A
video package airs, highlighting events that took place last week, with Jackie
Baccaro seemingly on his way to recapturing the PWA Championship from Jason
Calysto, thanks to interference from both Magnifica and Bryan Conroy, when the
lights went out and Vulture made his return to the PWA to offset the
interference and cause the necessary distraction to allow Calysto to get back
into the match, and retain the championship. From there, “By_Myslf” by
Hosemann: It sure is, Troy, and let me be the first to say it: I was glad as
hell to see Vulture back last week, and even if that was going to be his only
appearance, it was fantastic to see him do what was right, gain a small measure
of revenge on Jackie Baccaro, and help give Jason Calysto the opportunity to
retain the PWA title.
Hosemann: That is absolutely huge news, Troy, because Vulture will undoubtedly
have something extremely important to say, otherwise he wouldn’t be here at
all.
Troy: That will, of course, be in addition to tonight’s edition of the Swan
Song with Henry Swanson, where the guest tonight will be none other than Speed
Demon!
Hosemann: I’m going to venture a guess and say that Demon will be addressing
Bishop Cross out there tonight.
Troy: And in the ring tonight, we have some treats for you as well! We have
been informed that The Miracle Mike Troha, who will have both Michelle and
Bodycount in his corner, will go one-on-one with
Hosemann: It should be a tremendous show tonight, and I really can’t wait for…
Suddenly,
Hosemann is cut off as Metallica’s “Sad But True” hits the speakers, signaling
the arrival of the PWA president Bryan Conroy. The fans boo vociferously as
Conroy, microphone in tow, makes his way to the ring.
Conroy: Well, I bet all you fans are
happy now, aren’t you? Jason Calysto defeated Jackie Baccaro last week to
retain the PWA Championship, and Jaguar defeated me at Meltdown to retain the
Everlasting Epic title shot, so as far as all of you are concerned, that means
you get the main event you want for the final show, and my plans are foiled,
right? Wrong. While Jackie Baccaro may have lost his rematch, and may for all
intents and purposes be out of the world title picture completely now, it
doesn’t mean I can’t continue to book championship matches. And that’s exactly
what I’ve done. Right here, next week, when we are live from the Bob Carpenter
Center in Newark, Delaware, it’s going to be Jason Calysto defending the PWA title
against… Anthony Failla!
The fans boo this announcement.
Conroy: Oh what? Are you guys afraid that
your fearless champion isn’t going to be able to get the job done? Well, don’t
worry. You’re going to get a taste of that right here tonight. Tonight, your
main event will be a tag team bout that will pit Anthony Failla and his partner
Rudy Montenora against two men that you pathetic fans love and worship, Jason
Calysto… and Jaguar!
The
fans now cheer explosively at this announcement!
Conroy: Oh now you like it, huh? Well,
whatever. I could care less. The bottom line is that I WILL have my way when
all is said and done. I guarantee it. But, speaking of, I’d like to address
something that irked me last week, something that I, as the boss, have the
right to be irked by. Roll the footage.
A clip from last week’s broadcast airs on the Jumbotron, at the start of
the PWA Championship match between Jason Calysto and Jackie Baccaro:
Referee Tom Stevens raises the PWA
Championship belt high, and signals for the bell, getting this championship
match underway.
Troy: Alright, here we go!
Hosemann: I know I’m supposed to call it right down the middle, guys, but I
can’t help it. I’m making no bones about saying that I am rooting hard for
Jason Calysto right here, just like I was rooting hard for him to win the title
on Meltdown, and just like I was rooting hard, Jag, for you to beat Bryan
Conroy’s bastard ass the other night as well.
Hosemann: Oh, who cares,
Jaguar: I know I’m sure as hell interested.
We now
return to live action.
Conroy: Scott Hosemann. That’s right,
you, Hosemann. I pay you to be an impartial voice of Frequency, to report on
the events that take place, and to inject a bit of yourself into it as well,
but NEVER did I say you had the right to choose sides. That, Scott, is a breach
of your duties, and I simply will not allow it. Scott Hosemann, you want to
breach your duties as color commentator? Fine. But you can do it on someone
else’s dime. Feel free to get on that unemployment line a month early, because
Hosemann, you’re fired!
The fans are shocked, and Hosemann gets up, yelling at Conroy inaudibly.
The fans
then begin cheering loudly as an enraged Hosemann tosses down his headset, and
begins making his way to the ring to get at Conroy!
Conroy: Security! Security!
With that, security storms out from the back, surrounding Hosemann and not
letting him get any further.
Conroy: Security, take this man away! We
have no use for him anymore!
The look on Hosemann’s face is of sheer rage as security escorts him away
and we take our first commercial break.
-- COMMERCIAL BREAK --
Back from
commercial, the camera takes us to ringside, showing us a somber Victor Troy
with former Overdrive color commentator and current backstage interviewer Rick
Madsen.
Troy: Welcome back, folks,
and in case you just missed the sickening display that took place out here,
Bryan Conroy has fired Superstar Scott Hosemann as color commentator of this
show because, get this, he expressed his desire for Jason Calysto to defeat
Jackie Baccaro last week. I really don’t quite know what to say to this,
besides saying that this absolutely sucks. But of course, this is live
television, and we’re going to have to make the best of the situation, so I’d
like to welcome Rick Madsen to the booth. How are you, Rick?
Madsen: I’m doing well, Vic, and I’m looking forward to filling in here
tonight. I know you’re understandably bummed out about what just happened with
Hosemann, but I’m going to do my best here to make sure we don’t skip a beat.
With that,
“Black” by Sevendust hits the speakers, and Paul Dawkins makes his way to the
ring to a hefty array of cheers. Dawkins looks incredibly focused on the
opportunity he has been given tonight, and shows his determination to make the
best of it and get the job done. As Dawkins stands in the ring, waiting,
“Marriage of Figaro” by Mozart hits the speakers, and the International
Champion Dexter P. Wellington emerges to a deafening chorus of boos, alongside
his new squeeze, Paul Dawkins’ jezebel of a former girlfriend, Liz Rush.
Dawkins does everything in his power to keep his cool as Liz blows him a mock
kiss on their way to the ring, and
Madsen: That’s right Vic, and getting too emotional in this setting would be a
great way to throw away this opportunity.
* PWA INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP: DEXTER
P.
Referee: Jose Soares
As soon as
the bell sounds, however, Dawkins lunges at Wellington, spearing him down to
the mat and pounding away on him viciously!
Madsen: Vic, Dawkins could have
However,
Dawkins is not allowed the opportunity, because as he bends down to cover
Madsen: I don’t like the looks of this,
Vic!
* WINNER VIA
DISQUALIFICATION: PAUL DAWKINS; STILL INTERNATIONAL CHAMPION: DEXTER P.
WELLINGTON *
However,
before Dawkins can do anything to the lover who jilted him, Wellington springs
up from the mat and clubs him down from behind!
Madsen: I don’t know, Vic! I think Renegade has snapped!
With a
smirk on his face and the fans beginning to boo, Renegade grabs a microphone.
Renegade: I bet you all want to know why
I just did that, huh? Well it’s actually quite simple. It’s nothing personal.
It’s strictly business. I want to be the International Champion. I want to be
the man standing tall as the International Champion when all is said and done
with this company, one month from tomorrow. That means anyone that’s standing
in my way of becoming the champ for a record third time, friend or foe, is
gonna have to pay. And Showtime Damon Savage, last week, you were the first to
find that out. You let me down at Meltdown, and you are the damn reason that I
am no longer the International Champion. As far as I’m concerned, Showtime,
Dawkins,
Suddenly,
Showtime Damon Savage darts out from the back and dives into the ring,
immediately taking the fight to Renegade! The fans cheer wildly as Showtime
pounds away on him! However, moments later, James Biamonte rushes out to the
ring and attacks Showtime! Then, Mike Grieco runs out and goes after Biamonte!
Mayhem has now broken out in the ring as we head to commercial!
Madsen: Something is going to have to be done about this tension over the
International title, Vic!
-- COMMERCIAL BREAK --
As we
return from break, “H-K” by Fear Factory explodes onto the speakers for the
first time in nearly two years, and the fans boo loudly as The Machine makes
his way to the ring, accompanied by superagent Walter Gindin. Gindin grabs a
microphone as the two enter the ring, and hands it off to The Machine as the
boos continue to linger.
Machine: You know, it’s been two long years,
and to be frank, The Machine never thought he’d be here again. But, the
opportunity to return to the old stomping ground, to raise hell once more, was
simply too much for The Machine to pass up. Two years ago, at Everlasting Epic
III, Machine put his career on the line against Jason Calysto, in a career
ending rematch, if such a thing could even be possible, and lost. Unlike
Calysto, when Machine was beaten, he stayed true to his word and didn’t come
back. Until Walter Gindin came calling the day after Meltdown. With Briggs gone
for good, Walter Gindin here went to management and asked them to reinstate The
Machine, for a monetary favor of course. He asked them to again unleash upon
the world the single most dominant wrestler in the history of this business,
and seeing the obvious dollar signs, management agreed. And how could they not?
The Machine has been brought here to the PWA, for a very substantial fee, to
obtain revenge for Walter Gindin on his clients that have wronged him.
Originally, it was just Solomon that needed taking care of, but that has
recently been extended to you, too, Keiko Ishida. So far, things are off to a
very nice start. You all should know that both Solomon and Keiko Ishida are not
here this week, nursing injuries suffered at The Machine’s hands last week.
It’s possible that they may never show their faces again. If you can think back
this far, at Symphony of Destruction 2003, in Solomon’s debut, before his
“undefeated” streak began, The Machine pinned Solomon in the SOD, and if you
ask The Machine, he’d tell you he thinks Solomon is running scared. So, if you
never see those two again, then The Machine has done his job. If you do, then
he will get the job done. Because at the end of the day, when all is said and
done, The Machine will stand tall, and Walter Gindin will be vindicated.
With that, Machine tosses the mic down and “H-K” blasts back onto the
speakers. The fans boo vociferously as Machine and Gindin make their exit.
The
camera suddenly cuts to the backstage area, where we catch GI Jew and Justice
delivering a ferocious beating to the Modern-Day Samurai Scythe! Scores of
officials rush the area to break it up, but Scythe appears to be hurt, and Jew
and Justice are simply laughing and taunting Scythe as they are separated from
him. The officials tend to Scythe and attempt to restore order as we take a
commercial break.
-- COMMERCIAL BREAK --
As
we return, we can see the Swan Song set fully assembled in the ring, with Henry
Swanson standing on it. As “
Swanson: Hello fans, and welcome to
another glorious installment of the Swan Song. Tonight, we are going to take a
journey into the twisted mind of one of the most tortured souls to ever set foot
in a PWA ring. This man has been on a mission to obtain true and complete
vindication ever since his love was taken away from him more than a year ago.
He set out to rid the PWA of the Army of the Damned, piece by piece, until
there was nothing of it left. He has thus far eliminated both Reaper and Loki.
All that remains is the leader, Bishop Cross. But not a word has been heard
from this man since defeated Loki at Meltdown… until now. So, without any
further adieu, ladies and gentlemen, please welcome to the Swan Song… Speed
Demon!
The fans cheer loudly as “Determined” by Mudvayne blasts onto the speakers,
and Speed Demon makes his way to the ring. Demon stares down Swanson as he
enters, and Swanson, a bit intimidated, hands Demon his microphone.
Speed Demon: I am so close to
accomplishing my goal, I can nearly taste it. I have made it two thirds of the
way. Now, just one thing remains. I have just one thing left to do here in the
PWA. Where I go once the PWA shuts down is anyone’s guess. I don’t know that I
have anything left to do in wrestling. Maybe I do, and if I do, you’ll see me
pop up somewhere else at some point. But that’s neither here nor there right
now. Right now, I want to use this opportunity to do what needs to be done.
Bishop Cross, I am officially laying down a challenge to you, right here, right
now, to face me, man to man, one on one, at Everlasting Epic V. But, there’s a
catch. You see, after everything we’ve been through, after everything I’ve had
to do to get this opportunity, even though it will be on the last show PWA ever
runs, I want to assure that the loser can’t simply walk out of the arena that
night. In fact, I want the loser of the match to be carried out of the arena in
a pine box. Which brings me to my stipulation. I wanted something that has
never been done before in the PWA, something fitting of a year-long display of
utmost hate. Bishop Cross, I am challenging you to a Buried Alive casket match,
where the only way to win is to put your opponent in a casket, lock it, and
then bury it, effectively burying your opponent alive! That, Bishop Cross, is
my challenge to you, if you are man enough to accept it.
The fans cheer wildly at this.
Moments
later, Bishop Cross’ image appears on the Jumbotron.
Cross: Speed Demon, Speed Demon. You
never learn, do you? Do you think things like this scare me? I LIVE for things
like this. You know what, Demon? You’re right. After all this, I don’t want the
loser walking out of the arena in anything but a pine box. But you’d better
believe that loser isn’t going to be me. So, if you couldn’t figure it out,
Demon, the answer is yes. I accept your challenge for a Buried Alive casket
match at Everlasting Epic. And Demon, may your soul burn in hell when it’s all
over.
Cross’ image then fades, and Demon is left in the ring with Swanson.
Swanson: Demon, any retort?
Demon: Bishop Cross, you don’t know it yet, but your fate is sealed. At
Everlasting Epic, you will finally pay your penance for what you did to Dana
Chapman. You will pay for your sins, or I will die trying to make you.
With that, “Determined” replays and the fans cheer thunderously as Demon
exits.
Madsen: What the hell else could happen tonight?!
--
COMMERCIAL BREAK --
Back from
break, “Arcarsenal” by At The Drive-In blares onto the speakers, and the fans
begin booing raucously as Michelle and Bodycount lead one half of the Tag Team
Champions The Miracle Mike Troha to the ring. Troha looks out at the fans with
contempt in his eyes as he makes his way to the ring, ready for the battle he
will wage. As Troha steps into the ring, awaiting his competition, “Parabola”
by TOOL blasts onto the speakers, and Hollywood Mike Griffin emerges from
behind the curtain to a huge wave of cheers! Greg Tantalus arrives behind him,
lending moral support as
Troy: Alright, this should be a battle!
Madsen: Absolutely, Vic. These two simply do not like each other, and it should
reflect in that ring right now.
* THE MIRACLE MIKE TROHA VS.
Referee: Billy Vargas
The bell
sounds, and
Madsen: He really is, Vic!
Troy: This is chaos, Rick! These two teams want to tear each other to
pieces!
Madsen: I say let ‘em go!
* WINNER VIA DISQUALIFICATION: HOLLYWOOD MIKE GRIFFIN *
-- COMMERCIAL BREAK --
As we
return from break, the light suddenly go out, and “Falling From The Sky” by
VAST explodes thunderously onto the speakers, prompting the fans in the arena
to burst into raucous cheers! Then, seconds later, the moment they are waiting
for arrives, as Vulture steps out from behind the curtain and pauses on the
ramp, looking around. Vulture is clad in jeans, a black t-shirt sporting his
logo, a black three-quarter length leather jacket, and his customary black
Rayban sunglasses. Gone are the Kangol hats and Nehru shirts that represent his
run as Jackie Baccaro’s manager; Vulture’s attire as he walks to the ring and
grabs a microphone symbolizes to these fans that he is indeed back, and they
respond with an immense ovation. Vulture stands in the ring with the microphone
as the “welcome back” chants boom throughout the Wheeling Civic Center, and
when they die down to a degree, he begins speaking.
Vulture: A lot of you might be wondering why I decided to come back and show
my face, after what I said to Kerry Cox a few weeks ago, and after everything
that happened to me in this very ring, some three months ago. Well, you know,
after Kerry visited me, and I told him under no uncertain terms would I return,
after I was alone with my thoughts, it began to make sense. Everything he said
just simply started to feel right. And I will tell you, Morgan Day is NOT happy
that I am out here tonight, and she has good reason to be worried, but
sometimes, you just have to be a man. You have to fight your battles instead of
ignoring them. I sat at home for three months feeling sorry for myself. I
watched old tapes of my matches and reminisced on what used to be, the
competitor I once was. I accept the fact that those days are simply over, and
that I will never be that guy again, and believe me, I am unbelievably
appreciative of the long, 21-year, Hall of Fame career in the ring that I had,
but when I thought about it, the fact that I have been reduced to, at 40 years
old, sitting at home and avoiding my problems because I’m afraid for my safety
made me absolutely sick. The simple fact of the matter is that I would rather
die in this ring than have people think me less a man, think me a coward.
Sometimes, a man just has to do what a man has to do. So with that said, Jackie
Baccaro, get your ass out here, and leave the bitch in the back. I have
something to say to you, and I want to say it man to man, face to face, with no
bullshit, no physicality. Just words. For all I’ve given to you and your
career, you owe me that much.
Moments later, “Things Done Changed” by Notorious BIG hits the speakers,
and the fans begin booing loudly as Jackie Baccaro, the former PWA World
Heavyweight Champion, steps out from behind the curtain, with a microphone in
tow, and begins walking to the ring, alone. Baccaro is dressed to the nines in
his Armani best, along with his tinted Aviators, and he steps into the ring and
stands eye-to-eye with the man that give him his start in this company. Vulture
attempts to begin speaking, but Baccaro cuts him off.
Baccaro: Before you say a word, Vulture, I just want you to know that I
think you coming back to the PWA and costing me the PWA Championship last week,
along with calling me out to the ring tonight, may just be the two stupidest
things you have ever done. Now get on with what you have to say.
Vulture: Listen, Giacomo…
Baccaro cringes when Vulture says that name, clearly out of disrespect.
Vulture: … you may have stepped up your game in my absence, and you may have
cemented yourself as a main event in this company, someone who can run with the
ball when handed it, but sitting from afar, I noticed a very prominent
omission: character. You have the talent, you have all the skills in the world,
but you lack strong character, and that’s why, as a competitor, you will never
reach your full potential. When I was your manager, I tried to instill good
character in you, I tried to build you up to the point where you could win and
lose gracefully, and handle whatever adversity came your way. Now, one or both
of us failed in that endeavor, because you became a champion, but you seemed
content to be champion any way possible, to hold onto that title doing whatever
heinous thing you could, just to keep what was yours. And as a champion, you do
try to keep that title under any circumstances, but you grew reliant upon
shortcuts. Even everything that happened with us, Baccaro, happened because you
didn’t want to do things my way, the hard way. You wanted the easy way out. And
you being the meathead Italian that you are, you know full well that a great
meathead Italian once taught us that there IS no easy way out. You aligned
yourself with the devil, Jack. Magnifica will chew you up and spit you out when
she has no further use for you, and if you haven’t learned that yet, which you
obviously haven’t, you will learn it sooner or later. I’m not making this stuff
up, this is reality. She is no good, no matter how you slice it. But that’s
neither here nor there at this point. I’m not here to give you a lecture,
Jackie. I am here because we have unfinished business. At Meltdown, I sent
Morgan out there in my place to cause a distraction, to throw you off your
game, and to take that title away from you. Last week, I came here myself to
finish the job. Now, you have nothing. I have robbed you of the PWA
Championship forever, just as you robbed me of my managerial career, of my
dream to pass my knowledge and my legacy along to the next generation. It was
all for you, Jackie. You inducted me into the Hall of Fame two years ago, one
day before my final match, and you said you owed me your career. We go back a
long way, much further than PWA. You were a friend of the family, and I taught
you how to wrestle when you were a teenager. I called promoters and got you
booked when you wanted to break into the business. I got you a developmental
deal with PWA and got you assigned to NYCW. Then, on your own merit, you made
it to the PWA roster. And you did damn well for yourself without my help, with
your tag team with Paul Dawkins. But months later, after I retired, when I
returned as your manager, I finally felt the cycle was complete, that it was
now time for me to impart all my knowledge and make you a champion. You can
blame my relationship with Morgan Day for our split all you want, but it was
your jealousy and unwillingness to work hard to get what you want that caused
it. And for what you and Magnifica did to me three months ago, you threw our
entire history out the window. Magnifica, I expected this from, as she will do
anything to get revenge on me. But you, I saw it in you, but I didn’t want to
believe it was possible. But you stabbed me in the back, Baccaro, and I will
never forget it. Now, you might be wondering where I’m going with this, why I’m
even here. Rest assured, it’s not to talk you to death. Jackie Baccaro, I am
out to here tonight to issue you a challenge. A challenge to meet me in the
ring, one-on-one, at Everlasting Epic, and we’ll settle this like men.
The fans explode with furious cheers at this statement!
Baccaro
cracks a smirk and begins speaking.
Baccaro: Well, now that you’ve given me my lecture, DAD, I’ll go sit in the
corner and think about what I’ve done. But, in regards to your challenge, I
have just one thing to say: are you friggin kidding me?! You can’t wrestle
anymore! Who are you trying to kid?! This isn’t the Special Olympics, Mike,
this is the PWA. This is wrestling. If you get into the ring with me at
Everlasting Epic, I won’t just hurt you. I’ll snap you in half, and you’ll
never walk again. And then how could you keep Morgan happy?
Vulture: You’re not going to get me riled up, Baccaro. Focus on the issue. Stop
trying to divert attention. This isn’t about me, or my condition, or anything
of the sort. I’m a spare part around here, I’ve already been replaced and the
machine has kept moving without me. Now, the PWA is coming to a close at
Everlasting Epic, and while everyone around here is trying to fight to preserve
the memory of the organization, to end on a high note, I honestly don’t care so
much about that. For me, what I see is one last chance at redemption, one final
chance to be remembered by all these fans for what I was, and not for what I am
now. So don’t worry about me, Baccaro. I know all the risks involved, and I
simply don’t care. This isn’t about me, this is about you being a man. This
about you proving to the world that your title reigns weren’t a fluke, that
you’re not Magnifica’s puppet that can’t stand on his own two feet. I want you
in the ring at Everlasting Epic, I want everyone banned from ringside, and I’m
not taking no for an answer.
Baccaro: Oh really? Well you know what then? You want it? Teacher vs. student?
Fine. You’re on! At Everlasting Epic, Vulture, you’re Obi-Wan Kenobi and I’m
gonna go Darth Vader on your ass.
Madsen: What a moron.
Vulture: Baccaro, you can make any pop-culture analogy you want to try to
comprehend this situation, but know this: this isn’t a movie. This is real
life. And Baccaro, at Everlasting Epic, you will pay a penance for your sins.
And you will know why I am the best wrestler to ever walk this planet, why I am
an eight-time world champion. Jackie Baccaro, at Everlasting Epic, I’m gonna
smoke your ass and get my dignity back. Take a seat, son, class is about to
start. You’ve got one more lesson left to learn.
Baccaro: And what’s that?
Vulture: Never underestimate the power of the mind. Chew on that a while, kid.
Vulture then tosses his mic at Baccaro and exits, as the fans cheer
wildly! “Falling From The Sky” blares onto the speakers, and Baccaro is left in
the ring, staring back at his former manager and forthcoming Everlasting Epic
opponent as he exits. Vulture stands at the top of the ramp, staring down
Baccaro, and takes the Jesus Christ pose to a tremendous ovation as we take a
commercial break!
Madsen: You’re right, Vic! This is incredible!
-- COMMERCIAL BREAK --
Next