DISCLAIMER: I only own Jesse Alvarez, Joshua Garza, Carter Young, Stan Terra, Hannibal Ambrose, Erik Rollins, Damian Reigns, Luke Smith, Kurt Hudson, Kenji Matsuo, Zack Carver, Mike "The Mic" Martin, Clarissa Rivera, Alyssa Parker, and Maria Lopez. Anything else here (music and lyrics, fiction and non-fiction characters, other OCs, etc.), I own NONE of them.

Enjoy.


Summer Wars

[TV-14]

A clip shows the first ACW main event match between Naruto Uzumaki and Isaac Clarke as the bell is heard ringing…which causes rapid highlights of many awesome moments and calls being heard by the commentary team as instrumental music is playing.

"Hello, ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the very first episode of ACW…" Kenji Matsuo's voice is overheard.

Clips rapidly show Jesse Alvarez greeting his hometown crowd (Jesse: Good evening, ACW Universe!), Yugi being attacked by The Gods of Darkness, The Erupting Eds nail Damian Reigns with Ed-quake before showing The Wolves slamming Ed on the mat via Justice Served, and the immense brawl between heels and faces.

"All hell has broken loose here…!" overheard Zack Carver's voice.

Another few clips show the history-making inaugural champions; then the HotD girls flying over the top rope onto the Hardcore Foundation girls; Rogen Townsend sends Isaac Clarke through the MiniTron with a Powerbomb; The Wolves introduce Luke Smith as a new member (The Wolves: FEAR…THE WOLVES!); Mason Stone coming down on Sasuke Uchiha with a Frog Splash; Beowulf Spears Naruto before roaring at the fans (Beowulf: I am Beowulf!) ; the Playground of Blood shown being lowered; Naruto carries Townsend on his shoulders to hit the Ninja's Way; the stages of Friday Night Ignition and Saturday Night RAMPAGE have fireworks shoot all over.

"LIVE ON THE AIR!" Markiplier and Ned's voices exclaimed.

The last of the clips show mostly rivals glaring at each other and performing their respective finishers on each other from The Eds and The Wolves to Altered Egos, The Symbiotes and Alpha & Omega to Téa Gardner and Kendra Daniels to Dante and Vergil to Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha, the former shown later raising his ACW Undisputed Championship.

"THE ENTIRE MULTIVERSE IS WATCHING!" exclaimed Markiplier's voice as an elated crowd is seen before a light consume the screen to show the following words…

ACW

Where History Awaits…


Sunday night. 6:00 PM. Almost nighttime. A young teenage boy recently arrived home from spending a day with friends, calling out to his mom to know what's for dinner…and no answer. Curious, he keeps calling out to her and his dad…up until he arrives in the kitchen to find a long sticky note, which reads…

"Son, your mother and I will be out for the rest of the night to celebrate our anniversary. You're the man of the house while we're gone. If you're hungry, you can order from any of the numbers on the counter and use my spare credit card to pay for it (EMERGENCIES ONLY). In the meantime, keep the doors and windows locked, do not open the door for anybody but your parents and the delivery guy, do not sleep past midnight, and most importantly…

"NO. VIRTUAL. REALITY. GAMING.

"…

"(Your mother wrote that, not me.)

"Love, Mother and Father."

"…Thanks for reminding me of what NOT to do, Mom," the teen smirks.

And so, the boy does what teenagers do best: rebel. A flash of clips has the teen setting everything up in the living room with pizza delivery, soda pouring in a glass cup, and console plug-ins. He stands in the middle of a much spacious living room so he breaks nothing…two controllers in hand…and a VR headset at the table he picks up from. From a first-person view, the juvenile straps on the headset…nothing but blackness…

…until a wide explosion of whiteness bursts out with multiple colorful entities spanning all around the teen, much to his astonishment. "A Light That Never Comes" by Linkin Park featuring Steve Aoki plays to feature the multiple avatars scattered all over the gigantic swirling center in front of the teen, who appears in an animated avatar form.

[Nah, you don't know me

Lightning above and a fire below me]

The avatar hovers from the ground and bursts forward, flying by the multiple screens which features various ACW wrestlers in matches and feuds and making poses for the camera…

[You cannot catch me, cannot hold me

You cannot stop, much less control me]

…and the first is PewDiePie (The Leader of Bros) extending a Bro Fist out to the camera; Luke Smith (The Cunning Wolf) draping the ACW Phenomenal Championship over his shoulder with a vague wolf background. On another screen, Rogen Townsend (The Genocidal Giant) cracks his knuckles; then darkness…as Isaac Clarke (The Dead Space Devil), wearing the Advanced RIG Suit, appears from the blue light emitting from his helmet.

[When it rains, it pours

When the floodgates open, brace your shores]

Flashing through are the four Hardcore Championship contestants such as the freeze-framed Ichigo Kurosaki (The Rated-R Shinigami) posing at the stage with rock horns, a feral Jason Krueger (The Gore Machine) running his hands through his ashy hair, Tommy Oliver (The Original Ranger) holding out his Power Morpher, and Sasuke Uchiha (The Lone Serpent) pounding the mat in his wake-up taunt.

[That pressure don't care when it breaks your doors

Say it's all you can take, better take some more]

Now, Takashi Komuro and Kohta Hirano (H.O.T.D.) are seen holding their respective pistols out forward in true Pulp Fiction manner; The Gods of Darkness has Marik Ishtar kneeling and arms splayed out and Yami Bakura resting his hands on his "disciple's" head with a vile grin; then, a grim black and white view of the lowered steel cage is shown to acknowledge where these teams will be fighting inside.

[(Oh, ohhhhh, ohhhhh…) 'Cause I know what it's like to test fate

Had my shoulders pressed with that weight

Stood up strong in spite of that hate]

Ash Ketchum (The Very Best) turns his hat around at a full 180; Seto Kaiba (The 'Real' King of Games) holds up three Duel Monster cards and flips them to reveal his three legendary Blue-Eyes White Dragons; clips of all of Kaiba's heinous actions appear from kidnapping Ash's Pikachu to getting him arrested appear up to where he's kicked Ash in the groin while restrained by the police; Ash manages comeuppance to his enemy in Superkicking him on repeat three times.

[(Oh, ohhhhh, ohhhhh…) Night gets darkest right before dawn

What don't kill you makes you more strong

And I been waiting for it so long]

Four notorious riders of the apocalypse…

("The Change is coming, ladies…" proclaims Mai Valentine as The Four Horsewomen band together to hold up the signature Horsemen gesture; Aelita Schaeffer plants Christa Moxley with the Aelita DDT, iGeneration execute iDestruction on Lady, and Mai plants the Harpie's Feather Duster on Kendra Daniels.)

[The niiiiiights go ooooon…

Waiting for a light that never comes…!]

…against the defiant champions of one women's division.

("If this is my final night as champion…then I'm sure as hell going out as a FIGHTING CHAMP," says Téa Gardner as Hart of Hyuga fist bump each other à la Gallows and Anderson and Téa Gardner poses with her World Women's Championship held up front and her two fingers held high; Hinata Hyuga and Samantha Hart shake hands to put their differences aside, then Téa raises her championship belt high at Southern Hell.)

[I chaaaase the suuuuun…

Waiting for a light that never comes…!]

Two twins…

("I will not be held responsible for what happens to you at Summer Wars," warns Vergil as the self-proclaimed True Son of Sparda appears glaring with his back turned.

"Neither will I, Vergil," replies Dante as the Stylin' Showstopper appears shouldering The Rebellion with a cocky grin.)

[Ohhhhh-oh-ah-ohhh…]

…in one epic clash.

(Vergil catches his brother off guard with the Yamato Gamma (RKO) at Rebellion; Dante plants Vergil with the Devil May Cry at RAMPAGE I; The sons of Sparda now hold each other hostage with their respective blades at their throats.)

[Ohhhhh-oh-ah-ohhh, ohhh…]

And tonight…

(Naruto Uzumaki raises his ACW World Championship in one hand on four separate occasions at Southern Hell, Spring Breakdown, Reign in Blood and Rebellion…)

[Ohhhhh-oh-ah-ohhh…!]

…is the climatic sequel…

(Beowulf is seen sliding in the ring discreetly and waiting to pounce from the corner…)

…of BEAST versus MAN.

[Waiting for a light that never comes!]

In slow-motion to the lyrics, Beowulf runs straight towards Naruto…and to the "bass drop", he SPEARS him out of his boots! Beowulf (The Beast of Geats) springs to his feet with a long and loud roar; Naruto Uzumaki (The Champ) gives the two-finger salute towards the audience while holding his world title.

"The ultimate fear that rules you, Uzumaki, is me standing over you once again with what will formerly be your strap in my hand that is high in the air as my trophy," says Beowulf, who holds up the ACW World Championship over the fallen ninja.

"I'm the one who helped him gave birth to the streak, and I'm going to be the one to help him KILL IT," proclaims Naruto, who rose to one knee with the title in hand after taking the Spear.

Clips of a fast-paced sunset and dashing lights of the Los Angeles streets appear at breakneck speeds as the song continues playing instrumentally.

"The final battle is set."

Rogen Townsend raises a right fist in the ring; Isaac Clarke's helmet unfolds to reveal his face; a bird's eye view of the Staples Center approaches fast.

"The stories have reached their end."

In slow-motion, PewDiePie soars through the air with a Bro Fist; Luke Smith displays the draping belt behind him with a scowl; rapid images of the Los Angeles famous sight appear.

"This time, no one holds back."

Seto Kaiba smugly poses with arms spread apart; Ash Ketchum pulls at his right glove with Pikachu sparking electricity from his cheeks on his shoulder; Jason Krueger and Ichigo Kurosaki get in each other's faces nose-to-nose, Tommy Oliver poses Green Ranger style and Sasuke Uchiha raises the ACW Hardcore Championship over the fallen contestants.

"There is no retreat. No surrender. No going back now."

Yami Bakura clings onto the steel fencing by teeth and fingers with a wicked expression as a grinning Marik Ishtar stands behind; Takashi Komuro shoulders a very bloody baseball bat and Kohta Hirano adjusts his glasses as they stand behind the steel cage fencing.

"A whole new era is about to dawn."

[Ohhhhh-oh-ah-ohhh…

Ohhhhh-oh-ah-ohhh, ohhh…]

The female champions of the Women's Division stand their ground against the Four Horsewomen, especially Téa Gardner and Mai Valentine standing in front of their respective groups; Dante and Vergil stand together back-to-back as they stare ahead.

"Tonight, on summer's dying days…

[Ohhhhh-oh-ah-ohhh…!]

Clips of all those involved on the pay-per-view appear at breakneck speeds…

[Waiting for a light that never comes!]

…before stopping on Naruto Uzumaki, holding up the ACW World Championship, and Beowulf glowering each other down while the lyric echoes and fades out.

"…a WAR reaches its peak."


"And now, Ignition and RAMPAGE proudly present…

"ACW SUMMER WARS!"

After the intro was over, white pyrotechnics are seen shooting at the stage, setting off very colorful fireworks to shoot up and down in a machine gun like fashion from the stage and the top of the TitanTron, moving from right to left; then pyro shoot out from both sides twice, and again from the top and bottom twice, and all at the same time as the machine gun pyro shoots up from the stage once more in one final explosive pyro! The lights finally turn on to reveal an ecstatic Los Angeles crowd inside what appears to be a full Staples Center as "Superman" by Goldfinger plays over the loud speakers, much to the nostalgic pleasure of the many in attendance as the crowd (specifically, smarks) sing their hearts out with the lyrics!

[So here I am

Doing everything I can…

(Holding on to what I am!)

Pretending I'm a superman!]

The Summer Wars stage takes heavy inspiration from the 2007 SummerSlam stage, only the surfboards and palm trees are completely replaced with the MiniTron and an "SW" in-between on top of the stage with a ramp. The theme for this Summer Wars debut is just like the movie itself: pure white along with various orbs in multiple colors and a digital world. And the "OvalTron" is replaced with a larger HD TitanTron dubbed the "DigiTron" to go with the gimmick of this whole event. As for the squared circle, it got a bit of an upgrade: the ring ropes were white as the canvas, two sides of the ring facing where the hard camera would be and the stage now had LED boards to feature the Summer Wars logo while the other two sides of the ring still had the regular aprons.

The cameras have been hovering the excited natives within the City of Angels as it catches their signs front and center, such as: "Bow before Your New Queens!"; "The Devil from Space Returns TONIGHT"; "Kaiba v. Ketchum: NEARLY 20 YEARS IN THE MAKING"; "Any Title Belt Name is BETTER Than 'Phenomenal'"; "Marry Me, Vergil!"; "Steel Cage Renovated"; "Naruto is 'The One' in 10-1!" and a conversing "Beowulf: King of ACW."

"OVER 20,857 PEOPLE ARE STANDING ON THEIR FEET AND SCREAMING THEIR HEARTS OUT IN ANTICIPATION OF WHAT WE ALL BELIEVE A FANTASTIC EVENT, AND THEY ARE DOING IT HERE AT THE UPMOST WARFARE OF THE SUMMER!" Markiplier exclaims. "HELLO, EVERYBODY! My name is Markiplier and we WELCOME you to our fifth pay-per-view event LIVE from Los Angeles, California at the Staples Center—SUMMER WARS! Here we with me is 'The Brutally Honest Man from the Land of Japan' Kenji Matsuo, 'That Guy' Zack Carver, and 'The Legendary Commentator in FWM History' Barney Stinson! All of us are here at ringside representing for Friday Night Ignition!"

"We MADE IT, guys! We finally freaking made it to our own biggest party of the summer!" Zack shrieks with joy. "Did you hear this entire arena go DEAFENING when that song hit the speakers?! That's AMAZING! All for our equivalent to SummerSlam in the form of Summer Wars, based on the popular anime movie of the same name! Hopefully, the Madhouse and Warner Bros. Pictures won't mind."

"Ah, I like to think they're cool with for since we're using their movie gimmick as part of ours in this Summer Wars debut," Barney shrugs. "Thinking of it as an, uh, shout-out and a fair deal, ya know? I mean, come on, here we are! Summer Wars, BAY-BAY!"

"And we aren't the only ones to celebrate this hot spectacular event, because right next to us are the Saturday Night RAMPAGE table here to call the action as well!" Kenji says. "Take it away, you three!"

"Thank you so much, Mr. Matsuo!" Ted Mosby nods, the cameras switching over to the RAMPAGE table. "And greetings to you all from us here at the Staples Center! Dare I say it, this whole arena is ELECTRIC and FIRED UP for more action after the outstanding Kickstart to Summer Wars event thanks to our amazing wrestlers and the team of MatPat and Ross Tweddell!"

"Yes, we'd like to thank them for doing a wonderful job and hope they continue their duty as they will eventually replace us at AIW and us three continue full-time on RAMPAGE," Ned Bigby says.

"I'll miss that territory, but not the San Antonians. Ugh, too many ugly people," Logan Reese sneers. "Now, this is where I belong—back home at L.A. with the beautiful people, baby!"

"Aren't you from Malibu?" Ned raises a bow.

"Close enough since I do live around Southern California, but never confirmed canonically, Bigby," Logan asserts.

"Anyways, all of us here from RAMPAGE to Ignition have a STACKED match card for you guys to sit back, relax and enjoy all the way through here at Summer Wars. Five more championships are to be decided, scores to be settled, vengeance, the fate of one entire Women's Division on the line—and so much more! I'd explain what they all are…"

[*wolves howl*

"Whiskey!

"Oscar!

"Lima!

"Victor!

"Echo!

"Sierra!

"WOLVES…"]

("Special Op" by Adam Massacre plays)

"…but time has cut short as we're already on the way to our first match—all for the ACW Phenomenal Championship!" Ted says.

The lights become sky blue as the cameras search all around the arena…and one of them manages to lock in on Luke Smith descending the arena steps, wearing the signature steel mesh half-face skull mask of The Wolves and the title around his waist…carrying a briefcase while passing by the fans giving a mixed reaction and amongst themselves a discussion over the case. One of the fans asked what's inside, and Luke replies without looking back, "You'll see in just a moment, zealot."

"Whatever's in that briefcase must be something important for him to carry all the way down those steps…" Ned says. "Rumor has it that a new name for the new belt has come to fruition at Summer Wars."

"Oh, please let it be true…" Logan pleads.

Luke makes it to the barricade and jumps on top so he can raise the briefcase up for the confused audience, some smart enough to figure out what's in there from the rumor mill before he leaps down and rolls in the ring. Once inside, the bell rings three times as Mike "The Mic" Martin announces, "The following contest is scheduled for one fall, (Crowd: ONE FALL!) and it is for the ACW Phenomenal Champion—" But Luke interrupts with a finger held up, whispering in his ear to correct him on something.

Nodding, Mike then says, "Ladies and gents, the following bout is set for one fall…and it is for the ACW Evolve Championship!" The crowd pops at the new name as Luke opens the briefcase…and takes out the brand new ACW Evolve Championship itself! "Introducing first: from San Antonio, Texas, weighing in at 185 pounds…he is the current, inaugural, reigning, and defending ACW Evolve Champion, 'The Sly Wolf' Luke Smith!"

As Luke holds up the Evolve Championship, its appearance has changed slightly: while everything from the design to the linear silhouette to the black strap are the same, the words "Phenomenal" on the main and side plates was replaced with "Evolve", giving the belt a much more serious name than "Phenomenal Championship" this time around. (And if the readers don't like it, well, then suck my—) Oh, and there's no purple-edged color, so you're welcome. Anyways, Luke effortlessly stands on the middle ring rope to raise his belt once more and utter, "BELIEVE in Justitia! FEAR Her Wolves of Validity!"

"Ah, thank you! A more fitting name for our belt to represent as the stepping stone to the ACW World Championship," Logan nods. "This belt has changed so many times now, so we can say that the belt itself has EVOLVED. Looks pretty good on Luke now with its former predecessor's name removed."

"You know, I wonder if this is actually going to be Luke's thing from now on: changing championship names on a whim every month if it doesn't suit him," Ned quips.

"Quiet, Bigby," Logan glares.

"Controversial name changes aside, Luke Smith appears at Summer Wars on his first title defense as the Evolve Champion," Ned notes. "His first original title defense was for his TV Title, adding an Intercontinental Title and a U.S. Title to boot that would merge all three belts into one new secondary belt that we see Luke Smith carrying tonight. He wants to retain against the most unlikely of contenders, at least in his point of view, Felix 'PewDiePie' Kjellberg."

"PewDiePie has been a thorn on the side for Luke since winning the Evolve Championship back at Rebellion, chasing after and talking smack at the champion for snatching away his victory and the belts in the Ultimate X bout, both in a figurative and literally way in respective sense," Ted explains.

"Cry me a river—the guy is a FOUR-TIME YOUTUBE VIRAL WORLD CHAMPION," Logan states. "And he's BITCHING and MOANING about Smith 'snatching' away his 'victory' when he was too busy swinging his baby pecker around when he should've woke up the referee first? NO. I don't think so. The rightful winner and the rightful inaugural titleholder is the very man we see in THAT ring: Luke Freakin' Smith! And tonight, JUSTICE will finally PREVAIL!"

Luke Smith removes the Phenomenal Championship around his waist…and discards it aside, no longer wanting to carry a childish belt. "I'm not phenomenal…I'm BEYOND phenomenal now, BEYOND a prodigy—I EVOLVED," Luke proclaims while holding up his new championship belt. Then he simply decides to have a seat at the center with legs crossed and his belt laid out facing up in front of him. The heavy metal version of "Special Op" soon fades out, the camera keeping lock on Smith's stern expression facing towards the stage…

[Hahaha, hahaha, hahaha…

My name is PewDiePie, PewDiePie…!

My name is PewDiePie, PewDiePie…!

His name is PewDiePie! (PewDiePie…!)

A You, You, YouTube Gamer!

PEWDIEPIE! (PewDiePie…!)

A fearless entertainer!

Aah, aah, aah, AAH…!]

("His Name is PewDiePie" by Roomie plays)

Amidst the polarizing reception, PewDiePie runs out to the stage with his arms splayed, stopping at the center to gaze upon the mixed crowd, something of which he's obviously used to as of recent. He turns his head towards the camera and utters, "This is my last chance here…and I'm gonna fight to regain what's rightfully mine. For me…and MAH SISTAHS. SISTER FISTER!" He then extends his fist towards the camera in a fist bump manner and runs straight down to the ring, where he slides in and immediately stands up straight to glare at a now composed Luke Smith. Nearly half a minute after their glare, Pewds hangs off the ropes and hangs his fist out towards the audience, a manner of "Bro Fisting" them.

[If you're a brooooo…

Well, then you knooooow…

About this one-man shoooooow…

He plays a game, then goes insane ("Din liten—!")

Now tell me, what's his naaaaaame?

My name is—

His name is… (PewDie—hey!)

His name is… (PewDie—hey!)

His name is… (PewDie—hey!)

My name is—

His name is… (PewDie—hey!)

His name is… (PewDie—hey!)

His name is…

His name is PewDiePie!]

"And his opponent: from Brighton, United Kingdom, weighing in at 205 pounds…this is PEEEEEWDIEPIIIIIIIIIE!" Mike introduces.

"What a joke. What an absolute JOKE," Logan scoffs. "Of all the first challengers for someone as talented as Smith to face, this is the guy to fight for the title. Just makes me want to VOMIT—it's no wonder this match opening for the show."

Ned retorts, "I fail to see how jerking the curtain is necessarily bad, especially for a title match—"

"EXACTLY. This is a TITLE MATCH, Bigby," Logan interrupts. "A title match for the STEPPING STONE to the ACW World Championship in the OPENING MATCH involving a FUTURE STAR in Luke Smith…and a persistently annoying jackass who can't get over his own ego and just know he's not an 'underdog'—never have been and never will be."

"That is your own opinion, Logan, that I'm sure others might share, but in the end, it all depends how this match will determine both men, how much they both want the Evolve Championship…and which one of them want it the most," Ted states.

After Pewds finished the same pose at the other side, his music faded out and he walked over to his corner while glaring down at the champion, who had stood up and backpedaled into his own corner. RAMPAGE referee Corey Jackson gets handed the Evolve Championship and holds it high over his head at the center, showing everyone in the arena seats what these men are fighting. He hands the belt over to Mike…checks on both men at their corners, Pewds leaning forward while holding onto the ropes with a face of determination and Smith gradually rubbing his hands together…and once getting their confirmation, he signals the bell to be rung and timekeeper Noah McQueen complies.

"Here we go, ladies and gentlemen—our first Summer Wars bout kicks off for the ACW Evolve Championship as it is underway!" Ted calls.

Luke and Pewds advance each other carefully at the center, circling the ring at a full 180 and lock in the collar-and-elbow tie-up…just as Felix instantly slaps on the Side Headlock and flips the champion into a Headlock Takedown. However, Luke turns and holds Pewds' shoulders down in an attempted pin…kick-out at one and the headlock is still intact. Thankfully for Luke, that momentum helped him up to his knees albeit still in the headlock; soon, he is able to get to his feet, pushes Felix away off the rebound from the ropes…and gets forced down flat on his back from a Shoulder Block by the YouTuber, who smirks. The challenger hits the ropes as the champion flips on his stomach for him to leap over, then bounces off the ropes again…into a Hip Toss that he reverses into his own Sitout Hip Toss…and Smith gets to his feet…only to eat a surprisingly picture-perfect Dropkick from Kjellberg!

"Wow, what a Dropkick, taking down the champion!" Ned says. "Even Luke's flabbergasted by Pewds getting the better of him!"

"Don't commend the stupid and useless, Bigby!" Logan snaps.

The Cunning Wolf rolls over to the ropes as a result as PewDie grabs him for an Irish Whip…which Smith reverses with his own…bends over at the center for a Back Body Drop…only to outsmart the challenger in rolling to the side, avoiding the kick to the chest cliché tactic…and repays him with a Dropkick as well. Pewds retreats over into a corner, rubbing his jaw as he processes the counter and can't help but chuckle and give a light applause for that. He stands up and enters another collar-and-elbow…and Luke snatches his left arm in an arm wrench before Irish Whipping him to the corner. Pewds hits his spine the turnbuckles, but Back Body Drops Luke over the ropes…and he lands his feet on the apron. Luke blocks a right hand and hits an elbow, but then Felix sends a kick through the ropes to the midsection…and that helps him pull off a Hangman's Neckbreaker right over the top rope! The ACW Evolve Champion tumbles straight down to the floor, nursing his neck thereafter as Felix discreetly leaves the ring and measures him from the apron. Luke eventually reaches his vertical base…and looks up to find a flying YouTuber, who had just sang, "I came in like a MEATBALL~!" crashing into him with a Somersault Senton—Wrecking Meatball!

"Came in like a meatball, PewDiePie did, as he remains on top of his game against the champion!" Ted calls.

"Ohhh, COME ON, Smith, you know you're goddamn BETTER than this!" Logan shouts. "Don't embarrass yourself yet again like you and The Wolves did at Tag Team Mayhem!"

After fist bumping a nearby fan, Pewds grabs Luke to get him back inside…but the champion suddenly RAMS the challenger back-first into the barricade! Felix howls as he falls on his knees from the pain shooting into his spine…and Luke had brought him up to his feet…and knocks him against the barricade once again! Hearing the referee reaching a five-count, he grabs Pewds and forces him in the ring. Felix rolls to the center off that momentum as Luke climbs the top turnbuckle…and Dropkicks his opponent from behind. He goes for his first pin attempt in the match: 1…2…2.2 Pewds kicks out. Now the Sly Wolf sits him up to drive down a right elbow around the neck and shoulder area repeatedly before applying the Reverse Chinlock in a rough fashion. Luke tweaks the hold for a while until driving three knee strikes to the spine…then laying him down on his back…and double boot scrapes his face. Felix sits up in pain as a result…and Luke Smith recoils from the ring ropes to hit a Sliding Forearm to the back of the skull! Luke with the cover: 1…2…2.33 Felix kicks out. He watches him stir to a kneeling position, where he continues the attack from a club to upper back…a backhand chop to the chest…and a simple boot to the face. Luke forces him against the ropes for an Irish Whip…and catches him on the rebound by way of a Sidewalk Slam. Once again with the cover: 1…2…2.38 Kjellberg powers out.

"The ACW Evolve Champion simply dominating the challenger thus far, making up for his opponent's jurisdiction early on," Ned notes. "Despite the kick-out, he continues to wear down his opponent."

"Now this is what we needed to see—the righteous champion of justice ensuring the downfall of an undeserving jackass," Logan states.

A spinning boot scrape to the face later, the titleholder drags his opponent to his feet and up to a Fireman's Carry as he bounces from the ropes…hits the Rolling Fireman's Carry Slam…and connects the ensuing Springboard Moonsault on top of HIS KNEES! (Ted: Looks like you spoke too soon, Logan! ; Logan: F*CK!) Smith gets up holding his ribs as Felix grabs and hurls him with an Irish Whip…and Luke rebounds with a Discus Elbow…but Pewds ducks him…and hooks up the Full Nelson to execute a Barrel Buster! Quickly, he transitions into an Inside Cradle: 1…2…2.48 Luke kicks out! Both men roll to their vertical bases…and Pewds WALLOPS the champion with a Spinning Back Fist! Smith staggers to a near corner and crumbles to his knees, trying to shake off the cobwebs as PewDiePie measures him from the opposite corner… and sings once again (with his Bros joining in this time), "I CAME IN LIKE A MEATBALL~!" before coming at Luke from behind with an EXPLOSIVE Cannonball—another variation of the Wrecking Meatball!

"You can say Felix got shot of out of a cannon and met with explosive results in that Wrecking Meatball, bouncing right off of the Evolve Champion's back!" Ted states. "Now PewDiePie has Luke standing on the second rope…I think he's gonna go for the PewDieDriver now!"

"Oh, not good, get out of there, Luke!" Logan urges.

The Swedish YouTube Sensation has the champion sitting on his shoulders, right for the kill…but Luke soon realizes his position and swat away Pewds' hands before practically eye-gouging him…forcing Pewds to set him down on his feet…and Luke boosts Pewds on his shoulders…and drops him HARD with a Blacksmith Hammer (Death Valley Driver)! Felix rolls out of the ring accordingly off the attack…and Luke lines his challenger up to a vertical base before hitting the ropes in front of him…rebounds off the opposite side…and FLIES through the middle and bottom rope with a Suicide Dive!

"Heat Seeking Missile—shades of Austin Aries!" Logan exclaims.

"And man, he got all of it!" Ned adds. "Especially how he smoothly rolled through to a knee!"

Up and at it from there, Luke pushes Pewds inside the ring and climbs the top turnbuckle. He watches his opponent reach his feet…and connects the Missile Dropkick to the back of the head! He rushes for the cover, turning Pewds on his back: 1…2…

…2.4874 Pewds pops the shoulder up. Of course, Luke sits him up so he can bounce off the ropes…

…and—GETS BLASTED with a Rough Ryder!

NO! Luke ducks him under and catches him in the crucifix position…but Pewds slides off and has Luke's arms hooked for the Backslide. Smith struggles to stay on his feet and reverse the pin attempt, but Felix seems to gradually overpower him…so Luke pushes his boots off from the canvas and over his opponent…and Knee Lifts his face in! Then he hits the ropes…

…and connects the Discus Elbow Smash with VICIOUS authority! With Felix barely able to stand, Luke carries him in a Backbreaker Rack, soon facing the hard camera…

…and spins out Pewds into an Argentine Powerbomb!

"Rack Bomb! Rack Bomb!" Ted shouts. "Three is the magic number for Luke Smith after those chain of combos!"

"And three's about to be the magic number he earns for this pinfall!" Logan proclaims as Luke pins: 1…

2…

…2.85 Pewds thrusts his left arm up high in the air!

"Not this time!" Ned states. "PewDiePie has the shoulder up at a near-fall!"

Slightly agitated, but composed, Luke continues on as he clutches onto Felix's bleached hair and sends a stiff knee to the midsection. This ensures Pewds from resisting Luke's setup to the Silversmith, hoisting him up straight…but Pewds wiggles around to fall and land behind Luke, abruptly boosting him up in an Electric Chair position!

"Silversmith countered! PewDieDriver engaged!" Ned calls.

…And Luke barely able avoids it by sliding off his shoulders and CHOP BLOCKS his left leg with a hard right elbow!

"Oh, man!" Ned shouts.

"Not happening! Luke chopped down the moron like a tree, and you can bet he's going enjoy these last few minutes dissecting that leg!" Logan says.

And so, now Luke has his eyes set on one target: PewDiePie's left leg. He starts off by repeatedly elbow dropping on the limb while holding it. Each shot Luke lands, Pewds yelps out loud in agony and desperately tries getting away to no avail as Luke still clings on. From elbows to kicks, the Sly Wolf doesn't let up on the attack as he then hooks the arm around Pewds' leg…and SNAPS BACK into a DDT! Pewds jumps up in agony holding onto his injured leg and finds himself near the corner to recover. In his position, however, Luke slithers outside and stalks his prey towards the ring post, now grabbing his leg and dragging him closer to said item. Pewds fails to kick him away…

…and Luke swings the leg into the metal post! The pain shoots up from the knee all the way out into the entire leg, causing Felix to thrash around and hold his leg in reaction. He uses the post to sit up while glaring at Luke, who tells him, "You brought this on yourself, Kjellberg! You brought this on yourself—!" Pewds slaps him in the face! For that, Luke reacts with a punch to the face and slamming his head into the post. Then he takes his legs to cross them…and slaps on the Figure-4 Leglock around the pole!

"Luke's gotta be careful here—any longer with the illegal Figure-4, he'll lose the match!" Ted states.

"Even so, he still gets to keep the Evolve Title! It's champion's advantage, old man!" Logan points out.

"I doubt he wants to retain his belt that way," Ned says.

The #1 most subscribed YouTuber has been thrashing around, feeling the pain increase much worse in his leg as he punches Luke's legs to get them off his. Thankfully, referee Corey Jackson comes in with a five-count warning…and with Luke still wrenching the Flying Figure-4, the referee counts 1…2…3…4…4.78 Luke is forced to let go…but not without still holding onto the leg…

…and swinging it against the post to add literal insult to injury! PewDiePie pulls himself away from the post…but not from Luke's grasp as he drags him out to the apron. First, he has him sitting on the apron…before nailing a fierce Elbow Smash across the jaw to knock him out for a moment. But he wasn't done, as he then has him facing the floor and hanging over the apron like a corpse…

"Now Luke something in store that Felix won't like in just a moment…" Ned notes.

…and executes a new move in his arsenal in the form of a High Knee straight into the skull!

"High Knee! Smith nailing it on the button to PewDiePie!" Ted calls.

"Ooh, I'm sure glad I'm not on that receiving end," Logan winces, but not in sympathy.

"Luke had his sights set on that leg he injured not too long ago, but is now shifting towards to just breaking him bit by bit. Think that'll come back to haunt him?" Ned asks.

"You worry too much, Bigby. Luke knows he's in the driver's seat and he's not gonna screw that up; he knows exactly what to do to keep himself there as he wears down this piece of garbage," Logan states.

Luke rolls in the ring when Corey Jackson reached 5…and the count gets a reset when the champion rolled back out to the apron. He stands there carrying dead weight in the form of Pewds along the way as he's clearly ignoring the official's orders to get back inside the ring. The Evolve Champion brings him on top of his shoulders, Fireman's Carry style…looks down at the floor…and back to the apron…deciding with "eeny, meeny, miny, moe"…

"Ohhh, I don't like that look on his face…" Ned shakes his head.

"I do, however!" Logan chimes in.

…then Luke nods to how Felix remains unmoving…

and drops all the way down to the padded ground via Death Valley Driver!

"DVD—Death Valley Driver! From the apron straight to the floor! That was Felix's painful journey!" Ned exclaims.

"Three feet off the ground, but when you're on another man's shoulders, you're falling from an amount height of eight feet straight to an area that barely has any protection!" Ted adds.

"Luke's feeling the results himself, but it doesn't look like Felix reacted to it at all! I think that just furthered his state of unconsciousness!" Logan points out.

The official exits to check on both competitors to see if they're still able to continue. From the looks of things, Luke's moving and Felix isn't, but not out cold completely either. So he gets back in the ring to start the 10-count: 1…

2…

…Luke grabs the apron curtain and uses it to bring himself up…

3…

…and now he rolls inside the ring, leaving a very dazed Felix Kjellberg on the floor…

"Champ's in, and the challenger remains out of the ring, unaware the count in progress!" Ned comments.

4…

5…

…but hearing the five-count brings him back to reality, turning over to cling onto the apron and ascend to his feet.

"Oh, he's quite aware now, Ned!" says Ted. "Headache and all, he's determined to keep himself going against Smith!"

"No, no! Stay down, you moron! Stay down!" Logan admonishes.

6…

…Felix, however, loses his grip for a moment…

7…

8…

…but he climbs back, moving as fast as possible as Luke watches in anxiety…

9…

…AND…PEWDS MAKES IT INSIDE, SCURRYING INTO THE SQUARED CIRCLE!

"JUST IN TIME, FELIX BARELY BEATS THE TEN-COUNT AT THE LAST SECOND!" Ned shouts. "And Luke is not satisfied with this result at all!"

"You can't entirely blame him on that after all that work was WASTED by the persistent idiot hounding him for a title he never deserved in the first place!" Logan yells.

An adequately furious Luke Smith has his hair almost torn out of his head from both sides, counting how close he was to retaining his Evolve Championship. After slapping the mat, he stands and walks over to Felix, who still appears deep in the cobwebs and is using the ropes to bring himself at an upright stature. But Luke slaps him upside the head and has him sitting against the ropes with his arms hung over them. He tells him, "You've had this coming with your ignorance, Kjellberg—JUSTITIA will fall swift upon you…!" before slapping him across the face and running for the ropes behind him…

…bounces off with velocity…

…and delivers a stiff High Knee into the face! One would typically go for a pin after such a ruthless attack…but not Luke. No, because he's gladly taking his time wearing down his opponent with as much hard strikes as possible as he backtracks from a rolling PewDiePie, who reaches the center of the ring. Luke then places is foot on top of his head and twists, using a spinning boot scrape to get Felix to react by sitting up slightly while nursing his face. Taking advantage, Luke lines him up from behind, rebounds from the ropes…

…and strikes down the YouTuber with a Shining Wizard to the back of his head!

"Good Lord! High Knee to a Shining Wizard—Luke won't stop until he gives Felix a concussion!" Ted comments.

"This is simply Luke performing his duty for Justitia, using his best arsenal to put this match to rest," Logan states. "I can admit it, thus far, Felix showed to have a lot of heart…but it's not enough when up against the cunning ability and feral aggressiveness of the inaugural ACW Evolve Champion. This is the reason why he's a rightful member of The Wolves."

Exhausted, Luke is, as he stands over a curled up and close-to-unconsciousness PewDiePie and regrets not believing he'd had to hit THIS HARD to protect his title reign. Referee Corey Jackson is almost tempted to stop this completely and give Luke the win here…but he had to see how far Luke will go to retain. Luke, wanting to end this match now, grabs onto Felix's hair, groggily lifts him to his knees…

…then holds his face and says, "Your career here in ACW…was DEAD ON ARRIVAL the moment you decided to force yourself into that Battle Royale! Your selfishness, your carelessness…has come back to HAUNT YOU! Justice and death will be SWIFT…but not merciless on your stupid—"

Pewds unexpectedly smacks his hands away…

…and SPITS right in the face of the Evolve Champion, much to his dismay!

"JUST THE FUCK UP, YOU SON OF A BITCH!" Felix swears at the top of his lungs. "JUST SHUT THE FUCK UP AND KILL ME ALREADY! I'M RIGHT HERE, YOU STUPID SHIT! C'MON! FUCKING KILL ME! …Fucking kill me…!"

"…Welp…you heard him, Luke. He's wide open!" Logan says, shrugging. "Finish him off—put him out of his misery!"

"Felix Kjellberg remaining DEFIANT against the champion to the very end…" Ted comments as the enraged Luke complies, wiping the saliva away…

…and slowly rebounds from the ropes…

…and his Sliding Elbow connects…

as it gets caught in-between Felix's shoulder and head!

"CAUGHT HIM!" Ted exclaims.

"WHAT?!" Logan shouts.

"PewDiePie catches the elbow!" Ned states.

Luke's eyes become as wide as saucer plates when he sees a rising YouTuber reach his feet while keeping elbow trapped inside the neck! Eventually, Luke breaks out of it after punching him repeatedly…

…and tries the Roaring Elbow…

…and connects…

just as PewDiePie hits the Bro Fist!

"DOUBLE CONTACT! Discus Elbow hits the same time as Bro Fist!" Ned calls. "Luke is down, flat on his back! But Felix, on his knees, completely unaware of the perfect opportunity lying right in front of him!"

"He's taken so much strikes to the skull, it's no wonder why!" Ted implies.

As Luke is laid out like a starfish, all PewDiePie is doing is staring up at the lights above him with eyes still glazed over from the amount of damage to his head. Eventually, he starts to regain his senses, slowly shaking his head…and checks his surroundings…soon seeing a supine Luke Smith…

and scurries over for the tight hook of the leg!

"Felix realizes! He's going for it!" Ned shouts.

"No, no, no, no, no—kick out, Luke! Kick out for your Justitia, man!" Logan cries.

The official counts 1…

2…

…2.75 Luke pops off the mat with shoulders up, a mere quarter towards 3!

"So close, yet so far! Felix took too long to settle in for a championship victory! And it's got him to a state of disbelief and sorrow!" Ted exclaims.

"God, if he actually won here, it'd be the blackest day before Summer Wars could even be over…!" Logan says, clenching his chest.

Pewds sits up clenching his head tightly, knowing fully well how he screwed up and didn't capitalize sooner. He rubs his face with a single hand, now wondering what to do to put Luke down for good as soon as possible. So he looks to one area: the corner…perfect for his setup to the PewDieDriver. He nods and grabs Luke's hair to drag him over to the turnbuckles, where he smashes his head over the second row. He uses all the strength he mustered up to get Luke to stand on the second rope, just as he gets his head in-between his legs from behind…and holds the Evolve Champion sitting on his shoulders…

"Incoming PewDieDriver, the challenger pulling out all the stops to win the title he's lingered for…!" Ned utters.

…and while carrying Luke, he backs up and begins to climb, one foot on the bottom rope joined by the other…

"Hang on, hang on…I think he's actually going for it from a higher position!" deems The Architect.

"This doesn't look good for the champ whatsoever!" Logan shouts.

…one foot now on the second rope…

but he starts losing balance

"Oh, man, the LEG! There's no way he can do it without putting too much weight on that injured limb!" Ned realizes.

and Pewds decides "FUCK IT!" and reaches the second rope, the pain forcing him to yell in anguish

and dives off for the Super PewDieDriver—TO BE COUNTERED INTO A VICTORY ROLL!

"OH! OH! VICTORY ROLL! LUKE SMITH WITH THE REVERSAL!" Ted screams.

"COUNT, REF, COUNT!" Logan barks.

WAIT! The Victory Roll attempt has the two rolling forward at the centerin which Luke remained on top for 1

2

2.838 Pewds kicks out…and Luke holds the leg to go for the Locksmith

and Pewds snatches him back into a modified small package! Corey Jackson counts 1

"NOW PEWDS HAS IT CINCHED IN—THE UPSET TO OCCUR, JUST ONE PINFALL AWAY!" Ned screams.

"NOOOOOOOO!" Logan cries.

2

2.99999 LUKE BARELY KICKS OUT AT THE LAST MILLISECOND, MUCH TO PEWDS' DISMAY!

"OHHH, JUST BARELY! JUST BARELY, THE EVOLVE CHAMPION SURVIVES!" Ted exclaims. "HE CAME THAT CLOSE TO LOSING HIS TITLE IN A POLARIZING UPSET!"

"EMPHASIS ON 'CONTROVERSIAL', MOSBY—I ALMOST HAD A HEART ATTACK AT MY F*CKING TWENTIES!" Logan yells.

"AND LOOK AT PEWDIEPIE, HE'S AS DEVASTATED TO SEE HOW CLOSE HE WAS TO BECOME THE NEW TITLEHOLDER!" Ned states.

Felix comes up to the referee to try and plead with him that he got the three-count, but was denied…

…and he turns around to a Bicycle High Knee from a pouncing Luke Smith!

"Oh, GOD, the High Knee! You could feel the impact all the way over here!" Ted winces.

"OOH, MAN, what a SHOT!" Logan compliments. "And he's not even done!"

Correct, as Luke watches Pewds go down on his knees…lines up the shot…

*CRACK!*

And pops the back of his skull open with a Running Single Leg Dropkick!

"OHHH, ONE BRUTAL STRIKE AFTER ANOTHER!" Ned asserts.

"SWIFT JUSTICE, INDEED!" Logan adds.

Now Luke takes a dead-weight opponent on his feet and against the turnbuckles for him to sit on top. Quickly, he ascends to the very top rope…has the head locked tight in his left arm and his arm over the nape and shoulder…

"Super Silversmith on the way…"

…lifts Felix up vertically…

"…GOT HIM UP…"

AND DRILLS THE TOP OF HIS HEAD ON THE TURNBUCKLE WITH A SUPER BRAINBUSTER!

"…BRAINBUSTAAA!" Ned exclaims. "THE SILVERSMITH SPIKES PEWDIEPIE'S HEAD INTO THE TOP TURNBUCKLE!"

"THAT'S IT! FOR THE LOVE OF BABY JESUS, THAT JUST HAS TO BE IT FOR THAT JACKASS!" Logan shouts.

Luke covers PewDiePie, hooking the leg…and referee Corey Jackson is there to count: 1…

2…

…3!

"THANK YOU! YES! YES! YES!" Logan cheers as the bell sounds and Adam Massacre's "Special Op" plays. "LUKE RETAINS! LUKE RETAINS! NO EVOLVE CHAMPIONSHIP FOR YOU, FELIX, YOU STUPID BASTARD! YOU LOSE! YOU FRIGGING LOSE THANKS TO JUSTITIA!"

Luke rolls off to rest on his elbow, panting heavily as he can only recover and glare down at an unmoving Felix Kjellberg. Eventually, he musters up the strength to lift himself up to a vertical base and grabs his Evolve Championship from the official, who raises his hand as the winner of this contest.

"Here is your winner, and STILL the ACW Evolve Champion…LUKE SMITH!" Mike "The Mic" Martin announces.

"Whether it was justice or perseverance that aided him, Luke stands before you still and now as the Evolve Champion!" says Ted. "But do not take away PewDiePie's efforts and determination to beat Smith for his title. Throughout this WHOLE match, despite all those knee strikes, those elbow shots, the Death Valley Drivers, that literal Sick Kick and ESPECIALLY the Super Silversmith that ensured Luke's academic victory, PewDiePie showed what he can do as an UNDERDOG; polarizing now that I say that, yes, but it's MY opinion as much as anyone else's. Felix fought well."

"Yeah, well, it just wasn't enough as Luke showed he wanted his belt a lot more than that living, breathing personification of GARBAGE," Logan mocks. "He brought it ALL on himself for his ignorance, his selfishness and his arrogance, so I hope he has a FREAKING CONCUSSION after all this."

Smith stands over PewDiePie, raising the Evolve Championship over his head and saying, "I told you…I told you that Justitia would not be so kind to you, Kjellberg. Now…stay the hell away from me AND this belt, lest you want the same result again…only it will END YOUR ACW CAREER that instant moment." Luke drapes the belt over his shoulder and exits the ring, walking his way up the ramp to the back.

"Felix came SO CLOSE…but unable to gain the Evolve Championship," Ned says.

"Enough talking about the loser looking up at the lights, Bigby. The WINNER is the CHAMPION of PROGRESS, of GROWTH…of EVOLVING," Logan emphasizes. "The ACW Evolve Champion who will dominate the midcard roster for time to come."

At the ramp, Luke raises his Evolve Championship for one last time to the mixed crowd and states, "Justice. Reigns. Supreme," before departing to backstage. After nearly a minute, when "Special Op" has disappeared…Pewds, who's likely concussed from those stiff shots to the head, slowly sits up to see Luke has already left…and realizes he had lost. To this, the YouTube appears very downtrodden, pounding a fist against the mat and running a hand through his hair. All he does is lie on his back with his knees up, clenching his head over the loss.

Then he eventually sits up again, shaking his head…and sighing, the camera reading his lips, "I guess I wasn't ready yet…" The official offers escort to the back, but Felix respectfully declines and drags himself out of the ring…almost losing his balance due to his severe headache. Still, he fights through and proceeds his staggering amble up the ramp in self-disappointment…quickly saying to the camera, "Sorry, guys… I failed the Revolution… Then again, I've been failing you all from the start…"

Nonetheless, as he left to the back, the fans in front row hand Felix an appreciative applause out of respect, whether they loved him or hated him.


Backstage, a long limousine is seen coming to a stop inside the arena, and shortly after the car ignition shuts off, the driver exits said vehicle and walks around to the other side all the way to the back. Reaching there, he opens the door and steps aside…

…and The Four Horsewomen all exit the vehicle one at a time from Aelita Schaeffer…to iGeneration with Freddie Benson…to Mai Valentine, arriving in style and to an EXTREMELY loud jeering reception from inside the Staples Center…even one of them are able to pick up sounds.

"Well, well…looks like our presence has already been felt, mesdames," Aelita sneers.

"Not like that's any surprise," says Zoey Brooks exiting the vehicle. "It's pretty much expected from these worms who are obviously jealous they aren't living the lifestyle like us."

"You know how to hit the nail on the head, Zoey," Carly Shay compliments as Zoey waves the "Oh, stop" gesture.

"Hey, can we go now? I kinda want to get our obviously boring matches over with so we can all walk out with new gold off those boring bitches," Sam Puckett utters.

"Patience, Sam. We made on time, so we have plenty of it to prepare for the inevitable," Mai smirks. "The Change is on arrival, girls. And there's nothing that neither Téa nor Hart of Hyuga can do anything to stop it, no matter as much as they want to fight it."

"Before we go anywhere, girls…I think an interview is in proper order," Zoey suggests, which the Horsewomen nod to. Zoey, holding an imaginary microphone, asks, "Ladies, tonight, you face the most boring female version of Team Hell No and the most boring World Women's Champion in history for their respective titles. Do you think there's a possible chance of them actually retaining their belts?"

…and all five Queendom associates just LAUGH that question off to high heaven. After nearly a minute of exaggerated laughing, Mai is the first to calm down and catch her breath so she can reply to the "question".

"Ohhh, Zoey, you're such a comedian—no wonder your show went on for three years!" Mai chortles, wiping away an apparent tear. "Ah…no. Of course not. They never had a chance in HELL since we arrived. Not a chance of ever retaining since those girls never had any ACTUAL competition to begin with. After Spring Breakdown, they stopped being interesting. They stopped being the champions of the entire Women's Division a long time ago. They are nothing more than transitional champions, but only resisted the inevitable loss for so long…until tonight. And that's where we come in. The Four Horsewomen were destined for ACW and reign over its laughable division, the WEAKEST in all of this company…so we can give it the renovation and respect it deserves once we win OUR women's titles."

"Funny how you talk about RESPECT," says a female voice…

…belonging to Lily Aldrin entering the scene in a formal suit and arms behind her back, "when you refuse to give any to your fellow female wrestlers in the ENTIRE division other than your Queendom, Ms. Valentine."

"What do you want, old bag?" Sam narrows her eyes.

"I happen to be in my early 30s, thank you very much, young lady," Lily corrects. "And, despite how much trouble all of you have been since my arrival in ACW…I'm here to wish you luck on your respective matches. Knowing you all of you too well, I expect you to do whatever it takes to win…and I don't expect anything less from all of you."

"Oh, is that right? So does everybody else expecting the 'worst' out of us," Carly states. "Well, what you call 'cheating' or any 'cheap shot' we pull, we call it seizing the right opportunity at the right time due to our opponents being at the wrong place at the wrong time. But in any case, everyone is expecting big things tonight. We all know you hope that all the Horsewomen will lose, but we know you still hope to have the best matches from the best female athletes in the business such as US, the PERFECT role models of this industry. So guess what? You'll get one, you won't get the other."

"Hmph, whatever you say, Miss Shay," Lily replies. "Now, I shall be heading my way out so you ladies can prepare for your matches for tonight. I will be keeping an eye on you like always. So…be on your best behavior, children…lest you want to suffer the wrath of Aldrin Justice."

"Whatever, lady," Sam asserts. "Come on, dudes, we're wasting our time here."

The Queendom nod and enter the Staples Center…but Mai stays behind to fold her arms and ask, "There's a bit more to what you have to say, isn't there, Aldrin?"

"…As a matter of fact, there is…Ms. Valentine," Lily nods. "Téa Gardner. The inaugural ACW World Women's Champion. The guardian of the Women's Division. …Someone you considered to be your closest, respected friend once long ago… Is that not correct?"

Mai remained silent for five seconds…then chortles, "What do you think you're trying to do, Aldrin? Play this psychological game on me? That way I make one mistake to ensure Téa's victory? Listen, honey…I've been in this business far longer than YOU to understand how this works. Yes, Téa was my friend…and I do have some amount of respect left for her. But here's the thing about me, I'm a Horsewoman. I am Mai Valentine. I am willing to roll and deal no matter who's in my way of asserting my place at the top of this division with my fellow Queendom gals…even if it's Téa. She'll soon realize that when I win tonight, it'll do her and this division a favor by strengthening it from its weak champions."

"…You may have a point, Mai. Perhaps like your comrades, especially Aelita as of lately…you don't think that fondly of your friends anymore like Yugi, Téa…Joey Wheeler," Lily says…before shrugging. "See how you roll those dice now, Ms. Valentine."

The Head of the Women's Division takes her leave and Mai is left alone to stare on…actually pondering on her words…and then huffs when finished.

"Keep thinking like that, Aldrin… Just until reality breaks to make you see the Queendom rules over ALL in ACW," Mai utters before joining her comrades.


"Sorry, Lil, but Mai's got ya there," Barney shrugs. "Only a matter of time once the Change commences for the whole Women's Division that is in DESPERATE need of an evolution from its boring state."

"The Women's Division may not be perfect, but it still contains the best athletes in the business this promotion can hold, including our women's champions themselves from Téa Gardner to Hart of Hyuga," Kenji defends, to which Barney mocks with the yapping gesture.

"And where's the part that makes them interesting, Jerry? Oh, right, NOWHERE because those girls are the pure definition of VANILLA MIDGETS—Téa Gardner, especially, who just happens to be our WORLD WOMEN'S CHAMPION," Barney retorts. "Much as she can make excuses, she's not exactly making herself look good in the process."

"Well, Barney…it's not like Mai is exactly ignoring Lily's words after that moment," Mark reminds. "Psychological or not…Ignition's Head of the Women's Division has got Mai Valentine thinking now."

("Hail, Genocide!" by Gwar plays)

"Whoa! …Well, if we can move on and continue what we do best, we're on the way to our second Summer Wars match of the evening—fourth if you count the pre-show!" Zack declares.

As the fast-paced, heavy-strung guitar riffs hit the loudspeakers, Rogen Townsend rides out from the Gorilla Position on an old school Harley-Davidson Softail Heritage Classic to an adverse reaction. He looks around the booing crowd in the arena and snorts, paying no mind to them as he revs the engines up and rides down the ramp. On the way, he passes by a sign that reads, "Townsend FEARS Clarke."

[They show you no mercy!

They just show you a line!

Call it a chaos, a curse, or a crime!

Call it what you will, but I call it genocide!

Genocide, genocide!

Hail! Hail!

Genocide, genocide!

Genocide, genocide!

Hail! Hail!

Genocide, genocide!]

"The following contest is a singles match scheduled for one fall! (Crowd: ONE FALL!) Introducing first: from Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England, standing at 7 feet tall, weighing in at 311 pounds…'The Genocidal Giant' Rogen Townsend!" Maria Lopez announces.

"Rogen is clearly putting up a front, folks," Markiplier asserts. "He appears as the Genocidal Giant he poses…when right now, he has been scared out of his britches for most of July and all of August. A mysterious entity haunting with disturbing mind games…later revealed to be the returning Isaac Clarke himself."

"Three months ago, at Spring Breakdown, when Rogen attacked Naruto Uzumaki post-match, Clarke arrived to prevent the worst from happening, but it was inevitable as he took the utter fall for Naruto," Kenji explains. "Rogen cracked his skull open after dropping him onto the stage with a Genocide Powerbomb and then HURLED HIM through the MiniTron. He remained absent and hospitalized since…until two nights ago."

"Oh, yes, indeed, brother. That very night, Isaac revealed himself as the perpetrator of his nightmares on Ignition VIII, and BOY, you would NOT believe the reaction he received when he returned," Zack states. "Clarke looked like a completely different person—a total 180 of how he originally was portrayed in the beginning of ACW…to his TRUE original silent character that's been through so much HELL and is willing to help his opponents be given the same experience."

"The Dead Space Devil is on the path of vengeance…while the Genocidal Giant is the same for weeks of suffering from humiliation by Clarke's psychological torture," Barney says. "Rogen was scared…but now Clarke has to deal with a PISSED OFF GIANT. And that is not exactly gonna be easy for him."

The Genocidal Giant makes a circle all around the ring three times before making a slow stop and flipping the kickstand down. He stands from his motorcycle, but not before seeing the sign from earlier and snarls, "Like BLOODY HELL I do…" He walks up the steel steps and steps over the top rope, looking straight towards where the hard camera would be and raises both fists in the air as he cries to enormous boos, "HAIL, GENOCIDE!" Then he would do the same on the other side, receiving more boos before backpedaling to the center.

As "Hail, Genocide!" dies, Rogen removes his aviator sunglasses…and waits with a heavy scowl. The 7-foot tall British athlete slowly paces around the ring like a caged animal…goading his opponent to come out already…

…and then the lights go out. Nothing but pitch blackness to be seen other than a few flashing lights from cameras as the crowd cheer in excitement…

[The world is a vampire…]

("Bullet with Butterfly Wings" by Smashing Pumpkins plays)

On the DigiTron, blue static appears along with its eerie sound effects…

…and the fans release a pop when they see a male silhouette rising from beneath the stage on a platform…

[Sent to drain…

Secret destroyers…]

…then the song transitions into the instrumental bridge as the silhouette remains still and the blue static has started to go haywire all over the stage…

[Despite all my rage

I am still just a rat in a cage…

Despite all my rage

I am still just a rat in a cage…

And someone will say

What is lost can never be saved…

Despite all my rage

I am still just a rat in a…

CAAAAAAAAAAGE!]

…and on that lyric, the bloodied visage of "Nicole Brennan" appears out of the static to let out a horrifying static-like scream before the MiniTron burns bright with blue to reveal Isaac Clarke, who poses on the stage, facing the curtain and extending both arms with open palms! He flexes for five seconds before forcefully turning around to give an intense glare at Rogen inside and the giant returns it right back at him.

[Despite all my rage

I am still just a rat in a—

Despite all my rage

I am still just a rat in a—

Despite all my rage

I am still just a rat in a cage!]

"And his opponent," Maria says as Isaac ambles his way straight to the ring at a menacing pace, "from The American Republic of Earth, weighing in at 236 pounds…he is 'The Dead Space Devil' Isaac Clarke!"

"DAH! ISAAC CLARKE BACK! ISAAC CLARKE RETURNS!" Markiplier channels his "inner Isaac".

"Will you shut up with your dumb throwbacks?" Barney deadpans.

"NEVAH! …But seriously, man, it is fantastic to see Isaac Clarke return to ACW in the flesh after being gone for so damn long!" Markiplier states. "I can be very sure to see how badly Clarke wants revenge on Townsend for putting him on the shelf since May from the mere sight of his eyes. The very eyes that are locked on only the man responsible for his three-month long absence."

"Can't entirely blame him for seeking blood from Townsend after what he did to Clarke that night at Spring Breakdown," Kenji says. "He only had two months into his ACW career and the last three could've ended up differently if Rogen hadn't cracked his skull open and threw him through the MiniTron."

"Ah-ah, he brought it on himself when he decided to 'be a hero' and try to save Naruto only to take the fall and end up hospitalized!" Barney asserts. "Clarke has only HE HIMSELF to blame and just taking it out all on Rogen makes him only a BULLY. Prick gets NO sympathy from me whatsoever."

Isaac steps on the apron and enters the ring through the ropes, walking past Townsend to stand on the middle row rope at the lower right corner and scan the arena in front of his eyes. All he hears are the "Welcome back!" chants from the respectful Los Angeles audience and nods in acknowledgement before getting down. He remains in the corner as Rogen slowly ambles over to the opposite, both still staring a hole through each other.

After the music died, Ignition referee Shawn Yeager checks both men for clearance to wrestle…and he gets the confirmation he needed to request timekeeper Noah McQueen to ring the bell. And so, the bell sounds, and Rogen enters a boxing stance as he walks RIGHT INTO A TITANIC SPEAR FROM ISAAC CLARKE AT THE CENTER OF THE RING!

"And we are under—WHOA, HOLY SHIT!" Markiplier suddenly shouts. "Isaac Clarke taking it right to Rogen Townsend off the opening bell with a Spear that LITERALLY brought the giant down!"

"Now Clarke is PUMMELING Townsend with wild fists to the temple, Rogen barely able to keep up the defenses!" Kenji remarks. "It sure as hell caught him off guard as it did for the rest of us!"

Left and right, Clarke has thrown those repeated amounts of fists until raining down some hard rights to Rogen's head before the official had to pull him off…and his reward for that was Isaac giving a massive death glare that scares him out of the ring. Yeager saw something in those eyes and he was wise enough to NOT provoke him any further. Isaac then turns back to Rogen…who grabs by the throat with both hands and hurls him over into the nearest corner! Rogen traps him with a series of body shots, adding in some rigid right hooks as the German official returns to count 1…2…3…4…4.5 Rogen has his hands up…just before nailing a cheap right cross. He takes Isaac's arm for the high-speed Hammer Throw, Clarke bouncing right off the turnbuckles…and eating a massive Big Boot afterwards! The Ishimura survivor staggers to his feet and gets Clotheslined out of the ring…

…and lands perfectly fine on his feet, much to Rogen's surprise! Seeing the 7-foot tall athlete still being flabbergasted, Isaac grabs him by his ankles, trips him on his back and actually YANKS him out of the ring! And then he SMACKS his large chest with a brutal Backhand Chop! Now he has the giant by his arm…

…feigns the first Irish Whip…

…and goes through with a real one, sending Rogen CRASHING HARD into the steel steps!

"Oh, man! With EXPLOSIVE and POWERFUL results, Clarke directs his opponent straight into those stairs in such painful fashion!" Zack exclaims.

"What the HELL is this guy made of?!" Barney questions. "He was NEVER like this when ACW began—just some lame-ass Chris Jericho expy!"

"Looks like he's FAR from that façade tonight, Barney!" Markiplier utters.

Isaac rolls inside the ring…and rolls back out at the nearest side to grab Rogen, actually carry him to his feet and shoving him all the way in albeit with struggle. As Rogen rises to his feet, Isaac already ascends to the top turnbuckle…and sends the Giant staggering back off the Missile Dropkick. Rogen's back meets the turnbuckles…as Isaac dashes over at high-speed…and BLASTS the big man with a high-impact Corner Clothesline! (Markiplier: We've all heard about the tale of the Dead Space Devil back in the days of UWE and XGW…but NEVER have we ever witnessed it with our very own eyes until now! He's just taking on Townsend with hard shot after hard shot!) Clarke watches Rogen wobble to the center…and he bounces off the ropes to plant his face in with a One-handed Bulldog! And now, Clarke makes the first cover of the match: 1…2…Rogen kicks out at 2.3. He watches his opponent roll away, allowing him to stand up and recover in the corner…

…but not for long as he comes at him hot and fast out of the opposite…

…and Isaac gets CAUGHT and PLANTED with a Standing Side Slam by Townsend!

"Side Slam, right out of the corner!" Kenji calls.

Upon impact, Isaac rolls through and appears quite dazed…so Rogen seeks for the early finish, bouncing off the ropes for the World Coming Down…and Isaac ducks it with a knee to the midsection. Thankful with faster reflexes, Isaac then grabs Rogen's wrist…and proceeds carrying him onto his shoulders…

"Whoa, whoa, no, NO! He's not really gonna…!" Barney gasps.

"Isaac looking for Fireman's Carry to the 300-plus pound man!" Markiplier proclaims.

…but Isaac doesn't go through it as Rogen elbows the jaw…and turn things around with a Sidewalk Slam!

"No, Rogen avoids whatever Isaac had in mind and plants him down with the Sidewalk Slam!" Kenji comments. "He goes for the cover…"

1…

2…

…2.4 Isaac kicks out! In response, Rogen grabs his opponent by the neck and drags him over to the bottom rope, where he lays him there…and presses his foot against the nape to choke him out. He uses the ropes as leverage in this illegal hold, shouting down at the gagging Isaac, "You shouldn't have come back, mate! You should've just stayed in that hospital bed! Now you're gonna pay because you pissed off the WRONG giant, you dumb fuck!" Meanwhile, the referee counts 1…2…3…4…4.88 Townsend lets go and receives a chastising for his actions. Then Rogen goes over to Isaac and has his head sticking out of the ring, exiting to the apron afterwards. Seeing Isaac in perfect position, Rogen gets a running start…and drives a big Leg Drop across the throat!

"Rogen delivering the punishment to Isaac, as is his right after the suffering and mortification he was forced to put through these past few weeks," Barney asserts.

The former CEC ship systems engineer falls to the floor like a lump by Rogen's leg dragging him down. As he is temporarily immobile for the moment, Rogen scans over all three announce tables in front of him…pondering which one to break Isaac through first. (Zack: Uhhh…guys? He's looking at us weirdly…I feel uncomfortable. ; Mark: You just stay away from our table, Rogen! ; Barney: Yeah, stay from our table and the RAMPAGE table—my disciple's there! …Drop Clarke on Kenny's table! ; Kenji: Way to take one for the team, Stinson…) Rogen points his finger at one table at a time, playing a game of "eeny, meeny, miny moe" to himself…and his finger lands on the table of Kenji Matsuo and Zack Carver. (Zack: WELP. Abandon ship, brother. ; Kenji: I HATE YOU, BARNEY STINSON.) As the two half-brothers gather their items away from their spot as quick as possible, Rogen already removes the table top and throws it aside. Then he grabs Isaac by his head, dragging him over to the table and placing him in a standing headscissors. Raising a fist, he shouts, "HAIL, GENOCIDE!" to a round of boos. And now he raises Isaac in an Elevated Prawn Hold…boots him up a little higher Last Ride style…

"Incoming Genocide through the table…!" Barney observes, a hint of glee in his voice.

"I HATE YOU, BARNEY STINSON!" Kenji repeats.

…but Isaac slips out…landing on the bottom half of the stairs…

"What goes up, must come—OH! Isaac escapes…"

…and LEAPING to drive Rogen down with a Jumping Neckbreaker onto the steps!

"…and he's the one that brings down Rogen, only onto the steel steps!" Markiplier notes.

"Mark, I think what you should have now said was 'the bigger they are, the harder they fall'!" Kenji states.

"Our table is saved!" Zack utters.

Both men react to the impact of their bodies landing brutally on the steel steps with UTTER pain and faces scrunched up, knowing they are not totally invincible. The question is, which of these guys received the worst amount of pain the most when landing their spines on the steel. Isaac is the first to stand and slowly roll back in the ring as the official would begin the count. During then, Rogen gets to his knees, using his large stature to try and enter the ring as fast as possible before Shawn Yeager reaches ten. And thankfully for him, one boost from those help him stop the count at 4 as he nurses his nape. Isaac, after shaking off the pain, walks on over…and Rogen nails a punch to the abdomen. Body shot after body shot, Rogen rose to his feet as he then hits a rapid punch combo to the gut followed by a Throat Thrust Uppercut! Isaac staggers…and gets his throat caught! (Zack: Chokeslam, on the way—Isaac's in trouble now!) Rogen clenches the throat as tight as possible before draping the arm over…

…but he starts to have a problem picking him up…

because of Isaac ACTUALLY prying the hand away from his throat!

"Whoa, whoa, WHOA! LOOK AT THIS!" Mark notices. "Isaac Clarke with the strength to actually pry Rogen Townsend's gigantic hand off his neck! I've never seen Isaac do this—not ONCE in my life!"

"This is a whole new Isaac Clarke we are seeing, Mark, and I am TERRIFIED!" Barney shouts.

"I think the same can be said for old Rogen here!" Zack points out.

Rogen and Isaac literally having a power struggle amongst themselves as the former is pushing to go for his Chokeslam and the latter trying to avoid it at all costs. With Isaac winning it out, Rogen drives a hard knee up in the midsection that brings his opponent down on his knees! "Fuck you, Clarke!" blatantly shouts Rogen, who hits the ropes…

…and comes running into a pouncing Necromorph slayer dropping him with Full Contact (High-impact Sleeper Slam)!

"Sleeper Slam—the old school Sling Blade!" Zack quips. "If I can make a Dead Space related name, I'd call that the Full Contact!"

"Fitting enough, Zack!" Kenji agrees.

Off the attack, Clarke catches the legs for the pin: 1…

2…

…2.57 Rogen powers out! Isaac brings him up quickly to the ropes for an Irish Whip…which Rogen counters with his own…so Isaac uses that to his advantage for a High-impact Lariat off the ropes…

…but Rogen ducks…

…and PLANTS him with a High-impact STO of his own!

"STO—Space Tornado Ogawa!" Kenji calls.

"Oh-ho, MAN, if only 'Captain Hustle' Naoya Ogawa can see how BRUTAL his creation looked from the way Rogen used it on Isaac!" Zack says.

"Huh. I think Father would be proud of you knowing your history after hearing that, brother," Kenji nods with a smile.

"Aw, thanks, bro," Zack replies.

"Boys, on duty right now," Markiplier reminds as Rogen covers Isaac: 1…

2…

…2.66 Isaac kicks out! Rogen nods to Isaac's fighting efforts and says, "You're a tough bloke to kill, I'll give you that." Then, he grabs his head with both hands and stands up with him in tow; the very tall Englishman nails a Throat Thrust Uppercut…and the ship systems repairer reels back to the ropes and bounces off with a straight kick to the gut swiftly followed by a stiff Back Elbow! Rogen hits the ropes from staggering…and drives a Big Boot into his face—no, he catches it, throws it down…and NAILS Rogen with a hard right hook! And so does Rogen…and Isaac fires back with an Enzuigiri, the impact resonating around the arena! So Rogen goes down onto one knee from the kick…

…as Isaac grabs his head with an arm hooked from under…

…and his lifting attempt fails…

…because of Rogen spinning out of it…

…and going for a short-arm WCD—Isaac BARELY ducks…

…and transitions from the Rainmaker setup into a Jumping Cutter, dubbed by Isaac as the Plasma Cutter!

"ACE CRUSHER! DIAMOND CUTTER! RKO—OUTTA NOWHERE! BANG!" Markiplier calls.

"SHUT IT, WE GET IT! ROGEN'S IN TROUBLE HERE!" Barney shouts.

Rogen rolls from the impact, but Isaac catches him in time for the cover with the hook of a leg: 1…

2…

…ROPE BREAK! Rogen has his nearest left foot resting on the bottom rope!

"NOOO, SO CLOSE, BUT NO CIGAR LIKE A MILLENCOLIN SONG FOR THE DEAD SPACE DEVIL!" Zack yells.

Isaac punches the mat for not seeing how close his opponent was the ropes, a mere amount of frustration showing on his face. But after calming down from seeing how Rogen's eyes are glazed over, he musters all the strength he can come up with to drag him over to the center. From there, he carries him at least up to his knees…has his head in a standing headscissors…

…wraps both arms around the waist…

"Isaac…now planning something likely INSANE…" Kenji comments.

…starts elevating Rogen off his knees from the canvas

"Insane indeed—don't tell me he's gonna go for a Dementia on the 7-foot-tall 300-plus pounder!" Mark exclaims.

"Okay, I won't tell you because you're SEEING IT with your own eyes, Mark!" Barney replies.

…Isaac's face goes red…

…as Rogen prevents the Kneeling Piledriver from happening by abruptly standing up!

"Oh, not good! Not good! Rogen's got Isaac in an Alabama Slam setup!" Zack utters.

Rogen has Isaac at his mercy, now adjusting him into a spin-out…dropping his spine on the knee in Tilt-a-whirl fashion…

…and then standing up with Isaac in an Inverted Facelock…

…and DROPS the big right leg on top of him, executing the Inverted Leg Drop Bulldog!

"Rogen with the BIG Leg Drop on Isaac—he calls that the Atomic Bulldog!" Barney calls. "And now, the end is near upon towards Isaac Clarke! Look at how Rogen already prepping Genocide for his opponent!"

Indeed, Rogen wastes no time putting his head between his legs and hoisting him in an Elevated Prawn Hold…

…holds him higher by the waist…

…and lands the Genocide Powerbomb! Center of the ring!

"HAIL, GENOCIDE! Rogen got all of that!" Barney proclaims as Rogen rolls up Isaac for the pin: 1…

2…

2.975 Isaac Clarke shoots his right arm up!

"And Isaac rolls the shoulder up! How in the HELL did Isaac kick out of the Genocide?!" Markiplier queries.

"That's clearly something Rogen's asking himself right now!" Kenji states the disbelief on Rogen's face.

Rogen has his hands holding his head from both sides to display a shocked expression, pleading the referee that he had the three-count. Sadly for him, Isaac actually had kicked out of the Genocide Powerbomb. He pounds the mat in frustration, staring angrily down at Isaac, who gradually stirs to an upright sitting position. He grabs him from behind and gets ready for a second Genocide Bomb, this one he's hoping put him away for good. He lifts him over and on his shoulders…

…and Isaac used that momentum to hop over and drive down Rogen with a Sunset Flip! Shoulders down, Yeager counts: 1…

2…

…2.837 Rogen powers out! Both men roll through…and Isaac was quicker on his feet to BLAST a kneeling Rogen with the Eviscerator (Running High-impact Lariat)!

"BOOM! SAY IT, KENJI!" Zack requests. "YOU KNOW THE DEAL WE MADE, BROTHA!"

"I will not," Kenji glares.

"C'mon, please?"

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

"Please?"

"NO."

"Please?"

"NO."

"Please?"

"NO!"

"I'm telling Mom."

"…You are such a child, Zack—LARIATOOOOOOOOOOO!" Matsuo exclaims abruptly. "…You know I'm going to get you back for that."

"Worth it," Carver smirks.

Despite the impact likely knocking his occipital into the back of his skull, Rogen still gets up as Isaac lines him up…and delivers the long-awaited return of Dead Space (Codebreaker) to a MAJOR pop! (Markiplier: CODEBREAKER! DEAD SPACE! THAT'S IT! THAT'S IT! ; Barney: BUT ISAAC DOESN'T SEEM FINISHED YET!) Rogen's on his knees now…and so Isaac goes for the old saying that is "third time's the charm"…by having his head in-between his legs, arms locked tight around his waist…

almost sluggishly lifting him off the canvas in a dangerous upside-down vertical position

and drops him on THE BACK OF HIS NECK with a Kneeling Ganso Bomb, the alternate version of Dementia!

"OHHHH, MY SWEET BABY JESUS, MARY, AND JOSEPH! Hallow Point! The infamous Ganso Bomb!" Markiplier screams.

"He killed him! He killed him! The demented psycho killed Rogen Townsend!" Barney bellows.

"What goes around COMES around, I'm afraid!" Zack comments.

Isaac glowers down at Rogen's lifeless body…and pins him, hooking the leg as the gaping referee Shawn Yeager snaps back into reality and counts 1…

"Rogen, here I say…ANATA!"

2…

"DESU!"

…3!

"KANSEIIIIII!" Kenji declares as the bell sounds as "Bullet with Butterfly Wings" plays.

"Here is your winner…'The Dead Space Devil' Isaac Clarke!" Maria Lopez announces to a chorus of cheers.

"And with that victory, Isaac Clarke is BACK, and BETTER than ever—HABUSKIIIIII!" proclaims Markiplier. "This contest of vengeance and forte did not prove easy for Clarke, but it was DAMN WELL worth it to him!"

"Indeed, Isaac did NOT miss a beat whatsoever—he was even displaying CRAZY strength we have never seen before from him!" Zack comments. "The guy's like a whole new different person now."

"Rogen put up a fight, but karma catches on to him as what goes around from putting Isaac on the shelf for three long agonizing months comes around to the Dead Space Devil returning. This side of him is a FAR CRY to what we were used to in the beginning of ACW," Kenji states.

"Much as I wanted to say this is how he should've been from the very beginning, I contrast that he should've returned the same way he was so Rogen had a better chance of defeat," Barney frowns.

"Not the case, I'm afraid, Stinson. Since that night at Spring Breakdown, Clarke has been FUELED with vengeance…and he's exhausted that well enough for tonight on Townsend," Mark says.

Isaac stands tall over the still unmoving Rogen with a stoic stare down on his fallen opponent, referee Shawn Yeager hesitant to try and move him away from Rogen. After fifteen long seconds, Isaac says nothing at all…and steadily backs away, keeping his eye on the supine Rogen while exiting the ring Undertaker style. Still backpedaling and eyeing Rogen, Isaac ambles by running EMTs entering the ring to see what the damage is on the Genocidal Giant. As they start applying the neck brace, Isaac is seen standing at the stage, still eying the ring with a completely unreadable expression. It's then that Roxanne Stone, Rogen Townsend's girlfriend, runs out from behind Isaac with a slight glare towards him while passing by…and rushes to the ring to check on him as well.

"RAMPAGE wrestler and Femme Fatale of the Hardcore Foundation, Roxanne Stone, arriving to aid Rogen Townsend… Even evil has loved ones," Markiplier utters.

"Why wouldn't they, Mark? Tonight has showed who the REAL monster was between Clarke and Rogen," Barney retorts. "There's evil in those two, sure…but not more than the spaceman with returned dementia that's likely worse than ever."

Rogen, now sluggishly waking up, gets help exiting the ring from the emergency medical trainers and Roxanne…as Isaac Clarke is the last one seen onscreen to leave the stage through the Gorilla Position before the camera had to change the scene…


…to backstage, where Wilford Warfstache is found walking at a quick pace to get to the Gorilla Position that Isaac appears descending the stairs.

"Hey-o, Clarke!" Wilford tries to get his attention. "Clarke, my man—I'm here on the good word of the author who couldn't find a way to make interesting segments, so here I go asking, what's it like to return to ACW? Hell, what's it like to return to wrestling overall? Must be great, huh?!"

Wilford holds his goofy grin in his questions…yet he receives no answer as Isaac continues walking on. Frowning at this, Wilford then says, "Hey, I asked you a question—don't you ignore me, you bitch!"

Isaac…slows down on his steps…and comes to a complete halt…before backing up to Wilford…and slowly turns his head on him, apparently giving him his attention…which now frightened him even more. So Wilford holds a hand up in defense, but willing to ask once more in a professional manner, "Uh-uh…ignore what I just said, ha-ha… But, uh…it feels good to be back in wrestling, right—GAH…!"

The former CEC ships systems repairer…swipes the microphone from the host of WARFSTACHE Tonight…holds it up to his lips, which he open…

…and flips the mic up in dropping it, simply refusing to answer his question and walking away from the scene completely. All that's left is a flabbergasted Wilford Warfstache unscathed and he realizes that with a sigh of relief…

…before saying to the crowd's amusement, "What an asshole."


In another part of backstage, the camera zooms out on a shot of the ACW Women's Tag Team Championship and the live crowd cheers…

…at the sight of Hinata Hyuga being seen wrapping the belt around her waist. Then, entering the view is her tag team partner, Samantha Hart, with her own Women's Tag Team Title wrapped around her shoulder.

"So," Samantha utters, "this is it. The night we've all been waiting for. The night we put those iGeneration bitches in their place."

"At least as a start to foil the Horsewomen's plans of conquering the entire division," Hinata replies. "Then there's Téa to settle her score with Mai later on."

"If we can get her to do that, it'll be a clean sweep for us champs," Samantha smirks. "…We've been through a hell of a lot to get here. Since winning this belts…I didn't think we'd hold onto them for this long. I didn't think the two of us would actually continue to work this far due to our differences. But here we are…you and me, standing together as the Women's Tag Team Champions…defending our belts against a bunch of egotists. So let me say this…Hinata Hyuga…despite my initial and absolute dislike of you…I'm glad to come to respect you as a tag team partner. So if this is our last night together as champs…and perhaps even as partners," Hart holds out a hand, "…it's been quite a ride."

Hinata, amazed by Samantha's showing of respect, stares at her hand…then up at the black-haired female…and nods in accepting her handshake.

"Likewise, Samantha. Likewise," Hinata replies. "…But right now, tonight is our night. The odds are stacked against us, but we're gonna prove why we deserve to carry these belts than our opponents who lack respect other than amongst the Queendom. We are going to show the world who we are, why we're here and what we're all about. So I ask you, Samantha Hart…you got my back?"

"Damn right, I got your back," Samantha answers. "Like you said, this is our night. Our night as the ACW Women's Tag Team Champions. And dare I say it, IF we lose, which I know we WON'T…we go out as CHAMPIONS. Let's make it count."

Samantha holds out the back of her fist…and Hinata bumps it, garnering a quick pop from the crowd as the two depart on their way to the Gorilla Position.


"If that isn't determination, then I don't know what is," Ted nods. "Hinata and Samantha, both willing to put everything on the line to defend the Women's Tag Titles the Queendom are pursuing."

"As admirable as it sounds, Ted…we all know The Change is inevitable," Logan asserts. "Hart of Hyuga and Téa can go on and on about their will to keep the gold and continue defending the division, but it's time to stop. Their reigns have stopped being interesting and worthy after Spring Breakdown. The second iGeneration and Mai Valentine win the belts, they come to both Ignition and RAMPAGE as the SAVIORS of the Women's Division."

"Only as a way to stomp all over the competition just to satisfy Moon's ego and fulfill her selfish dream of destroying women's divisions and future female stars while she continues to sit back and remain 'retired'," Ned retorts.

"God, when are you just gonna wake up and smell the coffee, Bigby? Their title reigns are DONE. FINISHED. OVER," Logan ripostes. "It's time we get some new champs around this joint…"

("Popularity" by Jonezetta plays)

"…and that time is NOW!"

The arena lights turn purple, yellow and blue all around, and the audience shower the place with loud and vicious boos to the arrival of Carly Shay and Sam Puckett alongside Freddie Benson. Carly herself has donned Sasha Banks esque in all black and gold while Sam only wears ragged street clothes in all black à la Sami Callihan. As Sam pounds her left fist into her palm, Carly performs a little spin to flaunt herself and raises her hands up in a diva-like manner, proclaiming so arrogantly, "Your nightmare is almost over, darlings! Your REAL champions will be crowned VERY soon!"

[Ohhh, they got the raddest hooks

They got the dopest looks

And when they're misunderstood, it's even better…

And they all agree, the future ends with me

On their computer screens; like they even

Matter to the words we sing

Or feel apart in our melodies

If all you have is yourself

You're never going to need anyone else…

Popularity!

Do you think it's scary?

Everybody's talking with their own opinion

Popularity!

It's a lot to carry

I'll fall asleep to you screaming in my brain!

My brain!

My brain…!]

The iCarly trio proceed to walk down the ramp, Sam coming across a male fan she decides to talk trash with. Freddie takes note and steps in front of her to try and escort her back to the ring. Rolling her eyes, the meat enthusiast complies…but not before flipping the bird on the fan's face, clearly infuriating him and Freddie is forced to shove her to the ring as she shouts, "FUCK YOU AND YOUR MOTHER, COCKSUCKER!"

"…Geez, the MOUTH on that chick," Ned utters. "You'd think someone would at least wash it out with soap."

"Whatever says doesn't matter to me as long as she wins the tag belts with Carly," Logan says.

Carly steps on the apron just as Freddie joins her and holds both middle and bottom ropes open for her to enter through, then Puckett comes up to shove him away and enters the ring by herself. As Carly goes up to the lower right corner with her smug smile and blows many kisses to her "adoring fans" and Sam continues talking trash and swearing down at the lower left corner, Freddie stands at the center with a microphone of his own and a smug smirk towards Mike, who remained in his seat with arms folded, left leg resting on the other and a small glare to the iCarly cameraman. The bell then sounds for Benson to make the announcement.

"The following tag team contest is set for ONE FALL to the finish, and it is for the ACW Women's Tag Team Championship! Accompanied by yours truly, Freddie Benson…they hail from 'The Emerald City' Seattle, Washington…at a unified weight of 255 pounds, no more, no less…but in less than TEN MINUTES, they will be your true ACW Women's Tag Team Champions…THE TEAM OF 'THE GREATEST INTERNET STAR WHO EVER LIVED' CARLY SHAY AND 'THE TRUE BEAST INCARNATE' SAM PUCKETT…'THE VIRAL SENSATIONS OF THE SQUARED CIRCLE', iGENERATIOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOON!" Freddie proclaims to "BIIIIITCH BOY!" chants.

"Well, let's recap their journey to get to here as the challengers for the Women's Tag Titles," Ted proposes. "On the first episode of Saturday Night RAMPAGE, iGeneration made a surprise debut and have since then proclaimed themselves to be the next contenders. In just two months short, they, alongside Mai Valentine, have likely ran Evil Beauty out of Ignition when they defeated them at Rebellion last month and asserted themselves as the current challengers for the World Women's Championship and the Tag Title belts."

"That is what you call PROGRESS, my fellow commentator. Progress that those such as Evil Beauty and our champions of the Women's Division failed to have in their respective trials," Logan states. "Right now, EB just might be out of Ignition and the clock is ticking FAST on those title reigns. Those chicks can keep yakking on and on about their BS excuses, but they can't escape destiny forever."

"Couldn't have said it better myself, Logan," says Freddie, now joining the RAMPAGE commentary table with his headset on. "Destiny…is something no one can escape ever. No matter how hard they try. No matter how much they say. No matter what they do…Hart of Hyuga will DIE and Téa can go back to obscurity where she rightfully belongs while The Four Horsewomen can reign supreme over the competition. …Hm, then again, it's not like there'll be much when these ladies are through handling 'tough challenges'."

"Mock all you want, Freddie. Feel as confident as you can. You and everyone else in the Queendom, especially Moon, will see to NEVER underestimate our Women's Division ever again," Ned proclaims.

"I'm as confident as I can be, Ned," Freddie replies. "Besides, iGeneration are simply on their way to go two-for-two against Hart of Hyuga after their last encounter."

"It wasn't even an encounter at all—it was just Carly and Sam basically MOCKING the champions with their exaggerated forms!" Ned says.

"Oh, don't be such a liar, Bigby," Logan says. "I remember EXACTLY what happened, and I say that Carly and Sam got the accuracy of their opponents down perfectly from Hinata's enormous breasts to Samantha's amount of eyeliner."

"The act was revolting and offensive, especially on the fake Hinata part, so I'm just gonna leave it at that," Ted expresses.

"Your opinion sucks and tends to be ignored anyway, old man," Logan retorts.

iGeneration wait inside the ring for their opponents, Sam goading the champions come out already so they can "embarrass themselves" in front of the world…

…and the sound of humming informs the audience of who is coming next…

("New Perspective" by Fireflight plays)

Samantha Hart walks out alone to cheers and arena lights gone all out in hot pink. Samantha grabs hold of her transparent black robe she wears over her in-ring attire and spreads it open to reveal her ACW Women's Tag Team Championship around her waist just as Hinata spins around her partner from behind into a Hyuga battle stance, triggering white and pink pyro jets at the sides of the stage. The former Hyuga Heiress stands up beside Samantha, who lets her robe slide off her body…both look to each other as they remove their titles…and nod to each other to clink their belts together à la Gallows and Anderson before marching their way down to the ring.

[I always thought I had it figured out

No need for the benefit of the doubt

I could never look beyond what I could see

I was in control and it was all about me

I'm so sick and tired of this selfish life…!

I want mooooooore!

Reach uuuuuup, reach oooooout!

This house is burning down

These walls we've built are caving in

Reach uuuuuup, don't give uuuuuup!

We're standing on the ashes

With a clearer view and a new perspective]

"And their opponents," Mike says, "at a combined weight of 261 pounds…they are the current, reigning and defending ACW Women's Tag Team Champions…Hinata Hyuga and Samantha Hart, Hart of Hyuga!"

"As of this night, it has been four months, seventeen weeks and 119 days since Hinata and Samantha were paired together to win the very titles they carry around their persons proudly to the ring!" Ned states. "The relationship was clearly rocky from the start due to Samantha's own reasons for her dislike towards Hinata that we may probably never know. But now, Samantha knows to give the respect Hinata deserves and stay on common ground with her when it comes to the threats that was Evil Beauty and presently The Four Horsewomen."

"Their story started off pretty hot when they won the belts by Southern Hell…but after Spring Breakdown, everything started to dwindle. Bit by bit, they become less interesting, they got less screen time…man, I'm starting to think that perhaps Téa was right about it not being entirely their fault," Logan says. "Either way, no wonder our Women's Division sucks."

"At least the nightmare will be over soon once iGeneration wins the belts and rejuvenate the division overall," Freddie assures. "I mean, seriously…four months since they won—how the hell does that seem possible?"

"I say dirty politics behind the ACW scenes," Logan answers.

"I say you'd be right," Freddie agrees.

"Oy vey…" Ned groans.

"Think however you like, you two…what matters in this contest is which one of these teams wants the belts the most," Ted avers. "iGeneration are, while haughty, the most well-known and most skilled tag team of the business. Hart of Hyuga were a makeshift team…but it's their determination and will that's helped them remain as champions for this long."

"I prefer to call it luck and here I say it…that it's about to run out for them tonight," Freddie affirms.

Hart of Hyuga slide in the ring together and nearly come to early blows with iGeneration as they stand merely inches away from each other and Ignition referee Aiko Tanahashi does her best to keep them separated. Both teams, specifically Puckett and Hart, trade rather vulgar words and then Hart of Hyuga themselves raise their belts to assert their dominance towards the challengers before Aiko Tanahashi gets the teams to their separate corners.

The Japanese official gets handed the Women's Tag Titles and raises them up over her head to show the world what is at stake in this contest followed by a faraway camera angle with a graphic of both titles shown onscreen. Samantha goes to the ring apron to let Hinata start the match…while Sam Puckett asserts herself after Carly attempted to go first, but Sam insisted just to earn vengeance over Hinata nearly breaking her arm on Ignition VI. Carly complies and goes to the apron while Sam and Hinata meet face-to-face.

"Hart of Hyuga. iGeneration. One fall to the finish with the ACW Women's Tag Team Titles at stake…and the challengers know that if any member of the Queendom interferes, they lose their chances at the titles. Right now, Hinata and Sam will be the ones to kick things off…and here we go!" Ted calls as the bell sounds.

Hinata and Sam circle the ring and attempt a test of strength. After one-half of the tie-up was done, they carefully reach out with the other half…until Sam abruptly SLAPPED Hinata across the face! She kicks her face in while on her knees and corners her with repeated body shots and Turnbuckle Thrusts, just as referee Aiko Tanahashi counts 1…2…3…3.5 Sam backs off…before slapping Hinata again—no, she blocks it and STRIKES her face in with a Gentle Palm (Palm Strike)! (Ned: OOF, Sam started off strong, but it's Hinata who quickly turns things around!) Puckett staggers back holding her face…and her hands snaps her head back to Hinata and screams, "FUCK YOU!" before charging…missing Hinata and crashing into the turnbuckle pads. As a result, Hinata grabs her head, steps off the middle row ropes…and drives her head down with a Tornado DDT. Now with the quick cover…kick-out at two. The left arm Sam shoots up, Hinata grabs it and turns her opponent on her stomach while her knee keeps Sam's head down and restrains the arm, bending the hand and fingers itself back to give excruciating pain to Sam. With Sam at her mercy, Hinata slowly twists the wrist from left to right, biding her time to torture her…

…then bends hand forward…along with the arm, bringing it down to the mat…

…and jumps up to STOMP the back of her elbow, injuring the entire limb in the process and inciting Sam to thrash around in pain!

"OH, MAN! The big stomp to the arm!" Ned winces. "Sam wanted to break Hinata, but it looks like Hinata may have broken Sam's arm first!"

"This is about to turn into Ignition VI all over again!" Logan implies.

"When it comes down between technical prowess and feral brutality, Hinata just showed Sam Puckett the result of being too hardheaded for her own good," Ted states.

"Unfortunately, this is something I cannot disagree with," Freddie says. "Puckett never associates well with mat-based technical wrestling, so she's gotta either turn things around when Hinata least expects it or tag out to Carly as a fallback."

Hinata grabs the arm to wrench and bend the wrist around, expanding the pain until Sam instantly rams her into the corner…and nails a hard right elbow to the jaw. Then she goes on an all-out cornered assault onto Hinata, nailing one European Uppercut after another. But, referee Aiko Tanahashi's five-count prevents her from continuing any further as she stops at 4.75 before bouncing her off the ropes with an Irish Whip…and catching her on the way back with a Spinning Spinebuster. Sam shakes her arm as she drags Hinata over to her corner and tags in Carly. The meat enthusiast grabs hold of Hinata's legs, setting up for a catapult and launches her opponent into a forearm smash by Carly…who then slingshots herself over the top rope and lands an elbow drop across Hinata's throat as she was lying on Puckett's knees. Into the cover…and Hinata kicks out at 2.3. Carly applies the Reverse Chinlock…and Hinata almost abruptly rose to her feet in reaction…smoothly escapes into a hammerlock…avoids a back elbow…and pops Carly over with a Back Suplex. The brunette lands on her feet and pushes Hinata toward the ropes…

…which she hooks her arms around, Carly reacting to charge after her…and Hinata stops her with a back elbow. But when she was about to go for a Tornado DDT off the ropes, Carly pushes her off…ducks the Clothesline…and the Handspring Back Elbow—denied with Hinata ducking and back body dropping her opponent over…and Carly lands on her feet. Hinata with a Roundhouse…missing on purpose to perform a Legsweep follow-up…

…which Carly avoids with a hop…and nails a Superkick in the face!

"And Carly Shay wins it out with a Superkick!" Freddie comments. "Goes to show who's the fastest between them."

Hinata is forced to retreat in her corner nursing her jaw as iGeneration look on smugly. She admits Carly got her good there…and returns to the center for a collar-and-elbow lockup. Carly switches quickly from there to an arm wrench…to a rear waistlock. Hinata tries escaping before Carly went for a sudden roll-up, which got her a two-count kick-out. Both are up and back down with Carly performing a Snap Headlock Takedown to Hinata. The Byakugan Princess doesn't stay on her back for long as she rapidly stood on her feet…and Carly brings her down to her knees with a type of armbar. She presses her hand firmly against Hinata's shoulder, but Hinata would roll forward, spin around on her back and now has Carly's left hand twisted back and at her mercy. With Carly crying out, Hinata wrenches the wrist in her grasp and bends the arm back while kneeing her gut for good measure before stepping a leg over the wrenched arm and performing a mule kick to the face. She makes her first tag to Samantha and executes a Vertical Suplex on Carly while Samantha bounces off the ropes and drives down a pointed elbow into her face. Samantha Hart covers…and Carly kicks out at one. Hart picks her up by the head, but Shay suddenly lifts and drives her into the iGeneration corner so Puckett can tag herself in…and nail a brutal Arched Big Boot to the face!

"Puckett delivering a wicked boot to Samantha Hart!" says Ted. "Young Puckett, known to be one of the strongest and physically brutal athletes to be produced in the entire FWM, displays said amount of brutality that helps iGeneration turn the tables."

Hart goes down on all fours to process that boot as Puckett talks down on her, raking her foot across her head…and then SOCKS HER across the jaw with a right fist. Shaking her fist off the impact, the relentless meat enthusiast proceeds to scoop lifts the Gothic-clad female…who slides down behind and shoves her to the ropes. As Sam hits the ropes, so does Samantha, who ducks the Lariat attempt…hangs onto the ropes as Puckett ricochets after her…and Hart blocks her with a Rope-aided Dropkick. Then, she tags out to Hinata and hits the ropes to rebound with a Front Dropkick…and Puckett staggers forward into a Running Single Leg Dropkick by Hinata. Carly rushes in, taking a Side Kick by Samantha…a Jumping Knee Lift by Hinata…and, with a harmonized nod, a Double Superkick that takes her out of the ring and keeps it all to Hart of Hyuga with the Los Angeles crowd rooting behind them!

"Hart of Hyuga holding court against the challengers, who retreat outside to come up with a new strategy!" Ned states.

"This is an absolute insult to iGeneration who have been a team together for YEARS with the tag team experience FAR superior than the champions, who have only been a team for TECHNICALLY as long as their title reign," Freddie asserts.

"Amen to that, Freddie," Logan agrees.

After formulating a strategy, Carly and Sam soon return to the ring with the latter tagging out to the former. It's now Carly and Hinata yet again as the two circle the ring and—Carly knocks Samantha off the apron with a forearm…

…and Sam blindsides her with a Bicycle Kick to the face!

"Carly with the unexpected forearm, and—OH!" Ted gasps. "Bicycle Kick from absolutely out of nowhere!"

"Very wise tactic on iGeneration's part!" Logan shouts. "Taking out Hart from the equation helps Carly and Sam's chances of asserting their dominance over Hinata Hyuga by isolating her away from her partner."

Hinata ducks Carly's Clothesline to nail a Dropkick through the middle and bottom ropes into Puckett as she hangs onto the top rope and lands her feet back in the ring. Carly gets sidestepped and hurled outside into her partner and Hinata makes a run for the opposite side. Bouncing off the ropes, she soars over the top rope…and her Suicide Somersault Plancha GETS CAUGHT. Puckett and Shay have a flailing Hinata sitting on their shoulders…

…and perform a brutal Double Powerbomb on her into the ring apron!

"Oh, God!" Ned winces.

"Now the challengers have officially taken over this contest!" Freddie states as iGeneration make a pose for the jeering crowd. "Just that quick! I believe it's safe to say we're getting closer and closer a new Women's Tag Title reign after that display of tag team dominance."

Sam grabs Hinata and throws her back in the ring while Carly waited inside. The co-holder of the Women's Tag Team Championship groggily reaches all fours before the self-proclaimed Viral Spectacle struck a knee to the side of her head. She tags in Sam and Carly presses her foot on Hinata's head to keep her down…until Sam hits a Rope-aided Knee Drop to the temple. After bringing Hinata to a standing position and nailing a European Uppercut, she tags out and Carly ascends to the middle row rope while she holds Hinata to her side horizontally. The moment Puckett hit the Backbreaker…Shay leaped down with a knee drop into Hinata's face. Carly covers: 1…

2…

…2.6 Hinata kicks out. Carly puts Hinata in a Chickenwing Crossface while on her knees, looking to wear down her opponent. The young Hyuga holds her hand out for the skies, desperately reaching out for help or a rope break albeit at the center of the ring and Samantha still insentient outside. So it looks like she'll have to escape this on her own as she begins ascending to a vertical base. Carly still clings on like a monkey and makes a resemblance to one when she decided to hop on Hinata's back with a bodyscissors addition. The brunette uses all her weight to bring down Hinata on her back…but the lavender-eyed female remains on her feet, like a tree that just won't go down. Seeing their position, Hinata had only one choice to escape…

…and that's to run back into the nearest corner and SMASH Carly into the turnbuckles!

"Good thinking on Hinata's part, ramming Carly Shay against the corner to escape the vintage Chickenwing Crossface," Ted observes.

"But Carly still hangs on. It's gonna take a lot more than that one attempt to get her off," Freddie points out.

It is true as Carly keeps the Chickenwing Crossface on hold…but Hinata grabs onto her head…runs forward…and achieves a Backpack Stunner! Carly is removed and Hinata is free to catch her breath; as Shay stirs up in the corner, Hinata runs up to her with a European Uppercut…and follows up with an Enzuigiri while facing away. As a result, Carly staggers forward…and Hinata does the most impressive thing by bodyscissoring around Carly's waist…pushes off her hands…

…flips forward via a Victory Roll…

…and leaps high in the air to come back down with a Leg Drop! Onward to the cover: 1…

2…

…2.7 Carly kicks out!

"The HUGE Leg Drop with great elevation succeeds, but not the pinfall, unfortunately!" Ned calls.

This appears to be the start of Hinata turning the tables over iGeneration as Samantha Hart is found stirring up at her corner, recovering from the Bicycle Kick earlier…and Hinata has begun crawling over to her fellow champion. However, Carly would be holding her back by her foot, trying to drag her away…but Hinata turns on her back and repeatedly kicks her, the last one smacking her in the face. This brings Carly to backpedal in pain and retreat in her corner, where Puckett tags herself in…Hinata and Samantha's hands are inches away…

…and Puckett stops the tag in time and successfully yanks Hinata away. She tosses her aside to her corner with Carly and forces Hart off the apron with a feign Clothesline, clearly a way to have her enter the ring and get held back by the official while a two-on-one assault occurs between iGeneration and Hinata after Shay dragged her outside. The Byakugan Princess is fighting back, but the odds are too strong for her…

…until Samantha, as the official noticed the illegal deed and is distracted, takes matters into her own hands by hitting the ropes…

…and SOARS with a Suicide Dive to even the odds!

"Watch it, watch it—WHOA! Topé Suicida! Samantha Hart takes out both Carly Shay and Sam Puckett!" Ted shouts.

"And her partner, Hinata, as well!" Logan points out. "It's the start of the dissolution between Hart of Hyuga!"

"Indeed!" nods Freddie.

"Shut up," Ned glares. "Hart soars and scores with the Suicide Dive and helps Hinata back in the ring like the good partner she is. Now she has to wait in the corner and for Hinata to do her bidding by tagging out."

At the center of the ring, Hinata crawls and crawls to her corner, but Puckett recovered quickly to attempt dragging her away again. But Hinata still has enough resilience and strength to push Sam away; Carly tags herself when Sam hit the turnbuckles…chases after a standing Hinata with a missed Clothesline…

…Overhead Kicks her skull in, rolls backward around Shay…

…and the next thing the iCarly star sees is Hinata tagged out and a flying Samantha Hart nailing a Springboard Clothesline, turning the brunette over on her neck!

"Samantha Hart, FIRED UP, delivers a Clothesline with SUPER elevation off the ropes that almost rivals Cedric Alexander!" Ned exclaims.

Off the springboard entrance, Hart explodes with a forearm to Puckett, taking the blonde out from the apron. Then she clings to the ropes…and slingshots herself with an Elbow Drop on top of a risen Puckett! Back in the ring she goes as Samantha catches Carly's European Uppercut attempt with a backslide pin: 1…2…2.625 Carly kicks out! Shay gets on both knees…and Samantha drops her with a Snap DDT! Looking around her environment, Hart takes herself to the very top turnbuckle. Unfortunately, Puckett would come back in an act of vengeance for the Slingshot Elbow Drop…but Hart avoids whatever she had in mind with a leap over her. Hart then ducks a Bicycle Kick from the carnivorous blonde…

…and she turns around to see Hinata Hyuga flying in with a Springboard Leg Lariat! Puckett scrambles to her feet…and Hart of Hyuga take her out of the ring via Double Clothesline! Carly rushes them…but the two champs back body drop her over the top rope and into her best friend! Eating up the crowd's cheers, Hinata and Samantha anticipate iGeneration's rise to their feet…

…then make way for the ropes…rebound off them to across the ring…

…STEREO TOPÉ SUICIDA INTO CARLY AND SAM!

"Incomiiiing—SUICIDE DIVE!" Ted shouts. "DOUBLE THE TROUBLE FOR IGENERATION!"

"This doesn't look good for the challengers whatsoever!" Logan states.

Samantha picks up Carly and throws her inside the ring as Hinata returns to the apron. She tags her partner in and Snapmares Carly over on her backside while Hinata enters the ring…and kicks Carly in the chest with a Shoot Kick! Carly winces and sits back up…only to take another Shoot Kick, but to the spine from Samantha! Carly sits up after five seconds of pure agony…and takes another Shoot Kick from Hinata! The crowd starts yelling, "BOOM!" for each Shoot Kick delivered by Hart of Hyuga taking turns…

…until they stop…look to each other…and grin so vilely…

…as they take to the ropes behind them…

…and they perform a brutal kicking combination from Hinata's Water Needle (Penalty Kick) to the chest and Samantha's Shoot Kick to the spine!

"BOOM! Shoot Kick City, baby!" Ned quips. "Courtesy of the ACW Women's Tag Team Champions!"

"Where's Puckett when ya really need her?! This is REVOLTING!" Freddie growls.

Referee Aiko Tanahashi counts the cover: 1…

2…

…2.755 Carly kicks out…at the same time Puckett yanks Hart off the apron and on her shoulders…and into a Death Valley Driver straight down to the floor! Hinata sees this and grabs the top rope…

…for her successful Plancha—NO! Puckett catches her in time! She pops her over on her shoulders…no, Hinata lands behind her…

…and DRILLS her into the steel ramp with a Snap Dragon Suplex! With her out of the way, Hinata helps her partner wake up from her condition and brings her to the apron. She slides in the ring…only to find herself picked up over Carly's shoulder…and—counters through with a roll-up! Carly kicks out at 2.85…and both women roll to their feet with Carly Shay busting out the iRock (Swinging Reverse STO) to Hinata! (Ted: iRock connects! ; Logan: No, you don't rock, Mosby; CARLY rocks! ; Ned: That was BAD and you should FEEL bad.) The 3-time GAIA World Tag Champ covers: 1…

2…

…2.875 Samantha breaks up pin and beats the count! She may have helped save the match, but her head still hurts from the DVD as Carly takes advantage by hurling her shoulder-first into the nearest LED ring post. Now, as Samantha crumbles to the outside, Carly picks up Hinata and tries for the 8-C Driver yet again. She bends over, takes her over her shoulder…lifts her off her feet…

…but Hinata squirms as much as possible, soon giving herself freedom…

…and locks in the Octopus Hold at the center of the ring!

"Ooh, good counter by the champion! She wriggled enough just to adjust and ensnare Carly into that Octopus Stretch!" Ned clarifies.

"No, no! Come on, Shay, fight out of this!" Freddie urges.

Sadly, Carly is unlikely to hear her manager's wishes as she's constantly howling out in pain with Hinata not only stretching out her whole body, but also dissecting her left arm in the most excruciating way possible that would do ZSJ justice. This eventually forces Carly down on her knees and her free hand is visibly shaking, teasing to quit with the audience chanting "TAP! TAP! TAP!" Her hand is INCHES away from surrendering…

…while her other is MOMENTS away from being BROKEN…

…and she shows and act of defiance with her free hand flipping everybody off…

…WHEN SAM PUCKETT BLASTS HINATA'S HEAD WITH A BICYCLE KICK!

"OH, GOD!" Ned winces.

"OH, YES! YOU'RE BEING MORE USEFUL THAN EVER, PUCKETT!" Freddie cheers.

"Bicycle Kick puts a stop to Hinata's submission hold, but can Carly now capitalize on this thanks to Sam's assistance?" Ted asks.

Hinata lies limp on the canvas as Carly tries catching her breath. The two would eventually stir and Carly drags herself over to Sam in the corner, becoming the first to tag out; meanwhile, Hinata is trying to find where she is and Samantha is back on the apron calling out to her partner for the tag. But Puckett dashes over and forearms Hart off the apron, shouting and pointing at her, "FUCK YOU!" pointing at Hinata, "FUCK YOU!" and gestures to the booing audience, "FUCK EVERYBODY!" She picks up Hinata on her shoulders…

…and says, "BYE-BYE!" before dropping her from behind into a GTS knee lift, Sami Callihan style! The former heiress of the Hyuga Clan drops to her knees with glazed eyes as Sam heads for the ropes…

…and SMASHES the side of her skull with a Sliding Elbow! She turns her over and hooks the leg: 1…

2…

…2.899 Hinata pops the shoulder up! Puckett sits up Hinata back at the center, hits the ropes…and BICYCLE KICKS the spine in wince-inducing fashion! (Ted: She seems to like using that Bicycle Kick a lot in this match. ; Logan: Well, if it helps induce pain and is actually useful, why not spam it?) Then she grabs her legs to roll her back to a vertical base…

…runs for the ropes yet again…

…and—HINATA SWIVELS AND SMASHES PUCKETT'S FACE IN WITH THE GENTLE PALM!

"OHHH, PALM BOTTOM! GENTLE PALM, TURNING SAM PUCKETT INSIDE OUT!" Ted exclaims.

"AND HER NOSE IS BUSTED! SHE'S LEAKING BLOOD FASTER THAN RIC FLAIR BLADING HIMSELF!" Logan shouts.

Hinata rises to her feet…and eats a Flying Thrust Kick to the chest from a returning Carly Shay! Hinata goes down…and Carly grabs her—Knee Trembler from a running Samantha Hart! From there, Samantha locks her head in an Inverted Facelock…

…jumps off the ropes…

…and drives her head down with an Inverted Tornado DDT! Everything is evened up as all four ladies are laid all over the ring! As "WOMEN'S WRESTLING! *clap, clap, clap-clap-clap!* WOMEN'S WRESTLING! *clap, clap, clap-clap-clap!*" chants ring loudly throughout the Staples Center, the legal competitors in Sam and Hinata start rising up…

…the cameras catching the sight of a furious Puckett bleeding severely from her nose and over her mouth…

…Hinata panting heavily and holding her chest from the kick…

…and Puckett is the first to strike with a HARD right fist. Hinata reels, nursing her jaw…but then fires back with a vicious forearm. An exchange of cheers for Hinata and boos for Sam occur with the two trading stiff shot after stiff shot…

…up until Puckett's Pushing Big Boot to the chest…

…and Hinata bounces right back with a Single Leg Dropkick to the knee! Puckett goes down holding her knee…

…and lifts her head up to have it kicked off her shoulders from a Water Needle!

"PK to the temple! Hinata does Zack Sabre Jr. and Katsuryori Shibata proud with her Water Needle nearly decapitating Sam's head!" Ned proclaims.

Hinata reaches over her to corner and Samantha helps her partner escort Puckett to the turnbuckles and sit at the very top. From there, Samantha leaves to the apron…

…and Hinata uses her running start to perform a Frankensteiner—CAUGHT! Sam uses Hinata to knock Hart off the apron…

…keeps her grip tight for the Elevated Prawn Hold…

"This doesn't look good! The champions are now in BIG trouble here!" Ted states.

…and Carly slides in on time…

for iGeneration to demolish Hinata with a Super Powerbomb / Backstabber combination! Hinata bounces off Carly's knees…

…and Sam scurries over for the pin: 1…

"SUPER DOUBLE-TEAM LUNGBLOWER FROM THE CHALLENGERS TURNING THE TABLES!" Freddie hollers.

2…

"ARE CARLY AND SAM ABOUT TO…?!"

…2.94 Samantha Hart sneaks past and breaks it up at the last moment!

"NOOO!" Ned answers his own question. "NOT JUST YET! THE CHAMPIONS KEEP THE BELTS UP FOR GRABS!"

"AND HART'S ABOUT TO FEEL THE PAIN FOR DOING SUCH A THING, COURTESY OF IGENERATION!" Logan shouts.

Out of frustration, iGeneration corner Samantha and start brutally stomping the hell out of her while ignoring Aiko Tanahashi's warnings completely. Carly and Sam eventually stomp her out of the ring and return their attention to a stirring Hinata Hyuga, who comes close to reaching her knees. With evil intentions, they stalk over to her…

…but Hinata is the first to strike with a swift palm strike to Carly's stomach and a fist to Sam's. She keeps striking them to where she reaches her feet, but Puckett stops her dead on her tracks with a pushing Big Boot into the corner. However, Hinata remain strong with a Back Elbow to Sam…ducks a Clothesline from Carly, reaching back and pulling her head over her shoulder…

…kick Sam in the midsection and grabs her head in a Front Facelock…

…and drops iGeneration with a Hangman's Neckbreaker to Shay while simultaneously DDTing Puckett!

"Hinata REFUSING to back down, even if the odds are against her!" Ted states.

"As admirable as that is, you can only wonder how long she'll keep it up or if it'll cut short instantly!" Freddie adds.

Keeping her grip on Sam's head, the White Eye Princess stands up with her in tow and turns her over in an Inverted Headlock. They are at the center and Hinata transitions from the hold into a spin…

…and SAM DUCKS! She avoids the Discus Palm Strike from behind…

…tucks her head under her near arm, reaching across the chest and around her neck…

…flips her over onto her knees à la Raymond Rowe…

…and…Hinata blocks the Knee Strike at the last second with an Elbow Smash! Yes, Hinata hurts herself in the process…

…but it's worth it to her as she grabs her in an Inverted Headlock once more…this time LIFTING her over and on her shoulders…

…Hyuga's Way—SUPERKICK FROM CARLY…AND THEN A REVERSE STO INTO THE MIDDLE TURNBUCKLE!

"Shay makes the save! Superkick followed by the Complete Shot into the turnbuckle!" Logan exclaims. "The end has got to be near, I can feel it!"

Hinata rises back up nursing her face…and Carly blatantly pokes her eyes out, blinding the former heiress! With her back turned to regain her sight, Sam runs after her…but Samantha makes the save with a blindsiding Side Kick to the jaw! She then catches Carly's Superkick attempt…and pulls her in for a Fisherman Suplex! With iGeneration down for now, Hart checks on her partner…

and Hinata elbows her on instinct, accidentally striking Samantha in the eye!

"OH! NO! Hinata was still blinded from the eye poke earlier! She didn't know who she was fending off—she didn't intend to do that!" Ned shouts.

"Still doesn't excuse the fact Hinata attacked her own partner!" Freddie exclaims, actually LAUGHING at this miscalculation.

"And isn't it a GLORIOUS thing?" Logan gushes. "Dissolution within Hart of Hyuga CONFIRMED!"

Samantha staggers back…and Puckett, seeing the chance, hoists her on her shoulder and throws her into the middle turnbuckle with You're Dead (Johnny Gargano's move of the same name)! Hart is officially out of iGeneration's way…while Sam tags out to Carly and SQUASHES Hinata in the corner with a running Cannonball Senton! She then drags her out of the corner…

…as Carly stands in the middle of the apron, waiting at the ready…

…and Sam stands at the center of the ring with Hinata bent over, hooks both arms…

…lifts her upside-down…

while Carly springboards off the top rope with a somersault

"I'm afraid Samantha's attempt to be a good partner…"

and iGeneration drill Hinata with a debuting Internet Collision (Springboard Somersault Spike Double Underhook Piledriver)!

"…may have just BACKFIRED in the worst imaginable way!" Ted exclaims.

"Oh, my God! Was that some kind of Meltzer Driver?!" Ned asks.

"Allow me to fill you in, Bigby—iGeneration together calls that move 'Internet Collision'!" Freddie replies.

Carly pins Hinata, hooking a leg…and Aiko Tanahashi (almost reluctantly with a visible scowl) counts 1…

"Bada-bing…"

2…

"…bada-boom…"

…3!

"…FORGET ABOUT IT!" Logan proclaims as the bell sounds and "Popularity" plays to EXPLOSIVE boos.

"NO WAY! NO WAY!" Ned cries.

"NEW WOMEN'S TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS! IT'S OVER! THE MEDIOCRE NIGHTMARE IS OVER!" Freddie exclaims, removing his headset as fast as possible to make the announcement. "Here are your WINNERS…and the NEEEEEEEEEW ACW Women's Tag Team Champions of the World…CARLY SHAY AND SAM PUCKETT, iGENERATIOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOON!"

Quickly dropping the mic, Freddie reaches over the timekeeper's area, snatches the belts away and rushes in the ring. He stands between his two exhausted clients with the Women's Tag Team Titles in hand, excitingly tell them that they won and are the new champs…and to their realization and excitement, Carly takes one belt to hug it tightly and Sam snatches hers away to hold it up high in the air with a triumphant roar.

"I don't believe this. I don't WANT to believe it," Ned shakes his head.

"BEST GET TO BELIEVING, BIGBY! WE FINALLY HAVE NEW WOMEN'S TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS!" Logan laughs. "HALLELUJAH! OH, SWEET HALLELUJAH!"

"And this victory leads back to Hinata's mistake of elbowing her own partner on accident while she was still blinded," Ted states. "From there, Puckett took great advantage to take her out and then set Hinata up for the kill. When Hart of Hyuga find out how this happened, they are going to be DEVASTATED."

"It's all gonna lead to the eventual violent breakup cliché between the two, so what do I care?" Logan shrugs. "But let's not lose sight of this match's WINNER, who just so happens to be the GREATEST women's tag team to step foot in an ACW ring, iGeneration! Hart of Hyuga were good, showed a lot of heart and determination, sure…but as expected, Carly and Sam were BETTER. They stand before you ALL as the new ACW Women's Tag Team Champions and they plan to KEEP being your champions until the end of time."

"Still, though…I pray Samantha doesn't think bitter over Hinata's miscalculation," Ned says.

iGeneration now celebrate up the ramp with their newly won titles, Carly holding Hinata's former belt up and Sam with Hart's title while Freddie raises their hands to signify them as the ultimate winners. Puckett shouts, "ACW! GAIA! UNDISPUTED TAG TEAM CHAMPS! 4-TIME WINNERS! WHO CAN FUCKING STOP US?! THE CHANGE CONTINUES TONIGHT, BITCH!"

Hinata down inside the ring glare at iGeneration…and then changes her look to a worried, apologetic expression over towards Samantha, who is resting against the corner and nursing her eye with an immense glare towards iGeneration as well. Hinata tries to help Samantha, offering her a hand…and she just sighs bitterly, taking her hand to stand up. Hinata tries explaining that she didn't know it was her she attacked and none of it was intentional…but Samantha says, "Hinata…not now… Let's just go…" leaving the ring and heading to the back by herself. As Samantha swears under her breath, clearly unhappy with how they lost the belts to Carly and Sam, Hinata later follows with her head hung low and rubbing her arm in guilty fashion. Nonetheless, the fans they pass by applaud them for their effort.

"…Seems Samantha isn't in the mood to talk, unfortunately…" Mosby says.

"After losing the titles to a pair of egotists off one minor accident…I can't blame her, but I hope she doesn't hold Hinata up for that," Ned says.

"What makes you think she won't?" Logan asks. "You saw the way she looked at Hinata, like she's blaming her for losing the belts. …But either way, they should've known they were never gonna beat iGeneration. Actually, maybe they did. They were just in denial up to this point."

Ned narrows his eyes at Logan…before saying, "That nonsense aside…best we can do now is move on. We got a show to continue and right now, we head to the Ignition table to take over calling the action for this next match. Mark, floor's all yours."

"Thank you very much, Ned," Markiplier nods, then facing the camera. "Ladies and gentlemen, what you're about to witness…will be nothing short of a likely personal bout as we are setting up for round two between Seto Kaiba and Ash Ketchum."

The match card graphic appears onscreen in digital fashion à la NXT TakeOver…first revealing Ash Ketchum who switched his hat backwards, showing he means business…then switching to Seto Kaiba smirking vilely with folded arms…and finally, the two as stills beside each other with Ash holding a Poké Ball forward and Kaiba posing like from The Dark Side of Dimensions. By then, "ASH KETCHUM vs. SETO KAIBA" is read underneath the imagery, all while "Superman" by Goldfinger has been playing throughout.

"This time around, these two go at it OFFICIALLY instead of controversial BS," Zack says. "This is a rivalry that has been BOILING since June…and BOY, you don't have a clue how much Ash wants to FINALLY get back at Kaiba."

"Week after week, Seto has done every despicable thing to make Satoshi's life a LIVING HELL, especially stealing his Pikachu last month…but now, there are no excuses," Kenji states. "No running away. These two will FINALLY settle things MAN TO MAN."


Backstage…we find Ash Ketchum somewhere around near the Gorilla Position, Jennifer "Moze" Mosely standing beside him with a microphone in hand.

"Ash," Moze starts, "momentarily, you will walk up those stairs…and face the man who made you suffer around Reign in Blood season. What are your thoughts going into this match?"

The Very Best licks his lips…looks up slightly with a soft exhale of breath…and says, "Vengeance…Moze. Plenty of it filling up the deepest, darkest part of my mind. …And I plan to exhaust it all on Kaiba tonight. He's humiliated me at any chance he can get from shocking me with a decoy replica of MY BEST FRIEND…hypocritically arrested me for breaking and entering his manor WHEN HE KIDNAPPED PIKACHU…and worst of all…he insulted me as a FATHER, all LIVE on TELEVISION with my daughter forced to watch at home. Forced to see her dad beaten down and find him in the worst predicament possible…but tonight…the tables turn. The shoe will be on the other foot. TONIGHT…I make Kaiba pay for all he's done to me. Every despicable thing he's done to me…I will return TENFOLD. For Pikachu, for Misty, for my daughter…this victory goes out to them."

Then, "Me Against the World" by Simple Plan starts playing inside the arena, giving cue to Ash that his match is about to start. So, he tips his hat to Jennifer with a smirk and walks up the Gorilla Position…


…as we transition over to the inside of the Staples Center, revealing Los Angeles exploding with cheers…

…and Ash himself walks out onto the stage, throwing out a fist like he would throw a Poké Ball. He looks out to the crowd while backpedaling and bobbing his head to the beat of his theme. "This time…THIS TIME I definitely beat Kaiba," says Ash off-mic, tipping his hat towards the ring…and makes a small hop forward as he runs all the way down the ramp and slides in the ring.

The bell rings three times as Maria Lopez declares, "The following contest is a singles bout scheduled for one fall to the finish! Introducing first: from Pallet Town, Kanto Region, weighing in at 200 pounds…he is 'The Very Best Like No One Ever Was' ASH KETCHUUUUUM!"

"Despite all Kaiba has done to keep Ash down, that smile never ceases to exist from his face," Markiplier states. "He says he makes Kaiba pay for his sins…and I have the feeling he may be right."

"Aw, Mark, you and Ash are so cute when you're delusional," Barney mocks. "Let me remind you a few fun facts about Ash since he had arrived in ACW, like, oh, I don't know…his win-loss record. So far, he is 2-7 overall in this promotion and has a 0-3 pay-per-view losing streak. But let's not forget the most OBVIOUS fact in the world: he NEVER wins a freakin' Pokémon League. My point? Ash is a GLORIFIED JOBBER. A CHOKER. A LOSER. Yeah, he's got a WrestleMania streak, but that don't mean JACK in ACW, especially when you're about to face Seto Kaiba, a man who's made him his BITCH countless times in these past few weeks. Just wait and see once that bell rings."

"You say that, Stinson…but luck just may be on Ash's side tonight. So I can agree with Mark here," Kenji says.

"Not that surprised you're as deluded as him and almost everybody in this arena, Jerry," Barney rolls his eyes.

[I'm a nightmare, a disaster!

That's what they always said…!

I'm a lost cause, not a hero!

But I'll make it on my own!

I've gotta prove them wrooong…!

Me against the world!

It's me against the world!]

Ash proclaims along with the lyrics that it's him against the world, gesturing himself and points at the crowd with both fingers. He steps down from the corner to pose with a raised right fist on the opposite corner. Now lowering himself, Ash starts pacing around the ring with his eye locked on the stage as "Me Against the World" dies down…

…and alternative metal music begins to play through the speakers.

("Lights Out" by Breaking Benjamin plays)

Seto Kaiba arrives to the stage, eliciting massive heat from Los Angeles, who all clearly remember the sins he's committed against Ash…and he just smirks at their reaction. Then he looks straight over to the ring, his smug grin instantly disappearing upon the sight of a glaring Pokémon trainer who still paces around the ring like a caged animal.

[I am done pretending…

You have failed to find what's left

I will suck you dry again…

Some are not worth saving…

You are such a pretty mess

I will choke the life within…]

Ash shouts to him off-mic, "I'll make sure YOU leave here broken, Kaiba!" The Yu-Gi-Oh! character deeply remembers Ash's misdeeds of destroying his room, especially his prized trophies and stealing his three Blue-Eyes White Dragons…but he merely keeps his nose held up and huffs, proceeding to menacingly walk down the ramp.

[Now you want to take me down

As if I even care…

I am the monster in your head…

And I thought you'd learn by now

It seems you haven't yet

I am the venom in your skin…

And now your life…is BROKEEEEEEEN!

After the lights go out on you…

After your worthless life is through…

I will remember how you SCREAM…

I can't afford to care!

I can't afford to care…!]

"And his opponent: from Domino City, Japan, weighing in at 234 pounds…SETOOO KAIIIBAAAAA!" Maria announces.

"The bane of Ash Ketchum's existence in ACW arrives," Kenji bluntly states.

"No, sir, that's Seto Kaiba, the master of Ash Ketchum's ACW career," Barney chimes in to "correct" his colleague.

"My point STANDS, Stinson," Kenji glares. "With Kaiba's position as being the president of KaibaCorp, that abusive power helped him succeed in making Ash's life HELL. I don't mean to sound like a broken record there, but—"

"Then just shut up and let me do the talking," Barney asserts, earning another glare while ignoring it. "We all know what went down in June and July, but around this month, Ash has been a thorn in Kaiba's side. In the main event of Ignition V with a debuting Scorpion, Ketchum illegally broke out of jail and ruined Kaiba's chances of joining Naruto and Beowulf tonight for the ACW World Championship. THAT proved to continue Ash's downfall and Kaiba can only do so much to make him learn and know his place in the hierarchy of this company. No matter what any of you dolts will say, tonight will once again be KAIBA'S night. Not Ash's—KAIBA'S. End of story."

"This match is all about REVENGE between the two of them. Kaiba's ego has taken so many shots while Ash suffers humiliation at his opponent's hands," Zack says. "Honestly, I don't know who has the most pent-up anger. Either way, despite this match being No DQ, we all know this will end up being UGLY."

Kaiba, now in the ring, had already gone through raising both fists from two respective corners…and walks up to Ash, the two instantly glaring each other down and talking trash. "Lights Out" goes out, the bell soon sounds at Ignition referee John Benoit's command…

…and Ketchum SLAPS the taste out of Kaiba's mouth!

"OH!" Markiplier gasps.

"Cheap shot! Foul play, ref!" Barney shouts.

And Kaiba—gets swept off his feet with a Double Leg Takedown! Ash mounts his opponent with a fast-paced furious series of hard rights to the temple, eventually rolling off…and taking Kaiba back down again with a hard Clothesline!

"And we are starting off HOT, Satoshi right out of the gate with the first offense of this contest!" Markiplier calls.

"Emphasis on 'OFFENSE'—how DARE that cretin make the first move before the great Seto Kaiba?!" Barney snarls.

"When you're pissed off as Ash, Stinson, you KNOW this was expected," Kenji says.

Ketchum brings Kaiba to the ropes, Irish Whipping him…and Seto nails him with a big Shoulder Block. Kaiba hits the ropes while Ash flips in a prone position, Kaiba leaping over…Ash with a leapfrog…and Kaiba bounces off a third time to find himself hurled over the ropes by his head and crashing outside! As Kaiba starts rising, Ash refuses to leave him alone by grabbing the top rope…

…and performing a Slingshot Crossbody on top of Kaiba! He resumes ramming his fists into Seto's temple before stopping to toss his signature hat aside and removes his vest. Meanwhile, Seto is seen crawling away to get as far from Ash as possible, but of course, Ash doesn't give him that chance…and walks right into a knee lift to the midsection. With that, Kaiba grabs a handful of hair and heads for the steel steps…but at the last second, Ash turns it around and HURLS Seto face-first into the LED ring post!

"Look out—oh, geez, Kaiba!" Barney winces.

"Ash, so far, has been extremely offensive against Kaiba," Markiplier states. "Despite that one knee strike to the gut, Ash remains in the driver's seat ever since that slap to the face."

Throughout all this, referee John Benoit has been calling them to get back in the ring…and so they do with Ash throwing Kaiba inside. Ash starts climbing the nearest corner for the top turnbuckle…waits for Kaiba to stand up and turn around…and he connects a Diving Double Axe Handle to the top of his temple. Feeding off the audience's positive reception so far to Ash's momentum, the longest-reigning Pokémon anime protagonist waits in the corner…lining up for a Superkick…

"Ash Ketchum looking to end it early…" Zack observes.

…and advances forward—to miss the Superkick! Kaiba ducks under…and ensnares Ash into a Spinning Spinebuster!

"Nope, not happening!" Barney utters. "To think Ash was gonna rip these people off of their hard-earned cash by ending this match…SHAME."

Kaiba makes the first cover: 1…2…Ash kicks out. Seto grabs him by his shirt collar, blatantly ripping it off him and leaving him shirtless while dragging him in the corner to start stomping the hell out of him. The referee berates him, counting 1…2…3…4…4.5 Kaiba stops…and SMASHES a vicious right hand across the jaw. Kaiba goes down on his knees and starts choking Ash in the corner, firmly clutching his throat while Ash's legs thrash around. "Think you're cute, Ketchum?! Think you can just do that to me and not suffer the consequences?! You must be STUPIDER than ever tonight!" Kaiba yells in Ash's face, ignoring Benoit's scolding before letting go of his throat…and using the ropes as leverage to perform a high stomp into his chest. He grabs Ash's hair, dragging him up to a vertical stance against the corner and SMACKS his chest with a knife edge chop. Seto then takes hold of his arm…and Hammer Throws Ash all the way across the ring, leaving his feet while Ash collides with sickening velocity against the turnbuckles!

"Oh, man, what an Irish Whip! So much power into that maneuver, likely damaging Ash's spine!" Kenji comments.

"Kaiba is showing Ketchum what happens when you dare cross him, should you be someone DUMB ENOUGH to even bother with that," Barney states.

Ash falls to his knees and down on his stomach nursing his back while Kaiba smirks at the sight. He stalks around Ash and kicks him in the head while he's down. He forces him up against the corner, berating him for the slap earlier…and then returning the favor with a slap of his own. He grabs his arm for another Hammer Throw…and Ash screams in agonizing response from his back being driven harshly against the turnbuckles. He falls to his knees at the center…and Kaiba blindsides him with a brutal Big Boot! He goes for a second pinfall attempt: 1…2…Ash kicks out at two-and-a-half. He shoots a quick glare to the official, who reminds him he's not the enemy here. Kaiba scoffs at him and starts to wear down Ash with a simple Reverse Chinlock, lying on his stomach while Ash is on his sides.

"Now Kaiba has his opponent grounded, keeping him flat on the canvas to prevent Ash from garnering any momentum," Markiplier says. "The canvas is where Kaiba is known infamously to drag out his matches so he didn't have to put any extra effort in beating his opponent, like in his ECW days."

"What helped Kaiba gain his heat is how he couldn't care less about how the audience were reacting to this," Stinson adds. "This is about him putting Ash in his place, not what the fans want."

Despite Kaiba roughing up and wrenching the hold, Ash digs deep within to put himself at a sitting position…but Kaiba drives a series of elbows down on each shoulder, then another to the upper back before reapplying the Reverse Chinlock, arm trapped around the leg included. Seto talks Ash down to quit already…but he refuses, telling it's gonna take more than this to make him quit. Kaiba remains twisting and turning Ash's neck, trying to ensure his supremacy over his opponent. But Ash would stomp both feet down…and start rising up, using Kaiba to "assist" him…until Kaiba puts on the front chancery…and Ash turns that around into a Fujiwara Armbar! Kaiba is forced to turn on his back, Ash getting on top for the cover—kick-out…

…and Ash is the one to ground Kaiba thanks to a Headlock Takedown! Kaiba slaps the mat in frustration as Ash grins, telling him, "Hey, I can do this just like you, Kaiba—only even better!" (Kenji: Very nice takedown by Mr. Ketchum, taking a page out of his opponent's playbook. ; Zack: Clearly, for the moment, the two keeping this match quite basic until one of them decides to change the pace.) Kaiba grabs hold of Ash's hair, obviously the frustration boiling from within as he earns a warning count up to 3…and turns the hold around into a pinning position: 1…2…Ash kicks out and keeps the headlock in. Eventually, Seto decides to stand up…pushes up Ash's arms from his face, almost looking like an arm wrench reversal…

…when he actually switches back into a waist-lock from slipping out. Ash performs a Standing Switch himself into the waist-lock on Kaiba…who drives a hard right elbow to the jaw, spit flying out of his mouth! Then he hits the ropes for a wince-inducing Clothesline to Ketchum, and upon impact…

…Kaiba resets the Reverse Chinlock, much to the audience's dismay. To that reaction, Kaiba smirks, saying, "You really think I was gonna give you cretins what you want? I don't think so. And as for you, Ketchum…nice try. Just wasn't good enough."

"HAW," Barney guffaws. "That's what you idiots get for overestimating Kaiba."

A bit later, Kaiba decides to stand up with Ash in tow…knees him in the abdomen…and changes position to apply the Abdominal Stretch; a very old school hold that's…honestly boring…but it's still effective with the way Kaiba is bending Ash at his mercy. He definitely enjoy this as he can torture Ash however he wants, which is shown by driving his knuckles against the right side of his ribs, eliciting Ash to wince as he tries to hold back his screams. Kaiba retains the Abdominal Stretch for him to punch Ash's ribs, adding a few elbows as well; soon, he was about to make it worse…as he saw how close he was to the ropes…

…and with a vile grin, he grabs the top rope to help him twist and stretch out Ash's body in the worst way possible. Ash can't hold in any longer as he cries in misery, his whole body violently shaking as it is begging to be released. Referee John Benoit hollers to Kaiba to let go immediately, counting 1…2…3…4…4.75 Kaiba releases the rope…just to shove Benoit away and reapply the rope-aided submission! The fans are booing, Ash is in deep agony, and Kaiba continues wrenching the submission illegally with the rope as the English official is screaming at him to let go NOW. He counts 1…2…3…4…

…and stops to REMOVE Kaiba's hand from the rope personally. Kaiba pushes him again and BEATS Ash's sides with his fists before letting go to push him away with a foot. He and Benoit engage in a very heated argument, Kaiba reminding the official his place as his profession and nothing more while Benoit reminds him this isn't a No Holds Barred or any sort of Non-DQ match when this is a REGULAR MATCH. However, Kaiba tells him this is where he needs to put Ash in his place…and NOBODY is going to stop him from doing what he wants. He simply pushes him aside, not too hard to risk disqualification…and proceeds a slow stomping session into Ash's chest.

"We began with Ash dominating right out of the gate, but now we've come to this point where Kaiba holds a methodical, torturous pace," Mark states.

"Isn't that wonderful, Mark?" Barney asks with a smile.

After another five-count warning, Kaiba stops the stomps at 4.75 and proceeds to bring Ash to the top turnbuckle. He steps his way up to the middle row turnbuckle, grabbing Ash to set up a Superplex…but Ash is starting to retaliate with fists and elbows shot to his abdomen. Ash manages to get himself free from Kaiba's grasp…and one last punch to the face sends Kaiba falling down hard to the canvas. Finally, Ash gets space to himself to recuperate and seeing his current location, he starts adjusting himself to a crouching position. He allows Kaiba to stand up…

…and performs a Missile Dropkick. With Kaiba down, Ash makes the cover: 1…2…kick-out at 2.22. Seto sits up and heads for the ropes, then Ash takes him for an Irish Whip. Kaiba bounces off and smashes Ash's face in with a Facebreaker Knee Smash, Triple H style…and then blasts him with a Clothesline! Ash shoots to his and takes another Clothesline. Up and at it, Ash swings and misses a Clothesline of his own while Kaiba runs for the ropes…but he surprises everyone, even Kaiba, as he catches him on the way back with a Spinning Spinebuster, taking another page out of Kaiba's playbook! Ash hooks the leg: 1…2…2.54 Kaiba kicks out! Ash escorts him to his feet, but takes a knee strike to the gut and gets thrown through the ropes…only to hang on and stay on the apron. Kaiba notices and rushes over into a shoulder thrust…

…and Ash sticks his head through his legs to back body drop him to the outside! Ash slingshots back in the ring, down on one knee…starts a rhythmic clap for the audience to follow, feeding off their support…and when he saw Kaiba getting to his feet, he runs for the ropes, rebounds across the mat…

…and…hits a Baseball Slide, sending Kaiba crashing HARD against the barricade!

"OOMPH! The velocity into that Baseball Slide attack to bring Kaiba to that predicament," Kenji states.

"This is NOT acceptable! I refuse to believe the momentum is on the glorified jobber's side!" Barney says.

The Pokémon protagonist exits the ring, pausing a moment to nod to the crowd's cheers before seizing Kaiba and throwing him back inside. Ash rolls in after him…and receives a hard right fist from a standing Seto. Then Ash returns the favor, earning cheers…and Kaiba receives boos when he nailed the next punch to the top of the temple. Shot after shot, cheer after boos, Ash and Seto don't let up…until Ash ducks the next strike…and SLAPS the taste out of Kaiba's mouth! Kaiba, furious, nurses his cheek…and turns around INTO ANOTHER SLAP. And a third one from Ash, who is showing he's not taking Kaiba's crap anymore…and bounces off the ropes with a Flying Forearm! Then he lands a Backhand Chop…and a kick to the gut for the following Release Fisherman Suplex! Another pinfall cover: 1…2…2.48 kick-out by Seto Kaiba! Despite this, Ash looks to the fans, fists clenched and shaking as he feeds off their support and ascends the top turnbuckle. He reaches his destination…and turns around, seeking for a Moonsault once Seto is up on his feet.

"Ash Ketchum at the high-rent district, Kaiba unaware of his opponent's whereabouts…" Markiplier calls.

"Seto doesn't realize how much in trouble he'll get in further if Ash lands this move…!" Barney utters.

The KaibaCorp president is now at a vertical base…and Ash backflips off the turnbuckle…

…and the Moonsault connects…to the canvas! Ash misses completely when Kaiba sidestepped him…and then picks him up…just to drop him back down with a Snap DDT!

"Wow, that was a close call for Kaiba—ooooooh, what a DDT!" Barney hollers.

Ash is found at a dazed, sitting position from the impact and Kaiba lies him flat for the pin: 1…

2…

…2.55 Ash kicks out!

"The Moonsault missed completely and Ash should be grateful he was still conscious enough to kick out!" Zack says. "Now THAT was too close a call for him…"

Now Ash is on his hands and knees, and Seto merely bounces off the ropes to drive a Jumping Knee Drop to the back of his head. Kaiba smirks at Ash clinging onto his head in pain and scrapes his foot against it just to insult him. He picks him up and flips him over his shoulder in a Canadian Backbreaker Rack…only for Ash to Arm Drag himself out of that situation by surprise! Kaiba rolls to his feet and Ketchum catches him with a Hurricanrana, Rana Pin added in: 1…2…2.64 kick-out…

…Kaiba misses his Clothesline…as Ash pops him up over his shoulder…

…and drills him with an Emerald Flowsion, shades of the late, great Mitsuharu Misawa! After dropping him center of the ring, Ash wastes no time getting back up to the high-rent district. (Barney: There he goes again—didn't he just learn the Moonsault isn't gonna cut it a second time? ; Kenji: Oh, I don't think it looks like he's planning for another Moonsault, Stinson.) With Kaiba still flat on his back, Ash arrives at the top…stands high up…

…and calls to his NCW playbook with a Lightning Bolt (Diving Headbutt)!

"Lightning Bolt, the infamous Diving Headbutt—paying homage to his tenure over in Northern Carnage Wrestling!" Markiplier exclaims as Ash hooks the leg once more: 1…

2…

…2.75 Seto powers out! "And—no, it doesn't help him achieve the victory yet! But at least the high-rent district finally paid off!"

"But did you see how Ash almost struggled to get to the pin?" Zack points out. "That Diving Headbutt certainly didn't do him any favors when Kaiba got enough time to regain himself and kick out from the pin. But I can't blame him for going that far."

"If a headache comes into play and becomes the reason for Ash's eventual loss, then I'm fine with it," Barney says.

Both men lie beside each other to recover, Ash especially as referee John Benoit checks on him for a possible concussion. He tells him he'll be fine despite shaking his head off the pain. Eventually, Ash and Kaiba are close to their vertical bases, the former surprisingly making it to his feet first…and he grabs hold of Kaiba…

…only for him to pop to his feet with Ash on his shoulders…

…and executes Ash with a Fireman's Carry Neckbreaker, bringing damage to the head and neck area!

"Neckbreaker! Ushigoroshi!" Kenji calls. "Kaiba must've noticed how Ash had trouble with his head from the Lightning Bolt and is now capitalizing by targeting that area!"

"And you see why Kaiba was a former ECW Animation World Champion, because of perfect in-ring psychology like this," Barney adds. "And I just realize—that Diving Headbutt now brings consequences to Ash! I was right and I love it!"

Kaiba with the lateral press: 1…2…2.575 Ash gets his shoulder up, but barely. Seto keeps his eye on a hurt, prone Ash…and drops another, yet higher jumping knee to the skull, giving him a bigger headache. The pace has slowed down in Kaiba's favor as he drops to his knees and holds down his opponent with an ensured front chancery. Ash struggles for an escape and recovery, but Kaiba negates to let up one bit and the more Ash fought back, the more Kaiba would wrench the hold deeper while cutting off the oxygen from his lungs. Now Kaiba does stand with his opponent in tow…and it's only because he wanted to perform a Swinging Neckbreaker. On with the cover: 1…2…2.65 Ash kicks out. Kaiba allows Ash to roll away to the nearest corner…so he can perform a barrage of Corner Clotheslines—three of them, in fact, and Ash falls on his backside. So Kaiba decides to drag him up by his hair…puts him in a Tree of Woe…holds Ash's head by his hair again and delivers a Neckbreaker onto the knee!

"Seto Kaiba focusing his attacks on the neck of Ash Ketchum, still targeting the area since he hit that Ushigoroshi early on," Mark comments. "Each move Kaiba hits is appears more lethal than the last."

Kaiba then steps on his throat and uses the ropes for leverage to foot choke him out, referee John Benoit forced to count 1…2…3…3.58 Kaiba steps away…and then kicks Ash straight in the gut, causing him to fall free from the Tree of Woe. Seto forces him up again, drags him across the middle rope…

…turns him around in a Rope-hung Inverted Headlock…

"Evil intentions building. What does Kaiba have in mind here…?" Zack asks.

…and CRACKS the back of his head on top of his knee in a modified Neckbreaker!

"Gah, GEEZ…the answer should've been obvious," Zack winces.

"It's like you can hear the back of Ash's skull being fractured from making rough contact with Seto's knee," Kenji says.

"Kaiba warned Ash what consequences he'll suffer and THIS is exactly what he means," Barney proclaims.

Ash is silently SCREAMING from the impact, clinging onto the back of his head as tightly…and Kaiba just SMILES. He drags him back to the center and covers him: 1…

2…

…2.765 Ash kicks out. Kaiba watches his opponent continue to tend to his head and stalks him, mocking him of his pain by constantly scraping his foot across that very area. Then he picks him up and hits him with a Back Suplex, purposely dropping him on the back of his head. He raises both fists after this move and the crowd boos, chanting, "Kaiba sucks! Kaiba sucks!"…before Kaiba delivers a second Back Suplex…this time at a higher angle, performing a Backdrop Driver! The fans continue their negative reception…and Kaiba picks up Ash once more over his shoulder…and plants an Elevated Gutwrench Neckbreaker. He sits up and smirks at his handiwork (and their reactions) before nudging Ash's head with a hand. "Go on. Keep up with the jeers. Ash will SOMEBODY to blame for his utter demise, anyway!" Kaiba proclaims as then stomps onto the side of Ash's neck and keeps his foot there.

"Arrogant, egotistical…yet just as equally dangerous," Kenji remarks.

Kaiba holds his boot down with arms splayed, relishing in Los Angeles' boos and ignoring John's orders to get off his neck. After ten seconds, he nudges Ash aside, so he can brings him back to his feet…and slap on a Sleeper Hold. Old school, but effective. Kaiba has the arm tucked in tight under Ash's chin and around his neck, putting on additional pressure by grabbing the biceps of the right arm near the elbow, then using the right hand to push the opponent's head towards the crook of the elbow. Ash's arms swing wildly for a rope break or some kind of way out, but Kaiba retains the submission, enough so to bring Ash down on his knees. John Benoit checks on Ash…

…who refuses to tap out…but doesn't appear to be remaining conscious for much longer. After thirty seconds, Ash has gone limp…and John checks him again, raising an arm up…and it falls limp. Raises it up a second time…and it hangs low. Third time in a row, the ref holds his hand up…

…the crowd becoming more anxious…

…and…the hand stops midair! Ash's hand slowly balls up into a shaking fist…a "KETCHUM! KETCHUM!" chant rings out in the Staples Center…

…and though it takes him around forty seconds, Ash manages to reach a vertical base, clinging tight onto Kaiba's arm…

…prying it away from his head…and gets free enough to ram Kaiba up against the corner! Ash strikes Kaiba with one…two…three shoulder thrusts into the corner, just before the referee had to get him off…and Ash gently pushes him aside—Kaiba kicks him in the face! Ash staggers to the center…Kaiba walking around behind him, looking to ambush his opponent as he bounces off the ropes…

…and…Ash turns around and BLASTS him with a Lariat!

"Oh, wow! THAT was some impact!" Zack shouts.

"Momentum's beginning to build for Ash after that brutal Lariat now. Can Ash capitalize once he and Seto Kaiba reach their feet?" Mark queries.

"For Kaiba's sake, he better NOT," Barney says.

After a replay of Ash's high-impact Lariat was shown, he and Seto are found lying on the canvas trying to get up, the latter taken completely by surprise from the Lariat. Despite so, Kaiba is the first on his feet and strikes a fist to the temple…and so does Ash across the jaw. Kaiba nails a body shot…Ash retaliates with the same move…and both men continue to pummel each other with traded fists…up to the point where Ash is winning out the fist fight, earning constant cheers for each punch. He grabs Kaiba's head for a measured punch…but Kaiba stops him with a kick to the gut. He hits the ropes…

…and Ash hooks him in by way of a Sitout Hip Toss! Kaiba on his feet instantly…and gets blasted down with a powerful Clothesline! Ash is now on top of his opponent when he bounces off the ropes and nails a Running Leaping Shoulder Block. Hits the ropes…and hits the Flying Shoulder Block a second time. Then, he ducks a Clothesline…gets behind Kaiba in a Back Suplex position…and spins him out midair to drop him on the mat via Spin-out Powerbomb! Ash pops to his feet from his knees…

…and shoots an open hand up with a wide grin, the crowd knowing what's coming as half of them boo (whether for real or playfully) and half of them cheer.

"No, boo for REAL, everyone—BOOOOOOOOO! FIVE MOVES OF DOOM SUCK, BOOOOO!" Barney jeers.

"Poké Shuffle has been set up! Now for the climax!" Kenji calls…as Zack snickers mischievously. "What?"

"You said 'climax'," Zack replies.

"Oh, grow up."

Ash stands over Kaiba…bends over to say in his face with a waving hand alongside an echoing crowd, "You can't see ME!"…hits the ropes…

…Snap Scoop Powerslam by Seto Kaiba! (Markiplier: Look out—Powerslam! Spine on the pine! ; Barney: Oh, he saw you, Ash! He saw you, all right, stupid!) Kaiba covers him: 1…

2…

…2.795 Ash rolls the shoulder up! Seto would shove Ash's face in out of slight frustration before picking him up…and receiving a quick one-two to the midsection…followed with a bounce off the ropes—into a Sleeper! Kaiba cinches the Sleeper Hold back in!

But Ash reverses the move to get to Kaiba's side…and SLAMS him down with a High-angle Back Suplex, reminding him karma is a BITCH! As Kaiba lies on his back nursing his head, Ash hits the ropes…returns to the center, dusts the shoulder off and completes the Poké Shuffle with no interruptions! Now Satoshi is in the driver's seat as he measures Seto up to his feet…

…and carries him on his shoulders, ready to give him an Attitude Adjustment…

…but Kaiba elbows the side of his head…and trips up Ash into an STF!

"STF! STF! Stepover Toehold Facelock! A torturous submission move! The last time we saw this was at Reign in Blood that came so close to make Kurt Hudson tap out!" Markiplier recalls.

"And now, he's using to make Ash his official bitch! So do it, Ash! TAP OUT LIKE THE BITCH YOU ARE!" Barney urges.

Kaiba is ripping and tearing into Ash, who is trying to fight out of it with everything he's got at the center. Ash has suffered enough from Kaiba's wrath. He has lost so many times in ACW. He CANNOT surrender after what he's gone through. He refuses to DIE by tapping out, definitely shown by his screams of determination despite the pain shooting in every part of his body, especially towards the head. And so, Ash goes for the ropes, slowly crawling his way and digging his nails into the canvas to get to his destination, no matter the struggle. Ketchum is fingertips away, stretching his hand out as far as possible like a magnet attracting a metal…

"Ash's heart is strong and willing, but there's only so much the body can endure! So which will Ash listen to here?!" Kenji asks.

…and…Kaiba lets go of the STF to drag him away, provoking a chorus of boos!

"More likely his body going through the extra pain Kaiba's putting him through once more!" Zack answers.

"HA!" Barney laughs.

Though, Ash turns around…and repeatedly kicks his face in, forcing Kaiba to let go! As he nurses his face, Ash rolls to his feet…and picks his opponent up on his shoulders with Fireman's Carry! Attitude Adjustment is set…but fails to proceed with Kaiba sliding down on his back and SHOVING him into referee John Benoit, squashing him in the corner…

…and suddenly going down on his knees to hit a low blow on BOTH Ash and the referee!

"Oh! GOD!" Zack winces.

"Ash and referee John Benoit both struck with the same low blow by Seto Kaiba!" Kenji states. "He's just lucky the referee didn't ring the bell right there, whether or not it was an 'accident'!"

"I can't say I agree with THIS as this may hurt Kaiba's chances of winning…but hey, whatever it takes for him to put Ash in his place," Barney shrugs.

Kaiba later reaches his vertical stance, watching Ash nurse his groin and then he mocks him for the pain he's "clearly used to" along with the "U ₡ ME" taunt. Seeing how out of it the referee was…Kaiba's gears begin to turn in his head…and he forms a grin before he instantly rolls out of the ring. (Markiplier: Oh, I can already tell this is NOT gonna be good…) Kaiba walks over to the timekeeper's area and shouts at timekeeper Noah McQueen to leave. McQueen complies out of fear and Kaiba snatches the steel chair he was sitting on, folding it up as he enters the ring with it. (Kenji: Why am I not surprised? There's no way Kaiba can win with his own strength without using some sort of cheap tactic—that's just how he is! ; Barney: What you call a 'cheap tactic', Lenny, people like me would call it a smart move, especially if you're not getting caught.) Kaiba stalks Ash to all fours…

…referee John Benoit is out of the ring…

…and the chair is SWUNG DOWN over Ketchum's back! Ash SCREAMS and recoils from the chair shot…before Kaiba flips him back on his stomach with a boot and SMASHES the chair over his back again! The sight of Ash wincing and trashing around looked too much for the audience, especially the kids…but Kaiba didn't give a damn as he slams the steel chair over his spine a third time! "I hope your daughter is watching to see what kind of pitiful father you really are, Satoshi! Brings me closure than you ever will to becoming a Pokémon Master!" Kaiba taunts to ENORMOUS hisses and jeers from the audience as he sets the chair down flat at the center.

"Kaiba acting like a SADISTIC human being. The look on his face showing how much he ACTUALLY enjoys this," Mark frowns. "He actually is relishing over practically breaking Ash's back with that merciless steel chair."

"It's a lesson, Mark! A LESSON. One that this stupid idiot, who DARED to mock Kaiba, DARED to destroy his manor, DARED to steal his Blue-Eyes White Dragons, will NEVER forget for as long as he continues to LIVE!" Barney utters.

Kaiba spinning scrapes his foot over Ash's head…then drags him up by his hair and holds him in a standing headscissors. He takes his sweet time relishing in the hate, relishing Ash's condition and relishing the finish as he slowly hooks both arms together…

"Oh, no. I-I can't look," Zack covers his eyes.

"We can all see it coming now—the White Dragon Plunge onto the damn steel chair…" Kenji sighs bitterly.

until Ash drops to his knees and LOW BLOWS Seto Kaiba!

"Arms hooked tight—WHOA! PAYBACK! PAYBACK FROM ASH KETCHUM!" Markiplier exclaims.

"AH!" Barney yelps.

"What happened, what happened?!" Zack asks frantically, just opening his eyes.

"Ash just dropped and struck Kaiba with a taste of his own medicine via low blow uppercut!" Kenji utters.

Both men are down—Ash not moving since the low blow and Seto kicking his feet while nursing his lower regions in total pain. Seto has been swearing under his breath, now furious at Ash for attacking him in the family jewels. Eventually, the two begin rising, Kaiba as the first on his knees while Ash uses the ropes to help himself up. On the way, Kaiba grabs the steel chair…and stalks a bent-over Ketchum from behind, ready to make the kill the second he turns around…

…swing…

…and…SUPERKICK TO THE CHAIR THAT SMASHES INTO KAIBA'S FACE!

"SWEET CHIN MUSIC! THE SUPERKICK INHERITED BY SHAWN MICHAELS! Right back to the chair, right back to the face of Seto Kaiba!" Markiplier exclaims.

"No, no, NO! This is NOT how it's supposed to go—this is NOT kosher!" Barney pulls at his hair. "REF! Where the hell are you?! How are you not awake at this point?!"

Ash may not look it from him lying in a prone position, but he's in the driver's seat once more with Kaiba appearing knocked out cold. He soon was able to force himself to crawl over to Kaiba…throw the chair outside…and drape an arm over his chest…as the official returns from his injury to make the count: 1…

2…

…2.889 Kaiba kicks out!

"NOOOOO, not enough!" Mark exclaims. "Near-fall only!"

"Thank you, Big Bro in the Sky, for preventing the worst from happening! Amen to you!" Barney states.

Ash can only sit up in disbelief…but knows he took too long to make the pin and gave Kaiba too much time to recover. Despite the Superkick-aided chair shot to the skull, Kaiba doesn't appear to be bleeding whatsoever surprisingly. And even if Ash got the near-fall, he knew how much closer he was getting to victory. He just need that one chance to finish this bout for good and be the one to put Kaiba in his place. Ash now on his feet…and so is Kaiba, the former starting off with a series of punches to the temple. It was enough to have Kaiba recoil to the ropes…

…and Ash's Irish Whip would be reversed…Ash bounces off to the right

…and sends Kaiba flying from a Quick Attack! Seto gets up near the ropes and stops Ash with a knee lift to the abdomen; then he Irish Whips him to the ropes…bends over and the back body drop gets denied with a lifting kick to the chest. Kaiba cringes as he turns around holding his chest…and Ash plants his face from behind with a Running One-handed Bulldog! Kaiba holds his face sitting up…and Ash hits the ropes to land a Somersault Neckbreaker!

"Ash Ketchum is pulling out all the stops, showing Kaiba when you keep someone like him down for so long!" Kenji proclaims.

"And it doesn't look like he's planning on stopping any time soon!" Zack adds.

Ash picks Kaiba back up again…backhand chops his chest…and performs a Gutwrench Suplex across the ring to the center. So Ash rolls out the apron and begins climbing all the way up to the top turnbuckle. Reaching his destination, he sets himself up…

…but Kaiba stops him with a right forearm! He climbs to Ash's level where he starts raining down hard rights to the head, even European Uppercutting it. He drapes the arm over his nape, hooks around the head and clings onto his waist…

…though Ash remains still, unable to cooperate with his opponent's Superplex attempt as he fights back with fists to the kidneys. The two engage in a trading series of fists, back and forth they go! But eventually…Ash wins it out after nailing a HEADBUTT of all things that brings Kaiba falling down to the canvas. Shaking the pain off, Ash crouches on the turnbuckle…

…and he lands the Diving Elbow Drop!

"BAM! My GAWD, the elbow lands right into the heart, the solar plexus of Seto Kaiba!" Mark exclaims. "And look at Ash! The determined look on his face—you know what's coming next!"

"If Kaiba can take one Superkick, then has to dodge this next one! Turn the tables, Kaiba! This might be your only chance!" Barney cheers.

Ash marches to the corner…and, damn it all, he STOMPS the mat, doing so repeatedly and rhythmically as Kaiba begins to stir and rise to a vertical base. This is it—this is what Ash has been waiting for: the end being near for Seto Kaiba and shut him up for GOOD. The anticipation is too real for him and the rowdy crowd while Kaiba continues to rise at a slow pace. Ash almost become impatient…

…but Seto does make it to his feet and stagger…

…giving Ash the opportunity to make the shot…

…and…the Superkick—CAUGHT!

"BANG—NO! The Superkick was blocked!" Zack shouts.

"WHAT DID I TELL YOU GUYS?! WHAT DID I TELL YOU?! Kaiba turns it around—looking for a White Dragon Plunge!" Barney describes.

Kaiba holds the hooked arms TIGHT…but Ash BACK BODY DROPS him! He takes the moment to catch his breath…and then picks him up for the Attitude Adjustment setup! Both men struggle…Kaiba with the VICIOUS eye rake…

…shifting over into an Argentine Rack

and DROPPING THE BACK OF ASH'S SKULL OVER HIS KNEE VIA INVERTED GTS—THE NEUTRON BLAST!

"OHHHHHHHHH!" the crowd winces.

"DEAR JESUS, MARY AND JOSEPH! GTS! Inverted GTS from Seto Kaiba—STRAIGHT from KENTA's playbook, no less! Where the hell did that come from?!" Markiplier yells.

"It's been a LONG TIME since we've seen the Neutron Blast in the ring from Kaiba! Used rarely, yet STILL just as lethal!" Zack states.

"And it doesn't help matters with how damaged Ash's head was throughout the time Kaiba repeatedly targeted earlier!" Kenji adds.

"Well, it's CURTAIN TIME for Mr. Ketchum, boys! Pin away, Kaiba!" Barney cackles.

Kaiba NEVER thought he had to use one of his deadliest finishers, against Ash Ketchum of all people…but, to Kaiba, he was a pest and he had to be put down BADLY. He sees how lifeless Ash went from making contact with the Neutron Blast…and so he covers: 1…

"BADA-BING…"

2…

"…BADA-BOOM…"

2.999 Ash breaks the count…with a FOOT ON THE ROPE!

"…FORGET—WHAT?! WHAT?! YOU CAN'T BE SERIOUS!" Barney screams. "THAT WAS A THREE-COUNT WAITING TO HAPPEN!"

"Afraid not, Barney!" Mark says. "The Neutron Blast was LETHAL, but SOMEHOW, Ash knew where he was going to be or just out of instinct, put his foot on the rope and got lucky! Whatever it is, this man's will to win will NOT die until Seto finally pays for his sins with a HUMBLE LOSS!"

Kaiba's eyes are WIDE…and he drags Ash back, then makes a tight cover: 1…2…2.99 Ash kicks out! Another tight leg-hook, pressing Ash's face down: 1…2…2.98 Ash kicks out for a third time! Kaiba slaps the mat in frustration before mounting Ash with hard rights, ignoring the referee's warnings. Referee John Benoit counts 1…2…3…4…and stops to force Seto off Ash…

…and he pushes the official away, returning to Ash with a headlock and rapid-fire pounding to the top of his temple! He mounts him and scream in his face, "WHY WON'T YOU DIE, KETCHUM?! STAY DOWN, YOU STUPID MOTHER—!" Then he SLAPS HIM. "Do you WANT your daughter to look up a weak excuse of a man who can't even defend himself?! Who can't even fight back?!"

"Kaiba, FURIOUS how he hasn't even won the match at this point, taking it all out on his opponent and berating him!" Kenji comments.

"Can you even blame him? Kaiba has been working his ass off to check this match off his list of various people he's put down like the dogs they are, but Ash is making that EXTREMELY difficult for him!" Barney complaints.

Kaiba then stands up, dragging Ash with him on his knees to scold him personally, "I should be in the main event right now! I should be battling for world title gold—instead, I'm wasting it with YOU of all people in front of these jackasses! So what do you have to say for yourself, Ketchum?! HUH?!"

Ash…merely chuckles…and tells Kaiba, "You hit like a girl. I bet YUGI would hit me harder than YOU…"

"Ohhhhh…BURN," Zack utters.

"KILL HIM, KAIBA—KILL HIM," Barney urges.

Kaiba…glares immensely at Ash…CLEARLY set off from that comment…

…and so he sets him up for the White Dragon Plunge—no, Ash reverses it into a Jackknife Pin! The ref counts 1…

2…

…2.955 Kaiba BARELY kicks out! The two are on their feet…Kaiba kicks him for a White Dragon Plunge—Ash spins out…ducks the Clothesline while holding onto his wrist…and executes a makeshift Rainmaker-esque Spear—Kaiba STAYS on his feet! He hooks the arms once more…or at least succeeds with one arm alone…

"Oh, this is a BATTLE of holds! Who's gonna win this one out?!" Mark quizzes.

…Ash pops Kaiba over on his shoulders in a Fireman's Carry…and—elbow! Elbow to the jaw! Kaiba pushes him to the ropes…and hit the High Knee, Harley Race style! He forces Ash up for ONE MORE White Dragon Plunge attempt…

…and Kaiba leaps OVER Ash because of the Pokémon trainer reversing it into a modified pinfall: 1…

2…

…2.998 Kaiba powers out while letting go…

…and stands back up to EAT A SUPERKICK! Kaiba, DAZED, gets pulled into a Fireman's Carry…and Ash has no words to say for all Kaiba's done, letting actions speak for him as he plants the F-U! Center of the ring!

"F-U! F-U TO KAIBA! THE F-U CONNECTS—HOW POETIC! SYMBOLIZING ASH'S BITTER HATRED FOR KAIBA'S MISDEEDS!" Markiplier exclaims.

"NO! THIS ISN'T HAPPENING! NOOO, GOD! NO, GOD; PLEASE, NO!"

Ash covers Kaiba, hooking the leg as tight as possible…

…and referee John Benoit counts 1…

"DON'T YOU DARE FINISH THAT COUNT! NO!"

2…

"NO!"

…3!

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Barney howls (à la the "No, God; Please, No!" meme) as the bell sounds and "Me Against the World" plays to an ENORMOUS pop!

"HE DID IT! ASH WINS ON AN ACW PAY-PER-VIEW! HE BREAKS HIS PAY-PER-VIEW LOSING STREAK—HELL, HE BREAKS IT OVERALL!" Markiplier proclaims.

Ash rolls off of Kaiba, lying beside him out of pure exhaustion…soon chuckling to himself before lifting himself up to a kneeling position and raises both fists in the air while Maria Lopez announces, "Here is your winner: 'The Very Best' Ash Ketchum!"

"Through sheer determination, sheer willpower, SHEER SPIRIT, Ash gets one over Kaiba for the first time in the ring!" Kenji shouts. "After all the pain and the agony he had to ensure, NOW he gets to tell Kaiba to SHUT UP!"

"Kaiba's methodical targeting of the head and neck area, his constant mocking and insults towards him and his family, and yet Ash REFUSED to yield or let himself be pinned with his pride and passion keeping him fighting!" Zack states. "And by the end, it truly went back and forth for these two world class athletes—that's right, WORLD CLASS ATHLETES in ACW, baby—and Ash won it out with a final Superkick and the one and only F-U to Kaiba! Both LITERAL and FIGURATIVELY."

"You boys said it better than I could about this match," Markiplier chuckles. "Kaiba's ego proved to be the lead to his downfall when he let Ash's words get to him and allowed him to capitalize."

Ash pulls himself up to his feet, clutching his head…but he stands victoriously with his hand raised by the referee. He celebrates on the turnbuckles for a while before coming to a halt at a still supine Seto Kaiba…and he glares down at his unconscious body. John Benoit is standing by to make sure Ash doesn't do anything Kaiba himself would do…and Ash bends over to tell him, "Karma…it hurts like a…well, you should know yourself from personal experience, Kaiba." That's all he leaves out for him to process as he gives a one-finger salute while backpedaling away to exit the ring and heading to the back.

"Ooh…no need to say the word itself when we figured that out already," Zack says.

"SHUT UP, ZACK. JUST SHUT UP," Barney groans, face planted into the table with a muffled voice. "Can we just go to the next segment already? I wanna move on from this DISASTER."

Kenji shrugs and says, "Well, you heard him—onward to the next segment where Jeff Dunham is standing by for a scheduled interview. Take it away, Jeff!"


The 55-year-old ventriloquist comedian stands by at an interview area wearing a sharp dressed suit, a microphone in one hand and Achmed the Dead Terrorist on the other.

"Thank you, Kenji; what a NIGHT this has been so far for Summer Wars!" Jeff smiles.

"What are you talking about, you idiot?! What happened just now was a TRAGEDY," Achmed speaks. "Kaiba losing to his BEYOTCH of all people—how embarrassing can it get? Seriously, we went from iGeneration winning the Women's Tag belts to THIS?"

"Well, that's karma for you, Achmed. What goes around comes around," Jeff enlightens.

"Agh, you babyfaces and your black and white views. Did you never learn from 2013? Or May 31st, for that matter?" Achmed says.

"Let's not dig into that rabbit hole, Achmed, we have a job to do."

"Will it involve somebody kicking your ass for asking the wrong question? Because that's the best part of this job," Achmed quips, garnering chuckles and a glare from Dunham.

"Cute," Jeff turns to the camera. "Now, ladies and gentlemen, our guest at this time…'The Gore Machine' Jason Krueger." He steps aside…and the former Hardcore Champion enters the view with a visible scowl on his snarling face. Still, Jeff puts up a brave front. "Mr. Krueger, it's been quite the month for you leading up to Summer Wars. Tonight, you are given a second chance to regain the ACW Hardcore Championship in a Hardcore Fatal 4-Way match against Ichigo Kurosaki, Tommy Oliver and Sasuke Uchiha. Before that happens, what are your thoughts going through this match?"

"Great start with a generic question, infidel," Achmed remarks, another round of laughs heard from the crowd…

…but Jason wasn't laughing. No, he has been snarling at Dunham for even JOKING at his expanse…at least, that's what Jason thinks.

"Let me remind you something about myself, old man… I am Jason. Motherfucking. Krueger. My thoughts…are not one for people like you to BEAR," Jason states. "But if you must know…I am PISSED. I am PISSED at Kurosaki TARNISHING the Hardcore Championship with his filthy hands. I am PISSED at Oliver and Uchiha for DARING to insert themselves into my business. But more importantly…I'm PISSED at GARZA for even ALLOWING all this crap to happen. At MY expense, no less. When I had my foot on the bottom rope while Kurosaki pinned me at RAMPAGE VI…the ref counted to THREE…and Garza did NOTHING. He didn't come out to order the referee to RESTART the match. He didn't have Kurosaki's victory REVOKED. HE. SCREWED. ME. OVER! HEAR ME, DUNHAM?! GARZA SCREWED ME OVER! HE IS NOT ONLY CORRUPTIBLE, BUT FUCKING INSANE! THE MAN FORCED ME TO TEAM WITH KUROSAKI OF ALL BASTARDS TO RETAIN OUR FOURTH AND FINAL BOUT WHEN HE DAMN WELL KNOWS WE AREN'T GONNA WORK TOGETHER! AND BECAUSE OF HIM, I'M FUCKING STUCK IN THIS GODDAMN FATAL 4-WAY TO DECIDE MY HARDCORE TITLE! IT'S BULLSHIT, DUNHAM! I SHOULD BE CARRYING THAT BELT RIGHT NOW AS THE TWO-TIME CHAMPION INSTEAD OF WASTING MY TIME WITH BULL! SHIT!"

Jason breathes and pants heavily after letting out that piece of bitter rage…and definitely scaring the crap out of Dunham (and Achmed)…

…but he eventually calms down, breathing in through his nose…and exhaling out through his mouth.

"…And tonight…I will be. Summer Wars…just like Southern Hell, Spring Breakdown, and Reign in Blood…Summer Wars will be MY night. MY night as I leave here the FIRST-EVER TWO-TIME Hardcore Champion—hell, the FIRST-EVER TWO-TIME overall ACW champion…and left behind my trail…are Oliver and Uchiha with crimson masks…and Kurosaki lying FLAT on his face in a pool of his OWN BLOOD. …And as for Garza…I come to realize this isn't really his fault. No…no, no…the way he is…it all leads back to the SOURCE of that corruption…and his name is Jesse Fucking Alvarez. It's as expected, knowing his prejudice for as long as I've been here…" Jason faces the camera. "So Garza, you get a free pass…for now… In the meantime…I have people to GORE…

"GORE…

"

"…Gore…"

Jason walks out of sight…

…and the camera remains on Jeff Dunham and his skeletal puppet, both with gaping mouths.

"…THAT…is one scary bastard," Achmed utters.

"Yeah…perhaps scarier than you," Jeff says.

"…THAT I cannot disagree with," Achmed gulps…to one last chuckle from L.A.


"With that…um, moment of venting done, this leads us to our next bout: the Fatal 4-Way for the Hardcore Championship!" Ted proclaims as the match graphic appears in digital fashion.

Onscreen, as "Superman" plays, a graphic of the ACW Hardcore Championship itself appears first, partially coated with blood and barbwire wrapped tight around the straps…then Ichigo Kurosaki is shown with the belt draped over his shoulder…an unstable-looking Jason Krueger running both hands through his ashy hair…Tommy Oliver shadowboxing at the camera…and finally, Sasuke Uchiha looking behind with his back turned before fully turning around to reveal his Sharingan eyes. All four men appear yet again as stills: Ichigo with his signature scowl and the title over his shoulder, Jason baring his feral teeth, Tommy holding out his Power Morpher, and Sasuke with his hand in front of his face while "FATAL 4-WAY" and "ACW HARDCORE CHAMPIONSHIP" are read underneath the imagery in blood and barbwire, but switching places every five seconds.

"All four of these men getting wrapped up into one tangled mess that's to be resolved with blood and carnage, willing to put each other through pain for the sake of the Hardcore Championship," Ned says.

"One has the odds stacked against him, one is DESPERATE to regain the Hardcore Title, one wishes to win the belt in order to climb back up to the top of the card…and one is just a cash-grab cameo appearance with little to no reason he has to join this match," Logan bluntly states.

"Nonetheless, they're ALL here together in this infamous contest, which will decide who wants to become the Hardcore Champion the MOST," Ted says.

The graphic changes to the squared circle as the bell rings thrice…and Mike "The Mic" Martin proudly declares, "The following contest is a Fatal 4-Way scheduled for one fall (crowd: ONE FALL!)…and it is for the ACW Hardcore Championship!"

After a brief moment of silence…new music begins playing from the stage—trance metal to be exact…

…and by the 21-second mark, SCREAMS explode from the speakers, the song kicking it into high gear.

("Psychotic Euphoric" by Silent Descent plays)

Amidst the flashing red lights inside the Staples Center, Jason Krueger walks out from the Gorilla Position, donning his signature sleeveless orange jumpsuit with "666" on the back and wielding the sledgehammer over his shoulder…and wearing something unique over his face, specifically a brown leather muzzle mask. He remains standing at the center, taking his time to gaze out at the crowd giving a fairly well mixed reception…and lets out a huff as he starts menacingly walking down the ramp on time when the lyrics arrived.

[If she said she loved, she lied

Life's just porn with a storyline!]

As Krueger heads to his destination, he stops at the edge of the ramp…and slowly turns his head over to a young boy in the front row who didn't appear to be afraid of the Gore Machine. Whether he was being naively brave or foolish is up to those around them as Jason ambles slowly to the kid, who tries intimidating him with a feign jump…and Krueger scoffs and turns—before suddenly ROARING at him! The boy was SCARED half to death, sitting back in his chair and clutching his chest…Jason merely snorts and resumes his walk.

[And this is all that it's ever gonna be

As we play with WOOOOOOOOOORDS!

These WOOOOOOOOOORDS!

What it will say is not what it's gonna think

This curse of tongues; we've all been JINXED!]

Jason arrives at ringside, tossing up the sledgehammer over the ropes and inside the squared circle. He climbs onto the ring apron and steps through the ropes, picking up his favorite weapon that he lets rest on its metal head with his hand resting on the edge of its handle as he returns to gazing out at the crowd with his burning hazel eyes. If one can tell, Jason appears to be sneering at the audience in front of him under his muzzle mask. After ten seconds…Jason reaches over to the bottom of his muzzle…and completely removes it at the 1:12 mark, revealing his sharp fangs and intense scowl. Jason climbs the ropes and hangs off them to let out a growl, his hanging tongue disturbingly running over his sharp teeth, not giving a DAMN if it got cut. Jason is HUNGRY and THIRSTY for carnage and blood tonight, even if it's his own.

[(Ohhhhh…)

Watch them come and go, as they come and gooooo…!

Youth-ful! Fa-ces! Mind-less! EYYYYYYYES!

Watch them come and go, as they come and gooooo…!

Withered mouths that they'll despiiiiiiiiiise!

And then you thought you'd figured it ooouuut…

(The picture-perfect faces, that all the mind ERASES!)

But it was all inside your HEEEEEAAAAAD!]

"Introducing first: from Newark, New Jersey, weighing in at 237 pounds…he is 'The GORE Machine' JASON KRUUUGEEEEEEER!" Mike announces.

"New music, new additions to his attire for this special occasion…yeah, if Jason hasn't gone mad before, he's certainly showing it," Ned says.

"A ticking time bomb is the best and worst way I can describe Jason Krueger, the inaugural and former Hardcore Champion. He blew up backstage moments ago, venting out his frustrations over the events that transpired for this whole month," Ted explains.

"I highly doubt you can blame how Jase feels when your boss is, as he said, a corruptible insane man," Logan proclaims. "Josh has put him through so much CRAP to get to this match. He didn't give him the fair rematch he wanted after your big, dumb friend, Marshall, screwed him over in the RAMPAGE II main event, he forced him to team with his WORST ENEMY when EVERYBODY knew how much they dislike each other, and now, because of his ignorance, Krueger is FORCED to regain his title with the odds stacked against him! In a Fatal 4-Way for HIS Hardcore Title! This is injustice—just downright wrong! As always, Jason did NOTHING to deserve this, but we know who to blame, don't we?"

"You know they're CLEARLY watching this from their office, Reese," Ned warns.

"I DON'T CARE. Let them hear me speak the TRUTH! Let them hear me DO MY JOB as a RIGHTEOUS MAN—a VOICE of the VOICELESS just like Barney…but from RAMPAGE! If they fire me because they don't like what I say, then it just SHOWS they haven't change ONE BIT," Logan sneers.

"I'm so proud of you, my student!" Barney praises.

"BARNEY, you're not scheduled to speak here—this is a RAMPAGE-exclusive match!" Ted states.

Jason waits in the corner at the upper right side, sitting like ECW's Raven would, as he intensely glares at the stage…

…where a LIGHTNING BOLT strikes (like the one on the DigiTron) and a voice shouts a morphing call from the speakers!

["IT'S MORPHIN' TIME!"]

("Go, Go Power Rangers (Redux)" by Ross Wasserman plays)

The classic Mighty Morphin Power Rangers theme hits HARD on the loudspeakers, one camera catching a male fan with shoulder-length hair headbanging to the beat. As the guitar riff was building up to the lyrics…some people began murmuring when they saw someone rising up from the left side of the stage…and start CHEERING…

"Ladies and gentlemen…please welcome…"

…when Ross Wasserman himself is revealed, everyone realizing he's performing the nostalgic song LIVE on pay-per-view!

"…'The Mighty RAW' Ross Wasserman!" Mike declares.

"HOLY CRAP!" Ned exclaims as Ross steps up to the mic and the fans, of course, sing along.

[Theeeeeeeey've got…

A power and a force

That you've never seen before!

Theeeeeeeey've got…

The ability to morph

And to even up the score!

Nooooooooo ONE can ever take them down!

The power lies on their si-i-i-i-i-iiiiiiiiide!

GO, GO, POWER RANGERS!]

"I can't hear you, Los Angeles!" Ross shouts, urging the crowd to sing and cheer louder.

[GO, GO, POWER RANGERS!]

"Almost got it!" Ross shouts again.

[GO, GO, POWER RANGERS!

Mighty Morphin Power Rangeeerrrrrrs!]

"THAT'S what I'm talking about!" Ross grins…as he then steps aside…

…for Tommy Oliver to rise up from the stage in his Mighty Morphin Green Ranger V2 outfit merged in half with the White Ranger outfit!

[Theeeeeeeey know…

The fate of the world

Is lying in their hands!]

Tommy nods to the crowd's highly positive reception as his hands from his hips reach out and up to his helmet, unclipping the sides and removing it from his head to expose his face.

[Theeeeeeeey know…

To only use their weapons

Fooooor defense!]

He sets his helmet down at the center, removes the Dragon Shield/Tigerzord armor in half and unzips the top half of his outfit, leaving himself only in his green and white spandex tights. Tommy nods to Ross and points to him out of respect before walking down to the ring, passing by fans bowing in the front row.

[Nooooooooo ONE will ever take them down!

The power lies on their si-i-i-i-i-iiiiiiiiide!

GO, GO, POWER RANGERS!]

Tommy then starts jogging halfway down and LEAPS high over the top rope Sin Cara style, NO trampoline involved, rolling through to the center of the ring…and he gives out a smirk upon success. He jumps to his feet and cups his hands around his mouth to call the chorus with the singing fans, "GO, GO, POWER RANGERS!"

[GO, GO, POWER RANGERS!

GO, GO, POWER RANGERS!

You Mighty Morphin Power Rangeeerrrrrrrrrs!]

During the shredding instrumental break, Tommy…glares back at Krueger who remained in his spot since Tommy's music played. "Your show was fucking stupid, anyway," Krueger mocked. Tommy responds that Jason may not like him here…but someone has to put a stop to his rampage. Tommy turns away for now and climbs up a corner…bringing out his legendary Power Morpher and posing with it to the loud cheering reaction of Los Angeles, grinning in response.

"Next, in the ring: from Angel Grove, California, he weighed in this morning at 214 pounds…this is 'The Original Green Ranger' TOMMYYY OLIVEEERRRRR!" Mike introduces.

[Nooooooooo ONE can ever take them down!

The power lies on their si-i-i-i-i-iiiiiiiiide!

GO, GO, POWER RANGERS!

GO, GO, POWER RANGERS!

GO, GO, POWER RANGERS!

YOU MIGHTY MORPHIN POWER RANGEEERRRRRRRRRS!

GO, GO, POWER RANGEEERRRRRRRRRS!

GO, GO, POWER RANGEEERRRRRRRRRS!

GO, GO, POWER RANGEEERRRRRRRRRS!]

On that final note, a loud explosion of green and white goes off from the stage…and the music comes to an end, all over 20,000 fans in the Staples Center standing up and applauding for Ross Wasserman, who takes a bow and both he and Tommy point to each other out of respect once more before he grabs Tommy's helmet with the stage crew helping out to clear everything.

"…Wow…" Logan utters after that performance. "…As if the song itself wasn't cheesy enough. Did it HAVE to be performed live?"

"We are at Summer Wars, Logan," Ned points out. "It's expected to be the biggest pay-per-view of the summer and the final one before the season is over."

"Well, allow me to talk about Tommy Oliver before the next guy comes out—"

("Misery Loves My Company" by Three Days Grace plays)

"DAMN IT!" Logan yells, now trying to speed it up as the lights went dark with a bright spotlight appearing center stage. "Uh, uh—Tommy had NO right to interfere with Krueger's goal of becoming a two-time Hardcore Champion! And, um, he's just a freaking cameo and cash grab for this contest, no relation or any interest to the belt whatsoever and I hope Krueger and/or Sasuke personally teach him in his place in ACW!"

"…He's a well-respected veteran all around the Fiction Wrestling—"

"SHUT IT, BIGBY! SASUKE'S ABOUT TO ARRIVE!" Logan interrupts.

When the song's downbeat arrived, the same spotlight suddenly expanded and transformed into the Sharingan eye…and out came under it was Sasuke Uchiha, triggering Sharingan eyes to roam all over the seats as spotlights. Sasuke had a pair of his own, staring down at the ring with the Ranger and the Machine…and begins ambling straight forward on time with the lyrics.

[I am in control, I haven't lost my mind…

I am picking up the pieces of the past you left behind

I don't need your condescending

Words about me looking lonely

I don't need your arms to hold me

'Cause misery is waiting on me!

I am not alone—not beaten down just yet!

I am not afraid of the voices in my head!

Down the darkest road, something follows me!

I am not alone…

'Cause misery loves my company!

(Misery loves my company!)]

"Arriving his way to the ring next: residing with The Uchiha Clan, weighing in at 225 pounds…SASUKE UUUCHIHAAAAA!" Mike announces.

Sasuke's eyes were still on the ring itself and his opponents the moment he arrived, never letting his sight leave them for one bit as he stops at ringside. Sharingan eyes locked on them still, he turns left after ten seconds of glaring towards the stairs he walks up on. He enters through the ropes…very slowly walking by Jason and Tommy…then climbs up a corner…and while glowering, he says to Jason that he needs this win more than him and Ichigo combined while to Tommy…he says he'll be happy to see him gone once the ACW in a month co-owners are bored with him before finally allowing his sight to move from them and perform a Legend Killer pose with eyes closed. During then, Krueger grits his sharp teeth at his words and Oliver only glares.

"Those looks on Jason and Tommy's faces say it all to Sasuke's statement. Between Ichigo, Jason and Sasuke, it's all about who wants the Hardcore Title more to elevate their status. To Tommy…straight-up told him he'll be gone soon when Jesse and Josh are bored with him," Ned states. "Talk about disrespect."

"He's got a point though, Bigby. I explained it enough, but Tommy is only here due to how Jesse and Josh got hard-ons for big names as of late at the best opportunity with the past FWM Drafts and most recently, the inaugural Indy Olympics," Logan says. "They're only gonna clog up the system and I can't WAIT to see Oliver's name on the next list of releases and given the 'future endeavors' line when our bosses are through with him."

"On the topic of Sasuke, last month, he faced Naruto Uzumaki for his ACW World Championship at Rebellion in the Do or Die Three Stages of Hell Match to a losing effort," Ted brings up. "That night was the biggest disappointment of his career, so he says.

"Which it WAS," Logan chimes in.

"And we wouldn't see him again until RAMPAGE VI in the aftermath of Krueger v. Kurosaki III when he blindsided the former Hardcore Champion with a Sharingan Impact, clearly making a statement that he's after the title itself," Ted says.

"Indeed. While he can't after the ACW World Title, let alone archrival Naruto, he does need to find a way to climb back up to the top and seeing this opportunity in front him, it was smart on his part to seize it," Ned continues. "He was at the right place at the right time…much to Krueger's disdain."

Sasuke has been in the opposite corner with the same pose, showered with loud boos…and eventually climbs down, heading back to the same corner he posed the first time to await the champion himself while sharing a glare with Tommy and Jason. Silence reigns for a seconds…

[You think you know me?]

("Metalingus" by Alter Bridge plays)

The audience now vocalize their cheers for the final entrant, strobe lights flashing white and black all over the arena as a thick fog starts forming to cover up the stage and the curtains…and Ichigo Kurosaki pops out of the fog with the ACW Hardcore Championship wrapped around his waist.

[On this day, I see clearly

Everything has come to life!

A bitter place and a broken dream…

And we'll leave it all behind!]

Ichigo lightly hops and shakes his hands, which he uses to slap himself to get himself pumped up, then heads to the right side of the stage and urges the crowd to pick up the volume. He performs the same on the other side, backpedaling to the center…and then he forms a smirk on his face towards the ring. The camera catches Jason visibly and furiously scowling at the champion, who mocks him by gesturing and asking if the belt used be with him…but now it's the Rated-R Shinigami's; not he, Sasuke or Tommy are going to change that.

[On this day, it's so real to me!

Everything has come to life…!]

He gently pats his belt before walking down the ramp…before suddenly stomping over halfway through…moves two feet back…lowers his head…breathes in deeply…readies two rock horned hands…

[Another chance to chase a dream!

Another chance to feel…

A chance to feel aliiiiiiiiiive!]

…and grins briefly as he stomps down forward one foot and throws both signs up high, triggering rapid-fire fireworks in the colors of crimson red followed by a large explosion behind him at the stage. Once done, Ichigo huffs deeply and resumes walking down to the ring.

"And finally: from Karakura Town, Japan, weighing in at 241 pounds…he is the current, reigning and defending ACW Hardcore Champion, 'The Rated-R Reaper' ICHIGO KUROSAKIIIII!" Mike finishes.

Ichigo removes the belt from his waist and tosses it lightly inside the ring, sliding after it to the center and stares down at it with a small grin…then looks up at an intensely fuming Jason Krueger still sitting in his corner. "That…is MY title…and it will be AGAIN," Jason proclaims. And Ichigo replies, "We'll see," before instantly standing up with the belt, climbing the only empty corner and raising it high with one hand and a rock n' roll hand sign on his free one.

"The final man to approach, Ichigo Kurosaki, the Rated-R Reaper! The second Hardcore Champion in ACW history!" Ted states. "Just like Alpha & Omega, Ichigo has put his belt on the line twice this month and he's about to go for a third one, this time in a Fatal 4-Way with the men we see in front of us."

"The only difference is that Kurosaki won't succeed in tonight's defense. Third time may be the charm, but NOT for scum like Strawberry!" Logan asserts. "Twice, he defended it, yes; one on RAMPAGE V against Oliver, whom he beat cleanly, and one the week after against Jason…whom he DIDN'T beat cleanly when his foot was on the BOTTOM ROPE. The man is a CRIMINAL—a THIEF on the loose and so it will be Jason Krueger's duty to do what he said by ridding the competition and CRACK Strawberry's skull open."

"I really worry what goes on in your skull for a pretty boy," Ned says.

"My point, Bigby, is that Strawberry NEVER deserved to win the Hardcore Title to begin with. What happened at Rebellion was a DAMN fluke. What happened at RAMPAGE VI was people SCREWING over Jason. Because of that, we are going to see BLOODSHED coated with VENGEANCE, I assure you. All we have to do…is sit back, call the action…and watch the fireworks."

Ichigo hands his Hardcore Championship to RAMPAGE referee Nikolas Alba, who raises it up over his head and show the audience what is up for grabs currently. From a faraway angle, a graphic of the belt is shown onscreen with its titled name read below the imagery. The music fades to silence, all four corners are filled up, every wrestler is standing by and prepared for what's to come while trading looks…Nikolas confirms all four of them are ready…the bell sounds on his command…

and when he did, Jason Krueger sped out his corner and BLUDGEONS Ichigo's head in with the sledgehammer!

"Here we go, blood to be spilled for gold—OH, GOD! OH, MY…!" Ted gasps.

"SLEDGEHAMMER STRIKE RIGHT FROM THE START!" Ned exclaims.

"Ho-ho, WOW, what a shot! …Welp, down to three now," Logan shrugs. "KILL 'EM ALL, JASE! …Or at least just Tommy!"

As Ichigo rolls out of the ring from the blunt impact, Krueger glares down at his lifeless body…then turns around to nail Tommy with the weapon in his abdomen! Tommy falls to his knees holding that very area as Krueger raises the sledgehammer over…

"Oh, no, NO, HE'S NOT GONNA REALLY—"

…and Sasuke swivels him around with a Sharingan Impact, forcing him to lose the sledgehammer!

"—Sasuke with the save!" Ned shouts. "…Unintentional, but Krueger at least didn't LITERALLY kill someone."

Jason rolls out upon impact (pun not intended)…Sasuke sees Tommy still on his knees in pain near the corner…and quickly backs up in the corner behind him, pressing firmly against it with an intent to kill in his eyes and waiting for the right time to strike. (Ted: Sasuke in the corner, revving up the foot for the punt; I think this is about to be the quickest multi-man contest and title change to happen here!) Sasuke URGES Tommy to lift his head up…and so he does, triggering him to speed after him…

…and…Tommy AVOIDS the poisonous inject to his skull…

…and, albeit abdomen pain, he takes down Sasuke with the signature Jumping Spinning Back Kick!

"Legendary Spin Kick! Signature cry and all!" Ted calls.

"DAMN IT! But YES, Jase still has a chance!" Logan says. "…Sasuke winning is fine, too, but still!"

Sasuke moves away as far as possible to recover from the kick, nursing his chest while Tommy looks on with a small smirk. They both know they're in a non-DQ bout…but why not put the emphasis on wrestling with Ichigo and Jason down as they circle the ring…and Sasuke runs into an Arm Drag. Both up and at it, Tommy catching him again, but with a Tiger Spin that goes round and round into another Arm Drag and into the armbar! He twists the wrist back, Sasuke forced to roll back to his feet…Tommy twists it forward, so he's forced to roll forward…and eventually reverses the arm wrench into his own followed by a hammerlock…

…followed by a Tiger Spin Arm Drag! Tommy was VERY caught off guard by how Sasuke did the Tiger Spin the EXACT same way, but perhaps even better as the latter stays where he's at with a flat right hand out (resemblance of a younger Uchiha). The Green Ranger didn't want to admit it…but he got him pretty good and he showed it with a small smirk. They tie up and Sasuke holds the arm wrench before suddenly throwing Tommy over the top rope…and he hangs on. He notices and takes a shoulder thrust to the abdomen, then Tommy slingshots himself over and rolls across Sasuke's back. He hits the ropes, ducks a Clothesline, hits the ropes a second time…and executes a Tilt-a-whirl Headscissors Takeover! Then a Float-over DDT! Tommy is the first man to make a pin: 1…2…Sasuke kicks out. Once more, they're both up…

…and Sasuke puts a stop to Tommy's momentum with a Back Kick to the gut…and then Broken Bonds!

"Backbreaker!" Ted calls.

"Sasuke had enough of Tommy out-wrestling him and decided to get aggressive right then and there," Logan comments. "Boy, did that Broken Bonds hurt or what?"

While Tommy writhes, Sasuke stalks him to the ropes and grabs him for an Irish Whip. Tommy reverses the move and Sasuke rebounds off the ropes to slide on his knees and strike a thrusting uppercut! Tommy turns his back, likely nursing his throat, and Sasuke hits the ropes once more…and leaps over Tommy with a Double Foot Stomp to the back of his head! Now he makes the second pin of the match: 1…2…Tommy powers out…

…at the same time Krueger returns to pull Sasuke out from the ring! Sasuke does push him away with his feet when he hanged onto the ropes and stands up on the ring apron…somersaults away from Jason's grasp…and Superkicks—CAUGHT. Jason proclaims he'll have payback for when Sasuke blindsided him…and throws down the foot to hit a Roaring Elbow (Discus Elbow Smash)! He turns back to Tommy, who suddenly hits a Dropkick through the ropes, knocking him into Sasuke. Tommy hangs from the top rope and smoothly enters back in, skinning the cat. The Ranger watches the two scramble to their vertical bases, and so, he makes a run for the ropes…

…ricochets across the canvas…

…and SOMERSAULTS over the top rope, Power Rangers style, into Sasuke and Jason with a Plancha to an explosive pop!

"Tommy Oliver taking out BOTH Sasuke and Jason with a unique Somersault Plancha!" Ned exclaims. "That was BEAUTIFUL! For someone his age, he still got those moves! Then again, he's always got them."

The White Ranger high-fives the same kid Jason scared earlier and picks said Gore Machine up in an Inverted Headlock; he attempted a Brachio Drop…but Jason had spun out of it, ducks under…and is the second man to hurt Tommy's spine with a Vex Breaker—Full Nelson Backbreaker! "Stay down, old man!" Jason warns, proceeding to look for his hammer…

…before getting SPEARED out of his boots by Ichigo! He pins: 1…2…Sasuke breaks it up at two-and-a-half! Sasuke is pounding Ichigo with fists before Ichigo elbows him in the gut. Sasuke backs away to the ring apron and mule kicks Ichigo back. He then suddenly leaps onto the ring apron…Moonsault…avoided…and Ichigo, after dodges a Clothesline, hooks Sasuke into a Slaying Moon—Lifting DDT! The Hardcore Champion himself is the last man standing…the crowd has been pumped…and waited long enough for the REAL show to get on the road as he searches under the ring apron…

…and brings out a very thick kendo stick, grinning at the sight of it with the fans roaring with cheers.

"First weapon brought out from under the ring…now to see who will be the Rated-R Reaper's first victim," Ted states.

"Don't it let be Krueger, you dick. Don't let it be Krueger," Logan prays.

Ichigo swirls the foreign object in his hand, deciding which shall feel the wrath of the kendo stick…and goes "eeny, meeny, miny"—he SLASHES Jason's spine with the weapon! (Logan: OH, F*CK YOU, STRAWBERRY!) Repeatedly, Ichigo is unrelenting in punishing Jason with the nonstop kendo stick strikes as the latter is forced to move away from the champion as far as possible. Close to the stage, Ichigo WHACKS the weapon to the back of Jason's skull, bringing him down and he stands over him with the raised kendo stick to a round of cheers. (Logan: ANIMALS. You're all ANIMALS. ; Ned: You were one to talk…) Ichigo pushes Jason to his back with a boot and pins it down on his chest, the referee counting 1…2…2.3 Jason kicks out. Ichigo lets Jason roll away so he can get a real swing in when he faces him. The Gore Machine reaches his feet…and he turns around to find Ichigo running at him…and catches the kendo stick! He headbutts him away and SNAPS the weapon in half over his knee! Then he hoists him on his shoulders…and DROPS him onto the stage with Absolute Destruction!

"Death Valley Driver! Absolute Destruction from his UCA playbook! Right on the center of the stage!" Ted calls. "Here's the pin—Jason may win the belt back!"

1…

"Hang on, hang on…!"

2…

…2.5 Tommy stops the count with a leaping elbow drop onto Krueger!

"Tommy interferes, saving the match!" Ned says.

"You don't even have an interest with the Hardcore Title, Oliver! Quit butting in on other people's businesses!" Logan shouts.

Krueger and Oliver go at it, trading fists like no tomorrow. Then Jason strikes a knee to the abdomen, grabbing Tommy's head and throwing him straight into the "SW" sign! Tommy staggers back and Jason Dropkicks him away. The first thing he sees is Ichigo on all fours…and then eyes the broken kendo stick…proceeding to grab the handle, turn Ichigo on his back and mount him to attempt LITERAL stabbing to his head! But Ichigo stops it on time with his crossed arms as Jason struggles to push his weapon down in his face. "DIE! JUST FUCKING DIE—" Jason snarls before a steel chair SLAMS over his back, courtesy of Sasuke Uchiha! Then he swung the chair down on Ichigo, who moved out of the way at the last second, hitting the stage instead as the harsh vibrations are sent back into his arms and he's forced to lose the weapon. Ichigo strikes a High Knee, causing Sasuke to stumble back very close to the edge of the stage…

…and he charges forward for the Spear…

…which Sasuke sidesteps! Ichigo goes down and rolls across the concrete floor! He's in pain, but he still gets up…and Sasuke counted on it as he gets a running start to perform a Diving Crossbody! Sasuke is on his feet after rolling off of Ichigo…and suddenly, a steel chair was FLUNG into his skull, bringing him down…and the culprit was revealed as Jason Krueger! Furthering revenge for earlier, Jason also gets a running start…

…and lands on both men with a Diving Double-Clothesline! Tommy's the last man standing as he watched the three lie beside each other from the amount of times their bodies felt the concrete. Hearing Los Angeles pleading Oliver to perform something similar, he ponders whether or not to take flight…and of course, he can't ignore them as he stands by the edge. Watching them all stir and rise to their standing positions…

…Tommy turns his back on them…

…arms spread wide before gesturing a sign of the cross…

…and he executes a beautiful Phoenix Splash on all three men!

"By George, Tommy's got it! The Phoenix Splash takes down all his opponents!" Ted proclaims. "This place is ELECTRIC!"

"Don't ever say that again!" Ned recommends in the same tone.

"I know; I thought it'd work with me, but I guess not!" Ted replies, still in his excited tone. "Point is, the fans are LOVING THIS!"

Indeed they are; nearly five minutes into the match, a partial section of the audience chant, "THAT WAS AWESOME! *clap, clap, clap-clap-clap!* THAT WAS AWESOME! *clap, clap, clap-clap-clap!*" and already everyone is DOWN. The first to remove himself from a horizontal base was Tommy himself as he seizes Sasuke for the cover: 1…2…2.53 Sasuke kicks out. Then he hooks Jason's leg: 1…2…2.5 Jason powers out. Last chance, pinning the champ himself: 1…2…2.47 Ichigo gets the shoulder up. Tommy expected this, but best to try and fail than not capitalize at all. He brings Jason up on his feet and throws him over back on the ramp so he can drag him back towards the ring in a headlock. Reaching ringside, Krueger suddenly drops down on his knees and Tommy is forced to pick him back up…

…but it was a trap for Jason to set up as he runs through Tommy, lifting him up and ramming him back-first against the LED board! Then he carries Tommy over via Vertical Suplex…and drills him with a Hydra Smasher—Vertical Suplex Stunner! Jason cricks his neck…and decides to go around for a new weapon to be found. In fact, a bunch of new weapons to be found and brought out to the public. He takes out two steel chairs…a trashcan filled with three kendo sticks, a 2x4, a fire extinguisher, a cookie sheet, and two light tubes…and a ten-foot ladder. He brings ALL these foreign objects inside the ring except for one, the 2x4…which is revealed to be wrapped tight in BARBWIRE, inciting cheers from the crowd. The Messiah of Neckbreakers measures Tommy to his feet like a predator stalking his prey, eyes locked on the Ranger alone…

…wields the weapon ready…

…as Tommy turns around…

…and he STRIKES the weapon straight into the midsection!

"OH, MAN! Barbwire city for Tommy Oliver!" Ned exclaims.

"The 2x4 wrapped in barbwire going downstairs, bringing down Tommy!" Ted calls.

Tommy falls to his knees holding the attacked area…and Jason WAILS his spine twice with the weapon, cutting the skin with the barbwire! Slices on Tommy's abs and lower back are exposed with lines of blood…and Jason nods to that sight with a sick grin. It wasn't enough for him, though…for he gets closer to Tommy rising on his knees…

…and FIRMLY presses the barbwire-clad weapon against the forehead!

"OH, GOD! OH, GEEZ!" Ned is aghast. "The barbwire is being GRINDED, being DRILLED into Tommy's skull as he screams in agony—he's at Krueger's mercy!"

"Somewhere in the afterlife, Rita and Lord Zedd are SMILING at this sight of their worst enemy put through wretched torture!" Logan says.

Left and right, Jason slowly grinds the barbwire across Tommy's now bleeding face, the sadistic grin NEVER leaving him; he shouts down at him, "This is what happens when you don't stay out of business that's NOT your own, Oliver! You should've left me alone with Kurosaki when you had the chance!"

And speaking of Kurosaki, the champion himself RAMS the ten-foot ladder into the back of Jason's skull, separating him from Tommy and freeing the Ranger from torture! (Logan: Where the hell did Strawberry come from?! ; Ted: Jason was so busy with Tommy, he never caught Ichigo sneaking by and dragging the ladder back outside to attack him with! Certainly taken a page from a Hall of Famed Opportunist!) Both Jason and Tommy are down as Ichigo raises up the ladder in triumph…before his eyes widen…

…when Sasuke ran in with a Dropkick to the ladder that sends Ichigo crashing into the LED ring apron and the ladder crushing his windpipe! Sasuke as the last man standing takes away Ichigo's ladder and puts aside to drag him next to Tommy. The Ranger prone and the Shinigami supine, the Lone Uchiha lifts the ladder and merely drops it over both men, hurting them in the process. He then walks around them to pick up a likely concussed Gore Machine, who he carries him up on his shoulders…backs up a few feet…

…and hits Jason with the Chidori Current (Rolling Fireman's Carry Slam) on top of the ladder, also compressing Ichigo's chest and Tommy's spine simultaneously!

"OHHH…! Talk about killing birds with the same stone! Sasuke hitting the Chidori Current on Jason Krueger into the ladder, which crushed both Kurosaki and Oliver together!" Ted states.

"Much to Krueger's pain, I say that was a pretty impressive move on Sasuke's part," Logan commends.

After that spot was pulled off, Sasuke had rolled through to his feet and struck a Legend Killer pose, garnering a few cheers from the admittedly impressed fans…who he then flips off from both hands to receive boos; because he's not here to impress fans, he's here to win the Hardcore Championship and climb back on top of the card. He drops down on Krueger for the pin: 1…2…2.69 Krueger kicks out! Second chance, he pins the champ: 1…2…2.65 Ichigo pops a shoulder up! Last resort, Tommy gets his leg hooked: 1…

2…

…2.62 Tommy kicks out as well! This rather annoys Sasuke…but he knows he's gotta keep this up if he wants to win the title. So he decides to roll in the ring, pondering which weapon to hurt his opponents next. He does pick up a cookie sheet…and a light tube. Looking back, he sees Jason Krueger clinging onto the apron with a death glare towards the Uchiha…who so happens to roll the light tube over to him, gesturing for him to take it. He grabs the second light tube for himself and stands ready for Jason to enter the ring and fight him. The Gore Machine gladly takes the tube and slithers inside, both heels keeping their eyes locked on each other…

…and though his back hurts from the ladder, Krueger charges with a swing…

…and a miss! Sasuke had leapt over the tube…and then SMACKS the cookie sheet over his head! He swipes away the tube from Krueger, holding both of them like swords…and he swings them down over his shoulders, breaking the tubes and the white powder being exposed! Krueger goes down on his knees…and Uchiha drills him with a Snap Double Underhook DDT! Another pin attempt: 1…

2…

…2.76 Jason shoots the arm up! Sasuke appears annoyed once more, but stops to recompose himself as he grabs the garbage can and dumps out the kendo sticks and fire extinguisher. Laying it on Jason's body, he runs to the ropes in front of him…and CRUSHES the trashcan onto Krueger with a Springboard Moonsault! Jason thrashes around holding his abdomen in pain and so is Sasuke after performing such a stunt. Wanting to force Jason endure more damage, Sasuke picks up the broken light tubes…and places them over his face. (Ned: Thaaat's not a good sight. ; Ted: EVIL intentions by the Lone Uchiha…) Sasuke once more hits the ropes…

…and…breaks the light tubes over Jason's face with a high Leaping Knee Drop!

"OH! Oh, no—oh, GOD!" Logan winces.

"As if those light tubes being close to Jason's nose to smell the fumes weren't bad enough, Sasuke practically BLINDS him with the shattered pieces after that knee drop!" Ted affirms.

"I'm pretty sure Jason is blind now with the way he's reacting!" Ned says, gesturing the way the second-born Krueger is violently thrashing around and covering his eyes.

As Krueger rolls out, Sasuke dusts off the glass from his kneepad and merely scoffs at him…and looks up—to Tommy Oliver nailing him in the face with a chair-aided Diving Thrust Kick! (Ned: Dynamic Entry!) Sasuke is down and Tommy brings him back up…hooks the arms…and earns a pop from the likely XCF fans when Tommy plants him with a White Tiger Driver (Sitout Tiger Bomb)! Center of the ring, referee John Benoit counts 1…

2…

…2.85 Sasuke kicks out…at the same time Ichigo struck a chair-aided Dropkick to the back of Tommy's head! As Tommy rolls away, Ichigo mounts Sasuke with a headlock and viciously punches his head in as revenge for that ladder spot earlier. He forces him on his feet and goes for an Irish Whip, which Sasuke reverses; his attempted Clothesline gets dodged and Ichigo snatches him into the Hollow End (Edge-O-Matic)! He catches the legs for the pin: 1…

2…

…2.75 Sasuke powers out! Ichigo grabs him by the head and throws him towards the corner, where he boosts him up onto the middle row rope. From there, he takes him on his shoulders in an Electric Chair. Meanwhile, Tommy makes a returning appearance from the top rope…

…as Sasuke is fighting with Ichigo to free himself from the possible Facebuster or Drop…

…and Tommy—is BLINDED by the fire extinguisher's carbon dioxide from Jason Krueger's usage!

"JASON! One of the three challengers is back involved!" Ned observes. "He takes out Tommy with the extinguisher—oh! He just hurled it into Ichigo's face, causing him to drop Sasuke in front of him!"

"Sharingan Impact—no, Ichigo pushes him off in instinct! And Krueger unintentionally assists him by pulling down the ropes, taking him out of the equation for now!" Ted describes. "Now he's after the champion himself!"

"Jase is now picking his spot, taking out his opponents one by one!" Logan calls. "But THIS is what we waited for—Krueger and Kurosaki alone in the ring, one-on-one!"

In the middle of the ring, Jason, whose forehead has been leaking blood since the tubes broke over him, and Ichigo have brawled it out amidst the cheering audience…until Jason ducks another punch…hits an STO Backbreaker…

…holds his right wrist with his left hand…

…and spins him out into an Acid Rainmaker! "IT'S MY TITLE!" Jason howls at the top of his lungs, kicking down Ichigo. "MINE! UNDERSTAND ME, KUROSAKI?! MINE!" He picks him up and uses him as a battering ram to take Tommy out from the apron. Looking back and forth between Ichigo and Tommy, Jason needed to win this match bad…so he picks up Ichigo and drops him quickly with a Release Powerbomb. He tells him to down and exits the ring, grabbing Oliver and dragging him over…to the RAMPAGE announce table that he smashes his head over. (Logan: Whoa, hey, hey—Jase! ; Ted: Tommy's head nailed over our table…which is currently now being ripped apart! ; Ned: I don't know about you guys, but I'm getting away as quick as possible! ; Logan: COME ON, WHY IS OUR TABLE THE FIRST TO GO?!) As the commentators are rushing to gather their stuff and distance themselves, Jason had purposely dropped the cover on top of Tommy. The feral Krueger stares down at the empty announce desk…

…drags Tommy up and tells him, "THIS is your punishment for butting in, Oliver!"…

…sets the standing headscissors ready…

…rolls Tommy onto his one shoulder…

and Awesome Bombs him through the table, pieces exploding out in the process!

"GOODBYE, ANNOUNCE TABLE NUMBER ONE! Jason just destroyed you and Tommy Oliver along with it by way of the Awesome Bomb!" Ted exclaims.

"DAMN IT ALL! JUST—GAH! SON OF A BITCH!" Logan swears. "YOU BETTER WIN THAT BELT BACK TO MAKE THIS BROKEN TABLE WORTH IT, KRUEGER, YOU DICKHEAD!"

The Gore Machine shoots a snarling glare for that comment from Reese…and snorts at him, turning to return the ring. He goes over to Ichigo, who suddenly strikes him with an elbow to the head. Jason staggers, but he boots the champion's face in. He grabs him by the ears and tells him he's DONE before nailing a Throat Thrust Uppercut…and then lining him up from the ring ropes. (Ned: This position—is he going for a Curb Stomp? The Sanity Unbroken? ; Logan: Looks that way, Bigby; this is the end for Strawberry!) Once Ichigo made it to his feet in a bent-over stance, Jason hits the ropes…

…SPEAR—KNEE LIFT TO THE TEMPLE! Jason outsmarts the champion! NOW Ichigo is dazed on one knee and foot…Jason hits the ropes once again…

…and STOMPS his skull into the canvas with Sanity Unbroken!

"Sanity Unbroken!" Logan shouts.

"Got it! Jason's got it!" Ted calls.

"We're about to have another title change—a first-ever two-time Hardcore Champion!" Ned proclaims.

Jason eagerly pins with the leg hooked: 1…

2…

Sasuke Punt Kicks Jason's skull off his shoulders!

"WHOA! S-Sasuke! The Venom, injected! Man, what a kick!" Ned cries.

"What, where the hell did he come from?!" Logan asks.

"I-I don't know—he came out of nowhere! Pun NOT intended, by the way!" Ted clarifies.

As Jason is out cold and pushed off, Sasuke takes over for the leg-hooked pin: 1…

"Ned, when you said we were about to have a title change…"

2…

…3!

"…you weren't lying!" Ted says as the bell rings thrice and "Misery Loves My Company" plays to a shocked reaction.

"Damn right! Sasuke wins! We have a NEW Hardcore Champion!" Logan exclaims.

"Here is your winner, and the new ACW Hardcore Champion: SASUKE UCHIHAAAAA!" Mike declares.

Sasuke immediately rolls off to his knees…and even he is as shocked as most fans in the arena! He's almost in disbelief…but his music was playing…his name was declared the winner…and referee John Benoit hands him his Hardcore Championship. He stares at it in his hands for a while, running a hand through his hair…before forming a small smirk and standing up to have his hand raised by the official and the other held high with the title.

"OUT. OF. NOWHERE. Out of nowhere, Sasuke struck at the RIGHT place, at the RIGHT time!" Ned states. "It was one of those vile, remorseless punts to the skull of Jason Krueger that ENSURED Sasuke's victory tonight over everyone! It looked like Jason had it won until Sasuke surprised us all with The Venom injected into his head and stole the win away from him!"

"Watch this again," Logan says as the replays occur. "After Jason SKULL-STOMPED Ichigo, Sasuke had slithered in on point and KICKED his head off his shoulders. Seriously, the way Jason's head turned from the Punt Kick looked GROSS."

"All it took was three seconds for Sasuke to fall on Ichigo and make the successful pinfall," Ted utters. "I mean, I am SHOCKED. What a turn of events—Sasuke as the NEW Hardcore Champion! Say what you want about him, but you can't deny his victory nor his wise strategy."

Replays were over and Sasuke is already found leaving the ring and heading up the ramp to the back with his new belt draped over his shoulder and a proud grin still plastered on his face. Meanwhile, Tommy is being tended to by the EMTs near the broken announce table…Jason, now awake and definitely likely to have a concussion, sits against the corner to watch Sasuke leave with the belt he first won in this company in utter disappointment, covering his face with both hands…and Ichigo also watching on and holding his head with his signature scowl, much heavier than usual due to his gritting teeth.

"Obviously, not everyone is happy about this result, whether some fans or the competitors like Ichigo and Jason. The fact stands that Sasuke is the new champion of hardcore," Ted says. "Ichigo can get his rematch clause when he chooses to; Jason…not so lucky. He'll just have to move on to bigger things now."

"I admit he did service well for the Hardcore Division as its inaugural champion, but I do agree. It's time for Jase to think where his ACW career will go from here," Logan says.

Sasuke Uchiha stands at the center of the stage, looking on at his crumbled opponents looking angry or miserable in the ring…and adds insult to injury by holding up the Hardcore Championship once more alongside a raised fist…and a shit-eating grin—one you'd typically see from a slithering snake. It's clear someone has found their smile again.

It's the last shot we see of him before the camera changes the scene…


…to backstage…as Téa Gardner is in her locker room stretching her legs in a split-legged position and after a while, she brings her legs together and stands up…her ACW World Women's Championship revealed on a shelf in the room with her shining brightly. The crowd gives out a chorus of cheers upon seeing her warming up. Robin Scherbatsky enters the room with a microphone as she preps to interview the champion.

"Anzu Mazaki," Robin speaks, "tonight…it all comes down to this. You're the last one the Horsewomen need to go after to complete 'The Change' they swear to bring upon the roster. They succeeded with iGeneration defeating Hart of Hyuga for the Women's Tag Team Championships around an hour ago…and it's up to Mai Valentine to win the World Women's Championship from you. What do you have to say to this?"

Téa has been slowly moving her wrist around when Robin entered…and after hearing her question and pondering, she sighs…

…and answers, "I won't lie…my heart fell when Hinata and Samantha lost. It hurt even worse with the way Samantha reacted to Hinata after the match. I couldn't believe what I witnessed as iGeneration walked away with the Women's Tag Team Titles. …But it is what it is, I can't deny their victory and how they won it, this is a pill I know I have to swallow. And despite this blow, I will not let it waver me. They still have yet to win the war…and I'm going to be the one to foil their plans. I am CONFIDENT on that. I hold the DESIRE, the PASSION, and the HEART to do what I can in my own power to retain this title and leave still as the World Women's Champion. And I have faith those things will be the reason I will win tonight, no matter what anybody says like the nonbelievers, the critics, people like Stinson, Reese and even Benson who refused to shut up—the whole shebang. I've stayed silent for too long after my confrontation with Mai…well, no more. Tonight…actions are going to speak more for me than my words. I promise you I will walk in that ring a FIGHTING CHAMPION…and I'm gonna leave it a FIGHTING CHAMPION.

"To give my thoughts on Mai, though…despite her alliance with the Queendom, despite her absolute insufferable ego she shares with them…I still see her as my friend. She has held my respect since our time in UCA and I'm sure she holds the same for me, as much as she doesn't show it. This may be me being the 'Friendship Girl' people like to mock me for, but it's how I see it. No one can change that, even if Mai is most likely to slap me just to 'knock sense' into my head. Nonetheless, we've been through a lot together with my friends; so I could be proven right or wrong. But right now…it's time for ME to shut her up. The time is now…to show everybody I have what it takes to lead this division proudly as the ACW World Women's Champion."

Téa grabs her title belt from the shelf and drapes it over her shoulder, a small, confident smile forming on her face as she leaves the locker room. Robin Scherbatsky is left alone to look on, eventually giving a nod.

"Kick some ass, girl," Robin gives approval.