The
familiar pulse of the Voltage theme hits as the broadcast opens inside
the Columbia Coliseum. The camera sweeps across the crowd, catching fans on
their feet with signs already pointed toward next Sunday's Reign of
Champions. The atmosphere carries the unmistakable feeling of a go-home
show: one final Sunday before every championship in HCW is put under the
spotlight.
The shot
settles at ringside with the Voltage commentary team.
Sam
Duffy:
"Welcome,
everyone, to HCW Voltage! I'm Sam Duffy alongside Rick Granger, and we are
exactly one week away from Reign of Champions!"
Rick
Granger:
"And
tonight is the last Sunday to make a statement, Sam. After this, the talking
stops. Next week, championships are on the line and excuses aren't going to
mean a thing."
Sam
Duffy:
"And
there is plenty still to be settled before we get there. Tonight we'll hear
from United States Champion Jett Sterling ahead of his defense against Mr. X.
We'll hear from Noah Murphy after that vicious attack by Television Champion
The Rich Athlete. And after what happened last night on Live Wire, Breakthrough
Opportunity winners Avery St. Claire and Harrison Marks will meet with General
Manager Max McGillicutty."
Rick
Granger:
"I'll
save everybody some time. Harrison Marks should ask for the biggest
championship match Max can give him. Six eliminations! Six! Half the people
Harrison threw out last night probably still haven't figured out what
happened."
Sam
Duffy:
"Two
of those men were Lazarus Blackstar and Titan Briggs, and we understand the
Null Order has something to say about Harrison's celebration."
Rick
Granger:
"Of
course they do. Nobody in the Null Order has ever met a situation they couldn't
make creepier."
Sam
Duffy:
"And
tonight, Harrison Marks will face Titan Briggs in our main event. Was
Harrison's performance last night truly a breakthrough, or was eliminating The
Enforcer over the top rope very different from defeating him in a wrestling
match?"
Rick
Granger:
"We're
going to find out."
Sam's tone
turns more serious.
Sam
Duffy:
"But
we're starting tonight with the HCW World Championship. At Reign of Champions,
Dominic Marconi defends against Zack Brown in a Best-of-Three-Falls rematch.
The stipulation has already been agreed upon. Tonight, the champion and
challenger put their names on the contract."
The camera
cuts away from the commentary desk.
IN-RING
— WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP CONTRACT SIGNING
A table
has been positioned in the center of the ring with two chairs facing one
another. A leather folder rests in the middle of the table.
Max
McGillicutty is already standing inside the ring with a microphone.
Max
McGillicutty:
"Ladies
and gentlemen, one week from tonight at Reign of Champions, the HCW World
Championship will be defended in a Best-of-Three-Falls match."
The crowd
responds immediately.
Max
McGillicutty:
"The
two men competing in that match have already agreed to the stipulation. Tonight
isn't about negotiations. Tonight is about making it official."
Max
gestures toward the entrance.
Max
McGillicutty:
"First,
the challenger... Zack Brown!"
Zack
Brown's music hits.
A strong
reaction rises from the Columbia crowd as Zack emerges onto the stage. He
pauses there for a moment, looking across the arena before turning his
attention toward the ring.
There is
no grandstanding tonight.
Zack walks
deliberately down the aisle, slapping a few extended hands along the way before
climbing the steps and entering the ring. He shakes Max's hand, then looks down
at the contract waiting on the table.
Zack takes
the chair on one side but remains standing behind it.
Max turns
toward the entrance again.
Max
McGillicutty:
"And
his opponent... the HCW World Champion... Dominic Marconi!"
The
reaction grows louder as Dominic Marconi steps through the curtain with the HCW
World Championship.
Dominic
stops at the top of the aisle and raises the championship, drawing another
surge from the crowd. Then the champion lowers it onto his shoulder and starts
toward the ring.
Zack
watches the entire entrance.
Dominic
enters, acknowledges Max, and walks directly to the opposite side of the table.
For
several seconds, champion and challenger simply look at one another.
Sam
Duffy:
"These
two men know exactly what the other can do."
Rick
Granger:
"That's
why the Best-of-Three-Falls stipulation matters. One mistake can win you a
wrestling match. Doing it twice? That's different."
Max waits
until the crowd settles.
Max
McGillicutty:
"Gentlemen,
you've both seen the agreement. At Reign of Champions, Dominic Marconi will
defend the HCW World Championship against Zack Brown. The match will be
contested under Best-of-Three-Falls rules. The first man to score two falls by
pinfall, submission, count-out or disqualification will leave Reign of
Champions as HCW World Champion."
Max looks
first toward Zack and then Dominic.
Max
McGillicutty:
"Nothing
has changed since you agreed to this. If either of you has something to say
before you sign it, now is the time."
Zack
reaches for the microphone first.
He looks
across the table at Dominic.
Zack
Brown:
"I've
had plenty of time to think about this."
Zack
glances toward the World Championship.
Zack
Brown:
"I
know how good you are, Dominic. I know what you've accomplished. And I know
exactly what it's going to take to beat you."
Dominic
listens without interruption.
Zack
Brown:
"One
fall wouldn't settle this."
A murmur
of anticipation moves through the crowd.
Zack
Brown:
"That's
why I agreed to three."
Zack steps
slightly closer to the table.
Zack
Brown:
"At
Reign of Champions, neither one of us gets to walk out saying one mistake
decided everything. If you beat me twice, I'll know you were the better
man."
Zack
pauses.
Zack
Brown:
"But
if I beat you twice..."
His eyes
move toward the championship again.
Zack
Brown:
"...then
that championship comes home with me."
The crowd
reacts as Zack lowers the microphone.
Dominic
looks at Zack for a moment before taking it.
Dominic
Marconi:
"I
wouldn't have agreed to this match if I wanted an excuse."
That earns
another reaction.
Dominic
Marconi:
"You've
earned another chance at this championship. And if I'm going to stand here and
call myself the World Champion, then I shouldn't need one fall to prove
it."
Dominic
removes the championship from his shoulder and places it carefully on the table
between them.
Both men
look down at it.
Dominic
Marconi:
"You
want two falls?"
Dominic
looks back at Zack.
Dominic
Marconi:
"Come
get them."
The crowd
gets louder.
Dominic
Marconi:
"But
understand something, Zack. I'm not walking into Reign of Champions trying to
survive you."
Dominic
places both hands against the edge of the table.
Dominic
Marconi:
"I'm
walking in there expecting to beat you."
Zack nods
slowly.
Zack
Brown:
"Good."
Zack pulls
out his chair and sits.
Zack
Brown:
"Because
I'm expecting exactly the same thing."
Zack opens
the folder.
There is
no hesitation.
He signs
the contract and slides it across the table.
The crowd
begins buzzing as Dominic looks down at Zack's signature.
Dominic
sits.
He takes
the pen.
And signs.
Max steps
forward and takes the contract.
Max
McGillicutty:
"That's
it."
Max raises
the signed agreement.
Max
McGillicutty:
"At
Reign of Champions: Dominic Marconi. Zack Brown. The HCW World Championship.
Best two out of three falls."
The crowd
erupts.
Dominic
stands and retrieves the championship.
Zack rises
on the opposite side.
For a
moment, it looks like the familiar wrestling-contract-signing chaos might be
inevitable.
Neither
man moves.
Dominic
raises the World Championship between them.
Zack
stares first at the belt and then directly into the champion's eyes.
Dominic
lowers it back onto his shoulder.
Zack
extends his hand.
There is a
moment's hesitation from Dominic—not distrust, but recognition of what the
gesture means.
Then
Dominic takes it.
The
handshake is firm.
Neither
man looks away.
Sam
Duffy:
"No
overturned table. No cheap shot. They don't need it."
Rick
Granger:
"Don't
confuse respect with friendship, Sam. Zack Brown wants what Dominic Marconi
has, and Dominic knows Zack is capable of taking it."
They
release the handshake.
Sam
Duffy:
"One
week from tonight, one fall won't be enough. One mistake won't necessarily
decide it. Somebody has to defeat the other man twice."
Dominic
steps backward with the World Championship while Zack remains beside the table.
They
continue staring at one another as the crowd grows louder around them.
Rick
Granger:
"And
after that handshake, there's nothing left to sign."
Dominic
raises the championship one final time.
Rick
Granger:
"Now
they just have to find out which one of them is better."
The camera
holds on champion and challenger across the ring from one another before
Voltage cuts away.
The
broadcast returns to the arena as the opening notes of Matches Malone's
entrance music hit.
The mood
changes immediately.
Malone
steps through the curtain with his usual swagger, taking his time at the top of
the aisle as the Columbia crowd greets him with a steady chorus of boos. Malone
looks from one side of the arena to the other as though the reaction is exactly
what he expected—and exactly what he believes he deserves.
Sam
Duffy:
"Twenty-four
hours after an extraordinary Live Wire, we're getting our first match underway
here on Voltage, and Matches Malone is looking to get himself back into the
conversation."
Rick
Granger:
"That's
the problem with this roster, Sam. Everybody wants to be in the conversation.
Eventually you've got to give people something worth talking about."
Malone
starts down the aisle, jawing with a few fans leaning over the barricade. He
dismissively waves them away and continues toward the ring.
Sam
Duffy:
"Malone
hasn't competed in HCW since July 11. That's a long time to sit and watch
everybody else fight for position."
Rick
Granger:
"Then
he'd better make the most of tonight."
Malone
climbs onto the apron, steps through the ropes and moves toward his corner. He
rolls his shoulders and waits.
Then
Bruiser “Cauliflower” McPugg's music hits.
The crowd
response is noticeably different—but not completely unified.
There are
cheers mixed with scattered boos as Bruiser emerges. He doesn't play to either
side of the reaction. He simply looks toward the ring, cracks his neck and
begins the walk toward Malone.
Sam
Duffy:
"And
listen to this reaction for Bruiser McPugg."
Rick
Granger:
"What
reaction? Half of them like him, half of them don't."
Sam
Duffy:
"That's
Bruiser. He has never seemed particularly concerned with winning a popularity
contest."
Rick
Granger:
"I
can respect that."
Bruiser
reaches ringside and looks up at Malone, who gestures for him to get inside.
Bruiser
does exactly that.
Malone
backs away as Bruiser steps through the ropes. The two men exchange a long look
from opposite sides of the ring while the crowd settles in for the first match
of the night.
The bell
sounds, and Matches Malone quickly shows that six weeks away from the ring
haven't left him rusty. He meets Bruiser McPugg head-on in the opening
exchanges, matching Bruiser's aggression with his own unorthodox offense and
refusing to let the bigger man's physical reputation dictate the match from the
start.
For a
while, it works.
Malone
keeps Bruiser from settling into a rhythm, frustrating him with quick counters
and even resorting to flicking matchsticks toward Bruiser's face when the
opportunity presents itself. The crowd lets Malone hear about it, but Malone
seems perfectly comfortable fighting the match on his terms.
The
problem is that every time Bruiser gets his hands on him, those terms change.
A running
lariat is followed by a powerbomb, and gradually the match becomes less about
whether Malone can outmaneuver Bruiser and more about how much punishment
Malone can absorb. Bruiser isn't flashy about it. He simply keeps closing the
distance and forcing Malone into the kind of physical fight that favors him.
Sam
Duffy:
"Matches
Malone came in here determined to prove that the time away hasn't cost him
anything, but Bruiser McPugg is making him pay every time he gets caught."
Rick
Granger:
"That's
the difference, Sam. Malone needs three or four things to go right. McPugg only
needs to get hold of him once."
Malone
refuses to disappear from the match. Whenever Bruiser seems ready to take
complete control, Malone finds something—a turnbuckle smash, a sudden strike,
an awkward counter—to buy himself another opening.
But the
openings become shorter.
Bruiser's
control becomes longer.
By the
second half of the match, Malone is fighting as much against the accumulated
damage as he is against McPugg.
Bruiser
finally puts him down hard and makes the first serious cover.
One.
Two.
Malone
kicks out.
Bruiser
doesn't argue with the referee. He doesn't lose his temper. He simply gets
Malone back up and goes back to work.
A second
near fall produces the same result.
Then a
powerbomb in the seventeenth minute seems certain to finish it.
One.
Two.
Malone
survives again.
The crowd,
hostile toward Malone when he entered, begins responding differently. They
haven't suddenly embraced him, but twenty minutes of refusing to stay down has
earned a measure of reluctant respect.
Sam
Duffy:
"Whatever
you think of Matches Malone, he's making Bruiser earn this."
Rick
Granger:
"And
Bruiser doesn't seem to mind earning it."
That's
becoming the defining difference.
Malone is
surviving.
Bruiser is
still advancing.
Another
near fall in the nineteenth minute leaves Bruiser staring down at Malone for a
moment. There is no friendship in the look and no admiration that Bruiser would
ever admit to, but there is recognition. Malone has made him work far harder
than he expected.
Malone
drags himself upright one more time.
Bruiser
meets him with another crushing chop across the chest.
After
everything that came before it—the lariats, the powerbombs, the neckbreakers,
the repeated punishment—it isn't simply one chop that beats Matches Malone.
It's the
last one.
Malone
collapses.
Bruiser
covers.
One.
Two.
Three.
WINNER:
BRUISER “CAULIFLOWER” McPUGG — 20:00
Bruiser
sits beside Malone for a moment, breathing heavily after a match that became
considerably more demanding than it looked like it would be early.
When
Bruiser gets to his feet, the reaction remains mixed, although considerably
more of the Columbia crowd is applauding him now.
Sam
Duffy:
"Bruiser
McPugg gets the victory, but Matches Malone made twenty minutes away from
television look like anything but wasted time."
Rick
Granger:
"Malone
proved he can take punishment. McPugg proved he can keep giving it until
somebody can't take any more."
Bruiser
has his arm raised. He glances down at Malone and gives the slightest nod
before turning toward the ropes.
No
handshake follows. Neither man's personality has suddenly changed because they
had a competitive wrestling match.
But Malone
returned and proved he still belonged in the fight.
Bruiser
McPugg simply proved he was better tonight.
BACKSTAGE
— THE BREAKTHROUGH OPPORTUNITY
The camera
cuts backstage to the office of HCW General Manager Max McGillicutty.
Max is
seated behind his desk with paperwork spread in front of him. Standing on the
other side are Avery St. Claire and Blair Kensington.
Avery is
still visibly energized by what happened twenty-four hours earlier on Live
Wire. Blair stands beside her, clearly proud of her partner.
Max
McGillicutty:
"First
of all, congratulations, Avery. What you did last night wasn't easy. You went
into that battle royal with the rest of HCW's 2026 class, and you were the last
woman standing."
Avery
smiles.
Avery
St. Claire:
"Thank
you."
Max leans
back slightly.
Max
McGillicutty:
"Now
we get to the reason you're here."
He
gestures toward Avery.
Max
McGillicutty:
"The
Breakthrough Opportunity guarantees you a championship opportunity. We said the
winner would have some influence over which championship she wanted to
pursue."
Max
glances toward Blair and then back to Avery.
Max
McGillicutty:
"And
I understand you've already made your decision."
Avery nods
without hesitation.
Avery
St. Claire:
"I
have."
She looks
at Blair.
Avery
St. Claire:
"I
know I won the battle royal by myself. I know I could use this to ask for a
singles championship opportunity."
Avery
turns back toward Max.
Avery
St. Claire:
"But
that's not what I want."
Blair's
smile grows.
Avery
St. Claire:
"Blair
and I came here together. We're building something together. Last night gave me
an opportunity, and I want to use it to move both of us forward."
Avery puts
a hand on Blair's shoulder.
Avery
St. Claire:
"I
want an Iron Maidens Tag Team Championship match."
Max
considers her request.
Max
McGillicutty:
"You're
sure?"
Avery
St. Claire:
"Absolutely."
Max
McGillicutty:
"Because
once I approve this, that's your Breakthrough Opportunity. You're not coming
back afterward and asking me for Korbi Kong, Luciana Albano, or another singles
championship because you changed your mind."
Avery
shakes her head.
Avery
St. Claire:
"I
won't."
Blair
finally speaks.
Blair
Kensington:
"She
earned this, Max. I told her that. If Avery wanted to use it for herself, I'd
be behind her all the way."
Blair
looks toward Avery.
Blair
Kensington:
"But
if she wants us to do this together, I'm not going to turn that down."
Max nods.
Max
McGillicutty:
"Then
neither am I."
Avery and
Blair exchange an excited look.
Max
McGillicutty:
"Request
approved."
Avery's
face lights up.
Max
McGillicutty:
"At
Reign of Champions, the All American Sweethearts defend the Iron Maidens Tag
Team Championship against The Stillwell Angel and Joy Monroe. Whoever leaves
that match with the championships will have Avery St. Claire and Blair
Kensington waiting for them."
Avery
extends her hand across the desk.
Avery
St. Claire:
"Thank
you, Max."
Max shakes
it.
Max
McGillicutty:
"You
earned the opportunity. Now the two of you have to make something out of
it."
Avery and
Blair turn toward the door.
Blair
Kensington:
"That's
the plan."
They leave
together.
Max
watches the door close behind them and returns his attention to the paperwork
on his desk.
He gets
approximately three seconds of peace.
The door
opens again.
Harrison
Marks walks in.
There is
no knock.
Harrison
closes the door behind him and strides directly toward Max's desk with the
unmistakable expression of a man who believes this meeting is a formality.
Max slowly
looks up.
Max
McGillicutty:
"Come
on in, Harrison."
Harrison
either misses the sarcasm or chooses to ignore it.
Harrison
Marks:
"I
assume you watched last night."
Max
McGillicutty:
"I
was there."
Harrison
Marks:
"Good.
Then this should be easy."
Harrison
pulls out the chair Avery had just occupied and sits without being invited.
Harrison
Marks:
"Six."
Max waits.
Harrison
Marks:
"Six
eliminations."
Harrison
begins counting them off.
Harrison
Marks:
"Caleb
Wilde. Regal Orion. Rick Rourke. Lazarus Blackstar. Titan Briggs."
He pauses
before the final name.
Harrison
Marks:
"And
Koa Mauler."
Harrison
leans back.
Harrison
Marks:
"I
didn't survive that battle royal, Max. I dominated it."
Max
doesn't argue.
Max
McGillicutty:
"You
had an exceptional night."
That seems
to please Harrison.
For about
a second.
Harrison
Marks:
"Then
we're agreed."
Max
McGillicutty:
"On
what?"
Harrison
looks genuinely surprised that Max needs to ask.
Harrison
Marks:
"My
championship opportunity."
Max folds
his hands.
Max
McGillicutty:
"Which
championship?"
Harrison
smiles.
Harrison
Marks:
"The
World Championship."
Max's
expression doesn't change.
Max
McGillicutty:
"No."
Harrison's
smile disappears.
Harrison
Marks:
"No?"
Max
McGillicutty:
"No."
Harrison
sits forward.
Harrison
Marks:
"You
just called what I did exceptional. So what's the problem?"
Max
McGillicutty:
"The
Breakthrough Opportunity earned you a championship opportunity, Harrison. It
did not give you control of HCW's championship rankings."
Max's tone
remains measured.
Harrison
scoffs.
Harrison
Marks:
"Avery
walks in here and asks you for the championship she wants, and you hand it to
her."
Max
McGillicutty:
"Avery
asked to convert an opportunity she earned by herself into a tag-team
opportunity she has to share with somebody else."
Max leans
forward.
Max
McGillicutty:
"You're
asking me to take one battle royal victory and put you immediately into the
World Championship picture."
Harrison
Marks:
"One
battle royal victory?"
Harrison's
voice rises.
Harrison
Marks:
"I
threw six men over the top rope!"
Max
McGillicutty:
"And
that's why you're sitting here discussing a championship opportunity."
That stops
Harrison momentarily.
Max
McGillicutty:
"I'm
not taking anything away from what you accomplished."
Max points
toward Harrison.
Max
McGillicutty:
"But
you're not walking out of one battle royal and jumping straight to the front of
the World Championship line."
Harrison
stares at him.
Harrison
Marks:
"So
what are you offering me?"
Max
McGillicutty:
"The
Hardcore Championship."
Silence.
Harrison
blinks.
Harrison
Marks:
"The
Hardcore Championship."
Max
McGillicutty:
"That's
right."
Harrison
actually laughs.
There is
no humor in it.
Harrison
Marks:
"You
watched what I did last night, and your answer is to send me after Terrible
Herse?"
Max
McGillicutty:
"Terrible
Herse is the Hardcore Champion today."
Max
pauses.
Max
McGillicutty:
"At
Reign of Champions, he defends against Jax Brenner. Whoever leaves with that
championship is the man you'd be challenging."
Harrison
rises from the chair.
Harrison
Marks:
"That's
supposed to be my breakthrough?"
Max
remains seated.
Max
McGillicutty:
"Being
guaranteed a championship opportunity sounds like a pretty good breakthrough to
me."
Harrison
pushes the chair back under the desk with considerably more force than
necessary.
Harrison
Marks:
"I
eliminated six men."
Max
McGillicutty:
"You've
mentioned that."
Harrison
glares at him.
Harrison
Marks:
"Maybe
I need to do something tonight that even you can't dismiss."
Max's
expression hardens slightly.
Max
McGillicutty:
"I
didn't dismiss anything you did, Harrison."
Harrison
turns toward the door.
Max
McGillicutty:
"And
if I were you, I'd be careful about confusing recognition with
entitlement."
Harrison
stops.
He doesn't
turn around.
After a
moment, he opens the door.
Harrison
Marks:
"You'll
recognize me."
Harrison
walks out.
Max
watches the door close behind him.
This time,
he doesn't immediately return to his paperwork.
Voltage
returns to the arena as TNT's entrance music hits.
Templeton
N. Townsend steps through the curtain first, and the Columbia crowd wastes
little time letting him know what they think of him. TNT stops on the stage and
looks around with open irritation at the boos, shaking his head as though the
problem is obviously with everyone else in the building.
Sam
Duffy:
"Back
to action here on Voltage, and TNT has an opportunity tonight to turn things
around."
Rick
Granger:
"An
opportunity? He needs a win, Sam. There's a difference."
TNT makes
his way toward the ring without offering the fans anything beyond an occasional
glare. He climbs through the ropes and begins pacing, clearly anxious to get
started.
Then Cara
Loco's music hits.
The
reaction flips immediately.
Cara Loco
emerges to a warm response, acknowledging the fans before focusing on the ring.
There's considerably more energy in the building as Cara heads down the aisle,
and TNT watches from inside with an expression suggesting he finds the entire
reception irritating.
Sam
Duffy:
"Cara
Loco has become an easy man for these fans to get behind."
Rick
Granger:
"Great.
The fans can cheer him. TNT should be thinking about beating him."
Cara
reaches ringside, climbs onto the apron and enters the ring. He takes a moment
to acknowledge the crowd before turning toward TNT.
TNT is
already waiting.
The bell
sounds, and unlike the twenty-minute struggle that opened tonight's wrestling
action, this one develops quickly.
TNT comes
into the match with urgency. He doesn't seem interested in feeling Cara out or
allowing the crowd favorite to establish a rhythm. He presses the action and
tries to turn the match into the kind of fight where Cara has no time to
settle.
For a
short stretch, the approach works.
But Cara
refuses to be rushed into TNT's match.
He begins
answering the aggression with composure, forcing TNT to work harder for every
advantage. As the minutes pass, the difference between them becomes less about
physical ability and more about temperament. Cara looks increasingly
comfortable.
TNT looks
increasingly frustrated.
Sam
Duffy:
"TNT
wanted to dictate this match from the opening bell, but Cara Loco isn't giving
him the reaction he wants."
Rick
Granger:
"Then
TNT needs to stop worrying about Cara's reaction and make something
happen."
That's
exactly what TNT tries to do.
The fight
spills through the ropes and out to the floor.
Neither
man immediately gives ground, and the exchange outside becomes more heated as
the referee begins the count.
Cara
remains aware of it.
TNT
doesn't—or perhaps simply doesn't care.
The count
climbs.
Cara
breaks away.
TNT tries
to keep the fight going, but Cara turns toward the ring.
Sam
Duffy:
"That
count is getting high!"
Cara
slides underneath the bottom rope.
TNT
realizes what's happening.
Too late.
The
referee reaches ten.
The bell
rings.
For a
second, TNT simply stands on the floor staring into the ring.
WINNER
BY COUNT-OUT: CARA LOCO — 6:00
Cara gets
back to his feet as the referee raises his arm.
The crowd
cheers the victory, while TNT's expression shifts from disbelief to anger.
Rick
Granger:
"Oh,
TNT isn't going to like that."
Sam
Duffy:
"He
doesn't have to like it! Cara Loco knew where he was, knew what the count was,
and got himself back into the ring."
TNT
protests from the floor, gesturing toward Cara and then toward the referee.
It changes
nothing.
Rick
Granger:
"I
told you he needed a win. Instead, he got so wrapped up in the fight that he
forgot the most basic rule in wrestling."
Sam
Duffy:
"And
Cara didn't. That's why Cara Loco is the winner."
Cara
doesn't taunt TNT or invite another confrontation. He accepts the victory,
climbs onto the middle rope and acknowledges the cheering crowd.
Outside,
TNT continues arguing about an outcome that isn't going to change.
The
contrast tells the story.
One man
kept his head.
The other
lost the match because he didn't.
BACKSTAGE
Voltage
returns backstage, where Larry Morton is standing beside United States Champion
Jett Sterling.
The United
States Championship rests prominently over Jett's shoulder, but the champion
doesn't look particularly interested in showing it off tonight. His jaw is
tight, and he looks irritated before Larry even begins.
Larry
Morton:
"Jett,
we're one week away from Reign of Champions, where you'll defend the United
States Championship against Mr. X. But after what happened last night on Live
Wire—"
Jett
immediately raises a hand.
Jett
Sterling:
"Stop."
Larry
does.
Jett looks
directly into the camera.
Jett
Sterling:
"I
know exactly what you're going to ask me about."
He shakes
his head.
Jett
Sterling:
"Kai
Zenith."
Jett
adjusts the United States Championship on his shoulder.
Jett
Sterling:
"Everybody
wants to talk about Kai Zenith because he threw me over the top rope in a
battle royal."
Jett gives
a dismissive laugh.
Jett
Sterling:
"Congratulations,
Kai."
He offers
a slow, sarcastic clap.
Jett
Sterling:
"You
caught Jett Sterling near a rope and managed to push him over it. Apparently
that's all it takes now for everybody to start acting like they've discovered
the next great challenger."
Larry
starts to respond, but Jett continues.
Jett
Sterling:
"You
know what Kai Zenith didn't do?"
Jett taps
the faceplate of the championship.
Jett
Sterling:
"He
didn't pin me."
Another
tap.
Jett
Sterling:
"He
didn't make me submit."
Jett leans
slightly toward the camera.
Jett
Sterling:
"And
he sure as hell didn't take this."
A voice
comes from outside the shot.
Mr. X:
"Neither
have I."
Jett
stops.
Mr. X
steps into frame.
The
atmosphere changes immediately as the United States Champion turns toward the
man he will actually face at Reign of Champions.
Mr. X
looks briefly at the championship before meeting Jett's eyes.
Mr. X:
"Not
yet."
Jett's
irritation gives way to a smirk.
Jett
Sterling:
"There
he is."
Mr. X
doesn't react.
Mr. X:
"You
spend a lot of time talking about credible challengers."
Jett's
smile fades slightly.
Mr. X:
"You
complained that you didn't have one."
Mr. X
steps closer.
Mr. X:
"So I
gave you one."
Jett
adjusts the championship again, deliberately putting it between them.
Jett
Sterling:
"You
answered an open challenge. Don't confuse that with accomplishing
something."
Mr. X:
"I'm
not."
A pause.
Mr. X:
"That's
what next Sunday is for."
The crowd
can be heard reacting from inside the arena.
Larry
wisely takes a small step backward as neither man breaks eye contact.
Jett
Sterling:
"You
really think you're taking this from me?"
Mr. X
looks down at the United States Championship.
Then back
at Jett.
Mr. X:
"I
think you're standing here complaining about Kai Zenith because talking about
him is easier than talking about me."
That
lands.
Jett's
expression hardens.
Mr. X
continues before the champion can answer.
Mr. X:
"Next
Sunday, you won't have that option."
Mr. X
steps away.
Mr. X:
"Reign
of Champions."
He looks
once more at the belt.
Mr. X:
"You
can talk about me then."
Mr. X
turns and walks out of frame.
Jett
watches him leave.
Larry
waits a moment before cautiously bringing the microphone back toward the
champion.
Jett looks
at him.
Jett
Sterling:
"Don't."
Larry
lowers it.
Jett
stares in the direction Mr. X left, then adjusts the United States Championship
on his shoulder and walks away in the opposite direction.
The
broadcast returns to the Columbia Coliseum as Outback Oscar's music hits.
Oscar
steps through the curtain first to an immediate positive reaction. He
acknowledges the crowd with an easy grin before turning his attention toward
the ring. There is nothing complicated about Oscar's approach tonight. He looks
eager to compete, and the fans respond to that enthusiasm as he heads down the
aisle.
Sam
Duffy:
"Outback
Oscar back in action tonight, and Oscar has quietly been trying to build some
momentum here in HCW."
Rick
Granger:
"Then
tonight matters. You can't build momentum by showing up once in a while and
hoping everybody remembers you."
Oscar
climbs through the ropes and heads toward his corner, bouncing lightly on his
feet as he waits.
The mood
changes when Nico “the Inferno” Burnett's music begins.
Boos roll
through the building.
Nico
emerges with Julian Furnace alongside him, and Julian looks every bit as
pleased with the hostile reception as Nico does. Julian says something into
Nico's ear before gesturing toward the ring, directing his client's attention
toward Oscar.
Sam
Duffy:
"And
here comes Nico Burnett, accompanied as always by Julian Furnace."
Rick
Granger:
"Which
means Oscar isn't wrestling one man tonight. He'd better remember where Julian
is."
Sam
Duffy:
"Julian
Furnace isn't in this match."
Rick
Granger:
"I
didn't say he was. I said Oscar had better remember where he is."
Nico takes
his time approaching the ring while Julian remains beside him. Oscar watches
both men.
Nico
climbs onto the apron and steps through the ropes. Julian remains on the floor,
already talking to his client as Nico settles into his corner.
Oscar's
eyes move from Nico to Julian.
Then back
to Nico.
For
Outback Oscar, this is the kind of opportunity that can easily disappear if you
don't seize it.
He hasn't
had many chances lately to stand in the middle of an HCW ring and make the show
about him. Tonight, against Nico Burnett, Oscar wrestles like someone who
understands that.
And it
doesn't take long for something interesting to become apparent.
Oscar can
beat this man.
Not
eventually. Not on some hypothetical better night.
Tonight.
Nico is
dangerous, certainly, and there are stretches where his aggression forces Oscar
onto the defensive. But nothing Nico does convinces Oscar that he's out of his
depth. Oscar answers him. When Nico tries to slow him down, Oscar finds another
gear. When Nico tries to impose himself physically, Oscar refuses to retreat.
Gradually,
the confidence in Oscar begins to grow.
So does
the reaction from the crowd.
Sam
Duffy:
"Look
at Oscar right now. I think he's starting to realize something."
Rick
Granger:
"What's
that?"
Sam
Duffy:
"That
he can win this match."
Rick
pauses.
Rick
Granger:
"Thinking
you can beat Nico Burnett and actually beating him are two very different
things."
That's
true.
Because
Nico hasn't come alone.
Julian
Furnace spends the early portion of the match almost unobtrusively at ringside.
A word here. A warning there. He alerts Nico when Oscar is closing in, offers
instructions when Nico needs to regroup and applauds every small advantage as
though everything is proceeding exactly according to plan.
Oscar
knows he's there.
He simply
refuses to let Julian become his problem.
That
discipline serves him well.
The longer
the match goes, the less this looks like Oscar trying to survive a more
dangerous opponent and the more it looks like two men fighting over a match
either one can take.
Nico
begins to understand that too.
The
confidence Oscar has gained is increasingly replaced on Nico's face by
irritation.
And Julian
notices before either of them does.
Rick
Granger:
"Furnace
is getting nervous."
Sam
Duffy:
"I
thought you were the one who liked managers."
Rick
Granger:
"I
do. That's why I'm watching him. Julian Furnace knows his man is in a
fight."
Oscar
begins putting together his strongest stretch of the match.
Nico is
being forced backward.
For the
first time, Julian isn't offering instructions.
He's
watching.
Oscar
catches Nico again, and the crowd rises as Nico struggles to regain control.
Oscar stays after him. There's no glance toward ringside now, no concern about
Furnace and no hesitation.
That may
be exactly what Julian has been waiting for.
Because
Oscar has finally stopped watching him.
Nico
creates just enough confusion to occupy the referee.
Julian
moves.
It's
quick.
Quick
enough that Oscar never sees it coming.
Julian
Furnace reaches in from the floor and interferes.
The crowd
erupts.
Oscar
recoils and immediately turns toward ringside.
Sam
Duffy:
"Furnace!
Julian Furnace just got involved!"
Julian is
already backing away.
Oscar
points at him, furious.
Rick
Granger:
"Turn
around, Oscar."
Oscar
continues shouting at Furnace.
Rick
Granger:
"Forget
Julian! Turn around!"
Oscar
does.
Nico is
waiting.
And
suddenly the match Oscar had spent the night proving he could win is slipping
away from him.
Nico
attacks immediately, exploiting the opening Julian created. Oscar tries to
fight through it, driven as much by anger now as anything else, but the rhythm
has changed. The confidence and control he spent the match building have
disappeared in a matter of seconds.
Still,
Oscar won't give Nico the easy ending.
He fights
back.
Nico has
to stop him again.
Oscar
keeps trying to recover the match Julian took away from him, but every attempt
comes a little later and carries a little less behind it.
Sam
Duffy:
"This
is what makes it so frustrating. Oscar had this match right where he wanted
it."
Rick
Granger:
"Then
he should've kept it there."
Sam
Duffy:
"Julian
Furnace changed the match!"
Rick
Granger:
"Yes,
he did. And now Nico Burnett has to finish it."
Nico does.
At twelve
minutes, he finally catches Oscar before another comeback can develop and puts
him down.
Nico hooks
the leg.
One.
Two.
Three.
The bell
rings.
WINNER:
NICO “THE INFERNO” BURNETT — 12:00
Julian
Furnace reacts on the floor as though there was never any doubt. Nico rises and
has his arm raised.
Oscar
remains down for a moment, staring toward the lights. The frustration is obvious when he finally
sits up.
Not simply
because he lost.
Because
somewhere during those twelve minutes, Outback Oscar realized he was good
enough to win.
And then
Julian Furnace made sure he didn't.
Sam
Duffy:
"Nico
Burnett gets the victory. That's what the record book is going to say."
Rick
Granger:
"And
that's the only part Nico needs to care about."
Oscar
looks through the ropes at Julian.
Furnace
gives him an exaggerated shrug.
Sam
Duffy:
"But
Outback Oscar is going to leave here knowing this was a winnable match."
Rick
Granger:
"Maybe.
But knowing you could've won doesn't put anything in the win column."
Nico joins
Julian on the floor.
The two
heels begin heading toward the back together while Oscar gets to his feet
inside the ring.
The crowd
applauds Oscar as he watches them leave.
There is
no chase.
No demand
that the match be restarted.
Just the
unmistakable frustration of a man who knows exactly where the match changed—and
exactly who changed it.
Tonight
belongs to Nico Burnett.
But
Outback Oscar leaves with something he didn't have when he walked through the
curtain.
Proof that
when the opportunity came, he belonged.
He just
didn't finish it.
Voltage
returns backstage, where Larry Morton stands with The Stillwell Angel and
Joy Monroe.
Larry
Morton:
"One
week from tonight at Reign of Champions, the two of you challenge the All
American Sweethearts for the Iron Maidens Tag Team Championship. You've had
success together, but next Sunday is the biggest test you've faced as a
team."
The
Stillwell Angel looks toward Joy before answering.
The
Stillwell Angel:
"And
that's exactly how we're treating it. The Sweethearts are the champions for a
reason. Joy and I aren't going into Reign expecting anything to be handed to
us."
Joy
Monroe:
"We've
learned how to trust each other. We know what the other one is going to do, and
every time we've teamed together, we've gotten better."
Joy
smiles.
Joy
Monroe:
"Next
Sunday, we find out if we've gotten good enough to become champions."
Before
Larry can continue, voices from off camera interrupt.
The
Stillwell Angel and Joy immediately turn toward them.
Ainsley
America and LeePurty Belle,
the All American Sweethearts, step fully into view with the Iron Maidens Tag
Team Championships prominently displayed.
Ainsley
gives the challengers a slow once-over before looking at LeePurty.
Ainsley
America:
"Did
you hear that?"
LeePurty
smiles.
LeePurty
Belle:
"I
did."
Ainsley
turns back toward Angel and Joy.
Ainsley
America:
"They
think they're ready."
Joy's
smile disappears.
Joy
Monroe:
"We
didn't say we think we're ready."
Joy looks
directly at the championships.
Joy
Monroe:
"We
said we're going to find out."
LeePurty
pats her championship.
LeePurty
Belle:
"Oh,
honey. We can save you the suspense."
The crowd
can be heard reacting from inside the arena.
LeePurty
Belle:
"You're
not."
The
Stillwell Angel steps slightly forward.
The
Stillwell Angel:
"You
seem pretty sure of that."
Ainsley
America:
"We're
the All American Sweethearts."
Ainsley
gestures between herself and LeePurty.
Ainsley
America:
"We
don't have to be sure."
She taps
the faceplate of her championship.
Ainsley
America:
"We
have proof."
Angel
looks at the championship and then back at Ainsley.
The
Stillwell Angel:
"For
another week."
That wipes
the smile from Ainsley's face.
LeePurty
steps closer, but Ainsley puts an arm slightly in front of her partner.
Not
because she's afraid of a fight.
Because
she doesn't think Angel and Joy are worth having one tonight.
Ainsley
America:
"Enjoy
saying things like that while you still can."
Ainsley
looks toward Joy.
Ainsley
America:
"Both
of you should enjoy this whole week, actually. The interviews. The attention.
Everybody telling you what a wonderful little team you've become."
LeePurty
smiles again.
LeePurty
Belle:
"Because
next Sunday, you find out the difference between being everybody's favorite
challengers..."
LeePurty
raises her championship.
LeePurty
Belle:
"...and
being champions."
The
Sweethearts turn to leave.
Joy
Monroe:
"Then
don't go anywhere after the match."
Ainsley
and LeePurty stop.
Joy has
their attention now.
Joy
Monroe:
"Because
if you're right, we'll look you in the eyes and admit it."
Ainsley
slowly turns around.
Joy
Monroe:
"But
if we're right..."
Joy
glances toward The Stillwell Angel.
Angel
finishes the thought.
The
Stillwell Angel:
"You
can look us in the eyes when we take those championships."
The crowd
reacts.
For the
first time, neither Ainsley nor LeePurty has an immediate comeback.
The
champions exchange a look before Ainsley gives the challengers a dismissive
smile.
Ainsley
America:
"See
you Sunday."
The
Stillwell Angel:
"Count
on it."
Ainsley
and LeePurty walk away with their championships.
Angel and
Joy remain with Larry Morton, watching them disappear down the hallway.
The smiles
are gone now.
The
champions came looking to remind their challengers where they stand.
Instead,
both teams leave knowing exactly what the other intends to do at Reign of
Champions.
Pre-Recorded Segment from NPCW Polar
Power 8/22/26:
The
broadcast cuts backstage to the Polar Power interview area.
The
blue-white Polar Division backdrop stands behind Smooth Samantha Satin, who is
dressed tonight in a conservative charcoal business suit over a white blouse.
Her usual composed expression remains intact, but the atmosphere around her is
anything but calm.
Standing
beside her is Marcus the Beastmaster.
And
towering over both of them is Yeti.
The Alpha
Beast is already pacing before the interview begins.
His
enormous shoulders rise and fall with every breath. His fists repeatedly clench
at his sides. Every few seconds, Yeti glances toward the camera as though the
lens itself has personally offended him.
Marcus the
Beastmaster remains close but does not attempt to restrain him.
Smooth
Samantha Satin:
"Ladies
and gentlemen, I am here with Marcus the Beastmaster and Yeti. Last week, Yeti
and Marcus were defeated by Bigfoot and Convergent Champion Jack Lumber. Yeti,
after what happened both during that match and in the weeks leading into it,
you requested this time tonight."
Yeti
immediately steps toward the microphone.
Yeti:
"Requested?"
He bares
his teeth.
Yeti:
"I
did not request anything."
Smooth
Samantha Satin holds her ground.
Yeti:
"I
demanded that somebody put a camera in front of me."
His voice
rises.
Yeti:
"Because
apparently nobody around here is listening!"
Marcus
the Beastmaster:
"Easy."
Yeti turns
toward him.
Yeti:
"No."
He looks
directly into the camera.
Yeti:
"I
beat men down. I climb through everyone they put in front of me. I earn my
opportunity at the Convergent Championship."
A heavy
hand strikes his own chest.
Yeti:
"And
when I finally get Jack Lumber in that ring, what happens?"
He points
furiously off camera.
Yeti:
"Bigfoot
happens!"
Smooth
Samantha Satin:
"You
believe Bigfoot cost you the championship."
Yeti:
"Believe?"
Yeti steps
closer.
Yeti:
"I
know it!"
Marcus the
Beastmaster nods behind him.
Yeti:
"Every
time I got close to finishing Jack Lumber, there was Bigfoot. Watching.
Distracting. Interfering. Sticking his nose where it did not belong."
Smooth
Samantha Satin:
"Jack
Lumber still defeated you in the championship match."
The
expression on Yeti’s face changes instantly.
Marcus
the Beastmaster:
"Samantha—"
Yeti:
"Because
of Bigfoot!"
The roar
echoes through the interview area.
Crew
members farther down the corridor visibly turn toward the commotion.
Yeti
lowers his head until his eyes are level with Smooth Samantha Satin.
Yeti:
"That
championship should be mine."
Smooth
Samantha Satin:
"Then
what exactly are you demanding tonight?"
There is
no hesitation.
Yeti:
"A
rematch."
He pounds
one fist into the opposite palm.
Yeti:
"Jack
Lumber."
Yeti:
"Me."
Yeti:
"Convergent
Championship."
Yeti:
"No
Bigfoot."
Yeti:
"No
excuses."
Marcus
the Beastmaster:
"That
is all we have asked for."
Yeti:
"Asked?"
Yeti turns
toward Marcus.
Yeti:
"I am
finished asking."
He turns
back toward the camera.
Yeti:
"If
NPCW will not give me what I earned, I will tear through NPCW until somebody
does."
His voice
becomes louder with every word.
Yeti:
"If
HCW wants to protect Jack Lumber, I will tear through HCW too."
Smooth
Samantha Satin:
"Yeti—"
Yeti:
"Locker
room by locker room."
He takes
another step toward the camera.
Yeti:
"Wrestler
by wrestler."
Yeti:
"Building
by building."
Yeti:
"Until
there is nobody left standing between me and that championship!"
A new
voice cuts through the interview area.
Kristine
Kringle:
"Are
you finished?"
Everything
stops.
Yeti
slowly turns.
NPCW
President and CEO Kristine Kringle walks into frame.
She wears
a dark executive suit and carries no security with her.
Marcus the
Beastmaster looks toward her.
Smooth
Samantha Satin lowers the microphone slightly.
Yeti turns
his entire body toward Kristine Kringle.
The size
difference is dramatic.
Yeti
towers over her.
Kristine
Kringle does not move backward.
She walks
directly up to him and stops face-to-face with the Alpha Beast.
For
several seconds neither speaks.
Yeti
glares down at her.
Kristine
Kringle looks straight back up at him.
Kristine
Kringle:
"I
have listened to you complain about Bigfoot."
Yeti’s jaw
tightens.
Kristine
Kringle:
"I
have listened to you complain about Jack Lumber."
She takes
another small step forward.
Kristine
Kringle:
"I
have listened to you complain about NPCW."
Yeti:
"I—"
Kristine
Kringle:
"No."
That
single word stops him.
Kristine
Kringle:
"Now
you are going to listen to me."
Marcus the
Beastmaster watches carefully from behind Yeti.
Kristine
Kringle:
"I am
tired of the whining."
A low
growl comes from Yeti.
Kristine
Kringle:
"You
can growl at me all you want."
She points
toward his chest.
Kristine
Kringle:
"You
had a championship opportunity against Jack Lumber."
Kristine
Kringle:
"You
lost."
Yeti:
"Because—"
Kristine
Kringle:
"I
know."
She cuts
him off again.
Kristine
Kringle:
"Because
of Bigfoot."
Kristine
Kringle:
"You
have made that point very clear."
The anger
in Yeti’s face remains, but he finally stops trying to interrupt.
Kristine
Kringle:
"So I
decided to eliminate the argument."
Yeti
narrows his eyes.
Marcus
the Beastmaster:
"What
does that mean?"
Kristine
Kringle:
"It
means earlier this week I contacted HCW General Manager Max McGillicutty."
That gets
Yeti’s attention immediately.
Kristine
Kringle:
"I
asked him to authorize another Convergent Championship match."
A slight
change crosses Yeti’s expression.
The anger
remains.
But now he
is listening.
Kristine
Kringle:
"Jack
Lumber versus Yeti."
Kristine
Kringle:
"August
30."
She
pauses.
Kristine
Kringle:
"HCW
Reign of Champions."
Marcus the
Beastmaster slowly smiles.
Yeti
remains completely still.
Smooth
Samantha Satin:
"You
have requested that HCW sanction the rematch?"
Kristine
Kringle:
"More
than that."
She looks
directly at Yeti.
Kristine
Kringle:
"I
requested one additional contractual condition."
Yeti:
"What
condition?"
Kristine
Kringle:
"Bigfoot
is barred from the arena."
That
finally breaks through the Alpha Beast's fury.
Yeti’s
shoulders lower slightly.
Marcus
the Beastmaster:
"Completely
barred?"
Kristine
Kringle:
"From
the building."
"Not
ringside."
"Not
backstage."
"Not
somewhere behind a curtain."
"Bigfoot
will not be permitted inside the arena."
Marcus the
Beastmaster looks toward Yeti.
Marcus
the Beastmaster:
"There
it is."
Kristine
Kringle:
"If
the match happens, there will be no Bigfoot for you to blame."
That last
sentence brings some of the anger back.
Yeti:
"If?"
Kristine
Kringle:
"Yes."
The room
becomes quiet again.
Kristine
Kringle:
"Max
McGillicutty agreed to take the contract to Jack Lumber."
Yeti:
"Take
it to him?"
Kristine
Kringle:
"Jack
Lumber has already defeated you."
She does
not soften the statement.
Kristine
Kringle:
"He
is the champion. He is not obligated to give you another match simply because
you have spent several weeks roaring about the first one."
Yeti moves
closer again.
Kristine
Kringle remains where she is.
Kristine
Kringle:
"But
Max agreed that under these conditions the match is worth presenting to
him."
Kristine
Kringle:
"The
contract is going to Jack Lumber."
Kristine
Kringle:
"He
decides whether he signs it."
A long
silence follows.
Yeti looks
away for the first time.
He
breathes deeply.
Once.
Twice.
The rage
that filled the interview area has not disappeared, but the possibility of
another championship opportunity has brought it under partial control.
Marcus the
Beastmaster moves alongside him.
Marcus
the Beastmaster:
"No
Bigfoot."
Yeti nods
once.
Marcus
the Beastmaster:
"Just
you and Jack Lumber."
Another
nod.
Then Yeti
looks back at Kristine Kringle.
Yeti:
"August
30."
Kristine
Kringle:
"If
Jack Lumber signs."
The growl
returns.
Yeti:
"He
will."
Kristine
Kringle:
"That
is between you and him."
Yeti:
"No."
Yeti steps
closer until only inches separate them.
Yeti:
"Tell
Max McGillicutty something for me."
Kristine
Kringle:
"Tell
him yourself if you want to."
Yeti:
"Tell
him to make sure Timberfang understands what happens if he refuses."
Smooth
Samantha Satin watches carefully.
Yeti:
"If
Jack Lumber signs that contract, I go to Reign of Champions, I destroy him, and
I take the Convergent Championship."
His voice
drops lower.
Yeti:
"But
if he refuses..."
Marcus the
Beastmaster does not interrupt.
Yeti:
"Then
I stop asking for him."
Yeti looks
directly into the camera.
Yeti:
"I
start coming for him."
He points
toward the lens.
Yeti:
"And
if I have to go through every wrestler in NPCW to reach him, I will."
Another
step.
Yeti:
"If I
have to go through every wrestler in HCW to reach him, I will."
His fist
closes.
Yeti:
"If
Timberfang thinks a piece of paper can save him by staying unsigned..."
A cold
smile finally crosses Yeti’s face.
Yeti:
"I
will bring both rosters down around him until there is nowhere left to
hide."
Kristine
Kringle does not react to the threat.
Kristine
Kringle:
"Then
I suggest you hope he signs."
Yeti
stares at her.
Kristine
Kringle:
"Because
until then, you are not tearing down either one of my locker rooms."
She steps
even closer despite the enormous figure in front of her.
Kristine
Kringle:
"Am I
clear?"
For
several seconds, the only sound is Yeti’s breathing.
Then
Marcus the Beastmaster places one hand against Yeti’s shoulder.
Marcus
the Beastmaster:
"We
got what we came for."
Yeti
continues staring at Kristine Kringle.
Finally,
he gives a single reluctant nod.
Yeti:
"For
now."
Kristine
Kringle:
"That
is good enough for tonight."
Yeti turns
away.
Marcus the
Beastmaster follows him down the corridor.
After
several steps, Yeti suddenly stops.
He looks
back over his shoulder toward the camera.
Yeti:
"Sign
it, Timberfang."
A vicious
grin appears.
Yeti:
"Or I
come looking."
Yeti and
Marcus the Beastmaster disappear around the corner.
The camera
returns to Smooth Samantha Satin and Kristine Kringle.
Smooth
Samantha Satin:
"President
Kringle, assuming Jack Lumber accepts, that would make it official. Yeti
challenging for the Convergent Championship at HCW Reign of Champions on August
30, with Bigfoot barred from the arena."
Kristine
Kringle:
"Assuming
the champion signs the contract, yes."
She looks
in the direction Yeti departed.
Kristine
Kringle:
"And
if he does, Yeti gets exactly what he claims he wants."
A slight
edge enters her voice.
Kristine
Kringle:
"No
interference."
Kristine
Kringle:
"No
excuses."
Kristine
Kringle:
"Just
the champion and the challenger."
Smooth
Samantha Satin:
"Thank
you, Kristine."
Kristine
Kringle gives a short nod and exits.
Smooth
Samantha Satin turns toward the camera.
Smooth
Samantha Satin:
"The
contract now goes to Convergent Champion Jack Lumber. If he signs, Yeti gets
his rematch at HCW Reign of Champions on August 30 with Bigfoot barred from the
building."
The
broadcast cuts away from the interview area.
BACKSTAGE
— MAX McGILLICUTTY'S OFFICE
The final
image of Yeti remains on the television screen.
Yeti:
"Sign
it, Timberfang."
Yeti's
vicious grin fills the monitor.
Yeti:
"Or I
come looking."
The NPCW
footage ends.
The camera
slowly pulls back, revealing that the interview has been playing on a
television inside the office of HCW General Manager Max McGillicutty.
Max stands
beside his desk, remote control in hand.
Sitting
across from him is Convergent Champion Jack Lumber.
The
championship rests across Jack's shoulder.
For a
moment, neither man says anything.
Jack
continues staring at the now-dark television.
Finally,
Max sets the remote on his desk.
Max
McGillicutty:
"Well?"
Jack looks
over at him.
Jack
Lumber:
"He
wants a rematch."
Max
McGillicutty:
"He
does."
Max takes
a seat behind his desk.
Max
McGillicutty:
"Kristine
contacted me earlier this week. Everything she said is accurate. She's asking
us to sanction Yeti against you at Reign of Champions."
Jack nods.
Max
McGillicutty:
"And
she's asking for Bigfoot to be barred from the building."
Jack
glances back toward the television.
Jack
Lumber:
"I
heard her."
Max
McGillicutty:
"You
already beat Yeti. You don't owe him another match."
Jack
immediately shakes his head.
Jack
Lumber:
"This
isn't about owing him anything."
He adjusts
the Convergent Championship on his shoulder.
Jack
Lumber:
"Yeti's
spent weeks telling everybody that the only reason I'm carrying this
championship is Bigfoot."
Jack looks
directly at Max.
Jack
Lumber:
"If
that's what he believes, I'll give him the chance to prove it."
Max
studies him.
Max
McGillicutty:
"So
you're accepting?"
Jack
Lumber:
"With
one change."
Max leans
back slightly.
Max
McGillicutty:
"I
figured there might be one."
Jack
Lumber:
"Kristine
wants Bigfoot barred from ringside?"
Max
McGillicutty:
"Not
ringside. The entire building."
Jack nods.
Jack
Lumber:
"Fine."
A brief
pause.
Jack
Lumber:
"Then
Marcus the Beastmaster is barred from the entire building too."
Max
considers it for only a moment.
Jack
Lumber:
"If
Yeti wants to know whether he can beat me without Bigfoot anywhere around, I'm
willing to find out."
Jack
points toward the dark television.
Jack
Lumber:
"But
he doesn't get to remove the man in my corner while keeping the man in
his."
A slight
smile crosses Max's face.
Max
McGillicutty:
"That's
fair."
Jack rises
from his chair.
Jack
Lumber:
"No
Bigfoot."
He adjusts
the championship again.
Jack
Lumber:
"No
Marcus the Beastmaster."
Jack looks
toward the camera.
Jack
Lumber:
"No
excuses."
The words
deliberately echo Kristine Kringle's promise from the NPCW footage.
Jack turns
back toward Max.
Jack
Lumber:
"Tell
Yeti I'll see him at Reign of Champions."
Max
McGillicutty:
"I'll
amend the agreement tonight and send it back to Kristine Kringle for her
approval."
Jack nods.
Max
McGillicutty:
"If
she approves the change, I'll make it official."
Jack
starts toward the office door, but stops with his hand on the handle.
Jack
Lumber:
"Fair
enough."
Jack looks
back at the Convergent Championship resting on his shoulder.
Jack
Lumber:
"Yeti
says Bigfoot is the reason he lost."
Jack looks
toward the camera.
Jack
Lumber:
"If
Kristine approves it, August 30 he gets exactly what he's been asking
for."
Jack opens
the door.
Jack
Lumber:
"Just
me."
Jack exits
the office.
Max
watches him leave before looking toward the paperwork on his desk.
He pulls
the contract toward him as the scene fades.
Sam
Duffy:
"So
Jack Lumber has accepted Yeti's challenge, with one condition of his own. If
Kristine Kringle approves it, Bigfoot and Marcus the Beastmaster will both be
barred from the building when Jack defends the Convergent Championship against
Yeti at Reign of Champions."
Rick
Granger:
"Which
is exactly how it should be. Yeti has spent all this time claiming Bigfoot cost
him the championship, so now he may get what he says he wants. No Bigfoot, no
Marcus the Beastmaster, nobody else to blame. Just Jack Lumber, Yeti, and the
championship."
Sam
Duffy:
"And
pending Kristine Kringle's approval, another championship match could be set
for Reign of Champions. Right now, though, we turn our attention to a man whose
championship match is already official. Jax Brenner challenges Terrible Herse
for the Hardcore Championship next Sunday—but before Jax can get there, he has
Rex Rampage tonight."
Rex
Rampage's music hits first, bringing boos from the Columbia crowd as Rex steps
onto the stage.
Rex
doesn't appear bothered. If anything, there's a certain satisfaction in his
expression tonight. All the attention surrounding this match belongs to Jax
Brenner and the Hardcore Championship. Rex has the opportunity to change that.
He makes
his way directly to the ring, climbs through the ropes and settles into his
corner.
Sam
Duffy:
"Rex
Rampage has heard the same thing we've heard all week: Jax Brenner is headed
for Terrible Herse. That's dangerous thinking when there's still another
opponent standing between Jax and Reign of Champions."
Rick
Granger:
"And
Rex knows it. Everybody expects Jax to win tonight and march straight into his
championship match. If I'm Rex Rampage, I'd take that personally."
Then “The
Alaskan Wildman” Jax Brenner's music hits.
The
reaction changes immediately.
Jax
emerges with Molly Mason beside him to a strong ovation. He acknowledges the
crowd, but there's noticeably less exuberance than usual. Molly speaks briefly
to him at the top of the aisle, and Jax nods before fixing his attention on
Rex.
The
message seems clear.
Terrible
Herse can wait.
Jax and
Molly head toward the ring. Molly takes her position at ringside as Jax climbs
through the ropes and comes face-to-face with the man standing between him and
next Sunday.
The danger
for Jax Brenner tonight isn't that he isn't capable of beating Rex Rampage.
It's that
part of him has every reason to already be thinking about someone else.
Terrible
Herse has made certain of that. First, the Hardcore Champion appeared on the
Omegatron during Jax's match. Then Jax returned the favor by showing up during
Herse's match, only to watch the champion retreat rather than confront him.
Now
they're seven days away from finally meeting for the Hardcore Championship.
Rex
Rampage has no intention of being treated like the final item on Jax's
checklist.
From the
opening bell, Rex goes after Jax with the urgency of someone determined to
derail the story everybody else is already telling. There is no feeling-out
period and no willingness to let Jax settle comfortably into the match. Rex
forces him to fight.
Early on,
that's exactly what Jax needs.
Any
thoughts of Terrible Herse quickly disappear as Rex makes himself impossible to
overlook. He challenges Jax physically and refuses to give ground simply
because he's facing one of HCW's hottest wrestlers.
And Jax
responds.
The match
becomes a physical struggle rather than a showcase. Rex has stretches where he
makes Jax absorb punishment and forces him to fight from underneath. Molly
remains active at ringside, encouraging Jax without inserting herself into the
contest, particularly when Rex begins to string together enough offense to
threaten an upset.
But
something gradually changes in Jax.
Rex wanted
his full attention.
He gets
it.
Sam
Duffy:
"Rex
Rampage came into this match determined not to be treated as a stepping stone
to Reign of Champions, and he's succeeded. Jax Brenner isn't thinking about
Terrible Herse anymore. He's having to fight Rex Rampage."
Rick
Granger:
"Which
might be the worst thing Rex could've done. Jax came out here with one eye on
next Sunday. Now Rex has both of them."
The deeper
the match goes, the more that becomes the story. Rex hasn't been overwhelmed.
He has made Jax earn every advantage and has given him more resistance than
someone looking ahead to Reign might have wanted.
But the
resistance is bringing something out of Jax rather than taking something away.
Jax
becomes increasingly comfortable with the physicality. When Rex hits him, Jax
answers harder. When Rex manages to stop his momentum, Jax starts it again.
What began as Rex trying to expose a distracted challenger becomes Jax using
Rex to sharpen himself for the fight that's coming.
By the
closing stretch, Rex is still fighting.
But now
he's fighting to keep Jax from taking over completely.
Jax
catches him during one final attempt to turn the momentum.
This time,
Rex can't stop him.
Jax puts
Rampage down hard and covers.
One.
Two.
Three.
The bell
sounds at fifteen minutes.
WINNER:
“THE ALASKAN WILDMAN” JAX BRENNER — 15:00
Jax rolls
away from Rex and sits up, breathing heavily.
This
wasn't a warm-up.
Rex
Rampage made sure of that.
Molly
enters the ring as Jax gets back to his feet. She joins him as the referee
raises his arm, and the Columbia crowd gives Jax a strong ovation.
Rex came
into the match wanting to make Jax forget about Terrible Herse.
For
fifteen minutes, he succeeded.
Now the
match is over.
And Jax
remembers.
His eyes
drift toward the entrance.
Molly
notices.
Jax walks
to the ropes and stares toward the stage.
Nothing
happens.
A small
smile begins to form on Jax's face.
He motions
toward the curtain.
If
Terrible Herse is watching, Jax is giving him the opportunity.
Sam
Duffy:
"Jax
Brenner took care of the business he had tonight. And judging by where he's
looking now, I think he's ready to get back to the business waiting for him
next Sunday."
Rick
Granger:
"Rex
made him earn this victory, Sam. If Herse was watching, he didn't see a
challenger stroll through an easy match. He saw Jax Brenner get dragged into a
fifteen-minute fight and come out of it looking ready for another one."
Then the
Hardcore Champion's music hits.
The crowd
erupts in boos.
Terrible
Herse steps onto the stage with the Hardcore Championship.
He stops
there.
Jax's
smile disappears.
The two
men stare at one another across the arena.
Jax steps
between the ropes and onto the apron.
He
gestures for Herse to come down.
Herse
doesn't move.
Jax drops
to the floor.
Molly
follows him out of the ring, remaining several steps behind as Jax starts
slowly up the aisle.
Herse
watches him coming.
Jax takes
another step.
Herse
raises a hand.
Jax stops.
For a
moment, the crowd buzzes with the possibility that Herse might finally start
walking in the other direction.
He
doesn't.
Instead,
the Hardcore Champion raises the title high above his head.
Jax stares
at it.
That
championship is the only reason any of this matters.
Herse can
appear on the Omegatron. Jax can interrupt Herse's matches. They can stalk one
another from opposite ends of an arena.
But
neither man can win that championship tonight.
Jax
understands that.
So does
Herse.
Sam
Duffy:
"This
has been going on for weeks. Herse makes sure Jax sees him, but every time
Brenner gets close enough to turn it into an actual fight, the Hardcore
Champion keeps his distance."
Rick
Granger:
"And
maybe that's exactly what Herse wants. Why fight Jax Brenner tonight for
nothing? The championship isn't on the line. Herse doesn't owe Jax a free fight
just because Jax wants one. But next Sunday, that calculation changes. When the
bell rings at Reign of Champions, staying fifty feet away isn't going to be an
option."
Jax looks
from Herse to the championship.
Then he
raises seven fingers.
Seven
days.
Herse
lowers the title onto his shoulder.
Neither
man takes his eyes off the other.
Jax points
at the belt.
Then at
Herse.
The
champion begins backing toward the curtain.
This time,
Jax doesn't follow.
He doesn't
need to.
Herse
disappears backstage with the Hardcore Championship still in his possession.
Jax
remains in the aisle beside Molly, staring at the empty entrance.
For weeks,
Terrible Herse has controlled the distance between himself and his challenger.
Next
Sunday, that distance disappears.
BACKSTAGE
Voltage
returns backstage, where Larry Morton is standing with Noah Murphy.
Larry
Morton:
"Noah,
last week on Voltage you earned the right to challenge The Rich Athlete for the
Television Championship at Reign of Champions. Before the night was over, the
champion made sure you paid for it when he attacked you. One week later, what's
going through your mind?"
Noah
considers the question for a moment.
Noah
Murphy:
"I've
been thinking about why he did it."
Larry
waits.
Noah
Murphy:
"The
Rich Athlete could've walked out here, looked me in the eye and told me he was
going to beat me. He could've laughed about it. He could've told everybody I
don't belong in a championship match."
Noah
shakes his head.
Noah
Murphy:
"But
he didn't."
His
expression becomes more serious.
Noah
Murphy:
"He
waited until my match was over and attacked me."
Noah looks
directly into the camera.
Noah
Murphy:
"That
tells me something."
Larry
Morton:
"What
does it tell you?"
Noah
Murphy:
"That
I got underneath his skin."
A small
smile appears.
Noah
Murphy:
"I'm
not going to pretend that attack didn't hurt. It did. I'm not going to pretend
The Rich Athlete isn't dangerous. He is."
Noah
pauses.
Noah
Murphy:
"But
he had his chance to scare me."
He looks
directly into the camera again.
Noah
Murphy:
"It
didn't work."
Noah gives
Larry a nod and walks away.
Larry
watches him leave before turning back toward the camera.
We cut to commercial.
COMMERCIAL
The screen
cuts to black.
A
heartbeat sounds.
One by
one, championship belts flash across the screen as highlights of HCW's
champions and challengers appear between them.
Narrator:
"One
night. Every championship. And nowhere left to run."
Quick cuts
show Dominic Marconi raising the HCW World Championship, Zack Brown staring him
down, Luciana Albano holding the World Ladies Championship beside Pierre
Boulay, and Aurora Storm looking back defiantly.
The pace
accelerates—Jett Sterling and Mr. X. The Rich Athlete and Noah Murphy. Terrible
Herse and Jax Brenner. The Samoan Bloodline and the Null Order Expansion.
Narrator:
"Rivalries
reach their breaking point. Challengers get their opportunity. Champions put
everything they've earned on the line."
The Reign
of Champions logo fills the screen.
Narrator:
"Next
Sunday—HCW presents Reign of Champions. Every championship. One
unforgettable night."
A final
graphic appears:
HCW
REIGN OF CHAMPIONS
SUNDAY — AUGUST 30, 2026
LIVE ON PAY-PER-VIEW
The image
fades back to Voltage.
Return
from Commercial
Voltage
returns backstage, where Larry Morton stands with Aurora Storm.
Aurora is
composed, but there is an intensity behind her expression. One week from
tonight, she challenges Luciana Albano for the HCW World Ladies Championship.
Larry
Morton:
"Aurora,
we're seven days away from Reign of Champions. You've had time to hear
everything Luciana Albano and Pierre Boulay have had to say. You've had time to
prepare. When you finally stand across the ring from Luciana with the World
Ladies Championship at stake, what does that moment mean to you?"
Aurora
doesn't answer immediately.
Aurora
Storm:
"It
means I finally get the chance to do something about all the talking."
A slight
smile crosses her face.
Aurora
Storm:
"Luciana
is the World Ladies Champion. I'm not going to stand here and pretend that
doesn't mean something. She earned that championship, and if I'm going to take
it from her, I'm going to have to beat one of the best women in HCW."
Aurora's
expression hardens.
Aurora
Storm:
"But
somewhere along the way, Luciana started acting like being champion means the
rest of us are supposed to accept that she's better than we are."
Larry
Morton:
"And
you don't?"
Aurora
Storm:
"No."
The answer
comes immediately.
Aurora
Storm:
"I
respect what she accomplished. I don't accept what she thinks it proves."
A slow
clap interrupts her.
Aurora
turns.
Luciana
Albano walks into view with the HCW World Ladies Championship, Pierre
Boulay beside her.
Luciana
finishes applauding and smiles at her challenger.
Luciana
Albano:
"Very
inspiring."
Pierre
grins beside her.
Luciana
Albano:
"You
respect what I've accomplished. You respect the championship. You respect how
good I am."
Luciana
looks down at the championship and then back at Aurora.
Luciana
Albano:
"It
sounds to me like you understand the situation perfectly."
Aurora
steps toward her.
Aurora
Storm:
"You
missed the important part."
Luciana's
smile remains.
Aurora
Storm:
"I
don't think you're better than me."
The smile
fades.
Pierre
moves slightly closer to Luciana, but the champion holds up a hand. She doesn't
need him intervening.
Luciana
steps forward until only a short distance separates champion and challenger.
Luciana
Albano:
"Do
you know how many women have believed that?"
Aurora
doesn't move.
Luciana
Albano:
"They
tell themselves they're different. They convince themselves they're ready. And
then they get into the ring with me and discover that believing something
doesn't make it true."
Luciana
raises the World Ladies Championship between them.
Luciana
Albano:
"This
does."
Aurora
looks at the championship.
For
several seconds, she says nothing.
Then she
looks back into Luciana's eyes.
Aurora
Storm:
"For
seven more days."
The crowd
inside the arena can be heard reacting.
Pierre's
expression changes immediately, but Luciana remains directly in front of
Aurora.
Pierre
Boulay:
"You
should be very careful—"
Luciana
raises her hand again, silencing him without taking her eyes off Aurora.
Luciana
Albano:
"Good."
That isn't
the response Aurora expected.
Luciana
Albano:
"That's
what I wanted to hear."
Luciana
lowers the championship back onto her shoulder.
Luciana
Albano:
"Because
when I beat you next Sunday, I don't want anyone saying Aurora Storm didn't
believe in herself."
Aurora
nods slowly.
Aurora
Storm:
"And
when I beat you, you won't be able to say I didn't warn you."
Neither
woman moves.
Larry
Morton has long since lowered the microphone and wisely taken himself out of
the space between them.
Pierre
watches Aurora closely, but Luciana makes no attempt to attack her challenger.
Aurora doesn't reach for the championship.
This isn't
about stealing a physical advantage seven days early.
It's about
certainty.
Luciana
believes the championship proves she is the best woman in HCW.
Aurora
believes the championship is the only thing separating Luciana's claim from her
own.
At Reign
of Champions, one of them gets to prove it.
Luciana
finally steps backward.
She pats
the faceplate of the World Ladies Championship once before turning away.
Pierre
follows her.
Aurora
watches the champion leave, never taking her eyes off the belt until it
disappears around the corner.
Larry
Morton:
“Back to
you at ringside.”
The
broadcast returns to ringside with Sam Duffy and Rick Granger.
Sam
Duffy:
"We're
back at ringside, and after everything we've seen tonight with Reign of
Champions only a week away, there's one man who believes the biggest story of
this weekend should be him."
Rick
Granger:
"Harrison
Marks eliminated six men last night, demanded a World Championship opportunity
tonight, and didn't appreciate Max McGillicutty's answer."
Sam
Duffy:
"And
two of the men Harrison eliminated have come looking for him. Harrison wasn't
happy about it."
Rick
Granger:
"Would
you be? He eliminated Caleb Wilde, Regal Orion, Rick Rourke, Koa Mauler—and,
most importantly for what we're about to see, Lazarus Blackstar and Titan
Briggs. Harrison didn't just win that battle royal, Sam. He gave himself plenty
to brag about."
Sam
Duffy:
"And
apparently that's exactly what he intends to do."
The camera
cuts toward the ring.
Harrison
Marks' music hits, and the reaction is immediate.
Boos pour
down from the Columbia crowd as Harrison steps through the curtain, but tonight
there is something else mixed into the response. After what he accomplished
twenty-four hours ago, even the fans who can't stand Harrison understand that
he earned the right to walk a little taller.
Harrison
certainly agrees.
He takes
his time coming down the aisle, wearing the satisfied smile of a man who has
spent the last twenty-four hours replaying every elimination in his head. By
the time he enters the ring and takes a microphone, the crowd is already
letting him hear it.
Harrison
waits.
And waits.
Finally,
he raises the microphone.
Harrison
Marks:
"Six."
The crowd
boos.
Harrison
smiles.
Harrison
Marks:
"That's
the number, in case any of you somehow missed what happened last night."
He begins
counting on his fingers.
Harrison
Marks:
"Six
men walked into that battle royal thinking they were going to have their
breakthrough moment."
He points
toward himself.
Harrison
Marks:
"They
became mine."
The boos
grow louder.
Harrison
Marks:
"And
after I did that, I went to Max McGillicutty and asked for exactly what a
performance like that deserves."
Harrison
looks toward the camera.
Harrison
Marks:
"A
shot at the HCW World Championship."
He shakes
his head.
Harrison
Marks:
"Max
told me no."
The crowd
doesn't seem especially sympathetic.
Harrison
Marks:
"Instead,
he offered me the Hardcore Championship."
Harrison
gives a disgusted laugh.
Harrison
Marks:
"Apparently
throwing six men out of one ring isn't enough around here. Apparently I still
have something to prove."
The arena
changes before Harrison can continue.
The music
of the Null Order hits.
Harrison
turns toward the entrance.
Lazarus
Blackstar emerges first.
Titan
Briggs walks beside him.
There is
no furious charge toward the ring. No shouting from Lazarus. The two members of
the Null Order simply make their way down the aisle as the crowd's hostility
shifts toward them.
Harrison
watches them approach.
And
smiles.
He doesn't
retreat when they enter the ring.
If
anything, their arrival seems to make him even more pleased with himself.
Lazarus
has a microphone.
Titan does
not.
He doesn't
need one.
The
Enforcer stands beside Lazarus, staring at the man who sent him over the top
rope twenty-four hours earlier.
Harrison
looks from Titan to Lazarus.
Harrison
Marks:
"I
was wondering when the two of you would show up."
Harrison
gestures toward the ropes.
Harrison
Marks:
"Careful
standing that close."
The crowd
reacts.
Titan
takes a step forward.
Lazarus
calmly extends an arm in front of him.
Titan
stops.
Lazarus
never takes his eyes off Harrison.
Lazarus
Blackstar:
"You
eliminated us."
Harrison
spreads his arms.
Harrison
Marks:
"Glad
we agree."
Lazarus
Blackstar:
"We
do."
That
answer takes some of the satisfaction out of Harrison's expression.
Lazarus
Blackstar:
"Last
night, you were exceptional. You won the match. You earned your
opportunity."
Lazarus
takes a slow step closer.
Lazarus
Blackstar:
"But
you've confused elimination with victory."
Harrison's
smile disappears.
Harrison
Marks:
"I
watched both of your feet hit the floor."
Lazarus
Blackstar:
"Yes."
Lazarus
remains completely calm.
Lazarus
Blackstar:
"You
eliminated us."
He moves
closer.
Lazarus
Blackstar:
"You
did not defeat us."
The
distinction hangs in the air.
Titan
steps forward until he is standing almost shoulder-to-shoulder with Lazarus.
Lazarus
Blackstar:
"A
battle royal asks one question. Can you put a man over a rope?"
Lazarus
gestures toward Titan.
Lazarus
Blackstar:
"A
wrestling match asks another."
Harrison
looks at Titan.
Lazarus
Blackstar:
"Can
you beat him?"
Harrison's
confidence returns almost immediately.
Harrison
Marks:
"Is
that supposed to scare me?"
Lazarus
shakes his head.
Lazarus
Blackstar:
"No."
A faint
smile appears.
Lazarus
Blackstar:
"It's
supposed to interest you."
Harrison
looks again at Titan.
The
Enforcer hasn't said a word.
He simply
waits.
Lazarus
Blackstar:
"You
told Max McGillicutty that you deserve to stand with HCW's champions."
Lazarus
points toward Titan.
Lazarus
Blackstar:
"Then
prove last night was more than circumstance."
Harrison
takes a step toward Titan.
Now the
two men are nearly face-to-face.
Harrison
Marks:
"You
want a match?"
Titan
finally speaks.
Titan
Briggs:
"I
want the answer."
Harrison
studies him.
Then
laughs.
Harrison
Marks:
"You
had your answer last night."
Lazarus
responds before Titan can.
Lazarus
Blackstar:
"Then
answering twice should be easy."
That draws
a reaction from the crowd.
Harrison
looks at Lazarus.
Then at
Titan.
His ego
makes the decision before caution ever has a chance.
Harrison
Marks:
"Fine."
Harrison
steps directly into Titan's space.
Harrison
Marks:
"Tonight."
Titan
doesn't move.
Harrison
and Titan remain nose-to-nose.
Neither
throws the first punch.
Neither
needs to.
Harrison
Marks spent twenty-four hours telling everyone that throwing Titan Briggs over
the top rope proved what he had become.
Tonight,
Titan intends to make him prove it again.
This time,
there are no ropes to throw him over.
There will
have to be a winner.
Tony
“Echo” Calibur steps into the center of the ring as Harrison Marks and Titan
Briggs move to opposite corners. Lazarus Blackstar slips through the ropes and
takes his position at ringside.
The crowd
is still buzzing from the confrontation that created this match.
Tony
raises the microphone.
Tony
“Echo” Calibur:
"Ladies
and gentlemen, this is your MAIN EVENT of the evening!"
The
Columbia crowd responds loudly.
Tony turns
toward the corner occupied by Titan.
Tony
“Echo” Calibur:
"Accompanied
to the ring by Lazarus Blackstar... representing the Null Order... he is THE
ENFORCER... TITAN BRIGGS!"
Titan
steps out of his corner as the crowd rains boos down upon him. He doesn't
acknowledge them. His eyes remain fixed on Harrison.
Tony turns
toward the opposite corner.
The
reaction remains hostile, although once again there is an undercurrent of
anticipation beneath the boos.
Tony
“Echo” Calibur:
"And
his opponent... winner of the 2026 Breakthrough Opportunity... HARRISON
MARKS!"
Harrison
raises an arm and soaks in the reaction as though the entire building is
cheering him.
Across the
ring, Titan doesn't move.
Tony
exits.
Harrison's
expression changes the moment he looks back at The Enforcer.
This is
what he agreed to.
The bell
rings with Harrison Marks facing the question Lazarus Blackstar posed only
moments ago: eliminating Titan Briggs over the top rope was one thing.
Defeating The Enforcer in a wrestling match would be something else.
For much
of the opening portion of the match, Titan seems determined to prove Lazarus
right.
Titan
turns the match into a physical ordeal, using his size and power to keep
Harrison from establishing himself for any sustained period. Harrison has
opportunities and shows flashes of the ability that carried him through
Saturday's battle royal, but whenever he appears ready to take control, Titan's
strength changes the conversation. Chokeslams, German suplexes and a
spinebuster all take their toll, and Harrison spends far more of the early
going surviving The Enforcer than proving himself superior to him.
What keeps
Harrison in the match is his ability to adjust.
He
realizes quickly that trying to overpower Titan is pointless. Instead, Harrison
begins looking for the moments when Titan commits too heavily to his offense.
When Titan attempts an F10, Harrison finds his way free. Other openings allow
Harrison to gradually do enough damage of his own that Titan can no longer
simply walk through him.
The crowd
begins responding to that change.
They
haven't forgotten that Harrison is Harrison. The same arrogance that had him
demanding a World Championship opportunity from Max McGillicutty earlier
tonight is still there. But the longer he stands up to Titan, the harder it
becomes to dismiss what happened Saturday as nothing more than battle-royal
luck.
Sam
Duffy:
"This
is becoming exactly the test Lazarus Blackstar said Harrison hadn't passed.
Titan Briggs has made this a completely different kind of fight than the battle
royal, but Harrison is adapting to it. He isn't overpowering Titan; he's
learning when to get out of his way, when to counter him, and when he has an
opportunity to hurt him."
Rick
Granger:
"And
Harrison needed this, Sam. Asking Max for a World Championship match after one
great night was asking too much, but if Harrison wants people to believe
Saturday was the beginning of something instead of one spectacular performance,
this is how he proves it. You survive a man like Titan Briggs, you find a way
to beat him, and suddenly people have to start taking your mouth a little more
seriously."
Apparently,
Lazarus Blackstar reaches the same conclusion.
The
challenge was supposed to establish that Harrison had merely eliminated Titan
rather than defeated him, but as the match progresses, Lazarus becomes
increasingly involved in making sure Harrison doesn't accomplish the latter.
His first interference gives Titan an opening to regain control, and from there
Harrison is subjected to some of the worst punishment of the match.
Titan's
Powerbomb Symphony leaves Harrison looking spent, and the cumulative damage
begins mounting. Yet every time it seems Harrison has finally reached his
limit, he finds another way to continue.
Lazarus
eventually goes beyond distraction and encouragement. With the referee
occupied, he brings a foreign object into play against Harrison.
That
changes the crowd's relationship with the match.
Harrison
hasn't suddenly become a hero, but the Null Order challenged him to prove
himself in a wrestling match and now seems unwilling to let him do it without
interference. More and more of the Columbia crowd begins responding to
Harrison's survival, particularly when Titan follows Lazarus' involvement with
another punishing stretch and Harrison still refuses to stay down.
Sam
Duffy:
"This
is where Lazarus loses me. He was the one who said Harrison hadn't really
defeated Titan. Harrison accepted the challenge. Now every time it looks as
though Harrison might prove him wrong, Lazarus puts his hand on the
scale."
Rick
Granger:
"And
that's taking something away from Titan too. If The Enforcer is supposed to
prove Harrison's breakthrough was circumstantial, let Titan prove it. Because
right now Harrison isn't just surviving Briggs—he's surviving Lazarus Blackstar
along with him."
Titan
nearly provides the answer anyway.
The F10
Harrison escaped earlier in the match finally connects during the later stages,
after Harrison has already endured the Powerbomb Symphony and a succession of
Titan's heaviest offense. It appears to be the moment when Harrison's
remarkable weekend finally reaches its limit.
It isn't.
Harrison
survives again.
That
becomes the turning point—not because Harrison suddenly takes over the match,
but because he now knows Titan has thrown nearly everything at him and still
hasn't put him away.
The
arrogance Harrison brought into the ring begins to look increasingly justified.
Harrison
becomes more aggressive in the closing minutes, taking advantage of the damage
Titan has accumulated over the course of the fight. Titan remains the more
physically imposing man and continues threatening to end the match whenever he
gets control, but Harrison is no longer merely surviving those stretches. He's
making Titan pay for them.
Lazarus
recognizes the danger and becomes involved again as the match passes twenty
minutes.
This time,
Harrison is ready for him.
Rather
than allowing Blackstar's interference to create another decisive advantage for
Titan, Harrison keeps his attention where it belongs. Titan tries to
capitalize, but Harrison catches him and drives the exhausted Enforcer to the
canvas with a back suplex.
After
twenty-one minutes of punishment, counters, interference and survival, it is
enough.
Harrison
covers.
One.
Two.
Three.
WINNER:
HARRISON MARKS — 21:00
Harrison
remains on the canvas for several seconds after the three-count, exhausted
after everything Titan and Lazarus threw at him. At ringside, Lazarus Blackstar
stares into the ring at an outcome that has answered his challenge.
Saturday,
Harrison Marks eliminated Titan Briggs.
Sunday, he
defeated him.
The
referee raises Harrison's arm. The reaction is complicated—boos remain, but
they're now mixed with cheers and applause from fans who have watched Harrison
back up nearly everything he's spent the weekend saying about himself.
Harrison
looks toward Lazarus.
He doesn't
need a microphone.
He simply
raises his arm.
Sam
Duffy:
"That's
the answer, Rick. Whatever anyone wants to say about the battle royal, they
can't say it about tonight. Harrison Marks went twenty-one minutes with The
Enforcer, survived everything Titan Briggs could throw at him, survived Lazarus
Blackstar repeatedly involving himself, and pinned Titan in the middle of that
ring."
Rick
Granger:
"And
now Max McGillicutty has another problem. I still don't think Harrison should
jump directly into the World Championship picture, but Max told him earlier
tonight that one battle royal wasn't enough. Harrison went out and immediately
gave him something else. You don't have to like Harrison Marks—and believe me,
he makes that very easy—but after this weekend, you absolutely have to take him
seriously."
Lazarus
helps Titan from the ring. There is no retaliation and no attempt to erase what
just happened. Before leaving, Titan looks back toward Harrison, who meets his
stare from inside the ring.
The Null
Order retreats up the aisle while Harrison climbs the turnbuckles. The reaction
remains divided, but it is considerably louder than when he entered.
The camera
remains on Harrison Marks in the ring, standing on the turnbuckles with both
arms raised as the divided Columbia crowd continues to react. Up the aisle,
Lazarus Blackstar and Titan Briggs disappear behind the curtain.
The shot
returns to Sam Duffy and Rick Granger at the commentary desk.
Sam
Duffy:
"What
a weekend for Harrison Marks. Six eliminations to win the Breakthrough
Opportunity last night, and tonight he followed it by defeating Titan Briggs.
Harrison wanted the World Championship opportunity, Max McGillicutty told him
he hadn't earned that kind of position yet, and Harrison responded the best way
any wrestler can—he went into the ring and gave Max another reason to
reconsider just how high his ceiling might be."
Rick
Granger:
"Max
offered him the Hardcore Championship, and Harrison acted like it was beneath
him. I didn't care for that. But if you're going to have that kind of ego,
you'd better be able to back it up. Harrison backed it up tonight. That doesn't
make him the number-one contender to Dominic Marconi, but it does mean Max
can't dismiss him as a guy who got hot in one battle royal."
The
broadcast cuts through images from earlier in the evening: Jett Sterling's
confrontation with Mr. X; Jack Lumber accepting Yeti's challenge with his
condition regarding Marcus the Beastmaster; Jax Brenner staring down Terrible
Herse from across the arena; Aurora Storm standing face-to-face with Luciana
Albano.
Finally,
the Reign of Champions logo appears on the Omegatron.
Sam
Duffy:
"And
now there is only one week remaining. Next Saturday, the women of HCW take over
Live Wire—and then next Sunday, August 30, every championship will be at stake
at Reign of Champions. Dominic Marconi and Zack Brown settle their rivalry in a
Best Two-out-of-Three Falls match for the World Championship, and throughout
the night, championship after championship will be decided."
Rick
Granger:
"And
after everything we've seen building toward Reign, I'm not making predictions.
There are too many champions with people coming after them, too many
challengers convinced this is finally their night, and apparently now we've got
Harrison Marks walking around thinking he owns the place."
The camera
returns to Harrison, who has climbed down from the turnbuckles but is still
basking in the attention of the crowd.
Sam
Duffy:
"For
Rick Granger, I'm Sam Duffy. Thank you for joining us tonight on Voltage. We'll
see you next weekend for what promises to be one of the biggest weekends of the
year in Heritage Championship Wrestling."
Rick
watches Harrison gesture toward himself in the ring.
Rick
Granger:
"And
somebody please get Harrison out of there before he decides he deserves the
building too."
Sam laughs
as the HCW Voltage logo fills the screen.
The
broadcast fades to black.
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