber by his mask, he pulled his unconscious body up and hooked his arms. Looking out into the crowd, he leapt into the air and drilled TFJ face first into the steel! There was no way in hell he was getting up any time soon. Satisfied with his actions, Rave rolled out of the ring and started to walk up the ramp. He stopped once, to look the camera dead in the eyes and mouthed "watch out Chucklez" before continuing his trek to the back.

OR: 54%

The Flying Jobber gained overness from this segment.

As Rave disappears, we cut back to Heather Davenport standing by a refreshment table in the middle of a phone call.

Heather: Yeah, I couldn’t belie…look, I’m gonna have to call you back.

Snapping the phone shut, her face twisted into an angry glare.

Heather: What the hell do you want?

A chuckling can be heard, as Damien Cross steps into view scratching his goatee.

Cross: Oh, nothing much…just looking at the moment.

Heather: Ugh, I don’t have time for this crap.

She turns to leave, but Damien grabs her shoulder and spins her back round.

Cross: Whoa, whoa, whoa…I didn’t say you could go anywhere.

Heather: I don’t need your permission, asshole…

Tugging her arm free, she starts to leave again.

Cross: That’s right, run back to your little boyfriend.

Stopping, she looks back at him.

Heather: You're pathetic, you know that?

Cross: Quite the contrary actually. If you want to see pathetic, why don’t you look in the mirror once in a while? Then you’ll see the very definition of pathetic. Hell, just look at your boyfriend while you’re at it. The pair of you are just two perfect for each other. The weak banding together to try and fight back against a world that’s just too tough for them to take on alone. That’s why I’ll always be better than you…I don’t need anyone with me, I’m strong enough to take on the world by myself.

Heather: You sure do like to hear the sound of your own voice…

Cross: I don’t hear you disagreeing with me.

Heather: Say what you like, it’s not like anyone actually cares about what you have to say.

Cross: Is that so? Well here’s something I know Christian will care about…tell him if he knows what’s good for him, he’ll stay the hell away from me in the future. He got lucky once, but lightning doesn’t strike twice.

It’s his turn to leave, as Heather shakes her head in disbelief.

Heather: What an asshole.

OR: 53%

Heather Davenport gained overness from this segment. Damien Cross gained overness from this segment.

Tag Team Title Tournament Opening Round Match

?????? Vs. ??????

We return to the ring, where one of the teams is already in the ring. Lo Lincoln and Boog Washington, collectively known as Dead Presidents. The two stalked around the ring to very little reaction from the crowd at all. That was only increased as their opponents were announced. Plenty of old school fans recognised "Chase" by Giorgio Moroder, bringing out the legendary team of The Midnight Express. While being advanced in age, Bobby Eaton and Dennis Condrey got a great reception from the fans as they made their way down to the ring. This clearly didn’t sit well with Dead Presidents, as they attacked their veteran opponents before the bell. The match itself was, to be expected, a slow and fairly basic affair. But that didn’t stop the fans from being into everything The Midnight Express did. After a brief opening advantage, Lincoln and Washington soon fell to the experience of Eaton and Condrey. Washington found himself dumped on the outside, leaving Lincoln alone to suffer a middle rope Veg-O-Matic for the 1…2…3!

The Midnight Express def. Dead Presidents

Overall Rating: 58%

Crowd Reaction: 41%

Match Quality: 75%

As we cut backstage, ‘Smooth’ Tommy Suede is surrounded by his usual bevy of beautiful ladies.

One of them is rubbing his neck, trying to relieve some of his stress.

Random Chick #1: Don’t worry Tommy baby, you’ll bounce back.

Random Chick #2: Yeah, last week was just a fluke!

He’s not listening, instead staring intently at the monitor a few feet away from him. On it, is his match from last week with Takuro Matsumoto. He constantly rewinds it to the point where he screwed up and got planted with the Chrono Trigger.

?????: That’s some mighty bad luck if I do say so myself…

The group remove their focus from the screen, and turn to the source of the voice. A young guy dressed in street clothes and a long leather jacket is sitting in the corner of the room. His stringy black hair covers most of his face until he looks up.

?????: Or who knows, maybe you just suck?

Tommy is on his feet, quick as a flash. So quick in fact that it sends his two ladies stumbling backwards.

Suede: Just who the hell do you think you are?!

The guy reaches into his pocket, and pulls out what looks like a playing card. Flicking it at Suede, it’s revealed to be the 7 of diamonds.

?????: The names’ Chambers…Adrian Chambers, but my friends call me Lucky Number Seven.

He rises to his feet, standing a good 6'3", and smiles at Suede.

Chambers: Make sure you keep those beady little eyes glued to that monitor, and maybe you'll learn a little something about not screwing yourself out of a match.

Chuckling, Chambers heads for the door as Tommy stares an angered hole into the back of his head.

OR: 62%

Tommy Suede gained overness from this segment. Adrian Chambers gained overness from this segment.

‘The Archangel’ Gabriel Vs. ‘Lucky Number Seven’ Adrian Chambers

This was the first match either of the Lost Boyz had in SJW that saw them flying solo. Chambers made sure to exploit that fact by jumping Gabriel right off the bat. He attacke with a vicious barrage of strikes, before dropping him to the mat and showing off his technical skill. The match remained grounded for quite some time, as Chambers cut off Gabriel's biggest advantage over him. It didn't last though, as The Archangel began to fight back, and made it to his feet. Fighting out of the hold, he nearly took Adrian's head off with a huge Enziguiri! The tide had turned, and it was Gabriel's time to shine. Using the ropes to great effect, he nearly stole the win with a Springboard Tornado DDT! When that wasn't enough to secure then win he looked to finish for good with the Cradle To The Grave. However, Chambers had other ideas and drilled him with a cheap low blow out of the ref's line of sight. From there it was a formality to hit the Royal Flush and pick up the 1...2...3!

Adrian Chambers def. Takuro Matsumoto

Overall Rating: 57%

Crowd Reaction: 37%

Match Quality: 78%

Gabriel lost overness from this match. Adrian Chambers gained overness from this match.

As his hand is raised, Chambers asks for the microphone.

He gets up close with the camera, flashing the same cocky smile he did back in the dressing room.

Chambers: Hey Tommy, are you still watching? Ah, who am I kidding...I know you’re still watching. This right here was a lesson in winning, courtesy of lucky number seven…

Tossing the mic onto the canvas, he rolls out of the ring and casually walks up the aisle with his arms outstretched.

OR: 63%

Adrian Chambers gained overness from this segment.

‘Prepare For War’ by Dragonforce brings out Team X-JAPAN, ahead of their tag tournament match.

With their opponents still unknown, it becomes a waiting game as the duo paces back and forth in the ring. Eventually, a generic beat hits the PA system and two men push through the curtain. A few long time fans know what to expect as Butch and Luke make their way down to the ring! Team X-JAPAN clearly hasn’t brushed up on their SJW history, as they begin laughing at the sight of The Bushwhackers climbing through their ropes. However that changes in an instant when they announced as The Sheepherders, and get jumped before the opening bell!

OR: 55%

Bushwhacker Luke gained overness from this segment. Kansuke Konda gained overness from this segment. Takuro Matsumoto gained overness from this segment.

Tag Team Title Tournament Opening Round Match

Team X-JAPAN Vs. The Sheepherders

On the back foot from the start, Konda and Matsumoto were surprised by the ferocity that The Sheepherders showed in their assault. Experience also played a great deal into the opening moments, as they made sure to eject Kansuke from the ring and double team the smaller Matsumoto. This proved to be a very successful tactic, and almost won them the match several times in the first few minutes. However Konda's brute size and strength eventually proved too much for the two aging veterans to contain for very long. Drilling both of them with stiff belly to belly suplexes, Takuro had all the time in the world to tag him in legally. From there, Konda simply took it easy as he picked apart both Luke and Butch at his leisure. He teased a Pearl Harbour Lariat several times, but stopped at the last second and simply slammed his groggy opponents into the canvas instead. This would come back to haunt him late into the match, as Butch somehow managed to roll him up, but luckily for Team X-JAPAN Konda was able to kick out before the three! It was then that the games ended. Matsumoto climbed into the ring and dropkicked Luke off the apron, and Konda decapitated Butch with a Pearl Harbour Lariat to secure the 1...2...3!

The show came to a close with X-JAPAN leaving the ring victorious, and The Sheepherders getting a surprisingly strong ovation from the crowd as they left in defeat.

Team X-JAPAN def. The Sheepherders

Overall Rating: 65%

Crowd Reaction: 47%

Match Quality: 84%

Show Overall Rating: 58

Best Segment Of The Night: Team X-JAPAN Vs. The Sheepherders.

Worst Segment Of The Night: Cross confronts Heather.

Stigmata got a 0.46 rating.

The taping was attended 145 by people.

We made $2175 from ticket sales.

What the fuck is going on here?!

Like I really needed to ask that at all, the locker room looked like it had been the setting for world war three. On one side of the room, half the roster was holding back Tommy Suede. On the other side of the room, Damien Cross sat with a bloodied nose and a smile on his face.

Tommy, get outside…NOW!

With a little help from the Lost Boyz, Suede was escorted out of the locker room. My attention however was on Damien for the time being.

…and what the hell are you grinning at?

He said nothing, simply dropped his head and wiped the blood off his face. I wasn’t getting anything out of him for the time being, so I decided to tackle Tommy out in the hallway.

What’s gotten into you Tommy?

I nodded to Azreal and Gabriel, who let go of his arms and went back into the locker room.

That son of a bitch has been antagonising me for weeks!

I don’t understand, what for?

He said I was all hype, with nothing to back it up…and that’s why I was jobbed last week.

So you hit him? What are you, five years old? You should have come and told me about it. Besides, you know that’s bullshit.

You’re just lucky I hit him…he’s been pissing off a lot of people recently. The guy’s attitude is unbearable at times.

It was the first I’d heard about it, but it was damn sure going to be the last too.

Look, just go back in there and I’ll sort this out.

He skulked back into the locker room, and I followed a few steps behind. I didn’t have to say anything to Damien; the look on my face was enough to get him out of his seat. Out in the hallway again, he slumped onto the wall and folded his arms.

You’ve got a choice to make. You can walk back in there and cut the attitude out once and for all, or you can walk out that door and consider your contracted terminated with immediate effect. Either way’s fine by me…no one is exempt from punishment.

He looked at the exit, and then back at me. I wasn’t expecting him to say anything, and he didn’t. Instead he simply walked back into the locker room quietly, and sat down. I didn’t want to leave them alone, in case something happened again. But I was in the middle of trying to secure a few more temporary teams for the tag title tournament. I made sure people kept an eye on the situation, and returned to business.

The End Of The Road For Hogan?

It appears that the career of the Immortal Hulk Hogan has finally been given the last nail in the coffin. Just last week, he was competing in what would turn out to be his last ever WWE Title match in a losing effort against Edge. The original plan was to have Hogan win the belt, and drop it back to Edge later this month at Unforgiven. However, Hogan somehow managed to tear his quad attempting the leg drop forcing Edge to take the pin instead. Thanks to his age, and the extent of the injury, it is no doubt the last time Hogan will be seen wrestling in the WWE.

Another former WWF champion also announced his retirement this week. Bob Backlund, who had been making random appearances over the last several years, has decided to call it a day. Now that he is fully retired, many have already tipped him to be one of those chosen to be inducted into the WWE hall of fame in 2008.

...

...

...

BWAHAHAHA!

Keep 'em coming, these are interesting! Any Zelda ones?

... oh god. Yes, in.

Teachers...4 Series, and Series 4 wasn't 'proper' Teachers, but watching Series 4 back (Now the original anger of them killing off Brian and Kurt has gone) I realise there's so much they could have done with the Ewan, Damien and Ben combination (The Homosexual Awareness episode is one of the Teachers greats, right up there with the 'Disabled Kurt' and 'Brian's Gay' episodes).

But at least it went out on a high note, with it still being incredibly funny, unlike lots of (mostly) American comedies that seem to run for season upon season and get worse and worse over time.

I just miss Teachers.

I'm talking along the lines of Polybius - does anyone know of any particularly interesting ones?

We'd done it. It had been a long trek, but SJW was officially one year old. A few months ago we were teetering on the brink of collapse. But now we’d gained exposure across the region, and had a television show under our belts. It was amazing to think that this time last year, SJW consisted of a bunch of kids performing in from of only 44 people. As much as they annoyed me, I did miss them at times. I only wish I hadn’t messed things up so badly, and caused them to leave in the first place…even if it ended up being a blessing in disguise for us. He wouldn’t admit it, but I know Joey missed them too. Sure, he was training every week in an attempt to rejoin the roster at some point. But deep down, I know he would like to have someone his own age to talk to.

Stumbling into my office on Saturday morning, I found a few sheets of paper with a note attached to them. Sophie had anticipated what I was going to ask her to do, and compiled a rundown of how the company was doing one year in.

State Of SJW:

Finances: $1,070,505

Size: Regional

Public Image: 13%

Risk Level: 85%

Production: 40%

Merchandising: 10% / $200,000 per month

Advertising: 20% / $200,000 per month

Active Roster (Disposition/Over):

?????? (Tweener/26 over)

Alex ‘Fucking’ Shelley (Face/63 over)

Alexander Worthington III (Heel/43 over)

‘The Angel Of Death’ Azreal (Face/42 over)

Beth Phoenix (Face/51 over)

‘Primetime’ Brian Lee (Face/59 over)

Cheerleader Melissa (Face/25 over)

Chris Hamrick (Heel/51 over)

Christian Hartley (Face/19 over)

Chucklez The Clown (Heel/51 over)

Conrad Kennedy III (Heel/43 over)

Damien Cross (Heel/24 over)

?????? (Face/24 over)

‘The Archangel’ Gabriel (Face/41 over)

Gavin Faulkner (Face/41 over)

Jimmy Rave (Heel/58 over)

‘The Chosen One’ Joey Sinclair (Heel/21 over)

Kansuke Konda (Heel/39 over)

‘Canadian Dynamite’ Maxime Boyer (Heel/37 over)

Mitsuko Toyoshima (Heel/34 over)

MsChif (Heel/23 over)

‘The Genetic Specimen’ Onyx (Face/40 over)

‘The Soul Assassin’ Rainman (Face/46 over)

Takuro Matsumoto (Heel/34 over)

The Flying Jobber (Tweener/21 over)

‘Smooth’ Tommy Suede (Face/40 over)

Tracy Smothers (Heel/57 over)

Managers/Non Wrestlers

Heather Davenport (Face/19 over)

Max Kraven (Tweener/47 over)

The Ringmaster (Heel/34 over)

Vanessa (Face/36 over)

Top 5 Faces:

#1: Alex Shelley

#2: Brian Lee

#3: Beth Phoenix

#4: Rainman

#5: Azreal

Top 5 Heels:

#1: Jimmy Rave

#2: Tracy Smothers

#3: Chris Hamrick

#4: Chucklez The Clown

#5: Alexander Worthington III

To say there was an air of nervousness about the backstage area would be a huge understatement. There wasn’t a single calm face amongst the entire roster, and I was the biggest culprit of the lot. We knew we only had one chance to prove that we belonged in the primetime spotlight, and we were determined not to blow it…

As Douglas and Giesen welcome us to the first ever primetime Stigmata, ”Symphony Of The Dead” By Therion begins playing.

This brought out the commissioner carrying a black briefcase in his right hand. He got a modest reception from the crowd, but he didn’t have time to acknowledge it as he was all business. A few seconds after getting into the ring, he had a mic in his hand and called for the music to be cut.

Kraven: So here we are…primetime. Stigmata has only been on the air since August 8th, and already it’s grown too big for the late night schedule. A lot of our critics didn’t even think we’d make it this far. Hell, some of them didn’t even think we’d make it past Living In Sin. But as SJW’s one year anniversary rolls around we’re still standing, and only getting stronger! Very few people can say they were around in the beginning. In fact, there’s barely thirty people who can lay claim to that. This seems like a far cry from the few hundred of you in here building tonight. So it seems that as we all take the next step together, things around here need to move forward. That in mind is what brings me to this *he lifts the briefcase in his hand*. Since the beginning, there has only been one goal for anyone on the SJW roster…winning the heavyweight title. But now that the company is growing, and the roster is expanding, the heavyweight title can’t be the only prize on offer.

With the aid of head referee Ray Ramsey, Kraven opens up the briefcase. Inside are three titles which he takes out one by one.

Kraven: These are the SJW Tag Team and SJW North American titles respectively. I’ll get to the North American title shortly, as I have an announcement about the tag titles. You see, I could easily pick two teams and throw them into a match to determine the first champions. However, I want to make the tandem who eventually come out on top feel like they earned the belts. That’s why I spent all of today hammering out deals to fill up an inaugural sixteen team tournament to crown the first ever champions. The four teams currently on the roster have already been added to the tournament. The other twelve…we’ll they’ll remain a secret for now. You see, those teams will not only be fighting for the titles. If one of the mystery teams wins, then they will also secure themselves a permanent spot on the roster. Two of those teams will be revealed tonight, as you will witness the first two opening round matches in just a moment. As a little teaser, this is what the brackets will look like…minus the mystery teams of course.

High Society Vs. ??????

?????? Vs. ??????

?????? Vs. The Lost Boyz

?????? Vs. ??????

?????? Vs. ??????

?????? Vs. ??????

Rainman and Onyx Vs. ??????

Team X-JAPAN Vs. ??????

Kraven: Now for the North American title. Two tournaments would be overkill, so this is going to be a little more straightforward. We’re still several weeks away from Civil War. With that in mind, everyone on the roster has until then to impress me. The two who stand out the most, win themselves first crack at the belt. You’ve got until the 17th of August to prove yourselves…make every second count.

”Symphony Of The Dead” hits again, as Kraven packs the belts back into the briefcase. Jack Douglas recaps everything for the fans at home that may be missing a few brain cells, while the commissioner vacates the ringside area.

OR: 60%

Max Kraven gained overness from this segment.

Tag Team Title Tournament Opening Round Match

The Lost Boyz Vs. ??????

The Lost Boyz make their way down to the ring, with no idea who their opponents for the match are. Needless to say their faces are one of confusion as “Living La Vida Loca” by Ricky Martin hits the PA system. After a few moments Antonio Thomas and Romeo Roselli, known collectively as The Heartbreakers, prance out through the curtain. Gyrating to the song with a pair of pink feather boas, the duo garner a bit of heat from the crowd as they make their way down the aisle. In the ring however, it’s a different story altogether. There’s very little of the ambiguous antics, as The Heartbreakers seem determined to make a good first impression. The match goes back and forth, with each team taking their turns with the advantage. In the end however none of the four would have any say in the decision. Kansuke Konda snuck down to the ring with a chair, intent on screwing The Lost Boyz. He waited as Roselli whipped Gabriel towards the ropes before swinging. Luckily for The Archangel, he reversed it and Konda plastered Romeo with the chair! Antonio looked in disbelief as Gabriel rolled up Roselli for the three count!

The Lost Boyz left the ring as Konda fumed over his plan backfiring. Antonio Thomas hopped off the apron and confronted the Japanese brawler. Kansuke was in no mood as he tried to leave, but Thomas spun him back around. A few seconds later he wished he hadn’t as Konda pasted him with the chair as well! The fans surprisingly cheered his actions as he stormed back up the aisle.

The Lost Boyz def. The Heartbreakers

Overall Rating: 64%

Crowd Reaction: 41%

Match Quality: 87%

We cut backstage, where Christian Hartley and Heather are in the middle of a conversation.

Christian: So I said…

A knock at the door cuts him off, and the door opens a moment later.

Christian: Hey.

His partner from a few days ago, Gavin Faulkner, walks into shot.

Faulkner: Look, I…

Realising what he’s here for, Hartley shakes his head.

Christian: Don’t bother, just forget about it okay?

Faulkner: That’s just it, I can’t forget about it. We should have won that match, but thanks to me we lost. I let my pride get in the way of what should have been a sure victory.

Christian: Look man, I understand. Hell, if it was me I don’t think I’d have even kicked out of those suplexes, let alone stood up shortly afterwards.

Heather: Yeah, you’ve got nothing to apologise for.

Faulkner: Thanks, but I still feel like I should make it up to you…which is why I went to see Kraven a few minutes ago. I know you’ve been having problems with Damien these past few weeks. So I got Max to book me in a match with him tonight. Maybe one on one I can knock him down a peg or two, you know?

Christian: Well I’m sure not gonna complain about someone kicking his ass. But are you sure about it? I mean it’s not even your problem; I don’t want you to get dragged into it.

Faulkner: Yeah, I’m more than sure. It’s the least I can do.

Christian: Very well man, just watch your back.

Faulkner: Heh, you don’t need to worry about that.

He flashes a thumbs up, before leaving Christian and Heather to their conversation.

OR: 63%

Gavin Faulkner gained overness from this segment. Christian Hartley gained overness from this segment.

Instead of the next match, we get Miklós Rózsa’s “Parade Of The Charioteers” playing through the PA system.

This can only mean one thing, confirmed by Jimmy Rave pushing his way through the curtain. There is no smug grin on his face this week, as he marches down to the ring to a chorus of boos from the crowd. Hopping into the ring, he snatches the microphone away from our announcer.

Rave: Shut that damn music off!

The crowd boos as the music fades.

Rave: …and ya’ll…I mean you all can shut your damn mouths too!

He’s not too pleased to let a bit of his accent slip out, and the crowd lets him have it with a “Georgia Boy!” chant. Not the most inventive of chant, but it still gets under his skin.

Rave: Shut Up! Shut Up! SHUT UP!

It’s clear they have no intention of stopping, forcing him to simply talk over them.

Rave: I didn’t come out here to jaw jack with a bunch of losers like you. There’s only one man I give a rat’s ass about tonight, and that’s the circus reject Chucklez!

There’s an ever so slight pop for his name, despite his heel status.

Rave: Last night should have been perfect! If you only followed my lead like you were supposed to, Alex Shelley and Brian Lee would have been out of our hair for good! But no…being the big, dumb son of a bitch that you are, a simple plan like that was too much for you to understand! Thanks to your incompetence, I suffered a huge indignity at the hands of that TNA cast off. Thanks to you I was embarrassed in front of hundreds of people! Thanks to you, my claim to the SJW title took a serious hit last night! If you think you’re gonna get away with that, you’re dead wrong! I…

His words are drowned out by the beginning of Marilyn Manson’s “This Is Halloween”. The lights dimmed a bit as The Ringmaster pushed through the curtain with a huge grin hidden behind his face paint. Chucklez followed a few steps behind, stone faced as ever. Jimmy was clearly nervous in the ring, as he started pacing back and forth. As the lights returned to normal and the music faded, Ringmaster produced a microphone from his dirty jacket.

Ringmaster: Son, you must be outta your tiny little mind! Do you really…

Rave: Shut up you fat freak! This has got nothing to do with you!

Ringmaster: Oh, but that’s where you’re wrong. Ya’ see, if ya’ll have a problem with Chucklez, it has to go through me. He does nothing, without mah instruction to do so. Now it seems pretty clear to me, that ya’ll have a screw loose. Because it seems like you were fixin’ to challenge Chucklez to a match. Am I right?

Rave: You’re damn right I am!

Ringmaster: That’s what I thought. You were there at Livin’ In Sin, you saw what he did to a guy like Brian Lee. Son, you ain’t half the man he is…so what makes ya’ll think it’ll be any different?

Rave: What’s wrong, afraid I might embarrass your monster?

Ringmaster: Oh no, nothin’ of tha sort actually. I jus’ wondered why you were achin’ so much for an early retirement. After all, that’s what’s gonna happen if ya’ll get into the ring with Chucklez.

Rave: We’ll just see about that then, won’t we? Civil War…me versus him, what’ve you got to say to that?

He looks up to his client, who doesn’t flinch at all.

Ringmaster: Kid…I hope knowing your career is ending soon makes ya’ happy. You’re on!

Jimmy doesn’t smile, as “This Is Halloween” hits the PA system again. He waits until the aisle is clear before making his exit from the ring and heads to the back.

OR: 64%

Chucklez The Clown gained overness from this segment.

Gavin Faulkner Vs. Damien Cross

Faulkner was a man on a mission during this match, evident by the way he marched straight down to the ring. Cross however, only served to fuel him up that little bit more. He arrogantly sauntered down the aisle, paying more attention to the fans than his opponent. Faulkner, now pacing back and forth like a caged lion in the ring, simply had enough as he slid out and took the fight to Damien on the aisle! Despite being primarily a submission style wrestler, he proved he could brawl with the best of them as the match spilled around the ringside before finally making its way into the confines of the ropes. Cross looked shaky for a while, succumbing to an array of suplexes and submissions. But thanks to a cheap thumb to the eye, he soon regained control. Working on Gavin’s head and neck, he managed to get himself into a position to go for the Sign Of The Cross. Hoisting him up into a torture rack, he made the mistake of parading around the ring. This gave Faulkner the opportunity to slip out and drag him down into a Fujiwara Armbar for the quick tap out victory!

Redeemed in his own eyes, Gavin rose to his feet with a relieved smile on his face. Referee Tony Bryant raised his hand into the air as he was announced the winner.

BAM!

In the blink of an eye, he was flat out on his stomach! A chair wielding Max Boyer stood over his body with a cocky grin on his face. The fans booed as he raised the chair up and drove it down into his back! Bryant tried to take the chair away, only to get thrown out of the ring. By this time, Damien was back to his feet. The two looked each other in the eye, as Boyer dropped the chair onto the floor. The hand gestures made his intentions clear. Dragging Faulkner to his feet, Cross lifted him into another torture rack…and the fans started cheering as Christian Hartley tore down the aisle! Not wanting anything to do with him, Boyer and Cross bailed out of the ring and hightailed it as Hartley checked on Gavin’s condition.

Gavin Faulkner def. Damien Cross

Overall Rating: 54%

Crowd Reaction: 37%

Match Quality: 72%

‘Smooth’ Tommy Suede Vs. Takuro Matsumoto

The following contest had every chance of being a career making match for both men, thanks to the similarity of their styles. For Suede, it was his first match against someone other than The Flying Jobber. For Matsumoto, it was his first singles match since entering SJW. From the opening bell, they pulled out all the stops to give the fans the best match within the short time they’d been given. After a brief opening exchange of holds, the ropes quickly came into play. A springboard missile dropkick caught Matsumoto square in the face, giving Suede the first real advantage of the match, and he took every second of it. Throwing Takuro out of the ring, Suede waited before launching himself over the rope with a corkscrew body press! It took some time for them to get back into the ring, as Tommy continued to press towards victory. A hurricanrana almost sealed it, but Matsumoto reversed it into a huge sit out powerbomb! Both men struggled back to their feet, but it was Suede again who took the advantage and caught Matsumoto in the face with a diving leg lariat. Pointing to the corner, he scaled the ropes looking for the finish. Blowing a kiss to his two escorts at ringside, he flew off the top with his Shooting Star Press…but Takuro got the knees up! Tommy doubled over in pain, as Matsumoto struggled to his feet. As Suede rose, Takuro wasted no time at all hitting the Chrono Trigger for the three count!

Takuro Matsumoto def. Tommy Suede

Overall Rating: 62%

Crowd Reaction: 36%

Match Quality: 88%

We cut backstage once more, to Alex Shelley walking down a hallway.

He rounds a corner, and smiles. A few steps away from him, Brian Lee is standing around not doing a whole lot other than drinking a beer.

Shelley: Hey.

Primetime looks at him and nod, before going back to his beer.

Shelley: Thanks for this past Sunday, I really appreciated it.

Without looking, Lee gives him a "don't mention it" shake of the head.

Shelley: Did you see Jimmy earlier? I think we might have done some serious damage to him.

Finally he downs the last of the beer, and tosses the bottle into a nearby trash can.

Lee: That kid's gonna die...

Shelley: Oh there's no doubt about it. But that's not why I came to talk to you. I have a proposition...

Brian’s interest is clearly piqued, as he turns to face the champ.

Lee: Shoot.

Shelley: Well I’m not the kinda guy who doesn’t repay favours to people. You helped me on Sunday, so I want to make it up to you. Seeing as Chucklez will be busy painting the canvas with Jimmy’s brains, what’s say you and I hook it up?

Lee: What, as in one on one?

Shelley: Why not? The least I can do is let you have a title shot. I mean I’m trying to prove that I can be a worthy champ. What better way to do that than beating a guy who outmatches me as clearly as you do?

Lee: …and if I win?

Shelley: Eh, if you win then you win. It’ll just mean that the better man walked out as champ. I’m not gonna be the kinda guy who ducks the big challenges so they can make it to another month with the belt. So how about it, you and me for the belt at Civil War?

Lee: Do I even need to give you an answer?

Shelley: Heh, I guess not. It’s a date then…see you at Civil War big guy.

Shelley smiles as he pats Lee on his massive arm before leaving. Brian simply shrugs his shoulders and cracks open another beer.

OR: 67%

Brian Lee gained overness from this segment. Alex Shelley lost overness from this segment.

“Bloodline” by Slayer hits, bringing out Rainman and Onyx ahead of their qualifying match.

The two seem eager to get the match underway, however “The Big Money” by Rush hits the PA system. Neither Rainman nor Onyx seems too pleased by High Society’s presence in the aisle. Kennedy has microphone in hand, waiting for the music to cut.

Conrad: You didn’t think we’d just forget about you now, did we? Your little emo buddies got lucky at Retaliation. But we don’t blame them for the black mark on our records. We blame you two ingrates!

The fans start an “Asshole!” chant, as Onyx climbs onto the middle rope begging High Society to get into the ring.

Conrad: You’d like that, wouldn’t you? Do you think we’d be stupid enough to get into the ring with the likes of you street thugs again? Besides, I think you should be more worried about the two guys behind you!

Onyx and Rainman turn around…CRACK! Both takes a shot to the skull courtesy of a pair of confederate flags! Kennedy and Worthington laugh on the aisle as Tracy Smothers and Chris Hamrick put the boots to their opening round opponents.

OR: 66%

Chris Hamrick gained overness from this segment. Onyx gained overness from this segment. Rainman gained overness from this segment.

Tag Team Title Tournament Opening Round Match

Onyx and Rainman Vs. Southern Comfort.

The ref does the only thing he can do, and rings the bell to get the match underway. Both Rainman and Onyx are unable to fight back as Smothers and Hamrick continue to assault them without any signs of stopping. Eventually Hamrick is forced out of the ring, leaving Smothers to pick apart Onyx. The genetic specimen, albeit still dazed from the flag shot, somehow manages to find a way to fight back. Erratic at first, the shots start connecting more and more until Smother is on the defensive. Showing his power, he hoists Tracy up onto his shoulder and slams him into the canvas with a huge running powerslam! By this time, Rainman has made his way out onto the apron and is calling for the tag. Hamrick however has other ideas, as he jumps into the ring and blasts Rainman off the apron with a huge clothesline! Southern Comfort are left free to beat on Onyx once more, and the match looks as good as over. That is until Rainman slides back into the ring like a man possessed. Hamrick and Smothers take turns being levelled by huge rights and lefts from the Soul Assassin. One big right misses it’s target, as Tracy pulls the ref in the way and Rainman knocks him clean out!

Almost instantly, this brings out High Society again as they sneak down to ringside. With Rainman focusing on Southern Comfort, he’s completely oblivious to the danger behind him. The second he does realise, it’s too late as he gets driven into the canvas with a huge Root Of All Evil! Onyx gets to his feet, but can’t stop being whipped into the corner. Hamrick hops onto the middle rope, as Smothers lifts the genetic specimen into position. With High Society clearing the ring, Hamrick is free to hit a sick Southern Bellringer spiking Onyx square on the top of his head! Like clockwork, the ref comes to as Tracy covers, and oblivious to what went on counts the three!

High Society return to the ring to congratulate Southern Comfort on their “hard fought victory”. It looks far from over however, as they proceed to pick up Rainman again and give him a second Root Of All Evil! Onyx gets the same treatment, as he’s brought to his feet and unceremoniously dumped back down with a Southern Kick from Smothers. With both men down, the show ends with All four men laying the two confederate flags over Rainman and Onyx amidst boos from the crowd.

Southern Comfort def. Rainman and Onyx

Overall Rating: 64%

Crowd Reaction: 50%

Match Quality: 78%

Show Overall Rating: 62

Best Segment Of The Night: Shelley Offers Lee A Title Match

Worst Segment Of The Night: Faulkner Vs. Cross

Stigmata got a 0.50 rating.

The taping was attended by 151 people.

We made $2265 from ticket sales.

You okay?

Alex’s shirt was still covered in blood after having his nose bust open. On the way down the hall, I’d already started going through ideas in my head if he’d he out for a while.

It’s not broken, so yeah I’m fine. Stigmata won’t be a problem at all.

That’s great news.

Yeah, at that moment I was happier about not having to change plans than about his well being. I can such as asshole at times.

Hey, Adam?

I didn’t hear Sophie come in, but then again I’d been avoiding her for the past few days. Ever since the phone call, I made sure to keep my distance in case I ended up saying something I shouldn’t. She’d managed to catch me off guard, so I had no choice but to talk to her. I’d just have to keep it sort and sweet, that’s all.

Yeah?

Benjamin’s here, he said he wants to talk to you about something.

Great, it’s like she’s trying to piss me off on purpose.

Oh.

That was short and sweet alright. I tried to walk past her, but she grabbed my arm.

Hey, are you okay?

Just what I needed, a perfect opening to put my foot in my mouth.

Yeah, why wouldn’t I be?

I don’t know…you just seem a little off with me that’s all.

I’m fine.

Really?

Really…

It seemed to be enough, as she let go of my arm. I didn’t look back, I’d managed to get this far without screwing up so I didn’t want to jinx it.

It’s amazing how in such a short period of time, your perception of a person can change dramatically. When I first met Benjamin, he was our saviour. He plucked us out of obscurity and gave us a chance to prove ourselves. Now, every time I looked at him, I pictured Sophie standing right next to him. I didn’t have any right to be angry, seeing as I was too much of a chicken shit to do anything myself. But projecting it onto him meant I didn’t take it out on Sophie. When I entered my office, he was there on the edge of my desk flicking through some papers.

Benjamin…to what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?

He hopped to his feet and smiled.

Have you seen the ratings for Stigmata recently?

Of course I had. They were decent, but nothing spectacular. We’d been hovering around the .35 mark since the show debuted several weeks ago.

Yeah, what’s the mater…not good enough? It’s not like we can…

Oh no, quite the opposite actually. They’re far better than we anticipated.

I thought he was pulling my leg at first. But then again, he never did say what he’d expected us to be getting.

So what, you just came here to say “good job” and then be on your way?

Not exactly…I want you to take a look at this.

His hand disappeared into his jacket pocket, and reappeared with a folded sheet of paper. I took it, and started reading. A lot of boring legal drivel I didn’t care for, and then one word hit me like a tonne of bricks.

Primetime.

I checked my watch…nope, it wasn’t April 1st.

You’re serious about this?

As serious as a heart attack my friend. I figured if you can exceed my expectations late at night, why not try and do the same in primetime? If it works, you get more exposure and in turn my network gets more exposure.

…and if we crash and burn?

Well, we can easily slide you back into the late night spot. After all, I want this to succeed. I’m not just gonna pull the plug if it doesn’t work straight away.

Then he took his turn looking at his watch.

Shit. Look, I gotta dash…important meeting to attend to. Just make sure that’s on my desk before Wednesday, and you can consider Stigmata officially a primetime show.

A firm pat on the shoulder knocked my sideways a step or two. I had to force out a chuckle as he left. Sure, he still pissed me off. But now he’d also took another big risk on us.

Why did he have to be such a nice guy?

Pre Show Dark Match

The Flying Jobber Vs. ‘Smooth’ Tommy Suede

As neither man found their way onto the main show, they were given a few minutes to warm up the crowd. Anyone who saw Stigmata this past Wednesday would know what to expect from this encounter. It was more or less a carbon copy of their previous match. Suede hit all his signature spots, and nailed a Shooting Star Press for a second consecutive victory over The Flying Jobber.

Tommy Suede def. The Flying Jobber.

Overall Rating: 43%

Crowd Reaction: 30%

Match Quality: 67%

Tag Team Match

Christian Hartley and Gavin Faulkner Vs. Damien Cross and Maxime Boyer

To some, the two men chosen as mystery partners came as no surprise at all. Both Boyer and Faulkner have met in the ring a few times already, with the amateur sensation coming out on top in both encounters. Despite being a fan favourite himself, Max has clearly cast that aside to try and get some vengeance for his past defeats.

The match itself starts off with the opposites of the equation, as Boyer locks up with Hartley. After a brief opening exchange, it’s clear by Max’s body language that he’s trying to prove himself. Instead of wrestling his style, he opts to try and take things to the ground and tie Christian up. It however, backfires as he gets embarrassingly reversed with ease and sent crashing to the mat! Cursing in French he gets to his feet, as Cross calls for the tag. At first he looks reluctant to do so, but concedes as he knows he has to calm himself down.

Casually stepping into the ring for the first time, Damien walks slowly towards Christian. He points into the crowd, reiterating his speech about them being selfish. His theory is yet again shot down as Hartley bats his hand away to a cheer from the crowd! Shocked and angered, he’s left wide open to a series of right hands and a hard Irish whip. His rebound isn’t much smoother, as Christian launches him into the air with a huge flapjack! He knows it’s not enough, but covers anyway 1…2…just as expected, Damien kicks out.

Turning his attention to his partner, Hartley tags out bringing in Gavin for the first time. The former NCAA champion goes to work on an arm straight away, knowing that it’ll make his finisher that little bit more effective in time. The mere fact that he’s successfully wearing down Cross is clearly getting to Boyer as he paces back and forth angrily on the apron.

Then he makes a mistake. Turning his back on the corner gives Maxime enough of a reason to climb in a plant him with a huge German suplex! Holding onto the waist lock, he gets back to his feet and hits a second! Third! Fourth! Fifth! Sixth! Each one takes a little longer to execute as Faulkner is weakened. The ref eventually steps in an forces Boyer out of the ring as Cross casually covers 1…2…FAULKNER KICKS OUT! Maxime is livid as he gets back into the ring only to be speared by Hartley! Damien is up and takes a spear of his own! With all three men down, Christian returns to he corner and starts hammering the turnbuckle to try and motivate Gavin. Refusing to crawl, Faulkner struggles to stand, falling back to the canvas several times. Eventually he makes it to his feet, and begins to stagger towards Hartley…but Boyer dropkicks him in the back! Hartley and Faulkner clash heads! Maxime rolls him up, with a handful of tights 1…2…3!

The fans are clearly pissed as Boyer smugly rolls out of the ring, having ruined what didn’t even get to be half the match it could have. Cross joins him, as Faulkner is forced to watch the two celebrate their tainted victory!

Damien Cross and Maxime Boyer def. Christian Hartley and Gavin Faulkner

Overall Rating: 48%

Crowd Reaction: 33%

Match Quality: 75%

“Bloodline” by Slayer hits, as Rainman and Onyx push through the curtain.

They start to make their way down the aisle, but get blindsided by Team X-JAPAN! Konda and Matsumoto wail away on their opponents, refusing to let them get anywhere near the ring. The referee is powerless to do anything other than watch the assault with the rest of the crowd. Pulling away part of the guardrail, Konda shows his brute power by hurling it straight into the faces of Rainman and Onyx! Several ring crew members join the fray, trying to help get the match started officially. Satisfied with their handiwork, Team X-JAPAN casually rolls their opponents into the ring as the bell sounds.

OR: 46%

Takuro Matsumoto gained overness from this segment.

Tag Team Match

Team X-JAPAN Vs. Rainman and Onyx

Still feeling the effects of the guardrail to the face, Onyx has no idea where he is as he’s dragged to his feet my Matsumoto. Holding him in place, he waits as Konda adjusts his elbow pad with a smile on his face. Catapulting himself off the ropes, he charges forward with a blistering Pearl Harbour Lariat…but Onyx moves! Takuro takes the full brunt of the lariat, turning him inside out in the process! The crowd cheers as Konda looks over his fallen comrade, only to be rolled up by the Genetic powerhouse 1…2…Kickout! Kansuke barely manages to stop himself from taking the embarrassing pin fall. What it does do, is aid in pissing him off a little bit more than he already is. Charging to his feet he unloads with a barrage of stiff kicks and forearms, content to just beat Onyx down than work on a body part.

Dragging him up by his head, he fires off several brutal chops before hooking in a belly to belly waist lock. The first suplex attempt is blocked, as Onyx shows signs of fighting back with a few desperate strikes. This process continues several more times, until Konda viciously head butts Onyx and plants him with a huge belly to belly!

Rainman can only watch as his partner lands square on the top of his head, doubled over in the turnbuckles. Konda muscles Onyx onto his back and rams a forearm into his face as he covers 1…2…Onyx gets his foot on the ropes! Rainman, who was half way into the ring during the count, returns to his corner without incident. Knowing it’ll take a while for Onyx to stop seeing stars, Konda tags in Matsumoto and turn his attention to taunting Rainman.

At first he ignores it, until he resorts to spitting at him. That proves to be enough to get him into the ring, and the ref is naturally all over his advances. This leaves X-JAPAN free to double team Onyx, which they take full advantage of. Lifting him up into a spinebuster, Konda parades around the ring until Takuro flies off the ropes and pastes Onyx in the face with a spinning heel kick! The three bodies crash into the canvas, as Kansuke rolls out just as the ref returns to the action. Matsumoto rolls onto Onyx 1…2…Rainman dives into the ring and breaks up the count!

Again, the ref is quick to try and remove him, but gets thrown to one side! Konda hits the ring, but Rainman is ready and waiting with a flurry of rights and lefts. Backing him into their corner, the Soul Assassin unloads on Konda until Matsumoto plants him with a low blow! The ref, having been shoved away, is none the wiser as Rainman doubles over and hits the canvas. The match looks to be well in their control, until a somewhat recovered Onyx charges forward and sandwiches them in the corner with a huge dropkick! Takuro staggers back into a school boy 1…2…Kickout!

With renewed vigour, Onyx is to his feet as Konda tries to blindside him with another Pearl Harbour Lariat! Just like earlier, Onyx ducks it and this time plants him with a lariat of his own! Several more follow, as the momentum shifts fully into his favour. A kick to the stomach, and Kansuke is drilled into the mat with a Blaq Out! He hooks a leg, but the ref tells him Takuro is the legal man. After a little torrent of abuse, Onyx turns his attention to Matsumoto. Dragging him to his feet, he hooks in another Blaq Out. Lifting Takuro up for the move however allows him to escape it and snap Onyx over with a desperation German Suplex!

Rainman returns, making sure Matsumoto doesn’t get a chance to cover Onyx. A few forearms to the face, and he whips him across the ring and snaps him down hard with a huge Spinesplitta! Looking around, he sees Konda has rolled to safety on the outside of the ring. Sliding out, he grabs his kneeling foe by the head…and BAM! He takes a set of brass knucks to the side of the head! Back in the ring and unaware, Onyx is back to his feet and setting up Matsumoto for another Blaq Out. The lift goes off without a hitch, but as he spins Konda comes out of nowhere and decapitates him with a huge Pearl Harbour Lariat! Both finisher hit the canvas as one, leaving Kansuke to roll his unconscious partner onto Onyx for the 1…2…3!

Team X-JAPAN def. Rainman and Onyx

Overall Rating: 56%

Crowd Reaction: 41%

Match Quality: 86%

Tag Team Match

Beth Phoenix and Cheerleader Melissa Vs. Mitsuko Toyoshima and MsChif

Toyoshima brings out MsChif first, congratulating her team on their victory over Rainman and Onyx. The two women, while not the best of friends, seem to be on the same page as they converse in a corner of the ring. Melissa and Phoenix come out next, and neither looks prepared to waste another second that could be spent punishing their opponents. The charge down the aisle, and into the ring as Toyoshima and MsChif try to meet them head on. The bell rings amidst a flurry of punches from all four women!

The ref is content to let them get it out of their system, as Melissa and MsChif brawl back and forth eventually making their way to the outside. This leaves Beth and Mitsuko as the two legal women in the match, and a more than happy to continue beating each other senseless. Much like she did several days ago, Phoenix goes toe to toe with Toyoshima and quickly gets the advantage. However it’s cut off abruptly by a knee to the gut. A few well placed forearms send her backing towards the ropes, giving Mitsuko the perfect opportunity to send her reeling over the top with a clothesline!

Melissa and MsChif, who have been brawling on the outside throughout this, are in the wrong place at the wrong time and get wiped out by Beth’s momentum! All three lie in a heap on the floor, before slowly getting back to their feet one by one. Toyoshima takes the opportunity to climb to the top rope, before LEAPING OFF THE TOP ROPE, HITTING A PERFECT CORKSCREW MOONSAULT! For the first time, the fans show some enthusiasm towards a womens match.

It takes Mitsuko a moment or two to get back to her feet, but unsurprisingly she’s the only one showing any signs of life. Grabbing a handful of Melissa’s hair, she drags her up and into the ring. Rolling her onto her back, she quickly attempts a cover 1…2…but Melissa kicks out! That doesn’t sit well with Toyoshima, as she angrily covers again 1…2…she still kicks out! Screaming at the ref in Japanese, Mitsuko grabs hold of Melissa’s head and starts banging it off the canvas!

By now, both partners have made their way over to their respective corners, giving Toyoshima reason to tag in MsChif. Still a little groggy from being hit by her partner, the two share a less than pleasing look. If MsChif is groggy, then Melissa is on dream street as she struggles to remain on her feet. Beth can be heard across the ring, trying to motivate her, but to no avail. A few stiff forearms don’t do her any favour’s either, as she’s whipped over with a snapmare and trapped into a rear chinlock.

The ref is right there on his mark, checking Melissa for a submission, but it never comes. Not even when MsChif takes to raking her sharp, black nails across her face does she choose to throw in the towel! Despite it all, she’s still fighting and starts to make headway on a comeback. Phoenix does her best to get the crowd behind it, but only half seem to care enough to join in. It is however enough, as Melissa begins to rock and makes it onto one knee. A few light jabs are enough to open up the space, and get her up to both feet. A few more shots, a little harder this time, connect to MsChif’s ribs. This loosens up the grip on her head, letting her hook the waist and hit a big back body drop! With hand outstretched Phoenix is begging for Melissa to tag her in. It becomes a slow motion race as both women try to make it to their partners. MsChif’s relative health is enough to tag in Toyoshima, who is quick to get back into the ring. Melissa stretches out just as Mitsuko grabs her foot…AND GETS THE TAG!

Beth is in, and throwing fists like a woman possessed! Mitsuko gets dropped hard with several before bailing out of the ring. MsChif follows suit on the other side of the ring, leaving both Phoenix and Melissa alone. The two look at each other, nod, and then run to opposite sides HITTING STEREO SUICIDE DIVES ONTO THEIR OPPONENTS! The fans again start to warm up a little, as Melissa throws Toyoshima back in when Phoenix is waiting. There’s little resistance as she’s lifted up and planted with a Down In Flames for the 1…2…3!

Beth Phoenix and Cheerleader Melissa def. Mitsuko Toyoshima and MsChif

Overall Rating: 41%

Crowd Reaction: 37%

Match Quality: 56%

“The Big Money” by Rush brings out the obnoxious duo of High Society, flashing the cash at everyone in the building.

The cheesy 80’s rock pours out of the PA system as they take their time making it down to the ring and procuring a microphone.

Conrad: I know what you’re all thinking, and the answer is yes…this is real money.

He fans out the wad of hundred dollar bills and waves it about.

Conrad: We understand that you people simply aren’t as fortunate as us, and may never see this much money at once ever again. Well, except maybe for you…

The “you” in question, is a black guy in the front row. Despite the implication, the guy laughs it off.

Conrad: It may be cruel, but at least you will have the privilege of telling your grandchildren that High Society were thoughtful enough to give you a glimpse of a better life.

He laughs, handing the mic over to Worthington.

Alexander: Now we’ve fulfilled out good deed for the day, it’s down to a little business. Since setting foot in this two bit cesspool, we’ve come face to face with nothing but bitter jealously at every turn. Can we really help it if we’re single-handedly raising this company’s image? First it was those two punk ass gangbangers Rainman and Onyx, taking time out of stealing to piss us off. They couldn’t get the job done, so what do they do?

The mic returns to Kennedy, who begins pacing back and forth.

Conrad: They tucked their tails between their legs, and ran from us like we’d just told them we were pregnant! If that wasn’t insulting enough, they decide to call for help in setting us straight. We could understand if they brought in some of their “homies” to rough us up…but The Lost Boyz? No offence, but Alexander and I didn’t come to SJW to compete in the womens division. The whole “my life sucks, so I should dress like a girl and cry” thing is so far beneath us it isn’t even close to being funny. So as far as…

“The Key To Gramercy Park” by Deadsy hits the PA system, brining out Azreal and Gabriel to a pop from the crowd! They race down to the ring determined to shut High Society up once and for all!

OR: 54%

Alexander Worthington III gained overness from this segment. Conrad Kennedy III gained overness from this segment.

Tag Team Match

High Society Vs. The Lost Boyz

Despite the accusation of being girls, it’s High Society that shows their true colours. The Lost Boyz hit the ring, only to see their opponents have bailed onto the outside like cowards. Converging in the aisle, they quickly try to form some kind of strategy. That clearly doesn’t go as far as keeping an eye on the ring, or they’d have seen Azreal drop to his hands and knees. They finally look just in time, AS GABRIEL USES HIS PARTNER TO HIT A HUGE CANNONBALL SENTON TO THE OUTSIDE! All three men collapse to the floor like bowling pins as the crowd pops big time for it.

Being the only man left on his feet, it’s down to Azreal to continue the match. He does just that by throwing Kennedy into the ring. He doesn’t go for the cover straight away, instead bringing him back to his feet. He plants a few stinging right hands, before whipping him across the ring. Conrad runs back, straight into a big powerslam and a hook of the leg for a 1…2…Kickout! Instead of arguing with the ref, Azreal keeps on the offensive by picking him up and drilling him into the canvas with a scoop slam. Hopping onto the middle rope, he points down at Kennedy before nailing a diving fist drop and a second cover 1…2…Conrad kicks out again!

A voice over his shoulder indicates Gabriel is back in the action, which is enough for Azreal to tag out. Kennedy looks nowhere near able to fight back, as he’s dragged to his feet and whipped…but he reverses it! Gabriel is sent into the ropes, where Worthington is waiting with a knee to the back! The Archangel staggers forward into a desperate clothesline from Conrad! In a matter of seconds, the tide has turned, and Alexander is in the match for the first time.

Being the fresher of the two, Worthington is able to effectively cut the ring in half and keep Gabriel grounded. A series of long, laborious leg submissions keep him from using his speed and weakening his available options greatly. A knee breaker in the middle of the ring is transitioned into a figure four leg lock leaving Gabriel nowhere to go! The fans are firmly behind him, and so is his partner. He struggles to find a way to the ropes, but none presents itself. Alexander looks content to keep things where they are as he fights to stop Gabriel from moving. With no escape, he’s left with only one choice as he starts to rock from side to side. Eventually the momentum is enough and he manages to reverse the move!

Now all of the pressure is on him, Worthington screams in pain as he tries to drag himself over to the ropes. Being an overall bigger wrestler, his size helps him pull the Gabriel sized anchor to the ropes and break the hold. The Archangel duly releases the hold straight away and gets to his feet. Alexander however, isn’t so quick to get back to a vertical base. In the end, he wished he hadn’t bothered as the second he turns around he walks into a spinning heel kick! He crashes into the canvas, and almost immediately the blood begins to drip out of his nose. In a matter of seconds his once white shirt has been dyed red.

Azreal gets tagged back in, as the bloodied Worthington is brought back to his feet again. The Lost Boyz combine for a brief moment, double teaming Alexander with a tandem suplex. Gabriel leaves the ring straight after as Azreal covers 1..2..but Worthington kicks out! Only slightly aggrieved, Azreal turns him to one side in preparation for something. Bouncing off the ropes, his momentum is cut short by Conrad grabbing a handful of his hair! He quickly drops to the floor as Azreal tries to follow. On his sprint around the ring, Kennedy manages to steal the ring bell without detection. Worthington is barely on his feet in the ring as his partner slides in past him. Azreal follows, seeing Kennedy hit the ropes and come back at him. Swinging wildly with the bell, AZREAL DUCKS AND CONRAD PLASTERS HIS OWN PARTNER! The Angel of Death quickly dispatches Kennedy out of the ring, and covers Worthington for the 1…2…3!

The Lost Boyz def. High Society

Overall Rating: 56%

Crowd Reaction: 45%

Match Quality: 81%

We cut backstage for the last time, where Brian Lee is sitting quietly.

He’s in the process of taping up his fists, as Alex Shelley walks into view with the SJW Heavyweight title over his shoulder.

Alex: Hey big man, you ready for this?

Lee smiles as he punches his fists together

Lee: I was born ready.

Alex: Those two ain’t gonna know what hit ‘em.

Brian rises to his feet, towering over the champion.

Lee: Chucklez is mine…

Alex: Heh, like I’d have it any other way.

Primetime rubs his hands together, just thinking about exacting some revenge for the beating he took at Living In Sin.

Alex: You know, that greasy little Ringmaster is probably gonna try and get involved at some point. I only wish we had someone watching our back out there.

Lee: If he knows what’s good for him, he’ll stay out of the match. If not, I might just shove that cane up his ass sideways…

Shelley winces at the visual before turning towards the door.

Alex: As much as I’d love to continue this, we should be going now. After all, we can’t keep the people waiting now, can we?

Brian simply nods, following the champion out of the dressing room.

OR: 71%

Brian Lee gained overness from this segment. Alex Shelley gained overness from this segment.

Tag Team Match

Alex Shelley and Brian Lee Vs. Jimmy Rave and Chucklez The Clown

It was main event time, and straight away it was clear things weren’t going to be a straightforward affair. Shelley and Lee showed solidarity by coming down to the ring together. Jimmy Rave refused to share the spotlight with anyone, opting to enter on his own. That left Marilyn Manson’s cover of “This Is Halloween” to flood the building as the demonic clown Chucklez marched to the ring alongside The Ringmaster.

On one side of the ring, Shelley offered Lee the chance to start the match. On the other, Chucklez simply stared at Rave until he left. As you’d expect by now, the two big men clashed in the middle of the ring, and it wasn’t pretty. Fists flew almost immediately, showing no signs of holding back as bone connected with flesh. Much like their Living In Sin encounter, neither behemoth was content with showing any signs of weakness. Sadly for Lee, that was a little harder thanks to the beating he was still healing from. Chucklez zoned in on the closed cut above his eye brow, and all it took was one sick headbutt to split it open again!

It should have caused Primetime to slow down, but instead it drove him into an adrenaline filled frenzy. The punches picked up speed, raining down on the clown as he was forced into the ropes. Whipping him across, a big boot attempt was ducked allowing Chucklez to rebound and hit a huge flying clothesline! The combined 500+ pounds crashed into the canvas as Chucklez went for the pin 1…2…but Lee got a shoulder up!

The icy cold stare Chucklez sent the ref said a thousand words of pain shooting through his brain. Instead of making them a reality, he opted to rebound off the ropes…into a blind tag by Rave?! Jimmy hopped into the ring, but Chucklez refused to let him go anywhere near Lee. It was only thanks to the Ringmaster’s words that Rave escaped without any harm. Brian struggled to get to his feet, but met Jimmy’s knee to the side of the head! He quickly tried to cover the big man 1…2…but Shelley came in a broke up the count!

A few kicks to the head gave Lee enough time to pull himself over and tag in the champ. Jimmy seemed reluctant to lock up with the champ, but it was clear that Alex didn’t care in the slightest. Hitting a kick to the stomach, and a few right hands, Rave fell prey to a butterfly suplex and a cover for 1…2…shoulder up! Bringing him back to his feet, he hooked him up for another butterfly. Rave had other ideas, breaking free from the hold and hitting a sneaky low blow. As Shelley doubled over, Jimmy hit the ropes…and Chucklez tagged himself in?!

Rave threw a fit as the lumbering nightmare climbed back into the ring. Leaving the building with his legs intact didn’t seem to high on Jimmy’s list of priorities, as he berated Chucklez for what he did. In the end the clown simply pushed him out of the way and grabbed Alex by the hair, WHO CAME OUT OF NOWHERE WITH A HUGE SHELLSHOCK! Chucklez head spiked into the canvas, as Shelley covered and Rave didn’t seem to bothered about breaking it 1…2…CHUCKLEZ KICKED OUT!

Ringmaster screamed as Jimmy for jeopardising the match, neither paying attention to a bloodied Brian Lee charging towards them. A clothesline sent Rave crashing into Ringmaster, who in turn flew off the apron and into a heap on the floor! Throwing a dazed Jimmy onto the apron, Brian helped Shelley drag Chucklez to his feet. The two whipped him into the corner and Alex grabbed Rave’s hand, tagging him into the match?! Now the legal man, Jimmy was thrown into the ring as Lee lifted Chucklez up and dumped him on the outside. He then turned his attention to the Ghanaian royalty, booting him in the stomach and hitting a huge Jacknife Powerbomb! Shelley ran to the ropes, hitting a perfect Lionsault for the 1…2…3!

The crowd went nuts as Alex and Brian had their hands raised in victory. Ringmaster and Chucklez looked as though they’d take up the fight again, but in the end left an unconscious Jimmy Rave by himself. Shelley offered a hand to Lee, thanking him for his help. The show came to a close with them shaking hands over Rave’s body in the middle of the ring.

Alex Shelley and Brian Lee def. Jimmy Rave and Chucklez The Clown

Overall Rating: 59%

Crowd Reaction: 57%

Match Quality: 76%

Show Overall Rating: 54%

Match of the Night: Shelley/Lee Vs. Rave/Chucklez

Worst Match of the Night: Phoenix/Melissa Vs. MsChif/Toyoshima

Retaliation was attended by 312 people.

We made $6240 from ticket sales.

Tag Team Match

Alex Shelley and Brian Lee Vs. Jimmy Rave and Chucklez The Clown

Jimmy Rave didn't take too kindly to Alex Shelley beating him for the vacant SJW Heavyweight title at Living In Sin I. So much so, that he interfered in Shelley's match with Chucklez The Clown. Luckily for Alex, Brian Lee returned after several weeks of absence to save him from a two on one beat down. The two feuds have since blended together, leading to The Ringmaster propositioning a temporary tag team to solve their problems. Later in the evening, Max Kraven confirmed that their match would indeed go ahead, and cap off the night of tag matches.

Tag Team Match

The Lost Boyz Vs. High Society

This match came about thanks to the long time association between The Lost Boyz, Rainman, and Onyx. High Society didn't endear themselves to anyone at Living In Sin, when they verbally berated Rainman and Onyx before stealing the victory in their first encounter. During the debut of Stigmata, these two teams clashed for the first time. Thanks to Team X-JAPAN, High Society walked out with the win but not before being chased off by a chair wielding Onyx. It was on the next show where Onyx and Rainman proposed to switch problems and try to help each other out. Azreal and Gabriel agreed, booking themselves in a second match against High Society.

Tag Team Match

Onyx and Rainman Vs. Team X-JAPAN

This match came about thanks to the long time association between The Lost Boyz, Rainman, and Onyx. After being verbally attacked, and then cheated out of a victory, Onyx and Rainman knew they would be having recurring problems with High Society. It wasn't until a High Society/Lost Boyz match, that they realised they weren't the only ones. Onyx saved Azreal and Gabriel from a 4 on 2 beat down after Team X-Japan got involved. That paved the way to an agreement to switch opponents in an attempt to get some revenge. A preview of this happened last Wednesday when Onyx took on Kansuke Konda. The match ended without a winner, as all eight men eventually got involved and ended the show in all out chaos.

Pick Your Partner Tag Team Match

Christian Hartley and ????? Vs. Damien Cross and ?????

Hartley and Cross are like oil and water. Both men debuted two weeks ago during a Stigmata taping, in which Cross confronted Hartley about pandering to the crowd. They met in the ring the very next show, where Christian managed to come out on top. Sensing something brewing between the two, Max Kraven decided to throw gasoline onto the fire by booking them in another match. This time however they are not alone, as each man has been charged with tracking down their own partner.

Womens Tag Team Match

Cheerleader Melissa and Beth Phoenix Vs. MsChif and Mitsuko Toyoshima

The last match to be settled for Retaliation came this past Wednesday on Stigmata. Cheerleader Melissa was in the middle of a match with Mitsuko Toyoshima, when MsChif got involved and cost her the victory. The two then joined forces and tried to put Melissa on the shelf. It was only thanks to a debuting Beth Phoenix that she was able to survive the attack. While Phoenix's intentions are still unclear, she will team with Melissa to take on Toyoshima and MsChif in her in ring debut.

In COMPLETELY unrelated news, the metal radio station on the Sims 2 is awesome.

Sexy, I'm in (Y)

Silence.

It’s been weeks since I’ve sat down, and heard absolutely nothing at all.

With the last Stigmata of the month over and done with, everything has settled down for a few days before Retaliation. A beer in one hand, and a tv remote in the other, I sat down ready to enjoy a nice quiet day of lounging around.

So naturally, someone was going to ruin all that in an instant. The phone rang several times, I really didn’t want to pick it up.

Hello?

It wasn’t bad news, so the interruption was a little easier to take.

Adam? It’s Sophie.

Kinda pointless way to start the conversation really, but I let her carry on without mentioning it.

Did you see the rating for the show this week?

Indeed I had. We’d started off pretty well, dipped down a bit the second week, and got our highest rating this past Wednesday.

Yeah, what about it?

You’ve head about IWC’s TV show, Ignition? Despite their higher status than us, we’re constantly getting better ratings. Thanks to that, we’re getting noticed more and more. SJW’s isn’t just confined to the city limits anymore, word is spreading slowly across the region. Not only that, but more and more websites are starting to mention us.

Really? That’s great news!

I was excited, it was just hard to show when I knew this would meant even more of my free time was going to be devoured. But hey, that’s what I signed up for right?

So I was thinking, maybe we could go out some time to celebrate?

I had no idea where that came from.

Uhhh…I don’t know.

Not the answer I was hoping for, but then the faint voice in the background made it all clear.

Is that…?

Look, I’ve gotta go Adam. I’ll see you in the morning, we’ve got a lot to do before this Sunday.

In an instant I was left with nothing but the dial tone, and a warm beer in my hand.

Benjamin…fucking brilliant.

Then just look a few threads down to the concept art topic...it's in there. Or click the link, seeing as I fixed it