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Hey everyone. I'm really sorry about the late update. I was away this passed week due to spring break and I really didn't have a chance to get on a computer. But better late then never I guess.
Now this chapter is the last one before Backlash, but I feel I need to warn you. It may not be as good as some of the other chapters that I have worked on. It was kind of rushed and I didn't have much to do.
But don't worry. I PROMISE to make it up to you at Backlash. Expect a long and intense cage match between John Cena and Machetti. Alright, now with all of that out of the way, on with the chapter…
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Chapter Four: Raw in England
Raw was airing from London England and Machetti and Maria were shown backstage walking towards the ring. Both Machetti and Maria were wearing wrestling gear and they were prepared to wrestle in their mixed tag match against Melina and Johnny Nitro.
But as they got closer to the ring entrance WWE Champion John Cena came out from a door and stood in front of them blocking their path.
"Cena," said Machetti, as he and the champ shared a heated stared down.
"Machetti," responded Cena, in the same tense tone that Machetti had, "Maria," said Cena as he turned and smiled at the diva at Machetti's side.
"Hi John," answered Maria in her normal airy tone.
Machetti shook his head but never moved his glance from Cena, "you know Cena, I've got to admit, I've got some respect for you."
"Oh and why's that?" asked Cena.
"Well, I've only been number one contender for a few weeks and I've already got a bull's eye on my chest. You saw what happened with Shawn last week."
"Yeah, I saw that," answered Cena, "but incase you forget, I was fending off, Orton, Edge, Michaels, and then you."
"Yeah, and you've been fending off people for the last what, three years?" asked Machetti.
"Yeah, something like that," said Cena.
"But I just want you to know," said Machetti, "that's not going to change anything. Sunday night at Backlash I'm still coming at you full force and I'm not going to stop until that belt is around my waist."
"Is that so?" asked Cena as his glare at Machetti intensified.
"Yeah that's so," said Machetti, "and what makes it even better is that Shawn's going to go out there tonight and he's going to practically kill himself in order to beat you."
"That's what I'm expecting," commented Cena.
"Good, you can't expect anything else when dealing with HBK," said Machetti, "but just remember. Every minute your match goes on it will help me, and god forbid you lose. So just remember, when you're out there struggling to keep going, I'll be watching."
With that Machetti pushed passed Cena and walked back off towards the ring entrance. Maria followed after him but turned to Cena and called, "bye John as they walked off."
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Riot Time played in the arena and Machetti and Maria came from the back holding hands. Machetti was wearing his usual orange shorts and Maria was wearing white sparkly wrestling attire. "Ladies and gentlemen," announced Todd Grisham, "the following contest is a mixed tag match and is scheduled for one-fall. Introducing first from Chicago Illinois, MARIA!"
The fans popped for Maria as Machetti raised Maria's arm up into the air and spun her around. "And her partner, from Detroit Michigan, weighing in at two hundred and fifteen pounds… MACHETTI!" The fans cheered loudly as Machetti smiled and took a small bow, then he climbed up onto the ring apron and sat on the second rope, holding it opened for Maria who came up via the stairs. Machetti and Maria stood in the middle of the ring and turned to the entrance ramp, awaiting their opponents for the night.
Johnny Nitro's theme hit and the red carpet was rolled out. The photographers started snapping pictures as Nitro and Melina came down the entrance ramp in their usual way. "And their opponents," announced Todd, "from LA, Johnny Nitro and the WWE Women's Champion, Melina!"
Nitro and Melina continued and did their usual entrance then they stood in the middle of the ring across from Machetti and Maria. Melina motioned that she wanted to start against Maria, so Machetti nodded and quickly squeezed Maria's hand for luck then went out onto the ring apron, while Nitro went onto the opposite one.
The bell rang and the two divas started with a lock off. Maria took Melina by surprise and took her down with a snapmare, then she nailed Melina in the back with a low dropkick. Maria went for a quick pin, ONE… TWO… NO! Melina kicks out with authority.
Melina got pissed that Maria had almost pinned her, then grabbed her and whipped her into the corner, then ran at her and drove her back into the turnbuckle with a clothesline. Melina then pulled Maria forward with a bulldog, then rolled her onto her back for the pin, ONE… TWO… NO! Maria just kicked out.
Melina glared down at Maria then pulled her up to her feet, then Melina backed Maria into the corner and started to blatantly choke her. The referee rushed over and yelled at Melina to break the hold. Melina slowly did, allowing Maria to drop down to her knees and clutch her throat in an attempt to catch her breath.
But Melina wasn't about to let that happen and while Maria was attempting to recover, Melina slapped her hard across the face. On the outside Machetti was pissed and attempted to get in the ring to help his girlfriend, but the referee rushed over and restrained him. But while the referee's back was turned Melina pushed Maria back into the corner and started choking her with her foot.
Machetti looked over the referee's shoulder and saw Maria was in trouble and quickly got out onto the ring apron and grabbed the tag rope. The referee left Machetti alone and turned as Melina just removed her foot from Maria's throat. But the referee had seen it and rushed over to Melina and started scolding her about choking. Melina argued back that she had a five count.
But while Melina and the referee were arguing Maria had managed to catch her breath, then as Melina turned back to her, Maria rushed forward, jumped up and wrapped her legs around Melina's neck, then fell backwards and took Melina down with a hurricurana. On the ring apron Machetti smiled then reached out his arm, urging Maria to crawl over and tag him.
Maria started crawling over to Machetti, but when she was just inches away Melina grabbed her ankle and pulled Maria back into the middle of the ring. Maria slowly got up to face Melina, but the women's champion took Maria down by throwing her across the ring by her hair. Now back in control Melina pulled Maria up to her feet, then whipped her into the ropes.
But as she reached the ropes Maria took a page out of Machetti's book and jumped up onto the middle rope, then springboarded off of it and caught Melina with a springboard clothesline as she came back. Both Maria and Melina were down in the middle of the ring. Both divas started crawling to their corners in an attempt to tag in their partners. The tag rope was practically the only thing keeping Machetti outside of the ring, he was leaning as far in as he could.
But suddenly Nitro ran into the ring illegally and grabbed Maria's ankle and pulled her back into the middle of the ring. The referee came over and started arguing with Nitro, but the damage was done and Melina managed to crawl over to Maria and locked in a side headlock.
Melina slowly got up to her feet and pulled Maria up with her, while still keeping in the headlock. Then Melina whipped Maria across the ring and into the ropes. But when she came back Melina stuck out her arm, causing Maria to run full speed into a clothesline. Melina quickly went for the pin, ONE… TWO… TH… NO! MARIA KICKED OUT!
Melina slowly got up, then pulled Maria up to her feet. Melina once again whipped Maria into the ropes, then as she came back, Melina shot Maria up over her head and into the air. Melina quickly stepped back and allowed Maria to come crashing down to the mat face-first. Melina smirked down at Maria, this was it for sure, then rolled her onto her back. Melina hooked Maria's leg and went for the pin, ONE… TWO… THRE… NO! MARIA JUST KICKED OUT!
Melina couldn't believe it and started to freak out in the ring, then yelled at the referee that it was a three count. But the referee shook his head and said he only got two. Mellina glared at the referee, then turned her head, allowing her angry glare to fall on Maria, who was laying prone on the mat. Melina sat Maria up in front of her then wrapped her arm around Maria's throat and locked in a sleeper hold from behind.
From where she was sitting in the middle of the ring Maria could see Machetti on the ring apron, urging her not to tap out to the sleeper hold and to fight out of it. Maria saw Machetti on the apron and knew he didn't want to lose on the raw before Backlash, but the sleeper hold was really taking a toll on her and Maria felt like she was going to pass out.
Machetti saw Maria was in trouble and quickly turned to the English fans for help. On the apron Machetti started chanting, Maria, Maria, Maria. The fans heard Machetti chanting and started joining in, causing the chant to get louder and louder. Maria heard the fans and Machetti chanting and once again started fighting. Maria elbowed Melina in the stomach twice and managed to fight up to her feet.
Melina kept the sleeper hold locked in from behind, but suddenly Maria ran towards an empty corner, then jumped up onto the middle rope. Maria then springboarded off of the rope and swung around then drove Melina's head down to the mat with a tornado DDT. Once again both Maria and Melina were down in the middle of the ring. Maria was the first to move and slowly rolled onto her stomach and started crawling over to Machetti, who was once again leaning as far as he could into the ring.
Maria kept crawling towards Machetti, and then with one final dive Maria made the hot tag to Machetti. The fans erupted in a deafening cheer. On the other side of the ring Nitro came in and both he and Machetti met in the middle of the ring. But Machetti jumped up into the air and came out on top by taking Nitro down with a flying clothesline.
Machetti pulled Nitro up to his feet then whipped him into the corner. Machetti ran at Nitro and hit him with a body splash then sent him flying across the ring with a hurricurana. Machetti quickly jumped back up and climbed up onto the top rope, then lunged across the ring and connected with a diving headbutt.
But Machetti didn't go for a pin, and instead pulled Nitro up to his feet, then whipped him into the ropes. When Nitro came back Machetti caught him with an arm drag, causing Nitro's back to come in hard contact with the mat. Machetti then ran to the ropes and jumped up onto middle rope, back flipped off of it, then landed on Nitro with a springboard moonsault.
Machetti quickly got back up and ran to the ropes, while Nitro got up to his feet. Machetti then springboarded off of the top rope and caught Nitro as he came back across the ring and drove his head down to the mat with a springboard DDT. Machetti slowly got up and pulled Nitro up to his feet, then he kicked him in the stomach and drove his head down to the mat with an Impaler.
But even though Nitro was out cold Machetti didn't go for the pin, and instead went to the nearest corner and climbed up onto the top rope. But before Machetti could do anything Melina jumped up onto the apron and grabbed Machetti's foot. But suddenly Maria ran from across the ring and knocked Melina off of the apron and down to the floor with a clothesline. Maria turned and smiled at Machetti, then stepped out of the way, giving Machetti the space he needed to do… whatever he was planning on doing.
Machetti took a deep breath, then brought two fingers up to his eyebrow and saluted the fans, then he springboarded off of the top rope, and launched himself high up into the air. Machetti flipped forward, ONE... TWO… TWO AND A HALF TIMES! Then landed back first across Nitro with a nine hundred degree senton splash. Machetti rolled off of Nitro and clutched his back, while the crowd started chanting, HOLY SHIT, HOLY SHIT! Maria looked like she was torn between amazement, and anger that Machetti would try something so stupid.
Machetti was in a great deal of pain due to the hard impact from his back slamming down into Nitro's stomach, but slowly he rolled onto his stomach and draped his arm over Nitro for the pin, ONE… TWO… THREE! HE GOT IT! MACHETTI AND MARIA WIN!
Riot Time started playing and Maria rushed over to Machetti and pulled him up to his feet, then wrapped her arms tightly around him and hugged him tightly. Machetti smiled at Maria then slowly brought his lips to her for a passionate kiss. Machetti and Maria broke apart then stood side by side, while holding hands then raised their joined hands up into the air. The crowd cheered loudly and started a Machetti chant.
With a huge smile on his face Machetti led Maria out of the ring and up the entrance ramp. But before going to the back, he turned around and held his hands to his waist and gestured that he was going to win the title. The fans still hadn't stopped cheering and Machetti slowly turned around and went through the curtain to the back.
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The Khali/Carlito match had just ended and Machetti was shown backstage. But this time he was alone and Maria was nowhere in sight. Machetti pulled open a door and walked into a room, which turned out to be Shawn Michaels' locker room.
"What do you want?" asked Shawn, who was sitting down on a bench, mentally preparing himself for his match.
"I just wanted to wish you good luck tonight," said Machetti.
"Is that so?" asked Shawn as he stood up and exchanged a heated stare down with Machetti. "That wouldn't just be because you're facing Cena on Sunday would it?"
"Oh of course not," said Machetti as a small smirk appeared on his face, "I wanted to wish you luck so that you could prove that all of those rumors aren't true."
"Rumors?" questioned Shawn.
"Yeah," answered Machetti, "you some of the guys in the locker room were saying how you can never get it done and how you'll never be able to beat Cena. Now as much respect as I have for you, I'm starting to think they're kind of true."
"What makes you say that?" asked Shawn as he stepped closer towards Machetti, with an unreadable expression on his face.
"Well come on Shawn," said Machetti, "when was the last time you held the WWE title? 2002? And Shawn, how long did it last? A month? Come on Shawn, no one can help it if they don't think you're ever going to win a title again. You've been trying again and again for the last what, four, five years? I'm really starting to doubt that it's going to happen."
"I don't need the title to be the Showstopper," snapped Shawn, "and I'm still at the top of my game."
"Yeah right," interrupted Machetti, "if that's true, then why doesn't anyone think you're going to beat Cena tonight?"
"I'll show you," snapped Shawn, as a determined look appeared in his eyes, "I'll show everyone. I'm going to go out there, and I'm going to keep going until I get the win. Nothing is going to stop me. I'm going to prove that I can beat Cena and that I can hold the WWE Championship. And once I'm done with Cena, I'm going to go to Backlash and I'm going to beat both Edge and Orton and become the new number one contender. So if you win that cage match on Sunday, watch your back."
Shawn pushed passed Machetti and stormed out of the locker room looking intense and extremely focused. "I wouldn't have it any other way," Machetti said to himself as a huge smile spread across his face. He had just motivated Shawn to go out there and wrestle until he beat Cena, which could be a long time. Slowly the camera faded and Raw went to a commercial break.
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Yeah, so Machetti is the reason that Cena and Michaels wrestled for about an hour on Raw. I'm still up in the air about how I want the cage match to end. And I'll probably decide last minute depending on what happens in the WWE Championship match.
'Till Next Time…
Peace!