Chapter 18: Patriot
Tuesday, December 6th, 2016 - Royal Rumble: 54 Days Away - Houston, Texas
It was just 2 days removed from the SmackDown exclusive Pay-Per-View event, TLC: Tables, Ladders and Chairs. And it was during that event the WWE was presented with some moments that may be pretty unforgettable including, but not limited to, AJ Styles wardrobe malfunction, Alexa Bliss winning her first title in the WWE and witnessing Randy Orton and Bray Wyatt pull off the victory and take the SmackDown Tag Team Championships. And last but not least, TLC was able to witness Zack Mercer in his first ever TLC Match.
And today marked the 58th day in the Intercontinental Championship title reign of Zack Mercer. So with that being said, a lot of fans were on the edge of their seats wondering who was next for "The Las Vegas Ace" in his path to keeping the Intercontinental Championship around his waist.
James McGrady walked into the Toyota Center sporting a simple black leather jacket with a pair of black skinny jeans, a gold chain around his neck with gold hoops in his ears and a pair of red and black Jordan 1s on his feet. He had his hair up in a messy bun as he sported a pair of sunglasses with his beats over his ears. Today was gonna be a simple day or at least, he hoped it was gonna be. That was something that was rare for a WWE Superstar.
As James walked into the arena, he listened to his Pink Floyd album, The Dark Side of the Moon, to be exact.
He was walking with his head down until he felt someone jump on his back and pull his beats off his ears. He took a deep breath before he started to chuckle and shake his head.
"Lexi, is there a reason you're on my back?"
"No, not really. I just wanted to go for a ride," She replied, making him roll his eyes. These interactions between the two were something that was common for the duo which is possibly why most people questioned the relationship between the two.
"Okay, where to?"
"I don't really know, let's just go," she said as she could hear whine coming from his mouth, making her giggle before he did as he was instructed and started to roam the hallways of the Toyota Center with the new SmackDown Women's Champion on his back.
1 Hour Later - Men's Locker Room
James was taping up his wrist with white tape as he geared up for tonight's show in Houston. He was sporting a set of black and white gear akin to the same gear he wore when he debuted on SmackDown Live just earlier this year in August. He wore his current t-shirt design consisting of a black shirt with ZM in the center of the shirt in white with a set of tiger scratches behind the ZM logo. The back featured his famous catchphrase: "How you doin?"
Currently the locker room was as crowded as usual. It was simply just James, Randy, Josh and Jonathan Fatu in the locker room but mostly everyone was silent as they were trying to be respectful to Randy since he was on facetime with his family. It was sort of an unwritten rule in the locker room in the locker room that either that person taking the phone call would step out or if they didn't want to, that person had to be at a reasonable level but if it was a family call everyone had to be quiet and give that person the respect they deserved.
And with Randy being such an influential figure in the SmackDown locker room, he deserved that respect. In a way, Randy was an inspiration for James. Well the Randy that they have now and not the douche he was years ago.
"Okay, honey, I gotta go. The show is gonna start in a little bit. I love you all, I'll call you when I get in the hotel. Bye and kiss the kids for me," Randy said as he hung up the phone with his wife.
"It's cute what you got with the family. What y'all doing for Christmas?" Josh asked as Randy began to lace up his boots.
"Kim wants to bring her family, so it's looking like a Christmas with the in-laws. What about y'all two?"
"Just a big Christmas between our family. James, you doing anything?"
"My sister invited me to have it with her family but I probably won't go. I'll just send the kids something. And Lexi invited me to her family's christmas-"
James looked up and saw the look that the guys were giving him, making him roll his eyes.
"What's that look for?"
"Nothing, it's just funny how she's inviting you to the family christmas. Is her boyfriend gonna be there?"
"I don't know but if he is, he is. I have no problem with him." James said as he stood up and walked out of the room while Randy and the guys exchanged looks not buying his statement for one minute.
A Few Hours- SmackDown Arena
The fans in the Toyota Center had been enjoying the show so far. The night kicked off with the WWE Champion, AJ Styles coming out to announce that he was gonna be unable to compete tonight against James Ellsworth thus canceling his scheduled contest tonight. Ellsworth came down to the ring, talked his trash and ended up getting a Dirty Deeds from the disgruntled Dean Ambrose who lost his match due to Ellsworth's interference.
The Wyatt Family looked unstoppable as the new SmackDown Tag Team Champions as they took on the former Champions in an unstoppable fashion which now brought us to our current segment on SmackDown.
"Bully" Hits
The WWE Intercontinental Champion walked out onto the stage with the titantron being
the only video in the arena while the lights were off. Zack hunched over with a smile
before he stood back up vertically raising his index fingers and middle fingers up in the
air as a tribute to his mother and his sister. The lights in the arena started to flash bright
white lights. He looked down at his Championship and smiled as he looked around the
arena.
"Houston, It's Mercer Time Baby!" Zack Mercer yelled as he walked down the ramp slapping the hands of the fans in the front row.
Once he reached the ringside area he looked around at the crowd once more with a
smile.
He walked around the ringside area to the ring and got up onto the ring apron similar to
the Miz's style. He held onto the middle rope while he raised up his index finger and
middle finger with his other hand. He got up to his feet and entered the ring before going
over to the turnbuckle and did his pose over again while the fans cheered loudly.
He jumped down from the ropes and grabbed a microphone from a member of the ring crew and put the mic up to his lips.
"Bully" Stops
Mercer put the mic up to his lips but the fans cheering cut him off from speaking, making a smile sneak onto his face.
"Houston, How you doin!" Zack said into the mic as the fans cheered while Zack chuckled.
"If you missed TLC, then let me tell you missed one hell of a show. You missed me kicking The Miz's teeth right down his throat and grabbing this coveted prize that I wear around my waist," Zack said as he looked down at his coveted Intercontinental Championship.
"But I didn't come out here to gloat about my victory on Sunday. No, that's not why I came out here. I'm here to talk about what's next for Zack Mercer. I'm here to talk about the next big challenge in my path to success. And that next challenge is the Royal Rumble," He said as he lowered his mic and walked around the ring before looking up to face the camera.
"I, Zack "F'N" Mercer, would like to announce my official entry into the 2017 Royal Rumble!" He said as the cheers started to rumble throughout the arena.
"And I plan on putting this boot in the jaw of 29 other superstars and dumping them all over the top rope and headline WrestleMania," He said as cheers rang out throughout the arena once more.
"And there ain't a damn thing anybody can do-" Zack was saying until he heard what sounded like a fit of drums going off making him turn to the stage with a bewildered frown on his face.
"Patriot" hits
The WWE Universe had a light cheer with a small mixture of boos as they heard the music of none-other-than former World Heavyweight Champion, Jack Swagger.
Jack walked out with an American Flag in his grasp and a microphone clad in his black and gray singlet.
"Cut my music!" Jack Swagger demanded as he put the mic up to his lips while the arena got a little quiet as his music faded off into the background.
"Zack, you're out here making plans for the Rumble but what you need to be concerned with is tonight. There are some that call SmackDown the land of opportunity, I say let's put that to the test right here, right now! I say if you have the balls let me come down there and kick your ass and if I win, I'm the next man to challenge you for that Intercontinental title," Jack said as Zack shook his head, running a hand through his hair.
Zack looked around the arena before putting the mic up to his lips.
"You're lucky I'm in a good mood. So why don't you bring your irrelevant ass down that ramp and step foot in this ring and if you manage to beat me tonight, I'll give you a shot at the title," Zack said before tossing his mic over to the time-keepers area as the fans cheered.
"You're on, " Jack said as he marched down the ramp as SmackDown Live started to go on commercial break.
SmackDown Live came off the commercial break as Zack and Jack stood in the center of the ring with an official standing between them. The official called for the bell commencing the match.
Ding-Ding-Ding!
Zack and Jack charged at each other like two bulls locking it up. Jack was quickly able to gain control using his 6 '7, 260 pound frame to push the 5' 11, 224 pound, Zack Mercer into the corner. Swagger, being aggressive from the gate, swung on Mercer but the Las Vegas native was able to duck it and instead grab Swagger and switch places. Mercer caught Swagger with a hard forearm to the face.
Mercer with a series of forearms to the face as Swagger tried running out of the corner onto the ropes. Zack grabbed Jack by the wrist and whipped him into the ropes. When Swagger popped off the ropes, he was clocked with a hard back elbow. Swagger popped right back up and was caught by a jumping Enziguri from the Intercontinental Champion.
Jack Swagger rolled out of the ring and stumbled over to the barricade.
Zack looked around the arena with a smirk on his face as he simply shrugged his shoulders and walked towards the ropes. He jumped over the top rope onto the ring apron. Swagger turned back around facing the ring only for Zack to jump up onto the middle rope and turn and hit him with a crossbody taking him down, shades of the legendary Shawn Michaels!
Zack looked around with the same smirk as he grabbed Swagger by the hair and dragged him to the ring apron, slamming him face-first into the apron before throwing him in the squared circle.
The Intercontinental Champion turned to the crowd at ringside winking at one of the ladies at ringside before he stepped up onto the ring apron and stepped inside of the ring. The former World Heavyweight Champion, Jack Swagger seeing his opportunity ran towards Mercer full speed going for a front chop block causing Mercer to flip over onto his back, clutching his knee.
Swagger quickly went to work, putting the boots to the abdomen of Zack Mercer as the WWE Universe in the H-Town booed in their disapproval. Swagger plopped down over Mercer in a mounted position and started to rain in a barrage of fists as Zack desperately tried to cover up. Swagger, seemingly tired of this offense, rose up to his feet and walked towards the rope looking to get a breather as Zack slowly rose up to a vertical base.
Zack stumbled around only for Jack to come running full steam ahead putting Mercer flat on his back with a clothesline. The fans booed as Swagger looked on with a frown on his face. Swagger ran back to the ropes looking for more offense only to be clocked in the jaw with a dropkick by "The Las Vegas Ace".
Mercer with the hook of the leg.
1…
2, Swagger powered out at 2. Jack rolled over to his abdomen and started to crawl towards the ropes. Mercer grabbed Swagger and tried to whip him into the ropes but Swagger reversed it and sent Zack into the ropes. When Zack rebounded off, Swagger went for a clothesline only for Zack to duck it and instead run towards the ropes and jump up onto the middle rope and jump off the middle rope, spinning in the air only to be caught by Swagger. Swagger showing his freakish strength, held onto Mercer and ran towards the corner slamming Mercer back-first against the turnbuckle.
Mercer groaned out in pain as Jack started to pile on a series of right hands causing Zack to drop down to a knee in the corner. Swagger looked around the arena with a frown on his face as he grabbed Mercer by the hair dragging him up to his feet. Mercer pushed Swagger off of him and clock him with a knife edge chop to the chest making him howl in pain as the crowd "woo"ed. But Swagger had other plans and clocked Mercer with a hard kick to the gut, making him grunt in pain as he stumbled back into the corner.
Swagger grabbed Mercer by the hair and lifted him up to a seating position on the top turnbuckle. The former World Heavyweight Champion stepped up onto the middle rope looking to go for a superplex but before Swagger could even get Mercer set up, The Intercontinental Champion clocked Jack with a hard forearm to the jaw making him stumble off the middle rope and to the middle ring.
In one swift motion, Zack Mercer jumped up to the top rope and dove off, colliding with Swagger in a crossbody-like motion. Mercer with the hook of the leg.
1…
2, Jack Swagger quickly powered out at 2. Swagger rolled over as Mercer rolled away from the cover towards the ropes. Zack used them to rise up to a vertical base as Swagger did the same. Zack ran towards Swagger only for Jack to clock him with a big boot dropping him flat on his back. Swagger quickly rushed into the cover.
1…
2, Zack quickly powered out at 2. Swagger quickly popped up to his feet and bent down to grab Zack by his hair and pull him up to his feet. He grabbed a hold of Mercer's waist and lifted him up to his shoulders for the Swagger bomb but Mercer was able to get himself out of the hold.
He waited for Swagger to turn around to attempt the Ace of Spades but Swagger was able to catch the foot and force Mercer down to the ground for the Patriot Lock but before Swagger could really get the hold locked on Zack was somehow able to roll through it and force Swagger to hit the ropes. Mercer quickly popped up and when Jack came off the ropes, he was dropped with an Ace of Spades!
Mercer dropped into the cover.
1…
2…
3…
Ding-Ding-Ding!
"Bully" Plays
"Here is your winner: Zack Mercer!" The WWE Universe in Houston cheered loudly as the Intercontinental Champion rose up to his feet and ran a hand through his hair as the official grabbed his title from the ring crew. Zack looked around the arena with a smile on his face as he did a brush off the shoulder motion as Swagger rolled out of the ring.
The official handed Mercer his title and raised his hand in victory as Zack raised his title in the air. He lowered the title and placed it onto his shoulder as he looked on proud with his performance. But many fans were left with the question: What's Next for "The Las Vegas Ace"?
A/N: So What's next for Mercer? Any feuds that you guys may want to see drop them down below but I have one idea that I'm kinda iffy on so if you possibly have a better rivalry, feud or storyline or whatever it is, in mind I'm all ears.
This is the ZackAttack signing out!
Peace!