________ ______ | || |\ \ /\ / /| __| | || | \ v v / | __| --------------------------|_||_|--\_/\_/--|_|--------------------------- King of the Cruisers Preview Show 9 April 1998 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [As the IIWF theme song finally finishes, we see Tim Dross and Dave Bacon standing by an IIWF ring, both of them wearing semi-casual outfits. Both men are arguing as the sound finally turns on midway through the conversation. Suddenly both announcers realise that they're on the air and immediately put on their game faces before starting their broadcast.] TD: Good evening everyone, or good morning, depending on where in the world you are! Welcome to our special King of the Cruisers Tournament Preview Show. I'm Tim Dross, and along with my colleague Dave Bacon, we'll be bringing you the hottest info on the tournament that has everybody talking right now. DB: [looking sceptically at Dross] I'm sure it does, Tim, I'm sure it does. We've got sixteen of the most talented cruiserweights in the world here for this event, representing ten of the greatest wrestling federations in the world today! TD: The tournament will be seen across the world, with matches taking place in Japan and throughout North America. And it really makes perfect sense, as the wrestlers in this event are truly international. DB: We've got Mexicans, the Japanese, Canadians, Finns, and of course, the good ol' U.S. of A. TD: Something only the IIWF and SJPW could put together! [Dave begins coughing in the background.] DB: Tim, we agreed to cut the pompous IIWF showboating for this tournament, remember? The fans don't want to hear any of that Steve Roberts "If it ain't the IIWF, it ain't worth pissin' on" kind of attitude that we're so used to hearing. I'll place my prediction now that some of those "minor league" guys are gonna teach the IIWF just what cruiserweight action is all about! TD: Perhaps you need to drink a little less coffee, Dave. But considering the talent that is entered in this tournament, Dave, you very well may be right. These guys are the best of the cruisers from around the world, all of them champions in their own right. DB: Tim, I have to ask you a favor. TD: Sure, Dave, what could I do for you? DB: Can you lay it on a "bit" thicker? [Bacon stares spitefully at Dross, who looks resignedly past his colleague at a figure off-camera, who emerges into the shot, wearing a leather jacket, sporting short black hair and a goatee.] IJ: Guys! I thought we had this one worked out in the dressing room! You guys gonna work through this show sometime today or what? I heard Mota's walking around in the back area somewhere, and rumor is that he's pissed off... [Bacon mutters under his breath.] DB: Yeah, like that's anything new. IJ: Bacon! TD: Well, we have a long show ahead of us here, so let's start covering some matches! DB: ...about damn time... ------------------------------------------------------------------------ First Round Matchup: El Hijo Del Satanico [CLLL] vs. Tiger Claw [Independent] ------------------------------------------------------------------------ TD: This will be our first match of the tournament, and almost certainly the most controversial. On one side we have the son of Satan, a virtual unknown, yet the rumour is that he carries a name that is synonymous for its intense rivalry with the IIWF. DB: And speaking of rivalry, you have to think of Tiger Claw and the IIWF as well. Remember, the Syndicate left the IIWF several months ago with a big impact by giving IIWF President Daniel Spreadbury their famous Syndi-Cutter. And now he is in as an Independent to prove himself as the greatest cruiserweight in the world. TD: Satanico isn't the most prolific wrestler in the tournament... but certainly could be one of the most talented. It's El Hijo Del Satanico vs. Tiger Claw, and I'm sure it will start off this tournament with a bang! ------------------------- EL HIJO DEL SATANICO ------------------------- Weight: 178lbs Height: 5'8" Origin: Mexico City, Mexico Orientation: Rudo [heel] Finishing Move: Springboard DDT Primary Attributes: Endurance, Mat, Aerial ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [SCENE: Blackness. Absolutely nothing. A red dot appears, and engulfs the screen, which is entirely red.] VOICE: Nothingness. That is what you see, Tiger Claw. Absolutely nothing. And that is what EVERYONE has seen on television... nothing. [Pause. Red is all that remains on the screen, and it does not change. It is obvious the voice is that of El Hijo Del Satanico.] I suppose you were expecting some photography... some high flying moves. I'm sorry, Claw, I didn't know you needed such help. Why give you the joy of preparation? Why would I give you the pleasure of knowing what you are up against? It's just stupidity on my part if I were to do that, Claw. Moonsault? Armbar? Powerbomb? A seven foot man that weighs only a hundred and eighty five pounds? Are you expecting any or none of these? You're not... going... to get it. [The camera pans back, showing that the red was the top of El Hijo's mask, and that we are viewing the luchadore up close. He has no hole for his mouth, and the eyeholes are not large enough to see an emotion.] Here, Claw, is what you get on Saturday. Here is what you shall see. A wrestler. Nothing more and nothing less. What should you expect? [Fade to black] Everything... And a loss. [Silence] ------------------------------ TIGER CLAW ------------------------------ Weight: 220lbs Height: 6'1" Origin: Toronto, Canada Orientation: Heel Finishing Move: 1. Golden Tiger Strike 2. Tiger Stretch: Reverse STF. Primary Attributes: Endurance, Intelligence, Technical ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [SCENE: A dingy stairwell, going down into a basement. The shot bounces left and right as the cameraman makes his way to a concrete floor. Once there, the shot swings around to display what could pass for a gym. Old, battered heavy bags hang from the ceiling in one corner, and a smoky old mirror adorns one wall. In the middle of the room is an old and beaten-down ring, the ropes frayed, the turnbuckles padded with packing foam, and the canvas stained with sweat and blood. Two men circle each other in the ring. The first man is short and of darker complexion, with short black hair, and dressed in full length green tights. The other man can be recognised as Tiger Claw, shaven head, and a tattoo of a tiger on the back of his right shoulder. His ring attire is different from what he usually wears. In place of the red and black Muay Thai shorts, Claw is dressed in a black singlet, with white stripes running down the legs. Instead of wrestling barefoot, Claw wears black boots, covered on the front by red shin-pads. The two men lock up. Green Tights swings around into an arm-wringer, which is reversed by Claw into a hammerlock. Green flips up and over Claw's shoulder and into a waistlock. Claw reverses, and Green reverses again. Green goes for a quick German suplex, which is flipped out of by Claw. Claw allows Green to get up, and lunges at him with a clothesline. Green catches the arm, swings his legs up into a crucifix. Unable to take Claw down, he is stuck there as Claw falls back into a Samoan drop, only to be rolled up by the quick thinking man in the green tights. Claw kicks out, and pushes Green into the ropes. He attempts a tilt-a-whirl move of some sort, which is reversed into a spinning head scissors by Green. Claw is taken over, but cartwheels out of the manoeuvre. The man in the Green tights backs off a bit, and Claw, back to his feet, relaxes for a moment. Green Tights applauds, shouting out "Si! Si!" It's at this point that Claw notices the cameraman.] TC: What the hell are you doing?! Why are you down here? I thought I told you to stay outside! [The man in the green tights glances over his shoulder and sees the cameraman, then, in a panic, covers his face, screaming out a long string of Spanish, the words "No Mascara!" clearly identifiable. Claw turns to the man, watching him run out of the shot, and then looks back at the camera, a look of disgust on his face.] TC: Not only have you just offended me, but you just disgraced one of the most gifted wrestlers of Mexico by getting footage of him without his mask. I told you to stay outside and wait for me. Was there something about that you didn't understand? Is it so hard to follow? _Wait_outside._ I've read more difficult instructions on a can of soup. Get out... Now. [The cameraman seems to hesitate a bit, but more likely than not, the look on Claw's face persuades him to walk back up the stairs, where the shot cuts out... ...to cut back in to the street in front of the building he was just in. Claw, dressed in jeans, running shoes, and a hooded flannel shirt over a plain white T-shirt, walks up the stairs and out the door of the building, and sees the cameraman again.] TC: You're lucky. We salvaged the situation. We figured that nobody knows who that was, so seeing him without the mask really doesn't make a difference. I guess it's just a reminder of why Lau got us our own camera crew way back in the day. I don't want this to ever happen again... You got me? Good... All right, then, listen up... There's a lot of people coming up to me, and they're all asking me pretty much the same question... How can I come back to the place that I left in such a huff last year? Some of those people know the story... Some don't. It doesn't really matter. Everyone saw the end result, and that was me and my tag partner... My _friend_... Laying out the one and only Dan Spreadbury... The guy that many people feel is the Donald Trump of the e-wrestling business... People saw that... They saw that, and they said "Man, that took balls..." Now they hear I'm returning, and they're not talking about the amount of balls I have, but how many marbles I've lost. It comes down to this... there's a lot of guys in this King of Cruiserweights that figure they're number one. There's not any force on the planet that's going to keep me away from proving them wrong. If a man wants to be called the best, he's got to beat the best... And that's me. I'm a dangerous guy... If you think otherwise, then you're setting yourself up for a fall. See, I've got the skills to take a person apart in the ring, and I've got the knowledge and the words _outside_ the ring to make grown men cry. People fear what I might say just as much as they fear what I might do in the ring... Why the hell do you think they had me silent all those years? "Can't have you talking, Claw... We're too worried what you might say... No offence." Yeah... No offence... Right... Slap a gag on me, and have someone else do the talking, right? You ever think I had some stuff to say? You ever think that maybe you could put some faith in me to let me say what I want? You know what it's like? Not being "allowed" to say a damn thing, letting someone else talk about your character, to talk about your past, to talk about where you were _BORN!?_ [Claw is a bit worked up at this point, but quickly takes a few deep breaths, seeming to calm down slightly.] Yeah, I've got a temper... Maybe I run a bit too hot at times. Maybe I let myself get a little too worked up in the ring, or in an interview... Maybe I hurt a body or two, or I hurt some feelings. Time has come where I don't care anymore. Look the name of what I'm representing beside my own name, folks... Independent. That means I'm in this for myself. As far as I'm concerned, all the organisations, all the stables, and all the suits can go to hell for as long as this tournament lasts. Speaking of hell... El Hijo Del Satanico... I'm looking forward to this match... No, really, I am. You know why? Because one of my favourite pastimes is to beat the snot out of a pretender. I've trained with the best, Satanico, and from what I've seen and heard, you ain't the best. I know the style. I know about the centre of gravity, and the momentum. Hell, I'm 220 pounds, and I've made a career out of beating guys over 300. I know how to use the gravity to drive an elbow into a ribcage... How to use the momentum to drive his own head into the mat. I know how the body turns, and how it's not supposed to. I know how to put pressure onto a single point, whether it be in the form of a reverse figure-4, or driving the point into your skull with a Tope Con Hilo. I can change my direction in mid air, so when you're satisfied that the Hurricanrana from the top you're executing is past the point of reversal, you'll find yourself in a powerbomb. I can be as fluid as a stream, or solid as a brick wall. Lau used to call me a fighting machine... I guess he's right. There are some animals in the world, Satanico, that are put on the earth just to kill. You probably know this from some of your Lucha training, because I know there's a lot of philosophy involved there. But just in case, I'm going to go over it again. The Great White... Sleek... Hydrodynamic... It can reach breakneck speeds in an instant, and hit its unsuspecting target with it's open jaws filled with numerous rows of teeth. The wolverine... Small in stature, but it has to eat many times more than it's own bodyweight to satisfy its hunger. That hunger drives it to incomparable ferocity. It can tear apart an animal 5 times its own size, and it fights until it wins or dies... No middle ground... Putting it in a corner only serves to focus the direction of its attack. Last... The Bengal Tiger... A solitary animal. Made for running... For striking... For pouncing upon it's prey... Is that all it does? Nope... It stalks... It watches its prey, looking for the smallest sign of weakness. It could take hours... Days before it strikes... But when it does, it goes after that weakness over and over until the prey is finished. Are you catching the connection here, Satanico? I hope your translator does my words justice. It's pretty simple, Satanico... There are few natural killers in the wild as efficient and dangerous as the Bengal Tiger... And there's few human beings in the ring as efficient and especially as dangerous as Tiger Claw... And there's few people in the world that can safely say that they are truly the King of Cruiserweights. In fact, there's only one... And I know it's me. [Claw, who by this time has his face filling most of the shot, gives an intense stare right into the lens. The cameraman tries to pull back a little, and Claw feints a right hand at the camera, making the operator flinch slightly, losing the shot. The cameraman re-establishes just in time to catch Claw walking around a corner into an alleyway between two buildings... On cue, the shot fades.] ------------------------------------------------------------------------ First Round Matchup: Kabuki Kid [SJPW] vs. "Iconoclast" Sean Watts [SCRA] ------------------------------------------------------------------------ TD: Here's a match that will be taking place in SJPW territory, where the Kabuki Kid will surely have an advantage. DB: Actually, I think this is the match where the IIWF, in a total ego trip, pulls the booking strings to make sure of its dominance by getting rid of the hometown guy. I say the Kid's doing the job in this one... TD: What are you talking about? They both have jobs already! That's how they made it into this tournament. DB: Is one of your seven brothers called Mark? TD: Dave Bacon, ladies and gentlemen. Let me ask you, are you interested in keeping your job? DB: Is your last name Morton? ------------------------------ KABUKI KID ------------------------------ Weight: 215lbs Height: 5'10" Origin: Nagoya, Japan Manager: Ms. Miki Orientation: Neutral. Finishing Move: 1. Kamikaze Drop: headbutt drop from the top. 2. Powerbomb off the top turnbuckle Primary Attributes: Speed, Intelligence, Strength ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ["Hotter Than Hell" by KISS starts to play as the words "KING OF THE CRUISERS" appear on the screen. A deep, gruff sounding voice starts to speak. The letters start to fade into a scene of a wrestler dressed in a long black, flowing, kabuki style robe, with a long white, puffy hairpiece and an "evil spirit" mask steps through an entrance way curtains. He walks straight towards the camera.] Voice: He has come all the way from the "Land of the Rising Sun". To compete in the biggest tournament ever held for the cruiserweight division. [The scene changes to an oriental wrestler, standing 5' 10", 215 pounds, of incredibly packed muscle, with face paint, leaping from the top turnbuckle, out of the ring, crashing down onto a member of the Bonecrushers. Both men crash through the table to the floor.] Voice: He will dazzle you with feats never before imaginable. [A big man wearing a mask, and goes by the name of Goliath, rushes ringside during a Jack Banks match. The man in this video, without make-up and wearing street clothes, comes out of the crowd. Jumps up on top of the safety rail, and leaps off catching Goliath by surprise with a flying dropkick. Goliath goes down hard as the short and stocky wrestler hops up onto the ring apron, then without hesitation leaps off performing a Shooting Star Press onto the now prone Goliath.] Voice: You will marvel at his wrestling abilities. [Another scene of the wrestler in the ring snap suplexing Kyu Kabuki. The move is done very quickly. The camera zooms past the wrestlers into the crowd showing many fans cheering in appreciation of the move.] Voice: You will be amazed by his aerial prowess. [The cruiserweight climbs to the top rope and leaps off, nailing a motionless, Yang Song, with a flying headbutt drop. Then, covering for the pin.] Voice: He has stepped into the ring with many legends. [The wrestler is very tired, and drenched with sweat. In the ring with him is a likewise exhausted Dan Kauffman. The wrestler picks Kauffman up, and turns him around. He sits Kauffman up on the top turnbuckle, facing towards the crowd. He goes out to the apron, and climbs to the top rope. He grabs Kauffman, and stands him up. He steadies himself, then bends Kauffman over, then POWERBOMBS him off the top rope! The crowd erupts into a tremendous ovation.] Voice: And he has left his mark! [The scene changes to another match. The wrestler is standing on the top turnbuckle facing the crowd. He leaps off, and as the footage continues, he lands a kneedrop to the forehead of a prone Tiger Claw lying on a press table outside the ring. The impact of the move forces the table to give away and send both wrestlers to the floor.] Voice: He's transcended the sport of professional wrestling. [Footage of the Tonight Show with Jay Leno is shown. The wrestler is wearing his wrestling outfit and face paint that resembles an eagle. The wings of which cover his eyes and go down his cheeks, with the neck and head residing on his forehead. He's playing guitar with the band KISS, who are also dressed in full make-up. As the camera zooms in for a close-up of Ace Frehley, the band stops playing, and Ace continues the rhythm to "Hotter Than Hell".] Voice: He is the KABUKI KID! [As the drums and bass kick back in for the chorus of the song, the footage changes to different shots from Kabuki Kid matches.] Music: Hot, Hot, Hotter than Hell! [He snap suplexes Tiger Claw, then snap suplexes Aaron Langford of the Bonecrushers. The two snap suplexes hit as the word Hot is sung.] Music: Cause you she's gonna leave you well done. [It's followed by Kabuki Kid Irish whipping Dan Kauffman into the ropes. Kabuki Kid has his back to Dan as he comes off the ropes. Just as Dan gets to him, he back flips, and comes out of it with a kick to Dan's chest that drops him.] Music: Hot, Hot, Hotter than Hell! [Again as the words Hot, Hot are sung, two more snap suplexes are displayed. First Kabuki Kid nails Yang Song with it, then Rhymin' Simon.] Music: Burn you like the midday sun! [Kabuki Kid throws Nico Arakis into the turnbuckle, then runs at him. Once he's to the corner he steps on the bottom rope with his left foot, then the middle rope with his right foot, then steps on Nico's chest with his left foot, which he backflips off of, landing in front of Nico. Nico then charges at the Kabuki Kid, and gets flung through the air with a back body drop. As Nico hits the mat the music is replaced by an explosion, then silence. The footage is replace with a shot of the sun rising over Japan in time laps photography. Slowly the sun continues to rise as the words "KABUKI KID" appear on the screen. Then everything fades out.] ------------------------ "ICONOCLAST" SEAN WATTS ----------------------- Weight: 238lbs Height: 5'11" Origin: Seattle, Washington Orientation: Heel Finishing Move: 1. Iconoclasm: a double underhook DDT behind the back. 2. Rocker Dropper 3. German Suplex Primary Attributes: Technical, Intelligence, Endurance ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [Darkness. Not the sort that's all encompassing, but the type that hangs over everything, suffocating light and detail. An ominous thud can be heard in the distance, and the creaking of a heavy door opens, light reluctantly spilling into what appears to be a misty meatlocker. An as yet unidentified voice begins to speak.] V: This is almost like deja vu all over again. Well... Deja Vu with more money. At least this whole long, drawn-out entrance charade. Of course, we all know the IIWF has the bankroll for this sort of thing. [Amidst a fit of coughing, bootsteps ring out against bare concrete, the speaker making his way into the area poorly lit by the camera, large carcasses of meat dangling from hooks serving as a backdrop of sorts.] V: I know where I'm supposed to stand. I can see the damn X you made on the floor with electrical tape. Just tell your boss that I was improvising. [Reluctantly, the hitherto unseen wrestler steps in front of the camera. He's wearing a pair Levi's that might pass for simply being "well-worn" in Eastern Bloc countries where such items are scarce. An oversized white t-shirt covers his upper torso with the words "I DO DRUGS" across the front in large red letters. As the camera adjusts a bit to bring the man's face into the shot, we can see that he's holding a large piece of steak over one eye. Stray strands of blond hair cling to the meat, despite his best efforts to brush his hair back. And the lone eye which we can see is an icy blue, set over gaunt cheeks.] V: Yeah, the original idea here was that I'd narrate my little video package from right here in the meat locker, they'd spray a lot of fog around the place, and make sure it looked "grungy", to fit what the suits perceive my image to be. And quite naturally, to sell some merchandise. Of course, that's the point of this whole tournament -- to make some money. [He gestures with the free hand to the area around him at this point, a look of distaste on his face.] V: And the idea behind this was to help make me a semi-marketable commodity. Not that anyone expects me to make it past the first round, and I'm sure the promoters would rather I didn't. Oh right. I didn't introduce myself yet. Let me rectify that. I'm Sean Watts, and I just got my ass kicked last week. I think we all know how this thing will start off. Most of the crowd is going to do a little chest pounding, elucidate on their great skills, and work some shirt sales. [Sean just shakes his head, still holding the steak over one eye. While giving off a rather annoyed sigh he steps forward and gives some piece of equipment a swift kick. With a look of satisfaction he moves back to where he'd been standing.] SW: Damn fog machines, who needs 'em? You know what the best part of this whole thing is? I don't have a video package. That's right, no little video montage about my past. The only time I'm ever in anything like that is to make someone else look good. I'm just not all that interested in the past. And even if I was, what would I tell you? I had a terrible run when I was wrestling in the Northwest? That when I was in Japan they kicked me out and told me to never come back? [Watts gives off a derisive snicker.] SW: Maybe you can see why I don't have a package after all, hmm? On the other hand, what fool is going to tell everyone the way he wrestles? And what motivates him to wrestle? And why he wins? [Sean's lips are consumed by a cunning grin.] SW: I guess we'll find out together, won't we? [Cut to static.] ------------------------------------------------------------------------ First Round Matchup: Icehawk [IIWF] vs. Youth Gone Wild [UWF] ------------------------------------------------------------------------ DB: A true high flying match-up, no doubt about it. TD: This is the match that will show the world just what the cruisers are best at. And that's the high flying style that both of these veterans are masters at. DB: Youth Gone Wild is one of the defining Cruiserweights in the world today. He was a cruiser back when it was cool to be 280lbs, pumped up on 'roids. TD: And we have Icehawk. The man who made the smooth transition from tag team wrestler to singles wrestler, and now holding his fourth piece of gold in the IIWF, the IIWF Cruiserweight Title. DB: Lots of guys are aiming for Icehawk in this tournament, Tim. They feel that if they beat him, they have the upper hand in the rest of the tournament. TD: Well, if anyone can do it, it's Youth Gone Wild. This will be one crazy, crazy match. ------------------------------- ICEHAWK -------------------------------- Current IIWF Cruiserweight Champion Weight: 220lbs Height: 5'10" Origin: Oulo, Finland Orientation: Face Finishing Move: Arctic Blast: top-rope somersault legdrop Primary Attributes: Aerial, Technical, Endurance ------------------------------------------------------------------------ VO: He started out as an Olympian. [Black screen. The Olympic theme starts playing softly, gradually increasing in volume. The screen lights up with scenes of Matt Keto competing in the Olympics -- the floor exercise, the high bar, receiving the silver medal.] VO: He wrestled in the tag teams. [The music switches to "Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald, and the video switches to scenes of Cold Spell's early days in the IIWF, starting with their first match against the Rotundos.] VO: He became a champion. [Pictures of Cold Spell celebrating with Genesis after beating the Prophets of Rage for the tag belts.] VO: And again. [Video of Icehawk and Tragedy pulling off their upset win in the triangle match at Leavenworth.] VO: And again. [Cold Spell beating the Harlequins in the unification match.] VO: He became one of the world's most exciting high-flyers. [Slow-motion of Icehawk in flight -- landing a moonsault, a Shooting Star Press, the Arctic Blast somersault legdrop...] VO: He moved into the singles ranks, and immediately became a top contender for the cruiserweight belt. [Highlights of Icehawk's unsuccessful cruiserweight title shot against Timothy Turner, followed by scenes from early in his first match with Takezo Musashi.] VO: He found hell. [Still photographs of Icehawk's original neck injury.] VO: It nearly defeated him. [Black-and-white footage of Icehawk being carried out of the ring, followed by the Enigma's numerous attacks on him, resulting in him being taken out of arena after arena on stretchers.] VO: But he fought back. [Back to colour for the Musashi-Icehawk match at Ring Wars. Highlights from early in the match, as Icehawk dominated. Then the Enigma takes over, pounding brutally on Icehawk's back. Musashi's triumphant Starsault... and Icehawk moving out of the way. VO: And he won. [Icehawk's own quadruple-flip Starsault, and his fall from the top of the cage. Edmund Fitzgerald's catch. Icehawk with the belt, being carried out of the arena on the shoulders of Edmund Fitzgerald.] VO: Now, he's ready to take on the world. [Quickly-changing photos of the other participants in the tourney, freezing on a scene of Tiger Claw and Icehawk battling in one of the Genesis vs. IIWF matches.] VO: Who's going to stop him? [Fade.] --------------------------- YOUTH GONE WILD ---------------------------- Weight: 200lbs Height: 5'10" Origin: Buffalo, New York Orientation: Face Finishing Move: The Wildflyer: a twisting moonsault. Primary Attributes: Endurance, Brawling, Aerial ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [Scene -- UWF Pushing Up Daisies. A glowering Serge Annis looms in the ring, ready to destroy his enemy. The crowd is silent, awed by the presence of the so-far invincible champion. Then the music plays...] # They call us problem child... # [The crowd rises to its feet.] # We spend our lives on trial... # [Cheers erupt as Annis continues to glare.] # We walk an endless mile... # [The crowd is nearly deafening, but we can still hear the next line.] # We are the YOUTH GONE WILD! # [Fireworks erupt as a young man appears at the entrance of the ring. Youth Gone Wild appears every bit the teenage slacker, with his long hair flowing behind him, preparing to wrestle in cut-off shorts, Doc Martens, and a White Zombie T-shirt. His face, however, bears the look of a determined adult, ready to pay Annis back for the hell he has been put through. Then Wild starts to run towards the ring...Annis prepares to meet him...] [Cut away to Wild ascending the top rope following a DDT on Officer Mark Durman. Wild leaps off the top rope, twisting in mid-air before flipping around to land on his prone foe. It's the Wildflyer, and it's good enough for the three count.] [Scenes from a wild match with "The Enigma" Takezo Mushashi. Wild gives and receives with abandon, as the two high flyers trade planchas and suicide high risk moves. Wild somersaults over the top rope onto his adversary, as the screen shifts again...] [This time, Wild stands alongside Alex Kidd, Tim Vexton, and Tom Landis, the men of Legion. They are engaged in a wild 8-man brawl with the Pride, at the time consisting of Brett Greene, Scott Daniels, Daniel Kidd, and Shawn Vexton. Daniels tumbles out of the ring, and Wild flies out of the ring after him, sending both men crashing into the guardrail.] [Cut to Wild's latest fued, with "Extreme Superstar" Steve Armstrong. Armstrong is in the ring, and Wild tosses him a chair. Before Armstrong can decide what to do with it, Wild connects with a superkick on the chair, slamming it back into Armstrong's face, and knocking him cold.] [Quick flash to the present, where Youth Gone Wild is facing the camera.] YGW: Hey Icehawk! You ready? [Cut to the match that opened the video-clip, between Wild and Annis. Wild is bashed with a fire extinguisher, but is seen later in the match legdropping a chair onto Annis' face. The match was a ladder match, and Annis puts the ladder to good use, dropping it onto Wild, who is seen later on responding by slingshotting Annis into the ladder, braced in a corner. The clip ends with Wild on top of the ladder, unhooking the UWF title belt as the bell rings. The music continues as we cut to a few final clips...] # We'll stand and we won't fall... # [Youth Gone Wild celebrates another win with a flock of female admirers.] # We're one and one for all... # [Legion strides towards the ring, ready for another battle.] # The writing's on the wall... # [Youth Gone Wild accepting his 1996 RSPWF Award for Best High Flyer.] # We are the YOUTH GONE WILD! # [Frozen shot of Youth Gone Wild standing in the centre ring, raising a belt high over his head. The camera fades.] ------------------------------------------------------------------------ First Round Matchup: Joey Rappoport [SJPW] vs. "Armitage" Steven Spector [LWC] ------------------------------------------------------------------------ TD: Another interesting matchup here. We have one of the most distinguished wrestlers in the world in Steve Spector up against a young up and comer from the SJPW. DB: That's the thing about SJPW. Rappoport is a growing name there. But he's learning it the right way. It's all about the cruisers in Japan. And the SJPW guys are certainly the best at what they do. TD: And then we have Spector. Top 25 in the RSPWF 200 two years in a row. There are very few wrestlers in the world that can say they have accomplished that. But then again, this is a totally different world. Both men are total unknowns in the IIWF, and won't have the home-town support they may have received in other federations. DB: Either way, we're gonna see a great match here. --------------------------- JOEY RAPPOPORT ----------------------------- Weight: 224lbs Height: 6'1" Origin: Boston, Massachusetts Orientation: Face Finishing Move: Rappoport Death Driver: Michinoku Driver Primary Attributes: Endurance, Intelligence, Technical ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [EFWF: June 17, 1996] Penny D: Joey takes to the top... he nails the hurricanrana! The cover, 1, 2, 3!!! [EFWF: July 1, 1996] Frankie M: He hooks Hanes up, and nails a brainbuster! [EFWF: July 2, 1996] Frankie M: The champ took a hard fall into the steps right there. Stero picks Joey up throws him back into the ring. Joey gets up quickly, rebounds off the ropes, and connects with a flying crossbody! The cover, 1, 2, no! Kickout by Stero. Penny D: Stero's looking mad now, Frankie! He grabs Joey by the hair and pulls him to his feet. Irish-whip by Stero, no! Joey with the reversal! Stero goes sailing into the ropes, Joey leapfrogs over the challenger. Stero stops and turns around, BUT JOEY NAILS A SUPERKICK!!! It's over! Frankie M: 1, 2, 3!!! Joey retains the title! [EFWF: July 24, 1996] Frankie M: Joey has the Boston Crab locked on! The ref calls for the bell! [EFWF: August 3, 1996] Penny D: Northern Light's Suplex by Joey! He hooks the leg! 1, 2, 3!!! Another win for the champion! [EFWF: August 10, 1996] Frankie M: Joey gets thrown into the cage wall by Chris Hanes! That could of easily broken his back. Penny D: And yet he gets right back up! What determination on the part of Joey Rappoport. Now Rappoport and Hanes lock up, and Joey quickly applies a double-underhook suplex! That took Hanes by surprise. Frankie M: Joey starts climbing the cage wall, and he's halfway up already! But Chris Hanes gets to his feet quickly and grabs Joey's tights about two thirds up the cage. The two exchange punches, and Chris is stunned. Penny D: Chris Hanes with the low blow! Unbelievable!!! Rappoport has to be hurting now. Chris starts climbing up the cage via the turnbuckle... Joey is slowly getting up... Hanes looses his footing, but he keeps going. Frankie M: Joey is back up to his feet! Hanes is on the top turnbuckle now! Penny D: Joey Rappoport starts climbing the cage! He advances sideways to Hanes, nails him with a kidney shot! Hanes turns around, and gets caught in a headlock by Joey! Looks like Joey's trying to bulldog him off the top! Frankie M: No! Joey hits a monster DDT!!! Chris Hanes is out like a light! Joey Rappoport starts climbing the cage... he's halfway out, he's on the top! Hanes still isn't moving! Joey's on the floor! It's over! Unbelievable! Penny D: Let the celebration begin! [EFWF: August 24, 1996] Penny D: Oh my! Joey nearly took his head off with that kick! [The screen turns all white and a logo of the Ultimate Championship Wrestling Federation emerges from the back of the screen.] [UCWF: September 14, 1997] RA: He takes off from the top turnbuckle, FROG SPLASH! ONE TWO THREE! [UCWF: September 28, 1997] RA: Asai Moonsault! Nice show of atheticism there by Joey. [UCWF: November 20, 1997] BT: Rappoport nails a gutbuster! [UCWF: December 5, 1997] RA: Impaler whips Rappoport into the ropes, misses a clothesline, and gets caught with a well-placed spinning heel kick by Rappoport. [UCWF: December 11, 1997] RA: Rappoport gets up slowly, and is greeted with a swift kick to the face by Roman. Roman goes for a victory roll, but Joey kicks out at two. BT: Roman gets up first and punches Joey into the corner. He lifts him up to the top! But Joey punches Roman off and he lands down on the mat. Joey waits for him to get to his feet, and connects with a missile dropkick! RA: Rappoport is gaining the advantage once again. This kid is going to go places someday, I'm going to tell you that right now, Brian. BT: Definitely. [UCWF: December 30, 1997] BT: Rappoport brings in the New Year with a victory after an incredible tigerbomb! RA: He's getting better and better with each passing week, and it's going to be amazing to see how he is later in his career. [The camera cuts back to Joey Rappoport standing in an interviewing room with the SJPW logo on the wall behind him.] Joey Rappoport: I learned a lot from those days in the EFWF and the UCWF. I was in that promotion for two years until I finally figured out what I had to do to become champion. I needed determination. I needed to pull out all the stops at whatever the costs. And let me tell you something, those matches with Stero and Chris Hanes taught me a lot and got me really prepared for my future. Needless to say, there's nothing left to do except go out and do my best in the King of the Cruisers tournament. And for all you people who are thinking right now "So what? You got a couple of wins in a few no-name promotions.", I want to roll a clip of one of my recent matches in Super Japan Pro Wrestling, one of the top organisations in the world. [The camera quickly fades to black, although only for a second, and a clip from Joey Rappoport's match with Yaz only a few weeks ago is shown.] [SJPW: March 22, 1998] [Rappoport slowly gets to his feet and sees Yaz holding his neck, obviously in pain. Joey moves over to him and tries to pick him up, but Yaz seems unable to stand.] ER: This is bad... Yaz is completely limp. He could have severe damage... [Joey turns to ask the referee to check on Yaz, but as soon as he does, Yaz rolls him up from behind] AO: He was playing possum! 1...2...3... NO! No, Joey rolled out of it at 2 and 3/4! Yaz really suckered Joey, and almost managed to snag the victory with it. Yaz is back up... waiting on Rappoport.... moving behind him... GERMAN SUPLEX! Beautifully executed move by the champion, but he doesn't try and hold the bridge. Yaz quickly runs to the corner and practically leaps up to the top turnbuckle.... MOONSAULT! 1...2...Again Rappoport kicks out just before the three count. Yaz slaps his hands together three times... he obviously thinks the referee wasn't counting correctly, though I'd have to disagree. ER: Yaz doesn't waste too much time with the official though. He runs into the ropes... getting up a head of steam... and there's a big legdrop on Joey Rappoport. Yaz now forcing Joey to his feet... Yaz bounces back against the ropes again... BUT JOEY DUCKS THE FLYING LEG LARIAT! Yaz hits the mat, but quickly scrambles back to his feet... HURRICANRANA BY RAPPORPORT! 1...2... and Yaz kicks out at 2! Joey doesn't give him any time to recover... he scoops Yaz up... GUTBUSTER! Yaz is down, and Joey heads to the top rope... he's measuring his man.... FROG SPLASH! That's Yaz's finisher! Joey hooks the leg and rolls back... 1...2...3.. NO! Oh... so close! We were just a half-inch from having a new Middleweight champion. [Joey stands up, shaking his head... then grabs hold of Yaz's mask, pulling the champion up off the mat. He hooks Yaz up for a suplex... grabs one leg...] AO: Fisherman supl... NO... FISHERMAN BUSTER! Joey climbs to the top turnbuckle.... he's just perched there, waiting on Yaz. Yaz slowly gets back up.... FLYING CLOTHESLINE BY RAPPOPORT! He just about took Yaz's head off with that one! Joey with all the momentum right now, and he's pulling Yaz up again... he whips the champion into the ropes... but Yaz hooks his arms around the top rope as Joey goes for a dropkick! Joey gets back to his feet... SPIN KICK BY YAZ! That time it was Rappoport who was almost decapitated! Both men are out on the mat and the referee is counting them both out... 1... 2... 3... 4... ER: Yaz is on his hands and knees... crawling towards the ringropes. 5... 6... 7.... ER: ...and the champion is up! Yaz had to use the ropes for support, but he's up. He's holding onto the top rope, back to his opponent... watching Joey. Rappoport struggles back to his feet.... ASAI MOONSAULT by YAZ.... But Joey catches him... RAPPOPORT DEATH DRIVER! Joey hooks both Yaz's legs and rolls back all the way... 1... 2... 3! [The camera cuts back to Joey Rappoport, who's still in the interviewing area. He smiles slyly at the camera and brushes his hair out of his eyes before speaking.] Joey Rappoport: Right now, I'm at the top of my game, and I don't think anybody can call me a pushover at all. I can adapt to almost any style. I can be a high flyer... [Camera cuts to different clips of him doing a corkscrew plancha, a splash, a legdrop, and a moonsault; all off of the top rope.] Joey Rappoport: I can mat wrestle... [Camera cuts to different clips of him doing a side Russian legsweep, a DDT, a scoopslam, and a belly-to-belly suplex.] Joey Rappoport: I can play the submission game, too. [Camera cuts to a clip of Joey Rappoport in late 1997; he has a figure-four leglock locked on Abdula Abdul of UCWF. Abdul is pounding the mat in pain.] Joey Rappoport: Heck, I can even surprise you by going for the power moves. [Camera cuts to a clip of Joey Rappoport executing a powerbomb, and then a spinning brainbuster in rapid succession.] Joey Rappoport: As you can see, I'm very much varied in wrestling talents. If you saw my name in the tournament bracket and said "This'll be easy" then you've got another thing coming. And I call it the Rappoport Death Driver. [Camera fades to black and the words "Death Driver" appear in block letters on the screen, and various clips from various matches in Joey Rappoport's career are shown on screen.] [UCWF: December 23, 1997] RA: He just got nailed by the Rappoport Death Driver! Suicide is out cold! [EFWF: August 17, 1996] Penny D: Joey hooks him up for what looks to be a scoopslam, but he manages it turn it into his patented Death Driver!!! [The camera fades out and once again focuses on Joey Rappoport.] Joey Rappoport: I'm ready. [The camera fades slowly out to black as Joey Rappoport is seen exiting the interview area via the back door.] ----------------------- "ARMITAGE" STEVEN SPECTOR ---------------------- Weight: 223lbs Height: 5'11" Origin: Carteret, New Jersey Orientation: Heel Finishing Move: Cherry Blossom Bomber: Orange crush, held vertical suplex into powerbomb. Primary Attributes: Endurance, Brawling, Aerial ------------------------------------------------------------------------ SS: Hello, ladies and gentlemen. Allow me to introduce myself to everyone... the name's "Armitage" Steven Spector. Get used to the pleasantries, because this quite possibly is the last time you'll hear any from me. [Spector grins.] SS: I'm here just to take part in a tournament to crown the best cruiserweight in the world... fifteen other wrestlers besides myself are taking part in this King of Cruisers tournament. When my name was announced... I was asked... "Why are you taking part in this tournament? You are a legend in this sport already. You don't need to prove yourself further." [Spector rolls his eyes.] SS: Come on, I'm sick and tired of being asked such silly questions. But... I guess it's my forum to try and answer such a question. I was asked to put together a little video montage of myself. Well.. I obliged. It's time for me to sit down, shut up, and let the video explain for itself. [Spector presses play on the VCR, then it fades out.] [Fade into a shot from early 1996. Spector is seen performing a plancha on someone that appears to be roughly a foot and a half taller than he is. The voice of Spector begins to speak.] SS: Ever since my beginning, almost all of the opponents I have fought are bigger than I am. I've beaten some of them... [Shot of Spector pinning Captain Midnight, then another shot of Spector pinning Otto Verhoeven.] SS: And I have lost some... [Shot of wrestlers like DEATH and Dark Destroyer pinning Spector.] SS: The King of Cruisers tournament... many people consider the sixteen athletes in this the top wrestlers in the world. I've looked back on my career and noticed that I have rarely faced off with a guy around my size. I never, ever had the chance to prove how good I really was as a cruiserweight... to the world. [Shot of Steve Spector with the fans.] SS: People like these... have branded me a legend. I wish I can say the same. With triumph... [Spector holds several championship belts.] SS: Comes tragedy. [Shots of Spector being pinned by people like Dallas Reed, Mick Morton, and Matt Harris.] SS: Success is such a fleeting moment in one's career... winning the King of Cruisers tournament... in my view... will cement myself as THE greatest cruiserweight in the wrestling world today. Will that make me a legend? [Shot of Spector walking down the street.] SS: I still don't think so... it's going to take a lot to satisfy myself with my place in the wrestling world. The IIeW was my first stage... the King of Cruisers... shall be my second. The second in a line of many trials to prove to myself, that I am the best. The end. [Fade out.] [Fade back into Spector.] SS: Well, there you have it... a brief video montage. I hope I got my point across in the best way possible. There are fifteen other people in this tournament that I'll have to get familiar with if I want to come out on top... and believe me... I will. See you in the ring. [Camera fades out.] ------------------------------------------------------------------------ First Round Matchup: Sengir [SCRA] vs. GFWA Representative ------------------------------------------------------------------------ TD: This one's an unknown factor. We have Sengir, a man who has worked his way up the rankings for months now, a man who is slowly becoming a name player in this crowded world, up against an as yet undetermined opponent. DB: That's right. The GFWA are having a Cruiserweight Title Tournament of their own right now, and they will be sending in the winner of this tournament to face Sengir. TD: That's going to be pretty tough for them. DB: Hey, at least they have the element of surprise. TD: Tell that to Sengir. -------------------------------- SENGIR -------------------------------- Weight: 218lbs Height: 6'1" Origin: Cologne, Germany Manager/Valet: "The Ice Queen" Jezra Wagner Orientation: Neutral Finishing Move: The Setting Sun: Tombstone/Belly-to-Belly Piledriver. Primary Attributes: Endurance, Brawling, Intelligence ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [Fade in: An arena, a steel cage surrounding the ring. ESWP logos are around the ring, and inside the ring "Enigma" Takezo Musashi is just ascending the top turnbuckle while a figure, long black hair and white face paint and wearing a black "Sisters of Mercy" t-shirt and faded jeans struggles to get back to his feet inside the ring. This man is Sengir. The eerie, methodical "Conquest of Paradise" by Vangelis plays to these scenes, and the subtitling reads "ESWP If looks Could Kill revenge tour, July 30th, 1998". Musashi prepares for his famed Starsault Press but seems to lose his balance as something -- someone -- hits him from behind. He drops onto the turnbuckle and Sengir immediately jumps up to his feet and ascends the ropes, dragging Musashi's head between his thighs. Sengir lifts Musashi up and drops him with a thundering superbomb before, barely conscious, drops onto his fallen opponent as the referee's hand hits the mat once, twice, a third time] Voiceover: "The first man in the ESWP to beat Takezo Musashi" [The scene changes, and the subtitling reads "ESWP Halloween, October 30th, 1998". Inside the ring, Chris Michaels, then-ESWP World Junior Heavyweight Champion, staggers to his feet as Sengir, lurking behind him, draws his thumb across his throat. On the outside various members of Death Enterprises, The Dark Sovereigns, and The Ellis Alliance shove each other and try to prevent each other from entering the ring. As Michaels is back up, still dazed and trying to clear the cobwebs, Sengir picks him up and turns him over, belly to belly, before dropping him with The Setting Sun, his famed tombstone. The referee drops and counts one, two, three just as Firestarter dives into the ring trying to break it up, half a moment too late] Voiceover: "The first man in the ESWP to beat Chris Michaels." [The scene changes. The subtitles inform us that we are at ESWP's Gauntlet 1998. In the ring are Sengir and the big, hated Firestarter. Firestarter maims Sengir with repeated kidney punches, and Sengir, obviously hurt or even injured badly, is caughing up blood. Firestarter lands yet another hard kidney punch before picking Sengir up in a torture rack-like position but Sengir struggles and wiggles out of this dangerous position. Firestarter turns around, and Sengir, heavily bleeding, in an unprecedented display of strength lifts his eighty-pounds heavier opponent up, turns him around, and drops him with the Setting Sun. We can see the fans jumping to their feet and raising their arms as Sengir lands his trademark move] Voiceover: "The first man to oppose the Firestarter and battle Death Enterprises' reign of terror" [The scene cuts to a ring displaying SCRA logos on the outside. Inside, Zak Baker from the Activists of Hell, then-SCRA tag team champions, staggers over to a prone Sengir lying in the ring. The undertitling reads "SCRA -- The Scraps, March 2nd, 1998". Zak Baker attempts to pull Sengir up but Sengir, quick as a cat, rolls Zak Baker into a tight small package, handily grabbing Baker's tights. The referee delivers a count of three despite Baker's struggles to kick out. Chris Eagle, Sengir's then-partner, jumps into the ring and embraces Sengir, and the referee hands both men title belts.] Voiceover: "A two-time ESWP World Junior Heavyweight Champion. A former SCRA World Tag Team Champion. The reigning VCW Heavyweight Champion" [The scene slowly fades into a bright gold, which in turn shapes into a setting sun, slowly giving away to pitch black darkness. In silver Gothic lettering on the screen the word "Sengir" forms, blood dripping from the letters as the setting sun slowly fades entirely] Voiceover: "Prepare to face... _The Setting Sun_!" [Fade out] ------------------------------------------------------------------------ First Round Matchup Big Greggy Cool [NPWA] vs. Chris Michaels [ESWP] ------------------------------------------------------------------------ TD: The ESWP have always been involved whenever the IIWF opens its doors, and Michaels' participation here is just another example. DB: Those ESWP guys just don't learn their lesson, do they? TD: What are you talking about, Bacon? DB: Last year at Coronation Clash, all four "outsiders" pulled a pretty quick disappearing act. And here they are for more. TD: [grinning] You're not getting into that alien abduction thing again, are you? I thought the doctors fixed that? DB: Shaddup, Dross. Just shut up. TD: Big Greggy Cool comes in with the credentials here as well, being the current NPWA Cruiserweight Champion. DB: One of the longest standing federations in the world today. That's gotta mean something. TD: It means that he's on a level playing field with all the other champions in this tournament. But I'm sure we'll still see Big Greggy Cool entertaining the masses in this matchup. It seems that's what he excels at. DB: That and winning. TD: Chris Michaels has enough stuff to get him through this match as well. He's an excellent wrestler in his own right. I guess we'll have to wait and see, won't we? DB: If you insist. ---------------------------- BIG GREGGY COOL --------------------------- Weight: 200lbs Height: 6'0" Origin: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Orientation: Face Finishing Move: The Show Stopper: a top rope crescent kick. Primary Attributes: Endurance, Cheating, Aerial ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [The scene opens up with Big Greggy Cool, exhausted and tired in his wrestling gear, black boots, shin length cargo shorts, and decent build for a Cruiser, a spiked collar around his neck and his curly hair hanging in front of his face, being weighed down by the sweat. A standing ovation is heard in the background as Big Greggy Cool drops off the ring to the mat holding his NPWA Cruiserweight Championship. The scene switches to Big Greggy Cool sitting in a normal looking chair with his wrestling gear on plus a "NPWA" t-shirt, collars and sleeves ripped off and a smirk on his face.] BIG GREGGY COOL: IIWF King of Cruisers... People say this is the fifteen best Cruishers and Tiger Claw, and maybe one of these days I can earn that compliment... [Video highlights of Big Greggy Cool are shown as his voice over is heard.] BGC: Have I always been 'BGC', "yeah" and "no". I've always been the biggest, the coolest and the most Dyslexic GIB YGGERG LOOC for a long time, but when I broke into this biz I wasn't always me. I'll give ya the inside dish! I was a perp, I tried to wrestle in this world under my pseudonym. All I know was my stupid gimmick cost me matches originally. I thought I'd be more 'marketable' by claiming I was a twenty one year old kid in my last year at Oxford University studying music. I tried to be a real choir boy, but then I decided to kick it with who I really am. [Video shots have Big Greggy Cool calling for and hitting his "BGCDDT", then sitting up with a big ole smirk.] BGC: So I decided that if I need to be myself, to do the "BGC thang"... Hmmm... I could be all successful and hit all my goals on all cylinders. And so far I am. That's why I begged the IIWF to let me into the King of Cruisers. Lots of gentlemen here entered because they love fame. Others love money. I joined for all the illicit drugs, promiscuous sex and mob tie-ins, and I might even be good at the in-ring shizz part of it too! [Big Greggy Cool is seen kneeling down, makes his way up and catches his opponent in a Skankensteiner.] BGC: And I'm not gonna enter this thing cold. I have a plan. Like every great war general, I've got a feeling for combat. I'm gonna take out my first opponent on a mixture of talent and skill. Then, I guess I'll be kinda tired so I'll mix it up with a combination of cheating and paying off refs. I got through high school with a roll of quarters and a folding chair. [Video shot of Big Greggy Cool using Alex Adams' "ODoubleAche"... A headbutt to the lower abdominal region!] BGC: But I truly love this opportunity so I had to make a couple personal sacrifices. When i submitted this video-tape audition for the King Of Cruisers, I was short on cash and I had to record over "Playboy Playmate of the month: November". And I _loved_ that tape. But looking at the bright side of the deal, when all's said and done with I'll have enough money to buy a new CD Player, milk, and a couple bags of Cheese Nips. [The shot has BGC on the top rope with his arms in the air getting the standing ovation and nailing his 'Showstopper'.] BGC: Y'know, I don't even know what the good people of the IIWF will be getting at the King Of Cruisers, but it will be something different, something special and... [Big Greggy Cool squints and motions for the cue cards to be raised just a bit.] BGC: And... Ummm... I guess cooler. . [BGC smiles as the scene fades out.] ---------------------------- CHRIS MICHAELS ---------------------------- Weight: 227lbs Height: 6'0" Origin: Tampa, Florida Orientation: Neutral Finishing Move: Release Dragon Superplex Primary Attributes: Technical, Endurance, Aerial ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [A man stands rigid against a black background. His brown eyes are set, staring forward. He shows no emotion. He is still. His dark brown hair is cut short and shaved on the sides. He is wearing long black tights, black kneepads, and black shinguards pulled over black boots. His wrists are also wrapped in black tape. Graphics suddenly come into view beside him, they come across the screen with a flash of glowing electricity and a buzzing, static sound before leaving behind gold letters that reveal the following information: CHRIS MICHAELS HEIGHT: 6 FEET WEIGHT: 227 POUNDS BORN: TAMPA, FLORIDA AGE: 23 REPRESENTING: ESWP [The graphics are eliminated from the screen in another wave of glowing electricity, and the scene fades as a voice over comes on.] VOICE OVER: Chris Michaels began his competitive fighting career at the age eight. Studying Tae-Kwon-Do, and competing in tournaments all through-out his formative years. [A quick clip of Michaels as a teenager, obviously home video footage. Michaels, in a white gi with a black belt, facing off against another opponent. The crowd cheers as Michaels hits a spinning roundhouse to the chest, and the judge raises his hand, and gives Michaels the winning point.] VO: Michaels broadened his interests, and began kick-boxing. [Cut to a clip of Michaels in a ring, his longer hair pulled back into a ponytail, dressed in long gi pants, with shinguards, and gloves. A banner on the wall reads AMERICAN KICKBOXING COUNCIL and a small logo pops up saying "courtesy of Tampa Sports Channel". Michaels faces off against his opponent, fires in with punches, and dodges a lunging punch and executes a spinning kick to the side of the head that puts his opponent down.] VO: From there, Michaels gradually moved onto professional wrestling, viewing it as the ultimate peak of competition in the ring. Joining the WWA as "Superninja" Chris Michaels, he made an immediate impact. He had to survive quickly in the "hardcore" environment of the WWA, and survive he did. [Cut to clips of Michaels, wearing a black and red singlet, black shinguards, and boots, in various action clips. Pinning a man in red trunks with "DD" on the side with a Dragon Suplex, a quick collection of shots of Michaels in a battle royal, fighting with many different opponents, and then ending with Michaels dumping out a man in a t-shirt and long loose pants, and then a shot of him holding up a belt as he stands on the second rope.] VO: Striking up an alliance and rivalry with Randy "Sandman" Myers, Michaels formed the Extreme Dream Team and won the WWA Public, and Heavyweight titles. [Cut to a shot of Michaels and Myers standing together wearing EDT t-shirts, and then a shot of Myers and Michaels brawling in a back alley, and a shot of Michaels hitting Myers with a hurricanrana off the top of a dumpster. Cut to a shot of Michaels pinning a blood drenched Myers, and then holding a gold belt, and looking on, exhausted and saddended as Myers is stretchered out.] VO: Michaels survived the WWA, and paid his dues, paving the way to the ESWP. Michaels quickly rose up the ranks, and became a quick crowd favorite. Winning the North American Junior Heavyweight title, and then shocking the ESWP by teaming with "Dangerous" Don Hall, and upsetting the Harlequins for the World Tag Team Titles. [Cut to clips of Michaels, wearing a white singlet with a blue streak across the chest and black shinguards and boots, holding up the North American Title to the crowd of the Tokyo Dome. Cut to a shot of Michaels and Hall's winning moment over the Harlequins.] VO: He formed a lasting bound with Sengir as the two waged war over the World Junior Heavyweight Title. [Cut to a shot of Michaels and Sengir facing off. Sengir in black with white face paint, and Michaels in his white singlet. Cut to a shot of Michaels hitting the Dragon Suplex on Sengir. Cut to a shot of Sengir nailing Michaels with the Setting Sun Tombstone Piledriver. Cut to a shot of both men holding up the World Junior Weight title.] VO: Michaels joined the Ellis Alliance, and seemed on top of the world. Then, it all came crashing down. [Cut to a shot of Michaels submitting to the Burning Zone from Firestarter. Cut to a shot of Michaels leaning against a wall outside a dressing room of the Ellis Alliance, his head in his hands. Cut to a shot of Sengir's face, fading into black.] VO: It seemed as if the world had turned against him. So Michaels, turned against the world. [Cut to a shot of Michaels with his new short hair cut, and long tights look. His voice can be heard in the clip "From this day forward, I am just Chris Michaels. Not the 'Superninja', not the Alliance member, not Don Hall's partner. Just Chris Michaels."] VO: Michaels declared his independence, and in doing so, declared war on the entire ESWP. His goal. Beating everyone else to get to one man. His former partner. His former stablemate. "Dangerous" Don Hall. [Cut to a clip of Michaels once again standing still against a black background. His eyes cold. His face a blank slate.] VO: Michaels enters the King of the Cruisers. Completely unheralded. Largely unknown. He has no allies... He is alone... AGAINST THE WORLD. [Fade to black] ------------------------------------------------------------------------ First Round Matchup: "Playboy" Ronnie D [EMWC] vs. "Superior" Sean Stevens [SOW] ------------------------------------------------------------------------ TD: Here's another match with great potential. It's one of wrestling's most skilled superstars in Sean Stevens against the hype master, "Playboy" Ronnie D. DB: I don't think there's a first round match with two more equally talented superstars, Tim. TD: I agree with you here. Sean Stevens is a distinguished wrestler in several federations including the MLWO, and is currently the SOW World's Champion. DB: Nice to see that the cruisers can take some big gold home. At least _some_ executive committees aren't totally corrupt. TD: A total contract in personalities here, as Stevens' excellent wrestling skills seem to be pushed aside compared to the flashiness of the hype master "Playboy" Ronnie D. DB: That's one guy who I have no idea how he wins matches. His skills are sometimes horribly inadequate, but he still finds ways to win. Maybe 'cause he can get under the skin of his opponents. TD: And because he can get under the sheets with their spouses. DB: That was low. TD: I guess you'll have to ask Stevens' better side after this match is over then, won't you? [Both men chuckle as the camera switches to the tale of the tape.] -------------------------- "PLAYBOY" RONNIE D -------------------------- Weight: 214lbs Height: 6'2" Origin: Your daughter's dreams Orientation: Heel Finishing Move: 1. The Heartbreaker: A top-rope knee-drop. 2. The Ronnieplex: a second rope spinning front-face suplex. Primary Attributes: Intelligence, Cheating, Endurance ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [The screen goes black. A low heartbeat echos in the background as a red heart monitor line pulsates in time. The heartbeat gets progressively faster. Lub.......... dub. Lub........ dub. Lub...... dub. Lub.... dub. Lub dub. As the heartbeat reaches a quick climax, it suddenly flatlines. And just as quickly as it flatlined, the heartbeat comes back. Instead of the summits and descents of a heart monitor's readout, the red flatline forms words, in a style that resembles the neon signs you might see on a busy downtown street at night. The heartbeat makes a resounding "Lub dub" and the flatline forms the words MARQUEE MAN The words quickly scroll off the screen. Lub dub. ICON As soon as the word scrolls away... Lub dub. GOD OF WRESTLING The flatline scrolls off the screen, and then a logo of red with gold lettering fades in. It is the logo of the one and only...                                .-"""-.    .-"""-.                                                   /       `..'       \                                                 |    P L A Y B O Y   |                        ___  ___  _  _ _  _ ___ ___   ___                        | _ \/ _ \| \| | \| |_ _| __| |   \                       |   / (_) | .` | .` || || _|  | |) |                       |_|_\\___/|_|\_|_|\_|___|___| |___/                                   `\        /'                                     `\    /'                                                                `\/'     "Sharp Dressed Man" by ZZ Top kicks in as the camera fades to footage of "Playboy" Ronnie D in action as a deep-throated voiceover, reminiscent of James Earl Jones, echoes in the background. [The shot shows Ronnie entering the ring, huge fireworks following him.] Voiceover: Known for his flamboyance. Ronnie is shown rotating in mid-air, executing a huge moonsault.] Voiceover: Known for his athleticism. [Ronnie is shown being mobbed by several teenage girls in a shopping mall.] Voiceover: Known for his good looks. [The shot shows Ronnie leaping off the top rope, Dan Kauffman in his clutches as Kauffman prepares to suffer the effects of the Ronnieplex.] Voiceover: He is six feet, two inches... [Ronnie is shown twisting Brody Thunder in mid-air to land the Ronnieplex on him.] Voiceover: Two-hundred fourteen pounds... [Ronnie is shown posing in the ring under the gaze of pink spotlights, a huge crowd hollering, booing and throwing objects at the ring.] Voiceover: ...of pure sexiness. [The "Playboy" is shown jumping off of a bus, modelling on a chair, and taunting a female fan.] Voiceover: He's coming your way... [Ronnie is shown at the top of a ladder grasping a belt.] Voiceover: Are you ready... [The shot switches to Ronnie leaping off a ladder, with his knee prone for the Heartbreaker, getting closer to the camera that looks skywards. Ronnie gets closer and closer, until the screen is black.] Voiceover: For "Playboy" Ronnie D? [The music dies as the screen fades to the red and gold logo...                                .-"""-.    .-"""-.                                                   /       `..'       \                                                 |    P L A Y B O Y   |                        ___  ___  _  _ _  _ ___ ___   ___                        | _ \/ _ \| \| | \| |_ _| __| |   \                       |   / (_) | .` | .` || || _|  | |) |                       |_|_\\___/|_|\_|_|\_|___|___| |___/                                   `\        /'                                     `\    /'                                                                `\/'     ... And fades out.] ------------------------ "SUPERIOR" SEAN STEVENS ----------------------- Weight: 225lbs Height: 6'5" Origin: Baltimore, Maryland Manager/Valet: Bridget Xavier Orientation: Face Finishing Move: Superiority Show: backflip DDT Primary Attributes: Endurance, Brawling, Aerial ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [Screen fades from black...to a man fighting in the wrestling ring. "Dammit" by Blink 182 is dubbed over the scene. The relatively small man is seen duelling it out with Tommy Marauder in the MLWO-logoed ring...a referee's hand hits the canvas, and the small man jumps up, smiling, ecstatic. He holds the MLWO North American title up as the fans scream] VOICEOVER: A young superstar's blossoming career. [Fade, this time, to a different ring. The same young, small man is perched on top of a ladder. This time, he is extremely bloodied and battered. The camera pans down to see Jeff "the Madfox" Matthews standing in front of a table...the young man backflips...leaps...and sends Matthews crashing through a table with a DDT! The crowd explodes as seen previously. The three count is recorded, and the man is seen with the SOW world title] VO: A young man's destiny. [Finally, the camera pans in to the man...sitting in an interview room. There's a grin on his face. For those of you who don't know...the man is "Superior" Sean Stevens. Then, fade to black again] VO: A young career's shining moment, as "Superior" Sean Stevens ventures from Baltimore here to the pinnacle, to the Double Eye... To attempt to capture glory. [A picture of the King of the Cruisers trophy rotating on a pedestal is shown...then, fade to black] ------------------------------------------------------------------------ First Round Matchup: "Sanguinary" Steve Manning [IIWF] vs. "Real Deal" Shawn Harrison [UEW] ------------------------------------------------------------------------ TD: Well, we're approaching the end of our big Preview show, and our final first round matchup. We have yet another study in contrasting styles. DB: Ain't it great? It's almost as though these brackets weren't actually random. [In the background, we can hear the producer yelling at Bacon to shut up, the word "Mota" thrown in there for occasional effect.] DB: Ooh, you really scare me! Like some part time producer is gonna can me! They can't get rid of me! Ask Larry! TD: Between your bad attitude and this producer's blatant plugs, I'm starting to look forward to seeing my wife and kids at home. DB: But only thanks to the producer, right? TD: Bite me, Bacon. [The sounds of laughter are heard in the background as the entire production crew certainly wasn't expecting that comeback from Dross.] DB: Yeah. Okay. Laugh then. We've got the crazy guy, "Sanguinary" Steve Manning representing the IIWF here. Although I don't know why the IIWF would pick this guy if they only had two choices. TD: I agree. You'd think they'd pick someone who's actually interested in winning the thing instead of just causing a lot of anguish. DB: Or maybe Manning's just fooling us... again. He did it once, I'm sure he's a pretty sneaky guy. TD: I'm sure he is. And his opponent is a relative unknown in the wrestling world, "Real Deal" Shawn Harrison. But this guy's a keeper, I keep hearing from the dressing room. DB: I guess we'll see in the ring, won't we? Manning is either in store for a long night here, or else he'll get an easy win. I don't think there's any middle ground in this match. TD: You may be right, Dave. ---------------------- "SANGUINARY" STEVE MANNING ---------------------- Weight: 230lbs Height: 6'0" Origin: Phoenix, Arizona Orientation: Heel Finishing Move: The Brainshock: also known as the Michinoku Driver. Primary Attributes: Cheating, Brawling, Aerial ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [A pitch black screen. Suddenly letters float up the screen in a "Star Wars" style text...] A LONG TIME AGO... ON A BOOKING SHEET FAR, FAR AWAY... HE WAS MERELY A SIDEKICK... A LACKEY... A SECOND-RATE NOBODY... THINGS HAVE CHANGED... [Suddenly the screen flashes and all of a sudden a swarm of Manning highlights flash over the screen. A moonsault. A flying splash. A slugfest. A chairshot. A middle finger that lingers longer than the rest of the clips. The screen goes black and a voiceover booms.] VO: SANGUINARY. A COMPLEX WORD MEANING SOMETHING QUITE SIMPLE... BLOODTHIRST. HOW FITTING A TITLE FOR STEVE MANNING. [Still picture of a smiling Manning, his smile a definite contrast to a forehead smattered with blood. The voiceover returns, each time followed by a highlight of Manning.] VO: THERE'S NO ONE THAT CAN DENY STEVE MANNING HAS TREMENDOUS ABILITY... [Howard locks on the full nelson, but Manning again lashes out with his feet and nails Howard in the crotch. Howard doubles over, and Manning snaps on the DDT. Instead of going for the cover, Manning places Howard on the top ropes, then climbs the turnbuckles himself. He hooks up Howard...] TD: SuperFishermanbuster! Manning sent Howard crashing to the mat, and has him locked up... VO: NO ONE CAN DENY THAT STEVE MANNING CAN FLY WITH THE BEST OF 'EM... [Steve Manning looks at the referee with surprise that the Brainshock didn't put Scheffield away, then shrugs his shoulder and starts climbing the ropes. He turns around to give the Wembley fans the finger, then leaps off with a moonsault...] VO: TIME AND TIME AGAIN, MANNING HAS PROVEN THAT NO MATTER WHAT DAMANAGE HE MUST SUSTAIN TO HIS OWN BODY, HE'S WILLING TO ABSORB IT, FOR THE CHANCE TO INFLICT SOME PAIN UNTO OTHERS. WHETHER IT MEANS BROKEN RIBS... [Manning gets to the top rope, smiles, and leaps off... Scheffield finally recovers enough to move out of the way, and Manning ends up splashing the steel railing. Manning goes into convulsions, while Scheffield is sitting on the floor, recovering from the earlier assault.] TD: Manning is insane! SR: You know, most of the time I think that little SOB is just putting on an act. But a move like that... that's Derek Mota nuts. VO: ...OR WHETHER IT MEANS ELECTROCUTING HIMSELF... [Manning takes the shock stick and puts the handle down the front of his tights, so that the shocking end is sticking up in front of his abdominals. He picks up Deathbringer, and applies a bearhug, which presses each of their bodies up against the shock stick and sends untold amounts of current through both men. The sizzling sound becomes absolutely sickening as the two bodies twitch in the centre of the ring, with Manning laughing insanely in the face of Deathbringer.] VO: MANNING DOES WHATEVER IT TAKES... [The two exchange blows in the middle of the ring, Manning getting the worst of it, but fighting back nonetheless and smiling the whole time. The crowd gets louder and louder as the two combatants continue to pound one another. Deathbringer lands a punch, but Manning goes to the back of his tights, pulls out a tongue depressor, and drives it into Deathbringer's throat.] TD: Manning hit Deathbringer with the foreign object, but he can't keep the dead man down! [Manning goes back into his tights for a pair of brass knuckles, and clocks Deathbringer in the jaw. Still, he cannot knock him down... so he reaches back into his tights and pulls out...] TD: A hockey puck?! Manning's got a _puck_?! SR: What else is Manning willing to yank out of his pants to stop this man? VO: HE DOES WHATEVER HE WANTS... [President Spreadbury and Tim Dross' jaws drop in horror as Steve Manning unzips his jeans and removes... well, a thick video distortion takes care of the rest for us TV viewers, however the live audience aren't as fortunate, as the container slowly begins to fill up with a familiar liquid as camera flashes make the arena brighten up. Security make a _mad dash_ down the aisle, sliding under the ropes into the ring and tackling Manning to the mat. Manning begins throwing punches and kicks, knocking two security guards off him, before they manage to grabs his hands, pin them behind his back, and apply a set of handcuffs. Manning's pants have fallen around his ankles, thankfully his t-shirt has fallen down enough to cover the area that needs to be covered. Manning is near _tears_ in laughter as the security guards "escort" him from the ring, and down the aisle. Steve Roberts' laughter is deep in contrast to the silence of Dross and Spreadbury.] SR: [over headset] Sweet Jesus in heaven above! A live urine test on national TV! _Only_ in the Double Eye Double U F'n F! Steve Manning was just a little _pissed off_ tonight! [The camera returns to the ring, where both Tim Dross and Daniel Spreadbury stand, both of their faces are pale, both are in utter shock as they look down upon the half-filled jar lying on the mat. The fans are half in shock, half-laughing as Spreadbury and Dross search for words.] VO: AND IT'S POINTLESS TO TRY AND STOP HIM... [Clip of Manning jumping from the rafters on a thin bungee cord, scaring the beejeezus out of Tim Dross and Joe Petrow, as he lets Petrow have a lovely double fingered salute on every bounce down.] VO: BUT IF YOU DO... JUST EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED... [The crowd begins to boo loudly as Manning suddenly pours forth from about thirty feet above the wrestlers' regular entrance, strapped to a zipline, thousands of cameras flashing with the dramatic entrance. His dirty blond hair flows back as he descends to the ring, his vest rippling with the gust of air as his black trunks become a mere streak. As he nears the ring, one "L'il Soundbiter" stands and points at him, yelling, "It's Sting!"] SR: Now _that_, Dross, is the entrance of a real man! TD: Or someone masquerading as "The Crow"... [McArthur just stares wide-eyed at the oncoming Manning, or at least until he realises it's too late. At just a few feet up and away from McArthur, Manning detaches his cord, plummeting into McArthur with the force of a charging bull. Quickly pulling his vest off and tossing it over the top rope, Manning mounts the downed McArthur, wasting no time in laying into him with a series of punches to the forehead.] SR: That was either the stupidest thing I have ever seen, or one of the greatest manoeuvres in the history of this sport... which it is, hell, I have no clue. VO: HE'S SUICIDAL... [Steve Manning flies awkwardly off the top turnbuckle, crashing down onto the other bodyguard, sending both men flying into a pile of audio equipment and the guardrail. The bodyguard is motionless, as Manning rolls around... _LAUGHING_.] VO: HE'S MANIACAL... [Footage of Steve Manning, dousing Charles Scheffield with water, and then proceeding to jam the shockstick into the soaked victim's prone body, all the while, laughing like a madman.] VO: HE'S "SANGUINARY" STEVE MANNING. [Cuts to a clip of Manning smashing Maurice McArthur with a Brainshock squaredriver, which "shatters" the screen, leaving just the word "SANGUINARY" in white letters, little blood droplets dripping from each one, as howling wind is heard in the background. Fade.] ---------------------- "REAL DEAL" SHAWN HARRISON ---------------------- Weight: 230lbs Height: 6'2" Origin: Venice Beach, California Orientation: Heel Finishing Move: Showstopper: inverted DDT or a superkick. Primary Attributes: Endurance, Cheating, Aerial ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ["Carmina Burana" by Carl Orff starts to play.] VO: There were times when the sport was ruled only by the big, musclebound, powermen. A time when finesse and aerial tactics were viewed as untraditional and suicidal. [Black and white clips of the old-time wrestling.] VO: Now marks the arrival of the high-flying era. [Clips of Shawn Harrison nailing a corkscrew moonsault on Hippy Toss. Harrison nails AoD with guillotine legdrop.] VO: An era that is symbolised by the spirit and attitude of _one_ man. [A shot of "Real Deal" Shawn Harrison smiling into the camera.] VO: Shawn Harrison, the "Real Deal", the self-proclaimed greatest high-flyer to _ever_ grace the sport. He comes to the King of the Cruiserweights tourney with _one_ goal in mind... To be crowned the King of _all_ cruiserweights. [Clips start to play at high speed. Harrison nailing Johnathan Regnigh with the Showstopper. Harrison sailing through the air in the middle of a picture perfect 450 splash. Harrison flexing in the middle of the ring. The ref raising Harrison's hand in the air. AoD and Harrison duking it out.] VO: And one thing is certain... he is the real deal and you are not. Beware the showstopper... [Last clip has Shawn Harrison laughing as the screen fades to black. The final chords of Carmina Burana slowly evaporate.] [Cut back to the ring, where a techie is tightening the ring ropes in preparation for the Saturday night's matches.] TD: And that's it for tonight! I'm sure it's going to be a real history maker in the IIWF, SJPW and with all the other federations that are represented in this event! DB: Damn right. It's about time the wrestling world recognises its cruiserweights as legitimate wrestlers and not mid-carders. Hopefully this is just the first of many steps. TD: So we have El Hijo Del Satanico against Tiger Claw, and "Sanguinary" Steve Manning against "Real Deal" Shawn Harrison coming to you on April 11, live from the IIWF Coliseum here in Portland, Oregon. DB: And "Playboy" Ronnie D vs. "Superior" Shawn Stevens and the Kabuki Kid vs. "Iconoclast" Sean Watts coming to you from the Osaka Furitsu Gym in Osaka, Japan, courtesy of SJPW! TD: We've got sixteen wrestlers now, but in one short month, the two finalists will meat at the IIWF's Birthday Bash PPV, coming to you on May 16! DB: If we don't know who the best cruiser in the world is right now, I can guarantee you that we'll know by then, Tim. This tournament is gonna create some legends, I'll tell you that. TD: May 16. King of the Cruisers. A legend crowned. And it all starts in less than forty-eight hours! Be sure to check out IIWF Saturday Night for the beginning of it all! [As the camera begins panning out, we see Derek Mota walking up to Dave Bacon, grabbing him by the collar, mumbling something about "annoying the boss". Fade.] +=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= I * I * W * F =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-+ | President: Daniel Spreadbury | Vice-President: Gregg Osterhout | | univ0322@sable.ox.ac.uk | ghost@frii.com | | iiwf@sisko.demon.co.uk | | +=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- http://www.sisko.demon.co.uk -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=+