4/27/20
Heath Slater had just snuck into the WWE Performance Center, looking for a place to hide. After he was released from his contract, his family's income has been shot. This 24/7 title was the only thing keeping him afloat now, memories of how he was the only person not drafted in 2016 came back which have left him unable to support his family.
Which is why he needed to keep this title for as long as he can, he's got kids!
He quickly hid underneath the table in the conference room, just then a mob ran passed him. As soon as they left he looked up and sighed in relief before getting out from under the table, "That was close, I don't know how much longer I can take this. I need to find a job, but my last three interviews were failures. Wrestling was all I had, now how will I put my kids through college?"
"Heath?"
The red headed 24/7 champion jumped before turning to see his old Social Outcast buddies and recently added RAW Tag team champions of Team 2KO-B Curtis Axel and Bo Dallas, "Oh, its just you guys."
"Dude are you okay, you like you ran 10 miles." Bo said.
"That's because I have, from my last job interview all the way here! I've been looking for a new job after I got fired, but that hasn't been going anywhere since I won this." Heath sighed as he gestured to his 24/7 championship. "I just don't know what to do, wrestling was the only way to give my family a bright future." Bo then patted Heath on the shoulder.
"Actually speaking of which, I think we have something to help you with that." Bo told him.
"What's that?"
"Our little pal KO," Curtis said "heard about your release from your contract, so he used his status as WWE champion and tag champion to pull a few strings."
"And if you can beat United States champion Andrade tonight in a match, you'll get a new contract!" Bo exclaimed.
"Really?" Heath's eyes gleamed.
"And that's not all, its also for the US title." Curtis added.
"Which means more money for your family!" Bo added.
(later)
Ding, ding, ding.
Mike: The following contest is scheduled for onefall and is for the United States championship, currently in the ring, the challenger, from Pineville, West Virginia... weighing in at 216 lbs... he is the current WWE 24/7 champion... HEATH SLATER!
Heath Slater paced around the ring, saying a little prayer to himself.
Tom: Byron, this is do or die for Heath Slater here.
Byron: You said it Tom, due to the circumstances of the world there have been a lot of cuts to WWE's personal. Many good men and women lost their jobs because of the Coronavirus, Heath Slater being one of them. But Heath now has a shot to win back his job but... that's easier said then done.
EL... IDOLO!
As the music played, out comes Heath's challenge.
Mike: His opponent, accompanied to the ring by Zelina Vega, Angel Garza, and Austin Theory. He is the United States champion... ANDRADE!
Tom: Andrade, here-
Byron: Of course wherever Andrade goes, Zelina and her new 'associates' Angel Garza and Austin Theory follow. Honestly I'm not surprised anymore.
Tom: Heath's gonna have an uphill battle if he wants to a new contract, along with the US championship to go with his 24/7 championship. 24/7 rules are still in effect.
The ref for this, Charles Robinson, held up the United States championship as Andrade and Heath stood in the ring. Zelina, Angel, and Austin all on the outside. "Easy win Andrade, easy win." Zelina smugly said. Heath surveyed the odds and gulped, this was all for his wife and kids.
Ding, ding, ding.
Heath charged in and was immediately hit with a dropkick, which was followed by ground and pound from Andrade. The Latino champion then stomped on the family man repeatedly, calling Heath "Loser", "Doofus", "Pero", "Stupido", or "Joke" with each stomp. Zelina laughed while her other clients cheered Andrade on.
Andrade then pulled Heath up and hooked him up for a vertical suplex, then rolled over for another vertical suplex, before giving a mocking shake like Eddie Guerreiro to finish off his version of the Three Amigo suplexes.
"That's a champion!" Zelina told the camera.
Andrade then shot up, and looked at the down Slater before shaking his head. This guy was a 14 year veteran, what a load. "Well Heath, what now?" he mocked as he slapped Heath's head as he got to his knees, "Come on its for your ninos y ninas, huh?"
Heath tried to get up by Andrade kept kicking him down, he then tossed the poor ginger into the southeast corner of the ring (camera facing the ramp). Heath got up, and caught an incoming Andrade with a boot that knocked him back.
Heath then nailed a clothesline to Andrade, before following that up with a running forearm. He then completed the comeback sequence with a few punches before topping off with a roundhouse fist that sends Andrade down.
Heath makes the first cover of the match.
1.
Andrade kicks out.
Heath picks Andrade up for a DDT, but Andrade maneuvers and sends him shoulder first into the northeast turnbuckle. Heath falls into a sitting position as Andrade hypes up his next move, his associates cheering him on as he bounds off the southwest corner- but he gets caught with a neckbreaker from Heath.
Heath hooks the leg.
1.
2.
Andrade kicks out.
Heath sighs in frustration before lifting the US title holder up, but before he can hit his finishing move Andrade countered into a northern lights suplex.
As Andrade got up Heath pulled himself to the southwest corner, and was hit with a corner running knees from Andrade. He then tossed Heath out of the corner before climbing to the top rope, leaping off with a moonsault- Heath rolled away, but Andrade landed on his feet and followed with a standing moonsault.
Andrade then stood up, pulling Slater by the hair. "You were a fool, if you thought you could beat Andrade!" Zelina called from ringside. Angel and Austin laughed at the battered Slater.
Andrade hooked Slater's arm and prepared for a hammerlock DDT, "Nada." before he can hook the leg, Heath moved his legs away, trying to prevent the move before pushing Andrade into the northwest corner. This made Andrade break the move before Heath started to drive his shoulder into his el idolo's midsection, before Heath rebounded off the opposite corner and came at Andrade.
But then he dodged a big boot and ran into a back elbow from Andrade, knocking the west virgian down. Andrade then picked Heath up and draped him over the east ropes, hooked the arm around Heath's back and dropped him with an elevated hammerlock DDT.
Andrade then turn Slater over, moved his body 90 degrees and hooked the inside leg.
1.
2.
Slater then moves his outside leg right onto the bottom rope for the rope break, which the ref saw before he made the 3.
Zelina freaked at this, her other clients shouting "COME ON!"
Andrade then saw the foot and facepalmed as he got off, "Stupid!"
The US champion pulled Heath towards the middle of the ring, but then Heath caught him in a small package.
1.
2.
Andrade was able to shift the pin onto Slater.
1.
2.
Slater kicked out.
Both of the got up, Andrade went for the boot fake-out back elbow, but Heath dodged that and kicked Andrade in the gut before nailing a lifting DDT right in the cener of the ring.
Slater hooks the leg.
1.
2.
But then Angel Garza pulls the ref out of the ring and onto the mat.
Austin then drove the ref into the stairs before he and Angel slid in the ring and attacked Heath. The two stomped on Heath as Zelina watched on, until she was turned around and slapped by Slater's wife (kayfabe wife Bula). Meanwhile inside the ring, the assault was stopped when Curtis Axel and Bo Dallas slid into the ring and tackled Garza and Theory. The B Team brawled with Garza and Theory as they went outside the ring and to the locker room, leaving Heath and Andrade alone.
As Heath was pulling himself up using the west ropes, Andrade pulled out a pair of brass knuckles from his tights. As he wound up the blow, he was turned from behind and hit with a stunner from Kevin Owens, who made his escape as the ref came back to life on the outside. Who stirred and looked up as Andrade was nailed with a jumping neckbreaker from Heath Slater.
Slater hooks the leg as Charles pulled himself back into the ring for the count.
1.
2.
3.
DING, DING, DING!
Slater wins! Slater's going to work!
I'M JUST ONE MAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN!
I'm a one man BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAND
As his music hit Slater panted as he sat on his knees.
Mike: Here's your winner... and NEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE WWE United States champion...… Heath Slater!
Slater let out a little laugh as he was handed the US title and the 24/7 title, he clutched them both to his chest. "Thank you KO." he said before standing up with his belts held high. He heard clapping from behind him, and turned to see KO (OK KO) with his WWE title and raw tag title in hand.
"Nice job."
Heath kneeled down and hugged the boy, "Thank you kid, you saved my family's future! Saved my job!"
"Your welcome, Heath." KO returned the hug. "You might want to run now, you're still 24/7 champion."
Heath then went wide-eyed and broke the hug before running out of the ring, KO watched him hop the barricade and into the weight room.
Title changes: none.
Welp, Heath Slater is now the WWE United States champion, and got his job back. HE'S GOT KIDS!