CONVICTION XXXII

Episode XXXII Sunday September 19th, 2020 The Citadel in Toronto, Ontario

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From black the words “TAKE THE PLEDGE” appeared on the screen and then cross faded into the OATH signature. “Die Slow” by HEALTH kicked up and the Conviction opening video kicked up showing various action shots from previous events. The final four shots are of the reigning champions of OATH; Megan “Hands of Steel Coleman”, “The Tiger” FM Young, Michael Sharpe & Switchblxde -- The Runaways, and “The Stone Gargoyle” Reo Ojima. We got a view of The Citadel and the raucous crowd here on a chilly September evening in Toronto. Cut to the ringside area and there sat Matt Mears and "Bad Mood" Ben Petrie. Petrie had a can of Dead To Rights Witch's Brew to his left while Mears was nursing a bottle of coconut water.

MEARS: Welcome wrestling fans to the thirty second instalment of OATH Pro Wrestling Conviction! I am, as always, Matthew Mears. I am here alongside my broadcast colleague and beach volleyball enthusiast "Bad Mood" Ben Petrie.

PETRIE: Unlike certain Jedi, I love sand.

MEARS: We have an incredible show for you tonight folks. Three, count them, three championship matches!

PETRIE: Fuck yeah! Megan "Hands Of Steel" Coleman will defend her Tabula Rasa Championship for the first time against JC Keeton in a Bloodsport Match -- a match where you can only win by submission or knockout! I tried to petition for Straker to get the ropes removed for that one but he said no. Bullshit.

MEARS: We will also see perennial rivals go head to head when Qiyanna Marshal attempts to dethrone the new Intrepid Champion, FM Young. These two have had a heated exchange on Twitter after Qiyanna attacked FM last week on Conviction with a steel chair.

PETRIE: Yeah I don't know what we're gonna see with that one but I imagine that it's gonna get ugly really quick. Like my first wife after we got married.

MEARS: Harsh. Then in the main event, "The Canadian Wildcat" Jenna Sharpe has the biggest opportunity of her short career when she faces "The Stone Gargoyle" Reo Ojima with the OATH World Championship on the line. How do you feel about Jenna's chances Bad Mood? PETRIE: That one is fuckin' tough. Ojima has been dominant since he returned to OATH back in May but Jenna has had a meteoric rise since coming to OATH. Obviously I would USUALLY side with the champion but with Bert Cocaine and The Runaways lurking in the shadows and considering that ONI is down to two -- maybe even ONE member...well...I just don't know!

MEARS: It is going to be an interesting night to be certain. Well folks, to get started this evening I have gotten word that we have an interesting video from Minoru Tanahashi. I want to say that we are in no way affiliated with the establishment that plays a prominent role in this video. That is one hundred percent Minoru Tanahashi.

PETRIE: We are affiliated with Dead To Rights Brewing Company though, and I need a few more brought down here pronto if I have to sit through his bullshit again.

MEARS: I'm sure that can be arranged Bad Mood. We're ready if you are wrestling fans so...let us begin!

A large bright red sign appeared on the screen. It looked like barn siding with the words MACDONALD’S FUNNY FARM written on it. Each letter a different color and it also was adorned with suns, cartoon birds, and squirrels.

MINORU: Ah here we are, one of my favorite places in Canada.

The camera panned down to Minoru Tanahashi dressed fairly simple, dark slightly faded jeans, his brown moccasins, no socks, a long sleeved bright green polo shirt, and tortoiseshell sunglasses.

UNKNOWN: Uhm, what are we doing out here? This place is like forty five minutes away from The Citadel, show starts in like 4 hours.

MINORU: Calm down Kenny, we’re going to be here ten, twenty minutes tops. Some new friends of mine own this place, wonderful people, Randy and Deborah, their son Stan is a big wrestling fan, but he’s usually too weak to make it to the shows because of treatment. He was able to about a month ago when I won the Livewire Title. They did the pre show meet and greet all of that, said if I ever wanted to come out here, I was welcome. In Japan we have all sorts of wonderful places to see and pet animals, but they’re mostly native to Japan. They keep the same ideas with animals mainly native to Canada, and others that can thrive in this environment. They’re great people, but the zoo and farm are both struggling. Less people at the zoo means less ability to pay farm hands, means less product, means less money to take care of the animals.

KENNY: Well I get helping out friends, but couldn’t you have done this on your phone, like days ago? You have a big match to prepare for.

MINORU: Heh, my opponent doesn’t give a shit about wins and losses, why should I give a shit about him? That’s really all he’s shown me. His biggest talent is making up terrible excuses and lame threats. Honestly, Alex Pierce is about the fourth thing on my mind right now, but I do need to be focused when I get in to the ring. Coming out here helps me clear my mind. Pierce might be a moron and a blowhard but he is a very big, very strong one. I’m worried about other stuff, that could hurt me. So I’m gonna go see my llama buddy Dale, he’s a little older so doesn’t get the same attention the other llama’s do, but he’s a great listener. You go and get some cool shots of the zoo and the farm and Randy and Deborah and Stan, oh and Shelley their dog. She might be mean at first, but she’s just protective.

Minoru noded and then veered to the left, walking past a few animals, giving them a quick pet.

KENNY: Uh, okay… wait, did he say great listener?

Kenny started heading the same way as Minoru, getting just close enough to pick up Minoru’s mic pack and zoom in to see The Black Lion petting an older tired looking llama while others grazed around in a large pen. Minoru took a deep breath, smiled slightly and then gave a slight chuckle.

MINORU: Five straight weeks main eventing Livewire. Three tournament matches to win that title, and two weeks defending it. Then Event Horizon II comes along, I lose it and suddenly I am in the opening match of Conviction two weeks in a row, and people are acting as if I’m nothing. What the hell is that Dale? I have a grand total of 3 losses in this company. One to the current Intrepid champion (who is also a former Tabula Rasa champion) the other to a former World Champion, and the other… well that’s why I’m standing here talking to you buddy. I wasn’t just walking that Path to Greatness, I became it. That was everything for me and everything about me. Now who am I? Am I just the guy who gets teamed up with his friends when they’re not defending their titles? As great as it was to team with Meg last week, and as good as Steel Lions did, I’m not sure that’s who I want to be. Maybe next show they team me up with Effy and Savage Liger sees their debut. Super Tiger had a very intriguing idea, but as much as I love her and know we could make a run at the belts held by meth mouth and the sleaze, I have always been more of a singles wrestler.

Minoru gave Dale a scratch behind the ear, then pulled out a small bag from his pocket, opened it and dumped a little into a nearby food tray for Dale. Dale leaned down and ate as Minoru scratched his ear.

MINORU: There are only three singles titles on this show though, and my friends hold two of them. Ojima isn’t going to just gift me a shot at the gold like he did with his so called challenger tonight. He knows that I can actually beat him straight up. Management, well it seems like they may have the same opinion of me as a certain commentator. So where does the Path Of Greatness go? What do I do to get back on the right road? Go out tonight, open the show and remind everyone of how damn good I am?

Dale looked up at that, turned his head slightly, and then stuck out his tongue before he went back to eating.

MINORU: I just don’t know what this match with Alex Pierce really is. Is this the kind that sets the tone for the entire show, or did they put me out there as the curtain jerker while folks are still buying merch and getting popcorn? Does a win against Alex Pierce really push me towards title contention? Or does it just give me a few more points in the convoluted rankings system and leave me unsure of where to go or what to do. You can only tread water for so long until you either have to push forward… or drown.

Dale brought his head back up, looked at Minoru and shoved his head forward, putting his head right against Minoru’s forehead, causing Minoru to smile.

MINORU: You’re right Dale, push forward, get the win and then keep doing what I have to do. If that means challenging Meg or Effy… they’ll understand.

Minoru gave Dale another ear scratch, then turned and saw Kenny standing a bit closer than he realistically should be.

MINORU: Did you get the entire conversation?

KENNY: Uh, yea I think so.

MINORU: Was it compelling?

KENNY: Fans might be interested.

MINORU: Well then keep it, switch out tapes and come get some actual footage of the place. I’ll pay you if you can turn it into a cool commercial for them.

KENNY: Alright.

Minoru and Kenny started heading back towards the entrance as the camera went down to the ground, then black.

SINGLES MATCH Alex Pierce vs. Minoru Tanahashi

The first contest of the evening saw the returning “Fire Fist Ace” Alex Pierce taken on “The Black Lion” Minoru Tanahashi in a one on one contest. Both of these dudes were jockeying for future title opportunities and both desperately needed to pick up a singles win. They made their respective entrances and the referee called for the bell.

MEARS: I have been looking forward to this contest all week. Alex Pierce was just starting to go on a great run before OATH went on hiatus. Despite a loss last week, I think he could have an incredible career here in OATH.

PETRIE: You know who hasn’t been looking forward to this match? Tanahashi. He’s been bitching about being in the opening match all week. Guy is such a pussy and honestly, a giant loser.

MEARS: He won last week…

PETRIE: He won because he was teaming with Coleman and her career has passed him by. She just dragged him along for the ride.

Pierce was still adjusting his knee pad when Tanahashi came charging out of the corner and he nailed Pierce with Akihabara Dreams (Yakuza Kick). Pierce took that kick right on the chin and fell back into a corner. Tanahashi climbed up to the middle rope.

MEARS: It seems that Tanahashi has heard what you have to say Bad Mood. He wants to make a statement tonight against Alex.

In the corner, Tanahashi started delivering punches and the fans half-heartedly counted along with him. After ten punches, Tanahashi hopped down and took Pierce out of the corner with a hip toss. Pierce sat up immediately but Tanahashi hit a running shotgun dropkick to the back of his head. Tanahashi covered.

1..!

PETRIE: Yeah like that was worth a pin! God this guy sucks.

MEARS: Relax will you?

The Fire Fist Ace kicked out right at one, to prove a point. He could have taken longer to rest but that means that Tanahashi would also have had more time to catch his breath. Tanahashi gathered Pierce up and sent him into the ropes but Pierce came back with one hell of a haymaker.

PETRIE: Hahaha. Idiot just got SMOKED!

Taking a moment to compose himself, Pierce glared at the crowd who was supporting Tanahashi. He had less support than usual. Pierce got Tanahashi up and hit him with a belly to back suplex, causing Tanahashi to land right on the back of his neck.

The Black Lion tried to rally back but Pierce cut him off with a running knee to the midsection. Tanahashi was doubled over and Pierce butterflied his arms and then took him over with a double underhook suplex. Tanahashi landed with a thud and Pierce looked quite smug about it.

MEARS: Minoru is having a tough time here tonight. Pierce is really taking it to him.

PETRIE: That’s because Minoru is not fit to be at this level. He proved that when he got embarrassed at Event Horizon.

Tanahashi could feel the match slipping away so he tried to get the momentum back with a palm strike but Pierce grabbed his wrist and slapped him in the face. Tanahashi didn’t even have time to be offended by that show of disrespect before Pierce planted him with Fire Pillar (German followed by a sitout belly-to-back facebuster)! Pierce covered.

1..

PETRIE: It’s over Black Sheep!

2..!

The Black Lion was able to kick out but he was very much getting his ass kicked at this point. Pierce grabbed Tanahashi by the left wrist and dragged him up to his feet. Pierce went for a ripcord set up but when he pulled Tanahashi back he was blasted with a surprise Kabukicho Nights (Discus Lariat)! Pierce was floors and Tanahashi had earned himself a reprieve.

MEARS: This could be the resurgence of Minoru! He needs to string some more big moves together.

PETRIE: Spoiler alert -- he won’t.

Pierce wasn’t down for long and Tanahashi was forced to try to keep the pressure on. Tanahashi grabbed Pierce in a front chancery, stepped off the middle rope and then dropped Pierce into the canvas head first with a tornado ddt! Instead of covering, Tanahashi opted to head to the top rope to earn himself an emphatic victory.

MEARS: Minoru needs to move quickly!

PETRIE: He cares too much about the fans. And the number of people who support him gets smaller every fucking week because he sucks.

MEARS: You really need to work on your bias.

PETRIE: Be more biased? No problem.

Tanahashi climbed to the top rope and he tried to drum up some more support from the fans in The Citadel but he only had small pockets of fans spread out throughout the mass of humanity that was the OATH fanbase. Somewhat deterred, Tanahashi still leaped off the top rope and went for the Osake Bomb (Swanton Bomb) but Pierce got his knees up! Pierce tried to go for a pin but Tanahashi rolled onto his stomach and grabbed the bottom rope. Smart.

Pierce got to his feet and he measured Tanahashi. When The Black Lion did the same, Pierce darted toward him and went for a big boot but Tanahashi dropped to a knee and that allowed him to catch Pierce’s leg over his shoulder and take Pierce over with a big capture suplex. Tanahashi quickly dropped into a cover.

PETRIE: Yeah right!

MEARS: Are you kidding? That was quite the counter!

1..

2..!

PETRIE: Not good enough!

The Fire Fist Ace was able to kick out and Tanahashi looked quite frustrated. That lasted only a moment before Tanahashi had a stroke...of inspiration. He seemed like he was going to set Pierce up for Keimusho Saifu (Paradise Lock), but instead Tanahashi kicked Pierce in the midsection, pulled him up and delivered a sliding lariat.

Feeling that he could now end the contest. Tanahashi positioned Pierce for the Black Lion Bomb (Tiger Driver 98) but just as he went to lift Pierce up "Timmy Turner" by Desiigner cued up. Tanahashi recognized the music and looked more irritated than anything.

MEARS: That is AJ Jenkynx’s music!

PETRIE: He’s coming to get some more of Tanahashi! I love it!

This momentary distraction was all Pierce needed. He slipped out of Tanahashi’s grip, grabbed his wrist, spun him around and delivered Hiken (Rainmaker)! Tanahashi was turned inside out and Pierce covered.

1..

2..

..3!

Winner: Alex Pierce

"Let 'em Come (Redux)" by Scroobius Pip, Sage Francis, & P.O.S. cued up and Pierce had his hand raised. Tanahashi rolled out of the ring and took a moment to recover as Pierce celebrated in the ring. Pierce looked quite pleased with himself and then gestured for a championship.

MEARS: A tough loss for Minoru here tonight but you have to believe that if it weren’t for the mind games from AJ...Minoru may have got his hand raised.

PETRIE: But he didn’t. He lost because he is too concerned with everything else going on. Until he learns to live in the moment then he’ll be nothing other than the Colemans’ arm candy. Fact.

At ringside Tanahashi was hanging his head. The Black Lion collected himself and began walking up the ramp. Along the way a fan that was leaning over the guardrail yelled “You suck!” at Tanahashi. Minoru just looked up at the fan, shook his head and walked off.

At an undisclosed location, we saw Viola Mancini seated at a big wooden desk, both of the CWA Tag Team Titles were propped up like paperweights, as she spoke about the recent acquisition of them.

MANCINI: Look at these ratty old things. The Sharpe boys probably saved them from gathering dust in some flea market somewhere in the deep depths of Calgary, and hoped to display their family legacy...

She said, as the camera made sure to keep them both in image, as Viola continued to speak.

MANCINI: They should've stayed there. But, they see value in these things... sentimentality can be a cruel mistress, indeed. See, in my line of work, a woman never could be seen in power. Idiots like Silvio and Tony would hold more power than me, if I kept traditions...

Viola said with a spiteful tone, as traditionally a woman would be a moll at most in that certain institution, and they would have to work at least four times as hard as a man for far less.

MANCINI: I presume you're wondering why I've wasted my time with these belts. Simply put, I'm a businesswoman first. My associate, Janica... she taken the proverbial bullet, like a good girl who is paid to do as she is told, so I could acquire these belts. As for the fate of these titles, well... that is entirely up to you. I could sell these to some fat sweaty marks on eBay... I could take these down to a jeweller and smelt them into something far more valuable... Or, they could be your's once again... for a price. Let's see exactly how bad you want these back...

Viola said with a sinister smile on her face as the cameras faded out.

Backstage now, watching a veritable army of ring techs, sound guys, grips, the whole package milling around, making sure all of the moving parts of OATH Conviction were executed smoothly and safely. As a pair of techs pushed a large hand-truck with several panes of glass on it past the camera, the pair of Erik Holland and Lyal “Lyric” Allen seemed to just materialize from the crowd, the massive man/monster surveyed the scene behind those empty goggles.

HOLLAND: I think..

Holland intoned from behind his face-covering, as Lyric looked up to listen to her charge.

HOLLAND: ..that we should ask a soul or two around here what to expect from this Straker. If he seeks to throw mystery opponents at us...

Lyric finisheed the sentence for him.

LYRIC: ..then it’d be nice to know what makes him tick. So we can get a little idea of the kind of people he wants us to beat.

Lyric got the attention of an assistant sound technician wearing an OATH Pro Wrestling polo shirt and hat, and he dutifully approached her--though, cautiously, having seen the hulking Holland was nearby as well. His name tag read "Robbie".

LYRIC: Tommy Straker..

Lyric says, as if trying to get the man to jog his memory.

LYRIC: You know much about him? What’s he like?

Robbie looked a little nervous -- I mean, around Erik Holland who wouldn't be? But he answered after a shrug.

ROBBIE: He was always real nice to me, he’s been very complimentary about the entire staff’s work, actually -- I mean... I've heard some rumors that he's kind of a... sadistic guy. I haven’t seen it myself, I kinda’ don’t wanna, that’s just what I heard. More like...personal life stuff, ya know?

Lyric thought quietly while he was answering. He cast big, concerned eyes at the former World Champion while Lyric happily snatched his cap to ruffle his hair.

LYRIC: Exactly what we wanted to hear. Thank you. Go ahead and do what you need to, we’re done for now.

She sat the cap on her own head as she shooed Robbie away, approaching Holland again who also looked pretty pleased.

LYRIC: Sadist?..don’t know how true it is..

Lyric muttered while she stole a kiss on the giant’s cheek.

HOLLAND: Would not be the first I did business with…

Holland responded.

HOLLAND: So I guess I can expect Straker to send some pretty violent people at me. The thing is; that is what I want. I want him to make the toughest and the sickest in OATH face me, because when I beat every damned one of them -- and I will -- he will have no choice but to grant me what - I - want. So while we dig a little deeper…

Lyric grinned, knowing what he was going to say.

HOLLAND: We play his game for now. We entertain him. While we move our own chess pieces into position.

Holland took her into his arms, looking down at her.

HOLLAND: See why you do the thinking for me?

They laughed and exited the scene arm in arm, obviously pretty loose as their match neared.

SINGLES MATCH Erik Holland vs. Monstruo

Erik Holland stood in the ring, with Lyric on the outside and he stood ready to face his mystery opponent. "Unsainted" by Slipknot kicked up and the demon enforcer of The Hell Realm -- Monstruo stomped to the ring. The only person that even came close to being the same size as Holland entered the ring and did not wait for the bell to ring.

MEARS: I do not know if the ring can handle a match between these two men!

PETRIE: HOSS FIGHT MOTHERFUCKERS!

Monstruo rushed Holland and these two hosses started throwing absolute bombs at each other. Monstruo got the upperhand following a headbutt and then he whipped Holland across the ring with an Irish whip. Holland came charging back and went for a clothesline. Monstruo just absorbed it and shoved Holland back into the ropes.

MEARS: It has been some time since we’ve seen Monstruo compete. His record -- is not great.

PETRIE: That’s because he doesn’t care about winning, he just wants to kill!

Holland came back looking for another clothesline but Monstruo just ate it again. Monstruo hit another headbutt to Holland and then went for a scoop slam. Holland blocked it and dropped an elbow to the side of Monstruo’s head.

PETRIE: I love Straker. He told Holland that he has to win five matches in a row to get an Intrepid Title match and the first opponent is Monstruo! Amazing.

MEARS: No easy task for Erik.

PETRIE: Please. Taking a shower is a tough task for this idiot.

The Haunted took off for the ropes and Monstruo just stood still, ready to take another clothesline. He was half right because Holland came back at him, leaped into the air and hit the demon with a dead man style leaping clothesline. Monstruo finally went down and Lyric applauded Holland from ringside.

MEARS: That did it! What a clothesline!

Monstruo went to stand but Holland cracked him with a running bicycle kick to the head. With Monstruo dazed and staggering around the ring, Holland shocked the audience in The Citadel when he ascended to the top rope! Holland measured Monstruo and then came through the air with a top rope clothesline!

MEARS: Erik Holland. Nearly 300lbs. Just came off the top rope.

PETRIE: I really was hoping that he would go right through the ring.

MEARS: Why?

PETRIE: Oh because there is no one I hate more.

After wiping Monstruo out with the clothesline, Holland decided that this would be an opportune moment to test his strength. Monstruo got up and Holland grabbed him by the throat. Not to be outdone, Monstruo grabbed Holland by the throat! The two fought for a moment until Holland delivered a headbutt of his own and then planted Monstruo with a chokeslam.

MEARS: A chokeslam! Erik Holland chokeslammed Monstruo!

Impressed with Holland’s strength, The Citadel was cheering him on at full now. Holland let out a primal roar and got Monstruo up. To everyone’s surprise, Holland was able to get the fucking hell hulk up and planted him with Limbic Resonance (Pumphandle Emerald Flowsion)! Holland covered.

1..

2..

..3!

Winner: Erik Holland

"Haunted" by Walls of Jericho cued up and Holland got his hand raised. Holland grabbed the camera by the lens, held up his index finger, and said “That’s one”. But before he could celebrate any further, he noticed that someone was standing at the top of the ramp.

PETRIE: This makes sense. I guess we know who is next.

MEARS: And what a task that will be.

PETRIE: Stop saying that!

Locke Helms, flanked by Astaroth, stood at the top of the ramp with his arms crossed. The former two time Intrepid Champion was evidently letting Holland know just exactly who he would be facing next week. Holland snarled and stared at Helms before we cut.

FM Young pulled into the parking lot of the Citadel, the back area sectioned off for “employee’s and performers.” The drive had been automatic, she was well familiar with the place, she’d known it since it was called the Sanctum. So the familiar drive was easy to make with her mind wandering. Today the large arena loomed large in the background, a foreboding sight not necessarily due to anything in the design of the building itself but the feelings roiling around FM’s midsection. Although to her the building had always looked as if someone had tried to recreate the Sydney Opera House by way of blind deaf construction workers.

On this occasion, it was brightly lit with the OATH colors with those “live” billboards decorating the sides of the place. Clearly the Barlows had spared no expense, the boards showing a rotating series of banners for the night’s matches. Young sat in the rented new model Charger for a moment, she’d decided NOT to pull her classic Nova out of storage. With what had happened to her motorcycle, she had thought twice about revealing, even owning the classic car. Least some insane bridgan decided to set fire to the entire bloody storage unit or something.

The Tiger watched the images scroll. OATH LOGO, Conviction LOGO, just a text scrawl of the Tryouts. Opening matches, Mino, Meg...Who were they fighting again? Her friends, she should be paying attention, at the moment she couldn’t remember. Even Morgan had found better things to do, after getting cuffed to the ring last time. That wasn’t generous. Morgan was allowed to focus on her career. This month was important to her, for again, reasons FM could only drum out of her mind at the pace of very bored elephants. Too little sleep, she watched the ticker revolve between yawns and blinks. All too soon, it was her match banner. All too soon, her first defense, no big deal right? Why did this one feel like it weighed so much more? So much more than the TR Championship had.

She both loved and hated that picture, the damn press shot every company used. Her grimacing into the middle distance like there was a wild animal just off camera gnawing at her ankle. It managed to be both badass and ridiculously stupid in that way only she seemed to have a knack for. FM’s hand moved to the door handle and stopped, she stared at the roving ads and her hand. Just refused to move, her fingers wouldn’t curl even as she stubbornly tried to get them too. Thing was, FM Young did not want to get out of the car, very suddenly and very completely, she did not want to leave the little bubble shielding her from the world. This was one of those moments where the divide between FM Young and Alexa Markos the woman spread out into a chasm that felt as if she might never be able to bridge the gap.

YOUNG: Work, work, work, work.

She growled out under her breath between clenched teeth. Oh, right, talk to yourself, and your fingers. Because that’s not something crazy people do and it totally works. Right. Everything felt heavy, her chest, her limbs, even her tongue for some weird reason because that’s a thing you notice. There was a residual ache in her ribs and spine that started to thrum. Just get up and out of the car, it’s just another title defense. You’ve literally had a dozen first title defenses. You’ve ALWAYS managed one. Alexa told herself, but how many more can you manage? The little vice in her head chimed in snidely. As many as I need too! She grunted and leaned back.

That wasn’t an answer. Alexa reached over and punched the radio controls. Just drown it out, sit here, listen to music and calm down. She’d control her rapid breathing, pull it together and get through it. Just another day in the long line of pulling it together and getting through the night. The Escapist by Nightwish blared loudly out of the speakers, fuck. The universe was doing that right on the fucking nose thing. Punch. All on Eyes You. Nope. Bad Things. No. Helix. No. Missile...OH hell NO. She managed to hit the shuffle command fumbling at the touch controls and it landed on something mercifully soft and jazzy.

Just. Breathe. She told herself firmly. One step at a time Alexa. She leaned her head on the steering wheel and let the vibration from the stereo travel up her arms and her forehead. Sure, the demons are up again, and you’re tired of putting them back down, but Demons are meant to be fought. It was one thing Alexa could sympathize with, feeling frustrated, fed up, spun around and strung out. She understood Qiyanna on that level, all chair based cranial maintenance aside. The big thing about the business however was, it was all about making your name off other people, and stopping others from doing that to you. You learn by experience no one is gonna make it easy for you. Which was the point of contention they had, she supposed, looking at the same point from opposite sides. Still, she had to win, needed too, she wasn’t done cementing herself yet either.

Make it out of the car first, then we’ll talk. Up the radio went, and her breaths deepended before they could quicken. Maybe it was the amount of times she’d had this match...Not THIS match, but THIS MATCH. There was always some fed up rookie, some down on their luck frustrated competitor needing a change of pace and they ALWAYS seemed to turn up on her proverbial doormat. Maybe it was recognition for a similar type of feeling, maybe it was how she smelled, fuck if she knew. Still, a familiarity that was supposed to breed confidence seemed to also fester resentment, an old tiger tiring of the same carrion. Qiyanna, of course she was crowing, it wasn’t that hard to sneak up on someone and belt them with a chair.

Who was around for that? Nobody stupid, you went to the show alone to watch, cause it’s entertaining. That was one of her biggest problems, she managed to push everyone away. Alone in a crowd, and fuck why not? She couldn’t even at present moment remember who her friends were fighting. No wonder she was often alone in the crowd. The fear of abandonment is weirdly self centered. Because it presupposes that little old you are filled with such an immense destructive power that you're capable of driving every person that cares about you away...When did her little voice get helpful? With doubt came courage, or something like that. It was after all in her nature to fight. That was why, same old matches or not, she was a fighter.

So make it new, she thought to herself. Qiyanna was flighty snap decisions aside, incredibly creative and a good fighter, a good wrestler. If Qiyanna was hungry for a change, jonesing for something more, then she had to be at least twice that to come out on top. That was why FM Young really did this, she loved it all, all the in between moments. The real meat of the situation, being in the ring, the heat of the lights, the sweat on her skin, the moment to moment adrenaline bursts, the snap decision making that shoved all other things aside. The roar and excitement that buried the leftover aches and pains deep into unfelt territory even for just a little while. It was an exhilaration she’d never truly get over or be bored of.

Alright then, Qiyanna, you better hope you’ve found the care and the will to push...Even if she didn’t, fuck Holland was right behind the Blackhawk. Talk about old fights, he’d have to win five times in a row, and she knew he likely could. A passionate Holland was a force of nature, and while that thought increased that feeling of weight on her chest. The thought of the large target of “CHAMPION” writ against her still tender once injured midsection. That too was in it’s own way exactly why she enjoyed this, yeah she had a target on her back, and her friends had their own careers to handle but she’d done this many times by now, carried many targets. This felt different, new, in some strange way and that meant she needed to push harder.

Alexa fumbled into her pants pocket, and pulled out a couple of vials of liquid kratom. She quickly dumped both into her mouth, to help push back the ache in her ribs. She clenched her eyes shut and fought the urge gag, the stuff tasted like boiled ass triple dipped in sheep shit. Not that she had any idea what exactly that would taste like, but this might come close. Her fingers tingled, Alexa grabbed the half drank can of generic energy out of the cup holder to wash out the taste. Her breathing evened, her heart rate lowered, open the car door, FM Young thought. Go out, and don’t just get through the night, enjoy the show. Go WATCH Minoru fight Alex Pierce and Meg knock the crap out of JC Keeton, belt curses be damned. Go MAKE Qiyanna give you the fight that chair to the back of the head promised you. Stand tall and ready for Erik Holland.

FM Young, The Tiger of the Citadel opened her honey colored eyes and reached for the car door, the little ding of OPEN DOOR sounded in the interior. FM reached over, snagged her phone and stretched her legs to stand, from there she pulled the duffle bag containing her ring gear out of the backseat and closed the car door.

We cut backstage where both Cindy and Megan Coleman were seen sitting at a table in the catering area. Cindy was eating a couple of fully loaded hot dogs while Megan was just drinking a bottled water. Megan watched her sister shaking her head and even laughing a little as Cindy looked up at her with one of those "what?" type of looks.

CC: What?

She said towards Megan with a mouth full of food still. This caused Megan to do a bit of a face palm as she pointed at the camera crew filming them. Cindy noticed them and then just waved at the camera crew as she went back to eating.

MEGAN: You really have no shame do you?

CC: Can your sister CC here just finish her meal?

MEGAN: I mean sure but maybe a bit more lady like?

CC: Oh we are going to talk about lady like seriously?

MEGAN: I’m just saying that you got a following like me now and maybe try to control a habit or two for you know off camera.

CC: Megan I think you need to worry less about my quote on quote habits and more on your title defense tonight.

Megan took a drink of her water then sat it down and just kind of looked around before noticing May O'Neil walking into the scene with a microphone in hand of course. Megan leaned back in her chair still seeming relaxed as Cindy finished off her food finally.

O’NEIL: How are you doing there champ?

CC: OH I AM GREAT THANKS!

O’NEIL: I mean that actual champion…

Cindy developed a sad expression across her face while Megan laughed a little.

MEGAN: The Tabula Rasa Champion is doing well May.

Megan nodded her head and Cindy just rolled her eyes as Megan had reached down pulling her title out of a bag and draped it over her right shoulder.

CC: I will have you both know I am a reigning online spelling bee champion.

O’NEIL: Great to hear Cindy but isn’t spelling bees for kids?

CC: Yeah but they're really smart kids and I beat them all!

O’NEIL: That’s um great…. Anyways Megan Coleman…

MEGAN: Yes May O’NEIL…..?

O’NEIL: Big first title defense tonight against JC Keeton how are you feeling about it?

CC: She’s gonna SMASH HIM!

Megan looked at her sister putting a finger to her lips and Cindy crossed her arms, going quiet.

MEGAN: Do not forget it’s Bloodsport rules.

Cindy nodded her head pointing to Megan and then to May.

O’NEIL: Right you are Miss Coleman. So let me rephrase the question. Given that you have your first title defense against JC Keeton in obviously your type of match for that Tabula Rasa Title. So with all of that now being known any thoughts on your first title defense?

MEGAN: I think I am going to knock him out or make him tap obviously. I mean look May let’s be clear here I have fought JC before and I got the win. Yeah I know it was by countout because JC got all distracted by another man I have already beaten in a good fight of El Diablo. But, JC honestly has not shown me a lot except a bad attitude and the ability to attempt to protest losses whenever he feels he shouldn’t have loss. Let me be crystal clear I am not underestimating the man he could give me a run for my money but in a match that’s a blood sport match well the outcome favors me.

Cindy then raised her hand like she was in school.

O'NEIL: What is it Cindy?

CC: My sister just quoted one of those magic eight balls I just wanted to point that out!

Megan gives Cindy one of those classic really type of looks then looks back at the camera.

MEGAN: Look you see this title draped on my right arm? Well it’s my pride and damned joy. Which means I will fight harder to defend it now that I have it then I have ever fought before. I refuse to believe this whole damned curse over this title. JC Keeton is a man who steps into the ring with me under match stipulations that I have been trained in and victorious in most of my life. So with all of that being said it is time for myself to go get stretched out so that I am further ready to beat the crap out of the always over confident JC Keeton.

Megan got up from the table and signaled for Cindy to "come on". Then as they both started to walk away Cindy ran right up to the the camera and hgave it a kiss on the lens before the scene faded out.

OATH TABULA RASA CHAMPIONSHIP BLOODSPORT MATCH JC Keeton vs. Megan Coleman ©

Our first title match of the evening saw JC Keeton look to avenge a previous loss to OATH Tabula Rasa Champion Meg “Hands of Steel” Coleman by defeating her for the title in her first defence. The two competitors made their entrances, Cindy Coleman accompanying her sister to the ring.

MEARS: People have been saying that the Tabula Rasa Championship has been cursed since OATH returned in May. No one has been able to hold it for more than a month.

PETRIE: Maybe it is cursed! Maybe Keeton will become the first man to hold it and he can change all of that.

MEARS: You probably shouldn’t go there.

The bell sounded and Keeton tried to rush the champion but she was quick to put his ass on the mat with a massive belly to belly suplex. Keeton had all of the air taken out of him and Coleman took off for the ropes. On her return she hit him with Coleman Roll (Rolling Thunder).

PETRIE: Keeton is sucking wind already!

MEARS: He’s turning blue!

Keeton tried to rally back but Coleman caught him with a variety of kicks to the legs and then put him on the mat with a swinging neckbreaker. Coleman went for a stomp but Keeton rolled onto his stomach and then got up to his feet.

PETRIE: Keeton really needs to get something going here. Coleman is wrecking him.

MEARS: Cindy seems pleased.

PETRIE: Judging by her taste in men -- no one should care what she thinks about anything.

Keeton tried to rush Coleman again but she blasted him with a reverse elbow to the face and then she put him face first into the canvas with Face Equals Mat (Double Arm DDT). Keeton rolled out onto the apron to avoid any further punishment but Coleman was in complete control.

MEARS: What a dominant performance so far from the champion.

The champion grabbed Keeton and tried to bring him back into the ring from the apron with a suplex but Keeton slipped behind her and hit the opposing ropes. Keeton charged at the champion but she took off for the same ropes that he hit and then blasted him with a Superwoman Punch! Coleman went to apply a submission but the referee intervened -- Keeton was out cold.

Winner: Still OATH Tabula Rasa Champion, Meg Coleman

"Cold Blooded" by Zayde Wolfe cued up and the referee handed the Tabula Rasa Championship back to Meg. Cindy entered the ring and the sisters embraced. Tonight Coleman would leave The Citadel still a champion.

The shot is that of the crowd in The Citadel, all of them anxiously anticipating the next contest when the shot shifts and pans up to show the rafters high above the ring. The camera zoomed in as much as it could and there, watching over everything was a figure in a long black trench coat. A black Stetson hat obscured their face as they stood sentry -- still as death itself...

The camera had a tight zoom on a pair of black wrestling boots. Entering the cameras view were a pair of hands that started to tie the laces of the boots. The camera slowly zoomed back to show the OATH World Champion, Reo Ojima, as the one tying his boots. The World Title lay next to him on a shipping container, along with a bottle of water and a black towel. Looking up, Reo saw the camera and gives a sigh as he starts to tie his other boot.

OJIMA: Before you ask, no. Jenna Sharpe doesn’t deserve a title shot. She’s a kid who’s still learning this sport and she’s done nothing to deserve a title shot. No major wins and no major accomplishments to speak of. And before you go down the path that she has wrestling in her blood because she’s a fucking Sharpe, there’s a difference between fighting your inbred relatives and steroid junky dad in your guys' trailer park backyard and that of a wrestling ring. Being a World Champion is more than just beating the crap out of people. It’s about being the face of a company. Being a leader. Being able to walk up to any wrestler in the back and knowing that they respect you, even though they hate your guts. Can Jenna do any of those things? Of course not. That’s why I said it’ll take her awhile to get to that peak in her career.

Slapping the side of his boots, Reo stood up and placed the black towel around his neck.

OJIMA: But she’ll give it her all and show that the Sharpe family isn’t one to fuck with. But it’ll be a learning experience, kid. You’ll take your bumps and you’ll get some bruises and hopefully you’re not thick headed like your old man and you’ll learn from tonight. If you don’t then you ain’t going to last long in this industry.

Picking the World Title, Reo strapped it around his waist.

OJIMA: Now I picked you for this title match because I just want to beat up on a Sharpe. Your father and I had some classic matches back in the day and I missed those days after the two of us went back and forth on Twitter. Now I fought your brothers a few weeks ago, hoping to get a thrill of the old days…but they were a disappointment. Sloppy and slow just your old man. So hopefully you’ll rise to the occasion and give this old man a good time. Because if you don’t…you’ll never sniff a title shot like this for a good while.

Picking up the water bottle, Reo took a swig of it as he walked past the camera.

OATH INTREPID CHAMPIONSHIP SINGLES MATCH Qiyanna Marshal vs. FM Young ©

The next contest saw “The Blackhawk” Qiyanna Marshal look to claim her first championship in her OATH career as she looked to dethrone FM Young and win the Intrepid Championship. OATH President Tommy Straker made it clear that the Intrepid Championship rules would be more closely followed in all subsequent title matches; a fifteen minute time limit when it is defended on Conviction. The two competitors made their entrances and both seemed primed and ready to fight.

MEARS: These two have faced off before. When FM was Tabula Rasa Champion she successfully defended that title against Qiyanna. Will we see the same result here tonight Bad Mood?

PETRIE: Who fucking knows? Qiyanna has finally snapped and she beat the piss out of Young last week. I don’t see any reason why she can’t do it this week.

MEARS: The absence of a steel chair?

PETRIE: There are plenty of them around.

The two competitors were in the ring and there was obviously some tension given that Marshal had brutally attacked Young last week to set this match up. The bell sounded and the two competitors immediately met in the middle of the ring and started brawling, each of them getting a few quick shots in before the referee intervened.

Marshal moved the referee out of the way and darted forward, slipping under a right hand from Young. Marshal got behind the champion and blasted her with a forearm shot to the lower back -- which was still damaged from Marshal’s assault one week ago. Marshal then shot Young into the ropes and drove her into the mat with a big spinebuster. Marshal covered.

1..

2!

MEARS: An early pin attempt from the challenger.

PETRIE: She only has fifteen minutes to get the job done.

MEARS: Too true.

Young kicked out right at two and Marshal looked to keep her down with a front chancery but Young’s strength was too much for Marshal. The two were up and Young lifted Marshal, running with her on her shoulder towards the corner. Young drove the challenger hard into the corner and went for a shoulder block but Marshal lifted herself up and slipped behind Young yet again. Marshal went to shoot Young into the ropes but Young reversed the momentum. On Marshal’s return she leaped into the air and put Young on the mat with a cross body block. Marshal covered again.

1..

2!

The Intrepid Champion was able to kick out again but expending the energy to do so was taking its toll. Marshal measured the champion and with a look of total ferocity in her eyes she lined The Tiger up for a discus clothesline but Young evaded it and then turned the challenger inside out with a short arm clothesline.

MEARS: Qiyanna is trying to wear the champion down with quick pin attempts. It is a sound strategy.

PETRIE: Since being in OATH Young has taken a serious amount of punishment almost weekly. Add to that she competes in several different federations...she can never really be 100%.

MEARS: But she would never knowingly let on to that if it was true.

PETRIE: I mean...I guess.

Young tried not to let it show that her back was in pain but the evidence was right there on her face. The ring announcer Crybaby let us know that five minutes had passed as Young kept Marshal on the mat with a chin lock. Young did her best to keep the challenger down but Marshal refused to be denied. Marshal fought up to her feet and then drove a series of elbows into Young’s stomach. Young was forced to break the hold and Marshal took the champion over with a quick snapmare. Young tried to rally back up but Marshal took her down with a roll up.

1..

2..

..!

Young kicked out. Marshal didn’t seem frustrated by that result in the least, this was clearly part of her plan. Young took refuge in a corner but Marshal was fresh as a daisy and took off toward the champion. Marshal appeared to be looking for a spear but at the very last moment Young sidestepped her and sent her between the turnbuckle pads and shoulder first into the solid steel ring post.

MEARS: This was the opportunity that the champion needed. Qiyanna has been taking the fight to FM this entire contest.

Marshal let out in agony, her shoulder was experiencing searing pain. Young pulled Marshal out of the corner and positioned her on the mat in front of the turnbuckle with a snap scoop slam. Given Young’s insane power for her side, Marshal was down and prone for the time being. Young used this opportunity to climb to the top rope and went for the Battery Powered Bombshell (Shooting Star Senton) but Marshal moved! Young landed hard on her back and Marshal scrambled into a cover.

1..

2..

..!

The champion just kicked out. This time Marshal looked a little more angry about that result. Young knew that she had to get up and put some space between herself and her challenger -- so she did just that. Young scrambled to her feet but Marshal was there to meet the champion with a massive superkick that put Young on her back yet again. Knowing that this likely wasn’t enough to keep Young down, Marshal moved on to the next phase in her plan.

MEARS: I do not know that we have ever seen Qiyanna this vicious. FM has not been able to find any footing in this match so far.

PETRIE: Yeah it’s pretty great. The crazy schedule is really starting to catch up to her.

MEARS: You may be right.

Marshal sat Young up and started delivering some hard elbows to the champion’s left collarbone. Marshal then set off for the ropes and on her return she hit a sliding forearm smash to Young’s lower back, causing even more damage. Young was in a bad way as Marshal stood her up, kicked her in the midsection and then absolutely planted her with a powerbomb in the middle of the ring. Marshal then fell into the cover, hooking the leg.

1..

2..

..!

Young just kicked out and Crybaby announced that ten minutes had gone by. Knowing that she only had five minutes left to try and claim the championship, Marshal started to get desperate. Marshal gathered Young up and threw a strike that was maybe not as measured as it should have been and that was the opening Young needed to absolutely wreck Marshal with the Man-Machine Interface (Discus Clothesline)! Both competitors were down now and The Citadel started up a chant for Young.

PETRIE: Why are these idiots cheering for her? She’s getting her ass kicked!

MEARS: They are trying to will her on.

PETRIE: They should stop.

With her championship reign in jeopardy, Young decided to go all or nothing. Her back was in agony but she needed to try to end this match and quickly. After some stomps to the back of Marshal’s head, Young got the challenger up to her feet and set her up for the Human Error Processor (Assault Driver) but due to the damage done to Young’s back, she couldn’t keep Marshal held up long enough to execute the hold.

Young was forced to set Marshal down on her feet and the challenger took off for the ropes. Young had dropped to a knee, in tremendous pain. When Young was able to get back up to a vertical base, Marshal was already charging toward her and connected with a spear to Young’s lower back! Young screamed in pain and dropped onto her stomach. Marshal rolled her over and covered.

MEARS: This could be it!

1..

2..

..!

PETRIE: We’re moments away from a new Intrepid Champion. I can feel it.

The champion was just able to kick out and Marshal pounded the mat in frustration. In great haste, Marshal grabbed Young by the head but got hit by a surprise uppercut. Young then gritted her teeth, fought through the pain and was able to hit Marshal with the Stand Alone Complex (Elevated Gutbuster)! Marshal let out in pain and Young decided to try and go for the finish.

Young stood Marshal up, applied a front chancery and then attempted the Heart of the Phoenix (Lumbar Check) but at the very last second Marshal slipped out, landed behind Young and hit her with the Hawk Shot (Roundhouse Kick)! It connected perfectly but Young fell through the ropes to the outside.

Marshal scrambled to exit the ring and take hold of Young but just as she got Young’s limp body up onto the apron and then entered the ring herself the bell rang. The time limit had been reached.

Winner: No Contest

The Blackhawk could not believe it. The championship was right there and it was hers for the taking but she was just a few seconds too late. The referee went to take the championship to Young but Marshal ripped it out of his hands.

MEARS: Rotten luck for Qiyanna Marshal. You have to believe that the title was within her grasp there.

PETRIE: Big coincidence that the first day that we actually start observing the time limit for the Intrepid Title...we reach it.

MEARS: No idea what you mean.

Marshal set Young up for a belt shot but security entered the ring to stop it. Young was already out cold, she didn’t need to be beaten brain dead. Marshal screamed in frustration as security held her back.

Far in the parking lot, Matt Shields sat on top of one of the large industrial sized dumpsters that housed the arena’s garbage. He had his kendo stick resting over his shoulder, mask on his lap as he sat there in the filth and stench with a big smile on his face. He motioned for the camera to come in close and pointed to a dark brown spot on the lid.

SHIELDS: Do you see that? That’s Erik Holland's blood all dried up and getting crusty. Two weeks and it’s still there. I can look at it and remember that night. You look over a bit, there’s some of mine on the lid and the ground, there’s even a few spots on the wood that they didn’t have to replace. I did almost exactly what I said I would do at Event Horizon II. I didn’t break Holland’s arm, but I did beat him and showed everyone who the true monster is. My reward? A week off and the chance to earn an opportunity to rescue my dear sweet Blanche from that bastard Ojima. Or maybe I rescue her from the bitch that brought the Sharpe Plague to OATH. Step one though, James Edwards.

Shields slipped down off the dumpster and started walking forwards towards the arena entrance.

SHIELDS: Unfortunately tonight is just a regular one on one match inside the ring. Count outs, disqualification, rope breaks, and the standard pinfall or submission means to victory. I say unfortunately not because I don’t believe I can beat James Edwards inside that ring with nothing but my incredible wrestling talent, but more because I don’t want to. It’s been a long long time since I got to have a fight like I did at Event Horizon II. It’s been a long damn time since I got to inflict long lasting pain. It has been too fucking long since I got to make someone bleed and truly suffer. I missed it and I want more. I missed it, and I need more.

Shields stopped, smacks his kendo stick down on the ground and shook his head.

SHIELDS: Tonight though… tonight is not about making James Edwards bleed. Tonight is not about making James Edwards suffer. Tonight is about getting one step closer to saving my dear sweet golden girl, my Blanche. Much as I want to toss Edwards out of the ring, fight him back here, find Ben Petrie’s car and drive Edwards’ skull through all four windows before driving him through the windshield with some Greetings From Crystal Lake… I can’t.

Shields sighed, brought his kendo stick back to his shoulder and continued his walk toward The Citadel.

SHIELDS: I can hear Blanche right now, complaining about the stench of Reo Ojima’s fish head soup, praying that she doesn’t end up in the hands of a bottle blonde bitch with a meth smoking twelve dollar hooker fucking manager. So, I have to push the bloodlust aside. I have to go out there, wrestle this match straight up, beat James Edwards ass the old fashioned way, earn the title match, and then go on to save my sweet sweet Blanche. She deserves so much better than the bitch or the bastard, and soon, she will be safe and sound in my arms. It won’t be easy to quell that desire for violence and blonde, but I will have Blanche in my ear to guide me through it and remind me of what is truly important.

Shields nodded his head, then puts on his mask, stepped inside and started his walk to the ring.

"The Burning Heart" James Edwards strolled his way through The Citadel's halls as if he had nowhere to be.

EDWARDS: Things don't always go the way you think.

He said this with words escaping his lips at an almost glacial pace.

EDWARDS: People aren't always who you think they are.

Again, he uttered his words at an annoyingly slow clip as if he wanted each to be savored.

EDWARDS: The path you see in your mind may be imagined, Matt, with no basis in reality. The man you think you have figured out may just all be an illusion.

He paused, for far too long, and simply walked, letting his last words hang in the air.

EDWARDS: Then again, maybe you're right about the man you see in your head. Perhaps he doesn't have it anymore. Maybe you are close to freeing Blanche.

He smirked.

EDWARDS: But maybe, just maybe, that man went down a road to fool people. Maybe he had a good reason for it. Maybe that man made a fool of himself because he let his anger get the best of him, and he got hurt before the biggest fight of his life. Maybe that man knew he had to do something different to win if he wasn't going to be at his best. Maybe, even though he lost, his true self, a fighter capable of the beautiful violence, was there all along and emerged when that man thought the time was right.

He paused again and then whistled for a moment while he continued to amble about.

EDWARDS: Then again, we see what we want to see. We dream of what we want to dream. We expect things to break the way we wish simply because we wish. Sometimes, though, we get blinded by the truth when we least expect it.

He grinned again, an honest one from a man who knows his words can be trusted.

The Citadel buzzed above the little space in the bowels of the building. In said space were two figures. One, a male, was sitting in a chair watching the female figure pace up and down. As a light brightened the space it showed that these people were Ryan Terror and Adrestia Nyx.

Nyx paced frantically as she ran her hands through her hair.

NYX: Why in the fuck are they passing us by? We were the champions and now we’ve fallen away it seems.

She continued her pace. Ryan said nothing which forced her to stop dead in her tracks.

Nyx: Aren’t you going to say something?

Ryan looked up at her with a sadistic smile on his face.

TERROR: Be patient, child, for He will grant us what we seek.

Adrestia’s face showed that of confusion.

NYX: What the fuck are you talking about, Ryan? You’ve been preaching about this Him for a while now.

Ryan stood up and got in her face.

TERROR: I told you to be patient, Cheyenne. He will bless us with all the bountiful gifts we desire. All we have to do is shed some blood for Him. Next week, we start taking sacrifices for Him. We will no longer stand for this meaningless treatment. He commands us to spill blood and spill blood we shall. Now go...

NYX: But...

Ryan sat back down.

TERROR: I SAID GO!!

Adrestia turned and left the room more confused than satisfied

#1 CONTENDERSHIP: WORLD TITLE SINGLES MATCH James Edwards vs. Matt Shields

It was time to determine who would face the winner of this evening’s main event at Conviction: Hell and Back in three weeks. The man who won the 2020 Event Horizon Series, “The Burning Heart” James Edwards came to the ring first, ready to try and earn a chance to redeem himself for his loss at Event Horizon II. “The Hellhound” Matt Shields came to the ring second, wielding his signature kendo stick but he had to keep in mind that this was not a no disqualification contest.

MEARS: This is the first meeting between these two competitors and a giant opportunity is at stake.

PETRIE: Edwards is getting another chance to fight for the title? Ridiculous. He blew it at Event Horizon and if he gets to fight for it again the result will be the same.

MEARS: He claims that he was fighting hurt two weeks ago at Event Horizon.

PETRIE: Bullshit.

The two stood in the center of the ring and were jawjacking right off the hop. The referee stood between them and to everyone’s surprise, Edwards poked Shields in the eye! The referee called for the bell and Edwards drove his shoulder into Shields’ midsection and pushed him into the nearest corner. Edwards clobbered Shields with a series of shots to try and get the early advantage.

Shields shoved Edwards back with such force that Edwards fell onto his back, rolled backwards, and popped back up to his feet. Shields then darted forward and went for a clothesline but Edwards grabbed his wrist, spun behind Shields and took him over with a quick back suplex.

MEARS: James looks focussed here tonight.

PETRIE: It doesn’t fucking matter. Did you see what Shields did to Erik Holland at Event Horizon? He destroyed him. He’ll do the same to Edwards here tonight.

MEARS: The rules are slightly different.

PETRIE: It. Doesn’t. Fucking. Matter.

The Hellhound quickly stood back up but Edwards hit him with a chop block to take him down to the mat. Edwards tried to apply an ankle lock but Shields scrambled and grabbed the bottom rope. Edwards went for a sliding knee strike but Shields moved, pulled down the middle rope and Edwards fell through to the outside of the ring.

Shields got out onto the apron and as Edwards stood, Shields charged and tried to hit Edwards with a running kick to the face from the apron. Edwards caught Shields’ foot, pulled it out from under him and Shields landed face first on the apron. Edwards climbed up onto the apron with Shields and tried to get him in the ring but Shields hit a sharp jab to Edwards’ midsection and then took him off of the apron to the floor with a swinging neckbreaker!

MEARS: Good lord!

PETRIE: That was fucked up! I loved it!

Both competitors were down on the outside mats and the referee started a twenty count. Shields was up first and he stuck his upper body under the bottom rope for a brief moment just to break the count. Edwards tried to meet Shields with a right cross but Shields grabbed his wrist, packaged Edwards up, and took him over with a straight jacket German suplex! Edwards landed with a thud and Shields was in complete control.

Shields broke the twenty count again and then led Edwards over to the announce table. Shields tried to introduce Edwards’ face to the announce table but Edwards hit him with an elbow to the midsection, lifted Shields up and dropped him with a shinbreaker onto the announce table! Shields hopped around in agony and Edwards took him over with RRE (Reverse Release Exploder Suplex) on the outside.

PETRIE: Stay away from my area! Goddamn it Edwards!

MEARS: It is my area also.

PETRIE: It’s more mine.

Knowing that he couldn’t get the victory on the outside, Edwards slipped Shields into the ring. Shields tried to get up to his feet but Edwards charged and took him down with a quick chop block that got a pop from the crowd. Edwards mounted Shields and started laying into him with a barrage of strikes and once he had hit a numerous amount of punches, Edwards covered.

1..

2..!

Shields kicked out and got up to his feet. Edwards rushed in two quickly and Shields caught him with a stiff uppercut that knocked Edwards loopy. Shields pounced and grabbed Edwards, lifting him up to plant him with Majo no toki (Fireman's Carry Neckbreaker)! Edwards was down and Shields was ready to put this match away.

PETRIE: Matt Shields is close to getting his first shot at the OATH World Title! Let’s fucking goooooooo!

The Hellhound grabbed his kendo stick from the corner and went to use it on Edwards but the referee stopped him. For whatever reason, Shields thought this would be fine but the referee prevented it and Shields was not happy. This momentary distraction gave Edwards time to recover and he hit Shields with Double Tap (Two Spinning Back Fists) and Shields dropped. Edwards fell into the cover.

1..

PETRIE: Oh come on!

2..

MEARS: James Edwards is number one cont---

..!

PETRIE: Not yet!

Shields was just able to kick out and Edwards wanted to end the match now. Edwards set Shields up for a suplex but The Hellhound was able to reverse it into Greetings From Crystal Lake (Air Raid Crash)! The Citadel couldn’t believe that Shields was able to hit it and Shields covered.

1..

2..

..!

PETRIE: Are you kidding me? Come on Shields!

Edwards just kicked out and The Citadel collectively breathed a sigh of relief. Shields was beside himself as he pounded on the mat and screamed at the referee. Shields screamed “Blanche!” before he got Edwards up and set him up for 40 Legions (Discus Clothesline) but Edwards evaded it and hit Shields with Wildfire (Spin Kick/Roundhouse Knee Combination) out of nowhere! Edwards quickly covered.

1..

2..

..3!

Winner: James Edwards

"My Name Is Human" by Highly Suspect cued up and Edwards got his hand raised. Knowing what Shields was capable of, Edwards left the ring -- not wanting to suffer any further injury now that he was guaranteed another World Championship match.

MEARS: We have a new number one contender. James Edwards will face either Jenna Sharpe or Reo Ojima at Conviciton: Hell and Back in three weeks!

PETRIE: Fuck this forever.

Edwards went up the ramp and Shields slowly got up to his feet. The referee checked on Shields and Shields grabbed the referee in anger. Shields lifted the referee up and planted him with Majo no Toki (Fireman's Carry Neckbreaker). Revenge for the referee not letting him use the kendo stick -- even though that is his job.

In the administrative offices of The Citadel we passed through a door that read "OATH President Thomas Straker". Inside, the thin figure sat behind his desk in a black suit with gray pinstripes. His gaunt face was turned towards a tablet in front of him. As he looked over what was show on the tablet screen, a young man walked in. The production tech -- Robbie.

ROBBIE: You...you wanted to see me Mr. Straker? Straker did not look up from the tablet, he held his hand out palm up and gestured toward the chair across from his desk. Robbie hesitated but ultimately he decided to accept his boss' offer.

ROBBIE: ...

Nothing was said, Straker kept scrolling on the tablet. The tension was becoming palpable and Robbie was starting to sweat. The cold sweat of immense fear. Straker had yet to look at the young production assistant and Robbie could feel his blood pressure rising.

STRAKER: Hello Robert.

Straker's eyes slowly looked up from the tablet screen and pierced Robbie's very sould.

ROBBIE: ...hi.

STRAKER: Tell me Robert -- how long have you been with us?

ROBBIE: I'm...23.

Straker's left eyebrow raised slightly.

STRAKER: I meant how long have you been with the company? Not how long have you been on the planet.

ROBBIE: Right yeah...of course. Just over a year I think.

STRAKER: And how many times have we met? ROBBIE: Once or twice I think.

STRAKER: Once or twice. And tell me Robert -- what do your colleagues say about me? He had to consider his next words carefully, Straker clearly knew what he wanted to hear.

ROBBIE: Uh...my colleagues? They say that you're a nice guy.

STRAKER: A nice guy. And what do you think of me Robert? ROBBIE: I...uh...I think you're cool.

STRAKER: Cool? You think that the President of this company is...cool?

ROBBIE: Yeah I guess.

Straker took a moment to consider this response before replying.

STRAKER: Robert I have a special task for you next week. It could better your position in the company should you complete it. How does that sound? ROBBIE: Uh...good...I guess. What is it? Straker looked up at the camera with a cold glare that caused the cameraman to shudder ever so slightly.

STRAKER: Leave us. And close the door.

Without a moment's hesitation the cameraman backed out of the office. Robbie looked back in horror as the shot deepened and then the door closed, leaving the young production assistant to his fate.

BERT: This is your opportunity!

The scene faded in with Jenna Sharpe standing in her locker room in front of a stand up mirror. Bert Cocaine stepped into the shot standing behind The Canadian Wildcat.

BERT: Give me one good reason why we shouldn’t be taking every advantage we can to solidify this victory?

Jenna rolled her eyes and sighed heavily.

JENNA: I’ve lost my voice explaining to just about everyone why I can and will do this on my own, Bert. You’re the last person I expect to explain this any further to. If anything you’re the reason I have to prove everything to everyone! You’re the reason why instead of being completely focused on my match tonight and maybe… just maybe entertaining the idea of becoming the World Champion, I have to stress about the fact that if I do win tonight what people are going to say, what they’re going to expect. I am going to bring legitimacy to that title, but thanks to you it’s going to take everyone A LOT more convincing. Just… stay out of it, Bert. Please.

Bert scoffed in disbelief.

BERT: I still can’t believe we’re on this. How are you still walking around giving even a shred of a fuck about what these people think about you? The fans cheer for you. I’m in that crowd every single week mixing and mingling in a time we should be sitting 6 feet apart because they are just as high on the energy you bring to that ring as I am on my own supply. I hype you up because your skills speak for themselves and it makes my job easier. And all these people are still cheering your name even after I clubbed Qiyanna Marshall with brass knuckles because guess what? You beat Astaroth and Tyler War before that, and you bested Josie Wales two times after that.

BERT: Every door that’s open has always been because of you. People like Minoru or FM Young or Josie Wales have already climbed that ladder and they have already fallen, hitting their chin on every rung on the way down. They try to bring you down because they’re embarrassed at their own flat faces. But Ojima knows what he’s getting into. He might have the confidence of a champion that’s carried him so far, but he’s also not a stupid man. But… they also say heavy is the head that carries the crown…

Bert pulled something out from his pocket as Jenna turned around. He placed his hand in hers and closes her hand up around the object tightly.

BERT: … and he’s tired Jenna. We both know it’s a sure thing. But I think it’s time we make it a sure thing.

Jenna opened up her palm to reveal the brass knuckles from months ago. She looked down at them and back up at Bert, her lower lip caught between her teeth.

JENNA: It’s taken me two and a half months to get to a level that people spend their entire careers trying to reach. And now I’m going up against arguably the toughest person on this roster, with a bunch of people backstage who are going to piss and moan because I have what they don’t. Ojima wants to see if I’m anything like my father, and I want to prove that I’m not. I want to show him that I’m better than my father, and better than anyone on this roster wants to give me credit for.

She slipped the brass knuckles onto her right hand, flexing her fingers and almost admired the way the weapon looked on her. But then she took them off, setting them on the bench in front of Bert.

JENNA: I’m doing this my way. Me in the ring, you in the front row. Because if I make the choice to start doing this now, then all I’m doing is proving these simpering idiots right. And I won’t let that happen.

Bert picked up the brass knuckles as Jenna brought her attention back to herself in the mirror, quickly fixing her hair before turning back around toward the door. He pocketed them, staring at the floor for a minute. The door closed behind her and Bert followed promptly after shaking his head.

OATH WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP SINGLES MATCH

Jenna Sharpe vs. Reo Ojima ©

It was now time for the main event and to say that there was a big fight feel in The Citadel -- well -- that would be an understatement. “The Canadian Wildcat” Jenna Sharpe made her entrance to an absolutely massive reaction. Jenna took a moment to take in the adulation from her countrymen. As Jenna made her way to the ring and the shot switched to show her “manager” Bert Cocaine who was taking his seat in the front row.

MEARS: Jenna Sharpe has made it very clear that she does not want Bert Cocaine’s help here tonight. She wants to win the World Championship on her own.

PETRIE: Then she is an idiot. People don’t care how shit gets done. Does she want the title or does she want to fade back into obscurity? Priorities kid!

The OATH World Champion, “The Stone Gargoyle” Reo Ojima was out next clad in his ONI mask and t-shirt. The old bastard stomped to the ring and rolled inside -- just another day at the office for the champ. Ojima took the black towel from around his neck and threw it at the referee before he handed off the championship and put in his mouthguard.

The referee called for the bell and Ojima paced to the center of the ring. The champion sighed and dropped down to the mat on all fours. Ojima gestured for Jenna to approach and engage in some amateur wrestling. Jenna looked less than pleased with this obvious show of disrespect. Ojima kept telling her to come at him.

MEARS: This is classic Ojima here. No respect what-so-ever.

PETRIE: Why would he respect her? You heard what he said -- she doesn’t deserve this match. He just wants to beat up a Sharpe just like he did to her daddy years ago.

MEARS: Arrogance of this magnitude may not serve the champion. Jenna is a talented competitor and she could catch Reo if he is not careful.

Jenna approached the champion and instead of taking position, she kicked him right in the face! Ojima fell backward and looked up at her with a smirk. Ojima took his time getting to his feet and started clapping for her, laughing. Jenna paced around the champion, staring a hole through him as Bert Cocaine shouted obscenities from the front row.

PETRIE: I thought I Iiked Bert. I don’t. He’s an idiot.

Mindgames or not, Ojima was not taking this match seriously and the fans were starting to get pretty pissed off about it. Ojima walked up to Jenna, still clapping, and it seemed that she had had enough of this shit too because she hit him with giant forearm that actually staggered the champion! Ojima had only a second to take in what had just happened to him because Jenna rushed him and started laying into him with forearms like he owed her money.

The Citadel became unglued as Jenna had the champion on his heels. Jenna hit one final forearm shiver that knocked Ojima back but he hit the ropes and launched himself like a cruise missile with a lariat but Jenna ducked under it and took the champion down with a rolling kneebar! Ojima was completely caught off guard and the fans were screaming for him to submit!

MEARS: The champion needs to be careful here! Jenna is a submission specialist and the old warhorse can not endure many of these expertly applied holds.

PETRIE: How the FUCK do you know that? Ojima is a fucking cyborg. He hasn’t lost a singles match in OATH this YEAR!

MEARS: I mean that is fact.

Ojima was able to power out, pushing himself off the mat and walking on his hands to reach the bottom rope. Jenna broke the hold but immediately went back on the offensive but Ojima, being the wily veteran, powdered out of the ring to put some space between himself and his challenger. There was a momentary look of disbelief on the champion’s face but it disappeared when he started clapping for Jenna yet again.

The World Champion slowly walked up the stairs to the ring as the fans started jeering him, letting him know that he was in trouble. Ojima paid them no mind because -- well -- fuck them. Ojima slowly entered the ring, not taking his eyes off of Jenna. The Canadian Wildcat was bouncing from one foot to the other and she looked comfortable now, confident.

PETRIE: Don’t get cocky kid! This match is far from over.

MEARS: But she knows that the Gargoyle can be hurt.

PETRIE: Hurt? Sure. Beaten? Yet to be proven.

The Stone Gargoyle walked to the middle of the ring with his hands up, gesturing for a lockup. Jenna was smiling and she went to oblige but Ojima smashed her right in the nose with a headbutt. Jenna was knocked backward onto her rear end and Ojima smirked. Jenna checked her nose for blood and Ojima kept his distance, letting her know that he has all the tricks. Jenna got to her feet and the smile was gone, she knew that she couldn’t get overconfident or the veteran would catch her again.

Jenna cautiously approached Ojima but he blasted her with a stiff uppercut that clearly rattled her. Ojima’s neutral expression turned to one of complete malice as he grabbed Jenna under both armpits and launched her into the nearest corner. Ojima followed that up with a running clothesline that took Jenna off her feet and left her hanging in the corner. Ojima grabbed the back of her head and screamed in her face -- “Welcome to my world!”

PETRIE: Here he is! The champion is done fucking around and that is bad news for Jenna Sharpe.

MEARS: Jenna has brought out The Stone Gargoyle and she may wish that she had not.

There was a look of fear on Jenna’s face now -- she knew that she was in trouble. That expression was wiped away when Ojima started laying into her with One Thousand Cuts (Multiple Slaps To the Face)! Each slap earned more and more jeers from the fans in attendance and Bert was out of his seat, halfway over the guardrail screaming at Ojima and the referee. Ojima finished this combination up with several stiff corner clotheslines and then a quick back elbow that dropped Jenna.

Ojima paced back to the middle of the ring and acted like he had hurt his hand slapping Jenna. Ojima pointed at Bert and flipped him off. Security was positioned right near Bert in the front row, in the event that Bert wanted to get involved they would be there to stop that. Probably only needed one guy but Bert is slick.

MEARS: Do you think that Ojima is trying to get Bert involved? Perhaps he can win by DQ?

PETRIE: Has the World Champion ever taken the easy way out? He has won all of his title defences cleanly and yet everyone thinks he’s a cheater. Man does not cheat, he obliterates.

Jenna composed herself and then charged out of the corner, while Ojima’s back was turned. The champion clearly sensed what was happening and he pivoted at the last second to catch Jenna with a heavyweight Double A spinebuster that shook the ring. Ojima got up on his knees after that and then fell into one of the laziest pin attempts you had ever seen.

1..

2..!

MEARS: Reo will need to try harder than that.

PETRIE: I don’t think he was trying to win. That was a message -- that Jenna is not on his level.

MEARS: I firmly disagree. She has kept pace with him thus far.

PETRIE: Yeah but that won’t last long let’s be real.

Jenna kicked out but Ojima wasn’t surprised. That pin attempt was done more out of arrogance than anything. Jenna rolled on her stomach and tried to crawl for the ropes but Ojima grabbed her in a waist lock while she was on the mat. Ojima tried to use his power game to lift Jenna off the mat with a deadlift German suplex. Ojima hoisted Jenna up and as he went to take her overhead Jenna did a full backflip and landed behind him. As soon as Jenna’s feet hit the mat she dove forward and took Ojima down with a chopblock! Jenna then transitioned into a calf crusher and The Citadel exploded in favour of the challenger!

For the first time in the contest, Ojima looked like he was in legitimate trouble because he was dead center in the middle of the ring and Jenna was wrenching back on his leg with every ounce of strength in her body! The champion screamed through his mouthguard as he tried to reach for the ropes but Jenna was applying significant damage with every passing second! Ojima pushed himself off the mat and then grabbed the bottom rope to break the hold. The Citadel was not happy.

MEARS: That hold did some damage Bad Mood. You can see the pain on the champion’s face.

PETRIE: The pain is from having to perform for these idiot fans. They don’t appreciate all that he has done for this company since becoming champion. Ridiculous.

MEARS: I feel like the fans respect him, they just don’t like him.

PETRIE: So Jenna Sharpe would be a better champion? Come on.

MEARS: Maybe she would be.

Jenna released the hold but immediately hit the opposing ropes and then came back with a basement dropkick right to Ojima’s face that sent him under the bottom rope to the outside. Ojima landed with a thud and Jenna was fired up -- she could see the World Championship on the horizon. Ojima got to his feet and fell against the barricade. Right near security and Bert. Jenna wanted to get to Ojima before Bert could do anything so she darted forward and flew through the ropes with a suicide dive that caught the champion and slammed him against the guard rail.

The Canadian Wildcat was in complete control and she warned Bert to sit down and keep his hands to himself. Bert held his hands up and seemed to honor her wishes -- for the time being. The referee started applying the twenty count as Jenna grabbed the champion and set him up for her signature Michinoku Driver but Ojima got his right hand free and clubbed her with a forearm smash. Ojima then grabbed Jenna by the back of the head and sent her face first into one of the solid steel ring posts.

MEARS: And just like that the champion takes the momentum back.

PETRIE: She isn’t ready to be at this level, that much is clear.

MEARS: Is it? I don’t believe so. She still has time to turn this contest around.

The champion turned to Bert and pie faced him back into his seat. Jenna had dropped to a seated position beside the steel steps and Ojima charged at her, looking for a big boot! Jenna moved and Ojima collided with the ringsteps, further injuring the left leg that Jenna had targeted earlier! Jenna scrambled up to her feet and sent Ojima back into the ring. Jenna followed him in and started targeting his left leg again with a series of quick stomps to the knee joint.

MEARS: Jenna Sharpe is putting it all on the line! She wants the championship badly and she is showing it right now!

PETRIE: Get up champ! Come on!

Ojima tried to get away but Jenna was stomping on his leg relentlessly and the champion looked legitimately scared. Ojima used the ropes to get himself up but Jenna charged and kicked him hard in the knee joint, putting him on his back again. The Citadel was chanting “WILD-CAT! WILD-CAT! WILD-CAT!” Jenna grabbed Ojima’s left leg and went for some kind of submission hold but we didn’t get to see what she was going to attempt because Ojima kicked her hard in the midsection with his free leg.

The air was driven out of Jenna but she knew that she had to keep on the champion. Jenna went after Ojima without recovering enough and he popped up off the mat and clobbered her with a lariat that turned her inside out. That lariat killed Jenna’s momentum and also killed the energy in The Citadel. Bert watched, his hands folded in front of him, but you could tell that it was difficult for him to maintain his composure.

MEARS: I feel like we are seeing the beginning of the end for Jenna Sharpe here. She brought all of the fight that she could muster but the champion is just too resilient.

PETRIE: Thank you! She’s just not ready. Just like her Prime Minister.

MEARS: What?

PETRIE: If you are going to work in Canada you should take an interest in the politics.

Ojima hefted Jenna up to her feet and slapped her again. “You’re not your daddy!” Ojima said and Jenna responded with a slap of her own which popped the crowd. Ojima smirked and hit her with a hooked punch to the breadbasket and then hoisted her up and planted her with the ONI Suplex (Tiger Suplex). This time Ojima covered for real, hooking Jenna’s leg while he ground his forearm into her face.

PETRIE: Thanks for coming Jenny.

MEARS: It’s Jenna.

PETRIE: It doesn’t matter because she’s about to lose.

1..

2..

..!

The Canadian Wildcat kicked out and The Citadel exploded. Ojima looked completely surprised but that expression didn’t last long, it quickly shifted to a look of complete anger. Ojima dropped a few hard punches to Jenna’s face and then he get her up to her feet. Hobbling, Ojima lifted Jenna up and dropped the back of her head over his knee with an ushigoroshi! Jenna’s eyes were closed and she was on her back again when Ojima covered.

PETRIE: Okay now it’s really over!

1..

2..

..!

MEARS: She kicked out! She kicked out! Jenna Sharpe will NOT die!

PETRIE: Are you kidding me!?

Jenna would not stay down and Ojima had a “what the fuck?” kind of look on his face. Ojima got Jenna up and hoisted her over his shoulder for the Last Call (Running Power Slam) but Jenna slipped off of his shoulder and shoved him into the corner! Before Ojima even knew what had happened, Jenna was on him and she took him down with a chop block! Jenna quickly transitioned into another rolling kneebar and Ojima had nowhere to go!

MEARS: Kneebar! Kneebar! Ojima is in deep, deep trouble.

PETRIE: I can’t believe what I’m seeing! It can’t end like this!

The champion screamed in pain and Jenna screamed along with him, telling him to tap out! The Citadel was chanting “Tap! Tap! Tap!” but Ojima screamed “No!”. The referee was right in Ojima’s face asking him if he was finished and Ojima grabbed the ref by the collar and continued to scream “No!”. Ojima shoved the referee away, hard enough that the ref stumbled and the back of his head hit the middle turnbuckle.

MEARS: The referee is down!

Ojima reversed the leverage of the hold and forced Jenna to break it but his leg was completely fucked. Jenna got up and just as she did an object landed on the mat in front of her. The camera caught Bert in the front row...he had lobbed the brass knuckles to Jenna. She stared down at them on the mat and Bert urged her to use them.

MEARS: Do not do it Jenna! You do not want to win this way!

PETRIE: Goddamn you Bert Cocaine! Our champion can’t lose this way! Not like this!

MEARS: Will she use them? Does Jenna want the title that badly?

The crowd waited to see what Jenna would do and for a moment she appeared to be considering the nefarious tactic. Ojima got up, using the ropes to help him. Ojima caught sight of the knux and he waited to see what Jenna would do. Jenna kicked them out of the ring and Ojima charged at her -- albeit much slower. Jenna took off and the two were set to meet in the middle of the ring.

MEARS: Here we go! Straight up wrestling!

PETRIE: Stupid move Jenna! It’s gonna cost you

The collision occurred and Jenna leaped off the mat looking for Look Sharpe! (Flying Triangle Choke) but Ojima reversed it, slipped her over his shoulder, and planted her with the Last Call (Running Powerslam). Jenna was driven into the mat yet again and Ojima covered. The referee came back to lift just in time to count the pinfall.

1..

2..

..3!

Winner: Still OATH World Champion, Reo Ojima

“The Real Man” by SEATBELTS cued up and the referee retrieved the World Championship. The referee handed it to Ojima and the champion shoved him away. Ojima fell back into the corner, barely able to stand. The champion was battered, he was hurt. But that was nothing compared to how Jenna was likely feeling.

MEARS: You have to hand it to Jenna Sharpe that was an incredible performance.

PETRIE: I am shocked. She really brought the fight and she almost did it.

MEARS: I am extremely impressed.

Ojima watched as Jenna slowly started to stand. She was holding her back, she was hurting to. When Jenna was finally able to get up to her feet, she stumbled back and caught herself on the top rope. Bert was trying to get over the barricade but security had stopped him. Ojima kept his eyes locked on Jenna and she dropped to one knee.

MEARS: Both of these competitors are hurt Bad Mood.

PETRIE: It was one hell of a match.

The champion approached the young contender and stood over her. Jenna looked up and was surprised to see that Ojima had extended his hand. The Citadel booed, trying to stop Jenna from accepting the champion’s offer.

PETRIE: What are you up to Ojima?

Finally, after some deep consideration, Jenna held up her hand and Ojima yanked her up to her feet. Ojima gave Jenna a nod of respect and then he fell to his back and rolled out of the ring with his title. The champion limped up the ramp, leaving Jenna to bask in the adulation from the fans. Everyone in The Citadel was on their feet -- giving Jenna a standing ovation.

MEARS: Would you look at this? A standing ovation for the challenger!

PETRIE: Canadian bias.

MEARS: I don’t think so. She showed us that she is for real here tonight. Even Reo showed her some respect!

Jenna looked overcome by emotion. Sure she lost, but she had the undying respect from everyone in the arena -- the champion included. Jenna took it all in as Ojima reached the top of the ramp. A standing ovation, quite the sight.

MEARS: How must Jenna Sharpe be feeling right now?

At the top of the ramp Ojima had his back to the curtain and he was staring at the competitor in the ring who took him to the limit. He should have just left because someone came through the curtain.

PETRIE: Look out champ! Look out!

James Edwards stood behind the champion for only a moment before he hit Ojima with Wildfire (Spin Kick/Roundhouse Knee Combination)! Ojima dropped and in doing so he dropped the World Championship. Edwards reached down and grabbed the title. Edwards took a moment to stare into the faceplate before he dropped it on Ojima’s prone body and then walked through the curtain as Conviction XXXII went off the air.

---

Results: • Alex Pierce def. Minoru Tanahashi

• Erik Holland def. Monstruo

• Meg Coleman def. JC Keeton; Still Tabula Rasa Champion • FM Young & Qiyanna Marshal fought to a No Contest; Still Intrepid Champion • James Edwards def. Matt Shields • Reo Ojima def. Jenna Sharpe; Still World Champion