DISCLAIMER: I don't own the WWE.

Intro: Not the most revolutionary piece of fan-fiction, but I'm hopeful someone likes it. It's your typical OC Story, much like a Career Mode in a 2K game. I'm skipping over NXT to start with, but that's on purpose. You will still read about his start in NXT, I'm just trying to work out how exactly I want to do it. The backstage bits before and after the shows, autograph signings, they're half real/ half kayfabe. I wanted to get into personal lives to an extent, but nothing too invasive. This is mostly his career on WWE television. Although, as you find out, it's not a career to him... It's strictly a way of life.

THE ONE MAN ARMY

1#

"RAW is WAR"

Part I

"This isn't a career to me. This is a way of life... The only life. All I have ever wanted to be - All I am here for - Is to be a wrestler. That's it. That's all there is. And, that said, I thank you for taking the time to share my journey with me."

For Ryan Sahms, professional wrestling is all there was. As soon as he was old enough to start giving his future the extensive thought it needed, it just clicked. Wrestling. From the time he was eleven, he maintained an athletic lifestyle, always moving, never settling. He kept active, he kept thinking, planning, plotting the future. He watched videos, attended live shows, studied every last bit of info he could sink his teeth into. Once he was sixteen, he began trying out for independent promotions. It seemed many were skeptical of his ability at such a young age. Other than a spot here or there, he couldn't find any substantial work.

But, he remained vigilant. Driven. Determined. At the age of 19, he managed to work steadily for Ring Of Honor, which is where the now known One Man Army gimmick was born. He had a knack for selling moves really well and that lead to him taking beatings, leading to matches where it seemed he had no chance but would somehow survive to become victorious. His last night with the promotion was a rivalry culminating in a 'Win Or Walk' Title match that saw him failing to secure the gold. With streamers and a standing ovation behind him, Ryan walked away from Ring Of Honor at the age of 21.

He traveled out of country next, specifically London and Japan, were the One Man Army gimmick started to really take off. He truly became an against all odds competitor, though he always seemed to leave just before receiving a title or getting a major push into true main event status. At the age of 23, he wrestled a farewell match in London... A special event that had proceeds go to cancer research and treatment. The tagline reading The One Man Army's final war in England. Truer words were never spoken, as at the end of the event, it was announced via Social Media, that The One Man Army had been signed to a developmental contract by the WWE.

He performed under the same One Man Army gimmick but with a new name, Nevan Flaherty, which was a throwback to his Irish heritage. Though, to be honest, he was born in America and it was his grandparents on his mother's side that were from Ireland. Still... He had to admit he liked the name, he loved that he was able to keep the gimmick he had been building upon since he was a teenager dreaming this all in his head and jotting it down in a notebook.

NXT was obviously first on the agenda. He was informed by the Higher-Ups that if he succeeded in getting over with the fans, he would be given a shot at the main roster after Summerslam. Well, as luck would have it, The One Man Army had managed to garner an army of followers and he was given numerous main event and high profile matches, including a short-lived rivalry with Finn Balor that ultimately lead to the both of them being called up to Monday Night Raw via The Draft on the very same night...

:::MONDAY NIGHT RAW:::

Part of him didn't believe it. Part of him felt like he was a teenager drifting asleep to thoughts of possibly becoming a Superstar one day. But, this was reality. This was those dreams having come true. And in even greater ways than he could have ever imagined. You see, because Nevan had been selected to be part of the historic Monday Night Raw that would not only debut the WWE Universal Championship, but also decide who would compete for said championship at The Hottest Event Of The Year, Summerslam!

Nevan sat in the backstage area, watching on a monitor as none other than his friend/greatest challenge, Finn Balor, emerged as the winner. Which meant that later tonight, it would be Finn Balor going up against the winner of the next Fatal 4-Way... Consisting of The One and Only, Chris Jericho, Sheamus, former WWE World Heavyweight Champion, Roman Reigns and the 2nd rookie drafted to the Raw roster, The One Man Army himself, Nevan Flaherty.

The butterflies flew in his stomach, refusing to settle. The nerves were electric inside his body. He couldn't recall being this nervous before. But, damn, so much was riding on this performance. Sure, he had managed to be successful in NXT and Overseas, but this was the main roster of WWE. This was the headliner. Raw and Smackdown were where it was at... Where people really took notice of you. The fame and fortune, the millions of eyes fixed right on you... The chance to truly begin carving your path to becoming a real legend in wrestling history. It was a lot to absorb. A lot to try and live up to. If he went out there and screwed it up somehow...

"You ready for this or what, Kid?" none other than the man, Triple H, one of Nevan's biggest supporters, and possibly the driving reason behind him receiving the push onto the Raw roster so soon.

"I'm not so sure," Nevan chuckled, standing up, shaking off a few jitters.

"Well, now's the time. Whether you're ready or not, your match is up. Now... Don't make me look like a fool out there, okay? I vouched for you, I told them in the meetings that Flaherty has what it takes. He can make us money, he can gain us respect, he can help the entire brand. Not to mention... Bring some excitement to this new belt we got out there."

"I'm gonna try my best," Nevan assured Hunter.

"Hey, don't try your best," HHH corrected the rookie, "Just do your best. Above all else, put on a show. Make those people out there remember who you are."

:::2ND FATAL 4-WAY MATCH:::

On both knees, head down, wearing a camouflage hoodie, the moment lingered on the stage just before Nevan slammed both fists down one at a time on the steel grating, a heavy drum beating along with his movements and the music kicking in as he popped up to his feet.

'I need a rival, I need a rival, I found my soul, let's set it on fire.'

Rival by Black Rebel Motorcycle Club fueled the One Man Army's entrance as the fans popped just loud enough for there to be a favorable response. And in that few seconds, the butterflies were gone, the nerves were fine, in Nevan's world everything was just as it should be. He headed down the ramp, showing off his in-ring gear after tossing aside his hoodie; Taped hands and wrists, camouflage shorts, black knee pads with black boots and red kick pads to go with them. He didn't waste much time in entering the ring, waiting for his three opponents, knowing this match could define the rest of his Raw career.

Sheamus was next, laughing at his opponent, not at all worried. Jericho after him, his smug self, joining in with the childish teasing, the two of them having a good little time at the rookie's expense. But then came the big dog and the mood changed in a hurry. Love him or hate him, Roman Reigns and his Roman Empire were a force to be reckoned with and not taken lightly. Time and time again, he had prove himself to be at the top of his game, if not at the top of the WWE as a whole. Each Superstar took to a corner, eyeing the others.

Corey was first to comment, "You are looking at three former WWE Champions, Chris Jericho the very first Undisputed Champion having beat both The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin in one night. Sheamus winning the title in his first year. Roman Reigns winning the title at two of the biggest shows WWE has to offer, Survivor Series and Wrestlemania. This is as star-studded a Fatal Four-Way as you're going to get."

Byron had something to add, "Not to be outdone, Nevan Flaherty had also had a successful career as well."

"Very true," Cole said, "Gained quite the notoriety overseas before landing in NXT where he competed in a number of high-profile matches."

"I'm not going to sit here and say The One Man Army doesn't have what it takes to be here," Corey finished it off, "But, when push comes to shove, he has never won a singles title in any promotion and he's in the lion's den with three former multi-time World Champions. Call me crazy, but the odds are telling me it's not the rookie's night."

With a ring of the bell, it was time to start the fight. In the opening moments, the four competitors merely sized one another up. However, it didn't take long until Jericho and Sheamus headed straight for Nevan, landing blows left and right, ending up with Nevan being tossed through the ropes and to the floor. Feeling a little left out, Roman grabbed both Sheamus and Jericho while they were pre-occupied over who would do what and clunked their heads together old-school WWE style. Jericho took the worst of it, falling to the canvas and rolling outside while Reigns targeted Sheamus in the corner, swinging him from turnbuckle to turnbuckle and flattening him with a powerful clothesline to start the bout.

Meanwhile, Jericho was on the outside, shaking off the head-knock and spotting Flaherty from the corner of his eye, doing the same. Axe-handle to the back, sending Nevan back to the floor. Then came a number of stomps connecting to Nevan's back. After that, Chris grabbed him and threw him headfirst into the barricade. After which, Jericho mocked the rookie, smiling away, arms raised as if he was already victorious. Feeling good, he saw an opportunity and took it, grabbing Roman's boot as he was running against the ropes, providing Sheamus the chance to finally gain some control in the ring, nailing a massive Brogue Kick! Whoops, Jericho may have just screwed himself and quickly slid into the ring as Sheamus pinned Reigns, easily breaking it up.

Michael Cole explained, "Such is the danger in these matches. What may be a clever move on your part, can lead to a game-changing opening for an opponent."

Okay... This wouldn't do. Nevan picked himself up, shaking off his early misfortunes, but just as he tried to get back in the ring, he was sent right back down again by an opportune baseball slide courtesy of Y2J. Nevan was once again on the floor, clutching his abdomen, wincing in pain, but maybe more out of frustration. If he didn't get his act together, the match would be over before he could even score a single offensive attack. Fed up, he pulled on the apron to stand, noticing Jericho trying for another slide, but side-stepped it this time, then connected with a few punches, surprising the veteran, before whipping him into the barricade.

Starting to feel it a little, Nevan slid into the ring, Y2J down on the outside. He waited for Sheamus to turn around, then stunned him with a dropkick right on target! The Celtic Warrior rolled to the ropes, taking a second to recover. Nevan stood back up, the momentum shifting slightly in his favor. But then... Oh man, he was staring face to face with Roman. The two were about to lock horns when it was Y2J rejoining the fray, school-boying Flaherty for a quick 1...2... Nevan kicked out! Jericho was first to stand, instantly popped with as strong a right hand as you're going to find in the WWE, straight from Reigns. Nevan back up, but received a thunderous punch for his efforts as well. The came Sheamus' turn with the same result. And, in a matter of three blows, Roman Reigns was standing tall.

"If this keeps going the way it's going, this could be a long night for everyone but Roman Reigns."

Jericho up, back-dropped. Then the big dog had his eyes on Flaherty, perhaps a Spear? It looked like it as he charged for the rookie, but Nevan leap-frogged over the Samoan Superstar and he ended up colliding with the Celtic Warrior instead! No matter, Roman covered him anyway, 1... 2... Jericho broke up the pin! Being the smart veteran he was, Jericho laid the attack on Roman while he had the chance. Rights, left, a combination of the two, stomps, whatever it took. Like it or not, Reigns was the favorite and had to be dealt with for anyone else to have a chance at victory.

Roman wouldn't stay down. Nevan teamed with Jericho, the two putting aside their differences to perform a two-man vertical suplex. Then a double elbow, and a second for good measure. The crowd began cheering, and as Sheamus slowly got back up, it seemed a 3 on 1 situation would be forthcoming. Forget the earlier teasing and taunting, it was time to cast aside differences for the greater good... Taking the big dog out of the big fight. It caused the WWE Universe to erupt in cheers when all three put the boots to Roman! Then it was Jericho directing traffic, ordering Sheamus and Nevan to stand him up. Codebreaker ti... No! Roman pushed aside Sheamus and Nevan, blocked the Codebreaker and hoisted Jericho up for a power-bomb. Yet, while he had Y2J up high, the other two clipped his legs, giving Chris the chance to roll down his back and make a pin attempt, 1... 2... Roman escaped with time to spare!

All men back to their feet, Roman against all comers. He ducked a Sheamus clothesline and shoulder-blocked Nevan into the corner, but then turned right into a Codebreaker! It didn't take Reigns off his feet, though. It took a 2nd Brogue Kick... No, it wouldn't! Roman was shaky, but still upright! That's when they all looked to Nevan, who had climbed to the top turnbuckle... Flipping neckbreaker! Roman Reigns was finally down! Then came the moment that always came when Superstars co-operated in matches where ultimately there could be only one winner...

"Roman's out, guys. But which one's going to make the cover?" Byron raised the question.

Sheamus for the win, pulled off by Y2J! Jericho for the victory, pulled off by the Celtic Warrior. The two engaged in a shoving match, Nevan discovering a golden opportunity! 1... 2... Pulled off by both Sheamus and Chris Jericho! They shoved him back to the ropes then went for a tandem clothesline to put this contest out of reach, but the rookie ducked and it was the two of them falling to the outside! Another chance... Nevan jumped onto Roman, hooking the leg, was this it... 1... 2... Roman kicked out! Just like that, Nevan felt the match slip through his fingers. Roman still down, Nevan hit a standing somersault leg drop, 1... 2... Roman was far from finished! Nevan punched the canvas in frustration.

"Nevan's showing me something here," Graves commented, "But, he's grabbing at straws and you can't do that against Roman Reigns. You need definitive strategy and power to conquer the Roman Empire."

Roman slowly rising up, Jericho and Sheamus doing the same on the outside, Nevan needed to think. Time was of the essence. He backed the weakened Reigns into a corner and then hoisted him up to the top turnbuckle. Could it be the... Roman came to life, shot after shot on the top of Nevan's head, then the shocker! On the top, he muscled Nevan into a power-bomb position, then proceeded to THROW HIM FROM THE TOP DOWN TO Y2J AND SHEAMUS ON THE FLOOR! ALL THREE MEN OUT OF COMMISSION IN A HURRY!

The crowd roared for the big time move with the obligatory Holy Shit chant. Roman composed himself then climbed down to the ring, raising his arms proudly. All that was left to decide was which one of the corpses to drag into the ring and pin for the three count. It was all over but the chorus from the fat lady, folks. However, just as Roman dropped out of the ring to the floor, he was ambushed by an attack from the United States Champion, Rusev! Out of nowhere!

"What the heck is Rusev doing out here!?"

"Remember during the Draft, these two crossed paths backstage! Rusev saying this week on Social Media that Reigns didn't respect him."

Fatal 4-Way... Who do you disqualify? No one. And you can't just award Roman the match, either. Swung into the steel steps, the barricade, the Bulgarian Brute did just that... He brutalized Reigns. Yet, despite this, Roman began fighting back and the two were locked in the world's biggest fist fight. The tussle took them up the ramp and to the backstage area. All this leaving only three men in the match. Two of which were slowly but surely climbing into the ring, the third still feeling the effects of a career-threatening power-bomb.

"The entire complexion of the night... The Universal Title Picture... It's all just changed drastically, folks. Do not go anywhere, we'll be right back!"

"THE ONE MAN ARMY"

2#

"RAW is WAR"

Part II