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AEW Blood and Guts
March 27, 2021

Welcome to AEW <s>Not War Games</s> Blood and Guts! Emanating live from the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ. This landmark event marks the return of AEW going back on the road in full capacity venues after nearly a year of running exclusively out of The Daily's Place in Jacksonville, FL. Thank god the pandemic is over, now if only reality can imitate art.


The Buy In: Thunder Rosa vs. Ivelisse

AEW has a pretty big women's division and I choose to send Thunder Rosa and Ivelisse out there for a bonus match to get the crowd warmed up. As is the case with a lot of my undercard, they aren't particularly over but they clearly gelled well and the match did what I wanted it to do.

Thunder Rosa has to deal with Ivelisse's heelery including her partner Diamante getting herself ejected at some point. Thunder Rosa eventually gets some momentum going and ultimately picks up the hard-fought win via making Ivelisse tap to the Dragon Sleeper.
Winner: Thunder Rosa
***, 72% overall


Four Corners Tag Match: The Butcher and The Blade vs. The Natural Nightmares (Dustin Rhodes and QT Marshall) vs. SoCal Uncensored (Christopher Daniels and Frankie Kazarian) vs. Sammy Hager (Sammy Guevara and Jake Hager)

Tonight's opener is also a bonus match. On the buy-in show, the tag team division was put on notice that four teams would be selected via random draw to be in a match with the winning duo earning themselves a future AEW World Tag Team title match.

Again, opening matches are meant to hype up the crowd and with a whole bunch of guys in there it makes for a frantic atmosphere and plenty of opportunity for teams to hit their moves on one another, and a couple guys in this match are north of 80 overness so that helped avoid torpedoing the crowd rating.

I've mentioned Daniels' age but didn't realize that the last Dynamite coincided with his legit 51st birthday, so giving him a singles match was my gift I suppose. And he had himself a great match.

Well screw it, I'm all for trying to ride the wave while I can. With bodies flying everywhere in the fracas, Daniels busts out something a man his age shouldn't be able to do - BEST MOONSAULT EVER on QT Marshall! SCU wins! SCU have been on something of a losing skid of late but this old dog has at least one more trick up his sleeve.
Winners: SoCal Uncensored
***, 79% overall


Jurassic Express (Jungle Boy, Luchasaurus, and Marko Stunt) vs. FTR and Shawn Spears

The Tully Blanchard at ringside, his team takes on even more of a Horsemen-like approach in what ends up being a fairly old school style display of teamwork. Jungle Boy playing Ricky Morton and selling the hell out of the isolation before Luchasaurus gets the hot tag and cleans house.

Marko Stunt gets tagged in, stands atop Luchasaurus' shoulders for a splash on Dax Harwood but it's broken up at the 2.999 count. Devolves into a usual brawl the ref can't contain, Tully slides brass knucks to Dax and poor little Marko gets his clock cleaned for the loss.

Even though Jurassic Express have come up on the short end for much of this feud, they play great sympathy faces and it puts over Tully's group as a bunch of dicks. If the 67 year old Blanchard is up to it, I'd pop huge for Luchasaurus press slamming him to the outside on top of his group, at least giving the fans a sense of catharsis at seeing the heel boss get a level of comeuppance.
Winners: FTR and Shawn Spears
***, 74%


Orange Cassidy and Chuck Taylor vs. Miro and Kip Sabian

Orange and Miro's feud continues here with both of their partners back in tow for some tag action. Based on the rating this continued the string of yet another solid match on tonight's show. Orange and Miro eventually take their fight to the outside. Penelope Ford climbs onto the apron to distract Chuck Taylor (and boy is she ever distracting)...Kip Sabian charges Chuck from behinds, but Chuck sidesteps. Kip knocks his wife off the apron! Chuck then hits Kip with the best finisher name in the business - the Awful Waffle! Chuck and Orange win!

Miro hops back in and blindsides Chuck. Orange comes in to try to help his friend, and doesn't see Penelope has made it back into the ring where she hits him with her heel (who throws a shoe? Honestly?) The heels standing tall laughing off the loss when all of a sudden some futuristic music hits and holy shit, it's KRIS STATLANDER! We haven't seen her in action since June when she picked up a knee injury in a match with Penelope Ford! Penelope looks like she's seen a ghost, or in this case an alien. The Galaxy's Greatest Alien charges and the heels take a powder for now.
Winners: Orange Cassidy and Chuck Taylor
***1/4, 79% overall


AEW Women's World Championship - Kendo Sticks Legal: Hikaru Shida vs. Awesome Kong (C)

Shida and Kong's feud culminates in a manner most violent as the two beat the shit out of each other with kendo sticks. Shida attempting to choke out Kong with a kendo stick-assisted Crossface is the first spot that came to mind in this one. Toward the end she gets Kong into a form of a Kimura Lock that Kong finds a way to get to the ropes (hey I only said kendo sticks were legal, not that there were no rules at all). Kong goes to rest on the top rope but Shida latches right back onto her in the hold, bad move - top rope Awesome Bomb counter and Kong retains.

A winded and exhausted Kong laughs devilishly in celebration and yes, she cuts off a lock of Shida's hair because dammit, she has to.
Winner and STILL AEW Women's World Champion: Awesome Kong
***, 81% overall


Big Money Match: "Big Money Matt Hardy vs. "Hangman" Adam Page

Tensions had been brewing between these two for the past couple of months, both as mismatched partners and now as adversaries. A lot of money at stake in this one, and so Matt tried to take every shortcut in the book only to be thwarted. Match nearing its conclusion. Dead Eye on Matt....Hangman goes to the apron, Matt stumbling to his feet, could this be the Buckshot Lariat?

Wait! Matt Hardy crumples in a heap, clutching his ankle. He rolls out to the floor in agony. The referee counts 10. Hangman is confused but happy all at the same time. He wins the money!

Matt moans in pain and calls for the mic. "Adam, you should've read the fine print on the contract you dumb cowboy. Appendix D, Section 8 CLEARLY states that the monetary stipulation is valid only if victory is achieved by pinfall or submission. You may have won the match but as far as the money goes, you get NOTHING! YOU LOSE! GOOD DAY SIR!"
Winner: Adam Page
***1/2, 87% overall


Feel Good Segment of the Night

Hangman is pissed as the crowd boos the shit out of Hardy. Suddenly, Hangman is once again blindsided by Private Party! Not again! They do a beat down on Page. Matt slides a chair into the ring, and Private Party attach it to Hangman's ankle. Matt's own ankle is now magically healed, he goes to the top rope...oh god no, they're gonna Pillmanize Hangman....

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JOIN THE DARK ORDER

The crowd erupts as The Dark Order hits the ring! They fight off The Hardy Party. Dark Order tried for months to recruit Hangman into their ranks only to be politely declined as Hangman didn't want to join a group, only for Matt to keep putting them down and trying to force the issue with Hangman. Now they've shown back up for Hangman when they've needed him most.

Hangman gets to his feet and sees the Dark Order looking at him. The Dark Order all do their hand salute. Hangman looks conflicted on what to do as the crowd chants "YES". He finally does the salute and everyone loses their shit. Brings a case of beer into the ring as the Dark Order all drink and hug it out.

Rating: 85% overall....and somehow John Silver was the only member of Dark Order to gain overness. Probably stole the scene with his facial expressions. John Silver = ratings


AEW World Tag Team Championships: The Inner Circle (Chris Jericho and Maxwell Jacob Friedman) vs. The Young Bucks (C)

Another feud blown off on this one as the top alpha dogs of the Inner Circle try one last chance to win the gold with Jericho's threat of breaking the group up looming.

This was, as you could probably expect from the Bucks at this point, another red hot affair with everyone being super over and the crowd eating up everything. Jericho, not wanting to be outdone by Daniels in the 50 year old athletic move department, tries a Lionsault but gets a knee to the gut! MJF superkicked off the apron Jericho is picked up and the Bucks drive him to the mat with the Meltzer Driver! Bucks win!!! Bye bye Inner Circle!
Winners and STILL AEW World Tag Team Champions: The Young Bucks
****, 91% overall


Main Event - the first ever BLOOD AND GUTS match: AEW TNT Champion Darby Allin, Cody Rhodes, PAC, Rey Fenix, and Jon Moxley vs. AEW World Champion Kenny Omega, Brian Cage, Eddie Kingston, Santana, and Ortiz

The game is pretty lazy with writing up <s>War Games</s> Blood and Guts matches, just listing random spots without much about the actual match. I can only assume Cody would've started the match out of pride, and Eddie Kingston not wanting to be outdone would've been in there to start against his rival. Not coincidentally, these two are probably the most likely in the match to get color. Not that I'm a proponent of blade jobs but you really think Cody isn't gonna gig himself in this one?

Anyway I just imagine various spots, mostly people throwing themselves with reckless abandon off the cage. Darby Allin doing a Coffin Drop onto everybody. Fenix doing some flippy stuff off the cage. Brian Cage trying to powerbomb folks through the cage wall. Santana/Ortiz bringing the madball into the cage and whipping the crap out of people. God help us if Moxley decides to pay homage to Foley with thumbtacks, Blood and Guts indeed.

The important thing though is the finish. The match can only end when someone surrenders, and that's exactly what happens when the face team manage to get the heel team at bay and PAC locks in a Brutalizer on Omega. Omega surrenders! PAC just made the AEW World Champion give up!

Winners: The Face Team
***1/4, 83% overall.......well, the game gets lazy and gives it basically the same rating as the regular 10 man tag, fuck you! I say ****1/2!

82% Overall Show Rating

That show ruled. A whole night of ***+ matches is pretty fantastic for a non-MAG promotion.

I'd ask where the hot woman is but typically sticking the words 'woman' and 'blood' doesn't trigger pleasant images.

Like I said before, I want to go back to only worrying about getting a chicken sandwich from Popeye's.
Bonus points for use of the word 'heelery'.

If anyone at 51 is able to still bust out a top rope moonsault their blood needs to be studied and cryogenically stored.
You'd pop even more if 67-year old Blanchard would bust out a moonsault of his own.
OK, with all of that craziness in the match and Penelope's wonderful assets, how am I supposed to pay that much attention to it when you've got somebody with the moniker of Galaxy's Greatest Alien? I need to take a trip on Google....

This gives me a warm glow inside.
Fake injury AND Willy Wonka reference? Brilliant. :lol:
I like how your segments flow into each other and that there's a payoff. Is Silver designated as the leader in the stable? The game typically awards any over points earned in a segment to the leader. The other possibility is his charisma is fairly respectable.

I'm willing to wager in real life Daniels has the edge over Jericho as far as athleticism is concerned.

Uh, I thought we agreed on The Superfriends? Anyways, I figure it's the duty of any Rhodes offspring to bleed like a stuck pig. Hell, I imagine little Dakota running into a tree and just turning the playground sandbox into a sea of blood. War Games isn't necessarily infallible, remember. *cough*1998*cough* There had to have been two guys involved whose stats didn't click.

[/QUOTE]

It was a pretty great show. 'Non-M-A-G show' should be a permanent term.

She's got a unique look for sure. She's kind of a weirdo and based on interviews I've heard her in, she's genuinely a big nerd which is worth big points in my book.

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That rant by Wonka was one of my favorite movie lines as a kid.

Good shout, it's probably charisma. Dark Order has no official leader since Brodie Lee passed away. Evil Uno is the closest since he started the whole gimmick originally, but I actually said fuck it and listed Colt Cabana as the leader since he was the most over of the group and I assumed that's what impacted the segment rating.

Turns out John Silver slightly nudges him in charisma (only 63 overness for Silver but 88 charisma and decent in ring stats....think he'll eventually get a push) so perhaps the game just allocates the points to the most charismatic member.

You'd be right. Jericho at times has me concerned that he'll wind up being wrestling's latest tragedy, dude clearly embraces the drinker/rockstar lifestyle and his beer gut shows it. Dude's gotten so much bigger than 2016 and not in a good way. In fairness to him, I could only hope to look like he does now when I'm 50 and have not even close to the same amount of wear and tear on my body....but I'm not meant to be going out on national TV either.

SmackDown!: June 1, 2040

We open with what Naomi Bailey is calling her "re-coronation ceremony". She tells us all that it's well-deserved no matter what all of the peasants out there think. Not only did she win Queen of the Ring this year, she beat THREE other Queens on Sunday in dominating fashion. "Now all of you nobodies are going to sit there and shut up as I ascend to the throne of the Queen of Queens and as I take my rightful title I want you all to think about Night of Champions and what I'm going to do to Sonya Braddock! Her days as champion are numbered because we all know she escaped WrestleMania by the skin of her teeth. She doesn't even have the guts to accept my invitation and be out here to witness my coronation! Well, screw her! I only need her to show up at Night of Champions so that I can finish what I started and put a stamp on this year! Now, let's get on with it!"

The typical regal music plays as one of the coronation officials begins to read off a scroll while others prepare Naomi's royal attire. Suddenly the music cuts off and is replaced with Sonya Braddock's and sure enough the Women's Champion makes her way to the ring. She stands in silence as she stares down Naomi for a bit before gesturing that the ceremony proceed.

The scroll reader continues as the two women just glare each other. "On this day in the year of our Lord 2040, the first of the month of June, we gather to bear witness to the crowning of the greatest female monarch to grace this illustrious industry. A woman who pulled herself from the streets as a pugilist and ascended to glory as a goddess. She takes her throne symbolizing the superiority to which we shall all bow. Naomi, take this crown and this scepter as trophies granting you the title which you so richly deserve. You enter this ring the Queen of Ring and I hereby declare that you now shall leave this ring THE UNDISPUTED QUEEN OF QUEENS!"

Naomi smirks in Sonya Braddock's face and then backs herself into her throne and takes a seat. She dismisses everyone but insists that Braddock remain. "Well, what do you have to say now? I give you credit for showing up but you have to admit this is something. I hope you've been enjoying these last few months because Night of Champions is going to be end of Easy Street for you. Oh, but where are my manners? You have my permission to kneel before me."

Braddock remains standing up and keeps her glare fixed on Naomi. Naomi is a bit peeved at this and repeats herself, "I said, 'You have my permission to KNEEL before me'!" Braddock continues her silent statue routine and Naomi only gets more furious. Naomi gets up from her throne and gets back in Braddock's face. "FINE! You don't want to kneel? Makes no difference! You're going to be on your knees BEGGING for my mercy at Night of Champions! And when you look up at me with a sad, pathetic look on your face that's hoping for that mercy, I'm going to smite your sorry ass!"

Sonya Braddock merely smirks and shakes her head. She turns to leave but that only infuriates Naomi even more and she uses this opportunity to hit Braddock with the Bail Out! She plays to the crowd holding her crown and scepter in her apparent triumph BUT BRADDOCK GIVES THE FINGER TO FINISHERS and she pops back up. Naomi turns to see this blatant disregard of wrestling etiquette and is shocked. She tries the scepter route but Braddock blocks it and we've got a struggle over it as the two glare at each other. We get officials come down to try to separate them as the segment ends.

Backstage, Lisa Benton is being interviewed about her decision to make Faith Connors and Jenna Kyle an Iron Woman match on Raw on June 11th. First things first, Benton informs us that neither woman is here tonight as they've both started training for the contest. Benton believes that it's the best way to settle things between the two and she's always made decisions that will hopefully give the fans the best. Benton clarifies the rules for the match. It'll be 30-minutes long and unlike the last time, there will be a sudden death overtime period. Hannah McCormick inserts herself into the picture and berates Lisa Benton for making such a big stink of this match. Hannah is not impressed with either woman and is sick of hearing about them. Hannah's the biggest star there is and the best competitor there is. 10 minutes. 30 minutes. 60 minutes. It doesn't matter! Benton is obviously miffed at being interrupted and declares that Hannah is more than welcome to demonstrate her talking points tonight by taking on Phoebe Hanson.

First Match: Jerome McDougal and the Millennium Rebels vs. Marc Fury, El Silencio, Isaac Wolff
Opening matches with six cruiserweights? Yes, please! This is mainly a showcase for McDougal as he embarks on a mini-feud with Nigel Gallagher from the Brits. Aaron Ramsey also wants in on the action and he helps his client with chicanery and McDougal finishes off Wolff for the pin. ****1/2, 88% overall.

Backstage, Vivian Merrick tries to give an interview with her clients, the Unified Tag Team Champions, The Future Foundation but her jaw is still recovering from being introduced to Braddock's fist on Sunday. She struggles through the pain but eventually has to whisper her words to Rick Hilton who manages to get the point across himself. The Play Pals will be getting their shot at the tag team titles on Raw and that they're going to pay for allowing Braddock to do what she did to Vivian! Then Sonya Braddock will have learned her lesson!

Second Match: Kerry Cemenko vs. Orlando Kincaid
Sort of extending the feud between Cemenko and Cross as Cross is on commentary just ripping into Cemenko over his comments on Superstars. Cross says he's going to dismiss Cemenko because he doesn't demand any attention. What's the last major thing he's done? The end comes when Cemenko and Kincaid both tumble over the announce table into Cross' lap. They eventually return to the ring but Cross screws up an interference attempt and that allows Cemenko to get the pin on Kincaid. The heels are not thrilled with this outcome and they look to make Cemenko pay but Alexander Piero runs out to drive the two of them away. *****, 94% overall.

Haven joins us in the ring and he plans on making this short and simple. Butch Fleming is in possession of something that belongs to Haven. It's only a matter of time before Haven's iron hand makes it around the throat of the poisonous snake and reduces it to a writhing pitiful worm. Quentin McDaniels will be given the same treatment if he chooses to once again accompany Fleming down the primrose path.

McDaniels makes his way out to confront Haven and declares that he has no fear of him. Haven is nothing more than talk and a fancy entrance and McDaniels NEVER felt like Haven deserved to be a leader. Haven is in over his head making threats as McDaniels is the guy who is on track to take the Unified World Title so Haven can shove those pretty words right up his...

McDaniels is cut off by Haven grabbing him by the throat and forcing him into the corner. McDaniels tries to fight back but it's a bit of a rough going for him. Butch Fleming runs out to help with the beatdown and the two heels have got Haven down. Things look pretty bad but NOAH CARMICHAEL makes his return and makes a beeline for Fleming. However, overlooking McDaniels is a fatal error on his part as McDaniels assaults the former champion. Carmichael's return is unfortunately not a triumphant one as the heels stand tall again after they brutalize Carmichael and Haven.

Third Match: Salvatore Scabbia vs. Stone Walsh
Rebuild mode time for Scabbia as I don't want to just discard him. I have a match in mind for him at Night of Champions after all. Brooke proves her worth here as she distracts Walsh long enough for Scabbia to lock in the Omerta for the submission win. ****1/2, 92% overall.

Fourth Match: Leah vs. ???
Nathan Quinn is out here in support of his new client, Leah as he reminds everyone that this contest is Leah against any woman who wants to give it a go. Leah is more than prepared for whoever wants to come down that aisle so who wants to welcome her to the WWE?

For a while it looks like there aren't any takers but soon enough the music of Jamie Roderick hits and the former Women's Champion makes her way out in full ring attire. She signals that she wants the bell rung and it looks like this shit is on!

Fourth Match: Leah vs. Jamie Roderick
Leah is absolutely capable of hanging with Roderick here as things are quite even. Clearly Nathan Quinn has picked himself quite the prize. He does, however, feel the need to show some extra support and that allows Leah to ground Roderick and hit the Sultry Splash for the win! What a debut! ****1/2, 91% overall.

Fifth Match: Ozzy Mandias vs. Miles Shawcross
Ozzy tells us that he still hasn't heard from Romeo Valiente in regards to making amends. The end of this match comes when Valiente himself runs down and drops Ozzy's throat on the top rope allowing Shawcross to score the pin. Afterwards, Valiente just devastates Ozzy with repeated Cassanova Crushes off the top, each time yelling at Ozzy with things like "You want an apology?!?!", "Here's your apology!!!", and "You like that apology?!?" He asks Ozzy who the hell he thinks he is asking for apologies. Ozzy Mandias is left down and out. ****1/2, 91% overall

Sixth Match: Hannah McCormick vs. Phoebe Hanson
McCormick gets on the mic and declares that if Lisa Benton thinks she can buy off McCormick by giving her the main event for tonight, she's mistaken. McCormick will have a date with destiny in regards to Faith and Jenna. The match itself is fucking amazing as these two gel superbly. Bobbi Jo helps out her mentor here and McCormick gets the duke after one hell of a show. *****, 96% overall.

FINAL SEGMENT: The WWE Intercontinental Champion and Money in the Bank holder Brandon Reigns comes out to join us. He made the declaration that tonight would be the night that he announces when he'll be cashing in his Money in the Bank contract. The petty squabbling that we saw earlier between Carmichael and Haven and McDaniels and Fleming is just that: PETTY! It means nothing because in one fell swoop Reigns can change the entire course of the WWE. Now that the glass ceiling is being broken with all of these veterans being swept aside, the bright future that was in store for Reigns is approaching and it will be realized no matter who wants to stand in his way!

Kyle Jacobs comes out to spoil the festivities and reminds Reigns of one really big and important thing standing in his way: Kyle Jacobs at Night of Champions. Jacobs has actually been looking forward to this for quite a while even before Reigns decided to be a giant selfish douche. That night after WrestleMania when the two of them clashed over that championship was exhilarating. It was the kind of competition that Jacobs thrives on and Reigns was the kind of opponent that pushes him to places he's never been before. It was a kind of moment to go on the highlight reel when Jacobs is old and grey and is sharing his career with his grandchildren. Jacobs can certainly understand wanting to break out from someone else's shadow; he has two of his own. But what Reigns did to Connelly was also petty. Jacobs is only interested in the title but make no mistake he's not going to take any crap from Reigns.

Reigns is not amused by this and says that Jacobs isn't in his way; Jacobs is underneath him. Jacobs can only hope to ever come close to achieving what Reigns is going to which brings him to the reason why he's even out here to begin with. A bright future needs a grand stage to contain it and there is a stage out there that's the grandest of them all. So no matter what the main event is or how it ends, Brandon Reigns is going to be sitting at ringside waiting for it to be over so that his bright future is born. He will be cashing in his Money in the Bank contract AT WRESTLEMANIA 57!!!

Jacobs actually nods, apparently impressed with such a bold move. However he does point out that Reigns might have to do it WITHOUT the Intercontinental Title. Reigns looks annoyed and turns away but turns right back and nails Jacobs with the belt! Reigns stands tall with the belt and the briefcase as we go off the air.

Overall show rating: 90%

Sonya remains a total badass. A complete no-sell of a finisher is something that only works when it's done once in a blue moon and in a situation like this it would get such a huge pop since it's almost unheard of.

Say no more. I'll start the match at 7 stars and see if it works its way up.

Hell yeah, use those cruisers, if you can fill an entire Rumble with 'em you can have fun and crazy 6-man openers. Wonder how good El Silencio is at calling spots.

Open challenges for the win! Especially good when it's answered by somebody who is notable or at least has a prior accolade to their name.

Impromptu main event match....ends up being a full blown MOTY contender. Holy shitsnacks.

Nicely written segment at the end there to set up Reigns' long term and short term goals and keep the story going. And it ends in a belt shot which is always money.

Reigns claiming to cash in at Mania is interesting. WWE to memory had the MITB winner say they would cash in at Mania way in advance twice - once by Mr. Kennedy who was a heel that probably would've cashed in earlier as a swerve, but he immediately got hurt. Then by Daniel Bryan who was face before cashing in early on another face as a prelude to his great heel run.

Reigns, being a dickhead, could always go back on his word. But if January rolls around and he's still not cashed in, Lisa Benton's gonna have to do some thinking. Could be a legit storyline justification for the Rumble being for the World Title instead since the #1 contendership is contractually obligated. Lots of directions it could go.

Raw: June 4, 2040

We open with the WWE Cruiserweight Champion, the Former WWE Cruiserweight Champion-Elect Michael Hotbody addressing his recent issues with Jordan Demiras. He reiterates that what happened at Judgment Day wasn't Hotbody's fault. The circumstances just lined up so that fate wasn't in the favor of a loser like Jordan Demiras even with his desire to engage in pelvic sorcery with the boss. He still refuses to face Demiras until proper respect is given and Demiras shows legitimate remorse over what he did last week. He also demands that his record be replaced!

Lisa Benton comes out to engage in a dialogue and wants to make sure she understands everything that Hotbody is claiming. "So let me get something straight. Michael; you had nothing to do with what Zed Jones did to Jordan Demiras?"

"That's right."

"It was a complete accident then?"

"Yes."

"And you just happened to get the win on accident and become the champion through no fault of your own?"

"Yes, thank you. Finally, you're getting it!"

"So, really what you're saying is that you don't actually deserve to be the Cruiserweight Champion?"

Hotbody is taken back by this and stammers through his response. "NO! That's not I'm saying. Don't twist my words! I am the REAL AND TOTALLY LEGIT WWE Cruiserweight Champion! Don't try your mental gymnastics on me!"

"Well it seems to me if you were deserving of the title you'd have no problem facing any real challenge, no?"

"Hey, I don't need this! In fact, I'll defend my title tonight! I'll do one of those open challenge things later tonight! I'll show you and I'll show Jordan Demiras! Then you can both finally get out of my hair and go back to swapping spit with each other!"

Benton has heard enough and proceeds to slap the taste out of Hotbody's mouth. The champion rolls out of the ring grabbing his face in pain and retreats to the back in a fury.

Backstage, Drakken is walking through the halls when HUGO decides he's found his next victim and brutalizes the Wasteland member all over the hallway.

First Match: Hannah McCormick and Bobbi Jo vs. Sarah Moore and Lauren Franklyn
Hannah declares that she's still peeved and that regardless of the outcome of next week's Iron Woman match, she's challenging the winner. This is some excellent women's action and further evidence that a tag division is probably a good idea. McCormick uses her heelery ways to score a cheap pin on Sarah Moore. ****1/2, 89% overall.

Backstage, Butch Fleming meets up with Quentin McDaniels. They have their differences, sure, but Carmichael and Haven are both pains the ass that need to be dealt with. They apparently still haven't learned their lesson and it'll be the pleasure of Fleming and McDaniels to knock them down a peg.

We get a video package hyping up the Iron Woman Match for next week between Faith Connors and Jenna Kyle. This is mainly focused on Jenna and the training she's going through to prepare. As familiar as she is with Faith she still can't truly predict what's in store next week. Faith adapts because it's in her nature so Jenna can't afford to let her guard down. This will be one the defining moments in Jenna's career.

Second Match: WWE Cruiserweight Title
Former WWE Cruiserweight Champion-Elect Michael Hotbody (c) vs. Patrick Dean Quartermaine
Quartermaine answers the challenge because why not? Of course, Hotbody has no intention of actually being serious here and just opts for a bullshit countout win after sending Quartermaine over the railing and quickly running back to the ring to beat the count. Afterwards, Hotbody declares that now he doesn't have to defend his belt for another thirty days! He's going home to relax and Demiras can go suck an egg for all he cares! Not surprisingly Demiras runs in to get him some and Hotbody bails before things get too rough. *****, 95% overall.

Third Match: Seth Von Kamp vs. Clubber Harris
Harris might be reaching the end of his usefulness. Von Kamp keeps up his winning ways here regardless and picks up the pin after the Collapse of Society. *****, 94% overall.

Backstage, Aphrodite is with her client Caleb Greene and they both want to express their disappointment in the betrayal of Lonny Richards. Greene isn't finished with his former friend and is looking forward to round two.

Fourth Match: Nigel Gallagher and The British Infection vs. Jerome McDougal and the Millennium Rebels
These guys work really well together and I might as well continue their feuding. Nigel continues to come into his own here and manages to lead his team to victory after pinning Dangerson after a Union Smack. ****1/4, 88% overall.

Fifth Match: Kerry Cemenko vs. WWE Intercontinental Champion Brandon Reigns
More guys who have tremendous chemistry. This all about Reigns looking good but Cemenko's comeback is smashed to pieces as Xavier Cross runs in for a DQ. Kyle Jacobs runs down fueled by what went down on SmackDown! and gets him some of Reigns. *****, 95% overall.

MAIN EVENT: WWE Unified Tag Team Championship
The Future Foundation (c) vs. The Play Pals
The Play Pals finally get their shot here with no other teams in the way. It's a classic tag team affair with Gavin Jones playing face-in-peril. The end comes when the champions' fellow stablemate, Salvatore Scabbia decides to show some comradery by helping Hilton score a cheap pin on Haywood to retain the titles. The Play Pals have their own fellow stablemate in Ryan Pattillo and he runs down to even the odds. He and Scabbia stare each other down as Brooke orders Scabbia to back down as we go off the air. ****1/2, 93% overall.

Overall show rating: 88%

I like to imagine that Braddock is like Zangief from Street Fighter where she's someone who trains by beating up bears or other dangerous predators. The imagery of Bengal tigers being suplexed around puts a smile on my face.

If I recall their last one-on-one encounter under the same rules was fucking stellar but we'll see how 4.2 treats them. I wish you had more control over the way Iron Man matches are booked.

Now I'm imagining him as someone like Teller who just gets his point across with body language.


I lucked out in that Leah was at 85 overness after her NXT stint so she's in prime position to be tossed into the deep end. Shame she didn't get more charisma but Nathan Quinn can always use the extra paycheck.

Well the idea here is that events are going to continue as normal with the winner of the Rumble still getting their title shot at WrestleMania against the champion. It's just that Reigns plans on being there at ringside and cashing in as soon as the match is over. With that said, I am planning on a little twist but we'll see how things unfold. The important thing is all of the stars that Faith and Jenna are going to give me. :)

Former WWE Cruiserweight Champion-Elect and Current WWE Cruiserweight Champion Michael Hotbody for WWE MVP. Also Patrick Dean Quartermaine, when I see that name I envision a cocky heel down the line.

Only doing the bare minimum in title defenses is an excellent prick move. It's nice to see a 30 day title defense rule actually be enforced, I don't have a rule like that on AEW mostly because I don't do monthly PPVs but after the success of Blood and Guts my hand might be forced soon. Maybe in-game they'll be listed as PPVs even if in my brain they're bonus large events.

Quartermaine was a snobby heel before in a stable called the Think Tank. Brooke was part of it but sadly his partner isn't part of the game anymore. I should turn him when he decides to hang it up and use him to get a young face over.

I also find it funny that we just brushed off a bullshit quick count out cheap win got 5 stars. :lol:

lol yeah, sometimes I wonder if I should omit the star ratings and just put segment rating cause, bullshit count out match aside, the crowd's hot for the character work

I've got plenty of **1/2-**** matches with very respectable overall ratings thanks to crowd reaction.

Superstars: May 7, 2040

Opening Match: The Academy vs. The British Infection
Hot opening match tag team action at it's finest. Well, maybe not the finest as these guys aren't the most charismatic. The Millennium Rebels want to ruin things for the Brits and they run in to allow Randy Ellis to hit Nate Exley with Today's Lesson for the win. The Dillingers run down to even things out and stop the heels from any further chicanery. ****1/2, 91% overall.

Second Match: Naomi Bailey vs. Lzzy Ryd
Naomi is HOT and is in a foul mood but rubs her royal accessories in the face of Ryd and the crowd. Ryd hangs with the Queen as well as she can but Naomi needs the win here. She hits the Bail Out and sadly Ryd is NOT Sonya Braddock and the Queen of Queens walks away with the pin. ****1/2, 93% overall.

Lisa Benton wants to address the situation with the Cruiserweight Title. Despite what went down on Raw and what Michael Hotbody wants to claim ALL champions are contractually obligated to defend their respective titles at Night Of Champions. Therefore she is ordering Hotbody to grant Jordan Demiras his rematch for the WWE Cruiserweight Title at the PPV. She demands Hotbody show up soon to respond.

Third Match: Lonny Richards vs. Ozzy Mandias
Nice little big man vs. little man match here. Romeo Valiente is still miffed at Ozzy Mandias and whacks him with a chair allowing Richards to roll him up for the pin. Caleb Greene runs out to prevent any further injustice and to get him some of Richards. ****1/2, 91% overall.

Backstage, King Kavovit approaches Moses McKay. The word is that Lisa Benton is planning some sort of match to determine the number one contenders for the Unified Tag Team Titles for Night Of Champions. Kavovit seems to believe that he and McKay should get in on this. McKay seems open to it seeing as they've had some success recently and any chance at some gold is a good idea. What to call themselves, though?

Fourth Match: The Morris Cousins vs. The Wyldhearts
Nothing but awesome here as these guys show they can work pretty well off each other. The Wyldhearts score a clean win after hitting Lyle Morris with the Heartstopper. Afterwards those dastardly Agents of Change get them some of the Wyldhearts to continue their little soap opera. *****, 96% overall.

We get another video package hyping up the upcoming Iron Woman Match on Raw between Faith Connors and Jenna Kyle. This time it's focused on Faith and the ways that she is preparing. Obviously there's a shit ton of parkour showcased. Faith puts over Jenna as an opponent she's always willing to compete against. Their story comes full circle in a way with this Iron Woman Match and she hopes to be able to close this chapter on a high note.

Backstage, Brooke is with Salvatore Scabbia. She points out that she felt the need to back Scabbia off of Ryan Pattillo because they needed to be smart about him. There are some powerful names in the business that got bit in the ass because they underestimated Pattillo. Scabbia won't be one of them. They issue what they call their only warning.

Fifth Match: Leah vs. Missy Brantley
Another showcase for Leah as she works her way through the division. Nathan Quinn once again feels the need to interject himself allowing Leah to score a pin off a Sultry Splash. ****1/2, 92% overall.

Backstage, the other half of the Wasteland, Duke, is getting his ass beat by Hugo. Is anyone safe from this madman's rampage?

MAIN EVENT: Kerry Cemenko, Alexander Piero, and Martyn LaSalle vs. Xavier Cross, Orlando Kincaid, and Jason Sorola
Closing things out is some hot 6-man action. Piero is the face-in-peril mainly as his inexperience is a detriment to his team. He manages to Popeye up when he notices Kincaid giving Madison a hard time on the outside. Hot tag to Cemenko leads to KATY BAR THE DOOR and the fracas comes to an end when he rolls up Cross for the win. ****1/2, 93% overall.

Overall show rating: 89%

Naomi is HOT you say? Always a good thing. :shifty:

That Hugo is a damn jezebel. Are The Wasteland jobber level enough to drop a 2 on 1 handicap match?

I don't do handicap matches. I'm basically doing the Brock Lesnar thing by having him just smash people at random trying to boost his over points. I need to start throwing in some squashes via the pool of indy guys at my disposal because I want him over enough to where I can start unleashing him on my actual roster.

As far as Naomi's hotness level goes I imagine her a 6'1" muscular black woman with abs you can forge a sword on and an attitude like a warthog. I guess that works for some guys.

Kinda sound like AEW prospect Jade Cargill

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Enc4IW1XIAQ9J7B.jpg

God damn that makes me feel so inadequate. :o

SmackDown!: June 8, 2040

We open with Lisa Benton informing us that tonight there will be two battle royals, each comprised of 10 tag teams. The teams that win the battle royals will compete on Raw in a number one contenders match to see who will challenge the Future Foundation for the Unified Tag Team Titles at Night Of Champions. Also, tonight's main event will be Noah Carmichael teaming up with Haven to take on Quentin McDaniels and the WWE Unified World Champion Butch Fleming.

In the back, poor Raymond Delaney is the latest victim of Hugo's random acts of violence.

First Match: 10-Team Battle Royal Number One
Competing teams in this one are The Tokyo Titans, Galino & Farnes, El Silencio & Isaac Wolff, The Academy, The Sin City Rollers, The Dillingers, The Wyldhearts, Stanley Coleman and Caleb Greene, The Agents of Change, and the new team of King Kavovit and Moses McKay who insist on being known as The Royal Effect. The main highlights here are Lonny Richards causing trouble for his former buddies, Coleman and Greene causing them to be eliminated and of course the end which comes down to Blaine Bellamey of the Wyldhearts having to hold his own against Kavovit and McKay. Sadly, he is unable to and thus the new team make their mark by winning the whole county fair. The Royal Effect are team number one for the match on Raw. 82% overall.

The Queen of Queens Naomi Bailey is out now still in a furious mood. She was humiliated last week and she won't stand for it. Sonya Braddock thinks she's all that but the truth of the matter is that it's all hype and fluff! Braddock doesn't really know what it means to be in an actual fight for survival. If she ever did it's been long forgotten and replaced with photo shoots and movie premieres. Naomi declares that she's kept her eye on the prize and that the time is now for her to be the one to send Braddock packing. She dares Braddock to come out and try last week's stunt again because Naomi has a hell of a lot more than just one move up her sleeve.

Naturally Sonya Braddock takes umbrage to the gauntlet being thrown down and makes her way out. It's only a brief moment of glaring at each other before both women begin to dish out punishment on each other! It's a brawl that again needs officials to help stop.

Second Match: Romeo Valiente vs. Marc Fury
Well we won't have much in the way of tag matches so might as well stick some cruiserweights out there. Valiente has the experience edge here and cheats his way to victory. It's a tad hollow as Ozzy Mandias runs down to try to get some payback. ****1/2, 91% overall.

Backstage Kerry Cemenko is saddened to admit that Xavier Cross has a point in that it's been a while since Cemenko has accomplished something major. He wishes he could be like Cross whose last major thing was being destroyed by Haven. Cemenko does have an idea that he would like to run by Cross, however.

Back to the ring as it's one of the competitors of the Iron Woman Match this upcoming Raw, Jenna Kyle. She talks about what a week it's been as far as pushing herself goes. A moment like this, a match like this, a milestone like this doesn't come along very often but when it does you want to be at 120% because you'll regret it for the rest of your life if you're not. Faith is looking at this match as some form of reconciliation and, sure, Jenna can see that. Jenna will be looking to reconcile a lot of what's been going on in her head for the last year and use this Iron Woman Match as a platform. This path that Faith and Jenna have been on has been entangled for too long and it's time for it to come to an end.

Faith decides to make her presence known as she is also here tonight taking a break from her training. Faith believes that the two of them can continue on a new path but they're going to need to survive Monday. It's going to be thirty minutes of hell and quite possibly the longest thirty minutes the two will ever experience. Faith will accept the outcome and the aftermath no matter how heartbreaking or how joyous it may be because that's what a real woman does. She only asks Jenna if she's prepared to do the same. Jenna simply replies, "We'll just have to see, won't we?" We go to break with the two staring each other down.

Third Match: 10-Team Battle Royal Number Two
The participants here are The Young Bloods, The Millennium Rebels, The Wasteland, The Play Pals still peeved over what went down on Raw, Ronnie Costello and Salvatore Scabbia, The British Infection, The Wolves of Wall Street, The Southern Gentlemen, The Morris Cousins, and Michael Hotbody and Zed Jones who join because Hotbody still has no intention of facing Demiras and Benton can kiss his ass because he wants more gold. Highlights here are Ryan Pattillo running in to prevent Scabbia from destroying the Play Pals with a chair leading to Scabbia and Costello getting eliminated and the end which boils down to Hotbody and Gavin Jones. Zed Jones tries his hand at helping out and it looks like the Play Pals are done for but JORDAN DEMIRAS comes out of nowhere to smack Zed with a chair and stop his chicanery! This shocks Hotbody long enough for Gavin to recover and toss the WWE Cruiserweight Champion for the win! The Play Pals have new life as they move on to face The Royal Effect on Raw. 90% overall

Fourth Match: Leah vs. Frankie
More goodness from Leah but this time around Carmella Costello lends a hand and causes Frankie to get counted out. Carmella continues with a beat down afterwards on the fallen Frankie. ****1/2, 87% overall.

Fifth Match: Kyle Jacobs vs. Doug Michaels
Brandon Reigns is watching this from the stage as he looks forward to Night Of Champions. Kyle is in prime form here and he uses this opportunity to deliver a message to the Intercontinental Champion. Jacobs picks up the win after a Legacy Bomb. ****1/2, 92% overall.

MAIN EVENT: WWE Unified World Champion Butch Fleming and Quentin McDaniels vs. Haven and Noah Carmichael
A brawl to say the least as these four have such tremendous tension between them. McDaniels gets a tad overzealous in his hatred for Carmichael and gets DQ'ed after refusing to listen to the ref's commands. Butch Fleming is not pleased with this and the two heels are at each others' throats arguing as we go off the air. *****, 94% overall.

Overall show rating: 88%

I'm a big battle royal mark so having two on one show is excellent. Good to see Kavovit and McKay being given something, yet another stacked division.

Hearing the comparison of Hugo to Brock and the name "Raymond Delaney" has me imagining what it would've been like to see Brock absolutely ragdoll Colin Delaney during the midst of his run of getting beaten up by big guys every week.

Yeah, Brock would've left Delaney an abstract puddle of paste on the floor. I always wondered whatever happened to that loveable jobber.

I could spend a good thirty minutes with Jenna and Faith....:shifty:

Raw: June 11, 2040

Opening Match: The Royal Effect vs. The Play Pals
We're not wasting any time getting right into the thick of things as we see these two teams battle it out for a shot at the tag team titles at Night of Champions. The new team of McKay and Kavovit might be the talk of the town but the Play Pals have the experience advantage and it culminates in Haywood getting a tap out win over Kavovit to win the title shot for his team. Speaking of which the champions themselves try a run in attack afterwards but they get repelled by the challengers. *****, 96% overall.

We get Kerry Cemenko out now and he brings up his comments from SmackDown!. Xavier Cross' accusations ring somewhat true but like he said, Cemenko has a proposal that already has the approval of Lisa Benton. So with that said he'd like Cross to come out here and hear Cemenko out. Cross comes out looking annoyed and tells Cemenko that he's not interested in wasting any more time with him. Cemenko counters that Cross will be very interested in investing more time because Cemenko is asking for one more match between the two of them. The catch is it will be a number one contender match for the Unified World Title. This certainly grabs Cross' attention but Cross boasts how Cemenko is over his head if he wants to go down this road. Cemenko not only wants to go down that road, he's going to be the bus driver that takes Cross' ass to school. Cross turns and chuckles in apparent amusement but then tries a cheap shot. Cemenko is quick to this though and drops Cross with a shot of his own. Cross decides to bail but issues threats as he takes his leave.

Backstage Michael Hotbody meets up with Lisa Benton. Hotbody wants to let her know that he's sick of all of the calls and messages and what nots he's been getting. He reiterates that he's not facing Jordan Demiras at Night of Champions no matter the consequences because Demiras is a rude person who doesn't give Hotbody the proper amount of respect Hotbody deserves. Benton suggests that maybe she should strip Hotbody of the Cruiserweight Title if that's going to be his attitude. Hotbody accuses her of abusing her authority and playing favorites. Just because Demiras is the only person on the roster willing to play Hide the Salami with Benton doesn't mean she can be abusive to everyone else. Benton looks to slap Hotbody again but Hotbody catches her hand and gives her a threatening look. Luckily, Jordan Demiras arrives on the scene and Hotbody backs off. Hotbody then tells the two of them that he has a proposal. If Jordan wants his title shot so bad, he should face an opponent of Hotbody's choosing tonight and if he wins, he'll get his match at Night of Champions no questions asked. But if he loses, Demiras doesn't get squat and Hotbody gets the night off. What does Demiras say? Demiras accepts and Hotbody takes his leave...but not before mentioning that the opponent in mind is Zed Jones.

Second Match: The British Infection and The Dillingers vs. The Millennium Rebels and The Academy
More multi-man goodness. This combined with SmackDown! makes me think I have way too many teams. Anyways, Brooke makes her presence felt here as she allows Justin Mitchell to score a cheap pin on Ben Dillinger. ****1/4, 89% overall.

The Intercontinental Champion Brandon Reigns decides to come out to the ring and get some things off his chest. What he did to Jake Connelly doesn't make him a bad person. What he's planning on doing with his Money in the Bank contract doesn't make him a bad person. What he going to do to Kyle Jacobs at Night of Champions also doesn't make him a bad person. It's merely life. The best overcomes the rest of the pack no matter the circumstances and certainly no matter the hurt feelings of anyone who wants to judge you. The only thing that would make him a bad person is he doesn't live up to the potential that he has. If anything that would make Kyle Jacobs a bad person because he's spent his time choking on the legacy and shadow of his pathetic uncle and father! Naturally this brings out Jacobs in a fury but Reigns decides he's done for the night and takes his leave.

Third Match: Zed Jones vs. Jordan Demiras
We've been informed that Michael Hotbody is not allowed at ringside for the match...so naturally he sneaks up behind Demiras BEFORE the match starts and sends him into the ring steps and beats on him before heading to the back. Demiras insists on going through with the match. He gets his wish but Jones has quite the advantage and just overpowers the former champion. Demiras is fueled by rage however and won't go away easy. He manages enough of a comeback to hit a top rope Axe Kick and score the win. Hotbody IMMEDIATELY storms down to offer his congratulations and a chair so Demiras sit and rest but Demiras is too much of a klutz and he smacks into it with his head. Jones and Hotbody then notice a bunch of spiders all over Demiras' body and act quickly by stomping them over and over again. Hotbody may have saved Demiras from what sure could have been a medical disaster. ****1/2, 91% overall

Fourth Match: Hannah McCormick and Carmella Costello vs. Phoebe Hanson and Frankie
Hannah makes it clear that she still wants the winner of tonight's Iron Woman Match. More quality shit from the ladies here as Brooke pulls double duty and distracts Frankie long enough for McCormick to set her up for a Spotlight off the top for the pin. ****1/2, 92% overall.

Backstage, Quentin McDaniels and Butch Fleming have gotten into a scuffle with Noah Carmichael and Haven. Everyone's yelling at each other, all laying claim to the Unified World Title. Lisa Benton arrives with officials and tells them all to settle down and shut up because she's going to rectify this issue right now. The main event at Night of Champions will be Butch Fleming defending the Unified World Title against Carmichael, McDaniels, AND Haven in a fatal four-way. She orders all of them to back down right now or she'll remove them from the match.

Fifth Match: Ryan Pattillo vs. L.A. Xander
Simply a match to put Pattillo over. After he scores a win with the Shutdown, Salvatore Scabbia makes his way down and locks in the Omerta on Pattillo until he passes out. Scabbia stands tall after sending his message. ****1/2, 92% overall.

Sixth Match: Lonny Richards vs. Caleb Greene
Another chapter between the two former partners and it's another big man vs. little man style encounter. Nathan Quinn doesn't feel that confident about his client's chances this time around though and pulls Greene out of the ring to stop a potential pinfall after Greene hits the Greene With Envy. Both he and Richards double-team Caleb afterwards. ****1/2, 92% overall.

MAIN EVENT: Iron Woman Match: Faith Connors vs. Jenna Kyle
And here we go....

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Jenna makes her way out looking as ready as she's going to be. Maybe not as hot as she's ever going to be but that's neither here nor there. Let's go back to the stage....

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And here comes Faith making her usual acrobatic entrance. Clearly both women looked prepped and ready to go. We even get some dueling chants with "LET'S GO JENNA!" and "WE HAVE FAITH!"

It's a rough but even first few minutes as they go back and forth. The first decision comes after Faith counters an errant kick from Jenna into the Crisis of Faith to pick up the pin and go up 1-0.

11 minutes in and this time Jenna gets the upper hand throughout the most of the exchange. Faith has to resort to desperation moves to keep Jenna off her back. She manages to set up Jenna for a Mirror's Edge but Jenna follows her up and brings her off the top with a super belly-to-back suplex and that's enough to stun Faith for Jenna to hit a Kyle Driver to tie things up at 1-1.

We're down to the last 5 minutes and the intensity picks up. Faith decides to play things smart and stay grounded which throws Jenna off a tad. She's eventually able to adapt and latches in her Boston Crab in the closing moments. Faith refuses to tap and it looks like we may be going into overtime but Faith makes the ropes and Jenna lets go not wanting to give up another fall. She looks for the Kyle Driver but Faith escapes and slings Jenna into the ropes and then follows up with a 6-1-9 of all things! Faith then launches off of Jenna's body and springboards off the top rope to hit the Mirror's Edge to go up 2-1 and time expires. ******, 100% overall, piece in the Middle East is achieved, all the men had erections and all the women were ovulating, left and right.

Post-match, we get an apparent face turn from Jenna as she goes through with a handshake as we go off the air.

Overall show rating: 88%

Hotbody segments remain the most brilliant thing :lol: Hotbody is a paragon of virtue, spiders all over my body would make me convulse and probably have major heart palpitations, so I'd be all for getting stomped on.

Fatal four way! That's going to be fire.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pr...V62k5mhtW-XNF3

Hotbody showing a lot of depth to his character by showing his compassion and quick thinking skills. I mean, imagine if all of those spiders had bitten Demiras! Isn't the rule the smaller the deadlier? It really is quite amazing how selfless Hotbody can be. :shifty:

I feel kind of dirty doing another four-way immediately after a PPV where I had a four-way as a featured match. I was looking to make Seth Von Kamp the next contender, give Carmichael some time off, and do Haven vs. McDaniels but then that made King of the Ring and SummerSlam a bit troublesome. Ultimately this was the best I could think of after debating in my head.

I imagine that image was a generalization of how everyone at home watching felt, Scott Keith included. It's my normal state of being whenever I gaze at Jenna for prolonged periods of time. Speaking of which....

https://i.imgur.com/YDP4OGt.jpg

I now instantly regret not calling it an Iron Maiden Match. It'd go pretty much the same except the match would end two minutes to midnight. :shifty:

I'll always mark out for a good Iron Maiden reference

Superstars: June 14, 2040

Opening Match: Ozzy Mandias vs. Bill Crockett
Ooh, there's some rough crowd reaction on this one. Fortunately, their work rate more than compensates because of course it does. Romeo Valiente, who is at ringside, can't contain his frustration with Ozzy enough to stay out of things but sadly, he screws up his attempted shenanigans and that allows Ozzy to nail the Blizzard of Oz for the pin. ****1/2, 85% overall.

It's time for another riveting edition of The Hot Button with everyone's favorite host, the WWE Cruiserweight Champion, Former Cruiserweight Champion-Elect Michael Hotbody. He wants to update everyone on the condition of Jordan Demiras. Granted he's in rough shape right now which prevents him from being here but things could have turned out a lot worse if Zed Jones and Hotbody hadn't gotten rid of those spiders that somehow managed to get on Demiras on Raw. There are some serious pest control issues that need to be addressed but the so-called 'great' and 'illustrious' boss the WWE has is too busy eyeballing her next bedroom conquest to worry about important things like making sure the talent is safe from dangerous pests. Jordan Demiras could have suffered a severe allergic reaction if Hotbody hadn't been there!!! Then he wouldn't have been able to go on to Night of Champions and suffer another humiliating loss to the greatest Cruiserweight Champion this company has had in years! But we can worry about that later because right now the skinny that The Hot Button was able to learn was that Lisa Benton herself was seen entering Jordan Demiras' hospital room where they apparently spent quite a good amount of time alone together! That's why we're here tonight to finally uncover the truth! Hotbody is welcoming to the Hot Button right here and now, LISA BENTON!

Benton begrudgingly makes her way out to take part in the absurdity and locks eyes with Hotbody, who is smiling from ear to ear. "Alright, boss, you know why I'm calling you out. Now, I know being a scummy suit your first instinct is going to be to deny all of the accusations or even get physical rather than address the issue but I've got you and Demiras cold. These aren't just wild accusations some nut is throwing around. We here at the Hot Button have managed to secure ACTUAL VIDEO TAPE EVIDENCE of you entering the hospital room where conveniently Jordan Demiras was recovering from what happened on Raw. You look surprised! Well, why don't we just let everyone see for themselves. ROLL THAT BEAUTIFUL BEAN FOOTAGE!"

The big screen shifts to black and white security footage that shows a hospital hallway with various people walking up and down its length. After about 15 seconds or so, Lisa Benton does indeed appear and enters a room, closing the door behind her. Hotbody insists it gets played over on a loop while he continues. "The truth is in the pudding! You can't deny it anymore! I always knew you were screwy. I just didn't know how much you enjoyed getting scre...."

"OK, enough!" Benton interrupts. "It looks like there's no sense in carrying on any sort of charade. I guess I can open up and talk about this. Jordan Demiras, if you're watching this, I only hope you can forgive me because I know you wanted to keep it quiet at least for the time being."

Hotbody leaps up and down, unable to contain his glee. "I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT!!! Come on! Let's hear the details! What exactly went down in that room?"

"Well, honestly, I wasn't sure what I was going to do when I walked in. I saw Jordan just lying there in so much pain. I mean, it's my responsibility to look after the talent under my watch. When he noticed my presence it didn't take long for him to collect himself and ask that we get down to business. I was unsure at first but he insisted because he had a special demand. When I heard him out, the thing he asked for and the things he was planning on doing, a small part of me was telling me to leave the room and let sleeping dogs lie. But there was another part of me that had actually thought about his request before and wanted to see it come to fruition. After we talked about it for a while, he made one last plea. Would I grant him his request? I closed my eyes and paused briefly for a moment, considering the consequences, but ultimately I said...'YES! YES! Yes, Jordan I will accept your proposition....I WILL make your match against Hotbody a steel cage match!"

The smile on Hotbody's face vanishes and is replaced with a horrified, pale expression. Benton gets in his face and simply says, "Like you said on Raw: no questions asked." We go to break as Benton leaves Hotbody stunned.

Backstage, Fantasee is with Frankie who wants to rip Carmella Costello a new one. Carmella had better learn to accept that Frankie will never buy into Carmella's mindset of the world revolving around her and that leaving her side was the best decision she ever made.


Second Match: Quentin McDaniels vs. Stone Walsh
All three of the challengers to the Unified World Title will be in action tonight. McDaniels is up first here and delivers a good showing taking time every so often to issue threats to the other participants via the camera. He cheats to win via using the ropes in the end and BUILDS MOMENTUM for Night of Champions. *****, 94% overall.


Third Match: Jesse Capalbo vs. Jerome McDougal
Not much in the way of heat but still enough to not get hurt by the previous match. This is all about McDougal looking good and me justifying Aaron Ramsey's paycheck as the two use their treachery to eek out a victory for McDougal. ****1/4, 84% overall.

Backstage, Noah Carmichael is going through emotions and wants us all to help him get through it. He wants all of us to be there for him when he bashes Quentin McDaniels' face in, over and over and over again. He wants all of us to understand him when he has to take out Haven and deny him the Unified World Title. And most importantly he wants all of us to share his joy when Butch Fleming lies at Carmichael's feet, broken, sorry, pathetic, and no longer champion.

Fourth Match: The Morris Cousins vs. The Wasteland
Back in form for the Wasteland as they need to recover from being rag dolls for Hugo. Plus it's awesome tag team action so pluses all around. The Wasteland hit Lyle Morris with the Toxic Kiss to pick up the win. *****, 95% overall.

Fifth Match: Haven vs. Clubber Harris
It's Haven's turn at the barrel and he appears unfazed by Carmichael's comments earlier. This is just an awesome heavyweight slugfest that of course is all about Haven making a statement. He gets the pin after the Sting of Solace and BUILDS MOMENTUM himself. ****1/2, 93% overall.

Sixth Match: Jamie Roderick vs. Arianna
I realized I haven't been using these guys that often which is yet another good argument for a women's tag division. Roderick is just so good to waste, I feel bad sometimes. So let her get a win here I say! She slaps on the Roderick Legacy after a kick ass bout for the submission. *****, 95% overall.

Backstage, Vivian Merrick is still struggling to talk through her jaw injury. She's faring better as she joins her clients, the Future Foundation in bad mouthing the Play Pals, calling them nothing but man-children who got lucky in getting another crack at the gold. The Future Foundation will finish the job at Night of Champions.

MAIN EVENT: Noah Carmichael vs. Lonny Richards
Probably Richards' most high profile match to date, which Nathan Quinn espouses as proof that kicking Caleb Greene to the curb was the right move. Carmichael is all business and takes the fight to Richards. It's a nice back and forth heavyweight style match so of course Butch Fleming has to be the asshole who ruins it by running in to attack Carmichael for the DQ. Caleb Greene runs in to try to get things evened out but the faces are unable to overcome and gets laid out. ****1/2, 93% overall.

Overall show rating: 90%

I trust Vito is hard at work trying to get Paul Wight to sign with him.:)

The writers handling the Hotbody/Demiras/Benton angle need a huge raise. Benton stringing him along with innuendo is priceless :lol:

Strangely, Big Show was not among those selected for the massive WWE layoffs. Looking at their roster they've still got him on a written deal as a non-wrestler. Ring stats are terrible as you'd expect, but with 85 overness and 85 charisma, I'd have had no problem making him one of the legends I keep on an open deal for occasional appearances to put guys over. As we know, beatdowns on legends makes for some easy heat.

My rule with legends is they should always be used to elevate the current talent in one form or another. Angles being the most common way but if there is a scenario where they get pressed into ring duty, the purpose needs to be putting someone else over. If they're gonna win a match it should be a tag match putting over their partner (Sting/Darby) OR a legend could feasibly win via interference continuing a feud between two active competitors.

But there should never be a case where a legend comes in and gets over at the expense of everyone else, brother.

Were this the WWE, Vince would've given himself an aneurism raging over the number of the times the word 'hospital' was uttered followed with Hotbody jobbing to everyone under the sun including a rehired Marty Jannety. The Cruiserweight Title is eventually forgotten and no more angles are done where someone might need medical attention in fear of the dreaded 'h' word being dropped by a careless slip.

Should he be available, though, how much of a shake up would it be as a member of the roster? Short of signing John Cena it'd be hard pressed to find someone who would be viewed as the biggest outsider heel from the big, bad WWE. A team up with Jericho to recreate their old partnership to help put over another team would be at the top of my list but that's just me. I legit don't remember ever using Paul Wight in my promotion when I started out way back when so I'm not exactly the greatest consultant in this regard...or any other regard for that matter.

With his charisma I think he'd settle in well as an announcer which, coincidentally, is what AEW is doing with him in real life. Not sure if non-wrestlers can hold second jobs as announcers like wrestlers and managers can, though.

In terms of angles I think his best value would be to help put over some of the company's big guys, but online people are split on whether it's a good idea or not.

People forget there's a big difference between WWE big and everywhere else big. When Drew McIntyre got released and went to the indies at 6'5", 265 lbs he looked so much bigger than most of the people he wrestled. He goes back to WWE and now looks par for the course.

Jon Moxley/Dean Ambrose is 6'2" which was not anything special in WWE land despite being big by normal life standards. FTR/The Revival are 5'10", 225 lbs each and didn't look remotely big in WWE, in fact some people on this board called them vanilla midgets. In AEW? They seem like a couple of thick dudes and heavy hitters.

In EWR land, Wardlow would absolutely get over by beating down Wight just on the overness discrepancy alone. But in real life? Wardlow is a company "big guy" at 6'3" and built like a brick shithouse...does standing him toe to toe with thew 7' giant in Wight kill his image?

As someone who doesn't care about height, Wardlow press slamming Wight would make me mark out and make me think it helps legitimize him. But for the many people on this board who get hung up on size and think the lack of focus on size outside of WWE makes everything else seem minor league, they'd think it would just bury Wight and make it all look like a farce. It's all a matter of perspective.

[QUOTE=Conspiracy Victim Vito;5428011]Tonight's results are sponsored by Brandi Rhodes, Penelope Ford, and Britt Baker's pool party

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AEW Dark: March 30, 2021:
-Ricky Starks def. QT Marshall
-Scorpio Sky def. jack Evans
-Chuck Taylor def. Brian Pillman Jr.
-Awesome Kong def. Shanna
-The Young Bucks def. Bad Romance


AEW Dynamite: March 31, 2021

Segment 1:

We open up in a conference room for another town hall featuring the losing Blood and Guts team and their associated stables. Kenny Omega and Don Callis are trying to keep this huge group of baddies on the same page despite Blood and Guts being over and Kenny being the one to surrender. Don Callis tells the group that the record book does not tell the whole story. Kenny Omega, as the reigning AEW World champion and best wrestler in the world, has to protect his interests. He was making a savvy business decision and he'd expect anybody else in the room to do the same thing under those circumstances.

As Kenny and Callis continue to talk Omega up, the group slowly but surely start exiting the room, leaving the pair bragging in an empty conference room. And so ends the Legion of Doom. 87% overall


Segment 2:

It's the in ring return of the Galaxy's Greatest Alien Kris Statlander, fresh off of her surprise return on Saturday. She's facing the woman she faced last summer in the match she got injured - Penelope Ford. There's some commotion outside the ring between their seconds, so as to allow Orange Cassidy and Miro to continue their feud...but in-ring it's essentially a showcase for Statlander to get everyone re-acquainted with her. Big Bang Theory gets Kris the win. **1/2, 67% overall


Segment 3:

Taz is backstage with Brian Cage. Now that they got out of that bullshit Omega meeting, time for more pressing matters - Darby Allin, we're still not done here. You have unfinished business with The Machine and don't have Sting around to back you up this time. Your time as TNT champion is coming to an end. 74% overall...hmm, Darby and Cage are over, the feud is hot, Taz not at the same level of overness but he can talk unlike Cage or Darby, figured charisma would win out over overness but guess not, strange algorithms


Segment 4:

Fresh off of clinching a #1 contendership opportunity at Blood and Guts, Christopher Daniels and Frankie Kazarian were in action against TH2. Mid-match, FTR and Shawn Spears walked out onto the stage and observed while Tully Blanchard stepped on commentary for a few minutes and called bullshit that AEW did a #1 contendership match pulling names out of a hat when his clients weren't eligible since they had another match that night. It's an injustice as everyone knows FTR are the best team in the division.

FTR played no part in the actual match though, which, by the way, was fucking awesome. Daniels and Kazarian can still go and Daniels continues to do things a man his age shouldn't be able to. Angel's Wings on Jack Evans ends it. ****1/4, 86% overall


Segment 5:

We're backstage for an interview with Cody Rhodes, still sporting a bandaged forehead having needed to get stitched up after getting busted wide open at Blood and Guts. If the injuries were a price to pay to honor the legacy of dad by being in the match he built, so be it. It was one of the proudest moments of his car......WHACK! Eddie Kingston has jumped Cody! Clubs his with rights and lefts and throws him face first into one of the big metal cargo boxes backstage.

Officials and the Natural Nightmares hit the room to back Kingston away while the cameras pan to Cody whose stitch job has been busted back open. 92% overall


Segment 6:

Adam Page, sporting a brand new Dark Order-themed t-shirt now available at ShopAEW.com, is in action against one of Matt Hardy's cohorts in the Hardy Party, Marq Quen. Matt Hardy on commentary gets grilled by the announcers for welching on his bet, and Hardy gets defensive.

Solid athletic contest from the two in the ring but there was only one outcome here - Hangman wins with the Buckshot Lariat that Quen does a full flip sell on for good measure. He gets the win. Hardy and Isisah Kassidy jump into the ring and corner Hangman but The Dark Order run out for the save again. ***, 76% overall


Segment 7:

Hangman gets some celebratory beers and also a microphone. "Matt, you know what you did on Saturday. A contract is only as good as the people signing it, so since you signed it, no wonder it was full of shit."

Matt gets defensive again, citing the fine print in the contract and calling Hangman's claims outrageous, egregious, and preposterous. Now that Hangman's offended him, it's time to make Dark Order pay. He challenges Hangman to pick one of his Dark Order dorks to face him next week. 87% overall


Segment 8:

It's *gasp* the second women's match of the evening! Dr. Britt Baker faces off against Riho. Announcers mention that neither Awesome Kong nor Hikaru Shida are here tonight after their brutal Kendo Stick match on Saturday, and that this match could go a long way toward determining who will be stepping up to Kong next. Baker and Riho have themselves a solid little match that sees Reba pull a turnbuckle off the middle rope which Baker uses to slingshot Riho into and then get a cheap rollup victory. ***, 74% overall


Segment 9:

Our final match of the evening. Despite being in a war just days ago, PAC and Jon Moxley refused a night off and insisted on being booked for action tonight, and they were paired off against Eddie Kingston's right hand men The Butcher and The Blade. The overness discrepancy between the teams meant it was a pretty short write up, but Mox and PAC are so over it didn't destroy the segment rating. I imagine this was a fairly brisk, chaotic brawl ending with Mox pinning Blade following the Paradigm Shift. ***1/4, 81% overall


Segment 10:

Mox and PAC each grab mics after the match. Both of them want Kenny Omega. Mox still never received a rematch for the AEW World Title, and PAC not only got screwed in his opportunity but he made Omega surrender like a bitch on Saturday, so he deserves another go at it to. If Kenny doesn't agree to give them the shots they deserve, he'll need to watch his back.

But perhaps Mox and PAC should've been watching their own backs as they were jumped by Kenny and "The Machine Gun" Karl Anderson. We haven't seen Karl since losing to Moxley in a tag team tables match at Revolution. The heels take advantage of the faces having lingering injuries Saturday and coming off of a physical match tonight, and the faces are left down and out. 86% overall


Segment 11:

"Judas" by Fozzy hits and out come the Inner Circle for what was promoted as their farewell address.

Jericho explains his reasoning for disbanding the group. The Inner Circle was founded on the very first episode and for much of AEW's history they've been the most dominating faction in the company. But things have slid over the past months. He saw the infighting and the dissension in the ranks. He saw the results not coming up the way they wanted to.

He threatened to break the group up two months ago, but relented and hoped he could find a way to make it work. When he made the ultimatum that it was more gold for the Inner Circle or bust, that was the final test he needed to see if the group could still thrive.

He's got a lot to say to everyone in this ring. To the original members of the group - Sammy, I picked you because you reminded me of me in my mid 20s, and I can see how bright your future will be. Jake, you and I have been down the road in other places before, I know you've dabbled with MMA but I brought you hear because I knew there was so much more you could give to the wrestling business. Santana and Ortiz, I think you're going to end up being the best team in this company, and I feel like shit that I let my own ego get in the way of giving you the tag title shot you deserved.

He then turns to MJF and his bodyguard Wardlow. "Max, this group all went to hell on November 7, 2020...the day I let you join the Inner Circle. We were doing fine with just the five of us, I should have my head examined for ever considering letting someone else in.

Don't get me wrong, you're a hell of a talent, and I mean no disrespect - but you're an asshole. You were an asshole when you joined, a bigger asshole since you've been here, and you'll probably become an even bigger asshole in the future. And you know what? I like that about you. Sometimes you have to rub people the wrong way to get in this business. But there's no way we can continue this group without you.

Look guys, I'm getting kinda schmaltzy on you all, but the point is this - we're all incredible talents. Staying together will just hold us back. I think I need to hit the road for a while and do some self-reflection, but I want you guys to start next week as a clean slate, and I know you'll make me proud. I've got some bubbly in the back for us to enjoy our last night together, but let's flip off the camera one last time for old time's sake."

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The group all hug it out after the finger as Judas plays again. Santana and Ortiz are the first to exit the ring and start heading up the ramp. Then Jake Hager, then Sammy Guevara. Jericho waves to the crowd from the turnbuckle, hops down, turns around, WARDLOW LEVELS HIM WITH A LARIAT! MJF then walks over the Jericho and locks him in the Salt of the Earth.

The other four rush back down to the ring and back off Wardlow/MJF. It's a 4 on 2 staredown, until all of a sudden, all 6 of them start stomping a mudhole into Jericho! What in the world! Jericho eats a bunch of finishers and is left dead in the ring with the other 6 men giving him the middle finger as we go off the air. 97% overall


83% show rating

Behind the velvet rope EWR pick...here's what happens in-game when the leader gets booted from a stable

https://i.imgur.com/iDNoT89.png

Go home, game, you're drunk.

[QUOTE=Conspiracy Victim Vito;5430155]I mean....I fucking hate you....That's another one-handed session we're looking at here.

Awesome Kong's continuing murders of bitches is only exacerbating the problem.

NOOO! Not the end of the Legion of Doom! Callis is such an awesome douche, though.

I mean, the Big Bang Theory. That's just such a fucking awesome name. There may be something to this Kris Statlander.

Yeah, every so often the game doesn't seem to care about a person's charisma rating. I've had times where people in their nineties deliver a segment that only gets like 80% or so. Other factors might include their attributes like Superstar Look. Also TNT Champion is a nice little name.

It's weird because I don't think the games in the beginning gave high stats to Kazarian. Maybe I'm thinking of someone else. Regardless, screw it. Use them for them snowflakes!

FIRST BLOOD MATCH!!!

BAH GAWD! ADAM PAGE PULLED A MICK FOLEY WITH A CHEAP PLUG!!! DOES HE HAVE NO SHAME? DOES HE HAVE NO DECENCY??!?

Good ol' fashioned stable wars. I love it.

I mean, is the chance of being the next bitch Kong murders really worth fighting over?

You busting out a fatal four-way, too? :p

LOL @ the swerve. Is this a face turn for Jericho, though?

It's one of those things where he's over and popular enough to turn face from it even though, character-wise, he's been a heel for AEW's entire 2 year run so far so he probably deserved it. But really even though I booked it as a face turn in-game, I imagine in reality the full fledged face turn would be when he eventually returns. His in-ring career is winding down and I imagine he's got one face run left in him especially given the verbal battles he can have with MJF.

I've said this but my EWR 4.2 legal cheat is to turn people into managers when I want to give them a break from TV, this prevents their morale from being destroyed - especially the main eventers. Allows me to safely have Jericho sell the betrayal for a month or two before I bring him back for the feud.

Oh shit, I finished writing up my last show at like 12:30 in the morning I didn't even realize it was the end of the month. End of March notes:

The following birthdays occured this month: Sting (62), Christopher Daniels (51), Jake Hager (39), Matt Sydal (38), Luchasaurus (34), Matt Jackson (34), Alex Reynolds (33), Trent? (32), Maxwell Jacob Friedman (24)

-Sting has announced that he will retire at the end of the month. So much for leveraging his 100 overness to help get some segments over :(

-Christopher Daniels has decided to become a non-wrestler! Well, at least I gave him a nice couple of weeks and I can give SCU their #1 contender shot at the next PPV since his in ring stats are good. Of more import, he has 86 charisma which would make him a usable non-wrestler, which is good because he has an unsackable deal, which is a neat little attention to detail in my game files since in real life he has an office job as the head of talent relations

-Wardlow is the only wrestler with 3 months left on his deal, I grant him an extension

-Of my 37 workers in developmental, Yuka Sakazaki and Colten Gunn are the only ones who feel ready for a call-up. Sakazaki's stats should be usable, I had just sent her down so as to not overcrowd my division. Colten on the other hand, who just started wrestling last November in real life....uhhh, best stat is a 54 brawl. Looks like I'll have to give him the boot even though it'll piss off Billy and Austin Gunn.

-Jake Roberts has returned from injury.

-Serena Deeb returns from a 2 week suspension I gave her for shooting on her colleagues in a podcast.

-Danny Davis who I'd signed on as an extra trainer at the start of the game has already retired.

-WWE loses a top staff member with noted racist Michael Hayes retiring out of the blue.

-People around the wrestling world retiring at the end of April: Awesome Andy, Donovan, Masakatsu Funaki, Megumi Yabushita, Rick Steiner, Masao Inoue, Super Porky, and The Warlord

Wrestling Observer: Karl Anderson returned on last night's Dynamite after not appearing since the previous month's Revolution PPV. Of note was that Anderson returned alone and not with his longtime tag team partner Doc Gallows.

The Good Brothers first became a team in 2013 in New Japan Pro Wrestling, where they were three time IWGP Tag Team champions. They left for WWE in 2016 and held the Raw Tag Team Titles twice in their four year stint. After being released amid WWE's coronavirus cutbacks in spring 2020, they signed with Impact Wrestling and quickly won their Tag Titles as well. Up until last month, the pair was working with Impact, NJPW, and AEW.

Circumstances changed two weeks ago as Doc Gallows decided to surprise everybody by moving to Mexico and signing a written contract with CMLL, abruptly ending his partnership with Anderson in the process.

Generally considered to be the better in-ring performer of the two, Anderson is still working for three companies at the moment and following his return to AEW television, it remains to be seen if the company will consider signing him to an exclusive contract.

You had to have expected that Sting retirement sooner rather than later. Hope you've got some way to use him as sort of a send off. Ditto for Daniels. This could be a way to send Kazarian off on a meaningful singles run.

I'd shoot all over Serena Deeb. :shifty:

Now how can Michael Hayes be racist when he makes a better black man than Mark Henry?

SmackDown!: June 15, 2040

Opening Match: Jordan Demiras vs. Joey Osbourne
Before the match, Demiras wants to talk about his title match at Night of Champions. Hotbody isn't here tonight as he's off trying to find every and any legal avenue that can get him out of the predicament he's in. Demiras thinks that we all might have gotten a bit off track these last few weeks. You see, it's not about dance parties, stipulation matches, affairs, press conferences, or any other nonsense. It's about who is the best in the cruiserweight division and it sure as hell isn't some punk who has a 24/7 pity party when things don't go his way. Demiras is taking back the Cruiserweight Title one way or another at Night of Champions not because he's standing up for some woman's honor or because he's pissed off enough. He's taking it back because he is simply better than Michael Hotbody.

Well with that out of the way the match proceeds as scheduled. Demiras is all business here as the match is geared towards putting him over. He picks up the win after a top rope Axe Kick. ****1/4, 90 overall.

Backstage it looks like Jenna Kyle is here ready to give an interview but she's cut off by Nathan Quinn who approaches her. Nathan saw what went down on Raw and was incredibly impressed by what Jenna did in putting on quite the effort in the Iron Woman match. It was a shame to see her lose, however, but there is opportunity in failure. Quinn is approaching Jenna as a fellow countryman, even though Jenna doesn't proclaim to hail from down under these days. The two of them can be quite a force! Just look at Lonny Richards and Leah who are under Quinn's watch. Jenna expresses her extreme disinterest and warns Quinn to keep his charges away from her as she won't repeat herself.

In another location backstage, we do get an interview proper, this time with the challenger to the Intercontinental Title at Night of Champion, Kyle Jacobs. He talks about how he had made it clear that his sole interest in his showdown with Brandon Reigns was the Intercontinental Title but Reigns just had to go and bring family into it. Kyle isn't ashamed of where he came from any more than Reigns doesn't feel any shame for what he did to Jake Connelly. Reigns can try to play this card as often as he wants but Jacobs is focused like he's never been focused before. He will not be derailed from his quest to get back the title.

Second Match: Ozzy Mandias and Martyn LaSalle vs. Romeo Valiente and Jason Sorola
Back-to-back cruiserweight action? What sorcery is this??? Anywho, it's a hell of a display that unfortunately ends when Valiente beats Ozzy back into the ring for a cheap count out win. The dance continues. ****1/2, 93% overall.

It's super special in-ring interview time as Faith Connors makes her way out just days removed from her victory on Raw in the Iron Woman Match. Faith isn't sure where she and Jenna go from here but she's confident that it won't be as enemies. She's been hearing the buzz that what went down on Raw quite possibly puts her in the front of the line after Night of Champions as far as getting a Women's Title opportunity goes. That's certainly all well and good but there's been a certain somebody who apparently sees Faith as an itch that needs scratching.

Cue Hannah McCormick who comes out looking disgusted. She's impressed by what she saw on Raw but she doesn't see it as some sort of starting point for either Faith or Jenna. It was a swan song; one last big hurrah to satisfy the chumps in the audience who drool all over them. Hannah is tired of both of them and wants to begin the important process of knocking them down a peg, starting with Faith. She issues a challenge for this Monday night on Raw and Faith is more than happy to accept.

Backstage, Noah Carmichael runs into Haven. Noah lets Haven know that he's not happy about the situation at Night of Champions anymore than Haven is. The ending of Backlash has been a constant nagging sensation in the back of Noah's mind and it's driving him crazy. Haven counters that he'll be more than happy to destroy Fleming and McDaniels so that Carmichael can take a stab at alleviating his ailment...or more accurately, Haven will alleviate it for him and leave the new Unified World Champion.

Third Match: Orlando Kincaid vs. Jesse Capalbo
Just a match to give a rub to Kincaid. He cheats his way to victory here with a steel chain wrapped around his fist. ****1/2, 90% overall.

Fourth Match: WWE Unified World Champion Butch Fleming and Quentin McDaniels vs. The Tokyo Titans
Fleming lets McDaniels know that this match should be a warm up for Night of Champions when they're on the same page and take Carmichael and Haven out of the picture. This is actually more even than it should be all things considered but eventually Fleming tags himself in and dumps McDaniels so he can hit the Slaughterhouse Special on Wu and take the win himself. ****1/2, 93% overall.

More in-ring super special time, this time it's with the Women's Champion Sonya Braddock. She wants to talk about all of the mudslinging going on in the women's division right now, with everyone jockeying for a position in the spotlight. That spotlight really only means that you're set to be the next victim of Braddock. All the women who have made it a point to ask for attention and glory had better pay close attention to what goes down at Night of Champions and then take a moment to reflect on what they really find important in their lives. Naomi Bailey can call herself Queen until frogs do fractions. She had better have something more than that once that bells rings.

Sadly, Naomi has been making her way into the ring behind Braddock during her promo and attacks her. It's more than just one simple move this time around and she uses the Women's Title belt to knock down the champion and offers some trash talk for good measure.

Fifth Match: Kerry Cemenko vs. Hugo
Fuck it, why not? Xavier Cross is at ringside relishing in watching Hugo just manhandle his nemesis. Cemenko is not so easily dismantled, however, and musters up enough of a comeback to goad Cross into running in to attack him for the DQ. Cross offers up some more punishment after the bell. ****1/2 , 85% overall.

MAIN EVENT: The Hunters (Ryan Pattillo, Gavin Jones, and The Play Pals) vs. Salvatore Scabbia and the Academy
The Play Pals' opponents, the Unified Tag Team Champions watch from the stage as the match unfolds. It's six-man main event goodness at its most goodiness. The end comes when Rick Hilton runs down to mess with Michael Haywood and Scabbia capitalizes on the distraction to lock in the Omerta for the submission win. ****1/2, 90% overall.

Overall show rating: 87%

I know that the game's algorithm makes it so that the bulk of the retirements or conversions to non-wrestlers happens on the month of their birthday. I was already prepared for Daniels to become a non-wrestler, and I fully expect it to happen to Jericho in November. I have a couple of other dudes in their 50s (Luther and Billy) but they're Dark fodder so that'll be no loss if/when they retire this year.

But manager/non-wrestler retirements are a bit more of a crapshoot since they could feasibly stick around forever. I'm not surprised by Sting's retirement BUT I was hoping the game would give me another year or two with him, would've probably made him my on-screen authority figure for guaranteed ratings boosts.

Based on this news I think I've got an idea of how to see him out. I might give him one last match at the PPV....it won't be good for the snowflakes but it'd be a 100% overness guy vs. a mid-90s overness guy so it should be a big win for a segment.

Raw: June 18, 2040

It's the final Raw before Night of Champions! Let's get to it!

Opening Match: Lonny Richards and Leah vs. Caleb Greene and Jamie Roderick
The clients of Nathan Quinn are quite full of themselves here. Leah in particular is making some major strides in getting over. Sadly, Nathan Quinn can't leave well enough alone and helps Richards in scoring the cheap pin after some interference. ****1/2, 91% overall.

In-ring super special talky time with Jason Sorola. He feels like he's been getting overlooked lately and being stuck in the mire with Martyn LaSalle hasn't been helping. Sorola accuses LaSalle of using him to regain his relevance here in the WWE but Sorola isn't having it. Naturally this brings LaSalle himself to contest the issue. LaSalle doesn't want to make anyone feel like they're being held back on his account. Anyone who feels that way is more than welcome to try to take their shot. In fact, that gives LaSalle an idea: why not he and Sorola go one-on-one at Night of Champions? Sorola seems open to the idea. This all attracts the attention of Lisa Benton who appears on the big screen and offers to raise the stakes. She'll not only sanction the match but she'll make it so that the winner receives a match for the WWE Cruiserweight Title!

Second Match: Naomi Bailey vs. Tania
Damn, these two mesh really well. Naomi makes no apologies for what she did to Sonya Braddock on SmackDown! because the champion had it coming with her flapping gums and complete disrespect for the Queen of Queens. Tania shows no fear here and keeps up with Her Majesty. Billie Padgett just can't leave well enough alone, though, and offers a helping hand in the form of a chair to Tania's back allowing Naomi to score a roll-up win. EVERYONE SLOW THEIR ROLE!!! Sonya Braddock is here and looks like she's ready to rip somebody's arms off. Nobody seems willing to test that hypothesis and the ring clears as Braddock stands tall. *****, 94% overall.

Backstage, Kerry Cemenko takes some shots at Xavier Cross ahead of their match to determine who will be next to receive a shot at the Unified World Title. Cemenko admits to being a tad envious of Cross and the lengthy reign he had in addition to headlining WrestleMania. It all makes Cemenko wonder why Cross has to go to such lengths such as beating him down like on SmackDown!? It can't be because he's afraid of being overshadowed, right?

Elsewhere backstage, Faith Connors is warming up in her usual way for her match tonight against Hannah McCormick. Nathan Quinn slides into the picture to try get her attention but in a funny bit she simply performs her parkour stunts around him essentially blowing him off. He yells at her that he simply wants to ask a question which finally gets her to stop and offer her ear. Nathan wants to know if Faith can talk some sense into Jenna Kyle and hopefully get her to reconsider joining his elite club as a client. Faith tells him that she hasn't heard from Jenna since their match last week and isn't sure on what terms the two of them are on. Quinn is barking up the wrong tree. Even if she was on good terms with Jenna, Faith would simply tell her that she made a wise choice staying away from someone like Quinn. Quinn counters that perhaps Faith herself should be a bit more open to Quinn's services, like Leah, for instance. Faith simply tells him that all she needs to know about his clients is that they associate with a sorry sack of crap like Quinn. She demands that he get the hell away from her.

Third Match: The Hunters vs. Salvatore Scabbia and The WWE Unified Tag Team Champions The Future Foundation
More 6-man goodness but with everyone's rivals proper. The faces look to BUILD MOMENTUM here going into Night of Champions. The end comes when Vivian Merrick's feminine wiles backfire on her when she tries them out on Ryan Pattillo and that allows him to hit Julian Merrick with the Shutdown for the win. Afterward, Scabbia locks in the Omerta on Pattillo and refuses to let go as things break down into chaos. ****1/2, 92% overall.

Fourth Match: Faith Connors vs. Hannah McCormick
I love both these women. I really think I've been giving Hannah the shaft but she's a trooper, though. Their quality is on full display here and looks like Connors has this in the bag but Leah runs down to trip her up for the DQ. The heels do the double team as the crowd looks to the entrance ramp for some assistance for Faith, chanting for Jenna Kyle but to no avail. *****, 96% overall.

It's Hot Button time with everyone's favorite host the WWE Cruiserweight Champion, Former Cruiserweight Champion-Elect Michael Hotbody! He apologizes for not being on SmackDown! but he's been meeting with his lawyers AROUND THE CLOCK looking to make the cage match between he and Jordan Demiras null and void! As much as Hotbody pays his lawyers, he expected results and he expected them days ago! Sadly, Hotbody is surrounded by morons! He's not giving up though because he has one last card to play and it's one that he had hoped to not use but there aren't that many options left. Appealing to Demiras is a waste of time because he's so full of nonsense self-righteous indignation that he won't listen to reason. So with that said, Hotbody is asking Lisa Benton to come out right now and hear him out and she had better not think about casting him aside because he'll sit in the middle of the ring and hold up the show!

Lisa Benton eventually comes out, not in the mood to put up with anymore of Hotbody's nonsense. She lets him know that everything is already official. The ink is dry, the tickets have been sold, and the cage is on its way. There's no getting out of it unless Hotbody wants to surrender the belt so he needs to quit wasting everyone's time. Hotbody is undeterred because he really, really, really, REALLY doesn't want to go through with it. Benton needs to consider the harm that might come to Demiras being trapping inside a cage with Hotbody, with nowhere to go! Loverboy will be quite useless to Benton and it will all be on her head!

"THAT'S IT! I SWEAR TO GOD ALMIGHTY IF YOU SAY ONE MORE WORD ABOUT ME AND DEMIRAS HAVING AN AFFAIR I WILL STRIP YOU OF THE TITLE AND FIRE YOU RIGHT NOW! YOU got yourself into this mess and YOU can get yourself out of it if you're the great champion you tell everyone you are! I AM SICK OF THE WHINING! You WILL go through with this match on Sunday or you can find yourself another job. END OF STORY!"

With that she slams her microphone down and looks to leave but Hotbody drops on the ground and grabs her leg refusing to let go and actually BEGS to cancel the match. It's quite the pathetic scene. Finally, Benton kicks him off and simply shakes her head. Hotbody is FURIOUS. "You know what? Forget favoritism and incompetence; the main reason you're doing all of this is because YOU'RE A VINDICTIVE BITCH!!!"

Benton walks back towards Hotbody and leans into his mic and simply says, "And don't you forget it." With that she takes her leave ignoring Hotbody's continued pleas. Finally he gives up and turns his attention to Zed Jones and puts the blame on him. "THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT! All you had to do last week was beat Jordan Demiras! THAT'S ALL YOU HAD TO DO! YOU HAD ONE JOB!!! I'M SURROUNDED BY MORONS!" Zed gives Hotbody an annoyed look but Hotbody isn't finished. "DON'T LOOK AT ME THAT WAY! YOU SCREWED UP!!! YOU SCREWED ME!!!" Zed looks really uncomfortable and simply walks away from Hotbody leaving the champion alone and in disbelief.

Fifth Match: The Royal Effect vs. The Wasteland
How about some quality tag team action after all of that drama? This is designed for The Royal Effect's benefit as they look to bounce back into the thick of things. McKay gets the pin on Drakken after the Mass Effect. *****, 97% overall. I mean...damn,

Sixth Match: WWE Intercontinental Champion Brandon Reigns vs. Mathias
Reigns also wants to BUILD MOMENTUM going into his title defense on Sunday. He mouths off from time to time at Kyle Jacobs via the cameras. He gets a count out win here but doesn't have time to celebrate as Kyle Jacobs makes an appearance and chases him out of the ring. ****1/2, 91% overall.

MAIN EVENT: Quentin McDaniels vs. Haven
Two of the participants in Night of Champions' main event go head-to-head here. McDaniels makes it a point to call out Haven on his lack of a singles title to his name in contrast to the other competitors and continues to claim that he's not afraid of him. It's a moot point as Haven does a good job of simply pounding the shit out of McDaniels regardless. It's a nice dramatic affair that ends when Haven looks for the Sting of Solace but Butch Fleming drags him out for the DQ. McDaniels is NOT happy with this and gets in the face of the champion. They put aside their squabbling to deal with a recovering Haven but Noah Carmichael runs down to make things crazier and we have ourselves a four way brawl! *****, 94% overall.

Overall show rating: 91%

At least he shot his shot instead of sliding into her DMs.

I think back to 2003/2004 when SmackDown had a fairly loaded cruiserweight division and they were often relegated to Velocity, sigh.

Yes they certainly did :drool:

Heel stealing the pin is one of my favorite tropes. As is the heels working together in a fatal four way only for the partnership to inevitably dissolve.

Achievement unlocked: Screwjob

I'd take a shot at the real Jenna, if only to get all giddy over her accent.:love:

Ugh, don't remind me of that time period of burial. The writers could bend over backwards to find shit for the Diva Search rejects but fucking Paul London sits on his ass looking for a PPV payday.

Word has it that the arena cleanup crew made a killing in overtime after the Iron Woman match.

:lol: Hotbody definitely is the type of person to get on his hands and knees and beg like a coward. I love a heel who is so pathetic that even his right hand mand takes the abuse one time too many and is just like "fuck this shit".

I'm reminded of The Miz blaming Alex Riley for his shortcomings, firing him, Riley finally snapping and the crowd going apeshit for the whole thing. They made Riley look like a star in the making........then of course it became clear not too long after that Riley actually sucked. Great look, decent charisma, killer entrance theme - just a shame he had to wrestle.

Awesome! :y:

Superstars: June 21, 2040

Opening Match: Hugo vs. Marc Fury
THE RAMPAGE CONTINUES!!! Well, sort of as it's at least a proper match this time around. Hugo has earned enough points in overness that he can start getting wins without anybody bitching about it. With that said Fury does the job here after getting tossed around as Hugo finishes him off with the Moonsault Crush. ****1/2, 84% overall.

Second Match: The Play Pals vs. The Southern Gentlemen
More BUILDING MOMENTUM time for the Play Pals here as they have their title match against the Future Foundation in the back of their minds. This is some classic tag team stuff here as The Play Pals pick up the win after Gavin Jones pins Brody Lee. *****, 96% overall.

Backstage, Ryan Pattillo has been watching and nods his approval of his stablemates getting the win. He's approached by Brooke who assures him that she's not here for any trouble. She wants to make an offer to Pattillo in regards to Night of Champions. Salvatore Scabbia has been quite ornery since losing the Intercontinental Title and missing out on his chance to compete for it again so he's really looking for an excuse to get into a fight at the PPV. Pattillo seems OK with sticking his nose in the business of Scabbia so why not really step up? Scabbia wants a match against Pattillo at Night of Champions. Pattillo states that Scabbia should be made aware that this won't be another one of his many conquests. He's going to be in for a fight. Pattillo accepts.

Third Match: Zed Jones vs. Raymond Delaney
Jones is alone with no Michael Hotbody in sight. He does fairly well for himself regardless and eeks out a pinfall win here. Afterwards, Hotbody does indeed make an appearance, smiling and applauding Jones and encouraging the crowd to do the same. Jones doesn't know what to make of this. Hotbody climbs into the ring and celebrates and tries to raise the hand of Jones. Jones tries walking away but Hotbody insists on holding the ropes open for him. Jones simply gives Hotbody the same annoyed look he did on Raw and rolls under the ropes and goes off on his own leaving Hotbody alone with a nervous demeanor. ****1/2, 91% overall

Fourth Match: The Millennium Rebels vs. Isaac Wolff and El Silencio
Nothing major here other than hot 2 on 2 cruiserweight action. The Rebels need the rub more as they're involved in a feud so they have Aaron Ramsey use his bag of tricks to their advantage to claim a cheap victory. ****1/2, 92% overall.

Backstage Romeo Valiente is looking forward to the next time he faces Ozzy Mandias because he plans on it being the last time. He accuses Ozzy of having a stupid name and it lacks the manliness of Romeo's name. It's that machismo that puts him light years ahead of a scrub like Ozzy and why he'll be remembered as a bold piece of the puzzle while Ozzy is that piece that gets lost under the carpet.

Super Special In-Ring Talky Time with Noah Carmichael. He talks about the storied history between himself and Butch Fleming and Quentin McDaniels when they were a trio as The City Slickers. They were a force to be reckoned with no question and everyone feared them. All three were pegged to be individual superstars but unfortunately that kind of thinking doesn't sit well with certain people. Specifically people who want to use everyone else for their own purposes. That's all Noah Carmichael was to Butch Fleming and the minute there was a challenge to the status quo, like say, going along with a merger with another stable that you were just feuding with not that long before. If Fleming or McDaniels think that he's supposed to be regretting that decision to walk away from that headache they're sadly mistaken. He has 3 world titles and some WrestleMania main events that he's ready to shove up their asses. Fleming's return and McDaniels' sudden spine don't change anything. Night of Champions is where Carmichael stomps them both out and Haven had better stay out of the way.

This calls for an interruption and who better than the WWE Unified World Champion Butch Fleming. Fleming accuses Carmichael of simply shining once Fleming was out of the picture. Carmichael doesn't have the killer instinct that Fleming does to get the job done and that weakness is going to be what causes him to fail on Sunday. Carmichael dares Fleming to test that theory right now because he'd love to send a message to McDaniels and Haven. Fleming may talk himself up but the reality is that he scared because he knows Carmichael is better! Fleming obliges but Carmichael is quicker on the draw and knocks the champion on his ass. Fleming decides he's got better things to do and retreats up the ramp in a fury.

Fifth Match: Bonnie Beckham vs. Phoebe Hanson
I love me some of my women's wrestling. Beckham is sadly underutilized but her charisma is shoddy. That doesn't stop her from putting on a hell of a match here with Hanson. Hanson gets the pin after hitting the Stardust. *****, 94% overall.

Sixth Match: Orlando Kincaid vs. Kyle Jacobs
The Intercontinental Champion Brandon Reigns is at ringside watching things unfold. It's quite the show as these two mesh pretty well. Reigns runs in to attack Jacobs for the DQ when he's at his most vulnerable. Alexander Piero runs down to even things out as the heels back off. *****, 94% overall.

In-ring Talky Time with Hannah McCormick who cuts to the chase in mocking Faith Connors. Connors really knows how to make enemies. There's Hannah, herself, of course but then on Raw she had to go and get on the bad side of someone who hasn't even been here a month, Leah. And the cherry on top of it all was a complete lack of Jenna Kyle. There was a handshake and everything after that epic clash that was the Iron Woman match. Hannah suggests that Faith really doesn't have much of a role in the WWE other than rubbing people the wrong way and selling gloves to gullible little girls. Hannah is a real star and no amount of posturing from people like Faith and Jenna can change that.

Cue Faith Connors herself who gets face to face with Hannah. Faith points out that the reason she's made her fair share of enemies is because she's been knocking the egos of all the braggarts down ever since she debuted and Hannah is no different. Faith doesn't have time to consider the bruised egos who can't handle her. She does have time for another round of shutting Hannah up anytime she's feeling froggy because Faith was so rudely interrupted on Raw.

Hannah looks a tad nervous and looks like she wants to back off and leave but then goes for a sucker punch. Faith is ready for it and we have a brawl on our hands! Hannah gets the upper hand after suckering Faith into the corner and she proceeds to stomp away on her. HOLD THE PHONE! IT'S JENNA KYLE RUNNING DOWN AND ENTERING THE RING! She pulls Hannah off and gets in her face. Things are tense as the two stare each other down. Eventually, Jenna turns her attention to Faith and it looks like she's going to get a piece of her, too! Hannah is all smiles BUT WAIT! Jenna knocks her down with a clothesline and tosses her out of the ring. She goes over to help Faith up and Faith is hesitant at first but eventually she accepts Jenna's hand and the two hug it out as the crowd loses their shit. It looks like the two are back on the same page after so long!

MAIN EVENT: The Wyldhearts vs. The Agents of Change
How do you follow drama like that? With a hardcore tag team match that serves as a sort of blow off for this little mini-feud. Using the word 'little' in that regard is kind of redundant. Anyways, if you're going to end a feud, might as well go all out. The Wyldhearts are a team I want to start positioning as potential future challengers to the titles so this is all for their benefit. They manage to isolate Corey Mattis and hit him with the Heartstopper to get the win. *****, 94% overall.

Overall show rating: 91%

Ugh, Carmella running her mouth in public forcing me to suspend her for the rest of the month. :mad:

Four 5-star matches on a Superstars. What is this life?

JENNA AND FAITH REUNITED BAH GAWD. Now I want women's tag belts even more. Hell they could probably be given their own brand.

If I did do a tag title for the ladies I think the earliest I could squeeze it in would be around SummerSlam time? King of the Ring takes up a good chunk of time because I spread the tournament out over several shows. I'd also need to come up with some clever tag team names. Faith and Jenna would be the hardest I think.

Ivelisse apparently couldn't handle being on job duty for the Blood and Guts pre-show, and she has checked herself into rehab for a drinking problem.

So in her honor, tonight's results are sponsored by Ivelisse:

https://d.newsweek.com/en/full/16506...cf1f483c7fcd52

https://i.redd.it/ctw2u9cku2k31.jpg

AEW Dark: April 6, 2021:
-Colt Cabana def. Michael Nakazawa
-Shawn Spears def. Brian Pillman Jr.
-Thunder Rosa, Big Swole, and Yuka Sakazaki def. Emi Sakura, Mel, and Diamante
-Jurassic Express def. Chaos Project
-Brian Cage def. Matt Sydal


AEW Dynamite: April 7, 2021

Segment 1:

We start the show seeing AEW TNT champion Darby Allin arriving to the ring, naturally by riding in on a skateboard. He's greeted in the parking lot by Taz, who starts talking trash. If Darby was the champion he thought he was, he'll put the TNT Title on the line against "The Machine" Brian Cage TONIGHT!

Darby agrees without hesitation but then gets jumped from behind by Cage, it was a trap! 75% overall


Segment 2:

Last week, Matt Hardy challenged any member of the Dark Order. The challenge has been answered by John Silver who had himself a nice showing as I try to showcase him a bit more. He gave Big Money Matt probably a bigger run for his money than he thought, enough so that Matt had to resort to a cheap victory via tight hook. Afterwards, Matt beats down Silver before Hangman Page and the rest of Dark Order runs in to save their friend as Matt hurries on out of there. ***, 77% overall


Segment 3:

Miro is not here tonight, but he cuts a promo from home. He's The Best Man, good looking, charismatic, dangerous in the ring, makes good money, and has a hot wife. So why is his life being made hell by a group of clowns like the Best Friends, especially that slacker Orange Cassidy? This shit can't go on much longer, the two of us will have to settle our differences once and for all real soon. 88% overall


Segment 4:

Women's World champion Awesome Kong is in action tonight against Serena Deeb. Suppose that's one extra punishment to add on to her suspension last month. Kong vanquishes her as you'd expect and collects a lock of her hair...strangely not even the first time she's had a haircut in the ring.

While she cuts Serena's hair, Dr. Britt Baker slides in for a cheap shot but Kong no-sells it and just shoots a death glare at Baker who falls on the mat in terror and rolls out of there quickly. ***, 75% overall


Segment 5:

Tag action next with the Young Bucks up against TheHybrid2 as I continue to give TH2 plenty of chances to build some overness up purely through in-ring performance. Bucks matches are the closest thing to an M-A-G level lock in terms of high match ratings, these teams killed it.

FTR, who feel they should get to jump the line ahead of Daniels and Kazarian, watch the match from the ramp again as Tully complains on commentary. FTR eventually hit the ring and try to provide a distraction but it backfires with Angelico getting a Superkick Party for his troubles.

FTR hop in and it turns into a 4 on 2 beatdown on the Bucks before Daniels and Kazarian rush in for the save. ****1/2, 91% overall


Segment 6:

The Inner Circle are out to big boos. MJF does the bulk of the mic work as he says he was selected by his peers to explain their actions from last week. Don't let any of Chris Jericho's corny, sentimental bullshit from last week fool you. He only ever created the group to achieve his own means, he was the inaugural AEW World Champion and immediately surrounded himself with promising young talent because he wanted to cling to his spot like grim death.

This group was really all about one man and one man only, and that's Chris Jericho. The group started going through a rough patch, and Jericho was too selfish and stupid to see what the problem really was: him! And that's why we heaved his fat ass out of the Inner Circle.

This will be a new Inner Circle. There is no leader, there are no ulterior motives - we are 6 hungry young men ready to step out of the spotlight of that bloated egomaniac, and we will weed out any and all has-beens in order to pave way for the future. 91% overall


Segment 7:

Next up is Cody Rhodes vs. Rey Fenix - these two men were partners a week and a half ago at Blood and Guts, and they requested a match with one another out of mutual respect. The crowd was into this match but they didn't gel as well as I'd hoped. The bandaged up Cody picks up the win after a competitive match, and the two shake hands.

Of course, here comes Eddie Kingston eager to do even more damage to Cody, the beatdown starts but Fenix hops back in to send Eddie at bay. ***, 83% overall


Segment 8:

Cody gets a mic - he's had just about enough of this. Eddie - you left me a bloody mess last week, I had to get stiches because of you, but as you can see from tonight, nothing will keep me from getting in this ring and doing what I love to do. My wounds will be healed by next week, so if you wanna take your shot one more time, here's your chance. You and me next week - first blood match! Eddie Kingston nods a sick grin of approval. 87% overall


Segment 9:

It's Darby Allin vs. Brian Cage for the TNT Title...and here's where I can laugh at the write ups again because the show is playing out very differently in my mind than it is in text. In my brain, this was yet another Team Taz set-up. A quick match where they hurl haymakers at each other for a few minutes before Powerhouse Hobbs quickly runs in for the DQ as it turns out they care more about crippling Darby than even winning the title at this point. Instead the game writes it as a 97% match quality classic :lol:

In any event, as the two big guys Cage and Hobbs are putting a hurting on Darby - lights go out - they come back in. IT'S STING! Sting is back for the first time in a month, he vowed he'd be there for Darby if he was needed again and here he is! ****1/2, 92% overall


Segment 10:

As we come back from the break, Team Taz had left the arena and Darby Allin is getting medical attention. As Sting leaves the doctor's office, he's suddenly jumped in a hail of punches and kicks. The cameras pan up to show Inner Circle standing over him! 86% overall


Segment 11:

Following last week's sneak attack, PAC and Jon Moxley requested and received a tag team match against Kenny Omega and the recently returned "Machine Gun" Karl Anderson. By the end of the match, Kenny and PAC are the legal men while Mox and Anderson brawl on the outside. Mox sent into the steel steps. PAC meanwhile has Kenny down and ready for the Black Arrow, but Anderson smacks him off the top rope with a chair.

It's a rare night of back to back DQs which rarely if ever happens in AEW, but I've gotta build these feuds up dammit! Looks like Anderson will be sticking around to protect Omega from the two men gunning for his belt. ***1/2, 85% overall

84% show rating


Notes:

-I have, in fact, signed Karl Anderson to a written deal.

-I tried to convert Thunder Rosa from an open deal to a written deal but she's happy being a freelancer.

-Cody says he and Fenix don't click and requests to work with Colt Cabana. Not sure I have a storyline to get to that point but I've thrown Cody against fellow faces before so I could arrange this.

-ROH started a new show on the Comet network on Wednesday night prime time, directly competing with me. I completely trounced them on their debut episode.

SmackDown!: June 22, 2040

It's the go home show before Night of Champions! NOBODY BETTER SCREW ANYTHING UP!

Opening Match: WWE Cruiserweight Champion, Former Cruiserweight Champion-Elect Michael Hotbody vs. Josh Turmell
Hotbody comes out alone looking quite distressed. He talks about how unfair it's going to be thsi Sunday and that he will be at the event UNDER SEVERE PROTEST!!! The only thing more sickening than going through with it is the fact that Jordan Demiras feels that he needs to stoop to this level just to have a chance at getting back the title. What kind of a man is that? He'll show Demiras how a real man handles things. Thus the match commences and it's hot opener thanks to Hotbody's heat-drawing skills. Turmell is out here on the wrong night however as Hotbody uses his resourcefulness to set up and nail the Hot Ticket for the win.

Afterwards, Hotbody brags about maybe he has nothing to worry about after all! He doesn't need Zed Jones at his side and he doesn't need to feel guilty about anything. HE'S MICHAEL HOTBODY GOD DAMMIT AND HE LOVES HIMSELF!!! Jordan Demiras should be the one begging to call things off. In fact, if he were out here right now, Hotbody would give him a preview of things to come!

Cue Jordan Demiras himself who takes Hotbody up on that offer. Hotbody tries escaping to the sanctuary of underneath the ring but Demiras pulls him out. WHACK! Hotbody had a pipe in his hand! He proceeds to punish Demiras some more before officials come down to break things up. Hotbody looks like he's regained his confidence. ****1/2, 93% overall.

Backstage, Ryan Pattillo is being asked about his recent woes with Salvatore Scabbia. Pattillo is loyal to those he calls friends so their business is his business. He always knew at some point he would be crossing paths with Scabbia because it was only a matter of time before the path of bodies led to the upper echelons of the WWE. But Pattillo is in that upper level for a reason and it's not because he backed down from challenges no matter how daunting. Scabbia thinks losing the Intercontinental Title was the worst night of his life? He hasn't seen anything yet.

Second Match: Gavin Jones vs. Rick Hilton
A preview of this Sunday's tag team title match as it's challenger vs. champion here. These teams mesh well against each other and it's no different here as the smaller Jones keeps up with the big baddie in Hilton. Hilton's partner Julian Merrick senses trouble afoot and offers interference in the form of a chair to Gavin's back allowing Hilton to score a roll-up pin for the victory. Michael Haywood comes into object to this tomfoolery and the heels get driven off. *****, 95% overall.

Backstage, Faith Connors and Jenna Kyle are talking about how Jenna wasn't on Raw due to some vital soul searching that needed to be done. She wasn't sure how things were going to play out after what went down after the Iron Woman match. But the handshake she shared with Faith and the fact that Hannah McCormick won't shut her damn mouth and that Nathan Quinn thinks he's owed something put a lot of things into perspective. Lisa Benton walks into the picture and thinks it's great that the two of them hashed things out and that it's given her an idea. She wants the two of them to team up with Caleb Greene to face Lonny Richards, Leah, and Hannah McCormick at Night of Champions. To work out the kinks, though, tonight she wants the two of them to team up and face C.J. and Arianna.

Third Match: Xavier Cross vs. Cameron Harper
Sorry, Harper. I know things haven't been going your way these last few months but Cross has an important match in his future. Cross cheats his way to a victory here to BUILD MOMENTUM as Kerry Cemenko watches from backstage. Cross declares that we're all looking at the next number one contender. ****1/2, 93% overall.

Backstage, Aphrodite is with Caleb Greene giving their thoughts on Lisa Benton's announcement earlier. He's heading into a volatile situation for sure but he has all the confidence in the world in Jenna and Faith. The only person that needs to watch themselves is Lonny Richards.

Fourth Match: Seth Von Kamp vs. Ronnie Costello
Salvatore Scabbia is at ringside in support of his stablemate in the absence of Carmella. Von Kamp continues to look good. Something special is sure to be in store for him in the future (:shifty:). Certainly not right now as Scabbia sees fit to attack him for the DQ after the Collapse of Society connects. Scabbia looks to do some more damage but Ryan Pattillo runs down to check his privilege. It's all for naught as Scabbia gets the upper hand on him and locks in the Omerta to leave Pattillo laid out. ****1/2, 90% overall.

In-Ring Super Special Talky Time with the Queen of Queens, Naomi Bailey. She has her whole royal get up with her and offers it up to the audience as a reminder of who the hell she is. Never forget it and never forget how close she came to becoming Women's Champion at WrestleMania because Sonya Braddock's luck is running out. Enjoy these last few days and remember this moment in time because she's going to rub it in the faces of all the doubters when she ends Braddock at Night of Champions. Braddock isn't in the mood to be listening to this royal decree and she sneaks up behind Naomi divests her of her royal garments. Naomi bails in humiliation and anger and yells back some threats towards the champion.

Fifth Match: Faith Connors and Jenna Kyle vs. C.J. and Arianna
All eyes are on the face team to see how well they're going to get along here. I believe the rating at the end will speak for itself as far as that's concerned. Jenna hits Arianna with the Kyle Driver to pick up the pin. Afterwards, Hannah McCormick and Leah cut the reunion short and attack the faces leaving them laid out. *****, 96% overall.

Sixth Match: WWE Intercontinental Champion Brandon Reigns and Orlando Kincaid vs. Kyle Jacobs and Alexander Piero
Reigns has ZERO interest in participating in this match and lets Kincaid do all of the work. He declares he has more important things to be worried about. He does, however, nail Jacobs with his title belt when it looks like Kincaid might suffer a Legacy Bomb and that's enough for a DQ. We get a big brawl to close things out. ****1/2, 93% overall.

Final Segment: Quentin McDaniels and the WWE Unified World Champion Butch Fleming are out to talk about how much they don't like each other but they dislike the idea of either Haven and Carmichael becoming champion even more. Despite these rough past few weeks there is an understanding that working together to crush the opposition is for the greater good. McDaniels claims it's necessary to get Carmichael and Haven out of the way so that there will be a clear path to him winning the Unified World Title. Fleming takes exception to this and points out that McDaniels is just the last man Fleming has to deal with in order to retain his title. If McDaniels couldn't take care of Carmichael at WrestleMania THERE'S NO WAY he can handle Fleming. McDaniels looks like he's ready to drop Fleming right here and now but Haven interrupts to offer his take. Seeing the two jackals in the ring right now shows how there is no honor among thieves. Even the most craven of all animals will turn and eat each other when desperation sets in and Fleming and McDaniels are dripping with desperation.

Carmichael joins Haven out on the stage and questions how much desperation Haven has. Haven has come oh so close on several occasions but that title keeps getting yanked away. Well Carmichael is willing to be up front about things and he's letting Haven know that Carmichael will be the one to yank it away this time around.

Fleming demands everyone pays attention to him because as the champion he's the only one that matters around here. He didn't come back from exile just to be put on the backburner. He's come this far and he's at the top of the mountain and he's nowhere near ready to get shoved off so all three of his opponents can kiss his ass. "If you guys don't like it you can do something about it right now!"

Haven and Carmichael ponder this over and eventually decide to head to the ring and confront McDaniels and Fleming. Fleming, of course, leaves McDaniels high and dry and we have a brawl on our hands as poor McDaniels gets knocked around. Fleming eventually finds his courage when the faces pause to glare at each other. The whole party ends with Fleming laying out Carmichael with a Slaughterhouse Special, McDaniels laying out Fleming with the Great Depression and finally Haven standing tall over everyone after laying out McDaniels with the Sting of Solace. End of show!

Overall show rating: 89%

That ass though....:eek:

The only Ivelisse I'm familiar with in regards to wrestling is that one from Tough Enough way back when. That can't be the same one, right?

If it were me I'd do an angle where Brian Pillman, Jr. convinces Dakota to turn on her dad and uncle and join her as his half-sibling as he vows to finish what his dad started. Although I can see how SOME PEOPLE would view that in bad taste.

God damn it, Admiral Ackbar, you have ONE JOB!!!

I'm impressed that Matt can still bring the goods all things considered. I can only assume things got better for him in the last 5 or so years?

Pfft, I'LL be judge of whether or not his wife is hot. :roll:













:shifty:

LOL @ Baker watching her life flash before her eyes.

Kazarian & Daniels vs. The Young Bucks alone should bring in a healthy snowflake rating if that's where you're going with them and it'd be one hell of a sendoff for Daniels.

Love it. The missing cherry would have been Jericho being called a 'skinny' fat ass but I suppose that probably wouldn't actually apply.

Hey, with 3 stars that's gelling well enough to get you over the bar. If no one's complaining it shouldn't deter you.

***SQUEAL!!!***

https://64.media.tumblr.com/c3d343d5...xm4o1_400.gifv

Wait, was that plan all along or did you go by what I said the last time around?

Hey, take it if you can get it. Sadly, I guess we're seeing the beginning of the end for Sting.

I'm pretty sure Sting said something about MJF's mother, it just wasn't picked up on the audio.


I remember in my first ever game I had made a vow to never do DQs because I always thought it was lame but sometimes you get yourself into a corner and it's like, well, they're there for a reason.:-\
LOL, middle fingers to the competition. I honestly can't recall the last time another promotion had a network show in my universe. Thunder Rosa better get with the program. There's only so much she can get with a cute smile and an ass that won't quit. Well, she can get a lot but still.

Hotbody was just fixing a plumbing issue under the ring and Demiras rudely interrupted him.

When even the tag specialists put on incredible singles matches. :eek:

Work out the kinks huh? I think they appeal to a lot of kinks :shifty:


Yep, hot women putting on excellent wrassling matches. Kink central. Hannah McCormick is a damn jezebel.

Sixth Match: WWE Intercontinental Champion Brandon Reigns and Orlando Kincaid vs. Kyle Jacobs and Alexander Piero
Reigns has ZERO interest in participating in this match and lets Kincaid do all of the work. He declares he has more important things to be worried about. He does, however, nail Jacobs with his title belt when it looks like Kincaid might suffer a Legacy Bomb and that's enough for a DQ. We get a big brawl to close things out. ****1/2, 93% overall.


The finisher flurry ahead of a multi-man match is a time honored tradition that will never get old with me. Great Depression is yet another great finisher name.

Since these are fictional wrestlers, I tend to visualize them based on their names and Butch Fleming ends up looking like "The Butcher" Andy Williams from AEW, who also happens to be the guitarist for Every Time I Die.

https://64.media.tumblr.com/17abbca0...5aa004b11f.png

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/1c/27...4dd5917f7f.jpg

It is, in fact, the same one. She ended up having a good run in Mexico and Lucha Underground before returning to the States.[/quote]


:lol: no lie if Pillman develops enough I'd love to throw him at Cody eventually. Dustin I just realized turns 52 this month so knowing EWR he will be the next guy to head to non-wrestler land when the calendar switches to May 1st.

He took a year or so off healing up injuries and his body seems nowhere near as worse for wear down as Jeff's. But the main thing with Matt has always been his character work, including a stint as "Broken" Matt Hardy which caused massive arguments on TPWW with people either finding it to be completely brilliant or fucking stupid, with no real space in between. Count me in with the former, I love "out there" gimmicks.

Hmmm...there ARE Lana nudes on the internet I believe.

Yeah that's where I'm likely to go with this story, it'll be fun working around his inability to wrestle on TV during the program but it's doable.

[quote]Wait, was that plan all along or did you go by what I said the last time around?

It was in the cards. My feuds are steadily getting ready to be blown off and I think the in-game feud system punishes you if you don't end the feud in a gimmick match.

Lana? Is Miro Rusev from the WWE? :o

Hmmm, a quick Google search does indeed confirm my suspicions...and also that Miro was indeed Rusev back in the WWE....

https://i.imgur.com/zv7SWeT.png

I thought posting this previously was a giveaway that it was him but maybe he didn't have a sweet mustache when you stopped watching :o

Anyway, the good thing about AEW is I think most of their WWE imports have made sense. Most of the guys they've brought in either had recent star power coming in (Jon Moxley aka Dean Ambrose), were already established names people knew to help them get off the ground (Jericho, Matt Hardy) or people everyone thought had greater potential but were underutilized (Rusev/Miro, FTR/The Revival, Luke Harper/Brodie Lee)

That said, while I don't think they've "pulled a TNA" or anything, it's also a different wrestling landscape now. WWE has like 300 wrestlers under contract, almost everybody out there has been to WWE at one point or another.

I thought he looked familiar but I didn't think anything of it. I've been out of the loop for a good length of time. I wouldn't have immediately considered Rusev jumping ship to another promotion. I guess more people are finding the grass greener in other pastures and really I don't blame them.

Yeah he had asked for his release a few times but got denied as WWE wanted to hoard as many people as possible now that there is competition. Then the pandemic started and WWE then released tons of guys who had asked for their release like Rusev, as well as a bunch of the undercard guys who had been there for years (Zack Ryder, Curt Hawkins, Curtis Axel, Heath Slater, Erick Rowan etc)

NIGHT OF CHAMPIONS!!! June 24, 2040

Tonight's theme song is "Nocturnal" by New Years Day.

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PRE-SHOW MATCH: Number One Contenders Match for the WWE Unified World TItle: Xavier Cross vs. Kerry Cemenko
I'm just going to let the match report speak for itself.

https://i.imgur.com/XmjAsVQ.png

NIGHT OF CHAMPIONS BEGINS!!!

Opening Match: Lonny Richards, Leah, and Hannah McCormick vs. Caleb Greene, Faith Connors, and Jenna Kyle
The real test of teamwork for Jenna and Faith and it goes pretty well. The faces are all about that high-flying goodness, well, Faith and Caleb that is. It comes down to Greene and Richards as the women take care of their business on the outside. Nathan Quinn screws up his interference causing Lonny to get knocked to the ground leaving him vulnerable for a Green With Envy off the top rope for the pin. ****1/2, 92% overall.

Second Match: Martyn LaSalle vs. Jason Sorola
Winner gets a shot at the Cruiserweight Title. These guys are more technical and submission oriented than the other cruiserweights. It's a clinic on awesome mat wrestling but it comes to an end when LaSalle suckers Sorola in after playing possom and locks in the Martynizer for the tap out victory. *****, 96% overall.

Third Match: WWE Unified Tag Team Titles
The Future Foundation (c) vs. The Play Pals
If there was a way I could donate my teams I'd do it without question. It's a shame I'm essentially pulling the plug on the feud here but it's important to learn and grow. Unfortunately, The Royal Effect haven't learned that lesson and run down to cause some tomfoolery that allows to Julian Merrick to hit Michael Haywood with the Black Sheep to score the pin and retain the titles. The Royal Effect aren't done with the Play Pals and they proceed to just dismantle the two with a beat down. *****, 98% overall.

Fourth Match: Steel Cage Match for the WWE Cruiserweight Title
Former WWE Cruiserweight Champion-Elect Michael Hotbody (c) vs. Jordan Demiras
Hotbody's sudden regained confidence immediately disappears the minute he sees the cage and thus tries to turn and bail. Lisa Benton comes out on the stage and simply shakes her head and points back to the ring signaling for Hotbody that he'd better get his ass in the cage. He's still hesitant so Benton has some nice security actually come down and physically carry Hotbody, kicking and screaming, to the cage. He's finally shoved in and the match can commence and shock of shocks, Hotbody's begging and pleading to Jordan Demiras has no effect. Demiras controls for a LOOOONG period of time just beating the shit out of Hotbody and busting him open. Hotbody can only manage a few bursts of desperation here and there. It comes down to the time where Demiras feels he's ready to escape the cage but ZED JONES SLAMS THE DOOR IN HIS FACE!!! WHERE DID HE COME FROM??? WHAT'S HE DOING?!?!? Hotbody recovers enough to where he signals for Jones to hand him something and thus Jones slides something over to the champion. It's a shard of a broken record! Hotbody uses it to bloody effects as Demiras gets cut open and even tries to jam it in his eye. He bounces Demiras around the cage walls a few times and now he calls for Jones to hand him something else. IT'S THE PIPE FROM SMACKDOWN!. Hotbody goes to town on Demiras who is just a mess at this point. When enough damage is done Hotbody casually walks out the door and celebrates with Jones to retain. BUT HE'S STILL NOT DONE! Hotbody invites Jones into the cage because it's actually kind of cool and fun and that he can scratch it off his bucket list. Thus the two enter and proceed to annihilate Demiras. Jones drags Demiras over to the door and Hotbody proceeds to repeatedly slam the door into his head, all while singing "I've Been Working on the Railroad." Officials finally come down to put an end to it all and thus Hotbody leaves with his title via piggyback on Zed Jones. ****1/4, 90% overall.

Fifth Match: Ryan Pattillo vs. Salvatore Scabbia
Oof, after all of that intense and physical violence let's follow it up with...some intense and physical violence. This is an awesome brawl as Scabbia looks to step up to the big time by crushing a top name in Pattillo. Pattillo is game but Brooke continues to pay dividends by working her magic causing enough of a fuss to allow Scabbia to lock in the Omerta. Pattillo holds out as long as he can, probably longer than anyone else even coming close to the ropes on several occasions but it's only a matter of time before he breaks down and passes out. Scabbia walks away with the win. ****1/2, 91% overall.

Sixth Match: Women's Title
Sonya Braddock (c) vs. Naomi Bailey
The physicality continues as these two are just brutes in the women's division. Braddock is able to utilize more technique though and that's enough to keep things even for the duration of the match. Naomi must sense that she's in trouble as she goes to the outside to regain her senses, crouched in front of the apron. Braddock goes to recover her but Naomi pops up with a surprise shot to the face with her scepter! This knocks Braddock back into the ref and Naomi takes advantage by quickly getting in as many shots with the scepter as she can before the ref recovers. She tosses her royal accessory just in time and pulls Braddock up to hit a Bail Out. She's not satisfied and picks up Braddock and hits another one. Naomi is all about playing it safe and thus goes on to hit a third Bail Out and that's enough for the pin and to crown A NEW Women's Champion. *****, 96% overall.

Seventh Match: WWE Intercontinental Title
Brandon Reigns (c) vs. Kyle Jacobs
Both Kyle's dad and uncle are in the front row for this. These guys are just gelling like Magellan. Jacobs, unfortunately, is in the wrong time as Reigns is just on too much of a hot streak. Plus he's down with cheating. Thus he makes it a point to go after Kyle's family in the crowd and of course Kyle goes to defend their honor BUT IT'S A TRAP as Reigns sends Kyle into the ringpost as he was checking on his dad. Back into the ring, Reigns hits the Iron Reign and scores the pin and retains the title. *****, 94% overall.

MAIN EVENT: Fatal Four Way for the WWE Unified World Title
Butch Fleming (c) vs. Haven vs. Noah Carmichael vs. Quentin McDaniels
This is one fall to a finish and it's chaos defined as any notion of partnerships is just tossed out the window. Fleming gets introduced to the announce table is out for a good while. The ref is bumped when Carmichael sends McDaniels to the outside. The end comes when Quentin McDaniels prevents Carmichael from pinning Haven after he connects with the Quick Draw. Carmichael and McDaniels have their own sequence and Carmichael manages to connect with the Quick Draw. The ref crawls back inside! ONE...TWO...THREE!!! Your winner....AND STILL the WWE Unified World Champion, BUTCH FLEMING! Wait, what? Everyone's confused but we see that Fleming managed to crawl back in himself and lazily drape himself over Haven as the ref came back in. The ref only saw Fleming's pin! He's happy to get the win and bails back up the ramp rubbing it in everyone's faces! ****1/2, 94% overall.

End of show. Overall rating: 95%

:lol: GOAT match candidate on the pre-show, good lord. They must have nuclear heat with the rest of the roster after that one.

NIGHT OF CHAMPIONS BEGINS!!!

Men taking the fall in intergender tag matches? What promotion is this?? Good stuff from Faith and Kyle.

Zed Jones never turned on Hotbody! IT WAS ALL A RUSE BAH GAWD! The visual of the repeated cage door shots to the head while Hotbody sings is astounding :lol:

THAT is the way to take the belt off of a monster like Sonya - triple finishers! Great way to put her over even in a loss and there are no shortage of heels for Naomi to face.

Sneaky way to swipe the win. Surprised to see a clean sweep for the heels in title matches but there's so many viable face contenders and big face retribution on the horizon for one of the big PPVs. 95% rating is stellar.

Had I known that Cross and Cemenko would have received that rating I'd have put them on the PPV proper. I wouldn't have expected that. Cross has quality stats and while Cemenko is no slouch, his charisma is relatively weak in comparison with an 83. I guess the prospect of him main eventing again lit a fire under his ass.

I'm fine with Caleb and Lonny but in the grand scheme of things, Faith and Jenna are way above them on the totem pole. I try protecting them whenever I can. And I also make sure they don't look weak in the ring! HEY YO! *rimshot*

In regards to Naomi, I think you meant there's no shortage of faces for her to defend against. I don't think I've done her versus Faith in a proper one-on-one match but no doubt it'd make all the monies.

Tonight's results are sponsored by Allie:

https://i.redd.it/onrle9yj8p041.jpg

AEW Dark: April 13, 2021:
-Luchasaurus def. Billy
-FTR def. Matt Sydal and Brian Pillman Jr.
-Kris Statlander def. Leva Bates
-Orange Cassidy def. Serpentico
-MJF def. Dustin Rhodes


AEW Dynamite: April 14, 2021

Segment 1:

10-man tag pandemonium to kick us off as the Inner Circle (Sammy Guevara, Jake Hager, Wardlow, Santana and Ortiz) take on a face team of Jurassic Express and Bad Romance. It's not a squash as the face team aren't exactly slouches, but the focus of the match is to show the Inner Circle being a cohesive unit and putting together a nice win in the process. Marko Stunt takes a Street Sweeper and sells it like hell in the loss. ***, 74% overall


Segment 2:

MJF gets on the mic and talks up the Inner Circle's big win. He then moves to address they're actions from last week. Sting, I know you're probably watching me from your retirement home, but you're exactly who we were talking about when we pledged to rid AEW of its has-beens. We were actually going to do the noble thing and challenge you to a match at Crossroads, but when we saw your geriatric ass up close and personal we decided to just take you out of your misery then and there. Trust us, we did you a big favor.

The lights go out, thunder claps, the lights flash and the lights pan up to reveal Sting in the rafters, bat in hand. He points it at the Inner Circle and they're irate that Sting is still standing. 86% overall


Segment 3:

Former women's champion Hikaru Shida is back in action against Allie who is making a rare in-ring appearance. She's actually a fairly decent wrestler, in real-life she's almost exclusively a manager at this point and I can only surmise she either picked up an injury somewhere or it's a personal choice. But be that as it may, Shida's trying to get herself back into winning ways.

Dr. Britt Baker joins commentary and accuses Shida of trying to jump the line, she lost the title, she needs to go to the back. Eventually she tries to run interference and it backfires, Shida gets the win. Britt runs in and clocks Shida only for Awesome Kong to emerge from the back. The heels run off, Kong is a heel herself but ran in to save Shida because she detests Britt just as much. ***, 78% overall


Segment 4:

Intergender (and interspecies?) trios match with Miro, Kip Sabian, and Penelope Ford facing Orange Cassidy, Chuck Taylor, and "The Galaxy's Greatest Alien" Kris Statlander. During this match it gets announced that Miro vs. Orange Cassidy in a steel cage match was signed for Crossroads, to settle their differences one on one once and for all.

Orange is a chill guy. Miro, not so much. He had no chill whatsoever in this match. The men were brawling on the outside, Kris was setting up Penelope for her finisher in the ring, Miro find an opening and Sambo kicks Kris right in the jaw to enormous heat drawing huge reprimand from JR on commentary. Penelope covers and heels get the win. **3/4, 73% overall


Segment 5:

Kenny Omega is backstage with Karl Anderson and Don Callis. Callis rags about Tony Khan being a terrible boss with no clue on how to run a business, because he's booked the World champion and best wrestler in the world in an unfair triple threat title defense against Moxley and PAC at Crossroads.

You think this is gonna be just a talking segment? Think again. Moxley and PAC both enter from other sides of the room and start taking it to Omega and Anderson. Furniture is thrown and amidst the fracas Callis manages to pull Kenny out and they both take off, leaving poor Karl to take most of the beating. Mox and PAC eventually have a tense staredown as their recent alliance is going to have to come to an end at Crossroads. 88% overall and Karl Anderson once again gains overness from being in a segment as 3 of the most over workers on the roster


Segment 6:

Singles action between Frankie Kazarian and Dax Harwood of FTR. A nice little old school bout between the two veterans with a good mix of brawling and technical. Cash eventually blindsides Daniels on the outside, which throws Kazarian off his game and leaves him prey to a cheap rollup with a tight hook from Dax for the win.

Daniels eventually recovers and hops in to run off FTR. Tully Blanchard says FTR are the best tag team in the world and if you can't even beat them separately, how can you beat them together? If SCU had any stones, they'd put their #1 contendership on the line next week. SCU nod and the match is set for next week. Yeah I just combined a challenge segment into this in my brain because I only had 11 to work with. ***1/4, 81% overall


Segment 7:

Young Bucks promo. They're asked if they have a preference over who they'll face at Crossroads and like every promo ever, they confirm that no, they'll be ready no matter who it is. Just a promo really, had to toss the Bucks on here because main event level guys lose morale if I don't use them within 3 shows and they don't often work Dark. Miiiiight need to go back to using my hack of turning the main event guys into managers so they won't get as fussy about working constantly. 89% overall


Segment 8:

Tag match up next with Hangman Page teaming with Colt Cabana against Private Party, accompanied by Big Money Matt Hardy. Quite a good match, Private Party still aren't quite over enough to generate big overall ratings but it was a 90% quality bout so let the snowflakes keep on coming. Hangman is on the apron, setting up for the Buckshot Lariat but Matt eventually pulls him off the apron and starts wailing on him, forcing a DQ.

As is normally the case in the numbers game now, the Hardy Party have to flee when Dark Order show up but Page isn't satisfied with that. He takes a mic "Matt, I'm sick of us having to dance this dance every week. You and I have to settle this once and for all. Double or Nothing isn't until next month, but I can't wait until then. Crossroads, you and me, double or nothing for our first 6 months of earnings. Whatever fine print bullshit you want to put in the contract, it doesn't matter anymore, it's worth the money just to kick your ass all around the bulding." ***1/2, 81% overall


Segment 9:

AEW obtained some disturbing footage of Darby Allin being jumped by Team Taz outside of his home in Seattle earlier this week, apparently they've now resorted to attacking him far away from the arena to avoid anyone else from coming to help him. Taz tells Darby the beatings won't stop until he gives Brian Cage the TNT Title shot he deserves.


Segment 10:

Our main event of the evening sees Cody Rhodes and Eddie Kingston blow off their feud in a First Blood match. Cody's bled plenty the past couple of weeks, and the psychology of the match is that his freshly healed stitched up forehead is a prime target. Eddie gets some brass knuckles, loads up and looks ready to deliver the final blow....spinning backfirst but WAIT! He didn't see Cody had a pipe in his hand. Cody blocks the backfist with the pipe, Eddie screams in pain after hitting a lead pipe with the brass knucks, Cody then hits a clean pipe shot to the help and Kingston is busted wide the fuck open! ***1/4, 88% overall


Segment 11:

Cody celebrates his win and starts heading up the ramp as Kingston slowly comes to in the ring. Cody has a microphone "Eddie, you're a tough bastard, and have given me all I could handle these past couple of months.

You may have been busted open tonight, but TRUST ME, it's about to get a lot worse for you. But the pain won't last forever...because everybody dies.

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Well worth clicking that link, that theme fucking rules so hard. It's "The Murderhawk Monster" Lance Archer with his manager Jake "The Snake" Roberts! Eddie Kingston and his Family put them on the shelf months ago, and now it's time to pay. Archer hits the ring and plants the bloody Kingston with a boot as Dynamite goes off the air. 81% overall rating

81% show rating

---

Notes:

-Matt Jackson wants to work with Matt Hardy.

-PAC requests to work with Kenny Omega. Are you even paying attention to the show you're on???

-I kill ROH again, don't see that changing anytime soon.

-Crossroads is 10 days away. Well that crept up fast, if it sounds like I'm throwing the card together haphazardly it's because I kinda am. I'm so not used to trying to book a big monthly show after two years of watching AEW with their 4 PPVs a year.

Ugh...cosplayers...:roll: Sorry, it's a personal thing.

I'm picturing the Statlander/Bates match as a contest of who has the most outrageous outfit.

Opening match multi-man is goodness is just as fun as main event multi-man goodness. That's a sweet promo that basically comes down to "your mere presence and existence pisses me off" which is always funny.

Come on, who could hate a face like this? :)

https://cdn.sescoops.com/wp-content/...-2-696x392.jpg

I laughed at the description of both guys' chill factor which prompted me to demand a stat for a worker's level of chillness. Like, RVD would be a 100 no question. Also, props on the balls to let a woman take a shot like that. I'm sure Twitter and tumblr will have no comment on that.


"Callis rags about Tony Khan being a terrible boss with no clue on how to run a business..." IT'S A SHOOT, BABY!!! I love it when a heel just abandons one of their own just to save their own ass. It makes it even more hilarious that Anderson got more over by getting his ass beat.


Well you do what you have to do considering Daniels' situation. I imagine something will go down that will take him out of the picture leaving Kazarian on his own?

I'm actually surprised that they made it that easy to give somebody a manager's status considering the hoops you had to jump through for the last game. Of course they made up for it with a bunch of other headaches but that's neither here nor there.

Surely there will be one big Dark Order vs. Hardy Party bruhahah at some point right?

LOL, that's a long way to go for an ass kicking. That's like George Costanza levels of pettiness. I love it.

Getting busted open and then beatdown by someone else who wasn't even in the match? There's just no need for that level of excessiveness! ;)

Yeah, I hate those emails where the workers look like they're essentially clueless as to what I've been doing. "Hey, I'd like to work with Faith Connors at some point!" YOU JUST DID AN ANGLE WHERE YOU WERE BEATING HER DOWN!!! "Ben Dillinger and Joey Dillinger blend really well as a team and it adds a lot to their matches probably due to their similar styles". THEY'VE BEEN A TEAM FOR GOD DAMN EVER AND HAVE A 100 TEAM RATING!!!

If it’s any consolation I’m 95% sure Allie also has nudes out there :shifty: but you might be paid a visit by the Butcher and the Blade


they might have to change the ratings just for RVD to give him 420 chill

And yeah, there’s a segment of IWC fandom that really enjoy inter gender wrestling as some indy feds have pulled it off successfully, but I think in a national promotion it’d be tough to do except in certain scenarios. You need a woman who can believably be booked against men. Kong is a choice obviously and has done it in TNA, Nyla Rose who I haven’t booked yet as I’ve been trying to find the right way to bring her back is a transwoman with a similar build to Kong. Past them, Kris Stat has done it on the indies and could pull it off, she’s like 5’9” which is tall for a woman, and a pretty thick (or thicc?) build.


You know, other than Blood and Guys I never stopped to think on where these others shows are being held. I’ve established that the pandemic is over and Dynamite can be on the road again, so I’d hope they’re out west this week....but given that I imagine Darby living on the rural outskirts in the middle of nowhere, yeah very petty :lol:


It is kind of a role reversal deal where the faces kinda look like dicks in the end but I think there’s a fine line between “faces are dicks for kicking a man when he’s down” and “faces are giving the asshole heel his long due comeuppance

Still working out the kinks for King of the Ring. I have 5 weeks instead of the usual four until the PPV and I'm going back and forth between doing 32 or 16 participants.

I should also note that I had a Russo moment when determining how to end the Hotbody/Demiras match. I had thought about turning Lisa Benton heel on Demiras because she actually WAS trying to get into his pants but he was completely oblivious to her advances and intentions. I immediately dismissed it because it was pretty stupid and had no real payoff.

With that much time and 3 shows I think 32 would be doable, the more the merrier with that roster.

I actually think it would've been more of a Russo thing if Benton had turned because she decided she was strangely drawn to Hotbody. A play on that whole trope of "nice girl falls for the blatant asshole". Hotbody spends months criticizing Demiras for getting unfair treatment via railing the boss only to see no issue with it now that he's the one doing the railing.

Only one more Dynamite until Crossroads and it's gonna seem like I've booked the entire card on 3 days notice but in reality AEW use social media to advance feuds/post promos etc and there's no real way to account for that here.

And going back to a monthly large event format is giving me fits. I got used to it running WWE games all these years, since I nearly always had a brand split it was fine enough to treat the brand-exclusive PPVs as souped up Raw and SmackDown episodes whilst building to the actual big shows.

I mean yeah the non-PPV large events COULD be souped up Dynamites but it's tough not to have it feel thrown together in places. Of course having to plan Sting's retirement in 3 weeks didn't help.

I think real life AEW outdid me this week with how they handled the Inner Circle dissension storyline last night.

The group (sans Wardlow) was in the ring doing a promo, Jericho says it's time to shake up the group and MJF says maybe they should trim the fat. Sammy Guevara then plays a video he shot from the Inner Circle locker room showing the other members agreeing to overthrow Jericho and put MJF in charge.

Cut to the ring, everyone looks ready to beat down Jericho only everyone to turn around and now all the founding members have cornered MJF instead. "You think we don't talk every day and didn't already know what you were trying to do?"

MJF begs off like a bitch and then says "I swear i wasn't trying to take over your Inner Circle, I was too busy forming my own" leading to Wardlow, FTR, and Shawn Spears sneaking into the ring and doing an ambush. FTR and Spears aligning after I stuck them together in my game.

Anyway, it's now a face Inner Circle vs. a heel whatever the hell MJF's group is gonna be called. It might actually justify doing a Blood and Guts match down the line. I love me a stable war.

I just thought it was cool because EVERYBODY thought Jericho was getting usurped and turning face, only to subvert expectations by turning the entire original stable face instead and letting MJF reign with a brand new group as the ultimate dickhead heel.

Nah, your way is more interesting. I'm down with a mega heel stable who intentions are to beat the shit out of the old timers.

Raw: June 25, 2040

It's the night after Night of Champions and we begin the march to King of the Ring! This year will be a 32-man tournament and the invitations are being sent out tonight. Who will win the crown this year and go on to SummerSlam to compete for the Unified World Title in the main event?

We open with a very special edition of the Hot Ticket with everyone's favorite host, the WWE Cruiserweight Champion, The Undefeated Steel Cage Master Former Cruiserweight Champion-Elect Michael Hotbody. Hotbody declares that he is 3-0 against Jordan Demiras in big match situations and that right there should be enough for their business to be over and done. If nobody wants to use that as a measure well then just take a look at Jordan's current status after what happened to him last night! It'll be a long time before Demiras is ready to come back and even then he might just have to think twice about ever considering stepping into the ring with Hotbody. Just to make it clear as to who is at fault, Lisa Benton was warned time and time again that there was no need to go through with a cage match so what happened to Jordan Demiras IS ALL HER FAULT!!! Hotbody hopes that she can sleep at night with that knowledge. Enough about those two, though, this is also about a very special someone and that is Zed Jones, who had a last minute change of heart last night and was present to correct certain injustices THAT WAS TOTALLY NOT PART OF A PLAN OR RUSE!!! It's important that's emphasized. Zed deserves more than just a thank you so Hotbody has taken it upon himself to pull some strings and get Zed a suitable reward. "Here you go, man. I want you to have my King of the Ring invitation. You earned this and you deserve a chance to get at the same level of success as me!"

The music of Martyn LaSalle interrupts the lovefest and the number one contender to the Cruiserweight Title comes out on the stage. "Hotbody, I'd call you an idiot for handing over such a key to immortality as a chance to become King of the Ring but in a way I understand it. You're obviously going to be using the extra time you'll be having to focus on your next challenge to your championship...which is me. Now, that's down the road, granted but unlike you, I can multitask. See, I have an invitation for the King of the Ring tournament, too, and what better way to cap off the summer than to win the tournament, beat you for the Cruiserweight Title, and then headline SummerSlam and win the Unified World Title? It'd be history but like I said, I'm sure you're going to be laser focused on preparing for me and not occupying yourself with dance parties and press conferences, because that'd be pretty embarrassing if you're not."

"Hey! I don't need to listen to this! I especially don't need to hear it from some sap who doesn't even know the meaning of true friendship. This is all about the true friendship that I value with Zed Jones but that's lost on someone like you. I mean, the last friend you had beat you to a pulp and went on to challenge for the World Title and never looked back! I'm always ready and I'm looking forward to the opportunity to embarrass you!"

"Well, that's good to hear. I mean I was worried I was going to be facing the sniveling little whiny bitch who cried over a broken record but now that I know that you're taking this seriously I look forward to no excuses coming out of your mouth to try to get out of this. Even more importantly I look forward to becoming champion one more time. Cheers!" And with that LaSalle takes his leave as Hotbody is left annoyed.

Backstage, Nathan Quinn is with Leah and they're irate with Jenna Kyle. Leah wants to know if Jenna thinks she's better than her just because she doesn't feel like she needs to join up with Nathan Quinn. Jenna will learn the hard way that her decisions have consequences.

First Match: Ozzy Mandias vs. Romeo Valiente
Lisa Benton sweetens the pot by offering the winner an invitation to the King of the Ring tournament. This is essentially a feud ender and they give it their all. Ozzy is the young up-and-comer and Valiente's shelf life is running short so the outcome shouldn't be in doubt. Indeed, Ozzy nails the Blizzard of Oz and picks up the pin. *****, 95% overall.

In-Ring Super Special Talky Time with the Royal Effect, Moses McKay and King Kavovit. They talk about what they did last night in costing the Play Pals the Unified Tag Team Titles. The Royal Effect should have been the ones with the title shot at Night of Champions. They're the new hip thing in the tag team division. The Play Pals are yesterday's news and had no business getting that title shot. How messed up is it that the Royal Effect, the hottest thing going on right now, had to take a backseat to a pair of man-children hopped up on video games and geekery? If anyone has a problem with that, they'll have no problem proving themselves right by putting an end to the Play Pals!

Naturally this brings out the duo of Gavin Jones and Michael Haywood to try to get some measure of payback. The Royal Effect have other ideas though and decide to pack it in and bail.

Second Match: The Dillingers vs. The Young Bloods
Nothing wrong with tossing in an awesome tag team match in the middle of all the drama. The Dillingers get the nod here after Joey hits Sully Lane with the Dillinger Escape Plan off the top for the pin. ****1/2, 93% overall.

Backstage, WWE Intercontinental Champion Brandon Reigns wants to brag about retaining his title. Jacobs was an idiot for bringing his family to Night of Champions, thinking it was going to be some big moment of triumph. All it did was screw him over. Really, though, family or no family, Jacobs was going to be in for some major disappointment either way. The interview is interrupted when a stagehand comes in and hands Reigns an envelope.

"What's this?" Reigns asks.

"It's your King of the Ring invitation."

"It's my King of the Ring invitation, SIR! Look, never mind." Reigns hands the envelope back. "I'm guessing you and Lisa Benton didn't pay attention when I announced my plans for my Money in the Bank contract. I already have a guaranteed title shot right here. I don't need to overextend myself unnecessarily. I'm taking the Unified World Title at WrestleMania. So take that invitation back to Benton and she can have the peons fight over it." With that, Reigns takes his leave.

Third Match: Conner Buchanan vs. Doug Michaels
Buchanan's manager, Paul Andrews is on commentary boasting about what he's been doing to help get Buchanan back on track. Nothing major here other than a menas to make Buchanan look good as I have plans for him. Buchanan gets the pin after a pretty even match. ****1/2, 92% overall.

Fourth Match: WWE Women's Champion Naomi Bailey vs. Frankie
Naomi rubs it in the faces of the crowd that she's the new champion just like she said she was going to do! Braddock's cockiness got the better of her and she underestimated Naomi's resolve! No one had better make that same mistake again for their own sake! Anyways, the match is designed to put Naomi over as an arrogant monster. She still cheats to win just to be a bitch. ****1/2, 91% overall.

Backstage, Noah Carmichael wants to rip into Butch Fleming. Fleming has the luck of fools on his side because otherwise you'd be looking at the new Unified World Champion. Quentin McDaniels walks into the picture and takes offense to this. Carmichael claims that he had McDaniels dead to rights last night. McDaniels counters that there's no way Carmichael could pull another miracle out of his ass in another one on one scenario. Lisa Benton comes in to cool things down and hands them both an invitation to the King of the Ring. She tells them to pick themselves up and shake off the dust because they're going to have their hands full.

Fifth Match: Faith Connors and Jenna Kyle vs. Billie Padgett and Emma Edwards
The Brooklyn Sisterhood reunite to try their hands at the faces. I'm still working on a name for Jenna and Faith. Anyways, it's a David vs. Goliath situation as the heels are just powerhouses. Hannah McCormick tries to insert herself into the picture but that backfires as Padgett collides with her off an Irish whip. Connors hits the Mirror's Edge to score the pin. *****, 96% overall.

MAIN EVENT: Kerry Cemenko vs. Orlando Kincaid
Cemenko is looking to BUILD MOMENTUM as he is the new number one contender to the Unified World Title. Butch Fleming comes down to observe his latest challenger. The end comes when Cemenko sets up for the Curb Stomp but Fleming 'accidentally' trips him up coming off the ropes. That's enough for a DQ and Fleming hops into the ring looking to get himself a piece. Alexander Piero runs down to take care of Kincaid in an attempt to keep things even but the rookie is in over his head and he, too, falls victim. We go off the air with Fleming standing tall raising his belts over his head. *****, 95% overall.

Overall show rating: 90%

Superstars: June 28, 2040

We open with Lisa Benton addressing the fact that Brandon Reigns surrendered his invitation for the King of the Ring tournament. Therefore, for tonight's main event, 20 men will compete in an over-the-top-rope battle royal where the winner will receive that invitation as the prize. It's vital that all of the players are in place as the tournament kicks off tomorrow night on SmackDown!. Also tonight, Michael Haywood of the Play Pals will face off against King Kavovit of the Royal Effect.

First Match: Martyn LaSalle vs. Joey Osbourne
It's always nice to open with some hot cruiserweight goodness. LaSalle obviously needs the rub here as he's looking to not only challenge for the Cruiserweight Title but also compete in the King of the Tournament. LaSalle has a few brief moments where he looks over his shoulder as if keeping an eye out for Hotbody and any shenanigans he may be up to but none arise. LaSalle scores the tap out win after locking in the Martynizer. ****1/2, 83% overall.

That 83% gives me pause that this might be a dud show. :o

Backstage, Paul Andrews leaves the locker room of his client, Conner Buchanan but runs into the Intercontinental Champion Brandon Reigns. Reigns wonders how the preparation is going for tonight. After all, Buchanan is one of the poor desperate sheep that's going to be in tonight's battle royal. Reigns declares that he will be watching it all unfold with amusement. Andrews comments on what a paradox Brandon Reigns is. Here is someone who has come so far yet fallen even further at the same time. Reigns brings up how the two of them had a bit of a thing going way back when, kind of like what he had with Jake Connelly...and we all saw how that turned out. Andrews makes it clear that he has no interest in crossing Reigns in a match but warns that any client under his watch won't be so understanding.

Second Match: Leah vs. Missy Brantley
Leah isn't letting Night of Champions get her down. She's in prime form here as Nathan Quinn talks her up on commentary and rips Jenna Kyle for being a selfish idiot for not accepting his offer. Brantley makes a comeback and it's evidently enough to cause Quinn to leave the announce team and offer some aide. The distraction is enough for Leah to take advantage and hit the Sultry Splash for the win. ****1/2, 82% overall.

Yup, it's a dud show. My first in 4.2.

Third Match: The British Infection vs. Galino & Farnes
I should get Galino & Farnes a manager or something. Anyway, this is just some solid tag team action to give the crowd a cheap pop for the face victory. The Brits hit Farnes with the Queen's English to pick up the pin. ****1/2, 81% overall.

I love how in this game, being a dud show doesn't affect the star ratings. Had this been 3.0, that match would have been a **1/2.

Backstage, Madison is with her client, Alexander Piero. Piero knew that he'd eventually hit a rough patch on his rise through the ranks, he just didn't expect it to come in the form of decorated stars like Orlando Kincaid the World Champion himself. Some people would look at what happened on Raw and beg Piero to pick his battles a little better. Well, too late for that now because he's in the King of the Ring tournament and his first round opponent is none other than Orlando Kincaid. Who knows? First Kincaid, and then the World Title at SummerSlam?

Fourth Match: Michael Haywood vs. King Kavovit
Let the feud begin! This is, of course, stemming from the Royal Effect messing things up for the Play Pals at Night of Champions. Even the power of the almight DUD show can't stop these guys as Moses McKay lends a helping hand behind the ref's back and hits Haywood with the Mass Effect allowing Kavovit to pick up the pin. Gavin Jones chases the heels off afterwards. *****, 89% overall.

Backstage, Tania talks about wanting to be in line to challenge the new Women's Champion but she still has some unfinished business with Billie Padgett. She talks about needing to impress in order to get that recognition.

Fifth Match: Wolves of Wall Street vs. The Dillingers
More awesome tag team action. I feel bad pushing the Dillingers aside in the meantime but I have to give some other teams a shot at the champs. Ben Dillinger gets the pin over Hughes after a Frog Splash. *****, 86% overall. I give the finger to DUD shows.

In-Ring Super Special Talky Time with Hannah McCormick who shares Leah's frustration at how Night of Champions turned out. All Jenna and Faith did was buy themselves another day. Neither one of them can measure up to Hannah's star power. Maybe it's better for them if they take their little hugfest home and stay there because the people demand REAL women who are about getting things done. Faith is the worst of the worst because she suckers all of the people and gives nothing in return. Everyone here and watching at home should be ashamed of themselves for settling for a common street punk like Faith! Naturally, all of these insults aren't sitting well with Faith and she takes it upon herself to interrupt the tirade AND WE HAVE OURSELVES A CATFIGHT! Joey Styles, do your thing!

MAIN EVENT: 20-Man Battle Royal for the final spot in the King of the Ring Tournament.
Your participants: Blaine Bellamey, Conner Buchanan, Daniel St. Croix, Doug Michaels, El Silencio, Hugo, Isaac Wolff, Jerome McDougal, Jesse Capalbo, Julian Merrick, Marc Fury, Mathias, Patrick Dean Quartermaine, Rick Hilton, Robbie Greer, Seth Von Kamp, Stanley Coleman, Steve Hayes, Tom Foley, and Zachary Vale. The seeds for a Wyldhearts/Future Foundation feud are planted as they eliminate each other and crush poor Vivian Merrick in the process. It comes down to Conner Buchanan and Seth Von Kamp. Von Kamp is able to capitalize on Buchanan being pre-occupied with Brandon Reigns on the outside and thus gets the final elimination and goes on to the King of the Ring! 72% overall.

Overall show rating: 86%

So I guess I might as well post the brackets. Behold, the 2040 King of the Ring Tournament!

https://i.imgur.com/vvrALmY.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/T5NGPzA.jpg

:eek::eek::eek: well that's quite a double whammy

As a battle royal mark I'm always gonna be thrilled to see one, I like that you have justifiable reasons for Hotbody and Reigns deciding to nope their way right out of the tournament. Faces can criticize Reigns for being a dope because there's worse things in life than having a second World Title match guaranteed, but it plays with his character to not participate.

Even your dud shows draw better ratings than a normal promotion :lol: but yeah I've always appreciated that dud shows don't impact the snowflake ratings. Cause I mean, a good in-ring match is a good in-ring match. The real penalty is the crowd reaction slipping a bit because for whatever reason they're just having an off night.

Glad you went with a 32-man tourney :cool: bring on the snowflakes

Tonight's results are sponsored by Reba (Britt Baker's manager, went by Rebel in TNA which produced this gem):

https://cdn1-www.wrestlezone.com/ass...enagerie-2.jpg

AEW Dark: April 20, 2021:
-The Butcher and The Blade def. QT Marshall and Billy
-Serena Deeb def. Mel
-Matt Sydal def. Serpentico
-Dr. Britt Baker def. Yuka Sakazaki
-Matt Hardy def. Evil Uno


AEW Dynamite: April 21, 2021

Segment 1:

MJF opened up the show in the ring, surprisingly all by his lonesome, and he immediately started to shit talk Sting again. The old fool has agreed to fight me at Crossroads, but why wait til Saturday? Bring your old ass out here now, unless you're afraid of getting schooled by a guy 30 years your junior.

After no answer, MJF needles him further by raising the stakes. "I know you liked to make a name for yourself taking down top factions...so how's this for a wager? Remember how our former "boss" of the Inner Circle threatened to break up the group and couldn't back it up? If you win, I will leave the Inner Circle just as soon as I entered it. But if you lose, you're done. No more wrestling, no more AEW, a distant memory like the charred ashes of WCW. If you're gonna take this deal, come face me one on one, you coward!"

Lights go out and when they come back on, in my best Tony Schiavone voice, it's Stiiiiiiing! He nods at MJF to accept the challenge, points the bat right to his throat. And then, in a sign that he's ready for a fair fight, drops the bat.

MJF just laughs "wow, all these years later, you are way too trusting".....and Sting is soon jumped by Sammy Guevara! Massive heel heat and the two put the boots to Sting before Sammy's opponent tonight, Cody Rhodes, emerges from the back to run the two of them off! The rest of Inner Circle make their way out but think better of intervening when Sting retrieves his bat again. 82% overall


Segment 2:

Lance Archer makes his in-ring return against 33 year ring veteran and former Japanese deathmatch legend Luther. Luther is ancient and probably another guy the game will retire once his birthday comes, so he's just here to put over others and this is another case where I threw two guys with good brawl stats at each other and imagined it as a squash but actually it ended up being a solid match.

Archer puts Luther down with the EBD Claw to win his return match after a few months on the shelf. Eddie Kingston on commentary runs Archer down, and builds up their clash for next week on Dynamite. ***, 73% overall


Segment 3:

We hear a commotion outside of SCU's locker room. Tully Blanchard leads out FTR and Shawn Spears, all of whom have smug looks on their faces. The cameras go inside and we see Christopher Daniels down along with fellow SCU member Scorpio Sky. Daniels was supposed to team with Frankie Kazarian tonight for #1 contendership - bah gawd how could this happen! 69% overall...nice


Segment 4:

6-man tag goodness to continue the Hardy/Page angle that is winding down to a conclusion. Matt Hardy and Private Party vs. Hangman Page, Alex Reynolds, and John Silver. Another good match as many of these guys gel with one another. Chaos ensues as always and Matt grabs a win via cheap pin on Reynolds. ***, 73% overall


Segment 5:

Hardy Party beat down the three Dark Order members in the ring. Matt proclaims that the rest of Dark Order won't be coming out to save them tonight as he paid off a venue worker to block their locker room...it pays to have money! Muahaha. Remember how you allowed me to pick the rules for our Double or Nothing match? I know you were worried about fine print, but fear no longer. The winner takes all, no matter how they win. No underhanded tactics, no easy way out, a perfectly fair fight between the two of us. And I have procured a very special guest referee to ensure it! 82% overall


Segment 6:

Dr. Britt Baker DMD in action tonight against Serena Deeb. Worst match of the night so far, but very much still in the realm of perfectly acceptable wrestling. Baker gets the cheap victory. Afterwards, she instructs Reba to hand her some...shears? Why does dentist need shears? She looks like she's going to take off some of Serena's hair just as Kong did to her two weeks ago.

Awesome Kong could see no more of the gimmick infringement as she makes her way out to the ring. Baker and Reba stare down Kong, Baker shoves Reba at Kong and Reba takes a Samoan drop like a trooper while Baker hightails it again. **1/2, 70% overall


Segment 7:

Kenny Omega and Don Callis interview promo to talk up Kenny's triple threat title defense on Saturday. No matter how much AEW tries to stack the odds up against the best wrestler in the world, the result will be the same: Kenny will be right back on top of the mountain by this time next week. 83% overall


Segment 8:

Tag match intersecting two feuds that are also reaching a conclusion on Saturday as Orange Cassidy and TNT Champion Darby Allin face off against Miro and Brian Cage. A cage match and a street fight happening the same night on Saturday - what is this, Extreme Rules? I imagine the faces came across as great underdogs in this one since they have a clear and distinct size disadvantage working against them.

Darby eventually makes the hot tag to Orange Cassidy, who comes in like a house of fire as the crowd goes wild. Miro is reeling outside the ring, OC sets up for a Superman Punch outside the ring...he charges, MIRO SMACKS HIM WITH THE RING BELL! The ref calls for the bell, which doesn't ring because it's embedded into OC's skull.

Chuck Taylor tries to help but it's all for naught as OC, Darby, and Chuck are beaten down by Miro, Kip, and Team Taz. The heels standing tall and getting the momentum going into Saturday. This ruled. ****, 86% overall


Segment 9:

FTR make their way to the ring to win their match and rightful earned #1 contendership by forfeit...Frankie Kazarian says not so fast and makes his way out to the ring solo. He had a chat with Tony Khan and he agreed the #1 contendership can't end this way. Since neither Daniels nor Sky can compete tonight, let's change it up and make it a 6-man tag. FTR and Shawn Spears vs. Frankie Kazarian and...The Young Bucks!

The heel team was not happy with that at all as the faces charge the ring like a house of fire. This ended up being my second good trios match of the night, Bucks showing character willing to fight alongside Kazarian knowing that he'd be getting screwed out of a shot at their belts.

Bucks and FTR are brawling outside the ring. Tully Blanchard gets on the apron and starts to undo a turnbuckle pad only for a hobbled Christopher Daniels to pull Tully off the apron! Spears is caught off guard, Wave of the Future! Kazarian wins and he and Daniels retain their #1 contendership! The heel team is pissed off as SCU and the Bucks exchange a handshake ahead of their match Saturday. ***1/4, 82% overall


Segment 10:

Jon Moxley and PAC are talking, acknowledging they've had fun teaming up the past couple of months but that's all gotta end Saturday. Kenny Omega and Karl Anderson enter both sides of the room much as Mox and PAC did last week. Mox and PAC both pick up chairs and dare the heels to come on in...they back into each other and immediately turn around out of instinct, they nearly clock each other with the chairs as the heels rush out of there snickering over causing tension among the faces. 89% overall


Segment 11:

Cody Rhodes vs. Sammy Guevara in a rematch of what was the first ever match on Dynamite. During the match it is confirmed that Sting's Career Threatening Match on Saturday has been upgraded to a tag team bout: Sting and Cody vs. MJF and Sammy. Cody wants to drive MJF out of Inner Circle and could not stand to see the Stinger go it alone against the devious Inner Circle. Plus I'm sure this decision has nothing to do with the fact that a 62-year old Sting should not be working a singles match and Cody can shoulder the workload and play a convincing Ricky Morton.

It's a solid match to close out the show, with a red hot crowd to boot. We get our second "heel fuck up interference" finish in as many matches as MJF climbs on the apron to distract Cody only for Sting to come OUTTA NOWHERE with a baseball bat shot to the back, MJF is down, Sammy is concerned and Cody capitalizes with the Cross Rhodes.

Much like at the start of the show, Inner Circle are held at bay with with threat of Sting's bat. The faces stand tall to end the show. ***, 85% overall

79% overall show rating

---

Crossroads Card:

-AEW World Championship: "The Bastard" PAC vs. Jon Moxley vs. "The Cleaner" Kenny Omega (C)

-AEW TNT Championship Street Fight: "The Machine" Brian Cage vs. Darby Allin (C)

-AEW World Tag Team Championship: SCU (Christopher Daniels and Frankie Kazarian) vs. The Young Bucks (C)

-AEW Women's World Championship: Dr. Britt Baker DMD vs. Awesome Kong (C)

-Luchas de Apuestas Tag Match: Sting and "The American Nightmare" Cody Rhodes vs. Maxwell Jacob Friedman and "The Spanish God" Sammy Guevara

-Steel Cage Match: "Freshly Squeezed" Orange Cassidy vs. "The Best Man" Miro

-Double or Nothing Special Guest Referee Match: "Big Money" Matt Hardy vs. "Hangman" Adam Page

You know, I was going to say something about not being able to see her face but for some reason or two I lost my train of thought....

Butcher and Blade is such a sweet name. I bet they throw wicked chops. :shifty:

LOL, Sting's reputation for being a dumb babyface still persists after all of these years. Sadly we inch closer and closer to the inevitable.

I wish the game had the option to select a squash for a given match that way it's reflected in the match report. Of course, I would have abused it to no end by having Chris Jericho go over HHH for weeks on end in that fashion.

Yeah, getting less than a 70% is painful. As long as no one loses any over points, that's a small comfort I suppose.

See, something like this is just begging for a gimmick match but the game is hella restrictive on what you can do with 6-man tags. At least let us do hardcore or even elimination.

If the guest referee isn't Mike Rotunda I'll be severely disappointed.

LOL, again I love it when a heel just abandons/sacrifices their stooge to save their ass. Under the circumstances presented here there was really no other option.

To think this is a step up for Callis after having to put over fucking Kurrgan.

:lol: OK, that's fucking hilarious. The cherry on top would've been Miro grabbing the hammer and ringing it himself after the ref called for the DQ.

That's some smart booking to get around the limitations of Daniels. I especially applaud the restraint shown in not going all WWE and just doing a handicap match.

After his crazy character work in the WWE as Ambrose, I can absolutely picture Moxley being freakishly paranoid here in this segment.

Everyone's firing on all cylinders here but it needed a crow or vulture or something to come down and peck at Guevara's body to really put it over the top. Bird lives matter!!!

I'm always agog at how rapidly you get around to the big shows but I've just been so used to 3 shows every God damn week on my game that it messes with my head. I await the next lovely wrestling goddess!

SmackDown!: June 29, 2040

It's the final show of the month and the King of the Ring Tournament kicks off tonight with not 1, not 2, not 3, not even 5, but FOUR first round matches. Shall we?

Opening Match: King of the Ring First Round - Azazel vs. Raymond Delaney
God, I really need to do more with Delaney. He's talented as fuck and has charisma. I need to start planning some feuds and who to phase out to make some room for newer guys. Now watch as I immediately undercut that sentiment as I have Vivian Merrick run distraction on behalf of Azazel to allow him to hit Delaney with the Demonator to score the win and advance to the next round. ****1/2, 92% overall. <----SEE WHAT I MEAN???

Second Match: King of the Ring First Round - Martyn LaSalle vs. Randy Ellis
LaSalle's future opponent, the Cruiserweight Champion Michael Hotbody observes from ringside. LaSalle every so often shoots the champion a glare as if to say "Stay right where the fuck you are, son!" This is a good little bout as Ellis isn't exactly a monster or anything but still enough to make LaSalle the underdog here. LaSalle is able to lock in the Martynizer after escaping an attempt from Ellis to hit Today's Lesson for the submission win. LaSalle points at Hotbody making a statement. *****, 95% overall.

Backstage, Paul Andrews is with his client Conner Buchanan and they are in a huff over Brandon Reigns and his actions. Buchanan points out how men like Jake Connelly and Paul Andrews are respected veterans for a reason. Reigns may think that it was pathetic for a bunch of guys to fight over a chance at something like King of the Ring but that's what separates Reigns from someone like Buchanan: the willingness to fight and not be complacent.

Backstage, Jenna Kyle is prepping for a photoshoot when Nathan Quinn creeps up behind her. Quinn muses how nice it must be for Jenna to be surrounded by so much glitz and glamour. Is this why she turned down his offer to take her under his wing? She could've had all that and even more but she just had to be a stubborn idiot about things. Jenna asks if there's anything he actually needs because she has a good mind to slap the taste of his mouth right now. Well since Jenna asks, Quinn is actually quite open to showing her what she shot down by offering a match against Leah on Raw. Jenna accepts and tells him to beat it. Quinn warns that this shoot might be her last one for a while if Leah has her way.

Third Match: The British Infection vs. The Millennium Rebels
I should bring this feud to some sort of close, too. This is just tag team goodness all around and in a bit of a reversal, the Brits' manager Fanatasee runs interference getting Sammy Brady all hot and bothered. He falls prey to the Brits' double team and unfortunately takes the pinfall loss. ****1/2, 92% overall.

Backstage, the Play Pals are in the mood to show the Royal Effect what for. The Play Pals may act the fools at times and maybe even dabble in the ludicrous but they take becoming champions seriously and won't let anyone just get away with it if they get screwed. The Royal Effect are just royal pains in the ass that are going to regret what they did.

Fourth Match: King of the Ring First Round - Shawn Dangerson vs. Chris Collins
Man, I've done nothing with Collins these last few weeks. Let's remedy that, shall we? Dangerson is game here tonight as this is quite the opportunity presented to him. He may be too much game as Collins has to resort to the old missing turnbuckle trick to score a cheap win and advance to the second round. ****1/2, 93% overall.

Backstage, we catch up with Michael Hotbody who is trying to leave the building. He's asked if he was impressed with what he saw tonight from Martyn LaSalle. "Impressed? Did he become King of the Ring already? Did he win the Unified World Title? Has he beaten me and taken my Cruiserweight Championship? What's there to be impressed about? That's like asking a woman if she's impressed with a guy after the first moan she makes. Remember, Zed Jones is in this tournament, too! He'll show all of you 'impressive'!"

Fifth Match: Tania vs. Emma Edwards
Billie Padgett is at ringside as she has Emma's back. This is mainly a means to continue the feud between Tania and Padgett. Padgett accidentally nails Emma with a clothesline intended for Tania and that leads to Tania hitting the Nose Dive for the pin. The heels show their support by laying her out afterward. *****, 96% overall.

Sixth Match: King of the Ring First Round - Alexander Piero vs. Orlando Kincaid
Continuing this little bit of drama in one hell of a contest. Piero may be something in the future if he keeps his head on straight. The end comes when Piero is able to beat the count back in and he advances to the second round as Kincaid throws a fit on the outside. ****1/2, 92% overall.

MAIN EVENT: Noah Carmichael and Kerry Cemenko vs. Quentin McDaniels and WWE Unified World Champion Butch Fleming
The heels just can't get on the same page here at all as they keep blind tagging each other in an attempt to alpha male the other. The end comes after a "Katy, bar the door" scenario and Fleming baits Carmichael into using one of the championship belts but Carmichael hits McDaniels accidentally when Fleming moves out of the way for the DQ. We get a brawl to close the show. *****, 95% overall.

Overall show rating: 93%

:lol: see when your roster is as loaded as it is, everyone is super talented, so deciding who to phase out is no easy task. You can always use the "convert to manager" exploit as a means of writing people out of TV for a while and not kill their morale in the process.

The first of many 5 star matches in the KOTR, a crusierweight advancing in KOTR? What is this? This is allowed???

I suspect that match will bring the snowflakes. JUST A HUNCH. Jenna Kyle = ratings and erections

Dammit, for the NCAA Tourney I always do a real bracket and a Bizarro World bracket. I'd have had Dangerson make a deep run in the Bizarro World bracket just for his awesome name.

Emma is another name where I automatically assume hotness. Can't imagine why.

https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.town...ize=1200%2C800


Fleming and McDaniels continuing to be forced to team despite constantly agitating each other, I like the blind tags - it's a good way to paint the lack of cohesion.

It's throwing me off so much because this is not how AEW books. It's supposed to be a nice 3 month build between quarterly PPVs. Starting this game and immediately having Shad Khan demand monthly PPVs pretty much forced me to shift booking methodologies away from what you'd actually see, and with only one weekly TV it's hard for it to not feel rushed.

Since realism's kinda already being blown up, a second TV show is feeling like it's getting close to being a requirement. My roster is so big, and actual AEW booking of cycling talent in and out every other week doesn't work with the game's algorithms. I'm finding that even throwing guys just into promo segments to give them an appearance doesn't completely stop the morale drop, they want to actually work.

So I might have to send some promo tapes out soon. If I do get a second show my roster size would certainly allow for me to have a brand split and, in theory, I could align my schedule to do my 4 marquee PPVs and 8 brand-exclusive PPVs and the brand-exclusive PPVs would allow me 2 months of build between them. We'll see.

The thing with Martyn LaSalle is that I picture him in the same vein as guys like Eddie Guerrero and AJ Styles and Shawn Michaels where, yes, they're small and easily tossed around, it's not beyond the realm of possibility where they can hang with a larger opponent because of craftiness and mat work. I've had guys start out working the cruiserweight ranks and winning that belt but also moving on to become World Champion so LaSalle is someone I'm a fan off and will keep in the back of my mind as someone who I can easily move to the top when the time comes.

That being said, Shawn Dangerson is another dude who deserves more of a break. If I can't push him right now in a cruiserweight feud, maybe slapping him together with someone to work against a heel team might be enough for now. He needs a manager, though. I'm looking at you, Sophie Waters!!!

WWE's Emma was, is, and always will be a cuddly little wombat. My Emma is pretty much the opposite as she's a brute along with Billie Padgett. When they debuted, it was as a trio known as the Brooklyn Sisterhood, basically a bunch of street hoodlums and they went on a tear, having memorable encounters with probably my favorite collection of women workers, Riott, Sophie Waters, and even Lisa Benton back when she was an active competitor. I wish I had been around the forums around that time to post all of their lovely goodness because their work overshadowed a lot of what the men were doing. If I do a tag team title for the women, I'm glad to still have Emma and Billie to help prop it up.

AEW Crossroads
April 24, 2021

No logo for this made up AEW large event, but with the Crossroads/Cross Rhodes connection let's just throw a pic of Brandi Rhodes in here.

http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.co...Y2VAAAIrsr.jpg


The Buy In: The Butcher and The Blade vs. Lance Archer and Dustin Rhodes

This match was basically meant to be a teaser for the Kingston/Archer match coming up on Dynamite, as Kingston's heavies The Butcher and The Blade face off against Archer, who picked Dustin as his partner for this match due to Cody's recent feud with Kingston.

Kingston gets up from commentary and interjects himself in the match, goading Archer into chasing him up the ramp leaving poor Dustin alone. B&B hit him with The Full Death for the win.
Winner: The Butcher and The Blade
***, 75% overall


AEW Women's World Championship: Dr. Britt Baker DMD vs. Awesome Kong (C)

I was thinking I would have to turn this into a multi-woman match because heel vs. heel matches tend to get penalized in EWR, only to then realize Kong is actually set up as a tweener which is kinda more fitting for her character anyway. She has a sadistic side but will fuck up anybody.

Baker tried to chickenshit her way out of this in as many different ways as possible. Cheap shots, using Reba for distractions, etc. but nothing was throwing Kong off her game. Once Kong grabbed Baker by the hair and Baker sold the terror, it was all over. Baker takes a beating and an Awesome Bomb finishes it. Baker is the latest wrestler to get scalped by Kong's shears afterwards.
Winner and STILL AEW Women's World champion: Awesome Kong
**3/4, 76% overall


AEW World Tag Team Championship: SCU (Christopher Daniels and Frankie Kazarian) vs. The Young Bucks (C)

The teams showed mutual respect with one another with a handshake at the start of the proceedings, but those plesantries went out the window as soon as the bell rang. These teams threw everything but the kitchen sink at each other and it shows with the match rating. I did not advertise this as Daniels' final match, especially on a show with a retiring Sting who I can't ever use again....and with ratings like this I think I can see why I still would love to find ways to keep him in an angle to justify him wrestling.

Four super talented dudes, two of whom are at main event level overness and the other two in the 80s, AND the X factor of both teams having high experience ratings, yeesh this ruled. After a dramatic contest, Daniels connects with the Angel's Wings on Nick Jackson. Not convinced that would be enough to end it, Daniels goes up top for the Best Moonsault Ever. Big mistake, Nick gets his knees up! Nick gets him with the roll up and the Bucks retain!

After the bell, the crowd applauds all four men. Kazarian looks really deflated on the outside. After the Bucks leave, a Kazarian gets into the ring and shoves down Daniels in frustration! He immediately gets a look of regret but doesn't help Daniels up, leaving in a huff instead.
Winners and STILL AEW World Tag Team champions: The Young Bucks
*****, 96% overall (100% quality)


[B]It's time for our Double or Nothing match with a whole lot of money at stake. "Big Money" Matt Hardy is out first. He reminds everybody that he was allowed to pick the stipulation. He wanted to ensure a fair fight for all, and he found the perfect referee for the job. An intensely focused referee. A man with the integrity to call things right down the middle. A man intelligent enough to know the rulebook front and back.

Ladies and gentleman, my longtime dear personal friend......KURT ANGLE!!!

The crowd marks out, what is Kurt Angle doing here in AEW??? Kurt Angle makes his way to the ring in his AEW referee shirt and soaks in the adoration from the crowd.
86% overall


Double or Nothing Match w/ Special Guest Referee Kurt Angle: "Big Money" Matt Hardy vs. "Hangman" Adam Page

Matt Hardy has possibly his best match in AEW, these two gelled even better than the last big show and between the extra crowd support culminating the feud and the dynamics of a special guest referee, the crowd ate it up.

A fired up Hangman wails on Matt so much at the beginning Angle has to try to break them up, which doesn't go over with the crowd. Matt throws Hangman into the steps at ringside, trying to goad The Dark Order into something. Dark Order look like they're about to lose their cool and jump Matt which prompts Angle to eject them to heel heat.

Unfortunately for Matt, who assumed he had the referee in his pocket Angle would go on to prove his 3 I's true by eventually ejecting Private Party as well, and not ignore Matt's attempts to cheat. Ie: hand on the ropes in a roll up, Angle kicks Matt's arm loose.

Matt eventually loses it, screaming at Angle. I invited you to AEW and this is how you treat me? Matt shoves Angle, drawing an ooooh from the crowd. Angle asks "did you just shove an official?" and teases that he's gonna DQ Matt, turning him into a crybaby bitch begging for forgiveness. All this happens while Matt is unaware Hangman is waiting on the apron. Turn around, Buckshot Lariat, 3 count, HANGMAN WINS THE MONEY!!!!!

Hangman celebrates his new fortune. Beer is on him tonight and for the forseeable future. Matt eventually recovers fuming, and now he's really getting physical with Angle. Angle looks to the crowd, match is over now so no need to play by the rules any more. Angle Slam and Angle Lock to Matt for old time's sake.
Winner: "Hangman" Adam Page
****, 89% overall


AEW TNT Championship - Street Fight: "The Machine" Brian Cage vs. Darby Allin (C)
Darby is fully prepared to use weapons to take on Team Taz all on his own but Brian Cage, in a surprising move, tells Team Taz to stay back so they can go it alone. They had a street fight at Revolution in a tag team scenario, but now it's one on one, no more bullshit to settle the score once and for all.

I imagine this match was bowling shoe ugly in the best possible way, because it was an incredible, violent brawl and like most other things tonight the crowd ate it way the hell up. Darby is one of the wrestlers on the roster who hardly needs to be talked into taking a sick bump. Brian Cage's finisher the Drill Claw is a vertical suplex piledriver hybrid. You know what that means? DRILL CLAW FROM THE TOP ROPE THROUGH A TABLE!!!!! The FTW Champion Cage backs it up on his own to bring more gold to Team Taz. Who can stop the path of Cage?

Winner and NEW TNT Champion: "The Machine" Brian Cage
****1/2, 92% overall


Steel Cage Match: "The Best Man" Miro vs. "Freshly Squeezed" Orange Cassidy

Another long running feud comes to an end in this one and hot damn do they have a tough act to follow. If they weren't both nice and over it might've been seen as a let down compared to the previous match. But it worked!

Only way to win this match is to escape the cage, because fuck pins and submissions in a cage match. Orange tried to keep Miro off balance as much as possible, but in a cage environment, Miro definitely grabbed the momentum and seemed to turn it into a torture chamber. Orange threw his body at Miro and Miro used him as a battering ram in equal measure. The announcers bemoaned that Miro could end it and now he's just wanting to make Orange suffer.

He picks up Orange in a Spinebuster formation...charges towards the cage and OH SHIT, it breaks! Orange is essentially Speared through the cage, but as he hit the ground first, he is declared the winner! Miro absolutely snaps at the decision starts tearing off a part of the cage and, attacking referees Rick Knox and Bryce Remsburg.
Winner: Orange Cassidy
***, 84% overall


Career Threatening Match: The Inner Circle (Maxwell Jacob Friedman and "The Spanish God" Sammy Guevara) vs. Sting and "The American Nightmare" Cody Rhodes

I have no idea how Sting would've fared in a regular singles match, my suggestion is not well since his highest stat is a low 60s brawl. But between the other great workers in this and everybody being mega over, this match got to be all about the storytelling.

I think everybody knows Sting is retiring, so you give them a heaping helping of hope spots and false finishes all along the way. Inner Circle try to interfere at one point and Sting/Cody fight them off like it was WCW and they were the nWo. Everyone gets nostalgic.

Cody and MJF are legal in the ring. Sting and Sammy fighting outside. Sammy ends up having a madball that Santana and Ortiz slipped him when they interfered earlier, he clocks Sting with it and the referee doesn't see it because it's on the outside. Cody sees it, runs to the side of the ring to check on Sting's safety, only for MJF to roll Cody up with an illegal tight hook for the win. WHAT????

Everybody knew Sting would have to lose, but Cody eating a sudden flash pin was a subversion of expectations. Inner Circle laugh their asses off and hightail it out of there while Cody looks shocked and absolutely devastated at what just happened....did he just force one of his rivals to retire???
Winners: Maxwell Jacob Friedman and Sammy Guevara
***, 86% overall


Main Event - AEW World Championship: "The Bastard" PAC vs. Jon Moxley vs. "The Cleaner" Kenny Omega (C)

Kenny begs off early on and tries to get one of the other guys to team with him to take out the opposition, as if he hasn't been a prick for months. The crowd get the satisfaction of seeing Kenny get his ass whooped by the faces for a while before they inevitably have to turn on each other.

Some pretty standard triple threat drama in here with the close pinn breakups. Kenny has some tricks up his sleeve but they don't seem to work, Callis calls out Karl Anderson to run interference and the faces kick his ass. No dice. Faces suplex Kenny through the announce table.

Faces go at it in the ring again. If the Drill Claw from the top rope looked like a sick bump before....what about Mox hitting a Paradigm Shift from the top? Holy shitballs that looked nasty. 1...2...Mox is pulled out of the ring by.........MIRO?????

What the hell is this! Miro still looks enraged from his loss an hour or so ago, and he apparently wants to take it out on more people. He beats the shit out of Mox who barely has anything left in the tank as is and is just throwing punches out of instinct. They brawl up the ramp. Meanwhile in the ring, Omega has slowly recovered and he drags himself over to the nearly dead PAC in the ring to get the pin and the victory.

Winner and STILL AEW World Champion: Kenny Omega
****, 89% overall
---

87% Overall Show Rating

Well, this fucking ruled. Scott Keith gives it two thumbs and his cock up.

Cody, you dog...

I'd have gone with The Premium Cut or The Grade A for their finisher name. :shifty:


It was cute of Baker to try. Trophies for participation!

THE SNOWFLAKES ARE REAL!!! :eek: I'm guessing we're going to draw out the farewell for Daniels? It'd be something if Kazarian decides to retire, too.

Angle and Hardy friends? Man, I bet they've got some crazy drug-induced stories to swap. Not to mention being cucked.

I mean that's a fun end and all but how much more fun (and lawsuit-inducing) would it have been if Mike Rotunda showed up in a white shirt and suspenders and demanded from Page immediate payment on his taxes?


THE SNOWFLAKES ARE STRONG WITH THIS SHOW! Doing the monthly big show isn't exactly hurting you in this regard.

Never take cage match advice from Paul Wight, Miro.

That's a twist I didn't see coming. I'd have put money on Sting eating the pin. I'm guessing Cody is going to be getting some heat from some of the roster.

Miro and Moxley should feud over who has the hotter blonde wife...a question I still ponder over to this day. I'd say it's even more important than the 4 stars this match racked up. Omega with a heroic effort there at the end.

If I'm tracking this right this was probably your best show. Everyone looks like they were on the good shit this night.

Miro and Mox have both been e-mailing me for weeks asking for a match, so let's see if they can live up to all of this. Can't remember if they ever worked any sort of meaningful program in WWE. Well, it's WWE so meaningful probably isn't the right word anyway.

I was originally going to transition Daniels into my onscreen authority figure since he's charismatic enough to handle it and it can kinda play off the fact that he does have an office job with the company in real life. But he's still so talented I figure if there's any way I can extend his career I should take it, as opposed to the other old dudes on my roster I'll likely just cast aside if they became non-wrestlers.

But as I looked at free agency, I realized Kurt Angle was floating around. Very over and charismatic obviously, and with Sting leaving I felt like I could allocate the Sting money to a different legend. Angle will likely segue into the onscreen authority role shortly. His in-ring stats are better than Sting's which isn't a surprise but they're still not great. I saw his last match live at WM35 two years ago and the guy could barely move. So I'm happy to keep him a full blown non-wrestler.

Bad Bunny wrestling sim, former 24/7 champion

Raw: July 2, 2040

Opening Match: King of the Ring First Round - Seth Von Kamp vs. Jason Sorola
The tournament continues with one hell of an opener. Sorola makes it a point to claim that Seth should be thanking his lucky stars that he's even in the tournament in the first place seeing that he only managed to squeeze his way in because Brandon Reigns didn't want to participate. Well there's really only one natural response to something like that: have a kick ass match that sets the tone for the rest of the night. It's an even encounter despite the size difference. Ultimately, Von Kamp hits the Collapse of Society for the pin and advances to the second round. *****, 97% overall.

Second Match: King of the Ring First Round - Zed Jones vs. Cameron Harper
Michael Hotbody is seconding Jones here in support. Martyn LaSalle joins the commentary team to give his thoughts on his future opponent in Hotbody and on the tournament. LaSalle brings up that Zed Jones should be even more thankful than Seth Von Kamp because Seth actually went out and earned a spot in the King of the Ring whereas Jones was just handed this opportunity. Wanting the most out of life while the bare minimum seems to be a running theme in Hotbody's world, according to LaSalle. The match itself is hard-hitting at it's finest. Jones still wants to be a dick about things and uses a pipe slipped to him by Hotbody which goes unnoticed because the ref has to admonish him and LaSalle for having a verbal scuffle. Jones advances to the second round. ****1/2, 89% overall.

In-Ring Talky Time with the number one contender to the Unified World Title, Kerry Cemenko. He wonders if the people can help him out with something and whether or not they've noticed the same thing that he has in regards to Butch Fleming. "So for the past few years, Butch Fleming was a force to be reckoned with. He was dominating at all levels from the moment he set foot into the WWE. Hell, I was even a victim at certain points which is no small feat if I may say so myself. But then something happened last year. Fleming, had himself a bit of a boo-boo and had to take somewhat of a breather of sorts. A few months ago he made his "triumphant" return and then began a pattern that I didn't pick up on until last week. You see, all of the usual bravado was there coming out of Fleming's mouth. The man was filled with the venom and anger and hate that's been a staple of his career...only this time, he hasn't backed it up the same way he used to. Granted he came in full of piss and vinegar but remind me again, how did he win the Unified World Title? Oh, that's right, one of his former stooges had to trip over his own shoelaces leading to Fleming stealing it back at Judgment Day. And then just last week at Night of Champions, after taking a nap in a pile of a broken announce table, he slips inside the back door and picks the bones of someone else's handiwork and walks away. Then the next night, during my match, he decides to do little preemptive strike and get his licks in. All of this leads me to the conclusion that Fleming is a shell of his former self and he knows it. That time away from the WWE no doubt dulled a lot of his edge and that's why he's been getting by on tactics as desperate as the ones I just pointed out. Maybe, just maybe, he knows that things are different now and he's the odd man out. He knows that he's got himself a major threat on his hands when it comes to me challenging him for that title. Well, let me put you at ease, Fleming. I am a threat to that title and at King of the Ring I pull the bricks out of this façade of yours and use them to build a better tomorrow when I become the next WWE Unified World Champion!"

Naturally this brings out the Unified Champion himself looking quite amused. "Kerry Cemenko, people like you are one of the few things that put a smile on my face. If what you just said had come out of the mouth of, say, Noah Carmichael or Haven or Xavier Cross or Clubber Harris, I'd certainly dismiss it but I'd only be pissed and not amused. The reason being is that they've actually done things during the time that I was gone while you have been persona non grata so you giving me a lecture is something else. This match that we're going to have is YOUR big desperate move to once again get back in that main event spotlight that every once in a while flickers on you but never remains. You can call me out on the things I've done since returning but I'm standing here with this title and you're standing over there filling this arena with even more hot air than usual. These people out here are an even bigger joke than you because they're going to follow you like sheep right into a big pit of disappointment."

"All of that talk and you still didn't address what I said. I mean the talk was impressive, sure, but how exactly are you going to back it up this time around? How are you going to save yourself and luck your way into a win this time? Am I going to be facing the scourge of the WWE or am I going to be proven right by stepping in the ring with a spineless champion?"

"SPINELESS?!? Spineless? You know, Cemenko, I was actually going to take it easy on you seeing as you were low on the list of people who pissed me off while I was gone but since you seem to be asking for it, these next few weeks are going to be some of the longest you've had until you're BEGGING ME to end it at King of the Ring. And believe me, I will end it." With that, the champion takes his leave leaving Cemenko to ponder this over.

Third Match: Carmella Costello and the Academy vs. Frankie and the Dillingers
This is Carmella's first match back from suspension and she joins her stablemates in continuing her feud with Frankie. She's been a bad girl. A very naughty girl that needed to be punished. Ahem....anyways, she leads her team to victory here by using the ropes after rolling up Frankie for the pin. ****1/2, 91% overall.

Fourth Match: King of the Ring First Round - Noah Carmichael vs. Ronnie Costello
Ronnie looks to also join his sister in victory but he's got himself quite the task here in the former Unified World Champion. It's a nice showing and I have no doubts Costello will eventually be part of the upper-mid card at some point. Tonight's not his night as Carmichael busts out the Quick Draw and scores the win to advance to the second round. ****1/2, 90% overall.

Backstage, Nathan Quinn is with both of his clients, Lonny Richards and Leah. It's a big night for the two of them. Leah gets Jenna Kyle one-on-one and it will be glorious to watch the agony on Jenna's face as she realizes the mistake she made. On top of that, Lonny has his chance at redemption and immortality by taking out Caleb Greene and advancing in the King of the Ring tournament. No mercy to those dumb enough to get on Quinn's bad side!

Also backstage, Paul Andrews runs into Intercontinental Champion Brandon Reigns. Reigns tells Andrews that he dodged a bullet by not continuing to be involved with mentors and managers. It's done wonders for his career. Reigns thinks that maybe he should have a talk with Conner Buchanan and tell him to jump ship in order to save himself. Andrews mentions that it's funny that Reigns should bring up Buchanan because the truth is Buchanan was quite interested in getting some answers out of Reigns about that battle royal last week where Reigns caused Buchanan to lose. Maybe Reigns would be interested in allowing Buchanan to get some of those answers, like, say, in a match? Reigns simply says, "How's this for an answer: No."

Fifth Match: Leah vs. Jenna Kyle
I think I might be pushing Leah too fast. I mean, barely a month in and she's in a program with one of the top 3 faces in the women's division. I mean, I'm not going to complain about the results. Jenna utilizes all of her know-how to keep the rookie off of her game but to Leah's credit she remains difficult to put away. The end comes when the two are outside after Jenna dives through the ropes to hit Leah and they end up taking out a photographer. Leah takes the camera and smashes it into Jenna's face drawing the DQ. Leah lifts up Jenna's body while Quinn takes the camera and uses it to take shots of Jenna's face. Not quite the same photo shoot as on SmackDown! but it produced some great results heat-wise. ****1/2, 93% overall.

Sixth Match: Robbie Greer vs. One Half of the WWE Unified Tag Team Champions Rick Hilton
Vivian Merrick doesn't look too thrilled to be accompanying her boyfriend/client considering the last time she was involved with this she got plastered. Hilton keeps trying to explain that it was an accident and that he'll make it up to her by teaching Greer a lesson. Judging from this match I'd say a Wyldhearts/Future Foundation feud will be the shit. Hilton manages to score a countout win here after a brawl on the floor. He looks to Vivian for approval but she doesn't seem too impressed. *****, 94% overall.

Seventh Match: King of the Ring First Round - Caleb Greene vs. Lonny Richards
This is our last King of the Ring match for the night. I eventually want to put a cap on this feud and move everyone on. Caleb would be a great re-addition to the cruiserweight scene or maybe just keep him and Coleman as a regular team. Either way, this match is a great David vs. Goliath affair. Caleb gets the duke after countering Lonny's Dragon Sleeper into a roll-up to advance to the second round. ****1/2, 92% overall.

MAIN EVENT: The Hunters vs. Salvatore Scabbia and The Royal Effect
God, I love my overcrowded main events. This is obviously designed to continue the feuds between Scabbia and Pattillo and of course the newly minted Royal Effect and the Play Pals. This has got everything you want in a match of this type in the main event. King Kavovit is isolated after all of the chaos in the end with Ryan Pattillo and he falls victim to the Shutdown giving the faces the win here. ****1/2, 93% overall.

Overall show rating: 90%

Good to see Von Kamp’s wild card entry via battle royal was not for naught. I automatically like him because that’s just an epic name.

Don’t think there’s anything wrong with giving Leah a big push out of the gate so long as she keeps delivering the snowflakes. I wonder if anyone has a three star match they are yelled at in gorilla and hang their head in shame.

Cemenko’s got an awful tough act to follow after having a GOAT match on a PPV pre show...but he and Butch can pull it off.

In general I love KOTR being an annual thing and actually being important. KOTR hasn’t been a PPV in almost 20 years and it still doesn’t feel right that it’s gone.

CZW wants to offer me a job.


















































































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The power move would've been to then immediately buy them out and put them out of business.

Superstars: July 5, 2040

Opening Match: The Wyldhearts vs. The Sin City Rollers
Curiously, Vivian Merrick is observing the proceedings without her champion clients, The Future Foundation. This is a standard 'pretty boy team getting punished by the big baddies' tag match as the Wyldhearts try to have a good showing. The end comes when Luis Ortega is isolated and falls victim to the Heartstopper giving the faces the win. Afterwards, the Future Foundation themselves start a beat down on the Wyldhearts but they take a break to admonish Vivian for being out here. That's all the opening the Wyldhearts need to recover and turn the tide to send the champions packing. ****1/2, 93% overall.

Second Match: King of the Ring First Round - Kyle Jacobs vs. L.A. Xander
This is the first we've seen of Jacobs since falling victim to Brandon Reigns at Night of Champions. He's not going to let Reigns have the last laugh nor will what happened at Night of Champions get under his skin. He knows he's better than Reigns and it will only be a matter of time before he gets to go up against the son of a bitch. If not, well, Jacobs will just have to make Reigns come to him, by winning King of the Ring and going on to win the Unified World Title. L.A.X. tries his damndest here but Jacobs is a flurry of emotion tonight. Jacobs gets a decisive victory here after hitting the Legacy Bomb to advance to the second round. ****1/2, 92% overall.

Backstage, Nathan Quinn is with Leah and they want to brag about what they did to Jenna Kyle on Raw. It was such a beautiful moment to knock the high and mighty princess off her tower and humiliate her. The people shouldn't feel that bad for her because the shots they took of Jenna, well, she's never looked better! They proceed to show off some of the photos they took after Jenna was beaten down. They claim that these images should be the ones that get emblazoned in the minds of the people along with one other important image: Leah standing triumphantly over a conquered women's division.

Third Match: King of the Ring First Round - Salvatore Scabbia vs. Ozzy Mandias
A definite size difference here but Ozzy is game. Sadly he can't overcome the might of Scabbia and the treachery of Brooke and he falls victim to the Omerta to give Scabbia the win and thus Scabbia advances to the second round. ****1/2, 90% overall.

Fourth Match: WWE Women's Champion Naomi Bailey, Billie Padgett, and Emma Edwards vs. Tania, Jamie Roderick, and Phoebe Hanson
With Tania being vocal about wanting to be the first to challenge the new Women's Champion and still entangled with Padgett this seems like a reasonable comprise. Plus it's 6 awesome women in a match so I'm not going to say 'no' to that. Tania and Padgett end up alone together and Padgett accidentally collides with Naomi after having an Irish whip to the ropes reversed and that leads to Tania hitting the Nose Dive for the pin and the victory. ****1/2, 93% overall.

Backstage, Faith Connors wants to give us an update on Jenna's condition. The truth is she's in much better shape physically than mentally because Leah made the stupid decision to poke the bear. Faith can empathize because of the nonsense pettiness she has to put up with from Hannah McCormick. Why can't these women just let Jenna and Faith just be Jenna and Faith? Faith Connors doesn't know how to be anyone other than Faith Connors and if that means she's recognized as the biggest and best women's wrestler in the WWE, so be it. Hannah needs to either step it up if she wants to claim that top spot or get the hell off Faith's case.

Fifth Match: King of the Ring First Round - Xavier Cross vs. Nigel Gallagher
Cross wants to let us know that he's not bitter about Kerry Cemenko competing for the Unified World Title at King of the Ring. In fact, Cross hopes that Cemenko goes on to win the title because Cross is going to see his sorry ass at SummerSlam after becoming the King of the Ring! Nigel proves to be a much tougher opponent to put away than Cross anticipated as his high-flying prowess is enough to stay alive against a guy like Cross. Ultimately, Nigel's nemesis Jerome McDougal lets his envy get the better of him and he interferes enough to allow Cross to hit Nigel with the Cross Cutter for the win and advances to the second round. Nigel receives a consolation prize in the form of McDougal stomping the piss out of him after the match. ****1/2, 92% overall.

Backstage, the WWE Unified World Champion Butch Fleming wants to set everyone's minds at ease. He knows about how the King of the Ring tournament captures the imagination and it's a fun little game to pick out the eventual winner and picture them in the main event of SummerSlam. Well there's no need to burst a vessel this time around. Take any of the remaining competitors, from Caleb Greene to Ryan Pattillo to Martyn LaSalle to Chris Collins; take any of them, picture them lying down, face up on that mat with Fleming standing over them still the Unified World Champion because Kerry Cemenko's fate is sealed. It's been made clear that there are consequences for daring to cross Fleming. Consider it a miracle if Cemenko makes it out of King of the Ring under his own power, much less with the title.

Sixth Match: Carmella Costello vs. Lauren Franklyn
Just a match to keep Carmella's feud with Frankie going. Costello sneaks out a cheap pinfall victory using the ropes. Afterwards, Frankie runs in for YOUR obligatory catfight. ****1/2, 89% overall.

Seventh Match: King of the Ring First Round - Gavin Jones vs. Quentin McDaniels
This is our last King of the Ring match for the night. Moses McKay of the Royal Effect joins the announce team at ringside to offer his insight on Gavin Jones. McKay has Gavin's buddy and leader Ryan Pattillo as his King of the Ring first round match and King Kavovit has Michael Haywood in his King of the Ring match. It'd be quite something if all three of those sophomoric clowns get destroyed and fail to win this tournament. Easier said than done as McDaniels is having a rough time putting away Gavin. McKay seems to be getting that vibe as well and he takes it upon himself to leave the announce table and play cheerleader for McDaniels...and punch Gavin in the balls when the ref is busy with McDaniels. This leads to Gavin suffering a Great Depression to give McDaniels the win. McKay tosses Gavin around the outside area for fun afterwards. *****, 95% overall.

MAIN EVENT: WWE Cruiserweight Champion The Undefeated Steel Cage Master Former Cruiserweight Champion-Elect Michael Hotbody and Zed Jones vs. The Dillingers
Hotbody hopes Martyn LaSalle is watching because tonight is a demonstration that both Zed Jones AND Hotbody can multi-task and still be at the top of their game. Hotbody actually feels sorry for Martyn LaSalle. Not only is LaSalle inferior to Hotbody but nobody wants to be LaSalle's friend! Everyone should have at least one friend, even if they're a straight-laced stick in the mud sorry sack of suck like Martyn LaSalle. Hotbody isn't willing to give up the Cruiserweight Title but he will do his best to find a special someone for Martyn LaSalle because he's going to need a drinking buddy to pour his heart out to after he fails! Anyways, to the match, despite the posturing Hotbody is more than happy to let Zed do all of the work. The match breaks down and in the confusion and chaos Hotbody nails Joey Dillinger with the Cruiserweight Title belt and that allows Zed to score a cheap pin for the victory. Hotbody celebrates like he's won the Super Bowl. *****, 95% overall.

Overall show rating: 91%

SmackDown!: July 6, 2040

What's this? Two wrestling shows occurring around Independence Day and no jingoistic bullshit taking up airtime? MADNESS, I SAY!!!

Opening Match: King of the Ring First Round - King Kavovit vs. Michael Haywood
The first round of the King of the Ring Tournament concludes tonight with the final four matches taking place all on the same show. This serves a duel purpose in that we're continuing the Royal Effect/Play Pals feud. This makes for quite an opener and it comes down to Haywood locking in the Rage Quit but the 15-time limit expires and thus we have a draw and neither man advances. Haywood won't let go but Moses McKay makes it a point to come down and pull him off his partner hits the Mass Effect. *****, 98% overall.

Second Match: Conner Buchanan vs. Steve Hayes
Paul Andrews still makes the case that Buchanan should have a go at Brandon Reigns if Reigns wants to act like the cock of the walk. This is designed to make Buchanan look good and it ends with him getting a decisive victory after hitting the Borderline. Buchanan makes it a point to declare that he doesn't want Reigns, he wants the Intercontinental Title, too. ****1/2, 92% overall.

Backstage, the WWE Women's Champion Naomi Bailey is offended over the idea of Tania daring to ask for a title match against her. She may be open to a fight considering Sonya Braddock is taking her sweet time recovering from Night Of Champions but she's not just going to hand out title matches to whoever just says 'pretty please?' Tania is delusional but Naomi is willing to let her wash her royal garments.

Elsewhere backstage, Rick Hilton and Vivian Merrick are having a lover's quarrel. Hilton wants to know to what he has to do to get out of the doghouse. Vivian is just being difficult at this point not forgiving Hilton. After all, Hilton was nice enough to forgive Vivian for distracting him and Julian last night and for being the one who lost the fall against Sonya Braddock. Vivian fires back that she didn't ask him and Julian to be out there last night. Rick wants to know why she was even watching the Wyldhearts. Vivian answers that maybe their girls get better treatment and walks off.

Third Match: King of the Ring First Round - Justin Mitchell vs. Haven
Haven is not fucking around tonight. He lets everyone know that the part of Butch Fleming will be played by Justin Mitchell right now. Mitchell and his manager, Brooke, try everything they can think of to stop the momentum of Haven but the stars are not aligned in their favor. Haven tosses Brooke to Mitchell then boots him in the face when she gets caught and hits the Sting of Solace to score the win and advance to the second round. ****1/2, 90% overall.

Fourth Match: Hugo vs. Daniel St. Croix
I'm finally at the point where I can do this match proper and continue Hugo's destructive path. St. Croix tries his best to stand up for his former partner but Hugo is just too much and hits the Moonsault Crush for the pin. ****1/2, 89% overall.

It's time for another edition of The Hot Ticket with everyone's favorite host, the WWE Cruiserweight Champion, The Undefeated Steel Cage Master Former Cruiserweight Champion-Elect Michael Hotbody! He's got the press pool out here and he's ready to take some questions. First things first, Zed Jones is not here as he preparing to completely dominate the King of the Ring Tournament but he wants to pass along a message from him which is written down here: "Michael Hotbody is truly the greatest friend a man or woman could ask for. Selfless, supportive, and caring don't even begin to describe the full measure of the man who is the best Cruiserweight Champion this company has seen in years!" OK, now, let's get to the questions!

"Mr. Hotbody, how are you preparing for your inevitable encounter with Martyn LaSalle and how badly are you going to beat him in your title match against him?"

"Well you prepare in the manner you'd expect to prepare for someone like LaSalle. I'm expecting a lot of frowny faces from him and virtually no smiling. Some people may say that's him being focused but the truth is he goes into a zone where he has flashbacks to being picked last in gym class and being voted Most Likely To Need Therapy Before Graduation. His defeat at my hands is going to send him back to that therapy! Next question!"

"You mentioned on Superstars that you'd be looking into getting Martyn LaSalle a friend. Have you started this process and if so where are you looking for this friend?"

"I plan on starting this process soon and I'm open to lots of places. A world this vast and diverse has to have at least one person willing to put up with Martyn LaSalle. None of these people have any faith in him so I can't really look here but that's not going to deter me! Next question!"

"Yes, is it true that you've discovered that LaSalle's own parents didn't even want him?"

"Well, look, that's a sensitive issue and I don't really want to harp on it too much. I'm not going to go as far as saying he wasn't loved but I have heard that there were a few instances where LaSalle's dad wanted to shoot himself over not pulling out! Hey, who can blame him? I may be looking to try to help him make a connection but I sure as well would be disappointed if Martyn was my son and I'd have kicked the cow that birthed him straight to the curb!"

Those last few statements are enough to bring LaSalle himself out from the back and running down to the ring to try and get him some of the champion. Hotbody quickly declares "NO MORE QUESTIONS!" and runs into the crowd with LaSalle on his tail.

Fifth Match: King of the Ring First Round - Stone Walsh vs. Clubber Harris
I think I might have something for Harris after all here. I really don't want to just discard him. In fact, I'll send him to round two of this tournament! Harris gets the clean pin after hitting the Club Pain. *****, 94% overall.

Sixth Match: WWE Unified Tag Team Champions The Future Foundation and The Millennium Rebels vs. The Wyldhearts and The British Infection
Fun, fun, fun all around. Vivian Merrick is in her guys' corner but looks like she'd rather be getting dental surgery. Things break down as Robbie Greer and Rick Hilton tumble hard to the outside right in front of Vivian. She shows concern and kneels down but Rick pulls away accusing her of checking out Robbie, too. The argument is enough to distract Nate Exley, the legal man, and that allows Julian Merrick to get a handful of tights roll up for the win. ****1/2, 91% overall.

In-Ring Super Special Talky Time with Nathan Quinn as he demands that the production crew put up the photos he and Leah took of Jenna Kyle on the big screen for everyone to enjoy. He demands that everyone bask in Jenna's image! That's what they've been wanting to do, isn't it? Soak it all up because there's plenty more where that came from! There will be plenty more humiliation! Plenty more violence! And more importantly, plenty more Leah! Leah is the kind of person the women's division needs, not some overpaid MMA celebrity or a cover girl or some street hoodlum who happens to be friends with that cover girl! Yeah, Faith is who he's talking about and he knows that she's been fuming over people wanting to move in on her territory. Well, she's more than welcome to come and do something about it if she can!

Needless to say, Faith Connors comes out to the stage and looks to make her way down to confront Nathan BUT WAIT! A photographer just nails Faith from behind with their camera. It's Hannah McCormick in disguise! She chokes out Faith with the camera strap and drags her up to the stage and proceeds to slam her repeatedly into the set. Once she's had her fun she takes her leave but Nathan decides to take the camera and use it for more photos as he shoots Faith's beaten body.

MAIN EVENT: King of the Ring First Round - Ryan Pattillo vs. Moses McKay
And with this we close out the first round of the tournament. The second round starts on Raw. Pattillo is the last member of the Hunters in the tournament and McKay tries his damndest to make what he predicted on Superstars come to pass. The ref is bumped and McKay looks to cheat his way to a win with a chair but Gavin Jones hops up on the apron to object to this. McKay takes a swing at him but misses and Jones drops McKay throat-first on the top rope allowing Pattillo to hit the Shutdown for the pin and is the final competitor to advance to the second round. McKay takes his leave, furious. *****, 95% overall.

Overall show rating: 91%

Updated brackets with the second round ready to go:

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Another brilliant Hotbody promo. The name gets longer and longer and longer. Trying to think of other accolades that can be added to his moniker as the months go on. I love the idea of him helping Zed take out LaSalle in a future round and then replacing him in the next round. King of the Ring Semifinalist! Gotta add Slammy Award Winner in there at some point. Playgirl Centerfold? :shifty:

That Kavovit/Haywood match :eek: I love the idea of a 15 minute draw to open a random SmackDown being a GOAT quality match. Throwing a bye in there is a nice twist.

The tournament feels fairly wide open because everybody is so over there isn't really a "stretch" of a winner anywhere to be found, the crowd will eat it all up.

And yes, Nathan Quinn is right, we ALL want to bask in Jenna Kyle's image. I'm always a mark for "wrestler in disguise" angles, it's something that works great for either faces or heels.

Oh, no doubt Hotbody is in the running for Douche of the Year and/or Rookie of the Year, although I don't think he'd be keen on having the former as part of his title. I could see someone like him winning that award and then taping something over the word 'Douche' on the plaque that says 'WWE Humanitarian' or something to that effect.

Determining the match of the year is a pain. I guess Cemenko/Cross would be a contender, something I wasn't expecting. The year up to this point has produced some goodies and there's still a whole half to come. Being a fan in this universe would be something else with all of the snowflakes.

Jenna, Faith, Braddock, Naomi, and Hannah are easily the field for Woman of the Year. I mean, I know which way you'd vote. :shifty:
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Hotbody winning Douche of the Year but just spinning it into "Slammy Award Winner" in his title would be SO on brand.

Had to suspend Lonny Richards for running his mouth on a talk show. I will not tolerate anyone blasting our fine catering!!!

Raw: July 9, 2040

Opening Match: King of the Ring Second Round - Quentin McDaniels vs. Caleb Greene
The King of the Ring continues with four matches tonight and the final three on Superstars to get the final 8 determined. Greene is a hard to pin down high flyer here in the face of a vicious and determined McDaniels. McDaniels is so determined that his fist manifests a foreign object and it collides with Greene's face allowing McDaniels to pick up the pin and be the first man in the quarterfinals. *****, 94% overall.

Backstage, Vivian Merrick walks into Lisa Benton's office apparently in response to a summons. Benton wants to know how the Future Foundation are faring. Vivian rolls her eyes and responds they're still the best team the WWE has got going if that's what she means. Benton only asks because any personal animosity amongst Vivian's group could be disastrous, especially when Benton is making a Unified Tag Team championship match for King of the Ring. Vivian wonders who could possibly be good enough right now to take down her boys. Benton responds by saying it's a team Vivian has seemed to shown great interest in these last few weeks: The Wyldhearts. Vivian reacts with an odd expression, with a mix of anger and content.

Elsewhere backstage the Royal Effect want to yell and bitch about a couple of things. First thing first, the fact that dumb pretty boy teams like the Wyldhearts getting a title shot over the Royal Effect is just more fuel to what they've been saying. The Play Pals are a symptom of rot here in the WWE and they need to be taught a lesson.

Second Match: King of the Ring Second Round - Salvatore Scabbia vs. Martyn LaSalle
LaSalle makes it known that he's aware of what Hotbody is trying to do with his insults and theatrics. Hotbody shouldn't be worried about whether or not LaSalle has friends because the comfort of the Cruiserweight Championship along with the King of the Ring crown is more than enough. Scabbia tries his usual overpowering tactics here forcing LaSalle to take this to the mat in order to stand a chance. LaSalle manages to counter the Omerta and turn it into an attempt at locking in the Martynizer but Michael Hotbody makes his presence known being accompanied by an obvious, umm, 'professional companion', and offers her up to LaSalle. This is enough to break LaSalle's focus and Scabbia escapes and goes back into locking in the Omerta which causes LaSalle to pass out sending Scabbia to the quarterfinals. After Scabbia leaves Michael Hotbody and his, er, company enter the ring and Hotbody gets on the mic and mocks LaSalle for not being able to 'rise' to the occassion despite Hotbody bringing him a companion. ****1/2, 92% overall.

Third Match: The Wyldhearts vs. The Wolves of Wall Street
The Wyldhearts have some fire here as they're happy to be the number one contenders to the Unified Tag Team Titles. Vivian Merrick once again makes it a point to watch the match from the stage. Well that aside, this is all about making the Wyldhearts look good and they isolate Hughs and hit the Heartstopper for the win. Vivian looks impressed and possibly a little aroused. *****, 95% overall.

In-Ring Super Special Talky Time with Paul Andrews. He wants to talk about the level of disappointment he feels in the current Intercontinental Champion, Brandon Reigns. Much like Jake Connelly, Paul Andrews pegged Reigns as a future top name even before Connelly decided to take Reigns under his wing. Andrews doesn't want to slight Reigns for his choices but rather his attitude. Reigns feels that he has nothing left to learn but as the saying goes, the day you stop learning is the day you die. Reigns' career is far from over granted but its decline can be sped up if he continues this grandstanding. Ultimately, Reigns will be judged on how he faces adversity just like everybody else who laces those boots and struts their way into this ring. So Andrews is daring Reigns to step up to the adversity known as Conner Buchanan and accept his challenge for an Intercontinental Title match.

This brings out the Intercontinental Champion himself and he joins Andrews in the ring. Reigns declares that he's not afraid of adversity but he's not interested in wasting his time. That's why he opted out of the King of the Ring and that's why he said no to Conner's challenge last week. He had his time in the spotlight and it's not Reigns' fault that Conner has to resort to latching onto another has-been like Paul Andrews to stay afloat. It's actually quite sad. So Reigns will once again reject the challenge but with one small caveat: if Conner or Andrews waste his time again with crap like this, Reigns won't be so merciful. Andrews retorts that a match with Buchanan wouldn't be a waste of time but a chance for Reigns to show a 'has-been' like Andrews that he is indeed the future like he claims to be. Wouldn't it be so sweet in Reigns' mind if he was able to shove Andrews' words down his throat? Reigns says that he knows that Andrews has to speak for Buchanan as a manager so he gets what he's trying to do. But the problem is Reigns doesn't need a match to do what Andrews is asking for. And with that Reigns nails Andrews with his Money in the Bank briefcase. Reigns proceeds to pound the shit out of Andrews and even locks him in the Iron Reign. He lets go when it looks like Andrews is out and thus takes his leave.

Fourth Match: Fatal Four Way Number One Contender's Match for the Women's Title - Tania vs. Billie Padgett vs. Hannah McCormick vs. Faith Connors
As the WWE Women's Champion Naomi Bailey feels entitled to watch this from ringside standing near the announce table. Faith and Hannah continue their little drama but it all boils down to Tania escaping Padgett's Red Hook and countering into the Nose Dive to score the pin and earn herself a championship match. Hannah and Faith battle it out to who knows where and Tania and Naomi exchange glares. ****1/2, 94% overall.

Fifth Match: King of the Ring Second Round - Haven vs. Azazel
Two dark monsters battling it out here. Haven once again demonstrates his desire to not fuck around in this tournament. After a grueling heavyweight slugfest Haven manages to score a clean victory after hitting the Sting of Solace for the pin to advance to the quarterfinals. ****1/2, 93% overall.

More In-Ring Special Talky Time with the challenger to the Unified World Title, Kerry Cemenko. Cemenko asks the crowd if Butch Fleming has the ability to fly. Does Butch Fleming has superhuman strength and bulletproof skin? Does Butch Fleming have lasers that shoot from his eyes? Can Butch Fleming turn invisible or lift things with his mind? Can he even use a bow and arrow? If the answer to all of those question is no, then quite frankly those threats that Fleming made last week ring a little hollow. You see, here's a shocking truth that Fleming doesn't want any of us to process: he's only a man. A vicious man? Yes. A tough man? Absolutely. An invincible man? No. He wants to talk about making life difficult well for Kerry Cemenko there have been plenty of days that are difficult. He calls them days when he hasn't been the Unified World Champion. You see, when you get into this business with an eye to wear that top prize, you had better get rid of the fear of another man because you might as well just pack it in and head home. There will be pain, there will be torture, there will be heartbreak but it's all worth it when you can sit at home, looking at that championship, with a proud feeling in your soul that it was worth it and you didn't let somebody like Butch Fleming and his words deter you. King of the Ring is not Fleming's playground where he throws his weight around and Cemenko is just supposed to run away crying to his mommy. It's a night where Cemenko takes all of what Fleming has to offer and he spits right in Fleming's face and laughs it off because winning that Unified World Title is too damn important. You're a man, Fleming, not a monster. And even if you were, Cemenko would find a way to slay you anyway.

Bold words, but Fleming has managed to sneak his way into the ring behind Cemenko and nails him knocking him down. The champion hasn't taken kindly to Cemenko's bravado and proceeds to pummel the challenger all around the outside of the ring. Fleming sets up the announce table looking to put an exclamation point on this. SLAUGHTERHOUSE SPECIAL THROUGH THE TABLE!!! Cemenko stands tall and shouts some more smack to his fallen adversary.

Sixth Match: Leah vs. Missy Brantley
Leah and Nathan Quinn make it a point to hand out photos of their beatdown of Jenna Kyle from last week to the crowd. Quinn points out that Jenna might just never show her face again around here! The match goes along without a hitch until Leah looks to hit the Sultry Splash but HERE COMES JENNA running down the aisle! She makes a beeline for Leah and tackles her down for the DQ. Jenna will not be denied though! She smashes Leah's face into the canvas a few times before Quinn pulls her off and gets Leah the hell out of there. ****1/2, 92% overall.

MAIN EVENT: King of the Ring Second Round - Ryan Pattillo vs. Zed Jones
This will do it for our King of the Ring matches for the night. Michael Hotbody accompanies Zed and invites Martyn LaSalle to watch a real King of the Ring contender in Zed Jones...if he's still not off in dreamland, that is. This is another hard-hitting contest with Hotbody interjecting himself whenever he can behind the ref's back. Ultimately Martyn LaSalle comes down and stalks Hotbody. Hotbody shits his pants and backs off pleading with LaSalle. They have themselves a chase through the crowd leaving Zed by himself with Pattillo. The whole ordeal is enough to allow Pattillo to take advantage of Zed's pre-occupation with the shenanigans and hit the Shutdown to get the win and advance to the quarterfinals. ****1/2, 91% overall.

Overall show rating: 90%

Michael Hotbody debuted his new gimmick: The Godfather. It got a confused response.


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I'm all in on Jenna snapping and killing things. I don't really ever do handicap matches but would pop at Jenna facing both Leah and Quinn and making Quinn tap out.


Even though it'd be heavyweight vs. cruiserweight, I envision Jones eventually being tired of Hotbody's antics and turning on him, but for realsies this time. I'm always a sucker for "heel's stooge gets fed up". I think AEW are saving Wardlow eventually turning on MJF for when they get back on the road in front of crowds, because I think it will blow the roof off the building.

I have my entire Double or Nothing card ready to go and 5 Dynamites to build to it, and I have most of the big angles coming out of it ready to go too. But I have serious writers block at the moment.

Such is life with me and EWR. It's a paradox where I'd probably be near the end of the year by now if I wasn't posting results, yet posting the results is the main thing that drives me back into playing :o

Had to suspend Sonya Braddock because people complaining about her attitude. I imagine it was mainly her stare causing too many people to wet their pants when she walked down a hallway.

So I mentioned having two NXT prospects where the game is telling me that they're ready to go even though their workrate blows chunks. Well, I'm keeping one of them because of their charisma and dumping the other but I'm going to switch their names because Luscious is a much better fit. So look for her to be inserted in one of the storylines soon.