Blitzkrieg 14.0
"Welcome to NXT!" Phillips called happily as the show opened. There was silence for a moment before Crown of Thorns blared loudly. The crowd cheered heavily as Andy came out of the gorilla position onto the top of the stage. He wore his Mercier Club leather jacket, blue jeans and black converse. He made a small circle on the ramp and the crowd waited until he jerked the jacket open to reveal his NXT championship wrapped around his waist. The fans cried out in approval as he smiled. He made his way down the ramp, touching hands with fans before he entered the ring and grabbed a microphone. He waited until his music stopped before speaking. "Last week, Samoa Joe hit a wall in his dream to become the NXT Champion." He stated as the crowd cheered their approval. "His dream turned into a nightmare when he stepped into this ring against me. He tried to put me down. But, in the end, he didn't have it in him to pull the trigger on me. He couldn't make me tap, and he couldn't keep me down for a three count. Two weeks ago, I stood in this ring and said that, at the end of it all, I would still be your champion. Guess what guys? I'm still your champion! Now don't get me wrong, Samoa Joe is-" Andy stopped short and scowled angrily as Samoa Joe's music played and the former number one contender stomped his way to the ring with a microphone in hand.
"Cut my music!" Joe yelled as he came to stare eye to eye with Andy. "You think you're pretty good, don't you? You get a little lucky charm rubbed on you before the match and you're, what, the best wrestler in the world? I don't think so. You got a fluke victory over me. A fluke! But I'm going to rectify that. I want another chance-"
"You want?" Andy interrupted. "You want? I'm sorry, I didn't realize this was the other company where you could throw your weight around get whatever you wanted because, sadly enough, out of all the wrestlers in that cesspool you were one of the best." Joe's nostrils flared angrily at the insult. "I'm sorry Joe. This is probably my fault. I think I kicked your brain back in time last week. This isn't Totally Not Awesome wrestling. This is NXT, mate." The crowd roared at the words. "And in NXT, everything is a proving ground. You aren't just handed title shots. You earn them. And when you fail, guess what? You have to earn them again! You don't get to come out and say 'Give me another one!'! Because there's a whole locker room of men back there just as good as you and just as good as me who deserve a shot at this title more than you!"
"No one deserves that title more than me!" Joe screamed angrily into his mic. Then, the crowd came unglued as Rising Sun played through the speakers and Shinsuke Nakamura made himself known walking down the ramp.
"It looks like Shinsuke begs to differ!" Phillips spoke into his headset. Shinsuke stepped into the ring and grabbed a microphone before coming nose to nose with Samoa Joe.
"Samoa Joe." He spoke in his extremely flamboyant style. "You have had your chance. I've seen everyone in the back, and I have seen the man you are talking to. There is no one that understands what type of person he becomes in the ring. You don't see it, but he is cold and calculating."
"I don't care what he is! Now get out of my ring!" Joe swung for Shinsuke, but the man ducked. Joe was brought up onto Andy's shoulder and hit with a G2S. Joe fell to his knees and was hit in the back of the head by Shinsuke with a Kinshasa.
"Ride the Mercier into a Kinshasa! Joe is out!"
"That is the tag team champions that never happened back in NJPW!" Corey crowed as Andy and Shinsuke stared at each other.
"In Japan." Shinsuke started. "We battled each other. You beat me, but never cleanly. I, however, beat you with no help. For a title that we both still boast today. That is not the title I want to fight you for." The crowd roared at the implications. "I want to be the NXT Champion, and to do that, I have to beat... you!" The crowd roared again as Andy stared at his longtime friend and rival.
"You're right, Shinsuke, I've never beaten you cleanly." Andy spoke into his microphone. "I can't deny the facts, in Japan you were always the better wrestler. Hell, you have more clean wins over me than I do unclean ones over you. The problem there is, there's always a first time for everything." The crowd again roared. "You want a title shot with me? Fine. It gives me the chance to prove that I have finally surpassed even you." The arena became deafening as the two stood eye to eye. William Regal appeared on top of the stage with a microphone in hand.
"I love when wrestlers take it upon themselves to give the people what they want." He stated with a smile. "And I know just the place to do it. Just today I got the news that NXT will showcase a match at Money in the Bank. Therefore, at Money in the Bank, it will be Andy Mercier versus Shinsuke Nakamura for the NXT Championship!" The crowd cheered loudly and began a chant of 'NXT'. "And to make it more interesting, starting next week, Shinsuke, you will choose every one of Andy's opponents if he loses even one, you will choose a stipulation for the match. If Andy wins though, he gets to choose the stipulation." The crowd roared loudly at the announcement as Andy nodded his head. The champion and number one contender stared at each other before they shook hands. Then, they vacated the ring and headed backstage. Andy traveled to the men's locker room and began his prematch ritual. Then, he headed to the gorilla position as he waited for his opponent to finish his entrance. He took a deep breath. He was taking on a true veteran in the form of Rhyno. Crown of Thorns played and Andy burst through the curtains. He wore white trunks, white boots and kickpads and white knee pads. He also wore a black long sleeve shirt with the design on the front mimicking his paint with the red Markings, eye and mouth. He wore a black bandanna that came down to his abdomen with the same mouth from his shirt printed on it. Strapped around his waist was his NXT Championship and his hands were taped as they normally were. He came down to both knees and lifted his hands skyward like guns before pointing them at Rhyno and shooting at him. He slapped the ground and came to his feet with a cry of "Strong Style Shooter!". He walked down the ramp, young his Too Sweet hand gesture to the fans before he paused at the end of the ramp. He lowered his body close to the ground and pointed his hand to the left to "Strong!" Nodding, he reached up to reveal his face with a smirk before he pointed to the right with a "Style!". He pulled the bandanna from his face and gave it to a young boy before Leaping onto the apron. He stared put at the crowd before climbing the turnbuckle and doing his hanging draw. He unstrapped his belt and removed his shirt, throwing it to the crowd, before dropping into the ring and giving the title to an official. He stared across the ring at Rhyno before the bell rang. They circled one another before Andy went for a lock up. Rhyno refused however and punched him in the top of the skull. He followed up by Kneeing his opponent in the gut and slinging him into the ropes. Andy bounced off the ropes and was hit with a vicious clothesline. Rhyno stomped his opponent in the chest multiple times before dragging him to his feet for a fallaway slam. Andy stood to his feet as Rhyno towered over him. Andy got wrapped up by Rhyno and the larger man hit him with a belly to belly suplex. And arched his back in pain as the larger athlete stalked around him. Rhyno went to pick him up, but Andy delivered a swift strike to his jaw. Rhyno held it and Andy jumped to his feet with a harsh kick to the side of the head. Rhyno stumbled to the side and Andy leaped through the air with a knee to the face. Rhyno fell back into a corner and Andy hit him with his flying knee before launching into a combo of elbows and knees to the head. He fell to his feet and as Rhyno stumbled out of the corner, Andy hit him with a spinning heel kick that sent him to his back. Andy bounced in place and when Rhyno sat up he was hit with a shining wizard. Andy made for a cover, but was launched through the air at the count of two. Andy stood to his feet before dropkicking his opponent in the leg, sending him to one knee before kicking Andy in the head with an Enzuigiri.
Rhyno's head whipped to the side and Andy aimed his hand like a gun at him before going for a Kinshasa. Rhyno dodged away and launched to his feet with another belly to belly suplex. He then picked the champion up for a scoop power slam that knocked the breath out of Andy. Andy reached over and began pulling himself to his feet using Rhyno as leverage. Rhyno kicked him in the gut before delivering a vicious Power-Bomb. He went for the cover but Andy was able to get the shoulder up at two. Rhyno shook his head and pulled Andy to his feet. Andy delivered a kick to the side of his head. He strained to lift Rhyno onto his shoulders for a Go 2 Sleep, but Rhyno slipped off his back. When Andy turned around, he was hit by a striking spear. "Gore!" Phillips cried out as Rhyno went for the cover.
"And Rhyno puts the champion away with it!" Corey crowed as Rhyno's music played. Andy held his ribs as he laid on the ground. "That will mess Andy up mentally over the next few weeks when he's fighting to earn the right to pick a stipulation for Money in the Bank. He's going to know he went into that with a loss on his record."
"Join us next week for NXT as we start Andy and Shinsuke's road to Money in the Bank!" The show faded as Andy retrieved his title, holding his ribs as Rhyno continued to celebrate his win over the champion.
"Andy's not here tonight?" Becky asked Jordan as he leaned against a wall a few feet away from the Gorilla position.
"No. That Gore he took from Rhyno was pretty bad. Bruised his ribs. So he told me that he wouldn't be here tonight because it wasn't his flagship show anyway." Jordan shrugged. "I feel a little bad for the wanker. I could almost feel the impact through the television set." Becky winced at the words.
"I wasn't watching, but that must have hurt if you say that. Hey, good luck out there. I'm going to go get changed out of my ring gear." Jordan nodded in response. However, as she walked away, he called out to Becky.
"Hey, Becky?" She stopped and turned to look at him. "Would you like to go to a movie with me after the show?" Becky smiled at the question.
"Aye." Jordan returned the smile, though Becky's disappeared as she looked at the monitor. "Owens is in the ring." She stated as she began her track to the women's locker room. Jordan moved across the hallway to look at the monitor.
"Jordan!" Owens called from the ring, having just won his match. "Our business isn't finished! You knocked me out at Extreme Rules, but this isn't over! I'm still here! I'm still standing! Samoa Joe screwed himself out of the title in NXT, but this isn't NXT! This is Smackdown! And you have something I want. That United States championship around your waist. I'm not going away, Jordan. Not until I've exposed you for a phony! A phony fighter and a phony champion! Come on big man! Put the title on the line again at Money in the Bank! It's not like you'll get into the ladder match! You're not a main event enough level to do that!" Riot blared through the arena and Jordan burst through the curtain, having had enough. He walked down the ramp, throwing his shirt to the crowd and dropped his title to the mat as he slid into the ring and grabbed a mic.
"You didn't have enough? When I put you down on the mat? You want to keep coming to me? Did your brain get that rattled in our match? You had your shot. You're done."
"We're not." Owens replied before slapping Jordan. He quickly slid from the ring as Jordan made to attack him. As Owens rushed up the ramp, Jordan's opponent, The Miz, made his way to the ring. He slid in and went to get in Jordan's face, only for Jordan to lay him out with a solid shot to the jaw.
"Just like you, Owens, two hits. Me hitting you and you hitting the ground." Jordan grit through his teeth on the microphone. "You want a rematch at Money in the Bank? You got it! Screw it! I'll even let you name the match type." Owens nodded his head with a laugh and a smug smirk as he disappeared behind the titantron. The show went to commercial on Jordan's infuriated face. When the show came back on air, Jordan was tearing through the hallways. "Where's Owens!?" He yelled angrily as he tossed a chair down the hall, narrowly missing a referee. "I said where's Owens! Somebody here knows where he is and I will start punching heads off until I get his!"
"Jordan! Jordan! Calm down!" Becky called as she appeared at his side. "It's okay! You're going to get him again. Calm down." Jordan took a deep breath through his nostrils and released it. "There you go. Thank you. Why don't you go get out of your ring gear and we'll leave. You need to clear your head." Jordan stood as still as a statue for a minute before nodding his head.
"You're right. I'll swing by the locker rom when I'm ready." The show faded to the ring where Brianna stood in the center, her music playing as she held her title on her shoulder and a microphone in her hand. She smiled as her music faded and the fans chanted 'We're not faceless!'
"No you're not!" She called with a laugh. "None of us are faceless! People think our dreams are jokes. That we'll never achieve them. But I'm standing here tonight to prove to you that's a lie!" She held her championship high and the crowd applauded happily. "There aren't many people that have always stood beside me. I owe one person a huge thank you. He's not here tonight because of his ribs, but I know he's watching. Andy Mercier, thank you so much. You took me under your wing. And you taught me the main thing I needed to know. Just being a good wrestler doesn't make you a top tier. It's being a good wrestler and your connection to the fans! And that brings me to you guys! You've been with me since the beginning and I know you'll be with me every step of the way now. Thank you guys!" The fans cheered loudly after the statement. Then, Sasha Banks music played and she walked onto the ramp with a microphone.
"That's great, honey." She spoke with mock sincerity. "But you're not top tier. Especially not up against The Boss. So don't get comfortable with my title because I'm using my rematch clause for Money in the Bank. And I'll be taking back my belt and you'll be just another faceless competitor in the history of the Boss." Sasha lowered her mic and Brianna shrugged with a fake pout.
"I'd be scared... if there was anything actually 'legit' about you. But the truth is that everything about you... is fake. But that's okay. When you're 'The Boss' it's hard to be real with everybody else when you're so far over them, right? You're using your rematch at Money in the Bank? Good. I can't wait to show the world even someone everybody considers miniscule can beat 'The Boss'. Meanwhile, I have a match against Charlotte right now. Why don't you sit back and watch? Maybe you'll learn what it means to be a wrestler like I had to." Sasha sent a scathing glare at her opponent before disappearing backstage. There was a pause before Charlotte's music played and the woman mad her entrance. Brianna eyes her from across the ring before the bell rang. They got close and Charlotte went for a quick clothesline that Brianna ducked under. Charlotte spun around and was kicked in the abdomen. Brianna kneed her in the face before delivering a forearm. A kick to the back of her knee sent Charlotte to one knee before a knee to her face sent her to her back. Brianna stomped on her stomach and then delivered a sharp kick to the back. Charlotte arched her back before Brianna grabbed her arms. She placed her feet in her opponent's back before dropping to her own and pulling Charlotte into the air. She held her there in pain for a moment before dropping her to the mat. Brianna hopped to her feet and smiled as the crowd cheered. Brianna went to pick her up again, but Charlotte kicked her knee making it bend backward. Standing up, Charlotte grabbed Brianna's arm before hitting her with three consecutive short arm clotheslines. Charlotte kicked her downed opponent before pulling her to her feet by her hair. She pushed Brianna into the corner before dropkicking her in the back. Brianna stumbled backward and was rolled up but kicked out at two. She got to her knees and was kicked in the face. Charlotte stared at her downed form before bounding off the ropes and dropping her knee into Brianna's face. Brianna rolled away and came to her hands and knees before she was kicked in the gut. Charlotte bounced off the ropes again but Brianna launched herself in the air and hit her opponent with a hip attack.
She pulled Charlotte to her feet and Irish whipped her into a corner before hitting a flying knee and launching into a combo of elbows and knees to the head. "Homage to Andy Mercier!" Cole called as Brianna fell to her feet at a count of four. Charlotte stumbled out of the corner before Brianna hit her with a DDT. Brianna climbed up the turnbuckle and went for Andy's Coup De Grace, but Charlotte rolled out of the way. Brianna twisted her knee. Charlotte hit her with a big boot that sent her to her back. Charlotte pulled her to her knees before hitting her with a somersault cutter. "Oh, and Natural Selection! Is that it? No! Brianna kicks out!" Charlotte looked around in frustration before grabbing Brianna's legs. "She's going for the figure eight leg lock!"
"Brianna rolled out though!" Jerry called. Charlotte made to grab her, but Brianna kicked her in the gut before hitting a lifting single underhook DDT. "The Kelly Maneuver! Now what's she doing?" Kelly lifted her hands over her face and moved her head back and forth before stomping Charlotte in the back and placing her in a Camel clutch. "Maximum Overdrive!" The King cried out. "And Charlotte's tapping!" Meteor played as Brianna released Charlotte and retrieved her title. She held it high with a smile as the fans cheered, copying her hidden face head shake. Brianna laughed as she called 'I'm ready Boss!' To the camera as Smackdown faded to comercial.
Jordan sighed as he walked out of the movie theater with Becky. "That movie was bad." He stated, causing Becky to nod in agreement.
"Yeah, I know. As we were walking in you said, and I quote, I know it's bad from all the reviews but maybe it's bad enough to be good if I look at it as a comedy. End quote."
"It wasn't even that. It was... just bad all around. I thought about leaving three times." Becky laughed as they walked to Jordan's car.
"Did you have to spend the movie throwing popcorn at the people in front of us?" She asked out of breath.
"I thought it was Andy." Jordan replied with a shrug as they entered his car. Becky launched into another laughing fit.
"He had blond hair!"
"It was dark!" He defended jokingly. Becky smiled as she shook her head. "Are you ready to go back to your hotel?" Becky looked out the window before shaking her head.
"No. Let's go get something to eat?" Jordan nodded in reponse.
"Absolutely." The two went out to eat. Jordan was the first to finish and sat stirring his straw as he waited.
"So wrestling has pretty much been your whole life, huh?" Becky asked, receiving a nod.
"Its all i ever wanted to do with my life. I tell the story the same everytime. When in watched the Undertaker walk down that ramp, I knew this was what I wanted to do forever. And now that I'm here I don't want to ever stop." Becky nodded.
"When I was in NXT, I remember how surreal it was. Then I moved up to the main Roster and I remember looking around and thinking, 'this is real. I made it.'"
"I'm glad you did." Jordan replied as Becky leaned forward on her hand, staring at Jordan and causing him to shuffle in his seat. They finished eating and paid before spending most of the night riding through town. Eventually, Becky was dropped off at her hotel and Jordan turned in for what remained of the night.
XXX
Wrap. Road to MitB begins.