XWL Breakdown: 10/3/2014 - 10/17/2014

Normal Match


Two former World Champions duke it out as "El Patron" Alberto Del Rio looks to continue the dominance he showed against Dolph Ziggler last week as he looks to de-throne the "King Of Kings" Triple H!

Normal Match


The protege of the legendary Kobashi, the Japanese sensation KENTA looks to do his trainer proud against the well-traveled, and always energetic Sami Zayn!

Normal Match


The Warrior has arrived in XWL! The high-octane, facepaint-donning legend gets his debut in XWL in a big-time match, against former Intercontinental Champion, Tyson Tomko!

Divas Match


The Wrestling Goddess looks to get back into the win column this week, as she goes one-on-one with the Fearless Diva, Nikki Bella!

XWL Active Match


AJ Styles gets the chance to prove himself once again, by taking on the dominant Intercontinental Champion, Sheamus.

Normal Match


After falling short against Chris Jericho at two-straight pay per view events, Paul Heyman's client is no doubt out for blood to show that he is still a man on the rise and a man to be feared. He'll have the opportunity to bounce back against the man who can arguably match his strength in Batista in what will be a clash of two powerhouses.

Normal Match
w/Layla at ringside


It's a tale of polar opposites this week as Dolph Ziggler clashes with Fandango. The Show Off has recently been on a huge losing streak, culminating with a rather pathetic showing last week against "Mexico's Greatest Export". However, Fandango has been riding high ever since he seemingly has rid XWL of CM Punk for good. And as always, his lovely Layday, Layla, shall be in the Ballroom Brawler's corner, which is never a good sign for his opponents. Will Dolph be able to out-tango Fandango? Or will his losing streak continue?

Divas Match


It's a battle of two of the most physical Divas Champions in recent memory, as ex-champ Madison Eagles faces old arch-enemy Paige, who earlier this year was the victim of Eagles' cash-in of Miss Money In The Bank! Will Madison continue her warpath back to the Divas Championship, or will the champ's best buddy put a halt to her plans?

Normal Match


Alex Shelley has had one hell of a fortnight. At Eye For An Eye, Adam Cole left him to the wolves...or should we say, the buzzards inside the Elimination Chamber after a brutal Superkick to the back of the skull. However, Shelley would not be deterred and later went on to be one of the two mystery entrants in the Elimination Chamber match, coming just inches away from the World Title as the runner-up in the match. Now, he has a chance to get his revenge against the man who left him for dead.

Normal Match


John Cena looks for redemption as he heads in to his championship rematch at Halloween Havoc against the man who took "his" title, Chris Jericho. However, before he gets there, he has to go toe-to-toe with "The Texas Rattlesnake", Stone Cold Steve Austin!

Normal Match


Karl Anderson takes on a new comer to XWL in Jimmy Uso. Jimmy gets a chance to prove himself in singles action against the United States Champion.

Divas Match


Fresh off her championship win inside the dreaded Elimination Chamber just two weeks ago, Bayley looks to prove that it wasn't a fluke as she takes on another participant in that match, and a former Miss Money In The Bank, Madison Rayne!

Main Event
To Be Announced!

Oh boy, this New York crowd is booming already as XWL sets up shop in the legendary Madison Square Garden for the week. Pyro shoots out of the stage and the titantron as part of an elaborate display to kick this show off on a high note. When the fireworks stop and leave smoke hanging in the air in its place, the camera does its usual pan of the crowd to give the viewers at home a feel of the atmosphere so that the next time XWL heads to their city they will be tempted to see it live as well.

Some fans have their faces done up like the Usos showing just how passionate these fans can be (and how they can sometimes lean a little more on the wild side) because that paint job undoubtedly took several hours to complete and that couple will have it sweated off before this night is even half-way through.

Don’t believe that? Just take a look at the card XWL has lined up for tonight and take a moment to imagine all the rivalries that will have another chapter added to them as the march towards Halloween Havoc continues. These fans will be booing and cheering and sitting and standing all night long as the spectacular athletes that comprise the XWL roster put on a show that these lucky folks will never forget.

Jim Ross
Welcome to Breakdown, ladies and gentleman and boy, this crowd is rocking. Like every show, this one looks like it is going to be something special; just take a look at the blockbuster main event scheduled for tonight. That’s a pay per view quality encounter on most nights, but XWL is giving it away for free!

Michael Cole
And that just isn’t fair to Chris Jericho, if you ask me. At least these people paid the price of admission, but what about those lazy bastards at home? The show should cut out just before Jericho makes his entrance because a champion like him deserves the highest respect.

Jerry Lawler
Jericho may be on a different plane when it comes to accolades, but that doesn’t mean he—



A beautiful cherry blossom tree appears – a jarring shift from the mug of Luke Harper that usually pops up. The picture’s purpose is unknown, but it is hard not to be drawn to its beauty…



…and then the color is drained from the image before static appears.

The sound of a motor revving drowns out the white noise and a new scene materializes: that of a chainsaw-wielding man cutting a tree. The screen fades to black just as the tree begins falling…

It fades right into a still of a gorgeous Lamborghini Asterion being showcased…



…and then the color is drained from the image before static appears.

The sound of heavy machinery at work drowns out the white noise and a new scene materializes: that of a car being crushed. The screen fades to black just as a cube is extracted from the machine…

It fades right into a series of stills



of Stone Cold hitting his finishing maneuver



earlier in his career



when he was arguably “The Man” in professional wrestling



– when he was as captivating as cherry blossom



and as valuable as a Lamborghini Asterion...



…and then the color is drained from the image before static appears.

The sound of Austin cutting his promo last week drowns out the white noise and a new scene materializes: that of Austin motioning for Harper to fight him while his voice says in the background, “or am I gonna have to come back there and drag you out by the scraggly hairs on your ugly faces ya dumb some bitches…”

The shot fades to black just as Harper steps into the ring and this time instead of fading to another image, Harper steps out of the darkness.



-Luke Harper-
Do you know what you’re fighting for?



-Luke Harper-
Do you know what you’re fighting?



-Erick Rowan-
Run.

Breakdown returns from a commercial break. The camera pans the arena showcasing the thousands of XWL fans in attendance tonight. The camera then focuses in on Lillian Garcia who is standing in the middle of the ring with a mic in hand.



(Lillian Garcia)
Ladies and gentleman, please join me in welcoming back to XWL.......

(Lillian Garcia)
DANIEL BRYAN!!!

The crowd erupts with some of the largest cheers of the night for the returning Daniel Bryan.  They cheer even louder once the trons light up with his graphics and his infamous theme begins to play.







Bryan makes his way through the curtain and out onto the stage right on cue. He survey's the massive crowd in attendance who have just started a huge YES! chant to welcome back one of there favorite superstars. Daniel stands on the stage with a huge smile on his face, he is clearly honored and humbled by this awesome reception that the crowd is giving him right now.





Daniel begins his slide down the ramp while throwing his arms up in the air and leading the massive YES! chants. Daniel climbs the steps and climbs to the top rope from the outside where he continues to fuel the YES! chants. After a few moments Daniel hops down off the top and into the ring where he requests for a mic. He walks over to the side of the ring and a ringside technician hands him one. Daniel then walks to the center of the ring to lead another twenty seconds worth of YES! chants before waiting for his theme to die off and preparing to address the XWL Universe.



(Daniel Bryan)
You guys are great.......

The crowd appropriately responds with a slew of YES! chants.

(Daniel Bryan)
I mean that guys, from the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU!

Once again, another barrage of massive YES! chants.



(Daniel Bryan)
That reaction every time I step through that curtain means EVERYTHING to me. It's my motivation, it's my drive, it's my everything. You guys will never know how much you mean to me. I have received unbelieveable support from day one when I started at the Texas Wrestling Academy and trained under the legendary Shawn Michaels'. You guys supported me through Memphis Championship Wrestling where I trained under the greatest in ring technician to ever grace a wrestling ring and one of the most underrated wrestlers ever, William Regal. You guys have supported me from the start of my career and till this day I receive the best reactions in the wrestling world and for that I am forever in debt to all of you.

Alot of cheers from the crowd this time around with a minor Yes! chant sprinkled in.



(Daniel Bryan)
I've been all over the world. I've wrestled for pretty much every promotion you could imagine, New Japan, WWE, ROH, you name it I've been there. I've gained so much experience from traveling the world and trying to perfect my craft to the best of my ability. The lucha style, the Japanese strong style, the Canadian technical arts, the English hybrid, all of it I've learned and I've made it all apart of me. I am so proud that I have been able to have the career that I've had and enjoy the success that I have. I'm truly blessed.

(Daniel Bryan)
Now as you may know, injuries have plagued me a bit as of late. The neck surgery and various other minor injuries I let get away from me began to take a toll. So I was forced to take an extended leave away from XWL to heal properly and let my body do it's thing. These past few months on the sidelines have been some of the hardest times of my life. I've had to sit on the couch week after week and watch these guys come out here and do what I love. Putting on stellar wrestling matches and entertaining all of you. It ate at me man I'm not gonna lie. I'm not joking when I say this guys, I LOVE WRESTLING!



(Daniel Bryan)
Wrestling is my life, you guys are my life, and for the past few months my life has been taken away from me. So what did I do? I worked my ASS off as though I had nothing to lose. I was of the mindset that I lost it all and needed to scratch and claw my way back into the wrestling world one night at a time. I trained for 14 hours everyday. I stuck to a strict diet, and I pushed myself to the limits with everything I did just to prepare for THIS!

(Daniel Bryan)
I did it all to earn back the respect of all of you. I owe it to all of you to be nothing short of one hundred percent and put on the best damn matches I possibly can. I owe it to all of you to give one hundred and ten percent every single night I am in that ring and I am proud to say that I stand here right now one hundred percent healthy!

The crowd is elated to hear this great news, a huge YES! chant breaks out.



(Daniel Bryan)
See that right there..that reaction just showed me that all the pain, all the suffering, all the hard work, it was all worth it. So now I need to do something that I have yet to do. I need to come out here every night and not only win back the respect of you and my peers, but it's about time I made a serious run in this company. I'm sick and tired of the injuries derailing me every time I get a little momentum going, it's not gonna happen again. This is a rejuvenated Daniel Bryan. I don't say new because I still cherish all of you and I still have the same goals and aspirations. The difference is, how I'm going to achieve these goals and aspirations. I am in better shape then I ever have been before and I am training harder then I ever have before. So now I've got a question for you guys, does Daniel Bryan still have your support?

The YES! chants are deafening.

(Daniel Bryan)
Then it appears as though I'm on the right path for the first time in a long time. I'm ready to succeed in this company and I'm ready to do it with all of you by my side every step of the way. My hunger, my passion, and my drive to succeed is bigger then it ever has been before. The fire is burning inside of me and it's time to unleash my rage and fury upon my opponents.  I have one final message to everyone...........



(Daniel Bryan)
Daniel Bryan is back and he is better then ever, he is hungrier then ever, and he is more determined then ever. There is a fire burning deep inside of him, a fire that is about to be unleashed upon the XWL roster.......

BEWARE THE DRAGON!!!!!!!

YES!

YES!

YES!





Bryan drops the mic and continues to lead the YES! chants.

After about thirty seconds Daniel leaves the ring and slaps as many people's hands as he can while making his way up the ramp as the show transitions into a commercial break.

Coming off the excitement that was Daniel Bryan's return just before the commercial break, we return to a similar setting. We're scanning the audience, hearing the joy in their screams as they hold up signs, and proudly display t-shirts in support of their favorites. We don't know what could be next, but that's the beauty of this industry, anything could happen within a moment and you don't wanna miss it...or scroll past it. The titantron suddenly lights up, and to a mixed reception, Stephanie McMahon appears from within her office.




[Stephanie McMahon]
Good evening Ladies and Gentlemen, I do hope you are enjoying yourselves, we've got an amazing show already planned for you, and I guarantee you that you will be more than your money's worth. I've got a little announcement I need to deliver, so I won't hold the action up for long, but there is some business that needs to be taken care. As The General Manager it is my duty to do what is best...for business.



[Stephanie McMahon]
I expect dedication, passion, and the utmost respect from every single person on my roster. Be they male, or female...I want one hundred and fifty percent, and I'll take no less. Which brings me to my announcement, everyone often claims to be "the best" but very few actually prove to be just that. There is one man that has challenged himself beyond others, he has made a comeback this year that is still going, and I find myself almost doubting if he'll ever be brought down. The Celtic Warrior Sheamus recaptured his Intercontinental Championship at Eye For An Eye, in a very impressive fashion mind you. But impressive could be used to describe nearly every match he has been apart of within the last six months. He pushes himself to be above everybody else, and you can't dispute that he is a very tough foe to find yourself against.




[Stephanie McMahon]
Why just last week The United States Champion Karl Anderson was added to the list of men that have fallen to The Mighty Irishman. When a champion is able to defeat another, that's a statement in it's own, and that's a statement that no doubt sends intimidation into nearly every single person that witnessed such a thing. But I admire a thing called courage, I believe that if you want something bad enough, you will achieve it. So to any man back here that thinks they have what it takes to take on Sheamus, and the huge task of challenging for his coveted Intercontinental Championship, I open my office door to YOU right now.


Directing the camera over to her right, we see that her door while usually shut, is in fact wide open, welcoming anyone to come in and speak with the ever so busy GM.





[Stephanie McMahon]
I will be here sitting, waiting, with an opportunity that's ripe for the taking. ANYONE can come here, talk to me, throw their name in the hat, it's as simple...as that. For I will allow ANYONE to express their interest in this huge chance. I repeat, ANYONE is eligible to come to me and let me know they'd like this opportunity, and that's all it takes. My door will be open until about the half way part of tonight's show. After which I'll take into consideration of everyone that came to me, and discuss this matter with my team, to which later on in the evening I will come out there to the ring, and personally announce what The Intercontinental Champion Sheamus  will be in for at Halloween Havoc.




[Stephanie McMahon]
Thank you all for your time, encourage your favorite superstars to come to me, and who knows...they could very well be The Next Intercontinental Champion. Now if you'll all excuse me, I've got a seat to take, and a door to watch. Please stay tuned for the rest of the show, and look for my announcement before the end of the show.


Smiling and coming to a close with her plea for a contender, Stephanie turns and takes her seat, and begins to watch her open office door. Where she will allow ANYONE to come to her, and say they want this opportunity, and would be interested. She made it very clear, ANYONE can say they would like to be considered, and EVERYONE that does will be discussed with her team to decide who faces The Intercontinental Champion Sheamus at Halloween Havoc.

Normal Match




It feels a little weird, but thanks to Stephanie McMahon the fans are slowly becoming less accustomed to Shinsuke Nakamura dancing his way out to the ring when this song hits. What a stand-up gal, huh? Can you imagine Alex Shelley strutting his way out here? Actually, he does already have the wild hair, so that probably wouldn’t be too much of a stretch.

Still, Stephanie forced theme on Shelley because she doesn’t want this company to look anti-Japanese after what happened to the lone Japan-native competitor in Nakamura at the hands of Kane. Shelley may have been made in Detroit, but his recent stints in Japan made the transition seamless in Stephanie’s eyes and now Shelley is supposed to be Nakamura’s replacement in the company when Shelley is trying to carve out a legacy for himself.

He fought valiantly at Eye for an Eye—many have already watched and re-watched the incredible elimination chamber match rooting each time for Shelley to kick out of that third codebreaker even though he won’t. His appearance before them tonight without the World Heavyweight Champion around his waist is proof of that.

This is the first XWL has seen of Shelley since he was removed from the building last week at the hands of security after he and Cena decided to settle their business inside of Stephanie’s office. Someone surely had fun cleaning that mess up. Shelley has another mess on his mind, though.

Look at his eyes, they’re focused as Shelley potentially recalls the mess his blood left inside of the ring after Adam Cole betrayed him. He runs a hand through his mohawk then parts his legs as he assumes his Shingeki no Shelley pose – placing one fist over his heart and the other behind the small of his back.

-Lillian Garcia-
The following contest is scheduled for one fall! Introducing first…from Detroit, Michigan…weighing in at 215 pounds… Alex Shelley!

At the announcement of Shelley’s name, the crowd cheers louder and that brings a smirk to Shelley’s face, a man who has never been shy about thanking the fans for the way they always support him through thick and thin – through his highs and lows in this company. He bounces up and down the stage as he looks down the ramp and into the ring envisioning the fight to come. He was able to bounce back nicely after his war inside of the elimination chamber to defeat Stone Cold in a grueling battle, but tonight it’s different.

Shelley had no beef with Stone Cold, but with Adam Cole he must be chomping at the bit to rip Cole apart on the inside despite looking cool, calm and collected on the surface. That’s always been his style: looking like he has control of any situation while thinking several steps ahead. But even for someone like Shelley, keeping control while reigning in your emotions is a tough skill to master, and while he may have come close to doing so through his many rivalries in the company, he still has a ways to go.

He finally begins walking down the ramp, slapping a couple of high fives along the way, again giving back to the people who have given him so much to fight for throughout his career. He makes it to the ring and walks up the steel stairs that take him to the apron where he pauses for just a moment. Shelley looks out into the fans and nods just once before turning and entering the ring by stepping off the bottom rope to grant his entry a little boost.

The Detroit native climbs up the turnbuckles and does his pose again. Still standing there, he motions over to the timekeeper’s area for something and when he climbs down he collects a microphone. Now that it is evident that Shelley has something to say, his music tapers off and the crowd cools it a bit with the noise because they actually care what he has to say and that certainly isn’t the case for other superstars in the company.



-Alex Shelley-
Call me crazy if you like and I’d love for somebody to try and prove me wrong on this, but I have this little sneaking suspicion that it isn’t just a coincidence the week after I put my hands on Stephanie’s boy toy and knocked a couple of papers off her desk – and maybe an innocent pen or two was caught in the crossfire – that I’m suddenly put into a match against the man who…well, let’s just say we aren’t seeing eye to eye right now. Now again, you can call me paranoid or a conspiracy nut, and trust me I do believe in a lot of crazy things, but I can’t be the only one who believes that this match wasn’t thrown together in my favor but instead to throw me off the scent of the World Heavyweight Championship.



-Alex Shelley-
Because as much as I want that title around my waist, I want to kick Adam Cole’s teeth down his throat just as badly. You don’t get back the time I wasted preparing for that match; the time I wasted going over the gameplan; the time I wasted calling up buddies of mine to see if they’d be in the area to lend a helping hand; the time I wasted thinking Adam Cole was a friend when he had absolutely no intentions of stepping inside of that chamber. Adam Cole is what I like to call a “pussy”. He attacks you when your back is turned and then runs away when you get back to your feet. He’s the kind of guy who invites you out to lunch then forgets his wallet, or borrows your phone to make a call then reads your text messages… the kind of guy you don’t realize you shouldn’t associate with until you’re in your grave or waiting for someone to post your bail.



-Alex Shelley-
I can’t put all the blame on ol’ Adam, though. If I paid more attention I would have seen the signs and the writing on the wall in big, bold comic sans telling me that Adam Cole is a scumbag and I would have seen that superkick coming from a mile away. But I had my own agenda for that night and that cost me big time. All I could think about in the weeks leading up to that match was the way the first tag team elimination chamber went down. It was a chance for me to help put tag team wrestling on the map in this company, but guess what? At the end of the night the wrestling world wasn’t talking about the great match that was put inside that godforsaken chamber, no, they were all caught up on the dysfunction and the drama was that the end of the match when Chris Sabin made it clear that I had to choose between Generation Next and the Motor City Machine Guns.



-Alex Shelley-
Of course we all know how that ended: with AJ Styles being bitter and a douchebag, and wouldn’t you know it, two years later and he’s the exact same way; hey, at least he’s consistent. That night when everything fell apart inside the chamber ate away at me and I saw two weeks ago at the pay per view as a chance to right that wrong, I didn’t even care that we were about to face off against the creepiest bastards I had ever seen in wrestling…but that’s all Adam Cole cared about and it scared him out of his wits. That fear broke him; something inside of him snapped and made him think that turning on me was his only way of survival. Well you’re shit of luck now, pal, because you aren’t surviving tonight.



-Alex Shelley-
Stephanie may think she’s throwing a wrench into my plans of getting into that title match at Halloween Havoc, but she’s dead wrong. This is the best thing that could have ever happened to me. After I beat you tonight, Adam, I’m going to lay Eye for an Eye to rest and then I won’t have anything distracting me going forward. And sure, you’re probably somewhere backstage shaking your head while you finish up your pedicure and your facial, saying that what I’m saying just can’t be true, but I would like to kindly remind you of what happened the last time we wrestled a match and I soundly beat you in the middle of the ring. It wasn’t even close and that was back when I liked you, Adam. Imagine what will happen when I actually want to embarrass you.



-Alex Shelley-
And it’s a shame because you have potential and you had a future before you tried to send a message at my expense. You should have kicked me while I was down to make sure I was dead, because now that I see what your intentions are I’m going to beat you to the punch. Guys like you and AJ Styles are a dime a dozen who think being a dick is the quickest way to the top but then you’re the ones who get fucked when you don’t have the talent to cash the checks your mouths write. Chris Sabin bought into that lie while I was gone. He felt he had no other choice and look where that got him, and just when it looked like he could make a comeback Adam Cole took him out. Now the last thing the people are going to remember is him acting like an ass against Daniel Bryan when I know that my best friend is above all of that.



-Alex Shelley-
Meanwhile guys like EY, who have a heart and try to do things the right way, are the ones that suffer when the only things they’ve done wrong are smile and try to be a decent human being. For years EY has been giving it everything he had to grab that brass ring and finally get his name engraved on a championship belt, but he just couldn’t get over the hump. That never changed him; he got down but he never forgot where he came from… and now he’s gone and the last thing I basically told him was that everything would work itself out if he played things smart…well look where that got him. Between Cena and Jericho and Cole and Styles it seems that my list of enemies are growing while my list of friends is almost microscopic in comparison, but at least it’s even worse for Cole. It’s all for the best though, because I don’t need anyone to help me… and now he won’t have anyone to save him.



Instantly the vibe changes as the fans boo as loudly as they can, threatening to drown out Adam Cole’s theme. Shelley lowers the microphone, not pleased at all with the interruption but then he smirks because at least now he can get this over it, though despite what he’s said, Shelley must know that Cole isn’t going to make achieving victory an easy task. Part of that line of logic is due to it being highly unlikely that Cole is going to be willing to fight by the rules.

Cole arrogantly walks onto the stage with a microphone in one hand which is interesting. He was absent from XWL television last week and that could mean that this will be the moment where he finally explains himself – as if it is possible to justify his betrayal. Wearing a huge thousand-watt smile on his face, Cole looks like he doesn’t have a care in the world. He now stands in the middle of the stage, holds up his hands and shouts out “Adam Cole, baybay!” and while there was a point where the fans would say that along with him, now they boo the hell out of him, which he seems to enjoy.

The smile fades into a cocky smirk when Cole looks away from the people and dead on at Shelley. Cole doesn’t show any remorse as if his conscious died at the pay per view along with any shred of humanity he may have had after The Wyatt Family beat on him of weeks. Cole moves some strands of hair out of his eyes and slowly raises the microphone up to his mouth as he prepares to give his side of the story.

-Adam Cole-
Did I hear you right, Alex? I’m the one that’s going to need saving? It looks like the Wyatts hit you harder than I thought because the way I remember it at Eye for an Eye, it was you that needed a helping hand, but there was nobody around who gave a damn enough about you to offer it. Here’s the thing, Alex, you may be a decent competitor on your best day, but I’m in a completely different league and all the fluke wins people have gotten over me don’t prove a damn thing. I want you to realize something, pal, I did what I had to do to survive at Eye for an Eye. You were the only one stupid enough to think that The Wyatt Family could be defeated.

The boos are coming down heavily, the equivalent of a torrential downpour at this point, but it looks like Cole has a pretty sturdy mental umbrella because he isn’t letting this hate get to him.

-Adam Cole-
Don’t you think I tried to beat them? Don’t you think I tried to get rid of them once and for all so I could go on to be a star in this company and make millions while you choke away opportunities you don’t deserve and cry about the tag division you weren’t good enough to build? The harder I fought against those bastards, the stronger they got. Every time I had one of them where I wanted the others would pop out of god knows where to pounce on me. I kicked Luke Harper off the stage for Christ’s sake and he reappeared later on as if nothing had happened. How do you beat that, Alex? How do you stop that? Go ahead and tell me because you’re standing there on your high horse thinking you have it all figured out when you would have done the exact same thing if you were in my shoes and you know it.

Cole shakes his head, the mere thought that Shelley could judge him being unfathomable.

-Adam Cole-
We’re not so different, you and I. You realize that, right? The only difference is that I’m going to capitalize on my talent while you’re basically destined to be the guy who always gets so darn close to the top only to fall short because while you may be good, you’re not great. You’re not Adam Cole. And what that means is that you’re never going to be World Champion in this company and the sooner you accept that, the sooner you can stop walking around here with that stick up your ass. You should be thanking me for kicking you in the back of the head because the pity you got from that is what got you inside of the chamber and don’t you dare think otherwise. Meanwhile, the day I get my shot, which is right around the corner by my estimation, is the day things in this company change.

Cole smiles as he envisions that glorious day in his head.

-Adam Cole-
It’s the day that I live up to my potential because ever since day one I’ve been getting cheated and robbed and it’s funny that the day I stand up for myself and say that I’m not putting up with that anymore is the day these people turn on me. They don’t like men who can stand on their own two feet, who can think for themselves, men who can make it without their support. They flock to guys like you, Alex, guys who need that support to keep them going and who need their cheers to help them make it through the weeks because they have nothing else going for them. These people only care about entertaining themselves and what is more entertaining than cheering you on and watching you fail time and time again, Alex? They had a chance to put me in a position to beat Luke Harper and instead they threw me in a handicap match at Digital Decision and contrary to what you would have the world believe that was the day something inside of me changed.

The smile from Cole’s face disappears as he stares at Shelley with a serious expression on his face.

-Adam Cole-
I shouldn’t be the one getting my name dragged through the mud because you were too stupid to see the writing on the wall, as you put it. There’s a reason why we never had a third partner, there’s a reason why I never wanted to strategize or watch old tapes of chamber matches and it’s because I didn’t see the chamber as an endgame for my rivalry with the Wyatts but as a fresh beginning for the era of Adam Cole. You’re the one who came to me, Alex. I never asked you for help, I never got down on my knees and begged you to join my team as I’m sure you’ve been telling people to give your ego the boost it so desperately needs these days. You presented yourself and I took advantage because I had a feeling if I offered the Wyatts a victim I’d get them off my back and that worked to perfection.

-Adam Cole-
I wish I could say that I’m sorry for what I did to Chris Sabin, but it was a necessary evil to get you off your game because I admit that when you’re focused, when you’re set on something, you’re a hard man to fool and I couldn’t risk my plan getting ruined because sometimes you can be smarter than you look. And the smart thing to do here is go join him in the hospital – hold his hand and wipe the saliva out of the corner of his mouth while he gets better because without him you’re nothing. All you’ve been doing since you came back from Japan is getting in people’s way and I’m going to do a big favor for this company when I beat you so badly that you won’t be showing up later in the show and when you’re gone they’ll realize there is a better, much more exciting, alternative to Alex Shelley and you’re looking at him.

The cocky smirk is back on Cole’s face as he raises both arms in the air again in his usual taunt. The camera cuts over to Shelley who’s chuckling drily to himself and it seems that this war of words is only just getting started.

-Alex Shelley-
It’s amazing to me that you can actually stand there and believe the words that are coming out of your mouth; but I guess I’ll give you points for conviction and selling your lies so convincingly that for a second even I thought it wouldn’t be an upset if you weaseled your way to a victory, but then I tuned you out and I remembered that you’re the student and I’m the master. You’re the one that’s going to find out that 50% of the moves I know are 100% of the moves you’ve never seen before because in the grand scheme of things you’re just a rookie who is throwing a tantrum because his career hasn’t gone the way he’s wanted it to. You put the difficulty on hard when all you’ve ever known is easy. Now you’re doing everything you can to keep up, but you’re that last one to smarten up and realize that you’re playing a game you can’t win.

Cole shakes his head while wiping the strands of hair out of his eyes again.

-Adam Cole-
How can I take what you say seriously when you make these videogame references like you’re some maladjusted teenager trapped in a man’s body? Here’s a newsflash for you, Alex: this is the real world, not some game that you pretend you’re in when things don’t go your way. That may be a bitter pill to swallow and you may try to use your jokes to cope with the situation at hand, but the reality of the matter is that you’re looking at a guy who is going to shut you up once and for all. There just aren’t any ifs, ands or buts about it. You’ve met your match and you’re scared that that once people see that your career isn’t going the places mine is that you’re going to get lost in the shuffle and while that’s true, I think you should know that fighting isn’t going to change the inevitable.

-Alex Shelley-
You find it hard to take me seriously? Well take a moment to imagine how I feel when the man who’s claiming that he’s the future of the business has been in this company for months on end and have you won a match, Adam? Have you pinned someone? Made them submit? I’m sure you’ve gotten plenty of empty disqualification victories thanks to the Wyatts, and I guess for you that’s more than enough to justify your claims, huh? I know what it’s like to be young and arrogant and think the sky is the limit: I was the technical messiah, I was the man that had talent on loan from god, I was the man who they called the next Chris Jericho and who pushes Jericho to the limit time and time again, and you know what changed from then ’til now? I stopped having to say those things. What I did in the ring where nobody could touch me did all the talking and the difference between us, Adam is that you’re going to have to work a lot harder than I do to back up the things you say.

-Adam Cole-
That’s the key thing right there, Alex: you’re not young anymore. You’re not the spry wrestler you were ten years ago and when you look at me you see the man you wish you still were before father time had his way with you. Your window is closing, time is running out for you to have the career you’ve always wanted, while I’m going to make capturing gold look like child’s play. Right now I’m everything you’re not, Alex: I’m young, I’m athletic, I’m good looking, I’ve got time on my side, so all the losses you want to point out mean nothing in the grand scheme of things. When it is all said and done for me people are going to be talking about how Adam Cole shattered your idol Chris Jericho’s world championship record and how no one will ever come close to accomplishing the things I will.

-Alex Shelley-
You sure have made great use of that time by being nowhere to be seen last week. Can’t say I blame you, though, Wade Barrett is a tough cracker to handle…even though I’ve beaten him to win and retain the United States championship, but I can understand why you’d be too worried about him knocking you out to even try and put up a fight. Meanwhile, I was giving Stone Cold the fight of his life and gave the toughest SOB more than he can handle and more sliced bread that he can chew and pinned him in the middle of the ring just like I’m going to do to you. I know that the only reason you didn’t no-show this match too is because you probably convinced yourself that last week was a fluke and that I’m still ripe for the picking after Eye for an Eye so that you can pad your record a little bit – nobody is going to notice that infinity in the loss column when you’ve got a shiny new one in the win column!

-Adam Cole-
Come on now, Alex, you’re easy pickings no matter what shape you’re in. Just look at you reaching to try to make yourself look better than you actually are. Am I supposed to be impressed that you beat a washed-up Stone Cold who injures himself just walking down the ramp? Congrats, Alex, you won a match that you were supposed to, and I’m going to do the same tonight. It isn’t my fault that Barrett was too afraid of me after what he saw me do at Eye for an Eye to show up because he was worried that I would do the same to him. Sure you got a win over him and finally captured the United States title, what a great time it must have been to you to make the most of your potential and reach your peak in this business. And while you’re still flaunting that title win years from now when it’s still the best thing you’ve done, I’m going to be raising the bar a little higher and my path to glory begins with finishing you off.

-Alex Shelley-
You aren’t the first man to think that, Cole and what blows my mind is that people have seen it doesn’t work, but that doesn’t stop them from trying. For someone so insignificant, as you like to put it, I sure to attract a lot of jealousy, but I guess that’s what happens when I have accomplished things you’ve only dreamed of doing.

-Adam Cole-
You think this is all about jealousy, huh? Well nobody is going to envy you after I’m finished with you tonight.

Cole drops the microphone, ready for this heated exchange of words to become a heated exchange of fists. In just one night these two went from being allies to bitter enemies, although if you trust what Cole says these two were never on the same page from the beginning. They both had different goals for being at Eye for an Eye that night and beating the Wyatt Family was the secondary objective. Adam Coe wanted a scapegoat and Alex Shelley wanted redemption.

Cole walks down the ramp with an arrogant smile on his face as he looks around at the thousands of people who once loved him when he had a heart, but now hate his guts. He then turns his attention to Shelley and somehow the smile grows wider. Cole definitely isn’t short on confidence while Shelley is letting him have his moment – Cole won’t have anything to smile about once the bell rings.

The crowd begins chanting Alex Shelley as loudly as they can to throw Shelley’s opponent off his game and that strategy seems to work as Cole again turns his attention to the fans, the look on his face conveying the disbelief that they could seriously still be supporting this guy even though Shelley has nothing new to offer at this point.

-Lillian Garcia-
And his opponent…from Panama City, Flo—

Lillian has to get out of the way when Shelley races past her and dives through the ropes and takes Cole to the ground with a suicide dive! The crowd pops as Shelley immediately mounts Cole afterwards and pounds the living daylights out of him until Cole reaches up and claws at Shelley’s eyes. Shelley rolls off while the cheers become boos now that Cole is in the driver’s seat after already showing what he thinks about the concept of playing by the rules.

Shelley’s back on his feet and Cole works him over with a series of stiff forearms, but Shelley’s been to Japan and has dealt with much worse. He stomps on Cole’s foot, fighting fire with fire, or in this case, dirt with dirt, and while Cole is hopping up and down checking for broken toes, Shelley throws a couple of hard shots of his own – driving his forearm right between Cole’s eyes.

-Jim Ross-
Bah gawd, this match is already off the rails and the refree hasn’t even called for the bell yet! Talk about your emotions taking control of a situation, it’s not every day you Alex Shelley get like this and he’s certainly going to make sure that Adam Cole never forgets this day.

-Michael Cole-
Well who can forget when Alex Shelley is so desperate to win that he attacks someone before the bell even rings? You all like to talk about what a stand-up guy he is, but this right here is telling me that he isn’t quite the saint that you’re making him out to be.

-Jerry Lawler-
You mean attacking someone before the bell doesn’t sound the least bit familiar to you? You know, like what Cole did to Shelley at the pay per view? But of course you probably forgot, you should get that short-term memory checked. Maybe take a day or week or month to have it looked at and treated.

Shelley misses with a forearm when Cole swiftly ducks under it and when he spins around Cole knees him in the gut doubling him over. Cole brings both of his fists high up over his head then drives them down hard onto Shelley’s back dropping him onto his knees. He doesn’t stay there for long as Cole then grabs Shelley by the tights and throws him hard into the crowd barricade. What a thud when Shelley’s back smacks against that apron – the crowd is near silenced considering the trouble Shelley finds himself in after his surprise attack backfires on him.

Cole stomps away repeatedly at Shelley’s body while it just slumps there against the barricade. Shelley needs to do something quickly or else this match is going to be over literally before it begins. Cole digs under the ring and pulls out a steel chair! Shelley is back on his feet and Cole takes a monster swing with his sights set on splitting Shelley’s skull open, but a sure concussion is avoided when Shelley is barely able to evade the blow. Cole sharply turns around and Shelley goes for a superkick! He misses and in one smooth motion Cole drops down and drives the head of the chair into the back of Shelley’s knee on the leg Shelley was trying to kick Cole’s head off with. Shelley’s limping around, but Cole isn’t done with him quite yet. He stands up straight, brings the chair up high over his head, then brings it crashing down hard on Shelley’s skull!

-Jim Ross-
No! What a sickening shot to the head – look at the chair, it’s bent out of shape after that hit!

-Michael Cole-
This is a prime example of Shelley not being able to finish something he started and Cole having the goods to finish what he started at Eye for an Eye.

-Jerry Lawler-
So what? Cole realizes that he wouldn’t stand a chance fighting fair so he resorts to these shortcuts? If this is the kind of legacy he’s trying to leave then I am not looking forward to seeing this guy’s career play out.

The crowd cannot even muster up the strength to boo Cole as he triumphantly raises the cheer over his head. It is as though the people had the wind knocked out of them too, and now all they can do is sit in near silence as Cole inside the squared circle. Look at this guy: he is taking his sweet time, going out of his way to walk over to the steel stairs as if he has all the time in the world. However, when you take into consideration that Shelley has yet to move since being rolled into the ring, Cole seriously may be able to take as much time as he wants.

Cole steps through the ropes and does some high knees, then throws in a couple of jumping jacks while he’s at it – the man is warming himself up for a match that is basically already over. The Ref is checking on Shelley who still hasn’t even twitched a finger and his chest slowly rising and falling is the only sign he’s alive. Cole forcefully jerks the Ref away from Shelley screams at him to ring the bell. Initially the Ref refuses until Cole smacks him across the face and then screams louder. There’s nothing the Ref can do in the face of the looming threat of an ass-kicking; he reluctantly calls for the bell. Cole drops down on Shelley as though he were reclining on a couch, not even bothering to hook a leg:

One!




Two!



Thr—kickout!

-Jim Ross-
He kicked out! He kicked out! Alex Shelley still has some fight left in him!

-Michael Cole-
Some fight? Don’t get caught up in the moment. That was clearly purely instinct.

The crowd comes alive! They’re roaring now while Adam Cole sits up with a look of absolute shock on his face! He thought this was over; he thought he had Shelley right where he wanted him; he thought this would be the first of many victories, but Shelley is going to make Cole work for this win! Cole grabs the official by the front of his shirt with both hands and asks him how something like could even be possible. Cole drops down onto Shelley going for a legitimate cover, even having the courtesy to hook the right leg this time:

One!




Two!




T—kick out! Shelley gets his shoulder up even earlier this time and once again the crowd is threatening to blow the roof off of this place with the amount of noise they are making right now. They start chanting Shelley’s name as loudly as they can as though they can transfer their energy to him and give him the strength he needs to fight back and it’s working! Shelley’s will to fight is renewed and now he’s willing himself to his feet while Cole is there on his knees watching in horror.

Cole runs his hand through his hair and then he shakes his head because to him this sight is unbelievable. He begins punching Shelley and for a moment that appears to be slowing Shelley down, but he won’t go down. Shelley pushes Cole backwards so that he has some room to breathe and get back to his feet, but his opponent is relentless and Cole isn’t about to let this golden opportunity to cement his name as a major player in this company go to waste.

-Michael Cole-
The first kick out was obviously a fluke, but the ref was definitely counting slower the second time around. Where are they getting these officials from?!

-Jerry Lawler-
Shelley could have stayed down; he could have given up, but unlike Cole he doesn’t run from his problems…although I have to parrot JR here and question if he has anything left. That chair shot is still ringing in my ears.

Cole recovers from the push with a knee that he drives deep into Shelley’s gut dropping him to a knee. Now that he has the situation back under control, Cole has a smile on his face and points to his crotch as he shouts out, “hey Alex, why don’t you make yourself useful and SUCK MY DI— Shelley moves with a burst of energy hitting an atomic drop, but he uses his right leg to dish the damage and he leaps around the ring trying to shake the cobwebs out. Shelley ends up in the corner and Cole charges, finding out the hard way that there’s nobody home. Shelley ducked through the ropes to get onto the apron and now he climbs to the top rope while Cole staggers backwards after colliding with the turnbuckles.

Shelley shouts out, “Hey!” to get Cole to turn and face him, then he flips Cole off with both hands before diving off the top with the rider kick and nails Cole in the face! Shelley tries to land on his feet but he puts too much pressure on his right leg and falls to his knees over by the ropes. He uses them to pull himself up to his feet and the moment he turns around, Cole hoists him up into a fireman’s carry then hits his patented neckbreaker by driving the back of Shelley’s head against his knee! Cole goes for the cover:

One!




Two!





Th—Shelley kicks out!

-Jim Ross-
Shelley has two targets on him right now: his head and his knee and a severe injury to either of them won’t make wrestling this match any easier.

-Michael Cole-
That knee sure looked fine when Shelley used it to hit Cole below the belt and I didn’t hear any of you crying foul!

Cole peels Shelley off the mat then chops him across the chest once, twice, three times until Shelley is backed up against the ropes and from there Cole shoots Shelley off across the ring. Cole bends over looking for a back body drop and Shelley stops short and uses his left leg to kick Cole in his exposed face. Cole responds with a hard right hand that causes Shelley to stagger backwards into the ropes. Cole charges at Shelley but eats a boot to the face for his troubles. Now it’s Shelley who charges at Cole and does a tilt-a-whirl before taking Cole down to the mat by the arm all before he swiftly locks in the Border City Stretch!

The crowd is on their feet chanting Tap! Tap! Tap! And Cole may very well do so because he’s right in the middle of the ring and Shelley is putting whatever power and energy he has left into this desperation submission hold. Shelley leans back as far Cole’s back allows while Cole screams out in pain. His back, his arm, his head, they are all in tremendous pain and even if Shelley doesn’t force a tap out here and now, this move is going to take a toll on Cole’s body the longer he has it locked in.

-Michael Cole-
The Coles are rooting for you, Adam! Don’t tap! Don’t let us down!

-Jerry Lawler-
Shelley finally wizened up and is utilizing offense that he doesn’t need his legs to make effective. Now it’s a matter of seeing where he goes from here.

The referee is right there in Cole’s face asking the man if he wants to just call it quits and go about his merry business, but through the cries of pain Cole manages to shout “No!” After the lengths he went to go to soften up Shelley, Cole can’t just up and quit – not with his reputation on the line. Cole begins to go for broke and he starts dragging himself over to the ropes while Shelley does everything he can to keep his opponent at bay. The submission hold may have been taxing, but Cole is comparatively the fresher man and that fact is in full display here as he’s able to drag both himself and Shelley over to the ropes; Cole stretches out his arm and with ne final lunge he just barely wraps his fingers over the bottom rope!

The dejection felt by the crowd is audible as Cole escapes the jaws of defeat. He hangs onto the ropes for dear life, while Shelley refuses to break the hold. The Ref starts to count threatening Shelley with a disqualification if he doesn’t relinquish his grip by the count of five:

One!

Two!

Three!

Four! The hold is still on! Shelley screams out that his fingers are cramped up and he needs help breaking the hold and what can the ref do but assist? Eventually he’s able to help break Shelley’s grip. Shelley gets onto his knees, shaking his hands and says “thanks, I forgot to stretch before the match.”

-Jerry Lawler-
Well I’ve never heard of stretching your fingers before a match, but I guess that right there is a prime example of why they’re so important!

-Jim Ross-
You’ve been out of the game too long, King. The competitors today know all the tips and tricks for keeping themselves in pristine condition.

Shelley watches as Cole pulls himself to his feet then Shelley races over to the other side of the ring, but Cole was just playing possum! He shadows Shelley across the ring then when Shelley turns to bounce off the ropes, Cole nails him with a leaping forearm that nearly causes Shelley to take a nasty spill out of the ring. Cole takes a moment to shout in Shelley’s face “You will never be better than me!” Then he slaps Shelley across the face before dashing across the ring. Shelley is right behind him and he goes for a superkick but Cole hangs onto the ropes to kill his momentum then retreats out of the ring to safety.

The crowd boos as Cole takes his time strolling around the ring not being subtle about wanting to bide himself time to regroup. Shelley walks over to that side of the ring and he sits on the middle rope offering Cole entry into the ring. Cole isn’t buying the chivalrous act and blows Shelley off. Shelley doesn’t take that lightly and he finally loses his patience and chases Cole out of the ring. Cole races around the corner then ducks into the ring. Shelley is right behind him but before he can fully get up to his feet, Cole nearly takes his head off with a shining wizard!

One!




Two!





Shelley gets his shoulder up and Cole immediately puts Shelley in a side headlock then begins punching away at him!

-Jim Ross-
We’re really seeing the change in Cole now. Instead of asking why Shelley keeps kicking out, Cole’s making sure that that isn’t the case next time.

-Michael Cole-
What? This is how Adam Cole always is: a predator that never lets up on his prey. This is truly a sight to behold and I hope the guys in the back are watching closely.

Shelley slips out of Cole’s grasp and manages to fight him into a rear waist lock. Shelley is looking for the German suplex now but Cole repeatedly blocks every attempt all while fighting over to the ropes. Cole grabs onto the top rope then tries to force Shelley off, but Shelley pulls Cole back with him and the two roll backward onto their feet. Shelley attempts the German again, but Cole breaks his grip and slips behind him. The pace quickens as Cole tries to interlock Shelley’s arms so he can hit the Florida Key, but Shelley hits a huge elbow that dazes Cole on his feet then Shelley follows that with an equally vicious rolling elbow.

Shelley spins Cole around and this time there’s no resistance as his hits a German suplex! The momentum causes Cole to roll back onto his feet and he bounces off the ropes and goes for a clothesline, but Shelley ducks under it while simultaneously getting Cole in an inverted face lock, then drives Cole’s face into the ground with a rolling cutter!

One:





Two!





Kickout! Cole begins to sit up and Shelley makes him pay with a sharp kick to the spine then he races over to the ropes and hits a front dropkick to the side of the head! Shelley slaps his right knee as his leg threatens to tighten up on him, but wills himself over to Cole so he can make the pin:

One!




Two!




T—again Cole refuses to stay down.

-Michael Cole-
Whew! Thank goodness Cole kicked out from that. Can you imagine all the trash Shelley would take if he managed to pick up a fluke victory there?

-Jerry Lawler-
At this point I don’t think you could call it a fluke for either man. Things got off to a rocky start but these two have really been laying it into each other since the match started. At this point it could go either way.

Cole has gotten back to his feet since kicking out and Shelley shoots him off into the corner. Shelley races after him but runs right into Cole’s boot. Shelley staggers backward and Cole explodes out of the corner with a clothesline that Shelley ducks under, but Cole immediately comes right back at Shelley with a superkick and connects with a superkick to the back of the head! Shelley falls forward and hits his head on the middle turnbuckle on his way down while Cole collapses to the ground, completely drained after that that last onslaught from Shelley. The crowd begins chanting “This is awesome!” in a show of appreciation for this epic match they’ve been witnessing, even if they’re not so hot on Cole recently.

Cole crawls over to Shelley, physically drained and wounded from the match and pulls him as far away from the ropes as he can muster then goes for the cover:

One!




Two!





Thr—Shelley kicks out! Unlike before, Cole doesn’t look shocked, but angry that Shelley refuses to stay down.

-Jerry Lawler-
I don’t like the look on Cole’s face right now.

-Jim Ross-
I agree with you, King. I’m getting a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach that he’s going to take things further than he already has.

Cole climbs up to the middle rope and sits there while he watches Shelley struggle to get back to his feet. Cole moves his hair out of his face then points to Shelley while he stands. Cole shouts, “you’re dead, Alex!” then leaps off the ropes looking to hit the flipping piledriver he calls Panama Surise. He drops down onto Shelley then tries to flip over, but Shelley grabs Cole by the ankles then throws him into the turnbuckles with an Alabama slam! Cole staggers out of the corner and Shelley grabs him and calls for the sliced bread by pointing into the corner. Shelley steps off the turnbuckles and Cole flips Shelley over so that Shelley lands on his feet, but it’s an awkward landing as Shelley tweaks his knee and stumbles backward trying not to fall.

Cole goes for a superkick that Shelley dodges and immediately brings Cole down to the mat with a school boy pin:

One!

Shelley rolls Cole back onto his knees, then drives his boot into Cole’s face with extreme force as he connects with a superkick of his own. Shelley falls to the ground holding his knee and watches in dismay as Cole wisely rolls over to the ropes to escape the three count.

-Jim Ross-
Love him or hate him, Cole may have saved himself there.

-Michael Cole-
Saved himself from what? You can’t seriously think that weak kick was enough to win the match, do you?

Shelley crawls over to the ropes where Cole is then rolls under them to get onto the apron. Shelley tries to get Cole onto his feet but Cole senses that he’s in a dangerous position and thrusts his head into Shelley’s gut. Shelley stumbles back while at the same time trying not to lose his balance. Cole helps him by grabbing onto him before he can fall, but only because Cole wants to put Shelley away with a brainbuster! Cole fights to get Shelley into the air, his goal to destroy that surgically-repaired neck pushing him forward. He finally gets Shelley into the air but before he can drop down, Shelley knees him on the top of the head and shifts his body so that he lands in the ring.

Shelley grabs Cole in a facelock, while Shelley is in the ring and Cole in on the apron, then Shelley races over to the corner, walks up the turnbuckles, then maneuvers his body over the top rope and drives Cole onto the apron with the sliced bread! As fate would have it, Shelley has no choice but to try and use that right leg to ease his landing and he pays for that as he rolls around on the outside of the ring, while thousands of people stand to their feet and begin chanting “holy shit!” Shelley crawls over to the timekeeper’s area, kneels on the nearest barricade and screams “Who’s the fucking man?” while the crowd cheers him on.

-Michael Cole-
Does this guy not know there are children watching? You’ve got to be kidding me, how can you call him anybody’s role-model?

-Jerry Lawler-
If the alternative is Adam Cole, then I’d take a cussword or two from Shelley over that alternative any day. You can’t blame the man for getting pumped up by adrenaline.

Shelley walks over to Cole and pushes away the ref who was just doing his job and checking on the man’s condition after that brutal bump on the apron. Shelley grabs Cole and tries to pull him up so that he can get him in the ring, but at this point Cole is essentially a deadweight and he crumbles to the ground in a heap every time Shelley tries to get him up. The people begin chanting “You can do it!” in response to Shelley’s failures to get Cole back into the ring. Shelley kisses both biceps then bends over and strains every muscle in his body to get Cole up and… he does! Cole kicks Shelley in the knee then plants Shelley’s head into the ground with a DDT! Cole was playing possum all this time!

The crowd is buzzing as Cole caught them all off guard with that, perhaps he even surprised himself. He wants to beat Shelley so badly that he’s pushing his body to the limit and that was a prime example of that after shaking off the pains after Sliced Bread just long enough to take Shelley down with him. Neither man is moving and the ref briefly exits the ring to make sure that both men are at least conscious. He returns to the ring and now the threat of a count out has become a very real possibility.

One!

Two!

Three!

Four!

Five!

-Jerry Lawler-
These men have thrown everything at each other but the kitchen sink and it’s a real testament to their character that they’re still going strong. Cole has never been a slouch in the ring, but tonight he’s showing that that he can go toe to toe with one of the best and I’m sure that won’t be lost on management.

-Jim Ross-
And his attitude won’t be lost on the fans either. It doesn’t matter which way you shine it, a turd is a turd and Adam Cole is shaping up to be one the biggest and the smelliest of them all.

Eight!

Cole slips under the bottom rope and for a moment it looks as though he’ll be content winning this match by countout as Shelley lays there outside of the ring.

Nine!

He rolls back out just as the boos were starting to pick up. It was almost as if Cole could hear Shelley’s voice in his head mocking him for taking the easy way out and he isn’t going to give Shelley the chance. Cole’s going to beat him in the middle of the ring so that there will never be any doubt that the better man is he.

Cole pulls Shelley up to his feet then tries to whip him into the stairs but Shelley reverses the throw only for Cole to reverse that sending Shelley crashing legs first into the unforgiving metal structure and if Shelley’s knee was in bad shape before, it certainly isn’t in any better condition after that. Cole throws up his hands and shouts out, “Adam Cole, baybay!” to the disgust of the fans who now boo with increased ferocity. Cole kicks away the steel stairs then rolls Shelley into the ring. Instead of getting in himself, Cole wraps Shelley’s legs around the ring post and locks in the figure four!

-Jim Ross-
And of course just as soon as you give Cole some credit he goes and does something like that. This move is absolutely uncalled for and if the ref doesn’t stop him then some permanent damage may be done to that knee.

-Michael Cole-
Yeah, everything Cole does is the worst thing on the world. I wonder how you would react if he suddenly cramps up and such an inconvenient time for poor Shelley.

One!

Shelley is in immense pain and it’s impossible for him to think through it and fight his way out of this.

Two!

Three!

Four!

Cole breaks the hold and watches with a sinister smile on his face as Shelley writhes on the ground in agony. Cole walks over to the announce table and begins stripping it, starting with the cover and then dislodging the monitors and tossing them to the side. Cole walks over to the ring and pulls Shelley under the ropes and to the outside by the leg letting him drop to the ground with a thud. Cole drags Shelley over to the table, then assists him onto his feet. Shelley comes back to life, elbowing Cole in the gut repeatedly then bashing his face hard against the announce table. Shelley shouts, “this isn’t your gimmick!” then he takes to time to place both the monitors back into their slots. Cole suddenly grabs him from behind and before Shelley knows what’s happening, Cole drives him into the ground with the Florida Key!

-Michael Cole-
Serves him right; nobody asked him for help putting our table together. We’ve done just fine without his helping hand, thank you very much.

-Jerry Lawler-
That’s funny, Cole, because every other time someone rips this table apart you’re ready to rip them apart but you seem pretty peachy about Cole doing it, though.

As the ref reaches the midway point of his count, Cole rolls into the ring and lays there as the ref continues. Unlike earlier, he doesn’t care how he wins the match. If Shelley was beaten so badly he couldn’t answer a 10 count then that’s his prerogative.

Six!

Shelley begins to stir and starts crawling over to the ring, while Cole screams at the referee to speed up the count.

Seven!

Eight!

Shelley makes it to the ring and pulls himself up using the ring skirt, depending on it so much that he nearly rips it off the ring.

Nine!

Shelley dives under the ropes just before the count of ten and the crowd pops! Cole is on his knees with his eyes open wide in shock, once again having the rug pulled out from under him when he thought he had the match won.

Cole knee-walks over to Shelley and covers him:

One!




Two!




Thr—kick out!


-Jerry Lawler-
I’ve been in this position so many times throughout my career when you think you have a guy down and down but he just doesn’t know when to quit.

-Jim Ross-
Cole hasn’t exactly made it easy on Shelley either. There’s just something about facing somebody that you think the worst of that brings the best out of you.

Cole shakes his head as he stands up; there’s a look of disgust on his face as he gives Shelley a stare that conveys the idea that Cole views his opponent as lower than dirt. Cole signals for the end of the match, then starts pulling Shelley up to his feet, but Shelley drops down to a knee and stuns Cole with a jawbreaker! Cole staggers backward while Shelley realizes that this is his opening to do something big. He walks over to Cole who leaps into the air and nails him with an enzuigiri! Shelley is out on his feet and Cole charges over to the ropes the leaps into the air and hits a vicious big boot to the skull!

Instead of going for the pin, Cole peels Shelley off the mat, goes for the Panama Key once again but Shelley quickly hoists Cole onto his shoulders and now he’s looking to end this match with Automatic Midnigh! tCole is able to shift things into his favor by doing a sunset flip except Shelley drops all off his body weight down onto Cole’s chest before Cole could force him down:

One!





Two!





Cole tucks his ankles under Shelley’s armpits and fights his opponent’s shoulders down onto the mat:

One!




Two!




Shelley reaches over his head and grabs the bottom rope with both hands forcing a break of the count.

-Jim Ross-
And there’s that ring awareness of Shelley. By grabbing onto the ropes he was able to spare a little energy that he’ll no doubt need at this point in the match

-Michael Cole-
That he’ll need to hang onto the ropes like a chump? That’s certainly putting it to good use.

Shelley is indeed hanging onto the ropes with both hands while Cole tries to pull him into the middle of the ring by the legs. Cole stomps hard on Shelley’s bad leg and that’s what it takes for Shelley to finally let go. Cole pulls Shelley into the center of the ring and now with the momentum in his favor, he takes Shelley by the right leg and tries to lock in the figure four, but Shelley places his left boot onto Cole’s backside and shoves him off. Shelley tries to get up but Cole is right on him. Cole goes for a suplex that Shelley blocks and Detroit’s finest, grabs Cole’s leg in a set up for a fisherman suplex and instead hits the golden gate swing! Shelley quickly pulls Cole onto his feet, crosses his legs, lifts him into the air and hits his signature brainbuster! This has to be it:

One!

Two!

Thr—No! Shelley looks at the ref in disbelief as Cole barely gets a shoulder off the mat before it’s too late. As Cole rises to his feet, Shelley doubles him over with a side kick to the gut then calls for the sliced bread. Cole quickly tries to go for the Florida Key until Shelley drives a sharp elbow to the side of Cole’s head and Cole responds by quickly dropping Shelley with an inverted DDT. Cole hops onto the middle rope for the second time looking to hit Panama Sunrise except Shelley grabs him by the leg and forcefully pulls him down!

Shelley steps through the ropes and climbs to the top, but his movement speed is impeded by his bum knee and this allows Cole plenty of time to recover and scale the ropes. Cole tires to lift Shelley into the air to bring him down the hard way with a superplex, but Shelley isn’t about to go down that easily. Shelley repeatedly drives his fist into Cole’s ribs and follws up that flurry with a couple of headbutts to really daze Cole as much as he can. Shelley turns himself around so that he’s facing away from the ring, then he pushes himself into the air and drives Cole into the ground with an avalanche sliced bread! The crowd rises to their feet as Shelley crawls over to Cole and drapes an arm across his chest:

One!





Two!





Three!



It’s a wonder the fans aren’t all tuckered out at this point in the match, yet here they are cheering emphatically when what’s now Shelley’s theme hits confirming his victory in this hellacious match. Shelley is on his knees taking deep breaths and looking down at Cole as if he was actually surprised Cole didn’t kick out of that. Well, Cole didn’t kick out, and Shelley has a reason to smile as he slowly stands up, noticeably wincing as he puts weight on his leg, but he’s not about to let that put a damper on his spirits. Shelley grins as the referee raises his arm into the air – and then Breakdown abruptly cuts to commercial; Stephanie must not be a happy camper.

Normal Match








What a breathtaking sight.

That’s the state the arena is in when Luke Harper walks onto the stage, his face barely visible in the darkness that engulfs the arena. Harper is out here alone, his brothers hidden somewhere in the shadows set to appear only when they’re needed – their presence signaling the impending demise of whoever stands before them. He stands there on the stage with his eyes open wide while his theme softly plays in the background, coming across more like a lullaby aimed to sooth instead of a sound meant to instill panic and fear in those within earshot.

-Lillian Garcia-
The following contest is scheduled for one fall! Introducing first…from Snake Bite, Florida…weighing in at 280 pounds…Luke Harper!

Harper’s tongue darts out of his mouth for no other reason but to be creepy and that certainly does the trick. He begins slowly walking down ramp, savoring everything so that when he reflects on the dismantling of John Cena he can recreate the environment piece by piece in his mind perfectly. The last time Cena and Harper shared a ring it was in a tag team match, but tonight there will be no distractions, only a physical fight to the finish.

-Jim Ross-  
The imposing presence of Luke Harper is always an intimidating one. This man just doesn’t see the world like other people do and will do whatever it takes to impose his will on his victims.

-Michael Cole-
We saw it with Woods and Young, with DX, with John Cena and most recently with Adam Cole. When Harper and his brothers have you in their sights they do not let up.

-Jerry Lawler-
They are absolutely relentless, but they it looks like they have decided to take a different approach with Stone Cold. They’re not going after him and I can’t figure out why.



Harper climbs onto the apron then navigates his way past the ropes to enter the battleground where he and Cena will beat each other to a pulp. Regardless of his change in personality, Cena’s heart and his resiliency have never wavered. In fact you can say they’ve gotten stronger now that he’s fighting to remain the face of the company – with the help of Stephanie McMahon and her lackeys, of course. Then there’s Harper who registers pain as just another sick form of pleasure – both receiving and supplying it. Keeping him down is a monumental task, but knowing Cena he’s going to do whatever it takes so that he can shift his focus back to Chris Jericho and the World Heavyweight Championship.

-Jim Ross-  
Trying to understand the motivations and the reasoning way of the Wyatts is the easiest way to put you in an early grave, King. There’s just no rhyme or reason for the things they do.

-Michael Cole-
Just because you aren’t smart enough to figure out what they’re getting at doesn’t mean they don’t have a reason.

-Jerry Lawler-
They may have a reason but it just makes no sense Stone Cold has been wrestling for a long time, so that justifies them trying to victimize him? I just don’t see it.



Harper stops in the middle of the ring and turns his attention to the stage. His music fades away and the lights switch on and now all that’s left is for one the most polarizing figures in XWL today to make his way out to the ring so that this party can get started. In typical Cena fashion, he’s making these people wait. In his own words they were the ones who turned their backs on him and the last thing he’s going to do is cater to them and make his entrance when on their time. The power is in his hands and all the fans can do now is deal with it and learn to live in a world where Cena is only out for himself.






















The crowd was so ready to deliver a huge round of boos that they’re rendered silent because of how badly they’ve been caught off guard. However, that only lasts for a second before they’re cheering. Stone Cold is done waiting for the Wyatts to come and fight him, now he’s going to bring the fight to them the match with Cena be damned. The noise of the crowd increases tenfold when Austin walks onto the stage with a look of determination on his face and he takes big, confident strides down the ramp while mouthing to Luke Harper than he has nowhere to run tonight! Harper hasn’t moved from where he’s been standing and his stoic expression hasn’t changed one bit despite Austin surprising him by coming out here… or maybe he’s been expecting this, it’s hard to tell with this guy.

-Jim Ross-  
It’s Stone Cold and I’ve seen this look on his face before: he’s angry, Stone Cold Steve Austin is pissed off and he doesn’t give a damn how big or scary Harper is supposed to be, Austin is going to open up a can of whoop-ass!

-Michael Cole-
You’ve got to be kidding me, he shouldn’t be out here, we were supposed to be watching two of the best go at it! Where does Stone Cold get off sticking his nose where it doesn’t belong?

-Jerry Lawler-
Stone Cold has given Harper more than one chance to explain himself and Harper decided to play games in response. Stone Cold isn’t playing along anymore, now he’s going to give Harper the chance to put up or shut up!

Austin slides under the bottom rope and gets right into Harper’s face talking all kinds of trash all amounting to the idea that Austin is sick and tired of Harper’s crap and is getting too damn old to be putting up with this kind of nonsense. If Harper has an issue with the rattlesnake it’s time that he air them or forever hold his peace. The crowd is buzzing, they are all on their feet watching this surreal moment with baited breath waiting for all hell to break lose and when you combine Stone Cold’s sour mood with Harper’s unpredictability there’s just no telling when the bomb will drop.

Stone Cold is still giving Harper an earful and in response Harper bobs his head uup and down with his face turned away from Stone Cold and goes “yeah yeah yeah ye—” Big right hand from Austin! He’s had enough and now he’s bringing the fight to Harper in a huge way! Fist after fist after fist has Harper reeling and he finds himself literally backed into a corner. Austin has Harper right where he wants him and the texas Rattlesnake grabs the middlerope and begins stomping the biggest mudhole he’s ever had! The crowd is on fire as Stone Cold bends over to flip Harper the bird. Giving Harper one final boot to the face for good measure Stone Cold walks away from the corner completely fired up and this raucous crowd is feeding off his insane energy.

Austin shouts that he’s going to finish off that dumb some bitch once and for all, then he turns around and nearly has head taken off by Harper’s giant boot! Harper brings his hands together in front of his face then splits them apart in his typical taunt. He pulls Austin to his feet expecting to continue his offense, but Austin has other plans in mind as he shoves Harper away then begins lighting him up with a flurry of punches! A toe kick to the gut doubles Harper over and Ausint goes for the Stunner but Harper shoves him into the ropes. Austin bounces off and flies into Harper with the lou thesz press and if he continues at this rate he’s going to break his fist on Harper’s face!

-Jim Ross-  
Stone Cold will not be denied and when he gets like this

-Michael Cole-
Closed-fist punches aren’t allowed; how can people be cheering this blatant disrespect for the rules?

-Jerry Lawler-
This isn’t a match, this is fight and this is all on Harper for starting something he couldn’t finish.

Austin tears open Harper’s shirt then gets to his feet so that when he drops his boot down onto Harper’s chest there’s nothing there to cushion the blow. Harper manages to grab Austin’s boot, abruptly ending the flurry, and he gets to his feet with Austin’s boot still in his hands. He moves in a circle so that Austin is more focused on keeping his balance than fighting out of this predicament though he still swings his arms but they’re far too short to connect with Harper. The big man throws down Austin’s boot and the momentum causes him to jerk forward into Harper who nails him with a headbutt. Harper shakes his head, follows that up with a monstrous uppercut that sends Austin’s staggering back into the ropes.

Harper warps his fingers around Austin’s throat then begins squeezing the life out him and it’s a truly disturbing sight to watch Austin struggle to breathe, the struggle to survive. Austin’s face is turning a disturbing shade of red and with the people cheering him on, Austin does the only thing he can do in this situation and that’s reach behind Harper and tug on his oily strands of hair. Harper’s neck is bending uncomfortably but he’s refusing to release his grip forcing Austin to let go of the hair and instead grab Harper then Austin leans into the ropes sending both men flipping over it and out of the ring!

The crowd makes their surprise, shock and horror audible when the two men take that nasty spill to the outside of the ring, but the fight continues as both Harper and Austin slowly get to their feet simultaneously. Austin strikes first followed by an equally hard punch from Harper. Austin rocks Harper with another big right and ducks under the punch Harper throws in response. Stone Cold spins Harper around, kicks him in the gut and goes for the Stunner, but again Harper shoves him off. Austin takes a couple of steps forward and ducks under a clothesline from Rowan! Where the hell did he come from? Rowan can’t kill his momentum in time and he takes out his own brother! Austin spins him around then flips him off before kicking him in the gut and hitting the Stunner! Austin rolls into the ring and raises his fists in the air while the crowd is going crazy over it.

-Jim Ross-  
He’s done it! Thanks to a timely miscommunication from Harper and Rowan and a heads-up move from Ausin, the rattlesnake has shown that he’s still a force to be reckoned with in this company.

-Michael Cole-
Did I watch the same fight that you did, because from where I’m sitting, Harper had Austin right where he wanted him until Stone Cold got lucky. That’s all that was, luck. Plain and simple.

-Jerry Lawler-
Stone Cold may have had some unexpected help, but he still came out here and sent a message that I’m sure Harper will hear loud and clear, so I’m sure Austin will chalk this up as a win in his book no matter what you say, Cole.

Harper shakes off the hit from his brother and gets to his feet while pulling Rowan up with him. The two look into the ring where Austin is practically begging them to get inside so that they can finish this right here in New York City. He doesn’t care that he’s outnumbered, he’s tasted blood, his love for a good ol’ fight has been renewed and it looks like Austin has been rejuvenated and reborn as his focused gaze continues to be set on Harper and Rowan. Rowan may not look like he’s embarrassed, but he’s definitely out to get some revenge after that stunner and he starts climbing onto the apron, ready to settling this grudge, but Harper grabs him by the back of his jumpsuit and tugs him off the apron.

The crowd boos as Harper pulls Rowan over to the foot of the ramp, then he puts his hand in Rowan’s and pushes him up the ramp in a rather unorthodox manner. Stone Cole throws up his arms, knowing that the fun is over, but he’s been in this business long enough to know that Harper and likely Rowan aren’t going to let what happened tonight slide. When they come back, Austin will be ready. Harper may have compared him to a tree that has lost its luster and a car that lost its value, but if nothing else, Austin showed that this man still has some legs and isn’t going anywhere.

Austin climbs up to corner and throws up his hands, celebrating what he accomplished tonight to the delight of the crowd who never fail to give this legend one of the loudest reactions of the night. Austin then looks over at Harper and Rowan just in time to see:



Harper posed two questions earlier in the show. Stone Cold may have an idea of what he’s fighting for, but there is no way he truly understands what exactly it is he’s fighting.

We’re whisked away to a spot backstage where Jeremy Borash is  standing by with a microphone in hand ready to interview a lucky XWL superstar!



-Jeremy  Borash-
How’s it going guys and gals?  This is none other than JB, in the flesh and tonight, I’m joined by—you guessed  it—the man who we all watched defeat Adam Cole earlier in the show, Alex Shelley!

-Alex Shelley-
It’s good to see you, JB. Standing here with you and that microphone and that camera feels just like the good  ol’ days.  

-Jeremy Borash-
The good ol’ days? Alex, you’re talking like it’s been months or even years since we’ve last done an interview… it’s only be a couple of weeks.



-Alex Shelley-
And you know what’s happened in those couple of weeks, JB? I was nearly taken out while guys that I consider my good friends in Chris Sabin and Eric Young weren’t so lucky. They’re watching Breakdown from home this week when they would give anything to be here in the trenches doing battle against the assholes and douchebags who are running around here thinking they  have it all figured out when they look like a bunch of chickens with their heads cut off, from where I’m standing at least. So yeah, maybe it’s just been a few weeks, but to me it’s felt like months since things were normal around here.

-Jeremy Borash-
Well I appreciate you saying that, Alex, but the one big thing you failed to mention is that during one of those weeks you were one of the six men who competed in that incredible Elimination Chamber match where you made it to the final two before you ended up losing.

-Alex Shelley-
As fun as it’s  been bragging about how I got second place, if I keep bringing up that one night every chance that I get before I know it that night becomes my legacy and Alex Shelley goes down as the bridesmaid but never the bride. Trust me, JB, I’m proud of what I accomplished in that match – bought myself a silver medal and everything – but what I need to work on now stepping my game up to a level the other guys in this company have never seen before. I learned a lot of tricks while I was in Japan and I haven’t even shown half of what’s in that bag.

-Jeremy Borash-
And from what you have shown us thus far, we’re no doubt going to be wowed. You’ve already  debuted a new finisher you called Shingeki no Shelley, and I was wondering exactly what that means.



-Alex Shelley-
It’s real simple, JB. See, what it means is that my heart always has been and always will be in the wrestling business no matter what. So when guys like Adam Cole show up and think they’re going to scare me off, all they’re doing is adding fuel to the fire that keeps me going and then they end up burned. Adam Cole kicked me in the back of the head – I never saw it coming --  and then he stood there with a shit-eating grin on his face as he watched me get my ass handed to me by the Wyatt Family.

-Jeremy Borash-
It was really hard to watch.

-Alex Shelley-
Imagine how it felt. Imagine what it was like to be trapped inside of that chamber with three men who didn’t know what the meaning was mercy was. The only thing they know is how to inflict pain, and I certainly know the true meaning of it now. They did their worst to me, but look at me, JB.

-Jeremy Borash-
I’m looking, Alex.



-Alex Shelley-
Then you see that I’m still standing here. I’m also still sore and it’s a miracle that I can get out of bed in the morning, but coming out here and performing for these great fans make every ache and bruise worth it. Besides, Eye for an Eye wasn’t a complete flop. If nothing else I learned that taking on all three members of the Wyatts? Not a smart idea, but I can beat Adam Cole one on one and I proved that again tonight.

-Jeremy Borash-
You were in rare form tonight, Alex, it’s not that often you let yourself get worked up like that.

-Alex Shelley-
If there’s one thing I hate more than anything else, it’s a liar and that’s exactly what Adam Cole is. If he thinks that he’s really a future hall of famer, the best in XWL right now, great. Shout it from the rooftops, wear it on your shirt, get it tattooed on your face. He’d be in great company if he did that, by the way. I hear Punk took some time off to get that very same job done.

-Jeremy Borash-
I’d call malarkey, but he is running out of places to get inked.



-Alex Shelley-
And after tonight, when once again Adam couldn’t get the job done, I’m sure he is running out of excuses to explain to the world why he has failed to live up to the standards he’s set for himself.

-Jeremy Borash-
Actually, after what you did to him after the match, I don’t think he’ll be able to explain anything any time soon. And while we’re on the subject, I’m not sure if you’re aware of this or not Alex, but only the live crowd saw your post-match actions. Rumor has it that Stephanie McMahon had the crew cut to a commercial break immediately after the bell was rung.

-Alex Shelley-
Figures. What do you want me to do, retell the story while you act it out?

-Jeremy Borash-
As fun as that sounds, I actually called in a couple of favors, and have that replay ready to go.



-Alex Shelley-
Smart thinking, JB. I told you all the time you put in to Paparazzi Productions would pay off.  And—

Shelley pauses for a moment as he spots someone off screen and waves them over. Moments later a backstage worker walks into the shot.

-Alex Shelley-
Hey, bud, can you do me a favor?

-Bud-
Sure thing, Alex!

-Alex Shelley-
I need you to run to Stephanie McMahon’s office and tell her that there’s an emergency out here. Can you handle that for me?

-Bud-
Sure  thing, Alex!



-Alex Shelley-
Thanks—Now where were we, JB?

-Jeremy Borash-
The replay?

-Alex Shelley-
What are you waiting for? Get it rolling!

---

The replay cuts in where the live footage ended with Alex Shelley’s arm being raised in victory after putting Adam Cole away with sliced bread while he theme plays in the background. The crowd is roaring as Shelley walks over to the corner and climbs up to the middle rope where he throws up his arms, then busts out his new post one more time: a fist over the heart and one behind the back. He smiles as the fans continue pouring on the love and after a few seconds of basking in it, Shelley gently lowers himself down and gingerly walks over to the ropes where he exits the ring.

-Jim Ross-  
What a fantastic match that was, but you can definitely see the toll it took on Shelley’s body. The wounds he suffered in that fight aren’t going to go away overnight, but at least he can finally lay his issues with Cole to rest once and for all.

-Michael Cole-
Look at this pathetic guy, he can barely walk! He may have lucked his way to a victory, but Cole is going to have the last laugh when Shelley ends up in a wheelchair!

Shelley starts walking up the ramp, which seems a lot longer when you only have one good leg, but when Shelley suddenly stops walking the leg isn’t the cause. He looks up at the titantron still showing in-ring footage and Shelley watches as Cole comes back to life and the first thing he does is belittle the ref for his role in what Cole is calling a screwjob. Shelley doesn’t look happy at all; the match didn’t humble Cole or knock some sense into him like Shelley was probably hoping. In fact, Cole is worse than he was before, as impossible as it may seem. Turning away from the titantron and at the ring, Shelley is making sure that the titantron wasn’t displaying some alternate universe and is actually showing the reality that Cole is a bigger dick than he was when the match started.

Cole is on his feet now and he is so caught up blaming the ref for his lost instead of himself that he doesn’t even notice that Shelley has turned around and is now walking back down the ramp. Cole pushes the referee back into the corner and begins screaming that he isn’t a loser and that if the ref had done his job the right way then it would be Cole having his arm raised in victory. The ref tries to plead his case saying that he only did his job and called the match right down the middle, but that explanation isn’t registering because then that would mean that it was nobody but Cole’s – and maybe Shelley’s – fault that Cole lost and he just isn’t in a state of mind to accept  that line of reasoning.

-Michael Cole-
Of course! It didn’t make sense to me that Cole to lose to someone like Shelley, but it looks like he’s discovered the culprit and the cause behind the travesty we just witnessed.

-Jerry Lawler-
The ref is on XWL’s payroll just like everybody else, no matter what you or Adam Cole wants to say and for him to sink this low is just sad to watch.

Cole shakes his head vigorously while the ref pleads his case and before he can finish his sentence Cole punches him in the face. The boos are coming in so loud now we can’t hear what Cole is saying as he chains several punches together, taking his shame and his anger and his frustration out on a man who was just trying to do his job. It isn’t fault that Cole couldn’t do his. It isn’t his fault that Cole started a war he was ill-equipped to win, and it isn’t the refs fault that Cole picked a fight with a man he couldn’t beat. Still, he’s suffering for someone else’s missteps and he’s helpless to protect himself and defend his honor. Sucker-kicking a man like Cole did to Shelley is one thing, but sucker punching a man who isn’t paid to wrestle is a completely different beast and Cole has truly reached a new low tonight.

Satisfied, Cole throws up his arms and as he turns around he shouts, “Adam Cole, bay—” Shelley cracks him over the head with a steel chair! Turnabout’s fair play here as Shelley wields the exact weapon Cole nearly crippled and concussed him with earlier. Cole crumbles to the ground in a heap and Shelley throws down the chair emphatically, while the people break out into a chant of his name. Shelley looks over at the corner where the Ref is writhing in pain after almost having a man cave in his face with his bare hands, then Shelley looks down at Cole. Shelley peels Cole off the mat then pulls him onto his shoulders in a set up for Automatic Midnight…Shelley runs over to where he threw down the chair and he drops Cole right on top of it!

-Jerry Lawler-
Oh man, that brings back memories of  when Shelley put Kurt Angle away with a one-man conchairto years ago at Final Stand…at least he’s consistent.

-Jim Ross-  
The only difference is that Shelley isn’t letting this situation with Cole spiral out of control for months like it did with Angle. I doubt Cole is going to be bothering Shelley anymore going forward.

Shelley just sits there on the mat for several seconds while Cole lays out cold behind him with the steel chair serving as his pillow. Finally, Shelley looks over his shoulder not at Cole, but at the referee to see if he’s okay and once Shelley gets his confirmation he rolls out of the ring then makes his way up the ramp while the people chant his name.

---

Back in real time, Borash and Shelley were apparently watching along on a monitor out of view from the camera and when the clip is done on their end, Borash turns to Shelley to get his thoughts.  



-Alex Shelley-
I know what you’re going to say, JB, “two wrongs don’t make a right” but the thing about XWL is that the rules are a little different in here than they are in the real world. You have to fight to live to see another day, you have to fight to earn your place and you have to fight to keep your place in this company and I’ll be damned if I let a pretty  boy like Adam Cole be the one who puts me out on my ass. When I go out it’s going to be in a blaze of glory, not because someone kicked me in the back of the head or had me thrown out of the building. The day I leave this business, the world with come to a standstill, but luckily for the world, that day isn’t anywhere close. I still have plenty in the tank and plenty live to give.

-Jeremy Borash-
Where do you go from here, Alex? As much as the XWL universe would love to see you fighting for the world championship match along with John Cena and Chris Jericho but Stephanie McMahon seems adamant about keeping you out of the match and it’s pretty hard to get her to change her mind. Take my word on that one, Alex. One time I went to het about maybe getting a raise and I—

Borash quickly shuts up when Stephanie frantically rushes onto the scene. Luckily for him it doesn’t look as though he heard anything he said.

-Jeremy Borash-
Stephanie! To what do we owe this pleasure?

-Stephanie McMahon-
I was told there was an emergency somewhere around here and that I should come right away. You two wouldn’t happen to know what’s going on, would you?

-Jeremy Borash-
Well I don’t…

-Alex Shelley-
Actually, that was me who sent out the alarm, Steph.

-Stephanie McMahon-
Of courseit was.

-Alex Shelley-
You should be thanking me because I only wanted you to know that not only is it of the utmost importance that JB receives a raise but I also thought it would be nice to tell you that Sheamus is in danger.

-Stephanie McMahon-
A rai-- what? How is Sheamus possibly in any kind of danger?

-Alex Shelley-
Because I’m coming for his belt.

Shelley winks at Stephanie then walks away leaving her to process his words while also getting out of her way because she’s no doubt pissed off that he made her come all the way out there. Breakdown fades to a commercial break as a visibly angry Stephanie looks over at Borash who withers in the intensity of her glare and he too gets out of there before she takes her anger out on him.

Breakdown returns to the sound of boos as Damien Sandow appears on the screen.

Damien Sandow
Allow me to beg your indulgence for just one moment..



Damien Sandow
My name is Damien Sandow, and I am the Intellectual Savior of the Unwashed Masses..

The crowd lets out another loud boo.

Damien Sandow
You may boo me now, but one day you shall come to me in herds, flocking at my feet, wishing to thank me. For, I am here to better each and every one of you. Although, judging from the smell of this place a shower would be enough to accomplish that small feat. However unlike a shower would I wish not to cleanse your body, no, I wish to cleanse your minds…



Damien Sandow
Cleanse them of the buzzing that has subliminally been forced into your heads. A buzzing which has only one purpose.. To distract you. Keep your mind occupied with tweets and snapchats and away from the real issue at hand… That the masses are becoming less and less intelligent day by day. And that issue is proven just by observing all of you…  Sure, you might all know how to find a calculator app on multiple devices but can any of you do basic math in your head without using your fingers? No. You might all be able to use google, but tell me, how many of you know the meaning of "Corpulent" without looking it up..



Damien Sandow
Now while all of you are typing the word into your smarphones I, having a proper attention span and a mind free of meaningless distractions, can tell you off the top of my head that "Corpulent" means "very fat." Like each and every one of you are going to become, or most likely already are, by sitting around on the internet looking at memes all day!



Damien Sandow
Now I have probably already said too much for your short attention spans so I shall leave you all with this.. Tonight I face Adrian Neville. He says that he can defy gravity. Well unlike him, and unlike any of you, I actually know how gravity really works, and that being said, I know for a fact that Adrian Neville can not defy gravity. And tonight I am going to prove it in front of all of you, and for that… You're welcome.



And with that we go onto the next segment

It's the month of Halloween and if anyone knows more about costumes, it'd have to be the woman we find ourselves viewing backstage in her locker room, Layla. Dressing up every week to accompany her boyfriend Fandango to the ring, Layla's a woman of many talents, all of which she does quite well...but when it comes to picking an outfit, or an attire within an hour, well that's where she could seem to use some work.

Luckily for her tonight she has the night off from the ring, so she doesn't need to choose two separate attires, but with Fandango literally "capturing" The United States Championship last week, she no doubt wants to look her absolute best alongside the unofficial champion. Sprawled out on a table lies a multitude of options, things she's worn, and things she hasn't. It's a special occasion though, so she has to look her best, the question is...what option would that be? She grabs a hanger off the table, draped with a purple top and skirt, then smiles as she hears the door open.

[Layla]
There you are, come here Faandango! I was just trying to decide what to wear tonight, what do you think of this one? It's not too much, so it won't take the spotlight off of you, but I'll still look...FLAWLESS!

A voice behind her, that isn’t Fandango’s, pipes up and it makes Layla jump in fright. She thought she and her man were alone back here with all these beautiful outfits for them to share to really solidify themselves as XWL’s power couple, guess not.

[???]
I think it would great on you.

Layla smiles in appreciation, even though she isn’t being told anything she already doesn’t know. Spinning on her heels he turns to face the owner of the voice and it turns out to be Athena! This would come as a surprise – Athena approaching Layla to compliment her – but after last week when Athena publically made a peace offering then went out of her way to lend Layla a helping hand when she was almost tasked with the job of fending off both Bayley and Paige on her own, this may be a more common sight going forward as hard as it still may be to imagine.

[Athena]
Hey…

[Layla]
Well hey yourself, and thanks..I'm still trying to decide but there's never anything wrong with stating the obvious.

[Athena]
Look, about last week I just wanted to say that I’m sorry, and I know that I must sound like a broken record with all of these apologies, but I mean it, I really do. I don’t know what I was thinking when I ran out there to join your team. It just felt like you didn’t believe me when we were together in the ring and I told you I wanted to just start over and so I was just thinking that maybe my actions would convince you, but I probably made everything worse. I mean, you’re Layla, you probably would have beaten them both without any help, but I just had to go and ruin it all by sticking my nose where it didn’t belong.

Layla may have her reservations about buying what Athena’s selling, but the rookie sure does know how to flatter a woman. Layla beating Bayley and Paige single-handily? Yeah, that sounds about right, and Layla has a hard time keeping the smile off her face as the fantasy plays out in her mind. If Athena notices that she’s slowly winning the British beauty over it isn’t showing, as she still looks humbled and apologetic over what transpired last week.

[Athena]
I understand if you don’t forgive me and I didn’t come here for that. I only wanted to clear the air and hope that we can move from this, because if last week was about starting fresh then we definitely got off on the wrong foot, huh? This probably won’t mean anything to you, but even though things didn’t go exactly as I planned, I had a lot of fun teaming with you and now I can understand why women like Michelle McCool, Paige and Madison Rayne flock to you: you know what you’re doing and I felt like a million bucks standing in your corner. I hope everything goes well for you and Fandango...I’ve, um, got a match to get ready for.

Athena takes a deep breath, relieved to get that off her chest, but perhaps a tad disappointed to barely get anything out of Layla. It still must be a lot for the former Divas Champion to take in, though, as it was just weeks ago that these two were at each other’s throats with Athena going so far as to nearly break Layla’s ankle with a defective shoe. It’s hard to imagine that now Layla is supposed to look at Athena and not prepare herself for a brawl, but that’s steadily becoming the case. Athena turns to leave the room, when Layla finally gives her a break and calls out to her.

[Layla]
Athena, wait....

Turning around almost instantly, Athena stares at Layla's poker face wondering what she might say, now that she's started speaking that is. Is it going to be an insult? Is it going to be something, dare we say....nice? You can't tell what Layla's thinking, and that's always the danger with someone like her, because anything could be racing through that mind, and you won't know what exactly is until she discloses it herself.

[Layla]
This still feels, a little awkward all things considered. But, I do appreciate you having my back last week, I'd have appreciated it a lot more if we didn't lose...but that's beside the point. I guess what I'm trying to say is, thank you.

Hell's getting colder by the second, and at this rate Satan will be encased in ice in no time at all. Athena herself even seems a bit shocked that Layla actually said those two words just now. Layla isn't usually someone that thanks you, let alone if your gesture failed like Athena's did.

[Layla]
I'm a cynic at heart, mostly because I've experienced what this business can be like in pretty much every scenario imaginable...so I'm trying really hard not to fall into some sort of trap, but even I wouldn't go to the lengths of helping my prey when they were already on a platter for the wolves. You could have easily left things how you did last week, but you didn't. Now either you're really bad at being bad...or you really do want things to be better between us.

Athena smiles warmly now that she’s seeing that Layla is responding positively to this attempt at a refreshed relationship.

[Athena]
Yeah, I wish the match would have gone better myself and it really sucks because we were so close to beating them so many times. I mean, we had them right where we wanted them until Bayley got lucky when she hit that suplex on you. And did you see the way the referee got in my way when he started counted? Now I don’t want to cry foul, but there was plenty of space around the ring and he just so happened to end up over there? Now I see where you’re coming from, Layla. I’m sure that’s not the first time you’ve had victory taken from you like that, and you just shake it off and keep going even though you have every right to complain and demand that you be treated just like the other women.

Athena loses herself for a moment as she stares at the dress Layla is holding and then looks over Layla’s shoulder at all the dazzling outfits laid out on the table.

[Athena]
But then again, you’re not really like all the other women, I see that now. I used to think being a diva meant you should only care about what you do in the ring, but I realize that it’s okay to care about your looks too. You’re living proof that you can be dominant and beautiful – you can kick butt and look good doing it. Sure we shouldn’t be worried about our hair getting messed up or breaking a nail, but that doesn’t mean we have to look like something straight out of a horror movie. Instead of hating and judging you, we should be learning from you and it’s a shame that for a lot of these women it’s simply too late to bounce back.

To the fans that immediately took a shine to Athena, this must not only come as a shock to hear her speak the way she is, but also be a bit disappointing too. Maybe she's right, maybe they don't give Layla credit where they should, but even if she's successful, and a different type of competitor with a proven track record of great things...that doesn't excuse having such an attitude like she does.

[Layla]
Looking good, means feeling good. In this business, your attire is sort of like...your armor. You wouldn't head into battle with just anything, would you? No, you'd wanna feel good with your choice of attire, and that's part of being good in itself. Like take into account that pretty sweet robe you wore last week. I bet you feel like a Million bucks when you put that on, right?


Nodding slightly, Athena's smile remains intact, and you could almost mistake this conversation to be one that friends would have. How's that for another cold spell in hell for you?

[Layla]
If you wanna be a star, you need to look the part. Nobody's going to believe in someone that looks like they came out there in their workout clothes. Like Madison Eagles, she's always in some kind of a crop top and skirt combination. We're in front of millions and millions of people, they want to see warriors do battle, and what's a warrior without their armor?

Athena closes her eyes and for a moment she imagines what it will look like and what it will feel like later in the night when she once again dons her robe, her armor, prior to her battle with Nikki Bella.

[Athena]
You have a point there: presentation is everything. It’s like I still think I’m wrestling in the indies in front of many a hundred people, but XWL is the big stage, where every night you’re competing in front of thousands of people, maybe millions! That’s a big shift, and some of the girls who came up the same path I did still haven’t had that wakeup call and are stuck in that outdated mindset. Whether we like it or not what we do in the ring is just as important is how we look doing it and if we want to have a lasting impact… well, we have to make sure that our armor is always nice and shiny.

For a moment Athena smiles…but then it fades away as a thought that crosses her mind dampens her spirits.

[Athena]
And pretty soon I’m going to have to put mine on… I really hate that I have to leave so soon, especially when it looks like we’re finally getting somewhere, but if I don’t prepare I’m going to be in for a long night. After the chamber and he fiasco that was last week, I’m really hoping that tonight I’m able to bounce back, or at the very least have the opportunity to shine on my own without having to share the ring with a bunch of other women. I’m not going to be lie, it would be great to pick up the win tonight, but the odds are pretty slim that Nikki Bella is going to make it easy for me. You know, the woman who pinned you recently? And last week took out your friend and nearly made you fight in a handicap match? Yeah, that Nikki Bella. I was wondering if you would be kind enough to share any tips… The armor stuff was great and I don’t want to sound ungrateful or pushy or anything, but I would appreciate it so much if you told me specifically about her.

Boy could she ever tell you about Nikki, they're as close to mortal enemies as it gets. Last year during the diva rivalry of the year, the main bad blood was between Layla and Nikki, and that blood hasn't been forgotten about a year later.  

[Layla]
Ugh, don't even get me started on her. She's like, that annoying fly that just keeps buzzing around you, such an attention whore. She walks around here calling herself "fearless" when in reality her little catch phrase should be clueless, because that's exactly what she is.

That doesn't really help Athena prepare to face her, that's strictly based off perception, not what Nikki is like to be against...

[Layla]
She's always been the weaker of the two Bella Twins, Brie at least has been Divas Champion, not for nearly long enough for anybody to EVER remember that...but she had what it takes to win the belt, while Nikki's about as big of a flop as it gets. If I can give you any advice, it's to keep your composure should she get the chance to hoist you up for The "Rack" Attack. It's easy freak out , but if you're ready for it...you can nail that fake little bitch with an elbow right to her collagen injected face, and break...that hussy as you'd put it.

Athena nods as Layla gives her this extremely sound and useful advice. She probably wishes she had a notepad to jot all this indispensable information down.  

[Athena]
That was great, Layla, even better than I was hoping to get, and after you went out of your way to help me out what I’m going to say next is going to sound really bad… but here goes: I’m just really nervous that I’m going to forget all of that, you know, being a rookie and all. I only wish there was a way for me to have all of that amazing advice while I’m actually wrestling Nikki…


This strange conversation continues and in a way we almost can't process at first...is, is Athena throwing hints around to get Layla to, accompany her to the ring? Is that how completely crazy things have become? Though you can't fault a rookie for wanting to be taken under the wing of a successful vet we suppose...  

[Layla]
Are you...are you saying, what I think you're saying?


Layla please, don't be you for just one minute, you know what she's saying, why ya gotta go and make things so complicated? Layla doesn't wait for a reply and instead lightly laughs. But not in a oh please you're not worth my time bitchy sort of way, but whatever the opposite of that is.

[Layla]
Well all you had to do was ask Athena, of course I'll go out there with you. I mean I don't exactly lend my expertise to just anyone...but, you've shown a little bit of wits the last two weeks, and I've got the night off anyways...so, what the hell? Plus, the look on that Frankenstein entitled bitch's face when it's your hand raised at the end of it all, will more than make it worth my time.

[Athena]
Really? Wow! Thank you so much, Layla! After everything that we’ve been through it means so much to hear you say that. I know Madison is supposed to be your BFF and all that but you being so willing to lend a helping hand just goes to show that you’re a lot nicer person than people are willing to admit. And I can’t help but feeling that with you being in my corner, Nikki is as good as defeated. I know, I know, counting my eggs before they hatch and all that, but Nikki has nobody in her corner and I have one of XWL’s greatest divas in mine, those aren’t great odds for her. Can’t wait to see you out there, Layla. If you’ll excuse me, I have to go get my robe…or my armor, as they say.

With a smile Athena spins and exits the room, completely amped up and excited for the match to come, a lot more so now because she’ll have Layla by her side when they walk down the ramp. Layla and Athena…working on the same side. It looks like last week wasn’t an anomaly and despite Athena’s plan ultimately backfiring on her, it didn’t hinder her from sneaking into Layla’s good graces. Layla likes to think she’s the queen of this division, the sun that everything revolves around…well it looks like she’s has pulled another planet into her orbit.

The door can be heard closing shut off screen and now that she’s alone again, Layla takes a deep breath along with taking a moment to let everything that just happened. Does she even really realize what she agreed to do? If she does it seems to be the last thing on her mind, because now that she's left on her own, her sights return to the many outfits laid out. She grabs the first outfit we saw about five minutes ago, then nods placing it against her body and liking what she sees.

[Layla]
Oh yes, that's the one. Get ready Mr. United States Champion, because this is all yours.



Oh joy now she's talking to herself, but the real joy comes just a few seconds later when thankfully we fade away from Layla's fantasy and to an advertisement promoting Halloween Havoc.  

As we come back from commercial break the camera focuses on Adrian Neville backstage

Adrian Neville

So The Intellectual Savior is trying to prove his point by beating me tonight, Huh? He was also throwing words around like Corpulent, well mate you don't exactly have abs yourself, now do you? Here is a word for you "Manipulation". You see I don't think I can defy gravity, I know I can manipulate it into thinking I don't exist. And I'm going to show you tonight why I am "The Man Gravity Forgot"!

(I'm on my iPad till further notice, my computer crashed. I will have better and longer promos sometime around Christmas)

We're back live and ringside for the next match. Justin Roberts has taken his position in the ring, now all that's left to do is wait for the first person to make their entrance.




Fandango's entrance music starts up right on cue, and the fans still burned by his saga with CM Punk, and it's unexpected end result...boo accordingly. For an interesting turn of events, to say the least...things seem to be changed up in light of what happened last week. For just after the music begins, a flurry of red, white, and blue confetti begin to fall at the top of the stage, and appearing out from behind it is the new "holder" of The United States Championship, Fandango! He swoops through the near blinding wall of colored bits, and strapped tightly around his waist is the object of his recent desire, Karl Anderson's newly won United States Championship. His hands rub the base of the belt, moving to the beat of not only his music, but whatever tune the title sends shivering through his fingers. While the title may not belong to him, it's quite evident that he shares a special connection with it...to what extent that connection goes, well who really knows.  






As the last confetti falls, Layla appears looking as stunning as she hoped to look earlier when she was deciding what to wear. She doesn't waste a single second doing any subtle dancing, instead she jumps right down to her knees, grabbing at Fandango's title which is totally there...Her hand rests on it as she rises back up, and then Fandango's hand moves over from petting her head, to stroking "his" prize. Layla scurries over to the other side of Fandango, extending her hand out to his, which he always takes, and then whirls her up against him, and The Untied States Championship, before she sensually lowers down then pops back up and is twirled to the side she was just on, making the whole moving thing a little redundant, but they don't let that stay in our minds for long because they immediately strike a pose, which is even more eye snatching than usual given the fact that there's a new accessory in the mix.  


[Justin Roberts]
The following contest is scheduled for one fall, introducing first...accompanied by Layla, residing within the heart of Broadway, weighing in at two hundred and forty four pounds... FaaanDango!!

Their pose comes to an end, and the two begin to walk down the ramp, rhythmically moving with each step, until Fandango suddenly sends his British Beauty spiraling down the ramp as he walks behind her. He grabs a hold of  The United States Championship again, smirking quite proudly, then as his lay-day comes to a halt, their two hands join together once more and they head to the ring.
 



The Dancing Duo round the corner, ignoring any boos or jeers directed them, and then Fandango hoists Layla up into air, placing her on the apron as he turns around and strikes yet another pose with his stolen prize. The strangely suave superstar then takes a few steps forward, before spinning back around and leaping up onto the apron standing alongside Layla now. He places his foot on the bottom rope, lifting the middle one up, allowing Layla entry. But he's not one to just simply go into the ring like a normal person, he's a very showy individual and that's especially evident by how he usually enters the square circle. Falling backwards against the ring post, encouraging the audience to make some noise, he quickly kicks both legs up launching himself over the ropes and landing in the ring.



With a little extra fancy foot work, Fandango sashays his way to the center of the ring, then Layla takes her place directly in front of him, dropping down into a full split as Fandango grabs a hold of The United States Championship and moves around until his theme ends, and the next superstar's begins.





[Justin Roberts]
And his opponent! From Hollywood, Florida! Weighing two-hundred and twenty-three pounds! Doooooooooooolph Ziggleeeeeeeeeeer!





The Show Off makes his ever-famous "Ziggle Wiggle" to the delight of all the ladies in the crowd, showing off his own dancing skills as Fandango and his Layday look on mildly unimpressed, Layla's hand on Fandango's chest as the Ballroom Brawler narrows his eyes. Dolph tosses his T-shirt to a lovely lady in the front row, who swoons as the referee calls for the bell.

DING! DING!

The match starts off with Fandango dancing a circle around Dolph as Dolph just breathes out a sigh. Finally Fandango steps up to Ziggler, beginning to shout out his name the way he loves to shout it before Dolph just decides to cold-cock him with a right! Fandango staggers back into the ropes as Dolph pounces, the Show Off taking it to the dancer as Layla stands at ringside shouting insults and pleas for Dolph to stop as the ref finally steps in to push Ziggler away from Fandango, now in a fetal position in the corner, but not before Ziggler gets a stomp in to the top of the head.

Ziggler combs his hands through his hair as Fandango tentatively stands back up to his feet, the former World Champion's eyes boring into his head as he finally comes forward, engaging in a tie-up with the Show Off, who gets the better of it as he transitions a headlock into a waistlock before heaving Fandango up and back down for a German, scoring a quick one-count before Fandango pops up his left shoulder. As Fandango rolls to his feet, Dolph looks for the Superkick, causing Fandango to duck down under the bottom rope as Ziggler leans over the ropes, taking an unsuccessful wild swipe at him. Dolph shouts towards the fans cheering him on as Layla comforts her bae while XWL goes to a commercial break.

After the commercial break, Fandango has the highly-energized Show Off grounded with a side sleeper, Dolph begins to pound his foot against the mat as the crowd claps their hands in support, eventually aiding Dolph to a vertical base as he elbows Fandango in the gut twice, only for Fandango to grip the bleach-blonde mop of hair to harshly yank Ziggler to the ground as Layla applauds happily, Fandango beginning to rhythmically, expertly step in a dance around Ziggler's body before dropping to a knee as he straddles Dolph's waist, raining down lefts and right hands while Dolph attempts to cover up, the ref reaching four before Fandango backs off. Dolph tries to get back to his feet as the referee is distracted by Fandango, only for Layla to interfere with a harsh slap across the cheek before turning around and putting on the typical innocent act as Fandango goes for the cover, only earning a quick two before Dolph pops out.

Fandango shakes his head, unfazed in his focus on defeating Ziggler as he goes to pick Dolph up, only for Dolph to free himself and begin to fire off right hands and kicks to the stomach, backing Fandango into the corner with one last hard kick before Dolph leaps, hitting a Body Avalanche in the corner before shooting Fandango into the corner opposite them, following up with a second Avalanche, sending Fandango to a knee. Ziggler licks his lips as he picks the spot, dropping Fandango with the Famouser, an ode to Billy Gunn! Ziggler hooks both legs, but only gets two as the crowd groans in dismay that Fandango was not put away there.

Ziggler looks to put Fandango away with the Zig Zag but Fandango grips onto the ropes, causing Ziggler to smack his back against the mat, Fandango following with a bridge roll-up for a quick two before Dolph barely escapes with a shoulder up, wrapping his legs around Fandango's head in a headscissors, grounding him before Layla aids Fandango illegally once more, draping his foot over the rope, causing the ref to call for a break as Layla plays innocent yet again, this time fluffing up her hair as she cheers on her dance partner. Ziggler finally has enough, shouting down at Layla to get away from the ring before Fandango rolls Ziggler up in a schoolboy, getting two before Dolph rolls out, connecting with a huge Superkick! Dolph drops down and hooks the leg, only for Fandango to kick out at two once more, causing Dolph to pound the mat in frustration.

Dolph growls in annoyance as he shouts at Fandango to rise, gripping him for the Zig Zag only for Fandango to shake him off while gripping the ropes! Fandango spins for a Discus Clothesline, but Ziggler ducks, and connects this time with a Zig Zag! The crowd goes wild at the finishing maneuver as Fandango looks out of it! Ziggler covers, and the referee gets to two before Layla hops up on the apron distracting the ref as she complains that Dolph poked Fandango in the eye or raked his eyes or something similar! Ziggler keeps Fandango's legs hooked as Layla argues with the ref, when suddenly...



Fandango's Layday's eyes nearly bug out of her beautiful head at the sound of the familiar theme, sending the crowd into cheers! Summer Rae is back and looking better than ever before as she storms down the ramp, looking to take out the dastardly Brit keeping Dolph from gaining the win over Fandango!



[Jerry "The King" Lawler]
Summer Rae is back! Summer Rae is back!

[Jim Ross]
And I think Layla is about to get herself a bonafide trip to the woodshed!

Summer glares at Layla who is shouting for her to stop, finally pulling on Layla's ankles, unceremoniously yanking her off the apron, the former Divas Champion's back slamming with a thud off the mat as Summer mounts Layla, beginning to bounce her head like a ball off the mat as the ref bends in between the ropes, trying to call for them to stop! Unfortunately, with his view off the match, Fandango stands up, scoring with a very illegal blow between the legs of Dolph Ziggler, quickly spinning him down face-first with the Last Dance! Fandango beckons the ref as he nonchalantly covers Ziggler, gaining the three count over the KO'd Show Off while Layla and Summer are still going at it!






[Justin Roberts]
Here is your winner....Faaaaaaaaaaaaandaaaaaaaaaaaaaaangooooooooo!




Summer stops and looks up as Fandango's theme plays, seeing Fandango celebrating like he just claimed the XWL World Heavyweight Championship as Ziggler holds his forehead, beginning to stir against the ropes. Summer slides in carefully, kneeling by Ziggler's side to both check on him and to apologize for costing him the match, which Ziggler seems to accept as he nods before pointing way too late as Layla charges Summer, bowling her over with an elbow to the back, the two getting into it in the middle of the ring, rolling around in their catfight as the male crowd cheers both brawling Divas on!

The crowd boos as Fandango gently yanks his Layday away from Summer Rae as the two women claw at each other, Fandango putting Layla in the corner before Dolph explodes out of the corner with a huge Superkick, sending Fandango crashing to the mat before he slumps from the ring, Layla scampering out as Dolph stops Summer in her tracks while she goes for Layla, the pair exchanging a few words together as Fandango stumbles up the ramp, with Layla not far behind after retrieving the stolen United States Championship. Dolph looks up and down Summer's body, pursing his lips before suddenly...








The pair of blondes in the ring pull away from one another, Summer with a soft smirk on her face, which Dolph returns. Fandango, however, looks on clutching his injured jaw with Layla rubbing his arm and giving him soft coos of encouragement. Yet, he appears almost hurt by Summer seemingly moving on from him to the Show Off. Ziggler may have lost the match, but he also may have just won himself some future back-up in a rematch in Summer Rae!

Breakdown returns from a quick commercial break advertising XWL Supercard to a shot of Dolph Ziggler sitting in his locker room holding his head, the leggy and beautiful Summer Rae standing behind him rubbing his shoulders.

[Summer Rae]
Are you sure you're okay, Dolph? You hit your head pretty hard...and I know you've had a couple concussions...I-

[Dolph Ziggler]
I'm fine, Summer. Really. You don't have to worry about me. Just worry about Fandango getting his face kicked off like what should've happened tonight.

Summer lets out a soft sigh at Dolph's stubbornness, strutting around him to take a seat in the Show Off's lap, pressing a gentle kiss to his lips before placing her hands on his shoulders.

[Summer Rae]
I'm just worried about you, Dolph...I know how much of a...jerk Fandango can be. And then there's that old hag. I just...feel bad for making you lose. I just feel like it's all my fault that he-

[Dolph Ziggler]
Don't worry about it, Summer. Wasn't your fault. You're not the one who had to cheat to get the win tonight, y'know.

[Summer Rae]
I....fine. Are you sure you're okay though?

Dolph sighs in mild frustration at Summer over-repeating the same damn question, but in the back of his mind, he knows the ex-dancing partner of Fandango is just worried about his health. Summer, however, is not just focused on his health, but on the tanned body of the Show Off, her teeth nibbling her bottom lip.

[Dolph Ziggler]
I'm good...my back just hurts from carrying Fandango through that match.

The joke causes Summer to giggle softly as Ziggler flashes a smirk at his own words.

[Summer Rae]
Hm...really now? I have an idea...lay on the couch.

Dolph shrugs as Summer stands on her feet, tugging her pink dress down back where it belongs as Ziggler moves to lay face down on the couch. Summer flashes a smirk ever-so similar to his own before straddling his waist, beginning to rub his shoulders and back as we cut back to ringside.

[Jerry Lawler]
Aw, man....some guys just have all the luck, JR!

[Michael Cole]
Oh, right...Summer's such a catch that Fandango kicked her to the curb for Layla. She's a loser, just like Ziggler! They're a match made in heaven!

[Jim Ross]
Well, moving on...

As Breakdown rolls on the cameras are rolling backstage in a corridor as Machine Gun Karl Anderson frantically looking for something asking everyone he comes by for assistance

[[Karl Anderson]]
Have you seen Fandango?

As the backstage worker he's asked shrugs and walks off, Anderson quickly finds another one clearly in desperate need of help

[[Karl Anderson]]
Fandango. Have you seen him?

The worker looks blankly at Anderson unable to help him

[[Karl Anderson]]
Just get out of here, I can't believe this. You've got to be kidding me, I've just won that thing and it's been stolen already.

Anderson then walks off as he shouts down the hallway hoping somebody will be forward and help him

[[Karl Anderson]]
Does anybody know where Fandango is?

As Karl is shouting down the hallway, his Bullet Club compatriot Madison Eagles comes up to him trying to get his attention

[[Madison Eagles]]
Karl, Karl. Calm down, we'll find him, he's got to be around here somewhere.

As Eagles tells him to calm down Anderson replies still shouting clearly irate at the situation

[[Karl Anderson]]
Calm down? I am calm! I just want my title back.

[[Madison Eagles]]
We'll get your title back, don't worry, I'm sure he's around here somewhere, we've just got to find him.

[[Karl Anderson]]
He better be, I've been champion for what, five minutes? And someone's stole my title already? I'm not OK with that, that's not cool.

Anderson and Eagles start to walk down the corridor looking for Fandango together

[[Karl Anderson]]
You know what, we've had a pretty bad few weeks, first Prince got deported, AJ got robbed of the title, someone stole my title.

With Machine Gun listing off the Bullet Club's problems Madison adds a problem of her own onto that list when it appears Anderson has forgotten about it

[[Madison Eagles]]
...Bayley took my title.

[[Karl Anderson]]
Yeah, that too. But the point is ever since Eye for an Eye it's all been down hill for us. And you know if Prince was still around Fandango wouldn't of stole my title. Where were you guys anyway? You could of stopped this whole thing.

[[Madison Eagles]]
Where was I? Where were you at Eye for an Eye? You're not the only one who lost their title.

[[Karl Anderson]]
That was different, you were locked in the Chamber, what the hell was I going to do.

As the two continue to walk the hallways Anderson turns to Eagles not recognizing where they've gone

[[Karl Anderson]]
Where are we anyway?

[[Madison Eagles]]
I don't know, I think the locker room's this way.

Madison opens a near by door as she walks through it

[[Karl Anderson]]
He'll probably be in there.

Anderson then follows Madison into another hallway

[[Madison Eagles]]
I can't believe we haven't looked their yet, it seems like the most obvious place to look.

[[Karl Anderson]]
Exactly, there's no way he's there. Why would anyone go to the locker room if they're hiding?

[[Madison Eagles]]
Maybe he's not hiding.

[[Karl Anderson]]
Why wouldn't he be hiding from us? We're the god damn Bullet Club, if he's not hiding from us then he should be.

[[Madison Eagles]]
Why isn't AJ helping out anyway?

[[Karl Anderson]]
He's busy, you know he's got to prepare for his big match tonight, an Iron Man match against Sheamus, this is a huge match for him, if he pulls this one off then who knows?

Anderson opens a door and walks through it with Madison following him to the outside

[[Karl Anderson]]
No, wrong way.

As Karl says that the door behind them closes and the two stand their in silence as Anderson realizes what's just happened and he asks Madison something with his back still turned to her

[[Karl Anderson]]
Don't tell me we've locked ourselves out.

Madison doesn't say anything for a second or two causing Anderson to start shouting in anger once again

[[Karl Anderson]]
DAMN IT!

As Anderson continues to rant and rave the cameras cut to Madison who is looking over at the building then after a second or two she notices something then instantly tries to get Karl's attention

[[Madison Eagles]]
Karl!

However Anderson continues to flip out forcing Madison to shout his name again

[[Madison Eagles]]
Karl!

This time Anderson hears her as he shouts back at her

[[Karl Anderson]]
What?!

Madison looks over to the arena pointing at another door

[[Madison Eagles]]
There's another door here... Let's go.

Anderson stands there for a brief moment looking somewhat embarrassed over how he reacted before the duo walk back inside the arena to continue their search for Fandango

Breakdown's next segment is preceded by a video package recapping last week's Breakdown main event, where World Heavyweight Champion Chris Jericho was ordered to defend his championship against the Big Red Monster Kane.  It looked like Jericho was in complete control and moments from victory, as he had his patented Liontamer submission hold locked in...

video package from last week wrote:

Jim Ross
The Liontamer!!! Chris Jericho has got Kane locked into the Liontamer!! There's nowhere to go!!

Jerry Lawler
Just look at the way Kane's back is bent, that's not natural, it's got to be over here.

Michael Cole
Stephanie handpicked this man right here to end the reign of Chris Jericho, and it doesn't seem to have gone the way she'd hoped.

Kane is struggling, his back is aching, Jericho has had him locked into the Liontamer for about thirty seconds now. You can tell by the look on his mask that he's in a lot of pain, he raises his palm off the canvas, he moves to bring it down, it looks like he's about to tap out, but he restrains himself, his hand hovering over the canvas...

Jim Ross
What on earth?!...

Jim Ross expresses shock as the chosen one, Drew Mcintyre jumps over the barricade and charges the ring, hitting Jericho with a big boot to the face, breaking the hold!! The referee calls for the bell as Drew helps Kane to his feet.

Ring Announcer
Here is your winner by disqualification, and still your World Heavyweight Champion, Chris Jericho!!

Kane gets back to one knees, and pushes Drew away, refusing his assistance. Drew seems pissed, but he has no time to think about that, as Jericho is back to his feet, and making a beline toward him! But no! He's stopped in his tracks as the big red machine wraps his hand around his throat. Jericho's trapped in his grip, he tries to get out of it, but Kane's inhuman force prevents him as he gets back up to his feet, still with his hand wrapped firmly around Jericho's throat, he walks a few paces as Drew watches on, before lifting Jericho up off the canvas and into the air, looking for his chokeslam... But it's not to be!! Jericho releases himself from the grip and jumps back down to the canvas, connecting with a dropkick which startles Kane, but Jericho's outnumbered, Drew charges toward him and brings him down with a huge clothesline, knocking the world heavyweight champion inside out!!

Jim Ross
I don't believe this!! What the hell is Drew Mcintyre doing down here? He has no business interrupting a World Heavyweight Championship match like this! How dare he?!

Jerry Lawler
I don't like this either JR, but try not to work yourself up too much, after the way he spoke to these people tonight, this is exactly what Jericho deserves.

Michael Cole
Are you kidding me? No one deserves this, least of all the best in the world.

Having regained his composure, Kane turns his attention back to the floored Jericho, this time leaning over to wrap his hand around his throat for a second attempt as Drew Mcintyre exits the ring and grabs two steel chairs from ringside! Kane forcefully lifts Jericho to his feet before hoisting him up in the air and slamming him back down again with a chokeslam from hell! Jericho is out, but it doesn't look like these two are done yet as Drew tosses the chairs into the ring, before getting back into it himself. Drew lifts the steel chair up off the ground and raises it above his head, smacking it down against Jericho's body. Jericho lets out a yell as Drew continues to drive the chair into his ribs over and over again, until he finally stops, throwing the chair to one side. Drew smirks, the sick freak is enjoying every second of this, and so is his partner in crime!

Jerry Lawler
Ok, you're right Michael, no one deserves this...

Drew barks at Kane, ordering him to lift Jericho back up to his feet, and Kane complies, lifting Jericho up, but to his surprise, Jericho still has a bit of fight left in him! He pokes Kane in the eyes, getting back to his feet, Jericho lashes out with a strike, then another strike to Kane, but Kane blocks the second, and hits him with an uppercut, dazed, Jericho turns around into a ready Drew who catches him in an STO! To the misfortune of the champion, he lands face first onto a conveniently placed Steel Chair, laid out with his head on the chair, it looks like things can't possibly get any worse, but they do, as Drew rolls Jericho over and starts delivering strikes to his skull.

Jim Ross
This is disgusting!!! Where is the security god damn it!?

Jerry Lawler
Jericho's in a really bad position here, he needs help, and he needs it fast!



Michael Cole
And it looks like he's about to get it.

Drew stops striking Jericho, the blood dripping down his face now, but it looks like Mcintyre has other things to worry about. Both Kane and Drew prepare themselves for a fight as Seth Rollins bulldozes down the ramp to a huge reaction. Seth Jumps onto the apron and dives over, nailng Kane with a huge dropkick that knocks Kane down and out of the ring! Drew's in shock that Seth took Kane out so easily, Seth taunts him to come to him.

Jerry Lawler
Thank god for Seth Rollins.

Jericho manages to look up, seeing Seth fight his corner, he wants nothing more than to get his hands on Drew, he tries to muster the strength to get up as Drew runs towards Seth, who ducks underneath and continues to the other side of the ring. Jericho adjusts his body, back to his feet but not standing straight, he's arched over, trying to get himself back into the action, as Seth Rollins rebounds off the ropes, but he takes a detour and to the surprise of everyone in the arena, Seth Rollins jumps up and drives his boot into the back of Chris Jericho's head, Jericho's slumps right back down onto the steel chair as the whole arena sits in stunned silence.

Jim Ross
NO!!! NO!!! GOD DAMN IT NO!!!

Jerry Lawler
I can't believe it...

With a cold expression on his face, Seth looks down at Jericho, before turning to look at Drew, the two pricks smirk, knowing they just pulled the wool over the eyes of everyone in the arena. Seth can't help but stifle a laugh...



All eyes are diverted toward the stage as the General Manager's entrance music hits. One can only wonder, after this vicious attack on the World Heavyweight Champion during a match scheduled by this woman right here, what part does she play in this?

Jerry Lawler
I hope she's coming out here to sort this mess out.

Stephanie McMahon walks out onto the stage in a suit, you can't really tell what her opinion on all of this is, until... The former World Heavyweight Champion! John Cena has joined a smiling Stephanie McMahon on the stage! The crowd rain down on the two as they admire the destruction caused by Kane, Drew and Seth. Stephanie snaps her fingers, and like clockwork, Kane heads over to the announcers corner, and snatches the World Heavyweight Championship from the booth, before turning around and heading to the ramp.

Jim Ross
I don't believe it! This was Stephanie McMahon's idea all along! She's abusing her power as the General Manager!

Michael Cole
She's not abusing anything JR, she wants that Championship on the right man, and she found a way to make sure that it gets there. She's a wonderful general manager, and I applaud her efforts.

Jerry Lawler
Oh, so you think this is okay now?

Michael Cole
I think it's best for business.

Kane's made his way up the ramp with the Championship in his hands, he stares at Cena, who fully expects him to hand over the championship, but Kane turns to Stephanie and hands it to her. The camera pans back over to the ring where Seth and Drew stand smiling, looking down the ramp as Stephanie, with Cena on one side, and Kane on the other, raises the World Heavyweight Championship into the air to a chorus of boos.

Jim Ross
This is a sickening sight, I can't watch this...

Michael Cole
You don't have to watch it JR, but you do have to get used to it.

The camera zooms in on the stage as Stephanie continues to hold the World Heavyweight Championship up, with both Cena and Kane staring at the title as the XWL logo appears in the corner and feed cuts to black.

Once the video package concludes, Matt Striker is shown standing by in the backstage interview area with a microphone in hand.



[Matt Striker]
Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome my guest at this time... the World Heavyweight Champion... Chris Jericho.

The camera pans outwards to reveal a visibly angry Chris Jericho.  The vein in his neck is popping and his eyes burn with rage as the video is a painful reminder of what happened to him last week.



[Matt Striker]
Chris, as we just saw, last week on Breakdown you were the victim of a brutal beatdown by the strange alliance of Kane, Drew McIntyre and Seth Rollins who appeared to have been under the influence of the former World Heavyweight Champion John Cena and the Breakdown General Manager Stephanie McMahon.  No doubt you have as many questions as everybody else about the purpose of the attack last week, but I can't help but notice the World Heavyweight Championship is absent from your possession here tonight...



[Chris Jericho]
Despite what happened last week... I am not a broken man.  Stephanie McMahon, John Cena and their evil henchmen may have decided to try and make an example of me, and rob me of my World Heavyweight Championship, but I've said it before and I'll say it again:  No amount of physical pain you can put me through will stop me from being the best in the world at what I do.  I stand here right now, bruised... and hurting from top to bottom... but I am still the same man I was one week ago and I am still the World Heavyweight Champion even without the championship around my waist.  As much as they wish that weren't true, Cena, Stephanie and the three stooges can't change either of those facts.



[Chris Jericho]
I was as confused as anybody when Drew took me out from behind in the middle of my match against Kane, but I can't say I'm surprised at the lengths that Cena is prepared to go through to try and take me out.  I have the one thing that he craves the most.  The one thing that he had been without for so long and worked so hard to regain.  He was finally the face of this company again but I took it all away from him the moment we set foot in the same ring together, and he can't accept that fact.  He can't accept the fact that Chris Jericho is better than John Cena so he's formed this strange band of misfits to carry out his dirty work for him, and he's somehow convinced Stephanie to fight for his cause - which to be honest with you I'm not surprised about one bit given our history - and Cena now has possession of the World Heavyweight Championship once again.  


[Chris Jericho]
The difference is that this time it's mine.  Cena can play pretend with the championship all he wants to... he can live in his own little fantasy world and surround himself by his own group of yes men... but I am still the World Heavyweight Champion.  And until John Cena is able to defeat me one-on-one in a fair fight in the middle of the ring... with no sneak attacks... no cronies... no politics... nothing will change that fact...



Jericho stares into the camera all fired up as the feed fades to black for a commercial break...

With Breakdown continuing the cameras return to Karl Anderson and Madison Eagles backstage still on the hunt for Anderson's United States championship as the two of them are mid conversation

[[Karl Anderson]]
I'm just saying Madison, what would Prince do? That's all I'm saying, if he wasn't deported then none of this would of happened. You'd still be champion, AJ would be World Champion, Fandango wouldn't have my title. It would all be fine.

[[Madison Eagles]]
How do you figure that?

[[Karl Anderson]]
I don't know, Prince just has his ways, alright. It's just that... He just does alright. He knows what he's doing.

As they walk down a hallway they walk into a layer of smoke as it surronds them

[[Karl Anderson]]
Where's all this smoke coming from? I think it's from over there.

Anderson walks off with Madison following him to a door where is appears the smoke is coming out from underneath the door frame

[[Madison Eagles]]
I don't recognise this place.

[[Karl Anderson]]
It's a big place you know, this is the Garden after all, this is World's Most Famous Arena for the arena.

[[Madison Eagles]]
If we keep getting lost we're never going to find him.

[[Karl Anderson]]
Please, I know this place like the best of my hand.

Anderson goes to open the door but before he can turn the door handle Madison stops him

[[Madison Eagles]]
Woah, you don't want to do in there.

He takes his hand off the handle as he questions Madison's logic

[[Karl Anderson]]
Why the hell not?

[[Madison Eagles]]
That's the Boiler Room.

Anderson still looks confused as he still doesn't understand why he shouldn't go in there

[[Karl Anderson]]
So?

[[Madison Eagles]]
We don't go in the Boiler Room.

[[Karl Anderson]]
Why the hell not?

[[Madison Eagles]]
You know, things are in there.

[[Karl Anderson]]
What things?

[[Madison Eagles]]
You know like creepy things like the Wyatt's and The Undertaker.

Anderson looks baffled for a brief mokent as he tries to wrap his head around the idea of what he's jsut been told

[[Karl Anderson]]
You're trying to tell me that all of those guys hang out in the Boiler Room.

[[Madison Eagles]]
Yeah, it's like an unwritten rule. Why do you think we never see them in Caterring?

[[Karl Anderson]]
I don't know they're weird dudes, maybe they already ate before they turned up.

[[Madison Eagles]]
No, they just kind of live in there, plus I heard Mideon likes it in there too.

[[Karl Anderson]]
Mideon, you mean like...

Karl stops what he's saying midsentence not wanting to picture what he's about to say and before he says it Madison stops him from putting it out into the world

[[Madison Eagles]]
Yeah, that one.

[[Karl Anderson]]
He's a pretty weird dude.

[[Madison Eagles]]
The weirdest.

Anderson backs away from the door a step as he and Eagles continue to talk about the ongoings of the Boiler Room

[[Karl Anderson]]
Let's just stay out of there then, not because I'm scared of... Mideon, but.

[[Madison Eagles]]
Yeah, totally, I mean why would Fandango be in there with those guys?

With that said Anderson and Madison start to walk away back back the Hallway away from the Boiler Room

[[Karl Anderson]]
So do they have like some kind of weird Boiler Room society or something?

[[Madison Eagles]]
I don't know, we just don't ask questions about the Boiler Room people, it's just better that way you know? Who reallys want to know what they get up to in there anyway?

[[Karl Anderson]]
I guess so, but we still need to find my title.

[[Madison Eagles]]
I've got an idea about that, it might sound crazy, but just hear me out...

As Madison explains Anderson her plan the cameras cut out to end the segment with Bullet Club still unable to find the missing title

As the previous segment comes to an end the cameras cut to Paul Heyman whos' stood backstage ready to introduce himself to the live crowd as they're mixed between a small amount of boos and heavy cheers for the Hometown boy and arguably the greatest manager of all time then showing how much they appreciate him when Heyman says his opening line you can hear the crowd in the background saying it along with him



Paul Heyman
Ladies and Gentlemen my name is Paul Heyman...

When Heyman pauses the crowd cheer wanting to know what Paul E. has to say for himself here tonight

Paul Heyman
I guess it's true what Sinatra said isn't it, New York, New York it's a hell of a town, and a hell of a town it is because only in New York City, the Big Apple! The City that never sleeps would a man like me be given a reception like this one. Now I love a good old fashion Paul Heyman love in as much as the next guy, however unfortunately for you I do not stand before you inside the ring as I normally would, instead I'm live via Satellite, not because...

As Paul Heyman breaks the news to the Madison Square Garden crowd that he won't be there in the ring to address them in person the crowd boo in disappointment

Paul Heyman
Not because I don't want to be out there soaking up your love and appreciation for me, quite the contrary, I don't need your love.

As soon as Heyman turns on the New York crowd they start to boo him, a complete 180 from just moments ago



Paul Heyman
I don't need your appreciation, and I don't need your cheers, and I don't want them.

Heyman clears his throat as he starts to mock the New York crowd in a very whiney voice

Paul Heyman
Oh look guys, he's from here! He's one of us!

He then returns to his normal voice as he continues to rip into the XWL universe

Paul Heyman
You don't get it do you? You just don't get it. I'm not one of you, we're not the same, I don't represent you, I don't represent New York City, but there is one man that I do represent...

Again as he pauses the crowd start to boo Heyman passionately, then after a brief pause Paul Heyman starts to introduce his client



Paul Heyman
Because Ladies and Gentlemen I stand before you as the advocate to my only client on the active XWL roster, the man who has dominated the competition like no other superstar before him, the man who a few weeks ago at Eye for an Eye was robbed inside a Steel Cage, a man who was hand selected to be entered into the Elimination Chamber, the man who not only should have been entered in the Elimination Chamber match for the XWL World Heavyweight championship, but if he had he would have walked out as the brand new Undisputed XWL Heavyweight Champion of the World.

Heyman shakes is head as he remembers what happened at Eye for an Eye

Paul Heyman
But that wasn't to be now was it? No, because my client was wrongfully forced to fight for that spot inside the Elimination Chamber against a man who has done nothing but suck the life out of his industry, a man who he himself has been walking around calling each and every single person he can lay his eyes on a fraud, a pathetic worm, a parasite and a leech on the underside of society, but the irony being Mr Jericho is never before has there been a bigger hypocrite in or outside of this business than you. Never before have I witnessed a man spread such blatant lies whilst all the while criticizing everybody else for stealing from you to get to the top what you stole from the superstars who came before you, and then you have the balls to call yourself the Best in the World at everything you do? Well I've got some new for you pal because there is a Best in the World at everything he does, but his name isn't Chris Jericho, it would be the man who Chris Jericho stole from just a few weeks ago.



Paul Heyman
So Ladies and Gentlemen I'd like to introduce to you my client the real Best in the World at everything he does, the King of Wrestling, the Pound for Pound Strongest Man in XWL today, the Swiss Superman himself, my client, Cesaro!

As he's introduced Cesaro walks into camera shot standing alongside Paul Heyman who continues to speak

Paul Heyman
Now as you might be able to see my client isn't exactly in the mood for speaking right now, because he knows just how big of an opportunity was taken from him at Eye for an Eye, but let me assure you that my client is ready for a fight, and against my best advise he will fight any man, woman or child just name the time and place and he will be there and he will put a beating of a life time upon the person unfortunate to find themselves staring eye to eye with him. Because like the last time something was taken from him, Sami Zayn turned up and we all know what happened then, but now last week Sami Zayn turned back up again and it just so happens that my client Cesaro has yet again been robbed of a championship opportunity it was deemed fit for Sami Zayn is receive the beating of a lifetime that he was oh so long overdue at the hands of the man standing to my side, and it was a beating that my client relished and one that even I could wholeheartedly encourage because when Cesaro wants to hurt someone then he will hurt somebody and last week Sami Zayn got hurt by the hands of my client Cesaro.



Paul Heyman
Now I have been informed that it's within the best interests of the company that we take a little break following tonight and that this break is what's best for business. Now personally I disagree, and my client Cesaro disagrees, however since we don't really have a choice in the matter we will reluctantly take this forced break and we vow to return better than we have ever been. We vow to be there once Breakdown returns in a few weeks time and we will be there on night one looking for a fight, and if anybody and I do mean anybody wants to step into the ring with the Swiss Superman, the King of Wrestling, my client Cesaro on Breakdown's relaunch episode then we're just one phone call away. And if anybody decides that they have the balls to step into the ring, with a fully fresh, fully rested, fully focused most dominant force in XWL today then I'm not a hard man to find. And for the XWL universe, we'll be seeing you around. Thank you.

When Heyman finishes speaking, he and Cesaro look down the lens of the camera as it slowly fades out to a commercial break

As Breakdown continues the cameras are rolling in the arena as the theme of XWL Diva's champion Bayley starts to play through out the arena causing the fans to cheer



When Bayley walks out onto the stage the crowd cheer once again for the Diva's champion and she waves out to the fans



Jim Ross
And there she is, the XWL Diva's champion Bayley and it's always a party when this young lady is around.

Jerry "The King" Lawler
Just look at her, how can you not smile when she's around, she's just so happy all the time and the crowd love her as well.

Jim Ross
Bayley certainly is on cloud nine and rightfully so.

As she makes her way down to the ring Bayley stops half way down the ramp as she raises her arms into the air and at the same time four giant wacky inflatable dancing tube men shoot up with two on either side of her causing the crowd to cheer once again before Bayley starts to make her way down to ringside



Jerry "The King" Lawler
Whoa! Here come's the Wacky Waving Inflatable Tubemen! I love those things.

Jim Ross
Bayley might seem to be all fun and games but when that bell rings she's all business and if she didn't know that already I've got a feeling Madison Rayne is going to find that out tonight.

Michael Cole
She's Diva's champion, she hasn't been defeated in almost three months now, you'd be foolish to take her lightly.

Walking down the ramp Bayley high fives a few fans in the front row, mostly consisting of children and their parents each of them gaining a huge smile on their face once Bayley high fives them, then as Bayley makes her way around the barricade her keeps high fiving the fans until she reaches a tall person in a Wyatt Family Sheep mask who strikes Bayley with a punch knocking her down to the floor and suddenly Bayley's music stops and the person removes the mask revealing themselves to be none other than Madison Eagles!

Jim Ross
What! What the hell does she think she's doing? She just sucker punched Bayley!

Jerry "The King" Lawler
Bayley didn't see it coming.

Michael Cole
That's what a Sucker punch is, King!

Madison quickly climbs over the barricade and grabs Bayley by the head picking her up and ramming her head first into the Steel Steps, the sound of Bayley's skull echoing around the arena then as quickly as Bayley's skull bounced off the steps, Madison grabs her head again this time throwing the champion backwards onto the mat landing on the back of her head

Michael Cole
What a shot by Eagles. Bayley's head just bouncing off the floor.

Jim Ross
What's the meaning of this? Why is she attacking Bayley like this?

Michael Cole
Isn't it obvious? She wants her title back and she's sending a message right now!

With Bayley laying on the floor holding the back of her head Madison Eagles looks down at the floor and grabs the Div'as championship, clutching it tight in her hands as she shouts at Bayley whose still on the floor

[[Madison Eagles]]
This is my title! This belongs to me!

Then Madison throws the title on the floor and grabs Bayley by the head once again and drags her over to the Steel Steps placing her so Bayley's head is propped up on the steps and Madison grabs hold of the title once again shoving it in Bayley's face as she shouts at her again

[[Madison Eagles]]
This title is mine Bayley! It's mine!

Again Madison drops the title to the floor and takes a step back measuring Bayley up...




It's Paige! Paige's theme blasts around the arena has fans jump to their feet, Paige is coming to the aid of her best friend.  The frustration on Madison's face is clear to see,

Paige dashes down the ramp, slides into the ring..Madison isn't backing down and is straight onto the attack with stomps to the back of Paige but Paige fights back! Managing to get to her feet she delivers punches staggering Madison back, Madison staggers  back into the ropes and Paige clotheslines her over the top! Madison crashes to the outside as a fired up Paige shouts for her to get back in but Madison uses the announce table to get back to her feet...She takes one step towards the ring but then walks away! The crowd is let down they won't see a fight and Paige is equally as disappointed, but she now rushes to Bayley's  side to check on Bayley! Madison makes her way up the ramp, knowing she could've  been moments away from getting her revenge on Bayley.



Paige helps a shocked and hurt Bayley back to her feet as they look back up the ramp at Madison as she walks away. Bayley is now finally back on her feet with the aid of Paige. Bayley places her arms around Paige for a hug but can't hug Paige with her usual strength as the attack from Madison clearly did some damage..

Breakdown fades to a commercial or something.

*Stephanie McMahon is shown backstage in her office as there is a knock on the door.*

[Stephanie McMahon] Come in!

*Stephanie immediately gets up out of her chair in shock as a voice can be heard off screen.*

[???] H-heyyyy!!!

[Stephanie McMahon] Well well well.. if it isn’t…



[Stephanie McMahon] Brad Maddox!… Look Brad, I’m a very busy woman as you already know and I don’t have time for any of your shenanigans, I thought I had you out of my hair once and for all so please just spare me the torture of listening to you and-



[Brad Maddox] It’s lovely to see you too Ms. McMahon! Hmm, I think that might be a bit too formal. We are friends after all, Stephanie? Steph? I’ll stick with Steph.

[Stephanie McMahon] Call me Stephanie..

[Brad Maddox] Steph, as I was saying. We’ve been through a lot, the highs, the lows, but now it’s time to put all of that in the past. Let that water pass right under the bridge, sweep it under the rug, lock up our past and throw away the key! I’m thinking about a fresh start Steph, and I know you are too. What better man to face The Celtic Warrior himself than me? Let me explain this to you, you’re looking at a physical specimen, you can see my pegs just begging to be released from this tight shirt! I’ve got the charisma and skill to match too, also, also!! You’re looking at a Final Stand Main Eventer-

[Stephanie McMahon] You were the referee-

[Brad Maddox] A FINAL STAND MAIN EVENTER! And not only that, that white title belt would look fabulous with this shirt don’t you agree?

[Stephanie McMahon] I don’t.

[Brad Maddox] Look, Steph. I’ve already proven that I can beat giants, I beat the world’s strongest man Mark Henry as clean as a sheet back at Uprising! If I can handle the world’s strongest man then I can definitely handle the world’s palest man.



[Stephanie McMahon] Brad, that was a nice little audition, honestly. But just do me a favour here and read my lips… YOU.. yes, I’m talking about you. You are not employed by XWL, how hard is it to get that in your head? You do not work here! I don’t even know how you made it to my office and quite frankly I don’t want to know. So do the right thing Brad, I’ll give you a minute or two to gather your thoughts and then you’ll leave. Or else…



[Brad Maddox] You’re.. going to call security on me?



[Stephanie McMahon] Bingo! I’ll give you a minute to gather your thoughts before I expect you to leave my office for good..



[Brad Maddox] You should know better than that, Steph. This is definitely not the last you’ve seen of Brad Maddox…

*Brad smirks as he exits Stephanie McMahon’s office, he walks down the hallway as the camera follows him to the parking lot to make sure he leaves the premises. Brad walks through the parking lot as he speaks.*

[Brad Maddox] You know, a lot of people admire my guts. Not everyone can just march into an office like that-

*Suddenly things come to an instant stop when Brad Maddox is… hit by a taxi?!?*



*A taxi screeches into the arena knocking Brad down.*

[Jim Ross] Oh my god!! What the hell was that?!

*The back taxi door opens when all of a sudden.*



[Michael Cole] Dean Ambrose!! Dean Ambrose is here!!



*Dean begins to march through the backstage area without a care about a knocked down Brad Maddox.*



[Jerry Lawler] I think he’s on his way out here right now, what the hell is going on? This is a warzone!





*Ambroses’ music plays as he blasts through the curtain, the fans give a mixed reaction to Ambrose as he continues to storm through the entrance area and down the ramp now.*



[Jim Ross] We haven’t seen Dean Ambrose in the ring since he was taken out by Shawn Michaels a month ago!

[Jerry Lawler] We saw the camera footage of him causing a scene in the hospital after that event too, but that’s it.

[Michael Cole] Oh come on Lawler! Do you not remember what happened to Shawn Michaels last week? He was taken out! And you’re looking at the number one suspect!

*Ambrose climbs into the ring and immediately grabs the microphone from Justin Roberts as Roberts leaves the ring in a hurry, he wastes no time on the mic.*



[Dean Ambrose] I’m damn sick and tired of waiting, I wanna know who did it?

*Ambrose keeps his arms open awaiting a response but the fans are unsure what’s going on.*

Dean Ambrose] I’m not joking around or anything, who.. did it?

*Ambrose lowers his microphone to more silence from the crowd.*



[Dean Ambrose] Who.. attacked Shawn Michaels?

[Jerry Lawler] What?! I thought Dean was the one who took out Shawn Michaels!

[Jim Ross] He’s the one who vowed revenge on the Showstopper, if he didn’t do it, who did?



[Dean Ambrose] You see for the past month I’ve been sitting back, I’ve been waiting. Waiting for the right time to strike and to take Shawn Michaels down exactly like I had promised. I had it all planned out and I was dead set on making Shawn Michaels pay for what he did to me. I wanted to make Shawn Michaels regret the day he ever met Dean Ambrose! But last week.. last week I find out that he was attacked backstage at BreakDown? While I was sitting at home? So that’s why I would like the man who attacked Shawn Michaels to show his face right now so I can do to him what I had planned for ol’ HBK!



*Ambrose stares a hole through the stage waiting for someone to come out, the camera pans between the stage and Ambrose not sure what to expect. As time goes on Ambrose grows more and more anxious, he puts his hand on his chest and starts to tap his fingers on his chest getting more and more aggravated.*



[Dean Ambrose] Alright, alright! I get it, I’d be scared if I were you too and you have every right to be because all of the sick and twisted things I’ve done in the past here is going to be nothing compared to what I do to you. I will interrupt every single XWL match, segment, interview, anything and everything until I clear my conscience. And the only way to clear that is, of course.. revenge.



[Dean Ambrose] I’ve got an ITCH that needs to be scratched, things are about to get a lot more interesting around here folks!

*In the middle of his rant Dean throws his microphone in the air as it lands on the mat with a loud thud, he rolls out of the ring abruptly and hops over the barricade leaving through the crowd.*

[Jim Ross] Well it appears like we were wrong, gentlemen. Dean Ambrose was not the man who attacked Shawn Michaels, I certainly can’t wait to find out who did though..

[Jerry Lawler] If I had a guy like Dean Ambrose on my tails I’d be keeping my mouth shut!

We turn to the backstage area, where the Intercontinental Champion, Sheamus, is being interviewed by Byron Saxton.

Byron Saxton:
Ladies and gentlemen, with me at this time, The Celtic Warrior, and the recently recrowned Intercontinental Champion, Sheamus. Sheamus, what do you make of Stephanie McMahon's announcement regarding the Intercontinental Championship?



Sheamus:
Well, as we have seen in past instances, if there's one thing that Stephanie McMahon can do really well, it's injecting some life into the championship scene. And what better way to do that than to issue a challenge that's available for every superstar in the back? All these fellas get a chance to take on The Celtic Warrior, all they have to do is prove to Steph that they have what it takes to step into the ring with me. But you know what, fella? To be honest, regardless of who I take on for this Intercontinental title, they have to face the facts. How many times can you name the instances where The Celtic Warrior was pinned in the ring, 1-2-3? As I expected, not a lot at all. Which is why, and I say this with the utmost sincerity, I wish every fella trying to go for my title good luck, because they're going to need it when they try to take away my title! I'll be waiting, and more importantly, I'll be ready! And if you can take this Intercontinental Championship from me fair and square, then fella, you've certainly proved yourself in my eyes!

Sheamus walks away as the segment ends.

Breakdown returns to the sight of Lilian Garcia in the ring.

[Lilian Garcia]
Ladies and gentlemen... during the commercial break I've just been informed that by the order of Breakdown General Manager Stephanie McMahon... Chris Jericho will be competing in the main event which will take place right now!

The bell sounds.

[Lilian Garcia]
Also as per the order of Stephanie McMahon, the following contest will be for the World Heavyweight Championship!



Jericho's music hits and he is flanked by several security guards.  He's clearly taken aback by this impromptu title defense and completely reluctant to head towards the ring.  He's in no shape to fight back against the dozen or so muscle-heads escorting him to the ring given what he was put through at the conclusion of last week's show, so seems resigned to his fate.  The absence of the World title over his shoulder or around his waist is significant as this could very well be the last night he is champion.  Who knows what Stephanie has up her sleeve this time?

[Lilian Garcia]
Making his way to the ring, from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada... weighing in at 227 lb... he is the World Heavyweight Champion.... CHRIS JERICHO!

Jericho's introduction is met with the usual array of negativity from the fans.  Although surprisingly some remain quite muted... maybe they hate Stephanie and her new group of cronies more?  As Jericho enters the ring, he makes his disgust known by looking around at the security guards surrounding it, blocking his escape.  This will surely be daylight robbery live on television in front of millions.



[Lilian Garcia]
And the challenger, from Davenport, Iowa... weighing in at 217 lb... SETH ROLLINS!

Seth walks out onto the stage laughing maniacally to himself.  Could this situation be any more perfect for him to finally capture XWL's grandest prize?  The former King Of The Ring is clearly relishing this opportunity in front of him as he rubs his hands together in anticipation.  The World Heavyweight Champion is clearly weakened and right where he wants him.  It's his time now and nobody is going to stop him.  The biggest slap in Jericho's face here is that Rollins is already wearing the World title around his waist, which had been stolen from Jericho just one week ago.  The crowd boos Rollins more than they did Jericho as he wastes little time striding towards the ring all fired up.  One of XWL's brightest rising stars, in pristine condition... versus a broken, beaten veteran champion.  The odds don't look too great for Jericho.  Rollins slides into the ring...























CODEBREAKER!

Just as Rollins was getting to his feet in one quick motion Jericho has left him lying unconcious down on the canvas!  Jericho goes for the cover.  The fans count along with the official!


1...








2...








3!!!!!


JERICHO DOES IT!  JERICHO RETAINS HIS TITLE!



[b]As Jericho's music hits again, he quickly grabs his World Heavyweight Championship and scarpers from the ring as the other members of Stephanie's entourage, Kane, Drew McIntyre and John Cena rush down the entrance ramp in a rage.  Jericho leaps over the barricade into the safety of the XWL Universe who have seemingly shifted over to his side after this blow dealt to the scheming authority figure and her henchmen.  The crowd goes insane as Jericho holds up his repossessed title with a smirk on his face, as everyone in the ring looks on in anger and Stephanie herself who has since appeared at the top of the ramp, screams like a banshee at how her plan has backfired spectacularly.  Not only has Jericho regained his championship, but Seth Rollins embarrassed her here tonight in a big way in a matter of seconds.  

The camera focuses in on Jericho, surrounded by the XWL Universe with his title held up proudly, as the screen fades to black to the sound of "Y2J" chants and the XWL logo appears on-screen, signalling the end of this momentous episode of Breakdown...