Post by Press1269 on Feb 20, 2020 16:58:47 GMT
PERCY: Calvin Harris being carted out of here by security for his own good, and I have to agree. If he's not cleared, he's not cleared.
CAT: Yeah, but Calvin shouldn't be treated like some second class citizen either. He had his chance robbed from him by someone at ADDICTION last night, and to boot he has a medical situation threatening to take him out of action. It's not fair.
PERCY: Many would say it's just what he deserves considering his actions since pretty much he started here in PAW. He got denied the championship, denied his opportunity to be the one to end Jack Nomad, and now he's been denied from the Seven Deadly Sins Ladder Match. Smells like justice to me.
CAT: You know what you smell like, Percy? Bullshit. Rhonda, let's get this match underway so we can find out who the real deal is out here, Johnny Raike or Press.
RHONDA ARMSTRONG: The following contest is scheduled for one fall or submission, there are to be NO disqualifications, and it is for the PURE AMUSEMENT WRESTLING Heavyweight CHAMPIONSHIP! Introducing first, the challenger.
"Long Johns" breakbeat starts up as Johnny Raike and new found partner Lorie-Beth "Cake" Daughton burst out onto the stage. The music abruptly stops and so do the duo, only to be replaces by Scissor Sisters "Filthy/Gorgeous." Raike and Cake begin a rehearsed dance routine down to the ring, though LB can be more described as vigorous than talented when it comes to her dancing. The fans react with gusto as the routine ends, Raike posing in his glittery skirt at the base of the ring.
CAT: I swear, that man has more entrances than an inner city jewelry store.
RHONDA ARMSTRONG: From Albany, Queens, New York, weighing in tonight and one-hundred and ninety-six pounds, the Thigh High Thriller, JOOOHHHHHNNNNNNNNYYYYYYYY! RAIKE!
Raike rolls into the ring and poses once again for the fans, before leaning over the ropes to talk with LB.
PERCY: I'll tell you what he has, Cat. Heart, guts, and determination!
The lights go dim as "Strangle Hold" begins to blare across the arena. Red strobe-lights begin to flicker all around the ring and ramp way, and finally settle on the entry way where the silhouette of the massive Press can be seen standing in the curtain. These words can be seen clearly up on the four small screens.
WITH THIS PASS
I CAN GO ANYWHERE I DAMN WELL PLEASE!
At the chorus of the song he bursts through the curtain, and thrusts his black chair with the words "Press Pass" high up into the air with a grimace spread across his face. He scans the crowd as he stalks down towards the ring, Youth bringing up the rear with a bebop like style, nodding and signaling to the crowd.
RHONDA ARMSTRONG: And the champion.....Hailing from Las Vegas, Nevada, he weighs in tonight at three-hundred and sixty-five pounds......PRESS!!!!!
Press reaches the ring and throws his chair in under the bottom rope, hops up on the apron, and enters the ring by swinging his leg up and over the top rope. He knocks his head to the left & right to get out the kinks, and then throws his fists high into the air all the while letting out an animalistic growl. As he finishes, A-Ref approaches to take the belt. The crowd goes wild as he stalks over to the corner, and nonchalantly leans into it awaiting for the start of the match.
DING
Before the match can get underway a dueling chant breaks out LET'S GO JOHNNY!/LET'S GO PRESS. Raike stops for a moment to play up the chanting, conducting for both sides. He leads the crowd in a clap and moves forward to the middle of the ring, where Press extends his hand. Raike shakes it before backing off into a fighting stance, ready to go, Press also going through the body shifts of a man ready to fight.
PERCY: And there we go, a title match that starts with a hand shake. Might be a PAW first.
CAT: Respect is over rated, I want these two to destroy each other.
Raike and Press circle in the middle of the ring, Raike clearly reluctant to get into grapple range with a man who outweighs him by over a hundred pounds and towers almost a foot taller. Press goes for a quick shoot in, but Raike pivots his upper body around it and brings up a kick to thigh of the Champion. Johnny is back out before Press can grab him, and once again the two men circle, Press shooting in for a collar and elbow tie up. Raike goes behind, but Press reaches behind and throws Raike to the ropes. Johnny ducks a clothesline, hits the ropes and hits a diving kick to Press's shin. The strike obviously stings, but the champion keeps his feet. Raike exploits his relative quickness as he rolls to his feet outside of Press's range. Johnny leaps into a chop block, driving his shoulder into the back of Press's knee, and he quavers, falling to one leg. Press is quick to start rising, but Johnny is quicker, hitting the ropes and landing a knee to chin of Press, sending him stumbling to the corner. Johnny back off and lets Press out of the corner, and the two men stand eye to eye, so to speak, once more.
CAT: Look at Raike, not pressing the advantage on Press. I thought he wanted to be champion.
PERCY: Raike still following the spirit of a standard match, it would seem. There's no penalty for attack your opponent in the ropes in this match, but Raike seems ready to fight this a little different. Remember, these two don't hate each other.
A tie up is tried again, and once more Johnny goes behind. He shoves Press chest first into the ropes, catches him, and drops down into a backslide, getting one. Both men are back up and Raike rushes at Press, ducks a clothesline, takes Press off his feet in a surprise school boy, for another one. The size difference is obviously making it tough to apply a pin, and Raike shoots in to grab the arm of Press. Raike tries for an arm ringer, but Press lashes out with a kick, sending Raike stumbling and making him victim to a head lock. Johnny pushes against the back of Press's arms to pull his head free, throws a chop which is blocked by Press. Press pushes Johnny back and goes for a right cross, which Raike dodges by the skin of his teeth. Johnny takes control of Press's arm and tries to slide through his legs, but the massive champion pulls Raike back to standing. In desperation Raike shoves out, rebounding Press off the rope and into an O'Conner roll for one.
CAT: Raike keeps trying these tricky little pins, but Press is too damn big for them to work. Guess Raike isn't that tricky.
PERCY: Trying for the quick win was probably never going to work, but Raike keeping to his game plan so far.
Press seems to have had enough of this back and forth, and comes back to his feet quicker than Johnny is expecting, grabs his smaller challenger, and tosses him up and over in a surprise fall away slam. Johnny manages to roll with most of the blow and he uses the momentum to let himself out under the bottom rope. Press, having seen this kinda thing out of Johnny Raike before, follows him to the ground. Raike sees him coming and rolls hack into the ring. As Press goes to step over the top rope, Raike strikes with a shoulder tackle, causing Press to step down hard to ground. Johnny wastes no time in hitting the ropes for a suicide dive, but Press catches him and smashes him hard to the ground with a fearsome power slam! The crowd loves it, popping big and starting a "PRESS!PRESS!PRESS!" chant. The champ grunts in seemingly pleased recognition, Youth standing behind him playing cheer leader.
PERCY: Press just brutalized Johnny with that powerslam from the dive to the concrete floor. Good Lord.
CAT: And look at that fool, Youth. He has ample opportunity to kick Johnny while he's down, but all he's doing is making idiot faces to the fans at ringside.
The champion returns to the ring, letting Raike find his feet at ring side, assisted by fanning from Cake. Johnny makes his way back into the ring, throwing out a few defensive kick feints. Press responds with a clothesline, turning Johnny ass over elbows and sending him bouncing off the mat. Raike stumbles right back into the fray, only to be side walk slammed to the mat. Raike rises, back stumbles to the ropes, and comes running with a big elbow off the ropes, only to be scooped up by Press's longer arms and spine bustered hard to the man. Press towers over Raike for a moment, sizing up the situation, dropping a big knee to the fallen Sissyboy. He stands again, measures, and hits the elbow to the sternum. Press pulls Raike back up, and paints his chest with a big slap, hand covering almost the entire breast of Johnny Raike. The pain is clear on the face of the American Wet Dream, a second slap to the other breast not helping. Press whips Raike into the corner, rolls his shoulders, and comes charging in with a big tackle, but Raike rolls away as Press collides, step back, and hits a big Yakuza kick to Press. Raike chop blocks Press, taking him off his feet, then quickly steps in to hit a knee-dt, sending shock waves up the big leg of Press Jones. Johnny throws a few more heels to the knee cap, before spinning Press around by the leg and torquing to apply a modified Boston Crab.
PERCY: Raike, back on the leg, though having to compensate for that tree trunk of a limb. Boston Crab is a simple but effective hold.
CAT: Maybe too simple, but taking out a big man's leg always scans.
Press groans in pain and effort, reaching out with his arms to pull himself toward the rope. He grabs it before too long, and Raike breaks at what would have been a three count. Johnny backs away, rubbing at his chest as he once more stands in the shadow of the champion. Press goes in for a collar and elbow, which Raike once again slides behind to avoid. The champ anticipates this counter, and backs into the ropes to get some momentum, swivels to send Raike sprinting ahead. The Thigh High Thriller hits the ropes, gets scooped up in a huge over head belly to belly and impacts the mat to a huge "oooooh" from the crowd.
PERCY: Good night! That's a fall of over seven feet! That's gotta hurt!
CAT: All of Raike's dancing around, messing with the leg, and still Press has no problem taking him off his feet. Just observing.
PERCY: Cute line, think of it yourself?
Press covers Raike with a lateral press, A-Ref dropping to check the shoulders.
1...
2...
Kick out!
Raike kicks out to appreciative cheers from the PAW crowd, Cake turning the respect into motivation by leading a " Raike!Raike!Raike!" chant. Johnny begins fighting to standing, taking clubbing blows to the back but still pushing through, determination throwing splotches of red across his face. Johnny fights all the way back to standing with a primal scream, and he throws a double chop to Press's face, to great Wooooooo!ing. Press returns the favor, to even more Wooooooos, staggering Raike backwards with the force. Still yelling, Johnny turns, throws himself forward and hits another double chop. Press answers the yell and hits a flush left hook, sending Raike stumbling away from him. Raike's unsteady path unfortunately sends him back into Press's range and into a spinning elbow. The blow seems like to lift Raike's head from his shoulders, it whips around so fast, but instead it knocks him backward over the ropes, landing hard at ringside. The pro-Press part of the crowd takes its turn to chant now, "Let's go Press! Let's go Press!"
PERCY: Can't fault him for guts, but going toe to toe with Press was probably not one of Raike's better ideas.
CAT: Seriously. It's no DQ, kick him in the nuts!
Press smiles just a bit, appreciative of the support as he eyes the heap of Johnny laying at ringside.
CAT: Speaking of, think anyone is going to interfere?
PERCY: Hard to say, guess that depends how they feel about what Deus said.
Cake is there to yell at Johnny to get up, but she backs away as Press let's himself down to the floor, taking some pains to protect the leg. Johnny Raike begins to rise to all fours, but Press just shoves him back down with a big boot to the middle of the back. Press wraps a hand around the back of Johnny's head and pulls him almost casually to his feet, then smoothly up and over his head. Press pauses for a moment as the crowd buzzes with anticipation, then powers the Hedonistic Hellcat hard to the unforgiving ringside. A "holy shit" chant says it all.
PERCY: Press sends Raike on another huge ride, but no DQ isn't falls count anywhere, Raike can't get pinned outside!
CAT: Press doesn't think it through, but he does rattle the bones of Johnny Raike, and not in the way Raike would like.
Press tosses Raike back inside, sharing a word with Youth as the smaller Bombtrax member eggs him on. The champion takes one huge step into the apron, leg almost giving out as he rises. He enters the ring and hooks the leg of Raike.
1...
2...
Thre-Kickout!
Press and the audience seem stunned, but A-Ref shows only two fingers. Press returns to business, pulling Johnny up and whipping him to the ropes, throwing a powerful if slow clothesline. Johnny ducks, hits the second rope and bounces into a triangle drop kick, scoring a blow to the chin. Quick as a flash Johnny is up to continue the attack, jumping high to get a jaw breaker. Press stays doubled over from the fall as Johnny delivers an awesomely quick super kick to the side of Press's skull. Press topples with a thud leaving Johnny to smile and throw his hands out, before falling flat on his face.
PERCY: Whatever source Johnny was digging into seems to have run dry, but Press is right there on the mat alongside of him.
CAT: I mean, when you're that tall, it should be pretty easy to keep out of kick range, yeah? Ask me, it's his own fault.
Press and Johnny each lay trying to catch some breath, Raike beginning to rise to his knees slowly while Press rolls to the ropes, pulling himself up. Clapping and stomping from the PAW faithful urge the pair on, and A-Ref calls them both active near concurrently. Johnny scrambles under a grab, slides through Press's legs successfully, and axe handles the back of the calf. Raike stands and delivers a heel into the back of the knee, shaking the vertical base of Press. Raike launches a standing drop kick to the much abused knee back, finally putting the champion on one knee. Pushing through, Raike hits the rebound, and gets a sliding kick to the chin. Press hits the mat as Raike bounds up, hits a leg drop, pops up, launches a knee drop from the second rope, rises once more, climbs to the top and nails an elbow drop. Exhausted, Raike lies back to cover, crowd counting with A-Ref.
1...
2...
Thre-kickout!
PERCY: So close! Raike with a flurry of offense, but Press still powers through!
CAT: Gotta suck to be Raike right now. All that and still nothing.
Raike looks like someone has kicked his puppy, holding up three fingers, pleading. A-Ref is adamant in his count, and reluctantly Raike return to the fight. Johnny throws Press's arm over his shoulder and begins trying to haul the big man up. He's stopped by a big set of hands pushing him into the ropes, and taken off his feet and out of the ring by a huge running boot.
PERCY: Sudden Stop! Raike sent crashing to the outside again!
CAT: He's got to stop doing that! I think Raike might be trying to go outside!
Press follows Johnny out, using the ring stairs to save himself wear and tear on the knee. The champ throws his challenger back in the ring, roll himself in, and goes for a cover.
1...
2...
Three-kickout!
Press seems annoyed at the two count, but keeps focus and pulls Raike up. A snap suplex puts Johnny on the mat again, Press following up with a second snap suplex. Press looms over Johnny for a moment, shoots a hand down over Raike's kidney, and squeezes.
PERCY: Claw hold! And listen to Raike groan.
CAT: I'd rather not.
Johnny fights through the pain and gets his legs under him, refusing to quit when asked. Raike begins to fight to his feet, so Press releases the hold, whips him to the ropes, and sets up for a back body drop. Johnny sees it coming and rolls across Press's back, landing on his feet, and crawling onto Press with a sleeper hold. As Press stands, Johnny locks in a body scissors, squeezing tight. The constriction of blood flow forces Press down to his knees, but he shakes his head when A-Ref asks about quitting. Johnny lets off the body scissors, stands up, and takes Press down with a modified face buster. Johnny rolls over to grab the leg again, once more applying a half Boston Crab.
PERCY: Back to the Boston Crab, still working that leg.
CAT: It's not not working, but I bet he doesn't tap.
Once again Press fights and drags himself to the ropes. Raike holds the leg for a moment, but once again chooses to let the hold go. Press sits up in the corner as he tries to return to a vertical base, but Johnny jumps into a flip, and comes down hard with a kopu kick! Johnny takes to his hands and knees to catch a breath, but notices Press starting to stir. He gets to his knees, waits for Press to stand, and springs forward with a big double handed push to put Press in the corner. A quick kick to the head keeps Press off balance as Raike pushes and powers Press up to the bottom rope. The Beautiful Nightmare lays in another trio of kicks to the chest, climbs the turnbuckle behind Press, and comes leaping off with a huge flipping Ace Crusher! The momentum of the landing sends Raike rolling away, as Press lies motionless.
PERCY: Raike pulling out the desperation, but can he do anything about it?
CAT: If he wants to be champ and not chump, he'd better.
Raike slowly crawls his way back towards Press, who still hasn't moved. When he reaches him he raises his left arm high in the air, and barely manages to fall forwards draping his arm over the big man's chest.
1...
2...
THRE-KICK OUT!
PERCY: Good Lord, what are these two men going to have to do to one another for this thing to end.
CAT: I don't know, but I don't think they know either. Raike just shaking his head as he stumbles back up to his feet.
Press has finally started to move now after the kick out, and he sluggishly rises up to his his hands and knee's. Johnny reaches down and grabs him on either side of his head, and pulls him the rest of the way up to his feet, placing his head underneath his arm in suplex position.
PERCY: ARE WE ABOUT TO SEE THE FULL FRONTAL! I don't think Raike can get him up!
CAT: It'll take one hell of a bout of strength!
Raike makes the move to lift the 365 pound challenger, and gets him off of his feet just for a second, before they come safely back down to the mat. Raike grabs at his back, abandoning his hold on Press, and instead falls back into the ropes, and comes careening across the ring with a Yakuza kick aimed at the champion's head. Press, who up to this point looks out on his feet, reaches up suddenly and snatches Johnny's boot right out of the air, jerking it to the right causing Johnny to spin around. Press dips his head under Johnny's armpit from behind, and lifts up abruptly for a side suplex, but Johnny rolls through to land safely behind him. Press turns around and walks right into a Pele Kick that sends him staggering back into the ropes.
PERCY: Press just laying across the top rope there, and Johnny Raike getting back to his feet. He come rushing in to nail Press with a spinwheel kick, but the big man dropped do his knee's and ducked! Johnny almost went all the way out to the floor, but he managed to hook the top rope with his arm.
CAT: Yeah, but Press is already turning in that direction...OH! LEAPING SAVAT KICK CATCHES PRESS RIGHT IN THE TEMPLE!
Johnny lands on the ring apron, but Press crumples back down to the canvas. Instinctively he's already rolling over onto his stomach, trying to get to his feet but tripping himself up so that he comes back down to the mat. Johnny uses the ropes to get up on the apron, and makes his way over to the corner in front of him, and begins to climb.
PERCY: Johnny Raike coming up to the top of turnbuckle, and he's going for another high risk maneuver. It could be his last, as I don't think Press can take much more.
CAT: Yeah, but we've been saying that all match about both men, and it hasn't proven correct yet!
Press finally manages to get to his feet, but he's exhausted and out of it as he stumbles around the ring, finally turning in Johnny direction. Raike takes that as a cue as he leaps into a barrel roll senton out towards the big man.
PERCY: JOHNNY RAIKE JUST TOOK FLIGHT, AND COMES DOWN ON PR...NO!! PRESS CAUGHT HIM!! Repositions him in the air....PRESS RELEASE POWERBOMB! OH MY GOD!
CAT: Fuck me running!
Press doesn't go for a cover so much as he falls forwards and lands on top of Johnny, but it's all A-Ref needs to drop to the mat for the count.
1...
2...
3!!!
Youth is in the ring in a flash, checking on both men as they lie motionless on the mat, bell sounding in the distance.
PERCY: Folks, we just saw a war here tonight, and I don't think anything we can say can do it justice. Johnny Raike and Press are the real deal here in PAW, and they proved it here tonight.
CAT: Yeah, and Press is still somehow the PAW Heavyweight Champion. That's the shit I can't believe.
PERCY: Well, the deck's certainly stacked against him, as in one month's time he'll be defending that belt against six other superstars at Seven Deadly Sins in a ladder match!
CAT: Can't take anything away from the big bastard. Raike gave him everything, and then some, yet he still pulled it off.
RHONDA ARMSTRONG: The winner of this match by pinfall, and still THE PAW HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION.....PRESS!!
Youth helps Press get to his feet, half holding the big man up as A-Ref hands him the title. Press takes it, and lets it dangle limply next to his side as he tries to get his body back under his control. Over in the far corner, Cake does the same with Johnny Raike, who cradles the back of his head after the massive blow from the powerbomb. Finally, it's Raike who shoves past his bodyguard, and stumbles/stalks over to where Press is standing. The big man seeing him coming shoves Youth out of the way, and manages to stand on his own two feet for the first time. The two meet in the center of the ring, much as they did when the match first started, but this time sweaty, bleeding, and battered. Raike stares up into Press' eyes for a moment, and then slowly extends his hand. Press nods, and takes the offering, pulling Raike into his grasp for a hug. The fans go ballistic.
PERCY: A handshake in the beginning, and a hug at the end. These two are both class acts as far as I'm concerned. I don't even know how to feel right now, Cat. Part of me wanted Press to defend the title here, but part of me wanted to see Johnny Raike take it away from him. Both men are so deserving of our respect and the accolades this crowd is giving them.
CAT: Whatever. Sportsmanship makes me sick.
PERCY: Well, Raike is now leaving the ring to the champion to celebrate, and it looks like Youth is going with him. Cake and Youth helping Johnny to the back as Press looks out at a cheering PAW Universe with a smile on his worn face.
CAT: We'll see how much he's smiling when his back's pinned to the wall at Seven Deadly Sins, and that's all I gotta say.
PERCY: You know, you have got to be one of the most unfeeling people that I've ever encountered. Does nothing these men did here tonight mean anything to you?
CAT: Hold on just a sec...
PERCY: NO! Johnny Raike and Press put on a classic here, and they deserve your respect. That man in the ring is the face of this company, and has done a pretty good job of helping steer the ship! I'm sick and tired of seeing match after match of underhanded tactics, and people whining about what they deserve. These two men earned it here tonight! What? You don't have anything to say?
CAT: Um.....Calvin Harris just jumped the guard rail, and is in the ring behind Press with a steel chair.
PERCY: WHAT!?!
The fans boo profusely as Calvin keeps just out of sight of the slow moving champion, still favoring his leg from the damage Raike had done earlier in the night. Press realizes something is wrong, but it isn't until he finally sets his eyes on the Martyr of Professional Wrestling that he knows what. Calvin's face is drawn up in a sadistic expression, and he screams at the champion right before bringing the chair swing up and then down across Press' skull.
CALVIN HARRIS: I know it was you, YOU SON OF A BITCH!
Press crumples to the mat, and Calvin comes to stand over him, bringing the chair down across his head, back, and thighs repeatedly. The fans displeasure is thunderous, but Calvin doesn't relent, the clang of steel banking off of Press with every shot. Finally security comes rushing out of the back, and enters the ring, taking hold of Calvin and disarming him of the now ruined steel chair. Calvin resists as he's dragged over to a corner by several men, still screaming at the top of his lungs.
CALVIN HARRIS: YOU CAN'T DENY ME YOU PIECE OF SHIT! I SHOULD BE THE CHAMPION, AND IF I'M NOT GOING TO THE PPV, NEITHER ARE YOU! I SWEAR TO CHRIST!
PERCY: Calvin Harris has lost his freakin' mind!
CAT: Yeah, and he's not cleared to be in the ring either! Oh God, I bet they are going to take this opportunity to do something terrible to him.
PERCY: Who?
CAT: PAW Management. You've seen how they have it in for him.
PERCY: ARE YOU KIDDING ME? This lunatic barges in here after a great night, a great match, and a great title defense, and possibly injures the champion only a few weeks out from the PPV! This situation needs some involvement from management, cause they are the ones who have let it spiral out of control.
CAT: Oh, come on. This is exactly what they want. Easy ratings. I wouldn't put it past Munin to be the one who paid Hunter Storms off for that debacle on ADDICTION just so that this would happen. I mean, how hard is it to keep a guy with a concussion from entering the building?
PERCY: I'm sorry folks, but I can't listen to anymore of this. I'm out.
CAT: Awww, Percy, where are you going?
Percival Banion Chord flips his headset off his head, and abandons the announce booth as EMT's finally reach the ring to check on the downed Champion. Halfway up the ramp, being hauled away by security, Calvin Harris is nearly frothing at the mouth with accusations and curses. The camera does a split screen shot of Press lying in the ring trying to communicate with the EMT's, and Calvin Harris' seething face, before fading to the PAW logo, followed by the CTN logo, and then to black.
CAT: Yeah, but Calvin shouldn't be treated like some second class citizen either. He had his chance robbed from him by someone at ADDICTION last night, and to boot he has a medical situation threatening to take him out of action. It's not fair.
PERCY: Many would say it's just what he deserves considering his actions since pretty much he started here in PAW. He got denied the championship, denied his opportunity to be the one to end Jack Nomad, and now he's been denied from the Seven Deadly Sins Ladder Match. Smells like justice to me.
CAT: You know what you smell like, Percy? Bullshit. Rhonda, let's get this match underway so we can find out who the real deal is out here, Johnny Raike or Press.
RHONDA ARMSTRONG: The following contest is scheduled for one fall or submission, there are to be NO disqualifications, and it is for the PURE AMUSEMENT WRESTLING Heavyweight CHAMPIONSHIP! Introducing first, the challenger.
"Long Johns" breakbeat starts up as Johnny Raike and new found partner Lorie-Beth "Cake" Daughton burst out onto the stage. The music abruptly stops and so do the duo, only to be replaces by Scissor Sisters "Filthy/Gorgeous." Raike and Cake begin a rehearsed dance routine down to the ring, though LB can be more described as vigorous than talented when it comes to her dancing. The fans react with gusto as the routine ends, Raike posing in his glittery skirt at the base of the ring.
CAT: I swear, that man has more entrances than an inner city jewelry store.
RHONDA ARMSTRONG: From Albany, Queens, New York, weighing in tonight and one-hundred and ninety-six pounds, the Thigh High Thriller, JOOOHHHHHNNNNNNNNYYYYYYYY! RAIKE!
Raike rolls into the ring and poses once again for the fans, before leaning over the ropes to talk with LB.
PERCY: I'll tell you what he has, Cat. Heart, guts, and determination!
The lights go dim as "Strangle Hold" begins to blare across the arena. Red strobe-lights begin to flicker all around the ring and ramp way, and finally settle on the entry way where the silhouette of the massive Press can be seen standing in the curtain. These words can be seen clearly up on the four small screens.
WITH THIS PASS
I CAN GO ANYWHERE I DAMN WELL PLEASE!
At the chorus of the song he bursts through the curtain, and thrusts his black chair with the words "Press Pass" high up into the air with a grimace spread across his face. He scans the crowd as he stalks down towards the ring, Youth bringing up the rear with a bebop like style, nodding and signaling to the crowd.
RHONDA ARMSTRONG: And the champion.....Hailing from Las Vegas, Nevada, he weighs in tonight at three-hundred and sixty-five pounds......PRESS!!!!!
Press reaches the ring and throws his chair in under the bottom rope, hops up on the apron, and enters the ring by swinging his leg up and over the top rope. He knocks his head to the left & right to get out the kinks, and then throws his fists high into the air all the while letting out an animalistic growl. As he finishes, A-Ref approaches to take the belt. The crowd goes wild as he stalks over to the corner, and nonchalantly leans into it awaiting for the start of the match.
DING
Before the match can get underway a dueling chant breaks out LET'S GO JOHNNY!/LET'S GO PRESS. Raike stops for a moment to play up the chanting, conducting for both sides. He leads the crowd in a clap and moves forward to the middle of the ring, where Press extends his hand. Raike shakes it before backing off into a fighting stance, ready to go, Press also going through the body shifts of a man ready to fight.
PERCY: And there we go, a title match that starts with a hand shake. Might be a PAW first.
CAT: Respect is over rated, I want these two to destroy each other.
Raike and Press circle in the middle of the ring, Raike clearly reluctant to get into grapple range with a man who outweighs him by over a hundred pounds and towers almost a foot taller. Press goes for a quick shoot in, but Raike pivots his upper body around it and brings up a kick to thigh of the Champion. Johnny is back out before Press can grab him, and once again the two men circle, Press shooting in for a collar and elbow tie up. Raike goes behind, but Press reaches behind and throws Raike to the ropes. Johnny ducks a clothesline, hits the ropes and hits a diving kick to Press's shin. The strike obviously stings, but the champion keeps his feet. Raike exploits his relative quickness as he rolls to his feet outside of Press's range. Johnny leaps into a chop block, driving his shoulder into the back of Press's knee, and he quavers, falling to one leg. Press is quick to start rising, but Johnny is quicker, hitting the ropes and landing a knee to chin of Press, sending him stumbling to the corner. Johnny back off and lets Press out of the corner, and the two men stand eye to eye, so to speak, once more.
CAT: Look at Raike, not pressing the advantage on Press. I thought he wanted to be champion.
PERCY: Raike still following the spirit of a standard match, it would seem. There's no penalty for attack your opponent in the ropes in this match, but Raike seems ready to fight this a little different. Remember, these two don't hate each other.
A tie up is tried again, and once more Johnny goes behind. He shoves Press chest first into the ropes, catches him, and drops down into a backslide, getting one. Both men are back up and Raike rushes at Press, ducks a clothesline, takes Press off his feet in a surprise school boy, for another one. The size difference is obviously making it tough to apply a pin, and Raike shoots in to grab the arm of Press. Raike tries for an arm ringer, but Press lashes out with a kick, sending Raike stumbling and making him victim to a head lock. Johnny pushes against the back of Press's arms to pull his head free, throws a chop which is blocked by Press. Press pushes Johnny back and goes for a right cross, which Raike dodges by the skin of his teeth. Johnny takes control of Press's arm and tries to slide through his legs, but the massive champion pulls Raike back to standing. In desperation Raike shoves out, rebounding Press off the rope and into an O'Conner roll for one.
CAT: Raike keeps trying these tricky little pins, but Press is too damn big for them to work. Guess Raike isn't that tricky.
PERCY: Trying for the quick win was probably never going to work, but Raike keeping to his game plan so far.
Press seems to have had enough of this back and forth, and comes back to his feet quicker than Johnny is expecting, grabs his smaller challenger, and tosses him up and over in a surprise fall away slam. Johnny manages to roll with most of the blow and he uses the momentum to let himself out under the bottom rope. Press, having seen this kinda thing out of Johnny Raike before, follows him to the ground. Raike sees him coming and rolls hack into the ring. As Press goes to step over the top rope, Raike strikes with a shoulder tackle, causing Press to step down hard to ground. Johnny wastes no time in hitting the ropes for a suicide dive, but Press catches him and smashes him hard to the ground with a fearsome power slam! The crowd loves it, popping big and starting a "PRESS!PRESS!PRESS!" chant. The champ grunts in seemingly pleased recognition, Youth standing behind him playing cheer leader.
PERCY: Press just brutalized Johnny with that powerslam from the dive to the concrete floor. Good Lord.
CAT: And look at that fool, Youth. He has ample opportunity to kick Johnny while he's down, but all he's doing is making idiot faces to the fans at ringside.
The champion returns to the ring, letting Raike find his feet at ring side, assisted by fanning from Cake. Johnny makes his way back into the ring, throwing out a few defensive kick feints. Press responds with a clothesline, turning Johnny ass over elbows and sending him bouncing off the mat. Raike stumbles right back into the fray, only to be side walk slammed to the mat. Raike rises, back stumbles to the ropes, and comes running with a big elbow off the ropes, only to be scooped up by Press's longer arms and spine bustered hard to the man. Press towers over Raike for a moment, sizing up the situation, dropping a big knee to the fallen Sissyboy. He stands again, measures, and hits the elbow to the sternum. Press pulls Raike back up, and paints his chest with a big slap, hand covering almost the entire breast of Johnny Raike. The pain is clear on the face of the American Wet Dream, a second slap to the other breast not helping. Press whips Raike into the corner, rolls his shoulders, and comes charging in with a big tackle, but Raike rolls away as Press collides, step back, and hits a big Yakuza kick to Press. Raike chop blocks Press, taking him off his feet, then quickly steps in to hit a knee-dt, sending shock waves up the big leg of Press Jones. Johnny throws a few more heels to the knee cap, before spinning Press around by the leg and torquing to apply a modified Boston Crab.
PERCY: Raike, back on the leg, though having to compensate for that tree trunk of a limb. Boston Crab is a simple but effective hold.
CAT: Maybe too simple, but taking out a big man's leg always scans.
Press groans in pain and effort, reaching out with his arms to pull himself toward the rope. He grabs it before too long, and Raike breaks at what would have been a three count. Johnny backs away, rubbing at his chest as he once more stands in the shadow of the champion. Press goes in for a collar and elbow, which Raike once again slides behind to avoid. The champ anticipates this counter, and backs into the ropes to get some momentum, swivels to send Raike sprinting ahead. The Thigh High Thriller hits the ropes, gets scooped up in a huge over head belly to belly and impacts the mat to a huge "oooooh" from the crowd.
PERCY: Good night! That's a fall of over seven feet! That's gotta hurt!
CAT: All of Raike's dancing around, messing with the leg, and still Press has no problem taking him off his feet. Just observing.
PERCY: Cute line, think of it yourself?
Press covers Raike with a lateral press, A-Ref dropping to check the shoulders.
1...
2...
Kick out!
Raike kicks out to appreciative cheers from the PAW crowd, Cake turning the respect into motivation by leading a " Raike!Raike!Raike!" chant. Johnny begins fighting to standing, taking clubbing blows to the back but still pushing through, determination throwing splotches of red across his face. Johnny fights all the way back to standing with a primal scream, and he throws a double chop to Press's face, to great Wooooooo!ing. Press returns the favor, to even more Wooooooos, staggering Raike backwards with the force. Still yelling, Johnny turns, throws himself forward and hits another double chop. Press answers the yell and hits a flush left hook, sending Raike stumbling away from him. Raike's unsteady path unfortunately sends him back into Press's range and into a spinning elbow. The blow seems like to lift Raike's head from his shoulders, it whips around so fast, but instead it knocks him backward over the ropes, landing hard at ringside. The pro-Press part of the crowd takes its turn to chant now, "Let's go Press! Let's go Press!"
PERCY: Can't fault him for guts, but going toe to toe with Press was probably not one of Raike's better ideas.
CAT: Seriously. It's no DQ, kick him in the nuts!
Press smiles just a bit, appreciative of the support as he eyes the heap of Johnny laying at ringside.
CAT: Speaking of, think anyone is going to interfere?
PERCY: Hard to say, guess that depends how they feel about what Deus said.
Cake is there to yell at Johnny to get up, but she backs away as Press let's himself down to the floor, taking some pains to protect the leg. Johnny Raike begins to rise to all fours, but Press just shoves him back down with a big boot to the middle of the back. Press wraps a hand around the back of Johnny's head and pulls him almost casually to his feet, then smoothly up and over his head. Press pauses for a moment as the crowd buzzes with anticipation, then powers the Hedonistic Hellcat hard to the unforgiving ringside. A "holy shit" chant says it all.
PERCY: Press sends Raike on another huge ride, but no DQ isn't falls count anywhere, Raike can't get pinned outside!
CAT: Press doesn't think it through, but he does rattle the bones of Johnny Raike, and not in the way Raike would like.
Press tosses Raike back inside, sharing a word with Youth as the smaller Bombtrax member eggs him on. The champion takes one huge step into the apron, leg almost giving out as he rises. He enters the ring and hooks the leg of Raike.
1...
2...
Thre-Kickout!
Press and the audience seem stunned, but A-Ref shows only two fingers. Press returns to business, pulling Johnny up and whipping him to the ropes, throwing a powerful if slow clothesline. Johnny ducks, hits the second rope and bounces into a triangle drop kick, scoring a blow to the chin. Quick as a flash Johnny is up to continue the attack, jumping high to get a jaw breaker. Press stays doubled over from the fall as Johnny delivers an awesomely quick super kick to the side of Press's skull. Press topples with a thud leaving Johnny to smile and throw his hands out, before falling flat on his face.
PERCY: Whatever source Johnny was digging into seems to have run dry, but Press is right there on the mat alongside of him.
CAT: I mean, when you're that tall, it should be pretty easy to keep out of kick range, yeah? Ask me, it's his own fault.
Press and Johnny each lay trying to catch some breath, Raike beginning to rise to his knees slowly while Press rolls to the ropes, pulling himself up. Clapping and stomping from the PAW faithful urge the pair on, and A-Ref calls them both active near concurrently. Johnny scrambles under a grab, slides through Press's legs successfully, and axe handles the back of the calf. Raike stands and delivers a heel into the back of the knee, shaking the vertical base of Press. Raike launches a standing drop kick to the much abused knee back, finally putting the champion on one knee. Pushing through, Raike hits the rebound, and gets a sliding kick to the chin. Press hits the mat as Raike bounds up, hits a leg drop, pops up, launches a knee drop from the second rope, rises once more, climbs to the top and nails an elbow drop. Exhausted, Raike lies back to cover, crowd counting with A-Ref.
1...
2...
Thre-kickout!
PERCY: So close! Raike with a flurry of offense, but Press still powers through!
CAT: Gotta suck to be Raike right now. All that and still nothing.
Raike looks like someone has kicked his puppy, holding up three fingers, pleading. A-Ref is adamant in his count, and reluctantly Raike return to the fight. Johnny throws Press's arm over his shoulder and begins trying to haul the big man up. He's stopped by a big set of hands pushing him into the ropes, and taken off his feet and out of the ring by a huge running boot.
PERCY: Sudden Stop! Raike sent crashing to the outside again!
CAT: He's got to stop doing that! I think Raike might be trying to go outside!
Press follows Johnny out, using the ring stairs to save himself wear and tear on the knee. The champ throws his challenger back in the ring, roll himself in, and goes for a cover.
1...
2...
Three-kickout!
Press seems annoyed at the two count, but keeps focus and pulls Raike up. A snap suplex puts Johnny on the mat again, Press following up with a second snap suplex. Press looms over Johnny for a moment, shoots a hand down over Raike's kidney, and squeezes.
PERCY: Claw hold! And listen to Raike groan.
CAT: I'd rather not.
Johnny fights through the pain and gets his legs under him, refusing to quit when asked. Raike begins to fight to his feet, so Press releases the hold, whips him to the ropes, and sets up for a back body drop. Johnny sees it coming and rolls across Press's back, landing on his feet, and crawling onto Press with a sleeper hold. As Press stands, Johnny locks in a body scissors, squeezing tight. The constriction of blood flow forces Press down to his knees, but he shakes his head when A-Ref asks about quitting. Johnny lets off the body scissors, stands up, and takes Press down with a modified face buster. Johnny rolls over to grab the leg again, once more applying a half Boston Crab.
PERCY: Back to the Boston Crab, still working that leg.
CAT: It's not not working, but I bet he doesn't tap.
Once again Press fights and drags himself to the ropes. Raike holds the leg for a moment, but once again chooses to let the hold go. Press sits up in the corner as he tries to return to a vertical base, but Johnny jumps into a flip, and comes down hard with a kopu kick! Johnny takes to his hands and knees to catch a breath, but notices Press starting to stir. He gets to his knees, waits for Press to stand, and springs forward with a big double handed push to put Press in the corner. A quick kick to the head keeps Press off balance as Raike pushes and powers Press up to the bottom rope. The Beautiful Nightmare lays in another trio of kicks to the chest, climbs the turnbuckle behind Press, and comes leaping off with a huge flipping Ace Crusher! The momentum of the landing sends Raike rolling away, as Press lies motionless.
PERCY: Raike pulling out the desperation, but can he do anything about it?
CAT: If he wants to be champ and not chump, he'd better.
Raike slowly crawls his way back towards Press, who still hasn't moved. When he reaches him he raises his left arm high in the air, and barely manages to fall forwards draping his arm over the big man's chest.
1...
2...
THRE-KICK OUT!
PERCY: Good Lord, what are these two men going to have to do to one another for this thing to end.
CAT: I don't know, but I don't think they know either. Raike just shaking his head as he stumbles back up to his feet.
Press has finally started to move now after the kick out, and he sluggishly rises up to his his hands and knee's. Johnny reaches down and grabs him on either side of his head, and pulls him the rest of the way up to his feet, placing his head underneath his arm in suplex position.
PERCY: ARE WE ABOUT TO SEE THE FULL FRONTAL! I don't think Raike can get him up!
CAT: It'll take one hell of a bout of strength!
Raike makes the move to lift the 365 pound challenger, and gets him off of his feet just for a second, before they come safely back down to the mat. Raike grabs at his back, abandoning his hold on Press, and instead falls back into the ropes, and comes careening across the ring with a Yakuza kick aimed at the champion's head. Press, who up to this point looks out on his feet, reaches up suddenly and snatches Johnny's boot right out of the air, jerking it to the right causing Johnny to spin around. Press dips his head under Johnny's armpit from behind, and lifts up abruptly for a side suplex, but Johnny rolls through to land safely behind him. Press turns around and walks right into a Pele Kick that sends him staggering back into the ropes.
PERCY: Press just laying across the top rope there, and Johnny Raike getting back to his feet. He come rushing in to nail Press with a spinwheel kick, but the big man dropped do his knee's and ducked! Johnny almost went all the way out to the floor, but he managed to hook the top rope with his arm.
CAT: Yeah, but Press is already turning in that direction...OH! LEAPING SAVAT KICK CATCHES PRESS RIGHT IN THE TEMPLE!
Johnny lands on the ring apron, but Press crumples back down to the canvas. Instinctively he's already rolling over onto his stomach, trying to get to his feet but tripping himself up so that he comes back down to the mat. Johnny uses the ropes to get up on the apron, and makes his way over to the corner in front of him, and begins to climb.
PERCY: Johnny Raike coming up to the top of turnbuckle, and he's going for another high risk maneuver. It could be his last, as I don't think Press can take much more.
CAT: Yeah, but we've been saying that all match about both men, and it hasn't proven correct yet!
Press finally manages to get to his feet, but he's exhausted and out of it as he stumbles around the ring, finally turning in Johnny direction. Raike takes that as a cue as he leaps into a barrel roll senton out towards the big man.
PERCY: JOHNNY RAIKE JUST TOOK FLIGHT, AND COMES DOWN ON PR...NO!! PRESS CAUGHT HIM!! Repositions him in the air....PRESS RELEASE POWERBOMB! OH MY GOD!
CAT: Fuck me running!
Press doesn't go for a cover so much as he falls forwards and lands on top of Johnny, but it's all A-Ref needs to drop to the mat for the count.
1...
2...
3!!!
Youth is in the ring in a flash, checking on both men as they lie motionless on the mat, bell sounding in the distance.
PERCY: Folks, we just saw a war here tonight, and I don't think anything we can say can do it justice. Johnny Raike and Press are the real deal here in PAW, and they proved it here tonight.
CAT: Yeah, and Press is still somehow the PAW Heavyweight Champion. That's the shit I can't believe.
PERCY: Well, the deck's certainly stacked against him, as in one month's time he'll be defending that belt against six other superstars at Seven Deadly Sins in a ladder match!
CAT: Can't take anything away from the big bastard. Raike gave him everything, and then some, yet he still pulled it off.
RHONDA ARMSTRONG: The winner of this match by pinfall, and still THE PAW HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION.....PRESS!!
Youth helps Press get to his feet, half holding the big man up as A-Ref hands him the title. Press takes it, and lets it dangle limply next to his side as he tries to get his body back under his control. Over in the far corner, Cake does the same with Johnny Raike, who cradles the back of his head after the massive blow from the powerbomb. Finally, it's Raike who shoves past his bodyguard, and stumbles/stalks over to where Press is standing. The big man seeing him coming shoves Youth out of the way, and manages to stand on his own two feet for the first time. The two meet in the center of the ring, much as they did when the match first started, but this time sweaty, bleeding, and battered. Raike stares up into Press' eyes for a moment, and then slowly extends his hand. Press nods, and takes the offering, pulling Raike into his grasp for a hug. The fans go ballistic.
PERCY: A handshake in the beginning, and a hug at the end. These two are both class acts as far as I'm concerned. I don't even know how to feel right now, Cat. Part of me wanted Press to defend the title here, but part of me wanted to see Johnny Raike take it away from him. Both men are so deserving of our respect and the accolades this crowd is giving them.
CAT: Whatever. Sportsmanship makes me sick.
PERCY: Well, Raike is now leaving the ring to the champion to celebrate, and it looks like Youth is going with him. Cake and Youth helping Johnny to the back as Press looks out at a cheering PAW Universe with a smile on his worn face.
CAT: We'll see how much he's smiling when his back's pinned to the wall at Seven Deadly Sins, and that's all I gotta say.
PERCY: You know, you have got to be one of the most unfeeling people that I've ever encountered. Does nothing these men did here tonight mean anything to you?
CAT: Hold on just a sec...
PERCY: NO! Johnny Raike and Press put on a classic here, and they deserve your respect. That man in the ring is the face of this company, and has done a pretty good job of helping steer the ship! I'm sick and tired of seeing match after match of underhanded tactics, and people whining about what they deserve. These two men earned it here tonight! What? You don't have anything to say?
CAT: Um.....Calvin Harris just jumped the guard rail, and is in the ring behind Press with a steel chair.
PERCY: WHAT!?!
The fans boo profusely as Calvin keeps just out of sight of the slow moving champion, still favoring his leg from the damage Raike had done earlier in the night. Press realizes something is wrong, but it isn't until he finally sets his eyes on the Martyr of Professional Wrestling that he knows what. Calvin's face is drawn up in a sadistic expression, and he screams at the champion right before bringing the chair swing up and then down across Press' skull.
CALVIN HARRIS: I know it was you, YOU SON OF A BITCH!
Press crumples to the mat, and Calvin comes to stand over him, bringing the chair down across his head, back, and thighs repeatedly. The fans displeasure is thunderous, but Calvin doesn't relent, the clang of steel banking off of Press with every shot. Finally security comes rushing out of the back, and enters the ring, taking hold of Calvin and disarming him of the now ruined steel chair. Calvin resists as he's dragged over to a corner by several men, still screaming at the top of his lungs.
CALVIN HARRIS: YOU CAN'T DENY ME YOU PIECE OF SHIT! I SHOULD BE THE CHAMPION, AND IF I'M NOT GOING TO THE PPV, NEITHER ARE YOU! I SWEAR TO CHRIST!
PERCY: Calvin Harris has lost his freakin' mind!
CAT: Yeah, and he's not cleared to be in the ring either! Oh God, I bet they are going to take this opportunity to do something terrible to him.
PERCY: Who?
CAT: PAW Management. You've seen how they have it in for him.
PERCY: ARE YOU KIDDING ME? This lunatic barges in here after a great night, a great match, and a great title defense, and possibly injures the champion only a few weeks out from the PPV! This situation needs some involvement from management, cause they are the ones who have let it spiral out of control.
CAT: Oh, come on. This is exactly what they want. Easy ratings. I wouldn't put it past Munin to be the one who paid Hunter Storms off for that debacle on ADDICTION just so that this would happen. I mean, how hard is it to keep a guy with a concussion from entering the building?
PERCY: I'm sorry folks, but I can't listen to anymore of this. I'm out.
CAT: Awww, Percy, where are you going?
Percival Banion Chord flips his headset off his head, and abandons the announce booth as EMT's finally reach the ring to check on the downed Champion. Halfway up the ramp, being hauled away by security, Calvin Harris is nearly frothing at the mouth with accusations and curses. The camera does a split screen shot of Press lying in the ring trying to communicate with the EMT's, and Calvin Harris' seething face, before fading to the PAW logo, followed by the CTN logo, and then to black.