Yuri! In the Ring
Yo everyone! This AU literally just hit me while watching Monday Night RAW this week. I'm not sure why, but I could just imagine this YoI AU while watching a tag team match. I've been looking for something to get me writing again, so hopefully this can get me back into writing so I can get back to my Ghost Hunt series.
I will be taking some creative liberties with a few character's in terms of their age so they can be involved. (*cough* Yurio *cough*)
Disclaimer: I do not own Yuri! On ICE.
Here we go!
Chapter 1: The Champion and The Jobber
"1!
2!
3!"
*Ding! Ding! Ding!*
"Your winner and NEW IWA World Heavyweight Champion… Viktor Nikiforov!"
The silver haired wrestler stood up, beaming ear to ear, as the referee handed Viktor the golden belt. Viktor took it as the referee lifted his hand, declaring Viktor the champion.
As Viktor waved to the crowd from atop the third turnbuckle, kissing his belt, Yuuri Katsuki watched the championship match and the celebration on the tv in the locker room.
Yuuri just recently was moved from the development roster up to the main roster, but had yet to make is big debut. He had wrestled in some dark matches as a jobber during the first few years of his career, but now he had an opportunity to make a name for himself within the International Wrestling Association. The big wigs knew he had a following while in the developmental roster and wanted to capitalize on Yuuri's following and see what he could do on the main roster.
Yuuri wasn't just a babyface that everyone liked, he was a three-time International Wrestling Association Development champion and two-time tag team champion with his best friend and tag team partner, Phichit Chulanont. In Yuuri's mind, it was all thanks to Pichit that they were two-time champions before the script writers had them go into singles competition. Not long ago, he was the IWAD champion. He held the title for four months, before the writers and administration decided to give him his big shot on the main roster. They had Yuuri drop the championship in a cage match to Jean-Jacques Leroy, better known by his ring name JJ. It was a high profile match that Yuuri wished he didn't have to lose. But in order to move on to the main roster, he couldn't be champion. He would have to start at the bottom once again. He was granted one more match to win back the title, but it was only to fulfill a contractual agreement that every wrestler has that comes into play when they lose a championship. They must receive a rematch for the title.
After that match, Yuuri was given a few weeks to recover and prepare for his debut on the main roster. But, after one month since coming back from the title rematch, Yuuri had yet to be put into a storyline where he could debut. He was a good singles competitor and felt like he could make a mark in the division, but there were talks of him starting off in a tag team. That did not make him feel comfortable at all. The only person he felt comfortable with to wrestle in a tag team was Pichit, but he was still in the developmental roster. Yuuri was on his own in the main roster and he was terrified.
He felt like the only reason why he was over with the audience was because of his time with Pichit. Yuuri was shy and that was the character the company wanted him to portray. A small, timid wrestler who wasn't very confident on the mic but who could surprise you and make you tap to his signature submission move, the Hasetsu Sunset, faster than you could blink. Pichit was the one full of charisma and had the mic skills. But, he did had a hard time finishing matches, occasionally botching an ending. Yuuri, on the other hand, rarely botched a match and his endings always kept the audience on the edge of their seats, waiting to see if he'll either fall via pinfall or manage to pull someone into the modified Octopus Stretch he created and named after his hometown.
But once he was on his own, he did develop some mic skills and even was named by a few wrestling news outlets as one of the best wrestlers in the development rosters, saying his mic skills could match the greats of the industry by the time he hits the main roster. Yuuri doubted that, always feeling that he could do better if he could get rid of the timid wrestler gimmick.
That's why he wanted to debut as a single competitor with a new gimmick that the audience wouldn't expect and still captivate them like he somehow did back in the IWAD.
"Yuuri!"
His eyes snapped to Pichit, who was sitting in front of him stretching.
"Welcome back, Yuuri."
"Sorry, Pichit."
Pichit's head tilted to the side. "You alright, Yuuri?"
He nodded.
"Main roster stuff?"
"Yeah…"
Yuuri sighed.
"When are they gonna have you make your grand debut? It's been over a month since you left IWAD," Pichit said, a small sadness in his voice peaking through.
"They haven't figured out a good storyline yet. Not sure if they want me to go singles or in a tag team yet."
Pichit put a hand on Yuuri's shoulder. "They'll figure it out soon. I just hope I can join you soon so the Terra Incognita team can dominate the IWA tag team division."
Yuuri smiled. "That would be amazing." He sighed as he stretched his left arm. "Why did they chose me to move up instead of you? I mean, we both have been wrestling for three years, and honestly if it wasn't for you and being in a tag team, I wouldn't be where I'm at."
Pichit stared at Yuuri. "Seriously? You're the babyface that put us on the map! That killer submission move of yours put TI on the way to win our first tag team championship. Plus, you do finish matches better than I ever could."
"Not true!"
"I botched who knows how many endings while you rarely botch any."
Yuuri started stretching his back as he replied. "But you don't anymore. And I've come close to botching a few matches during our tag team run. It was you that would give me a pep talk from ringside that got my mind back into the match so I could give it a good finish, whether we won or lost."
Pichit stood up and knocked Yuuri on his head.
"Ow!"
"Yuuri, you've blossomed as a competitor since our tag team days. You've become one of the best in the IWAD, which is why they chose you to move up!"
"Still think they should have chosen someone else," Yuuri mumbled as he stood up. "Ready to practice a bit?"
Pichit nodded as they left the weight room and headed to the training arena where six rings were arranged for competitors to practice and try out new moves before using it during a real match.
"Hey Yuuri, since you're on the main roster now, you wouldn't mind teaching me your Hasetsu Sunset move?"
"As long as I can use your Thailand Star Press."
"Deal!"
As Yuuri and Pichit entered the training arena, they could hear a few wrestlers practicing already. Yuuri and Pichit went to find an unused ring when Yuuri heard a familiar voice a few rings over.
"No, no, no. Try again, this time wait until your feet leave the turnbuckle to turn to your left."
Yuuri practically froze when he heard that voice. He could recognize that thick Russian accent anywhere.
"P… Pichit…"
Pichit turned around and saw a pale Yuuri. "Are you ok, Yuuri?"
"H… he's here…"
Pichit's eyes darted around until he saw the man Yuuri has looked up to since his debut almost 10 years ago.
He placed his hands on his friend's shoulders to bring him back. "It's fine, Yuuri. He's training someone right now. Which is what we should be doing."
Yuuri nodded as he closed his mind off of his surroundings and focused on the squared circle he stepped into.
Yuuri and Pichit decided to run the ropes for a minute to get their heart rates up before agreeing to a quick submission match.
The match lasted about seven minutes before Yuuri was able to get Pichit in the Hasetsu Sunset maneuver, giving him the win.
As they sat in the ring, catching their breath, they both jumped when someone started clapping. Yuuri and Pichit turned to see none other than the man Yuuri has looked up to since middle school.
Before them stood the now 5-time IWA world heavyweight champion, Viktor Nikiforov.
"That submission is something else. Do you mind doing it again?"
Did not know where to cut this one off! Over 1.3k words! Man…
Quite a bit of set up, I know, but I like setting up backgrounds in the first few chapters.
In case anyone was wondering about a few terms or how moves look, here's a list!
Jobber- someone in wrestling who is not over or un-pushed that purposely loses a match to make the other wrestler look better
Babyface- a good guy the audience cheers for, also know as a "Face"
Yuuri's Submission move, the Hasetsu Sunset, is a modified version of the Octopus Stretch. It's inspired by one of my favorite female wrestlers, AJ Lee. It looks just like her "Black Widow" submission move, but with some variance to how he holds the right arm of his competitor.
Pichit's finisher, the Thailand Star Press, is a variation of the shooting star press, in particular Evan Bourne's.
In my mind, Pichit and Yuuri are both high flyer wrestlers as they don't look big enough to be a normal heavyweight contender and have enough strength to have a finisher like a spear, jumping cutter (Randy Orton's RKO), or a standing Fireman's carry (John Cena's Attitude Adjustment).
Yuuri focuses more on submission techniques to get his wins while Pichit depends on aerial moves to finish an opponent.
Well, tell me what you thought of this first chapter of the Wrestler AU for Yuri! on ICE and I'll see you next chapter!