SIMULCAST ~ BLACK Lion's Road BOM-BA-YE III

The Tokyo FUNDOSHI Center is at maximum capacity and there is all the pomp and circumstance that you would expect of a New Year’s Eve finale. Party hats, kazoos, copious amounts of food and drink seemingly everywhere one looks. The 12,500 seat arena overflows and there is a buzz in the building like no other. There are streaming lights, pyrotechnics, pounding music and a Taiko drumline that keeps everyone connected to the pulse of the moment.
The show begins with the power quartet of MAX-J GM Masaaki Sano, recently appointed Lion’s Road matchmaker Brian Shelzi, former president and chairman of Shining Road Pro-Wrestling Takeo Yoshida, and the lead promoter of tonight’s BLACK Lion’s Road BOM-BA-YE III event, Wesley J. Chubbman.

The men talked about how special tonight’s matches were and that filling up the FUNDOSHI Center was a dream come true. They promised that the night would live in the history books of combat sports and stated their hope that everyone would enjoy the show.



In the opening match, the participants received an invitation as to just how a poker scramble works...


Jun Vegas and Go Gensai started off the match. The Pale General endeavored to slow things down, but Vegas got the crowd on their feet by throwing Gensai against the ropes and nailing back body drops, hip tosses, and capping it off with a GUH punch to put him down.

Frank Dylan James was added to the mix after 5 minutes, much to the delight of the fans. He came to the support of Gensai by stepping in with a big boot and laying into Vegas, at one point trying to throw him over the top rope but not quite making it, with Vegas falling onto the apron but using the ropes to slide himself back in. Vegas would power back against FDJ, hitting GUH punches to the big man’s chest, but Gensai captured him with a release German suplex through the ropes and to the outside and eliminating him now with zero tokens! Gensai would be the first man to collect an extra token, bringing his total up to 12,000,000 yen.

FDJ and Gensai, the World Tag Team Champions, waited patiently together for Ashley Kendrick. When AK All Day hit the ring, he became very cautious as the tag champs stalked him. But much to the delight of the fans, he would crawl between FDJ’s legs and dropkick him into Gensai who tumbled through the ropes ~ but only fell on the apron! But FDJ would get froggy and catch Kendrick with a chokeslam that nearly sent him through the mat! He’d go for the pin and get a 1-2-2.9 count!

Mushigahara, the last entrant, would make an already crowded ring feel even more cramped. He would go after Gensai, smacking him with some sumo palm strikes and pushing him back into a corner. He would charge forward and miss, going chest first into the turnbuckle and Gensai getting a schoolboy and FDJ grabbing the legs for the 1… 2… 2.999! Somehow Mushigahara would kickout.

It was at this point Kendrick jumped off the top-rope – catching Gensai with a diving flash RKO and hooking the leg for the 1-2-3 while FDJ and Mushigahara brawled out! This would bring Gensai back down to 6,000,000 yen while pumping up Kendrick to 12,000,000. But Kendrick’s good fortune would not last long when Mushigahara dumped him on his head with a Gargoyle suplex for the 1-2-3 to reduce AK back to 6,000,000 and make Mushi the high man on the totem pole with 12,000,000.

Mushigahara would target the smaller Kendrick and try to hit him with another Gargoyle suplex, but Gensai jumped on his back with a rear naked choke and slowly took him to the ground and forcing him into the tapout submission, putting his total back on top, with Gensai once again the 12,000,000 yen man! Kendrick would attack Mushi while he was down, smothering him with soccer kicks, but he failed to see FDJ emerge from behind with a big boot to the face. FDJ would then scoop up Kendrick and toss him over the top rope, eliminating him from the match.





The two giants duked it out in the ring with hard chops to the chest like super-thick slices of bacon slapping against one another. FDJ would run with a big boot, but miss and then Mushigara would push him into the corner sumo-style with palm strikes and then hit him with a rolling koppu kick and get a 1-2-3! Mushi turned the tide and now FDJ possessed only one token. 

But it was Gensai who had been taking his time, cashing in 6,000,000 yen - now given to Mushigahara, brining his total up to 18,000,000 - and reentering by leaping off the top rope with a tornado DDT but held on for the guillotine chokehold! And for the second time in the match, Gensai would tapout Mushigahara to regain the yen he just paid to re-enter, tying both men with 12,000,000 points while FDJ still had 6,000,000.


 
But Mushigahara managed to use his strength and get his fingers clasped together before Gensai could dislocate the elbow and start to get up to his feet. Eventually, Gensai tried to transition into a triangle hold but lost his grip and Mushigahara passed throw his guard into a full mount and began open-palm striking while sitting on Gensai with all his weight.

All hope appeared lost, but Gensai managed to slither out from underneath Mushi, who lost his balance and fell on his hands, and then locked on a rear naked choke! Gensai tried to get the scissors on and fall backward, but Mushi remained on his knees and even got up to his feet. With Gensai on his back he sauntered over to the corner and began ascending the turnbuckle. Gensai kept the hold on tight, trying to choke out the air, and the wobbly Mushi fell backward from the top rope with Gensai on his back, bringing all his weight crashing down! Mushi would remain atop the breathless, stunned Gensai for the 1… 2… 3!!

After the match, a rep from FUNDOSHI presented Mushigahara with a 30,000,000 yen check and the giant former sumo thumped his chest with a meaty fist and responded with a triumphant “OSU!”

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The wild fun of the opener was replaced with a brutal follow-up match between GRIM and AJ Knight, the latter feuding with various Demon Brigade members seemingly ever since he stepped into a MAX-J ring. AJ opened with a vicious flurry of kicks and even some closed fist punches, earning a warning from the referee. He would hit a vertical suplex and a series of leg drops and go for a quick two-count.

AJ kept the heat turned up with a snap DDT followed by a shining wizard, but only got a 1-2-2.5 count! At this point the King of the Dead would begin his onslaught, catching a superkick and then grounding AJ with a reverse Achilles tendon hold which would do tremendous damage to the foot. AJ would limp around and GRIM would chase him with roundhouse kicks of which he was powerless to escape. A hungry GRIM would bulldog AJ to the mat and then lock on the grounded knees.

While AJ would eventually get a foot on the ropes, the damage was done. GRIM loaded up for a Kinshasa… it connected! He’d go for the pin again or a 1.2.2.9! Somehow AJ would kick out. At this point GRIM would set up AJ for his patented dashing sleeper attack, lying in wait behind him. He’d get a running start ~ superkick! GRIM would go down and AJ would pin for the 1-2-2.9! GRIM kicked out.

AJ would keep the action hot with a German suplex hold that earned him just a leaf’s width away from the victory, but no dice. He’d then go for a Northern Lights suplex, but GRIM reversed it into a standing guillotine choke. AJ would get woozy and pull his head out ~ POISON MIST ~ AJ’s gets the crossed ‘x’ double-arm block up and would hit the Knightfall DDT to get the 1-2-3 and ride home to victory! Demon Brigade fans were dismayed to see AJ celebrating atop the middle turnbuckle but nevertheless offered GRIM words of encouragement as he departed the ring.




In one of the more unusual matches of the night, David Troy and Sen Oka were selected by the Japan Chessboxing League to compete in their annual Tactical Bowl. Both fighters are seen as two of the more strategic shoot-oriented wrestlers in the land and BLR BOM-BA-YE III was deemed the appropriate venue for this unusual event.



The two fighters started off cautiously, obviously trying to preserve their strength in this unusual match. The first boxing round ended without much action when the chessboard was moved into the ring. Troy showed early aggression there, taking a pawn of Oka’s and advancing his knight up the board into precarious position of Oka’s bishop pinned down with nowhere to go when the bell sounded.

Oka, perhaps sensing his bishop in trouble during the next round of chess, in the second boxing round got aggressive with his action and managing to land a clean right hook and had Troy on the ropes for a bit before the bell rang. In the next chess round, Troy did wind up taking one of Oka’s bishops with his knight but got pinned down with seemingly nowhere to go. Meanwhile, Oka’s rook started to get free on the left side of the board as things seemed to open up.

In the third boxing round, both fighters got in some offense. Sen kept his right hook loaded and managed to sink another one in, but Troy cornered the Python and got in some mean body shots and an uppercut to the chin as the round ended. On the chessboard, we could see the fatigue set in as mistakes were made. Oka’s rook would make a few moves, taking a couple pawns and even taking out a knight, but he would lose it when Troy’s queen made an appearance. By this point, many of Troy’s pawns were sacrificed, but he opened up the board to make inroads against Oka’s ranks, once again using his knight this time to take out a rook which never made a move, depleting Oka of both rooks and threatening the king.

In the fourth boxing round, perhaps inspired by feeling close to checking Oka’s king on the board, he kept up the aggression and at one point sent a right cross that knocked Oka into the ropes. He followed up with numerous jabs and measured rear-hand punches but Oka covered up in time and escaped before the round ended. The fourth chess round, Troy kept up his offense by putting the king in check, but Oka managed to escape and guard further pursuit with his queen. Additionally Troy’s queen began an assault onto Oka’s side of the board. On Troy’s side of the board, Oka’s knights moved forward and one was taken out. However, it was his last remaining bishop who put the king in check and the round would end with Troy in check and with few options.

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Fans from the MAX-J crowd are absolutely in a frenzy as we come back from the commercial break. Former MAX Heavyweight and only man to hold the World’s Title in both Lion’s Road and MAX Japan squats low to the ground as he stretches himself out. KOSUKE, Japan’s native son and fan favorite for this crowd moves around slightly, rolling out his shoulders and ankles as he starts down the Gaijin superstar.

Guards have been placed around ring side to keep the fans stable as the capacity for the building has been slowly pushed towards its limit. The final show of not just the year but for eternity, has caused fans from around the world to gather. Those who couldn’t get tickets have set up camp outside to say good bye and everyone wants to see the return of the Shining Road inspired shootfighting bouts. Zealot shirts, coon skin camps, monk beads all liter the fanscape as the bell sounds.

KOSUKE is a man of brutal intention and rears back for a punch but his grabbed by the ref and reminded that it is submission wrestling only and gets his bearings. The two men meet in the center of the ring and KOSUKE picks up the London born wrestlers and drives him into the mat. He uses his weight to his advantage trying to smother Chrenshaw, but he is continually able to wiggle his way back into breathing room until the end of the round.

As the second round starts Chrenshaw goes to shoot in and take the mount but the heavier KOSUKE barrels his weight down upon Chrenshaw to stop his momentum and takes him down to the ground with a belly to back suplex, positioning for the choke or fujiwara armbar. He fails with Chrenshaw making his way to his feet before the round ends.

Round three begins with KOSUKE beginning to wear down. Chrenshaw’s takedown attempts are still blocked or countered, but only in ways that leave both men standing until Chrenshaw eventually goes for the double leg, picking off just the right and taking KOSUKE down for the kneebar just before the bell sounds.

KOSUKE starts the round with a takedown fake and grabs hold of Chrenshaw and belly to bellies him to the mat, refusing to let go of the bear hug as he maneuvers into a bearhug. Chrenshaw moves his way to relieve pressure from his ribcage but makes the mistake of taking too much position on his side where KOSUKE can get his knee under him and flip him over like a plate of flapjacks and apply a rear naked choke. KOSUKE is unable to fully lock the hold under the chin and releases the hold, both men going to their feet. Chrenshaw uses his stamina advantage to quickly press KOSUKE back to the ground but again, KOSUKE is saved by the bell.

The bell sounds and KOSUKE is breathing heavily, gasping for breath, but still manages to counter Chrenshaw’s double leg with a suplex and take north south position. Eventually after some wrestling Chrenshaw takes control and makes his way to the full mount and looks for an armbar, but KOSUKE rolls and laces his fingers together, using size to enter the full guard of Chrenshaw until he bull dogs his way into a part half guard/spider guard position.

Chrenshaw is quick to spin on his back and use his legs to drive KOSUKE down and away from taking a mount position as he snatches up his right ankle and locks in the heel hook. After struggling for a while KOSUKE is eventually forced to submit.





Our second fight of the evening pits Lion’s Road and MAX-J fans against one another as the Grand Slam Man of Lion’s Road attempts to dethrone Mount Fuji’s adopted son. Due to the rules Musket trades in his frontiersman look for a brown Olympic singlet. As the bell sounds both men circle one another feeling each other out. Musket obviously impressed by the speed of Edwards and Edwards weary of the power in Musket’s hooks. The round has a interesting trade between the two with Edwards scoring to takedowns and quickly making his way out of Musket’s grapple range with Musket countering the third with a mighty scoop slam before the bell.

Round two has Musket slowly cutting off the ring and trapping Edwards in a corner. With the famous striker’s mighty blows taken out of the equation Musket fires in with a single shoot volley for a single leg that finds Edwards slipping out the side door…only to be caught around the waist and brought to the mat with a twisting backdrop suplex. Musket scrambles quick to get an arm around the neck of Edwards, but fails to be fast enough to lock in the choke as Edwards twists and pressed up with the power of his legs to drive Musket back into the mat and reposition himself in the top position, transitioning into a half guard. Driving forward he takes the top mount and snatches the left arm of Musket and locks on the armbar…but Musket fights through the pain till the savior rings for his freedom.

The final round starts as the last ended, with the sound of the bell, both men obviously fatigued, but Edwards still obviously the faster man. He shoots in and takes the front leg of Musket and drives him to the mat, but Musket gets a knee in between them and prevents the side mount, reaches around to grab Edward shoulder, and like a bear with a salmon twirls the lighter man around and envelops him in his bear trap like legs and sinks in the Rear Naked Choke. Edwards fights for as long as he can but as color begins to exit his face, he taps against the bigger man’s arm signaling a win for the coon skinned man.

Musket shakes hands with James Edwards and thanks him for the great fights over the years. With the All-Japan title firmly over his shoulder, Musket gets on the mic and tells the fans that his run in Japan had been astounding and he was proud to have fought in MAX-J, as well as Shining Road and Lion’s Road. He had revived his career to a point he never believed possible but at his advanced age the time had come for him to retire. He assured the fans it would only be a “semi-retirement” as he was still active and did not want to become “an old fart”. The crowd joined him with an AROOOOO! howl and gave him a standing ovation as he departed back up the aisle.

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As co-main events, we will be broadcasting the following two matches in full. Enjoy!


"The Power" by Manowar hits the PA system and the entry way erupts in a fire ball. The fans get on their feet and scream their cheers and jeers towards the smoke. Irvine makes his way onto the rampway dressed in all white with his head down cast. Taking a moment on the stage Irvine lifts his head and slowly releases the smoke from his mouth. As he starts his walk to the ring, he removes his white BLACK Lion’s Road hoodie and throws it into the crowd reaching the ring he enters under the top rope and begins walking towards his corner, throwing a few kick/punch combinations before bouncing back and forth on the balls of his feet shaking his arms out.

TIM FLOSS:
Irvine looks intense as usual tonight, Al.

ALBERT MORDECAI:
Of course, he does you idiot. He’s The Wolf, not the puppy dog.

The stone-grooved rhythm of “Columbia” by Oasis calms the crowd and gets their heads off bobbing as the speakers buzz to the pulse of the bass. Julian Cutlass emerges from the backstage clad in a red, hooded robe and the crowd warps into a frenzy as he steadily makes his way down the aisle with a relaxed, assured confidence. He throws the robe to one of the handlers outside of the ring before climbing the steps and ducking underneath the top rope to enter the ring. He stretches his legs and red tights before he throws a few punches before standing in his corner in wait.

TIM FLOSS:
It’s been awhile since we’ve seen the Blazin’ King, but he’s back in the ring and looking better than ever.

ALBERT MORDECAI:
That time he’s taken off seems to have done wonders for him. But tonight, he fights his best friend and toughest rival. They say iron sharpens iron, but these two men are like two swords that have bashed against each other for a few decades now. There is no way that these men’s lives haven’t been shortened by fighting one another.

TIM FLOSS:
I think we are like them too, Al.

ALBERT MORDECAI (confused):
How do you possibly see that,Timmy?

TIM FLOSS:
Well just like these two men we have broadcast few years together and it wasn’t until Lion’s Road returned, BLR stemmed from it, and MAX-J rose to rival it that we truly reached a synchronization with one another. We’ve finally sharpened and honed our mic skills like they have their kicks.

ALBERT MORDECAI (rolling his eyes):
That’s the height of stupidity.

TIM FLOSS:
Love you too, pal.

All eyes are back on the ring where the two men stand separated with Burton Fask and the ref stand center stage.

BURTON FASK – PA ANOUNCER:
Greeting Ladies and Gentlemen. It is my honor to announce for you one last and final time for our CO-MAIN EVENT OF THE EVENING! This match is scheduled for three five-minute rounds with referee Zip Tandon.

A brief applause as the ref waves to the audience.

BURTON FASK – PA ANOUNCER:
FIGHTING, out of the white corner. Standing at five feet and ten inches tall, weighing in a two hundred and thirty pounds. Representing Lion’s Road Professional Wrestling. He is “THE UNNATURAL” Alexander Irvine!

Irvine steps forward to a roar of boos from the crowd and slaps his chest for a moment and then points to Julian with a smirk on his face.

BURTON FASK – PA ANNOUNCER:
FIGHTING, out of the red corner. Standing at five feet and eleven inches tall, weighing in at two hundred and fifteen pounds. Representing Maximum Japan Professional Wrestling. He is “THE BLAZIN’ KING” Julian Cutlass!

Cutlass steps forward to a roar of cheers and raises his left hand into the air before bouncing on the balls of feet then using his left hand to point back at Irvine with a smile on his face. Before returning to his corner.

ALBERT MORDECAI:
These men are fucking crazy, Tim!

TIM FLOSS:
Get out your biscuits ladies and gentlemen, because this match is going to bring the barbecue sauce!

Zip Tandon stands in the middle of the ring and points to both men as the bounce back and forth staring each other down, smirks decorating their face, mouth guards entering their mouths distorting their face.

ZIP TANDON:
Are you ready? You ready? FIGHT!

The bell sounds!

Zip backpedals and the two men move to the center of the ring in sync but Cutlass launches off with kicks that sound like trees cracking in half. Irvine backpedals as he blocks and dodges his way around the thick legs of Cutlass, eventually he does a hard down cross block and immediately raises them both for a cross up block to catch Cutlass’s descending palm strike. Grabbing Cutlass’s arm and repositioning with his back to Cutlass he attempts a hip toss but Cutlass lowers his center and elbows Irvine in the side, loosening the grip on his arm and sliding it out. He immediately grabs Irvine around the waist and hoists him up for a modified German suplex into a side mount.

TIM FLOSS:
OH MY GOD! These two men start off the match like Butch Cassidy and Sundance at an all you can eat Rib-tastic Sunday Night backyard church feast!

ALBERT MORDECAI:
JESUS CHRIST! Will you never make sense?

Julian struggles for the cross body kimura, Irvine remains steadfast in not allowing Cutlass to get position on it. Hammering alternating knees into Cutlass’ ribs and lower midsection does little to convince him to stop the hold. The fact that he is struggling for little ground in the maneuver however does and he stops going for the hold and starts raining down hammer fists onto the face of his comrade in arms.

ALBERT MORDECAI:
Cutlass is on the rampage here tonight Tim. I think something inside of him is telling him to get some revenge on is old friend. Last time they met Irvine brought the fire, tonight Cutlass is bringing the rain.

Irvine manages to cover up effectively and get his legs in between his face and Cutlass’ fist and wraps him up in a full guard. Cutlass takes buries his face into Irvine’s chest as he drives hooks into the body of Irvine over and over, softening up The Wolf by the look of pain in his eyes. He immediately pops up and manages to get on the balls of his feet so that all his weight is bearing down on Irvine’s upper back as his body is crumpled between the mat and Cutlass’s body, then Cutlass rocks Irvine’s jaw with hard left cross that causes his legs to go limp and Cutlass’ body falls onto of him. The ref seems to move as if to call the match, but Irvine gathers his wits quick enough to move away from Cutlass and to his feet as the bell rings the end of the first round.

TIM FLOSS:
My God Al, what did Cutlass eat this morning to bring the heat like that. I don’t know if it’s the fact that we haven’t seen him in a while or because somethings changed in him, but the devil is in that boy.

ALBERT MORDECAI:
I’m telling you Simple Jack, he knows who he is fighting, he knows Irvine likes to take the fight to his competitors, and he threw him off his game by bringing the fight to him. Neither man even bothered to touch gloves to show respect. No one in this game respects one another’s abilities more than these two…no one!

The corner men attend to their fighters and Jimmy is quick to get in the ring and cool Cutlass off with a rag and hose him down with some water. Over in the other corner, noticed for the first time since the match started, is Ben Chrenshaw wiping blood off of Irvine’s right cheek and hosing with him water.

TIM FLOSS:
Even though Lion’s Road may have closed the WALL seems to be representing one another tonight.

The various attendants and trainers rush out of their respective corners as the two titans rise to their feet again. Zip again checks to both men who no longer smile at one another but instead have trained, laser focused gazes on one another. The bell ushers in another round and Irvine is quickly on the offensive with a flying knee across the ring. Cutlass sidesteps out of the way and fires off a left kick and Irvine eats a kick to the back of the leg before firing off a rear kick to the abdomen of Cutlass which causes him to lean forward and almost eat a reverse back fist as it follows with the full weight of Irvine as he swings his body towards the front. Cutlass covers he ride of his head with his arm and gets knocked to his left from the force behind it which is followed by a left kick that pops against the back of Cutlass’ right leg. That drops him to the mat in a defensive position that is followed with an up kick.

TIM FLOSS:
Irvine is back on the offensive. He smells blood and it seems that the smell of his own causes him to rage more than his prey’s.

ALBERT MORDECAI:
I told you, Timmy, offensive aggression is Irvine’s bread and butter. If you’d spend time doing you research watching these fighters in the ring before their matches instead of buttering old sourdough biscuits maybe you’d be baffled less.

After a few attempts to shoot past his kicks and peppering the back of Cutlass’ legs with kicks of his own he back peddles to give Cutlass room to stand up on his feet. Zip signals to them both and after they reset, restarts the match. Cutlass this time launches into Irvine early and back pedals Irvine into the turnbuckle, with blows to the face that open his cut and open up his brow, where the two men enter into the clinch. Irvine quickly gets into a double under and limbers up his legs to absorb the knees of Cutlass as he makes his way into a Thai Clinch, immediately launching into a barrage of knees rivaled only my Cutlass’ knee bomber attack.

ALBERT MORDECAI:
Cutlass is backing to the center of the ring…

A loud thud is heard by those in the front row and Cutlass’ body seems to go limp for a moment until he seems to gather is footing, only to be scooped up in a double leg by Irvine who moves forward a few steps like a bulldozer and drives Cutlass into the mat. BUT CUTLASS LOCKS IRVINE IN A TRIANGLE HOLD!

TIM FLOSS:
THIS IS IT! FINSIH HIM! FINISH HIM! WE’VE BEEN TAKEN BACK TO THE SHED AND IRVINE”S THE WHIPPING BOY!

Irvine repositions his weight and grabs his wrist with his free hand. Irvine uses his size to his advantage this time and begins to lift Cutlass off the mat.

ALBERT MORDECAIL:
NONE CAN HOLD THE POWER, NONE CAN HOLD THE WILL!

Cutlass has this mapped out and releases the hold his legs have on Irvine to land in a standing position but Irvine also has this mapped out as well. Thrusting his arms forward he grasps the back of Cutlass’ head and drives a knee into his face which paints Irvine’s knee red, rocking Cutlass back enough for Irvine to grip him by the left arm while bending him over, flipping him onto the mat for a rolling armbar!

TIM FLOSS:
MY GAWD! MY GAWD! MY GAWD!

ALBERT MOREDCAI:
BARBEQUE SAUCE!

Irvine wrenches the arms as hard as he can, Cutlass is fighting to take pressure off trying to pull his arm back into safety. Irvine raises his leg and drives the back of his heel into the face of Cutlass and locks in the hold deep. Deeper than deep. Deeper than the oldest sonnet or ancient parable.

BUT THE BELL SOUNDS! THE ROUND HAS ENDED!

TIM FLOSS:
OH MY GAWD!

ALBERT MORDECAI:
These two are beating the hell out of one another!

Irvine releases Cutlass’s arm and rolls up onto his feet. Cutlass lays on the mat for a moment as he clutches his arm. Before attendants can make their way into the ring Irvine stands over Cutlass and stretches his arm out to the Blazin’ King, who takes it with a smirk and gets to his feet with the aid of Irvine. Both men smirk and make their way to their corners where Jimmy and Chrenshaw attend to them with the help of other professionals.

TIM FLOSS:
What in the world is going on?

ALBERT MORDECAI:
Only on BLACK Lion’s Road BOM-BA-YE will you see the most hated man in our sport fight the most beloved, or revered, and see both men smile at one another.

People rush out of the ring and the two men rise to their feet. Irvine’s right cheek is still oozing along with his left eye brow. Cutlass’ nose is swollen, bleeding stopped momentarily as the cut over his right eye still seeps with crimson. Both men swish water around in their mouths and spit crimson into the buckets held behind them beyond the ropes before putting their mouthguards back in.

ALBERT MORDECAI:
This is our last and final round. Let’s see what chaos brings us tonight.

As the bell sounds the two men both rushes forward and Irvine attempts a left jab but Cutlass fades back and belts him with a right high kick to the dome, but Irvine covers up quick and lunges forward and peppers out a series of blows ending with a fading wheel kick to create distance. Cutlass dodges it outright causing all the power behind the blow to expose Irvine’s back and Cutlass lunges forward popping him with to blow to each of the kidneys, dropping Irvine to the ground.

TIM FLOSS:
THIS IS IT!

Cutlass lunges for the rear naked choke but Irvine rolls out of the way and back onto his feet stumbling into the ropes. Cutlass comes at him with a skipping side kick and Irvine fades out of it quickly, under hooking the leg and trapping it over his shoulder and reaches around the neck of Cutlass. Quickly Irvine spins to the right and hurls Cutlass…

…He GOES FLYING INTO THE ROPES, HE’S DANGLING LIKE A MARIONETTE WITH HIS FEET IN THE RING BUT HIS BODY OVER THE MIDDLE ROPE!

ALBERT MORDECAI:
That was the most disgusting Capture Suplex I think I have ever seen.

TIM FLOSS:
Is that even legal?

Cutlass twists away and falls to the mat inside the ring and scrambles up as Irvine comes rushing through with soccer kicks and goes down on his knees to try and get a ground n’ pound going but cutlass scoots away and somehow gets to his feet in time to get his hands up. Cutlass counter-punches with a left cross that halts Irvine and Cutlass opens with a barrage of punches and backs him in the corner again, Irvine moves to get out of the pocket but it’s one Cutlass left open as he comes barreling forward with a side thrusts the belts Irvine…

WHO LOSES HIS BALANCE and falls into the ropes! Irvine is trying to get to his feet, but Cutlass follows him with kicks and stomps, keeping him pinned against the ropes on his hands and knees!

TIM FLOSS:
THESE MEN ARE FRIENDS!

ALBERT MORDECAI:
The Best… but that won’t stop the brutality!

Cutlass is looking a bit gassed after his most recent assault and it allows Irvine to get up to his feet. Cutlass shoots in for a takedown, but Irvine counters and goes for a quick stomp, Cutlass rolls out of the way. Both men trade blows again. Irvine with a right hook that connects, Cutlass is rocked and drops to a knee, Irvine goes for a snap kick but Cutlass deflects it out of the way and elbows Irvine in the gut as he gets to his feet. Both men back up and the Irvine rushes back in with a left jab. BUT CUTLASS STEPS BACK…

IRVINE OPENS UP…

LEFT HIGH KICK FROM CUTLASS…


TIM FLOSS:
Did you hear the sound of that kick?! My gawd, slap leather son!

ALBERT MORDECAI:


Cutlass doesn’t celebrate but instead goes over to Irvine’s corner and sits with him while the doctors check him out. We see one of the medical technicians give a thumbs up to the other and nod to Cutlass who comes in and gives his best friend and rival a big hug. The two of them are talking. We can overhear Cutlass say “it was a lucky shot” and Irvine shake his head and respond, “You make your own luck.”

TIM FLOSS:
World War VI was just as epic as it was billed, Timmy.

ALBERT MORDECAI:
No doubt about it. And that was just the first match in our co-main event!

The original BLACK Lion’s Road trio of Cutlass, Irvine, and Winner exchange hugs and then all three she hands with Ben Chrenshaw and the wave to the crowd. No man takes the mic, but instead the four lock hands and bow to the 12,500 fans on each side of the ring and then depart together up the ramp.




While the ringside attendants transition the ring into pro-wrestling regulation ropes and turnbuckles, the camera pans around through the audience. The Demon Brigade fans are on their feet and stretching. Little kids with plush ZENKI dolls bounce up and down. Buddhist prayer beads are also common amongst those who hold a bit more allegiance to Tokyo Zombie, but all in all the fans are just excited to see two of the top competitors in the company’s history finally meet on the grand stage.

We pan down to Floss and Mordecai at the announcer’s table…

TIM FLOSS:
Well, Al, here we are. The night to end it all, huh?

ALBERT MORDECAI:
Timmy, I don’t like saying goodbye. Let’s just all enjoy tonight’s match?

TIM FLOSS:
For once, we’re in agreement. Everyone’s excited here as 12,500 fans have filled the Tokyo FUNDOSHI Center to witness Zenki attempt his V4 defense of the MAX Heavyweight title. The stars themselves, have come out and sit amongst the crowd as was the MAX-J custom.

Validating his words, the camera begins to pan around the arena. Mushigahara and Troy sit together as Troy in vain is explaining his failed chess strategy from the Tactical Bowl. FDJ and Gensai are showing Ashley Kendrick how to use a pair of chopsticks to eat chicken tenders.

In a more comical display, AJ Knight and James Edwards are in the aisle teaching Mike Musket how to throw a proper roundhouse kick but the older wrestler lacks the flexibility and truly struggles. Jun Vegas with his two female accompanists laugh on while GRIM and the rest of the Demon Brigade fans from a few sections away shake their heads in disgust as the Mountain Man’s effort is being broadcast on the BATTLETRON.

Sen Oka sits triumphantly with his arms crossed and his eyes firmly fixed upon the ring. A pop trembles through the crowd as the two most recent fighters, Julian Cutlass and Alexander Irvine, emerge from the back in street clothes and take a seat next to Ben Chrenshaw and Jimmy, all four fist-bumping one another before settling into their seats.

The camera returns back to our charismatic announcing team.

TIM FLOSS:
No doubt about it, this is a huge match up ahead. Tokyo Zombie has always been the top tag team competitor here in MAX, but this summer he dazzled the pro-wrestling world on his way to victory in the 2018 J1 SUMMIT by going undefeated in the tournament. Last month, he took Lynx to an epic 60-minute draw for the Junior title and further cemented himself as a singles wrestler.

ALBERT MORDECAI:
That’s exactly right, Timmy. He’s no longer a tag specialist in this company. He’s one of the top singles wrestlers and tonight wants to show he can reach the top of the mountain. But to do that, he’s gonna have to get past the Demon Lord Zenki, the cunning warrior-beast of MAX-J who always seems to find a way to squeak past his opponents.

TIM FLOSS:
He’s completed a record three defenses in the short history of the MAX title. As the company prepares to go into “hibernation”, for all you optimists out there, he wants to extend the streak and make a permanent mark on the state of Japanese pro-wrestling.

The lights dim…

“Obokuri-Eeumi” by Ikue Asazaki begins and smoke bellows out from the entrance. Tokyo Zombie emerges chanting along and holding A Chain Called Justice like prayer beads. He solemnly strolls to the ring quickly bowing to some audience members in greeting. His gaze looks no different than any other match, no desire clouding his judgment. After depositing the prayer beads with GRIM, he enters the ring as though holy place and stands in meditative repose.

TIM FLOSS:
Zombie looks ready, Al.

ALBERT MORDECAI:
You’re not shaking that guy. No way in Hell!


Hironobu Kageyama hit theme song soars through the arena as Zenki comes walking from the back in his full wrestling outfit with shoulder pads and cape. Most notably, he has the MAX Heavyweight Championship around his waist. He throws his arms out pumping up the fans before walking down to the ring as he slaps hands with the fans. Aisle-side fans through cherry blossoms in his wake.

Also depositing his gear with GRIM, setting it aside Zombie’s beads, he makes his way into the ring by walking up the steel stairs and walks to the turnbuckle, hopping onto the second wrap and again throwing his arms out to the roar of the fans. He jumps down onto the canvas and looks over at Zombie, giving him a nod as though to tell him things are about to get serious.

The PA announcers take centerstage.

BURTON FASK – PA ANNOUNCER:
Ladies and gentlemen, we thank you for attending tonight’s show and honoring the fighters who have competed before us. We have now arrived at the second of our co-main events in a contest for the most prestigious title in pro-wrestling, the MAX Heavyweight Championship.

He resets with a brief pause.

BURTON FASK – PA ANNOUNCER:
Introducing first the challenger… standing 5’10” and weighing in at 220 lb… he is the winner of the 2018 J1 SUMMIT and representing both the Demon Brigade and Zombie-gumi… he is “Sōhei” TOKYO ZOMBIE!

The sutra-tattooed Buddhist monk steps forward with a respectful bow and no display of emotion to the applause of the fans and black streamers thrown by the Demon Brigade into the ring.

BURTON FASK – PA ANNOUNCER:
And now introducing the champion… standing 5’10” and weighing in at 215 lb… also representing the Demon Brigade, he is the MAX Heavyweight Champion… “DEMON LORD” ZENKI!

He opens his arms to the cheers and applause of the audience as more black Demon Brigade streamers thrown into the ring drape his biceps and forearms. The MAX Heavyweight Championship proudly gleams upon his waist.

The champion removes the belt and hands it to the referee who raises it into the air as he brings the fighters forward.

TIM FLOSS:
It all leads to this, doesn’t it, Al?

ALBERT MORDECAI:
Let’s get this thing started!

The referee instructs the two fighters to back away…

And calls for the bell!

Zenki and Zombie stand still for a few moment and allow the initial hollering of the fans to bubble up through the crowd. Even the wrestlers dispersed in the audience get into it, with Musket in particular standing with a whooping “GIT-R-DONE ZENKI!”. After it dies down a bit, the two men cautiously make their advantage. Zenki is in a low crouch, as though ready for a tie-up for to attempt a takedown, while Zombie in the white gi pants is in a karate stance with his right foot pack and his hands before him.

As Zenki approaches, Zombie throws a roundhouse kick that misses as Zenki backs off. Both men resume their stands and close once more, and this time Zombie throws a front kick to the knee that just misses by a hair’s breadth as Zenki shuffles backward but puts a blocking arm above his knee anyway.

TIM FLOSS:
Looks like they’re testing one another in the early going here.

ALBERT MORDECAI:
These two know each other so well, they’re both probably at a loss or where the other’s weakness is.

The two keep up the action. Zenki goes for a single-leg takedown, but can’t grasp it. Zombie falls atop his back and is going for a front face lock, but Zenki spins out of it and gets Zombie on his side and applies a hammerlock from the rear. A short stint of applause goes up through the crowd. He wrenches it as Zombie maintains a stony face and even lays in a few knee strikes to the back.

Eventually, Zombie gets up to his feet and twists out of Zenki’s hammerlock into one of his own. Zenki goes for a foot stomp but Zombie moves his foot and hits a front dropkick into the champ’s back that sends him tumbling forward through the ropes and falls with his back on the apron!

TIM FLOSS:
Zenki is in a precarious spot here, Al.

ALBERT MORDECAI:
It’s always dangerous to be on the apron. Crazy things can happen!

Zombie reaches through the ropes and pulls him up to his feet by the hair. He locks in a front chancery to vertical suplex him back in the ring… but Zenki kicks his legs and fights it… he goes for the suplex himself! … but Zombie hooks a foot through the bottom rope! Zenki then breaks it off and throws an elbow strike to the head! Elbow strike to the head! Shoulder thrust into the midsection, and he jumps in for a sunset flip… but he can’t get Zombie down as the monk leg drops him across the throat and applies an armbar, prompting an “ooh” from the crowd!

TIM FLOSS:
Zenki in trouble here!

The champ is close enough to the ropes to reach out with a hand and grasp the bottom one to break off the hold. Zombie is quickly up to his feet and lays in a few soccer kicks to the ribs and then as Zenki gets up to a knee he throws thick roundhouse kicks to the chest that pushes him back into the corner.

Once there, Zombie throws a kick to the ribs and locks on the front chancery for a vertical suplex! He floats over for a pin.

1…

2…

3-NO! Zenki kicks out with vigor.

TIM FLOSS:
Nice action here in the early going.

ALBERT MORDECAI:
Oh yeah! It seems like each man has a counter for the other.

Zombie attempts to transition into an armbar once again, but Zenki gets the hands clasped and rolls backward, putting Zombie on his knees and face and escapes, jumping onto his back for a rear naked choke. Zombie has the chin tucked, but Zenki is persistent and takes the opportunity to headbutt Zombie in the back of the head, stunning him for long enough to lock on a Dragon sleeper hold!

TIM FLOSS:
Here we go!

Zenki has the hold locked in place and there is seemingly nowhere to go. Zombie’s arms are trying to push himself out of the hold but to no avail. He’s stuck as Zenki’s muscular arms within his red-and-white suit squeeze around Zombie’s throat…

… he struggles…

“Give up?”

… he struggles…

“You give up?”

There is no reply, but Zombie manages to slip his fingers in between Zenki’s arm. The champ breaks the hold by spiking Zombie’s exposed, tattooed chest with a descending elbow strike to blunt the monk’s momentum.

TIM FLOSS:
Zombie escapes there but still met by Zenki’s vengeance!

ALBERT MORDECAI:
No new tale to tell on that one, Timmy.

Zenki lands a knee drop to the shaven skull of Zombie, who rolls over onto his side. Zenki grabs a handful of his white gi pants and pulls up to his feet in a rear waist lock. He goes for the German suplex but Zombie hooks Zenki’s leg with his foot, breaks off the hands and tosses Zenki with a judo-style shoulder throw! Zenki is up quickly and bounces against the ropes and goes for a rolling koppu kick ~ but so does Zombie! ~ the two men awkwardly roll into one another.

TIM FLOSS:
Great minds think alike, Al!

ALBERT MORDECAI:
Guess that explains you and me, Timmy!

TIM FLOSS:
Sure it does…

Both men get up to their feet and Zenki hits a chop against Zombie that echoes throughout the FUNDOSHI Center. He hits another chop that backs up Zombie into the ropes and runs him across into the other ropes and flies in for a jumping elbow smash just as Zombie rebounds! He goes for a pin!

1…

2…

3-NO! Zombie kicks out.

Zenki is on the attack, getting up Zombie to his feet and throwing him into the corner, dashing behind him and hits another jumping elbow smash! He sets up Zombie on the top rope.

TIM FLOSS:
This is getting risky…

Zenki ascends to the top rope… he’s going for the hurricanrana… Zombie preempts it ~ AVALANCHE-STYLE SITOUT POWERBOMB!!!!! The two men both hit the mat hard but Zombie has the pin!

1…

2…

3-NO!! The champ gets a shoulder up!

TIM FLOSS:
My gawd! Zenki took a high risk and failed there!

ALBERT MORDECAI:
There’s the first big mistake made in the match!

Zenki is laid out flat as Zombie is up to his feet. He hits a leg drop on Zenki, who barely stirs, still stunned. Zombie picks up Zenki to his feet and gets him in the rear waistlock… GERMAN SUPLEX HOLD! He bridges for the pin!

1…

2…

3-NO! The champ instinctively twists out and remains passed out and gassed on his face.

Tokyo Zombie soccer-kicks the lifeless champ in the head and motions to the referee to call the match due to inactivity. The referee kneels down to inspect Zenki, who grabs the referee by the shirt and pulls him down with him. The ref is trying to get away, but Zenki is on his knees and has the ref by the t-shirt. Zombie starts to come over, but Zenki maneuvers the referee in between them, using the ref as a shield!

TIM FLOSS:
Zenki’s at his strange tactics again, Al!

The referee attempts to free himself as Zenki shouts in Japanese as though trying to explain something to him while simultaneously keeping the ref between Zombie and him. Eventually, Zombie tries to break them up and Zenki immediately releases the ref, kicks Zombie in the gut, and then hits a Northern Lights Bomb!! He slowly sits up as the ref stares at him with exasperation.

ALBERT MORDECAI:
I’ll tell ya what he was up to: he knew he was winded and needed time to recover. He played possum and then used the ref to steal time to recover. He forced Zombie to overextend himself and flipped the script on him! Genius!

TIM FLOSS:
I don’t call that genius, I call that cheating…

ALBERT MORDECAI:
You would, Timmy. But Zenki knows the ref won’t disqualify him on the biggest stage skirting the line on the rules. The champ is playing 4-D chess out there, my friend!

Zenki is now up on his feet and he locks on the front chancery… he lifts up Zombie for a vertical-drop… BRAINBUSTAAAAAH!!! Zombie’s head spikes the canvas and Zenki floats over for a pin!

1…

2…

3-NO!!! Zombie gets the shoulder up.

Zenki gets up and is lying in wait for Zombie to climb up to a knee… he charges forward… SHINING TRIANGLE HOLD!!! Zenki has it locked in tight as the two men go to the ground! Zombie is kicking and struggling and trying to stand, but it’s becoming difficult as the Demon Lord chokes the life out of him!

Zombie struggles…

… he struggles…

… his body starts to go limp…

… he shuts his eyes…

… and in a furious burst tries to pull himself away! B

But Zenki keeps the hold on!

… Zombie is in trouble…

… his legs are wobbly as he tries to pull Zenki away…

… but then he dives forward, breaking the hold as his fingers grip Zenki’s skull with the Vise of Virtue!

TIM FLOSS:
It took him some time, but he managed to lock it on!

ALBERT MORDECAI:
I’ve seen videos of Zombie training the Vise of Virtue and squashing whole coconuts. Coconuts, Timmy!

Zombie maintains a position in the mount of Zenki, whose hands are grasped around the forearm of the hand that stands to crush his skull like a submarine seeking deeper and deeper into the ocean. The champion moans in pain as he attempts to free himself but the head claw is locked firmly in place!

“Give up?”

He struggles… struggles…

“Give up?”

He can’t dislodge Zombie’s claw, so he double fist punches the monk’s wrist repeatedly until he must let go! Zombie favors his wrist as he rolls over and the two men are both lying on the ground.

TIM FLOSS:
You can always count on Zenki for unorthodox counters.

ALBERT MORDECAI:
He couldn’t dislodge Zombie’s weaponized grip, so he attacked it!

Zombie is shaking out his wrist as Zenki gets up to his feet and ventures over for a kick to the gut, but Zombie catches it! He spins Zenki around and goes for a spinning roundhouse kick ~ it connects and smacks Zenki upside the head! The champ stumbles into the ropes and stumbles forward into… RISING ZOMBIE MOON!!!!!! The Shining Axe kick puts Zenki on his back and Zombie hooks the leg!

1…

2…

3!!!!!!!!!

NO!!!! Zenki has a foot on the ropes!

TIM FLOSS:
Almost got him there!

The champ is once again sprawled out as Zombie gets up to his feet. The Buddhist monk looks toward the top rope and the murmur throughout the crowd spreads as he slowly begins climbing up the ropes. He has his back to Zenki and clasps his hands in prayer for a moment as he launches himself into the sky…

… with a perfect arc…

… MOONSAULT PRESS …

… ZENKI gest the knees up!!

Zombie clutches his abdomen as he rolls over onto his side like a wounded dog, burying his face in the canvas so as not to show any pain. The MAX Heavyweight Champion is shaking out the cobwebs as he once again clambers up to his feet. Sensing he’s got Zombie in a precarious position, he locks on the belly-to-back suplex with the wrist-clutch… he goes for the ZENKIPLEX… HITS IT!!! He bridges for the pin!!

1…

2…

3!!!!!

WAIT!!! NO! Somehow Zenki toppled over onto his face just in time!

TIM FLOSS:
Both of these fighters are breaking out the good china for this match!

ALBERT MORDECAI:
I’m sensing a frantic finish here, Timmy! We are already over the 20-minute mark!

Zenki is up on his feet and is measuring out Zombie for something, though we can’t quite be sure what it is… Zombie is up to a knee… then to both feet… and… ZANBATOOOOOOOH!!! Zombie goes flying from the shoulder tackle! Zenki crawls over and drapes an arm across for the pin!

1…

2…

3!!!!!

NO!!!! Zombie’s shoulder is up and the ref raises two fingers.

TIM FLOSS:
Zombie had nowhere to go and Zenki just devastated him!

Zenki not being one to rest on his laurels. He picks up Zombie from the mat and knees him for the gutwrench ~ but Zombie catches it and pushes it back! Headbutt! Headbutt! Headbutt…!

… but Zenki hits a European uppercut that stuns the monk and then hits the knee to the gut and locks in the gutwrench… gets Zombie up in the powerbomb position… takes off running… ZENKI BOMB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He has the pin locked in!!!

1…

2…

3!!!!!!!!

NO!!!!! Zombie squeezes out at the last second!!

TIM FLOSS:
My gawd! My gawd! My gawd! Tokyo Zombie just took all three of Zenki’s finishers and kept on ticking, Al!

ALBERT MORDECAI:
I guess as a Buddhist he knows no suffering after all!

Zenki is baffled and goes for the pin one more time, hooking the leg.

1…

2…

3-NO! Zombie kicks out with time to spare.

TIM FLOSS:
Zenki should know it’s not gonna be that easy.

Zombie is prone on his elbows and knees as he is trying to get up to his feet. Zenki meanwhile stands there with his hands on his hips and his abdomen breathing heavily into his suit. Once Zombie gets up to his feet, he attempts to maneuver him around with an elbow to the head! But Zombie responds with a headbutt! Elbow from Zenki! Chop from Zombie! Elbow from Zenki! Chop from Zombie! Elbow from Zenki ~ Zombie catches it and reverses into the Front Russian Leg Sweep ~ FALLING TOKYO SUN!!!!!!!! He goes for the pin!!

1…

2…

3!!!!!!

NO!!!!!! The shoulder just barely outpaces the count!!!

TIM FLOSS:
My gawd! My gawd! Barbecue sauce! Barbecue sauce!

ALBERT MORDECAI:
Look at this, Timmy, he’s going for it again!

True to the announcing team’s word, Zombie has gotten up Zenki back on his feet… the champion wobbles but is helpless in Zombie’s grasp as he leans back extra special and then… FALLING TOKYO SUN!!!!! FOR A SECOND TIME!!!! He goes for the pin!!

1…

2…

3!!!!!!!!!!

WAIT!!!

FOOT ON THE ROPE!!!

Zombie is exasperated, sitting next to a face-down Zenki. But instead of lollygagging or complaining… he locks on a CROSSFACE HOLD!

TIM FLOSS:
How long has Zombie kept that in his back pocket?!

ALBERT MORDECAI:
I dunno, but he’s got that hold in tight and bending his neck that way is throwing off all Zenki’s chakras I bet!

The champion is in dire straits, fighting against the crossface hold that the challenger has cinched in tighter than your grandpa’s waistline after eating a Christmas ham. Zenki uses his free arm and legs to try and crawl forward…

… he struggles…

… inches forward…

… he struggles…

… inches forward…

… he stops…

“Give up, Zenki?”

… he remains paused, his eyes closed…

“Give up? Give up??”

… he is still stopped…

… WAIT! His arms start moving and he inches over…

… just a bit more…

… he reaches out, the ropes are on the tips of his fingers…

… and Zombie pushes them away with his foot!

TIM FLOSS:
Turnabout is fair play with the rules as far as I’m concerned!

ALBERT MORDECAI:
So villainous!

The ref starts to count up to 4 and Zombie is forced to break off the hold! The fans hit the backs of their seats and the crowd is in a virtual fury at the scene that has unfolded before them. But Zombie throws Zenki into the ropes and - ZENKI HITS THE ZANBATOOOOOOOOOOH!!!!!!!!!! Zombie goes flying across the ring! Zenki starts to crawl over but then collapses!

TIM FLOSS:
These guys are exhausted!

ALBERT MORDECAI:
This is the big leagues, Timmy! Someone’s gotta rise up!

Zenki is getting up to his feet slowly but surely… meanwhile, Zombie is also starting to stir. Zenki is up first and throws a kick against Zombie’s midsection while he’s still down on one knee. He throws another and Zombie catches it, spins him around ~ FALLING TOKYO SUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He hooks the leg for the pin!!!

1…

2…

TIM FLOSS:
He’s got it!

3!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

NO!!!! Zenki kicks out just in the nick of time!!

TIM FLOSS:
He doesn’t got it! He doesn’t got it! Are we living in slow motion land?!?

ALBERT MORDECAI:
I’m starting to think you’re right! These guys! Zenki just survived his third Falling Tokyo Sun!

Zenki is laid out flat, motionless. Zombie rolls over to the ropes and uses them for assistance to help him up. His sweaty tattooed body is fatigued and though he shows no emotion, nevertheless, he breathes heavily. He snatches up a fistful of Zenki’s hair, gets him up to his feet, and runs him against the ropes... spinning roundhouse kick ~ Zenki ducks and goes rebounding ~ a palm strike puts Zombie down! The exhausted Zenki takes a knee to catch his breath.

TIM FLOSS:
Folks, we’ve traversed the half-hour mark here in this epic. I wish I could tell you how long this was gonna go, but I really can’t say.

ALBERT MORDECAI:
I hope it lasts forever!

Zenki picks up Zombie and takes him to the corner. He sets him up on the middle-rope, once again making things interesting. He locks in the front chancery as the two men both stand on the top-rope… Zenki lifts up Zombie and pauses… AVALANCHE-STYLE JACKHAMMER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Zenki’s got the pin and leg hooked with confidence!!!!!!

1…

2…

3!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WAIT!! WAIT!! NO!! Zombie somehow gets the shoulder up!

TIM FLOSS:
Jesus, God, and all the rest of ‘em! I’ve never seen that before in my life!

ALBERT MORDECAI:
And don’t look now, Timmy, but Zenki’s going back to the top rope!

It’s an accurate statement as Zenki slowly but surely ascends. He pauses for a moment in the top as the fans are shaking the seats and even the rafters echo. He jumps forward in a backflipping motion…

… SHOOTING STAR PRESS…

… ZOMBIE GETS THE KNEES UP! Zenki rolls around the ring in pain!

TIM FLOSS:
He went to the well one too many times…

ALBERT MORDECAI:
He wants that hard cash! He’s not gonna take the easy way!

Zenki holding his ribs slowly crawls to the ropes, hooking it with an elbow to try and work himself up. Zombie, still ailing from exhaustion, does the same… both men take a glance at one another and run forward… Zenki with a palm strike ~ swing and a miss! ~ Both rebound and Zombie goes for a YAKUZA KICK ~ Zenki ducks ~ both rebound and Zenki locks up an abdominal twist! He then transitions with a knee into the ribs and locks in the gutwrench… he lifts into the powerbomb, gets a running start and… ZENKI BOMB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He resets the pin by holding onto the legs and jumping over Zombie to form a bridging pin!

1…

2…

3!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

THE BELL SOUNDS!!!!!!!

Ringside attendants flood the ring as the wrestlers leave their seats to come join the two fighters as they are surrounded by medics.

BURTON FASK – PA ANNOUNCER:
Ladies and gentlemen, your winner… and STILL MAX Heavyweight Champion… the Demon Lord ZENKI!!!

TIM FLOSS:
Well, the Demon Lord Zenki has done it again, Al!

ALBERT MORDECAI:
Indeed he has, completing his V4 defense of the MAX Heavyweight Championship!

GRIM is going back and forth, checking on both of his comrades. Musket, another of Zenki’s rivals, also looks after him. Many of the wrestlers stand by in the ring with their hands on their hips.

TIM FLOSS:
The Demon Brigade over the last year and a half have become one of the top factions in the world of pro-wrestling and certainly the most notable in Japan. Tonight, two of their top competitors brought their all and gave us all a match to remember.

In the ring, ZENKI is up to his feet and has the MAX Heavyweight Championship fastened once more around his waist. He steps over to Tokyo Zombie, who is on a knee. The two men exchanged words once they are both on their feet and bow in a sign of good sportsmanship and then exchange a brief hug.

BURTON FASK – PA ANNOUNCER:
Ladies and gentlemen, we are a mere 30 seconds away from the New Year. With 2019 upon us please join in as we countdown to the end of 2018 and the beginning of 2019…

TIM FLOSS:
Well, Al, it’s been a pleasure.

ALBERT MORDECAI:
You said it, my friend. Timmy, you’re the best in the biz.


Red-and-white streamers representing Japan are thrown into the ring and decorate the fighters while orange confetti falls from the ceiling. Most of the wrestlers in the ring are laughing with their respective cliques.

BURTON FASK – PA ANNOUNCER:
Let’s celebrate the New Year with the annual singing of “Auld Lang Syne”…

The wrestlers in the ring put their arms around one another collectively…

The fans do the same…

And from the speakers…


TIM FLOSS:
What in Sam Hill… this is not “Auld Lang Syne”… did we mess up the song AGAIN?!

The wrestlers in the ring are all in a state of confusion, leaning over to look at one another as they shrug, no one seemingly aware of what it is going on.


ALBERT MORDECAI:
What is this terrible nightmare…?


TIM FLOSS:
YES, PLEASE GOD, STOP!


ALBERT MORDECAI:
What the HELL is going on?!?!


ALBERT MORDECAI:
No I don’t! You take that back!




And as the hip hop beats of Dirt Nasty’s “1980” continue to flood the speakers, out strolls the infamous and enigmatic Wes Chubbman with a microphone in hand. He wears a candy-cane colored tracksuit with and is bedazzled with more gold chains than pharaoh himself. A Viking helmet adorns his bald scalp and aviator sunglasses conceal no doubt bloodshot eyes.

ALBERT MORDECAI:
Look, Timmy, it’s Wes Chubbman!

TIM FLOSS:
Oh dear God…

He struts down into the aisle for a moment, dancing with no perceptible rhythm or knowledge of the song that plays over the PA speakers. The fans and wrestlers alike are in a state of confusion as they watched this middle-aged, pot-bellied wanna-be gangsta rapper breathe heavily as he gyrates before them.

Eventually, he works his way back up to the mouth of the entrance, catches his breath, and puts the microphone to his lips.

WES CHUBBMAN:
... And I’m not even high yet.

He wears the shit-eating-est grin you’ve ever witnessed as he pauses and stares before blank faces.

WES CHUBBMAN:
There have been a lot of rumors going around bout this or that. Well let me tell you what’s not a rumor. It’s no rumor that MAX-J just recently came into a hefty sum of money courtesy of Pollobucket… and it’s also no rumor that these two events here have got my bank account thick just like my –

The microphone cuts out as Chubbman continues. He stares down at it for a moment, taps the microphone’s head a few moments and gets nothing. After the confusion he then laughs to himself, pointing up to a sound booth somewhere.

TIM FLOSS:
Thanks to the guys in the studio. God bless you...

Eventually, the sound returns. Chubbman smirks.

WES CHUBBMAN:
Well-done, boys, well-done. Anyway, what I’m trying to say here, folks, is that this shit is a moneymaker for your boy, Killer…

TIM FLOSS:
Did he just call himself “Killer”..?

ALBERT MORDECAI:
Timmy, who knows what is on that guy’s rap sheet…

Chubbman points up at the B.L.R. banner above the entrance.

WES CHUBBMAN:
From this point, I declare…

A pregnant pause…

WES CHUBBMAN [whispers]:
… MAX-J is back!




But amidst the celebration, Wes raises a finger…

WES CHUBBMAN:
However…

The shit-eating grin returns.

WES CHUBBMAN:
… you’re gonna have to pack your bags…

Confusion and silence returns to the arena.

WES CHUBBMAN:
… cause, boys… you’re taking a little trip. Kiss the babies goodbye... Shit’s about to get real.

Chubbman drops the mic, blows arrogant kisses to the crowd, and departs. Above the entrance on the BATTLETRON, an image following images is displayed upon which the scene focuses and then slowly fades amidst the confused murmur of the crowd.

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Date: 12/31/2018
1. The ¥30,000,000 Poker 5-way Scramble ~ sponsored by FUNDOSHI: Mushigahara defeats Jun Vegas, Go Gensai, Frank Dylan James, and Ashley Kendrick (19:46) via pinfall after last eliminating Gensai with avalanche-style piggyback slam.
2. Grudge Match: AJ Knight defeats GRIM (14:12) via pinfall after the Knightfall DDT.
3. Japan Chessboxing League Tactical Bowl: Sen Oka defeats David Troy (R10 2:34) via checkmate.
4. Submission Shootfighting Rules: Ben Chrenshaw defeats KOSUKE (R5 1:04) via submission (heel hook).
5. All-Japan Imperial Championship – Submission Shootfighting rules: Mike Musket (c) defeats James Edwards (R3 2:12) via submission (RNC) (1st defense).
6. World War VI ~ MMA Rules: Julian Cutlass defeats Alexander Irvine (R3 3:41) via TKO (mounted punching).
7. MAX Heavyweight Championship: ZENKI (c) defeats Tokyo Zombie (36:44) via pinfall after the Zenki Bomb (4th defense).