NFW Presents: MANIFEST DESTINY IV - 05/27/2023!

Thea Crawford: The following contest i a first round match in the Event Horizon Tournament and it is set for one fall!
'FIRE, FIRE' begins to blast through the speakers as King Ripley walks out with a smirk on her lips. She stands at the top of the stage, looking out at the crowd chanting her name before she raises her arms out; which makes a pyro burst happen from the sides of the stage before she moves down the ramp. Ripley slaps the hands with a few fans before running over to the left side of the ring and hopping onto the ringside. She nods her head at the crowd before sliding into the ring.

Thea Crawford: Introducing first, at 135 pounds and wrestling out of Black Rock City, Nevada, KING RIPLEY!!

Seth Ernst: This woman just looks… wrong.

Miranda Augustino: Looks can be deceiving.

Lucas Knox: Or revealing.
Jesse struts out with the most shit-eating grin you've ever seen with a cigarette still lit in between his lips. He flicks the cigarette onto the stage and stomps it out. He extends his arms wide with his grin turning into a wide smile that shows all of his pearly white teeth. As he makes his way down the ramp he makes a couple of kids who had their hand stretched out flinch and laughs about it. He stops at the bottom of the steel steps and quickly turns around to give the fans in front all a double middle finger. He makes his way into the ring now while laughing and struts across the ring and spits a fat loogy into the crowd. He shows off his smile again while loving every single boo directed his way.

Thea Crawford: And her opponent, weighing in at 202 pounds and wrestling out of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, JESSE NUCROSS!

Seth Ernst: This one doesn’t look like he’s right either.

Miranda Augustino: You never know.

Lucas Knox: We’re about to see.


Ripley charges and catches Jesse off-guard for a Thesz Press. She rolls him into a cradle and almost starts laughing as the count starts.


Jesse crawls away and gets to the corner, pulling himself up by the top rope. Ripley comes at him and Jesse sidesteps her, spinning so that he runs her hard into the turnbuckles. He delivers a European uppercut to the back of her head and neck and laughs as she falls face first into the turnbuckles again. He grabs her arms and hits an arm trap curbstomp into the turnbuckles. Ripley collapses to the mat and Jesse covers her.


Jesse grabs her and drags her to her feet. Ripley scratches at his eyes and then delivers a big elbow smash. As Jesse falls to one knee, Ripley goes out to the floor and flip[s up the ring skirt. She grabs a kendo stick and dives back into the ring. Jesse stands up and Ripley cracks him in the mouth with the kendo stick. Jesse falls to one knee bleeding from the mouth. Ripley steps in next to him and hits an aided Russian leg sweep. Ripley covers.


Seth Ernst: Jesse Nucross is bleeding like crazy from the mouth!

Miranda Augustino: You take a shot like he did, that should not be a surprise.

Lucas Knox: I’m surprised there’s no follow up yet.

Seth Ernst: Give it time.

Miranda Augustino: Give it two seconds.

Lucas Knox: Oh I know… it just hasn’t come yet…

Ripley stands over Jesse and starts to batter him with the kendo stick. It goes up and comes down again and again and again and again. The stick starts to splinter and Ripley cracks him again before covering.


Ripley goes to stand up and Jesse grabs her from behind, slinging her into the turnbuckles again. She bounces off and Jesse catches her for an impaler DDT. Ripley hits hard, rattling the ring. Jesse covers.


Jesse goes to grab Ripley and gets pulled into an inside cradle.


The two start up and Jesse grabs her for an O’Connor roll. Ripley clings to the top rope and shrugs him off. He grabs the kendo stick and cracks him in the face with it again. Jesse goes down and Ripley covers.


Seth Ernst: These two are back and forth like a pendulum!

Miranda Augustino: And it’s just gonna keep swinging.

Lucas Knox: But it’s starting to slow down just like a Newton’s Cradle.

Seth Ernst: It’s still gonna keep hitting.

Miranda Augustino: It just might.

Ripley grabs the stick and gets set to batter up again. Jesse staggers up and the stick swings at him. He catches it under his arm and smirks as he uses it to swing her sound and toss her into the corner yet again. Ripley crashes into the turnbuckles and then staggers up after the impact. Jesse resets, stick in hands. Ripley slowly turns around and Jesse hits her in the mouth like she hit him earlier. Ripley goe down bleeding and Jesse covers her.


Jese gets Ripley up and Ripley splits his hands off her. Ripley punches him dead in the face. Jesse punches back. The two start trading, Ripley, Jesse, Ripley, Jesse, Ripley, Jesse, Ripley, Jesse, Ripley, Jesse. Blood trickles down both faces as they keep going, Ripley, Jesse, Ripley, Jesse, Ripley, Jesse. Ripley gets in a front kick and then follows with the Will-O-Wisp discus lariat. Jesse goes down hard and Ripley covers.


Ripley grabs the kendo stick again. Jesse gets to his feet and Ripley swings for the fences. Jesse catches the stick and pulls it away from her. He turns and bashes it across his knee, snapping it into two pieces. Ripley goes after his eyes and Jesse ducks into a spinebuster. He covers.


Jesse grabs the shorter half of the broken stick. He takes the jagged end and sticks it just above her eye. Ripley tries to knock him away, Jesse grabs the other half and jams the jagged end above her other eye. As the blood rolls down her face, Ripley tries to pull his hands away. Unable to move them she finally has no chance but to tap out.


Seth Ernst: What did we just witness?

Miranda Augustino: I think we got your answer.

Lucas Knox: We did, we did see.

Seth Ernst: That was just…

Miranda Augustino: You knew one of them was gonna go somewhere nasty.

Lucas Knox: And they did.

Thea Crawford: Here is your winner and advancing in the Event Horizon Tournament, JESSE NUCROSS!!

The cameras return to ringside with Thea Crawford standing in the center of the ring with the microphone at the ready.

Thea Crawford: Ladies and gentlemen, the following contest is scheduled for one fall!

Crowd: ONE FALL!

Thea Crawford: It is set for a fifteen minute time limit and it is for the NFW Genesis Championship!


Pyros hit as Videos of bustling crowds in various locations of New Orleans appear on the tron as the dark and melodic tones of the intro "Voodoo" by Godsmack blasts on the P.A. system. Tanja comes out onto the top of the ramp in a style compared to Gail Kim during her early time in TNA before heading down the ramp with some of her black leather coat flowing at her feet while the mix of boos and jeers and cheers from the crowd fills the arena. She slaps hands with a few fans at ringside before she reaches the bottom of the ramp.


Thea Crawford:: Coming to the ring hailing from New Orleans, Louisiana! She is the challenger, the Bayou Witch, Tanja Devereaux!

Seth Ernst: Wicked, diabolical and an absolute expert at getting into the head of her opponents is Tanja Devereaux, folks.

Lucas Knox: You don’t wanna meet this woman if you’re camping out in the Bayou, I’ll say that much!

Miranda Augustino: Now, why would you go camping in a swamp, Lucas? Think for a minute.

Lucas Knox: I’m just saying!

Miranda Augustino: Well, say less!

Seth Ernst: Regardless, the champion’s certainly gonna have her hands full here.


Tanja walk up towards the ring and enters via under the bottom rope and jumps onto the middle turnbuckle. She poses as she does her usual taunt with a hand and arm in the air as "Daughters of Darkness" continues to play. Tanja steps off the turnbuckle as she removes the leather coat and throws it into a random corner as "Voodoo" fades.

The camera pans around the Vlad Blackheart Colosseum as the fans are now waiting for the champion’s arrival. That's when "Still Unbroken" by Lynyrd Skynyrd hits the P.A system.


That's when Nakita Niles comes out, and the fans cheer. She's wearing a pink camouflage top, pink Camouflage cargo pants, black military boots, pink camouflage wristbands with red, white, and blue strings on it.

Thea Crawford: Her opponent: from Cobb County, Georgia, representing the Queens of Chaos! She is the NFW Genesis Champion, Nakita Niles!

Lucas Knox: Chicago loves the Genesis Champion! Listen to this!

Seth Ernst: She’s been hungry for challengers ever since she won the championship back in April in that brutal Hell In A Cell match with Alexandra Calaway. You can’t deny her fighting spirit!

Miranda Augustino: It’s gonna take a lot more than heart if she wants to walk outta here with that title still in her possession.

Lucas Knox: I don’t think you realize how strong her fighting spirit is, Miranda.

Miranda Augustino: I know Tanja Devereaux’s good at breaking any kind of spirit down to pieces when she wants to, Lucas!

Seth Ernst: Well, we’re about to find out here in a moment!


She looks at the fans and gives them a salute. She then lowers her hand as she begins to walk down the ramp. She slaps the hands of the fans before stopping at the end of the ramp.


She looks up at the ceiling and points up to the sky. Almost like she was saying something. But you couldn't really understand the sounds of the music playing. She lowers her arm and walks toward the steel steps. She then walks up and moves along the edge before entering the ring. She went toward the turnbuckle and claps her hands. She smiles at the fans and nodes.


She then looks up at the ceiling again and points up before lowering it and pointing at the cheering fans. She then drops down as her music fades.


The bell rings and the champion and challenger come out to meet in the center of the ring as the clock starts ticking down from fifteen minutes. Devereaux and Niles lock up, collar and elbow. Niles immediately uses her strength advantage to push Devereaux into the ropes and send her off across the mat with an Irish Whip. Devereaux comes back and Niles hits the drop down. Devereaux comes back from the other side and Niles goes for a Monkey Flip instead of the Back Body Drop but Devereaux scouts it and halts the action with a jumping Double Foot Stomp right to the champion’s sternum, knocking the wind out of her. Devereaux gets a twisted smile on her face as Niles rolls over onto her knees and she seizes her around the waist, looking to lift her up for a German Suplex. Niles plants her feet and fights against it, throwing back elbows to Devereaux’s head until she’s able to loosen the grip and slip around to administer her own rear waistlock. Devereaux looks to break the grip with her thumbs but Niles has it locked in tight so, instead, she wraps an arm around her head and hits a tuck and roll, catching Niles’ ankle on the descent and takes her down right into a Rolling Kneebar. Devereaux clinches it tight right out of the gate, sending Niles into a pained panic.

Seth Ernst: Nice Rolling Kneebar applied by Tanja Devereaux! She’s got that locked in beautifully!

Miranda Augustino: She’s seeing gold in her future, Seth!

Lucas Knox: Nakita Niles has to make it to the ropes or find a way out, quick!

Niles fights to reach the ropes, unable to reach the initial side that she’s going for but she’s closer to the ones parallel to herself so she’s able to wriggle around and grab onto the bottom forcing the break. The ref calls for the break but Devereaux refuses to let go until the count of four. When she does release, she rolls back up to her feet and stalks her opponent on the mat like a predator honing in on its prey. Devereaux starts putting the boots to Niles, making sure to throw a few right on that leg until the referee stops her from using the top rope as leverage. Devereaux stalks up on the referee, forcing them to back off but not without warning her not to put hands on them. Devereaux goes back to Niles as the champion starts rising and shoves her back into a corner, feeding her a couple of stiff backhand chops. The Bayou Witch climbs up to the middle turnbuckle and starts throwing down a ten count punch.

Crowd: ONE! TWO! THREE! FOUR! FIVE! SIX! SEVEN! EIGHT! NINE! TEN!

She taunts the crowd up on the ropes as the referee starts to count for her to get down but as the count reaches three, Niles grabs Devereaux by the legs and stumbles out of the corner, driving her into the mat with a Falling Powerbomb!

Crowd: OHHHHH!!

Seth Ernst: And Tanja Devereaux hits the mat from a Powerbomb by the champion!!

Lucas Knox: She hit so hard I think she bounced a little!

Miranda Augustino: How much did that take out of Nakita’s knee, though? You gotta wonder!

Devereaux writhes in pain on the mat from being slammed and Niles takes a moment to slap some feeling back into her knee. She pulls herself up on the ropes and moves right for Devereaux who’s also making her way up. Niles looks for another German Suplex attempt but she puts Devereaux down and grabs her knee again; pain and frustration showing on her face. Devereaux licks her teeth maliciously and throws a low roundhouse into that leg, almost making Niles buckle. Devereaux rushes across the ring, comes off the ropes at the champion but Niles pushes back against the ropes herself, grits her teeth and uses the momentum from the bounce to propel herself forward right into a SPEAR INTO DEVEREAUX, TAKING HER DOWN TO THE MAT!!!!! Niles explodes up onto her feet, beating her chest with one hand and grabs Devereaux as she starts trying to get up again. This time she lets out a mighty battle cry, grits through the pain in her leg and dunks Devereaux right back with a Bridging German Suplex! Senior Official Yumi Akiyama drops to the mat!


Devereaux gets the shoulder up for the save and this match will continue! As both competitors make it to their feet, ring announcer Thea Crawford’s voice comes through the PA.

Thea Crawford: Five minutes have passed! Ten minutes remain!

Lucas Knox: Boy, those minutes go fast when you’re not thinking about it!

Seth Ernst: Niles and Devereaux came full throttle right out the gate. Fifteen minutes for them can easily feel like an hour!

Miranda Augustino: Tanja’s got a whole ten more minutes to work that knee over and she can submit her way to becoming the new champion.

Lucas Knox: You just like seeing people get hurt, don’t you?

Miranda Augustino: Well, what the hell do you think we’re here for, Lucas? We ain’t exactly calling a ballet recital!

Seth Ernst: Nakita and Tanja, back on their feet, starting to feel some of that frustration towards each other.

Niles limps towards the center of the ring as Devereaux approaches and they spend a few seconds trash talking as Devereaux taunts Niles about her leg and Niles tells her to bring it on. Devereaux gives her a shove and Niles shoves her back. Devereaux respond with a pie face to Niles and Niles comes back SLAPPING DEVEREAUX ACROSS THE FACE! Devereaux sneers and cocks back like she’s going for a punch but it’s a feint as she throws a stomp into Niles’ knee. Niles curses in pain as her knee buckles and Devereaux scoops her up, driving her down with a Brainbuster that gets the crowd going:

Crowd: OHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!

Seth Ernst: Good lord! Devereaux drives Niles head first into the canvas and there’s the cover!


Miranda Augustino: Just over five minutes and we already got a new cha–


Devereaux sits up with a snarl and immediately goes for that leg again, grabbing the foot and laying boots to the inside of the knee. She starts looking for an Inverted Cloverleaf but Niles turns over and shoves her backwards with her other foot. Niles makes it to the corner, pulling herself up and Devereaux comes rushing in for a Corner Clothesline. Niles stops her in her tracks with a back elbow. She hops in on one foot and grabs Devereaux for an Exploder Suplex into the turnbuckle! Devereaux slumps to the mat and rolls onto her back as Niles climbs the ropes to the top turnbuckle and soars off with a Diving Moonsault! She gets all of it but her legs take some of the impact and she’s nursing her knee again before crawling over for a cover.


Devereaux gets the shoulder up! Niles grabs her head in disbelief and Devereaux immediately rolls out to ringside to catch a breather. The fans taunt Devereaux to get back inside the ring but the Cajun Queen lets out a hiss, causing the front row to jump back. She relishes in their fear and doesn’t see Niles gearing up for the attack and, as she turns back towards the ring, the champion comes launching herself through the ropes for a Suicide Dive and sends them both crashing against the guardrail. Niles makes it up to her feet and lets out a battle cry which the crowd echoes.

Nakita Niles: OOH-RAH!!!!

Crowd: OOOOH-RAAAH!!!

She picks Devereaux up to her feet and goes to guide her back into the ring but Devereaux stops herself with her hands on the apron and nails Niles with an elbow to the ribs before bouncing her face off of the apron. She grabs her by the arm and sends her with an Irish Whip right into the ring post, almost sending Niles over the corner steps. Devereaux snarls and starts digging under the ring.

Thea Crawford: Ten minutes have passed! Five minutes remaining!

Seth Ernst: The clock’s ticking down! Remember, Nakita Niles doesn’t even have to score a fall to retain the championship. If she can survive the fifteen minutes, she remains champion!

Miranda Augustino: We’ll see if she can survive what Tanja’s got in store for her here.

Lucas Knox: What the hell is Tanja Devereaux doing? This isn’t a no disqualification match!

Miranda Augustino: Hey, you remember when General Manager LeeAnn Viskan said she supported excessive violence! Tanja’s earning that support!

Lucas Knox: I know, but come on!

Seth Ernst: Senior Official Yumi Akiyama has started to administer the count! They have until twenty to get back into the ring!

As soon as the referee sees the chair, she stops the count and starts warning Devereaux about foreign objects. Devereaux doesn’t listen to reason and she swings for the fences, looking to smash Niles head between the chair and ring post but Niles ducks out of the way and the chair rings off the steel! Devereaux drops the chair, shaking out her hands and as she turns around, Niles BLASTS HER WITH “RIGHTFUL JUSTICE” (WOMEN’S RIGHT)!!!! Big right hand shot across the jaw!!! Devereaux’s eyes roll back in her head as she falls against the guardrail and slumps down to the floor. Niles picks her up and rolls her back into the ring. She pauses to loosen her leg up some before crawling back in but as she approaches Devereaux for the cover, the Bayou Witch is already starting to come to and sit up. Niles doesn’t let this phase her as she just pulls her to her feet and sets her up for “Semper Fi.” As she goes for the lift, however, Devereaux elbows her in the side of the head, slips around behind her and catches her with “SPIRITUAL BIDDING” (SPINNING BACK SUPLEX)!!! Niles lays sprawled out on the mat, staring up at the lights as Devereaux goes in for a cover.


Niles fires the shoulder up and Devereaux sneers down at her with fury in her eyes. She shakes some of the remnants of the stars out from that “Rightful Justice” punch earlier as she stands and grabs Niles tender leg, looking to throw on “Bayou St. John” (Indian Deathlock) but as she’s grabbing the other foot, Niles yanks her legs in and catches Devereaux off balance, catching her for a Guillotine Choke with Body Scissors! Devereaux fights against it as the referee looks for a tap out but the only contact Devereuax’s making is desperate punches to Niles’ knee again until she’s able to slip out of her grip!

Thea Crawford: Two minutes remaining!

Seth Ernst: That’s the two minute warning, ladies and gentlemen! Devereaux’s gotta end this soon if not now!

Miranda Augustino: C’mon, Tanja! Show her what a real Queen is!

Lucas Knox: The Queens of Chaos fight tooth and nail and Nakita Niles is no exception!

Growing ravenous, Devereaux mounts Niles and starts going into a ground and pound, just throwing forearm after forearm down at her opponent to wear her down. She grabs Niles by the sides of her head and shrieks in her face.

Tanja Devereaux: YIIIEEEEELD!!!!!

Niles answers with a desperate headbutt that just barely manages to catch Devereaux right in the face; enough to daze her for a second but aside from that it only seems to piss her off more. She blasts Niles with another forearm then rolls her over, picking her up from behind and lifts her up into a Fireman’s Carry, dropping one of Niles’ legs back behind her.

Miranda Augustino: This is it, this is it!!

Seth Ernst: Tanja Devereaux looking to hit “Voodoo”! She does this, it’s all over!

Niles sees the predicament she’s in and starts raining hammer fists down on Devereaux’s head until she loses her grip and Niles is able to slip down behind her, managing to land with most of her weight on her “healthier” leg. Devereaux turns around and once again, Niles catches her! “RIGHTFUL JUSTICE” TO THE JAW SENDS DEVEREAUX BACK INTO THE ROPES!!!! SHE STUMBLES BACK INTO NILES’ ARMS AND THE QUEENS OF CHAOS MEMBER GOES FOR IT!!!! “SEMPER FI” (ROCK BOTTOM) TO TANJA DEVEREAUX!!!!!!! Niles pushes up onto her knees and lets herself just fall to the side, over Devereaux, hooking a leg and clearly praying to the powers that be.


Thea Crawford: Here is your winner AND STILL the NFW Genesis Champion, NAKITA NILES!!!!

“Still Unbroken” by Lynyrd Skynyrd blares throughout the Colosseum as Nakita Niles is helped to her feet by the referee. She hands her the Genesis Championship and raises her arm. Niles raises the title in her other hand and salutes the crowd when her right arm is released.

Seth Ernst: After thirteen minutes and forty three seconds of hell against the Queen of the Bayou, this Queen of Chaos hangs onto her gold!

Lucas Knox: Give it up for both these competitors, ladies and gentlemen!

Miranda Augustino: I’ll take nothing away from either of them. At the end of the day, I love a match where they leave it all in the ring!

Lucas Knox: Just a few minutes ago, you were advocating Devereaux smashing Niles’ head with a chair.

Miranda Augustino: Hey! I like a little excessiveness with my violence! Don’t you judge me, Luke!

Seth Ernst: Folks, we’re gonna be right back with our next matchup but first, let’s hear from the competitors and see the path that brought them here.

Thea Crawford stands mid-ring as a hungry audience within the Vlad Blackheart Colosseum is prepared for a big title match! She gives it a moment before lifting the stick and beginning the pre-match introductions.

Thea Crawford: Ladies and gentlemen, this match is set for…



Thea Crawford: ...and it is for the NFW United States Championship!


The arena dims considerably, with the lights around the screen and stage going completely dark. There are some flashes in the crowd, some lit-up cell phones to try and break through the manufactured murk, but there is nothing to see at all once the big screen goes black as well. A few moments of silence commences, followed by the haunting guitars of the classic Black Sabbath song "God is Dead?" hauntingly emanating through the arena's PA system. Smoke starts to billow from the stage at the top of the ramp and a single, murky spotlight shines down on a darkened figure standing there. Ozzy Osbourne's voice, every bit as haunting as the music behind it, starts singing as the figure, revealed as Damon Cross, starts making his way down the ramp.


Seth Ernst: After what both champion and challenger had to say earlier in the evening, well…

Miranda Augustino: Tell them the truth, Seth: this is going to be violent. Dangerously so. Like, send-the-kids-out-of-the-room violent.

Reaching the ring without so much as a glance to the crowd at large, he looks left, then right, then grabs the ropes and hauls himself up onto the apron before breaking into a smile that’s subtle but also borderline-sadistic. The fans heap hate on the former favorite, but the Unforgiven doesn’t give two shits about the turn. He strikes the apron with the tip of his cane, throwing his head back to toss his hood and dark hair over his shoulder before stepping in between the ropes.


Lucas Knox: Thing is, this has been a long time coming. You can tell. A person can only take so much.

Seth Ernst: So would you call this Damon returning to form? Going back to the old God of Ascension days?

Miranda Augustino: Maybe at one point. But this isn’t the same. The God of Ascension was a cocky bastard only after glory and subjugation. It was actually pretty hot if you ask me. Like, I could get behind it. But this ain’t it. This is something else.

Seth Ernst: A heretofore unforeseen side of Damon Cross. I can’t help but wonder what his family thinks of it. Or whether it will color his opponent’s strategy tonight.

The spotlight follows along with Damon, still more or less the only source of proper light. He removes his jacket upon fully entering the ring, tossing it and his cane to the ringside attendant. There’s no further acknowledgement of the crowd and their vitriolic reaction. Instead, he walks over to his corner and backs up onto the ropes, sitting on the top turnbuckle with his elbows on his knees, his hands folded between them. His attention is on the stage as the lights come up, his expression having gone stoic. “God is Dead?” fades out shortly after.

Lucas Knox: I’m sure Lana heard what he said, though. I’m curious to see her attitude when she comes out.

The arena lights slowly fade out. Throughout the arena cell phone lights sporadically pop up in the darkness. The arena was suddenly filled with the loud cawing of a single crow. After a few moments, it was joined by another. Then more and more join in. Before long the arena was filled with the sound of cawing crows. The cawing was replaced with a multitude of beating wings. The sound of a large group of birds flying rises to a peak and then slowly fades out. Once again in silence, the arena is filled with the voice of a young girl.




Then Stabbing Westward’s cover of “Burn” starts to play throughout the arena. A spotlight finds Lana Corvin standing at the top of the ramp. Her head is down hiding her face. She throws her head back and her arms out. As she does the arena lights snap back on. Lana stands there with her head back just reveling in the negative reaction from the crowd while her father and manager, Ashe Corvin, applauds her. Slowly she lowers her head and looks right into the camera with a smirk. She points at herself arrogantly. Her gear tonight was black, white, and gold. She strolled down the ramp like she owned the place. She even heckled the occasional fan.

Seth Ernst: She looks less than bothered. What do you make of that, Miranda?

Miranda Augustino: She’s a champion, Seth. A Corvin. Are you seriously surprised to see her not rattled? Have you never met her?

Lucas Knox: I say she’s holding it in till the bell rings. You don’t hear the things that someone like Damon Cross says about your family and career and not take it a little personally. She might be better than everyone else according to herself, but she’s human. And we take things personally.


She starts to strut her way toward the ring, Ashe following behind her, as the lights raise and the song continues. She talks some smack with some of the more vocal and heckling members of the crowd. She returns all of their verbal jabs as only one of the Corvins can. She continues her mocking of the crowd by pointing to herself and then to the crowd in sync with the lyrics. She climbs the ring steps and then into the ring. She circles around glaring out at the crowd and talking more trash. She then runs to one set up the ropes and stands up on them raising an arm high. She jumps down and moves to her corner to wait for the match to start with Ashe leaving the ring shortly after.

Miranda Augustino: Okay, that’s a fair point. As for me, I say it’s just fuel for her fire. She’s gonna be more determined than ever to leave here with the title now. No matter what it takes.

Lucas Knox: Good. Because I say she’ll need that drive.

Seth Ernst: Damon said he didn’t care about the title, that he’s here to hurt the champion instead. But I can’t imagine he’d just toss it aside if he won it. The man has too much pride for that.

Miranda Augustino: It’s a moot point, Seth, because he ain’t leaving Chicago as champion.

With both champion and challenger in the ring, Thea Crawford steps up again to make the super-special introductions.

Thea Crawford: Introducing first: the challenger! Residing in Fairview, North Carolina and weighing in at 224 pounds… ladies and gentleman, this is the Unforgiven… DAMON CROSS!

He hasn’t moved an inch from his perch, even to respond to the next negative vocal tirade from the fans in attendance. Damon remains where he is, attention locked on Lana Corvin, who stares right back in an almost-dismissive way. The reaction is given time to temper, after which Thea continues.

Thea Crawford: And now, introducing the champion!

At that, Lana holds the belt up high, talking trash to both the fans AND Damon… except that the former are actually giving her some love for once despite her caustic demeanor.

Thea Crawford: Accompanied to the ring by Ashe Corvin, hailing from Los Angeles, California and weighing in at 168 pounds, she is a member of the illustrious Corvin family and the Favored of the Goddess… ladies and gentlemen, the reigning AND defending United States Champion… LANA CORVIN!

Despite herself, Lana soaks up the positive reaction while turning her focus on Damon fully, shaking the title at him and walking right up to where he sits to make sure he hears every word!

Seth Ernst: Yep, the champion definitely heard Damon’s message earlier!

Miranda Augustino: And now she’s gonna make him pay for it!

Thea Crawford leaves the ring as the title is reluctantly handed off to the referee, who holds it up for the fans to see before taking it over to the ropes and passing it to the timekeeper. The bell is called for-


-and the match is underway! Lana charges in and attacks Damon the moment he’s off the buckles, landing a series of fists and chops, polishing off the barrage with a Hecate’s Dagger before talking yet more shit to Cross! Damon tongues the inside of his cheek a little, but during that pause Corvin winds up for another Hecate’s Dagger! Damon blocks the strike and blasts the champion with a fierce slap to the face! It isn’t the pain but the surprise that makes Lana pause, but where that opening closes quickly, Damon merely stands there and waits for Lana to attack again… and he need not wait long! The champion lunges, driving a knee into the midsection before grabbing the Unforgiven by his black hair and bouncing his head off the buckles several times! Snaring him in a headlock, she runs his face roughly along the top rope, adding in a little insult to injury! Damon shoves her back and holds the side of his face for a moment. Lana presses the attack, shoving him into the ropes and landing a forearm to the small of his back before turning him about and setting up an Irish whip. Damon puts on the brakes and reverses, but hits a lunging headbutt instead of sending Lana into the ropes, knocking the champion to the canvas!

Seth Ernst: Good grief!

Miranda Augustino: Looks like Damon opened himself up a little with that hit! This match ain’t even three minutes old!

Lana rolls out of the ring, kicking the steps angrily as Ashe tries to calm her down and get her focused again. Damon, wiping a little blood from his forehead, stares at it with a small smile before flicking the crimson droplets at both Corvins. Rather than riling Lana up, it gets her back on point and she rolls into the ring while Ashe points threateningly at Damon. The challenger takes a few steps back to let the champion re-enter the ring as the referee’s count hits five.

Seth Ernst: Straight arrogance. And Cross had the gall to say Lana was cocky?!

Lucas Knox: Because she is. Where the hell have you been?

This time, Lana is a bit more reserved. The champion and challenger lock up and Damon is pushed to the ropes, then to the turnbuckles. Lana applies pressure for a few seconds into the referee’s count, then breaks clean… and returns the slap from earlier. Damon’s head jerks to the side but his expression doesn’t change. He puts the back of his hand to his lip and shakes his head a little. Lana goes on the attack again, shoving him against the buckles, but Cross comes charging out with a clothesline, knocking her to the canvas. Staring down at her for a moment, Damon hits the ropes as Lana quickly rolls to her stomach, then leapfrogs the Unforgiven, before throwing a low elbow to double-up the challenger! A leaping knee strike sends Damon into the ropes and he recoils with another clothesline which Corvin ducks! The champion swings up on the challenger’s shoulders for a crucifix but Damon swings her around for a spinning side slam! Lana holds on to one limb, arm-dragging Damon to the mat! He comes up quickly, catching a toe kick and ducking the champion’s enzuigiri! Landing despite the position, Lana flips out of the predicament and hits the enzuigiri on the second try, staggering the challenger!

Corvin hits the ropes and lands a clothesline of her to knock Damon against the ropes! He rebounds and the Favored of the Goddess is already in motion again! Lana takes to the air but Damon steps in, countering with an inverted atomic drop before shoving the champion into the ropes and sending her into the air for the White Thunder Bomb, holding on to the legs for a pin attempt!


Miranda Augustino: Already too close for my taste!

Lucas Knox: No wasted motion in Cross tonight; he went right into a kneebar… and now he’s turned that into a Boston crab!

Seth Ernst: Hate him or not, the man can wrestle…

Ashe is exhorting his daughter to not give up, but that’s the furthest thing from Lana’s mind. She gets to the ropes after a struggle and Damon surprisingly lets go at the count of one. Back on his feet, he calmly dusts himself off and, of all things, backs into the corner again, waiting on the champion to get back to their feet. Keeping her cool is hard in light of this blatant disrespect but Lana manages somehow. The two approach one another mid-ring and the trash-talking starts anew, but it’s all the side of the champion! When Damon takes a further step forward, Lana looks to drive her head into his nose but the challenger rears back, grabbing Lana by the hair and trying to setup the Dragonfire DDT! Wrenching loose, Lana kicks out the right knee of Cross, then presses hers to his jaw and grabs him by the head, falling back with a modified codebreaker! Mockingly waiting for Cross to get back up, she catches him on his knees and hits Through the Veil! The champion covers!


Back to her feet in a hurry, Lana puts the boots to Damon until the referee gets in the way, leaving her yelling at him to back off while Ashe barks the same from the outside! Whipping Cross into the buckles, Lana chases after him, giving him no room to dodge her high knee! A second one connects and Lana pulls Damon forward, setting up the Glorifier! Cross twists out before she can lock the fingers, scooping the champion up for Weight of the World! Lana wriggles free before Damon can set it up fully and both champion and challenger whirl on one another, with Damon nailing a right hand that’s quickly answered by Lana! They exchange wicked shots until the champion hits Cross in the eye, temporarily blinding him and allowing for a DDT and another quick two-count!

Miranda Augustino: Anyone else feel like Damon is making a mockery of this match?!

Lucas Knox: Not really, no.

Seth Ernst: How do you justify that, Lucas?

Lucas Knox: On the one hand, he’s making the champion expend more effort than he is. On the other, his hits are landing a bit more sharply than Lana’s. Look at him: he’s perfectly calm. He knows exactly what he’s doing.

Miranda Augustino: Lana isn’t exactly losing her cool, you know!

Lucas Knox: She’s also finding herself taking more licks than she wants to, I’ll bet. Again: Damon knows what he’s doing. That isn’t a shot at the champ; it’s just what I see.

Putting on a chinlock, Lana’s attention is briefly on Ashe, who’s shouting both advice and encouragement from the outside. Damon gradually gets to his feet and elbows his way out of Lana’s grip but takes a chop to the throat and a running kick to the side of the head. Damon is at the ropes and Lana charges his way only to be elevated over the top strand. Landing on the apron, Corvin goes for the hair and eats a back elbow from the challenger, who hits a back kick that knocks her to the floor! She lands on her feet, but hits her head on the side of the apron, leaving her holding her brow for a few moments. Damon, leaving the ring, grabs Lana by the hair and yanks her backwards into the barricade before putting a foot on her throat as the referee starts their count! Ashe storms over to get in the way of things, despite the count being broken as a result, and tries to tell Cross off! Cross looks him up and down, then puts the boots to Lana while staring right at Ashe! The champion breaks away from this, rising between her father and her opponent, again laying into Cross with fists and knees! She backs him towards the timekeeper’s area, but a drop toe hold bounces her dome nastily off the top of the barricade!

Seth Ernst: Good grief! How isn’t that a disqualification?!

Ashe Corvin has seen enough at this point! He stops short of getting physical, but tells Damon in no uncertain terms that he’s had enough! Damon looks over his shoulder at the veteran, then turns his attention to Lana again, sending her into the ring without responding to Ashe! Cross is about to follow the champion inside when Ashe starts up again, prompting Cross to pause.

Miranda Augustino: Uh-oh. Make yourself scarce, papa!

Seth Ernst: Now that’s just uncalled for!

Turning to face Ashe, Damon cracks him with a headbutt like he gave to Lana earlier in the match! Ashe drops but Cross isn’t done, pulling the 30-year veteran up and whipping him ferociously into the ring post! Corvin lands hard on the floor and Cross, spitting at him, turns to get into the ring… only to be caught with a face-full of the champion via a slingshot splash over the top rope! Lana mounts Damon on the floor, firing off vicious forearm shots before leaving him lying and checking on her father! Some trainers come down to check on Ashe, and the moment Lana knows he’s tended to, she turns her fury back on Cross! Rolling the challenger into the ring, she catches him with another wicked knee to the dome, followed by another Hecate’s Dagger and a tornado DDT! She goes for the pin, hooking the far leg-


The kick-out doesn’t slow Lana’s barrage as she sends Damon into the buckles with serious recoil thanks to the strength put into it. A running shoulder into the corner is followed by her vaulting to the top rope and going for Wrath of the Goddess. She lands on the champion’s shoulders but Cross, reflexively, turns and bounces Lana’s shoulders off the top rope before spinning her into a second White Thunder Bomb! Both champion and challenger are down with the latter not going for the pin that tends to follow the move! The referee starts their count as Ashe, coming around, refuses to leave ringside!

Lucas Knox: Might have been a bad call by Cross to go after Ashe like that. Now Lana’s all sorts of motivated.

Seth Ernst: Both of them are still down, but the champion is coming around…

Miranda Augustino: And so’s the challenger!

Seth Ernst: Why the hell is he smiling?!

Damon is indeed doing just that, and the sight of it just pisses Lana off more. She charges in and Damon leaps at her with a surprise spear, knocking the champion for a loop! He needs a moment or two to get up again, but the champion is doubled over in pain and Cross savors that sight. Dragging her up by the hair, he sends her hard into the buckles, grabs her before she can topple over, then does it again from across the ring. Corvin’s back arches up and Cross pastes her with a Yakuza kick for another hard landing. He focuses his assault on the back again, compounding what he’d started with the Boston crab, starting with putting a boot to her spine and pulling back on her arms, putting pressure on the champ! To her credit, Lana doesn’t come close to submitting, but a couple forced stomps from that position make it hard. Letting go, Cross reaches down and pulls the champion into a crossface chickenwing, whipping her around like a Rottweiler with a new toy! The champion’s resistance ends badly, with Cross suplexing her out of the hold and moving in for the cover!


Lana kicks out and Cross stays on offense, sustaining his advantage for perhaps the first time in the bout. A snap suplex and running STO earn him another near-fall, but from there Lana starts firing back, nailing a shot that at first looks to be a low blow, which is enough to stop Damon short. A Murder Flight brings Cross down and Lana moves in for a lateral press.


Seth Ernst: These two are just tearing one another apart… how much longer can this go on?!

Cross rolls out of the ring but Lana isn’t having that. She slides under the ropes and goes to grab at Cross, who turns and grabs her by the head, bouncing it off the apron before, as he had done to Ashe, sending her into the ring post! The impact opens up the champion and for good measure Damon does it again! Lana, despite her fire, is a bit woozy from three stiff impacts in a row. She still goes at Damon, but the strikes have less fire than before and she ends up falling against his chest, smearing her blood on him. For once, Damon shows an expression of a different sort: disgust. He grabs Lana by her blood-stained hair and hurls her into the steps before rolling into the ring to break up the count and heading right back out! Everything in Ashe wants him to get in the middle of this but he keeps his distance, haranguing Damon and urging Lana to fight. Fight the champion does, sending Damon into the post herself and exacerbating his small wound from before, but Damon retorts with a whip into the barricade and a side slam backbreaker before rolling the champ in and going for the cover!


The young champion’s ring awareness breaks up the pin and Cross goes right back on the attack, mounting Corvin and firing off right hands until the referee’s count reaches four! Wiping more of Lana’s blood across his chest while more of his own slides down his sweat-soaked face, Cross calls for the end and sets up Lana for Weight of the World!

Miranda Augustino: No! If he hits that-

And hit it he does! Cross stares at Lana post impact, shaking his head, then cinches her in for the pin!


Lucas Knox: WOW!

Seth Ernst: I can’t remember the last time someone kicked out of that… well, figuratively speaking!

Damon sits up, shoving Lana’s legs away and just stares at her. That twisted smile starts to manifest again and he gives the champion the slow clap before getting to his feet. He pulls her up with him and hits another snap suplex before heading out to the apron! Slingshotting to the top rope, Damon launches into White Redemption…

…AND LANA GETS THE KNEES UP!

Damon recoils hard from the impact, most of the wind knocked out of him as the champion forces herself to her feet, landing a hard kick to the challenger’s ribs before picking him up and delivering the Glorifier mid-ring! Both are leaving crimson on the canvas as Lana rolls Damon over and hooks the far leg!

Miranda Augustino: That’s all! Call it a night and bring on the champagne!


Lucas Knox: Damon took that full-force and still got the shoulder up!

Seth Ernst: I’ve never questioned the man’s toughness, but that’s insane! Both have to be wondering just what it’ll take to end things by now!

That certainly seems to be Lana’s thought process as she sits up, wide-eyed, wanting to know what the fuck is up with this! Ashe, too, is both furious and frustrated, pounding on the apron as Lana tries to slap some sense into herself, getting back to her feet and grinding her boot into Damon’s head wound mercilessly! Cross shoves the leg away and moves to get back up, but shoving Lana away only lets her get momentum off the ropes! She goes for Damnation but Cross is able to spin her off to lock in Father’s Sin! Lana fights it every inch of the way but Damon is relentless, the struggle taking them both to the middle of the ring-

Miranda Augustino: If that goes on… this might be over! Fight it, Lana! Don’t let this asshole take what’s yours!

Realizing that Lana has a little too much in her to allow the hold, Damon switches up and hits the Godkiller! Same as he’d done with Alexandra, the move leaves Lana almost motionless, and leaves Damon needing precious seconds to get back on his feet. Once that happens, he sends Lana into the buckles hard and follows up with another Yakuza kick before setting her on the top turnbuckle. Damon throws a few chops to the chest before starting to climb up as well, leaving the fans wondering what the Unforgiven has in mind!

Lucas Knox: This isn’t gonna be good, not with these two spent. That’s a high point to topple from…

Seth Ernst: Just what is Damon thinking here?

Superplex, seemingly, but Lana isn’t going down without a fight! She lands some hard clubbing shots to the shoulders and head, stalling Damon’s plans. The challenger retaliates as both are now perched precariously on the top strand, slugging it out and nearly falling more than once! Blood drips from both and every fan, as well as Ashe, seem to be holding their breath. A pair of headbutts rock the champion, but a shot to the eye, then the midsection, takes more wind out of Damon. He moves to shove the champion off the ropes but Lana snares the arm… then the other! Hooking the challenger up, the champion lets out a fierce shriek…

…AND HITS THE GLORIFIER FROM THE TOP ROPE!

Miranda Augustino: Sister Mary Francis!

Lucas Knox: What a fuckin’ move! That HAS to be it!

Landing nearly as hard, Lana needs a moment to get the arm across Damon’s chest and another to grab the knee pad and hook the far leg…


…but it’s enough! Damon’s shoulder goes up, but it’s a half-second too late! Lana rolls away from the bloody form of the challenger as Ashe comes into the ring, moving gingerly, with her championship in hand!

Thea Crawford: Ladies and gentlemen, your winner… and STILL the United States Champion… LANA CORVIN!

“Burn” starts up anew and the fans find themselves quite pleased with the result! A semi-conscious Damon rolls out of the ring as Ashe helps Lana up, raising one arm while the referee raises the other! It’s difficult to make out the challenger’s expression through the bloody, but there’s no mistaking the satisfaction on the face of the Favored of the Goddess!

Seth Ernst: What a bout, folks! If you were on the fence about Lana Corvin, it’s time to get off it and give the young lady her props!

Miranda Augustino: That moment was a long time ago, Seth! She doesn’t need any bandwagon jumpers!

Lucas Knox: You may not like to hear it, but… props to the challenger, too.

Seth Ernst: That’s fair.

Lana leaves the ring with Ashe, holding up the title to a good reaction despite some heckling because, after all, it’s Lana Corvin and she’s better than you! Father and daughter back up the ramp and halfway up the turn to head backstage when Damon Cross blindsides the both of them! The Unforgiven wastes no time shoving Ashe down the ramp before snatching the title from Lana and throwing the blood-stained championship to the ground! He scoops up the champion and delivers Weight of the World atop the championship!

Miranda Augustino: What the ever-loving shit?!

Lucas Knox: Sore-ass loser! Seriously, what’s the point of this?! He lost!

Getting down near Lana’s face, Damon stares at her calmly and says quietly, but enough for the camera to pick up on it:

Damon Cross: That was for Gavin.

Rising to his feet, Damon slowly makes his way up the ramp, clearly hurting from the match but absolutely satisfied… if that’s even possible!

Seth Ernst: ...Gavin? Wait… oh. Ohhhhhh.

Miranda Augustino: I’m just gonna leave that one alone. Don’t need the extra heat.

Lucas Knox: Good call. We’ll be right back, fans…