DEFIANCE Uncut 118 - ACE of DEFIANCE Special

Rapid-fire shots across a jam-packed Curtis Culwell Center!

SOLD OUT, SUCKA. 

And of course, the voices of DEFIANCE hitting you live from the Commentation Station on the stage. Earn your paychecks, boys. 

DDK:
Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for joining us tonight from a SOLD OUT Curtis Culwell Center from right here in Garland, Texas! I'm "Downtown" Darren Keebler and with me as always is your friend and mine, the man on color, Lance Warner!

Lance:
Thanks, Keebs! Tonight, we've got not one, but TWO amazing matches for tonight's card! Both of them pay-per-view quality and both of them that can very well shape the future of DEFIANCE!

DDK:
Coming up in a few moments, we'll get to the namesake of our ACE of DEFIANCE Special! Seven men look to make history tonight and become the next ACE of DEFIANCE and earn the Number One Contendership to the FIST! Ned Reform, Alvaro de Vargas, Malak Garland, Conor Fuse, Tyler Fuse, Rezin and the current Favoured Saints Champion Henry Keyes all have fantastic victories and title resumes under their belts, but there can only be one ACE! 

Lance:
And that's not all! In our main event tonight, the winner of the ACE of DEFIANCE will know who they'll be challenging by the end of the night! Our new FIST of DEFIANCE, Deacon, defends against a man that has not only been RED-HOT, but has defeated Deacon in the past! I'm talking, of course, about "The Biggest Boy" Dex Joy! 

DDK:
Both men are riding high like few others right now in DEFIANCE. After scoring the biggest victory over Oscar Burns at DEFCON, Dex Joy challenged Deacon last week on DEFtv 169 to earn this shot and was accepted. Meanwhile, Deacon won the title in the man event of DEFCON by stopping the seemingly unstoppable Crimson Stalker! Deacon stands 7 feet tall! Dex Joy stands at 340 pounds but moves like a cruiserweight. That match has potential to be amazing!

Lance:
No doubt. We're going backstage and then when we come back... we will bring to you the ACE of DEFIANCE match! Stay tuned!

Backstage at the Curtis Culwell Center. We open to Henry Keyes, adjusting his eyepatch and putting the finishing touches to his wrestling gear for tonight, which as we’ve seen in recent weeks, dials down the audacious bright reds into mostly black. The final piece is a bright pink belt.

It’s Wednesday, after all. And you know what we wear on Wednesdays.

“HHHHANK THE LAWD, FOR HE HATH RETURN-ED!!”

Rezin suddenly skids into the frame and ambushes the unsuspecting Keyes into a bro-hug.

Rezin:
How are ya, dude?! SO PSYCHED to see you back on your feet again! Gotta say, you good in black!

Henry Keyes keeps things cold and stoic for a moment before letting out a slight sigh.

Henry Keyes:
Rezin, Rezin…I expected you to seek me out sooner. Much sooner.

Rezin: (chuckling nervously)
Heh-heh-hehhh! Yeah, well, about that… I was totally meaning to check in on ya, but I got a bit sidetracked in some “career advancement opportunities”, we’ll call ‘em. But HEY! How ‘bout that “Reverend Rezin” bit on DEFRadio? Yeah? YEAH?! So, hey man…

He gets in close, like any true grifter trying to keep things on the down-low.

Rezin:
Gonna be crazy tonight in that ring, all us hungry bois goin’ at it after that ACE. But I just want you to know… I got - your - back tonight! Arright?

Rezin quite deliberately winks, as though trying to send a message. Keyes finishes buckling his pink belt and seems to be completely ignoring him.

Rezin:
I SAID… I GOT yer BACK… ARRRRRR-RIGHT?!

Rezin winks again. Keyes is looking for an exit.

Rezin:
Okay, I’m going to assume you’re winking back under that eyepatch. In any case, dude, let’s wreck some shit tonight! May the most PUNK ROCK WIN!

A flash of anger in Keyes’s eye as he locks onto Rezin’s face. A hint of a growly gravel in his voice.

Henry Keyes:
…we both know who that is, don’t we?

Keyes turns away from Rezin and starts making his leave. The Escape Artist extends the hand for the handshake…

But Henry regrettably doesn’t see it, as he’s already heading to the door. Rezin is left hanging, painfully forcing a grin.

Rezin:
Cool, dude… uhh, see you in the ring!

The match graphic appears and the fans cheer seeing it on the DEFIAtron.

ACE of DEFIANCE:
HENRY KEYES vs. MALAK GARLAND vs. CONOR FUSE vs. TYLER FUSE vs. ALVARO de VARGAS vs. REZIN vs. DR. NED REFORM

DDK:
We’re going to start off BIG tonight. Are you ready, partner?

Lance:
Absolutely.

The scene switches to ringside and Darren Quimbey.

Darren Quimbey:
This is for the ACE of DEFIANCE! The wrestler who climbs the ladder and secures the ACE will win the match and become the NEW number one contender to the FIST of DEFIANCE! They will be able to pick the time and place, along with the stipulation for a championship opportunity! Introducing first…

♫ “Fur Elise” by Cole Rolland ♫

Darren Quimbey:
Being accompanied by TA Cole… DR. NED REFORM!

The Good Doctor appears with a confident look on his face. There are ladders lined up and down the rampway. He takes a look at a few of them, almost as if he’s inspecting each one for imperfections.

DDK:
Ned has been riding a high ever since he, well, “ruined” the Reeves family.

Halfway down the ramp, The BRAIN of DEFIANCE’s theme is replaced.

♫ “Apocalyptic Havoc” by Goatwhore ♫

Reform looks disgusted as the fans change their tone immediately.

Darren Quimbey:
Introducing next… REZIN!

Rezin emerges from behind the UNCUT logo. He looks pumped and ready to go, shouting something along the lines of “DEF PLEX ARE YOU READY!” but it’s tough to hear for sure.

Lance:
We’re not in NOLA, Rezin. We’re on the road.

DDK:
You think he knows where he is?

♫ “Only One King” by Tommee Proffit ♫

BOOM! Fire on both sides of the rampway. It can only mean one man…

Darren Quimbey:
And now… ALVARO DE VARGAS!!

El Sol Dorado makes his way out to a chorus of boos. He looks cocky and ready to inflict punishment. Reform and Rezin await in the ring and once ADV is halfway down the ramp…

♫ “Machinehead” by Bush ♫

More boos but not as heavily as de Vargas, the elder Fuse is the next to appear.

Darren Quimbey:
TYLER FUSE!

Tyler swings his arms around to loosen up as he makes his way down the ramp.

♫ “King DeDeDe Remix Theme” from Kirby’s Dream Land ♫

The upbeat video game theme replaces Tyler’s music. The older brother turns to see Conor Fuse come out to a MASSIVE pop but before Darren Quimbey is even able to announce Conor’s name, his theme is replaced.

Don’t ever stop if you want to be on top, bitch!!!

♫ “Tap In” by Saweetie ♫

BBBBBOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.

Malak Garland strolls into the arena, bouncing and bumping to his theme song. He didn’t come alone, either. The Game Boy is by his side, looking ever so menacing.

DDK:
Of course Malak isn’t showing any injury from DEFCON. Totally healed after last week’s soft body cast debacle.

Darren Quimbey:
CONOR FUSE and… MALAK GARLAND!

The Keyboard King loves how he took the spotlight away from Conor. Garland meets his “teammate” at the middle of the rampway and mouths off to The Ultimate Gamer before a new theme takes over the airwaves.

♫ “Stranger Fruit” by Zeal & Ardor ♫

Darren Quimbey:
And finally… he is the FAVORED SAINTS CHAMPION… HENRY KEYES!!!

Thankfully, The Faithful can cheer once more. The Airship Pirate is in view, FS Title around his waist. Once he reaches the bottom of the rampway, he hands the strap over to referee Brian Slater and slides into the ring. Everyone else is there waiting.

DING DING

And right after Slater calls for the bell, all seven men ready for a fight…

Except Dr. Ned Reform, who simply leans back against the ring ropes and watches the others start laying into each other. Reform points to his head as if he’s MUCH smarter and thought of something never before figured out in a multiman match. However, Malak Garland has also removed himself from the battle. He “limps” out of the ring, past TA Cole and over to The Game Boy for protection. The hulking muscle drapes his arms over the top of Malak Garland and they view the scene from outside.

Tyler Fuse and Rezin have squared off and there’s a three way battle between ADV, Conor Fuse and Henry Keyes. Keyes and Conor whip Alvaro into the ropes and connect with double elbows to the side of his head. Once ADV’s on the mat, Conor turns to Keyes and gives his head a shake.

Conor Fuse:
I thought we were cool, dude.

Based on the events of last week when Conor challenged Henry for the Favored Saints Championship, one could wonder…

But the interaction is broken up when Reform dives forward and digs his shoulder into the back of Conor’s right knee. The Good Doctor then ejects the younger Fuse out of the ring to a chorus of boos. Reform smiles for the camera and points to his head again, as if telling the crowd he’s going to be working smarter, not harder.

And yet, the Dr. didn’t notice Henry Keyes is still paying attention.

Keyes hits the ropes and absolutely crushes Reform with a clothesline, knocking the spit right out of Ned’s mouth. Reform stumbles around the canvas, on spaghetti legs, before Henry bounces off the ropes again and drills him square in the temple with a running European uppercut. Reform falls out of the ring, right beside Malak Garland and Game Boy.

Malak Garland:
Taking five too, huh?

Clearly Garland wasn’t paying attention.

Tyler Fuse hurls Rezin into a corner and charges in but Rezin gets his knees up. Tyler rubs the blow out of his jaw and turns to The Goat Bastard.

Tyler Fuse:
Always hated you in The Kabal…

Rezin raises an eyebrow.

Rezin:
I was in that thing? Bro, I don’t remember shit…

Fuse shakes his head as if insinuating ‘of course you don’t’. Tyler races towards his former “teammate” and clotheslines both of them up and over the ropes. The OG Player stays on track, however. He snatches Rezin by the head and hurls him right into a ladder on the rampway. Tyler continues to hammer Rezin’s head off the ladder, hoping to knock sense into him.

Meanwhile, Keyes exits the ring and finds The Good Doctor crawling around on all fours. Before TA Cole can get to his educator, Keyes slings Reform into the guardrail and follows through with a knife edge chop heard around the arena.

This is his opportunity. Malak Garland slides into the ring, along with The Game Boy.

DDK:
Great! Just great! Malak hasn’t laid a finger on ANYONE and they’ve brought a ladder…

Malak hops up and down, no longer showing any signs of an injury. He isn’t lifting or doing anything other than demanding his Game Boy set up the ladder underneath the ACE…

Lance:
Everyone else is preoccupied!

The ladder is set. Malak’s about to climb…

…Until Conor Fuse slides into the ring.

Malak Garland:
cOnOr, be a good NPC and be on the lookout for me, okay?

Garland’s eyebrows bounce around like a used car salesman.

DDK:
The Faithful here in GARLAND, Texas are not in support of Malak’s comments.

Lance:
Neither is Fuse.

The Character Formerly Known as Player Two merely stands there, staring at his nemesis and yet… once Alvaro de Vargas rolls inside of the ring, Conor dropkicks the Cuban square in the head. The fan response is mixed… because on one hand, it’s ADV. Everyone hates ADV. On the other hand, is Conor Fuse actually listening to Malak Garland?

The Power-Up King brawls with de Vargas but it’s not a fight the skinny manchild can win easily. Malak better climb fast.

With help from The Game Boy… Garland begins his ascent…

de Vargas ducks a left palm strike from Conor Fuse, bounces off the ropes and clobbers Conor with a spear! ADV follows this up with massive double foot stomp.

DDK:
The size difference between Conor and Alvaro was going to wear thin very easily.

Malak’s halfway up the ladder. ADV turns to the middle of the ring and walks right into The Game Boy’s chest. The angry BFTA leader is not one to back away, even if Game Boy is HUGE.

Alvaro de Vargas:
How's your face, pendejo? Still burning?

Game Boy doesn’t flinch.

DDK:
Last year at this time ADV threw a fireball in Game Boy’s face!

Lance:
That mago! [Translation to wizard in English]

Game Boy cracks his knuckles… and the brawl is on. Garland is caught watching the fight, until he realizes he still has an opportunity to take the ACE! So he continues upwards… he’s almost there…

Henry Keyes, fresh off beating Dr. Ned Reform to a pulp on the outside, finds a couple of steps on the ladder, the same side Malak Garland is on, before wrapping his arms around The Superstar Snowflake and throwing him all the way to the canvas in one fluent motion! As ADV and Game Boy wage war, de Vargas hits the ropes and pump kicks the muscular behemoth. It stuns him… it moves him back a foot… but it does nothing other than that.

Game Boy returns the favor with a huge elbow strike.

And then Henry Keyes stands between both of them. He destroys Game Boy’s chest with a knife edge chop (but, again, it doesn’t budge the giant) and then another knife edge chop to ADV. The crowd eats it up as Keyes continues to serve out the punishment to both men. Finally, Tyler Fuse enters the ring. He and Henry are able to work Game Boy to a corner and toss The Halo From Hell over with double shoulder blocks, a lift and a throw.

de Vargas races towards Keyes and Fuse… but Tyler drops the top rope on him.

Henry stands across from the elder Bro. The fans like what they see. Tyler stretches and awaits a hard knife edge chop from Henry…

SMACK!

Only to return one of his own.

SMACK!

And then receive one.

SMACK!

And then reply back.

SMACK!

Off they go.

SMACK!
SMACK!
SMACK!
SMACK!

Soon Keyes turns the chops into propeller knife edge blows.

Tyler, for the hell of it, does the same thing.

SMACK!
SMACK!
SMACK!
SMACK!

The crowd is stunned watching both men abuse the shit out of each other’s chests.

DDK:
Tyler Fuse is much smaller than Henry Keyes but he’s not backing down.

Lance:
No. He invited this!

After what has to be twenty-plus shots, both men’s upper bodies are beet red. Tyler has a grin on his face like he enjoyed every second… until Dr. Ned Reform enters the ring. Both Tyler and Henry don’t waste a moment of contemplation. They propeller double knife edge chop Reform to community college.

SMACK!!

And he goes FLYING out of the ring.

Keyes and Fuse turn back to each other with a shrug.

SMACK!
SMACK!
SMACK!
SMACK!

Eventually winning out, Keyes delivers three straight chops before hurling Tyler into the ropes but with the ladder still upright, The OG Player jumps onto a middle step and springboards off with one of the most vicious looking, 360 rotating, knife edge chops a man could perform.

SMACK!!!

Keyes’ body tenses. He’s ready to hit Tyler with another blow, as Fuse falls to his knees upon the landing.

Rezin enters the ring. He looks at his PUNK ROCK friend and then his former teammate.

Rezin:
OH YA, I remember now. The Kabal.

Rezin eyes Keyes like they should double team Fuse. Henry nods as Hell’s Favorite Hoosier decides it would be better if he folds up the ladder to use it instead of his arms. Keyes and Tyler brawl again as Rezin bounces into the ropes and shouts for The Airship Pirate to duck at the last possible second.

CRASH.

DDK:
Tyler eats the ladder! Straight in the face!

The fans get on their feet.

Lance:
LOOK OUT!

Conor Fuse is perched on the top rope. He flies off, landing both feet on the edge of the ladder. This makes Rezin partially lose grip of it and the ladder pops up, hitting Keyes under the jaw! Conor races into the ropes… he jumps on the TOP rope and lionsaults over the ladder and The Escape Artist, landing directly behind Rezin. He latches onto Rezin’s waist and throws the man backwards in a German suplex! Rezin lets go of the ladder and it smashes Ned Reform in the face. The Good Doctor was trying to enter the ring.

Eventually, Rezin rolls out of the squared circle. Reform is once again on the outside, being attended to by TA Cole. Henry Keyes has also taken five on the outside, he’s checking his teeth and finds a few drops of blood inside his mouth. ADV’s also recovering.

Conor Fuse stands in the center of the ring. And then he turns around…

To see his brother.

Conor’s eyes go wide. The fans rise from their chairs once again.

DDK:
Conor and Tyler Fuse… in the ring at the same time!!

Lance:
They’ve never squared off before!

Tyler smirks like he’s ready to go. Conor tilts his head as if to say ‘sure, what the hell’. Then the crowd HEAVILY boos as Malak Garland “limps” into the ring.

DDK:
Where did he come from!?

Garland wobbles into the middle space between Tyler and Conor. The Keyboard King points at Tyler Fuse while looking in Conor’s direction.

Malak Garland:
Is that your bRoThEr?

What Garland doesn’t notice is that Tyler has enclosed. The Game Changer taps Malak on the shoulder and then rams his head straight into Malak’s skull. Garland goes down like he’s fucking SHOT-

But the Conor and Tyler interaction will have to wait as Dr. Ned Reform enters the ring, this time WITH TA Cole.

Both of them holding ladders.

DDK:
Reform with a ladder shot to Conor! TA with a ladder shot to Tyler!

Reform and Cole drop the ladders, only to throw the Fuse Bros. into each other and then discard them from the squared circle. Ned sets up one ladder and TA positions the other beside it. Once again, Reform points to his head.

DDK:
Yeah, yeah, we get it man, we get it. They don’t call you the BRAIN of DEFIANCE for nothing.

Lance:
I’ll admit, Ned’s wrestled a smart match so far. No need to interject frequently… but then again, all of this bragging to the audience, it’s wasting time. Even if it’s only a second or two. Every second counts.

The ladders are set up next to each other. Similar to how Malak played it with Game Boy, The Good Doctor tells his sidekick to stay on watch and fight anyone who enters. Reform starts to climb…

Rezin immediately enters when The Philosopher King scales the ladder. Reform screams for Cole to attack the pot smoking freak… and when Cole leaves his “post”, The Escape Artist is ready, diving into the waiting arms of the Omaha native and attempting to knock the bigger man down.

DDK:
It’s a ploy!

Henry Keyes enters the ring. He climbs the ladder, the same side Ned Reform is on. He grabs The Good Doctor and fear floods The Warrior Poet’s face.

DDK:
CLOCKWORK! Off the ladder!

The belly to belly suplex takes place from the third highest step on the ladder as both men crash to the canvas.

Instantly, Malak Garland’s back in the ring, holding his face from the Tyler Fuse headbutt. He sees TWO ladders in the center of the ring and springs to joy as if pretending he never saw them there initially.

Garland starts climbing.

Lance:
de Vargas is lurking!

ADV slides into the ring and folds up the second ladder. He rears back and races towards Garland, knocking The Social Media Savant and the ladder over. The crowd isn’t particularly thrilled either way but once Malak rolls out of the ring, The Texas Faithful give a BOOMING cheer for the next person who enters behind Alvaro.

The High as Hell Hoosier, Rezin, also has a ladder in his hands. He charges and hits de Vargas, causing ADV to drop his and roll out of the ring. Suddenly, there are three ladders in the ring. One leaned against the top ring rope, another on the canvas and one in Rezin’s hands.

The Escape Artist takes a moment to soak it in.

Rezin:
Whoa. It’s like I’m seeing triple.

The crowd is HOT, trying to get Rezin to realize he’s THE ONLY ONE left in the center of the ring… and if he could set up one of these ladders, he might win this thing!

Rezin surveys his surroundings for what has to be the 39585832 time.

Then it clicks.

He nods to himself. Dropping his ladder, he slides that one and the other on the canvas to the outside. He takes the ladder half tilted, leaning on the ropes and props it back up. He begins to climb… unsteadily.

DDK:
Can REZIN of all people… do it!? Will he be the next challenger for the FIST of DEFIANCE!?

Rezin’s halfway up when outta nowhere Conor Fuse jumps onto the top turnbuckle and then jumps onto the ladder at the mid-way point on the opposite side of Rezin!

Rezin:
Where’d you come from?

The fans continue to cheer. Some support Rezin, others support a !RANK.

Lance:
Conor might win! He’s climbing quicker!

Alvaro de Vargas re-enters the ring. He rams his shoulder into the ladder, knocking it the other way and sending both Rezin and Conor off. However, both men land on their feet.

Smack, Conor with a superkick to de Vargas.

Wham, Rezin with a roundhouse kick.

Conor with another superkick.

Rezin with a second roundhouse kick.

They continue the assault. The big Cuban is absorbing the blows but with each one he gets a little weaker. Rezin hits the ropes, leaps over top of ADV and connects with a victory roll!

Conor pats The Goat Bastard on the shoulder.

Conor Fuse:
No pinfalls, dude.

Rezin drops the hold and smacks his head.

Rezin:
Riiight…

Conor Fuse:
No worries.

SMACK, and Conor crushes de Vargas with his strongest superkick yet… followed by the HAPPY STOMPS of DOOM.

Tyler Fuse slides into the ring. He nudges his younger brother over and starts applying the ANGRY STOMPS of DOOM.

Meanwhile, Rezin has crawled to the center of the ring.

Rezin:
Shit man, now I’m seeing double.

The fans are bedlam as Tyler and Conor pull ADV to his feet. Conor hits Alvaro with a superkick, Tyler crushes the Cuban with an uppercut. Back and forth they go, pumping the Better Future member furiously and frequently.

In a very clever move, Rezin decides to set that ladder back up. He starts to climb… but once the crowd cheers, Tyler peels away from ADV-Conor and grabs Rezin by the throat. In a swift motion, The Game Changer plants Hell’s Favorite Hoosier with a spinning DDT from off the middle of the ladder.

Somehow, ADV falls out of the ring… leaving Tyler and Conor once again alone in the squared circle.

Tyler kicks the ladder away and calls his brother on.

!RANK
!RANK
!RANK

Conor grins.

DDK:
Holy shit… we’re off!

Conor charges Tyler but Tyler ducks a superkick attempt by hitting the canvas and rolling forward. Tyler jumps to his feet and looks for an exploder suplex but Conor lands on his feet! The Ultimate Gamer bounces off the ropes, leaping in the air but Tyler catches his younger brother and attempts a powerslam… Conor escapes. Tyler’s off the ropes… he lunges forward and gets caught in a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker… the only problem is before Conor connects his knee with Tyler’s back, the elder Fuse slips out of the hold. Tyler tries for a jab to the eyes but Conor blocks it. Conor goes for a sweep of the legs but Tyler jumps it. Tyler looks for a clothesline… no can do. Conor catches Tyler’s left arm instead and slides around his brother’s back. A back slide puts both men on the mat but Tyler rolls through and is on his feet first. He pops up and delivers a hard knee to the side of Conor’s face… except it meets nothing but air when Conor leans backwards. Conor grabs Tyler’s leg with the intention of twisting his older brother to the ground but Tyler shows the ability for acrobatics as well. He flips in mid-air, twists and lands perfectly on his feet. Tyler grabs Conor’s head, runs up the turnbuckle pads for CQC… but is pushed off and sent to the center of the canvas floor, although still on his feet.

The entire arena cheers wildly as the brother’s stare each other down, completely unharmed.

DDK:
WHAT A SEQUENCE!

Lance:
Did these two connect with… ANY maneuver!?

DDK:
I don’t think so.

Conor’s smile is ear-to-ear. Even his typical stoic brother seems to have enjoyed the standoff.

This time, however, the “interruption” didn’t come alone.

DDK:
Malak Garland with a low blow to Tyler Fuse and The Game Boy with an inside-out clothesline from hell on Conor!

BBBBBOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

Garland jumps for joy, shouting into the crowd this is HIS town.

Lance:
There’s no way the origin of GARLAND, Texas is linked to this snowflake, right?

DDK:
I’m pretty sure it’s not, Lance.

Game Boy sets up a ladder… but then Dr. Ned Reform and TA Cole enter the ring. Reform has a ladder of his own and TA Cole is setting up a table in the ring.

Garland nervously grins at the Doctor.

Malak Garland:
Hey, it’s my online friend.

The Seminar of Snow giggles towards The Pedagogue of Pain.

Lance:
For those who don’t have Twitter, Garland and Reform typically interact on there…

DDK:
Glad I don’t have Twitter.

A coy Malak walks up to Reform and nudges him on the shoulder. Then Main Event Malak stares at the ACE.

Malak Garland:
We could share it.

Reform looks at TA Cole.

Malak Garland:
I don’t typically like to share, I’m an only child you see but-

It doesn’t matter. Rezin and Keyes have entered the ring to cheers. Rezin connects with the Clover Hoof Kick to Malak, which knocks the snowflake into the doctor. Keyes elbows Cole in the side of the head. Now both men turn their attention to potentially the biggest threat in the match…

Lance:
Game Boy shouldn’t even be here!

Keyes ducks a clothesline attempt and bounces off the ropes.

Spinning back elbow.

Off the ropes for a second time.

BELL. CLAP.

Off the ropes for try number three.

Leaping knee.

And finally…

Kamigoye knee strike.

Kamigoye knee strike x2.

DDK:
HE DID IT! HENRY KEYES KNOCKED GAME BOY OUT!

Lance:
At least I THINK he’s out. The Boy is certainly down.

With all of his might and use of the top rope, Keyes is able to work The D-Pad Destroyer out of the ring. Rezin discards TA Cole courtesy of Into the Void! Both PUNK ROCK friends eject The Good Doctor by his tights.

In comes Alvaro de Vargas…

WITH A FIREBALL!

Rezin tackles The Airship Pirate to the ground!

DDK:
Rezin saved Keyes!

The Goat Bastard jumps to his feet and catches ADV with a modified knee smash (codebreaker) and then a one-handed bulldog. A quick replay shows Rezin saved Henry in time but Keyes also bumped his head against the bottom turnbuckle pad in the process.

Lance:
Could have been a lot worse for Henry!

The fans are white hot again… as Rezin, and only Rezin, is upright in the center of the ring. The Indiana native positions one of the ladders underneath the ACE. (Although honestly, the ladder is definitely not centered in the middle of the ring.)

DDK:
The Faithful want to see it! They want to see Rezin win!

Lance:
CLIMB MAN, CLIMB.

He does. Cautiously.

No one else is around to stop it.

DDK:
Rezin’s almost there!

A figure hops the guardrail and enters the ring. Dressed in camo gear, this person climbs the other side of the ladder. His back is turned to the hard camera but those on the right side of the ring see his face and scream. The broadcast feed changes to a better view.

DDK:
OH MY GOD… IT’S…

SEARCH.

PARTY.

CYRUS.

SPC clubs Rezin in the side of the head and then drags him to the VERY TOP of the ladder. Rezin is trying to reach out… the ACE of DEFIANCE is right there for the taking…

DDK:
If only Rezin positioned the ladder RIGHT under the ACE, he might be able to have grabbed it by now!

Trying… trying… trying…

But Bates has a good hold of him.

It’s no use.

CRRRAAASSSSSHHHHH!!!

DDK:
URANAGE FROM THE TOP OF THE LADDER!! THROUGH THE TABLE!

Surprisingly, Search Party Cyrus is (reasonably) okay. He gets to his feet… nervously looks to his left… nervously looks to his right…

And then pussyfoots the hell out of the ring and back through the crowd where he came from, throwing up his camo hoodie in the process.

DDK:
The guy has been terrified of uranages for months!

Lance:
He’s been MIA for months! He showed up at DEFCON and now here. Uranage and goodbye.

Rezin is being attended to by referee Brian Slater. Referee Hector Navarro is also at ringside.

Replays show the move from all angles. During one of the shots, Henry Keyes is propped up against the bottom turnbuckle pad watching the whole thing transpire.

DDK:
Was Keyes… did Keyes… uhhh… did he see this whole thing and NOT help Rezin!?

Lance:
Couldn’t be, Keebs. Those two are PUNK ROCK.

The fans anticipate someone, anyone, to eventually enter the ring. And that someone does.

Ned Reform.

Reform creeps around the floor. Seeing the ladder is slightly off, he positions it perfectly under the ACE. Once again, he takes a moment to brag to The Faithful. It’s all about proper location.

WHAM.

DDK:
Henry Keyes just popped up and DESTROYED Ned Reform with a running knee! Keyes follows with a corkscrew elbow drop.

The Airship Pirate ejects Reform from the ring.

Lance:
Keyes is going to do it!

Henry climbs and shows solid agility, too. He’s more than halfway up when Tyler Fuse appears and climbs as well. Then Alvaro de Vargas slides in and places a second ladder beside the group. He starts to climb. Malak Garland is next. He joins ADV’s ladder and scales the other side. All four men are close to the top… but whenever someone’s arm reaches out, they are met with a punch by somebody else.

Conor Fuse SPRINTS into the ring and ascends. The fans are going !RANK crazy as he joins in on the fun.

Then out of nowhere Ned Reform struggles into the ring. It’s clear he’s receiving help from TA Cole but eventually The Good Doctor is up there, as well.

And the final piece. Pushing the referees away from him, the arena goes batshit insane when REZIN stands, albeit wobbly, and finds the ladder.

DDK:
ALL SEVEN MEN BATTLE!!

Lance:
It’s anyone’s game!

Shots are being thrown wildly, it’s tough to tell who’s hitting who…

Arms reach for the ACE, arms go back down. No one has fallen yet. Finally, Conor Fuse JUMPS onto the big Cuban’s back, Alvaro de Vargas, and climbs HIM to get to the ACE.

DDK:
Conor has his hands on it!!!

But The Video Game Kid can’t unlatch the ACE!

Thump, Tyler Fuse is knocked off the ladder.

Thump, Malak Garland is knocked off the ladder.

Thump, thump, thump, thump. Conor, Henry, Rezin AND Alvaro are knocked off the ladders at the same time!

This leaves just one man…

Who was curled up into a ball this entire time. Hunched over both ladders, likely not hit by anybody this entire time, Ned Reform emerges from a “fetal” position (well, as fetal as one can get while remaining on the top of a ladder). Plus he sports a shit eating grin on his face.

Chorus of BOOS.

DDK:
Please God, no…

Reform can’t get over how smart his plan was! He basks in the glory of fan frustration coming his way and how he outsmarted EVERYONE, once again.

Lance:
Maybe you should grab the ACE first, Ned.

Finally, The Pedagogue of Pain reaches out for the ACE and takes it…

If not for the fact Rezin of all people has the sole of his boot.

The Escape Artist tugs on Reform’s leg. Suddenly, The Good Doctor’s face is pleading with Rezin to simply release his boot and “let him have this one”. Just once. It’s okay. It’s the only way DEFIANCE can be educated while they tour across the United States.

Come to think of it, it’s vital for Ned Reform to win.

But Rezin won’t let go.

Meanwhile, Tyler Fuse props a ladder on the turnbuckle pad and knocks it into the ladder Reform is standing on, creating a platform from the top rope to the main ladder. Conor Fuse jumps into action. He stands on the top turnbuckle and runs across the ladder platform, reaching the main ladder and launching himself feet first, taking The Philosopher King by the neck and hitting a hurricanrana!

Dr. Ned flies off the ladder and right into TA Cole. Rezin and Tyler clothesline both men over the top rope.

With the main ladder leaning slightly over, The Escape Artist drags it closer to the apron. He’s hurting but he makes it halfway up. With his back turned to Cole and Reform on the outside, Rezin simply goes for it.

HOLY SHIT!
HOLY SHIT!
HOLY SHIT!

DDK:
REZINSAULT!!

The Indiana native lands perfectly on Reform and Cole, knocking all three men out in the process!

Inside the ring, Henry Keyes catches Tyler Fuse with an uppercut. He takes hold of the elder Fuse and airplane spins him right into the main ladder… and then the secondary ladder! Before he can do more damage, however, The Game Boy has recovered from the vicious beating The Airship Pirate gave him earlier. The giant bulldozes Keyes, knocking the Favored Saints Champion into the ropes before annihilating Keyes with a running shoulder block. Both men crash to the mat, shaking the ring and knocking down whatever ladders that may have been standing. Game Boy picks up one of the ladders and rams it into Keyes, sending the Vae Victis member over the top rope and to the floor. Game Boy immediately rips the ladder apart. He tosses half of out of the ring at Keyes on the floor. Then he steps over the top rope with the other half and crashes down upon Henry with it.

Conor Fuse rises from the canvas. The hurricanrana he hit on Ned Reform took a little out of him. He sees Keyes in trouble on the outside. He also sees Cole, Reform and Rezin stirring. Conor sets the ladder up in the same position Rezin had it. The crowd awaits…

DDK:
Oh boy…

Conor screams, reaching the top of the ladder. He closes his eyes and says a prayer.

Phoenix splash.

!RANK
!RANK
!RANK

DDK:
Conor Fuse dives into EVVVERRRYBODY!!

Game Boy takes most of the blow. The Ultimate Gamer collects his breath as he rolls away from the wreckage.

The crowd is still alive but with BOOS this time as Alvaro de Vargas was playing his cards right. Yannick Fillimore’s Favorite kicks or tosses out all other remaining ladders (and broken table pieces) other than one. He quickly places it under the ACE and starts climbing.

Tyler Fuse slips into the ring. He was also waiting to pick his spot. Tyler finds the other side of the ladder but ADV pummels the elder brother with a poke to the eyes. de Vargas spits on the mat and stares at Tyler, mouthing off in Spanish, likely slandering the Fuse family name.

Tyler fires back with an elbow and a rake of the eyes himself. He swings around the ladder in an attempt at a bulldog, which would send both of them crashing to the mat but at the last second, ADV holds on and Tyler’s the one who falls to the floor!

The Futura Leyenda del DEFIANCE screams as he takes another step upwards, closer to the ACE. 

DDK:
de Vargas is going to win this thing! Alvaro versus Deacon or Dex Joy would be huge!

But Tyler Fuse is back to his feet and pushes the ladder! Before ADV slips, he jumps off… and he ducks a discus clothesline from Tyler… bouncing off the ropes…

ADV hits his running knee strike, Abajo Vas, square in Tyler’s face.

Alvaro tosses Tyler out of the ring. He looks back up to the ACE.

Alvaro de Vargas:
Donde estaba? Derecho! ACE!

ADV ascends once more.

!RANK
!RANK
!RANK

DDK:
CONOR FUSE IS ALIVE!

Lance:
NEW LIFE BAR! NEW LIFE BAR!

The Phoenix splash would not hold the gamer down. Conor runs up the ladder and smacks ADV across the chest.

Conor Fuse:
Weapon Get!

But nothing happens.

The large Cuban fumes at Conor for wasting his time. He’s about to shout something, or spit in the Locker Room Leader’s face when he realizes Fuse wasn’t planning on hitting Alvaro at all. Instead, he’s rocking the ladder back and forth by leaning each way rather quickly.

Panic strikes ADV’s face. While much larger (and heavier) than Conor Fuse, he’s way less agile.

Conor Fuse:
Rough air, buddy! Better fucking hold on tight, we’re on an airship!

Conor gives de Vargas two middle fingers as he sways back and forth, completely calm. Alvaro tries to reach Fuse but soon enough he’s thrown off the ladder.

The gamer leaps off and connects with an elbow drop!

Then he tosses ADV out of the ring.

Conor Fuse:
Hmmmmm. Now where was I!?

Conor mentions, just like Alvaro did in Spanish a moment earlier.

And it doesn’t take long for Fuse to race to the top.

Lance:
Is he going to do it!? Will it be CONOR FUSE of all people going for the FIST!?

There’s one last person who’s been lost in this shuffle for most of the night. And he slithers his way into the ring, hands on his hips.

Malak Garland:
cOnOr fUsE!

DDK:
Great…

Malak Garland:
Good work clearing the ring. Now…

The Superstar Snowflake sticks out his chest.

Malak Garland:
Get down from there THIS instant!

The fans are electric. Everyone is cheering for Conor to take a couple more steps, reach out and stick it to the man. As time passes, Garland is becoming MOAR uncomfortable by the second.

Malak Garland:
cOnOr! I demand it!

Malak tenses.

Malak Garland:
I DEMAND IT!

Conor takes another step upwards.

Malak Garland:
I DEMAND IT!?

Questioning himself, Malak runs to the ladder and starts to climb the other side.

DDK:
Conor Fuse has made his choice! He’s going for the ACE!

Lance:
GET IT, CONOR! GET IT!

The Locker Room Leader is at the top of the ladder. He reaches up…

And eats an elbow to the stomach! He hunches over. It looks to be finished. Malak takes Conor by his messy blonde hair.

Malak Garland:
I told you this was mine! All mine! ACE. FIST. DEFIANCE. Mine! Malak Garland Moment! Main Event Malak! Malak Cinematic Universe! Warm and cuddly safe space for MEEEEEEEEE-

Smack.

Conor Fuse:
WEAPON GET!

BELL CLAP.

Garland falls off the ladder.

DDK:
HE FOUND THE BELL CLAP!! CONOR USED KEYES’ OLD MOVE!! He wasn’t able to find the move during last week’s Favored Saints Championship match but he did now!

!RANK
!RANK
!RANK

Lance:
HOLY SHIT KEEBS!! Conor Fuse is going to be the ACE of DEFIANCE!

Conor is as high on the ladder as you can get! He reaches up. He takes hold of the ACE. He removes it from its latch!

He-

Nudge.

In a desperate, hail mary attempt, a barely conscious Malak Garland lightly kicks the ladder with his left boot. This knocks the structure ever-so-slightly but it’s enough for Fuse to lose his grip on the ACE. After unlatching the power-up, the ACE falls through Conor’s arms and to the canvas below.

…

…

Right beside Malak Garland.

Like a fumble, The Keyboard Warrior rolls towards it. Clearly hurting from the Bell Clap, hardly knowing where he is, Garland still sees the ACE laying there…

He crawls towards it…

And lands on top of it.

DING DING DING

DDK:
What the hell!?

Confusion sweeps through the arena. Conor Fuse stands on top of the ladder looking down below, in disbelief.

Lance:
Did Conor Fuse win this!? He had the ACE in his hands!

DDK:
Did he!?

Referees Hector Navarro and Brian Slater are in a deep conversation on the outside. No announcement has been made yet. No theme music, no nothing. Everyone else is still out from the battle, too.

Conor Fuse jumps down from the ladder. He walks to the edge of the apron where Slater and Navarro are discussing. Fuse shouts to them, wanting to clarify he had the ACE in his hands. However, Malak Garland is now huddled into a corner, hugging the ACE for dear life while rocking back and forth like he’s Gollum from Lord of the Rings.

Finally the referees walk over to Darren Quimbey.

DDK:
Moment of truth…

Lance:
Conor had the ACE in his hands!

Darren Quimbey:
Ladies and gentlemen…

The arena is whisper quiet as everyone awaits the answer.

Darren Quimbey:
It has been decided that while Conor Fuse unlatched the ACE, he did not SECURE the ACE of DEFIANCE.

The crowd is fucking HATING it. They know where this is going.

Darren Quimbey:
Therefore, the winner of this match… the new number one contender to the FIST of the DEFIANCE through the ACE of DEFIANCE…

BBBBBOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.

Garbage being tossed into the ring.

People losing their minds.

Even the ring announcer doesn’t seem thrilled.

Darren Quimbey:
Malak Garland.

DDK:
This is an outrage! What the hell are we, the NFL!? Conor Fuse didn’t have possession of the ACE!? He didn’t secure it!?

Lance:
Keebs, I agree this sucks but you have to secure whatever is held above the ring! Quimbey said it at the start of the match!

Conor Fuse is beside himself, shouting to Navarro and Slater for a further explanation. Malak still barely has a clue where he is… but he knows he has the ACE in his hands. His eyes are bugged out, he continues to rock back and forth… while mumbling the word FIST over and over and over.

Replays begin. From all angels. Conor Fuse unhooks the ACE. He has it in his hands for a split second and no longer…

The ACE falls to the ground when the ladder is moved.

And Malak Garland recovers the winning item.

DDK:
Conor Fuse should be the number one contender! Conor Fuse is a hell of an athlete and also a World Champion in other circles. Conor Fuse has worked his ass off here. You know what, EVERY SINGLE PERSON in this match worked their ass off! Except that guy! Except Malak Garland! Did he even hit ONE offensive move this entire time!?

Lance:
Barely, Keebs. Barely.

Although one could argue Dr. Ned Reform was also rather sly, Keebler is seeing red right now, as are the rest of The Faithful. Malak’s theme song plays as The Comments Section cronies are out. They drag Garland from the ring to make sure he’s away from any triggering scenarios… and then carry him up the rampway.

The entire time, all Malak can do is hold the ACE for dear life. And all he keeps saying is that one, extremely meaningful word.

FIST.

By now, Conor’s at the bottom of the rampway talking to Navarro and Slater but does not like what he hears back. DEF Sec is out to check on everyone else, as well.

DDK:
Folks, this sucks. We’re going to take a commercial break and be back shortly.

Lance:
Yep. This sucks.

A door opens.

We’re in the back offices of Ballyhoo Brew. It’s a mess: papers scattered everywhere, dozens of abandoned red solo cups, and a chalkboard that is covered in absolute gibberish except for one word: “profit.” Through the door, and into the office, walks a familiar trio: part time wrestler/part time manager of The Saturday Night Specials Davey LaRue, Ballyhoo bartender extraordinaire Siobhan Cassidy, and one half of the DEFIANCE Unified Tag Team Champions Brock Newbludd. All three of them look to the front of the room, where Pat Cassidy stands, holding a yardstick and motioning behind him to a large easel. At the top of the easel is a large square that is currently covered by a black cloth. Cassidy motions for his friends to take the three folding chairs set up in front of the easel.

Pat Cassidy (putting on a faux-professional register):
Welcome, dear kin. Please sit.

Davey smirks, Siobhan rolls her eyes, and Brock gives his buddy an enthusiastic thumbs up… but sit they all do. Cassidy taps the yardstick against his open palm as he clears his throat. 

Pat Cassidy:
I’m sure you’re all wondering why I’ve assembled the brain trust.

Siobhan Cassidy:
In your text you told me there’d be cupcakes.

Brock and Davey, apparently not informed of the free food, both bolt up excitedly out of their chairs and look around the room for the location of said cupcakes. Finding none, they both look at Cassidy in disappointment and Pat motions with the yardstick for them to sit back down. Crossing their arms in protest, Brock and Davey plop back down in their seats.

Pat Cassidy:
Yeah, I do say a lot of things, don’t I? The IMPORTANT part here is that we…

Cassidy twirls his finger in a circle.

Pat Cassidy:
…all of us here… are on the cusp of something. It’s not out of line to say we have an opportunity, kids. A once in a lifetime chance to grow this humble brewery into something… dare I say…

Cassidy poses dramatically, like a magician about to perform a wondrous trick or maybe even the Amazing Amarettos. 

Pat Cassidy:
…..

Davey, Siobhan, and Brock all look at each other while Cassidy is seemingly frozen in place. Finally, Cassidy breaks from the magician’s pose.

Pat Cassidy:
…I was really hoping a word would come to me there, but I got nothing. Look: I want to hire Ophelia Sykes as a bartender here. I think it would…

Siobhan is up in a flash.

Siobhan Cassidy:
ARE. YOU. FUCKING. KIDDING ME!?

Brock also stands, attempting to calm her, but she pushes his arm away.

Siobhan Cassidy:
She sets you up to have your arm broken, but you’re still walking around here like a pathetic puppy dog! For once in your life, maybe it’s time to stop thinking with your…

Before she can finish, Brock puts an arm around his girlfriend and gives her a squeeze along with the best disarming smile he can muster. Siobhan bites her lower lip and glares at Brock, causing his smile to waver slightly as he looks back to Cassidy.

Brock Newbludd:
…with that big heart of yours, buddy. That’s what this beautiful sister of yours was getting at, right Shiv?

Siobhan Cassidy:
Nope!

Brock Newbludd:
Super…well, I’m just going to say it. As your best friend, and tag team partner, I trust any decision you make, brother. Because that’s what friends do, ya know?

A look of doom. You know the one.

Siobhan Cassidy:
You gotta be fuckin’ kidding me…

Yanking away from Brock, she points a finger directly in his face.

Siobhan Cassidy:
Me and you WILL be talking about this later! Got it?

Brock winces and looks back to Pat.

Brock Newbludd:
This is what I mean by making sacrifices for the team, dude.

Davey LaRue simply leans back, shaking his head.

Davey LaRue:
Eh, dis’ soundin; like nuttin’ but trouble, bon ami. I ain’t gonna complain bout’ de extra help but dat Sykes cher…she’s a fox, no doubt. But, maybe we shouldn’t let dat fox into dis’ henhouse. 

Cassidy sighs.

Pat Cassidy:
First of all, the arm breaking thing worked out in the end, as it totally gave me a badass super power...

He bangs his left forearm against the wall and he makes a faux-metal clang with his mouth.

Pat Cassidy:
Plus, she’d bring in some fresh clientele. The college kids would be swarming this place. We need some fresh blood around here, instead of the same old tried and frankly…

He shoots his sister a look that only a sibling deserves.

Pat Cassidy:
…unpleasant employees we have right now.

Siobhan goes to charge her brother, but Brock holds her back until she calms herself. Pat throws up his hands.

Pat Cassidy:
Alright. I’ll level with you. She got fired by those twin jackasses, and I feel like it’s sorta my fault, so I’m trying to make it right. She’ll do a good job or I’ll be the first one to toss her out, okay? It's on me if she screws up.

Siobhan folds her arms and when she speaks, it’s with the calmness that can only come from an extreme amount of anger.

Siobhan Cassidy:
If she works here, I’m out.

There is a moment of uncomfortable silence. Finally…

Pat Cassidy:
FINE! No bartender. But then I’m going to have to pitch my backup plan…

He looks to Brock Newbludd hopefully.

Pat Cassidy:
Ophelia as the new manager of The Saturday Night Specials.

Siobhan barks out a laugh.

Siobhan Cassidy:
Yeah right! Like that would be…

Cassidy throws up a hand.

Pat Cassidy:
Uh, I believe this is a discussion between the champs. Look, buddy - I know we have all the reasons in the world not to trust her. But she’s been tossed on her ass by Morrow’s circus of jackasses, and she’s looking for some payback just as bad as we are. She also knows them… like, really well. It couldn’t hurt to have someone like that in our corner. Plus, I mean, no offense Davey, but it would add a little... what's the word? Razzle dazzle to the ol' presentation, know what I'm talking about?

Cassidy’s voice drops to a tone that is borderline (but not quite) pleading.

Pat Cassidy:
If this goes south, it’d be 100% my responsibility and I’d take the hit. But it won’t. I’m just asking you to trust me on this.

All eyes on Brock Newbludd, especially Siobhan’s. Scratching the back of his neck, Brock shrugs his shoulders.

Brock Newbludd:
Well…shit…

Putting a hand on his chin, Brock continues to think as he paces around the room. Coming to a stop so that Davey’s large frame is positioned perfectly between himself and Siobhan, Newbludd looks up to his partner.

Brock Newbludd:
Brother, I asked for your trust when it came to Shiv and I. You gave it to me. Now, I’m not gonna sit here and say that I’m all for having some Tom Morrow reject standing in our corner during a match. Sounds terrible. But, I owe you buddy. I do. Not only do I owe you, I trust you. So, I feel ya on Ophelia.

Pat Cassidy:
Yeah?

Brock Newbludd:
Yeah. Let’s do it, buddy. Just know that if she fucks with I’ll suplex her right out of heels and feed the scraps to Siobhan.

Shiv smiles eagerly at that prospect as Brock sticks a hand out in Pat’s direction.

Brock Newbludd:
Deal?

Cassidy eagerly takes the hand.

Pat Cassidy:
You got it, buddy.

For the moment, it appears we have a deal.*

*what was under the black sheet, you ask? Well, if nobody agreed to it Cassidy was going to hit them over the head with a blank canvas. The more you know.

If you missed it…

The MV Story - pt. I   ← click 
The MV Story - pt. II  ← click 

We open on the increasingly familiar UpClose set. As the lights rise, we see a friendly Lance Warner wrapping up a side conversation with someone just off stage. Expertly on cue, Lance turns to the camera with a nod.

Lance:
Another exciting UNCUT, another in-depth edition of UNCUT: UpClose… I’m your host, Lance Warner.

Another professional turn from Lance, this time to a different, tighter camera.

Lance:
If you’ve joined us in the past weeks, you've watched the rise and fall of one of DEFIANCE’s oddest and truly most colorful tag teams in its history... Along with the emergence and evolution of the dark influence and malevolence of Lord Nigel Trickelbush. 

As Lance speaks, we see freeze-frames from the previous few episodes. MVs in triumph and defeat. Trickelbush enraptured and enraged.

Lance:
Tonight… we return to the summer of 2017, to find that, while the Masked Violators and their rivals The STORM had been ousted from DEFIANCE, it seemed that Lord Nigel Trickelbush wasn’t going anywhere.

Cutting to a pre-produced video package, we return to the final moments of the MVs involvement in their DEFIANCE Road 2017 appearance, brawling wildly with the STORM and members of DEFsec. Intense, actiony music plays softly in the background.

Lance (narration):
In the fallout of DEFIANCE Road 2017, it was widely believed that Lord Nigel Trickelbush would suffer the same fate as both the team he’d brought to the promotion along with their hated rivals… but it was soon learned that while DEF was within their rights to terminate the contracts of the Violators and the STORM, they had no legal cause to terminate the contract of the man and manager behind the chaos.

We cut to a shot of a displeased, muscular asian man seated against a non-descript hotel-room-like backdrop. Head shaved bald save for a single spiked blonde patch at the front of his head, his accent is jarring, his voice aggressive. The words “Kazushi - One half of The STORM - Former DEF Performer” momentarily appear on the lower third in black. When he speaks, subtitles appear in yellow.

Kazushi (translated to English):
They cut us. They cut the Violators, too. But they kept Lord Nigel. I didn’t understand it. I still don’t understand it. 

We cut now to Kazushi’s tag team, partner in the STORM, Hiroshi Zo. Zo’s jet black hair is slicked back. Seated in the same chair in the same hotel room and wearing his trademark shades, Zo’s smile reveals a missing front top-tooth.

Hiroshi Zo (translated to English):
He’s a strange man. Lord Nigel, I mean. When DEFIANCE kicked us out, our work visas were revoked and we immediately went back to Japan. After 4 years on the road, all around the world, he had given us many opportunities. I owe him much. But ever since the day we went back to Japan five years ago, even after the years on the road and the grueling schedule… I’ve never spoken to him again.

Zo snaps his fingers dramatically in front of the camera and chuckles, amused by himself.

Hiroshi Zo (translated to English):
We got cut and he cut us off. Just like that.

A slow Ken Burns style zoom in on a black and white photo of a sneering Lord Nigel Trickelbush, standing in a DEFIANCE ring.

Lance (narration):
Suddenly finding himself a manager without a client in DEFIANCE, Trickelbush moved quickly to show the world that he wasn’t standing still.

A clip from a promo dated 7/4/2017 first airing on UNCUT 23 plays. An odd scene that ends with Lord Nigel gazing up at a poster hanging on a wall. The poster shows a black silhouette with a question mark in its center. “HAVE YOU SEEN THIS MAN?”, it asks at the poster's bottom.

Lord Nigel (from clip):
I want to take one of DEFIANCE’s most cherished heroes… and make him see things a different way… I want to take their hero and make him a killer. I want to reshape their white knight into a demon from their children’s darkest, deepest nightmares. And I want to do it SLOWLY.

The clip freezes on Nigel’s cold smile.

Hiroshi Zo (translated to English):
He was always going on about that stuff. For years.

Zo dismisses the idea with a wave, his smile widening to reveal a missing lower tooth.

Hiroshi Zo (translated to English):
Foolishness.

Lance (narration):
His plan seemed clear; corrupt one of DEFIANCE’s top stars. And, it seemed, he wasted no time in putting that plan into action.

More sweeping still-images from 2017; these show Lord Nigel approaching several of DEFIANCE’s best and brightest.

Lance (narration):
The Faithful watched with some concern as Trickelbush approached the likes of Impulse… 

A still-shot of Nigel creeping on Cally.

Lance (narration):
As well as DEFIANCE’s Favorite Son, “Sub-Pop” Scott Douglas… 

A sweeping still-shot of Douglas’s eyes narrowed at Lord Nigel.

Lance:
However, Lord Nigel abruptly disappeared from DEFIANCE late that Summer with no explanation and, it seemed, no success.

Back to the stern and gruff Kazushi.

Kazushi (translated to English):
After we were kicked out of DEF, I only heard from Lord Nigel one other time. I tracked him down and finally got him on the phone. He owed me four grand at this point. I said “You gonna give me my money?” He said he’d wire it immediately. I’d have it right away . And I did. He said his “fortunes had changed”. 

The camera cuts to a tighter shot of Kazushi’s chiseled face. His disdain for Nigel is plain to see.

Kazushi (translated to English):
He said he’d “finally found what he was looking for”. That I “wouldn’t believe where”. I told him to go f_ck himself.

We cut back to a black and white image of Nigel peering up at a “WANTED” poster.

Lance (narration):
While we can’t be sure exactly what Nigel Trickelbush meant when he said those words… one can’t help but wonder.

Slowly, an image of Masked Violator #2 is graphically inserted into the silhouette on the poster. MV2 slowly morphs into a snarling, painted Corvo Alpha as the video package ends and we return to Lance Warner on the UpClose set.

Lance:
In two weeks on the next edition of UNCUT: UpClose, I’ll sit with the man who knows MV2 the best–

Cut back to the hotel room where an athletic man in a bright red wrestling mask trimmed with yellow and blue is having a lapel microphone to his blue suit jacket, just above the American flag pin.

Lance:
We’ll hear from Masked Violator #1… on the next UNCUT: UpClose!

Hijos de puta! Todos ellos! Ahhhhhh! Todos se van a quemar!

Various objects are being tossed around backstage and things are quickly turning into a war zone. 

Not long ago after the conclusion of the ACE of DEFIANCE match, one Alvaro de Vargas limps through the backstage area. He grabs a piece of metal piping and HURLS it as far as he can with a oncoming stagehand almost getting the worst of it!

Alvaro de Vargas:
Esa pequeña mierda! Va a pagar jodidamente por esto! TODOS van a pagar!

No Morrow. No Lucky Sevens in the house tonight. He grabs an extra dolly and chucks it through the air, crashing into a wall! 

Alvaro de Vargas:
I AM EL SOL DORADO! I AM THE ACE OF DEFIANCE!

He scares off another pair of techs. 

Alvaro de Vargas:
GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY HALLWAY! NOW!

As they scatter like roaches, Head of security Wyatt Bronson scrambles up with three other members of DEFSec behind him, ready to handle the situation if things get any more tense. 

Wyatt Bronson:
All right, that’s enough out of you. You had your chance. You lost. You need to either get checked out by DEFMed or you can get thrown out of the building. 

Limping and angry, El Sol Dorado snarls right at Bronson. 

Alvaro de Vargas:
No… I DIDN’T have my fucking chance, pendejo. That chance was STOLEN from me and everybody else by another little fucking pendejo in that match. But if you want a fight, Bronson… 

He pulls a fist close and despite his current condition… he’s itching to fight. 

Alvaro de Vargas:
Eres bienvenido a intentarlo. 

Wyatt Bronson:
All rig… 

OI! PRICK!

Before Wyatt Bronson and DEFSec even realize what’s going on, Alvaro is grabbed from behind… 

BY JACK MACE!

He manages to grab Alvaro by his neck and then HURLS The Cocky Cuban into one of the garage doors!

Jack Mace:
You fuckin’ arsehole! Attack me, fine! I can fuckin’ take it… 

Mace grabs ADV again. 

Jack Mace:
…But you spit at me dad? Me sister? And you didn’t cripple me?

He STOMPS ADV on the ground. 

Jack Mace:
WE AIN'T FUCKIN' DONE, PRICK!

DEFSec jump right in, but Mace THROWS one of them aside and another one goes right at Wyatt Bronson! 

Wyatt Bronson:
Hey! 

Bronson stops the nameless DEFSec member from intervening as other trainers and several fo the officials try and swarm in, but the fight escalates quickly when Mace grabs ADV again and then throws him into some shelving, knocking over boxes in the process! ADV is stunned but when Mace tries to grab him, he claws his eye! ADV roars and then limps away with DEFSec getting in between the two. Another member of DEFSec tries to restrain Mace. 

Jack Mace:
Fuck away from me… NOW! 

He grabs the DEFSec member and then pitches him clear across a table before they try a handle on The Killer Bear. ADV is long gone, but Mace isn’t deterred and gives chase, ripping his way through DEFSec and giving chase as the show rolls back to ringside for the main event to come. 

Darren Keebler and Lance Warner are at the commentary booth to give the fans the lead-up of tonight’s massive title match coming up in just a few short moments! 

DDK:
We saw a huge match to kick off the show! The ACE of DEFIANCE ladder match was something special and tonight we are going to bookend this special with a massive title match – for the FIST of DEFIANCE! 

Lance:
Deacon won the FIST just over a month ago at DEFCON from a man that many thought would be unstoppable! He defeated Crimson Stalker in a Stalker’s Rules match to win the title, but now he takes on a man that has beaten him before and is riding high on his own wave of momentum! I am talking about “The Biggest Boy” Dex Joy! 

DDK:
Deacon could have easily taken the night off with just seven days removed from when he was first challenged by Dex, but he welcomed it. Dex named off some of the previous holders of the FIST that he has beaten. He’s beaten Gage Blackwood, he just beat Oscar Burns at DEFCON and when he was the Southern Heritage champion, he defended it successfully against Deacon! 

Lance:
Deacon stands seven feet tall and three-hundred twenty pounds. Dex Joy stands six-foot two but three-hundred forty pounds! Dex may have the advantage in agility, but Deacon has it in big match experience! Our colossal main event is up next! 

One by one in the Wrestle Plex the lights go dark. Section by section of the arena the lights start to fade out. They keep going dark until there is nothing left. The lights start flickering on one more time and beep until a wrecking ball with the Dex Joy logo smashes through a wall! 

♫ "Fight Back" by Konata Small ♫

And finally the man appears on the entrance ramp! A black singlet with the same gold and black wrecking ball with “DEX” above and “JOY” below and black shorts with the same pattern. Golden colored boots, knee pads and elbow pads! Dex stomps to the ring and asks the crowd a question. 

Dex Joy:
WHO WRECKS LIKE DEX?!?!?!

Crowd:
NO ONE!!!

After the answer back from the crowd Dex walks up the steps and into the ring for a fight. 

♫ Gregorian Chant begins ♫

The lights go out and the crowd erupts. They know who’s heading to the ring! Magdalena steps through the curtain with the staff. Wasting no time, she makes her way to the ringside area, climbs the stairs, and enters the ring, a spotlight tracking them throughout.

Magdalena takes the Shepherd’s staff, lifting it high in the air before throwing it onto the mat with all the force he can muster. Sparks fly from the staff and the ringposts, and when the glare subsides, the robed Deacon stands on the ramp and then reveals the FIST wrapped securely around his waist. 

♫ “The Resistance” by Skillet  ♫

The music begins and Deacon is on his way to the ring. 

Lance:
This already has all the makings of a big fight between two of the most powerful men in DEFIANCE Wrestling! 

After Deacon reaches the ring and removes his robe, he gets inside the ring and holds the belt up. Once he is there, the champion and the challenger have both taken their places in the ring with special introductions about to be read for this titanic title fight!

Quimbey:
The following match is tonight’s main event and will be contested for the FIST OF DEFIANCE!!! Introducing first, the challenger …  from Los Angeles, California and weighing three-hundred forty-two pounds … he is THE LEADER OF DEX’S WRECKING CREW …  DEEEEEXXXXXX JJJJJJOOOOYYYYYY!!!!!!

Dex Joy holds his fists (not the titles) out and then enjoys the massive response he receives! He’s fired up! 

Quimbey:
And his opponent! He hails from Alexandria, Egypt! He stands seven feet tall and weighs in at three-hundred and twenty pounds! He is the reigning and defending FIST of DEFIANCE … DEEEEEAAAAACCCCCCOOOONNNNNNN!!!

Deacon stares straight ahead at Dex Joy and he holds out the FIST. The Big Red Belt gets all of Dex’s attention when he looks straight up at the belt and the man holding it. 

DDK:
Their last match was a great one we had the pleasure of calling but this one is a special occasion! A very special episode of UNCUT here live from the Curtis Culwell Center in Garland, Texas! 

Lance:
What a main event to have as well! 

Dex Joy puts out a hand to Deacon to show good sportsmanship and Deacon takes the offer. The referee calls for the bell! 

DING DING!!!

The immovable challenger meets the irresistible champion in the middle! They lock up with tremendous force behind both men. Deacon and Dex both struggle around the ring to be the first man to get that all important first advantage. They fight up against one set of ropes with Deacon holding his own against Dex, but the power of the challenger surprises him and he pushes him back into the corner across from him. They are going tooth and nail with neither of the powerful men holding the advantage for too long before the other takes over. 

Dex pushes the Mute Freak back into the ropes for all but a second before Deacon tries again to force Dex off of him. Dex has more youth on his side but Deacon has the strength to combat Dex’s own. They continue to lock up and even though they both try hard, maintaining the advantage proves to be very difficult for both men! They break off and get a polite cheer from the crowd for their effort. 

DDK:
It’s refreshing seeing a big title match go in this way. Clean wrestling. 

Lance:
No shenanigans and no chicanery. Straight up fighting to get the advantage. 

Dex Joy looks at Deacon and points up again with the hand up. 

Dex Joy:
Holy energy versus BIG DEX ENERGY!!! LET’S GOOOOOOO!!!!

Deacon indulges Dex’s efforts and they lock up again! Deacon has the reach, but Dex’s lower center of gravity compared to his is something that Dex takes advantage of. He almost takes Deacon off his feet, but the Mute Freak fights back! Magdalena gives Deacon some words of encouragement on the outside of the ring. They lock up again and Deacon changes things up by using a head lock to try and control Dex, but when that does not work, Dex throws one of his heavy elbow smashes to the ribs of the FIST of DEFIANCE holder to escape. When he does, Dex throws an elbow into the head of Deacon that he doesn’t see coming! 

DDK:
Dex is done with the grappling! He wants to fight now!

Dex hurls more elbows at the chest and the head of Deacon! Deacon gets stung by the shots but when Dex swings around for a swinging elbow smash, Deacon is there to greet him with a faster shovel hook shot! Dex gets wobbled, then Deacon comes flying off the ropes for a big boot right behind the eyes of The Biggest Boy! 

Lance:
And I think Deacon is, too! He wins the first exchange of shots!

Dex goes down in a heap but he tries to stand in spite of that. The Mute Freak picks up the challenger for his title and then tries for the old Irish Whip, but in a situation he may not be accustomed to, Dex is able to reverse it. He goes flying, but doesn’t expect Deacon to run right into him with a shoulder tackle and he gets off his feet. 

DDK:
Deacon knocks Dex on his back! 

He tries to pin Dex. 

One …
No!!!

Lance:
Deacon is only able to score a one-count. 

Deacon leads Dex by his left arm. He works it over with an arm wringer submission but Dex gets himself free with two elbow strikes thrown right against the head of the reigning FIST of DEFIANCE. Now Dex Joy grabs the arm of Deacon and tries to keep control of the champion, but that strategy does not work and Deacon puts Dex into the corner with a clothesline. Dex gets rocked from the shot when Deacon has an opening. He charges at the challenger going for a stinger splash … but Dex suddenly catches him in mid air!!!

DDK:
WHAT!?!

The Foreman of the Wrecking Crew has Deacon in his arms! The Garland crowd gasp when Dex takes Deacon over using a big scoop slam and then runs and hits a running senton on the champ! 

Lance:
Ooooh what a senton by Dex Joy! 

Deacon tries to sit up to avoid a pinfall, but Dex has momentum. A big run from the ropes leads to a diving cross body on Deacon!

DDK:
Excellent combo of moves by Dex! He covers!

One …
Two …

No!!!

Joy holds up his fingers to the official but he tells him that Deacon escaped by lifting the shoulder up. 

Lance:
We know Deacon can take on high levels of punishment and we know that Dex Joy can dish out just as much!

DDK:
Dex Joy throwing whatever he can at the champ! 

Dex tries to get Deacon back to a vertical front but Deacon stops him with a chop to the chest and then another chop. Deacon hits the ropes and back with a clothesline next, but Dex blocks with a faster elbow smash that he throws at the arm. He sends Deacon for a ride again with a whip back into the ropes, but this time Deacon comes running with another big boot that knocks Dex back into a corner. A quick stinger splash from the champion then awaits Dex and this time he scores with it. 

Lance:
Deacon lands the big jumping splash in the corner. 

DDK:
And where’s he going to take Dex now?

The Mute Freak pins Dex to the corner using his hulking frame and the DEFIANCE Wrestling Faithful cheer on the defending champion. He pummels Dex from left to right with back elbows from either side as he gets pinned to the corner. 

DDK:
Deacon is doing everything that he can to wear down Dex here! 

Lance:
He’s wearing him down with those elbows and pinning him in that corner! Clever, but he has to break at five!

Deacon does not milk the entire count, but he pulls Dex out of the corner. He points up in the air and then has a suplex in mind … he hooks Dex and then gives a heave, but The Biggest Boy lowers himself to a knee while he’s dazed. Deacon tries again and gets Dex up off his feet, but Dex swings his legs until he goes back down. 

Dex tries his luck with the same vertical suplex, but Deacon doesn’t go!

Deacon tries again!

DDK:
They’re both fighting over a suplex! Neither man wants to give the other that advantage! They want to close this gap!

Dex and Deacon get chants … but finally Deacon manages to muscle Dex over into a big time vertical suplex that shakes the ring! 

Lance:
The FIST scores with the suplex at last! 

Deacon then gets up, holding his back for a moment, then lands a measured knee drop from the big man, driving it right into the heart of the Wrecking Crew Foreman! The air gets knocked out of Joy’s lungs from the blow and Deacon keeps a knee on the chest and hooks a leg for an added cover. 

One …
Two …
No!!!/

DDK:
Deacon in control now!

Lance:
Wow … look! 

Dex has no choice and tries to retreat from the ring. 

DDK:
Wow, that's right! I never thought I’d see the day that Dex Joy was overpowered, but he’s trying to regroup. Deacon knows the last time these two fought, Joy was the one with his hand raised, so he’s keeping on him at all times. Great foresight by The Mute Freak! 

Big D goes outside and follows Dex. Deac follows a hurt Dex, grabbing him then pushing him back into the ring. Magdalena watches Deacon climb the ropes and start to pull himself into the ring but at the moment that he does … 

Dex lands a spinning back elbow to the face of Deacon before he can fully climb into the ring! 

DDK:
I think Dex Joy suckered him in! He was luring Deacon into a false sense of security and he has him rocked! 

Deacon hangs onto the ropes when Dex holds out his fists. The big boulder-like Joy runs off the ropes … 

DEXY’S MIDNIGHT RUNNER!!!

The explosive pounce tackle sends Deacon flying right off the apron and sails right into the guard rail! Magdalena, nor the DEFIANCE Wrestling Faithful can believe it! 

DDK:
Deacon got hit with that wicked spinning back elbow from Dex and he followed it up with Dexy’s Midnight Runner!

Lance:
That was a hell of a fall that Deacon just took! Now Dex needs to get him back into the ring! The FIST will not change hands on a count-out! 

Magdalena tries to vocally will Deacon back up and when he tries to get up, it takes him some time to do so. When Deacon starts to stand and almost gets to his full height, he gets the surprise of his life … 

”WHOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAA-PE!!!!”

DEX FLIES THROUGH THE ROPES WITH THE WHOA-PE!!!

Magdalena gets another shock when Dex flies through the ropes and hits Deacon against the guard rail for the second consecutive time by way of the Whoa-pe tope suicida!!!

DDK:
That was crazy! Dex to be that size making these big aerial moves look so easy! That’s ridiculous!

Lance:
He’s like a video game come to life with that blend of speed and power! 

Deacon is almost down in a heap of humanity, but Dex works to get him back inside quickly after two of the biggest hits he’s thrown so far. Once he is finally able to get Deacon back in the ring where he wants him he tries pinning the FIST!

One …
Two …

No!!!

Deacon uses his 7 foot frame, placing his leg on the bottom rope

DDK:
How did Deacon survive that? He took a Dexy’s Midnight Runner full on into that guard rail and then a Whoa-pe for good measure! Dex is leaving nothing to chance tonight! 

Lance:
Dex has the advantage though. He’s slowing it down! 

Dex uses a rarely seen submission in the form of a seated cross arm hold on Big Deac. 

Lance:
Joy must have been paying attention to his match with Oscar Burns! He has Deacon in the middle of the ring and he’s trying to wear out the champion. 

DDK:
And I think that The Biggest Boy is trying to conserve his own energy as well. 

He keeps the hold on and throttles Deacon with his own arms but chants come out. 

”I BELIEVE!
I BELIEVE!
I BELIEVE!”

With the fans as well as Magdalena trying their best to get Deacon back into things, Deacon starts to get on one foot. 

Then another. 

DDK:
I think the chants are working! Garland believes in Deacon! 

Deacon finally is on his feet again and spins Dex around so he’s behind him and then manages to take the big man down with a belly to back suplex!

DDK:
Dex hoisted seven feet in the air with that suplex!

Lance:
This has been a back-and-forth title match! Deacon and Dex throwing everything they have at each other! 

Dex is down, but Deacon has had to weather a lot more punishment so Dex is a little faster to try and get up again but the FIST of DEFIANCE is not far behind him. Dex’s bell has been rung by the suplex and then it gets rung by Deacon! Deacon grabs Dex by his wrist and then uses all of his power to throw Dex right into the corner with a powerful irish whip that forces Dex to hit his back in a big way against the corner. The impact is enough to bring Dex to his knees. 

DDK:
This is probably the best plan of attack to deal with Dex and his high flying abilities! Ground him. 

Lance:
Deacon is focusing on the back now. 

When Dex is trying to fight from underneath by the big champion, Deacon pummels his lower back with some quick and heavy clubbing blows. 

DDK:
Just like I said! He’s going after the back! Not only may Dex find himself limited in his high flying, but may affect his ability to hit power moves. 

Deacon brings more of the fight right to Dex and throws more strikes at his back. Dex tries his best to fight back with an elbow and it does stun Deacon for a quick second. Dex wants a whip, but Deacon gets it first and he throws another big one to the other side of the ring with a lot of force behind it. Dex gets rattled against the buckle and then Deacon lets him have it using a big lariat to the jaw! 

DDK:
Another big back shot and then a big lariat that almost decapitates Dex!

He goes right to the cover on Dex and holds his far arm down. 

One …
Two …

No!!!

When Dex Joy tries to kick out Deacon puts him down again. 

One …
Two …
No!!!

Another shoulder rises up. Deacon tries to pin him a third time! 

One …
Two …
No!!!

Three attempts to pin Dex all end with three separate two-counts but Deacon’s steely focus does not waver. 

Lance:
I see what Deacon is doing to Dex! He’s making him expend more energy on those kick outs. Work the back and sap his energy and even Dex who claims to have Unlimited Energy could run on empty before we know it. 

DDK:
Absolutely. 

Now Deacon is back up. Dex tries to roll over to his stomach to push himself up, but the reigning and defending FIST of DEFIANCE beats down on the back with a big stomp. He hits another big stomp and then another big measured knee drop on the back!

DDK:
And another cover by Deacon!

One …
Two …
No!!!

Lance:
That’s the fourth cover by Deacon in a row! He’s conserving his own energy and he’s punishing Dex with these big attacks! 

DDK:
He really is! We’re not going anywhere for this special edition of UNCUT so we will be here for the duration … meaning that Deacon can pummel him as long as he wants to and we’ll be here for all the action! 

Deacon strikes Dex with a heavy headbutt and brings him down … but Dex doesn’t stay down for too long and then strikes at Big D with a heavy elbow strike. 

The FIST strikes back like the Empire with a big clubbing blow. 

The challenger for the FIST of DEFIANCE strikes back like a Jedi with another elbow strike! Dex fires himself up with a slap to his own face after that. 

Dex Joy:
COME ON PALLY!!! LET’S GOOOOOOO!!!

Deacon looks over at Magdalena, a little surprised by the actions of the challenger but then he swings back! 

Dex strikes back and that’s enough Jedi jokes! 

DDK:
Listen to those strikes! They are fighting back and forth, tooth and nail! 

The DEFIANCE Wrestling Faithful applaud the efforts of two of the roster’s largest men hitting and trading strikes with one another. Dex looks like he is about to win the exchange when he gets one big elbow and then tries another spinning back elbow. Dex hits the ropes but Deacon moves to the side and then leaps off his own set of ropes into a breath-taking flying clothesline! 

DDK:
Flying clothesline by Deacon! He takes Dex’s head off and I think we’re about to see the title retained! 

One …
Two …
No!!!

Dex looks spent after the blistering strike exchange and the flying clothesline. Deacon looks like he has a plan in mind to end things for the tank-like challenger. The power bomb setup position is under way!

DDK:
Can Deacon hit this move on Dex? That’s a lot of mass to get up for the Altar Call! 

Lance:
He looks like he’s going to try! 

Deacon holds out his arms in the cross position before he tries to pick Dex up and hit the crucifix power bomb. He tries once to get Dex up, but he has some difficulty getting his weight up in the air. He tries a second time … 

DEX FIRES UP AGAIN!!!

Joy starts to power up Deacon on his back and Deacon’s face shows something other than his normal steel-like resolve … complete shock! Dex has him up on his shoulder before hitting a big air raid crash to counter the power bomb! 

DDK:
That was a devastating counter to the Altar Call! The Biggest Boy was able to get Deacon on his back, but that took a lot out of Dex! Deacon worked over that back for a good amount of time! 

The back of Dex Joy looks like it is killing him between the beating that Deacon put on it as well as the powerful move, but Deacon looks equally as bad for right now. 

”WRECK ‘EM, DEX!
WRECK ‘EM, DEX!
WRECK ‘EM, DEX!

Lance:
Both men are among the biggest fan favorites we have in DEFIANCE Wrestling! They were with Deacon earlier when he was trapped in Joy’s submission but now they are with Dex at this time!

DDK:
Dex has worked hard to get to this point and we could be on the verge of a title change tonight if he can get the momentum back here! 

The fans refuel Big Dex Energy with the cheers and applause and soon Dex is back up first and charges at Deacon! He throws more elbow strikes and then hits a spinning back elbow, then charges the other way for a rolling elbow. Deacon is on his feet but he isn’t on his feet for long as Dex comes off the ropes with a massive shot gun drop kick to the rib cage of the FIST of DEFIANCE! Deacon is taken off his feet and kicked through the ropes before he is on the floor. 

Lance:
Where is Dex going now? He hit that whoa-pe earlier in the match! 

DDK:
At this rate, he’s going to do whatever he wants! Dex Joy is amazing! 

Deacon is still left rumbling outside when Dex starts to lead the crowd for another building “Whoa!” chant but this time, the Whoa-pe is not what he hits … 

 

WHOA-PE CON HILO TO THE OUTSIDE!!!

The DEFIANCE Wrestling Faithful can be seen jumping out of their chairs when the 340-pound Dex sails over the ropes with a rolling tope con hilo dive over the ropes and crashing on top of Deacon!

Lance:
WHAT??!!!

DDK:
Dex Joy has never done that before! He hit the Whoa-pe early on in the match, but tonight he just debuted the Whoa-pe Con Hilo! He’s pulling out anything and everything on Deacon tonight to put the FIST over his shoulder! That’s how much it means to be the top dog of DEFIANCE Wrestling! 

It takes a moment for both men to recover and replays show the amazing dive from a number of different angles concluding with fans in the front row slapping the guard rail quickly along with Dex! Dex goes back to Deacon and both men go back inside the ring. He kicks Deacon away from the ropes and then when he is able to get a running start … 

RUNNING SHOOTING STAR PRESS!!!

The crowd is stunned once again by Dex Joy’s newfound agility hitting the running shooting star press on top of Deacon and then grabbing both legs in the cover!

DDK:
That’s it! That’s it1 New champion! New champion! 

One …
Two …

THR—NOOOO!!!

Just before the third hand comes down from the referee, Deacon’s hand rises up! Dex looks at the referee and he’s sure he got the three count but it was not enough! 

Lance:
I Believe in Deacon tonight! His first defense of the FIST of DEFIANCE and he almost lost it, but somehow kicked out of that Whoa-pe Con Hilo and the running shooting star press! 

DDK:
Deacon thought that he completely neutralized Dex Joy earlier with the back work, but the big man is being fueled by adrenaline and probably a six-pack of  Monster energy drinks! 

Dex goes for the lift and sets Deacon on his shoulders … 

But he gets an elbow! 

Another elbow!

Another elbow! 

Then Deacon breaks out behind him. He grabs Dex by the throat! 

DDK:
He’s thinking about the choke slam! Can he get it though?

Lance:
Deacon is trying! 

Dex throws his own elbows, but Deacon hangs on. He tries to pick up Dex but one last elbow frees him. Dex gets a lariat but Deacon is ready this time and he surprises Dex with a staggering big boot. Joy does not go down but he gets tossed into the ropes and right into a big spine-shaking spinning power slam! 

DDK:
Both men try to fight off their best moves and Deacon finally scores with that spinning power slam! 

Two legs hooked and no hesitation in the cover!

One …
Two …

NOOOOO!!!

The Biggest Boy escapes, but Deacon points at the corner and he has something big in mind. 

DDK:
It is rare that we see Deacon leave his feet, but it’s clear he’s gotta do something else to keep Dex down for the three count! 

Lance:
What does he have in mind though? 

Deacon slowly gets up one buckle at a time and when he has Dex Joy right on target, he is right on target using a big diving clothesline! 

DDK:
That answers your question! Deacon with the diving clothesline and he puts Dex down! Another cover!

The cover from Deacon is tighter than last time and gets both legs again. 

One …
Two … 

TH—NOO!!!

Lance:
Another two and nine tenths count for Deacon … but it’s not the three! 

DDK:
That it’s not! Both men have thrown any moves that come to mind at the other one, but this is insane! Either Deacon or Dex Joy need that finishing blow that they have not been able to hit just yet! 

Deacon sits up and Magdalena looks at him from outside. She shrugs her shoulders. Deacon hovers over Dex and then grabs his hair. He sets him up a second time for the Altar Call … but when he tries … 

Lance:
No!!! Dex Joy is alive! And he’s got Deacon on the shoulders … 

DDK:
DEX-5! DEX-5! DEX-5!

Deacon gets taken by surprise from Dex with a fireman’s carry face buster but Dex does not stop there. The Biggest Boy steps over Deacon and then goes to the middle rope and then hits a big springboard moonsault!

DDK:
Another cover by Dex! The Dex-5 and the amazing moonsault off the second rope has to be it! 

ONE …
TWO …
THRE … NOOOO!!!

Dex doesn’t hear the kick out … but he does see Deacon get his foot under the bottom rope! The Biggest Boy’s heart sinks a little when he looks over and sees the placement of the foot!

DDK:
Dex sees what happened! He got a little overzealous and that coupled with Deacon’s size, the rope was right there for him to reach!

Lance:
Dex Joy shouldn’t stop, though! Stay on the attack! 

Dex gets and then pulls him away from the corner. The Biggest Boy has him by the corner and then picks him up again for the shoulders … 

Lance:
What does he want? Another Dex-5?

He tries to pick him up for another Dex-5 … but Deacon fights out again and he lands on the apron behind him! Dex spins around and elbows Deacon in the face … but when he tries to unleash another Dexy’s Midnight Runner … when Deacon moves and strikes him in the face with a big knee!

DDK:
No! No! Dex went to that well one too many times! 

Lance:
And now look … look! He’s got him! He’s got Dex! 

He grabs Dex by the arms and does not waste any time by pulling him to the ring apron … then a CHOKE SLAM ON THE RING APRON!!!

DDK:
BIG MOVE! BIG CHOKE SLAM ON THE APRON BY DEACON!!! HE’S GOTTA GET DEX BACK!

Dex has been wiped out! Now Deacon has Dex in the corner … 

He tries getting the dead weight of Dex up … then gets him in the air! 

DDK:
ALTAR CALL!!! HE FINALLY HITS THE ALTAR CALL!!! 

Deacon drops him from over seven feet in the air and drops Dex with the high impact crucifix bomb! The DEFIANCE Wrestling Faithful jump up when he goes over and hooks both legs of Dex again! 

ONE!!!
TWO!!!
THREE!!!!!

DING DING DING!!!

Deacon leans back and there’s nothing but relief in his eyes when he is given the FIST right back. Dex Joy is flat on the canvas, looking up with Magdalena finally able to rest easy for one night. 

Quimbey:
YOUR WINNER AND STILL THE FIST OF DEFIANCE … DEEEEEEAAAACCCOOOONNNN!

DDK:
Amazing match! AMAZING MATCH!!! 

Lance:
Dex hit that Dexy’s Midnight Runner earlier in the match and mowed down Deacon with it, but the second time that he went for it, Deacon was ready! He knew he needed to do something drastic to keep Dex Joy down for a three count! The choke slam on the ring apron! Finally able to summon enough strength to get Dex Joy in the air for the Altar Call! These two men brought it tonight but Deacon wins in the end! 

DDK:
Dex Joy loses nothing here tonight! He threw everything that he could at Deacon but late in the match, he made a rare mistake. Deacon used his veteran experience, he found that one mistake and he took advantage to win the match! 

Deacon gets to his knees and then on two feet but not without feeling the aftereffects of the match. He hovers over Dex Joy and then when the distraught Dex looks up … he gets a helping hand by the FIST of DEFIANCE. Belt in one hand and the open hand offering to help him up. 

DDK:
Great show of sportsmanship by Deacon. Will Dex take it?

Dex is clearly angry at himself. He had a chance to win the FIST and did not … but he still looks up … and then takes the hand with applause ringing out through the Curtis Culwell Center!. Deacon helps pull Dex up and the two share a silent word between the two. 

DDK:
I remember that first match they had for the Southern Heritage title and now this amazing match for the FIST of DEFIANCE won by Deacon! I’m hoping somewhere down the line we can run this back one more time! 

Lance:
I agree! And it sounds like the fans agree as well! 

Deacon shakes Dex’s hand and then he departs with Magdalena from the ring. Dex is a little slower to leave after a number has been done on his back but he 

DDK:
We began the show with a wild ladder match and we ended the show with a wild FIST of DEFIANCE title fight!

Lance:
Dex comes up short in his first attempt to win the FIST of DEFIANCE but after that performance I saw it won’t be his last. 

DDK:
Great show! Good night everyone! Thank you for joining us on UNCUT and we will see you on DEF TV 170 next week! 

Dex climbs outside the ring and starts to leave under his own power. Deacon gets one last chance to hold the FIST up with Magdalena next to him raising his staff. Deacon and Magdalena take leave and head to the back. 

Lance:
Fantastic match! Deacon and Dex Joy put it all out there and Dex has nothing to be ashamed of for his efforts tonight. 

Dex takes a leave. 

THIS.

IS.

DEFIANCE.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CHOP BLOCK TO THE LEG!

DDK:
OH, MY GOD! WHO IS THAT! 

Dex gets his left leg picked out from under him and collapses back-first on the ring apron! After he falls, one of the camera tries to pan over to his attacker....

 

 

...OSCAR BURNS. 

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

DDK:
WHAT... WHAT IS THIS?! OSCAR BURNS?! DID HE NOT GET ENOUGH AT DEFCON?!

Lance:
I'M GUESSING NOT!

After Dex's nasty spill to the floor, Burns digs under the ring apron... and pulls out the one... the only...

The Golden Shovel. 

DDK:
Burns...  he... He had a trap laid out here tonight! Burns has been silent on the subject of DEFCON since that loss to Dex Joy... and he's clearly been plotting a time to strike! His time appears to be now!

Lance:
And Deacon just left backstage or no doubt he would have intervened! Oscar picked his spot!

The Man Called DEFIANCE grabs the shovel and then holds it out... 

...And CRACKS Dex upside the head with his prized weapon!

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

DDK:
No! No! No!

DEFSec spills down the ramp to get a handle on things, but the damage has been done! A camera catches Dex and the shot has busted his forehead open with blood starting to poor profusely on the canvas! Burns sees DEFSec coming his way and takes off into the crowd... 

But not before the cameras catch him... 

Oscar Burns:
MAXIMUM DEFIANCE, GC... WE FINISH THIS AT MAXIMUM DEFIANCE!

DEFSec chase him away and try to protect the fallen Dex Joy. 

Lance:
All thing despicable things we've seen Burns do, never something like this... openly plotting an attack... and he just challenged him for MAXIMUM DEFIANCE?!

DDK:
We've gotta get this sorted! We're out of time, but thank you for joining us for the ACE of DEFIANCE Special! For Lance Warner, I'm Darren Keebler... good night. 

Burns vanishes into the crowd as DEFSec and a medical team check on a bloodied Dex Joy, putting a damper on an otherwise momumental special. 

THIS.

IS.

DEFIANCE.