Message #19713

[Adam Grant]

A video package shows the last two defenses of Harley Shannon’s Aspire Ring reign, including her submission victory over Caitlyn Storm as well as the shortest match in company history against Freya. From there, we head back to the ring with Gaby.

Zack: You can bet Harley Shannon is feeling the pressure right here! She’s at tenth and goal, and one win from getting a shot at the Future Shock title. I’ve been joined by Kyle Kilmeade for whatever reason.

Kyle: I’ll gladly explain why I’m out here, and for once, Zack, you get to answer some questions I have while we watch this match.

The gentle opening of AFI’s “Killing Lights” strums over the speakers as the lights turn red and blue. A cheer comes from the crowd as Mandy Gray steps out from behind the curtain, bowing to the fans in attendance with a wide smile on her face.

Gaby: On her way to the ring, from Charlotte, North Carolina, she weighs in at 140 pounds, please welcome MANDY GRAY!

Mandy begins her walk to the ring, catching hands with fans on one side on her way down. She then heads to the nearest stairs where she walks up them and looks around the arena before hopping down and to her corner, waiting for the music to die out.

Zack: Mandy Gray knocked off the former Future Shock Champion Bianca Salvador several weeks ago, and Adam deemed that worthy of an Aspire Ring shot.

Kyle: Oh, we’re gonna get into that before this match is over. Personally, I wouldn’t have put Mandy into this match, but then again, I tend to look at things slightly more objectively.

As Seven Notes in Black by the Vince Tempera Orchestra begins to play, Harley Shannon appears on the stage wearing a leather jacket over her ring attire, with her tied up in a bun, held in place with a pair of chopsticks. Harley stands quietly in the spotlight as the song stops playing.

Gaby: Weighing in at 122 lbs, standing 5’6” tall and coming from Hanover, New Hampshire...HARLEY SHANNON!!!

After a couple of moments of silence the song starts up once more - with a more eerie tone and at that moment Harley starts off down the ramp, shedding her leather jacket before reaching back and pulling the chopsticks out of her hair and shaking her head to let her bright, flame red hair fall down around her shoulders. As she got to the bottom of the ramp, the girl picked out a young fan at ringside, giving the chopsticks to the fan before she slides into the ring and pops to her feet. Heading for the corner, Harley climbs to the middle rope, throwing her hands up in the air to get cheers from the fans before she drops back down to the canvas and waits for the match to begin.

Zack: In her second run, Harley Shannon is on the cusp of getting what she wants: a shot at the Future Shock Championship. But the last hurdle could be the one she can’t clear in a very game Mandy Gray.

Kyle: Can we just call this what it is? This should count as a second defense, because that second one was a joke. It shouldn’t even count, but whatever.

Referee Kevin Fisk checked both women quickly, and then placed the Aspire Ring in his pocket before he called for the bell. Harley and Mandy moved towards the center, shaking hands with a smile on their face. They then locked up in the center with Harley immediately using an armdrag takedown to bring Mandy down. She turned it into a top wristlock before Mandy could get up, starting to twist her arm in the process. It caused a tensing of Mandy’s face as she started to get up, and then drove her elbow into Harley’s abdomen before she got her hand free. Mandy began to pepper her with forearms to the side of the head, backing her into the ropes before she fired Harley across for the ride. Shannon ducked under a leap frog when Mandy left her feet, popping up behind her and taking her down with a bulldog into a side headlock on the mat.

Zack: About the only place these two differ is Mandy’s experience advantage. Otherwise, their attributes are almost exactly the same in all the metrics you could use.

Kyle: Yeah yeah, they are a lot alike in the ring. Cool. Now I have a very good question for you, Zack. You tell me why Mandy Gray got this shot over say….Valerie McKinley?

Harley grinded the headlock as she sat on the canvas, causing Mandy to finally to get back to her feet still trapped. She tries to shoot Harley off into the ropes twice, but the Aspire Ring bearer wasn’t budging. Gray then fired a pair of kidney punches into her lower back, and finally got herself free before dropping Harley with a back suplex to the mat. Gray immediately got to her feet, and took off for the far side. As Harley started to get up, Mandy caught her with a running kneelift to the face. It stood her up briefly before Gray grabbed her head into a front facelock, and then snapped off a vertical suplex into two more before nipping back up to her feet.

Kyle: Well I’m waiting! Here, let me do your job for you. Mandy with triple vertical suplexes there, and is in control. Now what’s the answer to my question?

Zack: When did I become the one who makes decisions on who gets Aspire Ring shots around here, Kyle? Adam obviously felt like she deserved a shot after defeating Bianca, like I said.

As Harley tries to get up, Mandy puts her down with a leg sweep back to the canvas. She immediately takes off towards the ropes, and connects with a Lionsault right on target before hooking the outside leg for the cover. Fisk slid into position to count.

ONE!!!

TWOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

Shannon kicked out before the three came down, and Mandy then drove elbows into the side of her head before she got back to her feet. A double leg drop across her chest followed that before Gray looked to be going for a crossface. But Harley pulled away, and rolled to the ropes.

Zack: Beautiful moonsault off the ropes for Mandy, but not enough to get the three. Harley wasn’t going to wait around for that crossface.

Kyle: You’re dodging the question, Zack. Why does Mandy get this shot BEFORE Valerie? Didn’t Valerie defeat her in her last match before she beat a two time Future Shock Champion?

Mandy quickly got back to her feet, and made tracks for Harley as she was getting up. But the Ring bearer surprised her coming in with a palm thrust to the neck that backed Mandy up just as quickly. With Gray stumbling backwards trying to catch her breath, Harley used the ropes for a springboard into soccer kick upside the head. It dropped Gray on impact, and Harley darted for the corner. She scrambled up to the top rope, and came off with a diving elbow drop to the chest. She made the cover immediately, with Fisk right into position to count.

ONE!!

TWOOOOOOOO!!!

Mandy’s shoulder came up in time before the three, and Harley rose to her feet. Before Mandy could sit up, a double foot stomp to the body curled her in half before Harley drove a knee drop into her head.

Kyle: Near fall for Harley. You gonna answer me now? Why did Mandy get the shot before Valerie, who has defeated her before this?

Zack: Maybe it’s because she has only had like 3 matches? You keep asking me these things like it’s my decision. I just call the match with Lyn….who I’m really missing right now.

Harley was first to her feet, though Mandy wasn’t far behind her. Gray went for a spinning backfist as Harley came towards her, but Shannon ducked it and countered with a t-bone suplex that sent Mandy flying to the canvas. Gray rolled into the ropes to help her get up after a moment, and as she did, Harley darted towards her with what looked like a spear. But Gray dropped to the mat, and Shannon sailed over the middle rope to the floor with a thud. Mandy laid on the mat, trying to get herself together before she rolled out to collect a clearly dazed Aspire Ring bearer.

Zack: My God! Harley went for a spear, and got nothing but the floor of the Future Shock Arena! She may be out right here, Mandy’s going out to get her.

Kyle: That’s what happens when she tries to play to someone else’s strength. Clearly Mandy is quicker upstairs, or just has dumb luck.

Mandy pulled the very slow moving Harley up, and rolled her back into the ring. Gray slid in after her, and headed for the corner. Shannon remained very slow on the mat, eyes wide as she was trying to focus while her opponent was heading up top. Gray perched herself, and came off with a shooting star press reminiscent of Andi Takata that landed perfectly! She quickly made a lateral press for the cover as Fisk dove into position to count.

Zack: Takata couldn’t do it better! Harley’s road to the title shot ends tonight!!

ONE!!!

TWOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

THR-NOOOO!

Harley just got her leg across the bottom rope as the three was about to strike. Fisk pointed it out to Mandy, whose face fell before she got back to her feet.

Kyle: Valerie wouldn’t have made that mistake, Zack. She knows about hooking a leg for the cover. Mandy whiffed it that on her own.

Mandy got back to her feet, patting her elbow pad as she waited for Harley to get up. She turned it over (very much like Vanessa Cade), and crouched in the corner. Shannon was still pretty slow to move, but when she did, Mandy launched out of the corner with the Golden Elbow aimed right for her head! The crowd came to its feet as she did, but Harley ducked underneath it. When Mandy caught herself and spun around, Harley caught her head with a stunner that bounced her off the mat! Shannon collapsed to the canvas as well, but dragged herself for the cover!

Zack: STUNNER!! I’ve never seen Shannon use that, she’s going to Sydney! She’s going to the title match!

ONE!!!

TWOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

THRE-NOOO!!!

Mandy’s shoulder popped up in time, causing Harley to check with the referee before she rolled off the cover. Shannon was clearly very sore at this point as she pushed herself to her feet.

Kyle: You really are terrible at predicting these endings, aren’t you?

Harley pulled Mandy to her feet, firing a trio of forearms into the side of her head before she fired her across to the far side. But Gray reversed it, and sent her chest first against the corner instead. Shannon hung against them for a moment as Mandy fought back to her feet. She caught Harley as she turned towards her with a pop-up lariat that flattened the orange haired beauty! Gray dove for the cover immediately.

Kyle: Straight out of Steph Stefano’s playbook! She might actually win with that!

ONE!!!!

TWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

THREEEEEEEEEEE-NOOOOOOOOOO!!!

Shannon’s arm popped up, and fell back to the canvas before the three touched. Gray moved into the corner, shaking her head….and starting to pound her fists into the mat like a drum.

Zack: There can’t be much left in either of them, they are going for broke now! And Mandy’s pounding the drums just like my usual broadcast partner! Harley won’t survive this!!

Harley stumbled and staggered before she finally got to her feet when Mandy rocketed towards her. Gray left her feet for the mid-air knee strike, but Harley ducked underneath it! Mandy landed on her feet just as Harley caught her with a flash kick to the jaw, followed by a roundhouse kick that took her to her knees. A back leg thrust kick to the jaw dropped Mandy as Harley dove on top of her, hooking both legs this time as Fisk went to count.

Zack: That’s THE ERUPTION!! And she hit it out of nowhere!! THIS HAS TO BE ALL!!

ONE!!!!

TWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

THREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!

Kyle: Well...I’ll be damned.

Fisk called for the bell to an eruption from the crowd. Harley sat up on her knees, her eyes wide as she got her hand raised and let out a scream! Shannon pounded the mat, and got to her feet with exuberance.

Zack: Harley Shannon did it! Harley Shannon made her third defense! And Harley Shannon’s going to Sydney as the first Prospect to ever challenge for the Future Shock title!

Gaby: Here is your winner…………...HARLEY SHANNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONNN!!!

Fisk raised her hand as she got to her feet, and then handed her the Aspire Ring back. She stared at it with wide eyes, and started pumping it into the air on her fist.

Kyle: It’s just a shame that the first Prospect to get the shot is gonna be her. Really and truly, when there are so many more deserving I could name. You know who.

Zack: Do me a favor and shut up. Harley’s been through hell and back with a very hard fought defense, but now….she has what she wants. A Future Shock Championship match. In Sydney. And aside of this guy beside me, there’s no one in this arena who isn’t happy for her!

Harley rolled out to the floor, hugging a few of the ringside fans sharing in her excitment as she pulled her fist down and pressed a kiss to the Aspire Ring.

Zack: Thank you for joining us here tonight! Congratulations to Shannon, who is now on the stage of history in Sydney! Congratulations to her, and good night from Boston!

The camera zoomed in on the shining Aspire Ring on Harley’s hand as Future Shock faded off the air.