FFW Future Shock Sydney Supershow - September 8, 2020

[Adam Grant]

Recorded from the Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, Australia
September 8, 2020

The Future Shock logo is seen on a heavy bag before it swings to the side, and we see the rising face of Gemma Pierce with her hair tied back and mouth piece in place. The shot pulls back to see she’s in the ring training, and starts throwing hands towards the camera as “Bad Guy” by Billie Eilish starts playing. 

White shirt now red, my bloody nose
Sleepin', you're on your tippy toes
Creepin' around like no one knows
Think you're so criminal

The next shot shows Mara Werth doing road work as she runs down the sidewalk with her earbuds in her ears, and then quick cuts to her in the Future Shock Center with Valerie McFarlane sparring. 

So you're a tough guy
Like it really rough guy
Just can't get enough guy
Chest always so puffed guy
I'm that bad type
Make your mama sad type
Make your girlfriend mad tight
Might seduce your dad type
I'm the bad guy

The next shot shows them on a split screen, sweat beading on their faces as they turn towards each other. The split screen fades to one shot of them looking across at one another before they shove the camera away just as they are about to collide. Then we cut inside the arena as a roar comes from the crowd as “Bad Guy” plays over the PA system. Fireworks shoot from the stage that looks like the skyline of Sydney on the video wall in the background. 

Zack: For the fourth time in Future Shock history, we are here in the absolutely gorgeous city of Sydney, Australia! You are seeing and hearing 20,811 fans who sold out the Qudos Bank Arena in seconds when tickets went on sale to see the stars of Future Shock! Welcome to the Sydney Supershow, where every title in Future Shock is on the line tonight! 

Claire: It’s the biggest night of the year for Future Shock - it’s our version of Unstoppable and FFW has had a long and storied history here in Sydney, Australia that I’m sure we are going to add to tonight. We’ve got huge matches up and down the card. It’s a Supershow by every definition of the word.

Zack: You just saw it at the top of the show. The main event is the fourth meeting of two women who are easily career rivals at this point. Mara Werth and Gemma Pierce will meet on Future Shock’s biggest stage tonight to decide who leaves Sydney with the Future Shock Championship.

Claire: Last time out was voted Match of the Year - the first time ever that a show from one of the regular episodes of Future Shock was even nominated. It was an instant classic and given that the biggest prize is on the line between the pair tonight, they’ll be going even further to try and secure the victory. 

Zack: The Nova Championship hangs in the balance as Mikayla Stone defends her title for the third time, and she’s got Sydney Christensen standing across from her tonight. Sydney has been obsessed with that title, and will stop at nothing to claim it. 

Claire: We’ve seen how dangerous Sydney can be and with Dante egging her on and helping to make sure she gets away with some of her underhand shenanigans, the Nova Championship has never been in greater jeopardy. But Mikayla been turning aside all challengers and finding a way to win no matter what gets thrown at her.

Zack: The Future Shock Tag Titles are also on the line, Claire. The Doomsday Sisters became number one contenders on board the SS Norwegian Sky as it was sailing the Atlantic this past July. And the Dragons are gonna walk into the lion’s den because Australia is home turf for Victoria and Sienna. 

Claire: The Dragons might feel like they’ve walked into the Twilight Zone tonight because this is likely the only place in the world that will cheer for the Doomsday Sisters. The Dragons have to put that out of their mind and focus on their opponents because Victoria and Sienna are incredibly powerful and have proven they work amazingly well together as a team that you can’t afford to underestimate for even a second.

Zack: One of the biggest questions coming into tonight, Claire, is who will challenge for the Diamond Championship. Carys McFarlane won it two weeks ago in an exhausting tournament, and as of this minute, we still don’t know who’s gonna get the shot. 

Claire: Two weeks the Human Pinball showed why she has racked up all the awards and accolades that she has throughout her career as she overcame all the odds and made history. She’s going to have to do the same tonight against a mystery opponent who I’m sure will test her and ask an awful lot of questions of Future Shock’s newest champion.

Zack: Leighana has had Arabella Townshend’s name on her lips for several weeks tonight, and she has the chance to back it up here in Sydney. Arabella is pumped and ready to shut her up once and for all. 

Claire: It’s put up or shut up time for Leighana after having had a lot to say about Arabella and she’s going to have her work cut out for her if she doesn’t want to end up eating humble pie or with egg on her face. Especially against someone as fired up as I’m sure the Englishwoman will be.

Zack: She may be from New Zealand, but you know for a fact that Katie Hanley will get a hero’s welcome when she comes out to break the tie between herself and Luna Cortez. Luna asked for round three, and Katie’s never backed down from a challenge. 

Claire: Luna’s desperate to get her Nova Championship back and a win tonight over Katie could go a long, long way to putting her back into contention. That’s easier said than done though - especially when faced with the highly educated feet of Hanley who is quite capable of kicking Cortez’s cranium all the way to Christchurch!

Zack: But we’re about to kick things off with a certain Magical Girl looking for a little payback against the “Life of the Party” with seemingly a new attitude in just a moment. I’m referring to Cassie Mason. Who do you like here, Claire? 

Claire: It’s a tough one to call Zack. Jamie’s shown a lot of potential, picked up some good wins and is a handful for anyone inside that ring. Cassie on the other hand, she has this new attitude and this new demeanor and I’m positive that she will be looking to leave her mark, starting tonight.

Zack: All that’s on tap, and any number of other things could be happening as the rollercoaster is about to start. Let’s send it up to the blonde bombshell, Lexi, ready to go in the ring! 



 

The bell sounds a few times before the camera focuses on the beautiful sight of Lexi in the ring before she begins the introductions.

Lexi: The opening match of the Sydney Supershow is scheduled for one fall to a finish. 

Zack: It’s come full circle in a lot of ways for Cassie Mason, Claire. She made her first appearance in Future Shock on this show last year. And now a year later, she’s definitely shown a new side of herself from the “life of the party” that we remembered. 

Claire: You’re right Zack. We’ve seen a change come over Cassie Mason lately and in part that’s the reason we’ve got this match tonight - because of her randomly attacking Jamie Winters on a recent edition of Future Shock.

The sitars and the electronic beat of t+pazolite’s “Magic Raffles” blares through the sound system as the stage is covered in dry ice fog. From the back, in a soft sprint, comes the “Magical Girl” Jamie Winters holding on to her magician’s hat, greeting the crowd with a big smile. She spins on her heels and strikes a pose as playing cards starts raining from the stage and the lights blink in white and baby blue. She then starts skipping down the entrance ramp to the beat of her song, sharing high-fives with the people who have their hands extended out to her, and stopping to give rabbit stickers to the children in the audience, that she “generates” using her magic tricks.

Lexi: Introducing first… From Lowell, Massachusetts… JAMIE WINTERS!!!

Finally, she reaches the ring, hopping onto the ring apron and then hovering in though the second rope. She quickly hops onto the bottom rope and leans on the top rope, flashing her playing cards with her rabbit stickers on them, before throwing those cards into the crowd and finally hopping down to the ring.

Zack: Tonight also marks Jamie’s first visit to Sydney, not to mention her first major Future Shock event since she joined late last year. You think this being a first time for her will inspire her or possibly be more nerve wracking instead? 

Claire: It is easy to be overawed on your first time on a stage such as this, but Jamie is a performer and I think she’s going to love this opportunity to wrestle in front of such a large crowd and show them just what she can do.

“When The Lights Come On” by Asking Alexandria  plays as Cassie Mason comes out to a showering of boos. Not allowing the fans clear annoyance about who she is and the family she comes from to annoy her, she stands on the stage to soak in the reaction. She then power walks down to the ring like she owns Femme Fatale Wrestling.

Lexi: On her way to the ring, weighing in at one hundred and forty pounds, Boston’s own, Cassie... Maaaaaaaaa-son!

Once at the ring apron she slides under the bottom rope. She walks to the center of the ring. Cassandra takes a bow inciting the crowd to boo some more. She walks over to the corner, leans against the turnbuckle waiting for the match to begin.

Zack: I’m not sure which side of Cassie we’re going to see tonight, Claire. It could be the party girl that we met a year ago, or this vicious side of her we’ve discovered recently. I guess we’ll find out soon enough. 

Claire: We certainly will Zack and that unpredictability could easily give her the edge in this match. Jamie has to be ready for whichever version turns up tonight.

Lexi leaves the ring as referee Malcolm Parks checks both women for hidden objects. He calls for the bell as Cassie removes a quarter from her top. Jamie moves towards her as Mason tosses it into the air, only for Winters to snatch it out of the air, rub her hands together, and make two fists. She then asks Cassie which hand she thinks it’s in. 

Zack: Cassie didn’t get to flip her coin, and we’ve seen something similar to this in Jamie’s last match. She has a magic trick in mind here. 

Claire: You think she’s going to make it disappear then pull it out of Cassie’s ear? I used to love it when my dad did that. Maybe Jamie’s going to have something even more elaborate planned?

Cassie scowls at Jamie before pointing it to her left hand. Jamie opened it, and it was empty. When she opened her right hand, it was full of confetti which she threw into the air. As soon as Cassie looked up at it, Jamie pulled her into a small package that the referee had to double take before he got in position!

Zack: It was a trick...and a distraction!

ONE!!!

T-NOOO!!!

Cassie kicked out before the two came down, and quickly got to her feet. Not happy now, she went to deck Jamie as she was getting up. But the magician blocked that shot and fired a couple back of her own. Mason stumbled backwards a step before Jamie used a Japanese arm drag takedown to snap her to the mat. Mason popped up, and walked into another just like it. When she got up the third time, Winters used a dropkick to the chest to send her through the ropes to the apron. 

Claire: It’s all Winters thus far and she’s definitely spoiling Cassie’s party here in Sydney!

Cassie grabbed the top rope at the same time as Jamie did before the magician used it to slingshot her back into the ring. The blonde crashed to the canvas, and was immediately met with forearms to the head as she got back to her feet. Jamie backed her up a few steps, and sent her into the corner with a hard Irish whip. Cassie crashed chest first before Jamie rolled her up from behind with an O’Conner roll, and the referee dropped into position again!

Zack: And again! Winters isn’t punching a time clock, is she?!

ONE!!!

TW-NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

Mason kicked out a second time, and propelled Jamie forward into the ropes. But Winters stopped herself before she hit them. When she turned around, Cassie caught her with a palm thrust to the throat that choked her before she dropped her with a facebuster to the mat. 

Claire: There was Cassie’s opening and I think it’s safe to say we might be seeing the more ruthless, more vicious Mason tonight.

Mason hammered forearms across the back of her head before she jerked Jamie back to her feet. She threw her into the corner, and followed her in with hard kicks to the body before finally stomping her to a seat against the corner. The blonde used the middle rope for elevation into a corner dropkick into Jamie’s chest. The fans were definitely behind Jamie as Cassie backed up a few steps, and barged in with a running knee to the head, crushing it against the middle turnbuckle before she yanked her out of the corner and rolled through with a leg hook for the cover. 

Zack: Cassie does some devastating stuff if she can get you caught in the corner!

ONE!!!

TWOOOOOO-NOPE!!

Jamie got her shoulder up in time before the three, and Cassie hammered elbows into the side of her head as punishment for doing it. When she got back to her feet, she pulled Jamie up with her into what was supposed to be a short arm clothesline. But Winters ducked under it and behind her into a straitjacket lungblower that flipped Mason over to the mat. 

Claire: And just like that Jamie uses her speed to force an error and capitalise on it. This one is swinging back and forth like a pendulum and either woman could take this one!!

Jamie took a second to collect herself as she got back to her feet. When she saw Cassie starting to get up, a running kneelift to the body stopped her cold. Another kneelift stood her up long enough for the “Magical Girl” to connect with a flatliner before Jamie went for another cover with a leg hook!

Claire: Another big move! Winters is constantly looking to put this match away as quick as she can and this might just have done it!

ONE!!!

TWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

T-NOPE!!

The blonde kicked out in time before the three, and Jamie headed for the corner. She hopped up onto the second rope for a springboard splash that landed perfectly, and then rolled to her feet. She took off for the far side and rebounded into a running European uppercut from Cassie that sent her reeling. Mason yanked her forward into a belly to belly suplex after that. 

Zack: These two are more evenly matched than we realized, Claire! No one’s going hold for hold here, it’s just high octane from the bell!

Mason mounted her chest, and pelted her with a few forearms to the side of the head. She rose to her feet as Jamie was starting to slowly get up. And Mason used a running knee to the side of her head to drop Winters back to her knees. Cassie moved around behind her, locking in a dragon sleeper before falling back to the mat, and locking her ankles around Jamie’s body. 

Claire: This might slow Jamie down in a hurry. Cassie’s got the hooks in and is really wrenching up on this dragon sleeper. Winters is in big trouble if she can’t find an escape in short order.

Zack: That’s the first hold I think we’ve seen since the bell rang. They were just going hammer and tong till now, and Mason might have found the right idea here!

Parks moved around next to Jamie to check for the submission, but the magician showed no signs of that as she used her hands to try to pull Cassie’s arm from under her chin. But the former party girl had too tight of a grip, and started trying to add more pressure in the process. The Sydney crowd was getting louder in Jamie’s favor as her movements were slowing as she tried to fight the hold. She finally managed to roll them over, and kick her foot across the bottom rope before the referee demanded a break, which Cassie gave at four. 

Zack: Jamie’s lucky they weren’t that far from the ropes that she could do that. Now she needs to get her marbles together as quickly as possible. 

Claire: You can tell from the way her movements were slowing in that hold just how close she was to getting put to sleep. It’s a real race against time to recover before Mason goes back on the attack.

Cassie rolled back to her feet, and began to circle Jamie as she was using the ropes to help her get to her feet. The “Magical Girl” finally got to a vertical base before Cassie went for a full nelson, only for Jamie to kick her feet out and drop right out of her grasp to the canvas. Cassie glanced down in surprise for a moment, but when she leaned down to get her, Jamie used a bicycle motion with her feet to kick her in the chest. As Mason stumbled away, Winters got to her feet again and executed a headscissor takedown. 

Claire: That was a great escape from Jamie before she could get trapped in the Full Nelson and there was no way Cassie was expecting that barrage of kicks into her chest. Excellent awareness from Jamie to reassert control.

Zack: These two are showing me a whole lot here, and they are both shining brightly on Future Shock’s biggest stage, as far as I’m concerned. 

Before Cassie could get up again, Jamie took off towards the corner. She scaled it like a cat to the top rope before leaping into a shooting star press! It landed perfectly before she hooked the outside leg for the cover!

Zack: That was a thing of beauty, and Jamie’s looking to score big once again!

ONE!!!!

TWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

THRE-NOPE!!!

Cassie kicked out again, and Jamie rolled off the cover. The crowd showed her their support, which brought a smile to her face before she started to scale the corner once more. She didn’t make it all the way though before Cassie popped up between her legs and brought her down with an electric chair. 

Claire: Cassie refuses to stay down. We’re seeing an awful lot of resilience from the Party Girl and again, she’s managed to take the upper hand back from her opponent. You really can’t afford to look away with how this match is swinging back and forth.

Cassie drove a few punches into her head, and then headed for the corner herself. She wasted no time in getting to the top rope, and dropping off with a cannonball senton to Jamie’s body. It folded her into a fetal position before Cassie headed to the far side of the ring. She crouched down to wave Jamie back to her feet, and the “Magical Girl” was slow about doing so. 

Zack: I don’t know what Cassie has in mind, but these two are letting it all hang out and throwing caution to the wind so far. 

Claire: Whatever it is Zack, I’m sure it’s not good news for Jamie Winters, she may want to take a couple more moments to pull herself together before she gets back to her feet.

Jamie finally got to a vertical base and turned around into a flying forearm from Cassie that dropped her where she stood. Mason bounced to the top rope, and came off with her phoenix splash and made the cover immediately!

Zack: There’s the PARTY STOPPER!!

ONE!!!

TWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

THREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!

Parks called for the bell, and Cassie rolled off the cover to her knees. She took in some deep breaths with a bit of a scowl on her face before she got up and had her hand raised. 

Claire: This match swung wildly back and forth but in the end Cassie Mason delivered at the right time and caught her foe with a perfectly executed Party Stopper to pick up a big win tonight.

Lexi: Your winner by pinfall……………...CASSIE MASON!!!

The Sydney crowd continued to show her very little love at all as Mason raised both her hands in victory before rolling out of the ring to the floor. She noticed her quarter laying on the mat not far from where Jamie was, and slid in to collect it before putting it away.

Zack: To borrow a phrase that seems to fit here. No quarter was asked, and none given in this match, especially by Cassie Mason. Impressive showing from both women though for their first match in Sydney. 

Claire: Hugely impressive. Jamie pushed the more experienced veteran all the way here in Sydney and just came up short. Cassie, meanwhile, showed that with her new attitude she’s as dangerous as anyone on this roster.

Cassie huffed and headed up the ramp towards the back before we go to a video package detailing the events leading up to the next match.





Teaming With Who?

The sight of one half of the LJE is seen when the show cuts to the back, and that’d be Jane Strode. She’s standing by with Sara backstage. 

Sara: The Sydney Supershow rolls on, and tonight I’ve been given a preview of one of the matches we’ll be seeing when Future Shock returns to Boston two weeks from tonight. And that’s going to be in the form of a six woman tag match, involving you, Jane, as well as your partner, Laurie. 

Jane: Hi Sara. I’ve got to say, it’s fantastic to be here in Sydney tonight for this huge show. I love nights like tonight and this big stage atmosphere. But, it’ll good to step back into the ring again and get back to competing in two weeks when we return to Boston. I’m sure Laurie will be just as excited by the opportunity too. Six woman tag team match you say...so, who would the other four people involved happen to be?

Sara: Well the opposing team would be all three members of the Matriarchy, two of which could be the next Future Shock Tag Champions after tonight. So a win there if they pull that off later could put you and Laurie right back in the pole position for a shot. 

Jane: You’re right. It could. But you know what, if the Doomsday Sisters pull it off tonight, they’ll be worthy champions. And then you’ve got to add Jacqui into that mix who has been turning a lot of heads lately. They’re very skilled, very powerful, quicker than they look and as they have shown recently they work very well together. The Raging Dragons will need to be at their best tonight...and so will Laurie and I in two weeks time - though of course, we will be and we back ourselves to beat them and push ourselves back up the rankings once again. 

Sara: The question though is how will you both work together with a person you’ve never teamed with. The Matriarchy have worked together practically their whole careers, and are all related. Do you think Laurie, in particular, is going to be an asset given how we’ve seen her treat you in matches? 

There was a shrug of her shoulders.

Jane: Well, you’re right, Laurie and I have a certain type of relationship...a unique chemistry together. But it works Sara. You can’t deny the results that we’ve had, can you? We didn’t get to be the Future Shock Tag Team Champions by fluke or a random act of luck. I’m sure Laurie will welcome whoever our partner is into the fold with open arms - just as I will - and you might even see a different side to her. But if the Matriarchy want to underestimate her and they want to think someone with Laurie’s talent will be anything but an asset to any team or group, that’ll be their mistake and it’ll be their downfall. Trust me on that Sara, Laurie will be the amazing athlete that she always is, will show the same ability to take a beating that she always does and will continue to be one heck of a tag team wrestler, like she always is.

Sara: Fair enough. Allow me to tell you who your partner--

Sara gets interrupted as a man with short black hair steps into the shot between Laurie and the reporter. That man would be Andy Marx. 

Andy: It’s gonna be Raven. 

He said with a smile on his face, which caused a confused look on Sara’s face as Andy smiled over to Jane. 

Andy: You and Laurie will be teaming with Raven Knight. Isn’t that exciting? 

Jane: I’m all a quiver and shaking in anticipation.

She replied coolly, smiling back at him.

Jane: That’s a pretty good partner to have in all honesty. If you overlook her arson tendencies and that she’ll happily break the rules if she gets pushed even the slightest little bit. Though, of course, she’s as tough as nails and as dangerous as a rusty chainsaw - she has the ability and the technique to rip through anyone in her path and I’m sure that will give the Matriarchy something to stop and think about when we step inside that ring with them.

Sara: That’s not the name I was given for the Experience’s tag partner though. I was explicitly told that it was--

Andy put his hand over her mouth. 

Andy: Raven. 

He said with a smile on his face before removing his hand. 

Sara: But what about--

Andy: Raven? She’ll be there, don’t worry. Wouldn’t miss it for the world. 

Andy patted Sara on the shoulder, and left the interview area with a confused Sara and a curious Jane at her side. 

[Adam Grant]

There’s a buzz in the arena throughout the crowd as they see which match is coming up next on the video wall. Lexi heads back into the ring, asking referee Stephen Wilson if he knows who she’s supposed to introduce. 

Zack: This may be a first in Future Shock history, as a reigning champion is about to defend her title against an opponent she doesn’t know who it is. You saw Lexi asking the referee who she was supposed to introduce. 

Claire: This might be one of the most closely guarded secrets in Future Shock history. The fact that neither Lexi or our referee has any clue who is coming out...this is the sort of security normally reserved for a Marvel script. And that just makes it all the more difficult for Carys.

Lexi: The following contest is scheduled for one fall, and it is for the Future Shock Diamond Championship!

His frost performed its art
And it has stained my tainted heart
Just leave me to my solitude
It's where I feel at home
Since that cold night
When my love cried

The synths give way to the heavier beats of Delain’s “Suckerpunch”, which brings a cheer from the crowd as the lights turn all colours of the rainbow. From the back steps Carys McFarlane. Stopping dead centre, she extends her arms out wide, spinning in a circle as pyro goes off around her.

Lexi: On her way to the ring, from Edinburgh, Scotland, weighing in at 130 pounds, please welcome the reigning and defending FFW Future Shock Diamond Champion…..“THE HUMAN PINBALL”, CARYS MCFARLANE!!

With the announcement out of the way, the young blonde takes off down the ramp, slamming her hands against the apron and using it to vault herself into a handspring and then onto the top rope, straddling it.

"Would you fall, give it all
Would you give it all for me?
Suckerpunch the demons from my dreams
Would you fall, give it all
Would you give it all for me?"
Get out of my dreams!

She drops from the rope and heads to the corner, leaping onto the turnbuckle and shouting out towards the crowd, a huge grin on her face. She then takes to the top buckle and vaults backwards, landing on her feet from a backflip. Finally, she heads towards her best friend and ring announcer, Lexi, high fiving her before she settles in her corner

Zack: Carys won the Diamond Tournament two weeks ago, and she’s already got her first defense lined up. She doesn’t know who it is, but she’s always ready for anything. You can tell how proud she is to have that title. 

Claire: She has to be Zack, given the situation she doesn’t really have much option. She can take solace in the fact that she is one of the most decorated, accomplished and veteran wrestlers to have ever stepped foot in a Future Shock ring and has made a career out of facing and beating wrestlers with all different types of skill sets. 

Zack: I know who deserves this shot, if you ask me. But that doesn’t necessarily mean that she is going to--

The lights go out completely as Sisters Are Doing It for Themselves” starts to play. A lightning effect of white and blue pyrotechnics erupt, lighting up the stage for a second at a time. In each of the flashes the silhouette of three female figures standing in a line on the stage.

We said, "Sisters are doin' it for themselves"
Standin' on their own two feet
And ringin' on their own bells
We said, "Sisters are doin' it for themselves"

This brings the fans to their feet immediately as the pyrotechnics finish and as the lights come back up a sound like thunder plays on top of the music track and a puff of smoke comes from the bottom of the stage, Carys starts bouncing on the balls of her feet in the ring, looking very happy with this as she waves towards the back to come on down. 

Claire: That’s the Stone Sisters entrance. Madyson put up one Hell of a fight in the final after getting beat down by Cait Flanagan on the way to the ring. Could it be that she’s getting her rematch straight off the bat? A second bite of the cherry to claim the Diamond Championship just two weeks later on the biggest stage in Future Shock?!?

Zack: It’s clear to me that Carys definitely agrees with this decision. She made it clear that she feels Madyson deserves another shot when they are both fresh, and no time like the present, right? 

The smoke clears to reveal….Cait Flanagan and her manager. The cheers quickly urn to boos throughout the crowd as Cait is in her ring gear, clearly amused by all this before she starts heading towards the ring. Carys is not amused however. Kyle has a microphone in his hand, and starts to speak as the music fades out. 

Claire: Well….it’s not Madyson but this is still going to be a huge challenge for Carys. We shouldn’t forget that Cait is the current holder of the Future Shock Cup and an exceptional talent in her own right. 

Zack: Why is she coming out to Madyson’s music? Was this match supposed to be for Madyson? Someone in the truck, tell me something here. What’s going on?

Kyle: It is with my utmost regret that I have to inform all of you Madyson Stone will NOT be taking this championship match tonight. However, because Cait and I both know she deserves this shot...Carys….you can file this under card subject to change. 

He drops the microphone as Lexi looks confused in the ring. The referee shares a few words with Kyle before Cait already has one leg up for him to check if she has any hidden weapons. Wilson reluctantly checks her as Kyle moves into the challenger’s corner. The Diamond Champion looks annoyed now, the smile now faded into an agitated expression.

Zack: This isn’t right. I’m now being informed this was supposed to be Madyson’s match, and that’s why they played her music. Where is she? And how much money do you wanna bet whatever happened to her is due to these two? 

Claire: I think that’s pretty much a guarantee Zack. But look at the expression on the face of Carys right now. They’ve poked a bear right there and I’m not sure I’d want to be Cait when the Stone Sisters finally get their hands on her.

The referee holds up the Diamond Championship, and hands it off to Lexi before calling for the bell. As soon as she hears it, Carys takes off towards the challenger with a running dropkick to the chest that sends her back into the corner. McFarlane starts unloading with knife edge chops across her chest in rapid succession. Cait gets whipped across into the far corner, only to eat a Stinger splash from Carys followed by a bulldog out of the corner. The Sydney crowd is quite happy to see it too as McFarlane waves her to get up. Cait finally does so before the champion scoops her up for an atomic drop that sends her stumbling forward into the ropes. 

Zack: Cait has stolen this championship match that wasn’t meant for her, and the champion is making her regret it! 

Claire: It’s been all Carys right from the get go and she’s taking Flanagan out behind the woodshed and giving her one Hell of a beating thus far.

Cait stops herself before she runs into them, and Carys charges toward her with a superkick as she turns around. But the challenger ducks the contact and lets her foot clear the top rope, As she tries to pull it down, Cait starts firing front kicks into her thigh repeatedly and then yanks her leg free for a dragon screw leg whip to take her down to the mat. Flanagan takes a second to gather her wits and glances towards her manager as Kyle offers some advice. She immediately grabs her left foot, and lifts Carys’ knee to start spiking it into the canvas repeatedly as if she were hammering a nail. 

Zack: Carys went for that superkick a little early, and Cait managed to avoid it. And this Diamond Championship match is underway whether it belongs to Cait or not. I don’t----I’m being told there’s a camera on it’s way to the back, there’s something going on… 

Claire: I think this is probably the strategy that Kyle and Cait came up with earlier - to work over Carys knee and stop her from using her speed with such devastating effectiveness that has been the hallmark of her career.

Cait drags Carys’ leg to drape over the bottom rope before jumping up to drive her body weight down onto it once and then again. Flanagan drags her to the center of the ring, and applies a leg grapevine onto the champion. The referee moves around in front of Carys to check for a submission, but Carys makes it clear she isn’t quitting. Cait tries to add more pressure to it by leaning back further at Kyle’s suggestion. 

Zack: Cait’s giving herself a few seconds to recover after eating that opening barrage from Carys, and you’re right. The gameplan is already coming into fo--what is this?

Zack stops talking as the show goes to split screen, and there we see Melody and Mikayla in front of a door that has several production crates piled up in front of it. The door is being hit from the other side before the two sisters start shuffling boxes away one by one. They finally clear the area before the door bursts open, and Madyson explodes out of the room in a sprint before the show returns to the ring.

Claire: Cait and Kyle might want to get this heist over and done with in record time right about now. I’ve got the feeling an angry witch is on her way out here and Flanagan will not want to be caught by her. I promise you that.

Zack: I don’t know if Cait saw the video wall like the rest of us, but I know Kyle did! And we’re about to have incoming!!

Cait had her back to the ramp during this point, and finally released the hold. She pulled Carys up into a shin breaker as Kyle moved around into her line of sight. He told her what he saw just as---

We said, "Sisters are doin' it for themselves"
Standin' on their own two feet
And ringin' on their own bells
We said, "Sisters are doin' it for themselves"

The song hit again as Cait turned around to see Madyson sprinting towards the ring. She slid in under the bottom rope, and took her down with a Thesz press to the roar of the crowd. Stone hammered right hands into her head repeatedly as the Sydney crowd chanted her name. She rolled back to her feet, pounding the mat with both hands as Cait tried to get up. As soon as she did, Madyson delivered a spear that drove her into the mat. The referee called for the bell.

Zack: Hurricane Madyson has just made landfall in Sydney, and Cait’s getting everything she deserves! 

Claire: I said Flanagan didn’t want to let herself get caught by Madyson and Stone is taking her to the cleaners here! That spear almost broke the Million Dollar Princess in half!!

Stone popped back to her feet, and took off towards the ropes. She picked up a fair amount of speed as she came back, looking for a curb stomp before Kyle pulled Cait out of the ring by her feet. Stone didn’t let that stop her as she headed for the ropes, and swiped at the would-be challenger to get her hands on her. Kyle pulled his client out of her reach, and took her hand before they started heading up the ramp. Madyson was talking smack the whole time before she rolled out under the bottom rope to go after them until they disappeared through the curtain. 

Zack: Cait and Kyle are heading for higher ground after trying to commit grand theft larceny of this Diamond Championship match! And I don’t blame them a bit!

Carys got back to her feet, and joined Madyson on the floor. The champion was limping a little though as Madyson turned around to her. McFarlane promised her she’d get her title shot. 

Lexi: The winner of this match by disqualification……...CAIT FLANAGAN!!

Zack: The referee didn’t have a choice, since the match started with Flanagan in the ring. The sickening part is she’s gonna claim she’s owed a rematch now. 

Claire: She can claim to be the Queen of Sheba for all I care, as far as I’m concerned she’d have to have actually been the woman named for this match, rather than trying to steal it from the rightful challenger, to be able to lay claim to a rematch.

Zack: Carys told Madyson she would give her a title shot. The champion knows as well as we do who this match was supposed to be for. And if she wasn’t already suffering a sore leg, I’d say let’s do it now. But that wouldn’t be fair to Carys at this point. Madyson Stone should be the mandatory challenger for the Diamond Championship, there’s no two ways about it. 

Claire: You’re right Zack. This is a match that Madyson has earned and the fans deserve to see these two go at it when they’re both at one hundred percent. 

The fans showed both girls plenty of love as they shook hands, neither of them looking too happy about the situation as we cut to a commercial for Sin & Sacrifice. 



Pepperidge Farms Remembers

The next shot takes us inside the locker room of River Campbell. We know that because there’s a knock at the door before DOC answers it, and he’s handed a pizza box. 

DOC: Haha, good timing, my man! Hang on..

He reached into his pocket, and was about to hand the delivery guy American money. But then he snapped his fingers, and fished out Australian currency to pay him instead. When the driver handed him his change, Doc took the pizza and closed the door. It wasn’t until he sat down on the couch and looked at his change that he seemingly froze for a moment.

DOC: Hey River!! RIVER!!

River: Please don’t tell me they brought you the wrong pizza. Why are you even ordering a pizza? They do excellent catering here, some of the best barbecued seafood I’ve ever eaten...and you decide to order in a pizza. How’d they even get backstage to bring it to you?

The tattooed guitarist asked him as she dropped down onto the sofa next to her manager.

River: And if it is the wrong pizza, you’re gonna have to phone them up and get them to deliver another, not holler for me to sort it out for you.

DOC: You have to tip them a little extra to get them through, haha! No, the pizza is fine and I should have tipped the dude better because now I remember who attacked me!

DOC told her with a smile that only got bigger as he lifted the lid on the box to see his hamburger pizza. 

DOC: I should have ordered some napkins.

River stared at the pizza and then at him. 

River: Yes you should...but let’s just go back a little bit. You’ve remembered who attacked you? Well, spill. Who was it? We’ll let Adam know and we’ll make sure justice is done and you get vengeance. C’mon, spill the beans already, there’s plenty of time for pizza once you’ve given me a name.

DOC: It was when the pizza man was giving me my change. I remembered when I was in that arcade playing Ms. Pac-Man… I should have remembered this before, but I guess it didn’t come to mind after getting hit.

He looked back down to the pizza for a moment, and picked off one of the hamburger pieces to put into his mouth. He then looked back to River. 

DOC: You think they got any Pepsi left in catering? And napkins?

River: I’m sure they do...and if they don’t have Pepsi, I’ll go to a concession or run out to a convenience store and get you a couple of bottles myself. Just as soon as you tell me what you’ve remembered. What happened when the pizza man gave you your change? What came back to you? Who. Attacked. You?

DOC: Well I was playing Ms. Pac-Man, and really racking up a good score. I was about to put my initials in because I almost got the top score on the machine when I happened to notice something on the floor. 

DOC’s eyes went back to the pizza again before he picked off another piece of hamburger and ate it. And then another. 

DOC: Anyway, I looked down to see some change on the floor. And I remember thinking why would anyone bring change for these machines? They were all free play. So I reached down to pick it up, and it was a quarter. I grabbed it and was putting it in my pocket before I put my initials in...and WHAM! Blonde hair. White bikini. And she took the quarter with her. 

He looked back down to the pizza with a smile on his face. 

DOC: You want a slice? 

River: That’s it?

She took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

River: That’s all you remember. She was blonde. White bikini. And she stole a quarter from you. Nothing else? Just that this blonde girl in a white bikini attacked you over a quarter that was on the floor near the Ms. Pac-Man machine. 

DOC: Who do we know that’s been running around lately flipping quarters and jumping people out of the blue? 

River: Well, look, sure, it could be Cassie Mason.... But she could have gotten that quarter from anywhere and to be fair, this is wrestling - you could flip a quarter and hit some bitch who would jump a person for no reason...or destroy band equipment for the most ridiculous reason in the world. I’m not saying it’s not Cassie, just that the evidence is maybe a little tenuous. But if you tell me you’re absolutely positive, I’ll let Adam know.

DOC: Well I also remembered something else that might be a little more proof positive. See, after this woman left, she slammed the door shut to the arcade. And I guess she passed someone in the hallway as she walked away, and they said “Hi, Cassie!” 

DOC’s eyebrows rose then.

DOC: Think that might be a little more concrete? 

She nodded her head.

River: Yeah, that’s definitely more concrete. A lot more concrete. It’s a lot of little things that all add up to being a little bit more than a coincidence. I’ll make sure Adam hears everything that you’ve remembered - all these new little details that the pizza man and your change has jogged in your memory and I’ll kick her ass to help you get even with her. How’s that sound?

DOC: I’m pretty sure I remember seeing her on the show during the volleyball game too wearing a white bikini. I’ve never been attacked over a quarter before. I’d have given it back to her if she had said it was hers. 

River shrugged.

River: Maybe it wasn’t hers. Maybe something just tripped inside of her and she felt a real need to hit someone and take the quarter and you were just the unlucky soul in the wrong place at the wrong time. Either way, I’m sure that by the time this is over, she’ll regret what she did and regret taking that quarter from you.

DOC: I know what I need to do.

He snaps his fingers, and gets out his phone. He sorts through his contacts till he finds Adam’s number and calls him. 

DOC: No time like the present, right? I’m just gonna----Hey Adam, this is DOC leaving you a voicemail. How’s it going, bossman?! Look, I got something for you. Can you swing by River’s locker room when you get a chance? And bring some napkins and a couple Pepsis too? Look forward to seeing you. Bye.

DOC disconnected the call, and looked back to River with an affirmative nod. 

DOC: Think I should have just asked for 2 liters instead? 

River: I don’t think asking Adam to act as your delivery boy is the best idea to start off with. Especially not tonight - the biggest night on the Future Shock calendar. He might be a little bit busy and might not get your message till after the show...You could be waiting a long while for those napkins and Pepsi’s.

DOC: I’ll call him back and leave him another message telling him to make it snappy then. We’ll tell him about Cassie when he gets here. 

DOC starts to dial Adam’s number again. 

River: Just leave him a voicemail about Cassie. Because he might not even get around to listening to his messages till after the show - so it won’t matter how snappy you try to get him to be. Maybe you should sit here, eat your pizza and enjoy the show...and I’ll go find him.

DOC immediately takes the advice and pulls out the first slice before River leaves to find Adam...and a Pepsi with napkins before the show heads elsewhere. 

[Adam Grant]

 

A short clip shows the recents comments and interactions between Mikayla and Sydney before we head back to the ring, where Lexi is ready to begin the introductions. 

Lexi: The following contest is scheduled for one fall to a finish, and it is for the Future Shock Nova Championship!

Zack: Let’s hope this match goes a lot better than the one Madyson was supposed to have earlier tonight. Mikayla’s third defense of the Nova title is on tap. 

Claire: If Mikayla makes it to the ring before the match starts, it’ll have gone better. She has a real challenge ahead of her though in a very focused Sydney accompanied by her cackling hyena of a manager.

The sound of a guitar strumming subtly begins to echo in the arena, leaving those in attendance wondering what is going on. The angelic voice of one Lzzy Hale of the band Halestorm is heard next, her voice serenely starting the opening verse of “I Am The Fire.”

Am I brave enough?
Am I strong enough?
To follow the desire
That burns from within
To push away my fear
To stand where I'm afraid
I am through with this
'Cause I am more than this
I promise to myself
Alone and no one else
My flame is rising higher.

As the song picks up the tempo, her voice becomes more intense, kicking into the chorus.

I am the fire
I am burning brighter
Roaring like a storm

Midway through the chorus, the curtains part and out walks the pride of Calgary herself, Sydney Christensen.  She steps out to the middle of the stage and juts her arms out on either side of her, tossing her head back as the fans show their appreciation. Dante followed behind her with a Canadian flag held above his head. She picks her head up and slowly brings her arms in front of her, her index fingers pointing down to the ring. Dropping her arms to her side, she begins her march towards the ring, nodding at a few fans along the way. Once she reaches the ring, she hops up onto the apron and steps through the bottom and middle ropes. Almost immediately, Sydney walks over to the ropes and raises her arms above her head, encouraging the fans as they cheer on the proud Canadian. Sydney then walks over to one corner of the ring and rests her back against the turnbuckle, awaiting her opponent as her music fades out on one poignant line of the chorus while Dante motivates her even more.

And I am the one I've been waiting for
Screaming like a siren
Alive and burning brighter
I am the fire!

Lexi: Introducing from Calgary, Alberta, Canada, this is…...SYDNEY CHRISTENSEN!!

Zack: Sydney Christensen has been chasing the Nova Championship for about a year now. Her last shot at it was against Katie Hanley, and she’s got another speedster with a little different background tonight. 

Claire: Since she first challenged for the Nova Championship we’ve seen a different more violent and ruthless side from Sydney. I’m sure she’s going to keep that up tonight and we’ll see what she’s learnt from her battles with Katie and if she can apply those lessons tonight.

The lights go out completely as Sisters Are Doing It for Themselves” starts to play. A lightning effect of white and blue pyrotechnics erupt, lighting up the stage for a second at a time. In each of the flashes the silhouette of three female figures standing in a line on the stage.

We said, "Sisters are doin' it for themselves"
Standin' on their own two feet
And ringin' on their own bells
We said, "Sisters are doin' it for themselves"

The pyrotechnics finish and as the lights come back up a sound like thunder plays on top of the music track and a puff of smoke comes from the bottom of the stage, still hiding the female figures for a moment. The smoke clears to reveal the three Stone sisters; Melody, Madyson and Mikayla standing hand in hand with their heads raised, looking towards the ceiling.

Now this is a song to celebrate
The conscious liberation of the female state
Mothers, daughters and their daughters too, oh yeah
Woman to woman, we're singin' with you

Lexi: Introducing alongside Melody and Madyson of Trinity, she is the reigning and defending Future Shock Nova Champion! This is……..MIKAYLA STONE!!

They unlink their hands and take off to the ring at a run and all jump up onto the apron at the same time. Melody and Madyson stand at a corner each, while Mikayla jumps up to sit on the top rope; all facing out towards the crowd. The two older sisters climb through the ropes while Mikayla stands up on the top rope and then backflips into the ring to land between them with a smirk. The three make their way to the corner and share some hushed words as the music comes to an end.

Zack: Some said when Mikayla became the Nova Champion that it was an upset. And she’s turned back two challengers since that night, proving it was anything but. Sydney, however, is technical savant with a vast amount of experience. I think this will be Mikayla’s’ stiffest challenge yet.

Claire: You could be right there Zack. Sydney’s been going from strength to strength but then so has Mikayla and you can’t deny that no matter who has been put in front of her so far, she’s met them head on and found a way to pick up the victories. At this point I think the biggest mistake you can make is to underestimate Mikayla.

Referee Ashley Pruitt checks both women and takes the title from Mikayla. She shows it to Sydney, who strokes her fingers across the center plate before Lexi leaves the ring with it. The bell sounds as Mikayla starts bouncing on the balls of her feet before she and Sydney head towards the center of the ring. The crowd is clearly behind the champion as she and Sydney lock up. Immediately the challenger starts to push Mikayla back into the ropes. She gives a clean break when asked by the referee and then shoves her through the ropes onto the apron. Mikayla stops herself before she hits the floor, and gets back to her feet. The smile on the brunette’s face fades quickly as she steps back into the ring just before Sydney rushes her with a running kneelift to the head. It stops Mikayla as she is halfway inside the ring, and Sydney drags her back in the rest of the way. A pair of European uppercuts rocks her head back before Sydney spins her around to deliver a kidney punch into her back. It freezes the champion up for a second, allowing Sydney to shove her into the ropes only to rebound into a sidewalk slam. Dante clapped enthusiastically from the floor, showering her with praise.

Zack: Sydney’s already taken charge of this match, and is doing the smartest thing by grounding Mikayla. She knows that if the champion is on her feet, she’s far more dangerous.

Claire: This is that more ruthless streak that we’ve been seeing from Christensen of late and Mikayla’s just been given an opportunity to get out of the blocks thus far. It’s a good strategy here.

As soon as Stone rolled over, Sydney began pelting the back of her neck and head with elbow shots. When she got to her feet, she followed that with a series of stomps. Mikayla started to roll away from her, but Sydney stayed on top of her. When the Nova Champion was trying to get to her feet, Sydney caught her with a yakuza kick to put her down again. Another hard stomp landed on her back before Christensen grabbed her arms behind her, and applied a standing surfboard submission. 

Zack: Everything is methodical with Sydney. Everything is calculated. You won’t see her coming off the top much or hitting the ropes that often. She’s all about breaking Mikayla down, and keeping her there. 

Claire: She’s all over her like a rash right now. Stone has to weather this storm and make sure that she survives it long enough to be able to work herself an opening in this contest. 

Pruitt moved around in front of the champion, asking about a submission. But Mikayla shook her head, and was punished briefly for it when Sydney lifted her foot long enough to stomp her head before placing it against her lower back once again. The blonde tried to add more pressure as she pulled back a little more, causing Mikayla’s face to grimace in pain as a result. The referee checked again, and got another clear shake of the head from Mikayla. Sydney told her she could do this all night, and to quit now. 

Zack: Sydney’s not lying about that. She could do this all night, Claire. But I don’t think talking to your opponent in a match is the best idea. I’d think it would just fire you up more. 

Claire: Sometimes it can help you get in their heads and give you a slight advantage, but right now, Sydney should probably just focus on trying to get the job done - leave it to Mikayla to find an escape and use her energy up.

The referee checked again, still getting a “no” from Mikayla. Sydney got impatient at that point, and started stomping her back relentlessly. She let her arms fall back to the canvas before she picked her up, and shoved her chest first into the corner. The challenger moved in behind her, lowered her shoulder, and started firing thrusts into her lower back. Stone’s face winced further before the challenger followed up with a back suplex. The champion rolled onto her side in pain, and Sydney fired a stiff kick into her spine as a result. 

Zack: I gotta hand it to Sydney. She has come tonight with a solid plan, and is working it perfectly so far. I didn’t expect the match to start like this. 

Claire: At this point Stone might want to think about switching up to plan B or C because I don’t think she’ll be able to run that high tempo, high octane offence that has made her so much hay in her career - I don’t think her back will let her.

The champion rolled away to the ropes, trying to get away from her. Sydney stalked towards her, and pulled her to her feet. She scooped her up into a bearhug before driving her into the corner back first. But she didn’t let go, turned around, and did the same against the next corner. Mikayla collapsed to her knees, leaning against the middle turnbuckle as she clutched her back. Sydney backed up a few steps, and charged in with double knees into her spine before she collapsed back to the mat. Knox shouted at Mikayla’s sisters, asking them why they bothered coming tonight.

Zack: Mikayla has got to do something sooner than later. Sydney is dominant, and we may not be very far from crowning our first new champion tonight. 

Claire: Stone is getting slowly worn down but I wouldn’t start getting over confident just yet - Mikayla’s taken a beating before and managed to pull out a victory. I wouldn’t put it past her again tonight.

Sydney dragged her towards the ropes, and choked her against the middle before the referee called for the break. Mikayla leaned over that rope, coughing and trying to get her wind back as she reached up to get back to her feet. Sydney was still measuring her. And as soon as the champion was upright, she charged towards her with a running boot to the jaw. Mikayla ducked and pulled the rope with her. And as Sydney’s leg cleared it, Stone let go of the rope and it popped up between the challenger’s legs. The crowd started making noise again as Sydney’s mouth fell open in pain, and it only got worse as Mikayla grabbed the top rope and started bouncing it underneath her before Sydney toppled over to the apron and then rolled down to the floor. 

Claire: Well...that will certainly put the brakes on Sydney’s offence and give Mikayla a couple of moments to pull herself together and regroup to maybe start an attack.

Zack: That’s not like riding a stationary bicycle, folks. And if the challenger had plans for after the show, they may have been curtailed now. 

The referee began her ten count as Mikayla moved a few steps back, one hand clutching her lower back as she moved. Pruitt leaned through the ropes as she told Sydney to get back into the ring as she was getting up. And Mikayla turned on the offense as she darted towards the ropes. She stepped up onto Pruitt’s back to vault over the top rope into a corkscrew senton that wiped Sydney out ringside. The champion rolled off her, and sat up. She leaned forward in pain though, thanks to the damage Sydney had already done. 

Zack: Look at that, Claire! Not often you see a referee used for a stepping stool, and Mikayla wiped out the challenger ringside. 

Claire: Stone scored with the high risk move but you can see how much Sydney has taken out of her already and how much that move itself hurt her. If she can’t fight through it, Christensen will have a golden opportunity tonight.

Mikayla got to her feet slowly, and only a couple seconds before Sydney. She drove her back first into the apron, causing the blonde to freeze up in pain. Stone backed up a couple steps and charged towards her. Sydney ducked, and popped back up, only to discover Mikaya was in a handstand on the apron behind her. And before she could respond, Mikayla dropped back down with a DDT to the floor. The fans were getting much louder now as Mikayla got back to her feet, and shoved Sydney back into the ring. 

Claire: You’ve got to admire the agility of that handstand and that DDT took Sydney totally by surprise. Mikayla’s beginning to build up momentum.

Zack: You aren’t kidding about the DDT. I’ve always been told it’s the moves you don’t see coming that hurt the most. I’m sure Sydney would attest to that.

Stone climbed up onto the apron, waiting for Sydney to get up again. When she did, the champion grabbed her from the apron from behind. She unloaded with forearms across her back and head before climbing the ropes and applying a tarantula on the challenger. The crowd popped again as the referee counted four before Mikayla dropped back to the apron, and rolled into the ring once again. 

Claire: Excellent tarantula hold from Mikayla. It’s not a move that will get you a win but it certainly gives Sydney something else to consider in this contest. 

Zack: I haven’t seen that hold in a while, and the nature of the rules dictates you won’t ever see it on for long. And I’m sure Sydney is fine with that rule. 

With the Aussie crowd getting louder as she popped to her feet, Mikayla measured Sydney as she was trying to get up. When the blonde was almost to her feet, Mikayla rushed her and delivered a single knee facebreaker that dropped her like a house of cards to the mat. She immediately went for the cover as Pruitt slid into position to make the count. 

Zack: That could be a knockout shot! Mikayla’s gonna do it again!!

ONE!!!

TWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

Sydney kicked out after the two, and Mikayla rolled away from her. The champion was still favoring her back as she got to her feet. The challenger started to get up again, only to get shoved back into the nearest corner. Stone unleashed a torrent of chops to her chest before she whipped her across to the far side. As soon as Sydney rebounded, Stone delivered a bicycle knee to her chin that dropped her to her knees. 

Claire: Stone’s really rolling now and damn near took Christensen’s head off. I hope Dante knows a good dentist here in Sydney because his client’s gonna need one!!

The brunette took off for the far side before Sydney could get up, and came back with a running hip attack to the side of her head. And it was clear the adrenaline was really flowing now as Stone headed for the corner. Sydney struggled to get to her feet as Mikayla dove off the top rope into a shooting star but turned it into a meteora on the way down! Sydney was driven into the mat as the champion hooked both legs for the cover!

Claire: HUGE METEORA!!!! That could be it!! Mikalya’s three seconds away from a third retention!!

ONE!!!!

TWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

THREEEEE-NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

Stone rolled off the cover, and checked with the referee who assured her it was just a two. The champion took a moment to catch her breath, and headed for the corner again before dropping into a crouch. 

Zack: I think Mikayla may be looking at that handspring stunner she loves to use, and I guarantee Sydney won’t get up from it if she hits it!

The challenger finally made it to her feet as the champion darted towards her into a handspring. But when she went to grab her head for the stunner, Sydney ducked it. The champion stumbled as she tried to get her balance before Sydney retaliated with a roundhouse kick to the head that floored her. She lunged across her to make the cover as Pruitt slid into position. 

Zack; SMOKE AND---NOO!!! Christ, what a roundhouse!! New champion!!!

ONE!!!

TWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

THREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE-NOPE!!

Mikayla got her foot across the bottom rope in time before the three, and the referee pointed it out to Sydney. The blonde’s face was thunderous as she looked from the referee to the extended leg. She slowly got to her feet, and dragged Mikayla towards the center of the ring. 

Claire: Mikayla didn’t know a damn thing about that!! Her foot kicked out in instinct and found the bottom rope and Sydney’s furious about it!!

The blonde staggered a little as she held her head, thanks to all the offense Mikayla had used during the match to this point. She used a leg drop across the back of her head before pulling Mikayla back to her feet, and then over one shoulder into position for what looked to be a tombstone piledriver. 

Claire: If Stone wasn’t out cold from the roundhouse kick, she will be as soon as this piledriver lands!! We could be seeing a new Nova Champion tonight!!

As she had her upside down though, Mikayla clapped her legs around Sydney’s head to make her stagger. Stone dropped back to her feet and vaulted towards the ropes. She rebounded quickly into a handspring followed by her stunner that bounced Sydney off the mat before she made the cover! 

Claire: SMOKE AND MIRRORS!!!! This time Mikayla caught her with all of it!! This has got to be it!!!

ONE!!!

TWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!

THREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!

Zack: She did it again!! 

Mikayla rolled off the cover, mouth agape as she looked up to the referee to check and find out it was indeed a three count this time when the referee called for the bell. The Aussie crowd came to its feet as Melody and Madyson stepped into the ring to help Mikayla to her feet. 

Lexi: Your winner by pinfall…..AND STIIIIIIILLL Future Shock Nova Champion…...MIKAYLA STONE!!!

Zack: Mikayla’s done it again! Three defenses, three victories! And if you haven’t believed in Mikayla to this point, you might want to start now! What a victory!

Claire: Sydney came real close to ending this reign - she was literally millimeters away from scoring the three and pushed Mikayla all the way tonight, but Stone once more managed to pull it out of the bag. This is quickly becoming a very impressive reign.

The referee handed her the Nova Championship back, which she clutched to her chest before giving it a kiss. Her sisters gave her plenty of applause, but none as loud as the crowd in the arena. 

Zack: Congratulations to Mikayla Stone on yet another retention of the Nova Championship, and that’s a far better way for the Stone Sisters to end their night in Sydney!

Claire: They’ll be celebrating on the way back to the States after this. Congratulations to Mikayla as she keeps on rolling.

The trio exited the ring, and headed towards the ramp as Mikayla touched hands with many along the ramp. She held the Nova Championship over her head with the other hand as the show cut to a commercial for the fourth Impact special. 




A Pissed Off Witch

The next shot takes us to find Sara standing outside the locker room of the Stone Sisters. The door is closed, but she has Madyson standing next to her. 

Sara: A little earlier tonight, we saw what should have been Madyson Stone’s rematch for the Diamond Championship get stolen away from her, courtesy of Cait Flanagan. And that didn’t last long either after it was discovered Madyson had been barricaded behind a door. Madyson, I’m glad you’re alright!

Madyson: Thanks… I’m fine, if you don’t count being majorly pissed off. If you do, then I’m definitely not alright. 

Sara: Well compared to what happened last time, I mean more that you weren’t jumped from behind with Cait and a steel chair. And I don’t think anyone expects you to be happy about what happened earlier. Cait even stole your entrance music to fool everyone when it was your time to come out!

Madyson: I noticed that she did. And I’m sure she thinks she’s funny, but she didn’t seem to be laughing when I came out, did she? 

Sara: Not at all. For those watching, I was able to confirm with management that this was supposed to be your match tonight. Not Cait’s, but she seems pretty hellbent on taking it from Carys herself. We did hear Carys promise she’d give you a shot at it, so I assume that’s some solace? 

Madyson: Of course I’m glad about that, but no.. it doesn’t make up for the fact that Cait attacked me before my first shot, and tried to steal my second shot. Just because she has no rightful claim. 

Sara: I’m going to try to get a time and date pinned down for both of those matches for you, Madyson. One as to when you’ll get that shot, and the other as to when you’ll get another match with Cait. I assume you want both as soon as possible? 

Madyson: You’d assume right, Sara. The sooner I can get both the better. 

Sara: As soon as I get the word from either Adam or Brianna who are both busy tonight, I’ll let you know. Let’s send it back to the ring!

The camera gets one last shot of Madyson’s still angered expression about what happened as the show heads back to ringside. 

[Adam Grant]

The show heads back to the ring as Lexi steps through the ropes, taking a second or two too long to show off to the crowd and the camera before she moves to the center of the ring. 

Lexi: The following contest is scheduled for one fall to a finish.

Zack: No titles on the line here, but certainly a grudge match with all the times Leighana’s dropped Arabella’s name and wanting to get her in the ring. Her wait is about to end very shortly. 

Claire: Leighana’s definitely getting what she wished for tonight and despite her ruthlessness, Arabella might make her regret mentioning her name so often. Though Leighana could catapult herself into contention for the Nova Championship with a win tonight.

Little Big Town’s “Tornado” comes out through the speakers. As the lyrics hit, Leighana stes through the curtains, a smile on her face and a leather jacket over her ring gear. Beside her is Christian Kincaid, who places a hand on her shoulder with a smile. The two then head down the ramp, where at the bottom, the blonde woman takes towards the ring, sliding on her stomach through the ropes.

Lexi: Introducing first, from Atlanta, Georgia, please welcome LEIGHANA!

Leighana reaches her feet and heads for a corner, where she jumps high and perches herself on the top ropes, looking out around her before jumping again, turning and landing on the middle buckle, and sits on the top buckle as the music fades out. Christian hops the apron and the two share words.

Zack: It’s put up or shut up time for Leighana. And with all the talking she’s done, she has to back it up now. But I’m sure between her and Christian, there’s a game plan set here. At least Arabella won’t have to worry about his involvement, unlike the other managers we see in Future Shock.

Claire: That’s true. Christian is one of the few managers who is solely out here to support and advise his clients without getting hands on. I have the feeling that’s just how Leighana would want it too - no excuses for Arabella tonight no matter the result.

The sounds of "Rebel Yell" by Billy Idol begins to play as purple strobe lights flash on the darkened stage. A woman starts to rise up from under the stage with her back to the crowd before looking over her shoulder with a smile. 

Last night a little dancer, came dancin' to my door
Last night a little angel, came pumping on my floor
She said come on baby, you got a license for love

The fans give her a very warm response as she bounces down the stage to the music, greeting several fans along ringside and even taking selfies with a couple before rolling under the bottom rope. She shucks off her ring jacket as the lights come up.

Lexi: Introducing from London, England....please welcome....ARABELLA TOWNSHEND!!

Arabella gives Lexi a little hip bump as she passes her, and climbs up onto the turnbuckle to rally the fans as her music fades out.

Zack: The last time Arabella was here at the Sydney Supershow, she came up short of becoming the first ever Nova Champion. And that’s a title I know she wants to get back in the hunt for, but I’d argue Leighana is way more vicious than Katie or Jacqui, who she faced last year at this show.

Claire: You’re right. Leighana has definitely demonstrated that she has a mean streak and that is something Arabella will need to counter tonight if she’s going to experience more success here in Sydney than she did last year.

Referee Jennifer Stringer checked both women, and called for the bell as Lexi was safely out of the ring. Arabella did some last minute stretches in the corner as Leighana was already waiting for her in the center. As the brunette approached her, she asked her what her problem with her was. Instead of answering, Leighana slapped her across the face and that was all it took as Arabella and Leighana immediately began throwing hands like a prizefight. The Sydney crowd responded to every shot as the two traded rights in a flurry. Leighana got the better of the exchange too, especially after using an elbow to uppercut her chin. It rocked the Brit backwards before Leighana whipped her across for the ride. Townshend rebounded as Leighana went for a spinning heel kick aimed at her head. But Arabella ducked under, and when she turned around, used a bell clap to disorient her! The blonde staggered a second before Arabella snatched her up into a release overhead belly to belly suplex. 

Zack: Wow! Arabella didn’t get an answer, but after getting the taste slapped out of her mouth, she didn’t care anymore! This thing started off like a boxing match, which is right up your alley.

Claire: It was a pleasure to see them throwing hands like that and Leighana scored a wicked uppercut, I’ll give her a lot of credit for that. It was just a shame that she couldn’t build any further on it.

Leighana popped back to her feet, and turned into a whirlwind of punches from Arabella. All the shots were aimed at her head, and sent her rocking backwards. Townshend fired her across into the far corner before a dropkick to her back sent her into the turnbuckles again. Before she could gather herself, Arabella snatched her up again and sent her flying with a release German suplex. 

Zack: It’s turning into a suplex party, and Leighana is the guest of honor. I can’t imagine this was how she foresaw this match beginning when she started it off by pissing Arabella off. 

Claire: Yeah, I can’t imagine this was in the gameplan that Christian and Leighana talked over before this match started, but sometimes that’s how it goes and you’ve got to think on your feet.

The blonde got back to her feet, but with Arabella behind her to send her flying again with a third suplex to the canvas. When she tried to get up again, Arabella caught her with a kick to the gut that sent her back into the corner. A discus lariat from Arabella kept her there before she backed up a few steps. The Brit charged the corner with a spinning backfist in mind, but Leighana had enough wherewithal to step out of the ring and hop down to the floor. Christian moved around the corner, and started counseling her before Arabella shook her head and rolled out after her. 

Claire: Leighana got the hell out of dodge and whatever advice Christian has, he needs to impart it quick because Arabella’s not letting them have a timeout tonight.

Zack: I’m not sure chasing her on the outside is going to be a good idea, given what we’ve seen Leighana is capable of on the floor.

As soon as she saw her coming, Leighana took off around the corner from her manager. She rolled back under the bottom rope, and caught Arabella with a diving elbow drop as she slid in to follow her. The blonde dropped to her knees, and started pounding her face into the canvas before she dragged her away from the ropes. Arabella didn’t have a chance to get up before Leighana applied a front facelock, and started using a gator roll around the ring. She rolled the Brit in multiple directions before mounting her back. She used two fingers to pull her head up by the nostrils and the other hand to pull down on her jaw with two fingers in her mouth. 

Zack: Looks like that’s what Leighana was after, get Arabella to come get her and break her momentum in the process. And this….well this looks nasty and painful as Leighana seems to be trying to dislocate her jaw. 

Claire: We talked about Leighana’s mean streak earlier and now we’re seeing it first hand with this move. Anytime you get a body part dislocated is going to hurt, especially when it’s your jaw.

The referee began to count her down until she finally released it at a four count. Leighana rose back to her feet, stepping on Arabella’s long black hair before pulling her up by her arms. She shouted in pain as her hair was being ripped practically from her head before she dropped her back to the mat….and did it again for another four count. The Sydney fans didn’t appreciate it a bit and let Leighana know about it, but it didn’t faze her as she rolled Townshend over. She squatted down to sit on her back and pulled her head and arms up into a full nelson. Christian told her to lock her fingers, which she managed to do through all the black hair before the referee knelt to see if Arabella wanted to stop.

Claire: Arabella’s having her chin pressed against her chest in this hold and that makes it really hard for her to take deep full breaths. 

Zack: Made worse by the fact Leighana’s got those fingers locked, and Arabella’s gonna need to find a way to the ropes as soon as she can. 

Townshend showed no signs she wanted to stop the match, despite the referee asking her with Leighana applying a seated full nelson. The blonde told her to quit, which she didn’t do before Christian told her to bring her palms together too. The blonde heeded his advice as she tried to press the palms of her hands together to further tighten the hold, and she managed to do so, driving Arabella’s face almost out of camera range with how deep her chin was buried in her chest. 

Claire: Excellent advice from Kincaid as he teaches his client out to get the most out of this hold and put Arabella in even more trouble. The Brit has to find a way to escape her foe’s grip sooner rather than later because this will wear her down.

Zack: I think this hold is virtually unbreakable now with all the pressure Leighana’s got. I can’t even get a good look at Arabella’s face to see if she’s still conscious.

Stringer laid down on the mat to get a look into Arabella’s face, seeing her eyes were practically closed. She asked her again if she wanted to stop the match, but got a very faint response. Leighana tried to increase the pressure more by leaning back on the hold, pulling Arabella’s head up to show her eyes were closed entirely. Stringer grabbed her wrist, and let her arm drop as the crowd began a “BELLA!” chant. She lifted the arm again, and watched it fall. But as she did it the third time, Arabella started kicking the mat behind them. Stringer leaned around to see her foot moving up and down, which Leighana glanced over her shoulder to see too. 

Zack: Look at this! I think this crowd is literally bringing Arabella back to life! I thought we were about to hear the bell, but instead….it’s Arabella’s foot kicking the mat.

Claire: Arabella’s drawing strength and inspiration from this crowd...but she’s still got to find a way to break Leighana’s grip otherwise this will just wind up being a false dawn.

The foot kicking the mat was soon joined by the other. Leighana tried to increase the pressure more, but it seemed like Arabella was getting revived. She finally released the hold, and got to her feet. She pulled her up by the arms, and started stomping the back of her head repeatedly. Townshend collapsed back to the mat before Leighana left her feet to drive her body weight into her body. But the Brit rolled onto her back, and let her straddle her knees instead. That stopped her in her tracks as Arabella crawled out from under her towards the ropes to help her get up. Leighana crumpled to her knees in pain as the crowd was getting louder still. 

Claire: That’ll stop you in a hurry and change your plans for the evening. Arabella’s got herself a chance to draw breath and she needs to launch an attack before Leighana can fully recover.

Zack: You got that right! I don’t know how long this will keep Leighana down, but Arabella needs to move quickly and summon all her faculties as soon as possible.

The brunette got back to her feet with the crowd making a lot of noise now. Leighana darted towards her, and ran into a right cross on the jaw that sent her backwards a couple steps. Two more big rights landed on her chin before Leighana went for a shoot of her own. Arabella ducked under it, scooping her up over her shoulders as a counter before connecting with a GTS! Both she and Leighana crumpled to the mat almost at the same time. 

Zack: What a counter! Leighana doesn’t know if she’s in Sydney or Sri Lanka right now! Arabella has to make the cover though!

Claire: Leighana didn’t see it coming and those are the shots that do the most damage, Zack! If Arabella can make the cover, she could have the win right here!

Christian pounded the mat as he tried to revive his client, shouting her name in the process as Arabella finally raised her head and dropped an arm across Leighana. Stringer dove into position to make the count. 

ONE!!!

TWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

THR-NOO!!!

Leighana’s shoulder popped off the mat at almost the last second, and the referee signaled it was a two count. Arabella looked up to see her fingers, and rolled back into the ropes to help her get up again. Her chest was heaving as she took in deep breaths while rising to her feet. 

Zack: Arabella still hasn’t gotten all her wind back after that seated full nelson she was enduring for some time. You can see her taking in big breaths right now! That said, I’m not sure how much Leighana has left in the tank either. 

Claire: Leighana got her bell rung and the only reason she’s still in this match is a mixture between the amount of time it took Arabella to make the cover and pure instinct to get the shoulder up as the three was coming down.

The Sydney crowd was still solidly behind the Brit as she looked over to see Leighana starting to push up to her feet. She charged forward, and caught her with a running kneelift that collapsed the blonde to her knees. Arabella planted her head between her legs, and wrapped her arms around her waist as the fans knew what was coming next. 

Zack: That’s the setup, Claire! One spinning powerbomb coming up!!

Claire: If Arabella hits this, it’s match over for Leighana! There’s no way she’d be able to kick out after getting spiked into the mat!

Christian shouted at his client, and Leighana seemed to spring to life. She shoved Arabella off her before dropping back to her knees. Townshend responded with a standing sidekick to her ear that put her down again. The Brit doubled back to the corner and dropped to the mat, and then began pounding her fists against the canvas like a drum. 

Zack: Leighana wasn’t going for the powerbomb, but…. Ohh where have we seen this before?! Arabella’s pounding the drums!

Claire: The war drums are sounding and it’s not good news for Leighana. She might not have gone for the powerbomb but she’s about to hear the voice of the people loud and clear!

Arabella started pounding the mat faster as Leighana began to get to her feet. When the blonde was finally vertical, Christian shouted something to Leighana as Townshend barreled towards her. Just as she was about to jump for the knee strike, Leighana connected with a heart punch that dropped her like she’d been shot. The blonde collapsed on top of her for the cover as Stringer dove into position. 

Claire: Arabella stopped in her tracks!! That sort of blow will make your heart skip a beat or two!!

ONE!!!!

TWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

THREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE-NO!!

Townshend popped her shoulder off the mat at the last second, and the referee held up two fingers. Leighana rolled off the cover, and towards the corner. Her manager joined her there, giving her some advice as she took in deep breaths and began to pull herself to her feet. 

Zack: Leighana is showing me something we haven’t seen before out of her, at least not to this level! She’s resilient as hell, and Kincaid’s earning his money! What’s she got in mind now?! How much more can they do to each other? 

Claire: You’ve certainly get the feeling that it’s only going to take one more big move...one more stiff shot to either woman to end this one right now. 

Leighana pushed herself towards the center of the ring, and pulled Arabella up into a powerbomb position instead. But she hooked both her arms behind her in the process. 

Zack: That’s not her finisher….

The blonde went to scoop Arabella up, but she surprised her with a back body drop instead. Leighana quickly tried to get to her feet as Arabella caught her with a mule kick in the gut as she came forward. Townshend pulled her head into position, and landed her spinning powerbomb after all! The blonde bounced off the mat before Arabella dove onto her for the cover!

Zack: HELLO BOMBSHELLE!! SHE GOT IT THAT TIME!!

ONE!!!!

TWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

THREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!

Stringer called for the bell to a pop from the crowd as Arabella rolled away from her opponent. She sat up against the bottom rope, still trying to take in as much air as she could. 

Claire: We can see how much this match has taken out of Arabella but she managed to find a way to land her patented spinning powerbomb and there was no way Leighana was getting up after being spiked into the mat like that!!

Lexi: Your winner by pinfall………………………ARABELLA TOWNSHEND!!!

Zack: What a performance! Arabella fought back again and again from what looked like certain defeat. And she stuck that powerbomb to seal the deal! Congratulations to her!!

The Brit rolled out under the bottom rope, now leaning against the apron as a smile began to form on her face as she listened to the crowd chanting her name.

Zack It’s not my decision to make, but I definitely think Arabella proved she deserves another shot at the Nova Championship! And I’m sure Sydney is in agreement. 

Claire: Listen to them chant her name Zack! Arabella wants gold and this was certainly a statement performance in one of the hardest fought matches of her career against someone who is as mean and as vicious as they come.

The “BELLA!” chant resumed throughout the Qudos Bank Arena as the show headed to a commercial for Sin & Sacrifice. 




Signed & Sealed

“Signed and sealed.” 

That was the words heard before the camera found Kyle Kilmeade joining his client in front of the camera. That particular client happened to be none other than the “Sensational” Stacey Sky. 

Kyle: I just got it confirmed with Brianna. No matter who leaves tonight with the Future Shock Championship, YOU are the mandatory next challenger. 

He seemed rather proud of himself by that fact, evidenced by the smile that had already formed across his face.

Stacey: That’s the best news I’ve heard all day. That means it’s only a matter of time until it’s mine. 

Kyle: She just said you need to have one match before you get it, it’s all yours. But she wants to see a winner between you and Carys from a few weeks ago. So I went ahead and told her that she could make that match anytime she wants. 

Stacey: That’s no problem. If she wants me to go again with the Diamond Champion, then I will. It’s no trouble to me. As long as I get my shot at the Future Shock Championship, that’s all that matters. 

Kyle: Carys, you’re in deeper than you know. Don’t worry though, Stacey isn’t after your title. Cait is, but if Stacey needs to finish the job on you to get what she’s been after and deserving all this time? Well hell, that’s what we will do. She’d have finished you off the last time if you had decided to keep your hands and feet to yourself and focus on her rather than me.

Stacey: Don’t worry though, I’ll make sure I finish the job this time. 

Kyle: Then as it goes for Mara or Gemma? Well we don’t really care which one it is. Right now, you got an ex-con walking around with the Future Shock Championship. That’s not something to be proud of. The face of this whole brand is a woman who’s done time! I don’t consider that some kind of feel good story, that’s embarrassing as far as I’m concerned. 

Stacey: It’s only temporary either way, because if Gemma doesn’t take it from her tonight, I will when I get my shot. 

Kyle: Then you got Captain Charisma in Gemma Pierce. All the personality and marketability of a counterfeit twenty dollar bill. I’ve heard her run her mouth about the Gold Standard more than once, and I’m happy for her to learn the error of her ways. The fact is there is only one woman who encapsulates everything that is important about being the face of a brand.

He gestures towards Stacey.

Kyle: She’s drop dead gorgeous. She’s vicious and violent as hell, and can take anyone apart anytime. And she is the epitome of everything you expect when you mention someone who represents your show as the top of the mountain. Gemma and Mara don’t even come close honestly. 

Stacey: Thankfully, Future Shock will have a Champion it deserves soon. Whoever leaves with it tonight, better get some pictures with it while they can, because they’ll be left with nothing but memories by the time I get my shot. 

Stacey’s very proud manager starts to show her the signed document guaranteeing her the match hre referenced before the show returns to the ring for the next match. 

[Adam Grant]

 

After the highlight package showing the history between Katie Hanley and Luna Cortez dating back to February of last year, we go back to the broadcast with Lexi already in the ring. 

Lexi: The following contest is scheduled for one fall to a finish, and the winner will receive a Future Shock Nova Championship match!

Zack: There’s the prize Adam had mentioned on Twitter that was on the line in this match, which would be a rematch for either Luna or Katie who both have held that title. 

Claire: That’s got to be a little bit of extra motivation for both sides. Luna, though, has to be even more excited now given how she’s been demanding the Nova Championship back since she returned to action.

Look out, they're closing in on you now
Wake up, or you’ll wake up six feet down
Nobody's got your back in this town
Knock 'em. In the. Teeth. NOW!

The intro to Set It Off's "Killer in the Mirror" starts on the sound system, and lights start blinking in random colors as Luna Cortez walks onto the entrance ramp. She's soon joined by her manager Christian Kincaid, as he stands right beside her to show her off for the crowd. She stops right before the ramp, taking a spin and stopping in a particular pose, winking for the cameras before turning on her heels and running her hands up her slender body and then bringing them above her head, only to then point to the ring... and then wave off the booing audience. Shaking her head, Luna then starts strutting down the entrance ramp, rolling her eyes at the fans in attendance as she makes her way to the ring.

Lexi: Introducing first, escorted to the ring by Christian Kincaid... From Fort Worth, Texas... LUNA CORTEZ!

When Luna climbs into the ring, she makes her way to the ropes facing the hard camera, stepping onto the second rope and sitting on the top rope, her back turned to the hard cam and the audience, as she makes a pose similar to the one she did atop the ramp, winking at the cameras before she waves the crowd off once again and hops back down to the ring, making her way to her corner and sharing some last minute strategy with Christian.

Zack: From what I am told, Claire, it was Luna who demanded this rematch after their last meeting in Sheffield. She felt strongly that what happened with Katie that night was a fluke, and she had Christian lobby Adam for this match before she even knew there was a title shot on the line for the winner. 

Claire: She has the chance tonight, on the biggest Future Shock show of the year to right one perceived wrong and take a big step to righting another. Though to do that she will need to focus on Katie tonight and watch out for those highly educated feet of the Kiwi Kicker.

The lights dim, until only a couple spotlights are lit, swirling through the arena to an anticipatory murmur from the audience, as Forever Still’s “Awake the Fire” begins to play through the PA. The first few seconds of guitar riffs are met with just the spotlights, but when the beat picks up, the curtains pushed aside in either direction, and Future Shock’s resident Kiwi, Katie Hanley, bursts through the curtain, pumping one fist before throwing her arms up over her head and cracking a big grin as she moves to the head of the entrance ramp.

She takes a quick little skip of a first step, shuffling her way down the ramp and slapping hands with anyone she sees looking for a high five, even stopping about halfway down and having a little talk with one of the younger fans in the front row. The Kiwi’s grin gets even bigger as she ruffles the young fan’s hair, that half-skip pushing her back toward the ring, which she makes a remarkably quick sprint around, happy to still slap hands with anyone interested, until she’s back at her own starting point, in front of the ring steps. 

Lexi: Introducing her opponent, weighing in at 128 pounds and hailing from Wellington, in New Zealand, this is Katie Hanley!

Katie pauses at the steps and takes a deep breath, then quick-steps up onto the ring apron, taking a second to strike a pose, flashing her usual peace sign, with her tongue stuck out just a little bit, a wink added to someone in the front row before she climbs into the ring, again throwing her arms up over her head, shouting something into the crowd before backing into her corner.

Zack: Katie Hanley may be from New Zealand, but she’s still well loved throughout Australia and is getting a reception that shows you that. But she now knows what’s at stake, and hopes to close the book on this rivalry with Luna. 

Claire: Katie is a very determined athlete and a highly skilled wrestler. She has proven that time and time again. Luna will have her work cut out for her tonight.

Lexi leaves the ring as referee Ashley Pruitt checks both girls, and calls for the bell to start the match. Luna wastes no time as she starts immediately towards Katie with an annoyed look on her face, and stops just short of her to let her know she wasn’t getting the title shot tonight under any circumstances. She piefaced her backwards into the corner, and Katie retaliated with a right cross to her mouth. She opened up with the offense from there, throwing right hands in a flurry before grabbing Luna’s head and driving it into the turnbuckle five times that the Aussie crowd counted off for her. Cortez was spun around before Katie began throwing forearm shivers to the side of her head next and then was scooped over her shoulders for a rolling senton that crunched the triplet under her before Hanley nipped back to her feet!

Zack: That definitely wasn’t how Luna figured this was going to start. Katie Hanley will not be intimidated or talked down to, will she? 

Claire: Nope. She’s a proud warrior and she wasn’t going to take any shit, certainly not from Luna and Cortez is already in trouble in the early going of this contest.

With the crowd clearly behind her, she grabbed Luna’s arm and started to pull her to her feet. Then the kicks began as she unloaded a barrage of them into Luna’s body. Five landed quickly, causing her to double over with Katie still holding her arm. When Cortez stood up again, Katie connected with a spinning back elbow to the mouth that rocked her. Luna turned away from her, but Katie used a rear waistlock to snap off a German suplex into a bridge as Pruitt dropped to count. 

Zack: Katie’s a super fast striker, and isn’t even looking to break a sweat tonight!

ONE!!!

Luna kicked out as the one hit the mat, and rolled away from her towards the corner. She held the back of her head as she got to her feet, and Katie launched towards her with something in mind, but caught a boot across the jaw from Luna as she got close. Cortez tore out of the corner with a lariat to put her down immediately. 

Claire: Quick thinking from Luna to put a halt to the attack and that’s exactly what she needed to do because Katie wasn’t showing any let up with the stiff strikes. She was more than happy for Luna to leave the ring tonight with her boot marks imprinted on her body.

She headed out of the corner, and began stomping the back of Katie’s head as she tried to get up to her feet. Cortez wouldn’t allow that though as she pulled her up enough to send her shoulder first into the corner. Her head hit the middle turnbuckle before Luna stretched her neck across the bottom rope, then climbed up with both knees on her back to choke. The official immediately started counting to four before Luna stepped off and then out to the apron. As Hanley hung over the middle rope coughing, Luna darted down the apron with a leg drop across the back of her head that snapped her neck across the middle rope and sent her collapsing back into the ring. 

Claire: Luna’s using the ring like a tag team partner it’s a strategy that is proving to be very effective in keeping Katie down. Luna has to stay on top of her and away from those strikes to take this rubber match.

Zack: Luna’s got those long pale legs, and is a little taller than Katie. So those shots are easy for her to hit from farther distances than Hanley. Either way, it seems like all the offense is aimed at her head tonight, which doesn’t really set up for the C-Bomb honestly.

Luna, now standing on the floor, reached under the bottom rope to drag Katie’s head to hang over the floor. Cortez hooked it under her arm, took one step back with Katie’s feet hanging on the apron before she dropped her with a suspension DDT onto the ringside mat. This didn’t sit well with the Sydney crowd, not that Luna cared as she mounted her and started spiking the back of her head relentlessly against the floor. The look of anger on her face was still there as Christian advised her the referee was up to seven now, and she rolled into the ring and back out to break the count. 

Zack: Do you get the sense Luna wants to do more than just win this match? She really doesn’t like Katie in the slightest, and wants to do some damage tonight. And she’s well on her way to doing that.

Claire: You’re right Zack. Luna’s letting all her hatred for her opponent bubble to the surface and it looks like she might be trying to put her on the shelf for a while with this display of aggression.

Cortez pulled Katie back to her feet, and whipped her towards the steel post. But Katie reversed it, and sent Luna instead. The triplet stopped herself before she made contact, and didn’t turn around in time to stop Katie from connecting with a codebreaker that finally put her down. But Katie was still reeling herself as she laid on her side and holding the back of her head while the count continued in the ring. Hanley used the apron to pull herself up onto it, as Luna was starting to get up now.

Zack: Both of them really need to take this back into the ring. No one’s going to get that Nova Championship match out here on the floor. 

Claire: And whoever gets back into the ring first might get themselves a decisive advantage in this contest; it could put them into pole position to claim that Nova Championship shot.

Katie stepped back through the ropes into the ring, watching as Luna was rising across from her on the floor. Hanley bounced off the near side to her, and rebounded. She was looking for a baseball slide to Luna on the outside, but Cortez pulled the apron out and let Katie slid into it. Hanley glanced down as she landed to see she was caught in the apron before Luna clocked her with an uppercut to the chin. It snapped her head back before Cortez pulled her head down, and began firing knees into her face. As Katie rocked back against the bottom rope, Luna stepped away and returned with a scissor kick that finally dropped her behind the apron. The triplet slid back into the ring as the referee continued her count. 

Claire: Katie got all caught up in the apron there and Luna went straight back to looking for the knockout shot and she may just have gotten it with that impressive scissor kick right there. Katie’s got to pull herself together quickly and get back in the ring.

Zack: I’m not sure Luna would be satisfied with a countout win, but I’m sure she’d take it if it meant getting back into the ring with the Nova Championship on the line. 

Hanley rolled out from under the apron, and started to pull herself up onto it as the referee got to a seven count. Luna didn’t want to give her time to get back into the ring, and shoved Pruitt aside to go get her. But that turned out to be a mistake as Hanley grabbed her head and snapped it across the top rope when she hopped back down to the floor. It sent Luna staggering and coughing before Katie hopped up onto the apron, and used the top rope for a springboard into a blockbuster when Luna turned towards her! That brought the crowd to their feet as she went for the cover!

Zack: I think Luna should have put her back in the ring rather than give her time to recover, and there’s why with that blockbuster!

ONE!!!

TWOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

Once again, Luna kicked out and Katie rolled towards the ropes. She slowly made it back to her feet, and went to get Luna. But she got surprised with a kick to the gut. Luna hooked her in position for a DDT, but Katie countered out of it with a Northern Lights suplex into a bridge!!

Claire: Beautiful Northern Lights suplex and Katie is rolling here! She wants to pick up this win, put Luna behind her and go ahead to challenge the Nova Champion!!

ONE!!!!

TWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

Luna kicked out for the second time in almost as many minutes, and Katie hopped back to her feet. She whipped her into the far corner where Luna landed back first against the turnbuckles. Hanley took off in a semi-circle before coming back with a boot to her jaw. Another half circle run followed before she connected with a second. She made one last semi-circle before Luna lumbered forward into a flapjack. 

Zack: I like to call that the KATIE-GO-ROUND, and she rocked Luna with those kicks and that flapjack at the end didn’t help Cortez either. 

Katie had the crowd making plenty of noise for her now as she took off towards the ropes. Luna was struggling to get to her feet as Hanley went for a spinning roundhouse kick. Luna ducked it, and turned around into a hip toss by Katie dropped into a knee lift! It sent her down to the canvas before Katie went for another cover!

Zack: I’ve never seen that move before, and Katie’s ready to hear the bell!

ONE!!!

TWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

T-NOPE.

Cortez’s shoulder came up in time, and Hanley headed for the corner. Sensing victory, she started to make her way up top. But Luna rolled away from her, and out to the apron on the other side of the ring, where Christian headed towards her to talk to her. 

Claire: Katie was sensing victory and this is excellent from Luna - say what you want about her otherwise, but this is excellent ring awareness to break up Katie’s momentum and get some advice from her manager.

He shared some advice with her before Luna rolled back into the ring. Katie immediately went to get her as she was getting up, but was surprised with a jawbreaker that sent the Kiwi stumbling for a moment. Luna stormed forward, grabbing her arm into an inverted stomp facebreaker that dropped Hanley where she stood. But it was clear how much Luna had absorbed as she was a little slower than earlier about getting back to her feet. Seeing Katie getting to all fours though, she bounced off the far side with a curb stomp to drive her face into the mat. Luna dropped on top of her and rolled her over to make the cover. 

Zack: Luna’s trying to make Katie’s face look like a Picasso painting with that curb stomp, and this is the first time she’s gone for a cover since the bell rang!

ONE!!!!

TWOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

THR-NOPE!!

Katie got her shoulder up in time before the three, and Luna held her head down to measure an elbow right to her nose. It caused Hanley to clutch her face in pain as Luna got back to her feet. She leaned against the ropes for a second, watching as Katie was trying to sit up on her knees. That didn’t last long before she ate a shining wizard from the Texan. 

Claire: Vicious elbow shot right to the nose of Hanley. That could make it really hard for her to catch her breath in the later stages of this match.

A few more stomps from Luna to Katie’s head kept her down before she bounced off the near side for a knee drop directly to her face. She glanced over to Christian, who gave her a hand signal before she pulled Katie towards the center of the ring. She planted her head between her legs, and lifted her upside into a Gotch-style piledriver that stood Hanley on her head for a half second before Luna went for the cover again!

Claire: Massive impact there!! That could be enough to put Hanley away!!

ONE!!!

TWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

THREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE-NO!!

Katie got her shoulder up at the last second, and Luna sat on the canvas with a sneer forming on her face. She dragged Hanley towards her, applying a figure four necklock as a result. Pruitt slid around in front of Katie to check for a submission as Luna locked her ankles in place. 

Zack: That’s one of Sydney’s favorite moves right there. Luna can’t seem to keep Katie down for a three, so she’ll just choke her out instead with those long legs!

Claire: She can apply a lot of leverage with those legs and apply a lot of pressure in this submission. Hanley’s going to have to find a way to escape this hold quickly.

Katie showed no signs she was going to quit though, and Luna started dragging her towards the ropes. As soon as she stopped moving them both, the referee knelt by Katie again and Luna reached up to pull on the middle rope for added pressure and leverage. She gritted her teeth as she yanked on the rope repeatedly until the referee looked back to see her propped up on her elbows. 

Claire: Luna’s back to using those ring ropes like a tag team partner and if the referee doesn’t see it, she can’t call for the break.

Pruitt checked again as Katie was fading quickly. She lifted her arm up and let it fall once and then again. As she was about to do it for the third time, she happened to catch Luna grabbing the rope and immediately broke the hold herself. Cortez got to her feet, and started getting in the official’s face about touching her. Meanwhile Katie had collapsed on the canvas, trying to get her breath back. Luna headed for the nearest corner, climbing up onto the second turnbuckle from the inside. She came off with an elbow drop, but the Kiwi rolled out of the way and let her hit the mat instead. The Sydney fans began chanting Hanley’s name, imploring her to get up and that’s what she was starting to do. 

Zack: Luna took exception to the referee putting her hands on her, and all that bickering gave Katie a couple seconds to get herself together. I think she needs to find a way to end this quickly. 

Claire: The hold really took it out of her and these fans are trying desperately to energise her to get her back into this contest.

As soon as Luna started to sit up, Katie hit the ropes to rebound into a basement dropkick into her chest. A double knee drop followed that before Hanley headed towards the corner now, crouching down as she waved for Luna to get back to her feet. The triplet was extremely slow about doing it as Christian moved around to the side closest to her, and started trying to warn her Katie was waiting for her to get up.

Zack: Listen to Christian trying to give Luna the iggy on Katie. I don’t know if she hears him or not, but we’ll find out momentarily, I’m sure. 

Claire: If she can’t hear him, Katie’s on the fast track to putting this one away. If she does...that could spell big trouble for Hanley.

Katie waved for her to get back to her feet. And Luna finally started to do just that. As soon as she was on her feet, Katie took off out of the corner looking for her hopping superkick. But Luna ducked the contact, and caught Katie from behind as she passed! Cortez scooped her up into a double chickenwing facebuster that planted Katie face and body first into the canvas before Cortez rolled her over and went for the cover!!

Zack: WHERE DID THAT COME FROM?!

ONE!!

TWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

THREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!

Pruitt called for the bell as Christian passed the camera, telling it that was the LUNA ECLIPSE as he headed up the steps. The referee raised the triplet’s hand as she collapsed to a seat against the ropes. 

Claire: Luna pulls a big move out of the bag and it’s obviously something that she’s been working on with Christian. I can’t see many people kicking out of that if she can hit it that perfectly.

Lexi: Your winner by pinfall and the new #1 contender to the Future Shock Nova Championship……...LUNA CORTEZ!!!

Christian helped Luna get back on her feet, and raised her hand again just like the referee had. The Sydney fans didn’t like it a bit though as Luna looked at him with a satisfied smile etched across her face. 

Zack: It may not be popular with the fans, but Luna Cortez has earned herself another crack at the title she never lost in the ring. And that LUNA ECLIPSE is something the Nova Champion is definitely going to have to avoid in the near future. 

Claire: It’s certainly a new more devastating wrinkle in her arsenal and definitely makes her a lot more dangerous. The Nova Champion had better be on high alert because when Luna meets her in the ring, she’ll stop at almost nothing to reclaim the title belt.

Kincaid held the ropes open for her before she stepped out to the floor. They made it halfway up the ramp before Luna ran her hands along her waist, letting the fans know she wanted her title back. The show then cut to a commercial for the 4th Impact special.




#BriMeansBusiness

We find Sara once more backstage, and this time, she’s joined by the Executive Assistant Brianna Singer. The reporter looks towards her with a smile.

Sara: I’m glad to talk with you. I understand you have a lot of news to share with us, and that it pertains to the 4th Impact special coming up on FFW All Access on October 6th from the Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan! The series is tied at 1-1-1 right now, so this will be the ultimate decider, right?

The Executive Assistant simply shrugs her shoulders with a slow nod.

Bri: Ultimate decider, or the next installment of the kind of event that pushes BOTH brands. I’ll let you decide. But since you brought it up, I have a couple of things to announce that will make this an event to remember. The first is the main event, which is the one and only Jo McFarlane facing off against whomever is Future Shock champion at the end of the night tonight, that of course being either Mara or Gemma.

Sara: Well now that’s a great main event! No matter who wins, I’m sure Jo will be plenty of challenge for them.

Bri: You could definitely say that again. Jo is a tough challenge for ANYONE.  Now, I’m sure you, as well as everyone else, watched Unstoppable. You saw a number of Future Shock cameos. This next match is born out of one such cameo. It will be contested under Submission rules and will see former Nova champion Arabella Townshend take on former Future Shock champion and former No Surrender champion Cassandra Steen.

Sara: I remember hearing about that one. I don’t know if Arabella is well versed in submissions, but now’s the time to start if she isn’t!

Bri: Well  if she’s not, then she’d better get her butt in gear because she has a tall task ahead of her. Speaking of the No Surrender champion and people who are versed in submission wrestling, the next match you are going to see is Sydney Christensen  vs Lilly Arthur

Sara: I know that match was also born out of Unstoppable, because Dante tried to get Sydney to free him out of the shark cage. Lilly better be prepared for anything! What else?

Bri: Just a couple more. Everyone’s favorite magic girl Jamie Winters is going to go one on one with the WONDERFUL Dawn Lohan and the newly crowned Diamond Champion Carys McFarlane will be facing one Tara Cortez.

Sara: That’s a pretty stacked card for the 4th Impact special on October 6th. Fans watching on All Access are in for a helluva show! Now with that all laid out, I’d like to ask you when Madyson Stone is getting her Diamond Championship rematch!

The redhead purses her lips together as if she is weighing what to say

Bri: The million dollar question. Look, we all know  that it was Cait, for lack of a better word, tried to steal the show because she lost earlier in the night. She thought she was clever, but Madyson was one step ahead of her and caught up with her. Madyson WILL be getting her rematch soon, rest assured. As for WHEN? Well I’m afraid I’m not ready to reveal the date just yet.

Sara: Well there you have it, folks! Thanks for taking the time out to talk with me, Miss Singer! Now let’s send it back to the ring for the Future Shock Tag Team Championship match.

Sara looks back to Brianna before she exits the scene, and the show heads to a commercial for Sin & Sacrifice.

[Adam Grant]

 

Lexi is shown next back in the ring once again, and ready to begin the introductions for the upcoming match.

Lexi: The following tag team contest is scheduled for one fall to a finish, and it is for the Future Shock Tag Team Championship!

Zack: Ever since I got into Australia, I’ve been approached by Future Shock fans who have been asking me and talking to me about this match. And I have a feeling that even though Melbourne is a little over 500 miles southwest from here, it’s gonna sound like we’re there anyway. 

Claire: The challengers tonight are daughters of Australia and if there’s one thing about the Australians they are loyal and hugely supportive of their own - especially when it comes to sports. If the Sisters walk out of here with the Future Shock Tag Team Titles, I think this crowd will go home very happy indeed.

The lights go out...

The intro of music of “Giant Press” by Unknown Artist (NPJW) hits the arena, prompting the arena to erupt to thunderous reaction.

As the song begins, the spotlight is beaming on the stage, where Victoria Havoc & Sienna Danger comes out and steps onto the stage. Sienna goes down on one knee while Victoria stands behind her, both ladies having their arms positioned in a flex position. After a while, the ladies stop posing and form their hands together in the symbol of a triangle, representing their faction. After Sienna makes it to her feet, the ladies menacingly stomp their foot on the stage, causing the four corners of the ring to shoot out fog, accompanied by a thunderous booming sound. Just then, the ladies make their way to the ring.
 
Lexi: Making their way to the ring, representing The Matriarchy... at a total combined weight of 390 pounds…from Melbourne, Australia…”The Lady Beast” Victoria Havoc & “The Python” Sienna Danger…They are…THE DOOMSDAY SISTERS!!!!!

Once the ladies get to ringside, they walk around the ring, doing a little trash talking with the fans at ringside. The ladies climb up to the apron, wipe their feet on the apron, and step over the ropes to enter the ring. Victoria & Sienna then walk over to opposite corners where they climb up and pose, yelling back at the crowd at every chance. They then go towards the other two opposite corners to do the same routine after climbing up. After coming down and the lights come back on, Victoria & Sienna go to their corner of the ring as they wait for their opponents.

Zack: What a roar! You’d think Australia just won the World Cup, but that’s all for the Doomsday Sisters! Victoria and Sienna are getting a rockstar-like ovation from everyone in this arena!

Claire: This sold out crowd is hoping for two new heroes tonight and this is just a small taste of what’s to come if the Doomsday Sisters are successful tonight! Hopefully, they expected this and don’t find it off putting, because we’ve seen before that it can throw a competitor off their game and cause them to lose focus.

An upswell of music begins to overtake the arena, fantastic, hopeful and alluring. Ramin Djawadi’s “Dance of Dragons” plays the rapturous tones, before the music drops.

The mood is suddenly a biting one as the lights flare and The Raging Dragons come out from behind the curtain. Sumomo can be seen saying something to Jennifer that the music of their entrance drowns out to the fans in attendance. Whatever it is, it makes Jenny smirk a little bit as the duo begin walking towards the ring, Su shaking hands with some of the fans on her way as Lexi announces their arrival.

Lexi: From San Francisco, California and weighing in tonight at a combined weight of 282 lbs, the team of Jenny Song & Su Wakuda... They are the reigning and defending Future Shock Tag Team Champions…...This is THE RAGING DRAAAGONS!!

Rather less interested in the fans, Jenny marches down the ramp, bold-facedly ignoring a fan near the ring steps that tries to get her attention. The Azure Dragon stomps on the first step in the set, pausing for just a second, her eyes shut as she exhales a breath, before climbing up the steps. She brushes her feet off on the apron, sliding into the ring and backing herself into the corner, while Su hops onto the apron before slipping through the first and second rope, joining Jenny in their corner. Unlike the challengers, the Raging Dragons get zero love from the Sydney crowd. 

Zack: Well this is gonna be interesting! Usually the Dragons have a few fans anywhere we go, but here tonight in Sydney, they are public enemy number one! This is gonna be an experience, I can tell already!

Claire: This could be like stepping into the Twilight Zone for the Dragons. But, like the Doomsday Sisters, they just need to put it out of their minds and focus on the task at hand and executing their gameplan.

Referee Kevin Fisk takes the tag titles from the Dragons, and shows them to the Doomsday Sisters. Both Sienna and Victoria take them and raise them overhead to another pop from the crowd before the referee hands them to Lexi as she leaves the ring. It’s clear that the Doomsday Sisters are eating it up though as they wave their arms, getting the crowd louder as the referee calls for the bell. They point towards the tag champions, who get a din of boos immediately.

Claire: The Doomsday Sisters are lapping up this once a year opportunity for themselves and maybe, just maybe trying to play mind games and get inside the heads of the Dragons. This could well fuel the challengers and make them ever more dangerous.

Zack: I think Victoria and Sienna could run for office in Australia at the end of their careers, and probably win by a landslide. It’s like being bizarro world, because they certainly don’t get this reaction in Boston or anywhere else we go.

Sienna starts for her team as Su starts for the Dragons. The crowd begins a chant “GO HOME DRAGONS”, causing Su to look around at them as Sienna stands pat in the center of the ring. When the tag champion looks back, Sienna waves her forward and Su immediately goes for a single leg takedown. But Sienna doesn’t budge, and instead presses Su’s head against her knee before she stomps the mat. It stumbles Wakuda backwards a moment before she gets whipped across for the ride. She rebounds by going for a running shoulder block that ends up sending her to the mat instead of Sienna. The Aussie crowd pops again as Sienna tells her to get up!

Zack: I appreciate them wanting to take Sienna off her feet as soon as possible, but that wasn’t the way to go about it! Wakuda just ran into a brick wall, and the wall didn’t move!

Claire: Sienna’s just pure power and she’s not the type of wrestler who will move if she doesn’t want to. It’s the right idea from Su because that power is meaningless when she’s on her back...she just needs to find a better way to execute it.

Su got back to her feet, hitting the ropes again. This time, she came back with a running forearm to the chest. But Danger didn’t budge an inch, instead she returned fire with a forearm from above across Su’s chest. It wobbled the champion backwards before Sienna spun her around, and used a big atomic drop to send her into the neutral corner. She stopped herself before she hit it, but turned around into a corner clothesline from Sienna. The powerhouse scooped her up high into a military press before launching her to the mat with a thud. A crushing leg drop followed that before Sienna got back to her feet. 

Zack: Su could’ve gotten a nosebleed from being that high in the air. The Dragons are playing right into the Sisters’ advantages, and it’s backfiring already. 

Claire: Sienna is in complete control here and Su’s on the back foot already. The Champion can’t afford to take too many shots like the ones that she’s taking right now.

Sienna pulled Su back to her feet, and fired her into the ropes again. She caught her on the rebound with a tilt-a-whirl powerslam, and pointed towards Victoria. The fans popped again as she dragged Su to the corner, and made the tag. Havoc stepped through as they set Su up in their corner, looking at each other and taking turns with thunderous claps to each side of Wakuda’s chest. They sped up all the way to a count of four before Sienna stepped out, was tagged in again, and another four count of dueling slaps to Su’s chest before she crumbled in the corner clutching her upper body.

Claire: Did you hear those slaps connecting, Zack?!? I think the Doomsday Sisters were looking to snap a couple of ribs like they’re twigs right there. Like Rocky with a side of beef.

Zack: 

Sienna tagged Victoria back into the match before Havoc grabbed Su’s legs, and fell backwards into a catapult that sent her chest first into the bottom rope. The Aussie beauty got to her feet, and started putting the boots to Su before making the tag again to Sienna. When her partner stepped in. they each grabbed her arms and legs and tossed her into the air and let her crash back to the mat. Then Havoc picked her own partner up and bodyslammed her on top of Su before the referee dropped to make the count. 

Zack: These people are on their feet again, because the Sisters may be about to rout the Future Shock Tag Champs!!

ONE!!!!

TWOOOOOOOO!!!

Su managed to get her shoulder up in time, and Sienna reached out for the tag once more. Danger whipped Su across for the ride and moved out of the way as she ran into Victoria, who dropped her with a falling side slam. 

Claire: You’ve got to admire the way that the Doomsday Sisters work as a tag team. There are a lot of quick tags, keeping the fresh woman in the ring and they exploit the referee’s count to maximum effect. Hopefully any aspiring tag teams out there are taking notes.

Havoc dropped to a knee, and hammered her with fists to the head before finally dragging the Dragon back to her feet. She scooped her over one shoulder for a short running powerslam. Su’s body bounced off the mat on impact, and Victoria pulled her up again and sent her into the challengers’ corner. Su’s chest was practically blood red at this point, and Victoria didn’t make it better when she licked her fingertips and fired off a knife edge chop. The tag champion nearly buckled in the corner as Victoria tagged Sienna back into the mat, and Danger leaned back a little farther to fire another chop that actually broke the skin, causing a trickle of blood to form below Su’s collarbone. 

Claire: Su just got hit so hard her friends and family watching on FFW All Access felt that knife edge chop!! She’s been busted open and desperately has to try and turn the tide.

Zack: How often do you see someone’s chest get busted open in a match? Not very often, but that’s what Su is feeling right now! Win or lose, she’s going to be in agony for a few days after this.

Wakuda started to slide along the ropes to try to get away from them before Victoria snatched her from behind into a side Russian leg sweep. She dragged Wakuda by the leg towards the center of the ring, and lifted her off the mat into a bearhug. The champion’s feet dangled three inches above the mat as she was caught, and Victoria’s arms were long enough that she was able to grab her own wrist behind her to add even more pressure. 

Zack: Victoria and Sienna couldn’t have had this match go any better for them to this point. I don’t know if the Dragons were put off by this crowd, but they’ve certainly energized the Doomsday Sisters to another level tonight. 

Claire: It’s almost like the Doomsday Sister have written the script here tonight and Su simply hasn’t managed to get out of the blocks tonight. This is dominance from the challengers in their home country.

Fisk moved around in front of Su to see if she wanted to stop the match, but she shook her head at the question. Victoria tightened her grip in the hold, causing Su to collapse over her shoulder for a moment. But the champion showed some resiliency as she struck a headbutt into Victoria’s face. That shook her for a second before a second headbutt and then a third finally got her free of Victoria’s grip. Wakuda fell to her knees as Victoria staggered, and crawled between her legs before hopping up and taking off for the far side. She rebounded by leaving her feet and connecting with a lungblower that put the challenger down. But it also put Su down, who rolled onto her side and rubbed her bleeding chest. 

Claire: Finally Su manages to rally and score herself some offence. Finally she found a way to down one of these powerhouses....but she desperately needs to make the tag because I don’t think she can take another round with the Sisters right about now.

Zack: You’re right, she’s been bruised and battered and her chest now bloodied being in the ring with these two. I’d forget about trying to capitalize if I was her, and start heading towards a very fresh Jenny. 

It was Victoria who started to get up first through. Su wasn’t far behind her. And as soon as she saw the Aussie sit up, Wakua darted towards her with a double axe handle shot to her back to keep her down. A flurry of kicks followed before she took off for the far side again, this time coming back with a shining wizard that put Victoria flat on the mat once more. She lunged on top of her to make the cover as Fisk dropped to count. 

Zack: I don’t know how much impact those blows had with how she’s feeling, but Su’s going for it all right now!

ONE!!!!

T-WHOOAAAAAAAA!!!

Victoria lifted her off the cover with a military press before sending her rolling into the ropes. Danger sat up to a pop as Su’s eyes widened. Wakuda scrambled to her feet as Victoria was starting to rise, and delivered a guillotine leg drop to put her down again. 

Claire: All credit to Su. We’re seeing that she’s definitely got the heart and the fight of, well, of a dragon. But Victoria’s got more teeth in this encounter and that’s what’ll make the difference.

Havoc started to rise again, only to catch a knee trembler to the side of the head from Su. The Sydney crowd was getting on her case as a result, and Wakuda hooked her head under one arm and dropped her with a double underhook DDT. The champion sat up on her knees, and tried to pull herself together for a moment before she crawled towards Victoria, who surprised her by grabbing her in a goozle around the neck before she started to get up to her feet! 

Zack: Su’s been battered senseless, and she took too long to follow up! And now...now the Raging Dragon got caught! 

Claire: This could chokeslam could change the complexion of this match all over again. Su’s doing great in there, but after the beating she’s taken she needs to get Jenny in there.

Havoc rose to her feet near the ropes, and lifted Su off the ground for what appeared to be a chokeslam. But she was too close to the wrong corner, and Jenny fired a sharp kick into her lower back, causing her to loosen her grip and allow Su to counter into a tornado DDT. Wakuda rolled away from her this time, taking deep breaths as she glanced up to see where Jenny was and headed towards her to make the tag. Jenny came in to a roar of boos before the two started unleashing a torrent of kicks into Victoria’s body. They connected rapidly before they bounced off the opposite sides of the ring to catch her with dual superkicks to each side of her head. Havoc went face down on the canvas before they both rolled her over and Jenny went for the cover. 

Zack: It may not be legal, but double teaming is a key to winning this match for the Dragons. Jenny’s already calling it a night if she has her way!

ONE!!!!

TWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

Havoc kicked out, and Jenny quickly got back to her feet. A few more well placed kicks to Victoria’s chest landed before she tagged Su back in again. Together they scooped her up for a slingshot suplex off the ropes. Jenny stepped back out, and Su tagged her back in again. 

Claire: Now we’re seeing quick tags from the Champions and they’re managing to keep Havoc on her back here. This is the best chance of they’ve got of winning. Especially after what we saw at the start of this contest.

They each grabbed one of her legs, and then yanked them apart as hard as they could. That put Havoc into nearly a fetal position before Su left the ring. Jenny rolled out to the floor, and grabbed Victoria’s leg. She pulled it halfway out of the ring, and then snapped it across the apron. The Aussie yelped in pain before she dragged her with all her might towards the post. Victoria’s leg was snapped across the post next as Su started into the ring. Fisk went to stop her while Jenny applied a figure four leglock around the post to deafening boos, while Su kept Fisk’s attention so she could keep it on longer. 

Claire: Now we’ve got the Dragons playing the referee like a fiddle as they torture Victoria’s knee...but like you said Zack, this is what they have to do if they’re going to retain their titles this evening.

Zack: I think Su and Jenny have resigned themselves to the fact that if they are gonna be booed by this crowd, they’ll give them a reason to do it! If you’re gonna do the time, you might as well commit the crime. 

The referee finally saw what was going on, and immediately started a count on Jenny. She eventually let go, and Victoria clutched her knee to her body in the ring. Song rolled back into the ring, and applied a legal figure four this time. Fisk moved around to check on the challenger while Jenny grabbed the middle rope for additional leverage. The boos began again...until cheers started! That was because Jacqui Minogue headed down the ramp to a warm welcome from the crowd. The referee glanced back to see her coming, and headed towards the ropes. As he did that, Sienna re-entered the ring and connected with a double stomp to Jenny’s body, causing her to break the hold before Danger went back to the corner. 

Claire: Timely intervention from Jacqui to give Sienna that opening to break up the hold and stop the torment to the knee. 

Zack: Jacqui was a welcome sight for this Sydney crowd, and that’s a reception she never gets anywhere else. I told you this match was gonna be an experience!

Jenny made it back to her feet as Victoria was sliding along the rope towards her corner. Song stopped that by grabbing her foot, turning her over, and driving her knee into the canvas again and again. After doing it four times and getting back to her feet, Jenny was surprised by a running clothesline from Sienna as she darted across the apron. She went back to the corner, and held out her hand as Jacqui orchestrated the crowd by pounding the mat. They followed suit by stomping their feet as Victoria inched towards her partner. 

Zack: Jacqui’s got this crowd in the palm of her hands, as odd as that is to say! And they are willing Victoria to make this tag! The energy level in this arena is immense!

Claire: If Victoria makes this tag the roof is going to blow off the Qudos Arena!! And it’ll be the Dragons worst nightmare. Look at Sienna chomping at the bit!!

Victoria inched closer and lunged for the corner, making the tag as the Sydney crowd erupted! Sienna hit the ring like a runaway train as Jenny was getting up. She mowed the Dragon down with a running lariat, and then a big boot to Su’s chest sent her off the apron. Danger pounded the canvas, getting the crowd even louder. And as Jenny started to get to her feet, Sienna charged towards her with a bicycle kick to the face that sent her backwards to hang in the corner. Danger waved her forward as Jenny tried to get out of the corner, and walked into a massive spinebuster that popped the crowd! She rolled through with a leg hook for the cover as Fisk slid into position!

Zack: I think the ring moved on that spinebuster!! THEY’RE GONNA DO IT!! 

ONE!!!!

TWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

THREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!! NO!!

Su pulled the referee out of the ring by his leg before he could finish the three count. The Sydney fans gave her hell for it as Sienna looked around to see what happened. And as Fisk chastised her for interrupting his count, Sienna reached over the top rope and pulled Su up by the head with both hands! 

Claire: There’s a Jenny shaped crater right there in the middle of the ring and I think that might have been the only way for Su to save the titles. Though she’s about to regret it!

Su was pulled up to the apron before a clapping hand landed across her chest again, causing her to shout as she dropped to her knees. Jenny started to get up inside the ring as Sienna spun around, and went for a big boot to her head. But Song ducked underneath it. Sienna turned as Jenny went for a flying forearm, but got caught and hoisted onto Sienna’s shoulders into a fireman’s carry. 

Claire: This can only be bad news for Jenny and the Dragons!! Sienna’s going to win the Tag Titles right here!!

Sienna had her in position for her finisher when Jenny raked her eyes to stop her. She then fell backwards with her into a crucifix rollup out of nowhere before the referee slid into position again!

Zack: JENNY WITH A ROLLUP!!

ONE!!!!

TWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

THREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!

Sienna kicked out as the three hit the mat, and the referee called for the bell. Jenny rolled out of the ring immediately to a deafening set of boos from the crowd. She snatched the tag titles from Lexi, and darted around to help her partner. 

Claire: The Dragons steal the victory tonight with some quick thinking from Jenny. Though it was real close shave. They may want to get out of Sydney before this crowd riots!

Lexi: Your winners AND STTIIIIIIIIIILLL Future Shock Tag Team Champions…..THE RAGING DRAGONS!!!

Zack: I think Sienna got her shoulder up in time, but the referee clearly didn’t! And the Dragons have retained the tag titles! They may want to get on the first flight out of Australia too!

Jacqui climbed into the ring to check on her cousins and then argue with the referee about Sienna’s shoulder being up in time. Jenny helped Su to her feet, and handed her half of the tag titles before they started heading up the ramp before the referee could raise their hands.

Zack: The Doomsday Sisters were THAT close to making history, and this crowd blowing the roof off the Qudos Bank Arena! They aren’t even waiting to get their hand raised, they’re ready to go and I don’t blame them a bit!

Claire: This is the most hostile territory for the Dragons right now. Sienna was just a fraction of a second away from getting that shoulder up and I seriously doubt the Dragons have seen the last of the Doomsday Sisters...next time, they might not be so lucky.

Jacqui helped her cousins to their feet, and raised their hands as the Sydney crowd showed them nothing but love before the show cut elsewhere. 




Coming Home

An airport is shown next as the camera sees a long line of people all boarding a plane through  a terminal. The camera follows a few paces behind one woman in particular, but can’t seem to catch up to her. “Coming Home” by P. Diddy and Skylar Grey starts playing.

I'm coming home
I'm coming home
Tell the world I'm coming home
Let the rain wash away all the pain of yesterday

The woman goes through the door onto the plane before the camera is pulled back. Seconds later, we cut to inside the terminal as people are watching as a flight starts taking off into the darkening sky. 

I know my kingdom awaits and they've forgiven my mistakes
I'm coming home, I'm coming home
Tell the world that I'm coming

 

…..On the next Future Shock

[Adam Grant]

 

After a video package shows highlights from the three previous meetings between Mara and Gemma, we head back to the ring where Lexi stands ready to do the introductions for the main event. 

Lexi: The following contest is scheduled for one fall to a finish, and it is for the Future Shock Championship!

Zack: Before this match gets underway, I want to commend everyone on this roster who competed tonight. I think this may have been the best Sydney Supershow yet, and we’re not done! The most coveted prize in Future Shock is about to be on the line!

Claire: It’s been a rollercoaster of a night thus far and after putting on a Match of the Year last time out, we’ve got two of the most determined, toughest, most talented women in Future Shock battling it out for the biggest prize on the biggest night of the year.

The lights go out in the arena, an anticipatory murmur filling the arena. A moment or two passes in silence before a slow-tempo guitar begins to play through the PA system, accompanied by an electronic vibration effect, kicking off All Good Things’ “For the Glory.”

Better back down, you’re in my domain
Got the whole crowd screaming out our name
It’s a blowout, it’s a hurricane
It’s over, before you know it

An aggressive guitar chord strikes as red lights begin to swirl through the arena. The curtain is pushed aside, and a dimly lit figure stands in the middle of the entrance ramp. While not much of her is clearly visible, she turns her head to face either direction of the crowd.

Why you shaking? We’re a dynasty
In the making, We’re the royalty
Now we're breaking down the enemy
Move over for the soldiers

After a moment, a single white spotlight turns to the ramp, revealing a woman in a leather jacket, glaring toward one side of the crowd, chewing a piece of gum with a smirk on her face. Notably, as the spotlight focuses on the World Piercer, her usually bright red hair is jet black, and hangs down in her face somewhat, although Gemma doesn’t seem particularly bothered for the moment.

Lexi: Introducing first, from Liverpool, England, weighing 147 pounds…this is “The World Piercer,” GEMMA...PIERCE!

Gemma turns to stare at the other side of the audience, lips curling into even more of a smirk as the fans react to the introduction with boos. She stuffs her hands into the pockets of her leather jacket, pacing down the ramp slowly. For the most part, she ignores the crowd, although one person toward the end of the ramp seems to get the “World Piercer’s” attention. The smirk on her face only grows as she gets into a bit of a jaw-jacking competition with the fan, even holding her arms out and seeming to invite some kind of confrontation--when nothing comes of it, though, she just grins even more.

She circles around the ring, taking her sweet time before deciding which side she wants to enter on, swinging herself up onto the apron. She grips the top rope and grins, pulling herself up to her feet, staring out into the crowd for just a moment. She steps through the ropes, moving straight into the center of the ring and stretching her arms out wide, curling both hands in a “bring it” sort of gesture, as the boos only increase. The Merseysider chuckles to herself, shrugging her leather jacket off her shoulders and tossing it out of the ring, moving to her corner and leaning herself back against the turnbuckles.

Zack: I truly believe Gemma Pierce and Mara Werth are career rivals, and neither of them have been in the business all that long. Pierce has won two of the three matches they have had, and that may make the champion the underdog. But the stakes were never this high, so I think we can throw that out of the window. 

Claire: Gemma is coming into this match with all the momentum after her very impressive run with the Aspire Championship, becoming the only wrestler to ever complete the five successful defences of the title. And every time a title has been on the line between these two, Gemma has succeeded. We’ve seen that she’s like a terrier with a bone when she sets herself a goal and the Future Shock Championship is next on her list.

I'm only human
I'm only—I'm only—
I'm only human, human

“Human” by Rag’n’Bone Man starts to play over the soundsystem as the video screen shows a jail cell door sliding backwards and a pair of black ring boots with legs going all the way up to a simple blue skirt step out onto the landing only to suddenly stumble as if given a push in the small of the back from the man who appeared behind her in shiny black shoes and black pants. 

Maybe I'm foolish,
Maybe I'm blind
Thinking I can see through this
And see what's behind
Got no way to prove it
So maybe I'm lying

As the pair pass by, the camera gets a shot from behind before it cuts to more grainy CCTV footage that shows the guard escorting the raven haired prisoner across a prison yard of patchy grass and into another building. There’s another cut as we see a shot of exposed midriff on the other side of a counter that has a pack of gum, some loose change on it and a hair bobble on it. A hand reaches forward, picking up a pen and signs a name quickly before scooping up the possessions as she stiffly pushed to move onwards.

But I'm only human after all,
I'm only human after all
Don't put your blame on me
Don't put your blame on me

There’s another cut; this time to show the back of the black haired woman as she reaches up to tie her long loose hair back with the bobble while still walking forward, coming to a stop in front of a large closed door. The camera cuts to the opposite side of the door and low door, watching as it swung open and the woman stepped out; only for the blazing sun to obscure her face and body; the video screens becoming a blazing yellow-white sun glare with a spotlight shining bright as the same woman has appeared at the top of the entrance ramp. The spotlight dims to reveal Mara Werth standing there in her black boots, blue skirt and white vest top.

Take a look in the mirror
And what do you see?
Do you see it clearer
Or are you deceived
In what you believe?

Lexi: Ladies and gentlemen please welcome from Tuscaloosa, Alabama, she is the reigning and defending Future Shock Champion...… MARA WERTH!!!

'Cause I'm only human after all,
You're only human after all
Don't put the blame on me
Don't put your blame on me

With a smile on her face she begins to head down the ramp to the ring, running up the ring steps. She moved down the apron, facing out to the crowd and threw her arms up into the air before she stepped through the ropes. Heading to the corner, the girl carefully stepped up onto the middle ropes, throwing her hands up into the air again before she bounced back onto her feet and stretched as she waited for the match to start.

Zack: I don’t think there’s been a woman who has held the Future Shock Championship that has been as proud of it as Mara. Here’s a woman who paid a debt to society, and worked her ass off to start a new life. And it’s been very successful, to say the least. Otherwise she wouldn’t be carrying that title she took from Vivi Robichaud. 

Claire: You can’t ever write Mara off. She might come into this as the underdog but that won’t bother her in the slightest. She’ll have the belief and the self confidence that she can make her own little bit of history tonight and be the first ever Future Shock Champion to retain here in Sydney - no matter what Pierce throws at her.

Referee Jennifer Stringer made sure neither woman had any hidden weapons before taking the Future Shock Championship from Mara. She raised it over her head, showed it to Gemma, and then gave it to Lexi before she left the ring. The bell sounded as both women looked across from each other before meeting in the center, staring into one another’s face. 

Zack: No words are being spoken, but they don’t have to! It’s all being said through their eyes, and it’s a big fight feel here in Sydney! The most sought after championship on this brand is on the line in the 4th meeting of a match that won Match of the Year honors!

Claire: A lot of respect exists between these two but tonight, they won’t underestimate each other that’s for certain but it is all about that Championship belt and walking out here as the victor.

The staring continued for only a couple seconds more before they locked up together. Gemma immediately transitioned into a rear waistlock, and Mara started firing back elbows aimed at her head. But Gemma kept her head low, avoiding most of the contact until Mara reached between her legs to grab one of them. Gemma stopped that with a belly to back overhead suplex, but Werth landed on her feet. Pierce stood up and spun around just as Mara darted towards her with furious right hands aimed at her head. Pierce started firing shots of her own as a fistfight broke out. The challenger got the better of the exchange with a kneelift to Mara’s body before she whipped her into the nearest corner. Werth caught herself before she collided, and caught Gemma coming in behind her with a mule kick to the stomach to stop her in her tracks. The champion grabbed her head quickly, and dropped her with a swinging neckbreaker. 

Zack: A lot of jockeying for position, and a few counters too there in the opening exchange. These two know each other so well, and I think each of them will have to pull something new out of the bag more than once tonight.

Claire: Yeah, and one thing that exchange will have underlined to Mara is just how powerful Gemma is and that she can’t afford to throw hands with her too often or get involved in a battle of strength.

Mara didn’t let her try to get up before she began raining forearms across the back of her head and neck. She then dragged her to her feet, only to propel her head first into the corner. Gemma dropped back to her knees again, and Mara yanked her feet out from under her, letting her faceplant on the bottom turnbuckle. She dragged her towards the center of the ring by then, and then dropped an elbow across the back of her head. Werth applied a front facelock after that, and pulled her back to her feet to drive multiple kneelifts into her face and body. Six landed before Gemma started to buckle, and Werth showed her power with a butterfly suplex to put the challenger down again. She rolled over to mount her back, and apply a camel clutch. Stringer asked Gemma about stopping the match, and the look she got back gave her all the answer she needed. 

Zack: Mara’s showing a lot of ground and pound offense here, and that’s smart. It’s hard to fight back if you’re on your back or face down on the mat. 

Claire: Smart strategy thus far from Mara. She’s keeping Gemma off her feet and I think you can argue that with the work she has put in over the last year, she’s become the better technical wrestler as we’re seeing with this camel clutch to wear the powerhouse down.

With one hand holding her chin in place, Mara used her other arm and started firing forearms across Gemma’s face. Four in a row landed before she grabbed her chin again with both hands. Stringer asked again, still getting the same look from Gemma as soon as she got the words out. Pierce recognized where she was in the ring, and started trying to stretch her leg behind her and hooked her foot on the apron. As soon as Stringer saw it, she called for the break. Mara let go immediately, and grabbed her arm to pull Gemma away from the ropes. She got her to the center of the ring before Pierce rolled over onto her back, and caught her with a kick to the face. It sent the champion stumbling backwards a step, and allowed Pierce to get back to her feet. She lowered her shoulder, and used a running tackle to send Mara back into the corner where she unloaded with shoulder thrusts to her body. 

Zack: We’re seeing nothing but ultra-aggressiveness from Gemma here. She knows who she’s in the ring with, and that’s either 1 or 1A of her toughest opponents ever. 

Claire: Gemma knows that her power can be a difference maker and those blows are going to drive all the air out of her opponent’s body and with the way she’s driving them home, Werth’s back will be black and blue at the end of this contest.

A few thrust knocked the wind out of the Mara, and Gemma rose up to deliver a couple European uppercuts. It rocked Mara’s head back before Gemma scooped her over her shoulders, spun around and planted her with an Alabama slam. Three stomps to the body followed that before she punted her in the ribs. That took some of the fight out of Mara, causing her to clutch her side in pain before Pierce muscled her up with a rear waistlock and sent her flying to the mat with a belly to back suplex. 

Zack: One quick way to slow anyone down is to work on their ribs and make it hurt just for them to breathe. And that’s what Gemma seems to be focusing on at this point.

Claire: Mara’s strong but Gemma is in a whole different class and is probably the strongest woman to have ever competed in Future Shock. Werth knew she was going to get hit by a truck tonight and has to find a way to stop the unstoppable force.

The “World Piercer” scooped her up in another rear waistlock, this time using a German suplex that sent Mara back first into the turnbuckles. The champion hung in pain briefly before Gemma was already back to her feet, and charged her with a jumping knee strike to the mouth. Her head snapped back for a moment before Gemma scooped her up into a firemans’ carry double knee gutbuster that folded her up on the canvas before the challenger went for the cover. 

Claire: Still targeting those ribs and Gemma is looking to put this one away already! She may have it with the work she’s done in short order to the ribs.

ONE!!!

TWOOOOOOOOOOOO!!

Werth kicked out at the two count, and Gemma seemed to be expecting it as she was already transitioning to her next move. And that happened to be pulling Mara up to her feet with her head under one arm. When she went to hook Mara’s arm, Werth shoved her off immediately and backed up a couple steps, shaking her head.

Zack: I think Gemma was going for her finisher right there, and Mara responded with almost a Pavlovian response when she felt the setup! 

The two eyed one another for a couple seconds before Gemma went back on the attack. The challenger lunged towards her, looking for a clothesline. But Werth ducked the contact, and when Gemma stopped herself and turned, she walked into a flatliner from the champion that saw her follow up with a float over and a leg hook!

Zack: I told you they know each other too well, and we’re seeing some new moves right here!

ONE!!!

TWOOOOOOOOOO!!!

This time, it was Gemma who kicked out in time. Mara scooped her around the waist into a gutwrench suplex. It drove her back onto the mat before Werth drove a knee into her lower back to stop her from getting up again. She quickly hooked one of her legs and dropped down to apply a STF. 

Claire: Smart from Mara. She can wear down her opponent with this move and try to catch her breath after Gemma spent all that time on the body shots.

Once more, the referee dropped down to the mat to see if Gemma wanted to stop the match. All she got was a grunt of anger as Pierce tried first to break Mara’s grip under her chin. But she wasn’t able to do it as Mara tried to tighten up the hold a little bit more. Pierce’s face started to darken in color as the champion maintained an almost unbreakable grip, causing the referee to check once again and still get the same response from the challenger. 

Claire: This is the thing that Gemma wants more than anything in the world right now, especially after completing the five defences of the Aspire Championship. I can’t imagine any scenario where she’s going to submit tonight.

Zack: I think Mara would have to knock her out or have her pass out before the referee is going to call a submission on Gemma. I’d honestly go that far for both of them.

Unable to free herself, Gemma then began to use her arms to start dragging them both towards the nearest set of ropes. The ropes weren’t that far away, but it certainly felt like it as Gemma slowly pulled the two of them arm over arm a few inches and finally grabbed the bottom rope. Mara held on a couple seconds longer before she broke the hold, and got to her feet. Pierce held the back of her neck for a moment as Mara circled around, waiting on her to let go of the rope. And when she did, Werth went for her spinning knee strike. Gemma instinctively avoided it, and rolled out of the ring to the floor. 

Zack: There you see it again! Mara knew that DDT was coming earlier, and Gemma could feel Mara’s favorite finisher about to land too. These two know each other like a book!

Claire: You’re spot on the money there Zack. This could well all come down to whichever woman can improvise best at the right moment to take their foe by surprise rather than going back to their old faithfuls.

Mara started to pace back and forth in the ring as Gemma began to move around the corner. The referee had made it to a four count before she climbed back up onto the apron, and Mara went to get her. She grabbed for her head but Gemma ducked under the top rope with a shoulder block to Mara’s body that stopped her in her tracks. Werth doubled over before Pierce launched herself over the top rope into a sunset flip. But Mara kicked out before the referee had time to get into position. Clearly Gemma expected it, and was there to greet her as they started throwing hands once again. A headbutt to her face slowed Mara to a stop before Gemma scooped her up, and dropped her across the top turnbuckle with a snake eyes. Werth stumbled out of the corner drunkenly for a moment until Gemma delivered a yakuza kick to her chest. It dropped her to the mat, and Pierce bounced off the near side to punt her even harder than the last time in the ribs. 

Zack: Pierce is absolutely devastating with all this body work, making Mara suffer every time she draws a breath. The “World Piercer” is a walking wrestling machine, isn’t she?

Claire: She’s got herself a target and is completely and totally focused on it. She’s like a Terminator set back through time simply to put a beating on Mara Werth tonight.

Werth curled up into a ball practically before Pierce scooped her up into a Canadian backbreaker, letting her dangle backwards over the challenger’s shoulder. Stringer moved around to ask Mara about stopping the match as she hung awkwardly, but the champion shook her head just before Gemma started bouncing up and down on the balls of her feet. The movement made the hold even more painful as Mara’s arms flailed at her side. 

Claire: Just as we said earlier for Gemma, Mara has resiliency by the bucket load and I can’t imagine that she’ll quit tonight either. Pierce will either have to score the pinfall or force the referee to stop the match...and this is a big step in both directions.

Zack: No kidding. Mara’s back is being dissected, courtesy of Dr. Pierce here. She’s one of the toughest women I’ve ever seen, because I can’t imagine staying in this hold long at all. 

The Sydney fans resumed making their presence felt as they fully supported the champion, chanting her name as they implored her to keep going. Mara reached out for the top rope, and Gemma immediately took a giant step in the other direction, keeping them entirely out of reach. She followed that by bouncing Mara again over her shoulder, causing her to grimace in pain as the referee checked again for the submission. Again, Mara made it clear she didn’t want to stop. 

Zack: Gemma has outstanding ring awareness. As soon as she saw Mara looking for the ropes, she made sure that temptation was well out of reach. I can’t imagine what this feels like after all this time. 

Claire: Mara’s back is going to be on fire right now and she desperately needs to find an escape or hope and pray to whatever God she believes in that Gemma gets tired or bored and lets her go.

The fans began to get louder as they supported Mara, causing the champion to start kicking her legs like she was riding a bicycle. The movement started to make Gemma unsteady on her feet, and Werth was beginning to break her grip. Pierce tried to transition into a crucifix powerbomb, but Mara slid down to her feet behind her. The “World Piercer” spun around and grabbed her into another rear waistlock, but Mara countered with a cutter that bounced them both off the mat. Pierce landed face down, and Mara rolled to her side because she couldn’t stand to lay on her back at the moment. 

Claire: Mara’s in a bad way right now. She had a mountain climb when she entered this match and it’s not getting any smaller with the way she’s been tormented by Gemma’s power tonight.

Zack: In any other circumstance, you’d probably see her go for a cover by now. But Mara’s been worked over, and she doesn’t even want to lay flat on her back right now. She’s just trying to block out the pain shooting up and down her spinal column. 

The champion slid towards the ropes, using them to help her pull up to her feet. She couldn’t stand up straight without a great deal of pain. While she was doing that, Gemma was beginning to rise as well. The “World Piercer” looked wobbly after the cutter, but lumbered towards Mara. As soon as she got close, Mara used a discus elbow to catch her on the jaw. It snapped her head back for a moment, and Werth hooked her head. She grabbed one arm, and delivered Gemma’s single underhook DDT onto her! The fans came to life again as the champion rolled across her to make the cover. 

Zack: She’s gonna pin Gemma with her own move!! Pierce will never be the same!!

ONE!!!!

TWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

THREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE-NOO!!!

Gemma was too close to the ropes, and put her foot across the bottom to cause the referee to stop counting. Mara raised her head to see it for herself before she rolled off the cover, and still couldn’t bring herself to sit up straight on her knees. 

Claire: Mara was a coat of paint away from beating Gemma with her own move!! Excellent ring awareness from the challenger though and Mara’s got to power on through and find another path to victory.

Mara struggled to get back to her feet, leaning forward as she moved towards the challenger. Gemma was still laying on the mat after feeling the effects of her own finisher, and Mara dragged her slowly towards the center of the ring. When Pierce started to get up, Mara planted her head between her legs and grabbed her around the waist. She tried to lift her up, but she barely got Pierce’s feet off the ground before she had to let go. The challenger collapsed back to her feet before Mara grabbed her and tried to do it again. 

Claire: After all the work Gemma has done on her back, Mara might be better off forgetting about trying to lift her and instead of focus on the things she learned in Boston instead.

Zack: I agree with that. I don’t think whatever she has in mind is worth the additional trauma that her back has already suffered tonight. And this is all giving Gemma time to get herself together anyway.

Mara tried to lift her again, and amazingly it worked as she drove Gemma down with a ganso bomb. She toppled over to her side, one hand clutched against her back still as Gemma lay facing up on the canvas. Werth seemed to debate going for the cover or getting up, and chose the latter as she made it back to her feet. She leaned against the ropes, face wrenched in pain as she saw Pierce starting to get up again. Mara took off towards her, looking for a spinning backfist. But the challenger ducked the contact, grabbed her around the waist, and connected with a wheelbarrow facebuster that put them both back down the mat. 

Zack: Look at how much these two have taken out of one another, Claire! Big move after big move, and nobody can follow up at this point. They are beating the hell out of each other to call themselves Future Shock Champion tomorrow.

Claire: This shows just how much the title means to both of these women, they’re putting themselves through Hell and if they keep on throwing bombs like this, they’ll both wake up in a local medical facility in the morning.

The referee began a mandatory ten count on them both. It took till she got to six before either of them started to move at all. Gemma was the first as she slowly sat up, and started to get back to her feet. Mara stirred at seven, and was back up at nine. As soon as Werth turned to see where Gemma was, the challenger rushed her and drove her back into the corner again. Mara’s back hit hard, and Gemma scooped her up to sit on the top rope. Werth lurched over as Pierce crawled up to the second rope with her and hooked her head under one arm...and lifted the other into position for her finisher from the corner! The fans came to their feet as Pierce looked to be going for it until Mara shoved her off the rope. Pierce stumbled backwards on the canvas, trying to get her balance before the champion came off with a flying clothesline that put her down on the mat once more.

Claire: Mara once more with that Pavlovian response to the DDT but they’re both back down on the mat and I’m not sure how much either of them have left.

Zack: They gotta be running on fumes at this point. They’ve both gone for their favorite finishers, and the other was able to avoid it each time. Someone’s gonna have to pull something big out of the bag to leave with the Future Shock Championship.

Gemma started to move towards the corner to help her get back to her feet, and Mara wasn’t far behind her. The Future Shock Champion clobbered her from behind with a big boot to the back of her head. It sent the challenger into the corner again before Mara took a few steps back, seemingly lining the challenger up for something. She blasted towards her with a corner clothesline as she turned around. It knocked the wind out of Gemma as Mara tried to hoist her back up onto the top turnbuckle again. She finally got her up there, and was starting to follow her when Gemma began firing right hands in a flurry to the side of her head. Werth dropped back to the canvas on her feet, trying to shake off the effects while Gemma was looking to climb back down. The challenger rose to her feet just before Mara stormed the corner, knocking the ropes out from under her and letting her land straddling the top turnbuckle. 

Zack: I don’t know what exactly Mara’s looking for here. She’s not exactly known as a high flyer at all, but she’s hellbent on getting Gemma to stay on that top turnbuckle. And after that drop, she’s probably not going anywhere fast. 

Claire: We’ve seen Mara go upstairs before albeit with very mixed results. She obviously feels that the reward is worth the risk that she’s taking; that she can hit that one big desperation move to retain the title.

Mara took a couple steps back, and saw Gemma hang over the turnbuckle in pain. She immediately advanced on her, turning her back to her and hooking their arms together as Pierce was once again trying to get up. 

Zack: What is…..what is she doing?!

Before Gemma could respond, Mara left her feet and drove Pierce into the mat with a vertebreaker off the top turnbuckle! The fans came to their feet as Mara yanked her away from the ropes and hooked both legs for the cover!

Claire: OH MY GOD!!! Mara’s spiked Gemma into the mat!! There’s no way the challenger can kick out after that!!!

ONE!!!!

TWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

THREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!

Stringer called for the bell to a pop from the crowd, and Mara rolled away from the challenger to lay down on the mat. She was face down before raising her head to see Lexi getting out of her seat to make it official. 

Lexi: The winner of this match by pinfall…..AND STIILLLLL Future Shock Champion…...MARA WERTH!!!

Zack: I have never seen anyone survive the vertebreaker, and I didn’t even know Mara knew about it! Good Lord, Gemma’s still out and Mara is leaving Sydney with the gold!!

She finally made it to her feet, and had her hand raised in victory to another pop from the crowd. Werth leaned against the ropes, her back still bothering her enough to where she couldn’t stand straight as the referee returned the Future Shock Championship to her. 

Zack: That was the hardest hitting match we’ve seen all night, I think, and Mara Werth smells like smoke because she went through hell and back to retain the Future Shock Championship with the damnedest form of the vertebreaker I’ve ever seen!

Claire: We knew that it would take something special...that it would take something that we’ve not seen before from the winner tonight and Mara duly obliged. Gemma hit her with absolutely everything she could, came so close to victory herself and Werth will be feeling the cost of victory for a long, long while, that’s for certain.

Zack: Wherever you are watching on FFW All Access, thank you for joining us for the 4th annual Sydney Supershow! The Future Shock girls delivered on the biggest stage they have, and the fallout begins 2 weeks from tonight when we return to Boston! We’ll see you there!!

Mara climbs up to the second rope, proudly holding her Future Shock Championship over her head with both hands to a roar from the fans as the Sydney Supershow fades to black.