XWF Presents: Relentless - Night 1

09 - 22 - 2023

LIVE FROM HADES

THE JUST-US LEAGUE
THE ATOMIC BAT AND THE BLUE TANGO ©
- vs -
LATINA SUBMISSION MACHINA AND H.G.H
2 RPs - No Word Limit - Tornado Tag Match

VICTOR THE JUDGE MENTAL
- vs -
DOLLY WATERS
- vs -
BULK LOGAN
2 RPs - 2k - Standard Triple Threat
Winner receives a TV Title Shot

ANARCHY TITLE #1 CONTENDERS MATCH
MASTERMIND
- vs -
MOLLY BARNES
Anarchy Rules - Standard Match

DIONYSUS ©
- vs -
SLADE DURANT
2 rps/3k - TV Champ can name the match stip in his first promo

MYRA RIVERS©
- vs -
PENELOPE
Phlegethon Pyre Match

A video package for Relentless appears on the XWFtron igniting the crowd as the camera pans over a few of Hades before switching to a shot of the announcers table.

HHL: Hello everyone and welcome to Night 1 of our yearly 3 day extravaganza. I am HHL and as always I am joined by my ineffable cohost Pip Collins and boy have we got an exciting 3 nights for all of you. Our first match of the evening is a tag team title match so let's get right to it.

The arena goes dark and a blue spotlight points to the entrance and from behind the curtain comes the Blue Tango! He looks out to the crowd then takes a slow jog down the ramp. Tango slides under the bottom rope and visits each middle turnbuckle around the ring before resting in his corner.

The arena lights begin to flicker as the music of The Atomic Bat begins to echo through the building, signaling the arrival of the masked crusader. The excitement in the arena is palpable as the crowd rises to their feet, eagerly anticipating the arrival of their hero.

Suddenly, the revving of an engine can be heard, and the Atomic Bat appears on her Atomic Batcycle at the top of the ramp. The crowd's excitement intensifies as she revs the engine, sending sparks flying from the back of the bike.

With a deafening roar, the Atomic Bat zooms down the ramp, her cape billowing behind her. She expertly circles the ring on her bike, showing off her skills to the audience before finally coming to a stop and dismounting.

The Atomic Bat removes her helmet, revealing her masked face to the cheering crowd. She takes a moment to soak in the admiration of her fans before making her way to the ring.

As she climbs into the ring, the Atomic Bat surveys her surroundings, taking note of any potential threats. She remains focused and composed, ready for whatever challenges await her.

The crowd continues to cheer and chant her name, showering her with love and admiration. The Atomic Bat acknowledges their support with a nod and a wave, showing her gratitude for their unwavering loyalty.

As the match is about to begin, the Atomic Bat takes a moment to mentally prepare herself, visualizing her strategy and getting into the zone. She is determined to emerge victorious, not just for herself, but for her fans as well.

With a fierce determination in her eyes, the Atomic Bat waits for the bell to ring, ready to unleash her full arsenal of moves and prove once again why she is the hero that this city needs.

The lights in the arena go dim as a latin trap banger is blared through the PA system. As the bass bumps through the arena three different spotlights begin rotating over the crowd: one green, one red, and one white. After a few seconds all three spotlights coalesce on the entrance ramp, where we see Latina Submission Machina kneeling on the ground, holding a Mexican flag across her back! Pyrotechnics pop off the entrance ramp just as the crowd hits it's biggest pop of the night.

Latina Submission Machina bounces to her feet, still holding the flag of her nation across her back. Her half-painted face is twisted into an angry expression, but really that's just for the camera, because this luchadora is as calculated and cerebral as they come! She walks down the entrance ramp with a confident swagger before climbing the steel steps and slipping between the ropes. As her name is announced, she charges onto one of the turnbuckles and holds her nation's flag up high.

LSM hops off the corner post before barking at a ringside attendant to come take care of her precious flag.

Harmon Greyson Hays better known as HGH strolls down to the ring with an aura of confidence about him. He climbs into the ring and bumps fists with his partner as they await the bell.

THE JUST-US LEAGUE
THE ATOMIC BAT AND THE BLUE TANGO ©
- vs -
THE END
LATINA SUBMISSION MACHINA AND H.G.H
2 RPs - No Word Limit - Tornado Tag Match

Ding! Ding!

As the bell rings, the crowd gives a cheer, excited to see the first match begin for a historic Relentless weekend. The referee quickly shows off the XWF Tag-Team Titles, before moving to drop them off to someone outside the ring.

With the crowd still buzzing, The Blue Tango signals to his partner, and the tag champs both climb up their respective turnbuckles, saluting the energized audience. This proves to be a mistake, though, as HGH suddenly comes over, knocking The Atomic Bat off her turnbuckle and sending her tumbling to the apron!

As The Blue Tango turns, shocked at the lack of sportsmanship, LSM comes in from behind, grabbing at The Blue Tango's legs and dragging him backwards to the mat into a pinning combination! The referee hesitates, then dives in for the count.

One!

Two!

And The Blue Tango easily kicks out, jumping back to his feet... only to get dropkicked by HGH! He goes down again, as LSM immediately jumps on him, applying a rear naked choke! The Blue Tango fights against it, struggling, as LSM cranks back!

HHL: It's looking like the champs are in trouble right out of the gate!

PIP: Hey, we're starting off with tornado tag rules, which means that nobody needs to tag and chaos is likely! The superheroes should have stayed on guard for such a beginning!

HHL: They were probably expecting an honorable lock-up to begin, Pip.

PIP: Well, they were mistaken. Honor is one thing, those tag titles are another!

As LSM keeps working over The Blue Tango, HGH goes to the apron, grabbing at the Atomic Bat to pull her in as well. But The Atomic Bat instinctively drops, clotheslining HGH on the top rope and causing him to stagger away in pain.

This works perfectly for our superhero, who pulls herself up and springboards up off the ropes, flying over to HGH and spiking him into the mat with a springboard DDT!

Hearing the crash behind her, LSM releases The Blue Tango and gets up, rushing at The Atomic Bat. But she's ready, quickly springing off the nearby ropes once again to score a flying back elbow that knocks LSM down!

As the contender rolls away, The Atomic Bat gets up and quickly goes to The Blue Tango's side, helping him up. He nods, assuring his teammate that he's perfectly fine, as a superhero would never show how much he's hurting.

HHL: The Atomic Bat really turned this one around in a hurry!

PIP: It's really unfair for someone to have actual superpowers in a wrestling ring. I remember when Spider-Man beat the hell out of Bone Saw McGraw. It was hard to watch.

HHL: ... That was a movie, Pip.

PIP: And a really good one at that, Heather.

On the outside, HGH can be seen, getting to his feet, as LSM comes over to him to talk strategy. But as the contenders converse, The Blue Tango can be seen pointing their way. He signals for the Atomic Bat to give him a boost, so she launches him with one arm towards the corner.

The Blue Tango races upwards, then leaps off the top, splashing down on top of his startled opponents on the outside!! The crowd pops at the maneuver, with The Atomic Bat nodding in apparent pride. She then slides under the bottom rope, quickly grabbing hold of HGH and bringing him back into the ring.

As HGH stands, The Atomic Bat moves in, showing her unbelievable strength by starting to lift him into a fireman's carry! But HGH stops that with an eye rake, saving himself as The Atomic Bat is blinded. HGH then reaches up, yanking on The Atomic Bat's mask, as she fights to keep it on!

HHL: He's trying to reveal her secret identity, Pip!!

PIP: Come on, everyone knows that it's...

HHL: Don't say another word, Pip!

PIP: Why not?

HHL: We don't out secrets here in the XWF!

PIP: ...

Outside the ring, The Blue Tango sees his partner's mask in trouble and heads in, quickly pulling HGH off and hitting a superhero reverse neckbreaker! HGH is down, as The Blue Tango makes the cover...

One!

Two!

And LSM is there, breaking it up! She quickly twists the Blue Tango into a crossface chicken wing, yanking him back to try and cause him to quickly submit! The ref moves in, checking on it...

But The Atomic Bat is quick to return and break it up, having readjusted her mask. She pulls LSM up to her feet, getting behind her to quickly land a bridged German suplex! She holds on, as the ref now has to readjust again...

One!

Two!

And HGH is back, breaking it up with a boot to The Atomic Bat's side! As The Atomic Bat painfully gets up, holding her ribs, HGH takes full advantage, grabbing hold of her and delivering the Injection Shot!! The crowd reacts, even as HGH makes the cover himself, hanging onto both legs (and a bit of tights)...

One!

Two!

And The Blue Tango flies in, knocking HGH off the cover!

PIP: This is going pretty much as we expected, Heather! It's hard to get the pin with the wrestler's partner right there in the action with you!

HHL: Clearly at least one of these wrestlers is going to have to be incapacitated before we can see a full ending for this one.

PIP: Time someone brings out the handcuffs!

HHL: PIP!!

PIP: What? No handcuffs??

The Blue Tango quickly brings HGH up, but falls to another eye rake, as HGH seems determined to ruin at least one of the masks of his opponents tonight. HGH then grabs the blinded superhero by the arm and goes to shoot him into the ropes.

But The Blue Tango reverses it, and as HGH returns, The Blue Tango takes him down with a Lou Thesz Press, followed by the Guns for Justice!! The crowd pops at every punch, counting along, as the champ throws in a few extra shots, since this IS a major PPV.

He then gets up, just as LSM begins to charge at him... only to get caught and given a swinging neckbreaker from The Atomic Bat!

HHL: The Just Us League is once again working well together, showing how they became tag-team champs!

HGH and LSM need to start turning this one around, or else it might very well be The End for them...

Working together, The Just Us League has LSM up now, double-teaming her by launching her into the corner. The Atomic Bat then rushes at her, leaping into a splash!

She moves out of the way, as The Blue Tango follows right behind her with his own superhero splash! LSM slumps in the corner, stunned.

HGH pulls himself up, grabbing at The Blue Tango from behind, but The Blue Tango quickly reverses it with a kick. The Atomic Bat then comes over, and the two send HGH flying into the corner... crushing LSM one more time!

PIP: Anyone got a spatula? Because LSM just got flattened!

HHL: She's in a corner, why would we need a spatula?

PIP: Just... they're not all going to be winners, okay? Just go with it, don't point it out!

With both members of The End in the corner, The Atomic Bat comes in, turning HGH around. She climbs up onto the turnbuckle, signaling to the crowd to count with her as she lands a 10 count combo on both of her opponents!

After the shots, The Atomic Bat jumps off, as HGH wearily staggers out of the corner. He doesn't see The Blue Tango as he begins to moonwalk out of the opposite corner, before delivering the Moonwalk Superman Punch!! HGH goes down, with The Blue Tango making the cover...

One!

Two!

And somehow HGH kicks out!

HHL: What a punch from The Blue Tango!

PIP: Eh, I've seen stronger...

HHL: So you wouldn't mind taking a hit like that, then?

PIP: Well, let's not take it too far...

In the corner, The Atomic Bat drags LSM out of the corner, setting her up for the Batrap submission hold! But before she can get LSM down, LSM counters into a dragon sleeper, trying to bring her foe to the mat!

But The Blue Tango is quickly there to stop it, blocking the hold, and both superheroes quickly bring LSM up in the air, landing a double suplex that sends LSM crashing on top of a recovering HGH!!

As HGH writhes in pain, The Blue Tango quickly pulls LSM up and launches her over the ropes, sending her to the floor!

HGH tries to get up, refusing the ref's questions to him, as he turns towards The Blue Tango, wanting some more. But The Blue Tango just points over HGH's shoulder. As HGH turns, The Atomic Bat comes flying in, hitting the Bat Stomp!!!!

The dropkick knocks HGH right into The Blue Tango's arms, and he drops him with the Hero Cutter!! The pin is made, as The Atomic Bat turns to watch out for LSM...

One!

Two!

THREE!!

Winners AND STILL XWF TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS - THE JUST US LEAGUE

HHL: A major victory for the Just Us League, as they ended up dominating this one in the end!

PIP: I still don't think they're superheroes, but they're winners, at least for tonight.

HHL: Who will it take to be able to take the gold from them? So far, nobody has!

The champions both raise their belts proudly overhead, rejoicing over a successful victory for truth and justice. We cut away.

XWF World Heavyweight Champion Myra Rivers is backstage with her title. She’s got plenty of stuff to think about as usual, but with this being the biggest show on the XWF calendar for the year, she is definitely going through some familiar feelings. There is no sense of happiness in her as she begins to express her thoughts.

Myra Rivers: Last year? At this same event? I was in a situation where the odds were completely against me. I was in a situation where few thought that I was going to win. Remember that Walk of Fame ladder match? Remember how going into it, due to mainly hard luck more than anything else, I didn’t necessarily have momentum going into that? Yet, despite all of that and despite the frustrations that I had dealt with for some time on Madness, there was never a doubt that I was going to find a way to win that ladder match and to get my future shot at what was then the IDL title.

And that’s exactly what I did.

NOW?

I’m going into this event as the champion.

It’s great how things work out so well in a year and yet despite what I have been able to accomplish, I still feel like the puzzle has one missing piece left and that’s securing my place as the face of Madness. I normally DON’T aim for this type of thing but is there any reason why I shouldn’t be? I’ve been here for more than a year and a half and I have yet to even lose a one on one match. I have yet to be pinned. I have yet to be submitted and you’ve got some people out there saying that I shouldn’t be the face of the brand or that someone else should be and why is that exactly?

Because I don’t pick fights on Twitter?

Myra takes a bit of a pause to sigh and roll her eyes.

Myra Rivers: Because I don’t have fifty million Twitter followers? Because the opponent that I am defending this championship against is THAT good?

Look, don’t get me wrong on Penelope from an ability standpoint. She’s earned the reputation that she has for a reason. But that’s not an excuse for ANYONE to completely dismiss me and start saying last rites for my title reign. I didn’t look so good coming out of the previous Madness. So what? Yeah, the stipulation of the match isn’t something that would traditionally favor me. So what? Yeah, Penelope has the mirage called social media popularity behind her and definitely more than me. So FUCKING what especially to that? Like who GIVES a flying fuck about that? Apparently all the people that liked or retweeted her cryptic nonsense and her tweet about me following the previous Madness.

Good lord, have they already printed out the Penelope championship merchandise? Yeah, I bet they already have. You might as well start the celebration now, right? Because Penelope won the tournament and it’s SO academic that she’s going to win this match tonight and become the new world champion because fuck ME and everything I’ve done for this brand right?

Myra pauses again, knowing that she’s starting to get a bit heated at this point. She takes a few moments to calm down, obviously carrying some anger.

Myra Rivers: And if you’re thinking I’m not happy, damn right I’m not happy. I’m VERY unhappy with how things ended for me at the previous Madness. Yeah, I won the match against Kieran King and I retained this championship. I put the son of a bitch behind me and that’s great. But the last thing I am is someone else’s welcome mat. The last thing that I am is a placeholder champion. Oh and I haven’t even MENTIONED Sahara and all that mist crap on top of all of that.

Great! Two on one scenario! Fuck me, I’m screwed right? They’re probably test driving the floats for Penelope’s victory parade, am I right?

There’s just ONE tiny little problem with ALL of the BULLSHIT with people crowning her already…

The match hasn’t happened yet. She still has to fight the match and compete against me. And I just happen to be the one wrestler on this brand that is able to find a way through no matter how tough these imaginary odds and expectations might be or how bleak things might look. I’m not afraid of someone like Penelope. I’m angry as fuck over the way things went down on the last Madness but I am not going to let it stop me. I’ve constantly found a way to pull through in my entire career and tonight that’s what I am going to do again.

So Penelope can hurt me as much as she wants to at the end of the day, but enemies worse than her have tried so damn hard to break me and they’ve ALL failed! Tonight? I repeat what I was able to do last year when it came to overcoming seemingly insurmountable odds. Only this time? I’m remaining the XWF World Heavyweight Champion and this time, I’m shining in that main event.

THIS is where it is truly proven who the face of this brand is supposed to be… and you ARE looking at her.

Don’t celebrate too soon, Penelope and Sahara…

Because as far as I’m concerned, Penelope hasn’t won shit yet… and she won’t… not tonight…

Myra makes her way out of the scene at this point clearly angry and determined as the scene fades to black.

Voices hit the sound system and from the get go Victor The Judge Mental makes his way out onto the ramp. He walks straight to the middle of the ramp and when the lyrics get to "But When Rules start getting broken" he kneels down.

Once the song gets to "I hear voices crying" fire works above the stage go off, and once the song gets to "I feel the tension rising" Victor stands back up and makes his way to the ring.

Antony follows him to the ring once all the smoke clears.

The area spotlights rush up toward the ceiling and Waters appears under the XTron. She marches to the beat of Ode To Joy, the crowd roaring, her gaze set squarely on the squared circle. She climbs through the ropes and takes the center of the ring. Raising a single fist into the air.

The arena is dimmed, with only the X-tron shining bright as Bulk Logan's theme echoes throughout the arena. A deafening mix of boos and jeers echo throughout the venue, with signs reading:

"Stay Cancelled, Bulk!"

and

"We Don't Forget!"

prominently displayed among the audience.

Finally, Bulk Logan emerges from the back.

Despite the overwhelmingly negative reception, he saunters out confidently with a smirk.

He takes a moment to absorb the boos, seemingly enjoying every bit of it. With deliberate slowness, he points to a few signs in the crowd, mockingly feigning hurt or wiping away a "tear".

As he walks down the ramp, he engages with the crowd, not in a friendly manner but by puffing his chest, taunting them, and flexing his "muscles" in a defiant manner.

Upon reaching the ring, Bulk takes his sweet time.

He walks around the perimeter, making eye contact with as many fans as possible, ensuring they see his amusement at their anger.

After what feels like an eternity, he slowly climbs the steps and enters the ring.

Once inside, he raises his arms, inviting more boos from the audience, absorbing their energy like a sponge.

He then takes his corner.

VICTOR THE JUDGE MENTAL
- vs -
DOLLY WATERS
- vs -
BULK LOGAN
2 RPs - 2k - Standard Triple Threat
Winner receives a TV Title Shot

DING! DING! DING!

Each of the three competitors stares daggers at each other, each of them unflinching. There’s a thick sense of tension in the air as they slowly move forward and come to the center of the ring, seemingly daring one another to make the first move.

The person to make that first move is none other than Dolly Waters, who extends her hands and is trying to look for a three-way collar-and-elbow tie-up?! Victor and Bulk look at each other, then back at Dolly as if she has three heads. Finally, they lunge in and attack at once - Victor with a fearsome kick and Bulk with a sharp right hand! Dolly falls to the mat like a sack of bricks! And her two opponents start putting the boots to her!

Pip: So much for every person for themselves! Dolly can’t even hope to fight back!

HHL: Well… it’s hard to fault them right now. Dolly certainly has to be seen as the biggest fish in this match. And I hate that I almost sound like you right now, Pip.

Dolly quickly rolls out of the ring to try and catch a breather and get her feet back under her. Bulk just as quickly loses sight of the match and starts posing to the crowd as he cups his ear! A torrent of boos rain down from the crowd as he laughs, but that gives Victor the chance to shove Bulk into the corner!

Bulk grunts as he hits the corner back-first, and Victor rushes in! A running clothesline to the corner staggers the big man, and Victor grabs him by the skull and then starts burning his face on the top rope! Bulk shoves him away, trying to see how bad the damage is for himself. His fingers graze over his skin, but he can’t get far before Victor tries going on top of him again!

Ooh! But a massive right hand from Bulk stops Victor right in his tracks as he’s forced down on one knee!

HHL: Even with a man as… controversial as Bulk Logan, you can’t help but admire the raw power he brings to the table. It’s a bit… hm. How do I put it… unexpected, the type of power he brings?

Pip: Are you trying to fatshame on live television, Heather?!

HHL: I never said anything like-

Pip: Bulk Logan is an American hero, and I won’t listen to anyone trying to fatshame him!

Bulk quickly throws on a headlock as Victor is trying to get back to his feet, and - oh! More heavy hands are raining down in the headlock! Victor’s legs are wobbling with every fist connecting against him - but he’s not down for the count yet! He steadies himself, plants a hand on Bulk’s back, and tries Irish Whipping him off the ropes! Bulk’s heavy… bulk… makes him hard to move, though! It’s like moving a sack of cinderblocks as it just ends up moving the two to the center of the ring!

Victor adjusts his strategy though, moving him to the ropes instead and then proceeding to shove off - and it works! Bulk hits the ropes, now on the rebound - Victor ducks down - Bulk hits the opposite set of ropes and comes back - Victor leapfrogs - Bulk hits the ropes one more time and comes back - VICTOR COMES IN WITH A RUNNING KNEE SMASH! It hits right on the skull as Bulk is forced to lean on the ropes!

Oh! In comes Dolly Waters! She tries going straight for Victor! But wait! Before she can come any closer, Bulk Logan grabs her by the back of her collar - and lifts her high into the air?! BULK LOGAN THROWS DOLLY WATERS RIGHT AT VICTOR AND SENDS THEM BOTH ROLLING OUT OF THE RING!

HHL: WOW! Bulk just threw Dolly right at Victor like she was a lawn dart! It’d be a miracle if Dolly didn’t have some sort of concussion after that impact.

Pip: I can’t believe this is happening to her…

Victor is the first one to his feet outside, using the barricade for leverage. He sucks in air through his teeth, gathering himself as he sees Bulk beginning to head outside of the ring. At that very moment, Victor lunges in, grabbing Bulk by his heel and yanking his leg to send him crashing into the ring apron! Bulk shouts obscenities as he lands spine-first before rolling onto the floor!

Victor doesn’t let up, stomping the hell out of Bulk Logan before dragging Dolly Waters to lie right next to him! What does Victor have in mind?! He climbs up onto the ring apron, sizing up his marks… and he leaps! DOUBLE KNEE DROP TO BOTH DOLLY AND BULK! IT HITS BEAUTIFULLY!

HHL: Victor showing why he shouldn’t be counted out yet! He may be giving up size and strength to Bulk, but he’s got agility and quick thinking on his side!

Pip: Are you trying to say Bulk Logan is DUMB, Heather? The man rebuilt his image after it was torn to SMITHEREENS by the woke mob! You have to be a smart man in order to pull that off!

HHL: Judging by all the boos being directed at him, I’d say he still has a long way to go…

Victor manages to roll Bulk back into the ring, and tries for a quick cover!

OOOONE!

TWOOOO!

KICKOUT!

Emphatic kickout at that by Bulk, who tries practically throwing Victor off of him! Victor quickly gets away and recollects himself, before running off the ropes and hitting a sharp Bulldog! Bulk hits the mat as Victor takes another moment to just wipe off the sweat pooling on his face.

He runs the ropes, looking for an elbow drop - OH! Bulk runs out of the way! Victor lands hard on his elbow as he tries shaking off the impact! He gets right back up - only for Bulk to scoop him up! He’s moving around with Victor on his shoulder! He runs right over to the corner - SCOOP SLAM ON VICTOR INTO THE CORNER!

Victor winces, using the ropes to try pulling himself back up onto his feet, but Bulk is there! He climbs the ropes with Victor trapped beneath him! And he’s going to start raining punches!

ONE!

THE FANS CHIME IN WITH BOOS IN RESPONSE!

TWO!

BOOO!

THREE!

BOOO!

FOUR!

BOOO!

Pip: These fans need to learn some respect! Do they even know who Bulk Logan is? His legacy in the sport of wrestling? YOU CAN’T BEAT THE BULK, PEOPLE!

HHL: I don’t think that’s going to stop them from trying.

FIVE!

BOOO!

SIX!

BOOO!

SEVEN!

BOOO!

EI-

VICTOR ESCAPES FROM UNDERNEATH BULK! He grabs the leg and yanks again - and Bulk goes down on the top turnbuckle! And Victor follows that up with a sharp kick to the back of Bulk’s neck!

Victor’s got some room to breathe again after all of that - but Dolly Waters scurries back into the ring again! She’s got the fists of fury flying, and she’s determined to try and catch Victor off-guard!

Oh! But her punches are getting parried! Redirected! Blocked! She can’t lay a finger on Victor who’s as smooth as butter in the ring in fending her off!

HHL: Victor’s putting the moves on in the ring! Showing off that agility - it’s like he’s within the Matrix right about now!

Pip: HOW HARD CAN IT BE TO HIT HIM, DOLLY?!

Dolly tries for one last hook, and Victor spins to let the punch sail right past his face! He continues spinning for momentum, though, and he turns around… in order to hit a SUPERMAN PUNCH ON DOLLY!

HHL: Dolly Waters just got found in Contempt of Court there in that exchange!

Victor is fired up and is ready to seal the deal on this match! But before he can - BULK LOGAN COMES OUT OF NOWHERE! AND HE RUNS IN WITH A BIG BOOT TO SEND VICTOR FAR OUT OF THE RING!

Pip: YES! Look at that, Heather! Size 15 boots running wild all over Victor Mental! Dude’s probably a mental case, more like!

Bulk perks up as he notices Dolly still lying prone on the ground! He points at her with a smile on his face, and the crowd absolutely RAINS BOOS DOWN! Like, you can hear them echoing around the entire stadium! Even the voices down from the Underworld are heckling Bulk Logan!

BUT THAT WON’T STOP HIM! AS HE RUNS OFF THE ROPES! AND HE HITS DOLLY WATERS WITH THE

LEG

DROP

OF

GLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

HHL: …That might be the worst leg drop I’ve ever seen in my entire life.

Pip: Nobody likes a hater, Heather! Bulk’s still got it - nobody can hit the leg drop quite like him!

HHL: You know, Pip? I think we finally agree on something - nobody can hit the leg drop like him.

With Bulk’s weight crushing Dolly like a pancake, he goes for the cover!

OOOOOOOONE!

TWOOOOOOOO!

THREEEEEEEE!

Winner - Bulk Logan

GATOR: "Ladies and gentlemen, from the streets of Salford, Greater Manchester, we're in for a treat tonight!"

TODD: "That’s right, Gator! I've got a feeling things are about to get rowdy."

The iconic opening riff of 'I Predict a Riot' by Kaiser Chiefs echoes throughout the arena!

The lights dim as suddenly, a single, bright spotlight shines at the top of the ramp, revealing Molly Barnes in all her glory. With her confident, no-nonsense attitude, she seems like someone straight out of Salford, the kind who wouldn’t hesitate to scuffle over a pint at the local pub.

Fans along the aisle reach out to her. Some cheer, some jeer, but Molly’s focus is on the task at hand. One particular fan holds up a sign, "Fastest Paper Round Champ!" eliciting a chuckle from Molly as she passes by.

GATOR: "I’ve always admired Molly’s technical style, Todd. It’s a sight to see her inside that squared circle, executing moves like the 'Three Mates' and the 'Salford Slingshot'. And don’t even get me started on that 'Mugshot' of hers!"

TODD: "Oh, absolutely! She's a technical marvel."

Reaching the ring apron, Molly rolls under the bottom rope. She then pushes herself up and stands tall, taking in the atmosphere, feeling the weight of the moment. The music starts to fade.

GATOR: "This isn’t just any match, Todd. This is Molly’s chance at another shot at the Anarchy title and that big paycheck she so desperately needs!"

TODD: "Indeed, Gator. Mastermind is no easy opponent, but if anyone can take him down tonight, it's Molly Barnes. From Salford to superstardom, let's see if Molly can barnestorm her way to victory!"

The spotlight dims, returning the arena to its regular lighting, as Molly begins her pre-match warm-up.

GATOR: "And here comes the opposition, Todd, the man who's always three steps ahead."

The arena goes pitch black. The heart-pounding intro to "Metalingus" by Alter Bridge kicks in. Suddenly, the titantron is lit with cerebral visuals, neurons firing, complex equations, and glimpses of chess games - hinting at the mind games Mastermind can play.

TODD: "Gator, straight from Wellington, New Zealand, Mastermind might have had a rough patch lately, but after that dominant win over Roger at Anarchy, it seems he's back on track."

GATOR: "Roger? Great kid! But Todd, my grandma could pin Roger! Tonight, that's where we'll see if Mastermind is truly back in his prime."

A single spotlight reveals a silhouette of a tall figure wearing a black hooded sweatshirt. His head is lowered, hiding his identity. The spotlight continues to fixate on him as white light beams down from above.

Assuming a poised stance, a beam of white light illuminates him from the front. Mastermind unzipps his hooded sweatshirt to reveal a t-shirt with the provocative words: "YOU THINK YOU KNOW ME"

As his entrance theme continued to fill the arena, he turned his back to the audience and shed his hoodie, unveiling the back of his shirt that completed the sentence: "BUT YOU GUYS REALLY DON'T".

Twisting back to face the crowd, he struck an imposing pose while the white light shone down, fully revealing: MASTERMIND.

With a sly smirk, he begins his descent towards the ring.

As Mastermind approaches the ring, his towering 6-foot-5-inch frame is imposing as Molly watches from inside of the ring. It's not just his height but the aura he carries with him, the knowledge that he's always calculating, always planning, always looking for a way to 'MASTER YOUR MIND'.

Mastermind ascends the ring steps, taking a moment at the apron, absorbing the atmosphere, and making his presence felt. With one final smirk towards the audience, he steps into the squared circle, ready for what promises to be an unforgettable showdown.

Mika Hunt, the official appointed for the night, steps between Mastermind and Molly.

Starting with Molly, Mika methodically checks her waistband, boots, and wristbands. Molly cooperates.

Mastermind smirks confidently, allowing Mika to inspect his attire. As she reaches the conclusion of her check, finding no contraband on either competitor, she motions them both to their respective corners.

GATOR: "I've seen a lot of referees in my time, Todd, but Mika Hunt, she's one of the best. She misses nothing and she's fun to watch!"

TODD: "Uh.. sure, Gator. With so much on the line, it's crucial to have an official like Mika in the ring. This is set to be one of the most anticipated matches of the night, and our fans deserve nothing less than the best."

ANARCHY TITLE #1 CONTENDERS MATCH
MASTERMIND
- vs -
MOLLY BARNES
Anarchy Rules - Standard Match

(DING!)

The bell rings, and immediately the two competitors circle each other, sizing one another up. Mastermind, using his height to his advantage, attempts to intimidate Molly with his towering presence. Molly, however, remains unfazed, using her swiftness to move around her larger opponent.

GATOR: "The size difference is apparent, Todd, but I think that Molly's speed and technical prowess might just level the playing field tonight."

TODD: "Strategy can overcome size, but unfortunately for Molly Barnes, she's in there with Mastermind, who excels at both!"

Without warning, Mastermind lunges forward with a Spear, but Molly side steps just in the nick of time, causing Mastermind to crash into the turnbuckle. Seizing the opportunity, Molly delivers a Cannonball, driving her body into Mastermind.

GATOR: "You were saying!? That quick thinking from Molly Barnes has her taking control of the match early on!"

Recovering quickly, Mastermind springs to his feet, eyes narrowed. With surprising agility, he catches Molly off guard with a swift Enziguri. As she stumbles back, dazed, Mastermind, perhaps a bit too confident, charges towards her aiming for a Running Bulldog.

TODD: "You were saying? Mastermind's showing why he's not to be underestimated, Gator!"

GATOR: "Oh, come on, Todd! He might've caught her off guard with that fancy footwork, but let's see if Mr. Big Brain can keep it up."

But just as Mastermind is about to capitalize on his momentum, Molly manages to slip from his grasp, Mastermind skids, slightly off balance. Using this split-second opportunity, Molly digs deep, wrapping her arms around his waist.

With an incredible display of strength, she hoists the much larger Mastermind off the ground and nails the Snap Suplex!

TODD: "Molly Barnes, showing heart and incredible strength! What a turnaround!"

Molly, fueled by the crowd's cheers, quickly covers Mastermind for the pin.

GATOR: "Here it is! Count it, ref!"

ONE!

TWO!

TH—but Mastermind powers out just before the three count, saving himself from an early loss.

TODD: "Mastermind kicks out! He's still in this!"

GATOR: "Ah, he's a tough one, I'll give him that. But Molly's still got this!"

Despite his earlier missteps, Mastermind finds a second wind. Using his height and strength, he crushes her with heavy strikes before whipping her into the ropes. On the rebound Mastermind delivers a devastating Dropkick that sends Molly sprawling to her back. He follows it up with a crisp German Suplex, one of his own signature moves, laying Molly out on the mat.

TODD: "Mastermind's not out of this fight yet, Gator. If fact, he's taken full control!"

GATOR: "Well, every dog has his day, I guess. But don't count Molly out— she's full of surprises!"

Mastermind, not wanting to give Molly any opportunity to recover, swiftly moves to apply his feared "Mind Controller" Boston Crab submission hold.

TODD: "Oh, this could be bad for Molly!"

TODD: "Mastermind is looking to lock in the 'Mind Controller'. If he gets this, it could be all over for Molly Barnes!"

GATOR: "Don't get too ahead of yourself, Todd. Molly's no slouch when it comes to technical wrestling. I wouldn't be surprised if she has a counter ready for this."

As Mastermind starts to twist and turn Molly's legs, aiming to lock in the Boston Crab, Molly quickly uses her technical prowess. She shifts her weight and rolls, attempting to reverse the hold before it's fully cinched in. Using her momentum and lower body strength, Molly kicks Mastermind off, sending him stumbling back.

TODD: "And there you have it! Molly's technical skills coming into play just when she needed them most!"

GATOR: "Told ya, Todd! Never underestimate a girl from Salford. She might not have traveled far, but she's traveled enough around the ring to know her way out of a hold or two!"

Molly quickly gets to her feet, eyeing Mastermind cautiously as they both reset, ready for the next move in this back-and-forth battle.

TODD: "Despite that setback, Mastermind looks more determined than ever. He's getting that predatory look in his eyes, Gator."

GATOR: "Molly needs to make the most of that escape, because Mastermind's not one to let an opportunity slip by twice!"

With a sudden surge of energy, Molly rolls away from Mastermind, quickly getting to her feet. As Mastermind charges towards her, she uses his momentum against him, sending him flying over her hip onto the mat with a perfectly executed Judo toss.

GATOR: "Wow, that was textbook! She’s creating an opening!"

With Mastermind momentarily stunned, Molly springs to the top rope, the crowd on their feet. Without missing a beat, she flies off with a breathtaking missile dropkick, catching Mastermind square in the chest and sending him sprawling across the ring.

TODD: "What a dropkick from Molly! The fans are loving this!"

GATOR: "And so am I! Molly's showing Mastermind that she's not someone to be trifled with!"

Mastermind struggles to regain his composure, but Molly is relentless. As he tries to find his footing, she runs the ropes and delivers a punishing running knee lift, catching Mastermind square in the jaw. The crowd erupts as Mastermind staggers back, clearly dazed.

GATOR: "She’s got Mastermind reeling! This is her moment!"

TODD: "She needs to keep the pressure on if she's going to come out on top."

Seizing the moment, Molly grabs hold of Mastermind and delivers a series of rapid-fire forearm shots, backing him into the ropes. With a swift motion, she whips him across the ring, catching him on the rebound with a spine-tingling spinebuster!

TODD: "Impressive spinebuster by Molly! She's bringing the fight to Mastermind!"

GATOR: "That’s what I’m talking about! Mastermind is in a world of trouble now."

As Mastermind lies on the mat, clutching his back in pain, Molly takes a moment to rally the crowd, who are clearly behind her. They chant her name in unison, fueling her on.

GATOR: "Listen to this crowd, Todd! They want to see Molly come out victorious."

With a determined look in her eyes, Molly now paces around the ring, waiting for Mastermind to get up.

TODD: "The tide has turned in Molly’s favor, but she needs to stay on Mastermind. He’s known for turning situations around when least expected."

Molly moves in on Mastermind as he stalls on one knee. She pulls him up to his feet, but seizing the moment, Mastermind quickly closes in, snapping Molly into a short-arm clothesline. As she stumbles back to her feet, he grips her in a tight headlock. With a burst of energy, he drives her down with a swift DDT, planting her headfirst into the mat.

GATOR: "Ouch! That's going to leave a mark!"

TODD: "Mastermind's proving why he's considered one of the best. He can change the dynamics of the match in an instant!"

Not wasting any time, Mastermind hauls Molly up and sends her crashing into the corner turnbuckle. He then follows up with a series of knife-edge chops, each one eliciting a loud "WOO!" from the audience.

GATOR: "Those chops can be brutal. Molly's chest is going to be as red as a lobster after this!"

With Molly dazed, Mastermind takes a few steps back, sizing her up, then charges with a devastating corner splash. As she stumbles out of the corner, he quickly hoists her onto his shoulders for a Samoan drop. The impact reverberates through the arena.

TODD: "He's on a roll now! Mastermind is pulling out all the stops!"

Sensing this might be his moment, Mastermind goes for the cover.

GATOR: "This could be it!"

Referee Mika Hunt slides into position.

ONE!

TWO!

But just before the three count, Molly shoots her shoulder up, gasping for air but still in the fight.

GATOR: "And she kicks out! The heart of Molly Barnes is undeniable!"

TODD: "Molly's resilience is something to behold. Mastermind is clearly getting frustrated."

Mastermind's face turns a shade of crimson as he gets in the face of Mika Hunt, blaming her for a slow count.

GATOR: "Uh oh, I've seen this before. He's losing his cool, Todd! He better be careful, arguing with Mika is never a good idea."

TODD: "No, it isn't. He's letting his emotions get the better of him and allowing Molly precious recovery time."

As Mastermind continues to berate Mika, his eyes dart to the entrance ramp. Emerging from the back, his stablemates in The Misfits, Antony the Jerk, and Scarlett The Hunteress make their presence known. They charge down the ramp, clearly with mischief on their minds.

GATOR: "I had a feeling we wouldn't get through this match without some Misfit intervention!"

TODD: "Mastermind might not have called them out, but he sure isn't sending them back either."

Molly, sensing danger, pushes herself to her feet.

Antony, who jumps on the ring apron to distract the referee. Mika, trying her best to maintain control, admonishes Antony and orders him down.

With Mika's back turned, Scarlett attempts to slide into the ring. But Molly, spins around and nails her with a swift kick, sending her right back out.

GATOR: "Way to go, Molly! She's not letting these Misfit shenanigans throw her off her game!"

Antony, seeing his partner-in-crime foiled, grows even more animated on the apron. Mika, now getting increasingly frustrated, threatens to eject him from the ringside area.

TODD: "Antony might want to watch himself! He's pushing Mika's patience to its limit."

In the midst of the chaos, Molly sees an opening. With Mastermind still distracted by his cohorts, she grabs him from behind and hits her signature move, the "Salford Slingshot"! The crowd goes wild.

GATOR: "That's what I'm talking about! Molly capitalizing on Mastermind's lapse in judgment!"

Kris "The Hammer" Von Bon leaps from the crowd and onto the apron, a sinister grin across his face.

TODD: "Wait a minute, who's this now? It's Kris 'The Hammer' Von Bon! What's he doing here?"

With a swift, sinister swing, Kris hammers down onto Molly’s head, sending a collective gasp through the roaring crowd.

GATOR: "No! Come on, not like this!"

Antony snatches Mika by her collar, screaming into her face while the chaos unfolds. Kris hastily drags the unconscious Mastermind over Molly's prone form, setting up an illicit pin.

TODD: "The audacity of these people! It’s Anarchy in the ring!"

Mastermind's consciousness flickers back, and upon realizing the set-up, his face reddens with fury. He shoves Kris away, pointing out of the ring with a stern command.

GATOR: "Well, it looks like Mastermind is not happy about the interference! Maybe there's some honor left in him after all!"

Mika, now regaining control, waves Antony and Scarlett out of the ringside area. They protest as they begrudgingly retreat.

TODD: "Antony and Scarlett are ejected! Mika’s restoring some order here!"

Kris, seizing the opportunity, slips out through the crowd undetected by Mika, who's focused on ejecting Antony and Scarlett.

Mastermind, reverting to his predatory tactics, snatches Molly into the Mind Controller once again. The crowd's boos reverberate throughout the venue, but their disdain falls on deaf ears as Mastermind tightens his grip.

GATOR: "Mastermind's locked in the Mind Controller, but I think Molly's already out cold!"

TODD: "Molly’s not responding at all!"

With a reluctant, yet decisive call, Mika signals for the bell. The clang echoes a bitter end as Mastermind releases the hold, standing over Molly's unconscious form.

WINNER VIA SUBMISSION — AND NUMBER ONE CONTENDER FOR THE ANARCHY CHAMPIONSHIP:
MASTERMIND!!!

GATOR: "This is a damn shame! The Misfits and their underhanded tactics stole what could've been a fair contest!"

TODD: "But you have to give it to Mastermind, at least showing some disdain for outside interference. But in the end, he took the route he’s so accustomed to, leading to his victory tonight."

The lights dim as multiple spotlights rotate throughout the arena. As "Leaving Dionysus" begins to play, the spotlights all point to the stage, illuminating a velvet red curtain. At the moment the guitars begin to play, the curtain is drawn open, revealing the imposing figure of Dionysus, holding a Thyrsus in his right hand and a shield on his left arm. He clashes the staff against his shield to rouse the crowd to clap with him, then roars, raising the Thyrsus above his head.

You never had the right,
Removing me from paradise.
Your path removed the light,
Rendering me colour-blind.

But now I’ll speak,
Since I’ve become my own again,
And now I’ll leave,
Since I’ve become my own, again.

Dionysus sets the Thyrsus and shield next to the ring apron and rolls inside, running to one of the turnbuckles and climbing up to rally the crowd behind him. He then hops down and limbers up, awaiting his opponent.

'Icky Thump' by The White Stripes starts to play. The fans boo! Oh, how they fuckin boo. So many boos. Still booing. Yes, they are STILl booing. Slade Durant slides through the curtain amidst the loudest boos ever heard on planet earth. Louder than any heavily infested ghost house. Slade takes his time walking down the ramp. He snatches signs from fans supporting their favorite XWF wrestlers. He grabs a kids soda and dumps it over their head. Slade snatches a fans beer and takes a sip...it's disgusting ...he slings it into the crowd, hitting an elderly person in the head. Durant reaches the ring, walks up the steps and enters through the ropes. It's all fun and games for Slade until he spots a 'CHET DAKOTA' sign in the crowd. Slade frowns...his eyes narrow and become filled with murder.

The atmosphere is electric as the crowd roars in anticipation, and the arena is shrouded in darkness, save for the piercing spotlights that illuminate the steel cage structure that dominates the center of the wrestling ring. This is no ordinary cage; it's a monstrous, cell-like enclosure that engulfs the entire ring, leaving no room for escape.

HHL: Here we go, a match that could end up being one of the most dangerous Television Title matches in XWF history!

PIP: Just look at that beauty!

The cage stands tall, an imposing figure with cold, unforgiving steel meshing that reaches high into the arena's rafters. It's a symbol of impending carnage, and its ominous presence casts long, foreboding shadows across the canvas below.

But the spectacle doesn't end there. Inside the ring itself, surrounding half of the canvas, lies a secondary cage-like structure, a twisted labyrinth of steel, and within it, an array of vicious implements. This inner cage is like a nightmarish arena of its own, housing an arsenal of destruction. Steel chairs are stacked haphazardly, their frames gleaming ominously under the arena's lights. Baseball bats wrapped in jagged barbed wire are hung menacingly from the cage, their potential for agony evident to all who gaze upon them.

The ring is transformed into a battleground, a place where the boundaries of pain and punishment are pushed to their limits. It's an environment that will test the mettle of any wrestler who dares step inside. The crowd knows they are about to witness an unforgiving spectacle, where the rules are tossed aside and the brutality knows no bounds.

HHL: I hope both wrestlers are able to leave this cage on their own two feet.

PIP: Somehow I get the feeling that at least one of them is getting carried out... or mopped up.

As Dionysus and Slade walk around in the side of the steel cage, they survey the monolithic structure around them and its arsenal of weapons serve as a chilling reminder of the chaos that's about to unfold. Slade immediately dashes towards the half-cage surrounding the ring itself, attempting to grab one of the weapons strung up on it but Dion grabs him before he has the opportunity to do so. He spins Slade around, hitting him with a couple of hard right hands, staggering him before grabbing him by the head and throws him face first into the mini cage. Dion grabs him up and proceeds to throw Slade into all three sides of the smaller cage. The collective impact sends Slade falling back, dazed momentarily.

Dion, fueled by the electric atmosphere and the desire to showcase his wrestling prowess, grabs Slade by the arm and Irish whips him into the steel cage surrounding the ring. Slade crashes into it, the mesh rattling and reverberating with the force of impact. He stumbles backward, and Dion quickly follows up with a Clothesline, using his momentum to send Slade crashing down to the canvas.

HHL: The champ isn't needing any other weapons other than the cage itself!

PIP: Don't knock the cage, it's probably the most dangerous thing in there...

HHL: At this rate, the TV Champion may be on his way to a historic win!

Seizing the opportunity, Dion proceeds to showcase his versatile moveset. He locks in a Hammerlock, wrenching Slade's arm behind his back, applying pressure and inflicting discomfort. Slade grimaces in pain, but his years of experience have made him resilient. He manages to counter, using an Eye Rake to momentarily blind Dion and create separation.

With Dion temporarily incapacitated, Slade takes the chance to assert his old-school, heel tactics. He yanks Dion's hair and executes a Hair Pull into an Inverted DDT, flooring Dion. The crowd boos at Slade's underhanded tactics, but he revels in their disdain, playing up to the crowd and taunting.

PIP: Yeah, tell those fans who's boss, Slade!

HHL: It took an eye rake, but he's got the TV Champ in trouble... or at least, he did...

Slade mocking grabs at Dion. But Dion fights back, displaying his resilience and tenacity. He counters a scoop slam attempt by Slade into a Facecrusher, stunning Slade and leaving him reeling. Dion then lifts Slade and executes a Tiger Suplex, showcasing his technical prowess and agility. The crowd erupts, rallying behind Dion as they witness his mastery in the ring.

However, Slade isn't one to be underestimated. He wraps his hands around Dion’s neck with a two-handed choke in one of the corners, driving the wind out of the champion and exerting dominance. The crowd boos louder, the tension in the arena palpable as Slade continues his assault.

Just when it seems like Slade might gain the upper hand, Dion summons his inner strength. He counters an attempted Alabama Slam attempt with an Electric Chair Drop but instead of driving Slade face first into the mat, he launches him into the cage, turning the tables once again. Dion lands a Wine Mixer (Shining Wizard followed by Lionsault) on Slade, showcasing his incredible agility and aerial skills and goes for a cover. The referee slides into position to count.

One..

Two…

No! Slade kicks out!

HHL: It's going back and forth, but so far Slade hasn't been able to take control long against our champion!

PIP: Seriously, what's in that wine that Dionysus drinks? It's clearly potent.

HHL: I don't think the secret's in the wine, Pip.

PIP: You don't know that for a fact, though. Man, I'd love for alcohol to give me super strength...

Dion still feels the momentum surging through him as he locks eyes with the Spartan shield lying at the corner. With a determined look, he charges towards it, picking up the shield and showcasing it to the crowd. The atmosphere ignites as Dion charges back at Slade, delivering a powerful Shield Bash, reminiscent of King Leonidas on the battlefield of Thermopylae.

Slade is stunned, momentarily disoriented by the shield bash. Dion capitalizes, seizing Slade and pulling him towards him and almost takes his head off the Grapevine (Rainmaker).

But Dion is not finished. He spots his Spartan shield again and picks it back up, brandishing it above his head. As Slade struggles to rise, Dion charges forward, delivering a relentless onslaught with the shield, showcasing his unyielding resolve and he rams it straight into Slade, laying him out.

PIP: Stand aside, Captain America, there's a new shield bearer in town!

HHL: Look at the dent in the side of that! And just think of the damage done on the other side to Slade!

Dion takes a moment to catch his breath, the crowd's cheers echoing in the cage. He senses retaining his title may be in his grasp. But he also knows that in this brutal environment, anything can happen. He glances at the twisted structure surrounding the ring, the weapons beckoning like a siren's call.

Picking up a steel chair, Dion makes his way towards the corner of the ring. He waits for Slade to rise, the anticipation building in the crowd. As Slade staggers to his feet, Dion charges, swinging the chair with a mighty blow. Slade manages to evade, narrowly avoiding the strike. Dion, undeterred, swings again, this time connecting with a resounding crash that sends Slade sprawling.

Now armed with the steel chair, Dion takes control of the match. He relentlessly assaults Slade, unleashing a flurry of chair shots, each strike reverberating through the arena. The crowd is on its feet, chanting Dion's name, caught up in the intensity of the moment.

HHL: Is Dion going to take this too far? He's going wild with those chair shots!

PIP: In a match like this, too far is never enough, Heather.

HHL: I just don't want to see anyone's career end here tonight... even Slade's...

But Slade is a wily veteran. He manages to counter, delivering a low blow that halts Dion's assault momentarily. The crowd boos loudly, expressing their disdain for Slade's underhanded tactics. Seizing the opportunity, Slade grabs the chair and retaliates, striking Dion across the back with a vicious swing.

The sound of steel meeting flesh fills the air as Dion crumples to the ground, the pain evident on his face. Slade, reveling in the chaos, grabs a baseball bat wrapped in barbed wire from the side of the ring. He taunts the crowd, a sadistic grin on his face, before turning his attention back to Dion.

HHL: Oh, no... I remember The Walking Dead. This is going to be horrific!

PIP: We're going to see the blood start pouring now!

As Slade advances, ready to inflict further punishment, Dion rises, defiance in his eyes, and with a burst of energy, launches himself at Slade. They grapple, each fighting for control of the barbed wire bat. Dion manages to wrestle it away, swinging it with precision and determination.

The crowd roars as Dion delivers a powerful strike, the barbed wire biting into Slade's flesh. The agony is etched on Slade's face as he staggers backward, blood trickling from the wound. Dion seizes the opportunity, launching a barrage of punishing blows with the bat, each strike fueled by the desire to emerge victorious.

HHL: How many swings is he going to take??

PIP: This ain't baseball, Heather, he can swing as many times as he wants!

But in the midst of the chaos, Slade manages to grab Dion's leg, tripping him and sending him crashing into the steel cage. Dion is momentarily stunned, and Slade capitalizes, showcasing an impressive display of strength to lift Dion up for the Durant Drop (Snake Eyes) onto the top turnbuckle. The momentum shifts once again, as Slade sets up Dion for Sladercide (Inverted Brainbuster). He lifts Dion, the end seemingly near. But Dion summons his last reserves of energy, countering with a fierce elbow strike. Slade wavers, and Dion senses an opening. He grabs Slade by the arm, spinning him around and almost takes his head off with the Deified (Ripcord Bull Hammer).

The crowd erupts as Dion lands the devastating maneuver, the force behind it undeniable. Slade crashes to the mat, folding up like an accordion and Dion collapses onto Slade for the pin, the referee counting:

One…!

Two…!

Three!

Winner AND STILL XWF TELEVISION CHAMPION - DIONYSUS

HHL: A great victory for the reigning TV champ and Dionysus' second run with the title has really been an impressive one.

Pip: Yeah he's a pretty impressive wrestler I'll give him that. But I like this Slade guy too. He's going places.

The Voice of Madness Jacuinde has entered the chat.

JC: We thank our colleagues over on the blue brand for giving way to myself and my broadcast partner Damon Riggs tonight in this monumental main event here on night one of Relentless! Damon?

DR: I’ve heard the rumors that no one does pay per view quite like the Xtreme Wrestling Federation and Jacuinde, it’s been a hell of a night!

JC: It has, and with all three brands being represented here tonight, the action has indeed been… Relentless!

DR: For two months Penelope went through a grueling tournament just to get here tonight to face the World Heavyweight Champion!

JC: She conquered the tournament and finds herself with a grave challenge.

DR: A grave challenge indeed, Jacuinde! Myra Rivers is not only the face of Monday Nights, she’s not only the World Heavyweight Champion, but she’s also undefeated!

JC: That’s right! Say what you will about Madness, say what you will about anything you want but for a year and a half now, Myra Rivers has beaten anyone across from her but tonight, she’ll have to contend with a major talent in Penelope. And on last Madness, with Myra Rivers putting the exclamation point on her title reign at the expense of Kieran King, it was Penelope unleashing an attack!

DR: That’s riiiight! Sahara made her long awaited Madness debut by aiding Penelope in taking down the World Heavyweight Champion!

JC: But Rivers won’t have to worry about Sahara tonight as she’s in Japan on a honeymoon with her husband, our General Manager Thaddeus Duke!.

DR: It’s a good thing for Myra Rivers, but if she thinks Penelope isn’t capable of doing it all on her own, then she’s already lost!

RA: The following contest… is a Phlegethon Pyre Match for the WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIIIIP

The lights in the building all go out, save for the ones directly around the entryway from the back which swaps to a glowing red. You hear the sounds of a lone female voice which sings acapella.

Ohh Death…Ohh Deeeaaaath…Ohh Death
Won't you spare me over another year.

The red light begins to slowly pulsate to the drop beat as the song continues with the male vocals coming back. A small layer of fog begins to form at the top of the ramp.

Oh what is this that I can't see?
With ice cold hands taking hold of me

The lights all around the arena slowly begin to pulse as well. The song continues, causing one area of the building to turn red after another.

When God is gone, and the Devil takes hold
Who'll have mercy on your soul? Ohh Death

Penelope walks out from behind the curtain, pausing at the top of the aisleway. She looks out at the people in the building to a chorus of boos. She grins beneath the wide brim of her hat in her devilish way as she surveys the crowd.

RA: From Miami, Florida! She is the Undefeated! The reigning! The defending! HEAVYWEIGHT! CHAMPION! Of the WORLD! MMMMMYRAAA RRRRIVERRRRS!

As Rivers completes her entrance to an adoring crowd, the cameras settle in on the burning pyre before it pans upward toward the casket sitting atop.

JC: A burning pyre more than fifteen feet high awaits these two women!

DR: In order to win, you gotta navigate the flames and close your opponent within the casket at the top!

JC: Some say this match favors the challenger, Damon!

DR: This match doesn’t favor either of them, Jacuinde! It’s all fun and games until there’s flames licking at your heels.

The two women stare at each other from across the ring. Full of confidence, these main event women know exactly what's on the line this evening at Relentless. The bell rings and Myra Rivers approaches the center of the ring. Penelope steps from her corner and the two women run their mouths at each other until Penelope sends a forearm into Myra's chin. The shot staggers Myra backward but only serves to piss her off.

JC: Myra roaring back!

DR: She needs to be careful! Penelope has a penchant for mind games and she could be suckering her in!

Myra and Penelope continue to trade blows as the XWF Universe cheers Myra's hits but boo for Penelope's. Myra hits three successive blows that backs Penelope against the ropes, eliciting cheers from the Universe. Penelope fights back though with shot after shot, backing the Champion to the ropes on the far side. Penelope slings her off the ropes to the far side, but Myra reverses.

Penelope soars across the ring and bounces off the ropes. On the rebound, Rivers ducks, and Penelope counters by leaning into her and rolling off her back to her feet behind Rivers. Penelope quickly goes for a side Russian leg sweep but eats an elbow from the champion for her trouble.

Penelope is stunned for just a moment and Rivers sends her to the ropes again. On the rebound, Rivers ducks down again and this time, Penelope just puts on the brakes and goes for a punt kick to the chest. Myra telegraphs and Penelope’s kick misses. Myra quickly somersaults behind and rolls her up in an almost school girl but stands upright and attempts to put on the Texas Cloverleaf submission.

Penelope struggles against Rivers attempt, then twists her body and her legs follow, flipping Myra to her back. The challenger gets back to her feet quickly, but so does the champion. Upright and vertical, Penelope turns right into a headlock takeover from Rivers. Penelope kips up out of the hold and Rivers follows her to her feet. Rivers charges but Penelope sends her to the mat with a hip toss. Rivers is quick to her feet again and Penelope goes for a second hip toss only for Myra to hit the brakes and lock her legs. Myra sends a knee into Penelope’s midsection then lays one leg across her neck. Penelope stands up to counter and Myra flips back onto her feet before hitting a stiff clothesline on her challenger to much applause from the Universe.

JC: Back and forth, back and forth!

DR: That was a great exchange of count and counterpoint!

JC: With some separation after the clothesline, Myra Rivers looks to take control of the match tonight at Relentless!

Myra looks to keep Penelope down and drops a succession of quick elbow drops. Back to her feet, she lifts Penelope from the mat then plants her with a hard, crisp snap suplex. Eager to stay on offense and wear out her opponent, Rivers connects with bigger move after bigger move. DDT followed by a springboard bulldog and tilt-a-whirl backbreaker and Myra has been in firm control for several minutes.

JC: Myra Rivers has arrived here tonight!

DR: Listen, I don’t like her. I think she’s a bit of a cunt but I gotta tell ya, she is proving beyond any doubt that she is exactly what she says she is… the face of the franchise!

Lifting Penelope from the mat, she whips the challenger toward the ropes. On the rebound, Penelope hooks her arms on the top rope to halt her momentum. Telegraphing this, Myra Rivers charges forward but Penelope hits the mat and pulls the top rope with her causing Myra to spill over the top and crash hard on the floor at ringside.

JC: Oh she’s clutching her knee!

DR: That’s the opening Penelope needs! Get it girl!

JC: Are you… Damon!? She could be seriously injured!

DR: Welcome to professional wrestling, Jacuinde! If that bell doesn’t ring, Myra Rivers is fair game whether she’s injured or not!

Penelope takes some time to recuperate from the onslaught of offense she just endured from the Champion. Out on the floor, Myra Rivers lays clutching her right knee. A replay is shown briefly that shows her jamming her knee hard into the floor when she landed.

The challenger exits the ring with one thing on her mind as she stalks the fallen Myra Rivers like prey. Targeting the injured knee, Penelope kicks and stomps on the injured limb as Myra screams and writhes in pain trying to get away from Penelope. Myra is unsuccessful though as Penelope continues to target and ravage the injured limb by peeling back the ringside mat and jamming her injured knee into the exposed concrete.

JC: The tide has no doubt turned here tonight!

DR: Penelope! In Relentless pursuit of the World Heavyweight Champion!.... See what I did there?

JC: Yes, Damon. I’m very proud.

The challenger retrieves a chair from a fan at ringside wearing a Myra Rivers t-shirt (available now at xwf99shopzone.com.) Folding it up, she slams it down across the knee of Myra Rivers. Rivers tries to get away but is stuck against the fan barricade and Penelope jams the blunt edge of the chair into Myra’s knee.

Dropping the chair for now, Penelope grabs Myra by her hair and rips her to her feet. Penny then whips Rivers toward the ring steps but her knee buckles on the way there, causing her to collapse harmlessly to the floor.

Grabbing the top half of the steps, Penelope looks to bring it down against Myra’s head but at the last second, Myra rolls to her right and the chair impacts the floor causing Penelope to be stung by the steel vibration. Still with fight, Myra uses her good leg to send a stiff kick to Penelope’s leg. Her legs kick out from beneath her and Penelope lands face first into the base section of the steel steps.

JC: And Penelope’s momentum has just been halted!

DR: Whoever’s gonna win this match? No one said it’d be easy!

With separation now between the two warriors, Myra Rivers starts to get to her feet as does Penelope. Not wanting to lose the momentum, Penelope grabs the chair. As she turns, she finds Myra and lifts the chair over her head. As she vaults forward…

JC: Vixen kick!

DR: Ohhh that had to hurt!

With the super kick from Myra impacting the chair, it causes the chair to slam right into Penelope’s face, grounding her immediately. Myra continues to limp around as she tries to regain the feeling in her injured leg. Moving gingerly for now, she leans down and lifts Penelope to her hair by her feet then whips her toward the fan barricade at ringside. Penelope reverses and sends Myra into the steel instead. The challenger bullrushes forward but at the last possible moment, Myra ducks down and lifts Penelope, sending her soaring into the air and over the barricade, landing among the fans at ringside.

XWF Universe: This! Is! Awesome! clap clap clapclapclap

JC: Well, when they’re right they’re right!

DR: I gotta agree with them! This match is everything I hoped it’d be!

Myra Rivers gingerly makes her way over the barricade and grabs Penelope by her hair before ripping her to her feet. Pulling her further into the crowd, Myra looks up and the burning pyre looms just ahead. Penelope struggles and breaks free of Myra’s grip. She rushes forward but Myra thinks and reacts quickly as she snatches a beer out of a fan's hand and slams it into Penelope’s face before scooping her up and slamming her to the bare floor below them.

The fans cheer loudly for Myra Rivers, and Myra is happy to linger a moment as she grabs a beer from a vendor and takes a swallow before handing it off to the fans whose beer she stole earlier.

Nearing the pyre with its flames small for now, she drags and pulls Penelope by her hair. Penelope struggles against her and as Myra turns to fight her, Penelope throws a thumb to the eye causing Myra to peel away. Penelope seizes the opportunity to slam Myra headfirst into the pyre.

JC: We’re entering the danger zone tonight for this match!

DR: The flames are low now, but I have a feeling they’ll play a role sooner or later!

Penelope begins the slow climb up the pyre with Myra Rivers coming up several feet behind her. The two dance with the flames missing them and jumping over them when needed. Penelope reaches the platform first. It’s a large platform with the casket square in the center. As Myra gets near the top, Penelope dives to the platform surface to stop her from climbing up. Beneath them, the flames start to rise up the pyre.

Stuck on the side of the pyre, Myra looks down at the rising flames. Penelope has a sick smile on her face as she continues to block Myra’s ascent to the platform. As the flames continue to rise, they’re nipping at Myra’s heels as she throws a few stiff punches into Penelope that breaks her grip. With Rivers now free, she narrowly escapes the fire as she climbs up safely. Peering over the edge, the flames shoot high, raising above the platform as Myra Rivers ducks her head back just in time.

Myra gets back to her feet near the edge but Penelope grabs her in a waist lock. Myra tries to fight out of it with elbows but Penelope tucks her head in, then lifts and slams Rivers back first against the platform with a release German suplex. Penelope fights her way back to her feet, and points at the casket. A lot of fans cheer, but most boo.

JC: This has been a hellacious match!

DR: It’s not over yet, but Penelope looks like she wants to end things now!

Leaning down, Penelope grabs a handful of hair from Myra Rivers and starts to pull her toward the casket. Rivers rolls to her knees and grabs Penny’s wrist rather than being dragged. Upon reaching the casket, Penny lifts the lid with one hand and starts to edge Myra toward it with the other. Myra pulls and struggles against Penelope’s grip but to no avail. In a last ditch effort, Myra reaches up and grabs the casket lid with both hands and slams it shut.

Penelope screams like a banshee as her hand is trapped between the casket and the lid. Getting to her feet, Myra starts hammering the trapped Penelope with fists, kicks, punts to the ribs, anything and everything to wear her down even more.

Penny’s hand slips from the casket and she’s finally free, but the damage has been done. Myra opens the casket lid then returns to Penelope. Lifting her up, she twists her back down onto the platform with a corkscrew neckbreaker as flames soar into the air.

JC: Spirit Breaker!

DR: Penelope fought hard tonight, but that’ll probably do it!

JC: She still gotta get her in the casket and close the lid, Damon!

DR: I’m familiar with how caskets work, but thank you!

Myra struggles briefly to get back to her feet, but once she does, her eyes are locked onto Penelope. Sprawled out and seemingly unconscious, Myra Rivers tries to deadlift Penelope from the platform. She gets her a few feet off the ground but her injured knee from earlier gives out and they both crumple to a heap with Myra Rivers clutching her knee.

JC: This is a battle of attrition if ever there was one, folks!

DR: Penelope might’ve been playing the long game earlier and neither of us realized it!

JC: You could be right, Damon! Injure that knee so it doesn’t support much weight and she’d simply have to outlast the World Champion because Myra can’t get her into the casket!

XWF Universe: Let’s! Go! Myra! clap clap clapclapclap

With the fans behind her, ailing knee or not, Myra Rivers wills herself to her feet. Limping and almost dragging the leg behind her, she grips Penelope by her hair and drags her the few feet across the platform toward the casket. Slowly and little by little, she inches Penelope up toward the casket and starts to place her inside. It takes a few agonizing minutes but she’s finally successful in getting Penelope inside.

With the Universe cheering her on, she smiles victorious as she reaches up to slam down the lid. Just as she slams it down, a fist from Penelope lands square in Myra’s coochie.

DR: Cunt Punch from Penelope!

JC: WHAT!?

DR: I said Cunt Punch!

The punch sends Myra reeling backward and falling to her knees and clutching her womanhood as Penelope rolls out of the casket to the platform with the lid closing behind her. Penelope struggles to her feet and finds a rope ladder hanging from the rafters. Penelope begins to climb, leaving Myra Rivers below her. Five, ten, maybe fifteen feet up and Myra too begins to climb the rope ladder from the other side.

The two dangle and climb the ladder. As Myra gets close, Penelope sends a knee into her face. Myra nearly falls but grabs on and starts to climb again. Penelope sends another knee but Myra grabs her leg and headbutts her in her stomach leaving her gasping for air. Myra climbs another rung or two and sends another headbutt, this time to Penelope’s head.

Penelope teeters, then falls.

JC: OH MY GOD!

XWF Universe: HOLY SHIT!

DR: My god she might have broken her back!

Whe Penelope fell, she landed back first on the casket sending flames thirty feet high, which is where she remains now as Myra Rivers makes her way down the rope ladder to the platform surface. Penelope lays with her back arched backward over the casket with her legs spread eagled and her arms hanging limply.

Myra approaches her, momentarily hesitant to move her if she is seriously injured. Shoving her own concern to the side, Myra grabs her by the foot and pulls her off the casket. Penelope falls limply to the platform surface revealing a dented up casket. Myra opens the casket and starts to lift Penelope toward it again as a white blur enters and exits the picture in the upper right corner.

JC: Wait a minute!

Myra gets Penelope inside the casket, but as she goes to close the lid, she’s speared from the side by someone in white.

DR: SAHARA!

JC: Where the hell did she come from!?

The White Widow gets back to her feet and frees the rigging from her harness before turning her attention to Penelope!

JC: Honeymooning in Japan my ass! She’s here at Relentless!

Sahara retrieves Penelope from the casket and tries to help her regain her wits while constantly looking over her shoulder at the recovering Myra Rivers getting back to her feet. Sahara helps Penelope to her feet and the duo positions themselves like they did Monday night on Madness. As Myra Rivers gets to her feet, they both spray their black mist.

JC: Rivers ducks!

DR: Oh no!

Sahara and Penelope blinded each other. Myra wastes little time as she spins and plants Sahara on the platform with the spirit breaker. She jumps to her feet and plows shoulder first into the blinded Penelope. Myra shoves her backward into the casket. Penelope loses her balance and falls in as Myra slams the lid shut.

Winner - AND STILL XWF World Heavyweight Champion MYRA RIVERS