Post by Jman2k3 on Nov 20, 2017 6:38:40 GMT
Scott Stevens vs. Rhys Townsend
Sylosis' Empyreal starts to thunder it's way around inside the arena, as it heralds the arrival of Rhys Townsend. He walks out onto the stage, pausing to adjust the towel hanging around his shoulders, barely even acknowledging the fact that he's in an arena full of wrestling fans, instead, just staring straight down at the ring.
Blackfront: Townsend picked up an impressive victory on his debut against Crimson Lord, not just beating him, but making him submit.
Ace: He did, so now you have to wonder if he can take the momentum from that victory into this one, and pick up a win in what was a storied rivalry in Chicago.
His focus on the ring is absolute as he walks down the ramp, never taking his eyes off it, his facial expression of pure focus never wavering.
Announcer: Introducing at this time, coming to us from Llanelli, Wales...
He stops at the bottom of the ring steps, still completely oblivious to anything that is not the wrestling ring, as he stares up at the ringpost. He pauses for a second, seemingly murmuring something to himself, before he walks up the ring steps.
Announcer: Standing at six feet, one inch, and weighing in at two hundred fifty two pounds...
He finally looks out at the crowd, completely unfazed by their reaction to him, as he wipes his boots on the apron. He steps through the middle ropes, glancing quickly at the ring announcer and referee.
Announcer: This...is....RHYS! TOWNSEND!!!!
He barely acknowledges the announcer's call, merely nodding his head, as he walks over to one of the turnbuckles. The towel comes up and over his head, casually hanging it over the turnbuckle.
Blackfront: He certainly looks ready for Stevens, so you have to wonder if he can finally pick up the elusive victory over him.
Townsend rolls his wrists, before he runs through one final check of his ring gear, making sure that it's all just the way he wants it, before he turns back towards the center of the ring, ready for his match.
Ace: That remains to be seen...if you're a hardcore professional wrestling fan, you know that Rhys is oh and five against Scott Stevens, which is a record that Stevens is not going to want to give up easily.
Blackfront: Oh yeah...this match should be a good one!
The lights in the arena go pitch black, as red lasers and spotlights light up the area. The video screen lights up and flashes across the screen a Texas flag, with the words, “Texas Born. Texas Bred.” “Texas Forever.“ branded into the flag. The crowd reaction is mixed, but there are more cheers than boos, as the opening guitar riffs and Hellraiser by Motorhead begins to play throughout the PA system.
Ace: And here comes his opponent...making his debut here in the UTA, you would think that nerves won't be a problem for this well travelled Texan.
Blackfront: Yeah...but he's in the big leagues now. You never know!
The cheers intensify as the chorus hits the speakers, drawing out the man from Texas.
Announcer: Introducing at this time, coming to us from the Great State of Texas, by way of Houston, Texas.
Walking down the aisle, he fists bumps some of his fans while raising a fist at a few of the more vocal bashers.
Announcer: Standing at six feet, six inches, and weighing in at two hundred and fifty-six pounds...
As he finally gets to the ring, he climbs the nearest turnbuckle and stares down at his opponent.
Announcer: This...is....SCOTTTTTTTTTTTTT STEEEEEEEEEEEVENSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!
An icy glare and the throat slash gesture his only actions as he drops to the mat.
Ace: True...and you can just feel the tension here in the arena tonight! It doesn't matter that the two of them took a moment to remind themselves that they are friends earlier in the night...
Blackfront: Because you get the feeling that this matters a lot to both men!
DING DING DING!
The two stare at each other in the center of the ring, as the hardcore fans in attendance pop loudly at the continuation of this rivalry in a new wrestling federation. Both men smile, before they start to circle each other, and it’s moments before they rip into a collar and elbow tieup!
Blackfront: A classic start, straight into the collar and elbow!
Ace: Both men are well accomplished technical wrestlers...I don't think we were about to see them go blow for blow to open up this one.
They wrench back and forth, neither giving an inch, until Townsend slips out and grabs a rear waist lock! Stevens quickly grabs hold of Townsend's arms, trying to wrench free, but the Welshman is not having it. Stevens keeps fighting, and eventually manages to grab a rope! The referee calls for the break, and he quickly gets it, before the two wrestlers go back to eyeing each other up.
Ace: And it's just as we expected...a technical opening to the contest, neither willing to give an inch, both wrestling to gain any sort of advantage that they can.
Blackfront: Yeah, I expect this match will continue to go that way. I don't think we'll see either man pick a weakness and attempt to work on it, they know each other too well for that.
Ace: There's no doubt that both of these competitors are intimately familiar with each others strengths and weaknesses.
Stevens makes the move this time, faking for a collar and elbow tieup but instead grabbing a wristlock! He wrenches on the wrist, twisting it this way and that, Rhys slapping at his shoulder joint as he does so. He looks to move behind Townsend, to turn the wrist lock into a hammerlock, and he eventually finds his way back there, continuing to work the arm.
Blackfront: Stevens seems to have the advantage in the early going here...
Ace: He does seem to be establishing himself in the early going here, though I doubt that Townsend's just going to let him have it all his way.
Townsend isn't willing to stay in the hammerlock for long though, dropping to a knee and catapulting Stevens over his shoulders! Stevens charges back, but Townsend delivers a drop toe hold, smashing the Texan's face off the canvas! He quickly moves up, grabbing a front face lock! Stevens doesn't stay down for long though, the front face lock not really much of an obstacle to his quest to regain a vertical base, before he suplexes Townsend up and over with a Northern Lights suplex!
Blackfront: Big suplex right there from Stevens!
Ace: And a great way to swing the momentum which seemed to be favoring Townsend.
Stevens charges at Townsend, who's just about getting back to his feet, and finds himself met with a belly to belly suplex! Like the Northern Lights suplex that came before, this one doesn't keep the man down either, and it's mere seconds before the two erupt into a furious exchange of blows!
Blackfront: And it appears that the technical wrestling of the early going has just gone out of the window here!
There is no ground given between the two of them until eventually Stevens lands a huge right hand right on the button! Townsend staggers back, as Stevens advances, but Townsend fires his head into Stevens', knocking the Texan back! Both men look a little stunned, a little out of it, as they both seem to be trying to draw their wits.
Ace: The headbutt bought Townsend some space right there, but it has to have stunned him too!
Blackfront: But if it gets him the space he needs to start launching a more concerted attack, then it'll have been worth it.
Townsend's first to get his wits back, vigorously shaking his head, before he fires Stevens into the ropes. He makes the common error that all professional wrestlers make at one point or another - he drops his head, and the Texan smashes his boot up into his face. Townsend staggers back, before Stevens drives him head first into the canvas with a DDT!
Ace: Big DDT right there!
Stevens drags the Welshman up off the canvas, quickly bullrushing him into the corner, where he proceeds to drive his shoulder into his midsection repeatedly, driving the wind out of Townsend's lungs. He doesn't move away from the turnbuckle, but instead grabs a muay thai style clinch, starting to repeatedly drive knees into the head of Townsend, before he hurls him overhead with a head and arm suplex!
Blackfront: Momentum firmly with Stevens right now!
Ace: Townsend needs to pull himself back into this match, or it could all be over very quickly!
Townsend's slow to drag himself to his feet, and in fact, doesn't get there until Stevens aids him up. Stevens takes a moment too long to decide what to do next, because a series of ferocious elbows comes out of the Welshman, staggering Stevens! There's a brief shake of the head, before Townsend charges at him, laying him out with a clothesline, immediately dropping to his knees after, trying to get some breath back.
Blackfront: Could that be a momentum swing right there?!
Ace: It could well be! He needs to keep on Stevens, he can't allow him time to recover!
He's up before Stevens is, but only just barely - and yet another exchange of blows, the ferocity decreased from their earlier exchange ensues! This time it's not just one headbutt that gets him the advantage, but a series of them, Townsend recklessly using his own head to get an advantage! He looks almost as stunned as Stevens, as the Texan backs into a corner, but he's not all gone, because he quickly picks him up and powerbombs him into the turnbuckle! The Texan slumps down, as Townsend, again, takes a moment to clear his head.
Blackfront: Vicious powerbomb right into the turnbuckles!
Ace: And again, with the use of the headbutt to set it up - Townsend seems to be willing to sacrifice what it takes to get the victory here tonight!
Blackfront: You cannot write off Stevens though...the guy is tough.
Townsend picks Stevens up, dragging him out from the turnbuckle as he hooks him up for a vertical suplex. He goes to hoist him up and over, but Stevens grapevines the leg, stopping the attempt. He tries again...with no luck, and this time, finds himself being lifted up and over! His back crashes off the canvas, feeling the force of a vertical suplex, as Stevens slowly gets back to his feet.
Blackfront: Nice reversal right there!
Scott Stevens reaches down, grabbing a clearly groggy Townsend by the head, raising him back to his feet, where he takes a moment himself, before he delivers the Fisherman's Suplex he calls the Texas-Plex! He stays in the suplex, bridging for the pin....
1.....
2....
No! Townsend kicks out before the three!
Ace: And there's our first pinfall attempt of the match!
Blackfront: Townsend kicking out with a little bit of time to spare...but Stevens seems to be pushing the pace right here.
There isn't a look of frustration on Stevens' face, only one of grim determination, as he again, picks Townsend up off his feet, signalling for the Toxic Sting! He leaps up, grabbing Townsend's head...but instead, finds himself flung across the ring!
Ace: Townsend escaping from the Toxic Sting attempt!
Stevens gets straight back up and charges at the Welshman, who ducks underneath the clothesline attempt! He pops up behind Stevens, and he quickly picks him up himself, spinning him around, before he drives him into the canvas with a Blue Thunder Bomb! He looks for the pinfall himself....
1....
2...
No!
Ace: And Townsend's pinfall attempt comes close!
Blackfront: Not close enough though. The momentum of this match seems to be going back and forth!
Ace: These men are clearly very equally matched.
On the kickout, Townsend grabs a leg, and immediately looks to start turning Stevens over for his Single Leg Crab of Doom...but the Texan quickly throws an arm out and grabs a rope! The referee calls for the break, and immediately gets it, as the two wrestlers get back up, slowly, wearily.
Ace: He almost had him with the Single Leg Crab of Doom right there!
Blackfront: But he left Stevens too close to the ropes...
There's a brief pause, before they go back to what they started with - the collar and elbow tieup! Stevens manages to slip behind Townsend, and uncorks a huge German suplex! He's still a little groggy, so takes a moment to press his advantage, slowly dragging Townsend back to his feet...who slips behind Stevens and uncorks his own German suplex!!
Ace: Das Suplexen!
Townsend's too fatigued to cover, too out of it to look for the pinfall, so both men find themselves getting their vertical base back at the same time, exchanging long, slow, laborious blows! An elbow connects viciously with Stevens jaw, staggering the Texan, and then Townsend springs into action, cannonballing himself at Stevens legs, knocking him to the canvas! He quickly grabs a leg, and for the second time in the match, he turns Stevens over and sits into the Single Leg Crab of Doom!
Blackfront: There it is again! The Single Leg Crab of Doom! Crimson Lord tapped out to this twice on the last Wrestleshow...is Stevens going to tap right here!?
There's screams of pain from the Texan as he slowly crawls hand over hand, eventually, slowly finding himself within a hand's span of the ropes...Townsend seems to sense what's happening, going to pick him back up and drag him back to the center of the ring...but Stevens' hand slaps against the bottom rope just as he starts to drag him, and the referee immediately starts calling for the break!
Ace: So close! Both of these men are laying it all out there tonight, both really want to advance to the next round!
Blackfront: You have to wonder exactly how much they have left in the tank!
There's disbelief written all over Townsend's face as he stares at the referee, questioningly, though with no argument brooked. He turns back to Stevens, only to find himself met by the Toxic Sting! Stevens flops into a cover, as the referee drops...
1....
2....
3!!!
Announcer: And your winner, advancing to the next round of Ring King....SCOTT STEVENS!!!!
Stevens groggily gets to his feet as the referee raises his arm...though he doesn't celebrate the victory too much, instead helping his friend to his feet. He offers Townsend his hand, and the Welshman grabs it, before he hugs Stevens, raising his arm.
Blackfront: A nice show of sportsmanship between the two friends right there at the end.
Ace: Quite. Stevens advances to the next round of Ring King, but there appears to be no bad blood between these two.
We fade away from ringside.
Sylosis' Empyreal starts to thunder it's way around inside the arena, as it heralds the arrival of Rhys Townsend. He walks out onto the stage, pausing to adjust the towel hanging around his shoulders, barely even acknowledging the fact that he's in an arena full of wrestling fans, instead, just staring straight down at the ring.
Blackfront: Townsend picked up an impressive victory on his debut against Crimson Lord, not just beating him, but making him submit.
Ace: He did, so now you have to wonder if he can take the momentum from that victory into this one, and pick up a win in what was a storied rivalry in Chicago.
His focus on the ring is absolute as he walks down the ramp, never taking his eyes off it, his facial expression of pure focus never wavering.
Announcer: Introducing at this time, coming to us from Llanelli, Wales...
He stops at the bottom of the ring steps, still completely oblivious to anything that is not the wrestling ring, as he stares up at the ringpost. He pauses for a second, seemingly murmuring something to himself, before he walks up the ring steps.
Announcer: Standing at six feet, one inch, and weighing in at two hundred fifty two pounds...
He finally looks out at the crowd, completely unfazed by their reaction to him, as he wipes his boots on the apron. He steps through the middle ropes, glancing quickly at the ring announcer and referee.
Announcer: This...is....RHYS! TOWNSEND!!!!
He barely acknowledges the announcer's call, merely nodding his head, as he walks over to one of the turnbuckles. The towel comes up and over his head, casually hanging it over the turnbuckle.
Blackfront: He certainly looks ready for Stevens, so you have to wonder if he can finally pick up the elusive victory over him.
Townsend rolls his wrists, before he runs through one final check of his ring gear, making sure that it's all just the way he wants it, before he turns back towards the center of the ring, ready for his match.
Ace: That remains to be seen...if you're a hardcore professional wrestling fan, you know that Rhys is oh and five against Scott Stevens, which is a record that Stevens is not going to want to give up easily.
Blackfront: Oh yeah...this match should be a good one!
The lights in the arena go pitch black, as red lasers and spotlights light up the area. The video screen lights up and flashes across the screen a Texas flag, with the words, “Texas Born. Texas Bred.” “Texas Forever.“ branded into the flag. The crowd reaction is mixed, but there are more cheers than boos, as the opening guitar riffs and Hellraiser by Motorhead begins to play throughout the PA system.
Ace: And here comes his opponent...making his debut here in the UTA, you would think that nerves won't be a problem for this well travelled Texan.
Blackfront: Yeah...but he's in the big leagues now. You never know!
The cheers intensify as the chorus hits the speakers, drawing out the man from Texas.
Announcer: Introducing at this time, coming to us from the Great State of Texas, by way of Houston, Texas.
Walking down the aisle, he fists bumps some of his fans while raising a fist at a few of the more vocal bashers.
Announcer: Standing at six feet, six inches, and weighing in at two hundred and fifty-six pounds...
As he finally gets to the ring, he climbs the nearest turnbuckle and stares down at his opponent.
Announcer: This...is....SCOTTTTTTTTTTTTT STEEEEEEEEEEEVENSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!
An icy glare and the throat slash gesture his only actions as he drops to the mat.
Ace: True...and you can just feel the tension here in the arena tonight! It doesn't matter that the two of them took a moment to remind themselves that they are friends earlier in the night...
Blackfront: Because you get the feeling that this matters a lot to both men!
DING DING DING!
The two stare at each other in the center of the ring, as the hardcore fans in attendance pop loudly at the continuation of this rivalry in a new wrestling federation. Both men smile, before they start to circle each other, and it’s moments before they rip into a collar and elbow tieup!
Blackfront: A classic start, straight into the collar and elbow!
Ace: Both men are well accomplished technical wrestlers...I don't think we were about to see them go blow for blow to open up this one.
They wrench back and forth, neither giving an inch, until Townsend slips out and grabs a rear waist lock! Stevens quickly grabs hold of Townsend's arms, trying to wrench free, but the Welshman is not having it. Stevens keeps fighting, and eventually manages to grab a rope! The referee calls for the break, and he quickly gets it, before the two wrestlers go back to eyeing each other up.
Ace: And it's just as we expected...a technical opening to the contest, neither willing to give an inch, both wrestling to gain any sort of advantage that they can.
Blackfront: Yeah, I expect this match will continue to go that way. I don't think we'll see either man pick a weakness and attempt to work on it, they know each other too well for that.
Ace: There's no doubt that both of these competitors are intimately familiar with each others strengths and weaknesses.
Stevens makes the move this time, faking for a collar and elbow tieup but instead grabbing a wristlock! He wrenches on the wrist, twisting it this way and that, Rhys slapping at his shoulder joint as he does so. He looks to move behind Townsend, to turn the wrist lock into a hammerlock, and he eventually finds his way back there, continuing to work the arm.
Blackfront: Stevens seems to have the advantage in the early going here...
Ace: He does seem to be establishing himself in the early going here, though I doubt that Townsend's just going to let him have it all his way.
Townsend isn't willing to stay in the hammerlock for long though, dropping to a knee and catapulting Stevens over his shoulders! Stevens charges back, but Townsend delivers a drop toe hold, smashing the Texan's face off the canvas! He quickly moves up, grabbing a front face lock! Stevens doesn't stay down for long though, the front face lock not really much of an obstacle to his quest to regain a vertical base, before he suplexes Townsend up and over with a Northern Lights suplex!
Blackfront: Big suplex right there from Stevens!
Ace: And a great way to swing the momentum which seemed to be favoring Townsend.
Stevens charges at Townsend, who's just about getting back to his feet, and finds himself met with a belly to belly suplex! Like the Northern Lights suplex that came before, this one doesn't keep the man down either, and it's mere seconds before the two erupt into a furious exchange of blows!
Blackfront: And it appears that the technical wrestling of the early going has just gone out of the window here!
There is no ground given between the two of them until eventually Stevens lands a huge right hand right on the button! Townsend staggers back, as Stevens advances, but Townsend fires his head into Stevens', knocking the Texan back! Both men look a little stunned, a little out of it, as they both seem to be trying to draw their wits.
Ace: The headbutt bought Townsend some space right there, but it has to have stunned him too!
Blackfront: But if it gets him the space he needs to start launching a more concerted attack, then it'll have been worth it.
Townsend's first to get his wits back, vigorously shaking his head, before he fires Stevens into the ropes. He makes the common error that all professional wrestlers make at one point or another - he drops his head, and the Texan smashes his boot up into his face. Townsend staggers back, before Stevens drives him head first into the canvas with a DDT!
Ace: Big DDT right there!
Stevens drags the Welshman up off the canvas, quickly bullrushing him into the corner, where he proceeds to drive his shoulder into his midsection repeatedly, driving the wind out of Townsend's lungs. He doesn't move away from the turnbuckle, but instead grabs a muay thai style clinch, starting to repeatedly drive knees into the head of Townsend, before he hurls him overhead with a head and arm suplex!
Blackfront: Momentum firmly with Stevens right now!
Ace: Townsend needs to pull himself back into this match, or it could all be over very quickly!
Townsend's slow to drag himself to his feet, and in fact, doesn't get there until Stevens aids him up. Stevens takes a moment too long to decide what to do next, because a series of ferocious elbows comes out of the Welshman, staggering Stevens! There's a brief shake of the head, before Townsend charges at him, laying him out with a clothesline, immediately dropping to his knees after, trying to get some breath back.
Blackfront: Could that be a momentum swing right there?!
Ace: It could well be! He needs to keep on Stevens, he can't allow him time to recover!
He's up before Stevens is, but only just barely - and yet another exchange of blows, the ferocity decreased from their earlier exchange ensues! This time it's not just one headbutt that gets him the advantage, but a series of them, Townsend recklessly using his own head to get an advantage! He looks almost as stunned as Stevens, as the Texan backs into a corner, but he's not all gone, because he quickly picks him up and powerbombs him into the turnbuckle! The Texan slumps down, as Townsend, again, takes a moment to clear his head.
Blackfront: Vicious powerbomb right into the turnbuckles!
Ace: And again, with the use of the headbutt to set it up - Townsend seems to be willing to sacrifice what it takes to get the victory here tonight!
Blackfront: You cannot write off Stevens though...the guy is tough.
Townsend picks Stevens up, dragging him out from the turnbuckle as he hooks him up for a vertical suplex. He goes to hoist him up and over, but Stevens grapevines the leg, stopping the attempt. He tries again...with no luck, and this time, finds himself being lifted up and over! His back crashes off the canvas, feeling the force of a vertical suplex, as Stevens slowly gets back to his feet.
Blackfront: Nice reversal right there!
Scott Stevens reaches down, grabbing a clearly groggy Townsend by the head, raising him back to his feet, where he takes a moment himself, before he delivers the Fisherman's Suplex he calls the Texas-Plex! He stays in the suplex, bridging for the pin....
1.....
2....
No! Townsend kicks out before the three!
Ace: And there's our first pinfall attempt of the match!
Blackfront: Townsend kicking out with a little bit of time to spare...but Stevens seems to be pushing the pace right here.
There isn't a look of frustration on Stevens' face, only one of grim determination, as he again, picks Townsend up off his feet, signalling for the Toxic Sting! He leaps up, grabbing Townsend's head...but instead, finds himself flung across the ring!
Ace: Townsend escaping from the Toxic Sting attempt!
Stevens gets straight back up and charges at the Welshman, who ducks underneath the clothesline attempt! He pops up behind Stevens, and he quickly picks him up himself, spinning him around, before he drives him into the canvas with a Blue Thunder Bomb! He looks for the pinfall himself....
1....
2...
No!
Ace: And Townsend's pinfall attempt comes close!
Blackfront: Not close enough though. The momentum of this match seems to be going back and forth!
Ace: These men are clearly very equally matched.
On the kickout, Townsend grabs a leg, and immediately looks to start turning Stevens over for his Single Leg Crab of Doom...but the Texan quickly throws an arm out and grabs a rope! The referee calls for the break, and immediately gets it, as the two wrestlers get back up, slowly, wearily.
Ace: He almost had him with the Single Leg Crab of Doom right there!
Blackfront: But he left Stevens too close to the ropes...
There's a brief pause, before they go back to what they started with - the collar and elbow tieup! Stevens manages to slip behind Townsend, and uncorks a huge German suplex! He's still a little groggy, so takes a moment to press his advantage, slowly dragging Townsend back to his feet...who slips behind Stevens and uncorks his own German suplex!!
Ace: Das Suplexen!
Townsend's too fatigued to cover, too out of it to look for the pinfall, so both men find themselves getting their vertical base back at the same time, exchanging long, slow, laborious blows! An elbow connects viciously with Stevens jaw, staggering the Texan, and then Townsend springs into action, cannonballing himself at Stevens legs, knocking him to the canvas! He quickly grabs a leg, and for the second time in the match, he turns Stevens over and sits into the Single Leg Crab of Doom!
Blackfront: There it is again! The Single Leg Crab of Doom! Crimson Lord tapped out to this twice on the last Wrestleshow...is Stevens going to tap right here!?
There's screams of pain from the Texan as he slowly crawls hand over hand, eventually, slowly finding himself within a hand's span of the ropes...Townsend seems to sense what's happening, going to pick him back up and drag him back to the center of the ring...but Stevens' hand slaps against the bottom rope just as he starts to drag him, and the referee immediately starts calling for the break!
Ace: So close! Both of these men are laying it all out there tonight, both really want to advance to the next round!
Blackfront: You have to wonder exactly how much they have left in the tank!
There's disbelief written all over Townsend's face as he stares at the referee, questioningly, though with no argument brooked. He turns back to Stevens, only to find himself met by the Toxic Sting! Stevens flops into a cover, as the referee drops...
1....
2....
3!!!
Announcer: And your winner, advancing to the next round of Ring King....SCOTT STEVENS!!!!
Stevens groggily gets to his feet as the referee raises his arm...though he doesn't celebrate the victory too much, instead helping his friend to his feet. He offers Townsend his hand, and the Welshman grabs it, before he hugs Stevens, raising his arm.
Blackfront: A nice show of sportsmanship between the two friends right there at the end.
Ace: Quite. Stevens advances to the next round of Ring King, but there appears to be no bad blood between these two.
We fade away from ringside.