For the final time, we return to the arena, sat waiting, readying themselves for their main event. And then, it hits:
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Like red to a bull, the music signals for the fans to unleash their loathing and hatred.
Anderson: Ladies and gentlemen, this is your main event and it is a triple threat match set for one fall. Introducing first, from Keystone City, Kansas, weighing in at 225 pounds, he is the EurAsian Champion; TITUS AVI-SON!
The former hero of WZCW enters, slowly sauntering to the ring, championship draped over his shoulder. He smiles arrogantly, hoisting his title upwards, defiant of the reaction and totally vainglorious. Picking up his speed as he makes his way to the ring, Titus is careful to avoid fan interaction, moving his shoulders and arms away from any clamouring fans, wanting a piece of the Academy Award winner.
Cohen: This is how a true champion enters CC. With class, with dignity, with the upmost confidence; Titus Avison, what a man! Even if Flex Mussel can drag his sorry self into Gold Rush, he’d hardly survive a basic match with this legend, let alone a Mayhem Rules thrashing like the one Titus is going to be dishing out.
Connor: We’ll see at Gold Rush what’s in store for Titus and the EurAsian title, but tonight he has to face off with, essentially, two other champions of a sort.
Cohen: Though who’s the only one carrying real gold, eh?
Indeed as Titus enters through the ropes, he shows off that gold, proud of it, holding it close, shining it up to catch a glimpse of himself in it. That arrogant smirk once more creeps onto his face. Quickly it is interrupted by the lyrical stylings of…
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Anderson: His opponents, first, from Milan, Italy, she is the Elite Champion; EVE TAY-LOR!
This time there is a hugely mixed response from the crowd. Many cheer but just as many boo. Eve Taylor enters the arena, a foul look etched across her face, no championship round her waist or over her shoulder. That is elsewhere in the possession of another.
Connor: Eve Taylor is a woman on a mission to take back physical possession of her championship from a deranged lunatic in John Doe.
Cohen: The Trinity is no more, but believe you me, that won’t stop John Doe and this personal vendetta he obviously has with the ever beautiful Ms. Taylor. And may I say, even without the gold she is a ravishing sight to behold.
Throwing herself over the top rope, she almost gets in Titus’ face, but the referee steps in to intervene, preventing the two competitors from making contact. Avison lightly chuckles, backing himself into a corner, holding his arms up, pleading innocence all the while taunting her with his title. Then, a third party enters the fray:
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A unanimously positive wave greets the final competitor as he bursts forth onto the stage, golden briefcase glistening in the bright lights and a big, genuine smile stretched over his face.
Anderson: And finally, from Minneapolis, Minnesota, weighing 222 pounds, he is the King for a Day, "The Unforgettable", NO-AH RY-DER!
Placing his briefcase on the stage and rubbing his chin, analysing the task ahead of him, Ryder shrugs his shoulders and sprints to the ring. For the first time Titus appears concerned while Eve relishes an outlet for her frustrations.
Connor: Noah Ryder is coming in all guns a-blazing, looking to take two big scalps here.
Ryder bolts into the ring, Titus shoving Eve at him, and then diving out of the ring immediately afterwards. The referee calls for the bell as Taylor is taken down, forced to withstand an early onslaught from the fan favourite Ryder. He throws lefts and rights as she does her best to cover up. Titus meanwhile takes the opportunity to rest and prepare. He leans on the announce table, championship over his shoulder, not yet ready to enter the mix.
Back inside and Eve has turned the tables on Ryder and now it is she who throws lefts and rights, Noah trying to withstand her assault now. Finally he kicks at her, and with his third strike out, manages to catch her and push her against the ropes. As he sits up though, she comes right back and fires a straight boot into his face. Her simple yet effective brawling strategy persists as she proceeds to stomp over and over into the abdomen and gut of Ryder. He tries to roll toward the ropes, but she still catches him with boots across the shoulder, back and even a glancing blow across the face. Finally though he finds the bottom rope and hugs it, avoiding more potential carnage.
Taking a moment to collect herself, Eve backs off. She allows Ryder to get to his feet and now the pair circles one another. Still Titus is unmoved, stroking his face, plotting and strategising. Taylor and Ryder come together in the centre of the ring, a classic collar-elbow tie-up this time. It is Ryder who gains the advantage first, pushing his adversary’s hands away and gripping her in a quick headlock. Soon her takes her down and whilst both are there, forces her shoulders to the mat. 1…EVE THROWS RYDER OFF! They come together again and again Ryder forces Eve into the headlock. She tries to bounce him off the ropes to get herself free of the basic hold, but Ryder persists, cranking it even tighter.
Throwing a couple of fists into his gut, Eve again looks to find a way out, but Ryder is relentless. He takes her over again but this time quickly releases, backs off, allowing her to sit up before unleashing a straight kick to her elegant features. He forces her down for the cover: 1…2…KICK-OUT! Titus moves ever so slightly from the table, even going so far as to take his title off his shoulder, but he remains in position, at the announce desk. A look of concern quickly falls away into conceitedness once more.
Connor: Uh, Titus, the match is inside the ring. He does know he’s a participant in this, right Jack?
Cohen: Oh of course CC, but this man is a strategist of the finest order. He’s thinking two or three steps ahead of his adversaries, that’s why he’s sat out here scouting them, seeing what they do next, while they tear each other to pieces inside the ring. Incredible really.
With Titus still waiting in the wings, Eve rubs her face whilst getting to one knee. She leaves herself exposed with Noah coming toward her, executing a swinging neckbreaker. Again he forces her over and covers. 1…2…KICK-OUT! Right as she powers out, he clamps down around her throat and neck, locking her in for a chinlock. She is quick to wrap her legs around the bottom rope and the referee tells Ryder to break. After a few moments, Noah obliges and backs off. Eve grabs the middle rope and begins hoisting herself up, but Ryder comes roaring at her, seeking to grab her for a sleeper hold. This time though she is ready and drops down to her back. Surprised, Noah looks down, greeted by two straight boots to his face. He collapses to the side, holding his face while she rolls backward and straight onto her two feet. Titus applauds.
Taking no notice of the third man in the match, Taylor now takes her chance to go on offence. Ryder crawls toward the corner for safety, but Eve is right there with him, spinning her opponent round so he faces her and unleashing a knife edge chop. Its sound echoes in the arena before Eve resets Ryder for a second and then the hat trick. She follows up by placing her boot firmly into his neck, putting pressure on his Adams apple and larynx, depriving him of air and making things generally uncomfortable.
He gasps, trying desperately to move her boot and free up is airways, but Taylor has the leverage and thus the advantage. The referee warns her, but under triple threat rules cannot count her out for a disqualification and she knows it, exploiting it, keeping it locked on, enjoying watching as air fails to reach a dryly gasping Noah Ryder. Suddenly, like Harry Lime, the third man appears. Titus swoops in and executes a reverse DDT on Taylor! As Ryder slumps down in the corner, the EurAsian Champion looks for a quick win: 1…2…KICK-OUT!
Connor: I have to say, Titus picked his moment perfectly there, just as it appeared Eve had this match in her control, he came in and nearly stole a fast one.
Cohen: That’s what I’ve been telling you, the man’s a bonafide genius.
The supposed genius though isn’t overly happy and shoots a dirty look the referee’s way before grabbing the long locks of his female adversary and throwing straight closed fists her way. Eventually when this no longer satisfies him, he palms her down and tries to rub her face repeatedly into the mat, that sickening smile again crawling back onto his features. Titus though forgets about the other factor in this match and Noah Ryder catches the former Red Mask with a straight boot of his own across the side of his head. Avison rolls away, trying to create distance, but Noah is in pursuit, bringing Titus up. The veteran though pops off a European uppercut to startle Ryder who stumbles back into a quick schoolboy from Taylor! 1…2…TITUS SLAPS ON THE ANKLE LOCK!
Cohen: There it is! The canniness of Titus Avison – he knows about Eve’s ankles, her great weakness and he has her scouted oh so well. This is the end!
Dragging Eve away, Titus now has his trademark submission firmly on the Elite Champion. He applies great torque and pressure but she shakes her head. He grits his teeth with anticipation as she does the same, but in her case it is agony. Things looks bleak for the Milanese model before Noah Ryder pops back into the action with a sudden springboard back elbow! He catches Titus just on the cheekbone, sending him careening away from the action. As Eve grabs her obviously weakened limb and joint, Ryder is faced with a choice. Does he pick the weakened Taylor or the downed Avison. He looks left, then right and an idea creeps into his brain just as a grin comes across his face.
First, he points at Eve. A distinctly average response from the crowd follows. Then he points at Titus. The crowd roars with delight. Again he points at Eve, this time there is booing. Now Titus again. They roar louder with even more want and expectation. Noah nods frantically and pursues the now rising EurAsian Champ.
Connor: The people have spoken!
Cohen: No!
Before he can fully get to his feet though, Titus is flung overhead with a snap suplex. Ryder though doesn’t relinquish his possession of the Keystone native’s neck and head, instead bringing him up and steadying him, before backing him off and delivering the sling blade! He goes for the cover: 1…2…KICK-OUT! Ryder though is firmly in control and he takes it upon himself to bring Titus up once more This time he goes behind and hoists Titus up, spins him and plants him dead centre of the ring with a blue thunder bomb! Surely this time?!? 1…2…EVE BREAKS IT UP! Throwing herself at the pinning combination Taylor just saves the match.
Now all three competitors are down. Titus manages to move away from his adversaries, rolling out beyond the ring, to the outside. Eve staggers upwards, limping on her weakened ankle. Ryder too tries to get to his feet. Then he throws a wild blow her way, drawing a cheer from the crowd. Then she retorts. A mixed reaction. He replies with the same and again she responds in kind. Now they go back and forth the crowd mostly behind Noah. With the slight edge though, he begins to take advantage, mixing it up with chops and fists to the face. Soon he is in a frenzy. Suddenly, Eve catches him with a nasty slap! It is so violent it sends Ryder flying backward into the ropes, but he comes flying out with the pendulum clothesline, sending Taylor inside out.
Connor: Momentum is well and truly with Noah now.
Without missing a beat, Ryder bends over to peel Eve from the canvas and locks her head in position for what appears to be the Black Out! But unbeknownst to Noah, the apron is occupied by Titus Avison who leaps to the top rope, springboards in and comes clattering down to deliver an exquisite bulldog! All three competitors are felled now. After a moment to recover, the crowd begins to clap slowly, ever so slowly, before picking up steam, trying to revive the warriors in this match. Soon they are in a distinct rhythm. First Titus begins to climb upwards, then Ryder and finally Eve. All three drag their weary selves up and we have ourselves a Mexican standoff. The crowd roars with expectancy.
Connor: I hope you can hear this at home! It is thunderous here!
The three opponents size each other up, slowly circling, Eve limping all the while. Then, as things appear to be headed for some sort of violent conclusion, Titus drops and rolls to the outside, making his way to the announce desk. There he grabs his championship and proceeds to make his exit, around the ring and then up the ramp. Those in attendance make their feelings clear on the situation to Mr. Avison.
Connor: Is…is Titus leaving?
Cohen: Why not? What does he have to gain? He needs to be in prime and ready condition to lay a beating on Flex Mussel. This match isn’t doing him any favours.
As fans heckle and jeer the Hall of Famer, Taylor and Ryder turn their anticipation to one another. Noah shrugs his shoulders, nothing to lose, and the two throw themselves at each another, throwing fists, forearms, knees, feet, whatever they can strike with at their opponent. As Eve appears to be gaining the advantage, Ryder pushes her away and off the ropes, but she comes back, launching herself at him with the Thesz press. She lays in some stiff fists before popping up and laying in with stomps just as she did at the start of the contest, ultimately nailing the Stiletto Stomp – a double stomp to the midsection of Noah. She limps away, but less so than before. She has that adrenaline pumping now and she prepares herself for something big, allowing the King for a Day to get to his feet.
Climbing to one knee, Noah leaves his upper body exposed and so Eve comes at him with a spinning heel kick, flattening him. She lets out a scream, indicating that she’s finished with this and signals for the end. She comes toward him desperate for the killing blow when suddenly Noah catches her with the inside cradle! 1…2…KICK-OUT! At two and three quarters, Eve is able to fire her way out. Furious now, Taylor grabs a rising Noah and drops him onto her feet, face first, with the Fashion Statement! He is all but uncurious it seems. She rolls him up for the cover, hooking both legs: 1…2…3!
Anderson: Your winner of this match, the Elite Champion, EVE TAY-LOR!
Connor: Excellent win for the Elite Champion here tonight as she roles toward her title defense against John Doe at Gold Rush.
Arm raised in victory, Eve is clearly only moderately satisfied with her win. She forcefully yanks her arm away from the referee, getting to her feet. Then, the lights die and her music cuts. The tron bursts to life: a figure hides in the shadows of a dank and dreary local. Their face is hidden amongst the shadows but their presence is felt with the Elite Championship extended outwards held into the light, swung from side to side slowly, securely, mesmerically, like a pendulum from the pit.
???: Tick, tock Eve. Tick, tock. On the hour your time is up and Cinderella will be no more. In her place will be a monster, exposed. Tick, tock. That’s what I want, what I need, the vile and loathing surfacing, breathing, suffering. Tick. Tock. The clock strikes twelve. Midnight is upon us and you face me just as you face yourself. You face me and you try to take that which is most precious to you back. I face you and I expose what really hides under that pretty little exterior. Face me and I’ll take it all from you. Your gold and your beauty.
The figure emerges from the shadows, revealing John Doe. He is masked up, his face still unseen to us and the mystery of his true self still hidden. We can make out the faintest of sinister smiles streaking across his face though as he brings his opposite hand upwards to engulf the camera and end the broadcast.
