Chapter 36:WrestleMania: Elimination Match
Live from Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan for WrestleMania 23! A lot of huge matches but 3 really stick out, the elimination tag match, John Cena taking on Randy Orton and of the course the big one for the WWE Championship, HHH defends against Christian and Shelton Benjamin in a triple threat match for all the marbles.
Backstage Jeff Hardy and his team were getting ready, they all gathered around and Jeff Hardy started talking.
"Listen, tonight's the night, my final shot to get Trish back even if I'm eliminated, I want you guys to fight and win this one. I know they're gunning for me, so I don't expect to be out there long, just promise me that you will keep fighting and win this one. I appreciate this and after this I'll pay you guys back with anything." They all nodded, "let's do this." They all left after that.
Meanwhile in another locker room the lights were dimmed and all the Dangerous Alliance members were huddled up with a camera in the middle, looking up at their faces. The camera panned each member and when it came to Paul E. he started talking.
"Tonight is the biggest night of your lives, tonight you are all on the biggest stage in the world. Tonight you have a chance to shine and prove to the world that you are not losers, misfits or failures. But most importantly you are representing me, and for the possession of Trish Stratus. You all have the ability to do this, make it happen and in the end we all reek the benefits, we all get a shot if you know what I mean. I want you all to destroy Jeff Hardy the minute he walks out there, I don't care I want him out of the match. He's the most determined, if he's gone his teammates have to carry the load and they don't care as much, so take out Hardy."
Jeff Hardy made his way out first by himself, followed by Chris Benoit, then RVD, who was marveled by the huge crowd, then Kane and the Big Show, and then Dusty Rhodes out there to keep an eye on Paul E. Next up was the Dangerous Alliance, and they came out as one to a LOUD chorus of boos and Trish following behind them actually being able to walk and looking hot. All 10 men stared at each other, Dusty was on the outside watching Paul E. the brawling began and all 10 men were beating the hell out of each other. The Alliance were driven out of the ring were Paul E. gathered them around and calmed them down. Paul E. was talking to them when he noticed Trish trying to get away but they grabbed her and pulled her back. Dusty was about to go over but the ref stopped him and told him to back up. Paul E. started yelling to her about how she signed the contract for this match, how she agreed to stay in their corner and how she agreed that if Jeff lost she would be their bitch and be happy with it. Paul E. wasn't taking any chances and reached into his pocket and pulled out some handcuffs, he slapped it on her wrist and then the other half on the bottom turnbuckle beam, now she was stuck and in their corner as the Alliance got up on the apron.
RVD started off for his team as Ken Doane started off for the Alliance, they locked up and Doane backed him up in the corner, the ref asked for a break. Doane backed off seemingly for a clean break but came back with a right hand to RVD. He started pounding away on RVD, he whipped RVD to the other side, RVD bounced onto the middle rope and came back with a leaping sidekick to the face of Doane. He made a cover but Doane kicked out and backed up into his corner and made the tag to Cade. Cade got in and pointed at Benoit, RVD saw what he wanted and tagged in the Crippler to a huge pop. They locked up and Benoit took him over with a side headlock, Cade countered with a head scissors, they repeated that process a couple times. They both stood up and they got into each other's face. Benoit chopped Cade hard across the chest knocking him down, Cade backed up to the corner and Benoit followed him and started chopping away at Cade relentlessly. Cade pushed him back and took a swing, Benoit ducked and hit a release German suplex, Cade immediately went to his corner and tagged in Tomko, Benoit saw him, and went up to him, he kicked Tomko in the knee several times, Benoit went off the ropes but was met with a boot to the face, Tomko made the cover and got a 2. Benoit went to his corner, and stared back at Tomko with shock, Benoit made the tag to Kane. The 2 big men started trading blows in the center of the ring, Kane got the upper hand with an upper cut to Tomko that stunned him, he sent Tomko to the ropes and hit a power slam for a 2 count. Kane set and hit a clothesline, and then a side slam, he went to the top rope and hit a clothesline, made the cover 1…2…No Snitsky breaks it up and then drags Tomko to the corner and tags himself in, Kane tagged in the Big Show.
Show and Snitsky faced up with each other and Snitsky hit a huge right hand, Show countered with one of his own and they treaded blows as well. Show kicked him down, Show got him in the corner and quieted the crowd and then chopped skin off of Snitsky and popped some of his chest acne. Show grabbed him and dragged him to his corner and tagged in Jeff Hardy. Hardy hit some rights hands, he went off the ropes but Punk nailed him in the back with a knee to surprisingly big pop. Snitsky was up and nailed a suplex as the fans started chanting, "We Want Punk! We Want Punk!" Snitsky cupped his ear and listened and then tagged in Punk to a big pop. Punk got in and nailed a couple of stomps to the ribs and then tagged back out to Doane to a couple of boos because of his short stay. Doane nailed some right hands, he picked up Hardy and whipped him to the ropes and Doane nailed a big flying elbow and made a cover and got a 2. Doane dragged him to his corner and tagged in Cade. Cade slammed him down and got on the second turnbuckle and nailed a fist drop to Hardy, he made a cover but again got a 2. Cade tagged in Snitsky and he nailed some stomps. Snitsky set for the pump handle slam, Snitsky got him up but Hardy got behind him and pushed him into Snitsky's corner, Hardy jumped towards his corner and made the tag to Show.
Show came in and nailed Snitsky with a clothesline, then another, Tomko came in and he got nailed as well. Cade and Doane came in and they got nailed with a double clothesline, Punk came in and was met with a giant head butt knocking him to the floor. Cade and Doane ran after Show, but Show just grabbed them and threw them out, Tomko came over and attacked him, Tomko and Snitsky whipped Show into the ropes but Show took them down with a double shoulder block. Tomko rolled out of the ring, Show set for Snitsky and nailed the chokeslam and made the cover, 1…2…3! Snitsky was eliminated and Paul E. was irate and upset on the floor, it was now 5 against 4.
"The Alliance is in big trouble, Big Show has dominated the whole team, how can they stop him?"
All of the Alliance members jumped in and attacked Show prompting the other team to go after them. Tomko was left with Big Show in the ring as the others fought on the outside with the ref trying to break it up. Show nailed Tomko with a side kick, and signaled for another choke slam, Snitsky got a chair, he got in and nailed Show in the leg chopping him down. He nailed him with a shot to the back and then a shot to the head but Show refused to go down. Tomko and Snitsky got up and nailed a double boot to the face knocking Big Show down and out, Tomko made the cover, Snitsky left for the dressing room and the ref came in, 1…2…3! Big Show was eliminated! Now it's evened up at 4 on 4.
"With some illegal interference they got the Big Show eliminated, now their chances got better."
Benoit came in and started nailing repeating chops to Tomko's chest, he kicked and chopped away at Tomko. Benoit grabbed him and nailed a snap suplex, then an elbow drop and made a cover and got a 2. Benoit dragged him to his corner and tagged in RVD, he nailed a kick to the gut of Tomko. RVD punched and kicked away trying to chop him down to size. He nailed a spin kick that rocked Tomko and sent Tomko back to the Alliance corner, where he made the tag to Doane. Doane came charging in but was met with an arm drag by RVD. Then another, and another, then nailed a bicycle kick that knocked him to the floor. Paul E. and his team went over and tried to regroup, they rounded up by the aisle way.
Jeff Hardy got in and saw them all huddled up, he looked down and then jumped and hit a pescado onto the whole team. The Alliance got up and then Benoit hit a tope onto them as well. They all got up again, this time RVD went up to the top rope and hit a somersault senton onto the team knocking them down again. Kane looked down and shrugged his shoulders and then climbed up to the top rope, he waited and then jumped on top of them as well. RVD grabbed Doane and threw him back in and hit a spinning leg drop and made the cover but only got a 2. RVD grabbed him and tagged in Kane, Kane hit an uppercut to Doane, Kane grabbed him and whipped him to the ropes and hit a tilt-a-whirl slam, cover but Cade broke it up. Kane nailed him and knocked him down, Kane threw Doane into the corner and followed up with a clothesline and then a sidewalk slam. Kane set his hand up and was gearing for a choke slam, Cade came in and distracted the ref, that prompted Jeff's team to come in and protest and try to get Cade out of there. Back in Punk came in and nailed a knee to the face of Kane, Tomko came in and nailed a boot to the face to knock him down. Doane made the cover, 1…2…No! Doane tagged in Cade, Cade climbed the top and hit a flying elbow drop, cover, 1…2…NO! Cade tagged in Punk, he climbed the turnbuckles, he told Doane to go to the other side of the ring, Doane climbed the top turnbuckle as well.
They both waited and then they both jumped, Doane with a leg drop and Punk with a frog splash and they hit Kane at the same time. Punk made the cover, 1…2…3! Kane was eliminated and the match was now 4 against 3.
"The Alliance has taken away the 2 monsters out of this match."
Benoit came in and attacked Punk with some kicks and punches, he snapped suplexed Punk over with authority. Benoit grabbed Punk and rammed him into the ring post shoulder first. Benoit took him down and applied a Fujiwara armbar. Benoit held on and wrenched on the arm. Cade came in and stomped on Benoit to break it up, Punk grabbed his arm and tagged in Tomko. Tomko came and picked up Benoit but Benoit fired back with chops and kicks to the knee, he grabbed him and dragged him to his corner and tagged in Jeff Hardy. Hardy came off the second rope and hit an ax handle blow to the top of the head of Tomko. Hardy grabbed a side headlock but Tomko threw him off and Paul E. grabbed his leg, Hardy took a swipe at him allowing Tomko to attack him from behind, Dusty came running after Paul E. chasing him around the ring, the ref stopped him from going after him. Tomko took over on Hardy inside the ring, Tomko tagged in Cade and Cade slammed Hardy down and dropped a leg. Cade tagged in Doane, he then grabbed a rear naked choke to wear Hardy down. Doane was cranking away at the neck of Hardy as Hardy's teammates tried to get him out of it. Hardy fought his way up and was elbowing his way out, he went off the ropes but Doane came back with a knee to the gut to take him down. Doane tagged in Tomko, and he pounded away at Hardy with straight right hands. Tomko grabbed a bear hug and squeezed away at Jeff Hardy's ribs. Hardy was in intense pain, Hardy feed off the crowd and his teammates and then started punching at Tomko's head to break the hold. Tomko's grip broke and Hardy went off the ropes, he ducked Tomko's attempted clothesline and then they both hit each other with a double clothesline knocking both men down. Both teams were trying to will their guy on and to make the tag.
Tomko made the tag to Doane, Doane grabbed his leg to stop him but Hardy hit a spin kick with his free leg to knock him down and then tagged back in Benoit. Benoit came and was on fire, chopping Doane down, Punk came in but was met with a German suplex, Cade came and got one as well, Tomko came in as well and was met with one too. Benoit snapped suplexed Doane down, then got Punk and suplexed Punk on top of Doane. Cade and Tomko were sent back to their corner as Benoit did the cutthroat signal, he went up and nailed a flying Dynamite Kid-like headbutt on both of Punk and Doane's heads to a whole bunch of flash bulbs. Benoit grabbed Punk and applied the Crippler Crossface, but Punk was the illegal man in the ring. Tomko and Cade came in and attacked Benoit, RVD and Jeff Hardy came in and knocked them and fought with them on the floor, Punk managed to fight them with one arm. Dusty came over and started helping out, the ref was distracted, Paul E. slipped his cell phone to Doane, Benoit climbed up top again, Doane was down playing possum, Benoit dove with another head butt. Benoit jumped just as he did Doane got up and at about half way down, Doane nailed Benoit with the cell phone in mid-air! The phone shattered and Benoit was out, Doane made the cover, Paul E. yelled at the ref to get back in there which he did, and saw the cover and counted, 1…2…3! Benoit was eliminated! Now it was 4 against 2 and the fight was still going on the floor.
"This is not looking well for Jeff Hardy and Rob Van Dam, there have a big mountain to climb."
Trish was watching on with concern as she knew they were in trouble, the fight still raged on, on the floor, the ref got Dusty back since he wasn't an official competitor in the match. RVD got in with Cade and he didn't waste any time he went to work, he slammed down Cade and then went off the ropes and delivered Rolling Thunder, he made the cover and it was broken up by Doane. RVD picked him up and whipped him to the corner and then ran after him and then climbed up and then hit a monkey flip. Cade got up immediately and was met with a spinning heel kick. He whipped Cade again to the ropes but it was reversed and RVD hit the ropes and Tomko grabbed him by the hair and dragged him down. Cade tagged in Tomko and Tomko power slammed him down and made the cover and got a 2 as the fans started chanting, "We Want Punk! We Want Punk! "again. Tomko, looked around and heard the chants and then made the tag to the delight of the crowd. Punk came in cocky, he picked up RVD but RVD came back and started firing back at him with some right hands. RVD whipped him to the ropes, it was reversed, and Punk nailed him with a leg lariat to take him down and the crowd approved. Punk threw him to the corner and then stomped him down, and then stuck his foot and set it on the face and the crowd cheered, as they knew what was going to happen. Punk started the face wash, then ran to the ropes and hit the kick to the face. Punk made the cover and got a 2, Punk tagged in Cade, Cade slammed him down, then climbed the ropes, he jumped with a flying elbow, RVD moved out of the way and Cade hit the canvas with his elbow. RVD jumped and caught Cade with his legs and rolled him up with his legs and got a 2 count. Cade got up, he missed the right hand and RVD picked him up and dropped him with a falling body slam. RVD then dragged him to the corner, RVD jumped and hit a split-legged moonsault, 1…2…3! Cade was gone, the odds were diminishing now it was 3 on 2.
RVD went to his corner and tagged in a fresh Jeff Hardy, Tomko came in, Hardy was on fire, hitting right hands, he bounced off the ropes and hit a dropkick, then a forearm. Hardy grabbed his legs and nailed a low blow dropkick, Hardy grabbed him went for the twist of fate, Tomko pushed him off, Hardy came back and was met with a big boot. Hardy was out, Tomko made the cover, 1…2…No! Hardy just kicked out.
"Jeff Hardy knows what's on the line and he's laying it all on the line."
Tomko picked him and set for a powerslam, Hardy got behind him and hit a reverse twist of fate, made the cover, 1…2…3! Tomko was gone, it was even at 2 against 2.
"The sides are even, there is a chance now."
The 4 men got in the ring and started brawling some more, Punk and Hardy ended up on the floor, Doane and RVD in the ring. Hardy and Punk were laying waste to each other on the floor, right in front of Trish, Hardy knocked down Punk by ramming him into the ring post. Jeff was about to grab him but Tomko came out of nowhere and attacked Hardy.
"What the hell? Tomko has been eliminated, he has to leave."
Tomko grabbed him and rammed him into the ring post head first, he picked him up and then rammed him back first several times into the post. Tomko grabbed a chair, Hardy got up and Tomko blasted him with the chair, denting it and making a sickening thud. Trish winced in pain, Tomko set the chair down and held Hardy up, Punk grabbed Hardy and then spiked him with a DDT onto the chair and Hardy was out cold face first on the floor right in front of Trish. Tomko left, Punk got back on the apron, Trish tried to reach down and help but the handcuffs wouldn't allow her, she was within inches of him but the cuffs wouldn't let her go any farther. Paul E. stood in between them and even kicked Hardy one time and Hardy was still out on the floor.
In the ring Doane was going to work on RVD's knee, he grabbed it and dropped an elbow on the knee and then wrenched on the knee. The crowd started chanting, "RVD! RVD! RVD" for their hometown boy, the Battle Creek, Michigan native. Doane let go and then dragged him to his corner and tagged in Punk. Punk draped his knee on the bottom rope and then dropped on it with all of his weight. Punk dragged him to the middle and applied a spinning toehold, really punishing his knee. RVD was hurting, he got his free leg and kicked off Punk, RVD jumped towards his corner for a tag but no one was there as Jeff was still knocked out. Doane came in and was cocky as ever, knowing he had this in the bag. Doane picked up RVD, and knocked him down with a clothesline and made the cover and got a 2. Doane looked at Paul E. and signaled to him for something, Punk grabbed the ref and held him as Paul E. slid in a chair, and then he joined Punk in distracting the ref. Dusty came in and nailed Doane with a Bionic Elbow to knock him down, then handed the chair to RVD. Paul E. and Punk weren't paying attention that carefully, RVD got up hobbling, he threw the chair to Doane and nailed the Van Daminator! Dusty grabbed the chair and took it away, RVD made the cover, 1…2…3! Doane was gone, it was now 2 on 1. Paul E. was at a panic at ringside, but stayed calm because RVD was hurt and Jeff was out cold.
Punk got in and he and RVD traded shots in the center of the ring as the crowd entered in a dueling chant of, "Let's Go Van Dam! Let's Go Punk! Let's Go Van Dam! Let's Go Punk!" Punk got the advantage; he went off the ropes but was met with a spin kick, RVD got up limping. He nailed a forearm, then slammed him down and nailed another Rolling Thunder for another 2 count. RVD climbed up the top and hit a flying sidekick to Punk then grabbed his knee in pain, then made a cover but only a 2. RVD picked him for another body slam, but Punk turned his body and hit a reverse DDT! He made a cover, 1…2…ThhreNO! Close near fall! Punk nailed a suplex, then climbed up and nailed a frog splash, 1…2...ThNO! Another near fall and the crowd was on their feet in anticipation, Paul E. was on the floor sweating, his suit was soaking wet. Punk got him up and set for the Devil's Lock DDT, RVD blocked it and nailed a northern light suplex, 1…2…ThNo! Another near fall, but they Punk held on after that, then bridged up with a lot of strength. Punk set for a backslide, they fought over it, RVD rolled over his back, attempted another spin kick, Punk ducked and grabbed him and nailed some knees to the face, then spiked him with a huge DDT. Punk made the cover, 1…2…ThreNO! Doesn't get any closer than that. Punk looked up at Paul E. he jumped up on the apron, Dusty went on the other side and the ref went to him.
Paul E. reached into his pocket and got another cell phone, Punk held him for Paul E. he swung with the cell phone, RVD ducked and Paul E. nailed Punk in the head with the phone, RVD knocked Paul E. down, RVD climbed the ropes, he leaped with thousands of flash bulbs and nailed a 5-Star Frog Splash. He grabbed his knee, meanwhile Jeff Hardy got up and was climbing the turnbuckles, and he jumped and nailed a Swanton Bomb on top of Punk. RVD went in for the cover, 1…2…3! Punk is eliminated, the match is over, the hell is over!
"The winners and the survivors, Jeff Hardy and ROB VAN DAM!"
Jeff Hardy and RVD celebrated and Jeff told Paul E. this was it and to un-cuff Trish, Paul E. was hesitating and was refusing. Trish had enough and swung leg and nailed Paul E. with a Chick kick to knock him down. Dusty ran over and got the key out of his pocket and un-cuffed Trish, Dusty threw Paul E. into the ring, where RVD and Jeff Hardy grabbed him and he begged off, but they weren't having that. Trish came in and slapped Paul E. in the face and then Chick Kicked him again, Jeff dragged him to the corner, he got the chair, and set it in the face of Paul E. and then pointed at RVD. RVD smiled and went to the other side, he looked at the crowd screaming, RVD pointed his thumbs to the response of "R…V…D." RVD set and then jumped and nailed the Van Terminator to Paul E.!
"RVD had Van Terminated Paul E. Dangerously!"
Jeff and Trish embraced in the center of the ring to a lot of cheers and a few scattered boos, RVD raised his arms in the air and that got a big pop as they all stand victorious, the nightmare is over for Jeff Hardy and Trish Stratus.
A/N: Whew! Man this is my proudest match to date, this was great, IMO, hopefully in yours too, I worked hard on this. If you want to know why Punk got some cheers because his work was in that area and is popular there so there. WrestleMania was tremendous but still not the greatest, still liked 17 better, and at Backlash I hope they give the belt to Edge, the MVP of the WWE since the beginning of the year, don't believe me, tough that's the facts. Any way enough, review and hopefully pt. 2 will be up sooner than this one, here's a preview:
Next Time: It's the explosion between John Cena and Randy Orton with both ladies in their corners and some important stipulations added to it.
R.I.P
Deshaun "Proof" Holton of D12 AKA Derrty Harry
1973-2006