Before the fireworks even begin to go off in the area, the WAR show opens with view of the arena parking lot. In the distance a limo is seen making its way down the parking lot and towards the arena’s backstage entrance. As the limo pulls up, the backstage door is opened by an unknown member of SFT’s WAR staff. As the limo comes to a complete stop, the staff member reaches for his radio and speaks into it.
Staff Member: Ok, he’s here…
The limo door then open as Brickcity “B” steps out! The fans are heard booing in the arena as Brick shuts the door and smiles as he looks over to the back stage entrance.
Brickcity B:Well, I am here! Finally… WAR actually means something now.
Brick approaches the door but the unknown staff member stands in his way. Brick shrugs for a bit then attempts to walk around him yet the staff member blocks him from getting into the arena.
Brickcity B: Umm, what are you doing little man?
Staff Member: I am sorry Brick… But you and Saga have both been out of control lately…
Brickcity B: Me? Out of control?
Staff member: you run in during matches, you attack people from behind… We can’t have this anymore. Since you are not scheduled to wrestle tonight, I can’t let you in…
Brickcity B: And who the fuck made that decision?
Staff Member: I can’t say… Those were my orders…
Brickcity B: Order huh?
Brick smiles for a bit, turns to his right and then quickly nails the staff member with a hard right hand! The SFT employee falls to the floor as his radio crashes onto the ground.
Brickcity B: Stupid fuck…
At this very moment, as Brick is about to enter the backstage area, six members of the SFT security walk out of the back stage area and into the parking lot. Four men surround Brick as two of the security members check on their fallen mate.
Brickcity B: Well, aint this some shit?
Security Member 1: Brickcity “B”, you are not allowed in this area. Orders have been given and you must leave immediately…
Brickcity B: And if I don’t?
Security Member 2: Well, then we will be forced to remove you.
Brickcity B: I see… Well, I tell you what… I’m in a good mood… So I won’t kick all of your asses tonight. So I will leave… But before I do… Tell me, who exactly made the decision to keep me away for WAR tonight?
Staff Member 1: That decision came from Shadow himself… Well, that is… After Glenn Owen had a small discussion with him…
Brickcity B: Glenn Fucking Owen? The fucking idiot from TITANS? What the fuck does he have to do with WAR?
Staff Member 2: Sorry…
Brick chuckles a bit and then turns around back to his limo. The security personnel stands around for a while as Brick enters his limo. Soon there after the limo speeds off and WAR gets under way!
BAM! BAM! BAM!
Fireworks go off ontop of the ramp. "Creep" by Radiohead really kicks in, as the mist slowly fades away from the fireworks. Suddenly, Johnny Legend walks through the mist. Sporting flashy purple tights and jacket... Johnny Legend rubs his World title, as he stands ontop of the ramp.
"Coming down to the ring at this time, (Legend walks down the ramp) weighing in at 200 pounds, hailing from Fire Island, New York... JOHNNY LEGEND!" Amanda Summers says into the mic.
Johnny Legend slowly walks up the steps, and gives a few words to the fans... Some unkind words. He then gets into the ring and steps into the middle... Fireworks burst to the sides of the ring - Legend turns slowly around in a full circle and shows his winning smile. The mist clears after a few seconds, and Johnny Legend takes his jacket off - then his World title, which he just tosses to the ringside staff. Legend then awaits his opponent.
The lights suddenly dim, but do not entirely go out. Just then we hear a rather deep voice come through the arena's speakers . . . "I'm not the one who's so far away when I feel the snake bite enter my veins. Never did I wanna be here again and I don't remember why I came . . ." "Voodoo" by Godsmack continues to play from that point on. Purple smoke starts to fill the head of the stage as blue lasers shoot all around the other parts of the entrance. Out from the back walks Midnight to an array of cheers from the crowd always to his surprise. Wearing a black hooded robe he steps out into the smoke and pauses for a moment. He continues to walk down the ramp until reaching the ring apron. He slides under the bottom rope and rolls. Midnight stand up and flips his hood back as his music fades and the lights fully come on again. He removes his robe and walks to the opposite of the ring and slightly crouches to a kneeling position as he waits.
The arena is silent in anticipation as the bells from Pink Floyds high hopes starts to ring over the P.A. system. The fans rise to their feet to see the one and only Lexus make his way out slowly as the music begins. He looks calmly over the arena and nods as he heads to the ring with confidence.
All three men circle the ring before Lexus charges at Johnny Legend hitting him with a stiff boot to the gut. Lexus then grabs Legend and tosses him to the outside. Midnight then charges at Lexus hitting a punch to the skull. Midnight goes for a neckbreaker but Lexus is able to reverse it into "Fate" then locks the hold in, in the middle on the ring. It take Midnight only a few seconds before he taps out.
JC: I know that a lot of folks have been anticipating this one since it was announced, so let’s hope they aren’t disappointed.
RW: With these two talented superstars, I very much doubt that is gonna be the case.
Before either commentator can say another word, the arena is plunged into darkness as the opening notes of Kid Rock’s “Cocky” play over the PA System.
RW: Oh come on, not now, the fans want to see this match.
JC: Seems like what the want and what they get are going to be two different things right now.
As the music would suggest, SFT’s Director Of Talent Relations strolls out onto the stage in his customary black Armani suit and white shirt, and we can also see a row of stitches across his forehead from the brutal assault by Nathan Gust on last week’s show as ‘The Franchise’ strolls down the ramp and slides into the ring.
JC: Something tells me that the match may have to wait, it looks like Christian Cage has some words for us, most likely to deal with that heinous assault on him last week by Nathan Gust, who we’ll see later on tonight in our Main Event.
RW: Heinous attack? Cage got exactly what he deserved after he cheap-shotted Gust on Inferno.
JC: Two wrongs don’t make a right, Randy.
Christian Cage: OK, OK, cut the damn music. I’m gonna make this damn short and, as I’m here, damn sweet. Joe Gunn, get your ass out here right now.
As per Cage’s request, Gunn strolls out onto the stage in jeans and a black t-shirt with “The Show” emblazoned across it.
RW: It’s great to see Joe Gunn back here in SFT, and he looks in phenomenal shape as ever.
JC: Question is though, why isn’t he dressed for action.
RW: Well, I guess we’ll know soon enough.
Christian Cage: Now Joe, I’m guessing by the way you’re dressed that you got my memo earlier. Unfortunately, due to family circumstances beyond his control, Louis Cypher can’t be with us tonight, so that obviously means that there’s not gonna be a match.
The fans boo at this announcement.
Christian Cage: I know, I know, I don’t like it much either, since I was looking forward to the match myself from a fan’s POV, but my hands are kinda tied on this one.
Therefore, by the power vested in me, I declare that the winner of this match, as a result of a forfeit, is Joe “The Show” Gunn!!!
Gunn raises his arms to soak up the cheers from the fans and poses for a few seconds before heading backstage.
Cage drops the mic and slides out of the ring as his music hits again and he heads to the backstage area.
RW: Not quite how Joe Gunn wanted to get the tick in the win column I guess, but that’s the way life can be sometimes.
JC: A win is a win Randy, Joe should be glad to get it any way he can, especially against someone like Louis Cypher.
RW: I just hope that these two have a chance to settle this properly somewhere down the road, because I don’t think Gunn will be thrilled with such a hollow victory. As for Christian Cage though, what the hell was that last part of what he said meant to mean? Gust already has a tough match against the impressive youngster, Alekz Kutov Aruski, with Gust’s Hardcore belt at stake, and now he has this threat from Cage to deal with as well.
JC: Well, I guess that’s the price that you have to pay for laying your hands on a man as powerful as Christian Cage. Gust made his bed, and now he’s gonna have to lie in it.
RW: Well, I’m guessing we won’t have too long to wait, since our Main Event for this evening is scheduled to be up next, and as we said earlier, it features Alekz Kutov Aruski challenging Nathan Gust for the SFT Hardcore Champi…
JC: Sorry to interrupt you Randy, but I’m just getting word that we’re heading backstage, apparently there’s something going on that we need to be looking at.
As John Cartwright says this, we do indeed find ourselves in the backstage area, outside the locker room of the challenger for the Hardcore Title to be precise. From our position, we can hear two voices having a conversation inside the room. One of them is that of Alekz_KA himself, and the other seems familiar, but is more difficult to identify, as he seems to be whispering, probably in an effort to prevent others hearing him.
RW: OK, what is all this about?
After about 30 seconds or so, the door of the room swings open, and the guest strolls out, pausing only to say:
“Good luck Alekz, you know exactly what I expect, and you saw what happened to High Roller, the last guy to let me down”
The man then strolls off down the corridor, ignoring the presence of the camera crew as we see the back of his Armani suit disappearing into the distance before we return to ringside.
RW: What in the holy hell is going on tonight? What was Christian Cage doing in Alekz_KA’s locker room?
JC: He’s the Head Of Talent Relations; he was just doing his job, relating to the talent.
RW: Yeah, and I’m sure the fact that that particular piece of talent is facing his arch-enemy in just a few minutes would have nothing to do with it, right?
JC: Are you making accusations Randy? You wanna be careful about doing things like that, they might end up getting to the attention of people that you wouldn’t want to cross.
RW: I just call what I see, nothing more.
JC: Just stick to the facts and you’ll see a man doing his job, nothing more.
JC: It’s Alekz’s first step-up into championship class here in the SFT, so let’s see how he handles it against a man who has been on a hot streak over the last few weeks here on War. Shame that streak will end at the PPV even if he does survive tonight.
RW: Speaking of the PPV, what the hell was going on back there with Christian Cage coming out of the challenger’s dressing room?
JC: I told you Randy; the man was doing his job.
As Randy says this, Grade 8’s “Adrenachrome” plays over the PA System as the reigning SFT Hardcore Champion, Nathan Gust, makes his way out onto the stage with his title belt around his waist.
Gust pauses for a second at the top of the ramp, and in that second, is blindsided by his challenger, who doesn’t seem in much mood for making a formal entrance.
JC: Looks like Alekz ain’t wasting any time getting out of the blocks.
The bell rings to signal the official start of the match as Nathan fights back from the assault with a series of punches followed by a flying forearm as the two battle down the ramp towards the ring, with Gust still wearing the Hardcore Title belt around his waist. As they get back towards the ring, AKA whips Gust sternum first into the ring apron
JC: That’s gonna sting in the morning, let’s just hope there’s no internal bleeding or broken ribs from that impact
RW: Why the hell would you be worried about Nathan Gust’s welfare?
JC: I couldn’t care less for his welfare; I just don’t want Alekz doing Christian Cage’s job for him.
RW: How much does Cage pay you for this crap?
The two men climb into the ring, with Gust still holding his chest from the impact, and looking a little winded. Alekz grabs Gust over his head and gorilla slams him down to the canvas, knocking the Hardcore Title belt off in the process, and follows up with a quick leg drop across Gust’s throat before trying for an early cover:
ONE!
NO!!
RW: As we’ve seen in the last few weeks, it’s gonna take a hell of a lot more than that to keep Nathan Gust down.
JC: That might work for some of the lesser guys that Alekz has faced so far, but it’s not gonna work at title level.
Alekz slides out of the ring and grabs a steel chair from next to the announce table as Gust takes the opportunity to get his breath back from the earlier impact.
AKA slides back into the ring and swings for Gust’s head, but the Hardcore Champion manages to duck and counter with a drop-kick, sending the chair into AKA’s face and opening up a small cut on the hairline. Gust then drops the chair and tries for a Tornado DDT, but Alekz shoves him off and body slams him down onto the steel chair.
RW: My God, he could have done serious damage to Gust’s spine right there.
JC: Now who’s getting worried about Gust’s welfare?
Alekz drags the chair out from underneath Nathan and places it over his face instead before crashing down with another leg drop. As the chair slides off, we can now see that Gust is bleeding from his nose, which may well be broken. Again, Alekz goes for the cover:
ONE!
TWO!!
THR…NO!!!
RW: Closer, but still not close enough for AKA in his quest to take the Hardcore Title from Nathan Gust.
AKA turns around to remonstrate with the ref, claiming that official counted too slowly, and that it should have been a 3-count. As he’s doing this, Gust staggers to his feet and grabs the first the thing that comes to mind, which happens to be the Hardcore Championship belt. Not waiting for AKA to turn around, Gust drills him in the back of the head with the gold and sends him stumbling across the ring as the referee dives out of the way. Gust follows up with a stream of lefts and rights to the back of the challenger’s head as AKA finds himself trapped and under fire in a corner. Managing to turn himself so that he is at least face-to-face with his opponent, AKA manages to counter Gust’s shots with some heavy ones of his own, shifting the momentum and sending the Champion reeling.
RW: It’s amazing to see how quick the pendulum is swinging back and forth in this one, neither man seems able to sustain an advantage.
Gust finally drops to the ground under the weight of AKA’s punches and manages to just barely reach out to grab a kendo stick which has found it’s way into the ring as AKA lays into him with a series of stomps and kicks to head and body. Gust somehow manages to swing the stick and catch AKA off-balance with a shot just behind the knee, allowing him crucial seconds to regain his feet and nail the challenger with some vicious kendo stick shots across the lower back.
RW: I guess you could say that’s revenge for the assault on Gust’s spine earlier on.
Sensing the chance to gain a huge advantage, Gust discards the kendo stick and quickly climbs up to the top turnbuckle, waiting for AKA to get into position for what he has planned.
RW: Big risk here for Gust, he could either end up with a massive advantage, or find himself right out the running here.
JC: Well, I guess there’s no reward without risk, and this is damn sure a risky strategy in such a back and forth match-up
Gust leaps off the top rope with an attempt at an ax-handle, but AKA is waiting, with the kendo stick in hand, and smashes Gust squarely over the head with it on the way down, sending the Hardcore Champion crashing to the mat in an untidy heap with blood oozing from both his nose and how his forehead.
JC: I’m gonna go for Option 2 right there!
RW: Oh My God! We’re gonna have a new Hardcore Champion in just a matter of seconds. AKA has done the hard work, now surely just the finishing touch is needed here.
Alekz lifts the virtually deadweight Gust up onto the top turnbuckle and begins to climb himself, as if setting for a Superplex of some kind, but Gust catches him completely off-guard with a sunset flip from nowhere:
ONE!
TWO!!
THREE!!!
RW: Once again, Nathan Gust manages to hold onto his title in the face of a very impressive challenge from a young man who I think we’re gonna see a hell of a lot more of in the coming weeks and months here in SFT. He shouldn’t let this one little setback demoralise him too much.
The referee hands Gust his belt as AKA slides out of the ring and storms up the ramp, furious that he allowed himself to fall prey to such tactics. The Hardcore Champion raises his prize in the air before turning away to head up the ramp himself. Before Gust can leave the ring though, we see someone unfamiliar making his way down towards the ring.
From what we can see, the person in question is about 16 or 17 years old, with short blond hair and a face that looks slightly familiar, and he is carrying a microphone
RW: OK, now what? Is this something to do with Christian Cage and that threat he made to Gust earlier on tonight?
JC: You’re damn right it is. That, if I’m not mistaken, is Christian Cage’s son, Matt.
RW: Oh, so now he’s getting his kids to do his dirty work for him. How very manly.
The kid slides into the ring and confronts a very confused-looking Nathan Gust, who apparently has not grasped the family connection just yet. Gust throws the Hardcore Championship belt over his shoulder and grabs the microphone from the kid
Nathan Gust: Look kid, if you want an autograph, you’re just gonna have to head out to the parking lot and wait with everyone else. How the hell did you get past security anyway?
The kid snatches the microphone back:
“Why would I want an autograph from a loser like you? I’d rather get an autograph from someone worthwhile, someone like, I don’t know, maybe Christian Cage”
Gust, in a sudden fit of rage, throws his title belt to the ground and grabs the kid by the throat at the same instant as all the lights in the arena go out.
JC: I’m sensing trouble. Ambulance for Mr. Gust!
The lights flick back as a confused Gust swings around, not sure what is happening. Unfortunately, as he turns, he is met by a vicious face full of steel chair from Christian Cage, who has engineered the little trick with the lights to steal a march on his opponent.
Gust stumbles from the impact of the chair shot, but is pushed back into the danger zone by Matt, who shoves Gust back towards his father, who drills Gust with his trademark move, the Deep Impact Driver, which is a double-underhook piledriver, straight onto the steel chair, knocking the Hardcore Champion cold.
RW: This is sick. Gust didn’t have a chance in hell to escape this.
JC: I guess that payback really is a bitch Randy.
RW: Yeah, and I guess the apple didn’t fall too far from the tree as far as Cage’s son goes.
Cage rolls Gust onto his back and stands over him with the microphone in his hand:
Christian Cage: See Nathan, I keep my promises. Maybe now, you’ll know not to put your hands on any member of my family. See you at the PPV…
Cage throws the microphone away and spits straight into Gust’s face before embracing his son as “Cocky” starts up again as father and son stand over the prone body of Gust, with the Hardcore Title belt over Matt’s shoulder.
RW: We’re right out of time folks, and this is our last War before the PPV on October 30th, so make sure to tune into that and all other SFT programming for updates on this and other huge matches to take place at Hallowed Ground.
JC: For Randy White, I’m John Cartwright saying good night from Wednesday Night War!