5/20/20
Ding, ding, ding.
Alicia Taylor: The following contest is the last Group A match up in the Interim Cruiserweight championship tournament set for onefall…
(cue Kushida theme)
Kushida comes out and does his entrance.
Alicia: Introducing first, from Tokyo, Japan... weighing in at 192lbs, he is the WWE 24/7 champion... KUSHIDA!
Mauro: This is the last Group A match up, with major implications. Kushida is at 2-0, if he wins he'll be moving on to face the winner of Group B to determine the Interim Cruiserweight champion. The official cruiserweight champion Jordan Devlin still trapped in Europe due to travel restrictions, therefor unable to fulfill his championship duties.
Beth: Kushida is one step away from becoming a double champion, he just this Monday won the 24/7 championship from Victor Sullivan after an attack from two guys from our Wednesday night rival.
Mauro: 24/7 title rules still in effect during this match.
Kushida enters the ring as the theme changes.
Tom: All that's standing in his way is this man.
Alicia: His opponent... weighing in at 150lbs... Drake Maverick.
Drake comes out, slapping himself to pump himself up for the biggest match of his life.
Mauro: Guys, what do you think is going through the mind of Drake Maverick going into this match against Kushida?
Tom: That this is life or death, if Drake Maverick can somehow pull off the win here tonight, he'll get his second win while Kushida will get his first lost in this tournament. Which along with Jake Atlas's 2-1 record we could be seeing a triple threat tie breaker, you have believe that is Drake's best case scenario right now.
Beth: After losing his job, being allow to compete in this tournament, if he's not careful this could be the last we'll ever see Drake Maverick in a WWE ring.
Mauro:
Soon Kushida and Drake were in the ring, ref Tom Castor rang the bell.
Ding, ding, ding.
Kushida and Drake locked up in a collar and elbow tie up, before Kushida got the smaller man in a headlock. Drake then slung him off the ropes but ate a shoulder tackle from the bigger cruiserweight. Kushida then bounced off the ropes, with Drake ducking and leapfrogging over the Japanese grappler before nailing him with a dropkick that knocked Kushida into the corner.
Drake then followed up with a running corner clothesline before rolling him up in a small package.
1.
Kushida kicks out.
Drake then went for a punch, but Kushida countered with a kick to the arm before nailing Maverick with a German suplex. Drake Maverick stumbled into the northeast turnbuckle, where he ate a running forearm from Kushida before he was taken down with an armdrag. The Japanese star then cranked on the right arm, the unemployed man screaming in pain before fighting to one knee.
Drake then started to nail shots to the ribs of Kushida, loosening the grip on his arm, giving Drake enough leeway to escape and run off the ropes- right into a fujiwara armbar to the previously injured arm. Drake was soon able to get on his knees and rolled the submission into a cover.
1.
2.
Kushida kicked out, forced to release the hold.
Drake then gripped Kushida's head with his good arm, before running along the southwest turnbuckle with a tornado cutter. Drake turned Kushida over and hooks the leg.
1.
2.
Kushida kicks out.
Drake moans dejectedly, "Nooooooo" before heading to the top rope on the southwest turnbuckle. Leaping off for an elbow drop, but got caught right into an armbar from Kushida. Drake yelled as his arm was extended to a painful angle, his free arm flailing around as he looked for a way out. After all he's done, he can't give up now.
Drake tried to pull his way to the south ropes to break the hold, trying to pull both his and Kushida's weight across the ring. His hand shaking with the urge to tap, fighting the need to end the pain. But if he did, he'll be out of the running and won't get his job back. Fear of going back to the unemployment line outweighed his fear of a broken arm, so he kept clawing his way to the ropes.
Just a little more.
Getting closer.
Almoooost there.
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….. Drake drapes his foot on the ropes, making the rope break. Kushida held the armbar in as the ref admonished, "Break the hold, he's on the ropes."
1.
2.
3.
4.
Kushida finally lets go of the hold.
Drake screams as he holds onto his arm as he gets up onto his feet, he crawls over to the southeast corner before ducking a running forearm from Kushida. He then hooked his arms under Kushida and drove down with a backslide.
1.
2.
Kushida kicks out.
Drake tried to drive Kushida head first into the turnbuckle, but Kushida counters and bashes Drake's head into the turnbuckle. Kushida then grabs Drake's arm and climbs to the second turnbuckle, but before he can do anything Drake clubs in the chest of submission specialist. Drake managed to snake his arm out before climbing to the top rope, and in an instant delivered a huge avalanche bulldog from the top.
Drake gingerly turns over Kushida and covers him.
1.
2.
3.
DING, DING, DING!
Drake pants as he sits up holding his arm, "I. I did."
Alicia: Here's your winner, and new WWE 24/7 champion... Drake Maverick!
Drake perked up when he heard that, ref brought him the 24/7 championship, which he took with his good arm.
His record now at 2-1, which means there's gonna be a tie breaker for Group A.
Drake quickly got out of the ring and over the barricade.
Group A
Drake Maverick: 2-1
Kushida: 2-1
Jake Atlas: 2-1
Tony Nese: 0-3
Title changes: Drake Maverick def. Kushida for the 24/7 championship.