BRADY ROSSEN
Ladies and gentlemen, this Heritage Heavyweight title bout is your main event of the evening and it is to be fought over a twenty minute time limit with one fall, one submission or a knockout to decide the winner!
Parkway Drive’s The Sound of Violence blares from the arena’s PA system and the crowd reacts as HAMMERSTEIN slowly steps through the curtain with the Heritage tag title around his waist and the other half of the champions, Carl Whitaker right behind him. The two stop, drinking in the crowd as Hammer has a huge grin on his face. He looks back at Whitaker, who nods and the two proceed down the aisle.
BRADY ROSSEN
Introducing the challenger! Fighting out of Los Olivos, California! He weighed in this morning at two hundred and forty two pounds... "THE AMERICAN MONSTER" - HAMMERSTEIN!
Hammer climbs into the ring, running as hard as he can into the turnbuckles, then turns and runs across the ring, slamming into the opposite corner. Hammerstein runs to the corner to his left, climbs to the middle rope, and raises his arms in the air. He goes to the opposite corner, repeating the gesture and taking in the noise of the crowd.
BRIAN SHELZI
This dude's nuts, but I don't think you're about to debate me on that one, eh, Sammy?
SAM HEWITT
Not even for argument's sake, no. He's certainly a changed man from the once wildly popular fan favourite he was.
"CMND/CTRL" by The Deftones hits and the crowd begins chanting, "BAM! BAM! BAM!" as the Heritage Heavyweight Champion Bam Markham walks out. David Troy and Cam Markham follow him out, but Commission rules dictate that a fighter may only have one second so Cam gives both men a pat on the shoulder and heads to the back.
BRADY ROSSEN
Introducing the champion! Fighting out of Boulder, Colorado! He weighed in this morning at two hundred and eighty pounds... "THE BIG BULL FROM BOULDER" - BAM MARKHAM!
Bam Markham gets to ringside and stops, eyeing Carl Whitaker as David Troy trots behind the Heritage Heavyweight Champion.
SAM HEWITT
It'll be interesting to see how the two teammates play a factor here. Of course, we know that next week at Lion's Road 104 - these four men will hook it up as HAMMERSTEIN and Carl Whitaker make their first defense opposite the Dangerous Mix - Bam Markham and David Troy.
BRIAN SHELZI
I loved Bam's trash talk this week, I think he struck a nerve by bringing up how Hammer lost the World tag team titles in his first defense last year. Of course, HAMMERSTEIN had Scotty Latimer as a partner and I'm sure someone like Billy Danielson will tell you what kind of detriment that is to a man. This time around, Carl Whitaker is the ally and these two men have looked like a well oiled machine since day one so imagine what they're going to be like with more experience.
HAMMERSTEIN gets out of the ring and rushes the champ and even though Bam seen him coming, the Hammer gets the upper hand and a handful of hair - driving Markham's face into the ring apron. Referee Cordell Garner warns him about the hair pulling, but HAMMERSTEIN responds by doing the same thing once more! Hammer then pummels the champion, who turns his back to the apron to try and mount some sort of offensive attack while on the defensive. HAMMERSTEIN's offensive is interrupted by a clubbing blow to the ribs, keeling him over. Markham gets himself standing up again and Hammer tries to slink inside the ring, but Markham jumps onto the apron and tries to climb through the ropes...
WHITAKER TRIPS HIM UP!
Markham falls into the ring and HAMMERSTEIN is right on top of him again, driving an elbow into his cranium as Troy gives chase to Whitaker. Garner admonishes both men, telling them they'll be ejected if they don't settle down. Markham gets to his feet, but Hammer grabs him by the hair again and drives him head first into the middle turnbuckle. Garner retrieves the yellow card from his pocket.
BRADY ROSSEN
Referee Cordell Garner has issued a yellow card to HAMMERSTEIN for pulling the hair! His first public warning!
SAM HEWITT
Repeated warnings ignored, HAMMERSTEIN finds himself with a public warning. A first strike if you will, but it doesn't seem like he cares all too much.
BRIAN SHELZI
You said it yourself, Sammy. It's strike one! Just like batters in baseball, you work the count a little bit. If you got two strikes to use to get ahead inside the ring, I say take it.
Markham falls to the mat and Hammer uses his foot to push down on the shoulder as he grabs an arm and pulls it up. The Heritage Champion tries to get to the ropes, but with the control of the arm - HAMMERSTEIN is able to direct Markham's movement with relative ease. Hammer then changes it up, climbing onto Bam's back and lifting the other arm to apply a camel clutch. Markham pulls one arm down, but Hammer forearms him in the back of the head and pulls it back up. The other arm goes down, Hammer releases the hold and grabs Bam by the hair again - yanking him to his feet and chucking him into the corner closest to Carl Whitaker. Hammer goozles Bam's throat, choking him until Garner's count reaches four. Hammer turns around, arguing with Garner and trying to buy Whitaker a minute to cheat but David Troy comes around to keep Whitaker from doing just that.
BRIAN SHELZI
I think Mandeville Nelson made a big mistake booking that Lumberjack match. You got two guys out here on the floor and David Troy is doing a helluva job making sure that Carl Whitaker has no opportunity to interfere in this match. As a former manager myself, that's incredibly infuriating. You want to do what you can to help your ally in the ring, but you got a lil' watchdog running around outside. David Troy's more like a chihuahua though, but they're still pretty yappy and annoying.
Noticing his plan failed, HAMMERSTEIN heads back toward Bam Markham on the ropes. The Heritage Heavyweight Champion eats a shot, then comes back with a headbutt to the face. Hammerstein doubles over and the champion steps off the ropes, kicking Hammer in the face. Hammer goes down to his knees but the Bull from Boulder grabs him up, whips him into the ropes and on the return, drives a boot into the gut of his challenger. With HAMMERSTEIN doubled over, Bam grabs him by the hair and trunks...
IDIOT TOSS!
HAMMERSTEIN hits the top turnbuckle with his chest and teeters on the top rope, Carl Whitaker comes around and jumps on the apron to check on his teammate. Garner tells him to get off, Troy comes by and is set to pull him down. Garner warns if they touch, they're both going to the back. Troy walks off shaking his head, Whitaker jumps down and antagonizes his opponent next week a little bit. Troy stops dead in his tracks, but closes his eyes and seems to calm himself down. Markham grabs Hammer and pulls him in for a powerbomb...
SAM HEWITT
This could be it! Here comes the Bam Bomb!
Indeed, Markham lifts him up but Hammer thumbs him in the eye. Markham drops him forward, Hammer lands against the ropes and the champion clutches his eye. Hammer charges to the opposite set of ropes, then springs off, picking up speed. He bounces off the side he started on...
POUNCE!
PERIOD!
Sorry, flashbacks of Monty Brown. Anyway, unlike last week - it takes only one of these to put Markham down and the champion's momentum carries him out to the arena floor. HAMMERSTEIN of course gives chase, he grabs Bam and delivers a right hand. Markham is turned away by the shot, but comes back with a clubbing blow to the body. HAMMERSTEIN begins coughing as he doubles over, Markham grabs him and slams him head first off the guardrail - then grabs him again, sending him head first into the ring apron.
BRIAN SHELZI
Somebody tell Bam Markham this isn't pinball.
SAM HEWITT
To be perfectly honest, I think he likes the sound of Hammer's head hitting each object.
He rolls HAMMERSTEIN inside and climbs onto the apron, then dashes across it to the turnbuckles where he climbs up...
slowly, but surely.
He sizes Hammer up and dives off...
NO ONE HOME ON THE HEADBUTT!
HAMMERSTEIN rolls out of the way just in time. He gets up, grabs the champion in a full nelson and tries to pull him to his feet, but Bam falls forward instead and Hammer goes head first into the top turnbuckle. He staggers backwards, Bam grabs him and tries for the Bam Bomb again but Whitaker jumps on the apron. Markham tosses Hammer aside and swings at the other half of the Heritage tag champions, but Ol' Stonehands drops down before he can connect. David Troy...
BLAZING STAR KNEE STRIKE!
Whitaker goes down, Troy gets up and jumps on him - having not got all of it, Whitaker's still trying to get back up. Garner ejects both men and security comes to round them up. Back inside the ring, Markham turns around and is low blowed by HAMMERSTEIN while Garner is distracted! Markham goes down, but Hammer is still disoriented from smashing his head off the turnbuckle and actually reaches out for a tag before realizing what's happening. He shakes his head and falls back, draping himself on Markham.
1...
...
2...
...
3-NO!
Markham kicks out, shoving Hammer's upper body off of him in the process. Both men get to their hands and knees rather quickly, but are slow to get up from there. Security finally clears the ringside area of Carl Whitaker and David Troy, but the action continues inside the ring - Hammer grabs Markham in a front chancery and steps up to his feet. He pulls Markham's body suit for leverage and tries to hoist him up for the Hammersteiner, but Bam blocks it. He tries a second time to no avail so is the third time the charm?
Nope.
Hammer clubs Bam in the back and slaps his arm, signalling for a lariat. He bounces off the ropes behind Bam and comes charging in...
MEAT HOOK!
Bam's left hand catches Hammer with his own momentum! The tag champion spins out on his feet, dropping to a knee... Markham grabs him...
POWERBOMB!
The Bam Bomb connects! Folding pin!
1...
...
2...
...
3!
SAM HEWITT
And that'll do it! V3 defense for Bam Markham - maybe his toughest to date, HAMMERSTEIN brought it but Markham succeeds nonetheless. Showing off why some are calling him the best Heritage Heavyweight Champion since the likes of James Edwards, Alexander Irvine and Corey Cruelty.
BRIAN SHELZI
Good company. Edwards and Irvine each had four defenses, Cruelty's still got the record with six. That's something Bam can easily break if he keeps this up. Big time credit to HAMMERSTEIN though, he showed he's on the cusp of becoming a singles champion here in the Great Lakes. He's without a doubt a great tag team fighter, but that might be distracting him a bit. I'm not trying to drive a wedge between he and Whitaker with my comments because that's my favourite team, bar none, but from my time managing - you're either a singles fighter or a tag team guy. Sometimes you can be both, but that's rare.
Cam Markham comes out to greet his grandson in the aisle, but so too does Carl Whitaker! David Troy isn't far behind and he takes care of Whitaker with some rights and lefts. HAMMERSTEIN exits the ring and yanks Troy down by the hair, then begins a ground and pound onslaught as Whitaker helps put the boots to him. Markham recovers, grabbing Whitaker and chucking him over the guardrail. He turns back and hauls Hammer off of Troy, but Whitaker grabs a steel chair and cracks it across Markham's back. Hammer chuckles as Markham falls to his knees, putting himself into a vulnerable position on the floor. HAMMERSTEIN gets the nod from Whitaker, but before he can even attempt anything - David Troy leaps onto his back and applies a choke! Hammer tries to buck him off, but isn't having much luck. So Whitaker once again cracks a steel chair over a back! Troy falls to the ground while Hammer drops to his knees, coughing. Whitaker climbs back over the railing and tries to direct traffic, but an irate Hammer says no! He grabs David Troy...
AND SUPLEXES HIM INTO THE CROWD!
HOLY SHIT!
HOLY SHIT!
HOLY SHIT!
BRIAN SHELZI
Much like a punk rock show, I don't think anybody caught him!
SAM HEWITT
I'd say get a camera in there, but we'll need the medics first!
Whitaker tries to pull Markham up but gets slugged for his troubles, falling to a knee. HAMMER is booted in the gut and Markham looks like he's going to powerbomb his latest victory on the floor...
BUT JUSTIN SEVILLE SUPERKICKS HIM!
The Cottonmouth comes from out of nowhere, superkicks Markham then grabs him up in a standing arm triangle. He turns him toward Whitaker... who clocks him with the Stonehand! Markham goes down and the duo put the boots to him as Alexander Irvine comes walking out, all smiles with Becky Chande in tow. In her possession is the World's title belt. Irvine snatches it away from her and proudly holds it up as the crowd boos. He yells at Chande to interview him. She puts the mic up to him, looking very disinterested.
ALEXANDER IRVINE
As you can see, win or lose it is the WALL that protects the house it helped build. Every attempt to make something rise against us fails. Because we will do anything it takes to rebuild Lion’s Road to its true glory. Even if that means burning this place to the fucking ground.
Irvine points out into the crowd where stage hands, medics and concerned fans are tending to David Troy.
ALEXANDER IRVINE
Like it or not, AJ is the face of this federation but work is done on a man’s feet, and it’s the heels that carry this federation into the future, not the biggest mouth in Lion’s Ro--
A familiar voice interrupts.
AJ KNIGHT
We interrupt the weekly public circle-jerk of the WALL for this important news bulletin.The Pollovision lights up, revealing AJ Knight - all smiles, backstage.
AJ KNIGHT
Hi, I'm AJ Knight, you may remember me from things such as making Justin Seville cry by pinning him in a triangle survival match, nearly beating Hammerstein to death with a steel chair, winning the World's title, being a better role model to my nephew than Whitaker's been to either of his kids, and retaining my title against that juiced up has been Alexander Irvine.
The WALL each get a chuckle out of AJ's cheap shots. Well, not Carl Whitaker - as he's seething. HAMMERSTEIN wraps his arm around his partner and tells him not to worry about it.
AJ KNIGHT
Recently the WALL has accused your undisputed heavyweight champion of the world of a lot of things, most of which are exaggerated, or completely false. So tonight I'm going to set the record straight with a segment I call "Alexander Irvine - Fake News and the Truth."
A late night news jingle plays drawing a chuckle from the fans.
AJ KNIGHT
The first accusation was that my title defense Vs. GRIM delayed Irvine's title challenge. This is completely false as that match took place during a week in which Lion' Road had no scheduled events. In fact June 28th was the date that Irvine himself chose! Which makes this statement Fake News!
AJ is met with "Shut the fuck up" chants from the WALL fans in the audience.
AJ KNIGHT
Another accusation made was that I attacked the referee Cordell Garner when I was fired at the end of 2016. However on June 8th of the following year, footage aired which not only cleared me of the crime, and conclusively showed that I was nowhere near the scene of the crime. Which means that is Fake News!AJ chuckles and the chants from the WALL fans grow much louder.
AJ KNIGHT
And here's one about the manifesto of the WALL themselves. Irvine claims their goal is to wipe out the influence of Max-Japan from the Great Lakes region. But did you know that in December Alexander Irvine and Black Lions Road co-promoted an event called Black Lion's Road Bom-Ba-Ye II? Who was their co-promoter? None other than Masaaki "Genki" Sano, the promoter of Max Japan Pro Wrestling! Sounds like a conflict of interest doesn't it? Hypocritical isn't it?
That shut them up, and this is the first thing AJ's said to draw a reaction from Irvine that indicates he's gotten to him.
AJ KNIGHT
He's not even a good leader. He busted my nose and hit me with everything he's got and still couldn't put me away. And the worst part of it? He's not even that smart. If he were he would have figured out by now that this is a recording, and the real deal is right behind him!
True to his word, AJ Knight and Ben Chrenshaw are behind the four men when the lights come back up. Chairs ring off Whitaker and Seville's back before they can turn around, Irvine and Hammer both pivot and receive chair shots to the gut. AJ happily cracks the chair over Hammer's back and the two partners look at Irvine doubled over. Chrenshaw's smirk is returned by AJ and they size him up...
IRVINE PULLS BECKY IN FRONT OF HIM!
The two stop just short of conchairto'ing her, causing her to scream. She drops to her knees, dropping the belt in the process. Irvine takes this opportunity to get the fuck out of dodge. AJ drops down and checks on Becky, then grabs the mic.
AJ KNIGHT
Run away, Alex. Run away. Matt Pulver... that's how you do it.
A pop from the crowd with some scattered boos for the unnecessary potshot at Matt Pulver.
AJ KNIGHT
How does it feel boys? To get beaten at your own game? I told you I'd save Becky, I told you I'd get my belt back, and I did it before my next defense! You boys ain't so bad!
AJ notices Cam attending to his charges with some medical staff, beside him. AJ addresses them.
AJ KNIGHT
Hey, Methuselah. When ugly and Wildstar D-bag wake up tell them the world champion says "you're welcome."
AJ goes back to the speech against the WALL.
AJ KNIGHT
Boys I'm going to warn you now. You guys wanted a war? Well let me tell you this! As long as I'm still standing! As long as I still draw breath, you will not win! Because I am more than the champion! I am more than the Ace! I AM LION'S ROAD!!!
Becky Chande hands him the belt, then plants a kiss on his cheek. AJ turns red as Chrenshaw shakes his head with a slight grin. "Until the End" blares over the speakers as the shot fades.
