Author's Note: Well…this is the final chapter after all. I want to say thank you to the wrestling fans that's read this fanfic since its inception. It's been a wild ride and an honor. The idea for "The Demon and the Maiden" started 3 years ago when Becky Lynch and Finn Bálor were both inaugural champions of their respected titles: the SmackDown Women's Championship and the WWE Universal Championship. I knew these two have potential and felt like they deserved a bigger push, so I made this fanfic in response to that matter by having them not just participate in a no disqualification intergender match, but in their first-ever indie wrestling match against each other. Originally, there were four options I had about how I want to set up the match: falls count anywhere, unsanctioned, a 30 minute Iron Man match, or a gimmick match. None of them clicked in my direction, so I decided to go with simply a no DQ intergender match. At least it adds for interesting chemistry and ring psychology.
The match that inspired me to portray Becky and Finn's bout was Undertaker vs. Triple H in an "End of an Era" Hell in a Cell match at Wrestlemania 28. In my opinion, it's my most favorite HIC match to watch and one of the best WWE matches of all time. The element, the atmosphere, the stage, the emotion, the drama, the action…..everything about this battle was incredible. The long-standing rivalry between The King of Kings and The Deadman was mesmerizing and captivating to see as a kid. There were some similarities between the fanfic and the WM match that I've compared to, including the idea of Triple H being obsessed in taking down the Undertaker, just like Becky has a growing obsession in taking down the Demon King. And like Shawn Michaels, Jordan Devlin has to endure the agony of seeing his two closest friends beat the shit out of each other once he plays the role of guest referee.
Expect intensity, emotion, and absolute madness in this chapter and I've gone all out for this last one. Whose will is greater? Who can conquer the other? Which one can prove that they're the greatest in Irish wrestling? All of this ends here. Right here….right now.
Ladies and gentlemen….Ch 10: The Greatest. Fasten your seatbelts and enjoy.
CH 10: The Greatest
"The following contest is a no disqualification intergender match….scheduled for one fall!"
"One fall!"
"And it is the main event of the Belfast Pro Wrestling Open!"
The crowd's cheers were immense, stretching from every wall of the arena. The atmosphere and anticipation is so unparalleled to the previous matches they've watched that the build-up to this bout was worth the wait.
Jordan Devlin's entrance theme, "Inception (Junkie XL Remix)", began to play in the background. Some fans stood up and cheered in support of the Import Killer by chanting, "Jordan! Jordan! Jordan! Jordan!". As that happened, Jordan appears from the curtains decked out in black referee clothes. He confidently walks down the stairs and headed towards the ring.
"Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome our special guest referee….from Bray, Ireland….he is the Import Killer, Jordan Devlin!"
Jordan enters the ring and heads over to a corner, one foot on the middle rope and the other on the top rope. He commands the stage with his signature pose, arms outstretched and eyes scanning across the arena. He heads back down and to the center of the ring.
Just as his entrance music died down, the adrenaline around the arena grew tremendous and gradually build into a cavalry of chants and claps for the two Superstars:
"Becky! Becky! Becky! Becky! Becky!"
"Finn! Finn! Finn! Finn! Finn! Finn! Finn!"
It wasn't until the lights quickly dimmed down that a massive pop emerged from the fans. And even though Jordan can barely see anything, the pop sent shivers down his spine.
Apashe's haunting version of "Lacrimosa" starts to play in the darkness. While the sound of hard-hitting violins suddenly crescendoed into the chorus, streams of purple fog begin to come out of the curtains and down from the stage. As the song's bass builds and builds, the middle of the curtains part ways and all the audience can see is blackness. But when a voice in the background eerily said, "That was Mozart…..", the bass drops and the Demon King jumps out of the fog and into the spotlight in all his savagery. The crowd cheer in splendor and awe of the monster before them.
"Introducing first, making his way to the ring….from Bray, Ireland, weighing 190 pounds...all hail the Demon King, Finn Bálor!"
Finn slowly crawls down the short steps, rolls forward, and jumps back up delivering a silent roar in front of the cameraman. Sticking to his demon persona, he sticks his tongue out to the fans as he eerily circles the ring, then looks at each of them with his intimidating glare. He enters the ring and in one corner sits on the top rope. In similar fashion to Jordan's signature pose, Finn does so with his arms outstretched as the purple fog surrounds the ring. He finishes off with a backflip and lands perfectly on the mat.
As Finn's entrance music died down, he stays in his corner looking in the direction of the stage. Jordan kept his eye on him in case he does something suspicious. It took a minute until the spotlight turned off on Finn and the arena is once again into darkness.
"Running Up That Hill (2012 Remix)" by Kate Bush begins to play and in an instant, fans were already on their feet and cheering from the seats and balconies. The queen is coming….
Just when those familiar first notes of the song play, the curtains part and Becky's silhouette hooded figure stood in the middle of the stage with a bright light and small white fog behind her. She takes off her hood, walks forward, and visibly appears before the crowd.
"And making her way to the ring….from Dublin, Ireland….weighing 135 pounds...all hail the Queen of the Emerald Isle, Becky Lynch!"
Fans clap and cheer Becky as she makes her way down the stairs and heading to the ring. Decked out in a dark-green cloak and a golden crown of traditional Irish knot design, the redhead feels like a warrior of her own right. She enters the ring and in the center of the mat, with the spotlight on her, takes off her entire cloak and reveals her unique ring attire. After she goes to her corner, Jordan picks up her cloak and gives it to a ring staffer nearby.
Becky's entrance theme died down and everyone around the ring, from the seats below to the balconies above, are instantly swarming with ecstatic shouting as the two Superstars walk forward and stare down one another. One side loudly chanted, "Becky's gonna kill you! Becky's gonna kill you! Becky's gonna kill you!" and another side chanted, "Bálor! Bálor! Bálor!". Jordan stood in the middle of the competitors, making sure one of them don't strike first before the bell.
Meanwhile at the commentary table on stage, pro wrestling commentator Mauro Ranallo calls the shots:
"Fans watching at home and in person here today at King's Hall, we're about to witness history in the making. Two of Ireland's renowned wrestlers of the modern era, masters of their craft, are finally facing each other for the first time in their careers. King vs. Queen. Mentor vs. Student. Best friends turned rivals in this deeply personal moment of circumstances that will change Irish wrestling forever. A match that'll not just be one of the best matches of the year, but one of the most anticipated intergender matches of the century."
The fans' clapping and cheering kept going for what seemed like 5 minutes.
"Certainly surreal. Becky and Finn go way back and the hype around this match is enormous. We hope that their chemistry in the ring is as explosive as their numerous passionate promos. This is just one of those unexpected matches we never thought would happen, but now has come to fruition. Truly, what's in store for these two combatants?"
Jordan keeps Becky and Finn's distance to themselves in the ring in order for him to start the match. Once again, Becky and Finn lock eyes at one another in all seriousness and it feels as if they couldn't hear the fans cheering for them. They were imagining themselves in an empty arena where everything was silent, just their focus on each other for a brief moment. At least, that wouldn't last for long. Not now….
"Ring the goddamn bell!", Jordan shouted from the top of his lungs as he gesture towards the bell ringer.
Ding, ding, ding!
The sound of the bell sends a pop throughout the arena. As the fans continue to cheer, Becky and Finn continue to stare each other down at a distance. Chants were ranging from "Demon King! Demon King!" to "Emerald Queen! Emerald Queen!" to "Slay the Demon King for us!".
Suddenly, Finn and Becky find themselves running across the ring and leaning against the ropes. Back and forth, the two Superstars gain speed. Midway, Finn gives a strong shoulder bump to Becky, sending her falling onto the ring mat. Becky gets a little surprised from the bump. She slowly stands up and nods at Finn, then the process starts all over.
Finn and Becky went back and forth on the ropes again. This time, Becky rolls across Finn's back and as the Demon King heads in her direction, she does a quick baseball slide. The attack sends Finn flipping forward and crashing onto the mat. He also gets a little surprised as well.
"Becky sends Finn flying and crashing down! And the Demon King's face says it all. Becky's sending a message to her former mentor that she means business. Real business, indeed. Things are just getting warmed up here at King's Hall, so don't miss a beat, folks."
Finn delivers a hard kick to Becky's gut and then, grabbing her by the front of her hair, swings a forearm strike to her face followed by a side headlock. Becky tries to resist the torque from his submission hold, so she leans back on the ropes to lessen the damage. Finn lets go and pushes her forward to the other side. Becky leans against the ropes and charges at Finn with a wicked basement dropkick, then quickly rolls backward after Finn lies on his back.
She takes a quick glance at him, then goes back to leaning against the ropes. Finn effectively dodges below while Becky jumps over him. Becky leans against the ropes on the other side into a running lariat and Finn leapfrogs over her. Becky comes back from the ropes and takes down Finn's legs, but Finn quickly shifts his body while Becky's head was between his black wrestling shoes, sending her spinning in mid-air. Becky gets up quickly to charge at her mentor and Finn responds by delivering 2 long Japanese arm drags: one on his left and one on his right. Finn jumps and dropkicks Becky, sending her outside of the ring.
With Becky slightly dazed from the kick and in position, Finn has got her in his sights. He runs to the furthest ropes, leans against them, and dashes forward. With all his strength, he jumps over the top rope into a topé con hilo, and brutally lands on Becky followed by a guttural roar. The Demon King now has the advantage.
"Topé con hilo, courtesy of the Demon King!", Ranallo said. "Bálor already dominating the match as Becky struggles to keep her guard up!"
Finn stands over Becky as she tries to massage her head from the aerial maneuver she received from him.
"Becky needs to stay agile and alert at all costs if she's going to defeat the demon. Finn's demonic self is proving to be a more dangerous foe than ever and we're only hoping that this match doesn't end in quick fashion."
Finn brings Becky back into the ring. He slowly picks her up, but Becky's back kick caught him off guard. Becky then runs, leans against the ropes, and charges into Finn's direction. Finn manages to see her coming and picks her up, delivering a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. But that didn't stop there. With Becky's back against his right knee, Finn begins to bend her body by placing his hand against her chin and applying pressure to her knees, pushing her down and straining her back. Becky writhed in agony as the pain's not only traveling throughout her back, but shooting up in her head.
"Oh, look at this. Finn's just torturing Becky to a sadistic degree, bending her back all the way which will help put a physical toll on her body. This is coming from a veteran years of experience in the technician area. Just as the Demon King would pleasure in the pain of his opponents by pinpointing their weak points and exaggerating them. And...what's this?"
Finn then adds to the pain by transitioning into a Texas cloverleaf, set into a squatting position and holding onto Becky's tied-up legs as she struggles to pick herself up from the pain traveling through her back and strained neck. Jordan is on standby, watching and waiting to see if Becky is looking to tap out.
"Finn goes into the Texas cloverleaf, sending the pain spectrum to 11 for Becky Lynch! Becky is in trouble! She doesn't know where to go! Is she going to tap? Is Finn looking to end this match early?"
Luckily, Finn lets go of the hold and Becky is left lying in the center of the ring, one hand behind her back. The Demon King looks at the crowd, then slowly turns his head behind to see his student massaging her already strained back to lessen the pain. Seeing her vulnerability, Finn punt kicks her in the face.
"Oh my god!", Ranallo immediately reacted to the kick. A collective of boos swarm across the arena against Finn's reckless action. Ranallo continued, "The Demon King couldn't care less in this match since anything goes. But my word, how far would Finn go in testing his protégé's limits? A vicious punt to the face seems to clarify his dark intentions."
While Becky covers her face, Finn goes behind the ropes and prepares for takeoff. He bounces off the top rope and attempts a springboard leg drop, but Becky rolls backward and delivers a basement dropkick to the back of his head. The two wrestlers quickly stood up at the same time, made a dash for the ropes, leans against them, and Finn and Becky collide with hard shoulder blocks. Both were unfazed.
The crowd cheers for the intergender match so far. There were back and forth chants of "Let's go, Becky!" and "Let's go, Bálor!" in respect for the two competitors.
"We've only seen the early minutes of this matchup so far...and not a SINGLE pin has been made! This is just an amazing demonstration of how much these two Superstars know each other. Finn bringing the best from his arsenal moveset against Becky's quick strategic maneuvers. A brilliant combination."
Impressed by how much they can read each other's moves, Finn and Becky decide to do a little test of strength. Finn locks his left hand with Becky's right hand and his right hand with her left hand. Once that happens, the two Superstars try to outpower each other. Becky pushes slightly in order to make Finn go down on one knee, but the taller and leaner Finn proved no match for her.
Slowly but surely, Finn overpowers Becky and the Emerald Queen finds herself bending over backwards. The overwhelming strength gave into Becky and she tries to prevent her shoulders from reaching the floor by balancing the tip of her head on the mat as if she were bridging. In the process, Jordan crouches nearby in anticipation of Becky's shoulders touching the floor.
Becky brings every ounce of strength into being and manages to headbutt Finn followed up with a spinning enzuigiri. In response, Finn strikes back with a Péle kick, stunning Becky. Becky leans on the ropes and Finn picks her up in the fireman's carry, looking for the Prince's Throne. Becky quickly goes back and performs a crossface chickenwing on him. She pulls him down until she's sitting on the mat, helping her transition from a chickenwing into a modified dragon sleeper. Finn is already on both knees with his back bent over due to Becky's overhead arm pulling his face down.
"Look at that! Becky's grappling skills are on full display as she goes from submission hold to submission hold. Just look at the creativity she's doing with her dragon sleeper! How is Finn gonna get out of that?"
It didn't take long for Ranallo's question to be answered when Finn uses his lower body strength to roll himself backward and picking up Becky on his shoulders. He gives her the Ushigoroshi, then a majestic standing moonsault.
The first pin.
The exact moment Finn pins Becky for the first time, Jordan rushes to their side and starts to count along with the fans in King's Hall:
"One-"
Becky smoothly rose up from under Finn before Jordan can finish the count. The whole audience gave a collective gasp before applauding altogether. Becky looks at Finn behind her back with certain seriousness. Jordan seems stunned, but Finn didn't seem to be bothered at all. Finn goes into a squatting position, watching Becky as she slowly begins to circle around him. As Becky goes around, Finn's cold-steel eyes follow. And as the fans continue to cheer, Becky gestures at Finn to bring on more of what he's got.
"Come at me, bro", Becky said with confidence.
Finn tries to grab her, but Becky went behind the ropes. To everyone's surprise, she bounces off the top rope and attempts a springboard leaping clothesline. Finn sees her move in mid-air and delivers a European Uppercut to Becky's jaw, the Emerald Queen crashing hard on the mat. Finn covers her for the pin and Jordan counts:
"One!...Two!..."
Becky kicks out at two. Jordan reminds Finn that she kicked out at two.
"Very interesting!", Ranallo said. "Becky making a statement with a springboard clothesline yet Finn caught her in the act and knock her out with an European Uppercut! Both competitors pulling off some new tricks up their sleeve."
A familiar chant filled the room: "Slay the Demon King for us! Slay the demon, slay the demon! SLAY THE DEMON KING FOR US! Slay the Demon King for us!"
Finn picks Becky up on her side and tries to execute a pendulum backbreaker, but Becky quickly spins about and locks in the Octopus hold. Entangled by Becky's legs and his right arm slightly pulled back by her, Finn struggles to get her off where he stands. His only option? Hurt her from behind. So he forces himself to run backwards to a ring corner and hit Becky against the turnbuckle, losing her grip. Finn runs diagonally to another corner, bounces off there, then attempts a running lariat.
Becky dodges his attack and stops behind Finn. She jumps behind him and delivers a reverse hurricanrana. Finn falls and finds himself getting pinned by Becky on top. Jordan counts:
"One!...Two!..."
Suddenly, Finn wraps Becky's head with his legs and grapples onto one of her arms, executing a triangle choke hold. The crowd nervously watches the situation unfold in the ring.
"Finn Bálor's got the triangle choke on Becky! A difficult submission to get out of and Becky is trapped! She's trying to move around for air, but Finn is securely cinched in! Panic mode is settling in for the Queen of the Emerald Isle and sometimes it needs a bit of strength to get rid of the De-"
Ranallo's eyes widen and the crowd erupts into gasps when Becky dismantles the triangle choke and deadlifts a shocked Finn up around his waist with ease.
"My god! You've got to be kidding me! You HAVE got to be kidding me! Becky! How is she-"
Becky musters up all her strength to lift Finn's body up on her shoulders and slams him back down to stun him, delivering a powerful sitout powerbomb. Fans in King's Hall erupted into loud cheers. Becky pins Finn and Jordan and the rest of the fans count:
"ONE!...TWO!..."
Finn kicks out at two and slowly rolls out of the ring. Because her mentor is bigger in size and height, Becky massages the slight stress on her back. The crowd applauds.
"What an incredible feat of strength by Becky Lynch! Upping the stakes with a devastating deadlift sitout powerbomb in the center of the ring! This match is full of surprises tonight and it just keeps building and building like a stack of cards. Absolutely amazing stuff!...And Becky is continuously holding onto that strained back. It might cost her some advantages further in the match."
Finn takes a steel chair from under the ring apron and heads back to the ring. He waits for Becky to stand up, then hits her with the chair a total of 6 times. Becky kneels from the numerous chair shots she received until she lays down on the mat. Finn places the chair down and picks up Becky, slamming her on top of the cold-sheet object with a vicious Michinoku driver. He picks her up again and slams her down on the chair with a release powerbomb. Becky rolls back and forth in terrible pain.
"The power of the Demon King is at hand, preying on the Queen with sheer animosity. Standing over her in the most devilish of grins, relishing in her suffering woes. But enough poetic matters from me, Finn has just obliterated Becky under deadly circumstances: once with a Michinoku driver, the other a release powerbomb! Just how much pain can Becky withstand at this time? Brutal, just brutal."
Finn quickly goes to a ring corner and takes to the top rope, diagonally in the direction where Becky is lying on top of the chair. He carefully turns his back and manages to balance standing on the top rope in position, facing the crowd. In dramatic fashion, Finn jumps in mid-air and twists his body in order to successfully deliver a Phoenix Splash...yet Becky moved out of the way just in time for him to land his face on the chair.
"OHHHH!", the fans shouted. Finn, feeling reeled by the hit-and-miss, curses at himself. Meanwhile, Becky goes outside of the ring and grabs 2 kendo sticks from under the apron. As Finn tries to maintain himself, Becky enters the ring with one of the bamboo swords and waits for him to look up. Once he does, Becky lifts the sword and strikes him in the face with convincing force, breaking its bamboo structure. The crowd winced as the sound of the kendo stick hits the Demon King.
"OHHH, Becky smashes the demon with a kendo stick! Stomach-turning madness, bamboo flying everywhere! Down goes Bálor, down goes Bálor! And...ugh, look at the crimson mask! Blood is trickling down Finn's face, seeping down his neck and chest. Such a graphic picture to see, folks!"
Finn was definitely kneeling in pain, blood dripping from his forehead and a slight cut on his nose. Becky takes a piece of broken bamboo from the mat and shoves it in his mouth. Jordan shows some signs of worriedness, a drip of sweat sliding down his face. He looks at Becky and Finn, wondering when is this aggression ever going to stop.
Becky towers over Finn, now establishing her dominance over the situation. She then taunts him with his signature shotgun hand sign that he once did during his time as Prince Devitt in New Japan, sending the crowd going nuts. The reaction and tribute to her former mentor was both riveting and compelling to watch. Becky decides to charge at him, but Finn swiftly gives a knife chop to her chest.
Becky, although taken aback, responds with a knife chop too. Then Finn goes for another knife chop, then Becky, then Finn, then Becky, then Finn. Back and forth, the two Superstars are chopping the hell out of each other and with every chop, the crowd cheers loudly. Becky blocks one of Finn's chops and ends the barrage with a jumping high knee, knocking him out.
She finds the chair nearby and settles it near a ring corner, placing it at a desirable angle. Becky then takes Finn up on his feet and pushes him with an Irish whip, but the Demon King stops an inch from the chair. Becky charges and Finn gives her a fast scoop powerslam on the angled chair with her weight bending it a bit. Finn pulls Becky by the legs and pins her. Jordan counts:
"One!...Two!..."
Becky kicks out at two. Finn sits in frustration over the pinfall.
"What a huge turnout by Becky Lynch, drawing first blood on the scene and getting into Finn's psyché. She's taking her time and trying to prioritize what moveset she must use on the Demon King in advance. As for Finn, it's perfectly clear that he's frustrated and needed to take it up a notch. He wants Becky to stay down for good."
Finn goes behind Becky and applies the cobra clutch on her, shaking her violently while locked in the submission hold. After a few shakes, he lets her go and leaves a dazed Becky on the mat. He finds and grabs the other unused kendo stick and just like Becky before, he waits for her to look up. Becky slowly kneels and lifts up her head to see Finn, but the Demon King was too quick to react. Finn deliberately strikes Becky's face hard, also breaking the kendo stick's bamboo structure to splinters.
"OHHHH!", the fans gasp in horror. Becky went face down, her long orange locks from her hair spread out among the mat, acting as a curtain to cover her face. Although it was hard to tell, but Jordan sees a bit of blood coming from the side.
"Oh MY god!", Ranallo shouted. "Oh MY god! You CANNOT unsee this! Finn Bálor, of all places, drives his kendo stick across Becky's face and now SHE wears the crimson mask! All things fair in this rivalry until one of them bites the dust!"
"Holy shit! Holy shit! Holy shit! Holy shit!", the fans chanted.
Once she slowly came to her senses, Becky shares the same injuries as Finn: a bloody forehead and a cut on her nose. Her face drips in protruding red blood as she lays tired on the mat, leaving Jordan stunned. Becky crawls to the ropes for support as Finn coldly watches her in a vulnerable state. Something in Jordan's gut tells him he must do something to help her despite his promise to not favor one wrestler over the other. But with Becky physically suffering midway through the match, there comes his sympathy for his closest female friend.
Jordan rushes to Becky's aid, who is already clinging on to the ropes for dear life. He kneels before her and sees the cuts and blood running down her face. "Becky….", Jordan said. "I hate saying this to you as a friend….but are you willing to forfeit? If so, say the word. To be honest, I can't help seeing you continue on like this. For the sake of your health, please let me ring the bell. Please-"
"No…", Becky said raspily. She glances at Jordan, him trying to bite his lip from shaking. "Do not….stop the match. Don't worry about me...I'll keep fighting to save him 'till I collapse."
"JORDAN!", Finn yells from across the ring. The sound of the Demon King's voice shook the special guest referee by surprise. Jordan turns to see him there.
"I order you to bring me a table and a ladder!", Finn shouted. "Do so accordingly and your loyalty to me will be rewarded. Obey your king this instant, Import Killer!"
Jordan looks at Becky with concern, then stands up and walks in front of her in defense. "No….I refuse", Jordan said to Finn. "I'll never bow down to any false king. You're nothing but a shadow of my former mentor."
Finn seethes in anger and said, "If you don't obey to me...then may your ungodly punishment be swift and incalculable!"
"Not until I stop you first!", Jordan said and rushes towards Finn. Fans begin to cheer as the two Irishmen trade several blows, one ruthless over the other.
"What's this? Jordan Devlin stepping up to Finn Bálor! He promised Becky that he'll not interfere in this match, but I guess seeing her exhausted from that blow was too much to handle! The young star becomes the Queen's advocate and is willing to sacrifice himself for the sake of her protection! Look at Jordan and Finn go!"
Jordan kicks Finn and tries to put him in the package piledriver position, but Finn goes upward to Jordan's shoulder level and begins punching him from above. Jordan drops him, but quickly turns him around so Finn's back is facing him. He wraps one arm around Finn's head and attempts a reverse suplex, but the Demon King perfectly lands on his feet and counters Jordan's move with Reverse Bloody Sunday.
"Oh, and the King of Darkness lands a nasty Reverse Bloody Sunday on Devlin! The youngster is hurt!"
Afterwards, Finn puts Jordan in his place by giving him an uranage slam and sends the guest referee in a world of pain. "Do as you're fucking told!", he roars. The Demon King heads outside of the ring and grabs a table and a big ladder from under the apron. He carefully puts the steel ladder near one ring corner and the table in front of the ladder.
Finn notices Becky steadily using the ropes to help herself stand up. Getting to her attention, he quickly sits criss-cross in the center of the ring. Becky sees Finn in front of her and noticing the gesture, she quickly does the same. The king and queen are now sitting criss-cross from one another in the center. Out of nowhere, Finn slaps Becky in the face. Becky wipes some blood from her face and slaps him back. Finn does the same as Becky before and the two begin slapping each other constantly, even bits of blood are smacked on their bodies. Becky headbutts Finn, but Finn backs up and headbutts Becky back.
He picks her up on one shoulder and heads for the table, but Becky recovers and grabs Finn from behind for a release German suplex, sending him out of the ring. She sees him in her sights and goes over the top rope delivering a diving plancha forearm smash combo to Finn down below. This sends the Demon King in a fit of rage and unleashes punches toward Becky, a majority of them she dodges.
He chases her back to the ring apron and the two find themselves lock in a position for a snap suplex. By that time, Jordan is struggling to get up. Finn tries to pull Becky up, but she wouldn't budge. Becky did the same, but Finn wouldn't budge either. Then, Finn lifts Becky in the air and delivers a devastating brainbuster on the apron. Becky's back is slammed at the apron's edge, knocking the breath out of her. Landing on the cold black mats outside the ring, poor Becky gave out a cry of pain for her strained back that can only be described as pins and needles.
"My goodness, I've never seen this crazy level of brutality in an intergender match before. This is beyond what I've seen in many intergender matches like this in the past. Such tension from the crowd and such intensity between these two Superstars! Have Becky and Finn lost their sanity along the way?! Will there be any closure to this madness?"
Finn sees some steel steps and throws it over the ring, landing in a corner nearby him for later use. He brings Becky inside the ring and pushes her to the opposite corner near the ladder. He runs towards her for a spear, but Becky quickly grabs Finn and delivers a reverse STO, hitting his head on a turnbuckle and stunning him.
Jordan is already up on his feet until he spots Becky walking to the area where the ladder and table were placed. "I'll warn you…Finn's not himself in this situation", he said to her. Becky looks to her right and eyes the table and the top of the ladder. The crowd realize what she plans to do and the excitement grew.
"I think I know what will shut him up", Becky smiles. She rushes to the ladder and starts to climb up in order to get Finn's attention. Finn gains his senses and looks to see Becky going up the ladder. He power-walks to the area, but Jordan tries to intervene and Finn gives him an overhead belly-to-belly suplex away from the two competitors. Finn climbs the opposite side of the ladder, facing Becky.
"Please don't die! Please don't die! Please don't die!", the crowd chants to Becky and Finn.
"Becky Lynch and Finn Bálor climbing all the way to the top! Both Superstars are never showing signs of slowing down and-oh god, they're trading punches! One after the other, one after the other! Look how high they are, they must be 20 feet up in the air! This is just dangerous….one of them's gonna break in half and, wait a second-"
The crowd builds a long "Ohhh….." in anticipation of what is yet to come. Finn tries to attempt a cutter, but to no avail. Becky punches Finn in the face, applies a front facelock, drapes one of his arms over her shoulder, and positions herself on the top first step of the ladder.
"Oh no…...I can't believe it. This is an all-out life and death situation and Becky and Finn are asking for a death wish!"
3….
"Becky, think of your family! Your friends! Your fans! Don't risk this for nothing!"
2….
"Don't risk this for everything! Save your own skin!"
1….
"This is going to be a disas-"
In one breathless take, everything feels like slow motion in a heartbeat. Becky falls backward and flips Finn over her. Everyone is on the edge of their seats: the fans, Mauro Ranallo, the people watching backstage, the people watching at home. The two Superstars fall down, down, down to the table below. The cameras follow their descent. Jordan's eyes start to widen, Mauro stands up with papers flying, Finlay from backstage falls down from his chair, Paul Tracey and Sheamus hugging it out.
It wasn't until everything goes back to normal when Becky and Finn's bodies smash through the table and their sickening thud creates a big hole from under the now broken object…
"MAAAAAAAAMMAAAAAAA MIIIIIIIIIIIIIAAAAAAAAA!"
The entire audience from every corner of King's Hall delivers a thunderous pop, the loudest the arena has ever heard. Everyone went crazy: some mouths were wide open, some put their hands over their heads in disbelief, some were looking at each other in amazement, and a majority of men and women were jumping up and down they had misty tears in their eyes. They yelled, they screamed, they hollered. The atmosphere was just electrifying and deafening in size and scale.
Ranallo maintains his composure and recites probably the best call of his commentary career:
"BÁLOR HAS BEEN SENT TO THE DEPTHS OF HELL! BECKY LYNCH, AN IRISH WARRIOR QUEEN FORGED IN FLAMES…HAS SUPERPLEXED HIM TO OBLIVION, TAKING HIM DOWN WITH HER! THE BEAST HAS FALLEN AND THE IRISH GODS AND GODDESSES HAVE SPOKEN...BECKY WILL. NOT. STAND. DOWN!
BECKY LIFTS THE ROOF OFF OF OL' KING'S HALL WITH THE MOST UNBELIEVABLE SUPERPLEX YOU WILL EVER SEE IN A PRO WRESTLING RING! BUT OH MY GOD, THERE ARE NO WORDS TO DESCRIBE IT! WHAT A MOMENT, WHAT A MATCH!"
The fans loudly chanted in unison: "Irish wrestling (clap, clap, clap clap clap!)! Irish wrestling (clap, clap, clap clap clap)! Irish wrestling (clap, clap, clap clap clap!)!"
While the crowd continues to make several loud pops, Jordan is seen in a corner holding his arms over his head, teary-eyed and emotionally drained that his two best friends will do everything in their power to rip each other apart. He sees the broken table before him, Finn and Becky's bodies laying silently under the rubble but they're still breathing. Jordan couldn't believe he witnessed something in the making…
"Jordan is an emotional wreck! He's feeling the anguish, the frustration, the desperation of Finn and Becky that it just overwhelms him to the core. This young man grew from being a 12 year old boy with a dream to one of the biggest stars in OTT, looking up to Finn and Becky as examples for his success, but in this moment the bad blood between mentor and student have escalated into very dark territory...and his emotions are in the thick of it."
Surprisingly, Finn is the first to slowly come out from the rubble to momentous applause and Jordan's heart sank. He fears the worst, knowing that Becky has done more damage to herself with the superplex. He took the remaining giant broken pieces of table away and sees Becky's slumped yet bruised body for the first time. She lies in the hole, her eyes closed and a number of small cuts and bruises were found on her skin. He checks to feel her pulse and she's breathing normally, which is a good sign. Jordan felt guilty that he didn't do anything to stop her, but it's too late. Becky seems unable to continue…
"I guess Becky is out….she's not getting up whatsoever. Looks like Finn is the winner in this case. There's nothing I think Jordan can do from there. It's over…"
Jordan looks at Finn, who is casually standing near a ring corner with his arms folded. The Demon King's cold, gray eyes were locked on his protégé waiting for a conclusion. Knowing he had no choice, Jordan gestures one of the ring staff to give him a microphone and Finn raises his fist in the air as if he were victorious. Looking at the fans, Jordan solemnly says on the mic:
"Ladies and gentleman….Becky Lynch has passed out upon impact and can no longer compete in this match. Therefore, this win automatically goes to Finn Bá-"
A sudden uproarious pop from the crowd startles Jordan in his tracks. He turns around and sees Becky crawling out of the hole and trying to get up. Jordan looks stunned and drops his mic. But it was Finn's facial expression that told the entire story. The Demon King froze in astonishment when Becky stood up looking slightly bruised but standing tall. A standing ovation from the fans followed.
"How in the HELL is she standing and breathing?!", Ranallo said in amazement and disbelief. "How is she still alive?! HOW?! I can't comprehend how much pain she went through both physically and mentally, but this….this is the 'straight fire' we all came to see! The passion, the drive, the will to keep on fighting and never give up! Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, this lass kicker is not finished yet!"
Becky intensely glares at Finn, looking as if all that frustration and anger inside her during those 7 missing years were about to boil. Finn does the same and taunts her by spreading his arms wide open. Jordan's in the middle of these two combatants, nervously wrapping his mind over what is going to happen next.
"Becky's on fire! The Demon King is terrified! Becky's on fire! The Demon King is terrified! Becky's on fire! The Demon King is terrified! Becky's on fire…", the crowd chanted.
As the fans grew more uproarious, both Finn and Becky slowly look from side to side hearing the loud reception from the crowd. Just seeing hundreds and hundreds of people in King's Hall cheering for this main event match sends goosebumps down their spines. They certainly brought the house down, but the fans wanted more.
"There's been a seismic shift in the Irish pro wrestling landscape and the fans couldn't get enough of these competitors who were considered long overlooked and well underestimated by their peers. Finn and Becky are staring down each other, ready to go full throttle-"
Finn and Becky charge at each other with absolute speed and began to punch each other simultaneously while Jordan quickly escapes the ring from harm, sending the fanbase into more uproar.
"And here we go! Finn Bálor and Becky Lynch, bare-knuckle fists flying, lock on target, the Rumble in the Jungle! They're going at it like Ali vs. Foreman! Two of the best wrestlers from Ireland battling it out with everything they've got! The Irish fighting spirit lives on!"
The following scene Jordan witnesses is an indy wrestling sequence of unimaginable proportion. Finn and Becky were putting on a fast-paced clinic of several movesets, so numerous it's difficult to keep up.
"The King and Queen's personas and versatile styles collide with a spectacular demonstration of hand-to-hand combat! Finn with the shoot style, offensive strikes, and technical prowess he's known for and Becky with a combination of mixed martial arts and technician moves!"
A series of kicks, elbow strikes, knee strikes, chops, and punches were traded between the competitors, nailing each other's moves one by one: Finn with a backhand chop, Becky with an overhead chop, Finn with a forearm chop, Becky with a spinning back fist, Finn with a leg sweep and spinning headlock elbow drop combo, Becky with a jumping bionic elbow, Finn with a discus back elbow, Becky and Finn delivering high knees, Finn with a bicycle kick, Becky with a cartwheel kick, and both dodging each other's discus punches. Becky and Finn went into their fighting stances and King's Hall went ecstatic.
The second part of the bout became a medley of signature moves, new moves, submissions, and counters exchanged.
Finn charges at Becky and Becky picks him up to plant him with an inverted atomic drop. She runs back to the ropes, leans against them, and comes running towards Finn. Finn delivers a back body drop to Becky, but Becky lands on her feet. He superkicks her, then hoists her up on his shoulders to attempt a electric chair drop. Becky incredibly back flips from Finn's shoulders seconds before Finn ever fell to the mat, to the shock of the crowd.
"What on earth?!"
Finn runs towards Becky, but Becky dodges and only pushes him further to the ropes. He hits the ropes front first and rebounds, giving Becky the opportunity to deliver a snap German suplex. Finn recovers quickly until Becky comes at his direction. He evades and delivers a snap German suplex of his own. Becky recovers quickly and the two competitors hit each other with a spinning knife edge chop. Becky delivers a high knee, but Finn quickly grabs one of her arms and tries to pull her in for a short-arm clothesline. Becky dodges and puts Finn's arms criss-cross together to execute a straight jacket suplex, only for him to land on his feet and into the tombstone piledriver position.
Becky lets go of her arms, swings herself upward, and does a sunset flip from under Finn's legs and easily applies a reverse Boston crab. Finn feels his back being pressured, so he desperately twists himself about and puts Becky in position for him to apply a figure-four leglock. Becky cleverly reverses the hold into an inverted Indian deathlock with now Finn in the danger zone. Finn tries to figure out a way to get out of the submission, so he lifts himself up the ground with his hands and twist himself about again to release Becky's hold.
It wasn't until Becky quickly grabs one of his arms and performs one of her finishing moves, Dis-Arm-Her. The crowd gets on their feet and cheers loudly for Becky to make him tap out. Once again, Finn's in the danger zone.
"Dis-Arm-Her! Dis-Arm-Her! Submission move in the center of the ring! Becky's got him where she needed it! Finn is struggling! Is this it?! Will this mark the fall of the Demon King?"
Finn manages to get up, carefully picks up an upside down Becky, and swings her against the corner turnbuckle. Becky falls and her head rests on the bottom turnbuckle for support. Finn pulls Becky and positions her body sideways. He goes up the top rope to prepare for an imploding 450° splash, but notices Becky quicky rolling out of the ring for safety. He heads back down to the mat, rushes to the side of the ropes, leans back and runs full-speed through the ropes for a suicide dive somersault senton but Becky shoulder rolls forward for him to painfully land on his ass.
She rushes to the ring apron (with Finn tailing behind) and does a moonsault. Finn dodges. Becky lands on her feet and Finn rushes to the apron and does a corkscrew moonsault. Becky dodges. Finn gets up quickly and Becky rushes to the second rope and does a springboard corkscrew senton. Finn dodges again. Becky goes into a parkour forward roll upon touching the ground and Finn rushes to the second rope and does a springboard diving crossbody. He doesn't realize Becky was still below and she slams him with a stunner, leaving Finn's body slumped diagonally from the floor to the apron. The crowd went nuts. Even Jordan, who was watching from a small distance, seems impressed.
"WHOA, Becky surprises yet again with a stunner! A stunner from outside the ring...and Finn got stone cold wrecked! What a tremendous display of athleticism between these two rivals. Those high-flying spots on the apron and second rope are absolutely sensational! But seriously...where is Becky's aerial gracefulness coming from?!"
Becky stands up and, like a badass, walks up over Finn's slumped body like stairs. She heads to the side of the ring and goes up the top rope. Jordan slides into the ring to see what is going on. Standing at the top, she turns her cheek to see behind where Finn is. Becky's thinking of pulling off another moonsault but just when she's about to do so, Finn quickly jumps to the apron, jumps off the top rope, and gives her an avalanche springboard frankensteiner inside the ring.
While Becky is down, Finn heads to the ropes and dashes towards her. Becky superkicks him and delivers a tiger suplex.
"OHHHH!", the fans exclaimed.
Finn leans on the ropes and gives Becky a hammerlock legsweep DDT.
"OHHHH!"
Becky leans on the ropes and gives Finn a rolling wheel kick.
"OHHHH!"
Finn leans on the ropes and gives Becky one of his old signature moves, Dreamcast.
"OHHHHHH!"
Becky leans on the ropes, kicks Finn in the gut, and jumps on his bent back, successfully delivering a sunset flip powerbomb transitioning into one of her signature submissions, Four-Leg Clover.
"Wha-oh my god! Four-Leg Clover! Becky with the Four-Leg Clover! WE haven't seen her do that in a while at WWE, but yet she's bringing one of her old finishing moves back to the forefront!"
The crowd cheers her on. Jordan keeps a close eye on the competitors. Finn tries to circle around, but Becky's hold wouldn't budge. The pressure on his legs and ankles were starting to become sore, so Finn tries to reach for the ropes. He inches closer and closer to the ropes and just when he thought he could reach a finger nor a hand to the bottom one, Becky quickly goes into a modified STF and the fans went wild.
"And another transition, this time into an STF! STF locked in! Becky putting all the stops, holding Finn tightly and enabling him to reach the ropes! The demon is desperate! Mayday, mayday! Oh, the suspense! He's stuck, he's stuck! And just-oh god, his hand! His hand! His hand's about to tap out! He's close to giving up!"
Finn had to think of something fast. He knew that the STF had an opening on Becky's left side since she's leaning pressure on her right. Finn extends his left arm and jabs under Becky's jaw 4 times, making her release the hold. The Emerald Queen lies on the mat, slightly dazed.
Finn goes to a ring corner and goes up the top rope to attempt a diving double foot stomp, but Becky follows suit before he can execute the move. She winks at Jordan behind her and gives Finn a high-angle Spanish fly. Jordan's eyes widen, thinking he couldn't believe she would attempt one of his signature moves. Becky then rushes to the ropes once Finn stood up. She jumps on the second rope and does a springboard moonsault tornado DDT. Becky pins Finn and Jordan plus the fans counts:
"One!...Two!..."
Finn kicks out at two and both him and Becky stood up at once. Finn tries an arm-trap swinging neckbreaker, but Becky pulls out of the move and delivers a superkick + roundhouse + spinning heel + jumping savate + tornado kick combo. Finn grabs her and tries to do a Reverse Bloody Sunday, but Becky does an overhead kick to his head to break from his grip and held his head. She delivers an outstanding transition of a standing shiranui into a double knee backbreaker. The crowd were literally stunned. Finn and Becky leaned against the ropes and two collide with a fallaway moonsault slam in the center of the ring, sending the competitors to the mat in tired fashion.
Everyone in King's Hall gave another long standing ovation to Finn Bálor and Becky Lynch. The two Superstars pit their blood, sweat, and tears into probably the hardest yet deeply personal match of their careers. It was as if every spot, every counter, every bump, and every bruise and cut were equal to those 7 missing years they tried to ignore each other, avoid each other, and separate each other. The pain, the tingling, and the soreness throughout their bodies didn't just serve as an alternative to fill in that dark 7-year void, but in learning how to see each other's complexities and insecurities.
"More than 6,000 fans here in King's Hall on their feet giving a heartfelt ovation for the ages. Those long innovative sequences we've seen in this match...are nothing short of awe-inspiring. Goes to show how far these two have grown and matured in their craft over the years. They are the definition of what Irish wrestling is about: hard-hitting, brutal, vicious."
Finn and Becky slowly get up and face each other. Finn's body paint was already immersed in sweat, creating purple and black smudges around his skin. He grabs Becky and had one arm wrap around her head like a front facelock and one of his hands slightly lifting her left arm. The crowd gasps. Finn puts Becky out of her misery with his finishing move, Bloody Sunday.
"Bloody Sunday! Vintage Bálor! That's it, it's done! Finn's got Becky where he needs her!"
Finn pins Becky.
"The cover!"
Jordan plus the fans count:
"One!...Two!...Th-"
Becky kicks out at two and the fans lose their minds. Finn is shocked himself.
"OHHH, WOW! Finn Bálor has put away countless opponents with this deadly move, but not Becky Lynch! She's not going to let Finn have it his way! Just what a dramatic near-fall!"
Finn's demonic impatience gets the best of him and he confronts Jordan about the near-count. "Why couldn't you fast count?!", he roared at his former protégé. "I was doing good until you fucking ruined my mojo! Do you understand, boy?!"
"You shouldn't have done that", Jordan said to his demon-possessed mentor. "You shouldn't have turned your back right now."
Finn snickers at his response. "Wha-what do you mean I shouldn't turn my ba-"
But just when he turns back around to see Becky, Becky kicks him in the gut so he can place him in a front facelock and hook one of his legs. She then delivers a finishing move she hasn't used for years since her 7-year retirement: Hard Knox (a fisherman driver). The execution of it all sparked a massive pop across King's Hall. Ranallo lost his shit completely.
"Jesus Christ, it's Hard Knox! Hard Knox! Hard Knox! Hard Knox! Becky's finisher from her past indie years! Vintage Becky! She and Finn bringing up their old-school finishers in this match, I love it!"
Becky pins Finn.
"Same as before, the cover!"
Jordan plus the fans count:
"One!...Two!...Th-"
Finn kicks out at two and the fans lose their minds yet again. Becky sits up and looks at the fans. She couldn't believe it either.
Many great rivalries have produced instant classics to cement their names into pro wrestling's history books and Finn Bálor and Becky Lynch are just one of those shining examples. One of the most unique narratives that the industry likes to weave is that of an underdog, told that they wouldn't amount to anything in life, rise to the occasion to silence the critics and triumph against all odds...even if it means sacrificing everything. This brand of individual, consumed with fire and passion, is determined to bleed and claw their way to the top regardless of the "monsters" they face along the way.
This is the moment when fans realize from these two near-falls that this wasn't just any main event spectacle. This is a form of pure theatrical storytelling at its finest….
Becky Lynch: the plucky yet stout-hearted Irishwoman whose passion and commitment to the sport reached heights never before seen in a generation. Finn Bálor: the charismatic enigma whose inner demons are a means of defending his honor and pride. The mentor and student are both underdogs, but they share different personalities and reasons why they fight for something…
Finn is livid. He looks at Jordan, slowly gets up, and begins to insult him head-on. The two brash Irishmen exchanged vulgar words to each other's faces, then the argument leads into physical territory when both of them begin a shoving contest back and forth. It got so intense that Finn rips Jordan's black referee shirt into pieces, leaving the Import Killer shirtless. Unbeknownst to the guys, Becky had a chair in her hand. Once Finn turns around to finish off his opponent, the Queen of the Emerald Isle throws the chairs violently towards him, sending Finn and Jordan over the ropes and falling down hard on the ground. The crowd was loving it.
"OHHH, down goes Bálor and Devlin! The two tumbled together over the ropes and onto the matted floor! Becky was trying to throw a chair at the demon, but the force sent Finn and Jordan off their guard!"
Becky rushes to the side where they fell, the two men lying on the mats below. It only took a minute or so when Finn rises up like The Undertaker, wide-eyed and angry. The crowd gasps.
"Uh oh….Becky...you better run!"
Becky tries to step back once Finn jumps to the ropes, but the Demon King was too fast. Finn jumps on the top rope and does an impressive springboard missile dropkick on Becky, knocking her down. Finn sees the large steel steps and uses the object as an opportunity to end things once and for all.
"Look at this visual. One side of Finn's face is clean off of the paint, looking like Two-Face from the Batman comics. Two personalities coming to life: his human side and his demonic side."
Finn grabs Becky and takes her to the top step. Jordan crawls into the ring, a bit exhausted and a little bruised from the fall. After positioning Becky to face him, Finn looks at Jordan and gives him the slow throat slash gesture with his thumb while sticking out his tongue. Jordan is shook.
"Oh boy….", Ranallo said in concern.
Finn then lifts Becky upside down into a vertical suplex position. Everyone in King's Hall held their bated breath.
"Cross my heart and hope to scream mercy on the Lord, Becky is in no way going TO FA-"
Finn delivers a deadly Steiner Screwdriver, slamming Becky's head onto the top steel step. A loud "OHHHHH!" filled the arena, followed by disgust. The red-headed Superstar looks knocked out cold, her body slowly slumping to the ring mat.
"Mamma mia, oh my god!...B-Becky is out! K.O.! Finn with the Steiner Screwdriver to Becky, clearly knocking her out in the process. It's over!"
The crowd went a bit silent for a moment as Finn calmly jumps off the top step and covers Becky for the pin. Jordan crawls to the competitors in time for him and the fans to count slowly together:
"One!….Two!...Thr-"
In a flash before the third and final count, Jordan's hand quickly retracted after Becky lifts her shoulders at two. A thunderous pop rumbled throughout King's Hall, the atmosphere of this main event match reaching its peak. As for Finn, he sat upright with the most blankest of stares.
"Un-be-lie-va-ble! Unbelievable! I have chills down my spine! THIS WOMAN CAN'T BE BROKEN! I thought Becky's moment was over, so did Finn! And I'm shocked as everyone else that Becky survived the Steiner Screwdriver! I believe no one in the history of pro wrestling has ever kicked out from that move, so it's a first in this event! The hopes of Becky Lynch remain alive at the Belfast Pro Wrestling Open!"
Finn is running out of options at this point. He did submissions, he did close-range attacks, he did a Bloody Sunday, and he nearly finished her off with one of the deadliest piledrivers known to man. None of them could take down Becky nor her "straight fire" spirit. She's just that unstoppable.
His demonic form's anger and frustration has reached its highest bidding. He kneels with his head touching the mat, hitting the mat as if it were a punching bag. Finn quickly picks up Becky by the neck with one arm and brings her closer.
"After everything I've done to put you down, no matter how much I've tried….", Finn growls through his teeth. "What makes you think you can beat me?"
Those exact words he said to her years ago at Bray Head…
Becky smiles. "The straight fire within me, perhaps. But most importantly because you're my mentor. And therefore, a part of me."
At that moment, The Demon King's expression turned from anger to hints of sympathy. That look was the exact same look she saw in him during the WWE UK Tour. And in Finn's perspective, she saw the exact same passion in her eyes when she was the only student to catch up to him at Bray Head.
Finn closes his eyes to clear his thoughts for a few seconds, then opens them and goes back to his angry self. He gives a chokeslam to Becky, runs to a ring corner, bounces off there, and does a running shooting star press….only to be caught by Becky's guillotine choke. A majority of the crowd stood up and begin to cheer for Becky.
"Guillotine choke hold on Finn Bálor! Becky's got it locked in, putting absolute pressure on the neck! Finn's trying to move, but she wouldn't budge! MMA tactics on display here in King's Hall and the audience are shouting for Finn to tap out! This ruthless submission is known for putting fighters to sleep and HOLY COW, Finn's in danger!"
Finn musters up all his leg strength to stand, but Becky keeps bending his head downward to increase the pressure. The blood in his head was slowly losing circulation and he finds himself back down on top of Becky, who is still holding on tight. The fans in King's Hall went nuts.
"OH SH-T! This could be it! Becky could raise the roof off this place if Finn surrenders! The demon's fading, the demon's fading! The pressure's too great!"
Adrenaline coursed through Finn's veins and once again, he uses all his leg strength to pick himself up with Becky still holding onto his neck. He slams her down with a powerbomb, goes up again, delivers a second powerbomb, goes up again, the last one being a 3rd powerbomb. It is enough for Becky to let go.
The effects of the guillotine choke was on full notice when Finn tries to massage his neck. All of a sudden, he starts to get a little wobbly plus feeling light-headed and exhausted. Jordan and the fans began to realize that the intimidating Demon King is losing his composure. An uproarious pop grew among the crowd in King's Hall.
"OHHH, the Demon King is shutting down! He's shutting down! Becky, now's your chance!"
Seeing Finn in a tired state, Becky sees this as an opportunity and tackles him with 2 running clotheslines plus a Canadian destroyer. She kips up and unleashes a guttural yell deep from her lungs. It got the whole crowd pumped up and the pop only grew larger. Becky delivers her signature call: "Straight….FIRE!".
She does a surprising sling blade to Finn, then at a ring corner waits for him to get up since he's slightly stumbling. Once Finn stood up yet still wobbly from the guillotine choke, Becky gives a running dropkick and sends him crashing against a turnbuckle. He lies familiarly near a ring corner and Becky knew what is happening. He's in the drop zone.
"Oh my god….don't tell me she's gonna do what I think she's going to do!"
Becky rushes to the top rope and slowly stands up with her arms outstretched. She jumps off and delivers a high-risk Coup de Gråce against Finn's stomach.
"Coup de Gråce! Coup de Gråce! Coup de Gråce!"
Becky pins Finn on top.
"THE COVER!"
Jordan and the fans count in unison:
"ONE!...TWO!...THREE!"
Ding! Ding! Ding!
"YEAHHHHH!", the fans exclaimed and the thunderous pop plus a standing ovation continues throughout King's Hall. Becky is still resting on Finn's chest, but it was clear that her emotions came out after the last count was made. Jordan kneels before them with misty tears in his eyes. Becky finally sat upright, smiling with tears visibly running down her face.
"Becky! Becky! Becky! Becky! Becky! Becky!", the fans loudly chanted.
Becky comes to hug Jordan, satisfied with the victory. In the center of the ring, Jordan picks up her arm in triumph as the ring announcer said:
"Ladies and gentleman, the winner of this match….the Queen of the Emerald Isle, Becky Lynch!"
The crowd claps and cheers for the red-headed victor. Becky couldn't help but grin in front of the fans. The absolute reception from her fanbase still gives her goosebumps.
"In all my years of commentary, I never thought I'll have the honor of commentating this main event match", Ranallo said. "Knowing Becky since her tenure in Elite Canadian Championship Wrestling years ago, this match was truly special. This Dublin-born female underdog...has really moved the hearts of many here in King's Hall. But also, a spectacular performance by Finn Bálor and Jordan Devlin too. These three deserve their moment."
Finn slowly sits upright, still recovering from the guillotine choke he received from Becky. Becky notices him struggling to get up, so she acts as support to pull him up on his feet. The crowd cheers in appreciation for the former mentor.
Becky and Finn, bloody foreheads and battered bruises aside, epicly stare down each other. Jordan sees his two best friends locking eyes, wondering what they have in mind since the match is over. The staredown looks like what felt like minutes, and then...it happened.
Finn and Becky sealed their rivalry off with a silent hug for 5 minutes, much to the delight of the audience. The fans drew their support for the competitors by way of chants during their ovation: "Thank you, Becky (clap, clap, clap clap clap)! Thank you, Bálor (clap, clap, clap clap clap)! Thank you, Becky (clap, clap, clap clap clap)! Thank you, Bálor (clap, clap, clap clap clap)!"
After the hug, Finn and Becky were clearly in tears. Everything they had done in their pro wrestling careers had led up to this point. They believe that the performance they've delivered in the main event match not only skyrocketed them to superstardom, but establishing their legacies in the Irish pro wrestling scene.
Becky gestures Jordan to give her a mic and he does so after asking for one from a ring staffer. She then starts to speak to the fans:
"The last time I've been in the indie circuit was in 2013. It's definitely an honor to be back at the scene again. I love what I do, I love the energy, I love fighting among the best of the best….but it's your undeniable support for me that keeps me going day in and day out. Make no mistake...I would've never been the wrestler I am today if it weren't for you guys. And I'm eternally grateful in having the opportunity to perform for you all, so thank you so much."
The crowd in King's Hall clapped for Becky.
"But in case if you're wondering….", Becky said, "there's still one more person I needed to know...and that is the Headmaster. Since the match is already over and as promised…."
Becky turns her attention to the stage. "Headmaster, would you kindly step out from backstage and show yourself? Let's see who you really are."
Fans cheer as they turn their heads toward the stage where the mysterious Headmaster has yet to make their presence known.
"I wonder who it'll be?", Ranallo questioned.
There was a long pause in the air and it seems for a couple of minutes, Becky wonders whether there is such a thing as the Headmaster coming to the event. Besides, the Headmaster is the one who set up the main event match in the first place. Jordan and Finn watch the stage with bated breath.
"Yellow Flicker Beat (LYAR Remix)" by Lorde starts to play in the background. The haunting lyrics and LYAR's signature beats and style filled the arena in an enigmatic presence. Becky feels her heart beating very fast. Right at the buildup of the lyrics "I'm done with it", a woman emerges out of the curtains much to the crowd's massive pop and Becky, Finn, and Jordan's stunned faces told the whole situation.
The woman is surprisingly the same height as Jordan, but much older. She has orange-brownish hair tucked in a French braid, fair white peach skin, and striking brown eyes. She walks down the stage's steps with the biggest smile on her face and holding a bouquet of flowers, immersed in the ecstatic uproar of the audience.
"Holy shit! Holy shit! Holy shit! Holy shit!", the fans chanted.
"As I live and breath….", Ranallo smiles. "The Headmaster is….Velvet McIntyre! A high-flying and technical sensation of WWF's women's division during the 1980s, McIntyre had legendary rivalries with the likes of Sensational Sherri and The Fabulous Moolah. She's also known for her memorable tag team work with Princess Victoria, having defended their women's tag team championships against other potential tag teams. Having retired from in-ring competition since 1998, McIntyre has finally come back to Ireland and making her appearance known right now in King's Hall. We have to say….welcome back, old friend."
Velvet enters the ring as the ring announcer presents the guest:
"Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome….former WWF Women's Champion and 2-time WWF Women's Tag Team Champion, Velvet McIntyre!"
Fans in King's Hall clapped in respect for the WWF legend. After Velvet's entrance music died down, the Irish wrestler is warmly welcomed with a chorus of chants:
"Welcome home! Welcome home! Welcome home! Welcome home! Welcome home!"
"Welcome back! Welcome back! Welcome back! Welcome back! Welcome back!"
"McIntyre (clap, clap, clap clap clap)! McIntyre (clap, clap, clap clap clap)! McIntyre (clap, clap, clap clap clap)!"
Velvet nods in response to the people's chants and gets a mic from a ring staffer. She then speaks to the crowd:
"Damn….how long has it been? 20 years? I feel old. Must've been hibernating back up in Canada."
The crowd laughed. Velvet slightly chuckled herself.
"Yes...I am the Headmaster. In secret, I've been the Headmaster since 3 months ago. The story goes that Finlay - bless his heart - told me that Becky and Finn were going on vacation back to Ireland and I thought, 'Why not surprise them with an automatic qualification into the Belfast Pro Wrestling Open?'. So, playing as the mysterious benefactor and booker of the main event match, I actually called Regal to 'pretend' that he received an anonymous letter from me….and convince you guys to participate."
Some fans in the audience gasp. Becky and Finn looked at each other, seemingly confused. Velvet turns to Finn.
"Finn Bálor….when you called Regal earlier about who the Headmaster was, I was secretly listening behind the scenes as an unknown third person to make sure you didn't identify my alter ego."
Finn is stunned. Velvet McIntyre...was listening on my conversation with Regal?, he thought. That's a bit stalkerish, isn't it?
Velvet then turns to Becky.
"And Becky Lynch….I saw you pummel Finn to the ground at the conference. Yes, I was dressed as a fan to camouflage with the crowd. That epic ending was just the icing on the cake."
Some fans in the audience gasp again. Becky had her hands behind her head like she couldn't believe it.
Velvet looks at Becky with sincerity and said, "You know, to be honest...I thought I was going to be the last Irishwoman to serve in the women's division when they went on hiatus in 1990. But now...I guess I was wrong."
The crowd cheers for Velvet, knowing who she's referencing.
Velvet moves closer to Becky and said, "When I heard that a female wrestler from my hometown was making huge attention more than anyone in the WWE, I had to meet her myself. And that woman...is you."
Becky nods in confirmation. Velvet continues on, "You remind me of myself when I was young: spirited, clever, hard-working. It moves me still to this day….that to know another woman wrestler from Ireland is continuing on that legacy. I can now be relieved that my legacy will be in safe hands."
The fans clapped and cheered.
"And that is why…." Velvet gives the bouquet of flowers to Becky. "I'm finally passing the torch to you."
A small pop travels throughout King's Hall. Becky accepts the bouquet, holding back tears. Velvet hugs her and encouragingly said in her ear, "Keep doing what you do, love. Never let anybody take you for granted. And congratulations, Miss Straight Fire."
Becky took their words to heart and thanks Velvet for the encouragement.
"Oh, and one more thing…", Velvet said and pointed to Finn. "Finn has something to say to you. It's significantly important."
Becky looks at Finn, confused as anyone else. Even Jordan is confused. "What does she mean? Really, what does she mean?", Becky mouths her words to her mentor. There was a short pause between her and Finn. "Fergal!", she sternly projected her voice, addressing Finn's actual name.
Finn sighs, grabs a mic from a ring staffer, and faces Becky. "I already met Velvet McIntyre backstage...while I was getting decorated for my new demon look."
A collection of gasps filled King's Hall, followed by a series of claps and cheers. Becky's eyes widen, stunned by the statement.
Finn continues. "She came quietly into my dressing room while my two artists were doing paintwork on my body and we've talked about a lot of things. McIntyre learned about my situation about you having trouble with my antics back in New Japan and you not being a part of the Bullet Club, so...we came to an agreement of sorts."
Becky seems suspicious of Finn at that moment. "And...what will that be?", she said on her mic.
Finn massages the back of his neck a bit, then moves closer (but within distance) to Becky at the center of the ring. Becky's heart begins to beat fast and her palms start to sweat. She sensed something was up…
"Becky….", Finn said. "That no DQ intergender match we just did wasn't just for the BPWO….it's also a test."
Every fan couldn't believe it. Becky can't seem to wrap her head about what's going on.
"As your mentor…", Finn continues on. "I'm initially proud of what a wrestler you have become. I've pushed you against your limits, I've tried to take you down many times, and yet you still rise to the occasion. You are ready, my protégé."
Everyone felt what was going on expect Becky and Jordan. Becky felt something overwhelming coming over her like she wanted to cry.
"Becky…."
A silence came over the crowd as Becky held her breath for what she's about to hear.
"Welcome...to the Bullet Club."
Becky is just as shocked as any fan is in King's Hall. Another pop ensues among the crowd. She was speechless, never realizing that the outcome of the match would be more than just a win. Her victory against Finn solidified her status as a new member of a stable she wasn't a part of, but now is. Becky looks at a shocked Jordan and then at Velvet, who couldn't help but smile.
Finn smiles too. "You don't need to go to New Japan to stay with the group, but if you ever join the promotion in the future...tell the OGs you're a student of mine and they'll welcome you with open arms. But anyway, I will like to add this…"
Unbeknownst to Becky, the rest of the other competitors were already present on stage along with Finlay.
"Many doubters can laugh at what they think you can do and what you believe in. Good….because they don't know the true meaning of 'straight fire'. I didn't get the philosophy when I first met you, but when you grew up not just as a wrestler but as a person, that's when I knew. 'Straight fire' is not just a phrase...it's the will to move forward and do better, regardless of the circumstances. I believe I have that 'straight fire' in me. So does Jordan, Velvet, the wrestlers, and the fans here...we all have 'straight fire' in us. You taught me and the others what it means to be someone that faces adversity. And because of that…"
Finn kneels before her and bows with his head touching the mat. "You have earned my respect."
The crowd gave a series of claps for the two competitors. Becky tries to hold back tears, but they started to run after Finn did the honorable bow. She shakes her head in disbelief, gives the flowers to Jordan, goes down on one knee, and spoke on the mic:
"You don't have to bow, Finn. I always knew you respected me for a long time...but thank you. Thank you for being the greatest teacher I've known."
"No….", Finn said and stood up. Becky did the same as well. Finn then answers, "I should be thanking you...for being the greatest student and the greatest friend I've known."
The two embrace each other once again. Jordan looks at this display of respect and feels like he needs to say something, so he walked in between them and hilariously said on his mic:
"Hey, aren't you forgetting someone, Finn? You know...someone that looks like you but with better facial hair?"
Finn couldn't help it, though. "Yes Jordan, you're the greatest too. Come here, buddy!", he said and Jordan comes in to hug Finn and Becky.
After their hug, Finn, Becky, Velvet, and Jordan bow in the ring to a momentous round of applause. Suddenly, gold confetti from the roof begins to fall over the four wrestlers in celebration of the event. While Apashe's "Black Gold" plays in the background, Finlay and the other wrestlers walk down the stage's steps to join the group.